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Kaieteur News
Saturday April 02, 2016
Kaieteur News Printed and Published by National Media & Publishing Company Ltd. 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown, Guyana. Publisher: GLENN LALL Editor: Adam Harris Tel: 225-8465, 225-8491. Fax: 225-8473, 226-8210
EDITORIAL
The political divide The local media houses are not known for conducting surveys. For one there are not many with the capability to prepare the surveys. Having found someone who could do that then there is the task of finding people to conduct the surveys and another group to analyse the findings. It is not that there are no agencies that do surveys. For example the Bureau of Statistics conducts population surveys and analyse the data. That entity can tell how many people are employed in the public service, how many are self-employed, how many households exist in Guyana, the ethnic composition of the country and just about everything one needs to know about the country and its people. One may argue that the newspapers in Guyana could contract out surveys to determine their popularity or what they need to do in either to maintain or increase their readership. But every so often the newspapers, either wittingly or unwittingly, would do something that would reveal the extent of their popularity. Each day the various newspapers would tally their print and their distribution. In cases where there are returns then the newspaper would have to wait until these returns are submitted before actually assessing the extent of the publication for that day. There are times when the newspapers would get calls ahead of time because of something sensational that happened before the actual print. But there are things that would spark a mad rush for the newspaper. On April Fools’ Day, Kaieteur News ran a story that was so sensational that the telephone lines between Guyana and numerous other countries, the various social media, the local telephone lines and of course the spit press went into high gear. In any country, such a story would have caused a shrug at best or a raised eyebrow at worst. People expect changes in the political landscape. However, this story actually revealed how divided the local landscape is. It read that former President Donald Ramotar had joined the government and that other members of the People’s Progressive Party had been absorbed in the ranks, one of them being the General Secretary of the PPP, Clement Rohee. All day people simply called each other and started discussions. There was talk of angry people mouthing off in minibuses and other forms of public transport as they made their way to work. People kept calling the newspapers to confirm the veracity of the news report. We would suppose that former President Donald Ramotar would have received the most telephone calls to be followed by his party headquarters. These calls would most likely have come from people who would have not only have been shocked but disappointed that the move by a man who once held the highest position on the PPP, a man who once occupied the highest office in the land by way of the PPP and a man who up until a few weeks ago, was urging his party members and supporters to stand firm against the government, would not have gone to join the very government. At the same time, there were supporters of the government who would have been incensed that the coalition, knowing what it suffered at the hands of the government, would now seek to go to bed with the people it once saw as its oppressors. Both the PPP and the coalition parties have their diehard supporters and from the reaction, none wants anything to do with the other. What started out as a harmless joke by Kaieteur News has exposed the political chasm in Guyana. One can safely conclude that all the uttering about a national front government or David Granger’s talk about a government of national unity would fly no better that a bumblebee on one wing. Suffice it to say that the news report about Donald Ramotar and Clement Rohee joining the coalition has been the most read article in yesterday’s issue; it has also been the April Fools’ joke to take root more deeply than any before it.
Georgetown must be almost impeccable for the Jubilee visitors DEAR EDITOR, In the press recently there have been reports that Guyanese nationals residing in the United States who plan to travel home for the celebration of the nation’s Golden Jubilee of Independence in May 2016 are expressing concerns about crime here. The reports go on to say that over twenty-five thousand nationals from the US alone, plan to travel home around the period of the Jubilee celebrations, but that media report creates the perception that crime is pervasive and unrestrained in Guyana. It is clear that the Guyana Police Force and the Georgetown City Police Department have their work cut out for them, not only beefing up their presence around the hotels nightclubs, shopping district, other entertainment venues, famous landmarks and popular
watering holes, but with the bed and breakfast programme these visitors will also be residing in the suburban residential areas which will need added protection. One bad experience can put a damper on the entire celebration. But, just as important, there is a lot to be desired of the Georgetown City Council as they failed to prepare to receive these visitors, including eradicating the mosquito infestation in the city. In the month of May the weather will be wetter and hotter than usual in our tropical city, providing a more hospitable climate for the mosquito. There is need for some control to be exercised over the chaotic minibus and public transportation situation in the city, where touts will be harassing potential passengers pulling and tugging at them every which way. Will these visitors be confronted
with roadside barbers, manicurists and pedicurists? With roadside food vendors who are not being regulated or certified as food handlers? Will they be bombarded by these music carts booming pirated CD’s? And just as importantly will they encounter the omnipresence of junkies, beggars and pavement dwellers? I hope something can be done in time for our 50th. And what is being done about the cattle and other stray animals? Will the visitors have to encounter and navigate around them? There persons are not accustomed to meandering around animals in the city. Will there be three card trick men on the pavement waiting to cheat them out of their money? The question is will City Hall get their act together in time for the Golden Jubilee? Nadine Jerrick
Clinton Urling faults the Granger Administration for poor planning DEAR EDITOR; As we approach one year of the Granger Administration, and with a sluggish economy and persistent worries by the working and private sector class, one is left to ponder why hasn’t the government articulated a coherent and comprehensive economic vision for its current full term in office? Besides snippets of economic intention and remedies at the previous two budgetary presentations and disjointed remarks from various portfolio Ministers, we are yet to see presented to the Guyanese public a 4 to 5 year economic plan. Instead of the ad hoc approaches and reliance on short bursts of cash circulation through periods of high consumer spending (e.g. Christmas,
Easter, 50th Anniversary), the primary focus should be on identifying the main constraints facing our economy and applying the appropriate policy prescriptions to address those constraints in an order of addressing the most salient first. For example, it is clear that our primary and commodities sectors cannot be relied on and that diversification to high value added products are essential. The government needs to identify the main barriers to diversifying the economic basket and apply policies to address. This could mean the establishment of training institutions for entrepreneurs and manufacturers, working with commercial banks to reduce rates for manufacturers, establishing a development bank,
offering tax concessions for manufacturers and new start-ups, establishment electricity exemptions and tariff reductions, etc… Similarly, the public service wage negotiations should also be encapsulated in this long-term model and be concluded hastily. Instead of annual increases, a four to five years negotiated salary structure should be arrived at forthwith with the workers’ unions. Knowing this cost upfront helps to make government planning efforts easier. Many are nervous about the current state of the economy and the government is not doing us, or itself, and justice by not tackling this in a more strategic manner. Clinton Urling
Royston King must accept criticism with an open mind DEAR EDITOR; Constructive criticism must be accepted with the deserved smile and strive towards rectifying the situation, since self-criticism is just a phase of appraisal or evaluation. As a consequence Editor, Mr. Royston King, was once described as the most qualified individual to fill the vacancy of Town Clerk. This was when the position was previously vacant, prior to the previous government, appointing the estranged “Iron Lady” Ms. Carol Sooba. My, oh my, here we go again! Indeed, herein lies another typical example of estrangement, to the extent that the King (Royston) girded in royalty, like a “Knight in shining Armour” has been stripped bare, compassion and tolerance; with oppression and ingratitude as surpassing replacements!
Editor, the astronomical increase by 500% in stand rent on the Merriman’s Mall for vendors, remains unconscionable. Likewise, the construction of stands on Orange Walk, between Robb & Regent Streets, from all indications are for friends “the rich and famous. That none of the displaced vendors from Bourda Street, who willingly relocated to Orange Walk, was given preference for rental/purchase. M a y b e , K i n g ’s k n o w l e d g e o f accountability, economics and prudent financial management would be an asset to SARU or GRA. But definitely not the MCC. By the way, what consideration is being given to the few vendors that sell basically dasheen and tannia, or the elderly woman that sells chocolate sticks, starch and salted fish? Obviously, their businesses will come to a screeching halt, since more than
likely the volume of sales cannot sustain rental and profitability. Finally, with the additional construction of stands in Orange Walk, as an additional source of revenue, who is responsible for an ongoing construction between North Road and Robb Street? Did it receive approval from the Enginee and Sanitation Department? This I ask, since a distance of approximately 4 feet to the northern side exists, with a transformer affixed to a lamp-post. Meanwhile, with the circulated rumors that: “Chicken would be sold there” is this compatible with health regulations, moreover, with garbage receptacles, including a compactor less than a 100 feet away being a permanent fixture? It would be prudent for the Town Clerk, via the P.R.O to provide the relevant answers! Lester Sealey
Saturday April 02, 2016
Kaieteur News
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Tribute to a fine Waiting in vain to travel Guyanese who has died on the Essequibo River DEAR EDITOR, The Special Committee on Constitutional Reform convened by the Honourable Prime Minister was plunged into a state of shock and deep mourning when we leant of the very tragic passing of William Haslyn Parris. Haslyn was a critical member of the Committee whose contributions and deliberations were always incisive,
deep, masterful and invaluable. The Committee benefitted from his immense institutional knowledge, profound appreciation of the political, social and economic history of our society and keen interest in the future of our country. Haslyn was possessed of a fine mind. Our work will be severely curtailed by his absence. We offer our most pro-
found sympathies to his family on the loss of this great son of the soil. A book of condolence will be opened in his memory at the Chambers of Hughes Fields and Stoby where the Committee met every Friday. May his soul soar forever. C.A. Nigel Hughes. Convenor Special Committee on Constitutional Reform
DEAR EDITOR; It was lovely to see the smiles on the faces of the children in the picture in the papers, as they received the kites from the Government Ministers. But how lovlier a picture it would have been and lovlier the skies if those had been our beautifully hand-crafted, unique Guyanese kites, instead of the imported plastic ones, thus supporting and encouraging our local craft makers. I note that some private entities did distribute
locally made kites. Congratulations to them. It would be a step towards promoting our unique culture and motivating our children, by holding workshops prior to Easter, engaging the services of skilled kite makers to teach the children to make their own kites - to choose either a climbing loop or a pulling loop or a combination of both, or to make a ‘singing engine’ that will out sing all others. This could be done in small groups in the communities. I am sure that many of
your readers can recall the joy of seeing their own speciallymade kites climbing, then flying, singing merrily in the sky. Teaching the art of kite making will ensure that this wonderful tradition lives on and should not take business away from those who make and sell kites as there will always be those who prefer to buy. If this is implemented, we should see our skies at Easter, filled once more with thousands of beautiful handcrafted Guyanese kites. Joan Collins
DEAR EDITOR, Though I cannot be considered a Taphophile by any stretch of the imagination, I have always had an abiding interest in the Bourda Cemetery which is an eighteenthcentury graveyard formerly known as “Bourda’s Walk”, and which is the oldest cemetery in Georgetown, the only surviving plantation cemetery in the city, and therefore a facility that must be considered a national landmark and treated accordingly. I would wish to give to give some applause to City Hall for weeding and clearing this cemetery and for painting the fence. That cemetery was in a deplorable state for many years which is a statement of what the surrounding community values. However this is merely the beginning and therefore it is my hope that the Council does not think that weeding and painting the fence was all that was necessary at this graveyard and therefore it is mission accomplished. Cemeteries all over the world lure visitors with a combination of natural beauty, ornate tombstones and crypts, notable residents, and vivid history. Bourda should be no different. Many prominent people from the
Guyana’s colonial era are buried in Bourda cemetery, including William Booker, John Croal (the first Mayor of Georgetown), John Patoir and Peter Rose However the current condition of the tombs there can only be described as shocking and appalling. Most if not all are desecrated to the point that they are broken into pieces whilst some are a mere pile of loose bricks. This is due to the gratuitous and purposeless destruction by vandals over the years aided of the humid tropical climate and an army of variegated insects. To add insult to injury, there have been several attempts to obliterate this facility over the years, including proposals to embark on the construction of a road through this cemetery, the use of the site for housing vendors, for building a shopping mall there and even a garden. Hopefully this municipal administration does not get any ideas of converting it
into another money making venture as they seem less concerned about heritage and more about making a dollar. Notwithstanding the aforementioned however, there is an injunction in place that was granted by the court, and the other fact is that the Mayor and City Council does not own this particular burial ground, but under the statutes it only has custodial responsibilities in relation to it. In the interest of preserving the capital’s patrimony nevertheless I would like to suggest that the Council does two things. One immediately hold public consultations and discussions to glean from the citizens their views on how the facility should be preserved moving forward and two commence rehabilitating the space in a way which retains its original purpose, and at the same time provides a pleasant environment and historical information for citizens, children and tourists alike. Riley Matthews
We must at all times patronage local industries
Restoring the graveyard of our Dutch ancestors
DEAR EDITOR, Have you ever arrive four or more hours early for an event only to be told later that you can’t attend? Well I have been in this situation too often with the Transport and Harbour Department Ferry Service (Parika-Supenaam). I am hoping with our new government this issue will be rectified. Travelling between Supenaam and Parika with a vehicle via the ferry service is one of the most excruciatingly painful situations one can face; it is mentally and physically exhausting. When the new ferries had just arrived there was a booking system where one can come and book their vehicle license plate number in advance to guarantee them self a space on the boat; a few months later this booking system was forgotten and the bullying and bribery system took over. On Good Friday last I arrived at the Parika wharf at 12:30 am to ensure my space on the boat that was scheduled to leave at 5 am. Imagine sitting in your car all the time in a line only to be told at 3:45 am that you cannot get on the boat as there were ‘priority’ vehicles that needed to be loaded. When I questioned the personnel as to what exactly are these ‘priority’ vehicles and what gives these persons ‘priority’ over other people who have been waiting for hours I was greeted with a face which I do not wish to describe. A few minutes later myself along with other drivers who have been waiting for hours could vividly see drivers who had just arrived ‘pass a lil something’ and were allowed to board the boat. I refused to fall prey to a system of bullying and bribery so I sat in my vehicle and looked on as people were given preference because they could buy their way through. I was the sixth person in line at the gate and I could have easily gotten onto that boat if bribery didn’t play apart and fairness was taken into consideration. About 15 to 20 vehicles passed by me and were given entrance as they paid up. As I sat there I thought to myself that in Guyana one has to have enough money to squander wastefully in order to get something done. I then ventured to the same gate man who had been
giving those vehicles entrance and asked why these vehicles that had just arrived were given entrance and we who have been waiting for hours were denied and he just looked me in my face as if I were speaking another language and walked away. I do not understand why these people behave as if we are begging our way unto this ferry, we are paying users and we deserve to be treated better. These T & HD workers need to be reassessed as their attitude towards people is atrocious. Anyways, after all that commotion I was eventually told that the boat is full to capacity and I would have to wait on the next boat which was at 12 noon on Good Friday so I eventually sat in my vehicle for almost 12 hours.
Mind you, I was not the only person left behind; other people who were also there as early as I was were forced to stay back in their vehicle even though many of these vehicles had mothers with babies. I write not only to vent my anger but also with a hope that someone who could better this situation would see this and do something. This needs to stop and we need a regularized and fair system to be put in place so that travelers could be ease of the nightmare of travelling with a vehicle between Parika and Supenaam. I have only described one instance of this nightmare; I have been in this situation many other times. I wish to remain anonymous because of my job. Concerned citizen
Glad that a Guyanese has won the title DEAR EDITOR; First, the for the good news. So proud and pleased to learn that one of our country-women has won the title of Mrs. New York, and now has a chance to try later in the year for the “Mrs. International” title. Beauty and brains combined. Unbeatable. This
great news somehow seemed to offset the ongoing Providence saga. We should now be prepared to keep a beady eye on the Asian tigers, feared so much by the West a few years ago. Mischief seems to be afoot - in the language of the Bard. Geralda Dennison
This lady should be careful with her rhetoric DEAR EDITOR, We in the Rupununi get our news very late, hence my belated comments on the ongoing debate concerning Mr. Eric Phillips’ letter. I read Ms. Texiera’s dangerously ethnic oriented retort and could not help but wondering if she knows what she is doing, or does she? Ms. Texiera should know that there was a very unpleasant moment involving Amerindians. That incident had to do with land. She should be extremely careful because of memories of that time? Well by her letter, and since information travels
faster now than, I would say she is treading on alarming grounds. What she should be doing is promoting harmony and cohesion, not inciting hostilities. Maybe the nation should examine her piece for further condemnation. Gail, like all the PPP/C cabal, can only thrive on the separation of Guyanese people. Long live the diversity that is Guyana! Chrispin Andrews
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Saturday April 02, 2016
Facebook threat suspect Another Charlestown released on station bail MAN EXECUTED Police have released the 52-year-old woman, who is believed to have posted racially-inciting social media comments about African Guyanese, and what appeared to be a threat to President David Granger. But Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum yesterday declined to say whether the woman is likely to be charged. He described the case as a sensitive one. He refuted reports that police had detained another individual. The woman, said to be from Vergenoegen, East Bank Essequibo, was taken into custody on Thursday. She was questioned at CID Headquarters, Eve Leary. Blanhum said that she has given investigators a
statement. Police had sought to locate the woman and two others after receiving a complaint about Facebook comments they had allegedly made about President Granger and African Guyanese. But in a statement sent out to media houses, one of the individuals, who says he is a Canada-based Guyanese, has denied posting the comments attributed to him. Crime Chief Blanhum has said that the perpetrators could be charged under the Racial Hostility Act for attempting “to incite excitement, hostility or ill-will on grounds of race.” Chapter 23 of the Act states that a person shall be guilty of an offence if he will-
fully excites or attempts to excite hostility or ill-will against any section of the public or against any person on the grounds of their or his race, by means of words spoken by him in a public place or spoken by him and transmitted for general reception by wireless telegraphy or telegraph; or by causing words spoken by him or by some other person to be reproduced in a public place from a record; or by means of written (including printed) matter or pictorial matter published by him. Any person guilty of an offence under this section shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine of $65,000 and to imprisonment for two years.
Two drug dealers nabbed with ganja in car Two men who were nabbed in a car with a quantity of drugs in their possession have been remanded to jail. The men Jaiprakash Raghbeer, called “Lipstick Batty”, 39, a labourer of 32 Reliance Abandon, East Canje Berbice; and Nowrang Rameshant, called “Black Boy”, 31, a labourer of Betsy Ground, East Canje Berbice
were on Friday remanded to jail by Magistrate Mauricia Mittelholzer when they appeared before her at the Albion Magistrate’s court and pleaded not guilty to the charge of possession of narcotics for the purpose of trafficking. The men were nabbed in a car by police in front of the Reliance Police Station. They
reportedly had 613 grams of compressed marijuana. According to information the two men who are well known to the authorities were travelling in motor car PHH 5668 around 11:00 hrs on Thursday when they were intercepted by police who had set up a road block in front of the Reliance Police Station. Raghbeer was the driver of the car while Rameshant was in the front passenger seat. The drugs were found in a black plastic bag which the men had in the front seat of the vehicle. They were arrested and the vehicle impounded. The drugs were tested and weighed and found to be 613 grams of compressed marijuana. They will have to return to court on April 20, at the Reliance Magistrate’s Court.
Just three days after gunmen killed army Lance Corporal, Kevon Payne, gunmen on a CG motorcycle executed another Charlestown resident in the same street. Gladstone Taylor, 54, of Lot 43, Adelaide Street, Charlestown, was shot at least four times in the vicinity of Adelaide and Sussex Streets, around 21.00 hrs yesterday. A senior police official said that police have detained a suspect, but declined to speculate whether the execution-style slaying was linked to the killing of Lance Corporal Payne. According to reports, Taylor, known as ‘Tuffy,’ and the father of five, was sitting at the corner of Adelaide and Sussex Streets, when two men on a CG motorcycle rode up and shot him several times. The killers reportedly escaped through Adelaide Street. An aunt of the slain man said that she was at home in Albouystown, when she heard a sound that she assumed was made by a firecracker. She then headed outside to play a game of bingo when someone rushed up to her and told her that her nephew, ‘Tuffy’, had been killed. By the time she arrived at the scene, police had already taken the body to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC). While relatives described Taylor as a peaceful individual, one relative said that individuals had been sending threats to him. The relative said that the threats began about a week ago. Asked if she believed that Taylor and the Lance Corporal’s murder were connected, the relative said: “It
- cops detain suspect
Gladstone Taylor
linked, is a war.” But she said that Taylor did not appear to take the threats seriously. Police confirmed last night that one of Gladstone’s sons was charged last year for the September 4, 2015 murder of East Ruimveldt resident, Senassie Lewis, who was gunned down in front of the popular Ghetto Flex nightspot, located at James and Albouys Streets, Albouystown. A second man was also charged. Last night’s slaying is the fourth execution-style killing in recent weeks.
The other victims are O’Riley Small, 31, who was riddled with bullets just as he entered his Smyth Street home. The second victim was murder accused Steve Mohamed, who was riddled with bullets and dumped in Le Repentir Cemetery. Shortly after, minibus driver Elvin Lorrimer succumbed from bullet wounds inflicted by gunmen who ambushed him near the Linden bus park. That was followed by the killing last Tuesday of Lance Corporal Payne.
Saturday April 02, 2016
Kaieteur News
Protests mount before EU-Turkey migrant deal takes effect
Migrants and refugees with their mouths taped stage a protest at a makeshift camp at the Greek-Macedonian border near the village of Idomeni, Greece. (Reuters) - Migrants protested on a Greek island and rights groups raised legal objections yesterday, three days before a disputed EU deal to return rejected asylum seekers from Greece to Turkey was due to go into action, with neither side completely ready. Hundreds of migrants and refugees on the island of Chios tore through a razor wire fence surrounding their holding center and set off for the port in protest against planned deportation, police said. Police did not immediately intervene. Clashes broke out at the site late on Thursday, during which windows were smashed and 10 people were injured lightly, a police official said. Some 300 women and children broke out of the camp on Friday carrying their belongings. “They say that they don’t want to go back to Turkey and that they are afraid for their safety after yesterday’s clashes between migrants in the hot spot,” a police official said, using the EU term for registration centers that have become detention camps.The tension on Chios raised the possibility of resistance when the EU-Turkey plan to send back all migrants and refugees who have reached the Greek islands since March 20 goes into effect from Monday. Although arrivals have slowed, more than 1,900 people have crossed from Turkey to Greece so far this week and a total of 5,622 have been registered since March 20. The European Union plans to send hundreds of police and migration officers to Greece over the weekend to help carry out the first returns under a deal meant to
end the uncontrolled influx of migrants. More than a million people fleeing war and poverty in the Middle East and beyond have poured into Europe in the last year, most ending up in Germany, triggering a political backlash and pitting EU governments against each other. However, the U.N. refugee agency and rights group Amnesty International raised objections, with Amnesty accusing Turkey of sending thousands of people trying to flee Syria back into the warracked country in recent months. “In their desperation to seal their borders, EU leaders have wilfully ignored the simplest of facts: Turkey is not a safe country for Syrian refugees and is getting less safe by the day,” said John Dalhuisen, Amnesty International’s director for Europe and Central Asia. The European Commission said it was investigating the Amnesty charge and would raise the issue with the Turkish authorities, who had promised to apply the principle of non-refoulement under the Brussels pact. “SERIOUS GAPS” UNHCR spokeswoman Melissa Fleming told a Geneva news briefing there were still serious legal gaps in both Greece and Turkey and urged all sides to ensure all safeguard were in place before any returns begin. The Greek parliament was set to adopt a bill amending the country’s asylum laws to enable asylum seekers and other migrants to be sent back to so-called safe countries, without explicitly naming Turkey. Migration Minister Yiannis Mouzalas sought to
reassure lawmakers of the ruling left-wing Syriza party that Athens would not be party to violating migrants’ human rights. “A blame-game against our country is starting, that, based on the new agreement we will encroach on human rights,” he told parliament. “I assure you – and I believe this will relieve everyone – that we will strictly adhere to human rights procedures as stipulated by international law and the Geneva Convention.” There was no indication that Turkey was about to change its regulations to grant international protection to non-Syrians returned from the Greek islands as stipulated in the EU deal. The Turkish parliament was in session on Friday but officials said there were nothing on the agenda relating to the migration agreement. It is not due to sit again until Tuesday. Any new legislation would need to be signed by President Tayyip Erdogan, who is on an official visit to the United States until at least Sunday, although Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu could in theory sign an executive order. The European Commission continued to put an optimistic face on the implementation plan after EU special envoy Maarten Verwey held talks in Ankara on last-minute preparations. “Preparations are now well under way to ensure that returns of persons whose asylum claims have been declared inadmissible, and those who have not claimed protection, can start in line with the resettlement of Syrians from Turkey on April 4,” Commission spokeswoman Mina Andreeva told a briefing.
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Saturday April 02, 2016
The government has gone overboard in its handling of the controversy involving the granting of an honorific title to a businessman. The government has reacted impulsively and hastily in rescinding the award. There was no need for the government to react, much less to overreact. The appointment was harmless and costless. It was described by the person who made it as being honorific. It was given out of sense of recognition. Those appointments do not have to be made public. But someone wanted to embarrass the Minister who made the appointment and so they leaked it to the media. The rescinding of the appointment has created two sets of problems. The first is
Kaieteur News
the public embarrassment that has been meted out to the Minister of State who made the appointment. Instead of waiting until the Minister returned to get his explanation, the appointment was hastily rescinded in the most contemptuous of manner, via a one line announcement in the media. This has put the Minister in a most embarrassing situation and one that he did not deserve. There was a better way for the government to handle this matter rather than to simply respond to criticisms in the media by rescinding the appointment as a means of distancing itself from the businessman in question. Honorific appointments are not unusual. The AFC gave out many honorific ap-
Dem boys seh...
Li’l Joe can’t hide fuh too long Everybody, except dem boys, believe that when Guyana get a change in govt, skulduggery would have been a thing of de past. Dem boys know all governments does got some thieves inside so dem know that thiefing gun tek place. Wha dem didn’t expect to hear and see is wha dem hearing and seeing now. Dem see thief men from de old govt deh side by side them like lovers, wid some of Soulja Bai people. Now dem got people who talking how it look like if this lean, clean and mean govt just tek off de underwear from de old government, tun it over, and put it on. That is what dem boys call, six of one and half a dozen of de other. Some people seh is not a change, is an exchange while dem boys think that dem lending one another dem bukta and panty. In de old govt Luncheon use to bluff. He start fuh tell you one thing and by de time he done talk you done forget wha he begin wid. He use to lie through he nose, he teeth and he behind. Li’l Joe tek he position in de new govt and it look like he want to start behaving like Luncheon. He tell all dem reporter how he gun hold a press conference and answer all dem question-why and how he appoint BK; how much people went wid him to China, wha he do in China and how much money govt pay fuh that trip because of course, Clinty de Willie was there. He love big basha and jumbo prawns-a very expensive dish in China. All dem reporter wake up early yesterday morning waiting to hear from Li’l Joe. De man disappear, tun off he phone, never respond to ee e-mail and didn’t go to wuk. Dem boys know de reason why he didn’t tun up. He woulda have to tell de nation why he give de order to stand down from seizing BaiShanLin luxury vehicles wha dem bring in fuh wuk gold and timber. Talk half and there is a saying, You can run but you can’t hide.
pointments when the government first came in. The AFC appointed many persons as Advisors of Diaspora Affairs. These were honorific appointments. APNU followed soon after and did the same. The government is now suddenly trying to put distance between itself and the person whose honorific appointment it recently rescinded. But this is hypocrisy. The person was engaged in helping to clean up the city just after the government came to power. How come the government did not rescind that offer of help which must have run into tens of millions of dollars? Pay back the man for the money he spent on that
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exercise! The same person was reported in the media as donating a bus to the initiative which the government is promoting? How come the government accepted the donation of the bus but now wants to rescind the appointment of the man as a Ministerial Advisor on Business? Pay back the man for the money he spent on the bus! There are reports that the said individual may have also contributed to the works taking place at Durban Park. If this is so, the government must explain why it accepted that help and the value of that help. Pay back the man whatever he gave for the sprucing up of Durban Park! The government cannot
have it both ways. It cannot be taking support from the businessman for government projects and then publicly humiliating the man. The fact that this is exactly what is being done demands that those businessmen who are bending over backwards to help the government keep the city clean and to develop Durban Park and to provide buses and boats to take children to school should learn from what has happened to that businessman whose appointment was rescinded. That businessman should ask back for his money. He should demand that he be paid for the assistance rendered during the clean-up ex-
ercise. He should demand his money back for the bus he donated to the government. If he did make a contribution to the ongoing works at Durban Park he should ask to be repaid. The government cannot simply be using business people like that. The business people in turn must decide now whether they will continue to offer assistance to the government in the works at Durban Park and in the cleanup of the city. They should learn from the experience of the rescinding of the honorific appointment.
Berbice businessmen want govt. to remove unfair competition Region Six businessmen want the government to remove the unfair competition which they say is affecting their businesses. They also want the government to be more forthright when dealing with businesses, and quicker action taken when addressing complaints. The businessmen pointed to the smuggling of agricultural and other products from Suriname. Their concerns were voiced when they met with Minister of Business, Dominic Gaskin, at the Nand Persaud Conference Hall recently. One businessman Mr. Jaichand, called for the legalisation of cross border trading to end smuggling. Other persons spoke of the need to reduce some of the taxes on rice to make it more competitive. They pointed out that US rice farmers receive nearly 40 percent in subsidy. Another businessman, Mr. Rajendra, noted that Value Added Tax (VAT) is being charged on even bran and cane husk. In response, Minister Gaskin told those gathered that the government that he is a part of will not allow illegal businesses to destroy legal businesses and would work to get those businesses
regularize. However, there are challenges since the borders are largely unprotected and there is a need for these borders to be patrolled effectively by the coast guard. The Minister explained that VAT should not be a problem for businesses since they get back the difference between the Input and Output charged. The problem is that the GRA takes an awfully
long time to remit VAT to businesses. This businessmen say should be corrected. The Minister further explained that the Government needs to look at long-term solutions to the problems faced by farmers. He promised to look in to the issues raised. The Minister, who was continuing his ministerial outreach to regions, told the residents that the agriculture in-
dustry must lobby as is done in the US, since lobbying will effectively allow farmers’ concerns to be ventilated at different fora. He pointed out that, there are developmental programmes on the government’s agenda so that all areas and citizens across the country can benefit. He promised to engage the business community again in the near future.
Mabaruma municipality - a case of Family Matters in the PPP Nepotism is at its best in the selection of Council members for the Mabaruma Municipality. Three members from one family - Leslie Robinson, his son-in law, Mark Persaud, and his daughter-in-law, Carolyn Robinson are among the councillors identified by the People’s Progressive Party. Then there is the husband and wife team of Victor Boyer and his common law wife, Euranie Bennett on the same ticket. The sixth member of the People’s Progressive Party on the Municipality is lone ranger Vibert Emmanuel. Carolyn Robinson was at the centre of a massive fraud
at the Mabaruma Sub-Treasury some years ago. She continued to be paid a salary until May 2015. Business people were defrauded of millions of dollars and are still seeking after their
monies. Documents are with the Ministry of Finance. Not satisfied with the tied seats, the PPP officials are taking to the communities to advise them that no development will take place.
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Kaieteur News
Saturday April 02, 2016
== THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN ==
What the Raphael Trotman tape reveals On Thursday evening I was liming with friends at Nicky’s Fish Shop at Drury Lane in Campbellville having Guyanese fries (plantain fries) with fried fish. As the evening wore on, one of the leaders of Team Legacy, which recently won two Georgetown City Council seats, said to me, “Freddie yuh gat to hear dis.” He took out his smart phone and played for us around the table, two speeches by Raphael Trotman during the recent Local Government Elections in Bartica.
I wasn’t shocked at what I heard from Trotman but what I heard was shocking. This was a hate-filled speech that manifested the cruelties and sadism of old political culture. Raphael Trotman has demonstrated by those two speeches that he does not belong to the future of politics in this tragic land. Goose bumps emerged on my body when Trotman went into his demagogic rage of ethnic loyalty. It was not as crude as Jagdeo’s constant racially charged rhetoric but the race card was played by Trotman. What was embarrassing to President David Granger was that each time, he give out a divisive sentence and the crowds cheered, he heaped praise on President Granger and wrapped his panegyrics with religious ribbons. At one time, he told the crowd that it was God who wanted Granger to become President of Guyana at this time. The Bartica speech could
be analyzed as having four dimensions. First, there were excessive references to the Bible. Every major observation in his speech was backed up by some religious quote (I hope Trotman does not become a Christian preacher in later life). Secondly, the acknowledgement that he, Trotman, has returned to the PNC. He openly told the crowds that although he was a part of the AFC, he never left the struggle and that the Prodigal Son has returned. Thirdly, the entire speech was laced with high eulogies for President Granger. He then told the crowd that ten years ago, he and David Granger met in Nassau (Bahamas) and Granger laid out a plan for Guyana. On the day in 2015 when the elections results were made known, Trotman indicated that Mr. Granger called him and said to him, “Raphael, this is Nassau.” Trotman left the crowds in suspension
because he thinks that it is President Granger that should be the first one to reveal what the two of them dialogued on ten years ago in the Bahamas. I don’t have a clue what it is but whatever it is I would suggest you listen to the tape, and when you hear Raphael Trotman speaking at that Bartica LGE public meeting, then what was spoken and planned in the Bahamas ten years ago has to be frightening, because Trotman doesn’t come across as a powerful politician that will shape a progressive future for Guyana. I am typing this column on Friday morning and I rang David Patterson, GeneralSecretary of the AFC and suggested to him that the leadership of the AFC listen to the tape and take disciplinary action against Trotman. I sent a copy of the tape to David. The third dimension was his appeal to ethnic loyalty. Two weeks ago, Bharrat Jagdeo was shameless to say
that the PPP is consolidating its Indian support. Trotman using subtler linguistics mouthed off the same symbols to that Bartica meeting. He told the gathering that Bartica was a PNC stronghold, asked the attendees if they see anywhere in Guyana that in the LGE, there is opposing parties contesting in PPP areas? The implication and message were there for even a school boy to understand. The fourth dimension was his theory that the independent group, BIGA, was presumptuous to fight the PNC in its own constituency when the PPP is not being challenged. He very subtly implied that BIGA’s presence is helpful to the PPP. This was the part when as I listened to the tape the goose bumps got larger. Trotman’s stratagem of maintaining ethnic loyalty was the very weapon the PPP used against his party, the AFC, when it was born. PPP leaders went all over
Frederick Kissoon the entire 83,000 square miles and told Indian people that the AFC is not attacking the PNC, but the PPP and that the intention of the AFC is to weaken the PPP. In similar language, Trotman accused BIGA of doing so. What was strange and is perhaps incomprehensible is Trotman’s pronouncement that night that President Granger has an interest in Bartica in the LGE than any other part of Guyana. Why is President Granger so enamoured with Bartica? I know all Guyanese would like to know why. Listen to the Raphael Trotman tape.
Saturday April 02, 2016
Kaieteur News
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Contractors accused Aurora mines of unfairly reducing rates A number of contractors in the hauling business are at odds with the Aurora Gold Mines (AGM) over rates. The contractors, who said they have invested millions of dollars in new equipment, said that the Canadianowned company which started gold mining operations in Region Seven last year, has unilaterally been bringing down rates to the point that it is forcing them to lose monies. AGM, on the other hand, is refuting the allegation and said they have been working with the contractors. Contractors said that wear and tear on vehicles, insurance and other costs will see them losing on each trip. They said that rates have been slashed from over $550,000 from Buckhall to Aurora to $375,000 to the $270,000 being offered today. They are asking the company “to see with them.” Contacted, AGM’s Administration Manager, Peter Benny, said that the company, like others, has financial obligations to lenders, shareholders, workers, suppliers, contractors and to the Government of Guyana. “In order to meet those obligations we have to seek services that are competitive, reasonably priced and fair and just to everyone.” Benny insisted that the process was not unilateral but done after a process of continuous consultations with all of the Logistics Haulers. The hauling services included that of fuel, dangerous chemicals, general cargo and other items on barge from Georgetown. Benny noted that contractors were told that the rates which were paid during the construction phase would not be applied during production
as several factors have changed. “Primarily among the changes was the improved condition of the road. Our company had invested heavily to improve the general road condition including gradient, width, corners and proper surfacing and capping.” The manager pointed out that a Peruvian-Australian joint venture group had hired most of the present haulage contractors Because of deadlines, the contractors were given many trips, up to 20 per day, with significant sums paid. “The haulage contractors haul fuel, general cargo and chemicals for AGM… They are given free room and board for all of their employees including drivers or operators, mechanics and welders and their supervisors.” AGM said that it provides space for their equipment maintenance. The employees of the contractors are transported to and from the camp site from Georgetown free of cost- all charges are borne by AGM. “The contractors are given fuel and lubricants to operate their equipment free of cost to them by AGM... the only thing that the contractor is responsible for is to provide his driver/operator and to do routine maintenance of their equipment.” The official said that the company pays the rental rate of $270,000 per trip. This price was arrived at after an indepth analysis of the actual cost to operate one piece of equipment for the distance, less the AGM contribution. “…Even at this price the contractor is making a healthy profit… the days of construction are over and no longer can the company maintain or sustain so extreme rental rates and still be able to perform as
a viable company.” Benny said that the company cannot pay US$2,000 for each trip when the contractors’ overhead is significantly low and the company retains such costs. “All of these issues were raised with the contractors who have apparently become so accustomed to those circumstances that they are refusing to adjust…” A mail was sent to all the contractors indicating that the company would be offering the rate of $270,000 per trip and requested if they would be interested in a haulage contract with AGM. “They all said they agreed with the price. It might be worth pointing out that the price of $250,000 was the price that some of the new contractors proposed, but AGM offered $270,000.” With regards to the claims by some contractors that they have extended their investments, Benny noted they would have done so at their own risk since at no time did AGM give them any promises or assurances in that regard.” AGM said that for the period 2013 to date, the company would have paid more than US$7M in rental rates to the same logistics haulers. The company said that it was even supportive in instances where such contractors needed financial assistance in acquiring equipment by providing letters to banks. Benny insisted that the gold mining company, which helped boost gold declarations last year, is intent on following the rules of Guyana. It will practice good Corporate Governance, and “be very transparent and open with all our dealings”. “I refuse to associate these complaints to that of
Aurora Gold Mines is at odds with contractors over hauling rates
our continuous contributions and to our Corporate Social Responsibility programmes. We have done much more than these hypocritical allegations from some of our aggrieved haulage contractor. What of the meat suppliers, the greens and vegetables and fruits suppliers? What of our fish and other fresh suppliers? Our taxi vendors those whom have benefited in no small ways from our expanded growth including air and river
transports... hotels and restaurants… schools and the communities we have been supporting?” Benny invited Kaieteur News to visit the Aurora operations and meet with work-
ers and contractors to garner a “more balanced opinion of the workings of our company rather than to continuously position our company in a negative way based on all sorts of unfounded allegations.”
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Saturday April 02, 2016
Harmon runs from planned press conference on BK appointment The Ministry of the Presidency has come out explaining the recent visit of Minister of State, Joseph Harmon to China. The media had anticipated a press conference hosted by Harmon, given his comments at the Marriott on Thursday. But instead of a promised press conference, it was the Ministry that issued a statement that spoke about the trip. He had told reporters Thursday that he was preparing to hold a press conference and would answer all questions. He refused then to be drawn into answering any questions, saying that he does not want to give two bites of the cherry. According to the Ministry yesterday, Harmon and InHouse Legal Counsel at National Industrial and Commercial Investment Limited (NICIL), Natalia Seepersaud, returned from an official trip
Brian ‘BK’ Tiwarie to the People’s Republic of China on Thursday. The purpose of the visit was to engage in discussions with regard to the payment of the US$5M balance owed for the purchase of 20 percent of
Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GTT) shares by Chinese company, Datang Telecom Technology and Industry Group. The shares were controversially sold by NICIL in 2012. According to the Ministry, this deal was entered into by the previous administration but only US$25M of the agreed US$30M was paid. The trip to China was to discuss this issue and see if Guyana can collect the balance, President David Granger said Thursday. The trip came under scrutiny after it became known that Minister Harmon was accompanied by businessman/contractor, Brian Tiwarie and Larry London, Chairman of the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority. The statement from the Ministry of the Presidency made no mention on Tiwarie being on the trip. “Minister Harmon re-
Minister of State, Joseph Harmon
ported on his return that the investigations and enquiries that were conducted by the Guyanese delegation were highly successful. The team’s report will be submitted to the Board of Directors of NICIL for deliberations, after which, a full statement on this matter will be issued.” The statement said that “separately, but during the same period”, a team from the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) comprising Head Project Coordinator, Fitzroy Corlette and Supervisor, David Hermonstine, along with the representative of the Chinese companies in Guyana, Clinton Williams, visited China to participate in negotiations with NUTECH, a Chinese security scanning equipment supplier, for the acquisition of containers and baggage scanners. “NUTECH is recognised as one of the world’s top providers of security scanning equipment. The company produces scanners that are used to effectively prevent the trafficking of contraband such as explosives, narcotics and radioactive substances.” The Ministry said that the
Larry London
Clinton Williams
acquisition of security scanners by the GRA is aimed at strengthening air, land and sea port security and to help in the fight against the trafficking of illegal drugs. “The GRA team and NUTECH both expressed satisfaction at the outcome of the negotiations and the Guyana Revenue Authority is expected to issue a separate statement on this matter shortly.” There were reports that Minister Harmon’s trip
was to discuss a purchase of a plane for Government. With regard to Tiwarie, he came under fire this week after Kaieteur News ran a story on his appointment on January 19th, 2016 as Ministerial Advisor on Business Development. The appointment was made by Minister Harmon. On Tuesday, hours after the story broke, President David Granger rescinded the appointment. He later explained that the appointment was not Government sanctioned. He said that there is a Minister of Business, Dominic Gaskin, and he had not requested any help, or advisors. Tiwarie’s appointment and trip to China was seen as a slap to the face by supporters of the Coalition Government who took to social media to vent their anger. Tiwarie, a contractor and businessman who has holdings in quarrying, aviation, real estate and other ventures, was reportedly close to the previous administration, receiving several multi-million dollar contracts.
Saturday April 02, 2016
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PPP, RPA want “imposed” VAT on heavy-duty, farming equipment removed The People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) on Friday registered its concern, and called for the removal of what they claimed to be an imposition—the application of Value Added Tax (VAT) on heavy duty equipment. The pieces of equipment identified are bulldozers, excavators, tractors and similar “heavy-duty industrial machines.” At a recent Press Conference, the PPP stated that the government continues to “assault” the productive sectors of Guyana’s economy. The latest assault, the party said, is manifested in amendments to the Value Added Tax Act by an Order, Order No. 6 of 2016, which was laid in the National Assembly on February 12, last. According to the Former Attorney General (AG), Anil Nandlall, this Order, “Inter alia, imposes 16% VAT on large capital equipment, which hitherto enjoyed exemptions from VAT.” This new measure, he cautioned, will have dire financial and economic implications for almost every one of the nation’s productive sectors,
including agriculture, mining, forestry and industrial sectors. The price will skyrocket on the pieces of equipment to which it applies. “We also wish to register our objection to the way that this Order was imposed. It was done without any consultation whatsoever; without any public statement whatsoever; without any prior notice at all even to the sectors that would be affected by this measure. “It was simply laid in the National Assembly and formed part of a long list of exemptions from VAT. In short, it was almost surreptitiously inserted in a list of exemptions, clearly conveying the impression that its architects were not desirous of revealing its true nature, purport and effect,” a statement from the party read. “It would be recalled that both in and out of the National Assembly, we canvassed for the removal of similar draconian measures which were part of the 2016 Budget, for example, the ban against the importation of vehicles that are eight years old and older. “This measure was intended to apply to every class
of motor vehicles but it was only after we raised objections that it was confined to motorcars.” The Opposition said that it is asking the government to immediately reverse this measure. It said that it wishes to “remind them that many of our productive sectors are currently ailing. This would simply lead to greater decline in production and more economic stagnation.” Despite this call, it was reported in sections of the media on quite a few occasions, that while several investors; both local and foreign, would have been granted duty-free concessions to import machinery for a particular purpose, these equipment would most times, end up satisfying other needs. Many calls have also been made by investors to the relevant authorities to implement some level of constraint as it relates to the granting of duty-free concessions. Calls were also made for better monitoring to be carried out, more specifically, in interior locations where most of these pieces of equipment would have been reportedly deployed. The Guyana Rice
Producers’ Association (RPA) in a statement on Friday last, said that it condemns the order “unequivocally”. The General Secretary of the association and PPP Member of Parliament (MP), Dharamkumar Seeraj, stated that the RPA’s mandate is to protect the interest of the rice sector and the welfare of farmers and, by extension, the millers. These have already been “overburdened” with increases in taxation for licencing fees for rice mills. “It is the RPA’s intention to oppose, utilizing every means at the organization’s disposal; this further blow delivered to the productive sector in general, and rice farmers and millers in particular. “The RPA is expressing grave concerns on government’s reneging on pre-election promises to rice farmers, producers and ex-
Former Attorney General, Anil Nandlall. porters for facilitation mechanisms to be implemented to boost the rice and other productive sectors,” Seeraj stated. “The RPA is resolved to begin an immediate offensive against these Draconian
General Secretary of the RPA, Dharamkumar Seeraj. actions that are further stymieing growth and even hindering recovery of the rice sector that has been under severe threat of recent times,” Seeraj’s statement concluded.
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Kaieteur News
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 Repairs & spare, fridge, freezer, A/C, washers, stoves – Contact Nick: 6831312, 627-3206 INNOVATIVE MARKETING & PUBLISHING INC –TEL: 600-4212: We create A/ works, logos, business cards, posters, etc, placements of ads included. Repairs to LED, Plasma, LCD and all other electronic equipment. Ordering of circuit boards. Abdul Electronics. Call: 225-0391 Passport, permanent & visitor visa application, Professional Immigrant Consultant – Sabita Immigration Services. Call: 225-6496; 662-6045 Repairs at affordable prices: fridge, air conditioner, washing machines, dryers, TV, microwaves & freezerCall: 610-5846 or 661-8158
WANTED One experienced puri maker. Call: 226-9561 Bill clerk (girls) to work at grocery stall in Stabroek Market, experience is an asset. Call: 226-9800 Sales staff/ assistant, Allrounder for plant shop, Huston, 18 years and over. Must be literate. Contact: 6462108 2 Live in waitresses to work in bar at Berbice– Call: 6046606; 692-4649 Architect to design a 4 Storied Building 30’x65’. Please Contact 614-7147 or e m a i l : okamal2016@gmail.com Female domestic to work in Trinidad, must be educated and know to cook. Between 25-35 years.Call 1868-755-1990 Farm workers (preferably couple), general workers (maintenance workers). Call: 265-3586 between 8am-4pm. Wanted house & land to buy @ La Parfaite Harmonie, Tuschen, Herstelling, Eccles, Providence, New Road, G/ Town. Call: 604-6724 One part time domestic for Diamond E.B.D. Call: 6567329 One Driver: must be able to drive and ride motor cycle, ages 40-50. Call: 226-9337 6 Floor girls to work in a bar in Mahdia, affordable salary. Call: 601-1479 after 11am. Cashiers! Apply at Annabel Bistro, 36 La Grange W.B.D. Contact: 678-3400
CAR RENTAL DOLLY’S CAR RENTALCALL: 225-7126/226-3693 DOLLYSAUTORENTAL@ YA H O O . C O M / W W W. DOLLYSAUTORENTAL.COM PROGRESSIVE CAR RENTAL: CARS& SUV FOR RENTAL- $4,000 & UP PER DAY- CALL: 643-5122, 6560087 , EMAIL: PRO_ AUTO RENTAL@YAHOO. COM
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 Church and 2 storey building Lot 180 Charlotte Street Bourda-Call: 227-6817; 624-7341 Brand new 2 storey concrete building in 5th Avenue, Diamond, E.B.D, all modern amenities –Call: 662-9335; 612-3244 Business spot at Diamond Public Road. Call: 628-0016; 667-2536 New Road- $17M, $6M, $45M, Goedfourtin-$25M, Pouderoyen -$45M, C.I$14M, La Parfaite Harmonie $6.5M, Middle Road-$22M. Call: 604-6724 Transported property, prime, furnished liquor restaurant & bar, 2 freezers, 1 pools table, double lot @ E.C.D$26.5M neg. Call: 600-7228 House & land (3yrs old) for sale at Canal No.2 Polder, 53/4 rice land elsewhere. Call: 718-6579040; 266-2897; 690-9331
Driver – posses a valid Guyanese drivers license & clean record of safe driving. Contact: 231-4999; 677-0480/ email:irbcguy@gmail.com
1 Newly built, concrete 2 storey building 50X30 @ C.I Scheme, W.C.D -$13.5M, 2 Flats concrete house @ Tuschen-$1M-$5.5M, $1M$11.5M. Call: 642-1252
Empty lands and house with lands to buy in La Parfaite Harmonie or anywhere on the West Coast. Call: 6421252
Prime business place, 2 storey concrete structure, 300ft of land, located @ New Road, Vreed-en-Hoop, W.C.D -$45M. Call: 642-1252
Workers for land dredge. Call: 694-2310 between 8:004:00pm
House 38X20; land 100X200 all fenced @ 635 Kuru Kururu-$5.5M. Call: 694-1090; 661-6073
Aidan’s Car & 4WD Vigo pick up, cheapest rate, low security- Call: 698-7807
One roadside, 2 storey building @ V/Hoop, ground excellent for restaurant or other business –Call: 6540779
Wing’s Car & 4WD Vigo pick up rental- Call: 690-6494 DRESSMAKING Turn your flair for fashion into an exciting career or hobby. Enroll Now –Call: 6262629; 676-6312
Modfiw Beauty Salon is looking for professional cosmetologist to rent beauty station. Call Marcia: 682-2604
TAXI SERVICES GR TAXI SERVICE. CALL: 219-5000; 227-1982 & 225-7878 (24HRS)
House & land fully furnished, 3 self contained rooms, 1 master bedroom, alarm systems, 9 cameras, 7 AC units. Call: 628-0016; 6672536
Saturday April 02, 2016
VACANCY RA Soda: male & female workers, bond clerks, accountants, drivers, housekeeper, worker with mechanical idea. Call: 3302399/ 623-5920 1 Female cleaner apply @ Technical Services 18-23 Industrial Site, Eccles. 1 Male professional baker to work in St. Maarten. Please send resume marguritagrocery@hotmail.com/ Contact: 1721-526-63610/ 1721-580-9232 Accounts Clerk must have 5 CXC, Maths, English & Accounting. ACCA qualification. Apply rtilak@adamantiumholdings. com Exist for experienced cooks, cashiers, counter staff, office staff (must be computer literate & have accounts). Call: 226-9000 Cashiers + salesgirls –Call: 624-0033; in store security officer-Call: 680-3863 Welder/ fabricator, Diesel Mechanic, Apprentice, labourer. Apply in person @Technical Services,18-23 Eccles Industrial Site. Sales representative (with license), Mill operators, Labourers. Apply to:jkeshwani.alesie@gmail.comCall:269-0026/269-0058 Snr. Accounts Clerk, Marketing Officer & Sales Clerk @ G&J Phone Card Investment, 171 Mandela Avenue, email:gjphonecards investment @yahoo.com/ Tel: 231-4069 One excavator operator. Call: 223-5273/4 General workers to work shift system. Call: 218-1400 Security guard & bar needed @ Millenium Mannor Hotel, bring in application to 43 Hadfield Street, near Camp St. Housekeeping staff, male security guards. Call: 2250198 or visit 233 South Road Lacytown. Maid: must know to cook, babysitter for 2 kids. Apply @ R.Sookraj & Sons, 108 Regent Street G/Town. 1 Arc/Acetylene Welder, live in family. Call: 227-1830
VEHICLE FOR SALE Toyota Fielder & L-Touring Wagon, AT192, AE100, Funcargo, Tundra, Pickup 4X4 solid DEF, (Ducati 1098cc). Call: 644-5096; 697-1453 We buy & sell vehicles for cash, also parts available & 30 seater buses; Extra Cab pickups; 2006 Tacoma- Call: 680-3154 AT192, 212, Allion, unregistered Premio, Hilux Surf, BRR, RZ & Pit-bull, 7 seater super custom. Cash / terms- Call: 680-3154
Office for rent at low price near High Court @ 220 South Rd. Call: 227-1042; 691-8420 Business place in Madhia 50X60 with living quarter. Contact: 696-8987; 600-1086 One fully furnished two bedrooms house @ Lot 5 Bougainvillea Park Farm, Gated Community with security guard. Call: 2261234; 678-1234
Smart choice Auto: 08&06 Premio, 08&06 Allion, 212, Runx, IST, Fielder. Call: 652Apartment for rent: 2 3820; 665-4529 bedrooms @ 5th Avenue 2005 SPACIO -$2.2M NEG, Diamond H/Scheme. Call: 2006 PREMIO-$2.3M NEG, 683-5745 or 610-0652 NOAH & VOXY-$1.7M NEG. ALL VEHICLES FULLY 2 Bedrooms bottom flat LOADED & apartment located @ Better UNREGISTERED. CALL: Hope, E.C.D. Modern amenities & parking available 642-7295 -$50,000 monthly. Call: 6691 Toyota RZ, year 2011, 7351 or 672-0922 price$1.6M, 2 Recon Winch 17500lb. Owner migrating. Bel-Air Park: long & ShortCall:649-8214; 679-1415; 233- term- Offices, furnished apartments & rooms: 2583; 674-8589 Breakfast, AC, hot & cold Unregistered bluebird 2007 water, WiFi, security, etc- Call: model: TV, reverse camera, dark 623-1575; 686-1805 interior, burgundy -$2.3M 1-2 Bedrooms apartment negotiable. Call: 655-3400 with toilet & bath inside Honda CRV (RD5), PNN stick located at Cummings Lodge. gear -$1.9M negotiable, 2006 Call: 222-3750 Hyundai Tucson, left hand drive, PMM -$4M. Call: 691- Storage bond with electricity, water, telephone, washroom 1198 and security camera -6400 sq/ One Honda CRV PPP series ft. Call: 615-8810;668-3100 2003. Call: 674-6480 One bedroom furnished One IST fully loaded PTT appointment at lot 4 Henry series -$1.6M negotiable, one Street, Werk-en-Rust, G/town. R6 Yamaha bike, CD series Call: 231-7364; 679-4719 600K negotiable. Call: 6227201 2006 Kawasaki 650, European Cut, with tilter, teal blue color -$2.2M. Call: 604-1036 1 3Y minibus -$350,000 negotiable. Call: 229-2419 1 Nissan Murano, PRR series, excellent condition. Call: 6280016; 667-2536 1 Nissan pickup van $230,000. Call: 601-4929; 6645444 Toyota Nadia Automatic, PLL series -$1M negotiable. Call: 626-7626; 442-3156 LAND FOR SALE
LAND FOR SALE 1 Empty land in Tuschen Phase 2, W.C.D -$1.2M, 1 empty land in Tuschen Phase 1 W.C.D -$3M- Call: 642-1252 Land in Diamond area. Call: 628-0016; 667-2536
FOR RENT PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION,WEDDINGS, ANNIVERSARY, ETC. CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 216-1043; 677-6620
FOR SALE LARGE QUANTITIES OF HIGH PURITY MERCURY (QUICK SILVER) 99.99995% PURITY$19,000 PER POUND CALL: 592-227-4754. ADORABLE PUPPIES FOR SALE. CALL: 615-0146 One 20 tons dump, one truck tray, one blocks machine, one ZF gearbox. Call: 6179230/269-1406
Herstelling New Scheme (100ftX50ft), corner lot -$3M, Eccles -$6M, Parfaite Harmonie -$1.6M, Call: 6117223; 604-2204
Leyland DAF55, Flatbed truck-in, excellent condition. Call to negotiate: 675-4287; 628-0016; 667-2536; 233-2383
Land for sale @ Providence Re-migrant Scheme, behind Stadium. Call Lovin: 225-7796
Used fridge, double door (Frigidaire), new stand up freezer (woods) and DJ equipment. Call: 698-4965
Parfaite Harmonie -$1.5M, $1.3M, Tuschen -$3M, Eccles -$5M, Sand-pit -$85M, Kitty $19M. Call: 604-6724
Brand new generator. Call: 628-3254 (Continued on 23)
Saturday April 02, 2016
Kaieteur News
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G/town gets fourth female... Govt. must desist... From page 3 ago. According to the workers, they worked several blocks in the city spanning from Alberttown to Main Street, under a contractor, Roland Hudson. They claimed that despite doing their duties, they were not paid; they stated that the contractor would not return their calls and would generally avoid them. “When we call he, he turn off he phone,” one worker, who was visibly distressed, said. “When we go by he gate, he lock up. We give he another month, and today we decide to come down to the media. You know what he tell that lady there? Yall could do what yall want to do!” “I want pay my tax so when I get old, I can feel (responsible). I got to pay Courts. They will come and take out my fridge out my house and I will have to buy back a fridge. I have two children, a three and one year old. They don't care about that. They don't care about nobody!” Speaking to the media after the elections, Chase-Green said that this matter will be addressed by the Finance Committee as the first matter on its agenda. The Mayor said that it can meet at any time from its formation to determine the way forward and who will sign the vouchers to pay off contractors and those owed money. She acknowledged that nonpayment was an old issue. For the past two weeks the
council was not functioning and was not signing off on the necessary payment documents. She stated that this was the case with the old Finance Committee after the March 18 Local Government Elections (LGE). Chase-Green also affirmed that with the new committee in place, they will have to know from the old council what assets and liabilities they would be inheriting. While she acknowledged that she was there before, the fact that there were new councillors who would have questions for the old committee meant that they could not just operate like it was business as usual. She also expressed the hope that the council will work as a team for the benefit of Georgetown and that councillors will come on board with that mentality. In addition, Chase-Green promised fervently to consult with her constituency in decision making. Acknowledging that she was the fourth female Mayor, she described it as a great feeling. She was adamant that she, “will not forget the road I have walked” and acknowledged that she would have to consult with her constituency in every decision that is made. Asked how she will facilitate inclusiveness in the Council, considering the different parties making up the councillors, Chase-Green was adamant that all the parties will have a say since there will be
different committees. “My first consultation will be with all the councillors. We will sit and determine the way forward because every constituency would have been promised something. We have to look at it and decide how we will fulfill those promises made to our constituencies.” “We are a team and I hope no party politics will intervene,” she continued. “We are past the negative. We want to see Georgetown move. All the young people would have come in with a lot of expectations. And they would like those expectations to be met. I am happy to work with both young and old councillors.” LGEs were last held in 1994. Since then, the former People's Progressive Party (PPP) administration neglected to hold further elections and councillors around the country remained in their post. In addition, former Mayor Hamilton Green remained unchanged for the majority of that time. Chase-Green is a nurse by profession. She first joined City Hall in 1992. After years of what she has described as a broken system, she was able to preside over a massive cleanup campaign in the city after May, 2015.
From page 15 political activist. The Professor of Caribbean and African Diaspora Politics opined that there is a limit to how much one can innovate as you go along. He said that at some point the Government has to decide what to do one way or the other. “Are you going to keep the deals made by the previous government or are you going to scrap them and start afresh or amend them? I appreciate that there might be differences of opinion on what to do. That is normal. But you have to arrive at some kind of consensus, even if it's a preliminary one,” expressed Dr. Hinds. Several Government Ministers confirmed that they were aware of this issue. They, however, declined to give an on-the-record comment. Chairman of the Guyana Revenue Authority, Rawle Lucas, when contacted on Thursday, said that he became aware of the issue on Wednesday. Asked if GRA would still
pursue the matter despite the intervention of the senior Government official, he said, “I expect that this matter would be dealt with accordingly. At this stage I really can't give any further comment. But at least we have a Minister (who could conduct an investigation). “You have to remember that I am not an Executive Chairman of GRA, so I can only begin to seriously enquire as to whether that really represents acceptable policy from an entity like GRA, and if that is part of their modus operandi.” Asked if he would be informing Minister of Finance, Winston Jordan, on the matter, he said, “Oh, I think my Minister is very much aware about this issue already”. Jordan was contacted on Friday on the issue. He admitted that he is aware of the matter. Jordan however declined to offer a detailed comment, except to say, “I am going to investigate the veracity of this allegation.”
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Saturday April 02, 2016
Haags Bosch landfill site Is it possible the Coalition can collapse? has technical problems DEAR EDITOR, I was not briefed on any of these new developments’, (KhemrajRamjattan, KN 1 March 2016) Mr. Editor we do not always understand the motivations behind the things members of the political class do. Therefore, the drafting in of former President Ramoutar as Prime Minister in the APNU-AFC Administration sounds queer and unfair to some within the APNU-AFC leadership and supporters. It certainly raises many questions and doubts. Here are some of these. Why does it appear that the AFC leadership is being sidelined? Has the AFC’s leadership failed to bring former PPP supporters into the Alliance, as revealed in the results of the just concluded LGE? Why did the APNU-AFC remove the lower ranks of the PPP from the governmental system and is now recruiting the higher ranks? Which constituency will Donald Ramotar bring into the fold of the APNU-AFC; the 26,000 PPP supporters which allowed the PPP to trounce the APNU-AFC in the popular vote at the just concluded LEG? Why is it that the supporters of APNU-AFC will now be ruled by a former PPP Executive who they voted to remove from power? From whom did the APNU-AFC leadership get a mandate to
do such a thing? Why is the APNU-AFC so intent on recruiting the failures from among the PPP leadership? Is the APNU-AFC now going to be run from within by the PPP? Their philosophies and culture about democracy, use of power, governance, respect for the Constitution and Rule of Law, economic and social justice, political participation and economic development are fundamentally different, unless one is completely mistaken. Who will the APNUAFC bring in next, former President Jagdeo? How therefore will those who were injured by the PPP get justice? What’s going on? Now that the APNU-AFC supporters gave power to its leadership it seems that those supporters are no longer relevant? What’s new? No one should be surprised. This is the way the political class behaves. Once in power the voters become the servants. This is about the leadership of the APNU-AFC not the people of Guyana. Take that Guyanese! The reasons for all of APNU-AFC’s shenanigans concerning the things they refused to reverse, the very things they used in order to get APNUAFC supporters to vote the PPP out of power for; their failure to act on the Audits; and the failure to deal with many of the unjust things done by the PPP are now becoming clear. The APNU-AFC leadership has undermined Professor Clive Thomas and all the decent folks who sided with the APNU-AFC. What does the APNU-AFC think it is doing? Recreating the PPP of the 1950’s? Sixty years have passed, it cannot be recreated.
This will never work. No question, a Government of National Unity is absolutely necessary in order to secure Guyana’s future. However, it cannot and will not be achieved by recruiting the least able from among former PPP Executive who were just defeated at the 15 May 2015 General Elections. A Government of National Unity has to be constituted in the same manner in which the APNU and AFC came together, openly, in a publicly negotiated Accord that all Guyanese are aware of and participate in, not through the surreptitious recruitment of the defeated and disaffected from among the PPP Executive. We said in our letter of 19 November 2015 that the APNU-AFC must win over PPP supporters the old fashioned way. This means earning their support. It can be done. They are obviously however not prepared to do the hard work. They want to stay in power the on cheap. We will not be surprised therefore if the APNU-AFC Coalition disintegrates, and that the PPP demolish APNUAFC in the next general election. What is emerging is not a Government of National Unity. What the APNU-AFC leadership is doing is rewarding the unjust and the defeated over those who defeated them. They lack the fortitude of principle. But this is not a revelation. The APNU-AFC will underperform is not fail, in the same manner in which the PPP failed with Sam Hinds, Henry Jeffrey, Odinga Lumamba, Jennifer Westford and that lot, who were never able to bring PNC supporters to the PPP. Ivor Carryl
DEAR EDITOR, In 2010, the Government of Guyana with the support of the IDB sought to modernize the way municipal solid waste was being managed in Georgetown. The plan was to develop a state of the art landfill facility at Haags Bosch, Eccles; where solid waste would be disposed of in manner that is internationally acceptable. The process of bidding was open to foreign and local contractors. Once, the prequalification conditions were satisfied the contract was supposed to have been awarded to the most responsive bidder which is not necessarily the bidder with the lowest cost. However, this basic criterion was not satisfied and the contract was awarded to the lowest bidder; in this case Puran Bros Disposal and BK International. In my opinion, the evaluation process should have
focused on the technical faculties and operational capabilities of the companies bidding for a contract of that magnitude. Price, in my opinion is only a reflection of the quality of service the contractor intends to provide. It would be virtually impossible to deliver a high quality of work at a considerably low price. However, that being said, operations at the Haags Bosch landfill site as expected, were not done according to the standards outlined and today the condition is quite similar to the monstrosity we closed at Mandela about six years ago. The poor performance inevitably saw the contract being terminated and our monies wasted. The Ministry of Communities is now seeking a new contractor for the operations at the landfill. Again my opinions are as follows, the contractors, even if they were only part of the Joint Venture,
that was awarded the contract initially and had it terminated due to substandard works should not be allowed to bid in this process since, they were part of the failure. Secondly, the evaluation should not weigh primarily on the lowest bid submitted but focus more on technical, operational and management capabilities of the proposed contractors. Recently I’ve learned that an engineer’s estimate is a cost that bids are evaluated against and any bid 20% lower or higher in variance from the engineer’s estimate is considered non-responsive and automatically disqualified. I’m pleased to say such a system would prevent the reoccurrence of another failure at the Haags Bosch Landfill site. Experience comes at a cost, but the Guyanese people should not pay twice to learn the same lesson. Shagon Cummings
Stop this situation in Bartica before its gets out of hand DEAR EDITOR, In one of the President Granger’s speeches on Fathers’ Day 2015 at the Bartica Secondary School, one of his topics was: “Why bring contractors from out of the Region when we have contractors here to get the job done”. In light of this, it seems that the speech has motivated more contractors from out of the Region, being contracted to do petty works. These contractors can be seen dwelling at various locations such as the Bartica Regatta Pavilion and other make shift camps, washing cooking at the said locations, they
even bring their own food and labourer. How can there be development in Bartica if this nonsense continues to exist? The contractors from outside of the Region are allowed to be part of the bidding process, bidding at their lowest and being contracted by the Bartica Regional Democratic Council. We are calling on the relevant authorities from Central Government to look into this matter before it becomes a more cancerous situation in our Region. Concerned Citizen of Bartica
More condemnations of cronyism at City Hall
DEAR EDITOR, For as long as I can remember, the shoulder of Orange Walk east of the Bourda Market and close to Regent Street, was always kept for parking to facilitate shopping in that facility but more importantly it was used by the stall holders to offload their goods, particularly meat. And this
was before we had a fraction of the vehicular traffic that we have now fighting for the same very limited space. Regrettably, the current administration of the Council, in their voracity for money, has completely ignored the need by the stallholders and the need by shoppers to park their vehicles at a reasonable
and safe distance from the market and has decided to erect a mini shopping mall in this area, on the shoulder of the road and has given the spaces out to their friends without any public consultation or offer of the spaces to interested individuals. Why this has been allowed by the Central Housing and Planning Authority, the Guyana Police Force and the Guyana Fire Service one would never know, but this is another unwise decision by the Council that is based on corruption, favouritism and profiteering. The Government of Guyana should take a look at this poor decision that is further congesting our capital and have it broken down the same way City Hall breaks down unauthorized buildings in the city, Mark Roopan
Saturday April 02, 2016
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Obama: ‘Madmen’ must not be St. Kitts PM criticizes CARICOM’s allowed to get nuclear material lack of will on regional integration
U.S. President Barack Obama hosts a meeting with members of the P5+1 during the Nuclear Security Summit in Washington yesterday. Flanking Obama are French President Francois Hollande (L) and Chinese President Xi Jinping. (Reuters/ Kevin Lamarque) (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama urged world leaders yesterday to do more to safeguard vulnerable nuclear facilities to prevent “madmen” from groups like Islamic State from getting their hands on a nuclear weapon or a radioactive “dirty bomb.” Speaking at a nuclear security summit in Washington, Obama said the world faced a persistent and evolving threat of nuclear terrorism despite progress in reducing such risks. “We cannot be complacent,” he said. Obama said no group had succeeded in obtaining bomb materials but that al Qaeda had long sought them, and he cited actions by Islamic State militants behind recent attacks in Paris and Brussels that raised similar concerns. “There is no doubt that if these madmen ever got their hands on a nuclear bomb or nuclear material, they would certainly use it to kill as many innocent people as possible,” he said. “It would change our world.” Obama hosted more than 50 world leaders for his fourth and final summit focused on efforts to lock down vulnerable atomic materials to prevent nuclear terrorism, which he called “one of the greatest threats to global security” in the 21st century. North Korea’s nuclear defiance was also high on the agenda. Obama has less than 10 months left in office to follow through on one of his signature foreign policy initiatives. While gains have been made, arms-control advocates say the diplomatic process – which Obama conceived and championed - has lost momentum and could slow further once he leaves the White House in January. A boycott by Russian President Vladimir Putin, unwilling to join in a U.S.-dominated gathering at a time of increased tensions between Washington and Moscow
over Ukraine and Syria, may have contributed to summit results marked by mostly technical measures instead of policy breakthroughs. At the closing news conference, Obama, a Democrat, made clear that the raucous Republican presidential race, particularly controversial comments by party front-runner Donald Trump, weighed on leaders’ discussions on the summit sidelines. Obama sternly dismissed as proof of foreign-policy ignorance Trump’s recent suggestion that Japan and South Korea should be allowed to build their own nuclear arsenals, putting him at odds with decades of U.S. policy. “The person who made the statements doesn’t know much about foreign policy or nuclear policy or the Korean peninsula, or the world generally,” Obama said, adding that Americans don’t want anyone with such views to occupy the White House. “DIRTY BOMB” THREAT Deadly bomb attacks in Brussels last month have fueled concern that Islamic State could eventually target nuclear plants, steal material and develop radioactive dirty bombs. Militants were found to have videotaped the daily routine of a senior manager of a Belgian nuclear plant, Obama said. Obama said the required 102 countries have now ratified an amendment to a nuclear security treaty that would tighten protections against nuclear theft and smuggling. “Our nations have made it harder for terrorists to get their hands on nuclear materials. We have measurably reduced the risks,” he said. But he acknowledged that with roughly 2,000 tons of nuclear material stored around the world, “not all of this is properly secured.” Obama, wrapping up the summit, said the leaders had agreed to keep strengthening
their nuclear facilities against cyber attacks, something that outside experts said remains a major weak point. The United States and Japan also announced they had completed the long-promised task of removing all highly enriched uranium and separated plutonium fuels from a Japanese research reactor. Japan is an avowedly antinuclear-weapons state as the only country to have ever suffered a nuclear attack. Despite significant strides by Obama in persuading dozens of countries to rid themselves of bomb-making materials or reduce and safeguard stockpiles, much of the world’s plutonium and enriched uranium remain vulnerable to theft. Earlier on Friday, Obama convened a separate meeting of the world powers to take stock of the landmark nuclear pact they negotiated with Iran last July. It is a critical component of his nuclear disarmament agenda and a major piece of his foreign policy legacy. LANDMARK PRAGUE SPEECH Obama inaugurated the first Nuclear Security Summit nearly six years ago, after a landmark speech in Prague in 2009 laying out the goal of a world free of nuclear weapons. There is no guarantee that Obama’s successor in the White House will keep the issue a high priority. For now, U.S. experts are less concerned about militants obtaining nuclear weapons than about thefts of ingredients for a low-tech dirty bomb that would use conventional explosives to disperse radioactive material and sow panic. U.S. officials said they had no doubt that Islamic State, which controls swaths of Syria and Iraq, was interested in obtaining such materials, but authorities had no explicit evidence that the group had tried to do so.
BRIDGETOWN, Barbados – St. Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister Dr. Timothy Harris has criticized the lack of political will within the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) to push ahead with full regional integration. He said CARICOM leaders took a decision several years ago to delay fast-tracking the process because “people” were not prepared to make the argument for it. “The case has to be made by all leaders saying the same thing and getting the people to see beyond the short term discomfort of some measures to a medium-term and long term framework,” he said during a lecture held last night at the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus in Barbados. He declared this as unfinished business within CARICOM and said the matter must be dealt with. “How do we say that we have free mobility when if you were to go to country ‘x’ everyone knows that is the most difficult of countries, even as
a graduate, to be able to find work. There is an absence of the political will and an absence of the political leadership to sell and to persuade people that this is an imperative for regional good,” the Kittitian leader argued. Dr. Harris held up the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) – of which his twin-island federation is part – as a model for regional integration, saying it had achieved harmonization in many different areas. When asked about the plans by his government to join other regional states that have signed on to the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) in both its appellate and original jurisdictions, he was circumspect. The regional leader said while he believes the CCJ has excellent jurists and there is need to develop a homegrown jurisprudence that becomes an international model, the concerns of all residents must be taken on board. “It’s not something, at this time, having regard to re-
Dr. Timothy Harris cent experience, that we want to rush but our minds and our hearts know that ultimately the repatriation of the justice system has to be right for Caribbean people,” he said. “We understand, too, the real concerns of the man in the streets, even though at times the man in the street can ill afford the Privy Council. It has come to symbolize something in his head. So we have our own work to do and we think that it is not a task that the leadership of the CCJ is unable to do.” (Caribbean360)
Graft raids, arrests against Brazil ruling party Sao Paulo (AFP) - Police made several new arrests yesterday during fresh raids in a probe into money laundering accusations against crisis-hit President Dilma Rousseff’s party. The federal police said in a statement it launched “a new front in investigations” into a “money laundering scheme” involving the ruling Workers’ Party (PT). The sprawling scandal threatens to bring down the government of Latin America’s biggest economy, which hosts the Olympic Games in August. Police said they had warrants to detain two people and question two more, including former PT treasurer Delubio Soares, who was jailed over a previous bribery scandal in-
Dilma Rousseff volving the party. Yesterday’s raids in Sao Paulo were part of Operation Car Wash, a wide-ranging investigation into corruption at state oil firm Petrobras. Rousseff faces impeach-
ment proceedings alongside a separate set of allegations of financial wrongdoing. Her fight against impeachment gathered speed Thursday when tens of thousands of people marched nationwide to oppose what they branded a “coup” against her. Rousseff’s chief ally in the crisis — ex-president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva — meanwhile won a court battle that removes him from the jurisdiction of a crusading anticorruption judge. Yesterday’s raids aim “to deepen the investigation into the money laundering scheme” involving a bank linked to Petrobras and cash that was allegedly used to pay off PT debts, the police statement said.
5,000 lose jobs in six months Trinidad Express - Up to 5,000 citizens have been put on the breadline from September last year to the present, Labour Minister Jennifer Baptiste-Primus disclosed Thursday. Responding to media questions on the rate of retrenchment the last six months at the postCabinet media briefing at the Office of the Prime Minister in St Clair, Baptiste-Primus stated: “That data should be obtained from the Central Statistical Office and you know
as members of the media you know that situation better than myself hence why a new system is being put in place.” She added: “I can give you what my suspicions are in terms of the unemployeds from September to now, I suspect they may be in the vicinity of 5,000 or perhaps a little beyond that.” The minister said, however, that the government is not in a position to “project” job losses.
Having described as “unfortunate” the fact that in the case of former workers of steel giant ArcelorMittal’s Point Lisas facility, over 600 employees were sent home without benefits, Baptiste-Primus sought to offer hope to those facing unemployment that coordination between the parties — the state, private sector and the individuals themselves — could result in more persons being put back to work based on their skills.
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Minister clears Immigration in deportation of 12 Jamaicans Trinidad Guardian - Foreign Affairs Minister Dennis Moses has cleared Immigration officials of any wrongdoing in the recent deportation of 12 Jamaican nationals after reviewing a report sent to him on the cases. Speaking with the T&T Guardian Thursday, Moses said he also found the Immigration officials took the appropriate action as the visiting Jamaicans had failed to show their ability to sustain themselves in T&T. “I have no reason to doubt that they would have been provided with meals, water and other provisions to make them comfortable and also allowed to leave the following morning,” Moses said. Asked if diplomatic relations between T&T and Jamaica were nevertheless hurt by the incident, Moses replied: “The close bond relationship continues. We have been having ongoing conversations and it will continue favourably.” Moses was expected to meet with Jamaican officials late Thursday afternoon. The report, sent to Moses on Tuesday by the Immigration Division, had cleared all Immigration officers who were on duty at the Piarco International Airport on March 21, the day the Jamaicans arrived via two separate flights.
Dennis Moses On their return to their country, however, the Jamaicans turned to social media claiming they were ill-treated and made to lie on the cold ground to sleep and also were refused food and water. They called on their compatriots to boycott visiting T&T and using any of its products as a result of their treatment. However, a senior official at the Immigration Division had told the T&T Guardian that after an internal probe no officer was found to have acted irresponsibly or in a discriminatory manner towards
the Jamaicans. Rather it was found that the Jamaicans were not admissible based on their declarations and on interviews conducted by Immigration officers. Speaking with the T&T Guardian yesterday, communications specialist for Caribbean Airlines, Dionne Ligoure, also assured that once the people were refused entry to the country and placed in the care of the airline, “Caribbean Airlines does all possible to ensure they are treated just as they treat all our valued customers.”
Security audit of Jamaica government websites ordered after increase in cyber attacks KINGSTON, Jamaica – Minister of Science, Energy and Technology Dr. Andrew Wheatley has ordered security audits for the websites of all government ministries, departments and agencies to determine their level of exposure to cyber attacks. It comes on the heels of what Dr. Wheatley said was an increase in attacks on several government sites over the past two years. “As a government, we must be more proactive in our approach to mitigating these cyber threats,” he said. “Accordingly, I have requested that a comprehensive audit and assessment plan be prepared and immediately implemented to determine the vulnerability levels of all government websites, so that the appropriate measures may be implemented to address any and all existing gaps.” The government, through the Office of the Chief Information Officer, has also formulated minimum security guidelines for adoption by all ministries, departments and
Dr. Andrew Wheatley agencies, Dr. Wheatley added. A public/private partnership between government and members of the financial sector and other stakeholders will also see a cyber security public awareness programme being launched soon. “This public awareness campaign will be far-reaching and extend to public spaces,
schools, offices and online,” the minister said. “The government will make every effort to ensure that every Jamaican citizen and business knows and understands the risks of cybercrimes and cyber threats and is educated on the best ways to protect themselves against these activities.” (Caribbean360)
Saturday April 02, 2016
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Dhoni blames no-balls... (From page 27) much in it for them. “It was quite difficult to score 190. We are saying 1015 short based on the second innings but you have to analyse that the surface was completely different. If you’re looking for 210 in the first innings you may end up with 160 and on this wicket 160 becomes quite below par. The only thing I’m disappointed about are the two no-balls. Other than that we tried our best and even if the conditions were not in favour of the spinners, whatever resources we had we tried our best in the game.” Having played an unchanged eleven right through the Super 10 phase, India made two changes for the semi-final. One was forced on them - Manish Pandey coming in for the injured Yuvraj
Singh - but the other was tactical, with Ajinkya Rahane replacing Shikhar Dhawan, who made 43 runs in four innings during the group stage, at the top of the order. Dhoni defended the decision to drop Dhawan for Rahane - who made 40 off 35 balls and was part of half-century stands with Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli for the first two wickets - saying that Dhawan hadn’t converted starts into big scores during the tournament. “If you see, Shikhar has been batting quite well but he’s not been able to convert,” Dhoni said, explaining the reasoning behind dropping Dhawan. “The thing with Rahane is, he is someone who is quite calm and composed and he knows his responsibility in the team. This is the kind of innings that is ex-
pected of him. “He isn’t someone who is going to bat like Rohit Sharma or Virat Kohli. If you see, someone who is orthodox can give us that platform from where we can launch and score those extra 10-15 runs in the last few overs. Both of them are very good but it’s just that Shikhar wasn’t able to convert starts. “In games like these often you want to give the new guy a go, because if you see, where Shikhar had the edge was in a few games before the World Cup. Other than that, if you see the stats, Ajinkya in such conditions like in the IPL, he’s been among the leading run-scorers as opener. So those were the reasons behind it. I’m glad that after facing a few deliveries he got a start and did what he does best.”
Saturday April 02, 2016 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) Exhaustion combined with overindulgence could result in minor health problems. Do your own thing. Be extra careful with your valuables; loss and theft are evident today. TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20) Turn things around, make sure that they do their share. You may find your nights sleepless due to bad dreams. Your determination and stamina will make your work look flawless and effortless. GEMINI (May 21–June 20) You are best to concentrate on work. Your ability to work with detail will bring recognition. Good friends will give you honest answers. CANCER (June 21–July 22) Think about your budget before booking a trip. Secret affairs will only lead to heartache. You will be a real chatterbox today. LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) A better diet, exercise, or a change to a relaxed atmosphere could be ways to soothe your nerves. A little overtime may help you reduce the workload. Don't let your emotions get out of hand. VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) You need to refrain from being the generous one in the group. You are best not to retaliate if members of your household are trying to pick a fight. Be fair, not colorful.
LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) You might want to spend some time by yourself in order to decide exactly how you feel. Your self esteem will benefit. Friends will be loyal and caring. You can't live your life for others. SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) Take your time before making personal decisions. Don't let your boss make you feel guilty enough to take work home with you. SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) Unrealistic promises will only get you in trouble. Spend some time with the one you love. Pleasure trips will be satisfying. CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19) Your temper may get the better of you if a colleague has tried to ruin your reputation. The knowledge you have will enhance your reputation. Children may be less than honest with you. AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) Drastic changes regarding your personal attitude are evident. Don't allow colleagues to put unreasonable pressure on you. You may be able to get some good advice about your personal problems. PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) Be honest in your communication and don't lose your cool if someone backs you into a corner. You may find that your documents are not in order.
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Mickle, Williams, Swami score... (From page 30) innings with another offspinner, Naresh Chan picking up 5 for 18 and Singh 3 for 15. Pacer David Prahalad took 7 for 12, the best bowling figures in the competition so far, to help Tamarind Root bowl out Toopoo Rising Star for 83 in their 1st innings. Tamarind Root went on to reply with 85 to take first innings points. The match eventually ended in a draw. In summarised scores: At the Berbice High
School Ground, Tucber Park beat Sisters by an innings and 89 runs. Sisters 1st innings 64 with John David 25, Julian Bennett 24; Melvin Singh took 4 for 12 and Naresh Chan 2 for 20. In their 2nd innings, Sisters made only 63 with Julian Bennett 24. Naresh Chan took 5 for 18 and Melvin Singh 3 for 15. Tucber Park 1st innings 216 for 4 declared with Malcolm Mickle 67, Junior Williams 53 N.O.; Leon Swami
50 N.O. Joseph David took 2 for 16. At Toopoo, Tamarind Root took first innings points from Toopoo Rising Star in their drawn match. Toopoo Rising Star 1st innings 83 with Vinod Mahadeo 42; David Prahalad took 7 for 12 and 2nd innings, 92 for 7 declared w i t h Yu v r a j S i n g h 3 9 . Satesh took 3 for 14. Tamarind Root 1st innings 85 with Vinod Mahadeo 3 for 14 and Yuvraj Singh 2 for 3 and 32 for 3.
Agricola, Grove, Craig and... (From page 31) went on to earn a walk over from Agricola in their second game on their way to topping Group B and a place in the semis against Craig School which ended as the runner up team in Group A. Craig School are no stranger to junior East Bank football but this is the first time they have reached this far and
will be relishing their matchup with Friendship today in the feature game. Opening play at 10:15hrs brings together Grove Hi Tech and Agricola Red Triangle. The former topped Group A following a win and a draw, while the latter advanced on account of two drawn matches against Grove and Diamond United. At stake in next week’s final is the Ralph Green Lien
trophy along with five individual trophies that will go to the Highest Goal Scorer, Best Goalkeeper, Most Valuable Player, Most Improved Player and Most Promising Player. Gold, silver and bronze medals will be awarded to the top three teams while the fourth place side will receive participatory medals. Every player in the six team tournament will receive a Certificate of Participation.
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Hathiramani six-wkt haul hands Demerara comprehensive win By Zaheer Mohamed Off-spinner Sagar Hathiramani grabbed six wick-
ets for 25 runs to give Demerara a comprehensive 135-run victory over Essequibo in the second
round of the Guyana Cricket Board/Igloo Ice Cream intercounty U17 50-over tournament yesterday.
Chasing a respectable 213-9, Essequibo found the bowling of Hathiramani too difficult to handle and were sent packing for a disappointing 78 in 28.1 overs at Enterprise after the game was reduced to 46 overs. Essequibo openers Bomesh Ramdahin and Kevin Christian looked promising as they added 38 before Christian was bowled by left arm spinner Ashmead Nedd (1-8) for 15. Ramdahin timed the ball well but was then taken off Hathiramani for 22 who also sent back Chanderpaul Mohabir for 14 leaving the score at 56-3. Reon Venture seemed firm before he played across and was bowled by leg spinner Tameshwar Motieram for 12, while Orlando Jailall was run out with scoring triggering an Essequibo collapse. Motieram finished with 212. Earlier, Shamar Dusraj provided Essequibo with the breakthrough when he had Bhaskar Yadram caught for 14 after Demerara were asked to bat in hazy conditions. Mark Ramsammy and
Fortune bags 5
Joel Fortune
Robin Williams
Robin Williams added 35 for the second wicket before Ramsammy was bowled by left arm spinner Joel Fortune for 17. But Williams b atted positively as he shared in a third wicket stand of 49 with Alphius Bookie. The right handed Williams struck five fours before he was caught and bowled by Fortune for 41 which came off 27 balls. Bookie was then run out for 19 before Fortune who maintained a decent line
trapped Kurt Lovell lbw for 23 and bowled Hathiramani for one as Essequibo fought back. Fortune’s tidy bowling caused some hiccups among the home team batsmen; he bowled Anthony Antonio for 26 before Motieram 19 not out, Rajendra Singh 17 and Nedd 13 provided some resistance. Fortune finished with 5-31 from 10 overs while Randy Rooplall had -15. The competition continues tomorrow.
Third edition of Anamayah Memorial Basketball competition in Berbice
Black Sharks looking for clean sweep, Hardliners promise to be too tough to handle All is set for the final of the third edition of the Annual Anamayah Memorial Basketball competition slated for tomorrow at the Fyrish basketball court. The two teams looking to take home the coveted title are the unbeaten Fyrish Black Sharks of Fyrish Corentyne and Giant Killers and surprise package Ithaca Hardliners of Ithaca West Bank Berbice. A new champion will be crowned since defending champion Rose Hall Town Jammers were knocked out of the competition while the teams from New Amsterdam were also sent packing. As can be seen both teams are from the country side - Black Sharks from the Corentyne and Hardliners from West Berbice. They have both played a reasonable brand of basketball throughout the competition and will be looking
to place their first hold on the trophy. The Black Sharks who will be hunting in familiar territory have looked ominous throughout the competition devouring all and sundry that showed up before them to play unbeaten so far. On the other hand the unheralded Hardliners who were virtually unheard of before the start of competition have played some though basketball for the season so far. Most of their opponents were surprised at the stiffness that the Hardliners have portrayed thus succumbing to the rigours of the seemingly hard to beat Hardliners. The two teams have not met as yet and with the top ranked teams out of the competition and both having a victory over defending champion Jammers, a keen and exciting encounter and hard fought game is an-
ticipated. The Fyrish Black Black Sharks lineup will come from Lindon Joseph, Reyal Franklyn, Tafawa Dey, Desi Douglas, Keenan Williams, Micheal Marks, Carl Logan and Leroy Lashley. The Ithaca Hardliners squad is expected to include Kester Edwards, Elroy Amsterdam, Rayman Sinclair, Kevin Perry, Kester Sinclair, Phillip Edwards, Rayal Solomon, Jaden Smith and Kevon Allen. At stake in the competition are cash and other incentives for the winning and runner-up teams and outstanding players. The tournament has being organised by sport enthusiast Vibert Garnett. Tip off time is 16:00 hrs. Representatives of the sponsors are expected to be on hand to help with the distribution of prizes and gave remarks. (Samuel Whyte)
Saturday April 02, 2016
Kaieteur News
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Dhoni blames no-balls, dew factor for loss ESPNcricinfo - R Ashwin is widely considered the leader of India’s bowling attack, particularly in home conditions. He has ended the World T20 - a tournament held in India, on pitches that have by and large helped the spinners - having delivered only 15 overs in five matches, the smallest workload of India’s four frontline bowlers. Ashwin bowled his full quota of overs in only two of the five games, against New Zealand in Nagpur and against Bangladesh in Bangalore. He only bowled three overs against Pakistan on a Kolkata pitch offering plenty of turn, two expensive overs against Australia in Mohali, and two overs in Thursday’s semi-final against West Indies in Mumbai. Ashwin conceded 20 runs in those two overs, the seventh and ninth of West Indies’ innings, and did not bowl thereafter. India captain MS Dhoni did not turn to his offspinner in the middle overs, when Hardik Pandya’s medium-pace was leaking runs, or for the final over, when he gave the part-timer Virat Kohli the ball with West Indies needing eight to win. Dhoni said he did not use Ashwin because of the onset of dew. He said the ball “was gripping” the pitch during India’s innings, but the dew made it skid through when West Indies batted, making it easy for them to hit the spinners. “The seam gets wet and the surface becomes a bit greasy so it comes onto the bat nicely,” Dhoni said. “Ash only bowled two overs, [Ravindra] Jadeja we were forced to bowl the last quota of his overs otherwise he
Mahendra Singh Dhoni would have only bowled three overs.” Jadeja had a torrid time with the ball, conceding 48 off his four overs. With two righthanders at the crease - Lendl Simmons and Andre Russell at the start of the 19th over, Dhoni turned to Jadeja’s leftarm spin rather than Ashwin’s offspin. Dhoni said he gave Kohli - who picked up a wicket off his very first ball of the tournament to start the 14th of West Indies’ innings - the final over because he feared that the lack of turn off a dewslicked pitch would make it easy for Andre Russell or Lendl Simmons to hit big shots off a spinner. He said he did not remember why he had not bowled out Ashwin’s quota in the match against Pakistan. “No, it was not in my mind [to give Ashwin the ball], looking at Russell and the big hitters and the amount of purchase there was on offer. That was not the best time for him to bowl. Calcutta, I’m not sure
what my thinking was then. When the wicket is turning I like to take that gamble of keeping a few overs of the spinner [in reserve] so that if needed, I can make him bowl.” Immediately after the Kolkata match, Dhoni had said he used Jasprit Bumrah rather than Ashwin at the death, since he felt Pakistan had a greater chance of taking a big over off a spinner “in excess of 15 runs” - rather than a seamer. “I’m not saying [Ashwin] couldn’t have bowled, but that was the thinking at that point of time and I went for the safer option.” At the Wankhede, Ashwin could have had a wicket in his first over, when Bumrah caught Simmons brilliantly at short third man, but replays showed the bowler had overstepped. Simmons was batting on 18 at that point. Later, while on 50, he had another life when Ashwin caught him at cover off Pandya - off another noball. Dhoni said the no-balls were the only thing that disappointed him about India’s performance, on a pitch that he felt had been transformed between innings by the dew. “Thirty more [runs] would have been really nice,” he said, when asked if he felt 192 was too low a total to defend on a flat pitch against West Indies. “But you have to realise it was half an hour early start, a bad toss to lose. When they started batting the first few overs were fine, but after that there was a considerable amount of dew, which meant the spinner couldn’t bowl how they would have liked to. “It was coming on nicely
Berbice Volleyball Association holds quarterly meeting The executives and members of the Berbice Volleyball Association (BVA) will be holding a general members meeting today, starting at 13:00 hrs at the Port Mourant Training Centre Hostel, Port Mourant Corentyne Berbice. The main purpose of the meeting is to review the BVA’s performance so far for the year, look at plans for the rest of the year and plan fund raising activity. The BVA has been one of the most active associations in the country for the year so far with numerous activities being completed. A number of outreaches were held including one to the riverain communities of
Orealla/Siparuta, another to Black Bush, while one was held at Skeldon for Youth and females. Another was held on the West Coast of Berbice for youths. A number of seminars, workshops and coaching courses were also held throughout the country for teachers, players, females and youths. The association U19
teams also just returned from an overseas trip to Trinidad. A packed programme is on the cards for the rest of the year and according to BVA President Levi Nedd, one of the aims of the meeting is to see how the association has performed so far and put systems in place for a successful completion of the year’s programme. (Samuel Whyte)
and the ball was getting wet, so that was the difference between the first innings and
second innings. The surface had some assistance for the spinners [in the first innings],
it was gripping, but in the second innings there wasn’t (Continued on page 25)
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Kaieteur News
Saturday April 02, 2016
GCB’s Igloo U-17 Inter-County cricket
Kevin St Clair (5-10) Umroa (4-11) spins B’ce to win over U-15s By Sean Devers Skipper Kevin St Clair followed up his top score of 33 with 5-10 while Kevin Umroa captured 4-11 to spin Berbice to a crushing 107-run win over
the National U-15 Select at Wales yesterday to give them back-to-back wins in the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) Igloo Ice Cream U-17 InterCounty 50-over cricket tournament.
St Clair, the Rose Hall Town all-rounder hit 33 and shared in a 50-run fourth wicket stand with Steve Deonarine (15) before the eight wicket pair of Sayaad Piebaksh (20) and Keith
Man-of-the-Match Kevin St Clair who took 5-10 after driving for four in his top score of 33 at Wales yesterday. Simpson (26) put together 44 to see Berbice to 151 all out from 42.3 overs. Pacer Geron Schultz (313), Nigel Deodat (2-26), Dwain Dick (2-32) and Seon Glasgow (2-33) shared the bulk of the wickets for the U15s who were bundled out for an embarrassing 44 from just 24 overs as only GYOs Yeudistir Persaud (16) reached double figures on a track which produced alarming turn. Off-spinner St Clair, named Man-of-the-Match, and left-arm spinner Umroa bowled in tandem and fully exploited the spin-friendly track to befuddle the hapless batsman, some of whom will represent this County in the 2016 Regional U-15 competition in Grenada in July. Overnight rain caused a 15-minute delay and the U15s asked Berbice, who moved to 12.5 points after beating Essequibo on Wednesday, to bat in overcast conditions and on a lush and heavy outfield.
Schultz struck with the score on six when he removed Alex Agloo (3) before returning to dismiss the last two batsmen to cap a fair day’s work for the U-15s who were badly beaten on Wednesday by the defending Champions in the opening game on Wednesday. Left-hander Javed Karim, who fashioned a classy unbeaten 52 on Wednesday at Bourda, was now starting to find his rhythm when he fell to pacer Leon Swamy for 11 at 22-2 before Dwain Dick bowled Wicketkeeper Junior St Clair (8) 10 runs later. Deonarain who hit the game’s only six, and his skipper repaired the damage with sensible batting on the sluggish pitch before Deonarain edged Glasgow to the Keeper to leave the score on 78-4. Berbice slipped to from 78-3 to 99-7 before another useful partnership between Piebaksh and Simpson, who both went after the bowling reached the boundary twice. They took the score from 99
to 143-8 when Simpson fell to Glasgow. Schultz returned to mop up the tail. When the U-15s began their reply left-arm pacer Stephen Kamaludin rocked back the stumps of Jarron France (8) with 12 runs on the board and never recovered as spin twins St Clair and Umroa wreaked the batting order with only Persaud reaching double figures. When Marvan Prashad pushed forward to Umroa, missed and lifted his back foot, Junior St Clair effected a lightning fast stumping before St Clair bowled Glasgow and had Dick caught in the deep in successive balls as three wickets fell in the space of a run to leave the score on 25-5. All three batsmen fell for ducks while the six remaining wickets tumbled for 19 runs as the game was done and dusted just after Lunch. Berbice play Demerara tomorrow at Bourda in what is a virtual final while winless U15s and Essequibo face off at DCC.
piled a challenging 155 all out in 24 of their allotted overs. That is after a poor start being at one stage 54 for 5. Baldinder Shivpersaud topscored with 29. Bowling for YWCC, there were two wickets a piece for Suresh Dhani, Jermin Henry, Kassim Khan and Seon Hetmyer. YWCC in rely lost their star batsman Shimron Hetmyer early, caught off Ricardo Adams. However, a second wicket partnership of 100 runs between Seon
Hetmyer and Linden Austin, both former national under-19 players, put the visitors on course. Seon Hetmyer finished with 58, Austin 38 and Kassim Khan 23 n.o.; Adams took 3 wickets. The organizers thanked the YWCC for willingly accepting the invitation to participate so that the club can raise some funds for the benefit of the community. YWCC in reply thanked the host for the invitation and promised to assist any club in the country to raise funds for the development of our cricketers. The Young Warriors Cricket Club will be heading this weekend to Leguan for matches in that lovely island.
Young Warriors Cricket Club beat Zeeburg Sports Club in fundraiser In another good gesture for the development of cricket across Guyana, the Young Warriors Cricket Club from Cumberland, East Canje, Berbice travelled all the way to Zeeburg on the West Coast of Demerara to assist the club in a grand fundraiser. The match was a 25 overs affair with the visitors winning by 6 wickets with one over to spare. Zeeburg Sports Club won the toss and batted under cloudy conditions and com-
Saturday April 02, 2016
Kaieteur News
Ming and Boodram lead Caribbean drivers in Formula 4 championship # 46 Zachary Frankie Boodram
The 2015-2016 NACAM Formula 4 Championship season is the inaugural season that began late last year and is expected to conclude by mid-year. Round 4 will take place on April 2 – 3, 2016 at Toluca, Estado de Mexico. There will be three 30 minutes races with approximately 18 to 19 cars. These are MyGale chassis F4 cars sourced from France with a 1600cc Ford Ecoboost
engine with about 160ps or 158hp with Sodemo computers with a 6 speed sequential paddle-shift gearbox from Sadev. The top speed in these openwheel F4 cars is limited to 150 mph with G force reaching about 3. The region will be represented by Calvin Ming with 34 accumulated points in the # 4; Ming Guyana team, who trails the overall leader who has 169 points
through 3 rounds. Whereas, Frankie Zackary Boodram in the Speedway TCR Motorsport # 46 will try to improve upon his disastrous last outing. The young 18 year old phenom trails the Rookie Cup point standings with an accumulation of 129 points behind the co-leaders, 177. The top three countries in the Nations Cup have Colombia with 186 points, Guyana with 144 points and Trinidad and Tobago at 114.
Jumbo Jet Auto Sales and racing stables and RSTC expresses appreciation The organisers, coordinator and organizing committee of the recently held Guyana Cup Fever horserace meet has expressed their heartfelt thanks and appreciation to all the sponsors, the members of the public and the various media houses in Guyana who contributed in one way or the other in making their one day horse race meet a success. The event was held on Sunday last, March 27th 2016, at the Rising Sun Turf Club, West Coast Berbice.
The members of the management Committee would like to say a big thank you once again to the Government of Guyana, especially Director Of Sport Christopher Jones, Beverage Giants Banks DIH Limited, Nand Persaud and Company Limited –Karibee Rice, Jumbo Jet Truck Auto Sales, Agricultural Machinery and Equipment, Ramesh Sunich of Trophy Stall, Kris Jagdeo Construction, Sharrif, “Nankoo” Racing Stable, Fazal Habuulla ,Chester Fried Chicken Of Bush Lot,
Inshan Bacchus Trucking Service, Rising Sun Turf Club and Crown Vibes Sound Systems among others. According to coordinator Nasrudeen (Jumbo Jet) M o h a m e d J u n i o r, t h e committee will also like to say special thanks to Commander B Division Assistant Commissioner Ian Amsterdam and ranks of the Guyana Police Force and to all for their support and look for their continued patronage for the next race meet. (Samuel Whyte)
South E’bo t20 cricket at Pomona this Weekend Semi final action in South Essequibo Cricket Committee t20 competition is set for this weekend at Pomona with Jaguars playing Rising Stars and New Opportunity Corps (NOC) coming up against Hibernia on Saturday. The first match is starts at 10:00hrs and keen competition expected since
players like Norman Fredericks, Chandi Jairam and Javeed Azeez will appear for Jaguars, while Rising Stars line-up include Ricardo Peters, Kurty Jones, Rovin Dersrraj and Sachin Persaud. The second game is scheduled to commence at 14:00hrs and features players like Akeene and
Anthony Adams, Nelam Cadogan, David Williams and Brandon Cabouse for the NOC, while Ramnarine Ragobar and Ravin Ramanuath will play for Hibernia The winners will clash in the final on Sunday, while the losing semi-finalists will battle in the third place playoff.
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# 4 Calvin Ming (facebook)
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Kaieteur News
2016 Dalchand Rambharose InterSecondary School Under-15 Berbice Cricket
Javon Persaud’s 5 for 18 put Canje Secondary into the Quarter-finals
Javon Persaud Canje Secondary School has become the first school to reach the quarter-finals of the Dalchand Rambharose Inter-Secondary School Under-15, Two-innings Cricket Competition in Berbice. In their final Zone D preliminary match, they took first innings points from Berbice High School to end on top of that Zone with 12 points. In the match which ended in a draw and was played at the Cumberland Ground, Berbice High School chose to bat first and enjoyed an opening stand of 20 between Jason Rishiram (10) and Joel Campbell (7). However, offspinners Javon Persaud and Anthony Williams picked up two
and one wickets respectively to reduce them to 21 for 3. Abdul Ramsammy and Robert Suntgolam then put on a valuable 43 for the 4th wicket after which Persaud struck again, removing Suntgolam for 11 at 64 for 4. Ramsammy continued and he and Ajay Nadisan took the score to 105 after which Ramsammy went for 37. Berbice High did not get further then and lost all of their last 5-wickets for 0 run, ending on 105 all out in their first innings. Javon Persaud ended with 5 for 18 from 7-Overs. When Canje Secondary replied, they lost an early wicket with only 11 runs on the board but Berbice Under-15 batsmen Carl Gilgeous and Zeynul Ramsammy put on 70 for the 2nd wicket after which Ramsammy went for 30. Gilgeous went on to score 43 which was largely responsible for Canje Secondary reaching 106 for 5 after which the match was called off. Bowling for Berbice High, Devin Moses took 2 for 30.
2016 Memorex Under-17, Twoinnings Cricket Competition in Berbice
Mickle, Williams, Swami score half centuries, Chan takes 5-wickets for Tucber Park - Prahalad takes 7 for 12 for Tamarind Root
Leon Swami
Malcolm Mickle
The 2016 Memorex Under-17, Two-innings Cricket Competition organised by the Berbice Cricket Board, continued recently with Tucber Park gaining full points over Sisters. With offspinner Melvin Singh taking 4 for 12 for Tucber Park, Sisters were bowled out for 64 in their first innings. When Tucber
replied, Malcolm Mickle slammed 67 while two allrounders who represented Berbice at the Under-15 level, Junior Williams and Leon Swami hit 53 N.O. and 50 N.O. respectively as they declared their 1st innings at 216 for 4. Facing a huge deficit of 152 runs, Sisters could only reach 63 all out in their 2nd (Continued on page 25)
Saturday April 02, 2016
Scotiabank CFU Men’s Caribbean Cup 2016
Guyana to face Curacao and USVI in Round 2
By Franklin Wilson G u y a n a ’s G o l d e n Jaguars ranked 156 in the world have been drawn in Group 3 of Round 2 action in the Scotiabank CFU Men’s Caribbean Cup 2016 championship following their flawless performance in Group 5 Round 1 action, recording two wins in as many matches. The Golden Jaguars which topped the group have now been dawn to play Curacao which is ranked at 151 in the world and the United States Virgin Islands ranked 178, on June 1st and 7th, respectively at the Guyana National Stadium Providence and Adelita Cancryn Playing Field in the USVI. The Guyanese side was comprised primarily of local based players who have been active in the inaugural STAG Elite League along with seven tested tried and proven overseas based Jaguars: Goalkeeper Anthony Whyte of Canada, Marcel Barrington, Neil Danns and Samuel Cox (England), Brandon Beresford (USA), Walter Moore of (Finland) and Captain Christopher Nurse who is now back in Puerto Rico. Round 1 play saw the Golden Jaguars scoring a total of 8 goals without c o n c e d i n g a n y, K i n g Solomon Austin in his first full international match for Guyana scoring the lone and winning goal against host Puerto Rico in the final group match. At home in the opening match, the Jaguars carved out a 7-0 win when goals were scored by Dwight Peters (11, 30), Christopher Nurse (14), Neil Danns (34), Gregory Richardson (45), Vurlon Mills (47) and Marcel Barrington (65). Other local based players
that made the travelling 18 were Alex Murray, Kester Jacobs, Eon Alleyne, Vurlon Mills, Gregory Richardson, Devon Millington, Tischard Joseph, Dwight Peters, Quincy Adams, Clive Nobrega. The Technical Team was made up of Jamaal Shabazz – Head Coach, Wayne Dover – Assistant Coach, Rawle Adams – Manager, Andrew Hazel – Goalkeeper Coach, Anson Ambrose – Trainer, Duane Saunders – Physiotherapist, Denzil H e r n a n d e z – Physiotherapist, Earl Paul – Equipment Manager. Curacao which was
formerly the Netherlands Antilles have just won and drawn once against Guyana in 7 matches. In recent times they have, like other nations called upon the services of overseas based players to boost their team and will be a force to reckon with come June 1st. However, Guyana, with almost two months to the date will most likely be pulling out all the stops to bring the team together early in order to be in the best possible shape as a cohesive unit ready for battle as they continue the journey towards CONCACAF Gold Cup Qualification for the
first time. Head Coach Jamaal Shabazz had bemoaned the fact that the team was only afforded one opportunity to train at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence ahead of the Anguilla clash and the general lack of adequate training facilities for the team. Captain Christopher Nurse had called on his contacts in Puerto Rico where he was instrumental in organ i z i n g e x t r a training sessions ahead of the final Round 1 Group 5 match. Kindly find below the full schedule Round 2 schedule :
Saturday April 02, 2016
Kaieteur News
National Basketball Championships Game should be rescheduled - says University Professor, former FIBA International Official
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Bloodied Lake defies odds to conquer Woods
W. Bradford Wiley Professor of Economics at Colgate University and former FIBA International Official, Jay R. Mandle (second left), and his wife University Professor, Joan Mandle (obliquely opposite him) during his meeting with GABF, LABA and GABA at the Marriot Hotel. Distinguished academic and former FIBA international licensed referee, Jay Mandle has issued a letter where he stated that the abandoned National Basketball Championships Game should be rescheduled since that is the only way to determine “the better team and the rightful champion”. The W. Bradford Wiley Professor of Economics at Colgate University, who along with his wife, Joan Mandle, also a University Professor, co-authored ‘Caribbean Hoops: The Development of West Indian Basketball’, which has an entire chapter on Refereeing. Mandle and his wife visited Guyana last week at the request of the University of Guyana and sat down with the Guyana Amateur Basketball Federation (GABF) President, Nigel Hinds and reps from the Linden Amateur Basketball Association (LABA) and Georgetown Amateur Basketball Association (GABA) Thursday morning at the Marriot Hotel to help resolve the imbroglio from the N a t i o n a l C l u b Championships Final. L i n d e n ’s R e t r i e v e Raiders had walked off the court with 9:18 left on the game clock in the fourth quarter, down 51-54 against Colts, to protest what they believe was biased officiating at the Final on March 19, 2016 at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.
Below is the full text of the letter from Mandle on the matter: ‘The Club Championship Basketball Game on March 19 failed to produce a victor because players first on one team, and then the other, walked off the court. As a long-time friend of, and sometimes participant as an internationally licensed FIBA official in Guyana basketball, I am distressed by the events that prevented the game from being completed. In my lengthy conversations with members of the Guyana Amateur Basketball Federation and its affiliates, I have gathered sufficient information to comment. I do so in the hope that such an unsatisfactory conclusion can be avoided in the future. First, it is clear to me that no matter how controversial a referee’s call may be, the withdrawal of a team from the play of the game is unacceptable. It is an act of disrespect to the game and the institutions that support it. There are channels that are available for teams and players to register their protests. But failing to play is not an acceptable form of protest and cannot be tolerated. Second, since the failure to continue to play is a flagrant act of contempt for the sport, the referees should have ended the game, and declared the team that remained on the court the victor of a forfeited
contest. Once it was clear that one team made it impossible for the game to be resumed by walking off the court, the referee should have forfeited the game. Third, since the referees erred in not declaring a forfeit, much of the action that ensued thereafter, including the issuing of technical fouls and awarding of foul shots, should be considered moot. None of that should have been implemented. Fourth, in the interest of the integrity of the sport in Guyana, the Championship Game should be rescheduled. The game should be played in its entirety. No effort should be made to pick up the uncompleted game at its point of disruption. A full game is the only way to determine the better team and the rightful champion. Fifth and finally, this event demonstrates that all participants, but particularly the players, showed a shocking disrespect for basketball. There is no basketball without support for the the rules and institutions that sustain and promote the sport. Bringing disrespect to the sport, as this event did, threatens basketball in Guyana. All involved should work together to ensure a resolution to this unfortunate situation – showing their good will to support the sport they all love.’ Sincerely yours, Jay R. Mandle W. Bradford Wiley Professor of Economics Colgate University
Revlon Lake (left) connects with a stiff right to the body of Anthony Woods during their five-round Contender boxing match. (Jamaica Observer) Jamaica Observer - Courageous Guyanese lightweight boxer Revlon Lake rallied with a first-round damaged left eyebrow to sink Anthony Woods by majority decision in the Wray & Nephew White Overproof Rum Contender Series at the Chinese Benevolent Association Auditorium in Jamaica on Wednesday night. The bout was one of the most entertaining of the Contender Series, and when Lake was on the go, the crowd began to chorus the popular boxing rally cry, “Lick im, Shrimpy Lick im,” made famous during fights involving former Jamaica champion, Richard ‘Shrimpy’ Clarke. Judges Lindel Allen and Peter Richards scored the bout 49-46 and 48-47 for Lake, respectively, while Judge Eddie Cotton saw it 48-47 for Woods. This year’s Wray & Nephew of the Contender, the sixth edition, is being fought between Team America and Team Caribbean. Eight fighters will represent each team, and after four fights, Team Caribbean lead 3-1. Richard ‘Frog’ Holmes, Tsetsi Davis and Lake have scored victories for the Caribbean outfit, while Team America’s Demarcus ‘Chop Chop’ Corley is the only winner. Lake was making his second entry into
the Contender Series and was a happy winner as it helped to appease some of the pain he felt at being knocked out at the first hurdle of the 2012 edition. He said that experience was “still fresh in my mind and I came prepared to make amends”. “I will take this victory from here and prepare myself for further conquests. My goal is to win this contest; nothing less will do,” Lake said. Lake, who was scoring his second consecutive victory in 32 days, having won in another contest in his homeland, added: “It was a good fight. He (Woods) put up a good fight. I got cut in the first round and I was trying not to take any undue (hits) as every time I go back to the corner the blood kept running. Even so, the coach kept calling for the double jab, but with the blood running so heavily, I did not want them to stop the fight so I continued to be cautious in my approach and this paid off.” Woods admitted that Lake was the “better fighter”. “I came prepared to do much better than I had, but I must admit that he (Lake) is a better fighter than I had prepared for and, he came out on top,” he said.
EBFA / Ralph Green U-11 League - Semis
Agricola, Grove, Craig and Friendship battle for two finals spots E v e n a t t h i s developmental stage of their lives, players have been showing tremendous skills in the East Bank Football Association / Ralph Green sponsored Under-11 league which has reached the semi finals stage. Today at the Grove Playfield the final four teams will be going after each other for a place in next Saturday’s
final at the same venue. The surprise package of the competition so far has been the Friendship All Stars team which is playing in its first tournament and is the only unbeaten team so far. In their first competitive match under the EBFA umbrella they defeated defending champions Herstelling Raiders 2-0 and (Continued on page 25)
Tyrese Jones - Grove Hi Tech U-11 Captain.
t r o Sp GCB’s Igloo U-17 Inter-County cricket
Hathiramani six-wkt Kevin St Clair (5-10) Umroa (4-11) spins B’ce to win over U-15s haul hands Demerara comprehensive win Fortune bags 5
Man-of-the-match Sagar Hathiramani accepts his prize from match referee Grantley Culbard.
Junior St Clair stumps Marvan Prashad off Kevin Umroa at Wales yesterday on his way to 4-11.
Dhoni blames no-balls, dew factor for loss
National Basketball Championships Game should be rescheduled Scotiabank CFU Men’s Caribbean Cup 2016
Guyana to face Curacao and USVI in Round 2
R Ashwin (BCCI)
Bloodied Lake defies odds to conquer Woods
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