Kaieteur News

Thursday Edition April 05, 2012 - Vol. 5 No. 13

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Indian coffee company ships out 50 containers Pg 11

of logs in 2 months

…contrary to agreement with Forestry Commission

Cheddi, Janet Jagan must be turning in their graves Pg 6

“They didn’t have big ostentatious homes that you see nowadays

Mrs Nadira JaganBrancier

that govt. and party officials have”

- says daughter at memorial Former Top Cop Henry Greene

Greene forced

Pg 3

out after bitter sex scandal

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Kaieteur News

Thursday April 05, 2012

Thursday April 05, 2012

Kaieteur News

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Greene forced out after bitter sex scandal Embattled Commissioner of Police Henry Greene’s resignation has been finalized; ending months of speculation over his continued tenure as the country’s Top Cop in the face of rape allegations made by a 34-year-old mother of two.

While senior government officials have declined to confirm Greene’s departure, Greene was offering ‘no comment’ to queries from various sections of the media.

The latest call for his ouster came from former Minister of Human Services and Social Security Priya Manickchand, who was responsible for piloting the new Sexual Offences Act of 2010.

Manickchand, who is now Minister of Education, is the highest ranking government official so far to call for Greene to step down.

Yesterday, Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee refused to confirm reports of Greene’s resignation, advising that the

administration was likely to issue an official statement on the matter.

He also advised this newspaper to contact Greene himself.

Two days ago Rohee said that the jury was still out on Greene’s return to the top police post.

Acting Commissioner Leroy Brumell also declined to comment when approached by this newspaper.

Greene, who is over the age of retirement, had been on administrative leave since December 17, last year, to facilitate the investigation into the allegation made against him.

In what eventually turned out to be the scandal of the year, the 34-year-old woman alleged that she was raped by the Commissioner of Police at a city hotel.

The woman alleged that she was forced to have sex with Greene after she was induced with cash and a promise to assist her in a matter that is presently

engaging the attention of the police.

Greene had dismissed the woman’s claims as mere allegations and had declared that god will be his judge, although he later admitted to having consensual sex with her.

Following weeks of investigations by a team of detectives from the Jamaica Constabulary Force, under the supervision of Crime Chief Seelall Persaud, the Director of Public Prosecution advised that Greene be charged with rape.

However, Greene successfully got the High Court to overturn the DPP’s advice with Chief Justice Ian Chang ruling that the decision to charge Greene was irrational.

Greene’s admission to having consensual sex with the woman was another major bone of contention, since it is being argued that he used his office in an improper manner.

The first to call for his

Fisherman feared drowned after falling from boat Police yesterday continued the search in the Atlantic Ocean for the body of a 46-year-old man who they believe might be dead after he fell overboard under bizarre circumstances.

On Thursday last, Wesley Harper, of Little Abary, East Coast Demerara, fell overboard in the vicinity of Foulis, East Coast Demerara, about six miles out in the Atlantic Ocean. He was reportedly hanging over the vessel to defecate when he fell overboard.

Kaieteur News understands that Harper worked as a fisherman with a boat owner, Gobin Narine, for quite some time, and last Thursday, a crew of three -

the boat owner, Harper and another man - left their homes around 5:30 hrs and journeyed to the Atlantic Ocean to fish, as per normal.

On their way, they stopped somewhere in the vicinity of Foulis and set their seine. A source said that Harper had a “hangover” and around 12:30 hrs, he complained of feeling unwell and the captain advised him to rest.

About half of an hour later, while the captain was pulling in the seine and the

other crewman was removing fish from the net, Harper informed them that he wanted to ease his bowels.

About five minutes later, the crewman recalled hearing a “loud splashing sound”, and upon checking, he saw the fisherman going down into the rough waters.

Minutes later, the police were informed and a search was carried out but the body was not discovered.

Harper is described as an alcoholic and lives alone.

(Romila Boodram)

resignation was his predecessor Winston Felix, who had told the media that it would have been the most honourable thing to do.

Felix’s call was followed by others from the Guyana Association of Women Lawyers and other women’s groups, and the main opposition political parties, the Alliance For Change and A Partnership for National Unity. In December last year, AFC leaders Raphael Trotman and Khemraj Ramjattan called for Greene’s immediate removal from office.

“As a matter of fact, based on what we have heard, we feel that he ought to tender his resignation or the President ought to dismiss him….but at the very least at this stage… an interdiction,” Ramjattan had stated.

Trotman, commenting on the issue had declared that the matter was the first real test for newly elected Head of State Donald Ramotar.

The Guyana Association of Women Lawyers (GAWL) had also condemned Greene’s actions and had called on the administration to remove him as the Commissioner of Police.

“It is reasonable to conclude that Mr. Greene has in fact lost the moral authority to lead the Guyana Police Force and should therefore no longer be required to so do,” the GAWL said.

APNU had this to say: “In renewing our call we wish to remind the Guyanese public that having passed the age of retirement Mr. Greene is no longer the constitutional holder of the office of Commissioner of Police rather he is an employee/servant of the Government and as such

Former Top Cop Henry Greene

he can be removed forthwith.”

This is not the first time that Greene’s name has been embroiled in a controversial issue which has threatened his tenure as the country’s chief lawman In fact, his first day on the job, six years ago, was greeted with the announcement that the United States of America had revoked his visa to that country.

The Bharrat Jagdeo Government did not budge and retained him even in the face of severe criticism from several sections of the society.

They later argued that the decision to appoint Greene as Commissioner of Police was justified when, at the helm of the force, he presided over the demise of the infamous Rondell ‘Fine Man’ Rawlins and his criminal gang.

Greene’s tenure as the Commissioner of Police was extended after he had reached the age of retirement three years ago.

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Kaieteur News

Thursday April 05, 2012

Letters... Where your views make the 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 matter of self interest People respond to issues based on very few things.

They would react out of sympathy for the underdog or the oppressed; they would react out of self interest or they would react because of their emotions. Those emotions may be spurred by a dislike for an individual or simply pure hate inspired by a variety of factors.

In the case of the latter, judgements are clouded and facts are ignored. Many have jumped on the bandwagon of critics of the decision by Chief Justice Ian Chang simply because they may have a dislike for the Police Commissioner. They have opted to forsake the rule of law.

And so we have a case being tried in the court of public opinion to the exclusion of the law.

The critics have also shown a classic case of accepting what is patently wrong with the system but what has become the norm simply because no one has either the knowledge or the money to challenge some of the things that happen to them from the time the police arrest them. In short, people are content to live with traditions and any exposure of the weaknesses in that tradition forms the basis for protest and criticism.

Further, Guyanese are not known to challenge authority with the result that the police arrest even when they do not have probable cause. The victims accept the loss of their freedom because the arrest, while illegal, has become the norm.

The Munroes and Wharton spent fifteen months in prisons on a charge that was bad in law and utterly meaningless. Why did they have to sacrifice fifteen months of their lives when from the inception the charge could not stand? Because their lawyers were both slothful and not probably not knowledgeable of the things they could have done. The society said nothing because they had come to accept that once an individual is charged with a serious crime that individual must do a stint of prison.

The magistrate did not have to take fifteen months to determine that the charge was bad in law. However, she remanded the Munroes and Wharton. The society expected that. The lawyers could have approached the High Court in the same way Police Commissioner Henry Greene did.

Would there have been a public protest had the High Court ruled, quite correctly, that there was no basis for the treason charge?

Had that been done the matter would have been disposed of a long time ago and the people would not have lost valuable periods of their lives. But the society said nothing. There were token protests but that was to be expected.

In the United States, the head of the International Monetary Fund Dominique Strauss Kahn. A columnist wrote, “First you pull him off a plane, then you put him in handcuffs and frog-march him to court, next you refuse him bail and finally throw him in jail in the notorious Riker’s Island prison.

This is the treatment meted out to Dominique StraussKahn, Head of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) whose wealth gave him the ability to get ahead in life but whose heady ride as one of the Lords of Poverty may have made him get ahead of himself.”

In short order, the American courts realized that the charge was bad and they let Mr Strauss- Kahn go but by then his life was destroyed. He lost his job. There was no big outcry because a woman had made the allegation and the man was made to pay. It mattered not that the charge was fraudulent.

The reality is that many people do not have the money to hire lawyers who would be ready to run to the court to mount a challenge. If the police put a charge to a man, and they must, the man has a right to see what is being said against him. In Guyana, the absurdity has become the norm.

The prosecution says nothing to the man, and the courts allow them to get away with that. It is wrong.

Henry Greene does the obvious but because he dared to break the mould and avoid the humiliation, the society mounts a protest. Mr Greene has lost his job because the society wants his blood. The law is a tool to be used according to the whim and fancy of people who have a vested interest in either of the parties involved. Sad to say while decisions should not be influenced by sympathy the society wants that to be the case until one of them is caught up.

Does the Chief Justice’s decision aid in development of the law or impede it?

DEAR EDITOR, Will Justice Chang’s decision to prohibit a rape charge against Henry Greene go unchallenged? Will the Attorney General sit idly by and watch while an alleged rape victim is denied a right to redress in the courts? I hope not!

Should the Chang decision be left unchallenged, the plight of women and girls in sexual assault cases will exacerbate, as victims may not see the need in pursuing justice in a system which denies their complaint even before it is heard.

A brief perusal of the decision seems to suggest that the Chief Justice might have relied heavily on the issue of the victim’s credibility in order to make his decision.

However, assuming for a moment that the complainant in fact has a checkered past, is that sufficient to debar her from seeking redress in the courts?

A follow-up question would be, how far can a judge go in applying the credibility test, noting that such a test, if applied liberally, might very well strip the victim of his/her constitutional right to seek redress in the court, for alleged wrongs committed against him/her?

This case gives one the impression that the courts in Guyana subscribe to a maxim which promotes the belief that

a person who has committed past wrongs can never approach the courts to seek justice for later wrongs committed against him/her.

Simply, it looks like we’ve adopted a position which promotes the idea of ‘once a thief always a thief ’ and therefore a thief has no constitutional right. What archaic thinking!

Secondly, how far can the Chief Justice intervene to determine the right of a person to seek a free and fair trial, without that judge improperly usurping the duties of a lawful jury?

Thirdly, how can the action of the judge not impede the authority of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), in whom the authority to recommend cases for trial resides, or there is an agreed overlap of duties between the office of DPP and that of Chief Justice? Where is the line drawn?

This decision leaves the nation with more questions than answers and creates blurred lines between the duties of the DPP and that of the Chief Justice, it also raises questions of the relevance of customs, morals, societal values and ethics, with respect to cases and allegations of grave social wrongs.

Further, it emphasises the ongoing psychological battles that women will continue to have in sexual

assault cases, particularly when a high ranking member of society is alleged to be the perpetrator.

In the case of complaints of sexual assault, will we see an increase in the number of reported cases, or will the victims, continue to cling to that fear that they will be further prosecuted by society and probably those in authority, if they come forward?

Will this case open the floodgates for accused individuals to seek the intervention of the Chief Justice who can now determine whether the victim is ‘credible’ before he proceeds to have the court entertain a charge against the accused? How will this case impact on the development of Guyana’s jurisprudence?

This is a landmark case for a number of reasons. For starters, it is the first time in the history of our country that the DPP, after reviewing the facts, has recommended that our Commissioner of Police be slapped with a rape charge.

Secondly, it is the first time that the Chief Justice has challenged the DPP and asked that she provide reasons for her decision.

Quite often, landmark decisions aid in advancing the law or propelling its development, however, there is much doubt that Guyana, as a nation, will benefit from

Justice Chang’s action. I personally believe that there was a great degree of overreaching by the learned Chief Justice and further I believe that he might have been errant in failing to place the case in the present context of Guyana’s society.

I therefore, will close as I opened. Will this decision by the Chief Justice go unchallenged? I believe that it is in the interest of the office of the Attorney General to take action to see whether the decision was sound in law, or whether there was a constitutional breach which has caused a citizen to be denied access to the court.

We have seen the Attorney General move to the courts to ask for a matter regarding the constitutionality of parliamentary committees to be entertained; here we have a case where a woman might be denied access to the court because her constitutional rights have essentially been stripped from her. Let us do the right thing and protect our women!

I know that this decision will occupy much deliberations by the many women’s organizations and human rights groups in Guyana, however, I would also urge the youths to take time out to assess this decision, as it will have an impact on all of our lives.

Lurlene Nestor

position of power or authority.

Rather, she desired its abuse for her own benefit.

Since the accuser never claimed that she surrendered her body to the Commissioner because of power or authority, Section 7 (2) (k) clearly did not apply.

To accuse the Chief Justice of being unaware of Section 7 (2) (k) was as much presumptuous and contemptuous as it was misconceived.

Mental blindness can surely be born of personal malice and blood can surely override intellect.

Blinded of personal malice against Henry Greene, the

critics have not seen it fit to ask the pertinent question as to why the DPP did not see fit to advise prosecution against the accuser for the offence of Attempted Extortion committed on another female.

After all, she did confess to having attempted to do so.

And now, what about her obvious attempt to induce Henry Greene to pervert the course of criminal justice by the return of her cell phone?

No eye witness is necessary to establish her guilt. Her own statements tell it all.

Even though Henry Greene is no Jesus Christ, there is no reason to free Barabbas.

Robin Hunte

Henry Greene’s critics are blinded of personal malice

DEAR EDITOR, I have no doubt about the capability of Justice Chang to ably defend his decision against critics driven to criticize by their personal desire to see Commissioner Henry Greene humbled before the criminal court.

It is both amazing and distressing to see how objectivity can be so easily sacrificed at the altar of ad personam malice.

Many years ago around this time of the year, such ad personam malice caused the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, even though it meant freeing the notorious Barabbas.

Some critics have gone so far as to accuse the Chief Justice of being unaware of Section 7 (2) (k) of the Sexual Offences Act 2010 when “the Circumstance of abuse of power or authority to the extent that the complainant could not resist at the time of sexual activity” did not at all arise from the contents of the statements of the accuser.

Indeed, at no time did she say in any of her statements that the fact that Henry Greene

was the Commissioner of Police caused her not to resist.

Indeed, she claimed that she did resist – despite his position of power and authority.

At no time did she state that she submitted to sexual intercourse because of the position of power or authority of the office of the Commissioner. Indeed, it was Henry Greene’s position of power or authority which caused her to approach him for assistance - even though this would clearly have involved him in perverting the course of criminal justice.

She did not fear his

An important correction DEAR EDITOR, With reference to the letter from Malcolm Harripaul published in KN of Monday April 2 under the heading “PNC ‘dictatorship’ allowed protest outside parliament but PPP ‘democracy’ disallows it”, I need to make one important correction which is

not intended in any way to disunite with his objection to the exclusion of demonstrators from the environs of the Parliament. On the contrary I completely agree with him on that score.

My correction is to the time of the incident involving me which Malcolm refers to.

This incident actually occurred some time before 1992.

I believe this correction is important because there is so much to truthfully criticise the government for that we must be accurate in our making those criticisms.

Karen de Souza

Thursday April 05, 2012

Kaieteur News

Letters... Where your views make the news

Opposition silence on exoneration of treason accused revealing DEAR EDITOR, Guyana is certainly a fascinating country, where we are witnessing two contrasting opposition reactions to the judicial exoneration in two high profile cases.

Let’s hope that democracy in our country will continue to permit the right to a fair trial with the concomitant press freedom which safeguards it. However, the hubbub over Chief Justice Ian Chang’s dismissal of the rape charges against Police Commissioner Mr. Henry Greene, and lack of it against Chief Magistrate Priya S e w n a r i n e Beharry’s dismissal of treason charges against GDF Major Bruce Munroe, his wife Carol Ann Munroe and ex GDF soldier Leonard

Wharton, cannot be more striking.

Do the GHRA, APNU and Red Thread support treason in Guyana? I doubt it.

Their failure, nay silence, in acknowledging the judiciary’s decision on the treason dismissal certainly bespeaks their duplicity and creates doubt. What are their true motives and intentions in their selective displeasure?

Peeping Tom in his column of 4-2-12 in KN titled “the GHRA must also respect the human rights of the Commissioner of Police” dealt with the dismissal of charges against Commissioner Greene.

Now Mr. Mike McCormick’s Guyana Human Rights Association (GHRA), APNU and Red Thread, are up in arms against Chief Justice

Ian Chang’s decision to dismiss the charges.

Such blatant attacks on the judiciary are unprecedented in Guyana.

How does one interpret the deafening opposition silence with Chief Magistrate Ms Priya SewnarineBeharry’s dismissal of charges against the treason accused trio?

Was justice served? Should the DPP appeal the treason decision like APNU now demands against Commissioner Greene?

Were the ill-equipped police prosecutors unable to prove their case against a defence battery of highly trained lawyers?

One cannot help noting the high-profile GDF association of the treason

accused.

Any plot to overthrow any democratically elected government by any segment of the military can only evoke images of the unprecedented horror, danger, violence and confusion which would ensue, especially in Guyana.

Yet, GHRA’s opening salvo on the judiciary seems unmindful of the human rights mayhem and resulting carnage which its contrasting opinions neglect in such an inevitable scenario.

This is profoundly disturbing given all its sanctimonious platitudes of championing human rights equally and fairly for all. If all are equal, some cannot be more unequal than others.

No one can seriously believe that APNU’s Mr. (Continued on page 25)

bauxite workers proceeded on strike after the company threatened them not to accept its wage offer, which was a clear case of not negotiating in good faith.

- November 24, 2009, management visited the picket line and issued suspension and dismissal letters to workers. 57 workers were dismissed including the union leaders.

- December 2, 2009, at a scheduled meeting by the Ministry of Labour, the company presented a letter to the union dated December 1,

2009, saying that it has terminated “with immediate effect” the Collective Labour Agreement and would be moving to have the union derecognized. The company gave copies of the letter to then Minister of Labour Manzoor Nadir and Chief Labour Officer Yoganand Persaud. The meeting was aborted.

- When workers returned from the December strike they were instructed to sign a company-prepared petition saying that they do not want the union to represent them.

Some complied.

- December 30, 2009, and (Continued on page 25)

Delaying antics will not deter our struggle for justice

DEAR EDITOR, The Guyana Bauxite and General Workers Union (GB&GWU) fervently believes in the principle that “a people united can never be defeated.”

The court challenge brought by the Bauxite Company of Guyana Inc (BCGI) against the arbitration to resolve the three-year old dispute and restore normalcy to the lives of Guyanese workers goes to the core of who we are as a nation.

BCGI cannot come to this country and treat us as second-class citizens and be allowed to get away with it. If as a people we cannot peacefully enjoy our rights and freedoms in our own land, then we have to fight for them, and the GB&GWU is prepared to do so, for however long it takes.

It becomes opportune to retrace the steps the union has come over the years and the valiant struggle being waged to restore justice to the workers and uphold the laws of this land:- May 22, 2009 workers refused to operate dump trucks because the air conditioning units were not working and some had already fallen ill as a result.

The company reacted by arbitrarily suspending and firing workers, saying that the

strike violated the Collective Labour Agreement (CLA).

Article 46 (2) of the CLA says “in the event of a strike, lockout or any form of work stoppage the parties shall meet urgently and expeditiously to bring the situation back to normalcy.”

The company also took the union leaders to court in as much the Occupational Safety and Health Laws, Section 56 (1) ‘Refusal to work’, expressly states, “A worker may refuse to work or do particular work where he has reasonable justification to believe that: (a) any equipment, machine, device or article the worker is to use or operate presents an imminent and serious danger to the life or health of himself, or another worker; or (b) the physical condition of the workplace or the part thereof in which he works or is to work presents an imminent and serious danger to his life or health.”

- November 22, 2009,

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Kaieteur News

Thursday April 05, 2012

Cheddi and Janet Jagan must be turning in their graves - says daughter at memorial “My parents were probably the most incorruptible people you would ever find; their honesty and integrity were of very high standards, but unfortunately do not exist or I don’t see it in many of the leaders of the party and government.”

These comments came from the daughter of the late Guyanese leaders Dr Cheddi Jagan and Mrs Janet Jagan, when she addressed a memorial forum at Babu John.

She said that the current leaders of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/ C) and government lack “the very, very, very high moral standards” which her parents embodied when they were alive.

Mrs Nadira JaganBrancier scolded the party for putting out platforms using her parents’ name— particularly her father’s— and not living up really and truly to what her parents had stood for. “It is not enough to go out there and make lovely speeches about who my parents were, what they did and the legacy that we’re carrying on”.

She said that her parents fought for sugar workers, the poor and down-trodden in Guyana and in the world.

“That’s who they stood for, and again, I think the party has moved away— not the party but certain elements in the party— from these very, very important values that held the party together and what makes the PPP what it is and so for me, when I look at some of the things

happening, my parents must be turning in their graves— but they must be churning up in the waters of the rivers (in which their ashes were sprinkled)”.

She said that if the PPP is saying that it is following Cheddi Jagan and Janet Jagan as a living guide, “the only way you can follow them

they called quality time, not quantity...so the times they spent with us— memories that I will have for the rest of my life”.

She noted that her parents were very normal, simple, and humble people and a “very, very loving couple”. She recalled sitting down for breakfast in the

“They didn’t have big ostentatious homes that you see nowadays that govt. and party officials have” is to return to basics, return to who this party is which is the working- class party, obviously you have to support other people, but the base of this party is a working- class party, get back to being a non- corruptible party, so people can’t point a finger and say ‘there is so much corruption, why should we worry?”

The daughter of the late leaders then pleaded with the PPP/C leaders and members to get back to the high and moral values. “If the leaders don’t show the moral values then people won’t do it, and your children won’t grow up with moral values. And if your families don’t show moral values, then society as a whole will lose that”.

“Their lives were involved in politics so their time for me and my brother was very limited...They weren’t there the amount of hours that most people would have their parents around, but the times that they were, it was what

mornings around the family table and listening to the news from Guyana or the BBC “and you weren’t allowed to talk”.

She noted that they lived very simple lives and told the gathering that the house, in which her parents once lived, is now open to the public.

“The house is there and I really encourage people to use the opportunity to go in Bel Air and see the house

where they lived...They lived a very simple life; they didn’t have big ostentatious homes that you see nowadays that government officials and party officials have, which is a very sad thing, personally”.

Ms Jagan- Brancier also encouraged persons to visit the Cheddi Jagan Research Centre in Kingston. “This was when my father was Premier from 1961 to 1964”.

“Most people think of my mom as only writing for the Mirror and other political things; my mom wrote a lot of children stories— I hope that people who have children would know this. She was also a poet and wrote some beautiful poems.”

Mrs Jagan’s prison diaries, she said, are all important documents that Mrs Jagan-Brancier urged persons to read. The Cheddi Jagan website is also another feature that she urged the public to access information www.jagan.org “and on this website, you will find information”.

Ms Jagan-Brancier speaking to the audience

Two homeless after Enmore fire At least two persons were left homeless after a fire of unknown origin destroyed a one-bedroom house at Newtown, Enmore East Coast Demerara.

Kaieteur News was told that the fire started some time after 18:00hrs yesterday.

Neighbours said that the owner of the house, Rajendra Badal, was out of town at the time of the fire.

Another relative, who is also a neighbour, said that he was at a shop when someone told him that the house was on fire. He said that he quickly rushed home only to find that the house was engulfed in flames. Badal said that the fire service arrived shortly after and the fire was extinguished.

He was uncertain if it was an unattended kerosene stove that started the fire.

Investigations are continuing.

Thursday April 05, 2012

Kaieteur News

Pressure mounts for public inquiry into Chinese funded project in Antigua

CTO chairman says REDjet is a wake up call BRIDGETOWN, Barbados - CMC - Chairman of the Barbados-based Caribbean Tourism Organisation (CTO) Richard Skerritt says the Barbadosbased low cost carrier, REDjet should serve as a motivator for developing an environment that would encourage intra-regional travel, noting that during its 10 months of operations the airline had showed there is a pent up demand for such travel.

Skerritt, who is also Tourism Minister for St. Kitts and Nevis, told the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC) that REDjet had been able to make a significant dent in intra-regional travel “which is being stifled by both capacity and ticket prices.

“So there is no question that Caribbean people want to travel in the region at the right price, at the right aircraft at the right time. REDjet was a costly experiment for the investors who put REDjet in

Richard Skerritt place.

“It is a pity that REDjet had to collapse as a business so quickly,” Skerritt told CMC.

Prime Minister Denzil Douglas heading to India St Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister Dr Denzil Douglas will begin an Official Working Visit to India later this week.

Douglas left Tuesday for London, where he will be joined by Kevin Isaac, St Kitts and Nevis’ High Commissioner to the Court of St James.

The delegation also includes Senior Assistant Secretary in the Office of the Prime Minister, Beverly Knight.

It marks the second recent visit by a Caribbean leader to India, following the visit by Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Kamla PersadBissessar in January.

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A report last year by the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean found that there was “significant potential” for increasing exports to India in the medium term.

Another Caribbean country, Jamaica, also recently announced that it would be seeking to attract Indian investment to the country.

ST JOHN’S, Antigua CMC - Opposition Leader Lester Bird Tuesday endorsed the decision taken

by Health Minister Willmoth Daniel in calling for a public inquiry into the controversial Chinese funded multi-million dollar electricity power plant here.

Bird said that Daniel had put the interest of the country above party politics when he wrote a letter to Prime Minister Baldwin Spencer requesting the inquiry.

In his letter to Prime

Minister Spencer, which was reproduced in the local media, Daniel said that the “ t i m e h a s come in my political life when I must decide whether the platform and government of which I am a part is serving the best interest of the country or losing the trust which was placed in us since the elections of 2004 and continued in 2009”.

He told Prime Minister Spencer that he takes his oath of office very seriously and that he is having “many

sleepless nights” contemplating many issues affecting the country under his administration.

Prime Minister Spencer has stoutly defended his country’s relationship with China as controversy continues to swirl about the condition of electricity generators at the recently commission US$47 million China-funded power plant.

Spencer has described as “unpatriotic and dangerous” the attacks by the main opposition

DOMINICA SIGNS MOU WITH WORLD BANK INSTITUTION

Geothermal testing in Dominica the government of Dominica and the International Financial Corporation (IFC) yesterday signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for technical support and capacity improvements for the continued development of the geothermal resources in Dominica.

The IFC, a subsidiary of the World Bank, has been working with the authorities here from the inception of the island’s geothermal project. Under the just signed MOU, Dominica is expected to receive US$250,000 in the first

instance. Energy Minister Rayburn Blackmoore has described the partnership with the IFC as critical to the development of the geothermal project, one that will help fashion “a road map to ultimately take this project to where it is ought to be.

“If geothermal is to make sense to us in Dominica we must go beyond drilling of the test wells and even beyond the actual establishment or installation of a small plant for our own local use,” the minister said.

(Dominica News)

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Kaieteur News

Thursday April 05, 2012

Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, four suspected co-conspirators, charged again WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Accused September 11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and four suspected co-conspirators were ordered on Wednesday to stand trial before a Guantanamo war crimes tribunal, the Pentagon said, a move that throws the politically charged case into the limelight in an election year.

Convictions on the most serious charges, which include terrorism, hijacking, conspiracy and murder in violation of the law of war, could carry the death penalty.

The decision to move to trial in a military court is the latest chapter in a decadelong political and legal battle over handling detainees. One of the most contentious issues has been whether terrorism suspects like Mohammed and his alleged co-conspirators should be tried in civilian courts as criminals or before military courts as enemy combatants.

The trial will bring a deep examination of the events leading up to 9/11, the deadliest attack ever carried out on U.S. soil and one that propelled the country into a global war against al Qaeda and its affiliates.

The trial stands to be double-edged for President Barack Obama, who is running for a second term in November. It will remind voters about the killing of long-fugitive al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden last year, a highlight of his presidency.

But it could also draw attention to his failure to close the Guantanamo Bay prison, which he had promised to do as a candidate in the 2008 election.

The official overseeing the Guantanamo tribunals, retired Vice Admiral Bruce MacDonald, referred the case to a capital military commission on charges of terrorism, hijacking aircraft, conspiracy, murder in violation of the law of war, attacking civilians and other counts, the Pentagon said.

The case is fraught with controversy. All five defendants were held in secret CIA prisons before being sent to Guantanamo in 2006. The CIA has acknowledged subjecting Mohammed to a simulated drowning technique known as water boarding during his

This image of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed was taken in July 2009 by the International Committee of the Red Cross (Source: Wikipedia) interrogation, and other defendants have said they were abused.

The tribunals, which have gone through several revisions, ban the use of evidence gained through coercion, but critics say the hearsay rules are broad enough to allow the introduction of second-hand information obtained through torture.

Asked yesterday about the decision to proceed to trial, White House spokesman Jay Carney said, “It has been more than 10 years since 9/11 ... and the president is committed to ensuring that those who were accused of perpetrating the attacks against the United States be brought to justice.”

Carney said Obama remained committed to closing the U.S. military facility in Cuba that houses high-risk terrorist suspects, blaming its continued operation on “obstacles ... from Congress.”

The prison at Guantanamo still holds 171 people, down from 252 when Obama took office. The president had promised to close the facility by the end of his first year in office, but the deadline passed as the administration struggled against the hard reality of finding other countries willing to take the inmates.

Mohammed, who is Pakistani, and the other four are accused of planning and executing the September 11, 2001, hijacked airliner attacks that killed 2,976 people in New York, Washington and

Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

The attacks were part of a conspiracy involving al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden and other members of his group.

The five were initially charged in the Guantanamo war crimes court in 2008.

Obama, then a candidate for president, opposed the use of the tribunals. After his election, Attorney General Eric Holder moved to have the case transferred to a federal court in New York and the military charges were dropped.

The effort to try the case in civilian court ran into stiff resistance in Congress and in New York, where officials warned about the security threat and said the cost of protecting the venue could be as much as $1 billion.

Congress eventually blocked the transfer of Guantanamo prisoners to the United States for trial or any other reason. One year ago, on April 4, 2011, the administration abandoned efforts to try the case before a civilian court near the site of the World Trade Center attack, as Obama had promised, and shifted the case back to a military tribunal at Guantanamo.

BLAMES LAWMAKERS Holder blamed lawmakers for the policy reversal, saying their decision to block funding for prosecuting the September 11 suspects in a New York court had forced the administration to move back to a military trial.

Representative Buck

McKeon, Republican chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, welcomed the decision to try the group before a military commission at Guantanamo, saying it was time for “judgment to be passed and long-delayed justice to be done.”

The American Civil Liberties Union condemned Wednesday’s decision to proceed with a military case, saying the administration was “making a terrible mistake by prosecuting the most important terrorism trials of our time in a second-tier system of justice.”

“Whatever verdict comes out of the Guantanamo military commissions will be tainted by an unfair process and the politics that wrongly pulled these cases from federal courts, which have safely and successfully handled hundreds of terrorism trials,” ACLU Executive Director Anthony Romero said.

The decision to refer the case to a tribunal means the five will have to be arraigned before a military judge at Guantanamo within 30 days of their formal notification that the case will go to trial.

Notification is expected to happen on Thursday, a Pentagon spokesman said.

The case has been referred to a joint trial, meaning the five will be tried together. In addition to Mohammed, the accused are Walid bin Attash, Ramzi Binalshibh, Ali Abdul Aziz Ali and Mustafa Ahmed al Hawsawi.

James Connell, the civilian attorney for Aziz Ali, said in a statement that his client, a nephew of Mohammed, did not kill or plan to kill anyone and should not face the death penalty.

Ali’s attorneys have said in the past that he was a computer worker in Dubai who sent money to the hijackers and was not a direct participant in planning the attacks.

“Mr. Ali would not be eligible for the death penalty if this case were tried in federal court,” Connell said.

“This attempt to expand the reach of the death penalty to people who neither killed nor planned to kill is another example of the second-class justice of the military commissions.”

Thursday April 05, 2012

Kaieteur News

Page 9

LYNCHING A PUBLIC OFFICAL IN PUBLIC Poor Henry Greene! He is being lynched in the court of public opinion! Wild West style!

What is alarming is not the decision of the Chief Justice but the reaction to the decision.

Instead of examining the decision on its merits, what we have is a reaction to which side the decision favours.

While the decision of the Chief Justice went in favour of the Commissioner, ultimately, the integrity of the law has been reinforced by this decision because it affirms fundamentally that people should not be unfairly charged.

There can be disagreement, as there is, as to whether the Chief Justice’s analysis of the evidence was right. Many are however jumping to conclusions without having studied the

decision and many others care little to do so since for them the central issue is Henry Greene and not the rationality of the decision to charge him.

For many, if not for most, who are opposed to the decision of the Chief Justice, the issue is not whether rape was committed; the issue is Henry Greene.

There is a large mob out there who for a long time has wanted the neck of Henry Greene, and for no other reason than the fact that he is seen as supportive of the government. That is his greatest crime.

Perhaps if we were trusted interlocutor of the United States embassy or if he openly discussed national security matters with opposition politicians, he may have been spared this campaign of hatred to which he has been subjected to long

Dem boys seh ...

Brazzy sign and Henry de Yellow gone One of de wuss thing that can happen is when you own cuss you. Dem cuss Henry de Yellow till he resign. He was part of dem. He put on he uniform since Monday and he ain’t tek it off up to late last night. Then he get de phone call. “Tek it off because you too dam wutliss. You bring more shame to de party.”

Papa Cheddi was always an upright and straight up man.

He never like a thief. He wife was de same kettle of fish. He pickney dem know this.

That is why he daughter cuss de party de other day. She talk ‘bout de corruption wha she see and de mansion wha some of dem live in. She actually tell dem that dem thief fuh build dem mansion. She seh that she daddy and mooma can’t get no rest. Dem turning in dem grave, and is de daughter seh suh.

De Waterfalls paper was saying this all de time and it get cuss from top to bottom. Now somebody who know dem good, good, and who is a part of dem—Papa Cheddi daughter— tun round and cuss dem bout dey thiefing ways.

Uncle Donald ain’t deh in that. He was never in it, otherwise he and all woulda get cuss. Some of Papa Cheddi rub off pun he.

But nutten ain’t rub off pun Brazzy. He thief till he thief from heself.

He call a board meeting and he is de only person pun de board. He call de agenda sitting down at a round table wid seven chair. He start de discussion wid money fuh de Marriott.

“How much money we putting?” He get up from one chair and move to another and answer. “$14 million US.” He get up and guh back pun de other chair.

“How much we putting de entire project at?” He move over again to de other chair. “$60 million.” He guh back pun de other chair. “Tek off two… mek it $58 million.”

He guh back pun another chair and seh “Alright. Who is de contractor?” He get up and stand up right deh. “De same cock man dem who build de factory. Dem is de best wukka man.”

“Who putting in de rest? We only got $14M. At least $20M gun build am.”

He whisper to heself, “We gun seh we putting in $40 million but de contractor gun tek a piece and give we back de rest.” Then he get up and ask fuh witness.

De man get up and guh pun all dem chair and sign. Then he ask “Is all de Board member sign?” Then he tek out he cell phone and call he deputy, Maasie, fuh countersign.

When she arrive she guh fuh sit down and he tell she somebody sitting there. She move to de next chair; same thing he seh. She had to stand up and sign. Was no ordinary contract. Then Maasie ask, “Brazzy, $20 million gun build more than a hutel.”

“Maasie, that is none of you business.”

Talk half and find people fuh sit down pun de other half.

before the allegations of rape were leveled against him.

When he collapsed months ago and had to be hospitalized there were vicious forces out there commenting, quite insensitively, that he was on his deathbed. For some they do not care how he goes, once he goes.

And so too with many of those who are against him in relation to the rape allegations. Their objective has nothing to do with seeking justice for the woman who was raped. All they want is the head of Henry Greene because they see him as supportive of the government and want him to go. In this regard Henry Greene has already been tried and convicted and all that is required is sentencing.

Henry Greene and everyone else is however entitled to be treated fairly and equally before the law and if we trample on this right we are jeopardizing our own liberty. Henry Greene has a right to seek such a judicial review of the decision

to charge him.

There are persons however who feel that the Commissioner should simply have allowed himself to be charged, and defend his actions in court.

Some of those persons have alluded to the wide discretion normally granted to the DPP and have even referred to a Privy Council case in which it is said that the courts were reluctant to permit judicial review of the DPP’s opinions. That case involved an appeal by a top judicial official in Trinidad against a ruling by the Court of Appeal quashing a decision by a judge who had granted leave of appeal.

The issue at hand there was whether the charges by the police were politicallyinspired. The Court of Appeal in that jurisdiction did not find evidence of this and Privy Council agreed that no such evidence was shown.

On the other hand, in the case of the application to the Courts in Guyana, the Chief Justice was being asked to

determine whether there was a rational basis for a charge to be levied against the Commissioner.

The Chief Justice asked the DPP to provide everything that informed her decision and having perused what was submitted ruled that there was no rational basis.

The Chief Justice’s ruling is of significance to every single person in this society because it affirms the common sense position that a person should not be charged unless there is rational basis for such a charge. In this instance, charges were recommended against the Commissioner, but it could have been you or someone you know who faced such a charge.

What if there were no compelling reasons for the charge or if the prosecution’s case was weak?

Persons should not be charged unless there is a strong case and a strong case means the evidence must be admissible and reliable and the persons proffering the evidence must have credibility.

More importantly there must be a strong likelihood of a successful prosecution.

Those who are against the Chief Justice’s ruling have a right to so disagree, but they must do so not on the basis of sentiment but on an assessment of the decision itself.

The fact is that there are many persons out there who are not interested in what the Chief Justice has to say because for them the real issue is not the person who alleged she was raped. For them this issue is a political matter since they would love to see the back of the Commissioner because this would be some form of poetic justice for them.

Those persons are blinded to the possibility of Henry Greene being the victim in this case.

PUC investigated 504 complaints in 2011 … $8M credited to consumers as GPL continues to attract the most complaints

By Rabindra Rooplall For last year the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) dealt with 504 complaints that were lodged with the Commission against the four regulated utility companies during 2011, according to the Public Utility Commission annual 2011 report.

The complaints lodged were against: Guyana Power Light (GPL) - 372, Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) 84, Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GT&T) - 47 and Digicel-01.

According to the PUC, as of December 31, 2011, there were 409 complaints resolved.

As a result of this $8,134,408 were awarded to consumers’ accounts.

GPL paid $7,059,223; GWI - $1,073,912; GTT - $1,173; and DIGICEL $100.

It was further noted that

the remaining 95 complaints were still being actively pursued by the Commission at the end of December 2011.

The 2011 reports stated that GPL continues to attract more complaints than the other regulated utilities. A review of the complaints received indicates that 195 of the 372 consumer complaints in the electricity sector related to billing queries.

These complaints included debit adjustments following allegations of tampering by the company: adjustments to bills as a result of prolonged periods of estimation and overestimation of bills due to the company not reading meters; and debit adjustments resulting from the changing of defective meters.

There were also instances of incorrect readings recorded

on the consumers’ accounts resulting in them being billed higher than their actual consumption.

Sixty four complaints against the company involved consumers being accused of tampering with their service.

These accusations resulted from GPL’s investigations at consumers’ premises.

However, consumers continue to question the credibility and complain about the manner in which these investigations are conducted

claiming that investigations were done without their knowledge.

Other areas of concern during 2011 were GPL’s sloth in issuing new services and change of tenancy agreements with some 41 persons complaining about the extended waiting period between application and activation.

For GWI, 84 complaints were received against the water company during 2011.

Forty-nine of these were (continued on page 23)

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Kaieteur News

Thursday April 05, 2012

THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN

Contrasting destinies: Cheddi Jagan and Monica Reece Last week, I wrote a column about our midnight visit to Cane Grove to see the dust nuisance from a nearby rice silo. After an hour, I had seen what I came to. The other members of my group were engrossed with conversations with the villagers.

Boredom came along so I walked away from the crowd and sat at a desolate spot by a nearby trench thinking about how the people of this country are so badly mistreated and they take it.

It was late at night in an isolated village without street lamps. I wasn’t afraid because though I was in the dark, there was a huge crowd not too far behind. The driver of an SUV dropped off a young girl who I presumed was his girl friend.

As he turned his vehicle around, his bright beams illuminated me. Curious to see this solitary figure in the dark, he came up to me. As he pushed his face towards mine, he recognized me and said, “Hi Mr. Kissoon.”

He knew why I was there

so the conversation turned to the dust problem. I wasn’t interested in that. I was there.

I saw it. We filmed it. I wanted to ramble on other topics. It turned out that this man fell into a category of human beings that take their secrets to the grave.

People like cooks, maids, chauffeurs, guards, bell boys and secretaries see and know so much but they never enter the limelight. They remain ordinary people who will never talk what they know about the rich, famous and powerful because they know there is no one to protect them so they just lock those things

away forever.

Secrets should never go to the grave. It is an established fact that J. Edgar Hoover was a homosexual. In those days, homosexuality was such a crime that powerful politicians would definitely lose their jobs if they were caught because it was felt that their lovers could successfully blackmail them.

Details about Hoover’s sexuality came out long before his biography was published. We know about it because the relatives of his lovers talked.

This gentleman in Cane Grove saw a lot given the public sector job he recently had. I am not going to describe his previous occupation because he could be easily traced. I don’t want to have his death on my conscience. But I will give readers a clue by referring you to the category I just enumerated above. It is so hard to take that he will carry what he knew about the nastiness of power to his grave. I hope not. He is a young man in his early

thirties.

I think we should be grateful to Dr. Rupert Roopnaraine for admitting that in the seventies the WPA was accumulating arms to confront the Burnham administration. Many loyal followers of Dr. Rodney are mad with this revelation because they are afraid of the analysis that would follow – if Rodney wanted to remove Burnham by violence then naturally Burnham had a right to fight back.

Those still around in the WPA should tell us who they think was the mole in the WPA that resulted in the death of Rodney, Ohene Koama and the imprisonment of David Hinds. There was a mole right in the middle of the WPA leadership. I think I know who that person is.

What we know we should make into public knowledge once we do not get murdered or sued. In present day Guyana, it is easy to get both.

I know my brother “Lightweight” Kissoon did violent things for the PPP at the beginning of the sixties

Frederick Kissoon when he was a fanatical PYO youth. One incident involved the attempt to kill a famous media operative at the time.

His very close partner at the time, Harold Snagg, is still alive. Harold refuses to discuss that period with me.

Those of us in the media who have been around a long time know who killed Monica Reece. I have never kept my secrets to myself I have told people close to me. By the way, the main Peeper knows I know who he is.

The tragedy of Monica Reece rests in the grave of President Cheddi Jagan.

President Jagan should have ordered foreign experts to catch the killer. It was clear to all Guyanese that the police were not interested and were compromised by the killer. It was the obligation of President Jagan to see that justice was done. He never did.

Thursday April 05, 2012

Kaieteur News

Page 11

Indian coffee company ships out 50 containers of logs in 2 months An Indian company known more for its coffee beans than its furniture making, reportedly shipped out almost 50 containers of logs during the past two months, despite Government insisting last year that the same company was not interested in “large scale” exportation.

The majority of logs shipped out are said to be washiba, a hardwood used to make top end furniture. Also shipped were purpleheart, greenheart and snakewood.

Guyana has not made a secret of its intentions to drastically reduce logs export in favor of more downstream or value-added processing.

The former Bharrat Jagdeo administration had heavily defended the Vaitarna Holdings Private Inc. (VHPI) deal that the local media only knew about after the deal was published in the Times of India, rated the largest English language newspaper in the world.

With questions over the forestry concessions granted to VHPI, which is a subsidiary of the renowned Coffee Day Limited of India, inApril last year, government had insisted that there was nothing secret about granting the concessions to that company.

Coffee Day is owned by V. G. Siddhartha an Indian businessman from Karnataka.

The Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC), which regulates the country’s forests, made it clear that the VHPI has indicated that it will be building processing facilities here.

VALUE-ADDED “It has been established that in addition to log exports in accordance with National Log Export Policy, the company

will engage in added value activities. The GFC has a policy of added value forestry activities and would have rejected any application from the company if it was solely interested in log exports,” former Minister of Agriculture, Robert Persaud, told the media during a press conference to explain the deal.

It was disclosed then that VHPI was issued a State Forest Exploratory Permit (SFEP) previously issued to Simon and Shock Intl. (SSI), a US company, and a Timber Sales Agreement (TSA) previously issued to Caribbean Resources Limited (CRL).

In April last year, the Times of India disclosed that VHPI had been granted 1.8M acres of forest land and was interested in shipping logs from Guyana for its furniture business in India.

There were immediate questions on transparency and accusations of a possible sweetheart deal involving government.

“This was essentially a reallocation of a suspended SFEP and a repossessed TSA that followed all the necessary requirements. When the original investors of SSI and the previous holders of the TSA now issued to Vaitarna were in default for so many years, there was no condemnation of these companies, especially by the commentators and political activists who are now vocal on this issue,” Persaud had said.

At the press conference at GFC’s headquarters in Kingston last year were Commissioner, James Singh; Chairman John Caesar and Head of Planning and Development Division, Pradeepa Bholanauth.

“The real facts are that a logging concession of 345,961 acres previously

…contrary to agreement with Forestry Commission

James Singh

Robert Persaud

V.G. Siddhartha

leased to CRL was reallocated to VHPI. Contrary to what is reported, there will be no large scale exportation of logs, since the company has committed to get involved in downstream activities; in addition to logs exports in accordance with the National Forest Policy (NFP),” Persaud had said during the press conference.

He explained then that VHPI was also given approval to take over a SFEP previously leased

to two USA-based investors after it was repossessed for noncompliance with the agreement.

be at least two public opportunities for persons to indicate their support/ objection to the granting of logging rights to the company. Also, this process is led by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Environmental Assessment Board (EAB).”

When this documentation is provided to the satisfaction of the GFC and its technical team, EPA, EAB, Cabinet SubCommittee on Natural

NO EXPORT It was explained at the press conference that the company first has to do a forest inventory; present a business plan that incorporates the inventory amongst other requirements, and conduct an Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA).

“In doing the ESIA, there will

Resources and Cabinet; only then can approval for logging be given. “So the process is far from over.”

The current National Forest Policy, under revision, does not say no to log exports, rather it encourages and promotes value adding, Persaud had asserted.

“The National Log Export Policy is testament to that – it provides strong disincentives for log exports; this would be revised in 2011 with the aim of providing even stronger disincentives.”

Regarding due diligence checks on VHPI to ensure that the company has both the finance and expertise, the Minister had said that a comprehensive one (check) was done.

“This due diligence has proven that the company has the necessary expertise to undertake the various tasks that are required. It also established that the company has sufficient financial resources, and has a track (continued on page 12)

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Thursday April 05, 2012

CJIA expansion will dislocate Timehri residents In early September, residents of Timehri East Bank Demerara area were hopeful that the issue of attaining land titles would be addressed before the holding of the general elections on November 28, 2011. Now, after the reading of the 2012 Budget, some four months after the elections, the future for these residents seems even gloomier.

The Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CIJA) has been tagged for a major upgrade and expansion.

Minister of Public Works Robeson Benn said that the

programme to remove all persons living on and around the airport grounds will continue.

Minister Benn stated yesterday that to ensure the safety of persons on the ground and in the air, the necessary actions have to be taken. It was understood that the immediate area surrounding the airport is the property of the institution and thus the initiative to remove the persons from the area had been a long pressing one.

On many occasions, Government workers and residents bumped heads over

the tearing down of small buildings and unfinished ones, even causing law men to become involved. The last clash had seen the intervention of army ranks, after persons objected to the heavy equipment used to level some structures.

Minister Benn however said that the safety of all the persons as it relates to law and aviation specifications should be ensured.

He said, “What we have is an international airport, and to accommodate the expansion of that airport the changes have to be made or

else we might as well have no airport.”

Minister Benn however declined to mention what prospects may be there for these persons who may have to relocate.

He said it was a bit early to say exactly what will be done in the persons’ favour, but at the relevant time, the necessary decisions will be made.

Apart from that, Minister Benn said that by year end, works on the airport may commence but engineering studies may start as early as month end. The airport is

expected to benefit from a whopping US$162M ($32.4B) upgrade and expansion programme with much of the cash being loaned from the China Export/Import Bank.

The country’s major airport is expected to receive longer runways, a two-storey terminal building, passenger loading bridges, more checkin counters and concession spaces.

The airport is also expected to receive larger apron to park planes and be fully equipped with close circuit television (CCTV), building automation system and several large screen TVs displaying flight information.

On November 11, 2011, the Ministry of Public Works and Communications and China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) Limited of Beijing, China, inked the agreement for a Design and Build project to the tune of US$138M, a sum smaller than what was recently budgeted.

Speaking on the issue of business prospects, Minister Benn further said that in terms of concession and other business forms, the decision is left to airport management.

He said that by certified and legitimate means, when the time arises the relevant authorities would be dealing with the matter.

Indian coffee company...

From page 11 record of carrying out harvesting and processing operations efficiently.”

NOTANOTHER BARAMA Persaud had also shrugged off suggestions that the reallocation of the CRL concession as another “Barama deal”. “Barama Company Limited (BCL) or no other company which has been leased a forestry concession in Guyana has ever paid a cent (other than administrative fees) to access the forest resources.”

He emphasised that in the case of the Indian company, it paid US$3M to access a concession which is less than 25 per cent of BCL’s leased concession.

“BCL had consecutive five-year tax holidays and other concessions – none of which VHPI enjoys. BCL pays about $800,000 as acreage fees for access to 1.6 M hectares; VHPI has to pay $81.00 per hectare or $28 million for access to 345,961 hectares. This means that if VHPI had BCL’s acreage, it would have paid in excess of $120 million to the GFC.” Regarding the $600M, it was disclosed that GFC and Government arrived at the figure through negotiations and cognizance of the fact that CRL was a subsidiary of CLICO, an insurance

company which went belly up a few years ago.

“This is the first time that a company, in addition to paying the normal fees, would have been demanded to pay money as part of the application process,” the Minister disclosed.

VHPI paid over $600M (US$3M) to pay off CLICO policy holders in Guyana.

Asked then how long it may take before the Indian company can start harvesting should the green light be given, the Minister disclosed between two to three years.

Earlier this week, GFC’s Commissioner Singh when contacted on the containers of logs that were shipped out, disclosed that the company would be doing some processing in Guyana.

However, it is unclear when this would start.

He however pointed out that the company has all its paper-works in order with nothing stopping them from harvesting and exporting.

A forestry official with close links to the VHPI, in confirming the shipment of the almost 50 containers of logs, said that company is in full swing of harvesting but was unclear of when there will be the establishing of processing facilities by the company in Guyana.

The company has also not sold wood locally, it was said.

Thursday April 05, 2012

Kaieteur News

Page 13

Remuneration for teachers slated Teen remanded to prison for for consultation - Manickchand Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand, has revealed that consultation for improved remuneration is definitely in the pipelines for the nation’s educators.

She made this disclosure yesterday even as she asserted, “We have been doing a lot better in terms of keeping our teachers over the last couple of years and that could perhaps be credited to the agreement we have signed with the Union.”

Deliberation between the Guyana Teachers’ Union and the Ministry of Education has allowed for a multi-year remuneration agreement package for teachers.

However, some teachers are of the view that they have been disadvantaged with the deal made a few years ago.

This complaint is certainly not one that the Minister is oblivious to, as according to her “it is one that I recognise as being somewhat valid.”

Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand In fact, the Minister has assured that decisions will not be made under her tenure without full consultations with the relevant stakeholders even as she pointed out that “we cannot ask stakeholders to do things and not involve them in the decisions we make.

Whenever we make decisions that are life

changing we are going to be consulting with all stakeholders – teachers, parents, children, everybody.

“This is to make sure that we not only have consensus on what we arrive at but also to make sure we have the best possible decision...10 heads will always be better than one.”

Nevertheless, the Minister revealed that Government has been working with the unions as best as possible with the interest of teachers in mind.

However, she noted that it is not only teachers’ remuneration that will be addressed but efforts are also being made to ensure that they continue to be provided with housing by utilising the housing revolving fund and by offering them duty free concession.

According to the Minister, “There are a whole host of other measures being

taken so that we could make the lives of our teachers comfortable.”

However, she accepted that remuneration will always be an issue when it comes to the teaching profession in any part of the world adding that “what we need first is a commitment by teachers to teach properly and for the most part we have seen that.

However there are areas in which we can improve but remuneration is not the only thing that we will be addressing.”

Apart from consulting on the issue of remuneration, the Minister revealed that the Ministry has plans to consult on a number of other issues including the automatic promotion policy to determine whether it should be continued and also be extended to the role of the education sector when it comes to persons who are challenged.

uncle’s murder

The teen who is accused of killing his uncle at the Kariabo Backdam in the North West District, has been charged and remanded to prison.

On Tuesday, the accused, 15-year-old Hermam George, appeared at the Acquero Magistrate’s Court before Magistrate Allan Wilson.

It is alleged that on March 29, last, he killed 51-year-old Michael Williams at Kariabo, North West District. The charge was indictable and the accused who was unrepresented was not required to plead. He will make his next court appearance on July 3.

Initial reports are that on March 29, Williams was heading to his home at the Kariako Mission when he stopped to take a rest. Reports are that the man was seen

sitting on a log while his friend continued walking.

Sources say that the man’s nephew was seen walking on the trail with a cutlass over his shoulder.

According to persons from the area, Williams and his nephew were seen arguing over raw gold before the teen chopped his uncle, almost severing the victim’s neck.

The teen then calmly wiped off his blood stained cutlass in the mud before walking away. Some of Williams’s colleagues ran to his assistance but there was very little that could have been done. Sources say residents placed the victim on a makeshift stretcher and tried to take him to the Mission.

However, Williams died on the way. The suspect was apprehended on Monday last after being on the run.

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Kaieteur News

Heads of State, business leaders to attend first CEO Summit of the Americas Heads of State and hundreds of business leaders will meet at the first CEO Summit of the Americas from April 13, in Cartagena, Colombia to discuss globalization, infrastructure, human capital and other key economic issues. The scope and level of participation makes it an unprecedented opportunity for a publicprivate exchange.

Ten heads of state have confirmed their attendance to the conference, which will be held during the Summit of the Americas. Joining them will be more than 500 business leaders and executives from 22 countries in the Western Hemisphere.

The meeting is being convened by the government of Colombia and the country’s private sector. The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) is providing technical support.

The event will be opened

by Colombian President Juan

Manuel Santos and IDB President Luis Alberto Moreno.

Participants will focus on five areas, with an eye to identifying opportunities where the public and private sectors can work together to encourage investment, combat poverty, and raise living standards for the citizens of the Americas.

The panel will open with a presentation by Mexican President Felipe Calderón.

In addition, the event will include a conversation among heads of state. U.S. President Barack Obama, Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff and Colombian President Santos are expected to participate.

Media access to the event will be restricted due to space limitations. Journalists accredited with the Summit of the Americas will be able to use a press room in the Hilton Hotel, the venue of the CEO Summit of the Americas.

Thursday April 05, 2012

IAST turns sod to launch E. Kamal Dookie Hall of Residents

Front View Elevation of the E. Kamal Dookie Residence The Institute of Applied Science and Technology (IAST) yesterday conducted a sod-turning ceremony commemorating the launch of the E. Kamal Dookie Hall of Residence. The Hall of Residence will be constructed next to IAST in the University of Guyana (UG) Compound to house foreign experts who will be engaging in research, technology transfer and educational outreach with IAST and UG. The event presented many dignitaries and well wishers who offered their blessings toward the initiative. According to them, the Hall would be much appreciated, especially in the area of science and technology as it relates to the developmental trajectory of the extractive sector.

The E. Kamal Dookie Hall of Residence was given the name in honour of the cofounder of CGX Energy Inc,

Guyana-born E. Kamal Dookie. The institute will be constructed and managed at the expense of CGX. The idea of the whole initiative according to the Director of IAST, Professor Suresh Narine, is that economic benefits and educational gains could be accessed. He expressed delight that the first major corporate social responsibility project from the CGX is going to be in education, science and technology.

CGX Energy is a Canadian-based oil and gas exploration company focused on the exploration for oil in the Guyana/Suriname Basin, an area that is ranked second in the world for oil and gas prospectivity by the United States Geological Service.

In light of CGX working in Guyana, to express responsibility to citizens, along with the Guyana Government, the Canadian

High Commission, IAST, Trent University (Canadabased) and UG, it was mentioned that the new institute will not only provide for economic gain, but hopefully present lucrative jobs in the oil and gas and mining sectors.

Among these entities, the IAST Director said, knowledge, material and training can be shared for the benefit of sustainable development and for the commercializing of the extractive sector.

Natural Resources Minister, Robert Persaud, was also on hand to deliver his take on the project of CGX. He honoured the Energy Company for its programme which he said would improve grounds of limited resources and limited means for venturing into the area of technology and science as it relates to the exploitation of natural resources.

Minister Persaud also urged local companies not to ignore their obligated corporate responsibilities. He said not giving much attention to that creates an environment none conducive

for a healthy social business environment.

Minister of Labour, Nanda Kishore Gopaul, gave his views towards the Hall of Residence to be built. He too expressed appreciation toward the initiative and projected benefits that would stem from the construction of the Hall in terms of jobs, education, skills and end products.

Canada’s High Commissioner to Guyana, David Devine, said that the building will not just be a residence, but it will have academic capacity and provide hope for developing the country.

The man of the hour, Mr. Edris Kamal Dookie, expressed gratitude to those who forwarded the idea to construct the Hall. He said that it was an honour that he may play a role in assisting the development of human resources in Guyana. Dookie also said that his company’s name would be called in many other projects as they did not wish to stop at the Residence Hall.

He gave an early vow for CGX to be engaged in an (continued on page 19)

Thursday April 05, 2012

Kaieteur News

Common Entrance fear leads to suicide Shivanne Singh

Family members of Shivan Singh, of Reliance Housing area, are maintaining hat they do not know the reason why the 11-year-old ngested poison and caused her death Monday night.

The C.V.Nunes Primary School student died around 21:00 hours on Monday at he Suddie Public Hospital, one day after she consumed he poisonous substance at her father’s residence.

According to reports, the 11 - y e a r- o l d , w h o w a s preparing to write the National Grade Six Examination, yesterday and oday, was upbraided by her father who insisted she concentrate her energies on revising her school work, nstead of viewing the elevision.

Deonarine, the child’s grandfather, said that he cannot say why his granddaughter consumed the poisonous substance but related that the girl and her elder brother were alone at the time. The elder Singh said when the girl started to froth, they realized that she had consumed poison. They took the child to the Suddie Public Hospital.

But there is a report to the police, that the girl told her father that one of her teachers deducted marks from her report and she failed, which caused some of the pupils to taunt her.

The 11-year-old lived with her father, grandfather and older brother. Her mother separated from her father some time ago.

Teen jailed for ganja in crotch

K

aren Small, 19, o f A n g o y ’s Avenue (Cow Dam) who was found with a quantity of marijuana in her private parts while at the Central Police Station, was on Wednesday sentenced to hree years in jail by Magistrate Adela Nagamootoo.

The teen had appeared at he New Amsterdam Magistrate’s Court to answer a charge of possession of narcotics for the purpose of rafficking.

Inspector Jairam Ramlakhan stated that on August 13, last, the police were on patrol duties in the Angoy’s Avenue area when hey noticed some suspicious movements in a shop in the area.

Small and four boys were n the shop. They were subsequently searched, but

nothing was found.

The woman was invited to the Central police station where she was again searched by a female police rank. During the search a white plastic bag was found in her vagina. The bag contained 15 small zip Lock bags with leaves, seeds and stems suspected to be marijuana.

The contents were tested and weighed and found to be 22 grams of cannabis sativa.

She was subsequently charged and placed before the courts. She had pleaded not guilty and was remanded.

Small was subsequently placed on $175,000 bail and was required to report to the Central Police station every Monday.

In addition to the three years in jail she was also fined $26,400 or spend a further three weeks in jail.

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Boat collision at Bartica Camp Street prisoner died of cirrhosis liver - PM shows lands one in hospital The shattered Ariel

Kevin Rabindra, 20, a Miner of Kaow Island, Essequibo River, is now in the Bartica Public Hospital nursing injuries to the left side of his forehead.

He sustained the injury during a boat accident that occurred at around 9:30pm on Tuesday, just off the Triangle Point on Bartica.

The boat, ARIEL that he was piloting collided with another boat that was being driven by Glen Cornelius, who resides at Karrau, a riverain community off Kaow Island.

Kevin Rabindra was allegedly heading home, while Glen Cornelius’s boat was heading toward Bartica.

There are reports that Cornelius was under the

IAST turns sod to launch ...

From page 14 upcoming project in Linden where a mining school is expected to be built. He along with Minister Persaud turned the sod to start the countdown for the construction.

Opposition Leader Brigadier David Granger also witnessed the sod-turning event. Speaking to reporters, he welcomed the idea of CGX and called the initiative forward thinking.

Granger however said that his focus is not so much on materials but on the development of human resources and the profession.

He said the wealth from the CXG product should go toward producing an elite, trained in the extractive industry, thus developing persons.

First he said, an institute must be provided to produce the personnel, but added that it was an important move by CGX and IAST. He thus wished them well for the importance of development.

influence of alcohol at the time of the accident. He is currently assisting in investigations.

Visibility was poor at the time, and though Rabindra is said to be in a stable

condition at the Bartica Public Hospital , his relatives are still contemplating to bring him to Georgetown for further medical examination. (Edward A Persaud )

The relatives of dead Camp Street prison inmate, Steve Weever, said that a post mortem examination has revealed that he died as a result of cirrhosis of the liver.

According to the dead man’s sister, Fay Chase, the post mortem was done yesterday at the Georgetown Public Hospital mortuary. The woman however noted that her brother’s remains bore what appeared to be several marks of violence. While the post mortem revealed the cause of death, the woman said she does not believe what she was told.

Weever, of Grove Squatting Area, East Bank Demerara, was shot in the thigh on January 28 last, after a Waterloo Street businessman allegedly caught him and another man, identified as 41-year-old

Carlos Grant, attempting to steal items from the man’s premises.

Grant, of Charlotte Street, Georgetown, was also shot in the thigh. He was jailed for 18 months for simple larceny after admitting to stealing from the businessman’s premises. The businessman alleged that he was forced to open fire after the intruders attacked him with cutlasses.

Weever was admitted to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) where he remained for a week.

During an interview while at the hospital, Weever had told Kaieteur News that his name was Steve Anthony. He had also denied being a thief.

He had claimed that he had been “creasing” (looking) at his alleged accomplice, since he suspected that the man

was up to no good.

The shot man also claimed that he had trailed Carlos Grant into the businessman’s yard but was himself held at gunpoint by the owner whom he “was trying to help.”

Police confirmed that Weever was subsequently discharged and kept in the Brickdam Police Station lockups for 19 days.

A source close to the investigation said that the prisoner was kept there while the police attempted to get a medical report from the GPHC. Relatives believe that the wound became infected while Weever was in the Brickdam lock-ups.

On Wednesday March 30, last, Weever was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

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Kaieteur News

Thursday April 05, 2012

Students get “moral support” as 2012 NGSA kicks off Although some students were evidently nervous, most insisted that they were confident and ready to take on the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) which commenced at primary schools across the country yesterday.

Even before 08:00 hours, yesterday, Grade Six students, some accompanied by their parents, older siblings, other relatives or guardians, could be seen flocking the compounds of primary schools. They all appeared anxious to get the process started.

As the 9 o’clock hour approached, at some schools motivational speeches and prayers were understandably the order of the day.

In fact some students were given an added bonus when Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand, along with a team of officials including Superintendent of Examinations, Ms Sauda Kadir, and Assistant Chief Education Officer (Primary), Marcel Hudson, graced their schools with their presence simply to wish them good luck and offer short pep-talks.

Among the schools the Minister and her team visited were the Winfer Garden and Stella Maris Primaries, both in Georgetown.

The Minister’s visit to the latter brought with it all too familiar nostalgic feelings to her. A product of the school herself, the Minister reflected on the year she was in the very same position; preparing to sit Common Entrance, which has since been renamed the National Grade Six Assessment.

“Stella Maris is my old school.

That is one of the reasons I stopped here. In fact I was reminiscing on how my

mother marched me in from the road head to take my exams...”

At the Winfer Garden Primary, the Minister arrived just in time to witness Head Teacher, Ms Jennifer Cumberbatch, encouraging her students to do their best even as she ended with a prayer aimed at channelling guidance and understanding.

Having visited the city schools, the Minister in brief remarks expressed satisfaction with the NGSA preparation, assuring that “we are ready; we are ready in every nook and cranny,” even as she alluded to Guyana’s attainment of universal primary education.

According to the Minister, all over Guyana children have access to primary education and are therefore able to readily participate in the NGSA. “If we had to test our skills about being able to deliver across Guyana it is through this exam (NGSA) that we would do it because this is the stage (primary level) that is accessible all across Guyana.”

However, the Minister noted that the Ministry of Education is now faced with a challenge to ensure that the same number of students that participate in the 2012 NGSA will also be undertaking the Caribbean Secondary Certificate Education (CSEC) examination in the next five years.

The Minister revealed that the education sector is working “feverishly” to realise universal secondary education, an achievement which is expected to become a reality under the President Donald Ramotar regime.

GLITCH RESOLVED Some 18,000 candidates registered to participate in this

Some of the anxious Grade Six students ahead of commencing the 2012 NGSA.

year’s NGSA and according to the Superintendent of Examinations, all logistical and administrative preparations were in place to allow for smooth operation over the two-day assessment.

However, she noted that the system has been subjected to a few glitches which have all been resolved.

She explained that for security purposes the examination papers are usually stored at police stations and officers are tasked with opening the boxes on the morning of the examination.

It was revealed that at one school the Station Sergeant was late to perform the prescribed duty which had caused some concerns.

According to Kadir, “it has

been resolved and it is nothing for us to be alarmed about. All arrangements are in place and we are ready to deal with any and all difficulties should they arise...anything that comes up we are prepared to address.”

Kadir revealed too that the Ministry is in constant contact with the respective officials in the Regional Education Departments and “they are prepared and geared...so all is well for today and tomorrow.”

According to the ACEO (Primary), the NGSA is a very important examination which has seen him personally reaching out to all of the Regional Education Officers, as the examination is not merely a Georgetowncentered activity.

He noted that even before yesterday’s start of the examination he had instructed the various school districts to ensure that primary students were able to undertake revisionary work as according to him “this is

important to help their performance”.

“We have been urging our children not to be overconfident but to be calm and ensure that they are focused so that they can produce.”

He emphasised, too, that the aim of the NGSA is to ensure that each child at the primary level is able to access a secondary education so that they could go on to write CSEC and do well.

INVIGILATORS PREPARED Desiree McLeod, one of the senior invigilators at Stella Maris, ahead of the start of the NGSA yesterday, expressed hope that students will be of their best behaviours throughout the examining process.

“We have already been advised how they should sit and once they follow the instructions that is the main thing....They are children and we are prepared for them...I’ve been doing this for a long time.”

Her experience over the years has taught her that some students are likely to be inclined to visit the washrooms, throw down their pencils and engage in a few other distracting activities.

Some students, according to McLeod, have been known to vomit during examinations as well. However, the presence of invigilators, according to her is to ensure that students are closely monitored.

“We try to deal with them as best as possible and in cases where they are very nervous we just try our best to calm them down because they are still babies to us.”

Each assessment, she said, is slated for one and a half hours with sessions being conducted in the mornings and in the afternoons.

Yesterday students were required to undertake assessments in English Language and Science while today they will be tasked with undertaking Mathematics and Social Studies.

Thursday April 05, 2012

Kaieteur News

Page 21

Woman of Guyanese parents killed in Govt. to regularise importation of Oakland University shooting rampage …remains for burial in Guyana Veterinary Drugs - FDA

Government has implemented a programme to regularise the authorisation for the importation and sale of Veterinary Drugs in Guyana.

This is being done in collaboration with the Food and Drug Department, Ministry of Health, the Guyana Livestock Development Authority and Ministry of Agriculture.

The application for an Import Permit and the Abbreviated New Drug Submission Application can be uplifted from the Department – Institute of Applied Science and Technology (IAST) Building, University of Guyana, Turkeyen Campus.

According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), in modern agricultural farming veterinary drugs are commonly used in animals as therapeutic agents to increase feed efficiency, prevent outbreak of diseases, support food security and enhance competitiveness.

The department noted that in food producing animals the administration of these drugs, if not properly monitored, could result in the presence of residues in foods such as meat, milk, and eggs derived from these animals.

The use of unauthorised drugs or failure to follow label directions of approved drugs may result in unsafe residues in these food products and endanger human health.

The FDA further noted that the residues or the potential for residues in animal derived food can also have implications for international trade.

After careful consideration of the impact of the misuse or abuse of veterinary drugs the two Ministries have worked collaboratively to implement a system of control.

All importers therefore are reminded and required to be registered as importers and to apply for a marketing authorisation for each dosage form of veterinary drug.

With her job as a tax analyst outsourced to India, Willow Glen’s mother, Judith “Judy” Seymour, had been laid off. She decided to follow in her parents’ footsteps by getting a nursing degree.

She was just two months away from reaching that dream when the unimaginable happened: A bloodthirsty gunman burst into her Oakland nursing school classroom and shot her.

On Tuesday, a day after the shooting rampage that killed seven people and injured three others at Oikos University, her family in San Jose learned what they had begun to come to grips with the previous night: Seymour, 53, was among those who died at the school.

“You don’t think someone going to a nursing school is going to be killed by someone crazy with a gun,” said her fiancé, 55-year-old union rep Timothy Brown. “One moment she’s here, and one moment she’s gone.”

Brown first suspected something was amiss Monday when he called his girlfriend and didn’t get a response, which is something that never happened. When he got home around 8 p.m., she wasn’t there, and this increased his anxiety. But he figured she’d be home soon, and he turned on the news.

“I saw the picture of dead bodies laying in the grass covered up,” he said.

Then he learned the shootings were at his fiancée’s school, Oikos University. He prayed Seymour had already left, but then he found out the killings happened while she was

scheduled to be in class. He called everyone he could think of, but the authorities wouldn’t tell him anything.

The family used GPS to track her cell phone to her car in the Oikos parking lot.

Soon, a friend who had spoken to Seymour’s instructor called and broke the news, before Oakland police confirmed it Tuesday morning. “(I’m) shocked, devastated, heartbroken,” Brown said. “She really loved her classmates. They called each other all the time, any time of night. She was proud and happy that she was going to be a nurse.”

Seymour was also passionate about her faith and, most of all, her family. Her son, Brian, and daughter, Camella, who are both in their 20s, joined her brother and sister in mourning. Her parents were nurses in New York before moving to their native Georgetown, Guyana, as U.S. citizens.

In her free time, Seymour enjoyed going to Reno to play the slots, and taking vacations to Virginia City and Lake Tahoe. But she was especially looking forward to seeing her daughter’s graduation ceremony for her master’s degree.

The family is preparing to send her body to Guyana, where her grandmother is also

buried.

The man accused of gunning down the seven persons at the California religious college was reportedly expelled and he was expected to be arraigned in court yesterday.

One L. Goh, 43, sat in an Alameda County jail early Wednesday morning, booked on charges of murder and kidnapping.

Authorities said Goh was upset that he had been expelled from Oikos University, a small college in Oakland that caters primarily to the Korean-American Christian community.

On Monday morning, he walked into the single-storey building, took a secretary hostage and went looking for a particular female administrator, Oakland Police Chief Howard Jordan said.

Realizing the administrator was not in the classroom where he’d hoped

to find her, Goh shot the secretary and ordered the students to line up against the wall, police said. Not all of them cooperated, Jordan said, and so he began shooting.

“I’m going to kill you all,” the gunman allegedly said.

“This was a calculated, cold-blooded execution in the classroom,” the police chief said. The suspect “just felt a certain urge to inflict pain on them.” The first 911 calls came in at 10:33 a.m.

“Shots coming from inside the building; people are running out screaming,” a dispatcher says in one of the police radio exchanges.

After the shooting, the gunman left the classroom, reloaded his semiautomatic weapon and returned, firing into several classrooms, Jordan said.

He ended his rampage by driving off in a victim’s car, police said.

Page 22

WANTED Waitress for bar, preferably from East Bank, 19- 23 yrs.

Call: 233-5477/643-2090 for interview.

Experience Dispatcher. Call: 227-1200, 225-4111 Experienced Tractor drivers to work on Logging concession. Call: 261-2553 1 Maid, 1 handyman to work at hotel. Apply in person @ 12 Henry Street. Tel: 2236284 Technical series Inc Industrial Site Eccles, 1 accounts clerk, Tool room clerk, 1 Industrial electrician, apply in person. Call: 6144358 1 male or female to look after layer birds in the interior.

Tel: 688-0197 East Coast Guyoil wanted day & night pump attendants, washman, manager, office assistants & sales girls. Call: 684-2838, 671-3983

Kaieteur News

LEARN TO DRIVE B&C Driving School pick up & drop off: 225-0150, 6806826, 229-7258 Prudential learning “Training to pass” stick/ manual also automatic. Call: 642-4827. We’re #1 Soman and Sons Driving School. First Federation Building. Call: 225-4858, 6445166, 622-2872, 615-0964

SERVICES

PROPERTY FOR SALE

Permanent &Visitors Visa Applications Professional Immigration Consultant Room E-4 Maraj Building 225-6496/662-6045.

Property in Pomona, Essequibo Coast, two storeys -30x50. Price negotiable. Call: 690-4673

ONLINE SHOPPING NO COMMISSION, WEEKLY S H I P M E N T S , AFFORDABLE RATES, FREE PRIVATE MAILBOX T E L # 2 3 1 - 5 7 8 9 FREIGHTLINKEXPRESS@ GMAIL.COM WE FILL OUT PASSPORT & VISA FORMS:USA, UK & CANADA TEL#231-5789 We repair fridge, freezer, AC, washer. Omar:231-0655,6838734 We refill HP cartridges for $1,800. Call:650-7699 Vehicle steam cleaning. Tel: 627-7835

CAR RENTAL Cars. Call: 643-1131 Progressive auto rental, cars from $3,500 per day. Call: 6435122, 656-0087, www.progressiveautorental.com Premio, 110 Corolla. Call: 6797139

Trinidad work permit enquires. Call: 614-4705/6758352 GET FREE SHIPPING ON ONLINE FOR ALL ORDERS FOR EASTER (CONDITIONS APPLY) @ E M A I L : freightlinkexpress@ gmail.com. TEL: 231-5789

Live in attractive waitress.

Call: 228-5129

House plan drafting for only $10,000. Call: 694-9843

E& N Beck, (3) - Princess & Ketley Sts, Charlestown, 1Apprentice. Apply in person.

VISA FOR USA, CANADA OR THE UK! Non immigrant visa application processing.

225-0762, 18 Garnette Street VISAPLUS

Watchman/ handyman. Call: 225-0188, 225-6070 Female store keeper to work in the interior must have computer knowledge. Call for more info. Call: 231-3159 One live in waitress age 1825 yrs salary $40-50,000 monthly. Call: 222-4890 One experience key cutter & lock repair. Preferably from East Coast. Call: 6279153 Carpenters to work with limited supervision with own tools 225-0188, 2256070 Waitress, cooks, bartenders, security guards to work in kitty area. Call: 226-7054, 623-9645 One maid must know to cook & one experience Sales Girl @ 1883 Festival City, North Rumiveldt. Call: 6824159, 663-2953 Persons interested of working in the interior. Call: 626-0006, 231-3159 One male or female to work in Interior; experience would be an asset. Call: 663-4476 Experience dispatchers, mini bus and taxi drivers at princess hotel. Contact: 2657075, 616-5419

WANTED Drivers, porters and office clerk with computer, Apply at Survival Lot 10 Vlissengen Rd One able body security guard from Grove Diamond Scheme area to work at night.

Call: 623-1615, 225-5800 Carpenters, masons, labourers, bulldozers& excavator operator, truck drivers. Call: 681-0685, 6263644

Repairs, sales & spares, air conditioning, microwaves, washer, fridges & Stoves.

Ultra Cool: 225-9032, 6472943 Repairs to gas stoves, deep fryers, washing machines, electric stoves. Call: 686-6209 Custom brokerage. Call: 6613043

Live in attractive waitress (Preferably) from Berbice.

Call: 650-7144

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Diamond-$18.5M, Atlantic Garden-$18M, Mahicony$60M. Steve: 699-5490 West Coast-$7.5M, East Bank-$12M, East Bank (Public Road)-$13M, Albertown-$25M. Diana: 227-2256, 626-9382 Section K-$60M, Bel Air$90M, Sheriff Street-$150M, Ave of Republic-US1.1M. Diana:227-2256, 626-9382 Lot 9 Johns St. Port Mourant Berbice house with 12 rooms, on 16 Acres Land.

Call: 337-1500 Craig Street, Campbellville, $42M; Bel Air Pk $48M. Phone: 6216888

Quality yourself in Cosmetology or nails, make up, Register, Limited spaces.

Call Abby: 216-1950, 6197603, 666-5241

Wanted experience workers for land dredge. Call:6188800

(Easter offer) get your hand tips down for $2,000, toe tips $700. Call: Fiona: 651-9418

Live-in waitress to work in bar. Tel: 692-4847

LAND FOR SALE Transported- Land of Canaan. Tel: 266-0014/6698139

FOR SALE QSC Amps, Denon 5000 Juggler, Roland sampler 404, Ashly EQ & Crossover, also speaker: RCF 18", RCF 12" Celestion 15" Peavey 44 xt Drivers. Contact: 644-3390.

2 Miller welder. Tel:660-7572/ 621-6952 Toyota Starlet 2 E Turbo engine with gearbox and ECU: Call: 624-7155.

Diving suits. Call: 613-5158/ 265-3449

Hot homemade cross buns.

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Call: 223-9497

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Satellite phone with minutes.

Call: 614-4705/675-8352

One CG 125 HOADB Series CG 1549. Price $140,000 negotiable. Call: 697-0296 New Dell laptops, Mp3/Mp4, car music transmitter, card reader. Call: 642-6664 1 330 Bedford engine for sale excellent condition.

Contact:687-4490 One 2002 Tundra, low mileage and one welder 4 cylinder with Perkins engine 400amps. Call: 685-8962, 6115114

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FOR SALE

1 Cargo ship 1500 Tons as is, engines need repairs.

Call: 227-2027, 623-4045 1 Ice cream truck, slush machine, pop corn machine, freezer, cotton candy machine, 1 ice cream machine. Call: 641-2597

1 Cannon HD Camcorder.

Call: 673-1232

50 gallons, solar dynamics, hot/ cold water heater system $240,000, negotiable.

Call: 223-5641

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2 seas Doo Jet Ski for sale.

Contact: 233-5289/ 657-4114

4 Massey Ferguson tractors & one 45" flat screen TV & one pressure Washer.

Contact Rayman:668-9020

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HEALTH

Dell computers complete with LCD from $49,000, Dell.

Future Tech. Call:231-2206, 644-6760

Roofing shingles $5,995 per bundle. Call: Mr.Skepmire: 227-5195

Bottle cap & seal. Call: 2318819 CAKES & PASTRIES

FOR SALE

Cupboard doors available in Pinewood and MDF Board solid panel and glass also Pinewood molding. Call: 6211278

One Honda CBR 600 F4I 2005 Excellent condition. Call: 6100653

Cosmetology courses. Tel: 225-6026, 682-2604

Sales girls & porters apply with application, Best Buy Food Suppliers, lot 1 E Dennis and Middleton Street C/Ville

Used Blackberry. Call: 6149246

Transported property 3 stand New Amsterdam Berbice. Flat concrete building 8.M negotiable.

Contact: 220-2936, 333-4419

Register now for full time & adults CXC classes. Call: 6835742, 227-7627

2 certified mechanics for overseas job. Contact Jonny: 611-8742 Shikhan, cleaners & casher, apply in person 34 Princess Street Wortmanville

Thursday April 05, 2012

Quick sale!!! 1 Acer Aspire Laptops $55,000, cam, 17’’ inch screen 120GHD, DVD, WIFI. Call: 624-3071 Taxi service -lucrative business situated at a Prime location-Sheriff Street, Georgetown give away price. Call: 647-2491 Any amount live chicken, pluck chicken, Liver, giblets & foots. More info contact: MayMay: 621-4304, 2201043

Pool tables, freezer, QSC Peavey Amplifier Ashly cross over RCF & SPEAKER, CD & DVD Duplicator’s chairs & table.

Call: 601-7776

Spares for washer, microwaves, fridges, stovetimers, gear boxes, pumps etc. Contact:225-9032, 6472943

1 steel barrage as is 198ft x 50ft, 114ft Draft. Tel: 2272027, 623-4045

One dish washing machine; for sale price -$150,000. Price negotiable. Daniel: 615-7132

Slightly damaged zinc sheets. Call: 226-7054

Taxi service for sale, cars already in yellow serious enquires only. Call:660-9977, 621-1548, 226-7268 120 KVA Perkins generator excellent condition $2 Million. Contact Brian: 6281079 Used cassette AC units 36,000 BTU 3 Ton $160,000, 48,000 BTU 4 Ton $200,000.

Contact Brain: 628-1079 1 IPod 32 GB. Call: 682-8236 Stainless steel Tongue scrapers $3,600/dozen. Call: 225-7083 3000 watts Honda Generator (new) 125 Yamaha Riva Scooter, Astak wireless security system (3 cameras).

Call: 231-1786, 625-1874 Taurpoline any size US Army Surplus Mix Color for trucks/ dredge camp, 20x20=$40,000, 20x30=$60,000.Call: 681-0786 Used Blackberry. Call: 6731232 One set of used 14 inch, mag rims complete with tyres, in excellent condition. Price $35,000.Call: 645-5177 Any amount oil & cooking oil contact: Papo: 650-4421 One AT 192 – 1st owner AC, CD Deck, end to end leather.

Price $1M. Contact: 6458253 Games for PS2-$900, PSP$900, PS3-$2600, Xbox 360$2600, Xbox 1-$2000, WII$1600.Call: 672-2566, 2653231 One Honda Civic PHH. Call: 683-6666, 650-6450 One cargo ship. Call: 6876174 Perkins 1006 6 cylinder turbo diesel motor; runs excellent, perfect for mining operation. Contact: 600-6000 (Continued on page 25)

Thursday April 05, 2012

Kaieteur News

City Hall laptop saga…

Head of the Mayor and City Hall’s Information Technology department, Waynewright Orderson, has refuted allegations made by the Finance Committee Chairman, Junior Garrett. He said that Garrett’s claims are completely absurd and contradicting.

Orderson made his statement during a media briefing which was held specifically to address the issue that was made public via an article carried in this publication.

In the article it was stated “Cash-strapped City Hall is now investigating all transactions conducted by acting Ch a i r m a n o f t h e Georgetown Municipality’s Finance Committee, Junior Garrett, since he approved the purchase of a laptop from a non-existent company”.

The article continued, “Mayor Hamilton Green made this decision, yesterday,

Chainsaw operator remanded for rape Davon Harris, 21, the chainsaw operator who allegedly impregnated a 15year-old Pomona Secondary School student, was remanded yesterday by Magistrate Leron Daly. The 15-year-old is five months pregnant.

Harris was charged with rape of a child and appeared before Magistrate Daly, at the Anna Regina Magistrate’s Court.

According to reports, Harris and the 15-year-old allegedly shared an intimate relationship. Just over a year ago Harris was incarcerated for having sex with the said teenager. He was recently hospitalized after suffering from a complication of malaria and typhoid.

He is expected to appear before magistrate Daly on April 27, next.

Page 23

Head of IT Department refutes Finance Committee Chairman’s claim

Head of City Hall’s Information Technology Department Wayne Wright Orderson. following the disclosure that Garrett approved the purchase of a Dell Latitude D800, laptop computer - to the tune of $120,000 - from a nonexistent company, in February”.

The IT Head said that the allegations made by Mr. Garrett about him presenting the voucher to be signed, has no bearings on fact.

“I am the officer and I did not present any voucher nor did anyone f r o m m y department. If the truth were to be told that voucher would have had to be presented by someone

from the treasury department,” Orderson said.

According to Orderson, he was not aware of the computer being purchased.

This was only brought to his attention recently when there was a request for it to be added to the City Hall network.

“I must also state that there is a second laptop which was purchased and was in use. This was only discovered after the request was made for the one in question to be added to the network”.

According to Orderson, the council has since requested the necessary paperwork for the second computer and this cannot be located to date.

“When we enquired from the treasurer we were told that they can’t find the paperwork and that too was acquired from an entity which we never heard about.”

The IT head said that over the years his department has been dealing with reputable companies in and out of Guyana and most, if not all of their vouchers which they have sanctions in have either been held up or seized

by Mr. Garrett.

“He does this and when we enquire he would tell us it is being done under the

pretext that they would like to investigate yet other items acquired through unknown companies and signed off without any questions asked.”

According to Orderson, the computer that was purchased is totally out of specification and the guidelines. He added that the IT department follows certain specifications since there are set guidelines of how they want their equipment to be standardized.

Orderson stated that the very computer in question is a home line computer as opposed to a business type.

It is not suitable for the task it’s required to do.

Speaking on the issue of the IT Department expressing interest in purchasing a software programme for $14M when it is available for free, Orderson said that Garrett’s remarks are contradictory to what he is doing and saying.

“His aspersion that we are getting free software and yet we are seeking to purchase for $14 Million is a complete absurdity.

Nobody gets free software…we have a company developing written code for a customised software for our municipality.

It is very comprehensive for general ledger, all tax collection, fee collection at

markets, and abattoirs. We are having that development and it will cost $14 Million”.

Orderson said Garrett is seeking to acquire software only for the tax section at a cost of $18 M. He is also claiming that the software can be acquired for free.

Mayor Hamilton Green who was also present at the press briefing in responding to question on whether there was any conflict between Garrett and Orderson said there were opportunities which presented themselves but were not utilized.

The Mayor added that he was aware of the issue and an investigation will be launched.

PUC investigated 504 complaints ...

From page 9 billing queries, while ten were for the company’s failure to correct technical faults within a reasonable timeframe; 16 claimed wrongful disconnections; seven were for the company’s sloth in connecting a new service and one each was for the company’s alleged failure to issue a new account to a consumer who had changed his residence.

For GT&T, 47 complaints were lodged against the company and three of these were being actively pursued at the end of 2011. It was

noted that the company’s response to technical issues appears to be a matter of concern.

In addition, 33 complaints were for the company’s alleged failure to promptly put an attend to technical issues affecting the service to consumers and six for failure to provide new service; two were billing queries; two claimed wrongful disconnection while three were for the company’s alleged tardiness in transferring services at consumers’ request.

For U-mobile (Cellular) Inc. (DIGICEL Guyana) one complaint was lodged against this company. Even though the company claimed it was not at fault the complainant was awarded a credit. The complainant claimed that text messages sent to an overseas number were not received but the cost was deducted from the prepaid balance.

The Company claimed that their partner company to which the text message was sent had indicated that the intended recipient had received the message thus the charge.

Page 24

Kaieteur News

Thursday April 05, 2012

The Abigail Column Running around need not be an inherited trait Sandra

DEARABIGAIL, This is not exactly a problem — yet. I am engaged to a great man who only has eyes for me. My mother, though, is worried about my future, because for generations, the men in my fiancé’s (quite prominent) family have been well known for cheating in their marriages. She says she is certain it is genetic. I say it’s a choice. What do you say?

Dear Sandra, I think relatively few behaviours are genetic.

Because straying is often multigenerational within families, it is assumed by some that it’s “in the blood.”

But I think, rather, such conduct is communicated, if not sanctioned, either subtly or overtly.

I can’t imagine any father saying to a son, “M’boy, marriage vows are just a piece of paper.” I think what happens is that the behaviour becomes known either

through deduction, observation or gossip. Then the implicit message is “Infidelity.” A son sees his mother put up with it and assumes his wife will.

To be sure, a womanizing father can be an anathema and shameful to a son, but, like abuse, people often duplicate the behaviour they abhor. Some men, however, see womanizing for the destructive and neurotic behaviour it is and steer clear.

You will have to follow your gut as to which kind you think your fiancé is. And of course, marriage, like life, comes with no guarantees.

Thursday April 05, 2012 ARIES (MARCH 21 APRIL 19): You could hesitate to take the initiative, Aries. Instead, you’d rather wait and see how things pan out before you make a major move. Your movements are hindered in some way, although you may not be sure why. ******************************** TAURUS (APRIL 20 MAY 20): You could feel increasingly uncomfortable as the day goes on, Taurus.

Perhaps you’re tongue-tied in conversations - quite rare for you. The problem is that you simply don’t know what to say, or if you do, you don’t feel comfortable saying it in front of these people. ******************************** GEMINI (MAY 21 - JUNE 20): You could lapse into pessimism, Gemini. Suddenly the glass appears half empty and everything looks bleak.

You feel like you’re going around in circles. ******************************** CANCER (JUNE 21 JULY 22): You might be much more aware of yourself than usual and hyper-alert to every move you make today, especially around others, Cancer. You’re feeling self-conscious about your words, and you could be constantly wondering if you’re saying the right thing to the right person at the right time. ******************************** LEO (JULY 23 - AUG. 22): Your attitude is calm and matter-of-fact when talking to others, Leo. You tell it like it is while omitting the frills and fantasies. ******************************** VIRGO (AUG. 23 - SEPT. 22): You’re likely to have tremendous concentration that seems to have materialized out of nowhere. Use this to your advantage, Virgo, because it may not last long.

LIBRA (SEPT. 23 - OCT. 22): Be careful about shutting yourself off from the rest of the world, Libra. You might hesitate to talk to people. You could have the feeling that they’re unworthy of your time. ******************************** SCORPIO (OCT. 23 NOV. 21): You might talk as if you possess many lifetimes of wisdom, Scorpio. Perhaps you do, but that doesn’t mean you should be arrogant about it. Your words might have the tone of a sage schooled in every subject. ******************************** SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 22 - DEC. 21): Once you’ve made up your mind, Sagittarius, it’s doubtful that anyone can change it. You’re set in your ways and your plans are set in stone. Having this solid base to stand on will let others support you effectively. ******************************** CAPRICORN (DEC. 22 JAN. 19): You might be hard and cold when it comes to the facts, Capricorn, and you could come across as tough and rather harsh. In reality, this often just masks your sensitive interior. ******************************** AQUARIUS (JAN. 20 FEB. 18): You’re likely to be feeling a bit lonely, perhaps even isolated, Aquarius.

Maybe you think no one else has your same wild thoughts running through their heads.

You’d be surprised to learn how many people do. ******************************** PISCES (FEB. 19 MARCH 20): If you have the opportunity to teach someone a lesson, Pisces, feel free to do so. There’s probably someone in your world who could use a bit of instruction now. You’ll have the patience and clarity of words to straighten things out and make the correct path obvious.

DTV CHANNEL 8 08:55hrs. Sign On 09:00hrs. Live! With Kelly 11:00hrs. The View 12:00hrs. Prime News 12:30hrs. The Young and the Restless 13:30hrs. The Bold and the Beautiful 14:00hrs. DTV’s Festival of Biblical Movies for the Lenten Season: Judas 16:00hrs. Smallville 17:00hrs. Beverly Hills, 90210 18:00hrs. World News 18:30hrs. Nightly News 19:00hrs. Greetings and Announcements 21:00hrs. Person of Interest (New Episode) 22:00hrs. The Mentalist (New Episode) 23:00hrs. Sign Off NCN CHANNEL 11 01:00 – BBC World 02:00 – NCN Late Edition (R/B) 02:30 – Late Nite with GINA 03:00 – Movie 05:00 – Inspiration 05:30 – Newtown Gospel 06:00 – NCN Late Edition News(r/b) 06:30 – Feature 07:00 – Guyana Today 08:00 – Bollywood 60 Min (R/B) 09:00 – Stop the Suffering 09:30 – Cartoons 10:30 – IPL#2-Kolkata Knight Riders VS Delhi Daredevils 13:30 – Newsbreak 13:35 – GEM Live (R/B) 14:00 – Revelation & Power (Live) 15:00 – Basia Show 16:00 – Cartoons 17:00 – Anderson 18:00 – NCN News Magazine – Live 18:30 – GT&T 10/10 Tournament 19:00 – Al Jazeera 19:30 – NIS & YOU 20:00 – 3d/daily millions/ play de dream/lotto draw 20:05 – Feature 20:35 – Miners’ World 21:05 – Ravi D Show Essequibo 22:05 – NCN News Late Edition 22:35 – Caribbean Newsline 23:00 – Movie NTN CHANNEL 18/ CABLE 69 05:00h - Sign on with the Mahamrtunjaya Mantra 05:15h - Meditation

05:30h - Queenstown Masjid Presents Quran This Morning 06:00h - R. Gossai General Store Presents Krishna Bhajans 06:15h - Jettoo’s Lumber Yard Presents Krishna Bhajans 06:30h - Muneshwar Limited Presents Krishna Bhajans 06:45h - Double Standard Taxi Presents Krishna Bhajans 07:00h - RRT Enterprise Presents Krishna Bhajans 07:15h - M & M Snackette Presents Raja Yoga Discourses 07:30h - Dr. Balwant Singh’s Hospital Inc Presents Krishna Bhajans 07:45h - The Family of The Late Leila & David Persaud Presents Krishna Bhajans 08:00h - NTN This Morning Live With Reyaz Husein 09:30h - Indian Soap - Ram Milaaye Jodi 10:00h - Indian Soap Yahaan Mein 10:30h - Cricket:- IPL5 KOLKATA KNIGHT RIDERS v DELHI DARE

DEVILS 14:00h - Indian Soap - Choti Bahu 14:30h - Indian Soap Pavitra Rishta 15:00h - Indian Soap - Punar Vivaah 15:30h - Headline News 14:00h - Investigation Discovery 17:00h - Drying Tears Live with Pastor Edson 18:00h - Ganesh Parts Presents - JAI DURGA MAA Serial 18:15h - Birthday Greetings / Deaths Announcement & In Memoriam 19:00h - Buddy’s Housing Development Project Live with Joel Ghansham 20:00h - INSIGHTS presented by the CIOG 21:00h - Indian Soap - Ram Milaaye Jodi 21:30h - Indian Soap Yahaan Mein 22:00h - Indian Soap - Choti Bahu 22:30h - Indian Soap Pavitra Rishta 23:00h - Sign off with the Gayatri Mantra

Thursday April 05, 2012

Kaieteur News

Page 25

Letters... Where your views make the news

Delaying antics will not deter our...

From page 5 February 10, 2010, the Union wrote the Chief Labour Officer seeking his intervention consistent with his responsibility. He did not intervene.

- January 4, 2010, the Union wrote the Trade Union Recognition and Certification Board, had a meeting on January 8, 2010, and was subsequently informed by the Board that it informed the company it has to deal with the union until it rules otherwise.

- January 13, 2010, the union wrote the Minister asking his intervention under the laws. The Minister did not act.

- During this period the company moved to invite another union to meet with workers and solicited signatures, advising workers it does not like the union (GB&GWU) leaders. The union raised its voice and the solicited union retreated.

- March 18, 2010 the company commenced an exercise encouraging workers to form a Workers’ Committee. The workers refused and by Circular dated April 1, 2009, workers were advised of the formation of a

Workers’ Committee, headed

by Orin Ford.

- June 30, 2010, there was an industrial accident on the Kwakwani Trail that claimed the life of Remington “Tuts” Wade and inflicted serious injuries to others. The Ministry of Labour refused to investigate this incident consistent with the Occupational Safety and Health Laws.

- November 8, 2010, four workers were arbitrarily dismissed for protesting being fed expired food and the kitchen being infested with rats and rodents, even as the company admitted the unhealthy state. The ministry refused to investigate this matter consistent with the Occupational Safety and Health Laws in as much as the workers were exercising their right under Section 56 (1) of the said act.

- May, 8, 2011, the BCGI General Manager, Ruslan Volokhov carrying a spade in his hand threatened workers to bash their heads and faces and then bury them. This threat resulted for workers going to work late after being denied water from the afternoon of May 7 until after 9 a.m. on May 8.

During this period they were unable to bathe or prepare their meals.

The outcry caused BCGI to send in a team from Russia to investigate the matter. An official told the newspaper (Kaieteur News, May 14) “The manager behaved badly and disrespectfully. He was wrong. [T]he workers acted with restraint and with maturity and did not resort to strike actions over the matter.”

The Ministry of Labour has commenced an inquiry but the state of it is unknown.

- October 30, 2011, a mining pit caved in and buried alive Franklin Reese and caused serious spinal injuries to Anthony Johnson. Again, another industrial accident, and the Ministry of Labour refused to activate the laws and conduct an inquiry - December 12, 2011, the Union wrote the new Labour Minister Nanda Gopaul seeking his intervention under the Labour Laws to resolve the disputes at BCGI. - February 29, 2012, the Minister ordered arbitration between the Union and the company.

This fight has been long and bitter and there is still

distance to cover. During this period our families have been threatened; we have gone without; our children deprived; we picketed; sought the intervention of the Ethnic Relations Commission, Prime Minister Sam Hinds and Ministry of Labour, and were ignored; ran an online petition in seven languages and received thousands of pledges of support from around the world; carried our case to the National Assembly; share our grievances with the man-inthe street, local, regional and international media; protested in various forms; and have been receiving solidarity from many within and without our borders.

Not once did we relent or think of giving up. BCGI will have to be naïve to think that having come this far we are going to let their delaying antics deter our struggle for justice. The law is on our side and we shall overcome. However long it takes, we are committed to staying the course.

Leslie Gonsalves President Guyana Bauxite & General Workers Union

From page 5 Granger, as a former Commander of the GDF and a head of any alternative government, would be thrilled with any reports, whatsoever, of army ranks seeking to overthrow any democratically elected government which he may head. Absolutely not!

In the meantime, no one can be happy when a woman claims to have been raped.

This is completely unacceptable. In all cases the law must take its natural course. Of course one cannot ignore Mr. Wrickford Dalgetty’s salient point in his letter to SN 4-2-12 titled “the Chief Justice concerns and questions in the Greene case went to the core of evidentiary accumulation and analysis”.

Mr. Dalgetty pointed out, “for example, (that) it is reasonable to expect that an aggrieved rape victim would make a police report immediately after the carnal violation has occurred.

At the same time, the wider the gap grows between the alleged crime and the complaint, the lesser would be the credibility of the eventual complaint.”

When the alleged rape victim therefore never reported any rape to the police, it did not help her case.

Considering she continued to have liaisons with the Commissioner does her story no credit. Such

liaisons could not have occurred against her will, but by consent. Mr. Dalgetty therefore had no alternative but to agree that Chief Justice Ian Chang’s decision was sound, valid and correct.

This brings into focus the GHRA’s concerns for the woman’s welfare. This can only be commendable. But Guyana faces far more significant danger when soldiers are charged with treason to overthrow a democratically elected government. Yet the same GHRA could not rally against any potential threat of violence in overthrowing a democratic government; especially the carnage which potentially threatens the

human rights of thousands of Guyanese lives in any likely bloodletting.

Something is amiss when Mr. McCormick’s GHRA enjoins with one woman and neglects the human rights of all Guyanese. Whenever Mr. McCormick’s GHRA continues to exhibit such blatant biases it will always be suspect, discredited and must be held accountable. Sir VS Naipaul’s Miguel Street exhortation to “watch him while he watch the bees” is most appropriate.

One can however certainly understand the angst of Ms Karen de Souza and Red Thread, who are upset that a woman had such a public tryst with a public

official and came out the loser.

The law is said to be very blind and does not judge morality; she has had her day in court and she lost. Not totally.

Now GHRA, APNU and Red Thread can put their money where they are putting their mouths. They can financially …yes, give her the money and legal expertise … to empower the “option to appeal the decision and to take it all the way to the Caribbean Court of Justice”; exactly as Peeping Tom suggested.

Let justice run its natural course, with all its current bold champions honourably leading her rehabilitation.

Sultan Mohamed

Opposition silence on exoneration...

(From page 22) VACANCY Vacancy male and female workers accountant checker RA Soda Factory Berbice.

Call: 330-2399, 623-5920 Good Hope Branch Ban Manger sale manager driver Albion Ban Manger Canter/Delivers apply in person @ P.Ramroop & Sons, 23 Lombard Street with references from previous employers

VEHICLES FOR SALE 99 Honda Civic Leather interior. Call:648-2075 Unregistered Cedia Lancer, Allion, Spacio, Buses, IST, Wagon, AT 192. Cheapest.

Call: 616-7635

Porters apply in person @ P. Ramroop & Sons, 23 Lombard Street, with reference from previous employer.

Just arrived: Allion and Premio, tel: 624-2000, 6221610

Vacancy exists for an Accountant, Executive Secretary and Clerical Clerk.

Please make contact:2185120, 218-5121

1 Toyota Tundra, magrims, tray canter, fully loaded, $3.5M, 1 Nissan Titan $3.5M, GMM Series. Tel: 227-2027, 623-4045

Sales girls & Cashier. Call: 226-0881, 226-1316

1 Dually, Dodgeram ideal for interior purposes, off road tires.GNN Series. Tel: 2272027, 623-4045

Canter driver for East Coast location. Call: 266-0881, 2261316 Security guards for East Coast location. Call: 2260881, 226-1316 1 refrigerator & washing machine technician/ trainee.

Call: 683-8734, 231-0655

Nissan Cefiro car excellent condition, 125 Yamaha Riva Scooter. Call: 231-1789, 6251874 Unregistered Tundra, Tacoma and interstate batteries. Call: 265-2103, 6459860 Unregistered Premio, Allion, 212 vehicles, fully loaded.

Call: 609-8188, 602-6307

TO LET Furnished two bedroom apt Eccles E.B.D. Tel: 698-3644/ 602-5089 Short term apartment Eccles, 679-7139

UNREGISTERED ALLION, PREMIO, ALEX, RUNX, SPACIO, 2 TON CANTER. CALL: 677-7666,610-7666 1 Toyota Super Custom bus late GMM Series.

Immaculate condition, fully powered. Price negotiable.

Call: 648-7109, 686-4818

Short term apartments. Tel: 667-1549

Hilux 4x4 solid Def pick up, Diesel, long base, excellent condition. Call: 623-0243

Hair & Nails stations must have clients $5,000 per week Middleton St C/Ville. Call: 619-5357

One Hilux Vigo 2011 (New) GNN series. Contact: 2315171, 619-7134

Eccles Studio apartments.

Call: 233-2770 2 bedroom apartments fully grilled, 8th Street Cummings Lodge $25,000. Call: 6960255 Lamaha Gardens -$90,000, Section K-$120,000, Bel Air –US1700, Regent StreetUS1200. Diana: 227-2256, 626-9382 One bedroom flat. Call: 2642920, 615-9824

1 Camry $600,000. Tel: 6216965 EP 71-Starlet automatic, AE 91-Sprinter, Honda FIT 2004, RVR, 212, NZE. Call: 6445096, 697-1453 3 Ton enclosed canter, unregistered.Tel: 617-2891 3 Ton 4 wheel drive canter, unregistered. Tel: 617-2891 1-2RZ Mini bus, reregistered. Call: 617-2891

Lot 10 Area “G” Ogle. Tel: 683-6666, 650-6450 TOUR Moraikobai, Capoey Lake, St. Cuthbert’s Mission, Marshall Rapids, 8th, 9th.

Call Sean or Joy:218-1285, 657-0825

Page 26

Kaieteur News

Mahdia All-Stars put four pass Lethem Snatchers to win title

Thursday April 05, 2012

Hadi’s Softball tournament continues tomorrow April 6 and Sunday 8 Play in the Hadi’s World Inc., formerly City Mall on Camp and Regent Sts., nationwide Male/Female softball cricket organised by the Guyana Floodlight Softball Cricket Association, continues tomorrow and Sunday at several venues.

Fixtures for tomorrow (Friday 6) are as follows: Ministry of Education Ground: Pitch 1 – 9:30AM;

Floodlight VS Never Lose.

12:30PM; Wellwoman VS Green Warriors. 1:30PM; Wellwoman VS Trophy Stall Angels. 2:30PM; Trophy Stall Angels VS Green Warriors.

Pitch 2- 9:30AM; Wellman VS Defenders.

12:30PM; Mahaica Masters VS Bedi Masters.

Everest Cricket Ground: Pitch 1- 9:30AM; Renegade VS Everest. 11:30AM;

Everest VS Front Liners.

1:30PM; Everest Masters VS Enterprise Legends. Pitch 29:30AM; Farm VS Trappers.

1:30PM; Challengers vs Omesh XI. Pitch 3- 9:30AM; Park Rangers VS Success Masters. 12:30PM Destroyers VS Trophy Stall B. 2:30PM Renegade VS Front Liners.

Carifesta Sports Complex: Pitch 1- 9:30AM; P & P Vipers VS Success XI. 11:30AM; Herstelling VS Fazal Kayume XI. 1:30PM; Bedi Ramjeewan VS Young Guns. Pitch 2-

9:30AM Herstelling VS Pine Star.

11:30AM; El Commandante VS Pine Star. 2:30PM; Destroyers VS Fazal Kayume XI. On Sunday April 8th fixtures are as follows; Ministry of Education Ground: Pitch 1- 9:30AM; Wellman VS Savage Masters.

1:30PM; Park Rangers VS Never Lose. Pitch 2- 9:30AM; Bedi Ramjewan XI VS Success XI. 11:30AM; P&P B Electrical VS Super Street.

1:30PM; Savage Masters VS Enterprise Legends.

Ojha, Levi seal easy win for Mumbai A representative of Mandy One-Stop Shop (right) hands over the Championship trophy and cash prize to a Mahdia All-Star player.

Mahdia All-Stars put four goals pass Lethem Snatchers to win Mahdia Football Championship 4-2 at the weekend.

The fixture was staged as part of a Hinterland Football Development (HFD) Programme that will see similar competitions in

Lethem and North West.

Apart from the lucrative cash prizes, Roger Hinds donated two sets of uniforms for the winners while other sponsors included Beeks Mootoo, Mandy One-Stop Shop, Peter and Ruth Restaurant Dillon and Vishnu Singh and Corporal LaRose.

Table Tennis coaching programme and competition for players set for Uitvlugt West Demerara SubAssociation of Guyana Table Tennis Association will be hosting a coaching programme and competition for interested players over the Easter holidays at the Uitvlugt Community Centre, West Coast Demerara.

The coaching programme which provides for both junior (age group: 13 years, 15 years and 18 years) and senior (age group: 21 years and older) players will continue today and tomorrow

from 10am to 2pm for the juniors; the seniors coaching sessions will begin on the 11-13 April from 3:30pm to 7:30pm.

The players will see three qualified coaches, Kumarraj Thakur (Level 1), Joey Lovell (Level1) and Muniram Persuad (Level 2) educating them on the game.

The competition will be played on April 14 and 15 from 10am. For more information contact Kumarraj Thakur: 253 3439, 693 8830 or Muniram Persaud: 254 0633, 649 8001.

Underdog wins Cheddi Jagan Memorial Dominoes title at Wakenaam Underdog totaled 78 games to capture the Cheddi Jagan Memorial Dominoes title at the Wakenaam Community Centre pavilion.

Big Power came second with 76 while South Pole who scored 66 placed third.

Deonarine Gokool, who earned the player of the final award, marked 17 games for the winners while B. Pooran chalked 17 for the runner up team and Vickraj Ramdhani 16 for South Pole.

Meanwhile South Pole, Under Dog and Big Power

were the most successful teams that contested the preliminary round games.

Scores - first round, South Pole 88 (V. Ramdhani 18, Raj Narine 17), Big Power 71 (Anand Dhanyshure 16), Sea Wall (Andrew Osborne 16).

Second round - Under Dog 88 (James Ramnarine 18, Ganesh Narine 16), Big Power 69 (Amit Ramnarine 16), Sea Wall 68 (Jermaine Wolf 13, Suraj Persaud 13.) The lone love bird was Andrew Osborne. Under Dog received a trophy for their efforts.

Mumbai Indians’ new signings, Pragyan Ojha and Richard Levi, made immediate impact to set up an easy win over defending champions Chennai Super Kings in the season opener. Richard Levi swiped his way to a 35-ball 50 in an easy chase, but it was Ojha who made the crucial contribution.

He made a seamless transition from Deccan Chargers to Mumbai, taking two wickets in his first two overs to pull Super Kings just when they were threatening to break free.

Super Kings were 69 for 2, having made a bit of a comeback from a slow start, when Ojha was introduced in the 10th over, and three wickets in the next four overs - including those of danger men Suresh Raina and Dwayne Bravo - meant they could add only 43 in the rest of the piece. Kieron Pollard was a good deputy to Ojha, taking two wickets after the spinner had dismissed the settled batsmen.

Ojha’s introduction was a pivotal moment in the game.

Put in on a surprisingly green Chennai pitch - definitely not one that will impress IPL chairman Rajiv Shukla - Super Kings were just coming out of a period of struggle then.

One of their big strikers, M Vijay, had taken six balls to get off the mark, and his anxiousness to do so had resulted in the run-out of fellow opener Faff du Plessis.

Soon he himself fell to a slower ball from James Franklin.

At the other end, though, Raina enjoyed his homecoming to the tournament he revels most in, starting things off with a six over mid-off, the first of the tournament.

Bravo joined in with two beautiful shots on the up off the bowling off Franklin, putting the pressure back on Mumbai. Both the batsmen were now confident enough to take risks off Ojha’s bowling. Raina swept the first ball powerfully, Bravo

slogged at the second, and drove the next inside-out for four. That was to be the last boundary of the innings.

Ojha refused to give them pace or flatness, and Raina, 36 off 26, picked out sweepercover off the fifth ball Ojha bowled.

In Ojha’s next, Bravo found long-on with similar precision to fall for a run-aball 19. Ojha couldn’t be kept out of the game. He soon caught the promoted Albie Morkel off the varied bowling off Pollard.

In Ojha’s last over, the 16th, MS Dhoni fell for a rare non-direct-hit run-out. It must have been some pressure of suffocation at work. Ojha finished with 2 for 17 in his four, and Pollard dismissed S Badrinath in his last to finish with figures of 2 for 15.

At 99 for 7 in the 17th over, with two Lasith Malinga overs left, no one would have expected an addition of many more than the eventual 13.

The beefy Levi then charged out in the chase, swinging the shoulders, mostly to leg, hitting sixes off

Ravindra Jadeja, R Ashwin and Dwayne Bravo. The pitch remained lively: Doug Bolinger hit both Rohit Sharma and Sachin Tendulkar with uneven bounce, forcing the latter to retire-hurt. Levi’s explosive start, though, had

done enough, and Mumbai cruised through with 3.1 overs to spare.

Scores: Mumbai Indians 115 for 2 (Levi 50) beat Chennai Super Kings 112 (Pollard 2-15, Malinga 2-16, Ojha 2-17) by eight wickets.

Universal Solution/Universal...

From page 28 sponsoring a T20 four-team tournament involving all of the top cricketers in Berbice next weekend at the Blairmont Ground.

Meanwhile, the Special Events Committee would like to express profound gratitude to the general public who supported the fundraising

Corn House last weekend to garner funds for Berbice cricket. The event took place at the J.C. Chandisingh Secondary School.

The Board netted a profit of $105,000 which would be used to print coaching posters and for coaching sessions across the Ancient County.

More CARIFTA medals...

From back page ran an excellent leg in the relays for Guyana and I believe that he has had good form recently, consistently getting his time down to around 10.3 seconds.

I think the aim will be to have him prepare mentally,” the national coach believes.

It was pellucid that medalwinning performances are expected from James and Ageday. Boyce is of the view that distance athletes, Foster and Caiton will also win medals. He noted that it is very possible that Guyana could win a record number of medals at the 2012 Games.

Hadi’s Softball results for April 1 The Hadi’s Nationwide Softball Male and Female Cricket Tournament organised by the Guyana Floodlight Softball Cricket Association continued last Sunday at various venues. The tournament continues on Friday in all the categories.

Results are as follows: Ministry of Education Ground Floodlights def Wellman by 88runs.

Floodlights 266-9 off 25 overs. Imtiaz Mohamed 82, Clyde Canterbury 42 N.O., Wayne Jones 37. Wellman 178 all out. L. Rooplall 58. Imtiaz Mohamed and Ramchand Ragbeer took 3 wickets each.

Never Loose def Savage Masters by 71 runs. Never Loose 236 all out off 25 overs.

Ashraf Ali 89, Rabindranauth Seeram37.

Savage masters 165 all out off 21 overs, Nadir Baksh 55. Basdeo Persaud 3 for 15.

Defenders def East Bankers by 11 wickets. East Bankers 132 all out. Suresh Ramdin 64. Defenders 133 without loss. Aftab khan 61 n.o. and o. Chandler 54 n.o.

Enterprise def Wellman by 3 wickets.

Wellman 184 all out off 25 overs. M. Samlall 91 , B. Sarran 44, S. Yadram took 4 for 26.

Enterprise 181-8 off 21.3 overs. J. Lall 38, N.

Roopdeo 31 n.o.. Mike Singh took 3 for 26.

Carifesta Sports Complex.

Green Warriors def Underdogs by 2 runs.

Green Warriors 106 off 10 overs, Keishela 55.

Underdogs 104 for 5 off 10 overs.

Wellwoman def Fazal Kayume Angels by 33 runs. Wellwoman 114 for 7 off 10 overs.

Akaze Thompson 56. Fazal Kayume Angels 81-3 off 10 overs, Latoya Smith 2-6.

4R Lioness def Rising Stars by 84 runs.

4R Lioness 138-4 off 10 overs. Gangadai Singh 88 n.o., Anita Ramdeo 20n.o. Rising Stars 54 for 8 off 10 overs, Nikita Nagamootoo 3-12, S. Goodluck 2-3, Amita Ramdeo 2-8.

4R Lioness def Fazal Kayume Angels by 84 runs. 4R Lioness 104-1 off 10 overs. S. Williams 52 n.o. , Tracy Glasgow 42. Fazal Kayume Angels 25 all out. A. Mahadeo 3-4, S. Goodluck and N. Nagamootoo took 2 wickets each.

Rising Stars gained walkover against Ariel Divas; Buxton Stars def Green Warriors and Underdogs.

Park Rangers def Bed Masters by 11 wickets. Bedi Masters 161 all out, Ishwar Persaud 71, Colin Greaves 5-43, Ricky Persaud 4-17, R. Singh 3-16. Park Rangers 162 without loss, Vinoo Lall 67 n.o., R. Persaud 54n.o.

Thursday April 05, 2012

Kaieteur News

Dr Divina Khan, former GABA president make donation to Wakenaam community

Mr. Douglas hands over the equipment to Chairman of the WNDC Ahmad Zakir Khan, while Dr. Khan, Camilla Seymour (Teacher) and Deonarine Persaud of the Noitgedacht Sports Club look on.

Doctor Divina Khan and former President of the Georgetown Amateur Basketball Association, Raffel Chris Douglas donated two Basketball rings and a pair of balls recently to the Wakenaam community at a simple ceremony held in the boardroom of the Wakenaam Neighbourhood Democratic Council Office.

Dr. Khan, who currently works at the Wakenaam Cottage Hospital, said she is happy to contribute towards the development of sports on the island. Douglas stated

that because of his passion for the game, he thinks that in every community a star is born. He said that he is honoured on behalf of the doctor to be part of this development and assured her as former president he will bring referees and coaches once every three months on the island to assist in the development of the sport and that he will organise a grand school tournament at the end of the year.

Douglas, who also promised to assist with the

development of other sports in Wakenaam, especially volleyball, also said he was very appreciative of the gesture.

Chairman of the Wakenaam NDC Ahmad Zakir Khan, who received the equipment on behalf of the Wakenaam community, thanked Dr. Khan and Mr. Douglas for contributing meaningfully to the Wakenaam society and said it will go a far way towards the development of the sport on the island.

(Zaheer Mohamed)

Guyana Badminton Association Junior Easter Doubles tournament underway The Guyana Badminton Association (GBA) Junior Easter Doubles Tournament started on Monday April, 02 at the Queens College Badminton Courts. The tournament is being played in the round-robin format giving the players a chance to compete with each other and getting the best results for the overall winners.

The results are as follows: BOYS DOUBLES ROUND ROBIN EVENTS: Narayan Ramdhani/Avinash Odit defeated Anthony Murray/ Jonathan Mangra: 21-12, 21-12 Noel Shewjattan/Cecil Abrams defeated Anthony Murray/Jonathan Mangra: 21-10, 21-13 Narayan Ramdhani/Avinash Odit defeated Noel Shewjattan/ CecilAbrams: 21-6, 21-13 Girls Doubles Round Robin Events: Priyanna Ramdhani/Greer Jackson defeated Kara Abrams/ Dominique Assing: 21-4, 21-2 Ambika Ramraj /Varsha Boodram defeated Nadine Jairam/Jea Ramsammy: 219, 21-8

Priyanna Ramdhani/Greer Jackson defeated Nadine Jairam/ Jea Ramsammy: 21-7, 21-6 Nadine Jairam/Jea Ramsammy defeated Kara Abrams/Dominique Assing: 21-18, 21-16 Ambika Ramraj/Varsha

Boodram defeated KaraAbrams/ Dominique Assing: 21-9, 21-13 Priyanna Ramdhani/Greer Jackson defeated Ambika Ramraj/Varsha Boodram: 2113, 21-11 The tournament is set to conclude today.

Strauss, Cook fight back to lift England AFP – Colombo: Underpressure skipper Andrew Strauss and fellow opener Alastair Cook hit gutsy halfcenturies as England made a confident reply to Sri Lanka’s 275 in the second Test in Colombo on Wednesday.

The left-handers compiled a 122-run partnership as England combated Sri Lanka’s pace and spin attack to reach 1541 by stumps on the second day at the P. Sara Oval in Colombo.

Strauss, under fire for his batting and leadership skills, roared back to form with 61, before he attempted to cut

off-spinner Tillakaratne Dilshan and edged a catch to the wicket-keeper in the final session. Scores: England 154 for 1 (Cook 77*, Strauss 61) trail Sri Lanka 275 (Jayawardene 105, Mathews 57, Swann 4-74) by 121 runs.

Guinness ‘Greatest of the Streets’ Futsal Football Competition...

Rough and Rugged, El Dorado Wash Boys among latest winners Rough and Rugged, El Dorado and wash Boys were among the latest teams to register wins when this year’s Linden segment of the Guinness ‘Greatest of the Streets’ Futsal Football Competition continued on Tuesday evening in the Mining Town.

In the night’s full results: Game 1Coommacka United defeated Exodus 3-1.

Coommacka United got their goals from Adrian Edmundson, who netted a double in the 3rd and 15th minutes, while Keiron Daw’s 16th minute strike completed their tally.

For Exodus Dorwin Daw’s 17th minute effort proved insufficient.

Game 2El Dorado eased past $100 cars by a 5-2 margin.

On target for the winners were, I. Webster 6th and 10th min, A. Lambert 8th min, A. Johnson 17th min and K .Coal 19th min. $100 Cars got their goals off the boots of James Lewis 13th min and K. Dondrade 15th.

Game 3Wash Boys squeezed past Cherokee Park1-0.

The lone scorer of the game was Clifford Halley, who netted in the 17th min.

Game 4Rough and Rugged hammered South Stars 5-1.

T. Wilson 6th min, O. Mitchell 8th and 10th min, D. Johnson 9th min and A. Wills 13th were the players on target

Action in the latest round of the Guinness ‘Greatest of the Streets’ Futsal Football Competition in Linden. for the winners, while M. Wilson 7th min strike was the lone response from South Stars.

Game 5Retrieve Unknowns were comfortable 3-0 winners against Barsenal.

The goal-scorers were Darrel George 1st and 19th min and Dwayne Mckinnon 13th min.

Game 6Street Vybz and Hi Stars played to a 1-1 stalemate.

For street Vybz, Jasane Allicock 3rd min strike initially gave them the lead, before Gordon Pollard responded for Hi Stars in the18th min.

Game 7Hard Knocks and Trainline Warriors recorded the second draw of the evening when their clash ended in a1-1 For Hard Knocks, Adswell Benjamin was on

target in the15th min, while Marley Major responded three minutes later for Trainline Warriors.

Game 8½ Mile/1 Mile beat Scheme 3-0.

The scorers for the victorious team were S. Brewley 3rd and 17th min and Charles Harvey 17th min.

Meanwhile, action in the competition continues on Saturday with eight more matches, at the New Silvercity Secondary School Tarmac, starting from 18:00 hrs.

The fixtures are as follows: The Amazing versus Exodus, Top Class vs. El Dorado, Speightland vs.

Rough & Rugged Pokerburg vs. Cherokee Park, Goal Getters vs. Scheme, Eagles vs. Trainline Warriors, Star Boyz vs. Street Vybz and Ripping Bullets vs. Barsenal.

Neblett and Griffith aiming...

From page 31 small extent to race on the track, but we are looking at modifying it to the level where we could compete with some comfort against the likes of Vieira and Graham,” Neblett told this newspaper.

He disclosed that that will only be possible through the support of corporate sponsorship and he is hoping that the ones who’ve supported him in the past remain on board and are encouraged by his recent exploits.

He extended thanks to Pomeroon Oil Mills, Platinum Mining, West Side Wash bay,

BFA Academy commences Bartica football Association Academy programme commenced this week in preparation for the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) upcoming under-16 and 19 Inter Association tournaments.

The academy coaches are

Page 27

Jermain Christian, Kenneth Edwards, Sylvester Tobin, Andy Bishop and Goalkeeper coach Marlon Jackson.

The Academy was recently branded by Scotiabank who had given full support for the programme recently.

Windjammer, Rocky’s Bar, Two Brothers Gas Station, Perreira Mining and Ori Obermuller Mining and his team on mechanics.

Meanwhile, Rookie champion Griffith in his remarks said he felt the Superbike segment in local racing is on the rise and called on the business community to see it as such and offer more tangible support.

He mentioned the cost of preparing for a Meet which could cost a rider without sponsorship quite a few dollars.

“There is no doubt there are a lot of other riders out there who’re willing to get involved in the sport, but because of the lack of adequate sponsorship, they are finding it difficult to procure the financing that will make them competitive,” he stated.

He, however, called on all prospective riders to join the sport since it provides all the necessary protective gears and you could ride fast in a

controlled environment that is built for speed.

Summing up his own performance, Griffith blamed a recent fall before the Meet as a possible factor that might have affected his usually dominant display.

“I had a fall at the last Meet and that might have driven some amount of fear in me, but all is well right now and I’m looking forward to the next event in July,” he said.

He, too, extended thanks to the fans, his mechanics Jodi Douglas and Gregory Lopes and most of all his sponsors Nigel’s Supermarket, Windjammer, E.C Vieira Investments, Dixie Lee, Jackie, Ansa McAl and Golden Brook.

The champ closed by revealing his ambition to stay fit and healthy and develop his skills further which could improve his chances of moving into the ‘A’ Class at some point in his career.

Page 28

Kaieteur News

Thursday April 05, 2012

GT&T 10/10 Nationwide softball cricket tourney...

Georgetown, East Coast, Essequibo & Berbice record riveting encounters The Third Annual GT&T 10/10 nationwide softball cricket tournament continued last weekend around Guyana with more exciting matches as many more teams walked the proverbial plank. No female matches were played in the City, Lower East Coast and Central Corentyne.

Following are the collated results from the matches contested in the City, East Coast, Essequibo and Berbice.

April 1st Georgetown {Zone E – Male} Everest Ground Round 3 – Everest lost to Assassin X1 by 7 wickets.

Round 4 - FSN Tigers were tamed by Supreme Warriors by 3 runs. Regal X1 hammered Kings Jewellery World by 122 runs. Chris Auto Spares XI toppled IDEA Graphics by 5 wickets.

Queenstown Masjid defeated Toucan Power House by 16 runs. Trophy Stall thumped PP All Star by 97 runs.

Wartsila were no match for Builders Lumber Yard X1 which won by 7 wickets.

Monar Educational Institute tamed Young Guns by 41 runs. Renegade Sports Club lost to Assassin by 3 wickets.

April 1st Lower East Coast {Zone F – Male} Lusignan Ground Round 4 – Challengers X1 167-3; Davendra Ramnauth 97 (13x6). LBI Top Guns 75 all

out in 8.5 overs. Challengers won by 92 runs.

Regal MH Begal 115-7; Devanand Samaroo 43* (6x6).

Rockaway Auto Sales ‘A’ 116-4. Samaroo’s innings saw him hitting 37 in 7th over bowled by Samuel Kingston.

KK Warriors 108-5. Gaza Boyz 109-5. Shooting Star 178-5; Martin Hokum 77 (11x6). Marshon Sports Club 33 in 5 overs; Chetram Gangadin 4-2 runs in 1 over.

Shooting Star won by 145 runs.

Success Masters 102-7.

Super XI 55 in 9.4 overs.

Success Masters won by 47 runs. Trophy Stall ‘B’ 138-7; Zaheer Persaud 44. Success Warriors One 94-8; Rene Khan 26. Trophy Stall won by 44 runs. Jaguars drew the bye.

Round 5 – Jaguars 133-6; Hassan Bacchus 55 (8x6).

Challengers 87 in 9.4 overs.

Jaguars won by 46 runs.

April 1st Upper Coast {Zone G - Female} Rising Star emerged as the winner.

April 1st Upper East Coast {Zone G – Male} Helena Ground Round 4 – Mahaica Raiders 80 all out 10 overs; Wazim Mustafa 3-10, Mushtaq Shaw 2-12. Dundee Kings 60 all out in 9.5 overs; Marlon Williamson 3-7. Mahaica Raiders won by 21 runs.

Enmore Cricket Zone 87 in 10 overs; Mahendra Singh 3-

8, Ramchand Suhkdeo 3-11, Emrore Bounie 3-12. Helena #1 Vishnu Mandir 80 in 10 overs.

Fairfield Sports Club 96-7 in 10 overs; Mohan Bissoon 2-7. Foulis All Stars 44 in 7.1 overs; Vincent Pampey 2-3, Leslie Tulsiedass 2-11.

Fairfield won by 52 runs.

KB&B Contractors X1 drew the bye.

March 31st North Essequibo {Zone I – Female} Capoey Regal Warriors emerged as the winner March 31st North Essequibo {Zone I – Male} Queenstown Ground Round 3 – Hell Camp Boys were defeated by Fire Battallion. Cotton Field Stickers beat Tri Best All Star.

Queenstown United Warriors defeated Richmond Youths.

Affiance Storm won from Paradise All Star. Coton Field wild Oats drew the bye.

April 1st Queenstwon Round 4 – Coton Field Wild Oats defetaed Fire Battallion.

Affiance Storm canteretd to victory over Queenstown United Warriors.

Cotton Field Stickers drew the bye.

Round 5 – Coton Field Wild Oats defeated Cotton Field Stickers.

Affiance Storm drew the bye.

March 31st South Essequibo {Zone J – Female} El Dorado Ground

Universal Solution/Universal DVD donates Digital Camera to BCB The Public Relations programme of the Berbice Cricket Board on Thursday last received a boost when Universal Solution/Universal DVD Club of Trinity Street, New Amsterdam, Berbice, handed over a Digital Canon Camera valued at the $60,000 to the Board.

Universal Solution/ Universal DVD Club over the past three years has become one of the leading sponsors of Berbice cricket with sponsorship of a T20 tournament for First Division clubs and a 40 overs Female cup.

Secretary of the BCB Ms. Angela Haniff expressed gratitude to the CEO of the Company, Mr. Vickram Seubarran for his continued assistance to Berbice cricket, noting that last year he had donated a printer.

Haniff said that the Board’s Public Relations Department on an annual

Angela Haniff (right) of the BCB collects the camera from Vickram Seuvarran basis releases as much as 150 press releases along with photos to the media and the camera would assist in this area. With a packed agenda of 25 tournaments and 80 off the field activities, the camera would also assist with the preparation of the 2012 magazine.

Vickram Seubarran expressed pleasure of being associated with the best ever Cricket Board in Guyana and pledged his cooperation in the future. He also disclosed that Universal Solution/ Universal DVD Club would be (Continued on page 26)

Capoey Rising Star emerged as the winner March 31st South Essequibo {Zone J – Male} El Dorado Ground Round 3 - R1 Lemon won by walk over from Invaders Masters.

Rising Star Super Sixers 116-8; Deoraj Dindial 22, Paul Singh 1-12. Abramzuil Secondary School 82 in 8.5 overs; Coyman Bruinesh 314. Adventure Sports Club ‘A’ 96-8; Shaz Grovenor 22, Lawrence Ramdass 3-17. El Dorado Sports Club 101-4 in 9.4 overs; Tameshwar Deonarine 34*, Indal Rampersaud 33*. Golden Fleece Sports Club 135-6 in 10 overs; Patel Persaud 70. Airy Hall Titans 136-8 in 9.5 overs; Eon Grovesnor 49*, Romain Dadolall 3-27. Tsunami X1 drew the bye.

April 1st El Dorado Ground Round 4 – Tsunami XI 165-3; Shannon Jagmohan 84 (10x6 2x4), Gopaul Deen 56 (7x6). R1 Lemon 127-7; Jagdesh Persaud 64 (8x6).

Tsunami won by 38 runs.

Rising Star Super Sixers 1286; Royan Federicks 69 (9x6).

El Dorado 126-7; Indar Rampersaud 48 (6x6), Carl Brunnesh 4-8. Rising Star won by 2 runs. Airy Hall Titans drew the bye.

Pomeroon Zone K – Female Mora United emerged as the winner. No male matches were played this week.

April 1st Lower Corentyne {Zone L – Male} Chesney Ground Round 3 – Night Riders 99-9; Dorsammy Thimmarayan 3-11. Nigg Super Charge 80 in 9.4 overs; Satish Mohan 3-7. Night Riders won by 19 runs. Fyrish Strikers 101-9; Ravendra Hardyal 20, Shazad Chinapen 2-17. Sportsman 87 in 7.4 overs; Ravendra Hardyal 421. Fyrish Strikers won by 13 runs. Karibee Boyz 151-4; Sharmendra Hardyal 48* (7x6). Williamsburg XI 75; Kalyandas Khaimlall 3-3, Imran Khan 3-21. Karibee Boyz won by 75 runs. Takers drew the bye.

Round 4 – Night Riders 68 in 9.1 overs; Kishan Amoi 3-22.Takers 69-9; Satish Mohan 3-12.

Karibee Boyz 130-6; Youardan Gurdayal 33. Fyrish Strikers 66 in 8.5 overs; Imran Khan 3-20, four batsmen suffered via the run out route as Karibee Boyz won by 63 runs.

April 1st Central Corentyne {Zone M – Male} Port Mourant Ground

GT&T 1010 action at the Uitvlugt Community Centre Ground.

Deep concentration by this batsman at the Uitvlugt Ground last weekend.

Round 4 – Whim Super King 139-4; Davendra Thakurdeen 56* (3x6). God of the Change 61 all out in 6 overs. Whim won by 78 runs.

Ankerville Young Challengers 71 in 8.3 overs; Keon Sinclair 2-10. Universal Soloutions Tigers 72-0 in 4.3 overs; Eon Hooper 46* (4x6).

Peter Lewis Contractor X1 drew the bye.

Round 5 – Peter Lewis Contractor X1 131-6; Arjune 58* (2x6). Whim Super King 89 all out; Chandrashekar Arjune 3-8. Peter Lewis won by 42 runs.

Peter Lewis Contractor XI 88 in 9.3 overs; Ram Bharat 37. Universal Solutions Tigers 91-4 in 8.2 overs; Khemraj Mahadeo 23 April 1st Black Bush Polder {Zone N – Male} Mibicuri Ground Round 3 – Yakusari Carib’s Cricket Club defeated Mibi Determination Strikers.

The Young Guns drew the bye.

Round 4 – The Young Guns lost to Yakusari Carib’s Cricket Club.

April 1st Upper Corentyne {Zone O – Female} Young Warriors emerged as the winner April 1st Upper Corentyne {Zone O – Male} Crabwood Creek Ground Round 4 – Fighting Marines lost to Corriverton All Star. Unstoppable drew the bye.

Round 5 – Unstoppable defeated Corriverton All Star to emerge as the Zone winner.

April 1st New Amsterdam {Zone - P Female} Karibee Rice Strikers emerged as the winners April 1st New Amsterdam {Zone - P Male} Edinburg Ground Round 3 – Oldendorff Carriers 65-6. Betsy Ground Tripple Star 67-5. Hits and Jams 72-4. Memorex 74-4.

Round 4 – Betsy Ground Tripple Star 53-7. Memorex 541.

April 1st Canje {Zone Q – Male) Good Banana land Ground Round 3 – Celebrity Times defeated Gangaram Strykers Cricket Club. Young Achievers drew the bye.

Round 4 – Young Achievers will clash with Celebrity Times and Memorex to merge the Zones.

April 1st West Coast Berbice {Zone R – Female} Super Starz emerged as the winner April 1st West Coast Berbice {Zone R – Male} No matches were played this week.

Lethem {Region 9} Zone T – Male Platinum Jaguars Senior emerged as the winner.

Once again, the GT&T promotional team were in Linden and West Demerara where the various communities were treated to the many giveaways and were also able to get a glimpse of the SUV that is on offer through the ongoing promotion.

Thursday April 05, 2012

Kaieteur News

Baseball League for Guyana The proposed site at where the Guyana Baseball League will host matches later this year.

Little is known about the sport of Baseball in Guyana and this is due mainly to our history which has had little influence from the United States of America, but rather a strong persuasion from Britain, Portugal and Holland, countries that are positioned in Europe where the sport is not one of the more central ones.

So, here in Guyana, the sports that our athletes tend to gravitate to are football, cricket and a number of indoor disciplines which dominate the sporting landscape in Europe.

However, in February, a group of sports enthusiasts some who’ve held executive positions and those who were involved in sports from a participatory level decided to join forces with the aim of bringing baseball to these shores.

They formed the Guyana Baseball League (GBL) which has since been incorporated with the aim of using Little League and Major League competitive baseball rules to teach skills, mental and physical development, a respect for the rules of the game, and basic ideals of sportsmanship and fair play.

According to a release

- Launch set for July

from the GBL it is committed to providing prospective participants with the very best educational and sports experience possible. It further stated that it is the fundamental belief that every child with a desire to play baseball be afforded that opportunity.

“We acknowledge that Baseball is now a global game and participation can help to effectively develop character and is critical for interpersonal development and success.

Therefore we will work diligently and positively to develop in the youth we instruct: integrity, respect, accountability, character, self-discipline, personal responsibility and teamwork,” the release added.

The GBL, the release continued aims to build championship caliber major league players and solid major league contributors to society.

The entity will instruct all aspects of the game of baseball in all areas of opportunity that the game affords and this include the maintenance of grounds where the sport will be played, umpiring, scouting and player development, sports journalism and

broadcasting, statistics, athletic sports training, coaching, and many other aspects of professional and interpersonal development.

Meanwhile, the GBL has already built strategic partnerships with Little League International, the Australian Baseball League and Major League Baseball.

The GBL Inc. Board includes Robin Singh as C.E.O, Mr. Don J Singh, Director Marketing and Mr. Bryan Mackintosh, Director Event Management.

The League launches on the Fourth of July with a day of baseball and softball games for all age groups from age 4 to adults.

The GBL has acquired a plot of land that is 11 acres and according to an official they intend to set up a major sports facility that will host various disciplines apart from baseball.

“Even in the preliminary phase of the facility’s development we’ve been able to host a Beach Volleyball game and according to officials attached to the sport, the venue seems conducive to hosting more events of that nature when completed,” the source informed.

WAKENAAM LIONS ARE CHEDDI JAGAN MEMORIAL T\20 CHAMPS Led by a fine all round performance from National U-19 player Ricardo Adams, Wakenaam Lions defeated Maria’s Pleasure by 6 wickets in the final of the Cheddi Jagan Memorial twenty\20 cricket competition last Sunday at the Wakenaam Community Centre ground. Adams grabbed 4- 22 as Maria’s Pleasure who won the toss and elected to bat first were skittled out for a paltry 59 in 8.5 overs. Leonard Lewis 17 and Kennard Lewis 13, were the only batsmen to reach double figures as Roopnarine Persaud and Chandreka Ragnauth supported Adams with 2-13 and 10 respectively. The Lions in reply knocked off the required target in 7.3 overs ending on 604. Adams was their leading batsman with 25, while Persaud chipped in with 15. The game was reduced to 15 overs.

Meanwhile, in the semifinals, Maria’s

Pleasure overcame Sarah and Wakenaam Lions got past Essequibo Islands Secondary School by 6 and 40 runs respectively.

Scores- Maria’s Pleasure 104-7 in 12 overs (K. Lewis 38-3x6, Leorayan Ramlakhan 17).

Sarah 98 -5 in 12 overs (Kevon Boodie 301x6,3x4, Shoaib Namaz 22-2x6,1x4, Heera Sukram 20, K. Lewis 2-16).

Wakenaam Lions 124-7 in 12 overs (Navishaul Pooran 43-2x4, 2x6, Latchman Dindyal 3-31). EISS 84-7 in 12 overs (L. Dindyal 54-5x6, Roopnarine Persaud 3-6, Imran Khan 2-17). Both semifinals were reduced to 12 overs due to overnight rain.

Wakenaam Lions collected a trophy, while chairman of the Wakenaam Cricket Committee Sheik Ahmad congratulated them for a job well done and urged the cricketers to take the game seriously. (Zaheer Mohamed)

Page 29

BCB launches historic Guyoil/Castrol countywide coaching programme Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) continues to break new grounds as it strives to lift Berbice Cricket to its highest level ever since the Board was founded in 1939.

The Board on Friday 30th March launched a massive county wide coaching programme which is sponsored by the Guyana Oil Company and Castrol.

Speaking at the simple presentation ceremony at the Company’s Head Office, Waterloo Street, Georgetown, Demerara, Chairman of the BCB Special Events Committee, Hilbert Foster, stated that the Board in 2012 will be placing special emphasis on the development of new talents via an aggressive coaching programme.

This campaign has already started with the hosting of six coaching clinics, a one day cricket academy in West Berbice and the publication of three coaching posters.

The campaign will now be expanded with the launching of the Guyoil/Castrol Programme.

Under the programme which Guyoil sponsored at the cost of $318 000, the Board will be organising several coaching clinics under directions of coaches Julian Moore, Michael Hyles Franco, Floyd Benjamin and Winston Smith.

Coaching for young cricketers from the Under-13 to Under-19 levels will be held at the Blairmont and Bath Cricket Grounds, Berbice High School and Cumberland Grounds for the New Amsterdam/Canje area while the Area “H” and Albion Grounds will host cricketers from the Lower Corentyne area. The youths from the

Central Corentyne Area will be coached at the Kennard’s Memorial and Whim Cricket Grounds, Black Bush Polder at the Mibicuri Ground and Skeldon Community Centre for Upper Corentyne.

Foster who is spearheading the massive coaching outreach programme, the first of its kind to be organised by a county Board with an official sponsor stated that the sessions will seek to develop new talents in the batting, fast bowling, wicket keeping and spinners departments. Players will also be taught the history of cricket, social manners, roles of a sport ambassador, fielding placement, public speaking and Berbice Cricket records among others.

BCB hopes that at the end of the historic programme, the county will be better equip with cricketers on and off the cricket field while a permanent register of every youth cricketer in Berbice will be established.

The Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club Secretary/CEO expressed gratitude to the Management of Guyoil/Castrol especially Abdool Kadir and Leonard Khan for supporting the efforts of the BCB and hoped that the relationship will be long term and successful.

Foster also expressed gratitude to former Guyana Cricket Board Secretary Bishwa Panday for his support in making the sponsorship possible.

Guyoil Company Secretary Abdool Kadir and Castrol Brand Manager Leonard Khan both expressed satisfaction of being associated with the Board and the development of new cricketing talents at the grassroot level. The two officials were of the view that Berbice Cricket was on the right footing and that the coaching programme will play a huge role in the restoration of Guyana and West Indies cricket.

BVA to stage Easter tourney The Berbice Volleyball Association will be holding its annual Easter Monday Beach Volleyball Competition on Monday April 9 at the #63 Beach, Corentyne.

This year’s competition is dubbed ‘Silvina’s Variety Beach Volleyball Classic 2012’and is open to all volleyball players – male and female. Last year, the ‘2 vs. 2’ competition was won by the GTC/PM pair of Ian Bagot and Luen David who upset Favorites National Players Quacy Matheson and Jared Jhingoree in the Semifinal stages. The pair will be part of a Guyana select team participating in an invitational tournament in Trinidad & Tobago over the Easter Weekend but are expected to be back on Monday to defend their title at #63.

Keen competition is anticipated and this year more females are expected to participate. According to BVA president Gregory Rambarran, first and second place winners in each category will receive trophies and cash plus there will be incentive prizes for outstanding individual performances.

The action will commence at 11:00hrs.

RSJC’s Lall cops Silver in Panama Caribbean /Latin American Judo Championship National Judo lightweight champion Raul Lall of Marian Academy and Rising Sun Judo Club (RSJC) was another sportsman to put Guyana on the map when he made his appearance last weekend in Panama City at the Caribbean/Latin American Judo Championship to cop a silver medal in the under-19 60kgs category of the competition.

Lall has surpassed his fellow club mate, a national swimmer-turned Judoka, Jaime Jabar, for top honours to become the RSJC’s top Judoka of the month even though Jabar was well on par for his second such honour in as many months; Lall’s silver medal win strongly indicated that he was the best amongst them on the local

- Guyana team take third place

Carlos Austin of Panama (left) and Delroy Murphy of Guyana battle in the 55kg category lightweights.

Overall, Guyana team came third in the Championship; Delmur Murphy was also successful at the Tournament after

winning a bronze medal in the U-17 category in the -55kgs division. The team was accompanied by Coach Raoul Archer and Manager Geoffrey Sankies.

Page 30

Kaieteur News

Thursday April 05, 2012

Four top teams to battle for Australians close out comfortable win Australia’s batsmen were briefly supremacy in Mayor’s semi-finals discomforted by spin for a second time before The traditional Mayor’s Annual Knockout Inter-Ward football fiesta continues with the Semifinals tomorrow with an exciting double header at the Georgetown Football Club (GFC) ground from 6:30pm.

The exciting football fiesta will see four top teams, West Ruimveldt, Wortmanville, Bourda and West Ruimveldt Estate battling to the last minute of play time for supremacy.

West Ruimveldt and Bourda will open the curtains in the double header for the semis. The fierce battle between the two teams will see Dwayne Alli, who netted the victory goal for West Ruimveldt in the 18th minute against Kitty, spearheading the team along with Devon Millington, Philip Rowley, Nedd Fraser and Sherman David for another victory.

Bourda will not be intimated by the West Ruimveldt key players as their line-up is as equally strong as Ruimveldt.

Striker Roy Stanton who scored in the quarter-finals in the 79th minute against Kuru Kururu will lead Bourda along with Keshawn Blackman, Keon Solomon, Allan Spence and Ronell McLean.

The final game for the evening will be contested between Wortmanville and West Ruimveldt Estate from 8:30pm.

Devon Millington

Pernell Shultz

Eon Alleyne

Wortmanville already showed that they are a force to be reckoned with in the quarter-finals when the crushed Alexander Village 40. Forefront players for Wortmanville are Pernell Shultz, Eon Alleyne, Colin Edwards, Dellon Williams, Joshua Brown, Paul Daniels and Royan Morrison. Shultz hat trick and Daniels goal allowed them to advance easily to the semis.

The Pedro brothers

(Hubert and Michael), Michael Oie, Stellon David and Randolph Morrison will lead West Ruimveldt Estate in the skirmish against Wortmanville. At stake for the top four teams in the finals are respective $500,000, $250,000, $150,000 and $100,000.

The final is slated for April 13.

Dass guides Gonsalves XI to victory A fine all-round performance by Andy Dass guided Mark Gonsalves XI to a 24 run victory over Stephan Peters XI as the South Essequibo cricket development programme continued with a two day U19 match at the Zorg ground on the Essequibo Coast.Gonsalves XI won the toss and batted first and scored 140 before they were bowled out in 29 overs.

Dass led with 71 while Vijay Surujpaul made 20 and Ricardo Peters 14 as left arm spinner Herry Green bagged 6-23.

Peters XI in their first innings mustered 92 all out in 25 overs with Orlando Osborne 20 and Raj Parbattie 14 being the only batsmen that offered any resistance against the bowling of Albert Ramnauth 4-13 and Surujpaul 2-10.

At stumps on day one, Gonsalves XI who enjoyed a lead of 48 were 15-1 in their second innings with their captain Gonsalves and

Dwayne Alli

Surujpaul unbeaten on 6 and 5 respectively.

When play began on the second and final day Gonsalves XI, who lost Surujpaul in the first over for 7, continued to lose wickets at regular intervals and were eventually bowled out for 86 in 27 overs with their skipper being the main run scorer with 26. Javed Azeez was the pick of the bowlers with 3-16.

Needing 134 for victory Peters XI were bowled out for 110 in 29 overs. Raj Parbattie top scored with 33 as Dass claimed 4-19 and Surujpaul 315.

Meanwhile, Coach Forbes Daniels told Kaieteur sport that the match was organised as part of the South Essequibo Cricket Committee development programme.

He also said that the programme continues next weekend with a coaching clinic for U-19 cricketers.

The committee would like to thank the Gonsalves family for their support.

(Zaheer Mohamed)

rolling to an eight-wicket victory over the WICB President’s XI in the three-day tour match at the Three Ws Oval in Barbados.

The occasional leg breaks of Nkrumah Bonner produced some moments of unease for the visiting top order on the final morning as they closed in on a paltry target - captain Michael Clarke perished and Ricky Ponting also came close to losing his wicket before the finish. Ed Cowan built up his familiarity with the Caribbean with a tidy, unbeaten contribution.

Cowan, Peter Forrest, Shane Watson, Clarke and Ponting all spent a modicum of time in the middle as they acclimatised to the other side of the world, while the bowling attack of Ryan Harris, Ben Hilfenhaus, James Pattinson, Peter Siddle and Nathan Lyon also had reason to be content with their work on days one and two. However the hosts will not be entirely without optimism on the evidence of this fixture.

Watson and Cowan had been greeted by a pitch that had sweated overnight and changed perceptibly in its character, offering some bounce to the tall fast-medium of Jason Holder. The visitors were intent on wrapping up a slim target quickly, but Watson soon perished in the chase, pulling Holder to deep square leg.

Cowan was not middling everything and sliced one over second slip, while at the other end Clarke did not look particularly comfortable against Bonner. One legbreak would touch Clarke’s outside edge on its way through to the wicketkeeper, bringing Ponting to the crease for another spell in the middle ahead of the first Test. He played one slightly ungainly hook shot to the boundary from Holder, and edged the persevering Bonner narrowly short of slip, but otherwise looked in good

Nkrumah Bonner

trim as he and Cowan closed out the contest.

In the end, Australia had won comfortably enough, but not without giving West Indies some reason to harbour hope when the two sides join battle on Saturday.

Scores: Australians 214 for 9 dec (Forrest 53*) & 87 for 2 (Cowan 28*) beat WICB President’s XI 201 (Dwayne Smith 62, Harris 4-23) and 98 (Hilfenhaus 4-8, Lyon 4-17) by eight wickets.

Berbice Cricket Board launches 4th Annual Republic Bank Inter-zone Under-17 Tournament The Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) already packed 2012 cricket season got even busier with the launching of Republic Bank Under-17 Inter-zone Tournament. The tournament was launched on Thursday last at the BCB office in Cheddi Jagan Street, New Amsterdam and saw Republic Bank handing over a cheque for $200,000 for the Tournament.

Chairman of the BCB Special Events Committee, Hilbert Foster, at the launching stated that the tournament would be the 4th of its kind which will involve four teams – West Berbice, New Amsterdam/Canje, Lower Corentyne and Central/Upper Corentyne.

The tournament will be for players born on or after the 1st January, 1996 and teams will be selected based on performances in the Memorex/Leslie Amsterdam Memorial Under-17 Inter-club Tournament.

An Elite 30 man Under-17 squad will also be selected after the completion of the Republic Bank Inter-zone tournament for possible selection for the Berbice

Berbice Cricket Board Treasurer Anil Beharry (right) receives the cheque from Tiffany Asregadoo of Republic Bank (Guy) Ltd. Under-17 team.

Treasurer of BCB, Anil Beharry, hailed Republic Bank (Guy) Ltd as a true friend of Berbice Cricket. Republic Bank, Beharry stated has played a major role in the restoration of cricket in the ancient county as the Bank also co-sponsored the BCB Annual Awards Ceremony and Magazine.

Manager of the Republic Bank, New Amsterdam

Branch, Imran Saccoor, in brief remarks spoke of his admiration of the BCB work especially its aggressive drive to unearth and develop new cricketing talents.

Saccoor further stated that Republic Bank was committed to the development of sports and sees its investment in Berbice as a worthwhile. He challenged the Board to uphold the very high standard and pledged the co-

operation of Republic Bank in the future.

The tournament will see West Berbice and Lower Corentyne/Black Bush Polder clashing at the Port Mourant Ground and New Amsterdam/ Canje playing Central/Upper Corentyne at the Cumberland ground.

The two losers will play for the 3rd place, while the two top teams will play in the finals at a venue to be decided.

Thursday April 05, 2012

Kaieteur News

Page 31

Neblett and Griffith aiming for consistency

T

hey were among the group of riders that performed creditably at the recently concluded Guyana Motor Racing & Sports Club ‘Race of Champions’ Meet and they firmly believe that the Superbike segment of the sport is rapidly regaining the spotlight it once held in the 70’s when the likes of Frank Van Sertima, Johnny Thijs, Patrick Tong and Victor Pires battled each other for supremacy.

Joel Neblett and current rookie Superbike champion Carey Griffith expressed this view when they sat down to speak with this newspaper yesterday.

Neblett, who has been on and off the competitive

scene produced an encouraging performance on Sunday against seasoned campaigners such as local champion Stephen ‘Valentino Rossi’ Vieira and Canadian Kevin Graham returning with a first and two third places to cap a solid day, while Griffith, though not as dominating as in previous Meets, was still consistent enough to gain a first and two seconds.

He pointed out that the positive results came after arduous preparations which evidently paid off and he called on his supporters to believe that he is back and looking forward to much more success in the future.

Neblett, who like Vieira have been instrumental in

honing the skills of riders in the ‘B’ Class, mentioned Ricardo Fagundes as a possible future champion in the sport.

“I’ve been working with him for sometime now and I’ve seen steady improvement over the past four months I want to predict that he will be a champion in the future,” Neblett opined.

As for his own development, Neblett informed that his bike needs further development and he has already begun to act in that direction with the anticipated arrival of upgraded suspensions.

“My current bike was built for the road bike and that has been converted to a (Continued on page 27)

Joel Neblett

Carey Griffith

t r o Sp West Indies include More CARIFTA medals definitely - Boyce Deonarine for first Test on the cards believes as

By Edison Jefford With the assignment of getting Guyana more medals at the CARIFTA Games, the local athletics contingent departed this morning for Bermuda to compete at the region’s most prestigious junior competition this weekend assured that they will be successful.

“I firmly believe that each of these athletes has the ability to win a medal at these Games, and as such, we might just have much more medals than we are anticipating,” President of the Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG), Colin Boyce stated at a media update before the team’s departure yesterday.

Six athletes that included Chavez Ageday (U-20 100m, 200m), Davin Fraser ( U - 2 0 1 0 0 m ) , Te v i n Garraway (U-17 100m, 200m), Stephan James (U20 200m, 400m), Samuel Kaiton (5000m) and Andrea Foster (U-17 800m, 1500m) will be representing Guyana.

Letitia Myles was present with an outside chance of joining the team after her sponsorship was in late and the AAG had

contingent departs

President of the AAG, Colin Boyce (seated, centre), manager of the CARIFTA team, Pamela Phillips (right) and Coach, Julian Edmonds are swarmed by the athletes that will be representing Guyana in Bermuda this weekend. already closed its airline arrangement for the team that will be travelling to Trinidad and Tobago then Bermuda via a chartered aircraft.

Up to press time, the association was attempting to negotiate with Caribbean Airlines to facilitate Myles; among the six athletes, Pamela Phillips was named as manager while the Running Braves Athletics Club’s, Julian Edmonds was identified for coaching duties.

“It’s a very balanced team and judging from

CARIFTA trials that we had, and the times athletes turned in, I believe it was worthwhile to send this team; the sprinters rose to the occasion and it’s for them to continue to improve in Bermuda,” Edmonds indicated.

He said that James, who is a Running Braves athlete and who made the 400m finals at the Games last year, will be aiming to reduce his average 47-second times to 46 seconds.

Edmonds said that once James does that he will be among the medals this year.

Asked if he believes it is time Ageday deliver on the international stage after being well-exposed for quite sometime, Edmonds observed the steady improvements in Ageday’s 100m times, which he thinks could mean a definite big performance on the rubber track.

“Ageday and I would have spent a lot of time in Venezuela (at the Alba Games last year) where he competed and worked-out with much more senior athletes and he did well; he (Continued on page 26)

ESPNcricinfo - West Indies have recalled batsman Narsingh Deonarine for the first Test against Australia in Barbados, starting April 7.

The 13-member squad also includes fast bowler Ravi Rampaul, who missed the one-dayers and Twenty20 due to injury and illness.

Deonarine, the lefthanded middle-order batsman and offspinner, last played for West Indies during the home series against South Africa in 2010. He was the leading run-scorer in the Regional Four-Day Competition with 582 runs in seven matches at an average of 44.76. He also took 20 wickets for Guyana, including two five-wicket hauls.

“Deonarine has been the leading the batsman this season in the Regional FourDay and has demonstrated his commitment and a new level of maturity,” said Clyde Butts, the chairman of selectors. “We have not seen many big scores from the batsmen in this year ’s competition, but he has played some very good innings for Guyana and also bowled very well coming onto the latter half of the tournament. We expect this same level of focus against the Aussies. He is sure to be an asset.”

Deonarine was among those not offered a contract or retainer last year by the West Indies Cricket Board because his fitness was “deemed unsatisfactory”.

The board was not pleased with his attitude to fitness, which it said was “unacceptable for an international cricketer”.

Butts said he was impressed by the performances of the batsmen on the two away tours of Bangladesh and India last year, and backed them to do the same against Australia, ranked No.3 in the world.

Kirk Edwards, who scored a century on Test

Narsingh Deonarine

debut against India last year, has been named Darren Sammy’s deputy. Those missing from the squad that toured India include the experienced batsman Marlon Samuels, wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin and spinner Shane Shillingford. Samuels, who played the one-dayers recently is away in India for the IPL. Rampaul was unable to be considered for the West Indies pre-tour training squad or the ODI series due to a bout of dengue fever. He also had to shrug off a shoulder problem. He played for the Trinidad and Tobago in the Regional Four-Day semi-final against Barbados, taking 4 for 55 in the first innings.

The one-dayers and Twenty20 series were shared 2-2 and 1-1 respectively.

The First Test Squad Darren Sammy (capt), Kirk Edwards (vice-capt), Adrian Barath, Carlton Baugh (wk), Devendra Bishoo, Kraigg Brathwaite, Darren Bravo, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Narsingh Deonarine, Fidel Edwards, Kieran Powell, Ravi Rampaul, Kemar Roach.

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