Guyana chronicle 08 02 14 by Guyana Chronicle

GUYANA No. 103733

SATURDAY FEBRUARY 8, 2013

The Chronicle is at http://www.guyanachronicle.com

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APNU, AFC ‘buckling under pressure’ Page 3

- Finance Minister calls on Civil Society to maintain pressure on Opposition to pass AML/CFT Bill

Police Force acquires fraudulent document detection kits

Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh

PREMATURE DEATHS TO DECLINE Page 2

- with a now functional multi-million-dollar Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at N.A. Hospital

Page 11

Dr Narendra Singh along with mother Sherry Hack and little Travis Lashley (in incubator) at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) in New Amsterdam

Canadian High Commissioner Dr. Nicole Giles presenting the fraudulent document detection kits to Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee, yesterday. (Sonell Nelson photo)

Foreign Minister rebukes PNCR’s Norton over foreign 8 policy criticism Page

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday February 8, 2014

PREMATURE DEATHS TO DECLINE - with a now functional multi-million-dollar Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at N.A. Hospital By Jeune Bailey Vankeric THE commissioning of a functional multi-million-dollar Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and an intense fourday training for health workers at New Amsterdam Hospital, are expected to result in a reduction of deaths through improved monitoring at the Berbice health institution. The NICU is fitted to accommodate between six and eight patients whose referral would have been because of

prematurity, low birth weight or other underlying medical conditions. Neonatal patient Travis Lashley was birthed prematurely and would have succumbed if the NICU was not functioning. He weighed one kilogramme when he was born and after two weeks his weight increased by 180 grammes. His mother is Sherry Hack of Williamsburg Village, Corentyne. The NICU, which is part of the Government’s health care

expansion, was fully commissioned in May of 2013 but had been non-functional because the necessary personnel had not been trained in this new specialty. Meanwhile, Dr. Precious Sonia Jensen, Paediatrician of Nationwide Children Hospital in the United States (U.S.), speaking at the close of the training exercise, noted that the overall objective of it was to lessen infant mortality in Guyana by implementing sustainable

changes through education and technology. Based on her overall assessment, she expressed the opinion that the trained persons are now better equipped with the skills and requisite knowledge needed to fully execute their duties. “The reception of these physicians and nurses is exceptional. They have been really smart and incredibly impressive,” she remarked, adding that the health workers have made tremendous strides regarding the effective caring

of a premature baby. She was optimistic that the trainees and the NICU effectively carried out its mandate. Meanwhile, Medical Superintendent Dr. Vishyala Sharma, extending her gratitude to the facilitators, assured those present that the newly imparted knowledge will be fully implemented in order to improve health care delivery. “Neonatal care and mortality is one of the key indicators of a hospital’s

performance and we, at the New Amsterdam Hospital, try our utmost to keep that down at an acceptable standard and, with this training, I am absolutely confident that we will continue to work to keep our statistics down,” she asserted. The undertaking is a joint venture between the Government of Guyana and Canada-based Guyanese paediatrician Dr. Narendra Singh, who initiated the NICU programme in Guyana.

Burrowes calls for better sense, patriotism to prevail in passage of AML/CFT Bill EXECUTIVE Chairman of the Guyana Office for Investment (GO-Invest) Mr. Keith Burrowes is calling for “better judgment and a sense of patriotism” to prevail from Guyana’s Parliamentarians, especially those in the Opposition, so as to allow for the much anticipated and expeditious passage of the Anti-Money Laundering/Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) legislation. Burrowes is the latest to join the growing list of individu-

als, groups and organisations to condemn the lack of consensus among Parliamentarians and the adverse effects that the Bill’s non-passage will have, including the ‘blacklisting’ of Guyana. He pointed out that regional and international implications of a negative characterisation of Guyana, as stated by the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF) and the Francebased international body, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), have already been evidenced in the local financial

sector. Future pronouncements by these bodies, he added, will only serve to cement the negative perception held on the international scene, particularly by foreign investors. The GO-Invest Chair stressed that Guyana’s ability to attract foreign direct investment plays a quintessential role in assisting in the improvement of the local economy, which recorded a five per cent growth rate in 2013 – ahead of regional counterparts.

Burrowes stated that the private sector drives growth and introducing challenges to their access of foreign investment will greatly undermine their efforts. Burrowes said GO-Invest, which is the country’s primary contact for investors and exporters, is currently undergoing an intense process to modernise, with the aim of bringing it more in line with other more developed countries. The investment agency liaises, on behalf of investors and exporters, with government ministries and other agencies in an efficient and effective manner and facilitates and expedites the processing of applications for concessions and other government support. And it is intrinsic to the

Mr. Keith Burrowes, Executive Chairman of GO-Invest nature of the work of GO-Invest that Burrowes said investors, especially new and potential ones, are all raising concerns about the possible devastating implications of the non-passage of the AML/CFT bill. “I would like to make a special and desperate appeal, especially to the political Opposition, to try to resolve this matter as early as possible in the interest of all Guyanese,” Burrowes commented. Burrowes said efforts are being made to educate the senior staff members of GO-Invest on the ramifications and effects that the Blacklisting of Guyana would have on investors. This, he said, would enable staffers

to better respond to the influx of queries and concerns from investors, most of whom are genuinely worried about the negative effects this would have on the local investment climate. Alluding to the fact that Guyana’s investment climate has improved tremendously in recent years, Burrowes said it would be a crying shame if this progress is destroyed due to politicians playing ‘tit-fortat politics’ at the expense of investors, citizens and the nation as a whole. “I am of the view that this is not something we should play around with because this issue not only has major national implications, but also dire global consequences,” Burrowes posited. He is also worried about the devastatingly negative impact on foreign investors, especially at a time when Guyana’s investment climate is at an all time high. “I believe there are some issues that directly relates and affects the nation that we should not politicise…,” he asserted. Burrowes noted that if Guyana, again, fail to meet the next CFAFT deadline, then the average Guyanese will face the full impact of the penalties for a long time, impacts which promise to disrupt both the lives and livelihoods of citizens.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday February 8, 2014

APNU, AFC ‘buckling under pressure’ - Finance Minister calls on Civil Society to maintain pressure on Opposition to pass AML/CFT Bill FINANCE Minister Dr Ashni Singh said the return of two members of the Opposition to the AML/ CFT meeting after they stormed out and missed two meetings earlier this week is evidence that the Opposition is finally responding to the outrage of civil society at their callous and irresponsible attitudes towards issues of national importance. He said all stakeholders and social partners should maintain pressure on all Opposition parties until this bill is passed. The Opposition’s return to the meetings is indicative that the APNU and the AFC

are “buckling under pressure” from Government, stakeholders and the general public to see this bill to the House on Monday, Dr Singh said. According to him, it would appear that the joint Opposition has exhausted its delay tactics. Last year when the bill was first proposed to the National Assembly, the Opposition claimed they were being rushed and needed more time, notwithstanding that the bill was in Committee for eight months. During the Select Committee meetings in 2013, when the bill was first introduced to the House, neither APNU or the AFC provided

Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh

any written recommendations that could have contributed to the Bill’s finalisation. Dr Singh said further evidence of their delay tactics can be noted in their haphazard attendance of meetings aimed to derail the work of the Committee. On November 7, 2013 the AFC and APNU denied the reading of a petition by the Private Sector Commission (PSC) which called on the Opposition to pass the Bill. Instead, the AFC and APNU collectively denied passage of the Bill that plunged Guyana onto the CFATF blacklist of non- compliant countries. It has been11 months since the original Committee

met, yet the AFC and the APNU has not documented their suggestions or recommendations for the bill. As the fate of Guyana hangs in the balance at this critical hour, as the FATF prepares to meet next Thursday to determine what actions, if any will be taken against this nation, the APNU on Monday once again, denied the Private Sector Commission (PSC) from observing the Select Committee meetings and walked out of the meeting to prevent the committee from continuing its work. On Tuesday, none of the Opposition members attend-

ed the meeting. On Thursday only two of the five members of the Opposition team bothered to attend. Dr Singh said “the APNU and the AFC have one last opportunity to demonstrate good will to the people of Guyana by working with Government over the weekend to submit the Committee’s report to the House.” The Finance Minister concluded by saying that “all stakeholders and public minded citizens should continue to pressure the AFC and the APNU to see this vital piece of legislation to the floor of the House for passage on Monday.”

Private Sector again appeals to Parliament to resolve issues hindering passage of Anti-Money Laundering Bill CHAIRMAN of the Private Sector’s Sub-committee for Trade and Industry, Mr Ramesh Dookhoo yesterday, during the first steering committee meeting of the National Competitiveness Council, appealed to the members of parliament to resolve the issues hindering passage of the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/ CFT) (Amendment) Bill. “On behalf of the private sector commission and my collogues here, I know I speak for all of us, we would like to appeal to our friends in parliament to resolve this issue. Please, it’s taking Guyana in the wrong direction,” Dookhoo appealed. “Much of what we have worked for over the last, maybe 10 years, at the National Competitiveness Council and at other forums with the Government of Guyana can be wasted efforts if what is happening with the Anti-Money Laundering Bill is not resolved.”

He added that, “it would appear as though some of our parliamentarians have underestimated or may not be totally informed regarding what the private sector is currently going through”. Dookhoo said there are clear and defined signals of hardships being placed on the private sector, as well as the citizenry of Guyana, particularly those who receive money from abroad. “There are clear and defined hardships looming in the clouds and these have impacted on the foreign exchange rates,” he said. Minister of Tourism Industry and Commerce (ag) Irfaan Ali, who was also present at the meeting, added that the non-passage of this Bill can put Guyana in the “state it was 10 years ago”, explaining that the country’s competitiveness will be severely impacted. “Our attractiveness for bringing in foreign investments will be reduced tremendously, our standing on international rates and international financing rating will be reduced tremendously,

Minister of Tourism Irfaan Ali sharing his views on the non-passage of the Anti-Money Laundering Bill at the meeting. To his left is Chairman of the Private Sector Commission (PSC) Ronald Webster and to his right is Chairman of the PSC Sub-Committee on Trade and Industry, Ramesh Dookhoo

the time to process transactions will increase dramatically, and the cost to process transactions will increase dramatically,” the minister was quoted by the Government Information Agency (GINA) as saying at the meeting. He further explained that this means that the cost of goods and services will increase greatly and businesses will not want to invest in, or transact business in an environment where the cost of production is increasing, as well as the time for transaction and the hurdles for transaction are exponential. Minister Ally said, too, that the non-passage of the Bill or even a late passage, will create a lot of problems for the country. “Even if the Bill is passed in the future, it will take time, years… to build back the country to where it is at the moment,” he posited.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday February 8, 2014

Former President Jagdeo at Delhi Sustainable Development Summit

- joins the likes of Kofi Annan in addressing the high-level forum F O R M E R P re s i d e n t D r Bharrat Jagdeo has joined several high level officials including Mr Kofi Annan, former Secretary General of the United Nations, at the opening of the 14th Delhi Sustainable Development Summit (DSDS) in the Indian capital, New Delhi, under the theme ‘Attaining Energy, Water and Food Security for All’. Guyana was invited for a fourth year to participate by Dr. R.K. Pachauri, Nobel Prize Laureate and Director-General of The Energy and Research Institute (TERI). DSDS 2014 is providing an important forum to discuss the critical issues of energy, water and food security for all. The timing is key as there is a mounting call for greater action to address climate change and for the global community to move towards higher efficiency in the use of resources. According to a statement yesterday from the Guyana Office for Climate Change, former President Jagdeo participated in the first Leadership Panel which discussed ‘The Demographic Challenge’. The Panel was chaired by Mr. Nitin Desai, Distinguished Fellow from TERI and included Ms Tarja Halonen, former President of Finland; Mr. Goran Persson, former Prime Minister of Sweden; and Lord

John Prescott, former British Deputy Prime Minister. In his presentation, Dr. Jagdeo outlined the need to have a global framework to address the challenges of energy, water and food security. He emphasised the need to cost the services that are provided from natural capital citing the example of hydrological and other services that forests provide and which do not factor in economic considerations. Dr. Jagdeo suggested that the time has come for societies to utilise available technology and innovation to use less and achieve more while at the same time pursuing incentives to align profit with sustainable practices. He also used the opportunity to reflect on the difficulties being faced in getting global agreement on climate change citing the lack of urgency by developed countries in meeting their commitments. The DSDS, organised annually by TERI since 2001, is an international undertaking that provides a platform for knowledge exchange and debate on all aspects of sustainable development. Over the past ten years, it has emerged as one of the most important forums on global sustainability issues, with a focus on developing world solutions.

‘HIGH-LEVEL PANEL’: Mr. Goran Persson, former Prime Minister of Sweden; Former President Dr Bharrat Jagdeo; Mr. Nitin Desai, Distinguished Fellow from TERI; Ms Tarja Halonen, former President of Finland; and Lord John Prescott, former British Deputy Prime Minister.

LCDS to receive further support from Indian Research Institute GUYANA’S Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) will continue to benefit from further implementation support from The Energy and Research Institute (TERI) headed by Dr. Rajendra K. Pachauri, Nobel Prize Laureate and Chairman of the Inter-Governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

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Former President of Guyana Dr Bharrat Jagdeo held discussions with Dr. Pachauri and TERI officials on the margins of the 14th Delhi Sustainable Development Summit 2014 which is currently being convened by TERI in New Delhi under the theme ‘Attaining Energy, Water and Food Security for All.’ Among the broad areas identified for continued assistance include support for long term strategy development and implementation in the energy sector with focus on renewable energy and energy efficiency. Dr. Pachauri, who has visited Guyana on several occasions, has been a supporter of Guyana’s climate initiatives and the LCDS. He has facilitated collaboration with TERI to support and share expertise with Guyana in the area of climate change, energy, environment

and sustainable development. A team of specialists from TERI is currently working in Guyana on these priority areas. They have provided technical support for improvement in energy efficiency in the sugar and rice sectors and work is underway to pilot a programme for energy efficient street lighting. The institute will soon be extending its support to Guyana’s private sector with focus on the manufacturing and services industry.

Dr. Rajendra K. Pachauri

Kwakwani man killed next to airstrip - two suspects in custody

POLICE have two suspects in custody following the murder of Orin Ferreira yesterday morning. The body of Ferreira, 43, was found with a suspected stab wound to his chest at about 00:40 hrs on the Kwakwani

Airstrip Road. A man and a woman have been arrested and remain in detention, assisting with the investigations. Reports are that the woman in custody is the dead man’s reputed wife with whom he shared a relationship for some time. Investigators were trying to ascertain if the man’s reputed 34-year-old wife, Reana Trotz, was with him at the time of the incident. Up to late last evening the police were still conducting an intense investigation into the matter, and taking statements from persons in the area.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday February 8, 2014

Panama Canal work stops in $1.6bn row (BBC News) The Spanish-led consortium working on a project to widen the Panama Canal has said that work at the site has been halted over a disagreement on cost overruns. The construction group says it is owed $1.6bn (£1bn). The Panama Canal Authority (ACP) said the demand amounted to blackmail. The new lock, which was due to be completed next year, would allow the passage of larger cargo ships in one of the world’s busiest maritime routes. FAILED TALKS On Wednesday, the consortium - officially known as Grupo Unido por el Canal (GUPC) -

denied that work at construction work had been suspended. It said 10,000 jobs were at risk if there was a stoppage. But in a statement on Friday, the group blamed the Canal Authority for failing to extend a negotiation protocol. In the protocol, the building companies agreed to carry on negotiating without threatening to suspend the work, while Panama promised not to cancel the contract signed by both parties “While awaiting an agreement to enable the finalisation of construction, work has been suspended on the project,” announced the consortium in a statement. The GUPC says the Canal Authority has also failed to pay

The canal extension is expected to take cargo ships carrying up to 12,000 containers

Minister: $190m for Carnival 2014 By Anna Ramdass (Trinidad Express) A total of $190 million has been allocated to Carnival this year with $115 million representing money owed since 2010. Arts and Multiculturalism Minister Lincoln Douglas disclosed this at the post-Cabinet news conference at the Office of the Prime Minister, St Clair yesterday. He said some $115 million was owed since 2010. The National Carnival Commission (NCC) will be given the money which will then be allocated to stakeholders. “The delays in payments were related to a number of things, some of it had to do with contractual type of mismanagement, evaluation of delivery of the product, the unavailability of money. “A wide range of things contributed to that,” he said. Douglas also announced that $11.95 million was allocated by various ministries for the Chutney Soca Monarch—$4.5 million and the International Soca Monarch—$7.45 million. Asked about the lyrics of songs this season and whether there was any policy with respect to State funding, Douglas said the State played a role in the development of the art form. “Personally for me I am not comfortable with some of the music...we are working with the producers and we are working with the artistes themselves to increase the quality of these shows,” he said. “Some people think ‘Rolly Polly’ (by Grenadian artiste Mr Killa) is an abuse of women and some people think it’s a celebration of women. “These are interpretive types of questions...I am sure that all of us will be concerned about images that glorify drinking or other kinds of direct type of violence,” he said. He said producers and artistes should aim to deliver a quality of music that was world standard.

an outstanding $50m bill, which would allow the companies to carry on the work in the short term. But the consortium said it would “continue the efforts to find a joint solution and reach an agreement with the ACP”. The Panama Canal, linking the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacif-

ic, is celebrating its centenary in August. More than 13,000 ships use the maritime shortcut every year. Construction of the canal’s expansion was due to be completed in June 2015, nine months behind schedule, with the overall cost of the project estimated at $5.2bn.

Life changer - 24-y-o escapes rough bus-loader existence, turns JPS intern (The Gleaner) For more than two years, the only employment Horace Bailey knew was to load buses on the streets of the Corporate Area. The 24-year-old, who left high school with no subjects and lives in the volatile St Andrew community of Majesty Gardens, more popularly known as ‘Back To’, said the killing of several bus loaders made it a risky job, but underscored that it was better than the alternative. “It was a matter of survival and I did not want to turn to the gun or get involved in a gang,” he explained. Yesterday, Bailey was among 20 at-risk young people from several inner-city communities who began working as interns at the Jamaica Public Service Company Company (JPS), through a partnership agreement with the Citizen Security and Justice Programme (CSJP) through the Ministry of National Security. The 19 males and one female, according to JPS director for the eastern region Omar Sweeney, will be exposed to high-level training over a sixmonth period. It is estimated that this will cost the light and power company more than $5 million. “What we expect is that a successful implementation of this programme will see it being expanded to other areas islandwide,” Sweeney revealed. It is estimated that there are more than 270,000 unattached, at-risk young people across Jamaica and CSJP programme manager Simeon Robinson says there are more than 3,000 in its database, who are ready to be engaged either through permanent employment, internship or on-the-job training. “The JPS should be lauded for its bold step towards nation building. It is our wish that other companies will follow suit,” Robinson suggested. However, it was Bailey’s story that underscored the relevance of the internship programme. “I always told my mother that I was going to make something of my life and that my future did not stop with loading buses,” he recalled. His journey from a bus

loader to JPS intern began when his father suggested that he enroll at the HEART Trust/NTA. “At first, I was unwilling. However, I decided that attending HEART was my way out of poverty, as I would be able to secure a better life through education,” Bailey recalled. The former Haile Selassie High School student said he completed level-one studies in electrical installation and quickly realised that “I had potential”. “As such, I decided that I was going all the way to level three,” he declared. The CSJP paid for his studies and Bailey was later selected to participate in what he called a “life-changing” internship with the Jamaica Defence Force. “ To d a y, m y s t o r y h a s changed. I can proudly say I am an intern with the Jamaica Public Service Company,” he boasted. “Who would have known that a bus loader, yes me, would have been selected to attend Parliament as a guest of the minister of national security,” he added, recalling his trip to Gordon House last year for National Security Minister Peter Bunting’s Budget Debate presentation.

RUPTURED: The ruptured 48-inch WASA water main. —Photos courtesy WASA

Customers must wait 24 hours more By Michelle Loubon

(Trinidad Express) About 400,000 customers in 23 communities will have to wait about 24 more hours for a fully restored water supply. The Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA) announced yesterday repairs on the ruptured 48-inch steel Caroni North Trunk Main were to have been completed by midnight last night. The main is located along the west bound lane of the Churchill Roosevelt Highway in the vicinity of Trincity Mall. The main was ruptured on Wednesday during piling work by contractor Jusamco who was hired by the Ministry of Works and Infrastructure to reconstruct

and widen the Arouca River Bridge which forms part of the overall Churchill Roosevelt Highway Expansion Project. WASA’s Corporate Communications Manager Ellen Lewis had said on Wednesday that the rupture constituted a “crisis”. Among the affected areas are sections of Piarco, St Augustine, Curepe, Champs Fleurs, Mt D’or, Farm Road, St Joseph, Petit Bourg, Valsayn South, Bamboo and Mt Hope Hospital. Additional communities include Aranjuez, San Juan, El Socorro, Santa Cruz, Morvant, Barataria, Laventille, Beetham Gardens, Gonzales, Belmont, Gonzales, Port of Spain, Cascade, Cocorite and Western Main Road, St James.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday February 8, 2014

GUYANA

Words like ‘free’, ‘fair’ anathema to PNC and its cohorts

EDITORIAL

THE PPP and PSC will soon understand what most Guyanese already knew about the PNC, and that is that words such as ‘free’, ‘fair’, ‘transparent elections’ and ‘observer’ are not in their vocabulary. Period! The PNC does not like any observer to be witness to the sinister plots they are plotting against Guyanese. PNC, camouflaged in a new avatar as APNU, is only waiting for the “nod” from the US and UK before they make their move, to do that which they often promise their gullible supporters: “Tek back awe country... Papa Forbes dead an leff dis country fi awe… all de land pon de East Coast all de way up to Berbice belong to

The ‘Clean and Misrepresenting facts is usual Green Guyana’ Opposition ploy initiative to gain political leverage

IN the wake of municipality and NDC failures, citizens willing to ensure a clean Guyana The extra effort needed by citizens to ensure a clean Guyana through proper solid waste management is still existent among Guyanese, despite the carelessness displayed by some in their reckless disposal of garbage. This was the sentiment expressed in a press release received by this newspaper recently. This support for a clean Guyana is evident in the comments posted on the Clean and Green Guyana (CGG) Facebook page. The page was created on November 28, 2013 with the aim of forging behavioural change among Guyanese as it relates to the wanton disposal of waste. “CGG therefore believes that the use of this social medium is a good platform to source ideas and gain feedback regarding the willingness of the general public to ensure a tidy environment.” The younger generation can only visualise the pristine cleanliness of Georgetown of yesteryear, when it was known as “The Garden City” through archival pictures; and in the rural areas where, although many families could not afford paint, the houses of the poor were scrubbed inside and out during celebratory occasions, which means several times a year, even the bridges were scrubbed; and those old enough can remember the “scraper”, a sharpened piece of galvanized tool that was used to scrub wooden floors until they looked brand-new. Yards were swept clean every day and those with houses on stilts “daubed” their “bottom-houses’ with cow manure to a gloss that is rarely achieved by designers today. And the “chulha’, a fireside made with clay where all the cooking was done, was daubed with white clay after every cooking. Clothes had to be washed at the “waterside” – whether it was a GuySuCo-dug canal used to transport punts with canes or the bank of a nearby natural stream or river; because oftentimes these, or a specially dug pond in the backyard and receptacle used to catch rainwater were the only sources of water for household use; yet, Guyana from end to end always looked as though it was newly washed with rainwater from end to end during every season of the year; so immaculate was it. Today, only Essequibo, once dubbed the “Cinderella County” has now truly become the princess of Guyana because, except for the odd flaw here and there, the cleanliness and escalating progress is evident in its ever-changing landscape. Apart from hinterland communities – where even the mining and other entrepreneurial activities are decimating the pristinity of the landscape-the entire Guyana is intermittently strewn with garbage from coast to coast. Travelling for miles on Guyana’s highways was always a joy, because its beauty and verdancy enthralled the mind and soothed the spirit. But sadly, the beauteous landscape has been marred by garbage strewn willy-nilly every which way, just dumped at road corners and in Guyana’s once ink-black and gently flowing waterways, with beautiful lotus flowers and water lilies interspersing softly murmuring waterways now litter-blocked, with an emanating stench that discourages malingering and a meandering journey to enjoy the sights, sounds and smells of Guyana’s natural beauty and bounties. Somehow the pride in our country has been lost, sacrificed to the pursuit of the mundane, the ordinary, and the ugly. But there is hope, with what seems to be the promised resurrection of our national pride and personal dignity in the establish-

SUBSEQUENT to the brouhaha by APNU regarding the issuance of permission for a Geological and Geographical Survey (PGGS) by the Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment, the APNU party has finally come to its senses. APNU has realised that the party erred, but the aspersions cast upon the Minister and the Government are irreparable. The minister was subjected to harsh criticisms, particularly on his personal character and integrity. However, these have been proven null and void by the facts provided by the ministry. And now after the entire ruckus created by Joseph Harmon and his party, they quietly state to selective sections of the media that the minister committed no major violations and that his response to the Parliament was accurate. Why didn’t APNU verify their source of information before running to the press thirsty for publicity? This is only one of the many instances which expose the Opposition, particularly APNU, for its inherited PNC traits to shoot first and ask questions later. Notwithstanding the damage caused, I would like to credit Dr. Rupert Roopnaraine for accepting that APNU made a blunder and apologised for misleading the public. However, Joseph Harmon, as a retired GDF Colonel, is sticking his grounds and maintaining that the minister lied and more questioning is needed. Most notable is the difference of opinion by two senior members of APNU; so is there an intra-party conflict? This is yet to be seen. Meanwhile, as a public stakeholder, I would like to urge APNU senior members, particularly Joseph Harmon to be objective and not use a Government officer/agency as a scapegoat to attain political mileage. SHAMSHUDEEN KHAN ment of the Clean and Green Guyana (CGG), which is an initiative that falls under the purview of the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development, with funding from the Inter-American Development Bank. A Guyenterprise release quoted the reaction to this initiative by some Facebook bloggers as follows:Posting on the CGG timeline on January 6, Eddie Beresford commended the initiative, saying, “A very good overdue idea which can only work if people at the community level view the environment in which they live as an extension of their own homes. They can then take personal responsibility for the health and safety of the environment and collectively demand that government does the same by implementing procedures alongside practical and necessary services.” Another fan of the page, Lylette Primell, made a suggestion on February 3, while welcoming the initiative. “Great, this is a much needed group... now we need to figure out a way to get rid of styrofoam and return to using cardboard boxes for fast food...styrofoam like plastic does not rot”, she said. Many also welcomed the call by CGG to “team up to clean up”, by expressing their readiness to do so. On February 3, Marlon Noel said, “We are happy to collaborate with you. Go Guyana Club will

awe ancestors.” PNC don’t want observers in Guyana at election time; PNC don’t want observer in Guyana Elections Commission. PNC don’t want observers in Parliament when it comes to money laundering and terrorists financing legislation. So this recent walkout is nothing new where the PNC is concerned. The US and UK Ambassadors should run their mouths on this now, like how they ran their mouths like the Demerara River on other things favouring the PNC. T. KING

Suddie hospital upgraded by Gov’t, but has insufficient drugs A SUCCESSFUL health care institution story begins at ground zero, when medical facilities were in a very nascent stage in Region 2. However, Suddie is still to emerge as one to access all the requirements for quality health care. The government is trying to utilise every opportunity to provide better health care to the common man and woman, but there is still a shortage of drugs at this institution. Suddie Hospital is an institution that was established in the colonial days and now possesses semi state-of-the art equipment and a screening laboratory, but its diagnostic services are not the best in the country. People from all over the region and the Pomeroon River come to this hospital to avail themselves of its medical treatment. The patients sometimes have to buy their own drugs from a private pharmacy. Although the hospital extends free and concessional treatment to the economically weaker sections of the society, and the trained nurses, doctors and technicians provide a high degree of expertise and dedication to diagnosis and treatment, the cost factor due to the limited drugs available at the institution inhibits health care. Also, the minimum bed space requirement and passageway for wheelchair patients by international standards is not in confirmation at this hospital, and it is hard to navigate to the dressing room. The medical and general stores are not working around–theclock within the hospital complex. So many times if patients need to go out of the hospital to collect the drugs it is closed and they have to buy it at a nearby pharmacy on the road, so the most important crisis facing us is that of the inadequacy of drugs and medical supplies for patients. No hospital today can transform itself into a modern institution without drugs for requisite treatment. Over the years, Government has spent millions of dollars on drugs, so we must now ensure that we get real benefits from the investment. FRUSTRATED PATIENT be planning out an environmental project. Let’s come together to make Guyana better. One People, One Nation, One Destiny - Just One” On January 3, Jacqueline Moriah-Jordon said, “I am so glad to see your site. Guyanese need to take responsibility for their environment! Will help in whichever way I can...awesome initiative!”. Joel Heywood, who posted on November 28, 2013, wrote: “The idea behind this page is great! Very necessary too!! A total turn around in the behaviour patterns of many as it relates to littering is very much needed!” and Jameel A Khan said “It is excellent that you and others can focus attention towards this end”. CGG has accumulated a total of 531 supporters since November 28, 2013 to date. CGG believes that if all Guyanese shared similar sentiments and practised such beliefs, then the title “The Garden City” can once again be considered suitable for Georgetown. Chronicle wishes to commend this initiative and to promise full co-operation so that Guyana can once again be called “El Dorado” and “The Magnificent Province”. Although we are no longer a colonised country, thus not a province, we can certainly redeem our magnificence if we do it together as a people with one common goal, for the pride and redemption of our national patrimony bequeathed to us by all our ancestors.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday February 8, 2014

COMMENTARY

By David DeGroot

WHAT can be more compelling than to preserve one’s integrity or, in the case of a country, an unimpaired state? It therefore behoves all concerned to be ever mindful of how we conduct ourselves and the manner of the image we portray. There is really nothing

that should supersede the idea of maintaining an impeccable integrity; and I find it unthinkable that the leader of the Opposition in Parliament cannot distinguish the difference of being nationalistic as against being unduly squeamish on insisting that certain bills be assented by the President. David Granger is demanding that President Donald Ramotar give

his assent to bills passed by the combined Opposition before he can support the Anti-money Laundering and Countering of Financing of Terrorism Bill now before Parliament. The integrity of Guyanese is at stake if the Parliament is seen to be delinquent in passing this most important bill, which has far-reaching ramifications affecting this nation, not only

in Guyana, but regionally and internationally. While integrity is an important aspect of the AML/CFT (Anti-money Laundering of the Financing of Terrorism) bill, accessing freedom of finances on the international market will become most problematic, which in turn will affect everyday business financial transactions, posing undue, expensive delays in finalizing money transfers, both incoming and outgoing. Cannot better sense prevail amongst those members sitting

in Parliament and whose first obligation should be nationalist in their approach to management of the affairs of state? The country cannot be run by parliamentarians with juvenile thinking adopting spitefulness, as is the present case with the AML/CFT Bill. The future well-being of Guyana is at stake. Will the opposition members display the necessary maturity and ensure that a most welcome, inviting business climate is firmly established?

David DeGroot

Using Colwyn Harding to start a race war ABOUT Attorney General Anil Nandlall’s comments on premature judgments relative to the Colwyn Harding imbroglio, I posit that the AG could talk all he wants, but deep down in his heart he really can’t say what he really wants to say. If newspaper reports are correct, then Colwyn Harding and his shyster lawyer named an East Indian police officer in Harding’s baton assault charge. Since the killing of a PPP minister and his family and slaughtering of innocent East Indian babies in the wee hours of a morning in their beds, the message is clear: those who can’t win elections at the polls are trying their best to create a race war. How do East Indians Ramjattan and Nagamootoo feel when one of their AFC colleagues sent his thugs to block the Agricola Public Road, trapping many East Indians then proceeding to beat them, rob them and sexually molest them? That should be the signal that something more sinister is to come from race haters. To this day, I don’t think anyone was held responsible for that atrocity. East Indians are sitting ducks and the Opposition supporters know it too well, but when the mess hits the ceiling all those East Indians will gather their families and, with their visas, will be long gone from the ethnic cleansing forever being perpetrated against their community by the joint Opposition. Then we will see who will break their backs to develop Guyana. And many are the political opportunists pushing the race agenda, including members of the Indo-Guyanese community. East Indians in Guyana must have the right to defend themselves and the Government is bound to ensure that they are empowered to do so, because what happened on the Agricola public road, the Wismar massacre of East Indians by Afro-Guyanese and other massacres so far in our history will seem like a joke. Does the Government think that with the departure of Granger and Felix the army and police ranks have suddenly become angels? What is frightening is that large sections of the populace are forgetting our history because they, including the private sector, transparency group and other bodies have voiced their support for the US ‘democracy’ project, even while they spit upon the sovereignty of our nation. All names must be submitted for the public to know who these individuals and bodies supporting the US against our own country are. The US Democracy and Leadership Project means: “US installing the Government of their choice, not the people’s choice.” As usual, the US is calling the shots in a sovereign country. That is why, regarding the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (Amendment) Bill, the Opposition does not want any observer observing the proceedings because they want to say what they want behind closed doors, then say something else transpired to their constituents to rile them up and cause havoc in the country. The Public Procurement Commission impasse is a separate issue and should not and must never be attached to money laundering and terror bills, because this is blackmailing the nation. Relative to the Integrity Commission, it seems only those who rigged elections and are involved in unending instances of proven fraud and other criminal activities are believed by their supporters to have integrity. The opposite is proven by their plans to cut the 2014 budget, regardless of the legal implications of the Chief Justice’s ruling: proving that the joint Opposition (APNU and AFC) wants nothing more than to trample on the constitution and the laws of our country. The AG said: “We cannot sacrifice due process (and) natural justice at the altar of political expediency. This is precisely what many persons did in this matter, including the Alliance For Change (AFC). These persons rendered judgment, computed their own compensation, and are demanding that the state pay this compensation at the sum of $100M taxpayers’ money. This is the height of recklessness and irresponsibility!” The AG pointed out that, in their haste to pass judgment, the judgmental persons ignored reality. He said, “Take, for example, the sheer improbability of a baton being inserted in someone’s anus

without him needing medical treatment for nearly two months, as well as the fact that the victim of such a violent assault was able to walk, attend court, and have bowel movements for two months without any apparent problems…” With the looming probability of near elections, the shortlist of applicants to replace the professional Mr. Gocool Boodhoo includes a former Jamaican elections director, Danville Walker, among four shortlisted for that position; Yes, right! Jamaicans were among the CARICOM neighbours who stood by and let Burnham perpetrate endless atrocities on the PPP’s leaders and supporters, then forced a truncation of a PPP/C term in office. They buddied up to PNC leaders as they destroyed our country. Calvin Benn and Keith Lowenfield, unapologetic supporters of the PNC regurgitated into APNU – GECOM officials under whose watch large sums of money and resources vanished.

The PNC will not rest until it get its people to control GECOM, as they do in the Police, Army and Judicial systems; and in all PPP/C Government run institutions. The one person who may (unless she is an AFC supporter) USbased Guyanese Savitree Singh, likely to provide professional services, will most likely be tossed in the PNC garbage bin in a blink. If she is appointed (unless it is a collusion and she is AFC in disguise) they will ‘wok obeah pon she’ and picket her office and home. So if one takes all the above into consideration, it is apparent that the Opposition, with their traditional allies, are intent to start a race war to wrest power, because all their other attempts are failing and this is their usual ploy – divide the people and rule them. TED KING

Launching Guyana SWAT: A proud moment WITNESSING the launch of Guyana’s SWAT team early last Thursday was truly a moving and powerful moment for the peoples of our beautiful and promising Guyana.Personally, I am exhilarated, excited, bubbling with personal joy, as if it is a personal achievement. It may be personal too. Since I remigrated to Guyana in 1993, I have been calling for the establishment of a SWAT unit; and even before, in 1997, I wrote Commissioner Lloyd Barker for a local Crime Reaction Unit: Not too long after the famous ‘Blue Clothes’ was effected, which later became the ‘Black Clothes’ under Mr. Laurie Lewis. I kept writing in the print media, and with discussions on the electronic media when invited to discuss crime, and on my personal programme, and I kept demanding that a SWAT team be established in this country. The most recent demand for the SWAT from this writer came at the ‘wake’ of young Zulfikar Namdar, son of famous Muslim activist and humanitarian, Sheikh Goolzar Namdar, which was attended by thousands of people, including His Excellency Donald Ramotar, the President of the Republic; Hon. Minister of Tourism Irfaan Ali, diplomats and peoples of all sectors of Guyana’s society, from all over Guyana. I made a resounding call, in a most powerful voice, on a powerful microphone that the time is now for the establishment of “Team Swat Guyana” or a similar unit, which could move fast, with the most sophisticated firepower and explosive devices, which will protect the peoples of this country, and even send ‘shock and awe’ on the criminals. In less than 24 hours, we heard and read in the media that the Government will see that the team is established, and the Minister of Home Affairs, the Hon. Clement Rohee, went into action to see it done. Kudos, Minister Rohee. Kudos, Government of Guyana. Many have tried to get me to disrespect the Hon. Minister in discussions at various functions on the cocktail circuit, and to think him a ‘lilliputian,’ but I will let them know he is a ‘Gulliver….a giant of a man with elite brains.’ I serve with this man on a professional basis, on a most important board in this country as a Commissioner in The National Commission on Law and Order, and am involved in various other activities and boards managed by his ministry, e.g., the Prison Sentence Management Board, and even as Chairman of interviewing panels, etc. It is my personal honour and opportunity to serve with him, and be guided by him. He has the most achievements in the crime fighting sector than any other minister in the history of Guyana. Maybe it is time the PR (public relations) people of the Ministry of Home Affairs publish and list the achievements

of the ministry during his period as minister. He is also someone who listens. While I was demanding this team in Guyana - over the decades of course, there were others also in action requesting and demanding that this unit be established. I salute their foresight. Many Home Affairs Ministers since 1992 have been speaking of it; but again, in my opinion, it is another great achievement for Minister Rohee, who has caused enormous, positive strides in the crime-fighting sector. The terroristic and vicious criminals have been wreaking havoc in the city, the coastlands and interior. This must be put to an end. The people have their rights to enjoy and earn by hard work in any legal endeavour, no one has a right to take their property, and more so kill or try to kill them. Thank you, Minister Rohee; and thanks, Government of Guyana. It has been a long wait, but we now have SWAT. ROSHAN KHAN CEO/Founder RK’s Guyana Security Services Commissioner, National Commission on law and Order

No nice people working at that KFC outlet

REPORTING that the after effects are still uncertain after a mother and her child fell into a ‘grease trap’ outside of KFC, the Chronicle noted that the KFC staffers were unsympathetic and unhelpful when the mother asked the staff at KFC for water to wash off the filth. According to her, they showed no sympathy and slammed the steel door in their faces after rudely asking Alecia whether she was blind that she did not see the hole. In the meantime, relatives vowed to leave no stone unturned to get justice for the injury, inconvenience and humiliation suffered by the woman and her young child. Guyana Chronicle, please do not abandon this lady and her baby: I urge you to see this through that these people get justice. I stopped eating at that KFC and I stopped taking my family and friends there opposite Stabroek Market, because there are no nice people working at that KFC outlet. TED KING

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday February 8, 2014

Foreign Minister rebukes PNCR’s Norton over foreign - says Norton is ‘far policy criticism removed from reality’ FOREIGN Affairs Minister Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett has launched a stinging rebuke at former People’s National Congress Reform (PNC/R) Member of Parliament (MP) Mr Aubrey Norton, for his “irresponsible and uninformed” criticisms of her ministry and Guyana’s foreign policy, as well as her competence as Foreign Minister. The following is the full text of a letter from Minister Rodrigues-Birkett, responding to Norton, that was sent to the media yesterday: PERMIT me please to respond through your newspapers, to an article in the Kaieteur News dated February 7th, 2014 captioned “Guyana’s Foreign Policy is in a mess – Aubrey Norton.’’ It is not very often that I respond to articles in the newspapers and indeed in the media in general since I value very much freedom of the press and whenever it appears, constructive criticism. However, it will be a dereliction of duty on my part if the aforementioned one goes unanswered. Let me at the outset indicate that I reject completely this irresponsible and uninformed statement by Mr. Norton with respect to the status of Guyana’s foreign policy. Notwithstanding his association with the Foreign Ministry in the past, Mr. Norton is not the only one that understands Foreign Policy, even if he would want the public to believe so. To accuse the current PPP/C administration of not understanding foreign policy is just a demonstration of denial of the facts but maybe moreso a pitch to urge consideration by the powers that be to allow him to return to the hallowed halls where lawmakers meet. But lest it be forgotten, let me remind Mr. Norton, that it was during this PPP/C administration’s tenure that Guyana received kudos for many foreign policy initiatives. Perhaps leading these will be the successful settlement of the maritime boundary dispute with Suriname. He should know that this is the only border issue that was settled since Guyana’s independence and it was a foreign policy decision of the PPP/C administration to take that matter to the International Tribunal on the Law of the Sea. It was under this administration, that the Norwegian Government, hitherto not having any strong bilateral ties with Guyana, signed an Agreement on forests from which we benefit today. This agreement was in recognition of Guyana’s groundbreaking Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS). Guyana is also the beneficiary of a Tropical Forest Protection Project under an Agreement with the Federal Republic of Germany. It was under this administration that no other than the then President of Guyana, His Excellency Bharrat Jagdeo, was named ‘Champion of the Earth’. It was under this same PPP administration that the Takutu Bridge was built, physically linking Guyana with Brazil. Notwithstanding his utterances about CARICOM, it was this PPP/C administration that finally honoured Guyana’s obligation under the Headquarters Agreement of 1976 to provide “a permanent headquarters premises” to “ include a suitable and adequate building for the Secretariat.” And yes, it was under this PPP/C administration that Guyana’s economy recorded positive growth for many years and brought Guyana back to a respectable place in the international community, where we can speak with our heads held high because we live in a democratic society where elections are free and fair. These could not be achieved if, as Mr. Norton claims, the Government has “no understanding of foreign policy.” Mr. Norton must be suffering from a hitherto unknown condition which I must

regard as selective amnesia. Concerning his comment about the New Global Human Order, Mr. Norton might not be aware that the Secretary General of the United Nations convened a meeting last year to discuss the issue of ‘Equity’ where I was invited to speak. This Meeting was a direct

voted for the ratification of the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR) Constitutive Treaty when it was being considered in Parliament in 2009. At that time, I had said that Guyana sees our membership in UNASUR as complementary to our membership in CARICOM. The Government of Guyana also ensured that Guyana‘s commitments as these relate to CARICOM were preserved in the UNASUR Treaty. These are two integration mechanisms that are both beneficial to Guyana and do not collide. I don’t think there is any right thinking person that would suggest we should not be a Member of the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR) while we are a member of CARICOM. Indeed it was Mr. Norton who said in his Presentation in Parliament, “Mr Speaker, the People’s National Congress Reform, has no problem with this in principle. We believe Latin American integration is critical …….” I can only imagine that something serious has happened which created a “mess’’ with his memory. On Mr. Norton’s assertion that “Guyana cannot produce diplomats by keeping Foreign Service Officers (FSOs) at home,” I agree that there must be a good balance in terms of the time officers spend abroad and at home while considering the resources of small States like Guyana. However, this comment appears to suggest that we only keep FSOs in Guyana. I therefore wish to repeat, as I have done in the National Assembly, that within the last 18 months we have posted officers to Brazil, Suriname, Venezuela, Washington, New York, London, Barbados and South Africa and reposted others to Georgetown. Being posted is just one aspect of a diplomat’s career grounding and development. Our diplomats are constantly exposed to local and overseas training as well. Finally, with respect to his comment about my competence, I am not unaccustomed to him questioning my Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, Minister of Foreign Affairs competence but that I leave for others to judge. Suffice it to say I remain a member of the Cabinet and the National result of the work done by Guyana at the United Nations and supportAssembly. Unfortunately, Mr. Aubrey Norton is turning his ed by other Member States of the International Community on the wrath and bitterness towards the wrong entity. Certainly NGHO. Since he regards himself as Guyana’s foreign policy expert, we are not responsible for him remaining in the wilderness. he cannot be excused for not knowing that fact. Indeed the issue of Indeed, I was tempted to sympathise with him but his utterequity, long spoken about by former President Dr Cheddi Jagan and ances have confirmed how far removed he is from reality and adumbrated in the NGHO, is now at the center of many international vindicated the decision that was supposedly made. debates, since it has been recognised that growth without equity is unsustainable. His comment on the LCDS and the NGHO is therefore unfortunate; the two are not mutually exclusive. Concerning his declarations on the Economic Partnership Agreement, yes, we made a lot of “noise” about the EPA and we have no regrets. We stand by the principled positions we took then and we have been vindicated. It was this “noise” that resulted in the Europeans agreeing to a five-year review of the EPA and Guyana finally signing the Agreement. Once signed, Guyana was one of the first countries to put in place the necessary legislative and administrative measures required under the EPA, including the ratification of the Agreement and the tariff liberalisation measures. This is contrary to Mr. Norton’s outburst about this Government not taking any action to benefit from the EPA. It will do Mr. Norton well to check where other CARIFORUM countries are at in this regard. We continue to put in place other measures to fully benefit from the Agreement where possible. I would have expected that whether in or out of Parliament, the former MP would be following these developments. I have noted his comment “One time we are with UNASUR, next time it is with CARICOM, and we are all over.” Such a statement is unexpected from someone who as a former Member of Parliament

Aubrey Norton

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday February 8, 2014

Old Kai: Chronicles of Guyana…

APNU caught lying yet again OLD Kai can’t seem to stop laughing, is serious business but I cannot help it. It is my view that APNU’s ‘mouth-eh-preke in chief’ Joseph Harmon should leave politics and pursue a career as a standup comedian, his next best bet would be acting but I do not think he is Oscar material. With all the ‘licks’ in public opinion against APNU and AFC over the past few weeks, they have gotten extremely desperate. It is an uncomfortable position for them as they are not used to a negative spotlight being focused in their direction. Up to this point, they have had a relatively easy ride as they have always managed to place the focus or shift blame on the Government or the PPP and watched from the sidelines but always keen to stir the pot so as to create political and economic gridlock with their misinformation. Times have however changed, as with all their ‘big talk’ after the 2011 elections of their one-seat majority and how they will use it to usher in a new wave of transparency and accountability in public affairs, they have in fact managed to undermine these pillars of our democracy. The Private Sector Commission has effectively been kicked out from monitoring how both the ruling party and the Opposition are treating the nation’s business, compliments of APNU/AFC. Their budget cuts have been deemed illegal as they are in contravention of our

- Harmon’s shameless attempt to rally disillusioned supporters of the Opposition must be rejected by all Guyanese constitution. They have managed to get Guyana blacklisted and citizens, including their own supporters are beginning to feel the squeeze. The developers of the Amaila hydro project which promised stable and cheaper electricity were chased out of Guyana, while at the same time they tried to force GPL to increase rates on consumers by 22%. Opposition

they have been betrayed. Anyone will tell you that it hurts more when you have been betrayed by someone close to you or whom you look up to rather than a stranger. Traditional non-supporters of the PPP are now beginning to see the party in a new light; they were fed all manner of nasty misinformation about the party and its modus operandi. They are slowly com-

critical of their actions. The lowest of the low was reserved for them. Anyone will tell you, when one is in such a position, desperation will make a man do almost anything which is what brings me back to our boy, Joseph Har-

This man needs to urgently get his head examined, if he really believes what his mouth is saying. supporters affected by the budget cuts, including those who lost their jobs in 2011 were told by their very own leaders that they were ‘collateral damage’. To compound the situation, almost every day Guyanese open the newspaper to find out that yet another Opposition leader is being accused of some skulduggery by a citizen, with the most popular being the act of swindling persons out of their properties. Then no less than the former General Secretary of the main Opposition comes forward and accuses his party of serious corruption, which he says he has evidence of. It is easy to see why supporters of the parliamentary Opposition parties, APNU and AFC, have become so dejected,

ing to the realisation that they have been misled all along. This reality was summed up when the Opposition in their main stronghold of Linden, failed to mobilise their supporters for a planned shutdown of the township. This has sent shivers up the spines of the Opposition cabal, so much so that based on their recent statements they seem very unsure, insecure and lost as each public statement seemed to contradict the other. Old Kai had a smirk on his face when an old PNC man selling pumpkins at Bourda market who I would always engage in a little banter, remarked that ‘dem bai da (APNU) now look like 4th grade politicians’. Imagine their own supporter did not see it fit to refer to them as 2nd or 3rd grade politicians in being

JOSEPH HARMON mon. Not surprisingly, Kaieteur News has been directed yet again to push the Opposition ‘s propaganda. In a sinister effort to rally back the support they are losing steadily, the Opposition through Harmon has sought to portray themselves as victims of the big bad PPP/C Government. It is their hope that when they project this image that they are coming under attack by the PPP/C Government, they will force the hand of their disillusioned supporters and force them back into the Opposition camp by appealing to their false

insecurities. So what exactly is this big, bad PPP/C Government being accused of? Printing a full page ad calling on Guyanese to condemn the Opposition for dragging their feet on the AML/ CFT amendment bill! According to Harmon, “The advertisement seeks to denigrate the Opposition, and seeks to insinuate that the Opposition is supportive of money launderers and drug lords.” Further, Harmon and Kaieteur News have interpreted “Let us stop the Opposition from destroying Guyana now” which is included in the ad to mean, “They are inciting violence against the Opposition; this is a clear provocation.” This man needs to urgently get his head examined, if he really believes what his mouth is saying. A quick perusal of the ad and you will see that it simply states the obvious. There is no insinuation or call to violence but the Opposition is so insecure after being exposed that any and everything is being construed as an attack on them. Even the PSC witnessing their antics in the National Assembly is being seen as a threat. APNU and Harmon also need to be reminded that the facts in the ad have been supported by their former General Secretary, who has accused the party of being involved in criminal activities. Aubrey Norton says he has evidence! Why doesn’t APNU challenge him to make his evi-

dence public, if according to Harmon they are innocent? Harmon then dryly announces that because of the ad, “Opposition members are now insecure”. No, sir, the Opposition members are insecure because they have been exposed and have nowhere to hide and cannot come up with a palatable excuse, so they have resorted to clutching at straws. Old Kai will now expose another lie by the ‘insecure’ Harmon and APNU and maybe, he would play this up as a threat too. In the Kaieteur article, Harmon admits that his party is ready to support the AML/ CFT bill as it is but there is a BUT! He is quoted as saying, “Opposition Leader, David Granger, has already signalled to the President that support for the Bill is conditional, in that he would have to support the Opposition Bills already approved.” However, on February 5 APNU issued a statement saying “It is committed to amending the AML bill to protect Guyana” meaning they still have these mystery amendments which they cannot share with the public or have included thus far in the bill at the committee level. Now which statement should we believe because both of them are coming from APNU? What this further serves to confirm is that the Opposition cannot be trusted and Kaieteur News loves to publish a lie, once it will cast the PPP or PPP/C government in a bad light.

Police say Colwyn Harding file with DPP for perusal By Leroy Smith THE Chamber of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) is in receipt of the file in the Colwyn Harding investigation, according to Crime Chief Seelall Persaud, when asked to comment on the matter on Thursday. Mr. Persaud would not detail the findings or recommendations of the Chairman of the Police Complaints Authority, Justice Cecil Kennard. Asked to give a ‘sneak speak’ into the report, the Crime Chief said that most of what is stated in the report would shortly be made public. He, however, said the DPP needs to be given

Chairman of the Police Complaints Authority, Justice Cecil Kennard and Director of Public Prosecutions Ms Shalimar Ali-Hack

her time and space to deal with the file and make her recommendations. Last week, Justice Kennard stated that his intention was to have the file on the desk of the DPP by Monday last; that would have been upon his receipt of two additional statements with which he requested the investigators to furnish him. Earlier this week, the Police Complaints Authority Chairman wrapped up his leg of the investigation, and concluded that there was insufficient evidence to charge any of the ranks at the Timehri Police Station with buggery. He did, however, point out that two ranks are

likely to be charged with assault, while some six ranks would be facing disciplinary action under the Police Disciplinary Act. Since Harding’s case came to light, there has been much criticism levelled at the Guyana Police Force by several organisations and entities. The events also sparked several picketing exercises and vigils protesting the actions of the ranks. The revelations have caused one rank to be placed under close arrest, and all other ranks fingered in the abuse of the 23-yearold have been transferred from the Timehri station. Now that the file

Crime Chief Seelall Persaud is with the Director of Public Prosecutions, it is anticipated that advice would be sent to the Crime Chief in the coming week.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday February 8, 2014

NAKED HYPOCRISY - A very old human characteristic POLITICS will forever reveal its share of personalities who promote their self-righteousness and ‘holier than thou’ attributes. Conscious of being in the public’s eye, they continue their daily diet of criticising all the perceived faults of whatever administration is in office. But this is a constant battle, of keeping up this masquerade of a facade that is bound to be exposed sooner or later. There is a defined attribute about hypocrisy that must be emphasised – its skilful deception, dangerous in every way, because of its ability to hoodwink. Surely, recent revelations of a well-known city attorney, Nigel Hughes, also a high political functionary, of a political Opposition party - the Alliance For Change (AFC) involved in a transaction that is purportedly fraudulent, is another, though not altogether unexpected instance of this very old human characteristic of hypocrisy. For this legal practitioner, it is the second instance where his pretence has been exposed. In fact, the first incident which was well publicised drew widespread public criticisms for conflict of interest issues, which were clearly evident. Such was like a thunderbolt, for the impact that it exacted on constituents and members of the party, of which this attorney is chairman; and for those who would have respected this lawyer’s claim to moral impeccability. Of course, he resigned his party’s chairmanship, which had not been accepted, after issuing an apology. Since members of the Bar are expected to be held to its highest traditions, then such a report must be an outright embarrassment to the profession, given this attorney’s heavyweight status among his peers. But for his political Opposition party, it has to be grave

cause for further concern given an earlier issue where he had been clearly culpable of conflict of interest issues, in an apparent failure to disclose his Company Secretary portfolio with the Amaila Falls Hydro Project, years after the fact. The grave contradiction was that his party was a main part of a relentless campaign against this very project! The fallout from this disclosure was impacting, as it was

Surely, recent revelations of a wellknown city attorney, Nigel Hughes, also a high political functionary, of a political Opposition party - the Alliance For Change (AFC) involved in a transaction that is purportedly fraudulent, is another, though not altogether unexpected instance of this very old human characteristic of hypocrisy. instant for the nationwide condemnation of the attorney’s deemed unprofessional conduct. It is believed to have resulted in severe internal dissension, which may have prompted some important resignations.

Murder at Agricola ...

Police trying to locate male accomplice of alleged murderess By Leroy Smith THE police are certain that a male accomplice was also in the home of the slain 55-yearold Donna Taylor one week ago when she was allegedly murdered by her son’s ex-girlfriend. A search has since been launched to find out who that person is. Crime Chief Seelall Persaud, on Thursday, confirmed the police’s conviction that a male had been present and had worked along with the arraigned Guyana Defence Force Private Abiola Jacobs on the night of the crime. However, Persaud said there is no name or address for the man being sought, and investigators are continuing their work to get whatever information they can in order to effect capture of the man. Last Friday night, 55-yearold Donna Taylor was found murdered in her backyard with her throat slit and hands bound behind her back. Her visiting friend from the United Kingdom, Samantha Sabat, who was at Taylor’s home at the time

of the incident, was also hospitalised after she had jumped through a window to escape a similar fate as her friend’s. The Guyana Chronicle has learnt that the woman took the drastic measure after the male whom the police are now seeking attempted to break down a bedroom door to get to the woman subsequent to invading the home of the now dead Taylor in the absence of her husband and son. Speaking with the Guyana Chronicle last week, husband of the dead woman, Bertram Taylor, said he was at work when he received a call from his daughter that his wife had been murdered at their home. The man said he rushed home, only to find his wife lying in the yard with her throat slit and hands tied. The man who works as a security guard said he was told that persons had heard a noise coming from the house and had telephoned his daughter. His son works with him at the security service. He told this newspaper that

his son had been having a relationship with a female from the village who works in the Guyana Defence Force. According to the man, the female in question is a very aggressive person, and his son was not willing to carry on the relationship with her any longer. The younger Taylor is said to have had a very good relationship with his mother, and had indicated to her that he was breaking off the relationship with the GDF rank. The young man had also informed the GDF rank that he was not willing to continue a relationship with her. The Chronicle was told that the last such message the man had given the young lady saw her falling to her knees and begging the man not to leave her, as she promised to change her ways and review her attitude towards him, but the man was resolute. The young lady appeared last Wednesday in court charged with the murder of Donna Taylor, but investigations are continuing.

Therefore, this recent incident can only add to the continuing severe damage of this Opposition party, already badly mauled from prior incidents of questionable doings by some other prominent members. Also, its constituents will be further embarrassed and even angry, given the fact of their genuine support for a party that promised to usher in a new brand of morality. Notwithstanding the fact that this is a professional matter, it must be emphasised that this attorney is a leader of a political party, and is expected to be an example in such a capacity. It is therefore hypocritical that this serious misdemeanour has allegedly been committed by such a high-profile personality, who NIGEL HUGHES has been part and parcel of his party’s chorus of vitriol and vehement criticism of every aspect of government in this country. This latest disclosure of an allegedly high sin must again warn the electorate, that the AFC party is beset by selfish, greedy and dishonest leaders, who are being regularly exposed, because of their uncontrolled material lust. They are the persons who have been strutting around Guyana, misleading citizens. Their only example given, since the inception of the 10th Parliament, has been naked hypocrisy, with another glaring example again seen! The nation’s choice of voter support in the next national poll, has now been made much easier.

No evidence Trevor Rose killing drug-related By Leroy Smith WHILE investigations into the slaying of designer and events promoter Trevor Rose continue there is, at this point, no evidence to suggest a drug relationship in the execution-style killing. This is according to Crime Chief, Deputy Police Commissioner Seelall Persaud, who spoke to the Guyana Chronicle on Thursday. Persaud said that, at the moment, the investigations are taking two fronts, one is that the killing could have stemmed from the argument Rose’s driver had had with the driver of the other vehicle at the traffic light junction; and the other is the possibility that Rose’s shooting might have been triggered by some other issue the man would have had with person(s) sometime back, whatever that may have been. This publication was able to have the Crime

Chief confirm that the police are seeking two persons in connection with the killing, but he said investigators have not been able to locate them. Once

TREVOR ROSE located, Persaud added, investigators will get some of the answers they are looking for, and those answers should be able to shed major light on the motive behind Rose’s killing. Trevor Rose was buried

last Tuesday, even though the funeral service was held on Monday. The burial was postponed to the following day because the burial ground had been inundated. Rose was gunned down two Sundays ago while in a taxi taking his girlfriend home. The taxi driver had reportedly told investigators that the driver of another car pulled alongside his car and opened fire on him after claiming that he was not comfortable with the way the taxi driver was driving. However, unconfirmed reports have reached the Chronicle that the taxi driver is refuting claims that he had an argument with the gunman before the shooting. It is being reported that as the car pulled up at the traffic light, the driver of the other car asked the taxi driver how he was driving like that, but before the driver could have uttered a word the man exited his car and began firing at the occupants in the taxi.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday February 8, 2014

Police Force acquires fraudulent document detection kits - donated by Canadian NGO By Michel Outridge THE Canada Fund for Local Initiatives (CFLI) has donated to the Guyana Police Force (GPF), through the Canadian High Commission, more than 200 fraudulent document detection kits, which were received yesterday at the GPF Officers’ Training Centre at Camp and Young Streets in Kingston, Georgetown following the end of a four-day training course with officials from the Immigration, Border Security and Registry departments of the Ministry of Home Affairs. At the handing over ceremony for the kits Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee remarked that the training course was needed for members of the GPF to combat organised crime, since fraudulent documents are widely circulated; and now that the course has been completed, ranks should easi-

ly be able to detect fraudulent documents. The minister said that organised crime is trans-national, and the course was geared towards capacity building of the GPF, strengthening ranks to engage in such analyses of fraudulent documents emanating from both local and foreign sources. Minister Rohee said fraudulent documents are produced to aid trafficking in all forms, and come as transports, powers of attorneys, and other forms that look very much like the original documents; and it is up to members of the GPF to detect those documents. He pointed to the many instances in which people enter Guyana with fraudulent documents, and said that ranks operating at ports of entry should now be able to recognise fraudulent documentation and detain and arrest such persons. The minister also spoke to the issue of stolen identi-

ty, saying that the works of criminals have become sophisticated and law enforcers need to be ‘up to speed’ with criminal trends worldwide. As such, he said, the GPF engaged in this course to educate ranks as part of its modernisation programme. Participants of the course benefited from both theoretical and practical empowerment to intercept criminals attempting to enter Guyana fraudulently, and disrupt generation of fraudulent documentation by persons or agencies in Guyana. Canadian High Commissioner to Guyana, Dr. Nicole Giles, said fraudulent identity documents pose a threat to national borders and national security around the world, and Guyana is not exempted in this regard. She said the fight against this scourge cannot be waged in isolation, and therefore Canada was particularly pleased to partner with Guyana in this regard.

Minister Rohee handing over fraudulent document detection kits to Police Commissioner Leroy Brumell. Dr. Giles noted that the real value of the project lies not in the donation of the kits and the training, but in

intercepting criminal activities and fraudulent document generation. For over three decades, Canada has funded development assistance projects in developing countries through the CFLI. The CFLI provides support to small scale, shortterm projects by working with local, national and international non-governmental organisations, among others. The CFLI focuses on funding projects with longterm, sustainable goals that enhance the local community and are widely recognised as making significant contributions to genuine development

and capacity-building around the world. The Canadian High Commission is responsible for the CFLI in Guyana and Suriname. Police Commissioner Leroy Brumell, and Force Training Officer, Senior Superintendent Paul Williams also made remarks at the ceremony. Certificates were presented to the participants, after which the handing over ceremony for the kits took place among Minister Rohee, Dr. Giles and Police Commissioner Leroy Brumell.

U.S., Britain, Canada & EU encourage all stakeholders to work together to finalise AML/CFT legislation

Part of the large gathering of invitees yesterday at the event.

Man escapes after dropping pistol, round AN UNLICENSED firearm was found by the Police on Thursday in the Le Repentir Cemetery after a roving

mobile patrol observed a man running into the burial ground. Police said the retrieval happened at about 09:00

hrs when ranks saw a man run into the Le Repentir as they were approaching along the roadway. The man escaped but

the Police recovered a .32 pistol with one round which he had dropped in the process.

KEY western nations – the United States, Britain, Canada and the European Union - yesterday issued a statement, welcoming the “willingness demonstrated by all parties” to move Guyana towards compliance with international Anti-Money Laundering/Combatting the Financing of Terrorism (AML/ CFT) standards, including updated legislation and enhanced investigative capacity. “To that end, we have met with all stakeholders, including those from government, opposition, civil society, and the private sector on many occasions since 2012. Our governments are, and will continue to be, actively engaged to support effective implementation of AML/CFT legislation and prosecution of money launderers and financers of terrorism,” said diplomats from the ABCE countries in a joint statement. “We encourage all stakeholders to work together to finalize AML/CFT legislation and ensure its effective implementation in order to prevent and combat money laundering and terrorist financing, as well as to avoid the serious consequences that would arise from black-listing by the FATF,” said the brief statement which from D. Brent Hardt, Ambassador of the United States of America; Andrew Ayre, High Commissioner of the United Kingdom; Nicole Giles, High Commissioner of Canada; and Robert Kopecky, Ambassador of the European Union.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday February 8, 2014

At Berbice Assizes…

Second murder accused within a month declared unfit By Jeune Bailey Vankeric A MIXED jury at the Berbice Assizes unanimously agreed on Thursday, that murder accused Charles Albert was unfit to stand his trial. Consequently, Justice Diane Inshanally ordered that the prisoner be returned to the New Amsterdam prison for continuous medical treatment for three months, before being reassessed with respect to his fitness. Earlier, Cuban trained

psychiatrist, Dr. Mayda Grajales, in her evidence, said she has been attending to the inmate over the last two to three years and, during the specified period, Albert was deemed unstable. The mental health practitioner explained that the patient would be willing to take his medication at times, while, on other occasions, he is loud and his behaviour is delusional as he relates how much wealth he possesses. Because of that, she opined that he does not comprehend the reason for his incarceration and,

as such, cannot believe he can understand the concept of the trial but, maybe, with treatment for the next three months. Albert is currently on antipsychotic medication. He faces a murder indictment which alleged that, on December 12, 2011, he unlawfully killed his daughter, Roletta Onica Greaves. On Thursday, Prosecutrix Renita Singh submitted that the State is of the opinion that the accused is suffering from some defect of the mind and cannot understand the nature of the

proceedings before him, neither can he properly take instructions from his counsel, Mr. Raymond Ali. This perception was drawn from his previous trial which was aborted during the last criminal sessions, after the prisoner displayed abnormal behaviour. Charles Albert is the second prisoner, within a month, to have been referred for psychiatric treatment. The other murder accused, Ravindranauth Mohanlall, was deemed unfit by the jury, as well and he is expected to re-appear at the Berbice High Court at the end of six months for further assessment.

Son admits stealing cellphone from car father entrusted to wash APPEARING in Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry’s court to answer a simple larceny charge, 19-year-old Godfrey Pereira (no address given) yesterday pleaded guilty to the offence, said he was sorry for his misconduct, and told the Chief Magistrate it would never happen again. Particulars of his charge said that on Thursday, February 6, at Quamina Street, Georgetown, he stole from Ronnie Hooper one Samsung Galaxy cellular phone valued at $120,000. Police Inspector Michael Grant, prosecuting, said the defendant’s father works with the virtual complainant (VC), and that at around 10:30 hrs that day, Pereira’s father took his boss’s car to wash at the wash bay where he works. After he returned to the vehicle, Hooper noticed that his cellular phone was missing. Pereira’s father questioned his son about the phone, and he denied stealing the article. Hooper then reported the matter to the police, and when the younger Pereira was arrested, he took police to his home, where he kept the phone. Pereira will return to court on February 21 for Probation report and sentencing. (Geeta Rampersaud)

Mason granted $100,000 bail for alleged larceny from the person OSLIN Robinson, 23, a mason of Lot 18 East La Penitence, Georgetown, appeared yesterday before Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry charged with larceny from the person and was ordered to post $100,000 bail. He pleaded not guilty to the charge, which detailed that on Thursday, January 30, at Robb Street, Georgetown, he stole from Denise Jackman one Blackberry cellular phone valued at $100,000. Police prosecutor, Inspector Michael Grant, said the virtual complainant and the defendant are living in the same area. Jackman was walking in the vicinity of the Guyana Post Office Corporation when Robinson, who was in a car, stretched out his hand, snatched her phone, and made good his escape. The prosecutor did not object to bail, and the case was put off to March 7. (Geeta Rampersaud)

Neighbours warring over noise put on substantial bail CONTRACTOR Andre Moonsammy of Lot 209 West Ruimveldt, and taxi driver Haslyn Richards of Lot 302 West Ruimveldt, Georgetown appeared yesterday before Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry charged with unlawfully and maliciously wounding each other at West Ruimveldt on Wednesday, January 15. They each pleaded not guilty to the charge. Police Inspector Michael Grant, prosecuting, said the parties are known to each other and are living in the same area. On the day in question, Richards was in his car and asked Moonsammy why he was making noise, when an argument ensued between them. Richard allegedly hit Moonsammy with an ice pick, and Moonsammy allegedly hit Richards with a pen. The prosecutor did not object to bail, and Moonsammy was required to post $25,000 bail while Richards had to post $50,000 bail. Both defendants were ordered to return to court on February 17.

Man gets one-year in prison for assaulting his child-mother By Geeta Rampersaud LESLIE Charles (no address given) and his child-mother Tamda Dailey appeared yesterday before Georgetown Magistrate Geeta Chandan-Edmond charged with assaulting each other on January 8 at Waterloo Street, Georgetown. The charge against Charles detailed that he assaulted Dailey so as to cause her actual bodily harm, whilst the charge against Dailey detailed that she had hit Charles on the mouth. They each pleaded not guilty to their respective charge. Police Corporal Jomo Nichols, prosecuting, said that at around 20:30 hrs on the day in question, Charles and Dailey had a misunderstanding in Waterloo Street, and Dailey is alleged to have hit Charles on his lip and he cuffed her on the face. Based on the evidence given by the defendants and the statements made by the prosecutor, Magistrate Chandan-Edmond informed Dailey that she believed her story, and that the medical report strongly supported it. Therefore she found Dailey not guilty. However, she told Charles that he accepted hitting the woman and that he was not provoked to hit her. The magistrate said she found a pattern in Charles’s behaviour, since Dailey had testified that she had been hit several times before. According to Charles, he has five children to take care of, one of which is not his. He apologised for what had happened, and said he and Dailey have been separated for three months now. Nevertheless, he was found guilty as charged, and sentenced to one year’s imprisonment.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday February 8, 2014

Has something gone wrong at the Supreme Court of Judicature?

--no accommodation is available for the press media By George Barclay THE Press media, facing a lack of accommodation in the Supreme Court of Judicature in this country, is desperately looking for help in having this situation rectified. One shining example in this regard is the Guyana Court of Appeal, which has never ceased providing accommodation for the press media and journalists from its inception. The Supreme Courts, which in the past used to provide at least a press table in each courtroom, now has no press accommodation, and at least two junior judges would have members of the press accommodated among the public in the gallery, far from the witness box, where hearing is almost difficult. Such a situation is a precursor for inaccurate reporting. A senior journalist who has worked in the courts from the days before some senior judges became chancellors now finds it difficult to understand why learned judges should object to members of the press being comfortably seated in their courts, which is most helpful to accurate reporting.

Except for the two junior judges, the rest of the judges sympathise with the press and would allow one senior journalist to sit in the well of the court, where the Press Table used to be accommodated. But the two junior judges have each objected to journalist sitting in that position, each contending that they do not wish to have persons sitting in front of them on either their left or right sides. And at least one of the junior judges has made it clear that he was the boss of his court and that no one could tell him how to operate it. That explanation was forthcoming when the particular journalist asked the judge if his ruling in regard to seating accommodation for the senior journalist was final, or whether it was subject to confirmation. Months ago, after the first junior judge had made his pronouncement, the matter had been taken up with a relative officer of the court, who had promised to help. However, he could not be seen yesterday when the second incident occurred, wherein the other junior judge, through his registrar -- a male clerk who had given

City clean-up part of Mash preparations THE Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development will be working with the Georgetown Municipality to improve the environment, in preparation for the celebrations on Republic Day, February 23. Minister of Local Government and Regional Development Norman Whittaker said the ministry will work along with the municipality, in the days leading up to Mashramani, to clean the route of the Mash Costume and Float Parade. The Parade starts at Camp and Church streets, heads east, and then turns north into Irving Street, then into Dr. J.B. Latchmansingh Road, and west into Thomas Road before culminating at the National Park. Minister Whittaker said the exercise would target the issue of solid waste dumping along the route, as well as vegetation and flooding. Independently, the ministry will also assist to clean-up the access road to the Haags Bosch Landfill site at Eccles. This exercise is expected to take place within the next two weeks.

Solid Waste Management Bill to be tabled in National Assembly soon

MINISTER of Local Government and Regional Development Norman Whittaker said Government is very close to tabling in the National Assembly the Solid Waste Management Bill. The draft bill was taken to Cabinet on February 4, for discussions, and Cabinet members offered comments with respect to two aspects of the bill and these are now being considered at the level of the Ministry of Legal Affairs and Attorney Generalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Office, he told reporters yesterday at a press conference at his ministry in Kingston. The Minister of Finance has also been asked to have a second look at the section of the bill that deals with the issue of financial arrangement. The solid waste management bill seeks to, among other things, bring order to the way in which solid waste is managed, primarily by the way of a solid waste management authority; a legal body that will be responsible for the regulation for solid waste and its management in Guyana. The bill also provides for enforcement and penalties.

permission to the journalist to sit in the court -- apologised to the writer and had espoused the same excuse given by his colleague months ago. The chair that was borrowed from the Police Outpost yesterday had to be returned, and the journalist did not sit with the public, as suggested by the judge, but left the court, and will return later with hope that Press accommodation would be

provided in the Supreme Court, as is done in the Guyana Court of Appeal and in courts in the Caribbean and other parts of the world. This journalist, who has been in the profession for approximately 50 years, had come in contact with several judges who could be classified as experts, some of whom are dead while some are still alive. These had all shown a high regard and

respect for the media. Such illustrious jurists include persons like Chancellors E.V. Luckhoo, J.O.F. Haynes, Kenneth Stoby, Aubrey Bishop, Keith Massiah and Carl Singh; Justices of Appeal Prem Persaud, Arthur Chung, C.J. Fung-A-Fat, Nandram Kissoon, P.A. Cummings, Yonette Cumings-Edwards, Claudette Singh, Chief Justice Frank Holder (Barbadi-

an) Chief Justices A.A Luckhoo (Guyanese), R. Harper, H. B.S. Bollers, Ian Chang; Senior Judges Adrian Date, Sydney Miller, Ronald Luckhoo, Roxanne George, Denis Hanoman Singh, James BovellDrakes, Franklyn Holder(Guyanese) Diana Insanally, Rishi Persaud, Harnanan, Dawn Gregory, Ramraj Jagnandan, George Pompey and Brassington Reynolds.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday February 8, 2014

The flooded cricket field Floods. Caption: The submerged volleyball and football field

Torrential rains flood sections of UG --but scheduled activities will be staged as planned

WITH the University of Guyana (UG) having scheduled its annual Career Day for February 14, 2014 and a â&#x20AC;&#x153;Talent splashâ&#x20AC;? for later in the evening, the season of unpredictable weather currently being experienced in Guyana is threatening to put a damper on things. Despite being flooded at various parts, the UG management sees adverse weather as no threat to the upcoming activities. Upcoming too, will be the annual inter-faculty football competition, among other events. (Ravin Singh)

Part of the flooded section of the UG Campus is bordered by the School of Humanities and the Stables

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday February 8, 2014

Belize trying to dodge Caribbean Financial Action Task Force bullet

‘WE CAN COMPLAIN, BUT WE HAVE TO COMPLY!’ (The following is excerpts from an article published yesterday in ‘Amandala’, said to be the leading newspaper in Belize) BELIZE parliamentarians gave rare bipartisan support to a raft of legislation in the National Assembly this week, as the country tries to avert major financial sanctions already being felt by our sister Caribbean country, Guyana. This follows a call last November by the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF) to its members to “consider implementing counter measures to protect their financial systems from the ongoing money laundering and terrorist financing risks emanating” from Belize and Guyana, where several Belizeans study law at the University of Guyana. Belizean parliamentarians said in the National Assembly Wednesday that the new suite of bills, the second such raft of legislation to satisfy CFATF’s demands on Belize, would mean the end of Belize’s offshore sector. Belize Opposition Leader Francis Fonseca said that the laws would inevitably lead to the complete undermining of the offshore industry in Belize—which is perhaps what is intended, he said. “The reality is that the big boys don’t want us at the table,” he said, adding that the required changes must be made to protect Belize’s wider financial sector. Fonseca said that this is the reality of life in 2014: “We can complain, but we have to comply.” In speaking of the legislation Wednesday, Prime Minister Dean Barrow, Minister of Finance and Economic Development, said the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) is meeting on Monday, February 10, in Paris; and on the agenda is the subject of the possible blacklisting of Belize and Guyana. “The passage of the legislation ought to put paid to that, but you can see that we are cutting it rather close. The reason for [this] special meeting today is to meet that deadline,” Barrow said. Those bills are the Companies (Amendment) Bill, 2014; the Domestic Banks and Financial Institutions (Amendment) Bill, 2014; the Financial Intelligence Unit (Amendment) Bill, 2014; the Money Laundering and Terrorism (Prevention) (Amendment) Bill, 2014; and the Mutual Legal Assistance and International Co-Operation Bill, 2014. They were approved by the House on Wednesday and by the Senate today, Thursday. They should be signed by Governor-General Sir Colville Young by early Friday (yesterday) – after which Belizean officials intend to send a notification to FATF’s Secretariat in France, signaling the completion of the legislative process. Barrow said that those in Belize’s offshore sector know

- Says Belize Opposition Leader Francis Fonseca and government foreign transactions, such as the purchase of goods and services, the private sector in Guyana is now screaming that they are now

Dean Barrow, Prime Minister of Belize

Francis Fonseca, Belize Opposition Leader

that the reason the Government has delayed so long in passing the legislation is that they were trying to buy time, but now it is clear that that time is running out. Offshore practitioners recognize that the sun is setting on that sector and this will deal a serious economic blow on our country,

with which they will have to contend. Unlike Belize, though, Guyana does not have to worry about an offshore sector. They have, nonetheless, come under major pressure to implement more stringent provisions, enshrined in the Bill, ahead of next week’s

Noting Opposition resistance against the legislative changes in Guyana, Prime Minister Dean Barrow went on to thank Belize’s Opposition for supporting the bills: “I certainly appreciate, in any case, the sense of realism that the Opposition is displaying and their support of the measures.” Barrow said. Noting Opposition resistance against the legislative changes in Guyana, Barrow went on to thank Belize’s Opposition for supporting the bills: “I certainly appreciate, in any case, the sense of realism that the Opposition is displaying and their support of the measures, even though both sides have said it will do perhaps fatal harm to the offshore industry…” A gridlock between Guyana’s Opposition (made of two parties which hold the majority of 33 out of 65 seats) has meant that they were unable to get their legislative measures passed last November, when the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (Amendment) Bill was defeated; but the bill has since been taken back to parliament there, given the huge national implications

France meeting. The private sector community and a large group of civil society members of Guyana are calling on the Opposition to let the bill go through on Monday, warning of the dire consequences for Guyana, which exports primary products such as sugar, rice, gold, diamonds, and bauxite. Of note is that Guyana is also the home of the CARICOM Secretariat. Guyana’s Chief Whip Gail Teixeira told us that in her country, the level of remittances have been dwindling, as there has been increased scrutiny of persons sending money to the country. She said that due to the additional scrutiny now in place, people sending money will be asked by banks to pay additional fees – that is how ordinary people will be affected. However, as for business

being asked by banks to fill out an inordinate amount of paperwork for overseas purchase of equipment—which has caused setbacks in the productive sec-

tor.

One of the items on the agenda for next week’s FATF meeting is “Identifying jurisdictions with strategic deficiencies… and reviewing progress made by jurisdictions” – which include Belize and Guyana.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday February 8, 2014

No progress made during engagement with Mayor’s Office - Minister Whittaker

MINISTER of Local Government and Regional Development Norman Whittaker said, yesterday, that the frequency with which he has had engagements with the Georgetown Mayor and City Council, has been reduced because he has found these actions to be “fruitless”. “For the most part, we are not making progress in terms of what we achieve,” he said. The Minister was responding to charges by the Mayor and Deputy Mayor that he has

been by-passing the Mayor’s Office with regard to matters affecting the Town Council. Minister Whittaker explained that when he first came into the local government ministry, as minister responsible for municipalities, he began to engage the municipality, the elected and appointed people, and the administrative staff to discuss council related issues including how to correct defaults. The minister said that more often than not these engagements were with the

Minister Norman Whittaker

late Deputy Mayor Robert Williams and the administrative staff. “Over time, Mr. Williams died, and over time those who have replaced him have sought to use our engagement to advance a political agenda and to talk about irrelevant happenings. That I was not concerned about and I think, the majority of residents in Georgetown were not concerned about, and so in the interest of exigency in dealing with the affairs of the city, and the residents who cry out for services, for which many of them pay, I have determined that it is better if I dealt with the Chief Executive Officer of the Council,” he said.

“We spend one hour and the mayor tells me about some plan that was developed when I still was in Region1.... I want to deal with the present and so because we have this difference; he is a historian and I am not, I find that I have to find other ways and means of getting the business of council and the expectations of the people met,” Whittaker said. In spite of the decision taken to engage the CEO of the council, Minister Whittaker said he still, by way of written and oral communication, also speaks with the Mayor and City Council. (GINA)

Mayor Hamilton Green

Schools truancy campaign nabs 24 children in Essequibo THE Region 2 Department of Education, in collaboration with the Regional Administration (E/bo Coast), conducted a truancy campaign between Maria’s Lodge and Riverstown on February 6, and nabbed 24 children who were not attending school. Senior Schools Welfare Officer Mr. Haimraj Hamandeo said the reasons given for the children not attending school ranged from financial issues to child labour to illnesses to attend funeral services, and finally to

just plain children dropping out of school. He said the Schools Welfare Unit issued parents with warning letters which emphasised the consequences that attended children being denied the right to an education, and some parents with financial difficulties were advised to visit the Schools Welfare Unit to obtain a letter recommending that they be given Government Public Assistance through the Ministry of Social Services.

Mr Hamandeo said the names of all the truant children will be sent to schools in the respective areas where the children are living, and checks will be made to ensure they are attending school regularly. He said two cases were referred to the Child Care & Protection Agency (CHPA) for their intervention, and the Regional Labour Officer had cause to issue a warning letter to a sawmill owner for employing two teenage boys. (Rajendra Prabhulall)

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday February 8, 2014

Global Networks Group launching career guide today GLOBAL Networks G ro u p i s t o l a u n c h a magazine, titled ‘Inspire Guyana’, which seeks to provide career guidance to students of grades five and six in secondary and primary schools, from a wide cross-section of occupational fields of both private and public sectors, showcasing their areas of expertise. The launching will take place today from 18:00hrs to 20:00 hrs at Queen’s College (QC) auditorium, to be followed by a mini- exhibition. ‘Inspire Guyana’ is geared towards highlighting a broad spectrum of careers available in Guyana, among them aviation, medicine, law, finance, agriculture,

ORLANDO CHARLES arts, fashion, social work, education, journalism, sport, architecture and more. The publication will offer the materials to lay down the foundation for building capacities to meet demands of the future. Global Networks Group is managed by pilot Orlando Charles.

Police report overall increase in serious crimes By Michel Outridge THE Guyana Police Force (GPF), yesterday, reported a seven percent overall increase in serious crimes at the end of January 2014, in comparison to January 2013. The total number of reports made during January 2014 was 341, as compared to 318 in January 2013. Some of the offences monitored are murder, robbery under arms, robbery with violence, larceny from the person, break and enter and larceny, burglary, rape and kidnapping. A press release said a total of 17 murders were recorded at the end of January 2014 as against 10 during the same period in 2013, 70 percent more. Of the 17 in January 2014, four were of the disorderly type, three committed during armed robberies and three were domestic related, while the other seven are, so far, not categorised. The report said, at the end of January 2014, robbery under arms overall had increased by 44 percent, with 105 such reports compared to 73 for the comparable period in 2013. The figures indicate an increase of 50 percent in the number of armed robberies involving the use of firearms and 30 percent more of those robberies where instruments other than firearms were used by the perpetrators. FOUR MORE In relation to traffic, there have been four more road fatalities at the end of January 2014, in comparison to the same period in 2013, with 11 fatalities from 10 accidents in January 2014 compared to seven from six accidents during January 2013. January 2014 saw reductions in the other categories of accidents classified as serious, minor and damage, GPF said. Police said pedestrians have been the main road users affected, with six such persons having lost their lives at the end of January 2014. In addition, three motorcyclists and two pedal cyclists have also died. The release noted that speeding continues to be a major contributing factor to fatal accidents and was the cause of seven of the 10 fatalities recorded at the end of January 2014. Traffic enforcement by the Police during January 2014 resulted in a total of 3,946 cases being made against errant motorists and, of that number 1,786 were for speeding, the report stated. To date, one other person has lost her life on the roadways for February 2014.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday February 8, 2014

Speaking at Anna Reginaâ&#x20AC;Ś

Whittaker challenges local authorities to collect outstanding revenues By Rajendra Prabhulall MINISTER within the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development, Mr. Norman Whittaker has called on staff of the Anna Regina Town Council to work out a mechanism for collecting outstanding rates and taxes. Addressing members of the Interim Management Committee (IMC), as well as staff of the Council at a a statutory meeting in the boardroom on Thursday, he said the municipality is not making enough effort to rake in large amounts due and noted that, every year, the sums owed keep increasing and that budgeted to be collected keeps reducing. According to him, the Municipality is not reaching out to residents and letting them know about the important role they have to play by paying up their dues promptly. Whittaker said the township must engage the people on the ground and called for all other Town Councils and Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs) across the country to do likewise. He maintained that people must be engaged on the ground, either individually or in groups, to find out their problems or to have conversations in connection with development of the Municipality or the NDC. Minister Whittaker challenged Councillors of the five municipalities countrywide be more active and reach out with greater frequency to the people. According to him, he is aware that some Councillors do engage the populace while oth-

ers do very little and what they bring out at statutory meetings is what they get from engaging with the people on the ground. Talking about garbage, Minister Whittaker said vendors, especially those selling illegally on the roadside at Anna Regina, are contributing to the build-up around the market and on the parapet which causes drains to be blocked. URGENTLY ADDRESSED He said that issue must be urgently addressed by the IMC and remarked that all vendors should have garbage disposal bags where they are vending. Whittaker maintained that vendors have the responsibility for disposing of their own garbage. He said Cabinet is deter-

mined to move against persons who are encumbering Government reserves and charged Municipalities to serve notices on such persons with a clear deadline to remove. He said a record should be made to show the number of notices served by the Council. The Minister commended the Anna Regina Town Council for spending its 2013 subvention on roads, box culverts and improving streets and drainage in the Municipality, from Three Friends to Walton Hall. He said, while Government supports all the Municipalities with subventions, there is a limit to how much can be given and insisted that revenue collected must be spent in a very responsible way. The Minister was accompanied at the meeting by Regional Chairman, Mr. Parmanand Persaud.

Some of the Councillors at the meeting with Minister Whittaker

Minister Norman Whittaker and other officials at the meeting

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday February 8, 2014

In photo, from left, are Commonwealth Youth Worker Award Caribbean regional winner Alex Foster; Commonwealth Deputy Secretary-General Mmasekgoa Masire-Mwamba; Asia regional winner PriyadharshanieAriyaratne; Africa regional winner Nelly ShellaTchaptcheutYonga; and Pacific regional winner Joanne Dorres.

Alex Foster cops fifth Commonwealth award for Youth work By Jeune Bailey Vankeric

PRESIDENT of St. Francis Community Developers (SFCD), Mr. Alex Foster has become the lone Caribbean national to have received the coveted International Youth Worker Award from the Commonwealth Secretariat Headquarters in the United Kingdom (UK). This is the fifth international commendation for the Rose Hall Town resident who overcame rural poverty, single parent upbringing, rejections as well as lack of funding to pioneer projects, in order to snatch the Caribbean Regional Award from four other finalists, namely Carolina Muni Ferreira (Cayman Islands), Tanya Merrick Powell (Jamaica), Carlos Williams (St. Vincent and the Grenadines) and Raymond Ockille (Trinidad and Tobago). At a media conference in the SFCD Headquarters, East Side Line Dam, Rose Hall, Corentyne, on Wednesday, Foster disclosed that the five finalists were drawn from among 19 persons, who entered from the Caribbean region. The winner was whisked to London, England, where he joined other regional winners from Africa, Asia, the Pacific and the UK to be honoured at the Commonwealth Secretariat on October 30, 2013. At the awards ceremony, Commonwealth Deputy Secretary-General Mmasekgoa Masire-Mwamba said: “It is so important to recognise the professionalism and passion that youth workers bring to their efforts with young people. These awards are a way of showing respect and appreciation for the many ways that they can change young people’s lives.” The awardees have worked with young people to develop their knowledge and skills in areas including health, education and business. Accepting his award at that forum, Foster said he called for more men to join the youth work profession and act as role models. “I hope that this award will renew my energy to continue this work in the years to come,” he stated at the event that was a part of the launching ceremony of Youth Week 2013 and which was celebrated around the Commonwealth during a year-long activity to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Commonwealth Youth Programme. NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS Foster, who is currently in his 28th year of youth work, has recorded several notable achievements, winning the Commonwealth

Youth Award thrice as Leader of SFCD in 1991, 1992/93 and in 1994/95, when the organisation created world history by becoming the first group in the 54-member Commonwealth to have secured this award more than once. In 1999, Foster was selected from among 500 applicants, internationally, to become one of the 60 most influential young social entrepreneurs in the world. As a result of the recognition of being one of the most influential individuals, he was given the opportunity to travel around the world in a bid to experience other models of development and share his knowledge, too, thereafter implementing best practices, at his organisation. Further, in 2000, world history was again created when Foster, as Head of SFCD, secured a third Commonwealth Youth Service Award. In 2006, the non-governmental organisation was named one of the most successful, sustainable, and influential groups working for the comprehensive development of youths in the Commonwealth. Towards this new status, a book titled ‘St. Francis Community Developers – Making a difference, 20 years of Unbroken and dedicated service (1986-2006), currently being utilised across the 54 Commonwealth nations as a model for best practice and source of inspiration of how a youth group in a rural community can become an international developer. At the regional level, Foster was the first runner-up in 1988/89 for the Caribbean/Commonwealth Youth of the Year Award and, in 2001, he was honoured by Republic Bank, Ernst and Young and CIBC as the Caribbean Entrepreneur of the Year. In Guyana, he secured Guyana’s first Youth of the Year Award and was the country’s youngest national awardee in the year 1988. Meanwhile, as the Chief Executive Officer of the Friends of St. Francis, he has pioneered projects locally which have enabled thousands of young people to secure loans, equipment, tools, new skills and full time employment. His efforts have included facilitating medical support for specialised care and referrals related to HIV/AIDS health issues; promoting participation in the Commonwealth Youth Credit Initiative; enabling young parents to continue their education; managing 12 preschools; introductions of model farm development which will benefit 8,000 students and 380 prisoners along with upgrading of two Amerindian Hostels in the Ancient County.

Alex Foster with his Commonwealth Youth Award

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday February 8, 2014

Digicel Guyana launches Mash 2014 costumes designed by Olympia Small-Sonaram By Michel Outridge

DIGICEL Guyana, on Thursday, launched its Mashramani 2014 costumes, titled ‘Arabian Knights’ and depicting a kaleidoscope of colours: pink, gold and magenta, at the National Cultural Centre (NCC) tarmac. Digicel Guyana Communications Manager Vidya Bijlall-Sanichara told the media that, for the past seven years, the cellular phone giant exceeded the expectations of the public and delivered fabulous costumes, and this year is no different. She said that in keeping with the theme of Mashramani 2014, Digicel Guyana has created ‘Arabian Knights’ costumes, which portray the wealth of Arabia with rich colours. She said the company expects more than 200 costumes to be made freely available, and these can be easily obtained via a text message to 557, in which instructions will be given to Digicel customers first. At Thursday’s launching, six females and two males modelled the fabulous and eye-catching costumes, firstly on stage and then on the tarmac, evoking the approval of the crowd that gathered at the event despite a light drizzle. The designer, Olympia Small–Sonaram, said that, with the Egyptian concept, she was able to fuse her ideas with the end product, being displayed in the form of the costumes. Having won the Best Designer prize last year, Small-Sonaram said she is confident she would repeat the performance. She has been designing costumes for Digicel Guyana for the past five years, and she says that the costumes/floats

are simple yet appropriate for Mashramani this year. She said

they highlight magic, mystery, wishes and fantasies; the co-

Designer Olympia Small-Sonaram and Digicel Guyana Communications Manager Vidya BijlallSanichara pose with the models decked out in the costumes at the launching.

The models displaying the costumes on Thursday. (Adrian Narine photos)

lours were specially selected, and it took her three months to

prepare the costumes using her own concepts.

21 She noted that the float is a work of ‘art’, and will be fitted with equally bright colours. During the launching, local singers Kwasi Ace Edmondson and ‘Lil Red’ took to the stage and sang several popular songs, which were well-received by the large gathering. The participants of the Digicel Mash Fit 2014 gyrated to the commands of fitness guru Curtis McKenzie, who encouraged the group, consisting of both men and women, to move in tune with the upbeat soca songs.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday February 8, 2014

Tundra driver in Liliendaal fatal accident remanded - slapped with three charges By Leroy Smith HAFRAZ Mangroo, the 25-year-old driver of the vehicle which killed a woman on the Liliendaal Public Road last Wednesday evening, was slapped with three charges yesterday. He appeared before Magistrate Sueann Lovell at Sparendaam Court, also on the East Coast of Demerara, where he was remanded to prison until March 7.

DEAD: Lavena Williams-Tull

One charge said he caused the death of 37-year-old Lavena Williams-Tull, of Lot 180 Linden Drive, Melanie Damishana, by dangerous driving. Mangroo, of Lot 180 Sparendaam, East Coast Demerara, was also charged with driving under the influence of alcohol above the legal limit and without being certified. He was unrepresented in court yesterday, pleaded guilty to one of the three charges and not guilty to the other two. The Magistrate, before

The vehicle the accused was driving when he hit the victim on Wednesday night (Leroy Smith photos) reading the allegations, told the young man that he was not required to plead to the indictable charge of causing death by

CHARGED: Hafraz Mangroo leaves the courtroom yesterday

dangerous driving. Details of it said Mangroo, on Wednesday, February 5, on a road in the Sparendaam Magisterial District drove GMM 4626 in a manner dangerous to the public, causing the death of pedestrian Lavena Williams-Tull, of Melanie Damishana, East Coast Demerara. LEGAL LIMIT He was also charged with driving while exceeding the legal limit of alcohol, to the extent that he was incapable of controlling the vehicle he was driving. The other charge said he was driving an uncertified vehicle as he drove the motor pick-up while there was no certificate in force at the time. Asked if he was married and had children, Mangroo responded in the negative to both questions but informed the court that he is in the exporting business. In her presentation to have him denied bail, Police Inspector Anthony said she was opposing the granting of bail on the basis that he was under the influence when he hit the pedestrian who was standing in the corner awaiting transportation. She said the speed at which the driver was travelling is cause for alarm, as well, since the woman was flung some 50 feet from where she was standing and the vehicle came to a halt in a ditch 400 feet from the point of impact. The Prosecutor said there is evidence to support the Police claims and facts, including witnesses who are willing to testify.

After listening to the Prosecutor, Magistrate Lovell fined Mangroo $25,000, with the alternative of three weeks imprisonment, on the uncertified vehicle charge since he pleaded guilty to it. With respect to the driving under the influence charge, he was ordered to post $75,000 surety. NO BAIL No bail was fixed for the causing death by dangerous driving and, when the case is called again, on March 7, it will be for report and fixture. Among those in court yesterday were the husband, father and another relative of the dead woman, who worked as a receptionist at the City Holiday Inn opposite where she was killed. She was awaiting transportation to go home when she was hit. At the time, it was raining and there were pools of water on the roadway. One eyewitness said he was driving behind the ill-fated vehicle when he observed that the driver jumped the red light at Conversation Tree on the Rupert Craig Highway and as it approached the Ocean View Hotel, the pickup began to hydroplane. Then he heard an impact and, subsequently, realised that the vehicle in front of him had struck someone. Upon investigating, he found that a woman had been flung from the roadway into a corner, almost to the entrance of the City Hotel Inn lobby, spanning a drain.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday February 8, 2014

Assault defendants sent on own recognisances FOUR defendants appeared before Magistrate Rabindranauth Singh each charged with assault stemming from soured relationships. Each of the quartet pleaded not guilty at Albion Court to the offences which were allegedly committed on January 24. They were sent on their own recognisances and are expected to return to Court on February 25. Audrey Materson is alleged to have unlawfully assaulted Shamhumanie Ramnauth at Belvedere, Corentyne.

Berbice criminal sessions formally closed THE Supreme Criminal Court formally closed its October criminal sessions in Berbice on Monday, with 37 prisoners at the New Amsterdam Prison awaiting trial. In the Jail Delivery, second-in-command, Assistant Superintendent of Prisons, Evelyn Crandon told Justice Dianne Inshanally at the Berbice Assizes, that all the male prisoners are requesting early trials. Crandon said 33 of them are indicted for murder, one each for escape from lawful custody, sexual penetration, possession of firearm without licence and unlawful and malicious wounding. Meanwhile, six inmates are requesting to make pleas. They are Omar Bacchus, Narvin Sugrim, Jason Mc Kenzie and Rakash Janack, each facing indictment for the capital offence, while Mahendra Doodnauth is charged with escaping from lawful custody and David Andrews faces a charge of possession of firearm without licence.

But, Defence Counsel Rohan Chandan brought to the Court’s attention to the whelps on his client’s skin. H o w e v e r, o t h e r a t t o rney-at-law Rodwel Judmohan, representing Ramnauth, Seenarine Harrichand and Krishdat Sahadeo said it was Materson, who was the aggressor. The lawyer said Ramnauth’s relationship with Materson became sour and he went, with his motor lorry, to Black Bush

Polder, to uplift his personal belongings from their home but Materson jumped into the vehicle and travelled all the way to Belvedere where the man’s relatives lived. Police said after Materson arrived at Belvedere, there arose a misunderstanding, resulting in the three defendants assaulting her after she had assaulted a female friend of her husband.

Six injured as minibus careens off road SIX persons were, reportedly, injured, with two being hospitalised while another took self discharge. The crashed vehicle is now lodged in Albion Police Station compound, as investigations continue. The driver of minibus BFF 891 is, currently, on the run after it careened off the Gibraltar Public Road, Corentyne, Berbice, snapping a utility pole into two before landing on its side by a waterway parallel to the highway. The accident occurred during the 18:05hrs peak time, as students and workers were returning to their different homes, after attending their respective learning institutions and workplaces. Police identified the man who was driving as Khemraj Kris Persaud, 33, of Free Yard, Port Mourant, Corentyne. Eyewitnesses said the minibus, overloaded with passengers, was speeding when it launched out of control. They said, even as nearby residents attempted to rescue the passengers, the driver, who was under the influence of alcohol is reported to have used the opportunity to flee the scene, leaving his minibus behind. Meanwhile, Berbice Traffic Chief, Assistant Superintendent Calvin Brutus has reiterated that speed is one of the contributory factors to road fatalities and serious accidents in the county.

Aries March 21 - April 19

You’re as organised as could be, but you’ve been dealing with some crazy nonsense for far too long, particularly when it comes to a pending family matter -- and it’s absolutely making you nuts. If you haven’t sat the involved partied down for a heart to heart, you’d better do it soon. Things are about to boil over, and you’ll be the one who gets burned.

Taurus April 20 - May 20

Most folks might wonder what to do with themselves today, with so many mixed feelings circulating in the heavens. You, however, will do just fine with the assortment of astral energies. You’ll find at least one interesting person for a heart-to-heart chat, one project to finish and one delectable someone to continue wooing. If you have any time left, help someone who’s completely lost.

Gemini May 21 - June 21

For weeks, you’ve been trying to get to the heart of a relationship matter -- and for weeks everything that could possibly go wrong along the way has gone wrong. Whether or not it’s your loved one’s fault, you’ve been taking it out on them, and it’s created a wall between you. Well, it’s time to tear it down. Within the next couple of days, you’ll see that none of this was their doing.

Cancer June 22 - July 22

One-on-one relationships are your specialty. So when situations make it impossible to get in touch with someone -- say, for example, the chain of events you’ve been dealing with for the past several days -- it’s especially frustrating for you. It might even cause you to be less than pleasant, which really takes some doing. Fortunately, this period of confusion and miscommunication is almost over. Can you be nice for just a couple more days?

Leo July 23 - August 22

Forget about keeping quiet. You’re feeling that the time has officially come to let the cat out of the bag. You may, however, need to wait just a day or two before you can say everything you’ve been holding back. It won’t be easy, but it will be your best bet. In the meantime, get your facts straight and be sure you’re ready for any and all reactions to your revelations.

Virgo August 23 - September 22

For Saturday February 8, 2014 -12:00hrs For Sunday February 9, 2014 -13:00hrs

You know the expression, ‘Hurry up and wait’? Well, that’s exactly what you’ll be doing for the next couple of days. It’s aggravating for everyone, but in your case, you have to be especially careful when it comes to money matters. Don’t sign anything at all, even if it seems like a sure thing. Today, there’s no such thing. Keep a careful eye on your wallet and your plastic, too.

Libra September 23 - October 22

The activity level of the day may be low, but that doesn’t mean your mind won’t be working in high gear! Stimulation isn’t a requirement for excitement. In fact, all the energy you need is already inside of you. It’s your choice, how the day unfolds -- if you want to get up and get going, no one will stop you. And if you want to sleep in a bit longer than usual, go for it. You are left to your own devices and your future is entirely up to you.

Scorpio October 23 - November 21

The confusion and miscommunications of late are about to end soon. Of course, changes aren’t always immediate, and it’s going to be a couple of days until everything gets completely straightened out. This means you’ll need to be patient with a certain person, but fortunately, that’s your specialty. Good thing, huh?

Sagittarius November 22 - December 21

Take care when dealing with other people today. Listen to their suggestions with an open mind and let them vent their frustrations without offering up your own opinion. Not everyone around you will agree on the right way to go about doing things, but luckily you should find all this contention inspiring! You might even find a creative new approach to a persistent, unresolved problem.

Capricorn December 22 - January 19

You’ve had it with delays, roadblocks, interruptions and all the rest of those interesting do-not-pass-go situations the universe has gleefully tossed in your path for the past several weeks -- or has it been years? Regardless of what you call them, the nuisances are finally coming to an end -- and just in the nick of time. Still, give it a day or two before you try to make plans you actually want to keep.

Aquarius January 20 - February 18

Finally, at long last, the nonstop communication snafus you’ve been dealing with are coming to an end -- just not quite yet. For today, in fact, things could still be just a little difficult. Now, don’t get upset. Sure, it’s been tough. But if you can hold on for a just a couple more days, it will be smooth sailing from here on out. In the meantime, distract yourself. You’ll think of something.

Pisces February 19 - March 20

Think things have been confusing lately? You’ve got another thing coming today. A cryptic message will throw your world into a tailspin -- just what you don’t need. Before you get angry and demand the sender’s intentions, sit with these words for a while. If you concentrate on them long enough, and determine what episode from your past it reminds you of, you will probably discover its meaning before the end of the day.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday February 8, 2014

Ireland beat Windwards by 64 runs PORT- of- Spain, Trinidad - Ireland turned around a poor batting innings to defeat the Windward Islands by 64 runs in both teams’ final match of the NAGICO Super50 tournament here last night. Chasing 180 runs to win, the Windward Islands were bowled out for just 115 in 35 overs. Their chase never got going. They were reduced early on to 39/3. They never recovered. Tyrone Theophile resisted with 27, but that wasn’t near enough to what was required. His knock came off 47 balls. Andre Fletcher was the second highest scorer with 19 runs. George Dockrell took 3-14 while Andrew Poynter came into the attack late to wrap up the Windwards’ innings, finishing with 2-11.

Ireland suffered a similar innings when they won the toss and elected to bat first. Johnson took 3-25 while his captain, Liam Sebastien grabbed 2-36 as the Windwards put on an impressive display of bowling in their final match of the NAGICO Super50 tournament. Only Niall O’Brien battled back for the far visitors scoring 44 runs from 63 balls. He hit two fours and one six. Stuart Thompson also tried to resist but he could only get to 32 runs from 42 balls. Their efforts were enough in the end as the Irish won by 64 runs. Both the Windward Islands and Ireland were playing for pride having already been knocked out of the tournament. Both, however, will want to finish their NAGICO Super50 campaign on a high.

Winter Games open ... From Back Page U.S. delegation includes openly gay representatives. Putin says legislation banning the promotion of gay propaganda among minors is designed to protect young people, and has stressed that homosexuals would not face discrimination at the Olympics. In a speech at the opening ceremony, International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach called for an inclusive Games. “Yes, it is possible - even as competitors - to live together under one roof in harmony,

with tolerance and without any form of discrimination for whatever reason,” he said beneath a fluttering Russian flag. As he spoke, gay rights activists said Russian police had detained activists who tried to protest on Moscow’s Red Square and in St Petersburg. Police did not immediately comment on the reports by the activists, who said 10 protesters were detained in Moscow and four in Russia’s second city. In St Petersburg, the protesters were detained after unfurling a banner declaring “Discrimination is incompatible with the Olympic Movement”, gay rights group All Out said. Google placed a rainbow version of its logo on its search page featuring the six colours on the gay pride flag - red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple. The page also includes a quote from the Olympic charter underlining the right to practise sport without discrimination. Google Inc. declined to

English Newbury 09:20 hrs Calipto 09:50 hrs Rydon Pynes 10:25 hrs Al Ferof 11:00 hrs Dodging Bullets 11:35 hrs Vendor 12:10 hrs Smad Place 12:40 hrs Thomas Brown Lingfield 09:30 hrs Waving 10:00 hrs Taquka 10:35 hrs Picansort 11:10 hrs Moderism 11:45 hrs Alben Star 12:20 hrs Top Cop 12:50 hrs Mbhali Warwick 09:35 hrs Tickity Bleue 10:05 hrs Glens Melody 10:40 hrs Balder Succes 11:15 hrs Persian Snow 11:50 hrs He’s The Daddy 12:25 hrs Midnight Prayer 12:55 hrs Algernon Pazham South African Racing Tips

Ireland won the toss and elected to bat first. Both teams made changes to the Starting XIs that played in the first two matches. Alex Cusack and Tim Murtagh were dropped as Craig Young and Paul Stirling came in. The Windwards made all three changes with the struggling Devon Smith, Garey Mathurin and Kenroy Peters being replaced in the starting line-up. Alston Bobb, Dalton Polius and Craig Emmanuel all got chance to start. Both teams lost their first two matches against Guyana and Jamaica and though they have played patches of good cricket, have struggled to get the results. Today, Guyana and Jamica face each other at the Queen’s Park Oval from 2pm Local Time (1pm Jamaica Time) comment. COMPETITION STARTS IN EARNEST Organisers have defended the costs of staging the Sochi Games amid concerns from Olympic officials that the huge price tag could put potential bidders off in future. They said much of the infrastructure built for 2014 was designed to be used long after the Games finished, and the plan was to turn Sochi into a yearround resort, international sports centre and amusement park. Despite grumblings about poor accommodation and tight security, the mood among competitors and officials after a handful of early qualifying events in Sochi and at the mountain base 40 km (25 miles) to the northeast was upbeat. “Conditions offered to the athletes are absolutely outstanding,” said French Olympic Committee president Denis Masseglia on a clear, crisp day. Today is the first full day of sporting action, with five gold medals to be decided.

Turffontein 08:40 hrs Tomorrow’s Miss 09:15 hrs Halve The Deficit 09:50 hrs Santa Carolina 10:25 hrs Chekilli 11:00 hrs Alareef French Racing Tips Cagnes-Sur-Mer 08:45 hrs Montesquieu 09:15 hrs Spanish Art 09:45 hrs Bhaktapur 10:25 hrs Taleteller 10:55 hrs Mombaka 11:25 hrs Gingka 11:55 hrs Russian Dream 12:25 hrs I Love Loup Irish Racing Tips Naas 09:15 hrs Powder Hound 09:45 hrs Tarla 10:20 hrs Champagne James 10:55 hrs The way We Were 11:30 hrs Bend The Rules 12:05 hrs The Parishioner 12:35 hrs Grand Partner

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday February 8, 2014

Marsh brothers give Scorchers BBL title THE third time was a charm for the Perth Scorchers as they claimed their first BBL title with a dominant 39-run win over the Hobart Hurricanes at their home ground. The Scorchers victory was set up by some extraordinary hitting from the Marsh brothers (Scores:. Perth Scorchers 4 for 191 (Shaun Marsh 63, Simmons 45) beat Hobart Hurricanes 7 for 152 (Bailey 58, Hogg 2-17, Thomas 2-23, Behrendorff 2-24) by 39 runs Shaun, who was not deemed fit to fly to South Africa for Australia’s Test tour, produced an unbeaten 63 from just 43 balls while his younger brother Mitchell belted 37 off 12 to power the Scorchers to a match-winning total. Jason Behrendorff and Man-of-the-Match Brad Hogg both bowled superbly, picking up two wickets each to ensure the Hurricanes fell well short of their target. The Scorchers gambled on Shaun Marsh’s troublesome calf and it proved an inspired move. He came out in the fourth over with the score at

Confetti rains on the Perth Scorchers players as they celebrate winning the Big Bash League in Perth yesterday. just 11 after the fall of Scorchers captain Simon Katich. He played the support act initially as an in-form Craig Simmons struck five fours and two sixes after scoring just six

Ten Teams to compete in Players Cup/GT Beer Golf Tourney TEN teams are lined up to compete in the Citizens Bank Players Cup/GT Beer Golf championship tomorrow at the Lusignan Golf Club course. Each team will comprise four players and the winning team will be determined by the lowest total net score and there will be attractive prizes for the top three teams. The teams are Pasture Warriors, Thoroughbred, GT Beer, Team Carib, Warlords, Pitbulls, Putting Pirates, Jaguars, Conquerors and Beacon Blasters. Pasture Warriors will feature HareshTewari, Avinash Persaud, Ravi Persaud, David Harry; Thoroughbreds are Chatterpaul Deo, Joaan Deo, Vijay Deo and Esau Shamshudeen, and Warlords team will comprise Fazil Haniff, Munaff Arjune, Kishan Bacchus and Kalyan Tiwari. Pitbulls will be spearheaded by Mike Mangal and will feature Alfred Mentore, Maurice Solomon and B. Deo, while Jaguars will feature Jerome Khan, Imran Khan, Matti Wesselin and Jack Harry. The Putting Pirates are Brian Hackett, William Walker, Patrick Prashad and Ian Gouveia. GT Beer team will be Clifford Reis, Gavin Todd, Mark Lashley and Christine Sukhram, Team Carib will comprise Troy Cadogan, Ronald Bulkan, George Bulkan and Kassim Khan. Conquerors’ players are Pur Persaud, Lakeram Ram-

Clifford Reis sundar, Allim Hussein and S. Deosaran while Beacon Blasters will feature Dr Philbert London, Shanella Webster, Carlos Adams and Mohanlall Dinnanauth. Apart from the team prize, the individual player with the best net score will win the prestigious Citizens Bank Player’s Cup. The present holder is Patrick Prashad who won title in 2012. Previous winners are Dinnanauth and Andre Cummings. There will also be a prize for the best gross. The players will compete in three flights – 0-9 handicap, 10-18 and 19-28. Being the first major tournament for 2014, players are anxiously looking forward to the return of competitive golf following the recent inclement weather. Club Captain Chatterpaul Deo said the greens and fairways are in excellent condition despite recent rainfall. Tee-off is at 09:00hrs and officials of Citizens Bank and Banks DIH will be on hand to present the prizes to the outstanding players at the end of the tournament.

runs in his first 14 balls. But his luck ran out when he sliced Evan Gulbis to third man. Marsh picked up the slack. He launched the legspin of Cameron Boyce twice into the stands in the 13th over. He was aided brilliantly by Adam Voges as the pair combined for 63 runs in just six overs. When Voges fell for 27, Mitchell Marsh walked out and exploded. Out of the 12 balls he faced, four peppered the crowd and three found the rope to rocket the Scorchers total to 4 for 191. The Hurricanes had relied heavily on Ben Dunk and Tim Paine throughout the tournament but Behrendorff accounted for both of them with another outstanding spell in the Powerplay. The left-armer jolted Paine’s offstump with a full inswinger and built enough pressure on Dunk to

force a mistake. Hogg was called upon with the required run rate at more than 10-an-over. His four overs cost just 17 runs and he bamboozled Jonathan Wells and forced Travis Birt to hole out. The only batsman the Scorchers could not contain was George Bailey who kept his head while all around him were losing theirs. His 58 from 32 balls was a masterclass in manipulation and power-hitting. But without any support he could not keep touch with the required rate and went down with the sinking ship in the 15th over. The Hurricanes batted out the overs but only to delay the Scorchers’ celebration. The 20 783-strong record crowd at the WACA had seen their team fall twice before at the final hurdle. Not a third time! (ESPN Cricinfo)

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday February 8, 2014

Milestone man Sangakkara matches Gooch feat in Chittagong (REUTERS) - Kumar Sangakkara became only the second cricketer to hit a triple century and a hundred in the same Test as Sri Lanka set Bangladesh a huge target of 467 to win the second and final match in Chittagong yesterday. Sangakkara, who struck his maiden triple century in the first innings, hit a six off Sohag Gazi to reach three figures in the second and emulate former England opener Graham Gooch’s 1990 feat against India at Lord’s. The 36-year-old lefthander was then bowled by the off-spinner’s next delivery as he attempted to sweep on the fourth day. Sangakkara’s fluent 144ball knock included 11 fours and two sixes. His tally of 424 fell just short of Gooch’s record

of 456 for most runs in a single Test. His partner in a fourth-wicket stand of 145, Dinesh Chandimal, struck his third Test century as Sri Lanka declared on 305 for four half an hour just before the close. Bangladesh openers Tamim Iqbal and Shamsur Rahman then survived eight overs to leave their side on 12 for no wicket. Earlier, the home team resumed on 409 for eight but folded for 426 with spinner Ajantha Mendis claiming the last two wickets to finish with six for 99. Mahmudullah then removed both openers and fellow spinner Shakib Al Hasan trapped Mahela Jayawardene lbw to reduce Sri Lanka to 78 for three before Sangakkara and Chandimal rallied.

Kumar Sangakkara made Bangladesh pay, scoring 105 in just 144 balls, falling just 32 runs short of Graham Gooch’s record for most runs scored by a batsman in a Test match.

3, Mathews 11-1-33-0. SRI LANKA second innings Dimuth Karunaratne c Hossain b Mahmudullah 15 Kaushal Silva lbw b Mahmudullah 29 Kumar Sangakkara b Gazi 105 Mahela Jayawardene lbw Shakib 11 Dinesh Chandimal not out 100 Angelo Mathews not out 43 Extras: (lb-2) 2 Total: (for 4 wickets declared) 305 Fall of wickets: 1-36, 2-49, 3-78, 4-223. Bowling: Al-Amin Hossain 7-1-310, Sohag Gazi 18.5-1-87-1, Shakib Al Hasan 22-2-80-1, Mahmudullah 18-4-46-2, Mominul Haque 7-0-46-0, Nasir Hussain 3-0-13-0 BANGLADESH second innings Tamim Iqbal not out 7 Shamsur Rahman not out 4 Extras: (b-1) 1 Total: (for no wicket) 12 Bowling:: Lakmal 3-0-9-0, Perera 4-3-1-0, Mendis 1-0-1-0.

SRI LANKA first innings 587 BANGLADESH first innings (o/n 409-8) Tamim Iqbal b Lakmal 0 Shamsur Rahman b Mendis 106 Imrul Kayes b Mendis 115 Mominul Haque lbw b Perera 13 Shakib Al Hasan c Karunaratne b Perera 50 Mushfiqur Rahim c Silva b Perera 20 Nasir Hossain c Chandimal b Mendis 42 Mahmudullah c Silva b Mendis 30 Sohag Gazi lbw b Mendis 0 Al-Amin Hossain b Mendis 9 Abdur Razzak not out 11 Extras: (b-8, lb-1, nb-21) 30 Total: (all out) 426 Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-232, 3-252, 4-259, 5-319, 6-350, 7-396, 8-396, 9-409. Bowling: Lakmal 25-6-70-1, Pradeep 15-2-96-0 (nb-13), Mendis 29.5-3-99-6 (nb-8), Perera 39-4-119-

Rohit key for India after NZ seize control (REUTERS) - Rohit Sharma was battling to save India’s innings as the tourists finished the second day of the first Test against New Zealand on 130 for four after Brendon McCullum’s double-century had guided the hosts to a mammoth first-innings total of 503. Rohit was 67 not out when the players were forced from the field due to poor light at Eden Park with Ajinkya Rahane on 23 after New Zealand’s pace bowlers had ripped the top off their innings by reducing them to 10-3 in the sixth over. Neil Wagner had bowled Murali Vijay for 26 shortly after the tea break before Rohit and Rahane consolidated the innings with a 79-run partnership that was adjourned with 17 scheduled overs of play remaining yesterday.

… McCullum hits 224

Brendon McCullum hits a six and a four in the last over of the first session to reach his second double-century in Tests.

New Zealand’s innings was anchored by McCullum’s second Test double-century as the captain shared in productive partnerships with Kane Williamson, who scored 113, Corey Anderson (77) and Ish Sodhi (23). McCullum’s dismissal ended New Zealand’s innings and he fell just one run short of his highest Test score of 225, also against India in 2010. His innings was the highest by a New Zealander at Eden Park and fourth highest overall. England’s Wally Hammond holds the record of 336 not out in 1933. India paceman Ishant Sharma, who had been under pressure after poor form in the one-day series, was the pick of the visitors’ bowlers with 6-134.

Hussey signs on as batting coach FORMER Test batsman Mike Hussey has joined the National Cricket Centre in Brisbane as a consultant batting coach. Hussey’s role will see him work closely with Cricket Australia’s national performance squad programme, Australia A and the Commonwealth Bank Southern Stars. C o o l e y, t h e N a t i o n a l Cricket Centre’s head coach said securing Hussey’s services is a coup for Australian Cricket. “Mike has played all around

… recently retired ‘Mr Cricket’ joins NCC

the world and mastered the art of playing in all three formats,” said NCC head coach Troy Cooley. “To be able to use his skills, knowledge and outstanding leadership skills to help develop the next generation of Australian players is just fantastic. “Mike’s involvement and contribution to a successful era of Australian cricket makes him the complete package

and our young up-and-coming male and female players will benefit greatly from working with him.” Hussey, who retired from international cricket a year ago but continues to play T20 cricket, was looking forward to taking on an official coaching position. “I’m thrilled to be able to continue my love of Australian cricket through this role,” he said. “The opportunity to work

with the country’s finest young talent is exciting and I’m looking forward to getting started with the National Performance Squad in Brisbane in the coming months.” Hussey will continue to be based in Perth, but will travel to the National Cricket Centre in Brisbane to fulfil his coaching duties on a part-time basis. The national performance squad will be selected this month. (CA)

FIRED-UP ATTACK India’s reply began terribly with a fired-up Trent Boult and Tim Southee harrying their batsmen from the first over. Boult had Shikhar Dhawan well caught by Williamson in the gully before Cheteshwar Pujara chased a wide delivery and was easily caught by wicketkeeper BJ Watling to leave the world’s second best Test side reeling on 3-2 in the first over. Southee, who had been peppered by India’s pace bowlers earlier in a cameo innings of 28, unleashed a vicious bouncer that caught Virat Kohli’s gloves and Peter Fulton held the head-high catch at second slip to reduce

NEW ZEALAND first innings 329-4) P. Fulton lbw b Zaheer H. Rutherford c Rahane b I. Sharma K. Williamson c Dhoni b Zaheer R. Taylor c Jadeja b I. Sharma B. McCullum c Jadeja b I. Sharma C. Anderson lbw b I. Sharma BJ Watling c Dhawan b I. Sharma T. Southee b Shami I. Sodhi c R. Sharma b I. Sharma N. Wagner c Kohli b Jadeja T. Boult not out Extras: (w-5, lb-5, b-1, nb-3) Total: (all out, 121.4 overs)

them further to 10-3. Vijay and Rohit then took the visitors through to tea on 45-3 before left-armer Wagner got a delivery to seam slightly away and hit the top of the former’s off-stump after the pair had added just six more runs. Rohit, who has scored two centuries in his four previous Test appearances, then took the fight back to New Zealand, hitting eight boundaries and one maximum as he improved his batting average to 80. India will resume today needing a further 174 runs to avoid the follow-on. The second match of the two-Test series is in Wellington and starts on February 14.

(o/n 13 6 113 3 224 77 1 28 23 0 1 14 503

Fall of wickets: 1-19, 2-23, 3-30, 4-251, 5-384, 6-398, 7-434, 8-490, 9-495. Bowling: Shami 28-6-95-1 (w-2), Zaheer 30-2-132-2 (w-1), I. Sharma 33.4-4-134-6 (w-2, nb-3), Jadeja 261-120-1, Kholi 1-0-4-0, R. Sharma 3-0-12-0. INDIA first innings S. Dhawan c Williamson b Boult 0 M. Vijay b Wagner 26 C P u j a r a c Wa t l i n g b B o u l t 1 V. Kohli c Fulton b Southee 4 R. Sharma not out 67 A. Rahane not out 23 Extras: (nb-3, b-5, lb-1) 9 Total: (for four wickets, 39 overs) 130 Fall of wickets: 1-1, 2-3, 3-10, 4-51. Bowling: Boult 10-1-20-2 (nb-2), Southee 12-3-27-1, Anderson 2-0-90, Wagner 7-0-46-2, Sodhi 6-0-13-0, Williamson 2-0-9-0.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday February 8, 2014

Grim legal tussle expected at ICC Board meeting today By Sharda Ugra A GRIM legal tussle between three of the most powerful cricket boards and three of their unexpectedly stubborn adversaries is set play itself out when the ICC’s Board of directors meets in Singapore today. Cricket South Africa has sent its “formal response” to the Big Three’s revamp proposals in a nine-page letter to ICC president Alan Isaac. Sri Lanka Cricket has been involved in a terse exchange of correspondence with Iain Higgins, the ICC’s head of legal affairs, over the constitutionality of the proposals and has responded in severe tones to Higgins’ belief that the proposals could be “considered” as they were legally sound. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), the third board to oppose the proposals, has also sent a letter about its reservations, the details of which are unknown, and has maintained that it will oppose some of the resolutions. Officials of the three boards met in Singapore yesterday afternoon for a series of strategy meetings The Big Three, however, remain confident that they will be able to win over one of the three boards and therefore have the numbers to push the radical proposals through, giving themselves greater financial revenue and executive control. While bilateral bargains could be a starting point, the BCCI is particularly keen on

Alan Isaac The two documents using the possibility of staging from CSA to Isaac and SLC one half of IPL 2014 outside to Higgins - available with India, with general elections in ESPNcricinfo, offer starting the country scheduled to take points of the strategy that place in April-May. could be adopted by the two It is believed that the Banboards in today’s meeting. gladesh Cricket Board, which In its letter, CSA has offered had opposed the position paper a detailed response to the “key before the Dubai meeting, will principles” in the revamped go to Singapore with the two-tiproposals, made alternatives er Test structure removed from recommendations and expressed the proposals and will look to its willingness to “proceed with increase its intake from ICC the revamp despite obvious from the projected $68 million. procedural flaws”. The BCB will also look SLC is expected to base its to settle bilateral series with opposition on the interpretaIndia (possibly in 2016) and tion of the ICC constitution, Australia this year, and seek having already raised quesa slot from England. Once its tions over the legality of the interests are taken care of, the proposals. The Sri Lankan BCB is expected to go with the board is also likely to question majority. the impartiality of Higgins SLC has always stated that, following communications despite ICC pressures, it cannot with the latter over the last act outside the will of its execfew days on the legal standing utive committee. That was the of the proposals. plank the board stood on when CSA’s letter was measured it asked for a deferral of the poand detailed, with references sition paper, and it has been the to its history in the ICC and to major thread in its communicaformer South Africa president tions over the last week.

Nelson Mandela, along with repeated use of the word “democratic”. The South African board has accepted a few broad principles announced by the ICC and rejected outright “the complete de-regulation of the current FTP structure. “The letter has stated that CSA does not support the new bilateral FTP because it “would not be in the best interest of international cricket and therefore ICC members.” It has asked for “basic principles regulating/governing bilateral arrangements and agreements” and wants the ICC to provide that “necessary coordination” while working the FTP around ICC sponsorship cycles. The central element of the redrafted resolutions is based on a graded revenue-distribution model that CSA has said it cannot agree to without a “full and detailed understanding of the criteria/inputs and mechanism that would drive funding allocations.” This needed to be made transparent to all members “to understand and be able to advance their position.” CSA has also asked for the number of members on the new Executive Committee (ExCo) to be increased from the proposed five to six and said it “deserves status” on the Big Three’s most influential committees - ExCo and Finance & Commercial Affairs - during what the ICC referred to as a “transitional” period. This transition, CSA has said, should be stipulated at 12 months rather than two

years “as that would be sufficient to ensure the successful sale of ICC media rights.” It did not support a proposal that had the chairman of the ICC Board remain as chair of a member board, because it was “not in the best interest of the global ICC family as it will lead to real perceptions of conflict of interest.” SLC’s response to Higgins’ letter, stating that everything around the proposals was legally sound, was far more direct. It questioned a lack of Board-meeting protocol at various stages of the position paper going through the ICC. A reference in Higgins’ letter for the need to “clarify specific areas after the Board had considered them” was taken by the SLC to imply “that you also are intrinsically involved” in the very process the board was objecting to and “consequently would not be in a position to view the matter impartially.” SLC’s letter said that it was “quite telling” that Higgins had “continued to defend these purported Resolutions” despite having “conceded certain points raised by us”. The Sri Lankan board asked how an email from Higgins to the Board of directors on January 28 made a reference to “the principles that were unanimously supported in respect of the ICC’s future structure”. The SLC letter said: “There had been absolutely no unanimity in the support of these proposals, a fact which is amply evident from what transpired at the meetings.” L i t t l e h a s , h o w e v e r,

changed in the BCCI-CA-ECB triumvirate’s belief that they would be able to work the numbers in their favour if and when the proposals are brought to vote. The only major difference since the end of the last ICC Board meeting in Dubai is that the matter is not yet resolved despite the ICC’s press release stating that “key principles” of the proposals had the “unanimous support” of members. When the Dubai meeting ended, those in the Big Three camp were quick to point out, that they would get the eighth nation on board by the week’s end, and another meeting would not be required. In the interim, however, the PCB first stated its opposition to the proposals following a meeting of its governing board. Then SLC confirmed its objections after a stakeholders meeting and, on Thursday, questioned the legality of the proposals itself. News of CSA’s draft of a list of its objections became known earlier in the week and has been followed up by the letter to Isaac which became public yesterday. There is still little clarity over which revamp proposals require two-thirds majority (7 out of 10 members) and which require three-fourths (8 out of 10), due to the fact that the proposals require constitutional amendments. The BCCI-CA-ECB triumvirate may still need to pull out one final, bargaining chip to win over one of the ‘Small Three’. (ESPN Cricinfo)

Cricket South Africa’s view on the principles TEST Match Fund: CSA agrees to the equal distribution of money to all Full Members barring the BCCI, ECB and CA which would encourage and help in developing Test cricket in these countries. However, it would want to “understand the mechanics” of the fund before this resolution is adopted Bilateral FTPs: CSA is against the mutually agreed bilateral FTPs proposal. It would like to continue with the existing FTP, which they say is binding (BCCI disagrees), and would like that to be “supplemented” by the bilateral FTP as is being practised by the Full Members at the moment. Leadership of ICC:

Haroon Lorgat “Leadership in any organisation is essential and we support a democratic process whereby the BCCI accepts a leading and effective role in the leadership of the ICC,”

is how the CSA would like the ICC to be led, and not in the manner suggested in the resolution which would vest most powers in the hands of the “leading” members Revenue redistribution: CSA wants to understand the “criteria” through which the Big Three arrived at distribution of the funds to the Full Members. This, CSA has pointed out, will firstly make the mechanism “transparent” and also help members “advance” their cause in terms of what they believe is rightful amount they should be paid as contribution. CSA feels that not getting the rightful percentage of funds could “harm” black cricketers and

also “discount” the “struggle for freedom” put forward by Nelson Mandela. ExCo and F&CA: The proposal is to form an Executive Committee (ExCo) along with a fresh Finance & Commercial Affairs (F&CA) committee comprising five members including BCCI, ECB and CA representatives. The proposal also states the BCCI representative will head the ICC Board, the CA representative will head the ExCo while the ECB representative will chair the F&CA. Also, these officials will hold their tenure for the “transitional” period of two years during which the complete overhaul

of the governance structure would take place as well as the commercial rights for the next cycle (2015-23) would be sold by the ICC. However, the CSA wants to be part of both the ExCo as well as the F&CA since both these committees are powerful. It also wants members on these committees to be increased to six. The CSA does not want these committees to become the de-facto decision-makers at the ICC. Associate and Affiliate Funding: CSA does not agree with the proposal to distribute a large percentage of the Associate surplus to the “higher performing non-Full Members”

because they feel that would not help the game grow at a broader level in these countries. CSA would instead rely on Associate and Affiliate Members for guidance on this particular issue. Tournament host: CSA wants to host a “major” ICC event in the new cycle (20152023) in addition to getting the 2027 World Cup Lorgat investigations: CSA wants the ICC to “expedite” the investigations against Haroon Lorgat and is not willing to “drop” the case. “Needless to say, it is impacting on the efficient functioning of the organisation (and the CEO) and it is also incurring unnecessary costs.”

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday February 8, 2014

Petra Organisation launches second Milo Under-20 Schools football tournament PETRA Organisation was hailed for having a very successful year in 2013, promoting Schools football at all age groups, in keeping with its mandate to foster the development of the game at the schools level. Yesterday, the organisation launched its second Annual Milo-sponsored Under-20 Schools football tournament. Twenty-four high schools in Georgetown will vie to see who could not only dethrone defending champions St George’s High, but also lift the tournament’s first prize of $500 000, which will go to their school. Petra Organisation director Troy Mendonca revealed his entity’s profound joy to once again give the schools in the capital city a chance to showcase their talents.

Mendonca mentioned that in the Digicel Schools football tournament, none the city teams had reached the final, except for the first year, after which, Christianburg/Wismar Secondary of Linden won back-to-back titles. The Linden-based school also clinched the Kashif and Shanghai Schools championship, but Mendonca did, however, remarked that St George’s High did manage to finish fourth and felt that the Milo tournament serves as an important tool to help bring the city schools on par with their other counterparts. “Back in my time, of course (then I was representing Linden) we had players like Deon Barnwell and those guys in Georgetown that we used to compete against and it used to be fun then, because George-

Milo Brand Manager Renita Sital hands over her company’s sponsorship cheque to Petra Organisation director Troy Mendonca at yesterday’s Milo U-20 Launch while members of the organisation look on. (Sonell Nelson photo) town always had great teams ers,” Mendonca said. ing way ahead and as such because they played a lot of Meanwhile, Milo brand we feel that this tournament tournaments. representative Renita Sital exshould be taken seriously by Now it’s totally different. pressed her profound joy at the schools, if they want to The other areas are movhaving the Sports nutrition really match up with the oth-

drink aligned once again with the competition. She added that Milo would be looking to play a major role in this year’s tournament which seeks to also change the lives of youths through sports. This year, the tournament will see the Ministry of Health as one of its partners and Deputy Permanent Secretary Trevor Thomas said that they are happy to be part of a tournament that seeks to impart knowledge to youths via the sport of football. The tournament kicks off on February 15 and concludes on April 5, with matches being played exclusively at the Ministry of Education ground, formally known as Softball ground. Games will be played every Saturday and Sunday, starting at 11:00hrs.

Slingerz FC launches Stag Beer/West Side Mash Champion Cup … tournament kicks off February 16 in Uitvlugt

THE first edition marked the birth of one of Guyana’s premier football clubs – Slingerz FC – and one year later, Ansa McAl is teaming up with the West Demerara-based club to host the second Stag Beer Mashramani Champion Cup tournament, which kicks off at the Uitvlugt community Centre ground on February 16. Seven other clubs will be looking to wrestle the title away from Slingerz FC, who had defeated Den Amstel 3–0 to win last year’s competition. Just like 2013, the winners will pocket $500 000, second- placers $300 000, third-placers $200 000 and fourth-placers $100 000.

Stag Beer brand manager John Maikoo hands over the winners’ trophy to Slingerz FC general manager Collin ‘BL’ Aaron, while team captain Vurlon Mills, (first from left), WDFA vice-president

Shuffler volleyball festival set for tomorrow THE much-anticipated Lennox Shuffler Volleyball Festival is set for tomorrow commencing at 10:00hrs at the National Gymnasium on Mandela Avenue. It will be the first meeting for the New Year where all volleyball teams will converge on the same venue in a fun-filled atmosphere that promises to deliver entertainment and friendly competition. According to a press release, several emerging and existing third division teams will

Lennox Shuffler be participating. This promises to be a riveting and memorable day of indoor volleyball.

Teams from Berbice and Demerara are all expected to play. This event is open to the public free of cost and all are invited to come and cheer on for all the athletes who would have been practising and training from the start of the new year. Spectators will surely be entertained by the skills and talent of both male and female players from the various teams. The reigning volleyball champs from Demerara, the Achievers Club, will play an exhibition match against Guyana’s

No. 1 team, the Port Mourant Training Centre, who boast some of the best players in all of Guyana. Food and drinks will be on sale throughout the day’s proceedings. This activity is to celebrate the 75th birth anniversary of the president of the Guyana Volleyball Federation {GVF}, Mr Lennox Shuffler who is serving his third and final term in office and also to acknowledge his contribution and dedication to this sport in Guyana.

“Last year’s tournament was a huge success for the brand,” said Stag Beer brand manager John Maikoo who was speaking at the event’s launch which took place at his company’s Beterverwagting Office Boardroom. “I must admit, the partnership between Slingerz FC and Stag Beer is a very productive one, so this year, we were actually looking forward to making this tournament happen and now we pledge our full support into making this event a huge success,” Maikoo said. Christine Schmidt, vice-president of the West Demerara Football Association (WDFA), said “the people from the West Side are addicted to football and I want to thank both Slingerz FC and Stag Beer for making this tournament happen again.

“Last year it was huge and the people all enjoyed it and the competitive spirit that it brought out in the teams and this year we know that people will enjoy it even more.” Newly appointed team captain Vurlon Mills advocated for Fair Play to prevail, while also pointing out that his club is fully aware that the other teams are not going to roll over and allow them to win the tournament for a second time. “I know that everyone wants to win, but my team is ready to defend the title. However, I want to encourage the other team and players to play in good spirit and let’s give the fans another great tournament,” Mills noted. (Rawle Toney)Christine Schmidt and Slingerz FC PRO Rawle Toney look on. (Sonell Nelson photo)

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER

(Saturday February 08, 2014) Compliments of THE TROPHY STALL-Bourda Market & The City Mall (Tel: 225-9230) & CUMMINGS ELECTRICAL CO. LTD-83 Garnette Street, Campbellville (Tel: 225-6158; 223-6055) Answers to Thursday’s quiz: Chris Old (WI vs ENG, Barbados, 1974) 4 Today’s Quiz: Where and when did NarsinghDeonarine make his Test debut? Which two of these former WI bowlers were left-armers? Vanburn Holder; Corey Collymore; Bernard Julien; Jermaine Lawson; Pedro Collins Answers in tomorrow’s issue

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday February 8, 2014

Top-of-the-table clash as Malta Supreme Guyana oppose Jamaica By Calvin Roberts in Trinidad and Tobago (Compliments of Carib Beer, Berbice River Bridge, Regal Stationery, Wartsilla, Romaine Car Wash, F&H Printing and GT&T) IT CAN be called a group finale or top-of-thetable clash, but whatever name or names it is given, weather permitting today, Malta Supreme Guyana and former champions Jamaica will culminate action in Group A of this year’s West Indies Cricket Board NAGICO Super50 tournament at the Queen’s Park Oval from 14.00hrs this afternoon. Both sides are on nine points, having defeated defending champions Windward Islands and Ireland in their two opening matches to secure a place in the semifinals, taking a bonus point each from Ireland in the process. This means that today’s game can also be seen as a dress rehearsal for the final, which is set for the same venue and will see the winner take home the Clive Lloyd Trophy, if they both come away with victories in the semis. The Guyanese last won a title at this level under the astute captaincy of Shivnarine Chanderpaul in 2005 when they defeated Barbados at the Georgetown Cricket Club ground, to lift the WICB KFC Cup. The Guyanese had an in-

tense net session at the outdoor nets of the venue yesterday, while the Windward Islands and Ireland were going at each other on the field of play. After they defeated defending champions Windward Islands and ousted them from the tournament in the process, Malta Supreme Guyana skipper Christopher Barnwell expressed his delight at the win, despite having to face certain hurdles prior to and during the contest. “We did not get off to the best of starts, the wicket was playing a bit tricky and somehow the batters manage to stick it out and we know once we kept wickets in hand we can always go hard at the end. “So we plan just to see out the new ball and ensure that we had wickets in hand for the latter part of the innings which eventually played out for us,” Barnwell said to WICB Media after the win against Windward Islands. He added, “While the batters did a good job, the bowlers held their nerves to pull off the victory. I was very impressed with young Ronsford Beaton and also fellow fast bowler Paul Wintz as well as Veerasammy Permaul, who all held their nerves and bowled in the correct areas.” MOMENTUM Meanwhile, Barnwell says despite their success, his side will remain firmly grounded as they recognise their mission is not yet fulfilled. “What we’re doing is tak-

Malta Supreme Guyana were caught by Caribbean Heat photographer Robertson Henry going through their warm up paces in the outdoor nets of the Queen’s Park Oval yesterday afternoon. ing it step by step; we’re just focusing on our goal and the process.” “We would love to be in the final. We’re in the semi-finals so I think it is just a matter of taking the next game that we’ve got in stride and trying to continue with this momentum. We don’t want to be looking too far ahead of ourselves. I think for us it has been a process and we just want to continue that process.” For today’s game, Malta Supreme Guyana will look to Shivnarine Chanderpaul, who is back after missing the last game due to an abscess on his right leg, Trevon Griffith and the tournament’s leading run scorer Ramnaresh Sarwan to once again bolster their batting. Support will come from skipper Christopher Barnwell, Leon Johnson, Narsingh Deonarine and Royston Crandon and Robin Bacchus (if selected),

with support from Anthony Bramble, Veerasammy Permaul, Devendra Bishoo, Paul Wintz and Ronsford Beaton. The bowling led by Beaton and Wintz, have already shown they can do the job with the new ball in both matches to date and against the Jamaicans, it should be no different, backed by Barnwell and the Albion Cricket Club spin trio in Bishoo, Permaul and Deonarine. Chairman of Selectors Rayon Griffith, who has accompanied the team as the Assistant Coach to Esuan Crandon, yesterday told Chronicle Sport there is some concern as it relates to Malta Supreme Guyana’s fielding to date. “There are some small areas we have to improve on, with the fielding department being of concern to us” said Griffith. “We are not picking up the

ball as clean as possible, but we already noted that to the players and have commenced some work in the areas of concern, while our spinners are not as consistent as we would like them to be, but there is work to be done and we are willing to assist them to get it right.” Jamaica will be looking to former skipper Tamar Lambert and John Campbell, two of their inform batsmen to date, Andre McCarthy, Andre Russell and skipper Dave Bernard Jr., to lead them with the bat. They will be backed by Carlton Baugh Jr. and Nikita Miller, with many Guyanese remembering Miller’s last ball six against Deonarine at the Guyana National Stadium last year, which earned the Jamaicans a win and took away from Guyana a semifinal spot. In the bowling, former West Indies fast bowler Jerome Taylor along with Andrew Rich-

ardson and Sheldon Cottrell will take charge of both new balls, while they will receive valuable support from Bernard Jr., Russell, Lambert and Miller. JAMAICA: David Bernard Jr (captain), Nikita Miller, Andre Russell, Carlton Baugh Jr (wicket-keeper), Tamar Lambert, Andrew Richardson, Horace Miller, John Campbell, Jermaine Blackwood, Andre McCarthy, Sheldon Cottrell, Jerome Taylor, Nkrumah Bonner, Kenar Lewis; Junior Bennett (coach). GUYANA: Christopher Barnwell (captain), Shiv Chanderpaul,, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Anthony Bramble (wicket-keeper), Robin Bacchus, Trevon Griffith, Leon Johnson, Narsingh Deonarine, Royston Crandon, Assad Fudadin, Devendra Bishoo, Veerasammy Permaul, Ronsford Beaton, Paul Wintz; Esuan Crandon (coach).

Caribbean athletes bid for honours and personal best as Winter Olympics begins SOCHI, Russia, (CMC) - A number of athletes representing the Caribbean region are participating in the 22nd Winter Olympic Games which began yesterday in the Black Sea city of Sochi in South-Eastern Russia. They include a five-member Bobsleigh delegation from Jamaica, a husband and wife team representing Dominica and athletes from the US Virgin Islands (USVI), the Cayman Islands and Tortola in the British Virgin Islands (BVI). “Our Caribbean athletes have demonstrated that they have an unconquerable spirit and it is this undeniable perseverance and grit determination that has put them at the top of their field and also for many individuals, to achieve personal excellence,” said CEO of Caribbean Association of National Olympic Committee (CANOC) Broadcasting Inc.

All eyes are on Jamaica’s Bobsleigh team. pilot Winston Watts, brake-man Larry Romany. Marvin Dixon, crew members “We know our Caribbean Wayne Blackwood, alternate athletes in Sochi will make us crew; Thomas Samuel, coach, proud and it will be another and Nelson Christian Stokes, unifying period for our region Chef de Mission. to support these exceptional The Jamaican Bobsleigh athletes who spent countless team gained international fame hours working hard to qualify during their debut in the 1988 for the Winter Olympics.” Winter Olympic Games in Jamaica’s five-member Calgary, Alberta as underdogs delegation to the games are

among the professional and were the inspiration for the major motion picture, Cool Runnings. United States-based Gary di Silvestri and his Italian-born wife Angelica Morrone di Silvestri who have Dominican citizenship are representing the island at the Games. Di Silvestri is due to participate in the men’s 15-kilometre classical race and his wife in the women’s 10-kilometre classical race. Jasmine Campbell, representing the USVI, Dow Travers, the Cayman Islands and Peter Adam Crook, the BVI said they were all looking forward to the Winter Olympics. “I will be going to the Olympics trying to ski my personal fastest, my personal strongest, my personal best. That is all I can really hope to do,” said Campbell.

“The Olympics are also about bringing the world together in a community of sport and human excellence.” Born and raised in the Grand Cayman, Travers, 26, competed for the island in the 2009 Val D’Isere Alpine World Championships and the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics. The eldest of three talented athletic brothers, Travers, who lives and works full time in the Cayman, after graduating from Brown University with a degree in Geology-Biology, said he’s fully prepared for the Winter Games. “I believe I am prepared and as ready as I’ll ever be,” said Travers who has been training in Aspen with his brother Dean under coach, former Olympic skier, Jake Zamansky and the Aspen Valley Ski Club. Travers who will be competing in the Giant Slalom said

he has been training during the week and racing as much as possible followed by strength training in the gym. Crook who lives in Utah said he is “excited and a little nervous” about his first Winter Olympics and representing the small mountainous island of Tortola. “When people hear I’m representing Tortola, they always ask me if I ski there! Is there snow there! And then I have to explain it all over again,” said Crook who started competing professionally four years ago. “It’s a small island and the support for me from the people there is unreal. My biggest goal at the Olympic is to make it through the final round. You never know what can happen. I’d just like to make everyone proud.” The Winter Olympics runs from February 7 to 23.

Sport CHRONICLE

The Chronicle is at http://www.guyanachronicle.com

Ireland beat Windwards by 64 runs See Story on Page 34

BCB launches Hand-in-Hand Golden Jubilee 40-over 2nd Div. cricket tourney T

Assistant treasurer of the West Berbice Cricket Association Ravindranauth Saywack (extreme left) accepts the sponsorship cheque from Hand-inHand’s Human Resources/Admin Manager Zaida Joaquin, in the presence of former Guyana and West Indies batsman Basil Butcher (centre) and former president of the BCB Malcolm Peters. (Photo by Sonell Nelson)

HE Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) yesterday launched its Hand-in-Handsponsored Golden Jubilee Celebration 40-over 2nd Division Cricket Tournament in the Boardroom of Hand-in-Hand Insurance Company. In delivering remarks, Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club’s Secretary/Chief Executive Officer Hilbert Foster said the second division tournament which will bowl off shortly will be one that will be remembered, since the rest of the country is reeling from the negative effects of the ongoing local cricket crisis. “It would be cricket, lovely cricket and more cricket in the Ancient County,” Foster declared. This will be the third successive year that Hand-in-Hand has chosen to renew their sponsorship of a 40-over second division tournament for teams in the West Berbice area. According to Foster, the

tournament will be contested on a knockout basis between 16 teams in the Region 5 District and the winning team would receive $60 000 and a trophy, while the runner-up team would receive $40 000. The man-of-the-match in the final will earn $10 000 and a trophy. Foster said the main aim of the tournament is to develop the game of cricket in the West Berbice area, to identify new talent and more especially, to celebrate the BCB’s 75th anniversary. Among the teams expected to be a part of the tournament are; Blairmont, Bush Lot, Bath Settlement, Rainbow Generation, D’Edward, Rosignol and Hopetown. Foster expressed his gratitude to the Board of Directors and management of Hand-inHand Group of Companies for their confidence in the BCB and for investing in the development of West Berbice

cricket. Foster issued a call for cricketers from all across West Berbice to take full advantage of the opportunities presented to them by the hard-working BCB which he said is fully committed to cricket in Region 5 and would continue to spearhead the development of the game at every level in the Region. In response, Hand-in-Hand’s Human Resources/Admin Manager Zaida Joaquin said her company is pleased to be associated with not only the tournament but with the BCB, and Hand-inHand is very happy that steps are being taken to develop the sport of cricket in Berbice. She said it is her desire that the tournament will be a good and competitive one and added that Hand-in-Hand is committed to the development of not only cricket in Berbice but also the development of the youths of Guyana in general.

Winter Games open in Sochi amid fireworks, security fears By Mike Collett-White SOCHI, Russia (Reuters) Russia’s Winter Olympics officially got under way on the Black Sea coast yesterday with a grandiose opening ceremony that President Vladimir Putin hoped would dispel fears of militant attacks and a row over gay rights that marred the build-up. Putin has staked his reputation on hosting a safe and successful Games in the resort town of Sochi, where a colourful, sometimes muddled show before 40 000 spectators at the gleaming Fisht Stadium signalled the start of full sporting competition. “I declare the 22nd Winter Olympic Games open,” said Putin, launching an event he has personally overseen and expects will burnish Russia’s, and his own, image on the world stage. In an embarrassing early technical glitch, one of the five Olympic rings suspended high above the stage failed to unfurl, meaning that the giant structure could not be illuminated by

fireworks as planned. But the show went on, blending cartoon-style inflatable domes, spectacular ballroom dancing amid towering imperial columns, and giant avant-garde shapes hovering above symbols of revolution and upheaval in a sweep through Russian history. Fireworks filled the sky above the Olympic park surrounding the arena in a rousing finale to a show that drew heavily on Russia’s rich heritage of classical music, literature and dance. As the ceremony unfolded, a security scare aboard a passenger plane flying from Ukraine to Turkey underlined concerns that the Games could be targeted, although the exact circumstances were not immediately clear. Turkey scrambled an F-16 fighter jet to accompany a plane carrying 110 passengers arriving in Istanbul after a bomb threat was made by a passenger demanding to go to the Winter Olympics venue of Sochi, Turkish officials said. The passenger was believed to have drunk alcohol and was

calmed down by the crew and persuaded to let the plane land in Istanbul, according to Dogan news agency. The scare came after the U.S. Transportation Security Administration had temporarily banned carry-on liquids, aerosols, gels and powders on flights between Russia and the United States. The United States issued a warning on Wednesday to airports and some airlines flying to Russia for the Olympics to watch for toothpaste tubes that could hold ingredients to make a bomb on board a plane. RING OF STEEL Some 37 000 security personnel are on high alert in Sochi over threats by Islamist militant groups based in the nearby north Caucasus region to attack the February 7-23 Games, the most expensive ever staged at an estimated cost of $50 billion (30 billion pounds). Separatist guerrillas seeking an independent Islamic state in Chechnya and neighbouring

Fireworks are seen over the Olympic Park at the end of the opening ceremony of the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics, yesterday. regions of southern Russia have a war to crush a Chechen rebelRussia’s “gay propaganda” law vowed to disrupt the Olympics, lion in 1999. passed last year, which critics which they say are taking place Twin suicide bombings say curtails the rights of homoon land seized from Caucasus killed at least 34 people in Desexuals. tribes in the 19th century. cember in Volgograd, 400 miles U.S. President Barack Despite a “ring of steel” (700 km) northeast of Sochi. Obama, French President around venues, Russian forces Francois Hollande, British fear a woman suspected of GAY PROPAGANDA Prime Minister David Camplanning a suicide bombing may ROW eron and German President have slipped through. Putin was joined at the cerJoachim Gauck are not atSecurity analysts believe emony by leaders from Chitending the Games, and the that an attack is in fact more na, Japan and about 40 other likely elsewhere in Russia to countries in a show of support See Page 34 humiliate Putin, who launched despite international anger over

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SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2014