Guyana chronicle november 07 2013

GUYANA No. 103643

THURSDAY NOVEMBER 7, 2013

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

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Opposition holds nation at ransom Minister Anil Nandlall

- AG, as D day arrives for AMLCFT Bill

President Ramotar assents to three local government bills Page 2

Page 2

At today’s session of Parliament…

Day of decision for antilaundering bill Page 3

Following tests by investigators…

Beharry Gold Page 8 Fingers test positive for cocaine Centre

— Company refuses to entertain any questions, probe widens

As Guyana/ Suriname cable sustains damage…

The injured are quickly removed from the burning aircraft and placed at a safe distance even as the firefighters continue to bring the fire under control

Salvation Army Centre Christmas kettles will be out tomorrow

Guyana experiences countrywide internet Page 8 disruption

Chronicle correspondent suffers service woes at NA Hospital after dog bite injuries - nurses reportedly were playing ‘catcher’ and fondling each other’s breasts

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, November 7, 2013

Second sugar crop ‘largely a good one’ Ramsammy - dismisses Kaieteur News article

By Vanessa Narine THE second sugar crop has been “largely a good one,” according to Agriculture Minister Dr. Leslie Ramsammy, who noted that to date pro-

duction stands at 105,000 tonnes.

Speaking to the media yesterday, he dismissed a November 5th article published by the Kaieteur News under the headline

“GuySuCo sliding to worst performance in 20 years”.

Ramsammy said: “I do not know that is true…the second crop for sugar had been largely a very good one, past 105,000 tonnes, which is more than

twice the production of the first crop.”

WEATHER INSECURITY The minister maintained that the sector’s challenge continues to be weather and the difficulties the sector faces in adapting to a “weather insecurity” that has evolved quite rapidly in Guyana and around the world.

He said: “Guyana used to have two wet and two dry seasons of a particular length, very regular and now we don’t have that. Sugar requires a period of 14 to 20 weeks of completely dry weather during grinding and we don’t have that.”

According to him, the sugar

Agriculture Minister Dr. Leslie Ramsammy sector will have to find an answer on how it will adjust.

Ramsammy said: “Sometimes people talk about factories and about management, but we saw it last year and we see it this year, when you have good weather, you have good production.

“To address production numbers the industry must find an answer to the changing weather pattern that is creating major challenges for the sector.”

He added that the Skeldon factory is functioning and most of the issues existing during the last crop have been addressed.

However, Ramsammy made it clear that the optimal functioning of Skeldon was meant to be achieved in time, by 2016.

Asked about the target this year, Ramsammy stated that while the adjusted target was 238,000 tonnes, from the onset this was something he was not sure the sector could meet, and currently the ministry is looking at what numbers the sector will see come year-end.

Rice sector production continues to climb - 520,000 tonnes in with harvesting still to be completed THE rice sector continues to break records and with harvesting still to be completed, Agriculture Minister Dr. Leslie Ramsammy reported that production figures stand at some 520,000 tonnes to date.

Speaking to the media yesterday, he noted that last year, production was recorded at 422,000 tonnes and the sector is on target to exceed that by 100,000 tonnes.

According to Minister Ramsammy, this year was not without its challenges, including problems with the weather.

He said: “Interestingly the two crops, our two largest, have different weather needs; sugar needs dry weather and rice needs a combination of wet and dry. This is something Guyana will have to confront,” he said.

Paddy bugs also presented a challenge this year and while prepared farmers were able to contain the infestation, the pest caused some damage to rice in both the first and second crops.

Asked about the upcoming crop, Ramsammy said: “Almost 40 per cent of the rice land is already prepared for the next crop and some farmers have already begun sowing for[the] next crop.

“Unless we have a major challenge with the weather, it looks like the first crop for 2013 will be one of the largest crops in terms of acreage and if we continue to improve our yield, we will surpass the single-crop target in 2014’s first crop.”

He maintained that rice continues to do well and compensates for the challenges facing the production of sugar, the agriculture sector’s other major crop.

Ramsammy stressed that the rice sector continues to improve each year.

Crane destruction the result of prolonged electrical problem – Fire Chief CHIEF Fire Officer Marlon Gentle reported, yesterday, that the flames which destroyed a dwelling house at Crane, West Coast of Demerara, on Tuesday afternoon, was caused as a result of a prolonged internal electrical fault.

He explained that there was sparking in the fuse box for some time and nothing was done to rectify the faulty electricity connection in the building.

Gentle added that the Guyana Fire Service (GFS) received the call at 14:22 hrs and a tender from Leonora, 16 miles away, first responded but, when it got there, the property was engulfed.

He said the water they took was used to douse the flames but, soon after, they had to source more from a nearby canal.

However, due to the low Demerara River tide, mud and silt got in their way, damaging a pump and the hoses of two tenders at the scene.

The other tender had responded from West Ruimveldt Station in Georgetown and the firefighters managed to contain the blaze.

Gentle, noting that there is dry spell now, urged Guyanese to take extra precautions and make their environment as safe as possible.

He advised that, if there is an electrical problem in a house, the residents should have it fixed and employ the basic safety methods to safeguard property and lives.

The inferno which ripped through the two-storey house at Lot 14 Crane Housing Scheme displaced a family of seven, including children.

The occupants were at home when the conflagration started and got out but did not get to save anything.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, November 7, 2013

Lilly convicted of assault, jailed for 30 days ELTON Lilly, a father of five was sentenced to 30 days imprisonment last Friday, after he pleaded guilty to assaulting Candacy Jones, at Cove and John Court.

Magistrate Shoundell Lovell imposed the punishment on him for the Tuesday, October 29 offence committed at Golden Grove, also on East Coast of

Demerara.

Lilly claimed he never assaulted or hit Jones but was, instead, apologising for injuries she sustained as a result of a scuffle he had with another man a few days before when his hands hit Jones in her face and she became angry and hit him back.

But contrary to his story, Police Prosecutor, John

Singh told the court investigations revealed that, about 20:00 hrs, the virtual complainant was going into a shop when Lilly approached her and confronted her about her injuries from a previous fight, she broke up between him and another man.

However, because of the unhygienic state of Lilly and his arrogant tone, she instinctively

Teen remanded on charge of stealing own bike A TEENAGER was, on Friday, November 1, accused of stealing a bicycle his parents bought for his person.

At the Cove and John Court, Magistrate Shoundell Lovell heard that, on Tuesday, October 29, the 16-year-old left unknowingly and without permission, his parents home with his Mountain Climber bicycle valued $20,000 that his mother, Philima Mohamed had secured for him.

According to the young’s man mother, at about 05:00 hrs, her son left home to go out to an undisclosed location and was never seen or heard of until days later.

She emphasised that he is in the habit of leaving home for days until someone goes looking for him and she, along with his father is fed up of his delinquent behaviour.

Police Prosecutor John Singh objected to allowing the teen his pre-trial liberty citing the pleas of his parents for the young man to be placed in custody.

He was then remanded to the Juvenile Care Centre where he will remain until November 11, when the case is fixed for report.

Opposite neighbours in court after verbal exchange OPPOSITE neighbours Michael Degratta and Puran Campta were taken before Magistrate Shoundell Lovell at Cove and John Court, charged with assault and threatening language.

It was alleged that, on Wednesday, October 2, at Good Hope, also on the East Coast of Demerara, Degratta assaulted and made use of threatening language towards Campta.

In his defence, Degratta told the court that the virtual complainant accused his wife of being ugly when she is not and used a series of foul words in the process.

He claimed that he had only answered back Campta and may have used some explicit language when he chucked him in the process.

The 57-year-old man, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge and was put on $15,000 bail.

He is expected to return to court on November 22, for trial.

Previously bonded woman fined for playing loud music A PREVIOUSLY bonded woman was fined after being convicted, last Friday, of playing loud and continuous music and using abusive language.

The court imposed the fine on 37-year-old Ramwattie Sohadeo, of Lusignan Grass Field, East Coast of Demerara, who played loud and continuous music to the annoyance of Chandrapaul Persaud.

Evidence was also led that the said defendant, on the same day, made use of abusive language towards Persaud, whereby a breach of the peace may be occasioned.

Sohadeo pleaded not guilty to all the charges but not before giving an explanation.

She told the court that, in her view, she finds it ironic that her immediate neighbours never complained to her about music being played too loud and, as such found it difficult to understand why her melodious air waves affects Persaud whose house is some distance away and not as close as the rest of neighbours.

However, Persaud who was present in court, explained that he has been a resident of Lusignan for some time now and has never had any problems with anyone but, on that day, Sohadeo, who was having a birthday party for her husband, was, indeed, playing her music set loudly and, when he attempted to ask that it be turned down to a suitable tone, he was greeted with a series of expletives.

He then pleaded with Magistrate Shoundell Lovell to have the matter resolved soonest, since he would not want to be running to court all the time.

Sohadeo was then fined $10,000

Man granted bail on ex-wife assault charge FEROZE Etwaroo, a father of one, was, on Friday, November 1, granted $30,000 bail, when he appeared before Magistrate Shoundell Lovell at Cove and John Court.

The defendant, 43, was charged with the assault of his ex wife, Amrita Khan, to cause her actual bodily harm and he pleaded not guilty to the offence.

When offered an opportunity to speak, Etwaroo declined to provide any mitigating reasons why he should not be remanded.

Police Prosecutor John Singh said investigations revealed that Etwaroo, who lives some distance away but in the same neighbourhood as the virtual complainant, at Good Hope, also on the East Coast of Demerara, had an argument which stemmed from Etwaroo’s scolding the couple’s daughter because she refused to go home with him.

The prosecutor added that he was confronted by Khan who was, apparently, angered by Etwaroo’s actions and the latter, in return became annoyed and, subsequently, dealt her several cuffs and kicks about her body.

Nonetheless, he was granted his pre-trial liberty on $30,000 surety and the case was adjourned until November 21 for report.

stepped aside.

The prosecutor sufficed that Jones‘s action, apparently, annoyed the defendant who, immediately, went over and prevented her from pur-

chasing, then proceeded to deal her several slaps about her face.

He, subsequently, was accosted by other patrons and removed from the shop.

A report was then made to the Cove and John Police Station and Lilly was, consequently, charged with the offence, for which he was later sentenced.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, November 7, 2013

KATHERINA Roshana sets sights on wearing million dollar ‘Yamamay Swimsuit’ as Miss Universe

By Alex Wayne IMMENSE festivity and excitement surround this year’s Miss Universe Pageant and every day the committee is adding creative strategies to keep fans glued to their televisions and the internet.

Just recently we have received word that a special, ‘Yamamay Million Dollar Swimsuit will be unveiled as the Italian swimwear and lingerie brand Yamamay unveil their official MISS UNIVERSE collection, YAMAMAY FOR MISS UNIVERSE, during the worldwide MISS UNIVERSE telecast.

At this forum, they will unveil a one-of-a-kind emerald, ruby and diamond swimsuit valued at one million dollars. The spectacular swimsuit has travelled from Milan, Italy to Moscow, then to Russia (with armed guard) just in time for this global event, which will take place at Crocus City Hall on Saturday at 9 pm ET on NBC. The Miss Universe contestants’ swimsuit styles have evolved over the show’s rich 62-year history, but the pageant’s celebration of confidence and beauty has always remained the same.

KATHERINA AIMS TO MAKE GUYANA PROUD Guyana’s delegate to the pageant Katherina Roshanna certainly has her sights set on wearing this swimsuit, since it will be worn by the lucky lady who is eventually crowned Miss Universe 2013.

Katherina is doing everything she possibly can to ensure she does Guyana proud and bring the coveted crown and

title to her homeland. She has been excelling at photo shoots and fashion shows and has certainly made the Guyanese presence felt in Moscow, Russia.

As she readies for the ultimate pageant, she is enduring the rigours of intense rehearsals, dress fittings, and numerous special appearances, with every intention to make her efforts pay off by excelling at the event.

To keep Katherina in the competition it is important that

we visit the official Miss Universe website at www.missuniverse.com and vote as many times as we wish.

The new YAMAMAY FOR MISS UNIVERSE collections will honour the glamorous styles that have been worn by elegant women from around the word. The 2013 MISS UNIVERSE® swimsuit competition will feature the new collection, captivating a viewing audience from around the globe when the million dollar suit takes centre

Guyana’s delegate to the Miss Universe Pageant, Katherina Roshana, is as captivating as can be in her many photo shoots and special appearances.

stage. The debut of the YAMAMAY FOR MISS UNIVERSE swimsuits, which will be available in select stores and online this December and around the world beginning in January 2014, kicks off the partnership between Yamamay and the Miss Universe Organization.

The MISS UNIVERSE® 2013 titleholder will be awarded

the unique opportunity to model the YAMAMAY MILLION DOLLAR SWIMSUIT FOR MISS UNIVERSE the day after she is crowned at her first official photo shoot and in front of the MISS UNIVERSE international press corps, during a press conference at the Crowne Plaza World Trade Centre in Moscow.

Miss Universe 2013 will also be featured in the international advertising campaign for the YAMAMAY FOR MISS UNIVERSE collection, including its two new lines called TIMELESS and SPARKLING, which are inspired by movie stars from the 1950s and a revised glam punk style.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday November 7, 2013

As CJIA performs emergency response exercise…

Luncheon indicates…

Solid Waste Management Bill before year-end THE Solid Waste Management Bill is under the consideration of Cabinet and there are strong expectations that it would be tabled before the end of 2013, Head of the Presidential Secretariat (HPS), Dr. Roger Luncheon indicated yesterday.

He said the legislation seeks to establish a body that would be vested with the responsibility of overseeing all of the solid waste management functions in Guyana.

Speaking at his weekly post-Cabinet press conference in Office of the President, Shiv Chanderpaul Drive, Georgetown, Luncheon said the agency will set out standards that ought to be met.

“It is an important piece of legislation,” he stated.

According to him, Cabinet continued its focus on solid waste management in the country and regulations are intended to be drafted to incentivise the use of biodegradable, biosynthetics as an alterna-

tive to plastics.

Cabinet had, additionally, concluded its consideration of proposals of a ‘number one ranked form’ for recycling solid waste, an activity intended to be localised in Region 4 (Demerara/ Mahaica) with the main activity at the Haags Bosch Sanitary Landfill Site, aback of Eccles.

Luncheon said Cabinet gave its approval to the Memorandum of Understanding between a Canadian company and the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development.

Cabinet had previously approved the region wide solid waste programme in which contractors were, through public tender, given contracts, had them executed with the Ministry of Local Government to provide a fee for solid waste collection from households and the disposal, ultimately, at registered Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) licensed sanitary landfill sites.

Benn urges presence of int’l observers for critique - calls for more command and control in exercise

By Leroy Smith IN a high level assessment and review discussion yesterday in the boardroom of the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, Transport Minister Robeson Benn urged emergency response teams to explore the possibility of having their international counterparts present at similar activities to provide a unprejudiced assessment of their response to emergencies.

The minister made the comment after witnessing a mandatory stimulus exercise at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport yesterday, in keeping with the certification requirements for all international airports.

Speaking with the media following the exercise at one of the hangers at the airport, Benn said that part of the certification process is also mandatory for there to be a table top exercise every six months while each year there is a partial simulation exercise while every two years there is the need to conduct, like yesterday afternoon, a mass casualty exercise.

He said that the exercises are very important to ensure that the airlines and other operators at the airport employ all the resources which ought to be called upon in the event of the reality of a situation like the one simulated yesterday afternoon.

He added that the exercise also allows for the testing of timely response with the proper resources, knowledge and expertise in bringing persons who are seriously injured and traumatized to a point where they can

access medical attention and reduce the instances of negative impacts of an air crash or incident.

The Transport Minister underscored the need for maintaining the procedure and exercises which come with the certification and requirements of international airports. Asked to give his personal critique of the day’s activity he refused to get into the details but pointed out that there were aspects of the exercise which he observed need tightening up.

Benn said that based on what he saw there is need for more attention to aspects of the exercise and to impart some more energy in the operation and command and control with respect to the operation.

Meanwhile in accessing the medical response to the exercise, Chief Medical Officer, Shamdeo Persaud expressed pleasure that the two health institutions, the Diamond Hospital and the Georgetown Public Hospital, responded in a timely manner after the stimulus crash.

He said they responded adequately with the ambulance and support staff as part of the standard requirement in any real scenario where staff from the health institutions will be expected to travel to the scene.

Upon their arrival there was the setting up of a care centre which was initially started by the health workers who are often stationed close by at the airport in the event of a situation and who would be assisted by a doctor from a nearby health centre.

His overall assessment was that the persons who pro-

vided the health services during the exercise seemed to be

very well aware of what their role and responsibilities were

and that assisted the process a whole lot.

The crashed minibus

Minibus, Toyota Raum collide on Main Street … no one seriously injured

Medical personnel await the arrival of an ambulance to transport a passenger who was badly injured

Salvation Army Christmas kettles will be out tomorrow THE Guyana Division of the Salvation Army will, tomorrow, usher in the spirit of Christmas, with the launch of its annual Christmas appeal at Georgetown Club, beginning at 10:00 hrs.

Special Guest Speaker will be Dr. Ashni Singh, Minister of Finance. Following his presentation, Dr. Singh will perform the

ceremonial launch of the appeal, by making the first donation to the Kettles. This gesture will be followed by donations from members of the diplomatic corps, the private sector and others.

There will also be brief remarks by Divisional Commander, Major Emmerson Cumberbatch and Chairman of

the Salvation Army Advisory Board, Mr. Edward Boyer.

The programme will be spiced with lusty singing of carols, ushering in the festive season, led by Divisional Director of Women’s Ministries, Major Carolinda Cumberbatch. There will be performances by the Youth Timbrel Brigade and a skit by the clients of the drug reha-

[Flash back] Former President Bharrat Jagdeo formally launches the Salvation Army’s Annual Christmas Appeal, at Georgetown Club, while Chairman of the Advisory Board, Mr. Edward Boyer (at extreme right) and former officers of the Division look on

bilitation programme.

In this season of Peace, Goodwill and Joy towards men, therefore, the Salvation Army is urging persons this time around, to give generously to the kettles, located at strategic points in the streets, beginning tomorrow morning.

Other ways in which persons, including the private sector, can give include the ‘Mail Appeal’, and persons in receipt of appeal letters can take them to the bank specified by the Salvation Army, and using the account numbers provided, make their generous deposits.

Others so inclined, may drop off donations at Citadel Headquarters, South Road and Alexander Streets.

The traditional ‘Kettles’ are a symbol of the Army’s mantra ‘Sharing in Caring’, and is a timely reminder that, throughout the year, the Salvation Army engages in humanitarian acts of caring, through sharing – literally reaching out and ministering to the needs of thousands of challenged and less fortunate people in our midst. To a large extent,

it is through the generous donations to the kettles by all and sundry, that the Army is able to raise funds to meet its budget, aimed at bringing peace and joy to the needy.

The Salvation Army utilises funds raise to conduct its yearlong humanitarian programmes aimed at responding to the needs of senior citizens, the less fortunate. Such programmes include drug rehabilitation, feeding prograammes for needy children and senior citizens, League of Mercy, Women’s Home League and Counselling.

The next big event on the Salvation Army’s Calendar is the ‘Distribution of Hampers’, slated for the second week of December. At Citadel Headquarters, South Road and Alexander Streets, beginning at 10:00 hrs.

This programme is intended strictly for the ‘needy’, who are encouraged to get registered and collect their tickets in advance of the date of distribution.

In the interest of ensuring a smooth and orderly distribution process, only persons with tickets will be issued with hampers.

A MINIBUS and a Toyota Raum collided on Main Street Georgetown yesterday afternoon, with the bus ending up on its side, leaving several passengers injured.

An eyewitness from the Guyana Authority Security told this newspaper that about 14:20hrs she saw Route 44 minibus travelling along the street by the New Thriving Restaurant when it collided with a Toyota Raum coming out of Bentick Street.

The bus ended up in a drain and the security guard saw a woman holding a baby coming out of it.

According to the driver of the Toyota, who suffered no injuries, the bus crashed into him: “When I looked down to my side I saw the bus hit the front of a car parked across the street and then he hit the rear mirror of another car and then he hit me.”

However, the front seat passenger of the minibus claimed that he was on his way to work when he felt the car hit the rear end side of the bus.

The man who was admitted at the Georgetown Public Hospital said “the gold colour car hit the back of the bus, and we swerve out because that man was turning the corner and he hit we.”

Meanwhile, passengers were seen squeezing through the bus windows, some bleeding from apparently minor injuries.

The driver of the Toyota Raum

Picture Boy murder trial…

Victoria murder accused might have used two guns – ballistics expert CYON Collier called ‘Picture Boy’ might have used two guns to kill the two brothers for whose murder he is on trial, police firearms, ammunition and ballistics expert, Sergeant Eon Jackson said yesterday.

The witness, under cross-examination, said he came to that conclusion after admitting that a .32 shotgun bullet, which was found in one of the bodies during an autopsy, had not been fired by the AK-47 that was in possession of the accused.

The two brothers, Ray Walcott called ‘Sugar’ and Carl Andrews alias ‘Alo’ were gunned down at Victoria Village, East Coast of Demerara on September 23, 2006.

Justice Navindra Singh and the Demerara Assizes jury had previously heard that, on that day, the accused, with a gun strung over his shoulder in Hollywood style, rode a motorcycle to Victoria Four Corner, where he chatted with persons watching a domino game, before gunning down the brothers who were also spectators.

After the shooting, police arrested Collier in a house with three guns in his possession.

Witnesses said spent shells were found at the scene of the shooting and Jackson, after examining them, reported that they matched and were fired by an AK-47.

However, cross-examined by defence counsel, Lyndon Amsterdam, Jackson said, on examination of a .32 shotgun bullet taken from one of the bodies during an autopsy, proved that the particular one was not fired by the AK-47 but another type of shotgun.

The trial is continuing.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, November 7, 2013

President Ramotar assents to three local government bills

By Telesha Ramnarine PRESIDENT Donald Ramotar, yesterday, assented to three local government bills, namely the Fiscal Transfers Bill 2012, Municipal and District Councils (Amendment) Bill and the Local Government Commission Bill.

Head of the Presidential Secretariat (HPS), Dr. Roger Luncheon made the disclosure to reporters, following his usual post-

Cabinet press briefing at Office of the President, Shiv Chanderpaul Drive, Georgetown.

He said he believed the Local Government (Amendment) Bill was the one not given assent, because a lot of controversy took place on the floor of the National Assembly House, at the time of its enactment.

“And I don’t think it has been resolved,” Luncheon stated.

Meanwhile, President Ramotar had said that it was not the lack of political will on the

part of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Administration that local government elections were not held in Guyana since 1994.

He had expressed hope for the passage of the four bills that were pending in parliament.

During a special interview at his office, the Head of State had told the Government Information Agency (GINA) that, despite talks of transparency and compromise by the Parliamentary Opposition, they had been showing an extraordinary level of inflexibility and were attempting to change many of the positions that were initially agreed.

“We are the ones who brought back local government elections to Guyana and the fact that we did not have these elections has nothing to do with the lack of will on our part…I know that it is badly needed because many of the problems we face are due to the fact that we did not have local government elections,” he observed.

Prior to 1994, local government elections were last held in 1970. Subsequent to 1994, the elections could not be conducted because of the coincidence with the general and regional elections of 1997.

Opposition holds nation at ransom - AG, as D day arrives for AMLCFT Bill AS the deadline of November 18, 2013 for Guyana to pass its amended Anti-Money Laundering and Countering of Financing of Terrorism (AMLCFT) draws closer, Legal Affairs Minister and Attorney General Anil Nandlall is voicing his concern that there may be moves by the political Opposition to further delay the bill’s passage.

According the minister, he has been informed that the joint Opposition may be moving to return the proposed legislation to the select committee for further consideration. This would not bode well for Guyana, as it would result in non compliance with Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF) regulations and time-frame fixed, said Minister Nandlall.

Appearing as a guest on the National Communications Network’s Political Scope Programme last evening, Minister Nandlall, recalling the efforts of government to accede to the Opposition’s demands for the bill to be sent to a select committee for consideration before debate in the National Assembly, explained that despite government’s efforts, during the six- month period, during which the bill was due to be discussed and examined by both sides, the political Opposition engaged in filibustering, employing various delaying tactics which eventually led to the government’s side wrapping up the committee’s work without any substantial input from the across the bench.

No written proposal has been presented by the political opposition since the bill was sent to the select committee despite their entreaties to the media that they have amendments to make to the bill, the minister said.

The process, thus far, has not given the government any optimism that the critically needed bill will be passed in time to meet the CFATF deadline, Minister Nandlall opined.

“Assuming that everything goes well, and the Bill is passed tomorrow(today), it has to be checked and examined by the drafters for clerical and typographical errors, it has to be advertised in the Official Ga-

Minister Anil Nandlall zette, and then presented to the president for his assent. These things take time, and as I said , we basically have 10 days including the weekends to complete the task because the CFATF Meeting is fixed for November 18.

The petition from the Private Sector Commission calling for the passage of the bill is likely to be rejected out of hand by the Parliamentary Opposition, predicted the Minister. “These are matters that have serious implications for the stability of the country and the economy. You have a political grouping which is disregarding the entire commercial sector of the country. You have a political

opposition that seems not to be representing anyone’s interest. The Private Sector Commission is an umbrella organisation which represents 18 constituent members which are representative of every facet of the commercial spectrum in the country, including the manufacturing sector, the banking sector, the insurance sector, the aviation sector, the commerce and trade sector, etc. Then FITUG, the largest grouping representing organised labour, the farmers’ organisation, have all issued statements calling upon the National Assembly to pass this Bill.

All these organisations are being ignored.”

The consequences of not passing the bill are clearly understood by all these stakeholders.

In closing, Minister Nandlall said that there is no other deadline for this vital piece of legislation. “We have come to the end, it is the ninth hour, and tomorrow (today) is the final day. It is Dday for the money laundering bill. If we are unable to pass it, then the draft report which has already been prepared, which has already blacklisted Guyana will be made final. If we are able to pass that bill, and I’m able to produce the law, as passed by the parliament, to the meeting (CFAT) on November 18, then I may be able to avert that draft report becoming a final report.

If not, the draft report will become the final report and Guyana will be declared noncompliant, and whoever wants to send the bill to Select Committee can do so. It will be of no consequence to the Guyanese people”.

He added that what is important to the Guyanese people is to prevent Guyana from being “Blacklisted and to prevent sanctions from being imposed.”

The need for a so-called perfect bill as described by the Opposition is pointless since CFATF is already satisfied with the piece of legislation as it currently stands, and the nation which stands to bear the brunt of sanctions must understand that government and important stakeholders have done what they can to see the passage of the bill.

If it is not passed within the time prescribed then the fault lies squarely with the Opposition. The Minister noted that, “What is unfortunate is that the Parliamentary Opposition is indeed the alternative government. If while in Opposition, they are taking such anti-commercial, anti-investment, and anti-nationalistic positions, I ask the nation to simply consider what will happen if they ever get into the government.”

(GINA)

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday November 7, 2013

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Batting collapse ...

From back page start of play, presenting both teams - including the soon-tobe retired Tendulkar - with bouquets, a commemorative medal and tie.

WEST INDIES 1st Innings C. Gayle c Vijay b Kumar 18 K. Powell c Kumar b Mohammad Shami 28 D.M. Bravo run out (Mohammed Shami/Dhoni) 23 M. Samuels b Mohammad Shami 65 S. Chanderpaul not out 23 +D. Ramdin b Mohammad Shami 4 *D. Sammy c Kumar b Ojha 16 S. Shillingford lbw b Tendulkar 5 V Permaul c & b Ashwin 14 T Best not out 14 S Cottrell b Mohammed Shami 0 Extras (b4, lb7) 11 TOTAL (10 wkts) 234 Fall of wickets: 1-34 (Gayle), 247 (Powell), 3-138 (Samuels), 4138 (Bravo), 5-143 (Ramdin), 6-

172 (Sammy), 7-127 (Shillingford), 8-211 (Permaul), 9-233 (Chanderpaul), 10-234 (Cottrell) Bowling: Kumar 14-6-33-1; Mohammad Shami 17-2-71-4; Ashwin 21-9-52-2; Ojha 24-6-62-1; Tendulkar 2-1-5-1.

INDIA 1st Innings S. Dhawan not out 21 M. Vijay not out 16 TOTAL (without loss) 37 To bat: C. Pujara, S. Tendulkar, V. Kohli, R. Sharma, *+M.S. Dhoni, R. Ashwin, B. Kumar, Mohammad Shami, P. Ojhato Bowling: Best 2-0-15-0; Cottrell 52-13-0; Shillingford 4-2-8-0; Permaul 1-0-1-0 Overs: 12 Position: India trail by 197 runs with all first innings wickets standing

Inaugural Champs looking to ...

From back page confidence as both the Regal teams head into competition for the third edition of the GFSCA 'Guyana Softball Cup 111.'

To start, one of the factors and the main contributing one at that is the present form being shown by the players in the warm up tournament, wherein we have won three of the four games to date convincingly," said Hardyal.

He added, "Players in the caliber of Chien Gittens, Richard Latiff, skipper Mohammed Ayume, Safraz Esau, Balram Roopnarine and national Under19 cricketer, Ricardo Adams, amongst others are showing tremendous form and they give me the strong confidence to say we will dominate and win the title this year.

As it relates to the Master's category, the man who led us to the title in the first year, Amanauth Budhoo has returned from the United States to compete this year and will be in the lineup alongside players in the caliber of Jagdesh Bhoj, Lyndon Lyght, Andre Legall, Lance Adams and myself, and we are all looking forward to compete."

Hardyal believes both sides have a score to settle, especially after their performance in the tournament last year and the year before, with the Regal Open team being placed in Zone A to compete against South Florida Cricket League, Wolf Warriors and Smith XI, while the Masters will be doing battle out of Zone B, against SCI Miami, New York President's XI and Indus-

try Super Kings respectively.

The GFSCA 'Guyana Softball Cup 111' will bowl off tomorrow morning at 09:15hrs, following a photo shoot at the Georgetown Cricket Club ground and while admission to the preliminary round matches is free, patrons are asked to pay $500 to witness Sunday's final day of action at the same venue.

ENGLISH Racing Tips Lingfield 08:20 hrs Hadya 08:50 hrs Scoppio Del Carro 09:20 hrs Modem 09:50 hrs Sweet P 10:20 hrs Valmina 10:50 hrs Hot Mustard 11:20 hrs Duke Of Destiny 11:50 hrs Ruffled Musselburgh 09:00 hrs Civil Unrest 09:30 hrs Seaside Rock 10:00 hrs Agricultural 10:30 hrs Rathvawn Belle 11:00 hrs Foot The Bill 11:30 hrs Weybridge Light SOUTH AFRICA RACING TIPS Vaal 08:45 hrs Wishful Heart 09:25 hrs Nad's Pride 10:00 hrs Goldstream 10:40 hrs Takaamul 11:15 hrs Divine Invitation IRISH RACING TIPS Thurles 08:55 hrs Gentleman Duke 09:25 hrs Noble Pride 09:55 hrs Georgie 10:25 hrs Catimini 10:55 hrs Gold Patrol 11:25 hrs Famous Ballerina 11:55 hrs Flaming Dawn ARAB EMIRATES RACING TIPS Meydan 10:30 hrs Dar Rashid 11:05 hrs Prince Shaun 11:40 hrs Desert Of Dreams 12:15 hrs Jawhar 12:50 hrs Kal Barg 13:25 hrs Karma Chamelon

24

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday November 7, 2013

Pacquiao to box on irrespective ence. of Macau outcome The boxer dismissed any (REUTERS) - Filipino great Manny Pacquiao will box on irrespective of the outcome of

MANNY PACQUIAO

his November 24 fight against American Brandon Rios, the eight-weight world champion said yesterday.

Two straight defeats, the second a sixth-round knockout by old foe Juan Manuel Marquez in December, have triggered talk of retirement which would only increase if he loses in Macau as well.

The 34-year-old Filipino, however, would not even give retirement a thought. "(I) just want to go out and win this fight," Pacquiao told reporters through advisor Michael Koncz via a teleconfer-

Nadal fends off Wawrinka to seal year end top ranking

hangover from his last two losses and said he was feeling comfortable and confident ahead of the Macau showdown.

Pacquiao dismissed his last two defeats as part of boxing and denied being under any pressure to re-establish himself as the world's best pound-forpound boxer.

He conceded, however, that the Rios fight would be crucial.

"This is one of the most important ones because I want to show my fans in the world that I can still compete at the high level," he said.

By Martyn Herman

England openers Alistair Cook and Michael Carberry left the field unbeaten at the end of the day.

England openers enjoy batting practice in Hobart

LONDON: (Reuters) Rafael Nadal fought off a ferocious challenge from Stanislas Wawrinka to earn his second Group A victory at the ATP World Tour Finals yesterday and guarantee ending 2013 as world number one.

The Spaniard arrived in London needing a minimum of two victories at the yearending showpiece and, after breezing past David Ferrer on Tuesday, he was stretched to the limit by Swiss Wawrinka in his second round-robin match before coming through 7-6(5) 7-6(6).

‌centuries for Cook and Carberry MELBOURNE: (Reuters) - Captain Alastair Cook and fellow opener Michael Carberry struck unbeaten centuries to humiliate a depleted Australia A bowling attack and drive England to a record 318 without loss on day one of their tour match in Hobart yesterday.

On a benign wicket and facing only two specialist pacemen, Cook (154 not out) and Carberry (153) gave a possible taster of England's opening partnership for the first Ashes test in Brisbane on Nov. 21 as they carted the hosts to all corners in a record opening stand at Bellerive Oval.

Cook appeared to signal his intentions earlier when opener, Joe Root, was named at number five and the boyish 22-year-old may now feel resigned to batting further down during the Ashes after watching one-Test Carberry appear completely at ease following his 78 in the first tour match in Perth.

Australia's selectors may now ponder the wisdom of hiding their frontline bowlers from England's batsmen, with Cook and Carberry, 33, certain to enjoy a shot of confidence, albeit at the hands of uncapped seamer Ben Cutting and three-Test paceman Trent Copeland.

The spinners were also unable to extract any life from the pitch, with left-armer Jon Holland blasted for 66 runs from his 12 overs and two-test all-rounder Glenn Maxwell faring little better with his offspin, going for 80 from his 24 overs.

Cook had an indifferent Ashes at home by his sky-high standards in the 3-0 series win and was taunted as a "boring" and "unimaginative" captain by former Australia spinner, Shane Warne, earlier this week.

But having missed the opening tour match with a sore back, the England captain provided the perfect riposte as he settled back into the Australian groove with a chanceless ton against the Moises Henriques-captained hosts.

"He's quite a calm, relaxed guy at the crease," Carberry told local reporters of Cook, who scored three centuries in the 2010-11 Ashes to help England win the series away from home for the first time in a quarter of a century.

"What you see is what he is, really.

"He's a run machine. He knows his game, he's very calm, very good to bat with."

RAFAEL NADAL His straight-sets victory means 13-times grand-slam champion Nadal is assured of a semi-final spot at the event which he has never won, while tournament debutant Wawrinka can also still make the last four if he beats Ferrer tomorrow.

Nadal served for the first set at 5-4 but Wawrinka broke with some dazzling attacking play and then went toe to toe with the top seed in the tiebreak before an unfortunate stumble as he approached the net at 5-6 down allowed Nadal to crunch a forehand winner away and pocket the opener.

Wawrinka delighted the crowd as he battled back from 4-1 down in the second set and seemed poised to take it to a decider when he held a set point in another tense tiebreak only to succumb to Nadal for the 12th time in their 12 meetings, during which he has never won a set.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday November 7, 2013

25

Fitzgerald overall MSC / Trophy Faf du Plessis Stall Pre-Diwali Darts Champion helps inspire South Africa win Faf du Plessis hit a half-century to put the ills of his tour to one side and inspire South Africa to a 68-run win over Pakistan in the third one-day international at Abu Dhabi.

Du Plessis has found himself under the spotlight in the United Arab Emirates due to a lack of form and the controversy of the the second Test when he was found guilty of ball tampering.

While that did not result in a ban for the right-hander - who used the zipper on his whites to change the condition of the ball - his position in South Africa's line-up has grown doubtful after managing just 51 runs at an average of 12.7 since landing in the Gulf.

But Du Plessis (55) more than doubled his tour aggregate, after being promoted to three, as he reached a half-century for the first time in 12 ODI innings. With top-scorer JP Duminy also adding 64 they provided the basis of 259 for eight after batting first.

It was a total that proved beyond Pakistan as they were bowled out for 191 from 44.3 overs following a middle-order collapse inspired by leg-spinner Imran Tahir (four for 53).

Tahir claimed three wickets in a collapse that paved the way for South Africa to take a 2-1 lead in the five-match series.

After Dale Steyn ended a 50-run opening stand when he had Ahmed Shehzad caught by fellow returnee Hashim Amla at slip, Pakistan were still handily-placed at 86 for two before their collapse set in.

The rot began in the 20th over when the third umpire sent Umar Amin back for a referred edge behind off Lonwabo Tsotsobe.

Tahir then got to work in the next over as skipper Misbah-ul-Haq took too long to review an lbw decision that appeared to hit his thigh.

Asad Shafiq and Umar Akmal then both fell to soft dismissals, the latter chipping a full toss back to Tahir, and when Shahid Afridi was lbw to Ryan McLaren Pakistan were 116 for FAF DU PLESSIS seven.

Wahab Riaz (33) and Sohail Tanvir (31) combined in a 59run stand to add some respectability but they were left with too much to do.

McLaren ended the match when Tanvir guided a short ball to Amla at midwicket.

Amla had missed the opening two matches after awaiting the birth of his second child but managed just 10 to prompt Du Plessis' earlier-than-expected walk to the crease.

Du Plessis was promoted in a new-look top-four after Graeme Smith was ruled out for the rest of the series due to post-concussion syndrome after being hit on the temple during the second Test.

Du Plessis shared a 77-run stand with Quinton de Kock (40) before reaching his long-awaited half-century with backto-back boundaries off Riaz and from 54 balls.

The 29-year-old was out next over though, like De Kock stumped off Afridi, and their quickfire exits could have destabilised the innings.

Duminy ensured that was not the case as he piloted consecutive half-century stands with AB de Villiers (34) and David Miller (34) while reaching his own 50 from 67 balls.

The left-hander finally departed in the penultimate over, picking out midwicket off Tanvir, but in a low-scoring series the required spade work with the bat had already been done. (PA Sport)

SUDESH Fitzgerald reigned supreme to win the overall title at the just concluded MSC/Trophy Stall sponsored Pre-Diwali Darts Tournament, played at the Maltenoes Sport Club on Friday last.

Fitzgeral won the men's single title, and then teamed up with Melissa Smart to take the doubles title as well.

On the distaff side, Marilyn Adams won the Female's Singles title.

In the luck of the draw doubles competition, L. Butcher and D. Correia defeated S. Hyles and J. Holligan 2/0 in the quarter-finals facing the fierce S. Fitzgeral and M. Smart in the semi-finals who defeated L. Rambarose and N. Seetaram 2/1 in their quarter-finals match up.

M. Persaud and C. France defeated the pair, M. Adams and S. Greene 2/1, in their quarter finals meeting up with M. Correia and L. Ramirez-Merlano who defeated A. Lachman and M. Yaw in the last quarter-finals.

Fitzgerald and Smart won the first semi-finals 2/0 against L. Butcher and D. Correia meeting up with C. France and P. Mark who won the other semi-final against M. Correia and L.

Ramirez-Merlano 2/1.

The finals saw Fitzgerald and Smart coming out on top by a 2-0 margin in the best of three finals against Mark Persaud and Colin France.

In the women's singles competition, Marilyn Adams came out victorious playing her first G.D.A. endorsed tournament for the year.

Adams defeated top female

competitors like; Shondell Hyles and Mary Correia. She defeated Correia 2/1 in the first semi-finals meeting with Hyles in the finals.

Hyles had defeated Smart 2/ 0 in their semi-final.

Hyles defeated Adams in the first game of the finals but Adams came back hard leveling the score 1/1. Adams then won the deciding match, checking out

Ms. Adel Chalmers (left) presenting the trophies to winners; Ms. Melissa Smart and Sudesh Fitzgerald.

double 17 and winning the female singles 2/1.

Ftzgerald came out champ in the Men's Singles, only losing one leg to S. Greene in the Men's Final. Fitzgerald defeated A. Lachman in the quarter finals 2/0, moving on to face L. Butcher in the semi-finals winning again 2/0 and also scored the shortest checkout (120), while Sherwyn Greene defeated M. Persaud 2/1 in the other semi-final.

To take home the final a best of five legs were played and Fitzgerald finished the first leg checking out with double 20. He then finished the second leg with 17 darts starting with 180 points on his first throw and checking out with double 7.

Fitzgerald lost the third game to Greene after miscalculating the finish (with a 110 checkout Fitzgerald played 20, triple 20 and then shoots for bull instead of double 15), leaving Greene to finish the game with double 20.

Fitzgerald finished the fourth leg and won the tournament with another 17 darts checkout; he shot 125, 60, 100, 100, 40, and then checked out with triple 20, double 8.

Munro fires New Zealand to only win COLIN Munro hit a rapid half-century as New Zealand enjoyed their only win of their Bangladesh tour with a 15-run victory in the single Twenty20 match at Dhaka.

After drawing both Tests and losing the three one-day internationals the Black Caps signed off the tour by finally registering their first win.

All-rounder Munro scored 73 runs from 39 balls to help steer the Black Caps to 204 for five, Munro hitting five sixes and three fours as he put on a useful stand of 93 with Ross Taylor for the third wicket.

Bangladesh were 189 for nine in reply, Mushfiqur Rahim top-

COLIN MUNRO scoring with 50 and Tim Southee claiming three for 38.

New Zealand opener Hamish Rutherford was the first to fall after scoring 17 out of an opening stand of 73 with Anton Devcich.

Rutherford perished trying to lift Sohag Gazi for six but picked out Nasir Hossain on the long-on boundary.

New Zealand had only added a further 10 runs when Devcich fell for 59 off 31 balls, getting a top edge to Shamsur Rahman after trying to slog sweep Abdur Razzak.

Taylor helped push the scoring on with Munro but had only contributed 28 to the total when tried to slog a full toss from Zaiur Rahman, only succeeding in edging to Naeem Silam at cover.

New Zealand then lost Corey Anderson for 18 and Luke Ronchi for a duck as they both looked to push on the total with Munro.

Anderson got an inside edge on to a full delivery from AlAmin Hossain and Ronchi fell two balls later to the same bowler whose slower delivery saw the batsman return a catch to the bowler.

The returning Southee claimed the wicket of Shamsur Rahman off the second ball of the Bangladesh innings with the total on four.

Rahman had hit the first ball for a boundary but when the batsman went down the pitch to the next ball he flicked it to Mitchell McClenaghan on the long leg boundary.

Two balls later Mominul Haque gave a chance to second slip which Taylor could not hold on to.

Rahman opened up with a six off his first ball faced but the next from Southee, the last of the opening over, was a perfect yorker to claim his wicket and

leave the home side on 11 for two.

Bangladesh lost their third wicket in the third over when Mominul (nine) top-edged to Kyle Mills at mid-on with the total on 19 for three.

The home side had put on 43 runs when Naeem fell for 18 as he ballooned a Mills delivery over mid-wicket but Southee ran backwards to take the catch.

Mushfiqur Rahim hit 50 as

he put on 54 with Hossain but when the latter fell for 28 Bangladesh were 120 for six.

Gazi was run out for 23 leaving the home side needing 28 runs with two overs remaining.

But with Mahmudullah falling for 34 and Razzak for a duck Bangladesh were beaten by 15 runs after finishing their 20 overs short of their target. (PA Sport)

Arsenal secure superb victory at Dortmund ARSENAL pulled off a remarkable 1-0 victory against Dortmund courtesy of an Aaron Ramsey header.

Arsenal failed to have a single shot in the first half, and the closest they came to a breakthrough was when Olivier Giroud tried to burst through the Dortmund defence, only to be pulled back for handling the ball.

At times Arsenal struggled to deal with the pace and control of Dortmund. Mikel Arteta was booked for pulling back Jakub Blaszczykowski on the 24th minute. He was lucky to escape a second yellow for a tackle from behind on Robert Lewandowski.

The best chance for Dortmund came on 37 minutes as Lewandowski broke down the right hand side, Blaszczykowski picked up the ball and squared it to Henrikh Mkhitaryan, only to see him curl a shot just past the post. Neven Subotic also went close when his volley dribbled past the post.

Just after the hour, out of nowhere, Arsenal took the lead.

Mesut Ozil stood up a cross to the back post for Giroud, who won the ball, sending it up across goal. Aaron Ramsey was quick and brave, ahead of the defence to put the ball past Roman Weidenfeller.

Following the goal, Arsenal grew into the game, and came close through Per Mertesacker, a Ramsey volley and a Sokratis Papasathopouos tackle. While Dortmund responded with sustained periods of pressure, they couldn't find a breakthrough. (Eurosport)

26

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday November 7, 2013

Bobby' Parasnauth returns to familiar hunting ground …aiming to torment batsmen in Guyana Softball Cup

By Frederick Halley TORONTO, Canada - Ten years after migrating to Canada, Mahendranauth "Bobby" Parasnauth has returned to the land of his birth with the sole aim of once again tormenting batsmen in the Guyana Softball Cup III. Parasnauth's love for the game, as an all-rounder, moreso as a top-flight bowler, never waned since taking up residence in Toronto as he continued to bamboozle batsmen with his offbreaks bowled at breath-taking pace. He has also been recording useful scores on the Canadian circuit.

Making his debut for the Dharam Persaud-led Ariel, one of the leading teams in the then Guyana Softball Cricket Association (GSCA) tournaments, in 1988-89, Parasnauth made an immediate impact and was one of the most feared bowlers on the local scene.

The East Coast-born Parasnauth is credited with being the only all-rounder in Guyana to have scored a hundred and captured five or more wickets in the same game: 107 not out and six for 15 against Canal IX. He is also one of the few all-rounders to have made a century in a competition organized by the GSCA. Parasnauth also has the unique and remarkable distinction of grabbing hat-tricks twice in Inter-county tournaments while representing Demerara, including an incredible seven for seven against Essequibo, which

remains his best bowling figures to date.

Another astonishing feat was an helmet trick - all four players bowled - against Banks DIH at

MAHENDRANAUTH PARASNAUTH Thirst Park, where he finished with the remarkable figures of six for 11.

Currently the skipper of Sunshine Cricket Club in tournaments organized by the Canadian Softball Cricket Association, Parasnauth has continued where he left off in Guyana, featuring among the top three bowlers every year since here and was the top bowler for three consecutive years. His 35 wickets in one season still remain his best and was one shy away from being the leading bowler in the justconcluded season where he grabbed 22 wickets at the miserly cost of 3.96 runs per wicket.

According to Parasnauth, he is due to don colours for New York when the Guyana Cup III bowls off on Friday, having committed to that team since Febru-

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER Compliments of THE TROPHY STALL-Bourda Market &The City Mall (Tel: 225-9230) & CUMMINGS ELECTRICAL CO. LTD-83 Garnette Street, Campbellville (Tel: 2256158; 223-6055) Answers to yesterday's quiz: (1) 166 (Dinesh Ramdin-vs ENG, Barbados, 2009) (2) MahendraNagamootoo Today's Quiz: (1) How many catches wicketkeeper Deryck Murray took in his first Test?

(2) Who were the first openers used by the WI in an ODI game?

Answers in tomorrow's issue

ary this year without the knowledge that Canada would have been participating.

He pointed out that he was also approached to represent another team in Guyana but has vowed to honour his earlier obligation.

The Guyana Softball Cup gets underway on Friday and concludes on Sunday. Some 24 teams are expected to be in action, comprising six from New York, two from Florida, two from Canada and 14 from Guyana and will be divided into two categories -- the Open male and the Masters Over-45.

Twelve teams will battle for supremacy in each category. The victorious team in the Open male will cart off a trophy and a hefty $800 000 while the runners-up will pocket $20 ,000 and a trophy.

The man-of-the-match in

the final will receive a trophy and the tournament Most Valuable Player one gold bracelet. The winning team in the Masters division will collect a trophy and $60 ,000 and the runner up a trophy and $15 ,000.

The man-of-the-match in the final and the most valuable player will collect a trophy and one gold bracelet respectively.

In total, 42 matches will be contested with the preliminary round games being hosted at Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC), Police Sports Club, Eve Leary, Ministry of Sports (Carifesta Sports Complex), Demerara Cricket Club, YMCA and the Ministry of Education grounds.

The finals are billed for THE GCC ground, Bourda on Sunday and will be preceded by three female exhibition matches.

OSCL remembers late prominent Guyanese

By Frederick Halley TORONTO - Special tributes were paid to the late Guyanese, Norman Sue, when the Ontario Softball Cricket League (OSCL) staged its 18th annual presentation dinner and dance at the Easton Banquet Hall in Scarborough, Toronto, on Saturday night last.

The former stalwart and prominent businessman, who was the founder and owner of Norman Sue Bakery situated in Scarborough, passed away on October 7th last.

According to OSCL president, Albert Ramcharran, the late Sue played an integral part in the sponsorship of competitions run by the organization and was also a shining example in the Guyanese community as a whole. And In recognition of Sue's contribution to the sport, Ramcharran took the opportunity to hand over a plaque to his wife, Lynette.

Sue's daughter, Kim, who is also the treasurer of the OSCL, was also loud in praise of her late father's role in the Toronto community and expressed sincere thanks to the OSCL for the tremendous support in his passing.

Kim reminded the gathering of her father's strong support of the Guyanese culture, pointing out that he was an icon and a pioneer in that respect. She also alluded to the fact that he gave selflessly, not only in money, but love.

The late Sue, who died at the age 66 after a prolonged illness, migrated to Canada in 1971 after living in Georgetown, and later Linden.

MICHAEL CARBERRY

I owe my England chance to Warne, says Carberry MELBOURNE : (Reuters) - Shane Warne ruffled a few feathers when he labelled England captain Alastair Cook boring and questioned batsman Joe Root's technique this week but he retains plenty of goodwill from Ashes hopeful Michael Carberry.

The former Australia spinner told British media one-Test Carberry would make a better opener than talented youngster Root and was duly vindicated yesterday when county cricket veteran Carberry shared an unbeaten first wicket stand of 318 with Cook on the opening day of the Hobart tour match against Australia A. Warne, who now dissects English players as a television pundit after a career of worrying them with his legspin, may live to rue praising 33-year-old Carberry after his former Hampshire protege got a big confidence boost with his unbeaten 153 at Bellerive Oval.

"I think Shane Warne is basically the reason I actually got a chance to play Test cricket," Carberry told reporters of his mentor, who captained Hampshire from 2004-07.

"I was a young guy who was a little bit lost in county cricket.

I didn't really get an opportunity.

"I came to Hampshire and from day one he made me feel very very much at home. He gave me the backing any young player needs and allowed me to play a brand of cricket that I wanted to play.

"So I think he was very influential in terms of me actually doing what I've done and obviously getting a chance of playing for England."

England are bidding for a fourth straight Ashes success after winning the first of this year's back-to-back series 3-0 at home.

SCATHING CRITICISM Warne's scathing criticism of Cook, saying his lack of invention as a captain could cost England the Ashes, drew a predictable "look at the scoreboard" response from Cook on Tuesday.

On Wednesday, the England captain let his bat do the talking as he compiled an unbeaten 154 to pick up where he left off in Australia after his dominant three-century effort during the 2010-11 Ashes tour, which England won 3-1.

Pundits suggested Cook should ignore Warne's 'trash talking' but he appeared to heed the Australian's more constructive advice when Root was named to play at number five in Hobart.

Carberry played his sole Test against Bangladesh in 2010 and has not had a second chance since, having suffered a blood clot in his lung that prevented him boarding long-haul flights and with former captain Andrew Strauss and Cook firmly ensconced at the top of the order until a year ago.

Concerned that health problems could cut his career short, he became a qualified electrician and had little idea he would be padding up for England on their tour Down Under until a few weeks ago.

"Nothing much was really explained to me," Carberry said of his selection as an opener for the Hobart match yesterday.

"I was just told: 'Carbs, you're going in with Cookie' and that was good enough for me.

"To do it for England is a very special moment and (in) Aussie (Australia) to do it, even better."

27

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday November 7, 2013

DIGICEL GUYANA OPEN GOLF C'SHIPS

James says company happy to be on board

By Calvin Roberts

M

ARKETING Direc tor of telecommu nications service provider Digicel (Guyana) Inc., Jacqueline James, last Sunday told Chronicle Sport, they were happy to be on board with the just concluded Digicel Guyana Open Golf Championships, which was won by teenaged sensation Avinda Kishore at the Lusignan Golf course.

Speaking exclusively with Chronicle Sport, while enjoying the final rounds of the action, James said the record number of entrants for this year's tournament which was being sponsored exclusively by Digicel, was a heartening sight not only for the club, but the sport and to an extent Digicel.

"Just about 80 persons registered for this tournament and so far it is the largest they have had in the 10 years of organizing the Guyana Open Golf Championships and Digicel is happy to be on board with this, especially more happy at the response from

the players, with it being our first," said James.

She added, "We hope to maintain the relationship over the years with the Lusignan Golf Club and we will see how bigger it will get from there, as this is another area for us. Even though we look at youth and development, we don't wish to leave out anyone.

A lot of times, people say golf is an older age group sport, but we do have young people who are competing amicably well with the senior guys for supremacy and we want to ensure that we cater for those people as well."

"Golf is not well known across Guyana, but it is developing in terms of people getting more into the sport and knowledge of it going around the country and with Digicel getting involved, it is another way for the general public to be more aware of the facility like LGC which caters for persons who are interested in golf and they can come out and play, even in the tournaments we have sponsored so far."

Looking at some of the

competitors who participated in the tournament, James singled out former Guyana and West Indies player, Joe Solomon, who completed the tournament with a score of 162 and gross 210, while playing with a handicap of 24.

In fact, Solomon was given Honorary Life Membership to the LGC by the club members during the presentation ceremony last Sunday night, to which he expressed his heartfelt gratitude and thanks, jokingly admitting that he never thought he would have completed all holes.

"It is good to see someone like Mr. Solomon competing amongst the younger guys."

"Golf is like a way of relaxation so for people who have had and even those who did not had success in other sporting discipline, this is a way of getting out there and being relaxed while doing something that they love, while not putting too much stress on the body, using the sport as a way of relaxation.

For some people, it is a way of mingling with the

younger folk and also play catch-up with their peers, and even though he did not win any of the top prizes up for grabs, it is a great thing to see him (Solomon) doing battle out there amongst the younger folks" James related.

In reflecting on the two-day tourney, she said it was well organized and successful despite the weather. Even as she enjoyed the rivalry and camaraderie amongst the players, the tournament was a competitive one.

Kishore edged out his brother and defending champion, Avenash Persaud, for the title, with Persaud finishing second behind Patrick Prashad, even as seven times female champion, Christine Sukhram, won her eighth consecutive Guyana Open crown.

"If this is the competition at this level, for which Digicel is pleased and delighted, then trust me - I can hardly wait for next year, where the entrants is expected to be higher and the competition more competitive," remarked James in her closing remarks.

Two Hectic days of cycling rivalry over the weekend

By Michael Da Silva THE country's top cyclists will have two hectic days of cycling rivalry over the weekend, as national cycle coach Hassan Mohamed will conduct an 11-race programme in the National Park on Saturday, and the 14th Annual Diamond Mineral Water 50-mile Road race on Sunday.

Saturday's 11-race programme is being sponsored by C. Doekie and Sons Contracting Service/B&R Investment of Soesdyke.

The National Park programme will get underway from 09:00hrs and is expected to attract most of Guyana's top cyclists as it will be used as a warm up for Sunday's road race by most of the cyclists.

The events on Saturday's programme include three-lap races

Little DIVA Flames FC receives timely donation The Little DIVA Flames Football Club received a timely donation of 20 pairs of football boots from the National Association of Women's Football (NAWF) on Monday.

According to president of the club, Lawrence `Sparrow' Griffith, the club received the 20 pairs of boots just before the start of their training session at the Georgetown Football Club, ground.

Vanessa DIckenson, President of the NAWF, handed over the boots to Aaliyah Stanley, one of five national under-17 players of the club.

The boots were donated by a sponsor who at this time has decided to remain anonymous and that individual has promised to continue to support football, especially female football.

The other members of the club who received boots were, Mariska Corbin, Shaunna Taylor, Siedha Dummett, Jennel Brown, Atabia James, Precious Johnson, Shania Riley, Tandica La Rose, Althea Holligan, Gabriella English, Dacaycia Norville, Alicia Simpson, Latefha Rogers, Tiffiney Jupiter, Deborah Waldron, Troyan Barton, Janet Chinian, Lashana Young, and Princess Gardner.

The team practices every Saturday at the GFC ground from 06:30hrs, however, beginning yesterday, practice session will commence at 06:00hrs.

Sessions are carried out by Joseph `Bill' Wilson and Sheron `Sherry' Abrams.

National Ladies Jaguars Vurlon Mills also attends the sessions regularly and assists the coaches in the process.

for boys 12 to 14 years of age, as well as for BMX boys open; five-lap races for Under and Over 50 years of age, as well as veterans over 60 years of age.

There will be a 10-lap affair for juveniles as well as one-lap and two-lap races for BMX boys and girls 9-12 years and 6-9 years.

A five-lap race is on the cards for Mountain Bikers.

However, the feature event will be a 35-lap race for school boys and novices as well as invitational.

Among the pedal pushers expected to be on show in the feature event are: Raynauth Jeffrey, Alonzo Ambrose, Alonzo Greaves, Robin Persaud, Marlon `Fishy' Williams, Alfie Sonaram, Warren McKay, Enzo Matthews, Godfrey Pollydore, and Eric Sankar.

This is the Inaugural programme for the sponsor.

Meanwhile, the following day, cyclists will converge at 08:00hrs GODFREY outside the Wales Police Station for POLLYDORE the start of their 50-mile trek on the West Demerara.

They will then proceed to Bushy Park on the East Bank of Essequibo before returning to (Scoonorde) before the Demerara Harbour Bridge for the finish.

The Veteran Mountain Bikers and Females will turn back at Uitvlugt Community Centre and finish at (Scoonorde) before the Harbour Bridge.

The first six finishers in the open mountain category will receive prizes as will the first three juniors, three veterans, three females, three bikers, and the first veteran over 60 years of age.

Eight prime prizes will also be up for grabs.

WARREN MCKAY Representatives of Diamond Mineral Water (DDL) will distribute the prizes to the winning participants.

Marketing Director of Digicel (Guyana) Incorporated Jacqueline James (left) makes a presentation to former Guyana and West Indies cricketer Joe Solomon, shortly after he was given Honorary Life Membership status with the Lusignan Golf Club. (Photo by Adrian Narine)

Hot Spot and Snicko could feature down under HOT Spot could yet be part of the decision review system in the Ashes series in Australia, despite host broadcaster Channel Nine's refusal to pay for the technology.

The heat-sensor tool proved controversial during England's summer Ashes win, but negotiations are under way for it to be utilised this winter.

England back its use, and Snicko, another umpiring aid, may also feature.

"All we want as players is absolute clarity," said England's Ian Bell.

DRS was introduced in 2009, after an earlier trial, to help onfield umpires decide if a batsman should be given out.

Hot Spot forms part of the system, using heat sensors and infrared cameras to determine what, if anything, the ball has made contact with.

Its inventor, Warren Brennan, had said the technology would be scrapped for the winter series amid concerns over its cost and reliability.

The system came under scrutiny during England's 3-0 victory at home when several faint edges appeared to go undetected, with Brennan claiming protective tape on players' bats was diminishing its effectiveness.

Former England captain Michael Vaughan said at the time Hot Spot "had to go", adding Brennan had "admitted his system will not work".

Snicko, meanwhile, uses sound from stump microphones to help detect if a batsman has edged the ball.

"I've always been a fan of DRS," said England wicketkeeper Matt Prior.

"If you are going to take the time out of the game, you have to get the right decision. So if we have more technology, better technology, fine. Use it all but as long as it's correct and accurate, that's the only thing.

"If the powers that be deem that Hot Spot is working again then fantastic, let's use it."

England drew their opening Ashes warm-up match against the Western Australia Chairman's XI in Perth and now travel to Hobart to face Australia A in a four-day game starting on November 6.

The first Test against Australia in Brisbane begins on November 21. (BBC Sport)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday November 7, 2013

Spor t CHRONICLE

James says Digicel happy to be on board page 30

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

Batting collapse undermines Windies on opening day of first Test debutant pacer Mohammad Shami captures 4 for 71

K

OLKATA, India, (CMC)- A day that started with much promise ended in an anti-climax for West Indies, after a half-century from Marlon Samuels failed to ignite their batting, as newcomer Mohammad Shami triggered a collapse to give India an early advantage in the first Test yesterday.

Samuels hit a top score of 65, but Shami grabbed 4-71 from 17 overs on debut, as the Windies, choosing to bat on an easy-paced pitch, were bowled out for 234 in their first innings about an hour after tea on the opening day before a half-filled Eden Gardens.

Several of the West Indies'

batsmen got starts, but failed to carry on - Shivnarine Chanderpaul scored 36, Kieran Powell made 28 and Darren Bravo got 23 - as the visitors crumbled after lunch from a steady 138 for two.

The Windies, whose bowling plans were compromised with Kemar Roach being sidelined with a sore shoulder, then failed to remove either lefthander Shikhar Dhawan, not out on 21, or fellow opener Murali Vijay, not out on 16, as the Indians reached 37 without loss when stumps were drawn.

The stylish Samuels was in cruise mode, reaching his 50 from 61 balls, when he guided left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha through square cover for a single

Mohammed Shami found success with the reverse swing as he finished his Test debut with four for 71.

in the second over after lunch.

Samuels was fortunate on 60, when wicketkeeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, the Indian captain, put him down from an under-edged cut off Ojha.

He was bowled playing back to a well-pitched delivery from the fast-medium bowler that kept low and moved back to extract his middle stump.

Samuels struck 11 fours and two sixes from 98 balls in 103 minutes, and put on 91for the third wicket with Bravo that had revived the Windies from a wobbly 47 for two after the first hour.

West Indies suffered a further setback, when Bravo was run out for 23 in a mix-up with fellow left-hander Shivnarine Chanderpaul next over.

Bravo advanced looking for a single into square leg from offspin threat Ravichandran Ashwin. Forced to retreat, he was beaten by Shami's throw to Dhoni.

Denesh Ramdin was fortunate next delivery, when he edged his first ball, from Ashwin, just wide of slip for a boundary, but Shami bowled him for four in the following over, when he played too late on a delivery which moved back sharply and also extracted his middle-stump.

Sammy came to the crease and endured a few tense moments with Chanderpaul against Shami to stem the fall of wickets. He managed 16 before he tried to collect his fourth four, off Ojha, and was caught inside the long-off boundary to leave the Windies 172 for six.

To a tumultuous roar from the crowd, Shane Shillingford's 40-minute resistance came to a momentous conclusion, when he was adjudged lbw for five playing defensively forward to Indian batting superstar Sachin Tendulkar to prompt tea with West Indies 192 for seven.

With Roach nursing his sore shoulder, left-arm fast bowler Sheldon Cottrell made his Test debut, becoming the 297th Test player from the Caribbean.

It meant there was only one change to the side that played

in the tour opener against Uttar Pradesh last week, with offspinner Shillingford replacing left-handed batsman and parttime off-spinner Narsingh Deonarine.

India handed debuts to Shami and batsman Rohit Sharma, leaving out Amit Mishra, Ajinkya Rahane, Ishant Sharma and Umesh Yadav .

Local authorities held a brief ceremony before the

Please see page 23

Inaugural Champs looking to reclaim title

By Calvin Roberts WHEN the first Guyana Softball Cup was hosted under the auspices of the Guyana Floodlight Softball Cricket Association (GFSCA) three years ago, Regal Masters won that category while their Open team went under to inaugural champions Cotton Field

RICARDO ADAMS

Marlon Samuels raises the bat after reaching his fifty. The stylish right-hander went on to a top score of 65 for his team on the opening day of the first Test.

Printed and Published by Guyana National Newspapers Limited, Lama Avenue, Bel Air Park, Georgetown. Telephone 226-3243-9 (General); Editorial: 227-5204, 227- 5216. Fax:227-5208

Wild Oats in a keenly contested affair.

Now with the third edition set to bowl off tomorrow, following an opening ceremony at the Georgetown Cricket Club pavilion this afternoon and a photo opportunity tomorrow morning, both Regal Masters and their Open teams will be looking to reclaim the titles in the respective categories.

This was the sentiments expressed by their Managing Director and founder of the team Mahendra 'Anil' Hardyal, who spoke with Chronicle Sport yesterday morning, brimming with confidence while being enthusiastic about the tournament.

"There are so many factors that have been weighed, to coincide with my level of

Please see page 23

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2013

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, November 7, 2013

At today’s session of Parliament…

Day of decision for anti-laundering bill

By Telesha Ramnarine TODAY’s Order Paper for the first sitting of the National Assembly lists the amended Anti- Money Laundering/Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) Bill, as well as an amendment to the Procurement Act. First will be the AML/CFT report from the Parliamentary Special Select Committee (PSSC) and then its third reading, Secretary to the Cabinet Dr Roger Luncheon informed yesterday.

Furthermore, he said, the amendment to the Procurement Act is intended to secure a role for Cabinet in public procurement.

Speaking at his weekly post-Cabinet press briefing at the Office of the President in Georgetown, he said: “CFATF (Caribbean Financial Action Task Force) is certain and has pronounced publicly about the consequences of one dreaded outcome of non-enactment of that bill. The parliamentary Opposition contributes to a high degree of uncertainty. They promote uncertainty about the outcome of the parliamentary consideration of that bill.”

Luncheon said all other stakeholders have been, and are, urging parliamentary political parties to enact the bill. “No doubt, the parliamentary Opposition feels that it could escape the consequences of its action to oppose enactment and Cabinet considered that sheer delusion.

WORST-CASE SCENARIO “The fact is in the worst-case scenario, the average Guyanese, any Guyanese, disadvantaged in his or her foreign overseas financial dealings - buying, selling, transferring, remitting - all of those

transactions once adversely affected to the disadvantage of the average Guyanese, it will remind them that it was the perfidy of the Opposition that landed Guyana in this mess.”

Meanwhile, at last week’s press briefing, Luncheon had announced that government very soon intends to table an appropriately worded amendment to the Procurement Act. “We undertake to identify government nominees for parliamentary consideration to sit on the Dr Roger Luncheon Public Procurement Commission (PPC), subsequent to the enactment of the amendment.”

He had said that government has reason to expect A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) support for a role of Cabinet in procurement.

The Alliance For Change (AFC) has long been linking its support for amendments to the AML/CFT Bill to the establishment of a PPC. Cabinet continues to find this “absurd,” Luncheon had declared.

Luncheon had said, too, that authorities are still hoping, “even at the very last moment,” that the AML/CFT legislation would be passed before the deadline. “We are hoping that this piece of legislation joins the whole repertoire of legislative instruments that are here applicable in Guyana and used in the fight against terrorism.”

Christmas policing plan from November 15 to January 15 THE Guyana Police Force (GPF) will be presenting its 2013 annual Christmas policing plan on November 11 at the Police Officers’ Mess, Secretary to the Cabinet Dr Roger Luncheon informed the media yesterday.

The plan would move into implementation mode from November 15 to January 15, Luncheon said at his usual post-Cabinet press briefing at the Office of the President in Georgetown.

According to him, crime and traffic control would dominate the proceedings. Stakeholders and the media invited to the occasion would be given the presentation labelled: “Heightened policing”.

Meanwhile, a comparable range of policing activities will take place in all of the other police divisions.

The Christmas policing plan has become a tradition for the GPF over the years and it seeks to have the private sector, the Chamber of Commerce, the media and Community Policing Groups involved.

The plan was formulated after all the divisional heads met to discuss a plan which will not only cover the Georgetown area. It is aimed at reducing and controlling crime, building confidence, reducing traffic accidents and traffic congestion during the Christmas season.

The plan usually entails patrols, the setting up of booths, raids, roadblocks, and river patrols. Furthermore, to make shoppers more comfortable, booths are usually set up in areas that have been vulnerable to crime.

Just recently, Minister of Legal Affairs and Attorney General, Anil Nandlall observed that Guyana has violated every time-frame prescribed by CFATF. Currently, the country stands to, most likely, be placed on a list of non-compliant jurisdictions at the November meeting of CFATF in The Bahamas.

“Should that occur, the ramifications for our commercial sector and our image as an investment and tourist destination are indeed as far reaching as they are profound. In the end, every single Guyanese would be affected.

‘The fact is in the worst-case scenario, the average Guyanese, any Guyanese, disadvantaged in his or her foreign overseas financial dealings - buying, selling, transferring, remitting - all of those transactions once adversely affected to the disadvantage of the average Guyanese, it will remind them that it was the perfidy of the Opposition that landed Guyana in this mess’ - Luncheon “Yet, the Opposition continues to make utterances which tend to suggest that they do not consider this as a matter of importance and urgency. Indeed, no other than the Leader of the Opposition was reported as saying that he is unconcerned about the deadlines fixed,” Luncheon remarked.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday November 7, 2013

Suicide bomber kills six in assault on Iraqi police station (Reuters) - A SUICIDE bomber ploughed an oil tanker packed with explosives into an Iraqi police station in a village north of Baquba on Wednesday, killing at least six policemen, police said.

No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, but members of the security forces are a prime target for resurgent Sunni Islamist militants linked to al Qaeda.

“I was sitting in the tower when I saw a speeding tanker rushing toward the gate of our station,” 23-year-old policeman Thamer Hatim told Reuters. “The guards fired on it and I did the same, but it didn’t stop, and exploded there.”

Violence in Iraq, which had eased after reaching a climax in 2006-07, is now rising again, with more than 7,000 civilians killed this year, according to monitoring group Iraq Body Count.

Elsewhere on Wednesday, a sniper shot a policeman on patrol in Baghdad’s Sadr City district, and in Saba al-Bour, north of the capital, a roadside bombing killed four people, police said.

A roadside bomb in Baghdad’s western Abu Ghraib district killed two members of a government-backed Sunni militia known as “Sahwa”, which helped U.S. troops rout al Qaeda in 200607.

But al Qaeda’s Iraqi wing has now regrouped and earlier this year joined forces with its Syrian counterpart to form the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant, which has claimed responsibility for attacks on both sides of the border.

Iraqi officials blame al Qaeda’s resurgence on the civil war in neighboring Syria, which has drawn hardline Sunni Islamists from across the region and beyond into battle against President Bashar al-Assad, who is an ally of Shi’ite Iran.

Critics of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki say his Shi’ite-led government’s treatment of minority Sunnis has fuelled the Sunni resentment that al Qaeda is now exploiting.

Bombings in Damascus, southern Syrian city kill 16 (Reuters) – A CAR bomb killed at least eight security personnel in a rare attack on a military intelligence headquarters in the southern Syrian city of Suweida on Wednesday, and a separate blast killed eight people in Damascus.

The pro-opposition Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group said the car bomb in Suweida, which had largely spared violence in Syria’s civil war, had also wounded dozens.

The Observatory’s head, Rami Abdelrahman, said a major - earlier identified as a colonel - was among security officers killed in the blast at the regional Air Force Intelligence headquarters. He was believed to be the head of the branch and locals told the Observatory a second officer may also have died.

Local opposition activists said a suicide bomber had sped through a checkpoint outside the headquarters and blown up his car. Rebels then tried to storm the building and clashes erupted, they said, killing several opposition fighters.

A photograph uploaded by activists showed a thick column of smoke rising above the Suweida skyline.

The state news agency SANA said the Suweida blast

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wounded 41 people but made no mention of the target, saying only that a “terrorist” car bomb had hit a square in the city.

State media often use the word terrorist to describe rebels fighting to topple President Bashar al-Assad in a struggle that has cost well over 100,000 lives since it began in March 2011.

The government-controlled Suweida region is home to many Druze, who have mostly stayed neutral in the conflict, although some have joined paramilitary forces supporting Assad.

Earlier in the day, SANA said an improvised bomb had exploded in Hejaz Square in the crowded heart of Damascus, killing eight people and wounding at least 50.

The British-based Observatory, which has a network of activists across Syria, put the toll there at seven dead and at least 20 wounded. It cited conflicting reports from activists as to whether the explosion was caused by a bomb or a mortar shell.

Rebels have seized a ring of suburbs outside the capital but the army has blockaded these areas to try to keep central Damascus secure. Insurgents have resorted to improvised bombs to strike security and political targets in governmentheld areas.

Damascus residents reported seeing a mortar bomb land near the army’s General Staff headquarters in

Umayyad Square, a big road intersection, on Wednesday.

They had no word on casualties.

People gather around wreckage after a car bomb in Suweida city, November 6, 2013, in this handout picture released by Syria’s national news agency SANA. REUTERS/SANA/Handout via Reuters

Palestinian leader Arafat was murdered with polonium: widow (Reuters) - PALESTINIAN leader Yasser Arafat was poisoned to death in 2004 with radioactive polonium, his widow Suha said on Wednesday after receiving the results of Swiss forensic tests on her husband’s corpse.

“We are revealing a real crime, a political assassination,” she told Reuters in Paris.

A team of experts, including from Lausanne University Hospital’s Institute of Radiation Physics, opened Arafat’s grave in the West Bank city of Ramallah last November, and took samples from his body to seek evidence of alleged poisoning.

“This has confirmed all our doubts,” said Suha Arafat after the Swiss forensic team handed over its report to her lawyers and Palestinian officials in Geneva on Tuesday. “It is scientifically proved that he didn’t die a natural death and we have scientific proof that this man was killed.”

She did not accuse any country or person, and acknowledged that the historic leader of the Palestine Liberation Organization had many enemies, although she noted that Israel had branded him an obstacle to peace.

She told Reuters the polonium must have been administered by someone “in his close circle” because experts had told her the poison would have been put in his coffee, tea or water.

“I’m so angry at what happened and I feel that I’m mourning him all over again. This was an act by cowards.”

Arafat signed the 1993 Oslo interim peace accords with Israel and led a subsequent uprising after the failure of talks in 2000 on a comprehensive agreement.

Allegations of foul play surfaced immediately. Arafat had foes among his own people, but many Palestinians pointed the finger at Israel, which had besieged him in his Ramallah headquarters for the final two and a half years of his life.

“President Arafat passed away as a victim of an organized terrorist assassination perpetrated by a state, that is Israel, which was looking to get rid of him,” Wasel Abu Yousef, member of the executive committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization, said in a statement on Wednesday.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday November 7, 2013

Guatemala Rios Montt genocide trial to resume in 2015 (BBC News) The trial of Guatemala’s former military ruler Efrain Rios Montt has been scheduled to resume in January 2015, officials say.

Gen Rios Montt, 87, was convicted of genocide and war crimes in May and sentenced to 80 years in jail.

But the conviction was overturned by the constitutional court, which argued Rios Montt had been denied due process.

A court official said that the judges were busy with other cases in 2014, but would resume the trial in January 2015.

‘FLAWED TRIAL’ A lawyer for the families of victims of Gen Montt’s regime, Hector Reyes, said he hoped the trial could be restarted earlier.

“We certainly see this as pushing back for a long time justice for victims,” he said.

The guilty verdict had been hailed by the victims and human rights groups as “historic”. It was also the first time a former head of state had faced genocide charges in a court within his own country.

But weeks later, Guatemala’s top court ruled that the trial had been flawed.

‘DEVASTATING BLOW’ The five-judge panel said that Gen Rios Montt had been left without a legal defence on 19 April when his lawyer was briefly expelled from the courtroom after he accused the presiding judge of bias against him.

They ruled that statements delivered in court before 19 April would stand, but that closing arguments would have to be given again, and ordered the trial to restart from that point.

Sabotage of INDECOM - Strong opposition hits IOC’s move to probe claims of police excesses Gary Spaulding, Senior Gleaner Writer (The Gleaner) The Parliamentary Opposition, primary human-rights personnel, as well as prominent members of the legal fraternity appear to be dead set against an initiative announced by the Inspectorate of Constabulary to probe allegations of police excesses.

Executive Director of Jamaicans for Justice (JFJ), Dr Carolyn Gomes, characterised the move as a ploy to sabotage the work of the Independent Commission of Investigations (INDECOM).

“This appears to be nothing less than a calculated attempt to influence the review of INDECOM, which is under way in Parliament,” Gomes asserted.

Noted attorney-at-law Bert Samuels argued that this “new/ additional” arm of the police force to which the public can turn carries with it numerous problems, not the least of which is the worsening of lingering mistrust of the citizenry at large.

He argued that Section 80 of the Constabulary Force Act establishes the inspectorate, and it seems that when one reads Sections 80-84, it was not set up for the public to make complaints to it, though it may fit

under Section 81 (1) (d).

“There is in place a body independent of the police force (INDECOM) which Parliament, as a matter of policy, established to deal with complaints … . The BSI (Bureau of Special Investigations), as far as I know, is in operation. Too many cooks will spoil the broth,” cautioned Samuels Delroy Chuck, opposition spokesman on national security and justice, shared similar sentiments. He said the more appropriate approach was for the police to refer the matters of alleged police indiscretions to INDECOM.

Now that the election is over, ‘time for peace and quiet’

By Joel Julien (Trinidad Express) OVER the past two weeks, the St Joseph constituency has been the darling of the main political parties.

Candidates who were all vying to represent the constituency in the Parliament scheduled walkabouts in the area every day, sometimes even twice a day.

Music trucks drove around blaring campaign songs, while jerseys and other political paraphernalia were handed out.

Political meetings featuring some of the heavyweights in the political landscape were staged in strategic locations around the constituency.

All this canvassing was for the by-election, which was held in St Joseph on Monday.

Terrence Deyalsingh, the People’s National Movement (PNM) candidate, came out the winner in the keenly-contested election, beating Ian Alleyne of the United National Congress (UNC) by 779 votes.

The Express on Tuesday visited St Joseph in the aftermath of the nail-biting election.

The first stop on the journey was the Mt Lambert area, where several of the parties staged walkabouts.

Brian “Baker” Llewellyn said the election results cured a sleeping disorder he has been battling with. “My wife always tells me that I toss and turn in bed at night. Last night, however, I slept like a baby,” Llewellyn said.

He said the fact that the right candidate won the election put his mind at rest.

Anthony Clarke, 62, said he was satisfied with the election results, but his hope is that Trinidad and Tobago will not have to go back to the polls for a while.

“I am satisfied, but I cannot take any more of the election stupidness. Some peace and quiet is needed in this country now.

Things need to finally settle down,” Clarke said.

The St Joseph by-election was the fourth election held in Trinidad and Tobago this year.

The Farc leader Marcos Calarca spoke at the press conference held in Cuba

Colombia agrees Farc political participation (BBC News) Colombian Farc rebel leaders and government negotiators have agreed on a political future for the left-wing group should a peace deal be reached.

At the ongoing talks in Cuba, both sides agreed on guarantees, conditions and support for the creation of new political parties.

Colombia’s largest rebel group and the government are yet to discuss another four items on the agenda.

The peace talks aim at bringing an end to nearly 50 years of armed conflict.

The Colombian government and the rebels have been negotiating since last November.

They had already partially agreed on land reform, but they are yet to discuss tackling the drug trade and reparation to conflict victims.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday November 7, 2013

GUYANA

Ministry approaches development of natural resources in an integrated manner EDITORIAL

Fighting the piracy scourge PERHAPS the scourge of piracy on the high seas has been with us since the existence of modern man. In fact, at one time in history pirates were heroes of the colonial powers and at least one country has granted many of them knighthoods.

Today this scourge is still with us, although its form may have changed and pirates are no more officially recognised as heroes, but continue to create havoc.

Jennifer Booton in her article: “Piracy Pays: Inside the Lucrative Fight to Foil High-Sea Hijackings”, notes that gone are the days of one-eyed pirates being chased by the dilapidated schooners of ancient naval fleets. The modern-day fight against piracy is more like a 21st century James Bond movie, and it’s a lucrative multi-billion-dollar business.

Efforts to protect the seas and the shippers responsible for transporting billions of dollars worth of goods each year have ramped up over the last few years amid the re-emergence a half a decade ago of piracy.

Oceans Beyond Piracy estimated in a new report released recently that the cost of piracy in 2012 ranged between $5.7 billion and $6 billion. While that’s down 12.6% from a high of $7 billion in 2011, the cost was reduced as attacks fell sharply and the speed of boats through high-risk areas fell, both a reflection of wide adoption of armed guards on sea-faring vessels – the cost of which rose a staggering 80% last year to a high of $1.53 billion.

“The overall cost to the international community remains considerable,” Oceans Beyond Piracy said in a new report, adding that while attacks have fallen to the lowest level since 2007, “the cost to prevent each attack has gone up significantly.”

From the pirates and organised crime rings fuelling their sophistication to the private maritime security providers, insurers offering ransom and war coverage at sea and the attorneys who are paid handsome fees to negotiate hefty ransoms, piracy has grown into a thriving business.

The growing number and improving quality of private maritime security providers was at the heart of a 33% decline in pirate attacks in 2012, to 297 from a high of 445 in 2010, according to the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC). The ICC predicts an even greater decline to just 47 in 2013.

Here in Guyana the piracy scourge, while it is not so widespread is seriously affecting our fisherfolk who risk their lives on a daily basis to put food on our tables and help provide national food security.

Many people do not appreciate and acknowledge the risks and sacrifices that our fisherfolk endure against the ravages of nature.

It is therefore heart-breaking and traumatic when pirates savagely beat, kill and rob fisherfolk, who are not wealthy but work extremely hard to earn a livelihood to maintain their families and to provide food for the nation.

The Ministry of Agriculture has been working closely with

FURTHER to the publication of several comments and articles on Guyana’s Third National Report indicating an elevated deforestation rate, I wish to dispel any misinterpretation of the report.

The third national report stating the deforestation rate for the year 2012, under the Monitoring Reporting and Verification (MRV) System for REDD+ (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation Plus Sustainable Forest Management), has been jointly produced by the Guyana Forestry Commission and Indufor, and is currently being subjected to an independent Accuracy Assessment conducted by the University of Durham, United Kingdom.

The report summarises forest change of forest to non-forest excluding degradation between 1 January 2012 and 31 December 2012 (12 months) at an estimated 14,655 ha. Over the Year 3 reporting period.This equates to a total deforestation rate of 0.079%.

This rate of change is higher than the Year 2 period (15 months) which was reported as 0.054%.

Similar to that of the Year 2 period, mining remains the main driver of deforestation in Year 3. Mining accounts for 92% or 13,516 ha of the total deforestation figure recorded in 2012. However, it is important to note that mining marginally increased from the previous year from 9,175 ha to 13,516 ha, thus resulting in a difference of 4,341 ha. Of that 4,341 ha, mining infrastructure (road construction) accounted for 1,434 ha, hence, mining activities saw an increase of only 2,907 ha.

Considering the issues with timely accessing of Norway funds, we need to appreciate the guaranteed and increasing funds that are flowing from our mining sector every year. The positive contributions from the mining sector should not be hastily disregarded, as it contributes to approximately 11% of the country’s GDP and, di-

rectly and indirectly employs roughly 30,000 people. For the same Year 3 period, the mining industry earned the government USD 716 Million in foreign exchange.

Further, we must remain cognisant of the fact that the spatial distribution of mining activities remains very much unchanged. The maps in the report illustrate that mining is heavily concentrated in the mining belts, particularly in the North-West region of Guyana. It is important not to be misguided that the mining sector at large occurs haphazardly and in an uncontrolled manner. There is no basis for a presumption that an increase in mining activity in Guyana, leading to the observed increase in deforestation for the year 2012, is on account of widespread illegal mining activity. With the high prices of gold in 2012, supported by the associated increase in demand for permits, claims and licences, there is evidence of an increase in legal mining activities for this period.

In addition to this element of the result in the Year 3 assessment, other notable aspects of the Report point to a number of equally important areas of results: the annual average of deforestation for year 2012 is well below the agreed combined reference level of 0.275 % in the Guyana- Norway Agreement; forest degradation area in 2012 was reduced to 1,963 ha from 5,467 ha in 2011; and forestry-related change has remained relatively stable between Year 1 to 3.

It should further be clarified that in this third report, Rapid-Eye 5m resolution Satellite Imagery was used to detect area change for Year 3, whereas previous reports utilised Satellite Imagery at 30m resolution. As a result of the enhanced resolution of the imaging technology, a greater level of detail and accuracy was achieved, which may ac-

our Coast Guard to combat this piracy scourge, but it has to be acknowledged that it is not an easy task because it is extremely difficult to determine when and where these savages will attack.

It means therefore that intelligence work has to be intensified and more electronic and modern technologies have to be employed in the anti-piracy fight.

On this note, it was encouraging to learn that the UWI, Trinidad Campus is offering help to our country in the antipiracy fight. We reported yesterday that UWI’s senior Lecturer in the Department of Engineering, Ms. Kim Malialieu, made a presentation in Rwanda on the use of fisheries application suite on mobile phones to seek emergency response.

This certainly will be a significant step forward, in addition also to the application of GPS technology.

The crucial issue is that piracy has to be arrested now before it becomes a monster and therefore much more difficult to handle.

count for some of the observed increase in the deforestation rate.

The current agreement between Guyana and Norway expressly recognises the possible future growth trajectory for Guyana and accompanying annual fluctuations in deforestation rates. The Joint Concept Note of the Guyana-Norway Agreement expresses that “pending the introduction of a global incentive system, it would defeat the purpose of making REDD+ an attractive development option for forest countries if this REDD+ agreement meant that no increases at all be allowed in Guyana’s historically low deforestation rates. First, the rates are so small that the margin of error of measurements in itself could yield significant annual variations (as measured in percentages). Second, insisting on such strict limitations would probably yield an insufficient incentive structure for the people of Guyana to stick to a low-deforestation development path, as the economic downsides would be disproportionate to the incentive offered. Third, the relevance of historical trends when deforestation rates are extremely low is not as useful as a predictor of future pressures on the forest as it is in countries with higher historic rates of deforestation.” This therefore means that the bilateral agreement makes provision for annual fluctuations in the deforestation rate up to 0.1%. As can be seen in the 2010 period, when deforestation was recorded at 0.056% and then in 2011, the rate was reduced to 0.054%.

In summary, the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment approaches the

development of natural resources in an integrated manner and had voiced its continued support to the Cooperation Agreement between Guyana and Norway. In doing so, consideration is given not only to the needs and livelihoods of Guyanese and the economic and social development of the people, but also towards striking a balanced approach to maintaining good environmental management; in doing so, this will create the development space for this to occur effectively. In this context, reporting on development from all perspectives: economic, social and environmental must not be separated.

Through this process, the ministry remains committed to effectively managing the deforestation rate from a mitigation standpoint, whilst continuing to implement programmes that will contribute to the maintenance of a low rate of deforestation in Guyana.

Moving forward, we must recognise the ministry’s and its agencies’ (namely the GFC, GGMC) interventions to date, which have been recently well elaborated in the press. More than this, we must realise that much more is left to be done if we are to rein in our deforestation rate in support of our Low Carbon Development Strategy.

However, these extensive efforts of the ministry must be supported by other important stakeholders across all sectors involved if progress is to be realised and sustained. With a robust and evolving MRVS system in place, improved technology and access to credible information, future collaborative efforts can now be more focused.

Mr. VEETAL RAJKUMAR Head, Policy Planning and Coordination Unit Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment

Glenn Lall should state whether he took Guyanese illegally to the US or not IT was reported in the media that Guyana Times/TVG reporters quit, refusing to read scandalous stories about Glenn Lall: Glenn Lall said: “We will remain focused on our Godgiven duty, which is to bring the truth to the people of Guyana. We will not stop, as there are more exposures to come… starting from this weekend,” the Kaieteur News publisher said.

Yes Glenn, bring the truth and nothing but the truth to the Guyanese people and tell them point blank if you did or did not take Guyanese back- track to USA. Then when that’s done we will move forward.

It’s a simple thing. Most Guyanese would like to know how you got so filthy rich, mighty and most powerful.

T. KING

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday November 7, 2013

7

Mining, forest sectors stand firm as part of solution AS a professional and middleaged entrepreneur within the mining sector for over a decade, I find the recent comments by APNU’s Joseph Harmon regarding the mining sector distasteful and set the stage for misinforming the general public.

I am surprised that APNU has not upbraided Harmon for his recent controversy with the private sector – the engine of Guyana’s economy. Now he is attacking miners who have contributed significantly to the GDP and the overall development of Guyana.

Mr. Harmon is supposedly a learned person and as a lawyer and a Member of Parliament, he should not have chastised miners and loggers who work under unimaginable conditions to earn a livelihood. Not

all miners and loggers are engaged in illegal activities Mr. Harmon;and when some do and the regulatory authorities take action against them, you and your clique of high-priced lawyers represent these very same illegal miners/loggers against the government for taking action.

Further, the recent unwarranted attacks on the Government regarding the Norway Funds is either that Mr. Harmon is ignorant of the facts or has chosen to ignore them to continue his tirade of misinforming the public to carry out his aspiration of painting a government portrait of mismanagement. However, the middleclass, hard-working people of this country are witnesses to the effects of APNU’s misguided statements and will not allow a downward spiral of our

country.

As such, I am making a plea for all miners and loggers to come forward and express their umbrage at the recent comments and attacks being led by APNU’s Joe Harmon alleging that Guyana’s rate of deforestation is due to illegal mining and forest activities. This comment has branded all miners and loggers; as such, an apology from APNU is being demanded.

Notwithstanding, the negative outlook APNU and Mr. Harmon have on Guyana’s deforestation, we the stakeholders of the mining and forest sectors stand firm to be part of the solution rather than assigning blame.

MARK FRASER

It was the PNC that bankrupted Guyana’s economy I READ a very stupid article in the Kaieteur News (Monday, Nov 4h, 2013) under the caption ‘Minister to be blamed if Guyana loses US$20M from Norway’.

It appears as though this asinine ‘Shadow Minister’ of Public Works, Joseph Harmon, has become the chief spokesman of the PNC/APNU. But Harmon seems to have a very short memory and needs to be reminded that it was his PNC/APNU that brought bankruptcy to Guyana’s economy through

gross mismanagement and corruption prior to 1992. So Harmon’s blaming the Hon Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment, Mr. Robert Persaud, if Guyana should lose money from Norway is basic partisan political trash, which lacks the basis of justification and credibility.

Furthermore, the increase of Guyana’s deforestation rate by 0.025 percent is not a result of illegal mining but infrastructural development in the mining sector which the 2013-2018 strategic framework will soon ad-

dress.

But shadow Harmon needs to be cognisant of the fact that mining continues to contribute significantly to our gross domestic product (GDP). For the year 2012 Gold production was 438,645 ounces and export earnings totalled US $ 716.9M, 38.7 Percent higher than the 2011 level. Currently, gold production has surpassed the 2012 level.

So Harmon needs to stop contributing hogwash to the mining discourse in Guyana, as well as Guyana’s REDD+ performance.

PETER PERSAUD

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, November 7, 2013

In piracy fight…

After four years...

Shooting of Guyana willing to pursue partnership with Maria van UWI - Ramsammy Beek remains THE University of the West Indies (UWI) Trinidad Campus has indicated its willingness to assist Guyana as this country embarks on a drive to combat piracy this week.

And while the offer has not been formally made to the Ministry of Agriculture, which is responsible for fisheries in Guyana, subject minister, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy, yesterday in an invited comment said Guyana would be willing to pursue the partnership with the UWI. A press release from UWI stated that their proposal involves the use of low-cost mobile smart-phone tracking technology that can link up ‘fisherfolk’ with Guyana’s Police and Defence Force.

Senior Lecturer Kim Mallalieu, from the University’s Department of Engineering, reported that the Department recently executed a presentation dictating the method used by Trinidad and Tobago fisherfolk, which entails the use of

mFisheries application suite on their mobile phones to seek emergency response and also acquire specific advice on how to deal with technical glitches, such as engine failure and other related issues while at sea.

If Guyanese authorities were to move ahead with the UWI proposal, the mFisheries Mobile App would be customised for Guyana and the Guyanese Atlantic Coast and inland marine areas vulnerable to piracy would be “geo-fenced.”

COST FACTOR However, Ramsammy noted that at the end of the day moving forward comes down to cost and what investment local fishermen are willing to commit to.

“This is the challenge we face. We have the availability of the technology, but people have to invest,” he said.

According to him, there also has to be some education, because the fishermen believe that if they sign on to this idea the “taxmen” will find them.

“If we are going to make ourselves safe we must be part of a formal system…and the VMS (Vessel Monitoring System) and any other technology we promote are not part of a tax system, we are not sharing any information,” Ramsammy assured.

Asked about Guyana’s efforts to combat piracy, he said: “Currently we are looking at various ways of addressing what has become a global problem. This is not a Guyana problem, it is not unique to Guyana, but a part of a bigger problem…it is a problem we have been addressing in various ways, including technology.

“We are presently testing the VMS, which is a device placed in the trawlers and is a part of the overall certification process, which is a global marine certification that requires VMS. We have succeeded with the trawlers, they are willing to make that investment.”

He added that the ministry has also invested in developing

its human capital and currently personnel from the Fisheries Department are undergoing training in the VMS. Ramsammy said: “We have five trawlers equipped with the VMS, as part of the training, which allows us to track where the vessels are and we hope by the end of the year we would have authorisation to use the equipment. At this point VMS would be a requirement for licensing.”

He added that no such agreement has been reached with the artisanal fishermen.

“They have not agreed to the investment. It has to be a business investment, a personal investment because the ministry cannot provide it for free,” he said.

According to him, UWI’s proposal is worth looking into, given the challenges in getting local fishermen to invest in such technological applications.

The UWI Department of Engineering has already adapted the mFisheries application to work in the Cook Islands in the Pacific and Trinidad and Tobago.

The tracking application is triggered when a user with the phone turned on, crosses the coastal boundary and then sends information packets to the server, periodically, to the web server.

The packets contain unique phone and SIM card identifiers that log the time, date and GPS location of the vessels. When the user goes out of cellular coverage, the tracking information is stored locally on the phone and then uploaded upon the person’s return to an area of cell coverage.

All registered mFisheries users are required to formally agree to authorise the Coast Guard to access their GPS coordinates.

When an SOS text message is sent, automatically phone calls, SMS and emails are sent to the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard. Fisherfolk can also add other persons they would like to receive SOS alerts.

The mFisheries App suite also aids fisherfolk in locating fishing grounds, recording the types of available fish, to communicate with potential buyers and know the available prices.

unsolved THE shooting of then CLICO Judicial Manager/Commissioner of Insurance, Maria van Beek has remained a cold case, Crime Chief Seelall Persaud reported yesterday.

The Deputy Commissioner of Police (Law Enforcement) added that, since the prime suspect in the crime was shot and killed in Robb Street, sometime ago, nothing new came up.

Persaud said, after that person of interest was identified, they had been hunting him but never got the opportunity to question him due to his death. van Beek was driving along Lombard Street, also in Georgetown, on her way to work on April 16, 2009 and had slowed down, owing to the traffic congestion, when a lone gunman came up and shot through the driver's side of her vehicle, a police release had stated, after the incident.

It revealed that the bullet struck van Beek to her chest, after which the shooter escaped on a waiting 'CG' motorcycle ridden by an accomplice.

The police said they were alerted and patrols dispatched to the scene while roadblocks were set up and several searches carried out in the efforts to locate the two suspects.

Persaud said they were treating the shooting as atMaria van Beek tempted murder, because no attempt was made to rob van Beek. The attacker just walked to van Beek's car and fired once before escaping.

HEAVY DOWNPOUR At the time, there was a heavy downpour at about 08:15 hrs but, later, a truck driver, who wished to remain anonymous, claimed van Beek's car had slammed into the back of his vehicle after she was injured.

The man said the traffic was moving at a snail's pace when he saw two men cut across in front of his truck and head south on Lombard Street. It was shortly after that he heard what sounded like a gunshot.

He said he heard the sound but concluded it could not be a tyre blowout and, when he looked in his rear view mirror, he saw the woman clutching her chest and then he felt an impact as her car collided with the rear of his truck.

Meanwhile, someone else close to the family, who did not want to be named either, told the Guyana Chronicle, yesterday, they are puzzled that the police had information that the 'hit man' was killed in the city but did not pursue the investigation as to who paid him to kill van Beek.

The source criticised the police for, allegedly, showing less interest in further investigations.

However, van Beek is overseas still is trying to cope with her circumstances.

Body of epileptic discovered in drain THE body of a man was discovered, submerged in a small drain near the Ruimveldt Police Station, early yesterday morning.

It has been identified as that of Rocky Singh Salickram, 42, of Lot 1 Riverview, Ruimveldt, also in Georgetown, who is reported to be an epileptic and a habitual alcoholic.

Reports said he left his home earlier in the morning, without stating where he was going and, half an hour later, the discovery was made.

His relatives believe he may have had an attack of epilepsy, as usual, fell into water and drowned.

There were visible bruise marks about his knees, they said.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, November 7, 2013

Suriname cable Chronicle correspondent As Guyana sustain damage… suffers service woes at Guyana NA Hospital after dog experiences bite injuries countrywide - nurses reportedly were playing ‘catcher’ and fondling each other’s breasts

By Michael Khan ON the evening of Monday October 28, Jeune Bailey Vankeric, 49, a Guyana Chronicle correspondent in New Amsterdam, Berbice, was bitten by two dogs on both of her legs at Lot 49 Stanleytown, also in New Amsterdam.

The journalist proceeded to the Central Police Station and was referred to the New Amsterdam Hospital with a medical form which had to be filled by a medical practitioner after consultation. Vankeric related that her woes began when she proceeded to the medical institution for assistance.

“On arrival at the hospital, I stood for about 10 minutes awaiting someone to open the door at the Accident and Emergency (A&E) Department but to no avail. Someone who stood close by then related that they (the hospital staff) closed the door so I peeped through a window and saw nurses standing, while a doctor was on her cell phone, so there were no cases of emergencies that were being dealt with. I proceeded to relate my plight to a security guard who then advised that I use an-

other entrance in an attempt to consult a doctor,” Vankeric stated.

The media practitioner then made her way to the A&E Department through another point of entry and was accosted by a nurse who allegedly asked: “What you want?”

Vankeric said that she explained her condition to the nurse who remained adamant that, she (Vankeric) should get out of the building and be seated under a shed where other patients were sitting while awaiting consultation.

“As this nurse continued her rantings, I maintained that I needed medical attention because I was nauseated. Luckily, a female doctor approached and promised to address my concerns, not before being rudely asked by the nurse if she is desirous of attending to me,” Vankeric related.

PLAYING ‘CATCHER’ As the female doctor asked Vankeric to be seated while asking her a few questions about herself, three young female nurses in the A&E Department were allegedly seen playing a game of ‘catcher’ while fondling each other’s breasts in the pro-

Following tests by investigators…

Beharry Gold Fingers test positive for cocaine —Company refuses to entertain any questions, probe widens THE Guyana Police Force Criminal Investigation Department has confirmed that samples of the Gold Finger Sweets consumed by residents of Region 1 and which resulted in their hospitalisation have been tested positive for cocaine.

The sweets were brought to the city for testing yesterday morning by ranks from the Mabaruma village of White Water, where three female students were on Sunday night rushed to the regional hospital after they fell ill soon after consuming the sweets.

Speaking with the Guyana Chronicle yesterday morning, Crime Chief Seelall Persaud informed that no one has been arrested and he assured that the police were already following the trail to ascertain the journey the sweets made before ending up at the Amerindian village shop.

Asked about the role of the manufacturer in the probe, the Crime Chief said that the police have not yet officially contacted the company.

The Guyana Chronicle tried desperately for two days to get a comment from the manufacturer, Edward B Beharry and Company Limited, but only reached a marketing assistant who refused to comment.

When contacted the Analyst Food and Drugs Department of the Ministry of Health confirmed that they are aware of the issue and were more interested in getting the packets from which the smaller sweets were taken.

On Sunday, three female students of the Amerindian community of White Water in Mabaruma, Region 1, were hospitalised after they purchased the sweets from a shop in the community and began complaining of numbness in the tongue and weakness in the legs, coupled with dizziness.

Two of the girls, aged 12 and 14, were forced to spend the night at the Regional Hospital and were sent away the following morning.

cess.

“After the episode of fondling, they started to discuss the possibility of going to a local television station and voicing their concerns about the shortage of bandage and other medical paraphernalia and, what they would do if their relatives go to the hospital and cannot access proper health care.

“As the nurses continued their discourse, the doctor asked me what is my profession and I hesitated before revealing in a moderate tone that I am a journalist. Upon hearing this, the doctor pleaded with me not to publicise the negative behaviour of the nurses, but I offered no guarantee as she tried her best to address my condition.”

Vankeric added that she was then required to get a tetanus injection but was unable to access one from the Public Health Department of the Berbice Regional Health Authority (BRHA) because it was late. She was able to obtain the vaccine from a private medical practitioner in the township, after leaving the hospital complex.

Vankeric, who was once part of the medical fraternity, said that she is able to identify the nurse who allegedly verbally harassed her but she is not desirous of providing vital information to the officials as that may result in serious repercussions on the part of the medical practitioner.

Maintaining that she would not like to experience a recurrence, she added: “This nurse was very rude but I don’t want to take bread out of her mouth but I would like to remind her and her colleagues, to remember the Florence Nightingale oath (a nursing pledge) and practise what they have been trained to do.”

Another Stanleytown, New Amsterdam resident, Paul

Soman told the Guyana Chronicle that his son, Paul Soman (jnr),8, was bitten by a dog three weeks ago and when he took the child for medical attention at the N/A Hospital, he was told there were no medical supplies available to dress the wound.

“The nurse told me that the Government don’t have any medical supplies so I had to go to a pharmacy and purchase stuff to clean and dress my son’s wound,” he alleged.

ZERO TOLERANCE APPROACH Meanwhile, Chief Executive Officer of the Berbice Regional Health Authority, Dr. Vishwa Mahadeo while addressing the BRHA senior staff at a quarterly meeting in the presence of Minister of Health Dr. Bheri Ramsarran, yesterday said that there is a zero tolerance approach towards dealing with delinquent staff.

“I want to make it clear, that the BRHA and Ministry of Health have taken a zero-tolerance approach towards people (staff) who are not providing quality health care services. We have asked persons who have legitimate complaints to come forward with information so that we can take the necessary action once our staff is found culpable,” Mahadeo stressed.

It was pointed out that in the past workers were sent on leave, suspended and even dismissed for inappropriate conduct on the job and the BRHA will continue to deal with persons who are bent on portraying a negative image of the regional health system.

“We are not going to tolerate any form of rudeness, refusal of care or negative comments from our staff; if they can’t fit into the system, they will have to get out,” the CEO declared.

Known shoplifter granted bail on milk powder charge PLAISANCE, East Coast of Demerara woman Linda Beaton, 59, was granted $25,000 bail yesterday, on a shoplifting charge.

Before Magistrate Fabayo Azore, she was charged with stealing milk powder from Bounty Supermarket.

The defendant, of Lot 67 Victoria Street, Plaisance, pleaded not guilty to the offence which alleged that, on Saturday, November 2, in Water Street, Georgetown, she stole one tin of ‘Milex’ valued $5,452.

Police Sergeant Ramsahoye Rambajue, prosecuting, said, that day, around 10:00 hrs, the defendant went to the business place, took the milk powder and placed it under her skirt.

But, on her way out, she was confronted by a security guard and the stolen article fell to the ground.

The prosecutor said Beaton is a known shoplifter, who gave the police her occupation as a businesswoman but he did not object to the grant of her pre-trial liberty.

The case will be called, again, on November 20.

internet disruption THE importance and dependence on Information Communication Technology (ITC) has never been much clearer than the first part of yesterday when the entire country was unable to have any internet access due to some amount of damage which the Guyana/Suriname submarine cable suffered.

For the first half of yesterday, internet service on mobile phones and broadband services were not accessible and effectively halted the operations of several key agencies and organisation in Guyana, and in some cases, placed a temporary halt to their operations.

Among those affected were news media and several banking services, including internet banking, which are often done from remote areas in the country.

Yesterday this newspaper was informed by a Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company official that the Guyana/Suriname Submarine Cable System (SGSCS) 277 km off the Guyana shore had been damaged.

The company could not come up with a figure with respect to the cost of repairs.

When it was discovered that the cable was damaged, engineers from Guyana, Suriname and other countries were immediately mobilised and were sent to check on the extent of the damage and immediately commenced repairs.

Yesterday the internet service was resumed at midday, a little earlier than the phone company had initially expected. The company also sent out text messages informing its customers of the development.

The disruption of the internet service did not affect voice calls for mobile or land phone and was only restricted to internet service.

GTT said that it regrets the inconvenience caused to the Guyanese public both local and overseas who were unable to fulfil their communication obligations for leisure or business.

The company, in a statement yesterday, apologised to its customers for the disruption to its service.

Linden wounding defendant put on $100,000 bail MUGABE Hunte, 35, of Lot 467 Wisroc Housing Scheme, Wismar, Linden was granted $100,000 bail yesterday when he appeared before Magistrate Fabayo Azore on a wounding charge.

He pleaded not guilty to the offence, particulars of which said, last October 19, in Hadfield Street, Georgetown, he unlawfully and maliciously wounded Collin Cumberbatch.

Police Sergeant Ramsahoye Rambajue, prosecuting, told the court that the virtual complainant and the defendant have been known to each for six years and, that day, around 17:30 hrs, both of them were standing at the Linden Bus Park.

The prosecutor said during a scuffle between them, the defendant was armed with a knife and wounded the victim on his left side chest and hip.

Hunte ran away from the scene and made his escape in a motor car while Cumberbatch was taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital for medical attention.

Defence Counsel Paul Fung-a-Fat, applying for reasonable bail, denied that Hunte was in possession of a knife.

The lawyer claimed the two men were involved in a fight when the defendant pushed the other man and the latter fell in a drain and injured himself.

The prosecutor did not object to the grant of pre-trial freedom for Hunte until the case is called, again, on November 19.