Kaieteur News

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August 20, 2013 - Vol. 6 No. 34 - Price $80

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

US envoy urges political parties to meet on Amaila - says project's demise will damage country's future investments Agricola smash-up…

Lean on me!

This structure on Lamaha Street, Kitty, between Thomas and Pike Sts., tilts dangerously towards a neighbouring yard

Dazzell man becomes first fatality Commodore Best officially promoted to Rear Admiral Fight against violent crime lacks leadership - APNU Broadcasters race to meet mid-2015 digital deadline

Rohee is new PPP General Secretary …as Ramotar steps down

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Tuesday August 20, 2013

Tuesday August 20, 2013

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CBU's 44th Annual General Assembly opens…

Broadcasters race to meet mid-2015 digital deadline As the top broadcasting executives meet in Guyana to consider measures for a June 17, 2015 deadline to modernize television and radio broadcasting in the region, the Government of Guyana has used the occasion to complain about the operations of some media houses.

Speaking at the opening of the 44th Annual General Assembly of the Caribbean Broadcasting Union (CBU), President Donald Ramotar said that while his Government welcomes the development of the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sector, there are concerns that misuse can cause much harm.

The complaints come as CBU considers opening its membership to newspapers and a host of other media and production houses.

The President was addressing as many as 80 top executives of radio and television stations from the Caribbean who are meeting with experts in the broadcasting fields from North America and Europe during four days of talks at the International Convention Centre, Pattensen.

Shortly before expressing his concerns, Ramotar spoke of the Amaila Falls hydro project which is in jeopardy after the US developer and a key partner announced its withdrawal two Sundays ago.

Government and a section of the private sector have blamed a number of critics, including two prominent newspaper columnists, for causing Sithe Global to leave.

Ramotar said yesterday that the assembly should seriously consider the issues of “morals” and “ethics” of

CBU's President, Shida Bolai the broadcasting sector during its deliberations.

He said that he was of the “impression” that a number of “facilities” would attempt to force their “points-ofview”, in the process losing objectivity with untruths, half-truths and distortions being spread. “Not only are professionals who disagree targeted, but they are viciously attacked.”

The media houses, which were not named, would also disregard opposing pointsof-view, with the national interests suffering as a result.

CBU has 30-odd members, including the state-owned National Communications Network (NCN) and WRHM. With several radio and televisions stations in Guyana, CBU is looking to increase its membership here. The CBU, established in Guyana 44 years ago, was housed at the CARICOM Secretariat before moving permanently to Barbados in 1981.

SUPPORTING GROWTH According to Ramotar, his administration views the

Several of the region's top broadcasters at the start of the CBU's Annual General Assembly, at the International Convention Centre yesterday. modernization of the broadcasting sector as crucial, especially as the growth of technology has affected lives significantly with information important to the socio-economic development of any country.

ICT development is also critical to the delivery of goods and services and over the last decade, some 3,000 jobs were created as a result.

The President was making reference to jobs in a number of call centres across the country.

One project benefitting from technology was the Guyana Learning Channel, which he said, was only

possible because of new systems using satellites linkup that allow the airing of programmes to reach farflung communities.

One of the key topics to be discussed in the sessions over the next few days would be the switching of the radio and television broadcast systems from analog to full digital by the mid-2015 deadline.

According to Ramotar, Guyana has made strides to develop the broadcasting sector, introducing new laws that will free-up information.

He challenged the CBU to consider measures that will bring down the costs for the switchover which will see

the AM channels being phased out, and more efficient use of the airwaves.

Among the measures touted by Ramotar is the possibility of CBU examining what could work for the region, even adapting itself in the process. He also warned of the possibilities of obsolete equipment being dumped on unsuspecting media and production houses during the

switchover to digital.

NCN's Chairman, Dr. Prem Misir, noting the theme of assembly is “The Business of Broadcasting in the Digital Age”, said that digital broadcasting is an ongoing revolution in the media world.

CHANGE “In many countries, digital television has (continued on page 24)

Tuesday August 20, 2013

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

The performance gap between our students and their Caribbean counterparts is narrowing DEAR EDITOR, Guyana has once again done well in terms of education attainment at the CSEC and the CAPE. For the second time in a row, a student from the Cinderella county of Essequibo has topped the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) Examinations, this time with a regional record of passes in twenty subjects which included eighteen distinctions and two credits.

This is indeed a stellar performance for which both the student and the school deserves high commendation. Interestingly, the second highest performer came from the same school, Anna Regina Multilateral school which is now ranked among the high performing schools in the country.

Sixteen-year old Zimeena Rasheed must be basking in the glory of her achievement which has done not only her

parents and her school proud but the entire country for having created CXC history as the writer of the largest number of subjects written by any candidate at this level of the examination.

And as if to reinforce the point that the country’s top performer was not a chance occurrence, the country’s second top performer, Yogeeta Persaud also came from the Anna Regina Multilateral School which recorded several other outstanding performances.

Region Two came in the spotlight last year when Sarah Hack from Abrams Zuil Secondary School secured the top spot in the country at the CSEC examination by gaining Grade One passes in sixteen subjects which incidentally was the best performance in the exams not only in Guyana but the region as a whole.

Not to be outdone is

Shalita Appadu from Presidents College who topped this years’ Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE)by obtaining passes in six subjects at Grade One and one subject at Grade Two. This is also an outstanding performance for which both student and school must be congratulated.

One noticeable feature is the examination spread which is indicative of a much better education delivery system. In the past, the high flyers came mainly from city schools. Today top students are emerging from schools in all regions of Guyana even though it has to be acknowledged that hinterland students are still at a disadvantage in terms of accessing CAPE and a better quality of education delivery at the various levels.

Students who perform exceptionally well are

Education has become a victim of the widening gap between the rich and the poor DEAR EDITOR As is to be expected, the government has tried to put the best spin on the recent CXC results. No doubt, those students who excelled along with the teachers at those schools that did well should be commended. But the results show clearly that despite some excellent individual performances our children as a group continue to under-perform. This is cause for great concern. If 7 out of ten students cannot pass Math, six out of ten cannot pass English and 4 out of ten cannot pass with top grades, then we have a national disaster on our hands.

It is difficult to pinpoint any single cause of this problem. But certainly governance must be high up on that list. It is at that level that national priorities are decided. It is there where the decision on how much resources are expended on education and how those resources are used. In short we are found wanting at the level of vision and policy.

A second cause of our poor results to my mind has to do with the way in which education has become a victim of the widening gap between the rich and the poor.

It seems even with the naked eye that the results would reveal that the students who

do well tend to be those whose parents are able afford extra lessons in a consistent manner and those who do the least well are those who do not have the same opportunities. And that class polarization in some instances, though not across the board, has an ethnic look to it. As David Granger observed, we have developed a kind of social apartheid in education that is reflected in the results. And that filters into the wider society. Allied to the second cause is the inability of poor parents and poor communities to offer the kind of supplementary assistance and guidance to the children. The recycling of poverty therefore is one of the major contributing causes of the problem. Poor people who have hustle and or work several jobs to make ends meet obviously do not have the time to oversee and monitor the children progress.

Allied to that is the decline of the communities as spaces of collective pride, dignity, culture and learning.

Education is no longer projected as the gateway to individual and collective overcoming.

Finally, the recycling of the mediocrity that comes out of the school system has implications for the preparation of future groups of students. We recruit some

of our teachers from the same pool of under-prepared students and push them into the teaching system without the necessary training needed to close the gap that they bring with them from the school system.

Our politicians tell us how much we need Hydroelectricity and some have declared a period of mourning for the seemingly faltering Amaila Project. But even if we can get the best Hydro project in the world, if we do not pay the s a m e attention to and expend more resources on properly educating our young people, we are going nowhere positive as a nation.

An uneducated nation can never be a productive nation. Education or lack of it has implications for the economy, for cultural uplifment and for social development. It is from this underprepared group of young people that we recruit our teachers, policemen and women and soldiers—those who are tasked with educating the next generation and with maintaining law and order. Those tears which are being shed for Amaila should be shed for Education. The centrality of Hydroelectricity should be coupled with the centrality of Education Overhaul.

David Hinds

afforded places at senior secondary schools in Georgetown but the numbers are limited despite additional dormitory facilities provided for by the government.

Another noticeable feature of the examinations is the fact that girls are outperforming boys which incidentally is not unique to Guyana but to the region as a whole. One possible explanation for this phenomenon is the higher levels of maturational development by girls during the critical examination periods and the absence of male role models in the classroom.

Females outnumber males by far in the teaching cohorts at both the primary and secondary levels of the school system with males gradually becoming something of a dying species.

There can be no doubt that the overall performance of our Guyanese students is showing incremental improvements year after year.

The performance gap between our students and their Caribbean counterparts is progressively narrowing

even though passes in English Language and Mathematics continue to be a challenge, a situation not peculiar to Guyana but to most of the participating territories. It is a known fact that the assessment instruments for these two subjects are much more rigorous and exacting in order to maintain high matriculation standards for admission to institutions of higher learning and for entry into the public service.

In the health sector, significant advances are also being made in terms of health care delivery with an injection of scores of newly trained doctors in the health sector.

Prior to the assumption to office of the current PPP/C administration, the number of registered doctors in the entire country was under a hundred. That number has more than quadrupled thanks to generous offers of scholarships by the Cuban Government, the vast majority of which were in the fields of medicine.

There has also been significant emphasis on the

training of nurses both at the professional and technical levels which has tangibly increased the nurse/patient ratio, which along with the increased doctor/patient ratio should translate into better and more patient friendly health care delivery.

The government has been investing heavily in the development of social capital in keeping with its overarching long term policy of development with a human face.

The current administration is serious about enhancing the quality of public service which admittedly leaves much to be desired due to unnecessary and at times uncaring bureaucracy. There is need for new and changing attitudes among public servants many of whom have not been living up to the high expectations which the public has of them.

Congratulations are in order for all those students who have excelled in this year’s CXC examinations and also for our returning doctors and professionals. The future of Guyana is in your hands.

Hydar Ally

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Tuesday August 20, 2013

GPL pledged all its assets for Amaila project

It is not possible for the Government of Guyana to guarantee payments to any entity unless it is state-owned or controlled.

This is the stark reminder of former Auditor General Anand Goolsarran, who in his continued analysis of the Amaila Falls Hydro Electric project and its financing structure said that the company for which Government is looking to make guarantees, is privately owned.

Amaila Falls Hydro Inc is 60 per cent owned by Sithe Global.

The financial analyst says further that on top of the guarantee that Government was looking to put in place for the Amaila Falls project, the Guyana Power and Light Inc. (GPL) itself had pledged all of its assets as security for honouring the payments.

Goolsarran has since questioned why the government would still want to put in place a guarantee when the power company had already pledged its assets.

Speaking to the raising of the debt ceiling, Goolsarran in his assessment said that the government’s original request was $150B, which coincides with the cost of the project minus the government’s contribution.

“Could it there be that Sithe Global was indirectly trying to extend covering for its own investment as well as

- Former Auditor General

Former Auditor General Anand Goolsarran the loans from the China Development Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB)?” asked Goolsarran.

Meanwhile, Howard University Professor, and former General Manager of the Guyana Agricultural and Industrial Development Bank (GAIBANK), Dr Kenrick Hunte, in adding his voice to the debate, has sought to debunk the claim by Head of State, Donald Ramotar, that the government would not be incurring any debt in the manner with which it was pursuing the project.

“This cannot be the case because the Government has requested Parliamentary approval to pay from the

Treasury up to $150B or US$750M for default payments to Amaila by Guyana Power and Light (GPL), signaling that the Treasury would have to record this liability on the national books,” Hunte said.

He sug g e s t e d a l s o that with Sithe Global seeking to get 100 percent ‘buy-in’ from all Parliamentary parties, “this is implicitly a nonrevocable guarantee from t he Treasury that is better than political risk insurance bought in financial markets.”

Dr Hunte says that the rationale for political and financial guarantees in this project is based on the fact that GPL is currently not a financially viable company that can generate large cashflows sufficient enough to pay in full and on-time its debts to Amaila.

“Evidence suggests that GPL has not been a profitable undertaking for many years and recent audited reports show that it made losses instead of profits, despite its almost monopoly status in the economy…Evidence will also show that GPL financing for capital works are covered by the Treasury, once Parliament approves those requests made by the Ministry of Finance.”

Dr Hunte also pointed out that “these are Treasury transfers with no repayment terms; hence, the need for Treasury guarantees for Amaila as any financial dependency on GPL will be misguided and a high risk for investors.”

According to Dr Hunte, the rule in investment projects, is that the higher the risk, the higher the return.

“This however does not seem to be the case in the Amaila project…Specifically, the government’s initial guarantee of $150B is

equivalent to US$750M, implying that all foreign lenders are covered by Guyanese tax payers through the guarantee issued by the Guyana Treasury.”

He says that the main implication of this guarantee is that all the debt and risk are solely owned by the government and there is no risk to the lenders Sithe Global, the IDB or the China Exim Bank.

Dr Hunte said too that what is even more intriguing is the fact that Sithe Global was guaranteed a rate of

return of 19 per cent for no risk, while the government has all the risk.

According to Dr Hunte, “the fact that the approved amount by Parliament for the guarantee was less than US$750M and there was no consensus by Parliament endorsing the project, unreservedly indicates that the risk exposure was too great for at least one investor who walked away…Given these concerns, President Ramotar cannot be right about who owns the debt in Amaila.”

Bartica shop owner remanded on human trafficking, assault charges Yesterday, a 24-year-old woman of First Avenue, Bartica, was remanded to prison on trafficking in persons and assault charges. The allegation is that she abducted a 17year-old girl, took her to a shop in the interior to be sexually exploited and assaulted her for not engaging in sexual activities with a customer.

Ann Marie Carter appeared before Magistrate Fabayo Azore at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court, where the particulars of the charges were read to her. It is alleged that between March 17 and April 1,

Carter engaged in trafficking in persons, involving the teen, for the purpose of sexual exploitation.

It was further alleged that between the said times, she assaulted the complainant causing her actual bodily harm.

Court documents revealed that during the period mentioned in the charge, the defendant abducted and transported the complainant to her shop in Tiger Creek, Puruni, for the purpose of sexual exploitation. The victim who refused to engage in a sexual act with a customer was also hit to the head and punched to the face several times by Carter.

The matter was later reported and the defendant was arrested and charged for the said offence.

Representing the accused was former Magistrate and now defence attorney, Haymant

Ramdhani.

The lawyer requested for reasonable bail as his client is a mother of one and is also receiving medical treatment for a severe illness which has led to swelling in her head.

The Attorney then presented the court with Carter’s X-rays of her head to justify her request for bail. The X-rays were examined by Magistrate Azore and returned to Ramdhani.

In spite of her circumstances, bail was refused with regard to the trafficking charge, considering the nature of the offence, the punishment it attracts, and the fact that the defendant has another trafficking in persons charge before the Bartica Magistrate’s Court.

Carter, however, was granted bail to the tune of $50,000 for the assault charge and is expected to return for report and fixture on both charges on September 18 before Chief Magistrate Priya Beharry.

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Functioning of Region Three health facilities gaining attention of Ministry Although all public health facilities ultimately fall under the purview of the Ministry of Health, the various Regional Administrations still have a responsibility to ensure that everything works.

This was the assertion of Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Dr Shamdeo Persaud, as he commented on concerns surrounding the West Demerara Regional Hospital (WDRH) which range from infrastructure to staffing challenges.

Even as he acknowledged that there is a great deal to be concerned about at the Region Three facility, Dr Persaud disclosed that the Ministry recognises infrastructure as a major challenge. He reflected on the fact, too, that it was an old sanatorium that was modified to serve as a general hospital and according to him, “there have been many problems and we are still trying to fix them at no little cost.”

According to Dr Persaud, moves to address the operating room for instance represented a massive investment since it was done within a building that was not ideally designed for an operating room. As such, he noted that “always trying to retrofit something can be a bit more challenging than if you were to build a brand new facility and build it further at purpose...”

However, he noted that the facility has undergone extensive remodelling, particularly to the Accident and Emergency Unit and the Outpatient clinic.

Dr Persaud, who was offering his comments during an interview with this publication, disclosed that the vision for the WDRH is for it to offer a 24-hour service complete with emergency facilities and a dedicated

The West Demerara Regional Hospital

d o c t o r.

T h e d o c t o r, according to him, would be tasked with exclusively rendering service to the emergency unit with the capacity to assess and respond immediately to surgical needs as well as offer cardiac care and even be on hand to facilitate needful rapid transfers to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC).

Already, the CMO said that the two facilities (WDRH and GPHC) are collaborating whereby their operations have been twinned, so much so that patients from the GPHC are transferred to the West Demerara hospital.

“What we have found is that bed occupancy, especially in the medical wards, are very low whereas at the GPHC patients were doubling up...the male medical ward, for example ,was actually utilising the surgical ward bed spaces,” said Dr Persaud.

“If people from over in that Region (Three) are attended to at the GPHC they (health officials) have now started to transfer them back over to the regional hospital where care can continue,” he added.

But even as infrastructural concerns are being addressed together with the accommodation of

patients, Dr Persaud disclosed that nursing is another challenge at the facility that efforts are being made to address.

He explained that because the nurse to patient ratio has been found to be very low, efforts were made to commence a programme that encourages nurses at various levels to offer additional service.

And this is certainly not a novel practice, as according to Dr Persaud, some nurses who work in the public sector are also know to render their service to private facilities as well.

“We are saying that instead of going to the private hospitals we can give them that part-time employment right at the Government hospitals, and some of them have started even in Region Four at the GPHC,” Dr Persaud said.

Even midwives stationed in various districts are allowed to take shifts at the weekends and the evenings and according to Dr Persaud, “it is alright for them to do this once they have time, without compromising their usual duties... This is something that happens globally; people work more than one place adequately and are able to

provide good quality service at both points of work,” said Dr Persaud. He noted too that “these are some of the things we are trying to do innovatively to address some of the shortages in terms of human resources.”

Meanwhile, efforts are also being made to address similar concerns at the Leonora Diagnostic Centre also in Region Three. Not so long ago the state of that facility was highlighted in the media following a visit by a Parliamentary Committee.

According to Dr Persaud, “I myself visited and saw Air Condition units dripping and the rooms were in conditions that are not conducive to good quality care...equipment was not working and these are a lot of administrative issues.”

The conditions prevail, Dr Persaud said, although an Administrator was appointed to manage the facility.

“We are at a loss as to why this has happened at a relatively small hospital that doesn’t have a high demand of service; it should be kept on par with the rest.”

As such, a newly appointed Regional Health Officer has been appointed in

order to address the existing state of affairs through regular meetings and constant checks to ensure that the modus operandi is improved.

Also to be addressed is the delay in the completion of infrastructural work, since according to Dr Persaud, “what I have found from my own observation is that works are awarded and it takes an extraordinarily long time to even start much less complete.”

“They have contracts awarded and people are not delivering...the workers come and they look around and then they wait another couple of weeks then come back and do a little thing here and a little thing there.

So there might be a little more need for active involvement by the management team in getting things going,” Dr Persaud said of the Diagnostic Centre.

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Agricola smash-up…

Dazzell father of three becomes first fatality

By Javone Vickerie A Dazzell Housing Scheme father of three is the first fatality from Sunday night’s horrific vehicular smash-up on the Agricola Public Road, East Bank Demerara.

Pandemonium broke out at the Georgetown Public Hospital yesterday after relatives of 41-year-old Shawn Bourne learnt that he had succumbed to head and spinal injuries after clinging onto life in an unconscious state.

According to a relative, Bourne along with some of their family members were travelling back to Georgetown from a highway resort in a minibus driven by a man from Buxton, East Coast Demerara, when the accident occurred.

“I was at a wedding when I get a phone call from his sister telling me that Shawn and he family dem get in accident on Agricola Public Road”, the woman said.

The relative said that she immediately travelled to the hospital and remained there until 7:00 am yesterday along with other relatives who hoped and prayed for the recovery of their loved ones.

The woman said that when she returned to the hospital, she received the tragic news.

“Well we went home and come back and when we ask the doctors what happen they tell us that he dead,” the woman recounted.

Bourne was said to be a passenger in the front seat of the minibus, BRR 1955, when the accident occurred.

Other persons who still remain in a critical state at the GPHC are; Shania Bourne, four, Kevin Granderson, Waylily Park, 30, Avis De Younge, 25, Howard De Santos, , Rocky Moore, 44, and Kenwin Isaacs, 18.

Bourne was among several other persons injured including children, after the driver of the drag-racing minibus crashed on the East Bank Public road near Agricola.

According to an eyewitness, who was driving behind the minibus, the driver of that vehicle was travelling at “rocket speed” as he was racing with a car, which he overtook on the Providence Public Road.

“I notice he since at Providence just speeding coming down, and then suddenly a white 212 speed past he and like it provoke he so he went after the car,” the man said.

The man added that the two vehicles were racing “neck and neck” on the road when the car struck the bus

resulting in the bus toppling several times.

“When I drive up, I see people and set a li’l children pon the road… so me and some other men tek out the people and rush dem to the hospital,” the eyewitness said. The man added that after the crash, another minibus, PJJ 6588, which was also traveling at a tremendous speed, slammed into the back of the bus; sending it into a nearby wall with persons still trapped inside.

“This bus done bruk up and all of a sudden a next one wuh couldn’t control he speed come and smash heself into it and yuh done know what happen with them people in deh”, the man said.

The minibus PJJ 6588 which smashed into the mangled vehicle.

Dem boys seh ...

Peeping Tom disappear and Donald got worries Guyana had only one Cheddi and he coulda deal wid all de problems of the country. But then again, Guyana didn’t have all dem problems because he didn’t have to worry about anybody hustling de Treasury and building fancy house in front of people face.

He didn’t have to worry bout people putting dem pickney in jobs at de expense of other people and of course, he didn’t have to worry bout he Ministers collecting a raise fuh doing wha dem getting pay to do. Suh he was de party general secretary and de President.

Poor Donald, he tek over as General Secretary but he got more problems than he can handle that he give up de general secretary wuk.

He got to worry bout de hustling that all he Ministers doing is trying to get more rich that Warren Buffett and Bill Gates put together.

He tell Clement that he got to do it but Clement wasn’t de first choice but when he ask certain people to tek de wuk dem know that dem couldn’t talk bout corruption and dem couldn’t tell people don’t thief. Suh is Clement got to do de wuk and as Home Affairs Minister he got de power to mek de police lock up some of dem. After all, goat ain’t bite he. Dem boys seh that Donald now got worry bout how to control money; he got to worry bout how to keep people in de party and more than anything he got to worry bout development, especially how fuh mek de country pay just what it got to pay fuh projects.

He got so many worries that Peeping Tom tek on some of de burden till he either get blind or he dead.

De man disappear and de Waterfalls paper can’t find he. One man seh that he tek on de licking that de opposition put pun de Amaila project that he get heart attack.

Anyhow, Clement send out a search party fuh find he.

Talk half and keep an eye out fuh Peeping Tom

What was left of BRR 1955 after the smash-up.

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Tuesday August 20, 2013

== THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN ==

I appeal to all Guyana - please stop this cruelty Two days, I repeat, two days after a young man was remanded to prison for possession of an instrument (please note; an instrument) for smoking marijuana, Eric Holder, the Attorney-General for the US announced widesweeping reductions in the sentencing guidelines for possession of marijuana and similar banned drugs.

Mr. Holder was pellucid in his pronouncements. He said many youths were destroyed because of the mandatory minimum sentences for light possession and usage of drugs like marijuana. Mr. Holder went in a far direction when he said that if the drug possessor has no connection to

traffickers and cartel organizers, the mandatory minimum sentence will be reduced. Mr. Holder empha s i z e d t h a t t h e changes will begin right away.

I am a human rights activist first and foremost.

I would say that I am a father secondly, a husband t h i r d l y, a n d t h e n a n academic, in that sequence. I further state that in my philosophical mind, I believe that we in this country have gone back to hundreds of years ago when primitive values reigned, when we jail young people for the mere possession of a utensil that drug users employ when they are smoking

pot.

If any magistrate remands any of my close friends or relatives for possession of such an item, I swear on my parents’ souls I will picket their home and office every night and day. I will gladly run the risk of being arrested.

This is a promise to some of the backward magistrates we have in this country who in the first place should never have acquired a law degree.

The narcotics law allows for bail in drug charges.

Why are magistrates remanding your men for mere possession of a smoking utensil?

What went through D e s m o n d Hoyte’s mind when his Attorney-General, Keith Massiah, allowed such a clause in our anti-narcotic legislation? I know Mr. Massiah well and for some esoteric reason, I have never asked him why he did such a silly thing. But let’s move to President Desmond Hoyte. In order to get support for his

Economic Recovery Programme (ERP), Mr. Hoyte was willing to comply with anything the Americans asked him, and the draconian anti-narcotics law was one of them.

A few Guyanese scholars told me that they suspect that Hoyte was inherently colonial-minded and didn’t really care for African people.

My excellent friend, Tacuma Ogunseye told me that he believes the middle class African leadership in Guyana is psychically weak when it comes to its relationships with the white world. How for more than twenty-six years can we retain a law that destroys sons, husbands, brothers, fathers by jailing them for possession of a smoking utensil?

The magistrates would argue that they have no manoeuvring space because the law is clear. But the law also allows for bail. Why was bail not granted in this case?

I could remember doing more

than six, yes, six essays over twenty years in the Freddie Kissoon Column on this bestial mistreatment of Guyanese youths.

Let us now look at the changes in legal attitudes to marijuana around the world.

Small amounts have been decriminalized.

In other words, it would be asinine to arrest someone for mere possession of a utensil, when you can use that item to smoke a little bit of pot. We go through the list alphabetically- Argentina; Belgium; Brazil – illegal but tolerated by police and s e c urity forces without charges; Cambodia; Costa Rica, Croatia; Ecuador; Czech Republic; Estonia; France – illegal but usage is permitted for medical purposes; India; Italy; Mexico; Nepal; Netherlands; Pakistan - only in certain circumstances but one cigarette is accepted; Peru, Portugal; Spain; Sweden – illegal but police do not charge small users; Switzerland; Unites States of America – illegal at the federal level but decriminalized in fourteen States.

Important to note that the country where it should be legal, youths go to jail all the time. We are talking about

Frederick Kissoon Ethiopia. I once told a Rasta guy outside Stabroek Market that it was silly for Ethiopia to ban any amount of marijuana.

He became angry, “Freddie, Freddie, “Yuh kyaan insult meh religion, maan,” he yelled out.

He moved menacingly towards me; “Humble yuh stupid self, Freddie talking de truth, listen and yuh gun learn something maan,” was the shouts that came from a group of young men.

Wi l l our 65 Parliamentarians amend M r. D e s m o n d H o y t e ’s incredible primitive antinarcotic law? Are they really interested in doing so? Why should they do that when they are dealing with incredibly stupid people that will vote for them anyway?

Tuesday August 20, 2013

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Kaieteur News

GRA to announce partnership with banks for electronic tax payments allow taxpayers to pay their taxes electronically.

According to the GRA boss, this decision was made in response to the high volume of traffic at the GRA's new Headquarters in Camp Street, Georgetown. “As anticipated, since the consolidation of our Georgetown offices we have large numbers of persons visiting the location to make payments on a daily basis.

From a security standpoint as well as the current parking dilemma - we are trying to

The decision for Electronic Tax Payment was made in response to the high volume of traffic at the GRA's new Headquarters in Camp Street The Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) will be announcing shortly the status of their partnership with commercial banks to establish an Electronic Tax Payment system that will allow persons to pay their taxes electronically.

GRA commenced this collaborative approach with

a number of commercial banks on October 1, 2012.

At that time, systems were established for motorists renewing their annual Motor Vehicle Licences (MVL) to do so at the local banks.

Three commercial banks Demerara Bank, Bank of Baroda, and the Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry

(GBTI) - were involved in the first phase of this project.

The commercial banks have agreed to work along with the GRA's IT Department to have a Tax Payment feature added to the banks' websites so that taxes can be paid online.

In addition, a Telebanking feature will also be

implemented by the banks.

Commissioner-General of the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA), Khurshid Sattaur, along with representatives of the GRA's Information Technology (IT) Department were in talks with representatives of all commercial banks to establish facilities that will

reduce the number of persons having to visit this location.

In order to remedy these problems, we are exploring the possibility of outsourcing some aspects of our revenue collection to interested parties such as our local commercial Banks.�

Several utility companies already have this system in operation with the local banks. The GRA's facility will be similar to those used by the utility companies.

Page 14

Tuesday August 20, 2013

Kaieteur News

Fight against violent crime lacks leadership - APNU

W

ith reports of violent crime a l m o s t reaching epidemic proportions , the main opposition, A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), is of the opinion that enough is not b e i n g d o n e t o comprehensively fight the scourge that is plaguing Guyana today.

The party in a press statement yesterday said that it has noted with grave concern the increased attacks by bandits on business owners, especially those who conduct their operations in

rural communities.

“The Partnership calls on the Guyana Police Force (GPF) and the Ministry of Home Affairs to act now to restore confidence in the business community and the general public. Business owners, potential entrepreneurs and all citizens need to feel a sense of safety and security, something that is sadly lacking in Guyana today,” APNU said.

These assertions come several weeks after the Ministry of Home Affairs had also noted the recent spike in armed robberies and

had expressed its deep concern over the development.

Referring to crime figures released by the police up to the end of June this year, which indicate that 472 cases of violent crimes were reported, APNU said that it shows that much more needs to be done to address what has clearly become a national epidemic of violence.

The party emphasised that it had recently called for the establishment an Interpersonal Violence Unit.

“The Partnership takes

this opportunity to renew this call for such a unit and to reiterate our lack of confidence in the leadership of Mr. Clement James Rohee as Minister responsible for public safety.”

But the Ministry of Home Affairs had thrown the blame for the seemingly out of control crime situation at the feet of the Guyana Police Force administration.

In its defence a few weeks ago, the Ministry had informed that at a recent presentation to a joint Meeting with Senior Management of the Guyana Police Force, the Ministry of H o m e A ff a i r s , P o l i c y analysts at the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Guyana Police Force, as well as the Crime and Social Observatory, it was stressed that the Police will win or lose the battle against crime in “A” Division particularly.

Georgetown is part of “A” Division.

According to the Ministry, the presentation which was evidence-based, pointed to certain “Hot spots” in the city as well as other areas where crime can be anticipated and where, from an operational

perspective the Police should deploy its ranks and moveable assets to effectively deal with those specific areas fraught with potential criminal threats.

“At the end of the presentation there could not have been a clearer message to the hierarchy of the Guyana Police Force, particularly to the Commissioner of Police (ag), Deputy Commissioner, Law Enforcement, Assistant Commissioner Operations and the Commanders of all “A” Divisions.”

The Ministry informed that the Commissioner of Police (ag) has been requested to adopt the appropriate operational posture to conform with the conclusions of the presentation with which all had agreed.

Further, the ministry said, the Commissioner of Police (ag) with the support of the Deputy Commissioner of Law Enforcement, Assistant Commissioner Operations, and particularly Commander “A” Division, has been advised to inform the general public about actions contemplated by Police to bring the situation once again under control.

In light of this, the police had launched several raids in the city and its environs, rounding up several criminal suspects in the process.

However, this appears to have done very little to dent the minds of criminals who continue to conduct their business as usual.

Meanwhile, APNU has noted that evidence has shown that Community Policing Groups as presently configured and tasked countrywide, cannot, and will not, solve the crime problem.

The party said that members of the Guyana Police Force at all levels must be given the leadership, equipment and relevant training, so that they can meet their mandate of service and protection.

“APNU calls on all responsible parties to act now to secure a reversal of this trend of armed robberies and violence against persons. The Partnership further calls on the People's Progressive Party/Civic Government to give the security sector the leadership it needs to ensure that all Guyanese can be safe, secure and can attain the good life to which they are entitled.”

Tuesday August 20, 2013

Page 15

Kaieteur News

Rohee is new PPP General Secretary

By Dwijendra Rooplall and Abena Rockcliffe President Donald Ramotar yesterday handed over the proverbial baton to Minister of Home Affairs, Clement Rohee, as he made an announcement to the effect that he has stepped down as General Secretary of the People's Progressive Party (PPP) and is placing full confidence in his successor.

Ramotar, who served as General Secretary since 1997, said yesterday that the People's Progressive Party needs someone at the helm who could dedicate more time to the party, while he (Ramotar) places greater attention to running the country.

During a Press conference that was called specifically to make the announcement, Ramotar stated that working in both capacities as President and General Secretary had become too much.

“The task of managing the party had become extremely overwhelming in many cases and it has caused me not to able to give all the attention and all that I wanted to give to the party to ensure that it remains strong and vibrant and ready to take on any challenges that would be ahead of us in the future, whether distant or in the near future, but we need to ensure that we have more stronger focus on party's work.”

Ramotar stated. " As such, the decision was made by the President to

…as Ramotar steps down nominate Rohee for the position of General Secretary. That nomination was unanimously corroborated by the new Central Committee.

Ramotar expressed his confidence in Rohee as the General Secretary asserting that the position is in “very capable hands.”

Rohee addressing the gathering as the new General Secretary of the party expressed his humility towards attaining the position. He said it was a huge responsibility and the task would not be easy. He noted that he sees the need for continued team effort.

“The main task therefore is to ensure that the mood that we experienced at our council is translated into day to day work in our party and make sure our members are always in touch with us and we in touch with them as we continue this exciting path to victory as always been the case,” He explained.

When asked whether he (Rohee) would be continuing within his capacity as Home Affairs Minister as well as General Secretary—given the demands of the security sector, he responded “that is something that we will obviously have to look at sometime down the road.”

It was then questioned as to a general time frame for him to demit office. But no specific answer was given as Rohee said that that is to be

decided by the president.

And the President's response being “We will set our own time frame.”

Yesterday saw the first leadership meeting since the August 2-4 party Congress.

At that meeting, the Central Committee also elected a new Secretariat: Executive and Organizing Secretary - Zulficar Mustapha; Membership Clement Rohee; Propaganda - Kellawan Lall; International - Gail Teixeira;

Finance - Irfaan Ali; Trade Union - Komal Chand; Education - Hydar Ally and Mass Organization Dharamkumar Seeraj.

Kellawan Lall was elected Editor of the Party's Organ, the Thunder.”

And a new Executive Committee of Full and candidate members was chosen, those being: Full Members: Donald Ramotar, D r. R o g e r L u n c h e o n , Zulficar Mustapha, Gail Teixeira, Alli Baksh, Bharrat

Jagdeo, Sherri Ramsaran, Mohammed Irfaan Ali, Navin Chandarpal, Komal Chand, Robert Persaud, Frank Anthony, Clinton Collymore, Pauline Sukhai and Kellawan Lall.

The Three Candidate Members are: Shyam Nokta, Neil Kumar and Dharamkumar Seeraj.

Rohee is the fourth General Secretary of the PPP/C. His predecessors, in the order which they served, are former presidents Janet Jagan, Cheddi Jagan and current President Donald Ramotar.

New PPP General Secretary, Clement Rohee

Page 16

Kaieteur News

Tuesday August 20, 2013

Tuesday August 20, 2013

Kaieteur News

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Tuesday August 20, 2013

Kaieteur News

Commodore Best officially promoted to Rear Admiral - APNU calls for Brumell to be confirmed as Top Cop

By Abena Rockcliffe History was created yesterday afternoon when President Donald Ramotar and Secretary to the Defence Board, Dr. Roger Luncheon pinned the insignia of the

rank of Rear Admiral on Chief of Staff of the Guyana Defence Force, Gary Best.

The Rank o f R e a r Admiral was never bestowed on anyone before in Guyana. However, that rank is equivalent to that of a

Major General; a rank at which three other Army heads—Joseph Singh, Norman McLean and Michael Atherley—retired.

Best has been serving in the Force for the past 33 years and has been the Chief

Secretary of the Defence Board Dr. Roger Luncheon watches as President Donald Ramotar pins the insignia on the newly appointed Rear Admiral of Staff for six years.

This rare promotion to Rear Admiral comes a little less than a month before Best's retirement. Best will retire on September 17.

President Donald Ramotar expressed gratitude to Best for the service he has provided over the years.

An obviously proud Best, in response to the promotion, said it is testimony to the confidence the Government has placed in him.

Meanwhile, in light of the fact that Best only has

less than a month to operate in his new capacity, APNU has chosen to renew its call for acting Commissioner of Police, Leroy Brumell to be confirmed to the position he has been acting in for the past year.

Speaking to Kaieteur News yesterday, Joseph Harmon said that it has become a pattern by the government to promote ranks close to their retirement. He said that APNU doesn't believe it is a good move to promote officers when they are

making their way out of the profession as they won't be able to utilize the rank.

I n H a r m o n ' s v i e w, promotion is a sign that says “we are investing in you to say we think you are capable to operate at a higher rank”.

He said that if a government has the confidence in a rank he or she should be promoted while they can serve in that rank.

Harmon said that in light of the aforementioned, APNU is calling on the government to confirm Brumell as Top Cop.

Tuesday August 20, 2013

Page 19

Kaieteur News

Minister rejects Opposition members' CSEC criticisms

By Tiffanne Ramphal

I

n an invited response to an article which appeared in yesterday's (August 19) edition of this newspaper, titled 'Opposition members blast Education Ministry for 'poor' CSEC results', the Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand fired back at the critics.

While the comments made were generally based on the incapacity of the Education Ministry to improve the overall performance of students in Guyana, the Minister said that she is “pleased that people are speaking on the single, most important issue in the country- the education of the nation's children.”

She is, however, grossly disappointed in the comments made by members of the opposition, which were contrary to congratulating the students along with their parents and teachers for performing “so phenomenally well” at the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) exams.

“These are Guyanese people doing so well. The opposition cannot claim to love Guyana, but fail to celebrate when Guyanese do well. It is almost as though they wait with bated breath so that they can see these Guyanese kids fail, only so they can say that the Government has done badly,” she said.

Responding to a comment in the article, which asserted that “Mathematics has

Mathematics Pass Rates 1985 to 2013

recorded the lowest pass rate this year”, the Minister stressed this is not true.

She pointed to statistics of the Mathematics pass rates over the past 13 years in particular, which clearly show the progressive climb that the rates have taken since the People's Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C)'s assent office in 1992. (See table below) Minister Manickchand said that the improvement in the subject areas have been notable “since the PPP started paying attention to education”, compared to results brought in under the previous administration.

She added, however, that the excellent performance of some is no consolation to her, and that reality must be faced as the entire Caribbean region has been performing poorly in Mathematics.

She pointed to the CSEC 2013 report of the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) website which stated that, “while there was a slight improvement on Mathematics over the last year, performance remained below average; with 35 per cent of entries achieving acceptable grades, compared with the 33 per cent last year.”

The report continued by stating that, according to a report by the Subject Awards Committee, “the work produced by the majority of candidates on Paper 2 was unsatisfactory.

The committee noted that more than 13,000 candidates were unable to measure and state the length of a given line and determine the measure of an angle on one question.”

The Minister said that while the results suggest that students' performance in the various subject areas are “not great”, under the current administration, the results are better than what they used to be.

To the claim that there is a noticeable lack of trained teachers, the Minister responded by saying that while more Mathematics and English teachers are definitely needed, “our country can boast having 70% of trained teachers, whereas before, when the PPP/C assumed office, we had a complement of 30% trained teachers.

“We have had results that we never used to speak of as a country, compared to the results we have now,” the Minister pointed out. She added that critics should keep in mind that further improvement would, unfortunately, take time, given all that is needed to get these improvements.

To the apparent 'stealing of Guyana's joy', the Minister said that she is not surprised by the comments made by the opposition members and thus she is urging students, parents and teachers alike, to continue to be jubilant about the good results.

“Don't let them rain on your parade,” Manickchand said.

As for the pointed comments about the bad governance by the Ministry of Education of the sector, the Minister said, “some of these commentators need to make themselves relevant, and so talk for the sake of talking.”

She alluded to the fact that the current Shadow Minister of Finance, Carl Greenidge, “failed to produce audited accounts from 1983 to 1991, the years he served as Finance Minister”.

This, she stated, deems him

Education Minister Priya Manickchand “unauthorized to speak about good governance”.

Responding to comments that it is the inability of poor parents and poor communities to provide assistance and guidance to children, resulting in poor

performance, the Minister pointed out that the children who performed excellently had the full support of their parents, family members and their communities.

“These children did not come from rich and wealthy families. Some are from poor, single-parent families and some are still struggling to make ends meet. What contributed to their success, however, was the fact that parents were behind their children foot to foot.”

The Education Minister, thus, urged that politicians be more “constructive in their observations and criticisms.”

She said that if the opposition wanted to be helpful to Guyana and to the country's children, in addition to participating in public forums on how to improve pass rates; or notifying her of their personal views, “one of the most important things they could do, that would go a long, long way, would be to talk and counsel their constituents on the importance of family involvement and parental support to children in their school years and after.”

Page 20

Tuesday August 20, 2013

Kaieteur News

Police still hunting Plaisance murder accused

T

he Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Police Force is in the process of issuing a wanted bulletin for 23-yearold Dacia Alida Bourne, the prime suspect in the murder of Clifford Singh called 'Yaka' of Plaisance, East Coast Demerara, six days ago.

The woman disappeared shortly after allegedly battering her 35-year-old reputed husband to death following what appeared to be a drunken row at their Prince William Street, Plaisance home.

The issuing of the bulletin will come amidst concerns by the dead man's relatives that the police are

not doing enough to apprehend the woman.

Speaking to this newspaper on Sunday, Leah Singh said that she is not satisfied with the police action to apprehend the woman who killed her only son. However the woman is optimistic that justice will be served.

“I am praying that everything will come out,” Singh told Kaieteur News.

According to one of the couple's friends he found them arguing hours before Singh's tragic demise.

“They went drinking Banko Ginger wine, and I tell dem, 'man y'all humble nah man', and I lef and go pon de road and come back with another bottle (wine) and dey still arguing,” the friend who declined to give his name told this newspaper.

However, he disclosed that the argument was over money and “who don't go in bush and dem thing”.

According to the couple's friend, the woman previously travelled to the interior where she “used to hustle”.

Neighbours believe that

Suspect: Dacia Alida Bourne

Dead: Clifford Singh called 'Yaka'

the woman might have planned her actions carefully to avoid being captured by the police.

“She fire like about six lash and when de last lash wha she fire, she phone ring and she answer it and then she run straight up de road,” the neighbour stated.

The dead man's mother believes that the woman has not left the jurisdiction.

“We believe that she is somewhere in Guyana. She knows the interior and she

knows the attitude of the police. She knows that they will not try hard enough to capture her,” Leah Singh told Kaieteur News.

Singh's murder brought a tragic but not unexpected end to an abusive three-year relationship between the couple.

Within recent weeks there were several incidents of domestic violence in which females and children were the victims.

In the case of this latest

murder, neighbours claimed that Singh had been abusive to his reputed wife on many occasions, even as his mother insisted that it was he who was the real victim of domestic violence.

A neighbour described the couple as abusive to each other, who constantly fought whenever they consumed alcohol, which they regularly did.

“From de time they living is dis fighting all de time. We done know dat something woulda happen.

De two ah dem, like dey does drink and when dey drink, dey does end up in dis fight.”

The woman said although she knew that the couple's relationship would have ended violently, she was surprised that it was the woman who killed the man.

“Although he thin bone, he, as a man, always got the upper hand over she, but she never used to tek lef.”

She told the media that during all the commotion, the couple's 10-month-old child was left lying in the house and was subsequently rescued by the police who later handed the child over to relatives.

Tuesday August 20, 2013

Kaieteur News

Page 21

Page 22

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Tuesday August 20, 2013

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Tuesday August 20, 2013

Kaieteur News

Page 23

Negligible increase recorded in HIV prevalence - NAPS credits effective treatment programme Although negligible, the Ministry of Health last year recorded an increase in the prevalence of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). This development comes even as the Ministry, through its HIV fighting arm, the National AIDS Programme Secretariat (NAPS), has been making ardent strides to reduce the impact of the epidemic.

This state of affairs was in fact highlighted in a statement issued by NAPS yesterday.

It was revealed that while in 2011 there was a 1.1 per cent prevalence of the disease, the prevalence rate mounted to 1.3 per cent. This percentage, according to NAPS, accounted for the prevalence among the adult population, an age range covering individuals between 15 and 49 living with HIV in Guyana.

However, NAPS has attributed the subtle increase to the effective treatment programme whereby persons with the disease are adhering to their treatment. This has allowed for infected persons to not only live longer and

healthy lives, but even fewer deaths are AIDS-related.

Moreover, it has been established by NAPS that the Estimated Annual AIDS deaths have been reduced to less than 100, compared to less than 500 in 2011. It has been deduced too that the number of persons newly infected with HIV during the past year is estimated at less than 500. This, according to NAPS, comes even as the national HIV programme is seeking to significantly reduce new infections.

However, reducing the prevalence of the disease continues to be a challenge, since Guyana’s epidemic is characterized as one concentrated among key populations at higher risk, namely female sex workers and men who have sex with men.

“These populations along with miners and loggers have been prioritized in the recently launched HIVision 2020 - the eight-year Strategic Plan for the HIV Programme - and will see intensified efforts to curb high risk sexual behaviour and promote behavioural

changes among these groups,” NAPS has disclosed.

A complete report on the global HIV epidemic, based on the 2012 Estimates, will be published by the United Nations AIDS Programme (UNAIDS) in time for the UN General Assembly in September 2013 on the MidTerm Review of the Political Declaration on HIV/AIDS. Estimates, according to NAPS, will be developed for countries on an annual basis as opposed to biennially as was previously the case.

The Estimates would be presented in detail, in addition to remarks from the Minister of Health, Dr. Bheri Ramsaran; Dr Shanti Singh, NAPS Programme Manager, and Dr Roberto Campos, Country Director of UNAIDS. NAPS will today spearhead a stakeholder dissemination meeting on the 2012 National HIV/AIDS Estimates. And according to NAPS, the purpose of the meeting is to present to a wide stakeholder group the estimates arrived at for the HIV epidemic from a UNAIDS

workshop conducted in May 2013 in Trinidad.

The stakeholders’ group will comprise Coordinators of NAPS, Directors and Programme Managers within the Health Ministry, representatives from Civil Society groups, international technical agencies and external funding partners among others.

Draft Estimates were developed at the Workshop which was attended by representatives from the Caribbean Region and have been finalized by individual countries over the subsequent months with technical support from the UNAIDS Estimates Team in Geneva.

According to NAPS, “these Estimates are important to the national HIV/AIDS programme and the health sector as a whole, since they provide an indication as to the progress in reducing the impact of the epidemic.”

Estimations are developed for indicators such as HIV prevalence in the adult population, new HIV infections and need for Antiretroviral Treatment among Adults and children, as well as pregnant women.

New standard set for global shipping Industry - ILO The International Labour Organization’s (ILO) Maritime Labour Convention (MLC, 2006) comes into force today, inaugurating a new era of decent work for seafarers and fair competition for ship owners in the global shipping industry.

When the new Convention becomes a binding international law, it needs ratification by 30 ILO member states, representing more than 33 per cent of the world gross shipping tonnage to enter into force.

A statement issued by the ILO said to date, more than 45 ILO member states representing over 75 per cent of global gross shipping tonnage have ratified the Convention.

“This Convention is a milestone in maritime history,” ILO Director-General, Guy Ryder said. “The product of tripartite dialogue and international cooperation, it enables decent working and living conditions for seafarers to be advanced, along with fair competition for shipowners in this, the most globalized of industries.”

Ryder added “I call on all countries with a maritime interest to ratify if they have

not yet done so - and urge governments and shipowners to work effectively to implement this Convention.”

He said the Convention has the full support of the International Transport Workers’ Federation, which represents seafarers, and the International Shipowners Federation, both of which played a key role during the five years of its development and in the adoption of the Convention at a special ILO International Labour Conference in 2006.

“The MLC, 2006 also has the strong support of the International Maritime Organization, which oversees the global shipping sector, which moves some 90 per cent of world trade.” The statement noted.

“The European Union has adopted Directives to give effect to the Convention, while the Paris and the Tokyo memoranda of understanding, which are port State control regional organizations have adopted MLC, 2006 compliant guidelines to strengthen port State control inspections.”

“The coming into force of the MLC, 2006 is a unique event in the history of

international maritime labour law,” it quoted Cleopatra Doumbia-Henry, ILO Director of the International Labour Standards Department, as saying.

“It is now incumbent on all to ensure that ratification and legal implementation translate into law and practice so that the world’s seafarers can truly benefit from the protection of the Convention and that shipowners who meet the decent work requirements of the Convention can enjoy the benefits it offers.”

“It is also now urgent to ensure that all ILO member States with a maritime interest ratify the Convention,” Doumbia-Henry stressed.

“The ILO will continue to

work with governments and with seafarers’ and shipowners’ organizations and other key actors in the maritime industry to help ensure that the goals of the MLC, 2006 are achieved.”

“The Convention brings together, in one place, international minimum standards aimed at ensuring decent work for seafarers, while helping to provide a level playing field for quality shipowners operating under the flag of countries that have ratified the MLC, 2006 by promoting competitiveness through ensuring reliable and efficient shipping. The goal is to make sure that decent working conditions go hand in hand with fair competition,” the statement said.

(From page 22) WANTED Kitchen help, butcher and cleaner- Call:231-5866/2315857 WANTED One three bedrooms apartment anywhere around town- Call:617-7865 Machine Operator to work in Garment Factory- Call: 2222541

VACANCY 24 Hour East Coast Guyoil needs night pump attendants, salesgirl & office assistant- Call:6889611/684-2838

Laboures to work on wood concession: accommodation provided $4000-$5000 per day- Call:612-1082 (8am to 4pm)

Refrigeration, A/C Technician. Call 231-0655/ 683-8734

1 welder/ bodywork man to work in the InteriorContact:627-6416/226-3799 (Mon-Fri 8am-4pm)

Vacancy exists for 1 Parts Sales Clerk: Sound Secondary education with knowledge in Japanese vehicles spare partsCall:231-7839

Wanted contract cars @ Atlas Taxi Service: South Ruimveldt gardens, VHF radio network- Call:661-3043

Vacancy exists for able bodied male cleaners: Apply at Alabama Trading G/Town Stabroek.

Graphic Artist and Office Clerk at Plus Printing- Call: 233-2725 1 Receptionist, within the vicinity of Vreed-en-Hoop to Parika. Tel: 638-1627 1 Secretary, 1 Clerk & 1 Office Assistant- Contact the office on 265-3586 2 able bodied labour workers to work on farm at Yahurawara- Contact the office 265-3586

Receptionist, room attendant, bar attendants, washer & presser , cook & helper– Contact: Hick’s Ville Hotel @ 231-0951/231-0953 One live in attractive waitress must have secondary education must be honest & trustworthyCall:610-5043 Attractive live in waitressCall:327-0252/674-4665 Driver, salesperson, male merchandiser & porter needed, bring resume ( include reference) & passport photo at Vegetarian Gardens - Tele: 227-7714 Staff to work shift system at Parfaite Harmonie, W.B.DCall:650-0104/668-0306 One experienced general domestic, must know to cook tasty Creole dishes.

Must be honest & trustworthy- Call:656-6388

FOR RENT Furnished 2 bedrooms bottom flat @ Uitvlught Housing scheme, W.C.DCall:663-2882 Furnished house for rent, long and short term on Essequibo Coast- Call:6219380

Experienced male counter servers, waiters, cashiers, roti/ puri cooks & pastry makers: Apply @ Hacks Halaal 5 Commerce St. Cooks, assistant cooks, waitresses and bartenders to work in Kitty area- Call: 226-7054/ Cell:610-8269

House to rent in ‘CC’ EcclesCall:696-0573/642-2583/6847807

One (1) domestic preferred from E.B.D, must be honest and hardworking. Serious enquires- Call:618-8039

PUBLIC ROAD BUSINESS PROPERTY, W.C.D, suitable for food/ liquor restaurant, supermarket etc.

Call:609-8132/672-8569 (Max)

Men to burn charcoals in large quantity, very attractive salary & package being offered- Call:612-1082 (8am- 4pm)

Cement mixer (Ransome)Call:681-5988/672-6000

Wanted experienced Taxi drivers & experience Dispatcher @ Princess Hotel- Call:265-7076/6165419

1 furnished short term 2 bedrooms apartmentCall:222-7891/609-9202

Page 24

Kaieteur News

Tuesday August 20, 2013

‘Slingerz’ denies owing ‘Mavado’

By Latoya Giles One day after Jamaican Dancehall Star ‘Mavado’ called a press conference to explain his absence from the Slingerz Caribbean Summer Jam last Saturday night (August 17), the promotion group yesterday issued a statement calling the artiste’s allegations “false and malicious”. The group also denied owing Mavado (David Constantine Brooks) the sums he has alleged in his statements or any sum at all.

According to Slingerz, the agreement between the group and Mavado for his performance was entered since on or around the 26th of June, 2013. They explained that at the time, it was agreed that fourteen (14) persons would make up Mavado’s entourage. The initial deposit, being 50% of the agreed sum, was paid to the Artiste.

Slingerz claims that the travel itinerary was agreed to

between them and Mavado’s camp and was therefore communicated to the artiste, which he accepted. It was noted that Mavado was expected to have begun travelling on the 15th of August, 2013, with the view to arriving in Guyana on the 16th by way of Caribbean Airlines. The promoters said all the necessary bookings were made and paid for by the Slingerz Family Entertainment Group.

The release further stated that the travel arrangements made included funds sent to the artiste’s management team to facilitate travel from his residence in Jamaica to the airport. Slingerz also stated that they agreed they would fund the cost associated with the travel of the artiste and his entourage to the Jamaican airport, where they were expected to board the same flight upon which another featured artiste Tommy Lee travelled, and it was

Mavado

incumbent on the artiste’s management team to make the arrangements for their transport to the airport.

Earlier, communications

were received from Mavado’s team that everyone had checked in online and everything was in place for them to travel. However,

Slingerz said that upon checking with the airline to determine whether the artiste and his entourage had arrived at the airport and checked in to travel, it was learnt that they had not.

The group said contact was then made with the artiste’s manager who indicated that the bus they had enlisted to transport them to the airport arrived late and as such they missed the flight. Slingerz said contrary to reports, it was Mavado who requested a private jet after he missed his flight.

After expressing that view which it said was likely to put the Slingerz Family Entertainment group in an embarrassing position as they “had established a reputation of always delivering on their promise to bring artistes to these shores”, they promised to do all within their power to ensure Mavado arrived in Guyana.

“The chartering of a

private jet at that ninth hour appeared prohibitive in terms of accessibility and cost, however, in an effort not to disappoint its Guyanese fan base, Slingerz Family sought to make every possible effort to ensure the artiste arrived, which would be at an additional cost to Slingerz Family, through no fault of theirs.

After great endeavours, Slingerz said they enlisted the help of a private local aircraft to travel to Jamaica to transport the artiste and his team. The group claimed that the specifications of the aircraft and the flight schedule were communicated to and accepted by the artiste and his management team.

The flight departed Guyana and arrived in Jamaica, where, Slingerz Family learnt, the artiste made several objections to the type of aircraft, having already been apprised of (Continued on page 25

GCCA to probe for breaches in ‘Mavado’ 19-hour flight

By Zena Henry Officials of the Guyana Civil Aviation Authorities (GCCA) are set to investigate whether aviation breaches occurred when dancehall star ‘Mavado’ was reportedly flown some 19 hours from Jamaica to Guyana on board a single engine Cessna Caravan.

Aviation Authorities say it is too early to pronounce on what aviation rules may have been broken, but Director of Aviation Safety Regulation, Paula McAdam

told Kaieteur News yesterday that contact will be made with the pilot and his seniors to ascertain among other things, why the pilot had been operating for so many hours.

While it is only an allegation by the superstar, that his flight took 19-hours to get to Guyana, the GCCA said it will be looking into the matter.

Veterans in the aviation field, say that is it possible that the pilot that took David Constantine Brooks, who stage name is ‘Mavado’ on the island odyssey, may have breached legal flight

time. They say that the pilot who brought the ‘singjay’ (singer /DJ) to the Guyanese shores may have been operating longer than he was legally permitted to.

A senior pilot who spoke to Kaieteur News via telephone said that a pilot and his crew, if included, are allowed to operate an aircraft for a certain amount of hours, while another amount of resting hours is mandatory before the crew can be back in the sky. As it relates to the type of plane and the number of crew members, the regulation in this regard becomes even stricter, the Captain said.

He pointed out that in the field of aviation, safety is a key factor. “Everything revolving around aviation

has one key link... safety. So flight and duty time is just as important as the smooth running as an airline’s equipment.”

It was further explained that certain countries may have different duty time for a pilot, while an airliner might also have their specified flying time too. A former Safety Manager at Air Services Limited (ASL) recalled that the designated flying time in Guyana is somewhere around 16 hours.

This might change for special reasons, especially in a case of a search and rescue, where extra hours may be put in, he said.

Having mentioned the 16hour fly time, the former safety head said that a pilot is therefore r e q u i r e d a minimum of 10 hours rest

before he can operate another aircraft. If the case of the ‘Mavado’ saga checks out, he opined that the pilot could well be in breach of aviation rules.

ASL senior official, Yacoob Ali, told Kaieteur News yesterday that while it is unknown why the pilots would have stopped in Trinidad and Tobago during the flight from Jamaica to Guyana, it is regular for ASL pilots on that route to stop in Curacao for fuel before making their final destination.

He told the newspaper that it was the artiste’s promoters who chartered the jungle-operating 14seater Turboprop Caravan. He said two senior Captains were on board the plane, while defending that there is a portable lavatory on board

the cargo-transporting aircraft.

In relation to the pilot’s extended duty time, he said there could have been many reasons for the delay, s u c h a s p o o r w e a t h e r.

Additionally, Ali vowed that while he feels nothing is amiss, the necessary checks will be made to ascertain what transpired during the Jamaica-Guyana flight.

‘Mavado,’ a prominent face on the dancehall scene, lashed out at Slingerz promoters after claiming a 19-hour long flight in what came nothing close to “private jet” which he claimed he was promised, to transport himself along with 15 band members. The DJ had missed his Saturday last performance at the National Stadium and blamed it on the organizers.

Tuesday August 20, 2013

Kaieteur News

Page 25

Govt. guarantee for Amaila Hydro ‘Slingerz’ denies owing... triggers only if GPL defaults - Dr Ashni Singh Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh, says that Government is not committing to any debt with the performance guarantee issued to Amaila Falls Hydro Inc (AFHI), for the benefit of its lenders the China Development Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).

Dr Singh yesterday responded to Professor Kenrick Hunte, who suggested that by moving to Parliament to increase the ceiling for which government can guarantee repayments on, inherently means that it is assuming debt.

Dr Singh in responding said that, “Government is only responsible for that payment (restricted to the debt) that GPL (Guyana Power and Light Inc.) has to make under its PPA and for nothing more. GPL’s obligations are simply to pay the capacity payment for power delivered.”

He said if GPL does not pay, it may trigger a default which leads to a termination of the P o w e r P u r c h a s e Agreement (PPA) and an obligation of GPL to buyout the project under the PPA. “In this case,” according to Dr Singh, “the guarantee is applicable to ensure that GPL can pay the portion of the buyout price that is associated with the lender’s senior loans

(calculated at approximately US$650M or G$130B).”

According to Dr Singh, the debt ceiling caters for GPL’s financial obligations to AFHI that are in two forms.

“First to pay the annual tariff payment as it relates to the debt of the approximate US$120M annual payment due in the first 12 years of the concession, US$76M per annum is related to the debt component.”

He said that in the event of a default by GPL, AFHI may trigger a termination of the PPA and a “buyout of the project by GPL.” In this case, the guarantee addresses the buyout by GPL of that portion of the purchase price relating to debt.

The total outstanding debt on the project including estimates f o r b r e a k a g e costs of long term interest rates, etc. is estimated at US$650M or approximately G$130B. Dr Singh said that it is important to emphasize that the guarantee is only triggered if GPL does not make its payments and therefore defaults on its obligations. The guarantee cannot be triggered by nonperformance of AFHI. A buyout would result in the project asset being owned

by Guyana with no further payment obligations.

Dr Singh said too that it ought to be pointed out that GPL will not be responsible for construction risk or operating risks of the

Amaila Project.

“These risks are borne by AFHI and its investors (both debt and equity)…GPL’s risk is largely after the project is built and for payment obligations associated with the delivery of power.”

He said that “additionally, GPL is responsible for actions that cause AFHI not to perform or for certain political events (Political Force Majeure).”

Dr Singh sought to emphasise that the borrower or the owner of the debt is Amaila Falls Hydro Inc, a privately-controlled company that is the Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) which will undertake the project before handing ownership over to the people of Guyana in 20 years.

He said that Government taking a minority stake in AFHI is to reduce the cost of capital and, in turn, reduce end-user tariffs, not to incur additional debt through AFHI. Dr Singh posits that avoiding public debt in this way helps to build Guyana’s sovereign credit rating, which in turn enhances G u y a n a ’s attractiveness for future foreign investment.

“Avoiding public debt for economic infrastructure also means that the Government’s window for borrowing is still open for other important national priorities which do not g e n e r a t e a n e c o n omic return, like healthcare and education.”

Letters... Where your views make the news

The Amaila hydro sabotage...

From page 4 an important imperative.

Without stable electricity, we cannot digitalize Guyana.

The entire GRA and Police interlinks will be difficult, and unreliable as generated electricity fluctuates and is unstable.

We need to be independent from fossil fuels, even if we discover it in Guyana.

Hydro means less or no pollution. Hydro means that Guyana shines in the 21st century. Hydro means an end to personal generating systems, which ease business budgets and personal ones. Guyana will be on the high road to success.

There will be more industrialization, as electricity will be cheaper. Investors will find it attractive to come to Guyana as they will get stable and cheaper electricity. Hydro is more reli-

able and more. The water always flows, and the flow is free!! The flow is guaranteed.

I believe that it is not finished. We must never make it the end. We should recall Sithe Global. If we allow good sense to prevail as a nation; we can tell our political leaders to make this possible. The supporters of the PNC are historically powerful and dynamic people. They are the bosses.

They must instruct their leaders to support hydro, and see that it is possible, or prepare to have Guyana remain poor and vulnerable, and we all will continue to pay through our noses.

I ask the members and supporters of the PNC to be radical in the quest for electricity.

I even am surprised that some members of par-

liament of the APNU/PNC party did not refuse to vote with their party on this item of great national importance. In the USA and Europe, even India, we have seen historically such radicalism, where Senators, Congressmen or Parliamentarians vote against their party, and I even admire such power and display of democracy in action. I am such person; I would have no trouble voting against my party if I disagree in principle on a subject. I have my own mind I would say.

The AFC showed it had its own mind when it abandoned the PNC, but too little too late Brother Ram……..too little ….too late……shame on you.

Let us save hydro Guyanese fellows. Opportunity knocks but once.

Roshan Khan

From page 24 the specifications of the aircraft before it travelled.

Slingerz Family was also informed by the flight officials that when the flight stopped in Curacao for refueling, as was discussed and agreed upon between the parties, the artiste began to behave in an untoward manner complaining bitterly about various matters whilst proclaiming that he is “the god’ and demanded that he be taken back to Jamaica.

This caused the flight to be delayed in Curacao for three hours before the artiste was persuaded to rejoin and to continue the journey.

This delay caused the flight to enter the Guyana airspace after 18:00 hours on the 17th day of August, 2013.

Slingerz Family Entertainment received communications from officials at the Ogle International airport that because of international regulations the plane would not be permitted to land and as such the plane was redirected to Trinidad. This caused a further delay as endeavours were made to get clearance from the relevant local authority for the plane to land.

After acquiring permission the plane landed

at Ogle International at approximately 23:45 hours.

After clearing immigration, a process that took some time due to the lateness of the hour and the fact that the flight was unscheduled, Movado and his entourage were met by officials from the Slingerz Family and transported to the Princess Hotel, arriving there at approximately 01:20 hours.

There Movado occupied the Presidential suite as per request and his entourage other rooms.

At the hotel, after refreshing themselves, the artiste’s management was asked to have his band attend the stadium to tune their instruments. It had been explained to Movado that he would appear on stage before Tommy Lee as, based on past experience, Slingerz Family Promotions had concerns about the restlessness of the crowd when Tommy Lee, who has developed a wide and impressionable fan base, appeared.

At that point, Movado and his entourage objected vehemently stating that he was the “superstar” and insisted that he headlined the show. Slingerz further stated that they were hard-pressed since they had been given a stipulated time by the police

authority regarding when the show should conclude.”

Slingerz said that word was sent to Tommy Lee’s camp asking whether they would facilitate the promoters by appearing first and they readily agreed. Tommy Lee took the stage a little after 2am on Sunday.

Movado then expressed his reluctance to perform nevertheless stating that he felt Slingerz disrespected him by seemingly “promoting Tommy Lee and Gaza over him”.

“At the conclusion of Tommy Lee’s performance and whilst still discussing with a Slingerz Family representative whether he would perform, Mavado indicated that the present show was Tommy Lee’s show and maybe Slingerz family should hold a show the next day, which would be the Mavado show.

A short while after word was received that members of the Guyana Police Force had called an end to the show.”

Slingerz expressed regret, despite the substantial financial losses it experienced and public image damage involved, and the fact that the local fans were cheated of an opportunity to experience all that they were promised.

From page 3 transfigured the television viewing experience, and has enabled broadcasters to provide television with enhanced picture and sound quality, and with multiple programming channels.”

More importantly, he stressed, digital broadcasting will free-up large slices of the broadcast spectrum for other uses, including public safety communications from the police, fire, rescue teams, or other emergency purposes.

On June 16, 2006 in Geneva, Switzerland, at a meeting of the International Telecommunication Union, a UN agency, 104 countries with over 1,000 delegates adopted and signed a Treaty Agreement to switchover from analog to digital broadcasting. The commencement date for the switchover was June 17, 2006 and the deadline for completion is June 17, 2015.

“The US and 18 countries in Europe have already effected the switchover, but many countries are still straggling along the transition route. In addition, digitization of sound broadcasting is lagging behind television in the Caribbean and many other countries,” Dr. Misir disclosed. Among some of the issues being probed by CBU during the meetings which end tomorrow, would be the comparative digital television standards; stages of the tran-

sition and incentives for the switchover and enticement of advertisers. Another important topic will be the role of social media and broadcasters' relationship to these networks and journalism in the digital age. Meanwhile, CBU's President, Shida Bolai, in her report to the assembly, stressed that broadcasting in the region has changed drastically in recent years.

“In 2013, we of the Caribbean Broadcasting Union are in a world vastly different from 1970, even if many of our challenges remain the same. For one thing, our membership has crossed many barriers of language, geography and culture in a region that is anxious to explore common ground.”

STAY RELEVANT Bolai said that for broadcasters, technology has changed the rules of the game.

“In some ways, it has leveled the playing field; in others it has lowered the platform while raising the bar. For us in broadcasting, as for any industry in the throes of change, the greatest challenge can be neatly described in four words: stay relevant, stay ahead. If we fail to do so, we risk the fate of the dinosaurs.” CBU will be looking to reinvent itself, opening the body to other forms of memberships including newspapers and magazines, journalistic websites and even cable companies. Also to be con-

sidered are the Government Information Services, independent producers and even regulatory authorities.

Also attending yesterday's opening proceedings were Prime Minister Samuel Hinds, and head of the Guyana Broadcasting Authority, Bibi Shadick.

CBU is also looking for a bigger role for regional TV, CaribVision, which has failed to gain the desired traction.

Bolai also challenged Governments to help in the switchover process.

“As a union we are concerned that policy makers and regulators recognize that the pace and structure of digital switchover must bear in mind the economic realities and the absorptive capacity of our consumers and our stations to fund this massive change.”

Over the next couple of days, broadcasters must agree on a common digital standard with clear understanding of the implications for regulations, broadcasters and consumers.

The CBU delegates will also be visiting a number of tourist sites during their stay.

The meeting comes as Guyana recently established a special body to consider applications for radio and television. In 2011, several radio and two cable licences were controversially granted by former President Bharrat Jagdeo shortly before he left office.

Broadcasters race to meet...

Page 26

Kaieteur News

Tuesday August 20, 2013

Police detain 90 east POS residents (with CNC3 video) More than 400 law enforcement officers descended upon apartment building complexes in east Port-of-Spain yesterday morning in search of the perpetrators of last week’s resurgence of gang violence which saw six people, among them three teenagers, being murdered within 24 hours of each other. At the end of the seven-hour exercise, 90 residents, among them four women, were detained by police and carted off to police stations in the Port-of-Spain Division to be questioned in relation to a variety of serious

crimes which occurred recently in and around east Port-of-Spain.

The exercise followed another on Thursday in which 12 “major players” in gang and criminal activity in east Port-of-Spain were arrested at their homes at Laventille, Sea Lots, Beetham Gardens and Nelson and Duncan S t r e e t s . Ye s t e r d a y ’ s detainees together with those from Thursday were being kept at different stations within Port-of-Spain up to late yesterday. Some of the detainees are expected to be questioned by detectives

of the Homicide Bureau in relation to the recent spate of murders, while others will be interviewed over recent robberies and pickpocketing incidents in Port-ofSpain. Several of the men arrested will also be interrogated by members of the Criminal Gang and Intelligence Unit, police said. Officers of the unit are considering charging some of the detainees under the AntiGang Act—a piece of legislation that has remained virtually unused since the imposition of the state of emergency in 2011.

Ambassador to US concerned about number of deportations WASHINGTON DC (JIS) — Jamaica’s Ambassador to the United States, Stephen Vascianne has expressed concern over the large number of Jamaicans being deported from the US to Jamaica on a monthly basis.

“Far too many Jamaicans are stepping on to the deportation train.” Each month about 75 Jamaicans are sent home for indulging in unlawful activities,” he said.

[Hide Description] Jamaica’s Ambassador to the United States, His Excellency, Stephen Vascianne, delivers the keynote address at the Jamaica Independence Celebration Foundation Independence Ball to mark Jamaica’s 51st Year of Independence at the Hylton Hotel, Manhattan, NY, onAugust 17. He told the over 800 Jamaicans and Friends of Jamaica who attended the Jamaica Independence Celebration Foundation (JICF), Jamaica 51 Independence Ball at the Hylton Hotel, Manhattan, NY,

on Saturday August 17 “that Jamaica believes that there are some problem with the deportation system as in certain instances, persons are sent to Jamaica when in fact they have no earthly ties to the country”.

“They may have come to the United States as children, live their lives there and now they are required to fend for themselves in unfamiliar territory,” he said.

Vascianne argued that the deportation system may actually be counterproductive to both Jamaica and the United States because it sets in place a loop for criminality.

He pointed out that persons are sent to Jamaica with no means of economic survival and so they become more entrenched in criminality, which creates instability at home and they sometimes this is exported back to the United States.

Vascianne expressed the hope that the US would continue to give thought to

more humane and sympathetic consideration for persons who are to the deported for minor offenses.

The Ambassador urged Jamaicans in the Diaspora to guide those Jamaicans inclined to become deviant, to live and work within the law.

Meanwhile in a message from United States President Barack Obama read by chairperson of the JICF, Mrs. Paulette Willoughby, he lauded the Jamaican community for the outstanding contribution made to the growth of the US. “Since America’s early days, men and women have come to our shores from every corner of the globe bringing their vibrant culture and important historical prospective by uniting those who trace their roots to Jamaica and celebrating Jamaica’s Independence, evens like this reminds us of our countries legacy as a nation of immigrants and help ensure the diversity of our people remains one of the greatest strength.”

Tuesday August 20, 2013

Kaieteur News

UK official alarmed at Ja’s high rate of extra-judicial killings ( J a m a i c a Observer)MONTEGO BAY, St James — Member of the United Kingdom House of Lords Baroness Nuala O’Loan has expressed alarm over the reported high number of fatal shootings by the Jamaican police.”In this beautiful country, somebody is shot dead almost every day by the JCF (Jamaica Constabulary Force), whose role is to protect the citizenry,” bemoaned Baroness O’Loan.

“There is an unparalleled level of police shootings in Jamaica,” she added.

She cited figures in a 2002 paper presented by the local human rights group Jamaican for Justice, which showed that “police killings of civilians were running at around 150 a year.”

“In the 10 years since then that number has almost doubled.

In 2011 there were about 210 shootings, in 2012, 219 police fatal shootings and between January and June this year there were 147 fatal shootings by police,” lamented Baroness O’Loan.

“What is happening?

BARONESS O’LOAN When men, women and children are dying in these numbers, shot by the police, it is clearly important to find out what is going on,” she further argued. Baroness O’Loan said she has worked across the world, even in places like Liberia and in Timor Leste when there was an attempt to assassinate the president, yet she has not

seen police fatal shootings in the numbers as she has seen them here. Baroness O’Loan, a former police ombudsman of Northern Ireland was speaking in Montego Bay over the weekend during an Independent Commission of Investigations (INDECOM) Open Day held at the Old Hospital Park.

Page 27

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Kaieteur News

Tuesday August 20, 2013

Tuesday August 20, 2013

Kaieteur News

GFF President has...

From page 30 declared redundant, since if it’s filled as I’m inclined to believe, then it’s a clear case of witch-hunting and vindictiveness! And there would be a clear-cut case of Matthias as President, of the GFF, facing a lawsuit. Also it must be taken into consideration that the letter of Rutherford’s dismissal offers not one iota of democracy and inclusiveness. Wherein there is no evidence of the matter being discussed at executive level, along with excerpts of the minutes/notes.

In the final analysis the letter was poorly constructed to the extent that the carboncopies (C.C s) dispatched makes reference to the

Presidents of Essequibo/ Pomeroon and Rupununi Football Associations.

However, this is extremely inaccurate, since both associations by virtue of having an IMC in place, would be headed by a Chairman and not a President!

While this is in the last part of the letter, the first is just as bad, that Mr. Rutherford is addressed in a private capacity, with no caption being mentioned and his address being listed as that of the GFF’s Secretariat.

Does he live there?

If cost cutting measures was the main reason for the individual’s termination of services, then that may have been more prudent! What is

the rationale of extending the General Secretary’s contract for another 2 years? Is it because he ruled in favour of West Demerara’s President’s (ag) suspension being upheld, with his replacement voting in Matthias’s favour, while nullifying the efforts of some East Demerara’s club to address their non-inclusion of the decision making process, in supporting a candidate of the majority’s choice for the Presidency of the GFF! Lest we forget the General Secretary, was suspended by FIFA, for a period of 30 days, following the conclusion of investigations into the “bribe for votes scandal”. The more things change the more they remain the same.

Lester Sealey.

Tuesday August 20, 2013 ARIES (MAR 21 - APR 19): Be careful about the company you keep, as friends can have an undue influence on your decisions.

Hanging out with mates at the pub could be undermining your progress in other areas. *************************** TAURUS (APR 20 - MAY 20): You’ve got big dreams, but need practical plans to execute them. If you’ve got your sights set on a glamorous job, you should do everything in your power to get experience in this field. *************************** GEMINI (MAY 21 - JUN 20): Just because someone is exotic and unusual doesn’t mean they’re worthy of your time. You’re always looking for new experiences, but some are best left untried. *************************** CANCER (JUN 21 - JUL 22): As far as romance is concerned, action speaks louder than words. A smooth lover may be melting your heart with lofty promises, but is this person really following through? Resist the urge to make excuses for your admirer. *************************** LEO (JUL 23 - AUG 22): It’s easy to get lost in a passionate relationship, but take care not to forget your friends. Keep appointments with pals; cancelling at the last minute will only damage your support system. *************************** VIRGO (AUG 23 - SEP 22): It may be difficult to find work, which drives you to distraction. Instead of filling your time with a series of household chores, slow down and smell the flowers.

LIBRA (SEP 23 - OCT 22): Try not to jump to conclusions with somebody whose background is different than your own. While it’s understandable you take pride in your own origins, that shouldn’t mean this person’s experience is completely invalid. *************************** SCORPIO (OCT 23 NOV 21): Being of service to your employer paves the way for future success.

Unfortunately, a friend, lover or child doesn’t understand why you’re spending so much time at work. *************************** SAGITTARIUS (NOV 22 - DEC 21): You’ve got a strong urge to parent somebody who is close to your heart and while these instincts are admirable, they could lead to trouble down the line. *************************** CAPRICORN (DEC 22 JAN 19): A harsh outburst from a neighbour, sibling or cousin feels disquieting. You were totally unaware there were any rifts in your relationship. *************************** AQUARIUS (JAN 20 FEB 18): You’ve got to keep a tight rein on your finances if your love life is going to flourish. Money is often a sore subject for lovers. Until you learn to discuss this matter constructively, your relationship will suffer. *************************** PISCES (FEB 19 - MAR 20): A partner may not be giving you the validation you crave, which is nerve wracking. Instead of looking to this person for approval, just throw caution to the wind.

Page 29

Exciting double header as Slingerz ‘Goal for Gold’ football extravaganza continues Slingerz FC will clash with their Linden counterparts, Netrockers FC, in the feature attraction, while Milerock FC go head to head with Topp XX when the action in the Slingerz Football Club/ National Association of Women’s Football ‘Goal for Gold’ football extravaganza continues at the Mackenzie Sports Club Ground, Linden, this evening.

Milerock will bank on its strike force of Clarence Huggins and Jermaine Grandison, while Jermaine Fordyce will shore up the midfield position. Darius Frank is expected to be between the uprights as he attempts to minimize the opposition’s chances of scoring.

However, they will have to contend with the opposition which boasts such players as Quacy Johnson and Travis Waterton playing up front, while Ruel Williams and Keon Sears will patrol the midfield area. The defence cordon will be manned by Trenton Lashley and Shawn Daniels while Carlos Brown will be

Guyana...

From page 31 the Regional Women’s Twenty20.

Saint Vincent & the Grenadines won the toss and elected to bat first but struggled to put an innings together. From 17/1, they lost wickets at regular intervals, eventually falling to 51/6. It took a 30-run partnership at the end between Sheree Ann John and Stacy Ann Adams to get SVG up to 81/6.

But the Bajans did themselves little favours in the last five overs as John ended on 15 and Adams on seven. It meant Barbados had contributed eight runs in extras to the partnership.

In their chase, Barbados also had a similar stumble.

From 29/1, they fell to 50/6, meaning five wickets fell in the space of 21 runs. But Quintyne would rescue her team with a valiant knock of 20 from just 25 balls. She ran hard for her runs, striking no boundaries.

She found a good partner in Kyann Maynard who patiently batted at the other end, striking nine runs from 21 balls. John picked up 3-13 and Adams had 2-20 but their effort wasn’t enough to pull SVG from defeat as Barbados won by four wickets.

Trinidad and Tobago mauled Dominica by 10 wickets in the other match played yesterday.

positioned between the uprights.

Meanwhile, fans were entertained by two action packed encounters when the action shifted to the Blairmont Community Centre Ground, Sunday evening last. Pele FC relegated Fruta Conquerors FC to the back burner with a 3-1 defeat after Keoma Gravesande (24 th ); Leon Fredericks (28th) and Okenie Fraser (76th) breached their custodian. Jermaine Junior pulled one back for Fruta Conquerors in the 5th minute of added on time.

The Guyana Defence Force and Rosignol United then battled to a 3-3 stalemate during regulation time after goals from Desford Williams (60th), Warren Gilkes (85th), and Eusi Phillips (74th) for the Army and Delroy Fraser ( 35th & 64th) and Justin Collin in the 65th for Rosignol United.

The soldiers then stitched in two goals during extra time off the boots of Eusi Phillips

(74 th & 110 th) and Warren Gilkes (85th) before Sherwyn Lawson scored in the 112th to seal the deal 5-3.

Meanwhile, the administrators have said that action in the women’s segment of the tournament gets underway on Sunday August 25 next. The fixtures would be released during the week. Earlier, President of the women’s association, Vanessa Dickenson, had exuded confidence that her affiliates would bring excitement to the tournament.

This was moments after receiving tangible sponsorship from Ansa McAl. The male team will battle for a first prize of two million dollars, while the 3rd and 4th place finishers receive $500,000 and $300,000 respectively.

Ansa McAl has joined forces with Talk Is Cheap & Money Gram and Star Party Rentals to offset the expenses associated with the event.

Page 30

Kaieteur News

= = = LETTER TO THE SPORTS EDITOR = = =

Alvin Johnson deliberately avoids the cricket conspiracy charges DEAR EDITOR, Alvin Johnson’s letter in the Kaieteur News of 16 August 2013 is clearly more of an attempt at selfdefense rather than an objective response to my concern that those persons holding themselves out as officers of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) are illegal and are presiding over the demise of Guyana cricket both at the playing level and the administrative level.

Johnson as a former President of the Essequibo Cricket Board (ECB) and Vice-President of the GCB must know the proper and legal methodology for conducting elections of the County Boards and the GCB. That he has aligned himself to the GCB which was unconstitutionally elected by only the ECB does not reflect favourably on his credibility, and infers that he is more than willing to set aside his integrity and morality in order to secure the “coveted position” of manager.

I expect someone who has the qualification that Johnson took the trouble to outline should know the difference between right and wrong and must use that principle to guide his loyalty. It is for this very reason I conclude that Johnson and others have been rewarded by the GCB with paid positions as officials as a trade-off for their highly compromised loyalty.

If Johnson’s qualifications merit his selection as manager, then he may care to explain by what standard his fellow Essequibians, Virendra Chintamani and Nazeer Mohamed, were appointed as managers of our national teams.

Never before has there been such an influx of Essequibians as officials, but not cricketers, to the national teams. Maybe it had something to

do with the fact it was only the Essequibo Board that on two occasions illegally installed the GCB Executive. Quid pro quo.

As a career teacher, Johnson should be able to teach his fellow Essequibians the true meaning of loyalty and the serious consequences of their participation in illegal elections.

How does Johnson feel that his County Board does not have a cricket structure nor a coaching programme, has not played a 3-day competition for fifteen years, is so bereft of cricket talent at all levels that it has to select players from Georgetown and other areas to make up its county teams and even has a reputation of not producing financial reports.

Has Johnson ever used his vast experience, qualifications and ‘loyalty to cricket’ to speak out against these glaring short-comings of the Essequibo Board. Now that he is the Assistant Treasurer of that Board, he can explain and account for the millions of dollars remitted to the ECB and which have never been accounted for. Quid pro quo.

How does Johnson feel that his fellow Essequibo Board member, Aotto Christiani, up to the recent elections held positions of Secretary, Treasurer and Administrator of the ECB whilst providing transportation and catering services for the GCB when matches are played in Essequibo.

As I write, Christiani is still the Administrator of the ECB while holding the key position of secretary.

Maybe Johnson, with his selfproclaimed ‘loyalty to cricket’ can speak out against this clear and reprehensible conflict of interest.

Johnson must be aware of the amounts of monies sent and made

out in the names of known individuals of the Essequibo Cricket Board Executive rather than directly to the Board itself.

Johnson, as President of the Essequibo Board, did nothing to improve the standard of cricket there, failed to attract the requisite amount of sponsors to play competitions and did not conduct a single Cricket Academy.

Also, as a resident of Parika, East Bank Essequibo, Johnson seldom visited the other Area Committees during his term as President. In the end, he lost the support and confidence of the entire Essequibo and was humiliated when also he lost the Presidency to Sheik Asif Ahmad by the massive margin of 14 to 2. His 2 votes came from himself and the other representative of the East Bank Essequibo Committee.

I therefore unreservedly and unhesitatingly repeat my earlier comment that it smacks at the root of indecency that certain Essequibo individuals, including Johnson himself, have been appointed in paid positions to manage our national teams. I am firm in my belief that it is a trade-off for the loyalty of the Essequibo Board in installing a very dubious GCB Executive.

In conclusion, I would like to suggest to Alvin Johnson that he utilizes his ‘extensive qualifications’, cricket and otherwise, to advise the GCB group which he loyally serves on a quid pro quo basis to accept the Parliamentary process as the proper procedure for bringing order, decency, accountability, transparency and sanity to our beloved national game if indeed he is sincerely committed to the cause and not to himself.

Winston G. Boston

DEAR SIR, References is hereby made to the above caption as it relates to publication of an article in S.N. 07.08.13 captioned “GFF sends Rutherford packing” by Duncan Saul. Editor, on an extremely sad note, once again the journalist has failed to resort to investigative journalism, wherein as reported in paragraph 2; “Rutherford who served the GFF for over two decades first as General Secretary and then as Deputy General Secretary”.

For public edification Rutherford’s first association with the GFF, was in 2001 and lasted until 2007, a period of 6 years. Then from 2010-2013, an additional period of 3 years, which in totality would be 9 years. In 1999 Mr. Rutherford was a Vice President of the GFA! So, where did the falsified claim of being

around the GFF for over two decades emanate from?

Further, in April, 2009 Mr. Matthias wasn’t the Hon. Secretary, GFA! So, it’s extremely absurb to claim that Matthias was written to

by Rutherford, in that year.

Sir, it must also be noted that in all due fairness to Rutherford, and despite the fact that I, at sometimes was not in agreement with his decisions towards the sport’s development.

In giving “Jack his jacket” he of all the General Secretaries of the GFF, was/is the most articulate and constitutionally sound!

Additionally, Rutherford’s response to correspondences remained “heads and shoulders” above the rest. So, in actuality to claim that the individual had brought the game into disrepute is totally untrue. Was it

Rutherford, who on 2 consecutive occasions circulated late notifications in accordance to the constitutional requirement for the convening of the Annual General Meeting? Was it the individual, who served as the Returning Officer, for the GFA’s AGM, and described the executive as the best, then pronounced that the elections of Office-Bearers was null and void?

This is despite the fact that at the time not a ball was kicked by clubs, in relation to competitions!

Meanwhile, the dangerous precedent that Matthias has created is to resort to stating that the position of the Deputy General Secretary, as being unconstitutional; and so too is the President’s Personal Assistant. By the way, would the position be eventually (Continued on page 29)

GFF President has created a dangerous precedent

Tuesday August 20, 2013

Bradley Wiggins to quit road for track at end of next season

Bradley Wiggins (Getty Images)

BBC Sport - Britain’s Bradley Wiggins says he will quit road racing at the end of next season in order to return to the track. The 2012 Tour de France winner, who already has four Olympic titles, said: “I’m going to continue to the next Olympics and try for a fifth.”

Wiggins, 33, also told The Times: “It would be nice to finish the career with another Olympic gold.”

He was unable to defend his Tour de France crown in 2013 because of injury but wants to ride it one more time.

Wiggins acknowledged that making a return to the Team GB track line-up would not be easy.

“Having lost weight and muscle the last few years I wouldn’t be able to walk back into the team pursuit squad, so I’m not taking anything for granted, but I am working towards that.”

Having previously indicated he may never compete in the Tour again, he said he would like to take part in 2014 if selected by Team Sky. He also suggested he was willing to support this year’s winner Chris Froome.

“I don’t mind admitting that Chris is probably a better Grand Tour rider than me,” Wiggins said.

“He is a much better climber, he can time-trial well. [At 28] he has age

on his side, he has no kids, that’s fine. If Chris wants to, he could potentially win five Tours now.

“So if I want to win another Tour, I’d probably have to leave the team.

“I love this team. This is my home, I’m not going to go, ‘I want to be the leader still, so I’m off’.”

Wiggins won six Olympic track medals, including three golds, before switching to the road after the 2008 Games. Froome reportedly said recently that Wiggins had not congratulated him on his Tour victory. Wiggins said there was a simple reason for that.

“For a start, this is a pathetic excuse - and it’s not an excuse - but I don’t have his phone number.

“Rather than me send him some naff little text message, I would rather wait till I see him, genuinely put my hand out and say ‘you know what, that was a good ride’.

“That is more genuine than one text message that might get lost in hundreds of others.

“Obviously once the press got hold of it, it got chewed up a bit and then it would have been really naff to have sent one.

“But I will see him at the World Championships where I will be riding to support him. So this was not me saying, ‘I’ll never ride for him again’.”

MCY&S cricket coaching continues The Ministry of Culture Youth and Sports (MCY&C) in collaboration with the National Sports Commission (NSC) cricket coaching programme continues this week on the East Coast of Demerara.

Coach Daniel Richmond will be conducting sessions today at Mocha Primary school ground from

10:00hrs, while he will be at Perth village in Mahaicony tomorrow at 14:00hrs.

On Thursday sessions will be held at Annandale Primary School ground at 10:00hrs and at Golden Grove from 15:00hrs; on Friday Richmond will be at Haslington Primary School at 10:00hrs.

Tuesday August 20, 2013

Kaieteur News

ECCB launches 13th Academy

Historian Tota Mangar (standing) addresses the gathering during the opening of the academy yesterday. Other members of the head table are (from left) Davteerth Anandjit, Judister Rampersaud, Shame Kumar Singh and Bissoondyal Singh.

The East Coast Cricket Board (ECCB) launched its 13th cricket academy yesterday morning at the Lusignan Community Centre ground. Forty young cricketers from Ogle to Abary between the ages of ten to sixteen including ten females have registered to take part in the programme. Apart from the basics of batting, bowling, fielding and wicketkeeping, students will also be taught about Road Safety, Nutrition, HIV\Aids, History and Laws of cricket, scoring and Importance of Education and Discipline.

Delivering the feature address at the lunching ceremony, Historian Tota Mangar urged participants to make full use of the five-day programme.

“I want you to take full advantage of the academy, you will benefit in the long run because cricket is a popular sport world wide,” Mangar said.

He stated that in addition to the technical phase of cricket the youths will learn other important aspects of life skills. He stated that unlike in the old days when cricket was played as recreation for the white slave masters, the game is now very commercialized and is a serious business.

Mangar commended the ECCB for organising the academy. “This programme by the ECCB is very admirable. It comes against a background of a lot of problems surrounding national cricket administration locally. However, the ECCB remains dedicated to the growth of the game, despite the challenges and that is indeed admirable,” Mangar lamented.

President of the ECCB, Bissoondyal Singh said that the academy will aid in the development of each participant and also the general standards of

Guyana’s cricket.

“We want to ensure that each of you become better citizens who can make a contribution to our beautiful country,” Singh stressed.

Singh pointed out that cricket these days is not only a game, but big business where millions are being invested and at the same time has created numerous job opportunities.

Singh told the students that they can make a living off cricket. “Apart from becoming well paid cricketers you can also turn out to be scores, umpires, journalists, commentators, curators and coaches,” Singh added.

He urged other boards to conduct similar exercises in an effort to help aspiring cricketers to sharpen their skills in the correct manner.

Singh also appealed for systems to be put in place to have Friday afternoon put aside for sports in schools as was the case in the 1980’s.

Former ECCB president and founder of the academy, Shane Kumar Singh told the young cricketers that they were fortunate to be part of such a programme. Coaching sessions will be conducted

by Daniel Richmond and Latchman Yadram and activities will be held under the theme “CricketProfessionalism and Healthy Lifestyle”.

Statistician, Edwin Seeraj, Davteerth Anandjit and International book scorer Sidartha Anandjit will deliver lectures on the various topics listed.

Officers from the Cove and John Police Station will tutor the participants on road safety practices, while former executive of the Guyana Cricket Board, Ronald Williams, will discuss careers in cricket and discipline.

Several past and present cricketers are expected to visit the academy to interact with the participants.

Page 31

Regional Woman’s T20 cricket..

Guyana continue unbeaten streak The third round of matches of the Regional Women’s Twenty20 continued yesterday with four matches across two venues in Grenada and Guyana continued their winning ways with a third consecutive win by beating the host team by eight wickets.

Led by an unbeaten 29 by opener June Ogle Guyana reached 67-2 in 15.3 overs in reply to Grenada’s 67-7 off 50 overs at Progress Park in an afternoon clash.

Guyana are now through to the semi-finals. After winning the toss and electing to bat first, Grenada were strangled and afforded very few opportunities to score.

They were in early trouble at 15/1 and never recovered throughout the innings.

There were some small partnerships in between but the highest individual score of the innings came from Debbie Ann Lewis, who made 12. Aria Fortune and Rachel Cyrus both scored eight.

Phaffiana Millington had amazing figures for the Guyanese, taking three wickets for six runs from her four overs, including a maiden over. Erva Giddings and Joann Vansertima both had one wicket each.

Guyana made their chase quite easy with Ogle leading the way with her patient

Biggest prize money, most horses, bigger Starting gates to enhance Guyana Cup Meet The Seventh Annual Guyana Cup Horserace Meeting 2013 is turning out to be the event of all events in the horseracing circle and challenging many others this holiday season.

With over $30M in cash trophies and other prizes on offer, it has set turfites, the various stables and principals abuzz.

Set for Sunday August 25 at the Port Mourant Turf Club and organized by one of Guyana’s leading horseracing Establishments, the Jumbo Jet Auto Sales and racing stables, they (organizers) are leaving nothing to chance.

Already the Grand Stand has been rehabilitated and extended to accommodate the thousands who are expected to throng the venue on race day. The

venue has also been spruced up to cater for the absolute comfort of all, with running water and additional lavatory facilities.

Nine races are carded for the day and so far over 105 horses have been entered for the mega event.

Over 100 stalls are now available at the venue with over 30 new ones being built or refurbished to accommodate the volume of racehorses on race day.

A New Jumbo Jet starting gate will be used and will cater for 16 starters. A number of foreign and overseas based jockeys will be in action with some already in the country.

The B class event has $7M at stake in cash and prizes with the winner taking home $3.5M and the Guyana Cup. The event, which has all the top runners available, has

the most ever entries for a feature event with over 20 entered. The line up reads Score’s Even, Donut Prince, Settle In Seattle, California, C.P Got Even, Grande De Roja, Elle’s Vision, Got To Go, The Message, Funny Factor, Country Armagh, Miss Karina, Prince Charming, Zelick, Swing Easy, Rena Del Café, and Who is on the Case, with new imports, Africanize, Force Entry and City True among others.

Among the other horses on show are-Mission King, Summer Classic, Fresh Again, Traditional Man, Captain Crook, War Craft, Treacle, Celebrating Love, Top of the Line, Joyful Victory, Quiet Storm, Silent Lizzy, Third World, Super Bowl, Windy War, Cat Messiah, Silent Night, Flying Baby, Set for

Fame, Another Jet, De legend, Silver Jet, Party Time, Easy to win, Rosetta, Dubai Duchess, The Bailiff, Bridal Stone Corner, Appealing Harvest, Top of the Line, Rock Sonia, Quiet Storm, Treasure Hunt, Unsettled, No Body Want me, Golden Key, Royal Empire, Quiet Dancer, Mona Lisa, Book Rules, Sunny Silence, Baby Kerry, I Will Have Another, Savion, Funny Side, Affinity, East to Win, Party Time, I want Revenge, Blessing, Angel Flyer, Speed Vision, Modern Cowboy, Prince Bayaya and Smarty Lite among others.

The other events on the day are-the Co-feature 1600M event for 3 yrs. old horses, bred and born in Guyana and the West Indies, E class and lower 1400M event, the F class race, G 3 and lower1200M event, the race

for three year old 1200M Guyana bred horses, H and Lower 1000M, the ‘I’ and lower 1200M and the JKL 1200M race.

The top Jockey and runner up, the top stable and champion trainer will all be presented with accolades compliments of the Trophy Stall, Bourda Market and Woodpecker Products.

The event will be held under the rules of the Guyana Horse Racing Authority.

Contact can be made with Chandu Ramkissoon (6249063 or 232-0633), Kris Jagdeo (624-6123; 322-0369), Rajendra (Jim –Jo) 618-7278, Ramnauth 337-5311, Romel Jagroop (624-1798) and Campton Sancho 690-0569 for further details. Race time is 12:30 hrs.

The coordinator is Nasrudeen (Jumbo Jet) Mohamed. (Samuel Whyte)

June Ogle knock from 46 balls with just a solitary boundary. Shamaine Campbelle supported with a cameo 16 from 23 balls.

At Progress Park, Stafanie Taylor struck 61 runs from just 46 balls as Jamaica destroyed St Lucia to book their spot in the semi-finals of the Regional Women’s Twenty20 Tournament.

After winning the toss and electing to bat first, the Jamaicans lost Natasha Mc Lean cheaply for 4.

But Taylor was joined by her West Indian teammate Shanel Daley and both batters set about laying down a solid score. They both took the attack to the St Lucian bowlers, ripping them apart.

Taylor struck seven fours in her knock that lasted 59 minutes. At the other end, Daley was less aggressive but fed the strike over to her partner.

Daley struck two boundaries in her knock of 38 runs from 41 runs. In a match reduced to 15 overs a side, the Jamaicans had finished on a good score of 108/1, scoring at 7.2 runs an over. Their bowlers then took over the show.

The St Lucians tried to keep wickets in hand and though they succeeded to some degree, they weren’t keeping up with the everincreasing Required Run Rate. The Jamaican bowlers bowled tightly. Natasha Mc Lean finished with 2-9 while Peta Gaye Hanson had 1-17.

St Lucia had batted out their 15 overs, but had fallen woefully short off their victory target, getting to 59/4 to lose by 49 runs.

At Tanteen a quick, unbeaten 20 runs from Shaquana Quintyne sealed a nervy Round III win for Barbados over Saint Vincent & the Grenadines, booking their spot in the semi-finals of (Continued on page 29)

Page 32

Kaieteur News

Tuesday August 20, 2013

Bolt, Fraser-Pryce and Farah light up Moscow MOSCOW (Reuters) Toppling Usain Bolt from his sprint throne could take a while yet with the untouchable Jamaican star of track and field still looking down on those who seek to challenge his reign.

While his jet engine still roars, others toil, with the fastest man on earth heading home from the Moscow world championships with another three golds, despite never needing to be at his peerless best.

Bolt duly completed a 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay treble to match his feats of the last two Olympics, become the most successful athlete in world championship history - and left promising his goal was more Games glory in Rio in 2016.

Jamaican sprinters lauding it over waning powerhouses the United States was evident again in the Luzhniki stadium, the twinkle-toed Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce powering to her own treble.

In truth, it was far from a vintage championships, the buzz of last year’s Olympics long gone, with some notable London champions absent, a doping cloud hanging over the sport and not a world record in sight.

Like Bolt and FraserPryce, an ever-smiling Mo Farah shone bright. The Briton confirmed his place among the long-distance greats by brilliantly repeating his Olympic 5,000 and 10,000

Bolt (right) poses with his 4x100m relay team-mates (from left) Nesta Carter, Kemar Bailey-Cole and Nickel Ashmeade. (PA)

Shelly Ann Fraser Pryce double. Farah took 10,000 gold on the opening night of the championships and made light of a stitch during the 5,000 final six days later with another supreme final lap.

Russia topped the United States in the medals table, by seven golds to six, helped by strong performances in the field events and walks.

Popular drama queen Yelena Isinbayeva was roared to victory by an ecstatic crowd in the pole vault, taking an emotional third world title after a difficult season then announcing she planned to return to action in the future once she has had a baby.

However, she suffered a backlash for her subsequent anti-gay comments, convincing nobody when she said later she had been misunderstood.

While Isinbayeva and the controversial Russian law divided opinion, the world is united in appreciation of Bolt.

He came to Moscow after a low-key season but, in the absence of injured Yohan Blake and Tyson Gay, banned after failing a drugs test, there was nobody able to pressure him. He regained his 100 meters title with a workmanlike win over Justin Gatlin, then sauntered to victory over his favorite 200. Anchoring the Jamaican 4-100m relay, he took his tally of world championship golds to eight - level with Carl Lewis, Michael Johnson and Allyson Felix but ahead of the American trio on silver countback.

Apart from his false start and ignominious disqualification from the

Lazio ordered to close stand after racist chants BBC Sport - Italian side Lazio have been ordered to close part of their home ground for the opening Serie A weekend as punishment for alleged racist chanting by fans.

League bosses have shut the north stand of their Olympic Stadium for Sunday’s visit of Udinese after Juventus players were abused in the Supercoppa final.

Paul Pogba, Angelo Ogbonna and Kwadwo Asamoah were all targeted during Lazio’s 4-0 loss at the weekend.

Lazio fans were found guilty of racist behaviour by Uefa four times last term.

“We heard it, they’re ignorant,” said former Manchester United midfielder Pogba.

“What can I do? I’m alone against 30,000 fans.

They do that even though there are black players in their team.

“It’s also a lack of respect towards their own players. It’s really not nice to come to a football match and hear those sorts of things, but I’m a player, I concentrate on my job.”

In February, the Rome club were ordered to play their next two home European games behind closed doors following crowd trouble.

They were also fined £120,000 by Uefa following racist chanting in a Europa League game against Tottenham Hotspur. “(Lazio) are obliged to play one game with the ‘Curva Nord’ closed to spectators,” said a

statement published on Serie A’s official website. “Fans from the nominated stand directed racially discriminatory chants to three opposition players between the 16th and 28th minutes of the first half and the 20th to 43rd minutes of the second half.”

Lazio’s city rivals Roma, who also play in the Olympic Stadium, have already been punished with a partial stadium closure after fans racially abused AC Milan striker Mario Balotelli in May. The heavier sanctions have been made possible by new anti-racism legislation passed by the Italian Football Federation on 4 June.

Referees can now stop matches to allow fans to be warned about their behaviour, while clubs and individuals face increased fines and longer suspensions.

AC Milan midfielder Kevin-Prince Boateng walked off the pitch after being racially abused

by Pro Patria fans in January, while team-mate Kevin Constant did the same during a preseason tournament last month.

Both Lazio and Juventus were also handed additional 5,000 euro (£4,300) fines after supporters from both clubs were seen throwing smoke grenades and lighters on to the pitch during Sunday’s traditional season opener between the previous campaign’s league and Coppa Italia winners.

world 100 final two years ago, the 26-year-old has won every global sprint gold since claiming his first Olympic 100 meters title in Beijing in 2008.

“My goal is to defend (for a second time) my titles at the next Olympics as it hasn’t been done before by anyone.

And this world championships is a stepping stone towards that goal,” he said.

MERRY DANCE The colorful Fraser-Pryce, half her long hair dyed pink, also led her rivals a merry dance, Her scintillating 100 meters triumph, sealed from the moment she powered out of the blocks, was followed up with another virtuoso display in a 200 final that left three-time champion Felix prone and in tears after the American tore her hamstring in the first 30 meters.

New stars emerged in the hurdles in the shape of American Brianna Rollins and Trinidad and Tobago’s Jehue Gordon.

Rollins, 22 on Sunday, belied her inexperience to dethrone Sally Pearson while in the men’s one-lap event, Gordon, 21, pipped a tiring Michael Tinsley by one hundredth of a second to confirm the promise that made him world junior champion.

Of the Olympic champions to flop in Moscow, Kirani James was the most surprising.

Defending world and Olympic champion James trailed home seventh in a 400 meters final won easily by LaShawn Merritt. “I was hungry. Probably the hungriest person in the field,” said the American after regaining his 2009 title and making up for last year’s Olympic disappointment when he suffered injury.

Compatriot David Oliver did not even make it to London after a wretched time but the ever-cheerful American took his first global

title in the 110m hurdles, with world record holder Merritt sixth after an injury-hit year.

INEXCUSABLE LAPSE In the closest gold medal finish of all, Briton Christine Ohuruogu brilliantly punished an inexcusable lapse by defending champion Amantle Montsho, who failed to dip at the line as the former champion edged her out by four thousandths of a second.

“I did not see Christine coming,” the Botswanan said with no hint of irony.

While Farah left his African rivals still figuring how to plot his downfall there were no such problems for Ethiopia’s women.

Line up against Tirunesh Dibaba in the 10,000 and you can write off gold. The runner known as the “baby-faced destroyer” powered to her third world crown, extending her winning run in a distance she has never been beaten to 11. Not to be outdone, compatriot Meseret Defar eased home in the 5,000 meters.

Kenya’s dominance of steeplechasing continued through the indomitable Ezekiel Kemboi, showing his younger team mate Conseslus Kipruto a clean pair of heels and equaling the hat-trick feat of his coach Moses Kiptanui.

Milcah Chemos Cheywa also led home a Kenyan onetwo in the women’s event.

Decathlon world record holder and London champion Ashton Eaton admitted he had struggled to lift himself in 2013, but that did not stop the American winning a first world title after a first-day roasting from his coach kickstarted him to the fastestever decathlon world championship 400metres.

An Eaton family double he married Brianne TheisenEaton last month - was denied when the Canadian was pipped to heptathlon gold by Ganna Melnichenko, much to the delight of the vociferous

Ukraine fans who were a constant presence in an alltoo empty Luzhniki Stadium.

The Ukrainians also celebrated Bohdan Bondarenko’s impressive high-jump victory, while women’s long jumper American Britney Reese landed a third successive world title, going better than greats Heike Drechsler, Jackie Joyner-Kersee and Fiona May who all won two apiece - all after sneaking into the final as the 12th and last qualifier.

Kenyan Edna Kiplagat defied hot and humid conditions to become the first woman to retain the world marathon title and Ugandan Stephen Kiprotich showed his surprise Olympic victory was no fluke by holding a trio of Ethiopians at bay.

Germany took four field event golds, led by Robert Harting who won his third successive world discus crown.

New Zealand shot putter Valerie Adams described her feat of four consecutive world titles “as good for women’s sport”, and on the final day, Frenchman Teddy Tamgho unleashed the fourth longest triple jump leap of all time 18.04 meters.

Mo Farah

Tuesday August 20, 2013

Kaieteur News

Page 33

Clarkston, Jackman and Martin can be world class players - coach France

By Zaheer Mohamed It is said that success comes after hard work and according to International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) certified level one coach, 57 year old Guyanese Colin France; this is exactly the case with Guyana’s U-11 table tennis stars Nevaeh Clarkston, Salinas Jackman and Abigail Martin.

These players performed creditably in the just concluded Caribbean Regional pre-Cadet table tennis championships which were held at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall, sweeping the Girls U-11 category.

Clarkston took gold in the singles segment while Jackman grabbed silver and Martin bronze.

Clarkston and Jackman won the doubles, while the trio gave Guyana gold in the team category.

France a former national three times champion, who also copped silver in the 2011 and 2012 veterans

Says hard work paid off division of the Caribbean senior championship, told Kaieteur Sport yesterday that he started to coach these players at a very young age and is happy to see their hard work paid off.

France said that he did some extra work with them leading up to the tournament that these players can gain recognition worldwide as long as they continue to take the game seriously.

“These players have the ability to excel in the sport, but would need sponsorship.

I looked at a number of videos of U-11 players from different countries and I am convinced that my students (Clarkston, Jackman and Martin) can do well on the world stage, their skill level is pretty much up there”, added France.

France stated that is satisfied with the players’ performance and was confident they would have

done well. He said Clarkston and Martin have another chance at the U-11 category while Jackman now moves to the U-13 level.

France pointed out that he came into contact with Clarkston and Jackman in 2010 while delivering lunch at the Thomas Moore Primary school for the Daisy St. Hill Foundation and met Martin at the Church of Christ in Hadfield Street a year later.

“I introduced them to the sport at a very young age; Clarkston was 6, Jackman 7 and Martin 8. I started to coach them at the Guyana Motor Racing and Sports Club (GMR&SC) with the consent of their parents before moving to the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.

The main reason why I started to train them so young was because they would be experienced enough to do what they did,”

FROM LEFT: Salinas Jackman, Abigail Martin and Nevaeh Clarkson he said.

France informed that he was assisted by the Daisy St. Hill Foundation and a number of other citizens to supply the players’ equipment and being their coach he is also paying a special interest in their

academics because they both go hand in hand. He calls on parents to support their children in sports and thanked all those who assisted these players.

In an invited comment Clarkston said that she is happy to represent her

country with flying colours and was confident that she would have done well while Martin stated that she trained hard for the competition and enjoyed it.

Both players thanked Coach France for his backing.

Thousands watch Running Brave dethrone Police Club - James, Moore cop Outstanding Athletes prizes

BY RAWLE WELCH Many knowledgeables intimately associated with the sport of athletics would readily agree that the Boyce & Jefford Track & Field Classic is still someway off being mentioned in the same breath with the highly regarded Inter-Secondary Schools Boys and Girls Championships of Jamaica (commonly referred to as Champs) at this point, but what they are in agreement with is that if managed astutely the event in the next few years could mirror that of the Jamaica spectacle.

This is in terms of regional popularity even though the Champs have now taken on an elevated international dimension that now attracts a large cadre of scouts and sponsors from around the world, all eager to spot the next generation of track stars.

On Sunday, the final day of the Boyce & Jefford Classic at the Mackenzie Sports Club ground, the large turnout that included persons of influence who trekked all the way from Georgetown and further, emphatically underlined the irrefutable proof of the Classic’s progression in four short years.

Not only did the thousands of fans witness the erasure of quite a few previous Meet records, but they also had the opportunity to see some of the future stars emerge from the shadows of a few veterans, producing some

stirring performances in the process.

At the end of competition after two days, a feature that the Organisers has had to adopt to keep in accordance with the IAAF mandate, Running Brave Athletic Club with a total of 448.50 points managed to dethrone defending champions Police Sports Club that finished with 422 followed by Christianburg / Wismar on 172, Mercury Fast Lane on 160, Guyana Defence Force with 134, Upper Demerara Schools on 115.50, Grenada AAA on 20, Rising Stars Track Club on 16, Trinidad and Tobago AAA with 10 and Suriname Athletic Bond in the cellar on 6.

Rising junior sprint sensation Alita Moore of Police SC was voted the Most Valuable Female Athlete after capturing the 100 and 400 metres and placing second in the 200 metres, losing to veteran Alisha Fortune.

However, she managed to establish new records in the 100 and 400 metres, clocking 12.00 and 58.10 respectively to erase the old marks of 12.20 set by Letitia Myles and 58.70 posted by Shanna Thornhill.

The men’s equivalent went to Running Brave Stephan James, who swept the field in the 100, 200 and 400 metres, registering times of 10.70, 21.90 and 49.60 respectively.

Other impressive performances came from two-time Junior Carifta gold medallist Jevina Straker, who dominated a strong field

en route to smashing her own records in the 800 and 1500 metres events.

The long striding Straker first reduced the existing 800 metres record of 2:22.80 by clocking 2:21.40 to relegate into second place Andrea Foster, while Jenella Jonas ended third before returing to obliterate the previous 1500 metres record which stood at 5:02.00 by registering a crushing 4:56.40, leaving Grenada’s Kenisha Pascal (5:00.40) and Alika Morgan 5:10.10 in that order in her wake.

Morgan claimed the 3000 metres in 11:25.30 with Pascal seond in 11:27.10 and Straker in the final podium spot in 11:41.60.

Trinidad and Tobago double Junior Carifta gold medallist Mark London proved too strong for the locals, winning the 800 metres in 1:57.40 ahead of Police Kevin Bayley, who clocked 1:57.90 and Running Brave Cleveland Thomas in 1:59.40.

Thomas, however, won the 1500 metres in 4:13.20 from Bayley (4:14.60) and Devon Barrington of Running Brave, who was timed at 4:15.40.

Julio Sinclair of Police captured the Shot Put and Discus events, while GDF’s Leslain Baird took the Javelin for Men. Lisa Bowman (Running Brave) won the Women’s Shot Put, Latoya Rodney (Police) the Discus and Natasha Alder (Police) the Javelin.

Running Brave dominated the relays and

medley relays as well.

Meanwhile, Co-organiser Colin Boyce in brief remarks reminded the Lindeners that the event as promised will stay in the community and expressed thanks to them for their support, while all the officials also came in for special praise.

Both Boyce and co-organiser Edison Jefford conveyed gratitude to the all the sponsors for their continued support of the event and the sport by extension, adding that they hope that the organisation of the Meet had met the desired standards and expectations of them all.

Regional Chairman of Region 10 Sharma Solomon, Digicel’s Events & Sponsorship Manager Gavin Hope and Y.K Investments Harry Yenkana were among those making presentations to the winners.

Among the sponsors that came on board were: Digicel, Ansa McAl, E-Networks Inc, Y.K Investments & Pawn Shop, Courts, Star Party Rentals, Lifetime Realty, Brainstreet, Wartsila, Giftland Office Max under its Asics brand, Johil Commercial, K&D Mining, Mark Interior Communications and all the others that contributed in making the event possible.

Also, distance star Alika Morgan presented a trophy to Junior Carifta gold medallist Cassie George for her outstanding perforamnce at the regional Games.

Page 34

Kaieteur News

Tuesday August 20, 2013

GCF name four Actor GERARD BUTLER Supports for 1st South Jamaica Tallawahs in the Limacol CPL American T Youth Games

Shaquel Agard

Akeem Arthur

The Guyana Cycling Federation (GCF) has named a five-member team including four cyclists that will represent this nation at the inaugural South American Youth Games set for Lima, Peru from September 9 to 29, 2013.

Akeem Arthur, Shaquel Agard Stephano Husbands and the lone female Crystal Lambert will represent the Golden Arrowhead along w i t h C o a c h , Wi l l i a m Howard. Cycling will see three components being contested, BMX, Mountain and Road racing.

Guyana will be represented at these inaugural Games in seven of the seventeen disciplines: Athletics, Swimming, Badminton, Boxing, Table Te n n i s , C y c l i n g a n d Weightlifting.

There will be a total of 213 events (Men’s 109; Women’s 91; Mixed 13) with fourteen countries expected to participate including Guyana. The others are Argentina, Aruba, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Columbia, Ecuador, Panama, Paraguay, S u r i n a m e , U r u g u a y, Venezuela and hosts, Peru.

The President of the Peruvian Olympic C o m m i t t e e , M r. J o s e Quinones Gonzalez has promised that the Games will be of the highest degree of excellence.

The launching of the South-American Youth Games is part of the South American Sports Organisation (ODESUR) strategic planning, and seeks the development of sports throughout the region. The initiative is aligned to the Youth Olympic Games and follows the same schedule of sports, age range and philosophy towards the strengthening of sport practice and the encouragement of culture and the promotion of ethics and education of the youth.

In the first edition of the Games the athletes will compete for medals in 17 disciplines: Athletics, Badminton, Boxing, Canoeing (Kayak), Cycling, Fencing, Artistic Gymnastics, Judo, Weightlifting, Wresting, Swimming, Rowing, Taekwondo, Tennis, Table Te n n i s , Tr i a t h l o n a n d Sailing.

he excitement and fun of the L i m a c o l Caribbean Premier League continues to appeal to Hollywood celebrities with officials announcing that actor Gerard Butler has taken an equity interest in the Jamaica Tallawahs team, and hopes to be supporting his team at the semi-final and final in Trinidad & Tobago.

“My good friend Ajmal Khan has been telling me about the Limacol CPL and I’ve had the opportunity to watch some of the matches.

It is obvious that this tournament is the home of the greatest party in sport so I wanted to get in on the fun,” said Butler.

“Having said that, as a Scotsman I definitely have an appreciation for cricket and I also recognise that the LCPL is a great combination of sports and entertainment.

I’m excited about joining the Jamaica Tallawahs franchise, and hopefully being a part of the team that wins the inaugural tournament.”

Ajmal Khan, Chairman of Verus International and

Gerard Butler Founder of the Limacol CPL stated, “Celebrities owning sports teams is nothing new but to have two Hollywood actors taking a vested interest in cricket teams is quite novel.

The Limacol CPL continues to attract that ‘star power ’. I think it’s a testament to the quality of the tournament, the carnival party atmosphere, the music, the entertainment, the fans, and the experience that only

Asif shares spot-fixing details with PCB ESPNcricinfo - Mohammad Asif, the former Pakistan fast bowler, has had a meeting with the PCB’s vigilance and anti-corruption department to share information related to the spot-fixing saga. His first meeting with the PCB was the second major step towards his rehabilitation program following his public confession last week to his part in spot-fixing during the Lords Test in 2010, vowing to make amends in order to revive his international career.

“I had my first session and will do more,” Asif told reporters in Lahore after a two-and-half-hour meeting with the PCB. “Although it’s a beginning, I

Overdrive win Dominoes title in Wakenaam

S

terling performances by Ganeshram Narine, Andrew Osborne and Vickram Ramnarine guided Overdrive to victory in a feature Dominoes competition which was played on Sunday last at Amit Ramnarine bar in Good Success, Wakenaam.

After winning their respective preliminary round matches Overdrive, All star and Rebels

the Caribbean can deliver.

We’re just a few days away from the semi-finals and final but the interest in, and desire to be a part of the Limacol CPL is still there because the tournament just keeps getting better with every game that’s played. I am excited to have my good friend Gerry come to the Limacol CPL to join the party.”

“We are thrilled that Gerard has seen the enormous potential of the

Limacol CPL and has taken an equity interest in the Jamaica Tallawahs,” said Limacol CPL Chief Executive Officer Damien O’Donohoe.

“Now that the tournament has actually started, I think more people are realising its global appeal, and how it is an experience like no other.

Celebrities such as Gerard further raise the profile of the tournament, and expand the fan base to reach new markets. We look forward to seeing the many ways in which this partnership will benefit both Gerard and the LCPL.” Butler’s next movie, How To Train Your Dragon 2, comes out in 2014. He is best known for his roles in films such as Olympus Has Fallen, 300, Law Abiding Citizen, The Ugly Truth, P.S. I Love You, and sports themed movies - Chasing Mavericks (surfing) and Playing for Keeps (soccer).

The inaugural Limacol Caribbean Premier League began on July 30 in Barbados, and concludes on August 24 in Trinidad.

contested the final. Narine, Osborne and Ramnarine powered their team to victory with 16 games each. All star took the runner up spot with 77 games and Rebels ended in the cellar position with 56. Satnarine Singh made a maximum 18 games for All star while Nazeer Mohamed supported with 15; Khalid Zaman made a maximum 18 for Rebels. Overdrive received a trophy and $10,000 for their efforts.

am following the ICC directives for rehabilitation and will work further with the PCB. I have already apologised in public and today had given a formal written apology too.”

Asif, who was found guilty of bowling a deliberate no-ball, will be 33 by the time the minimum of five years from his ban are complete and will work through the final two years under suspension, on the condition that he commits no further breach of the Code of Conduct throughout that period and participates in an anti-corruption education programme under the PCB. The apology is not expected to have any immediate implications but Asif will have to undergo rehabilitation and present the whole truth to the ICC’s Anti-Corruption and Security Unit (ACSU) and PCB. “I am following the ICC programme and will share all sufficient information with the ICC,” Asif said.

Asif was among three players involved in the spot-fixing scandal, along with the former captain Salman Butt and the fast bowler Mohammad Amir. Amir was given a five-year ban and Butt was slapped a 10-year (five year suspended) ban from any involvement in cricketing activities.

Asif will have a rehabilitation program chalked out for him by the PCB in due course © AFP The trio have apologised for their part with Amir having already completed his rehabilitation programme while Butt and Asif are set to go through the programme.

The PCB will investigate the information shared by Asif during the meeting before chalking out a rehabilitation programme for him. “He met with the PCB chairman and the vigilance and anti-corruption unit,” a PCB spokesman told ESPNcricinfo. “It was a basic meeting after he voluntarily made a public apology and was here to share information ahead of his rehabilitation programme.”

Tuesday August 20, 2013

Kaieteur News

Page 35

Swimming coaches engaged Pistorius weeps in court as in Intermediate Level Course murder trial set for March 2014 The coaches are seen engaged in discussions.

M

ore than twenty coaches affiliated to the Guyana Amateur Swimming Association (GASA) will be much more enlightened in the intricacies of the sport after engaging in a week long Intermediate Level Swimming Coach’s Course which got underway at the Olympics House, High Street Kingston yesterday afternoon and concludes August 31 next.

Over the one week period, participants

will engage in class orientation and later, practical swimming activities. Activities will culminate with a mini swim meet on Wednesday August 28 starting at 09:00hrs until noon. Activities will come to an end at 17:00hrs also on that day. Consequently, officials will conduct a FINA Level One Swimming Coach’s Certification Clinic from August 29-31 and an examination on Saturday. Successful participants will each receive certificates.

Irish officials ban HAWKEYE system after glitch DUBLIN (Reuters) Ireland’s Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) has briefly suspended the use of its Hawk-Eye system following an error on Sunday, the same day the goalline technology made its English Premier League soccer debut.

In an under-18 hurling match at Dublin’s Croke Park on Sunday, Hawk-Eye overruled a goalline umpire by adjudging that a ball went wide despite its own graphic showing that it had sailed over the bar.

The game finished in a draw and the opposing team won in extra-time.

The GAA suspended the use of the system for the senior hurling semi-final

that began directly after and that was watched by more than 60,000 spectators. It said it had begun a review in conjunction with HawkEye. “It is expected HawkEye will be in full working order for next Sunday’s minor (under-18) and senior football semi-finals,” the organisation said on its website (www.gaa.ie).

Hawk-Eye, which has been successfully implemented in tennis and cricket, began a two-year trial at Croke Park stadium in June to help officials rule on contentious scores in hurling and Gaelic football.

Both games feature rugby-style goalposts and points can be scored by

aiming the ball over the crossbar and between the posts. The ball often flies above the seven-metre height of the goalposts, making it difficult for officials to decide whether a shot has gone wide.

Hawk-Eye, owned by Japanese group Sony, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The British-based company’s technology has been adopted by the English Premier League this season and was seen in action for the first time on Sunday when it correctly ruled a ball had not crossed the goalline in Chelsea’s 2-0 win over Hull City.

Hawk-Eye is sponsored in Ireland by Specsavers.

(Reuters) - South African Olympic and Paralympic star Oscar Pistorius, who is accused of murdering his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, prayed and wiped away tears at a court hearing on Monday which set a March 3, 2014 start date for his trial.

The trial was moved to a high court and is scheduled to run until March 23. If convicted of murder, he could face up to life in prison.

Double-amputee Pistorius, 26, known as “Blade Runner” for the prostheses he wears in competition, bowed his head and held his hands in prayer with his brother Carl and sister Aimee before the brief hearing in a Pretoria court.

Detailed charges were presented in an indictment outlining the prosecution’s case of premeditated murder against Pistorius, who has admitted to shooting Steenkamp through a bathroom door at his Pretoria home on February 14, Valentine’s Day. Pistorius, who was released on bail in February, claims he was acting in selfdefense against what he thought was an intruder.

In the South African legal system, an indictment is used to move existing charges from a lower court to a high court. Pistorius was also handed a lesser charge of violating provisions of the firearms control act for having 38 rounds of unlicensed ammunition at his home.

In South Africa, his triumph over adversity made him a hero for both blacks and whites, transcending the racial divides that persist 19 years after the end of apartheid.

His arrest and upcoming trial has riveted the nation and made headlines around

Pistorius waits to hear from the Pretoria magistrate (EPA) the world. Endorsement deals for the likes of sports giant Nike have been either suspended or canceled.

Steenkamp, a fashion model and aspiring TV star, was shot in the head, arm and hip and died at the residence.

“Some of the state witnesses heard a woman scream, followed by moments of silence, then heard gunshots and then more screaming,” the p r o s e c u t i o n ’s c h a r g e s summary reads.

“The deceased had locked herself into the toilet cubicle, situated adjacent to the main bedroom. The accused armed himself with his 9mm pistol and through the locked door, fired four shots at the deceased,” it said.

“DEEPLY IN LOVE” Monday’s court hearing was held on the day that Steenkamp would have turned 30.

Prosecutors had

portrayed Pistorius as a coldblooded killer and said they were confident that their case, which will have to rely heavily on forensics and witnesses who said they heard shouting before the shots, would stand up to scrutiny.

The state plans to call more than 100 witnesses who include local sports stars and fashion models who knew the couple, as well as forensics investigators.

In an affidavit previously presented at court, Pistorius said he was “deeply in love” with Steenkamp and had no reason to kill her. Pistorius said he reached for a pistol under his bed because he felt vulnerable without his prosthetic limbs.

Dressed in a black suit, he embraced his family after the 10-minute hearing and made his way through a media throng when he left the court.

Pistorius was born without fibulas and had both his legs amputated below the knees before he turned oneyear-old. He was one of the most-celebrated athletes of the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics in London, progressing to the Olympic 400-metre semi-final and winning Paralympic gold over the same distance.The athlete has mostly kept out of the public eye since he secured bail. He had one other court appearance, in June, which also lasted about 10 minutes.

Police stumbled in their initial investigation and were forced to replace their lead detective when it emerged he was facing attempted murder charges for shooting at a minibus.

The new investigator, appointed in late February, has handled some of the country’s highest-profile cases.

t r o Sp

Thousands watch Running Brave dethrone Police Club - James, Moore cop Outstanding Athletes prizes

Outsnading athletes Stephan James and Alita Moore pose with Organisers Colin Boyce (right) and Edison Jefford (2nd left) in the presence of Digicel’s Gavin Hope (left) on Sunday at the MSC ground.

Members of the Running Brave Athletic Club which was crowned champions of the Boyce & Jefford Track & Filed Classic pose with Digicel’s Gavin Hope who made the trophy presentation on Sunday.

Inset: Record breaker Jevina Straker approaches the finish line in the 1500 metres ahead of Grenada’s Kenisha Pascal.

GCF name four Actor GERARD GUYANA for 1st South BUTLER Supports CONTINUE American Jamaica Tallawahs UNBEATEN Youth Games in the Limacol CPL STREAK Printed and published by National Media & Publishing Company Limited, 24 Saffon St.Charlestown, Georgetown.Tel: 225-8465, 225-8491 or Fax: 225-8473/ 226-8210