Kaieteur News

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August 19, 2012

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APNU joins calls for full-blown probe of NCN

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Residents shun Buxton protest

Traci

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Joe Singh resigns as GGMC's Chairman

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… as GGDMA threatens boycott of Mining Week p.

E.C.D. four-lane extension … 13

The nurse who returned home… p.

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Contractor moving to Camille Wade-Deterville court for unpaid $64M is a 'Special Person'

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Kaieteur News

Sunday August 19, 2012

Sunday August 19, 2012

CHERISH IN LIFE As unpredictable as it may be, we’ve decisions to make.

Some are easy and others will break your heart especially when you have to make one with your head months after your heart has made it, and the two are different.

Decisions made by the heart tend to be like caution thrown to the wind. They can be exhilarating, overwhelming, confusing, and yes, crazy. The heart has no boundaries. It doesn’t know society or its “norm”, and worst of all, it has no sense of timing.

So thank the Creator for the head stepping in with it’s rationality and becoming the grounding force before things get out of hand. When you have to decide like that, the pain can be immense, but fortunately the heart will mend, and as cliché as it may sound, “life does go on”.

But even though the heart mends, it is never the same; it carries with it a reminder everywhere it goes. For when it decided to throw caution to the wind, it also threw a piece of itself, to be replaced by the treasure received because of that decision. It’s changed, and it is changed forever, but the trick is not to look at it with anger, but to understand it with love.

For the loss of a relationship, or a situation considered an “affair of the heart”, is not a loss of that person. When you share yourself with someone, they in turn share themselves with you. A trust and understanding takes place and the love between you does not die, it changes, it progresses.

Sometimes it becomes deeper, more solid, and a friendship evolves. Sometimes it fades and becomes a wonderful memory that never disappears. There is always something that will stir that memory to life, ... a scent, a word, a song.

Once we become part of someone’s life, we never leave.

Although we may decide to stand-alone, it does not tarnish the feelings. It becomes a grasp to understand one’s selfworth, one’s being. And yes, we know that that it will not be easy and loneliness can be difficult at times, but we all have hurdles of our own. That is what makes us who we are.

Kaieteur News

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APNU joins call for full-blown probe of NCN As details of a leaked report continue to raise questions about the extent of wrongdoing at the stateowned television and radio stations, there are now more revelations about possible secret deals over placement of ads and a possible conflict of interest regarding family ties.

A Partnership For National Unity (APNU) has joined the call by the Alliance For Change (AFC) for a full-blown probe of the National Communications Network (NCN).

According to APNU’s Parliamentarian, Joseph Harmon, the coalition has received information that a close family member of one of the two beleaguered executives works with an advertising company, which may have presented a conflict of interest situation.

An investigation by auditor, Harry Parmessar, ordered by the Office of the President, into allegations of financial irregularities at NCN with payments from GT&T’s Jingle and Song Competition, led to Sattaur’s resignation and an eight weeks suspension of his deputy and well known broadcaster, Martin Goolsarran, in late June.

Government had refused

Martin Goolsarran

Joseph Harmon to release the report but it was leaked to a parliamentarian who made it available to Kaieteur News last week.

It spoke of shocking breaches of systems and poorly kept records at NCN. It also revealed that Goolsarran submitted an invoice in his own name and home address, collecting over $3M for production work done on the song competition.

Goolsarran admitted that he deposited the money into his personal account and then paid HJTV, a local production company, which NCN had sub-contracted for the job.

Both Sattaur and Goolsarran were accused of pressuring staff

Mohamed ‘Fuzzy’ Sattaur to backdate records in an obvious attempt to cover their tracks.

TIP OF ICEBERG According to Harmon, there is increasing evidence that the Harry Parmessar report only covered the tip of the iceberg.

The Parliamentarian, also a lawyer by profession, explained that emerging evidence found that NCN had a functioning relationship with an

advertising agency where one of the two men’s close relatives worked.

“The fact that one of these men’s relatives was at the advertising agency which would place ads at NCN, created in our view a serious conflict of interest. It is a wonder that the NCN’s board was either ignorant of this or choose to do nothing in the face of blatant conflict,” (continued on page 50)

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Kaieteur News

Kaieteur M@ilbox

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

Publisher: GLENN LALL Editor: ADAM HARRIS Tel: 225-8491, 225-8458, 225-8465 Fax: 225-8473 or 226-8210

Editorial

Normalcy in Linden Recently, there has been a surfeit in the usage of the term ‘normalcy’ as it refers to what was going on in Linden following the killing of three protestors.

The President said he would not visit Linden until ‘normalcy’ was returned. Businesses, Amerindians and travellers pleaded for a return to ‘normalcy’, while the Chairman of Region 10 retorted there will ‘never’ be a return to ‘normalcy’.

While ‘normalcy’ has obviously become quite a contested term, maybe we can turn to the man who is credited with introducing it in place of the more traditional ‘normality’, to appreciate its import. In 1920, Warren G. Harding was campaigning for the US presidency directly after WWI and his campaign promise was to “return normalcy to America”.

Derided at the time for what was thought to be a neologism, the word caught on – and at least seems quite acceptable to Guyanese.

But in the wake of the just initialled agreement, does it mean ‘normalcy’ has been achieved? Or do we succumb to the pessimism of the Regional Chairman? Fortunately Harding offers some help in answering this question. Before his nomination, he had declared: “America’s present need is not heroics, but healing; not nostrums, but normalcy; not revolution, but restoration; not agitation, but adjustment; not surgery, but serenity; not the dramatic, but the dispassionate; not experiment, but equipoise...”

We do believe that Harding’s advice might serve Linden well if heeded by our warring politicians. Linden’s problems are fundamentally economic ones – all leading from the need for it to wean itself away from once being a company town.

When bauxite was doing well, so did the town. But with nationalisation, we lost our competitive edge on both our superior calcined bauxite and the metallurgical ores, due to our inability to meet delivery schedules.

The people of Linden would know that it was not easy for the government of Guyana – whether the present or the previous administration – to find a buyer for the bauxite company. Our bauxite is under so much overburden that the cost of extraction will always be substantially higher than in other locales.

We do not need agitation, but adjustment to that reality.

Bosai has already stumbled on contracted deliveries and this has to evoke fears of a repetition of our historic failures in this area.

Of recent there has suddenly been talk of ‘hitting back’ by representatives of the WPA, but Linden needs restoration rather revolution.

The economic base must be broadened to provide employment from other sources than bauxite. But the Region 10 Chairman’s dismissive comments about the call centre and Bosai versus purportedly legions of investors waiting to invest, suggest the offerings of nostrums rather than normalcy.

Politicians have to begin to level with Lindeners. Take the issue of the subsidised electricity. Whatever the antecedent conditions, surely Lindeners as Guyanese can understand the need for conservation of usage. The subsidy on a fixed minimum for those with a demonstrable inability to pay is a more realistic option than the present openended subsidy now costing the nation over $2 billion annually.

The government must also level with Lindeners and all Guyanese on the factors - in addition to the need for conservation - that demand a removal of the subsidy. From our perspective, it is clear, for instance, if the Amaila Falls Hydro Project is to be funded, Linden will have to be returned to the national grid – as well as all the major independent co-generators such as Banks. We do not need experiments but equipoise.

Finally, there is the need for healing. There are parties and individuals in the Opposition ranks that may believe they are performing heroics when they constantly raise the stakes in Linden, using the people there as hostages. Let us all take a deep breath as we get engaged to return Linden to sustainable normalcy.

Sunday August 19, 2012

Send your letters to Kaieteur News 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown or email us kaieteurnews@yahoo.com

The attack on Mr. Kissoon falls into a pattern of political behaviour DEAR EDITOR, I thank heaven that the barefaced and cowardly attack on Mr. Freddie Kissoon did not come from the typical street person, who gets the bad name for everything bad in Guyana.

The offender’s mode of escape shows that the offender or his handler is not of the suffering class.

The attack on Mr. Kissoon, well known for his solidarity with those he knows to be sufferers and victims of injustice, and now with Lindeners, falls into a pattern of political behaviour.

Clearly it comes from the government or its defenders.

Although he escaped serious injury the attack must be

classed among the Ugliest, coming from a political desert and a wish to control everything and everyone in sight. In 2010 they attacked him with human body waste.

Now they thrown a human body itself unto the fray, wasting a whole person.

That is not all. They fired him as an academic (Editor’s note: Mr. Kissoon’s UG contract was terminated before it was scheduled to end and was not renewed) with the special provision, worthy of the courts, that he should never be hired again in any capacity.

Mr. Ramkarran tried to be a good party member and to correct his comrades from within, as Mr. Ramjattan and

Mr. Nagamootoo had done in their time. They have shut up their own comrades. Now they want to shut up the population.

Some do not have to be told to shut up. The eminent Mr. Ashton Chase is silent by choice, while Dr Luncheon and Mr. Prime Minister Hinds babble by choice.

I just want to bring a truth from natural science into present day political affairs.

If the DNA of those who walked the earth in Africa thousands of years ago is in all of us., Africans and others, then the political DNA of those who were active in past times remains in the political system.

Not everyone will agree, I

know. But we are deceiving ourselves if we pretend or believe that because of age or inactivity “it has nothing to do” with us.

But then self-deception is a national illness. In the full glare of the 2011 general election results the President appointed a one- party administration so that the same clique could control the wealth of the country.

There was no outcry from the free press or from the opposition.

We have conspired in depriving the voters of their rightful entitlements.

And that is one reason why Linden happened. and we are in mourning.

Eusi Kwayana

Sunday August 19, 2012

Kaieteur News

Kaieteur M@ilbox

What is delaying this simple ballistic test to ascertain who killed the protesters?

DEAR EDITOR, I am deeply disappointed that my colleagues allowed Police Commissioner Leroy Brumell off so lightly last Friday when he spoke about the status of the investigation into the July 18 killing of three Linden protesters.

Commissioner Brumell made some damning revelations which should have resulted in him being grilled by the journalists who were present.

Out of the Commissioner’s mouth came the revelation that one month after the tragedy, the ballistic tests are still incomplete!

As far as I am aware, (and this has been verified by police officials with whom I spoke) there is nothing that should have prevented the police ballistic experts from completing these tests within a matter of days.

There have been no reports of a ‘phantom shooter’ at the scene. The only persons with firearms were police ranks, so the investigators knew up-front that the shooters were their own colleagues.

According to Crime Chief Seelall Persaud, an inventory revealed that only four shotgun cartridges were missing from the stock of ammunition that the ranks had that day.

Investigators were apparently so certain that no other ranks had discharged weapons that they did not even bother to swab the hands of the ranks who discharged their firearms.

The investigators also took statements from those ranks who opened fire. So the police have the identities of the police ranks who discharged their firearms that fateful day.

My sources have told me that the Force’s ballistics experts were given four shotgun casings, which were reportedly recovered from Linden.

Copper-coated shotgun pellets were extracted from the wounded and two of the dead. I am told that police have similar cartridges, containing copper-coated pellets in stock.

While the ballistic experts would be unable to match the pellets to a particular weapon, they could match the retrieved cartridges (if they were indeed taken from the scene of the shooting) to the shotguns, and subsequently, to the ranks who opened fire.

All the ballistics

experts would be required to do was to fire the shotguns which were submitted for testing, and, using a microscope, match the firing pin and other markings from the cartridges they fired with the markings on the cartridges allegedly retrieved from Linden.

Of course, this test would not reveal who fired the fatal rounds. However, as a very senior legal official told me, since they all apparently acted in consort, all the ranks who opened fire would be implicated if it is established that the shooting was unjustified.

So, although the police reportedly have no eyewitness statements, they can still gather strong forensic evidence against the shooters.

So Commissioner Brumell should have been asked the following: What is causing this inordinate delay in conducting this simple test?

Have all the shotguns been submitted to the ballistics men? Is it that that the weapons have been submitted but that the ballistics team is occupied with even more pressing duties?

But what could be more pressing than carrying out these tests that could either implicate or exonerate the police? Have the police decided to wait for the conclusion of the Commission of Inquiry, which is likely to drag out into the new year?

Editor, in my view, delaying this aspect of the investigation can only lead to frustration on the part of relatives of the dead, and suggestions, albeit untrue, of a police ‘cover-up.’

Michael Jordan

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Kaieteur M@ilbox Is Mr. Ferouz not speaking on behalf of our Muslim fore-parents who came from Calcutta?

DEAR EDITOR, This is in reference to Mr. Rafeek Ferouz’s letter titled “Muslim lost the battle long before 1911” in which he responded to our letter.

We wish to point out that first of all, the Calcutta “Aliya Madrasah” founded in 1781

by Warren Hastings was NOT the first madrasah in Hindustan since there were already several madrasahs which the Mughals had established long before the British set foot on Hindustani soil. So maybe what Mr. Ferouz probably meant to say was that the “Aliya Madrasah” was the first madrasah established by the British Raj in that country, a point which is not relevant to the essence of our letter. We would also like to point out that the term madrasah has

several connotations – it could be a medium of formal or informal teachings as well as teachings by private teachers and tutors – all of these methods of education existed in Hindustan eons prior to the British arrival in Hindustan.

In fact, the early Muslim traders established madrasahs when they set up trading posts along the Malabar Coast since the 7th8th Century.

More importantly, the main purpose of establishing the Aliya Madrasah was primarily to educate British

citizens on Islamic Laws and languages - Urdu, Persian, Arabic – as well as astronomy, medicine, mathematics, and other skills which were being taught in the other “Mohammedan” schools so that the ‘students’, upon graduation, could help the British Raj in understanding and interpreting Islamic/sharia laws as well as be to be even better revenue and ‘lagaan’ collectors, the latter was of greater importance to the British.

The British also founded Continued on page 6

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Kaieteur News

Kaieteur M@ilbox

Sunday August 19, 2012

Kaieteur M@ilbox

QUESTIONS FOR PEEPING TOM This man is destroying our streets DEAR EDITOR, I am not normally inclined to comment on articles written by persons who shelter behind pseudonyms, especially those incapable of disguising their bias. I cannot, however, refrain from commenting briefly on Peeping Tom’s article in your Saturday 18 August edition “The Protests in Linden did more harm than good”, just by asking this phantom four simple questions: 1. What is the basis of his/her estimate of $300,000,000 for rebuilding the One Mile Wismar School.?

2. What were the new investments planned for Linden that would now dry up as a result of the protests? Who are the investors

that would now not be rushing to invest in Linden, and where were these investors over the past 25 years?

3. Who were the investors that were planning to build the smelter but given the political risks involved, are likely to be very circumspect?

4. What are the viable economic alternative routes to the Guyana interior that he/she, the great clairvoyant, could contemplate for those devastated miners who are not going to be keen on Linden as a transit point because of the protests and would be looking for alternatives?

Sylvester Carmichael

I condemn the assault on Freddie, but…

DEAR EDITOR, The physical attack on Mr. Freddie Kissoon must be condemned. Most of the media reports on the attack are biased as it is suggesting who was behind the attack when no evidence was proffered.

Freddie is a controversial columnist who attacks all and sundry. Thus, he has a lot of enemies.

Anyone (government or opposition supporter or other) could have pounced on him and no one therefore should be accused unless evidence is provided to back such claim.

To do so would be no different from Freddie’s writings in which he makes unbelievable and unsubstantiated claims.

Kissoon does not have any right to assault people (with his pen) destroying their character, integrity and reputation. Kissoon has no regard for truth and he thrives on misinformation and distortion. Kissoon’s writings are just a notch above physical assault. His attacks

leave deep scars on people worse than the pain he receives from the physical attack. But no one has any right to assault the columnist even if he touched them the wrong way and in the wrong place.

The sections of the media that are biased in their reporting that suggest that the government or some specific person has something to do with the attack must also be condemned.

While it is true that Kissoon is a perennial critic (and attacker) of the government, there are others (from the media, business community, religious forces, community advocates, political activists, etc.) who are the subjects of Kissoon’s poisonous pen. There are many, many more enemies than just the government. No one has come forward with any evidence on who carried out this assault, yet people are indicted. Even Freddie, in a typical fashion, hints that

government was behind the assault on him.

The media also needs to provide exact reporting on this and other events – one paper said Freddie was slapped. Another paper said he was repeatedly punched.

Another said he fell to the ground.

Another did not make mention of him being on the ground. So even the media can get their act together to report on what is a very simple straight forward story. The attack took place at the location of a public meeting – there was no media! No one filmed it?

There must be a thorough investigation of this assault.

A Commission of Inquiry is needed (after all Freddie is a very important person – nah so Fred) to get to the bottom of it so the attackers can be arrested and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

In the meanwhile, I suggest Freddie stop assaulting others.

Vishnu Bisram

DEAR EDITOR, Please allow me a space in your daily news paper letter column to share what is happen in region 5 particularly in the Woodley Park Area under the current PPP\C administration.

Residents of Woodley Park have been complaining for decades about the destruction of its streets that by a well known individual.

Several reports have been made to the NDC in the area and the RDC Regional Chairman but nothing is being done to correct the situation. This man traverses the streets every day, rain or sun, with his tractors and trailers and during the reaping time with his combine.

He is now destroying the Village office street as he now uses that small street to go in and out of the area and the NDC staff look on as if they cannot do anything. This said individual about twelve

years ago was the one that was in favor to have street bars but when he started to do large scale farming he was the one to break the bars, so that his equipment can be taken in and out of the village.

The streets are in a very deplorable state, the village office street has a pond in the centre of it and when it rains it is hard to gain access in and out of that street. During the dry period vehicles have to use another access street because of the damage done.

Residents did some patching with bricks but yet this man continues driving on this path.

He has already destroyed the southern half of the School Street, Takoor Street and the back street (Freddie st.), those are in a very bad state.

In the nights it’s hard to see where you are going and this said individual sometime parks his tractor with plow,

chippers and gage wheel on the street without lights or reflectors. Many times persons traversing the streets tend to ride or walk into those equipments’ and get hurt; when they complain nothing is being done.

The RDC and NDC must take a stand to correct this situation as early as possible.

How can they allow their officer to destroy public infrastructures and make life miserable for the residents?

The residents of Woodley Park demand justice.

I hope that Mr. Benn will take note of the parking that is dangerous and mostly it is done on Government property.

I am appealing to the RDC chairman to look into this matter as early as possible so that residents of Woodley Park Reef Section can have better access in and out of the area.

Abel Seetaram

Is Mr. Ferouz not speaking on behalf...

From page 5 a similar institution – The Benares Sanskrit College which was established in 1791 for the same purpose, i.e., inter alia, to enable the British citizens ‘occupying’ Hindustan to better understand the Hindu religious texts, laws, Hindi and other local dialects so that they could communicate with the locals without any misunderstanding on anyone’s part.

Another reason for the establishment of these two early ‘religious’ institutions by the British was that prior to the imposition of the British judicial system in Hindustan, their magistrates and judges had to rely on ‘pandits and moulvis’ for interpretation of the respective religious laws

and based on that they would determine the appropriate “punishment or fine” to those who found themselves in the ‘court’. The reliance on the ‘locals to provide such assistance placed the British at a disadvantage and at the mercy of the respective Hindu/Muslim ‘leaders’ for obvious reasons. So, in reality the ‘birth’ of these two ‘educational’ institutions grew out of necessity for the British wanting their citizens to become “better administrators” which meant that they had to be wellversed in the languages and cultures of Hindustan. And we knew how their “administration” of the country went.

However, and more importantly, the majority of

Indians who were brought over from India to Guyana were from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Madras, only a handful were from Calcutta/ West Bengal (and an even smaller number of Muslims came from Calcutta) where the “Aliya madrasah” was located and which at that time was NOT open to the “locals”. We hope that Mr. Ferouz was not speaking on behalf of the few Calcutta Muslims whom he deemed were taught by the British not to obey Allah and that they lost Allah, we also hope that Mr. Ferouz is not one of those who “lost Allah”, and if so then we sincerely hope that he finds Allah in the near future.

Shabnam Alli Raymond Chickrie

Sunday August 19, 2012

Kaieteur News

Syria denies Assad’s deputy tried to defect BEIRUT (Reuters) - Syria dismissed reports that President Bashar al-Assad’s deputy had defected and its forces pursued an offensive against rebels, bombarding parts of Aleppo in the north and attacking an insurgentheld town in the oilproducing east.

Vice-President Farouq alShara “never thought for a moment about leaving the country”, said a statement from his office broadcast on state television yesterday in response to reports that the veteran Baath Party loyalist had tried to defect to Jordan.

Assad, battling a 17month-old rebellion led by Syria’s Sunni Muslim majority, has been abandoned by a number of senior officials, including prime minister Riyadh Hijab two weeks ago.

Shara, whose cousin - an intelligence officer announced his own defection on Thursday, is a Sunni Muslim from Deraa province where the revolt began against Assad, a member of the minority Alawite sect that is an offshoot of Shi’ite Islam.

The 73-year-old former foreign minister kept a low

profile as the rebellion mushroomed but appeared in public last month at a state funeral for three of Assad’s top security officials killed in a bomb attack in Damascus.

The statement said he had worked since the start of the uprising to find a peaceful, political solution and welcomed the appointment of Algerian diplomat Lakhdar Brahimi as a new international mediator for Syria.

Brahimi, who hesitated for days before accepting a job that France’s U.N. envoy Gerard Araud called an “impossible mission”, will replace former U.N. SecretaryGeneral Kofi Annan, who is leaving at the end of the month.

Annan’s six-point plan to stop the violence and advance towards political negotiations was based on an

April ceasefire agreement which never took hold. The conflict has deepened since then with both sides stepping up attacks.

Assad’s forces have resorted increasingly to air power to hold back lightly armed insurgents in the capital Damascus and Aleppo, a northern commercial hub. More than 18,000 people have died in the bloodshed and about 170,000 have fled the country, according to the United Nations.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the army bombarded neighborhoods in Aleppo.

Rebels hold several districts in the country’s largest city and have tried to push back an army counter-offensive.

State television said soldiers “cleared terrorists and mercenaries” - terms used by authorities to describe Assad’s armed opponents - from the western district of Saif al-Dawla, where some of the heaviest fighting has taken place.

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Kaieteur News

Sunday August 19, 2012

Barbados signs economic and UK, Ecuador seek solution technical agreement with China to deadlock over Assange BRIDGETOWN, Barbados - CMC Barbados has signed an economic and technical agreement with the People’s Republic of China that Bridgetown says signals the growing relationship between the two countries.

“In May 2012, we celebrated 35 years of diplomatic relations and this economic and technical agreement demonstrates the strengthening of our friendship and bilateral relations,” said Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Minister Maxine McClean as she signed the accord with the Chinese Ambassador to Barbados, Xu

Hong, on Friday.

She said Barbados was identifying a number of developmental initiatives that could benefit from the new agreement, while the Chinese diplomat said that the agreement would assist Barbados in its development and economic growth.

Over the years, China has provided assistance for numerous development projects, including the construction of the Garfield Sobers Gymnasium, the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre, and the Elsie Payne Complex.

LONDON (AP) — Britain is seeking an amicable solution with Ecuador to their diplomatic standoff over WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, a U.K. official insisted yesterday, as the secret-spiller prepared to make his first public statement since the Latin American nation confirmed it would offer him asylum.

Assange, who took shelter in the Ecuadorian Embassy on June 19 after he exhausted all routes of appeal in the U.K. to avoid extradition to Sweden for questioning over sexual misconduct allegations, is scheduled to make a public statement today.

London diplomats have spoken with Ecuadorian Ambassador Ana Alban since

the South American country granted Assange asylum on Thursday, a move which threatens to further complicate Sweden’s twoyear long attempt to have the activist extradited from Britain.

British officials in Ecuador’s capital, Quito, have also contacted the country’s foreign ministry to discuss a resumption of talks over the case, and to quell anger prompted when Britain appeared to suggest it could invoke a little-known law to strip Ecuador’s embassy of diplomatic privileges — meaning police would be free to move in and detain Assange.

Diplomats have repeated assurances that Britain was simply setting out the

country’s legal options, not making a specific threat to storm the nation’s mission — a small apartment in London’s ritzy Knightsbridge district, close to the famed Harrods department store.

Britain had held seven rounds of formal talks with Ecuador over the stalemate before Thursday’s decision.

But Foreign Secretary William Hague insists Britain has no option but to meet the obligations of a European arrest warrant and send Assange to Stockholm.

Former Spanish judge Baltasar Garzon, who is representing Assange, said Ecuador may consider making an appeal to the International Court of Justice in The Hague in order to compel Britain to grant Assange safe passage

Govt. units, politicians to come under FIU scrutiny Trinidad Express Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) scrutiny to prevent white-collar crime will soon apply to all public authorities — from ministries to the Tobago House of Assembly — and also to “politicallyexposed” people. This is as a result of amendments to FIU legislation debated in the House of Representatives Friday.

Attorney General Anand Ramlogan, piloting the legislation, said a team from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) would visit T&T later this month to see how T&T had done in complying with FATF requirements according to the

United Nations convention to which T&T signed. The requirements are aimed at monitoring suspicious financial transactions to curb white-collar crime, including money laundering, and to clamp down on the assets of terrorists.

Ramlogan said when the international team visits the Government hoped T&T would get a positive rating from the inspection.

Amendments to the FIU legislation will now place non-regulated businesses under the scrutiny of the FIU in addition to other businesses ranging from real estate to jewelry dealers and banks. It will place public

authorities under FIU scrutiny also.

Ramlogan said these range from ministries and their departments to the Tobago House of Assembly, THA executive council and other THA units, regional health authorities, statutory corporations, service commissions and any other entity funded by taxpayers.

“The FIU can now reach into these areas and get the cooperation to investigate suspicious transactions,” Ramlogan said. Other amendments allow the FIU to halt for five days any suspicious financial transactions reported to the body.

The FIU will also be allowed to solicit information and co-operation from authorities — such as the Central Bank and public authorities — for its probes.

The FIU will be able to get a High Court order to obtain the information if necessary.

Ramlogan said confidentiality will be tight since any FIU official who disclosed information risked a fine of $250,000 and three years in prison.

Sunday August 19, 2012

Kaieteur News

>>>> PNCR COLUMN <<<<

The Declaration of Vreed-en-Hoop - The way forward for the PNCR The People’s National Congress is preparing to celebrate its 55th anniversary on 5th October this year. The Party is also preparing a policy review to enable it to respond to the demands of the changing political environment in Guyana.

The Party, for five and a half decades, has been driven by a consistent commitment to citizens’ fundamental rights. It has, within the past two years, participated in three democratic processes – internal primary elections to choose a presidential candidate on 26th February 2011; general and regional elections as a member of A Partnership for National Unity on 28th November 2011 and the election of a new party leader at its 17th biennial congress on 29th July 2012.

Brigadier David Granger, the newly-elected party Leader, explained that the experiences of these three events – together with his personal interactions with Party members and his appreciation of the aspirations of the people whom he had been meeting over the last two years – have contributed to the evolution of ideas to move the party forward.

Dubbed the “Declaration of Vreed-en-Hoop” because he outlined those ideas in that West Demerara community, the Leader put forward several points for the Party’s progress. He intends, after further consultations among grass-root members, to present proposals to the party’s Central Executive Committee and the General Council for further deliberation, modification and adoption.

Granger called on party members to rekindle pride in the many accomplishments of the PNC in government and not to allow the prejudicial views of others to make them ashamed to speak out. He reminded members that it was the PNC while in government that had reconstructed sea defences and the coastal roads network and constructed the SoesdykeLinden highway, river bridges on the Canje and Demerara, the international airport at Timehri, the MahaicaMahaicony-Abary agricultural development scheme, the University of Guyana Turkeyen Campus and other infrastructural projects.

The PNCR Leader called on members to embark on a massive membership drive to strengthen the Party and to broaden its base. He set an ambitious target of doubling registered membership by the

18th biennial congress due to be held by August 2014. He also encouraged the Party’s arms – the National Congress of Women and the Guyana Youth and Student Movement – to conduct countrywide recruitment campaigns.

Granger added that, as recruitment increased, institutional measures for internal Party democracy will be strengthened. These measures will see senior-level leaders being elected only after the presentation of their candidature to local group members.

The PNCR leader reminded members that “All politics is local,” emphasising that many matters villagers raised had to be resolved within the regions. He said that part of the solution to some of rural and agrarian problems lay in intensifying villagers’ participation in Neighbourhood Democratic Councils. These councils, unfortunately, were now being dismantled by the People’s Progressive Party Civic administration. The Party had to be ready to fortify grass-roots democracy by playing a greater role in local government, countrywide.

The Leader reiterated the Party’s absolute commitment to ensuring equality for all and protecting citizens’ fundamental rights. He called to mind the ongoing brutish treatment of Lindeners at the hands of the PPPC administration and the Police Force. He recalled, also, the inadequate communication and education infrastructure in some hinterland and coastal areas which hindered the development of many citizens.

The Leader emphasised

that the party should define itself as an advocate for social justice and the “defender of fundamental rights” in Guyana. He pointed out that, at present, it is a citizen’s birthright to have his or her basic needs met.

The PNCR, therefore, must continue its assault on inequality of opportunity and must remove impediments to equal access to public services.

He reminded members of the importance of rebuilding the PNCR’s historic relationships with trade unions. The People’s Progressive Party Civic administration, over the past two decades, had gravely undermined the bargaining power of the larger public sector unions. The PNCR now had the responsibility to restore the integrity and viability of working people’s organisations.

Brigadier Granger called on members to expand economic production in the country. He agreed with residents that adverse conditions had to be improved. The People’s Progressive Party Civic administration had damaged the rural economy of several regions. Complaints about unsatisfactory drainage and irrigation, poor infrastructure, youth unemployment, land tenure and shrinking economic opportunities - especially in crop farming and animal husbandry - in many rural regions, all pointed to the need for the PNCR to pay greater attention to the economy.

The Leader encouraged Party members to seek economic independence to improve their livelihood. He told members that the PNCR’s

policy was to find ways to increase wealth…not to perpetuate poverty. He called on Party members to become more enterprising, saying “you have to become businessmen and women; you have to produce more; you have to be educated and ensure that your children are educated so that they could find gainful employment...”

Granger said that the Party is committed totally to achieving national unity and will continue to build bridges to all communities and interest groups. He promised to work towards promoting inclusionary democracy in A Partnership for National Unity. He said, “we must be able to sit down as Guyanese, setting aside ethnic prejudices”.

The electorate on 28th November 2011 indicated that it was fed up with the PPPC’s style of ‘winnertakes-all’ politics. APNU had already brought about a ‘seachange’ in the local landscape. Clearly, the Partnership represents the future configuration of politics in Guyana.

Page 9

Dem boys seh

Leslie and Baksh got fuh jump dem cows Dem old people does always seh that when de blind leading de blind all two of dem will fall into a ditch. In Guyana language, that mean that one of dem gun lead de other into a trench and hell to pay if dem can’t swim.

Everybody know ‘bout de Bees. De Bees is known fuh thiefing. Dem does thief everything that move and even wha don’t move. When dem can’t thief dem does go to court.

But de Guyanese people never pay attention to de Dees.

Dem got Donald and David. Donald and David is de two people who leading de country. One leading de government and de other one leading de opposition. That is why Guyana sinking. De two of dem in de same boat and none of dem got a paddle.

Now dem boys want fuh know wha dem gun become.

Already some people seh that dem is Dummies. But people want know if dem is also de Devil, Demons, Downright Dotish or Donkey. De Donkey is de animal that people got to drive from behind and dem boys seh that is exactly that dem got to do wid Donald and David. De Dummies bringing disaster to de country.

Guyana had enough disaster under de Bees and dem don’t want no more. Is because of Bharrat that dem had to import breeding bulls—more Bees. He instruct Leslie and Baksh fuh import de bulls. Dem two import young bulls.

De government spend millions of dollars pun dem bulls and when dem come, people hear that dem got to wait fuh one year before dem can jump a cow.

Well de farmers was waiting and dem can’t wait anymore.

Dem approach Donald who seh that he didn’t know ‘bout de importation, but since Bharrat mek it happen somebody got to do something. At Cabinet dem ask Donald, but he seh don’t put he in that.

De result is that Cabinet tek a decision. In de interim Leslie and Baksh gun got to jump dem cows till dem young bull ready. Dem boys seh that dem was surprise to hear that Leslie start even before de Cabinet decision.

Talk half and try help Donald and David.

Page 10

Kaieteur News

Sunday August 19, 2012

Sharp decline recorded in CSEC English ‘A’ After two years of reasonable performances in the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) English ‘A’ exams, the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) has recorded a sharp decline in the subject area this year. This was highlighted by Senior Assistant Registrar, Dr. Gordon Harewood, when he addressed a CXC forum at the Guyana International Conference Centre on Thursday last.

The significant decline, he pointed out, is evident by the mere 47 per cent of candidates achieving the widely accepted Grades of between One and Three. The achievement this year in the subject area is viewed as particularly dismal, since CXC over the previous two years had recorded 60 plus per cent passes at Grade One through Three.

“We haven’t done the real granular analysis to have all the answers. That would require a really dedicated set of persons, but we know what some of the weaknesses are,” he asserted. Among the evident weaknesses is the fact that some candidates are incapable of summary writing. He pointed to question one on the examination paper, where students are required to read a passage and summarise it in a set number of words while

- Senior CXC official

Senior Assistant Registrar, Dr. Gordon Harewood at the same time making sure that they capture all of the important points. This he said left much to be desired.

“We have flagged in this before as a challenge and this year it continues to be a particular challenge,” Dr. Harewood noted.

In addition to that, he disclosed that in the area of comprehension, CXC has observed that what candidates found taxing this year were the questions which required a slightly higher level of comprehension.

The English ‘A’ paper usually comprises two comprehension passages and there are different styles of writing and several questions

on each passage. Candidates are required to peruse the passages and extrapolate factual information.

Dr. Harewood revealed that candidates did fairly well in their attempt to pick out the important information, but fell short when responding to questions which required a little more critical thinking.

The English ‘A’ paper has two profiles – understanding and expression – with candidates performing much better on understanding than on expression this year.

“This is something that we have been flagging in for some years and feedback comes to us too, which tells us about students who get decent overall grades but cannot write properly, and this is what is being reflected here.”

The reflection of the grades further suggest that since candidates are not able to acquire good scores on both understanding and expression, they by extension may have missed out on a better grade.

According to Dr. Harewood, there were clear disparities in performances in the two profiles. He added too that the CXC Subject Awards Committee on completion of the grading exercise noticed that in terms of writing, candidates obviously are using resources available.

However, this in some cases indicated that students attempted to copy and in several instances quite inappropriately.

“The writings where candidates did very poorly came across as being very rehearsed. In many cases where weaknesses in expression were demonstrated in essays, we saw where candidates had obviously learnt phrases and expressions and were reproducing them without really taking into account, context or appropriateness.

So taken by itself, phrases might sound very good, but they didn’t fit in...They weren’t that coherent in the compositions.”

Now we want them to read the good short stories and the exemplars that we have on our website, but it has to be a collaborative effort with students and teachers. The aim is to internalise the good writings that you see so that you can have your own rather than somebody else’s

writing,” Dr. Harewood stressed.

He insisted that the writings exhibited on the CXC website are only intended to serve as models to encourage candidates to get to the stage where they can effectively use and create personal compositions.

According to the senior official, “that cannot happen overnight and it certainly can’t start in fourth or fifth forms but much lower down.”

Moreover, he intimated the urgency for students to embrace the reading of good writings, adding that “the only way you would write better in the exam is if you write and rewrite, and write during classes as you prepare for the exam.”

It is imperative, according to Dr. Harewood, that students get feedback from their teacher and seek to redraft their writings and make it better ahead of entering the flagship examination.

In recognition of some of the difficulties candidates face, he revealed that CXC will from next year be seeking to build into its instructions, for the subject area, the need for candidates to make a plan ahead of writing.

However, despite the decline in the performance this year, Dr. Harewood assured that it does not appear to be a hopeless situation.

“I am concerned about the result... but despair? No I am not in a state of despair.” He pointed to the internet as a powerful technology available today to help intervene in the subject areas that are not doing as well as they should, adding that “if we all as a Region embrace this technology and really use it to the max then we will see improvements from our collaborative efforts. It is not going to happen overnight but it will happen incrementally.”

Residents shun Buxton protest It was supposed to be a massive protest, blocking the main thoroughfare at Buxton on the East Coast of Demerara, but it turned out like a damp squib.

From as early as 07:00 hours about 15 persons, including Working People’s Alliance executive members Desmond Trotman and Dr. David Hinds, turned out, and with placards proclaiming support for the Linden protest, they lined a small

section of the road, soliciting lukewarm responses from passersby.

The protest was conceptualized at a public meeting at Buxton last week when several speakers called on residents to come out in numbers and block the Main East Coast Demerara Highway.

However an hour into the protest it was clear that very few persons took the call seriously.

In the end, those who turned out resigned

themselves to first lining the roadway before venturing onto the centre of the road snarling traffic for a mere two minutes, amusing motorists.

But at least some of the leaders, who were dared by Acting Commissioner of Police Leroy Brumell, turned out and led from the front.

The police on the East Coast of Demerara could take some credit for keeping the thoroughfare clear as they kept up constant surveillance.

After about two hours in the sun the group dispersed.

Sunday August 19, 2012

Kaieteur News

We are on the brink of victory for Linden and change is in sight – Reg. 10 Chairman tells rally

By Latoya Giles and Enid Joaquin Scores of Lindeners turned out yesterday to mark the one month commemoration of the three men - Shemroy Bouyea, Ron Somerset and Allan Lewis who were killed on July 18th, the first day of protest against electricity tariff increases for the mining town.

The event passed with a peaceful march throughout the streets to the Mackenzie/ Wismar Bridge where a public rally was held.

The rally commenced with prayers and worship, led by Pastor Selwyn Sills, and later, residents were addressed by several speakers including Leader of the Opposition David Granger, Dr. Rupert Roopnaraine, Regional Chairman Sharma Solomon and Vanessa Kissoon, among others. Dr. David Hinds and Lincoln Lewis were some of the other key figures present.

Granger in his brief remarks declared, “On July 18th, there was death; today there is revival, there is resurrection, this is a day for the rebirth of Linden.” He added how touched he was to see people who not worked in over a month, giving out of the little they had, to help rebuild the One Mile Primary school, which was torched by arsonists.

“May the school be renamed the 18th of July school, and may it become a monument to your determination and sacrifice.

“Linden and Region 10, we stand mighty, because we are on the brink of victory for the people and change is in sight.”

Solomon exhorted Lindeners to stay focused as “many a victory has been snatched away in the 99th hour”.

Regional Chairman Sharma Solomon addresses the gathering.

He urged persons to stand resolute and to ensure that justice is served within the community.

“One month after the shooting ….we cannot seek to identify the persons who committed the acts and those who continued to abuse persons even after the shooting to death of persons.” He said that Lindeners will not lose ground until they get what they deserve.

“Right now the eyes of the world are on us….our Guyanese brothers and sisters are watching Lindeners as we stand mighty and we are on the brink of victory for Linden and change is in sight.”

“All must be involved in decision making that affects their community” Solomon posited. He further stated that the reflection of the regional vote must be respected by each political party.

“Region Ten will show the nation what shared

NCN hosts corruption debates from tonight The government’s stateowned National Communications Network (NCN) has announced plans to host a series of debates on corruption starting today.

According to the entity, the debate will be broadcast live and will be a seven-part series.

The first airing will be tonight at 19:00hrs.

NCN said that already, invitations have been extended to representatives of Government, Parliamentary political parties, the private sector and civil society to discuss issues of corruption.

“The seven-part debate series will be moderated by Al Creighton, Administrator, Academic and Researcher of the University of Guyana and Associate Fellow at

Al Creighton University of Warwick.

These debates will be aired twice weekly on Sundays and Wednesdays on Radio (Voice of Guyana) and Television (Channel 11).”

governance is and it is done by respecting rights for all.

We would trust the regime to address the needs of Linden but we the people of Linden will hold the same regime and national leaders accountable for the delivery, because they know what we are capable of.”

He stressed that they will also hold civil society accountable for ensuring that the government delivers on its promise, but the power rests with Lindeners. He went on to say that the community will not rest until Linden is economically viable which would mean a bright future for children in Region Ten. “Our community is rich in natural resources and it is the gateway to the interior… the potential is known.”

Solomon emphasised that although the community is under siege the residents’ minds are not and they will continue to survive.

“To date we cannot have the commission of inquiry into the shooting of July 18,” Solomon stressed. He said that by now they could have completed at least 90 percent of the inquiry, and added that the entire country must ensure that justice is served to the families that were affected.

He spoke of several benefits of the negotiations with government.

“I want you to understand we stand on the verge of having the things

we didn’t have, like the land selection committee” Solomon said. He further stated that Lindeners now have the opportunity to see how lands are being distributed within the community.

“People of Linden for years we have been suffering with one television station, we now have within two weeks the dish and transmitter for a station… which would be managed by the residents.

Residents will now have a choice to choose what they want to watch. We will have more access from the country, it would be independent views.”

“What is important to Linden is the economic package which would liberate you.”

“There will be an economic model that was agreed upon and we have established an economic programme that will investigate every aspect within the community… all the areas of growth. We will be able to assess our unemployment problem within the community which is promised to bring more economic sustainability within the first six months and jobs will be created.”

Dr. Rupert Roopnaraine also told the gathering that victory was at hand while urging Lindeners to maintain their focus. According to the APNU MP, the parties met late into Friday night to address several pressing issues for the community.

He urged the town’s residents not to do anything that would jeopardize or hinder movement.

Roopnarine further stated that they have to ensure that the timeline in the terms of reference are met and the things which were promised are delivered. He promised that they would continue to work even though the meetings are done.

Another aspect he emphasised that they are working on is the demilitarization of the community. He said that Lindeners showed great strength when they decided to rebuild the school, and opined that it was absurd that some may think that they were involved in the burning of an institution which brings hope into the community.

Page 11

Page 12

Kaieteur News

Linden crisis…

All damaged infrastructure will be rebuilt Presidential Advisor on Governance, Gail Teixeira and Works Minister Robeson Benn have stated that all of the damaged infrastructure in Linden will be rebuilt once things are back to normal.

The two officials were at the time responding to questions from members of the media on Thursday during President Ramotar’s visit to the community.

During the month-long protest in the mining community numerous buildings were destroyed by fire.

Teixeira said it is estimated that it will take millions to rebuild and it is their hope that they will get the support from the opposition in Parliament when the time is right.

According to Teixeira they have not yet been able to fully assess all the damage, but will do so shortly with the aim of rebuilding. Teixeira stated that the works which will be needed in the community will have to be done through supplementary funds which the Parliament will have to approve.

“We hope when we take

- Works Minister this to Parliament that we will get the support from the opposition.”

Further she added that their main priority now will be the One Mile Primary School which once housed some 830 children. She said a decision will have to be made shortly by the Education Minister given that that school will soon be reopened.

Also speaking on the issue of damaged infrastructure was Minister Benn, who said that given the attempt to burn to Mackenzie/ Wismar Bridge they will have to carry out some works to ensure that the structure is not in any way compromised.

He added that only recently works to the tune of $202M was spent for repairs to the bridge.

During the month long protest which resulted in three persons being shot and killed and dozens being injured, several roads in and around the community were dug up. The Kara Kara bridge was also damaged to some extent.

Sunday August 19, 2012

Joe Singh resigns as GGMC’s Chairman Hours before today’s commencement of Mining Week, Chairman of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), Major General (rtd) Joe Singh, yesterday tendered his resignation.

The move came amidst increasing pressure by the Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association (GGDMA) which had threatened to boycott this week’s activities if Singh remained at the helm of the regulatory body.

GGDMA, an advocacy entity of which several powerful miners are its members, had recently passed a no confidence vote against Singh, a former army chief and environmentalist.

Singh is also Chief Executive Officer (ag) of the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company.

According to a letter of resignation sent to Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment, Robert Persaud, which was released

by Singh to the press, he did not want to be the reason why GGDMA would not participate in Mining Week activities.

His resignation was with immediate effect.

“I had not been informed that such a vote had taken place and now that I am aware of this, I would not wish to be the excuse for the Association’s non– participation in the Mining

...as GGDMA threatens boycott of Mining Week Week 2012 activities, and also an inhibiting factor in the much needed collaboration between the Association and the Commission and with your Ministry,” Singh said in his letter to the Minister.

“The reform of the mining sector in accordance with Guyana’s national interests is far too important an objective to be distracted by the issue of my Chairmanship and Membership of the Board.”

As gold prices remain high on the world market, there has been a rush of activities to Guyana’s interior by miners. Miners have been enjoying an excellent couple of years.

But within the last few months, measures by the new Ministry have been meeting with resistance as a result of the association passing a noconfidence vote against the Minister and the Chairman.

The association had said that Singh, being an environmentalist, was acting contrary to this.

In his letter of resignation, Singh said that he has taken note of a letter sent by the GGDMA President, Patrick Harding, to the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, which threatened a nonparticipation of the Mining Week activities if the former army chief remained at the

helm of GGMC. According to Singh, in that letter from Harding, one of the main sticking points of the Annual General Meeting was his appointment as Chairman of the GGMC. He said that the GGDMA letter insisted that its members voted a motion of no confidence in him and that miners have articulated a case for his removal.

“To this end, we cannot participate in any of the activities of Mining Week 2012”, the GGDMA told the Ministry earlier this week.

“As a professional who has strived to serve the interests of Guyana and all of its citizens to my utmost ability for over the p a s t forty-eight years of my working life, it is not difficult for me to make this decision to resign from the Membership of the Board of the GGMC and as Chairman, I respectfully do so with immediate effect.”

The official said that he has already telephoned Harding and advised him of the decision and requested that GGDMA’s membership be informed “so that the way is cleared for the GGDMA to p a r t i c i p a t e f u l l y i n the Mining Week 2012 and in the process of reform and development of the mining

Resigned: GGMC’s Chairman Joe Singh sector in the interest of all Guyanese.”

Mining Week, under the theme “Investment and Technological Growth for Sustainability in the Mining Sector” is set to be opened officially this evening by President Donald Ramotar at the National Park.

It will commence with a walk from the Bank of Guyana to the Girl Guides Pavilion, Brickdam, and will culminate on August 25 with celebrations for Pork Knocker’s Day which will be held at Golden Beach, Bartica.

Other activities include a two-day National Mining Fair starting today at the National Park Tarmac and an International Mining Opportunities Seminar to be held at the Princess Hotel, Providence.

Sunday August 19, 2012

Kaieteur News

Page 13

E.C.D. four-lane extension…

Contractor moving to court for unpaid $64M The embattled contractor who is engaged in a verbal battle with the Ministry of Public Works over the abrupt termination of his contract says the attempt to sully his image and character will fail miserably.

The contractor, who heads the Falcon Transportation and Construction Services, said that “the Ministry, like a drowning rat, is trying to clutch at any straw to convince the public against the contractor.”

He is convinced that many other contractors, who are being bullied by officials of the Ministry are afraid to speak out for fear of victimization.

Minister Robeson Benn during a press briefing last week accused the contactor of fraud and nonperformance with regards to the $468M East Coast Road extension contract - charges that the contractor flatly denied.

The minister said that the contractor was trying to cover for his “substandard work” by trying to tarnish the reputations of the engineers at the Ministry of Public Works.

Minister Benn insisted that he is “sticking by his engineers”.

Allegations that the engineers and other officials had demanded kickbacks from the contractor surfaced during an exclusive interview the Falcon Transportation and Contracting Services boss had with this newspaper.

“You see, all the blame goes on the contractor when it is the engineers at the Ministry who at fault. Why didn’t they stop the works for six months when they found out that I was doing bad

works?” he said.

The contractor may not be far off the mark, since no lesser person than President Donald Ramotar admitted that there may be some collusion between government engineers and some contractors.

This is not the first time that the contractor has made these allegations.

He informed that in 2001 he had caused a senior official from the Ministry of Housing to be placed before the court for demanding a kickback from him and he has insisted that he will not be compromised. This position, he said, had led to the delay, by five months, of payments on the road extension contract, resulting in him suspending works on the project.

A few days later the Ministry responded by terminating the contract, a move that could lead to legal implications for the government.

“It is the contractor who made the first request to suspend the work on the first of July then they retaliated on 31st July by terminating the contract,” According to Clause 16.2 on the contract, the contractor has the right to suspend works.

Once the termination is done, the employer who fails to pay the contractor cannot terminate the contract without settling claims.

Another clause stipulates that the Ministry should have been paying the contractor interim payments, a condition that was violated for five months.

The ministry had revealed that the contractor was paid mobilisation and advances totaling over $200M. But in response, the

contractor pointed to Clause 14.2 of the contract which indicates that mobilization advance is to be repaid when 80% of the contract sum has been exhausted.

He said th a t i n m o s t cases, the engineers themselves do not under the contracts that govern most of the works they award, and this has led to a number of disputes.

“That is why I’m saying that they should have a complaints committee to deal with these issues. You would see 80 percent of the contractors have problems.

But it’s just like you depending on your father; if he gives you beef today and he cannot afford and give you cassava tomorrow, you have to accept it because you cannot do better…nobody seems to care…they only use and abuse contractors,” the contractor stressed.

Last week Minister Benn disclosed that the contractor has a bad track record with regards to several other previous contracts.

These include, works on the upgrading of 1100 metres of sea defences at Turkeyen/ Ogle on the East Coast of Demerara and the construction of roads, drains and culverts at Parfait Harmonie, West Bank Demerara.

However, the contractor has produced correspondence certifying the completion of both works, with some slight minor defects which were subsequently rectified within the defects liability period.

According to the contractor, the end transition was not in the original bid document and he had offered to do the variation at a cost of an additional $6.5M. “The Ministry refused to

accept our offer and closed the contract. A few months later the Ministry then went and award a contract for $40odd million for the same project. The record is there and these are things that (Minister) Benn should

He explained that while he was conducting the works there, the consultant engineer failed to properly record the work done, resulting in questions by the Ministry when the contractor submitted his certificate of

“I’m probably the only contractor who has asked for an audit of a project…” know,” the contractor explained.

The Minister during last week’s press conference also referred negatively to work done by the contractor at Canal Number Two polder.

But according to the contractor, that matter seems definitely headed for the court where the government could face civil action.

valuation.

Again payment was delayed, and after one year the contractor decided to take action by advising that an audit be done.

“I’m probably the only contractor who has asked for an audit of a project…”

Even then the Ministry procrastinated and it took them three months to agree

to the audit, the contractor said.

The audit confirmed the contractor’s valuation of the project ,but still the ministry refused to pay.

“It is 18 months they do not want to pay…it’s presently $64 million they have for me. After they refused to pay, we said that we will go to adjudication.

“The adjudication process which commenced in May last year was to have lasted 28 days…the first adjudicator took ill…then they took GAPE (Guyana Association of Professional Engineers) and until today it cannot be settled. We’re now going to move to the court for civil action,” the contractor declared.

The controversy has been boiling ever since the Ministry announced the termination of the East Coast road extension contract.

Page 14

Kaieteur News

$170M required for G/T Magistrates’ Court completion

Sunday August 19, 2012

ImmigrationTALK

Obama announced deferred action for young immigrants in U.S.

By Attorney Gail S. Seeram

The current state of the unfinished Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.

At least $170M is required for additional work to be done at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court. That figure, according to Junior Finance Minister Juan Edghill, is what has been requested from the Government for the total completion of rehabilitation work which would facilitate the Court’ s reopening.

In an interview with this publication, Chancellor of the Judiciary, Justice Carl Singh, said that the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court first underwent repairs and rehabilitation works funded by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).

The project, he explained, came under the Justice Sector Modernization programme, and had commenced in early 2011.

The contractor, PD Contracting Services, had completed its contractual obligations by performing the work that was required.

Justice Singh said that as a result of the internal and layout changes made at the court, it was noticed that additional work was needed,

for which further funding was requested from the Government.

The Chancellor asserted that the Magistrates’ Court could be occupied in its present state, if there were no other alternative, but the environment would be very uncomfortable for Magistrates and other court users. It would thus be necessary, to have the Court totally completed before it is reopened.

Meanwhile, Minister Edghill told Kaieteur News that he was aware of the request made by the Judiciary for the additional $170M, but the Government has not yet decided, since the administration does not have the funds to facilitate the expense.

At least $500M had been allocated for enhancing and upgrading the justice system for the year 2012. Within this sum, money was designated for the improvement of the Georgetown court and for the construction of other courts outside the city.

And Chancellor Singh revealed that court users

could look forward to having all ten Courts housed in one building. He also made mention of additional amenities such as air conditioning units and improved toilet facilities.

The Georgetown Magistrates’ Court has so far been extended at its northern and southern extremities.

The alternative Court building is located at Lot 92 Middle Street, the former Globe Trust premises.

Many persons have so far indicated their disapproval of the facilities at that location.

The attendants, as they wait outside the various courts, would express their discomfort, referring to the heated hallways and lack of seating.

It is not clear whether the temporary location is equipped with a generator, but when there are power outages, the building’s windows and sometimes doors must be opened to let in light and fresh air.

The Georgetown Magistrates’ Court was moved to its current location on March 7 of last year.

On June 15, 2012, U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano and President Obama announced that certain young people who were brought to the United States as young children, who do not present a risk to national security or public safety, and meet several key criteria will be considered for relief from removal from the country or from entering into removal proceedings. Those who demonstrate that they meet the criteria will be eligible to receive deferred action for a period of two years, subject to renewal, and will be eligible to apply for work authorization.

Under this directive, individuals who demonstrate that they meet the following criteria will be eligible for deferred action, on a case-bycase basis AND can apply for work authorization in the U.S. if they meet the following criteria: 1. Came to the United States under the age of sixteen; 2. Have continuously resided in the United States for a least five years preceding the date of this memorandum (June 15, 2012) and are present in the United States on the date of this memorandum (June 15, 2012); 3. Are currently in school, have graduated from high school, have obtained a general education development certificate, or are honorably discharged

veterans of the Coast Guard or Armed Forces of the United States; 4. Have not been convicted of a felony offense, a significant misdemeanor offense, multiple misdemeanor offenses, or otherwise pose a threat to national security or public safety; 5. Are not above the age of thirty.

Only those individuals who can prove through verifiable documentation that they meet these criteria will be eligible for deferred action and work authorization.

Individuals will not be eligible if they are not currently in the United States and cannot prove that they have been physically present in the United States for a period of not less than 5 years immediately preceding June 15, 2012.

On August 15, 2012, the forms were released to apply for this benefit for young immigrants. The forms are I821D, I-765 and I-765WS and the filing fees are $465.00.

Applicants are cautioned to attach the required documentation to prove eligibility for this temporary benefit.

This policy will not lead toward citizenship, but will remove the threat of deportation and grant the ability to work legally, leaving eligible immigrants able to remain in the United States for an extended period. The use of deferred action confers no substantive right, immigration status, or pathway to citizenship. Deferred action

Gail S. Seeram means DHS will temporarily halt any removal (deportation) proceedings against you for a certain period of time (a sort of temporary deportation waiver).

For young adult immigrants, this new policy gives them an opportunity to further their education or work skill since work authorization will grant them a social security number for enrollment in college and other certificate programs.

Currently, undocumented young immigrants cannot attend college or certificate programs since most do not have a social security number.

The U.S. will benefit from this policy because college enrollment may increase, military enrollment may increase, and various revenue streams such as car sales and home sales may increase with young adults acquiring purchasing power through working and obtaining social security numbers.

For individuals who are in removal proceedings and have already been identified as meeting the eligibility criteria and have been offered an exercise of discretion as part of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)’s ongoing case-by-case review, ICE will immediately begin to offer them deferred action for a period of two years, subject to renewal.

Though President Obama has been criticized for implementing this policy to gain political momentum among the Latino and immigrant voters, however, this initiative is the step in the right direction for our country to retain educated young adults in a time where we need skilled and educated workers.

Exposing corruption puts you in the opposition camp

Sunday August 19, 2012

Kaieteur News

Page 15

Miss China crowned Miss World 2012 M

iss China won the coveted title of Miss World yesterday, triumphing on home soil during a glitzy final held in a mining city on the edge of the Gobi desert.

The mostly Chinese audience erupted in cheers, and fireworks lit up the sky, when it was announced that the home candidate, Yu Wenxia, had been awarded the coveted title.

"When I was young I felt very lucky because so many people helped me, and I hope in the future I can help more children to feel lucky," Yu, a 23-year-old aspiring music teacher said when asked why she should be crowned.

Yu, who became China's second Miss World winner, appeared on stage in a dazzling array of ballgowns during the twohour final and serenaded the audience with a piercing rendition of a popular Chinese song.

Last year's Miss World, Ivian Sarcos of Venezuela, handed over her crown to Yu, who wore a sparkling blue dress, in the futuristic Dongsheng stadium in the northeastern city of Ordos.

Miss Mexico, Mariana Reynoso, had been the bookmakers' favourite for the title, but failed to make the last seven candidates despite a strong showing in the early rounds of the pageant. Miss Wales, Sophie Moulds, came in second, while Miss Australia, Jessica Kahawaty, finished third.

The final, watched by a worldwide TV audience of an estimated one billion viewers, included a nod to the culture of Inner Mongolia, with a performance by a group of Mongolian musicians playing the erhu, a traditional two-stringed instrument. (AFP)

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Kaieteur News

Sunday August 19, 2012

Traci

Sunday August 19, 2012

Kaieteur News

Meet beautiful Traci This week, we are pleased to introduce you to stunning Traci Melville, an aspiring doctor. Aged 19, she is currently pursuing a degree in biology in the USA. Her hobbies include travelling and swimming.

Her advice to young people is â&#x20AC;&#x153;don't ever think you can't achieve your goals; as long as you persevere, you will achieve your dreams.â&#x20AC;?

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Sunday August 19, 2012

Kaieteur News

Page 19

PEERING BENEATH THE SURFACE OF PROTEST ACTION A deeper analysis of the protests in Linden would reveal that it went beyond the electricity issue. The protests followed the decision to increase electricity tariffs in Linden through a phased process, and not by some 800% as some groups are mischievously peddling, but the thinking behind the protests had other sources.

It was purely because of a misrepresentation or a misunderstanding of what the State proposed to do that led to the protests. The electricity merely provided the occasion for the standoff.

The electricity issue was the main surface factor. The deeper causes were related to national attitudes towards the provision of State services and towards the results of the elections of last November.

There is an aversion in this country to paying increases for government services. This is not anything new. It has existed for some time.

People will pay more for food, for transportation, for private services, for public events and all manner of other things. But when it comes to paying more for government services, it is always a problem. This is why the government has been forced for so many years to subsidize electricity and water to what has now become unmanageable levels.

Guyanese throughout the country have to understand that in a market economy, economic costs will eventually have to be paid for services. Somehow Guyanese accept this fact when they go to live in foreign countries. But at home they become stuck to the position that certain public services are an entitlement and they should not have to pay increases for these services. It is an attitude that will have to change if Guyana is to progress.

People will eventually have to pay close to economic rates not just for water and electricity but also for land and for services provided by local authorities such as waste disposal.

At the heart of the protests in Linden was this attitude which said that the government should not be increasing the cost of electricity. As such, the unrealistic and unreasonable position was adopted that no increase should be charged.

However, when the protests began persons within the very community were forced because of the protests to pay more for almost everything because the town was shut down and supplies were not getting in.

Yet no one was saying that they were not paying more for these goods and services whose prices had spiked during the protests. But having received cheap electricity for years, the decision of the government to reduce the already astronomical subsidies was met with stern resistance.

The second core reason for this opposition was the misunderstanding of the results of the elections.

Somehow the opposition was of the opinion that they won the elections and that therefore they could dictate what happened in the country.

Winners are decided by the rules of a competition.

The rules of our elections pronounce that the winner of elections is the party that wins the highest number of votes. The prize for winning was the seat of executive power. The PPP won 48.5% of the votes, eight per cent more than their nearest rival.

Had they won 2% more of the votes, it would have been a landslide.

However, the opposition has deluded itself into believing that because they command a majority of one in the National Assembly that it had significant power in the country and that its will had to prevail.

With each passing day, reality is stepping in and the opposition is discovering that its majority of one is not that powerful after all. For one, this majority of one does not grant them any executive power; secondly while they can block government legislation, they effectively cannot cut the Budget of the government.

And no amount of motions they pass is going to be binding on the Executive.

Hopefully they will eventually come around to the realization that their principal role is not to exercise executive power to but oversee it. Hopefully they will come around to a better understanding that the separation of powers does not allow them the latitude they are pretending they have.

It was because the supporters of the opposition in Linden were under the impression that it was the opposition who had the

upper hand in the country that the protests were so sustained and vociferous.

The final core issue that can be mentioned that was at the heart of the decision to protest was the caricaturing of the government as being inflexible and only willing to bend under the rod of pressure.

This may have been true of the Jagdeo administration but it is not true of the Ramotar presidency. In fact one of the main distinguishing features of the Ramotar presidency has been its openness and its

wiliness to discuss and compromise with the opposition.

It must be recalled that no pressure had to be applied for the government to make public what was being demanded for years by this newspaper: the release of the major contracts. When the contracts were made public, a great deal of the suspicion about what was signed vanished.

The government also met with the opposition just after the Budget presentation and agreements were hammered out which the government

has indicated it would abide with despite the opposition turning around and stabbing the government in the back by rejecting close to twenty billion dollars in spending, some of which has since been restored.

So there has been a gross mis-characterization of the government and this led to a confrontational approach.

The opposition is in a time lock. It is operating as if it is dealing with the Jagdeo administration rather than a regime which has been at all times willing to meet and

talk.

The opposition must stop acting in bad faith. And some elements in the combined opposition need to become more matured as politicians and understand that their job is to represent those who elected them to parliament and not to settle previous scores they may have with persons in the government.

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Kaieteur News

Sunday August 19, 2012

Sunday August 19, 2012

Kaieteur News

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Ravi Dev Column

The Federal Option

As the Linden protests escalated from a complaint over electricity rates into demands for equity in development, participation in decisions affecting the region; involvement in land allocation; diversity in local TV broadcasting etc., I was struck by the studied refusal of the leaders of the protestors and their political sponsors to consider the federal option of governance which would have made all the storm and fury – and the ill-fated killings of three locals – moot.

When it is boiled down to its bare essentials, the Linden upheaval is an object lesson in ethnic politics and the relevance of federalism to address demands when the ethnic populations are differentially distributed geographically. Linden has been an almost ethnically homogenous community (African-Guyanese) since the

There is going to be another river accident and again there will be cause for sorrow. Alcohol will play an important role in this one.

A man is going to be having a drink at a river location before heading home. His arrival will be delayed. ***************** Just when people believe that road accidents are on the decline there is going to be yet another. This one will be caused by a

1960’s when IndianGuyanese were completely driven out.

Following the PPP’s return to office (as we pointed out then, not to ‘power”) in 1992, they made a concerted effort to woo the Linden community. In subsequent elections, they proudly pointed to their increasing, albeit still small, votes received from the township as proof of the withering away of ethnic voting.

It ignored the labelling of its Linden supporters as ‘sellouts’ or worse, by the majority of Lindeners. We had pointed out that those votes were more of a reflection of the disarray in the PNC than any change in voting orientation.

The AFC also temporarily benefitted from this alienation in 2006.

The PPP was always in a no-win situation in Linden in view of the collapse of the

bauxite industry under the PNC – especially when it decided to privatise the latter but retain ownership of the sugar industry.

That the latter had ‘guaranteed’ markets, while the former had lost out to alternative suppliers was not going to cut any ice with most Lindeners. I remember pointing this out in Parliament when bauxite workers picketed the PM’s office and he was forced to reveal all the subsidies the government was providing to Linden. At the time ROAR was agitating for the sugar levy to be removed.

Looking ahead, I hope it is clear to everyone now that the relative majority of the Indian-Guyanese vote is a thing of the past – and a cohesive Opposition has as good a chance – if not better - of winning elections outright henceforth. The just initiated census will show that Indians

young and pompous man who believes that he and his parents can do no wrong.

The real sufferers will be those who were going about their business.

**************** The police are again going to be on the ball when some petty thieves strike.

The young criminals would be armed with a gun and they would have been following their victim. The police are going to be just a step behind but they would recover quickly.

One of the young men would be a repeat criminal but his parents would offer an excuse and blame his plight on bad company.

are just around 35% versus the 48% of African/Mixed segment. The Mixed vote has always cleaved to the AfricanGuyanese voting pattern and nothing has fundamentally altered that orientation.

Now the African Security Dilemma has been resolved, I’d been harping on the theme for the past few years that the Opposition can win a free and fair elections. But I’ve also stressed the sub-theme for them to avoid street protests that can careen out of control and initiate interethnic violence. It appears that David Hinds and elements in the WPA, calling for Buxton to start digging up its roads are determined to derail our transition to what I call ‘normal’ ethnic politics – much less ‘normal’ nonethnic politics.

After the 2006 elections, I’d challenged the AFC to retain their African-Guyanese votes in 2011 with Ramjattan as the presidential candidate.

I’m offering the same challenge concerning the Indian vote with the next swing of their leadership pendulum – and their association with street protests.

But back to the original point I wish to make. If the Opposition (APNU, actually) wins the next election and assumes power (not only “office”, but ‘power’ since they’ll have the full support of the Civil Service and Disciplined Forces) the same scenario that played out in Linden will replicate itself in Indian dominated areas such as Berbice and Essequibo.

This will also be true for

Amerindian-dominated Regions 1, 7, 8 and 9. We’ve already seen miners, mostly traditional supporters of APNU/PNC, adamantly opposed the expansion and titling of Amerindian lands.

So we’ll have protests in these regions against the APNU government, not withstanding the ‘power sharing” talk that will remain talk.

The Skeldon Factory fiasco and the demise of the sugar industry will now be the responsibility of APNU. If the Demerara Plantations have to be privatised, throwing thousands out of work, APNU will face the heat.

Agreements such as the one finally hammered out with Linden Representatives, after billions in dollars went up in smoke and the three lives snuffed out, will be reached.

But once we have a centralised system of governance, they will all come

Ravi Dev

to naught. This is the nature of centralised power: the central government will try every which way to retain the initiative, which means retaining decision-making power.

The constitutionally enforced demarcation between central and state competencies – the federal principle - is the only device which can ameliorate this inherent conflict between geographic communities and a central government that they cannot identify with. A peaceful and prosperous Guyana will only come with Federalism.

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Kaieteur News

Sunday August 19, 2012

The bogeyman of Stanleytown

By Michael Jordan Travel through Inner Stanleytown, on the West Bank of Demerara and you’ll observe the canefields, the canals and the thick vegetation.

It may then dawn on you that this area would be a good hiding place for a fugitive.

One man found this terrain to his liking just a few years ago. He knew it like the back of his hand, and he used this knowledge to abduct, rape, and kill…

Back in 1992, no one would have given Neil Bovell a second glance. After all, he was just an ex-policeman who was living in Stanleytown.

All that changed on December 22, 1992. At that time, the then 25-year-old Bovell was ‘living home’ with a 19-year-old woman named Shondell O’Brien.

Bovell, according to reports, had never threatened or abused his reputed wife.

But later that evening, he and Shondell had a quarrel.

He responded by punching out one of Shondell’s front teeth. Bovell, reportedly

Neil Bovell

The slain, dreadlocked Neil Bovell bore little resemblance to the man in the police bulletins motivated by jealousy, then stabbed Shondell several times with a kitchen knife.

In her bid to escape, Shondell leapt from a window to the ground, where she collapsed from her wounds.

Some said she was stabbed 21 times, but you know Guyanese love to exaggerate.

Bovell went into hiding, but was captured a few days later at Bartica.

But the case against him fell apart when the prosecution failed to find any eyewitnesses to say that they had seen him actually stab

Shondell.

After being released from prison, Bovell started a relationship with a young woman named Philippa Harrison. It is unclear whether she knew of his past.

They lived in Stanleytown for some five years before problems developed in the relationship. In early September, 2003, Philippa walked out of the home and went to stay at relatives in East Ruimveldt area known as Warlock.

Neil Bovell bided his time, and on Saturday, September

6, 2003, he drove to the house where Philippa was staying.

According to reports, he had brought a barrel containing Philippa’s clothes and other belongings.

Shortly after, a neighbour heard them arguing, but paid them no mind, since “it was a man and woman story.”

Bovell then left.

Later that evening, 31year-old Philippa went to a neighbour ’s house to complain about an incident involving one of her children.

She was speaking to a resident when Bovell, brandishing a knife, emerged from an alleyway and pounced on her.

Screaming “murder, murder”, Philippa tried to flee but Bovell cornered her in the alley and stabbed her repeatedly until she collapsed. Bovell then hurriedly left in his car.

The following day, police recovered the suspect’s white station wagon in front of his father’s Stanleytown home In the vehicle, police found the blade of the knife with which Bovell had killed his second reputed wife.

But of the killer, there was no trace.

All that changed on Friday, October 4, 2003.

That day, Bovell sneaked into the Lot 139 Stanleytown home of 64-year-old mechanic Vernon Bernard. He killed the elderly man and then waited for Bernard’s daughter, Velda, to arrive home.

When she came home just before midnight, Bovell held her at knifepoint and tied her up. He then placed the dead man’s body in the twobedroom house, doused it with kerosene and set it alight.

The killer then hoisted the diminutive Velda bodily and took her into the dense Canal Number Two backlands.

While holding her in captivity, Bovell constantly ranted about the crimes he had committed and about the persons who had incurred his wrath. He blamed Velda’s father for causing him to be incarcerated for six months.

Velda Bernard suspected that someone was supplying the fugitive with meals.

Eventually, after two days in the mosquito-infested backlands, Velda managed to untie herself from a tree and flee while Bovell slept.

She was taken to the Wales Police Station before being reunited with relieved family members.

As the manhunt intensified, Bovell survived several close encounters with the police and villagers.

In one case, he miraculously fled unscratched when heavilyarmed police ranks had apparently cornered him behind a Stanleytown house.

An elderly man, 70-year-old Eustace Small, was accidentally killed after Bovell took cover behind the pensioner who was in his yard.

The raids by police appeared to incense Bovell.

He vented his rage on villagers, sneaking out at night to abduct and rape young women.

One of the victims was a 32-year-old West Coast Demerara woman. She was grabbed at gunpoint from her boyfriend’s house on August 14, 2003. The outlaw held her hostage for hours before she managed to escape.

Bovell seemed to be targeting fair-complexioned women, and females of mixed ancestry.

Women of Stanleytown began to avoid walking in the community after sundown. Villagers who had information about his whereabouts were afraid to inform the police, since many felt that there were people in the community who were assisting the ex-policeman to avoid capture.

One resident recalled passing Bovell smoking a cigarette on the street but said he was afraid to alert his female companion for fear that she might have looked back or screamed.

In desperation, police employed aerial patrols to fly

over the community and also torched the canefields to flush the fugitive out. A special team was also set up to track down the outlaw, and on October 2005, Police offered a $1M reward for information leading to Bovell’s arrest.

Then on December 27, 2006, police ranks received a call from someone in the area that Bovell was at his father’s house at Lot 137 Stanleytown.

A senior rank and a party of policemen responded in an unmarked car.

When they arrived, Bovell was reportedly preparing to cook a meal in the backyard.

On spotting the ranks, the outlaw made a dash for freedom, but by then the ranks had managed to surround the area. Dodging bullets, Bovell led the ranks on a chase through a muddy track. He managed to flee as far as a few lots away before going down in a hail of bullets which ripped open his right shoulder and left gaping holes in his body.

The heavily-muscled, dreadlocked fugitive bore little resemblance to bulletins which police had posted of him. His healthy appearance confirmed reports that persons had been harbouring the killer, who had terrorised the community since 2003.

If you have any information about other unusual cases, please contact Kaieteur News at our Lot 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown location.

We can be reached on telephone numbers 2258465, 22-58491 or 2258473.

You can also contact Michael Jordan at his email a d d r e s s mjdragon@hotmail.com.

SEEKING HELP TO LOCATE RELATIVES OF EIGHT CHILDREN KILLED BETWEEN 1969-1970 Michael Jordan is trying to contact relatives of eight children who were murdered between March 20, 1969 and June 1970, by Harrynauth Beharry, also known as Harry Rambarran, Charles Bissoon, Charles Pereira, Anant Persaud and Maka Anan.

Some of the victims are Basmattie, an eight-year-old schoolgirl from Anna Catherina, West Coast Demerara. David Bacchus, 15, of Tucville, 11-year-old Mohamed Fazil Nasir, of Number 78 Village, Corentyne, Mohamed Faizal, of Crabwood Creek, Corentyne, Jagdeo Jagroop, Mohamed Nizam Ali; Paulton of Hogg Island, Essequibo; Orlando Guthrie, of Grove Village, East Bank Demerara.

Please contact him via his email address mjdragon@hotmail.com., or on telephone numbers 22-58458, 22-58465, or 22-58491. HeI can also be contacted on 6452447.

Sunday August 19, 2012

Kaieteur News

Page 23

== THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN ==

I will take a brain scan this week My security situation has become so bad I think it may be wise not to state on what day this week, I will visit the hospital to take a brain scan.

Gerhard Ramsaroop insists that as early as possible I should take a brain scan. I didn’t think of it until Gerhard kept telling me to check for blood clots. My attacker did concentrate on my head and dealt me several cuffs right on my skull. I will take that test this week.

Life is really unpredictable. I got attacked on Thursday morning and just days before, on Sunday, August 12, my column was titled, “I am pleading with my country to protect me.” This was after I received a letter from Mr. Khurshid Sattaur requesting that I pay taxes on money I earn from writing these columns. How ironic life can be. You make a plea for help and days after you are victimized again.

Interestingly, someone came up to me the Monday morning and reminded me that in that very Sunday column I omitted details of some other events connected with the violations of my rights. It was unbelievable that I could have left out some interesting dimensions of what is taking place with me in my country. Juan Edghill ( I will never, ever recognize him as a Bishop of any church) filed an affidavit in court a few

months ago asking a High Court judge to commit me to prison for contempt of court.

Mr. Edghill’s lawyer who drafted the affidavit was Mr. Ashton Chase. What was amazing was Mr. Chase’s acceptance that if fo u n d guilty, I would have to go to prison. Many lawyers told me that the affidavit could have been worded in such a way that the court was simply being asked to find me guilty of contempt and the judge would decide the penalty – either fine, reprimand or jail.

But no! The affidavit specifically requested that I be committed to prison While sitting next to Tacuma Ogunseye in the Red Thread-sponsored vigil last Friday evening, I told him that I was shocked that someone like Ashton Chase could have composed such a court document.

This is a man who belonged to the nationalist movement and participated in anti-colonial activities. Did the colonial governor try back then to jail him? He did not.

In 1998, I met Chase at a wedding ceremony in a church on Duncan Street and refused to shake his hand when he turned to speak to me. At the time he was the Chairman of the Board of what is now named Republic Bank.

My student was horribly mistreated by the Bank and I sought Chase’s intervention

since he was supposed to have built up a reputation as a labour lawyer that fights cases of violations at the work place.

Chase did not intervene despite assurance to me he would. I guess one day, Chase and I will meet again (though not after 9 pm; I am not venturing out in the night again).

How could I not remember in that Sunday column about the lawsuit that then President Jagdeo brought against me and which continues in the morning of September 7. Then I forgot to repeat the story of the unlit bulb in front of my home. I mentioned this in my column before. On the Railway Embankment from Sheriff Street onwards, going east, the only street lamp not working is the one right outside my home. On Thursday night I went up to Buxton to speak at the WPA meeting and I researched it again.

Do not take my word for it. Please check it out yourself.

From Sheriff Street onwards on the Railway Embankment, the only lamp limping along without life is the one directly outside my home. My neighbours to my right and to my left, have working bulbs.

Do you think this is accidental or part of the pattern of obsession?

When Scott Griffen of the

International Press Institute interviewed me on the income tax issue and the attack last Thursday, he wanted to know what I thought of all of this.

My automatic response is that someone high up on the ladder of State power has an obsession with me. But could it be more than one person?

Gail Teixeira spoke fanatically at the UG Council meeting demanding my dismissal. She got it. Bharrat Jagdeo sued me for libel. Juan Edghill wanted me to go to prison. Robeson Benn’s Ministry refused to cut the grass outside my

home, now we have the street light infamy.

In a published Reuters story on Guyana by Brian Ellsworth (Dec 15, 2011), the following line appears in the story, “Ramotar describes Kissoon as a sick man.”

At the very first meeting (the only one so far) Operation Rescue UG had with Education Minister, Priya Manickchand in May this year, the Minister warned the group (she was rebuffed) about its association with me.

So could it be an obsession with Freddie

Frederick Kissoon Kissoon by the entire cabal? I leave readers to answer that.

In the meantime, I may take up the suggestion of having four bodyguards.

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Kaieteur News

Sunday August 19, 2012

Caribbean Book Review:

By Dr Glenville Ashby The True Nanny Diaries, a compelling novel cloaked in the naked reality of immigrant life in New York. “Diaries,” written by London born, (but “Trinidadianised”) Nandi Keyi, is a literary milestone— colourful, imaginative and provocative - blending vernacular and prose with stunning ease and p o i g n a n c y. N a n d i ’s cascading and relentless style befits the mercurial temperament of the book’s troubled protagonist Valdi, who wrestles with her lot in life—being a babysitter for a rich and dysfunctional white family in Manhattan.

Valdi’s prosecutorial obsession is turned inward.

Her once promising life as an Ivy League graduate student comes to a perfunctory end, and she is forced to work in a position she despises. She

represents one of countless West Indian women who are part of an ever-burgeoning domestic workforce.

Valdi is different. She is bitter, brash and intellectually biting - with a dash of fatalism. She is a provocateur, a contrarian. Sadly, she can find little support from her fellow West Indian domestic workers, most of whom are thankful for their white benefactors.

But there is more to the overriding plot. Along with the travails of domestic workers, is the brilliantly captured culture of West Indians living in Brooklyn. It is hardly celebratory, and may explain Valdi’s obsession to “liberate” herself from the madness that bedevils black folks. The “ass-ketchers” on Utica Avenue make her yearn for a decent place to live among little white shoemakers, shopkeepers

and pharmacists. ”The kind of place that Ernie and Bert and all the other Sesame Street puppets will be proud to sing about,” she reflects.

On the subway her revulsion never abates as “a reeking, hulking vagrant, smelling like fresh vomit entered the carriage…”

Valdi yearns for better circumstances to avoid the harrowing underground niche, where the undocumented reside. In the end she is left to ponder “what if?”

In this foreign land, dreams are unfulfilled, dashed. And it all began with a life-altering choice - to trade the familial protection of the tropics for the impersonal character of New York. Adapt and survive, Valdi and friends must. With strollers in tow, they congregate informally, comforting and egging each other on, as they formulate new strategies to deal with their employers. But the “El Dorado” stories told back home of life in America are just that—tales. They are forced to swallow their pride and shelve their dignity. The imprudence and screaming contempt of kids, they are forced to bear.

The unforgiving demands of the job are always compounded by their illegal status. In fact, no one could better explain it better than Valdi. ”Remember you do not live in New York or Washington or Idaho or Vegas,” she tells her friend, “you live in illegal, the fiftyfirst state.”

Indeed “illegal” is the leveler of so many immigrants. A UWI graduate, Valdi learns this truism - the hard way.

Despite theses hurdles, Valdi’s friends - Monica, Ava and Madam Lucien do not flinch. A generation of children is left behind, motherless - all for a few hundred dollars weekly.

Then again, that income elasticises to support these very children. It is an inexorable dilemma. But Valdi is unswerving - her academic derailment feeding off her.

She erupts, repeatedly challenging others to see the brutality of the system.

In the end, “Diaries” is a depth analysis of much more than the plight of illegal immigrants and “Nannyism.”

It tells a sordid tale of racism, sexism and class. Even among babysitters, there is a curious hierarchy—with those who are on the East Side of Manhattan, like Valdi and friends - enjoying a selfproclaimed higher rank than their West Side counterparts.

And in an unbridled cuss out on the streets of Harlem, West Indian-Black American rivalry rears its ugly head.

Valdi, the victim of a soul shaking insult—”You so and so West Indians cane cutting niggas!” painfully refrains from taking a perfidious swipe at her abuser.

“I was about to call her a cotton-picking nigga…”

Surely, “Diaries’ may not put an end to the exodus of young bright West Indian women to the US, but it

should trigger a candid discussion on an occupation that only recently required the intervention of the state to protect workers. Still it remains an occupation mired in complexities and wrought with psychological perils, so well articulated in this artful w o r k . glenvilleashby@gmail.com Dr Glenvile Ashby Literary critic

The Caribbean Arts Review BOOK INFO: • The True Nanny Diaries

by Nandi Keyi, 2009 • Bread for Brick, Brooklyn, New York • ISBN: 978-0-615-2200604 • Available at www.breadforbrickpublishing.com; Amazon.com Rating*****: Highly recommended

Sunday August 19, 2012

Kaieteur News

Page 25

My column

Just gaffing about some sensitive issues Guyana is currently discussing the issue of corporal punishment and the death penalty which remains on the statutes but which has not been applied for more than 15 years.

Corporal punishment remains a contentious issue because there are both parents and teachers who firmly believe that the abolition of this form of discipline could see a further breakdown in law and order.

I hold the view that a few lashes never killed anyone. In fact, they helped some of us walk the straight and narrow path out of fear of pain. As a student at the Government Training College for Teachers many decades ago, there was a chapter in psychology that dealt with the pleasure-pain system of reward.

I was taught that social scientists in their study of behavioral patterns found that if a child is rewarded for good performance then that child would continue to perform at the desired level and even beyond. It also found that the application of some pain, be it physical or emotional, served as a spur for greater performance.

Way back then when corporal punishment was not unusual in the society there was greater discipline; no child would be heard using the foulest language in the presence of adults. No child would walk past an adult without a greeting and certainly, no child dared offer rudeness to an adult. The society was a better place.

As a result of that culture, someone coined the phrase

that it takes a community to raise a child. I happened to be raised in many communities and in each I was under scrutiny by just about every adult. I learnt to be respectful of my elders. Any sign of disrespect was painful.

It was the same in school.

Teachers knew the children who had potential and stuck to them like flies on a fly trap.

The laggards were prodded constantly. Today, everyone of these have done something for themselves.

No one left school an illiterate because teachers ensured that they all learnt to read and to write. There was always corporal punishment to ensure that the best possible effort was made by each child.

The courts also saw justification in administering corporal punishment to the more seasoned criminal. I once met a ‘regular’ in Beterverwagting who was given a whipping. He spoke to me about it and I can swear that he never returned to prison.

In Bartica, there was the cinema operator named Johnny. He was given the ‘cat’ which has since been banned in Guyana. He stayed out of jail.

The cat was really bad.

One day during a visit to the Mazaruni Prisons there was a football game. This was way back in the early 1970s. One of the prisoners involved in the game suddenly pulled up and coughed up blood. I do not know what has happened to him.

Then there was the notorious Coltress who

reportedly chopped a policeman who was on duty outside State House. When I met him at Bartica in the early 1970s he could not have been more than 45 but he looked 60.

He too got a dose of the cat.

He died relatively early, no more 58. He too turned from his wicked ways.

Capital punishment, according to the late Desmond Hoyte, was a deterrent. It ensured that the person never committed another crime. However, that is a different kettle of fish. I am not opposed to the death penalty but I sometimes wonder at the level of investigation and trial that would lead to such a sentence.

Just this week I happened to read a book titled ‘The Innocent Man.’ It told a story about two men in Oklahoma who were sentenced to death on contrived evidence. As I read the book I saw how the police contrived evidence to convict Ronald Williamson and Dennis Fritz even as they knew that they were not involved in the crime.

Williamson escaped execution by five days but it was eleven years before he could be exonerated. It was a

similar story for another man named Calvin Lee Scott who also spent 20 years of a 25year jail sentence. He was exonerated on DNA evidence in 2003.

Then there is the story of Rubin ‘Hurricane’ Carter, a professional boxer in New Jersey. He spent 20 years in jail trying to clear his name of a murder he never committed.

A trip to the Google site would detail the stories of these men.

The stories all had a common thread. There was a reliance on confessions forced out of the suspect. The supporting evidence was either non-existent of grossly inadequate.

The principle is that it is better for 99 guilty men to go free than for one innocent man to go to the gallows. In

Guyana in recent times there seemed to have been a reliance on confessions and the courts have often been left with no choice but to throw out the confession. When that is done the case collapses.

However, as in the case of the men about whom I read there could be a court that would accept a confession regardless of how it is obtained. That is my reservation about the death penalty.

But when all is said and done there are those who believe that crime is on the up because there is no real deterrent. Desmond Hoyte is credited with eradicating the scourge of kicking down the door by hanging the perpetrators.

Adam Harris Guyana is not ready for abolition because there are too many people hurting. And the increase in the level of illiteracy is not helping the cause. When people cannot reason, as is the case of the illiterate, then there must be something to make them take notice. Unfortunate that the something is a finality.

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The Heron

From page 33 they are essentially nonswimming water birds that feed on the margins of lakes, rivers, swamps, ponds and the sea. They are predominately found in lowland areas, although some species live in alpine areas, and the majority of species occur in the tropics.

The herons and bitterns are carnivorous. The members of this family feed on a variety of live aquatic prey. The diet includes a wide variety of aquatic animals, including fish, reptiles, amphibians, crustaceans, molluscs and aquatic insects.

Many species will also opportunistically take larger prey, including birds and bird eggs, and more rarely carrion.

Even more rarely there have been reports of herons eating acorns, peas and grains, but most vegetable matter consumed is accidental.

The most common hunting technique is for the bird to sit motionless on the edge of or standing in shallow water and wait until prey comes within range.

Birds may either do this from an upright posture, giving them a wider field of view for seeing prey, or from a crouched position, which is more cryptic and means the bill is closer to the prey when it is located. Having seen prey the head is moved from side to side, so that the heron can calculate the position of the prey in the water and compensate for refraction, and then the bill is used to spear the prey.

In addition to sitting and waiting, herons may feed more actively. They may walk slowly, at around or less than 60 paces a minute, snatching prey when it is observed. Other active feeding behaviours include foot stirring and probing, where the feet are used to flush out hidden prey. The wings may be used to frighten prey (or possibly attract it to shade) or to reduce glare; the most extreme example of this is exhibited by the Black Heron, which forms a full canopy with its wings over its body.

Courtship usually takes part on the nest. Males arrive first and begin the building of the nest, which they display to attract females. In colonial species displays involve visual cues, which can include adopting postures or ritual displays, whereas in solitary species auditory cues, such as the deep booming of the bitterns, are important. The exception to this is the Boat-billed Heron, which pairs up away from the nesting site. Having paired the pair continue to build the nest in almost all species, although in the Little Bittern and Least Bittern only the male works on the nest.

Some ornithologists have reported observing female herons attaching themselves to impotent mates, then seeking sexual gratification elsewhere. Generally herons lay between three to seven eggs. On the whole the eggs are glossy blue or white, with the exception being the large bitterns which lay olivebrown eggs.

(Source: Wikipedia â&#x20AC;&#x201C; The Free Online Encyclopedia)

Sunday August 19, 2012

SUNDAY E.C.D. FOUR-LANE EXTENSION…CONTRACTOR REJECTS BRIBERY DEMAND One of the contractors working on the four-lane East Coast Demerara Highway is convinced that the abrupt termination of his contract was in retaliation to his noncompliance to the corrupt demands of senior officials from the Ministries of Finance and Public Works.

The Managing Director of Falcon Transport and Construction Services, believes that blowing the whistle on corrupt officials could lead to a level playing field for all contractors for future government contracts.

The contractor, who has an impressive record of working with the government, was surprised when he received a letter from the Works Service Group of the Ministry of Public Works, terminating his $468.2 million contract last month.

This was after he had written to the Public Works Ministry indicating that he had suspended works on July 10 over the non-payment by the Ministry since March this year.

The Ministry had indicated that poor quality works being executed by Falcon Transportation and Construction Services had raised concerns among Engineers within the Ministry of Public Works and Communications.

ANOTHER BUILDING FLATTENED BY FIRE IN LINDEN The military last week Saturday maintained a heavy presence in Linden, setting up camps at several strategic

Kaieteur News

locations, including at the Mackenzie/Wismar Bridge in close proximity to where the now burnt-out toll booth stood, and at the Five Corner and Kara Kara Bridge.

This follows the burning of six buildings on Friday and then the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI) last week Saturday morning. Minister of Agriculture Dr. Leslie Ramsammy called the burning of the NAREI building not only arson and a criminal activity, but “loathsome” saying the intellectual leaders of such loathsome acts must take responsibility for these actions.

He said that besides the eight people that worked directly out of the NAREI building in Linden, serving all the people of Region 10, dozens of other agriculture professionals from the Central Ministry of Agriculture contribute their services through this building. The destruction of the agriculture building will affect the delivery of agricultural services to Linden and Region 10, he stated.

He said the Ministry of Agriculture will look for interim arrangements “to continue the important work of promoting agriculture in Region 10 and around the country.”

MONDAY ONE MILE PRIMARY SCHOOL TORCHED, SUSPECTED ARSONISTS HELD Arsonists struck once again in the wee hours in Linden on Sunday last, completely destroying the One Mile Primary School after threatening to kill the lone female security guard on

site.

A Joint Services statement said that the fire at Wismar, Linden, was set at around 03:15hrs, but Lindeners are adamant that persons with ulterior motives torched the school.

According to the statement, a female security guard on duty was approached by three men armed with cutlasses who threatened to kill her if she did not remove from the location or if she attempted to raise an alarm.

The guard left the compound after which the building was broken into and computers stolen and the premises was later seen on fire. “Once again the Guyana Fire Service fire tender could not get to the scene of the fire owing to the blockages that had been placed along the roadways by protestors.”

“Later today (Sunday), residents of the Linden community brought in and handed over two men to the police at Wismar Police Station who they claimed were suspects in the attack on the One Mile Primary School.

The two men are in police custody assisting with the investigations,” the release said.

WOMAN KILLED, 14 INJURED IN ESSEQUIBO COLLISION A woman was killed and several others injured after a bus, BHH 6901 and a car, PPP 733 collided at Lima, Essequibo Coast at around 12:00hrs Sunday last.

The woman, P. Kumarie of Somerset was in the minibus with her husband, Krishna Persaud, 34, and their three children, Geeta Persaud, six, Satash Rajkumar, 10, and Narindra Persaud, seven,

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when the accident occurred.

She reportedly died on the spot. Fifteen persons were reportedly in the minibus, while two persons were in the car. This publication was told that all the injured are hospitalized.

The minibus was on its way to Anna Regina, while the car was heading in the opposite direction.

According to reports, the vehicles collided after the car veered into the lane of the minibus. Those in the minibus fared the worst, as Kumarie reportedly died on the spot, while the bus driver, Vincent Singh and two other passengers were seriously injured. A two-year-old child was also in the minibus with her parents, Allan Gildharie and Claire Daniels.

Another relative, Alex Gildharie, was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit of the Suddie Hospital. Junior Ramroop, the driver of the car and a female were returning from Charity when the accident occurred. Ramroop sustained severe injuries to his face, legs and body. He underwent emergency surgery at the Suddie Hospital.

TUESDAY LEAKED NCN REPORT…

STAFFERS PRESSURED TO PREPARE BACKDATED INVOICE FOR $3.6M A leaked report on investigations at the stateowned National Communications Network (NCN) has revealed startling details of how two under-fire managers in June attempted to pressure female staffers to backdate a $3.6 million invoice to January to cover up their tracks.

But the staffers, from the Marketing Department, refused and later told investigators that they thought it unethical at the time. The leaked report, while not making it clear, suggested that the attempts were made even while the investigations were ongoing or about to start.

The report also suggested that both officials were probably desperate at the time. In late June, Programme Manager Martin Goolsarran was suspended for eight weeks while Mohamed Sattaur, the Chief Executive Officer, tendered his resignation after the report was tendered to NCN’s Board of Directors.

The events had rocked NCN to the core. Over the

weekend, Leader of the Alliance For Change, Khemraj Ramjattan, called for a criminal investigation against the two men and has accused government of attempting to cover up the report which he said should be handed over to the police as well.

FORMER TOP COP LAURIE LEWIS DIES Former Commissioner of Police, Laurie Leyland Lewis passed away quietly at his East Coast Demerara home around midday Monday.

He was 71. Lewis who served as Commissioner of Police for 11 years, from 1990 to 2001, was suffering from a prolonged illness.

He was battling diabetes which eventually led to renal failure, and he was in and out of hospital within the past year. His wife Jennifer confirmed that he died around 12:45 hours Monday. His son, Laurie Jr., told this newspaper that he last spoke to his father Monday morning.

“Before I left the house he was sleeping, but then I got a call later that he had died.”

The former Commissioner could be best remembered for his sense of humour and his love-hate relationship (Continued on page 38)

A copy of an invoice sent to GT&T by Martin Goolsarran in January. Note that it does not carry NCN’s letterhead, but Goolsarran’s personal home address.

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From page 37 with the media.

Lewis, who is so far the second longest serving Commissioner of Police in the country’s history, had once described his 11 years as the top cop as the “hardest years of my life.”

WEDNESDAY TWO LINDENERS SHOT IN LATE NIGHT CONFRONTATION WITH JOINT SERVICES Up to press time Tuesday evening, two more Wismar residents were being treated for gunshot injuries at the Linden Hospital Complex, reportedly following a confrontation with ranks of the Joints Services in the One Mile area, Region 10.

While reports are still sketchy as to what transpired, this publication was told that two men, one identified as Randy Tello, were shot around 22:00 hrs.

Tello, said to be in his early twenties and a former boxer, received gunshot wounds to his back and the left of his face. Up to late Tuesday evening he was reportedly undergoing surgery at the hospital. Reports are that the two men were among a group of persons at One Mile, Wismar when they were shot.

The other man was reportedly shot in his back.

The two injured men were rushed to the hospital where they were immediately treated. There was also a heavy Joint Services presence at the hospital as scores flocked the hospital to get a glimpse of the injured men. It was not immediately clear if the men were shot with rubber pellets or bullets.

LEAKED NCN REPORT SAYS…DIFFICULT TO VERIFY HOW MUCH MONEY WAS BEING MADE A damning report into fraud allegations at the stateowned National Communications Network (NCN) has unearthed shocking details of how poorly kept records made it difficult for auditors to verify how much money was actually being made.

Not only were the Production and Technical Log Book, which records production activities, not upto-date, but details were limited as to the actual work that NCN was doing for GT&T’s Jingle and Song Competition. The report did not make it clear if the scarcity of details was deliberate.

This is significant as NCN only a few months ago claimed in Parliament that it collected over $500M in revenues in 2011. The report was ordered

by NCN’s Board of Directors

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Sunday August 19, 2012

following allegations of financial irregularities at that entity which controls the country’s only radio stations.

NCN also controls a network of television stations.

“Further, there is no evidence that the Production and Technical Log Book is being reviewed by the Production Manager. Also, there is no evidence that the Production and Technical Log Book is reviewed to ensure that all production services are invoiced to the relevant customers.”

THURSDAY LEAKED NCN REPORT SAYS…NO EVIDENCE GT&T WAS BILLED FOR PRODUCTION OF JINGLE COMPETITION Investigations at the National Communications Network (NCN) by an appointed auditor in June to probe allegations of financial irregularities found that despite several weeks of production work on GT&T’s Jingle and Song Competition, the state-owned entity did not even bill their client and as a result did not receive millions of dollars owed.

NCN had been hired to record and edit the shows, broadcast them, and air the advertisements on both its radio and network of television channels.

It was these same production costs which the auditor found that Production Manager, Martin Goolsarran, submitted an invoice in his personal name and home address and collected $3,930,000 and later deposited to his personal bank account.

Goolsarran, following the report, was suspended for eight weeks while his boss, Chief Executive Officer, Mohamed Sattaur, resigned in an embarrassing scandal that rocked the state-owned entity.

According to a report that was prepared by accountant, Harry Parmessar, and done at the request of the Office of the President (OP), the arrangements for NCN to do work for GT&T was all verbal and included no contract.

E.C.D. FOUR-LANE EXTENSION… WORKS MINISTRY TO APPROACH POLICE WITH FRAUD ALLEGATIONS AGAINST CONTRACTOR The Public Works Ministry has disclosed that it will be approaching the police with evidence supporting its claims of fraud against the contractor, Falcon Transportation and Construction Services.

This is in keeping with the advice of the Attorney General. Although the

Ministry had received the advice since late July, it waited until the contractor went public accusing Ministry officials of pressuring him for kickbacks.

The contractor believes that his constant refusals to give gifts cost him the $468 million contract. After denying that the Ministry was told of the demands for gifts, Transport Minister Robeson Benn changed his tune Wednesday, during a press conference at his Kingston Office.

The Minister admitted that the contractor had sent a letter to the Ministry making assertions that a Clerk of Works had requested a gift, possibly a minibus. He assured that the letter was forwarded to the Ministry’s Work Services Group for investigation.

Benn said, “I recollect now in hindsight that there was some letter, and that the Clerk of Works and some Engineers were very upset with the assertions that were being made, but we will investigate on all of these things.”

FRIDAY SURPRISE LINDEN VISIT…PRESIDENT RAMOTAR REBUFFED BY HOSTILE LINDENERS A hostile Linden rebuffed President Donald Ramotar Thursday after he made a surprise visit to the Region 10 mining town, almost one month since protests began against a hike in electricity rates. Three protestors were reportedly killed by police, several persons shot and buildings, including a school, burnt since the protests began on July 18.

Talks between government and the leaders of the town broke down several times. Region 10 Chairman, Sharma Solomon, Thursday said that he was unaware that the President was visiting there Thursday.

Residents of the mining town

had blockaded roads and bridges, cutting off access to key interior mining and logging communities. The President’s first stop, amidst tight security, was at the Watooka Complex, where a meeting was held for important stakeholders.

However, only a handful of persons turned up. They were given the opportunity to voice their concerns, and ask questions on pertinent issues, in relation to the current unrest in the community. The Presidential entourage which included Public Works Minister, Robeson Benn and Presidential Advisors, Gail Teixeira and Odinga Lumumba, were met with an hostile crowd which lined a number of streets.

FREDDIE KISSOON ATTACKEDAGAIN The police are once again being called upon to investigate another physical attack on popular Kaieteur News columnist and former senior lecturer of the University of Guyana, Frederick Kissoon. Just after midnight Wednesday, a man walked up to Kissoon and dealt him several cuffs to his head and body before jumping into a waiting Sport Utility Vehicle, PPP 1395, and speeding off. The brazen attack was carried on in the plain view of several persons and occurred outside the Parliament buildings at the Brickdam and Avenue of the Republic junction. It bore a sinister resemblance to a previous attack on the columnist a few years ago when a bucket of faeces was thrown into his face. No one has been arrested for that attack and it is hoped that since the licence number of the vehicle linked to the recent attack was given to the police, swift justice will prevail.

Only hours earlier, Kissoon had been one of the speakers at a Working

People’s Alliance (WPA) meeting at the Stabroek Market Square, which dealt with the Linden crisis. He told this newspaper that after the meeting, which ended at around 21:00 hours, he, together with well known WPA and AFC activists went over to High Street just outside Parliament buildings where he kept vigil with some Red Thread activists.

SATURDAY LINDEN CRISIS…CAUTIOUS OPTIMISM AS GOVT., REGION 10 OFFICIALS REACH CONSENSUS Region 10 Chairman, Sharma Solomon, on Friday night expressed optimism that a solution to the one-month Linden crisis is in sight, following a meeting earlier in the day at the Office of the President between Government officials and a delegation from Region Ten. Solomon disclosed that the two sides formulated a document which addresses the key grouses of the citizens of Linden, such as the hiking of the electricity rates, lack of economic investments, and the absence of an independently-owned television station.

However, he also explained that the team representing Region Ten had only initialed the document, since a lot depends on the resolving of issues such as the Commission of Inquiry into the July 18 killing and injury of protesters.

“What we came away with from the Office of the President was the embracing of a position that is reflective of the will and wishes of the people of Linden and Region 10,” Solomon told Kaieteur News.

“We haven’t signed the agreement; we initialed it.

Tomorrow (today) we want to go to the one-month anniversary meeting to say to the people that their struggles were not in vain; the struggles

and sacrifices they made resulted in them acquiring the things that were denied to them for quite some time; which include the TV station and the Land Selection Committee.”

US-BASED GUYANESE KILLS WIFE, HIDES BODY A Guyanese man who reportedly stabbed his wife to death on Thursday and then stuffed her under his bed is in a US jail.

Ganesh Seelall, 39, faces murder and other charges in the death of his wife, 29-yearold Samantha Seelall, CBS News reported yesterday.

Around 2:30 p.m.

Thursday, police were called to their home on 117th Street in Richmond Hill.

When they arrived, officers allegedly found Samantha Seelall’s body stuffed under a bed, stabbed and her head covered with a plastic bag, the report said.

Ganesh Seelall’s uncle, Peter Maradiaga, said the 39year-old is a good man, but that he was drunk when his wife told him she was having an affair.

“It was just heat of passion,” he said in the news report. “This is a girl who is telling her husband ‘I just came from sleeping with somebody else,’ I mean, come on, we’re all human.”

Police said Samantha Seelall had an order of protection against her husband, but Ganesh Seelall’s relatives said she was the one who was abusive.

“I saw it coming the other way around. I thought he was going to be the victim,” Maradiaga said. “She was violent. We live right next door, we saw the violence, pulling knives.”

The couple has a 10-yearold daughter.

Ganesh Seelall is charged with murder, aggravated criminal contempt, tampering with evidence and criminal possession of a weapon.

Sunday August 19, 2012

Kaieteur News

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A Single Caribbean Sports Academy - Part 2

By Sir Ronald Sanders The success of Caribbean Community (CARICOM) athletes at the 2012 Olympic Games in London has created an illusion of the greatness of athleticism throughout the region.

The brutal truth is that it is athletes from only four countries, principally Jamaica, who were responsible for the Caribbean’s success.

Jamaica won 12 medals (4 gold) and was number 18 of the 79 counties that won medals. Trinidad and Tobago at number 47 was next with 5 medals (one gold) followed by the Bahamas and Grenada jointly at number 50 with one medal each (gold).

Unfortunately, the other nine participating CARICOM countries won nothing.

Therefore, CARICOM countries collectively won 19 out of 302 medals.

The jeopardy of the claim that “Caribbean” athletes did so well is that governments and the private sector might relax into believing that they need do nothing to develop athletes since their natural talent will guarantee success.

That would be a dangerous fallacy.

But, let me praise the CARICOM athletes. Coming from a total population of just over 5 million people and with very little financial support they were outstanding, and the Caribbean people have every right to be proud of them. Usain Bolt has done more to make the world aware and admiring of Jamaica than anyone since or before Bob Marley. Keshorn Walcott, who won the Javelin gold medal, has certainly made Finland and Eastern European countries aware of Trinidad and Tobago. He has claimed a place that they long held and he has simply boggled their minds.

Grenada’s young Kerani James was stunning in winning gold in the 400 metres, but he was extraordinary in waiting to congratulate the man who finished the race last – the double-amputee from South Africa Oscar Pistorius.

James won gold in the hearts of people all over the world for that single act of human kindness. He was a credit to the Caribbean.

Other competed well in their heats, among them Daniel Bailey of Antigua and Ryan Brathwaite of Barbados. They gave their all, and they deserve praise for their magnificent efforts. They would certainly have done better with more help.

The stamp that the athletes, who won gold medals, have put on competitive sport at a global level has earned their countries global recognition.

It is recognition on which the tourism authorities, especially in Jamaica, should capitalise on now and invest in for the future.

But, are the 15 Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries ready for a single Sports Academy, located in Jamaica (as was proposed in my last commentary) to be charged with the specific responsibility of preparing the region’s ‘elite’ athletes for international competition?.

The proposal for such an Academy is not “instead of” national training and coaching starting from primary schools. It is very much “in addition” to such training and coaching.

Without it, the Caribbean’s ‘elite’ athletes will compete at the global level and some of them will succeed, but the performance of the London Olympics will not be sustained, and it may well decline. Even the best athletes require financial

support, professional coaching and proper training – that’s what turns raw talent into sustained winners.

And that is what a single Sports Academy, supported by governments and the private sector of the region, should be doing.

As an example the British government is investing US$790 million over the next four years in preparing British athletes for the Rio Olympics in 2016.

Could a single Sports Academy for the Caribbean Community happen? Below is a sampling of the responses that my last commentary received.

From the Bahamas: ”The Caribbean excelled at London, however, at least for the Bahamas if it was not for the numerous Athletic Scholarships to US Colleges and Universities there would not have been the success there has been.

Other than Cuba probably Jamaica is the only country that could fiscally develop this with athletes from the smaller countries co-using the facilities of Jamaica, but Jamaica is not going to fund that for fun.

There will be a cost. Can the smaller countries afford the costs”?

From Grenada: “As a proud Grenadian, and as Jamaicans like to call us, ‘Small Islander’, I wish that there is no sports integration that includes Jamaica!

It is bad enough that Jamaican music dominates the English-speaking Caribbean.

Worst yet is that the violence, and poverty that is endemic to Jamaica is slowly seeping to other peaceful islands.

Jamaica should be for Jamaicans, and we should be happy for that. Furthermore, why would any other small island want to be lumped and piled with that chaotic trouble

spot”.

From Jamaica: “The other Caribbean islands need to send students to GC Foster Collage to be trained as Athletic Instructors/Teachers and then they return to their countries and develop their own athletes.

Further investment after the students have shown outstanding talent will have to be done by the private sector and the government of the specific country in that athlete”.

From Barbados: “We have to think Caribbean and put away the insular crap that allows us to consume ourselves rather than consummating ourselves.

The expansion of the UWI High Performance Centre into all major sports, seeing a dedicated Athletics program, wherein we identify potential future Olympians from age 15 or 16 and bring them into a high performance development program, with very specific end goals, but

as in the USA, catering to their educational requirements.

Local qualifying criteria for the Olympics must be more stringent that even the present ones, e.g., sending a 100 m contestant to the Olympics with a 10.2 sec qualifying time will see him just get out of the first round, at best.

The Caribbean Governments missed the boat again when they allowed the lotteries to be privately owned. These should have been National lotteries with the net funds (millions of dollars) going specifically into the areas that were designated. We must engage world class coaches and ensure that our own coaches are developed to world class standards. What is required is: Vision, a sense of action and a commitment of appropriate resources”.

Amen to the last comment. But who will lead the action?

Sir Ronald Sanders (The writer is a Consultant and former Caribbean diplomat) Responses and previous c o m m e n t a r i e s : www.sirronaldsanders.com

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Kaieteur News

Country profile:

UZBEKISTAN

OVERVIEW In 1991 Uzbekistan emerged as a sovereign country after more than a century of Russian rule - first as part of the Russian empire and then as a component of the Soviet Union.

Positioned on the ancient Great Silk Road between Europe and Asia, majestic cities such as Bukhara and Samarkand, famed for their architectural opulence, once flourished as trade and cultural centres. The country’s political system is highly authoritarian, and its human rights record widely decried.

Uzbekistan is the most populous Central Asian country and has the largest armed forces. There is no legal political opposition and

Sunday August 19, 2012

President Islam Karimov the media is tightly controlled by the state. A UN report has described the use of torture as “systematic”.

The country is one of the world’s biggest producers of cotton and is rich in natural resources, including oil, gas and gold. However, economic

reform has been slow and poverty and unemployment are widespread.

Following the 11 September attacks on the US, Uzbekistan won favour with Washington by allowing its forces a base in Uzbekistan, affording ready access across the Afghan border.

Human rights groups accused the international community of ignoring the many reported cases of abuse and torture.

Since independence, the country has faced sporadic bombings and shootings, which the authorities have been quick to blame on Islamic extremists.

In May 2005, troops in the eastern city of Andijan opened fire on protesters demonstrating against the imprisonment of people charged with Islamic extremism.

Witnesses reported a bloodbath with several hundred civilian deaths. The Uzbek authorities say fewer than 190 died.

Opponents of President Karimov blamed the

authorities’ brutal determination to crush all dissent. The president blamed fundamentalists seeking to overthrow the government and establish a Muslim caliphate in Central Asia.

The government’s reaction to the Andijan unrest prompted strong criticism from the West, and relations cooled.

In response, Uzbekistan expelled US forces from their base and moved closer to Russia, with Mr Karimov at one point describing it as Tashkent’s “most reliable partner and ally”.

From 2008 onwards, ties with the West began improving again, spurred on

by Europeans’ search for alternative energy sources in Central Asia and Uzbekistan’s strategic importance for the antiTaliban operation in Afghanistan.

The EU eased sanctions imposed after the Andijan killings, and the World Bank reversed a decision to

suspend loans to Uzbekistan.

In 2009 the EU lifted its arms embargo.

At the same time, relations with Moscow became less warm, with Uzbekistan in 2009 criticising plans for a Russian base in neighbouring Kyrgyzstan.

President Karimov’s uncompromising policies have also at times created friction between Uzbekistan and other Central Asian countries, and Uzbekistan has been wary of moves towards closer political integration.

FACTS Population: 27.8 million (UN, 2010) Capital: Tashkent Area: 447,400 sq km (172,700 sq miles) Major language: Uzbek, Russian, Tajik Major religion: Islam Life expectancy: 66 years (men), 72 years (women) (UN) Monetary unit: 1 Uzbek som = 100 tiyins Main exports: Cotton, gold, natural gas, mineral fertilizers, ferrous metals, textiles, motor vehicles GNI per capita: US $1,280 (World Bank, 2010) Internet domain: .uz International dialling code: +998 LEADERS President: Islam Karimov Islam Karimov has dominated the leadership since 1989 when he rose to be Communist Party leader in then Soviet Uzbekistan. The following year he became president and continued in the post after independence.

A referendum held in 1995 extended his term until 2000 when he won the presidential elections unopposed. A further referendum in 2002 extended the presidential term from five to seven years, but the expiry of his term in January 2007 went largely unnoticed. He gained another term following elections in December 2007 which opponents dismissed as a sham.

Mr Karimov takes a ruthlessly authoritarian approach to all forms of opposition. The few Western observers who monitored parliamentary elections in 2004 condemned them as

having failed to meet international standards and pointed out that all the candidates supported the president.

Mr Karimov has been accused of using the threat of Islamic militancy to justify his style of leadership.

Observers say the combination of ruthless repression and poor living standards provides fertile breeding ground for violent resistance in a volatile region.

Mr Karimov was born in 1938 in the city of Samarkand and is an economist by profession. He held various senior posts in Soviet Uzbekistan, including finance minister and first secretary of the Uzbek Communist Party Central Committee.

MEDIA The state tightly controls the media. Reporters Without Borders (RSF) says the law punishes journalists for “interference in internal affairs” and “insulting the dignity of citizens”.

Foreign media have been gradually expelled since the 2005 Andijan uprising, RSF adds. Pre-publication press censorship was abolished in 2002, but self-censorship is widespread. A law holds media bodies responsible for the objectivity of their output.

The Committee to Protect Journalists says many Uzbeks rely on foreign sources - including Russian TV and the BBC - as a counterpoint to stifled domestic media. The government controls much of the printing and distribution infrastructure.

TV is the most popular medium. Private TV and radio stations operate alongside state broadcasters. Foreign channels are carried via cable TV, which is widely available.

Uzbekistan had around 7.5 million internet users by March 2011 (InternetWorldStats). Strict online censorship includes filtering at a central level.

Targets include opposition and news websites.

Uzbekistan is a Reporters Without Borders “Enemy of the Internet”. The watchdog describes it as one of the region’s most “internetrepressive” countries and says censorship and surveillance were increased in response to the 2011 Arab Spring.

Sunday August 19, 2012

3 Easy Honey Hair Treatment Methods There are many natural treatments, which you can try out in order to increase the beauty and health of your hair.

Of these, the treatments that involve the use of honey are quite popular. The popularity of using honey for hair care can be attributed to the fact that it is devoid of side effects.

In addition; this natural product also possesses many properties, which will help to make your tresses gorgeous.

Do read on to know more about three effective honey hair treatment methods, which you can easily try out.

HONEY FOR DEEPCONDITIONING TREATMENT Those of you who have extremely dry hair can try the honey deep conditioning treatment at least once a week.

This treatment can be done by using a mixture of 3 tablespoons of honey and 2 tablespoons of olive oil. If your hair is oily, then you can restrict the use of olive oil to 1 teaspoon.

The honey-olive oil mixture is to be applied on damp hair, which is freshly shampooed. You can also massage the mixture thoroughly onto your scalp. Leave on the mixture for about 15 minutes, and then rinse off with cold water. The moisturizing properties of honey, combined with its ability to cleanse the scalp, make it a very suitable candidate for a deep conditioning treatment. Olive oil at the same time will enhance the moisturizing properties of honey, and will leave your hair with a healthy shine.

In a variation of this process, a deep conditioning hair mask is prepared by adding an egg yolk to the honey â&#x20AC;&#x201C; olive oil mixture. Blend this mixture thoroughly and apply it on wet hair. Cover your hair with a warm towel and leave on the mixture for around 30 minutes. After the stipulated time, do wash off the deep conditioning mask with cold water and towel dry your hair thoroughly.

HONEY HAIR RINSE An easy way to give your hair a healthy shine and to keep it moisturized all day long, is to make use of a honey hair rinse. To prepare this hair rinse, all you will have to do is to mix 1 teaspoon of honey with 4 cups of warm water.

Apply this rinse on your hair after shampooing, leave it on for 5 minutes and towel dry your hair thoroughly. By storing this honey hair rinse in an airtight plastic bottle, you can prevent it from getting spoilt for at least a period of 2 weeks.

HONEYHAIR LIGHTENINGTREATMENT If you wish to lighten the color of your hair, then instead of using chemical products, you can very well try out the honey treatment for hair lightening. The presence of hydrogen peroxide in honey is seen to give it excellent bleaching properties.

To lighten your hair, you will have to make a mixture of 1 cup of honey and 2 cups of your regular hair conditioner.

Rinse your hair and leave on the mixture for a period of 8 hours. After the stipulated time, do rinse off the mixture with cold water. The disadvantage of this treatment is that it is slow acting and one will have to use this mixture for a continuous period to obtain prominent results.

As a step to increase the efficiency of the honey hair lightener, you can use it in combination with cinnamon powder. Thus, without fail, try out the above said honey hair treatment recipes and be the proud owner of gorgeous and healthy tresses.

SOLUTION FOR LAST WEEKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S SEARCH & FIND

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Sunday August 19, 2012

Camille Wade-Deterville is a 'Special Person' From page 18 regard that Guyana still has some way to go.

What makes a good nurse? “Somebody who is caring, who has empathy, selfless, who understands that the person on the bed needing the care could have been he or she [the nurse]; one who is knowledgeable, who has good interpersonal skill; who can stand up and be a good advocate for his or her patient at any time; who can communicate well with other care-givers, the doctors and other nurses and other disciplines in the health field and who wants to always go to a higher level, learn something more or new and who wants to move with the time”.

GET OUT To the nurses who are not performing, she said, “if you don't like it and if it's something you don't enjoy, you don't care for people or don't want to be around people, you have to find something else to do; go where your passion would take you and follow your heart because in nursing, you have to have this heart-toheart contact with your patient and if you can't have that, then you're not going to be a good nurse and should not be in nursing.”

She enjoys teaching her students and seeing them being endowed with the

With hospital staff in New York

knowledge she is imparting in them over the past couple of months.

She is currently teaching Disaster Preparedness and also physiology and the nursing process. “Just knowing that there is a process to follow when you're doing nursing; you just don't do your own thing and to show them the different processes involved in each step so that you can reach your goal.”

Camille does not have

any regrets in life nor would she do anything differently.

Her two children are also in the healthcare field. Her younger daughter graduated as a Respiratory Therapist an d th e o ld er o n e is following in her (her mother's) footsteps as a nurse. She is currently pursuing her Master's Degree in Nursing.

Our 'Special Person' is making a call for especially young people to enter nursing. “It is a wonderful

profession for anyone who gets a sense of satisfaction caring for people or wanting to care for people. It's a career where one can advance and become a nurse and later become a doctor if he/she so desires-- I think nurses make the best doctors”.

She noted the many, many areas where one can progress from being a nurse; “you don't have to stick to bed-side nursing once you are finished; you have

occupational health-- you can work with the airlines, the insurance company-- I did and you can earn a lot of money.

Public health nursing, medexes, “is very rewarding…for both males and females and I would encourage the males out there especially those with a Science background.”

Males, she said, are the minority in the profession due to the fear and stigma attached to them being a nurse “because some feel that this is a girl's thing but times have changed, roles have changed, the world has changed; gender roles are changing...so men should get into nursing; it's a great career for anybody and a great profession to enter; more men want to become doctors, so go ahead and join the nursing profession and see what it's like.”

During her spare time, she enjoys reading and

traveling as well as being on Skype talking to her kids and grandkids. Camille loves the Golden Oldies as well as pop music “and I love Gregory Isaacs, reggae, soca. I like to look at movies, I love comedies.”

Reflecting on her life and career, she feels a sense of contentment returning to these shores to give back. “I did this because I would like my children to still have that connection to Guyana and to have the grandkids know where their mothers are from”.

“I love Guyana too much, man; I love this country and I have to give back here and give back there (USA) because I got so much from there, too, you know, America is a great country… greatest--and I am very grateful for my training there as a nurse, very grateful and appreciative that I can take that knowledge and bring it back here to share.”

Camille lecturing to young nurse-trainees in New York

Sunday August 19, 2012

Kaieteur News

Two men in custody for $4M damaged GT&T cables Two Sophia residents are in police custody after being caught with a large quantity of Guyana Telephone and Te l e g r a p h C o m p a n y (GT&T) cables yesterday in the wee hours of the morning at 'D' Field, Sophia.

The men were apprehended by the South Turkeyen Policing Group and were taken to the Turkeyen Police Station, where charges are to be instituted and the men are to appear in court on Monday.

The cables which contain 600 lines within, are valued at an estimated $4M, according to GT&T operatives. The cables are from sections eight and nine of 'B' Field Sophia where they were severed from a utility pole.

According to reports, the policing group, acting on information, proceeded to a house in 'D' Field, Sophia, where the owner of a vehicle (number provided) was confronted and taken to the police station.

The man was taken to the Turkeyen Police Station where it was disclosed that he was the owner of the car which was parked in front of

the house where he was arrested.

Upon investigation, the vehicle was taken to the station where a search was carried out; various cutting instruments were found along with ropes, hacksaws and other equipment, which suggested that the vehicle was used to transport the GT&T cables.

Another resident of 'D' Field, Sophia, was also held in connection with damaging the GT&T cables.

Copper is being stolen from the cables to facilitate the scrap metal trade, and calls have been made for the government to review the situation so as to assist not only GT&T, but persons in communities affected by these malicious acts. GT&T officials disclosed that customers whose telephones may have been connected to the destroyed cables would also be affected.

The phone company urged citizens to be vigilant and to immediately report any suspected acts of vandalism of GT&T's cables and equipment to its 'Vandalism Hotlineâ&#x20AC;? number â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 0908.

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Some of the GT&T cables in the compound of Turkeyen Police Station.

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Kaieteur News

Sunday August 19, 2012

APNU joins call for full-blown probe of NCN From page 3 Harmon said. “Its function as an agency is in both stead that is, it earns a commission from NCN as well as from its client companies. These discounts are, quite rightly, the margins of the advertising agency.”

According to Harmon, APNU’s primary concern is whether there were any checks and balances or reconciliation done periodically to match the airtime sold to the moneys received by NCN. The Harry Parmessar report had spoken of poorly kept records at NCN in

which it was difficult to determine how much money the entity was actually making. The report had also found that clients were not being billed.

“At the very least, we expect that the main business clients of NCN should be checked for work orders, rates and moneys collected.

Unless this is done, no one can establish whether there were any incestuous relationships, and if NCN’s dealings with particular companies were above board.”

“NCN will remain on trial in the public’s eyes until

a full disclosure is made of its operations. NCN is not owned by the Government, it is owned by the people of G u y a n a . We d e m a n d answers.” He called for the company to be placed under a separate ministry which will allow it to be scrutinized

by Parliament.

Opposition parties in Parliament, earlier this year, blocked millions of dollars in subsidies to NCN and its s i s t e r a g e n c y, t h e Government Information Agency (GINA), calling for reforms and claiming the two were heavily biased in favour of government.

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From the Diaspora...

By Ralph Seeram I could not understand what was going on. I was in a squatting position doing some work, then attempted to stand up, but found myself stuck. I could not stand up; my knees would not allow me.

“What’s going on here?” I asked myself.

I felt this sharp pain in my left knee. Looking at it, it seemed larger than the right knee. After some effort I made it up. Looks like arthritis. I will have to get another tablet for this.

I recently discovered that I was taking some seven tablets a day; I did not realize that until I decided to add another tablet to my collection, one for joint pain.

I wondered when I reached that stage. It was gradual over the years; you never take stock of this thing, until the small corner where I store my medicine became crowded.

Did I say seven? That is not counting any additional prescription the doctor may order for any illness. I started with the usual multivitamin which most of us take on a daily basis, and that was okay. We consumers are

Kaieteur News

Sunday August 19, 2012

You know you are getting old when... constantly bombarded with advertisements on how to keep yourself healthy. So we are told to have an aspirin daily to prevent heart attacks and so forth, so aspirin was added to the daily intake.

About ten years ago I had a heart surgery, so anything that can keep the heart healthy is an easy sell for me.

Omega 3 was added to the daily intake.

Now our grandparents were ahead of western medicine on this one.

Remember we had to take our Cod Liver Oil, only it was by spoon. The taste was not pleasant. At some point it was also being given free in schools in tablet forms.

Then you had to strengthen your resistance for cold, you must have your vitamin C. It did not matter that it is already in your daily multi vitamin. That we are told is not enough, you need a 1000mg dose daily, so I added Vitamin C. But Vitamin C and E going together, you have to get Vitamin E. Even my doctor said to use Vitamin E, so I had to make some more space to store Vitamin E. Vitamin E is added to the daily diet. Now

don’t forget I had heart surgery; my doctor said I cannot do without cholesterol medicine, that I must use it. Now I hate to take prescription drugs; they have more side effects than cure.

Nevertheless I must have my daily intake of statin.

Fortunately, that is the only prescription medicine I am taking. There would have been a few more, but I refused to take them. Some months ago my elbow was in pain; I hardly could have lifted anything, and I went to the specialist who promptly informed me that I had “tennis elbow”.

Now I never picked up a tennis racquet, so I asked him how I can get “tennis elbow”. The nearest I came to a tennis racquet was when I was growing up in New Amsterdam. I was about 12 years old, when my friend, Harold, suggested that we go to the Government House in New Amsterdam at the corner of Water and Vryheid Streets to pick up tennis balls.

It was all expatriates playing there in those days, they were too lazy to go pick up their balls so they paid us six cents to pick them up.

Now six cents was a lot of cash for a “small boy” in those days. I could get a glass of mauby and buns for two cents. Anyway at that early age I found that demeaning, I never returned after the first day.

The tablet the doctor ordered had so many side effects that I decided against using it, and resorted to the old Guyanese method of “hot water” and a “rubbing”.

Recently, on a visit to Guyana I was enjoying some cool breeze at Seawell on the Corentyne, watching some coconut trees swaying to the wind. I was admiring one particular coconut tree that was probably a hundred feet

in height. It was very tall, but what caught my attention was the angle of the tree. It probably was leaning about thirty to forty degrees.

I thought to myself back in the day I would have climbed that tree barefooted; I loved the challenge of climbing difficult coconut trees in my youth. The last time I climbed, or more accurately got up a coconut tree, was at the famous Fraser farm on the #19 Road. It was by way of a ladder and that tree was not more than fifteen feet.

So now with my arthritis pain I have added Glucosamine with MSM to my over-the-counter

collection of tablets. I often wonder if I stick to my Guyanese roots using fresh “greens”, chicken and fish, if that cannot do the trick, instead of all these tablets.

But then I discovered I will be taking some more drugs.

The “greens” have too many fertilizers, the meat is laced with hormones, and the fish has mercury. You can’t win.

I think it was “The Mighty Sparrow” who said age is just a number, but I’ll tell you this, your body will let you know when you reach that number, just look in your medicine cabinet.

Ralph Seeram can be reached at email: ralph365@hotmail.com

US medical team completes health outreach in Guyana A medical team from the United States of America has been in Guyana over the past week to conduct numerous clinics around the country.

The team which comprised two doctors, three nurses and four medical students visited areas in Georgetown, Baramita, and Matthews Ridge. The Health outreach programme was sponsored by Reunion Manganese Inc, a company responsible for exploration and development activities

for manganese in the North West District.

The group traveled to Matthews Rid g e on Monday last and conducted clinics at Matthews Ridge hospital and Baramita health outpost.

Leading the delegation was Dr. Collie Oudkerk, a Guyanese who works at Brookdale Medical Institute in Brooklyn, New York.

Kaieteur News understands that the Health and Educational Relief Organization (HERO) Team

visits Guyana at least thrice every year to conduct surgical and medical work in the hinterland communities.

The visiting team provided their own medical supplies which significantly aided them in their purpose.

The outreach to Baramita resulted in 141 persons receiving treatment while in Matthews Ridge, 121 obtained health checkups and services.

On their next trip to Guyana, the group plans to visit the Arakaka area.

Sunday August 19, 2012

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Stallholders claim authorities ignoring recurring issues - Sanitation, poor security among grievances a problem with sanitation.

The vendors claim that the old Anna Regina market is more accessible to consumers while in the new area vending is only permitted once weekly.

They also noted that the accommodation at Cotton Field is relatively small relative to the quantity of stallholders.

The vendors have been legally barred by the Council

Stallholders are complaining that the main entrance to the Stabroek market is a magnet for undesirables Stallholders from several municipal markets have recently been expressing frustration with the existing situation in the locations at which operate. Many are complaining of recurring problems - from sanitation issues to the absence of appropriate security procedures - while insisting that the municipal authorities continually “turn a blind eye”.

The stallholders’ society of the Stabroek Market, in particular, believes that better standards for security need to be implemented. Vendors expressed that the continued presence of “loiterers”, many of whom can be found at the main entrance of the facility, is for the most part what encourages a free-for-all environment.

“We want a constant

presence and vigilance of the police or constabulary department here to have this sort of operation (illegal buying and selling of gold) completely removed. Every time we call the constabulary or the police outpost to address any issue that a stallholder might have, they tell us that they don’t have ranks to send. We are at the mercy of some funny characters.”

Concerns were also expressed about the welfare of consumers and commuters, who traverse the environs in the adjacent bus parks.

“Every time someone comes through those gates there is a cluster of men harassing them asking them if they buying gold or selling gold. Sometimes when people

gold jewellery get snatch the thieves come right here under the clock, or in some corner, and sell it to these very men. Nobody can’t talk; they threaten you and it’s not fair to us who abide by the rules,” one stallholder said “Every single day people are robbed in this market, sometimes with the use of weapons, and we are concerned about it. It is reflecting negatively on the market; people are afraid to come here to do business.”

Meanwhile, stallholders at both La Penitence and Bourda Markets voiced their displeasure at having to operate under almost intolerable unsanitary conditions.

Sewage continuously flows in several occupied areas within those facilities.

At La Penitence, the stallholders noted that the conditions have been at their worst since persons who started to construct new stalls had abandoned their structures due to the leaking ceiling and unhygienic environs in which they may have to function.

In Essequibo, the Charity Market operates once weekly, while 25 km away at the old Anna Regina Market, the stallholders and the Municipal Council are in a court battle. The authority wants the market to relocate to Cotton Field while stallholders are insistent on staying put.

At present no maintenance works are being done to the structure, there are numerous breakages to stalls, and there is reportedly

from doing any maintenance work to the old Anna Regina facility.

A senior Mayor & City Council official told Kaieteur News that with respect to Stabroek Market, the Mayor had requested that the police assist by sending patrols on more regular basis.

The official further stated that the sanitary officers will be sent to assess the conditions of the markets.

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Kaieteur News

VEHICLES FOR SALE Pickup trucks, Toyota Tundra, extended cab, $1.9M, Ford raye sports. Extended cab $1.9M Call: 682-5230/621-4066 WANTED Live in domestic must know to cook, Salary $50,000 monthly Call: 222-4890 Taxi and Bus drivers Princess Hotel Call: 6165419, 265-7076 Experience roti/puri cooks, Pastry makers, Counter servers, Cleaners, Apply Hack’s Halaal Restaurant 5 Commerce Street.

Driver/Salesman with clean Lorry Driving Record Call: 266-4427 Accounts Clerk with CXC Accounts and/or knowledge of Peachtree or Quickbooks Call: 266-4427 Refrigeration A/C, Washer trainee Call: 231-0655, 6838734 Washbay attendants to work, living in Georgetown Call: 227-5169 One Cosmetologist helper required Call: 223-5451, 2274799 Bus driver to ply zone 31 Call: 231-1561 or 664-9427 One live in nanny, mature with Secondary Education, Age 30-50 years Call: 2269279, 614-6564 1 Security to work nights, age: 40 – 55 years, working hours: 7pm – 7 am. Contact: 231-6721/674-8300 1 Drudge workers, scrap metal cutter, 1 Hiab truck driver, 1 mechanic, 1 whole day domestic Call: 667-5717, 650-4761 or 629-2912 Experience hairdressers to work at Misikko Salon.

Contact Mrs.Trecia Bathija on 666-5153 Live in/live out domestic Call: 668-3985, 264-3356, 2533149 1 Experience person to look after layer birds in interior Call: 677-0610 One shop attendant male age 18-22, Contact 88/89 Section 1 Stabroek Market (Baby).

1 male to work in the interior 25-40 years, $60,000. Contact 687-1414/675-7043 Machine operators for Bobcat & Excavator.

Contact: 220-5580/621-4786 1 Experience cook to cook for family in interior Call: 677-0610 1 male sales clerk, 1 porter Call: 225-2313 1 Watchman, 1 Truck driver, 2 Handy men for interior. Call: 627-6416/226-3799

SERVICES Permanent &Visitors Visa Applications Professional Immigration Consultant Sabita - Room E-4 Maraj Building 225-6496/ 223-8115/662-6045.

Just arrived: Allion and Premio, tel: 624-2000, 622-1610 Toyota Tacoma GPP Series $4.5M, Unregistered Toyota Premio $2.9M Call: 688-9070, 619-2299

We refill HP cartridges for $1800 Call: 650-7699

2003 Nissan X Trail PLL series, excellent condition $3.2M Negotiable Call:623-3839

We repair fridge, freezer, AC, washer, dryer Call:2310655,683-8734 Omar

Blow Out Sale!! P & A Auto Sales, Unregistered vehicles, Premio, Spacio, IST, Raum etc Call: 661-9651 or 681-8474

Mahadoe’s Construction, reliable services for your building, contact Tony Tel 618-3523, 669-7376. For free estimates and plans.

Leading Auto, Allion, Runx, IST, PLL Raum Call: 677-7666

HOUSE PLAN DRAFTING FOR ONLY $10,000 CALL: 694-9843, 227-2766

One Toyota Marino, excellent condition $850,000 Call:265-3883 or 682-0567

Cruiser transport 4x4 pick-up service + mechanic & mining for hire, anytime, anywhere, right now Call Steve 674-9547,653-6687 Cellphone unlocking starting from $3,000. 2GB flash drive and memory card, Kingston $2,000 Call: 652-7560

1 Toyota Ceres, AT 192, AT 170, 212 Carina, EP 71 Starlet, 1 Alteeza PMM Call: 6445096, 697-1453

DATING SERVICE Immediate link-Singles 18-80 yrs.Confidential: Tel: 2238237,648-6098. 8:30am5:00pm Mon-Sun (Both phones same hours) NO TEXTING

One Toyota Sprinter Contact Tel: 660-1141

Massy Ferguson Tractors1-265, 1-275, 1-285, 1-298, 1399 4 wheel drive, 5000W Generator, Land Tillers, All Negotiable Call: 678-0224 GPP 6369. Tel: 613-3521.

AE 100 Corolla. Price negotiable. Tel: 694-4432.

Unregistered Allion, IST & PLL 212 Call: 609-8188 1 Allion, 1 IST, 1 Rav4, 1 45150 Leyland Daff, 1 55-210 Leyland HIAB Call Archie 624-1343, 664-2755 2001 Nissan Civilian, 30 seater, import condition, A/ C, tint, PNN Call Phillip 6169523, 683-7819

WANTED General domestic, male or female, work 3 days weekly.

Must have 2 recent references. Call: 628-0335 during working hours One CLEANER to work 3 days Tuesday, Thursday & Saturday between Enmore to Unity area Call: 623-3231 or 259-0953 Painters/Carpenters to work with limited supervision with own tools Call:225-0188/ 225-6070 Domestic to do house work only, no cooking, to live in, preferably from country area Call: 639-7700 Live in waitress, salary $50,000 monthly, boarding & lodging free Call: 610-5043 Maid/Cleaner, Apply to P.O Box 101818 include contact number.

Handy boys to work $35,000 per month, living accommodation and meals free Call: 628-1756, 228-5655

Unregistered Tundra tt 100 and Tacoma Call: 265-2103, 645-9860 2004 Mazda RX8, Body kit, Spoiler, Never register Call: 617-2891 One IRZ long base, 2003 EFI, AT, Bus, Unregistered Call: 647-1729 602-9167 Toyota RAV4,excellent condition, fully loaded, female driven Call: 624-3350 1 RZ Minibus , BHH 683, $ 680,000 Neg. Call: 6011094,629-5946 Blowout Sale.!! Unregistered Toyota BB & New Model Raum (Red Colour). Fully loaded & cheap Call: 6436565, 226-9931 Jags’Auto: IRZ, VVTI Manual/Automatic, Buses, Wagon, Raum. Cheapest Call: 616-7635 Burgundy Carina 192 PLL series, low mileage $1.2M negotiable Call: 216-2324, 223-4281, 678-4072

Sunday August 19, 2012

VEHICLES FOR SALE

FOR SALE

QUANTUM AUTO – Toyota Premio, Dark Grey, Black & Silver, Spacio, Fielders & Raum, Fully Loaded Call: 6247684, 617-2378 Leading Auto, Unregistered Allion, Premio, Spacio, Runx, IST Call: 677-7666, 610-7666

One 15HP Yamaha (Long foot) Call: 689-5254, 643-0332

Leading Technology, Toshiba Laptop-wholesale & retail Call:648-6600 1 Toyota RZ (Longbase), 15 seater (EFI) manual, immaculate condition, hardly used, price $1.6M. Call Rocky 621-5902, 225-1400 1 Toyota Hilux Surf (hardly used) automatic, fully powered, A/C, magrims, crash bar, price $2.2M Call Rocky 621-5902 1 Toyota Harrier (2001), automatic, fully loaded, alarm, immaculate condition, price $4.8M Call Rocky 6215902, 225-1400 1 AT 212 Toyota Carina (New Model), automatic, fully powered, A/C , magrims, alarm, price $1.6M Call Rocky 621-5902 1 Toyota Rav 4 (hardly used) automatic, fully powered, A/ C, mags, price $2.3M Call Rocky 225-1400, 621-5902 1 Toyota Prado (2000) Automatic, fully loaded, immaculate condition, price $6M Call Rocky 621-5902, 225-1400 Mercedes Benz A 140, Automatic, fully powered PMM, 37,000km $2.7 million cash Call: 621-4000, 227-3939, 690-6000 2005 H2 Hummer SUV model, fully powered, leather, 22’’ rims system price negotiable 645-9977 Stretch Limousine Lincoln town car, perfect condition, perfect for rentals, weddings etc, realistic offer accepted Call: 621-4000 Generators Mitsubishi, silent diesel with storage tank 28KVA, key start next to new $1.5M Call: 621-4000, 6906000, 227-3939 2009 Trident car, brand new, never registered $950,000, Guyana Variety Store & Nut Centre 621-4000, 227-3939 Grand Cherokee Loredo Jeep, automatic power windows locks, projection led lights cash $1.5M Call: 621-4000, 690-6000, 2273939 2006 Toyota Tacoma 4 WD automatic, unregistered on wharf, need minor works sold as is $3.6M firm Call: 6214000, 227-3939 Mercedes Benz S300, automatic luxury car, fully leather, fully powered 19’’ negotiable armoured $3.8M cash Call: 621-4000

Honda pressure washer, Dewalt grinder & camera, Makita & Dewalt drill (cord less) Call: 266-5831, 690-2174 (Marcia) 2005 Tacoma 4 cylinder, call: 651-8870, 233-6161 Diving Suit, call: 613- 5158, 265- 3449 Large bobcat skid steer, 3000lbs capacity, $3.8M Call: 275-0028 American Eagle T-Shirt men & women Call: 266-5831, 6902174 Pressure washers : Dewalt 4200 PSI, John Deere 3800 PSI, 13HP, 4gpm Call: 6391423 Caterpiller backhoe model 426c. Call: 651- 8870, 233- 6161 (2) 6 inch/6 cylinder cummings turbo dredge engine already bed, never used in the jungle $2.2M Negotiable Call: 687-6244 One used central pneumatic 2 in 1 combination flooring air nailer/stapler, One used black & decker table saw Call: 680-8123 Set magrims 20’’, hot water pressure washer 3500 PSI, Sthil chainsaw, 1997 Ford Hauler Call Raj 686-7553

FOR SALE 1 225 KVA Generator, 1 Hiace Canter, Premio, 3 light towers, car batteries Call:624-2000 1 Bobcat & trailor Call:6460101 Dell computers complete with 17&19 inch LCD from $50,000 Future Tech 2312206 Pressure washer Honda 3100 PSI $130,000 Call: 6148564 1 Pool Table, call: 669-9927 Toyota Starlet EP71 Call:6482075 Brand new 2.5ton Pallet Jacks Call: 614-8564 Precision Built Trailer Pump. Very reasonable priced. Tel: 227-1830 Quality imported new and used tools. Call: 220-3356/ 697-8411/643-3627 House and land, Nootenzuil South of Public Road. Tel: 256-3941/681-9879 Farm @ Yarrowkabra Soesdyke Linden Highway Call: 684-7957 MAC STUDIO FIX POWDERS $7,900, SACHA 2in1 $2,000 MAKE UP – top Brands, BLACK OPAL $2,700 Tel :647 -1773

Fridge, freezer, music system, stove Call: 675-3093

Foreign used engines 55 DAF,332 Cummings 6BT Call Anil 615-3023

1 3200 Hifonix Power Amp $160,000 Call: 678-3392

Male enhancer Viagra $4,000 Call: 638-1627

1 Mitsubishi L200 4X4 D/ Cabs 2500cc PGG series Call: 225-3553

2000 Toyota Forklift, 600V Generator, Sets of trailer axle complete air breaks etc Call Raj 686-7553

Brandnew American made Crosely 10.5 cu ft Refridgerator for sale $75,000 Call: 697-5677

V8 Titan 2004 4 wheel drive automatic $3.5M Call: 2750028

1 Plucking machine & Freezer, tel: 216-2363/6834700 Portable massage table with carrying case and brandnew towel warmer Call: 661-9245, 218-2867 Dousund with Terrier mix Call: 680-0192, 216-3408, 6294226 SAMSUNG CHRONOS 7 LAPTOP INTEL CORE i5, 8GB MEMORY, 750GB HDD, 14'’ LED HIGH D E F I N I T I O N , WINDOWS 7. NEW / SEALED $180,000. TEL: 683-3161 One used Vizio 26’’ HDTV, One used LG DVD Home theater system Call: 680-8123 2 Pure breed male pitbull pups, 11 weeks old, vaccinated and dewormed $35,000 each Call: 642-9753, 622-1217

Used generators, 1 65 KVA, IPH, 120-240 Volts, Deutz Air Cool Genset, 1 194 KVA Onan Cummings Genset Call: 622-3940 100/212/192/170 Cars in yellow HB Taxi cars cheap Call: 698-7807 for inspection.

Kia sportage 2002 low milage $2M Call: 275-0028 Massy Ferguson Tractors, Model 188, Honda ATVS, Model 500, 2012 Call: 6886274 or 691-3851 Xerox photocopier 5645,5655&5675, models recently imported & refurbished from USA Call: 643-5182,669-8803 One 5000 watts Briggs & Stratton generator $130,000, One 2400 watts generator $50,000 Call: 216-3287, 6468103, 651-7566 (Continued on page 56)

Sunday August 19, 2012

Kaieteur News

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The Abigail Column Suspicions have no merit Dear Abigail, My fiancé, ‘Anthony’, recently started a new job that requires some overnight travel.

Last week while out of town, a female co-worker asked Anthony’s help to put air in her tires.

He got in her car and they drove together to a gas station. Last week, while out of town again, he and the same co-worker texted and phoned each other a few times, which I found disturbing.

When I confronted him, he became defensive and said he did

nothing wrong. I explained it was inappropriate to be riding in a female co-worker’s car and for the two of them to call each other.

Even if it was completely innocent, there is always the possibility of an accusation of sexual harassment or that other co-workers will think negatively of him.

What bothers me more is that he doesn’t see how inappropriate it is. He says I have blown it out of all proportion and there is nothing further to discuss.

Is this just my insecurity surfacing, or do I have a legitimate concern?

Worried

Dear Worried, The fact that a female asked a male co-worker to help her fix a tire is perfectly understandable, and it’s not a stretch that he would accompany her to the gas station in her car.

You are right that these things can be misinterpreted and that Michael puts his job at risk if he continues to behave in a way that others believe is questionable.

However, I am not convinced anything untoward has been going on. The “evidence” of misconduct is pretty flimsy.

Say nothing more, but keep an eye on the situation if it bothers you.

Sunday August 19, 2012 ARIES (March 21 - April 19): There's a real heat growing between you and someone else -- unfortunately, this person is probably not emotionally available right now (no matter how available he or she may look). ****************** TAURUS (April 20 - May 20): Your social status is on a rapid upswing, and you will be in high demand by a wide array of people. Invitations will be coming your way left and right, and you should let yourself be as choosy as you want to be about whom you say yes to. ******************** GEMINI (May 21 - June 20): If someone you know has recently been making a lot of promises but delivering on none of them, today is the day to say something. Ask this person why so many obligations have been neglected lately. ******************** CANCER (June 21 - July 22): You're positively bursting with pride today, but it's not the bad kind that alienates people and makes you love just showing off. It's the good kind -- the kind that fills you with confidence and encourages you to lead people and inspire them. ******************** LEO (July 23 - Aug. 22): Have the celebrities in your social circle been getting a bit too big for their britches lately?

Popular people are not always popular for the right reasons, and the chinks in their armor are beginning to show today. ********************* VIRGO (Aug. 23 - Sept.

22): Can there be too much happening in your life right

now? Not according to the stars. They say that your capacity for thinking fast, working faster and enjoying every minute of the craziness is incredibly high. ********************** LIBRA (Sept. 23 - Oct. 22): Pinning all of your hopes on one person is not a wise idea right now, so try not to be unrealistic about your expectations. ********************* SCORPIO (Oct. 23 - Nov. 21): If you have been separated from the world while you nursed a bruised ego, it's time for you to get back into the game! Whether you feel ready or not, today is the day to step up and shift back into life. ********************** SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22 Dec. 21): Having good luck is not always a passive experience -- you cannot just wait for a kind genie to arrive at your doorstep and grant you three wishes. ***************** CAPRICORN (Dec. 22 Jan. 19): Your desire to make a connection with new people deserves to be satisfied today, so reach out and approach that person who has been making you smile lately. *********************** AQUARIUS (Jan. 20 - Feb. 18): Paradoxically, accepting a compromise today will put you in a much more powerful position than pushing aggressively to get your own way. *************** PISCES (Feb. 19 - March 20): Eavesdropping on interesting conversations can be a fun pastime, but it can also get you into a lot trouble today if you aren't careful.

NTN CHANNEL 18/ CABLE 69 05:00h - Sign on with the Mahamrtunjaya Mantra 05:00h - Timehri Maha Kali Shakti Devi Mandir Presents Krishna Bhajans 05:15h - Dr. Balwant Singh’s Hospital Inc Presents 05:30h - Queenstown Masjid Presents Quran This Morning 06:00h - R. Gossai General Store Presents Krishna Bhajans 06:15h - Jettoo’s Lumber Yard Presents Krishna Bhajans 06:30h - Muneshwar Limited Presents Krishna Bhajans 06:45h - Double Standard Taxi Presents Krishna Bhajans 07:00h - Ramroop’s Furniture Store Presents Religious Teachings 07:30h - The Family of The Late Leila & David Persaud Presents Krishna Bhajans 07:45h - Sankar Auto Works Presents Krishna Bhajans 08:05h - Sa Re Ga Ma (Musical Notes) A Live Call-In Program 09:30h - L’il Masters 11:30h - Guyana’s Entertainers Platform 12:00h - Hinduism in a changing world presented by Pt. Ravi 12:30h - LET’S TALK with LAKSHMEE 13:00h - DVD Movie-:

KAASH (Eng: Sub:) *ing Jackie Shroff, Dimple Kapadia & Anupam Kher 15:30h - L’il Masters 16:00h - Teaching of Islam 16:30h - EID UL FITR Live 17:30h - Ganesh Parts Presents - BHAGAVAD GITA ( Discourses in English) Serial 17:45h - Birthday Greetings / Death Announcement & In Memoriam 18:00h - Lil Masters

19:00h - Geet Gaata Chal Live with Joel 20:00h - Indian Soap - Sapne Suhane Ladakpan Ke 20:30h - Indian Soap - Rab Se Sohna Isshq 21:00h - Indian Soap - Pavitra Rishta 21:30h - Indian Soap:- Mrs. Kaushik Ki Paanch Bahuyien 22:00h - Indian Soap:- Punar Viivaah 22:30h - Sign Off with the GAYATRI MANTRA

Guides are subjected to change without notice

Page 56

(From page 54) VEHICLES FOR SALE 1 Toyota NZE Corolla PLL Series $2.2M Call: 642-6664 FOR SALE / RENT American Pool Table Call: 277-0578

Kaieteur News

TOURS Suriname Summer Vacation trip, Zoo Cinema Shopping Casino, 1 to 4 September Call: 644-0185, 639-2663, 6655171, 227-8290

CAKES & PASTRIES Courses in cake decoration, pastry making & cookery, tel: 670-0798. Also Wedding dresses for sale.

Progressive auto rental, cars from $4,000 per day.

Call: 643-5122, 656-0087, www.progressiveautorental.com FABS RENTAL, cars & SUV rental, call: 600- 6890 or email fabsrental@yahoo.com Aidan’s Car Pick up Canter Rental Call: 698-7807

VACANCY

1 Driver salesman with lorry licence Call: 220-1500, 6144626

PROPERTY FOR SALE Beautiful middle income ranch style home in LaParfaite Harmonie W.B.D, Has chicken pen Call: 6821256, 622-8409, 611-3674 20X40 Two flat concrete building @ Kitty. Price $22M Negotiable to be seen Call: 668-9512, 223-2570

One live in nanny/maid, 3045 years, Location: Kuru Kururu Call: 656-1284 Accounts clerk 5 Subjects CXC-Grades 1-3 Call: 2235273-4 Driver for party rental service, within the vicinity of Parka to V/Hoop, must be able to work flexible hours.

Tel # 638-1627

Prime business spot Public Road McDoom Village, Land 200’x50’with front store & concrete bond 155’x30’Call: 233-0570 South $10M, Newtown $20M, Diamond $9.5M, Nandy Park $23M, Diana 227-2256, 626-9382 2 houses on one lot, transported land @ Lot 18 Parika Village E.B.E Call: 6503008 Two storey wooden 10 bedrooms grilled house, Lot 26 Hill Street Albouystown $25M, Call: 226-1004 At Tuschen East Bank Essequibo, contact Rayman at 645-9105, 650-2982, transport will obtain McDoom Public Road $53M, Diamond $55M, Bel Air $48M, Continental Park $65M Steve 699-5490 Anna Catherina $20M, Mon Repos $25M, Non Pariel $15M, Stewartville $8.5M, Blankenburg $14.8M Steve 699-5490 Church Street 4 storey US$600,000, Prashad Nagar $28M Steve 699-5490

Relax your mind and body Call: 622-6256

IT Manager must have degree in computer. Call: 220-0401-3 or email: r e c u r u i t m e n t guyana@qualfon.com Hire Car Drivers wanted preferably from E.C.D Contact A-1 Taxi: 220-1000.

Yellow cars with drivers wanted

TO LET 1 2 Bedroom apartment, Location: 1st Bridge in the New Diamond Scheme, Cost $35,000, preferable no children Call: 662-7431, 2162339 Ogle $100,000, Prashad Nagar US$750, Subryanville US$1,500, Albertown (business) US$2,000 Diana 227-2256, 626-9382 Alberttown (Business) US$500, Campbellville US$1,000, Nandy Park US$1,500, Bel Air US$1,000, Diana 227-2256, 626-9382 Fully furnished short term apartments, Eccles. Call: 6797139 Fully furnished 1 & 2 bedrooms apartments AC, Hot water, internet US$40 nightly. Contact 231-6721 & 674-8300. Long & short term Church Street US$4000 Steve 699-5490

EDUCATIONAL ACADEMIA: CXC lessons forms 1-5 & Adults. Only $1000 per subject per month.

Call: 600-3775 Princeton College, Forms 15, CXC adults classes for slow learners, reading classes for children Call: 6905008, 611-3793

TAXI SERVICE Airport Taxi $3800 Call: 6149246

MASSAGE American style massage service Call: 609-4036 CAR RENTAL

Sunday August 19, 2012

FOR SALE One 90cc Honda motorcycle $80,000 Call: 216-3287, 6468103, 651-7566 2 flat 110-90 tractors, tractors in good working conditions Call Aro 641-6057 2 complete music set Call: 220-1500, 614-4626 New Honda TRX500 (4750c) foreman Call: 225-0370 The Children of the World musical CD. Positive messages in songs, Full Range Record Bar Call: 2671565 Clean garden earth and Bobcat rental, excavating, clearing and leveling, call;: 616- 0617, 663- 3285 Whirlpool Washing Machine and Dryer, Like new, Used only 6 months Call: 628-6030, 602-6518 4 Hobart/ miller welders engine driven $350,00, $595,000, wood working machinery-tablesaw, sharper, planer mortice, drill press Call: 619-6863, 226-3883 One 225 HP $1.1M & 150 HP $950,000, Yamaha outboard engines, many more small outboard engines available Call: 699-1711 5 Clarke forklifts 20004000lbs lifting imported USA, need basic servicing, sold as is $400,000 & up Call 6214000, 690-6000 Projection television from 40’’ to 80’’ minor problems, sold as is price $75,000, make cash offer Guyana Variety Store Call: 227-3939, 621-4000 2-60-180 Leyland Daf dump lorries in working condition Call: 628-1756, 228-5655 Imported Umbrellas 10ft & 12ft Call: 645-0870 Peeking & French ducks also turkeys Call: 658-0497

LEARN TO DRIVE

PEN PAL

Soman & Sons Driving School, First Federation Building Call: 225-4858, 6445166, 622-2872, 615-0964

Male seeking female pen pal, age 20-24 Call: 695-0961, serious relationship only

Prudential Learning ‘’ Training to Pass’’ automatic also stick/manual Call: 6424827, 661-5028. We ‘re # 1.

Register now at Community College $15,000 per term at Form 1 Call: 227-0218 Learn Spanish easy Call: 673-1232 VYC, IDCE/UG presents Business Development Training, in Marketing, Financing and Communication. Contact 2271011-13 Register Now Imperial College- Register Now. CXC 2013. Fulltime/ Lessons/Adults classes.

Excellent Results Call: 6835742, 227-7627 Enroll now at Double B’s school for cosmetology courses as low as $5,000 each Call:676-4556,649-2930 CXC Physics lessons Call: 615-2881 Register Now for computer classes, MicroGraphics Technology Grove 226-3976 Advanced Diploma in computer for 2012 CXC Student, MicroGraphics Technology, Vreed-en-Hoop 264-3057 Register Now for Windows 7, Office 2012, Quick Books etc, MicroGraphics Technology Parika (Bollywood Building) 264-3057 Learn & qualify in designing & dressmaking at Decy’J School of Design& Dressmaking Call to enroll 696-2703 Guitar & keyboard classes Call: 660-8697

SALON Make up courses, artist trained & certified in Trinidad: 660-5257,647-1773 Summer special Cosmetology, Nails & Makeup Call Abby 216-1950,6665241,619-7603

DRESS MAKING 6-weeks course in designing/ dressmaking.

Call Sharmela: 225- 2598, 6410784

LAND FOR SALE 1 ½ acre, 48ftx1300ft V/ Hoop Call: 627-9351 Soesdyke- Transported land 132x166 vacant $5.5M, B&G’s realty Call: 227-4125, 617-9717, 682-4094 Robb Street (land) $30M, Main Street (land) US$5M Diana 227-2256, 626-9382 Vreed-en-Hoop House Lots, Call: 658-0115 32 Acres for sale, Lot 5 Content Mahaicony E.C.D, $256,000.00 (USD) Call: 813319-4219 or rpooran@tampabay.rr.com Diamond $6M, $3.5M, $4.5M, $4.8M, Samantha Point $38M, Nandy Park $14M, Shell Road Kitty $16M Steve 699-5490

FOR RENT One top flat for rent at Diamond New Scheme E.B.D Call: 678-9835 Taxi Base rental at a popular West Side Hotel Call: 6381627 Booths for rent in hair salon $6,000 weekly Call: 227-3273 or 696-3037 in Albert town Georgetown.

Rental of machines : Excavator, Roller & Bobcat Call: 220-5580, 621-4786 1 Bottom flat at 121 Lindley Avenue Nandy Park, 2 bedrooms fully furnished Call: 233-5560, 619-4824 (Cindy) Apartments $50,000 monthly Call: 645-1208 5,500 Square ft storage bond Eccles, E.B.D, Serious enquires only. Please Call: 628-6030, 602-6518 for more information.

One newly built 2 bedroom bottom flat Section A Diamond $50,000 Call:2234281, 216-2324, 678-4072 Apartments for rent Call: 6450870

Sunday August 19, 2012

Kaieteur News

Page 57

“Like déjà vu, Olympics superlatives and gold all over again!”

Colin E. H. Croft Credited with magnificently golden soliloquies including “I really did not say anything that I said” and “it ain’t over until it’s over”, Lawrence ‘Yogi’ Berra, former New York Yankees baseball player and manager extraordinaire, also suggested, germane to this situation, reference London 2012 Olympics, especially for Trinidad & Tobago and Uganda; “It is déjà vu all over again!” Believe it!

Also, my experience in taking drugs, other than Aspirins, Amoxil 250’s or Senna, for general cleanouts or toothaches, especially when I played for West Indies, is nil. I do not know how it feels to miss them, but, like many, I feel completely depleted, debilitated, now that London 2012 Olympics is actually over.

I am sure that I am experiencing, from legal and illegal drug circles, “Severe Withdrawal Syndrome!”

London 2012 Olympics was the best sporting extravaganza I have had in my 59 years. ‘Yogi’ is correct. As was the case after Atlanta 1996, Sydney 2000 and Beijing 2008, this feeling is déjà vu, all over again!

Confirming that feeling, Trinidad & Tobago’s first Gold medal came in 1976 Montreal, Canada - when Haseley Crawford, rankest outsider of all, won the 100 metres dash - 10.06 seconds.

Had he run at London 2012, he would not have qualified for the final, where seven of eight finalists ran sub 10:00s!

Crawford’s compatriot Richard Thompson was slowest qualifier for XXX’s final; 10:02s. Great Britain’s Adam Gemili, 19 years old, whom we must see again in Rio 2016, who won 2012’s World Junior Championships 100 metres, clocked “Crawfie’s” Montreal time – 10:06s, and was only 3rd in his heat!

Crawford was in Lane 1, probably the worst lane for sprinting - very little vision

Keshorn Walcott

Gabby Douglas

Stephen Kiprotich

out to Lane 8, if you have any time to look. Jamaica’s Donald Quarrie, who was 2nd, Russia’s Valeriy Borzov, placing 3rd, and even USA’s Harvey Glance, who finished 4th, were all highly favoured on the books, ahead of Haseley!

Noteworthy here, too, the only time that Olympics javelin title had been won by anyone outside of Europe, was by American Cyrus Young, 60 years ago, Helsinki 1952; Games of the XV (Fifteen) Olympiad.

Ironically, in Olympiad XXX (Thirtieth), 36 years after Crawford, between Mo Farah creating history by winning 5,000 metres to go with 10,000 metres Gold, and, later that evening, Usain Bolt getting a 3rd Gold, confirming legendary status, world record too; sprint 4 x 100m relay; 19 year old Trinidadian Kershorn Walcott showed why, per ‘Yogi’, “anything that is impossible is possible!

You have to believe!”

‘Yogi’ would also say; “what is really for you, is for you!”

In the preliminaries, T&T’s Walcott qualified 10th of 12; 81.75 metres. Czech Republic’s Vitezslav Vesely threw 2012’s leading distance; 88.34m; heading qualifying, but could only get 83.34m when it mattered most, in the finals.

Even Ukraine’s rated Oleksandr Pyatnytsya and Finland’s Antti Ruuskanen could not beat Kershorn’s best final effort; 84.58m!

Walcott’s unlikely but

believable triumph summed up how brilliant but utterly unpredictable athletics competitions in especially Olympics could be. No-one, except perhaps Crawford, gave the young man from Toco, 200-1 outsider, any chance. London 2012 made more folklore than could not be scripted!

USA’s “Fierce Five” – women’s gymnastics team – delivered Gold, its first time since Atlanta 1996. McKayla Maroney, Aly Raisman, Jordyn Weiber and Kyla Ross were very good, but, pertinently, it was precocious, better-than-great 16 year old Gabrielle Christina Victoria “Gabby” Douglas, first black young woman (“woman of color” and “African American” be damned), who led the way with individual Gold! Bela Karolyi, Rumanian coach that produced countrywoman Nadia Comaneci’s magnificence at Crawford’s 1976 Olympics, and USA’s Mary Lou Retton’s Los Angeles 1984 all-around Gold, simply beamed: “I have always wanted to get African Americans into this sport- so much potential!” Too true!

True too was that Uganda’s John Akii-Bua, the ill-fated long-legged 400 metres hurdler, who was only 47 when he died in 1997, had won his country only Gold medal, before London 2012, in Munich 1972. He won that one-lap sprint cum jump with then world record; 47.82 seconds, another great achievement.

Trinidad & Tobago and

Uganda have so much in common when it comes to London 2012 Olympics, for it was at the really spectacular XXX that both countries managed to get only their 2nd

Everest host Cosmos from T&T The Everest Cricket Club will come alive today when Everest Masters Cricket Club clash with Cosmos Sports Club from South Trinidad in a T20 match, starting from 12:00 hrs.

According to a release from the Organisers, the Everest Masters team will feature the following players: Rajesh Singh. (Captain), Rohan Sarjoo, Sheik Mohamed, Rakesh Gangaram, Ronald Jaisingh, Jhonny Azeez, David Harper, Paul Parsram, Hemraj Garbarran, Basil Persaud, Sudesh Persaud, Darshanan Lall, Sayeed Mohamed,

Danpaul Ram and Saeed Khan.

The Cosmos line-up will come from Kalaprashad Sanasie (Captain), Dangelo Sanasie, Imran Ali, Justin Samkarran, Jordon Samkarran, Cameron Sookdeo, Naresh Roopan, Rajesh Seecharran, Deolal Persaud, Mohindar Gangiah, Chetan Gangiah, Imran Ali Jr. and Rohan Mangal.

Tiger Sports is the sponsor of the trophies for the winning team and Man of the Match.

There will be live entertainment from Aaron Dasrat and Sandella.

Gold medals overall.

Strangely, had he been running at London 2012, with that same time, Akii-Bua would have won Silver, to Dominican Republic’s Felix Sanchez’s Gold, whose 47.63s was the world-leading time for 2012; season’s best; to edge out USA’s Michael Tinsley; Silver, 47.91s; and Puerto Rico’s Javier Culson’s Bronze; 48.10s.

Like Trinidad & Tobago, Uganda got its 2nd Olympics Gold from a source not altogether expected at all.

Stephen Kiprotich, clocking 2:08:01 for 26 miles 385 yards, won London 2012’ marathon by a mammoth 26 seconds, beating highly favoured Kenyans Abel

Colin E. H. Croft Kirui; 2:08:27; and Wilson Kipsang Kiprotich; 2:09:37, into 2nd and 3rd places. Not only named like Kenyans, Stephen Kiprotich also trained with them too!

Yogi, 87, will smile if he hears it. Yes, London 2012 was déjà vu all over again, for a 2nd Gold! Enjoy!

GCA U-19 David Persaud Investments cricket competition...

Steven Sankar & Joshua Ram turn in outstanding all-round performances on Day 3

Steven Sankar

Orlando Sturdge

Joshua Ram

Steven Sankar and Joshua Ram turned in good performances on the third day of action in the Georgetown Cricket Association (GCA) David Persaud Investments U-19 competition.

In Match 1 – DCC “B” Vs Malteenoes SC at the DCC ground. Malteenoes won by 100 runs.

Malteenoes SC batting first made 273 all out in 53 overs. Kareem Naughton made 59 runs, Steven Sankar 47 and Jamal Norton 37.

Bowling for DCC “B”: S. DeSouza took 2 for 40.

In reply DCC “B” were dismissed for 100 runs. Rajiv Balgobin made 34 runs, Kemal Savory 22 and Deron Crandon 22. Bowling for Malteenoes SC: Steven Sankar took 8 wickets for 28 runs.

Match 2 – GYO Vs Ace Warriors at the GYO ground.

GYO won by 154 runs.

GYO batting first made 259 all out in 43 overs.

Loakesh Reid made 71 runs and Shivnandan Roopnarine 71. Bowling for Ace Warriors: Tramane Clarke took 4 wickets for 37 runs and Maurice Gibson took 3 for 22.

In reply Ace Warriors was dismissed for 105 runs in 13 overs. Quasey Leigh made 32 and Maurice Gibson 23.

Bowling for GYO: Devindra Seeraj took 3 wickets for 26 runs and Gregory Roach 3 for 45.

Match 3 – Transport SC “A” Vs Everest CC at the Everest ground. Transport SC “A” won by 3 wickets.

Everest CC batting first made 135 all out in 29.4 overs.

Shivindra Hemraj made 44 and Chris Surat 37. Bowling for TSC “A”: Joshua Ram took 7 wickets for 49 runs.

In reply Transport scored 139 for 7 in 20 overs. Joshua Ram made 51 runs not out. Bowling for Everest: Kevin Paul took 4 wickets for 29 runs.

Meanwhile in action on Friday, several five wicket hauls hilghted play.

Match 1 – DCC “A” Vs Bel Air Texaco at the DCC ground.

DCC “A” won by 112 runs.

DCC “A” batting first made 214 for 5 wickets in their full complement of 55 overs.

C. McEwan made 68 runs, T. Imlack 38 and O. Dhanram 26. Bowling for Bel Air Texaco: B. Sanichar took 2 wickets for 31 runs.

In reply Bel Air Texaco were dismissed for 102. Bowling for DCC “A”: Orlando Sturdge took 5 wickets for 15 runs.

Match 2 – GCC Vs Queen’s College at the GYO ground. GCC won by 141 runs.

GCC batting first made 234 all out in 44.2 overs. D. Lord made 64 runs, F. Omrow 46 and M. Pestanobelle 30. Bowling for Queen’s College: T. Mana took 5 wickets for 61 runs and S. Rutherford took 3 for 22.

In reply Queen’s College were dismissed for 93 runs in 29.2 overs. Bowling for GCC: T. Dharamlall took 5 wickets for 23 runs, D. Lord 2 for 16 and B. Bailey 2 for 23.

Match 3 – Transport SC “B” Vs 3rd Class at the Everest ground. Transport SC “B” won by 69 runs.

Transport SC batting first made 213 for 7 in 55 overs. J. Wilson made 63 and S. Proffit 42.

Bowling for 3rd Class: S. Garnett took 2 wickets for 26 runs. In reply 3rd Class were dismissed for 155 runs. F. Douglas made 40 runs, D. Maniram 40 and S. Garnett 30.

Bowling for Transport SC “B”: A. Persaud took 5 wickets for 28 runs.

Page 58

Says Michael Benjamin The glimmer and the glamour now over, the many athletes that participated in the 30th Olympiad have left the United Kingdom for their respective territories where their feats will receive the highest commendation of their country folks and the celebrations will continue for days if not weeks.

Many athletes would have attended those games knowing that the attainment of a gold medal meant changing fortunes which translated into world fame and enhanced economic prospects.

Governments and sports officials of participating countries would have been cognizant of the benefits to be derived from attaining the top accolade and would have invested appropriately.

Jamaican superstar athlete, Usain Bolt was phenomenal in accruing gold in the 100m, 200m and the 4x 100m relay; Kirani James, a Grenadian born some 11 years after Parris’ bronze medal feat, clinched the inaugural Olympics gold medal for his country, one that can hardly mesh with Guyana’s natural resources; Trinidad and Tobago clinched a gold medal through the efforts of Kishorn Walcott who excelled with the javelin.

All this time Guyanese continue to revel in a lone bronze medal achieved some 32 years ago. It is as though our world has simply stopped.

Our sister states, with hardly as much resources as we possess, have adequately compensated for that anomaly by employing shrewd thinking and constructive applications that produced the desired results.

Over the years, Guyanese have lamented the mediocre tracks and/or substandard infrastructure. Government

Kaieteur News

Sunday August 19, 2012

The time has long past to dispel this sordid Olympics label responded by constructing a national stadium. The only flaw was that this facility catered primarily for the 2007 Cricket World Cup. There is no banked track for the cyclists, as can be found at the Barbados Stadium, no synthetic track for athletic as can be found at the Hasley Crawford Stadium in Trinidad and Tobago.

No, Guyanese thinkers are a different breed; they could only visualize the benefits to be derived from the Word Cup tournament and the brain refused to conceptualize any further.

The Andrew Lewis Boxing Gym, another facility constructed for the development of our boxers is devoid of the requisite design that qualifies it as an adequate facility. As such, coaches are forced to set up the paraphernalia associated with the boxers’ development— punching bags, speed balls etc—under a shed to the southern end of the building while the boxing ring occupies more than seventy five percent of the training area inside the building.

We could turn our attention to the Aquatic Centre; this facility was constructed with the development of local swimmers in mind.

How then did our planners ignore a warm up pool? It was at the inauguration ceremony that former President, Bharrat Jagdeo, when asked of the possibility of such a facility, had responded that he does not envisage its construction making a great financial impact on the national treasury. Recent inquiries by journalists into the status of the auxiliary facility suggest a shift of views of our officials. Sad indeed!

Of all the local sports disciplines, boxing has always been touted as the one to bring glory to this country and it is no surprise that it is this discipline that is responsible for the attainment of our only Olympic accolade.

Hopes of clinching the gold medal were high in the 1976 Summer Games in Montreal Quebec, Canada.

The pundits were, and are still resolute that Guyana boxing contingent would have broken the gold medal jinx.

Boxers, the likes of Kenny Bristol, Mark Harris, Rodwell Paton and Robert Nixon were reduced to tears after Guyana joined most of the sovereign African nations and a few other countries and boycotted those games in reaction to the International Olympic Committee’s refusal to ban New Zealand, whose rugby team had been touring South Africa, in contravention of that country’s dreaded apartheid policy.

Ever since then, Guyanese boxers have struggled and were reduced to mere participants at the world’s premier event and after John Douglas’ failed attempts at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics Guyanese boxers failed to achieve the qualifying standards set out by the International Amateur Boxing Association (AIBA) thus reducing our chances of procuring the coveted accolade.

This year, our boxers travelled to Brazil to engage in that tournament and all lost out. Bert Braithwaite suffered a loss to St Lucian, Marcellin Lyndel even as Stefan Gouveia chalked up a victory in his inaugural bout against Honduran, Teofilo Jeronimo.

He then lost out to Colombian, Eduar Marriaga in

Rifle shooters to compete in first recorded shoot today The first recorded shoot organized for the national rifle shooting squad will take place today at the Timehri rifle ranges starting at 10:00 hours.

The shoot will be at 300, 600, and 900 yards ranges. The shooters expected to compete are National captain Mahendra Persaud, Ransford Goodluck, Lennox Braithwaite, Richard and Dylan Fields, Dane Blair, Charles Deane, Claude Duguid, Peter Persaud, retired Assistant Commissioner of Police Paul Slowe and Ryan Sampson.

Three overseas-based Guyanese shooters are expected to join the squad for the West Indies fullbore championships to be hosted by Guyana during the second week of October.

The regional championships will attract shooters from Antigua/Barbuda, Barbados, Bermuda, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago and host Guyana.

Jamaica are the defending champions following their narrow two-point win over Guyana in the short range team match in Antigua last year.

Guyana holds the long range title which they won in Barbados in 2010.

The West Indies championships will run for five days with three days set aside for individual competition while the final two days will be the team matches.

In 2007 Guyana last hosted the regional event when they shared the team matches title with Trinidad and Tobago.

the quarter-finals. Imran ‘Magic’ Khan also lost his fight to Argentina’s Alberto Melian.

The smoke is now cleared yet no inquiry was, or is to be conducted by officials of the Guyana Amateur Boxing Association (GABA) to ascertain the cause/s for our shortcomings.

Officials need to ascertain whether it is the absence of talent of the boxers or the ability of our coaches to propel them into the international spotlight.

Maybe it is a lack of administrative insight or simply biased selection policies, as were mooted by Orlon ‘Pocket Rocket’ Rogers after his charge, Richard Williamson, was unceremoniously ejected from the squad at the last minute.

Are we neglecting our boxers at the amateur level and forcing them to strip their shirts? A surreptitious glance at the present crop of professionals may clarify this doubt. Pugilists the likes of Clive Atwell, Dexter Marques and Elton ‘Coolie Bully’ Dharry were still in the amateur ranks a few years ago but became frustrated by the inert actions of administrators

and applied for their professional licenses.

Another talented boxer, the late Kofi Dixon was definitely Olympics talent but was constricted by meningitis a few years ago.

Imran Khan is no slouch but to my mind should have been saved for the 2016 Brazilian Games. The selectors thought differently and forged ahead with his selection.

Even then, Khan should have been better supervised but this was not done and our ambassador was embroiled in a conflict with another man over a young lady that resulted in him (Khan) nursing a wound to his upper hand forcing him out of a preparatory bout.

Over in Brazil, coach Terrence Poole, reported that Khan fell ill shortly after his arrival yet insisted on fighting. Poole stated that the medical practitioner supported Khan’s ambitions even after a professional check that should have suggested otherwise.

So a sick Khan eventually conceded defeat. I am still at a loss to comment on such a travesty.

Atwell’s knockout victories over local lightweight champion,

Revlon Lake and Rudolph Fraser for the local featherweight championship, ironically at the same period of the Olympics games, has supported the theory that he has only now begun to gel and would have been ripe for the occasion.

It had to be pure lack of insight that officials failed to recognize his talent and those of the other mentioned youngsters to nurture for Olympics participation.

So where does this leave us? Boxing administrators could choose to ignore the talented current crop of boxers and likewise they could refuse to concoct a four years plan that gives them a realistic chance of attaining a gold medal in the 2016 Brazil Olympics. It simply means that arrangements, plans and projections must commence not tomorrow, not next week but yesterday.

However, knowing our administrators I refuse to be optimistic. Our inert disposition will ensure that all plans and projections will be shelved until the last hour.

Then we have the temerity to be surprised when we attain the label, ‘have also participated.’

Sunday August 19, 2012

Kaieteur News

Page 59

Page 60

Kaieteur News

Sunday August 19, 2012

Adrian ‘Sugar Foot’ Forde - From Cougars to Los Angeles Statistician Charwayne Walker continues his series of features on Guyana’s World Cup Football players. Today we are pleased to feature Adrian ‘Sugar Foot’ Forde.

Only a few former National Players could be compared to Adrian ‘Sugar Foot’ Forde when it comes to skill and flamboyance; players the likes of Roger Alphonso, Julian Moe, Clyde ‘Oiler’ Watson, Compton Julian and to a lesser extent Gregory ‘Jackie Chan’ Richardson, Anthony Stanton and Collie ‘Hitman’ Hercules.

Forde after some outstanding performances for Berbice Club Cougars, made his International debut at the Under-19 level for Guyana against Trinidad &Tobago in 1979 at the Caribbean Football Union Under-19 championship.

His second tour was to Suriname in 1980 to play in the Caribbean Football Union competition again, while his

- former Guyana Int. 1983 - 1991 next tour of duty was in 1982 to the United States with the Upper Demerara Under-19 team.

The following year, 1983, Forde made his senior International debut for Guyana against the Land of the Flying Fish, Barbados in their capital, Bridgetown. He also featured in the return fixture in Georgetown.

Antigua & Barbuda was Mr. Forde’s next International opponent here at home and in St. John’s, Antigua. The St. John’s encounter which the host nation won 4-0 was Forde’s first loss as a senior National player.

His 1983 International campaign concluded with two friendly matches against Trinidad & Tobago in Port of Spain. Injury caused him to miss Guyana’s matches against India and T&T, along

with two World Cup Qualifiers against Suriname in mid 1984.

He returned to the National fray and helped Guyana draw two matches against Suriname 1-1 in November 1984 at GCC Ground, Bourda. In 1985 Adrian played an integral role when Guyana defeated Cuba for the first time in an international series.

In the series finale, Forde’s goal which was his first Senior International strike and a Cuban own goal silenced Castro’s men at the GCC, Ground Bourda. His next International game was a 1-0 win for Guyana over host nation French Guiana in the CFU Championship.

His 1985 International Programme continued with a 1-0 Guyana loss to Suriname at Camp Ayanganna Ground, a result that eliminated the

Golden Britney guides relay team...

BELOWARE THE TEAM RANKINGS THROUGH YESTERDAY’S EVENTS: Girls Team Scores Team Points 1 SURINAME 339 2 TRINIDAD & TOBAGO 321. 50 3 BARBADOS 253. 50 4 GUYANA 120 Boys - Team Scores 1 SURINAME 378 2 TRINIDAD & TOBAGO 348 3 BARBADOS 184 4 GUYANA 98 Combined Team Scores Team Points 717 2 TRINIDAD & TOBAGO 669. 50 3 BARBADOS 437. 50 4 GUYANA 218

High-scoring Solozano hits 542 runs to top batting...

From back page matches – 11 catches and three stumpings. Hollis Blair of Windwards, was again good in his second season at this level with 13 catches. Barbados used two keepers – Shai Hope (9 catches) and Carlos Maynard (5 catches) who combined for a total of 14 dismissals behind the stumps.

TOP FIVE Batting Jeremy Solozano (T&T) 582 runs, average 90.33 Akeem Saunders (Leewards) 412 runs, average 58.86 Shai Hope (Barbados) 405 runs, average 81.00 Bryan Gayle (Jamaica) 316 runs, average 45.14 Keone George (Windwards) 294 runs, average 32.67 Bowling Oshane Walters (Jamaica) 27 wickets, average 11.19 Gudakesh Motie (Guyana) 27 wickets, average 15.22 Larry Edward (Windwards) 22 wickets, average 14.00 Shawn Pereira (Guyana) 20 wickets, average 21.65 Darnell Greenidge (Barbados) 18 wickets, average 13.11 Kenneth Dember (WIndwards) 18 wickets, average 9.61

From page 61 bronze medal in 4:15.10 seconds with a spectacular swim from behind by Hannibal Gaskin who picked up from where his team mates, Selwyn Miller, Omari Dunn and Omar Adams left off.

Suriname took a commanding win in 3:57.80 seconds, Trinidad finished second in 4:01.56 seconds. van Lange and Onika George also took first and second podium places in the 15-17 and 13-14 50 meters Backstroke respectively. Van Lange, the only athlete to earn gold for Guyana in the individual segment of Championship continued her dominance by winning the 50 meters Backstroke in a Goodwill time of 33.09 seconds and also to record a new personal best time (her previous time was 33.81 seconds). The Goodwill record which is now held by van Lange was recorded by Suriname’s Faye Schuitemaker in 2009 in 32.38 seconds.

George took her first medal (silver) in the Championship. The exciting race saw Guyana’s silver medalist finishing in 33.66 seconds, Suriname’s Megan DeFreitas took gold in 33.65 seconds.

The Olympian also added another Goodwill gold medal to her collection in the girls 15-17 200 meters IM in 2:39.05 seconds leaving Trinidad and Tobago’s Marie Marcano (2:41.07 seconds) and Colleen Parag (2:51.68 seconds) to fight for second and third.

The Championship will conclude today at the National Aquatic Centre.

Races commence at 10am.

Guyanese from the 1985 CFU Championship.

The next time he featured in an International was at the Army Headquarters in November 1985 against French Guiana. In the opening match goals by Forde and 16 year-old Deon Barnwell propelled Guyana to a 2-0 victory.

In the final match of the series, Forde set up Barnwell’s goal again as Guyana came from one down to earn a 1-1.

Forde’s third senior International goal inspired Guyana to a 2-0 win over Barbados in July 1986 at the GCC Ground, Bourda. The Bajans had earlier defeated Guyana 2-0 in the opening match.

In his next international series November 1986, Forde scored a hat-trick against a Venezuela selection at Camp Ayanganna and Guyana won that encounter, 7-0. He also scored in the first match the National team won 6-0.

The following year he played internationals against the Bahamas in Nassau, an Olympic Qualifier; St. Lucia, Castries, a friendly International which was the return Olympic Qualifier against the Bahamas at Bourda.

In that game, Forde scored his last senior goal for Guyana.

His next International was a 2-2 draw against Barbados in Bridgetown, a game Forde will

never forget because the team bus was escorted to the hotel when Julian Moe was arrested for a banned substance.

After the Barbados debacle Adrian then featured in two Olympic Qualifiers against the Dominican Republic at Bourda and in Santo Domingo, Guyana won both matches.

Mr. Skill, as he was familiarly referred to, next International opponent was Grenada.

Guyana won that series 10 after drawing the first match 1-1 at GCC. A 1-0 loss to Trinidad and Tobago at Camp Ayanganna was Forde’s last International home match in 1987. His next engagement was against Guatemala in two Olympic Qualifying matches which Guyana lost 3-0 and 60 respectively.

His final game in 1987 was an Olympic qualifier against Mexico at the Municipal Stadium in California. The National team playing with only 11 members lost that game 9-0. Forde found the back of the mighty Mexicans nets but the goal was disallowed since it was ruled an offside.

After the Mexico loss Forde disappeared with several other players from the Guyana camp. He returned a few days later claiming that he was kidnapped at gun point.

The Guyana Football Association (GFA) at the time did not accept the story and

Forde was banned. He was however pardoned and returned to International football in 1990.

His first match back was inglorious because Guyana suffered a 5-0 thrashing at the hands of Suriname in Paramaribo. He was the star player in this nation’s next two Shell Cup draws against the Netherland Antilles and Grenada both matches were contested at GCC Ground, Bourda. His final outing in Senior National colours was 1991 but injuries prevented him from participating in the Shell Cup Finals in Jamaica.

International Tours 1979 CFU U19 series 1980Suriname CFU U19 Series 1982USA with Upper Demerara U19 team 1983Barbados - CFU Senior Championship 1983Antigua - CFU Championship 1983Trinidad & Tobago Good Will International Tour 1985French Guiana CFU Championship 1987Bahamas - Olympia Qualifier 1987St. Lucia International Friendly 1987Barbados International Friendly 1987D o m i n i c a n Republic - Olympic Qualifier 1987Guatemala Olympic Qualifiers 1987Los Angeles Olympic Qualifier 1990Suriname - Shell Cup

Grueling event anticipated as Franco Crawford event pedals off today Keen competition is anticipated today as all the top cyclists in Berbice are expected to be on show as they straddle their bikes and take to the road in what is expected to be stiff competition for the seventh annual Franco Crawford Cycle Road Race.

The race which is sponsored by Overseas based Guyanese pair of Franco Crawford his son Selso Crawford and British Citizen Leaton Beaton and is organized by the Flying Ace Cycle Club.

The cyclist will push off from in front of the Springlands Police Station on the Upper Corentyne and head to Main and Alexander Street in New Amsterdam covering a distance of 46 miles. Starting time is 09:00 hrs.

Warren Mc Kay is the defending champion, however this year the race is only for cyclists of the Flying Ace Cycle Club and all the riders are slated to receive incentives including T Shits which they are expected to wear during the race.

Top Berbice cyclist Neil Reece is hoping to use the race to redeem himself, but is expected to receive a stiff challenge from the rest of the riders. Reece, who once seemed unbeatable on the bike in Berbice, has been having a torrid time since the start of the year and is hoping to change his fortunes.

However, the inform Dwight Holder who has been in terrific form this year winning a number of races, will be looking to continue

his winning ways and is not prepared to let anyone stop him just yet. The two riders and other top cyclist in the club including Ray Millington, Wasim Hassnu, Rohan Persaud and Andrew Hicks and top female rider Marica Dick are expected to match pedals with the overseas based father and son pair of Franco and Selso Crawford in what is expected to be a grueling encounter.

Prizes will be presented to the first six cyclists to cross the finish line. Rewards will also be presented to the first three juveniles and the first two females. There will also be a reward for the top veteran rider. Eight sprint point prizes will be up for grabs.

The juveniles will ride a distance of 20 miles, while the females will have to cover a distance of 10 miles. They will start their journey immediately after the first bunch of cyclist would have past their starting point.

Franco Crawford a former member of the Flying Aces Cycling Club who now resides in London, England along with his son and club mate Englishman Leaton Beaton plies their trade in England and other European countries and North America.

The men ride for the Geoffrey Butler GB cycling club in London England. Crawford returns regularly to sponsor this race and participate in other events.

They event is being coordinated by Randolph Roberts.

Sunday August 19, 2012

By Nigel McKenzie Jamaica is indisputably the quintessential example of this region’s inherent talent and capability when it comes to sport. Thus, one must presume that examples set or action taken by that island nation on sporting matters are keenly observed, if not readily followed and similarly executed by those of us with any ambition.

Natural ability is certainly not an issue when it comes to our athletes. In fact, it’s because of that gift that we have given good account of ourselves in various pursuits.

We have matched and in some instances outdone the world’s best. There is an amazing resilience among Guyanese sportsmen and women, despite overwhelming odds – the lack of, or outdated facilities; denial of access to available facilities or their being poorly maintained; scarcity of sponsorship, etc.

It’s heart-rending. It shouldn’t be that way.

There has always been a reluctance to hold the relevant authorities accountable. It seems no one cares.

Grandiose promises are made, and as time progresses, many of these assurances invariably fall by the wayside. Everything is blamed on the lack of funding, and the beat goes on.

There’s been talk since the London Olympics about where we need to go. And of course, the customary blame game.

The Olympic Association will want to have its say, but honestly we can do without that because by now we know the drill, and it’s not only an irritant – “creditable performances”, “we need to improve”, “tiring travel”, “visa issues”, “lack of sponsors” – but pointless. It is cyclical. It happens every four years. Enough of the drivel!

The likes of Aliann Pompey and Marian Burnett have suffered as a result of it – proven world-class athletes who paid their own way to track meets the world over for almost all of their careers – while representing Guyana selflessly.

There was little or no help.

If there was help, it certainly wasn’t enough. There was no fuss. How could there be any from either of those class acts?

Even if asked now, they would be careful with their assessments of how they have been treated throughout the years. Their decency would constrain them. And there have been many others over the decades. For emphasis…Michael Anthony Parris. But that’s for another article.

Kaieteur News

Page 61

- How far are our government and sport administrators willing to go?

Future stars must never have to harbour such silent despair.

And this is why whoever is responsible, if you are truly serious, I ask today that you publicly commit, within the next fortnight, to fully supporting teenage track star Kadecia Baird, financially and otherwise, from the date any such announcement is made, until the Games of the XXXI Olympiad in Rio de Janeiro in 2016.

It’s called putting your money where your mouth is.

I’ll tell you why I start my campaign for the future with this particular athlete. It’s simple. She has the credentials. She’s got what it takes. By the way, did I mention she’s only 17?

For those who haven’t heard about Kadecia Baird, she is a student-athlete who resides in the United States, but has admirably chosen to represent Guyana, her country of birth. More succinctly, she currently holds the Caribbean Junior Record (51.04) in the 400 metres.

Let those three words sink in for awhile. Caribbean.

Junior. Record.

In short, she is better than all in the region (yes, even the unstoppable Jamaicans), very young, and no Caribbean female athlete at her age has ever run that fast.

Do I have your attention?

Kadecia achieved the feat at the recent World Junior Championships in Barcelona, while finishing second to a superlative American named Ashley Spencer (50.50). I was highly impressed by Kadecia’s determined closing burst to secure the silver medal. Honestly, I didn’t need any more convincing.

So what are Guyana’s decision-makers waiting for?

Isn’t this a no-brainer? Or is it that they want the mighty U.S. to take her from us? Just remember for the record, she made herself available to Guyana first.

The authorities will want to counter my request with: Why the rush? I state emphatically, it’s a case of use it or lose it!

To bolster my assertion of the urgency required, I will use as an example, young Jamaican swimmer, Alia Atkinson, who placed fourth in the 100m breast stroke final at the London games. The 23year-old attended her first Olympics in Athens, eight years ago (Yes, she was 15).

Not much was expected. Four years later it was Beijing, and a fair bit of improvement, but nothing to shout about. Then came London, and just being pipped for a bronze medal.

for which I can assure you, you will never be forgiven!

As mentioned, the Gleaner reported: The sum of $19.2 million is what is needed to prepare three-time Jamaican Olympic swimmer Alia Atkinson for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janiero, Brazil, according to Olympic swim team manager and president of the Amateur Swimming Association of Jamaica (ASAJ), Martin Lyn. Let’s pause for a while. 19.2 million Jamaican dollars is US$215,000. We’re talking about 43 million Guyana dollars…and that’s a single athlete. The report continues: Alia Atkinson needs about US$4,500 per month to maintain her programme,” said Lyn. “So for her to get and Kadecia Baird Well, the day before Alia took to the pool in London on Saturday, July 28, to be precise – there was an interesting article in the Jamaica Observer and the following is an excerpt: “The Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA) and the Amateur Swimming Association of Jamaica (ASAJ) are sparing no cost to ensure that Alia Atkinson gets the best shot at making the finals in her three events here at the London Olympic Games.

Atkinson has been trying out her new high-tech stateof-the-art swimsuit that cost 450 pounds sterling that she will be racing in.

Martin Lyn, president of the ASAJ and the swim team manager, told the Observer that it takes Atkinson an hour to put on and take off the suit each day, 30 minutes each way.

“This just shows we are not sparing anything and we are taking this to a new level to ensure she does her best,” Lyn told the Observer.”

I ask the Guyanese authorities/administrators to take note of what I underlined: sparing no cost and taking this to a new level.

The following Friday, August 3, after Ms. Atkinson pleased Jamaican hearts with her effort, this headline appeared in the Jamaica Gleaner, “$Millions To Keep Alia Afloat”.

I will extract the points that I believe are pertinent to my article, in stressing that there is absolutely no middle ground for our authorities.

You either have the money or pledge to raise it and without delay commit. Or shamefully lose a gem like Kadecia Baird,

maintain an elite position, that’s the kind of money she needs and that’s the kind of support that we will hope for.”

Prime Minister Portia Simpson recently promised support for Atkinson’s 2016 Olympic campaign.

“I am going to speak to the Ministers of Finance and Education and the Sports Development Foundation and I appeal to the private sector, we have to partner to allow her (Atkinson) to continue her training programme. I want to say to her, help is on the way.”

Here’s my point. The Olympics finished just a week ago, and even before it ended there was a pledge from the highest office in the land as well as a call for private sector support and partnership. Is there any wonder why

Jamaica is so progressive?

And so I refer to the start of this article where I spoke of those with ambition following examples set by that island nation, and I conclude with the following: Are our authorities willing to go all the way with Guyana’s best hope for Rio 2016? Are they prepared to spend as much as is required on her? Will the Head of State, Minister of Sport, Director of Sport or even the President of the Olympic Association, heed the aforementioned request and pronounce definitively on an immediate commitment of full support for Kadecia Baird? This is a litmus test of their sincerity.

Chances are we may lose her if they don’t act early, and I shudder to think of the fallout.

The stopwatch has started and is ticking as deafeningly as ever. I honestly hope it won’t take a fortnight for it to be pressed.

18TH GOODWILL SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIP...

Golden Britney guides relay team to victory, bronze for males

By Juanita Hooper Guyana’s Olympian, Britney van Lange anchor leg in the girls 15-17 freestyle 400 meters relay had all spectators and athletes on their feet at the 18th edition of the Guyana Amateur Swimming Association (GASA) Goodwill Swimming Championship at the National Aquatic Centre yesterday afternoon.

The event, which was the second to last on the programme, saw Guyana’s opponent, Trinidad and Tobago taking a slight lead in the first leg of the relay when their swimmer, Marie Marcano faced off with Athena Gaskin. Trinidad’s lead which was extended in the second leg by Colleen Parag gave their supporters something to chant about as they thought their victory was secured.

Guyana turned the tables on their opponents in the third leg when Soroya Simmons entered the pool with determination to close the gap which was created by the previous swimmers.

Simmons energetic kicks in the international pool were almost three body lengths behind to surpass Trinidad’s Kieranne Ramtahal who finished first in the third leg.

But those body lengths were no more when van Lange plunged into the pool to outdo Richelle Roberts in the anchor leg to win gold for her

- George earns first silver medal team in 4:34.65 seconds.

The boys 13-14 400 meters freestyle relay team

was equally impressive as the girls when the secured a (Continued on page 60)

Page 62

Kaieteur News

Union could suffer penalties for female team withdrawal - Men’s team experiencing financial shortfall

(from left) captain Ryan Gonsalves, Head Coach Theodore Henry, President Col. John Lewis, Treasurer Leonardo Butcher and Sevens Director Mike McCormack seen at the Press Briefing.

By Rawle Welch Even after a series of pieces lamenting the poor performances of major stakeholders, this newspaper was once again presented with a sordid tale of another disappointing development in sports, during the Guyana Rugby Football Union’s press briefing Friday, at Olympic House.

The briefing, held to apprise the nation about Guyana’s participation at the NACRA and 2013 Rugby World Cup qualifiers scheduled to be staged next weekend in Ottawa, Canada saw in attendance Head Coach Theodore Henry, Captain Ryan Gonsalves, President of the Union Col. John Lewis, Treasurer Leonardo Butcher and Director of Sevens Mike McCormack, who all made remarks pertaining to the current state of affairs shortly before they are set to depart.

Col. Lewis, who took over the reins of power for the Union from Christopher ‘Kit’ Nascimento, revealed that they presently have a shortfall in their finances in spite of the last minute decision to field just the Men’s team at the Canada tournaments.

According to the President he is hoping that through the exposure of this setback, sponsors who had giving an undertaking to

assist, but have so far failed to honour their promise, will do so, while he is also hoping that the Government has a change of heart and get on board as well.

McCormack, who has the responsibility of selecting the final squad, admitted that the team is facing what he aptly described as its most challenging preparations for the past 3-4 years, adding that apart from the financial shortfall, they’ve had to battle with the inclement weather which has severely affected the smooth flow of their training.

Additionally, McCormack disclosed that two integral members of the squad in Richard Staglon and Ronald Mayers have been denied visas to travel to Canada due to a mix-up with their documentations, but after writing the Canadian High Commissioner he is hopeful that their applications will be reviewed and the visas granted.

McCormack also spoke of the toughness of the tournaments this time around, informing that countries that Guyana have beaten in the past such as Cayman Islands and Jamaica have benefitted from recent international exposure and are more adept now than before in the Sevens format.

Quizzed on why a request wasn’t made to utilize the National Stadium more often, McCormack, who seemed very guarded in his response, said that the Stadium authorities were very supportive.

He also informed that Guyana’s key player Kevin McKenzie will not be available for the tour due to the Union’s inability to finance his travel from Australia to Canada.

Henry, in response to the same question said the guys made the most of the time available at the Stadium despite the fact that they were denied the use of the full field which made it impossible for them to adequately go through game simulations.

Gonsalves in his remarks said the mood in the team contrary was up and down, meaning that the many setbacks were having a toll on the players, but reminded that they are experienced players and will go to Canada and do their best.

“Our confidence is not as high as previous tours and this is definitely one of our toughest,” Gonsalves stated.

Butcher, who has responsibility for finance, put the figure of deficit for the team’s departure at US$6,800.

It was also intimated that with the belated withdrawal of the female team, Guyana could suffer a penalty.

Sunday August 19, 2012

Unitech Printing 11 Race Cycle Meet...

Veteran Junior Niles is the star of the day in feature & U-50 races They say age is just but a number and that was the story yesterday when veteran cyclist Junior Niles pedaled his way to a convincing win in the feature 35lap School boys and Invitational contest at the Unitech Printing sponsored 11-Race Cycle Meet held at the Inner Circuit of the National Park.

Niles won in One Hour 20 Minutes 24 Seconds from Linden’s Rastaff O’Selmo and junior rider Raul Leal with reigning National Road Race Champion Orville Hinds, also of Linden placing fourth.

Alonzo Greaves out sprinted Event BMX 6 – 9 BMX 9 – 12 BMX 12 – 14 BMX Open 12 – 14 boys & girls Veterans Under-50 Veterans Over-50 Veterans Over-60 Juveniles Upright School Boys & Invitational

rival Robin Persaud to the line in a cat and mouse finish for the 5th place. O’Selmo won 3 of the eight prime prizes with Niles claiming 2, while Leal, Hinds and Persaud won one each.

Niles was also the winner of the Veterans Under-50 5-lap event, crossing the finish line ahead of Kennard Lovell and Shameer Baksh in that order.

Yesterday’s event was held in memory of the late Nall Persaud aka Pokan and sponsored by Unitech Printing Following are the full results of the other races contested yesterday:

Laps 2 3 2 3 3 5 5 3 10 5 35

Junior Niles

1st to 3rd Place Isaiah Sahadeo, Nicholas Dandrade, Brandon Evans Jamal Arthur, Keon Harris, Rashidi Ceres Deeraj Gharbarran, Raphael Leung, Seon Thagg Cleveland King, Adrian Sharma Alfie Sonoram, Hazina Barrett, Naiomi Singh Junior Niles, Kennard Lovell, Shameer Baksh Virgil Jones, Lance Rose, Wilfred Thom Maurice Fagundes, Harry Lall, Krisnandat Singh Alonzo Ambrose, Shaquel Agard, Andre Abdool Mario King, Keon Thomas, Garfield Lorima Junior Niles, Rastaff O’Selmo, Raul Leal, Orville Hinds, Alonzo Greaves, Robin Persaud

Desiree Lancaster, Floyd Conway conducting Table Tennis coaching sessions Young and aspiring table tennis players in Berbice are having an opportunity to improve their skills and learn a few new techniques through the benevolence of two Berbice based coaches former National Female Table Tennis champion and ITTF qualified level one coach Desiree Lancaster and Floyd Conway a junior national player and also an ITTF level one coach.

Giving back is always good and that is one of the aims of the two former national players.

Sessions are being held on a daily basis at the Church of the Ascension Table Tennis club located at Main and Pope Street in New Amsterdam, beginning from 15:00 hrs.

Lancaster a former nine times female champion, incidentally is the only female to have won the tournament on five consecutive occasions.

According to Lancaster some of the

players already know the basics of the games while others have to be taught from scratch.

She stated that the participants have been adapting to the drills nicely and seems willing to learn. She posited that a few champions will certainly come out of the sessions.

The learners are taught the basics of the game which include fitness drills, forehand and backhand skills, the multiball drill and other appropriate table tennis and fun activities.

A tournament has been organized for over the weekend and the top six qualifiers are expected to battle it out for championship honours. Sessions are continuing on a daily basis.

Youths and beginners interested in playing the game are asked to make contact with Lancaster or Conway or any other senior players of the Church of the Ascension Table Tennis club.

GFSCA Nationwide Male and Female Softball cricket tourney starts August 26 The Guyana Floodlight Softball Cricket Association (GFSCA) second Male and Female Softball Tournament of the year 2012, begins next Sunday August 26 throughout the country.

Mike’s Pharmacy, Survival, Trophy Stall, Ariel Enterprise, Petama Enterprise and Motor Trend are sponsoring the tournament.

Just like previous GFSCA

Tournaments, the competition will be played in three categories: Male Open 15/15, Female 10/10 and Male 40 Yrs and Over 25/25.

The Finals is set for December 2. All teams interested to competing can call GFSCA organizers Wayne Jones at 650-1790 (Demerara), Khalid Baksh at 618-1905 ( Essequibo), Ray Ashraf Jahoor at 626-4956 ( East

Berbice) and Robby Saywack at 660-0049 (West Berbice / Mahaicony) for details on entry.

The winner of each of the three categories will collect $100,000 and trophy, while the runner up will receive $50,000.

The player of series gets $10,000 and trophy, while the Player-of-the match in final will receive $10,000 and trophy.

GFSCA new President Steve Narine,hands over competition rules and checque to Organiser Wayne Jones,for the next nastionwide Male-Female softball tournament

Sunday August 19, 2012

Kaieteur News

Page 63

t r o Sp High-scoring Solozano hits 542 runs to top batting charts Jamaica’s Walters, Guyana’s Motie take most wickets T&T’s Pooran is leading keeper with 14 dismissals Bridgetown, Barbados — Jeremy Solozano, the Trinidad and Tobago opener, was the top batsman, while Oshane Walters, Jamaica’s off-spinner, and Gudakesh Motie, Guyana’s left-arm spinner, were the leading bowlers in the just

concluded West Indies Cricket Board’s Under-19 Three-day Tournament.

Solozano a stylish lefthander amassed 542 runs at an impressive average of 90.33 runs per innings in the five matches. He made two centuries and three-half-

centuries. His best knock was 160 not out against Guyana while his other ton (128 against Leewards) took him over the 500-run mark.

The second highest runmaker was Leeward Islands captain Akeem Saunders, who made 412 runs (average

3rd Annual Trophy Stall tennis tournament launched

58.86). Shai Hope, captain of champions Barbados, completed the top three with 405 runs at an average of 81 runs per innings.

Saunders, a West Indies Under-19 representative made the highest score in the tournament – a high-quality 167 against Trinidad & Tobago at Kensington Oval.

Hope made three centuries which equalled the record for the most in a single tournament. He scored 101 vs Windwards, 141 not out vs Leewards and 104 not out vs Trinidad & Tobago.

The top three bowlers were all spinners. Walters ended with 27 wickets at 11.19 apiece. His best figures were 6-40. Motie also got 27 wickets at 15.22 with his best figures of 7-31.

Third on the list was Larry Edward, the Windwards leftarm spinner who took 22 wickets at 14 runs each to follow up his good

Jeremy Solozano

Gudakesh Motie performances last year in Guyana.

The leading fast bowler was Barbadian left-arm swing bowler Darnell Greenidge, who picked up 18 wickets (average 13.11) to be joint fifth on the overall list. Another left-arm pacer, Preston McSween of Windwards, impressed with his pace and swing to take 17 wickets (average 20.00) The prize for the best

bowling figures went to Kenneth Dember of Windwards. The off-spinner took 8-44 in the second innings of the final round against Jamaica. He ended the match with 14-89 as he followed up his 6-45 in the first innings.

The leading wicketkeeper was Nicholas Pooran of Trinidad & Tobago. He had 14 dismissals in five (Continued on page 60)

18th Goodwill Swimming Championship...

Golden Britney guides relay team to victory, bronze for males Ramesh Sunich (right), Managing Director, Trophy Stall hands over sponsorship cheque to Ramesh Seebarran, GLTA President.

L

ocal tennis doubles teams will be looking for improved weather this monthend when they compete in t h e Tr o p h y S t a l l D o u b l e s Te n n i s Tournament. Managing Director of Trophy Stall, Ramesh Sunich was excited to fully sponsor the tournament for the third time, citing that he has enjoyed supporting the association as a vendor for several years, but now wants to give back to the sport to stimulate more interest and help it to grow.

An estimated 30 teams will display their tennis doubles tactics for what is expected to be a keenly contested tournament especially from the top seeded pairs Sandeep Chand/Andre Lopes and Jeremy Miller/Jason Andrews in the Men’s Open and the mother/daughter pair Shelly and Nicola Ramdyhan in the Ladies Open.

President of the GLTA, Ramesh

Seebarran has expressed gratitude to Ramesh Sunich for his venture into the sponsorship of tennis having been our primary trophy vendor supporting the sport for over 10 years. There will be trophies for four categories, Men’s Open Doubles, Ladies Open Doubles, Men’s Over 35 Doubles and Mixed Doubles and Trophy Stall T-shirts for the finalists.

GLTA official lamented that the weather has affected this year’s programme but they are hoping that the weather improves as tennis players prepare for a hectic second half of the year right on the heels of the recently concluded GBTI Open. Start date for the Tournament is August 30 at a venue to be announced. Forms will be available on Tuesday August 21 from Tournament Coordinator Jeremy Miller who can be reached at 643-4423.

- George earns first silver medal

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Guyana golden girls, Soroya Simmons, Steffi DeNobrega, Athena Gaskin and Britney van Lange after the girls 15-17 400 meters freestyle relay.

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