Kaieteur News

Thursday Edition April 26, 2012 - Vol. 5 No. 16

Online readership yesterday 86,559

Price $80 (VAT Inclusive)

Online: http://www.kaieteurnewsonline.com

Guyana’s largest selling daily & New York’s most popular weekly

Chinese Vice Premier waving billions of dollars sparked CJIA expansion - says Robeson Benn

Pg 11

These two men were nabbed by police after their failed attempt to snatch a chain from a passerby outside Stabroek Market yesterday.

Wrong day to snatch a chain!

Doctor remanded Govt. may have Labourer torches for practising after lost $2B on deal home after finding license revoked - Chris Ram man in his bed GT&T's 20% shares…

Pg 3

Pg 14

Pg 2

Opposition gouges $1.7B from Budget; - as OP talks NCN, GINA allocated $1 each breakdown

Pg 3

Page 02

Thursday April 26, 2012

Kaieteur News

Labourer torches home after finding man in his bed

What remained of the Westminster home

- fire-tender crashes on its way to scene

A Westminster man is on the run and his estranged wife and five children are homeless after he allegedly lit his home afire early yesterday.

The incident happened minutes after the man returned home and reportedly found another man lying in his bed in the West Bank Demerara home which also housed a shop.

Homeless are Surswattie

Mootoo called 'Radha', 31, and her five children of 3921 Westminster Phase Two, West Bank Demerara. The children's age range from five to 12 years.

It was only a week ago that the husband, whose name was given as Naresh Seepersaud called 'Fineman', was placed on a bond to keep the peace for a year after he appeared at the Wales Magistrate's Court on domestic abuse related charges.

The couple then decided to split possessions with Seepersaud deciding to keep the upper flat of the building.

He was seen using a kerosene stove to douse the upper flat of the home and even threatened villagers who came to dissuade him from any further negative actions.

According to a distraught Mootoo, she had been having trouble with her husband for some time now.

“He come back after six (06:00hrs) this morning. He rap and then he go upstairs and he come out with the kero stove and tell the children not to go upstairs,” Mootoo told this newspaper.

Neighbours were alerted

to the quarrel and a number of them came out.

They were reportedly forced to beat a retreat after Seepersaud threatened them with a piece of wood.

Mootoo is estimating her losses to be in the millions of dollars. “Everything is gone.

I am not sure what fuh do now.”

The man allegedly lit the home afire and left hurriedly with several bags of clothing.

Neighbours said that Seepersaud, who works as a labourer, was away from the home for several days.

He apparently became incensed after seeing another male in the home yesterday.

The fire was not without other incidents. Police detained one of the children (continued on page 6)

A distraught Surswatie Mootoo with two of her five children yesterday.

Thursday April 26, 2012

Kaieteur News

Doctor remanded for practising after license revoked Forty- Five –year-old Vishwamintra Persaud of Lot 55 Bush Lot Village Berbice was yesterday remanded to jail by Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine- Beharry for reportedly pretending to be a doctor, licensed to medically treat persons for ailments.

The police alleged that on April 23 at West Coast Berbice, the defendant reportedly uttered to a person who sought medical treatment that he was in a position to offer medical services knowing that he was not. The police said that the man had no license which would permit him to practice medicine.

Yet still, they claimed, the man had been practicing in Guyana prior to him being arrested. They further claimed that the defendant had been involved in a rape matter which caused his license to be revoked.

The prosecutor objected to bail. He managed to

convince the court that the defendant is a dangerous person that posed a threat to the society. He said that what they had was a man not permitted to medically treat a sick person, and yet still he was practicing medicine. He said based on the seriousness of the offence the defendant should not be granted pre-trial liberty.

Persaud was represented

by Kayreen Stephenson who held for Senior Counsel Bernard De Santos. The lawyer requested bail in a reasonable amount. She related that her client is a respectable business owner in his community and he owns a pharmacy which is operated by a licensed pharmacist and he is merely the cashier.

The court however refused the lawyer’s application and remanded the defendant to jail. He will appear at the Fort Wellington Magistrate’s Court on May 4.

Vishwamintra Persaud

GCCI’s members call for reduction in VAT … believe 16 percent is inappropriate

The business community believes that the current Value Added Tax (VAT) rate of 16 percent is inappropriate and too high.

Many of the members of the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) have signaled the need for the reduction of VAT to a rate pegged between 10 and 12 percent.

But GCCI’s one-week-old Executive does not have an official position on the issue.

Nonetheless, its members’ appeal will be taken into consideration, when the body discusses its strategic priorities and work plan next week.

This is according to GCCI’s President, Clinton Urling, who released the

findings of an Attitudinal Survey during a press briefing yesterday at its headquarters.

The body conducted the survey to ascertain the business community’s optimism and difficulties for last year.

He noted that GCCI found the overwhelming position of the business community on VAT striking.

The 88-membership organization only had 86 members in 2011 and of that amount only 66 percent responded to the survey.

The survey sought opinions on VAT and it was discovered that many businesses do not approve the current rate.

He revealed, “A significant proportion of

businesses believe that the current VAT rate of 16 percent was inappropriate with the majority indicating that the rate was too high and should be pegged between 10 and 12 percent…Only five percent of participants believed that the VAT rate should be higher than 13 percent.”

Urling stated that an Advocacy Committee would be created to examine all the issues addressed in the survey.

“We will invite experts, members of the private sector, and members of NGOs to assist us in sharing information and their opinions and we come up with positions on issues affecting the private sector such as VAT,” he said.

Page 3

Opposition gouges $1.7B from Budget; NCN, GINA allocated $1 each

By Gary Eleazar Following a breakdown of talks at the Office of the President between Opposition Parties and Head of State Donald Ramotar on the passage of the 2012 Budgetary Estimates the opposition made good on its threat to make sweeping cuts to allocations.

“They have chosen their path let them take the burden that goes with it,” were the words of A Partnership for National Unity’s point man on finances and former Minister of Finance, Carl Greenidge even as shrugged off appeals by the Prime Minister Samuel Hinds to reconsider a proposal for cuts specific to the ICT program at the Office of the President.

This was in relation to a $170M allocation from the local coffers which the Finance Minister sought to explain was counterpart funding so as to be able to receive in excess of $6B from China for the ICT programme being undertaken by the Office of the President.

Bishop Juan Edghill, the junior Finance Minister, who was presenting clarifications for the allocations for Office of the President had underscored the importance of the programme. He explained that this had to do with the e-governance, the One Laptop per Family Programme (OLPF) and the fiber-optic cable to facilitate the LTE network.

The Government Ministers sought to explain that by disallowing the $170M from the local coffers the opposition would negate the foreign inflows in the form of grants and concessionary loans.

The first order of cuts for the day was propelled by a Greenidge motion which sought to cut some $211M out the OP allocation set aside for subsidies.

Greenidge told the House that the $211M identified

- OP Budget talks breakdown represents the subsidy for the National Communications Network and the Government Information Agency.

This cut attracted a significant amount of debate in the House as to the merits of the “National Asset.”

During a query of the operations of NCN it was learnt that the State owned television station earns revenue to the tune of some $508M and that the subsidy from OP was used to supplement employment costs.

Greenidge told the House that the purpose behind his proposed cuts was as a result of APNU’s dissatisfaction with reporting arrangement.

He said that APNU is seeking to deny the fund because the two mediums have national responsibility to serve country as a whole.

Greenidge against the backdrop of passionate pleas

by Bishop Edghill and Prime Minister Hinds successfully piloted the cut which removed the entire subsidy for GINA leaving it with a dollar.

Some $80M was removed from NCN also leaving that entity with a $1 subsidy.

Edghill sought to explain that by denying the subvention then the people of Guyana will be denied access to information as has been championed by the Opposition. However, this did little to sway the opposition.

As it relates to Capital Expenditure for both NCN and GINA, Greenidge again moved to make cuts and relieved both entities of the subventions for any new projects to be undertaken.

This publication understands that as a result of the cut NCN, will firstly pull the Learning Channel and each programme such as Law Enforcement and You. Any other subsidized programme will have to start paying more for airtime.

It was also pointed out that as it relates to the 30-odd staff members employed at GINA their future employment with the entity is uncertain given that the company now only has $1 to undertake its activities for the year.

Next on the chopping block for Office of the President was the local equity being invested by Guyana to ensure the flow of in-excess of $6B for Guyana’s ICT programme.

This was vehemently opposed by the government and Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh sought to explain that this counterpart funding to receive the remaining resources was necessary.

He sought to impress on the opposition that with the removal of this money then some 63,000 Guyanese would be denied a laptop from that initiative. The 27,000 laptops that have already been distributed will go to waste as there will be no support system for this venture.

To this end the Prime Minister expressed his express regret and questioned the logic behind the cut “Here it is we are receiving (continued on page 24)

Page 4

Kaieteur News

Thursday April 26, 2012

Letters... Where your views make the news

Printed and Published by National Media & Publishing Company Ltd. 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown, Guyana.

Publisher: GLENN LALL Editor: Adam Harris Tel: 225-8465, 225-8491. Fax: 225-8473, 226-8210

EDITORIAL

THOSE CUTS IN SUBVENTION Guyana must be the most interesting place on earth. It is interesting to say the least because at the slightest agitation people mount protests. Sometimes these protests turn ugly because there are always people who are more incensed than others. The latter are the people who at the drop of a hat would become hostile to the point of confronting anyone who challenges.

These past few days during the budget debate there have been a series of protests directed at the parliamentary opposition. For the first time there is a situation in the National Assembly where whatever the government tenders as a national budget is not necessarily going to be passed.

In the past, because of its majority the government would present its budget and irrespective of arguments would pass what it presents.

However, this time the parliamentary opposition has a say in what passes. The members want to see some cuts in areas that they feel are not in the national interest. One of the areas, they see, is the use of state funds to operate the state media. For years, the opposition has been complaining that the state media was being used to promote only the interest of the government to the exclusion of any other.

The opposition, armed with the experience of what operates in the British Broadcasting Services and the Voice of America, two institutions funded by state money but free from state intervention in broadcast content, decided that this should also be the case in Guyana. But it is not.

The off shoot is that the parliamentary opposition feels that the state media should collect its money from the market place, in the same way that the others do, and then feel free to broadcast what it wants.

News of the proposed cuts has brought out the staff of the state media, from top to bottom. These people are sending the message that there should be no budget cut for their operations. This is arrogance to the highest. When the government withdrew its advertisement from the private media these very state media employees batted nary an eyelid.

And with the loss of those funds the affected enterprise never sent its staff to the breadline. In fact, the government never considered that it would be placing people on the breadline and so be classified as anti-working class.

What it says is that there is self interest here. There is even a total disregard for media colleagues. Worse, people in the state media are of the firm belief that the taxpayer must give them money to pander to the dictates of the government to the exclusion of all those who opted not to vote for the government.

The opposition made its power felt Wednesday night and the candle light vigil by the staff of GINA and NCN did not matter. Indeed the opposition voted for them to get a subvention of one dollar each, a token sum.

The nation saw a similar set of protests when one of the opposition parties proposed that contract employees be cut. Again all the public servants, regardless of whether they were contract employees, took to the streets.

And more recently, people attached to the sugar industry took to the streets because the opposition parties are proposing cuts in the amount of money being allocated to bail out the sugar industry.

What is of interest is that in each case when the opposition suggested a budget cut in certain areas the government countered that the opposition was against the working class. In the case of the state media, the message that the government has sent is that members of staff will be put on the breadline.

The impression is that the subvention is crucial although the NCN administration openly stated that the $81 million subvention was a mere nine percent of revenue, that the company made as much as $800 million last year.

That would suggest that NCN is the most profitable media enterprise in Guyana and for its management to suggest that the cut in subvention would lead to job cuts is to stretch the imagination.

Leaders who talk the talk and don’t walk the walk must hear from us DEAR EDITOR, The recent discussions coming from the political leadership on matters such as the budget, national interest, rights and the rule of law are interesting in that they offer insights into their thinking, and the implications of said thoughts in informing their decisions, which will ultimately impact our collective wellbeing.

No politician can honestly come to any discussion on the nation’s business without acknowledging this is a diverse nation, and such diversity is protected in the Constitution which outlines the rights of all and holding all equal before the law, as critical to the goal of forging a nation where peaceful coexistence and equitable development are the norm.

No politician can honestly come to the national discussion without acknowledging the socioeconomic disparities, festering and open conflicts among groups.

Thus, in making any national decision, budgetary and otherwise, it requires similar honesty and grit to recognize that fixing the problems require making decisions informed by the Constitution.

Diversity of interests, physical characteristics and others, while some see opportunity to exploit or reason to ignore, those who swear to uphold the Constitution have a duty and responsibility to weld the diverse sections together to “celebrate our cultural and racial diversity and strengthen our unity by eliminating any and every form of discrimination.”

As equal as the Constitution recognises our diversity, it protects our human rights and guarantees

protection from discrimination on the grounds of race etc, by ensuring the involvement of groups in the management and national decision making processes of the State on matters that affect their wellbeing.

Refer to the Preamble, Title 1, Title 1A and Article 13, “Protection of Fundamental Rights and Freedoms of the Individual,” “Protection of Human Rights” and “Objective of Political System,” respectively.

In so far that any political leader comes to the national discourse and involvement, after being given the mandate of the people to represent them, and fails to recognize and operate on behalf of these constitutional principles, s/he poses a threat to our collective wellbeing.

Further, our national interest is governed by our Constitution and laws following therefrom, and any threat to these foundations poses a threat to us.

This threat can come from persons indigenous and external to the State, including those doing business with the State or on behalf of the State.

As a member/partner of the global society, Guyana is equally bound to adhere to international conventions and laws and universal declarations, and hold those doing businesses with us to said standards.

This modus operandi is built on the international principle that free trade must be accompanied by fair trade, i.e. there must be a level playing field and all must play by the same rules.

Thus when sacred concepts like principles, national interest, rights and the rule of law are used by the politicians, we must ensure they are premised on the

West Bank Demerara needs centrally located fire station DEAR EDITOR, With a constantly rising population due to the construction of new homes, particularly in the community of Parfaite Harmonie, coupled with recent fires, there is an urgent need for a centrally located fire station on the West Bank of Demerara.

Fire tenders coming from Georgetown or Leonora take quite a long time to get to the scene of fires that occur in the West Bank area.

This is because the fire station at Leonora is quite a distance away; likewise Georgetown, where

consideration must also be given to the fire tender crossing the busy Harbour Bridge. These delayed responses of the Fire Service result in significant or complete loss of property, and as occurred recently, lives.

I join with the residents of the West Bank of Demerara in calling on the Minister of Home Affairs for his intervention towards the urgent establishment of a fire station or outpost to service this quickly developing and populated community.

Lloyd David

above. Becoming ever prevalent in the national discourse is the use of these concepts, absent of applying universal standards and mouthed by those committing acts of violation.

These leaders who talk the talk and don’t walk the walk must hear from us because they pose a serious threat to the goal of peaceful coexistence and equitable development.

Such misappropriations of the concepts also make worse efforts at resolving conflicts that inevitably flow from diversity/competing interests, and moreso make the oppressed, marginalized and discriminated against feel their deprivations are matter of birth and not social.

If deprivation is the result of birth, change is not naturally expected to occur in one’s lifetime.

If deprivation is seen as social, which it is because man is a social being, then efforts will be made to make changes and people will be

energized and motivated to change their circumstances.

As such rights, and any law following therefrom, are non-negotiable. No one must be placed in any circumstance, or made to feel that s/he is destined to be discriminated against and/or have to give up a right in order to enjoy another right.

These are sacred values fought for and won on the blood, sweat and tears of our forebears and must be zealously guarded and defended.

It only takes an individual/group to violate a single right of another with the support of other(s) and/ or those elected to represent the interests of all, before such violation becomes the new norm.

Forty-six years after collectively securing the right to self determination, i.e. political independence, this stage of our existence should be realizing the strengthening of our rights, laws and (Continued on page 5)

DEAR EDITOR, I was a little disappointed to learn that going to Kaieteur from Ogle could be equally or more costly than going to Trinidad and Tobago from Guyana.

This is somewhat appalling since I believe in order to boost our tourism potential, the process should begin at home, with our locals being given the opportunity to experience our varied products and then sell them as well.

Also significantly surprising were the rates being charged by some hotels and guest houses for nightly stays. In conducting a brief survey of room rates and amenities, I discovered that I would have to pay as much as US$95 plus taxes per night for a standard room (with the basics), while at a similar rate I can get a room in a three- to four-star hotel not far from Guyana.

I am wondering if our hoteliers take into consideration that there are soft and hard periods for visitors, and they should use some pro-rated standard when attaching rates to rooms.

In many Caribbean countries most hotels offer a two-tier rate. One designed for US or foreign guests, and another for Caricom nationals.

This is quite common across the Region. Why can’t we do the same here in Guyana? While we recognize that most properties were established to accommodate the tourist or foreign business person, we should look at

offering packages for locals who live out of Georgetown and vice versa.

We should remember that in many instances (and I can speak about the shipping of personal effects) it is the local person who makes the referral to their friends or relatives as to whom they should conduct business with, whether it’s sending their shipment, or money transfer.

In the same vein, if the opportunity is given for them to stay for a weekend at a hotel paying in Guyana dollars and at an affordable rate, we can easily see an increase in hotel stays by visiting friends and relatives.

Obviously these locals will pass on the information to their VFRs and could even become un-established sales people. Also, why should persons who desire to visit our interior locations and resorts be asked to pay in foreign currency?

In conducting my research, I was also told that many persons would love to visit Kaieteur and other places in our beautiful country.

However, they have to pay in mainly US dollars in many instances. I am not sure if this holds for all internal carriers.

If this is so, it is not encouraging for a fledging destination which is seeking the most and best possible awareness.

I’m sure with good judgment and planning, many of our smaller and even large (Continued on page 5)

“Charity begins at home”

Thursday April 26, 2012

Kaieteur News

Page 5

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

Not confirming Brumell as Top Cop would be a step in the wrong direction DEAR EDITOR, A Stabroek News report dated April 25 captioned ‘Despite seniority, Brumell unlikely to be confirmed Top Cop’, if accurate, is likely to cause even more concern on the part of the citizenry with respect to the whole question of fairness.

Unless I am missing something, one would logically conclude that if Acting Commissioner Leroy Brumell is the most senior and experienced officer on the job, then his confirmation as Police Commissioner would be inevitable, unless of course, there are more intricate issues involved.

I therefore wonder, should Mr. Brumell not be confirmed as Commissioner of the Guyana Police Force, whether this act might not reasonably

invite the question of ‘pointed discrimination’ and ‘political tinkering’ of the force.

Further, wouldn’t such a blatant act of disrespect against the most senior officer have the potential to lead to a state of disharmony and disrespect within the ranks?

I would hope that those in authority do not make the mistake of committing any act which will serve to further undermine the functioning of the force and call into question the professionalism of the entire entity.

I am quite sure that the government knows, like every citizen, of the tremendous problems the police force already has to deal with, we should therefore take care to ensure that our actions do not further exacerbate the

problems, a situation which may ultimately put every citizen at even more risk.

It is fair to say that the next police commissioner will have a tumultuous task of restoring the confidence of the people in a system that has been seriously demoralized, primarily owing to the acts of his/her predecessor.

It would therefore be unwise or folly to engender a situation which would make the task of rebuilding trust and confidence in the force harder.

Should Mr. Brumell, the most senior officer on the job not be confirmed, then whoever is thrust into that office will come with these added and unnecessary burdens. The people cannot afford this!

Lurlene Nestor

From page 4 national interest, based on the universal principles of equality and peaceful coexistence.

Our politicians need to return to the drawing board and understand the sacredness of the concepts some so freely chant, even as they engage in acts that violate these sacred tenets or communicate their support for same by the messages they transmit.

They must equally arm themselves with knowledge of the Constitution,

international conventions and universal declarations before speaking and engaging in any matter pertaining to the nation’s business and on behalf of the nation’s people.

In this business there is no room for ignorance, arrogance, tardiness and charlatans, especially from those who promised different and elected to right the wrongs.

The citizens yearn to live in a society where equality, prosperity and peaceful coexistence are the norm.

But this is largely reliant on the politicians giving leadership in ensuring the enabling environment for respecting our rights, including the laws that protect these rights.

For this is what they have been elected to do and must deliver on.

As citizens, ours become the responsibility and duty to hold them accountable, bar none, in ensuring the removal of any and all barrier(s) that hinder our aspirations as informed by our Constitution.

Lincoln Lewis

From page 4 hotels will be able to see increased business if they commence thinking of opening their businesses offering special packages to the local market.

I know many persons would not mind spending a weekend at a city hotel if the price is right.

Again they will sell the experience to others and we can easily see a boost in local tourism awareness.

If we are to seriously sell Guyana as a unique destination, we should and must involve our locals. They could very well be the best means of advertising our various products, both eco and heritage tourism.

Finally, let’s not forget that while in the process of pushing for increased tourism awareness, we should begin a program of educating our citizens to start the effort of ceasing the littering of our streets. It may be good for some agency to source a large number of garbage

receptacles with a permanent outer section and movable inner section, so that special vehicles will be deployed to remove trash on a regular basis.

These receptacles can be placed with the outer section secured to the ground at busy intersections and in highly populated food vending areas.

I’m sure with constant educational programs and signs, persons will get into the habit of holding their trash until they get to a disposal receptacle.

It may be a good idea to

seek assistance from our Chinese comrades, since the quantities we would be seeking can be easily obtained from that country.

Let’s place a trash receptacle at every other corner in the city, and have special disposal trucks assigned to remove all trash on a frequent basis.

Maybe we can have the cost underwritten by some of our large companies.

In no time we’ll become a trash-free city. Remember charity certainly begins at home. Let’s start now.

Bobby Vieira

Child’s fate continues to fade away in hopelessness

DEAR EDITOR, While I have previously voiced my displeasure at the daily sight of witnessing an innocent child whose duty is ‘assistant’ to his begging a n d mentally challenged mother, absolutely nothing has been done by the relevant authorities as the child continues to be denied an education and a better standard of living.

This child who is about four years old, has literally grown up on the road and while he seems happy and excited to be in public and against the dangers of moving vehicles, his innocence is being violated daily and perhaps will have a psychological impact on his adult life.

His routine at the Anna Regina car park on the

Essequibo Coast constitutes an entire day’s work and inclusive of hostile conditions of being exposed to the sun and rain.

This situation must not continue to exist in light of the Government’s commitment to protecting and preserving the rights of the child.

I am therefore appealing to the Department of Education in Region Two and the Ministry of Labour and Social Security to intervene, so that this child can experience his childhood pleasure like the other kids at school and effectively safeguard his future as a literate individual.

There are several other cases of truancy along the Essequibo Coast, where children are being forced to vacate school because of

poor living conditions and their parents’ encouragement for them to be engaged in economic activities for their very survival and that of the home.

It is not a pleasant sight considering the many social and economic challenges confronting the country, and in light of the Parliamentary opposition’s will to have the Government’s budgetary allocation curtailed.

It is my hope therefore that the school welfare officers assigned to Region Two will have a more attentive approach in combating this increasing trend of neglecting one’s education and in particular, having the removal of this submissive child from the Anna Regina car park and into the class room.

Elroy Stephney

Strict traffic measures required Leaders who talk the talk... during DHB maintenance period

“Charity begins at home”

DEAR EDITOR, The Demerara Harbour Bridge Corporation has issued a notice that from April 29th to May 5th 2012, the Bridge would be facilitating single-lane traffic.

Such an intervention is critical and necessary for the continued maintenance of this vital link for those of us living on the West Coast/ Bank of Demerara and the East Bank of Essequibo and its environs.

However, our experience at the Demerara Harbour Bridge (DHB) yesterday morning (April 25, 2012) leaves some cause for concern. I joined the queue to cross the bridge from the West Coast Demerara at 6:58am and arrived at the eastern end of the bridge at 7:42am.

That is, it took almost 45 minutes to cross the bridge at a time when the western end was opened to doublelane traffic and the eastern end was closed to traffic.

Initially one could not

understand what the reason was for such a horrible buildup where there were five lines of vehicles on the main road leading to the bridge and one line from the old road, all struggling to merge into two lanes on the bridge.

This was all taking place under the watchful eyes of Police officers, who are faithfully present there every morning to control the flow of traffic.

I must say that in recent times the police and management of the DHB have managed to put systems in place to reduce the traffic jam at peak hours significantly.

However, I am not sure if the Force was unprepared for a situation such as yesterday morning, hence the chaos.

The reason for the terrible jam was what appeared to be an accident on the bridge.

There was a car parked in one lane with its side damaged and a little distance away was a parked fire truck.

Therefore, upon approaching both vehicles,

the two lanes of drivers going east had to merge back into one lane. With the chaos that resulted from this, one can only hope that a system is worked out for next week’s continuous single-lane traffic.

I therefore wish to call on all drivers to abide by the laws, regulations and systems that would be put in place to facilitate the smooth flow of traffic during this time.

Further, I wish to call on the Guyana Police Force to ensure that strict measures are in place to control the flow of traffic.

V. Looknauth

Page 6

Kaieteur News

Thursday April 26, 2012

62 Kabakaburi residents barred Ills of society linked to mental from Village Council Elections conditions - Dr Frank Beckles Kabakaburi residents occupying state lands believe that they are being marginalized because for the first time they have been barred from the Village Council Elections.

This is based on the premise they are not residing on the Amerindian reservation, though, all their economic activities are done on the reservation.

Residents are rejecting this “excuse” and are calling for a new election, where they would be included. They believe that their exclusion was purposeful owing to their intention to ‘vote out’ the former Council’s influence.

According to a resident, this new scenario is shocking since prior to the April 12 elections the Community Development Officer and a representative of the Amerindian Affairs Ministry assured them they could vote.

“ A c c ording to the Amerindian Act once decisions are taken by villagers at community meetings they are supposed to be final,” the resident said.

What makes this situation even more shocking is that a resident of that section was once elected a Toshao.

It is alleged that only hours before the election commenced the 62 residents were informed that they cannot vote owing to orders from a high official at the Ministry.

The resident pointed out that the inhabitants were looking forward to this election to remove some leaders, who they perceived to be corrupt.

Apparently, residents were calling for this election two years ago since they had no-confidence in the Council.

The newly elected Toshao is Cleveland Simon

while the former Toshao is now a Councillor. Many residents are displeased that the former Council still has influence in this Administration.

The resident disclosed that on many occasions residents wrote to the Ministry and Region Two authorities appealing for an audit of the Council.

They claimed that the body was not being managed with transparency and accountability.

The Council earns money from royalties from timber and presidential grants. Residents are expected to be informed of how monies are spent every three-months at community level meetings but these are seldom held.

In addition, Councillors are supposed to meet m o n t h l y but under the previous Council this was not done. These actions led residents to question how their community’s financing is being managed.

Citing an example of questionable transaction, a resident alleged that more than 100 passes for timber given from the Forestry Officer to the community are unaccounted for.

The resident emphasized that the elections also had discrepancies. It was alleged that the counting of ballots was not t r a n s p a r e n t since no counting agent was present for the other nominees.

- need for amplified awareness

Psychiatrist Dr Frank Beckles “One can safely say that mental illness has a part to play in the level of violence and other ills that occur in the society today.” This assertion was made by practising psychiatrist Dr Frank Beckles.

He said during an interview, that mental health illness plays a role in everything, including the bad things in which individuals engage, because “it is your brain that is off balance, so to speak; it is chemically deprived... especially when you see a family member set a house ablaze with children inside or a man murders his wife or children...”

It has been ascertained that mental health services are not only needed but are very crucial. According to Dr Beckles, “The need is certainly there and

recognised.”

Health professionals have over the years been able to deduce that good mental health, like physical health, is crucial to the wellbeing of any individual.

However, there are some who are of the belief that even today enough is not being done to address this glaring health challenge.

Dr Beckles, who has been practising psychiatry in Guyana for more than a decade, is in fact one such person.

Although there are reports of a few others practising locally in the field of psychiatry this has not relieved the psychiatrist of the conviction that more resources should be directed to help address this health challenge.

He is however convinced that many in authority are perhaps not willing to plug the requisite amount of resources into this area in order to build a proper and adequate enough service.

He noted that those in authority are not the only ones that must help to emphasise the importance of mental health services. He said that the church plays a peculiar role in this area.

“Often people would rather go first to the church (religious entities)...That was always the case and later on they end up at the psychiatrists or at the public

Labourer torches home after finding ...

From page 2 after he was accused of stealing a cell phone.

And a fire tender rushing to the scene from the city suffered a puncture after attempting to avoid two overtaking cars.

It reportedly sideswiped the rails of the Demerara Harbour Bridge which resulted in severe damage to one of the wheels of the tender. According to Fire Chief,

Marlon Gentle, another tender was dispatched from the Leonora Fire Station, West Coast Demerara.

Amidst complaints by residents of Westminster, Gentle disclosed that there are plans to build a station for the West Bank of Demerara.

There were also complaints by residents yesterday of the deplorable state of the roads leading to the community.

Westminster is one of the several new housing schemes adjoining La Parfaite Harmonie, one of the country's largest housing areas established west of La Grange and north of the Canal # 1 road.

Yesterday's blaze would come weeks after another in neighbouring La Parfaite Harmonie which left two children dead and several homeless. (by Leonard Gildarie)

hospital if they make it that far.”

Although Dr Beckles has been providing mental health services through his private practice, the service is also offered through the Ministry of Health at no cost to patients.

It has, however, been deduced that many persons are either not aware of the available service or are simply afraid of the stigma attached to accessing such services.

Dr Beckles has revealed that time and again he has been forced to reassure patients that visiting a psychiatrist does not make them any less a human being.

In fact, he pointed out that there is need for immense edification.

Even teachers in the education system should be trained to detect some signs of mental illnesses.

Among the clients that Dr Beckles has seen over the years are children and according to him “the onus is also on parents to recognise these issues in their children.

It is not only about recognising physical injuries but also the mental problems they have...”

At the moment, the psychiatrist is convinced that the information being disseminated to the public is limited. “People to this day feel that if they have to come to a psychiatrist they are mad and so education in general is needed.

The radio, television and the press need to highlight topics on mental illness and mental health intervention a lot more. “ However, he is comforted by the fact that there is evidence to suggest that there is a growing appreciation by some members of the public, particularly when they see the level of physical violence that is occurring in the society.

Thursday April 26, 2012

Kaieteur News

Page 7

Syria violence rages, U.S. high court appears to France tells UN to hurry back Arizona on immigration WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Conservative justices who hold a majority on the U.S. Supreme Court appeared to endorse Arizona’s immigration crackdown yesterday, rejecting the Obama administration stance that the federal government has sole power over those who illegally enter the United States.

During 80 minutes of oral arguments, the justices suggested by their questions and comments that states have significant latitude to adopt laws that discourage illegal immigrants from moving to and staying in the country.

Justice Anthony Kennedy, who often casts the deciding vote, referred to the “social and economic disruption” that states endure as a result of a flood of illegal immigrants and

suggested that states such as Arizona have authority to act. Arizona two years ago became the first of half a dozen U.S. states to pass laws aimed at driving illegal immigrants out, including requiring police to check the immigration status of anyone detained and suspected of being in the country illegally.

The battle over the law goes to the heart of a fierce national debate between Democrats and Republicans over what to do with the estimated 11.5 million illegal immigrants in the country, a number that has held steady in recent years.

Critics have said the Arizona law could lead to ethnic and racial profiling of the fastgrowing Hispanic population, now equal to 16 percent of all Americans.

Pakistan tests missile days after India’s launch

Demonstrators protest against Syria’s President Bashar Al-Assad.

REUTERS/Raad Al Fares/Shaam News Network/Handout BEIRUT (Reuters) Syrian forces shot dead four civilians on a bus yesterday and fighting raged near Damascus, dissidents said, as international pressure mounted on President Bashar al-Assad to honour UNbacked ceasefire pledges to order his troops back to barracks.

In the city of Hama, an anti-Assad hotbed, an explosion ripped through a building, killing at least 12 people and wounding dozens more, according to the UKbased Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

Another activist group, the grassroots Local Coordination Committee, said the blast was caused by a rocket launched into the building and put the death toll much higher at 54, including several children.

A third activist source said the explosion may have come from inside the building.

It was not immediately possible to reconcile the varying accounts.

There was no comment from Syria’s government, which says it is committed to UN-Arab League peace envoy Kofi Annan’s April 12 ceasefire accord, but reserves the right to respond to what it says are continued attacks by “terrorist groups”.

Hama has been hosting a small team of United Nations observers, who are preparing the way for a larger UN mission which will arrive to monitor the ceasefire pact.

In defiance of the truce accord, shelling was relentless in Douma, east of the capital, residents said, giving further ammunition to Western states such as

France that want broad United Nations sanctions to try to end more than a year of fighting in which 9,000 people have been killed.

As well as urging faster deployment of UN monitors, French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe said Paris would push for a so-called “Chapter 7” resolution, which would mean punitive sanctions, next month if Assad’s forces did not pull back.

“This cannot continue indefinitely. We want to see observers in sufficient

numbers, at least 300 ... deployed as quickly as possible,” Juppe said.

“If that does not work, we cannot allow the regime to defy us. We would have to move to a new stage with a Chapter 7 resolution at the United Nations to take a new step to stop this tragedy.”

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said four people were killed when security forces opened fire on a bus at a checkpoint on the main road from Aleppo to Damascus.

ISLAMABAD (AP) — Pakistan successfully launched an upgraded ballistic missile capable of carrying a nuclear warhead yesterday, days after its neighbour and archenemy India conducted its own missile test, the Pakistani military said.

The Hatf IV Shaheen-1A missile was fired into the sea, the military said in a written statement.

It was described as an intermediate-range missile having a longer range than its predecessor, the Shaheen-1, which is believed to fly up to 750 kilometers (465 miles).

“The improved version of Shaheen-1A will further consolidate and strengthen

France’s Sarkozy rules out deal with far right PARIS (Reuters) - French President Nicolas Sarkozy ruled out any alliance with the far-right National Front of Marine Le Pen, backed by one in five voters in the first round of the presidential election, that would give it cabinet jobs or seats in parliament.

An opinion poll this week showed two-thirds of Sarkozy supporters want his conservative UMP party to break with past policy and strike a deal with the Front after Le Pen’s 17.9 percent score on Sunday made her 6.4 million backers key to the May 6 presidential election runoff.

“There will be no pact with the National Front,” Sarkozy told France Info radio yesterday, saying the parties disagreed on too many issues to imagine far-right ministers in government.

Trailing Socialist Francois Hollande by 8-10 points in voting intentions for the runoff, Sarkozy used a

campaign rally in the eastern Alsace region, a right-wing stronghold, to appeal to National Front voters citing the values of “the France that works”, family, Christianity and patriotism.

He also said he would call a referendum if re-elected to adopt a balanced budget rule if the Socialist-led Senate refused to ratify a European treaty on fiscal discipline, which Hollande has vowed to renegotiate to add measures to promote growth.

Winning over Le Pen

Nicolas Sarkozy voters is the chief headache for Sarkozy and Hollande, with parliamentary elections looming in June in which the far-right hopes to upset the mainstream and win seats.

Pakistan’s deterrence abilities,” said Lt. Gen. Khalid Ahmed Kidwai, who witnessed the launch and is responsible for the country’s nuclear programme.

Intermediate-range ballistic missiles have a range of 3,000 to 5,000 kilometers (1,865 to 3,110 miles), according to the website GlobalSecurity.org.

If the Shaheen-1A is indeed an intermediate-range missile, it would represent a quantum leap from the previous version. Pakistan’s

longest range missile before yesterday’s launch was believed to be the Shaheen II, with a range of 2,000 kilometers (1,240 miles). That is far enough to hit targets anywhere in India.

India announced last week Thursday that it had successfully test-launched a new nuclear-capable, longrange missile, the Agni-V, which has a range of 5,000 kilometers (3,100 miles).

Page 8

Kaieteur News

Govt. spends significant amount on travel and other arrangements for PM’ sister The Government of Trinidad & Tobago spent $868,268.11 on Vidwattie Newton, the sister of Prime Minister Kamla PersadBissessar, between June 1st, 2010 and March 31st, 2012 is $868,268.11.

Leader of Government Business in the House of Representatives Dr Roodal Moonilal revealed the figure in parliament yesterday in response to a question from Opposition MP Donna Cox. Moonilal said the amount “represents airfare, hotel accommodations, meals and incidentals while on official overseas travel with the Prime Minister.”

He also explained that there are no terms and conditions for the position of travel assistant to the Prime Minister since it is “not an established post created by Cabinet.”

Last month, in response to opposition complaints about Newton travelling with the Prime Minister, PersadBissessar issued a statement clarifying the matter and explaining why she has chosen her sister as her travel

Thursday April 26, 2012

Premier McKeeva Bush has until today to step down Cayman Islands - CMC The main opposition People’s Progressive Movement (PPM) says it is giving Premier McKeeva Bush until today to leave office as pressure mounts on the embattled government leader to quit amid confirmation that police are conducting investigations into three matters concerning him.

The PPP, along with independent legislators, say they will take pre-emptive measures to force him out if the deadline is not met.

Sisters Kamla and Vidwattie assistant.

“The Office of the Prime Minister (like the office of the President), has traditionally recognized the need for a level of personal service and ancillary support to the office holder.

“To this end, there is ample precedent of personal staff accompanying past and present Presidents and Prime Ministers of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago.

“The provision of Per

Trinidad to join CCJ PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad - CMC - Prime Minister Kamla Persad Bissessar yesterday announced that her administration would be bringing legislation to Parliament to make the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) the island’s final court of appeal.

“Such a measure will require a special majority and we look forward to bi partisan support,” she told Parliament.

The CCJ was established in 2001 to replace the Londonbased Privy Council. Most of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries are members of its original jurisdiction, while only Barbados, Belize and Guyana are members of its appellate jurisdiction.

The CCJ also functions as an international tribunal interpreting the Revised Treaty of Chagauaramas that governs the regional integration movement.

Diem to said individuals including persons who are not public officers is in fact contained in the Cabinet Minute 780 of April 2006 captioned “Revision of the Per Diem for Official Overseas Travel” which states: “(vi) the allowances provided in the Per Diem Schedule be applicable to official overseas travel by non-Public Officers where Government is required to meet all cost.”

Ms. Vidwati Newton is a qualified nurse with many years experience. She is responsible for the Prime Minister’s diet, medication, exercise, wardrobe and other health related and personal issues. (Trinidad)

“The democracy that we are aware of...would the highest elected person in the land be allowed to continue ...with the weight of three criminal investigations,” said Opposition Leader Alden McLaughlin.

“If Premier Bush has not stepped aside by close of business today, the p a r l i a m e n t a r y opposition...will file a lack of confidence motion in the government,” he added.

Premier Bush Monday acknowledged publicly for

McKeeva Bush the first time that he was under investigation by the police but insisted that he had done nothing wrong and the allegations against him were baseless.

Opposition changes tune on VAT CASTRIES, St. Lucia – CMC - The main opposition United Workers Party (UWP) has done an about turn on the implementation of the Value added Tax (VAT) and is now advising Government against imposing further hardship on the nation’s poor at this time.Opposition Leader Stephenson King who had announced plans to implement the measure in April 2012 had his party won last November ’s general elections, yesterday said that given the dismal economic forecast outlined in the Throne Speech, it was clearly the wrong time for the introduction of the tax.

“St Lucians particularly the poor and indigent are

Stephenson King gripped with anxiety and fear since the recent announcement by Prime Minister Anthony in his usual authoritarian style that VAT will be imposed on the population come September

1,” King said.

He said that Dr. Anthony’s announcement came just five months after his party was voted into office on a promise of “better days”.

The former prime minister said that Anthony should be forewarned that St Lucians will not stand idly by and allow whatever gains they have made in the past to be eroded by his characteristic economic insensitivity and recklessness.

“The United Workers Party therefore calls on Prime Minister Anthony to heed the voices of irate St. Lucians who are expressing their shock and disbelief given the SLP promise for “better days”.

1,700 teaching vacancies in T&T schools Education Minister Dr Tim Gopeesingh says he intends to take the Teaching Service Commission (TSC) to court concerning the 1,700 unfilled teaching vacancies in schools. Saying he is powerless to effect changes in his ministry because of bureaucracy, Gopeesingh said he had received legal opinions from two senior counsel.

He said they have advised that under the rights and responsibilities of the Education Minister, the ministry could determine the criteria and specifications under which anyone being interviewed for a job could be

hired. Addressing a forum yesterday on special education at the Rudranath Capildeo Learning Resource Centre, McBean, Gopeesingh said he did not have the power to address the alarming number of teaching vacancies in schools.

He added: “The minister has no ability to move teachers from one district to another district, although they are overstaffed or some are understaffed. “So where do we go? I have to wait on the Teaching Service Commission and they will take years to do that. So I work in a system where there are major weaknesses and I cannot do

anything about it.”

Gopeesingh said at present close to 1,000 heads of departments and posts for deans have been vacant since he took over the ministry. He added that vacancies for 500 principals, vice principals and senior teachers, 100 curriculum teachers and nearly 100 guidance officers have existed for over a year.

Dr Gopeesingh said that $400 million of his budget has been set aside for salaries for the vacant posts. On the TSC response to his concerns, he said:”They (TSC) write back and they say they cannot do that. So they are defying the minister,” he said.

Dr Tim Gopeesingh Gopeesingh was speaking to the T&T Guardian following his address at the all-day forum but stopped short of suggesting that the c o m m i s s i o n e r s ’ appointments should be revoked.

(Trinidad Guardian)

Thursday April 26, 2012

Kaieteur News

Page 9

CROSSING THE BRIDGE A crisis looms. No, it is not over the Budget.

What the opposition parties are doing with the 2012 Budget will not lead to a crisis. The cuts that they are proposing can be likened to kids playing monopoly. It is incomprehensible what the opposition is attempting but it will be for the people of Guyana when the time comes to ensure that this tyranny of one never again rears its head.

The real crisis that is about to develop is a short term one that will correct itself within one week. It concerns the decision for only oneway traffic on the Demerara Harbour Bridge commencing next week. This decision while necessary will cause mass chaos.

There is no way that the thousands of vehicles that traverse the bridge each day will be able to do so in a timely manner using one lane. As such what is likely to happen is that there will be long lines and interminable delays for those having to use the bridge.

At present during peak hours, the bridge authorities are forced to allow two lanes to operate in one direction to

ease the congestion. And still there is always a long buildup.

It may be argued that with discipline the situation can be eased. If persons who have to arrive at work for 8pm leave home at 4 am in the morning, they should be able to avoid delays and long lines. But it is unreasonable to ask persons to leave home so early.

There is also the option of more persons using the speedboat service. But just how many persons can the speed boat operators take off.

There are persons who are not going to be willing to have small children travel by speedboat and therefore the speed boat option is not going to ease the woes.

There is far too heavy traffic, vehicular and human, traversing the bridge to allow for the use of only one lane of traffic or for diversion using speed boats. This problem has been brewing for sometime because of the increase in the number of vehicles using the bridge.

However since it is necessary for repairs to be effected to the bridge there has to be a practical solution.

But what is that solution and

Dem boys seh ...

De budget get chop up and Robeson happy People got to be fools to believe that a company that mekking millions of dollar every year gun knock off some people because de government ain’t giving it money. This company mekking more money than any television station in de country but because it ain’t get government money it gun shut down.

And de staff believe because dem keep a candle light vigil outside parliament. De rain come down and sprinkle de candle. Dem people coulda ketch cold and since dem believe that dem ain’t got wuk dem boys want know wha dem woulda use to pay de doctor.

Anyhow, this nonsense about job cuts is a joke. Dem give Fip money fuh de road and when Fip fall down dem find more money. Dem boys want know wheh de extra money come from? When dem cut de ads from de private media nobody ain’t lose dem job.

But nuff people cry because de money that dem coulda put dem hand pun, thats some of de money that get cut. De budget had a lot of extra money. Even Fuzzy use to get extra. Now he got to live pun de bare revenue and he vex.

But is de cut fuh GINA that really hurting de staff.

Dem use to use de money to operate Blog and to create mischief. Knee Ass and Kwame and all dem rest had money fuh burn. De money gone. Dem boys seh that dem waiting fuh see how dem gun cut down pun phone bill and if dem gun lef on all dem lights and if dem gun tek de vehicle and sport whole night.

Robeson get spare. Dem ain’t cut nutten from he suh he can build de airport. He can do nuff thing wid de Harbor Bridge and he got money fuh buy nuff hammer fuh demolish illegal structures.

Is now dem boys understand why he didn’t cut de ribbon at de airport. He didn’t have any scissors. De opposition had all.

But Uncle Donald vex. He threatening fuh call snap elections and done this nonsense but dem boys warning he that he might lose corn and husk. He plan to meet wid Uncle David and warn he bout Khemraj. He done seh that Khemraj is a trouble maker.

Talk half and wait fuh de next half.

will Guyanese be able to exercise the personal discipline and sacrifice required to make the solution work.

Most of the problems Guyanese have are not new.

Other countries have experienced such problems before and therefore Guyana can learn from how others have dealt with similar problem.

The basis of the solution to ease traffic congestion for this temporary period should be to reduce the amount of vehicles and persons using the bridge. There is no other way in which chaos can be avoided unless the number of vehicles is reduced over the

period that the bridge will be under repairs.

The first thing that should be done is for immediate notice to be given that no goods vehicle will be allowed to use the bridge between 5 am and 10 pm each day. As such, all trucks, Canters and other vehicles used in the transporting of goods should only be allowed to do so from 10 pm to 5 am.

In order to make it easier for these vehicles, some of which may be stuck on either side of the bridge, it is necessary for temporary parking bays to be established on both sides of the bridge. These bays should be established far

away to the approaches.

The National Cultural Centre tarmac can be used on the eastern side of the river and the Vreed- en -Hoop Stelling area on the western side. Security should be provided.

Secondly, the authorities should encourage car pooling. The best way to do this is to offer an incentive for vehicles using the bridge to have four or more persons in while crossing.

As such during the period when one- lane traffic is to be employed the cost of using the bridge for motor cars with less than four persons should be increased to one thousand dollars. This will force

vehicles to car pool and therefore reduce the number of vehicles crossing the bridge.

The present decision to effect repairs to the bride and thus temporary traffic arrangements should be a learning experience for the authorities. They should now begin to examine the possibility of a second bridge linking West Demerara to the East Bank.

Penalties to be instituted for late tax returns - GRA - statutory due date on April, 30 will not be changed The Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) says that there has been a decrease in the submission of tax returns in comparison with last year, although the agency is providing assistance to persons in submitting Returns.

The agency has placed ‘Drop Boxes’ at the Value Added Tax Department, 210 ‘E’ Albert and Charlotte Streets, Georgetown and at the Internal Revenue Department (GPO Building), Robb Street, Georgetown.

This was disclosed at a press conference held at GRA’s Albert and Charlotte Streets branch, yesterday.

Addressing the issues were Head of Tax Operation and Services Division, Hema Khan, and Head of Communication and Tax Advisory Services, Wendella Willabus.

Ms Wendella Willabus said that the taxpaying public should comply with the laws and that is to ensure that their returns be submitted by April 30, 2012.

“The statutory due date April 30, does not change under no circumstances and we are encouraging our tax payers to submit their returns on time because there are penalties involved,” Miss Willabus noted.

Noting that there is need for voluntary compliance, Miss Willabus said persons should not be carried away by the idea that if they do not owe any taxes and they submit their returns late, a penalty would not be imposed, however, “the penalty will be imposed whether you owe taxes or not.”

Head of Tax Operation and Services Division, Hema

Khan, said tax sites are also located at N & S Mattai and City Mall. A mobile Tax Site was also in Linden Market Square yesterday, while sites were set up at the canteen of the University of Guyana,

Turkeyen, and the Republic Bank, Diamond, East Bank Demerara on Friday April 27, 2012.

She said persons are allowed to collect a lodgment receipt to prove that their

returns were submitted at all tax locations, and if they did not collect such it will be mailed to their respective address.

“If there is an error on the (continued on page 21)

Page 10

Kaieteur News

Thursday April 26, 2012

THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN

From 1 to 7: APNU stumbles again There was a mutiny inside my psyche when I read Rupert Roopnaraine’s defence of APNU’s choice of its person to be the third GECOM Commissioner from the main opposition party.

Roopnaraine told the Stabroek News that the central criterion was not which party the Commissioner came from but “to find someone who is suitable with a grasp of the issues.”

The WPA leader (we will deal in a future column on what or what has been the WPA all these years) went on to explain that the Opposition Leader was looking for someone who would be professional (see SN, April 23, 24) What Roopnaraine left out or chose to ignore was the essence of the Carter formula that he, Roopnarine was not being honest about. The Carter formula never permitted the Opposition

Leader to select all three of the Commissioners.

Carter blueprinted a structure where the opposition and ruling party will name three of their own.

The emphasis is on “opposition.”

In Guyana, since 1964 there has never been a twoparty parliamentary process.

Since the birth of the United Force, except for the interregnum of rigged elections), there have been more than one organizations sitting on the other side of the House facing the ruling party’s parliamentarians.

When the Carter framework was adopted, the PNC never shut out the choice of the smaller opposition. With only one seat, the WPA nominated one of its stalwarts, Joycelyn Dow to GECOM. With only one seat, TUF chose Robert Williams. With only one seat Roopnaraine persuaded the PNC to accept Steve

Surujballi as GECOM’s Tsar.

Back then, Roopnaraine did not enunciate on the criteria to become a GECOM Commissioner. Now with a smaller party (AFC) having seven seats in the House, its nominee was rejected.

This writer has confidential information that APNU’s choice is not that of the AFC’s David Patterson and is not someone from the AFC. Aubrey Norton has done a great service to Guyana by stating that he thinks the nominee should come from the smaller opposition party.

I think Norton’s credibility and respect in this country has soared through the skies with this statement.

To ensure that Norton is not exposed and allowed to stand alone in APNU, other APNU personnel should support Norton over his principled position.

I now call on two persons that I have struggled with in

the seventies and one of whom campaigned for APNU in the last general election to denounce this monopolization by APNU. First is David Hinds.

People change (as I believe I have demonstrated in this article here with Roopnaraine) but I cannot see someone like David accepting this fundamental error in anti-dictatorship politics. The other is Tacuma Ogunseye.

I plan to do a column on the mistakes the AFC has made that have irritated APNU but these are peccadilloes compared to the fundamental breech of a valued tradition in Guyanese politics since Carter negotiated free and fair elections.

Surely, it cannot be acceptable to the people of Guyana that APNU has selected all three of the GECOM Commissioners that are reserved for the

opposition parties. As I stated in a column last week, the AFC has 21 percent of the seats that the opposition got in Parliament. APNU’s 79 percent cannot be equal to a hundred percent. I want to make it clear; I am not a member of the AFC. I have no intention of joining any political party but it is known in Guyana that I have sympathies for the AFC. I have spoken twice on the pulpit of Youth Coalition for Transformation and I would willingly do so again. I would not refuse to speak on an APNU platform.

It is my incontrovertible attitude that the PPP is an irredeemable organization that is characterized by deep and dangerous authoritarian instincts punctuated with fascist inclinations.

If we are going to move away from the cocoon of an old political culture that has ravished Guyana since 1953, then APNU is gloriously

Frederick Kissoon placed to do so. What is important to note is that some of the top leaders in APNU are getting on in age therefore there must be the pressing desire to see civilized changes in a civilized country before old age steps in.

Time waits for no one – the young radical becomes an aged rock star as the years move on.

We are at a historic moment when the AFC and APNU can start the civilizing process.

To do so they must be magnanimous with each other. Aubrey Norton has started it, let’s follow him.

Thursday April 26, 2012

Kaieteur News

Page 11

Chinese Vice Premier waving billions of dollars sparked CJIA expansion - says Robeson Benn

By Kristen Macklingam “We had to enter into an agreement because we had a very narrow window in September where a Chinese Vice Premier came to the Caribbean with several billion dollars to fund projects and it was the only opportunity we had then to fund this undertaking.

“It was the only undertaking then and we had a particular line of documentation and information ready. We were able to take advantage and make use of that funding which would have gone elsewhere if we had not done what we had to do,” Minister of Transport and Hydraulics, Robeson Benn, made these comments while explaining the expansion of the runway of the Cheddi Jagan International Airport and the construction of a new terminal.

His comments came as the airport was observing its 10th anniversary since it became a Corporation.

He explained that some time last year, discussions had been in place with a large contracting company working on airport and other infrastructural facilities in the Caribbean.

“We had discussions with China Harbours and with some other providers; we had proposals, we had many, many rounds and months of negotiations and there were several iterations as to what costs would be… Ultimately we had a signing for a contract for the construction of a new airport building and also for the extension of the runway by just over 1,000 metres.”

He said that his government was caught on the back foot with the announcement of the contract signing for the project.

The announcement appeared in the Jamaica media even as the contract was being signed in his office and before the matter could be taken to Cabinet.

There have been objections to the project, least among them being the cost.

But Minister Benn justified the project by contending that there is a growing influx of passengers using the terminal and that the government needed to look ahead to as far as 50 years ahead.

The anniversary was being observed under the theme “Proud of Our Past, Excited about our Future, and a Decade of Solid Achievements”.

During a simple ceremony Ramesh Ghir, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the CJIAC,

Member of Parliament, Dr. Vindhya Persaud (left) and Minister of Transport and Hydraulics, Robeson Benn unveiling the plaque at the CJIA Corporation’s 10th anniversary celebrations stated that the transformation of the airport began in 2001 when the Government through a US$30M loan from the Inter American Development Bank (IDB) sought to reform the then Timehri International Airport.

As part of that project, the airport was required to establish a new organization structure. At that time there was a limited number of staff doing book-keeping.

From this period to date, there has always been an upward trend in the operations at the CJIAC, Ghir noted.

According to the CEO, in 2003 works were done to resurface and groove the Main Runway along its entire length.

The presence of water on this runway was a threatening situation which could have caused a loss of control by the pilot during landing and takeoff.

When this initiative was implemented there was also the installation of a new runway lighting system for the said runway, Ghir said.

The CJIAC staff also saw new additions such as the XRay Machine Walk thru Metal Detectors, Baggage Scanners, CCTV Security Monitoring System, the introduction of a computerized identification card system and there was the construction of a new sewerage treatment plant.

The constant aircraft landings affected the sewer and at one stage the sewer became ineffective to the point that if many were in use at the same time there was a back-up.

In 2005 and 2006 there was the rehabilitation of the arrival terminal building, the development of the airport’s website, a fence around the executive park installation of taxiway lights and the establishment of the

Roraima’s executive lounge among more.

Meanwhile, in January 2007, runway end identifier lights (reils) were installed at both ends of the Main Runway. Computerized immigration booths were also added to the Arrivals and Departures Halls at the CJIAC. Delta Airlines commenced operations on the New YorkGeorgetown route at the airport on June 1, 2008 and three years later (in 2011) the CJIAC saw the arrival of the REDJET airlines and the EZjet Airlines in its market.

Ghir explained that the passenger arrival records reveal that in 2002 there were 186,673 persons who landed in Guyana. This figure increased slightly in 2003 when 188,421 passengers visited the country.

However, during 2004 the numbers increased to 206,616.

The increase continued. In 2008 there was an increase to 206,327 passengers while 216,064 persons came to Guyana in 2009.

In 2010, records showed that 220,957 passengers landed at the CJIA and in 2011 there were 236,344 passengers recorded.

Revenue also grew. In 2002, the collection was $258M. Last year revenue collection was $748M. Ghir added that the profits which the CJIAC usually receives from its operations on a yearly basis are spent on further developments at the airport.

This is necessary if the airport is to continue to have successful expansions and meet the international standards which are required, he added.

Minister Robeson Benn, said that there has been a significant decade in terms of the development of the airport with a dramatic improvement in its services

and operations. This has also added to the recognition that the country continues to receive.

“We have perhaps

exceeded our expectations and I think that is important that perhaps sometimes we have too low expectations of ourselves that we are unable sometimes to realize our full potential. And to set the bar high enough so that our people can be challenged and here it is that the bar has been set high and it is an international facility, an international airport and in fact best described as one of the most beautiful in the Caribbean.”

He stated that the main focus of the CJIAC is now to go forward and discussions are ongoing as to how to resolve the known capacity constraints at the airport, the growth in international travel, tourism in the country and more.

According to Minister Benn, these goals can only be achieved if there is the new airport terminal building and an extension of the runway.

This, he says, is the “only way it can be done” and plays a part in ensuring continued development and sustainability.

Minister Benn said that the present departure terminal has already become too small.

Kaieteur News understands that this will allow for the opportunity of the tourism sector to go beyond the traditional market in terms of air transport to Guyana.

This will help develop the South American and South African markets and further appeal to Singapore, China, Indonesia and India since the East-West links are developing rapidly, Benn said.

Minister Benn continued that much work is yet to be done and Government seeks to take advantage of opportunities that will benefit the nation and the tourism sector for the country.

Page 12

Kaieteur News

Thursday April 26, 2012

Thursday April 26, 2012

Kaieteur News

Court remands ex-soldier in Puruni Backdam hacking

By Zena Henry An ex-Guyana Defense Force rank was remanded to prison on a charge of murdering 29-year-old miner Travis De Souza.

Ayodelle Woolford of Nabaclis made his appearance before Chief Magistrate Priya SewnarineBeharry yesterday at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court where he was slapped not only the murder charge but also with three additional charges.

Woolford pleaded not guilty to having in his possession 111 grammes of cannabis for the purpose of trafficking and 10 grammes of cocaine for the same purpose. It is also alleged that on April 22, last, at Chinese Creek, Puruni Backdam, in the Essequibo district; he had in his possession one .22 snub nosed revolver and live matching rounds of ammunition. He pleaded not guilty to that charge as well.

The police further alleged that on April 21 at the same location, the defendant murdered Travis De Souza of 13 Section ‘C’ Golden Grove, East Coast Demerara. To that charge he was not required to plead.

Police prosecutor Lionel Harvey told the court that on the day in question around 4:30 hours the deceased and his reputed wife were in their camp when the accused went into the camp with a cutlass in hand. The defendant reportedly chopped De Souza who managed to escape outside of the camp. The accused, the prosecutor continued, reportedly pursued the victim and continued to hack him to death.

The prosecutor also told the court that the following day the police went to Red Hill Chinese Creek in the said location and came into contact with the defendant. Upon seeing the police ranks Harvey stated, Woolford began to run. The man reportedly fell into a mining pit and sustained injuries.

The prosecutor also informed the court that when Woolford was held by police, he was carrying a haversack.

It was in this bag that the

AyodelI Woolford prohibited articles mentioned in the charges were recovered. The law men reportedly took Woolford to a medical examiner where he received treatment for his injuries. He was then charged with the offences.

Attorney-at-law Lennox Hanoman in association with Glen Hanoman represented the defendant. He told the court that Woolford is an ex-Guyana Defence Force (GDF) officer with a highly decorated military record and 10 citations.

He requested for his client to have an early date for the commencement of his matter since he is aware that for the crime of murder, no bail is granted. Woolford will appear at the Bartica Magistrate’s Court tomorrow.

Initial reports had stated that four men had attacked De Souza when he was in his camp with his reputed wife. She had reported to her mother-in-law, Rona De Souza, that on the morning of the incident, the men came into the camp and attacked the now dead De Souza.

She said her companion pleaded with her attackers but they did not cease their attack.

The woman said that De Souza knew his attackers and while being hacked by the men he had called out names.

The De Souzas believe that their relative was killed over some articles that went missing from his camp.

Meanwhile, a post mortem which was performed on the deceased revealed that he sustained 11 incise wounds.

Ex-policeman died of broken neck A post mortem performed on the remains of 60-year-old Christopher Sandy has revealed that he died as a result of a broken neck. This publication was told that during the post mortem tiny splinters of glass were found in the man’s skin.

Meanwhile, a source close to the investigation revealed that the man’s injuries are consistent with suffering from whiplash by a passing vehicle.

However, up to press time yesterday there were no leads as it relates to the vehicle or driver involved in

the accident. Investigations are ongoing.

On Monday morning Sandy’s body was found on the Zeelugt Public Road, East Bank Essequibo. The man was last seen alive on Sunday after leaving his Parika Backdam home.

Initial reports suggested that the man was the victim of a hit and run accident as pieces of broken glass and parts from a motor vehicle were found near his body. The man was also found with blood oozing from his nose and mouth and with injuries to his head.

Page 13

Page 14

Kaieteur News

Driver, conductor on bail for verbally abusing passenger A route 45 minibus driver and his conductor were on Monday placed on $25,000 each after it was revealed that the two reportedly teamed up to verbally abuse a passenger who objected to the actions of the conductor.

The conductor was also charged with assaulting the said woman.

The driver, Sherwin Lewis, of West Ruimveldt, pleaded not guilty to one charge of abusive language while his conductor, Darwin Mc Calmont of Sophia Squatting Area pleaded similarly to two charges; assault and abusive language.

The police claimed that on April 18, the victim Andrea

Cort, was a passenger on the minibus which traversed the route to the hospital, and while at Avenue of The Republic Georgetown, the conductor was about to hit another pas s e n g e r, b u t ended up hitting Cort in her stomach.

The woman reportedly spoke to the conductor about his attitude, and instead of apologizing to the woman, the conductor began to abuse the woman. After a while, the driver reportedly joined in the exchange. Together, he and his conductor reportedly gave the woman a fine “buseing.”

The prosecutor did not object to bail so the court gave the conductor and his driver $25,000 for the abusive language. The conductor was also given another bail sum for the assault charge.

The men will return to court on May 2.

Thursday April 26, 2012

GT&T’s 20% shares…

Govt. may have lost $2B on deal - Chris Ram Government may have lost out on up to $2B (US$10M) in the sale of its stakes in Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GT&T) to an Asian company.

According to accountant and business columnist, Christopher Ram, it is still unclear how Government decided on the US$30M price for the 20 per cent shares in that telecommunications company.

Ram, in questioning the deal which was announced earlier this month during a Government press conference, said that while the value of a share in a private company is a subjective matter, the sales of shares in private companies take place regularly and the finance industry has what it calls standard tools for arriving at an indicative price range.

The final price then becomes a matter of negotiation based on the specific facts and circumstances such as whether or not dividends are about to be paid and the net asset value.

Ram, a lawyer and a social

activist, said that there are two principal options of calculating as near as possible the value of the shares of a company as a going concern.

The first option is projecting the future income stream using past trends and projecting these into the future. The projections would then be discounted into present day value. This method requires a detailed understanding of the company and the use of a number of assumptions.

The other option, which was used by the accountant, is a standard procedure applying what is called the price earnings (P/E) ratio, of the shares of similar company or the average in the industry.

Adjusting for special factors, the P/E is then applied to the earnings of, in this case, GT&T. It was using these calculations that Ram arrived at a value close to US$40M. Ram noted that that company will likely be the only land line telecommunications provider for the foreseeable future.

Along with the licence it enjoys, the quasimonopolistic strength is an important factor.

GT&T is owned 80 per cent by the US Company, Atlantic Tele-Network (ATN).

The remaining 20 per cent was owned by the Government under a 1991 Agreement. These have been sold to China’s Datang Telecom Technology and Industry Group which had been identified by Kaieteur News as the Hong Kongbased buyer, long before this was admitted by the Guyana

Accountant, Christopher Ram

Govt. spokesman, Dr. Roger Luncheon

Government.

Datang has also been linked to the Peoples Liberation Army – the Chinese military.

It was one of the companies that had raised eyebrows in October 2011 when a US Pentagon report fingered it as being linked to the Chinese military and as a Chinese Government ‘espionage’ ministry.

Government spokesman, Cabinet Secretary, Dr. Roger Luncheon, in announcing the government’s approval for the 20 per cent shares, said that the money will be paid in two installments– US$25M upfront and the remaining US$5M to be paid over the course of two years.

Up until the sale, the government was receiving from GT&T, an annual dividend of US$2.5M, making it the most successful investment ever undertaken by any administration in this country. In March, two weeks before that announcement, President Donald Ramotar had said that no decision was

taken on the sale of the shares.

Ramotar at that time did reiterate that whenever such a sale is made, it “would be in the best interest of the Guyanese people”.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of GT&T, Yog Mahadeo, in the wake of the sale, had said that he was surprised at the manner in which the sale was handled.

Mahadeo stated that it was only after Dr Luncheon made the announcement and the media attempted to solicit comments from him, that he was made aware that the company’s shares were sold.

Ram said that in a situation where one entity owns 80 per cent in a company, it would be extremely rare for any investor intending to buy the remaining 20 per cent not to have some discussions with the majority shareholder as part of its due diligence.

“I would love to know, and by extension, the people of Guyana…the taxpayers…how government arrived at that US$30M.”

Thursday April 26, 2012

Kaieteur News

Girl, 9, sexually molested sides with molester despite by stepfather - Mother a positive medical record of rape

P

olice arrested a Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara man as they investigate allegations that he sexually molested his nine-year-old stepdaughter.

The man, about 40 years old, was arrested last Saturday after the child's stepmother reported the alleged brutal act to the police. The child's stepmother who got the news through rumours, questioned the child who then confessed to her.

The perpetrator, widely known as Beef, denied the allegation although the medical examination shows that the child was molested both virginally and anally.

Yesterday, the child related to other relatives the gory details of her experience at the hands of her stepfather.

All this was reported to her mother, who reportedly turned a blind eye and even threatened the child with physical harm to both her and her biological father should she tell anyone else.

The child, who is now with her father and her stepmother in the city said that “every time I tell she (her mother), she don't say anything but the last time when he push his thing inside me I tell she and she say if I tell my father, Beef might break up he hand and foot,” the little girl recalled.

The nine-year-old girl told Kaieteur news that last March her stepfather started to make passes at her.

She said he first started to rub her breasts and made her put on DVD for him. She recalled putting on the DVD three times and the only movie she saw was that of “naked boys and girls.”

From rubbing her breasts and making her watched porn, he started using his fingers on her. Then a week later he began raping her daily.

“When I come from

school, my mommy tell me she going to the hospital because her father was sick.

After she leave at 02:30hrs, I rock my brother in the hammock and I went in the room to sleep because I was tired.

I see him coming in the room so I run out and go in the hammock and when he left to go upstairs I went back to bed,” the nine-year-old recalled.

She said while she was on her bed, “I hear footstep and when I turn he push me on the bed and tek he finger and push it up in me.” She told her mother, who said “Oh is dah wah he doing.”

The little girl claimed that her mother told her to pack her bags because they were going to move out.

“She didn't went to the police; we went by her sister for two days then we went home back with Beef,” the victim lamented.

With no one to talk with, she started to relate her daily horrifying ordeal to her little sister, who then became distracted. It reached to a point where she could not have concentrated on her examination.

There are reports that Beef had earlier raped his biological daughter.

Yesterday when Kaieteur news visited the family, an

angry and distracted father emphasized that the police only arrested the stepfather.

The father is furious since he said the child's mother knew what was going on but never said anything.

He added that although the medical record proved that the child was molested, the mother, at the station, accused him (the father) and his current wife of bribing the police.

He said that the mother is trying to prove that his daughter is lying. The father (continued on page 16)

Page 15

Page 16

Thursday April 26, 2012

Kaieteur News

Girl, 9, sexually molested ...

From page 15 said that his children's mother, never wanted his two daughters to spend vacations with him. He recalled one incident where the mother promised him that they will spend last Good Friday with him.

“Before I go for them I does call and ask her, so Good Friday when I went to collect them just like that Beef started to beat me.”

He said that he reported the matter but since then Beef had gone into hiding. He had also taken the mother to court so that he could be granted visitation rights but she never showed up.

“The Magistrate bin put up an arrest warrant for her and nobody arrest her but when I late with one month child support police show up at my back door and front door with guns,” the father claimed.

Neighbours yesterday claimed that the children's mother is on drugs.

They also said that the two girls have been sleeping in one room with the mother and their stepfather.

A male, who preferred not to be named, said that Beef has a record of raping young girls.

Kaieteur News has contacted the Child Care Protection Agency and the agency is in the process of investigating the incident.

The traumatized girl

Thursday April 26, 2012

Kaieteur News

UG research finds Orange Rust Disease in Guyana

... sugar yields under threat

Prof Daizal R. Samad

Research by the University of Guyana has found the presence of Orange Rust Disease in the country.

This disease afflicts sugar cane leaves and has the potential to decrease sugar yield by up to 65 per cent, and if left untreated, could have devastating consequences for the entire sugar industry.

According to Director of the Berbice Campus, Professor Daizal R. Samad, an active researcher attached to the institution, Dr Subramaniam Gomes “and a young agronomist from GUYSUCO brought a sample to me last week. They also informed me that the disease has already been found in places like Barbados, Brazil, Cuba, Australia, and so on”.

Like no other time in its decade- long existence in Berbice, the University of Guyana Berbice Campus (UGBC) is leading the way in areas of teaching and learning as well as in research and publication.

The Director of the tertiary education institution, Professor Samad, said that several individuals and institutions have called upon the campus for assistance regarding the news release concerning Black Sicatoca disease, the cure for a disease in plantain crops, which was discovered by Dr Subramaniam Gomes, an active researcher attached to the institution.

He noted that such a disease left untreated, could have a devastating effect on our sugar industry and therefore to the nation's e c o n o m y. “ D r. G o m e s further informs me that a fungus-based insecticide called Carbendazim has been known to treat the disease.

“Although I am no expert, I have recommended to Dr. Gomes and the GUYSUCO agronomist to cordon off a small plot that is infected by the Orange Rust Disease and treat it to see if Carbendazim works in our conditions. If it works, how quickly does it work and what are the potential sideeffects?”

Prof Samad said that Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy, has been alerted and has assured him “that he and his Ministry are fully on board to take what actions are found to be necessary”.

“We do not want to wait for things to get bad before we act. Our research and follow up action must be preemptive,” he added.

“UGBC has been of service and our scholarship of discovery has moved forward to the “scholarship of application”, Prof Samad added.

He noted that, like no time than before, numerous lecturers at the university campus are engaged in research work as well as publishing and noted how important it is for them to do so lest “they run the risk of teaching the same old things in the same old ways....every person in our country gains”.

The “Dead Fish Syndrome” which was evident a few months ago along the Corentyne River shorelines had a study actually done on it and the preliminary research is now being extended to have a long- term assessment as well as geographic coverage over a two- year period, all along the Corentyne Coast.

“UGBC is sponsoring this research that could be very important to the health (continued on page 25)

Page 17

Page 18

Kaieteur News

Thursday April 26, 2012

Thursday April 26, 2012

Kaieteur News

Page 19

Vaccination Week in the Guyanese, resist all calls to discriminate! Americas seeks to protect 44

By Reuben del Prado On the afternoon of April 22, 201 2 m o r e t h a n a hundred men and women came out to the poolside of Duke Lodge. They were s t r a i g h t , g a y, l e s b i a n , bisexual, transgender and transsexual.

It was a fantastic celebration of being proud and Guyanese, as they participated in and supported the Caribbean Men’s Internet Survey: CARIMIS We were told it would not happen. “Not outside.” “Not out in the open.” “No one would dare to come.” But they came, and it was an amazing rainbow of colours.

Why was there any doubt that gay Guyanese would happily come out on a sunny Sunday afternoon?

It is my opinion that the people of Guyana are made to believe that sexual orientation is a sin that needs to be punished.

Let me state loudly and clearly that homophobia is like racism and sexism, and any other form of bigotry that denies people their humanity, their dignity and personhood.

I speak out because people are being blamed for something that they can do nothing about — their sexuality. To discriminate against any person on grounds of their sexual orientation is unacceptable and unjust.

“But they are sinners,” I can hear preachers and some politicians say. “They are choosing a life of sin, for which they must be punished.”

As a scientist I have enough evidence to say that no one chooses to be gay or heterosexual.

Sexual orientation, like skin colour, is another feature of our

diversity as a human family.

I remember standing next to Archbishop Desmond Tutu, a few years ago, when I heard him say: “Isn’t it amazing that we are all made in God’s image, and yet there is so much diversity among his people? Does God love his dark- or his light-skinned children less? … The brave more than the timid? And do any of us know the mind of God so well that we can decide for him who is included, and who is excluded, from the circle of his love?”

I hear many Guyanese say that being anti-gay is a religious issue. Perhaps then, what is called for is a creative theological response—a response that challenges oppressive religious and cultural ideologies of injustice and systematic exclusion.

Faith leaders who remain in comfortable silence on sexuality, and the diverse forms it takes, must speak out.

And communities of faith that have silently embraced gay and lesbian members for years must publically hang out the welcome banner.

We are seeing a promising global development in which more and more religions and denominations accept and ordain gay and lesbian clergy; more gay and lesbian people are featured in media; and medical, p s y c h ological and psychotherapeutic organizations reject that homosexuality is a disease.

Heterosexuality no longer represents the definition of reality for all people.

The simplistic, black and white lines that were drawn between the concepts of good and evil made it very easy to identify an “us”

(good, heterosexuals) versus a “them” (evil, gays).

The times are changing in Guyana as well, and soon national consultations will begin on decriminalizing homosexuality, as a follow-up to discussions at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, in Australia last October.

I am proud to be in a country today that increasingly embraces everyone as equals. As persons who can contribute to the development and wellbeing of Guyana.

This is a time of opportunity when fellow humans, of all faiths, creeds, races and sexual orientation, stand up for the principles of universal dignity and fellowship.

Guyanese increasingly resist calls for exclusion, because excluding is so absolutely unGuyanese.

By protecting and defending social justice for all its citizens, Guyana will once again be a shining star in the Caribbean – as we remember the bold and brave decision of the Guyana Parliament when it voted “no” against criminalising HIV exposure and transmission, on September 8, 2011.

I know that Guyana can, must and will remove punitive laws, policies and practices that perpetuate discrimination against its own children, sisters and brothers, and by doing so provide an opportunity to all in participating fully, as One People and One Nation.

Dr. del Prado is a medical doctor and public health specialist. He is the UNAIDS Representative in Guyana.

He can be contacted via ruben.delprado@yahoo.com

million people in the region

Under the theme “For you, for me, for everyone: Get vaccinated.” 45 countries and territories of the Americas are set to participate in the 10th annual Vaccination Week in the Americas as well as the first-ever World Immunization Week, both on April 21 to April 28.

According to Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO), the goal is to vaccinate some 44 million people in 45 countries and territories of the Americas.

More than 365 million people of all ages have been vaccinated during the past nine years in campaigns carried out within the framework of Vaccination Week in the Americas.

The Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) has supported Vaccination Week in the Americas since 2003, when it was first launched. The success of the initiative has provided inspiration for other regions of the world, which this year have joined together for the first World Immunization

- more than 180 countries and territories join in the first World Immunization Week

Week.

“Vaccination Week in the Americas is an extraordinary achievement that has significantly advanced immunization in our region,” said PAHO Director Dr. Mirta Roses Periago. “Now the whole world is joining the effort to expand and protect the achievements of vaccination.”

The countries of the Americas have been world leaders in the elimination and reduction of vaccinepreventable diseases. The region was the first to eradicate smallpox (in 1971) and to eliminate polio (in 1991). The last endemic case of measles in the Americas was reported in 2002, and the (continued on page 21)

Page 20

Kaieteur News

Thursday April 26, 2012

US$12.3M grant to enhance Linden Mentally challenged gang rape victim Water Supply Rehabilitation Programme - two new water treatment plants to be built, disappears again reservoirs, transmission mains to be installed - police arrest woman who took her from home Less than a week after her harrowing story was published, a 17-year-old mentally challenged girl has disappeared from her home once again; but this time the police have detained a city woman who relatives believe might have made her into a victim of trafficking in persons.

The woman had taken the mentally challenged teen from her home in Vryheid’s Lust, East Coast Demerara on Tuesday, agreeing to take her back some time later that day.

However, both she and the teenager disappeared, sending the missing girl’s relatives into panic.

A search was launched on Tuesday night, while the woman could not be contacted on her cellular phone.

The woman was however seen in the city yesterday by one of the missing teen’s relatives and could not give a proper account about the girl’s whereabouts.

This newspaper had carried a mini feature on the teenager’s plight; a tale that involved her being lured away to abandoned houses in and around Georgetown where she was repeatedly gang raped.

In most cases she was treated like a sex slave, as her captors collected money from persons whom she was forced to perform various sexual acts.

In most cases the teenager was lured to these locations by friends or other persons whom she trusted.

No one was arrested for the previous sexual assaults.

Kaieteur News was told that on Tuesday a female friend of the girl’s family went to their home and offered to take her out.

At first the teenager’s mother was reluctant to allow her to go with the woman but she was convinced that her daughter would have been returned home before nightfall.

“She (family friend) told the mother that she could take care of (teenager’s name).

She said ‘she (teenager) would not behave bad with me’. The woman told the mother that she was just going to BV,” a relative of the missing teen told this newspaper.

“The mother was of two minds but she didn’t want her daughter to feel that she, the mother, was locking her away from the outside world.

Besides, she knows the woman,” the relative added.

So, the teenager was allowed to go with the woman.

As night began to set in, the teenager’s mother became worried and tried to contact the woman to find out where she was with her daughter.

After several unsuccessful attempts she gave up and eventually contacted the police at the Sparendaam Police Station, after alerting other relatives.

As Tuesday night passed with no word on the teen’s whereabouts, an intense search was launched in the city yesterday morning.

A relative later managed to locate the woman with whom the teenager had left her home.

According to relatives, the woman related an “unbelievable story” about the girl “running away from her.”

They contacted a police rank who detained the woman and took her to a police station where she was questioned about the missing teenager.

“First she claimed that she carry the girl to collect some clothes. She say how they went to Alexander Village, Sophia and Fish Shop, all kinds of things she talking,” the teen’s relative told Kaieteur News.

The relative said that the woman was eventually taken to the Sparendaam Police Station for further questioning and there she gave a different version of events.

“She told the police how she was walking with some Trinidadian boy and the (missing teenager) was walking at the back. She said that when she look back the (missing teenager) run away,” the relative recalled.

The police also are not convinced by the woman’s story and are detaining her while the search continues for the missing girl.

“She say how the girl runaway; why she didn’t run behind she? It was she who was responsible for the girl.

She didn’t even call the mother to say that the girl had run away,” the relative said.

“The police tell her she will have to find the girl,” the relative added.

The family is hoping to find the teenager soon, since they fear that it could be weeks before she returns home after being sexually battered again.

Residents of Linden are set to benefit from a US$12M grant that will enhance Linden Water Supply and Rehabilitation Programme (LWSRP.) The project which is being executed by Guyana Water Incorporated, is being funded by Government through a loan from the InterAmerican Development Bank (IDB.) According to Programme Manager, Omar Bissoon, the programme seeks to significantly enhance the quality of life experienced by GWI customers in Linden through a massive rehabilitation of the water supply system.

“Over the next five years, we expect to undertake a series of large scale civil works which will include the construction of two new water treatment plants at Amelia’s Ward and Wisroc as well as booster stations, reservoirs, and the installation of transmission mains” Bissoon noted “as well as the rehabilitation of the distribution system including replacing leaking

pipelines and service connections.”

The Programme Manager said that with the combination of the new treatment facilities and the reduction of leaks through an upgrade of the distribution system, Linden customers will experience improved water quality as well as higher levels of service.

Under the programme, GWI is also engaging a consultant to develop a strategy to reduce water loss and non revenue water.

“We are aware that the current system is not adequate due to its age and the growth of the town over the years,” stated Bissoon, “but when the new plants are fully operational customers will enjoy a higher standard of treated water of a quality that fulfills World Health Organization guidelines” The Project Manager further underscored that the programme will encompass a large public education and

community outreach component.

“The success of the LWSRP also depends on the willingness of GWI Linden customers to partner with us on water conservation, protecting freshwater resources and maintaining safe household water supply,” Bissoon said.

“For customers to enjoy higher levels of service they must avoid wastage; we will be engaging all the treated water schemes in a conservation campaign via mass media and community meetings.”

With regard to protecting sources of freshwater, Bissoon explained that the new Wisroc Water Treatment Plant will utilize freshwater from the Dakoura Creek; hence customers of Linden must protect the creek and its watershed by avoiding activities that can pollute the creek such as mining and forestry activities, and

dumping garbage in or around the creek.

He added that while the new facilities will provide an improved level of safe, potable water, water can still become contaminated if customers are reluctant to adapt safe habits such as storing water in covered containers and consistently cleaning black tanks.

“Linden customers can anticipate a robust public education thrust including a 60-Minute television documentary on the programme,” Bissoon, explained “we urge them to partner with us as we strive to significantly enhance their quality of life through the improvement of the service we deliver.”

Customers with questions about the LWSRP can e-mail pro@gwi.gy; visit www.gwiguyana.com or post questions via social media at w w w. f a c e b o o k . c o m / everydropcountsgy

Student nurses bemoan condition of hostel

Water flowing into one of the bedrooms close to where the overflow occurred.

Student nurses at the Linden Nurses’ Hostel are calling on the relevant authorities to address the insanitary conditions under which they have been forced to dwell during the past few days.

According to reports, the situation, which is characterised by the constant overflow of the septic system, has been reoccurring over the past two years.

This newspaper was informed that the matter has time and again been brought

to the attention of the Regional Authority but to date remedial works have been limited to minor works.

This is despite officials of a waste disposal entity having been able to deduce that the septic system simply needs to be emptied. The reason for the delay has been attributed to the lack of finances to the Region, according to reports.

Reports are that some 46 student nurses are accommodated in the hostel but are worried about the state

of their environment since substantial amounts of the septic residue can be seen, on a daily basis, seeping into the sections of the bathroom area and close to rooms they occupy.

It was revealed that the affected student nurses had only a few days ago met with their Principal General Tutor, Hilary Christopher, to voice their concerns. The result of that meeting, this newspaper understands, was a decision to take the matter yet again to the Regional Officials.

However, should nothing be done to address the situation, it was revealed to this publication that the next step will be to take all concerns directly to the Minister of Health, Dr Bheri Ramsaran.

In the interim though, the student nurses are hoping speedy measures will be engaged to address the situation given the fact that the nursing profession is one that embraces the importance for cleanliness and good healthy conditions.

Thursday April 26, 2012

Kaieteur News

Page 21

Potable water for Ituni in a matter of months - GWI In a matter of months, residents of Ituni are likely to benefit from safe, potable water. At least this is according to Public Relations Officer of the Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI), Timothy Austin, during an invited comment yesterday.

Austin said that a new well which was drilled last year has since been completed and a new project will commence as early as June to extract safe, potable water from the new well. This, according to him “will alleviate most of the water supply challenges affecting the area.”

Residents of Ituni, a few weeks ago, had voiced their concerns about the water situation even as they picketed the lawns of the Ministry of Education in the quest to have a secondary education department be introduced in the area. The picketing exercise was orchestrated by the Ituni Parent/Teacher Association.

According to one of the vocal pickets, Pastor Eon McDonald, the problems at Ituni extend to the water situation, which he believes is capable of transmitting “all sorts of diseases. It has been decades we have been getting

The Ituni residents in picketing mode recently brown water... We have got wrigglers in our water and that is what we have to consume...this is the poor service we are getting.”

However, Austin said, yesterday, that GWI is currently mobilizing manpower and equipment to have the water project completed in the swiftest

manner possible to address the water woes of the residents.

GWI’s Hinterland Manager, Akram Hussain, recently revealed that last year the water company was able to drill a well in the Ituni community as part of the first phase to rectify all the issues with sourcing water from a

Penalties to be instituted ...

creek within the community.

“The well drilling exercise has been quite successful,” Hussein said, even as he pointed out that “arrangements are in place to interconnect the well with the network by the middle of 2012.”

The Hinterland Manager in addition to pointing to midyear being targeted as the completion date for the project had also anticipated that there were no significant obstacles.

“We are presently

installing relay structures to make the interconnectivity with the network possible,” he said.

He further explained that under G W I ’s Hinterland Programme for this year there is provision for the installation of two mini treatment units within the community of Ituni which would provide residents with significantly improved water supply.

Hussain stated, too, that all efforts are being made to expedite the project in an

effort to alleviate the problems experienced by residents but he urged all parties to be patient since the technical components require meticulous installation to avoid any delays.

As part of the initial process a GWI Team, including members of the Scientific Services Department, had conducted a full investigation into the concerns voiced by residents regarding the use of a nearby creek as a source of water.

Neal & Massy hosts IT Expo/Seminar

Head of Communication and Tax Advisory Services Wendella Willabus (left) and Head of Tax Operation and Services Division, Hema Khan.

From page 9 tax return, it is sent back to the taxpayer to correct these errors. That’s why they should be very careful since it will be rejected, if it is not a valid return. And when it is sent to them and it passes the due date then they will have to pay the two per cent penalty on their return, even though it was sent in on time,” Miss Khan said.

Ms Khan said that even if persons are one day late the penalty will be enforced on the taxes which are assessed.

“In the return there is supposed to be a signature from the taxpayer to prove that it is a true statement of their income, for persons employed they have to have a 7B slip which shows a statement of their earnings from their employer and that should be signed and

stamped.

“For self employed persons they must have a copy of their income and expenditure statement which shows how their income arise; and for companies we have to have audited financial statements or else we do not accept their returns,” Miss Khan underscored.

Commissioner-General, Khurshid Sattaur noted recently that “this year the GRA is expecting an increase in the submission of Tax Returns.

As such, since the statutory deadline for the submission of returns is Monday April 30, 2012, I am urging Taxpayers to make use of our Tax Sites or visit our offices at their earliest convenience to avoid the congestion associated with ‘last minute’ submissions.”

The CommissionerGeneral reminded the general public that the benefits of submitting Returns by the statutory deadline include the avoidance of unnecessary delays when obtaining Liability Statements and Compliance Certificates for the disposal or transfer of property and for tender purposes.

All Tax Sites open at 09:30 hrs and close at 16:00 hrs (Mondays –Thursdays) and 9:30 to 15:00 hrs on Fridays.

With April 30 also the deadline for the submission of individual Income and Property Tax, Company Property Tax, Corporation Tax and Capital Gains Tax Returns fast approaching, the GRA has intensified its efforts to raise awareness on the importance of submitting Returns.

In sensitizing the business community on Information Technology (IT) the Neal and Massy Guyana Group yesterday launched the first IT Expo/Seminar at its business headquarters at Ruimveldt, Georgetown.

The Expo is set to continue this week. At the event there were IT devices on display such as security

solutions, intercom systems, detectors, electronic access control, CCTV cameras, safety equipment, fire detectors and controls, amongst other items.

Chief Executive Officer Mr. Deo Persaud said the Neal and Massy Guyana Group is a performance-driven company with a 44-year track record of business experience

and acumen in Guyana.

“We operate across a wide range of Industries and Services including Automotive, Industrial Equipment and Support Services; Domestic and Industrial Gases; Financial Services; Security and Cash Services; Information Technology and (continued on page 23)

Some of the items on display at the event.

Page 22

WANTED East Coast Guyoil wanted day & night pump attendants, washman, manager, office assistants & sales girls. Call: 684-2838, 671-3983 One manager/clerk to work in Indian Boutique (Georgetown). Call: 2278096, 226-7015, 638-8500

Kaieteur News

WANTED Labourers to work on sawmill at Coverden E.B.D. Call; 6259475, 609-8727 Excavator operator to work at Mahdia, must have 3 years experience. 1 cook. Contact: 216-6348, 661-5991, 674-0245 One female to wash clothes.

Call: 621-7862

Porters & sales girls apply with written application at Lot 1 E Dennis& Milton Street Campbellville

Manager’s Assistant general duties including Custom and Bond, Security Guards, accommodation available.

Call: 676-6700

One live in domestic.

Contact:658-9495 / 627-2550

1 Tutor to teach Form 1, apply Bissan’s Trading, 94 King Street. Call: 227-7306

Excavator Operator, Mechanics (Caterpillar, Perkins & model M Trucks) Jetmen, Marrack, sailors.

Call: 223-5273-4 One live in maid. Call:2235324 General labourers, carpenter @ Amin Enterprise, 4 Meadow bank G/Town. Call: 226-0011, 225-6046, 611-7777 One maid, one cook.

Contact: 223-5273-4 Experience taxi drivers, dispatchers and bus drivers.

Call: 265-7076, 616-5419 One experience TM driver to work in interior. Call:6420176,670-1052 1 general domestic East Bank Area. Call: 614-4358 Office clerk; CXC English/ Mathematics. Call: 225-4492, 225-6070 One male to work in interior $60,000. Call: 686-2201 Live-in domestic must know to cook and 1 waitress, salary 50,000 monthly.

Call:610-5043 Persons/family to live & take care of farm @ E.C.D, attractive salary offered.

Contact: 690-1943, 691-8021 1-shift supervisor to work in Kitty Area. Call: 226-7054 Two experienced waitresses to work in interior. Contact: 616-7543

Security guards, accommodation available.

Call:676-6700 1 experience waitress apply @ Mambo’s Bar, 93 Barr St. Kitty.

Counter servers, kitchen assistant Handy Boys, Cleaners. Apply Hack’s Halaal 5 Comerence St. Bet- 9-11am

MASSAGE American style massage services. Call: 609-4036

ONLINE SHOPPING NO COMMISSION, WEEKLY S H I P M E N T S , AFFORDABLE RATES, FREE PRIVATE MAILBOX T E L # 2 3 1 - 5 7 8 9 FREIGHTLINKEXPRESS@ GMAIL.COM

We repair fridge, freezer, AC, washer. Omar:231-0655,6838734 We refill HP cartridges for $1,800. Call:650-7699 Repairs, sales & spares, air conditioning, microwaves, washer, fridges & Stoves.

Ultra Cool: 225-9032, 647-2943 Auto clean: we clean head lamp making the yellow oxidation caused by foreign chemical history. Call: 6673772, 648-1602 US & Canada Visa application services. Call: 643-6630, Family Discounts Available.

Urgently needed live-in waitress to work in bar, reasonable salary offer. Call: 259-0574

Let US attorney assist you with your Visa application.

Call: Mrs. Elias:233-2338

Looking for (2) saw men to work in interior, (1) female to work in shop $80,000.

Call:686-2201

Labourers to work on wood concession accommodation provided $4,000 per day. Call: 653-6236 Taxi drivers & carpenters.

Call: 698-7807, 225-3234 Experience jet and marack men to work in interior.

Serious enquires only.

Call:694-2310 Full time gardener/ handyman reference needed.

Call: 226-0240, 225-3557

Urgently: chainsaw operator to work in the interior. Call: 626-0006, 231-3159

Suriname vacation shopping site-seeing 28th April1stMay, trip. Contact Matthew:639-2663, 6655171,644-0185, 227-8290

Live-in domestic; excellent remuneration. Call: 613-3091

Capoey Lake 1st May. Joy: 218-1285, 657-0825

TO RENT One Bobcat Skid Loader for rent. Please contact: 6103575

PROPERTY FOR SALE Two story wooden and concrete building located at 14 ‘A’ Kersaint Park, L.B.I., E.C.D land measuring 75ft, by 75ft, kitchen cupboards, window grills, 6 bedroom, alarm, system,concrete fence and drains, large storage bond adjoining property price 21 Million (negotiable). Call: 643-2403, 227-2712 Kitty-$14M- $24M, Kingston -$16M, South- $25M, B.V$10M, Queenstown- $35M. Diana: 227-2256, 626-9382

Aubrey Barker-$30M, Essequibo-18.5M, Kingston-16.5M, Agriolca15.5M, Atlantic Garden-18M. Steve:699-5499 FOR SALE OR RENT Double butcher stall @ LaPenitence Market. Contact: 665-9498, rent or sell for Sunday

FOR SALE 1 washing machine, 1 dryer, PS 3 160GB $100,000.

Contact: 650-7719 Dell computers complete with 19” monitor LCD from $69,000. Future Tech.

Call:231-2206, 644-6760 Roofing shingles $5,995 per bundle. Call: Mr.Skepmire: 227-5195 Electronic Treadmill $80,000, serious enquires only. Call: 641-9379

FOR SALE Used & brand-new fridge, TV, microwaves, AC, vacuum. Call: 678-4899 Household furniture etc. beds, sofa, wardrobes. Call: 254-0694 1 Bedford model M 4x4 $3.5, 1 Bedford Model TM 6X6 $7.5, 2 Kubota diesel engines negotiable. Call: 688-4270 1 Daf 45 flat bed, 26 Ft tray.

Call:609-7803 1 complete audio system, alphansonic 2400W, Rockfordfosgate 2000W, 1 Pioneer Inbox 5000W, Clarion/crossover. Call: 6570529 Used: QSC Amps MX2000 & MX3000, Roland sampler SP404, Rcf speaker: 12" & 18", celestion speaker: 15".

Contact: 644-3390 Titan parts, engine DIFF etc.

Call:648-2075

East Coast -$45000-$5500US600, Campbellville US750, Bel Air-US1250.

Diana: 227-2256, 626-9382

TOUR

Get massage loosen all your joints. Contact: Glorie: 6692154

WE FILL OUT PASSPORT & VISA FORMS:USA, UK & CANADA TEL#231-5789

Repairs to gas stoves, deep fryers, washing machine, electric stoves. Call: 686-6209

One Christian maid to work in Georgetown, serious enquires only.Call:225-2940, 225-0350 Two male shop assistants to work in Georgetown & the interior, serious enquiries only. Call: 225-2940, 225-0305

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

E&N Beck 3 Princess Machinist/ crankshaft machine operator. Apply in person.

Experience men to burn charcoal & chainsaw operator. Call: 653-6236

Thursday April 26, 2012

Tires off a Rav 4 size 16, 225x70x16 (used) $3000 each.

Call: 226-0011, 611-7777 New Blackberry Torches (Slider) $80,000. Call: 6801722 MARK II GX 100, excellent condition, rims, music, H.I.D, alarm, owner migrating 1.3M (neg). Call: 698-5046, 6962721 Gold detectors (Water proof) with headset, batteries changer & batteries. Call: 609-7625 2 mixed breed pups age2months. Call: 651-0589, 6883717 price negotiable 15ft fiber glass boat $170,000.

Call: 260-0301, 685-1233 Used 2 large fridge $55,000, new digital cammer’s $25,000 each, 1 double door electric wall down $100,000. Call: 6121486 Compaq laptops -$85,000.

Call: 675-1168

1 new Centurion 5000 W generator at $175,000, 1 new gas stove at $125,000, 1 32 inch LCD TV at $115,000. Call: 694-5371 Spares for washer, microwaves, fridges, stovetimers, gear boxes, pumps etc. Contact:225-9032, 6472943 Toyota Starlet 2 E Turbo engine with gearbox and ECU: Call: 624-7155.

NARS lipgloss, eyeshadow & Clinique lipgloss. Tel: 6698374.

Bread tapes. Call: 231-8819 Short fluffy puppies vaccinated & dewormed $12,000. Call: 220-4247 90 KVA Generator, portable 110/220, 1 phase & 3 phase.

Call: 642-1141. 1200 hrs.

Games for PS2-$900, PSP$900, PS3-$2600, Xbox 360$2600, Xbox 1-$2000, WII$1600.Call: 672-2566, 2653231 1 Tundra, 1 Perkins engine & Welder 400 amps. Call: 6605462, 611-5114 1 330 Bedford Turbo engine, 3000 PSI pressure washer, power horse 2’’ water pump, 1 ½ Ton forklift Nissan.

Contact: 617-7691 One brand new aluminum 15 feet boat with engine. Call: 612-8668 15-15-15 fertilizer. Call: 2662711, 609-4594 RX7 2002 Model, price negotiable. Call: 223-5273-4 2 Leyland Daf double Axle.

Call:678-1317 1 BM Lenovo laptop, brand new, $60,000. Call: 681-2111 Household articles TV’S Freezer, microwaves, hot water tank, computer, fax, etc.

Call: 233-5251, 662-2595 Live meat birds-chicken.

Contact: 691-8021, 690-1943 Pine lumber at unbeatable prices. Call: 226-7054

2x2x1.5MM, Hollow section.

Call: 2200-6100, 680-5900

New pressure washers 2600 PSI Honda, 3000 PSI, 2500 PSI 6.75 HP. Call: 627-7835

Wireless internet Modems 3.5G $18,000. Call: 609-7625

Slightly damage zinc sheet.

Call: 226-7054

VEHICLES FOR SALE 99 Honda Civic Leather interior. Call:648-2075 Just arrived: Allion and Premio, tel: 624-2000, 6221610 UNREGISTERED ALLION, PREMIO, SPACIO, RUNX, ALEX, 2 TON CANTER, AVENSIS, VEROSSA, 212.

CALL:677-7666/ 610-7666 Hilux 4x4 solid Def pick up, Diesel, long base, excellent condition. Call: 623-0243 Verossa PNN. Call:665-3067, 228-2609 1 Toyota Super Custom bus; late GMM series.

Immaculate condition, fully powered, price negotiable.

Call: 648-7109, 686-4818 Toyota Raum, roof Rack body kit, mags, CD, spoiler black. Call: 686-0323, 2690432 Unregistered Black Spacio, Silver Premio; reverse camera, Cerisor. Call: 6970294, 220-9514 1 Toyota pickup V6 SR5 4WD. Call: 642-4779 1 RZ Mini bus series BKK. Call: 667-9629 Galant $1.1M low miles, excellent condition. Call: 647-9520 3 Ton enclosed Canter unregistered. Call: 617-2891 3 Ton 4 wheel drive Canter unregistered. Call:6172891 2004 Mazda RX 8, body kit, fully loaded, black unregistered. Call: 6172891 1-RZ Mini bus unregistered.

Call: 617-2891 Unregistered Premio & Allion with TV, mags, back Cam. Call: 609-8188, 602-6307 1 TK 330 Lorry with B Dump.

Call: 228-5220, 616-9505 One EP 71 Starlet, 1 AE 91 Sprinter, 1 Mitsubishi RVR and Pajero-JR, 1 Nissan Pathfinder PMM, 1 Honda FIT 2004. Call: 644-5096, 6971453 Mazda 3- fully loaded, rims, immaculate condition PNN series. Call: 650-0979 1 – 2001 Toyota Kluger, Diplomatic, all four, PLL series, mid-size SUV, clean.

Price $5.4M neg. Contact: 642-3786, 660-0824.

2005 H2 Hummer, 38,500 mileage fully loaded, chrome kit etc. Call: 639-3100, 6195400 Tundra -$3.2M, GX-100$3.5. Steve:699-5499 (Continued on page 26)

Thursday April 26, 2012

Kaieteur News

Page 23

Mayor Green seeks a reversal Teen disappears for the sixth time - Family claims she was lured into the interior in Government treatment Government Ministers continue to exclude City Mayor, Hamilton Green, from discussions with City Hall’s Senior Officers, even after agreeing to reverse their old trend two months ago.

Only recently the Mayor was briefed that Local Government Minister Norman Whittaker had a scheduled meeting with the City Engineer, Town Clerk, Treasurer and Deputy Mayor on April 16.

Green has written to President Donald Ramotar outlining what he feels is “gross breach of protocol, and an assault on the Mayorship of our Capital City, Georgetown.”

He is requesting a reversal of this situation which began under the Jagdeo regime.

The seriousness of this situation

Iman sex charges…

On Tuesday last, the embattled Imam, Nizam Ali, who has been charged with the sexual penetration of five minors made yet another court appearance.

The acts were allegedly committed while he was in a position of trust, being a religious teacher and knew or could be reasonably expected to have known of the trust in relation to the boys.

During his appearance on Tuesday the matter was put down until a motion in the High Court is heard.

Meanwhile, this publication was told that the two lawyers representing the accused, Latchmie Rahamat and Vic Puran, yesterday filed a motion in the High Court challenging the Sexual Offences Act. Puran explained that a person is not permitted to lead a defence at a Preliminary

- Ministers continue to exclude Mayor from meeting with Council could impact on the whole issue of good governance, Green added.

In February, Green met with the Ministers of Local Government, Norman Whittaker and Ganga Persaud, where it was agreed that he would be included in meetings with Senior Officials to discuss matters relating to City Hall.

In the letter Green stated, “As part of an understanding of that meeting the following statement was made by me…It is considered inappropriate and a breach of protocol for the Minister to engage the Council at the level of the Deputy Mayor when the Mayor is

available.”

He added, “At that meeting no one questioned the validity of this statement; in fact an undertaking was given to honour the principle as stated…Yet two months on, there is a horrible recurrence of this apparent ministerial hubris.”

The Mayor noted that this behaviour goes beyond Persaud and Whittaker.

He emphasized that Home Affairs Minister, Clement Rohee, wrote the Town Clerk and Deputy Mayor on the appointment of a member to the Fire Advisory Board. The M a y o r ’s o ff i c e d i d n o t receive a copy.

Matter put down for another three weeks

Nizam Ali Inquiry under the Sexual Offences Act. He further submitted that the charge is in breach of the Fair Trial Principle under the constitution.

According to Puran, the motion was not filed in the High Court as yet because the case docket for the matter was not readily available to them.

Initially the Imam who was heading the Turkeyen Masjid was charged with sexual penetration of three boys all below the age of 12. He was remanded but was subsequently granted bail.

In Early January the matter was made public after an anonymous tip was given to the Child Protection Agency.

The tip was investigated and it was subsequently proven that three brothers all under the age of 12 were sexually penetrated.

After weeks of no charges being laid against the Imam the Director of Public Prosecution Shalimar Hack distanced herself from the matter after rumours surfaced of her interference.

Eventually the charges were instituted and the Imam was remanded to prison on his first appearance.

Man dies in pit cave-in Sydney Stull, a/k Sido, 25, of Bethany Creek, Supenaam, lost his life after a pit in which he was working at Sand Hill caved in, pinning him beneath the rubble.

The incident, according to Stull’s sister, Vanessa Russell, occurred some time Tuesday afternoon.

According to Russell, the family learnt of the incident after they received a phone call from his brother, Ryan.

Another relative, Mona, said that Sydney’s body is currently at the Lyken Funeral Home in Georgetown.

Mona related that Sydney, who was employed with a Brazilian businessman was

working in a pit when the walls caved in.

She said although all of the other workers noticed the walls of the pit collapsing, Sydney failed to escape. She said that he ran, but he fell.

Mona further stated that Sydney was still alive when he was extricated from the pit and was transported to Itaballi by his brother Ryan, but he succumbed on the way.

A post mortem is scheduled to be performed on Friday.

Sydney Stull started working in the interior in October. He last returned home in March.

A teenager from the Soesdyke/Linden Highway has gone missing since last Monday, and her family fears that an unscrupulous woman has lured her to the interior to do “immoral work.”

The 15-year-old teenager, Anastacia Francis, who was a second form student at Camel’s Institute, disappeared from the school during her lunch break last Monday.

Her aunt, Megan Johnson, said that it is not the first time the teen disappeared but the sixth. She claimed that the last time her niece went missing; they found out that she was staying in the same village with a few friends.

“When she came home the police was gonna send her to the Juvenile Centre but we begged for her and she had promised that she will change her lifestyle,” Johnson said.

She added that her niece’s teacher questioned her classmates in relation to the teen’s disappearance and was informed that the teen was planning a trip to the interior with

Missing teen

an unknown woman. Kaieteur News understands that the woman has been contacting the teen by cellular phone and promising her employment in the interior.

The teen’s classmates revealed that she told them she will be paid a large sum of money for her labour.

It is believed that the teen might have been lured to the interior to become a sex slave.

Police up to press time were questioning the teen’s classmates. The family is asking the public to contact them on 2615851, 6756588, 6769469 or the nearest police station if they see the teen.

Vaccination Week in the ...

From page 19 last endemic case of rubella in 2009.

Nearly all countries have eliminated neonatal tetanus as a public health problem. And diseases including diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough have been significantly reduced thanks to vaccination coverage averaging 93% in children under of one.

It was further noted that despite such successes, many children in the Americas have not completed their vaccination schedules, and hard-to-reach populations continue to have lower rates of vaccination coverage. Vaccination Week in the Americas was launched to close these gaps and protect the region’s hard-won achievements.

Immunization is one of the most cost-effective and successful tools in public health, and prevents an estimated two million to three million deaths each year around the world.

This year, countries and

territories will deploy vaccines against a wide range of diseases, including polio, measles, rubella, mumps, diphtheria, whooping cough, neonatal tetanus, influenza and yellow fever, among others. All vaccines have been prequalified by WHO to guarantee their quality and safety.

Health workers, volunteers and health authorities are gearing up to participate in what has become the region’s largest multicountry health event. A number of celebrities are supporting this year’s effort, including Chilean TV host Don Francisco and Venezuelan singer Ricardo Montaner, both PAHO Champions of Health.

Other celebrities promoting this year’s event include CubanAmerican actor, William Levy, Colombian singer Juanes, Spanish dancer Joaquín Cortés, and Venezuelan singer Carlos Baute.

Vaccination W1eek in the Americas helps strengthen national immunization

programs in PAHO/WHO member countries and strives to reach groups that otherwise have limited access to regular health services, including people living in peri-urban, rural and border areas as well as indigenous communities.

Following launching activities during last week’s Sixth Summit of the Americas in Cartagena, Colombia, countries throughout the hemisphere will hold similar launches starting April 21. Haiti will be the site of the first of these activities, as it was 10 years ago when the first Vaccination Week in the Americas was launched.

Other launches will be held on April 27 in Las Palmas, on the triple border of El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala; and on May 4 in Barbados, for the Caribbean sub-region.

Globally, more than 180 countries and territories are set to participate in the first World Immunization Week, whose slogan is “Protect your world: get vaccinated

From page 21 Communications; Retail, Distribution and Logistics and Office Solutions,” he noted.

Underscoring one of the many devices that will assist employers in saving money, Persaud said there is an automated Time and Attendance system called “KRONOS” which monitors employees’ timesheet accordingly without anyone being cheated.

“We would like to

introduce a system like no other, called KRONOS. KRONOS allows you to effectively monitor your workforce and automate payroll, timesheets, overtime, shift systems etc. KRONOS can also reduce inefficiencies when employees ‘Buddy Punch’ by utilizing technologies such as biometric verification.

He also announced that from May 2, next, the company will launch a new service at their CCS Store for the printing of employee ID

badges, and membership cards which will be of a high quality.

“Our goal is to provide you with top quality security badges and supplies at competitive prices with exceptional customer service and support. With security issues a global concern, we are proud to provide products that reinforce the protective measures so vital to creating safer environments in our public spaces,” he said.

Neal & Massy hosts IT Expo/Seminar

Dead: Sydney Stull

Page 24

Kaieteur News

Thursday April 26, 2012

Gunmen hit Enmore business thrice in four years Last evening, the Bactowar family of Enmore, East Coast Demerara, suffered their third robbery in four years..

Five armed unmasked bandits escaped with an undisclosed amount of cash, a cellular phone, and scratch tickets, but the victims do not feel defeated. They are determined to continue their grocery and hardware businesses but with some minor adjustments.

During the 10-minute ordeal, which began around 19:00 hrs, they were able to shout for help and fight off their attackers.

Cognizant that the policing group and neighbourhood police were alerted of the robbery the bandits hastily escaped by jumping over the back fence and then crossing a nearby trench. Searches by members

of the Community Policing Group, who arrived promptly at the scene, turned up empty.

The injured family members were taken to the hospital. Circumstances surrounding the robbery have convinced family members that their assailants have been watching their movements for a while. The Bactowars open their businesses (grocery and hardware) everyday at 7:00 hrs and close at 19:00 hrs.

According to proprietor of the grocery shop, Maureen, they were closing up their businesses when the gunmen struck. The visibly traumatized woman said that while her husband, Benny, was closing the main gate she was fetching chairs from outside when she was attacked by a bandit.

A terrified Maureen, who shouted out in alarm, received

a blow from a gun that wounded her head. By this time, the other four men had scaled the fence and pounced on the family. One of them chocked Benny, who thought it was his son, Kapildeo being playful.

But Benny soon realized that it was not his son, who operates the hardware shop.

His refusal to say how many persons reside at the business place earned him a punch to the eye. When this publication visited the location around 21:00 hrs the man’s wound was still bleeding.

“He (the bandit) asked wheh de money. She seh de money deh in de basket and he asked wheh it deh and I show he and then I run to de back and see three a dem jump over de fence,” Benny said.

Even with the pressure of fighting off the bandit the

Opposition gouges $1.7B...

From page 3 significant grant aid.” He reminded that in order for this inflow from China to be realized then Guyana would have to invest the $170M. “I can’t imagine the kind of person and spirit that would seek to take the money away and run the risk of just having the laptops that are already there to just have them park up.”

Dr Singh appealed to the opposition to not view the components of the project in isolation saying that it is an integrated project.

“It would be irresponsible to disaggregate the project and disaggregate from each other.” The money was eventually cut from

allocations and the AFC Chairman in his motion also sought to cut even more funds from Office of the President. He successfully piloted a motion removing some $280M from OP for contract employees among other programmes.

The final cut for the night saw the $6B transfer to the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) being reduced by $1B despite another round of passionate appeals on the part of the Prime Minister.

Greenidge withdrew his motion in the House to slash the entire bailout but Ramjattan went ahead with his $1B cut which found support with APNU. The Parliamentarian said

that the AFC will allow the $5B transfer to GPL on the condition that there be a commitment on the part of the government to ensure adequate systems be put in place to stem system losses.

He said that should the measures be implemented then AFC will have no problem supporting a $1B Supplementary Allocation to the power company.

The House subsequently approved a motion to defer a vote on the budget last evening.

The House will reconvene today at which point in time the Ministry of Finance will hold the spotlight as APNU’s $18B slash to the LCDS projects looms.

Benny and Maureen Bactowar are determined to continue their business

man shouted for help and attracted the attention of his neighbours.

While, Maureen was forced to the ground and Kapildeo received blows from

the bandits, Benny came back to the front and noticed one of the bandits. He tried to lock the man out of the enclosed shop area but was forced to stop when the man

pointed a gun at him.

However, the elderly man did not cease his struggle. As soon as the opportunity presented itself he threw two chairs on the man.

Junior Garrett is City Hall’s Finance Chairman - in spite of alleged involvement in laptop fraud Alleged involvement in a laptop computer fraud at City Hall did not deter Councillors from electing Junior Garrett as Chairman of the Finance Committee.

His election on Monday during Mayor and City Council’s Statutory Meeting reaffirms Councillors’ disbelief of his involvement in the fraud and their confidence in his ability to manage finances effectively.

Last month, it transpired that Garrett had signed a payment voucher for the purchase of a laptop computer from a fictitious company. Consequently, Mayor Hamilton Green had requested the Town Clerk to launch an investigation in all Garrett’s transactions.

Garrett began acting as Finance Chairman following the hospitalization of Robert Williams in December. He continued acting as the Chairman after Williams passed away.

At a press briefing to clear the air on Garrett’s fraud

allegations Deputy Mayor, Patricia Greene, and other Councillors expressed confidence in him.

According to Public Relations Officer, Royston King, Garrett served in the capacity of Vice-Chairman of the committee for eight years.

The position of Chairman became vacant after the demise of the late Deputy Mayor, Robert Williams, who held the position for 13 years.

He noted that the Finance Committee is a Statutory Committee of the Council. Its terms of reference include monitoring and evaluating the performance of the City Treasurer’s Department; and providing guidance and general direction on matters of income and expenditure of the Mayor and City Council.

Garrett and Committee members will also be responsible to monitor and evaluate the budget which he crafted and presented to the public earlier this year. Other responsibilities include the need to scrutinize the

development and implementation of projects and the effective provision of identified services and products in relations to budgeted provision.

King said that at the same meeting, the former Mayor of Georgetown, Mr. Ranwell Jordan, was unanimously elected, by full council, as the Chairman of Markets and Public Health Committee.

The main purpose of Committees is to make recommendations to full Council on critical issues that will affect the City of Georgetown. The committee also acts as a mediator between full council and citizens.

There are nine committees: Finance Committee, Personal and Training Committee, Markets and Public Health Committee, City Works Committee, Legal Affairs Committee, Social Development Committee, International Relations Committee, Information Technology and Investment and Development Committee.

Thursday April 26, 2012

Kaieteur News

Page 25

The Abigail Column This older man went too far

DEARABIGAIL, I am so confused! I went to a restaurant with this man last month who I met through my friend and her boyfriend.

He is almost 15 years older than me. I am 19.

And he was going just as far as my last boyfriend did in like three months.

I mean he touched me in areas that I wanted to wait for him to touch after we had

been going out for a little longer. I mean, we aren’t even going out now.

And I felt intimidated by his age, because he is so much older than me, I was trying to convince my self that this is what the girls must have to do when they get to be his age.

And then after the restaurant, he wasn’t even walking beside me, or anything. He was walking up ahead with my friend’s boyfriend.

I don’t feel too good about going that far with him when we aren’t even dating, or going steady.

Joan

Dear Joan, Here’s something important to remember whether you’re 19, 24, or 50 silence does not give anybody the go-ahead to touch you sexually.

“No” means no, but remaining quiet did not mean yes. You do not have to do anything you don’t want to do, or that makes you feel uncomfortable.

It’s fine to end this relationship before it even starts.

You deserve to be in a relationship with someone who makes you feel good and positive, and who brings out your best self.

Thursday April 26, 2012 ARIES (MAR 21 - APR 19): Expect to feel a growing urge to travel and broaden your horizons these next four weeks. Before moving on, you need to get to grips with recent changes and upheavals. ************************** TAURUS (APR 20 - MAY 20): Money is at the centre of the picture now and over the weeks ahead. This might be because of the lack of it, the need to make more of it or to balance accounts. A change in career direction could affect your finances for the better. ************************** GEMINI (MAY 21 - JUN 20): It is no bad thing to adjust personal plans to allow you to concentrate on joint priorities. Someone is starting to mean a lot to you; you are happy to rethink your aims so they feel more included. ************************** CANCER (JUN 21 - JUL 22): A recent success helps you recognise your true potential. Fresh career options appeal and this inspires a more upbeat and purposeful outlook. A test, interview or audition will not be as daunting as you had imagined. ************************** LEO (JUL 23 - AUG 22): In close relationships share your feelings and encourage loved ones to do the same.

Don’t worry about giving too much of yourself away. How else can others understand you? ************************** VIRGO (AUG 23 - SEP 22): Now comes the time w h e n you can build on foundations you have already established re home and family affairs. Your mood is practical and organised. You are setting a good example and you might be asked to help someone get their affairs in order.

LIBRA (SEP 23 - OCT 22): Your enthusiasm for a group or community venture inspires other people into action. Had you expected to get so heavily involved? Over the weeks ahead, a lot of your time will be taken up with neighbourhood concerns. ************************** SCORPIO (OCT 23 NOV 21): You should be feeling quietly confident about a money matter of a more serious nature than usual.

Expenses and expenditures will be higher than you would prefer but you will acknowledge they are necessary and cannot be avoided. ************************** SAGITTARIUS (NOV 22 - DEC 21): Concentrate on your private plans and interests over the next four weeks and you will be pleased with the results. Any attempts to improve your personal circumstances will benefit you in a multitude of ways. ************************** CAPRICORN (DEC 22 JAN 19): You feel an increased need for quiet, private moments alone. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself pondering on life, love and the future, over the weeks ahead. ************************** AQUARIUS (JAN 20 FEB 18): You’re about to step into an active and motivating social phase. This will come as a welcome change from the heavy responsibilities you have recently been experiencing. ************************** PISCES (FEB 19 - MAR 20): You might be asked to take charge of a situation or do something you have never tried before. This will keep you busy over the next four weeks and give you the chance to show others what you are made of.

DTV CHANNEL 8 08:55hrs. Sign On 09:00hrs. Live! With Kelly 10:00hrs. Spice Goddess 10:30hrs. Everyday Exotic 11:00hrs. The View 12:00hrs. Prime News 12:30hrs. The Young and the Restless 13:30hrs. The Bold and the Beautiful 14:00hrs. The Talk 15:00hrs. Boy Meets World 16:00hrs. Beverly Hills, 90210 17:00hrs. The Wayans Brothers 18:00hrs. World News 18:30hrs. Nightly News 19:00hrs. Greetings and Announcements 21:00hrs. Person of Interest (New Episode) 22:00hrs. The Mentalist (New Episode) 23:00hrs. Sign Off NCN CHANNEL 11 02:00 – NCN Late Edition (R/B) 02:30 – Late Nite with GINA 03:00 – Movie 05:00 – The Path of Forgetting Part 1 05:30 – Newtown Gospel 06:30 – Feature 07:00 – Guyana Today 08:00 – Bollywood 60 Mins (R/B) 09:00 – Revelation & Power 09:30 – Feature 10:00 – Cricket 3rd Test West Indies VS Australia Day 4 12:00 – Lotto’s Cricket Info & Quiz 12:35 – NCN Newsbreak 12:40 – Cricket Resumes 17:00 – Anderson 18:00 – NCN News Magazine – Live 18:30 – GT&T 10/10 Tournament 19:00 – NIS & YOU 20:00 – 3d/daily millions/ play de dream/lotto draw 20:05 – Changing Course 21:05 – Ravi D Show Essequibo 22:05 – NCN News Late Edition 22:35 – IPL#36 Pune Warriors VS Deccan Chargers (Delayed) MTV CHANNEL 14/ CABLE 65 06:00hrs - Islamic Perspective 06:30hrs - News Update 07:00hrs - DAYBREAK 08:00hrs - Dabi’s Musical Hour

08:30hrs - Avon DVD Club music break 09:15hrs - Top Notch Music Break 09:30hrs - Caribbean Temptation Music Mix 10:00hrs - Payless Variety Music Mix 10:30hrs - BBC World News 11:00hrs - The View 12:00hrs - Current Affairs 12:30hrs - The Young and The Restless 13:30hrs - Days of Our Lives 14:00hrs - The Revolution 15:00hrs - General Hospital 16:00hrs - The Bold and the Beautiful 16:30hrs - Cartoons

17:00hrs - Birthdays and other greetings 17:15hrs - Death Announcements/ In Memoriam 17:30hrs - Al Ja Zeera News 18:00hrs - Sitcom: Friends 18:30hrs - Jai Santoshi Ma 19:00hrs - Soul Melodies with Trans Globe 19:30hrs - News Update 20:30hrs - Winners Row Quiz 21:30hrs - Budget Implementation 23:00hrs - News Update 23:30hrs - Movie: Universal Soldier: The Return Sign off

UG research finds Orange Rust Disease in Guyana From page 17 and well being of our fellow Guyanese. In fact, we are also sponsoring Dr. Kumar (who carried out the investigation into the dead fishes) to go to Mexico to present a paper on his findings at an international conference.

I have asked Dr. Kumar to speak to as many international experts as possible so that they may give direction and advice,” Prof Samad said.

Additionally, Mr. Vishal Mahabir, one of the youngest university lecturers in

Guyana, has just returned from an international conference in Thailand and has made his presentation about the research he carried out after finding scientific proof about the nutritional value to be found in the seeds, skin and flesh of pumpkins.

“I expect his research in Chemistry to gain much steam and substance from the Thailand Conference. After all, we must get concrete returns for the expenditure of tax-payer dollars that keep us going”.

Guides are subjected to change without notice

Page 26

Kaieteur News

Bakewell hands over $9.2M Tennis Court to...

(From page 22) VACANCY Have an interest in customer service? Then be apart of Q! Call:220-0401, 225-6466

TO LET Short term apartments Eccles. Call:679-7139

Salesgirls & salesboys.

Apply Avinash Complex Water St. Georgetown. Call: 226-3361, 227-7828 1 refrigerator & washing machine technician/ Trainee. Call: 683-8734, 2310655

Herstelling-$132,000, V/ Hoop- $400US. Steve: 6995490

Fish cleaners- Eccles.

Call:233-2546, 675-6467

New 2&3 bedroom apartment, prime location Diamond AA block X. Call:682-3483

Kitchen assistant @ Charlestown- ages 18-35.

Call: 614-1020

Furnished & unfurnished apartments. Call: 602-5089, 676-0399 Short term apartments. Call: 667-1549 Daily Georgetown’s comfortable rooms in the middle of city $4000/day.

Call: 227-4311, 227-8360, 2261908 after hours.

Alberttown-$20M, Republic Park-$25M, Queenstown$35M, Newtown-$30M. Diana:227-2256, 626-9382

Sales clerk porters, drivers with lorry license, apply with written application 2J’s General Store. Call: 225-2350 Porters: apply in person to P. Ramroop &Sons, 23 Lombard Street, with reference from previous employers Beauty specialist certified in body massage and facial salary $50,000-$65,000. Call: 231-0320

Diamond Scheme one bedroom furnished apartments (Toilet/ Bath) single person. Call: 216-2637, after 4:00pm Furnished/ unfurnished 1-2 Bedroom apartment from $50,000. Call: 683-4700, 2162363 Bottom flat 220 Lamaha St Kitty Georgetown. Call: 6927218, 257-0150 Business places and apartment New Road, VreedEn-Hoop. Call: 682-3011

Thursday April 26, 2012

SALON Make up courses, artist trained & certified in Trinidad: 660-5257,647-1773 Quality yourself in Cosmetology or nails, make up, Register, Limited spaces.

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

From back page without corporate support and so this morning we are extremely pleased that we have with us Mr. Naseer who has been supporting sports in the Ministry of Education for a number of years.”

Ms. Bovell recalled the instances when Bakewell in partnership with the Ministry would purchase hundreds of thousands of dollars in tickets for students to attend football matches around Guyana.

The Honorable Minister of Education, Priya Manikchand, who was unable to attend, sent her best wishes to the students and teachers of President’s College, while congratulating Naseer and Bakewell for their splendid gesture.

While reminding the students that President’s College is a school of excellence, Ms. Bovell emphasized that excellence is a total and complete package.

“It is not about getting 16 grade ones at CSEC, that’s important, don’t get me wrong; but it is also about you leading the quality of life that will cause other students from around the world to say, there are boys and girls worthy of emulation.

We know that this tennis court will help to mould you to be a better person in society, sports does that.

It helps to teach you the discipline to obey the laws of the game; to respect your fellow players and to have an appreciation for cross cultural differences which is one of your greater strengths at President’s College.”

Ms. Bovell took time to implore upon the students that the new facility was not just about 9 plus million dollars, rather, it was about the commitment of others to see the next generation of young people reach their full potential.

“That commitment boys and girls, is priceless. Today we have a perfect example as Bakewell commits to this, literally putting their money where their mouth is and presenting to you this Lawn Tennis Court. I know you will care it, I know that you will use it well, but what I challenge you to is to let it help you to become a better human being.

A human being that is not just fit for society as a whole, but fit for the Guyanese society. One who has learnt to live and work with others, to appreciate the great and the small and to blend in beautifully into the family of President’s College.”

GLTA President, Christopher Ram, who was performing his final official duty as head since he would not be seeking re-election at their AGM set for today, stated that the facility was a positive development for the school.

He informed that the GLTA was merely a facilitator in bringing the Lawn tennis Court to President’s College, while expressing appreciation to Naseer of Bakewell who undertook the venture from the first time he was approached.

“I think that this will stand as a permanent testimony to the generosity and commitment of you (Naseer) in look-

ing after the wellbeing of the children and the future of Guyana.”

The plain spoken Ram noted that the facility was one of the first to have been built in Guyana for several years noting that the contractor who did an excellent job might be called upon to build other courts around Guyana.

“Over the past couple of years we have seen some positive development in tennis, we have competed reasonably well in the Fed Cup and Davis Cups. In the junior international tournaments our young people have done pretty well.

What we would like to do and this is a personal appeal as well as a challenge, that each of you accepts the commitment that you will try your best to become as good a tennis player as Guyana has ever produced. I know you will blend this with academic excellence which President’s College has a tremendous reputation for and we want you to continue that.”

Ram also encouraged the students and staff to practice good and healthy lifestyles

which must also include consistent physical activities which the court should encourage. The school was also promised that the GLTA will be making coaches available to assist the students. The gathering as also informed that President’s College has applied for affiliation to the GLTA. Principal Mrs. Carlyn Canterbury in welcoming remarks thanked both Bakewell and the GLTA for the huge gesture of providing such a facility which will contribute towards the holistic development of the school.

“We would like to assure you that much effort will be made to utilise the court to its fullest, to care it and to preserve it.”

Physical Education and Sports Teacher Cecil Chin delivered the vote of thanks, while a group of PYARG students performed the Spoken Word “LIFE” which was well accepted by the guests and fellow students.

Also in attendance were National Coach Shelly DalyRamdyhan and other members of the GLTA.

Bulls clinch top seed in...

From page 31 Thunder, he also pulled down nine rebounds.

OKC’s 3-point specialist, Daequan Cook came off the bench to score 19 points, all in the final frame, on 6-for-9 shooting (4-for-5 on 3-pointers). Russell Westbrook added 13 points, grabbed eight rebounds and handed out six assists.

The Kings had three players score at least 20 points led

by center, DeMarcus Cousins, who managed to play only because the NBA rescinded his 13th technical foul of the year shortly before tipoff and he avoided being suspended.

Jason Thompson added 22 and Travis Outlaw dropped in 20. The Kings have now lost nine of their last 11 games.

Oklahoma City is going the other direction winning for the seventh time in the last 10 games.

Cowan and Ponting steer Australia to 300-plus...

LEARN TO DRIVE

CAR RENTAL

Soman & Sons Driving School; First Federation Building. Call: 225-4858, 6445166, 622-2872, 615-0964

Progressive auto rental, cars from $3,500 per day. Call: 643-5122, 656-0087, www.progressiveautorental.com Premio, 110 Corolla. Call: 679-7139 Al’s car & pickup rental. Call: 698-7807

EDUCATIONAL Learn Spanish. Call: 673-1232 Princeton College Forms 15, CXC adults’ classes’; $1500 a subject S.A.T/ Phonics etc. Call: 690-5008, 611-3793 WANTED Chain Saw operator; good salary, tel: 676-4262, 231-5691

CAKE & PASTRIES 1-lb character cakes $5,000, pastries at whole sale prices.

Call: 223-9497 LAND FOR SALE Land V/Hoop 2 acre: School, housing, factory etc.Call:658-0115 Land for sale at BlankenBurg W.C.D 50fx350f for 23,000,000. Call: 265-6019, 696-3505

From back page when Shane Watson was taken at leg slip for 5 off Shane Shillingford’s bowling shortly after the resumption Australia were in trouble.

But Cowan and Ponting, two men who had endured a lean series, came together in a calm and controlled 87-run partnership that halted the West Indian momentum.

Cowan was a little more attacking than he has been so far on the tour, but was still in no great hurry, and Ponting survived a couple of nervous moments to work his way into the innings.

Ponting was lucky not to be run out shortly before tea when Cowan called him for a single and then turned him back, and had the fielder at mid-on thrown down the stumps Ponting was gone. He also gave a tough chance on 27 when he pushed a Narsingh Deonarine offbreak

past Adrian Barath at short leg, and although it was difficult it was the kind of opportunity West Indies needed to take.

Cowan’s half-century, his first since the Perth Test against India, arrived from his 107th delivery with a cut for four off Deonarine, but on 55 he fell trying another cut against the same bowler when Darren Sammy at slip showed magnificent reflexes to snare a tough catch.

Ponting fell for 57 in unusual circumstances - he ducked a Kemar Roach bouncer but left his bat up and unwittingly lobbed a catch to slip.

That was the start of an encouraging period for West Indies as they also removed Michael Clarke, who topedged Shane Shillingford and was caught at short leg for 25.

And an important boost for the hosts came just before

stumps when Deonarine had Wade lbw for 4, and despite the umpire’s decision being upheld on review - the ball struck the batsman’s foot on the full and was going on to clip leg stump - Wade appeared livid with the decision as he walked off the field.

The wickets meant West Indies finished the day on a positive, and they had started that way as well.

The final two West Indies pairs survived for an hour and a half and Shivnarine Chanderpaul didn’t alter his batting style despite having to work with the tail-enders, striking only three boundaries in his 68 from 164 balls.

He was the last man out, lbw to a straight ball from Mitchell Starc, who finished with 2 for 29, and Australia had finally ended a 32-run partnership between Chanderpaul and Roach (9 not out).

West Indies added 53 to

their overnight total for the loss of their last two wickets as the Australians struggled to find a way to terminate the innings.

Ravi Rampaul fell after 21 runs had been added in the morning, when he advanced to Nathan Lyon and tried to clear midwicket but succeeded only in lobbing a catch to point off a leading edge.

Lyon ended up with 4 for 69 and moved into position as Australia’s leading wicket taker of the series so far.

And on a pitch offering more turn than most people expected at the start of the game, Lyon will also be an important man in the fourth innings. How many runs he will have to defend remains to be seen.

(Scores)- Australia 328 and 200 for 6 (Ponting 57, Cowan 55) lead West Indies 218 (Chanderpaul 68, Lyon 4-69) by 310 runs

Thursday April 26, 2012

Kaieteur News

Page 27

Alpha Vice President disappointed with team’s performance Vice President of Alpha United, Steve Ninvalle, yesterday revealed to this publication that he was disappointed with the team’s performance which was below par of his expectation in the recent Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Club Championship Group II action which was held in Guyana at the National Stadium, Providence.

The team which gained recognition as being the first Guyanese football club to qualify for the CONCACAF Champions League (2011), North America’s premier continental club tournament, earned their berth into the Champions League by finishing in third place in the sub continental tournament.

The 2012 CFU Club Championship (14th edition) saw Alpha squandering a lot

of opportunities against their opponents in the Championship. Because of their squanders, Ninvalle stated that the club is still ambivalent about their qualification into the next round despite researching on Wikipedia to discover the team’s name in a group with Caledonia from Trinidad, Islanders from Puerto Rico and George Town from Cayman Islands. “We have not received any official word as yet to whether we are/ are not into the next round of the CFU Club Championship.

I was perusing the internet yesterday (Monday) and saw on Wikipedia that Alpha is in a group which includes Caledonia, Islanders and George Town.”

Although there is no official word from the Caribbean Football Union

about the team’s qualification into the next round, the Vice President unveiled that the team is still preparing for the next round of the Championships which commences May 1st and concludes May 6th.

“As it is now, we are still preparing for the next round despite not receiving any official declaration. We are keeping our fingers crossed that we are into the next round.”

Ninvalle, who declared his dissatisfaction of the team’s performance, stated that Alpha can play much better as a unit, “I think I saw the individual skills but as a team we could have performed better.”

He further added that Alpha should have not been defeated by Inter Moengotapoe of Suriname,

Group 2 Matches played April 17–21 at Guyana (host club: Alpha United).

Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Inter Moengotapoe 3 3 0 0 11 3 +8 9 Alpha United 3 2 0 1 5 2 +3 6 Hubentut Fortuna 3 1 0 2 5 7 “2 3 Milerock 3 0 0 3 2 11 “9 0

“We should not have lost to Inter Moengotapoe. We should have defeated them at least by four goals.”

Ninvalle who referred to Inter Moengotapoe’s win as ‘luck’ said that Alpha is only to be held responsible in their present situation.

Asking about future expectation, he stated that they are looking at all options once into the next round, “Alpha is a team that digs deep into any reserve that it has. We expect to even better our game because as the competition goes on it only becomes much more difficult as your opponents will be of a much higher level.”

(Juanita Hooper)

Rudolph Calendar is new EDFA President Rudolph Calendar is the new President of the East Demerara Football Association (EDFA) following that entity’s Annual General Meeting held at the Dorcus Club, Plaisance on Sunday last.

Calendar was elected unopposed and replaces former President Aubrey Hutson. A new Secretary was also elected, Rodwell Lewis, replacing Sherry Abrams. The two Vice Presidents are Eton Moses and Ms. Luan Godding with Ms. Bonita Frank elected as the new Treasurer.

Gidel Austin will perform

The New EDFA Executive take time out for a photo after their elections.

President Rudolph Calendar is seated flanked by Vice President Ms. Luan Godding (left) and Treasurer, Ms. Bonita Frank.

Standing from right are Eton Moses, Rodwell Lewis, Dexter Grant and Gidel Austin.

Corriverton Links FC making major contribution to football development in Upper Corentyne The Corriverton Links Football Club on the Upper Corentyne is firm on making a difference in the lives of those that it comes into contact with. Made up of mostly youngsters and led by its founder, President and coach Michael De Souza along with Coach Randy ‘Blades’ Sears, the club has organised a number of Coaching Clinics and Social Sessions for youngsters in various areas on the Upper Corentyne.

Recently with the help of Vibert Welch the club held a

successful six weeks football clinic at the No53 Community Centre for U17 youths. The sessions were conducted by De Souza and Sears. The objective of the programmes is to teach the basic Skills of football in the different areas, Promote the game of football in those areas, encourage the formation of organised with a view to having them participate in organised football countywide and to identify talents in the areas.

At the No53 session, 29 youths participated including one female, at the end of

which they were presented with certificates.

The club also donated uniforms to the participants and six footballs and a football pump compliments of former Corriverton Mayor Everett Haywood. A booklet on the laws of the game was also presented to the group.

The youths were also encouraged to take their education seriously, continue to play the game, utilize the facilities at their disposal, stay organised and stay off the streets and rather be on the field and in school instead.

duties as the Assistant Secretary/Treasurer, while Dexter Grant will serve as the Organising Secretary. A public Relations Officer will be appointed by the new Executive.

Calendar, who thanked the clubs for placing such confidence in him, promised that the new executive will work as a team along with the clubs to lift the standard of the game on the East Demerara.

He also assured that competitions will be played at every level and the association will be looking to the Guyana Football Federation for full support in achieving their goals.

Page 28

Kaieteur News

Prize money increased, changes made to Bush Lot United One day horserace Meet Over 65 Horses on board, close to $3M now on offer Total prize money has been significantly increased for the grand one-day Horserace Meet organised by the Bush Lot United Turf Club which will be staged on Sunday, at the club’s facility, Bush Lot, West Coast Berbice.

Over 65 horses have been entered so far and with just a few days remaining before race time, the Organisers have made a number of adjustments including the increase in prize monies which has now jumped within $3M and the event in now a seven-race programme.

Two of the races have been reorganized with the feature event now being for horses classified E& F and the prize money increased to $450,000.

The H class race will now be for horses classified G&H and the first prize has jumped to $300,000. The I3 maiden event is now for I class animals, while the J class event is now for J&K class horses. An L class event has also been added.

The full lists of events are: The Banks DIH sponsored feature E and F and Lower event has so far attracted a top notch field with Work Force and Damascus Dream headlining the entries which also includes Bailiff, Stormy Lass, Miss Regina, Top of the Line, Dream Girl, Gabriel’s Gold and The Girl Them Sugar now running for the $450,000 and trophy over 1600M. The G and H class Race compliments of GT&T with a first prize now of $300,000 and trophy will have Damascus Dream, Gabriel’s Gold, Sea Breeze, Miss Regina, the Gump, Dream Girl, Royal Salute, Captain Crook, The Gap, Sabrina’s Joy, Prospectors Pride and I want revenge among the starters in the 1600M contest.

The three Year old event is now for animals Bred and Born in Guyana and The West Indies over 1400M with the winnings set at $150,000 compliments of Buddy Shivraj. Among those

entered are Miss Karina, I Want Revenge, It Feels like Gold, Happy Choice, Rock Sonia, Bancy Breeze, Rosetta and R.J Express.

The event for animals classified I and lower will now be 1200M for a winning purse of$100,000 and trophy compliments of Mohammed Shariff of the Shariff racing stable, will see the likes of O So Sharp, Pixie Fire, Baby Flyer, Flying Object and Romeo.

The Romel Jagroop sponsored J and K class event has animals such as O So Sharp, Mr Kool, Triple, Know Body Knows, Lil Axe and She is Royal, Cat Thief, Gangster, McGyver, Custom Warrior and Flying Object competing for the $90,000 and trophy over 1000M. The L class event will see Royal Princess, Valley Whisper, No Body Knows, Shivannie, Mr Briggs, Two Punch, Red Gold and Hard Runnings will be running hard over the 1000M for the $80,000 winners’ money and trophy.

The race for group one horses for a purse of $60,000 and trophy will be a 1000M affair with Star Boy, Black Master, Little Trickster, Sweet 16, Sea Bird, Big Drive, Grey Boy, Red Boy and Dance Fever contesting.

According to coordinator Lakeram Sukhdeo Turfites are encouraged to come out early as the day’s meet will be scintillating.

He stated that those attending the race meet will be able to view the activity in comfort with the tremendous improvements undertaken. Among the work done was the renovation and covering of the Grand Stand, the relaying, grading, leveling and rolling of the track and the installation of new Washroom and toilet facilities with running water.

Interested persons can make enquiries with President R. Jagit (tel 232-0231), Secretary Arjune Singh on 688-4764 and Treasurer Lakeram B Sukhedo on Number 232-0558.

Race time is 13:00 hrs. (Samuel Whyte)

Thursday April 26, 2012

We’ll win it for them!

Mikel wants Champions League triumph for banned team-mates

Chelsea celebrate their famous win but will be without four key players for the final (Daily Mail)- John Mikel Obi is determined to help Chelsea to Champions League glory for his suspended team-mates.

Chelsea stunned holders Barcelona in Spain on Tuesday night as they battled back from 2-0 down to force a draw and a 3-2 win on aggregate, despite having captain John Terry sent off

Results of Skeldon / Upper Corentyne Zone Windball C/ships Results from Skeldon / Upper Corentyne Zone of the Ministry of Culture, Youth & Sport (MCYS), National Sports Commission (NSC), Ministry of Education (MoE), GT&T & Al Sport & Tour Promotions (ASTP) 15th Annual Regional End of School Year Windball Cricket Championships.

Girls: Corriverton defated No.59 by 9 wickets.

No. 59 Primary 34-0

Corriverton 35-1, Yamene Seawar 15, Naigela Senarine 10.

No.48 beat No.43 by 9 wickets.

No. 43 Primary 28-2, Carla Fade 14 no. 48 Primary 29-1, Gormattie Jairam 13 No. 68 defeated Skeldon.

Boys: No.59 cruised past No.43 by 10 wickets.

No.43, 49-1, Devindra Khame 18, vickram

Ramattan 15 No.59, 53-0.

Skeldon beat New Market by 30 runs.

Skeldon 70-2, Terend Shiwandar 19.

New Market 40-2, Temgal Rajkumar 19 Corriverton eased to a comfortable 8 wickets win over No.56 No.56 made 43-6, Antonio February 3-7, Malando Welch 2-2.

Corriverton replied with 46-

2, Micheal Pitman 15, A February 11.

No.48 beat No.68 by 10 runs.

No 48 reached 50-2, Devendra Ramdeen 14, Yadkumar Sagadaywd 10.

Parvandan Hulasie 2-7.

No 68 replied with 40-3.

Action continues today and Friday at Bush Lot Farm ground for schools in the Upper Corentyne/Black Bush Polder Zone, at the Albion Sports Complex ground.

Teachers and students participating in the Skeldon / Upper Corentyne Zone Primary Schools Windball Cricket Championships pose for a photo op recently.

before half time.

The Blues will also be without Ramires, Raul Meireles and Branislav Ivanovic for the final in Munich on May 19 after they collected their third booking of the competition.

Terry was needlessly sent off after kneeing Alexis Sanchez in an off-the-ball incident which looked to have cost Chelsea the tie.

The defender admitted he was wrong and apologised to his team-mates after initially claiming he was hard done to.

Mikel believes the quartet have been robbed of their Champions League dream and called on UEFA to rescind the yellow cards.

Asked if he felt his teammates have been robbed of their dream, Mikel told the Evening Standard: ‘Yes, the yellow cards should be cancelled going into a final and Uefa should look into that.’

Mikel hopes UEFA follow FIFA’s precedent after the governing body introduced an amnesty two years ago to allow players booked in a World Cup semi-final to play in the final.

But while UEFA admitted on Wednesday that they could consider such a rule in the future, it will not happen before next month’s final.

Mikel added: ‘When you get to the final everyone wants to see the best players and it’s a shame that JT, Ivanovic, Meireles and Ramires won’t play. The JT one was soft from what I saw and it was a yellow card. I think Sanchez made

the most of it.

‘Alexis did the same to me as well. He got me yellow carded. There was a little touch and he rolled on the ground 10 times. He definitely made the most of it.

The four players were devastated in the dressing room. They’re happy for the team but are very disappointed to not be in the final. We will go out to win the trophy for them.’

Meanwhile, Ivanovic admitted all four players are furious that they must miss one of the biggest games of their careers.

Asked if they are angry, he said: ‘Of course. We can’t talk about the referee’s decisions but, to be honest, it feels like someone has taken something from your career.

‘My booking? I got it for kicking the penalty spot before the penalty (which Lionel Messi missed). It was strange. But I have to be positive.

‘Nobody believed we’d get through and we did. Yes, Chelsea can win it without us if we go into the game with the mentality we showed here.’

Chelsea face a defensive crisis in Munich with Gary Cahill facing a race against time to be fit after injuring his hamstring.

He will have a scan on Wednesday but said: ‘I’m hoping it’s not as bad as first thought. It’s high up, which they tell me is probably better than it being right in the middle. I just pray the scan’s all right.’

Thursday April 26, 2012

Kaieteur News

Mayor’s Cup final on this Saturday The curtains will come down on the Annual Mayor’s Cup Knockout Inter-Ward football tournament on Saturday, at the Georgetown Football Club (GFC) ground.

The feature clash will see West Ruimveldt collide with Wortmanville in the final, while West Ruimveldt Estate faces Bourda in the third place playoff.

Two preliminary games are also scheduled, the first starting from 17:00 hrs with Brave Heart going up against Kuru Kuru, while Santos Masters battle their counterparts from GFC to whet the appetite of the fans.

At stake is the Mayor’s Cup and Banks DIH Ltd top prize of $500,000 for the winner, while the Digicel second prize of $250,000 goes to the runner-up. Beepat and Sons has donated $150,000 for the team finishing in the third place, while the Guyana Beverage Company provided the $100,000 fourth prize.

Several other corporate entities have also contributed to the success of the tournament including MACORP, John

Fernandes Ltd, Nazar Mohamed of Mohamed’s Enterprise, Lombard Street, CIDI, General Equipment Guyana Ltd, New Thriving Restaurant, Sterling Products and Courtney Benn Construction Company.

Coordinator Lennox Arthur is expressing heartfelt thanks to all the sponsors, big and small, for their assistance in ensuring the tournament came off.

Individual awards will be presented to the outstanding players with the MVP down to receive a trip to Kaieteur Falls compliments of Roraima Airways and a Lazy Boy recliner from AH&L Kissoon.

The highest goal scorer will get a $20,000 gift voucher from Keishar’s. Leading that hunt is Anthony Sancho with 4 goals followed by Desford Williams, Pernell Schultz and Hubert Pedro, all with 3 and in with a chance of increasing that tally.

Improved lighting, seating and toilet facilities have been promised to fans for Saturday’s action.

The Pool is for all Guyanese -Kumar Director of Sport, Neil Kumar, boldly uttered to members of the media yesterday morning in a briefing at the Carifesta Secretariat that the National Aquatic Centre (NAC) is a facility for all Guyanese.

Kumar sought to clear the air about matters concerning the pool in addition to clarifying issues about the Colgrain Pool.

It was clearly stated by the Director that the NAC and Colgrain Pool are the only two pools that fall under the supervision of the Sports Commission, “We are urging other pools around the country to be put to the public use. When I became the Director of Sport, none of the pools were operating properly or were available to the public,” Kumar went on to say that a Guyana Amateur Swimming Association was not established at the time, but representation was made to Dr. Cheddi Jagan, who then made the Castellani Pool accessible through the Office of the President, available to the association.

In relation to the utilization of the Pools, Kumar reported that the pools are public ones, but are administered by the NSC and Ministry of Culture, Youth & Sport which have rules to ensure that they are used and regulated properly. “We are very strict with how we operate the pools.”

He noted that over 1500 persons use Colgrain Pool, a computerized pool which operates from 6am-8:30pm on a monthly basis, “Four registered clubs use the pool two times a week for two hours, the Special Need School from the East Bank, an Orphanage from Plaisance, other persons with disabilities and PYRG use the Pool. Two swimming classes for beginners and two adult classes are also conducted at the Pool under the direction of the Japanese Swimming Coach.”

Kumar further stated that the NAC is fully utilized by

Director of Sport, Neil Kumar during the briefing about the pools yesterday morning.

Guyana’s elite swimmers, informing that “you have to be strong swimmers to swim at the Aquatic Centre, we do not have the warm up pool where beginners or individuals who are in the initial stages of swimming

could swim. This pool calls for professional swimmers.”

Commenting on the procedure to gain access to the Colgrain pool, Kumar said that interested individuals can simply apply for its use, while in respect to the Aquatic

Centre, Kumar said that he is very meticulous since there are no lifeguards presently to supervise use by persons.

He added that they are in the process of training lifeguards, but until then he will remain careful since he does not want to be held responsible for any mishap, “I want to make it clear, this pool belongs to Guyanese”.

The warm up pool for the Aquatic Centre which was surveyed according to Kumar will cost $75 million for construction, while other infrastructural work including the installation of lights to brighten up the facility.

In closing, Kumar revealed that they will be looking to host the swimming segment of the 2014 Junior CARIFTA Games.

Stretch D Dollar cycle race set for Labour Day in Berbice Berbicians will once again have the opportunity to see top notch cycling when the cream of the country’s riders are expected to throng to the Ancient County on Tuesday, May 1 (Labour Day), for the Annual Stretch D dollar Cycling event organised by the Flying Aces Cycling club of Berbice.

The event will be held on the West Coast of Berbice and is open to cyclists throughout the country covering a distance of 50 miles.

The riders are expected to pedal off at 09:00 hrs from in front of the Stretch D Dollar Supermarket at Rosignol to the Abary Bridge and then back to the place of origin.

There will be two other categories, one for beginners and the other for females. The beginners will ride from Abary Bridge to the finish line behind the last pack of open riders covering a distance of 25 miles, while the females will cover a distance of 6 miles as their course will begin from in front of the Hopetown Gas

Station and proceed to the finish line.

Prizes will be awarded to the first 10 cyclists to cross the finish line, first four cyclists from the Flying Aces Club, the first four beginners and first three females. The riders will also compete for 8 prime prizes.

Chief Executive Officer of Stretch D dollar, Rudolph Blair, is also a member of the Club and was a former national school cycling

champion.

Blair has businesses in both East and West Berbice.

The race will be sponsored entirely by the Stretch D Dollar Supermarket and will be started

by Blair, while he and his family will be on hand to distribute the prizes.

Co-ordinator of the race is Cycle coach Randolph Roberts and interested persons are asked to contact him for further information on telephone #628-1951.

Mandessa Moses finally...

From page 30 well as the usual 4 amateur bouts.The ProAm cards commenced some two years ago and so far several pugilists in Guyana and around the Caribbean have benefitted immensely, winning local and Caribbean Boxing Federation (CABOFE) titles. Several of these boxers are currently in intense training in anticipation of the WBC 50th anniversary championship that will see

fighters from the various confederations battling for prestigious titles and lucrative purses.

The current Friday Night Fights is organised by the GBBC in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, the Guyana Amateur Boxing Association (GABA) and NCN. Price of admission is $1,000, while children are being asked to pay half that amount. Bell time is 20:00hrs.

Page 29

Page 30

Kaieteur News

LTI, ‘Multi’ renews rivalry in Linden today - As VVR host Schools’ basketball final It was the great Michael Jordan who said: “talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence win championships” -a statement which is very applicable for today’s final in the eighth edition of the Victory Valley Royals (VVR) Schools Basketball Championship.

The 2012 edition of the renowned schools basketball competition will renew a long-standing rivalry between the Linden Technical Institute (LTI) and the C h r i s t i a n b u r g / Wi s m a r Secondary (Multi), at the Mackenzie Sports Club Basketball Court, commencing from 14:30 hrs.

Both sides are equipped with talented players, but it would come down to how well they play as a team that will determine who walks away with not only the beautiful silverware, and other prizes up for grabs, but the bragging rights for a year as the ‘best’ basketball-playing school in the Mining Town.

Led by a game high 25 points from Junior National forward, Linden Fraser, LTI hammered Linden Foundation Secondary 89–33 in the semis, while Emmanuel Archibald scored an entertaining 27 points to lead ‘Multi’ past last year’s winner Mackenzie High School (MHS) and set up today’s final showdown.

Both sides finished the preliminary round with one loss apiece, but LTI held the advantage having beaten ‘Multi’ but that is not necessarily a yardstick to determine or predict the outcome of today’s game.

It is no secret that Fraser is the backbone of his team, leading them on both the offensive and defensive ends. None of the teams in the competition, including ‘Multi’ has found a strategy or at least, a solution to slow down his momentum so far.

Fraser has been dominant

Linden Fraser in the paint where he has scored most of his points and plays well to avoid being placed in foul trouble, while leading the tournament in blocks. His supporting cast includes center, Joel Webster and sharp-shooter, Stanley McIntosh.

For ‘Multi’, Archibald has been sensational throughout the tournament and his efforts beyond the arc has been improving every game.

He is often taken for granted due to his size, but the diminutive player can be a bother on the defensive end.

Travis Dryden, more popularly known as ‘Babylon’ because of his toughness, will be a perfect match for Fraser in the paint.

After having won the inaugural final of the championship, the VVR first place trophy has eluded ‘Multi’ in seven other tries todate.

Meanwhile, the third place game between Linden Foundation and Mackenzie High should spark some fireworks giving the history of the two sides.

But MHS’ Parish Cadogan should be the deciding factor in the game as the point guard; arguably the most athletic player in the tournament, he has shown that he can be a one-man demolition force.

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

Semi-final matchups fixed following pulsating ¼ finals action After a night of pulsating quarter-final action in this year’s Linden segment of the Guinness ‘ Greatest of the Streets’ Futsal Football Competition on Tuesday night, the semi-final matchups have been settled and fans could expect a similar set of performances this evening when the tournament resumes, at the Wisroc / Amelia’s Ward Bus Park.

In the opening game, PokerBurg, who survived 2-1 on penalty kicks against Pepper Skull after regulation time failed to separate them following a 1-1 stalemate will look to continue their good run against Hard Knocks, a 1-0 survivor against Half Mile / One Mile, while Amelia’s Ward Russians that registered a hard fought 1-0 win over Rough and Rugged faces Retrieve Unknowns, who eliminated a powerful Sherriff Squad after producing a clinical display.

IN RESULTS OF QUARTER-FINAL ACTION:

Friday Night Pro/Am Fights...

sponsored by Star Party Rentals and Trophy Stall of Bourda Market.

The umpires are Michael Greaves, Mario Nichols and Linden Matthews and the teams will be selected from the following players: Lennox Cush, Edward Burnette, Gregory Gaspar, Troy Halley, Reon King, Arron Fraser, Clyde Butts, Gladwyn Brandis, Aubrey Jones,

(FLASHBACK) Part of the action in this year’s competition Game 1Pokerburg beat Pepper Skull 2-1 on penalty kicks after regulation time ended 1-1.

Damion Williams netted in the 11th minute for Pokerburg, while Pepper Skull’s response came off the boots of Robin Adams in the19th min.

Game 2Amelia’s Ward Russians squeezed past Rough and Rugged 1-0.

Carlos Grant scored the winner in the 14th min.

Game 3

Hard knocks then beat Half Mile / One Mile 1-0.

On target for the winners was Ray Bobb Semple, who netted in the 6th min.

Game 4 Retrieve Unknowns easily disposed of Sherriff Squad 3-1.

The players on target were Marcello Jansen, who netted in the 3rd and 12th minutes, while Darrel George added the other goal in the 7th min.

Sherriff Squad’s consolation strike came from Colwyn David in the 9th min.

Meanwhile, in the two

exhibition games Overseas All-Stars beat L.E.I 2-0 with Roy Mingo (3rd) and Jermaine Alfred (6th), the goal-scorers.

In the second game, Team Guinness Greatness hammered L.U.C.S.L 5-2.

Jason Blair 4th and 7th, Mortimer Stewart( Banks D.I.H Events Manager) 8th min, Rawle (Boney) Gittens 12th and 14th min were the players on the score-sheet, while L.U.C.S.L goal-scorers were John Murray 9th min and Del Coxin 11th min.

Starting time is 19:00 hrs.

Mandessa Moses finally gets an opponent

- takes on Venezuelan, Ana Lozano tomorrow night The long wait for a credible opponent has finally borne fruit for Mandessa Moses after months of aborted fights and disappointments.

She will match gloves with Venezuelan Ana Lozano when activities in the 22nd edition of the monthly Friday Night Fights gets underway, at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall (CASH) tomorrow night.

Lozano was scheduled to arrive in Guyana last night accompanied by her coach, Memin Ramos and will be at a live press conference arranged by the Guyana Boxing Board of Control (GBBC) slated for the National

MSC to host 30-over match on Labour Day The Malteenoes Sports Club (MSC) will be hosting a 30-over per side cricket match on Tuesday, May 1 (Labour Day) to test the readiness of its recently rehabilitated ground.

The game, which will feature many past Test, National, County and First Division players, will commence at 12.00hrs and the two contesting teams will be

Thursday April 26, 2012

Anthony Rigby, Ottis George, Rodwell Sam, Rakesh Gangaram, Surindra Herilall, Gavin Nedd, Neil Barry, Gregory Williams, Troy Lewis, Winston Semple, Jermaine Neblette, Rodrick Lovell, Sean Holder, Mark Ferreria, Aditya Ramnarine, Colin Stuart, Dexter Mckenzie, Paul Castello and Anthony Ifill A well stock bar and BBQ chicken will be on sale.

Communications Network at 15:00hrs today.

When informed of the new development, Moses was delighted and intimated that she is prepared for whatever her Venezuelan counterpart has to offer. She said that she has been engaged in stiff training over the past three weeks and despite several disappointments where her opponents had opted out of earlier bouts, she had addressed her training diligently.

Moses’ coach, Lennox ‘Cappel’ Daniels is also delighted that Moses is finally able to face off with a worthwhile opponent. He said that even though she was uncertain of opposing a credible opponent, Moses had stuck to her training and is well prepared and ready to turn in a top performance.

The two will clash over 6 rounds in a featherweight affair.

Elton ‘Coolie Bully’ Dharry also arrived in Guyana yesterday and engaged in light sessions at the Andrew Lewis Boxing Gym (ALBG) during the afternoon. He will match gloves with Charlton Skeete in a 6 rounds

bantamweight affair. The latter in an invited comment said that he has trained intensely and is determined to pose problems for his nemesis.

Dharry is a crowd pleaser and is currently preparing for the World Boxing Council 50th Anniversary celebrations tournament that could net the eventual winners huge purses and prestigious world rankings.

The ‘Coolie Bully’ has stated in no uncertain terms that he is out to distinguish himself as a worthwhile world contender.

Hardly anyone knows Anson Green, a young debutant scheduled to match gloves with another debutant, David Thomas in a 4 rounds welterweight scrap.

With no one in his division to engage in sparring sessions, Green opted for several rounds with Edmond DeClou last week and the latter fighter certainly did not spare him. He gave him a baptism of fire with several wicked combinations that pushed the young debutant to the hilt.

To his credit Green withstood the punishment like a man and retaliated with crunching blows of his own.

Mandessa Moses

His opponent Thomas, also trains at the ALBG, but had already wrapped up sessions when Kaieteur Sport visited the institution.

While we were unable to assess his conditioning and skill, one thing is certain; he will have to dig very deep to pull off this one. An interesting bout looms.

Fans will also be entertained with another interesting bout when Iwan Azore squares off with Jermaine King in a 4 rounds jnr/welterweight shindig, as (Continued on page 29)