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AIETEUR NEWS

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Berbice businessman murder PI... Tuesday Edition

Magistrate evicts public and

August 23, 2016 - Vol. 9 No. 35

Online: www.kaieteurnews.com Price $80

Online readership yesterday 125,276

journalist from courtroom …US$10M claim never went to court - Min. Bulkan

Govt. pays BK US $5.7M on a simple threat letter Beaten ‘bandit’ remanded, accomplice still critical

Baishanlin still to settle billion-dollar

account with GRA GWI sends home convicted drug trafficker REMANDED: Patrick Goodluck

Pensioner found with throat slashed

14-year-old Sub-committee's excuses C’tyne boy represent grave insult murdered $12.5M drug bond fiasco…

to the nation - Goolsarran

- found with gaping wound to back of head

Kaieteur News

PAGE 02

Tuesday August 23, 2016

Baishanlin still to settle billion-dollar account with GRA Controversial logging company Baishanlin Forest Development Inc is still to settle its account with the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA). The company owes GRA over one billion dollars.

This is according to a reliable source within the GRA. Kaieteur News understands that, of late, there has been little communication between the Authority and Baishanlin even though the two were

supposed to be in consultations for settlement.

About two months ago, Chairman of the GRA Board of Directors, Rawle Lucas told Kaieteur News that Baishanlin was seeking to iron out some of the kinks in its relationship with Guyana.

He said that the company was seeking to settle its debt with GRA which has been accumulated through what financial experts deemed, a wonton distribution of tax

concessions.

Lucas had confirmed that the company is looking to pay off its debt to avoid further seizures.

He had said that discussions were continuing and the Authority was yet to decide on a way forward. “None of the company’s proposals have been concretized as yet but indeed, Baishanlin seems to be open to making the necessary payments.”

Lucas had said that the

GRA CommissionerGeneral, Godfrey Statia

GRA Chairman, Rawle Lucas Authority’s discussions are covering all issues related to duty free concessions. Lucas also said that further seizures would depend on the outcome of the discussions Kaieteur News recently contacted Lucas for a further update on the matter.

However, he directed the newspaper to GRA’s new Commissioner-General, Godfrey Statia, for information on the matter.

The Chairman said, “The Commissioner-General will be able to answer your questions.”

When contacted, Statia said that he is not in the habit of “giving out tax information.” He also said that “nothing much has changed” since the media was last updated on the matter.

Sources say that Statia is yet to even meet with Baishanlin which is one of the companies that is most highly indebted to GRA. Reports are, the negotiations with the company about its outstanding debt are basically at a standstill.

Baishanlin has been granted $1.8B in fiscal concessions over the years.

The company has persistently defaulted on the investment agreement it signed with the Government to establish a wood processing plant at Linden.

A promise to set up the said plant is what afforded Baishanlin the opportunity to secure the concessions.

The investment agreement specifically states that if the machinery, equipment and materials for which fiscal concessions have been granted have not been used for the purpose(s) specified, the value of the concessions must be repaid to the Government.

During the period 20122015, Baishanlin brought in US$38 million worth of machinery, equipment and

Baishanlin Managing Director, Chu Hongbo materials of which fiscal concessions amounting to G$1.8 billion were granted.

A few months ago, GRA seized two of Baishanlin’s vehicles as part of the process to recover the outstanding sum.

And auditor Anand Goolsarran reported that some of his work was stymied due to the absence of documents he requested from GRA. Goolsarran said that GRA told him that there was some sort of system malfunction that led to the Authority not being able to produce the requested documents.

Lucas had told Kaieteur News that he was looking to solve that problem. He said that he was quite concerned that important documents could not be located. He said that he has asked that the documents be retrieved, as there can be no proper excuse for improper recordkeeping at such an institution.

Goolsarran had told Kaieteur News that the GRA has every right to seize all of Baishanlin’s materials, equipment and vehicles until it has recovered the full $1.8B in fiscal concessions that have been granted.

Kaieteur News

Tuesday August 23, 2016

Killing of Berbice businessman…

PAGE 03

Berbice businessman murder PI…

Hotel owner Magistrate evicts public and for court today journalist from courtroom for offering A bribe to cop

A

relative of one of the three accused in the murder of businessman Shameer Ali Mursalin is scheduled to be charged today for allegedly offering a $400,000 bribe to a detective from the Major Crimes Unit.

The relative, who is a hotel owner, was arrested last Saturday after he turned up at CID Headquarters, Eve Leary, allegedly to hand over $100,000 as an initial payment.

Police reportedly have video and audio evidence of the hotel owner offering the bribe and handing over the money.

According to reports, the relative visited CID Headquarters sometime last week. He then made the $400,000 offer to a detective from the Major Crimes Unit, which is being lauded for cracking several difficult murder cases.

The businessman indicated that he would give the detective an initial $100,000, and was to have paid the remaining $300,000 yesterday.

After appearing to agree to the offer, the detective notified his superiors and a trap was arranged. The relative was then taken into custody yesterday when he

turned up with the cash.

Commenting on the issue, Acting Police Commissioner David Ramnarine said that: “The fact that people have come forward to report this is a very encouraging sign. We have been saying within the last two years or so that we have noticed a significant shift in the level of confidence in the level of confidence people have in the Guyana Police Force.

“We are not there yet, but we’re getting there, and that means a lot.”

Mursalin, called ‘Kazac,’ a trader, of Grant 1805 Weld Tank Dam, Crabwood Creek, Berbice Corentyne, in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), was fatally shot to the head following a longstanding dispute with a fellow businessman, on October 24, 2015.

Berbice businessman Dennis Veerasammy and two of his employees, Basheer Harrinauth and Delroy Fraser, were later arrested and charged with the murder. The three men are facing a Preliminary Inquiry before Magistrate Rabindranauth Singh at the Springlands Magistrate’s Court in Berbice.

(See related story on this page)

magistrate in B e r b i c e yesterday evicted a Kaieteur News reporter and members of the public from his court, as a high-profile murder case over which he is presiding continued.

The clearing of the courtroom took place when the Preliminary Inquiry (PI) into the murder of businessman Shameer Ali Mursalin continued before Magistrate Rabindranauth Singh at the Springlands M a g i s t r a t e ’s C o u r t i n Corentyne.

Mursalin, called ‘Kazac,’ a trader, of Grant 1805 Weld Tank Dam, Crabwood Creek, Berbice Corentyne, in Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne), was fatally shot to the head following a longstanding dispute with a fellow businessman, on October 24, 2015.

At the commencement of proceedings yesterday, the Magistrate emptied the courtroom after he was alerted that a reporter from Kaieteur News was present.

The accused called the Magistrate’s attention to the reporter, whom they claimed had been recording inside the courtroom.

The reporter denied the allegations. However the magistrate was visibly upset.

“I see that I have become a celebrity overnight for doing my job,” he stated.

He shortly after read out a section of the law which he claimed gives him the right to hold the case in camera (the public not present). He then

14-year-old C’tyne boy - found with gaping murdered wound to back of head The body of 14-year-old Akeem Grimmond was found around 13:00 hrs yesterday at Number 61 Village, Corentyne, Berbice, two days after he went missing.

Grimmond of 53 Section ‘B’ Number 61 Village was last seen alive around 17:30 hrs

last Saturday when he left his home to go an tend to some cows.

According to his mother, 32-year-old Parbattie Takurdyal, her son would usually tend to a villager’s cows which he would usually round up in the afternoons.

The woman stated that the lad left home as usual to go to the Number 62 backdam to collect the cows, but failed to return home.

After she did not see him around 20:30 hrs she made a report at the No. 62 police outpost.

Search parties were then organized and the body was found with a gaping four- inch wound behind the left ear. It was clad in the same clothes that the teen had left home witha green short pants and red and white vest.

Investigations are continuing and several persons have been detained for questioning.

MURDERED: Shameer Ali Mursalin

Magistrate Rabindranauth Singh

cleared the court.

Businessman, Dennis Veerasammy, and two of his employees, Basheer Harrinauth and Delroy Fraser, have been charged and are before the court for the murder. The three men are being represented by Attorney at law Chandra Sohan. Police Prosecutor Bernard Brown is presenting the case.

Last week, after a number of adjournments, relatives of the murdered man had raised concerns over the conduct of the trial. They claimed that the Magistrate adjourned the last hearing and did not allow the main witness in the trial to review and sign his deposition.

M u r s a l i n ’s r e l a t i v e s believed that there is a deliberate ploy to sabotage the case.

According to the relatives, the PI had been postponed on several occasions, despite the

availability of several witnesses.

“I AM WITHIN MY RIGHTS TO DO SO.” With regards to the deposition, the magistrate said: “I am within my rights to do so.”

He quoted sections of the law. According to Magistrate Singh, the law does not specify a time limit by which depositions are signed.

“It could be signed at any time before the accused are called to lead their defence,” Singh explained.

“I do that all the time.

There is nothing wrong with it.,” he said, adding that he is contemplating taking legal action against the newspaper for recent reports which questioned why the deposition was not signed by the witness.

Kaieteur News contacted a number of lawyers and judicial officials who were in agreement that the magistrate

erred. According to a senior member of the Judiciary, it doesn’t take five minutes to review and certify evidence (deposition). “As a matter of fact,” the official said, “the unsigned record of any witness in the trial cannot even be considered a deposition.”

The official noted that although the law does not state a specified time, it is considered good practice, because of the legal pitfalls, for the evidence to be read over and signed by the witness as soon as possible.

“If something should happen to the witness, the uncertified information is not valid. Furthermore, if there is a lapse of time in certifying the record, it can be problematic and eventually be discredited.”

Meanwhile, Senior Counsel Rex Mc Kay noted that the Magistrate’s decision to hold the matter in camera is also questionable, given that sections of Article 144 of the Constitution of Guyana provide for court proceedings to be held in public, except under specific provisions such as outlined in the Sexual Offences Act. According to the specific section of the article in question, except with agreement with all parties, all proceedings of every court and proceedings for the determination of the existence or extent of any civil right or obligation before any tribunal, including the announcement of the decision of the court or tribunal shall be held in public.

Reportedly, relatives of (Continued on page 15)

Kaieteur News

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Tuesday August 23, 2016

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

Editor’s Note; If your sent letter was not published and you felt its contents were valid and devoid of libel or personal attacks, please contact us by phone or email.

Time for policies that lead to Resurrecting the old ways sustainable community development EDITORIAL

There is nothing more frustrating than when a people expect so much and get so little. They went to the polls in larger than ever numbers because they had become frustrated at the level of corruption that pervaded the society. They had refused to believe anything that their leaders had to say about projects and national development.

They could not get answers to common questions about things that were happening before their very eyes. They watched their leaders grab prime property for themselves and their friends; they watched people acquire more than they could afford on their pay.

So it was that on May 11, 2015, the people voted out the People’s Progressive Party, albeit on a slim majority. There was celebration on the streets and a pledge to keep the PPP out of office. Now the replacement seems to be doing the same things that the PPP did.

Indeed, the situation has not reached the large scale that it was during the tenure of the PPP Government, but there is a staying that the longest journey begins with the first step.

Today there has been more than the first step and the signs are worrying.

The government agreed to pay BK International a settlement of US$5.7 million without going to court to test the validity of the claim. BK International had gone to the courts to challenge the revocation of his contract to operate the Haags Bosh Landfill. The then acting Chief Justice handed down a decision that the contract was arbitrarily terminated.

It has now come to light that BK International never filed a lawsuit to claim US$10M. He merely sent a threatening letter. This was enough to make the government buckle.

The public is not taking this lightly and believe that there was some collusion between elements in the government and BK International. Threatening letters can never be enough to force a settlement, at least not in the eyes of an Attorney General worth his/her salt. This issue is not going to go away, especially since the early cozy arrangement the government had with Brian Tiwarie, the principal in BK International.

Then there was the decision to rent a facility to house a pharmaceutical bond, again to save money. The United States Agency for International Development had funded the construction of a pharmaceutical bond in 2013 to ease the financial pressure on the government. The view was that Queens Atlantic was milking the government, having already been sole sourced to supply pharmaceuticals for the Ministry of Health and the Georgetown Public Hospital.

The new bond was large enough to accommodate all the drugs the government would need. Surprisingly, it has been put to limited use and the new government is moving to rent an additional bond.

The move to rent this new bond is not the real issue; it is that the government actually paid over $25 million to Larry Singh ahead of the completion of the bond. This cannot be explained, although there have been efforts to close ranks.

The government was asked to investigate itself and it came up with the possibility of a fire and traffic jams. It did not take into consideration that the solitary bond that served the nation for more than a decade was along the same stretch of road and traffic jams or fires never affected distribution.

Again, people are seeing collusion between the government and a chosen cohort. This deal should be cancelled immediately in the name of decency and transparency.

The people would want transparent arrangements.

They have been exposed to a number of audits that have highlighted criminal acts, but have seen no criminal prosecutions. They have been told of the pursuit of the assets that might have been spirited away, but have seen no result.

They are being told to trust the government, but how could they, when they already see acts that are reminiscent of the days the PPP ruled Guyana?

Dear Editor; Editor’s note; this is the conclusion of this letter carried in our Monday edition The Office of the President must be in constant contact with the United Nations, the Organization of American States and European Nations etc. For example there are both international private organizations and governments that set aside resources for helping indigenous communities (we should stop referring to such communities as Amerindian communities. I understand it gives rise to unnecessary questions when attempting to access resources at the international level).

Accessing these should be where the community development unit at OP focuses its efforts.

Incidentally this would also be my advice for the Youth U n i t a t O P. I w a s disappointed when reading that this unit ran a “youth leadership course. “Youth leadership training has been organized and run by clubs in Guyana for over 100 years.

In the case of the Department of Youth for over 35 years.

Why today there is a need for OP involved in providing this training? It is the

Ministry of Social Cohesion that should be responsible for ensuring the community participates in its development. (of course, with assistance and cooperation from the regional administrations). While space will not allow for me to expand on this choice of ministry let me say the following. Social cohesion suggests a presence of the ministry in the community, it suggests a focus on people working together and it suggests pursuing activities with emphasis on mutual dependency. All these are essential ingredients of the community participatory process. What work needs to be done in Buxton? Is there a need for a day care centre?

Which will free working parents of the expense and challenges encountered every working day when having to access such facility in Georgetown? Are there persons with the skills to manage such a facility in Buxton? If no, are there skilled persons living in neighbouring Annandale who can provide the service?

When working together provide people with a solution to a felt need respect and appreciation for each other is the logical outcome.

Finally UG will have to do its part in support of community development. It will have to develop a course in community development with emphasis in community participation and ownership of the process. This course can be at the level of a certificate or diploma (in fact classes in community members’ participation in its development should be a part of the curriculum of all secondary schools).

Mr. Editor, let me share an interesting experience.

About 19 years ago, the American government recognized the need for its volunteers, working at the community level in Guyana, to be skilled at Community Analysis and Organizing. I was fortunate to be the person chosen and given training in the subject area and was subsequently responsible for training the volunteers. On the insistence of people like Terrance Simmons and Jimmy Bhojedat, the American government conceded and Guyanese identified to be counterparts of the Americans were invited to be a part of the class.

Transportation (including by air), hotels, meals and out of pocket money for the

Guyanese were provided courtesy of the American government. Over a period of 9 years, I t r a i n e d hundreds of Americans in the area of community assessment and organizing while training only a hand full of my fellow Guyanese.

Remember those few Guyanese only got the training courtesy of the American government’s kindness and understanding.

Clearly one government is convinced of the importance of preparing communities to bear responsibility for their development, while the other at least based upon its lack of action, is unconvinced. Until we begin to behave in a manner that suggests a determination to make communities responsible for their own development, the nation will continue to experience shattered dreams and failed programs.

Example, President Jagdeo’s Youth Project Initiative which result in the presence of a number of unused or underused buildings and the Wakenaan air strip which we are told residents describe as a “colossal joke” (perhaps it would more properly be deemed a colossal act of white collar crime).

Claudius Prince

Criminality on Tourists is totally unacceptable One of the major industries in Guyana will be tourism. Many of its aspects have to do with Amazonian trekking (trekking of the Amazon jungle), bird watching, mountainous jungle hikes, fresh water fishing, brown water beaches, natural health cures using natural salt water and our mineralized earth, etc, etc. Many deficiencies in Guyana as it relates to tourism are the lack of proper training schools for the t o u r i s m i n d u s t r y. T h e constant attack on various tourists within our country coupled with dishonest taxi drivers is very depressing.

We saw recently a British soldier who had returned to Guyana after 50 years to be part of Guyana’s Jubilee Celebrations. But a

despicable and unpatriotic local citizen robbed him of important sentimental objects at the Stabroek market square. Another occasion was when four Caucasian tourists were enjoying the festivities at Durban Park and for some reason; our own local Guyanese were annoyed with them. The Guyanese had cursed and abused these individuals and almost threw them down the bleachers.

Our people need to be trained to show respect, because as it is, we are losing our reputation as a people of hospitality.

Also, on Friday August 12th, we learned a Japanese trio were robbed of millions of dollars in an unmarked vehicle somewhere on the East Coast Sea Wall. Can

these bandits understand what they’ve done to the psyche of these individuals?

Can these bandits understand what they have done to our country? I have travelled to Japan and moved through all kinds of societies and I was amazed at how I was treated with total dignity and respect by total strangers who bowed when we were passing and were always kind and welcoming.

What has happened to our people since we c o m m e n c e d o u r experimentation with socialism in the 70s? Is Guyana on the throes of social decay and a disorientation of mentalities? Are we becoming a beastly nation without compassion for even tourists, who are here and are actually contributing to Guyana’s economy?

Our people need to learn

and be educated, to help a tourist, to display generosity, to show love! To show that we are a mature, disciplined, hospitable people. I find it most painful in my soul and my heart for these Japanese people. I do believe we need serious adjustment to our laws! We need to have another set of laws for persons who commit criminal acts against these visitors. Tourism is expected to be a backbone of our economic structure. We need to safeguard it with much jealousy as a unique natural resource. So, in my opinion, anyone who touches a tourist without permission, 10 years imprisonment; anyone who uses violence against the tourist for the purpose of hurting them, 25 years imprisonment.

These are the kinds of legal enactments we (Continued on page 5)

Tuesday August 23, 2016

PAGE 5

Kaieteur News

Is Bharrat Jagdeo acceptable for Usain Bolt competed for Jamaica not the Caribbean Guyana?

DEAR EDITOR; Respectfully, Jamaican Usain Bolt will bow out as the best track athlete we have ever witnessed in the 100 meters and 200 meters.

Did Usain Bolt ever have any competition during his track career? I knew well in advance that there is no one beating him for the gold medal when he is competing in any 100 meters or 200 finals so there was never any excitement on my part.

I could never understand the reason for anyone going through the floor when they already know Usain Bolt in unbeatable in the 100 and 200. I am a big fan of American Michael Phelps, but I always knew he was beatable and the world witnessed him being schooled

by’ Joseph Schooling of Singapore for the gold medal.

American Allyson Felix is my heartbeat and everyone knew she had tight competition from Bahamian Miller who outclassed her with a dive for the gold.

May I remind the general public that Usain Bolt never and will never compete for the Caribbean in general and there will never be a Caribbean Anthem....Usain Bolt is Jamaican and will always compete for Jamaica...It’s the Jamaican Anthem that is played when he stands on a podium. Yes, he is the idol of many which is anyone’s right but it would be nice if some persons can create their own stardom.

T. Pemberton

Demise of Guyana’s manufacturing; the factors DEAR EDITOR, There are several factors that contributed to the demise of Guyana’s once thriving manufacturing sector.

Smuggling is the number one killer of Guyana’s manufacturing industry; high cost of financing, poor legal service, high cost of electricity and water (in the land of many waters), untrained workers, high turnover of workers due to poor wages and immigration, business owners stinginess with investment in training, workers welfare, aesthetic packaging, new efficient machineries & equipment and facilities maintenance.

Government’s support for local manufacturers is negligible and discriminating, local public servants and bureaucrats service is like the movement of molasses unless they are bribed. Here are a few scenarios that are destructive to local manufacturing.

Guyana had a shoe factory name Guyana Footwear Ltd. owned by Bata Shoe Co. Ltd. that manufacture canvas boots, leather and synthetic slippers and sandals for local and export markets, the factory was operating 24

hours per day seven days a week. It used to charter GAC planes to export footwear to the Caribbean. Guyana footwear was forced to scale down production due to the then government import policy.

Bata Shoe Co. Ltd. and Guyana Footwear Ltd were two separate companies that applied and obtain separate import license for footwear and raw materials respectively. However, a former PNC minister/ parliamentarian who is still alive communicated to Bata Shoe Co. Ltd. that the two companies were not entitled to separate import license because Bata Shoe Co. Ltd owned Guyana Footwear Ltd. Thus, import license restriction resulted in slow and gradual loss of production and export sales which forced Guyana Footwear into decline and closure. It will be remiss of me to not mention that there was also an internal management dispute and egos due to sharing of import licenses between sales and production.

While we cursed the minister silently, we assume

the minister was a messenger for a cabinet revenge decisions against Bata Shoe Co. in retaliation for the tax case Bata Shoe Co. vs.

Commissioner of Inland Revenue and by extension the Government of Guyana which Bata Shoe Co won.

Because of a government import license restriction hundreds of workers lost their jobs and income but most importantly, a factory that was constructed to supply footwear to the Caribbean, Central and South America was forced into closure. Now folks can you quantify how big a loss that was to Guyana?

After Bata Shoe Co I worked a few years with Demerara Tobacco Co. Demtoco factory operating two shifts, was also forced into closure due to government policy and very high taxes on tobacco and cigarette. I know many will rightly argue that tobacco and cigarette are unhealthy products and it is good riddance; not necessarily because cigarettes are still imported and smuggled into Guyana while the domino effect caused the closure of (Continued on page 6)

Criminality on Tourists is...

From page 4 need. Laws with claws! Laws with teeth that bite deep! And we must have the structure set in such a way that there will be no stone left unturned to capture the bandits who harm tourists. Today, I, a patriotic citizen of this country who love his country immensely, I feel ashamed of our country. I feel greatly pained

that we have nothing in place to help support our tourists.

Please Government of Guyana; please Guyana Tourism authority! Read the con-

tents of this piece again and again and again...

Roshan Khan CEO/Founder Rk’s Security Service

DEAR EDITOR, Of recent and in times past Guyanese were bombarded with racist comments, statements and rhetoric’s from irate and discontented politicians especially Mr. Bharrat Jagdeo that spells volumes of division within our communities that enjoyed peace and harmony for a long time.

I am certain that the reading public and learned Guyanese would agree that this is not the way to go; or the acceptable behavior of responsible politicians of the 21st Century. Editor, it took a lot of courage for me as a mixed Guyanese to analyze and ask this pertinent question: Is Bharrat Jagdeo anathema for Guyana? The word anathema is found in the

Holy Bible as Paul the Apostle of Jesus Christ - 1st Corinthian 16:22 mentioned.

The true Biblical meaning of this word comes first to the Corinthians to indicate that those who did not believe in the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ it will be a curse for them. In today’s context this word has taken on a modern meaning — an object of loathing: Somebody or something that is greatly disliked or detested and is therefore shunned. I am a man of various origins that connects and relates to my being here, born as a British subject on 15th November 1946 in the county of Berbice.

My grandfather from my mother’s side came from India [I am yet to use the National Archives to confirm this]. My great- great- great grandfather [British -White] from my father side was a plantation

owner when his first [BritishWhite] wife died; he married my great-great-great grandmother, who was his Ghanaian [Black] house slave, Now, Editor There emerged a family tree that speaks of a black house slave and a white slave master producing a family with the name — Beresford. That’s my history. But, here is the amazing fact, for me to enter this world, my mother being of Indian origin had to be with my father who was of British [White] and African [Black] ancestors.

Now when I was born my mother’s father [my grandfather] told my mother that the baby she brought forth was anathema [a curse] to the families of India because of my color [blackness]. My mother refuses to believe that (Continued on page 6)

More information on mismanagement at GWI DEAR EDITOR, I read the article on the Guyana Water Inc in your Sunday August 21 edition and I am extremely disgusted with what is happening in Guyana. It appears that corruption and nepotism continue unabated in this land.

Dr. Richard Van West Charles must be fired as the CEO of the Guyana Water Inc immediately. Dr. Van West Charles has demonstrated that he has taken the job as CEO of the utility to further his own interest and that of his partners. First it was Van West Charles’ major role in a business venture without the requisite facilities that is intended to be a supplier of fuel for GWI. Then the news that Lear Goring is a convicted drug trafficker and deportee demonstrates the total lack of disregard for the employees and security of such a major utility.

Van West Charles also hired his close friend Lancelot Mars, who has no prior experience in a utility. Van West Charles first hired him as a consultant, paying him thousands of US dollars a

month and later hired him in a permanent senior management role akin to a Deputy CEO and most likely increased his compensation.

The HR management inclusive of HR Director (Gale Doris) should also be fired for this. These persons warmed their chairs and allowed this to happen. They did not do the requisite background checks or may not have even requested a police clearance.

There are persons who worked for GWI and demonstrated competence.

GWI HR management let some of these persons go who would have been interested in continuing to work for GWI but were most likely rejected by the HR senior management and Van West Charles. The HR senior management is not interested in competence and ensuring the requisite management

skills are retained or hired for the organisation. This is the discrimination I spoke about many times earlier that is a result of the unprofessional personnel in the HR departments in all government agencies. The PPP were too incompetent and afraid to fix this problem and it seems that now Granger is unwilling to fix this problem as well since it appears he is not sincere about social cohesion. Granger’s social cohesion it appears is limited to rhetoric. This country’s disunity has relapsed to what it was in the 1970s and 1980s since the coalition came to office. This was not unexpected of the PNC but it is a sad and disappointing reflection of the AFC. One hopes that President David Granger can still turn things around and make a difference while there is time.

H. Singh

PAGE 6

Kaieteur News

Tuesday August 23, 2016

Questions need to be asked about this particular suicide DEAR EDITOR, Permit me to pen my thoughts regarding the suicide death of Vinod Balkarran, which took place recently at the Georgetown Hospital. Sad but true, beyond any shadow of a doubt, hospitals are meant to

be safe havens for those who are ill, and death by suicide in the hospital environment is a serious indignity or affront to a shared expectation of safety. In the legal world, courts and juries generally view in patient units in hospitals as having a greater

degree of control over any patient, and by consequence an even greater degree of responsibility in preventing suicide.

Because they occur in close proximity to staff inpatient suicide are oftentimes viewed as the most avoidable

Demise of Guyana’s manufacturing...

From page 5 tobacco farms at Laluni, Mobilissa and Kibilibiri. I do not know the full details on Demtoco factory closure maybe someone like Mr. V. O. Patrick if alive may be contacted.

In the mid 90’s I registered Gripwell Fasteners and Closures Inc. with the sole purpose to manufacture packaging for the local and Caribbean manufacturing industry. I completed a short certificate course in Packaging Technology at the Indian Institute of Packaging to understand and get firsthand knowledge of my packaging venture. I also had a feasibility study for my project conducted by C a r i b b e a n Development Bank (CDB).

My intention was to start small by producing crown corks for the soft drinks companies and ROPP corks for the alcohol bottlers then expand to Tetra Pak. The dream project died a stillbirth because of public servants’ greed. I was using my savings and investment from a business colleague to purchase an offset press and

machineries for my start up operation from a company in Gujarat, India. While I studied in Bombay, I visited the manufacturer and negotiated a 20% deposit and incremental payments as the machineries are produced with final 25% payment in Guyana after successful installation and dry run.

I could not negotiate similarly in Guyana; land application at Lands & Surveys for a plot at Yawrowkabra was being process at s n a i l ’s p a c e .

After several months, I was requested to survey the plot which was done, then the snail went to sleep.

Several months later my surveyor told me he overheard in a bar that I will not get the lease for the land because I did not retain Lands & Surveys, surveyors to survey the land as a private job. My colleague suggested I apply through the Ministry of Trade for a plot at Coldigen Industrial Estate which I did, with application form and supporting documents. I was interviewed by a

Ministry of Trade officer who was impressed with the project and boldly requested 20% stake in the business in return for processing my application. I walked out a dejected man, called my colleague and indulged in El Dorado stress relief. We concluded that the unforeseen cost to the start up is only a mirage and there are bigger corruptions to encounter once we are in operation. I dumped the feasibility and communicated to the Indian suppliers my decision to scrap the project.

Thereafter, I ventured into the production of precast concrete pipes and valve chambers at Land of Canaan until thieves forced me to close the operation and migrate.

I am encouraged by present day engineers/ consultants to resuscitate the operation. I have a few small project ideas that can save Guyana money and create jobs if the business climate is right but it is too late for me and many others I guess.

Hemwant Persaud Licensed Mold Assessor/ Remediation Contractor

I can’t stand this dead fish smell any longer DEAR EDITOR; My name is Natalie Slow Gonsalves, and I am writing this letter appealing to the relevant authorities about this situation in my community of

Timehri, East Bank Demerara that is causing serious discomfort, distress and disgust not only to myself but also to other members of my community. There is a building next door to my residence that is processing

dead fish and shrimp. The stench from it is so overbearing that you have to be thankful that you have a daily job to go to and not be at home 24hrs a day. I have to inhale and endure this unhealthy stench. In addition to this, there is black smoke and soot coming from the chimney into our homes destroying everything in sight, everything you touch is soot even in your nostrils. Again I appeal to your humanitarian compassion to investigate and bring a solution to this unhealthy situation.

Natalie Slowe

and preventable. It is stated in the Stabroek News that the now de c e a s e d was experiencing family problems, and was even overheard on Thursday night telling someone to hasten their visit , or else they would regret it.

To w h o m w a s t h i s information passed on?

Was it to any member of the nursing team? Suicides have been known to take place when there is a fracture and deterioration of the therapeutic alliance between patient and staff due to negative perceptions of behavior.

Objectivity is oftentimes lost when hospital staff begin to look at patients as being manipulative, provocative, faking or even being too overdependent.

This can also lead to poor clinical assessment, and inadequate assessment of the risk factor. Prior to his committing suicide, was the staff aware of any change in the patient’s behavior or verbal utterances? To the best of the staff recall, what was his demeanour when last seen by them? How often are patient’s checks done? It only takes 4 or 5 minutes of adequate pressure on the carotid arteries in a person’s neck to produce death by oxygen deprivation to the brain.

The death of any patient by suicide, although some may say it is of his own doing is nevertheless regrettable and could have been preventable, and occurring in a hospital setting does cast the matter in a more somber light. In

addition to being called upon to conduct a thorough inquiry as to staff responsibility, investigation of manner and frequency of patient check and surveillance, and verification and verification of knowledge level of staff training in the assessment and management of likely suicidal patients, this demise should be a wake-up call for the Unit and by extension the Administration of the Public Hospital to forthwith ensure and maintain a safe physical environment that is devoid of any means of committing suicide even up to and including the installation of suicide proof architecture.

May the deceased Rest In Peace while hospital analyses the pieces to prevent a recurrence.

Yvonne Sam.

Is Bharrat Jagdeo acceptable...

From page 5 the child that she brought in the world was a curse, as she told me that she was disliked and shunned, a rejected vessel [out-cast] on the part of my Indian family because of my birth.

For this very reason my mother related to me the trauma and adverse conditions style experienced that precipitated my birth.

She was caught in a rock and a hard place, on one hand; my father’s relatives did not accept her being pregnant with an East Indian baby, and on the other hand her Indian relatives [Father, brothers and sister] refuted and repudiated her association with a black man.

Is it not revealing, when we do a survey on the Indian continent, we do get to understand the cast system?

My ancestors on both sides of my family tree was distinct, one dark skinned the other light skinned. According to the Indian cast system of India, the dark skinned person is regarded as inferior to those that are light skinned.

We as Guyanese have inherited a vast and deep system of racism that has plagued us for decades. Even now we are locked into a cycle

of racist thinking that is based on what we learned from our ancestors. I grew up in New Amsterdam Berbice where predominantly blacks occupy every sphere of life.

As a boy growing up I would spend my holidays in Crabwook Creek, Corentyne with my East Indian relatives.

My father the late Randolph Beresford B.E.M. / M.B.E of London was born in N. Amsterdam.

He first knew my mother [she lived in a loggie with her father] while working at Skeldon Estate as a carpenter contractor.

In those days Blacks mingled with East Indians, and vice versa, but they seldom inter-marry, they lived in the same community and attended the same school, shared the same space, shop at the same market and looked out for each other.

In the scheme of life, we learned of various cultures and customs as we travel and read [educate ourselves]. Guyanese of today compared to those of British Guiana [in colonial t i m e s ] a r e m u c h more enlightened and alert when it comes to racial insinuations and overtones. Editor, I come down again to the one question that lingers in the

minds of a great number of Guyanese living in the diaspora and at home here in the Co-operative Republic of Guyana.

Is Bharrat Jagdeo anathema for Guyana? The first thing that comes to my enquiring mind is, is the statements made by this politian bringing us closer together as a Nation to reflect One Nation One People One destiny. If the answer is in the negative then we all need to take note. Somebody out there help me to believe well for the sake of my beloved Nation - Guyana!

Finally, Editor my mother who is deceased [God bless her soul] brought forth a son [fairest of all her sons] whose name is Glen Khan C.E.O and Chairman of Laparkan Group of Companies, fed on that same breast as I [the darkest of all her sons] did, but never once did I felt inferior being black or dark and having an East Indian brother living in the same home eating from the same pot and loved by the same mother. Which side of the equation must I stand?

Indian or Black Guyanese!

They called me Dougla as a child growing up.

Apostle Vanrick Beresford

Tuesday August 23, 2016

PAGE 7

Kaieteur News

$12.5M drug bond fiasco…

Sub-committee’s excuses for continued use represent grave insult to the nation - Goolsarran

By Kiana Wilburg The reasons being offered by a Cabinet sub-committee to justify the continued use of a controversial Sussex Street storage bond for drugs and other medical supplies has highly offended several anti-corruption activists.

Specifically, Chartered Accountant Anand Goolsarran insists that the team’s “excuses” represent “a grave insult to the intelligence of the nation”.

He said that given the controversy surrounding the drug bond which is owned by Lawrence Singh of Linden Holdings Inc., the excuses provided the three-man subcommittee were ludicrous.

The subcommittee, comprising Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, Natural Resources Minister, Raphael Trotman and Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo, via its report, made it clear that the continued use of the Sussex Street bond is necessary even though an international report categorically states that the state-owned Diamond warehouse has the

Chartered Accountant, Anand Goolsarran

Public Health Minister, Dr. George Norton

Minister of State, Joseph Harmon

Natural Resources Minister, Raphael Trotman

Prime Minister, Moses Nagamootoo

capacity to hold all of the nation’s drugs and more.

The sub-committee said it is not safe to have all of t h e n a t i o n ’s d r u g s a n d medical supplies in one facility, in case of a fire or some natural disaster that can have calamitous consequences to the national health care system. The subcommittee stated too that the

location of the Diamond warehouse can affect distribution of medical supplies , g i v e n t r a f f i c congestion issues that are associated with the East Bank thoroughfare.

Addressing the “ludicrous excuse” that the traffic congestion would affect the distribution process, Goolsarran said,

“I refuse to accept this nonsensical excuse. The Georgetown Hospital, for example, does not operate like this. There is a stock management department which would know when the drugs are in short supply and when they need to be replenished, and they would not send in their order 10 minutes before it

is needed, so I don’t know what they are talking about in this instance” The Chartered Accountant said, too, that the failure of the subcommittee to address why a contract was awarded to a man who has no experience in the management of drugs and other pharmaceuticals is

also troubling.

“This is exactly why cabinet members should not have reviewed the project.

They are trying to exonerate the Minister of Health. These excuses are insulting to the nation.”

On the other hand, Prime Minister Nagamootoo said that the possibility of a fire and the issue of traffic congestion were just two of the many reasons considered (Continued on page 8)

PAGE 8

Tuesday August 23, 2016

Kaieteur News

Govt. pays BK US$5.7m on a simple threat letter For months, several Government officials sought to defend the US$5.7M outof-court settlement with BK International, claiming that had the government decided to challenge any suit, then it would have risked losing double the amount.

The Government officials also sugge s t e d t h a t B K International’s initial claim of US$10M was made before the courts, hence the haste to hammer out the deal and pay the contractor off as quickly as possible.

R e l e n t l e s s l y, this newspaper tried to get a hold of documents to that effect, but all efforts proved futile. Court officials said that no such records existed. Attorney

General Basil Williams refused to cooperate with the newspaper, and the o w n e r o f t h e c o m p a n y, Brian Tiwarie, made numerous promises to provide the mystery document, but failed to do so.

Kaieteur News again contacted Tiwarie, last Tuesday, for a copy of the related documents. Tiwarie replied that his assistants were not in office at the time.

He said that he could not confirm, also, how much in compensation he was “demanding from the Government via the court.”

He skirted the question and asked to be contacted at 10:00 am the following day. Even when this was done, the businessman

…Tiwarie’s US$10M claim never went to court – Minister Bulkan failed to honour this commitment.

He subsequently asked for an extension to do so on Saturday. When contacted this time around, Tiwarie disclosed that he had already travelled to Miami, Florida, since Thursday, and that calls should be made to his office for the document to be uplifted.

But even those efforts proved futile.

Meanwhile, Minister of Legal Affairs Basil Williams said: “I am not going to cooperate with Kaieteur News. Kaieteur News attacks me all the time and I see despite the fact that (Former AG Anil Nandlall) said he gon kill all ah y’all, he is back in y’all good books on the front page attacking me.

“Unless you can show me a different approach, how could I give you a document with BK matter?

And then you try to use the document…So if you disparage me as Attorney General, Chairman of the PNC, wha’ else? Member of Parliament…then y’all come and beg for me to pull back the case I had against y’all. I don’t know nothing

Manager of BK International, Brian Tiwarie

Minister of Communities, Ronald Bulkan

Attorney General, Basil Williams

about BK. Go ask (Minister of) Communities.”

Minister of Communities, Ronald Bulkan was able to shed some light on this controversy.

In an interview with this newspaper, the politician explained that indeed the court said that BK International should be compensated after its contract for the management of the Ha a g s Bosch was arbitrarily terminated.

Bulkan said that the company however never moved to the court for compensation. He revealed that by way of letter, BK made a claim for over US$10M to the government.

The Minister of Communities said he is not sure who, what or how the issue of BK going before

the court to make his claim was manufactured.

Furthermore, the controversial US$5.7 Million settlement between Government and BK International was brought to the attention of the nation by this newspaper on April 8, last.

When the revelation was made at that time, the Attorney General came out the following day stating that Government had not yet finalized a settlement with BK. He insisted that negotiations were still ongoing with the final approval to be made by the Cabinet.

Williams even demanded an apology from the publishers of the Kaieteur News for the said article.

Recent comments from

some of his Cabinet colleagues clearly show that the Kaieteur News article was grounded in truth.

According to Finance Minister, Winston Jordan, the US$5.7m settlement was hammered out since last year. He said it was agreed that BK International would receive the payments for the US$5.7M settlement in three tranches; two this year and the other which will be part of the 2017 budget.

Jordan said the first tranche of $350M was already part of the 2016 budget which was passed last February. He said it was paid over to BK in keeping with the agreement. The second part of $500M would be paid in the second quarter of the year.

Tuesday August 23, 2016

PAGE 9

Kaieteur News

Progress or retrogression?

December 5, 2016 is Budget Day, a decision that is consistent with the policy of the government to have an early Budget.

It took more than three months for the new government to produce its first Budget; five months later another one came.

The government is now aiming for a December Budget.

It makes practical sense, but will it produce practical results?

An early Budget allows businessmen, investors and workers to know at the start of the year what the plans of the government are, and how this will impact on them.

A December Budget permits the government a longer period to implement its programmes for the fiscal year. That, unfortunately so far, has not

helped the government to have an impressive project implementation ratio, something that the PNC governments in the past have struggled with.

A December Budget gives the taxman more time to collect the higher taxes. But conversely if taxes are reduced, it gives him headaches. A December Budget could see workers get a full year’s benefit from any increase rather than what has happened in 2015 when the increase which the government boasted about was only paid for half of the year.

No increases have been paid so far for this year, and if and when it does happen it is not likely to be retroactive to January, which results in workers being shortchanged. An early Budget is not a novelty. The government

of Trinidad and Tobago produces its Budget as early as October in most years. The Guyana government, however, should be commended for breaking with the PPPC’s tradition of presenting the Budget either in the first quarter of the year or at the start of the second quarter. It is progress to have a Budget in December. Or is it? A Budget speech read on December 5 means that the actual debate on the Budget will begin probably by December 12. This leaves only about ten days for the various speeches plus the consideration of the Estimates.

All aspects of the Budget presentation and debate are important. The debates allow the various Ministers to explain what they have done in the past year

Dem boys seh

Some crooks hiding behind meeting Every year something new does come up…It could be a new dance, a new song, a new style in dress and things like that. This time a new style come up in some of dem government ministry and this style is common among all of dem who get ketch in crooked business.

Basil de Willie is one of dem. He did tell dem boys when dem call him earlier this year that dem was trying to sabotage some agreement he had wid BK. Dem boys did hear about de settlement and when dem call him he get vex.

He threaten to sue if dem only seh that he reach a settlement wid BK. People tek he at he word, but couple months later dem find out that even before dem boys call him, de Finance Minister was going to Parliament to get money to pay de first installment in de BK case. If there was no settlement how come dem

was going to get money to pay de man?

He did stop answering he phone when people call to ask him why he lie. But he get ketch wid a call from a blocked phone. From de time de reporter identify sheself de man was sheer manners.

Then he come up wid this new style. “Sorry Maam. I am in a meeting and I will call you back.” Up to now he can’t call back.

Another reporter call Dicky West to ask bout some drug man he hire to collect GWI money. Now everybody know that drug people good at collecting and dem can understand de appointment. But this man is a manager and dem boys seh he don’t have de qualification fuh de job.

When dem call Dicky, he try out de new style. “Sorry. I am in a meeting and I will call you back.” He and all never call back. Trotty in a meeting;

Joe Lin in a meeting; everybody in a meeting when dem boys want to ask dem something bout de trouble dem in.

Nutten like he keeping meeting whole day, because he and all can’t be reached when dem boys want to ask him bout de bond deal.

All this mek dem boys want to know if this set like Jagdeo who use to hide and refuse to call press conference when he get ketch in something fishy. He change since he in opposition and he holding steady press conference.

Dem boys want all of dem to know that dem does keep meeting too, but to plan how to smoke dem out. De meeting does last one hour, suh dem boys got whole day to plan fuh de scamps who hiding behind meeting.

Talk half and wait to see dem boys waiting outside de meeting place.

and what they plan to do. It is a way of holding them accountable. It gives the opposition a chance to critique the Budget, the performance of the government, and to present alternative proposals.

The Consideration of the Estimates gives the opposition a chance to dissect the numbers that are presented and to question the government before having these numbers approved by the National Assembly. This process is done in what is known as the Committee of Supply.

Recently the government presented a financial paper for approval to the National Assembly. It is because the

opposition had the chance to finely question some of the amounts for which approval was being sought, that the issue of the bond in Sussex Street was exposed.

If the Budget is read on December 5, it means that there are only ten days for debate and for the Committee of Supply before the Assembly breaks for Christmas, say on December 15.

This is too short a time for the Budget to be adequately debated and scrutinized.

A December 5 date sounds like progress, but it is really a backward step that will result in an abbreviated debate and a hurry-up consideration of the

Estimates. Transparency and accountability will be the losers because the opposition simply will not have enough time to dissect the Budget and question the government as to the numbers in the Budget.

Perhaps this is why the government wants a December 5 date - to prevent a serious examination of the Budget. It should, if it is serious about oversight, bring forward the Budget by one week, and have it read on November 28, 2016.

PAGE 10

Tuesday August 23, 2016

Kaieteur News

=== The Freddie Kissoon column ===

USAID’s Democracy Report is flawed There is a USAID (United States Agency for International Development) report that is making the news. The essential point is that government has to shape the impulse for a democratic, free society. Certainly no one would disagree. From the time the British colonials allowed local elections and the PPP under Cheddi Jagan won the 1957 general elections, central government has not been a democratic cauldron but an authoritarian mix of class privilege, elitism, benevolent dictatorship, populist patronage, ethnic p r o t e c t i o n i s m , transformational stagnation and mono-cultural, economic ideology.

This has been the pattern from 1957 to the present.

There are some who are psychologically comforted by their own delusions into thinking Forbes Burnham was a great president; he was

not. Under Jagdeo, the Caribbean saw its worst forms of oligarchy and conspiratorial governance.

The presidency of Desmond Hoyte was t r a g i c a l l y contradictory. He offered freedom to some and took it away from others.

The 2015 Coalition Government shows not even a modicum of vision and transformative instincts. In fact, unlike the epochs of Burnham, Hoyte and Jagdeo, the present government seems not to have an idea where it wants to go. Burnham did, but he faltered badly in the process. Hoyte did, but his direction was hardly allembracing. Jagdeo did, but his direction was frightening. In all three cases, the men knew where they wanted to go. I am not sure Granger and Nagamootoo have decided on that as yet.

Looking at our patterns of government since 1957, there have been ongoing deceptive and episodic moments of governmental intentions to democratize Guyana. That intention is still deceiving, deceptive and decrepit.

The USAID Report on Guyana’s prospects for a democratic future is right, in the context that in small Guyana where the state is a ubiquitous Leviathan, the role of the government in setting up and implementing a democratic agenda is priceless. But the document has serious sociological defects.

I suspect that the assessment was done by American scholars. I have no idea how many Guyanese and Caribbean scholars contributed to the project, but no matter how sharp the methodologies are, the cultural context of any study in comparative politics is essential.

This is where the USAID scholars fell down.

In advocating the pivotal role of the government in the implementation of a democracy agenda, the study lacks an in-depth

evaluation of Guyana’s sociological and political evolution.

You cannot hope for the consolidation of d e m o c r a c y, through government’s initiative, when the society itself does not understand the philosophical meaning of justice, freedom and democracy, has no interest in such concepts, and practices egregious forms of violations. The USAID project will fail because its theoretical fulcrums are s h a k y.

The USAID project’s advocacy is onesided, t herefore its projections will dissipate as the years move on in Guyana.

The government tomorrow can embrace all the dimensions of democracy, but if the population is flippant about liberties and justice, then failure is predictable.

Where is the recognition and embrace of democracy by civil society and the nonpolitical sections of this entire country?

Guyana has no functioning consumer rights body and no functioning human rights organizations.

The Bar Association and Women Lawyers’

Associations are certainly not active organizations on the democratic front. Guyana is the only (not “one of” but the only) country where the academics and students of the university are totally inaudible and invisible.

The trade union movement has some seriously authoritarian people in its leadership that intend to grow old and die in the positions they currently hog. The only thing left is for those unionists to go to the courts and have the unions registered as their personal property.

The doctors, lawyers and other professional people in this country s h o w n o interest in speaking out on any violation from any quarter or section of the s o c i e t y, n o m a t t e r h o w despicable.

The most disappointing part of the Guyana landscape is the official bodies of the business community like the Private Sector Commission, Chambers of Commerce etc.

These people have never involved their organization in a democracy project. And the reason is because democracy has never been a

Freddie Kissoon preoccupation with them.

Finally, the churches. This society could collapse in the worst forms of authoritarian excesses, and the churches of all denominations will remain silent.

The problem with that USAID study is that it has only one central focus – the role of government in shaping a democratic future. But let’s say the government becomes super-human and implements an almost perfect democratic, legal and infrastructural system.

Wi l l t h a t g u a r a n t e e freedom, justice and liberties where civil society and the population at large refuse to recognize and embrace it?

The Guyanese people do not care about democracy.

Why ask the government to give it to them?

Tuesday August 23, 2016

PAGE 11

Kaieteur News

Vigilante killing…

Slain bandit’s accomplice leads cops to gun The second suspect who was beaten by vigilantes in Pearl, East Bank Demerara on Saturday night, last, when he and his accomplice, Seon Clarke escaped from police earlier in the day, took investigators to the location where they had stashed a weapon.

Clarke, 21, was shot dead when he and the accomplice were captured crawling out of the bushes at Pearl.

The men were allegedly planning to rob a grocery store in Sarah Johanna, East

Bank Demerara on Saturday, but their plan was squashed when the alert proprietor of the store noticed their suspicious movements and called out to a policeman, who was passing on the road at the time.

Yesterday, the Guyana Police Force (GPF) in a press release said that Clarke’s accomplice admitted to being in his company and took investigators to a location at Pearl where he handed over a .380 Beretta piston with six matching rounds.

The man also handed over two cellular phones.

The police said that around 22:30 hrs on Saturday, Clarke was shot and his accomplice was beaten by a group of public-spirited persons from Pearl.

According to the police, about 14:00h on Saturday, Clarke and an accomplice went into a grocery store at Sarah Johanna and were behaving suspiciously. The proprietor observed their behaviour and made his way (Continued on page 23)

Sub-committee’s excuses...

From page 7 for embracing the contract.

Nagamootoo noted that there was a visit to the Diamond facility and the Sussex Street bond. He said that committee members who visited the Sussex Street bond were satisfied that it was suitable for use as provided for under the contract. He said that the members recommended that the bond be used until the Government is able to build an alternative facility.

The Prime Minister said that when the Sussex Street bond proposal came to Cabinet initially, the issue of traffic congestion affecting the access to medical supplies at the Diamond facility was not raised. He said that it might be used as a rationalization for the continued use of the Sussex Street bond.

Nagamootoo said what was advanced was the necessity of a new site , consequent upon the demand of New GPC for Government to either pay a rent for the facilities or take its drugs elsewhere.

The Prime Minister said that when Government made it clear that the New GPC was not going to be enjoying sole sourced contracts anymore and that “an era of competitiveness” is what is going to take over, “we were basically told to take our drugs and get lost.”

Nagamootoo was then asked if this was the case, then why not store the drugs at the Diamond facility which, according to an international report, has the capacity to store all of the nation’s drugs and even more.

The Prime Minister said however that he could not comment on this.

Nagamootoo explained that he did not visit the facility. He made it clear that it was Trotman who visited the facility and was the one chairing the committee. The Prime Minister emphasized that he was just a member of the team.

“When the team visited, they reported that the Diamond facility was encumbered and that it couldn’t accommodate the additional stocks. But I have since seen another report in the newspaper saying that the bond has space to accommodate 2,300 pallets and the bond was only utilizing under 1,600. If that is the case, then in spite of the contract being signed, it should not rule out a forensic

scrutiny at Diamond facility…I would not rule out reassessment of the facility at Diamond.”

Nagamootoo was also asked why the sub-committee did not address the fact that a contract was given to someone who is inexperienced in the storage of drugs and pharmaceuticals. He said however that Government is not renting the contractor but the facility.

Seon Clarke

The captured bandit

PAGE 12

Kaieteur News

Tuesday August 23, 2016

GWI sends home convicted drug trafficker

Minister of Communities, Ronald Bulkan

Lear Goring

GWI’s head, Dr. Richard Van-West Charles Amidst growing pressure, the state-owned Guyana Water Inc. yesterday decided to send home a senior manager pending a probe of his background.

The decision was reportedly taken yesterday by management of the entity following a damning report Sunday by Kaieteur News which revealed that Lear Goring, Manager of the Debt Recovery Unit, was convicted twice by the United States in the 1990’s after he was caught smuggling drugs to the country.

He was deported twice and has served time in the US. The revelations immediately raised questions whether GWI knew about Goring’s background and how he ended up being hired to such a sensitive position in that unit.

He was reportedly said to be a close friend of Dr. Richard Van-West Charles, GWI’s Managing Director.

Yesterday, Minister of Communities, Ronald Bulkan, confirmed that the report in Kaieteur News caught his attention and that GWI was

asked to submit a report on circumstances of the hiring of the manager.

“I can tell you that I understand that the employee in question has been sent home based on a decision by GWI. I had asked for a report and the matter, I understand, will be dealt with by GWI’s Board of Directors when it meets shortly.”

Attempts by this newspaper to seek comments from Dr. Van-West Charles were not successful, as he was engaged in meetings all day with management.

A list of questions was forwarded to the entity’s Public Relations Department, but there were no answers as of late last evening.

The all-sensitive Debt Recovery Unit handles tens of millions each year collected from delinquent customers.

From investigations, it appeared that GWI either did not know or simply paid little attention to Goring’s background.

Following a tip-off last week, Kaieteur News conducted background checks and found that Goring was convicted by US authorities in the 1990s before being deported twice - the last time in the early 2000s.

According to US court files, Goring was convicted twice of drug trafficking in 1990s. In the first instance, after a conviction, he was deported in 1993 to Guyana.

Not to be daunted, he used a forged passport to travel back in 1995 - again with drugs.

Again he was caught. In 1996, he changed his not guilty plea after an agreement with prosecutors and the New York court sentenced him to 63 months in the Federal Correctional Institution, Fort Dix, New Jersey.

It is unclear if he was deported before his sentence of actual jail time, which amounted to 48 months, ended.

What is known is that between January and June 2002, he was deported yet again from the US. Goring’s name surfaced last week after he was named with Van-West Charles, his boss at GWI, as being a director of Atlantic Fuels Inc. That company was granted a

fuel import and storage licence last November.

The revelations of the licences immediately raised concerns, with questions asked if Van-West Charles’ connections to the Coalition Government was what tipped the company that applied.

Local documents filed in the Deeds and Commercial Registry disclosed that in June last year, weeks after the coalition took office, VanWest Charles, a former minister within the People’s National Congress (PNC), and his close friend, Goring, became directors for Atlantic Fuels.

The other partners are Andron and Ronaldo Alphonso, close relatives of business magnate, Alfro Alphonso.

In late September, applications were filed with the Guyana Energy Agency (GEA) for the licences. The licences were issued five weeks later.

In October, Van-West Charles became the Chief Executive of GWI, a stateowned enti t y t h a t i s charged with providing potable water to homes across the country. Shortly after, he hired Goring, his business partner, to head the Debt Recovery Unit.

The GWI head had come under fire last year for the hiring of Goring and another ‘friend’, Lance Mars. Both positions were reportedly not advertised.

Van-West Charles had reportedly said that both men were known to him personally.

He reportedly said that he needed someone “competent” to deal with the debt at the state company.

With regards to those lucrative fuel licences, GEA last week in response to questions by Kaieteur News, disclosed that indeed the application came in late September and was granted on November 5th, 2015.

GEA said that all was above board when it came to the application and that Atlantic Fuels listed the storage facility of another authorized company in its application…not something unusual.

Fuel has been rivaling gold when it comes to generating ready cash. It is big business.

Kaieteur News

Tuesday August 23, 2016

PAGE 13

Better Hope pensioner found at home with throat slashed The son of a 76-year-old man who was found with his throat slashed in his Lot 61 Better Hope, East Coast Demerara (ECD) home on Sunday night, has been taken into custody, as police continue to investigate the pensioner’s death.

The body of David Ramkissoon aka “Shortman”, a father of five, was discovered in a pool of blood in the living room by his son, around 19:30 hrs on Sunday.

The younger Ramkissoon had just returned home after spending the day at a creek on the Soesdyke/ Linden Highway with his family.

He and two other persons have been arrested.

Initially, detectives were looking at a theory in which the pensioner was killed during a robbery since the house was ransacked and money was reportedly stolen. However, after carefully examining the property, the cops found no forced entry.

A number of other factors caught the cops’ attention, one of which was the fact that a number of envelopes, in which Ramkissoon would have received his pension m o n e y, w e r e f o u n d i n a refrigerator—as if someone was trying to hide something.

- Son, two others arrested Dead: David Ramkissoon The house in which the pensioner’s body was found

The pensioner shared the home with his son, daughter-in-law and the couple’s two children.

One of the motives the police are looking at is that the pensioner was killed over his property. They seemed convinced that the man’s death was not linked to a robbery.

The daughter-in-law recounted that she and her family left home

around 11:00 hrs on Sunday to go to the creek. “We left late and he was telling us is best we stay home and eat lunch then go to the creek, because the traffic to go to the creek gone be bad. He was sitting in the hammock when we left home.”

She added that when they returned home, they noticed that the house was in complete darkness

which was a bit strange.

“My husband went in the yard and opened the door and went inside to put on the light and he go in his father room and called for him, but he see the room ransacked and his father wasn’t there, so we went in the other rooms and they were ransacked,” the woman said.

She said that it was when her

husband was heading back downstairs that he noticed his father lying in blood and started screaming.

The daughter-in-law said that she and several neighbours rushed into the house and saw Ramkissoon on the floor. She said that she has no idea as to why the police would take her husband in custody since he is innocent and would in no way harm his father.

When asked if she has any idea as to who may want her father-inlaw dead, the woman responded in the negative, but claimed that there are a number of young boys who do not work and would frequent the streets. The police are looking at other motives.

Kaieteur News

PAGE 14

Tuesday August 23, 2016

Ministry expects shipment of Yellow Fever vaccine on Thursday - as several countries waive vaccination requirement A shipment of Yellow Fever Vaccine is expected by Thursday.

This is according to Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Dr. Shamdeo Persaud, who during an interview with this publication disclosed that “in the meantime we are continuing with what we have.”

He noted that while the Ministry can assure persons travelling to territories on the continent of Africa, this will only be granted if persons have not been vaccinated in the past. This is in light of the fact, Dr. Persaud noted, that if a person has been vaccinated once, he or she is protected from Yellow Fever for a lifetime.

Moreover, he disclosed that even persons would have lost their vaccination card, can visit the health facility where they were vaccinated in order to obtain a copy of their vaccination record.

“Those who know they have

The Yellow Fever Vaccine been vaccinated but don’t have their card as proof they can go back to the health centre where it was done...the records are kept there and they can obtain a copy which would then allow them to get the international certificate of vaccination,” Dr. Persaud explained.

And it is the belief of the CMO that “more than 95 per cent of the population has already received the Yellow Fever vaccine, so there is no gap really in terms of adult immunisation”.

As such he noted that the main focus of the Ministry of Public Health is its infant immunisation programme.

“We are still continuing the children’s programme, that is paramount to make sure that all the babies by 12 months or so receive their Yellow Fever vaccine, because they need to be protected too, in the event they are exposed,” Dr. Persaud asserted.

Outbreaks of Yellow Fever have been reported in parts of Africa which resulted in a number of countries

demanding that travellers from countries with conditions suitable for the disease be issued with an international Yellow Fever certificate of vaccination.

Guyana and all of its neighbouring territories (Suriname, Brazil and Venezuela) have been listed as territories that have the ideal conditions to transmit the disease.

B u t a c c o r d i n g t o D r.

Persaud, the Public Health Ministry has been able to reach out to a number of countries demanding the travellers present their vaccination certificate, remove that requirement.

And Dr. Persaud revealed that “Most of the countries we had the challenge with in the last couple of weeks have now removed the requirements. Jamaica, Suriname, Trinidad, North America and most of the other parts of the Caribbean they don’t require the Yellow Fever travel certificate any

longer. There are a few South American countries that are still demanding that the travel certificate be issued,” the CMO considered.

He noted that while there have been reports of Yellow Fever outbreaks in Brazil in the past, Brazil has not been imposing the travel certificate requirement as rigidly as Africa.

According to the World Health Organisation, “in the Region of the Americas, over the past decade, cases of yellow fever were reported in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, and Venezuela. In 2015, three countries in the Americas confirmed yellow fever virus circulation (Bolivia, Brazil, and Peru) and in 2016 only one country, Peru, confirmed cases of yellow fever. Brazil is currently investigating the occurrence of epizootics (among animals) in areas where the virus had circulated.”

Yellow Fever is an acute viral haemorrhagic disease transmitted by infected Aedes type mosquitoes. The yellow in the name refers to

Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Shamdeo Persaud the jaundice that affects some patients. Symptoms of the disease include fever, headache, jaundice, muscle pain, nausea, vomiting and fatigue. According to WHO, a small portion of patients who contract the disease develop severe symptoms and approximately half of those die within seven to 10 days.

For this reason, it was seen as imperative for countries at risk to prevent access to the disease.

Guyanese who return home from territories believed to have the disease will be monitored for at least six days or possibly even quarantined if this measure i s s e e n a s n e c e s s a r y, according to the CMO.

Kaieteur News

Tuesday August 23, 2016

PAGE 15

There is significant need to reform the Guyana Police Force - USAID Report According to a report (an assessment of Democracy, Human Rights and Governance in Guyana) compiled by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), there is a significant need to reform the Guyana Police Force (GPF) and strengthen its investigations and prosecutions.

A disclaimer notice in the report stated that the authors’ view ‘does not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government.’

The report, sourcing information from the Government of Guyana’s, Justice System Strategy, 2006–2010, stated that an estimated 90 percent of prosecutions are unsuccessful making the GPF ‘the least-trusted institution in the country’.

The report cited that Police investigations being carried out especially in the remote regions, tend not to make use of forensics due to the lack of equipment, human resources, and expertise, which leads the police and the magistrates to rely on confessions and witness testimony.

It added that the police need to be better resourced to deal with crime in the interior, and the unique challenges of law enforcement in border areas.

The Force, which dates

back to the year 1839, plays an important role in the maintenance of internal p e a c e a n d s e c u r i t y.

However, it has been plagued by many problems that led to the GPF becoming the least-trusted institution in the country, including incidents of police brutality and politicization, the report stated.

“It has been chronically short of its 3,570 officers for over a decade, and finding new recruits with the right combination of skills and education has not been easy.

T h i s a ff e c t s t r a i n i n g , deployments, and the ability to have the right people in the right places at the right times. It is perceived as an opaque institution that inadequately polices itself through its Police Complaints Board, which it staffs with police officers,”the USAID report stated.

Meanwhile, the GPF Strategic Plan 2013–2017, developed with the support of the United Kingdom’s Department for International Development (DFID), commits the GPF to a process of modernization that will utilize international best practices in policing, build stronger relationships with communities, and deliver more effective services.

With the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB)’s help, the GPF has already remodelled 18 police stations to allow for easier

Magistrate...

From page 3 the murdered man are planning to file a complaint against the magistrate to the Judicial Service Commission (JSC). The JSC is headed by Chancellor of the Judiciary, Justice Carl Singh, who is responsible for appointment of Judges and Magistrates.

In his most recent comment on the conduct of judicial officers, Justice Singh noted that allowing Magistrates who conduct themselves inappropriately to remain on the bench will be a serious indictment on the part of the judicial administration. He added that this act would mean that the judiciary has abandoned the people and public’s i n t e r e s t . ” We h a v e a responsibility to produce an environment which is conducive for hard work.

Magistrates in Guyana are servants of the people. It is important that Magistrates and Judges give of their best, so when we find that Magistrates are involved in grave wrongdoing, then we will have to protect the public’s interest,” the Chancellor said.

The PI into the murder of Ali- Mursalin is scheduled to continue on August 29.

Meanwhile, the case has been generating some side stories.

A Berbice hotel owner is set to appear in court today for attempting to bribe police ranks to suppress evidence in the case. The businessman was busted in a sting operation over the weekend.

The hotel owner is said to be a close relative of one of the accused.

access by the public, and for police use of technology. It also increased the number of c o m m u n i t y a n d neighbourhood policing groups that are integrated into the GPF structure.

However, most of the reform plans have yet to be implemented, as the UK’s Security Sector Reform (SSR) programme was effectively halted by the former government – the

P e o p l e ’s P r o g r e s s i v e Party/Civic (PPP/C), which opined that the SSR programme was interfering with issues of national sovereignty.

However, the David Ganger-led Administration, asked the UK to resume its SSR support. According to the report, the UK is

‘considering and it appears likely.’

“The IDB, through its Support for the Implementation of the Citizen Security Strengthening programme, will provide support to the Ministry of Public Security to strengthen its managerial and leadership skills.”

PAGE 16

Kaieteur News

Tuesday August 23, 2016

NTC Conference commences…

President recommends establishment of Nat’l Indigenous People’s Authority D President Granger greets a participant of the National Toshaos Council Conference, as its Chairman, Joel Fredericks (third from right) and Minister of Indigenous People’s Affairs, Sydney Allicock (left of the President) look on. (Ministry of the Presidency Photo)

uring the opening of the 10th Annual N a t i o n a l Toshaos Council (NTC) conference, which kicked off yesterday at the Arthur Chung Convention Centre, Liliendaal, President David Granger recommended the establishment of a National I n d i g e n o u s P e o p l e ’s Authority (NIPA).

The Head of State charged Minister of Indigenous People’s Affairs, Sydney Allicock, to propose measures to establish the body which will watch over and fast-track the implementation of decisions made by the NTC, along with other decision-making agencies. The body will also support the NTC‘s efforts to ensure there is a higher quality of life between the Hinterland and the Coastland regions.

The NIPA – which the President envisages will be made up of five persons – will work under the Ministry of Indigenous People’s Affairs (MOIPA).

Meanwhile, the Chairman of the NTC, Joel Fredericks, lauded the Government for the support being shown to the Indigenous Peoples of Guyana. He welcomed the President’s announcement and stated that he would prefer the NIPA to include two representatives of the NTC. “I believe it’s a good idea

from the President and I support it and I believe the Toshao Council should be a part; at least one or two members should be a part of the five-member team to make things happen, because we are the people who go out in the fields and we know the issues out there and we can easily communicate with our people and bring back information so His Excellency can be wellinformed,” he said.

Fredericks called for the reservation of a plot of land in Georgetown for the erecting of a Secretariat for the NTC and also, a stipend increase for Toshaos.

The President committed to having the requests deliberated at the level of Cabinet.

Fredericks also called for cooperation between all stakeholders and Government to ensure that there is better Education in the Hinterland.

Minister Allicock said that despite the various challenges being faced in Amerindian Communities – including the months-long drought, this year has been a good one. He added, also, that there has been steady progress with the President’s ten-point plan for Hinterland Development.

However, he expressed dissatisfaction with what he claimed was a lack of respect between some Toshaos and villagers. Allicock said that villages continue to struggle with division and ‘the work of agents of division’.

“Your struggle will cause you to emerge triumphant in the very short term, do not relent. I urge you to accept the traditional ways and solutions will emerge,” the Minister advised.

The five-day conference is being held this year under the theme “Guyana’s First Peoples, Preserving our Culture and Land for Life” and is expected to deal with matters related to the revision of the Amerindian Act, land titling, problems caused by mining and hinterland education among other issues.

Kaieteur News

Tuesday August 23, 2016

PAGE 17

Beaten ‘bandit’ remanded,

accomplice still critical A man who was given a sound beating by irate residents of North Ruimveldt, after he and his accomplice tried to rob another resident, was yesterday remanded to prison after an appearance in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

Patrick Goodluck, 22, of North Sophia pleaded not guilty to the charge which alleged that on August 17, at Georgetown he attempted to commit robbery under-arms.

The charge further read that he attempted to rob Roger Lovell.

Goodluck had several

bruises about his face.

Underneath both of his eyes were swollen and part of his head was shaved and stitches were visible.

The police in a release had said that they are investigating an alleged attempted robbery under arms by two males, one of whom was armed with a handgun.

Investigations revealed that Roger Lovell was at home sleeping when he was awakened by the men, who demanded cash and jewellery. When Lovell refused, he was beaten about his head and body. During the attack, Lovell raised an

alarm and a group of publicspirited individuals from the community responded and managed to disarm the gunman. They then inflicted a severe beating on the intruders.

Goodluck, who told the court he worked at a sawmill, had no legal representation. He begged the Magistrate to release him on bail claiming that he was “in the wrong place at the wrong time.” The defendant told the court that he sustained several injuries about his body as a result of the beating he received from the residents. Goodluck said that he lost four teeth and had

to receive stitches to his head, neck and eyes.

He also claimed that on the day in question, he was walking through the area to go visit a friend when he was attacked.

However, Police Prosecutor Kerry Bostwick strongly opposed bail for the defendant. Bostwick said that the virtual complainant, Lovell, saw when Gooding and his accomplice barged into his home with a gun.

Bostwick stated that Gooding is a known character in the community.

He said that the other suspect is still hospitalized in a critical condition.

REMANDED: Patrick Goodluck

According to the Prosecutor, charges will be laid against this suspect.

Goodluck will make his next court appearance on September 2.

Promoting safety high on GGMC’s agenda Acting Commissioner of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission, Newell Dennison on Sunday said that the GGMC will be seeking to advocate and enforce the utilization of safer mining practices.

Dennison was at the time making his address at the Dinner and Award Ceremony organised by GGMC and the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment to commence Mining Week

…as Mining Week Festivities kick-off 2016. According to Dennison, several changes needed to be made in the mining sector under the umbrella of safety.

He highlighted that safer practices to extract minerals is a major concern.

According to the Acting Commissioner miners need to utilize more modern and

appropriate technology in this regard.

He also addressed the importance of safer practices on the physical environment Additionally, Dennison spoke about safety at mining operations. He said that there is need for miners to develop a culture whereby they appreciate the need to

implement safer on-site measures. He said that there needs to be an attitudinal change in the value for life.

As such, persons need to stop disrespecting the laws, authority and policy which govern the sector. To achieve these changes, Dennison said that it calls for serious collaborations, commitments

and partnerships, first with each other as Guyanese citizens and secondly with institutions like the GGMC who are present to serve, support and guide, and where necessary, employ the appropriate measure of the law. Dennison explained that there is sometimes an unwillingness of some miners to claim mined out areas since the cost attached is most times too hefty to bear. He said that this is one

of the issues which the GGMC will have to address.

Dennison stressed that educational awareness is also high on the entity’s agenda; however, despite fulfilling this mandate, the Commission will still function as an enforcement body. This year’s mining week is under the theme “Extracting Minerals; Underscoring Safety; Protecting the Environment.”

Also (Continued on page 23)

PAGE 18

Kaieteur News

Tuesday August 23, 2016

Kaieteur News

Tuesday August 23, 2016

PAGE 19

Driver in fatal accident granted bail Almost one month after disc jockey (DJ) Wavel Sheik Sabsook was killed in an early morning accident at Diamond, East Bank Demerara, his friend Shameer Mohamed was yesterday released on $1M bail on a charge of causing death by dangerous driving.

Mohamed of 99 Diamond, East Bank Demerara, denied the allegation which stated that on July 24, he drove motor car PVV 2007 in a manner dangerous to the public thereby causing the death of Sabsook. He also denied that on the same day, he drove the motorcar while he was under the influence of alcohol, with his breathalyzer test reading reaching 103 micrograms. On this charge he was granted $10,000 bail.

Attorney Peter Hugh made an application for his client to be released on bail.

He stated that Mohamed has

no pending or previous matters and is not a flight risk. The lawyer told the court that his client is unable to walk as a result of injuries he sustained during the accident.

According to Hugh, Mohamed received several burns on his legs and asked that he be admitted to bail so that he will get the opportunity to visit the Georgetown Public Hospital thrice weekly for dressing.

The lawyer said that the prison service will be unable to give his client the type of medical attention he needs.

Police Prosecutor Kerry Bostwick had no objections to bail.

He however requested that the defendant report to the Golden Grove Police Station Traffic Department twice weekly until the completion of the matter.

The defendant will return to court on September 2, for

CHARGED: Shameer Mohamed statements.

According to reports, Sabsook was killed after the vehicle Mohamed was driving, crashed and overturned in the vicinity of Distribution Services Limited (DSL). It was reported that the vehicle came to a stop after it crashed

Teen remanded for murder of Laing Ave. man Murder Accused: Samuel McIntyre

Murder Accused: Regus Lamazon

Murdered: Orin David

A

19-year-old man was yesterday remanded to prison for the murder of Orin David, who was gunned down on Emancipation Day in front of his Laing Avenue, Georgetown home,.

Regus Lamazon of 51 D’Urban Street was not required to plead to the indictable charge read to him by Magistrate Judy Latchman in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts. He was represented by Attorney Paul Fung-a-Fat. Two weeks ago, Samuel McIntyre was remanded to prison after he was charged with the said offence.

Lamazon and McIntyre were instructed

to return to court on September 8, when they will appear before the Chief Magistrate.

David, called Malik, was shot and killed in front of his Lot 89 Laing Avenue home in the presence of his reputed wife and other relatives. The 33-year-old man was killed after one of five men came out of a car and riddled him with bullets.

According to reports, the former murder accused had confrontations several times with a man from Agricola, East Bank Demerara, whom he had bailed out of jail sometime last year.

It was reported that on the day in question, David and the suspect were involved in a heated argument over the monies. It is alleged that the Agricola resident went away and later returned with four persons in two vehicles and executed David.

Last year February, David was freed having spent five years in prison for the 2010 murder of Mahaica farmer, Lakhram Bishundial. Bishundial, called Mohan, was shot and killed during a robbery at Hope Turn, East Coast Demerara as he was on his way to a nearby Ashram to make preparations for his younger brother’s wedding.

On July 12, 2015, David, who had allegedly tossed a firearm in a trench during a police patrol exercise on July 9, was charged with unlawful possession of a gun.

into a fence, broke a signboard and then burst into flames.

Sabsook was reportedly hurled out of the vehicle and onto the opposite side of the

DEAD: Wavel Sheik Sabsook roadway. A police official had said that a breathalyzer test performed on Mohamed revealed that his alcohol level was well above the prescribed limit of 35

microgrammes.

The DJ and his friend were reportedly returning home from a party in Georgetown when the accident occurred.

Kaieteur News

PAGE 20

Tuesday August 23, 2016

Govt. optimistic about introducing expanded ...but more needed to be done to maternity leave promote idea - Health Minister T

h e Wo r l d H e a l t h Organisation (WHO) has long recommended exclusive breastfeeding for newborn infants for the first six months of their lives. But health sectors have been advocating for the continuance of breastfeeding for babies even two years and beyond, with appropriate and safe complementary foods.

Guyana’s health sector is certainly not opposed to this notion.

This is despite the fact that mothers here are only granted three months maternity leave following delivery.

There has, however, been advocacy for the expansion of maternity leave, and this has been gaining Government’s attention.

This is according to Minister of

Public Health, Dr. George Norton, who disclosed that “the implementation of the expanded maternity leave for mothers is something Government has been discussing and we hope to make way with it very soon.” He believes that mothers here should be eligible for at least six months to encourage the recommended exclusive sixmonth breastfeeding period for babies.

“I am happy that this issue made some amount of highlight and coverage in the media and not so much by the Ministry of Public Health,” said the Minister as he observed that the Social Protection Ministry has also been canvassing the same idea.

But the expanded maternity

leave has for a number of years been gaining keen attention. In fact, Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Dr. Shamdeo Persaud had told this publication in 2013 that there is a possibility that mothers in the CARICOM Region would have six months of maternity leave to ensure newborn babies are exclusively breastfed. This, he informed then, was being touted as part of a drive to tackle childhood obesity.

According to Dr. Persaud, childhood obesity starts in the womb, depending on the kind of nutrition mothers take and to the extent they maintain their health.

Following the deliveries of babies, breastfeeding is important.

Children who are breastfed are less likely to be hooked on sugar or

high-calorie foods. ”Sugar and salt are acquired tastes and if you don’t expose them to sugar they like what you gave them and they grow up.

Breastfeeding transitioning into complementary feeding is a much more acceptable way of controlling children’s weight,” he said.

Discussion in this regard, he disclosed, was forthcoming when he attended the launching of Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA)inTrinidad.

“This was one of the things that came up at CARPHA… how we could start stimulating Governments to open the discussion about our mothers. We can’t have mothers going back to work in three months and we are insisting on and think there is a value of breastfeeding for six months so the two things do not coincide,” he’d explained.

Moreover, Dr. Persaud informed that the Health Ministry would have to advocate for this, considering that there could be some economic costs, since Guyana is still a growing society.

Taking into account that many women may not have formal employment contracts, Government may have to prepare social security programmes, he added. He said too, “those are some of the things we want to get onto. If we have cross regional policies, Governments are more likely to comply. And countries must have standards.” But according to Minister Norton, the response from the business sector to this idea has not been heartening.

“I was listening to some call-in programmes and (the responses) what it told me is that we have so much more work to do if we are going to advocate for this expanded maternity leave,” the Public Health Minister noted. He singled out Canada as a country that currently has in place an expanded maternity leave programme that permits mothers to remain at home for one

year. As such, he is convinced that expanding the local maternity leave programme to at least six months may be very attainable here.

In fact he noted that efforts should be made to encourage procreation so that Guyana is not faced with a situation like Japan where the population is growing older as the birth rate has been rapidly declining.

“Let us hope that we do not fall into that situation,” said the Minister, as he disclosed that “while in our rural areas the rate is supposed to be a large percentage of our population being younger, in our urban area it is like the developed world where we have an aging population.”

The Minister made these remarks as he emphasised the importance of the expansion of the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative, where mothers are encouraged to breastfeed their babies exclusively for the first six months.

He disclosed that in 1992 when the breastfeeding programme was launched here, it was evident that the culture of exclusive and prolonged breastfeeding was on the decline.

“It was no coincidence that Guyana also had relatively high infant mortality and morbidity rates due to diarrheal diseases, acute respiratory tract infection and malnutrition,” Minister Norton explained, as he stressed how vital breastfeeding is.

In addition to providing baby with necessary nutrients that can protect their health, there are also many health benefits for mothers as well.

It has been deduced that breastfeeding helps to release the hormone oxytocin, which helps the uterus return to its pre-pregnancy size and may reduce uterine bleeding after birth. Breastfeeding also lowers the risk of breast and ovarian cancer and may lower a woman’s risk of osteoporosis.

Tuesday August 23, 2016

PAGE 21

Kaieteur News

East Ruimveldt girl is Blind Society’s top CSEC candidate - pass rate declines, but performances still laudable

Melieka Crawford With five passes at this year’s Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC), 17-year-old Melieka Crawford of East Ruimveldt, Georgetown, is elated that she can now pursue studies in International Relations at the University of Guyana.

Although as a child she dreamt of becoming a lawyer, her visual impairment caused her to review her dream career. She now hopes to one day become an Ambassador.

Crawford registered to write the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC)-administered examination through the Guyana Society for the Blind. She secured passes in Human and Social Biology, Social Studies, Principles of Business, Office Administration and English Language (three grade twos and two grade threes).

At a press conference held at the Blind Society’s 44 High St. Werk-en-Rust headquarters yesterday, Crawford disclosed that her biggest challenge was studying.

“I didn’t have a lot of resources and I tried to make the best of what I had, but it was still hard to do stuff when you don’t have much to do it with...that I found was really, really challenging but I tried to make the best with the little that I had,” related Crawford.

It all paid off in the end.

According to the young l a d y, s h e w a s s h o c k e d when she first learnt that she was the top performer for the Blind Society.

“I almost lost it, but then I pulled it back together,” said Crawford, as she in an emotional tone added, “I did this so that I could make my parents feel proud of me...if it wasn’t for the teachers here I would

have been at home doing nothing.”

This was not Crawford’s first attempt at writing CSEC. During an interview with this publication earlier this year, she disclosed that she had also attended the Blind Unit at St. Rose’s High School. She was schooled at that facility for a period of five years, but when she wrote three subjects at CSEC – English, Arts and Social Studies – she was not successful.

“I feel I will be able to do better at this sitting,” said Crawford, months ahead of sitting the recent examination.

She even then attributed her confidence to her teachers at the Blind Society, whom she’d said were always encouraging her to do her best.

A total of 10 candidates were entered to write CSEC this year through the Blind Society. Among them were 41year-old Amin Britton of Wismar, Linden who secured four CSEC passes (one grade one, two grade twos and one grade three); 18-year-old Crystal Aulder of South Road, Georgetown who secured four CSEC passes (one grade two, two grade threes and one grade four), and 17-year-old Visham Persaud of La Bonne Intention, East Coast Demerara, who also secured four passes (two grade twos, one grade three and one grade four).

While Britton plans on taking one-year break before furthering his studies at UG, Aulder said that she will be pursuing studies in International Relations at UG this year. Persaud on the other hand plans on resitting CSEC Office Administration in the coming year.

Although the overall percentage pass rate has declined this year, the performance of candidates who wrote the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate ex-

From left: Crystal Aulder, Amin Britton and Visham Persaud amination through the Guyana Society for the Blind is laudable. The percentage pass rate this year is 75.6 compared to 80 percent last year.

The previous year, when the programme registered its first batch to sit the CXC examination, the percentage pass rate was 84.6 per cent.

But according to Coordinator of the programme, Mr. Ganesh Singh, the percentage pass rate this year is still above the national average, which is about 65 per cent.

Singh yesterday speculated that the decline in the pass rate could be linked to the application and level of students who participated.

“We are still doing very well for a small programme, and dealing with the challenges that we do and working with children with visual disabilities,” said Singh, who added “we are making significant development and strides in the whole development and empowerment of children with visual disabilities within our society.”

According to Singh, since the start of the programme, “we have seen changes in approximately twenty-something lives and we are hoping that persons out there who possess the competencies and have an inclination towards academics they can job our programme if they have a visual disability...it is free of cost.”

President of the Blind Society, Mr. Cecil Morris, described the candidates’ performances this year as “another happy day in my life.

When you get the results it makes you feel very happy.”

He also encouraged other persons with visually impairment or are blind, to take advantage of the programme offered and make their contribution to the development of Guyana.

Speaking yesterday, too,

was Vanessa Low-A-Chee, who taught the candidates English Language and Principles of Business, and has been a part of the programme from its inception. She noted too that while there has been a decrease in the percentage pass rate “we have to take into consideration that these are blind and visually impaired ones who are working with limited resources if any at all. They can’t read from a book or from a page and so they have to work with computers and some of them don’t

own computers.”

Students are however able to access computers at the Society to aid the teaching/learning process.

“They have accomplished so much and for that we are so proud,” added Low-AChee.

Rosemary Ramit, another teacher, and student of the first batch of the programme, is currently preparing to graduate from the Cyril Potter of College.

Ramit currently offers her service as a teacher of Human and Social Biology.

Acknowledging that Human and Social Biology is a very technical subject, she noted that “I know many times they wanted to give up and so on, but they stuck with it and they worked hard.”

Over the years the Society has gotten immense support from the Ministry of Education, the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company, which has over the years been offering free internet service to the Society, and other private sector agencies and individuals.

T&T, US to share tax information PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, Aug. 21, CMC – An agreement that will pave the way for the implementation of the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) between Trinidad and Tobago and the United States has been signed.

On Friday, Finance Minister Colm Imbert and US Ambassador John Estrada signed the agreement that was enacted in the United States in 2010. The agreement is a model IA Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA), which is designed to improve international tax compliance through mutual assistance in tax matters based on an effective infrastructure for the automatic exchange of information.

In a statement , the Ministry of Finance described the signing of the IGA as “another milestone in the relationship between both countries on tax matters.”

The signing brings to an end about three years of negotiations between the countries on the Agreement.

“The signing is also timely as it was completed before September 30 deadline set for the exchanging of information between both countries.”

T&T Finance Minister, Colm Imbert ,and US Ambassador John Estrada signed the agreement that will see the two countries sharing tax information.

The twin island republic and the US will now move to bring the agreement into force.

This would allow for the automatic exchange of information between both countries and also ensure that foreign financial institutions, including local banks and insurance companies, will not be subject to a 30 per cent withholding tax.

To bring the IGA into force, the Minister of Finance

will take to the Parliament, the necessary legislation, among other things, to provide for the automatic exchange of information by the Board of Inland Revenue to the United States Inland Revenue Service.

FATCA is part of US federal Law that requires American citizens and residents— both within and outside the US—to report on their nonUnited States financial accounts.

PAGE 22

SALON - Make-up Courses with Mac, Bare Minerals, etc.

- Cosmetology Courses: $120,000 - Technician Course: $45,000.

Call: 647-1773/660-5257 SERVICES PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION,WEDDINGS, ANNIVERSARY,ETC.-CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 2161043; 677-6620 Visa Application: U.S.A, Canada & UK; Guyana passport application. Graphics design, advertisement. Tel: 626-7040; 265-4535.

INNOVATIVEMARKETING & PUBLISHING INC –TEL: 600-4212: We create A/ works, logos, business cards, posters, etc, placements of ads included.

Repairs at low cost: Fridges, air- conditioners, washing machines, TVs, microwaves, freezers- Call:6294946 or 225-4822 RAMDASS VISA APPLICATION & immigration services, room A-4, Maraj Building, Georgetown. Call Samantha: 227-0295; 615-9295 Passport, permanent & visitor visa application, Professional Immigrant Consultant – Sabita Immigration Services. Call: 225-6496; 662-6045 Hello the doctor is back!

Have your gas stove service and repairs. Call: 601-0595; 220-4073; 220-5785 Jadesco Offers: Architectural designs, 3D modeling, building estimation/quotation, rehabilitation works & general construction. Call: 612-0468, 629-3605, email: jadesco15@gmail.com

Cashier for supermarket 624-0033; Driver for water truck - 680-3863; Pump attendant /Security in store; 680-3863; Porters- Call: 6803863 Assistant Accountant with own transportation & QuickBooks, PAYE, NIS & VAT knowledge -$150,000.

Call: 673-5475/kevin@ expresstruckingcorp.com Male & Female workers, machine operators with TI certificate & experienced Accountant, bond clerk. Call: 330-2399; 623-5920 Taxi Drivers wanted between Better- Hope –Enmore. Call A1 Taxi. Call: 220-1000 1 General Domestic able to prepare vegetarian meal.

Apply in person @ Alabama Trading, Georgetown Ferry Stelling Stabroek.

1 Mechanic/Welder for interior, must have knowledge of Doosan excavator & engine at least 5yrs experienced. Call: 6859028 (8-3pm) Truck Driver, Skid steer operator, Civil Engineer, Road Foreman, cleaner, security, chef/cook, admin assistant.

Call: 603-3997 Assistant Cook (food handlers certificate), House Keeper,Preferably female.

Contact: 222-7334 – 63

Guytec Repairs Services & Spares to washing machines, pressure washer, dryer, stoves, refrigerator, treadmill, vacuum, etc –Call: 680-2377 VISA processing centre for all US/Canadian Visa processing @ Cybertron Parika.

Call: 260-4850 HEALTH Need Herbal supplements?

Contact Hazel’s Herbal Store. Call: 226-9136 FOR SALE/RENT American Pool Table. Call: 277-0578

FOR RENT PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION,WEDDINGS, ANNIVERSARY, ETC. CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 216-1043; 677-6620 Hair station rental at convenient location, Georgetown, Call: 638-1106, discounts given to newcomers, persons with experienced & clients 1 Small one bedroom apartment toilet & bath included single or couple no children. Call between 9 to12pm & 2pm to 5pm @ Charlestown. Call: 225-1418

DOLLY’S CAR RENTALCALL: 225-7126/226-3693 DOLLYSAUTORENTAL@ YA H O O . C O M / W W W. DOLLYSAUTORENTAL. COM Aidan’s Car Rental: 4WD pickup. Call: 698-7807

Pastors, voluntary pastors, members, part-time secretary wanted for opening of new Church. Call Pastor & Bishop Walters: 686-3421 We are interested in buying lands in Farm New Scheme E.B.D, corner lots preferably.

Call: 266-0693 Experienced Driver & cashier apply @ Hacks Halaal with written application, 5 commerce Street.

Ladies to clean fish & crab in Suriname. Call: +597-8754660 Carpenter/mason and porter.

Call: 225-3234; 698-7807

2009 RX8, Allion, Music Bus, Small bus, Motor cycle, Benz. Call: 265-4979 2010 Premio -$3.3M, 2010 Noah & Voxy -$2.5M, 2004 Mitsubishi canter 2 ton $2.4M, unregistered & fully loaded. Call: 642-7295

2009 BELTA -$2.3M, 2011 BLUEBIRD -$2.7M, 2009 IST -$2.7, 2012 RACTIS $2.6M, 2009 ARUIS -$2.5M –CALL: 617-2891

CAT 320 BL excavator, 428 CAT back hoe, CAT930 Front End, 9 Wheeled Pneumatic Roller -Call: 275-0538; 683-7225

RZ minibus -$1.2M, 192 Car $800,000, 2009 unregistered bluebird -$2.8M, excellent condition, owner leaving country. Call: 265-0204; 676-5824 Fielder 2006, Bluebird 2006, Army general 6X6 truck, extendable 40 FT Trailer. Call: 616-5595; 665-3676 One 2008 Toyota IST-Call: 614-9742

1 Live in domestic -$60,000 – Call: 686-2201

Upper Flat; three bedrooms at 143 Pike Street Kitty.

Contact B.Badal: 234-0733

Boys & girls to work in the Interior -$80,000. Call: 6592708; 674-1767

SALE @ STAR CARS: PREMIO, RUNX, IST, AXELA, RZ BUS, SPACIO, FIELDER. CALL: 679-3140

LAND FOR SALE

Tuschen Front (Phase 1) $3.5M, Tuschen (Phase 2) $2M with foundation, Uitvlugt Main Road -$2.3M. Call: 642-1252

PROGRESSIVE CAR RENTAL: CARS& SUV FOR RENTAL- $4,000 & UP PER DAY- CALL: 643-5122, 6560087 , EMAIL: PRO_ AUTO RENTAL@YAHOO. COM Wings Car & Pickup Rental: Low down payment, cheap reates,special offer for the summer. Call: 690-6494

2003 Verossa with leather interior & alarm. Call: 6670338 1 Nissan Bluebird 2006 model, PSS series, alarm, headlight, camera. Immaculate condition.

Owner migrating. Price $2,300,000- Tel:629-9500

PROPERTY FOR SALE Transported property @ Grove and Diamond $16M negotiable. Call: 625-5461

Honda Civic M/Car “SS” series -$1.3M, very good condition- Call: 696-2815 1-2006 GX 470 Lexus 44000 KM, A1 Condition. Call: 661-6161

Transported property, 5L Hilux pick-up, 1-complete music set. Call: 265-3586 High value transported land and 2 bedrooms newly built house, Greater Diamond E.B.D -$16M negotiable.

Call: 265-4338 Property @ 172 Zohora Street and Market Street Better Hope E.C.D. Call: 220-1583/ 1718-847-4196 (NY). Serious buyers only.

1 Church building in front and 2 story building at the back 30X120, vacant possession, 180 Charolotte Street Bourda. Call:624-7341/ 227-6817/226-5183 One transported two flat 6 bedrooms concrete property in Strathspey, E.C.D (large land space) -$14M negotiable. Call: 689-5103 Property for sale at Lot 32 Princess Street, Werk-EnRust- Tel: 621-8767

ADORABLE FLUFFY PUPPIES FOR SALE. CALL: 615-0146 Purple Heart: 30X80 $25,000, 32X80 -$28,000, 34X80 -$28,000, 36X80 $28,000, Free Delivery- Call: 688-9712; 651-0717; 671-2490

Bachelor’s apartment to rent.

Call 233-0327 between 7:00pm-8:30pm

Apartments for rent at Nandy Park, 2 bedrooms -$70,000.

Call: 227-5194

FOR SALE LARGE QUANTITIES OF HIGH PURITY MERCURY (QUICK SILVER) 99.99995% PURITY$19,000 PER POUND CALL: 592-227-4754.

3 TON CANTER ENCLOSE AND OPEN BACK WITH 4D ENGINE, PRICE -$3.6M, NEVER REGISTERED – CALL: 617-2891

White Toyota AE110, PKK series, price -$600,000. Call: 697-8639

CAR RENTAL CAR RENTAL

Live in or live out babysitter/ domestic –Call: 223-7500.

Monday-Saturday 8:154:15pm

VEHICLE FOR SALE

One Arc welder must know to do grill work with limited supervision. Call: 613-3879

La Parfaite Harmonie-$2.3M, La Parfaite Harmonie -$2M (Corner Lot), Zeelugt -$2.3M, Herstelling 4th Bridge -$4M. Call: 642-1252 TAXI SERVICE GR TAXI SERVICE. CALL: 219-5000; 227-1982 & 2257878 (24HRS)

WANTED 1 Male cook in the Interior.

Call: 678-0565

General worker (must have basic Maths & English), general domestic, restaurant cook- Call: 225-9211

VACANCY One Trainee A.C, Refrigerator, Technician – Call: 231-0655

Repairs at affordable prices: fridge, air conditioner, washing machines, dryers, TV, microwaves & freezerCall: 610-5846 or 661-8158 Repairs to LED, Plasma, LCD and other electronic items.

Abdul Electronics. Call: 2250391

Tuesday August 23, 2016

Kaieteur News

1 Perkins V8 Turbo Charge 170KVa Generator in working condition, Call 223-7380 D4H CAT Bulldozer, Mack 8 Cubic Yard, cement mixer truck, all in working order.

Call: 275-0538; 683-7225 AudiA4-$3.7M, BMW-$2.3M, Ist-$1,895,000,Fielder$1,895,000, Spacio-$1,995,000.

Contact#650-0402 Prime commercial building for sale @ Broad & Charles Streets, Georgetown, 68,000 square feet. Call: 592-231-6694 1-Leylad DAF-45 $1.5M, 1Cat 928F Loader-$6.9M,1Hyster Forklift-$1.5M, Light To w e r- $ 8 0 0 - 0 0 0 .

Contact#650-0402 Double Steel Drum Compactor, CAT 215 Excavator, Leyland DAF55 Truck, 400 GLS, Bitumen Kettle. Call: 275-0538; 683-7225 Playstation 3 with 4 Control -$60,000, playstation 4 with games -$60,000, used clothes at a cheap price. Call: 670-6215 Fans (2 on stand), music set, TV, Table Set, Kitchen Utensils, digital scale, minibus BKK 8932. Call: 6852206 One complete trout boat for sale, less than a year old.

Call: 654-2817 Cargo Trawler. Call: 6828724; 616-5954

FOR SALE Elevator (good condition), Diesel Generator (23KVA, 110/220V).

Call: 231-1284; 223-9719

1 Heavy Duty Juki sewing machine, straight stitch. Call: 642-6079

PROPERTY FOR SALE

Muscovy Ducklings- Call: 602-7203

One (2) plus storey house, 3 self contained bedrooms, fully carpet. Price negotiable.

Residential scheme, W.C.DCall: 275-0582, 650-6723 Tuschen, Light St, upfront, 1-2 storey concrete house $23M negotiable, Non-Pariel E.C.D - 1 two storey concrete house 56X36. Call: 642-1252 Brand new 2 storey concrete building in 5th Avenue, Diamond, E.B.D, all modern amenities -price reduced– Call: 662-9335; 612-3244

French Muscovy Ducklings for sale -$400 for 1. Call: 671-2474 1-Hook lounge at Giftland Mall Profitable business.

Call: Call: 661-6161 ERF Parts, cabin, dump pump and Rockwell Dect 19 feet tray. Call: 672-0470 CT Cummings Engine with Etan gear box, also pressure plate with clutch plate, price $1M. Call: 672-0470 Continue page 23

Tuesday August 23, 2016

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Kaieteur News

APNU+AFC making a mockery of transparency and accountability systems - Edghill The settlements, the kickbacks, and the rampant corruption at some Ministries spell clearly that the officials of this new government have already begun filling their pockets. Therefore, they will be making a fool of Guyana come next year when they begin submitting information about their wealth to the Integrity Commission.

That is the opinion expressed yesterday by former Junior Minister of Finance, Juan Edghill as he spoke about the apparent lack of accountability and transparency in the new government.

Edghill, who served under a People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) government that was also accused of rampant corruption, said that it is clear that corruption is already at uncontrollable levels in this new administration.

The former Minister said that President David Granger’s announcement that there will be a fully functioning Integrity Commission by the end of this year should not get Guyanese too excited – the reason being

Member of Parliament, Juan Edghill that by the time declarations are to be made “maybe by June next year” APNU+AFC would have already had two years in office without declaring assets.

Edghill said that within these two years, some amount of illegal wealth could have already been secured.

The Member of Parliament recalled that several months ago, he took to the National

Assembly a Motion that called for the public declaration of wealth of all Members of Parliament (MPs).

The Motion, if it were passed in its original form, would have seen all MPs publicly declaring their income tax return over the last 10 years. Though seemingly simple, the Motion was one which had “teeth”.

Dissatisfied with amendments made by the Government, Edghill sought to have his motion withdrawn. But by then it was too late. The Standing Order which gave Edghill the right to withdraw his Motion— Standing Order 36 (1)—also stated that the Motion could have only been withdrawn if there was no dissentient voice. So, much to Edghill and his colleagues’ disappointment, the Motion was allowed to stand after Minister Raphael Trotman opted to be that dissentient voice.

This case was unprecedented in Guyana’s Parliament. Edghill’s motion resolved to have all MPs, “in the interest of transparency

and accountability in public office, make available to the public their tax returns to the Guyana Revenue Authority for the last 10 years”.

Further, he asked that the House “urge the government to expeditiously table legislation to give effect to this motion.”

Edghill told his colleagues that the motion is one of the strongest anticorruption mechanisms that can be put in place in Guyana at this time. He challenged the Members on the government’s side to support the motion to show that they have “clean hands.”

“Every no vote will tell the nation my walk is not consistent with my talk. You will be telling them, I bluff you, I fool you, I am not sincere.

Sarcasm squeezing out of his voice, Edghill said, “That is not what you want to tell the people. Is it?

The Motion was passed amended.

Those Amendments will not secure public declaration. Those amendments basically call for support of mechanisms that already exist under the

Income Tax Law. Yesterday, Edghill said that the reason he called for the 10-year declaration was to track the progression of accumulated wealth and assets. “We needed a baseline.” He said that the baseline would have shown if each politician’s wealth has grown at a rate consistent with their earning power.

“Now there will be no track to show where you were to where you’ve come,” said Edghill.

The former Minister added, “All this smooth fancy rhetoric cannot be taken seriously. All the rhetoric is only to hide the reality that the APNU+AFC abhor vehement transparency and accountability. They do not want people to know the truth,” said Edghill.

“APNU and AFC Members of Parliament never made declaration to the Integrity Commission before.

They made all sorts of excuses. So there will be no comparison. They know very well what they are doing.

They are making a mockery of the systems of accountability.”

From page 22

EDUCATIONAL IAE: Register for full time school (Grades 7-11) CSEC lessons; adults and school leavers CXC classes. Call Mr. Roberts: 683-5742 Computerized Deal for 2016 CXC Students, 9 Courses Diploma in Computerize Accounting @ Cybertron Parika. Call: 260-4850 9 Courses Diploma in Computers -$35,000, Computerized Accounting $30,000 @ MicroGraphics. Vreed-enHoop, Call: 264-3057 Register your child for our after school program for slow learners in Maths, Reading, Spelling Etc. Call: 675-4379 Classes for cake decoration, cakes & pastry, bridal accessories, classes start September. Call: 612-4193; 672-8768; 223-3303

Slain bandit’s accomplice leads cops to...

From page 11 to the public road and alerted a passing policeman.

The police summoned other ranks, but the two suspects spotted the lawmen and fled into the bushes nearby.

“During the process, two loud explosions were heard. A search was conducted but they (the suspects) were not found,” the police said.

However, around 22:30hrs, members of the community spotted the men on the Pearl Public Road and apprehended them, during which time it was alleged that one of the persons shot Clarke, while others inflicted a beating on his accomplice.

Meanwhile, one eyewitness said that “a blue car drive up and two ah dem

Promoting safety high...

From page 17 addressing the gathering was Andron Alphonso who spoke on behalf of the Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association (GGDMA). He said that the impending ban on mercury may have adverse effects on an industry which isn’t prepared for it.

However, he said that if better recovery techniques are utilized the extraction rates will increase significantly. He stressed that for the sector to reap success there needs to be greater collaboration with all relevant bodies. At the high profile event, several prizes were awarded to private businesses and individuals involved in the sector as well as media operatives who would report extensively on mining.

Receiving the top Gold Producer award was Adamantium Holdings (13,399 oz); Top Gold Dealer

went to Mohamed’s Enterprise; on the basis of declarations of Diamonds, the top award went to La Goin Luiz Sequiera.

Bosai Minerals Group Guyana Inc. received the top award for the Bauxite Industry for having an overall high achievement of their targets during 2015. The Top Quarry award went to Toolsie Persaud Limited. The Top sand producer award went to Lybsur Sand and Quarry.

The award for having environmental ethics went to Kevin Jeffrey Mining Operations. Guyana Goldfields Incorporated was awarded for its Safety practices and Mr. Winslow Higgins for innovation.

In the media world, the reporting awards went to Jarryl Bryan of Kaieteur News, Clifford Stanley of Guyana Chronicle and Gaulbert Sutherland of Stabroek News.

jump out and one run through the dam and jump the fence behind the shop, while the other went into a grocery store at (Sarah) Johanna.”

The eyewitness added that “the owner see dem and run out hollering fuh help and when people start come out the car driver (of the suspects’ car) drive away and left dem. They run down the dam and hide in the bushes.”

Later that night, another eyewitness said that,

“residents spot dem on the Pearl Public Road. I see dem crawling in de bush like real, real soldiers and dem been ducking when lights come close and one of the villagers fire a shot and if you hear how the bandit holla.”

On Sunday, the police issued a statement saying that 21-year-old Seon Clarke aka “Cash Money” of Old Road Land of Canaan was killed.

This n e w spaper

subsequently did an interview with a Godfrey Clarke, who resides at Old Road Land of Canaan. He claimed that he was the father of Seon Clarke aka “Cash Money.” However, Kaieteur News was later informed that while Godfrey Clarke has a son, who goes by the name “Seon Clarke,” the 21year-old man who was shot is not Mr. Clarke’s son. In fact, the slain man’s father is Andre Clarke.

WANTED Experienced female bartender, live in/live out waitress, cooks & bouncers needed @ Eden Bar & Lounge, Garden of Eden-Call: 652-0074

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Kaieteur News

Tuesday August 23, 2016

Tuesday August 23, 2016

Kaieteur News

St Lucia PM caught in tangled web, says opposition CASTRIES, St Lucia (Caribbeannewsnow) — In his efforts to extricate Saint Lucia from the sanctions imposed by the United States as a result of still unresolved allegations of extra-judicial killings by the local police, new Prime Minister Allen Chastanet has been caught in a “tangled web” of unrealistic promises, the opposition St Lucia Labour Party (SLP) said in a statement last week. ”Prime Minister Chastanet has now been caught in a ‘tangled web’ as a very direct result of his calculated efforts to make unrealistic promises to the police force and the public at large,” the SLP said.

The killings took place in 2010 and 2011 during a security initiative called Operation Restore Confidence (ORC), which was aimed at reducing violent crime. During the period between 2008 and 2010, Saint Lucia had experienced an unprecedented wave of homicides and violent crimes, particularly in the northern half of the island.

At the time, then prime minister Stephenson King issued a public warning to criminals that “there will be no refuge, no stone will be left unturned and there will be no hiding place for anyo n e ” .

According to an independent report commissioned by the previous SLP administration through the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (IMPACS) and conducted by Jamaican police officers, police in Saint Lucia kept “death lists” and carried

Prime Minister Allen Chastanet out extrajudicial killings of suspected criminals in an attempt to minimise the negative effects of violent crime on the island’s economically critical tourism industry.

The so-called IMPACS report also suggested that “the crime problem in Saint Lucia is facilitated by corrupt politicians/government officials, business persons and police officers”.

According to the report, officers from the Royal St Lucia Police Force (RSLPF) “staged” a dozen shootings and reported them as murders by unknown assailants, planting weapons at the scene.

These deaths attracted the attention of the United States, among others.

In its Country Report on Human Rights Practices in Saint Lucia for 2011, the US State Department reported, among other things, that “the most serious human rights problems included reports of unlawful police killings”. The same report added that there were “12 potentially unlawful

fatal police shootings during the year”.

In 2012, local inquests concluded that six of the shootings were justified but the US indicated it did not have confidence in the outcomes of the hearings.

Relatives of the victims have insisted they were murdered.

The Jamaican investigators recommended that all police officers involved in the shootings be prosecuted; however, Richard Frederick, a former minister in the previous UWP administration, noted at the time that the director of public prosecutions (DPP) may not be able legally to prosecute police officers involved in the 12 extra-judicial killings of 2010-2011.

According to Frederick, the hands of the DPP are tied as a result of the inquests into the deaths of some men that concluded the police killings were justified.

Furthermore, according to informed sources, the IMPACS report is largely comprised of hearsay, with no substantive evidence, which is possibly another reason why the DPP has been unable to initiate any prosecutions.

Nevertheless, following the State Department report, the US government applied to Saint Lucia what is widely known as the “Leahy Law”, which provides that “No assistance shall be furnished … to any unit of the security forces of a foreign country if the Secretary of State has credible information that such unit has committed a gross violation of human rights.”

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Kaieteur News

Tuesday August 23, 2016

Trini judge denies Opposition application to overturn election results PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad — A decision by the Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC) to extend last September’s general election polls in Trinidad by one hour has been ruled illegal by a High Court judge, who said nevertheless that this singular breach of the Election Rules was not sufficient to declare the results in five marginal constituencies void.

The opposition United National Congress (UNC) challenged what it alleged was an illegal decision by the EBC to grant an additional hour for voting in Trinidad at last September 7 general elections because of bad weather conditions.

Following the ruling, UNC’s political leader, Kamla PersadBissessar, said that the judgment will no doubt erode further public trust in the administration and execution of the electoral process, which is now at serious risk. ”The EBC’s conduct has been found ‘wanting’ but there will be no consequences for their illegal actions. Trinidad and Tobago has now joined other thirdworld countries where a court would agree that the rules

were broken but not broken enough to cause damage,” she said.

The UNC said intends to appeal Justice Mira DeanArmorer’s decision after its legal team has had an opportunity to digest the court’s ruling.

In her 53-page decision, the judge found, “Torrential rains and flooding on the 7th September 2015, may have impelled the EBC to issue the directive which they did. Nonetheless, the uncontrollable weather conditions did not confer the EBC the power to direct that the law be broken.

The EBC, itself a creature of statute, ought at all times to abide by the clear dictates of the law and ought not to purport to dispense with those dictates even if faced with an apparently insurmountable problem. Accordingly, it is my view and I hold that the extension of the polls on the 7th September 2015 was illegal and election officers who failed to close the poll at 6 pm acted in breach of section 27 (1) of the Election Rules.”

She continued, “In my view, an examination of the authorities suggest that, in assessing whether or not

there was substantial compliance, the court should have regard not only to the number of polling hours but to what was achieved in the given time, that is to say how many persons were permitted to cast their votes. ”In my view there is no evidence to suggest that the conduct of the election was other than free or fair... There was no allegation of intimidation or of the unavailability of election material such as ballot paper or ink. There was no evidence of trickery or fraudulent counting of votes or false declaration by election officers.”

In the five constituencies being challenged, all won by People’s National Movement (PNM) candidates, the margins of victory were: 1,633 votes (St Joseph); 3,615 (Tunapuna); 2,822 (La Horquetta/Talparo); 533 (Moruga/Tableland); 3,310 (San Fernando West) and 3,904 (Toco/Sangre Grande).

In their defence of the petitions, the PNM’s attorneys urged the judge to reject the petitions, saying that the UNC had failed to prove the extension materially affected the outcome of the election.

Tuesday August 23, 2016

Kaieteur News

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Kaieteur News

Tuesday August 23, 2016

Tuesday August 23, 2016

Ethiopia says will welcome Rio marathon runner despite protest gesture ADDIS ABABA (Reuters) Ethiopia will not bar runner Feyisa Lilesa from entering the country after he made an anti-government gesture upon finishing second in the Olympic marathon on Sunday, an official said.

Lilesa held his arms over his head, wrists crossed, as he strode across the finish line to claim the silver medal in Rio de Janeiro - mimicking a sign taken up by protesters in the Horn of Africa country’s Oromiya region.

The province has been driven by unrest for months over land rights and allegations of human rights violations. After the race, Lilesa

said he feared he would face consequences if he returned home.

Government spokesman Getachew Reda dismissed his concerns.

“Though it is impossible to express a political stance at (the) Olympic Games, the athlete will be welcomed while returning home along with other members of the Ethiopian Olympic squad,” he told state-affiliated Fana Broadcasting Corporation.

In June, Human Rights Watch said at least 400 demonstrators were killed by security forces during monthslong protests triggered by government plans to include

some parts of Oromiya within the capital Addis Ababa’s limits.

Though that scheme has subsequently been shelved, unrest flared again this month after protesters took to the streets demanding an end to rights abuses such as the release of jailed dissidents.

The government disputes the death toll and says the protests are being staged illegally, stoked by rebel groups and oveseas-based dissidents.

Ethiopia’s Olympics squad is expected to arrive in Addis Ababa today, having won one gold, two silvers and five bronze medals in Brazil.

Tuesday August 23, 2016 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) Your creative ideas will be put to good use if you dig in and do things around the house that will make your family happy.

TAURUS (Apr. 21- may 21) Don't give them the use of your credit card. You may find that others do not do things the way you want; however, if the job gets done, let it pass. Don't get involved in idle chatter that will hurt your position.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20) Get back to basics and reevaluate what is important in life. Stretch the truth, and you may get blamed for something you didn't do.

Don't let your partner get away with spending too much of your money.

CANCER (June 21–July 22) Travel will be on your mind; however, be careful and proceed with caution as minor accidents will cause delays. Be primed to use your intellect in order to get what you want.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) Be willing to listen, but don't be fooled. You will need to take a look at the renovations that are necessary and try to find the cheapest way to get things done. Take the time to do something nice for your friends and relatives.

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) One-sided relationships are likely. Love can be heightened if you sit down and discuss your future plans. You can develop

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Kaieteur News

your creative talents if you take the time to practice your art.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) You should get out and meet new people today. Try and avoid getting involved in idle chatter or gossip that might get you in trouble. Use some diplomacy to get your point across delicately.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) Try to stay calm, and whatever you do, don't nag. Acceptance will be necessary.

False information from someone trying to start problems is likely.

SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) You may be tired of working for someone else. You may need to lend an ear to an old friend. Don't let your partner get you going.

CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19) Don't get involved in other people's problems. Don't expect new acquaintances to be completely honest about themselves. Finish up any correspondence by early afternoon.

AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) Confusion could result when communicating with others.

Get down to business and do the work yourself. Don't let any money slip through your fingers today.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) Jealous coworkers may try to sabotage your attempts to get ahead. Don't lend to people who have given you negative vibes. Property investments, insurance, tax rebates, or inheritance should bring you financial gains.

Pakistan named number one Test team for first time after India draw with West Indies BBC Sport - Pakistan have become the number one Test team for the first time since the International Cricket Council rankings were introduced in 2003.

The team - who have replaced India at the top - have not played a Test at home in six years for security reasons.

Pakistan, who drew their recent Test series against England, are the fifth team to top the rankings.

“For us, the number one ranking is not a destination but part of a journey,” captain Misbah-ul-Haq said.

Pakistan were named the number one side after the Test between India and the West Indies at the Port of Spain was abandoned.

India are second in the

World Athletics Boss...

(From page 27) wants.”

Bolt, who turned 30 Sunday, confirmed his interest in Coe’s project, saying: “I want to stay in the sport, I want to stay around the sport – though not as a coach.

“I’ll talk more to the IAAF president and see what he can do for me.”

Bolt added: “I’m definitely going to run the 100 and 4×100 in London, and knowing my coach he will try to convince me to run the 200, so we’ll see what happens.

“But I’ve proved to the world that I am the greatest.

That is why I said this is my last Olympics – because I can’t prove anything else.

“I’ve made the sport exciting, I’ve made people want to see it. I’ve put track and field onto a different level.

And I’ve done it clean.”

(Mirror)

People have stood...

(From page 31) speaking to me. They feed me with good ideas, something we can hold back on or attack more. That’s been the biggest help for me. Anil Kumble’s contribution has been great, particularly from the bowling point of view. His passion and commitment for the game has been loved by everyone. It will be a tough season at home, but we’ll leave with our head held high. We need to be boring in our preparation to keep winning,” Kohli concluded.

R. Ashwin was named man of the series.

Pakistan drew the recent Test series against England 2-2. (Reuters) rankings with 110 points, while England and Australia

are in joint third place on 108 points.

Mike’s Wellman, Parika Defenders...

(From page 27) 3-20.

Tropical Springs beat Superior Woods by eight runs.

Batting first, Tropical Springs managed 152-8.

Suresh Ramdin cracked 80 and Vishnu Baljit 19; Mark Fung snared 4-28 and

Darmendra Mohabir 2-8. Superior Woods were bowled out for 144 in 17.5 overs in reply. Peter Persaud made 39, Mohamed Rafeek 29, Surujlall Kumar 19 and Mohabir 16. Buddy Rahaman Khan bagged 417 and Ramdin 3-21.

Kaieteur News

PAGE 30

Tuesday August 23, 2016

Successful Guyana Under-19 cricket team returns home after defence of one-day title The Guyana Under-19 cricket team returned home yesterday and were met by Guyana Cricket Board p r e s i d e n t D r u b a h a d u r, Marketing Manager Raj Singh, competitions committee chairman Colin Europe, chairman of the GCB senior selection panel Rayon Griffith and Director of Sport Christopher Jones when they arrived at the Eugene Correira International Airport at Ogle. Drubahadur said it is heartening to see the team defending the title after a below par performance in the three-day format, adding that the entire country is proud of them. Jones stated they are very excited that Guyana successfully defended their crown and urged them to remain committed, while Singh stated that he is looking forward to see the players in

the upcoming Jaguars threeday League.

Captain Travis Persaud told the media that although they didn’t perform to their best in the three-day, he was confident they would have successfully defended their 50-over title and congratulated his team mates and management team.

Persaud, who missed the final due to an injury, explained that the senior players really stepped up and singled out Kemo Paul, who apart from being the MVP, took the most wickets in the tournament and Joshua Persaud for being wicketkeeper with the most dismissals.

Paul stated that this defending of the 50-over title was not as easy as it seems but the players came together well after a disappointing performance in the three-day. He added

Bhaskar Yadram … steered Guyana to victory with an unbeaten 41. that he is looking forward to the Jaguars league which starts on Friday.

Guyana were crowned one-day champions of the Regional Under-19 Championship for the third straight year Sunday, when they easily brushed aside Windward Islands by five

wickets in the final at Arnos Vale Stadium.

Chasing 143, the Guyanese eased to victory with eight overs remaining, to build on recent successes in Jamaica last year and in Georgetown two years ago.

Middle order batsman Bhaskar Yadram top-scored with an unbeaten 41, Raymond Perez got 24, Sherfane Rutherford chipped in with 21 and Keemo Paul 20. Jonathon Taylor (2-16) and left-arm spinner Alick Athanaze (227) finished with two wickets apiece.

Earlier, the Windwards were disappointingly bowled out for 142 off 42.2 overs, after they were undermined by West Indies Under-19 seamer Paul (316), off-spinner Looknauth Chinkoo (3-32) and Rutherford (2-23).

Johnel Eugene top-

scored with 42 and opener Emmanuel Stewart chipped in with 22, but the Windwards’ much vaunted batting machine found itself limited.

Sent in, the Windwards started poorly, recovered slightly but were then undone by a middle order slump to lose their way.

Anil Matthew fell without scoring to the second ball he faced in the opening over with three runs on the board and his partner Johann Jeremiah followed in the fifth over for eight to leave the score on 17 for two, with Paul claiming both scalps.

Stewart struck two fours in a 35-ball knock in adding 34 for the second wicket with Athanaze who made 18.

But when both fell in the 15th over, a collapse ensued as four wickets tumbled for 36 runs to leave the side on 87 for six in the 28th over.

Eugene then came to his side’s rescue, striking two fours and a six in his 60-ball knock, while also adding 34 for the seventh wicket with Kassim Peltier (12).

In reply, Guyana got a decent start of 38 from Rutherford and Ronaldo Renee (7) before losing both in successive overs to stumble.

However, Perez and Paul, who was voted the MVP, put on 35 for the third wicket to bolster the innings before Yadram took control to see Guyana home.

Yadram, a right-hander, faced 72 balls and counted five fours, and his 25-run fifth wicket stand with Joshua Persaud (13) and unbroken 26-run, sixth wicket partnership with Ronaldo Alimohamed (4 not out), calmed the nerves for Guyana.

(CMC)

Guyana arrives in Jamaica for Speedo USA ends Caribbean Pre-Cadet TT Championships Ryan Lochte

sponsorship

Make good start Guyana’s National PreCadet team began its quest last evening for regional honours at the 2106 Caribbean Pre-Cadet table tennis championships scheduled for the National Arena, Kingston Jamaica August 21-28 in commendable fashion.

The 22 member delegation comprising of an enthusiastic bunch of

Guyana’s young talented racquet wielders departed Guyana on Sunday on a Fly Jamaica Flight to Kingston, Jamaica to participate in the above mentioned Championships.

The team arrived in Kingston at 4:30am rested and had its first practice session yesterday and is rearing to go into

Guyana National Pre-Cadet Table Tennis Team with Coaches after arriving in Jamaica. competition that will start in the team events Girls 11 and 13 years and under and boys 11 and 13 years and under.

This will be followed by action in doubles, mixed doubles, and singles in the respective age groups.

News out of Jamaica up to press time showed Guyana boys under-11 team defeating Barbados by a 3 - 0

margin. The 13 years and under boys were playing Barbados at 5:00pm Jamaica time (6:00 Guyana) and Kayasan Ninvalle won the first match against his Barbadian counterpart to put Guyana up 1 -0 Niran Bissu was next up for the Guyanese as they sought to emulate their Under-11 counterparts.

Reuters - Swimwear maker Speedo USA said on Monday it had decided to end its sponsorship of Ryan Lochte, two days after the U.S. Olympic gold medalist swimmer admitted to exaggerating his story about being robbed at gunpoint in Rio de Janeiro.

Another major sponsor, luxury retailer Ralph Lauren Corp, also said it would not be renewing its contract with the swimmer.

Lochte apologized on Saturday in an interview to Brazil’s largest broadcaster, Globo TV. “I wasn’t lying to a certain extent,” he said. “I over-exaggerated what was happening to me.”

Speedo USA said it would donate $50,000 of Lochte’s fee to Save The Children, a global charity partner of Speedo USA’s parent company.

“We cannot condone behavior that is counter to the values this brand has long stood for,” Nottingham, UK-based Speedo’s U.S. unit said in a statement on Monday.

Lochte said in a statement he respected Speedo’s decision.

The 12-time Olympic medalist said he and three team mates were robbed by gunmen early last week, on their way back to the Athletes’ Village from a party. Police denounced this version of events, accusing Lochte and the others of lying.

Ralph Lauren also said its endorsement agreement with Ryan Lochte was specifically for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. The company had taken down any reference to the gold medalist from its website.

“The current situation in Brazil regarding Ryan Lochte is an ongoing investigation. As such, we will reserve decisions until we have a more complete understanding of the situation,” hair removal company Syneron Candela told Reuters on Sunday.

Syneron Candela named Lochte as global brand ambassador for a product in April.

Lochte’s sponsor, mattress maker Airweave, was not immediately available for comment.

Kaieteur News

Tuesday August 23, 2016

Team Guyana Capture 59 Medals at Martial Arts Tournament in Suriname On Friday August 12, 2016, 25 Karatekas, (8) from The Little Diamond Int’l Martial Arts Academy and (17) from The Guyana Mixed Martial Arts Karate Association, as “Team Guyana” left for Suriname poised to compete on Sunday August 14 in the Shuirken Martial Arts School 2ndInternational Martial Arts Tournament.

Team Guyana turned in excellent performances winning a total of 59 medals in the traditional and free form katas, Traditional and free from weapon katas, Point sparring and the Full contact fighting.

In the 6 yrs. And under, 7 – 9, 10 – 12, 13 – 15, 16 – 19 and the 20 & over divisions

the Two 2nd Dan Instructors of the team, Steven Persaud (The Guyana Mixed Martial Arts Karate Association) won the traditional kata and point sparring, while Parsuram Arjune (The Little Diamond Int’l Martial Arts Academy) won the traditional kata, weapon kata and the full contact fighting, being the highlights of the day. Team Guyana brought home 23 gold, 19 silver and 17 bronze medals.

The Team’s Manager and Coach, 7th Dan Shihan, Abdool Nazim Yassim and 5th Dan, Master Lloyd Ramnarine expressed joy at being able to have the nation’s Flag fly high in Suriname.

Students will now

prepare for the Little Diamond Int’l Martial Arts Academy 4th Open International Championship on September 24 & 25, at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.

A f t e r w h i c h Te a m Guyana come together and prepare to travel to Trinidad to compete there.

The organisation is hopeful of receiving the necessary assistance from the National Sports Commission.

Shihan Nazim Yassim (manager) and Master Lloyd Ramnarine (Coach) would also like to thank all supporters of Team Guyana that made the trip to Suriname possible and look forward to their continued support.

Wolf’s Challenge Cup

Mike’s Wellman, Parika Defenders, Regal, Tropical Springs victorious

PAGE 31

World Athletics Boss Won’t Let Usain Bolt Walk Away

Usain Bolt

CARIBBEAN360 RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil– Jamaican Usain Bolt is to be offered a job for life in athletics when he hangs up his golden spikes.

The world’s fastest man waved goodbye to the Olympics after securing the ‘triple-triple’ to confirm him as the greatest track and field athlete of all time.

His iconic status in Rio also highlighted the massive hole he will leave when he retires from competition following next summer’s World Championships in

London.

But Sebastian Coe, the boss of world athletics, revealed that he will not allow the Jamaican to walk away from the sport.

“He is not going to be short of offers,” said Lord Coe. “But we started a dialogue three years ago and came to an agreement that of all the things he will go on to do, I am very keen to carve out some space to help us develop the sport. “ N o t j u s t a n ambassadorial role but to really get involved and play a

role. I don’t want to usher him off the scene too quickly, but when the time comes we really do want him to stay and get involved. His like is not going to come round again that quickly.”

Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness has already said there is a place in his Cabinet waiting for Bolt.

“It’s important to use the fame and the achievement of Usain Bolt for the benefit of Jamaica. It does open doors,” he said. “Usain could be minister of anything he (Continued on page 25)

Caribbean Badminton International Championships 2016 – Aruba Ron Ramnauth

By Zaheer Mohamed Mike’s Wellman, Parika Defenders, Regal Masters a n d Tr o p i c a l S p r i n g s recorded victories when the Wolf’s Challenge Softball Cup continued on Sunday.

Playing at the Gandhi Youth Organisation ground, Mike’s We l l m a n d e f e a t e d Fisherman XI by ten wickets.

Batting first Fisherman XI managed 134 all out in 18.4 overs. Trevor Emmanuel made 57 and Jaggernauth Singh 23; Sheldon Adams claimed 4-23, while Mike Singh, Greg De Franca and Laxman Kallicharran took two each.

Wellman responded with 167 without loss in 15.2 overs. Ron Ramnauth slammed two fours and seven sixes in a rapid 78

Suresh Ramdin while Khemchand Dindyal made 38.

Parika Defenders beat HS Masters by five wickets at the said venue. HS Masters batted first and scored 167 all out in 20 overs with Manoj Arjune hitting four fours and eleven sixes in scoring 91 while Rudy Samaroo got 19; Ucil Armstrong snared 3-22, Devanand Kannan 2-9 and Ramesh Rambharose 2-17.

Parika Defenders replied with 168-5 in 17 overs.

Mahendra Balgobin stroked five fours and a similar number of sixes in a top score of 67 not out while Amit Kumar made 39. Ricky Persaud had 3-19.

At Malteenoes Regal Masters overcame Savage by four wickets. Savage took first strike and scored 116-8.

Richmond Grant made 22

Manoj Arjune

Mahendra Balgobin and V. Ramsaywak 14; Raymond Harper and Shaheed Mohamed grabbed two wickets each. Regal responded with 118-6 in 15.5 overs. Harper got 33, Lynden Lyght 29, Mohamed and Samuel Kingston 19 each.

Ronald Persaud captured (Continued on page 25)

Team Guyana finish with 4 silver and 2 bronze medals The Caribbean Badminton International O p e n U n d e r- 1 9 C h a m p i o n s h i p s (CAREBACO) concluded in Aruba on Sunday at the Centro Deportivo Sports Hall with the Guyana team securing six medals.

The Guyanese 3Member Team consisting of SUNBURST Narayan Ramdhani, Jonathan Mangra and Priyanna Ramdhani claimed 4 Silver and 2 Bronze medals after four days battling with players from Dominican Republic, Barbados, Trinidad & Tobago, Aruba and Suriname.

Overall results are: Narayan Ramdhani- 2

Silvers (Boys Doubles & Mixed Doubles) & 1 Bronze (Singles) Priyanna Ramdhani-1 Silver (Mixed Doubles) & 1 Bronze (Singles) Jonathan Mangra- 1 Bronze In the Finals played Sunday, Narayan Ramdhani & Priyanna Ramdhani lost to Shae Martin & Amanda Haywood of Barbados: 219, 21-16 in Mixed Doubles.

In the Boys Doubles Finals Narayan Ramdhani & Jonathan Mangra lost to Shae Martin & Keshem Moore of Barbados in a thrilling three setter with Guyana winning the first set and loosing the 2nd and 3rd games: 17-21, 21-15, 21-19.

The Guyana Badminton Association is expressing t h a n k s M o h a m e d ’s Enterprise, Republic Bank, NSC, BK International, Hand in Hand Insurance, Crown Mining, Gio Tech and Cosmopolitan Trading for their assistance to ensure the team traveled to Aruba.

The Guyana 4-Member Team of Narayan Ramdhani, Jonathan Mangra, Priyanna Ramdhani & Ambika Ramraj will now be participating in the Team Events which started yesterday. Guyana is placed in Group B with Barbados and Aruba, while Group A consists of Dominican Republic, Suriname & Trinidad & Tobago.

Kaieteur News

PAGE 32

Tuesday August 23, 2016

Ravens edge Colts in Officials solicit support GABA Turbo U-23 thriller ‘GFF Road to Portugal’

in developmental bid of U-17 footballers

By Michael Benjamin Eighteen of the nation’s top U-17 footballers have been spotlighted to travel to Portugal as officials of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) officially launched its ‘Road to Portugal’ campaign to be held in Aviero, Portugal from October 10-23.

The footballers will be accompanied by seven officials and two teachers.

Members of the latter group will also work along with the young footballers to keep them up to date with their academic studies so they could resume their school curriculum upon their return to Guyana.

This much was revealed by President of the GFF, Wayne Forde when Kaieteur News spoke with him yesterday afternoon.

He said that the initiative was officially launched last week and will be under the auspices of the ‘We Believe Football Academy’ in Portugal.

Countries from some of the most powerful football nations are expected to be at the forum including those from South America, Central America, Asia, Australia and Europe.

Mr. Forde said that he was especially delighted by the turn of events especially since the initiative will strengthen the efforts of his executives to place greater emphasis on the all-round development of the young ball weavers.

“The trip will achieve a bifurcated objective i n c l u d i n g t h e developmental aspect of

Ravens edged Colts 4039 Sunday night in the Georgetown Amateur Basketball Association (GABA) Turbo King of the Hard Court Series on the Plaisance Court with Colts turning the table in the Division I Final on that court.

Denzil Phillips and Sebastian Luke scored seven points each for Ravens in the win with Phillips adding 10 rebounds. For Colts,

Timothy Thompson had 12 points and 16 rebounds, while Daniel Haynes scored seven points and grabbed seven ‘boards’.

In the Division I game, Colts turned the tables on Ravens for a 47-46 win with Shelroy Thomas scoring 15 points for the National Club Champions. For Ravens, Ryan Gullen had 14 points and Jermaine Slater 11 points.

Shelroy Thomas

T&T Test abandoned after 22 overs bowled

Wayne Forde t h e s p o r t w h i l e t he youngsters can take full advantage of the presence of (football) scouts who will be on the lookout for special talent,” he said.

Forde also feels that the footballers would benefit immensely from the interaction with top class players and the accompanying coaches could take advantage of the professional coaching strategies while also building capacity with other attending countries.

He also said that the local squad would benefit immensely from the exposure to top world class players from some of the strongest football nations even as they acclimatize to the European environment.

Mr. Forde said that the players would be selected over the coming week and most likely would be drawn from the National U-17 squad that participated in the recently staged Caribbean Football Union (CFU) championships.

He also voiced an opinion on the benefits of the exercise, “The advancement of our U17 brigade is very important and my

-Colts turn table in Division I game

executives hope that over the coming years the players could use these networking opportunities for personal development and also to enhance their football skills.”

He said that (local) football administrators are working assiduously to realize the requisite funding since “this is a very important step in their (the players) growth.”

Elaborating on the issue of funding, Mr. Forde said that the cost would be in the vicinity of $22 million.

He admitted it is somewhat prohibitive but said that his team has commenced a robust campaign since administrators cannot afford to waste such a golden opportunity. “We urgently need corporate assistance and already one company has pledged $500,000 which will be handed over within a couple of days,” Forde revealed.

The team will travel under the slogan, ‘Flour Power National U-17 squad’ as part of the contractual obligation that the GFF has with NAMILCO through its five year sponsorship.

Naturally, GFF officials are optimistic that NAMILCO will continue to be the corporate citizen it has always been by rendering some form of support.

Meanwhile, officials of the GFF are pleading for public support and persons interested are kindly asked to make donations at the Republic B a n k ’s Wa t e r S t r e e t location, to account number 652-320-3.

India wins series 2-0

The fifth day in Trinidad was called off as well, West Indies v India, 4th Test, Port of Spain, 4th day, August 21, 2016 © Associated Press

By Sean Devers in Trinidad In association with Cascadia Hotel & Lifetime Real Estate After just 22 overs were bowled in the first session of day one and despite sunny conditions on each of the other four days, the fourth and final Test between West Indies and India never restarted and the match was abandoned at 09:35 hrs yesterday at the Queens Park Oval in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad to give India the series 2-nil.

The officials turned up yesterday morning and were greeted by brilliant sunshine but their hopes of at least two sessions of action for academic interest was dashed because the area near the western boundary, which was covered overnight, was still strangely unplayable.

The lack of action was a major disappointment for the school Children, on Vacation, who turned every

up every day and the ground staff who worked tirelessly in scorching sun in an attempt to facilitate some play.

The Umpires made their final inspection just for formality but hopes of play yesterday were sinking as fast the officials’ shoes were sinking in the soggy areas of the ground. Match referee Ranjan Madugalle spoke to the captains and the game was called as draw 10 minutes later.

This was only the third time in 18 years that a Test match was called off in the West Indies with less than a session being played which make the match the third shortest Test ever.

This was also the first time since India first toured West Indies in 1952/53 when Everton Weeks scored a double century in the first match, 161 in the third, and 109 in the fifth to lead the hosts to a 1-0 win, that they have won two Tests in a

single series. While these two teams have played 21 Tests series against each other this was the 11th Test tour to the Caribbean by India.

In the first session India had dislodged Leon Johnson, again asked to open after being the leading run scorer for back-to-back Regional champions Guyana for nine and Daren Bravo (10). The consistent Kraigg Braithwaite (32) and Marlon Samuels (4) then saw their team, who opted to bat, to 62-2 when an early Lunch was taken.

At that point India, who held the number one position on the Test ranking for one week after Sri Lanka whitewashed Australia at home, were eying their f i r s t Te s t v i c t o r y i n Trinidad in 14 years to remain at the top of the ICC rankings, but that was not to be as the series ended in controversial and frustrating fashion.

Kaieteur News

Tuesday August 23, 2016

PAGE 33

2016 Goodwill Games Regional Swim Meet

George twin, DeNobrega, Persaud, Rodrigues, Mahaica, Noel & Hackett medal

Phillip DeNobrega Guyanese twin sisters – Danielle & Jadyn George dominated the freestyle field in the just concluded Goodwill swim meet in St Lucia which saw competing territories – Guyana, Trinidad, Suriname, Barbados, St. Lucia (host) and Bahamas (special invitee) in action.

Jadyn George and Danielle George brought home three gold and three silver medals respectively in the Girls 11-12 category.

This was in all three individual freestyle events 50m, 100m and 200m. Jaydn George clocked times of 29.39, 1:05.25 and 2:21.58 respectively, while her twin Danielle gave stiff competition clocking times of 30.29, 1:06.12 and 2:26.88 respectively. Jadyn walked away with the runner up position for the overall

Jadyn George and Danielle George Girls 11-12 age group category.

Guyana’s 15-17 male swimmer Joseph De Nobrega brought home silver in the 100m and 200m Free and bronze in 100m Back and 50m Fly; a total of four medals for the 16 year old. He missed bronze in the 200m IM. Watch him for 2017.

Nathan Hackett took the bronze in the Boys 13-14 50m Backstroke with a time of 30.77 seconds. He swam a close 50m Free for 4th at 26.89 with the gold medal time being 25.98 in an average field of fifteen swimmers for most of these competitive individual events.

Kenita Mahaica, the medalist in the Girls 13 -14 rounded up the medal count with a bronze in the 50m backstroke while copping

4th in 50m Fly with 32.50 and the close gold medal time being 32.37. She again slipped to 4th in the 100m Breast Raekwon Noel competing in the 9 -10 age group did well against his competitors to secure a bronze medal in the 50m Fly with a time of 32.52 seconds. He missed the bronze in the 100m Breast and 50m Back.

Aleka Persaud, 2015 8 & Under Goodwill champion girl and now in her junior year of the 9-10 age category performed well while competing fiercely with older counterparts and earning the bronze in the 50m Fly. She landed 6th in the tight 50m Free with 31.39 given the gold time of 30.11.

Ariel Rodrigues, the 8 & Under secured bronze in a

Ariel Rodrigues remarkable 50m Fly clocking 42.18 after competing in a slower heat.

Rodrigues, missed bronze in 100m and 50m Free, 50m backstroke and 100m IM. She is to be watched for 2017 as well.

Young Leon Seaton, in his new 11-12 age group was very competitive in the 200m free, again for the 200m IM, 50m free and 100m breast.

Nikhil Ramnarine competed in the Boys 13-14 100m Breast earning fifth and his first Goodwill.

The swimmers took advantage of the fast field and gained new personal best times.

The group of twentyeight was short of twelve swimmers but remained competitive throughout.

Guyana will be hosting the 2017 Goodwill Games.

Kaieteur News

PAGE 34

Tuesday August 23, 2016

Rose Hall Town Jammers off to winning start in A. Ally and Sons Basketball competition in Berbice Rose Hall Town Jammers basketball Club made a bright start to the A. Ally’s and Sons First Division Basketball Competition with an easy 49-31 win over newcomers Guyana Human Development Centre (GHDC) when play continued with one game on Sunday at the GHDC Hardcourt, Tain Corentyne, Berbice.

Top scoring for Rose Hall Jammers were Joel Glasgow with 16 points, while support came from Calvin Bates 12 and Jonathan Parshotam with nine.

For the GHDC it was an unsuccessful start to their campaign at the first division level as they were outhustled

despite putting up a good fight.

David Gomes led the way for the host with 12 points followed by Davindra Khedna with 10 and Royston Sahadeo who scored 6.

Six teams, which divided into two groups, are participating in the competition with group “A” comprising of Smithfield Rockers, Fyrish Black Sharks and Ithaca Hardliners o f We s t B e r b i c e .

The teams making up group B are Rose Hall Town Jammers, Guyana Human Development Centre of Corentyne and New A m s t e r d a m Wa r r i o r s .

The teams in each group will play each other once with the

top two advancing to play the top two in the other group.

The winners will advance to the semifinals.

Matches in the tournament are being held every S u n d a y .

Cash, trophies and other incentives will be presented to the top three teams with the Most Valuable Player (MVP) and other outstanding individual performers also being rewarded.

The competition is expected to continue on Sunday with Ithaca Hardliners taking on Smythfield Rockers from 16:00hrs on the Ithaca Basketball Court.

(Samuel Whyte)

Rio police seize passports in raid on Irish Olympics office RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil (AFP) — Brazilian police Sunday seized passports from three Irish Olympic officials accused of involvement in a black market ticket ring in Rio, police said.

The early morning raid at the Irish office in the Olympic Village also netted phones and computers, Irish officials said.

Irish International Olympic Committee member Patrick Hickey has already been detained in the inquiry and is being held in Rio’s Bangu maximum security prison, awaiting a court hearing.

On Sunday, agents took the passports of Kevin Kilty, Dermot Henihen and Stephen Martin, Rio police said in a statement.

“During the operation, Civil Police seized the passports of the three Irishmen, preventing them from leaving the country,” police said. “According to the evidence gathered so far, Kevin, Dermot and Stephen were also involved in the illegal sale of tickets.”

An Olympic Council of Ireland statement said Rio police also took unused Olympic tickets held by the Irish officials that were meant to be for “athletes’ families and friends”.

“The OCI personnel were asked to present for

Olympic Council of Ireland President Patrick Hickey was held by Brazilian police on August 17 (Photo: AFP) questioning at a local police station on Tuesday,” the statement said. The officials “agreed”, it added.

Rio police said they were “conducting investigations since the morning, which will continue until Tuesday”.

Earlier, IOC President Thomas Bach said that Hickey will appear before a Brazilian judge on Tuesday.

The IOC chief gave no other details, but the 71year-old Hickey could be formally charged or the judge could order him released on bail.

“Mr Hickey will have his first hearing by a judge next Tuesday,” Bach said Sunday on the sidelines of an IOC

executive meeting in Rio at the end of the Olympic Games.

Hickey, an IOC member, head of the Olympic Council of Ireland and the European Olympic Committees, was detained Wednesday and is accused of involvement in a ticket scam, ambush marketing and conspiracy over the sale of Rio Olympics tickets at inflated prices.

The ticket case has come as an embarrassment for the IOC. Bach again stressed the “presumption of innocence” in Hickey’s case. He has not criticised or supported the Irish official.

Hickey “temporarily” stood down from his official positions after the arrest so the IOC ethics commission has not yet launched an official investigation.

The scandal has been mounting since the arrest on August 5 of Kevin Mallon, the Irish head of the THG hospitality company.

Police said they seized hundreds of tickets from Mallon, some of which had the Olympic Council of Ireland name on them.

Tickets, including for the Rio opening ceremony, with a face value of about US$1,400 dollars were offered for sale at US$8,000.

Hickey denied any involvement with THG before his arrest.

Action in the match between Rose Hall Town Jammers and Guyana Human Development Centre last Sunday in Berbice.

Sparton claim Joseph and Green dominoes crown

The victorious Sparton team.

Sparton marked 49 games to win the final of the Faye Joseph and Andrea Green four-game d o m i n o e s competition which was contested on Sunday night at Gaulding Place, South Ruimveldt.

Beas t a n d R a g e finished on 40 games each, but the former took second place after making more sixes.

Navin Singh and Stephan Duncan made 12 each for the winners, while Colin

McEwan and Jone Watts got 10 and nine respectively for Beast.

Rage leading players were Dane Bynoe and Mark Welch with nine and eight games in the order. Singh was

voted the MVP. Meanwhile, the Turbo tournament will continue on Friday at the National Gymnasium and teams are asked to contact Mark Wiltshire on 6655855 for more information.

Kaieteur News

Tuesday August 23, 2016

PAGE 35

Linden puts together formidable team for Boyce/Jefford Classic VII Upper Demerara Schools Track Club and C h r i s t i a n b u r g / Wi s m a r Secondary School (CWSS) are expected to present a formidable force for this weekend’s Boyce/Jefford Track and Field Classic VII at the Mackenzie Sports Club (MSC) Ground in Linden.

The two clubs have registered as Linden as they did last year in what is a united effort to challenge the two frontrunners for the top prize of $1 million, Police Progressive Youth Club (PPYC), and The Guyana Defence Force.

Coach of CWSS, Moses Pantlitz and Upper Demerara Coach, Johnny Gravesande will Coach the Linden team, which is still looking for its first overall title at the championship.

The two Coaches believe

Johnny Gravesande

Moses Pantlitz

Cassey George

that a united effort was the best direction for Linden.

Pantlitz is the Coach of athletes like Cassie George and Compton Caesar; the United States based George is in Guyana to give Linden a much-need boost.

George is currently a

scholarship student in the US while Caesar is another top athlete from the region.

Caesar has a wealth of experience from the C o m m o n w e a l t h Yo u t h G a m e s a n d C A R I F TA Games that will aide him this

weekend.

Meanwhile, Gravesande will add the experience of the long and triple jumper, Winston Caesar to the team.

According to news emanating from Linden, the two Coaches are working

National Pre-Cadet Team calls on Sports Minister

Winston Caesar together hoping they will be able to win the event.

Grav e s a n d e h a d s a i d that the merger is the right w ay s ince a lot of people in Linden have b e e n c a l l i n g f o r that unity.

Linden has registered a

T h e G u y a n a Ta b l e Te n n i s A s s o c i a t i o n (GTTA) team selected to represent Guyana at the prestigious 2016 Caribbean Pre-Cadet T a b l e T e n n i s C h a m p i o n s h i p s scheduled for August 21 -29 at the National Arena, Kingston, Jamaica paid a courtesy

call on Minister within the of Sport Nicolette Henry last Friday.

The Minister interacted with the youngsters and encouraged to do their best.

The Caribbean PreCadet Championships engages players between ages 11 and 13 years which represents the next

generation of regional and international stars in the sport. The team is under the tutelage of Linden Johnson, Dwain Dick and Xenophon Goliath.

Competition will feature youngsters from Puerto Rico, Barbados, Aruba, Jamaica, St Lucia Trinidad and Tobago, Dominican Republic and French Guiana

among others.

The team include: Boys: Dhanesh Persaud, Colin Wong, Krystian Sahadeo, Alexander DeAbreu, Kayson Ninvalle, Isaiah Layne, Niran Bissu and Veeshan Deo. Girls: Nevaeh Clarkston, Abigale Martin and Thuraia Thomas.

full team for the Championships this weekend. Apart from the winning purse, the second place club gets $500,000 while third place takes home $300,000 and the fourth place team pockets $200,000.

People have stood up at various times says Kohli ‘We have close out at crucial moments’ – Holder

By Sean Devers in Trinidad

The National Pre Cadet Table Tennis team during their visit to Minister Nicolette Henry last Friday at her Main Street Office.

Compton Caesar

West Indies Captain 24year Jason Holder said the series was a difficult one for the West Indies but stressed that there were also a few positives. “ We l o o k e d s e t t o compete at certain stages of the game. We just have to close out crucial moments in the game. At crucial stages, we faltered a bit in this series.

Going forward, we need to seize those moments. India played some very good cricket and had people put their hands up at different times. Credit should be given to them. The bowlers have put their hands up in the last few games,” Holder, who has one century and 22 wickets from 17 Tests, explained.

The Barbadian added that his team is looking forward to the two t20 games against India in Florida on August 27 & 28 and the series against Pakistan and UAE. Seeing Indian Captain Virat Kohli bat was the main attraction for many fans here and he joked about the inactivity on the field.

“Lot of play stations and training in the gym was the team’s schedule for the last

f o u r d a y s . I t ’s p r e t t y disappointing to turn up and see there’s no play. We all want to do something or the other,” disclosed the 27-yearold with 12 hundreds and 12 f i f t i e s f r o m 4 7 Te s t s including his only ‘double’ which was scored in this series.

“At the ground, we’ve been itching to do something.

I said it when we became Number one that it was a short-term incentive. Other sides have played 10-15 Tests more than us, so it will keep switching. We can judge ourselves better at the end of our home season. Coming to the team, people have stood up at different times. Ashwin gets wickets, KL Rahul comes in and gets runs, Shikhar Dhawan scores a few, as does Umesh. I’m particularly pleased for Saha.

Him coming good is one of the biggest positives as far as I’m concerned.” Kohli.

Kohli leads in much the same way he bats fast and furious, but says Captaincy has been a good phase for him.

“Maybe I was a bit too much passion and excitement early on, but we’re all of the same age group, so they keep (Continued on page 25)

t r o Sp Successful Guyana Under-19 cricket team returns home after defence of one-day title

Members of the victorious Guyana U19 team shortly after arriving at the Eugene F. Correira International airport, Ogle with Director of Sport Christopher Jones (3rd from left) and officials of the GCB. (Zaheer Mohamed photo).

World Athletics Boss Won’t Let Usain Bolt Walk Away

IAAF chief Sebastian Coe said he will not allow Usain Bolt to walk away from the sport.

Caribbean Badminton International Championships 2016 – Aruba

Team Guyana finish with 4 silver and 2 bronze medals

The three successful medal winners proudly display the Golden Arrowhead and their medals after the presentation.

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