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Kaieteur News Printed and Published by National Media & Publishing Company Ltd. 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown, Guyana. Publisher: GLENN LALL Editor: Adam Harris Tel: 225-8465, 225-8491. Fax: 225-8473, 226-8210
EDITORIAL
Caribbean T-20 Cricket
The inaugural season of the Limacol Caribbean Premier League has just been completed and it might be appropriate at this time to reflect on what it means for the region. That the event was successful beyond the wildest expectations of even the most diehard local cricket groupie, is beyond dispute. But while the success might have been most visible in the massive crowds that thronged the venues at every one of the twenty-four games that comprised the tournament, it went beyond that particular boundary. There was never any doubt as to the exciting nature of Caribbean cricket. Ever since we tore up the international scene from the 1960s, West Indian cricketers were loved throughout the world for their dashing “calypso” cricket. While some might have scoffed at their unorthodox methods, their exuberance captivated everyone. The shorter formats of the game, first the 50-over One-Day Internationals (ODIs) and then the Twenty/20 (T-20), were even more suited to their buccaneering style. Consequently, while their fortunes might have waned in the Test arena from the nineties, they were perfect for ODIs and T-20 fixtures. It was ironic that the T-20 format reached its zenith in India, which had always played cricket in the staidest manner possible. The success of the Indian Premier League (IPL) was as much a marketing success as a cricketing one. Lalit Modi, first Commissioner of the IPL, combined the presence of the most exciting foreign players with Indian domestic ones with a plethora of hype including dancing girls, Bollywood stars, fireworks and any number of on-field innovations to promote excitement. Some insiders felt that the burgeoning Indian middle class that was willing to pay to see the “tamasha” or spectacle was the reason for the IPL’s success and doubted that it could be replicated elsewhere. It is now clear that the Limacol CPL has equalled the oomph of the IPL. What is a bit disappointing from a nationalistic standpoint is that it took a foreigner, Ajmal Khan, Chairman of Verus International, to found the CPL. But in this day of mobility of capital, maybe we can look at his involvement as a “Foreign Direct Investment”. While the games were broadcast throughout the cricketing world, because of doubts about the organisational ability of West Indians to pull off a venture of this magnitude and logistical complexity, it did not command the same mega-financing that the IPL was able to demand from those broadcasters. In the second season, the broadcasting bids will be much higher. But even with the initial investment, everything was done in style and with panache: the games started on time, the fans were provided with all sorts of trappings to get involved with the action on the field, the music was pulsating and most important of all, the cricket was scintillating, even when the games were low scoring. The six teams - tAntigua Hawksbills, Barbados Tridents, Guyana Amazon Warriors, Jamaica Tallawahs, St. Lucia Zouks and Trinidad & Tobago Red Steel - were successful in introducing the concept of “franchise cricket” in which players were playing for teams and not nation. But now that the people have shown that they will support the new format, the owners and organisers have to ensure that cricket will be nurtured in the region. Our cricketing problems were always due to our lack of funds to finance the institutions necessary to sustain the local game. We hope that each franchise will work with local cricket boards to sponsor club cricket that will become nurseries for national and franchise players. The exciting new players such as Krishmar Santokie, who had slipped below the radar of regional selectors, are only the tip of the iceberg of talent that resides in our region. Finally, we appreciate the move to involve the older players from our glory days in the 70s and 80s. With their guidance and the marketing savvy displayed, happy days may be here again with our cricket.
Friday August 30, 2013
Letters... Where your views make the news
How to spend the Norway Funds DEAR EDITOR, I refer to Minister of Finance Dr. Ashni Singh’s comment that the InterAmerican Bank (IADB) has ceased the due diligence work on the Amaila Falls project (SN 8-28-2013). I have a suggestion for the Minister, the Government, the Opposition, and the people of Guyana. ask the Government of Norway to use some of the money allocated to fund three important studies. First, use some of the money to complete the Amaila due diligence study. This will provide invaluable information that we do not now have and it would close the current knowledge gap on Amaila. Second, use some of the Norway funds to complete a study on the full repair cost of bringing GPL up to an efficient and cost effective operational level; and complete an analysis on the
financing a new energy supply company to replace GPL, taking into account the electricity demand requirements for the next 5 to 10 years. The reason for this analysis is to ensure that GPL can deliver a clean, reliable and cost effective supply of electricity to consumers. The patchwork approach to GPL has not worked and much time and other resources have been spent without the expected benefits being delivered. For example, electricity losses are still high (as much as 30 percent of production) and this has been a problem that has not been solved, culminating in GPL being a loss making entity and a burden on taxpayers. Third, use some of the money to do a feasibility study of the energy supply potential of the contiguous falls, including Tumatumari/ Potaro River
basin and explore the linkage of purchasing electricity from Brazil. Perhaps they should consider different electricity supply plants of the following sizes: 250 megawatts, 500 megawatts, 1,500 megawatts of power. This could be linked to potential industry demand from at least the mining, forestry, manufacturing tourism and agriculture sectors. Finally, we need to get everyone on the same page examining the same information and facts, for spending US$858.0 million without knowing the basics is not a cost effective way to spend scarce resources. Complete the studies listed above, have a formal presentation, engage a rigorous debate process, and at the end make choices that will spur real development. Dr. C. Kenrick Hunte
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Letters... Where your views make the news Letters... Where your views make the news
Not surprised at Bacchus’ dismissal of Cricket Administration Bill DEAR EDITOR, Please permit me a response to Mr. Fizul Bacchus’ letter in the Kaieteur News dated 2013-08-23 in which he attempted to proclaim my ignorance of the impending Cricket Administration Bill. He sought to dismiss the Bill as being destructive to the continued existence of the present GCB for which I can only conclude that he supports the current administrative structure where only the Essequibo Cricket Board (ECB) voted to install the regime, which is unconstitutional. On the contrary I have read the bill with a binocular, ascertaining quite unequivocally that it represents considerable hope towards restoring sanity to the GCB. Permit me therefore to highlight a few points as being relevant to Mr. Bacchus’ misguided concepts. 1- The Bill alludes to the Minister acting in consultation with the WICB to set a date for election. 2- The Bill also provides for the Minister after meaningful consultation with the WICB to appoint a Cricket
Ombudsman who shall be responsible for the verification of legitimate clubs and performing the duties of Returning Officer. Isn’t this suggesting that the WICB will have to be involved before a legitimate GCB is installed Mr. Bacchus? 3- The Bill further highlights the transfer of rights whereby all employees of the former GCB are deemed to be employed by the GCB. It also caters for all assets, funds and resources and movable and immovable property held by the former Board now stand transferred to the GCB. So what compensation are you talking about Mr. Bacchus? The only compensation that must be given is to former West Indies fast bowler Reon King who was unceremoniously removed from his post as Cricket Development Officer. 4- The Bill provides for the books of the GCB to be audited and the report shall be laid before the National Assembly within a month of the completion of the audit. Will this not provide for transparency, accountability and prudent management of
the GCB’S financial resources, including monies given by the WICB Mr. Bacchus? 5- This is one of the grave areas that resulted in the intervention of the IMC and my involvement as an ECB representative at the time. The ECB under the previous leadership of Mr. Asif Ahmad and Mr. Prince Holder unanimously supported the stance taken to cleanse the GCB. The position was swiftly reversed after Mr. Bacchus was gifted the Presidency after being previously suspended by the Board. While I would wish to highlight several other critical clauses of the Bill that I believe will transform the Board beyond its present manipulation by the one goodly gentleman that you have glorified, space does not permit me to expand. As for the other questions relating to Linden, funding from the Government, submission of recommendations from the DCB, Directorship(Presidents of the BCA and TTCB are not Directors of the WICB) all of which I am sure will be answered by the Honorable Minister at the appropriate time. It is sad to note that many
of the emerging players from the Pomeroon River don’t even know who the President of the Pomeroon Cricket Committee is, since Mr. Bacchus seldom visits the area or convenes meetings. I have never contested for an executive post in the history of ECB elections, though I would have served in other capacities, including as a player, Manager and Coach. I am still committed to the development of cricket and sports in general in Essequibo since I have highlighted many of our challenges in several letters to the press. I hope that I can still make a positive contribution in or out of the ECB even though Mr. Bacchus sees me as a critic of the ECB and GCB, when in fact I am a supporter of good governance at all levels of cricket administration in Guyana. Ironically it is convenient governance that currently exists, since the GCB has lost its credibility through questionable elections and the isolation of two-thirds of its constituent members. I anticipate that litigation will further suffice, but for the right cause in restoring pride and dignity to cricket in Guyana.
In the meantime I hope that Mr. Bacchus’ vision will not continue to be impaired by the visionless and those that never held a bat, much less to execute any stroke of conviction. I am therefore not surprised that Mr. Bacchus who has a dual role as Vice President of the GCB and a
Director of DEB Essentials, whatever that means, is highly dismissive of the Bill since he effectively wants to maintain the status quo and that of a chaotic GCB. Will the players ever achieve their true potential under the present circumstances Mr. Bacchus? Elroy Stephney
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Restore Berbice River ferry - AFC The Alliance for Change (AFC) yesterday disclosed that it regards the government’s almost 20year-old decision to remove the Berbice River ferry as outrageous and irresponsible. Trevor Williams sees it as the sole cause for the rise in cost of living, increased unemployment, frustration among young people and forced migration from the Berbice River area. According to Williams, the AFC’s Member of Parliament representing Region 10, himself and other party executives conducted a two-day outreach and interacted with residents of that Region. He said that a distance of over sixty miles was covered as the team travelled through Kwakwani, Aroraima, and the Wiki Calcuni reservation. Williams explained that the residents of Upper Demerara/Upper Berbice can no longer be involved in agricultural development, forestry, nor operate their businesses in a sustainable manner.
AFC MP Trevor Williams During the party’s weekly press conference yesterday, Williams said that residents along the river, from New Amsterdam to Kwakwani stretching approximately 180 miles - were able at one time to produce, transport and trade large shipments of agricultural, forestry and dairy products , interact with hucksters , as well as transport their families to and from New Amsterdam.
He said that the critical service has resulted in private launches providing expensive, inconvenient service, which is alleged to have poor maritime supervision. According to Williams, a person travelling on a launch from Ituni to New Amsterdam must endure a 20-hour journey with no washroom facilities, neither sleeping nor resting area, and is forced to make the most among cargo, which is mostly wood. He said that residents have complained about the very high cost of transporting goods “for example, one drink case or small carton is priced at $300, a passenger one-way fare is $3000, $5000 for a drum of fuel and all packages must be paid for”. “This phenomenon has resulted in massive migration in search of an easier life, as many packed up and left their homes and fertile farmlands vowing to return only if this (ferry) service is restored. Thriving economic activities can return to this very important part of Guyana should the Government of Guyana demonstrate its commitment to the people of Guyana and Region 10 by ensuring in 2013 the Berbice River Ferry service is restored. The Alliance for Change calls on the PPP administration to act now and bring the sufferings of our Guyanese brothers and sisters to an end.”
Friday August 30, 2013
Lombard St. businessmen peeved at garbage situation
The current state of Bugle Street Several business persons located in lower Lombard Street are concerned with the random dumping of garbage within the vicinity of their premises. According to Nazar Mohamed of Mohamed’s Enterprise “two years ago the M&CC [Mayor and City Council]’s City Constabulary began to officially dump garbage daily along Lombard and Bugle Streets for further transshipment and disposal at the established dump site [Haags Bosch]. However, as the situation currently stands, the garbage is being dumped continuously without being picked up and disposed of at the dumpsite.” Among some of the businesses being affected are Mohamed’s Enterprise, Baracara Quarry, Alabama Trading, Cho Chin Enterprise, Herman & Sons Tailoring and Cosmopolitan Trading.
“This dump site has taken over Bugle Street, displaced the truck park, and eliminated customer parking in this vicinity. The garbage has now piled up considerably. Consequently, pedestrians and inhabitants of this area who seek their livelihood are exposed to an unsanitary environment and health risks daily. It has become a breeding ground for mosquitoes, rats, snakes…and will trigger infections such as gastro and typhoid,” Mr. Mohamed said. The entrepreneurs have been calling on the M&CC for this situation to be addressed, stating that their businesses pay significant amount of taxes to the M&CC with the expectation that they (M&CC) would be performing their duties. “Mohamed’s Enterprise remits to the M&CC’s City Constabulary the sum of $488,200 annually for Rates
and Taxes since 1993 and neighbouring business establishments are paying similar sums. Numerous appeals were made by the business owners to rescind this decision of dumping garbage there. This act is one of the most nonsensical decisions ever implemented by the M&CC’s City Constabulary,” Mohamed stated. Public Relations Officer of the M&CC Royston King in an invited comment stated that the matter was raised at the meeting on Wednesday and the Council is looking into the matter and is “apologizing for the inconvenience caused to the business community”. He said as far as he is aware, the people who have been dumping there should be using the facility of Cevons Waste Management just behind the Guyana Fire Service (GFS) headquarters.
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Squatting should be made a criminal offence There is one sure way to obtain a government house lot. Go and squat on a piece of State land or reserve and when the demolition squad comes to remove your structure, raise a mighty noise. The government will be forced to offer you an allocation of a house lot so that you will no longer be in a state of illegality. This is the lawlessness that is being encouraged in the country. Persons in clear violation of the law are being rewarded with house lots so that the situation can be regularized. Consider the other side. A law-abiding citizen applies for a house lot. He conforms to the rules and applies. He does not squat on State lands. He waits his turn. There are tens of thousands of such persons who are waiting for their house lot allocation. Some have made more than one application since they are not sure what happened to their original application. They are not prepared to break the law. Yet, here is someone who openly flouts the law, squats on a piece of land and when the bulldozer goes to remove that person, all manner of defences are put forward as to why the authorities are
punishing poor people. During a demolition exercise in Timehri years ago, one person asked what about the rights of the person whose house was being bulldozed? What rights are we talking about? Someone goes and illegally occupies land and suddenly out of thin air acquires rights? Whenever the demolition team moves in there are no shortage of agitators. We hear about the people not having anywhere to go. So where were they before they squatted? We hear all manner of excuses. Squatting is now out of hand in Guyana. People always had a hunger for land. However, under the PPP administration, some 70,000 house lots were said to have been given out. So why is there still so much squatting? There is still so much squatting because those who are squatting are getting away with it. Under the PNC there was widespread squatting because the squatters knew that a blind eye would have been turned to their actions, and it was in many instances. The massive Sophia scheme was a squatting area that started during the latter days of the PNC regime, and
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persons connected to Congress Place were involved in this exercise. What should have happened a long time ago was that regional demolition teams should have been appointed and should have gone out every day to ensure that no squatting took place. The greatest deterrence to unlawful conduct is for persons to know that their unlawful conduct will not be tolerated. The government has opted in many instances for regularization, thus condoning squatting. However, not all areas can be regularized. The situation at Timehri was allowed to develop and now presents a serious threat to aviation, as was evident when the Caribbean Airlines aircraft ran off the runway two years ago. The squatting at Timehri increased because persons got away with it. The squatting near the Cheddi Jagan International Airport is an eyesore and an
embarrassment. Those illegal shops multiplied rapidly over the years and were even embellished to the tune of millions of dollars. Are these poor people’s shops? One of the reasons why Georgetown is in the mess it is in is because of squatting, which the authorities could have nipped in the bud, but did not. Today we have in certain parts of the city, persons squatting on the banks of major drainage canals, with human excrement being dumped feet away from human habitation. Throughout this country, people are doing as they please, and when it is time for them to remove there is a big hue and cry about their rights and what these people should do. What they should do is to get off the state reserves. You have to decide whether you wish a society that is governed by law and order or whether you wish a situation where lawlessness prevails. Once the choice is
made, then there must be the mechanism to deal with defaulters of the law, and if need be, the law itself needs to give greater protection against squatting. This column has called for squatting to be made a criminal offence. This column has called for laws to be passed that would deny squatters any access at all to utility services. We cannot develop this country properly, if half of the government’s time is dedicated to development and half to curbing lawlessness. This will tire any administration, much less one that is already operating at half-pace. The government is spending millions to regularize squatting areas and then still has to find the same millions to put in basic infrastructure for housing schemes. This country will remain poor and stagnant, because there is a limit to what can be done in any country when
there is no control over property, be it public or private. Modern societies are supposed to be ordered, not chaotic, and squatting creates chaos. Suppose everyone decides overnight that he or she has a right to squat. What is going to happen to Guyana? It is time that strong measures are taken to deal with squatting. It is time to end the rewarding of squatting. Make the practice of squatting a criminal offence and jail those in breach of the law. Instead of finding house lots for those who have squatted, those persons should be asked to compensate the State for having encroached on State lands.
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Friday August 30, 2013
THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN
The American Embassy has to do more for Guyana It is only an uninformed person or a citizen who wants to self-deceive that would deny that the Americans cannot get the Guyana Government to act more responsibly, show more respect for the Constitution and advise the Guyana Government that grave instabilities in Guyana would have a ripple effect in the region. That uninformed person may not know, but the US has enormous leverage on small, internationally obscure nations like Guyana. Through extensive influence in international organizations that offer vital multilateral assistance to Guyana, the US Government could transmit its displeasure to the Guyanese rulers about terrible governance. If it has not happened, it is because the US does not
want to do it. If the US does it, there would be a happier nation, because the entire population is dissatisfied with the eternal quarrels between the PPP and the major opposition organizations. In all sincerity, most PPP supporters feel that Guyana will explode one day. I talk to people who say this to me without even a speck of condemnation for the PPP. They just feel Guyana’s politics is deadly wrong and they would like to live in Guyana without the fear of that explosion that may come one day. It is not that there are grey areas that the US Embassy seems confused about. Since the 2011 elections results, politics has been as straightforward as when the PPP had a majority in Parliament before 2011. The opposition controls the
legislature and the Constitution gives it authority to act accordingly. The PPP won the presidency and the Constitution gives Mr. Ramotar the power to act accordingly. Where are the grey areas? The Constitution is not written in a language humans cannot understand. The legislature, not the opposition legislature (there is no such concept) makes laws, and through its committee systems can effect changes in state institutions. On the other hand, the presidency has widespread state authority. Simply put, then, one cannot and should not dominate the other. Stability is assured through the meticulous acceptance of the articles of the Constitution by both sides. Here is where the US Embassy or the US Government
(whichever term you prefer) comes in. If the presidency is conducting itself in a governance style that violates the Constitution, then the opposition in any country is not going to accept that. If on the other hand, the opposition wants to administer state institutions, then no president or prime minister will concede to that. We return to the grey areas. Except for the court matter of cutting the budget, it is the presidency that seems to be in conflict with the Constitution. When the quarrels exploded between the combined opposition and the Government over the separation of power after the opposition won a Parliamentary majority, I proposed that one of the ways of taming bad governance was for APNU and the AFC
Ballistics link Coldingen bandits to Mahaica farmer’s murder Just when the skeptics were lining up to hammer the police for their inability to solve murders, ballistic science has come to their rescue, leading to the charging of a man for the killing of Mahaica farmer, 27year-old Omadat Persaud, last June. The case was cracked wide open when investigators were able to link weapons recovered from bandits during a shootout following a botched robbery at Coldingen, East Coast Demerara, a few days after the Mahaica killing. Leon Howard, one of the bandits captured after the shootout was remanded to prison by Magistrate Zameena Ally, when he appeared before her at the Vigilance Magistrate’s Court, charged with Persaud’s murder. Howard, of Friendship, East Coast Demerara, who was on bail on charges of being illegally in possession of arms and ammunition, which stemmed from the attempted robbery on a Chinese restaurant at Coldingen, was re-arrested last week when he made a court appearance. This was after police ballistics experts
to inform friendly government, civil society and other stakeholders that it will not recognize the presidency if the presidency does not adhere to the Constitution. Simply put, the PPP was saying that our party won the presidency because the Constitution stipulates that the Executive goes to the party with the largest number of votes. Fair enough! But you cannot use the Constitution as a convenience. The very Constitution has brought into being the Procurement Commission. There still isn’t one. The very Constitution allows for a Human Rights Commission. There still isn’t one. My honest belief is that nowhere in Europe or the US or Latin America, muchless in competitive Africa, a minority party would hold on to power citing the Constitution, but refuses to recognize the very Constitution that allows the opposition to have some form of state authority. The Republican Party in the US would never accept that. Another honest belief of mine is that the Guyanese
Frederick Kissoon opposition is a remarkable one, in that for two years it has acted without poisonous outbursts in this peculiar situation. The US Embassy or Government comes in because APNU’s leaders may have felt annoyed at the US Ambassador for requesting opposition support for the Amaila Falls Hydro Project investment, while he does not bring pressure to bear on the presidency for ignoring many articles of the Constitution. I end with an interesting piece of American pressure on St. Lucia that the opposition needs to study. The US Government has ceased all types of assistance (including training) to the St. Lucian police force, because of allegations of wanton police killings. Surely, something is wrong here. The Guyana Police Force is burdened with more such controversies than its counterpart in St. Lucia. The US needs to pressure the Executive to observe the Constitution.
Dem boys seh...
De Big Market paper deh pun stupidness
Omadat Persaud were able to match the bullets at the scene of Persaud’s murder to a Keltec 9mm. submachine gun and a .38 revolver which were recovered from the bandits after the shootout. His accomplice Odinga Allen, 23, of Brusche Dam, Buxton, also on the East Coast of Demerara, who was also charged with illegal possession of arms and ammunition, will also face the court soon on the murder charge. Kaieteur News understands that Allen was unable to post bail for the arms and ammo charge and he
The guns which were recovered from the Coldingen shootout. will be arraigned for the murder at his next court date. Almost two months ago, on July 8, bandits stormed a Supply, Mahaica home, killing Omadat Persaud and robbing his visiting sister and her family in a brutal 15-minute assault that left the entire village in a state of shock. Initially, residents had lamented the police response to the report of the incident and were not too optimistic that there would have been any justice, especially since the bandits were masked and no one could have recognized them. However, the police, despite all the skepticism, never gave up and their perseverance eventually bore fruit. Three nights after that act, gunfire erupted at Coldingen, East Coast
Demerara, with police shooting one suspected bandit and capturing two others after cornering the heavily-armed men in a Chinese restaurant that they were reportedly planning to rob. Allen was shot in the right knee, allegedly after opening fire on the ranks, while Howard was taken into custody, unhurt. Another man, Elroy Newton, a 33-year-old former army corporal of Ann’s Grove, East Coast Demerara, who police had initially suspected was a part of the gang was arrested and subsequently released. Police recovered a Keltec 9mm. sub-machine gun with nine rounds and a .38 revolver with two rounds from the suspects.
Imagine a man decide to tell de world that he gay. He put out a notice fuh anybody interview him and de Big Market paper tek up de offer. Dem boys want to know who care if de man, Suseran, gay or if he does play; if he straight or if he ben and dem ain’t talking bout de men wid de hammer. He is a real man—a real hammer man. De question dem got fuh de Big Market paper is if de Waterfalls boss man send a notice that he straight if dem gun interview he. Dem got another question fuh that paper and it got to do wid de editor. Dem boys want to know who else gun get interview. There is Kwame who everybody know gay. He so gay that de Americans tek way he visa because he molest li’l boys in untold numbers. Don’t ask bout de Rat. Nobody really care whether he gay or straight or if he lean or if he twist up. People don’t care. De truth is that dem boys got to live wid everybody, whether dem gay or straight. Dem is people and some of dem mekking a contribution. De media full of dem, but nobody ain’t see any interview wid photograph. That ain’t de only paper that doing stupidness. De Hard Times paper carry some story that de Pee Pee Pee and See warning de Americans bout military strike in Syria. Dem boys seh that is like a mosquito warning an elephant ‘bout walking in de jungle. Of course de Pee Pee Pee and See got confidence in de GDF. It sending a message that Guyana gun invade America. That might be de message, because Kwame got to get back he visa. But de Ambassador only smiling and shaking he head. He now planning to tek way all dem government people visa like wha’ happen couple years back when Guyana talk fat about de deportees. Well, as dem boys seh, monkey know which limb fuh jump ‘pon. Talk half and don’t expect to see any more interview bout who gay or who straight.
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Leaked Amaila Project document reveals more controversy…
GPL has to create US$36M debt reserve account
Friday August 30, 2013
Timehri North residents chide Minister over relocation plans - To be removed in phases
…means Guyana’s investment now stands at US$193M, which will take the project price to a total of US$951M Under the ‘Financial Commitments’ made for the proposed Amaila Falls Hydro Electric Project, the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) would have to set aside US$36M in a debt reserve account. This information is embedded in the leaked ‘confidential project document,’ which has already raised eyebrows over the fact that the Guyana Government committed US$157.2M to the project and not US$100M as it had claimed. This means Guyana’s investment commitment now stands at US$193.2M which will take the project price to a total of US$951.2M. The US$36M GPL account is to be set aside to ensure payments to Amaila Falls Hydro Inc. This is in addition to the Assignment of Receivables arrangement under which all the income of GPL will be controlled by someone employed by Amaila to secure the monthly tariff payment. The US$36 M is to be placed in an “Amaila Debt Reserve Account provided by GPL.” This financial commitment, in order to prepare for the Amaila Falls Hydro Electric Project, would see government having to transfer this US$36M to the power company. This is the position of Former Auditor General of Guyana, Anand Goolsarran, who says that the GPL, as it
Former Auditor General, Anand Goolsarran currently stands, does not have that kind of money to create the account and would have to depend on the Guyana Government for another subsidy. It was reported yesterday that the Guyana Government had in fact directly committed US$157.2M to the project and according to Goolsarran, given GPL’s financial status, the additional US$36M will no doubt have to be met from the coffers. Goolsarran explained that while there is a Government Guarantee in place should GPL fail to make its payments to the Hydro Plant for electricity, this is only a last resort. According to Goolsarran, the power company would have to tap into its reserve
account first, should it have a shortfall in revenue to make the payments. Should this money not be enough to meet any shortfall, then the Government Guarantee would kick in. Goolsarran said that while there is expected to be some savings by purchasing electricity from the Hydro Power Plant, this will not be enough to compensate all of the expenditure that will be required by the power company. Based on public pronouncements thus far, GPL is required to pay some US$122 M to Amaila Falls Hydro Inc. each year, for the first 13 years of its operation. This US$122M figure, however, is not the total amount of money that GPL will be required to rake in through its sale of electricity, given that it would still have to keep a significant portion of its current generation plant online as well as other capital and administrative expenses. This publication reported yesterday that under the arrangement with Sithe Global, all debt currently owned by GPL will have to take the back burner. Under the Agreement with Sithe Global, payments to Amaila Hydro Inc. would become GPL’s ‘Senior Debt.’ This means that the power company would have to treat as a priority, its payment to Amaila Hydro Inc., ahead of all other outstanding debt. US-based Sithe Global had also demanded that the Guyana Government ensures that GPL remains a monopoly for the sale of electricity and a majority governmentcontrolled enterprise. Under Guyana’s law, monopolies are unlawful and this imposition by Sithe Global may not be able to stand up in court.
Residents demand answers from Minister Benn as he is escorted to his vehicle by police ranks By Zena Henry Residents of Timehri North did not back down on Wednesday last when they finally met with Minister of Works Robeson Benn who they have chided for what they perceive to have been his deciding the fate of their community without engaging residents in any plans pertaining to their relocation. The Minister went to the East Bank Demerara community with the hopes of meeting residents to relate information about the government’s intention to remove those settled in proximity to the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, in order to facilitate its expansion. He was met by frustrated residents who say they are “fed up of going to bed at night and waking up in the morning with the possibility of being evicted” from the homes they have dedicated their time and energy to building. Benn held a meeting at the airport’s Works Branch, but some of the residents were locked out. This infuriated those outside since they were
not allowed to hear the Minister’s information. After hours of waiting on the street, residents demanded to know from the Minister - who was being escorted to his vehicle by several police ranks - what was happening with their community. Surrounded by the crowd of concerned residents, Benn related that residents and their homes will be moved in phases. Without a definite answer as to when this will commence, he explained that the government is working towards removing homeowners in the immediate path of the airport’s expansion first. He stated that the government is aware of the residents’ concerns and is thus seeking to work with them. “The Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) construction project has to go forward to facilitate the development, not simply of the airport or of any individual person, but to facilitate the continued development of the country. “The airport development is not simply an issue which relates to the airport in itself, we are aware that there are many who live around here that also depend on the airport for their livelihood. If the airport does not develop and cannot be improved, then the area, too, will not develop to full potential,” Benn said. The Minister continued that the government has a list of over 300 squatters, but this caused uproar from residents who insisted that they are not squatters.
He, however, rephrased his assertion saying that, “plans are in the making to rearrange the occupancy on the airport, on government land, in a phased way. Those persons who were not met with today (Wednesday), will be met with in the next two weeks to discuss plans for phase two”. Benn said those who are in the most critical area for the construction; phase one movers, will be dealt with. Phase two and three will be met later, because their arrangements will take longer. Residents, though not convinced, say they have noted the government’s information and plans. They say, however, that Timehri North has been one of the first communities to be developed on that end of the Bank. The residents insist that if they are not treated fairly in the plans to be moved and compensated, then they will remain and will demand the same treatment meted out to the settlers of Khali Road, whose community was years ago regularized with land titles. The residents were calling on the government for some time, to meet with the community, since there was much talk about “removing squatters” from the area. They said that those who stand to be directly affected were not being consulted. They further maintain that if all necessary requirements for their removal are met, “the community will not be moved.”
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Worry as TV broadcasters battle for survival in digital switchover By Leonard Gildarie As local television and radio stations continue preparing to switch their systems to digital, consumers may have to start shopping smart for the next generation of televisions. The switching will more than likely leave TV watchers without their favourite channels unless their sets are digital. With not all flat-screen TVs imported being digital, shoppers will have to be more than wary of what they are purchasing. According to head of the state-owned National Communications Network (NCN), Michael Gordon, in all likelihood, smart TVs will be the way to go, as the older sets are fast becoming extinct. Digitization was a main issue on the agenda of the Caribbean Broadcasting Union (CBU) which recently had its Annual General Assembly in Guyana. The 30plus member body would be more than worried about digitization. A June 2015 deadline has been set for the conversion, but the Caribbean region is far behind. Save for the Bahamas and a few others, member countries of CBU are largely lagging in making meaningful moves for the ‘digital switchover’, as it is known. The reasons are very simple. It will literally take tens of millions of dollars to change from the old analog system to digital. New antennas, transmitters and receivers will all have to be changed. With Guyana boasting around 20 television stations using the analog systems, the worry has been increasing. The issue may mean a decision to move in a different direction to survive or close shop altogether. One local broadcaster
NCN’s Michael Gordon has already said that an initial assessment has put costs to at least $15M. However, he was quick to point out that he is aware that one channel in the US had cost millions of dollars. According to Gordon, CBU is looking at 2020 as a more realistic date…a mere seven years away. “While some countries like the Bahamas have started the change, because of the socioeconomic conditions facing a lot of the smaller countries, it will be a challenge for broadcasters.” With the switchover, those old TVs that have the back protruding, will either have to use a converter or the owners will have to face the prospects of buying a new TV altogether. “The old TVs will become extinct… even the flat screens will be phased out for the smart TVs.” Consumers will have to ensure that any investments in new TV sets will go handin-hand with questions about specifications, especially about its readiness for digital broadcasting. With newer models now coming equipped with internet functions and ready for other options and costs
in excess of $100,000 each in most cases, the decisions will have to cater for the long term. NCN is the only local broadcaster that is active in the CBU, which has been bringing awareness to the issue. Gordon sits as a director on the body. Another challenge confronting local broadcasters is the small advertising market that they have to compete in. There just is not enough money to go around warranting the kind of investment that will be needed. According to Gordon, one of the immediate benefits of digitization of broadcasting is that it will free up channels for other critical usage, such as in the security and health sectors. As a matter of fact, one channel can host four or five broadcasting stations, as the digital switch will allow more efficiency of the airwaves. In this particular scenario, bands are issued to the broadcasters. It will also effectively put to rest arguments that there are no more channels available for distribution. According to the CBU director, the time will come when broadcasters will have to choose whether to become a content provider or broadcaster. There may be well be scenarios where the smaller broadcasters will have to piggyback on infrastructure already set up by the bigger players. “NCN may very well say one day that we are investing in new infrastructure to reach across the country and we will only have a newscast. The smaller channels could very well end up using our systems… paying for use of the bands in order to survive. There will have to be decisions made in which direction to go to.” There will likely be less transmitting towers around
the country also. Currently, Gordon disclosed, Government is moving to establish a special body to look into the issue, with specific attention being paid to deadlines and the means of implementation. Regional broadcasters are also looking at the equipment available from Europe, China, Brazil and the US, to determine the cheapest and best options. While there is an inclination to establish a regional standard of broadcasting, ultimately because of costs, the decision on which to use may depend on the individual broadcasters in CBU. Already, NCN has started changing its systems to digital, including its transmitters. However, more work needs to be done. The switchover is also likely to impact radio stations. With a large number of the mainly Japanese-made cars sporting radios that are limited in receiving capacity and bandwidth, radio stations hoping to compete in the new dispensation will have to think about how to deal with
that challenge, among other areas. The changes, too, will be similar to the TV stations. Digital broadcasters can provide more channels in the
same space, provide highdefinition television service, or provide other nontelevision services such as multimedia or interactivity.
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“Other” interests expressed in Amaila Falls, possible new project design – Dr. Luncheon By Keeran Danny Though the current design of the Amaila Falls Hydropower Project may be dead, the idea of garnering renewable energy from the Amaila Falls is still with Government, particularly since multilateral and bilateral sources have expressed interest. Cabinet Secretary Dr. Roger Luncheon made this disclosure during his weekly post-Cabinet press briefing at the Office of the President. According to Dr. Luncheon, more stakeholders in the current design of the Amaila Falls Hydropower Project have indicated their withdrawal. “For all intents and purposes that project with that specific design is dead,” he said. In early August, Sithe Global, the developer of the Amaila Falls Hydropower Project, withdrew because of the lack of parliamentary consensus on moving the project forward. Questions remained inadequately answered with respect to the final cost of the project, the cost consumers would endure when the project was
completed, the country’s indebtedness and the project’s sustainability. According to Dr. Luncheon, whatever small windows of opportunity that were mooted to exist appear less and less likely to be available to the stakeholders to resuscitate the project with its current design. However, he is optimistic that renewable energy and its use in Guyana are not dead. “This observation, this commitment had been made and reemphasized, reiterated by the President and members of the Cabinet of Guyana. “Amaila itself would not be allowed to succumb to the Opposition’s hatchets and their machinations. Already interest has been expressed by multilateral and bilateral sources in redesigning a project that would utilize our hydropower potential, specifically at Amaila Falls, to keep alive our dream, our thrust for renewable energy playing a transformative role in the lives and economy of Guyana,” the Cabinet Secretary said. While not wanting to disclose those that expressed interest, he stated that it is not
a secret. “Until with the utmost finality this project is laid to rest, I think those who have expressed an interest in moving forward with alternatives; I think that their expressions of interest would be understood to be conditional, and on that basis… and although I am patently aware who has and the level of interest, I think let us wait awhile before such disclosures are made.” He emphasized the less likely resuscitation of this project because of the Opposition (A Partnership for National Unity)’s “intransigence that reveals itself in their resort now to explanations and excuses for their dastardly act in destroying this initiative”. In addition, Government would not be meeting the Opposition to discuss the Amaila Falls Hydropower Project. According to Dr. Luncheon, Government has made multiple documented efforts at engaging the Opposition over all aspects of the project. “We can’t help but feeling that further engagements to resuscitate… to inject life into this project, is a useless proposition. We can’t help but feel that way…I can’t imagine us meeting heretics like those under the current circumstances and I believe that is a sentiment shared not only by the Administration and Cabinet, but by our stakeholders, w h o a l s o h a v e sought audiences with this same opposition on this same project.”
Friday August 30, 2013
Govt. to restrict Styrofoam importation - local companies not forceful in finding alternatives
Styrofoam boxes and cups among garbage in a city drain With local companies hesitant to produce alternatives to Styrofoam or polystyrene products, Government has not formulated precise and implementable interventions to ban this non biodegradable material. This is according to Dr. Roger Luncheon, Head of the Presidential Secretariat, whilst updating the media on two measures the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment is tasked with carrying out in relation to restricting Styrofoam products. Painting a hypothetical picture of the situation for users and producers of
Styrofoam products, Dr. Luncheon indicated that the abandonment of this material would be dependent on alternative, penalties and the hurdles one would have to overcome to continue importation. According to him, Styrofoam has played an inordinately important role in the accumulation of solid waste for disposal by local authorities. Because of its nondisposable and chemical nature that does not make it useful in recycling operations, Styrofoam ends up in landfill sites, where the evidence shows it exists indefinitely.
He enlightened that in June, Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment, Robert Persaud, obtained Cabinet’s approval on a menu of measures to restrict Styrofoam products in Guyana. They are the “imposition of taxes and duties on Styrofoam importation and use with the intention, of course, of being a disincentive to its importation and use in the food industry; and, the second was the creation and the offer of incentives to importers and the users of alternatives to Styrofoam in the food sector”. In August 2012, Caribbean Container Inc. (CCI) launched “Eco Pak” its bio-degradable containers. CCI’s Chief Op e r a t i n g Officer, Patricia Bacchus had said that the product was developed because of the dire need for an alternative for Styrofoam and plastic receptacles, coupled with Government’s intention to impose an environmental levy. Ms. Bacchus had said that feedback from the business community, particularly from those in the restaurant and hotel industries, led them to be confident about the product’s success. She had related that “Eco Pak” is made from sugar cane fibre, rather than from wood pulp. Explaining why sugar cane was used, Bacchus said sugar cane crops regenerate much quicker and are less resource intensive. She had stated that the product is 100 percent biodegradable, and after use, decomposition takes 90 days.
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NAPS looks to sustain gains in HIV fight Even as moves are being made to transition the national HIV/AIDS fight into the financial care of government, diligent efforts are being sustained to ensure that infected persons continue to receive treatment. This is according to Programme Manager of the National AIDS Programme Secretariat (NAPS), Dr Shanti Singh, who intimated to this publication that “we want people living longer and healthier lives...If there is continued treatment, then there is viral suppression, and the likelihood of infection from that source is reduced.” According to Dr Singh, the efforts towards ensuring that there is treatment will ultimately translate to the availability of anti-retroviral therapy (ART). The World Health Organisation has outlined that standard ART consists of the combination of at least three antiretroviral drugs to maximally suppress the HIV virus and stop the progression of the HIV epidemic. In fact, it has been noted that reductions have been seen in rates of death and suffering when use is made of a potent ARV regimen, particularly in the early stages of the disease. Dr Singh said that moves
- VCT programmes recognised as crucial
NAPS Programme Manager, Dr. Shanti Singh to ensure that Guyana’s National AIDS Programme remains vibrant are currently engaging the attention of a HIV ‘Guidelines Working’ Committee, which commenced work some two weeks ago. The Committee will be tasked with examining various elements that could help improve the fight against HIV/AIDS while simultaneously using estimates to look and project the increase of financial cost which will be incurred by the national programme. A complete report on the global HIV epidemic, based
on the 2012 Estimates, will be published by the United Nations AIDS Programme (UNAIDS) in time for the UN General Assembly next month on the Mid-Term Review of the Political Declaration on HIV/AIDS. In fact, estimates will now be developed for countries on an annual basis, as opposed to biennially, as was previously the case. And according to Dr Singh, “we will have some good information hopefully at the end of September when we conclude our national AIDS pending assessment which we will disseminate.” It is her conviction that moves by the local health sector, with the support of both Governmental, NonGovernmental and International Organisations, to adopt Voluntary HIV Counselling and Testing programmes, have been instrumental in significantly reducing the recorded cases of AIDS. AIDS is recognised as the advanced state of HIV which without treatment can weaken the immune system, making those infected more vulnerable to other infections and diseases. This susceptibility is known to
worsen as the disease progresses. Guyana detected its first AIDS case in 1987, a state of affairs that continued until 1997, affecting primarily the male population, according to Dr Singh. However, the following year, Voluntary Counselling and Testing (VCT) programmes were introduced, and this move was instrumental in a noticeable reduction in the number of AIDS cases and an increase in the diagnosis of HIV cases instead. By this time too, the ratio of male to female contracting the disease was almost equal, according to Dr Singh. She disclosed that while over the years there was a mixed trend in such cases reported to the Ministry of Health, a peak in the cases was observed in 2006 when in excess of 12,000 were
recorded. However, by 2009 there was a constant yearly reduction of cases, according to the AIDS Programme Manager. And from the inception of the epidemic, it was the most productive within the national workforce that were found to be infected with the disease which, Dr Singh said, gave credence to the notion that targeting this faction of the society must be ongoing. Moreover, she explained that the prioritisation, in terms of looking at the affected sector, has led to some of the excellent work that was done, and is still being done, by the Ministry of Labour in collaboration with the International Labour Organisation, the Guyana Business Coalition on HIV/ AIDS and other agencies that work within the private sector. This collaboration was instrumental in realising a
total of 649 cases that were reported within the combined age group of 20–49 by the end of 2012. According to Dr Singh, the 649 cases accounted for about 80 per cent of all cases recorded by the Health Ministry in 2012. She revealed, too, that most of those infected over the years were found within the Region Four parameter, a state of affairs which obtained from the inception of the epidemic. She disclosed that although the Population Census of 2002 reflected that Region Four accounted for 41.3 per cent of the national population, 63.3 per cent of the HIV cases were recorded in that region.
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AFC 'quite concerned' about Amaila price tag revelations By Abena Rockcliffe
C
ommenting on recent revelations a b o u t t h e documented price tag attached to the Amaila Falls Hydro Project, Alliance For Change (AFC), leader Khemraj Ramjattan said that his party is quite concerned. He declared, however, that it is his belief that the AFC had to allow the project to “go there” so that more can come to light. The politician made the inference that hadn't the AFC given the Amaila Falls Hydro Project the “lease of life,” lots of details would have gone unheard of. Yesterday's edition of the Kaieteur News indicated that the price for the Amaila Falls Hydro Project is continuing to rise, with previously guarded facts supporting this assertion. At a stakeholders' forum held in late July, Sithe Global President Brian Kubeck had confirmed that the price tag for the project had increased to US$858M, some US$18M more than the figure quoted just a week prior by a number of government officials, including President Donald Ramotar. That price jump was not the first. But now it is being revealed that the project costs at least US951M - according to confidential project document that was leaked to this newspaper. Kaieteur News noted that the publicized amount of US100M that the government claimed it is
AFC leader Khemraj Ramjattan pumping into the project is by no means accurate. It was revealed that a US$57.2M difference between the disclosed price and the real price, is to be paid by the government of Guyana; mounting Guyana's stake to US$157.2M The remainder of the money for the project was said to be coming from Sithe Global, who would have been investing US$157.4M, China Exim Bank US$500.7M and the IDB, which was applied to for the remaining US$100M. Yesterday, when his attention was guided to the increased price tag, Ramjattan exclaimed “Oh look at that…That's why the AFC wanted expert second opinion from persons who would have gotten those information!” He said that the AFC views the frequent price changes as imperfections of the project, but claimed “we had to give it (the project) the lease of life for it to go there…Now we may know that it might not be US$850M, but US$1B.” Ramjattan admitted to the limitations of his party when it comes to understanding the documentation and formulas linked to the Amaila Project. The party leader said that he cannot understand the formula that is suggested for the use of calculating the estimated tariff rate to be paid by consumers if Amaila comes on stream. “I don't understand the thing, so I am not being irresponsible, nor is the party being irresponsible, when we say let's see what the InterAmerican Development Bank comes up with in its due diligence… and they promised several aspects.”
Friday August 30, 2013
Kaieteur News
Invigilators in Linden not yet paid - Official says increases stalled process As the new school year commences in a few days, invigilators for several examinations held in Linden are complaining of not being paid for their labour. More than 70 of them, Kaieteur News was told, have not received payments for invigilating the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA); the National Grade Nine Assessment (third form examinations); Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC); and the Linden Technical Institute (LTI)'s examinations. Several of them explained that while some persons have been paid for invigilating the NGSA, their travel allowances are still pending. The invigilators, most of whom are single mothers, told this newspaper that they are frustrated, since many of them are dependent on the payments, to get their children prepared for school. According to them, over the past several weeks, continuous enquiries have been made to the Region's Education Office regarding the payments, but they (the invigilators) are always told that the cheques are not ready. “I fed up. How long can we bear up with this? We have children to send to school. They can't be putting us in this all de time suh, it ain't right. I hear Guyana done top de region again, and the invigilators played a part, suh they should treat us with respect. We shouldn't gah fuh be begging fuh wha we wuk for,” one single mother said. She added too, that she was hopeful that payments would be made before the new school year starts, since she has not yet been able to purchase school supplies for her four children. “I did really hoping that we woulda get de money
early, because I have four children to send to school…the money I working for now, barely buying food. Wha I gon tell me kids when they ask fuh books and pencils? They got to do something. It still ain't too late, if dem give we we money tomorrow (today) we could still buy school things,” the woman added. A supervising invigilator for 30 years expressed that “it's about high time they pay us our money, and stop prolonging the payments...is years now this happening.” The woman recalled that a few years ago, she received payments on 'Old Year's Day,' for invigilating CSEC examinations earlier that year, in March. “This is nothing new, but it still doesn't make it right. These children already collect their results and everything, so why we can't get paid up to now. Anybody would want to work and not be paid? Come on man, they owe me close to $200,000, and I still can't get it,” the woman said. Another invigilator recalled that one year, her friend, a single mother burst into tears two days before Christmas Eve when she was told that the cheques were not ready, “because she needed the money to make Christmas for her children”. “It was sad, I felt it for her,” the invigilator said. She added that the job of being an invigilator is more than giving out exam papers and monitoring for cheating. They also had unofficial duties such as counseling nervous candidates, she said. Meanwhile, when contacted yesterday, the Regional Education Officer of Region 10, Marcia Andrews, told Kaieteur News that the payments are being processed. She (continued on page 24)
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Two-day Emancipation event begins in Albouystown
The 2013 Emancipation celebration is set to continue today and tomorrow at Independence Boulevard, Albouystown, with a wide range of activities designed to cater to the entire family. D u b b e d t h e ' A l b o u y s t o w n Emancipation Celebration 2013', the event which is expected to be fun-filled, will be characterised by a barrage of indoor and outdoor games including
cricket, football, basketball and a boxing display. There will also be a talent and fashion show, karaoke competition, food display and a special senior citizens luncheon. And certainly African dancing and drumming will be a major feature, which the promoter, True Vision Foundation, says will be “fun for the entire family.” Admission to the event is free.
Invigilators in Linden ... From page 23 explained that the cheques were pulled back in order to facilitate an increase in the payments. “We had to do that because there was a raise. The supervising invigilators, who used to get $1000, are now getting $1200, and the regular invigilators are getting $900 as opposed to $800. These things take time,” Andrews stressed. She added, however, that the payments are likely to be issued early next week.
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Consumers to benefit significantly from Credit Bureau By Kiana Wilburg Consumers will now have the opportunity to better charter their credit history and benefit significantly from their high credit scores as Credit Info (Guyana) Inc., a credit bureau from Iceland, was formally given its licence yesterday at the Bank of Guyana. Apart from Jamaica, Guyana is now the second Caribbean country in which they operate. The company has operations in other countries across the world with Guyana now standing as its sixtieth. Addressing media operatives and staff of the Bank of Guyana was Lawrence Williams, Governor of the Bank of Guyana, who stated while the event was a simple one, it would certainly be recorded as a symbolic event in the financial history of Guyana. “The credit bureau is an innovation in the financial architecture of Guyana which we expect will contribute significantly to the growth of the economy. The credit bureau project grew out of the Financial Sector Assessment Programme (FSAP) of 2005/2006 and the
Lawrence Williams, Governor of the Bank of Guyana (left), hands over the licence to Kristinn Agnarsson, one of the Directors of Credit Info (Guyana) Inc. First Economic Summit of 2007. Both the FSAP and the summit recommended the credit bureau amongst a menu of measures to improve access to capital. It was posited that deficiency in credit information is a significant contributory factor to the prevailing low level of bank intermediation.” The governor highlighted that attention was drawn to the difficulties faced by smallor medium-sized enterprises
with limited or no acceptable collateral and the large segment of the population that is unable to access credit due to the absence of reliable credit history. “With the assistance of the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the private sector arm of the World Bank, legislation was drafted and enacted in 2010 to provide for the establishment of a credit reporting history to facilitate the provision of information
New GRA building elevator malfunctions Four employees at the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA)’s Camp Street location were yesterday trapped in one of its elevators. Kaieteur News understands that the persons were trapped around 09:15hrs yesterday. They spent approximately 90 minutes within the confined space until they were rescued by
ranks of the Guyana Fire Service. According to Fire Chief Marlon Gentle, the men had to pry the elevator doors open with hydraulic openers, after which it was easy to get the persons out safely. The process was completed quickly, once the firemen had arrived. An employee who was there throughout the entire
incident stated that before the four were rescued, one of them was “getting bad feelings” and was in quite a bit of discomfort. According to several employees, this is not the first time the elevator has malfunctioned with persons inside. One employee stated that he knew of three such instances.
Paran Persaud, 34, of 163 Cummings Lodge, East Coast Demerara, appeared yesterday before Magistrate Faith Mc Gusty at the Georgetown Magistrates’ court, where a charge of causing death by dangerous driving was read to him. He was not required to plead to the indictable charge which stated that on May 24, at Houston Public Road, he drove minibus BKK1948 in a dangerous manner, causing the death of Ellen Margaret Jones. According to Police Prosecutor Seon Blackman, on the said date, the defendant was driving along the north-western
carriageway of the Houston Public Road. The victim was a pedal cyclist who was riding along the left side of that lane. The accused lost control and collided with the woman. She fell and sustained several injuries and was pronounced dead on arrival after the driver frantically ran with her to the hospital. The matter was reported and Persaud was charged and arrested. He was, however, released and made to pay station bail in the sum of $100,000. Representing the accused was Defence Attorney Gordon Gilhuys, who contended that his client should be granted bail since
he has been reporting to the station as instructed and is not a flight risk. The lawyer added that his client is the father of three dependent children and he is the only breadwinner of his family. Prosecutor Blackman maintained his objection to bail as he stressed that the nature of the offence and the punishment it attracts cannot be overlooked. Despite the prosecutor’s application, Magistrate Mc Gusty granted the defendant bail in the sum of $200,000 and he is expected to make his next court appearance before Chief Magistrate Priya Beharry on September 5.
Dangerous driving accused granted bail
about potential borrowers from a credible source. The aim is to enable more reliable, competitive and responsible lending while protecting borrowers’ rights.” The credit bureau, according to Williams, is intended to compile the credit history of consenting consumers using information supplied by credit providers such as banks, trust companies, building societies, hire purchase companies, etc. This power to access such readily available information on the credit history of the consumers not only provides benefits for them, but also to the lending institutions. Due to the enactment of the legislation in 2010, the Bank of Guyana sought to identify the most suitable company for Guyana by first inviting six international credit bureau operators to submit a “Request for Solution.”
The Bank of Guyana received four responses and shortlisted two after they were evaluated by the IFC and representatives of the Bank of Guyana. The governor noted that careful attention was paid to the technical proposal, the information technology solution and the security of data, experience of the service provider, financial strengths and operational flexibility. Credit Info, a subsidiary of the Credit Info Group of Iceland, was subsequently selected as they have met with all the requirements of a set criterion. After the Minister of Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh, was consulted on the issuance of a licence to the entity and agreed, it was officially signed on July 15 and handed over to Kristinn Agnarsson, one of the directors of the company. Agnarsson told members
of the media that he is delighted to be working in Guyana, and asked that the public be informed that the credit bureau offers much benefit to them as it will also serve to enhance credit portfolios. The director added that consumers will now have a chance to benefit greatly from having a credit history that can be accessed at any time. Mrs. Judy Semple-Joseph, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Credit Info (Guyana) Inc. added that they hope to be open to the public by December 12. The CEO said that while consumers will be entitled to one free credit report annually, they can obtain their report at any time for the cost of $1000. Meanwhile, the company hopes to have programmes within the coming months to educate the general public on how the credit bureau works.
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R. KELLY Concert…
Other artists for “Night of the Legends” to be announced tomorrow
Chris
- Locations for ticket refunds to be announced Tomorrow, Mc Neal Enterprise and Hits and Jams Entertainment will be announcing the other artists who will be joining R. Kelly at the “Night of the Legends” mega concert on October, 19, 2013 at the Providence National Stadium. Tickets purchased for Jamzone International night will be valid for the concert. For those persons who would like to cash in their tickets, refunds will be available from Tuesday September 3, 2013. Locations and time for refunds will also be announced this Saturday. Lauded as the "King of R&B," Kelly won three Grammy Awards for his hit "I Believe I Can Fly," and has more Top 40 hits than any other male solo artist in the 1990s. The legend will be at the Guyana National Stadium on August 24, 2013. Sylvester Kelly, better known by his stage name 'R Kelly', will headline a show which promises to make it an unforgettable evening for
fans of great soulful music as he is often referred to as the 'King of R& B'. Steams gears up for "King of R&B," at National Stadium A few of R Kelly's biggest hits are “Bump n' Grind”, “Your Body's Callin'”, “I Believe I Can Fly”, “Gotham City”, “Ignition (Remix)”, “If I Could Turn Back the Hands of Time”, “The World's Greatest”, “I'm a Flirt”, and “Trapped in the Closet”. He won three Grammy Awards for “I Believe I Can Fly” in 1998. R Kelly is also known for collaborations with Rapper Jay-Z and Hip Hop artists like Sean 'P Diddy' Combs, Fat Joe and Nas. R Kelly has worked with many great artists in his industry including the late Aaliyah for whom he produced her 1994 debut album 'Age ain't nothing but a number' and in 1996, he was nominated for writing 'You are not alone' made popular by the late Michael Jackson.
Brown's Canadian concerts cancelled after court case and seizure Stephen Tobin, the promoter of American R&B star Chris Brown's concerts in Canada scheduled for this summer says all four events have been cancelled. Tobin, owner of Drop Entertainment Group, said the decision was made after consulting with Brown and in light of his recent personal and healthrelated issues. Brown suffered a seizure earlier this month, which was said to have been brought on by intense fatigue and extreme emotional stress. The 24-year-old star's publicist Nicole Perna said Brown suffered a nonepileptic seizure while he was working in a Los Angeles studio. A doctor subsequently examined the “Look At Me Now” singer, but he was
“THE SEA WALL”
By Kiana Wilburg American Guyanese, Richard Mason not only superseded all expectations of what his nine minute film had to offer but more significantly, managed to “tantalize” his audience at Moray House with his perspective of “The Sea Wall.” The award winning film Maker is the first to create a Guyanese film to be screened in France at the Festival de Cannes, which happens to be one of the most prestigious film festivals in the world. Richards also received high praises from International film directors at the Carifesta XI where the viewing of his film was requested. While many came with varying perceptions of what the film should portray considering its title, “The Sea Wall,” Mason's idea was not only fresh but breathtakingly thought provoking. The Seawall is a narrative short film shot in Guyana which brings to light the issue of emigration among other factors that have had a serious impact on relationships, family structure and Guyanese culture. In the film, a Guyanese woman, who
plays the role of a grandmother of a ten year old boy struggles to deal with issues such as loneliness and abandonment. “Marjorie” is faced with the decision of sending her grandson to live in the United States of America in hopes that he would secure a better life. And while the thought of that comforts her, the audience is able to see the awakening of other themes within the film. What is even more stunning is the fact that there was no script. He kept it mysterious and unique as he spontaneously told his cast what the scenes were about and they developed their script. Mason beautifully capitalized on the raw talent of his cast and the uniqueness of “Creole” dialect. Being an American, it was clear that Guyana still resides within the depths of his heart. He was proud and bold enough to show the true culture of Guyana, in its naked form. In addition to this project being Mason's graduate thesis project at the renowned Film Directing program at CalArts, the
not hospitalized. The publicist attributed what she referred to as the “continued onslaught of unfounded legal matters and the nonstop negativity” as contributing factors to Brown's illness. The “Turn The Music Up” singer went on to have his probation reinstated after he was involved in an alleged hitand-run accident. He now faces a further 1,000 hours of community labour. Brown has been dealing with legal problems since 2009, when he was arrested for assaulting his thengirlfriend, Barbadian megastar Rihanna, and was first placed on probation. His publicist said the Grammy-winning performer regretted that he would not be able to perform.
makes impressive debut at France Film festival
film allowed Richards to return to his home country, Guyana, to share what he has learned about filmmaking and tell a story “in the community - with the community… Guyana is a beautiful country with good people. I wanted to
make a tonal film that captures the essence of a few people's experience in the country I love so much.” The Seawall was made possible by fundraising and donations totaling $20,000 through a non-profit fiscal sponsor affiliate with Friends & Returned Peace Corps Volunteers of Guyana (FROG). FROG, based in Washington, D.C., was created in 2007 by a group of Returned Peace Corps Volunteers who wanted to create a community of people interested in Guyana, the small, English speaking country in South America. Through a grassroots grants program, FROG implements projects in and about this beautiful and largely unexplored region of the world. Mason hopes to turn The Seawall into a feature film. He is currently in preproduction for his next short film to be shot on location in Brooklyn, New York and is also in development for his first feature-length film based on a Simon & Schuster published novel about a kid coming of age in the inner city. Mason splits his time between Los Angeles and New York City.
Friday August 30, 2013
Page 27
Kaieteur News
Award ceremony for Miss Emancipation 2013 A prize giving ceremony to award the winner and the runners up of the Miss Emancipation 2013 pageant is set for today, at the Museum of African Heritage. Those to receive prizes include: first runner-up Joelly Valentine, followed by second runner-up Franale Holder and third runner-up, Jennel Lovell. However, Shevona Jerrick, Sunaika Adolphus, and Makida Blake also competed. The eighth contestant, Shanice Bourne dropped out of the pageant because of some urgent family matters. Young and pretty with vibrant personalities, the young contestants had to undergo months of intense preparation. But like every other pageants, one testing night would determine the brightest of the shining stars. This year, that ultimate light came from 21-year-old Miracle Hilliman who outshined her six rivals in becoming Guyana's Miss Emancipation Queen 2013. Looking back at pageant night three weeks ago, the second year Communications student of the University of Guyana was desperately trying to withhold tears as the National Culture Centre audience became energized after her name was announced as the winner. Despite members in the audience having their own picks for the win, no
one objected to Hilliman being the winner, since many thought that she deserved it. The talent segment was great, and for the evening wear segment, the contestants captivated the audience with the display of beautiful dresses as they worked the stage on six inches of heel. The shapes of their bodies and the way the women wore their clothes was not nearly as important as the part of the pageant that followed- the question and answer segment. Surely all the contestants were not able to perfect their answers, so the four with the best response were the finalists. Joelly Valentine, Franale Holder, Jennel Lovell, and Miracle Hilliman were all asked one final question- “The United Nations has declared 20132023 the decade for people of African Descent, what is your 10-year vision for your people?” Three contestants were isolated backstage while each got a chance to answer the one question. Most of them spoke about their people (those of African descent) becoming more serious about education and unity. Their answers were impressive.
Miss Guyana United Kingdom 2012 to visit Guyana
New Emancipation Queen, Miracle Hilliman flanked by first runner-up Joelly Valentine at bottom left; second runner-up Franale Holder, behind; and third runner-up Jennel Lovell, at right However, it was obvious that contestant Jennel Lovell misinterpreted the question. She proceeded to talk about becoming a doctor in the next 10 years, and helping to cure her people. The beautiful Miss Lovell was therefore declared the third runner up. It was no doubt however, that apart from her misinterpretation of the question, she did well. It was after this that the other runnersup were announced, and Miracle Hilliman was declared the Queen. Who is Miracle Hilliman? Well according to the Queen herself, Miracle Hilliman is an aspiring
Journalist who, through her journey to becoming Miss Emancipation 2013, has grown “from ignorance to being a wise woman of African descent”. “I learned more about who I am and my heritage, my ancestors and what they have been through, and learning why I should appreciate who I am”, Hilliman said. She added that among some of the great things the pageant has given her, becoming sisters with her fellow contestants was the most significant. Her fellow contestants also shared the same sentiments, noting that they all plan to remain friends. (Rehana Ashley Ahamad)
Car and Bike show for Rosignol Stelling Road ishing meline Furn e last lap for the o H y, a rd tu This Sa hosting th Rosignol ent will be Entertainm and Bike show at the at there r th a Summer C . Organizers disclose s will be d a d o a. A ult Stelling R om Jamaic fr e s ri rp u s Gate prizes y's will be a ren $5,00. ild h c lackberr d n a $1,000 n TV, five B e re c s t a fl e include: On er consolations. th o y n a m d an
Twenty-nine year old Farah Sattaur, who was Miss Guyana United Kingdom 2012, is scheduled to visit Guyana for the first time since her win at the Pageant held in London last November. Chief Executive Officer Tracey Benjamin, who is the organizer of the yearly competition, explained that Sattaur, who is a professional model,
will have the opportunity to visit Guyana for the first time and has plans to work with a number of charitable organizations. Benjamin added that the pageant also allows young women between the ages of 19 to 29 with Guyanese heritage residing in the UK to compete for the yearly title. Sattaur's mother is Pilipino while her father is Guyanese.
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Friday August 30, 2013
Kaieteur News
Carifesta XI… Sonia Noel a showstopper at ‘Grandeur' fashion event
Sonia Noel stole the show at what was touted as the 'Grandeur' fashion event at Carifesta XI. On Monday evening, at the Royal Torarica, Paramaribo, a lineup of 15 hand-picked designers from Suriname, Trinidad, St Lucia, Belize, Haiti and Guyana presented to a who-is-who audience of cultural attachés, fashion cognoscenti's, culture buffs and creative arts enthusiasts from around the region. The show presented the widest assortment of couture apparel from bedazzling accessories to bohemian bags, from architectural hats to avant-garde garments, from ethnic men's couture to exotic hand-painted textiles, but the showstopper was Sonia Noel. 'The response in Suriname at the Carifesta events has been tremendous from some many people from different countries. The showing at the Grandeur Fashion event was one of Sonia Noel's best presentations and “the audience responded from outfit one to 18 was a great felling reconnected with so many of my Surinamese who supported me years ago” Sonia Noel stood proud as the Guyanese brands 'Mariska's Designs' and 'First Resort' erupted on the runway with an outpouring of her legendary latticing, her perennial ponchos, her branded bustier and her distinctive dresses, all celebrating her signature style. What's more than that was her decision to incorporate the launch of her magazine, Makin' Style, at the affair. Indeed, it was a grande affaire with her closing défilé used strategically to distribute the inaugural copy to the publication to the eager guests whose resounding applause attest to the winning feat that her showing claimed. She was in her element as the master of ceremony requested a command performance of the style maven herself. She rose to the occasion and took to the microphone where she seized the opportunity to tell her story, her Guyanese biography of
Sonia Noel poses with Ron Felix and Wyclef Jean at Royal Torarica in Suriname which she boasted profusely. “I stand before you as a testimony that little small-town girls can have dreams and pursue them and make them a reality. I stand here beaming with pride, just as I felt when I presented on Caribbean fashion development, at the prestigious Ivy League Brown University, not only as passionate fashion practitioner but as a daughter of Guyanese soil and a true product of my nationality.” Miss Noel booth at the grand Market attracted a lot of people with her elaborate and unique white collection and huge blown up banners of GFW and makin' style. Patron were always in and around the booth either to buy or
“Gift secrets”
to revolutionize shopping
So the word has it, that there is a new innovative business that is coming called “Gift secrets.” It has been the talk, but it surely looks like a secret. The most that is being said that individuals are surely looking forward to this new venture. Icing to the cake is that its a very young entrepreneur with a great idea and should be launch in two weeks time. Patrons will be kept posted with more info next Friday.
other an outfit, inquiring about GFW or to have a autograph copy of makin Style. Icana boutique in Torarica hotel already has the First Resorts line in stock and they will also be one of the outlets for makin'style Magazine Sonia Noel designs was also selected to outfit the closing ceremony hostess Lygia Sherida Amania and popular Media personality Odette Miranda. “This entire event is even more special because I share our Caribbean aesthetic with my regional Creative Arts peers as I salute the mission of Carifesta XI, Culture for Development.” According to Noel, in light of the universal principles of economic diversification, so relevant for sustainable development initiatives, non-traditional income generation activity, favouring the creative arts is becoming more and more grounded and relevant, particularly, “if we are to engage the youth in nation building efforts. The executive at Guyana Fashion Week (GFW) has seen that the creative arts, of which fashion is a significant part, have become essential for economic development, the world over, and as such have incorporated all of the Arts in the identity branding agenda of the inaugural fashion week. In addition, GFW has aligned its mandate with the international observance of water cooperation as declared by The United Nation's General Assembly. For indeed, there is a corollary! Water symbolizes the clearing away of clutter and a rejuvenation of approach in order to
unleash more relevant and sustainable methods. With this tie-in so determined, it becomes all the more substantive that the partnership with the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment be consolidated.” She explained that the Ministry's mandate is to preserve the natural resources of Guyana, of which water figures significantly, more so being branded the “land of many waters” in an effort to employ more creative ways of enlightening and educating the public, at large, on the far-reaching consequences on issues of water cooperation. “It is of paramount importance, in contemporary economies, to rationalize the impact of water cooperation and as such to legislate and govern with its influence consciously regarded. A great segue presented itself, when GFW, with its ever Arts-oriented outreach programme made a bid to collaborate in honouring the international year of water cooperation and in commemorating Water Week September, 1st - September, 6th.” Noel said. “The week would be packed with activities that are thought-provoking, informative and ground-breaking. This week would engage young creative minds, in particular, in defining new methodologies in acknowledging the capacity and ambit of water cooperation through the performing arts, photography, fashion designing and 'industry' workshopping. Guyana will certainly make an impression on the world's stage, in terms of an ingenious roll out an international 'water for life'
Friday August 30, 2013
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Kaieteur News
Guyana Music Network set for September Launch Kross Kolor Records is set to launch the music network officially in September. The network is designed to: improve our knowledge of the business of music, improve our skills as entrepreneurs, elevate self-promotion of self and skills, standardize recorded material from studio to studio, have more prominent presence on the world wide web, have a united approach to music industry development, encourage the exchange of services, maximizing earning power from skills, equipment and projects, gather information for music industry data base, reduce cost of production to members where possible, create a base market of buyers for products produced by musicians and producers, and build partnerships with other entities. The Guyana Music Network is an entity that will promote the sustainable development of The Music Industry by first empowering its members through economic, educational and social activities supported by the Network itself, built on the concept of "Han Wash Han Mek Han Clean". The concept was birthed out of the lack of strategic development plan and extremely slow rate of growth. The types of membership are: Full membership open to musicians, producers, songwriters, dub poets, studio owners, music teachers, schools, steel bands, and bands; associate members for DJs, VJ's,
Indhira Harry and Amit Shah playing the lead roles of Tanvi and Vihaan
fashion designers, promoters, journalists, radio stations, television stations and the final category friends of the network and these include Small businesses, Cooperate Guyana and Fans. Each category comes with its own benefits. Persons can register online at gmn.krosskolor.com, additional information can also be found and questions asked via facebook.com/guyanamusicnetwork or email guyanamusic@gmail.com Those who have already registered are being encouraged to get at least three other persons to register since the success of the network will depend on the total membership. The network team will like to thank all those who attend and extend a special thank you to NCN, HJTV/ 94.1 Boom FM. the print media, Jamz 592, Ministry of Culture Youth and Sport.
Back to the Future
Party for Buddy's
e bye to one awesom It's time to say Good e ls to the future as Pu summer and return e” ts “Back to the Futur en t Entertainment Pres igh N s y' dd turday at Bu Party begins this Sa Club. & st to present funky Patrons can enjoy pa DJ's along with foxy Hits by the Pulse s you're FREE die La Extreme Lighting. e mission $1,500 befor before 11:00pm, Ad 11:00pm.
ZWE 2013 Available On Newsstands T
he third edition of IZWE Magazine hit the newsstands in time for Emancipation month celebrations. The publisher of IZWE Corbin Media Group, Inc. (CMG) disclosed that there was a tremendous demand for the magazine in 2012, so they decided to produce another issue in 2013. The print quantity was also increased to meet the anticipated requests. IZWE is a full colour magazine that was launched in 2011 - The International Year for People of African Descent. The magazine got its name from a Zulu word meaning people or nation. It chronicles the experiences of African descendants locally, regionally and internationally through historical facts and present day information. CMG reiterated that the magazine has no racial or political agenda, and its focus remains the same - to bring forth segments of Guyana's history to a new generation of readers. Information about the past and present is presented by knowledgeable experts and researchers on African matters. This is done in an easy to read format and
Naya Zamana 18
complimented with high quality pictures and illustrations. The third edition of IZWE has on its cover, a painting of three elegantly dressed women which symbolizes the magazine's focus this year on women. A sneak peek at the contents of IZWE 2013 reveals features on Influential Women in Guyana and the Diaspora, the 1823 Slave Uprising, Queenstown, Essequibo Village, African Themed Fashion, The Ghana Day Committee, A Glossy of Terms and much more. CMG thanked all its sponsors and supporters who helped to make this edition possible. “It is through your vision and openmindedness that we are inspired to work even harder to make the magazine better.” The release went on to say. The glossy IZWE magazine is available at Austin's Book Services, Church Street; Rubis Service Station, Mandella Avenue, Shell Service Station, Vlissingen Road and German's Restaurant on New Market Street for GY$1,200. Persons can also contact IZWE on facebook.
was spectacular! There was a usually massive turnout at the National Culture Centre as the venue came alive last Saturday evening with Naya Zamana 18. Titled “Taal Dhamaal”, the dancing spectacular left the packed audience in awe and wanting more. It was that good. Surely, the Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha outdid itself with this year's production. There were a few hiccups here and there, and despite it being obvious that the production required tremendous work, some of the actresses clearly could not act. Nonetheless, this year's production was great. Surely Kaieteur News Entertainment did not get the best seat in the house, and although half of the stage could not be seen, the audience clearly enjoyed themselves. Take note, Kaieteur News Entertainment does not like to be treated dismissively. From what could be seen though, there were vibrant colours, dazzling costumes, captivating sets, and a good storyline complimented with a magnificent playlist. The production even had that happy, fairly-tale ending that we all crave every now and then. It was surely better than last year's production which came to a somewhat abrupt end. Saturday night's dancing spectacular told the story of a diverse group of dancers who were granted coveted spots in a premier dance academy. The dancers had to train rigorously as they vied to be dance partners with Bollywood Mega Star-Shahrukh Khan. But the most attractive, was the story of one particular dancer-an abandoned bride who was played by Indhira Harry. Hers was undoubtedly an outstanding performance. She managed to convince the audience of the pain that her character, Tanvi felt after she was left standing at her wedding mandap (the sacred tent or canopy used in Hindu weddings) without a groom. Fast forward a few months, Tanvi was enrolled at the dancing academy. She had been trying desperately to move on from the memories of Vihaan, the man she loved and was about to marry. Ironically, while at the academy, Tanvi saw Vihaan; he was one of her dancing rivals. And although he was sorry and tried several times to prove his love, Tanvi was reluctant, and scared of once again being hurt. At last, the abandoned bride followed her heart and accepted Vihaan, who wasted no time in giving her the grand wedding of her dreams. The role of Vihaan was played by Amit Shah, a US-based Creative Director, and Choreographer. He is no newcomer to the stage. Shah wowed the crowd at last year's “Bollywood Dreams”, playing the lead role of Yash Kapoor. As promised, “Taal Dhamaal” did take the audience on a veritable rollercoaster of emotions ranging from love and laughter to anger, sadness, and desperation. The production, which was written, choreographed, and directed by Dr Vindhya Persaud, also featured a delightful musical palette of several pieces of the golden songs of the yesteryear; it was indeed a treat as the production reflected on 100 years of Indian cinema. It ended with the beautiful scene of Vihaan and Tanvi's wedding. Certainly the Bollywood fanatics would've had a ball. The cast comprised of about 60 talented dancers and actors who managed to present a unique show that will be remembered for a long time after. A new addition to the cast is Prashant Sitaram, choreographer of the Rangeela Dance Troupe of New York. Other great performances came from Rishi Dubraj and Ananda Latchman. (Rehana Ashley Ahamad)
Page 30
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Kaieteur News
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Friday August 30, 2013
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SALON Make Up Courses, Artist Trained & Certified in Trinidad. Call: 660-5257, 647-1773 VACANCY Sales girl $10,000 weekly. Apply in person @ Dian’s Deli opposite Kitty Market (Continued on page 31)
Friday August 30, 2013
Kaieteur News
Page 31
Letters... Where your views make the news
The impending Local Government Elections could ignite the beginning of new politics DEAR EDITOR, With the passage of the recent Local Government reform bills, there seems to be more interest in Local Government Elections. As I move around the country I sense a heightened interest in local democracy which should be nurtured. Local Government is the heartbeat of the democratic process. It is the level of government that is closest to the people. It is at that level that ordinary citizens get a chance to engage most effectively in selfgovernance. The councilors live in the community. This makes them more accessible and accountable to the people. The current system has reduced Local Democracy to a sham. It alienates people from participation. The Central Government, through the Minister of Local Government, is very disrespectful to the Local Government organs that it does not control and reduces those controlled by its supporters to rubber stamps of the PPP. Town, Regional and Neighborhood Councils are starved of funds and resources by the Central Government. In effect what we have is Government Tyranny in the guise of Local
Government. It is for this reason that I believe that the impending Local Government Elections, if held under the reformed system, could ignite the beginning of a new politics in which people take control of their own governance and in the process benefit from the fruits of democracy. I also believe an active and effective Local Government is a form of power sharing, what is referred to these days as Vertical Power Sharing, whereby the Central Government and the Local Organs share the burden of governance. In this regard the Local Governments could also serve as a check on the Central Government. It is for this reason that I believe the political parties should either stay out of the Local Government entirely or at a minimum reduce their participation. If political parties feel they must participate I think they should only contest 40 percent of the seats I favor the return to the Village Council system where
it is necessary. This would ensure that historic villages regain control of village resources such as land which is a burning issue in the villages. It would also help to restore a sense of community. It would bring more people into governance, thus broadening the base of participation. We would now have Village Councils, Neighborhood Councils and Regional Councils. It would take government even closer to the people. Finally I would recommend that the 30 percent rule, whereby parties are required to have women make up a minimum of 30 percent of their slates, be applied all Local Government councils Gender powersharing holds the prospect of bringing fresh ideas to the table that could well turn out to be a deviation from the acrimony that now characterizes governance. Villager David Hinds (From page 30) FOR SALE/RENT American Pool Table - Call: 277-0578
PROPERTY FOR SALE Property for sale in Enterprise E. C. Demerara Call: 627-5416/611-7437 Lodge, corner property with business- Call:223-7181/6274900 WANTED Need one live in domestic preferably from country areaCall:649-1105 or 622-7956
WANTED One three bedrooms apartment anywhere around town- Call:617-7865
Female 35-45 years to train for Ice Cream employmentCall: 610-2978
Laboures and Porters: Apply @ Wieting & Richter Ltd
Property for sale by owner located at Regent Street, Georgetown- Call:225-1831
Urgently needed 1 plot of land to buy in Parfaite Harmony- Call:675-7292
VERSAILLES: Furnished 5 bedrooms, self-contained rooms, modern facilities, generator, beautiful landscape, gated community- Call:592-6248704/ 592-684-9203
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1 Sales Representative (Western Union) must have Maths & English CXC. Apply @ Humphrey’s Bakery 38 Ketley Street, Charlestown- Call:231-0497
Furnished building in the interior, fully equipped along with six rooms- Call:604-6999 Wharf Land, Ruimveldt, Supply, Soesdyke 200’x300’ $45M, Lombard streetCall:231-2200/618-7483
Eccles $6.5M & Robb Street Bourda $120M- Call Diana @227-2256/626-9382
Vacancy exists for driver/ salesman & security guard: please apply at Humphrey’s Bakery & Farm Products Ltd. Tel:225-7864/227-8607 Live in maid- Call:233-2725 Porters, skidder, tractor, moulder operator, wood mizer operator and lorry driver- Call Richard 609-7675/233-2614 1 Night Security apply in writing with a valid Police clearance to GCC Ground, Bourda Opportunity to work from home, online business. Must have internet connection. Small Investment. For details call:686-1422 Driver: License for motor vehicles (car, truck & forklifts) F & H Printing Establishment 90-92 John st, Campbellville Georgetown Male sales person for Plant Shop 18yrs-25yrs, must have secondary education- call 648-1821 (between 8:00am4:00pm)
One live-in or live out maidcall:668-3985/264-3355/6837936
For sale by owner: House and Land @ D’Edward, W.C.B.- Call: 689-2973/6983703 South Ruimveldt $14.5M, Uitvlught Oceanview $4.3M, Bel-Air Park $45M, Prashad Nagar $60M- Call:231-2200/ 618-7483 Paradise, E.C.D: Concrete modern 2 storeys, 4 bedrooms- 2 masters. Concrete fenced large lotcall:225-2626/ 225-3068 Haslington, E.C.D: Building ‘A’, concrete/ timber modern 2 storeys, 7 bedrooms, grilled & fenced. Building ‘B’, 3 apartments, fenced- call:2252626/ 225-3068
Widowed/divorced live in domestic, labourer, car/van driver- Call:610-2978
Wanted contract cars @ Atlas Taxi Service: South Ruimveldt gardens, VHF radio network- Call:661-3043
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Eccles $6M, West $5M, Charlestown $15M, Prospect $15M- Call Diana @ 2272256/626-9382
CONTRACT CARS @ CITY TAXI SERVICE CALL: 660-1100
Attractive live in waitressCall:327-0252/674-4665
1 Large 5 bedrooms house with Business @ DiamondCall:627-3902
1 Three bedrooms house in Parfaite Hamonie, W.B.DCall:658-5803/622-1782
VACANCY Cashier, porter, sales clerks: Apply with written application @ 2J’s General Store 148-149 Regent road Bourda, G/Town- Call:2252350
One experienced hire car driver from West Bank or West Coast- call:616-0111
LAND FOR SALE House lot for sale: Friendship, Diamond EBD & drafting of house plans call:223-0733, 223-0730, 6928513 Land @ Marudi Creek 35 acres. Suitable for farming/ sand pit- Call:664-9701/6426056 100’x120’ land on E.C.D $8M negotiable- Call:680-5944
One attractive waitressCall:678-1481 Driver looking for contract car to work $20,000 weeklyCall:682-5798/ BB Pin 235E9E02 Law Tutor wanted- Call:6840347 One experience Hire car driver- Contact Mrs. KhanCall:226-7948 or 686-6648 1 Whole day maid for East Bank area- Call:614-4358
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Parfaite Harmonie $1M, $1.3M $1.6M- Call:628-9156.
1 Maid to work on the E.B.D (Monday- Saturday)- Call: 626-7040
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Transported corner lot 58’x30’ at Garnett and Republic streets, NewtownCall:601-6000
One live in maid must know to cook & clean, preferably from country side or interiorCall:666-6836
Paradise, E.C.D: Concrete modern 2 bedrooms, front and rear verandah. Concrete fenced large lot- call:2252626/ 225-3068
House lot E.B.D 100’x50’ $4M- Call:610-0051
One experienced driver to work in interior to drive bus & lorry- Call:666-6836
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41 Acres at Silver Hill/ Moblissa Linden Highway $18M Neg- Call:223-7181/ 627-4900
Pump Attendant @ Shell Service Station Providence, E.B.D: Must be able to work shift-Tel:265-7305 Email: shellramsburg@ gmail.com For Cook or Kitchen Assistant @ Abbie’s Creole Snackette lot 6 public road Mc Doom- Call:233-1589
2369.664 Sq/ft of land @ Victoria village, E.C.DCall:225-2626/225-3068
VACANCY Stores Supervisor: Maths & English Grade 1-3 CXC: F & H Printing Establishment 9092 John street, Campbellville Georgetown
Linden highway farm looking for workers- Call Corniluse on 641-1544 or 650-0105 Salesman with own vehicle to distribute food products. Motivated drivers can apply (good commission)Call:666-5676 Wanted to buy: Small living trench fishes (all types) Patwa, Hassar etc.- Call:6448381
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Bulletin issued for Muammar Jabar
T
he police have issued a wanted bulletin for Muammar Jabar in relation to the murder of Tolasicy Marshall called 'Talo', which was committed on August 20 at James Street, Albouystown. Jabar is described as brown in complexion, thinly built, of African heritage, and his last known address
was 33 James Street, Albouystown. A n y o n e w i t h information that may lead to the arrest of Muammar Jabar is asked to contact the police on telephone numbers 225-6411, 2266978, 226-7065, 227-1149, 226-7476, 911 or the nearest police station. All information will be treated with strict confidence.
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Obama makes case for Syria strike, British house votes no (Reuters) - The British parliament yesterday rejected a motion supporting military action in Syria, reflecting deep divisions about using force to punish President Bashar al-Assad for what Western governments believe was his use of chemical weapons against civilians. U.S. officials conceded yesterday they lacked conclusive evidence that Assad personally ordered last week’s poison gas attack, and some allies have warned that military action without U.N. Security Council authorization risks making the situation worse.President Barack Obama’s top national security officials were due to brief Congress on Syria later yesterday, but any intervention looked set to be
delayed at least until U.N. investigators report back after leaving Syria tomorrow. The British parliament’s rejection of the largely symbolic motion proposed by Prime Minister David Cameron, which would have given authorization in principle for action subject to a second vote, was a setback for Obama’s efforts to build a coalition for action. Cameron said afterward he would not override the will of parliament and approve such action, saying it was clear that parliament did not want to see a military strike on Syria to punish it for chemical weapons use and that he would act accordingly. White House spokesman Josh Earnest suggested before the British vote that the United States might be
Barack Obama (right) David Cameron willing to act on its own. “When the president reaches a determination about the appropriate response ... and a legal justification is required to substantiate or to back up that decision, we’ll produce
Russia sends warships to Mediterranean as Syria tension rises MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia said yesterday it was sending warships to the Mediterranean, but denied it was beefing up its naval force there as Western powers prepare for military action against Syria. Interfax news agency quoted a source in the armed forces’ general staff as saying Russia, Syria’s most powerful ally, was deploying a missile cruiser from the Black Sea Fleet and a large anti-submarine ship from the Northern Fleet in the “coming days”. Any strengthening of the navy’s presence could fuel tension, especially as the United States has said it is repositioning naval forces in the Mediterranean following an alleged chemical weapons attack which it blames on Syrian government forces. “The well-known situation now in the eastern Mediterranean required us to make some adjustments to the naval force,” the source said in a reference to the events in Syria. It was not clear when the vessels would arrive but Interfax said the missile cruiser Moskva was currently in the North Atlantic and would set sail in the next few days.
Vladimir Putin
President Vladimir Putin has said the naval presence is needed to protect national security interests and is not a threat to any nation. Russia cooperates with NATO navies against piracy and its ships call at Western ports. The navy later said a deployment was imminent in the Mediterranean but suggested it would not increase the size of Russian forces there.
one on our own,” Earnest said. Syrian opposition sources said Assad’s forces had removed several Scud missiles and dozens of launchers from a base north of Damascus, possibly to protect them from a Western attack, and Russia was reported to be moving ships into the region. But expectations of imminent turmoil eased as the diplomatic process was seen playing out into next week, and the White House emphasized that any action would be “very discrete and limited,” and in no way comparable to the Iraq war. The United States and its allies have “no smoking gun” proving Assad personally ordered the attack on a rebelheld Damascus
neighborhood in which hundreds of people were killed, U.S. national security officials said. In secret intelligence assessments and a stillunreleased report summarizing U.S. intelligence on the alleged gas attack on August 21, U.S. agencies expressed high confidence that Syrian government forces carried out the attack, and that Assad’s government therefore bears responsibility, U.S. national security officials said. Syria denies blame for the gas attacks and says they were perpetrated by rebels. Washington and its allies say the denial is not credible. Secretary of State John Kerry and Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel were among senior U.S. officials expected to brief congressional leaders later yesterday. Some lawmakers complained they had not been properly consulted. While U.N. chemical weapons inspectors spent a third day combing the rebelheld area where the attack took place, traffic moved normally elsewhere in Damascus, with some extra army presence but little indication of any high alert. An extended parliamentary debate in London revealed deep
misgivings stemming from the 2003 invasion of Iraq. After pressure from lawmakers, the British government - a key player in any proposed air assault on Syria - had promised parliament that even if it voted in favor, there would be a second decisive vote once the U.N. weapons inspectors report their findings. Even that motion was defeated by 285 to 272 votes. The United Nations said its team of inspectors would leave Syria tomorrow and report to Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. France and Germany urged the world body to pass its report on to the decisionmaking Security Council as soon as possible “so that it can fulfill its responsibility with regards to this monstrous crime.” The United States, Britain and France say they can act with or without a U.N. Security Council resolution, which would likely be vetoed by Russia, a close ally of Assad. But some countries are more cautious: Italy said it would not join any military operation without Security Council authorization.
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Chicken prices continue to soar As chicken prices continue to cut deep into the pockets of consumers, government yesterday announced the granting of 18 licences to exporters. According to the Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, the licences will continue to be in effect up to January next year with chicken to be imported from neighbouring Suriname and the United States. There have been fears that chicken prices would have been touching almost $500 per pound in the coming weeks as shortages continue. Consumers have been complaining of paying, on average, some $400 per pound. Chicken, over the years, has been one of the cheapest and most popular sources of protein. But farmers have been complaining of increasing challenges. They have been blaming poor quality baby chicks and feed on the shortages. Prices for the feed have been increasing too. Many small farmers have already pulled out from the business after suffering severe losses from fatalities and stunted growth. The baby chick importers, on the other hand, have been blaming their egg suppliers from mainly the U.S. for the poor quality. According to the Ministry, Minister Irfaan Ali, through its Consumer Affairs
- 18 import licences granted
Division, has continued to monitor the escalating prices for poultry on the local market. Two months ago, Ministry officials met with representatives from the Guyana Poultry Producers Association and the Guyana Livestock Development Authority to discuss the possibility of an impending shortage. ”Both agencies confirmed that the problem was with a shipment of hatching eggs,” Derrick Cummings, who spoke on behalf of the Ministry, explained. “In anticipation of a shortage, and acting on feedback from consumers and retailers,” the Ministry disclosed that it recently granted permission for 18
persons to import chicken, up until January 2014. Cummings noted that the importers will still have to pay the necessary duties. To protect local farmers, government had introduced import tax measures to ensure the chickens grown in Guyana are cheaper. The permits were granted to “traditional importers” whose applications were pending. “The prices were increasing and we followed the trend and made the determination that we would issue the permits. At the same time we want to protect the local industry,” Cummings said. Those granted permission will be restricted to one or two containers to ensure no flooding of the market.
Friday August 30, 2013
Moves being made to make GPHC cancer treatment-friendly An evaluation of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) is on the cards even as moves are being made by the Ministry of Health to ensure that quality cancer treatment is continually available to the Guyanese populace. This disclosure was made by Minister of Health, Dr Bheri Ramsaran, who has recommended that the GPHC forges a strategic collaboration with the Cancer Institute of Guyana in order to realise the objective. The Cancer Institute, which is situated in the GPHC compound, was earlier this year afforded a provisional licence that allows it to operate an oncology clinic with radiation therapy. The move followed on the heels of an evaluation which revealed that the facility was in compliance with the requirements under the Health Facilities Licensing Act of 2007. “We are pushing it now more than ever because we have been waiting too long to have this kind of service reinstated,” Dr Ramsaran said. Moreover, he disclosed that the Ministry has solicited the support of the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) through the person of its Technical Adviser, Dr Rosalinda Hernandez, to ascertain whether the GPHC could fill the requisite gap in order to aid the provision of cancer treatment. “I had an official meeting with Dr Hernandez today (Wednesday) and the necessary documentation will be done seeking her assistance to have somebody come to do the assessment so that if we take up that service, which will include radiation I suppose, and whatever is necessary, we will be doing it in a safe and good condition.”
But according to the GPHC’s Chief Executive Officer, Mr Michael Khan, the moves toward collaboration with the Cancer Institute are only now beginning. “We are in the stage of identifying an area so that we can put what Minister wants us to have here, but we are surely working with the Cancer Institute.” And should all measures be put in place, it will mean that the Cancer Institute will be able to establish a working partnership with the GPHC rather than a private facility. And since this development is likely to come at no small cost to the Ministry of Health, Dr Ramsaran said that the preferred move would be for the private sector to fill the void. “If the private sector takes it up, we would be more than happy, but we cannot wait...Four months have already elapsed since the Cancer Institute was granted permission to do its work...” Previously, the St Joseph Mercy Hospital was the primary facility to provide the needful care, but according to Dr Ramsaran, PAHO had found that there were many things wanting in that operation. Among the concerns, PAHO had detected that there was a leak in radiation, which forced the decommissioning of the cancer treatment operation there. And according to the Minister, it was only this week he learnt from his Director of Standard, Dr Julian Amsterdam, that no moves have been made by the private facility to recommission the cancer treatment operation. “He indicated that apparently the Mercy Hospital’s Board (of Directors) have not met since
Health Minister Dr. Bheri Ramsaran the decommissioning and that was several months ago...and this service is still in limbo. If they get themselves in order, obviously they can get certified.” Without the requisite facility in place such as the Cancer Institute and other certified facilities, Dr Ramsaran said that Government will have no choice but to seek cancer treatment care for patients overseas. He said it was, however, in light of the need to have the treatment closer to home, that moves were made to encourage the collaboration between the GPHC and the Cancer Institute. “I instructed Mr (Michael) Khan to explore the possibility of putting the GPHC in order to act as Plan B just in case the Mercy Hospital doesn’t have that Board meeting soon.” “We want all of those (medical) services that were offered here before, but we want them offered in a safe and correct manner.” The Minister further disclosed that it is his expectation that the GPHC will be able to engage the Cancer Institute with a view of putting things in place swiftly to enable a working relationship, similar to that which existed in the past with the Mercy Hospital. “The Ministry of Health wants this service and whichever entity gets itself in order first will be certified, but it could be more efficient with the GPHC, since it shares the same compound with the Cancer Institute. So this collaboration would be convenient, but of course we can’t force them into a relationship.”
A mini health check is the first step to donating blood
Friday August 30, 2013
Kaieteur News
ROWLEY: Kamla bows to public pressure Trinidad Express - PRIME Minister Kamla PersadBissessar bowed to “public pressure and derision” when she announced that local government elections will be held within its constitutional timeframe, Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley said Wednesday. Rowley made the statement in response to Persad-Bissessar ’s announcement on Tuesday that “win, lose or draw” the local government elections would not be postponed. The elections are constitutionally due on or before October 26.
Earlier this month, following the United National Congress (UNC) loss to the Jack Warner-led Independent Liberal Party (ILP) in the Chaguanas West by-election, Persad-Bissessar said discussions were ongoing to decide whether the local government elections should be postponed. “What we were cautioning about is that government ministers were shamelessly looking for a reason to justify their intention to postpone the (local government) election. They have now bowed to public pressure and derision.
Auditors probing JTA multimillion-dollar fraud, digging deeper Jamaica Gleaner Auditors probing the multimillion-dollar theft at the Jamaica Teachers’ Association (JTA) are now going through financial records for as far back as four years ago. A senior investigator in the case told our news centre that the information gathered so far is indicating that the scam runs much deeper than originally thought. Auditors had said $58 million was found missing after reviewing the union’s financial statements for the
fiscal year ending in April. While not going into details, the senior investigator says detectives are steadily piecing together information regarding the extent of the scam and persons who may be involved. The senior cop says investigators are yet to locate the former JTA worker who was named as a person of interest in the case. It has been more than two weeks since the police launched a searched for Marlon Francis.
Dr Keith Rowley The public pressure and derision which they faced, they had to back away from the attempt to postpone the election,” Rowley said. “There was an intention to look for a reason to postpone it, and that has been soundly rejected by the population, so any intention on the part of the Government to do so has now been shelved,” he said. Rowley said PersadBissessar made a promise in 2010 to ensure that the local government election would be held when it is constitutionally due, and therefore her statement on Tuesday was “not news”. “What is news is that they have failed to find and to carry out their attempt to postpone it,” Rowley said. Rowley said the presentation of the national budget on September 9 coincides with the date the local government election is to be announced, and the budget would therefore be used as a “launching pad” for that election campaign.
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Jamaica Govt. urged to legalise marijuana KINGSTON, Jamaica – CMC - The Portia Simpson Miller led administration is being urged to legalise and regulate marijuana as the nation’s economy could benefit from such a move. This is according to the Executive Director of the US base Drug Policy Alliance, Ethan Nadelmann who believes that although a study has not been carried out surrounding the benefits of marijuana legalisation, anecdotal evidence suggests it could be the next big crop for the island. “If you legally regulate marijuana, first you stop wasting tens of millions of dollars per year on enforcing a policy, secondly you reduce the opportunities for police corruption, you begin to raise tax revenue from the domestic sales of cannabis and you can begin to recruit tourism on that basis.” He pointed out that the United States has no
Portia Simpson Miller credibility in lecturing any country on changing its marijuana legislations because 20 states in the U.S. has legally regulated marijuana and are reaping the benefits from it. Meanwhile, well known Jamaican scientist, Dr. Henry Lowe believes the Portia Simpson Miller administration should take a
serious look at developing the medical marijuana industry. Lowe told an editor’s forum at the Jamaica Gleaner on Wednesday that the Government is missing out on billions of dollars, which could be earned from the wide range of cosmeceutical, neutraceutical and pharmaceutical products being developed across the world. “I think Jamaica has got a clear leadership role in medical ganja, and I am calling on the Government of Jamaica – including the parliamentary Opposition – to take a look at this, so we can move forward and do what we need to do … because it has real potential.” Lowe argued that while the cultivation of marijuana is illegal and most of the debate has been centred on the smoking of marijuana, emphasis must now shift to the medical and extension, economic potential for Jamaica.
Media ejected from Hylton’s logistics hub meeting Jamaica Gleaner - The media were evicted from a meeting on Jamaica’s Global Logistics Hub project between the Jamaica Exporters’ Association (JEA) and Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce, Anthony Hylton, yesterday afternoon, despite an earlier invitation. The move comes at a time when controversy has been heating up over the Chinese proposal to build its own logistics hub on the Goat Islands off the coast of St
Catherine, which is part of an environmentally protected area. The hub project led by Hylton’s ministry is a series of projects spanning the ports, redevelopment of lands at the Caymanas Estate and other components. The Gleaner had managed to avoid the eviction initially, but Joan Hutchinson, an official from the communications section of the ministry was alerted. “The minister has requested a private meeting without the media,” said
Hutchinson, who pointedly told The Gleaner to leave the meeting. Prior to that incident, Jean Smith apologised to the JEA members for the late start. She said Hylton was in the building and would be coming in shortly, now that the media had left. The meeting started about 40 minutes late as a result. “We aren’t blaming anybody,” Hutchinson later told The Gleaner, when asked why the media had been evicted. “It was an error on our part,” she said. Another media representative who managed to re-enter the meeting, was later approached by Hutchinson once more. The reporter told Hutchinson that as he had been invited by the JEA, the Industry Ministry had no right to expel him. Hutchinson then consulted with a JEA official, who then requested that the reporter leave.
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Kaieteur News
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Letters... Where your views make the news
GGDMA not supporting small miners, only the interests of its executives and medium scale miners DEAR EDITOR, I wish to debunk the explanation provided by the Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association (GGDMA) in relation to its ‘mutual-benefit’ support for the appointment of the acting Commissioner of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), Mr. Rickford Vieira to be confirmed as Commissioner, which was published by Kaieteur News on August 28. Mr. Editor, I didn’t state in my previous letter, but I am now highlighting why I am concerned about the affairs of the GGDMA and the GGMC. For over fifteen years I have been an active small scale miner following in my father’s foot step and I am convinced that the GGDMA is not concerned about small miners. It is evident that the GGDMA is only concerned about the affairs of its executive members and that of medium scale miners. However, since the creation of the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment, there has been a sense of small miners feeling valued and included in the sector. I believed this is where the
GGDMA is scared of losing the footing of its membership and is now supportive of the Commissioners’ appointment to gain his trust and support to repair small miners’ image of the GGDMA. Or am I to believe that the GGDMA is just comfortable with the way in which the acting Commissioner is managing sector, all to the Associations’ whims and fancies. As a show of the realities of small miners, I challenge any independent body to do an assessment to enquire of the support if any that the GGDMA is providing to support small miners development. The GGDMA is only willing to work along with the GGMC to solve problems of a few well off gold miners and that is the crux of the matter. How often does the GGDMA interact with small miners? We are fed up of not being represented, more so, several other mini associations have
been formed to represent specifically small miners and have been successful. The current reality is that small miners have been sidelined by the GGDMA and have been promoting its executives and medium scale miners and that there Mr. Editor is one of the major reasons why the GGDMA is going out on a limb to lobby for its own interest for the acting Commissioner to be confirmed. Like an old saying goes ‘hand wash hand make hand clean’. Further, the GGDMA should focus on real issues
to support small miners rather than satisfying its high level clientele of the Association and the GGMC. Additionally, I am aghast as to why I am being referred to as ‘Archer’ by Mr. Sparman in his response to my letter. And why is it that Mr. Sparman is invoking APNU by implying that I am calling them criminals, is it t h a t h e f e e l s t h a t the GGDMA and APNU are one of the same? Don’t try to distract the small miners and the public by taking political cover. Terence William (Snr)
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Bolt takes Zurich 100m, Ashmeade second Kingston, Jamaica Sprinting legend Usain Bolt (9.90) left it late coming from behind to win the men’s 100m at the Zurich Diamond League in Zurich, Switzerland, yesterday with teammate Nickel Ashmeade (9.94) in second. American Justin Gatlin was third in 9.96 seconds.
Shelly-Ann Fraser tops 200 field The other Jamaicans Nesta Carter and Kemar Bailey-Cole were sixth and seventh respectively. Gatlin, although finishing in third place, is the winner of this season’s Diamond League 100m title.
World leader Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce was first in the women’s 200 metre sprinting a comfortable 22.40 seconds. The win makes Fraser-Pryce the female 200m Diamond League champion for 2013. Mourielle Ahoure from
Friday August 30, 2012 ARIES (MAR 21 - APR 19): Aries, your intuition is increased today to the point where you feel like a mind reader, like you could deduce the thoughts and motives of people you've never met before. Reading about news events might bring sudden insights as to how they're going to turn out.
LIBRA (SEP 23 - OCT 22): Money matters are likely to be advanced today through your intuition and inner power, Libra. You may get a hunch that your idea for bringing in some extra money just might work. At least look into it. Don't let anyone talk you out of it until you know the facts.
*************************** TAURUS (APR 20 MAY 20): You should be feeling especially passionate at this time, Taurus, especially regarding partnerships. Romantic partnerships definitely call for an evening together!
*************************** SCORPIO (OCT 23 NOV 21): A surge of inner power could have you feeling like you can move mountains, Scorpio.
*************************** GEMINI (MAY 21 JUN 20): If you've been feeling less like yourself lately, Gemini, a surge of inner power could push you over the top and make you feel strong and healthy again. *************************** CANCER (JUN 21 - JUL 22): A surge of passion could dominate your day unless you find an outlet for it, Cancer. An intimate evening with a lover would be a good idea. Creative passion is also strong, and you could be hit with sudden inspiration, perhaps influenced by distant places. *************************** LEO (JUL 23 - AUG 22): A romantic evening at home with your partner could bring the two of you closer, Leo. Your emotions are intense right now, so you need to use your intuition to judge exactly how much of your feelings you should reveal. ************************ VIRGO (AUG 23 - SEP 22):Information received from far away could excite your passion to learn more about a subject, Virgo. You might be inspired to use your new knowledge in a project that includes a partner.
*************************** SAGITTARIUS (NOV 22 - DEC 21): Memories from your past could resurface, Sagittarius. You might wonder why you're suddenly thinking about them, but they probably represent a release of old emotional hang-ups that have been holding you back. *************************** CAPRICORN (DEC 22 JAN 19):Today represents a beginning in many ways. A friend from the past could reappear in your life, Capricorn, and bring up memories both pleasant and disconcerting. *************************** AQUARIUS (JAN 20 FEB 18): Emotions could be running high today, Aquarius. Someone in your entourage may have a problem with an authority figure, and political issues could come up. *************************** PISCES (FEB 19 - MAR 20): Heightened mental powers might have you spending a lot of time reading or doing research of some kind, Pisces. Your curiosity is especially high right now. You might even consider advancing your education in some way, especially since new interests have been stimulating you for some time.
the Ivory Coast, in a repeat of Moscow World Championships, was second in 22.66, while the Ukraine’s Mariya Ryemyen was third in 22.67. American Tiffany Townsend was disqualified after a false start. The United States
4X100M relay team ran a swift 41.67 seconds to take the Zurich Trophy and the Diamond League record. Jamaica’s team made up of Carrie Russell, Kerron Stewart, Natasha Morrison and anchored by Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce was second in
41.78, followed by Ukraine in 42.71 seconds. Fraser-Pryce, getting the baton after the US anchor made a valiant chasing effort but had to settle for second as the US held the lead to win. World champion American Lashawn Merrit winning in 44.13 got the better of Olympic champion Kirani James of Grenada (44.32) in second. Third was the Czech Republic’s Pavel Maslak, who ran 44.91 seconds. Merritt’s win confirms him as the Diamond League 400m title winner this season. World Champion American David Oliver won the men’s 110M hurdles in 13.12 seconds. Teammates Ryan Williams (13.24) and Jason Richardson were second and third (13.26). Meseret Defar produced a sprint finish to hold off a strong challenge from fellow Ethopian Tirunesh Dibaba and win the 5,000m. Defar, the world champion and double Olympic gold medallist, finished in 14 minutes 32.83 seconds - just over two seconds ahead of Dibaba, the triple Olympic champion, who completed the 5,000m/ 10,000m double in Beijing five years ago. The victory gives Defar a 15-11 head-to-head advantage over her arch-rival in 5,000m contests. The next Diamond League meet will be in Brussels, Belgium on September 6, 2013.
Friday August 30, 2013
Kaieteur News
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GCA\Banks Malta U-13 tourney Man Utd to face Liverpool in League Cup third round Singh, Mohan, Sharma star as GYO Banned Liverpool striker Luis Suarez could return to face Manchester United after the two sides were drawn against each other in the Capital One Cup. Other allPremier League third-round ties see Aston Villa host Tottenham, Arsenal travel to West Brom, West Ham face Cardiff and Everton play Fulham. Holders Swansea make the trip to Championship side Birmingham. Manchester City will host Wigan, while League One side Swindon will host Chelsea on September 24-15. Suarez received a 10-match ban for biting Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic in April and having missed four games last term, he could be in line to return for Liverpool’s visit to Old Trafford. As part of his suspension,
he will miss the Premier League game between the two sides at Anfield this Sunday. And the 26-yearold’s future has been the subject of sustained speculation this summer after he indicated he wanted to leave Liverpool. United have faced Liverpool on four previous occasions in various guises of the League Cup - losing the finals at Wembley in 1983 and Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium in 2003 plus a tie at Anfield in November 1985 but winning the only meeting at Old Trafford to date in 1990. Premier League side Southampton welcome League One’s Bristol City to St Mary’s, while Leeds travel to Newcastle, who sneaked past Morecambe on Wednesday, and Norwich face Watford at Vicarage
Road. Leicester face neighbours Derby, Hull City host Yorkshire rivals Huddersfield Town, and Peterborough travel to Sunderland. Tranmere entertain Stoke, while Nottingham Forest meet Burnley after needing extra time to beat Millwall. Capital Cup third-round draw - Manchester United v Liverpool; Sunderland v Peterborough; West Ham v Cardiff; Man City v Wigan; Burnley v Nottingham Forest; Newcastle v Leeds; Southampton v Bristol City; West Brom v Arsenal; Swindon v Chelsea; Tranmere v Stoke; Watford v Norwich; Aston Villa v Tottenham; Hull v Huddersfield; Leicester v Derby; Birmingham v Swansea; Fulham v Everton. Ties to be played on 24/ 25 September.
overcome DCC; wins for TSC & Everest
Anil Singh, Chandra Mohan and Vijay Sharma bowled impressively guiding Gandhi Youth Organisation (GYO) to victory over Demerara Cricket Club (DCC) by 66 runs when play in the Georgetown Cricket Association (GCA)/Banks Malta Supreme Under-13 25overs competition continued yesterday. Transport Sports Club and Everest Cricket Club also chalked victories in their respective matches. At GYO, DCC won the toss and decided to bat on a two paced track. They were pegged back by purposeful bowling by the host and suffered 13 dismissals in scoring 324 off their allotted 25 overs which reduced them to 194. Ashmead Nedd top scored with 12 while Alphuis
Bookie 11 and Osapha Green 10 were the only other batsmen that made it into double figures; extras contributed a healthy 50. Singh effected 3 dismissals for 6 runs while Sharma claimed 2-9 and Mohan 2-11. Although none of the home team’s batsmen reached double figures they applied themselves well and only lost 2 wickets in scoring 280 in 25 overs in reply, ending on 260; Extras led with 61. At Muslim Youth Organisation ground, Transport Sports Club (TSC) got the better of Malteenoes Sports Club (MSC) by 62 runs. TSC posted 335 for 7 off 25 overs with Adrian Hinds scoring 16 and Mark Baptiste 11. They finished on 265; Yannick Ramesh claimed 2-10. MSC in response suffered 11 dismissals in scoring 314
in 25 overs which reduced them to 204. Sase Norville was the only batsman that offered any resistance with 17 as Joel Spooner picked up 2-2 and Baptiste 2-9. And over at Bourda, Everest defeated the home team by 119 runs after making 251 off their 25 overs and bowling out Everest for 132. Yeudistir Persaud top scored with 18 for Everest while Lasksman Ramroop (16) and Mahendra Khemraj (11) offered support with the bat. Rinaldo Mohammad and Jonathan Mitcheez picked up two wickets each for GCC. Antonio Stanton (8) a nd Ryan Sookram (6); Brandon Ramnarine (4-2), Nicholas Sattaur (3-12) did the damage for the Camp Road team. The competition continues today.
Vuelta a Espana 2013: Tony Titles at stake as Alpha tackles Slingerz; Martin beaten in final 20m Georgetown women face off with Berbice
Tony Martin failed to win stage six of the Vuelta a Espana despite leading on his own for the first 175km. The 28-year-old German came within 20 metres of victory, but finished seventh after being caught by the chasing pack. Denmark’s Michael Morkov won the stage between Guijuelo and Caceres, with Maximiliano Rich e z e i n s e c o n d a n d S w i t z e r l a n d ’s Fabian Cancellara third. Italy’s Vi n c e n z o N i b a l i , 2 8 , retained the overall race lead for a third straight stage. Nibali keeps the red leader’s jersey for Friday’s seventh stage, a second consecutive flat ride that stretches 2 0 6 k m f r o m Almendralejo to Mairena del Alijarafe. Martin said he expected other riders to follow him when he accelerated the pace in the first kilometre. “I wanted to break away and I was hoping to go with a few other guys but nobody could follow
Michael Morkov so I just kept going,” he said. The Omega PharmaQuick Step rider was ultimately disappointed he could not close out an unlikely victory. “I couldn’t go any faster
than I did in the last 200m,” he said. “When you do something like that it’s always bittersweet. From one end you think you could have won with a bit more luck - on the other hand I felt like a winner.” Result of stage six 1. Michael Morkov (Denmark/ Team SaxoTinkoff) 3:54:15" 2. Maximiliano Richeze (Argentina/ Lampre-Merida) 3. Fabian Cancellara (Switzerland/ RadioShackLeopard) 4. Tyler Farrar (USA/ Garmin-Sharp) 5. Juan Antonio Flecha (Spain/ Vacansoleil-DCM) 6. Michael Matthews (Australia/ Orica-GreenEdge) 7. Tony Martin (Germany/ Omega Pharma-Quick Step) 8. Gianni Meersman (Belgium/ Omega PharmaQuick Step) 9. Philippe Gilbert (Belgium/ BMC Racing Team) 10. Graeme Brown (Australia/ Belkin Pro Cycling) Overall standings after six stages 1. Vincenzo Nibali (Italy / Astana) 22:38:07" 2. Chris Horner (US / RadioShack) +3" 3. Nicolas Roche (Ireland / Saxo - Tinkoff) +8" 4. Haimar Zubeldia (Spain / RadioShack) +16" 5. Alejandro Valverde (Spain / Movistar) +21" 6. Robert Kiserlovski (Croatia / RadioShack) +26" 7. Rigoberto Uran (Colombia / Team Sky) +28"
The architects of Georgetown’s victory from left, Nashana Costello, Andrea Lashley, Althea Holligan, Colette Hope and Kendra Thomas. From page 47 a fierce kick but Carter was up to the task, flinging his body to the left to block the rebound strike. It was truly football at its best. The Slingerz strike force of Jacobs and Verlon Mills in the midfield, supported by Devon Millington and Jason McAulay continued to press for the equalizer and were duly rewarded when the latter player collected a pin point offering on his ‘sugar foot,’ swivelled and buried the ball to bring the situation back to equilibrium in the 32nd minute. The battle for ascendancy continued unabated and when the players bundled in front of Western Tigers’ goal with the ball passing dangerously close to the goal mouth, Leroy Pedro attempted to clear the ball but inadvertently pasted his own keeper to give the advantage to Slingerz in the 41st minutes by dint of a goal default shortly before the break. The team from West
Ruimveldt paid special attention to danger man, Devon Millington, whose fleet footed advances threatened to steal the game from them. For that reason, the dapper striker found the going tough and was unable to score as freely as he would have wished. This ploy placed the Tigers at a disadvantage as they used up key resources to keep Millington in check which resulted in Clive Nobriega making the breakthrough with a fierce right foot strike that breached everything in its way to put the Slingerz comfortable ahead 31. The drama was not yet done as the Tiger’s fought ferociously to pierce the opposition’s goal. Their efforts paid dividends when Jerome Richardson tucked in his team’s second success in the 79th minute. The effort sent the fans into frenzy, even as the Tigers upped the ante; in the end it proved to be an anti-climax as the Slingerz crew employed
delayed tactics, playing around with the ball while retaining possession for most of the remaining minutes. The final whistle sent their fans into frenzied jubilation. Meanwhile, the Georgetown women had a field day against their Berbice foes on the back of goals from Althea Holligan (45, 60), Kendra Thomas (38, 55), Collette Hope (26, 13) and Andrea Lashley (6, 34); Nashana Costello netted in the 30th minute to cap the onslaught. Berbice will now play West Demerara in the third place playoff in the women’s competition tonight while West Ruimveldt tackles Campton for the 3rd place slot in the men’s competition. Slingerz returns on Sunday to face off with Alpha ‘The Hammer’ United for championship honours and the two million dollars first prize while Bartica will battle Georgetown for the women’s title and the $250,000 first place prize.
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Friday August 30, 2013
Teary Errani gone from US Murray beats Llodra in Open; Williams moves on Flushing Meadows opener
New York (AP) - Sara Errani’s eyes filled with tears when describing how she felt during her lopsided loss at the U.S. Open. ‘’I don’t want to play. I don’t want to stay out there on the court,’’ she said. It showed in the fourthseeded player’s 6-3, 6-1 loss Thursday to her Italian friend and teammate, Flavia Pennetta, that went down as the biggest upset so far at the year ’s final Grand Slam tournament. Much more used to the pressure is top-seeded Serena Williams, who followed Errani’s match in Arthur Ashe Stadium and overcame a slow start for a 63, 6-0 victory over Galina Voskoboeva. Williams has lost a total of four games in two matches as she seeks a repeat at the U.S. Open. The first set was dicey at times and took 44 minutes to close out. Chasing a ball at the net while receiving at 5-3, Williams slipped and fell on her backside. But she got to the ball and saved game point. Two points later, she closed out the set. The second set took only 27 minutes. The Errani match was nearly as lopsided, only it was the so-called favorite on the losing end. She came into the U.S. Open with the highest seeding ever for an Italian woman at a major and said the pressure of the high seeding and the high expectations that comes with that are getting to her. Pennetta took control of this match by breaking Errani’s serve in the first game, then never looked back. She
Serena Williams
Flavia Pennetta
finished with 33 winners to 12 for Errani, who made the semifinals here last year after reaching the final in the French Open. Her ranking shot up and many wondered how she did it, with a serve that topped out around 85 mph, no net game to speak of and no huge weapons from the baseline. It was mostly grit and heart and when those aren’t present, well, she gets results like she got Thursday. Pennetta improved to 4-2 lifetime against Errani. At 31, Pennetta is five years older than her Italian Fed Cup and Olympic teammate, and she is no stranger to the big stage. Four years ago, Pennetta became the first Italian woman to crack the top 10. She’s a three-time quarterfinalist at the U.S. Open but came to Flushing Meadows this week an underdog - ranked 83rd, a
slide that began when she missed the end of last year with a wrist injury. Elsewhere around Flushing Meadows, Errani’s doubles partner, No. 10 Roberta Vinci, defeated Lucie Safarova of the Czech Republic, 4-6, 6-1, 6-2, while this year’s Wimbledon runner-up, 16th-seeded Sabine Lisicki, defeated Paula Ormaechea of Argentina, 6-2, 63. Other winners included No. 9 Jelena Jankovic, No. 25 Kaia Kanepi, No. 26 Alize Cornet and No. 27 Svetlana Kuznetsova who, besides Williams, is the only player left in the women’s field to have won the U.S. Open. No. 8 Angelique Kerber withstood a tough fight from teenager Eugenie Bouchard of Canada, but won 6-4, 2-6, 6-3. Kerber, who has spent the last year in the top 10, s a y s s h e e m b r a c e s t he expectations that come with the ranking.
Champions League: Celtic draw Barca, AC Milan and Ajax Celtic face a huge task to qualify for the Champions League knockout stages after being drawn in the same group as Barcelona, AC Milan and Ajax. Manchester City takes on holders Bayern Munich, CSKA Moscow and Viktoria Plzen. Arsenal have a tricky start versus Borussia Dortmund, Marseille and Napoli while new Manchester United boss David Moyes is up against Shakhtar Donetsk, Bayer Leverkusen and Real Sociedad. Chelsea have an easier group of Schalke, FC Basel and Steaua Bucharest. The first round of group matches will be played on September 17-18. Celtic manager Neil Lennon’s side scraped through to the group stages with a play-off win over Shakhter Karagandy but
now face three teams with 17 European Cups between them. Although the 1967 European Cup winners were drawn last in their group because of their seeding, they did beat Barcelona at Celtic Park in last season’s group stages. Lennon said: “I think it’s the best and the worst draw we could have got. In terms of glamour it doesn’t come any better than Barcelona, AC Milan and Ajax but in terms of football it doesn’t come any harder. “I think the hard work was done [against Shakter Karagandy], so now we can enjoy it.” Manchester City, who have not qualified for the group stages for the last two years after being handed tough groups, will relish the chance to progress under new boss Manuel Pellegrini,
who took Malaga to the quarterfinals last season. Arsenal, who are the only one of eight topseeded teams not to have won the competition, qualified for the group stages after beating Fenerbahce 5-0 in a two-legged play-off. But of the four English teams in the competition, they appear to have the biggest challenge against last season’s runners-up Borussia Dortmund and Napoli, who qualified for the last 16 ahead of Manchester City two years ago. Chelsea will be expected to reach the knockout stages and it is negotiable group for Moyes, who will be coaching at this stage for the first time. His only previous Champions League experience is with Everton, who were beaten in the qualifying round by Villarreal in 2005.
Better late than never, Andy Murray finally got the defence of his US Open title underway after the longest wait of any competitor at this year’s tournament. The world number three and his opponent Michael Llodra were the last of any first round matches to be started this year, but when they finally got on court Murray was keen to make up for lost time. Having gone on shortly before 10pm three days into the Open - and with Laura Robson already in the third round - he inflicted a 6-2, 6-4, 6-3 defeat on the French lefthander in a contest that lasted 98 minutes. The 26 year-old Scot will have been pleased to get this new experience over and done with, especially as it had at one time appeared that he might be kept waiting until Thursday. A day of rain frustration meant that there was the prospect of having to play back-to-back matches ahead of Friday’s second round, in which he will meet Argentina’s Leonardo Mayer, the world number 81. That was avoided, and the 2012 winner will have been grateful that Juan Martin Del Potro finally wrapped up his day session match just after 9.15pm on the Arthur Ashe Stadium. Murray was warmly greeted as he walked out on court for what he knew would be a trial by serve-and-volley, the only way which the 33 year-old Frenchman knows to play. It is a style that suits the Wimbledon champion to tackle, and if he was nervous then he was helped by Llodra giving him a gentle introduction. The southpaw opened with a double fault an wild volleying error and before Murray knew it he was a break up. That was backed up by another break in the seventh game, which allowed him to take the opener in just 26 minutes. It was unexpected when he got into his only serious patch of difficulty in the
Andy Murray
match when he played a loose game to be broken for 0-2. Llodra was enjoying a spell when every volley and foray to the net paid off. The set threatened to escape at 0-3 but then Murray held on to his serve and gratefully received another double fault and a helpful net cord before poking back a return winner. Calm was restored with that break and Llodra seemed thrown by the fact that he had missed a chance to make life uncomfortable for Murray on his return to the court where he beat Novak Djokovic in that epic final. The Scot was way too solid from the back of the court and when he sealed the second set after breaking again he had drawn 20 unforced errors from the charging Frenchman. With the threat of rain still in the air the object was to finish things off and Murray, clad in a scarlet shirt, effectively did that with another break early in the third. Llodra created a break point at 3-4 but after that the game was up to such an extent that the extrovert veteran hit an underarm serve in what proved the final game. It was a highly satisfactory opening and Murray will have been pleased with the way he moved and a 68% first serve success rate. After an unspectacular two tournaments since Wimbledon his plan is to play himself in before lifting it in the second week.
While not too much should be read into this, conceding only nine games against an awkward opponent could hardly be bettered on what was a steamingly humid evening. Elsewhere, former champion Juan Martin del Potro outslugged a gritty Guillermo Garcia-Lopez in a contentious four-set match. Argentine Del Potro, who won his only grand slam at Flushing Meadows in 2009, beat the 74th-ranked Spaniard 6-3, 6-7 (7-5), 6-4, 7-6 (9-7) on his fourth match point. Del Potro will next play 2001 champion Lleyton Hewitt, who beat American wild card Brian Baker 6-3, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4. Roger Federer enjoyed a routine 6-3 6-2 6-1 win over Argentina’s Carlos Berlocq in his second round match to stay on track for a mouthwatering early clash with Rafa Nadal. The five-time U.S. Open champion needed just 95 minutes on Arthur Ashe Stadium court to dispatch his overmatched opponent and secure a spot in the third round on the year’s final Grand Slam. The Swiss master, the alltime leading Grand Slam singles winner with 17 titles, is seeded seventh after slipping in the rankings while hampered by injury and is on a collision course to meet world number two Nadal in the quarter-finals. Federer will next play either 26th-seeded American Sam Querrey or Adrian Mannarino of France.
NZ defeat young Sunshine Girls in World Youth Netball Champs semi Kingston, Jamaica – The young Sunshine Girls suffered their first defeat at the World Youth Netball Championships yesterday, losing to the gold medal favourites New Zealand 5344, in their semi final match. The Jamaicans played well and got out to an early 30 lead but New Zealand quickly got over the nerves to take the first quarter 15-13.
In the second quarter New Zealand really began to show their class as the young Sunshine Girls had one too many turnovers and were left trailing 31-19 at half-time. In the third quarter Jamaica clawed their way back into the match as they out played New Zealand to go into the final quarter leading by one, 38-37. In the final quarter New Zealand came
back with a vengeance and took the game away from the Jamaicans, winning 53-44. New Zealand will play in the gold medal match against the other netball powerhouse Australia, who earlier demolished England 67-33. Jamaica and England will play in the bronze medal match on Saturday (tomorrow). (Jamaica Observer)
Friday August 30, 2013
Kaieteur News
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Dynamite Defoe helps Spurs cruise into Europa League group stage Tottenham’s second string gave Manager Andre Villas-Boas plenty to ponder ahead of this weekend’s derby against Arsenal as they put in an impressive performance to help the north London club into the Europa League group stage. With £60million worth of new signings added to this squad this summer, and at least another three players on their way in, there has been little talk of the importance of the likes of Jermain Defoe and Lewis Holtby to the new-look Tottenham so far this season. Yet the duo gave their manager a timely reminder of their talents tonight, even though Dinamo were very poor opposition. Defoe, making his first start of the season, fired a peach of a left foot strike past Giorgi Loria to open the scoring after 40 minutes and the England striker doubled his tally in first-half injury time with an easy tap-in. The brace moved the 30year-old up to sixth in Spurs’ all-time top scorers list and he will now be keen to press Roberto Soldado hard in training over the next few days in the hope that he gets the nod to start against
Arsenal in the Barclays Premier League on Sunday. The spotlight was taken away from Defoe slightly towards the end of the second half thanks to Holtby, who opened his Tottenham scoring account in style with a powerful 20-yard strike that flew in off the underside of the bar. Chairman Daniel Levy was at White Hart Lane to watch the game while behind the scenes Tottenham were putting the final touches to the transfers of Christian Eriksen, Erik Lamela and Vlad Chiriches.
The triple transfer is likely to trigger Gareth Bale’s worldrecord move to Real Madrid. The first half hour was a very poor advert for Europa League football. Holtby and Tom Carroll both looked lively, but Tottenham failed to create any real chances and there was barely any atmosphere inside White Hart Lane. Defoe’s lack of match practice was evident when he dragged the ball wide with his first chance and Andros Townsend then followed suit with a similar effort. Sandro and Giorgi Merebashvili both entered the book for bad
tackles and the game had a scrappy pre-season feel to it. The crowd sparked into life just before the half-hour when the ball rolled off Defoe’s knee and defender David Khurtsilava scooped it
away with his hand - but the referee did not give Spurs a penalty and instead chose to award the visitors a free-kick. The hosts then took hold of the game with two goals in a little more than five minutes just before the break. Defoe’s first came when Sandro won the ball with a crunching tackle. The impressive and industrious Carroll found Holtby, who then played the striker into the box - and he he fired a left-foot shot past a static Loria. Then in first-half injury time, Gylfi Sigurdsson pulled the ball back after an excellent piece of skill by Walker and Defoe was there to tap in at the back post. With Sunday’s derby in mind, Villas-Boas brought Harry Kane on for Townsend at the break and Zeki Fryers came on for his debit, replacing Walker soon
after. Dinamo went on a rare attack, with Patrick Vouho finding the side-netting, but Spurs were still firmly in control of the game. Defoe came within two feet of netting his hat-trick and Sigurdsson then rattled the frame of the away goal with a superb curling shot from 18 yards. With 20 minutes to go Holtby put the game to bed with the goal of the night. The German took a step back to walk into the path of Defoe’s pass and he unleashed a thundering 20-yard drive which flew in off the underside of the bar via Loria’s fingertips. Defoe should have had a chance to pick up his hat-trick, but he was booked for diving in the box even though he looked to be fouled by Khurtsilava.
Saqlain Mushtaq to conduct spin clinic
Samuel Eto’o: Chelsea sign Cameroon striker from Anzhi Chelsea have signed Cameroon striker Samuel Eto’o on a free transfer from Russian club Anzhi Makhachkala. The 32-yearold joins the Premier League team on a one-year-deal. Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho was Eto’o’s boss at Inter Milan when they won the Champions League in 2010. “It wasn’t a hard decision. I saw the qualities Chelsea have, and I was very happy with Jose Mourinho before, so when the opportunity came, I was very happy to take it,” Eto’o said. “I am very happy to be here but also anxious because I want to get playing as soon as possible.” Mourinho moved for Eto’o after two Chelsea bids for Manchester United’s Wayne Rooney were rejected. Earlier this week, it emerged Rooney was not prepared to force a move by handing in a formal transfer request, effectively ending the Blues’s hopes of signing the England striker. Four-time African Footballer of the Year Eto’o was a key part of
Samuel Eto’o
Mourinho’s Champions League-winning Inter side, and became the highest-paid player in the world when he moved to Anzhi in 2011. The Russian club have also sold Brazil attacking midfielder Willian, 25, to Chelsea after their billionaire owner Suleyman Kerimov decided to significantly reduce the club’s budget. Eto’o started his career at Real Madrid but was loaned out to Leganes and Real Mallorca before making a permanent move to Mallorca in 1999. The striker, part of the Cameroon team that lifted the
African Nations Cup in 2002, won the Copa del Rey before joining Barcelona in 2004 . During his time at the Nou Camp, he wo n t h e Champions League twice in 2006 and 2009 - scoring in both finals, as well as winning the Spanish league three times. In 2009, Barcelona paid Inter Milan £40m plus Eto’o for Zlatan Ibrahimovic and the striker went on to win the Champions League again in his first season under Mourinho at the San Siro. He joined Anzhi, where he reportedly earned £167,825 a week, in 2011.
Veerasammy Permaul
Devendra Bishoo
Saqlain Mushtaq
Former Pakistan player and international spin bowling consultant Saqlain Mushtaq has been engaged by the West Indies Cricket Board to conduct an extensive spin bowling clinic for current and emerging West Indian players. Twelve male spin bowlers from various age groups along with three West Indies Women’s players will participate in the three week clinic which will commence on September 3rd in Barbados. The clinic has been organised at the request of West Indies Head Coach Ottis Gibson as part of the general upskilling of both active international players and players who are likely to come into contention for West Indies selection at various levels.
The spin bowlers selected to participate in the clinic are: Devendra Bishoo, Jesse Bootan, Yannic Cariah, Bryan Charles, Akeem Dewar, Larry Edwards, Ramaal Lewis, Anisa Mohammed, Gudakesh Motie-Kanhai, Ashley Nurse, Veerasammy Permaul, Shaquana Quintyne, Shane Shillingford, Stafanie Taylor, Jomel Warrican. Sunil Narine and Samuel Badree (participation in the Champions League T20) and Nikita Miller (pre-arranged personal engagement) were considered for participation in the clinic but are not available. Miller will depart with the West Indies A Limited Overs squad to India as scheduled. Permaul and Nurse will leave the clinic on September 10th for departure to India with the West Indies A Limited
Overs squad. Shillingford will depart the clinic on September 20th to join the West Indies A Team in India for the ‘Test’ series. The participants were selected by the WICB Selection Panel, chaired by Clyde Butts. The clinic concludes on September 21st. Mushtaq, widely regarded as the pioneer of the now famous doosra, played 49 Tests and 169 One Day Internationals, taking a total of 496 wickets over a nine year international career. He also serves as spin bowling consultant to Bangladesh. The WICB attempted to engage legendary former West Indies spinner Lance Gibbs to co-facilitate the clinic but he was unfortunately not available for personal reasons.
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Friday August 30, 2013
Aaron Finch hits 156 as Australia beat England in T20 opener Aaron Finch smashed a world record 156 as Australia beat England by 39 runs in the first of their two Twenty20 internationals in Southampton. The opener hit 14 sixes and 11 fours in a 63-ball knock to help Australia record their first win of the summer over England and first win in 200 days. Shane Watson’s 16-ball 37 lifted Australia to 248-6 the second highest T20 international score. Joe Root scored 90 not out off 49 deliveries as England ended on 209-6. On any other night, Root and England’s effort may well have kept them in touch but Finch’s extraordinary innings left them with too tough a target to chase. Finch, a 26-year-old
Aaron Finch made a century from just 47 balls right-hander from Victoria, signalled his intent by pulling the first delivery he faced, from Steven Finn, to
the leg-side boundary for six. He brought up his second T20 international half century with a straight
six and then clubbed three successive maximums and two fours off what proved to be Root’s solitary over to race into the 90s. Finch looked set to break South African Richard Levi’s record for the fastest international T20 century 45 balls - but faltered for a couple of deliveries before finally bringing up his ton with a six to fine leg off his 47th ball. Once he reached his century, Finch accelerated again, hitting a six to move past the previous international best of 123 by New Zealand’s Brendon McCullum. He took just 13 balls to move from 100 to 150, reaching the landmark with another maximum. But, with Chris Gayle’s T20 record score of 175 in
Experts select Limacol Caribbean Premier League Team of the Tournament
sight, his stunning innings was ended when he chopped a slow bouncer from Jade Dernbach onto his middle stump. Dernbach, who was the pick of the England bowlers, then bowled Watson with a superb slower delivery and removed Glenn Maxwell (1) at the death as he finished with 3-34. England opener Michael Lumb briefly looked like he may follow Finch’s lead, hitting 14 off Mitchell Johnson’s opening over but he was trapped leg before wicket by the left-arm seamer on 22 to leave England 33-1. Alex Hales (8), Luke Wright (4) and Eoin Morgan (0) all fell cheaply as England limped to 42-4 and although Root, playing his
first international T20 innings, and Ravi Bopara (45) put on 95 for the fifth wicket and Jos Buttler hit a quickfire 27, they were unable to match Finch’s hitting power. The hosts did, however, compile their second highest T20 score, six adrift of the 214 they scored against New Zealand earlier in 2013. Australia broke the record for most sixes in a T20 innings - 18 - while the aggregate score of 457 is the highest recorded, beating a tied game between Australia and New Zealand in 2010. Earlier on Thursday, England’s women regained the Ashes by beating Australia on the same pitch and they meet again at 10:00 BST on Saturday at Durham, ahead of the men’s second T20 match.
Hafeez sparkles for Pakistan Mohammad Hafeez
The inaugural Limacol Caribbean Premier League (LCPL) has named its team of the tournament. The team, a playing eleven plus a twelfth man, and in batting order, is: 1. Andre Fletcher (St. Lucia Zouks) 2. Chris Gayle (Jamaica Tallawahs, captain) 3. Lendl Simmons (Guyana Amazon Warriors) 4. Shoaib Malik (Barbados Tridents) 5. James Franklin (Guyana Amazon Warriors) 6. Andre Russell (Jamaica Tallawahs) 7. Marlon Samuels (Antigua Hawksbills) 8. Shakib Al Hasan (Barbados Tridents) 9. Rayad Emrit (Barbados Tridents)
10. Krishmar Santokie (Guyana Amazon Warriors) 11. Muttiah Muralitharan (Jamaica Tallawahs) 12th man: Ashley Nurse (Barbados Tridents) The side, which includes six players from the finalists, the Jamaica Tallawahs and the Guyana Amazon Warriors, was chosen on the basis of it being balanced and, as a result, t h e o r e tically capable of playing a match. Selections were made from performances in the tournament only; past records and reputations were not taken into consideration. The captain was only selected once the side had been chosen.
It was agreed that a minimum number of four matches had to be played by an individual in the tournament in order to be eligible for a place in the side. The side was selected by a group of individuals brought together by the Limacol CPL for their knowledge and understanding of the game and their in-depth knowledge of player performances during the tournament. The selection panel was made up of Mike Procter, the former South Africa allrounder and a match referee in the tournament; ex-West Indies and Jamaica wicketkeeper-batsman Jeffrey Dujon, a member of the television commentary team; Mike Haysman, the former
South Australia batsman and part of the television commentary team; Craig Cozier, a journalist with extensive regional and international experience, and also a producer for the television coverage of the tournament; and Billy Bowden, Nigel Duguid, Joel Wilson and Danesh Ramdhanie – all umpires who have officiated in Limacol CPL. The Limacol Caribbean Premier League took place between 30 July and 24 August and involved six franchises from across the region. The Jamaica Tallawahs beat the Guyana Amazon Warriors by seven wickets in the final, played at the Queen’s Park Oval in Trinidad.
Mohammad Hafeez’s brilliant unbeaten century helped Pakistan level up their one-day international series against Zimbabwe with a 90run victory in Harare. Zimbabwe caused a huge upset on Tuesday when they took the lead in the threematch series with a sevenwicket win - their first ODI triumph over Pakistan in 15 years. However, wounded Pakistan hit back in style in the second match on Thursday as Hafeez’s 136 not out helped them reach 299 for four batting first and then paceman Junaid Khan claimed superb figures of four for 15 as Zimbabwe were bowled out for 209 in reply. Captain Brendan Taylor top-scored for the hosts with
79 while Sean Williams (37) and Malcolm Waller (40) made useful middle-order contributions as Zimbabwe reached 200 for four in the 39th over. At that point they still had an outside chance of snatching the win, but their slim hopes disappeared completely in the following overs as they suffered a massive collapse, losing their last six wickets for the addition of just nine runs. Hafeez, who struck nine fours and five sixes in his 130ball knock as he followed up his 70 from the first game, was named man of the match. The third and final match takes place in Harare on Saturday before the two nations face each other in a short Test series.