Monday April 25, 2016
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Kaieteur News
PPP Parliamentarian complains about RDC councilor DEAR EDITOR, My first encounter with Carol Joseph was when she joined a taxi I was in on my way to Georgetown. It was sometime before the 2015 General Election, and the political landscape was the subject of discussion between the other two passengers, both in their early 20s. As a political analyst, I obviously joined the discussion and asked whether either were familiar with the economic situation that existed in Guyana prior to the 1992. During my brief history presentation to the young voters, the driver stopped to pick up
another passenger. Not knowing who she was, I continued my discussion. It didn’t take long for Carol Joseph to let me know who she was and proceeded to verbally abused me with saying that I am “lying” about the PNC. I was sitting in the front seat and she was seated directly behind me. She intensified her threatening behavior for the rest of the journey. I was happy when I arrived at my destination. My second encounter with Carol Joseph occurred on Veterans Day last year. I was asked by the PPP/C Parliamentary Representative for
Region 5 to represent her at the Veteran’s Day parade which was held in front of the Regional Office at Fort Wellington, WCB. Before the parade started, I was in conversation with the Vice Chairman and other invitees when Carol Joseph approached and distributed ‘Puppies’ to everyone in my group but ignored my presence. After she walked away, someone commented that as the organizer of the event, her behavior was very disrespectful to a Member of Parliament. I then approached and advised her that I was filling in for my colleague, the Honorable Priya Manickchand.
MONEYED PEOPLE CAN ENTICE ELECTED OFFICE-HOLDERS DEAR EDITOR, I am hereby taking this opportunity to comment on what is to my mind the fiasco of the apparently secretive appointment of Brian Tiwari as a ministerial advisor on business by Minister Joseph Harmon. There is a saying that justice must not only be done but must appear to be done, but that appointment reeked of a sense of rank injustice. I believe that the appointment of Mr. Tiwari by Mr. Harmon was a very huge blunder and shortsightedness by the minister. Although the decision was, thankfully, reversed by President Granger the repercussions will reverberate for a long time within the coalition. I feel that the seed of distrust has been effectively planted among its ranks. I also perceive a great difficulty in the minister fully recovering a stance of integrity in the eyes of his peers and of the Guyanese public. The fact is that Mr. Tiwari himself has come under the microscope for a number of failures related to his many lucrative public projects, and the land sale scandal at Providence which was revealed by the commission of enquiry into the fraudulent operations at the Central Housing and Planning Authority. But I have to hand it to Mr.
Tiwari, for he has displayed great cunning in seemingly jumping ship soon after the general elections which saw the coalition achieving victory. I believe that his restoration of the Independence Arch on Brickdam, which made all patriotic Guyanese feel proud, and other clean up initiatives undertaken by him free of cost, shows that he is no mean strategist. Tiwani’s ultimate role may have represented the proverbial ‘cat among the pigeons,’ maybe strategically planted by the past administration to cause dissension and havoc among the coalition. And maybe his so called parting of ways with the P.P.P. /C may have just been a ruse to make him acceptable to the present administration, the former, obviously anticipating the possibility of losing at the polls. Some members of the present administration may have gullibly fallen for this probable deception. Professor David Hinds in one of his recent articles wrote of the incredible transfer of Guyana’s resources to a tiny cabal. To my mind Tiwari would fit comfortably into the elite group which represents this cabal. I would hazard a guess that the philosophy of this cabal may be summarized into two simple but profound statements: (1) Everyman has his price and as such anything or anyone can be bought, once the price is right.
(2) Money talks and bullst… walks. By this philosophy the cabal reasons that with the billions that they have plundered this country with their various schemes, they can run the country from behind the scene, paying out which to them are mere pittances to the willing, including and especially public officials, in order to accomplish their goals. It is therefore very important that this administration, if it doesn’t want to appear to be the feeble, inept puppets of the cabal, acts decisively on behalf of the people of Guyana, by prosecuting all those who are culpable and also to reverse all corrupt transactions. The credibility of this coalition government hangs on a just, decisive response, as a matter of fact, the relevance of this administration, to those who took the time and made the effort to vote them into office, would be called into question. As a result of such a scenario, President David Granger will unfortunately and unwittingly be relegated to being a one term president, and it would be back to square one for the poor, decent, honest people of this nation, who will have been despairingly caught between a rock and a hard place. Concern Guyanese Castries, St. Lucia
She said I could not do so because Priya did not inform her that she will not be attending. After I protested to the Regional Chairman, I was allowed to participate in the veterans’ memorial ceremony. Carol Joseph was again verbally abusive to me as I instructed the PPP/C Councillors of the Woodland / Bel Air Local Authority Area to walk out of the kangaroo proceedings held at the local NDC office, after Minister Ronald Bulkan selected APNU+AFC Councillors as Chairman and Vice-chairman in a tied NDC where the People’s Progressive Party had won the plurality of votes in the just concluded Local Government Election. Again I ignored this woman. Then last Thursday, at the invitation of Region 5 Regional Chairman Vickchand Ramphal, I travelled to Fort Wellington to attend the monthly statutory meeting of the Regional Democratic Council as an observer. Since the year started, the Regional Chairman has been prevented from conducting the p e o p l e ’s b u s i n e s s b e c a u s e APNU+AFC Councillor, Carol Joseph has been influencing the other APNU+AFC Councillors to interrupt the meetings. She was subsequently suspended, but continued to show up with the aim of stopping these proceedings. I was armed with my video camera to document any disruption that may arise. As I approached the location, adjacent to the Fort Wellington Police Station, I observed a hostile crowd carrying placards blocking the entrance to the RDC building. To avoid navigating my vehicle through the crowd to get into the compound, I parked my vehicle on the side of the road, some distance away from the unruly protestors. As I approached the entrance to the compound with my video camera in one hand and my tripod in the other, the crowd zeroed in on me like a target, pushing placards in my face and trying to block my entrance to the building. As I walked away, APNU+AFC Councillor, Carol Joseph,
deliberately moved to block my approach, waving her outstretched hands up and down using derogatory comments. I tried to pass when her right hand was in the upright position, but she brought it down quickly and brushed the side of my head. I ignored this deliberate assault as I was not hurt in any way, and proceeded to the RDC Boardroom. Shortly after, I was told that she had made a report at the nearby Fort Wellington Police Station, that I had assaulted her. Of course, the only part of my body that came in contact with the APNU+AFC provocateur, Carol Joseph, was when her descending right hand deliberately struck me on my head. But as I said in my statement to the police, had I been so foolish to have done that, the angry mob would have torn me in pieces. I then videotaped the so called ‘protestors’. They were unruly and disrespectful, even to the police. When Chairman Ramphal arrived, the mob was determined to prevent his entry to the RDC Boardroom. The ringleader, Carol Joseph, sat down in the middle of the driveway directly in the path of the Chairman’s vehicle. Several attempts by senior police officers to have her moved were met with the singing of “We shall not be moved.” As I took video clips of an uncharacteristically subdued Carol Joseph while she defied direct instructions from a senior police officer to clear the driveway, I wondered how a person could ever be entrusted to make unbiased decisions as an RDC Councillor in the best interest of the residents of Region 5. This woman is an embarrassment to the entire APNU+AFC coalition as well. I urge Present Granger to intervene and put an end to Carol Joseph’s behavior, and send a strong message to APNU+AFC supporters that he will not tolerate any form of insurrection that hinders progress in Region 5 or anywhere else in Guyana. Harry Gill, MP (PPP)
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Monday April 25, 2016
Kaieteur News
AFC has lost its political conviction Mazaruni to be fortified for transfer of prisoners from Camp Street - Granger - WPA Executive Member Executive Member of the Working People’s Alliance (WPA), Dr. David Hinds is of the belief that the Alliance For Change (AFC) has not only lost its political conviction but seems to be “opportunistic.” Dr. Hinds made this comment during one of his recent writings. In a recent interview, Kaieteur News asked the University Professor to state why he has come to such a conclusion. The Executive Member of the WPA explained, “I think they are driven less by the principles which they articulated at their birth and more by what is politically correct. I get the sense that for them, government has become an end rather than a means to achieve the objectives they originally articulated.” The political activist said that his conclusion is also grounded in the fact that the AFC has not tried hard enough to balance governing with a commitment to reform the broken political process. Dr. Hinds commented, “My party, the WPA is also not without blame. We have not asserted ourselves enough. We have allowed our junior status to dictate the extent to which we try to influence the direction of the government.” The WPA Executive Member said that the success of a Coalition Government is predicated on its ability to achieve consensus. For that to happen, Dr. Hinds said that the big partners have to compromise and the junior
WPA, Executive Member, Dr. David Hinds partners have to assert themselves. He insists that there must be a balance between government survival and adherence to positive policies aimed at reform. Dr. Hinds said that he has no doubt that the government has the capacity to do well. He noted however that the parties have to play their respective roles, assert their principles but reach for consensus. The University Professor then turned his attention to the APNU-AFC as a government. He said that the events of the past few weeks are not about Minister of State, Joe Harmon, even though he was at the centre of the fiasco. Dr. Hinds said that there is a tendency in Guyana’s political culture to find an individual to blame whether it be the late Former President L.F.S Burnham or Cheddi Jagan. He explained that individuals matter, but what they represent matters more. In this regard, Dr. Hinds said that the suggestion by the AFC that Harmon perhaps wields too much power is an inadequate diagnosis. He stressed that Harmon is not the problem.
AFC Leader, Khemraj Ramjattan The political activist opined that the problem is that Guyana is in a transformative moment that clashes with a government and state structure and a political leadership that is anything but transformative. He asserted, “I do not believe the leaderships of the APNU and the AFC understand the enormity of their mandate in terms of correcting the errors of the past.” Dr. Hinds continued, “The APNU’s dilemma is that it includes elements of a new PNC which is a mix of progressive praxis and elements of the old PNC which are still disposed to domination and hegemony.” “The WPA, to which I belong, is immobilized by fear—it silences its voice out of fear of being the spoiler and being accused of lacking electoral clout. The AFC has unfortunately evolved into a party bereft of political conviction and instead behaves opportunistically.” The Executive Member of the WPA said that it is that mix that has produced the dual competing poles of power in the executive, the absence of policy and political councils to inform government, the growing hostility to criticism, the tight control of the state media, the temptation to court discredited elements of the past regime, the confusing relationship to rogue capital, the hesitancy about what to do about past corruption and the overall lack of a vision of where it wants to take the country. He believes that the government has to come to grips with its historical importance that it is not meant to be just another government. Dr. Hinds opined that the coalition administration has to realize that it was brought into power to break the cycle of authoritarianism and not to reinforce it. In the meantime, the University professor said that if the nation continues to make Harmon the story, then it will miss the essence of what it is really facing.
There are a number of critical issues affecting Guyana’s prison system, one of which includes overcrowding at the Georgetown Prisons. To deal with this, President David Granger said that a plan to have some persons transferred from there to the Mazaruni Prison is in the works. He revealed this during a recent taping of the show, the Public Interest. Kaieteur news understands that already some inmates from the camp street facility have been sent to Berbice. The Head of State said that the problems of the prison service and the system are chronic. He recalled that about 18 years ago, there was a massive riot at the Mazaruni Prison and several buildings were burned down. The President noted that over the years, there have been escapes and the most infamous was the Mashramani escape in 2002. He said, “And prisoners would go on the roof and stuff would be thrown into the prisons.” With this background in mind, the Head of State said that there are some major problems facing the three main prisons in Guyana, namely New Amsterdam, Georgetown and Mazaruni. Granger noted that these prisons were all constructed over 125 years ago in the reign of Queen Victoria. He said that they are inadequate for the number of prisoners today; especially the Georgetown Prison which he opined is probably carrying three times the amount it ought to have. The President said, “Now the problems will not be resolved unless there is a massive deployment of prisoners from Georgetown to Mazaruni which has the
space and it (the Mazaruni Prison) could be reinforced and fortified.” Granger said that another big problem is the staff. He said that arrangements have been put in place for the Ministry of Public Security to conduct more training sessions for the staff of the prison services. With regard to overcrowding in prisons, Granger said that this is a consequence of the criminal justice system. He expressed, “The prison service really doesn’t have control over that. If the Magistrate or Judge remands somebody, then the Prison Service is obliged to keep that person. So as you know, there has been an engagement between the Executive branch and judicial branch to examine sentencing policy to ensure that custodial sentences or perhaps remands or the denial of bail would be reviewed so that there is no build up of persons in the prisons, particularly the Georgetown Prison.” Granger recalled that the Chancellor Carl Singh, Prime Minister, Moses Nagamootoo as well as other judicial officers were at that meeting. The President said that it is important for issues such as the capacity and condition of the prisons, the lack of staff and their quality as well as the sentencing policy to be discussed. Reflecting on some of the notorious prison breaks in Guyana, Granger expressed that many of the persons who protested on the roofs of the prisons and did escape were in fact on remand. He added, “…And there is evidence that a large amount of contraband items had been taken into the prisons such as cigarettes, ganja, metal weapons and cell phones, people have
President David Granger Facebook accounts and it is impossible for that level of trafficked contraband to occur without a level of complicity of a few rogue officers.” The Head of State continued, “It is a problem and it has existed for a long time but …the problems cannot be dealt with unless we deal with these issues that I mentioned.” The President said that the situation at the Camp Street Prisons is stable and reaching a level of normalcy. He noted however that there is still a need to provide greater security at the Mazaruni Prison. “We have also implemented some plans which saw prisoners being transferred to that prison after the March riot (at the Georgetown Prison which saw the death of 17 prisoners).” Granger then recalled his visit to the Mazaruni Prison in March and noted that his Government has already initiated some plans for the transfer of some prisoners from Georgetown to the Mazaruni Prison. He noted however that money has to be provided to build new blocs there but situation is nonetheless approaching normalcy and stability.
Guyana /Suriname Ferry Service to operate once daily from today - Manager says service regulated to suit passenger flow The Management of the Guyana / Suriname Ferry service has announced that the M.V Canawaima will sail once daily or as traffic warrants between the two territories effective from today, April 25, 2016. This is as a result of a decrease in the volume of traffic between the two countries. However it is expected to pick up back in the coming weeks as Guyana prepares to celebrate its 50th independence anniversary. The M.V Canawaima’s regular schedule is a twice
daily trip between the two countries. The ferry will depart both the Moleson Creek and South Drain Terminals at 11:00 hours on alternate days. However, Terminal Manger of the Canawaima Ferry Service Incorporated, Louise Williams explained that the service has been regulated to operate according to the passenger flow. According to Williams, the service is scheduled to function based on seasons of decline and increase in the
passenger traffic. She noted that since the traffic is seasonal, the company has to make adjustments to its scheduling operations. Williams said that peak seasons for travels via the Guyana /Suriname Ferry Service are usually during the Easter, August and Christmas vacation periods. The Terminal Manger further noted that the increase flow of Guyanese and Surinamese passengers is almost identical in numbers at the peak (Continued on page 24)
Monday April 25, 2016
Kaieteur News
Italian PM likes Clinton, says Trump has a policy of fear WA S H I N G T O N (Reuters) - Italy’s Prime Minister Matteo Renzi criticized U.S. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump yesterday for his “policy of fear,” and said he was firmly in Democrat Hillary Clinton’s camp. “I support very strongly Hillary Clinton because I think she is a woman able to give security t o e v e r y partner, to give a message of cooperation with other parties, to continue the good policy of President (Barack) Obama” Renzi s a i d on CNN’s “Fareed Zakaria GPS” show. “I consider Donald Trump a man who invests a lot in a policy of fear,” the prime minister said. Trump, a billionaire real
Matteo Renzi estate mogul, and former U.S. Secretary of State Clinton are the front-runners to be their parties’ candidates in the November presidential election.
Another European leader, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, whose immigration policies Trump has called “insane,” declined to be drawn when asked about Trump. “I concentrate fully on the tasks of the year 2016, which keep me pretty busy,” she said in a joint news conference with Obama in Germany. Trump has said that the refugee crisis could trigger revolutions and even the end of Europe. A million migrants, many fleeing Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan and other countries in conflict in the Middle East, Asia and Africa have poured into Europe through Greece since last year. Turkey hosts 2.7 million Syrian refugees.
South African President Zuma in Iran to develop trade, political ties – presidency Reuters - South African President Jacob Zuma arrived in Iran yesterday to strengthen political, trade and investment ties after crippling international sanctions against the Islamic Republic were lifted earlier this year, his office said. South Africa is hoping to exploit a market hungry for investment as tens of billions of dollars worth of Iranian assets will now be unfrozen and global companies that have been barred from doing business there will benefit. Iranian media said the two countries signed eight agreements on cooperation in areas including trade, industries, investments, agriculture, water resources and oil industry research and development. No details of the accords were given. Iranian media also said the two countries called for strengthening intelligence cooperation in the fight against terrorism. In opening remarks after his a r r i v a l , Z u m a s a i d various mechanisms had been discussed “to strengthen our political, trade, investment and economic, as well as peopleto-people relations between our countries.” “The lifting of nuclearrelated sanctions against Iran provides immense potential for closer commercial and investment cooperation between South Africa and Iran,” the presidency said in a statement. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said in remarks carried by state television that South Africa had supported Iran during its time under sanctions.
Jacob Zuma “Today, after the nuclear accords and the end of sanctions against Iran, there is a sharp competition between Asian and European countries for cooperation agreements with Iran, but we will never forget our close friends from the era of sanctions,” Rouhani said,
referring to South Africa. Pretoria is considering building an oil refinery that will process Iranian crude to bolster its petrol supply and reduce its dependence on foreign companies. Iran has been frustrated that few trade deals have been implemented since the sanctions were lifted in exchange for curbs on its nuclear programme, as foreign banks still steer clear of processing transactions. On April 15 Iran called on the United States and European Union to help it access the global financial system, but the White House said the nuclear deal did not include giving Tehran such access. Zuma’s visit was the second South African state visit to Iran, the first having been undertaken by late president Nelson Mandela in 1999.
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Monday April 25, 2016
Kaieteur News
EXPERTS SAY MEXICO HAMPERED PROBE INTO APPARENT STUDENT MASSACRE Reuters - A panel of international experts yesterday accused Mexico’s government of failing to fully cooperate with their probe into the fate of 43 trainee teachers apparently massacred in 2014, the most notorious human rights case in Mexico in recent years. The independent panel of experts said the government’s stonewalling stopped them from reaching the truth as they wrap up their work and prepare to leave Mexico. The attorney general’s office, they said, did not let them reinterview detainees accused of the crime or obtain other information in a timely fashion. Prosecutors, meanwhile, did not pursue investigative angles that the experts had suggested. “The delays in obtaining evidence that could be used to figure out possible lines of investigation translates into a decision (to allow) impunity,” the report by the experts, commissioned by the InterAmerican Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), said. A spokesman for the attorney general’s office said the office would probably comment after the experts concluded a news conference. The grisly case underscored the deep impunity that reigns in many hyper violent parts of Mexico, and
Relatives hold banners with images of some of the 43 missing students of Ayotzinapa College Raul Isidro Burgos at a news conference after meeting with Attorney General Arely Gomez Gonzalez in Mexico City, March 17, 2016. REUTERS/HENRY ROMERO tarnished President Enrique Pena Nieto’s reputation. Mexico’s government says that corrupt police handed the students over to drug gang henchmen in late
2014, who then incinerated them at a garbage dump in the southwestern Mexican state of Guerrero. The experts say that the government’s fire theory is
scientifically impossible given the heat needed to reduce human remains to ash. The remains of just one of the 43 has been identified from a charred
bone fragment. IACHR has said it will not renew the experts’ term because the government was opposed to an extension. In January, the experts said, they started to encounter stiff resistance from prosecutors. Dozens of statements, most of which had been requested months earlier, were handed over about a week ago, when the experts were finishing up the report and could no longer analyse them. “The speed with which the attorney general’s office acted in the last week contrasts with the delays and delays that occurred in the last four months,” the report said. While the experts’ probe showed that the municipal police were the main culprits of the detention and disappearance of the students, they said the federal police should also be investigated. They also said both the army and the intelligence agency known as CISEN had failed to hand over reports that could help the case. Reuters reported last week that Mexico’s army withheld crucial evidence from the experts, including photographs and video footage recorded as police clashed with the students, and that investigators have not been allowed to question soldiers on duty that night in the city where the students disappeared.
Monday April 25, 2016
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Kaieteur News
Ban on smoking in public places…
The benefits outweigh the negatives As the debate continues back and forth between the tobacco industry and the public health sector on a legislation to ban tobacco smoking in public places, many citizens are raising their voices in favour of it. Eleven years ago Guyana assented to the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control and promised to impose regulations for tobacco consumption and its trade. It was followed up by National consultations held on the proposed tobacco legislation. This Bill was approved by Cabinet a few weeks ago. It is intended to protect present and future generations from the “devastating harms” of tobacco use, exposure to tobacco smoke, and specifically to prevent tobacco use among youths, and is expected to be tabled in Parliament in May. The legislation is also seeking to ensure that the public is protected from the commercial and other vested
interests of the tobacco industry, while preventing the illicit trade in tobacco products. However, there were many debates for and against the ban. Public Health Minister George Norton said the sector is resilient to ensure that the Bill is passed in the Parliament. PAHO health officials have stated, unremittingly, the pros for restrictions on tobacco in Guyana. And the tobacco industry has lamented over the Bill, labelling it as greatly flawed. But how many times have we heard what Guyana has to say? Or what the tobacco vendors think? In an interview with the Kaieteur News, a 22-year-old man, who asked to remain anonymous, said the glaring negative effects of smoking cigarettes are common. But the effects on non-smokers, he said, are not widely known. He stated that because of these negative effects, he would be happy to know that there are restrictions imposed to end cigarette smoking in public
places. “Public smoking involuntarily exposes people to such effects. You can have a non-smoker, who has never smoked in their entire life walking along or pass a smoker and is then exposed to the harmful chemicals from that cigarette. That isn’t the non-smoker’s choice, it is the smoker,” he said, arguing that it is unfair to non-smokers. “…smoking is not a necessity…so if you want to do it, do it in the privacy of your own home, don’t affect and infect other people,” another man name Daryl Singh said. The man stated that since it is not a “need”, it should not be hard to pass the Bill since those affected by the harmful smoke is more than those who manufacture and distribute tobacco products. “It is a major health issue so why not ban it. It is not making any tangible contribution to the country anyway,” he said. Every year, tobacco kills six million people— 5.4 million active smokers and
600,000 non-smokers exposed to second hand smoke. It is the only legal consumer product that kills up to half of its users when used exactly as intended by the manufacturer, costing the global economy an estimated US$200 billion each year. In 2015, the tobacco industry in Guyana brought in $5 billion in revenue. But, Pan American Health Organization Country Representative opined that Revenue brought in through the tobacco industry does not compensate for the amount of lives that are being lost from smoking and second hand smoke every year. He stated that, “In Guyana, children are ‘allowed’ to buy cigarettes, cigarettes are sold in sticks for as low as forty dollars, and people are left to suffer from second hand smoke” and therefore restrictions should be implemented. This was also the sentiment shared by one medical student, Ejaz Hatim. He stated that tobacco smoking not only exposes non-smokers to the risk of second hand smoke but it also reduces the life expectancy of
the smoker. Thus, he stated that, “the benefits of stopping public smoking outweigh the negatives of a couple of jobs lost.” He noted that he does not mean to sound callous but the evidence is there to prove that tobacco is detrimental to a person’s life. Nonetheless, Demerara Tobacco Ltd is lamenting over the passing of the bill. The Managing Director of the company stated that the Bill is being used as a weapon to cripple the local tobacco industry. The official stated that hundreds of workers will be out of a job once the Bill is tabled and passed. It is these workers that Kaieteur News approached to hear their thoughts on the issue. One cigarette vendor, Orin Mc Kenzie stated that the ban will force all of the vendors off of the streets. “We have created our own jobs and this will put us in a lot of stress. Is the ones in big offices passing these laws…they know where their bread coming from but is we who will have to find a next hustle,” he said angrily. Mc Kenzie has been selling
cigarettes for 30 years in front of the Stabroek Square. “They putting people to thief. They will be taking food out of a lot of mouths,” he added. Another vendor stated that she was already struggling to earn a living and provide for her children so the Bill being passed is going to take food out of her family’s mouth. “They want to come and take that away from us. That is heartless of them…where are we gonna sell? Under the counter?” Yonette Felix, another cigarette vendor, said she is the sole bread winner of her household and to remove her from selling on the street would take away the little she has. “This [she said holding up the cigarette pack] is what we live on,” she asserted, indicating that selling cigarette has been her livelihood for over seven years. “They should come with another alternative. Alcohol kills more people than a pack of cigarette, why they don’t target that?” she said, adding that there is no concrete evidence to prove that cigarette causes cancer.
Monday April 25, 2016
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Kaieteur News
BaiShanLin never had any good intentions for Guyana – Forensic Auditor Given the actions of Chinese logging company, BaiShanLin over the years, Chartered Accountant, Anand Goolsarran said that the firm has clearly demonstrated that it never had any good intentions for Guyana. During an interview, Goolsarran one of the Forensic Auditors contracted by the new coalition administration to audit several government agencies, said that the company has, according to records, called upon the nation’s leaders for leniency when it was not entitled to it and received premium benefits for which it did not qualify. Goolsarran said that the Chinese company has with its right hand, dangled the idea of a wood processing facility while grabbing with its left hand, the riches to be had from Guyana’s Forestry Sector. The Chartered Accountant said that it was clear to see from BaiShanLin’s actions over the years that it was only interested in filling its treasure chests and then shipping them to their home country. “It appeared that they were only interested in filling their pockets regardless of the consequences to be had by the nation. They mercilessly robbed and tricked us,” he said. To support his argument, Goolsarran referred to some of his
BaiShanLin’s Managing Director, Chu Hongbo findings during a forensic audit of the Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC). He said that the report documents numerous irregularities which go as far back as 2006, when BaiShanLin International Forest Development Inc was incorporated. Goolsarran noted that the main stated objective of the company, when it came in 2006, was to set up downstream wood processing operations in Linden and on the East Bank Demerara. In his audit report, Goolsarran
revealed that on November 4, 2011, the Guyana Forestry Commission granted a State Forest Exploratory Permit (SFEP ) to the Chinese company. This covered 104,783 hectares of State forest. On the surface, everything seemed well with this arrangement. But what alarmed the Forensic Auditor was that BaiShanLin was blessed with the permit (SFEP) for which it failed to meet the necessary requirements. The criteria the Chinese firm failed to meet included (a) the submission of audited financial statements for the last five years; (b) evidence of technical and financial qualifications; and (c) a history of compliance. Goolsarran revealed that a key consideration for the grant of the permit was the reassurance BaiShanLin gave the government to build a state-of-art wood processing facility in Linden. It intended to do so since 2006. The Forensic Auditor revealed that the company had leased 200 acres for this purpose and had given a commitment to complete the facility by the end of 2013, following which the Government of Guyana would make available a further 100 acres for additional value-added processing. As a condition for the grant of
POLICE ISSUED BULLETIN FOR FRAUD QUARTET The Guyana Police Force has issued bulletins for a quartet who they say is wanted for questioning into a series of fraud matters committed on a number of persons. The suspects are Floyd Primo called “Wild Buck”, and three women known as Romanie Bowman, Marjorie Edinboro and Shane. According to the police, Romanie Bowman is of East Indian origin and her last known addresses are Durban Street, Lodge, Georgetown and Port Kaituma, North West District. Primo is an Amerindian and his address is also listed as Durban Street, Lodge. The woman known as “MARJORIE EDINBORO” is said to be a resident of Lot 70 Prince William Street, Plaisance, ECD, while the other female called “Shane” lived at Soesdyke, EBD and Port Kaituma, North West District. Anyone with information that may lead to the arrest of the four persons is asked to contact the police on telephone numbers 225-6411, 226-9941, 226-1326, 225-8196, 911, or the nearest police station. All information will be treated with strict confidence.
FLOYD PRIMO called ‘WILD BUCK’
Alias ‘MARJORIE EDINBORO’
ROMANIE BOWMAN
Alias ‘SHANE’
Chartered Accountant, Anand Goolsarran the permit, the auditor discovered that the company was required to carry out an Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) before any extraction could begin. It was also required to prepare a business plan and do a forest inventory. However, at the time of the expiration of permit on November 4, 2014, the company had not honoured its obligations. The auditor said that documents show that BaiShanLin contended that it faced a number of constraints including the need to repair and upgrade roads. As a result, the Forensic Auditor found out that on October 1, 2014, BaiShanLin requested an extension of one year to fulfill these obligations under the permit and to set up the wood processing facility. He emphasized however that Section 9 (9) of the Forests Act 2009 specifically prohibits any renewal of such a permit. He said that there is also no provision in the Act for an extension once the expiry date reaches. In spite of this, the laws of the Forest Act were ignored and the Commission approved BaiShanLin’s
request for an extension of the permit. Goolsarran noted that BaiShanLin’s extended permit expired on November 4, 2015, but there was no board in place to address the issue. He said that Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman indicated that the company applied for a further extension of two years to set up the wood processing facility. “The Ministry of the Presidency later clarified that the Government had not taken any decision and that it has requested information from the company about its proposed business plan and evidence of financing. “Upon receipt of this i n f o r m a t i o n , B a i S h a n L i n ’s request would be reviewed and a decision taken,” Goolsarran noted. Up to the time of reporting, Goolsarran said that the company was yet to provide the business plan and evidence of financing. He said that if this second request for extension is approved, the company would have enjoyed the benefit of the grant of an exploratory permit covering a period of six consecutive years whereas the law allows for a maximum period of three years for such a permit. Taking into consideration that the Chinese company has failed to fulfill its obligations to Guyana, and the fact that the Forests Act does not permit a renewal of a SFEP at the end of three years, the contract with the c o m p a n y, G o o l s a r r a n s a i d , should be terminated forthwith. Goolsarran also recommended that State forest should be returned to the Commission for reallocation. In addition to this, he said that the coalition administration should consider terminating the investment agreements with the company and recover the value of the fiscal concessions granted to it.
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Monday April 25, 2016
Kaieteur News
Domestic Violence has Another AML/CFT amendment Bill for next House sitting significant effects on children When a case of domestic violence makes headlines there’s a laser focus on the abuser and the victim. But what about their children? Far too many times we think about the abuser and not the children who are not the victims, but witnesses in the case of gender based violence. Sometimes, it’s only when a child is impacted that survivors are pushed to sever ties with the abuser. A city Magistrate last Friday sentenced a man to three months in prison after he was found guilty of assaulting his wife in front of their children. Twenty four-year-old father of five, Mark Martin faced two charges of assaulting his wife. He was first charged with Assault Causing Actual Bodily Harm committed on his reputed wife on January 28th at Charlestown. He denied it and he was granted $25,000 bail. However, he pleaded guilty to the second charge which stated that on April 20th he unlawfully assaulted the woman by cuffing her to her face and pelting her with a photo frame. The prosecution’s evidence indicated that on numerous occasions the victim reported the abuse to the police but the officers only warned Martin. On the day of the incident, Martin who lived with the woman and shared two children with her cuffed her several times to her face and pelted her with a photo
frame. Prosecutor Corporal Simone Payne said the victim received injuries. According to the evidence given by the woman, Martin, who has three other children with another woman, was previously taken to court for failing to pay his child support. She indicated that it was because of her taking action against him with regard to the child support that he became abusive towards her. When the Magistrate asked Martin if he committed the offence he did not deny the allegation, shrugging his shoulders he explained that he, “only hit her because she was doing certain things that I told her she shouldn’t be doing.” Magistrate Fabayo Azore said she did not think imposing a fine would be suitable under the circumstances, considering the fact that he confessed that he abused her in the presence of their children. “That’s the mother of your children…when you hit her in front of your children, that is very bad sir… you need to take time and reflect on what you’ve done.” Head of the Child Care and Protection Agency Anne Greene, yesterday in a brief telephone interview told Kaieteur News that what children see and hear has a profound impact from the very onset of their lives. No matter how much parents or guardians in some cases believe it is hidden from their children, boys and girls alike see what is happening
and they worry and stress. “They don’t get out of this unscathed… they are extremely vulnerable” the Director said. “A child learns from what they live in and after a while their minds are conditioned to violence.” Though there are contributing factors to consider why domestic violence is prevalent in homes namely poverty, substance abuse, parental mental health, children who witness domestic violence are at a great risk of becoming victims themselves, according to Greene. It is the Agency’s job to respond to any cases reported of children who are witnesses or victims of abuse in their household. The Agency believes in giving the best chance of support to children through cultivating good behaviour, and providing financial aid and educational development. Greene said, “What we do is first look at their extended family to transfer them so they can feel comfortable with them.” However, the Director said, if there is no relative, foster care will substitute. And if no stable and suitable individua l o r f a m i l y i s willing to offer foster care, d o o r s a r e o p e n f o r the children in a residential care facility “but that’s the last resort.” If you or someone you know is a victim of domestic violence, you can contact the Child Care and Protection Agency on 227-4420
Guyana is continuing efforts to remove itself from the clutches of the AntiMoney Laundering/ Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) censoring regime. In this regard, the government is working to comply with the outstanding international recommendations. This ‘reassurance’ was given at a recent press conference held by the Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Basil Williams. Williams told the media, “In keeping with its commitment to fully comply with the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF) recommendations, the Government of Guyana intends to table before the National Assembly an AML/ CFT Amendment Bill to deal with the remaining o u t s t a n d i n g recommendations.” Williams said that his Chambers started consultations on the Draft Bill since March and this continued in April. The Minister said that key stakeholders, including the Opposition, received copies of the Draft Bill and other pertinent documents. He said this was done so that the Opposition can be fully informed of the content of the Bill before it is tabled in the National Assembly. There was also a forum which formed part of the consultation process. Williams said that attendees included representatives of Customs and Anti Narcotics Unit (CANU), the Special Organized Crime Unit (SOCU), the Private Sector Commission (PSC), the Bank of Guyana and the Guyana Bar Association. The Minister was keen to note that the former Attorney
Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Basil Williams General, Anil Nandlall was also invited to consultations but “refused to attend on two occasions.” Nevertheless, Williams said that his Chambers is satisfied that adequate consultations were conducted and the Bill should pass through all three stages at the next sitting of Parliament. Even as Guyana tries to comply with the recommendations of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), the body still thinks that the country can pose a risk to the international financial system. Guyana currently finds itself in the company of countries such as Afghanistan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iraq, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Papua New Guinea, Syria, Uganda, Vanuatu and Yemen. There are only two countries in the world that are deemed to be worse off than Guyana in this regard – Iran and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. The FATF identifies itself as the global standard-setting body for anti-money laundering and combating the financing of terrorism (AML/ CFT). In order to protect the international financial system from money laundering and financing of terrorism (ML/ FT) risks and to encourage greater compliance with the AML/CFT standards, the FATF identifies jurisdictions
that have strategic deficiencies and works with them to address those deficiencies that pose a risk to the international financial system. On February 19, FATF concluded its most recent plenary meeting in Paris, France. A document titled, “Outcomes of the plenary meeting of the FATF, Paris, 1719 February 2016” indicates that the body still views Guyana as a work in progress. That document contains two sections that identify jurisdictions that may pose a risk to the international financial system. In those two sections, FATF pointed out jurisdictions with strategic AML/CFT deficiencies that have developed action plans with the task force, as well as jurisdictions with strategic AML/CFT deficiencies for which a call for action applies. Guyana has been identified as one of the jurisdictions with strategic AML/CFT deficiencies that have developed an action plan. FATF noted, “In October 2014, Guyana made a highlevel political commitment to work with the FATF and CFATF to address its strategic AML/CFT deficiencies. Since October 2015, Guyana has taken steps towards improving its AML/ CFT regime, including by enacting further amendments to the AML/CFT Act and AML/CFT Regulations, and issuing FIU guidelines on targeted financial sanctions. However, the FATF has determined that certain strategic deficiencies remain. Guyana should continue to implement its action plan, including by ensuring and implementing an adequate legal framework for identifying, tracing and freezing terrorist assets. The FATF encourages Guyana to address its remaining deficiencies and continue the process of implementing its action plan.” (Abena RockcliffeCampbell)
Monday April 25, 2016
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Kaieteur News
SAME OLD SAD SONG In the midst of raging dengue epidemics, the cry goes out throughout the lands of the Caribbean, “Let us spray!” And there goes forth the word from Ministries of Health that the whole world should be sprayed and their sprayers wend their way through the Lands of Barbados, Jamaica, Trinidad and elsewhere. And they drag forth vehicles that make noises and send out fumes and vapours so that the faithful would know that the Ministries of Health are interested in their health and are saving their lives. And the birds of the air and the fishes of the lake are set upon and they fall by the wayside, whereas the mosquitoes continue to thrive. The faithful, their windows closed against the toxic substances, praise those on high for heeding their pleas for help. The Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, safe inside the houses, especially the larvae and little ones in vases and flower pots, with no Herods in sight, live happily ever after. And the faithful continue to indulge in their
sprayers until the wet season ends and they, too, live happily until the next rains cometh. For such is life. And such is death. Especially the death of children from Dengue Haemorrhagic Fever. This was then. This is now, before ZIKA and before climate change modified our weather patterns so instead of one dry season and one wet season – which we knew as cricket and football season – there are several periods per year of heavy rainfall followed by drought. This means there are many mosquito breeding periods instead of just one extended wet season per year. Every year we go through the same cycle of bored indifference by the health sector and householders during the dry season, sudden interest on the part of householders when there is a fresh epidemic, pressure on the Ministers of Health after the mosquitoes start biting, frantic resort to spraying and assurances all round. In the old days the wet season ended with only a few dengue and related
deaths, but now the situation is different. ZIKA is the game changer. All Ministries of Health, and all Medical Officers of Health, know that the best means of dealing with Aedes is source reduction of mosquitoes. This means not providing them with breeding places and ensuring that you keep the larvae from hatching. The health sector officials know that the sprays are ineffective. However, they resort to the same fallback hope that when the rainy season ends and the dry season starts, deaths would be minimal. But we now have sporadic heavy showers and every time there is a big one the mosquitoes outside breed again and again. Those inside your house, Aedes and its family, live with and dine off you. They lived happily before and continue ever after. I thought of all this as I lay shivering, my skin burning up with dengue fever. Dengue makes it very difficult to eat anything. Dengue does not seem to like you to eat, attacking your salivary
glands and taste buds, mugging them into submission. This was many years ago when after four nights with dengue, my condition necessitated more professional assistance. I told my wife it was like the story of the butler of the rural English Lord who, on awakening his master one morning, discovered much cause for celebration. “Shall I summon Madam for you, your Lordship?” he asked smoothly. “No, dammit James, this one is too good for Madam,” his Lordship replied. “Pack my bags, I’m taking it up to London.” I checked myself into the hospital and, after waiting vainly for assistance, was about ready to check myself out. Dengue and patience do not go together. It is a virus that wages a relentless attack on your system. It feels like a gang of juvenile delinquents armed with chainsaws and blowtorches prowling your estate for anything that could be chopped down, slaughtered and destroyed. There is constant pain behind the eyes and in the joints.
Some muscles, even the large frontal thigh muscles, become cramped and virtually useless. The tablets buy a little time and space in the ongoing drama of pain but as the hours pass, the pain returns in waves and the fever once more tops the hit-parade. Dengue is appropriately called “break-bone” fever by my Jamaican friends. It leaves you “mash-up” for periods up to three weeks. In fact, some people take much longer to recover from its effects. Aedes albopictus, which among its many accomplishments spreads ZIKA is a scary bastard. When I was at PAHO and involved in a 16-country “source reduction” project we had been warned about it and passed on our fears to the region. Unfortunately, the people paid for vector control never did anything. One way to beat dengue and other mosquito-borne diseases is by not succumbing to depression induced by the combination
of the disease and the medication. It can get you down after a while. The other is not bothering with the Health Ministers and dealing with your own source reduction knowing that family health is everybody’s business. In my case, I appreciated the irony. Having spent seven years throughout the Caribbean teaching people how to prevent dengue, I found it an interesting experience to change roles from hunter to hunted. It is like the story of the Englishman, clad in full hunting outfit and armed with a rifle who stumbled onto a totally naked lady in the forest. “What are you doing?” she asked. “I’m looking for game,” he replied. “Well, I’m game,” she admitted. So he shot her. * Tony Deyal was last seen saying that with all the games the health officials are playing with people’s lives, what we need in the Caribbean is not more spray but more big game hunters.
said, “This newspaper is an arm of the state and will give primacy to the government’s agenda.” With that statement highlighted, Ramkarran asked, “How is this different to the policy of the Chronicle during the eras mentioned above? The Chronicle is not an arm of the State. The State is merely a trustee of its owners who are the people of Guyana. I am a part owner of the Chronicle.” Ramkarran further quoted the Editorial which said that “Editorial judgment needs to be exercised based on the need to enforce the newspaper’s policies and propriety in the society.” He said that Chronicle supported censorship when it said that “in our fractured society, the state media has a duty of welding the people together.” Ramkarran said that a state employed journalist in 1979 or 2006 could not have put this mouthful better. He then wrote that “Censorship in a ‘fractured society’ if the ‘reality’ of its masters is challenged, as justified by the Chronicle, perpetuates the fracture, rather than heals it.” The former Speaker wrote that with the expression of these Editorial views, “no one should doubt that just as the Chronicle made some effort to improve for a brief period beginning in 1992, but then
degenerated in the 2000s to a level equivalent to what it was in the 1970s and 1980s, or worse, the efforts it has recently made will soon degenerate once again, unless something is done to
defamatory, objectionable or offensive or which, for other legitimate journalistic reasons, cannot be published. However, the former PPP Stalwart said that it is the
How far down the slippery slope will it lead? I say right to the bottom. Once the sliding starts, it would not stop.” According to Ramkarran, there are people at The Chronicle who are responsible for determining policy, who do not subscribe to censorship and would support an independent, respected, State-owned newspaper. He said that he hopes that those persons will take the cue from President David Granger who said that “criticism is good” and that he has “privately a n d publicly maintained the importance of a free press.” Ramkarran pointed out that President Granger called on the media to t r u t hfully and critically examine the work of the administration so as to help the government to improve its performance. Ramkarran said that while Granger did not address the Hinds issue directly, “the broad outline of the President’s views suggests that he would be intolerant of censoring.”
Censorship must stop - Ramkarran “Having regard to the Chronicle’s confusion about its role, about journalistic principles…the time has come for the Government to establish a truly independent Commission of respected citizens with the relevant experience to advise on the Editorial policies of the Stateowned media.” So said Former Speaker of the National Assembly, Ralph Ramkarran in his most recent column published online. In that column, the veteran politician zeroed in on the recently publicized issue of censorship in the State newspaper—The Guyana Chronicle. The issue came to the fore when news broke that the newspaper refused to carry a column done by David Hinds which was critical of the government’s handling of the report of the Walter Rodney Commission of Inquiry. Ramkarran is saying that this is unacceptable and that the State newspaper has experienced censorship for way too long. This should not be allowed to continue, said Ramkarran. He wrote that it takes a certain mindset for a person to believe that he or she has the right to determine what information citizens of Guyana should receive. “Inculcated among some media practitioners and political operatives during
Former Speaker, Ralph Ramkarran the 1970s and 1980s, and pursued with vigour and venom between 2001 and 2015, this mindset is clearly alive and well in Guyana.” Ramkarran said that stateowned media has long been seen as a party asset to be utilized for the benefit of the Government and Party in office. He said that given the opportunity to reject censorship, the Guyana Chronicle did the opposite. And, in justifying its failure to publish its own columnist, Dr. David Hinds, because it did not agree with the views he expressed on two occasions, Chronicle embarked on a paean to censorship in its Editorial of April 20 entitled “The state newspaper.” The former Speaker quoted the Editorial which
“The Government, much less the editor, has no right to set a policy for The Chronicle that does not uphold journalistic principles, but instead emphasizes partisan political considerations.”- Ramkarran root out the mindset that believes that censorship is permissible and justified.” Ramkarran said, “The Government, much less the Editor, has no right to set a policy for The Chronicle that does not uphold journalistic principles, but instead emphasizes partisan political considerations.” He added that the policies of the State-owned media should be self-evident, to wit, embracing critical examination of and support for or criticism of Government policies, the uncensored publication of the views of independe n t columnists, supportive of the Government or not, Opposition’s views and those supportive of the Opposition. No doubt, Ramkarran highlighted, Editorial judgment will be exercised in relation to material which is
height of arrogance for The Chronicle to arrogate to itself the “duty of welding people together” or being an arbiter on views of the past. He made it clear, “The Chronicle’s duty is to bring the news, advocate its own views editorially and provide a forum for the people of Guyana to express their views provided those views are not defamatory, advocate illegality or is otherwise offensive. The policy adopted by the Chronicle led it to the censoring of David Hinds.
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SALON - Make-up Courses with Mac, Bare Minerals, etc. - Cosmetology Courses: $120,000 - Technician Course: $45,000. Call: 647-1773/660-5257 SERVICES PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION,WEDDINGS, ANNIVERSARY, ETC. – CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 216-1043; 677-6620 Visa Application: U.S.A, Canada & UK; Guyana passport application. Graphics design, advertisement. Tel: 626-7040; 265-4535. Building Construction: house plans & estimates, floor sanding, lacquering & painting, boat for Santa Mission - Call: 650-4362 INNOVATIVEMARKETING & PUBLISHING INC –TEL: 600-4212: We create A/ works, logos, business cards, posters, etc, placements of ads included. Passport, permanent & visitor visa application, Professional Immigrant Consultant – Sabita Immigration Services. Call: 225-6496; 662-6045
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1 Sales clerk between 2125yrs, living on the West Coast/ West Bank must have at least 5 CXC subjects. Call: 623-7914 1 Domestic Cleaner able to repair vegetarian meal. Apply in person @ Alabama Trading, Georgetown Ferry Stelling, Stabroek. Wanted land to buy: La Parfaite Harmonie, Tuschen, Providence and Eccles. We pay cash! Call: 604-6724 Wanted to buy land: house & land countrywide, also we buy & sell use vehicles. Call: 604-6724
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1 Domestic worker to work @ Star Guest House; 60-61 Hadfield Street Werk-enRust. Call Donald: 227-1131; 664-7412/ Sheik: 621-9759 Seamstress to sew- Call: 6397665; 226-2597 1 Truck Driver/ Forklift Operator, I Supervisor @ Boodhoo’s General Store, Parika. Contact# 650-0402/ 260-4988
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Unbeatable Prices!!! Audi A4-$3,750,000; BMW 318i$2,750,000; Premio 2008$2,850,000- Contact#6500402/260-4988 1-Cat 928 F Wheel Loader$7.3M; 1-Light Tower$850,000; 1-Perkins Welding Plan-$850,000- Contact#6500402/260-4988
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VACANCY Hair, nail, barber stations for rental; (experienced persons & clients) all rounder hairdressing – Glam & Go Beauty Salon. Call: 638-1106 Driver & porter to deliver water- apply @ Nimbus Water 79 Albert & Lamaha Street. Call: 231-7002; 6220445; 685-7659 Roxie’s Fashion has vacancies for sewing girls $10,000 - $15,000 weeklyApply 301 Church St. Call: 227-8538; 622-4386 Popular East Coast Gas Station Day/Night: pump attendants, sales clerk & office assistant. Contact: 6719570; 695-9880,Non-Pareil Roxie’s Fashion has vacancies for 2 seamstresses -$15,000 -$18,000 weekly + benefits @ 301 Church Street, South Cummingsburg. Call: 622-4386; 696-4397 Food Distribution Company looking for salesperson with driver’s licence, experience & police clearance. Call: 2318344 or 231-8529 One Trainee A.C, Refrigerator, Technician - Call: 231-0655 Cashier for supermarket-Call: 624-0033 & in store securityCall: 680-3863 PRODUCTIONASSISTANT, GTI or GITC graduates preferred. Resident of E.B.D. Tel. 676 6700
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PROPERTY FOR SALE Flat house in Grove, (corner property) 1 Block from main road, price negotiable. Call: 1905-626-2572 Transported property @ Grove $16M negotiable. Call: 625-5461 New Road V/Hoop-$70M, $17M, La Parfaite Harmonie -$6M, $4M, $5M, $20M, CI $6.5M, Rice land (5 acres) $16M. Call: 604-6724 1- flat 3 bedrooms property @ Diamond, 19th Avenue $12M. Serious enquiries only. Call: 697-0036 One newly built two storey three bedrooms concrete house in Eccles New Scheme for -$22M. Call: 6755618; 644-9356 Property @ Lot 87 Albert Street- Call: 669- 8701 Property @ lot 32 Princess St. Werk- en –Rust, Georgetown. Call: 621-8767 Property @ Anna Catherina 2 storey concrete house $9.5M, Tuschen house$4.5M, Boerasirie Scheme $6.5M, New Road -$45M. Call: 642-1252 Haslington, E.C.D: Building ‘A’, concrete/timber modern 2 storeys, 7 bedrooms, grilled & fenced. Building ‘B’, 3 apartments, fenced $18M negotiable. Call: 2553437; 694-4473
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1 House lot in Crane Housing Scheme & 1 house & land in La Parfaite Harmonie. Call: 626-4841
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Experienced office clerk with 5 CXC subjects, computer literate, experience in QuickBooks. Call:218-5105 or email application: info@cevons.com
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6 Bedrooms with bathroom each room, furnished, great for NGO’S, expats, 30 mins from Georgetown -$3900US monthly. Call: 600-0036; 2231273
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We repair fridge, freezer, AC, washer, dryer-Call: 231-0655; 683-8734. Omar
Monday April 25, 2016
Kaieteur News
5 Waitresses -$16,000 weekly, free meals & accommodation, 1- Cook. Call/Whatsapp: 661-8802
La Parfaite Harmonie-$1M, $1.2M & $1.6M, Tuschen$2.5M & $3M, Providence $5M, $4M, Eccles-$5.5M, terms available. Call: 6046724 La Parfaite Harmonie$1.6M, $1.3M & $1M, Tuschen -$3M & $2.5M, Sandpit -$85M, Kitty $19M, Providence -$5M & $4M. Call: 604-6724 Parfaite Harmonie $ 1.3M & $2M, Eccles $5.5M, Herstelling (100ft X 50ft) $3M. Call: 611- 7223 & 6036224
VEHICLE FOR SALE We buy & sell vehicles for cash, also parts available & 30 seater buses; Extra Cab pickups; 2006 Tacoma- Call: 680-3154
La Parfaite Harmonie $1.2M, Tuschen Phase 2$1M, Zeelugt -$1.2M, Providence Second Bridge $5.5M. Call: 642-1252 (Continued on page 29)
Monday April 25, 2016
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Reasons for Guyana’s prevailing poverty DEAR EDITOR; A country endowed with minerals and other natural resources continue to be extremely poor even though the said country does not suffer from over population and miseducation. The questions raised as to why Guyana is in such a delicate balance depends on the political operatives that make up the governing elite and the racial quagmire that the people of Guyana do not view as an impediment to national development, for if they did, people would have demanded that laws would have been enacted to minimize the racial effect of selecting ministers based on their race and not on stated national policies. We have seen the decisions that are being made by the politicians without indepth thought about the future consequences of their decisions. With the racial atmosphere that clouds all aspects of the Guyanese social and political structure, it is very discernible that the wrong persons are occupying the political environ, free from any accountability and retributory consequences for their decisions made. Guyana is about to celebrate 50 years of independence, after being governed by governments from dictatorships to blatant pilferers, encompassing the thought of becoming wealthy at the people’s expense. Since independence, Guyana did not build a factory that the people could say provide or satisfy a national need. In the meantime, we the people, continue to import every
conceivable good for consumption. Over the fifty year period we continue to import, some agricultural goods, that before independence were grown in Guyana. GUYANA,AMEMBER OF CARICOM My prior criticism of Guyana becoming a member of CARICOM at its inception, is evidenced by the amount of foreign goods now available in the Guyanese markets. Even candies that were provided by Guyanese candy makers, have been supplanted by foreign candy. Most of the Guyanese candy makers have been replaced. No more do we see the candy sellers that were around Stabroek market, in abundance, peddling their home made products. There are many other local products that have suffered the same faith of slowly dying due to a lax importation policy by the past governments and the inundation of foreign made goods as they appear in the local markets. The problem is due to Guyana not having a ‘productive economy’. In other words, Guyana does not manufacture most of what it consumes, other than agricultural products and given that many other countries produce the same agricultural products put Guyana in a disadvantageous position to obtain a moderate price for its local products. Consequently, Guyana must have some limitations on what is being imported. This does not mean that Guyana should engage in the very policy of banning all
imported products as did the PNC under Burnham, but there must be some limitations on how much and what is imported. This in turn, would give local producers an edge to improve their production in a less competitive environment. Guyana cannot continue to consume every single product made for the consumer when it does not defray the cost of those products by some form of manufacturing of those products. If Guyana does not produce the product then it would be prudent to limit the amount of that product that is imported. Banning the product, as Burnham did, is not politically feasible and cause illegal importation, which in turn, lead to consumers being convicted of illegal importation. It is not the intent to cover topics of economics, but Guyana’s problem is mired in the economic policies that the government adapts, and as we prepare to celebrate 50 years of being independent we must be aware of the pitfalls that keep us in economic drudgery, where currently, we have nothing much to show as a national achievement since independence. The only factory built since independence was the Glass factory that lasted for a few months. Currently, Guyana continue to consume glass for all buildings. GUYANA EXCHANGE RATE Why are people in Guyana spending their hard earned dollars to purchase foreign
GAWU complains about GuySuCo’s inaccuracy DEAR EDITOR; Reference is made to the news story on page seven (7) of the Guyana Chronicle edition of April 19, 2016 entitled “105 workers opted for severance not fired - GuySuCo raps GAWU” The article went on to say “GAWU has alleged...105 workers were fired”. Premised on an allegation, the article then quoted GuySuCo which said in a statement “this release by GAWU is the epitome of GAWU mischievousness, and can be construed as being provocative....” The truth is that GAWU has not ever said or written that 105 workers have been fired from Wales Estate. GAWU and NAACIE through their press statement of April 14, 2016 referred to:- “105 workers are to be made redundant” which is identical to what GuySuCo wrote to the Union on March 22, 2016 in which it said:- “105 workers would be made redundant”. With someone from either GuySuCo or the Chronicle substituting “fired” for “redundant” in turn has taken objection and true to form points an accusing finger at GAWU. The Union considers this as mischievous and
deceptive. With the clarity offered, the Union is expecting a public correction by GuySuCo. Also, the GAWU is calling on the Board or the proper body in GuySuCo to assess those who make media releases which are unfounded and which embarrasses the leadership at the helm of the Corporation which is beset by persistent troubles. The Chronicle in the story also stated that: “The Wales Estate will not be closed, GuySuCo said in its attempt to set the record straight”. Isn’t the non-operation of the Wales Sugar Factory and a cessation of cane cultivation a closure of the Estate? GuySuCo is, seemingly, embarking on some type of acrobatics regarding the positions - the closure of Wales Estate and “the Wales Estate will not be closed”. It is worthy to note that the Corporation failed to inform the public why it keeps violating the Termination of Employment and Severance Pay Act which requires that it interact directly with Officials of the Union about the workers who are identified for redundancy, etc. Seepaul Narine General Secretary (GAWU)
made products, even to the detriment of locally made products? Could this be due to the fact that the Guyanese public has been fooled to think that foreign is better? This mode of spending could adversely affect the exchange rate. Guyana will never develop or achieve spending equity with any country when the American dollar US$1.00 is worth $200 or more Guyana dollars. Since Guyana does not have a sizeable manufacturing sector and must import every conceivable product, makes Guyana a spend thrift nation with all monies earned being spent for consumption. Most Caribbean Islands are much smaller than Guyana with almost no natural resources other that beaches, yet they have a much healthier exchange rate and with some being less populated than Guyana. This may be due to Guyana’s spending habits and a lack of foreign reserve earnings. This mode of spending inhibits Guyana from having a sizable foreign reserve. The Guyana dollar would never appreciate if the
spending pattern continues to be predicated on foreign goods purchase coupled with a lack of production of any manufactured goods. Guyana ‘s exchange rate relative to the American dollar have been constant for close to a decade at about US$1 exchanging for $200. Guyana dollars. This disparity in rates is predicated on Balance of Payments deficit, Government Debt, Political Stability and National Speculation. No one of the listed factors, by themselves, adversely affect Guyana’s exchange rate. There are other factors such as interest rates and terms of trade when combined with other factors like imports and exports keep Guyana fixed in economic morbidity. Unfortunately Guyana does not have much to export. The gold mining entity, which is a national give away, does not bode well when related to foreign export earnings. The same pattern of give-away has saddled the forest sector without any mode of reforestation. Guyana government does not demand that some trees
uprooted during mining, and or for timber, must be replanted. Guyanese must be cognisant that every new, so called investor, is only interested in operating in the mineral sector resulting in large unfilled lakes and uprooted trees. Guyana as a country is a national disgrace when examined relative to the other West Indian Countries. There is no island where Guyanese don’t live, having left Guyana for what could be considered ranches, small in size without any natural resources, yet there is a preponderance of Guyanese residing there. The national quagmire is obvious for all to see. The past and current governments of Guyana coupled with racial ignorance keep Guyana on its path to obscurity, with most government policy done to supplant personal income. This is quite obvious during the reign of the last government and to date no one has been held responsible, tried and convicted. Patrick Barker
Tribute to Ras Michael Jeune DEAR EDITOR, Ras Michael Jeune was my friend, my mentor, my brother. In a little wooden house at Buxton-Friendship Line Top he taught me and others how to write and read poetry and how to write period. He taught us drama and storytelling and short story writing. He is for me Guyana’s best short story writer of his generation. He was a dub-poet before dub poetry was popular. He had a knack for capturing the rhythm of the people in his art. Mike introduced me to the poetry/chant of Andre Tanker and the artistry of Ken Corsbie, Marc Matthews, Johnny Agard and Henry Muttoo. It was he who explained to me that Walter Rodney was an artist too and that Kwayana had that touch of genius. I remember how he got us little boys and girls of the 1970s Buxton into his poem— You Black like me/ You Poor like me/ And poverty is yuh Legacy.. That poem opened my eyes at a very young age to the intersection of Race and Class and the consequences for the lives of people around me. Rupert Roopnarine would capture Mike doing that poem in his film, “The Terror and the Times” Mike never gave me the impression that he cared for formal politics; he was never a political activist in
that sense. His political activism was in his art—his varied art. Even when he was talking to you about regular life he was making art—the organic artist. Mike was also a teacher in the formal system. He taught at Kwayana’s County High turned Republic Cooperative High School in Buxton. His students had a broader understanding of English Literature than the rest of us. He took his artistry into the classroom and it made a difference. Michael was steeped in political reasoning; always reaching for philosophy. He was the first person to clarify for me the meaning of democracy and dictatorship—it came out in an argument he had with a “lil hot hand” name John Cromwell. He and John would remain lifelong friends. I learned about political art from him; he was always making a political point in his work— a cultural worker who stood on the side of the poor and oppressed. Our recent conversations were long and varied—about capitalism, culture and art and about Guyana. Our last one occurred a few months ago on a Friday morning around 2 ‘o clock on Friendship Middle Walk, Buxton, in front of Andrew Night Spot. He gave me a treatise on how politicians change when the
get into office. He was glad the government had changed but he was not optimistic about Guyana. I often think about how Guyana’s politics have destroyed optimism in our best products. Mike’s parting words to me were “Twilly it’s your responsibility to restore Buxton and Black People to the place that made it possible for you to chant like you doing.” I told him I am always willing to help. I knew his message was less about me and more about the condition of our people— that there was and is another way. He promised me to write something for the young people in Buxton fusing Emancipation and Independence for this year’s Emancipation observances in the village. I don’t know where he was with that project at the time of his death. I love you Mike. Go back to your ancestors and continue your work of the mind and of poor people looking to break free. This year’s Emancipation at Buxton Line Top would not be the same without your voice. But the first libation will be for you. Rootsman to bone. Artistic to the Core. And, yes Ras Michael Jeune earned and deserves a National Award for his contribution to Guyana. David Hinds
Monday April 25, 2016
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Obama, Merkel push for trade Kurdish forces to keep areas taken from Syrian government forces truce deal as foreign crises weigh Reuters - Kurdish security forces will keep territory taken from pro-government forces during a rare three-day outbreak of violence in a city in northeastern Syria, a truce announced by Kurdish authorities yesterday indicated. The fighting in Qamishli, near the Turkish border, disturbed a largely peaceful coexistence there between the Kurds’ Asayish internal security forces that control most of the city and pro-government forces holding the airport and part of its centre. During the fighting that broke out last Wednesday and was halted late Friday afternoon, Asayish forces seized the main prison and several government-controlled positions in the city.
The truce, which seemed to be holding yesterday, headed off possibly wider fighting between the pro-government forces and the Kurds, whose YPG militia is an important ally in the U.S.-led campaign against Islamic State on other fronts in Syria. A copy of the truce agreement seen by the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said “each side will keep the territory under its control”. Kurdish authorities and media said this meant territory taken from government control would not be returned. The agreement said that employees of the Syrian state must not be threatened, deprived of their salaries or recruited into joining “local protection units that belong to the regime”.
Pakistan’s Khan threatens protests against PM over Panama Papers Reuters - Pakistan opposition politician Imran Khan yesterday threatened fresh protests against Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, saying the leader had lost “moral authority” to rule after the Panama Papers leak had linked his family to offshore wealth. Khan has seized on the Panama Papers scandal as a fresh opportunity to try to unseat Sharif. The former cricketing hero staged protests in Islamabad for months in 2014 over alleged electoral fraud but failed to topple the prime minister. Addressing a crowd of tens of thousands in the capital Islamabad yesterday, Khan said an inquiry into the Panama Papers proposed by Sharif did not go far enough and demanded international forensic auditors be involved. “We want a commission that has an offshore branch, that has international investigators,” he told flagwaving supporters at an evening rally. Many had chanted “Go Nawaz, go”. Leaked documents from the Mossack Fonseca law firm in Panama this month showed
Imran Khan Sharif’s sons Hassan and Hussain, and daughter Maryam, owned at least three offshore holding companies registered in the British Virgin Islands. The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, which studied the papers, said those companies had engaged in at least $25 million in property and acquisition deals. Sharif has said his children have done nothing illegal, but opponents accuse the family of using the tax haven to launder stolen
money and dodge taxes. Sharif on Friday bowed to opposition demands for a Supreme Court appointed inquiry commission and said he would resign if it found wrongdoing. But Khan said Sharif had “lost the moral authority to rule” over the nation of about 190 million people. He called for more rallies in Sindh province and in Lahore, the prime minister’s political heartland, and threatened to march on Sharif’s residence if his demands regarding the inquiry were not met. The ruling party has dismissed Khan’s latest protests as opportunism and says the 2014 demonstrations against electoral rigging had damaged Khan’s credibility after election tribunals ruled that the 2013 poll was largely free and fair. “Imran is just really desperate for any kind of shortcut to becoming prime minister and with these leaks he thinks he’s hit the jackpot,” Muhammad Zubair, minister for privatisation and a member of the prime minister’s media team, told Reuters.
U.N. Security Council condemns North Korea submarine missile test UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - The United Nations Security Council yesterday condemned North Korea’s submarinelaunched ballistic missile test and expressed serious concern that such activities contributed to Pyongyang’s development of nuclear weapons delivery systems. North Korea (DPRK) said the missile test it conducted on Saturday under the supervision of leader Kim Jong Un had been a “great success” that provided “one more means for powerful nuclear attack.” “The members of the Security Council agreed that the Security Council would continue to closely monitor the situation and take further significant measures in line with the council’s previously expressed determination,” the council said in a statement. The submarine-launched ballistic missile
test is the latest in a string of recent demonstrations of military might that began in January with Pyongyang’s fourth nuclear test and included the launch of a long-range rocket in February. The tests have increased tension on the Korean peninsula and angered ally China. In March, the 15-member Security Council imposed harsh new sanctions on North Korea to starve it of money for its nuclear weapons programme. The council called on states to implement sanctions on North Korea, particularly the measures adopted in March. “The members of the Security Council emphasized that the DPRK’s development and testing of new ballistic missile capabilities, even if launches are failures, is clearly prohibited by these resolutions,” the council said.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel and U.S. President Barack Obama attend a news conference after their talks at Schloss Herrenhausen in Hanover, Germany yesterday. REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach Reuters - U.S. President Barack Obama said yesterday he would do whatever he could to advance a controversial trade deal with the European Union in his last eight months in office, but warned that time was running short. Obama has pushed to complete two trade agreements before his term ends on Jan. 20 - with Pacific nations and with the EU - but has run into a growing swell of populist concerns about the impact on jobs, consumer protections and the environment. “Time is not on our side,” he conceded to business leaders at the Hanover Messe, a massive industrial trade fair. “If we don’t complete negotiations this year, then upcoming political transitions in the United States and Europe would mean this agreement won’t be finished for quite some time.” Obama is in Germany to promote the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, but the issue was overshadowed by discussions on the crises in Syria, Ukraine and Libya when the two leaders met. Today, they are set to hold talks with British Prime Minister David Cameron, French President Francois Hollande and Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi on some of the same issues. But first, they had dinner in a 17th century palace with chief executives of some of the largest U.S. and German companies such as Microsoft, Dow, Lockheed Martin, Honeywell, BASF, Bayer and Siemens. Obama normally does not sit through lengthy opening ceremonies. But in a sign of the political capital he is spending on trade - and his
affection for Merkel - he took a front row seat for an unusual interpretative dance performance featuring robots, futuristic music and acrobatic break-dancing. The day before Obama arrived, thousands of protesters holding placards with slogans like “Stop TTIP” marched to express their opposition to the deal, and his motorcade whizzed past a few more as he drove through the north German city. Obama acknowledged his message about the benefits of trade has not broken though. “The benefits oftentimes are diffuse, whereas a particular plant or business that feels it’s been hurt by outside competition feels it very acutely,” he told reporters. Obama said he hoped the deal, which supporters say could boost economies on each side of the Atlantic by $100 billion, would be agreed this year. But final ratification will take more time. The Trans Pacific Partnership is first in the queue for the U.S. Congress, which is not clamouring to hold a final vote. Obama said that could change after the Democratic and Republican parties make
their final selections of candidates this summer. “When we’re in the heat of campaigns, people naturally are going to worry more about what’s lost than what’s gained with respect to trade agreements,” he said. Germany is the last stop on a six-day foreign tour where Obama has sought to shore up U.S. alliances he views as important not only for the economy but also to defeat Islamic State militants and counter Russian intervention in Syria and Ukraine. “Strong growth in Europe is particularly important given the array of pressing challenges - whether it’s security, defense, migration or refugees,” Obama said. Obama came to Germany from London where he urged Britons to vote to stay in the European Union in a closelywatched June referendum or face being at “the back of the queue” as a non-EU member hoping for a new trade deal with the U.S. Earlier in the week, he met with Gulf leaders in Riyadh to try to allay fears that Washington had become less committed to their security, especially after the nuclear deal with Iran, the regional rival of Saudi Arabia.
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Haiti misses deadline for presidential runoff PORTAU PRINCE, Haiti - (CMC) – Haiti has again missed the deadline for an election that was scheduled to be held yesterday. Although an election was scheduled for yesterday as stipulated in the February 5 political accord to transfer power from the caretaker government to an elected one, provisional President Jocelerme Privert told the Miami Herald that he expects an election calendar to be published by the end of May. His acknowledgment that an election would not be taking place comes amidst mounting pressure from the international community for Haiti to resume the electoral process and have an elected president in office by May 14. Last week, there was widespread speculation that the polls will not be held and spokesman for the Provisional Electoral Council
Jocelerme Privert (CEP) Richardson Dumel said the body would not create “a new crisis” in Haiti by rushing ahead to stage the elections. “There is no electoral environment favourable in Haiti at this time and for the third time, the second round is postponed indefinitely,”
Dumel then said. The two main candidates who were expected to contest the presidential elections did not sign a document outlining the terms of reference of the Independent Commission of Electoral Evaluation and Verification. Jovenel Moïse and Jude Célestin were not among representatives of political parties that signed and approved the terms of reference late last week. No reasons have been given for their absence but Celestin has in the past expressed deep concerns about vote-rigging and a lack of transparency by the CEP and is leading an opposition alliance alleging widespread fraud in favour of Moise, who has been viewed as the chosen successor to former president Michel Martelly. Martelly left office on February 7 without a successor being elected.
PNP returns to the grassroots to evaluate election loss
PNP general secretary Paul Burke, vice-president Angela Brown Burke, and deputy general secretary Julian Robinson after the party’s defeat at the polls on February 25. (Ricardo Makyn) The Gleaner - Supporters of the Opposition People’s National Party (PNP) are now gathered at the Jamaica Conference
Centre in downtown Kingston for grassroots discussions, as the party continues to assess its loss of the February 25 general elections. The session that has been dubbed “Comrades Grassroots Reasoning” is being organised by the party’s New Foundations Group, in association with New Foundations 95. The groups are part of the party’s powerful Region Three. Watchers say the open discussion is expected to be testy, as the party continues to reel from the loss. Both Kingston Mayor Angela BrownBurke and her husband, PNP GeneralSecretary Paul Burke, are major players in the New Foundations Group and New Foundations 95. Both Brown Burke and Burke are under pressure to demit their posts in the party. Brown-Burke is also one of four vice presidents of the PNP.
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Fixing families a 20,000-PLUS “ILLEGAL” priority says JAMAICANS COSTING T&T $$$ Education Minister KINGSTON, Jamaica – Minister of Education, Youth and Information Ruel Reid says that through a variety of initiatives, the National Parenting Support Commission (NPSC) has been reaching out to parents in an effort to fix families and curb child abuse. According to Reid, reports of child abuse to the Office of the Children’s Registry (OCR) point an “accusing finger” at the home or family as the main perpetrator. Minister Reid cited statistics collected by OCR for the period 2007 to 2014, which showed the two largest categories of child abuse as “neglect” with 27,155 reported cases followed by 21,532 cases of children “in need of care and protection”. Sexual abuse is the third largest category with 16,790 reported cases. He noted that, in the case of sexual abuse, it is generally known that a significant number of incidents occur within families or households. Reid made these disclosures on Saturday while addressing a gala in Florida to raise funds to protect children from abuse. The event was organised by the Nuh Go Deh Diaspora Task Force. The Education Minister argued that the abuse of children in homes often spills over into the school setting and present challenges to teachers and school administrators, as well as disrupt teaching and learning. He said as a result, the ministry has been reaching out to parents through the work of the NPSC.
Ruel Reid The Commission’s flagship initiative is the Effective Parenting Intervention Programme, which seeks to develop and strengthen parental skills and self-confidence, coping and problem solving skills. This programme also aims to empower parents by connecting them to resources and support systems and build family capacity, as well as connect home, school and community. Minister Reid invited members of the Jamaican Diaspora to lend their support to the critical work being carried out by the Parenting Commission. He anticipates that collaboration between this entity, the OCR and the Child Development Agency –now all in one ministry- will significantly improve the care, protection and education of children. While visiting Florida Minister Reid was presented with the keys to the city of Miramar by Mayor Wayne Messam. (Jamaica Observer)
Golden Euro Casino moves to Antigua Daily Observer - Over a decade after US sanctions nearly crippled Antigua’s online gaming industry, the country has reportedly attracted another online casino. The popular online Golden Euro Casino, designed especially for European players, has moved its gaming license to Antigua. Manager Robert Miller says Antigua is a well-known and reputable jurisdiction, and the license shows transparency in operations and provides security of the gaming software. A release from the company says Golden Euro Casino is now regulated by the Antigua Gaming Commission, an official licensing and regulating authority for gaming activity that has been operating since 1999. In 2003, Antigua and Barbuda took the US to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) after it stopped its citizens from accessing Internet gaming services based in Antigua. The WTO ruled in Antigua and Barbuda’s favour, but the US has never honoured the ruling, and a settlement has yet to be reached despite years of negotiations.
PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad – Trinidad and Tobago’s former national security minister is claiming that there are over 20,000 undocumented Jamaicans in the twin-island republic who are a burden on the country and costing government to lose out on half billion dollars every year. And, says Gary Griffith, the Keith Rowley administration must not be intimidated by “any foreign political party” in its efforts to safeguard its security and economic resources. His comments came on the heels of criticism in Jamaica and calls for a boycott of Trinidadian products, after Immigration officers at the Piarco International Airport in Trinidad refused entry to 12 Jamaicans last month. Trinidad and Tobago’s Foreign Affairs Minister Dennis Moses had explained that the Jamaicans who tried to enter the country on March 21 were sent back home because they were likely to become a charge on the public purse. However, Jamaica’s Opposition spokesman on foreign affairs, Anthony Hylton, called on the Andrew Holness-led government to take the matter before the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ). Griffith contended that
many Jamaicans refuse to leave the country after gaining entry under the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) free movement regime, and end up benefitting from state resources and getting jobs, or contributing to Trinidad and Tobago’s crime problem. “It is indeed alarming that the Jamaican Opposition would question the legitimate actions by our Immigration officers as they attempt daily to do their jobs, after being abused constantly by a few Jamaican nationals who attempt to enter our country without the appropriate requirements, and documentation,” he said in a statement on Friday. “It is because of this, that there are over 20,000 Jamaican Nationals who have done just that, by using the CSME angle to enter for six months, but then refuse to leave after that six-month period…These 20,000 Jamaicans alone [are] costing the State over TT$500 million (US$75.4 million) per annum in loss of State revenue. Griffith said that, as a result, some remain unemployed or turn to a life of crime; those who work are abused by their employers and paid below the minimum wage because they are in the country illegally, “hence taking a job away from a bona
Gary Griffith fide TT citizen who is unemployed”; and they get full use of State resources such as education, healthcare and other social services although they pay no taxes. “The Jamaican Opposition now challenges the law of our country, because of the recent protest by a few Jamaican nationals because they were denied entry to our country, which is simply a regurgitation of a situation where some feel that our Immigration officers are obliged to allow every Jamaican into our country at all times,” the former national security minister said. “Nothing is further from the truth, as with each case the officers have provided sufficient and legitimate
grounds for the entry denial. Our country has always welcomed all foreign nationals if they adhere to what is required, with less than three percent of Jamaican nationals being denied entry.” Pointing out that people trying to enter Trinidad and Tobago can be denied entry, under Section 8 (1) (h) of the Immigration Act, if they are deemed as a threat to national security or may be a liability to the public purse, Griffith argued that the twin-island republic was “too relaxed on the latter”, which has allowed certain CARICOM residents to abuse the automatic sixmonth stay rule. “It is not coincidental that the escalation in serious crime in our country has escalated at the same period when this CSME window of opportunity came into effect. There are many such persons from CARICOM who come here, not knowing where they are going to live, or work, but expect automatic entry. The response of some of these persons is alarming, as this is not the first time that a few Jamaican nationals have used this same nonsense of boycotting Trinidad products because our Immigration officers are doing their job. Simply put, they are totally out of place,” Griffith said. (Caribbean360)
Monday April 25, 2016
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Trail Blazers get back into series with Game 3 win Reuters (The Sports Xchange) - Guards Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum combined for 59 points to lift the Portland Trail Blazers past the Los Angeles Clippers 96-88 Saturday night at the Moda Center. Lillard scored 32 points and McCollum added 27 for the Trail Blazers, who sliced the Clippers’ lead in the best-of-seven first-round playoff series to 2-1. Center Mason Plumlee contributed six points and career playoff highs in rebounds (21) and assists (nine) for Portland, which plays host to Game 4 Monday night. Chris Paul scored 26 points and dished out nine assists for the Clippers, who also got 19 points from Jamal Crawford and 11 points and 16 rebounds from DeAndre Jordan. McCollum (17) and Lillard (16) combined for 33 points as Portland seized a 49-40 lead at intermission. Paul had 13 points and six assists for the Clippers, who shot only 38.3 percent from the field in the half. The Clippers closed the gap to 59-58 midway through the third quarter, and the Blazers settled for a 70-67 advantage heading into the final period. Austin Rivers’ fast-break layup gave the Clippers a 78-77 lead with 6:26 to go. The Blazers battled back to go ahead 81-78, but the Clippers regained the lead at 82-81 on Paul’s jumper with 4:25 left. Crawford followed with a three-point play to increase the margin
to 85-81 with 3:52 remaining. The Blazers answered with an 8-0 run. McCollum drew Portland within 85-84 on a 3-pointer with 3:31 to play. Lillard hit a runner to push the Blazers back ahead 86-85 with 2:42 to go. Jordan missed four straight free throws, and Mo Harkless converted a layup to up the lead to 88-85 with 2:02 left. McCollum sank one of two at the line to make it 89-85 with 1:19 remaining. Jordan made one of two free throws to cut it to 89-86 with 1:15 left, but Mo Harkless scored on a rebound dunk to hike the difference to 91-86 with 55.8 seconds to go. Plumlee made one of two at the line to make it 92-86 with 45.9 seconds to play, and Lillard wrapped it up with a pair of foul shots with 23.4 ticks left. Both teams had shaky starts offensively. The score was 8-8 midway through the first quarter when the Blazers went on a 9-2 run to go in front 17-10. The Clippers responded with a 9-0 spurt to go ahead 19-17. The Blazers took a 22-19 lead into the second quarter, with Lillard accounting for 12 points. Portland extended its advantage to 36-26 as McCollum got hot with eight quick points in the quarter. Al-Farouq Aminu’s 3-pointer upped the ante to 49-38 late in the quarter. It was a nine-point edge at the half, with the Clippers shooting just 38.3 percent from the field.
Portland Trail Blazers forward Maurice Harkless (4) dunks over Los Angeles Clippers guard Jamal Crawford (11) in the second half in game three of the first round of the NBA Playoffs at Moda Center at the Rose Quarter. (Jaime Valdez-USA TODAY Sports)
Ulloa double sends Leicester closer... From page 32 recent slight drop from the peaks of his dazzling season which makes him the favourite to lift the Professional Footballers’ Association player of the year award later on Sunday. Ulloa, Leicester’s then record 8 million-pound ($11.5 million) signing when he joined in 2014, had not started a game since January but with Vardy serving at least a onematch ban following his sending-off against West Ham United, the Argentine was in the mood to remind everyone again of his threat. When Danny Drinkwater delivered a fine free kick from wide on the left, Ulloa beat the unfortunate Williams to head
into the corner and, after a persistent run and cross by Jeffrey Schlupp on the hour, he slid in the third from close range. Ulloa received a rapturous ovation after he came off with a back injury but the King Power, by now in full party mode, could celebrate one final goal after Albrighton followed up fine work from substitute Demarai Gray to hammer in from close range five minutes from time. As the pressure has increased on them, Leicester have just kept delivering, whether it be through unsung squad players like Schlupp and Ulloa or stars like Mahrez, who, according to Ranieri, was the Foxes’
“light”. “Yes, I felt it a little bit,” conceded Mahrez, when asked if he felt pressure to deliver in Vardy’s absence. “But in this team, we don’t just need one player. It’s about the team spirit.” It is a spirit — and organisation — which has now seen them remain unbeaten in their last 14 home matches and keep 12 clean sheets in their last 17 league games. “We needed this win because it’s closer now,” said Mahrez before flying off with his team mates by helicopter to the PFA Awards celebrations in London. “Eight points clear, three to play, we have everything in our hands.”
Oklahoma City Thunder centre Enes Kanter (11) scores past Dallas Mavericks forward David Lee (42) and forward Dirk Nowitzki (41) during the fourth quarter in game four of the first round of the NBA Playoffs at American Airlines Centre. (Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports)
THUNDER CLOSE IN ON SEMI-FINAL SPOT
Reuters (The Sports Xchange) - The Oklahoma City Thunder are a step away from the Western Conference semi-finals. They showcased their superior talent and athleticism once again, leading wire-towire in a 119-108 victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Saturday at the American Airlines Center. Oklahoma City has not trailed since its Game 2 loss and it now enjoys a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series. The Thunder has a chance to close it out in Game 5 on Monday at home. Dallas faces long odds to overcome the series deficit, as only nine teams in NBA history have come back to win a best-of-seven playoff series after trailing 3-1. The Thunder were in control of Game 4 all night, never getting truly threatened by the Mavericks. Dallas had brief spurts to stay within striking distance, pulling within single-digits multiple times in the second half, but Oklahoma City always answered and had a multipossession lead in the final minutes. Enes Kanter led the charge for the Thunder with 28 points. Russell Westbrook
had 25 points and 15 assists, and Kevin Durant finished with 19 points on seven-for20 shooting. Durant was ejected from the game with less than a minute left after the officials called him for a “Flagrant two.” Durant had been trying to block a shot by Mavs guard Justin Anderson, but swiped across the rookie’s head instead of the ball. The ejection came on the heels of Dallas coach Rick Carlisle complaining about Durant and the Thunder for “nonbasketball physical escalations” in Game 3. For the Mavs, Dirk Nowitzki led the team with 27 points on 12-for-21 shooting. Raymond Felton and Wesley Matthews each scored 19 points. Dallas had an early blow when Deron Williams (sports hernia) returned to the starting lineup, but lasted only 89 seconds before reaggravating his injury. But the Mavs didn’t go away quietly and showed fight. The most telling moment early on came at the 11:31 mark in the second quarter. Thunder guard Randy Foye threw the ball away and into the hands of reserve
GAY CONFIRMED From page 31 champion Rasheed Dwyer, Canadian sprint sensation Andre De Grasse, former World Record holder Asafa Powell and American World Championships and Olympic Games gold medallist Sanya Richards-Ross. All four members of the Jamaica women’s 4x400m team that won the gold medal at the World Championships last year, led by bronze medallist Shericka Jackson and including former winners Novlene Williams-Mills, Stephenie-Ann McPherson and Christine Day are also down to compete at the event.
Anthony Morrow on the bench. Mavs center Salah Mejri went to retrieve the ball from Morrow, who played a game of keep-away with Mejri before tossing it toward an official. That didn’t sit well with Mejri or guard J.J. Barea, and a light scuffle and words were exchanged between the two teams. Officials spent about six minutes reviewing the incident and decided to slap the Thunder bench with a delay of game penalty, and issued technical fouls to Mejri and Westbrook. Mejri had a solid night for the Mavs, but it was cut short when he exited in the fourth quarter with a right hip injury.
From page 22
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Kaieteur News
Monday April 25, 2016
Lions win despite Kolkata Knight Riders batting Kohli’s maiden T20 ton depth delivers last-over win Virat Kohli is animated in celebration after reaching his century off the last ball of the innings, Gujarat Lions v Royal Challengers Bangalore, IPL 2016, Rajkot, April 24, 2016 ©AFP
ESPNcricinfo - Virat Kohli is a calculating batsman. It shows in the way he plays pure cricketing shots and maximises their impact by picking gaps. He was furious at himself after scoring 80 in Royal Challengers Bangalore’s victory two days ago because he thought he should have used 10 balls fewer. A man so in tune with his game insisted he never thought he would score a hundred today. But he did; his first in T20 cricket, achieved by hitting a wide yorker for four off the final ball of the innings. Thereafter, he wouldn’t have thought his team would lose. But they did, after putting up 180 - a total Kohli thought was 25 runs above par. There are not many batsmen who can go toe-totoe with the Royal Challengers captain. He averages 110 and strikes at 141 in Twenty20s this year. So Gujarat Lions had to work together, and work as perfectly as possible. The Rajkot pitch was slow and strokeplay wasn’t particularly easy. With the new ball, however, you can always bank on runs. Brendon McCullum and Dwayne Smith, who replaced Dale Steyn belted 72 in the Powerplay - a record for this season - to provide a fine start to the chase. Suresh Raina and Dinesh Karthik built a sensible halfcentury stand - using the long boundaries at the SCA stadium to scamper twos to keep the asking rate in check. Karthik, who was 28 off 26 when that partnership was broken in the 16th over, accelerated to 50 off 39 and was unbeaten when the winning runs were struck with three balls to spare.
Royal Challengers had a chance to remove Karthik in the 18th over, Kane Richardson deceived the him with a slower ball but was unable to hold on to the return catch. An equation of 26 off 16 balls could have been taxing on a new batsman. As such, the set batsman Karthk kept finding the gaps, a fresh Ravindra Jadeja made sure the twos kept coming and the chasing team won for a 16th time in 19 IPL matches this year. After opting to bat, Royal Challengers lost Shane Watson early when he skied an offcutter from Dhawal Kulkarni to Jadeja running in from sweeper cover. But Kohli and de Villiers put up their fifth fifty-plus stand in as many innings to regain the advantage. Kohli was sublime on the drive, especially through the covers where he found 30 runs. He was equally adept with the flick through
midwicket - 37 runs came from that region. De Villiers, much like the sell-out crowd, was quite content to watch. The duo put on 51 off 36, but the show came to a premature end when de Villiers chipped an innocuous delivery from legspinner Pravin Tambe to short cover. The tempo of the innings began to falter. KL Rahul struggled for timing and his captain had sprained his ankle while turning for a second run. But Kohli has said he trains so that fitness issues do not affect his performance. At the World T20, after a phenomenal innings to beat Australia in the league stage he said, “I like to play for when I’m tired, I should be able to run as fast as when I’m on zero.” Today after an innings of 100 not out off only 63 balls on an injured leg, he said “that was where fitness counts, the other muscles took over.” The last five overs yielded 65 runs for Royal Challengers, as Rahul recovered to post 51 off 35 balls, with three sixes. Kohli slapped Bravo for six, four and four off the last three legal deliveries to push the total to 180. Smith responded with 32 off 21, including three fours and two sixes, McCullum pillaged 25 runs off the sixth over and Lions had dragged the required rate down to 7.78. South Africa’s chinaman bowler Tabraiz Shamsi did well to keep Royal Challengers’ hopes up with his 4-0-21-1, but the his teammates leaked158 runs in 16 overs. Scores: Gujarat Lions 182 for 4 (Karthik 50*, McCullum 42) beat Royal Challengers Bangalore180 for 2 (Kohli 100*, Rahul 51*) by six wickets.
Dinesh Karthik guides one to the off side, Gujarat Lions v Royal Challengers Bangalore, IPL 2016, Rajkot, April 24, 2016 ©BCCI
Suryakumar Yadav plays a stylish inside-out loft, Rising Pune Supergiants vs Kolkata Knight Riders, IPL 2016, Pune, April 24, 2016. (BCCI) ESPNcricinfo - Before Sunday, Kolkata Knight Riders had won three games out of three while bowling first. On Sunday, they chased again, won again, and went top of the table in a tournament where chasing teams had won 17 out of 20 matches. Chasing 161, they were coasting at 111 for 3 before they slumped dramatically, losing five wickets in 30 balls, and only sealed victory when Umesh Yadav struck a meaty straight six with five runs needed off the last four balls. Knight Riders’ slump began in the 15th over, when Rajat Bhatia’s stump-to-stump line, and Yusuf Pathan’s across-the-line response, ended a 51-run stand for the fourth wicket with Suryakumar Yadav. That partnership, coming on the back of Suryakumar’s stands of 31 and 29 with Gautam Gambhir and Shakib Al Hasan, had taken Knight Riders to a position where they needed 50 off the last 34 balls, with six wickets in hand. But when M Ashwin struck in the next over, defeating Suryakumar with a ripping googly, and particularly when Andre Russell - who struck two big sixes off Ankit Sharma in the 17th over - holed out to a slower ball from Thisara Perera, a one-sided contest turned into a thriller. Knight Riders kept in touch with the required rate with a boundary whenever they needed it, but they also kept losing wickets. In the end, they had Nos. 9 and 10 at the crease when Umesh slogged Perera high over long-on. In his post-match interview, MS Dhoni said he was happy with Supergiants’ total of 160, and thought his spinners had given the match away by bowling too full on a slow pitch offering plenty of turn. There were six sixes hit off the Supergiants spinners, and all six came off balls that were in the slot for lofted hits. It was a definite contrast to the way the Knight Riders spinners had operated, largely bowling just short of a good length, and extracting generous turn that made it hard to hit down the ground or against the break. Ajinkya Rahane came into the match with two half-centuries in his last four innings, and demonstrated his silky form with an effortless flicked six off Morne Morkel in the third over of the Supergiants innings, and two fours off the next six balls he faced. The introduction of Shakib Al Hasan, in the fourth over, revealed the extent of turn available, as he straightened one from wide of the crease to clip Faf du Plessis’ off stump. With Shakib bowling three overs by the end of the eighth over, and Gambhir introducing Piyush Chawla early as well, Rahane and
Steven Smith spent a fair amount of time negotiating balls turning away from them, and sharply at that. They were busy in this period, working the ball into gaps and running frantically, and had put on 56 in 8.2 overs when Smith was needlessly run out, backing up too far down the pitch. Dhoni sent in the left-handed Perera and Albie Morkel ahead of him, and they both made cameos, hitting three sixes between them to lift the run rate alongside Rahane, who hit a couple of sixes as well, off Chawla and Umesh in the 16th and 17th over. Rahane’s dismissal at the start of the 18th over brought in Dhoni, and the Supergiants captain punished a wayward Morne Morkel in the final over, pulling him for six and four either side of a whipped boundary manufactured off a leg-stump yorker. Supergiants had taken 17 off the last over, and 70 off the last six. Albie, playing his first match for Supergiants, showed he had a fair idea of how to bowl on this pitch when he struck with his first ball, a slower offcutter that clanged into Robin Uthappa’s front pad in front of off stump. But his brother Morne’s tendency to bowl short also rubbed off on him, and Gambhir and Suryakumar hit him for three fours over the remainder of an eventful first over. When Albie overcompensated and fed Suryakumar two overpitched balls in the third over, Knight Riders were racing along at 29 for 1. But they lost Gambhir against the run of play, when he turned for a non-existent second run, and Supergiants were back in the contest. With M Ashwin and Ankit forming an inexperienced two-thirds of Supergiants’ spin attack, Dhoni needed R Ashwin to be at his best. But it wasn’t his day. Introduced in the fourth over, he struggled to find the right line, length and pace to bowl on this pitch. He bowled three leg-side wides that spun from outside off stump, fed two balls in Suryakumar’s six-hitting slot, went around the wicket to try and change his luck, and did all of this in the space of two overs. Two overs was all he would bowl. Dhoni ignored opportunities to use him outside the Powerplay, perhaps unwilling to use him against a succession of right-handed Knight Riders batsmen, but it showed, not for the first time in recent months, a lack of trust in a proven, experienced spinner. Scores: Kolkata Knight Riders 162 for 8 (Suryakumar 60, Yusuf 36, Bhatia 2-19) beat Rising Pune Supergiants 160 for 5 (Rahane 67, Smith 31) by two wickets.
Monday April 25, 2016
Colts win first nat’l basketball title By Edison Jefford Colts United won its first national basketball title Saturday night at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall when they defeated Linden’s Retrieve Raiders in the third Road to Mecca National Club Championships. Shelroy Thomas poured in 23 points to help Colts secure the blowout 75-55 win in their second attempt at the title. Their first try on March 19 came to an abrupt halt when Raiders walked off the court in the fourth quarter. With new systems in place, including a full FIBA accredited officiating crew, Colts up-tempo offence obliterated Raiders in the second half of the well attended game. Apart from Thomas, centre Shane Webster and guard Kurt English scored 11 points each and junior sensation, Stanton Rose 10 points and 11 rebounds to complete a good all-round effort. For Raiders, centre Jason Alonzo had 11 points while Keon Cameron scored 10 points. English finished a fast break lay-up to put Colts up 2321, but Keon Cameron nailed a three-pointer to return the lead to Raiders. Neil Marks then hit a jumper with clock winding down to give Raiders a 32-29 lead at halftime. Down 31-32, Rose dropped a huge three-pointer to put Colts up 34-32 with 7:39 to play in the third period. Then Thomas finished a jumper to further extend Colts lead. Thomas scored six straight points to further push Colts ahead. Thomas scored six straight points to close out the third period ahead 50-37. A full court press and offensive blitz led Colts to 60-40 lead with 7:00 to play in the fourth quarter. Colts continued on their run to close out the game.
GAY CONFIRMED American added to men’s 100m at JII meet Tyson Gay will line up in the 100m. Christian Petersen.
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Kaieteur News
GTC HORSE RACE MEET
A representative from Ansa McAl (right) presents the winning trophy to a member of the Liquid Lion connections yesterday.
LIQUID LION SCORCHES FIELD TO TAKE FEATURE EVENT Liquid Lion ridden by eventual champion jockey Mark Wills led from start to finish taking the feature H & Lower Class in the Georgetown Turf Club (GTC) Race Meet which was held yesterday, at the Mocha Arcadia facility, East Bank Demerara. The race, which was reduced to four horses for a top prize of $150,000, saw Liquid Lion quickly taking up the running on the rails as they passed the Grand Stand with Wills moving the horse nicely along ahead of Red Jet, who was tucked in behid. As they took the first turn Liquid Lion was asked to produce more with Red Jet right in contention and the two hit the back straights neck and neck, but Liquid Lion clearly looked the stronger of the two and as
- Wills named champion jockey they hit the homestretch jockey Wills asked for more and he responded with a quick turn of speed to increase his lead and romped home by five lengths for an impressive victory. Red Jet, who had registered a win earlier in the day in the K & Lower event over five furlongs, held on for second to crown a solid day after returning from a lengthy lay-off. In the day’s opener before a large crowd, Something Special produced a performance of name and nature with a comfortable win by about four lengths for Unclassified horses over five furlongs. Red Jet then carted off the
K & Lower race from Quincy and Red Region in that order, while in the Cart Horse race that folowed, Showtime came home ahead of Lil Kevin and Strike a Lightning. In the L & Lower Class, also over five furlongs Red Region proved too good for the field, coming home ahead of Blue Lightning, while Quincy and Confusion were declared joint third after the stewards decided it was a deadheat. In the two years old for maidens, the impressive Dirty Man scorched the field to win by eight lenths ahead of Go Happily. Speaking after the day’s races, Promoter Michael Sims described the event as a huge
success and pointed to the upcoming Independence Meet where he is hoping to attract even more entries. He thanked all the sponsors that came on board including Ansa McAl McAl under its Stag and Carib Beers, Delmur Shipping, Jumbo Jet Auto Sales, Trophy Stall, Nand Persaud & Company, Kris Jagdeo Construction, Attorney-atLaw Poonai, Mohamed Salim Khan, Denis De Roop, Simply Royal Racing Stables, Justice Cecil Kennard among others. Special mention was also made to the turfites, owners and most of all the fans from the community of Mocha Arcadia who came out in large support of the Meet.
Showtime winner of the Cart Horse race crosses the finish line way ahead of the field. Jamaica Observer - American Tyson Gay has been added to the men’s 100m field for the May 7 Jamaica International Invitational, an IAAF World Challenge meet at the National Stadium, the organisers have confirmed to the Jamaica Observer. Gay, the World Championships sprint double gold medallist in 2007 in Osaka, Japan, joins his compatriots Mike Rogers and Ryan Bailey, who were earlier confirmed in the short sprint. The 33-year-old American whose personal best 9.69 seconds makes him the second fastest man of all times behind Jamaica’s Usain Bolt, was in Jamaica last year but did not run. He had lined up in 2013 but was disqualified after he false-started in the race that was won by Nesta Carter. A number of big name athletes have been confirmed for the meet including Jamaica’s World and Olympic champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce; World Championships 100m hurdles gold medallist Danielle Williams, World Championships 200m silver medallist Elaine Thompson, who also added an Indoor 60m bronze last month, Commonwealth Games 200m Continued on page 29
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Monday April 25, 2016
Kaieteur News
Brilliant Kipchoge and brave Sumgong light up London
Great Britain’s Prince Harry poses with the winner of the men’s race Kenya’s Eliud Kipchoge and the women’s race Jemima Sumgong. (Action Images via Reuters / Paul ChildsLivepic) LONDON (Reuters) Eliud Kipchoge produced the second fastest run in marathon history to
successfully defend his London Marathon title while his Kenyan compatriot Jemima Sumgong showed
remarkable courage after a fall to win the women’s race on Sunday. There was sheer brilliance from the elegant Kipchoge, who retained his crown in a course record 2 hours 3 minutes 5 seconds and looked faintly disappointed to finish an agonizing eight seconds outside Dennis Kimetto’s landmark of 2:02:57. From Sumgong, though, there was nothing but bravery as the 31-year-old picked herself up after banging her head on the ground when she was tripped at a water station eight kilometers from the finish. Astonishingly, the experienced Kenyan battled back into contention and prevailed in a duel with last year ’s winner, Ethiopia’s Tigist Tufa, for her first major marathon title since Rotterdam three years ago. Kipchoge, the former teenage track phenomenon whose performance confirmed him as one of the
Ulloa double sends Leicester closer to title (Reuters) Leicester City were in touching distance of a fairytale first Premier League title after Leonardo Ulloa’s double helped them outclass Swansea City 4-0 at a delirious King Power Stadium on Sunday. The Foxes’ dream of completing their surreal journey from 5,000-1 nohopers to English champions felt more tantalisingly real after 10 minutes when Ashley Williams’s careless clearance gifted Riyad Mahrez his 17th goal of the season. Ulloa, filling in for Leicester’s suspended top scorer Jamie Vardy, then took centre stage. He headed home the second and tapped in a third on the hour as the Foxes cruised while their fans
merrily sang: “Are you watching, Tottenham?” The Spurs faithful who were watching could only sigh as substitute Marc Albrighton smashed in a fourth in the dying minutes to confirm Leicester’s eightpoint lead over the secondplaced Londoners. Should Tottenham lose their game in hand at home to West Bromwich Albion on Monday, the Foxes, who need five points from their last three games to take the title, could even be crowned champions next Sunday with victory at Manchester United. “I told them we have a dream and now we have to fight to make a dream reality,” Leicester manager Claudio Ranieri said.
greatest all-round talents seen in endurance running, won his sixth of seven marathons with a sublime display. In cool conditions perfect for a stellar field, Kipchoge demolished his opponents one by one as they could not live with the world-record pace. He finally broke away from fellow Kenyan, New York champion Stanley Biwott, in the final three kilometers. The 31-year-old powered home to beat Biwott by 46 seconds and shatter Kenyan Wilson Kipsang’s course record of 2:04:29. In third place was Ethiopian distance great Kenenisa Bekele, who was over three and a half minutes behind the champion in 2:06:36. World record holder Kimetto finished ninth in 2:11:44. Kipchoge admitted that he realized his shot at the world
record was probably gone when he slowed between the 30km and 40 km marks. “I think I lost 30 seconds there but I’m still happy I ran the course record,” he said. STELLAR FIELD Usually these days, any revision to the world marathon marks are expected to happen on the recordfriendly Berlin course, so there is an argument that Kipchoge’s was the best marathon performance ever on the more challenging London circuit. Asked if the world record time was now within his grasp, he smiled: “Exactly.” Kipchoge was even more delighted that, in a race which was effectively doubling as an Olympic trial for a stellar field of Kenyan athletes, he must have confirmed his place for Rio de Janeiro, where he will start a hot favorite. “I’ll be more than happy
when I hear my name,” he said. Sumgong hit her head after she was clipped from behind in a collision that also saw Ethiopian Aselefech Mergia and Kenya’s two-time winner Mary Keitany tumble. Yet even though she ended up rubbing her head in pain as she got to her feet, she still chased down the leaders and eventually o u t d u e l l e d l a s t y e a r ’s surprise winner Tufa by five seconds. The great Russian-born American racer Tatyana McFadden won the women’s wheelchair marathon for a fourth successive year while Switzerland’s Marcel Hug took the equivalent men’s title for the second time in three years. The millionth finisher in the race’s 35-year history also crossed the line on The Mall, although his or her identity will not be confirmed until the results have been studied.
Spurs beat Grizzlies 116-95 in Game Four to sweep series
On such a nerve-racking afternoon for his side, playing for the first time in 45 matches without talisman Vardy in their starting lineup, an early settler was required yet few imagined Swansea captain Williams would be the one to provide it. Under no pressure on the edge of his own box, he picked out a surprised Mahrez with a lazy clearance and, though there was a suspicion of handball from the Algerian, he finished brilliantly, shaping to curl a left-footer into the far corner but instead beating Lukasz Fabianski at his near post. DAZZLING SEASON It signalled a return to his best from Mahrez after a Continued on page 29
San Antonio Spurs forward LaMarcus Aldridge (12) posts up against Memphis Grizzlies guard Vince Carter (15) during the first half in game four of the first round of the NBA Playoffs at FedExForum. (Justin Ford-USA TODAY Sports)
Leonardo Ulloa scores the third goal for Leicester City. (Action Images via Reuters / Jason CairnduffLivepic)
Reuters (The Sports Xchange) - Kawhi Leonard scored 21 points and LaMarcus Aldridge posted a double-double as the San Antonio Spurs cruised to a 116-95 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday to sweep their best-of-seven first-round playoff series. Leonard added seven rebounds, four assists, two blocks and a steal to his day’s work while Aldridge finished with 15 points and 10 rebounds. Point guard Tony Parker chipped in 16 points. The Grizzlies were beset by injuries this season, including those to center Marc Gasol and point guard Mike Conley. They used an NBA-record 28 players. When including the end of the regular season, they lost 14 of their
last 15 games. Blown out by the Spurs in the first two games in San Antonio, the Grizzlies carried a one-point lead into the fourth quarter of Game Three and lost by nine points. On Sunday in Game Four, the Spurs led by only two points at halftime. But they dominated the third quarter 37-21 and were up 84-66 going into the fourth and led by as many as 25 points in the final frame. Earlier, in the second quarter, the stadium in Memphis experienced a power surge and lights over the court went out. The game was stopped for 19 minutes, but that only proved a minor delay to San Antonio’s sweep.