Kaieteur News

Thursday Edition August 02, 2012 - Vol. 5 No. 30

Online readership yesterday 110,600

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Slain Lindeners laid to rest ... p. 3

Monument to be erected in their honour - Granger

A proud family!

An engaging photo opportunity at ACDA's 16th Emancipation Festival

Bel Air businessman murder ...

Mechanical failure Suspects may Each parliamentary forces small plane be ex-customs session costs to crash land at CJIA officers - investigators taxpayers $1.7Million p.

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High percentage of poor quality malaria medicines in Guyana US study reveals…

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Thursday August 02, 2012

Kaieteur News

Mechanical failure forces small plane to crash land at CJIA

The Cessna 172 which crash landed at CJIA yesterday

A plane reportedly heading to Brazil crash landed at Cheddi Jagan International Airport yesterday morning, after its landing gear failed.

The pilot, Frederico Ratte, of Florida who was the

only person onboard, walked away from the incident without any major injuries.

According to authorities, approximately 10:30 hrs, Civil Aviation Authority Control Tower reported that itinerant aircraft Cessna 172,

US study reveals…

Maryland, USA (PRNewswire) – USNewswire - Two articles recently published in Malaria Journal shed new light on the quality of antimalarial medicines circulating in countries in the Amazon Basin in South America.

Researchers from the

registration number N662NA, crash landed on Runway 24/06.

The aircraft, which is from Grenada and owned by Zenette Inc was stopping at CJIA for fuel. The aircraft only had two hours of fuel

remaining.

It was reportedly en route to neighbouring Brazil.

There was damage to the propeller and to the underside of the aircraft.

According to a Flight Control Officer, responses

from security and Guyana Fire Service were quick.

However, the magnitude of the crash was not significant since there was no structural damage to the aircraft, another airport official said.

The Civil Aviation

Authority will be conducting a mandatory investigation.

The damaged aircraft was taken to the old Guyana Airways Corporation hangar. There were not any major disruptions to flight activities.

High percentage of poor quality malaria medicines in Guyana

Promoting the Quality of Medicines (PQM) program, a cooperative agreement between the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the U.S. Pharmacopeial Convention (USP), in conjunction with country partners, coordinated these studies in the context of the Amazon

Malaria Initiative (AMI).

The first study, Quality of Antimalarials Collected in the Private and Informal Sectors in Guyana and Suriname, assessed the quality of circulating antimalarial medicines in the private (licensed pharmacies, wholesalers and distributors) and informal

(unlicensed shops and convenience stores) sectors.

No information was previously available about the quality of these medicines.

Though antimalarials are usually distributed through public health facilities at no cost in these countries, the private and informal sectors

thrive in Guyana and Suriname—particularly in the remote interior regions where the presence of public facilities is limited or nonexistent, and large populations of workers in the gold mining and logging industries live.

Buying from these facilities poses increased risk of access to and use of non-recommended treatments and/or poorquality products, which can have serious repercussions on patients' health.

In Guyana, 45 of 77 (58 percent) of antimalarial medicines were found to be of poor quality. Visual and physical inspection unveiled 30 failures and analytical tests revealed 18; a medicine failing more than one test was considered a single failed medicine.

Visual and physical inspections provide valuable information about the physical appearance and labeling of medicines, and in many cases these inspections can detect counterfeit medicines.

Quality control tests assess critical quality attributes of a medicine, such as identity, content, impurities and dissolution, among others. Of particular concern was the proportion of monotherapy (single drug) treatments failing quality control tests in

Guyana (43 percent).

This included a high failure rate for artesunate monotherapy, a treatment not recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) for Plasmodium Falciparum malaria, the most common type of malaria in the interior of Guyana. WHO recommends artesunate combination therapy for Plasmodium Falciparum.

In Suriname, 86 percent of the samples collected were Artecom, and only this antimalarial was analyzed.

All Artecom samples lacked a label claim for the content o f o n e o f t h e components—primaquine —which resulted in an automatic failure of visual and physical inspection.

Inadequate labeling is problematic because it renders it impossible for patients to know the dosage of the medicine they are taking, which could lead to i n e ff e c t i v e t r e a t m e n t .

Additionally, undeclared strength of primaquine poses a safety concern to individuals who are glucose6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficient.

This antimalarial medicine was also found in Guyana; it is not registered in the countries nor is it part of their national treatment guidelines. All samples in (continued on page 9)

Thursday August 02, 2012

Kaieteur News

Slain Lindeners laid to rest...

By Jenelle Carter As sunrise greeted the mining town of Linden yesterday there was a somber mood, as what would have been an Emancipation celebration turned out to be the day the community buried three of their loved ones. By the end of the day it was established that a monument would be erected in their honour at the Wismar shore.

At the break of dawn, the remains of Shemroy Bouyea, Ron Somerset and Allan Lewis left the mining town for the Square of the Revolution where they were met by a large gathering for a viewing.

As the procession made its way back to Linden, the massive crowd thronged the Wismar/Mackenzie Bridge, the very site at which the men lost their lives.

While there was very little police presence throughout the area from Amelia’s Ward to Wismar, there was a relatively heavy army presence.

Persons braved intermittent rainfall as they came out in their thousands to bid farewell to what many referred to as their “fallen heroes” and “martyrs”.

Dark clouds hung over the mining town through the afternoon’s proceedings which began a little behind schedule at around 14:30 hours.

Once the precession made its way to the Wismar Bridge the crowd grew rapidly, with almost everyone dressed in black, white and red in solidarity with the families of the three men who were shot dead by police on July 18 during a protest over the hike in electricity tariffs.

As an arm of the People’s National Congress made their way onto the Wismar shore they held hands singing popular hymns such as “It is well with my soul” and “Amazing grace”.

Among the special invitees and dignitaries present were Leader of the PNC/R, Retired Brigadier David Granger, Party Chairman Basil Williams, Alliance For Change Member Nigel Hughes, APNU’s Dr. Rupert Roopnarine, PNC/R member Aubrey Norton, PNC/ R Parliamentarian Vanessa

Page 3

Monument to be erected in their honour - Granger

Allan Lewis

Kissoon, Christopher Ram, Lincoln Lewis and Mayor Hamilton Green, among others.

Pastor Andrew Marks was the Chairperson for the stirring occasion which was at times interrupted by rain.

The funeral service commenced, with soloist, Winston Caesar, singing an appropriate rendition for the occasion ‘Redemption song’.

While this was being sung, loud wailing could have been heard as the caskets bearing the men’s remains arrived.

Soon after, representatives from each of the bereaved families were allowed to read a scripture of their choice, followed by the large gathering being invited to sing the ever popular funeral rendition ‘What a friend we have in Jesus’.

The most moving part of the sermon was at the point where the relatives of the slain men were called to eulogise them. Ivan Lewis’s two sons, Rodwell and Orlando, reflected on their years being raised by their father whom they said was a very hard working man who

always taught them to stand up for what they believe in.

The young men recollected their childhood days with the man they now call their hero.

They encouraged their fellow Lindeners not to sit by and let their father’s death be in vain.

Ron Somerset was described by his family as a “very driven young man with a bright future ahead”.

Though orphaned, it was stressed that he was raised by relatives who did their best to ensure he had a sound education.

Having completed his schooling in the mining town, Somerset was said to be very enthused about computers and versed in the Information Technology field.

While not much was said of Shemroy Bouyea, he was well known in the community and though physically challenged, he was described

as someone who was always willing to lend a helping hand to persons he came into contact with.

THE CONTINUED CALL FOR JUSTICE Meanwhile, continued calls for justice echoed throughout the large gathering, and in varying ways by the persons paying tribute. In his most distinct tone, prominent Attorney-atlaw Nigel Hughes stated emphatically, “I will make one pledge; I pledge to you that this event will not pass unnoticed and I say to you, no justice no peace”.

Working People’s Alliance Representative Dr.

Rupert Roopnaraine started off by expressing his heartfelt condolences to the families.

“We came here today on Emancipation Day of all days to celebrate the life of three martyrs of the Guyana revolution, and those who celebrate indeed have something to celebrate, as July 18 was the day Lindeners were self-emancipated.”

Roopnaraine lamented that the events of that day will always be remembered for those who “fell to the guns of the sharpshooters”.

“They have not died in vain. What we know about martyrdom is that the blood of martyrs only strengthens struggles, it doesn’t weaken

Ron Somerset them. When the innocent blood fell on the ground that day it gave strength to people of Linden.”

People’s National Congress Reform Chairman Basil Williams reiterated the call for the people of Linden to stay strong and to continue (continued on page 17)

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Kaieteur News

Thursday August 02, 2012

Letters... Where your views make the news Printed and Published by National Media & Publishing Company Ltd. 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown, Guyana.

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

EDITORIAL

A most disgraceful situation Every city has some basic things because they are often the most populated places in a country. There are therefore hospitals, the leading schools and colleges, the other training institutions, the fire service, the police headquarters, and of course, the largest municipal markets and the best stores.

Georgetown, Guyana, is no different. It has all these things. It houses the headquarters of the various government offices and is the hub of the transportation sector. However, Georgetown is like no other city. It cannot rid itself of its garbage because the city council is perennially cash-strapped and it has no working fire hydrant.

About five decades ago there were fire hydrants that not only stood at various locations on the streets but they worked. In the event of fire it was not unusual to see the firefighters racing to these hydrants and attaching their hoses.

A major fire broke out in the city early Tuesday morning.

The call came in to the Guyana Fire Service shortly after 5:00 am and the tenders went racing to the scene. When they arrived at the scene on Regent Street, a small store was on fire. The firemen went into action, but it was not long before the water in the tenders ran out. The crew had to rush for another water source.

The city was once known for its canals, but over the past few decades these became clogged with garbage and silt from the Demerara River. Fortunately the climate is such that they always have water and it was to this that the firefighters turned when the fire continued to rage.

But this need not have been the case and one must blame the Minister responsible for Water. Each year in the national budget we see allocations for the water sector.

These allocations would be for things like alum to purify the city water, and for wells in new housing areas. Millions of dollars are always bandied about and during the debate the nation is regaled with these facts about how much money the government spends.

Spending money is one thing, but spending it where it is needed is another. For as long as one can remember there has been no expenditure for the delivery of water in the city.

The Home Affairs Minister has been seeking and getting funding for more and more firefighting equipment, but that is not matched by the support expected from the Ministry responsible for the delivery of water.

Inside the Shelter Belt there are hundreds of hydrants procured at a time when there was talk to revamp the hydrants in the country.

At the time the entity was the Georgetown Sewerage and Water Commissioners. The government later delinked that entity from City Hall and assumed full responsibility.

Those hydrants are still lying in the Shelter Belt compound, as useless as taking a snow cone to an Eskimo.

Surely, the Minister of Housing and Water, Irfaan Ali, must have been aware of the situation with the fire hydrants.

In recent times there have been a number of fires in the city, and on every occasion the fire fighters could not rely on the pieces of iron that once served as fire hydrants.

He has made no effort to deal with the situation, choosing instead to develop housing schemes and still failing to install hydrants in these new housing schemes.

Surely, any administrator would recognize the need for firefighting capabilities in the city, but Minister Ali seems not to be in that category.

When asked about hydrants his predecessor said that establishing the hydrants was the responsibility of the fire service. The fire service said that the Housing Ministry is responsible. The then President Bharrat Jagdeo did say that some focus would be placed on replacing the existing hydrants. He did nothing other than talk.

The result is that four buildings went up in flames and a man died of a heart attack as he watched what he had worked all his life to secure, go up in flames. Those flames also trapped four Chinese nationals in one of the buildings and they had to be rescued.

The people who lost their property cannot think of suing the authorities for their failure to have hydrants. But it is an abomination that a city in these modern times has no fire hydrants.

DEAR EDITOR, The Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association (GGDMA) this year will celebrate its 30 anniversary.

As President of an association whose executive members collectively hold more than 200 years of experience in mining, it is quite disappointing to see the gauntlet through which today’s small and medium scale miners must pass to scrape out a living in the interior.

The establishment of a Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment (MoNRE), something for which we lobbied, has brought us more difficulty than help.

We are now facing, in my opinion, the most difficult period in mining we have ever experienced.

Every day, the Ministry creates a new burden for miners to bear, so much so it is becoming increasingly difficult for us to do what we do best… mine for Guyana’s minerals.

Recently the MoNRE embarked on an active media campaign to confuse miners about the real motives of their recent actions.

It therefore forces me to explain and clarify several claims made by the MoNRE on mining in Guyana.

CONSULTATIONS On the issue of consultations, we have had exactly two meetings, informally, with the Minister and none to date with the newly appointed Commissioner of Mines, since her appointment.

This, however, is not the most troubling issue. We have noted that the MoNRE’s definition of consultation is more of instruction rather than of discussion.

This was clearly demonstrated when the MoNRE passed an arbitrary ban on the procession of river claims without any prior notice to the mining community.

This all happened while we were supposedly in active consultations. The topic of a ban on processing of river mining was never discussed.

How can the Government ask for consultations when it is more of a one sided dictatorship?

As we said at our annual general meeting; we will not be dictated to and we are only prepared to engage in consultations that will be honest and fair. The Ministry so far has been high handed and biased.

BAN ON MERCURY In relation to the issue of an impending global ban on mercury, the Government, by its own admission, in a full page newspaper ad on Sunday 29th July, confirmed

what we have been saying.

Once again without any prior consultation with those who will be the most affected, “...the GGMC (Guyana Geology and Mines Commission) participated at the fourth session of the intergovernmental, committee to prepare a legally binding instrument on mercury...”

This was at the UNsponsored meeting which has as its sole purpose “to negotiate a global treaty that would reduce the use of mercury.” The plans are already well established to all in the industry based on previous pronouncements.

The Ministry is being led by the global environmental lobby while there is scant disregard for the livelihood of mining communities and families. Guyana does not have to jump up and dance for every international puppeteer.

We must chart our own course that will be most beneficial to Guyana, not foreign masters. Are we not still a sovereign nation?

To date, all of the alternatives to mercury showcased to the local industry, have been inadequate and are still in an experimental stage.

While we remain willing to work with the GGMC on finding alternatives, there is little more than a year left and all of the efforts have been and remain experimental.

The alternative methods will not be completed for the end of the year 2012. We note with concern the following experiments: -The Flotation Project is still experimental and so far has not proved effective.

Even the GGMC has not taken it past the lab testing stage.

-The Knelson

Concentrators, bought at around US$500,000, remain in the shipping containers since the start of the year at GGMC’s laboratory site in Linden while the agency continues to look for a partner to assist them in setting up and running of two operations using this system.

This system is already proven too expensive for any local miner.

-The Cyanide Leeching Plants are still to be set up at the GGMC labs in Linden; they are now looking for experts to do this.

When and if the experts are hired they will assist in setting up the plants and start training for GGMC technicians, who, when they have completed their training, will then train miners.

Therefore from all indications so far we have no confidence in these efforts of the GGMC and we are very worried that come 2013, there will be no effective alternative for mercury and we will all have to stop mining.

BAN ON PROCESSING OF RIVER MINING PERMITS On the issue of the one month ban on the processing of river mining permits, the Ministry is quick to jump on the indigenous people’s bandwagon claiming that the MoNRE was petitioned by Amerindian groups.

Does the Ministry not recognise that many Amerindian communities are now actively engaged in mining and that many of the communities that exist near to mining operations also benefit from these operations?

We get the distinct impression that the Minister has been petitioned by Amerindian groups which represent only one sector of Amerindian people, who live

outside of mining communities.

Were communities such as Micobie, Isseneru and Jawalla consulted? Did the support come from only the so-called “one man” Amerindian group?

We recognise that mining will disturb the environment.

However, globally it has been accepted that there can be no mining that will not disturb the environment.

We once again call on the Government to recognise the significant difference between disturb and destroy.

We only disturb not destroy.

The association has always and remains willing to work with the GGMC on ensuring members adhere to the regulations.

We cannot understand why the sudden one month ban on processing on mining permits has been so harshly implemented. Is this a warning shot over the bow of miners and a signal of things to come?

SUPPORT FOR THE MINING INDUSTRY On the issue of support for the industry, the Ministry is operating as if it is doing us a favour. We are the major contributors to the financial livelihood of the Ministry and its agencies.

We pay our royalties and dues and the least the GGMC can do is offer technical assistance as is their mandate.

This has been very limited and scarce. We would like to challenge the claims made in the media that the GGMC provided Geologists to assist miners as I have no evidence that this has ever happened.

The current crop of miners is far more experienced and knowledgeable than the officers that the GGMC sends (Continued on page 5)

Toshao’s Elections and questionable practices at St. Cuthbert’s Mission DEAR MR. EDITOR, The Toshao’s Election was held on the April 21st. The Returning Officer and a team of about four persons were from the from Region 4’s office.

Three persons contested the Toshao’s position while 22 as Councilors but only nine were required.

The proceedings began about noon and ended at about 19:30hrs- the first of its kind.

Non-residents and children were allowed to vote in the presence of the former Toshao and Pastor of the Church of Christ, Ernest Dundas who was executing his last duties. Of course, his last duties were not legal.

This matter should be investigated.

As voting concluded, Pierre Andrews was declared the winner. A recount was then demanded by the other contestants and their supporters.

Some of the angry supporters involved in the recounting included children, while their supporters were abusing and assaulting others. Our medical staff and teachers were corrupting as they did during their campaign.

Among them were former leaders who failed us.

After the confusing recount, Mr. Luke Simon was given a very slim win.

We were not allowed to enter the building after voting. Underaged persons were allowed to vote.

About 40 non-residents voted.

On the April 23rd, Mr. Luke Simon and his team of ten were sworn in.

We voted for nine councilors, but because of a tie, 10 were sworn in. There are other solutions to this.

The entire proceedings was not right and as such should be reviewed. This is not democracy and the indigenous people of Saint Cuthbert’s have been failed.

Amiss was a representative from the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs. With no visits, we would assume that an investigation is not forthcoming.

Audits during Toshao’s tenure and before elections are provisions made in the Amerindian Act. Mr. Luke Simon and his team only communicate with their supporters and with this village on decline, we are hoping this team tackle the sales of illegal drugs, the many rum shop and noise nuisance.

A concerned resident

Thursday August 02, 2012

Kaieteur News

Page 5

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

Persaud, Maxwell were wrong

From page 4 into the fields. We believe that the GGMC, instead of engaging in regular “shakedowns”, should spend more time training and equipping the current mining officers.

We also call on the Ministry to address some of the pressing issues; which can only be dealt with at their level, such as the illegal searches carried out by the interior police on the gold production of small and medium scale miners.

Every day we see new obstacles designed to do only one thing, destroy the small and medium scale industry.

The Government spends more time creating hurdles than building roads for progress. The recent proposal that miners can now only have a prospecting permit for five years is once such glaring example.

Under the new system after five years a miner is left at the whim and fancy of the Minister for renewal and there is no guarantee that despite all the effort spent he will get back his land.

This along with the constant and ever expanding closure of land for small miners can only lead us to one conclusion; the Government is trying to get rid of small and medium scale miners.

We cannot keep up with the ever changing mining regulations, which are constantly being changed; we are being given hoops lit with fire to jump through.

There, however, has to be a way forward and there can be no dialogue if the MoNRE continues to prefer the avenue of dictatorship. We at the GGDMA can no longer engage in idle discussions where our input is discarded as quickly as we leave.

The experience we had with the “consultations” on the Special Land Use Committee has left a nasty taste in our mouth. We now demand honest, fair and meaningful consultations, one in which our opinion will be counted and respected, where the voices of our miners can be heard and make a difference.

We would like to see urgent and serious commitment by the ministry to address the following issues: -Mercury use/improved recovery systems.

- M e a n i n g f u l engagements with the GGDMA in reviewing the Mining Act and Regulations.

-Crime and security -Improved recovery rates at the sluice box -Availability of land for small miners -Availability of GGMC’s geologists, mining engineers, land surveyors and other technical personnel to provide technical assistance to small miners -Roads/infrastructural development -Better prospecting methods and practices -Establishing and maintaining health facilities and services We seem to have been caught up in the petty issues, while the major issues in the industry such as the rampant crime, the lack of roads, the high cost of transportation, the lack of health facilities and support and land for small miners are frustrating miners on the ground.

At present the MoNRE seems concerned only with the environmental part of its mandate and are ignoring those who are moving Guyana forward financially.

We urge the Minister to remember that his ministry has

to also represent and bolster the natural resources sector, so that we can grow.

To my fellow miners and business owners whose businesses are dependent on the survival of the mining industry, I urge you to join us in this struggle to have our voices heard, even if you are not a member of the association we want you to join with us.

We have already taken the GGMC to court over their refusal to accept payments for the renewal of mining properties which have been applied for as extensions to Amerindian lands; this action was taken not only for the medium scale but for all miners- small, medium and large scale. We are in this together and have adopted the new motto, “one for all and all for one”.

We are here to help all stakeholders since it seems no one else will help us. To this end we have established a free help desk at the GGDMA’s office in North Road and invite you to bring your issues to us. Let us join forces and move Guyana forward. We would like to remind the Minister that the gold and diamond mining industry is “too big to fail”.

Patrick E. Harding President Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association

DEAR EDITOR, I would like to respond to two rebuttals published on Monday, July 30, 2012 in response to my article published in Kaieteur News Sunday’s edition.

Mr. Mike Persaud, I am sure, has read many of my previous articles and should know that I do not hold a brief for any political party be it government or opposition, so there is no need for me to defend anyone as Mr. Persaud suggests- I write the facts as I see them.

Unlike Mr. Persaud, I am not going to deal in conjecture obeah or “tea bags” to determine who gave the order; who is responsible or whether the actions of the police were justified, or who should be fired.

I suggested that an impartial Commission of Inquiry should determine that.

If the Commission finds that the threat level did not necessitate the force used by the police those culpable will be subject to prosecution.

I still contend that the deaths of the young men should not be used as an excuse to burn, loot, rob and extort money. I wish Mike had addressed the core issues of my article. Was the shooting

justified? Should the rest of Guyana electricity consumers continue to subsidize Linden?

Should the lawlessness be allowed to continue unabated? Should politicians capitalize on the death of those young men to further their own political agenda?

Those are the issues I would have liked Mike and Mr. Maxwell to respond to.

And yes, Mike, if three canecutters were shot by the police, I would make the same argument for an impartial Commission of Inquiry. And as you know sugar workers were, in the past, shot by the police.

Mr. Maxwell is a frequent letter writer, and I would have thought that by now he would have developed the art of rebuttal.

Sadly, Mr. Maxwell wrote a ten paragraph diatribe about the ills of the PPP and little to do with the core discussion in my article. He has proven my point that people are using the deaths at Linden to

further their own agenda.

I will not engage in any intellectual response to Mr. Maxwell as it may be difficult for him to comprehend. Mr. Maxwell’s use of fancy sounding words like “dastardly intellectual revisionism and fraudulence” may make him look smart; it doesn’t mean he is smart.

That much is revealed in his diatribe.

For example Mr. Maxwell calls the hundreds of “peaceful protesters” a handful of vagrants. Now I am not sure if that is smart for Mr. Maxwell to call the people of Linden vagrants.

Mr. Editor, when I speak of going back to the sixties, I was referring to the disastrous consequences of the disturbances and the effect they had on the country. No one, I am sure wants a return to that time therefore it is necessary to resolve issues before they escalate to as we Guyanese describe as “out a hand”.

Ralph Seeram

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Kaieteur News

Thursday August 02, 2012

The house which was attacked by the bogus customs operatives.

Bel Air businessman murder ...

Suspects may be ex-customs officers

By Rabindra Rooplall Investigations are continuing as police are pondering whether excustoms officials may have indeed been responsible for the murder of a businessman on Tuesday night. The detectives are working on the hunch that the suspects are possible rogue elements who were under the impression that the man had substantial cash on his premises.

The 45-year-old victim, Frank Persaud, of 1 Area L, First Street, Bel Air who operates a stall in Stabroek Market was slain in a bond beneath his house after the assailants, lured him there under the pretext of checking on goods that he had stored on the property.

Police are currently seeking motives and leads that would lead to the capture of the perpetrators.

Reports suggest that the robbery/murder was not intentional, since investigations reveal that the robbers tried to revive the dead man by throwing water on him, before they made their

- investigators

Dead: Businessman Frank Persaud escape in a white canter.

The robbers also tied up the victim’s wife, Bibi Nalisha Mohamed, and the couple’s two-year-old daughter. The woman managed to free herself and contacted relatives who visited the scene where Persaud’s motionless body was found.

Relatives of the slain man said that the police have not disclosed any information pertaining to the case and its development and they

expressed hope that the perpetrators are swiftly brought to justice.

Reports indicate that the killers visited the house once Monday and on Tuesday morning, before returning later that evening when they made their fatal move. Police believe that they did not attack on the first two occasions because a worker was always present.

However, the story they had come up having entered

was that they were giving Mr. Persaud time to get up his duty slips.

Relatives disclosed that a large quantity of corned beef, biscuits and wafers were stolen from the bond.

Nevertheless, the men ransacked the premises.

They also made off with $119,000 in cash - proceeds of the day’s sale.

It is believed that Mr. Persaud suffocated as a result of the duct tape which was

used to cover his nose and mouth during the robbery.

Several blows to the head are also being noted as a possible contributory factor to the man’s demise.

Noting that Frank Persaud had been a businessman for decades, relatives recounted that they could not have thought of anyone who would want to harm him. He was described as “the sole breadwinner for the home, and a person who would

In Ohio, swing state politics have real-life impact

By John King, CNN Chief National Correspondent Akron, Ohio (CNN) — The Akron warehouse is bustling with activity: Forklifts buzzing across the floor. Boxes stacked neatly by the loading area. Vans lined side by side to take deliveries.

CEO Daniel Flowers shows it all off with a clear sense of pride and accomplishment. He just wishes he wasn’t so busy.

Yes, a CEO who wishes supply outpaced demand.

“We have had a steady increase in the number of people who seek emergency food assistance,” Flowers tells a visitor.

It is impossible not to be

impressed by the operation.

Flowers is president and CEO of the Akron-Canton Regional Food Bank, which now operates out of what once was a beer distributorship.

It is also impossible not to be numbed by the numbers: More than 2 million people in Ohio — 18% of the state population — face what the government terms food insecurity. That means they go hungry or are not able to maintain normal and consistent eating patterns because they can’t afford it.

The Akron-Canton facility serves eight counties and reaches about 180,000 people. Strikingly, about 45%

of those who get help don’t qualify for government assistance because they work and don’t meet government income guidelines, but they still don’t make enough money to make ends meet.

Akron is in Ohio’s Summit County, a blue-collar battleground within perhaps the 2012 campaign’s defining battleground state.

The experience of the food bank — and the charities it helps — mirror the campaign economic debate: Are things better off than they were when President Barack Obama took office in 2009?

Flowers said demand at

the food bank is higher than ever, which could be seen as evidence that things have not gotten better in this swing state. But, one could look at it this way: back in 2008 and 2009, demand grew 25% from year to year. This year it is up 3% from last year.

“It is almost a sad fact that that feels like a win — that it is not so bad,” Flowers told CNN during a visit on Tuesday — just 98 days, or 14 weeks, until the November election.

Obama returned to the area yesterday — his ninth campaign visit to Ohio this year.

In Summit County, for example, the unemployment

rate is 7% — down from 9.3% when the president took office.

Republicans argue GOP Gov. John Kasich deserves credit more than the Democratic president, but their bigger push is to make the case the recovery would be stronger if not for an administration they say stifles job creation with regulation and new mandates like the Obama health care law.

“The president’s not only demonstrated that he tends toward more of a government-oriented solution toward the economy, but Gov. Romney has proven firsthand he knows how to (continued on page 18)

normally barter with counterparts in Brazil and would sell wholesale and retail items. Three months prior, the father of three lost a 20-yearold daughter who was ill.

A grief-stricken Bibi Nalisha Mohamed, who lost two of her loved ones this year, said that one of the men had a Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) badge and wore a shirt and tie, while the other two had shirt-jacs. They also had cameras and reportedly took out photographs. She said that she had just finished bathing the couple’s daughter when the men arrived and proceeded to the bond where her husband followed, and was subsequently tied up, beaten and later died.

The woman said that she was suspicious that the men had arrived at that hour of the night, but her husband said “if you don’t open they would say that you have uncustomed goods.”

Police sources said that when the men returned Tuesday evening, they informed Persaud that the GRA officials were not satisfied with their report and wanted to see the businessman’s ‘duty slips’ and also take photographs of the goods that he had imported.

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Syria’s Assad praises troops, keeps out of public eye ALEPPO, Syria (Reuters) - President Bashar al-Assad told his troops yesterday that their battle against rebels would decide Syria’s fate, but his written message gave no clues to his whereabouts two weeks after a bomb attack on his inner circle.

In Aleppo, rebel fighters seized three police stations while fighting the army for control of a strategically important district. Explosions could be heard and helicopter gunships cruised the skies as troops tried to push the rebels out of the northern city and preserve one of Assad’s main centers of power.

Assad has not spoken in public since the bombing in Damascus on July 18 killed four of his close security aides, although he has appeared in recorded clips on television. His latest remarks appeared in the military’s magazine to mark armed forces day.

“The fate of our people

and our nation, past, present and future, depends on this battle,” said Assad, whose low public profile suggests acute concern about his safety since the bombing in which his brother-in-law died.

In confronting “terrorist criminal gangs” - the government’s usual term for the rebels - the army had proved it had “the steely resolve and conscience and that you are the trustees of the people’s values”, the 46year-old president declared.

Earlier, at least 10 volleys of shells lit up the sky over Aleppo, Syria’s biggest city, and drowned out the Islamic call to prayer. Carloads of rebels shouting “God is great” sped off towards the fighting. Helicopters could be seen firing over the city.

The World Food Programme said it was sending emergency food supplies to Aleppo to tackle a worsening humanitarian situation.

Syria’s civil war has

Power restored across India after historic failure NEW DELHI (AP) — Factories and workshops across India were up and running again yesterday, a day after a major system collapse led to a second day of power outages and the worst blackout in history.

An estimated 620 million people were left without electricity after India’s northern, eastern and northeastern grids cascaded into failure Tuesday afternoon. It was the second massive outage in as many days, coming just after the country had recovered from Monday’s failure of the northern grid, which had left 370 million people powerless.

Electricity workers struggled throughout the day Tuesday to return power to the 20 affected states, restoring most of the system in the hours after the crash.

India’s new Power Minister Veerappa Moily told reporters that by yesterday morning power had been fully restored across the country.

Moily, who took over the top power position Tuesday, said an investigation into the crisis has been launched and he did not want to point fingers or speculate about the cause.

Other officials said the blackout might have been the result of states drawing too much power from the grid.

Some analysts dismissed that explanation, saying that if

overdrawing power from the grid caused this kind of collapse, it would happen all the time.

The Confederation of Indian Industry said the two outages cost business hundreds of millions of dollars, though they did not affect the financial center of Mumbai and the global outsourcing powerhouses of Bangalore and Hyderabad in the south.

Like many, the group demanded the widespread reform of India’s power sector, which has been unable to keep up with the soaring demand for electricity as the economy has expanded and Indians grow more affluent and energy hungry.

The power minister cautioned that there would be no quick solution to the power crisis, saying the government was looking at immediate and longer term measures to address power scarcity.

intensified since the July 18 bombing, with fighting engulfing Damascus and Aleppo for the first time in the 17-month-old uprising against Assad family rule.

The two cities are crucial prizes for both sides in an increasingly brutal struggle that has eluded all attempts at a diplomatic solution and risks igniting a wider conflagration.

Internet video footage and witness accounts indicate that rebels have carried out summary executions in and around Aleppo in much the same way as Assad’s forces have been accused of acting in Damascus, where the army has largely regained control.

One video shows four men identified as members of the pro-Assad Shabbiha militia being led down a flight of stairs, lined up against a wall and shot in a hail of rifle fire as onlookers shouted “Allahu akbar (God is greatest)”.

Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov said the killings, which he

U.S. raises pressure for euro zone crisis action

Bashar al-Assad called a massacre, “confirms human rights violations are taking place on both sides”.

In another video, a cameraman filmed the bodies of about 15 men at a police station. One rebel fired at the corpse of the station commander, blowing his head off. In both cases, the content of the footage could not immediately be verified.

In the town of Azaz, north of Aleppo, a rebel told how his men had executed a captured sniper, shooting him dead after an impromptu “trial” conducted at an already prepared graveside.

“We took him right to his grave and, after hearing the witnesses’ statements, we shot him dead,” the fighter said.

FRANKFURT/BERLIN (Reuters) - The United States raised the pressure on euro zone leaders to take decisive action on solving the region’s debt crisis, notably by lowering troubled members’ borrowing costs, on the eve of a crucial European Central Bank meeting.

President Barack Obama said he welcomed recent declarations by European leaders and the ECB on the need to do whatever is necessary to preserve the euro.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner had a blunter message for the euro zone, saying it must take steps including “bringing down interest rates in the countries that are reforming and making sure those banking systems can provide the credit those economies need”.

Obama, in a telephone call with French President Francois Hollande yesterday, “encouraged their efforts to take decisive action”, the White House said.

Hollande reassured Obama that European Union member states aimed to enact

soon the decisions taken at a summit in late June, according to the French leader’s office.

Germany, whose voters are deeply hostile to funding bailouts of the euro zone’s weakest members, agreed in principle at the summit that the bloc’s rescue funds could buy bonds of countries that are struggling to borrow on international markets.

Geither made his more forthright comments in an interview with Bloomberg Television recorded on Tuesday, a day after he flew to Germany to meet Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble and ECB President Mario Draghi.

Italy and Spain, the euro zone’s third and fourth largest economies, are struggling to fund their budget deficits and debt obligations at affordable levels as bond market investors take fright. Draghi’s promise last week to do whatever it takes to preserve the euro, within the ECB’s mandate, stirred speculation that its Governing Council might take more radical steps at a monthly policy meeting today.

Venezuela’s opposition wants to scrap preferential oil deals PUERTO LA CRUZ, Venezuela (Reuters) Venezuelan opposition leader Henrique Capriles said yesterday he would scrap preferential oil deals with foreign allies if he defeats socialist President Hugo Chavez in an October election to lead the South American OPEC member.

Chavez has sought to boost his influence abroad by offering crude deals to nations in Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean — Venezuela’s state oil company PDVSA was not paid directly for almost half the crude it pumped last year.

In Capriles’ first major speech on his future oil policy, the 40-year-old said stopping Chavez’s deals for crude on credit or in exchange for other goods would save $6.7 billion annually, which would be invested in new

social programs. “To have a friend, you don’t need to buy him,” Capriles said during a campaign stop a few kilometers from the Puerto La Cruz refinery. “From ... 2013, not a single free barrel of oil will leave to other countries.”

The youthful former state governor named Belarus, Cuba, Jamaica, Dominican Republic, Uruguay and Argentina as countries that would stop receiving oil on preferential terms.

In 2011, PDVSA — the fiscal motor of Chavez’s socialist policies — was not paid directly for 43 percent of its barrels of crude and oil products, rising from 36.5

percent in 2010 and 32 percent in 2009.

Many of the agreements are criticized by his opponents, especially those signed over the last decade with China, Cuba, Argentina, Uruguay, and the more than a dozen countries that are members of Venezuela’s Petrocaribe supply program.

Chavez — who underwent three operations for cancer over the last year — is seeking re-election for a third term on October 7 to extend his self-styled socialist “revolution” and is spending heavily to beat Capriles.

Most opinion polls give him a double-digit lead.

Henrique Capriles

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Thursday August 02, 2012

Govt., Opposition deadlocked over CCJ

Economic Partnership Agreement under microscope

Jamaica Observer - THE deadlock between the Government and the Opposition over the process by which the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) would become Jamaica’s final appellate court was evident in Parliament Tuesday, after Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller’s statement on the issue.

The Prime Minister told the House of Representatives that it was the duty of Parliament to guarantee the people a right of access to a final court of appeal that is within their reach.

“To insist on any obligation, other than that which has been laid down by our highest court, is to dismiss our obligation to obey the rule of law,” she stated, confirming the Government’s insistence that all that is necessary is a twothirds majority in both

SANTO Domingo, Dominica Republic CMC - A two day meeting allowing for a closer examination of the implementation status of the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) signed between the European Union (EU) and the Caribbean Forum (CARIFORUM) countries in 2008 began yesterday.

The Guyana-based Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat, which is convening the meeting, said it is being attended by heads of national implementation units of the 15 CARIFORUM countries.

“The meeting will allow for sharing of experiences on the status of EPA implementation at the national and regional levels, as well as the strengthening of coordination and network building among regional EPA functionaries so as to improve the flow of EPA relevant information across CARIFORUM,” it said.

The meeting here is being supported by the German-based Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH and the Caribbean Export Development Agency (CEDA) as well as the Department for International Development in Britain, through the Caribbean Aid for Trade and Regional Integration Trust Fund (CARTFund).

Houses of Parliament, as proposed by the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council.

She stated that it was a significant part of the meaning of independence, and to insist on any other procedure would be to dismiss Jamaica’s obligation to obey the rule of law.

She urged the Opposition to support the Government’s position and allow the change to take place this year. She added that when the time comes for a second reading of the three CCJ Bills, which have been tabled by her to pave the way for accessing the CCJ, “the arguments will be properly ventilated during the full debate”.

But, Opposition spokesman on national security and justice, Delroy Chuck, insisted that the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) would not be persuaded by any course, other than a

Portia Simpson Miller referendum to let the people decide the issue.

“If we are going to be true to the Constitution of this country, let us sit and work it out; but don’t try to ram this court down the throats of the people without their endorsement and approval,” Chuck said.

Responding to Chuck’s statement, Simpson Miller said she welcomed his proposal for discussions.

“I am anticipating that we will have those discussions before the debate,” she said.

CARIFORUM Director General Iván Ogando Lora said the meeting “is a timely opportunity to enhance the region’s preparation for the upcoming CARIFORUMEU Trade and Development Committee (TDC), tentatively scheduled to take place by the end of September 2012.

“A range of issues to be included in the agenda of the TDC will be up for discussion,” he added.

During the two-day meeting here, EPA implementation units will report on their activities, including difficulties encountered, their respective work programmes, status of implementation of the EPA in CARIFORUM states and availability of financial resources to support EPA implementation, “ the CARICOM Secretariat said.

In addition, the meeting will also provide for an exchange of views on the approach to monitoring EPA implementation regionally and nationally.

“The meeting will also discuss the institutions established by the EPA, the work of the ones that have already been convened and the state-of-play with regard to the constituting of the CARIFORUM-EU Consultative Committee,” it added.

T&T top cops deny being Patrick Manning to go on trial pressured to resign

Trinidad Express Commissioner of Police (CoP) Dr Dwayne Gibbs Tuesday said he was not pressured by National Security Minister Jack Warner or anyone to resign and has done it of his own volition.

His successor was announced by the Police Service Commission (PSC) as local Deputy Commissioner of Police Stephen Williams, who will act as Commissioner of Police until the end of January next year.

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar on Monday announced the resignations of Canada-born Gibbs and Deputy Commissioner Jack Ewatski.

She said both men tendered their resignation letters, dated July 26, 2012, to the PSC. The resignations will take effect on August 7.

Following the Prime Minister’s announcement, questions on social networking sites and blogs focused on whether Government had moved to buy out the contracts of the foreign top cops, or whether they were pressured by Warner to throw in the towel.

In a brief telephone interview with the Express Tuesday, Gibbs addressed these questions, saying the decision to quit was his own.

Questioned as to what was the driving force behind the resignations, Gibbs responded that he had “personal reasons”.

Pressed as to whether he was pressured by Warner or

Jack Ewatski

Dwayne Gibbs

asked to resign, he said “No, this was a personal decision.”

Asked whether he and Ewatski would be returning to Canada after August 7, he replied, “Yes, more than likely that will be the case.”

Asked if he had any regrets coming to Trinidad and Tobago, Gibbs responded, “No regrets,

none whatsoever. I am disappointed that we did not get to finish the work which we wanted to complete.”

Attorney General Anand Ramlogan, who is currently in the US, also dismissed any notion that Gibbs and Ewatski were asked to submit their resignations.

Trinidad Express - THE Court of Appeal has ruled that the private criminal complaint brought by a woman against former Prime Minister Patrick Manning for annoying language must be heard before a new magistrate.

Tuesday’s ruling by Justices of Appeal Paula Mae Weekes and Alice Yorke-Soo Hon was made hours before Manning was scheduled to return to Trinidad from the United States. Manning had been receiving treatment at a hospital in Washington, DC after suffering a stroke on January 23 at his Sumadh Gardens, Vistabella, home.

Cumberbatch had claimed Manning used annoying language with intent to provoke her to breach the peace on May 21, 2009 in Port of Spain.

The charge was dismissed on October 14, 2009 by then chief magistrate Sherman McNicolls because the

Phillips eyes IMF deal by year-end Jamaica Gleaner Minister of Finance and the Public Service, Dr Peter Phillips has rebuffed claims by the parliamentary opposition that the hammering out of a new agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) would be prolonged beyond year-end.

At the same time, Phillips declared Tuesday that the tax measures that were met with stern opposition from sections of the public and the Jamaica Labour Party are

yielding positive results.

“There is no basis to suggest that an (IMF) programme will not be concluded before the next calendar year,” declared Phillips during a debate on a tax-related motion yesterday.

“It is not so, and we certainly have indicated otherwise to this House, a negotiating team will be here in September and we are working on a presentation before the end of the last

quarter of the calendar year,” he added.

In response to a challenge from Opposition member Karl Samuda - during debate on the motion to refer the report of the proposed slate of tax reforms to a joint parliamentary committee - Phillips told the House of Representatives that there were higher levels of compliance by taxpayers than in the previous years.

He, however, stressed that challenges remained.

Patrick Manning

woman, Natasha Cumberbatch, was absent from the courtroom when the matter was called in the Port of Spain Magistrates’ Court.

Weekes said Tuesday that McNicolls acted with “unjudicial haste” when he dismissed the matter.

On that day, the matter was originally scheduled to be heard in the Second Magistrate’s Court, but a clerk, at around 9.15 a.m., announced it had been transferred to the Eighth Court where McNicolls presided.

When the matter was called before McNicolls at 9.20 a.m., Cumberbatch’s name was called twice by a police officer but there was no response. McNicolls then dismissed the case, along with a similar complaint made against Michael Vasqueo.

Cumberbatch entered the courtroom seconds later and

was told that both matters were dismissed because of her non-appearance.

She then went to the First Court before Magistrate Cheron Raphael where she had two separate complaints accusing her stepfather, Stephen Joefield, and her mother, Charmaine Joefield, of using annoying language on May 10 at McCarthy Street, San Juan.

Weekes said McNicolls, who is now retired, acted improperly in the exercise of his discretion, and the discretion was exercised in an ad hoc and arbitrary manner.

She said the court, in coming to its decision, took into consideration that it was the first time the matter was being called, the matter was transferred from the court of original notification, the cases were called at 9.20 a.m. and 9.22 a.m., and neither was stood down.

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THE CIVIC WAS NEVER INTENDED TO BE A FORMAL GROUPING There was a false expectation that the PPP would not have gone on to the last elections with the Civic component attached. It was expected that the Civic would have been subsumed by the party.

This was a false premise and was based on the notion that after close to twenty years in power, the PPP would have been able to bring over the Civic personalities into the party, thus creating a party of balanced political interests.

This was, however, never the idea behind the Civic. The Civic component of the PPP/C was conceived to create a balance within the government, and not the party.

Dr. Cheddi Jagan had the foresight to understand that his party’s roots, its history and ideological affinity would

not have allowed it to have easily become a party representing the totality of interests, classes and ethnicities within the country.

The Civic was created to ensure that balance within the government.

The Civic was never intended to be a formal grouping in an alliance with the PPP. It emerged following the breakdown of the talks within the Patriotic Coalition for Democracy (PCD) to have a joint slate. The main villains in that process were the Working People’s Alliance (WPA) and the Guyanese Action for Reform and Democracy (GUARD), a civilsociety movement.

Within the PCD there was great opposition to Dr. Jagan becoming the presidential candidate for the 1992 elections.

Brazilian killed in Puruni ATV accident Fifty-five year-old Brazilian gold miner, Paulo Carvalho Silva, became another victim of Guyana’s treacherous interior terrain when he died after crashing his all-terrain vehicle (ATV) on Tuesday.

Silva who suffered massive internal injuries was pronounced dead at the Bartica Hospital. Police

confirmed that about 18:30 hours on Tuesday, last, Silva, of Boa Vista, Brazil, was driving an ATV along the trail at Puruni Backdam, Mazaruni, when he lost control of the vehicle and crashed.

He was picked up and rushed to the hospital but his severe injuries were too much for him to survive.

Dem boys seh ...

De Rat, Irfaat and de Bees got to run When de fire in Regent Street out one man who lose he store talk hard how dem thief till dem thief out de fire hydrant money. Dem boys didn’t understand, suh de man explain that when de Waterfalls paper start fuh talk ‘bout how Dr Rat got friends who does thief anything wha does move and wha don’t move people claim how de paper want destabilise de government.

De man seh that Irfaat responsible fuh de fire hydrants, but he never spend de money that he collect from parliament fuh put dem hydrants. And when de year done de money gone and no hydrant. Not one deh in de city and that is an abomination.

De Rat heself know de situation and when dem reporters did ask he bout dem same hydrant he tell dem that he gun fix de situation within a year. That was three years ago. He only talk and that is why de man seh that he in de thick of things.

He encourage de thiefing and dem boys believe that he too was involve.

He run and talk ‘bout money fuh build hotel fuh more money than a proper bridge across de Demerara River gun cost, and de bridge more important. He doing airport but he can’t buy fire hydrant fuh protect all dem business place in de city. Dem people who get bun out plan fuh go and protest outside he house. And when he come out fuh find out wha happen dem gun deal wid he.

Dem boys seh that dem same people gun mek all of dem run out de country without dem shorts because dem was sitting too comfortable. Is nuff of dem got to run. Irfaat, Brazzy and dem other Bees and Shaatie. And when dem run, dem gun lef everything. At least de people of this country gun get back something.

Is a pity that dem don’t have a law fuh mek people walk round wid a sign round dem neck. You decide wha de sign must read, but it must have de word ‘thief’.

Talk half. Lef half.

It was said that he was old and would not attract the support of African-Guyanese.

When he offered to have Dr. Roger Luncheon as the presidential candidate, the criticism was that while the doctor was Black he was a communist.

In the end there was an agreement for a presidential slate comprising Dr. Jagan as President, Clive Thomas as Prime Minister and Paul Tennessee as Deputy Prime Minister. However, the WPA and GUARD weaved their mischief and eventually scuttled the process.

This then led the PPP to come up with the idea of the Civic which would comprise of individuals from the professions, academia, religion and business, that would add balance to any government involving the PPP, since the PPP did not enjoy such balance.

Cheddi did not see the PPP as transforming itself into anything other than a working class party. He therefore could not envisage

the PPP becoming a party of all classes and interests.

If the PPP had undergone such a transformation, it would have bettered the record of the old socialist, Desmond Hoyte, suddenly experiencing an epiphany and overnight becoming a champion of the free market.

The PPP did not have to change to become a party of all interests. Following the departure of Mrs. Janet Jagan as President, the party was hijacked by the bourgeoisie class.

The challenge of Donald Ramotar is how to return the party to the working class roots, to becoming once again the party of Cheddi Jagan. That process is not going to be easy and it is not going to be swift.

President Ramotar will continue to face fierce criticism about not going far enough, not moving fast enough and not distancing himself from his predecessor.

These same criticisms were leveled against Desmond Hoyte when he became President. Many were

upset when he retained most of the old Burnham guard after the death of the founderleader of the PNC. Hoyte in time consolidated himself in his party and government and was able to eventually banish most of the old guard into political obscurity.

The same charge of not distancing himself from the old guard was also leveled at the feet of Bharrat Jagdeo. He too eventually was able to place a wedge between himself and the party. He eventually consolidated his power to the extent that he could have referred to the views of one of the leading lights of party as the opinion of a “private citizen.”

It will take Donald Ramotar some time, but eventually he too will have his way within the PPP. State power which now resides in his hands is much too powerful to prevent that from eventually happening.

The PPP will therefore return to its working class roots. Already Ramotar is maneuvering party loyalists

closer to the government.

He knows what he is doing. It is the party, through its stalwarts, that is taking command of the negotiations with the opposition. It is only a matter of time, perhaps within six months, before Donald Ramotar wrests control of the party from those whose interests it has served and return it to its working class roots.

What is however not going to change is the nature of the Civic. There is not going to any grouping known as the Civic. The Civic as conceived is supposed to about individuals serving within the government.

Civic is about individuals who the PPP has been able to attract and who can add gender, ethnic and class balance to the government, and not to the party. So if you are a Civic and are not in the government you are out like south.

Mangrove Restoration Project one of EU's success stories Identified as one of EU's success stories in the Caribbean, Guyana's Mangrove Restoration Project (GMRP) will be highlighted at the upcoming Global Climate Change Alliance (GCCA) conference in Brussels this September.

According to Chairperson of the GMRP, Annette ArjoonMartins, interest is high on the alternative livelihood component of the project, which seeks to empower local communities within mangrove forests.

She related, “In that component, villagers in local communities have been taught to become beekeepers. They have been provided with equipment and hives to set up apiaries in the mangrove forest in exchange for which they take responsibility for protecting and managing threekilometres of mangrove forest.”

An early GMRP initiative was the development of Guyana's first mangrove reserve located twenty minutes from Georgetown and located in the villages between Golden Grove and Belfield, East Coast of Demerara. Six villagers were trained as tour guides, and daily tours are now available from the Mangrove Centre at Cove and John.

Arjoon-Martins, who is the Operations Manager of Air Services Limited, said that

the Ogle airline, which has a development programme for hinterland students, has also undertaken to help provide developmental assistance to the alternative livelihood component of the Mangrove Restoration Project.

Arjoon-Martins stated, “Air Services feels mangrove tour guides would benefit from interacting with their counterparts at Kaieteur Falls, which is our most successful tourist destination, so ASL took four of them on a complimentary visit to the Falls.”

She noted that the intention was also to make the guides more aware of the links in Guyana's growing tourism sector of which they are now a part.

The four guides – Raymond Hinds, Avnel Wood, Carlotta DeJesus and Colin DeJesus – were taken on a half day visit to Kaieteur; it was the first time they had seen the world-famous waterfall.

Raymond Hinds, who is from the village of Cove and John, and is in his second year with the Mangrove Project said, “I never imagined

I would get the opportunity to experience one of the wonders of the world, and I learned a great deal in how the Kaieteur guide interpreted the tour to make it extremely interesting for the visitor. I will certainly be applying what I have learned in our Mangrove Reserve tours.”

ASL, which takes plane loads of tourists to Kaieteur Falls each weekend on Saturdays and Sundays, indicated that it will ensure that the Mangrove Reserve brochures

are in the seat pockets on those aircraft, and passengers on those trips will become aware that Guyana has an alternative tourism product, a short drive from Georgetown, that is unusual, entertaining, and affordable.

The Mangrove Reserve won the Guyana Tourism and Hospitality Association of Guyana (THAG), Environmental Award 2011, and the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) Biodiversity Conservation Award 2012.

High percentage of poor quality malaria medicines in Guyana From page 2 Guyana and Suriname were collected between June and August 2009.

"These findings point to significant problems in the quality of antimalarials available in private and informal sector facilities in Guyana and Suriname," said Lawrence Evans, Ph.D., the study's lead author. "Besides the presence of medicines not included in the World Health Organiza-

tion malaria treatment guidelines, the ease with which medications were procured without accurate diagnosis poses another major risk to patients' safety.

In addition, this could have serious implications for the development of drug-resistant strains of Plasmodium parasites, particularly Falciparum, as novel treatments are not foreseeable in the near future."

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THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN

Executive insanity and tripartite idiocy How politics plays out in the coming months will be a fascinating curiosity for every Guyanese. In the new configuration brought about by the arrival of minority government in November last year, the future of Guyana will not be easy to predict. What is happening is the complete rejection of the traditional separation of powers that Guyana and its CARICOM neighbours inherited from Great Britain.

Every major act of the opposition in Parliament is met with a challenge in court. We do not have to offer the examples. The entire country is familiar with the government’s incessant legal challenges. But if one thought that the constant court battles were an ominous sign for the future, it was the unambiguous statement from President Ramotar that he will not assent to Bills from the opposition unless the Executive had an input that is frightening.

That in itself is not so unreasonable. It is when you contextualize it that it becomes a nightmare. Enter the tripartite talks.

One of the decisions of the early tripartite sessions is

that there will be an arrangement for opposition input into the composition of State boards. These entities were allowed a prolongation of life because the tripartite talks got caught up in a train of events, primarily the budget confrontation.

Since then, the tripartite talks went off the tracks or are still there but those rails are no longer in use, so the talks are an abandoned vehicle.

Enter a new situation.

After APNU introduced last week in Parliament a petition for the reorganization of the University of Guyana Council (simply another word for the board governing UG), the Minister of Education announced that a new Council has already been decided on.

This has far-reaching implication for the relation between opposition and the Executive. The Minister’s announcement not only means that the tripartite talks are dead, but that the Government is not prepared to discuss power, even though it is a minority government. What we see unfolding is the rejection of the separation of powers. Let’s explain this.

The need for a broadbased UG Council was one of the inflexible demands of the three unions at UG that called industrial activities that lasted for almost six weeks.

These three unions have now rejected the new Council because they say it takes the UG back to square one – it will be a politically-shaped Council. Here is where the tripartite talks become idiotic and the rejection of the separation of powers by the PPP has been laid bare.

If the opposition is to have meaningful representation on State boards and the UG Council

was chosen without consultations with the combined opposition and input from the UG unions, what makes the AFC and APNU think that the Government will bring them on other State institutions.

UG underwent serious disruptions.

Opposition Leader, David Granger visited the campus while the strike was on and a bunch of AFC parliamentarians, including Khemraj Ramjattan, participated in the protest. Yet there is a new UG Council and the opposition had no say in its composition.

How against this background can the AFC and APNU re-enter the tripartite talks? It is safe to say that the three-way dialogue is dead given this new move in relation to UG and the juxtaposition of what President Ramotar announced.

At the same time, the Executive is making policies and shaping and directing State institutions without even a modicum of opposition participation.

We have then a rejection of the separation of powers.

When Parliament passes legislation, there must be a

Frederick Kissoon direct hand by the Executive into what finally comes out.

But the Executive will not share power with the Parliament even though it is a minority government. What then is the meaning of the elections results of November 28? The answer is that there was no opposition victory.

Private sector cries exclusion from Linden/Ramotar meeting The Private Sector Commission (PSC) yesterday lamented its exclusion from a Tuesday meeting between representatives of Linden and President Donald Ramotar discussing issues surrounding the Linden unrest which left three persons dead and put businesses at a standstill.

The Linden community is

being led by Regional Chairman Sharma Solomon, who invited to the meeting Parliamentarian Vanessa Kissoon, Nigel Hughes of the Alliance for Change, former Parliamentarian Aubrey Norton, and Dr Rupert Roopnaraine of the opposition coalition A Partnership for National Unity.

The PSC said it was disappointed with Solomon and his team for objecting to its presence as observers to the discussions with President Ramotar on Tuesday.

“By their refusal to embark on discussions in the presence of the Private Sector, the Regional Chairman and his team have denied the citizenry this opportunity and by extension, have refused to take a holistic approach which addresses all of the issues at hand, for all of the people affected,” the PSC stated.

However, Solomon told Kaieteur News yesterday that the meeting was the continuation of a meeting that was adjourned, and hence he felt that the “injection of a new dimension” would have changed the mood and the

- Solomon says room soon for other stakeholders general direction of the meeting.

Solomon said that the private sector is one of the most important stakeholders in the country, and the objection to the presence of the PSC at the meeting should not be taken negatively.

He said that he would be favourable to the inclusion of the private sector and other bodies, such as trade unions and the religious community, in future meetings.

The PSC, in a blistering statement, said that meeting was called with the aim of bringing an urgent resolution to the Linden crisis, in a manner that encouraged open dialogue by “all” relevant stakeholders.

The PSC said it was invited by the President “so that issues touching and concerning the private sector as a relevant stakeholder could have formed a part of the discourse.”

“The PSC believes that in light of the repeated calls for open dialogue, impartiality and an independent presence in investigations and

discourse, this was a perfect opportunity to involve nonpolitical stakeholders in arriving at resolutions for the collective benefit of all those persons, citizens and entities affected by the events of the last two weeks,” the Commission stated.

The PSC said that it believes the promises made by most political parties for non-political observers and an independent presence, have been abandoned or are being applied selectively.

However, the PSC said that it will continue to press for fair and timely resolutions to all the issues arising out of the crisis at Linden.

Particularly, the Commission said it is interested in political and social stability, economic development, law, order and accountability for “our” actions and representation of the interests of the entire Private Sector, particularly the Mining and Forestry Sectors that are experiencing grave hardships at the moment.

The PSC said it hopes that open, all-inclusive dialogue on all the issues related to the events in Linden, by all the relevant and affected stakeholders can be embarked upon swiftly.

“We should not confine our discourse on national issues to the political will of a few,” the PSC stated.

Thursday August 02, 2012

Page 11

Kaieteur News

Each parliamentary session costs taxpayers $1.7M “Is wha' these people always talking so long long about in deh….dem just wasting time in deh.”

These are some of the sentiments usually expressed by passersby whenever there is a sitting of the National Assembly, a hallmark of which has b e c o m e t h e 'famous/infamous' barricades usually erected around Public Buildings.

Some may have silently wondered while others have publicly questioned what could be the price tag, for facilitating these sometimes marathon sessions.

This past week the information was made public for all that would have cared to take a look, when

Speaker of the National Assembly, Raphael Trotman Speaker of the National A s s e m b l y, R a p h a e l Trotman, ruled on whether to

Solidarity with Lindeners sets tone at ACDA Emancipation Festival Thousands of Guyanese turned out to the National Park, yesterday, to pay tribute to their ancestors as they celebrated the 174th anniversary of the abolition of slavery at the African Cultural Development Association (ACDA)’s 16th Emancipation Festival, held under the theme, “”Reclaiming our rights through unified purpose”.

The tone was particularly somber and respectful as the organisers essentially stood in solidarity with Lindeners, with a banner hung in front of the stage that read, “ACDA mourns the death of the Linden Martyrs.”

Earlier in the day, various booths that showcased the history of the African people were displayed by groups and organizations that took part in the occasion.

One such booth was o rg a n i z e d b y t h e U S Embassy. It highlighted many outstanding African Americans.

The aroma of a variety of traditional African dishes

filled the air, while rhythmic drumming and pulsating steel pan music entertained the crowd as many swayed gracefully as they moved around to seek out intricate art pieces on display.

There was a delay with respect to the cultural show, which begun until 16:00 hrs yesterday. Those attending also had a bit of a hassle getting tickets to get into the National Park tarmac where the show was taking place.

Some persons were initially told to pay $300 to gain entry to the area but as the masses came the price automatically increased to $400.

As the show commenced drumming and performances of song and dance were also executed by numerous groups. The award-winning Jamaican dance group Ascot performed four pieces while a Surinamese vocal group recited African folk songs in Dutch. The Hebrew family of Guyana and the Guyana soiree Band also participated in the event.

(See photos on page 13)

hold a special Sitting of the National Assembly.

The request was from Leader of the Parliamentary Opposition Brigadier (ret.)

David Granger who requested the sitting to facilitate matters pertaining to the Linden killings on July 18.

In that missive to Granger, and dated July, 20, 2012, Trotman informed that “The Clerk advises that the cost of convening the National Assembly is $1,712, 527.00 (one million seven hundred and twelve thousand, five hundred and twenty-

s e v e n d o l l a r s ) ; which amount has to be requisitioned.”

As such, Trotman at the time had indicated to Granger, “In the circumstances, it is my considered opinion that the earliest that the logistical arrangements can be put in place for a sitting that is required in the public interest on a day earlier than that to which it stands adjourned, is Tuesday, July 24, or Wednesday, July 25, 2012.”

Wednesday, last, was eventually agreed upon and will be recorded as the Day

the “No Confidence Motion” against Minister of Home Affairs Clement Rohee was moved.

The bulk of the Parliamentary Expenditure for each sitting can be traced

to meals and refreshments which are catered for.

Other expenditure would also relate to utility and other logistical arrangements to facilitate the smooth sitting of the National Assembly.

Page 12

Kaieteur News

Thursday August 02, 2012

Thursday August 02, 2012

Kaieteur News

Page 13

Scenes from ACDA’s Emancipation Festival

Page 14

Thursday August 02, 2012

Kaieteur News

Politicians acknowledge slain Linden trio as “martyrs” Special invitees and dignitaries listen to one of the speakers

H

u n d r e d s g a t h e r e d yesterday in the shadows of the 1763 Monument at the Square of the Revolution in the city to pay their respects to the three men who were shot and killed at Linden during a protest staged over electricity tariff hikes in the mining town.

The Square of the Revolution was the site chosen to commence what would eventually be an entire day of solemn observances which would conclude in Linden African drumming, passionate speeches from various members of the joint opposition, and finally a viewing of the bodies served somewhat as a funeral service for those who were unable to travel to Linden for the official ceremony and final rites.

Present at the Square of the Revolution were numerous Lindeners who were also injured during the shooting. One victim, Michael Roberts, recounted his experience to the large gathering. He eloquently recalled the incident that almost ended fatally for him.

The man, who gave his alias as “Culture Man” disclosed that he was shot in the jaw and the bullet exited through his mouth. The description brought a gasp from the crowd.

The proceedings were cheered by A Partnership for National Unity (APNU)'s Lurlene Nestor.

S p e e c h e s a n d condolences were offered by Opposition Leader David Granger, Dr. David Hinds,

Basil Williams, Nigel H u g h e s , M o s e s Nagamootoo and Fredrick Kissoon.

Granger in his address asserted that the day was not one that should facilitate politics or talks about the hike in electricity tariffs. “It is a day to mourn the death of our slain brothers.”

He urged for the day to also be peaceful and for the crowd to acknowledge Emancipation Day while focusing on the country's loss.

David Hinds encouraged the gathering to become organized. He expressed the notion that “if organized, the masses can achieve way more and will be well on their way towards justice.”

Hinds said that for that to be achieved, “all must be involved” even the churches;

The banners tell the story

and together “we will fight for our rights.”

Alliance For Change executive member Moses

Nagamootoo excited the crowd as he delivered his remarks. He was adamant that the Minister of Home Affairs, Clement Rohee “must go,” to which those gathered roared their approval. He cited previous incidents of failure on Rohee's behalf which included the December 6, incident where a number of protesters were shot with rubber bullets during a “peaceful” protest. Among these were a number of APNU executives including Attorney at Law James Bond, Lurlene Nestor and former army Chief Edward Collins.

Nagamootoo reminded the gathering of the Enmore Martyrs who lost their lives in the fight for better working conditions. He said that the dead Linden trio must also be remembered in that way “as martyrs.”

Attorney at Law and AFC executive Nigel

Hughes charged the gathering not to give up the fight until justice is served.

Hughes alluded to an old song composed and performed by Peter Tosh which included the lines “everyone is crying out for peace, but none of them are crying out for justice….I don't want no peace, I need equal rights and justice.”

The prominent attorney said that on Guyana's road to its final destination, “we must stop at a place called justice without this we can go nowhere.”

Hughes emphasized that for far too long Guyanese have been sitting and taking too much from the seemingly callous government and it is “time for us to take a stand”.

Social activist Frederick Kissoon received the most energetic responses during his 10-minute delivery. He focused mainly on the importance of not allowing

the deaths of the three men to go in vain.

As the bodies arrived, there was a rush to view the remains. The three white coffins were almost pushed off of their trolleys.

Even the politicians' calls for order, at the initial arrival of the body, were of no avail.

Eventually, an orderly procedure for viewing was put into place as Mayor Hamilton Green took the microphone and provided guidance.

The deceased were all dressed in red and black. The coffins were placed under a large tent.

Quite a few Buxtonians also gathered and erected a banner to show that Buxton is in solidarity with Linden.

Also present with a banner of sympathy was Red Thread.

There was a vast presence of politicians from the Joint Opposition.

However no government official was present.

Thursday August 02, 2012

Kaieteur News

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Page 15

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Call Sharmela: 225- 2598, 641- 0784 (Continued on page 20)

Page 16

Kaieteur News

‘Drunk’ boat captain and crew “beat, rob passengers” at Wakenaam The captain of a Parika / Supenaam Ferry and his crew have been accused of threatening , beating and robbing passengers at the Wakenaam Ferry Stelling shortly after 21:00 hours on Tuesday night.

According to reports, the MV Torani was scheduled to depart Parika at 12:00 midday, but because of an extra run it was delayed. The ship was subsequently loaded by 16:30 hours, but the Captain was not available to sail the ship until after 18:00 hours. It is reported that the Captain was seen drinking.

The boat remained moored for over an hour and a half at Parika with one plant between the boat and the stelling.

Several motorists travelled by speedboat to Wakenaam where they went to retrieve their vehicles, as the tide was ebbing and they had their families, including infants.

The captain reportedly attacked the driver of a canter truck and blocked him from entering the truck to drive off

One of the men who was allegedly beaten by the crew. the stelling.

When a reporter arrived, the captain and crew who were on the road outside the stelling threatened to break the camera and throw the reporter overboard.

One motorist who intervened and prevented the mob from attacking the

One of the crew members being held back from attacking the driver of a canter truck. reporter was attacked. His brother who was several feet away and wearing an expensive gold chain was pushed down on the road where he was cuffed and kicked by several of the men.

When they were done with him, his gold chain was reportedly missing.

The gang also tried to pull a driver out of his canter truck to beat him while the truck was on the road, but were unsuccessful.

The police were called in but took a long time to respond to the scene. When they arrived the men refused to cooperate.

The Sergeant who went there told the rank that the Commander ordered the release of one of the suspected perpetrators that was held.

When this newspaper contacted the Commander he said he was unaware of the incident but promised an immediate investigation. No one was held that night and the ferry continued its journey to Supenaam.

Yesterday ranks from ‘G’ Division were on the island taking statements from residents as promised by the Commander.

Meanwhile it has been learnt that the Transport and Harbours Department is conducting its own investigations into the allegations against the captain and crew.

Commuters using the ferry service say that it is not strange that captains operate the ferry boat valued millions of dollars while under the influence of alcohol. They are calling for a thorough investigation.

Recently the same MVTorani crashed into the Wakenaam Stelling at high tide. While the boat did not suffer damage, the stelling was badly damaged. So far the floor of the stelling has since been repaired (Harry Seymour).

Thursday August 02, 2012

Way forward on key rights issues for Parliament today The National Assembly is today expected to commit to a special select committee to decide on the way forward on the abolition of corporal punishment and the death penalty, the decriminalization of consensual adult same sex relations and discrimination against lesbians, gays, bi-sexual and transgender persons.

The Prime Minister and Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Samuel Hinds, is expected to move the motion.

Guyana appeared before the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) during the first cycle of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) in May, 2010 and again in September, 2010 where its report was adopted.

At the conclusion of its review, Guyana received several recommendations and committed itself to consult on three main matters that may be considered controversial in Guyanese society, namely the abolition of corporal punishment, the abolition of the death penalty and the decriminalization of consensual adult same sex relations and discrimination against Lesbians, Gays, Bi-sexual and Trans-gender persons, with a view to garnering public sentiment which may lead to legislative changes; Public consultations with target groups and in geographic regions have commenced on these matters as well as public discussions in the media and amongst civil society organizations.

The Government is of the

view that parliamentary consideration of these three matters would enhance the national examination procedurally by being the subject of a Special Select Committee which would organize the national consultations in a complimentary credible way The motion also seeks to set out the Terms of Reference for the work of the Special Select Committee.

The Committee would seek to determine the attitude of Guyanese, especially parents and children, to corporal punishment and its possible abolition; the attitude of Guyanese, particularly the families of victims, criminologists, and professionals, on capital punishment and its possible abolition; and the attitude of Guyanese of any changes in the legislative provisions and criminal code regarding consensual adult same sex relationships and discrimination, perceived or real, against Lesbians, Gays, Bi-Sexual and Transgender persons The motion calls for the Parliamentary Special Select Committee to present to the House its work programme and time frame for adoption and implementation In addition, the motion calls for the Parliamentary Special Select Committee to advise the National Assembly of the status of its work programme periodically and reports its findings and recommendations with regard to any or all of these aforementioned matters.

Local Aeronautical School graduate wins British scholarship LIAT Airlines Line Engineer Dorian Nicholas, who graduated from the Art Williams and Harry Wendt Aeronautical Engineering School in December last year with a maintenance engineer’s licence, has been announced as a 2012 Scholarship winner to the Airworthiness course conducted by the International Federation of Airworthiness (IFA) in London.

The School is operated by the Aircraft Owners Association of Guyana and is headed by Captain Malcolm Chan-a-Sue, who is the Executive Director of the Association.

Captain Chan-a-Sue said that he is “delighted and honoured that the IFA has accepted our nomination for their ‘2012 Scholarship award’.

The Art Williams and Harry Wendt Aeronautical Engineering School is the only Aeronautical Engineering School in the Caribbean. It is accredited and certified by the

Guyana Civil Aviation Authority and the Civil Aviation Authorities of Jamaica and Suriname and the Caribbean Aviation Safety Oversight System of CARICOM. The United Kingdom Civil Aviation Authority audited the School in 2008 and declared it acceptable for certification within British Overseas Territories in the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean, inclusive of Bermuda and the Falkland Islands.

The School has also been certified by the Trinidad and Tobago Bureau of Standards and is certified to the ISO 9001:2008 Quality Management System Standards. It is also the first tertiary education institution in CARICOM with an ISO 9001. The school has graduated to date 217 students, 100 of whom are fully licenced Aviation Engineers, working internationally and throughout the Caribbean for a number of major airlines.

Thursday August 02, 2012

Kaieteur News

Page 17

Linden protest killings…

Reform of Police Act is starting point to insulate Force against political interference - GHRA Reform of the Police Act is the starting point to insulate the Guyana Police Force against political interference.

This is according to the Guyana Human Rights Association (GHRA) which believes that the proposed Commission of Inquiry into the Linden fatal shootings by the police during protest actions two weeks ago should address this dilemma as part of its terms of reference.

The GHRA said that in its opinion, the proposed Commission of Inquiry into the deaths in Linden resulting from use of firearms by the police is critical to getting to the bottom of who took decisions and who pulled triggers, and to make recommendations regarding compensation to victims and penalties for perpetrators.

Equally important, the GHRA said, is that the Terms of Reference (TOR) for the Commission must take into account longer-term, underlying problematic issues festering for decades within the Guyana Police Force (GPF) which

contributed to events in Linden.

One of these issues is the political interference in the day-to-day business affairs of the police by the relevant Minister, namely Home Affairs.

Within recent times, Minister of Home Affairs Clement Rohee has been accused more than any other who previously held the portfolio of interfering in the operations of the Guyana Police Force.

Twice so far this year he has directed Acting Commissioner Leroy Brumell to discipline senior officers without the involvement of the Police Service Commission.

“Independence from the political administration will clear the ground for the catalogue of other reform required in order for the GPF to become the modern policing service the society requires. Until such reforms are set in train, there can be no expectation that the chronically poor performance of the GPF in crime-fighting

and its inclination for violent responses will improve,” the GHRA pointed out.

While one can point to the constitution for some justification as it relates to the direct involvement in operational decisions by the Minister, the local human rights body said that this is far wider than is needed or is healthy for a politically impartial Police Force.

It cited the relevant clauses of the Police Act that are responsible for this: (1) The military duties of the police are carried out “under the authority of the Minister”; (2) The Force “shall consist of a Commissioner and such number of Deputy Commissioners, Assistant Commissioners,…. as the Minister may from time to time direct” (3) The Minister can “cause to be issued arms and ammunition to the Force and for any member thereof to use the same….”; (4) “The Commissioner may from time to time with the approval of the Minister make regulations with regard to all or any of

Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee

Commissioner of Police (ag) Leroy Brumell

the following matters….”

And (5) “The Commissioner shall, subject to the general orders and directions of the Minister, have the command and superintendence of the Force, and he shall be responsible to the Minister for peace and good order throughout Guyana, for the efficient administration and government of the Force, and for the proper expenditure of all public moneys, appropriated for the service thereof.”

It is the view of the GHRA that such levels of involvement render it almost impossible for a Minister not to be held responsible for episodes of excessive use of force such as recently occurred in Linden.

“Moreover, the level of political involvement in the Force envisaged by the Act reinforces the contention that the primary purpose of the GPF is not the protection of citizens, but the maintaining of civil order,” the GHRA stated.

It added that the extent of political interference in the GPF is no cause for surprise both in terms of current legislation and history.

The GHRA argued that Guyana Police Force remains structurally the same militia force created by the colonial authorities over 170 years ago.

Meanwhile, the GHRA also wants as part of the commission’s terms of reference, the key issue of the reformulation of the right to life in Clause 138 of the Guyana Constitution.

“Like all of the rights listed in this Section of the Constitution, the right to life

Monument to be erected in their...

From page 3 the struggle.

“We will exhort all our energy to see that you get justice, and we don’t just say justice, but we will ensure it, suffice to say for now, weeping may endure for the night, but joy cometh in the morning.”

MONUMENT Opposition Leader David Granger also made a revelation with respect to one way in which the dead would be honoured. “We, the PNC/ R, will build a monument (at the Wismar shore). This will be the mark where police brutality will stop.

I was here and I saw the wounds on the bodies and I knew from my own military experience that it was deliberate and murder. We will continue until you get what you deserve. We will not relent; we will not give up. We are working with civil society and your leaders... those who will refine humanity and refine the dignity of Linden. The struggle of the martyrs will not be in vain.”

Christopher Ram called for Guyanese to unite and put aside race when it comes to fighting for one’s basic rights.

“I speak as a Guyanese of Indian descent to remind my fellow Indians to join in solidarity. What should matter to us is not the ethnicity, but the identity of

those who give the order and those who pull the trigger. Let us not be silent.”

Ram added that “the perpetrators of the events of July 18” should be brought to justice, as Guyanese should learn to remove the ethnic lens when a community is in struggle.

“Let us see today as a another defining day in which we finally decide what our constitution permits us to do, and that is to forge a system of governance that promotes consorted efforts and broad-based participation in national decision-making in order to develop a viable economy and a harmonious community based on democratic values, social justice, fundamental rights and the rule of law.”

R e g i o n a l Chairman Sharma Solomon also reiterated the call for the struggle to continue until their demands are met.

“My brothers and sisters, today, we the people of Linden along with other concerned Guyanese are gathered here to send three of our heroes home.

In their names Shemroy Bouyea, Ron Somerset, Allan Lewis, and the names of those who have been shot or suffered pain from July 18, 2012, we are going to renew our commitment to the movement for justice.”

Solomon pointed to the

fact that many tears have been shed and this was expected, since it is only human nature.

“But even as we cry and feel sadness we must remember that these young promising Lindeners Shemroy, Ron and Allan, laid down their lives for each of us, and Linden must honour their martyrdom beyond tears, sadness and speeches.”

He called on Lindeners not to forget their heroes.

“The Linden 2012 Martyrs - Shemroy, Ron and Allan must be memorialised in all that we do, their memories at the forefront of our movement. Unarmed, yet shot in their backs, chest and heart must drive us to demand justice for them and for Lindeners, we must continue to demand that this government treat Linden with respect.”

“As you grieve, do not forget that they are there to say to the Donald Ramotar administration and to the members of the Armed Forces that their violence will be met by determination to be free from oppression, marginalisation and an uncaring, brutish regime, that spawns, embraces, unleashes and protects murderers.

“We are here to send a message to all who believe that they can shoot us down like game in the forest. Know that Lindeners are prepared to

turn the eyes of the world on Guyana.

The blood of our brothers Shemroy, Ron and Allan and 20 others shot and injured has soaked the soil of Linden and they must be given justice.”

“We demand justice, we owe this to the memory of our Linden 2012 Martyrs, their loved ones, our children and future generations.”

The Chairman also emphasised to Lindeners to stand as one and not be divided by race, class, political persuasion or any other diversity that they have no interest in.

“We have collective pain, collective suffering, and we are responding as a collective to say that justice must be ours…

Some say our movement for social, economic and political justice lacks guidance, that we have no leader.”

As the Chairman closed his address to the gathering at nightfall, the procession having said a prayer made their way from the Wismar shore to the Bamia cemetery where the final rites were administered and the slain men laid to rest.

As the procession made its way through the mining town, back to Bamia, persons manning the roadblock were seen quickly removing the blockades to allow the smooth flow of traffic, but replacing them soon after.

falls well-short of the standards embodied in the international human rights Conventions which Guyana has signed and ratified. The current formulations reflects the ambivalent attitude towards all rights which prevailed at the time the Constitution was promulgated in 1980 and which have remained unreformed ever since.”

The GHRA said that the police excesses in Linden bordered on becoming standard operating procedure.

“It also throws more light on the problem of extrajudicial executions at the hands of members and rogue units of the Guyana Police Force in recent decades.”

“The proposed Commission of Inquiry is an appropriate place for the political dialogue as well as a technical review of policing.

Many international and local reports, the Simmons Report in particular, have highlighted the fact that attempting to graft technical improvements onto a politically-penetrated, institutionally-unreformed and unprofessional GPS is an expensive miscalculation.

The cost of ignoring such recommendations is to be counted in terms of enormous local and international resources for which there is virtually nothing to show in return.””

According to the GHRA, since preventing repetition of the Linden killings should be a central goal of the Commission of Inquiry, longer-term issues such as the right to life and political independence of the GPF are two, but by no means all, of the fundamental reforms which should be addressed.

Page 18

Kaieteur News

Thursday August 02, 2012

Citizens to be engaged on Public Works Ministry’s infrastructural failures - Harmon

Flashback: A section of the Demerara Harbour Bridge submerged and left thousands stranded for days

By Gary Eleazar The recent monumental failure at the Demerara Harbour Bridge (DHB) has prompted the Parliamentary coalition, A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) to engage in another round of public consultations.

The most recent rounds of these talks were related to the budgetary cuts and had been undertaken by all of the political stakeholders involved, namely APNU, the Alliance for Change and the ruling People’s Progressive Party Civic.

APNU Executive Member, in the form of former Lieutenant Colonel (ret.)

Joseph Harmon, relayed the information to this publication and emphasizes that the core objective of this round of consultation targets “the provision and state of services to people and their communities, in particular those concerned with public

infrastructure.”

Harmon had related that the matter is of urgent concern given the recent collapse of the Demerara Harbour Bridge.

This incident he said is but a single event in a series of infrastructural failures “which include the wharves/ stellings and river defences at Charity, Supenaam, and Kumaka, the breaking down of Transport & Harbour sDepartment (T&HD) ferries and the poorly constructed roads and bridges which in some cases cause loss of life.”

According to Harmon, these are but a few “glaring examples of failure to plan and execute appropriate public works to maintain and provide safe and adequate infrastructure to enable citizens to go about their business.”

Harmon stresses that “Some of these works are either not undertaken in a

timely manner or are shoddily executed time and again.”

He concedes that while it is true to say that there is increased stress on the physical resources and old infrastructure by new patterns of rainfall and other social developments, there seems to be little or no proper scientific basis for many decisions made.

adequately address and/or mitigate the factors.

“The works have been characterized by post facto explanations of design faults and so on…Who is responsible for these gross and increasingly frequent failures?”

He says that the nation should be mindful of the stress and trauma that any of

“One is forced to conclude that in some instances these works are undertaken to provide work for the privileged and well connected Contractors,” Joseph Harmon “In fact, one is forced to conclude that in some instances these works are undertaken to provide work for the privileged and well connected contractors.”

According to Harmon, the Public Works Ministry has consistently failed, and continues to fail, to

“these accidents or infrastructural failures and inadequacies engender on the public, particularly for those who have to use these services daily.”

According to Harmon “I therefore signal the intent of APNU to hold a series of public hearings throughout

Guyana and to invite citizens to speak to issues concerning public infrastructure.”

Normalcy has resumed on the Demerara Harbour Bridge with heavy trucks and other large vehicles being allowed to start traversing on July 26.

This would have been three days after a section on the western end dramatically collapsed, leaving thousands of commuters stranded and a chaotic situation on both banks of the Demerara River.

Two temporary pontoons had become submerged shortly after the bridge reopened on the Monday morning and it caused the two westernmost spans to buckle at its connections and to be partially covered by river water.

A minibus filled with passengers was caught on one of the spans.

However, the panicked driver who abandoned the vehicle managed to return

and help a few of the passengers out. The vehicle was safely removed.

It was a traffic nightmare also as workers and others rushed to the Vreed-en-Hoop speedboat stelling on the West Bank. Emergency measures had to be put in place to allow for the speedboats to operate at night to cater for the crowd.

Several farmers in their trucks were caught with the perishables and there were reportedly significant losses suffered by some.

The structure was commissioned in 1978 and given a 20 years lifespan, it is the main link between Essequibo and West Demerara to the capital city, Georgetown.

Public Works Minister Robeson Benn recently in Parliament declared that despite the recent hiccup, the bridge is in its best condition over its 34 years of existence.

In Ohio, swing state politics have real-life impact From page 6 create jobs,” state Sen. Frank LaRose told CNN during a visit to a Mitt Romney campaign Summit County office in Stow, where a dozen GOP volunteers were making voter calls.

THE STRATEGY OFTHE SWING STATES Ohio is a fascinating county-by-county chess game.

Republicans don’t expect to carry Summit County, for example, but Romney won’t have a prayer statewide unless he improves on Sen. John McCain’s weak 41% performance here in 2008.

With so much TV ad money being spent here, LaRose argues there will be a “saturation point,” and that Ohio in the end will be decided on the strength of grassroots organizing.

“In ’08, that enthusiasm wasn’t there as much as it could have been,” LaRose said. “I get calls all the time from people that say, ‘What can

I do to help Romney win?’”

And what does he say to those turned off by the already nasty campaign?

“I tell them that’s like saying, ‘I don’t get involved in the weather.’ It’s going to effect you.” The president’s recent “you didn’t build it” remark that the Romney campaign characterizes as an insult to entrepreneurs and small businesses plays heavily in the GOP strategy now.

PAWLENTY: ‘OBAMA IS ALL FOAM AND NO BEER’ Ohio is full of small towns and medium-sized cities — like Akron and Dayton — where Romney and his surrogates make the case that remark, and the Obama record, prove the president sees government as a stronger force than the private sector.

Most Republicans here push for Ohio GOP Sen. Rob Portman to share the ticket with Romney. But former Minnesota

Gov. Tim Pawlenty had an Ohio audition of sorts while the candidate was overseas this week.

At the Dublin Pub in Dayton, Pawlenty drew laughter when he asked patrons how they would feel if the owner promised a cold beer then served them a glass of foam, and then added: “President Obama is all foam and no beer.”

Turning more serious, he said government was choking business expansion with regulation while also running up huge deficits. “The hour is later than people realize,” Pawlenty said. Dayton is another critical piece of the puzzle — and another area Team Obama can cite some progress. Unemployment was 11.1% in the county in February 2009; it is 8.1% now.

COUNTY BY COUNTY ANALYSIS Again, Montgomery County — home of Dayton — is a key test of Romney’s

Ohio viability.

President George W. Bush essentially split the vote with Democratic challenger John Kerry here in 2004 - the Democrat had a slight 51% to 49% edge. Obama, on the other hand, beat McCain 53% to 46% here — one of the many swing counties key to the big Democratic 2008 Ohio edge.

Hamilton County — the Cincinnati area — was the surprise piece of Obama’s 2008 Ohio rout.

Look at a 2008 map and it is shaded blue — carried by Obama. Look at the close 2000 and 2004 races, when Ohio was carried both times by Bush, and Hamilton County is shaded red for Republican.

“I think Hamilton County is the key to winning Ohio, and winning Ohio is the key to the president’s reelection,” the county Democratic chairman Tim Burke said in an interview at his Cincinnati law office.

African-American turnout was critical to Obama’s Hamilton County win four years ago, and Burke says the campaign and state party are increasing field staff and other resources to prove wrong those who believe that turnout among that voting bloc will slip some this year.

He also predicted Kasich’s clashes with organized labor will benefit the president in November.

“Some of the more conservative unions — like the police and fire unions — which have trended toward the Republicans, they’re back in the Democratic camp, and they’re going to be there in the fall,” Burke said.

JOBS RATE, AUTO INDUSTRY IMPROVING In Burke’s view, recent improvement in Ohio’s jobless numbers will make it harder for Romney and the GOP to win the “Are you better off?” debate in this

state.

“Just take the auto industry and how that has seen a resurgence in the state of Ohio,” Burke said. “We’ve got three quarters of a million jobs that are auto related here in Ohio, and we are seeing the benefits of that for President Obama.”

Some, though, have a different test than the unemployment rate.

George Camilletti is at the Akron food bank four or five days a week for five years now, packing his wife’s minivan with supplies for the Good Neighbors charity. Five years watching the changing face of hunger and struggle — watching economic anxiety spread to folks who had never experienced chronic unemployment or hunger.

“I think it is worse than three years ago,” Camilletti says. “It is migrating. ... I’d say we are going into the middle of the middle class now.

Thursday August 02, 2012

Kaieteur News

NCN CHANNEL 11 02:00 – NCN Late Edition (R/B) 02:30 – Late Nite with GINA 03:00 – Movie 05:00 – Inspiration 05:30 – Newtown Gospel 06:00 – NCN Late Edition News(r/b) 06:30 – CIOG Ramadan 07:00 – Guyana Today 08:00 – Feature 09:00 – Stop the Suffering 09:30 – Cartoons 10:00 – 2nd Test MatchWest Indies VS New Zealand- DAY 1 12:00 – Cricket Info & Quiz

12:30 – NCN Newsbreak 12:40 – Cricket Resumes 14:40 – Feature 15:00 – Cricket Resumes 17:00 – Anderson 18:00 – NCN News Magazine – Live 18:30 – Farming Today 19:0 0 – 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 – 2012 Summer Olympics

MTV CHANNEL 14 / CABLE 65 05:30hrs - Teleview Ramadan 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 - Amanda’s

Thursday August 02, 2012 ARIES (MAR 21 - APR 19): It’s hard to assert your own ideas when everybody else is trying to make you conform. Try separating yourself from the crowd, if only for a short time. Stay away from familiar haunts and keep a distance from people who are especially controlling. ************************ TAURUS (APR 20 - MAY 20): The more experience you get, the better choices you will make, especially with regard to your career. It’s possible you will be drawn to working with the public in some way. Providing valuable services gives you a sense of pride and accomplishment. ************************ GEMINI (MAY 21 - JUN 20): Don’t assume everybody else is more qualified than you or be focusing on your weak points; concentrate on your strengths. Emphasise them when you go on job interviews or make work proposals. Exuding an air of confidence is half the battle today. ************************ CANCER (JUN 21 - JUL 22): Helping a friend become more self-sufficient requires some restraint on your part.

Although you want to protect this person from dangerous situations, it may be better to let him or her fend for themselves. ************************ LEO (JUL 23 - AUG 22): Getting organised is essential if you’re going to meet your goals. If your surroundings are cluttered and chaotic, it may be because you’re unwilling to face the work ahead.

Consider what will happen if you let this situation continue. ************************ VIRGO (AUG 23 - SEP 22): You’ve never been a fan of confrontation, and that’s especially true today.

However, if you’re going to conquer a stressful situation, you’ve got to face off with the person who is creating it.

LIBRA (SEP 23 - OCT 22): Staying informed makes you a valuable asset in the work place. You may want to subscribe to your industry’s trade papers. If you’re in a deadend job, start researching your desired field. Learning new software programs and mastering emerging technologies can keep you ahead of the pack. ************************ SCORPIO (OCT 23 NOV 21): Your ‘never say die’ attitude helps you make impressive breakthroughs.

While everybody else is playing it safe, you’re pushing the paper. Go ahead and sign up for a course, take a trip or explore some unknown creative territory. ************************ SAGITTARIUS (NOV 22 - DEC 21): Usually, you’re the life of the party, but today you’re shy and withdrawn. This may be because you are attracted to someone who doesn’t seem to appreciate you. Don’t let this person’s daft attitude stop you from having fun. ************************ CAPRICORN (DEC 22 JAN 19): Fight the urge to get drawn into a predictable routine, or your love life will suffer. It’s hard to cultivate romance when you’re uninspired.

Even the simple act of taking a different route to the office can work wonders for you. ************************ AQUARIUS (JAN 20 FEB 18): Working with young people feels like a breath of fresh air. If there’s anything you hate, it’s cynicism.

Watching kids play could remind you of some of your favourite childhood activities. ************************ PISCES (FEB 19 - MAR 20): Never underestimate your creative potential, even if your family underplayed your artistic inclinations. Your sensitive nature can guide you towards projects that will uplift and inspire you.

Music Mix 10:30hrs - H Persaud (Crown Chowmein) Music Break 11:00hrs - The View 12:00hrs - MTV Ramadan Series 12:30hrs - Raksha Bandhan programme with Tara 14:30hrs - Good Afternoon America 15:00hrs - General Hospital 16:00hrs - The Bold and the Beautiful 16:30hrs - MTV Ramadan programme 17:00hrs - Birthdays and other greetings 17:15hrs - Death Announcements/ In Memoriam 17:30hrs - Al Ja Zeera News 18:00hrs - Al ja zeera news 18:15hrs - Slim Jet infomercial 18:30hrs - Jai Santoshi Ma 19:00hrs - Soul Melodies with Trans Globe 19:30hrs - News Update 20:30hrs - Winners Row Quiz 21:30hrs - Let’s Talk Tax 22:00hrs - Movie: Hard target 23:00hrs - News Update 23:00hrs - Movie: Hard Target Continues Sign off NTN CHANNEL 18/ CABLE 69 05:00h - Sign on with the Mahamrtunjaya Mantra 05:10h - Meditation 05:30h - Queenstown Masjid Presents Quran This Morning 06:00h - R. Gossai General Store Presents Krishna Raksha Bandhan 06:15h - Jettoo’s Lumber Yard Presents Krishna Raksha Bandhan 06:30h - Muneshwar Limited Presents Krishna Raksha Bandhan 06:45h - Double Standard Taxi Presents Krishna Raksha Bandhan 07:00h - RRT Enterprise Presents Krishna Raksha Bandhan 07:15h - M & M Snackette Presents Raja Yoga Discourses 07:30h - Dr. Balwant Singh’s Hospital Inc Presents Krishna Raksha Bandhan

Page 19

07:45h - The Family of the Late Leila & David Persaud Presents Krishna Raksha Bandhan 08:00h - Timehri Maha Kali Shakti Devi Mandir Presents Raksh Bandhan 08:15h - NTN This Morning Live with Reyaz Husein 09:30h - Indian Soap - Sapne Suhane Ladakpan Ke 10:00h - Indian Soap - Rab Se Sohna Isshq 10:30h - Indian Soap Pavitra Rishta 11:00h - Indian Soap - Mrs. Kaushik Ki Paanch Bahuyien 11:30h - Indian Soap - Punar Vivaah 12:00h - Islamic Documentary 13:00h - Raksha Bandhan Live with Mona 14:00h - DVD Movie:ANJANA (Eng: Sub:) *ing Rajendra Kumar & Babita 16:30h - Devotional Time Raksha Bandhan Songs 17:30h - Drying Tears Live with Pastor Edson 18:00h - Ganesh Parts Presents -BHAGAVAD GITA ( Discourses in English) Serial 18:30h - Birthday Greetings / Deaths Announcement & In Memoriam

19:00h - Buddy’s Housing Development Project Live with Joel Ghansham 20:00h - INSIGHTS presented by the CIOG 21:00h - Indian Soap - Sapne Suhane Ladakpan Ke 21:30h - Indian Soap - Rab Se Sohna Isshq 22:00h - Indian Soap Pavitra Rishta 22:30h - Indian Soap - Mrs. Kaushik Ki Paanch Bahuyien 23:00h - Sign off with the Gayatri Mantra DTVC CHANNEL 8 08:55hrs. Sign On 09:00hrs. Live! With Kelly 10:00hrs. House 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. MacGyver 18:00hrs. World News 18:30hrs. Nightly News 19:00hrs. Greetings and Announcements 20:30hrs. DTV’s Summer Movie Fest 23:00hrs. Sign Off

Guides are subjected to change without notice

Page 20

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Kaieteur News

Gordon ‘Ultimate Warrior’ Braithwaite - WC Player, Capt. & Coach Guyana- former International Gordon Ultimate Warrior Braithwaite is probably the only individual in the Caribbean who has the distinct honour of participating at the World Cup level as a player (1980) Captain (1984) and Coach (1992).

The Queen’s College standout made his World Cup debut in March 1980 against Grenada at the world famous GCC Ground, Bourda and scored to inspire Guyana to an emphatic come from behind 5-2 victory after Grenada were leading 2-0.

His next World Cup game was the return fixture in St. Georges, Grenada and again, his

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performance was outstanding culminating in a 3-2 victory that eliminated the host.

His 1980 World Cup campaign ended on a disappointing note because Guyana suffered home and away losses to Suriname and Cuba.

The Ultimate Warrior’s next World Cup engagement was July 1984 against Suriname but unlike 1980, this time he was wearing the captaincy armband. Guyana lost 1-0 in Paramaribo and drew the return fixture 1-1 at GCC, Bourda.

The last time he participated at the World Cup level was back in 1992 and this time it was as Coach of the Guyana team that drew the return fixture 1-1 against Suriname at the Andre Kamperveen Stadium, Paramaribo.

Braithwaite’s first outing in National colours was (1975) against Suriname in the Inter Guiana Games series. In 1976 he played an integral role when Pele won the Demico League for the first time. His first Senior National call ended disappointingly in October, 1976.

After being named in an 18-man squad to face Curacao in two friendly Internationals, Braithwaite was surprised when a new squad was handed to then National Coach George Green, minus his name and several of his Pele club mates.

So, young Braithwaite had to wait until the following year, 1977 for his senior International debut. The opponents were Regional power house Trinidad and Tobago who was guest of the Guyana Football Federation for their 75th anniversary celebrations.

The Soca Warriors won the three match series on goal difference after losing the first match 2-1 at Mackenzie Sports Club; drew the second 2-2 at the GCC Ground, Bourda and won the series finale 2-0 at the same venue.

At the conclusion of the series, the debutant Braithwaite was named Guyana’s MVP. In 1977, his International campaign continued with friendly Internationals against Barbados and Cuba’s Under23.

He also featured in the Caribbean Football Union Club Championship for Pele FC, so it was no surprise when the ‘Ultimate Warrior’ was named Footballer-of-theYear, 1977.

He was also Runner-up

1977 - 1985

Gordon Braithwaite Sportsman-of-that-Year to Colin Croft and Lennox Blackmoore.

It is important to note that the Queen’s College graduate was only 19 years old.

His 1978 International programme started with two friendly Internationals for

Guyana’s National Under-23 team against Suriname’s Under-23 at the Georgetown Football Club and Mackenzie Sports Club Grounds.

Guyana lost both matches 1-0 and 4-3 respectively.

Braithwaite then toured Barbados and Trinidad with the Senior National team. He also toured Aruba with Pele FC for the CFU Club Championship.

His next International assignment was against Suriname in the Caribbean Nations Cup which Guyana lost in Paramaribo, 2-1, Braithwaite scored his first senior International goal in that match.

Chinese provisional team Kwang Tung was the Ultimate Warrior’s next International opponents, October 1978.

The following year, 1979 he accepted a football scholarship to Clemson University in the United States of America.

After being named Footballer-of-the-Year again in 1983, he replaced Terrence Archer as National Captain in 1984. In 1985, he became the first and to date still the only National Captain to defeat the Mighty Cubans in an International Series.

The Braithwaite led National squad humbled Castro’s men in a two match series in January 1985 at GCC Ground, Bourda.

The ‘Ultimate Warrior’ is also the first National Coach

to lead Guyana to a Caribbean Championship finals, 1991 in Kingston, Jamaica where Guyana placed fourth at the Shell Cup Finals.

International Tours 1977 Suriname with Pele CFU Club Championship 1978 Barbados, Trinidad & Tobago and Suriname with Senior National Team 1978 Aruba with Pele CFU - Club Championship 1980 Grenada World Cup Qualifier 1980 Suriname World Cup Qualifier 1980 Trinidad & Tobago International friendly 1980 Cuba World Cup Qualifier 1983 Barbados - CFU Championship 1983 Antigua & Barbados CFU Championship 1983 Trinidad & Tobago - Goodwill Tour 1984 Suriname World Cup Qualifier 1984 Trinidad & Tobago - International Friendly 1985 French Guiana - CFU Championship 1991 Jamaica - Shell Cup Finals 1992 Suriname - Shell Cup Preliminaries 1992 Suriname - World Cup Qualifier 2010 Suriname Olympic Qualifier His first Senior National Team tour came in April 1978 to Barbados and Trinidad & Tobago.

Holder continues winning ways in Berbice Dwight Holder continues a strong hold on the cycling arena in Berbice with another win, when he rode away with the seventh annual Guyana Bank of Trade and Industry road race which was held on Sunday last in Berbice for cyclists of the Flying Ace Cycle Club.

The 22 cyclist were sent on their way at approximately 09:00hrs as they pedaled off from in front of the bank’s branch at Corriverton on the Corentyne to Adventure and back to its place of origin.

The event, which was extended to a 51miler this year, saw Wazim Hasnoo opening up an early lead and was followed by Holder, with Ray Millington also joining the leaders as they controlled the early journey up.

Meanwhile, six-time defending champion Neil Reece was in the chasing pack and along with Rohan Persaud and the UK-based duo of father and son Franko and Selso Crawford began to work their way up in pursuit of the leaders as they continued their upward ride at a blistering pace.

Reece and Persaud soon caught up with the leaders before the turn back point at Adventure as the battle continued in hot sun.

The battle continued until about 200M to go when Hasnoo made the first move, but he was soon caught and with the riders now in full gear it was Holder and Reece who were

leading, with Millington in hot pursuit as they approached the finishing line.

However, Reece stopped peddling as Holder rode home in triumph ahead of Millington with Persaud third. Reece ended fourth ahead of fifth placed Hasnoo.

Marica Dick was first among the females to retain her crown, with Christeen Matterson coming in second.

In the junior category, Elijah Brijadar was first, winning from Brian Harris. Andrew Hicks continued his dominance among the juvenile riders as he took the top spot ahead of Shawn Rasheed and Adriel Ross. Aaron Hicks was the winner in the BMX category, with Syborne Fernandes taking top honours among the veterans.

Hasnoo for his early dominance rode away with five of the sprint prizes with Holder and Millington collecting two each and Persaud one.

GBTI Corriverton Branch Manager Mohan Tularam congratulated the cyclist for taking part in the event and had special words of commendation for the winners.

Also speaking at the ceremony was Admin Manager Sean Noel who told the cyclists that discipline in of utmost importance in any sport and they should continue to strive for excellence.

Thursday August 02, 2012

Kaieteur News

Australia’s Jackson sets scoring record in basketball

Australia’s Lauren Jackson (L) gets past Brazil’s Adriana Pinto during the women’s preliminary round Group B match during the London 2012 Olympic Games August 1, 2012. REUTERS/Sergio Perez (Reuters) - Australian women’s basketball captain Lauren Jackson became the leading Olympics points scorer when she led the Opals to a 67-61 victory over Brazil yesterday.

Jackson, a 6-foot-4 power forward, top-scored for Australia with 18 points to take her Games career total to 497, surpassing American Lisa Leslie as the all-time Games women’s scoring leader.

“I didn’t know about that,” the 31-year-old Jackson, who has collected three Olympic silver medals, said about her new place in the record book. “I haven’t even thought about it. I’m old.”

Leslie had held the standard with 488 points from four Olympics starting from

the 1996 Games in Atlanta.

Jackson is competing in her fourth Games since first appearing at the 2000 Sydney Olympics in her home country.

“She’s an iconic basketballer for Australia,” Australian coach Carrie Graf said. “This Olympics in particular, for her to be flag bearer I think spoke volumes for who she is as an Australian athlete and sportsperson.

“In terms of women’s basketball, she’s iconic in our country and helps put the Opals on the map. I think it’s fitting that at this Olympics as flag bearer she gets a record like that.”

The victory lifted Australia’s record to 2-1 in the Group B preliminary round.

Brazil fell to 0-3.

Henry calls for more use...

From page 23 for prolonged periods has severely hampered the team’s training sessions and called on the relevant authorities to allow them the use of the Stadium on a more consistent basis.

He said the Stadium provides them with the opportunity to engage in better game simulations due to the excellent outfield even in wet conditions as against the one at the National Park which becomes extremely dangerous for the players, especially in tackling situations where they risk serious injury.

Commenting on another aspect of the team’s preparations, Henry said he would have liked for the overseasbased players to come in early enough to synchronize with the locally-based players so that there could be a better understanding among them, while providing him with the

opportunity to rectify any faults within the setup in adequate time.

“I would like to get them a bit early so that we could start the gelling process which would then get us enough time to be on one page,” Henry stated.

The World Cup Finals are to take place in Moscow next year.

The Men’s team will also be defending its Caribbean Sevens Championships which it has held for the past six years in succession.

Guyana’s National Men’s Rugby Sevens Team (The Rugby Jaguars) are seeded to lead Pool C with Cayman Islands, Trinidad & Tobago and Barbados, while the USA will lead Pool A with Jamaica and St. Vincent & The Grenadines and Canada head Pool B with Mexico, Bermuda and Bahamas.

Page 21

England v South Africa, 2nd Investec Test, Headingley...

Cricinfo - The equation for England going into the second Test is simple: if they’re going to beat South Africa, they will need to play at least ten times better than they did at The Oval. An average of 31.25 runs per wicket might not look too bad during a wet English summer but it was dwarfed by South Africa scoring 637 for 2 in their one innings on a dry, sun-baked track. Turning two wickets into 20 against such obduracy is a trick that will take some pulling off.

It is almost a year since England ascended to the top of the rankings with an innings victory over India in the second week of August but, despite talk of establishing a dynasty, the crown has never been far from slipping. Many would say that South Africa have not needed the ICC’s imprimatur to be recognised as Test cricket’s best side but victory at Headingley will seal the series and confirm their rise to No. 1 anyway.

While Graeme Smith has again revelled in his role as England’s tormentor, Andrew Strauss and Andy Flower have faced fresh questions about tactics, skill levels and the balance of the side. It may be that England had one on day and four off days but that is not a switch that can just be flicked. The much-vaunted attack’s plan of “bowling dry” was enough to send many watchers to the bottle,

Will England's bowlers be tripped up again by South Africa in the second Test © Getty Images

as South Africa showed how to resist temptation; while on a flat track, the batsmen arguably performed worse.

They’re accustomed to brickbats but for the bowlers this represents a fresh challenge.

South Africa have not won consecutive Tests since early 2010 but they look to be in a comfortable place, the team happy to lark about in fancy dress on their first night in Leeds.

The fifth man to occupy No. 6 in the batting order, James Taylor is undoubtedly the smallest (he’s 5ft 4in).

After the middling efforts of Eoin Morgan, Matt Prior, Jonny Bairstow and Ravi Bopara, the weight of

expectation might not be great but Taylor has long been marked out for international cricket and his every stroke will be closely studied. An unbeaten 163 in his last firstclass innings suggests a slow start to life at Nottinghamshire is behind him.

Alviro Petersen is the South Africa player under most scrutiny after a lean tour in which he has scored 42 runs. He also averaged just 21 from 11 first-class innings for Essex earlier in the season.

Nevertheless, Petersen has produced under pressure before, having already scored two Test centuries this year to defy his critics and in opening partner Graeme

Smith he has the perfect example of how to succeed in England.

After England were severely burned by preparing a dry, dusty pitch at The Oval, there is a definite green tinge to the second track of the series. The forecast for Leeds over the next five days is patchy, with rain and overhead cloud likely to feature, though whether that will benefit England or South Africa more is open to debate.

England have a rightly praised record of stability in selection so the presence of Taylor, confirmed as Bopara’s replacement, may well be the only change. Rotating in one of Steven Finn or Graham Onions - probably for Tim Bresnan - or playing an allpace attack are other options, though it was against South Africa at Headingley in 2008 that England broke a record, six-Test run of picking the same XI by including Darren Pattinson, so don’t rule out a surprise.

Vice-captain AB de Villiers doesn’t believe South Africa should make any changes to the team that bent England so severely out of shape at The Oval and, with Smith back after completing a round trip home to attend the birth of his daughter, a familiar line-up is expected for the second Test.

JP Duminy and Jacques Rudolph, like Petersen, have not spent a great deal of time in the middle but confidence in their ability remains.

Badminton players thrown out, cyclist Wiggins...

From back page champions Wang Xiaoli and Yu Yang, Indonesia’s Greysia Polii and Meiliana Jauhari and two South Korean pairs Jung Kyung-eun and Kim Hana, and Ha Jung-eun and Kim Min-jung.

Several players and coaches pointed the finger of blame at the Chinese team for creating the scandal. “I can say China has played dirty,” said Poland’s Korean head coach Young Man Kim. “They fixed the matches, that’s why everything is messy here.”

Players also slammed the BWF for instituting a format that was ripe for manipulation.

“Why would the tournament rules people have (a format) like this?” men’s singles world number one Lin Dan told reporters. “If they just had a knockout round it would all be fine. You lose and that’s it,” the Chinese added.

HOME GOLD Elsewhere on Wednesday, Wiggins cemented his place in history by becoming

the first cyclist to win the Olympic time trial and the Tour de France in the same year.

In the equivalent women’s event, American Kristin Armstrong prevailed. The 38year-old took time off after the Beijing Games in 2008 to start a family, and her son Lucas was there to celebrate the moment with his mother.

Wiggins’ was a British record seventh medal for the 32-year-old, awarded in the shadow of London’s historic Hampton Court Palace where King Henry VIII, famous for his six wives, would stay in the 16th century.

Britain won its first gold of London 2012 when rowers Glover and Stanning dominated before a screaming crowd of 25,000, including Princes William and Harry, and many more glued to television screens. “Ecstatic!”

Glover told reporters at Dorney Lake in southern England. “It’s so surreal, it will take forever to sink in.”

Stanning, an army captain who may be sent to Afghani-

stan next year, only got together with Glover in 2010 after the pair missed out on qualifying for another boat.

Her exploits were cheered by fellow soldiers following the action at Camp Bastion in Helmand in the south of Afghanistan.

British Prime Minister David Cameron, during a visit to Northern Ireland, said he received the news after sitting on the “Wishing Chair” at Giant’s Causeway, one of Northern Ireland’s top tourist attractions.

“I was told I could make a wish,” he told reporters. I won’t say what it was but as soon as I got back to my mobile phone I got the good news. Fantastic news, well done to them, it’s a great success for the United Kingdom team.”

China topped the medals table on Day Five with 15 golds and 27 overall, followed by the United States on 10 golds and 26 in total.

THE DARK SIDE The flap over the badminton was a reminder of the

lengths to which countries and athletes will go to win gold, even if the Olympic charter says the Games are about sport pursued in “a spirit of friendship, solidarity and fair play”.

South Korea head coach Sung Han-kook admitted his two pairings attempted to throw their matches against China’s world champion duo and the Indonesians, but said it was in retaliation against the Chinese team.

“The Chinese started this.

They did it first,” Sung told reporters through an interpreter.

He said the Chinese deliberately tried to lose the first of the tainted matches to ensure their leading duo of Yu and Wang would not meet the country’s number two pair until the gold medal decider.

“It’s a complicated thing with the draws. They didn’t want to meet each other in the semi-final. So we did the same.

We didn’t want to play the South Korean team again”, Sung said, referring to the knockout stages.

Page 22

Kaieteur News

Thursday August 02, 2012

Adrian wins 100m freestyle gold LONDON (Reuters) - Nathan Adrian won the 100 metres freestyle final at the London Olympics yesterday to become the first American to win gold in the blue-riband sprint for nearly a quarter of a century.

In a desperate finish, Adrian got his fingers on the wall 0.01 seconds, the smallest margin in Olympic swimming, ahead of Australian world champion James Magnussen.

Nathan stopped the clock at 47.52 seconds with Magnussen second in 47.53. Canada’s Brent Hayden was third in 47.80.

Brazil’s Cesar Cielo, the defending champion and reigning

Something’s amiss at Cycling Federation

By Edison Jefford

world record holder, was sixth in the race to decide the fastest man on water. While the United States has been the dominant power in Olympic swimming, the last American man to win the 100 freestyle gold was Matt Biondi at Seoul in 1988.

Brathwaite’s 99 leads Windies U-19 to victory against Bangladesh Bangladesh conceded a 31-run defeat against West Indies in their first practice match ahead of the ICC U-19 Cricket World Cup played at Caloundra Cricket Club in Brisbane yesterday.

Batting first, West Indies scored 249 runs for 7 in stipulated 50 overs with Test player Kraigg Brathwaite making 99 runs off 138 balls hitting four boundaries.

Besides, Sunil Ambris (41), Anthony Alleyne (26), Akeal Hossain (24) and Kyle Mayers (17) were the other notable scorers for the

Caribbean team.

Taskin Ahmed, Dewan Sabbir and Nur Hossain Munna of Bangladesh took two wickets each conceding 41, 59 and 46 runs respectively.

In reply, Bangladesh were bowled out for 218 runs in 48.1 overs. Liton Kumar Das contributed the team’s highest 63 runs off 104 balls featuring two fours and one six, while lower order Al Amin Jr quickfired 24-ball 44 runs hitting three fours and three sixes.

Besides, Asif Ahmed Ratul (35), Mosaddek Hossain Saikat (31) and Soumya Sarker (14) were

VCB admits to tiredness at trials Jamaica Observer LONDON, England - Two time Olympic defending 200m champion Veronica CampbellBrown has admitted she was tired at the Jamaican National Trials in June where for the first time in many years she failed to win either of the 100m or 200m races.

At an Adidas press conference in Stratford, London Tuesday, CampbellBrown admitted, “yes I might have been a bit tired at Trials,” but said she was happy to have made the team in both events.

Campbell Brown who will

be contesting both the 100m and 200m events at the Olympic Games when track and field gets underway tomorrow morning at Olympic Stadium, said after running just the 200m in Beijing four years ago she was focusing on running the double.

The former Vere Technical athlete who has 13 global medals at the senior level, was second in the 100m at Trials behind Shelly-Ann FraserPryce and third in the 200m after being nipped on the line by a late charging Sherone Simpson, both behind Fraser-Pryce.

the other leading scorers for Bangladesh. Kyle Mayers took three wickets for 49 runs while Justin Greaves and Jerome Jones took two wickets each

conceding 28 and 39 runs respectively.

Bangladesh will play their next practice match against South Africa tomorrow.

WICB Under-19 Tournament second round round-up Following are the summarized close-of-play scores on the opening day of the second round of matches in the Regional Under-19 three-day Championship today in Barbados: At Foursquare Oval: Jamaica trail by 123 runs with all ten first innings wickets intact.

Scores: GUYANA 164 (Brian Sattaur 76, Tagenarine Chanderpaul 34, Ricardo Adams 20; James McDonald 4-19, Delbert Gayle 3-30, Christopher Powell 2-25) JAMAICA 41-0(Oshane Walters 32 not out).

At Bayfield: Barbados trail by 127 runs with nine first innings wickets intact.

Scores: LEEWARD ISLANDS 160 (Akeem Saunders 74, Dymon Parris 34; Darnell Greenidge 4-15, Akeem Jordan 322)BARBADOS 33-1.

At Pine Basin: T&T trail by 154 runs with nine first innings wickets intact.

Scores: WINDWARD ISLANDS 183 (Keone George 94, Taryck Gabriel 33; Anthony Simmons 3-61, Jovan Ali 2-38) TRINIDAD & TOBAGO 29-1.

USA women win 200m freestyle relay BBC - United States produced an Olympic-record time to win gold in the women’s 200m freestyle relay final.

A brilliant final leg from Allison Schmitt led the Americans home, ahead of Australia, in a time of seven

minutes 42.92 seconds.

Missy Franklin gave them a great start, while Dana Vollner and Shannon Vreeland also produced fast times.

France won the bronze medal, while Great Britain finished fifth in a creditable time of 7:52.37.

Soni breaks women’s 200 breaststroke record LONDON (Reuters) - Rebecca Soni of the United States broke the women’s 200 metres breaststroke in the semi-finals at the London Olympics yesterday.

Soni clocked two minutes, 20.00 seconds to break the 2:20.12 set by Canada’s Annamay Pierse at the world championships in Rome in 2009.

MEDAL TABLE Country Rank Gold Silver Bronze Total China 1 17 9 4 30 United States 2 12 8 9 29 Korea 3 6 2 4 12 France 4 5 3 5 13 DPR Korea 5 4 0 1 5 Germany 6 3 8 2 13 Italy 7 3 4 2 9 Kazakhstan 8 3 0 0 3 Japan 9 2 4 11 17 Russia 10 2 4 5 11

Rebecca Soni

Some aspects of the administration of the Guyana Cycling Federation (GCF) seem to be amiss according to a well-placed source, who spoke to Kaieteur Sport yesterday under the condition of anonymity because of the individual’s portfolio in the sport.

The insider raised the issue of the absence of the F e d e r a t i o n ’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) for t h i s y e a r, which was appropriated to the belief that there may be serious questions that will be asked about their management of funds from fees and fundraisers.

“Every year, the Federation is supposed to hold an AGM based on the constitution; the meeting was supposed to have been in March, but that was postponed. They have published to host the meeting, but it is unlikely that it will happen because there are a lot of questions that they have to answer relative to the Federation’s finances,” the source indicated.

“Once they continue to postpone the AGM, according to the constitution, it will make the current Federation null and void. Next year is the elections, but once clubs and stakeholders are not up to date with the business of the association then it’s null and void; they know that clubs will call for certain information that they just don’t have,” the individual continued.

The inside source told this newspaper that the federation has been functioning without a treasurer for some time and has recalled William Howard to the post in an effort to “tidy up” the books. It was disclosed that Howard made some startling discoveries in this process.

The informant stated that Howard went to the Bank that holds the Federation’s account recently and was told there were no monies deposited into the account since the last administration was in office, despite the GCF retrieval of fund-raising profits and sanction fees.

“The Federation collects $2000 per race as sanction fees. Hassan (Mohamed) alone has 38 races in a year; they have now started to collect a $1000 from each rider that turns up to ride without a local team or club jersey.

Where are these fees going?” the source asked.

“They had a fund-raising bar-b-que last August to send a senior team to Jamaica; the team went, but they still had to find most of their money.

The man who was responsible for that fundraiser cannot show us a statement from that event until now.

If cyclists had to find most of their monies to compete in Jamaica, yet the bar-b-que made a profit, where did the money go if it is not in the Bank account,” the person again questioned.

The informant said financial issues threatens to embroil the Federation again this month when it holds a fund-raising raffle to send a nine-man team to Santo Domingo this month end. The team will require about $2.2M, according to our inside informant.

However, the raffle will raise just about $1M if all goes well, but the federation is still asking the cyclist to pay their own way. “Each cyclist will need about US$980 to make the tour. Y ou cannot pick a team and then tell cyclists if they raise their own money they could go when you are still moving ahead with a fund-raiser,” the source added.

According to the individual, some things do not add up when it comes to the Federation financial management. The source said there seems not to be any clear paper trail and record of all monies that the Federation handles and this needs to be clarified immediately.

In addition, it is alleged that a high-ranking official of the GCF has been hiding correspondences if it has nothing to do with her son, who is a cyclist. The source informed that Robin Persaud and Alonzo Greaves were both invited to compete in Trinidad and Tobago recently.

Upon the receipt of this information, the GCF official enquired from Trinidad and Tobago why her son is not among the two riders named.

The source said Trinidadian officials told the official that her son could compete but would have to fund his own participation.

That feedback did not sit well with the official, who allegedly purposely ducked the participation of Greaves and Persaud.

The source said these matters need to be addressed immediately, noting the Federation’s unwillingness to host its AGM to deal with the issues.

Thursday August 02, 2012

Kaieteur News

Page 23

Bolt humbled Britney van Lange fails to by superstar reverse Guyana Olympics - Track and Field countdown treatment fortunes starts with Guyanese athlete

BOLT… was surprised at the treatment, reserved for other superstars,being given to him Jamaica Observer - LONDON, England — Double world record holder Usain Bolt, arguably the most popular athlete taking part in the Games of the XXX Olympiad here in London, has admitted his global recognition and fame has humbled him. Bolt is one of the most recognisable

faces anywhere in the world and his images are plastered over huge advertising billboards and in advertising campaigns all over the world, from Kingston to London to New York to Brazil.

He has taken photographs with world leaders, politicians, top sports personalities, models, and entertainment personalities and had to be ‘rescued’ by teammates after being mobbed for autographs and photos at last Friday’s Opening Ceremony at Olympic Park. In a Jamaica Olympic Association/PUMA Press Conference held in east London last week, Bolt said he was surprised at the treatment, reserved for “other superstars”, being given to him.

“I get surprised every day,” he said at the press conference. “Every time I walk on the street people always recognise me; I can’t walk on the streets anymore. I can’t go through airports as easy anymore, and to be treated like this is really humbling,” he said.

He will be in action starting Saturday in the athletics qualifying programme which commences tomorrow in London.

Ultra-light Adidas spikes to be worn by Blake, VCB

J

amaica Observer - LONDON, England — Yohan Blake’s chances of winning the sprint double at the Olympic Games has been enhanced, his shoes sponsors say, by a brand new running spikes, — the Adizero Prime — which they say is better than anything previously developed.

Blake and two-time women’s 200m defending c h a m p i o n Ve r o n i c a Campbell Brown showed off the new and improved running spike during a press conference held Tuesday at the Westfield Mall, in Stratford just beside Olympic Park.

Blake, the IAAF World Champion in the 100m and national double sprint champion hailed the running shoe as “one of the best spikes ever made,” and said when “I have them on they are so light I can’t feel them it is like my feet are on the ground.”

The pair that Blake will wear are personalised with his ‘The Beast’ moniker monogrammed into it while Campbell Brown has her ‘VCB’ initials on her’s.

A number of other Jamaican athletes will also wear the Adidas brand throughout the Games.

Andrew Barr, product

Blake and two-time women’s 200m defending champion Veronica Campbell Brown showed off the new and improved running spike manager, Business Unit Running for the German sporting goods company told the press conference that each spike weighed a mere 99 grams or just 3.5 ounces, half the weight of the box it is in.

Barr said the shoes, which took nearly three years, 34 months in the research and development, was “sixty-two per cent lighter than the Adidas shoes that the athletes wore in Beijing, at the last Olympic Games.

A release from the brand said, “It was decided that for the shoes to be called Adizero, they had to be the lightest-in-class and share certain lightweight

construction techniques such as Sprintweb, Sprintskin and recently Sprintframe.”

The release quoted Udi Muelle, Head of Technical Marketing Innovation at Adidas as saying, “in the Olympic Games, every tenth of a second and every gram counts. We have calculated that for every 100 gram of weight saved, the athlete’s performance can be improved up to one per cent, often the difference between gold and silver.”

The release also said the Adizero Prime had the involvement of thousands of people, 15 cities, 32 countries and two universities.

Aliann Pompey Britney van Lange

G

u y a n a ’ s s w i m m e r Britney van L a n g e experienced the same fate yesterday morning as her team mate, Nial Roberts who swam the previous day (Tuesday) in the Aquatics Centre at the 2012 London Olympics in the Women’s 100 meters freestyle.

The 15-year-old Bishop’s High School swimmer, who tested the waves at the highest level of her career, swam to fourth place out of lane six in heat two to register a time of 1:01.62 seconds.

The athlete clocked 29.41 seconds in the first 50 meters of the freestyle before finishing to exceed the 50 seconds barrier to maintain fourth position, ahead of three other swimmers.

The heat was won by Jade Howard of Zambia in 59. 35 seconds, Bayan Jumah 59.78 seconds was runner-up as Karen Riveros 59.86 seconds was third.

Even the winner of this heat did not qualify for the semifinals, which facilitates the

Winston George

Jeremy Bascom

fastest 16 qualifying times.

Van Lange, 15, the baby of the Guyana team, mentioned before her event that she was nervous and was unable to achieve a new personal best time in her event. Her personal best time in the 100 meters freestyle is 1.01.39 seconds.

Van Lange performance in this event is ranked 42 out of 48.

Yi Tang is ranked as number one with 53.28 seconds.

All focus will now turn to Track and Field as Winston George and Aliann Pompey along with Jeremy Bascom

will be blasting out of the blocks in the 400 meters (George and Pompey) and 100 meters respectively to make their presence known as they attempt to bring glory to Guyana.

George and Pompey running the longest sprint event in Track and Field entered the Games with times of 45.86 and 51.66 seconds.

The 28 years old Bascom who tied a 34 years old national record will be looking to improve his 10.19 seconds in his 100 meters in his preliminary round to qualify for the semi-finals.

Henry calls for more use of the National Stadium

A

s they step up preparations for participation in the Rugby Wo r l d C u p R e g i o n a l Qualifier scheduled to be staged from August 25-26 in Ottawa, Canada, National Coach Theodore Henry speaking with Kaieteur Sport recently said he would like the team to have more use of the National Stadium, which according to him, better facilitates their training regimen when compared with the National Park.

Henry, who has been the spearhead of the national squad for nearly two years, told this newspaper that the consistent rainy weather which has left the field at the National Park in an unplayable state (Continued on page 21)

Theodore Henry

t r o Sp West Indies v New Zealand, 2nd Test, Jamaica

Elusive victory within West Indies’ grasp C

ricinfo - Kieran Powell was 19 when West Indies last won a Test series against opponents other than Zimbabwe or Bangladesh. He celebrated his birthday on the first day of the Trinidad Test against England, which ended with West Indies’ Nos. 7 and 10 clinging on for dear life to secure a scrappy 1-0 victory in a five-match series. He was 13 when West Indies won before that. Powell, now 22, is one of a generation of young cricketers who have grown up watching West Indies struggle to win series. At Sabina Park, he will have the opportunity to be part of a rare triumph if West Indies draw or win to protect their 1-0 lead.

Kane Williamson was 15 when New Zealand last beat a Test side other than Zimbabwe or Bangladesh - a 2-0 win against West Indies

in 2006. He was 11 when New Zealand last won such a series away from home - in West Indies in 2002. New Zealand cannot win this series, but a victory in Kingston will secure a draw and build on their relatively satisfactory recent performances - a drawn series in Australia, a 0-1 defeat against South Africa.

Like they did in Hobart so memorably, New Zealand will have to win without Daniel Vettori, who’s out with a groin injury. Vettori’s 2012 hasn’t been productive - he’s taken only one wicket in each of his last five Tests.

What he does provide New Z e a l a n d u n f a i l i n g l y, however, is economy and, with it, a measure of control.

Vettori conceded less than two and a half per over in four of those five Tests. His poorest return was 2.81. He reined in Chris Gayle after the batsman had raced to a half-century in the first

innings in Antigua. Someone else will have to do that job in Jamaica.

New Zealand’s challenge will be to control the pace of the game. Their inexperienced bowling attack needs to slow West Indies down at the start in order to allow Ross Taylor to keep wicket-taking fields.

Their batsmen need to find a way not to stagnate against Narine and the rest in highpressure scenarios like they did on the final morning of the first Test.

West Indies, on the other hand, won in Antigua with no contribution from their most reliable player Shivnarine Chanderpaul.

Chris Gayle made a huge splash in his comeback Test, while Narine and Roach took turns to run through New Zealand in each innings.

There were useful contributions from several others, too, and Chanderpaul hailed the “fantastic team

effort.” A similar performance, beginning tomorrow, will make it extremely hard for New Zealand to force a win.

For a country that earned a reputation by felling stronger sides, New Zealand showed little fight in Antigua. They dropped catches, their fielding was sloppy, and their batsmen’s ultra-cautious approach to saving the Test did not last long enough to be successful. Neil Wagner, w h o i s o n e - Te s t o l d , promised New Zealand would come out fighting today. He spoke of being ruthless and giving West Indies nothing. Without Vettori, that will be a little harder.

Sunil Narine was Man of the Match in his first home Test, taking eight wickets in the match. He had to toil through 85 overs for them, though, and called his performance a “big

Chris Gayle last played a Test at Sabina Park in 2009. He made 104 against England. © AFP.

achievement” because of the conditions he had to bowl in.

Martin Guptill, who made 97 and 67, said the New Zealand batsman had begun to play Narine better now that they’d seen a bit of him.

The threat posed by Narine could be significantly enhanced if the Sabina Park pitch is to his liking.

West Indies brought Fidel Edwards into the squad

because Ravi Rampaul sustained a groin strain.

However, with Tino Best, who sat out in the first Test, already in the squad, Edwards might have to watch from the sidelines.

And New Zealand have to fill Vettori’s spot and the only other specialist spinner in the squad is the legspinner Tarun Nethula, who could be in line for a Test debut..

Badminton players thrown out, cyclist Wiggins wins

Britain's Bradley Wiggins Combo photo made August 1, 2012 shows the women’s doubles pair of China’s Wang Xiaoli (L) and Yang Yu, South Korea’s Jung Kyung Eun (Top) and Kim Ha Na, Indonesia’s Greysia competes in the individual time trial. REUTERS PAUL HANNA. Polii and Meiliana Jauhari and South Korea’s Ha Jung-eun (L) & Kim Min-jung. (Reuters) (Reuters) - Eight women badminton players were disqualified from the

Olympics yesterday for deliberately trying to lose and manipulate the draw,

angering fans and fellow athletes who said they undermined the spirit of the

Games.

The controversy overshadowed the fifth full

day of sporting action, when British cyclist Bradley Wiggins dominated the

men’s time trial along packed streets of southwest London to become the country’s most decorated Olympian, just 10 days after his triumph in the Tour de France.

His was the second home gold of the day after Helen Glover and Heather Stanning rowed to victory in the women’s pair, ending an increasingly uncomfortable wait among host nation fans for their first Olympic title.

National euphoria was tempered by Tuesday night’s farcical events, however, when at Wembley Arena in London the crowd shouted abuse at badminton players who deliberately sprayed shots and duffed serves.

Four doubles pairs from China, South Korea and Indonesia were disqualified following a formal disciplinary hearing by the B a d m i n t o n Wo r l d Federation (BWF). An appeal by the South Koreans and Indonesians was turned down. The players involved were China’s world (Continued on page 21)

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