Monday August 24, 2015
Kaieteur News
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Letters... Where your views make the news...Letters... Where your views make the news
Guyana’s unbelievable We allowed much of our ancestral lands police force to be lost through prescriptive rights
DEAR EDITOR, It is a bit insensitive to be harsh on the police force at a time when crime has become an act of national terrorism. As a media operative, whatever I can do to help the police, I want them to know they can call on me. But surely, one cannot resist the obligation to talk to readers about the silly things the police force does. My wife and I attended a West Coast wedding and we reached the western end of the Harbour Bridge at about 6.30 on our way back to Georgetown. On the western end of the bridge, four ranks were conducting routine searches of vehicles heading toward West Bank and West Coast. The exercise was on the bridge itself. Naturally, the west bound traffic was backed up. The bridge is one lane for eastern bound traffic and the same for westerly traffic. It is not like the highways when you can proceed when the police haul in a vehicle and it is on the parapet The absurdity of the operation was that it was done literally yards away from the wide, wide highway that the bridge runs into on the West Bank. The operation could have been done on the road itself. I rang Vreed-en-Hoop and was told that such an operation was the jurisdiction of La Grange. La Grange said it was the jurisdiction of Leonora. I rang Leonora. Number 268-2328 has been out of service for two years now. Even if you worship the Guyana Police Force you have to be honest with yourself and say that it is a sordid organization to have a phone that is listed for public use and is out of order for two years now. No one answered the other public line 268-2329. I eventually got hold of Assistant Superintendent, Johnson. Johnson’s initial reaction was that the operation should not have been on the bridge itself but he proffered an explanation. He said that just as you leave the western end of the bridge, there is a little road on your left. Suspect drivers could have turned into the road and evade the searching ranks. That did not make sense to me. Put one of the ranks just outside that road on the sprawling highway and the other three could deal with the vehicles coming off the bridge. I am sorry to be insulting but it made no sense to me and it makes no sense generally. Two reasons explain this. First, there will be terribly long back up on the bridge for western bound drivers. Secondly, if you put the exercise on the broad highway at the end of the western section of the bridge, drivers cannot evade you once there are more than two ranks. Finally, since the wedding was at Vreed-en-Hoop, I could not be at Vreed-en-Hoop without a visit to my friend, the new parliamentarian Michael Carrington. He has a shoe making, shoe repair business not too far from the stelling. We couldn’t get out. The traffic was nightmarish. I never went to Vreed-enHoop by the stelling on a late Saturday afternoon. What I saw there certainly called for traffic supervision and Vreed-en-Hoop police station is right in the middle of it. But there was not one traffic cop to assist. Unfortunately, because of the traffic madness, we didn’t get to pay our courtesy visit to the Honourable Michael Carrington. My humble opinion is that crime will escalate because the police lack credibility. When the police appear incompetent in the eyes of a country, people lose respect for them and criminals are emboldened. The police force needs brand new leadership Frederick Kissoon
DEAR EDITOR, I write this letter in response to Mr. Eric Phillip’s article on the AfricanGuyanese post-slavery experience. It was not an easy road, however we made choices that did not lead to the creation of.sustainable wealth. Agriculture was then, and still is the corner stone of village economies, but we moved away from it. Much of the land used by Indians for
cultivating rice was sold to them by us. We allowed much of our ancestral lands to be lost through prescriptive rights. In other words we abandoned them, and they were squatted on. We had 27 years of a government that was supposedly friendly to African-Guyanese, and we did not emerge from that period with a large business class. The marginalization of African-Guyanese for the last
23 years has been well documented. What we need now that there is likely to be a level playing field, is AfricanGuyanese pooling their financial resources like our forefathers did when they purchased land post-slavery, to get things started. With access to funds for agriculture and small businesses, as promised by the current administration, and a “can do” attitude, we
will make it. I salute the African-Guyanese businesses that survived and grew during the period of marginalization. Mr. Phillips your experience as a very high level manager for a large US company, positions you to be of great assistance to AfricanGuyanese business initiatives at all levels. We do not need handouts, we need visionary leadership. Emerson Kendall
Violence is a product of our society DEAR EDITOR, Since 2009, I’ve been on the ground assessing the social crisis here in Guyana and in 2011, I began working in the community as a Community Mental Health Practitioner. I became involved in the following actives: (a) Psychotherapy counseling. (b) Facilitating Self- Esteem Group Therapy in various communities in Regions 4 and 10. I facilitated two courses on mental health at the Institute of Distance and Continuing Education (IDCE), and at Critchlow Labour College. Presently, I continue to facilitate these courses in collaboration with Adult Education Association (AEA). For a brief period I taught at the University of Guyana in the Social Science Department. And, in 2014 I found and launched “Women’s Refuge”, a (pilot) therapeutic emergency shelter programme for homeless single parent women who are perpetuators of child abuse; and whose children are in the
care of the State. Often these children are never returned to the care of these single parent women whose mental health, substance abuse, and domestic violence relationships issues were never dealt with. This underscores the extent of the impact of the absence of a viable mental health care programme in Guyana. The State is yet to engage our organisation on this most needed pilot programme. I mentioned these activities to give readers an idea of my background, so that they can better appreciate my hypothesis I argued in my letter “Inadequate Interventions” or “Domestic Violence Intervention Should Be Guided by Evidence-Based Data”. My hypothesis is supported by four and a half years of data collected by me personally, since there wasn’t data available that would guide any meaningful intervention to address the social crisis which challenge communities on a daily basis. The following are some of my findings: In my daily practice, 95
percent of the clients are of African descent At the secondaryintermediary level, 98 percent of the students I taught were of African descent At the tertiary (UG) level, again 98 percent of the students were of African descent. When I attended forums and workshops, which discussed social issues, I observed that the majority of the audience were persons of African descent. I also observed that even when an Indian Activist took to the national stage on social issues such as suicide, again more than 80 percent of the audience were of African descent. My observations suggest that there is a predominant African interest in social and mental health issues, this points to the need to encourage professionals from other ethnic communities
to get involved in this area. Given the ethnic makeup of Guyana, this is an essential requirement when addressing the social crisis being played out in our communities at the national level. As a nation now conscious of its mental health crisis, we seem to be rushing to restructure social policy to deal with this crisis in the absence of available and reliable data. As I pointed out in my earlier letter is the wrong approach. For example, a significant percentage of children born and raised in Indian communities are of mixed heritage. My data is pointing to a societal re-assignment of this mixed group to the African communities by late adolescence. So, at the level of social policy, we must address the special needs of this group. I am insisting that Continued on page 23
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No “normalcy” for Guyana & Venezuela anytime soon - Foreign Minister By Abena Rockcliffe Boasting about a markedly improved relationship with Suriname, Guyana’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carl Greenidge recently announced that outstanding “issues” related to the border with its eastern neighbour may soon be resolved. Greenidge made the announcement on Friday last as he took the floor of the National Assembly to make his contribution to the National Budget Debates. While he revealed the good news about the neighbourly relations with Suriname, the same could not be said about Guyana’s relations with Venezuela as Greenidge declared that “normalcy” in that regard is nowhere in sight. RELATIONS WITH THE REPUBLIC OF SURINAME The controversial area is what is known in Suriname as the Tigri area and in Guyana as the New River Triangle, which has been under Guyana’s control since 1969, and the dispute has always been simmering below the surface. Greenidge told the National Assembly that the relations between Guyana and Suriname continue to improve markedly. “I am happy to announce that the members of the Guyana Border Commission and the Integral National Border Commission of Suriname have met four times for fruitful discussions and
- resolution with Suriname in sight plans are afoot to convene a fifth meeting in Georgetown. In this framework, the Parties are exchanging and examining historical documents that could assist the Commission in arriving at a consensus on resolving the outstanding issues related to the Guyana/Suriname Border.” VENEZUELAAND GUYANA Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro, on May 27, 2015, had issued a decree, extending Venezuela’s claim to Guyana’s territorial waters. A map which was issued, accompanying the decree, shows that the claim includes the area where the US giant oil company, ExxonMobil is currently drilling for oil. Venezuela threatened to use force to deprive Guyana of its territory. When Greenidge turned his attention to the controversy in the National Assembly, he blazed the People’s Progressive Party for its anti-national, unpatriotic approach to the entire issue, since it came out of government. Greenidge pointed to several articles where it was reported that the PPP was criticizing the “diplomatic mishandling” of the heightened controversy. The Minister said that he found this amusing, especially since the General Secretary of the Party, Clement Rohee defended the
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carl Greenidge PPP’s decision to refuse a meeting with the government to assist in handling the issue, pointing out that it is the Party’s right not to do so. Greenidge told the National Assembly that Rohee added a complete falsification and chided the government for withholding permission for CONVIASA flights due to the nonpayment of bonds and landing fees. He also pointed out the fact that the PPP referred to the issues with the PetroCaribe arrangement between Guyana and Venezuela as an “economic blunder by the new government.” Further, Greenidge pointed out, “The Prime Minister (Moses Nagamootoo) was justifiably incensed when our friend the
Honourable Mr. Seeraj mouthed President Maduro’s criticism of Guyana’s Head of State, Mr Granger and his analogy. This would not happen in Venezuela – you call for national unity and are proud to repeat malicious propaganda by people who threaten our national interest.” Greenidge told the House, “Freedom House, of course, has no inhibitions about drawing faulty analogies, but also, it seems no scruples about promulgating false accusations, such as implying that the loss of the rice market in Venezuela could be laid at the door of the coalition.” He said that this is the case “despite the fact that it was on its (the PPP’s) watch that it was told the rice agreement would not be renewed, although it never made that fact public at the time. Having said that, however, it must be emphasized that the end of the rice deal had nothing to do with either the current government or the previous one, and everything to do with what was going on in the minds of those who rule in Caracas. As such, therefore, the PPP should recognize that it is inappropriate, if not dangerous to try and score petty political points on matters of this nature.” “What the PPP does not seem to have grasped is that what Guyana does or does not do will not affect
Venezuela’s aggressive disposition. Miraflores (The Palacio de Miraflores is the official workplace of the President of Venezuela) is marching to its own drum, and there will be no restoration of “normalcy” in relations any time soon.” PROSPECTS FOR 2015/16 Greenidge informed the House that the Government of Guyana will take every possible step available to protect Guyana’s interest and secure its territorial integrity, while at the same time fostering closer relations with all neighbours. “We remained fully
cognisant of the latent and overt claims to our territory and the fact that there is a need for Guyana to delimit all of its maritime boundaries with the States that are opposite or adjacent to us and settle the existing land boundary issue with our neighbour to the east. The Ministry will be seeking the support of this Honourable House in furtherance of these goals,” said Greenidge. He added, “I dismiss these criticisms as illinformed and urge the Opposition spokesmen to join us in a joint committee of this House, devoted to examining our foreign policy.”
Miller sues GRDB... (From page 3) to pay the plaintiff, resulting in a claim for US $285,760 or its equivalent in Guyana dollars, for breaching the oral agreement. The writ was issued on behalf of the rice miller by Attorney at law Neil Boston and Associates. In response to the suit, a representative (s) of GRDB is mandated to appear in High Court on 16th September, 2015. The document stipulated that failure by the defendants (GRDB) to enter an appearance could result in judgment being granted against them in their absence. When contacted on Wednesday last, a representative of the GRDB noted that the Board has already engaged its lawyers on the issue. Recently, the rice development board had ordered millers to repossess almost 300 containers of rice left stranded on the wharf after Venezuela ordered a ‘temporary’ halt to shipments coming from Guyana. The reason for this was that Guyana was shipping rice outside of its allotted schedule. This directive did not go down well, with millers and farmers registering their discontent against the Government and Minister of Agriculture Noel Holder. There had also been talk of the “legal
ramifications.” On July 11th, it was reported that Venezuela had issued a directive for Guyana to cease all paddy and rice shipments to the country with immediate effect, four Months before the PetroCaribe agreement/contract was scheduled to come to an end. Venezuela’s decision regarding the rice deal had come at a time when it was claiming sovereignty over Guyana’s waters, since the significant oil find by American oil giant, Exxon Mobil just 100 miles off of the Stabroek Block. Subsequently, Agriculture Minister Noel Holder had sought to assuage concerns, stating that Venezuela had only instructed Guyana to ‘slow down’ shipments to the Oil producing country and return to the original shipping patterns. The Minister had provided assurances that the deal was not in jeopardy and that shipments had actually overwhelmed the Venezuelan rice officials, necessitating the directive. Despite this, Millers were instructed late last month to take back their rice and sell it to other markets, a directive that drew heavy criticism from millers, as the rice was already in the possession of GRDB. Millers have also had to incur expenses associated with the moving and repackaging process.
Monday August 24, 2015
Kaieteur News
Public sector wage target in jeopardy The Gleaner - Finance and Planning Minister Dr Peter Phillips said the wage target of nine per cent of GDP by fiscal year 2016-17 is in jeopardy and will depend on the settlement reached with public-sector groups which have not yet accepted the Government’s offer. The wage target is a commitment under Jamaica’s economic support programme with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Several unions representing public-sector workers have signed agreements with the Government for a seven per cent increase in wages for the two years ending 2016-17. However, those representing the Jamaica Constabulary Force, nurses and doctors are yet to accept the offer. Teachers signed off on a seven per cent raise over two years last week. Asked if the nine per cent target was still possible to be reached for the 2016-17 timeline, Phillips said: “It depends, for example, on how many sign the wage agreements, the terms on which they are settled and the sequencing of the payments.” The m i n i s t e r, addressing a press conference at the Ministry of Finance offices at Heroes Circle in Kingston on Friday, said, “All of that will determine to what extent we meet or divert from the target.” He added that the “target was predicated on the budgeted amount” of $165.22 billion, which contemplates wage increases of four per
Dr. Peter Phillips cent for fiscal year 2015-16. “So if nothing else is done, we are unlikely. If everyone was to sign at the rates that have been signed by those with whom we have signed, then the target is definitely in jeopardy,” the minister said. He reaffirmed the need to undertake significant public-sector reforms, saying it means that the Government “will have to look at the arrangements within the public sector with respect to our hiring of additional staff, the filling of posts, ... whether costs otherwise can be cut, whether there is an interest in voluntary separation and how can we facilitate that in areas where we can, and we are currently reviewing with the ministries ways in which we can adjust to these new realities and still meet our targets. But we are not yet at that point”. Mission chief of the IMF to Jamaica, Dr Uma Ramakrishnan, in a
statement at the press conference on the conclusion of the ninth quarterly review, said the IMF welcomed the recent wage agreement between the Government of Jamaica and the Jamaica Confederation of Trade Unions. “Improving the e ff i c i e n c y, q u a l i t y a n d cost effectiveness of the public sector is critical for higher growth,” she said. “Lowering the wage-to-GDP ratio to the nine per cent target for 2016-17 will create fiscal space for capital spending, which will help the Government invest in longterm priorities ... we are hopeful that the target will be met.” Phillips said Jamaica is making progress with the rest of the wage negotiations, saying “the results so far indicate a positive shift in attitudes” by the unions towards reaching an agreement. In what has become the finance minister’s regular refrain, he said Jamaica must live within its means. “If the amount budgeted for the negotiations are not sufficient to reach settlement, then we will have to find resources from elsewhere in the Budget,” Phillips said. “There are no new resources,” he asserted. “While the nego-tiations are still ongoing, it is already clear that we will need to undertake cost rationalisations in addition to achieving greater levels of efficiency within the public sector as a whole.”
Dem boys seh...
Jagdeo treat Donald like a football Donald still wondering if he was ever a politician because he ain’t got nothing to show. He was president and he live in State House but he now wondering if he was dreaming. Normally he woulda be de leader of de party but even that must have been a dream because nobody in de party even calling he name. He was a decent man but he mix up wid de wrong crowd. Dem boys seh that he mix suh till Jagdeo pull he teeth. Jagdeo even thief Red House from under Donald foot and de poor man only know when dem had de debates in Parliament and didn’t even mention he name;
not even once. Is then he seh that he did hug up a marabunta nest close to he chest but didn’t realize it. Now he complaining that Jagdeo is ruthless and shameless. Everybody did know, except Donald who didn’t realize, that Jagdeo put he in de president seat just to hold it fuh him. But dem boys seh that Jagdeo got to believe that de whole of Guyana stupid.He talk bout giving young people a chance but he only thinking bout heself. Janet was thinking about young people so she mek Jagdeo president and he sit down in that chair fuh 12 years. He tek way three from
Donald when he done serve he 12. He go out and cuss people and mek Donald lose de elections. Then he even kick out Donald out of Parliament after he thief Freedom House. He expect to be president again and de next elections is not until another five years. By then he gun run mad because he got to be half mad. He spend two and a half term and that ain’t enough. There is a plan fuh help he serve again but this time he gun serve time. Fuh every year he punish people he gun serve one year in jail. Everybody else know that. Talk half and hope somebody help Donald.
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Nat’l plan needed for fight against alcoholism “Guyana is a hard place to stop drinking” - Social Activist
Social Activists are calling for a national plan by the Government of Guyana to be implemented as they continue the fight against alcoholism. It is only then, they said, that significant strides can be made to reduce Guyana’s heavy alcohol consumption rates. “Guyana is a hard place to stop drinking,” one Social Activist from the Indian Action Committee (IAC)
shared. “I am from Berbice, which was for a long time the capital of alcoholism in this country.” Now an adult, the man shared that he had begun consuming alcohol in his early teens. This drinking continued right into his adult life, he said. He explained that from a young age he was socialised to drink from watching his father, uncle and even grandparents engaging in the activity. He added that
this behaviour was not fostered only in his home but outside of it. It did not matter that he was a child, he said; he was nonetheless encouraged to participate. “Many times as a boy, I would be riding past a bar and someone would call out to me to come in for a drink. And every time I tried to leave someone would say, ‘tek one more’. Then, more and more people would come into the shop and you’re trapped,” the man related. “My mother would send me out at 8:00 in the morning to run errands and won’t see me back until 1:00 in the afternoon.” This activist’s tale is not a peculiar one. In fact, it is an all too common one present in Guyana. In a 2014 report, the World Health Organisation (WHO)
“Self preservation is key, be each other’s keeper to save lives” As reports are daily made regarding traffic accidents and incidences, David Ramnarine, Assistant Commissioner Police says that a more holistic approach involving increased enforcement and education is required to arrest the current traffic woes faced on the roadways. He said that as far as he is aware, the police are doing their part but from observation, Guyanese always seem to be in a rush and often times forget about self preservation. “People need to understand that they have to be patient and inculcate defensive driving.” Ramnarine said the law is there and so are police ranks but one’s own sense of responsibility is an important factor that is often overlooked. Police Superintendant and acting Head of the Traffic Department, Dion Moore in echoing the sentiments said the Force is employing more efforts to stem the tide of accidents through enhanced patrols and more frequent conducting of breathalyzer tests. Additionally, he told this publication, that those who are caught breaching traffic light control signals will face the full brunt of law enforcement as will persons caught using cellular phone while driving. These measures are further being enforced in response to mounting concerns about the apparent growing number of accidents. Moore noted that that at the end of July there was a six percent decrease in traffic accidents. From police
– Asst. Comm. Ramnarine
Assistant Commissioner David Ramnarine
Acting Traffic Chief, Superintendent Dion Moore
assessment for the period August 1 to 21, 2015 most fatal accidents have been occurring between Fridays to Mondays and mostly at nights. However, the Acting Traffic Chief reiterated the need for motorists to look out for others and to be each other’s keepers. “If you see someone driving recklessly let them know immediately,” he said. More importantly he noted that many people sit quietly in public transportation while the vehicle is driven above the normal speed limit. This culture, he declared, needs to be changed. “We have too many accidents where people stay quietly when persons are speeding and then when the accidents happen, then they say the person was speeding. If you speak out you will
prevent accidents and limit injuries, cost incurred to fix things that are damaged, and even deaths.” On the subject of the ‘write or leff’ allegations that cause some ranks to turn a blind eye to traffic infringements, speaking for the administrative section of Force, Assistant Commissioner Ramnarine admitted that there is need for stronger leadership as ranks under all supervisors’ charge normally look to them for guidance. However, he noted too that while most are doing a good job, the evidence is there that there are some police supervisors who are slacking up but this is being addressed through further training. “Ranks do things that are not in keeping with the ideals of the Force when there is an absence of strong supervision.”
said that on average, Guyanese consumed more than eight liters of pure alcohol daily in 2010 compared to the global figure of 6.2 liters daily. The report focused on persons aged 15 years or older. And while there have been a number of action plans in Guyana, activists believe that the fact that there was none addressing alcohol was a major issue. Amongst their concerns was the purchasing of alcohol by underage children along with driving under the influence of alcohol. Illegal rum shops were also noted as an issue. “The law has to be clear; people send their children to the shops to buy alcohol and that has to stop. Anybody who does that must face the brunt of the law and anyone who sells alcohol to children must be prosecuted,” another activist stressed. However, she went on, the law is not stringent enough and, more and more, alcohol is ending up in the hands of children. She further emphasised that a strategic plan is needed by the government to identify
the problem areas and develop best practices to address them. The plan, activists agreed, should include a national alcohol anonymous program and secure funding within the Public Health Ministry for treatment of addicts. “Just not enough is being done at the national level and each day another person becomes addicted to alcohol,” she added. It was also noted that alcohol was linked to a number of other issues including suicide, domestic violence and crime. Additionally, it was suggested that young children ought to be educated on the dangers of alcohol so that they, in the future will make more responsible choices. It was also opined that the school system would be the perfect starting point, since in Guyana, “the main problem in anything is the lack of education; ignorance in this place has led to barbarity.” However, while noting that the education system had a critical role to play in dealing with alcoholism, an educator and member of the Guyana
Teachers’ Union (GTU) said that the education must begin at home. “In terms of drugs and alcohol abuse, we have to go back and focus on social ethics and social values in the home,” he stressed. He continued, “Everything that needs to be done needs to start from the home because the child learns best from socialisation from the very first instance from the home. And if the home in itself is not properly guided and properly rounded, when that child comes to school, whatever sort of coping skills we will give that child and the child goes back to the home, that child will continue to dwell in the situation at the home,” he stressed. The educator further noted that decreased recreational options have led to increased alcohol consumption. “We need to have proper recreational activities so that from the very young child can understand that when you’re coming up you can channel your energies positively to those activities,” the teacher said.
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THE NAME GAME The word “placenta” refers to “a flattened circular organ in the uterus of pregnant eutherian mammals, nourishing and maintaining the fetus through the umbilical cord” or, in botany, “part of the ovary wall to which the ovules are attached.” In Jamaica this name was given to a poor, unfortunate infant girl whose parents, hopefully, loved the sound of the name without knowing what it meant. Another pair of proud parents named their infant “syphilis”. Now, the aptly named Chief Executive Officer of the Registrar General’s Department, Deirdre English Gosse, wants to put a stop to some of these names that will create problems for the children later in life. Edmond Campbell of the Jamaica Gleaner reports that Ms. Goose will recommend that restrictions should be placed on some names that are assigned to newborns. Ms. Gosse is quoted as saying, “We are not going to infringe (parents’) rights but we want to have some kind of restrictions. To name a baby ‘Syphilis’, come on!” Ms. Gosse suggested that if some names are placed on a prohibited list and parents insist that they want to use those names, they would have the option of taking the RGD to court. For example, the parents of the child who
was named ‘Syphilis’ have since done a deed poll to change the child’s name. However, the Bolt family seemed to have the right surname for their son’s athletic ability and the Gayle family name proved to be more than a windfall for their son’s batting prowess. Jamaicans are far from alone in the weird or inappropriate names stakes. In the Republic of Singapore there is a child named “Batman Bin Suparman” who, if he is inclined to change his name, would end up a “has Bin”. One parent, surnamed Park, named his child “Jurassic” and in Indiana there is a “Tyrannosaurus Rex Mullens.” Matthew Correspondent is the European Correspondent of the BBC news and fortunately he did not have to report the arrest in Madison of someone named, “3eeZow Boo-Boo Zoppitybop-Bop-Bop.” This name seems to have been selfinflicted. In 2011, Britain’s Daily Mail highlighted some of the new names people, dissatisfied with their old names, gave themselves. Charlotte Price, a beauty therapist, became “Pink Sparkly And All Things Nice” but is happy with being called, “Pink Nice”. She said she is obsessed with the colour pink but admitted it was done for ‘a bit of
promotion’ for her business. The “Mail” revealed that Pink mostly wears pink and lives in a house decorated and furnished in pink, and works in a pink salon which even uses pink wax. The “Mail” also highlighted the moniker madness of best friends Daniel Knox-Hewson, 23, and Kelvin Borbidge, 22, also of Nottingham who now have what could be the longest names in the UK. Mr KnoxHewson renamed himself Emperor Spiderman Gandalf Wolverine Skywalker Optimus Prime Goku Sonic Xavier Ryu Cloud Superman Heman Batman Thrash. Mr Borbidge now goes by Baron Venom Balrog Sabretooth Vader Megatron Vegeta Robotnik Magneto Bison Sephiroth Lex Luthor Skeletor Joker Grind. ‘We decided to change our names because we were bored of our day-today lives and wanted to do something that reflected our true personalities,’ Emperor Thrash said. A few years ago celebrities Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin named their baby girl “Apple”. The Enquirer claimed that’s what happens when your write your potential baby names on the back of your grocery list. There were other theories. One was that the lucky couple might have wanted to ensure the continuing good health of their family and
figured that an Apple every day would keep the doctor away. Another was that Steve Jobs sponsored the child’s name to publicise his products. There was some betting that the next child would be named ‘I-pad’ or “Mac.” Another wit said if Bill Gates was seriously competing the child might have been named “Windows”. As it was the second child was named Moses and the couple parted earlier this year. Another actress, Shannyn Sossamon, named her kid ‘Audio Science’ perhaps on the basis that little children should be heard and not seen. On the other hand, Tea Leoni and David Duchovny named their baby “Kyd” and were not kidding about the name. Sonny and Cher, the seventies singing duo, named their daughter “Chastity” (a tough name to live up to) and the late British television personality Paula Yates had three children with rocker Bob Geldof, ‘Fifi Trixibelle’, ‘Peaches Honeyblossom’ and ‘Pixie’.
She also had a daughter with another rocker, Michael Hutchence, named, ‘Heavenly Hiraani Tiger Lily’. I sometimes think that we should refrain from giving our children any names but “Hey kid”, “Love”, “Son” or “Daughter” until they are old enough to decide what they would like to be called. I know it is difficult to restrain yourself when you want your child to carry your name or a name that you like but your choice, whether Placenta or Syphilis, might say too much about you. There is the story of three women who were
seeing a psychiatrist. He berated the first one, “All you like to do is eat sweets, that’s why you named your daughter Candy.” He was merciless with the second one, an English woman, “You like money too much, that’s why you named your son Sterling.” The third woman angrily stormed out, dragging her little son behind her, “I’ve heard enough of this nonsense. Let’s go Dick.” *Tony Deyal was last seen talking about a sex offender named “Mister Love” and an Indian conman named “Sham”.
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SALON Make Up Courses with Mac, Bare Minerals, Black Opal and Sacha cosmetics. Call: 647-1773/660-5257
WANTED SERVICES PLANNING AN EVENT? Live in maid must know to BIRTHDAY PARTY, cook-Call: 679-8765 GRADUATION,WEDDINGS, Experienced taxi driver and ANNIVERSARY,ETC.–CALL dispatcher @ Princess Hotel DIAMOND TENTS: 216- Providence-Tel: 616-5419 1043; 677-6620 Building or Renovating? For Boys to work in the interior – quality services at affordable salary -$80,000 – Call: 674cost - Contact: 592-682-9935 1761 or 661-8673 or email: Female to work in the interior creativeconstructionservice salary - $80,000- Call: 674-1761 or 661-8673 15@gmail.com. Visa Application: U.S.A, Armed Security guard must Canada & UK; Guyana have experienced with Passport application. Graphics weapon, need application and design, Advertisement. Tel: 626- police clearance.Call:231-8344 for interview. 7040; 265-4535. Experienced Drivers with PARTY DECORATING: minibus and hire car license balloon creation, back drops – Call: 645-0025 etc. for weddings, birthdays, anniversary etc. Make your Contract Cars & Drivers Call: event extra special! Tel 227-1720, 227-1721 or 6606102 Maya: 642-6664 REPAIRS AT LOW COST: FRIDGES,AIR-CONDITIONERS, WASHINGMACHINES,TVS, MICROWAVES,FREEZERSCALL:629-4946 OR 225-4822 REPAIRS & SPARE, FRIDGE, FREEZER, A/C, WASHERS, STOVES CONTACT NICK: 6831312, 627-3206 Floor sanding & lacquering house plans, estimate & painting –Call: 650-4362 Mahadeo Construction for all construction, carpentry, masonry, pluming, painting etc. Free estimates and plan Contact # 669-7376 Repairs at affordable prices: fridge, air conditioner, washing machines, dryers, TV, microwaves & freezerCall: 610-5846 or 661-8158
1 Live in Domestic Salary $50,000 – Please Call: 6741767 One live in domestic must know to cook-age 25-35yrs-$70,000 monthly – Call: 610-5043 Waitress must possess secondary education, 9-4pm - $60,000 monthly Call: 2224890 One experienced welder/ fabricator, preferably from Sheriff Street to Lusignan E.C.D- Tel: 222-3844 Live in maid/assistant salesgirl, E.C.D- Call: 6035416; 644-9802 Looking for 1 Massey Ferguson 4 wheel drive, in working condition – Call: 6850207, 672-4102 Experienced bartenderContact: 684-1657 Dispatcher at Gem’s Taxi Service (Shift Work)- Tel: 2313709; 233-2537
INNOVATIVE MARKETING & PUBLISHING INC –TEL: 600-4212: We create A/ works, logos, business cards, posters, etc, placements of ads included.
Drivers and contract carsTel:231-0316; 231-0002; 2194087
School Business from G/ Town and back, so get your children on board –Call: 6873017
One honest, single, reliable live in domestic with no health problem- Call: 650-8632 between 9:00am -7:00pm
Eagle’s fridge re-gas @ 99100 New Market Street $8,000 & washing machine repairs. Phone: 697-2969, 2235818 ACCOMODATION Specials on room! Free breakfast, Wi-Fi luxuriously & comfortably @ Signature Inn, 82 Laluni Street, Georgetown –Tel: 226-2145; 227-5037 FOR SALE/RENT American pool tables –Call: 277-0578
LEARN TO DRIVE Soman Son & Outar Driving School at Maraj BuildingTel: 644-5166; 622-2872; 6150964; 689-5997
Jacqueline Sookram, Cocoa Stix Spa & Salon- Tel:6928633. Specialised in facial, pedicure, manicure & massage. Salon & Spa @ Aracari Resort! Available Now: Hollywood herbal skin whitening cream, scrub & sun block. Phone: 264-3312 or 6003927
FOR RENT PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION,WEDDINGS, ANNIVERSARY, ETC. CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 216-1043; 677-6620 One four bedroom property with all amenities for sale/ rental on roadside in Bougainvillea Park, EBDTel: 616-7635 2 Properties @ Bel-Air Park all convenience , furnished US-1800 & 4 bedrooms unfurnished US2,200, newly renovated –Tel:231-7839 (working hours) 1 Newly executive style house in Eccles with 3 bedrooms, open plan kitchen etc – Call: 6248555 between 9am-7pm Furnished AC Barber Shop and business space on Durban Street G/Town near Smyth Street- Call: 682-6396 Newly renovated one bedroom apartment in Herstelling – Tel: 265-2171, 690-6353 2Bedroom apartment; toilet & bath inside, single or couple, decent working people, Located in Charlestown- Call: 225-1418 from 9am-5pm
VEHICLE FOR SALE
PROPERTY FOR SALE
1 Mazda Axela, PTT series, low mileage, e x c e l l e n t condition -owner migrating Tel: 649-0956 NZE Car -$1.5M –Tel: 6880448; 658-3517 Smart ChoiceAuto: Premio,Allion, Fielder,Carina 212, Bluebird –Call: 652-3820;665-4529
Property for sale, Grove $20M / Rent: $50,000 per month. Tel: 625-5461.
In Stock @ First Class Auto: 08 Premio, Allion, Runx, Axio, Bluebird, Sienta, Fielder, Rush –Tel: 609-8188, 638-3045 1 Nissan Titan 05, 4WD, AC/ Mags/HID, Toyota Vitz R5 (stick gear), 1496CC AC/ Mags/HID- Call: 216-1574; 644-0447 1 Yamaha R6 (600cc) price to go, Mitsubishi canter 4D32, long tray (20ft) open back – Call: 216-1574; 644-0447 For Sales: Bus BRR 2501, 19 Seater pit-bull – Contact: 6893173 or 614-3947 Unregistered Toyota Premio 2003, & Spacio 2004 –Call: 681-7117 or 227-5950 We buy & sell vehicles for cash, also parts available & 30 seater buses; Extra Cab pickups; 2006 TacomaCall:680-3154
Republic Park Phase 1, 4 bedrooms, 48M, negotibale Call:645-2580, 609-6516 House for sale @ Lot 180 Block 8 Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara, Price $25M negotiable –Call: 266-0309; 626-6555 Property for sale, business place at Kuru kururu, New Town on High Way- Call: 2616282 or 676-4787 Pearl: Well built 1,995 SF concrete building on 58X165 lot, formerly used at meeting halls-$10.5M-Tel: 649-1670 2 Storey 45x35 concrete property, lower flat incomplete. Land 65x120 @ Diamond N/S 5th Avenue,E.B.D- Call: 629-4017 2-story concrete house on double lot. ECD. $28.5M -Tel: 661-9431 Transported concrete, Block “8” Mon Repos E.C.D, top flat 2 bedrooms, bottom flat 2 bedrooms- $18M. Call: 6251514 office hours 231-7255
2000 Freightliner hauler, C-12 Engine –Tel: 609-7257; 689-9041 BMW 320i, Toyota AT212, AT192, IST, EP-71 Starlet, 4 Runner, Canter, Honda 600 RR –Tel:644-5096; 697-1453 One Toyota Raum old model PPP Series, excellent condition with alarm & Rims, price- $1M-Contact: 653-0120 2 Toyota 212 Yellow Cab, Excellent condition –Tel: 2235615
LAND FOR SALE Luxury Gated CommunityMall, Pool, intelligent security system, well, solar. Selling @ 6USD per Sq.ft – Call: 609-0783 15 Acres land situated at Naamryck East Bank Essequibo-Call: 655-9227 Land @ Parfaite Harmonie & Tuschen -$1.5M, $1.3M – Call: 604-6724 EDUCATION Computerized Accounting Courses: Quickbooks, Peachtree, POS, FREE Job Training MicroGraphics 264-305
FOR SALE LARGE QUANTITIES OF HIGH PURITY MERCURY (QUICK SILVER) 99.99995% PURITY$19,000 PER POUND CALL: 592-227-4754. One 928F Caterpillar Wheel Loader- Contact # 650-0402/ 260-4988 Spare for washing machine, microwaves, fridges, stoves, timers, gearbox, motors, etc Call: 225-9032, 647-2943 One welding machine- Call: 687-7725 1 Complete music set (qsc amps, drive rack, bass boxes etc), Yamaha 6000 watts generator. Tel: 623-2923 Large Red snapper fishing boat 66ft, with 85 traps, all licenses working, 3yrs old –Call: 674-3735; 652-8970 Marine Parts, inboard engines, gear box, shaft, propellers, gland, all electronics, etc –Call: 6743735/ 652-8970 Universal Vehicle reverse cameras - $9,000, HID kits with 8,000K bulbs -$13,000Contact: 664-8660, 638-1388 One Honda D15-B Engine & Transmission –Contact: 6458518 for info
AT192, 212, Allion, unregistered Premio, Hilux Surf, BNN, RZ & Pit-bull, 7 seater super custom. Cash / terms- Call: 680-3154
Property at 2nd Ave Diamond: 3 self contain bedroom, entire house only $110, 000- Call Raul: 655-8361/ 699-6811
CAR RENTAL DOLLY’SCARRENTAL-CALL: 225-7126/226-3693 DOLLYSAUTORENTAL@ YA H O O . C O M / W W W. DOLLYSAUTORENTAL.COM PROGRESSIVEAUTORENTAL: CARS & SUV FOR RENTAL$4,000 & UPPER DAY-CALL: 643-5122, 219-3900, EMAIL: PRO_AUTO RENTAL @YAHOO.COM
Monday August 24, 2015
Galvanized nail platesContact: 645-8518 EDUCATION Simpli Royal School of Beauty – Pamela Dillon: 6654565; 225-2303. Hair, Skin, Nail Technology, easy payments. All Stars Educational Institute: Evening & fulltime, Primary/CXC: Science & Business, Phonics & Reading (all ages)-Call: 642-5576; 6806319
1 Cummins 6BTA Engine, 1 Bedford ‘M’ Truck-Call: 6248311 Great Deals on video games & all gaming consoles. PC, phone games & applications. Delivery also – Call: 672-2566; 265-3232 XBOX 360 slim: 250GB & 320GB with games & controllers also PS4 with games & Controller-Call: 6838386
Rising star Pre K Nursery School, Cummings St Alberttown, Guyana & USA curriculum, enrollment ongoing, small class sizeCall: 690-9378
5 Toyota Coaster, 1 Mitsubishi 30 seater, 1-320C bucket, must be sold- Call: 648-0121; 628-1832
Register Now! 6 Weeks Course Pedicure & Manicure –Tel: 618-8536 or 696-2295
FOR OVERSEAS VISITORS: FULLY FURNISHED 2 BEDROOM APARTMENTS (FRIDGE, STOVE, MICROWAVE, ETC) US $40 DAILY –TEL: 609-8132/672-8569 (MAX)
I.A.E currently registering students for full time secondary school, lessons & evening CXC classes for adults- Call: 683-5742 Big Discount for 2015 CXC students, 9 Course Diploma In, Computer Studies $30,000.00- MicroGraphics: 264-3057 Alpha Foundation: Register Now in Region 3, Child care, caring for the elderly, cosmetology & cake decoration- Phone 264-1052/ 663-7930
TO LET
Newly constructed 2 bedrooms apartment in safe and healthy environment Call: 698-6496 EDUCATION Didn’t Well for CXC 2015: We Can Help Join Now$2,500 per subject: MicroGraphics-Vreed-EnHoop: 264-3057 Continued on page 23
Monday August 24, 2015
Kaieteur News
Montrose granny murder…
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Letters... Where your views make the news...
GRDB extension office Killer, alleged plotter should be more efficient being held at same station - victim’s relatives receiving threats Self-confessed killer Colin Alleyne and the man he said paid him to murder Carmen Ganesh are being detained at the same location, a situation that has caused relatives of the alleged plotter to express fear for his safety. Kaieteur News was told that ranks at the Sparendaam Police Station, where the suspects are being detained, have taken pains to keep them separate. Alleyne has been placed in the lockups, while his alleged accomplice, who is a close relative of Mrs. Ganesh, has been handcuffed to a bench outside the lockups. But the relatives are fearful that he will eventually be placed in the same cell. They claimed that Alleyne has been making threats to Mrs. Ganesh’s relative and is also threatening other family members. The men were first detained on Saturday at CID Headquarters Eve Leary, but were reportedly shifted to Sparendaam yesterday. Relatives said that they only learned of this when they went to take him dinner at around 17.30 hrs. Alleyne was captured in Guyhoc Park after being kept under surveillance for some two weeks. Alleyne, who has previous arrests for breakand enter, is said to have readily admitted to killing Mrs. Ganesh. He then claimed that Mrs. Ganesh’s now-detained relative paid him $700,000 to kill the old woman and steal documents pertaining to her property. Relatives of Mrs. Ganesh have all expressed shock at the man’s arrest, and are adamant that he is innocent. They suggested that a
businessman that had a dispute with Mrs. Ganesh is the real culprit. Alleyne has told police that on the night before the August 1 killing, the relative let him into the Mrs. Ganesh’s yard, and the two men hid in a Toyota Spacio, that was parked on the property. He claimed the relative gave him a key to Mrs. Ganesh’s home, and the two men then plotted how the deed would be done. Alleyne, who was armed with a handgun, reportedly spotted a tyre wrench in the vehicle, and contemplated whether he should club Mrs. Ganesh with the wrench or shoot her. The relative reportedly suggested that Alleyne club her with the wrench, since neighbours would hear the gunshots. During the early hours of August 1, Mrs. Ganesh went outside to pray, and the hit man reportedly slipped into the house and hid. Eventually, Mrs. Ganesh reentered her home, and Alleyne struck her on the head, and the old woman collapsed to the floor. Thinking that she was dead, Alleyne reportedly said that he began to search for the documents he was instructed to retrieve. “But when he went near to her, he saw that she was moving. He then ensured that she died. She took a while to die,” a source said. Alleyne reportedly said that he then snatched up the documents from a table and went outside to the relative, who was waiting in a car. He claimed that the relative handed the documents over
Carmen Ganesh to another individual who was in the vehicle. On seeing the other individual, Alleyne reportedly became angry, since he had thought that the relative was the only individual who knew of the plot. According to the sources, the relative instructed Alleyne to go back into the house and remove the digital video recorder from the surveillance camera. The killer reportedly returned to the house, but mistakenly mistook a CD for the surveillance system. He then gave it to the relative and left the scene in a minibus. Alleyne said that a few days later, his mother was watching television and saw the footage of him killing Mrs. Ganesh. She immediately collapsed. Alleyne said he became furious and confronted Mrs. Ganesh’s relative, whom he accused of selling him out to the police, by giving them the footage. He claimed that after threatening the relative, the man gave him more money to leave the country. However, he was picked up before this could happen.
Public must take precautions... (From page 13) 2014, an increase of 18%. However up to last Friday, the figure had climbed to three figures. Expressing gratitude to the new administration for supplying vehicles and other resources Hicken posited, “I know that they are serious about crime fighting and they have been giving us resources to help us to build our capacity and it is working for us.” According to the Commander, through ongoing efforts in his Division (A) from Dora on the Linden/Soedyke Highway Conversation Tree, many high powered weapons have been confiscated and several crimes were averted through tips from members of the public. He advised the citizenry, “Do not leave your doors opened to be vulnerable. Don’t leave farming tools about the place so that perpetrators can get them to commit acts of crime. Try not to move about with large sums of money around Georgetown. Do not wear too much jewellery to become a target and don’t walk in dark areas alone.” Hicken said that while police ranks are employed to protect the citizenry, crime is
everybody’s business and all need to be involved in the prevention fight or all will be consumed. Based on the recent crime statistics, he said that Truancy and school dropouts may be the main source of the spike in criminal activities. He said that from his end, he will continue to maintain a policy where members of the public can visit and interact through the open door policy every day, all day at the Commander level. And he is encouraging the same approach at the sub-divisional level. Further, Hicken said there is a suggestion box at the ‘A’ Division Enquiries office from which suggestions are looked at monthly and some of them are actually implemented. Weaknesses are also being addressed while statistics are being handled through a data management system which highlights in real time the areas in which crimes are perpetuated. Hicken pledged that he will continue to work on suppressing crime through interventions and standard operation procedures and through public/private partnership interventions. (Mondale Smith)
DEAR EDITOR, Many rice farmers complain about the allegedly poor services provided by the extension department of GRDB. If one should ask rice farmers if they know or have already seen the extension officer within their respective district for the cropping season, their answer would most likely be “no”. This has been the case for many years and the reason for this seems to be linked to the fact that most of these officers employed by the GRDB or under the RPA are engaged in other business ventures and private work such as farming (both cash crop and
rice farming), operator of bus or taxi services, politics and others, while their role as extension officers to provide the necessary services to the farmers is being neglected. So these persons are accused of treating their permanent and full time employment as a part time job while the poor farmers are the ones to suffer because from the inadequate services. These officers are hired by the Government and the rice board, and are supposed to spread the message on the aspect of rice cultivation. In my view, the service provided by the extension is poor and the rice industry will
once again plunge in the gutters, since the farmers need the extension force to work with them and provide the necessary advice in a timely manner. I call on the Government and the GRDB to conduct an independent investigation and to ensure that officers who are assigned and paid by taxpayers’ money, provide the services for which they were contracted, and if they cannot live up to expectations, then suitable replacements should be found. As a farmer, I stand ready to support this. T Ross
Violence is a product... From page 5 we have to develop intervention models: for Africans, Amerindians, and Indians when addressing social issues such as suicide, intergenerational incest, and alcoholism, etc. We also have to study the role and function that religion plays with respect to the individual within his/her cultural reality. As we seek to develop a national vision of social cohesion in our multi-ethnic society, our failure to learn from the short comings of the past, which includes the first fifteen years of the 21stcentury, will be a disservice to our nation. I close by saying that the alarming incidence of violence in the country is only the tip of the iceberg – violence in our society is a product of the society. Ingrid Goodman, MSW, ABA, CSME Executive Director PATOIS/Women’s Refuge
Infant mortality rate... From page 4 Here in North America, modern medical advances have brought the maternal death ratio (the number of deaths directly related to pregnancy or birth) to such an extremely low point that the issue of preventable maternal death could be considered as being solved. Now after being a midwife for more than forty years, I am somewhat startled and jolted out of my personal sense of complacency about what it entails becoming a mother in my country as compared to other countries. It is apparent that the root of the infant and maternal mortality rate is the unequal, uneven and lack of resources. Let us all be reminded that infants are the faces of the future, so the issue of the rising infant mortality speaks volumes for itself. The infant survival rate measures quality of life. In order to avert infant mortality, the infant needs a supportive team composed of family, community, and governmental agencies. In addition I am calling on the Government of Guyana and the Public Health Department, all healthcare agencies, nursing
personnel in Guyana as well as stakeholders to view this situation through lens amenable to change as a national disaster, and put the following recommendations in place as a matter of urgency: Call on the Minister of Health to address Infection Control as a priority. Appoint an expert Infant & Neonatal Task Force to advise the Department on issues of Infant Care. Enlist the services of skilled health workers to assist at birth, emergency obstetric and newborn care. Establish a Registry of Infant and Maternal deaths. Periodic review of maternal and infant death to detect possible emerging trends. Increase in Community awareness and involvement in activities and partnerships to improve birth and infant outcomes. Surely there will be significant challenges, but the Government and all stakeholders must work to ensure that combined efforts actually benefit the individuals whose lives illustrate the global statistic. This national disaster must be arrested before it reaches further epidemic proportions. Yvonne Sam
From page 22
VACANCY Salesgirls @ D.Singh and Sons – Tel: 226-1316 Plant Shop Sales Clerk: Literate, hard-working, pleasant, team player, 18-28 yrs @ Huston & Sheriff Street. Call: 648-1821 Nursery school teacher, posses education certificates in CESEC, Skill, Talent. Onsite job draining & support provided-Call: 690-9378 2 Accounts clerk with Grades 1 & 2 in Maths & English. Apply at Technical Services, Eccles Industrial Site, E.B.D. Accounts Clerk send application to rtilak@adamantiumholdings.c om Eden Bar and Lounge @ Garden of Eden, E.B.D. Vacancy exist for one waitresses-Call: 694-6247 from 11am-7pm Bartenders & Waitress for Sports bar in V/HoopContact: 684-5688 for more info Confidential Cabs have vacancy for a experienced dispatcher-Call: 231-4000 or 231-8601 Carnegie trained assistant chef/cook. Call: 225-7933 or visit us at 173 Sheriff Street Male Supervisor for housekeeping Dept. Male Security guard –Call:2250198 or 233 South Raod Lacytown. Security officers wanted by security company-Contact: 672-1920
Monday August 24, 2015
Kaieteur News
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PNM’s plan to cut VAT bad idea Group calls out Caricom Trinidad Guardian - T&T stands to lose billions in revenue if the People’s National Movement (PNM) is victorious in the September 7 general election and implements its promised 2.5 per cent reduction of the Value Added Tax (VAT). In an interview Saturday, senior economics lecturer at the University of the West Indies, St Augustine campus, Dr Roger Hosein said the country’s fiscal deficit was likely to widen. Hosein said his concern was that “by reducing VAT in a context of already lower property taxes could adversely affect the state’s fiscal revenue position.” Hosein said using Central Bank figures, if we compared what existed today with the 2006-2007 fiscal year we were losing about $80 million a year in property tax. He said because there had not been much conversation in the manifestos about expenditure cutting, “the economy’s fiscal deficit can likely widen.” On Friday, deputy political leader of the United National Congress (UNC) Dr Roodal Moonilal, delving into the PNM’s manifesto, said the removal of VAT on food items would cost the country $5.5 billion in revenue in five years. “Today they want to remove VAT and we have calculated if they [do that] we will forgo $5.5 billion over five years,” he said. Hosein also said T&T stands to lose close to $5.5 billion in revenues over a fiveyear period. It should be noted that the 2014 estimate for VAT was $6,409,734,000, according to the Estimates of
on ganja report
Dr Roger Hosein
Dr Keith Rowley
Revenue for the financial year 2015. But there was a decline in the revised estimates by $1,150,334,000. The 2015 estimate for VAT is $7,183,000,000. VAT reduction is one of the many promises outlined in the PNM’s “Let’s Do This Together,” 44-page manifesto. VAT charged on goods in T&T is currently set at 15 per cent of the sale price. VAT was introduced by the National Alliance for Reconstruction (NAR) under former prime minister ANR Robinson 25 years ago. It is applied to goods and services and is included in the final price of the product. The People’s Partnership (PP), on assuming office, removed the property tax and later removed VAT on over 7,000 supermarket items. Rowley: There will be more efficient collection of VAT PNM political leader Dr Keith Rowley, responding via text message yesterday, said the shortfall would be made up through more efficient and effective collection of VAT
and that business owners would not be affected by the change. “They are simply required to collect the tax and pass it on to the Government. “In fact, a lower tax benefits them a bit, since, in so far as VAT returns may be late, then they will have less money outside awaiting refunds.” Regarding the recalibration of machines by business owners, Rowley said he did not expect that to be a major issue. Rowley said the 2.5 per cent reduction would also be made through the increased business activity which would flow from the re-establishment of confidence following a change of government to the PNM. He said, “Our programme of activity also includes the early establishment of the Revenue Authority.” Asked whether the PNM had intentions to widen the VAT base to include the 7,000-plus zero-rated items removed from under VAT by the PP, he said, “We have given no consideration to that in these initiatives.”
Closure of airspace averted as air traffic controllers call off protest KINGSTON, Jamaica (CMC) – Air traffic controllers who took protest action on Friday to press of an improved wage package, returned to work late Saturday, averting the closure of the Norman Manley International Airport. The airport was scheduled to close at 9:00pm (local time) on Saturday but the air traffic controllers who had defied a back to work order from the Industrial Disputes Tribunal (IDT), relented and returned to work at 11:00pm. The workers had been threatened with legal action when they failed to obey the order. Meanwhile the opposition Jamaica Labour Party’s (JLP) spokesman on
Mike Henry Transport, Mike Henry, has urged the Government to address the issues that threatened to disrupt air traffic control service. He noted that failure to
address issues of safety which affect air traffic controllers, amounts to a “gross dereliction of responsibilities”. Late Saturday, in anticipation of the closure of the airspace, Caribbean Airlines said four flights out of the island would be cancelled due to the protest action. The airline informed passengers that flights from Toronto to the Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston; from Kingston to the Fort Lauderdale Airport; from The Fort Lauderdale Airport to the Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay, St James and from the JFK Airport in New York to Kingston were cancelled.
The Guardian - The Caribbean Collective for Justice (CCJ) organisation says it has obtained a leaked copy of the 2014 report from Caricom’s Marijuana Commission which recommended regional leaders consider decriminalising marijuana possession and permit the development of a marijuana industry for medicinal purposes. The report recommended that leaders “explore any commercial benefit from a potential multi-billion dollar industry including research and development and also production of medicinal marijuana products.” The CCJ organisation is now calling on Caricom Secretary-General Irwin LaRocque to tell the region if the report is in fact authentic and why he has not made the findings of the Marijuana Commission public. This comes on the heels of Prime Minister Kamla
Irwin LaRocque Persad-Bissessar ’s statement on Friday that she would be guided by C a r i c o m ’s p o s i t i o n o n marijuana. She was at the time addressing a forum hosted by the Powerful Ladies of T&T. Saturday the CCJ, through a statement, said the leaked report which they obtained was dated February 2014 and was submitted for consideration at a Heads of
Government conference. It said the report had not been released publicly “because various Heads did not agree with its conclusions, which recommended that a marijuana industry for medicinal purposes be developed selecting plants grown for cannabinoids, rather than THC; that the removal of incarceration as a penalty for marijuana possession be considered, in light of the number of young people arrested for the offence across the region; and that the Heads of Government therefore explore any commercial benefit from a potential multi-billion dollar industry including research and development and also production of medicinal marijuana products.” The CCJ organisation said, according to its sources, the initial report of the Marijuana Commission was rejected because individual Heads of Government did not agree with the findings of this independent report.
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Kaieteur News
Tropical storm warnings, watches in effect for portions of Caribbean as weaker Danny gets closer BRIDGETOWN, Barbados – Tropical storm warnings have been issued for Antigua and Barbuda, Montserrat, St Kitts and Nevis and Anguilla as Danny, which was downgraded to a tropical storm and continues to weaken, approaches the Eastern Caribbean. Tropical storm watches are in effect for Saba and St. Eustatius, St. Maarten, Puerto Rico, Vieques, Culebra and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The watches issued
earlier for Guadeloupe, St. Martin and St. Barthelemy have been discontinued. “Tropical storm force winds are expected within portions of the warning area by late last night. Danny is expected to produce two to four inches of rain over the Leeward Islands, the U.S. and British Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico through tomorrow,” the National Hurricane Centre (NHC) said. Danny is carrying maximum sustained winds of 50 miles per hour, and is located 275 miles east of Guadeloupe and 310 miles east southeast of Antigua. The storm was moving toward the west near 15 miles per hour.
Monday August 24, 2015
Germany and Brazil join forces on climate change action
Germany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel (R) and Brazil’s President Dilma Rousseff talk after a meeting at the Planalto Palace in Brasilia, Brazil. REUTERS/Ueslei Marcelino BRASILIA (Reuters) Germany and Brazil committed themselves last week to a joint stance on climate change, putting the largest economies in Europe and Latin America on the same page ahead of global climate talks in Paris in December. Chancellor Angela Merkel and Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff focused mainly on
environmental cooperation during a 24-hour visit by the German leader that was also aimed at boosting trade and investment in Brazil’s stagnant economy. “We agreed on common actions to deal with one of the most important challenges of the 21st Century,” Rousseff said. She said Brazil is committed to reducing deforestation in the Amazon
to zero by 2030. Rousseff declared Brazilian support for decarbonizing the global economy by the end of the century, an announcement environmental activists said would boost hopes for such a target being agreed to in Paris. The COP-21 meeting will seek a binding agreement on how to share the burden of capping global warming at 2
degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees F) above pre-industrial levels or lower. “As the world’s third largest greenhouse gas emitter, Brazilian support is crucial if the world is going to call time on the age of fossil fuels in Paris,” said Iain Keith, of the Avaaz campaign network. “Now we need to see Brazil spelling out how precisely it intends to do this,” he said in a statement. Putting money behind its commitment, the German government announced 550 million euros ($615.78 million) in financing for environmental and clean energy programs in Brazil. Germany’s Development Ministry will provide Brazil 525 million euros ($588 million) in loans to fund the development of renewable energy sources and to preserve tropical forests. Germany also donated 23 million euros ($25.7 million) to help Brazil establish a rural land registry aimed at enhanced monitoring of deforestation.
Monday August 24, 2015
Kaieteur News
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Kaieteur News
Monday August 24, 2015
Greek coalition process crawls as election calls accelerate Reuters Greek opposition leaders made zero progress yesterday as they pressed on with trying to form a new coalition, despite appeals from home and abroad for a rapid move to elections so the country can deal with its simultaneous economic and humanitarian crises. Conservative leader Evangelos Meimarakis spent the third and final day offered to him by Greece’s president to form a government in vain, rebuffed by leftist outgoing Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and the leaders of smaller parties in parliament. The leisurely pace of coalition negotiations since Tsipras resigned on Thursday - after only seven months in office - has prompted media calls for a caretaker leader to implement further austerity and reform policies that are essential to ensure Greece keeps getting vital funds under its new bailout deal. Tsipras denounced the tactics of Meimarakis and radical leftist Panagiotis Lafazanis - the man who led a
Greek former Energy Minister and leader of the leftist Popular Unity party Panagiotis Lafazanis (L) speaks to Evangelos Meimarakis, leader of the conservative New Democracy party during their meeting at the parliament in Athens, Greece. Reuters/Stoyan Nenov walkout from Tsipras’s Syriza party over the 86 billion euro ($98 billion) programme and is next in line to try to form a government. “Don’t bother with tricks aimed at delaying the elections. These won’t get anywhere and the people understand this,” Tsipras told senior government and Syriza members on Saturday. He remains favourite to
form the next government after elections, but whoever leads Greece next faces daunting problems. The country narrowly avoided financial collapse and possible exit from the euro when Tsipras caved in to euro zone and IMF demands to secure the bailout. Lafazanis, whose Popular Unity party immediately became the third biggest
when it split from Syriza on Friday, is due to receive his presidential mandate to try to put together a coalition on Monday following Meimarakis’s failed attempts. Lafazanis, whom Tsipras sacked as energy minister last month for rebelling, insists he will use his full three days but has ruled out dealing with anybody who supported the bailout.
That reduces his possible partners to the communists and Golden Dawn, an ultraright group shunned by all the other parties. This unlikely combination would muster just 57 votes in the 300-seat parliament, under the current party standings. While the creditors’ money has started flowing to Greece, it could stop if they feel Athens is not sticking to its promises at a review in October. That would sink plans to rescue Greek banks brought to their knees by the crisis. Adding to the urgency for a stable government, Greece is struggling with thousands of migrants, many of them refugees from the Syrian civil war. They are landing on Greek islands in small boats, making their way to the mainland and heading to the Macedonian border where thousands are stuck in chaotic and squalid conditions, hoping to head for more prosperous countries in northern Europe. Under Greece’s labyrinthine constitution, the three biggest parties are
offered three days each to try to form a new coalition should a government resign after less than a year. Only when these efforts have failed - something that is already a near certainty can President Prokopis Pavlopoulos appoint a caretaker prime minister and call elections. Some believe Greece cannot wait for action until after elections, which Tsipras wants held before the end of September. “The country needs an experienced caretaker prime minister,” Kathimerini newspaper said. “Implementing the accord reached with the lenders, recapitalising the banks and the migrant crisis are burning issues that cannot wait, not even one month.” Even Jeroen Dijsselbloem, the chairman of euro zone finance ministers so often at odds with Athens during the bailout negotiations, has taken common cause with Tsipras over elections. “I hope that they are as quick as possible so that the least possible amount of time is wasted,” he told reporters.
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Britain reopens embassy in Iran ransacked in 2011 Reuters - Britain reopened its embassy in Tehran yesterday, a striking signal of how Western ties with Iran have thawed since protesters stormed the compound nearly four years ago. Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond watched the British flag being raised in the garden of the opulent 19th century building while the national anthem played. In 2011, the attackers burned the Union Jack and ransacked the ambassador’s residence. “Today’s ceremony marks the end of one phase in the relationship between our two countries and the start of a new one - one that I believe offers the promise of better,” he said. After what was a low point in diplomacy between the two countries, he said, the relationship had improved “step by step” since the election of Iranian President Hassan Rouhani in 2013. Hammond said the nuclear deal that the Islamic Republic struck with six major world powers last month was also an important milestone. The agreement prompted a flurry of European visits including from German and
The convoy of British Foreign Secretary Phillip Hammond arrives to the British Embassy in Tehran yesterday. Reuters/Raheb Homavandi/TIMA French ministers - aimed at positioning for the end of Iran’s long economic isolation. Britain had been held back by security concerns after the storming of its two main diplomatic compounds in Tehran on Nov. 29, 2011. The protesters slashed portraits of British monarchs, torched a car and stole electronic equipment. Graffiti reading “Death to England” still adorns the doors to a grand reception room in a reminder of the
storming. Prime Minister David Cameron called the attack a ‘disgrace’, closed Britain’s embassy and expelled I r a n ’s d i p l o m a t s f r o m London. Yesterday a small group of protesters reportedly gathered near the newly reopened Tehran embassy, which was guarded by dozens of Iranian security forces. The hardline Fars news site showed pictures of female protesters in black chadors
St. Kitts-Nevis PM on official visit to Taiwan TAIPEI, Taiwan - CMC – St. Kitts-Nevis Prime Minister Dr. Timothy Harris has held talks with President Ma Yingjeou as the Caribbean country seeks to improve relations with Taiwan. President Ma said that St. Kitts- Nevis has been a faithful partner and friend to Taiwan and expressed his country’s gratitude for Basseterre’s strong support for Taiwan’s inclusion into various agencies and institutions in the United Nations. President Ma also expressed the willingness for his government to expand the scope of the cooperation with St. Kitts-Nevis. Prime Minister Harris, who came to power earlier this year, said that over the years the two countries had enjoyed a tremendous relationship dating back to 1981. “Over time our relations have evolved and expanded. From the LED lights that illuminate our roads, to capacity building through the well-established scholarship program…from the solar farm that reduces the cost of electricity to the Eco-park built using Taiwanese cutting
Dr. Timothy Harris edge technologies…our people have grown closer and our ties have been reaffirmed,” Prime Minister Harris said. He said Basseterre would continue to push for Taiwan to be included as a credible
and important partner in global affairs. “We have no doubt that Taiwan has proven to be a strong, steady and supportive partner in many ways that are tangible and lasting. “Taiwan has left an indelible footprint on our landscape and in our hearts, and in recognition of Taiwan as a technologically advanced nation, a compassionate and committed friend, and a responsible partner, St. Kitts and Nevis will unreservedly continue to advocate for Taiwan’s inclusion and acceptance as a global player on a global stage”, said Prime Minister Harris. Harris said that the twinisland Federation was looking for assistance in areas of health care services, egovernment and renewable energy.
and a journalist from the local Shargh newspaper tweeted that the crowd chanted “Death to England” before security forces dispersed it. A few hours after the Tehran ceremony, Iran reopened its embassy in London; both will be run by chargé d’affaires at first with ambassadors to be agreed within months, Hammond said. He is only the second British foreign minister to visit Iran since the 1979 Islamic
revolution that toppled the U.S.-backed shah. The last visit was by Jack Straw in 2003. Accompanying Hammond was a small group of business leaders, including representatives from Royal Dutch Shell, Energy and mining services company Amec Foster Wheeler and Scottish industrial engineering firm Weir Group. After more than a decade of casting the Islamic Republic as a rogue power seeking to sow turmoil through the Middle East, Britain has sought to improve ties with Iran, whose proven natural gas reserves are as vast as Russia’s. “In the first instance, we will want to ensure that the nuclear agreement is a success, including by encouraging trade and investment once sanctions are lifted,” Hammond said. Under the nuclear deal, sanctions imposed by the United States, European Union and United Nations will be lifted in exchange for Iran agreeing long-term curbs on a nuclear programme the West suspected was intended to make a nuclear bomb.
Tehran has always denied seeking nuclear arms. Hammond told Iran’s central bank governor, Valiollah Seif, that British banks, mindful of penalties imposed in the past by U.S. authorities, wanted to ensure that they were fully compliant when they return to Iran. “There is a huge appetite both on the part of our commercial and industrial businesses to engage with the opportunity of Iran opening up and there is huge appetite on the part of our financial institutions to support that activity,” he said. “But of course it has to be done in the proper way.” Seif said the countries had had positive ties in the past and could build on them. While the nuclear deal is seen as a major opportunity by some, including U.S. President Barack Obama, hardliners in Washington and Tehran have opposed it, as has Israel. Britain has been cast for decades by opponents inside Iran as a perfidious “Old Fox” or “Little Satan” who does the bidding of “Big Satan,” the United States.
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Beirut protests turn violent for second day as PM threatens to quit
Monday August 24, 2015
Explosion rocks warehouse at U.S. military base in Japan, no injuries reported Reuters - An explosion rocked a warehouse at a U.S. military base in Sagamihara, Japan, but there were no reports of injuries, Japanese fire officials said today. The local fire department said it received a call just after midnight of an explosion at a U.S. Army depot where it said “dangerous material” is stored and sent firefighters. It added that the fire had subsided and there was no danger of it spreading since there were no adjacent buildings. The cause of the fire was not immediately known, the fire department said. In Washington, U.S. Navy Commander Bill Urban said the blast was at a building at the U.S. Army Sagami General Depot in Sagamihara, about 25 miles (40 km) southwest of Tokyo.
“There are no reports of injury, and base firefighters and first responders are currently fighting the resulting fire to prevent its spread to nearby buildings,” Urban said in an emailed statement. A U.S. Army spokesman said the building did not in fact store any hazardous material. “The building that exploded was not a hazardous material storage facility. We are in the process of determining the contents of the building. The depot does not store ammunition or radiological materials,” Lieutenant Colonel Kevin Toner told Reuters in an email. He added that no troops lived at the depot, where an estimated 200 personnel work in the daytime.
Germany vows to fight xenophobia after attacks on refugee home Protesters carry plastic bottles during a protest against corruption and against the government’s failure to resolve a crisis over rubbish disposal, near the government palace in Beirut, Lebanon yesterday. Reuters/Mohamed Azakir Reuters - Protests against the Lebanese government turned violent for a second day yesterday, and Prime Minister Tammam Salam threatened to resign as public discontent brought thousands into the streets. Anger at the Salam-led unity cabinet grouping Lebanon’s fractious politicians has come to a head over its failure to resolve a crisis over garbage disposal that reflects the wider failings of the weak state. Salam’s cabinet has been hamstrung by political and sectarian rivalries that have been exacerbated by wider crises in the Middle East, including the war in neighbouring Syria.
Salam, in a televised address, warned that Lebanon was headed towards collapse and that a bigger problem than the trash crisis was the country’s “political garbage”. Thousands of protesters have taken to the streets of Beirut this weekend as part of the “You Stink” campaign directed at the government. Water cannon and tear gas were fired at protesters, and demonstrators threw rocks and sticks at riot police as violence flared near Salam’s offices in central Beirut. “The people want the downfall of the regime,” chanted protesters. Security forces fired into the air, and clouds of tear gas
wafted through the streets as police tried to force protesters from the area. Some demonstrators lit fires. A tree next to a church was set ablaze, road signs were pulled from the ground, and shop fronts smashed. Violence also flared on Saturday night. Many dozens of people have been hurt over the two days. Thirty members of the Internal Security Forces were injured on Sunday, one seriously, the National News Agency said. A leader in the You Stink campaign said “infiltrators” were behind the violence. “We started peacefully, and we will continue peacefully,” Hassan Shams told New TV.
Reuters - Germany’s interior minister led calls yesterday for a crackdown on right-wing militants and racists after a second night of scuffles between protesters and police outside a refugee shelter in an eastern German town near Dresden. Just a day after 31 police officers were hurt in violent protests against the asylum seekers, a Reuters photographer on Saturday night saw some 200 mostly drunk militants in Heidenau throwing fireworks and bottles at police. Amid fears of a recurrence, police yesterday started to set up a security zone around the shelter, an empty hardware store. Vice Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel will visit the town today. As Europe struggles with an influx of migrants fleeing war in countries such as Syria and Iraq, German politicians are worried about the financial and social effects on their country, the EU’s biggest
recipient of refugees. Germany, which has relatively liberal asylum laws, expects the number of refugees to quadruple this year to 800,000. Chancellor Angela Merkel says it is the biggest issue the EU faces, tougher even than the Greek debt crisis. “At the same time as we see a wave of people wanting to help, we have a rise in hate, insults and violence against asylum seekers. That is obscene and unworthy of our country,” de Maiziere told Bild am Sonntag newspaper. “Anyone who acts like that faces the full force of the law.” Justice Minister Heiko Maas responded to the Heidenau riot by saying there was zero tolerance for xenophobia or racism. Many politicians have warned about a rise in hostility towards foreigners and in the first half of the year alone, some 150 arson or other attacks were recorded on
refugee shelters. Some of Merkel’s conservatives want to curb benefits for asylum seekers and for other EU states to take up more of the burden. De Maiziere said the EU had to agree on a list of countries of ‘safe origin’ to make it easier to deport refugees, including nations trying to join the bloc and some African states. More than one third of asylum seekers in Germany are from southeastern European countries such as Albania and Serbia. Gabriel said the EU’s passport-free Schengen zone could be at risk if the impression arose that only Sweden, Austria and Germany accept large numbers of refugees. Some lawmakers have demanded more money for localities to spend on housing, care and education for refugees. Others want faster processing of applications from an average eight months.
North, South Korea on alert amid talks in bid to end standoff Reuters - Top aides to the leaders of North and South Korea negotiated into the evening of yesterday after talking through the previous night to try to ease tensions involving an exchange of artillery fire that brought the peninsula to the brink of armed conflict. The rare and unusually long meeting at the Panmunjom truce village inside the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) began on Saturday evening, shortly after North Korea’s deadline for Seoul to halt anti-Pyongyang propaganda broadcasts or face military action. It broke up before dawn yesterday and restarted in the afternoon with the rivals on
high military alert. The North had deployed twice the usual artillery strength at the border and had more than 50 submarines away from base, the South’s defence ministry said. South Korea, also on high alert, said it had no plans to halt the propaganda broadcasts that triggered the latest standoff. The envoys, shown on TV exchanging handshakes and tight smiles at the start of their meeting on Saturday, discussed ways to resolve tension and improve ties, South Korea’s presidential Blue House said in a brief statement early yesterday. “Both sides are under big pressure to get something out of this,” said
Jeon Young-sun, professor at the Institute of the Humanities for Unification at Konkuk University in Seoul, who said the length of the high-level meeting may be unprecedented. The talks took place in South Korea’s Peace House, just south of Panmunjom’s often-photographed sky-blue huts, and the same venue where lower-level talks between the bitter rivals took place in February 2014, without agreement. The negotiating session that began Saturday was interrupted with breaks for both sides to consult with their respective governments, and for snacks, the South’s Yonhap News Agency reported.
Right wing protesters who are against bringing asylum seekers to an accommodation facility run down a street in Heidenau, Germany Saturday. Reuters/Axel Schmidt
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WICB town-hall Serena wins Cincinnati title in final U.S. Open tune-up meetings to continue
Simona Halep (left) and Serena Williams (USA) stand with their trophies after their match in the finals. Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports Defending champion Serena Williams finished her last U.S. Open tune-up in style by beating Romanian third seed Simona Halep 6-3 7-6(5) to win the Western & Southern Open yesterday. For the top-seeded American, the Cincinnati triumph sent a message that she is in top form as she now sets her sights on a calendar sweep of the four grand slams at the Aug. 31-Sept. 13 U.S. Open. Halep had a solid start and broke Williams in the opening game of the first set but the American, who turns 34 next month, recovered
to win the final five games of the first set. In the final set, the opponents traded early breaks but Williams took it to another level in the tiebreak and wrapped the match up in 69 minutes. It marked the fifth title of the year for Williams following wins at the Australian Open, in Miami and at the French Open and Wimbledon. The win was also the 69th career title for Williams and moved her ahead of Evonne Goolagong and into fifth place on the all-time list. (Reuters)
Cameroon soccer player dies after collapsing during match A 26-year-old striker for Cameroonian second division soccer team Dynamo de Douala collapsed during a match and later died, the central African nation’s professional soccer league said yesterday. Leopold Angong Oben was fouled in the penalty area, earning his team a spot kick during the first half of the match against Colombe du Dja-et-Lobo at the Reunification Stadium in the commercial capital Douala on Saturday. He received treatment on the field and resumed play but collapsed minutes later. “He collapsed in the stadium in the 33rd minute of the match. His team mates tried to revive him
without success,” said sports journalist Aime Moukoko, who was in the stadium reporting on the match. The referee called for the assistance of Red Cross personnel present at the stadium, the Cameroon Professional Football League said in a statement. “(Oben) was evacuated to a Douala hospital where he passed away minutes after,” the statement said. His cause of death has not been disclosed. Oben was the second player from Dynamo de Douala to die in the span of three weeks after 27-year-old goalkeeper Ferdinand Mbog passed away following an unspecified illness. (Reuters)
Kingston, Jamaica – The series of West Indies Cricket Board town-hall meetings hosted by President Whycliffe “Dave” Cameron and Vice President Emmanuel Nanthan are still to be hosted in two main territories, Trinidad & Tobago and Leeward Islands. As announced after the meeting on August 7 in Jamaica, the next meeting is due in Antigua on a date to be announced. Efforts to host a meeting in the T&T could not be finalised from as far back as June 2015 when the President’s office made contact. In a letter dated June 22 addressed to Cameron, from General Secretary, T&TCB, Arjoon Ramlal, the letter, which is attached, outlines an inability for the T&T affiliates to agree to a location to the benefit of what the town hall meeting was to achieve. The President while visiting for the Caribbean Premier League final, agreed to return to a venue and time suitable for all affiliates. The President and his team remain assured that one of the most efficient ways to re-engage the cricketing community is through a well-run Territorial Board. “As the leadership of WICB we decided to decentralize our operations and empower the Territorial Boards through the setup of franchises,” emphasised the President. He added that this is in keeping with sound business practices. The WICB mandated these requirements and asked for a number of submissions when we setup the Franchise system: - Separate commercial
Emmanuel Nanthan - WICB Vice President entity from the Territorial Board - Business Plan - The Chairmanship of the Franchise should be separate from the chairmanship of the Territorial Boards - Hiring of qualified personnel for each franchise including CEOs, coaches and administrative staff with the relevant expertise - Annual financial reporting as well as development of the franchises Cameron said: “We have been asking for the programmes for the new franchise year which started in August 2015 and the response has not been forthcoming from all the Franchises. This is pretty much the direction the WICB is aiming at and we think with some consistency in structure, we can achieve desired results with positive outcomes.” Cameron is proposing that
this is the opportunity to put all of the requirements and the spotlight back on the Territorial Boards to develop cricket from the ground up. “This will be an exercise in vigilance and patience,” noted the President. A main suggestion coming out the town hall meetings is requesting that the WICB is to hold each Territorial Board accountable for the US $45,000 allocation per month. Those funds are being used to cover expenses for players’ salaries and other administrative costs outlined above. At all the meetings held so far, a common request is that the WICB be more vigilant in monitoring how the regions account for those funds. “We accept the charge the stakeholders have made and measures are being put in place to ensure the teams abide by the mandate of the Board,” said the President. (WICB)
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Monday August 24, 2015
Federer beats Djokovic for FIFA reform chief Carrard says criticism of Blatter ‘unfair’ seventh Cincinnati title Roger Federer avenged his Wimbledon final loss to Novak Djokovic by beating the top-seeded Serb 7-6(1) 63 yesterday to capture his second consecutive Western & Southern Open title. The Swiss second seed, playing Djokovic for the first time since losing to him in the Wimbledon final for a second straight year last month, brought his record number of Cincinnati titles to seven with the win. Federer, who did not concede a service break all week, easily handled his service games throughout the match, losing only 13 points on his serve. He also employed an attacking style that gave Djokovic fits, winning 15 of 21 net points in the first set. After cruising through the first set tiebreak, Federer earned the only break of the match in the second game of the second set en route to sealing the win in 90 minutes. “I tried to really mix it up on his second serve and I was hoping to serve good enough myself to keep me out of trouble,” Federer said in his courtside interview. “He had that one bad game at the beginning of the second set, which made the difference in the match.” The win will give Federer a jolt of confidence going into the Aug. 31-Sept 13 U.S. Open where he will be seeking a sixth title at Flushing Meadows and first since 2008.
Roger Federer holds the Rookwood Cup after defeating Novak Djokovic in the finals. Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports With the win, Federer also denied longtime rival Djokovic from completing the set of all nine ATP Masters titles and took a 21-20 edge in career head-to-head meetings. “It’s now the fifth time I’ve been in this final. I guess I’ll have to wait until Roger retires,” Djokovic joked. “I knew coming into the match he was going to be aggressive. No question about it. So I tried to handle it. I did well until the tiebreak in the first set. After that, he was just the better player.”
Federer will now move into second spot in the world rankings on Monday, which means the two rivals could meet again in the final at Flushing Meadows. After the match, Federer assessed his game going into the year’s final grand slam. “Good, regardless of whether I would have won or not,” said Federer. “I was well prepared. I had a good Wimbledon, a good offseason, recovered well and trained really hard. I knew I was going to be ready for the Open.” (Reuters)
The head of FIFA’s new reform committee has said the soccer governing body’s outgoing president Sepp Blatter had been unfairly criticised and there was no evidence of him being involved in corruption. Swiss lawyer Francois Carrard was appointed earlier this month as the independent chair of FIFA’s 15-person reform committee which will hold its first meeting on September. 2. In an interview with Swiss newspaper La Matin Dimanche, Carrard, former director general of the International Olympic Committee, said criticism of Blatter was more to do with him having been at the helm of the sport’s ruling body for 17 years. “There is something unfair in the way he is treated. I say that with complete independence. We are in the process of pillorying him. Unfortunately, it’s always like that when somebody stays too long, the negative side gets noticed,” said the 77year-old Carrard. “This man has been unfairly treated. And if we talk about corruption... I have the whole U.S. proceedings on my table. In the indictment, there is not one word against him. Nothing. Today I am not aware of any indication of corruption against Blatter,” he said. Seven FIFA officials, including now suspended FIFA vice president and executive committee member
Jeffrey Webb, were among 14 people accused by the U.S. Justice Department in May of exploiting the sport for their own gain through bribes of more than $150 million over 24 years. While Blatter does not appear in the indictment he has faced criticism for his handling of the organisation, which also faced a corruption scandal in 2011 and which is subject to a Swiss investigation into the awarding of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups to Russia and Qatar respectively. Carrard’s defence of Blatter is likely to raise eyebrows among those campaigning for reform of FIFA, given the scepticism about his committee which is made up of a majority of representatives from the
regional confederations which control FIFA’s executive committee. Carrard, who confirmed in the interview that he was being paid by FIFA for his new role, said there was a desire for reform within world soccer’s governing body but that there had to be realism. “I am convinced that there is a will to reform. FIFA took major blows, she is in deep crisis and I believe that all members have realised that drastic measures are needed,” he said, noting that some previous attempts at change had not got beyond the idea stage. “On a cloud, you can advocate for reforms... but they will not necessarily be adopted. It takes knowledge of the “realpolitik”,” he said. (Reuters)
FIFA President Sepp Blatter. Reuters/Denis Balibouse
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Ashes 2015: England lose fifth Test Lady Jags battle to 1-1 stalemate with Cuba by innings but win series 3-2 Guyana’s fate to be decided in the Cuba/St Kitts game
Ashes champs, England celebrate. Australia completed a comprehensive victory in the fifth Test to dampen England’s Ashes-winning celebrations at The Oval. The tourists took England’s four remaining second-innings wickets either side of a threehour rain delay to win by an innings and 46 runs. Peter Siddle made the
breakthrough when he trapped Mark Wood lbw for six before Jos Buttler chipped Mitchell Marsh to mid-off for 42. When play resumed in mid-afternoon sunshine Siddle bowled Stuart Broad for 11 and had Moeen Ali caught behind for 35 to finish with 4-35 as England were bowled out for 286.
Rising Sun Turf Club... From page 37 which is being held by the Rising Sun Turf Club in collaboration with friends and has prize monies totaling 7.5 million. According to the Organizers, the event is being held with the full backings of the Government of Guyana and has the blessing of The Guyana Horse Racing Authority (GHRA). Nine races are listed for the day with incentives including cash and trophies among others. A number of sponsors are on board including Banks DIH Limited, Inshan Bacchus, Hard Running Tucking Service and Racing Stable, Jumbo Jet Racing Stables, Mohammed “Nankoo” Shariff Business Entity and Racing Stables, Trophy Stall and Miner Pabdeep Abdul. The ‘A’ and lower event will once again be the event to witness, with all of the top horses battling for supremacy. ‘Scores Even’ is expected to return as well as California Strike and Treacle. However, two-time Guyana Cup champion ‘C.P Got Even’ will be the Horse to beat with others such as Princess She is Not, Curfew Tower, Spit Fire, Jack In My Style, Diplomatic Cat, Kazi Azari and Bridal Stone Corner will be in action over one mile for $1.2m and the President’s Cup. The other races listed for the day are the 1400m race for Three-year-old West Indian
bred animals for a $500,000 winner’s prize. The one mile race for Four-year-old West Indian bred animals and D3 none-winners for 2015 and those classified E and lower will also compete for a first prize of $500,000. There is an event for horses classified F and Lower over 1400m for a top prize of $350,000. The organizers have also disclosed that there will be no distinction in the twoyear-old event as both the West Indian and Guyana bred horses are slated to do battle over 1100m for $350,000 and trophy. The winner of the G3 and lower 1400m event will get $300,000 and trophy. A competitive field is expected to take to the track in the race for animals classified ‘I’ and lower for the $260,000 top prize over a distance of 1100m. Horses running in the J and Lower 1100m even will battle for a first prize of $240,000 and trophy. The K and lower event will see the winner taking home $200,000 and trophy. Incentives, compliments of Ramesh Sunich of the Trophy Stall and the organizers, will be up for grabs for the top Jockey, Runner, Stable and Trainer. Entries are expected to close on Wednesday August 26 and interested persons can contact Organizer Fazal Habibulla on 232-0232 or 6577010. Races will be run under the rules of the GHRA and starts at 12:00 noon.
The defeat had no bearing on the destination of the Ashes, with England captain Alastair Cook lifting the iconic urn after his team won the series 3-2. The hosts, underdogs coming into the series, avenged the 5-0 whitewash down under in 2010-11 and have now won all four home Ashes series since losing in 2001. Australia will take solace from the emphatic manner in which they finished the series, ensuring they sent Captain Michael Clarke into retirement on a winning note. Clarke was given a standing ovation by The Oval crowd as he led out his team-mates on the fourth day, with England resuming on 203-6. He announced his retirement after the Ashes were surrendered in the fourth Test at Trent Bridge and will hand over the captaincy to batsman Steve Smith. When Siddle took the final wicket, Clarke, who captained Australia in 47 of his 115 Tests, was engulfed by his team-mates before he
and fellow retiring team-mate Chris Rogers held souvenir stumps aloft and soaked up the crowd’s applause. Clarke then darted across the outfield to acknowledge the travelling Australia fans, signing autographs and posing for pictures. Australia’s resounding win was reflective of a series low on tension but high on drama. England belied their status as pre-series underdogs to win the first Test in Cardiff, before falling to a 405-run thrashing at Lord’s. Then came two extraordinary England victories as Australia handed over the Ashes in a succession of spectacular batting collapses on the seaming wickets of Edgbaston and Trent Bridge. England will travel to Australia to defend the Ashes in 2017-18. Australia 481: Smith 143. England 149 & 286 (following on): Cook 85, Siddle 4-35; Australia won by an innings and 46 runs. (BBCsport)
Guyana’s Lady Jags gave up a 1-0 advantage against arch rivals Cuba as eth game ended when the two sides clashed yesterday in the Dominican Republic in the Caribbean Football Union (FCU) leg of the Olympic Qualifier. Guyana found the back of the nets 12 minutes into the game compliments of their Captain Ashley Rodrigues but the Lady Jags could not keep the determined Cubans at bay. The Cubans who would have lost to the Guyanese in a home and away tie back in 2010 when Guyana qualified for the CONCACAF Gold Cup, rallied to score the neutralizing goal in the 34th minute. Luck was not on the side
of the Lady Jags when a Justine Rodrigues header came off the crossbar in the second half, a goal that could have given the Guyanese a much needed win. It was Cuba’s first game of the tournament while Guyana wrapped up their stay on the Island after defeating St. Kitts and Nevis 8-0 in their opening Group 4 match on Friday last. The result means that Guyana’s fate of advancing will be decided when Cuba takes on St. Kitts and Nevis tomorrow. Meanwhile, while the Guyanese ended unbeaten, Head Coach Mark Rodrigues said that they will be hoping that Cuba does not get past St. Kitts by more than eight goals.
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Monday August 24, 2015
LFS Burnham Memorial Chess Tournament Kumar Sangakkara: Sri Lanka Roberto Neto assumes lead in batsman makes 18 in final innings Sri Lanka batsman Kumar Sangakkara made 18 in his final international innings before retirement. The 37year-old, the fifth highest Test run-scorer in history, was given a guard of honour by India’s fielders in the second Test in Colombo. He hit three fours before edging Ravichandran Ashwin to gully, leaving Sri Lanka 332 in pursuit of 413. Sangakkara ends his 134-Test career with 12,400 runs at an average of 57.40, with 38 centuries. The left-hander also played 404 one-day internationals and 56 Twenty20 internationals and also appeared in English county cricket for
stiff rivalry for top honours
Kumar Sangakkara
Warwickshire, Durham and Surrey, who he joined on a two-year contract in January. After breaking into the Sri Lanka side in 2000 as a wicketkeeper-batsman, he eventually relinquished the wicketkeeping gloves in Test
cricket in 2008. He gave the MCC Spirit of Cricket Cowdrey Lecture at Lord’s in 2011. Sri Lanka ended day four at the P Sara Oval on 72-2, with captain Angelo Mathews unbeaten on 23. (BBCsport)
Hamilton cruises to dream win in Belgium
Mercedes Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain celebrates his victory in the Belgian F1 Grand Prix in Spa-Francorchamps. Reuters/Yves Herman Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton won the Belgian Grand Prix from pole position yesterday to stretch his lead over Mercedes team mate Nico Rosberg to 28 points with eight races remaining. Rosberg finished 2.0 seconds behind the Briton, in a dry race despite teams anxiously studying weather maps for approaching rain in the final stages, to complete Mercedes’ seventh one-two in 11 races. “Today was a dream and the car was fantastic all weekend,” declared Hamilton, who controlled the race from the opening lap — after an aborted first start — and never looked threatened by his German rival. “I was never in a position where I felt nervous, I had great pace in the car. There was no real need to push more than I had to,” he added. The two collided at Spa
last year, with Hamilton having to retire, but the risk of that happening again receded when Rosberg made a slow getaway off the front row. “I just completely messed up the start,” said the German, who had hoped to capitalize on changed starting procedures that leave more to the driver and prevent engineers from helping remotely. “Lewis did a great job, he deserved to win.” France’s Romain Grosjean took an emotional third place for Lotus after Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel, in his 150th race and the team’s 900th, suffered a right rear tire blowout on the penultimate lap. “It was probably one of my best races ever,” said the Frenchman, back on the podium for the first time since 2013 in a boost for a financially-troubled team who arrived in Spa with the threat of having their cars impounded hanging over
them. “Being here today is special for us, it has the price of a race win.” Hamilton has now won six races this season, and 39 in his Formula One career. The double champion has 227 points to Rosberg’s 199 and Sunday was also his 80th podium appearance, equaling the achievement of boyhood hero and late triple world champion Ayrton Senna. Russian Daniil Kvyat finished fourth for Red Bull after a late charge through the field with Mexican Sergio Perez, who had stormed into second place at the start, finishing fifth for Force India. Brazilian Felipe Massa was sixth for Williams, with Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen seventh after starting in 16th place, and 17-year-old Belgian-born Dutchman Max Verstappen eighth for Toro Rosso. Finland’s Valtteri Bottas was ninth for Williams, after an embarrassing team error that saw him leave the pits with three soft tires and one medium fitted, and Sweden’s Marcus Ericsson took the final point for Sauber. Germany’s Nico Hulkenberg caused the aborted start, and reduction of the race to 43 laps instead of 44, when he reported a loss of power and raised his hands. The German returned to the Force India garage and retired. The McLaren pair of Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button, who started last after picking up a meaningless combined grid drop of 105 places — despite there being only 20 in total — finished 13th and 14th. (Reuters)
Roberto Neto employed shrewd strategies while remaining focused to chalk up an impeccable 3 points from as many games to command the lead when the second of the three days Linden Forbes Sampson Burnham Memorial Chess Tournament ended at the National Resource Centre, Woolford Avenue yesterday afternoon. However, Neto cannot afford to become complacent and rest on his laurels as two other players, former National Junior Champion, Anthony Drayton and Glenford Corlette are just ½ of a point shy of his score while Alexander Duncan and veteran player, Errol Tiwari are also in contention with 2 points apiece. Brimming with confidence, Neto started his trek with a convincing victory over Frankie Farley when the action commenced on Saturday. He returned yesterday to add the scalps of Davion Mars and Errol Tiwari to his collection, finishing the day on top of the heap.
Former Junior and Senior National Champion, Taffin Khan won his game against Alex Joseph but had to settle for 2 points after finishing with drawn games against Anthony Drayton, in the first round, and Glenford Corlette in the third. The latter player is also positioned on 2 points. Dr. Maria Thomas is yet to make a favourable impression after being absent for the first round and dropping her second round game to Drayton. She finished the day yesterday with a victory over Alex Joseph who is still to register a win. Another player, Nigerian, Michael Chapp Jumbo, is yet to notch up a point after suffering defeats yesterday afternoon to Alexander Duncan and veteran player, Roy Sharma. Other points standing reads, Davion Mars (2), Alexander Duncan (2), Sharma (1), Maria Thomas (1), Frankie Farley (1) and Rodwell Poole (1). Meanwhile, this tournament will be used as the qualifier to the national
championship which is scheduled to get underway soon. Senior National Champion, Wendell Meusa was slated to compete though his participation is not compulsory. He was a no show and sources close to the national champion said that he opted not to play after he was improperly informed of the tournament. President of the Guyana Chess Federation, Irshad Mohamed, who also serves as Tournament Director, was unavailable yesterday afternoon to assuage this contention and veteran player, David Khan, filled the role of TD. The action will continue at the same venue next Saturday and Sunday with 2 round each day and one could expect the stiff rivalry to continue especially since this is a rated tournament and all of the contenders will be keen to aim for improved ratings. The tournament has been sanctioned by the local governing body, the Guyana Chess Federation (GCF).
Arthur Morris: Australia’s ‘Invincibles’ opener dies at 93 Arthur Morris during his Test Career.
Australian Test great Arthur Morris, a key member of Don Bradman’s 1948 ‘Invincibles’ side, has died aged 93. The left-handed opener scored 3,533 runs in 46 Tests at an average of 46.48 and was named in Australia’s team of the century in 2000. Morris was leading run-scorer on the 1948 tour of England, and scored 196 at The Oval an innings overshadowed by Bradman’s duck in his farewell innings. “We have sadly lost a cherished link with our past,” Cricket Australia said. Chairman Wally Edwards continued: “Arthur Morris was a great man and one of the true greats of Australian cricket who until now had been a treasured connection to an extraordinary era of the game. “When Australia’s best openers are discussed his name will always be one of the first mentioned.” Morris was one of the two surviving members of the ‘Invincibles’, who went through the entire 1948 tour - 31 firstclass matches - without losing once. Neil Harvey, 86, another left-handed batting great,
is the only remaining player from that squad. Born in Sydney’s Bondi beachside suburb, Morris was the first batsman to score centuries in both innings of his first-class debut as an 18-year-old for New South Wales. He made his Test debut against England in Brisbane in 1946 and went on to score 12 centuries, captaining his country twice. He was at the non-striker’s end in the final Test in 1948 as Bradman, needing only four runs to retire with a career average of 100, was out second ball for nought. Australia coach Darren Lehmann paid his respects to Morris on social media, tweeting: “One of the true legends and gentlemen of the game. Arthur Morris RIP champion, our thoughts are with his wife Judith and family at this time.” Greg Baum, chief sports columnist at the Sydney Morning Herald, added: “What did Arthur Morris get out of cricket? Poverty, he always said, laughing. But what richness he gave us, as cricketer and gentleman.” (BBCsport)