Kaieteur News

Friday April 25, 2014

Kaieteur News

Page 5

Letters... Where your views make the news Letters... Where your views make the news

Peeping Tom is misleading the public Stop the divide and rule policy over...

Dear Editor, I wish to respond to an opinion column by Peeping Tom appearing in your newspaper on 21st April 2014 entitled “The AFC is attempting to hookwink Guyanese”. In it, the author appears unwilling to accept the rationale put forward by the Alliance For Change for not approving this year’s budgetary estimates of G$1.1 Billion appearing under the heading Amerindian Development Fund.

In response to a newspaper advertisement placed by the party, expressing concerns over accountability with regard to the projects listed under that heading, Peeping Tom states the following: “The Amerindian Development Fund is not an ad hoc arrangement. It is part of the Guyana Red-Investment Fund (GRIF) which is responsible for administering projects under the Low Carbon Development Strategy. It is an undertaking with developed project plans,

timelines and reporting requirements consistent with standards and best practices established by the UNDP. The ADF is being implemented by the United National Development Project which appoints the Project Manager.

Further, the disbursement of funds from GRIF for this project is overseen by the GRIF Steering Committee.”

This statement is misleading because it gives the impression that all projects listed under the heading Amerindian Development Fund are funded from the GRIF and implemented by the UNDP. This is not entirely correct.

While there is a GRIF project entitled “Amerindian Development Fund” which is being implemented with the UNDP as partner agency and subject to the various safeguards which Peeping Tom alludes to, there are other projects being funded and implemented outside of that mechanism that are also tagged under the heading

“Amerindian Development Fund”.

It is the latter category of projects that the AFC has refused to support and in particular the Youth Entrepreneurship and Apprenticeship Programme (YEAP) for which the sum of G$796 million was being sought in this year’s estimates. This programme is not a GRIF program and is not being overseen by any independent partner agency and Peeping Tom needs to get his/her facts straight on this.

Our Government would like the public to believe that any projects branded with the terms Amerindian Development Fund or Low Carbon Development Strategy have met the stringent criteria applied to projects funded from the GRIF and are therefore good to go.

Many seem to be falling for this ruse and are being hookwinked into supporting a number of bogus projects that are of little or no benefit to the people of this country.

Dominic Gaskin

Dear Editor, The people who need love and understanding the most are usually the rebellious ones. Life is contemplatively ironic like that. That is the thrust of my take on the issue in Trinidad and Tobago where a 12 year old girl was videoed receiving a beating by her mother for posting inappropriate pictures online.

This video of the beating was then posted online as well.

The mother’s response no doubt has done further damage to the already questionable self esteem of the child, which contributed to the attention seeking.

At this point it is clear that the mother is not yet competent to deal with such a matter and informed intervention is best; in the interest of mother and child.

Perhaps it’s never too

early to start teaching management of the personal brand and draw attention to the fact of the permanency of whatever is communicated online.

On a wider level it instructs us to consider the effects of technology on parenting. Further, it reveals a sad reality of our Caribbean culture, embedded with violence and oppression that we interpret as “values” and “morals”. The same culture that saw us having to sit quiet in class with finger on the lip or look at the sign on the wall that says “silence is golden” or reflect on “children should be seen and not heard”; while

the rest of the world encourages their students to express themselves. It’s no wonder to me why we have a hard time to say what is on our minds without resorting to forcefulness. We unconsciously have to fight to align our tongue with our thoughts, let alone benefit from the refinement of thoughts that dialogue can bring.

Ah lie me ah tell? Check out some awe parliamentarians dem.

I believe we can change though; I am not passing on that backwardness. It stops with me.

I will love and care and empower with reckless abandon.

Arun Sudesh Richard

This mother’s response has further damaged her daughter’s self esteem

From page 4 assigned for direct spend in Amerindian areas – that is, until the full project document is written, there can be no more spending of GRIF money through the ADF. Two-thirds of the GRIF funding for ADF in the first tranche are assigned for spending by Government agencies, including Office of the President.

3. The weakness of education is notorious. The reasons are well-known in general terms but need to be disaggregated village by village.

Amerindians need to be more insistent about the quality of teaching and teachers and this is linked to the need for the communities to contribute to provision of adequate teachers’ housing.

4. As climate change impacts more and more on the hinterland of Guyana, each community needs to take more responsibility for providing itself with water in possibly prolonged dry seasons. This requires not only capital expenditure but also training in water management and maintenance of pumps and pipes. Mr. Julio Piereras’ water establishment at Manari is a good example for Villages to store water for livestock and fishes and other wildlife in the dry season and restocking in the wet season.

5. Health. As with education, the health of Amerindians is below the average for Guyana. This is related to the shortage of medi-

cal staff within community or within close range. As in other parts of the country, Amerindians need better preventative health education, including nutrition and anteand post-natal care.

6. Energy. Beginning with the Unserved Areas Hinterland Development Project, funded by IDB, the Government should be given credit for considering how best to provide electrical energy to isolated communities and isolated households within communities. The government also deserves credit for initiating installation of solar panels but the only independent review shows widespread failures in panels or switch gear or wiring.Amerindian communities and villages call for top priority to be given to providing the schools and health centers with adequate and reliable power. This calls for a substantial increase in both capital and recurrent budgets, plus training.

7. Caiman House Field Station in Yupukari provides a model of how to provide education in a facility run on renewable energy.

The Bina Hill School for learning is available and does leadership, agriculture, cultural, forestry, IT, business and tourism training. There should be a hundred Caiman Houses and BHIs in Amerindian areas, indeed in all villages in Guyana. Local initiatives like these should be adequately supported financially by the

ADF. As APNU and AFC point out, CSOs should be trained in all these key areas and then assigned to distinct sectors at village level, under the supervision of each Village Council, not under MoAA. I could expand on this list but these are among the key issues. It is clear that toshaos and senior councillors are not being encouraged or allowed to articulate their key issues to the line ministries and agencies. It should be the job of all Amerindian MPs to work in a non-partisan manner in the development of appropriate spends and verification of deliveries. It is not just the matter of the Presidential Grants and the Amerindian Development Fund, because the bulk of Government spending in Amerindian communities is via the budgets of the line Ministries and agencies other than MoAA. All MPs need help to analyse and to contribute to the formulation of the government budget estimates. That could be secured on a non-partisan basis through the USAID LEAD project; this could be a good example of how to use this LEAD project.

Sidney Allicock

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Kaieteur News

Friday April 25, 2014

PM’s son loses case AFC supports elevation of against teen sister-in-law Judiciary to financial autonomy - Magistrate cites insubstantial evidence

Samuel Hinds Jr. One month after the teenage sister-in-law of the Prime Minister’s son was accused of assaulting and displaying threatening behaviour towards him, a city magistrate yesterday ruled in favour of the embattled teen citing that there was insufficient evidence to support the man’s claims.

At the conclusion of the trial, Magistrate Geeta Chandan-Edmond indicated that she had found that no prima facie case had been made out against the accused, Tenza Lane, and as such would be upholding the no-case submission made by representing Attorney Onika Archer.

On March 25, Lane appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court where she was indicted on three charges.

Lane was accused of displaying threatening behaviour to both her sister, Cadet Officer Sonia Herbert and Samuel Hinds Jr. She was charged too with one count of assault causing actual bodily harm to Hinds.

Lance Corporal Jomo Nichols, who prosecuted her case, had previously explained to the court that the incident occurred at their Lot 83 Duke Street residence. He said that Hinds had misplaced a cellular phone and accused Lane of stealing it. A fight ensued between the two. Nichols said that while Hinds reportedly grabbed the teen by her hair, pulled her on the ground, stamped her on her face and dragged her around the house by her hair; she managed to allegedly scratch him several times about his body.

During the course of the fight, the court had heard also that Lane pulled a knife on Hinds and her sister. It was revealed during the first court hearing too that Hinds brandished a gun, cranked it, and threatened to kill her.

Following her not guilty plea, the trial which got underway before Magistrate ChandanEdmond, ended yesterday with the teen being exonerated of the three charges.

In her ruling, the Magistrate indicated that the Prosecution had failed to establish a prima

facie case against the accused since they had failed to prove the elements of the offence.

She indicated that throughout their evidence against Lane for the threatening behaviour charges, the element of fear was not established by the Prosecution. Elaborating, she said that no proof was brought before her that Hinds was afraid as when Lane grabbed the knife, he told the court that he held his ground, pulled out his gun and cocked it.

This, Magistrate ChandanEdmond said, proved that he was not in fear for his life.

As it relates to the charge for threatening behaviour towards her sister, the Magistrate indicated that she did not believe that Herbert was afraid when Lane grabbed the knife, since during her evidence she stated that she was “concerned for her sister.”

In response to the assault charge against the teen, she said that there was no proof of any assault causing Hinds actual bodily harm. She noted that no medical report was presented to the court supporting his claim.

Chandan-Edmond ruled that there was no prima facie case since the elements of the offence were not proven. She affirmed that “a jury properly directed at this stage would not have convicted the accused” and dismissed all charges against her.

The elevation of Guyana judiciary’s status to that of an independent entity has been welcomed by the opposition Alliance for Change (AFC), a move which, according to party leader Khemraj Ramjattan, took “13 long years” to be implemented.

This, the politician added, may not have happened without persuasion and pressure from the Opposition during consideration of the 2014 budget estimates recently.

Ramjattan disclosed this at a press conference yesterday which was held at Side Walk Café, and commended it as the successful re-positioning of the judiciary from a budget agency under the control of the Ministry of Finance, to that of an independent entity with overarching financial autonomy.

The AFC Parliamentarian declared that the government had ‘evaded and avoided this Constitutional configuration because it wanted overall control of the finances of the judiciary, and, as to how it should be disbursed.’ He added, “This year, however, a motion moved by Carl Greenidge, financial spokesman of A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and seconded by (Khemraj) Ramjattan, effectuated the new dispensation so as to bring it into conformity with

AFC leader, Khemraj Ramjattan the constitutional amendment of 2001.”

This new dispensation will mean that each year’s budgetary allocation for the judiciary as prepared by the Chancellor and his team, will now go directly to the National Assembly for approval, and not, as was the case before, to the Ministry of Finance for such approval.

The 13-year period alluded to by the AFC Leader is a reference to when the fight for reform began, in 2001, and when victory was claimed earlier this week.

The judiciary’s status, elevated to one of independent rank by Article 222A, is to be financed as a direct charge on the Consolidated Fund, determined as a lump sum by way of an annual subvention approved by the National Assembly.

“It also means that bureaucratic setbacks for the issuance and clearance of monies for the judiciary will now be negligible, as there will be no ministerial discretion for disbursements,” Ramjattan asserted.

The AFC, he said, sees this new institutional arrangement as a practical endeavour to secure more independence for the judiciary, and making more rigid that separation of powers without which a constitutional democracy is made all the more vulnerable.

In February of this year, the National Assembly passed an APNU-tabled motion that would see the third schedule of the Constitution amended to allow the judiciary, the status of financial autonomy, among several other entities.

Friday April 25, 2014

Kaieteur News

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Salesman gunned down, robbed by bandits on bike Bandits on a CG motorcycle yesterday gunned down a 57-year-old driver/ salesman outside his workplace, Patsan Trading Services, at around 14.40 hrs, before escaping with a bag of money.

Bharrat Ramcharan, of Enterprise, East Coast Demerara, was reportedly shot in the back after he threw a bag of money over the gate of the John Smith Street, Campbellville premises to prevent the bandits from making off with the cash. He was pronounced dead on arrival at the Georgetown Hospital.

According to some eyewitness, Ramcharan was standing with his hands raised when he was shot. The gunmen fled north up John Smith Street after the attack.

Police say that they have detained a suspect.

The slain man’s son, Raymond Ramcharan, said that his father had been

The scene of the killing

Dead: Bharrat Ramcharan employed at Patsan Trading Services since 1995. Kaieteur News understands that he had been robbed at gunpoint on at least two other occasions.

“It’s not the first time that he was robbed, but he would always throw the money at them (the robbers) and they

would leave,” a source said.

Kaieteur News was told that Ramcharan, who had collected an undisclosed sum of money from customers, had

Telecoms legislation…

Powers vested in PM open door for prejudice - AFC Executive members of the Alliance For Change (AFC) have expressed concern over the powers vested in the Prime Minister, in the Public Utilities and Te l e c o m m u n i c a t i o n s Legislation, which they say if passed as is, will open the door for prejudice to take place.

This concern was highlighted by AFC Parliamentarian Trevor Williams, yesterday at a press briefing held at Side Walk Café on Middle Street.

Williams informed media operatives that as he sits on the Committee which has already scrutinized almost three-quarters of the 95-page document, it is looking forward to the Committee completing its work and presenting this legislation to the National Assembly before the recess period. It is estimated that another three to four sessions will see the Committee reading through the entire Bill, clause by clause.

The MP said that the Committee has received

AFC MP, Trevor Williams written submissions from almost all major stakeholders in the sector and awaits follow-up oral presentations.

The AFC Member said that a number of amendments and changes have been recommended and a few issues have been flagged for later discussions. He said that the Committee has opted to delay discussions on Part Eight of the Legislation, the Spectrum Management, Numbering and Domain

Name Management, since a technical presentation covering these issues is scheduled to be done by experts.

He then stressed that as discussions continue the powers of the Minister and fines and penalties for various offences remain an area of much debate and concern. These powers, Williams noted, can be used in a very discriminatory manner.

He highlighted as well that the extremities of some of the penalties is also an area of concern. He said that it is being reviewed by a panel of lawyers.

Williams said that what t h e y f o u n d i s t h a t the penalty for someone who obstructs justice is minimal when compared to the penalty for someone who is found selling or distributing equipment that can disturb frequencies.

The AFC Member then pointed out that when those factors are taken into consideration, it is unfair to pass it the way it is.

just stepped out of his vehicle when two unmasked men on a CG motorcycle approached him. One of them had a handgun.

A source said that on seeing the bandits, Ramcharan immediately threw the money-bag over the fence, then stood with hands aloft. However, the gunmen reportedly ran into the compound and snatched up the bag. They then ran out of the compound and shot

Ramcharan before speeding off on their motorcycle.

Kaieteur News understands that the shot salesman managed to stagger into the compound where he collapsed. He was rushed to the hospital where he was pronounced dead.

A Campbellville resident who lives a few doors away recalled hearing gunshots and later running to the scene.

He said that on reaching Patsan Trading, he saw a man

lying in the yard.

“I ask if is a bandit and they said is Bharrat,” the resident said. He said that he then saw employees placing the mortally wounded man into a vehicle. The slain man’s son said that he received word about his father’s death at around 15.00 hrs.

Several of the man’s relatives and friends, including Ramcharan’s elderly mother, later gathered at his home.

Teen male sex worker accused of theft, damage released on probation Upon receiving a probation report for a 15year-old male sex worker who faced the court on charges of theft and d a m a g e t o property, a city Magistrate recently opted to release the accused teen on a 12month probation.

The teen, who resides in Sophia, is accused of stealing a cellular phone and breaking the gutter at the East La Penitence Police Outpost after staging a rooftop protest on April 12, last.

When he first appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court before c i t y M a g i s t r a te Ann McLennan he pleaded guilty.

The teen during his explanation had claimed that he took the virtual complainant’s cellular phone as payment for “his services” but during subsequent court hearing, he confessed to the

Magistrate that the man was drunk at the time and it was his friend, a taxi driver, who offered the device as payment.

He said too that he was very disgruntled with the way officers of the law would normally treat his reports, so he staged a protest on the roof of the outpost and as he was descending the gutter broke.

Following his lengthy

explanation and pleas to both charges, he was set to be sentenced upon receipt of a probation report.

After a few hearings and the probation report, Magistrate McLennan on Wednesday ordered him into probation services of the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security for one year. He was also released into the custody of his aunt.

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Kaieteur News

Friday April 25, 2014

Quality of teachers attracts increased attention The quality of teachers is gaining keen attention even as moves are being made to achieve universal secondary education. Moreover, since last year the Ministry of Education has been working to upgrade its teachers’ training programme in hinterland communities in Regions One, Eight and Nine.

This strategic move, according to Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand, is intended to permit more persons to become eligible to access the trained teachers’ certificate programme.

In fact, she disclosed during the recent budget debates that a total of 159 teachers were so certified last year.

But in order to ensure that only the best students are allowed to pursue this

- as sector moves towards universal secondary education programme, Manickchand disclosed that “we did something that was painful to us but was very necessary...Students in the Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE) who failed three or more subjects were asked to apply again to come back into the school.”

In the quest to ensure that quality is not compromised, Manickchand said that the Ministry is also working towards designing, for the first time, an appraisal document. This is expected to see better qualified lecturers delivering the teachers’ education curriculum.

Currently there are 23 lecturers between CPCE and the University of Guyana, two of whom are undertaking

doctorates, and the remainder engaged in Masters, with a view of being better prepared to cater to the teachers in training, according to Manickchand.

And the training of teachers is certainly not a hopeless undertaking, the Minister said, as she dispelled reports of teachers ‘leaving in hundreds and droves’. She instead disclosed that the Education sector is in fact faced with an opposing challenge, whereby a number of teachers are now returning to the system. Some of these teachers, she divulged, had broken their contracts in order to leave in the first place.

And since the Ministry is not willing to turn away such professionals, Manickchand said that the entity has in place a policy which ensures that the defaulting teachers pay-off what they owe before being allowed back into the system.

“These are Guyanese, so we try to work out how we could get around the breaking of the contracts,” noted the Minister, even as she highlighted plans to

realise universal secondary education.

But achieving this objective will not be without some challenges when the geographical reach of the country is considered. As such the Minister cautioned that “we cannot build a school in every village...Assuming we were to find oil and we had all the money in the world, it still will not be in the best interest of those children.”

Detailing the efforts directed thus far towards universal secondary education, she disclosed that in Region One, for instance, the major challenge is to ensure that transportation (boats and engines) are in place to get students to schools that are already built.

Region Two on the other hand, she revealed, is much closer to achieving the intended goal, save the need for about eight more class rooms.

And in Region Three the Ministry has already started work to rebuild the Zeeburg Secondary School, which will accommodate students from

both the Zeeburg and St John Schools at East Bank Essequibo, even as plans are being finalised for a 1000person secondary school at La Parafait Harmonie, West Bank of Demerara.

With the construction of a secondary school at Soesdyke and another at Lusignan to accommodate children placed in primary tops, Region Four will be well on its way to providing conducive secondary learning facilities for secondary students.

In the meantime, works to extend the Mahaicony Secondary and other works across Region Five will soon see the Ministry coming closer to realising universal secondary education, Manickchand said. Added to this, she said that construction work at Tutorial Academy and other facilities will also see Region Six attaining similar status to Region Five.

Meanwhile, the Minister observed that Region Seven is in need of a secondary school which will be constructed along the

Mazaruni River.

“We are looking at it.

Because of where that school is going to be it will cost our country somewhere between $600 and $700 million, so that is not something that we are doing this year, but we are looking at how best we can do that,” said Manickchand.

“We know those children need another school and we are committed in this Government to build that other school.”

At the moment, works are engaged at the Mahdia Secondary School to expand that facility, while another is under construction at Cato, and is slated to be completed by next year, bringing Region Eight closer to attaining universal secondary education.

Preparation for works at the St Ignatius Secondary in Region Nine is being streamlined, and the Minister disclosed that already Region 10 is on the verge of achieving the intended goal.

“We will be able to, with the allocations in the budget, bring in many of the Regions and be able to better prepare our children for Guyana tomorrow,” said a confident Minister Manickchand.

Chikungunya cases US threatens to pull aid confirmed in SVG to Haiti over late vote KINGSTOWN, St. Vincent had been diagnosed with the - CMC - Three cases of the mosquito-borne disease chikungunya have been confirmed in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, a senior health official told the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC), yesterday.

The confirmation comes less than 12 hours after a video was posted on the internet in which a woman form Paget Farm in the northern Grenadine island of Bequia, said she and three other members of her family

disease.

“Yesterday (Tuesday), I got up and couldn’t even walk properly,” she said, adding that she then travelled to St. Vincent, where a doctor prescribed antibiotics and other medication.

“Seriously, I wouldn’t wish it for my biggest enemy.

Too much pain, pain in the joint, fever, headache,” the woman said.

In the video, other residents displayed symptoms, such as rashes, and joint pains.

P O RT- A U - P R I N C E , H a i t i ( A P ) — T h e U S government has warned Haiti that it risks losing aid if it doesn’t hold elections that are more than two years overdue.

The US Embassy in Port-au-Prince said yesterday that none of the money set aside for the Haitian government by the State Appropriations Act will be available until the US State Department certifies Haiti is “taking steps” to hold the legislative and local votes.

The money at stake is about $300 million that the US Congress allocated for Haiti for fiscal year 2014.

The money is earmarked for Haiti’s coast guard, health ministry and other projects. Haitian officials are under pressure to organize the elections for this year.

The executive branch and Chamber of Deputies signed an electoral law this month but the Senate has yet to approve.

Friday April 25, 2014

Kaieteur News

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Guyana should be aiming to have many specialty units The Specialty Hospital has been given special treatment by the combined parliamentary opposition.

Once again, the plug on the finances for the construction of this hospital has been pulled.

The opposition parties are yet to give an explanation as to why financing for this project was not approved.

But it comes against the background of a Guyanese man dying in Trinidad after he began feeling unwell.

In this instance the man was said to be on holiday in the twin-island Republic, but a great many Guyanese have gone to Trinidad to seek tertiary medical treatment at specialized institutions.

The trend these days is to have specialized institutions that provide tertiary medical care. It is felt that a better service can be provided if it is delinked from the provision of primary health care.

One of APNU’s

parliamentarians had argued during the Budget debate for the upgrading of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation. The plea was that instead of having a specialty hospital, it would be much better if the Georgetown Public Hospital could provide the same services provided by the proposed Specialty Hospital.

There are number of challenges in doing so. First of all, as mentioned, the experience has been that it is best if tertiary care is provided by specialized institutions.

Even where such care is provided in institutions that also provide primary health care, it is usually done under independent units. This is the reason why, for example, the Caribbean Heart Institute is a separately-run facility operating out of the Georgetown Hospital.

However, it is a privatelyoperated service.

A second reason why specialty hospitals are

needed is because of the prohibitive costs of tertiary health care. It would be unaffordable for the Guyana government to provide tertiary health care free of cost. Certain surgeries require specialists to be brought in; require certain procedures which are not only costly but which have to be carried out without any threat of other demands for use of operating facilities. You don’t expect, for example, when someone is being readied for open heart surgery, to be told that they will have to wait because there was a major accident somewhere and that preference for the use of operating theatres has to be given to the injured from the accident. With specialty hospitals, there is no fear of this happening.

But fundamentally, the reason why governments are moving towards specialty hospitals is because it allows them to provide their citizens with a much needed service,

President chides GPF over number of unsolved murders President Donald Ramotar expressed his dissatisfaction with the increasing number of unsolved crimes which are plaguing the Guyana Police Force.

The Head of State while delivering the feature address at the opening of the Police Officers Annual Conference yesterday said that there is an alarmingly high incidence of unresolved crimes and low rates of prosecution, resulting largely from police failures.

According to Ramotar, these two issues can have serious consequences. He stressed that these could lead to heightened criminal activities within the country.

The president said that all the blame “should not and is not being place solely on the police”. He said that he has already spoken to the Minister of Legal Affairs Anil Nandlall to address the issue with the judicial authorities.

Ramotar expressed his total disapproval at two highly debated cases. One is the ‘Bourda shooting’ when local club cricketer Carlyle Barton was seen on surveillance camera shooting another man.

Several months after being charged, Barton was released after pertinent witnesses failed to attend court and give evidence.

The second case which

- says low rate of prosecution also cause for concern the Head of State made reference to was that of businessman Randy Jagdeo.

Jagdeo was charged with the murder of biker Kurt Davis.

According to the president this case was truly heartrending and shows possible scheming.

“He had a motorcycle waiting on him at the court…It shows that he must have known what was going to happen that day!” the President stressed.

Ramotar noted that it was totally unacceptable for persons to escape justice because of poor preparedness of cases by Prosecutors, failure to ensure witnesses attend Court, failure to apply for witness summons, discrepancy in evidence and Police Officers failing to attend Court, all of which have been the result of failed prosecutions in recent times.

He said that there must be an improvement to ensure that there is value for money.

The President also said that there should be greater collaboration between all the disciplined forces and the judiciary.

Working together, he stressed, would help to put an end to criminal activities,

lest it is encouraged and fostered locally. He said that if this is continued they would create an avalanche of crimes within the society.

The Guyana Police Force has been coming under increased criticism for its failures with many cases in the court.

There have been concerns that the Force has not been doing enough to get witnesses to attend court and ensure that they offer evidence in matters before the court.

Meanwhile, the Director of Public Prosecutions, Shalimar Ali-Hack, who was also present at the Police Conference, said that she has given the Magistrate direction to reopen the Barton case and to find and get a further statement from the missing witness in the Jagdeo matter.

According to the DDP, they had sent for the depositions in the Jagdeo matter and the witness who didn’t testify was supposed to give a further statement when it came for advice. The file was sent back to the police for them to find the witnesses, take further statements, and return it to the DPP Chambers.

one that is less than the cost of similar services overseas.

If Guyanese, for example, had to go overseas to obtain open–heart surgeries such as that which is provided by the Caribbean Heart Institute, it would cost ten times what it is costing them at the moment.

As such, specialty hospitals allow for far cheaper access to certain types of health services.

But because this is not a free service, there is a problem.

Vested interests see the opportunity that has arisen because of the need for specialty hospitals as a means of making money. Such hospitals, while providing cheaper health care in developing countries, have become a money-making investment.

This is something that has to be guarded against, because there are strong concerns over the use of

taxpayers’ funds to be invested to allow private medical practitioners and even private investors to profit. The Specialty Hospital that the Guyana government wants to construct can allow for certain persons to make money. It can become a gravy train for them to profit off of a massive state investment.

But the solution to this problem is not to abandon the idea of having specialty hospitals. The solution should be to use the profit motive to secure tertiary health care. One way in which this can be done is to encourage private hospitals to provide such care. There are many private hospitals which are at the moment competing with the public health care system in the provision of primary health care. These private hospitals should be encouraged and offered incentives to provide

certain specialized services, both secondary health care and tertiary health care.

In this way, the profit motive which is often essential in ensuring quality health care can be directed towards ensuring that the public has access to health care. Thus, for example, a patient in need of a kidney transplant can be referred to a private hospital for such treatment. In this way you build local capacity without the government having to get directly involved in providing the service.

Instead of having one specialty hospital, Guyana should be aiming to have many specialty units, each providing a specific health service, and each being run privately. This is the way to go.

Friday April 25, 2014

Kaieteur News

Cops seeking another suspect in businessman’s murder Newly-appointed Crime Chief, Leslie James, has disclosed that the police are seeking another person in connection with the kidnapping and subsequent murder of businessman Rajendra Singh.

According to James, although they have charged five men in connection with the murder, the police still have interest in another individual.

James noted that the police have confessions from the persons charged. In responding to the strength of the case and the possibility of a successful prosecution, he said that the court will have to make that determination.

Meanwhile, James also signaled that he intends to “follow the laws of Guyana with regards to taking any position”. “The training received would be put into place and the standards that are expected of us would be measured. With my efforts and those of the investigators, all criminals should be concerned.”

Five men were charged and appeared before Magistrate Ann Mc Lennan at the Georgetown

Newly-appointed Crime Chief Leslie James

Murdered businessman Rajendra Singh

Magistrates’ Court last week Thursday.

Adony James, 31, of Roxanne Burnham Gardens, Georgetown; Sheldon Chase, 28 of Pike Street, Kitty; Doonauth Ketwaroo called ‘Pumpkin’, 27, of Good Hope, ECD; Tony Thomas, 27, of Bel Air, Georgetown and Michael Lewis called ‘Jet Li’, 37 , of Sheriff Street, Georgetown, were not required to enter pleas to the capital offence of murder.

They were remanded to prison until May 21, 2014. The allegation was that between April 5 and 9 at Le Repentir Cemetery, they murdered Rajendra Singh. The

prosecution is expected to call some 31 witnesses at the Preliminary Inquiry.

Singh, a spare parts auto dealer was kidnapped by two gunmen on April 5 at his Foulis, East Coast Demerara business place. His car was found abandoned in Goedverwagting, East Coast Demerara by his wife.

The kidnappers had initially demanded $50M from the family, but reduced it to $25M. The ransom was never paid and Singh was found dead on April 9 with a gunshot wound to his head in Le Repentir Cemetery in Georgetown.

(Latoya Giles)

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Amended Appropriation Bill to reach OP today The 2014 Appropriation Bill, which is essentially the Budget, is expected to be forwarded today to the President for his assent.

This is according to a senior official at the National Assembly, who yesterday confirmed that the Bill had not been sent off to the Head of State, given that up to yesterday it was at the National Printers.

According to the official, the Bill was with the National Assembly and the lawmaking body took some time to put in the amendments before sending it off to the printers. The amendments would have to reflect the more than $37B cut from various ministries by the political opposition during the consideration of the Estimates.

It is expected to be completed tomorrow, according to the official, who said that it would be immediately sent to Office of the President for assent, after which it will be published in the Official Gazette.

Bills are no longer sent to the Office of the Attorney General, resulting from the fact that Speaker of the

National Assembly, Raphael Trotman, had worked out a mechanism where the Bills approved by the House are sent directly to the Office of the President for assent.

It was Head of the Presidential Secretariat, Dr Roger Luncheon, who told media operatives on Wednesday last, that the Appropriation Bill which was approved more than a week ago was yet to reach President Donald Ramotar’s desk.

He said that the Appropriation Bill is constitutionally due, at the latest, the end of the fourth month of the fiscal; that is the end of April.

According to Dr Luncheon, the opposition

selectively did not approve funding and essentially determined the outcome of the provisions of the 2014 Appropriation Bill.

“The 2014 Appropriation Bill makes no provision, no funding for many Government sectors and entities…The opposition option essentially resorted to that extreme and that is the non-approval of and zero appropriation for those programmes.”

Luncheon at the time of his pronouncement was adamant that the constitutional mandate of the elected Executive Government to govern cannot be discharged without adequate financing.

“We all know it pays to run governments.”

Page 12

Kaieteur News

Friday April 25, 2014

Four-year-old’s death at GPHC…

Four health workers to be disciplined A final investigation into the death of four-year-old Jaden Mars, who died last December while a patient of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), has been completed.

This development has been confirmed by the Health Ministry’s Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Dr Shamdeo Persaud.

According to the CMO, based on the findings of the Special Committee, which was set up to investigate the deaths of children, a recommendation was made for disciplinary action to be meted out to at least four health professionals who attended to the young child.

This publication understands that the operations of three doctors and one nurse were scrutinized by the Committee as part of the investigation.

Fulfilling the recommendation of the Committee now sits squarely in the hands of the Medical and Nursing Councils, since, according to Dr Persaud, these two bodies will have the final say.

However, mother of the young child, Nathalie Caseley, in an interview with this publication insisted that she is not merely prepared to accept “word of mouth about their recommendations for disciplinary action.”

“How can I trust them that indeed that will be done,” lamented the still distraught woman, who revealed that senior officials of the GPHC had informed her that “they cannot send anyone home pending the outcome of the

- mother disheartened by lengthy process

Nathalie Caseley displays photos of her son’s deteriorating condition during his hospitalisation. investigation into the death of my son because they are short of staff.”

According to the woman, she is convinced that “the GPHC caused the death of my eldest and at the time, my only son, and it seems as though they are not in a hurry to try to amend the pain they have caused my family by concluding this process which seems to be going on forever.”

Jaden Mars was admitted a patient of the GPHC on December 4 last year after he fell and hit his mouth damaging his tongue in the process. The child was at his home (45 West Ruimveldt Housing Scheme,

Georgetown) with his grandmother, Nancy Gittens, who first rushed him to the East La Penitence Health Centre, where a nurse there was able to control the bleeding of the wound before referring him to the GPHC for further medical attention.

At the hospital, the child was triaged, and it was ascertained that his condition was not an emergency. He was eventually attended to by a doctor who administered two 25 milligram doses of Ketamine intended to sedate him so that his tongue could be sutured.

However, since the general anaesthetic medicine was not effective in putting

the child to sleep he was referred to the theatre for the needful medical care. The process should have taken about 15 minutes but it was not until one hour later that medical personnel emerged from the theatre to inform Caseley that her son’s heart had “crashed”. He remained in an unconscious state until December 10 when he died in the hospital’s Intensive Care Unit.

Caseley is therefore convinced that “by no means, at all, my son should have ended up dead for the minor injury he sustained…I feel as though I’m now being pushed around and taken for granted in my quest for justice and closure.”

According to the woman, her constant efforts to stay in contact and get straight answers from officials at both the GPHC and Ministry of Health resulted in her, on occasions, being treated in an undesirable manner.

She disclosed it was only earlier this week that she was in contact with an official of the Health Ministry who promised to provide her with an update, but has not done so to date.

Moreover, Caseley is adamant that she has been waiting far too long for official answers into the death of her son.

“In all that happened to my sweet Jaden, not an official from the Ministry of Health reached out to me,” said the heartbroken mother as she recalled an official of the hospital “practically saying that the hospital was responsible for my son’s death.”

That very official, Caseley said, had promised to, at least, take a proposal to the Ministry for her to be compensated in some way for her loss.

This recommendation, the

woman said, was made during a meeting she was called to at the hospital shortly after the passing of her son. The meeting, she recounted, was attended by the hospital’s Chief Executive Officer, Mr Michael Khan; Director of Medical and Professional Services, Dr Sheik Amir and his secretary as well as Member of Parliament, Reverend Kwame Gilbert.

The woman noted that while she is aware that her efforts, or that of anyone else, cannot resurrect her son, she is on a mission to ensure that the hospital learns from its past mistakes, so as to ensure that others do not suffer similarly.

“The day after my son was admitted into the ICU, I took pictures of him on the life machine to Mr Khan to let him know what was happening, but was told I cannot see him but needed to go to Dr Amir instead…I went to him (Dr Amir) and his secretary told me to leave a letter since I cannot see him like that,” recounted Caseley.

“I saw him on the (hospital’s) corridor and I reached out to him with the pictures of my son telling him I would like to understand why my son ended up this way and he shunned me and said ‘ma’am, ma’am, I’m not the doctor that dealt with your son’,” she claimed Moreover, she is of the conviction that the hospital should put in place a functioning system to deal with the concerns of grieving family members.

A post mortem examination revealed that Jaden Mars died of Pulmonary Embolism, which is a blockage of the main artery of the lung or one of its branches by a substance that has travelled from elsewhere in the body through the bloodstream. It was also

Jaden Mars determined that there was no prior damage to any of the child’s internal organs.

The woman recalled that as part of her efforts to get answers about her son’s sudden demise she had requested to see his medical records. But according to Caseley, “they gave me a jumble-up file with incorrect dates, and records of another child was even mixed up with my son’s records…I had to take the mess back for GPHC to straighten it out.”

Caseley said the records showed that her son developed respiratory problems after a decision was made to stop sedating him while he was a patient in the ICU. The doctor on call was summoned to attend to the child but his response was ‘I’m having dinner; I’ll be there when I’m done.’

“Imagine that,” Caseley reflected, as she expressed hope that her son’s death would not have been in vain.

According to the woman, who is mother to two-yearold Jada and newborn son Jonathan, she and her partner, Junior Mars, are trying to remain strong for their children, even as she added that “it is really hard to come to grips with losing a child under such circumstances”.

Friday April 25, 2014

Kaieteur News

Region positioned to be breadbasket of the world - IDB …but tough policies to increase production needed A key report has placed Latin America and the Caribbean in an excellent position to help feed a global population of nine billion people in 2050. But the region must implement key policy actions to increase agricultural productivity, according to a new report released yesterday by the Global Harvest Initiative (GHI) and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).

Drawing on knowledge and experience from more than 30 public and private sector partners, ‘The Next Global Breadbasket: How Latin America Can Feed the World’ outlines challenges, recommendations and action items for policy makers, the donor community, farmers, agribusiness, and civil society.

The IDB statement said that population growth and dramatic diet changes will, over the next several decades, place great stress on agriculture worldwide. ‘The Next Global Breadbasket’ describes the role of Latin America and the Caribbean region (LAC) in addressing this challenge, as well as its opportunity to increase

development, reduce poverty, and support social progress across the region.

“Latin America has immense potential to help meet our planet’s growing demand for food, feed, fibre and fuel in a sustainable, productive way. By putting in place a comprehensive agenda of pro-agriculture policies, Latin America can attract the investments and innovations to become the 21st century global breadbasket,” said Dr. Margaret M. Zeigler, Executive Director of the Global Harvest Initiative.

The LAC region contributes 11 percent of the value of current world food production and represents 24 percent of the world’s arable land. The region has about 28 percent of the world’s land that has been identified as having medium to high potential for sustainable expansion of cultivated area, and 36 percent share of land that is within six hours travel time to a market.

“Already the largest net food exporting region in the world, LAC has achieved only a fraction of its potential (Continued on page 15)

Page 13

Demerara Bank Limited registers 32% profit for half Demerara Bank Limited has recorded a 32% increase in its profits after tax for the first six months of its financial year

Demerara Bank Limited has continued its excellent run in terms of performance, recording a 32% increase in its profits after tax for the first six months of its financial year.

Bank officials yesterday disclosed that it made $577.6M in 2013 for the first half that ended on March 31st.

Major growth was especially due in the areas of loans and advances which increased to $19.7B from $16.0B, representing a 23% rise when compared to the 2013 financial year.

Investments increased to $19.1B from $18.1B. The deposit base of the Bank also showed encouraging signs of growth to $40.4B from $38.3B. Demerara Bank’s net assets for the half year totaled $49.5B compared to the $45.7B at the end of March 2013.

Interest earned on income for the period under review totaled $1.6B. This included from both loans and advances and investments.

This represented a rise of 23% over the previous half-year.

As a result of the bank’s

solid performance for the first half of the year, shareholders’ earnings per share (annualized) increased by 31.5%, to $3.38 per share.

Officials of the banks yesterday pointed out that the tremendous growth coincided with its upcoming 20th anniversary celebrations.

At present, the bank has a network of six branches countrywide with plans underway to further expand and add a bigger head office premises by early next year.

Demerara Bank, which describes itself as Guyana’s first indigenous commercial bank, opened for business in November 1994.

Page 14

Kaieteur News

Friday April 25, 2014

“Illegal” Easter spot sales prompt sanctions against Sooba, officers - Council invites citizens to claim refunds

By Zena Henry The Mayor and City Council (M&CC) is setting to move a motion to sanction Town Clerk (ag) Carol Sooba and all the officers that were involved in the “illegal” collection of funds for Easter spots on the seawall during the holiday on Monday.

At a press conference yesterday, media workers were informed that the Council has decided to take serious action against the Town Clerk for selling seawall spots at exorbitant prices, against the authority of the Council.

A motion will also be moved against the officers who took part in the exercise, since according to Council executives “they

(constabulary officers) are losing their way” amidst the confusion that is taking place as a result of the “blatant disregard” by the Town Clerk for the authority of the Council.

It was pointed out that the constabulary officers are no longer adhering to the Council and are showing blatant disrespect for the Mayor and Councilors.

Deputy Mayor Patricia Chase-Green clarified that against what is being said in certain sections of the media, the Mayor, along with persons who accompanied him to the seawall last Monday, in no way “played bullies”, or intervened in the fund-collecting exercise with armed guards.

She explained that on

meeting to the location, it was observed that a Council vehicle (van) was parked on the seawall with persons relaxing and eating in its tray.

In the passenger seats, more persons were observed eating and drinking and conversing. When it was asked who was in charge, the officers completely ignored the Mayor, and no answer was given, she explained.

The Deputy Mayor described this as a state of concern; when employees are disregarding the authority of their employers.

Former Mayor Ranwell Jordon said that the activity conducted by Sooba was illegal. He said that it is obvious that the de facto Town Clerk was not taking her orders from the Council.

Councilor Ranwell Jordan and Deputy Mayor Patricia Chase-Green conducting yesterday’s press conference

“She is not carrying out the instructions of the Council.” “I don’t know where she is taking her orders from, but I know it is not the Council,” he charged.

Jordan pointed out that the constabulary officers must be aware that, “their orders do not come from the Minister nor the Town Clerk, but from the Mayor and Councilors.”

He was adamant that the Local Government Ministry, in supporting Sooba, is supporting her illegal activities, “and the M&CC will not tolerate this kind of behaviour.”

The Councilors have indicated that the next statutory meeting, which will convene next Monday, will see the motion being passed and voted upon. The Council’s Personnel and Training Committee is expected to put their foot down on the Constabulary officers.

As the Council related its embarrassment at families having to pay some $15,000 and $20,000 to enjoy the religious holiday, they are inviting persons who would have been charged on the seawall to come into the agency with their receipts and identification cards to be refunded.

They said that while the Council indeed, would charge fees to offset clean up and other charges, it is usually in the area of $1,500 and $2,000.

The Councilors said too that while the Minister of Local Government Norman Whittaker stated last week that should it be found that Sooba’s actions are illegal, he would have her “reverse” it, nothing was done.

It was emphasised that he never contacted the Mayor or Councilors to ascertain the situation and in turn, the Council does not see it fit to make contact with the Minister over the issue since

legally, he has no say. They charged that the matter is a Council issue, “which will be dealt with by the Council in the best way we see fit.”

It was also reiterated that to date the Mayor is being restricted to five gallons of gas per week, while the Town Clerk is allegedly using Council vehicle to “visit relatives in New Amsterdam, to go market shopping etc.”

The Deputy Mayor slammed the Town Clerk for demanding that the Mayor come to her office and offer her an apology before she restores gas to his vehicle.

This and several other matters are expected to come to the fore at the next statutory meeting.

The Town Clerk (ag) has criticized the Mayor for what she said was disrupting the collection of seawall funds.

She pointed out that a report has been lodged at the police station against the action of the Mayor and Councilors.

Friday April 25, 2014

A 46-year-old bar maid was shot dead around 22:30 hrs on Wednesday at her employment site, the Country Club Restaurant and Bar located at Chateau Margot, East Coast Demerara (ECD).

The victim whose name was given as Jagwandai Ramnauth called Selena of Bath Settlement,West Coast Berbice, was killed hours after she reportedly spoke of quitting her job due to months of unpaid salary.

Her boss has since been in police custody assisting with investigations.

Police in a press release said that Ramnauth was involved in an argument with a group of patrons at the night spot during which one of the men pulled out a firearm and fatally shot her to the head, after which they escaped.

Kaieteur News was informed that the owner was not at the bar when the incident occurred but he reportedly told investigators that he received a call a little before 23:00hrs from one of his workers who informed him that the woman had a

Kaieteur News

“problem” with some people.

According to police sources, the owner claimed that he immediately went to the bar and found his worker lying in a pool of blood behind a counter with a bullet wound to her forehead after which he informed the police.

The man, who has been renting the aforementioned property for the past several years to operate his restaurant and bar, was taken into custody late Wednesday night and was later released.

However, after taking statement from several persons, including workers at the bar, investigators rearrested him.

Yesterday at the scene, Rai Gurdat, one of the owners of the Chateau Margot property from which the business is operated, said that he was asleep when police visited his home.

“I am staying at the back of the bar. I didn’t hear any music so I assumed business was slow. The police woke me up and ask if I heard any gunshots and I said no,” Gurdat said. He added that

The bar where Jagwandai Ramnauth called Selena was shot and killed

investigators took him to the bar and showed him the body of Ramnauth lying in a pool of blood on the floor.

“I was shocked and I panicked. I didn’t hear any gunshots. Selena used to work hard, from morning to night, and she didn’t get paid

Black Bush $1.7M robbery…

Prison escapee among two suspects being sought Police are continuing their hunt for two more suspects in the robbery of a Black Bush Polder couple on Tuesday.

They say that one of the suspects is a prison escapee.

The victims, Baijnauth Niwaz, 58, and his wife Kalawattie Niwaz, have since being discharged from the Anamayah Memorial Hospital where they were rushed after they were attacked and robbed at their Yakusari North, Black Bush

Polder home, around 19:00 hrs. The couple was at home relaxing when two men, one of whom was armed with a shotgun, entered through an open door. The assailants are reportedly known in the area.

Information revealed that the couple, who are rice farmers, had earlier in the day withdrawn some money and had done some payments.

The rest of the cash was taken with them to their home to pay their workmen and persons

from whom they had purchased paddy. They were relaxing after a hard day’s work when the bandits barged in and committed their dastardly act.

The police later found an improvised shotgun not too far from the robbery scene.

Information revealed that one of the perpetrators escaped from the New Amsterdam prison in 2011.

Investigations are continuing.

Region positioned to be breadbasket...

(From page 13) to expand agricultural production for regional consumption and global export,” according to Ginya Truitt Nakata, Operations Senior Specialist at the IDB. “The next 10 to 20 years offer a critical window of opportunity to advance new forms of productive and environmentally sustainable agriculture in the region.”

Key areas for policy action and investment in which the public and private sectors can and must move forward together include agriculture science, research, and development; education and technical support for farmers; a working transport and logistics infrastructure and a proper system of irrigation, water management

and mechanization technology. The report also targeted the availability of credit, coops and a reduction of post-harvest losses.

Guyana especially would be interested in the report, as the country has been aggressively pushing its agricultural programme. Rice

Page 15

broke the 500,000-tonne mark last year. While sugar is struggling, emphasis has been placed on the rising production of a number of alternative crops.

The seafood industry in recent years has also been seeing significant investments.

for almost a year. The morning before she was killed, she said to me that as soon as the boss pays her, she will leave,” Gurdat claimed.

Kaieteur News was informed that Ramnauth was

not only a waitress at the bar but also manned the night spot whenever her employer was not around.

According to Gurdat, workers quit working at the bar due to non-payment of

salary and “Selena had to do everything. In the morning, she made cutters and cleaned, and in the nights she served.”

Investigations are ongoing.

Page 16

Kaieteur News

Friday April 25, 2014

Friday April 25, 2014

Kaieteur News

Page 25

E-Governance project has nothing to Taxes on petroleum products, vehicle do with internet - Alexei Ramotar imports remain big earners for Guyana - Infrastructural development phase concludes month-end

E-Governance Project Manager, Alexei Ramotar

By Keeran Danny “If you felt the EGovernance project is internet then you are barking up the wrong tree. E-Governance has nothing to do with internet.

In fact, internet, in my opinion, in offices should be blocked.

What E-Governance does is have a data centre where there is a database repository.” This notion was emphasised by Alexei Ramotar, Project Manager of the E-Governance Unit, during an interview with this publication yesterday.

He stressed that in Government Ministries, a majority of the computers are used as typewriters. However, he believes a computer should be used to build applications and programmes and have a database management system to allow processing of payments and information quickly.

“When people reduce EGovernance to internet there is no point in us building what we build just for

internet…Internet is not part of the E-Governance project…We would still need internet to be provided by a provider…This project is just for e-governance,” Ramotar said.

He explained that by August month-end, the US$32M project would be ready for utilization by Government Ministries and agencies. The project will be rolled out in a phased manner and could take a number of years because of its expansive nature.

Ramotar said that by April month-end the infrastructure development aspect of the coastal E-Governance project would be completed. The Chinese contractor, Huawei Technologies Ltd, is currently installing Long Term Evolution Radios at the 54 tower sites, after which the optimization element would commence. Though the contractor is expected to leave in August, there is a defects liability period of one year.

According to Ramotar, Government Ministries and agencies would be integrated into the project in a phased manner, because it would be impossible to have them on board all at once.

“We would have to have massive staffing and massive bureaucracy…We can’t afford to do that. What we would have is to bring on agencies one at a time. It is a phased project that would take many years,” he asserted.

Explaining the lengthiness of the E-Governance systems, Ramotar said if Guyana were

to implement electronic medical records - as is done in many countries - it would take about 10 to 15 years to be rolled out. As such, the Unit is looking at the longterm strategy of executing the entire project.

“There is no end to EGovernance… There is always additional stuff we bring on…Our project was implementation of infrastructure…Eventually, there will come a time when we will have to expand from infrastructure….This project was mainly building…There is no time span for implementation,” he said.

While not all entities would be facilitated at once, the Unit has communicated with all Government Ministries, and agencies such as the Guyana Revenue Authority. In fact, the Unit has connected its routers to all Ministries to facilitate the project.

“We would be doing testing now and then we have to come up with a strategy as to who would come on,” Ramotar noted.

He suggested that the Ministry of Home Affairs should be one of the first Ministries to come on board because of the vast potential of the project. He said with the E-Governance project that Ministry could connect all cameras to a centralized location. This would be best done through a fibre network which would allow HD cameras, processing of information quickly and licence plate recognition.

Taxes on imported petroleum products and motor vehicles remained among the biggest earners for the country.

Last year, revenues from the import taxes raked in $24.1B, more than the $20.6B budgeted for.

These include taxes on motor vehicles, petroleum products, tobacco and alcoholic beverages.

Taxes from vehicle imports alone were $9.9B while petroleum products were $11.7B. More than $1.3B was collected from tobacco and

- PAYE contributions drop almost $1.1B from alcoholic beverages imports.

However, less employees were paying the Personal Income Tax – ‘Pay as You Earn’ (PAYE) with $15.1B in collections from $15.27B budgeted for. Self-employed persons paid over $3.3B, almost $600M less than what was projected.

Collections of Corporation Taxes from private sector companies went up by almost $1.6B to $21.6B. The Guyana Revenue

Authority is aiming to collect at least $2B more this year.

At airports, passengers were travelling more. Of the $682M targeted for the travel tax, collections improved significantly to $937M. The increase in the number of vehicles on the road was the reason why licences for motor vehicles went up to $586M from the $539M budgeted.

Fines from the Supreme Court went up to $158M, almost $8M more.

West Coast of Demerara.”

PUC made it clear that it is distressed that a few unscrupulous persons are bent on receiving monetary gain in committing these criminal activities, and “it is also disturbing that businesses in the trade are procuring these items, perhaps with full knowledge of its source”.

“This is not acceptable and all stakeholders have to be concerned, to be vigilant and to take preventive measures

against such acts. The Commission joins GT&T in the call to all communities to be vigilant and to report all instances of suspected persons committing such acts to the police and/or to GT&T.” GT&T itself has been complaining that vandalism has affected it programmes of regular maintenance and attending to routine complaints of customers.

The incidents have also cost the company tens of millions of dollars.

PUC warns of buying stolen GT&T copper cable

The regulator of the telephone industry has called for more vigilance by residents after vandals damaged critical components leaving thousands without service.

According to the Public Utilities Commission (PUC), it has noted with alarm the acts of vandalism against the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GT&T)’s telecommunications infrastructure. “The target seems to be the company’s insulated copper cable.”

The Commission pointed to a disruption which occurred on Sunday and affected customers in Belvoir Court, BelAir, Prashad Nagar, Sophia, Blygezight and surrounding areas in the city.

“It is also disturbing that on April 17, 2014, a fibre cut in the vicinity of Windsor Forest, West Coast of Demerara caused a disruption in the GT&T services on the Essequibo Coast and Islands, the West Bank and the

Page 26

Friday April 25, 2014

Kaieteur News

‘Straight Up Gyaff’ No illegal

for

Gravity Lounge

Pulse Entertainment will be hosting sensation at the Gravity Lounge this Saturday.

And yes there will be Pulse Dancers in attendance. Tickets will be sold at Glamour Designer Brands and Movie Town DVD Club exclusively. They will cost $2,000 each; patrons will pay more at the door. Music will be provided by Parliament out of Trinidad and Tobago.

Caribbean music festival listed in world's Top 10

The Caribbean has snagged one of the spots on the top 10 music festivals from around the world, with Spain emerging as

one of two hosts.

Whatever your musical preference, there's a festival to match, and this year's line-up promises to be the best ever, according to MailOnline Travel.

In a global line-up that includes countries as diverse as Australia and Serbia, the Caribbean snagged one spot, coming in at 10th place with the Dominican Republic's Groove Fest on the popular Puerto Plata tourist belt.

Further Caribbean influence comes with a number of the region's leading performers in countries as far away as Croatia.

Annual Parika Car & Bike display set for tomorrow The folks at To-To Gas Station Sand and Stone Depot will be hosting their annual Parika Car and Bike display show tomorrow at the Parika Community Centre Ground.

Promoters say that they intend to “bring the heat” this year and the event will see a display of unique and pimped out cars, SUVs, bikes and even minibuses.

Of course fans can expect sizzling clashes in categories for the best

vehicles. There would also be honours to be carted off for vehicles with the best sound, most sleek vehicle, best boom, and various other categories.

Music will be provided by the popular Slingerz Family, and the Supa Cat One Man Band. See you there!

weapalloow ned s By: Kiana Wilburg

T

he recent shooting of popular radio announcer, Curtis "Dj Casual" Armstrong and his colleague, Sean Hinds at the Easter Fest Show on Monday last which was held at the Providence Stadium brings to mind the popular phrase, "No illegal weapons or firearms allowed."

I am once again regrettably reminded of just how much attention is paid to security at these “star packed concerts.”

Additionally, based on an exchange with a few of our local promoters, I was disappointed to learn that “CIA security arrangements” are made for regional and international superstars who grace our shores.

When it comes to the protection for the citizens who continuously provide unyielding support to those promoters who bring artists just to sing their latest single they are given the least attention. The “extremely affordable” prices for the VIP tickets seem to only cover the “sinfully delicious” refreshments and a performance by the artists.

When the number of casualties at these parties/concerts is considered, one can conclude that the cost to attend these concerts is a pretty expensive price to pay for lapses in security.

It would be honest for promoters to indicate whether this “luxury” is “sold separately.”

Nevertheless, when the aforementioned is concerned I am brought back to the policy of “no illegal weapons and firearms” at these events.

The unfortunate incident involving the popular radio announcer, in no uncertain terms, underscores the need for tighter security from beginning to end at these events.

And I mean police officials in the crowd, parking lots, and the VIP section among other strategic points of these shows to reduce the risk of such incidents.

Of course some promoters will argue that round the clock security for an approximately 9pm to 4am show, comes with a

cost. But I beg to contend that a price cannot be put on ensuring the safety of life.

After engaging some police officials in a brief discourse, it was explained that there is a process by which promoters acquire the presence of police officers at these shows. After completing out the necessary paperwork there is a payment arrangement. Promoters pay for the officers after examining the prices for various ranking officers.

The cost for a constable is around $3000 per night. I dare say that at such a cost, increased police presence at these shows is affordable.

The officials also expressed their “annoyance” at the fact that some promoters do not respect time.

One law enforcement officer said that when advertisers are given a particular time to start and end a show, they usually disrespect the time and start late as with the last Easter Monday show. The official said that it must be understood that officers do get tired. When this agreement is breached, there are lapses in security and it becomes recipe for disaster.

With that in mind, it basically comes down to the promoters ensuring that the same respect paid to ensuring “top notch” security for its performing artists, is provided for its die hard supporters.

It is also important that they strive to honour their time arrangements made with law enforcement officers as well. It is not too much to ask.

Several promoters who recently spoke to this publication admitted that while they have in some cases taken security for granted the recent incident with regard to DJ Casual was something that hit home.

They expressed that every effort will be made to ensure that such does not happen again and that security for locals is treated as a number one priority as well.

Thumbs up to those who have committed, verbally, to making an effort.

Friday April 25, 2014

Page 27

Kaieteur News

of the

Proceeds

Sonu Nigam Concert for

T

he Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha has announced that its Shelter (BalNivas) for Children who are victims of abuse, will be opened at a special ceremony on Monday May 5 at 4pm.

The location is at Ankerville, Berbice.

The programme will feature cultural performances by children and talented youths, music by the E-Networks Orchestra, speeches and much more.

The feature address will be delivered by President Donald Ramotar.

The Sabha's Voices Against Child Abuse programme was launched in 2010 and the building plan for the shelter unveiled in April 2012 by President Donald Ramotar and Sonu Nigam. The contract for construction was awarded to Kascon Engineering Service.

Works commenced in March 2013.

Now complete, the beautifully constructed building can accommodate up to 66 persons. In addition to being a safe haven for vulnerable children, BalNivas boasts a skills training centre for women and a counseling facility. The services will be open to all Guyanese.

The Sabha wishes to thank all of the businesses and persons who have donated generously to BalNivas and those persons who have supported its series of mega concerts, all of the funds from which were put into the project.

The Sabha urges all to support the Sonu Nigam Concert on Sunday May 4. All of the proceeds of which will again be dedicated to the Shelter.

Following his magnificent sold-out performance in 2012 at the Guyana National Stadium, renowned Bollywood playback singer, Sonu

Nigam, returns to Guyana on Sunday May 4, 2014 for another fabulous concert organized by the Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha. The Concert is titled Klose to my Soul and has been specially crafted for Sonu's 2014 world tour.

Described as the Bollywood's Biggest Musical Extravaganza to date, it will feature tributes by Sonu to Indian musical legends like Mohammed Rafi, Mukesh, Manna Dey, LataMangeshkar, RD Burman and Kishore Kumar along with a healthy dose of Sonu's own chartbusters ranging from up-tempo dance numbers to his latest blockbuster hit AbhiMujh Mein Kahin, a song which swept all the awards last year. Sonu will also be taking requests from the audience. A25 member troupe from Mumbai, includinga large selection of Bollywood's best musicians,will be in Guyana for the Concert.

Also performing will be upcoming Bollywood playback singer, Jonita Gandhi. Following the success of her title track in Chennai Express starring Shahrukh Khan and Deepika Padukone and a series of concerts with Sonu worldwide, Jonita has been making waves in the Bollywood music scene.

She also did vocals for the upcoming film 'Highway' starring Student of the Year's Alia Bhatt, the music of which is directed by Oscar winner A.R .Rehman. Jonita's success as a singer is also thanks to the video sharing site, YouTube. She has posted several covers of popular songs and her acoustic versions of Tum Hi Ho &Pani De Rang got over two millions hits!

Her recent renditions of Suhani Raat and (continued on page 28)

English Movie of the Week:

children Shelter

Divergent is a thrilling action-adventure film set in a world where people are divided into distinct factions based on human virtues. Tris Prior is warned that she is Divergent and will never fit into any one group. When she discovers a conspiracy by a faction leader to destroy all Divergents, Tris must learn to trust in the Mysterious Four and together they must find out what makes being Divergent so dangerous before it's too late.

English ‘Song of the Week:

Brazilian dancers for

Palm Court

Palm Court presents Brazilia, the Brazilian party at Palm Court this Saturday. As the name suggests, the party will carry a Brazilian theme, with exotic dancers, Brazilian drinks, a Brazilian Dj and Brazilian Music.

Samba will not be the only music played; patrons can expect a variety of Soca, Dancehall, and Hip Hop. Music will be provided by Dj Tranquilo from Brazil and also by the Boom DJ's from 94.1.

The exotic dancers will be performing on stage at different times for about 20 minutes. At any Palm Court promoted event, ladies are free before 11:00 pm

Music of the week: 'Come & Get It' “Come & Get It” is a song recorded by American singer Selena Gomez for her debut solo album, Stars Dance (2013). The song was written by Ester Dean, M.S. Eriksen, and T.E. Hermansen and was produced by Stargate. The vocals were produced by Dreamlab.

"Come & Get It" was released as an official single on April 6, 2013, after previously premiering on Ryan Seacrest's morning radio show.

Page 28

Friday April 25, 2014

Kaieteur News

Talent of the week

Social worker aims to claim “the Supreme Interior Decorator” title

One of the many signature Agrippa designs for a wedding he did recently

I

Proceeds of the

Indian ‘Movie of the Week’:

Highway

nterior Designing has often been placed on the same level of importance with architecture. It is considered the art of stringing all the right elements together, thereby giving life to the functionality of a home or places as well as having it serve as a construct of appeal to the senses.

It is because of this very reason that a passionate Marlon Abiosi Agrippa is hoping to become Guyana's Supreme Interior Decorator.

Born on June 1979, this social worker grew up in North Ruimveldt but currently resides in Newtown. He attended East Ruimveldt Secondary and then progressed to the University of Guyana where he completed a degree in Social work and is concluding another Degree in Sociology. While he also holds a Diploma in fashion designing he insists that he has an overwhelming passion for events decor in interior transformations.

His passion for every element in the fashion world showed its signs in his Secondary School, he says that constant training and practice has only served to sharpen his talent as well as fuel his hunger to be the best in the field.

“I believe that I will stand out because the distinction between me and others is my sense of style. When it comes to interior designing, it's not just putting together what you want or what you think matches and looks best. It is the appropriation of colors and decor for the event by its nature. It is a science and a hint of charm and personality.”

He added, “I was a part of Guyana Fashion Weekend 2013, and indeed it was both a learning experience and an eye opener for me to make informed decisions as to the way forward in business. It has developed me and allowed me to reach a higher level of dignity, integrity and pride in myself and also in what I do.”

As a social worker, Agrippa says that his talents have proven to be helpful as he would have to interact with youths who have the raw potential

Interior Designer, Marlon Agrippa and aptitude for the world of art and craft but are in need of guidance. The Interior Designer says that he has been dedicating his time to run short courses in hand painting, tie dye, and batik.

Agrippa has done amazing works for several weddings, baby showers, birthday anniversaries, parties, office functions and religious events.

In his spare time he enjoys; painting, reading, and being creative with insignificant objects. He is also a Skill and Knowledge for Youth Employment (SKYE) Coach with USAID and this entails training and mentoring youths for the world of work.

Highway is a 2014 Indian drama film written and directed by Imtiaz Ali and produced by Sajid Nadiadwala. The film stars Randeep Hooda and Alia Bhatt in the lead roles. Screened in the Panorama section of the 2014 Berlin International Film Festival, the movie released worldwide on February 21, last. It outlines the story of a young woman who is kidnapped before her wedding and held for ransom. She develops Stockholm syndrome towards her kidnapper. The film is based on the episode of the same name from the Zee TV anthology series Rishtey, starring Aditya Srivastava and Kartika Rane, which was also written and directed by Imtiaz Ali.

Indian Song of the Week:

‘Maahi Ve’ A.R Rahaman

Sonu Nigam

From page 27 Chaudvinka Chand are simply beautiful.

The concert is being held to commemorate the 176th Anniversary of Indian Arrival in Guyana and the Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha's 40th anniversary.

Ticket prices to see this iconic performer in concert are $1500 for standing tickets, $2500 for General Seating, $6000 for VIP Reserved Numbered Seating and $25,000 for all-inclusive VVIP tickets.

Stadium parking costs $1,000. Tickets are available at the Dharmic Kendra – Prashad Nagar, Red Mango – Robb Street, Bhagwan's – Water Street, Harinarain & Sons – Regent Street, E-Networks (all locations), M & M Snackette – East Bank Demerara, Murti Shop – West Coast Demerara and Spready'sSnackette – Berbice.

For more information and ticket inquiries please call 227-6181, 219-1900 or 641-4270.As usual, there will be a strict no alcohol policy.

From the 2014 film, Highway, 'Maahi Ve' enthralls you with its soulful singing by music maestro A R Rahman.

The video of the song features Alia Bhatt and Randeep Hooda. The Oscar winning composer managed to capture the soul of the story beautifully. The words were penned by Irshad Kamil.

Friday April 25, 2014

Kaieteur News

Page 29

We will not change Gas station owner loses $1M after daughter jumps our position on from hijacked car Albouystown - Top Cop

Commissioner of Police (ag) Seelall Persaud engaging residents during the launch of ‘Impact Albouystown’ a few weeks ago.

Commissioner of Police (ag) Seelall Persaud says that the Force will not change its position in Albouystown unless it sees failure in achieving its principle of “providing the greatest good for the greatest number of people”.

Persaud made the declaration during his inaugural address at the belated opening of the Annual Police Officers’ Conference, which is being held at the Police Headquarters, Eve Leary.

Persaud was referring to criticisms of the police’s “Impact Albouystown” operation which was launched a few weeks ago in a bid to curtail criminal activity, in what the Force described as a volatile community.

According to the Acting Commissioner, the Guyana Police Force is proud of its achievements in Albouystown.

“Our partners, the resident faith-based organizations, have indicated that they are happy, the private sector has supported and pledged continued support. We had expected resistance and we had some since in the planning stage, particularly from those who benefit from crime and

disorder. However we remain committed to base our policies on the principle to provide the greatest good to the greatest number of people,” Persaud told the audience, which included President Donald Ramotar and Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee among other dignitaries.

But the Top Cop will have to ensure that the successes in Albouystown are not undermined by ranks who act contrary to the Force’s motto which is ‘to protect and serve’.

“I’ve seen some of our members involved in all sorts of excesses against the very members of the public that we are supposed to serve, however, I’ve also observed members that have displayed great commitment and dedication to duty,” Persaud said.

According to the acting commissioner, the present effort of the Force’s administration is to seek to control excesses. To this end, the organization is committed to continue working with the Ministry of Home Affairs to realize the Force’s strategic plan.

To achieve this, he said, the executive leadership team, which comprises Divisional and Branch Commanders

along with the civilian-based Strategic Management Department will have a major role to play.

“I wish to inform that they have all renewed their commitment to this process,” Persaud said.

As part of the reform process, the Police Force is cognizant of the need to enhance public trust, an area which has not escaped the new Top Cop. Persaud said that there are a host of initiatives, which are based directly on addressing public trust, and which seek to enhance the Force’s operations in ways that will ensure public trust.

Already the force has commenced placing a bulletin board in each police station.

“That bulletin board will have information that will include what the public should expect from us; the name and cellphone number of the person in charge of the station, the rank in charge of the Sub-Division and the Officer in Charge of the Division,” Persaud explained.

The bulletin board will also have details on the station’s performance in treating with crime and disorder; it will also have information on prisoners’ rights and human rights among others.

A Berbice businessman and his daughter were on Wednesday evening robbed of over $1M by three identifiable bandits, one armed with a gun, just as they were about to enter their home at St John Street, New Amsterdam.

The thieves, one wearing a hood and the other two unmasked, are suspected to have trailed them from their business place at Canefield, East Canje, Berbice, to their home, where the men hijacked the car (a Toyota Roctus PPP 9798) with the young lady still inside and drove away with the money.

According to information, businessman Raymond Arnold, 60, of 20-6 St John Street, New Amsterdam, owns and operates the R. Arnold and Daughters Gas Station.

His daughter Diana Arnold, 23, an employee of Republic Bank, would at times collect her father from his place of work.

And Wednesday was no different, as the young lady collected her father just after closing his business and headed home. As they approached their home around 19:20 hrs, the car stopped just before the yard to allow the man to come out and open the gate.

After he did so, the young lady was about to drive in the yard when she noticed three men - two on foot and one on bicycle - approaching in her rear view mirror. Not taking much notice, the young

woman was startled when one of the men stretched his hand through the half open window, pointed a gun at her and grabbed the steering wheel as he tried to open the door to get in the vehicle. A struggle ensued as the young woman refused to yield. She tried to drive the vehicle away, but the bandit held onto the steering wheel.

One of his cohorts accosted Mr. Arnold who was standing outside and demanded the money. The businessman refused as the bandit jumped into the vehicle. As the scuffle continued, the bandit managed to overpower the young lady and forced her over to the passenger side as he jumped in and drove away, just as the third bandit had entered the car where the $1M was in a bag.

As they headed into Strand, the woman managed to open the door and jumped from the moving vehicle, injuring herself in the process. She is said to have suffered a slight fracture to her back, injuries to her knees and hands.

The bandits then turned through St Magdalene Street and headed into the Vryheid, Angoy’s Avenue area. The woman walked back to her residence where a crowd was gathered outside.

The police were informed and arrived at the scene. In the meantime, residents had also gone into action and chased behind the vehicle.

The businessman’s hijacked car

One resident on a motor cycle noticed the car being driven at a fast rate and sensing something amiss, decided to chase behind it.

The driver turned through several streets before eventually smashing into a premises in the Vryheid area.

The damaged car with its right bumper smashed was found with the engine running and the inside ransacked.

The police subsequently recovered the car and lifted a number of fingerprints from the vehicle. Several persons have since been placed in custody.

The businessman and his workers had earlier noticed two strange men drinking at a nearby run shop not far from his workplace. The men then visited his gas station and asked for sweet drinks. After they were told this not was available they left and were lurking around other shops.

This is the fourth robbery the man has suffered. The last time being in January when thieves - believed to be the same three men - had ambushed him and his family and entered their home. They left empty-handed on that occasion. The businessman said he is disappointed with the justice system in Berbice and is contemplating quitting.

Diana Arnold was serving as a juror in the High Court in Berbice. She has since been excused from the trial.

Investigations are continuing.

Page 30

Kaieteur News

PROPERTY FOR SALE Property for sale.Call:627-5416

FOR SALE LARGE QUANTITIES OF HIGH PURITY MERCURY (QUICK SILVER) 99.99995% PURITY$19,000 PER POUND CALL: 592-227-4754.

Spare for washing machine, microwaves,fridges, stoves, timers, gearbox, pumps, etc call: 225-9032, 647-2943 Houses located Ogle, Diamond, Herstelling, BelAir, Lamaha Gardens, ETC, Contact: 223-8479/684-4748, www.spaceseek.gy Almost brand new items to be sold: Refrigerator and microwave – Contact:671-2066 1,500 Acres of Land located in Berbice. Includes Machinery, Property and Multiples Vehicles, etc, Contact: 223-8479/684-4748, www.spaceseek.gy One 6125 John Deere tractor for sale. For more information contact: 670-3328 Pure breed German Shepherd puppies - $75,000 each – Tel:682-2148, 655-8674 Pure Rottweiler Pups - Call: 672-6402,264-2870 Pork - $380, Pork Chops - $650, leg pork - $480lb, salted pork $450 (8 Lbs pails) @ Geroge & Hadfield Sts. Red Honda 250 Twister motorcycle – Contact:6713533; 681-2217 Two 212 Carina, 2 AE100 Wagon – Tel:660-0018, 6411040 Honda Welder, 270 Amps, 2002 Tundra – Call:611-5114, 220-4495 One – 2 Storey concrete house for sale – Contact:618-1754 Mixed bred German Shepherd and Rottweiler pups, fully vaccinated and de-wormed – Contact: 6291471, 220-2277, 220-8904 A BLACK XBOX 360 WITH 6 CONTROLLERS AND 10 AUTHENTHIC MICROSOFT DISC, EG BLACK OPS 2 – TEL: 6017152, 223-9987 Pure bred German Shepherd pups, fully vaccinated & dewormed – Contact: 629-1471, 220-2277, 220-8904 Sets of (3, 2, 1) seats pillow back cushion suite in excellent condition. Owner leaving country – Call:6971243 PORK WHOLE SALE, WHOLE, HALF & QUARTER CARCASS. NO HEAD! NO TROTTERS! – CALL:266-2711, 609-4594

FOR SALE Toyota Forklift - Excellent condition, 4,000lbs capacity, 117" Lift, Solid Wheels, Automatic Transmission, 4 Cylinder LPG Motor. Call: 604-6108.

Milking cows, 1 complete 3Y Shell, one short base EFI – Call: 231-1256 or 684-1336 Hand Truck, Bar –B-Que fireside – Tel:627-7835 Games PS2 - $900, PSP $900, X-Box 360 - $2600 & PS3 - $2600 & Original Games Call: 672-2566 New Blackberry 9370 with memory card – Call:675-2239 Short foot puppies and dogs for sale – Call:276-4052 or 6872921 Male pit bull puppies Contact:225-6137 or 661-7204 Pure bred German Shepherd puppies with long hair fully de-wormed & vaccinated, good blood line breeding – Tel:696-4659 Pure breed Rottweiler pups, fully vaccinated & dewormed – Call:627-1360

LEARN TO DRIVE Soman Son & Outar Driving School at Maraj BuildingTel:644-5166; 622-2872; 6150964; 689-5997 Shalom Driving School @ 2 Croal street. Fee $16,000Call:227-3869

LAND FOR SALE Blankenburg, Public Road W.C.D (38ftX150ft), (39ftX150ft) $16M each - Call: 658-0132 La Parafaite Harmonie - $1M & $2M, Herstelling $3M,Grove - $1.2M, 2Storey, 5-bedroom building @ Diamond, E.B.D - $48M – Call:675-7292, 218-5591

MASSAGE The Gents Spa: Be pampered by beautiful masseuses. New masseuses Amanda and Crystal – Tel:657-5979

1-2 storey wooden & concrete house with 5 bedrooms, upper flat & lower flat 4 apartments located@ Shell Road, kitty - $38.9M – Tel: 642-7898 One three storey business property @ Middle St. Georgetown – Tel:619-7134, 225-6481 price negotiable.

2 Business properties on Whim Public Road Corentyne – Call: 619-7134, 225-6481. Price Negotiable One property for sale at Covent Garden Island, E.B.D – Call:265-3586 Double lot with house at Lot 254 East Bank Demerara, one block away from Public Road – Call: 621-1766 Two bedrooms concrete building with toilet & bathroom.

House : 31ft X 21Ft, land: 120ft X 60ft - $8M at Anna Catherina, W.C.D – Call:276-0712 Furnished house for sale – price: $25M firm– Call:6691028 Dazzell Housing Scheme, Paradise, E.C.D, last street (22nd Street) – Tel:650-0716, 619-5357 One back lot for sale @ Lot 239 2nd Street, East Cummings Lodge, Greater Georgetown – Tel:691-4009; 679-3895

CAR RENTAL Dolly’s Car Rental - Call: 225-7126/ 226-3693 dollys autorental@yahoo.com/ www.dolly sautorental.com Progressive Auto Rental - carsCall: 643-5122 or 225-8711, Email:pro_autorental@yahoo.com Wings Car Rental - Call:6431131 Aidan’s Car Rental, Canter & Pickup- Call: 645-7981/ 6987807

DRESSMAKING Jean is offering courses in dressmaking, curtains, floral & cake decoration. Lot 153 Barr St Kitty – Call:670-2653, 618-1706 EDUCATIONAL Practical Electronic Course beginning May 6th 2014 – Call Abdul Electronics – 2266551 or 225-0391

Friday April 25, 2014

FOR RENT PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION,WEDDINGS, ANNIVERSARY, ETC. CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 216-1043; 677-6620 Two Bedrooms lower flat apartment, one month’s security - $40,000 per month @ Paradise Factory Rd, E.C.D – Contact:625-9939; 672-2677 Executive Four Bedroom House located in Bel-Air Park- USD $2500-Contact: 223-8479/6844748, www.spaceseek.gy Executive Houses & Apartments Located in Queenstown, Prashad Nagar, Kitty, Lamaha Springs, etc, Contact: 223-8479/ 684-4748, www.spaceseek.gy Office Spaces located in secure compound on New Market Street. Contact: 223-8479/6844748, www.spaceseek.gy One upper flat @ 6th Street Cummings Lodge ECD – Call:622-3580 Top flat – Diamond E.B.D – Tel:678-9835

VACANCY 24 Hour East Coast Guy-oil needs night pump attendants, salesgirl & office assistant - Call: 670-8893/ 695-9880/ 684-2838 Federal Management Security Services: Armed, Baton Officers, bus drivers.

Located @ 120 Peter Rose Street, Queenstown - Tel:2260633, 226-0652, 226-0637 Sawmill – Mill wright, porters, wood mizer, band saw & moulder operators. Eccles industrial Site, EBD – Call Richard:609-7675,233-2614 One night security, Apply in writing with a valid,Police clearance to GCC Ground, Bourda.

Cashiers @ Shell Service Station Providence EBD. Must be able to work shift (5am-3pm & 3pm-12pm) – Tel: 265-7305 Pump Attendant @ Shell Service Station Providence EBD. Must be able to work shift (5am-3pm & 3pm-12pm) Tel: 265-7305 Graphic Artist, CorelDraw & Adobe PhotoShop CS2, Apply to: Executive Office Service. 82 Albert St. & Regent Road, Bourda, Georgetown Accounts clerk & Salesgirl: Apply in person with handwritten application at Alabama Trading, Ferry Stelling, Stabroek.

SALON Make Up Courses, Artist Trained & Certified in Trinidad.

Call: 660-5257, 647-1773

VEHICLE FOR SALE Toyota Allion PRR 9124, low miles, mags, reverse camera, etc. In excellent condition CallAyube: 233-5557; 610-1309 One registered Allion 2003.

In excellent condition – Call: 652-3820, 665-4529 First Class Auto: Premio, Allion, Spacio, Raum, 212, Allex, Runx, IST, Fielder, Bluebird, Axela – Tel:6098188, 638-3045

TO LET 1 – Four bedrooms house with all modern conveniences, semi-furnished - $300,000 monthly, Happy Acres - Tel: 231-7839 (working hours) Two bedroom apartment to rent with toilet & bath located in Eccles – Call:2332252, 694-4563, 662-3837 Now Open! Harmony Inn, Georgetown Branch - $6,000 & $7,000 – Contact:6680306, 694-7817, 602-8769 Have your properties to let, sell or manage? Email: Diana_reality@yahoo.com or contact Diana: 227-2256, 626-9382 Two bedrooms concrete bottom flat located at Middle Rd, La Penitence - $45,000 per month – Contact: 6669534, preferably working couple.

Furnished two bedrooms apartment in Linden for short term local & overseas guest – Call:614-4415, 4444704 Two bedroom apartment to let on E.C.D – Call:684-8906 Available from May 1st: 1bedroom apartment - $28,000 & 2-bedroom apartment $35,000. Christian family – parking & telephone conveniences – Call:6238759, 218-3463 1 3-bedroom house to rent @ Lot 48 Norton Street, Bagotstown, E.B.D – Call David Simon:233-5089, Cell:650-0113

NOTICE Julie’s Tailoring @ 40 Charles St. Tailor will be retiring April 30th 2014. Please Uplift your garments ! Thank You!– Tel:227-8826 VACANCY Vacancy for porters: Apply in person at Alabama Trading, Ferry Stelling Stabroek.

One machinist & one welder – Call:234-0780 or 613-1588

One 8,000 Ford Tractor, one 450 Ford Towing Truck & size 16 & 17 tyres - Contact Floyd: 694-5599 One RX-8 Mazda fully air conditioned, stick gear, wheel lights, fog lamps, power windows - Tel: 653-2477 2004 Toyota Tundra GNN Series - $1.6M. Owner leaving country - Phone: 647-5919 AT170 Corona – Phone:2340475 or 628-2796 To y o t a R a u m , S p a c i o , AT212, AT192, NZE ,LTouring wagon,Fun Cargo, IST, Nissan E24 Caravan – Tel:644-5096; 697-1453 One Toyota AT192, good condition – Price $850,000 negotiable – Tel: 616-1671 Reduced Prices: Premio, Spacio, Axela, Raum, Allex, AT212, Tel:681-4208, 220-6262 2008 Blue Bird - $3M, 2005 Spacio - $2.1M, 2006 Premio - $2.3M. ALL VEHICLES FULLY LOADED & UNREGISTEREDCall:642-7295 Two Model M Bedford 4x4 Trucks – owner leaving country – Call:693-2237 AT192 Carina, HC series, Yellow – Price:$750,000.00 – Tel:676-8233 212, PMM series; first owner – Contact:658-4805 We buy & sell vehicles for cash, also parts available & 30-seater buses; extra-cab pickups; 2006 TacomaCall:680-3154 Pre-order: AT192, 212, Allion, unregistered Premio, Hilux Surf, BNN RZ & Pit-bull, 7seater Super Customs. Cash/ terms- Call:680-3154 1 -1RZ, 15-seater, automatic mini-bus, BNN 3760 - $1.5M Negotiable. Good condition, never used for public transportation – Tel:628-0310 ; 672-5429 WANTED One mechanic to work in the interior.

Must have knowledge about Cummings Engine – Call:681-6044 Urgently needed live-in waitresses to work in bar, offering an attractive salary – Call:689-8859 (Continued on page 31)

Friday April 25, 2014

Kaieteur News

Page 31

Swiss House Cambio boss murder…

Prosecution faces two-week deadline for remaining witnesses …as two more take the stand

Accused: Carol Ann Lynch As the Preliminary Inquiry (PI) into the death of former Swiss House Cambio Managing Director Farouk Razac continued yesterday, Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry forewarned the Prosecution that if in two weeks it fails to produce its remaining witnesses, it will be called upon to close its case.

For a second time, Razac’s wife, Carol Ann Lynch, is facing a charge for his May 7, 2007 murder at their Lot 106 Ireng Place, Bel Air Park, Georgetown residence.

The PI got underway on April 4, last, in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court, and a total of 17 witnesses have so far testified.

During yesterday’s proceedings, the Prosecution led

by Corporal Bharat Mangru, who is attached to the Chambers of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), called Dr. Bob Ramnauth and Superintendent Stephen Greaves to offer sworn testimonies.

Dr. Ramnauth who, in 2007, was a general medical practitioner at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) told the court of the part he played in the matter. Also, Superintendent Greaves who was at that time attached to the crime laboratory at the Headquarters of the Criminal Investigations Division (CID), Eve Leary, as a forensic analyst, related the role he played in the investigations.

They were both cross examined by Defence Attorney Peter Hugh who represents Lynch in association with Attorney Latchmie Rahamat. The Prosecution declined to reexamine both witnesses’ testimony.

At the beginning of the pretrial matter it was indicated that the Prosecution will be calling on 21 witnesses to testify. At a subsequent hearing the number shifted to

22, but it was yesterday revealed that the total now stands at 23.

So far the court has heard sworn testimonies from the couple’s friend Sharon Sanmogan; their fitness trainer, Karan Dutt; surveillance system technician Joseph Chung; and her brother Robert Lynch Junior. Her teenage daughter; parents Robert Senior and Edith Lynch as well as her brother Robert Junior and niece Melissa Watson have also testified. The brother of the deceased Fazeel Razac also gave evidence, as did Detective Inspector Ray Geness, Sergeant Lillian Scotland, retired Inspector Sydney Charles and Dr. Sheik Hassan Amir.

At yesterday’s hearing, Hugh requested the prosecution to reveal the current status of its witnesses.

Corporal Mangru, in response, said that with respect to the remaining witnesses who have so far failed to show,

telephone and radio messages as well as summons were sent out for them but “to date there has been no return of service and none have appeared in court.”

A total of six ‘calls’ were made for those absent witnesses: Denise Taylor, Gregory Melbourne, Ian Peters, Princess Bizette, Shawn Belfield and Lawrence Wayne.

At that point, the Prosecution asked the court to grant a “final adjournment for two weeks.”

Supporting his application, Mangru said “Your worship, efforts have been made to have the witnesses come forth and testify. Considering the nature of the offence, I urge the court to find my application for an adjournment date a reasonable one.” His application, however, was met with sharp objections from the defence who urged the court to quash the request since “interest must also be balanced with that of the person charged.

The Prosecution has not indicated what the police will now do.”

“They have sent telephone and radio messages as well as summons, what else can they do? If there is something, why haven’t they done it already?”

“It is unfair for the Prosecutor to come and ask for more time when my friend knew since January that he was supposed to have the witnesses here for the commencement of the preliminary inquiry in early April.”

“In fact your worship, I’m humbly urging the court to call on the Prosecution to close its case,” Hugh proposed.

Responding, the Chief Magistrate informed that she will grant the Prosecution two more weeks. Addressing the Prosecution, she indicated “At that time, if you don’t have the remaining witnesses I am going to call on you to close your case.”

Joining, the defence indicated that at the next hearing they will be making their no-case submission.

Hugh expressed hope that the Prosecution will be in a position to respond on that date. The case will be called again on May 9.

(From page 30)

WANTED One Legal Clerk – Call: 617-3851, 269-0504 Experienced cashier apply with application & Passport size photo to survival shopping complex – Tel:2275286/9 Handy boys to work, live in accommodation and meals free – Tel:228-5655, 628-1756 Live-in couple, husband: driving duties, wife: domestic.

Good rates & accommodation – Tel: 227-1830 Girls to work at bar, preferably out of Town – Tel:223-4778, 653-0222 Live out domestic babysitter and live in babysitter – Call:225-0188, 223-7500 (Monday to Saturday ) (8:15am-4:15pm) One maid – Call:612-9570 Large quantities of Purple Heart, greenheart and other woods needed. Also Nibi furniture. 218-5591 or 6757292 We buy all low income lands especially in La Parfaite Harmonie 218-5591 or 675-7292 Experienced sales girl and sales boy – Tel:609-1535,227-8529 Attractive live in waitressCall:327-0252/674-4665 One maid for East Bank Area - Call: 614-4358 Live in domestic and live in waitresses, 18-25yrs, boarding and lodging free $50,000 monthly – Tel: 6103974 Work from home; earn $5,000$20,000 daily, jobfairworldwide.com or 6221957 (computer skills required).

One professional cosmetologist to work in Eccles - Tel: 639-7672, 658-4429 Looking for a small Toyota mini bus to buy – Call:684-5918 Kitchen Assistants: Come into Dian’s Deli, opposite Kitty Market.

A one bedroom apartment between the cost of $30,000 $35,000 for rental – Contact:666-5276 or 680-2508 Urgently needed: One cosmetologist at Nalini’s Beauty Salon, Vreed-en-Hoop Junction – Contact: 625-3899, 604-2900 Part-time salesman to sell locally manufactured Windows & Doors of High Quality - Telephone #600-5253 Hire Cars at Atlas Taxi Services – Tel:661-3043

SERVICES PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, G R A D U AT I O N , W E D D I N G S , ANNIVERSARY, ETC. – CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 216-1043; 677-6620 Guyana Passport & Visa Forms Application, USA, Canada and England. Tel: 626-7040; 265-4535.

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Ultra Cool, call: 225-9032, 647-2943 Dating and relationship advice – Tel: 662-6862 Permanent & Visitors Visa Applications, Professional Immigration Consultant Room D5 Maraj Building Call Sabita: 225-6496, 662-6045 HOUSE PLAN DRAFTING FOR ONLY $10,000CALL:694-9843/227-2766 Repairs to washers, dryers, stoves, deep fryers, control system, etc – Call:619-0793, 699-8802

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Call: 670-0798

WANTED Part-time worker for store.

Experienced interior designer, one florist & stock clerk – Contact:691-1527

A mini health check is the first step to donating blood

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Friday April 25, 2014

Friday April 25, 2014

Kaieteur News

Ukraine forces kill up to five rebels, Russia starts drill near border

An Ukrainian soldier aims his rifle at pro-Russia protesters gathered in front of a Ukrainian airbase in Kramatorsk, in eastern Ukraine. (REUTERS/Marko Djurica) SLAVIANSK, Ukraine/ST PETERSBURG, Russia (Reuters) - U krainian forces killed up to five pro-Moscow rebels yesterday as they closed in on the separatists’ military stronghold in the east, and Russia launched army drills near the border in response, raising fears its troops would invade.

The Ukrainian offensive amounts to the first time Kiev’s troops have used lethal force to recapture territory from the fighters, who have seized swathes of eastern Ukraine since April 6 and proclaimed an independent “People’s Republic of Donetsk”.

Ukraine’s acting president accused Moscow of supporting “terrorism at the state level” against his country for backing the rebels, who the government blames for kidnapping and

torturing a politician found dead on Saturday.

The Ukrainian Interior Ministry said its forces backed by the army had removed three checkpoints manned by armed groups in the separatist-controlled city of Slaviansk.

“During the armed clash up to five terrorists were eliminated,” it said in a statement, adding that one person had been wounded on the side of the government forces.

A rebel spokeswoman in Slaviansk said two fighters had died in a clash in the same area, northeast of the city centre. Slaviansk’s separatist self-proclaimed mayor, Vyacheslav Ponomaryov, quoted on a local news site, said one man was shot dead and another badly wounded on the northeastern outskirts of the city.

He said the dead had been unarmed.

The Kremlin, which says it has the right to invade its neighbour to protect Russian speakers, has built up forces on Ukraine’s border estimated by NATO at up to 40,000 troops.

Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu announced Moscow had launched military drills near the border in response to “Ukraine’s military machine” and NATO exercises in eastern Europe.

Kiev demanded an explanation within 48 hours of action on the border.

Russia already seized and annexed the Crimean peninsula from Ukraine last month after President Vladimir Putin overturned decades of post-Cold War diplomacy by announcing the right to use military force in neighbouring countries.

Obama administration may unveil new deportation policy in two stages (Reuters) - The White House is considering small steps in the near term to ease the threat of deportation for some undocumented immigrants, but advocates in communication with the administration expect President Barack Obama to make bigger changes later in the year. With legislation to reform U.S. immigration policy stalled in Congress, Obama has come under increasing pressure from the immigrant community to take executive action to curb the rate of deportation that has reached a record level under his presidency.

In the coming weeks, an Obama-ordered review of deportation enforcement at the Department of H o m e l a n d Security is expected to conclude that certain steps should be taken to ensure that

some immigrants who have not committed serious crimes should be allowed to remain in the United States, according to several sources familiar with the review.

Those steps could include shortening the time period an immigrant is considered “new” and therefore under increased scrutiny for deportation, deeper background checks of detainees in considering w h e t h er they should be deported, and protecting immigrants serving in the U.S. military from deportation.

That would fall short of demands from immigration advocates who have asked Obama, among other things, to expand his deferred action program that currently protects children brought to the country

by their undocumented parents.

Advocates’ wish lists also include government-issued IDs or work permits for immigrants who are not seen as a high priority for deportation.

Advocates interviewed by Reuters said they believe, based on conversations with administration officials, that the administration will act on these larger, more controversial, issues later in the year, should Congress take no steps to further the reform bill. “Most people are expecting a two step process.

One which is initial enforcement reforms ... small steps, and then a second stage in which they tackle the bigger issues that advocates are pushing,” said Frank Sharry, founder and executive director of America’s Voice, an advocate group for immigration reform.

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Friday April 25, 2014

Ukraine foreign minister: Ready to fight Russia PRAGUE (AP) — Ukraine’s foreign minister has blasted the Russian decision to start military maneuvers along their border and said yesterday his country will fight any invading troops.

Andriy Deshchytisa told The Associated Press in Prague that Russia’s decision to launch the military exercises “very much escalates the situation in the region.”

Deshchytisa said his country had been taught a lesson by Russia’s annexation of the Crimean Peninsula.

“We will now fight with Russian troops if ... they invade Ukraine,” he said.

“The Ukrainian people and Ukrainian army are ready to do this. Ukraine will confront Russia. We will defend our land. We will defend our territory.”

Ukrainian authorities have renewed a push to force pro-Russia armed insurgents

Andriy Deshchytisa out of occupied buildings in eastern cities. Reacting to the killing of at least two proRussian insurgents yesterday, Moscow announced the military exercises.

“What are the Russian plans?” Deshchytisa asked.

“Will they invade Ukraine or not? I think it would be a very

big mistake for the Russian government to send troops to Ukrainian territory to protect Russians.”

Deshchytisa said the new Russian military exercises are taking place “even closer to the Ukrainian border than it was planned earlier” and demanded the withdrawal of Russian troops.

Deshchytisa was visiting Prague for a two-day summit of presidents of post-Soviet nations with their European Union counterpart, with the Ukraine crisis topping the agenda.

Commenting on the launch of the Ukrainian military operation in the east, Deshchstiya said that “there was no other way, but to restore order” after the recent bloodshed in the town of Slovyansk, where the bodies of two civilian activists were found with signs of torture.

The foreign minister also called on the EU to impose new sanctions on Russia.

Pope Francis in hot water over ‘personal’ phone calls Vatican City (AFP) - Pope Francis’s habit of picking up the phone and cold calling people who write to him is landing the Vatican in hot water and spokesman Federico Lombardi has had enough. Lombardi said on Thursday the calls were part of the pope’s “personal pastoral relationships” and “do not in any way form a part of the pope’s public activities”.

The spokesman said media reports about the phone calls have been “a source of misunderstanding and confusion”.

“Consequences relating to the teaching of the Church are not to be inferred from these occurrences,” he said.0 The statement follows reports about a phone call that Francis apparently made to a woman in Argentina who

had complained her parish priest would not grant her Holy Communion because she had divorced and remarried.

Francis was quoted by the

woman’s husband as saying that the issue was being “looked at” in the Vatican and that divorcees who take Holy Communion “are doing nothing bad”.

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) Retired Archbishop Desmond Tutu, one of the champions of South Africa’s struggle for democracy, said on Wednesday he will not vote for the ruling African National Congress (ANC) party in an election on May 7. “I won’t vote for them (ANC). I say that with a heavy heart,” Tutu told reporters in Cape Town, after praising former

liberators within the ANC, including the late Nelson Mandela, SouthAfrica’s firstblack president. “Think! Don’t vote mindlessly. Don’t be voting cattle,” Tutu added. “Remember, it will decide what quality of life you will have for the next five years.”

SouthAfrica will celebrate 20 years since the end of apartheid on Sunday but Tutu said the ANC under President Jacob

Zuma had “failed to fill the shoes” of Mandela and his colleagues who fought for the end of white-minority rule. As one of South Africa’s leading moral lights, Tutu’s swipe is likely to add to building public anger at corruption within Zuma’s administration, but the ANC is still expected to comfortably wi n t h e nationwide election in two weeks.

Pope Francis

South Africa’s Archbishop Tutu says he will not vote ANC

Friday April 25, 2014

Kaieteur News

I’m a man of influence, doctor tells cop he allegedly tried to bribe Jamaica Gleaner Prosecutors yesterday revealed that they have a video recording of prominent medical doctor, Jephthah Ford, telling a policeman he tried to bribe that he is a man of influence.

The revelation was made as Dr Ford appeared in the Corporate Area R e s i d e n t M a g i s t r a t e ’s Court yesterday morning to answer a charge of attempting to pervert the course of justice.

Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions, Natalie Miller, says Dr Ford was secretly recorded as he offered money to an investigator to have criminal charges dismissed against two Surinamese men who were held in HalfWay Tree with US$500,000.

Prosecutors say in the video, Ford also boasted to the police investigator that he was a man of integrity.

Last Tuesday, the two Surinamese men were cleared of criminal conduct when Senior Resident Magistrate Judith Pusey instructed that all charges be withdrawn against them.

Jephthah Ford However, the Financial Investigations Division, took possession of the cash, which is equivalent to J$55 million, and is now seeking to have it forfeited to the State.

The prosecutor says a day before the men appeared in court, the lead police investigator reported that he got a telephone call from a man who identified himself as Dr Ford and who requested to meet with him.

She says wearing a hidden device capable of capturing video and audio

recordings, the investigator met with Ford at his St Andrew offices and was initially offered 25 per cent to have the case against the two men dismissed and have the cash returned.

Miller says later in the conversation, Ford handed the investigator a sheet and paper and requested that he writes a figure signalling how much he wanted.

She says the investigator wrote 50 per cent, but Ford drew a line through that figure and wrote 40 per cent, telling the policeman to trust him because he is “a man of influence and integrity”.

Ford, a former PNP n o r t h w e s t St A n d r e w candidate, smiled as the allegations were being read out.

He was later granted bail in the sum $1 million dollars.

Ford has been ordered to surrender his travel documents and a stop order has been placed against him at the ports.

He is scheduled to return to court on May 9.

‘T&T lagging in technology’

71 out of 148 nations, says Lok Jack professor Trinidad Express - This country continues to lag in the area of technology, according to the 2014 World Economic Forum’s Global Information Technology Report.

Parts of the report were presented at the Arthur Lok Jack Graduate School of Business in Mt Hope We d n e s d a y by the school’s executive director and professor of strategy, Prof Miguel Carrillo.

Carrillo pointed out that this country’s 2014 ranking of 71st was just one spot away from its 2013 ranking of 72nd.

He said from the 148 nations, which represent 98 per cent of the world’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), the countries which ranked one to six in the report were all small countries, so being a small country was not really an excuse for this country’s poor performance.

“The two groups, in the top six are basically the Scandinavians and the Asian Tigers: Singapore, Sweden, Finland, Norway. Look at this, from one to six the countries are quite small, less than six

Prof Miguel Carrillo million people, quite interesting so our smallness might not be an excuse for us.

“We were 72 in 2013, and this year we are 71 so we moved one up. So if you asked me compared to Latin America and the Caribbean we are one or two of the countries that did improve.

The rest of the region actually got worse. We can also say nothing has changed, more or less business as usual.

“A question that is asked at the level of business and academia is why is this country so far behind in its capacity for

innovation? Is it that we don’t have access to technology? Is it that we really don’t know how to innovate but really and truly innovation works whenever you have a base of consumers that demand innovation and, to be quite honest, we are not really that demanding in terms of our products and services offering.

“We are quite standard and although there is a certain level of technology adoption by businesses and consumers certainly our degree or level of sophistication of technology innovation is quite basic still. There is a knowing and using gap that has to be fixed.”

He said buying technology is not easy because this requires a certain level of expertise, as does using technology.

“So the point here is— we have to increase our expertise dramatically in t e c h n o l o g y, t e c h n o l o g y management and information technology,” he pointed out.

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Kaieteur News

Friday April 25, 2014

Can History repeat itself at the GFF AGM? From page 38 commendable gesture of East Demerara and East Bank Football Associations collectively is not lauded towards submitting the motion for the “Vote of no Confidence” against Mr. Matthias, who was elected to serve for two years!

Does the completion of one year make a difference? Since previously it was reported in one of the dailies that “Matthias should serve out his term and clean up the mess he inherited”.

But what is significantly being overlooked is the inability of Matthias to

manage the financial affairs of the GFF, in an accountable and transparent manner and definitely not as his own.

Meanwhile, has it dawned within the minds of supporters and well-wishers that a stipend is not a salary, and it’s an abuse of power for the President to approve money unilaterally for transportation, meals and possible accommodation for a Committee Member, when the very stipend normally takes care of those expenses?

Moreover, with an increase of almost 300% and despite the fact that the General Secretary had refused to

endorse his signature, and the then accountant, outlining the fundamental flaw.

Interestingly, what of the President’s Personal Assistant, with unconstitutional powers, in financial transactions on behalf of the GFF? My, oh my! Surely if the notion of accountability and transparency that was highlighted in Matthias’ manifesto is being overlooked. Then, why should he continue as President, bearing in mind that distortions, half-truths, lies and plagiarism form a crucial script in his retention of

Friday April 25, 2014 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) Today you could encounter a work colleague and suddenly feel an unexpected romantic attraction, Aries. This could catch you off guard because you never before thought about this person in that way.

TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20) A sum of money that you might have been expecting from far away may be delayed, Taurus. This could be frustrating for you, but don't panic. The money is indeed coming. So unless your situation is urgent, just sit back and wait.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20) Sex and romance are top priority for you today, Gemini. You're looking especially beautiful, you're feeling especially sensual, and you could well attract admiring looks from strangers.

CANCER (June 21–July 22) If you're single, Cancer, tonight you could find yourself longing for a lover from the past and wondering what's happening with this person right now.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) Are you waiting for a love partner to phone you at work, Leo? As much as you want to hear from your friend, you could well get so caught up in your work that you wouldn't hear a marching band go by.

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) Your sensuality is tempered today with a touch of the mystical sort of romantic feeling found in fairy tales, Virgo.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) A desire to spruce up your home might start with a thorough cleaning from attic to basement, Libra. You could go through that chore like gangbusters and then do some repairs or go for the fun stuff, such as redecorating with plants or even some new furniture.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) A love partner could contact you out of the blue, Scorpio, perhaps proposing that the two of you get together tonight - alone. You're in just the mood for this, since you're feeling especially sexy and not particularly afraid to show it.

SAGIT (Nov. 22–Dec. 21) Have you been waiting to hear about some funds, Sagittarius, perhaps to create a piece of art, write a book, or make a documentary film?

CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) Someone at your workplace could suddenly find you very attractive and make no secret of it today, Capricorn.

AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) Your desire to respect and honor the special someone in your life clashes today with an equally strong desire to become a passionate persuader, Aquarius.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) Have you been harboring a secret desire for someone you believe thinks of you only as a friend, Pisces? Don't be surprised if you learn differently today. This is a day when hidden passions may suddenly be revealed - and your friend could unexpectedly divulge a covert attraction to you!

power? While I’m no longer integrally involved in the daily administration of the sport, at club or association level, on the national level, however I still feel that my letters provides useful guidance, for those with a vested interest towards visualizing meaningful development for the sport, and public edification.

Definitely not, the sport must return to the days of nepotism, which would be “ten” (10) times worse than what were the ideas for sweeping changes, in last year’s AGM! Sadly, with this not being achieved, then the “Vote of no confidence” must be successful by way of a 2/3 majority, in accordance to parliamentary procedure.

In so doing the best option remains the appointment of a President (ag), and definitely not “Elections of Office Bearers”, since the UDFA

issue has to be reviewed, along with the suspension of Vice President, Collie Hercules and compatriot Ivan Persaud’s withdrawal from executive meetings.

As I have said before, if one iota of skullduggery is established that there was financial impropriety by the previous executive, then there must be sanctions. This also must be applied to the present executive and to those in pursuit of holding office.

The monies are not yours to be spent lavishly, but rather to deal with the relevant checks and balances! Editor, when the important factor of continued underdevelopment is taken into consideration, then how it is an under-17 GFF InterAssociation tournament can commence, without all the participants completing their respective domestic competition?

How much more evidence can one ask for in pursuit of making the sport marketable once more?

History, once again must repeat itself. “Hit the road Chris, don’t you come back no more”!

Respectfully yours, Lester Sealey

GFSCA/Trophy Stall finals fixed for tomorrow The Finals of Guyana Floodlights Softball Cricket Association (GFSCA)/ Trophy Stall male and female tournaments will be contested tomorrow (day/ night) at the Demerara Cricket Club, Queenstown.

Floodlights will take on Success in the Masters division from 14:00hrs which will be of 20 overs duration while Mikes Wellwoman will face Trophy Stall Angels in the female category from 18:00hrs in a 10-over affair.

Two of the county’s most decorated softball teams Regal and Wolf ’s Warriors will match skills from 19:15hrs in the open final.

Admission to the venue is $200 while fans who wish to park inside the ground are asked to pay $500. Musical entertainment will be provided.

GVF 3rd Div. on tomorrow at Gymnasium The Guyana Volleyball Federation (GVF) will be hosting a third division competition tomorrow serving off at 10:00hrs at the National Gymnasium, Mandela Avenue, Georgetown.

Teams expected to take to the court are Achievers, University of Guyana, Guyana Defense Force, Anna Catherina, Parika and new comers Joe Vieira Park.

Linden is also expected to make a welcome return to the volleyball scene in this part of the country.

Meanwhile, the Georgetown based Vanguard female team will do battle against the recently formed GDF side in a much anticipated match.

The day sure promises to be a highly entertaining and memorable one for both players and spectators.

Fans and supporters are encouraged to turn out in large numbers to cheer on and support the teams.

Admission to the venue is free.

Friday April 25, 2014

Kaieteur News

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Double gold medalist George pays courtesy call on Sport Minister

By Rawle Welch After being apprised of the achievements of the Guyana team that participated in the Junior Carifta Games which ended in Martinique earlier in the week, Minister of Sport Dr. Frank Anthony shortly after congratulating the athletes yesterday, immediately called for closer collaboration between his entity and the Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG).

Dr. Anthony was at the time hosting members of the AAG and officials that accompanied the team to the event and the occasion was organised to recognise the

- call made for closer collaboration outstanding results that the nine-member contingent was able to achieve.

Guyana through double gold medalist Cassie George and gold and silver medalist Kadecia Baird finished fourth overall in the standings, placing them ahead of countries such as the Bahamas.

The Minister whose remarks followed that of AAG President Aubrey Hutson said he was extremely pleased with the performances of the athletes, while pointing to George and Baird’s

achievements as deserving of commendation.

According to Dr. Anthony the two athletes’ performances could now inspire other females to aspire to become like them, adding that there is no doubt that there are a lot of athletes with a lot of potential, but are finding it difficult to realise their potential.

“We at the Ministry would like to work more closely with the AAG to ensure that those with the potential are afforded the opportunity to realise their

GFA U-17 league

Beacon, Pele draw 5-5; Fruta Conquerors thump Santos 3-1

Beacon and Pele Football Clubs played to an exciting draw while Fruta Conquerors hammered Santos FC 3-1 when the Georgetown Football Association (GFC) Under-17 league commenced yesterday at the Tucville ground.

At the end of regulation time Beacon and Pele were level 5-5 in the first game of the double header. Marlon Nedd’s solo effort put Pele in front six minutes on. The striker collected the ball from midfield, weaving his way through the opposition’s defense before finishing from just inside the 18 yards box.

The game settled down nicely with both teams sharing possession equally, but it was Pele who doubled the lead in the 32nd minute when Kerron Haywood tapped in a cross from the right side just outside the penalty area.

Beacon pulled one back before half time courtesy of a Samuel Hunte free kick, just beyond the 18 yards box in the 39th minute. Shamar Barrow found the equalizer for Beacon one minute after the interval while Hunte gave them the lead in the 52nd.

Pele drew level seven minutes later when Nedd fired in his second goal of the game. He danced his way past two defenders before finding the back of the nets from inside the penalty area. Haywood ensured that Pele retook the advantage when he netted his second goal in the 61st minute, slotting home a right side cross.

But the stubborn Beacon leveled things once again in the 71st minute; Keifer Brandt heading into the back of the nets. Haywood completed a hat-trick in the 76th minute to give his team

hope before Beacon’s Negal Headley header found the back of the net in the 79th to draw the scores level.

Santos dominated the opening exchanges in the second game and deservedly went ahead when Lynill Holder headed home in the 30th minute.

Fruta Conquerors tried desperately for an equalizer but Santos went to the break enjoying a slim 1-0 lead.

Conquerors showed more determination in the second half and Randy Layne pulled one back in the 61st minute.

Delroy Holigan gave Conquerors the lead in the 72nd minute side while Layne doubled the advantage three minutes later.

Despite several efforts thereafter, Santos found it difficult to breach their opponents’ defense again as it ended 3-1 in favour of the home team.

potential,” Dr. Anthony stated.

He said with the completion of the synthetic track at Leonora Guyana will now have an opportunity to produce more athletes of quality who could then challenge the traditional superpowers within the Caribbean and possibly go on to compete at the international level as well.

The Minister disclosed that sometime later this year, the Ministry will be bringing in a Cuban athletics Coach to help boost whatever programmes that are currently available here.

“We will be introducing a Cuban athletic Coach later this year and this is in addition to the synthetic track that will be completed this year. We already have two other Cuban coaches here in Guyana involved in boxing

and swimming,” Dr. Anthony said.

Questioned on the current policy of the Ministry’s financial support for athletes, Dr. Anthony responded by admitting that the resources for that is limited due to the Budget allocations which according to him placed more emphasis on the construction of facilities.

He pointed to the intense scrutiny that the Ministry’s budgetary allocations faced in the National Assembly, informing that the completion and renovation of sports facilities have taken up a sizeable chunk of the disbursement.

He, however, said that with the completion of facilities the Ministry could then look into more funding for athletes in the near future.

The Minister made the point of developing tri-partite partnerships involving the Government, individual associations and the

business community which could alleviate the stresses associated with generating funding for the travel, further development etc.

In response to the absence of an Elite Programme, Dr. Anthony said no such programme exists presently, informing that such a Policy would require substantial funding and professional coaching among other related requirements.

Hutson in his remarks congratulated all the athletes for their individual efforts along with the officials, while also recognising the assistance given by the Ministry. He urged the Minister to continue to support the AAG and athletics at large.

Also present were Team Manager Mayfield TaylorTrim and Head Coach Sham Johnny, while the other athletes who were present included Jevina Sampson and Avon Samuels.

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Friday April 25, 2014

Letters to the Edior SHABAZZ responds to queries on his salary It was my intention to stay out of Guyana’s football business, especially seeing that football has reached to so much strife, chaos and warfare, after what the Golden Jaguars has done to put Guyana on the world football map.

But how could I stay out when Mr. Eton Moses keeps trying to cast aspersions on my salary and my integrity?

And moreso when in my homeland, Trinidad and Tobago and throughout the CONCACAF region, Jamaal Shabazz is seen as Guyanese.

In fact my wives and children see my strange attachment to Guyana as an addiction based on something “all yuh give meh to eat”.

But skip the small talk because Mr. Eton Moses has brought me back into Guyana’s football with his repeated pronouncements about my salary and assertions that under my tenure no “development took place in Guyana’s football.”

Well here goes Mr. Moses fasten your seatbelt and observe the no smoking sign because we are about to take off. First, my agent demanded US$10,000 not US$6500 for my salary after I led Guyana to the semi final round of the FIFA World Cup in 2011, at the expense of Trinidad and Tobago. And I see myself worth even more than that because I do not share the slave mentality of most Caribbean coaches that we have to eat crumbs.

So you see Eton when Mr. Matthias sought to ridicule me by leaking my earnings to you and others he did not know that I am indeed happy.

Because I want coaches in Guyana as I have always told them to value themselves and professionals and get off their hands and knees begging for pittance.

Whether I come from Buxton or Bel Air Mr. Moses I value my worth as a professional not just in the Caribbean but as a football

technician in the world. I make no apologies for salary earned while working for Guyana’s football and will now show you our work.

I say our, because Guyana is still stuck in the one man autocratic style of leadership where leaders forget they are servants of a God and strive to demigod status. Football is about unity, bringing people together, working as a team and exciting and uniting a nation.

I had two stints for Guyana from 2005 to 2008 and then again from August 2011 to October 2012. On both occasions Aubrey “Shanghai” Major and Kashif Muhammad persuaded me to come to Guyana and on both occasions my main Assistant was Coach Wayne Wiggy Dover.

The statistics will prove that after a tremendous unbeaten run over some 13 friendly international matches, Guyana qualified for the CFU finals, was awarded the best mover in the FIFA rankings and gained the respect of our peers in the region. Guyana played unbeaten in the first group with 5-0 wins against Suriname and Curaçao and a 1-0 win against Grenada.

Then at the semi final stage we destroyed Antigua & Barbuda, Dominican Republic and Guadeloupe on home soil. However, at the finals a 2-0 loss to St. Vincent, a 4-2 win against Guadeloupe and a 0-0 draw with Cuba saw us miss out on advancing to the final four by one goal less. At that point we had succeeded in taking the arrow head out of the dust and in so doing excited and united the hearts of the Guyana people similar to the Declaration of Independence on May 26 1966.

In the subsequent FIFA World Cup Qualifiers, we lost 2-0 and 3-1 to Suriname and saw our World Cup hopes dashed for 2010. I did not run and hide or make frivolous excuses, I took responsibility

and as the GT people turned against me I took my Georgie bundle and humbly returned home to Trinidad albeit in tears.

During that period from my salary of around US$3000.00 a month I paid the monthly salary for a coach of Georgetown club Santos FC. I subsidized the salaries of members of staff. I bought training and match uniforms for the Guyana National team, funded training camps out my pockets and begged, borrowed and stole to ensure that a professional environment was created for the national programme. Let Mr. Matthias ask his friend and my friend Mark Phillips he will validate what I am saying.

During the period 2005 to 2009 I was paying 14 Guyana national team players in my club Caledonia AIA and helped to ensure at least 23 Guyana national team players were playing in the TT Pro League and receiving salaries, which at the time they could not get in Guyana.

Whether it was a fan, a journalist, a coach, administrator or player whenever a GT comes calling, I feel honored to help because I don’t like GT I love Guyana meh brother.

We got Guyanese living abroad like Colin Baker, Sheridan David, Faizal Khan and Garth Nelson just to name a few, to dip into their pockets and intellectual capacities to help. Thus, seeking to re-connect Guyana with Guyanese all over the world.

We introduced into the National programme players like JP Rodrigues, Christopher Nurse, the Newton Brothers, the Cort brothers and several players born to Guyanese parents living in North America and England.

You see unlike those local Guyanese coaches who are insecure about working with top professionals, coach Dover and I agreed with Marcus Garvey. Guyana for

Jamaal Shabazz (left) with Wayne Dover (right) and JP Rodrigues following Guyana’s WCQ draw with El Salvador.

Guyanese, home or abroad.

Those who left should not be denied an opportunity for their children to represent this Blessed land because they migrated in search of a better life for their family.

They still love their country.

So let’s talk about development, is it not development to create a professional environment for players to move from amateurs to professionals? Is it not development when you help in the growth and development of someone like Wayne Dover who has been oppressed in his country and is now one of the best coaches in the Caribbean?

But let’s quickly move forward to 2011 in our second stint Coach Dover and our Staff did the impossible- we beat Trinidad and Tobago on the 11 of November 2011 amidst a sea of yellow and golden people of Guyana at Providence. Were you there Mr. Moses or were you at that time counting my hard earned money?

I was one of two persons who negotiated a TV rights deal that brought One Million US dollars into the coffers of the Guyana Football

Federation when the offer on the table was a measly US$30,000.

I petitioned the GFF to stand up to CFU to allow us to negotiate our own TV rights deal at a time when only Jamaica and Trinidad & Tobago were allowed to do that. You guys want to keep Guyana football as a little cake stall, when football is a billion dollar industry.

My brother our vision was and still is big times or no times. Since 2012 Guyana has not played a single friendly international this is after Colin Baker and myself negotiated games for Guyana against opposition like Guatemala, Bolivia, Jamaica and Columbia. Countries better than us who could help us develop just by us being on the same stage.

Amidst opposition internally the then GFF hierarchy agreed to our proposal to develop a two tier national team system as practiced by the best countries in the world.

Where we had the national team made up of the best local and foreign based players and a developmental team made up of young mainly but

not elusively locally based talent.

We travelled to Martinique, Guadeloupe, Tobago, Grenada and St. Vincent with our development team. Out of that team we had Trayon Bobb and Daniel Wilson go off on stints to Europe, yes Europe and Bobb is now playing professionally in Lithuania.

We were able to expose players like Colin Nelson, the deceased Colin Edwards, Pernel Schultz, Brandon Beresford, Jermaine Grandison, Clive Nobrega, Sheldon Holder and several other youths that can now carry the Guyana flag with quality in the senior team.

Development is not just lectures and training kids; it is also about exposing young players to regional and international opposition and opening doors for them to become professionals.

But tomorrow, God willing I will highlight some of the real problems and possible solutions because at the end of the day it is better for me to light a candle for Guyana than curse the darkness that has currently engulfed our blessed land.

Can History repeat itself at the GFF AGM? Many of the supporters and well-wishers of the GFF, President, Christopher Matthias may not have been involved in the administration of football for a period of 15 years, or close to it. Or, some who may have heard of the incident turned a blind eye.

Editor, the incident I am referring to is a “Vote of no Confidence” Matthias had

received in 2001, as the then President, GFA, for financial impropriety!

Wherein the GFA under his stewardship could not have accounted for $500,000 from sponsorship monies compliments of Banks DIH, for a Premier and Division 1 League competitions respectively.

With the significant amount

of sponsorship exceeding $1,000,000 that at the time was the largest amount in the city’s history. It could have been considered an act of deceitfulness for the individual to attempt “sweeping the dust under the carpet”, while hastily pursuing the commencement of the season, the following year.

However, with that approach being unsuccessful, six (6) senior clubs within the GFA, requested an “Emergency General Council Meeting with a Vote of no Confidence” being the primary reason.

Editor, of course this was done in accordance to the constitutional requirement, of which the GFF was duly

informed.

It must be noted at the time that I was the Secretary of Fruta Conquerors and it was a principled position taken by the Club’s executive, to serve as a deterrent to others. What was also taken into consideration was as the President, with a compulsory signature for withdrawals, his overlooking of the finances

was lax, to the extent that on a monthly basis a financial statement had to be submitted to the GFF, along with minutes of monthly executive meetings.

So, due to the lack of meaningful perusal, there was no confidence in Matthias continuing to lead the GFA! So factually why it is the (Continued on page 36)

Friday April 25, 2014

Kaieteur News

RCB lose after having game in the bag How quickly does a Twenty20 game change? Ask Royal Challengers Bangalore.

For virtually the entire duration, the match was in their grasp: their bowlers had combined to limit Kolkata Knight Riders to 150 on a flat track in Sharjah, their openers had put them on course in the chase, and even though Yuvraj Singh flapped about towards the end, the askingrate was never out of hand.

Even at the start of the final over with two renowned finishers, AB de Villiers and Albie Morkel, in the middle, Royal Challengers were favourites. Nine runs were needed, and Knight Riders’ two major threats, Sunil Narine and Morne Morkel, had bowled out. Vinay Kumar stepped up to the job and delivered an over filled with full deliveries that kept his old team down to six, sparking delirious celebrations from the Knight Riders camp.

When a bowler defends nine off the final over in a Twenty20, that too against some of the finest hitters in the world, you’d expect him to hog the headlines.

However, it is Chris Lynn who everyone will be talking about after he took a preposterous, acrobatic catch to send back de Villiers and turn the game in the final over.

De Villiers was looking to clear the long boundary at midwicket - the pitch was at the edge of the square - and though he connected well, there wasn’ t e n o u g h t o clear the rope. He might still have survived, as Lynn had slipped and fallen before the ball got to him.

That didn’t deter Lynn, who leapt up and plucked that powerful hit bending his back like a high-jumper, and flopped to the ground, somehow managing it all without touching the rope which was a yard behind.

Given the sheer athleticism involved, the stage of the game, and the player who was dismissed by it, it’s hard to see how Lynn’s catch will be topped this season. “I slipped and I thought if I stood up and dropped the catch, it would look very silly, so just stayed down,” was Lynn’s straight-faced explanation when asked about his game-changing grab.

After de Villiers’ exit Royal Challengers needed six off two, not entirely out of reach, especially for a hitter like Morkel. But the catch left Royal Challengers stunned, and even though the final

Manish Pandey hugs Chris Lynn after he took a stunner to get AB de Villiers delivery was a hittable full toss, Morkel couldn’t put it away, and Knight Riders’ jailbreak was complete.

The high drama at the end masked a diffident performance from Knight Riders for much of the game. The only other passage in the match when they looked in control was w h e n Ly n n w a s i n t h e middle, swatting sixes off the returning Muttiah Muralitharan.

Ly n n , bought as an afterthought in the IPL auctions, showed some of the big-hitting that has earned him loyal fans in the Big Bash League.

Lynn put on 80 for the third wicket with Jacques Kallis, after Gautam Gambhir fell for his third successive duck and the in-form Manish Pandey faltered. Lynn’s dismissal in the 12th over drained the momentum from Knight Riders’ innings and they finished on what seemed an inadequate score. Varun Aaron showed he had control as well as pace, and

l e g s p i n n e r Yu z v e n d r a Chahal turned in his third impressive performance in a row to keep the Knight Riders in check.

Royal Challengers’ dominance increased after their openers, Parthiv Patel a n d Yo g e s h Ta k a w a l e , provided a strong start, and Virat Kohli was at his usual best to guide the chase along.

Narine was watchfully played out till Kohli was bamboozled off the penultimate ball of his spell to give Knight Riders a faint chance.

Yuvraj couldn’t force the pace towards the end, reviving memories of his painful World Twenty20 final innings and giving Knight Riders more of a grip on the game, before Vinay and Lynn yanked it out of Royal Challengers’ hands.

Scores: Kolkata Knight Riders 150 for 7 (Lynn 45, Kallis 43, Aaron 3-16) beat Royal Challengers Bangalore 148 for 5 (Takawale 40) by two runs. (ESPNcricinfo)

Page 39

Phelps wins first race in comeback Reuters - Michael Phelps made an ominous start in his comeback to competitive swimming yesterday, setting the fastest time in the 100 meters butterfly heats at a USA Swimming Grand Prix meet in suburban Phoenix.

Racing for the first time since he retired in a blaze of glory after the 2012 London Olympics with a staggering career total of 18 gold medals, a relaxed Phelps cruised to victory in 52.84 seconds.

“I actually felt pretty controlled,” Phelps said. “I literally was just so excited to get in and race. “It was fun to get the first race out of the way.”

His time was well outside the world record of 49.82 seconds he set at the 2009 world championships but still safely under the qualifying standard for the U.S. national championships in August, which double as the selection event for next year’s world titles in Russia.

Although the 28-year-old still holds the world record in three individual events, none of his past times count for future competitions because they were recorded before the qualifying period began in

June 2013. The last time Phelps needed to post a time to qualify for the national was when he was 13.

Phelps and his coach Bob Bowman were both reluctant to talk about their long-term goals when they appeared at a packed news conference on the eve of his comeback but neither has ruled out the possibility of competing at the 2016 Rio Olympics.

Unshaven and still 7 pounds (3 kg) over his ideal racing weight, Phelps could not hide his delight as he made his return to the sport that he dominated like no other athlete in history. But unlike in his previous incarnation when he would arrive at the starting blocks with the glazed look of a prize fighter and music pounding into his ears, Phelps could not have appeared more laidback than he was yesterday.

Before his race, he talked and laughed with his good friend and rival Ryan Lochte, who was competing in the heat before him, then bounded on the blocks like any school-aged swimmer just eager to get in the pool.

Tickets for the event sold out within hours after Phelps

confirmed he was making his comeback and were selling for more than five times their face value on the secondary market. More than 100 media - a 500 percent increase on last year’s meet - descended on the Skyline Aquatic Center to see him take his first plunge back into the water.

Even before his race, the crowd lining the warm-up pool was five deep with people trying to snap a picture of him practicing with his kickboard. When his name was announced for his race, the crowd roared and he returned the favor by uncharacteristically flashing a smile then making a clean getaway when the starter’s gun was fired.

Phelps reached the turn in second place then pulled away from his rivals on the second lap, rolling his powerful shoulders over and over to reach the wall first and book his place in the final.

He had planned to swim in three events at his comeback meet but ditched the 100m freestyle to focus on the 100m butterfly and Friday’s 50m freestyle but said he was just glad to be back at all.

Page 40

Kaieteur News

Friday April 25, 2014

Cruz Azul wins CCL title, qualifies for FCWC

Match officials for Regional 4-Day Final St. John’s, Antigua – The West Indies Cricket Board has announced the match officials for the Final between Windward Islands and Jamaica in the Regional 4-Day Tournament, starting on tomorrow at the Beausejour Cricket Ground in Gros-Islet, St. Lucia. Umpires: Gregory Brathwaite, Joel Wilson; Match referee: Patrick Felix; Reserve umpire: Francis Maurice; The two teams are playing for the George Headley/Everton Weekes Trophy.

SQUADS WINDWARD ISLANDS

CONCACAF Champions League 2013-14 winners Cruz Azul lifts the trophy.

Toluca, Mexico - Cruz Azul became the CONCACAF club champion for a recordsetting sixth time on Wednesday, when it captured the 2013-14 CONCACAF Champions League title on the away-goals rule after a 11 draw with Toluca in the second leg of the final.

The two sides played to a scoreless stalemate in the opener on April 15 in Mexico City. As a result of the triumph, Cruz Azul qualifies for the FIFA Club World Cup next December in Morocco.

Mariano Pavone, the tournament’s Golden Ball winner as the best player,

scored what proved to be the championship-clinching goal in the 41st minute. Joao Rojas sent a cross from the right wing to the left side of the box for an unmarked Marco Fabian.

The Mexico international immediately delivered a perfect pass to far post for Pavone to pound into the net from three-yards out.

It was the Argentine’s teamhigh fifth goal of the tournament. Though Toluca had some solid scoring opportunities in the first half, it became more dynamic after the break with the introduction of Raul Nava.

The 23-year-old striker

finished as the tournament’s top scorer with seven goals, but had not started in the last three games. Once Edgar Benitez entered the match seven minutes later, the Red Devils began to fire on all cylinders. He scored against Cruz Azul in the 2009-10 final with Pachuca and repeated that feat in the 63rd minute to knot the score at 1-1.

Wilson Tiago found Benitez on the left side of the box with a short pass. The Paraguay international took a separating touch and from a severe angle drilled a shot past goalkeeper Jesus Corona into the top of the net.

Despite that tally, Toluca needed one more to win the title, since Cruz Azul had the advantage of an away goal.

Christian Gimenez almost sealed a victory for the visitors, but his left-sided free kick crashed off the crossbar.

In the game’s last seconds, a long-distance blast

by Miguel Ponce forced Corona into a stunning save.

The ball fell to Pablo Velazquez in front of an open goal, but his follow-up went over the bar. The regional title is Cruz Azul’s first 1997, when – coincidentally – Luis Fernando Tena was its head coach.

(from): Liam Sebastien (captain), Sunil Ambris, Miles Bascombe, Johnson Charles, Romel Currency, Delorn Johnson, Keddy Lesporis, Mervin Matthew, Nelon Pascal, Kenroy Peters, Shane Shillingford, Devon Smith, Tyrone Theophile.

JAMAICA (from): Tamar Lambert (captain), Carlton Baugh Jr, Jermaine Blackwood, Nkrumah Bonner, Brian Buchanan, John Campbell, Jon-Ross Campbell, David Bernard Jr., Sheldon Cottrell, Damion Jacobs, Andre McCarthy, Nikita Miller, Jerome Taylor.

Barcelona Open

Rafael Nadal reaches quarter-finals in Spain Rafael Nadal

CCL 2014-15: 15 berths confirmed, 9 to be decided Miami – Following Cruz Azul’s magnificent run to the 2013-14 CONCACAF Champions League (CCL) title, thoughts immediately turn towards the competition’s next edition.

The process to determine qualifiers for the 2014-15 CCL is in full swing as 15 of the eventual 24 qualifiers are already known.

In D e c e m b e r, El Salvador’s Isidro Metapan became the first team to qualify for every CCL (seven in total). Olimpia of Honduras is the only other side possessing the potential to match that mark.

With nine coveted places still at stake, the next few

weeks around the region promise to be lively and hard fought.

Here’s an update on the 2014-15 CCL qualifiers (previous appearances in parentheses): NORTH AMERICA Canada – 0/1 To be determined … 2014 Amway Canadian Championship winner Mexico – 2/4 Leon (0) … 2013 Apertura champion Club America (1) … 2013 Apertura runner-up To be determined … 2014 Clausura champion To be determined … 2014 Clausura runner-up United States – 4/4 Sporting Kansas City (1) …

2013 Major League Soccer champion New York Red Bulls (1) …

2013 Major League Soccer Supporters’ Shield winner Portland Timbers (0) …

2013 Major League Soccer Western Conference champion D.C. United (2) … 2013 U.S. Open Cup champion CENTRAL AMERICA Belize – 0/1 To be determined … champion with most points over both seasons Costa Rica – 1/2 Alajuelense (4) … 2013 Invierno champion To be determined … 2014 Verano champion El Salvador – 1/2 Isidro Metapan (6) … 2013

Apertura champion To be determined … 2014 Clausura champion Guatemala – 1/2 Comunicaciones (3) …

2013 Apertura champion To be determined … 2014 Clausura champion Honduras – 1/2 Real España (2) … 2013 Apertura champion To be determined … 2014 Clausura champion Nicaragua – 1/1 Real Esteli (4) … champion with most points over both seasons Panama – 1/2 Tauro (4) … 2013 Apertura champion To be determined … 2014 Clausura champion CARIBBEAN – 3/3 Puerto Rico Puerto Rico Bayamon FC (0) … 2014 CFU Club Championship - Group 1 winner Jamaica Waterhouse (0) … 2014 CFU Club Championship Group 2 winner Guyana Alpha United (1) … 2014 CFU Club Championship Group 3 winner

World number one Rafael Nadal booked his place in the quarter-finals of the Barcelona Open with a 6-3 6-3 win over Croatian Ivan Dodig. Nadal, who has won the tournament eight times, sealed victory over the world number 37 in one hour and 23 minutes.

The 27-year-old will now meet fellow Spaniard Nicolas Almagro today after he overcame compatriot Fernando Verdasco 6-3, 6-3.

Nadal met Almagro in last

year’s final, which he won in straight sets. Should he come through his last-eight contest, Nadal will face the winner of the quarter-final between German Philipp Kohlschreiber and Colombian Santiago Giraldo. Nadal has lost just two sets during his 42-match winning streak in Barcelona, and his only defeat came on his tournament debut in 2003 when he was beaten by compatriot Alex Corretja.

(BBCsport)

FIFA Fan Fest Locations In Brazil, FIFA Fan Fests will offer free admission to secure, family-friendly locations where both local and international fans can watch FIFA World Cup matches in a unique FIFA World Cup™ environment.

The locations within the 12 Host Cities are as follows: Belo Horizonte - Expominas Brasília - Taguaparque Cuiaba - Exhibition Park Curitiba - Pedreira Paulo Leminski Fortaleza - Iracema Beach Manaus - Ponta Negra Natal - Fortress Beach Porto Alegre - Sunset Amphitheater Recife - Cais da Alfandega Rio de Janeiro - Copacabana Beach Salvador - Aeroclube (under evaluation by the Host City) Sao Paulo - Anhangabau Valley

Kaieteur News

Friday April 25, 2014

Page 41

CaribbeanTube outfits Agricola Red Triangle - Continued support for community growth promised

Caribbeantube’s Marvin Texeira (left) shakes hands with Agricola Red Triangle President Troy Jeffers in the presence of other club members and officials following yesterday’s presentation.

The Agricola Red Triangle Football Club which has made a welcome return to competitive football under the auspices of the East Bank Football Association and has been doing well to date in the Stag Beer League, has been boosted with the donation of much needed equipment.

C o - O w n e r o f www.Caribbeantube.org who is also Vice President of the Club Marvin Texeira based in the USA yesterday presented two sets of uniforms (home and away), hoses and shin pads to Troy Jeffers, President of the Club at the Evans Phillips Park Playfield, Agricola.

Texeira in remarks following the presentation

stated that he and his business partner Dwight Dowling were very pleased to make such a donation to the club noting that they have been following their progress so far in the Stag Beer League which is very encouraging.

Not only will the club be supported with uniforms but Texeira stated that they will be aiming to start a league for youth players from as early as age 5 in the not too distant future.

“We are very eager to have our youths involved in positive activity and to focus on their education as well.

The focus would be on soccer, cricket, and circle tennis for the girls and whatever it is that will get the

community back together as one. We are trying to keep them off of the streets.”

There is a lot more to come Texeira emphatically stated but noted that things must be done together.

The former footballer shared some words of wisdom to the young players of Agricola: “Unite, let’s come together as one. Try and stay away from the negative things that will hamper forward progress, let’s be positive and let people see what we have to offer. We have good players here, good boxers and I’m sure cricketers can come out of Agricola; we have a lot to offer, just let’s go out there and do it the right way.”

Club President Troy

KMTC to hold inaugural Awards Ceremony The Kennard Memorial Turf Club (KMTC) located at Bush Lot Farm, Corentyne Berbice is set to host its inaugural Awards and Presentation Ceremony on Sunday at their Bush Lot Farm facility from 11:00hrs.

This is the first time that such an event is taking place and setting the pace is KMTC, considered one of Guyana’s leading horse race clubs. Sunday’s activity will recognize the sterling contributions of sponsors and employees who have supported and been with the club for a number of years.

The companies to be honored are Demerara Distilleries Limited (DDL), which has been the number

one sponsor for over 40 years; Torginal Paints which has been on board for over 25 years; P & P Insurance Brokers that has been associated with the entity for over 20 years and Metro Stationery and Office Supplies which has had a long and historic connection with the KMTC. M e t r o w h i c h commenced operations since 1988 has been on board with the club since 2009.

The three employees that will be recognized have all had long and dedicated years of service. Secretary Nickita Ross will be recognized for her dedicated and unwavering years of service;

Caretaker Elroy Johnson for helping the club keep its standard as the best in the country while Ovid Hawke will receive an award for being the longest serving employee with the entity.

Among those expected to attend on Sunday are Honorary President and Retired Chancellor of the Judiciary Cecil Kennard, Director of Sports Neil Kumar, Bish Panday of P & P Insurance Brokers, Club President Roopnarine Matadial and Pastor Quesi Henry.

According to Justice Kennard as far as he can recollect the activity will be the first held by a horse racing entity in Guyana.

Jeffers thanked Texeira on behalf of the players and executives, promising that the items would be used for its intended purpose and he { T e x e i r a } a n d Caribbeantube can look forward to the club doing well in the future.

Elder of the community Ms. Yvonne offered a stirring prayer before the start of the simple presentation asking God’s guidance on the young people of the village in their endeavors to be positive examples and role models.

Plans are in train for the club to engage the Co-op in the community that has responsibility for the playfield in an effort to make it playable for the members of the club and community.

Caribbeantube, founded

by Texeira and a friend has a vision to let the rest of the world experience what the Caribbean is like and what’s going on.

“Caribbeantube is more of a Youtube, we want to bring the caribbean out to the rest of the world.

Right now we have

about 13,000 people daily logging on to the site to see what’s going on and we want the numbers to go up.

We a l s o h a v e www.facebook.com/Guyan aCaribbeantube where persons can also visit and like us and see what’s going on. We are also building a website for Agricola Red Triangle because we want persons to follow the progress of this club and to see how our young people are engaging in positive activities for their development.”

Page 42

Kaieteur News

Friday April 25, 2014

Elizabeth Styles U-19 50 overs cricket

Stag Beer / EDFA Div. One League

Latchaya 159*, Ramcharran 147* plunder 290 partnership in Albion’s 402-2

- double header on this Sunday at Grove Playfield

Sharaz Ramcharran

Akeem Miller

David Latchaya

Outstanding batting by two Berbice Under-19 batsmen, both playing for the Albion Community Centre highlighted the latest round of matches in the Elizabeth Styles Under-19 50 overs cricket competition in Berbice.

When Albion took first strike against Kendall’s Union, the latter took an early wicket with only 2 runs on the board but Sharaz Ramcharran joined Guyana Under-15 batsman Adrian Sukhwa and they put on 110 for the second wicket before Sukhwa fell for 38. David Latchaya then joined Ramcharran and the two proceeded to put on 290 in an unbroken third wicket stand in 31 overs, guiding Albion to 402-2 off their 50 overs.

Latchaya ended on 159 (15x4) and Ramcharran 147 (13x4).

Off spinner Balchand Baldeo took 6-9 from 5 overs and left arm spinner

Asif Ally 3-15 from 4 overs to bowl Kendall’s Union out for 46 which gave Albion victory by a whopping 356 runs.

Raymond Braithwaite slammed 91 (12x4 3x6) to steer D’Edward to 199 in 42 overs against Bush Lot New Generation whose off spinner Hakeem Miller took 6-35.

Braithwaite returned with the ball to snap up three early wickets with his medium pace to leave Bush Lot shakily placed at 119-6 before Shawn Smith with 56* (3x4 2x6) and Winston Joseph 48* featured in an unbroken 7th wicket stand of 85 to see Bush Lot home. Kareem Mentore’s 60 helped Acheivers ‘A’ attain victory over their B counterparts.

Collated Scores: At Albion - Albion Community Centre h a m m e r e d K e n d a l l ’s Union by 356 runs, Albion Community Centre 402-2

in 50 overs; David Latchaya 159*, Sharaz Ramcharran 147*, Adrian Sukhwa 38. Kendall’s Union 46 in 11 overs; Balchand Baldeo 6-9, Asif Ally 3-15.

At D’Edward - Bush Lot New Generation beat D’Edward by 4 wickets, D’Edward 199 in 42 overs; Raymond Braithwaite 91, Andrew Rambarran 34, Hakeem Miller 6-35, Randy Singh 2-23.

Bush Lot New Generation 204-6 in 37 overs; Shawn Smith 56*, Wi n s t o n J o s e p h 4 8 * , Adrian Singh 27, Raymond Braithwaite 348.At Bath - Achievers ‘A’ defeated Achievers ‘B’ by 82 runs. Achievers ‘A’ 190 on 33.5 overs; Kareem Mentore 60, Joseph Nicholas 3-39, Carlton Nicholson 3-29. Achievers ‘B’ 108 in 26 overs; Carlton Nicholson 41*, Osbert Cain 3-19, Darius Nedd 2-2, Grisean Grant 2-20.

The battle for supremacy in the Stag Beer sponsored East B a n k F o o t b a l l Association division-one league will continue on Sunday afternoon at the Grove Playfield when two more matches will be contested. Clashing in the feature game will be the

fourth and fifth placed Kuru Kururu Warriors and neighbors Soesdyke Falcons in what is anticipated to be a humdinger. Soesdyke has played one game less than their opponents and will be aiming to draw even on points.

The opening game

brings together Agricola Red Triangle, currently in third place but in with a chance of taking over the lead and Mocha Champs, yet to register a point from their four matches to date.

Fans are in for a treat and are expected in their n u m b e r s o n S u n d a y, game time is 13:00hrs.

GCA/Brain Street U-15 tourney

Wins for GCC, GNIC, TSC and MSC Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC), Guyana National Industrial Corporation (GNIC), Transport Sports Club (TSC) and Malteenoes Sports Club (MSC) recorded victories when action in the Georgetown Cricket Association (GCA)/ Brain Street Under-15 limited overs tournament continued yesterday.

At GCC, the host defeated Bel Air Rubis by three wickets. The visitors were bowled out for 76 in 28.3 overs after taking first strike with extras contributing 33. Left-arm spinner Stephon Wilson grabbed 5-25. In reply, GCC encountered some nervous moments before reaching 79-7 in 26.2 overs. Joshua Ragubar and Wilson scored 16 and 13 respectively.

Michael Pooran snared 3-11 and Vishal Moochan 3-18.

At DCC, GNIC overcame the host by two runs. GNIC managed 84 all out in 36.4 overs, batting first. Only Paul Thomas 13 and Christopher C a m p b e l l 11 r e a c h e d double figures. Left arm spinner Ashmead Nedd captured 4-20, Sagar Hathiramani 3-16 and Otto Jones 2-12.

DCC were bowled out for 83 in 45.3 overs in reply.

Darian Dickson stroked 32 (3x4); Dwayne Dick grabbed 5-12, Orlando Chisiwan 2-11 and Rickey Dass 2-27.

At Everest Cricket Club, TSC got the better of the home team by 89 runs.

TSC batted first and reached 177 all out in 36 overs. Adrian Hinds

slammed 40; Colin Barlow made 39 and Mark Ramsammy 15. Zaheer Bristol picked up 2-20.

Everest were dismissed for 88 in 30.1 overs in response.

Joel Spooner bagged 5-22 and Barlow 2-14.

At Malteenoes Sports Club, the host whipped Gandhi Organisati o n (GYO) by six wickets.

Batting first GYO were bowled out for 158 in 45 overs. Pradesh Balkishun s c o r e d 2 6, Navindra Persaud 25 and Ronald Basdeo 22. Sayse Norville claimed 4-26.

MSC replied with 159-4 in 45 overs. Norville scored 35 not ou t , R e n a l d o McGarrell supported with an unbeaten 31 and Avin Gangadin 30.

The competition continues today.

Kaieteur News

Friday April 25, 2014

Page 43

Fitness Express energizes four young weightlifters Fitness Express has continued its tangible commitment of supporting Guyana’s athletes, its latest contribution being a supply of supplements to four of the nation’s young weightlifters, three of which will be participating in a two weeks camp ahead of the Pan American Under-17 W e i g h t l i f t i n g championships.

The athletes who will benefit from the Fitness Express supplement hampers are 15 year-old Sheriah Melville who will be competing in the 69kg+ category, 16 year-old Darren Williams (69kg), 20 year-old Orwayne Cozier (77kg) and 16 year-old Denola Bristol

(53kg).

Owner/Manager of Fitness Express, Jamie Mc Donald in handing over the items to Guyana Amateur Weightlifting Association (GAWA) Secretary, Deion Nurse who will also Coach the youngsters in Peru, stated that the supplements were presented in order to help the lifters during their training camp in Peru and during preparations for the P a n A m e r i c a n Championships.

“Once again we are very proud to be supporting our young athletes as they seek to bring glory to their county and themselves. It will be tough going for them but

GAWA Secretary Deion Nurse (left) receives one of the protein powders from Owner/Manager of Fitness Express, Jamie Mc Donald.

SECC 40 over tourney

NOC Seniors beat Juniors by 7 wickets New Opportunity Corps (NOC) ‘A’ defeated their junior counterparts by seven wickets when the South Essequibo Cricket Committee (SECC) 40 over competition continued on Saturday last. Playing at the NOC ground, the Juniors batted first and posted 95-9 after the game was reduced to 20 overs due to rain.

Mahendra Persaud scored 32 (3x4 1x6), Isaiah Latchman 18 and extras 2 5. B r a n d o n C a b o s e bagged 4-4 from four overs while Aquacy

Adams and Mahendra Balbadar took 2 each.

N O C S e n i o r s responded with 96-3 in 11.2 overs. Nelon Codogan smashed 47 not out (2x4 4x6) and Aquacy Adams an unbeaten15 (2x4). Akini Adams claimed 2-34 from 3.2 overs. NOC Seniors, Rising Star and Eldorado Sports Club finished the preliminary round with two wins and a loss. SECC will meet shortly to decide which two teams will progress to the semi finals.

- 2 to compete at Pan American U-17 c/ships in Peru Fitness Express hopes that our little contribution will go some way in assisting them.”

The two-week camp in Lima, Peru will be held from April 27 with

Melville, Williams and Cozier attending. At the conclusion of the camp, Melville and Williams will represent Guyana in the Pan American Under-17

Weightlifting championship scheduled for May 6 -12.

According to GAWA’s Nurse, the lifters will also be aiming to qualify for the Youth Olympics scheduled

for this August in Nanjin, China.

GAWA President Frank Tucker will join the team as Manager for the Youth Championships.

t r o Sp

Double gold medalist George pays courtesy call on Sport Minister -call made for closer collaboration P.37

Minister of Sport Dr. Frank Anthony (centre) poses with double gold medalist Cassie George (3rd right), AAG President Aubrey Hutson (left), Team Manager Mayfield Taylor-Trim (2nd right), Head Coach Sham Johnny (2nd left), Jevina Sampson (3rd left) and Avon Samuels.

GFA U-17 league

Beacon, Pele draw 5-5; Fruta Conquerors thump Santos 3-1 P.37

Fruta Conquerors’ Randy Layne on the offensive yesterday

47

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