Kaieteur News
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Saturday April 30, 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
A political culture
Mexico is supposed to be a modern country, a democracy, a society under the rule of law. That is certainly what it aspires to be, and when President Enrique Peña Nieto took office in 2012 promising to aggressively tackle the violence that has disfigured Mexico in recent years, the hope was that those aspirations would be more fully realised than in the past. How then can it also be a country where the disappearance and presumed murder of 43 college students, whose only crime appears to have been that they hijacked some buses to attend a protest meeting, is still a mystery more than 18 months after it occurred? And not only a mystery, but one that the Mexican government seems determined will remain unsolved. True, the government put out a version of what happened to these young men in Iguala over a year ago. But it was internally inconsistent, lacked proof of its main assertions, satisfied hardly anybody and was rejected by the parents of the students. Under pressure, Mexico then agreed that a panel of experts appointed by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights would re-examine the students’ disappearance in collaboration with the government. The panel’s first report cast additional doubt on the government story. Its second and final report, does not solve the mystery but makes it clear that the failure to do so can largely be laid at the door of the uncooperative and obstructive Mexican authorities. The panel was unable to properly test the hypothesis that the students were killed because they had inadvertently taken a bus stacked with heroin, and that they were attacked by police and soldiers trying to retrieve the drugs on behalf of traffickers. The Mexican investigators, it says, tortured the principal witnesses, failed to follow up evidence that pointed in a different direction from that which they had already decided was the only permissible one, and did not explore the possible culpability of higher level – including federal – officials. The experts repeated earlier complaints that they had not been given access to important witnesses, had not been allowed to re-interview witnesses, and had not been able to see documents they had requested. And the government seems to have done nothing to discredit what looked very much liked a smear campaign in the Mexican media against two of the panel’s members. Their mandate will soon expire and the government has said it will not renew it. This is a country with a homicide rate of almost 100 a day, an epidemic of disappearances, kidnappings on the rise, and one in which the killing of journalists is a commonplace. Another was shot this week in Guerrero state, the same state where the students died, although there is no suggestion of any connection. He was the fifth to be murdered this year. The Iguala case is not the only one in recent times where many died or are presumed dead in a single incident – there was another in Tlatlaya, also in Guerrero, in the summer of 2014 – but it was the worst. There could not have been a better opportunity for the new start the government had proclaimed. Instead it invited in the most neutral body of experts that could be mustered and has now in effect expelled them with their work only half done. A more dismal result for Mexico can hardly be imagined. We look at Mexico and draw comparisons with things in our own Guyana. Indeed we have had our share of political killings but none in the magnitude of Mexico. Today, crimes that were once unsolved are now being solved. In fact, this past week saw five murders committed almost a decade ago. This comes about with a new political climate.
Guyana has not treated its musical tradition with respect DEAR EDITOR; Will our Guyana jubilee be a true 50 year celebration of our sovereignty: or will we in fact be unwittingly celebrating an 80% musical invasion by our Caricom neighbours led by Jamaica this May, 2016? I was told that Guyana had the first advanced radio system in the Caribbean. While middle class voices were prevalent on the air to ensure a national grasp of good English, lots of local music, Creole story-telling and Guyanese Talent Shows added a vibrant cultural home flavor during the 60’s and onwards. Any visitor could hear, smell and taste the musical flavor of Guyana through the likes of Bill Rogers, Johnny Braff, Nesbit Shangoor, King Fighter and others. Local bands, studios, promoters and artistes sought incessantly to fashion the Guyana sound identity. But instead of strengthening our desire to grow and to excel along progressive paths of self determination and self reliance as advocated by an earlier leader, we have idiotically morphed and disintegrated into senseless pursuits in regards to the way we treated with our music and our musicians officially. The signs along the way were appalling. The new administration of 1992, quickly abandoned support for local music; they perhaps saw social commentary in many of the songs as a political tool. Colonial divisions which had encumbered the minds of six people at
an earlier time were silently being revived. Rapid deterioration ensued. Not having to pay royalties to local or to foreign artistes our leaders became comatose, unaware of the dynamic economic giant they were inhibiting at home and brainless to the vast debt of royalties they were amassing for the outside world along with their culpability as a signatory to international copyright. Bootleg music entered the fray massively and escalated and the national taste bud succumbed. Radio and music licenses for homes, hotels and public places of entertainment had ceased. The copyright protection body, Performing Rights Society, (PRS), through which local artistes received royalties up to 1992, was scuttled. With no quota allocation for airing local music (6575% - required by international radio), Guyana lost out to the unlimited quota of foreign music. Conscious Guyanese, wrote many letters to the press and had private meetings with leaders at several levels urging them to see music as part of the national product which prospective tourists expect as an intrinsic part of their package as a visitor, fell on deaf ears. Many past leaders treated the music industry as a hobby. Little did they realize that their backward mindset caused us to lose out on such manufacturing industries as, tapirs, stoves, freezers, fridges, batteries, radios, canned fruits, juices and fish; meat and fish sausages and
cheese, etc. In fact, many high ranking leaders of the then administration joined with some local entrepreneurs to flood the local market with Jamaican and TT music stars at live shows. The brain damage now is so severe that many young Guyanese and fledging DJs cannot name four local singers and one international Guyanese Music Star. It gets worse, at least up to last year, at government sponsored shows and creative exhibitions for children and adults; one would have been hard pressed to tell from the music that was blaring at the functions, whether you were in Jamaica, Trinidad, USA or Barbados. I agree that the people from the other territories grew up welcoming tourists as a way of life, while we who have not been exposed to such a situation have a greater battle dealing with the colonial stupor which had long since clouded our natural instincts for self reliance and self sufficiency. Judging from the sounds I hear blaring around the country, I fear that our Jubilee visitors will be entertained mostly by the Jamaican musical revolution. However, I am hoping that despite this sad reality our intelligent instincts will prevail in time to restore national pride and to provide a turnaround for the next generation of Guyanese, to value self respect above the total consumer psyche, sometime soon. Pray along with me and may God help Guyana. Lee Houston
Where are the archives and archivist?
DEAR EDITOR; Over the last three weeks, I was exposed to the full brunt of the incompetence and indolence of the Royston King Administration of the Mayor and Councillors of the City of Georgetown. Wo r k i n g o n a p r o j e c t t o commemorate the Golden Jubilee of Guyana’s Independence, I attempted on no less than eight occasions over the last three weeks to access the Municipal Archives of the Georgetown City Council without fail but w as unsuccessful in doing so, having been provided with some frivolous excuse by those present why I could not access the records there. Once I was told that the Archivist is on sick leave. The next time a Constable told me he did not know what archives I am talking about existing at that location. Another time I was told the air conditioning systems were not working. And yet another time I was told that I had to get special permission from Royston King to enter. However, finally I was quietly told by someone there that the archives were left abandoned since last year May and no longer functional. What a shame! How could a ‘supposed history buff’ like Hamilton Green have allowed this travesty to occur under his watch? Remember a number of years ago when the M&CC decided it needed the
space where the archives were housed and unceremoniously shunted the collection off to the ‘House Service D e p a r t m e n t ’ i n Wa t e r S t r e e t ? Conditions there could not have been worse for the storage of documents; while there was no direct sunlight to do damage, there was no circulation of air either and the roof was leaking badly. They were dumped higgeldy-piggeldy on a windowless mezzanine floor of the building, to which the hot air rose, and where the humidity levels were inimical to the preservation of paper. It was these records primarily which the M&CC then transferred to a special area in the City Police training complex. Royston King, with whom the idea supposedly originated; along with Debra Lewis, who was placed in charge
of the project; were given substantial sums from the city’s budget to have this s p e c i a l t w e n t y - f o u r h o u r a i rconditioned facility constructed staffed and launched with much pomp and fanfare, touting it as a resource for students, researchers from around the world and all of Guyana. Now that has all gone down the drain again, what a colossal waste of time and money. Maybe the President of Guyana who is well known for his background in history should intervene and rescue such a treasure trove of historical records. Rather than wasting money on a number of frivolous projects, this is a far more worthwhile undertaking for the city to pursue for our Golden Jubilee Deodarie Putulall
Stop these music carts right now! DEAR EDITOR; I heard some time ago that the Government was about to clamp down on the mobile music vendors who are playing music at extremely loud volumes in an effort to advertise their ward, and am sincerely hoping that this takes effect sooner than later. These mobile music vendors with their carts have become noise nuisances; they play their loud music at
any hour of the day or night, without a thought of how it would affect persons living in the areas they pass through.) I have tenants who are awakened early in the morning by these noise nuisances and they complain bitterly about the early morning disturbance. We are calling on the Government to put some measure in place to resolve this issue. Arthur Taylor
Kaieteur News
Saturday April 30, 2016
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Sad description of medical Tribute to the late Mr. Chetram incompetence in Guyana Singh, a Guyanese icon DEAR EDITOR, As a concerned Guyanese citizen and Reverend I wish to share my concerns about most of these private hospitals that charge our people exorbitant medical fees for very simple treatment and tests. Some years ago my father suffered a sudden stroke. I rushed him to a private doctor when I was living in Berbice. This arrogant doctor looked at my father and told me to wait in a line of over 200 patients, I refused. Then he told me to show him a huge amount of money before he can look after my father. I challenged him telling him that I can get his licensed revoked then, he looked at my dad but the drugs he gave my dad was valued by NIS to be $560 yet I paid over $20,000 for his dead services. My mother died by a wrong injection given to her by a drunk doctor yet he charged to fill out the death certificate documents even though he was paid the first time but yet caused my mother’s death. A few weeks ago one of my church members was rushed to a private hospital in Georgetown. The man was kept there for only three hours and was told he was having a first heart attack. They told the man’s wife and children that for them to keep him there they need $2.2 million cash which I found very interesting. Then they sent the man to GPHC by telling his family they have no heart specialist at their private hospital but all are at GPHC. For the 3 hours they charged $27,000 by just guessing it was a heart failure. If they had no heart specialist then why they wanted 2.2 million dollars? Why did they charge $27,000 for doing nothing to the patient? The man was rushed by ambulance to GPHC where he was admitted into the ICU for about 6 hours. He came out and was talking to his family until 1 PM in the night. His family went home. They received a call at 3PM
from the GPHC to go to the hospital upon their arrival they discovered their father was dead. This strong healthy man I know was just age 46 and the doctors just said a second heart attack killed him. I was told they had no proper system for example, a machine that was suppose to monitor the man’s body was not working. Until now no proper explanation was given how this man died so suddenly. It was a great neglect by removing him from the ICU and those working there did not do their jobs properly and know nothing about how to threat heart failures it’s all guess work. I was told they had no proper system for example, a machine that was suppose to monitor the man’s body was not working. Until now no proper explanation was given how this man died so suddenly. It was a great neglect by removing him from the ICU and those working there did not do their jobs properly and know nothing about how to threat heart failures it’s all guess work. The first hospital wanted $2.2 million from a poor family to save him. Some other private hospitals they called wanted more. I know of a Pastor who spent a few days at a private hospital and died yet the bill was $1.5 million dollars. Another old lady told me she spent 4 days at a private hospital for tests and minor treatment yet her family had to pay over $250,000 and she got worst so she came to church for prayer. I am of the opinion that the medical profession is a noble one and doctors are bound by the HIPPOCRATIC OATH to save lives and not allow money to take precedence over their oath they are bound by. I wish to quote the Hippocratic Oath below: “I swear to fulfill, to the best of my ability and judgment, this covenant: I will respect the hardwon scientific gains of those physicians in whose steps I
walk, and gladly share such knowledge as is mine with those who are to follow. I will apply, for the benefit of the sick, all measures which are required, avoiding those twin traps of over treatment and therapeutic nihilism. I will remember that there is art to medicine as well as science, and that warmth, sympathy, and understanding may outweigh the surgeon’s knife or the chemist’s drug. I will not be ashamed to say “I know not,” nor will I fail to call in my colleagues when the skills of another are needed for a patient’s recovery. I will respect the privacy of my patients, for their problems are not disclosed to me that the world may know. Most especially must I tread with care in matters of life and death. If it is given me to save a life, all thanks. But it may also be within my power to take a life; this awesome responsibility must be faced with great humbleness and awareness of my own frailty. Above all, I must not play at God. I will remember that I do not treat a fever chart, a cancerous growth, but a sick human being, whose illness may affect the person’s family and economic stability. My responsibility includes these related problems, if I am to care adequately for the sick. I will prevent disease whenever I can, for prevention is preferable to cure. I will remember that I remain a member of society, with special obligations to all my fellow human beings, those sound of mind and body as well as the infirm. If I do not violate this (Continued on page 23)
DEAR EDITOR; On Friday 8th April, 2016, as soon as I arrived at the airport in Toronto, my daughter told me that Mr Chetram Singh, a family friend, soul-brother and above all a great son of Guyana, died peacefully in his home in Toronto, Canada, with his devoted wife, Jean, by his side and his most prized ‘possessions’, his sons and other family members around him. Most compatriots in Guyana and the diaspora in Canada of the 1950-1960’s vintage will recall this unique, iconic professional in the field of Hospital Administration and his sterling contribution to the development of cricket, especially in Berbice as President of the Berbice Cricket Board as well as his unmatched contribution to religious and community development especially among the Hindus throughout
Guyana and the province of Ontario in Canada. Born in 1930, in a humble home in difficult circumstances in the Ogle sugar estate, Chetram Singh achieved such great heights by dint of his hard work that would put many of us then and most of us now, who are in much more favourable contexts, to shame or envy. He excelled academically in Primary and Secondary schools. After a brief stint as a teacher and clerk in the Georgetown Public Hospital, he won a 4-year British Commonwealth scholarship to study hospital Administration in the UK which he not only completed in record time (about two years) but he also won the prestigious Harding Medal for being the most outstanding graduate in Hospital Administration in 1957, (Continued on page 23)
Lennox Cornette is the best choice for NCN DEAR EDITOR; I write to you in support of Mr. Lennox Cornette as the New CEO for NCN Certain sections of the media are engaged in castigating Mr. Lennox Cornette, I wish to place on record that Mr.Cornette is the current Secretary of the Forest Products Association, a position he has held for the past 4 years. He has performed his duties with professionalism, integrity, and a deep sense of responsibility. I am aware of the GT&T issue with Mr. Cornette. I am also aware that, contrary to what his critics are trying to suggest, the issue has nothing to do with money or financial impropriety. It was for his personal welfare and this was trashed out with his boss. After this the GT&T still asked of him for assistance. Mr. Cornette has distinguished himself as more than a Secretary and has brought communication, project planning and design, and proposal writing skills to the organisation. He has been the main architect behind the FPA’s recent successful proposals to access funds from international donors. Mr. Cornette is also a resource to the forest sector. He served as the Co-chair of the
Stakeholder Engagement and Communication Sub-committee of the National Technical Working Group (NTWG). This group is responsible for overseeing the European Union, Forest Legality Enforcement Governance and Trade (EU/FLEFT) programme in Guyana, for which stakeholder engagement and communication are prerequisites for its implementation. I find Mr. Cornette’s personal attributes to be exemplary. He is highly dependable, analytical in his approach, and, constructive in his criticisms and will deliver NCN to higher heights. This is what the NCN board saw, they not only need a broad caster but a manager with vision and Mr. Panday laid it out beautifully upon the selection of the best candidate. As Mr. Cornette takes up his appointment as CEO of the National Communications Network, I wish him well and thank him for his contribution to the FPA. Deonarine (Ricky) Ramsaroop Vice President, Forest Products Association
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Saturday April 30, 2016
GNBA seeks foolproof method to nullify Jagdeo-issued radio licences
GNBA Board of Directors, From Left: Vic Insanally, Anthony Vieira, Jocelyn Josiah, Leonard Craig (Chairman), Abiola Wong-Inniss and Ameena Gafoor By Abena Rockcliffe-Campbell The Board of the Guyana National Broadcasting Authority (GNBA) has explicitly and unanimously decided that former President Bharrat Jagdeo illegally distributed resources “belonging to the people of Guyana” when he granted radio licences to his friends and family in 2011. On the grounds of such a consensus, the Board has decided that it must and will make moves to make those licences null and void. The Board held its first press conference yesterday at GNBA’s Kingston office. Members present at that forum were the Chairman, Leonard Craig, and Directors Anthony Vieira, Vic Insanally, Jocelyn Josiah, Abiola Wong-Inniss and Ameena Gafoor.
Craig said that the Board is cognizant that the issue regarding the licences issued by Jagdeo, shortly before demitting office and prior to the coming into force of the current Broadcasting Act No. 17 of 2011 has attracted the greatest interest relative to the Board’s function. He said that the Board, at all of its statutory meetings, to date has discussed this issue and decided that the said licences appear to have been issued contrary to and in violation of good administrative practices. He pointed out that the licences have been arbitrarily issued to persons and entities with close ties to decision maker and without regard to prior existing applications. Craig said that Jagdeo’s decision would have preempted the application of the Broadcasting Act which was already assented to but was
awaiting a date to come into operation. He said that the operationalization of the Act was entirely within the authority of Jagdeo who held the portfolio of Minister of Information as provided for by Section 1 of the Broadcast Act. Craig told the media that the issues relating to licences pose difficult questions “which ought only to be determined after deliberate consideration of the legal options available which includes but is not limited to litigation.” The Chairman added that the Board has been in consultation with Senior Legal Practitioners on the issue. He also said that that it is the Boards intention—in keeping with its mandate to regulate, supervise and develop the National Broadcasting Systems—to make a decision “as
soonest.” Kaieteur News questioned the Board about the hold up in the decisionmaking process and whether the public would have to wait another six months for a clear-cut decision. Director Wong-Inniss told the press conference about the intricacies surrounding the matter. She also sought to make it clear that is not a case where the Board is undecided on its view of the matter, but one where it is forced to consider all possible counteractions to actions that the Board might want to take. Wong- Inniss reiterated that the radio spectrum belongs to the people of Guyana. It is the belief of the Board that the distribution process used by Jagdeo, or the lack thereof, made the licences vulnerable and subjected to challenges, she added. She said that the Board is well aware of its inheritance and is looking to address such. However, she said that the problem is to select the most suitable method to do so. She said that both legislation and litigation face the possibility of being time
consuming. Making her point about the delay in the court system the Director said that one applicant for a radio licence, Enrico Woolford, had long filed a complaint in Courts, but that matter is still to be heard. “I can assure you that a decision will be made shortly...A decision has been made to challenge it. The question is the manner in which we can go about doing so,” said Wong-Inniss She also said that since the composition of the new board, no licence fees have been accepted from any Broadcaster. Director Vieira said that there is an absolute need to make strong moves, moves that cannot see the GNBA being defeated on this issue. He said, “The moment we move to revoke a licence we are going to receive an injunction restraining us from stopping this person from broadcasting… We are trying to put together a case to avoid that.” Vieira said that himself, Director Insanally and Director Wong-Inniss have been in constant consultation with Queen’s Counsel, Sir Fenton Ramsahoye on the
issue “and within a week or two you can start seeing the result of the advice received.” He said that it was Sir Fenton who recommended the parliamentary route “but that can be a long drawn out procedure so we are up for a clear cut case to take the bull by the horn and go to the High Court.” But, Vieira said that in doing so the Board wants to makes sure that it develops the strongest possible case. “That is what is holding things up, we want to make sure that it is not easy for anyone to file an injunction to set aside our decision to withdraw the license,” said Vieira. When the dust is settled, and GNBA has its way, all those desirous of having a licence will have to reapply. Chairman Craig said, “My expectation is that everybody will have to reapply and in the reapplication process you will be considered on the merit of your application.” He explained that the licensees would not have to physically reapply “Will not give you a new form and say well you have to full this up again.” He said that reapplication in this case simply means that existing applicants will be reevaluated solely based on merit that has been clearly set out in guidelines for granting of such licences. The reevaluation process is not limited to radio broadcasters. Craig said that the same will go for cable and television operators. This, he said, will be done in keeping with the GNBA’s plan to reorganize the local broadcasting landscape. Craig said that this process can result in a number of the stations ending up on different area of the plan.
Saturday April 30, 2016
Kaieteur News
Manufacturers should prove T&T subsidies are unfair …Anti-Dumping and Subsidies Commission says those hurt by TT oil subsidy must provide evidence Jamaica Observer - The Anti-Dumping and Subsidies Commission (ADC) said Wednesday that it is encouraging local manufacturers who have concerns about subsidisation by Trinidad & Tobago of its manufacturers to file a complaint for investigation. Cases, however, must be specific and provable, the Commission said. The Commission is the portfolio agency of the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries charged with Jamaica’s implementation of the WTO Agreements on Dumping, on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures through the Customs Duties (Dumping and Subsidies) Act 1999 (the Act). With the recent disclosure by Trinidad and Tobago that it has been subsidising its fuel at the rate of TT$31 billion over the last 10 years — or about US$5 billion over that period, or US$500 million per year, some sectors are contending unfair trade relating to the manufacture of goods at a far lower cost than Jamaican manufacturers and other regional trade partners. Trinidad has promised to phase out the subsidy, an announcement made by Finance Minister Colm Imbert in mid-April. But the admission of the extent of the subsidy has inflamed the ire of the local private sector. President of the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ) William Mahfood, on Wednesday called for strong action to be taken against the Government of Trinidad and Tobago, describing the subsidy as “completely unacceptable”. In response to clarification sought by the Jamaica Observer, the ADC said that
Andrea Marie Dawes the issue requires review on a case-by-case basis. Andrea Marie Dawes, executive director of the Commission, commented: “We note your pertinent question as to whether a benefit that is conveyed to certain manufacturing concerns by the subsidy might in fact warrant countervailing measures or other sanctions. To reach this conclusion requires that products and industries be examined on a case-by-case basis.” Dawes stated that any manufacturing community in Jamaica which believes that it has been injured by this practice by T&T needs to bring individual cases for investigation. She noted, “We have been in discussions with the manufacturing community regarding this matter for information advice and training. We have also encouraged them to file complaints to address the concerns that they have raised in relation to subsidisation by T&T.” The executive director explained that under the WTO Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures and the Act, a sub-
sidy is a financial contribution by a government or public body within the territory of a Member which confers a benefit on the industry or enterprise or group of industries or enterprises. “The fact that Trinidad and Tobago was subsidising fuel for more than 30 years was known, although the amounts to which your query makes reference were not previously well known. However, the fuel subsidy in T&T appears to be pervasive and not easily, if at all, traced to specific companies or enterprises,” Dawes told the Caribbean Business Report . She noted that subsidies which can be disciplined under the WTO Agreement must cause or threaten injury to the producers of goods in the importing country, but must also be specific to certain enterprises or industries in order to be sanctioned by countervailing duties here in Jamaica or by dispute settlement at the WTO. “By specific, we mean that access to the subsidy is limited, by law or in fact, to certain enterprises or industries. Our research found that there were no designated persons, entities or industries to which the subsidised fuel in Trinidad was distributed. Studies and anecdotal evidence suggest that the subsidy is pervasive throughout the T&T economy,” Dawes said. She stated that although it would be reasonable to conclude that such a subsidy gives producers in T&T an advantage over their Jamaican counterparts, the advantage would be limited to the proportion to which the fuel costs are a component of the overall costs of production of the good.
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Kaieteur News
Saturday April 30, 2016
Kaieteur News
Saturday April 30, 2016
May 4 Parliamentary sitting…
Confessions Seven years ago, concerns were raised about the excessive reliance on confession statements in criminal cases. The suggestion was that more cases needed to be solved by investigation. The implication, while not admitted, was that some of the confessions may have been obtained under duress. This issue has resurfaced under a different nomenclature. This time the argument is that of recent, the police have been solving a great many crimes including cases which were presumed to be ‘cold’ cases. Interestingly, most of the recent cases have led to suspects confessing to crimes, something that was not the norm in recent times. People are happy about the fact that the police are, in their opinion, ‘solving’ cases. They believe that this is improved work by the police. They believe that this improved work is because of the more effective policing. The more effective policing they believe, is as a result of the change of government. The argument goes as follows. There has been a change in government. Since
the change of government, there has been an increase in the number of crimes that are being solved. This increase, therefore, is because of the change of government. This is not a valid argument because the increase in the number of persons charged could be because of other reasons other than the change of government. It could well even be a case whereby, because of the increase in crime; there are more cases to solve. If the argument is that the change of government brought about an improvement in crime solving, then why did it not also bring about a reduction in crime? The political argument therefore does not hold. And therefore people should not shy away from the other concern which has been raised about the fact that persons are confessing to crimes. This raises the age old question. Why is there such an increase in the number of confessions? What are the implications for these confession statements when the matters
Dem boys seh...
Dem bandits want spoil de jubilee Some people really getting out of hand. Now it look like it is only a matter of time before bandits tun up in church and rob de pastor at the height of he sermon. Bandits already go in church to rob some old people who was praying. This time dem go in de casino. A casino got to be a place like a fortress. Fuh one, it got nuff money so de owners does stand by wid nuff guns. Well four men test de casino and if one of dem wasn’t stupid all woulda get away. Dem boys didn’t know all of dem people use to gamble. Dem see some people who look like angels. One thing fuh sure, some of dem would watch a casino and shut dem eye. Three of dem seh that dem done wid gambling but dem boys seh that is like a junkie promising to done wid weed after he get ketch and go to jail de first time. But as soon as he come out and somebody blow de smoke in he face is gone he gone. Some people when dem smell rum suddenly get such a craving that only run can appease. Nuff people coming home fuh de Independence jubilee and de bandits look like if dem deh pun a mission to mek de foreigners change dem mind. This is wheh de police got to show who is boss. Is not that dem can call de criminals and sit down cross a table and declare a truce. Dem boys seh that de good thing is not too many of de criminals deh bout fuh mek life a misery. De few who deh bout trying to keep out of de city because de police deh pun a steady patrol. That is how dem does ketch de few who does try dem hand. Talk half and hope dem bandits don’t spoil de jubilee.
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PPP to grill Gov’t on D’Urban Park, Jubilee celebrations PPP Chief Whip, Gail Texieira go to trial? There is a legal process known as a voir dire or a trial within a trial. There are different types of trials within a trial, one of which is to determine whether a statement given by an accused was free and voluntary or whether it was extracted by force. This is why wellmeaning persons in the past questioned the heavy reliance on confession statements. The entire credibility of the criminal enforcement can be undermine if a trend emerges in which there are successful challenges to confession statements. Of course, detailed police investigations can lead persons to confess in the face of incontrovertible evidence of their complicity in crime. So it could be possible that the bundle of confession statements that police investigators have been able to obtain recently may have just well be a case of good investigative work and have presented suspects with the evidence, they had no alternative but to confession. But if this were the case, how does one explain that most of those who have been charged after allegedly giving confession statements are pleading not guilty. Why are they not confessing all the way to the hangman’s noose? The police should take steps to convince the public that legitimate police methods are being used to extract these confession statements and that detailed investigations were also done. One lawyer a few years back has suggested that the police should video tape interrogations so as to disprove that force was used in the extraction of confessions. The new government should move in this direction.
C
ome May 4, the P e o p l e ’ s Progressive Party (PPP) intends to grill G o v e r n m e n t parliamentarians on issues which the PPP feels are yet to be addressed sufficiently. Among these will be questions on the D’Urban Park construction and the Jubilee celebrations. These questions are expected to encompass procurement policies for contractors during the preparations for the Jubilee celebrations and the damages and poor construction that was seen with the D’Urban Park stands, even though it was a work in progress. This is according to PPP Chief Whip, Gail Teixeira, at a press conference yesterday. She also said that the number of planned motions from the government side, as stated on t h e o r d e r p a p e r, w a s disappointing, considering the gap of over 50 days during which there was no sitting. “May 4, will be the next sitting after a gap of almost two months. It is disgraceful, after a two-month gap, that this is what is being put on the order paper. We had made it clear that we would not support the Anti Money Laundering Bill going through all three sittings. On the Order Paper there is a motion for that.” Teixeira stated that
- Chief Whip
despite the Government saying that Guyana will have to go before the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), thus necessitating the move, they have not disclosed when. The Chief Whip also reiterated the party’s position that the structure of the Bill depended on having a Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) in place. “There is no FIU director; there is no Deputy Director of the FIU. And the new (legislation) passed in parliament leaves it to the parliamentary committee of appointments to appoint the director, (his) deputy, accountant and lawyer and also appoint the ten members on the AML authority. None of these matters are complete.” Meanwhile, Teixeira stated that other matters on the table would include the Insurance Bill 2016 and a motion in regards to President David Granger’s address to parliament about Venezuela in October 2015. “The Narcotics Bill is asterixed ...But we have been doing our own work, and we will table the following issues, for which we await the Speaker’s approval.” “ We ( w i l l ) t a b l e questions to do with the jubilee and D’Urban Park
development. We also tabled a motion calling on the Government to table the Walter Rodney report. This was handed over to Government on February 10. We were promised in the House that this would be tabled in the house. It is now 77 days and we are calling on the government to table it in two weeks.” According to Teixeira, questions regarding solicitation of money and questions from former Attorney General Anil Nandlall will also be tabled. Nandlall’s questions will be regarding the 34 honorific advisors employed by Government. In fact, she stated that questions regarding all the advisors in Government would be brought, including their remuneration and qualifications. She also revealed that two motions would be presented, one based on the shortage of drugs in the health system and the other based on curbing the rise in suicide. Teixeira added that the motion for a debate on the state of the rice industry, which had once been rejected, would also be resubmitted. According to the Chief Whip, this new submission would include a gazette which attests to rice being a responsibility of the Minister of Agriculture. “The official gazette of Guyana, dated June 2015, assigns responsibility to the Minister of Agriculture. One of his portfolio responsibilities is rice,” Teixeira said.
Kaieteur News
PAGE 10
Saturday April 30, 2016
Terror stalks Guyana = = = Freddie Kissoon column = = =
Is Guyana on the precipice? An unemotional answer should be that we are close to it. What happened at the Princess Ramada Hotel in the isolated hours of Friday morning tells the story of a county spinning out of control. Is there a person in this country who could be barefaced enough to say that he/she could have predicted that a casino in a hotel would be attacked by gunmen? No one could be that
indecent to say they thought of that possibility. Given the physical landscape of Guyana, there will be more daring robberies of rural homes. Unless criminality is totally removed (which is not possible in any country at any time), rural households will be targets. Those areas are isolated. Neighbours do not live close to each other, and the police will have a difficult time surmounting those backdam
areas where the criminals seek refuge. In the urban sphere, the situation will not be any different except that escape will be harder. But with the orgy we are now seeing, commercial banks may be in a state of acute anxiety. How could gunmen attack a hotel such as Princess Ramada with one street only to take you to Georgetown and one street only to take you way into the end of the East Bank of Demerara? But at the time of
writing three of the four attackers have escaped. Time and time again we read of the police arriving at the scene, machine gunfire is exchanged but the marauders escape. At the time of writing, I do not have all the facts, except that I read that the police was at the scene when the robbers were in the building. How then did the three manage their exit? Maybe we will get more details as the days unfold. In a situation like this, the commentator and analyst and editor are bound to ask about police intelligence. Obviously, the police had none in this case because the robbery took place. With our small population, is it possible for such daring operations to be planned without even a modicum of intelligence filtering back to the crime sleuths in the police force? The casino invasion is bound to throw the Guyana Police Force in front of the microscope. We just saw gushing praise from the police force about the results of the constant roadblocks. But it forces you to ask just how much nasty criminals these road operations pick up. The casino assault has
taken Guyana into lower levels of depraved criminality. I believe it is plausible to argue that after this casino attack, then, which other commercial or financial site is safe? What is going through the minds of the nation’s business community? Where is this terror train heading? Is it time to call in foreign police experts to work inside the nerve centre of the police force? I have made up my mind a long time ago with that. In Jamaica and Trinidad they had it up to five years ago. I don’t know at the time of writing, if those foreign officers are still there. One has to sympathize with the Government of Guyana. This orgy of unimaginable, criminal violence comes at a time when all energies in the corridors of power are devoted to the Golden Jubilee celebrations. Visitors will be deterred. The numbers must be dropping. If they didn’t dip, perhaps they will now after the incredible assault. I can’t say that I am a supporter of this “Big Bash.” But I do understand that the rulers of the day will want to celebrate 50 years of Independence. I can say without any
Freddie Kissoon hesitation; I don’t agree that the Durban Park project should have been engineered for that purpose Even if the money didn’t come from the Treasury, the hierarchy of government should have advised the donors to use the money for other projects and let the National Park remain, as it has been through the decades, the site for our historic events. By what logic was the Durban Park area converted for the purpose of celebrating 50 years of Independence? Why not the National Park? I am uncompromising in my attitude that a more thinking administration would have used those donated sums to remove the fire service from its dysfunction base at Stabroek Market Square and put it into the lap of the Durban Park site. As we move closer to the “Big Bash,” the nation’s mood may be heading in the direction of the maudlin rather than the bacchanalian. That is unfortunate, but Guyana has always been an unfortunate piece of land.
Kaieteur News
Saturday April 30, 2016
PAGE 11
Adopt laws to outlaw Ex-VCS Directors says he secret companies -TIGI says did not micro-manage G
lobal anticorruption watchdog, Tr a n s p a r e n c y International, is calling on all Governments to immediately adopt laws to outlaw secret companies that may be dwelling in their backyard. The company made this call to its members and those of the international community in wake of the investigation into the infamous Panama Papers. It said that a global investigation into the use of secret companies by the rich, powerful and corrupt has revealed a network of lawyers, bankers and others around the world and how they hide illicit wealth. The Panama Papers, a massive leak of financial documents, reveals the offshore holdings of 140 politicians and public officials, including 12 current and former world leaders, who used more than 214,000 offshore entities to hide the ownership of assets. “The Panama Papers investigation unmasks the dark side of the global financial system where banks, lawyers and financial professionals enable secret companies to hide illicit corrupt money. This must stop. World leaders must come together and ban the secret companies that fuel grand corruption and allow the corrupt to benefit from ill-gotten wealth,” said José Ugaz, the chair of Transparency International. Tr a n s p a r e n c y International is also calling for a renewed push for G20 countries to agree that public beneficial ownership registers should be the global standard, and sanctions applied to jurisdictions that do not conform to this standard. This would include not just the G20, but also the numerous countries big and small where the creation of secret companies is big business. The Group of Twenty (also known as the G-20 or G20) is an international forum for the governments and central bank governors from 20 major economies. “How many more massive document leaks do world leaders need to see to understand that the lack of public registers of beneficial owners of companies is what keeps global grand corruption schemes alive and well?” Ugaz said.
- insists subordinates did not perform well
President, David Granger Tr a n s p a r e n c y International wants public registers of all companies’ beneficial owners to make it harder for the corrupt to hide their illicit wealth in secret companies and trusts that use nominees to register ownership. The G20 has supported measures to increase beneficial ownership transparency, but has done little to implement them. “As more information is revealed about how a network of financial middlemen, lawyers, accountants and big banks facilitate both the movement of illicit wealth and the way to disguise who actually owns it, it is clear what has to be done. Enablers who help companies set up secret companies must be sanctioned and jurisdictions that welcome secrecy, must be outlawed,” said Elena Panfilova, Vice-Chair of Transparency International. Within the framework of Guyana’s commitment to prevent money laundering and countering the financing
of terrorism, President David Granger has already made it clear that his Government is keen on combing the country for secret companies. In a recent interview with Kaieteur News, Granger said that any matter that is unlawful, such as the smuggling of gold, the removal of large sums of monies – whether they are being brought into Guyana by plane or removed; or overseas /offshore banking, which is in breach of the laws of Guyana, would be investigated. While media reports signal that there is a Guyanese connection to the Panama Papers saga, Granger said at the moment, he is not aware of this. He has indicated however that he will continue to follow developments in this regard.
Competing professional responsibilities Among these were to ensure that it uploaded of former Director of the Ministry of Health’s invoices relating to its purchase of bed nets Vector Control Services (VCS), might have financed by the Global Fund into the Global been the key factor that resulted in the Fund procurement system; develop inefficient management of the Global Fund procedures for monitoring and controlling grant to fight malaria. fuel consumption, including the submission According to a 26-page investigative of detailed fuel logs for each vehicle and report issued by Global Fund, the former region, with every Progress Update and Director of the VCS, Dr. Reyaud Rahman, Disbursement Request (PU/DR) submitted to was engaged in private medical practice the Global Fund; and ensure that the materials simultaneously. This limited the time that he management unit (MMU) warehouse, was able to manage the Global Fund malaria provide monthly stock levels of bed nets and programme. provide the Global Fund with the number and I t r e p o r t e d l y c o n t r i b u t e d t o locations of distributed bed nets that were mismanagement and misappropriation of the financed by the Global Fund and by the grant amounting to millions of dollars that Ministry of Health. Global fund hopes to recoup. The first two actions were brought to the The Guyana malaria grant, GYA-M- Principal Recipient’s attention by the Global MOH, commenced on September 1, 2011 and Fund Secretariat in October 2013 and the is scheduled to end on December 31, 2016. third point in May 2015. However, none of But the Director in his defence, during the these issues had been satisfactorily addressed investigation, claimed that his position (Continued on page 24) required him to manage other diseases in Guyana including dengue fever, chikungunya and leishmaniasis. He said that the responsibilities meant that he n our Thursday Edition, the Kaieteur News could not micromanage every erroneously cited the ‘A’ Divisional aspect of VCS as some tasks Commander, Clifton Hicken as saying that there were delegated to individuals was a 26 percent decrease in serious crimes from who, in his opinion, did not “Saturday to present”. perform well. In fact, what the commander said was, Guyana is Based on its findings, currently experiencing a minus 26 % in serious crimes Global Fund had made in Division ‘A’ from January unto last Saturday in repeated requests to the comparison to the same period last year. Kaieteur News Ministry of Health, the wishes to apologize for the inconvenience caused. Principal Recipient of the Grant, to improve its performance in outlined areas.
Correction I
Kaieteur News
PAGE 12
Saturday April 30, 2016
LINDEN/ITUNI/KWAKWANI ROAD REPAIRS TO FUEL DEVELOPMENT Upgrades to the LindenItuni-Kwakwani road are part of a plan to stimulate development in Region Ten. The development of the road networks is vital to the creation of jobs, and the possibility of improving commercial activities, according to Regional Chairman, Renis Morian. This is why the region has included it into its five-year “action plan”, he added. “We are thinking about the linkage between Linden and Kwakwani, because the movement of goods and services is too costly on that stretch of road,” Morian said. He observed that the planned upgrade will reduce transportation costs while stimulating trade and other economic opportunities, which will significantly enhance the lives of citizens, particularly traders using the route. “…it will bring down cost, it will open up more lands for business… Businesses are going out of Georgetown, which is cramped, so if you could do Linden-Ituni-Kwakwani
road, the Linden to Lethem road, all the corridors along the road, people would want to go there and do different things, manufacturing etc,” he said. Morian said that minibus drivers plying the route from Linden to Ituni to Kwakwani have long complained about the worsening state of the roads. “Drivers are complaining about spending more money to repair (their vehicles). You do not even have jobs (in the region) but you have a case of the drivers spending more money to repair their cars, service their cars,” he said. “We are doing a lot of work on the ground, but the populace is looking for money to earn so we are caught between a terrible situation where; yes we have to get jobs for the people, but before we can get jobs for the people, we have to get the kind of infrastructure to attract investment,” he added. Additionally, to improve public infrastructure in the region, Morian said that part of the plan of action for the
region is to bring electricity to Bamia. He said that the regional administration is also working with an investor to power Moblissa. The Administration is also working to have a new Regional Democratic Council (RDC) building. Morian explained that this is to ensure that the councillors perform and deliver services to the region as expected.
“We feel that we have outlived this building because the RDC really should be the agency that is looking over the development in Region Ten, which means that we would have to take on more technical staff, more qualified people, so we are looking for a site for a new building,” he said. “The focus is to ensure that the RDC does the
function that it was built to do,” he added. “The RDC was supposed to be the hub of employment and development, but somehow it lost that mandate. President David Granger is taking it back along that line,” he said. The Regional Chairman explained that funding for the necessary studies, drawings and soil testing for
this new RDC building is provided under the Region’s 2016 Budget. The new plan of action for Region Ten’s development is a clearly articulated and dynamic framework designed to best position the region to 2020 and beyond. The plan articulates improving transportation infrastructure and making the region a productive landscape.
Starts petition... 896 signatures and counting Businessmen form Used Tyres Association...
President of the Guyana Used Tyres Association (GUTA), Allan Newark (second from left), along with other committee members, displaying the signatures of petitioners.
S
e v e r a l businessmen in the local used tyre industry have formed an association. They have also started a petition opposing the government’s move to restrict the importation of used tyres into the country.
The move on the part of the government was applauded by some who see it as a contributing factor in keeping with safety and health regulations and most importantly, avoid Guyana from becoming a “dumping ground”. Indeed, this particular
issue has paved the way for much debate since there are a few persons and organisations that think Guyana is not ready for this move, also, the worry of motorists not being able to afford new tyres. President of the Guyana Used Tyres Association (GUTA), Allan Newark, said Thursday that with the recent developments as it relates to used tyres over the past few months, the association was needed. He continued that the association, with its approximately 30 members, has begun to spread out throughout the country gathering signatures from motorists as well as tyre dealers. Newark said that the survival of the used tyre industry in Guyana is vital since it currently provides jobs for more than 5000 workers, and while there have been comments about health-related issues deriving from used tyres; he firmly stated that used tyres do not cause accidents but reckless drivers do.
Newark stated that the association had managed to achieve thus far, 896 signatures and by this weekend, they aim to achieve 1000. With this petition, the association plans to present it to parliament “with people who are in favour of the Government not banning used tyres,” Newark shot down the possibility of a notion that the public might see the association having a political agenda. He said that he has never been affiliated with any political party and the actions of the association are on behalf of the people of Guyana who are unsupportive of the restriction. In addition, the GUTA plans to engage the Minister of Finance, Winston Jordan, sometime next week where they will share their views on the issue. Minister Jordan, during the presentation of the $230B National Budget on January last, revealed the Government’s plans to ban used tires while reducing the tax on new ones.
Kaieteur News
Saturday April 30, 2016
PAGE 21
City Hall wins judgement Rains hit drought-stricken against indebted ratepayers Rupununi…wells overflowing The Milk Plant, Cowan Street, Kingston; GNIC, Lombard Street; Small industries (NICIL), West R u m i v e l d t Industrial Site; Marriott Hotel (NICIL); Alpha Hotel, Kingston, NICIL, Tract X, Kingston; Hotel Tower, Main Street; Ashmin Trading, High Street Werk-en-Rust, Georgetown; Fishermen’s Co-operative, Meadow Brook; Vinelli Industries Ltd. West Ruimveldt Industrial Site; and Georgetown Sawmills, Water and Schumaker Streets Werk-en-Rust, have a week to pay rates owed to City Hall. In a notice bearing Thursday’s date, City Hall stated that those individuals and businesses against whom the city would have won judgment for the nonpayment of rates and taxes, have one week to avoid any untoward action. “The Mayor and City Council (M&CC) has given delinquent rates and taxes payers one week to make contact, and work out payment issues with the Municipality before they employ legal methods to recover unpaid funds.” Town Clerk, Royston King, said that
the Council could no longer wait on the good conscience of people to fulfill their civic duty. As such, the council would be vigorously pursuing unpaid sums owed to the
…they have one week before more court action
Council. “There is a lot that has to be done for this city and we just do not have the money. We have bright, innovative ideas for the city but we don’t have the funds, so it’s necessary for us to encourage and in some cases, demand these legally required fees.” Last week the Council stated its intention to take strong action against those who owe the Municipality. More than $2 billion is owed in unpaid property taxes. The council took some 30 customers to court over more than $400m in fees and won. The defaulters were ordered to pay over the money but to date, very little effort has been made in that regard. The Town Clerk is also asking all property-owners who owe the Council to make URGENT contact with the agency’s Treasury Department.
The arrival of the rainy season has brought relief for hundreds of people living in the Rupununi—a region stricken with a severe drought for months. Reports coming out of the region stated that the rains hit the Rupununi these past two weeks and villagers are seeing their wells, lakes and river overflowing. The region was lashed with a wave of El Nino for over eight months, causing authorities to declare a state of emergency. The Rupununi has never been hit by a drought of this magnitude since 1988. Neither the residents nor the government was prepared for it. This heatwave begun early in 2015, and increased over the ensuing few months. El Nino was not only confined to the Rupununi. The drought also hit parts of Region One. It was in this same region, in the latter part
of last year that there was an outbreak of gastroenteritis. The drought left villagers scurrying for water to drink and bathe, resulting in monetary relief amounting to $8 million. Twenty-four
The scorching heat destroyed crops in the region and left the savannahs, almost unrecognizable. The savannahs looked like dry wastelands. There were also reports of cattle falling dead in the savannahs. The fish were dead or were dying since most of the rivers, lakes and pond had dried out, reports indicated. Parker explained that approximately 85% of the hand dug wells in the Region were dry, while 50% of those built by GWI had ceased to function properly. The most drought stricken areas were the South Pakaraimas, Yo r o n g P a r u , P a i p a n g , Taushida, Tiger Pond and Rukumuta, which are all receiving relief from the CDC. El Niño is the natural warming of parts of the Pacific that alters weather worldwide. It occurs every several years and last nearly a year.
‘We are still not out of the woods’- says REO wells are being drilled across the Region to aid the programme. Regional Executive Officer, Carl Parker, on Thursday stated that the water levels are rising significantly. He stated that a well in Gunn Strip, which villagers were afraid would fail due to the sweltering heat wave, was now overflowing. “We are in a better position than we were two or three weeks ago,” he said. However, he indicated that this does not mean that the region was “out of the woods.”
Amelia’s Ward man jailed, fined $8.8M on drug charge Man fined $10,000 for giving A man who was described as a serial drug dealer after admitting that he was caught over six times dealing drugs, will be off the road for the next five years. The man Roger English, 54, a pork knocker of Amelia’s Ward, Linden, was on Tuesday sentenced to five years in jail and fined a total of $8.8 million by Magistrate Rhondell Weaver, yesterday. The man appeared before her in the Blairmont Magistrate’s Court on a charge of possession of narcotics for the purpose of trafficking. On Sunday January 31, last, at Fort Wellington, West Coast Berbice, he had in his possession 5.39 kilograms of compressed marijuana.
English, the driver and a passenger, were in the vehicle HB 9856 operated by Sheriff Taxi Service when it was intercepted. On the day in question the police at Fort Wellington, acting on information about 15:00hrs were conducting stop and search of motor vehicles in front of Fort Wellington Police Station. In the trunk of the car were a black haversack and a black and red travelling bag containing six parcels wrapped in black plastic bags containing leaves, seeds and stems of cannabis. The three occupants were arrested and taken into custody. The driver and the other man were subsequently released.
English had initially denied that the cannabis belonged to him, but subsequently confessed that it was his. However in court he again denied, thus, the matter went to trial. Investigations revealed that the man and his girl friend were recently nabbed at a police road block at Weldaad, not too long ago. English was freed on that charge due to some technicalities. He admitted that he has been in and out of court on a number of occasions on drug related charges. He was released about two years ago on his latest conviction. The matter was prosecuted by Sergeant Althea Solomon and Corporal Rochelle Mars.
Surinamese national jailed for drug possession A Surinamese national who tried to slip into the country illegally and bring with him a quantity of drugs, was caught and subsequently jailed. The man, Poypic Mian, 30, of Nickerie, Suriname, who tried to enter the country without the necessary documents on April 10, last, was nabbed by police at the No. 78 backtrack crossing. He was searched and eight grams of
marijuana was found concealed in a plastic bag he had in his possession. He subsequently appeared at the Springlands Magistrates’ Court before Magistrate Rabindranauth Singh on the charges of possession of narcotics for the purpose of trafficking and illegal entry. He was sentenced to three years in jail on the narcotic charge and fined $20,000 or three weeks in jail on the illegal entry charge.
woman one week to live
A
Driver of Lyken’s Funeral Home who police say told a woman she had one week to live, was charged Thursday and appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court. Ronald Goodwan (no address given) was eventually fined $10,000 because he did not waste the courts time by pleading guilty to threatening Sarah
Goodwan on April 21, last, at James Street, Albouystown. The woman told the court that the defendant said that he would throw dead water on her. Ronald Goodwan denied this. He said that he had no access to “dead water” since he was just a driver. Prosecutor Corporal Blackman said that after a misunderstanding the defendant threatened the
woman. “His exact words were, you have one week to live,” the prosecutor declared. Goodwan who did not deny the prosecutor’s facts opened his worth and apologized. “In my heart…. I’m sorry” he said looking at Magistrate Faith McGusty. The magistrate placed him on a bond to keep the peace for one year and he was fined.
PAGE 22
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Kaieteur News
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VACANCY Hair, nail, barber stations for rental; (experienced persons & clients) all rounder hairdressing – Glam & Go Beauty Salon. Call: 638-1106 Driver & porter to deliver water- apply @ Nimbus Water 79 Albert & Lamaha Street. Call: 231-7002; 6220445; 685-7659 Popular East Coast Gas Station Day/Night: pump attendants, sales clerk & office assistant. Contact: 6719570; 695-9880,Non-Pareil
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 Aidan’s Car & 4WD Vigo pick up, cheapest rate, low security- Call: 698-7807 Wing’s Car & 4WD Vigo pick up rental- Call: 6906494
1-Old model Raum in excellent condition, price -$900,000 negotiable-Call: 642-4416 1-6ft wood lathe, 1-4ft wood lathe; prices negotiable $420,000. Call: 646-4416
Unregistered Allion: 2004, fog, dark interior, TV DVD, CD. Price: $2M- Call: 617-5536 Mazda RX8 in immaculate condition-Call: 602-6024
One Trainee A.C, Refrigerator, Technician - Call: 231-0655
Toyota Fun Cargo, AT212, AT192, AT170, Tundra, LTouring, Wagon, VVTZ, 4X4 Solid DEF pick up & Nissan Pickup unregistered. Call: 644-5096; 697-1453
PRODUCTIONASSISTANT, GTI or GITC graduates preferred. Resident of E.B.D. Tel. 676 6700 1 Female cleaner apply @ Technical Service 18-23 Industrial Site, Eccles. Housekeeping staff, male desk staff and male security guard- Call: 225-0198 or visit 233 South Road, Lacytown Driver/Sales person needed must possess driver’s license, familiar with supermarkets and shops. Call: 592-231-6256 Cook needed at Aracari Resort, experience is necessary. Call: 264-2946 Cook/baker for the Interior location, applicants must be experienced. Call: 618-2020 Cashier 6am-3pm & 3pm12pm. Submit application to Shell Station Providence E B D , shellramsburg@gmail.com Poolside supervisor at Aracari Resort. Call: 264-2946 for more information
One Toyota Spacio 2002$1.2M. Call: 668-7988 One Toyota AE100 for sale“as is, where is” -$275,000. Call 640-4787 (viewing weekend) 1- Backhoe, JCB-Call: 6631372 Toyota Hilux Surf 3Y fuel injected automatic transmission. Call: 6006195 Nissan X-Trail 2013 model, fully loaded, 2500 cc cut 31000KM -$8.9M negotiable, serious enquiries only. Call:685-3069; 644-9141
LAND FOR SALE 1 House lot in Crane Housing Scheme & 1 house & land in La Parfaite Harmonie. Call: 626-4841
TOURS Suriname Tours: Labour Day Weekend April 29, 2016- May, 2nd 2016 & Indian Arrival Weekend May 5th-8th, 2016. Call: 663-5171; 692-7270; 6392663; 223-0056
Titled 70’x100’ land @ Eccles, E.B.D for sale at $3.9M -Tel : 624 2857 Prime corner lot in La Parfaite Harmonie, way upfront (48ftX90ft with reserve) already graded & land filled -$3M. Call: 611-7223; 6042207 La Parfaite Harmonie -$1.3M, Eccles (100ftX50ft) -$5.5M, Herstelling New Scheme(100ftX50ft)-$3M. Call: 6117223; 604-2207
1 Toyota 2004 IST, PKK series, HID lights, Led Bar, AC, 16" rims, gunmetal grey -$1.3M negotiable-Call: 6047998
Empty Drums for sale contact 223-5273
One Toyota 212 Motor Car, excellent condition, alarm, remote start, mags. Call: 6162309
Toyota Hilux Surf, 3Y engine 1998 cc 4wd, power windows, sunroof, AC, AM/FM/USB Stereo. Call: 678-9536
2 Pools table (slate) –Call: 616-0398; 687-1757
One (1) 9000 pounds car lift, price negotiable. Call: 6830059/ 625-9199
Very low prices on unregistered cars: Allions, Bluebird, Mazda, Fielder, used Rav4. Call: 626-7478; 676-8876
Food Distribution Company looking for salesperson with driver’s licence, experience & police clearance. Call: 2318344 or 231-8529
Lister Petter single Cylinder generator, in good condition. Call: 698-9462 CAR RENTAL
VEHICLE FOR SALE
FOR SALE/RENT A complete hair dressing salon located in Alexander Street Kitty (Opposite Seepaul’s Bar). Call: 623-5960
Bartica New Scheme, corner lot-$4M, Parfaite Harmonie $1.3M, Herstelling -$3M. Call: 611-7223; 604-2207 (Continued on page 23)
Saturday April 30, 2016
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Kaieteur News
Driven Into Debt...
Card scammers strikes again steals woman’s livelihood The man at the other end of the line made promises of a big payoff: $500,000 in cash, a new car and two new cell phones. But first “GT&T” needed $20,000, in credit, he insisted, then the jackpot would be all hers as a result of an ongoing promotion. Kaieteur News understands she presented her entire paycheck. A woman from Diamond, East Bank Demerara is claiming that she was contacted by an individual who called her cell phone to inform her that that she won the prizes in an ongoing promotion where GTT is rewarding the longest serving customers. The woman who asked to remain anonymous said that she got the call in the afternoon from a GTT number. “He call me and tell me where I does live; he know me whole
name and certain things about me,” the distraught woman said. She said that she had just drawn her paycheck; she had not paid any of her bills yet. Despite several warnings posted on Facebook, television and via text messages addressed by GTT and Digicel, more is the pity for persons who have previously been defrauded for much more money. Recently in a Kaieteur News report just a few weeks ago, a woman was ripped off after a caller promised her $42,000 if she’d spend $21,000 worth in phone cards. The perpetrators were never apprehended and apparently they are becoming very successful and craftier. The woman said that while she was on the phone with the man who called him-
From page 5 in the then British Commonwealth. On his return to Guyana, he rotated among the smaller hospitals and eventually became the Administrator of the Georgetown Public Hospital. He migrated to Canada in the early 1970’s, joined the Ontario Ministry of Health where he distinguished himself as an expert in Hospital administration before becoming the Chief Operations Officer of the St Joseph’s Hospital in London, Ontario. After retiring from the latter in the early 1990’s, he accepted a Consultancy assignment with the Ministry of Health in Guyana which was funded by the IDB and which afforded him the opportunity to indulge, albeit briefly, his nostalgia of working and serving in Guyana.
Among the many legacies left by the late Chetram Singh are his well accomplished sons who are making their own excellent contributions to society in various fields , especially medicine, in Canada, Trinidad and Guyana; for example, Guyanese and Canadians are well aware of the outstanding work being done in the practice and teaching of medicine by Dr Narendra Singh, BSc, MBBS,FRCP, FAAP,FCCM, Chief of Staff of Humber River Hospital, one of, if not the most, modern hospital in Canada and Clinical Professor of McMaster University. Nar, as he is fondly called, also does yeoman work in hospitals in Guyana, does fundraising for sick children and teaches in the UG medical program. Nowrang Persaud.
self Anthony Singh, her battery suddenly died and the call was cut off. He called her landline number and that certainly convinced the woman that she could follow through with the transaction since she never gave him the number to begin with. “I was sure he was from GTT then cause is only them does get certain information about you, he knew my cell and my landline.” She said when she completed the transaction she called the number but it disengaged. Several minutes flew by, the woman said, and she became disheartened. Her worst fears were confirmed when she called GTT. She was then told to report the matter to the police who would handle the investigation. Public Relations Officer of
GTT, Nadia De Abreu, told Kaieteur News that persons take a risk when they are misinformed by the schemers. She said, the company issues text messages often, and warnings via television and radio broadcasts to discourage persons from falling into the trap. “The most we can do right now is deactivate the number that has called her.” But this only brought more disappointment to the woman, who cried out for her money back. “There’s no way that the police can investigate if they disable the number, since GTT can provide the name of the person who registered for the SIM card that called me,” she declared. “This thing has to be something from within the administration.” The PRO strongly denies this.
Tribute to the late... Sad description
of medical incompetence...
From page 5 oath, may I enjoy life and art, respected while I live and remembered with affection thereafter. May I always act so as to preserve the finest traditions of my calling and may I long experience the joy of healing those who seek my help.” I believe this Oath should be on every hospital walls and in ever doctor’s office. For simple illnesses people die in this country because the poor and needy cannot afford the millions these private hospitals are callings so they have to go to government hospitals where they wait for hours and days and eventually die. There is a great need for professional medical attention for our citi-
zens. I believe our present Administration should give these hospitals a Price Control Chart to follow and increase their taxes by a 1000% because they are an affront to the medical profession by just exploiting the public to get rich. Even rich people they over charge because they know they are rich so they expand their bills. I have discovered that people today in the academic world can do anything to get money even if it cost the life of a person they. It’s about time our government close down some or most of these hospitals and invest for cheaper and professional health care. Rev.Gideon Cecil
From page 22
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 Newly built @ Craig E.B.Dland size 91X50 feet; house 40X28 – 3 rooms- 1 self contained. Call: 718-2136496; 617-7691
FOR RENT PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION,WEDDINGS, ANNIVERSARY, ETC. CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 216-1043; 677-6620 Apartments for rent @ Nandy Park with free WiFi, recently renovated, 2 bedrooms - $70,000. Call: 6413318
Brand-new flat house @ Republic Gardens: 3 bedrooms self-contained, selling as is -$22M negotiable, owner migrating, quick sale. Call: 639-8182
Three bedrooms flat on 347 East Street for rent, residence or business. Call: 223-4565; 672-3161
Transported property, prime, furnished liquor restaurant & bar, 2 freezers, 1 pools table, double lot @ E.C.D- $24.5M neg. Call: 600-7228
One bedroom apartment parking & other conveniences for decent working couples -$30,000Call: 623- 8759 & 696-6715
Brand new 2 storey concrete building in 5th Avenue, Diamond, E.B.D, all modern amenities –Call: 662-9335; 612-3244
Fully furnished apartment for rent-Call: 682-9021
Property for sale/rent @ Better Hope, Line-top, also separately: furniture & a car for sale. Call: 685-1556 2 Bedrooms upstairs and downstairs house for sale @ 7 Public Road La Grange – W.B.D. Call: 689-7002; 6920999 for more information. Haslington, E.C.D: Building ‘A’, concrete/timber modern 2 storeys, 7 bedrooms, grilled & fenced. Building ‘B’, 3 apartments, fenced -$18M negotiable. Call: 255-3437; 694-4473 4 Bedroom property @ Enterprise, 3 bathrooms, 2 garage, pressurized system, overhead tanker, generator, etc. Call: 600-6195
Two bedrooms bottom flat @ lot 6 Drysdale St Charlestown -$50,000 monthly. Call: 6775031; 231-9334 Second floor for rent at 26 Sheriff Street C/Ville. Call: 628-7953 Two bedrooms apartment @ Diamond Housing Scheme. Call: 602-7135 Business place in Madhia 50X60 with living quarter. Contact: 696-8987; 600-1086
EDUCATIONAL I.A.E Classes for CSEC January/June 2017: Mathematics, English A, Business & Science Subject for Students, Adults & repeaters. Call: 683-5742
LEARN TO DRIVE So m a n S o n & O u t a r Driving School at Maraj Building- Tel:644-5166; 6222872; 615-0964; 689-5997 TO LET Modernized 2 bedrooms apartments in a safe environment. Call: 698-6496 4 Bedrooms upper flat at Grove, E.B.D-Call: 693-4075
Kaieteur News
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Businessman’s daughter, ‘hitman’ to face murder charge The daughter of 76-yearold businessman Habiboodean, and the ‘hitman’ that was allegedly hired at her behest, are to be charged next week for the murder of her father in February 2008. Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum said that the police legal advisor recommended charges against the woman, 50-year-old Bibi Habiboodean, and alleged hired killer, Linden Lewis. The development came this week after Bibi Habiboodean allegedly provided investigators with a statement that was consistent with that given by her father’s alleged killer. Kaieteur News understands that the woman has said that “severe financial difficulties” caused her to plot her father’s demise. She has also reportedly stated that her elderly father was heavily indebted. “She knew that if he went to the ‘Great Beyond’ she would inherit his assets,” a source said. Mrs. Habiboodean was detained earlier this week after turning herself in to police with an attorney. Police had also arrested Terry Lewton, a former employee of the murdered man, and Robert Parris, a relative of the alleged hired
killer. However, there are indications that the two men will be witnesses for the state. Meanwhile, police are still to locate Michael London, who allegedly hired his nephew, Linden Lewis, to kill Mr. Habiboodean. Habiboodean, 76, of Ruby, East Bank Essequibo, was attacked and badly beaten in his home on February 15, 2008. He succumbed at a hospital. Police had charged the victim’s former employee, Terry Lewton, 38, of Vergenoegen, East Bank Essequibo, and the dead m a n ’s d a u g h t e r, B i b i Nazeela Habiboodean, of Ruby, East Bank Essequibo, for Mr. Habiboodean’s murder. The matter was discharged due to insufficient evidence. But the police got a real break in the case after police detained the alleged ‘hitman’ and four others, for the murder of Mohamed Munir, 75, and his wife Bibi Jamila Munir, 69, who were burnt to death in their Good Hope, East Bank Essequibo home. It was while he was in custody that someone tipped off investigators that Lewis had vital information about Habiboodean’s death. Police said that while being interrogated on Monday, Lewis admitted to
killing Habiboodean, while complaining that he had never received full payment for the job. According to the suspect’s claims, it all began some time in 2008, when a female relative of the elderly businessman complained that other relatives of Habiboodeen had received properties and other assets, while she had received nothing. The relative reportedly stated that she wanted the old man’s fuel station, cash he had in a bank, and assets he had in Georgetown. She reportedly then contacted an uncle of Lewis, and he hired L e w i s t o k i l l M r. Habiboodeen. Five individuals, including Lewis, reportedly sat down at a Vergenoegen home, East Bank Essequibo, to plan the old man’s death. Lewis said that the plotters promised to pay him $6M, and provide him with “a house and land.” On February 15, 2008, the relative reportedly helped Lewis to gain access to Mr. Habiboodean’s house. When the ‘hit-man’ entered, the elderly businessman was sitting in a chair. “What you doing here?” Mr. Habiboodean reportedly asked the intruder. Lewis reportedly replied: “——(name given) send me to kill you.” He then reportedly struck the 76year-old repeatedly. Mr. Habiboodean later succumbed in a hospital. But Lewis said that instead of giving him the “$6M, house and land” they had promised, the plotters gave him $5,000 “to go into the bush.” Lewis reportedly fled to the interior, where he remained for two years. It was during this time that police arrested and charged t h e v i c t i m ’s f o r m e r employee, Terry Lewton, and Bibi Nazeela Habiboodean for murder. They were subsequently discharged. When Lewis returned from the interior in 2010, he approached the plotters and was told that the case had been “dismissed.” But when the ‘hit man’ asked for his “$6M, house and land,” one of the plotters reportedly told him that all the money had been spent on lawyers. The plotter reportedly then told the ‘hitman’ to ‘f—off.’
Saturday April 30, 2016
NIS drags Hits and Jams to court Hits and Jams entertainment owners
H
its and Jams entertainment owners, Rawle Ferguson, Dwidth Ferguson and Kerwin Bollers were charged before the City’s court yesterday for failing to pay NIS on behalf of their employee’s for five years. The Court heard that the men who run the TV station in Crown Street, Queenstown, Georgetown, are accused of failing to produce records of wages and contributions scheduling at the National Insurance Scheme building from the period January 2011 to December 2015 when they were required to do so by Tisha McCalmon, a NIS inspector duly authorised officer of the NIS board. DJ Dwidth Ferguson was not present to answer to the joint charge as he is said to be out of the country. However, the power house entertainers of HJTV Rawle Ferguson and
Kerwin Bollers both denied the allegation. Magistrate Faith McGusty placed the men on self-bail and ordered them to make their next court appearance on June 1. The magistrate then advised them to go sort things out at the NIS office on Brickdam and Winter Place, Georgetown. After signing their recognisance the men exited the courtroom and spoke to reporters outside. “it’s all a misunderstanding” they both said. They said when they laid off some employees in 2011, they had contacted them to produce certain documents but the former employees were uncooperative. Nevertheless they claimed that they started to pay the money that was owed to the governmental agency, regardless since they had already filed for it to be done, however for some reason they slapped them with the charges.
Ex-VCS Directors says.... From page 11 by VCS by December 2015, the report noted. In fact, according to the report, the former VCS director had told the Global Fund’s Office of the Inspector General (OIG) that, as a department within the Ministry of Health, VCS itself is dependent on other departments of the Ministry of Health. In this context, he considered that the implementation of the first and third actions was the responsibility of the MMU, and that the managers of the MMU had not responded to his requests to implement the actions in a timely manner. With regard to the second action, the former director of VCS stated that this information was provided to the Global Fund
for a specified period. However, the OIG established that the Local Fund Agent identified significant issues with the documentation provided by VCS such, that it could not provide assurance that the fuel purchased in this period had been used appropriately. Moreover, the report noted, “Given that the ex-director of VCS occupied his position for over two and a half years, the OIG considers that his explanations are insufficient to account for why the actions were not addressed, and that VCS’s failure to implement the actions satisfactorily represents further evidence of his inadequate management of the Global Fund malaria programme.”
Wine seminar kicks off... From page 18 celebrate her 50th Anniversary. The Restaurant week has been organized as part of Guyana's Jubilee celebrations. Restaurant Week is slated to be run from April 29 to May 8. At the launching THAG President Shaun McGrath was on hand to touch briefly on the restaurants that are competing and the rules of competition. McGrath stated that because of the holidays around the duration of this planned restaurant week, they (THAG & GTA) decided on this period as restaurants are usually very busy on National Holidays. Last year's Restaurant week saw some 16 restaurants compete, this year's launch has seen an increase with 20 restaurants now
competing. The new competitors are Buddy's Chinese Restaurant, Aagmaan Indian Restaurant; Roraima Duke Lodge and Herdmanston Lodge's Sucre restaurant are now all onboard. These restaurants will all be serving lunch menus for prices of $2000 and dinner menus for $4000-$5000, these prices are all Guyana Restaurant week prices. McGrath touched on the wine seminar that was scheduled to follow the press conference and intimated that participants would be educated on how to serve wines, the different wine glasses, types of wines and the knowledge of a range of wines so that they could better inform and serve their respective customers.
Saturday April 30, 2016
U.S. stands by South Korea defence talks despite China, Russia objections
A Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) interceptor is launched during a successful intercept test (Reuters photo) (Reuters) - The White House yesterday said talks to install a new anti-missile defence system in South Korea would continue in the wake of nuclear arms and missile tests by North Korea despite calls by China and Russia for the United States to back off. The United States and South Korea have begun talks on possible deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defence (THAAD) system after North Korea tested its fourth nuclear bomb on Jan. 6 and conducted missile tests. The nuclear test and missile launches violate U.N. resolutions against North Korea backed by Russia and China. U.S. and South Korean officials have expressed concern the North could attempt a fifth nuclear test in a show of strength ahead of its Workers’ Party congress, which begins on May 6. North Korea test-fired what appeared to be two intermediate range ballistic missiles on Thursday, but both failed, according to the U.S. military. Yesterday, the White House said it was still in talks with its close ally South Korea and that the system, if installed, would not threaten other countries. “Those discussions are ongoing,” White House spokesman Josh Earnest told reporters. “That equipment would be oriented toward the
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Kaieteur News
threat that is posed by North Korea, not oriented toward China or Russia.” Speaking at joint press briefing with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi earlier yesterday called on the United States to respect “legitimate concerns” of China and Russia over the missile system. “This move goes beyond the defensive needs of the relevant countries. If it is deployed it will directly impact China’s and Russia’s respective strategic security,” Wang said. “Not only does it threaten the resolution of the peninsula nuclear issue, it quite possibly could pour oil on the fire of an already tense situation, and even destroy strategic equilibrium on the peninsula.” North Korea’s actions should not be used as an excuse to make moves that would escalate tensions, es-
pecially the U.S. deployment of an anti-missile system, Lavrov said, according to an interpretation in Chinese. North Korea’s drive to develop a nuclear weapons capability has angered China, Pyongyang’s sole major diplomatic and economic supporter. But Beijing fears THAAD and its radar have a range that would extend into China. Chinese President Xi Jinping has said Beijing would not allow war and chaos to break out on the Korean peninsula. Earnest gave no timing on when talks with South Korea may conclude but added that “the United States is prepared to invest resources in keeping them safe.” North and South Korea remain technically at war after their 1950-53 conflict ended in a truce, rather than a treaty. The North routinely threatens to destroy South Korea and the United States.
Mocha, Diamond soon to get street lights Diamond (in photo) and Mocha, East Bank Demerara will soon benefit from street lights, Government has announced.
Residents of Mocha and Diamond, East Bank Demerara will soon benefit from street lights in keeping with Government’s pledge to create safe comfortable communities for citizen’s longterm wellbeing. Ministry of Public Infrastructure’s Work Services Group (WSG), Coordinator, Geoffrey Vaughn, told the Government Information Agency (GINA) that, “our two main areas of focus at present are Mocha road and Diamond.” He said that contracts were also awarded for light-
ing in Phillippi, Corentyne, Region Six. Some parts of Sophia and the Soesdyke/Linden Highway already have street lights as well as some areas in Georgetown that were previously unlit, Vaughn said. Additionally, Vaughn explained that an inventory was carried out in other areas without street lights, and Church and Waterloo Streets and other dark areas will be lit in time for the 50th Independence celebrations. Over the years, there has been outcry from citizens for improved and new infrastruc-
ture in their communities and for street and traffic lights. The government has budgeted significant sums which have been approved by the National Assembly for the installation of street and traffic lights across the country. A total of $14.4 billion has been budgeted to the Ministry of Public Infrastructure for the upgrade, expansion and rehabilitation of roads and bridges out of which $72M is for lighting the Linden and Corentyne Highways, and the Coverden and Ogle roadways.
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Saturday April 30, 2016
Kaieteur News
Discrepancy over CLF bailout so...
Govt. orders forensic probe Trinidad Guardian - Government has ordered a full forensic audit to determine exactly how much taxpayers’ money was pumped into the bail out of Colonial Life and CL Financial in light of billion-dollar discrepancies, Finance Minister Colm Imbert said Thursday. Speaking at a post-Cabinet press conference at the Diplomatic Centre, St Ann’s, Imbert said the exact cost of the bailout Colonial Life and CL Financial was still uncertain. He said so as he noted CL Financial’s majority shareholder Lawrence Duprey’s intention to take legal action against the Government to block Government’s proposed sale of CLF assets, which was reported exclusively in Thursday’s T&T Guardian. Imbert said he had in his possession a letter, dared March 22, written by Duprey and sent to the governor of the Central Bank. In the letter, Duprey had asked for consideration to be given for him to have a role in the divestment of the Clico assets. In response, however, the Central Bank said it was unable to treat with it. Imbert said he also received a letter, dated the following day, regarding suggestions on the way forward for CL Financial, which was being examined. “However, a lot of these details with respect to the takeover of Colonial Life and the agreement between CL Financial... a lot of these things have been shrouded in secrecy over the last five years and there have been a number of variations to the original agreement and extensions to the share,” Imbert said. Imbert added there have been some 16 extensions to the shareholders’ agreement between CL Financial and the
Colm Imbert Government. He said the latest one was a heads of agreement entered into on May 24, 2013, between the former finance minister Larry Howai and Roger Duprey, who represented the United Shareholders’ Company Ltd with respect to the disposal of all of the assets and a way forward. “In that document it states that Government had advanced, by way of financial support to the affected subsidiaries, $19.6 billion,” Imbert said. Saying there was disagreement between CL Financial representatives and the United Shareholders Company Ltd on the figure, Imbert added: “Based on the discrepancies between what is in this agreement and the information that is in the public’s domain, Government is owed approximately $24.5 billion... and this document speaks to $19.6 billion. There is confusion as to how much of taxpayers’ money was put into this bailout,” Imbert said. He also sought to clarify what appeared to be confusion in distinguishing the difference between Colonial Life and CL Financial. He said Colonial Life was taken over by the Central Bank under the emergency powers.
“And it is the Central Bank in pursuant of that responsibility that is disposing of the assets of Colonial Life, which would include policies, shares in Republic Bank and Angostura. “CL Financial is a holding company that owns shares in Colonial Life, Angostura and Home Construction and companies like CL Marine,” Imbert added. He said Colonial Life owed the Government $16.9 billion, of which only $4 billion was repaid. Imbert said within the next three weeks a note would be sent to Cabinet on plans regarding the recovery of monies. Imbert also said recent meetings with the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank dealt with discussing technical assistance and not imposing any financial restrictions on T&T. “There was no meeting per say to go drilling down into what’s going on in T&T and to impose conditions. We simply met with experts to advise us on certain matters,” Imbert said. He said the IMF meeting in particular was to advise on the oil and gas taxation regime and transfer pricing where multinational companies avoided paying taxes.
Jamaica to take full advantage of CARICOM benefits KINGSTON, Jamaica (JIS) — The government of Jamaica will be appointing a Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Review Commission, aimed at positioning the country to take full advantage of benefits under the organisation. This was announced by Prime Minister Andrew Holness on Wednesday. “I think the time has come for Jamaica to fully assess the benefits, opportunities and challenges of CARICOM and to assert ourselves in such a way that Jamaica gets the benefit of CARICOM,” he said. The prime minister implored the country’s entrepreneurs and members of the business community in general, to think of CARICOM “as our market, and we are going to stake our claim in our market.” He pledged that the government will become even
throw chunks of the sidewalk at him, with some shouting “fire some lead” bullets. Afterward, his face bruised from the encounter, Torrealba made light of the incident. “I’m fine. They didn’t even mess up my hair,” joked the opposition leader, who is bald. “Neither the militarizing of cities nor the actions of violent groups will manage to stop legitimate and peaceful social protest.” Torrealba and a small group of opposition supporters had planned to march to the headquarters of the state-
run electricity company to protest the government’s power rationing plan. But they were turned back by a heavy police presence and were in the process of calling off the demonstration when the attack took place. Venezuela is suffering from a severe energy crisis, and President Nicolas Maduro on Tuesday slashed the public sector workweek to just two days as a power-saving measure. He’s also or-
more “assertive in how we ensure that our entrepreneurs are able to access the common markets of CARICOM.” Holness advised business persons, and entrepreneurs in particular “to take action” in seizing those marketing opportunities within CARICOM, and not be hampered by the excuse that Jamaican companies are unable to compete, due to lack of efficiency. “We may not be able to
compete because of the cost of energy, but we must be able to compete because we have a better tasting product, because our products are packaged better, and we have tailored a product that meets the needs of the consumer. So, we may not always have comparative advantages, but we must also develop and emphasise our competitive advantage as well,” he said. (Caribbean News)
Bunting wants term limits for PNP leadership
KINGSTON – Peter Bunting Thursday night called for a “systematic renewal of leadership” of the Opposition People’s National Party (PNP) and put forward two possible systems of term limits that would require constitutional change in the 77year-old political movement. Speaking at a town hall meeting put on by the Jamaica Theological Seminary under the theme ‘The PNP then and now — Matters’, Bunting, the Manchester Central Member of Parliament and former PNP general secretary, suggested that all office holders of the party should have circumscribed tenure. His comment comes mere weeks after he signalled his intention to lead the party,
Govt. supporters attack Venezuela opposition leader
CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — Supporters of Venezuela’s socialist government attacked the head of the country’s opposition alliance on a downtown Caracas street yesterday. As Jesus Torrealba was addressing reporters, a halfdozen men suddenly approached and began to hurl punches and objects at him, apparently without provocation. Torrealba, who didn’t have a bodyguard with him, fought back with his fists and managed to escape. As he fled, the group began to
Andrew Holness
dered rolling blackouts of up to 4 hours a day across the country until dangerously low water levels at the nation’s largest dam are replenished. Torrealba was a Communist Party activist in his youth. He was elected the head of the wide-ranging Democratic Unity coalition in 2014 in an attempt to connect the normally elite-driven coalition with poorer Venezuelans once loyal to the government.
Peter Bunting which is still embroiled in turmoil after losing the February 25, 2016 General Election by one seat to the Jamaica Labour Party. “The Constitution of the PNP provides annual opportunities for reaffirming or replacing officers through reelection. In practice, however, any attempt to exercise this democracy is unwelcome. There has not been a single national officer position contested in the last eight years. This cannot be healthy for a democratic party,” Bunting said. The former minister of national security urged Comrades to consider amending the party’s Constitution to accomplish this. “Tenure could be limited by having either a mandatory retirement age, or a limit of how long one can hold a post, or some com-
bination of the two,” said Bunting. “...China has a mandatory retirement age of 68 and all top party officials are limited to two five-year terms in the same post. In Brazil, the mandatory retirement age is 70. In many other countries such as the USA, Mexico, Costa Rica, and Haiti there are limits of one or two terms as president. Locally, the JLP has proposed term limits for a prime minister. The thinking behind these mechanisms to circumscribe tenure is that leaders as a class should never be trusted uncritically,” he argued. Added to that, he pointed out that cliques exist in all parties and lead to favouritism, nepotism and other unwholesome practices. Therefore, reasonable limits must be imposed on the duration of individual leadership. At the same time, Bunting called for the renewal of the party’s groups, insisting that it is critical to the maintenance of the PNP’s core values. He also called for communication and citizen engagement, citing that it was the absence of these that contributed to the party’s defeat at the polls. “In the face of political events such as the election loss of February 25th, a political party can either continue to embrace the status quo, or it can feel compelled to renew,” he said. (Jamaica Observer)
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‘Monstrous’ violence in Syria as government excludes Aleppo from truce (Reuters) - Syria called local truces near Damascus and in a northern province on Friday but no halt to combat on the main battlefield in Aleppo, after a surge in fighting the United Nations said showed “monstrous disregard” for civilian lives. A new “regime of calm” would begin from 1:00 a.m. on Saturday and last one day in the capital’s eastern Ghouta suburb and three days in the northern countryside of the coastal province of Latakia, the army said in a statement. But by excluding the city of Aleppo, scene of the worst recent violence, the narrow truces were unlikely to resurrect a ceasefire and peace talks that have collapsed this week. In the worst recent attack, an air strike destroyed a hospital in a rebel-held area overnight on Wednesday-Thursday. The French charity Medecins sans Frontieres, which supported the hospital, said on Friday the death toll had risen to at least 50, including six medics. A Syrian military source said Aleppo was excluded from the newly announced truces “because in Aleppo there are terrorists who have not stopped hitting the city and its residents ... There are a large number of martyrs in Aleppo, which is why the situation is different there”. Russia’s Interfax news agency quoted the officer in charge of a Russian ceasefire monitoring centre as saying the truces meant all military action would cease in the covered areas. Damascus described the truces as an attempt to salvage a wider “cessation of hostilities” agreement in place since February. That ceasefire, sponsored by Washington and Moscow, allowed peace talks to start but has all but completely collapsed in recent days along with the Geneva negotiations. Violence was “soaring back to the levels we saw prior to the cessation of hostilities,” said United Nations human rights chief Zeid Ra’ad al-Hussein. “There are deeply disturbing reports of military buildups indicating preparations for a lethal escalation,” Zeid said in a statement that described a “monstrous disregard for civilian lives by all parties to the conflict”. “I DREAD MORE HORROR” The United Nations has called on Moscow and Washington to help restore the ceasefire to prevent the collapse of peace talks, which
A man reacts as he stands on blood stains at a site hit by airstrikes in the rebel held area of Aleppo’s al-Fardous district, Syria, yesterday. (Reuters/ Abdulrhman Ismail) broke up this week in Geneva with virtually no progress after the opposition walked out. “The cessation of hostilities and the Geneva talks were the only game in town, and if they are abandoned now, I dread to think how much more horror we will see in Syria,” Zeid said. The United States said on Friday that it was in discussions with Russia to renew the cessation of hostilities and was seeking a halt to fighting in Latakia and eastern Ghouta as a test case before trying to extend ceasefires throughout the country. “We are in touch with the opposition and it is our expectation they will comply,” State Department spokesman Mark Toner said of the Latakia and Ghouta ceasefires. Asked why the United States did not try to get a halt to the violence in Aleppo, Toner said, “In part it is a recognition that Aleppo is very complex and the fighting around there is indeed alarming. We need to start somewhere and we’re going to start with Latakia and east Ghouta.” Aleppo, Syria’s largest city before the war, has been divided for years between rebel and g o v e r n m e n t zones. Full control would be the most important prize for President Bashar al-Assad, who has been fighting to keep hold of his country throughout a fiveyear civil war. U.N. mediator Staffan de Mistura has said that up to 400,000 people have been killed. Since Russia joined the war last year with air strikes
against Assad’s enemies, battlefield momentum has shifted in the government’s favor. Hundreds of thousands of people still live in rebel zones of Aleppo, and the countryside to the north includes the only stretch of the Turkish-Syrian border still in the hands of Assad’s main opponents, Arab Sunni Muslim rebel groups. Opposition groups have accused the government of deliberately targeting civilians so they would abandon the area. “The aim of what is happening in Aleppo now is to put pressure on us to accept the smallest demands and conditions proposed by Bashar al-Assad,” chief opposition negotiator Asaad alZoubi said in an interview with Al Jazeera television. “The truce which they are talking about today is so the regime can prepare its forces again, especially because it failed to take control of Aleppo.” The leader of the opposition High Negotiations Committee, Riyad Hijab, wrote to U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon accusing the government of “horrifying daily massacres” and “the besiegement and starvation of cities, towns and villages”. He demanded the U.N. Security Council force Assad to stop. Rebels have targeted government areas with aggressive shelling, which Damascus has said is proof that they are receiving weapons from abroad.
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Top sports tribunal to decide Platini’s fate within 10 days LAUSANNE (Reuters) Suspended UEFA president Michel Platini said he was more optimistic of having his six-year ban from soccer overturned after his appeal hearing at sport’s highest tribunal on Friday, with a decision due within 10 days. However, the Frenchman, one of the finest players of his
generation and also a former coach of his country’s national side, said he recognized that his long, illustrious career in the game would be over if the decision went against him. Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter, who like Platini has been banned for six years for ethics violations, was among the three people who
gave evidence at the eighthour hearing at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne. CAS secretary general Matthieu Reeb said a decision would be announced by May 9 “at the latest” by its panel of three judges. “I am even more optimistic after (this hearing) be-
cause, sincerely the team that came, and you saw that we were numerous, was very good,” Platini, who arrived and left in a taxi, told reporters outside CAS headquarters. If Platini is absolved, he would be free to resume his duties as UEFA president and attend Euro 2016 in his native
Chinese consortium offers 700 mln euros for soccer club AC Milan - source Reuters - A group of Chinese investors has offered to buy AC Milan football club, one of former Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi’s most cherished assets, two sources familiar with the matter said on Friday. The offer values the club at around 700 million euros (547.76 million pounds) including debt, one of the
sources said. Berlusconi, whose family holding company Fininvest owns the Serie A club, has been looking for a buyer for a minority stake for more than a year without reaching a deal. The identities of the Chinese investors, who first expressed interest in buying the club last year, were not
immediately clear. “The offer is 700 million euros for the whole club, including debt. They want 70 percent now and the rest in a year or a year and a half,” the first source said. Fininvest declined to comment. The second source said formal talks can only begin with the approval of
Berlusconi, who is reluctant to sell a majority stake but could change his mind. The club had 188.5 million euros (147.50 million pounds) in debt in 2015, according to annual accounts approved by its b o a r d o n T h u r s d a y, so Fininvest could cash in around 500 million euros if the deal were to go ahead.
France in an official capacity in June and July. “If I am president of UEFA, I will be at every game at Euro 2016,” he said. But, referring to a possible defeat, he added: “I am going to go on holiday, wait and maybe I will be definitively on holiday, or retired.” He added: “Then, the story is over, absolutely, it’s over. It’s going to end here; my work as a president of UEFA and my work in soccer will be finished because it’s a ban on working in any soccer-related activity.” Platini and Blatter were banished over a payment of two million Swiss francs ($2.08 million) made to the Frenchman by FIFA with Blatter’s approval in 2011 for work done a decade earlier. FIFA’s ethics committee said the payment, made at a time when Blatter was seek-
ing re-election, lacked transparency and presented conflicts of interest. Both men denied wrongdoing. Platini, 60, said he told the hearing that “I worked, I issued a bill, I followed the FIFA directives, I received money and I paid my taxes. That’s it.” Blatter’s own appeal has yet to be heard and Reeb said that it could be influenced by the outcome of Platini’s case. “Normally, CAS panels would observe decisions rendered by other CAS panels, so if the decision in the Platini case is known and published, the new panel for Mr Blatter should...take it into account,” he said. UEFA, which holds its annual Congress in Budapest on Tuesday, has said it will not elect a replacement for Platini until his case has been decided.
$6M GFF-NAMILCO Thunderbolt... Saturday April 30, 2016 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) You can find out interesting information if you get a chance to talk to people you respect. You will learn a great deal about yourself if you go somewhere secluded. Don't be too eager to spend money that you really don't have. TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20) Put your energy into behind the scenes activities. Refrain from overspending on entertainment or luxury items. You're in the mood to spend money. GEMINI (May 21–June 20) Deception will play an important factor in relationships. Patience will be of utmost importance. Your loved ones could set you off. CANCER (June 21–July 22) Dinner, theater, or a comedy club may be just the place. Try to communicate if you wish to help. You could receive recognition for a job well done. LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) Elders may need your help. Take the time to sort out your personal papers and doublecheck your financial investments. Investments may be misrepresented today. VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) Your mind will be on matters that deal with secret affairs. You can accomplish a great deal. Don't let others restrict you from saying how you feel about family issues.
LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) Don't make excuses. Make changes that will heighten your appeal. You may not be happy if members of your family are not pulling their weight. SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) Don't count on correspondence to clear up major problems. Be sure to use your charm and diplomacy when dealing with potential new clients. SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) Passion is about the best way for you to relieve tension. Travel will promote new romantic encounters. You will find their philosophies worth exploring. CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19) You may have a problem with someone you live with if you don't include them in your gathering. Over spending or unexpected bills could set you back. You may have difficulties with someone close to you. AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) You can make money if you pursue your own business. If it can make you extra cash, it will be even better. Promote your ideas now. PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) Difficulties with female members of your family may result in estrangement's. Your need to use emotional blackmail will only cause more conflict.
(From page 29) has entered. This competition will compliment the ATC which forms part of the GENERATION NEXT Programme that was developed by the former Technical Director, Claude Bolton. The tournament objectives includes: providing the clubs and association with an opportunity to engage their young players in competitive football throughout the year; creating a common and consistent coaching platform that focuses on technique and patterns of play at the early stages of a player’s development; providing coaches with an opportunity to improve their craft whilst gaining valuable onfield expe r i e n c e s a n d knowledge in teaching the fundamentals of the game
to young players. The respective associations are now going through
the registration process as they get ready for kick off on May 7th, next.
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Hawks finally find way to eliminate Celtics Reuters (The Sports Xchange) - It took nearly 60 years, but the Atlanta Hawks finally found a way to beat the Boston Celtics in the playoffs. Atlanta had not won a postseason series against Boston since 1958, the year they won their lone NBA title. The Hawks had also lost 10 straight playoff games in Boston dating back to 1988 entering Thursday, including Games 3 and 4 last weekend at TD Garden. In Game 6, the Hawks used the lessons from those losses to come away with a 104-92 victory, eliminating the Celtics on their home court. “This is a great environment to play in,” Hawks sharpshooter Kyle Korver. “They just breathe confidence into their team. We felt like we had our chances in Games 3 and 4, and just execution wasn’t good and a couple mental mistakes. A couple lapses that you just can’t have on the road. “I thought tonight, until the last two minutes, we played a really great game.” Paul Millsap had 17 points and eight rebounds, Al Horford and Kent Bazemore each scored 15 points, and Korver added 14 points and nine rebounds Thursday for
Atlanta, which faces the Cleveland Cavaliers in the second round beginning on Monday at Quicken Loans Arena. The Hawks lost all three meetings with the Cavaliers during the regular season by an average of 9.7 points. Cleveland also swept Atlanta when the two teams met in last season’s Eastern Conference finals. “We just won Game 6 in Boston,” Hawks head coach Mike Budenholzer said. “I don’t have any thoughts about Cleveland. “We’ll start preparing — we may actually take a second to enjoy tonight — and at the appropriate time we’ll start preparing. Our guys will be ready, I can guarantee that.” A promising season for the Celtics ended with some jekyll-and-hyde performances. Boston won 48 games during the regular season, highlighted by a 109-106 win to snap the Golden State Warriors’ NBA-record 54-game home winning streak on April 1, and won 19 of their final 22 games at home. A pair of sluggish starts, including a seven-point first quarter in Game 2 that was the lowest for a playoff team in
Atlanta Hawks forward Mike Scott (right) dribbles the ball against Boston Celtics forward Jae Crowder (99) during the first half in game six of the first round of the NBA Playoffs at TD Garden. (Mark L. Baer-USA TODAY Sports) the shot clock era, did the Celtics in on the road, but they snapped back into form once they returned home for Games 3 and 4. But in Game 5 in Atlanta, Boston again suffered from a lack of energy and could not get their mojo back in Game 6. “We learned a lot through
Regal Masters among Wolf’s Challenge Cup winners last weekend Regal Masters defeated Wolf Warriors Masters by 86 runs last weekend as play in the Wolf’s Challenge Cup softball cricket competition continued last weekend. Regal posted 176 for 6 off 20 overs. Raymond Harper 49, Londford Klass 28 N.O. Wolf Warriors Masters were limited to 90 all out in 12.2 overs in reply. Laurie Singh grabbed 5 for 12. Parika Defenders def. Enterprise Legends by 5 wickets. Enterprise 115 for 9 in 20 overs. Asif Ahmad 4 for 19. Defenders replied with 118 for 6 in 14 overs. V. Kissoon 35. S. Yadram 3 for 17. Superior Woods def. H. S.
Masters by 35 runs. Superior Woods 189 for 6 in 20 overs. S. Kumar 33. C. Matthews 31. M. Fung 29. S. Samaroo 3 for 12. R. Persaud 2 for 26. M.Ifil 2 for 31. H. S. Masters 154 for 9 in 20 overs. S. Samaroo 41. C. Hoyte 29. R. Persaud 26. D. Mohabir 2 for 15. M. Fung 2 for 30. Regal def. Wolf Warriors by 7 wickets. Wolf Warriors 154 for 8 in 20 overs. Safraz Karim 32. Ricky Sergent 32. Regal 160 for 3 in 16.4 overs. Richard Latif 66 N.O. Sachin Singh 38. Regal def. Lol Woodworking by 4 wickets. Lol Woodworking 161 for 5 in 20 overs. Jagdesh Deosaran 71. Regal
164 for 6 in 18.3 overs. Patrick Rooplall 36. Marvin Bobb 24. Fisherman Masters def. Savage Masters at Cyril Potter College ground. Meanwhile, action continues tomorrow with several matches. Carifesta Sports Complex: Pitch 1: 10:00am-Albion Masters vs Wellman. 12:30pmSavage Masters vs Enterprise Legends. Pitch 2: 10:30am-4R Lioness vs Blue Divas. 12:30pmWellwoman vs Enterprise Divas. Pitch 3: 10:00am-Wolf Warriors Masters vs Fisherman Masters. 12:30pmTropical Springs vs Parika Defenders.
FIFA ethics panel bans Bahamas’ Haven (Reuters) FIFA’s ethics related to cash payments at a watchdog on Friday banned CFU event in 2011. for five years former Caribbean Football The adjudicatory chamUnion executive Lionel Haven from soccer for five years for failing to disclose information
ber of world soccer body’s independent Ethics Committee imposed the ban and fined Haven, from the Bahamas, 3,000 Swiss francs ($3,130), it said in a statement. In an unusual move, it made the ban public without having contacted Haven, whom it said it was not able to reach at his last known
postal address. Enmeshed in the worst corruption scandal in its history, FIFA has been cracking down on wrongdoing. Over 40 individuals and entities, including many former FIFA officials, have been charged with graft-related offences in the United States. ($1 = 0.9583 Swiss francs)
this playoff series, but one of the things that I learned is we’ve got to get better,” Celtics head coach Brad Stevens said. Isaiah Thomas had a double-double with 25 points and 10 assists Thursday to lead Boston. Jae Crowder fin-
ished with 15 points and Marcus Smart and Jonas Jerebko each added 13 for the Celtics. Boston shot 36.2 percent (34 of 94) Thursday and was held to 38.4 percent (206 of 537) in the series. Despite their struggles,
Thomas hopes he will not be seeing too many new faces in the locker room next year. “I’ll ride with these guys until the wheels fall off,” Thomas said. “This was a special group. Hopefully we can all stick together and have something special in the future.” The Hawks outscored the Celtics 39-26 in the third quarter and led 89-61 with 9:51 remaining, but the Celtics battled back to come within 96-86 on Thomas’ floater with 1:48 left. Atlanta led by as many as six points in the first quarter before ending the period up 20-17. Thomas played the entire first quarter, but was held scoreless until a driving layup with 2:25 left in the frame. Crowder’s dunk with 4:26 left before halftime brought the crowd back to life and pulled Boston within 34-25, but the Hawks stretched the lead to 41-33 entering the break. Millsap had eight points and five rebounds in the half for Atlanta, which led by as many as 13 in the opening half. Thomas had nine points and five assists to lead Boston. The Celtics were limited to 27.7 percent shooting (13 of 47) in the opening half.
Endurance, dexterity and reliability on show tomorrow It is expected to be a test of endurance, dexterity and reliability when the Guyana Motor Racing & Sports Club (GMR&SC) stages its Endurance Race Meet today, at the South Dakota Circuit. Endurance racing is definitely on the upswing and even though it might not be able to rival circuit racing, it
is growing increasingly popular within the racing community. Speaking with an official of the (GMR&SC) he said that “you can see more and more teams’ now confirming participation and this is a clear indication that this segment of the sport is catching on”.
Brian Ten-Pow and Shawn Seejattan have shown that they are a formidable pair, but they will have to repel the efforts of teams such as Shiraz and Shahab Roshandin, the Ali brothers, Anand Ramchand and Adrian Fernandes are all experienced and formidable drivers. Starting time is 12:00 hrs.
Stag EBFA/WDFA Senior Leagues continue this weekend Matches in the Stag sponsored senior leagues in the East Bank Football Associa-
tion (EBFA) and the West Demerara Football Associations (WDFA) are set to con-
tinue today and tomorrow. Following are the scheduled matches.
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GCB/Hand-in-Hand inter county U19 tourney postponed due to rain By Zaheer Mohamed Due to the inclement weather, the Guyana Cricket Board has postponed the third round and the final of the Hand-in-Hand U-19 50Over Inter-County tournament. Leaders Demerara were set to take on the select U17 team at Bourda and Essequibo were scheduled to meet Berbice at the Demerara Cricket Club yesterday, but the constant rainfall has left both venues waterlogged. The final between the top two teams was set for Sunday at Bourda, but the GCB will decide on a new date for the continuation of the competition. Demerara have accumulated 13.4 points, while the select U17 team have 11.3 followed by Essequibo on 10.5 and Berbice on four. Whenever the weather provides for the re-start, the
A section of the DCC outfield.
tournament can already be deemed a success despite a few challenges. The GCB and Hand-in-Hand must be credited for giving the players an opportunity not only to
showcase their talent but to prepare for the upcoming regional U17 and U19 tournament. Wales CDC, Enterprise, GCC, DCC and Everest CC the fastest drying ground in the
city must be credited in helping the GCB to stage yet another successful competition by affording their facilities. Guyana have won the U15 and U19 tournaments for two
Hamilton fastest in Russia, Vettel stops SOCHI, RUSSIA (Reuters) Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton was top of the timesheets in Russian Grand Prix practice on Friday after Mercedes team mate Nico Rosberg set the early pace and Ferrari suffered reliability problems. Rosberg, chasing his seventh win in a row and fourth of the season, was quickest in the morning around the Olympic Park used for the 2014 Winter Games in the Black Sea resort. The championship leader dropped to third in the afternoon, however, with Hamilton setting a best time of one minute 37.583 seconds on supersoft tyres compared to Rosberg’s 1:38.450. Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel stopped on track during the second session but was still second fastest. “I think we’re looking strong here, but we need to keep working hard if we are to try and stay ahead of the Ferraris,” said Hamilton. “They look like they might be another step closer this weekend.” Hamilton is the only driver to have won in Russia since the race’s debut in 2014 and he needs to complete the hat-trick on Sunday to eat into his team mate’s hefty 36 point lead after just three of the 21 races. The Mercedes pair, who have won 35 of the last 41 races between them, were comfortably ahead of the rest in the morning but Vettel showed pace for Ferrari before he hit problems.
straight years, but yet to win and U17 title. However, with such talented crop of young cricketers, Guyana has what it takes to win its first title at the U17 level, and successfully defend their U15 and U19 crowns. The National Schools Cricket League was an achievement by the GCB-a number of talents were unearthed thereby giving the selectors a bigger pool to choose from. West Indies U19 World Cup winner Keemo Paul is definitely one for the future as he has proven previously. He took batting in the competition to another level; singlehandedly winning the second round game for his team with an unbeaten 156
against the U17s. His bowling keeps improving will be very instrumental in Guyana’s campaign in the Regional tournament. Ronaldo Renee who scored a century in the threeday, Ronaldo Ali Mohamed, Sherfene Rutherford, Raymond Perez, Looknauth Chinkoo and Akenie Adams have done well and are capable of defending Guyana’s U19 crown. The U17 captain Bhaskar Yadram who scored a big century against Berbice is a player any coach dream of having in their line-up. So too is Wicketkeeper Batsman Joshua Persaud who batted with maturity that belie his age. With Ashmead Nedd, Kevin Omroa, Colin Barlow, Joel Fortune, Kevin Sinclair, Kurt Lovell and Alphius Bookie, Guyana has one of its strongest U17 team ever and will definitely be hard to beat. One of the finds from the Schools League is impressive fifteen-year old Essequibo pacer Reyaz Khan who is one of the fastest bowlers in the tournament. He has the ability to develop into a genuine fast-bowler but must be treated accordingly. While some players have excelled other must acknowledged that talent alone cannot guarantee them success for cricket is played 70% above the shoulders. Guyana’s chances of repeated success at the age group levels are high, thus the future looks bright.
North Georgetown, St. Joseph High register NSBF U-16 wins
Mercedes Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain drives during the first practice session. (REUTERS/MAXIM SHEMETOV) The four-times world champion, whose team have suffered power unit problems in two races this season, stopped with an hour to go. Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen was fourth in both practices. “Looks like we had an electric problem, but I am sure we can fix it,” said Vettel, who faces a fiveplace grid penalty after a gearbox change. “Still, it is a shame, because now we are lacking some laps, especially in the long runs ... which would
have allowed us to see how competitive we are.” Australian Daniel Ricciardo, who tested a new head protection device at the start of the session and has finished fourth in all three races, was sixth and fifth for Red Bull in the two sessions. Russian team mate Daniil Kvyat was seventh, with McLaren’s Jenson Button eighth and Fernando Alonso 10th in a boost for Honda-powered McLaren as they fight their way back up
the pecking order after a nightmare 2015 season. “Getting at least one car into Q3 (the final phase of qualifying) tomorrow would be good news for us. I think that’s possible,” said Alonso. Renault’s Russian test driver Sergey Sirotkin, who will be competing in the GP2 support series this season, replaced Denmark’s Kevin Magnussen for the first session. He ended up 13th fastest with regular race driver Jolyon Palmer 18th.
North Georgetown Secondary and St. Joseph High School registered wins in the Under-16 group of the National School Basketball Festival (NSBF) in Georgetown on Thursday a t t h e C l i ff A n d e r s o n Sports Hall. North Georgetown beat St. Stanislaus College 38-22 with Jevroll Shephard scoring 10 points and Daniel Calder eight points for North Georgetown. Nathan Hacket finished with eight points and six rebounds for St. Stanislaus College. In the other U-16 game, St. Joseph High defeated Queens College 16-14 with Denzel Ross scoring eight points for St. Joseph and Lugard Mohan Jr. scoring 11 points for Queens College. Meanwhile, in the U-19 category, Plaisance Second-
ary defeated St. Joseph High 32-14 with Moses Matthews and Andrew Johnson each scoring nine points. Jacque Vincente added eight points for St. Joseph High. The following games will continue tomorrow from 2pm with 8 games at the Sports Hall: Girls: Charlestown Secondary vs. Plaisance Secondary, Tutorial High vs. Bishops’ High, President’s College vs. Marian Academy, St. Roses vs. Saints Stanislaus. Under-16: Marian Academy vs. President’s College Under-19: Tutorial High vs. St. Stanislaus, President’s College vs. Bishops, GTI vs. St. Roses High. Digicel Guyana (Bigger Better Network), Edward B. Beharry (Champion) and Company Ltd and Banks DIH LTD (Powerade) are the main sponsors.
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Gujarat Lions win thriller; CPL Subsidy V Funding of Sport Steven Smith ton in vain Letter to the Sports Editor
Development in Guyana
Dear Editor, On the 16th and 21st of April, I have had letters published (Kaieteur News) voicing my objection to the proposed subsidy of the Caribbean Premiere L e a g u e I n c . ’s C r i c k e t Tournament to the detriment of locally organized sport, my objections have raised many questions from various quarters and also calls for clarity of my proposed remedies, please allow me space to ensure clarity on both fronts. The first issue is the actual amount the government will pay CPL Inc. to have the semi-finals and Finals played in Guyana and the benefits to our nation, the Minister of Governance has said the final figure and package of benefits to CPL is yet to be agreed upon, but he subtly suggested a figure of One Million Five Hundred thousand USD, (315 Million GYD, $1 USD =$210 GYD). For the purpose of this letter I am willing to go along with this charade so as not to cloud the waters, the Minister outlined benefits in return for t h i s o u t l a y t h u s l y “ We believe, for the reasons I stated, this is our jubilee year, cricket of course, given the West Indies teams, the three teams glorious feats, we believe that ha v i n g cricket here, having international stars in Guyana, just the festive mood would be a good injection to our economy. Sometimes you can’t put a dollar value to…the strengthening of cricket in the Caribbean. It has taken a b e a t i n g a n d we believe this tournament being held in Guyana will not only s e r v e G u y a n a ’s p u r poses but also the Caribbean’s.” Surely the government of Guyana did not base its decision to subsidize a league owned by one of the world’s richest men, Denis O’Brien (net worth 6.7 Billion USD
Forbes) locally known as the owner of mobile phone company Digicel and whose annual income exceeds our GDP because it felt it would add festive cheer in a jubilee year? The CPL is privately o wned as is the Guyana based franchise the Amazon Warriors which is owned By Dr. Ranjisinghi (Bobby) Ramroop, Principal owner of Guyana Pharmaceutical Corporation (New GPC). The cost of operating the league has been cleverly recouped by a combination of sale of television rights, team sponsorship and threats to move teams away from countries that do not ‘invest’ as evidenced by testimony of Indian Billionaire Vijay Malia who bought the Barbados Tridents for $100 USD and said, “I went to the Barbados government saying I need your support. I met the Prime Minister and the government agreed to support but I paid USD $100 only to buy the team. Running the team will cost about USD $2 million but the Barbados government is granting subsidies to the franchise”. I would suggest that International stars and West Indies cricket will be in Guyana for a series of One day International matches this year, hence this ‘need’ will be satisfied and a temporary removal of tax on alcohol for the jubilee year would produce much more festive cheer. The Government of Guyana will recover no money directly, the gate receipts will go to Amazon Warriors Dr. Bobby Ramroop and is expected to be more than Two million USD, and the aforementioned Television rights will go to CPL Inc. What we the people and our government get is the right to pay the bills for the CPL and its plethora of Billionaire owners. The second issue is the status of local sport, in stark contrast to the Billionaire owned CPL our local sport
Floodlight, Upper Corentyne fixture postponed The much anticipated T20 fixture between Floodlight XI and Upper Corentyne has been postponed due to the inclement weather. The game was set for to-
night at the Demerara Cricket club, but persistent rainfall has left the ground waterlogged. The management of the Floodlight team will decide on a new date.
bodies are not billionaire owned, there is no policy of government subsidization of any kind, all of the organizations are volunteer led, none can afford to deliver a nationwide school programme, very few can support any school programme, all are willing to do more to enh a n c e t he opportunities available to the youth of our nation, in light of the willingness of government to splurge hundreds of millions to subsidize a fore i g n o w n e d e n t i t y ’s sporting event while neglecting the needs at home. The time has come for serious negotiation with the Guyana Olympic Association (our union of sorts) to chart a way forward. The Minister of Education recently said “Education is more than passing exams, schools must produce rounded students” unless he means obese students. I would suggest that the good Minister examine how the talk of sport in school can be translated into reality. It would do the present administration to be reminded of the thoughts of the PNC Founder Leader President L. F.S Burnham with regards to the Government funding of private schools; “I am not for one moment saying that those schools which have been granted aid should not have been granted aid. Rather I am saying that the Government’s policy is such that the schools which need most are those that are left out. In other words, if you can find some rich benefactor, some wealthy testator, some philanthropic and wealthy individual to put up a fine building for you, to build a laboratory for you, well then, according to Government’s policy you can apply for and get aid. A d m i t t e d l y, e v e n a f t e r one has been fortunate enough to get a benefactor to put up a building and build a laboratory, Government aid will still be necessary. But why give aid to such schools to the exclusion of other schools which need aid badly? A reminder that charity begins at home and ‘the grass growing while the horse starving’ is not untimely. Robin Singh.
Dwayne Smith shapes up for the reverse sweep, Rising Pune Supergiants v Gujarat Lions, IPL 2016, Pune, April 29, 2016 ©AFP ESPNcricinfo - This was a thriller that should have never come down to the last ball. But a combination of nerves, poor shot selection from Gujarat Lions and outstanding fielding by Rising Pune Supergiants kept the game alive till the end. On a night when Steven Smith scored a century andDwayne Smith made a bruising 37-ball 63, it was birthday boy James Faulkner who sealed Lions’ chase of 196 with three wickets in hand. This meant that Lions consolidated their position at the top of the standings with their sixth win in seven matches. Steven Smith’s surgical precision, fast hands, quick feet and strong wrists fetched him a maiden T20 century that would have been match on most nights. But it was put to shade by Brendon McCullum and Dwayne Smith, who needed only 8.1 overs for a 93-run opening partnership. The blazing start allowed Suresh Raina and Dinesh Karthik the luxury of playing themselves in and taking the game deep. When Karthik holed out to Rahane at deep midwicket, Lions needed 30 off 22 with seven wickets in hand. But legspinner M Ashwin gave away only four runs in the 18th over, Dwayne Bravo and Ravindra Jadeja were knocked over in the 19th.and the pressure mounted. With eight runs to defend, Thisara Perera was given the final over. Faulkner held his shape and swung the first ball to the square-leg boundary. The second ball was a wide and the third was driven to cover for a single. Raina was bowled off the fourth ball and Ishan Kishan was run out off the fifth, but Faulkner delivered the finishing blow. For the first three overs of the chase, Dwayne Smith enjoyed the McCullum show
from the best seat in the house. Then he punished Ashok Dinda and R Ashwin and caught up with McCullum as Lions smashed 72 in the Powerplay. By then, Dwayne Smith was on overdrive, swinging and connecting most balls in his hitting arc between deep midwicket and long-on. Having been at the receiving end of the openers’ fury against pace and spin, MS Dhoni introduced Rajat Bhatia in the seventh over in a bid to apply the squeeze. It worked when McCullum topedged a slog to short fine leg in the ninth over. Dwayne Smith was unfazed, though, throwing R Ashwin off rhythm with back-to-back fours in the following over. Having swung his way to nine fours and a six, there was unmistakable authority over his batting, until he insideedged Perera’s yorker onto the stumps. By then, the equation was down to 81 off 55 balls, which Raina and Karthik brought down further by milking the singles with the odd boundary. There was hardly a sign of this being a cruise for the Lions when they were on the field. Their bowlers repeatedly missed their mark as Steven Smith and Ajinkya Rahane established the credentials of the surface in an
enterprising 111-run stand for the second wicket. Tiwary’s run-out in the third over was hardly a deterrent as Steven Smith hit his stride, easing the pressure off Rahane with a flurry of boundaries up front. For a while, Lions overdid the short balls into Steven Smith’s body, only to get picked away off his hip. When the ball was full, he unleashed powerful drives. Along the way, he also received a slice of luck on 41 when he was bowled off a noball by IPL debutant Shivil Kaushik. The release was achieved immediately, with Steven Smith lifting the chinaman bowler’s next ball for six. Then, after Rahane was brilliantly run out by Dwayne Bravo at the non-strikers end, Lions pushed their lengths too full, only to see Steven Smith and Dhoni lay into the bowling. Dhoni was particularly severe on Jadeja, clubbing him for two successive sixes in the 17th over. Supergiants nearly reached 200, but the first six overs of the chase gave Lions a headstart to open up a four-point lead at the top of the table. Scores: Gujarat Lions 196 for 7 (Dwayne Smith 63, McCullum 43, Dinda 2-40) beat Rising Pune Supergiants 195 for 3 (Steven Smith 101, Rahane 53, Bravo 1-40) by three wickets.
Steven Smith goes inside-out through covers, Rising Pune Supergiants v Gujarat Lions, IPL 2016, Pune, April 29, 2016 ©BCCI
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Saturday April 30, 2016
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$6M GFF-NAMILCO Thunderbolt Flour Power Nat. U-17 League Officially Unveiled Nine Associations to contest internally By Franklin Wilson The historical Guyana Football Federation (GFF) / National Milling Company of Guyana (NAMILCO) Thunderbolt Flour Power National Under-17 League sponsored to the value of SIX MILLION Dollars was yesterday officially unveiled in the Sylvester Hall of the North Ruimveldt Multilateral School, Mandela Avenue. Aimed at empowering youth players to exhibit their skills in a developmental setting with the aim of impacting at the national level, the nine (9) affiliated associations of the GFF will be kicking off their respective legs of the league on May 7th next. The GFF’s Elite League Clubs will also be competing in this history making tournament under the respective umbrella associations from which they have been birthed. Sharing the head table at yesterday’s event were Director of Sports Mr. Christopher Jones who delivered the feature address on behalf of the Hon. Minister of Education – Dr. Rupert Roopnarine; NAMILCO’s Financial Controller and Assistant to the Managing Director Messer’s Fitzroy McLeod and Autamaram Lakeram; GFF President, First and Third Vice President’s Mr.
Director of Sport Christopher Jones (at podium) makes appoint during his presentation yesterday. Others at head table from right are Mr Affeeze Khan, Mr Autamaram Lakeram, Mr Fitzroy McLeod, Mr Wayne Forde, Ms Thandi Mc Allister and Mr Bruce Lovell. Wayne Forde, Mr. Jullian Lovell and Ms. Thandi Mc Allister and MC Mr. Affeeze Khan. Jones in his remarks complimented the GFF for the vision it has shown in pulling together a tournament of such magnitude that will impact positively, the growth and development of the sport with youths being the primary focus. He said that very often when the Sports Ministry is approached for help by associations and federations they would often ask of them, what are their strategic development plans and they would eventually lose out for lack thereof. However, the GFF was complimented for the proactive role they have shown in this regard with this
tournament that will run until next year; played over several rounds in the respective associations. Jones also complimented NAMILCO for committing and investing its finances towards the tournament whilst making a clarion call to corporate Guyana to lend support for the development of sports across the board. “The development of a n a t i o n ’s y o u t h i s a development that all should take on board,” Jones noted. He also threw out a challenge to the GFF and the National Association for Women’s Football to ensure that a female tournament becomes realty soonest, pointing out that funds in this regard is available since the NSC would have approached the Ministry of
Finance through its Budget since last year for funds to be had in this area and it has been approved. Funds for Differently Able athletes are also available the Director informed. The others associations were also challenged to take the GFF’s template to develop their strategic development plan, short and long term for sports. “Rest assured the Ministry of Education, Department of Culture Youth and Sport is there, committed to lend support in whatever way possible.” McLeod in his remarks told the gathering which also included President’s and other executive members of the GFF’s affiliates that he considers himself a staunch follower of the sport,
pointing out that he knows Guyana has the talent pool to be a tougher force to reckon with at the regional and international levels but it is a matter of creating the right platform (coaching, officiating, player development) for the talent to come to fruition. McLeod reiterated his company’s commitment towards the tournament, noting that they have been in business for the past 47 years and have been consistently supporting sports development in Guyana, not just in football but also in cycling, track and field, swimming, cricket as well as educational institutions including the University of Guyana. He also noted that the company was pleased to align its quality products
with this tournament and expects that as the competition progresses; standards would be set and maintained in terms of conduct and sportsmanship. Forde in giving an overview of the tournament informed that the best youths during the course of the competition would be registered in the association Academy Training Centers (ATC) for further special attention as the federation embarks on a new path to holistic and consistent development which will also target the educational growth of the players if the need arise. The GFF head said that it is the aim of the federation to win the upcoming Caribbean Football Union (CFU) U-17 competition which Guyana (Continued on page 25)
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Saturday April 30, 2016
Trophy Stall supports DCUSA names committees Jumbo Jet for Labour Day horserace meet Trophy Stall with two l o c a t i o n s i n t h e c i t y, including the popular Bourda Market, has thrown its support behind the horserace meet organised by the Jumbo Jet Auto Sales and Racing stables in collaboration with the Bush Lot United Turf Club, set for tomorrow. Wi f e o f P r o p r i e t o r Ramesh Sunich, Devi, this week presented several trophies to Coordinator of the event, Nazrudeen ‘Jumbo Jet’ Mohammed Jr, as part of their contribution to the event. Trophy Stall is one of the businesses that give yeoman service to sports, supporting at every opportunity. They have supported horseracing including a number of meets organised by the Jumbo Jet organisation. Mohamed expressed gratitude to the Trophy Stall for their continued support, while the business through Mrs. Sunich pledged to continue that support.
The Demerara Cricket Umpires and Scorers Association (DCUSA) has named its respective committees at a statutory meeting held on Thursday night at Union Building, Woolford Avenue. Nigel Duguid was elected chairman of the Training and Examination committee which includes Matthew Kissoon, Colin A l f r e d , Av a B a k e r, Nandkumar Shivsankar, Eddie Nicholls and Yosef Yisrael. The Disciplinary Committee is headed by Grantley Culbard and consists of Alfred and Randolph Rose while Joseph Jeffery will spearhead the Selection committee which is made of Nicholls, Javed Persaud and Duguid. Arleigh Rutherford has
Other major sponsors on board include Beverage Giants Banks DIH Limited and Inshan Bacchus Trucking Service. Over $4M in cash and other prizes are on offer and
a large field of the leading racehorses have entered for what promises to be an exciting event at the Bush Lot United Turf Club, Sea View Park, Bush Lot, West Coast Berbice. Six races are carded for the day with the feature event being for horses classified D and lower for a winning purse of $800,000 over 1mile. Race time is 12:30pm.
Zaheer Mohamed
Nigel Duguid
been chosen to lead the Fund Raising and Entertainment Committee. Other members are Andre Horry, Dion Feassal, Baker, Rayana Warde, Eon Washington, Trevor Whitney, Chaitnarine Persaud, Javed Persaud, Ryan Banwarie, Duguid and
Zaheer Mohamed. The DCUSA along with the Georgetown Cricket Umpires and Scorers Association will commence its training classes in June. Both male and females are encouraged to attend.
Schools Volleyball finals on today After a hiatus of at least a decade, the Demerara Volleyball Association (DVA) will today crown a schools champion as they run off the County finals of their first school tournament for the new administration. The tournament which serves off at 10:00 hrs today,
at the National Gymnasium, will see the top teams from the respective zones: West Demerara; Georgetown and Linden do battle to bring pride to their respective zones in the one day round robin finals. After a successful preliminary phase which saw Patentia Secondary win the West Demerara leg and St. Rose’s High and Linden Foundation Secondary triumphant in the Georgetown and Linden legs reapectively, the tournament now sets sight on crowning an overall Demerara Champion. The tournament which was made possible by generous support from: Indesco, the primary sponsor for the Georgetown leg; Angcam Marine Supplies who sponsored the West Demerara leg; Talk is Cheap Travel Agency, the primary sponsor for the Linden leg and Digice and the Guyana Volleyball Federation whose sponsorship were very helpful throughout the entire tournament and expected to play a major role in the final leg, will also see runners up, Leonora Secondary from the West, Christianburg Wismar Secondary from Linden and Queen’s College and Marian Academy from Georgetown join the zone champions to put on a
spectacle for the fans and supporters are anticipated to flock the National Gymnasium. Excited by the response of the schools so far in this tournament, President of the DVA, Trevor Williams is already talking about running off another school tournament later in the year as, Youth and School Vo l l e y b a l l h a s b e e n identified by the Association and Federation as an area of focus moving forward. Williams also pointed out that outstanding players from this tournament will get an opportunity to further develop themselves in the sport because immediately after the completion of the finals, a male and female school team will start preparations to represent Demerara at the inter county championship scheduled for next Saturday, May 7, at the same venue. Also in the pipeline for youth volleyball, the Guyana Volleyball Federation will be selecting male and female teams to represent the country at the upcoming U19 and U23 South American Championships which are scheduled to serve off in Colombia in June of this year and the cream of the crop is expected to come from the schools participating in the ongoing championships.
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Saturday April 30, 2016
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Sleepin Int. Hotels donate Greaves slapped with 12 month ban for failed drugs test Water Cooler to Buxton Stars FC The once stellar carrier of one of the nation’s leading cyclists Alanzo Greaves was abruptly halted late last year follo w in g an A d v ers e Analytical Finding – InC o m p e t i t i o n Te s t o n November 1st, 2015. Following is a full release on the decision of the Caribbean RADO Disciplinary Panel. On November 1, 2015, ten (10) cyclists were identified for InCompetition testing at the end of the Five-Stage Cycling Race. On November 27, 2015 Alanzo Greaves was informed of the Adverse Analytical Finding of Testosterone in his urine sample, via a “Notice of Charge and Provisional Suspension” issued by the Caribbean Regional AntiDoping Organization (RADO). He responded to the RADO Notice, by letter of December 7, 2015. His case then underwent “Results Management” by
Alanzo Greaves
the RADO Disciplinary Panel. The Disciplinary Panel noted that: 1. Mr. Greaves admitted the charge, but stated that the infraction was not
intentional. 2.This is his first violation and he waived his right to have the “B” sample analysed. It was therefore decided that: 1. Mr. Greaves shall be disqualified in respect of the Tour of Guyana Five-Stage Cycle Race and any prize money and ranking points obtained therein shall be forfeited. 2. He is ineligible to participate in any capacity in any event or activity or competition authorised, organised or sanctioned by the Guyana Olympic Association for a period of twelve (12) months. 3. He is ineligible to participate in any capacity in any national, regional or international sport activity for a period of twelve (12) months. 4. The twelve (12) month period of ineligibility referred to in 2. and 3. above started on November 1, 2015 and ends on November 1, 2016.
Much cooler days are ahead for the players of Buxton Stars Football Club of Buxton, East Coast Demerara with the donation o f a Wa t e r C o o l e r compliments of Sleepin International Hotels, Brickdam, Georgetown. Accepting the donation on behalf of the club was Coach Sherman David, a former Western Tigers player/captain, who thanked Sleepin International Hotel representative Shaquel Crackwell for their generous contribution which he said, is well needed. Crackwell said his entity is very pleased to contribute to the club which he noted has been honing the talent of many youths in the village of Buxton and its environs. Buxton Stars, on a rebuilding path, recently finished second in the East Demerara Football A s s o c i a t i o n U n d e r- 1 7
Sleepin International Hotels Rep. Shaquel Crackwell (right) hands over the Water Cooler to Buxton Stars Coach, Sherman David. Golden Jubilee competition, losing in the final after
playing unbeaten up to that point.
All set for Mayors Cup football kick off tomorrow Local chess players experiencing as Linden invade East Coast mixed fortunes in Sub-Zonal Tournament in Barbados
Several Guyanese chess players recently left these shores and are engaged in fierce competition in the Sub-Zonal 2.3.5 Chess To u r n a m e n t c u r r e n t l y underway in Bridgetown, Barbados. Those players are National Champion, Wendell Meusa, rating at 1947, Taffin Khan (1823), Maria Thomas, Jessica Clementson and Yolander Persaud. Kaieteur Sport spoke with Meusa and he said that the players were undergoing fluctuating fortunes. He said that Khan played with the white pieces against Candidate Master, Trinidadian, Adrian Atwell Winter (2170) and was eventually forced to settle for a draw after a fiercely competed duel. Meusa opposed his arch rival, Barbadian Fide Master, Martyn Del Castilho (2238), and that game also ended in a draw. Both players are former Barbados Junior National Champions
and according to Meusa, who played the Black pieces, he employed a solid Scandinavian Defence but his opponent’s counteracting ploy forced him to accept a draw being a pawn up but with opposite color bishops. In the women category, top Guyanese female player, Maria Thomas, triumphed over Barbadian, Segan Sandiford, after employing aggressive and tactical chess combinations. Jessica Clementson then lost to T&T Women Candidate Master ( W C M ) , A d i t i Soondarsingh, while Yolander Persaud, who fought fiercely with the Black pieces against WCM Katrina Blackman, eventually blundered and gave up her advantage before eventually resigning. Julia Clementson also lost a f t e r e n g a g i n g Trinidadian WCM, Gabriella Johnson. In second round action, Meusa was scheduled to oppose Khan while Maria
Thomas was slated against Women International Master (WIM), Danitza Marccaini Vazquez. Jessica Clementson was matched against Paula Maria De Mey of Aruba. The other two Guyanese players, Julia Clementson and Yolander Persaud were scheduled to face off with Barbadians, Segan Sandiford and Gabriella Cumberbatch, respectively.
Linden teams will make the journey to the East Coast of Demerara tomorrow for the start of the Mayor’s Cup Football tournament at the Victoria Ground. The action kicks off with a doubleheader which will see the Lindeners invading the East Coast in the hope of capturing early honours as they hunt championship glory in this the 22nd edition of the tournament that is coordinated by former national player and coach Lennox Arthur. To m o r r o w ’s a c t i o n commences from 6:00pm
with Mahaica of the Upper East Coast area clashing with Eagles United of Linden in the curtain raiser. That contest will be followed by the nightcap in which home side Victoria Kings collide with another Linden outfit in Milerock from 8:00pm. The tournament continues Monday May 2 at the same venue with Golden Grove battling Grove Hi Tech of the East Bank Demerara, while in the nightcap Ann’s Grove go against fellow East Coast team Buxton Bakewell. This year the tournament
is being coincided with the country’s 50th Anniversary Jubilee celebrations. The teams are battling for the Mayor’s Cup and cash prizes, with the top four set to claim respective $700,000, $300,000, $200,000 and $100,000. Arthur has expressed gratitude to the sponsors on board so far. Among them are Banks DIH, Cummings Electrical, TCL (Mark Bender), Clinton Urling and German’s Restaurant and M u n e s h w a r ’s . The Government of Guyana is also on board.
t r o Sp
$6M GFF-NAMILCO Thunderbolt Flour Power Nat. U-17 League Officially Unveiled Nine Associations to contest internally
The GFF Executive Committee take time out for a photo op with players from various clubs that will be participating in the historic Thunderbolt Flour Power National Under-17 League that was unveiled yesterday.
Trophy Trophy Stall Stall supports supports GCB/Hand-in-Hand inter Jumbo Jumbo Jet Jet for for Labour Labour county U19 tourney Day Day horserace horserace meet meet postponed due to rain
Mrs Devi Sunich of the Trophy Stall presents one of the trophies to Nazrudeen ‘Jumbo Jet’ Mohammed Jr.
The water logged GCC ground
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