Kaieteur News

Kaieteur News

PAGE 04

Tuesday August 30, 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

EDITORIAL

Reducing the national debt

Faced with a national debt of roughly US$1.65 billion, the equivalent of roughly 60 percent of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) of US$3 billion, huge debtservicing cost, a bankrupt GuySuCo and a declining growth rate, the government must act swiftly to prevent any further erosion of the economy. This has predictably set off an intense public debate in which the Government and Opposition have taken starkly differing positions. Guyana’s debt is enormous; there is no getting around that, and the cost of servicing it is crippling for a country whose post-colonial plantation economy has been gradually declining. Experts have suggested that the solution is a debtmanagement strategy by the government that puts the growth of the economy, reduction of the debt and the increase of exports as its main goals. A lower debt-to-GDP ratio will, indeed, result in a better credit rating for the country and the opportunity to secure lower interest rates on new debt. The increase of the public debt has been as a result of excessive borrowing, reckless spending and unbridled corruption which have created a snowballing effect, with additional loans being taken to pay the interest on existing ones. Financing this increased debt-service cost is a major challenge to the current administration for two reasons. One, the people are entitled to know how the increased payments to service the debt will be made without the introduction of new taxes or further debt. Two, they need accurate information on the financial health of the sugar, rice and mining industries, the main pillars of the economy, which the Government relies on to service the debt. The declining economy and the lower prices for gold, rice, sugar and bauxite on the world market have made it extremely difficult for the administration to lower the debt and reduce the cost on the interest. The government’s other problem is how to grow the economy, create jobs and make the major industries profitable. Obviously, the debt-to-GDP ratio must be lowered in order for the country to attract foreign investment. Even though Guyana’s debt-to-GDP ratio is considered medium risk according to the IMF debt sustainability analysis, the country’s low economic growth rate cannot sustain the current debt indefinitely. The government has to take prudent measures to make sure that the debt-to-GDP ratio does not increase further. If this is not done urgently and the debt-to-GDP ratio and the cost of servicing the debt increase, it could spell more trouble for the country in that the debt could turn out to be more of a suppressant than a stimulant. It is a fact that any increase in the cost of servicing the debt would take funds away from the treasury which in turn would deprive the economy of much needed funds for its growth and development. It would also take funds away from the social programmes, education and health care. There are ways to reduce the debt or the cost of servicing it, but the decision rests squarely with the government, which is usually influenced by its advisers. Their advice, while probably well meaning, often reflects partisan or personal interest. For this reason, it is the responsibility of the powers that be to examine the advice through the prism of the interests of the people. Because of the huge debt and the exorbitant cost to service it, the country’s productive efforts will be denied valuable investment capital, its social systems will not improve, roads and bridges will not be repaired as well as other infrastructure. In addition, increase in production capacity will not continue and jobs will not be created. In the end, the people’s interests would not be best served.

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

Open letter to the leadership of the PNCR DEAR EDITOR; This letter is addressed to this newspaper but it is intended primarily for the delegates of the PNCR, which held its congress this past weekend and the Indian Action Committee (IAC) is taking the opportunity to address them through this paper, on certain matters which have been causing a lot of disquiet amongst the IAC’s members. The IAC wishes to begin with the economy which is not performing. This is general knowledge and the organization is familiar with the problems of the marketing of rice at lucrative prices since Guyana lost the Venezuela deal and the IAC believes that much more needs to be done by the government to assist in securing good markets for Guyana’s rice. Secondly, the situation in the sugar industry is quite alarming, since the main sugar union, GAWU, has been on strike for some time and this is adding to the problems at GUYSUCO, which, at the present time, is losing a lot of money and is depending on the government for financial support. The workers and the communities affected by this industry are waiting on

the government to tell them what plans it has to deal with the question of thousands of workers who are going to be dislocated by the privatization and restructuring of the industry. The IAC believes that the time has come for the government and the company to set out in clear language what they plan to do to safeguard the livelihoods of the workers and their communities. The IAC is of the opinion that this matter cannot be postponed any longer, and the government must declare now what are the plans it has for these people. It is clear to the IAC, that the government must invest in the retraining of these workers after it gives them land that formerly belonged to GUYSUCO so that they could make a living, and also after the government has paid them the proper severance that is due to them according to law. The IAC is aware that the government is planning to establish a communal Lands Commission to deal with lands bought by formerly enslaved Africans (chattel slaves) between 1839 and 1860 which are described as having anomalies and controversies.

The IAC also believes that the time has come to deal with the question of land for the Indian communities that they have developed since they arrived here in1838 as indentured labourers (bonded slaves) and since they have claims to the land which many of them have been renting for decades, and these anomalies and discrepancies have to be dealt with also. The IAC posits that is not true that only African lands have anomalies and the organization believes that the time has come to deal with all of the anomalies concerning all the land of all the communities including lands for indigenous people. The IAC understands that it is necessary for all of these matters concerning all of these communities to be dealt with at the same time in order to build cohesion and the organization is hopeful that the PNCR congress will spend some time to deliberate on these critical matters. The IAC has noted, over the past year, in letters to Editors in various newspapers, utterances by politicians, commentators and the general public as (Continued on page 6)

We are flooded with the culture of profanities DEAR EDITOR, which the television and smart phones shown on television these days. When was the last time you watched have on the culture of any society is Yes, these days, there are very few a movie on the television and did not beyond debate. That is a settled fact ‘movies’ which do not feature the “F” have to change the channel or quit which need not be revisited here. Within words and that makes it extremely watching all together because of the the realm of profanity it is no secret that difficult for a decent family to watch immoral content? the “F” word and its derivatives are most of the movies which are shown on When last you travelled in a mini- definitely the most used. the television . bus, passed through a market place, or They are the most disgusting, We already know that blood, sex and walked along any busy street and were distasteful and most annoying. These crime sell but it seems to me that the not disturbed by profane language? days people- young and not so young - producers of the movies believe that When last you attended any sporting seem to find pleasure in using the “F” without profanity the movie would not event such as a football match, a domino words in the most disrespectful and sell. If that is true it would mean that the competition or a cricket match and were unmannerly manner. world has become most crooked and sinful. not affected by distasteful and colourful Could you imagine that policemen, As a matter of fact, a study language? I think that the common school teachers, businessmen, public conducted by Wikipedia has shown that answer to those questions is “I don’t servants , lawyers and doctors and in the worst five movies the “F” words know”. I was motivated to ask those school children using the “F” words in were used, a total of 2508 times. Indeed, question because of the April 9th, 2011 public places with comfort and without in the worst of them all, the words were column by ‘Mr.’ Peeping Tom’ under regard for those who are within hearing used for a total of 824 time or once the caption “Watch Your Language”. distances? Well to tell the truth; it every 9 seconds. Why on earth would I am not sure exactly when we –as a happens everyday. anyone treat themselves to that amount nation - surrendered in ‘The War on I do not have the empirical data, but of filth is beyond comprehension. Bad Manners’ which included profanity it is not unreasonable to conclude that Too many movies which could have , but what I am certain of is that values the “F” words seem to have become a otherwise been deemed to be excellent such as ‘Please, Thank You, Excuse permanent feature of our everyday have been condemned because of Me , I am Sorry, etc., and palatable vocabulary because of the frequency profanity and that is very sad indeed. speech are all causalities of that war. To with which they are used in the movies Francis Carryl. a limited extent the absence of “Please,” “Thank You,” and so on, may be tolerated, but when profanity becomes the order of the day, moral and social indigestion of a chronic nature DEAR EDITOR, national coffers of member states. is the result. I see a large contingent of the Caricom The Secretary General and his deputy One often wonders what is responsible for the decline in staff renting premises from a single person in must look into this if they have not already noticed how unusual this is. moral standards in so far as the Happy Acres on the East Coast Demerara. Is this normal? I do not see too many Isn’t this also impractical? If this area is to use of profane language is diplomatic missions present in those numbers suffer some natural disaster such as flooding, concerned. One possible answer is the in this place. Is there some unnatural wouldn’t Caricom then have to find motion picture or movie and collusion between some persons within alternative accommodations? This would result in more expenditure. The bottom line is m o r e s p e c i f i c a l l y, t h e Caricom and this person? This would be wrong. Other than wrong, it that if there is collusion between Caricom and television which these days are permanent fixtures in our would lead to an eventual increase in cost to this property owner; it is wrong. H.Singh lives. I think that the impact Caricom which is already a drain on the

Does the Caricom Secretariat favour this property owner?

Tuesday August 30, 2016

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Kaieteur News

We should not forget that Unpleasant things at the photograph of Joe Harmon New Amsterdam Hospital DEAR EDITOR, Anyone taking the oath of office must realize that moral responsibility is its correlate. This leads to the question of the Norton fiasco concerning the “bond deal”. In no uncertain terms, Norton, losing his moral compass, betrayed himself, his sense of right and wrong, his office, our President, our nation and its people. While people may rightly clamor for his censure, one should also ask whether Norton’s humiliation is apt punishment for his transgression. Does Norton need a second chance? If he is remorseful because he is trying to escape censure, then he should be censured. If he is remorseful because he has truly acknowledged the truth of his inappropriate misstep, then he has the potential to be one of the most loyal and dedicated servants of our country. I cannot pass judgment on Dr. Norton. Only he knows his heart; he has to decide on his own to whom he needs to confess and whether he can honor his

oath to serve Guyana honestly and faithfully. And, as we are focused on Dr. Norton, we should not forget the photograph of Mr. Harmon where he was cruising above the clouds in a private jet. It might be prudent for all ministers to have that photograph in their sights, physically or mentally. Let them look and analyze the positioning and smiles of the people who were in control in that setting. That photograph should be a constant reminder as to why they are in office. This is the reason I am calling attention to what Norton and Harmon have done and what they could have become if the truth of their actions was not revealed. If they have the wisdom to recognize the wrong they have done and the strength to refrain from that wrong, they will be reformed. If they do not do this, they can look at the former President Jagdeo. President Jagdeo was my hero when he signed the agreement with Norway to

protect Guyana’s forest. But somewhere along the line, things changed as he was accused of becoming a different being. I do not know the truth in those accusations, but I have read that, because his marriage was not registered, his wife was not entitled to a pension. All the witnesses to his marriage, photographs of his wedding, he living with his wife, his wife being presented as the First Lady of Guyana etc. did not mean anything to him. Now, I see women as the symbol of our country. If we mistreat our women, we are mistreating our country. If we honor our women, we are honoring our country. I can continue, but let me end with this: We do not need opposition parties in Guyana. We should recognize and acknowledge the different philosophy of each political party, strive together for equity, justice and prosperity for all Guyanese and be cognizant that no party or party member transgresses the boundaries of office. Stanley Niamatali

30 manufacturing businesses Guyana lost DEAR EDITOR; There appears to be much concern and debate about local manufacturing, however it should be noted that local manufacturing decline commenced since the late 80’s; here are a few factories that closed. There may be more that I do not remember or have any knowledge. 1. Amritdhara Manufacturing Co. Ltd. 2. Associated Industry, manufacturer of Tapir vans 3. Baron Foods 4. Besto Feed Factory 5. Briana Manufacturing 6. Continental Biscuits 7. Colgate Palmolive 8. Friendship Industries. 9. Demerara Tobacco Co. Ltd. (factory) 10. Demerara Biscuits 11. Guyana Match Co. Ltd. 12. Guycan (orange juice) 13. GRECO (stereo sets & radios) 14. GRL 15. Gobins Ltd./Buffalo pants 16. Guyana Footwear Ltd. 17. Guyana Furniture Manufacturer 18. Kissoon’s Plywood factory 19. Lysons Garment factory 20. National Paints 21. Neet On Shirt factory 22. Precision Manufacturing 23. Patmar (cultured marble). 24. Rahaman’s Bottling, manufacturer of Red Spot drinks 25. Sanap (sanitary napkins) 26. Squirrel Manufacturing 27. Sirfasa Terrazzo tiles 28. Vinellie/Brown Betty 29. Verdun Soda Factory

30. Wieting & Richter Ltd. Bottling Ltd. It should be noted that our neighbours in Caricom loved Guyana manufactured Colgate toothpaste. GRL fridges and freezers were a hit in Trinidad & Tobago. I recall friends from Trinidad inquiring about GRL fridges after the closure of GRL. Now there is concern about imported items sold locally that Guyana once produced and can produce. I am sure there are many local businessmen and functionaries from past PNC and PPP-Civic government who will remember Captain Fedna Stoll trekking from office to office trying unsuccessfully to get support and funding for his dehydrated fruits and vegetables. Captain Fedna Stoll obtained several patent for his products but no support from government or local businesses. I suspected he died a tired and sad man. Captain Fedna Stoll is the inventor of a unique method of food preservation which makes it possible for the first time to enjoy allyear-round tropical fruit flavors and vegetable products. The distinction of the Stoll technology is its 100% natural, additive-free, preservative-free process and results. Natural and pure melon powder, orange powder, pineapple powder, banana powder – to name a few are among the over 120 TropiTaste recipe creations of Fedna Stoll. Among the highlights of the Stoll creations is a unique line of instant tropical fruitflavored cereals which require no cooking whatsoever - simply add water or milk, hot, warm or cold – and the full zest of tropical fruit flavors emerge for palatable enjoyment. Read more about Captain Fedna Stoll here http://www.tropitaste.com/captain-stoll.html Hemwant Persaud

DEAR EDITOR; I am extremely disgruntled about the things that are happening in our country. I will briefly outline my experiences at the New Amsterdam Hospital. A few weeks back, I went to visit an immediate relative who was admitted and later passed away in the said hospital. I approached the front entrance (that can lead to the wards) only to be told by a guard that “you are not allowed to use this entrance”. I looked at her with a perplexed expression on my face before I questioned it. She directed me to another entrance. I then questioned the reason for this. She told me “the CEO made it this way and this entrance is for doctors and nurses only”. I immediately told her therefore they should have a sign above the entrance written “Employees Only”. In this case anyone can use that entrance since there isn’t any indication to do otherwise. Apart from that, why

is it that this entrance is restricted from the public? The fact is, this entrance is at a convenient location that will take you to the wards. Is the hospital owned by the CEO, doctors and nurses? In my opinion, these public hospitals are owned by the people of Guyana and are for the people of Guyana. After I finished my visitation, I went to the receptionist for a number to have my blood pressure tested. I was told that the nurse who would test pressure is on lunch. It is commonsensical to know that if one nurse is on lunch, another should be there in her place attending to the people. Are there inadequate nurses at the New Amsterdam Hospital? I purposely did this because I heard about people’s plight too often at the New Amsterdam Hospital. There was no reason for me to test my blood pressure. I now understand why there is always a colossal amount of people at the hospitals waiting for hours before they

can be attended to. Recently, I heard that one man was turned away when he approached the nurses to test his pressure because the nurse assumed he was drunk. He walked away and later fell to the ground; that is when they rushed and picked him up. I don’t know what happened after. I hope the CEO can fix these issues at the New Amsterdam Hospital as early as possible. The things that are happening in Guyana on a daily basis would make one feel perturbed, irate and sickened. When it is not the hospitals it is the Guyana Post Office or Guyana Water Incorporated or Guyana Power and Light or the banks or the police stations or traffic ranks and plain clothes detectives making random stops and what is more sickening is that all the complaints would fall on deaf ears. I guess this is Guyana-a land of poor services and well known for those characteristics. Ashan Bacchus

Scathing indictment of the Coalition Government DEAR EDITOR; The following quote is taken from the then APNU+AFC Presidential candidate’s manifesto statement: “This APNU+AFC Coalition’s Manifesto prescribes a unified approach to bring an end to the cronyism at high levels that is a drain on our financial resources and is blocking our development; to crime, that is bleeding the lives and bodies of our women and youths and scaring away investors; to corruption in the law-enforcement and regulatory agencies in the mining and forestry sectors and to constitutional abuse by the President, Cabinet and executive branch of the government.” Mr. Editor reading the above statement it must be asked if the President believe these words today as his cabinet is embroiled in one scandal after another. In the media we learned that the government is offering a 10% pay increase to public servants earning under $100, 000 per month and a decreasing percentage index based on set income brackets. We must remind the government that under the first 100 days list, item two of the twenty-one they promised “significant salary increases for government workers, including nurses; teachers in primary, secondary, and ter-

tiary education; security personnel; and civil servants on the traditional payroll.” It is therefore shocking to read that what the Government of Guyana has offered as part of the collective bargaining process. This proposed increase is nothing more than the legitimization of the outrageous 5% pay increase that previous government handed out during the Christmas. If the unions accept this affront of an increase then they have failed their members and are culpable in showing wanton disregards for the hard working public. This 10% is nowhere near “significant” and at a minimum the government should

have offered public servants 20% or better yet half of what they voted for themselves. Additionally, since the police and soldiers do not have a union they should be offered an equal pay increase as the legislative members and the executive members, based on the same flawed logic provided in the explanation for the aforementioned salary increase by the Minister of the Presidency. The public is treated to more indignities of this administration with the recent remarks of the Minister of National Security to the media. He said “It is very difficult at this stage to increase salaries. The minute you start (Continued on page 6)

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Coalition Govt. not different The reckless spending of city Hall must be exposed from the PPP regime DEAR EDITOR; Almost every passing day, you bring us some new Brer Anancy stories that vividly bring back memories of school days. The trickster Anancy, originally a West African spider-god, lives in the news we read each day as the Ministers in the hierarchy seem to be enhancing their expertise by developing Brer Anancy mentality each time something goes wrong and they are caught ‘with their pants down’. What a joy to read the justifications for immoral and unethical acts bordering on illegality! But as a people, we are paying a heavy price for electing our own people who promise us the heavens but only are willing to deliver hellfire, making us rot and look like washed up material as time passes. As I have mentioned before (though KN never published some letters), every new government of Guyana replicates the performance of its predecessor, copying the wrongs they committed, perfecting the flaws and accelerating them. The present gov-

ernment is no different but as a people we expect better performance from President Granger for he is a bright guy who seems only interested in pontificating on issues rather than making critical decisions which will give Guyanese the good life they should enjoy Ministers, those in past government, came to office looking famished and malnourished, not mentioning what they wear and drive. With a donkey cart economy, the past government soon after the deaths of Dr. Jagan and his wife transformed the government into Prado boys, Rav 4 boys, etc. They all became bulky and for you to recognize an individual you had to subtract their girth to really recognize them. We are now witnessing an improved and more advanced replay curried with Anancy antics. Come 2020, if we can awake from our 50-year stupor, APNU-AFC will learn a hard lesson. Therefore, I implore Glen Lall, Kaieteur News and staff to keep up the excellent investigative journalism, give us more Anancy stories to edu-

cate our perceptions of governmental actions so that we can make better choice next time. You are doing for Guyana what the churches and civic society did to restore democratic elections in 1992, working in collaboration with our international friends, ABC countries, EU, etc. Sad to say, our churches and civic groups have hibernated rapidly since then. Kaieteur News played a very meaningful role in exposing the excesses in the past, ensuring the election of the current administration. You have suffered much in the past and paid with blood but take cognizance from the fact that ‘the mill of God grinds slowly but surely’. Today, we ask that you continue the good work so that we can be rid of Guyanese who are only interested in betraying the trust we have placed in them and in so doing raping our national coffers, insulting our intelligence and shaming us as a nation where fraud, corruption, thievery, have become national institutions. Ed Singh

Scathing indictment of the... From page 5 increasing policemen (sic) salaries, the nurses are going to jump on our backs, public servants will go, the teachers will want increases.” These remarks were not made incognito or by some low level officio of the government. What these remarks betray, is that the Guyana Public Service Union need not look forward to any greater offer during the collective bargaining from this government. It was not “difficult” in September 2015 to increase the salary of the wealthy men and women who see government service as nothing more than an enrichment scheme. Under the section of the manifesto titled “The APNU+AFC Coalition is resolutely Committed To,” one of the items they commit themselves to is “the creation of a Guyana in which all citizens can live productive lives free from the ravages of poverty…” By offering an insulting 10% maximum salary increase will ensure that our hardest workers will remain trapped in the throes of poverty. They will birth another generation to live in the abject poverty that has gripped them for more than two decades. This insulting wage proposition, the extensive opprobrium regarding contract awards and other acts

are redolent of a betrayal of their manifesto’s promises. The unions should be preparing for strike action across the nation until public servants are offered and paid better wages. For twenty-four years our public servants have been treated a tad bit above slaves. It is also time for the public at large to raise their voices and ask this government to begin working on delivering the “good life” promised. The hierophants will not skip a beat to remind us of twenty-three years of PPP/C nonfeasance, which is a given. However, today the PPP/C is in opposition and the coalition received its empowerment imprint. We the public should not be accepting half-hearted apologizes and despicable excuses from a government whose members used their

oratory skills to call out all wrong doings of the previous government. Mr. Editor, the words of the President in his election manifesto when compared to the actions of his administration are in vast contrast to the reality of his government. They have become the beast which they once criticized and is now marred in their own brand of raping the treasury and affronting the entire citizenry. This congressional troop must now start working to both regain the public’s trust and serve the public. Equally, the public needs to become more vocal and demand the “good governance” and “good life” promised. I t leaves one to ponder whether this government intends on contesting the 2020 elections, for these types of unforced errors will be costly. Tyrone L. Talbot

Open letter to the... From page 4 well as comments from the organization’s membership; written and verbal expressions of feelings of uneasiness from persons of Indo Guyanese origin regarding discrimination, victimization, marginalization, witch- hunting and militarization. The IAC hopes that the PNCR which describes itself

as a national, multi- ethnic, multi- cultural political party that has been in existence since 1957 would have taken note of these concerns at its congress and persuade the government to consider them in the context of social cohesion and national unity. Saira Alli Secretary Indian Action Committee

DEAR EDITOR, It is beyond the wildest imagination and rudimentary understanding of every levelheaded Guyanese as to why the Georgetown City Council would choose to recklessly expend close to three hundred million dollars on the Merriman’s Mall on an injudicious Presidential Park and chaotic mix of other things, rather than spending the same amount of the citizens taxes repairing a dilapidated City Hall building. Somebody at City Hall certainly has his or her priorities utterly mixed up when they can chose to disregard the iconic Guyanese landmark, the fairytale like gothic architectural wonder, the headquarters of the Georgetown Municipality that has been crying out desperately for attention, and which they have responsibility for maintaining to opt instead to build a senseless Presidential Park, a project that if it were indeed worthwhile should be

undertaken by the central government or an NGO and not a municipality. Someone needs to explain to the citizens of Georgetown the reason why after many experts who examined City Hall and pronounced why the Big Wigs at City Hall would be so irresponsible as to leave that historic edifice to further deteriorate whilst trying to play political games with the money by building a presidential park, and a cluster of other equally meaningless structures that just clutters the mall. This nonsense has to stop. Property rates are collected for specific purposes, not to be spent profligately by any one or two persons at the Council. Was this puerile project on the mall even budgeted for or approved by the Council? If it is not then the officer who is responsible for this insanity must be dealt with condignly Mark Roopan

Appealing to the President for land for agri. purposes DEAR EDITOR; This letter here was sent to President Granger for his consideration. We have forwarded to your newspaper for publication. Only the other day we learned about our ancestors, the former enslaved Africans’ monumental contribution to the earlier development of Guyana. We never in our wildest dreams expected that such voluminous works were done by humans, and to add salt to the wound, for no pay, money wise. All for free and being brutalised in the process. In the fact that our ancestors suffered the most gruesome of human and economic exploitation, we the descendants of the enslaved wish to declare that, it is important to go back and take back that which is forgotten to increase our awareness of our struggles and to strengthen our resolve to resist all oppression. A people who have driven back the sea, cleared, drained and reclaimed the equivalent of nine million acres of land, installed two million five hundred and fifty miles of drainage canals, trenches and inter-bed drains, three thousand five hundred miles of dams, roads and foot-paths, two thousand one hundred and seventy six miles of sea and river defence, and moved one hundred million tons of earth without machinery; we who are those people’s still poor descendants deserve to be compensated, even in the name of our ancestors. In light of the above, we are resolved to being settled in the peri-urban areas of Georgetown on land with which to form our community, where we would be engaged in working for ourselves. We have lived all our lives in the

city and its environs, as such we have built up all sorts of relationships, including familial, church, sports, school for our children, business and yes jobs among others. Herein we submit some ideas which can serve as primary focus for constructing our community. - There is significantly abundant land in the Mocha area. - We want to engage in agriculture. - All items we produce we shall market them as fresh produce in the markets in the city and elsewhere. - We will endeavour to transform all excess produce into preserves for the local market, and beyond. - In livestock production we will be self sufficient in milk and such milk products that can be produced. - In pig production we would resort to products from pork that can be manufactured in our community. - All rural households keep chickens, goats and sheep, along with kitchen garden, flower plot and a few fruit trees. - All other matters which can earn our community an income thus sustainability. There are matters of housing to suit our communal needs. IT IS A WELL KEPT SECRET in this Guyana society, as to how we the citizens of Tiger Bay, Turning Point, and the sides of trenches and main road ways have lived for decades and generations. We at Turning Point were moved from Tiger Bay fourteen years ago by the Janet Jagan government with the promise that we would be resettled elsewhere, perhaps the elsewhere could not be discovered. We who live on the sides of the roads in Georgetown had no where

else to go. It is time for us to reap the bounty of our ancestors’ unpaid toil. Some matters in regards to housing, land, crops, equipment, all matters dealing with an established community, we leave to your goodness to determine in discussion with those who would be selected to represent us. We have waited all our lives for this chance, and we expect resolution of our expectation. We could muster resources such as concrete block making machinery, work force to make the blocks, other resources to display our zeal and abilities. There will be the need to established at Mocha cum annexis, a Land Grant School/ College , as was done in the USA in the 1800’s to teach their European immigrants all the aspects of farming. Who knows what would become of this experiment in the future. All actions taken now will determine the outcome of our endeavours. We make this bold suggestion, that when all the matters of our resettlement as dedicated Guyanese, in finding favour with your good self are accepted, that you would see the wisdom of setting up the African Land Commission as is being suggested in certain quarters. Time Mr. President is not on our side, we have lived under inhumane conditions for decades, now is the time for our final emancipation. Hafiz Rahaman on behalf of group

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Kaieteur News

2010 attack on Freddie Kissoon…

Magistrate refuses to recuse self from trial unless instructed to

Magistrate Judy Latchman City Magistrate Judy Latchman yesterday maintained that she will not recuse herself from the trial of Kwame McCoy, Jason Abdulla and Shawn Hindsthe men who are charged with a 2010 assault on newspaper columnist Frederick Kissooneven after a letter was sent to the Chancellor by Kissoon, requesting that the Magistrate no longer preside over the matter. When the case was recalled in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts, Kissoon entered the witness box and told Magistrate Latchman that he felt “uncomfortable” with her presiding over the criminal matter and that she should do the morally right thing and recuse herself. The newspaper columnist made it clear to the Magistrate that he has nothing personal against her and suggested that the matter be put on hold pending a decision by Chancellor of the Judiciary, Justice Carl Singh. However, Magistrate Latchman strongly opposed Kissoon’s requests and said that she would continue hearing the six-year-old matter unless she is instructed otherwise by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) or Judicial Service Commission (JSC). After Police Prosecutor Kerry Bostwick signaled that he had also received a copy of the letter, the Magistrate asserted, “It (the letter) presents no reason for the court to recuse itself and the court will not be recusing itself. This

is a court of law; we are programmed here to receive evidence. You are here to testify. You have a choice to decide Mr. Kissoon; you decide what you would like to do with this matter.” “I would like to confer with the prosecution because I am a prosecution witness. Therefore I receive some umbrella of protection from the court that summoned me. You (the Magistrate) are a neutral person in this matter. I have been summoned by the state,” Kissoon explained. Prosecutor Bostwick and attorneys Euclin Gomes and George Thomas who are representing Abdulla and Hinds, respectively, shared similar sentiments with the Magistrate in relation to Kissoon’s call for the trial to be stalled awaiting a ruling from Justice Singh. The lawyers stated that they came prepared to continue with the trial and saw no reason why this should not be done. In response to the Magistrate’s pronouncement, Kissoon said, “You cited six years. So if we waited six years, can’t we wait for a few weeks more for the ruling of the Judicial Service Commission?” He said that based on what transpired in court he will further communicate with the JSC for an early hearing. Kissoon also made reference to what he deemed as “a longstanding critical relation” over the court, he shares with Magistrate Latchman. According to Kissoon,

three grounds prompted him to pen the letter to the JSC. Kissoon pointed out that over the years, he has taken Magistrate Latchman before the JSC for unprofessional conduct on the bench. However, this statement was immediately debunked by the Magistrate who asserted, “This court was never summoned to attend before the Judicial Service Commission.” Kissoon said, secondly, over the past four to five years, the Magistrate’s judicial conduct has been featured for more than six times in the “Freddie Kissoon Column.” In response to this, the Magistrate stated, “You are entitled to your opinion. Your column is your column and your opinion will always in fact remain just that - your opinion. We will all take it and measure it in inches. Your beliefs are your beliefs and you are entitled to your beliefs.” The Magistrate advised Kissoon that “according to 1 Corinthians Chapter 2, Verse 11, ‘No one will know a person’s thoughts except that person’s own spirit,’ so do not try to read minds”. And thirdly, Kissoon recalled that during his time giving testimony in this trial before the Magistrate, he has been of the deep belief that she was mocking him, laughing at him and was cynical towards him. This is according to the letter seen by Kaieteur News. Nevertheless, despite the lengthy interruption, Kissoon was cross examined by Attorney Thomas, and he recalled Shawn Hinds saying that he knew who had thrown the substance on him via a television programme. Kissoon testified that the

Newspaper Columnist, Frederick Kissoon

Kwame McCoy

Shawn Hinds

Jason Abdulla car his attacker jumped into had an unusual number plate. He added that he could not recall if the vehicle was tinted, but said he had a complete view of the car when it passed him. Kissoon stated that he could not identify any distinguishing marks on his attacker. “If my attacker was running on the road I would

have struck him down with my vehicle, but not to kill him,” the witness said. When further questioned, Kissoon told the court that police were very uncooperative with him during investigations, although they never invited him to the police station. The columnist recounted that the attack on him was broadcast on state-

owned NCN. However, when he was asked by Attorney Thomas to recall which journalist did the news items, Kissoon was unable to do so. But Kissoon indicated that he did make enquiries about the journalist. The trial will continue on September 9, when Kissoon will be further cross examined.

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Gunmen beat, tie and force victim under bed before escaping with loot

BEATEN, TIED AND ROBBED: Myron Christopher A Tucville, Georgetown resident was beaten, tied and forced to lie under his bed by five bandits, who emptied his home around 22:15 hrs on Sunday. The incident occurred at 998 Critchlow Street. After the ordeal, the victim, Myron Christopher was forced to seek treatment at the Georgetown Public Hospital after sustaining injuries to his head. According to information received, Christopher had just arrived home and pushed his door in a little—he was going to put his bag down then return to lock the door but instead, he stayed in his room a bit longer. In an interview, the victim said that he was

sitting on his bed when a man holding a gun forced his way into the room and demanded that he stand. “Another one came in behind the first one and I could have seen two other persons who were wearing masks standing outside the room,” Christopher recalled. He said that two of the five men were armed. According to the victim, he was beaten in the head after which the men tied him and demanded that he lie under the bed. He said that the men first took his phone and then took a basket with his clothes. Kaieteur News was told that while Christopher was under the bed, the men escaped with money and jewellery along with household appliances. The victim’s landlord, Shawn Austin, said that while he was asleep, his family was watching television but heard no sound downstairs. He said that they only learnt of the robbery when Christopher ran up their steps and started shouting for thief. . According to Austin, Sunday night’s robbery was the latest in a series of incidents that has been occurring in the community. “On Sunday night, continuous efforts to get a patrol from East La Penitence station which is a mere five minutes away, took one and a half hours before ranks turned up. Calls were made to the station first at approximately 10:34pm when the incident occurred then again at 10:55pm,” he said. After the police did not show up, Austin was forced to call the Commander of ‘A’ Division, Clifton Hicken, who is on leave. Ranks turned up less than 10 minutes after a call was placed to the commander.

Wanted teen nabbed at grandparents’ home Biting of policemen…

The 19-year-old who escaped from the police on Sunday after his grandmother bit the ranks has been captured at the grandparents’ Blairmont, West Bank Berbice

Tuesday August 30, 2016

Kaieteur News

home. According to information the teenager, who is a labourer, was wanted for a number of misdemeanors, and at around 10.00 hrs on Sunday, a police constable and a member of a community policing group spotted him standing outside his grandparents’ home. When the ranks tried to arrest him, his grandparents, both aged 64, pulled their grandson away from the ar-

resting officers. It was then that the grandmother bit the officers. The teen also held onto the constable’s service revolver, causing six rounds to be discharged. The suspect then fled. Both policemen were treated at the Fort Wellington Hospital and discharged. The grandparents were taken into custody and are likely to appear in court today.

Carpenter charged over accident that killed spouse

CHARGED: Steve Fiedtkou

KILLED: Shauna Rice

- couple was at the time searching for missing child

Four months after he crashed a motorcycle killing his reputed wife, while they were searching for their missing seven-year-old son, Steve Fiedtkou was yesterday released on $180,000 bail after pleading not guilty to a charge of causing death by dangerous driving. It was reported that Shauna Rice was the pillion rider of the unlicenced Honda motorcycle when a car collided with it at Mandela Avenue and Avocado Street, Georgetown. It was reported that Fiedtkou and Rice were thrown some distance after the collision. Rice sustained severe head injuries which caused her demise. The impact resulted in Fiedtkou sustaining two broken legs and head trauma. The couple was reported to have been looking for their missing son at the time of the accident. According to reports, the motorcyclists were not wearing helmets when the accident occurred and the bike was not equipped with lights. Fiedtkou, 31, a carpenter/mason, who was represented by Attorney Eusi Anderson, denied the charge which alleged that on April 9, at Mandela Avenue, Georgetown, he rode the motorcycle in a manner dangerous to the public, thereby causing the death of Rice, 29, formerly of 651East Ruimveldt Georgetown.

The defendant was also charged with driving an unlicensed motorcycle. He pleaded guilty to this charge and was ordered to pay a fine by Magistrate Renita Singh. When Fiedtkou appeared in court, he was unable to walk without the assistance of crutches. His lawyer, during a bail application, asked Magistrate Leron Daly to admit his client to reasonable bail. Anderson told the court that his client is the sole breadwinner of his family and now bears the responsibility of taking care of his two minor children- ages seven and six months. He stated that there is no excuse for being an unlicenced driver. What happened, the lawyer said, is that his client and wife were acting out of desperation and love for their missing child. Police Prosecutor Shevon Jupiter did not oppose bail for the defendant. However, Jupiter asked that the man lodge his passport with the court, pending the outcome of the matter. Bail was initially set at $200,000 by the Magistrate, but Fiedtkou’s attorney begged for a reduction, claiming that his client only had $180,000. The matter will be called again on September 13, before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan.

Linden highway farmer body parts scattered in suspected hit-and-run Forty-one-year-old Phillip Viveiros was killed on the Linden Soesdyke Highway in the vicinity of Adventure yesterday morning sometime between 02:00 and 05:00 hrs. According to Commander ‘E’ Division Snr. Superintendent, Calvin Brutus, it was

reported that Viveiros had been imbibing alcohol earlier in the night at a nearby shop before leaving around 02:00 hrs to report for duty on a farm in the area. It is alleged that he was hit by more than one vehicle (because of the extent of his

injuries) and his body parts were left lying around. Ida Viveiros, a sister of the victim, said she last saw her brother, who is a farmer, when he left for the farm. She said that he had recently returned from the interior and was working on the farm. According to a police report, which was confirmed by the victim’s sister, the man was killed when he was hit by a car, just a few feet from where another brother was killed on August 15, 2015.

Tuesday August 30, 2016

Kaieteur News

An uneventful Congress

The significance of the just concluded conference of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) is that the status quo ante remains intact. The top leadership of the party has been returned. The position of leader and Chairman and Treasurer were not contested. The incumbent Vice Presidents of the party were easily reelected. The delegates to the Congress closed ranks last weekend behind embattled Minister of Public Health, George Norton. There was never any question about his being removed from his job at the Ministry. If anyone was hoping that the President would have been pressured at Congress to take action against the Minister, they had better have second thoughts. George Norton, because of his long

membership within the PNCR, is an untouchable. He did not need to ask for a chance. He was always going to have that chance, because both the PNCR and PPPC are not keen to go after their members for fear of being seen as bending to pressure from each other. The PNCR will therefore not sanction any of its Ministers so long as the PPP calls for this. Similarly, the PPPC will not do likewise, as long as the PNCR is in the forefront of protests to remove Ministers. The only Ministers who were forced to resign from the PPPC did so because of the closeness of controversies involving them to elections. If those incidents had both occurred six months earlier, those Ministers would not have been dismissed. The PPPC would have refused to

take action. Guyana is paralyzed by this tit-for-tat between these two political powerhouses. The PNCR does not wish to be seen as submitting to the PPPC and vice versa. Right now all talks about power-sharing are on hold, because neither side is in the mood for political cooperation. The PPPC finds it expedient not to engage with APNU+AFC. The governing coalition is not bothered by the fact that there is no political dialogue taking place between the two sides. The Congress has merely confirmed that change cannot be had within the PNCR from within the highest decisionmaking forum of that party. The manner in which delegates are chosen and the control exercised by the old guard over the party groups

Dem boys seh...

People cuss de wrang Nutten Is not one dog name Pompey, but when one Pompey get a bad name is all of dem other Pompey does get de same bad name. Hap New hold its Congress over de weekend and dem had elections. De last time dem had elections was a big challenge fuh de leadership of de party. De man who does wear kickers and couple others challenge Soulja Bai fuh de leadership of de party. De others drop out, but Mr Kickers fight like de devil. When de results announce Soulja Bai win. That was a congress like a general election. Soulja Bai colour was green and Mr Kickers colour was blue. Both sides had supporters wearing dem leaders colour. People still talking bout dem elections. Winston Murray was de one who was mekking a run fuh de leadership, and that is how Mr Kickers get in. When Winston dead Soulja Bai step in. Anyhow, just like wha de PPP ask when it lose de big one, Mr Kickers ask fuh a recount. He get de recount and he still lose. Dem boys did expect him to challenge this time, but he didn’t even try. But dem had two Nutten. One of dem in trouble wid de bond. In fact de elections was

about bond. Dem had James Bond and dem had Bond Nutten. De odda Nutten challenge fuh de Vice Presidency and win. Right away people start fuh talk like if is Bond Nutten was de one who get elected Vice President. People start fuh cuss Hap New. Dem want to know if dem was promoting Bond Nutten. And to mek matters worse, de man who seh he got de bond tun up and sit down in de Congress. Somebody invite him and dem boys would like to know. One man seh is Bond Nutten because he did expect de Congress to discuss de issue and Larry woulda step up and defend him. In de end was de wrang nutten and all de cussing was fuh nutten. Talk half and remember is more than one dog name Pompey

makes such change impossible.When change did seem possible over the past four years, there were controversies over the outcome of the elections. There were complaints about persons being disenfranchised. Complaints were also raised about the witnessing of the counting of the ballots. Those issues did not surface this time around, because the party is now part of the governing coalition and there were no really serious challenges to the leadership. In this regard, the lack of competition for the top leadership is a setback for internal democracy within the PNCR, but that has never been one of the party’s strong points. The Congress did not come up with some important

decisions about the pace at which things are moving in the government, but it is doubtful, given the way bureaucracies work, that any shake-up of the bureaucracy will make a difference. The damage to public administration has already been done. The PPP had its faults, but a lot of the guys that it had in senior public service positions got things going quickly. They were not slackers. This is why the PPP despite the problems with absorptive capacity, always had an impressive implementation ratio of the Public Sector Investment Programme. Many of those top officials have either now passed on or have been put out to pasture. The newcomers are getting their feet wet and it

PAGE 9

will take time for the system of public administration to move faster, providing that there is no more demoralization of the public service. Congress offered no solutions to the problems of the economy. It found little fault with the coalition. There is nothing to change. Life must go on as usual. Congress has come and gone. It is almost as if it was uneventful. Things have not changed within the party. It is left to be seen whether things will change in the country.

PAGE 10

Tuesday August 30, 2016

Kaieteur News

=== The Freddie Kissoon column ===

Cabinet solidarity in coalition regimes is pathetic nonsense I was at a fish and chips lime with three AFC officials – Michael Carrington, Leonard Craig and Marlon Williams. Naturally there would be a defence of AFC politics from these gentlemen when it comes to a critique of the AFC’s performance since it got into government. This columnist can argue a strong, plausible case for poor intellectualizing by the AFC and the retention inside

the brain of the AFC of very old political culture, expressions of which are inherent in the collective character of the PPP (see my column of April 15 of this year, “The AFC’s conduct may be bordering on dishonesty.”). David Hinds told me that column drew irascible reactions from the AFC. I was not aware of that, but there isn’t anything in that column that cannot be substantiated. The General-Secretary,

David Patterson replied to me privately. I am not at liberty to discuss his defence, except to say I did reject his explanations. My sources I would say are impeccable; I stand by the word, “impeccable”. Since that column I have seen more Jagdeo-like mentality in the AFC. Of course I am not a member of the AFC. I have personal friends in the AFC, but I would only join a political party that is ontologically working class. The AFC is not the only party that practices Jagdeostyle deportment. The PNC is full of it. The WPA has turned out to be one of the most dishonest and dishonourable political parties Guyana ever produced. Rodney should rise up from his grave and banish whatever is left of the WPA into the bowels of Hades. How interesting that Tacuma Ogunseye has demanded to know how his coleader, Rupert Roopnaraine voted in Cabinet on the salary increase for public servants. But why pick on Roopnaraine only? Where is the WPA itself? In the discussion with

Carrington, Craig and Williams, the question of Cabinet solidarity came up. I immediately upped my decibels and vanquished the notion that there exists the concept of cabinet solidarity in coalition governments. There is no such thing. Cabinet solidarity only thrives in a unitary government which came about as a result of proportional representation. Here the leader of the party is pragmatically the maximum leader. In government that came about through first-past-the post voting, cabinet solidarity is never assured, because Ministers are always under the microscopic lenses of their constituencies. What happens then is that Ministers are forced to go public with the way they voted in cabinet, because if cabinet voted for fracking in his/her district and his constituency is dead set against fracking, then he/she has to go to the constituency and tell them how the vote went. There is no such thing as cabinet solidarity in coalition regimes, because it is a con-

tradiction in terms. How can you say the mango is sweet bad but very bitter? The two cannot be reconciled. Bittersweet taste is not a scientific term but a romantic phrase, and is popular in literature, but has no place in science. Either the milk is good or it has turned. You cannot have turned milk that is good to drink. You cannot have a unitary cabinet if there are several parties that make up the government. The loyalty of each party is to country, party and supporters. I am not going to define what a coalition regime is here (see my definition of coalition government and the nature of such government in my column of July 19, 2016.) What the PNC, AFC and WPA have been doing is to mask their opportunism, by telling Guyanese they cannot speak about this and that, because that is not the way Cabinet operates; Ministers have to show solidarity with the Cabinet. That is not only foolish but dishonest. No coalition member in a government would talk such nonsense.

Frederick Kissoon They cannot say that, because they will get into trouble with their respective leaderships. Tacuma Ogunseye wrote a letter to this newspaper quoting his co-leader in the WPA, Dr. Roopnaraine, as telling the WPA he cannot tell the WPA what transpires in Cabinet because such information can get out. The WPA is virtually dead, and I maintain that. If it is still alive then it has to recall Dr. Roopnaraine. According to basic coalition power configuration, Dr. Roopnaraine has to report to his party on the way he votes, so as to synchronize his voting pattern with WPA’s manifesto, core values and programmatic agenda. That is what each party in a coalition does. Happily, Khemraj Ramjattan has come out of this nonsense and announced that he doesn’t know how the PNC in Cabinet will vote on the marijuana Bill.

Tuesday August 30, 2016

PAGE 11

Kaieteur News

Joining EITI can protect Public Servants’ wage proposals… Meat for the boys, bones our critical industries - Civil Society Rep. It is believed that Guyana becoming a member of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) will help protect its mineral wealth and the soon-to-be-developed oil and gas industry, among other pursuits. This is according to civil society advocate Mike McCormack. According to McCormack, consultations have been held concerning Guyana joining the organisation, and he believes that this kind of involvement would direct any decision in terms of making policies informed by the people and implemented by the people who are affected. McCormack, who is also head of the Guyana Human Rights Association, explained that being a part of EITI will ensure transparent measures are put in place to monitor where the money derived from this (oil and gas) sector is going, and guarantee that royalties are paid. He said that joining EITI will ensure that communities where these resources (in-

cluding mining) are taken from, and the country as a whole, benefit from what is theirs and are not robbed of it. The organisation which was established in June 2003 is currently made up of 51 member countries. These subscribers pledged to establish, uphold and promote the standards of good governance, transparency and accountability in the management of their extractive indus-

One man is in custody as police continue to investigate the robbery of a popular Berbice businessman last Sunday morning by a lone gun-toting bandit dressed in shirt and tie. According to reports, the sum lost is $18.5M and not $2M as was earlier reported. According to reports, Ramlingan Mangali, a wholesaler and dry goods exporter/ importer, and co-owner of Permaul’s Snackette of Albion Front, Corentyne, Berbice, was about to make a deposit at the Republic Bank Rose Hall branch when he was robbed. The incident occurred sometime between 10:20 and 10:30 hrs . Mangali and his wife were on their way to church and had stopped by the bank to make the deposit. His wife was still in the vehicle and he had just got out when he was approached by the gunman who demanded that he hand over the bag containing the cash. Mangali gave the robber the bag and the perpetrator made good his escape. According to eyewitnesses, the robber ran through an alleyway before he was picked up by an accomplice on a motorcycle.

The businessman gave chase, but was unsuccessful in his bid to catch the thief. Meanwhile, this is not the first time that Mangali has been robbed at that location. In 2014, he was robbed of $10M as he was also preparing to make a deposit. However, the bandits on that occasion had discharged a number of rounds in the air. The man and his brother had given chase in their vehicle, but had to abort the pursuit after the bandits had opened fire at them. The police had recovered a motorbike and two men were subsequently arrested and charged for that robbery. In the meantime, investigators are looking at a number of theories in the latest incident, including the possibility of some sort of collusion. They want to know how the bandit could be so precise, in knowing that the businessman would have been depositing that large quantity of cash at that precise time. And the police are once again calling on business persons to be more security conscious whenever they are about to deposit money, especially in large quantities.

Civil society advocate, Mike McCormack

One in custody for $18.5M Berbice robbery

tries. In February last, McCormack, along with Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment, Raphael Trotman and Joy Persaud, had attended the Seventh World Summit of EITI in Lima, Peru. The Government of Guyana aims to submit its application for membership to the organisation in November of this year. The administration is currently working to establish a Multi-Stakeholder Group (MSG), which is the final step to securing membership. Ana Maria Rodriguez, a consultant from the World Bank is assisting the nation in this regard. It is believed that joining the EITI will build trust between stakeholders. Companies who operate within the extractive industries are expected to publicly declare what they would have earned. The government in validating this information is to publish what it would have received from these companies. McCormack says the information disclosed should be the same or able to be reconciled between the parties. He added that membership in the international organisation should also attract investors, since foreign companies will see that institutions are working in an environment of honesty and good faith.

for the workers - says PPP on Govt.’s final offer “The whole sordid affair of salary increases under the Granger administration is clearly another manifestation of meat for the boys, bones for the workers.” This is the view of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) on the proposed one to 10 percent salary increases by the coalition government. Speaking at the party’s weekly press conference, General Secretary Clement Rohee cited the announcement by the APNU+AFC coalition administration of a one to 10 percent increase in wages and salaries for public servants. He said that the PPP has also taken note of the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU)’s holding position on the “final offer” by the government. Rohee further went on to say that “surprisingly, the announcement, in keeping with convention, was not done jointly between the government and the Union.” He posited that on the contrary, “while there appears to have been an agreement to jointly announce the decision, because the Union did not support the increases, government went ahead uni-

laterally to announce its ‘final offer’ while the Union claimed that it will meet at a later date to consider government’s ‘final offer’.” Rohee further accused the GPSU of not standing up for its members, saying; “Knowing the track record of the Guyana Public Service Union, it will most likely go along with the government’s “final offer” on the basis of some lame excuse. This will be tantamount to another betrayal of the workers’ interests.” Rohee added that the GPSU “must come clean” in the interest of transparency and accountability, and explain to its members the “true state of affairs with respect to the outcome of the negotiations, and how the ‘final offer’ was arrived at.” He called on the current administration to explain to Guyanese the total cost of the one to 10 percent increase in relation to the public declaration by Prime Minister Nagamootoo at the 2016 May Day Rally. Nagamootoo had declared that government had set aside $43.8 billion and $6.63 billion in benefits and allowances in the 2016 budget for increases in wages and sala-

PPP General Secretary, Clement Rohee ries for public servants. He further pointed to APNU+AFC’s 2015 election manifesto which had said a twenty (20) percent would be given to public servants. Rohee asked if government’s “final offer” is reflective of the manifesto’s promise. “This is another blow to government workers and it comes as a stark reminder of the humongous increase in salaries by 50 per cent to Cabinet Ministers” Rohee said.

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Tuesday August 30, 2016

Kaieteur News

Berbice businessman murder PI…

Magistrate permits witnesses to sign depositions immediately after recording evidence Witnesses testifying at the Preliminary Inquiry, (PI) into the murder of Berbice businessman Shameer Ali Mursalin were yesterday permitted to sign their depositions immediately after testifying before Magistrate Rabindranauth Singh. The matter is ongoing at the Springlands Magistrate’s Court, Corentyne Berbice. Mursalin, called ‘Kazac,’ a trader, of Grant 1805 Weld Tank Dam, Crabwood Creek, Corentyne, Berbice, was fatally shot to the head on October 24, 2015. Businessman Dennis Veerasammy and two of his employees, Basheer Harrinauth and Delroy Fraser, are before the court for the murder. The matter caught the attention of Kaieteur News after relatives of the murdered businessman reported that the Magistrate’s had adjourned the case without rereading the evidence and allowing the main witness of the trial to review and sign his deposition. The relatives expressed fear that there is a deliberate ploy to sabotage

the case. When contacted by this newspaper several top ranking officials of the Judiciary, had expressed the view that the Magistrate erred. One official noted 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,” the official said. At the last hearing, the Magistrate responded to the reports questioning his conduct. He argued that 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 asserted. The visibly upset Magis-

MURDERED: Shameer Ali Mursalin trate then ejected members of the public, including a Kaieteur News reporter, from his courtroom. That hearing was held in camera (privately). The continuation of the PI was nevertheless, held in open court yesterday. During the proceedings, the Magistrate recorded the evidence of two witnesses. He then re-read the information

to the witnesses before allowing them to sign the depositions, immediately following their testimonies. The witnesses included Jagdeo Ramdass and Hallimoon Lallman, a relative of the deceased. Another witness, Bishram Deodat, was also called to the stand to be cross examined. He was however ordered to return to court at a later date since Attorneyat-Law Chandra Sohan, was not present. Magistrate Singh noted that Counsel for number one accused (Veersammy) has indicated he is “not sure,” if he will be providing further representation for the accused in the matter. The witness murmured at the news. He noted that he had been coming to the court on numerous occasions. “Who gun pay me fuh come here all this time,” he grumbled. Sohan, who is also a former Magistrate, had indicated that he was not pleased with the negative publicity that the trial is generating. He emphatically stated that he

Magistrate Rabindranauth Singh entering the courthouse at Springlands, Berbice

never had any knowledge of any wrongdoing in the trial. As such, the lawyer stated that he was withdrawing from the trial and would like to dis-

sociate his name from the matter. Kaieteur News understands that another lawyer who entered an appearance (Continued on page 23)

Tuesday August 30, 2016

Defiant Rousseff says Brazil’s democracy on trial with her BRASILIA (Reuters) - A defiant President Dilma Rousseff warned on Monday that her conservative opponents were trampling on Brazil’s democracy by using trumped-up charges to oust her and roll back the social advances of 13 years of leftist rule. Presenting her defense at an impeachment trial in the Senate, Brazil’s first female president said the economic elite had sought to destabilize her government since she narrowly won re-election to a second four-year term in 2014. Rousseff is expected to become the first Brazilian leader in more than 20 years to be dismissed from office on Wednesday when the Senate will rule on charges that she broke budgetary laws by using state banks’ money to boost public spending. In an emotional speech from the Senate podium, Rousseff denied any wrongdoing and compared the trial to her persecution during Brazil’s 1964-1985 military dictatorship, when she was a member of a leftist guerrilla group. She said the impeachment process, which has paralyzed Brazilian politics since December and cast a shadow over last month’s Rio Olympics, was little more than a plot to protect the interests of the privileged classes in Latin America’s largest economy. “I did not commit the crimes that I am arbitrarily and unjustly accused of,” Rousseff said, in what may be her last public appearance as president. “We are one step away from a real coup d’etat.” If the Senate convicts Rousseff, as expected, her Vice President Michel Temer will be sworn in to serve the rest of her term through 2018. Temer, who has been interim president since Congress opened impeachment proceedings in mid-May, has vowed to impose austerity

Defiant: President Dilma Rousseff measures to plug a growing fiscal deficit that cost Brazil its investment-grade credit rating last year. Rousseff warned that a future Temer government would dismantle her Workers Party’s social programs that helped lift 30 million people out of poverty in the past decade and sell off state assets, including Brazil’s massive offshore oil reserves. In a statement, Temer’s office denounced the comments as “false accusations.” Rousseff, a trained economist and daughter of a Bulgarian immigrant, was handpicked by ex-President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva to succeed him when he stepped aside in 2012, despite her lack of political experience and charisma. Rousseff, 68, faces no allegations of personal enrichment. But she has been charged on the sidelines of the impeachment process with obstructing an investigation into political kickbacks at state-run oil company Petrobras. She chaired the board of Petrobras from 2003 to 2010, when the worst of the corruption was taking place. After riding the commodities boom in her first term, Rousseff’s her popularity has dwindled to single figures this year, partly because of the massive Petrobras scandal and partly due to a deep recession that many Brazil-

ians blame on her government’s failed interventionist policies. Unbowed, Rousseff told senators that history would judge them by their votes and recalled her trial under the military dictatorship in 1970, when officers hid their faces to not be recognized in photographs. With the odds stacked against her, Rousseff’s testimony appeared more aimed at making a point for the history books, rather than a bid to sway a handful of wavering senators. The impeachment process was launched by the former lower house speaker, Eduardo Cunha, who is facing charges of corruption, including taking bribes in the Petrobras kickback scandal and having millions of dollars hidden away in Swiss bank accounts. A full one-third of the members of the Senate are under investigation for corruption, graft, fraud or electoral crimes, according to Congresso em Foco, a prominent watchdog in Brasilia. Rousseff is accused of using money owed to state banks to bolster spending during an election year in 2014, a budgetary sleight of hand employed by many elected officials in Brazil. She says the money had no impact on overall deficit levels and was paid back in full the following year.

Insurers call on G20 to phase out fossil fuel subsidies by 2020 OSLO (Reuters) - Insurers with $1.2 trillion under management called on Tuesday for the Group of 20 to set a timetable to phase out subsidies for fossil fuels by 2020 when they meet at a summit in China this weekend. Aviva, Aegon NV and MS Amlin said fossil fuel subsidies were at odds with commitments by G20 nations

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Kaieteur News

to combat global warming agreed by almost 200 countries last year at a Paris summit. “Climate change in particular represents the mother of all risks,” Aviva CEO Mark Wilson said in a statement. The companies called on the G20 leaders, who meet in the Chinese city of Hangzhou on Sept. 4-5, to set “a clear

timeline for the full and equitable phase-out by all G20 members of all fossil fuel subsidies by 2020”. A phase-out should start with the elimination of all subsidies for fossil fuel exploration and coal production, they said. Their statement was also signed by the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries and UK-based energy firm Open Energi.

AFC is a powerful voice in the Coalition Govt - Ramjattan The Alliance For Change (AFC), a critical part of the Coalition Government, is insisting that it remains a powerful voice in the administration of this country. Grilled recently about perception and claims in some quarters that his party has become overwhelmed by A Partnership For National Unity (APNU), which forms a major part of the coalition, AFC’s leader, Vice President Khemraj Ramjattan, was quick to dismiss this and to make it clear that any such thinking could only be a figment of the imagination of the Opposition. “Total trash…everyday you read the newspaper, AFC members are in them. They are doing a great job. Not that the APNU ministers are not performing…all of them are performing.” Ramjattan’s party has eight ministers in the Coalition which came to power last year May after the short-lived term of the Donald Ramotar-led administration of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/ C), a party that had been in power for over two decades. AFC was formed two elections ago by senior officials of the PPP/C and the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR). “AFC ministers have been holding their own. Minister (David) Patterson (Ministry of Public Infrastructure) has been doing a fine job. There are so many changes being made by the Business Ministry (headed by Minister Dominic Gaskin). So this concept we are swamped by the APNU, is nonsense,” Ramjattan stressed. AFC’s voice in the coalition is not limited at the ministerial level. It is felt also

AFC’s leader and Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan in the National Assembly, where the Leader of the House, is Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo. “We have a huge voice in the Cabinet…in the National Assembly. We are doing our jobs and people are seeing us for what we are…worthy ministers and Cabinet members.” Ramjattan was also quick to point out that AFC parliamentarians have been doing their job, including one major amendment recently to the anti-narcotics law. “We have parliamentarians who have brought amendments to the Narcotics Act…this propaganda is being spouted by the PPP to bring division to the two partners…that is what it is all about.” The AFC leader, a lawyer by profession, believes that one of the biggest strengths of the coalition is the fact that President Granger appreciates what the AFC members are doing.

“He is an extremely balanced statesman.” The Public Security Minister also pointed out that because of the coalition, APNU and AFC members have been given a ministerial voice, with all Guyana now benefiting. “Imagine if we did not do what we did, would we have gone and done all forensic audits to see how the PPP was thieving? Would we have gone on to start budgeting in December? We are dealing with oil now that will bring wealth to us in a couple years.” Ramjattan admitted that the Coalition Government is not without its problems. “This is normal in democracies. That maybe is the greatness of it too. We are going to have mistakes made and opinions too. The press is going to be there, the columnists are going to be there. The Opposition will create difficulties…but that is the journey of democracies.” Ramjattan made it clear that the administration is doing a good job. “We are doing a wonderful job, in my opinion, knowing all the constraints, in a culture where there are so much ethnic differences and lack of social cohesion that we are trying to build. We are doing very well.” “Lots of things we are still learning. I personally had to go to my PS (Permanent Secretary) at times about a particularly procedure in government. But we are getting there, because we are all bright people.” Ramjattan appealed to citizens for “the recognition of our honesty and the fact that we are quickly trying to remedy the situations that arise”.

Old submarine cable, poor distribution system blamed for frequent blackouts Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson told the Government Information Agency yesterday that frequent outages in Region Three, are being caused by the old submarine cable at the Vreed-en-Hoop station. A new one that had been laid was damaged several weeks ago by dredging activities and attempts are currently underway to repair it. Residents have been complaining bitterly about the outages in frequent times, with the Guyana Power and Light Inc. remaining largely silent. The new plant has 16 extra megawatts of power but the temporary, old submarine cable line has not been dependent.

Minister David Patterson According to Patterson, whenever there is an outage, entire areas are blocked. The reconnection has to be done in sections, proving a prob-

lem for GPL technicians. “As we find them (problems) we reconnect, but unfortunately it disconnects before you can identify where to fix, because it’s a very old system,” the Minister said. Patterson explained that he recently met with the GPL board to explore the possibilities of improving response time to at least 15 minutes. He said that an effort to repair the damaged new cable is underway with quotations out and work expected to commence shortly. In Demerara, it’s not a question of generators, since all the generators are working, but it is a question of the distribution system, Minister (Continued on page 24)

PAGE 22

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 Passport, permanent & visitor visa application, Professional Immigrant Consultant – Sabita Immigration Services. Call: 225-6496; 662-6045 Jadesco Offers: Architectural designs, 3D modeling, building estimation/ quotation, rehabilitation works & general construction. Call: 612-0468, 629-3605, email: jadesco15@gmail.com 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 Guytec Repairs Services & Spares to washing machines, pressure washer, dryer, stoves, refrigerator, treadmill, vacuum, etc –Call: 680-2377/684-2119 A.Bhopaul &Sons Trucking Services: sand, stoves & cement transportation etc. Call: 228-5080; 603-1838 RAMDASS VISA APPLICATION & immigration services, room A-4, Maraj Building, Georgetown. Call Samantha: 227-0295; 615-9295

Tuesday August 30, 2016

Kaieteur News

SALON

FOR RENT

- Make-up Courses with Mac, Bare Minerals, etc. - Cosmetology Courses: $120,000 - Technician Course: $45,000. Call: 647-1773/660-5257

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

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

LAND FOR SALE La Parfaite Harmonie-$2.3M, La Parfaite Harmonie -$2M (Corner Lot), Zeelugt -$2.3M, Herstelling 4th Bridge -$4M. Call: 642-1252 Tuschen Front (Phase 1) $3.5M, Tuschen (Phase 2) $2M with foundation, Uitvlugt Main Road -$2.3M. Call: 642-1252 85.6 Acres titled farm land with timber/water access, located @ Loo Creek E.B.D River. Call: 625-8589; (518) 859-5313 Land at Friendship, E.B.D $2.5M per lot. Call: 692-8513/ 617-0465

Property @ 172 Zohora Street and Market Street Better Hope E.C.D. Call: 220-1583/ 1718-847-4196 (NY). Serious buyers only. One two stories concrete building- 45ftX30ft; land 5,606 sq ft, 2nd Bridge Grove New Scheme, E.B.D- Call: 6393450 House and land for sale in Sharpe Street Leonora, price negotiable. Call: 686-3512 One new two storey house (50ftby25ft) in Phase 1, Good Hope. Call: 220-3185

LEARN TO DRIVE C. Persaud & N. Outar Driving School formerly Soman & Sons Driving School @ Maraj BuildingCall: 644-5166; 622-2872; 6150964; 689-5997 (affordable packages).

VISA processing centre for all US/Canadian Visa CAR RENTAL processing @ Cybertron Parika. Call: 260-4850 DOLLY’S CAR RENTALFOR SALE/RENT CALL: 225-7126/226-3693 American Pool Table. Call: DOLLYSAUTORENTAL@ YA H O O . C O M / W W W. 277-0578 DOLLYSAUTORENTAL.COM TAXI SERVICE GR TAXI SERVICE. CALL: AIDAN’S CAR RENTAL: 219-5000; 227-1982 & 225- 4WD PICKUP. CALL: 6987807 7878 (24HRS)

3 Bedrooms house; top and bottom property at Canal No.2 Polder -$35,000 monthly. Call: 613-1860 House located @ 696 Section C, Grove Housing Scheme. Please call 611-1963 for further inquiries 3 Bedrooms top flat for rent at Cross Street, Alexander Village . Call: 688-1647 Vreed-en-Hoop Junction: office, church, storage bond lessons, internet, stationery & photocopy shop, other place -$20,000 per month. Call: 603-6400 2 Apartments @ 62 Victoria Avenue Eccles. Call: 6672536; 628-0016 One bottom flat at 353 Herstelling, Third Street, E.B.D Call: 265-3538

EDUCATIONAL IAE: Register for full time school (Grades 7-11) CSEC lessons; adults and school leavers CXC classes. Call Mr. Roberts: 683-5742 Register your child for our after school program for slow learners in Maths, Reading, Spelling Etc. Call: 675-4379

House for rent in Golden Grove, EBD. Call: 692-8513/ 617-0465 Newly built 2 bedroom apartments in Industry E.C.D. Call: 614-3278/ 6237500 HEALTH Improve your health with Herbal Supplements. Contact Hazel’s Herbal Store. Call: 226-9136

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-en-Hoop, Call: 264-3057

VACANCY

We are interested in buying lands in Farm New Scheme E.B.D, corner lots preferably. Call: 266-0693

Cashier for supermarket 624-0033; Driver for water truck - 680-3863; Pump attendant /Security in store; 680-3863; Porters- Call: 6803863

Accounts Clerk, send application to info@cevons. com Male Sales assistant/porter @ Sparkle, Meten-Meer Zorg. Apply: Key Food Trading, Mc Doom Villlage Place to rent or buy in Lethem. Call: 609-9223; 6269044 or email:w876@aol.com One live in maid. Call: 6749114/ 672-3886 One office clerk. Call: 2332725/ 233-2439 Live in waitress 18-25yrs, salary $70,000, boarding & lodging free. Call: 610-5043 Mature experience couple to live in and work at Resort at Parika. Call 231-0363 between Monday-Friday 8:30-11:30 & 1:30-4:30pm

WANTED Experienced Welder Fabricator. Must be Creative. Attractive Salary. Call Gansham’s General Construction: 641-1291.

Porters, apply in person at Alabama Trading, Georgetown Ferry Stelling Stabroek.

Male & Female workers, machine operators with TI certificate & experienced Accountant, bond clerk. Call: 330-2399; 623-5920 1 Mechanic/Welder for interior, must have knowledge of Doosan excavator & engine at least 5yrs experienced. Call: 6859028 (8-3pm) Cook/baker for the Interior location, applicants must be experienced. Call: 618-2020 We l d e r / F a b r i c a t o r f o r interior location. Applicants must be experienced with verifiable references. Call: 618-2020 Receptionist between 25-35 years apply within 233 South Road Lacytown. Call: 2250198

Female shop worker for interior. Call 231-0363 between Mon-Fri 8:30-11:30 & 1:30-4:30pm

5 Waitress $16,000 weekly, 1 female bartender -$20,000 weekly to work at sports bar E.B.D –Call: 661-5099/ whatsapp: 661-8802

Office Clerk (senior/junior) with CXC English/ Mathematics, computer knowledge an asset. Call: 223-7500 Hire car drivers – Call: 2235615 Experienced dispatcher and taxi driver at Ramada Princess Hotel. Call: 616-5419; 265-7075; 265-7076

FULL TIME WAITER/ WAITRESS AT AAGMAN INDIAN RESTAURANT, SHERIFF STREET, EXPERIENCEDPREFERRED. CALL: 219-0158 1 Qualified pharmacist to work at True Value Pharmacy. Call: 618-4027 between 8am4pm, attractive salary offer. Male and female workers to work in Bakery on W.C.D preferably from WCD. Call: 254-1399/ 627-2515

1 Able Bodied Clerk. Call: 616-5954

Hauler tractor driver. Apply in person at Alabama Trading, Georgetown Ferry Stelling, Stabroek.

1 Canter driver & 1 salesman from WBD area ( La Parfaite Harmonie), must be able bodied & have sound secondary education. Call: 618-4257 One painter. Call: 609-3650

1 General domestic must able to prepare vegetarian meal. Apply in person @ Alabama Trading, G/Town Ferry Stelling.

Labourers & experienced garbage truck drivers. Kindly contact: 670-7920

VACANCY

Assistant Accountant with own transportation & QuickBooks, PAYE, NIS & VAT knowledge -$150,000. Call: 673-5475/kevin@ expresstruckingcorp.com

1 live-in domestic to work in Kitty area & handyman for G/T & Interior location. Call 231-0363 between Mon-Fri 8:3011:30 & 1:30-4:30pm

One electrician to work in Mahdia. Call: 644-6366 or 687-0067

CAR RENTAL 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

WANTED

1 Live in general domestic 20-40yrs boarding & lodging free -$80,000 monthly. Call: 610- 3974 Welder to work in workshop on the West Coast on a percentage basis. Call: 6841247

Captains with valid certificate of competence as Master of a Power Driven Vessel. Call: 226-1100; 2265380 Groundsman & Security guard: bring resume & updated CV @ Georgetown Cricket Club, Shiv Chanderpaul Drive, Bourda, Georgetown. (Continued page 23)

Tuesday August 30, 2016

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Kaieteur News

Education COI Chairman urges public participation in process As the Commission of Inquiry (COI) into the state of the education system continues, Chairman Ed Caesar is inviting the public to participate more in the process. “You still have many, many opportunities to ensure that your voice is heard. We are going into every community,” said Caesar during a presentation at the recently held National Toshaos Council (NTC) meeting. Caesar explained that the COI commissioners have already been in contact with the Regional Executive Officers (REOs) of the 10 administrative regions. “We have presented them with a programme of visits to the regions, and we have asked that they communicate with the communities to ensure that the people’s voices are heard,” Caesar said. As the COI goes into the regions and communities, the Chairman urged, “Please ensure that your voices are heard. Let us hear from you. We cannot make decisions by guess. We need you to say

Education COI Chairman, Ed Caesar that this is happening in my region, my community. These are the peculiarities; help us to resolve them, help to solve them.” But even as the COI chairman advised that the residents come out in their numbers and raise all their concerns, he recommended that they not only seek to highlight the negatives. “Do not think only of bad

things. There must be good things happening in your areas too, that must be brought to the attention of the Ministry of Education and the COI, so that we would know what the good things that should be enhanced are. Good things must continue to happen, and continue to happen in a better way,” Caesar said. The COI Chairman said the commission has thus far

held 13 consultations, during which, representation was made from indigenous peoples. “Last week from Region Nine we had two representatives who came to speak in Wapishana, and who impressed upon us the need to have certain languages native to the indigenous people in the schools,” Caesar reflected. The COI into the state of the education system is in keeping with the government’s belief that education in Guyana will require comprehensive and far-reaching reform if the system is going to prove capable of addressing the country’s developmental needs. The COI is expected to establish a baseline analysis of the sector, as well as recommend broad strategic guidelines for its enhancement, including addressing issues of the low and declining examination scores, and the challenges of human resource development with regards to enrollment and curriculum delivery.

Magistrate permits witnesses to sign... From page 12 on behalf of the other two accused has also indicated intent to withdraw from the case by the end of yesterday’s proceedings. Meanwhile, an arrest warrant has been issued for the main witness in the case. The witness was absent for two hearings since he last ap-

peared in court and was not allowed to sign his disposition. Magistrate Singh yesterday reiterated his position to have the witness arrested and brought to court. This was indicated to Police Prosecutor Bernard Brown and an investigating police rank. This matter has already seen its fair share of contro-

versy and twists. In addition to complaints about the aforementioned unsigned deposition and questionable adjournments, the General Manager of a city hotel was remanded to prison for allegedly offering $400,000 as a bribe to a detective attached to the Major Crime Investigation Unit, Eve Leary,

Georgetown, for him to suppress evidence in the case. Veersammy Narine, 52, of Robb and Alexander Streets, Bourda, Georgetown, has since been remanded on the bribery charge. Narine is a relative of Veersammy, one of the three accused. The PI into the murder is scheduled to continue on Thursday.

From page 22

FOR SALE One complete trout boat for sale, less than a year old. Call: 654-2817 1-210 Hyundai excavator, good condition, any reasonable offer accepted. Call: 6100515; 216-1390; 612-8009 N-27 Perkins engine & dredge. Call: 622-9147 Cargo Trawler. Call: 682-8724; 616-5954 1 Crashed yellow HB9601 Toyota 212 .Call: 223-5615 1-Hyster Forklift With 1000 Series, Perkins Engine$1.2M, 1-CAT DP-40 3-Ton Forklift-$2.9M. Contact#6500402 One heavy duty Kenmore clothes dryer. Call: 265-3538 LAND IN 11 STREET DIAMOND. CALL: 225-3234 LARGE QUANTITIES OF HIGH PURITY MERCURY (QUICK SILVER) 99.99995% PURITY-$19,000PER POUND CALL: 592-227-4754. Purple Heart: 30X80 -$25,000, 32X80 -$28,000, 34X80 $28,000, 36X80 -$28,000, Free Delivery- Call: 688-9712; 6510717; 671-2490 1 Perkins V8 Turbo Charge 170KVa Generator in working condition, Call 223-7380

VEHICLE FOR SALE 3 TON CANTER ENCLOSE AND OPEN BACK WITH 4D ENGINE, PRICE -$3.6M, NEVER REGISTERED – CALL: 617-2891 2009 BELTA -$2.3M, 2011 BLUEBIRD -$2.7M, 2009 IST -$2.7, 2012 RACTIS $2.6M, 2009 ARUIS $2.5M. CALL: 617-2891 Fielder 2006, Bluebird 2006, Army general 6X6 truck, extendable 40 FT Trailer. Call: 616-5595; 665-3676 One 2008 Toyota IST-Call: 614-9742 SALE @ STAR CARS: PREMIO, RUNX, IST, AXELA, RZ BUS, SPACIO, FIELDER. CALL: 679-3140 1-2006 Nissan Dump Canter, 1-Potable trailer. Call: 6626567; 691-4340 Oswin J’s Auto Imports New Arrivals: Premio, Allion, Axio, Fielder, Rush, five comprehensive insurance for 6 months. Call: 609-2815 2011 Prado, very low mileage, diesel, automatic, 3000cc excellent condition. Call: 6245838 AT192, 212, Allion, Premio, Hilux Surf, BRR, RZ & Pitbull, Pajero Junior, Spacio: Cash / terms- Call:680-3154 We buy & sell vehicles for cash, also parts available & 30 seater buses; Extra Cab pickups; 2006 Tacoma- Call: 680-3154

TO LET 2BEDROOMSAPARTMENT IN ECCLES -$60,000, ROOMS INALBERTTOWN, SHORT & LONG TERM. CALL: 225-3234 Three bedrooms concrete bottom flat in South Ruimveldt Gardens-$75,000. Call: 218-1949 Fully furnished; 2X3 bedrooms, luxury apartments to let (long & short term). Call: 655-3505 2 Bedrooms apartment for rent (semi-furnished) @ Dennis Street, Sophia, (water & light inclusive). Call: 6626567; 691-4340 One bedroom apartment at MonRepos E.C.D, no children. Call: 662-9043 One bedroom self contained apartment, unfurnished @ Land of Canaan E.B.D. Call Navo: 692-3617; Bob: 642-0867

Unregistered Fielder 2009, dark interior, rear spoiler, rims, TV, navigation, pearl white. Call: 617-5536 1 Toyota Alteeza, fully loaded, 1 Toyota Tacoma 2006, fully loaded- Call: 6380821; 676-2600 Honda Civic M/Car “SS” series -$1.3M negotiable, very good condition- Call: 696-2815

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Kaieteur News

Fmr. Contractor General wants US probe of US$20M donation to PNP Jamaica (Jamaica Gleaner) - Former Contractor General Greg Christie wants United States authorities to probe the alleged donation of US$20 million by a foreign entity to the People’s National Party (PNP) while it formed the government. The Sunday Gleaner reported the alleged donation yesterday. In a statement to The Gleaner/Power 106 News Centre, Christie said the implications of a party in government getting US$20 million from a foreign entity just before a general election are “very serious and far-reaching”. He said every effort should be made to ascertain if, in fact, the money was received by the PNP and for what reason. On the social media site

Twitter, Christie asked the US Federal Bureau of Investigation and the American Justice Department, among others, to look into the matter. Locally, Christie has questioned whether a criminal investigation will be launched into what he calls these serious allegations. He also called for the Jamaica Constabulary Force and the Major Organised Crime and Anti-Corruption Agency to speak publicly on the matter. The PNP has declined to make public comments on the donation scandal which comes weeks ahead of its annual conference next month. The PNP is now in a court battle over whether to answer questions about a $31 million donation by Dutch company, Trafigura Beheer, in 2006, just ahead of the 2007 general election.

Old submarine cable... (From page 21) Patterson reiterated. “The system trips, and when it trips we have to close the circuit immediately, and that is the primary cause of the blackouts,” the Minister said. He explained that efforts

are being made to implement a programme to upgrade the distribution system, and the contract will be awarded shortly. Priority will be on fixing the old distribution system to make it more effective, Minister Patterson pointed out.

Tuesday August 30, 2016

Venezuela: Country Hardest Hit by Low Crude Oil Prices

Venezuela is experiencing the biggest drop in oil imports in the last five years (800noticias) The plunge in oil prices that began at about this time in 2014 has cut the price of crude in half and put severe strains on countries that depend heavily on oil for revenue generation. In most cases, that revenue is driven by exports because demand from within these countries isn’t enough to soak up all the oil produced. The poster child for the impact of low crude prices is Venezuela, a founding member of OPEC and the country with the largest proved reserves in the world with more than 298 billion barrels of viscous, sulfurous crude that costs nearly $30 a barrel to extract. Venezuelan crude sells at a discount to light, sweet Brent or West Texas Intermediate no matter what the price because the heavy

crude is much more costly to refine. According to a new report from Visual Capitalist at Equities.com, Venezuela’s cost per barrel to extract its oil averaged $23.50 in 2015 compared with $9.90 in Saudi Arabia, holder of the world’s second largest amount of proved reserves. Venezuelan oil exports accounted for 96% of export revenues in 2012, according to a World Bank study, and nearly half the country’s fiscal revenue. The average price for a barrel of Venezuelan crude was $103.42 in 2012, the highest it’s been since 2008. In 2015 the average was $44.65 a barrel, a drop of nearly 50% from $88.42 in 2014. When half the government’s revenue is cut by 50%, and that half repre-

sents virtually all Venezuela’s export revenues, there is almost no chance that anything good will result. Visual Capitalist points out the general effects of the tumbling prices and the relatively high fixed costs: · Countries that have a high cost of production per barrel are going to find it tough to make money in a low oil price environment. · Countries that are major producers or exporters tend to rely on oil revenues as a major economic driver. · Oil producers that are major exporters also have to deal with another factor: the effect that low oil prices may have on their currencies. Countries where production costs are higher even than in Venezuela are Brazil, where the country’s gigantic

offshore fields drove costs to an average of $48.80 a barrel in 2015, and Canada, where oil production costs run to $41.10 a barrel. With Brent crude putting up a benchmark price of nearly $50 a barrel Monday, it’s not hard to see how little margin Brazil’s fields operate on. Canada’s margin is somewhat better, but earlier this year research firm IHS estimated that a new oil sands mine, without upgrading facilities, would require a WTI price of $85 to $95 a barrel to break even. A new steam-assisted gravity drainage (SAGD) project needs about $55 to $65 to break even, and expanding an existing SAGD project requires a WTI price of between $50 and $60 a barrel in order to break even.

Tuesday August 30, 2016

Kaieteur News

Mexico’s top police chief out after execution allegations MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexico’s president dismissed the chief of the federal police force Monday, less than two weeks after the country’s human rights commission released a scathing report alleging federal police “executed arbitrarily” at least 22 suspected drug cartel members during a raid on a ranch. Interior Secretary Miguel Angel Osorio Chong said President Enrique Pena Nieto decided to remove Enrique Galindo to allow for a transparent investigation. “In light of the recent events and on instructions of the president, Police Commissioner Enrique Galindo has been removed from his position,” Osorio Chong said. “That is with the objective of facilitating that the corresponding authorities carry out an agile and transparent investigation in full view of citizens.” Earlier this month, Mexico’s National Human Rights Commission announced that its investigation found that at least 22 people were killed without justification by police during the operation at a ranch in the western state of Michoacan on May 22, 2015. It described them as being “executed arbitrarily.” The report further alleged that police planted guns on some suspects and moved some bodies to bolster the official version that all the deaths occurred dur-

ing a gunbattle. In all, 42 civilians and one federal police officer were killed. Galindo and National Security Commissioner Renato Sales had said they accepted the commission’s recommendations, but denied that police executed anyone. They said the federal officers used necessary force against a heavily armed band of criminals. After the incident, federal police had said they encountered a truck and took gunfire from its passengers before being led in a chase to the ranch in Tanhuato, near the border with Jalisco state. The commission’s report said the government did not produce evidence supporting that account and it said witness statements suggested 41 federal police officers had sneaked onto the ranch as early as 6 a.m. Officers started their assault at least an hour earlier than they maintained in reporting on the incident, the commission said. According to the commission’s report, after the federal police officer was shot, police called for backup. Fifty-four more officers arrived along with a helicopter. “I think his position was unsustainable after

the CNDH report on Tanhuato,” Mexico Citybased security analyst Alejandro Hope said of Galindo. “It was just a matter of time. There were too many controversies surrounding commissioner Galindo.” The federal police have also been criticized for a June clash in the southern state of Oaxaca in which officers opened fire on protesting teachers and their allies in the town of Nochixtlan. Eight civilians died, seven of them from gunshot wounds. Authorities said the police were fired on first, though others dispute that. Federal and state forces had moved to clear a highway roadblock by the protesting teachers who responded by hurling fire bombs and rocks at police. Osorio Chong said Galindo would be replaced by Manelich Castilla Craviotto, who had been in charge of the federal police’s gendarmes force. Hope said Galindo was being replaced with the officer who was perhaps closest to him. Manelich led federal police in San Luis Potosi while Galindo was the head of state police there. “It’s not a sea change, not at all,” Hope said.

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Tuesday August 30, 2016

Tuesday August 30, 2016

Kaieteur News

Portugal’s Guterres still leads race for U.N. chief after third ballot UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - Former Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Guterres still leads the race to become the next United Nations Secretary-General after a third U.N. Security Council secret ballot on Monday, diplomats said. The 15-member council cast a ballot for each of the remaining 10 candidates, and the choices were: encourage, discourage or no opinion. Guterres received 11 encourage, three discourage and one no opinion, diplomats said. The Security Council will hold secret ballots until a consensus is reached on a candidate to replace U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon of South Korea who steps down at the end of 2016 after serving two five-year terms. Guterres, who was prime minister of Portugal from 1995 to 2002 and served as United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees from June 2005 to December 2015, also won the first two rounds of secret ballots by the Security Council. In the second ballot on Aug. 5 he picked up 11 encourage, two discourage and two no opinions, while in the first poll on July 21, Guterres received 12 encourages and three no opinions. “Some favorites are emerging,” British U.N. Ambassador Matthew Rycroft told reporters on his way in to the poll on Monday, adding he would encourage some candidates to consider dropping

Tipped?- Antonio Guterres out. “The whole point of the straw polls is to gradually winnow down the field,” he said. I n M o n d a y ’s p o l l Slovakia’s Foreign Minister Miroslav Lajcak jumped to second spot with nine encourage, five discourage and one no opinion, followed by Irina Bokova of Bulgaria, who is directorgeneral of U.N. cultural organization UNESCO, and former Serbian Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic, who both had seven encourage, five discourage and three no opinion, diplomats said. Argentinian Foreign Minister Susana Malcorra dropped to fifth spot from third, followed by former Macedonian Foreign Minister Srgjan Kerim, and former New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark, who heads the U.N. Development Programme. Former Slovenian President Danilo Turk, Moldova’s former Foreign

Minister Natalia Gherman and former U.N. climate chief Christiana Figueres of Costa Rica filled the last three spots. Former Croatian Foreign Minister Vesna Pusic dropped out of the race prior to the second ballot, while Montenegro Foreign Minister Igor Luksic withdrew last week. Civil society groups and nearly a third of the 193 U.N. member states, led by Colombia, have pushed for the first woman secretarygeneral. But hopes for a woman to lead the United Nations appear to be fading. Diplomats said the council aimed to recommend a candidate to the 193-member General Assembly for election by October. Ultimately, the five permanent veto-wielding council members - the United States, Russia, Britain, China and France - must agree on a candidate.

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Kaieteur News

Tuesday August 30, 2016

Tuesday August 30, 2016

Cricket skippers bat for more matches... (From page 30) timing suits us. So it’s a winwin situation. It’s a good venue to continue cricket.” Carlos Brathwaite, leading the West Indies for the first time after the sacking of Darren Sammy, also looked forward to returning to Florida. “For me as a young leader to lead the players is an exciting experience. We want to remain champions and entertain the West Indies crowd. Most definitely we would love to come back here again,” he said. West Indies struggled to 143 all out in their innings with slow bowler Amit Mishra claiming a career best 3-24. Saturday had witnessed

489 runs scored — the highest aggregate for T20 cricket. But the Florida pitch — and eventually the weather — turned its back on the strokemakers Sunday. Saturday century-maker Evin Lewis, again standing in for the injured Chris Gayle, mustered just seven runs before he was caught at mid-off from the bowling of Mohammed Shami. Fellow opener Johnson Charles looked set for another 50, but was dismissed seven runs short by recalled legbreak bowler Mishra, who enticed a chance to Ajinkya Rahane at long on. The bowlers continued to apply the brakes with Ravichandran Ashwin and Jasprit Bumrah getting rid of

Lendl Simmons (19) and Marlon Samuels (5) respectively, with the total on 76 by the 10th over. Two overs and 22 runs later, the West Indies were six down with Ashwin having Kieron Pollard lbw for 13 and Bumrah clean bowling Andre Fletcher for three. West Indies crawled past the 100-run mark in the 14th over; on Saturday, they were into three figures in the eighth. Dwayne Bravo (three) tried to put his foot on the gas, but his charge down the wicket was undone by a Mishra googly. Andre Russell eked out 15 off 13 balls before he holed out off Bhuvneshwar Kumar with the score on 123.

Tuesday August 30, 2016 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) Don't be afraid to say what's on your mind. You will have excellent ideas for changing or renovating your home. Sort situations out as best you can. Watch your spending habits. TAURUS (Apr. 21- may 21) Take time to do something nice for yourself. Read between the lines when signing contracts. You can make a difference if you offer your help at functions that involve children. GEMINI (May 21–June 20) (May 22-June 21) Daydreaming will be your downfall. Things will be hectic and family members will be erratic. You may want to get involved in financial investments presented to you. CANCER (June 21–July 22) You may need to make a choice. Social events held in your home will be successful and entertaining for those who attend. Things may not be as harmonious as you would like with colleagues or employers today. LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) Do not sign contracts or get involved in any uncertain financial deals. Help children complete projects they're having difficulty with. You may have to explain your actions to your family. VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) You may be somewhat emotional concerning a rather private matter. You can ex-

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pect opposition at work. Don't let your competition be privy to information that could be incriminating. You will have excellent ideas and you should be able to help your partner get ahead. LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) You can make financial gains if you are prepared to take a risk. You are apt to meet someone special on your journey. Uncertainty about your relationship is prevalent. SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) Problems with peers is apparent. This will not be the best day to try to push your ideas or concerns. Dazzle them with your intellectual conversation. SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) Opportunities to get ahead will be evident. Make changes that will heighten your appeal. Your lover probably won't put up with your behavior. CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19) Your positive attitude and intellectual outlook will draw others to you. Caustic language may cause you to want to get out of the house. Think before you act. AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) Do your own thing. If you haven't planned a vacation, then at least try to get away for the weekend. Acceptance will be necessary. PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) Family trips or projects should be on your mind. Come to your own conclusions rather than taking the word of someone else. Take a different approach; make an offer they just can't refuse.

Brathwaite (18) smashed a six and four off Mishra in the 18th over but the captain was bowled off the Indian’s last ball of his impressive spell. Shami mopped up Samuel Badree for one with two balls of the innings left.

Calvin Ming wins at... (From page 31) Sept. 30 - Oct. 2. This weekend saw some of the most exciting action of the season from the drop of the green flag to the wave of the checkered flag in all 3 races.

This crop of racers in this series is leagues above the rest of similar series offered anywhere! The respect they have for each other and the competitiveness from each driver is unbelievable.

Gasquet stunned by Britain’s... (From page 26) could emerge from Flushing Meadows as world number one, made a short and sweet start at the U.S. Open on a hot, sunny Monday. World number two Kerber powered through her first set in 27 minutes before logging a 6-0 1-0 victory when 120thranked Polona Hercog of Slovenia retired because of leg cramps. Kerber, who came within one match win eight days ago in Cincinnati from leapfrogging Serena Williams into the world number one spot, did not lose a point on serve in the opening set and dropped only nine points in the onesided contest. “To be honest, it’s never the way I would like to finish the match, but I went out there to feel my rhythm and start the tournament well,” said Kerber, who improved to 49-4 this season. “I played the first set really good, so this is what I will take from this match, that I’m playing my tennis. “For me, it’s always tricky the first few rounds. So it’s always good to have the first round done.”

Olympic silver medallist Kerber whipped seven forehand winners past Hercog, who had beaten the lefthander in two of their five previous matches. Besides Kerber, thirdseeded French Open champion Garbine Muguruza of Spain and fourth seed Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland are also mathematically capable of overtaking Williams, who has has reigned for 185 consecutive weeks. “I have a lot of confidence, especially also from the last few weeks and from the whole year, actually,” said Kerber, who reached the finals at the Rio Olympics, Wimbledon and Cincinnati. The German, who has been questioned repeatedly

about her campaign to claim number one, said she would focus on her tennis as she pursues the target. “To be one day number one, I think this is a goal from everybody, especially also for me,” said Kerber. “But I will not put too much pressure on myself ... because I know that when I put the pressure (on), I’m not playing my tennis then. “I will go out there to win every match going step by step. If the day will come someday, it will be amazing. Let’s see.” Next up for Kerber will be Mirjana Lucic-Baroni of Croatia, who beat France’s Alize Cornet 6-4 6-1 in her opening match at the U.S. National Tennis Centre.

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Tuesday August 30, 2016

Police handcuff hat-trick of titles at Boyce and Jefford Classic VII

Kevin Bayley talks to the media after defending his 800m title. Police Progressive Yo u t h C l u b ( P P Y C ) handcuffed a hat-trick of titles yesterday, prevailing over rivals Guyana Defence Force (GDF) when the curtains came down on the seventh annual Boyce and Jefford Track and Field Classic. Wins for Olympian, Winston George and his team-mate Alita Moore, who Police used as their trump card in the sprint events as they made a clean sweep of the Men’s and Women’s 100m, 200m and 400m sprints, respectively, helped PPYC retain their title at the Mackenzie Sports Club Ground, Linden. Entering the second day of competition with a

Winston George wins the men’s 100m with second place for Compton Caesar and third for Kevin Abbensetts at the Boyce and Jefford Classic 2016.

marginal lead ahead of GDF, Police tightened their grip throughout the day amassing 395 points to win. GDF was second with 329 points while Linden was third with 189 points. Mercury Fast Laners rounded out the top four with 92 points. Police ran away with the $1 million first place club prize, becoming the first club to take three consecutive titles at the event in its sevenyear history. GDF will take home $500,000, Linden $300,000 and Mercury Fast Laners$200,000. Trophies were handed out along with those cash prizes. Of the remaining teams

the overseas team finished fifth with 49 points, while Super Upcoming Runners collected 35 points to finish in the cellar position. George was crowned Male Champion Athlete after racking up 30 points from his sprint sweep while Moore followed suit with the Female Champion Athlete award. George, who had won the 200m on Saturday when the competition first began, returned to stamp his authority on the men’s 100m finals in a record time of 10.3 seconds, erasing the 10.4 seconds 2011 mark of Rupert Perry.

L i n d e n ’s C o m p t o n Ceasar clocked 10.6 seconds, while Police’s Kevin Abbensetts clinched third place with 10.7 seconds. US based Kevin Bayley retained the 800m title, relegating rival, Trinidadian Ashton Gill to third place in the race. George, the national men’s 400m record holder, almost seemed in for another easy win in the 400m, until Winston Dummett challenged him on the final straight for a close finish with George prevailing in 49.2 seconds. Dummett ran 49.6 seconds. Moore clocked 12.02

seconds in the 100m and 59.1 seconds in the 400m. In the 100m Linden’s Onasha Rogers was second (12.03s) and MFL’s Cassie Small took third (12:05s). Earlier, the day started with the International Women’s 1500m where Grenada’s Kenisha Pascal dominated in a time of 5:03.00s, while second place was picked up by Police’s Joanna Archer in a time of 5:12.00s and Trinidad’s Joanna Rogers came in third. Cleveland Forde then claimed the men’s 1500m in a time of 4:10.00s. GDF also ended third in the race after

O d w i n Tu d o r c l o c k e d 4:14.00s, second place went to Police’s Quacy Morian (4:13.00s). Forde and Tudor also contributed to GDF’s win of the men’s sprint medley relay. GDF also won the women’s sprint medley. In the Women’s triple j u m p , G D F ’s N a t r e n a Hooper defeated Linden’s double CARIFTA Games silver medalist, Chantoba Bright after she leaped to 11.85m. Bright, who broke the long jump record on day one with a 5.72m leap (and not 5.27m as was previously reported) was second with 11.53m.

Gasquet stunned by Britain’s Ryan Crawford Memorial Turf Club race meet set for Edmund at U.S. Open Sunday 25th September

Kerber cruises in opening win in pursuit of top ranking NEW YORK (Reuters) The year’s final grand slam began with an upset as 13thseeded Frenchman Richard Gasquet was upended 6-2 62 6-3 by Britain’s world number 84 Kyle Edmund at the U.S. Open on Monday. Gasquet, who has reached the last 16 at Flushing Meadows four times in his career, was outplayed throughout and his U.S. Open experience lasted just one hour, 41 minutes. The 21-year-old Edmund, who helped Britain win the Davis Cup last year, crunched 10 aces and 40 winners in all en route to the

Kyle Edmund of Great Britain (Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports) biggest victory of his career. Edmund will play Lukas Lacko of Slovakia or American wildcard Ernesto Escobedo in the second

round. Meanwhile, Second seed Angelique Kerber, one of four women’s players who (Continued on page 25)

The Ryan Crawford Memorial Turf Club and Sports Facilities will be staging a grand one day horserace meet on Sunday 25th September at the club’s Alness, Corentyne, Berbice race track. Known to have the best track among all the racing clubs in Guyana, the weather should not cause much bother for the organizers of the grand race meet. Over $3M are up for grabs and a total of 8 races are billed for the day’s card. The events listed to be contested are the Alness Classic over 1600M event for a first prize of $600,000 and trophy with a total purse

of over $1.2M. The G and lower event over 1300M with a first prize of $300,000 and trophy. The Guyana bred two year old horses will compete for a winners money of $200,000 over 1100M. The H and lower 1400M even will see the animals racing for a $200,000 winner’s money and trophy. The animals in the ‘J1’ class event will be competing for $140,000 winners money over 1300M. The K and lower event will fetch a winning prize of $80,000 over 1100M. There is a race for L1 class animals over 1100M

for a first prize of $60,000 and trophy. The unclassified event will see the horses galloping over 1100M for take home money of $30,000. Outstanding individual performers including top Jockey, trainer and stable will be presented with accolades compliments of the Trophy Stall of Bourda Market and the RCMTC&SF. Contact can be made with Marcel Crawford Jr on Telephone number 6785342, Dennis DeRoop 6406396 or Compton Sancho on 602-1567 for entry and other details. (Samuel Whyte)

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Tuesday August 30, 2016

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“Teams were better prepared than us” Coach Johnson Ninvalle cops Guyana’s only Gold Medal

GTTA and team officials with the youngsters at yesterday’s Media briefing. By Sean Devers Team Guyana returned on Sunday night from Jamaica where they participated in the Caribbean Table Tennis Federation (CTTF) Pre-Cadet Championship which ended on Saturday at the National Indoor Sports Arena, Kingston, Jamaica. G u y a n a ’s K a y s a n Ninvalle copped Guyana’s only Gold Medal, while Isaiah Layne & Nevaeh Clarkston captured Silver. Thuraia Thomas, Abigale

Martin, Krystian Sahadeo and Colin Wong all put in credible performances as Tr i n i d a d & To b a g o dominated the competition. At a Media briefing yesterday afternoon at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall which is now a Basketball facility, President of the G u y a n a Ta b l e Te n n i s Association (GTTA) Godfrey Munroe was handed a report on the Championship by Team Manager Daniel Thompson who along with Head Coach Linden Johnson updated the

Media on what transpired in Reggie Country. Mooniram Persaud traveled as Assistant Coach. Johnson disclosed that he was ‘comfortable’ with the team’s performance and was high in praise for Ninvalle who was the youngest player in the team in 2013 and performed as expected. “Both Jamaica and T&T had larger teams than us due to our lack of funding and were better prepared than us,” Johnson explained. Johnson added that he

felt Guyana could have converted their Silver Medals to Gold but the pressure of very vocal support from the fans from opposing teams resulted in too many little mistakes being made by his charges adding that teams like T&T were preparing four months before the Event. Munroe noted he would have liked a longer camp and wanted to keep this team together and not only prepare for tournaments but added that academic lessons and the lack of more funding

Learning the finer points

hampered this plan. “We need more exposure for our young players and moving forward we (GTTA) are planning to host (in collaboration with the 11 districts of the GTU) a National School’s Table Tennis championships and start training teachers to coach,” Munroe. Thomas noted that the venue in Jamaica was air conditioned and it was strange for the young players who encountered problems with their grip due to coldness. “We play at the Sports Hall and Gymnasium but we p l a n t o m a k e recommendations to the Government to bring our venues up to that level. We are encouraging Corporate Guyana, Individuals and Government to lend more support to Table Tennis since equipment is very expensive,” Thomas said. It was stated that the desire is also to bring more girls to the sport. T&T was denied a clean sweep of the singles, after

Jalen Kerr went under to Ninvalle, the son of G u y a n a B o x i n g Association (GBA) President and former Member of Parliament Steve Ninvalle, in an entertaining final, 8-11, 118, 7-11, 11-9, 7-11, while Layne was beaten by T&T’s Derron Douglas 11-8, 12-10, 11-3 in the final. Layne’s route to the final was a tough one as he first beat Jamaican Jordan Campbell 11-6, 11-9, 13-15, 11-13, 11-9, then ousted T&T duo, Mikhail Dookie 511, 11-9, 11-7, 11-7 and Nicholas Lee 11-9, 7-11, 119, 6-11, 11-9 in his quarter final and semi-final encounters. Tr i n i d a d i a n S h r e y a Maharaj had a much harder task in the Under-13 Girls decider as she was taken the d i s t a n c e b y G u y a n a ’s Nevaeh Clarkston before she prevailed 11-6, 8-11, 11-6, 611, 11-9. Young Ninvalle said it was a tough competition adding that it felt ‘good’ to win a Gold medal.

ACDA sports presentation on Sunday night

Students at the Malteenoes School Vacation camp watch bowling & batting drills with Head Coach Mark Harper yesterday. The Camp ends on Friday with the presentation of Awards.

The African Cultural Development Association will be hosting their sports presentation on Sunday night following the successful staging of their softball and football competitions. The presentation will be held at C Field Sophia starting at 16:00hrs. Sophia Allstars overcame Sophia Warriors in the softball final, while Akin Barnwell XI beat Oto Barnwell XI 4-2 in the football game. Trophies and cash prizes are being donated by P and P Insurance, Tent City, Trophy Stall, John Fernandes Ltd, Inter Maintenance and Repairs, Sleep-in-Hotel, and Dr. Van West Charles.

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Tuesday August 30, 2016

Smythfield Rockers soften Ithaca Hardliners in A. Ally’s and Sons Basketball

Action in the game between Smythfield Rockers and Ithaca Hardliners played last Sunday in Berbice. The Smythfield Rockers steady themselves early and then applied intense pressure before softening the Ithaca Hardliners to record a 79 -41 victory when play continued in the A. Ally and Son’s First Division Basketball competition for teams in Berbice with one game on Sunday at the Ithaca basketball Court. Showing no signs of playing in unfamiliar environment, the Smythfield Rockers were classy and smooth in their execution. After some initial resistance from their opponents the Rockers came through to end the first session 12-7. With pressure being

added in the second quarter the Rockers were finding it easier as they ended the first half with a 14 point lead at 37-23. There was no reprieve for the hapless Hardliners at the start of the third stanza with the Rockers taking a 17 points lead to end that segment with the score at 5033. By the time the last quarter began it was all over bar the shouting with Rockers taking full advantage with their superior play. Rockers were unstoppable as the poured in 29 points to the Hardliners 8 with the Rockers sealing the game as run-away winners

79 points to 41. Leading the way for the Smythfield Rockers was Gladwin Cort with a game high 27 points, with Jamal Felix supporting well with 23 points, while Tyrone Dey scored 14. For the Ithaca Hardliners, Kester Sinclair scored 11 with Royan Solomon 7 and Elroy Amsterdam 6 supporting. The six teams competition is expected to continue on Sunday with New Amsterdam Warriors facing the Guyana Human Development Centre of Corentyne (GHDC) starting a t 1 6 : 0 0 h r s a t Ta i n Basketball Court. The teams are divided

into two groups, 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 . Cash, trophies and other ince n t i v e s w i l l b e presented to the top three teams with the Most Valuable Player (MVP) and other outstanding individual performers also being rewarded. Vibert Garrett is the coordinator. (Samuel Whyte)

4 R Lioness overcome Mike’s Wellwoman

Latoya Smith 4R Lioness defeated Mike’s Wellwoman by seven wickets when the Wolf’s Challenge softball cup continued Sunday at Malteenoes Sports Club. Batting first, Wellwoman made 84 all out in 11.3 overs with Latoya Smith scoring 29 and Monique Benn 17; Kaysia

Schultz claimed two wickets. 4R Lioness responded with 85-3 in 5.3 overs. Temisha Wilson struck 38 and Matanna Cambridge hit 24. Shemela Chichester picked up two wickets and Smith one. Meanwhile the other scheduled games were rained out.

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Tuesday August 30, 2016

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42nd chess Olympiad in Baku Azerbaijan

NSC supports confident contingent departing today

Director of Sports Christopher Jones (4th R), Attorney at Law James Bond (2nd R) pose with the President of the GCF Irshad Mohamed (5th R) and chess players after the ceremony concluded. The team of chess players that will be vying for honours at the 42nd chess Olympiad in Baku, Azerbaijan, left Guyana early this morning for the European country brimming with confidence at procuring

top accolades. The Guyana delegation consists of 6 males, CM We n d e l l M u e s a , C M Anthony Drayton, Haifeng Su, CM Taffin Khan, CM Ronuel Greenidge and Roberto Neto and 5 females,

W C M M a r i a Va r o n a Thomas, Sherrifa Ali, Julia C l e m e n t s o n , Yo l a n d a Persaud and Jessica Clementson. Muesa will also double as the coach and according to President of the Guyana Chess Federation

(GCF), Irshad Mohamed, he (Muesa) will also benefit from the input of Slovanian Grandmaster, Georg Mohr, who has been assigned to the Guyanese contingent by the ruling body, FIDE to assist them in their techniques.

Court releases jailed IOC exec, bans him from leaving Brazil RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) A Rio de Janeiro court on Monday ordered the release of the jailed former top European member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Patrick Hickey, pending further investigation into charges that he took part in a ring to illegally sell tickets. After a request by lawyers for Hickey, who was also the head of the Olympic Council of Ireland, the court said the 71-year-old Irishman could leave the maximum security prison where he has been detained since his arrest on Aug. 10. Hickey must surrender his passport within 24 hours of his release, the court said, and remain in Brazil until the investigation into the alleged ticket scheme is completed. In a statement, Fernando Antonio de Almeida, the

judge who issued the ruling, said “it is not likely that his release would create any obstacle or risk for public order, criminal instruction or, if necessary, the future application of any penal code.” After filing a writ of habeas corpus last week, seeking proof of any wrongdoing in order to justify his continued d e t e n t i o n , H i c k e y ’s Brazilian law firm said it was hopeful for his release and that Hickey’s age and history of health problems should weigh in his favor. “ D e s p i t e t h e accusations, there is no evidence that proves Hickey’s involvement in such a scheme,” said Helton Márcio Pinto, a partner at Arthur Lavigne Advogados Associados, the Rio law firm defending Hickey.

Patrick Hickey (Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports/File Photo) The scheme, according to Rio police, allegedly involved the funneling of Olympic tickets intended for use by the Irish committee and not authorized for resale to THG Sports, an international sports hospitality company.

Hickey temporarily stepped aside from his Olympic positions during the investigation, following his detention in his beach front hotel in Rio during the Olympic Games. On Saturday, a court authorized the release of Kevin James Mallon, another Irishman and THG director who was arrested days before Hickey and was being held in the same prison. He left custody late on Saturday but is not allowed to leave Brazil, his lawyer told Reuters. Police have said they have ample evidence of crimes committed by both men and other suspects in the case, but a full investigation and further court proceedings to determine their guilt or innocence could take months.

Meanwhile, Director of Sports, Christopher Jones, met with the executives of the GCF as well as the players and delivered a short pep talk. The DOS further chipped in with a considerable donation on behalf of the National Sports Commission and handed over a cheque to Mr. Mohamed. The simple ceremony took place last Friday afternoon at Club 704, Lamaha and Albert Streets. Mr. Jones wished the players well and urged them to play hard to accrue top accolades. He further commended the officials of the GCF for diligently applying themselves in their efforts to raise the requisite funds to facilitate the trip. Attorney-at-law, James Bond, was also present at the function and added his bit with a cheque of an undisclosed sum. Also a versatile player, Mr. Bond said that he was happy to support the players. He said that he is aware of the

challenges they experience and was only too willing to support them. “We have a bunch of players that has the potential to do well but they need the kind of support to address their itinerary so I am delighted to be of assistance to them,” said Mr. Bond as he handed over his contribution. M r. M o h a m e d w a s pleased with the donations and expressed his sentiments to his benefactors. “Sponsorship has always been the oxygen of our advancement in the sport and I’d like to express profound gratitude to all those individuals as well as members of the corporate community that has supported our efforts,” he said. Those businesses and individuals coming in for praise are Somwaru Travel Service, Kings Jewelry World, Dr Sen Gupta and Associates, Hardware Depot, Jumbo Jet Auto Sales and William Walker of Oasis Café.

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Tuesday August 30, 2016

Shariff takes charge of President’s Cup as Princess She Not extends reign at Rising Sun

Action in one of the races at Rising Sun Turf Club on Sunday last.

Minister Of State Joseph Harmon, standing in for his Excellency President David Granger, presents the huge President David Cup to Sharifa Shariff of the Shariff Stable for Princess She Not Win in the Feature Event. By Samuel Whyte The Shariff Stable took control and showed who is boss at the President Cup. Be it the President’s Cup or Guyana Cup the script was very much the same as Princess She Not continued its dominance with another telling victory to win the feature A and lower event at the ‘Real President’s Cup’ Horse Race meet. The animal made sure that its quest to be crowned queen of the track is assured as it whipped a top notch field for another gate to pole pounding at the Rising Sun Turf Club, Arima Park, West Coast, Berbice last Sunday. Watched by a large crowd that included Minister of State Joseph Harmon, who for the second year stood in for his Excellency President David Granger who was unavoidably absent, the animal showed them who is boss. With the crafty Trinidadian Jockey Nicholas Patrick again on the perch, Princess She Not was out of

the starting gate in a flash and was soon in the lead in the 1400M event. With a top notch field that included Scores Even, CP Got Even, Lady Budapest, Jack In MY Style and the newly imported Brave Sky and Light Up Canada chasing. Princess She Not made them work. Defending champion Just call me Boss pulled out of the event. With Patrick spurring her on Princess She Not was briefly challenged. However, there was no stopping the new queen of the track as she galloped away down the homestretch for a handsome win in the end with stable mate Plum Plum ridden by the Jamaican jockey Brian Blake speeding through for second in a dominant performance. Jack in My Style and CP Got Even were the others that p l a c e d . Plum Plum had earlier given the Shariff the perfect start in the day’s first event as it exerted dominance with an easy win in the E and lower 1400M event. With Patrick on the hunch the animal raced away with the $600,000 money and trophy as the others in It’s My Choice, Lady Budapest and Because I say So had no choice but to take up the other positions. Keep on Swinging ridden by with Trinidadian Padmore and stable mate Red Rocket of the Jumbo Jet

stable took the top two positions in the G and Lower 1400M race ahead of Big Man Bass and Campador. It was another win for the Shariff connections as Settling Star with Patrick in the saddles opened a sizable lead to take the H and Lower 1400M event from Quiet Strom, Cat Messiah and Quiet Dancer. Seven Dust of the James stable with Colin Ross the jockey, took flight early as it dusted the field to win the two year old 1100M Guyana Bred race ahead of King Stanley, Genuine Risk and Royal Jet. Red Jet of the Shamsundar stable with Wills on its back burned up the track early to win a close race in the J class 1100M event from a fast finishing Liquid Lion with Golden K i s s a n d P a r t y Ti m e rounding out the money. Red Region of the Baker Stable with Wills in control was in winners’ row in the L class open 1100 M race. Blondie of The Ramcharitar stable with Winston Appadhu on its back was sharp as it raced away with the L class maiden 1100M event from Dirt man, Ebola and Something Special. For its three wins and a number of other placings, the Shariff Stable was undoubtedly the champion stable on show. Tr i n i d a d i a n j o c k e y

Nicholas Patrick was the champion jockey on show. The champion trainers were Glendon “Grumps” Sooklall and Zahir Shariff of the

champion Shariff stable. The police led by Assistant Superintendent Joshua Harvey John and Inspector Cynthia Kelly

were once again commended for a job well done. Over $10M were up for grabs and some 80 horses took part in the day’s event.

Cricket skippers bat for more matches on US soil F O R T LAUDERDALE, USA (AFP) — India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni wants more matches in the United States despite a chaotic Twenty20 clash against the West Indies Sunday ending in a rain-hit no result. Heavy rain forced the game at the Central Broward Regional Park to be abandoned, with India wellplaced on 15-0 off two overs in pursuit of a modest 144run target. The outcome completed a miserable day for the organisers who were forced to delay the start of the game by 40 minutes after technical problems caused a loss of television pictures. West Indies, the world champions in the format, claimed the two-match series after winning the first game on Saturday by just one run. Dhoni, whose side conceded the third-highest total of all time in the format of 245 in the opening clash, said he defintely sees a future

Newly appointed West Indies T20 captain Carlos Brathwaite shows off the Paytm trophy after his team copped the two-match series against India 1-0. (Photo: AFP) for T20 cricket in America’s crowded sports market. “This is one place where we can come back and play cricket — a triangular or four-nation series,” Dhoni said at Sunday’s presentation in comments carried by the cricinfo website.

“A tournament like that can give us more time to spend in the US. Yes, it will be a cramped schedule, but modern-day cricketers won’t mind it. “This is one place where spectators will come. The (Continued on page 25)

Kaieteur News

Tuesday August 30, 2016

PAGE 35

GuyanaNRA / Modern Optical Service Combat Pistol Team Shoot

Richards, Smith and Persaud-McKinnon are champs The trio of Gordon Richards, Shawn Smith and Vidushi Persaud-McKinnon came out tops in the Guyana National Rifle Association (GuyanaNRA) / Modern Optical Service of 316 Middle Street, Georgetown sponsored Combat Pistol competition which was organised by the association’s Smallbore S e c t i o n . Contested at the Timehri Rifle Ranges, the winning trio amassed 474 points which was good enough to land them the winners’ trophies. Their score was well ahead of the second place John Ferreira, Gordon Pearson and Jermaine

Softleigh who were 43 points back on 431. The competition consisted of three-stages of fast paced shooting and moving within a given period of time and limited available ammunition. The teams were selected to reflect a mixture of strong and emerging shooters who were all unaware of their fellow team members prior

The top four teams at Sunday’s GuyanaNRA / Modern Optical Service Combat Pistol Team Shoot display their silverware. Dr. Johan DaSilva is stooping left while Smallbore Captain Dale Hing is standing left. to the match and registration on Sunday last. The third place was occupied

b y Ry a n M c K i n n o n , Totoram Bishundat and Anthony Bissoondyal with a

score of 404 points, while the fourth place went to Dr. Johan DaSilva, Harold

Hopkinson and Felicia Nandan who put together 396 points.

Calvin Ming wins at NJMP’s Thunderbolt road course Calvin Ming drives during one of last weekend’s races. (Calvin Ming’s Facebook)

Calvin Ming stands atop the podium with 2nd placed teammate Phillippe Denes (left) and 3rd place Neil Verhagen of K-Hill Motorsports. (Calvin Ming’s Facebook)

Millville, New Jersey, USA - F1600 Formula F Championship race cars are non-winged purpose built single seat race cars in a highly competitive class for all competitors. Honda Racing HPD division has provided the FIT motor to this series riding on Hoosier Tires on a MyGale Chassis with all cars relatively equal as possible which makes the racing exciting. In the NJMP’s Thunderbolt road course Calvin Ming of Guyana qualified 2nd overall in the # 82 Team Pelfrey car with a

Team Pelfrey photo finish; Calvin Ming on the outside beats his teammate Phillippe Denes. (Calvin Ming’s Facebook)

time of 1:23.273 which was .0412 of a second behind # 24 Peter Portante for pole position for race # 1. In race # 1, from the drop of the green flag, # 24 Peter Portante, K-Hill Motorsports ran away with the lead with # 82 Calvin Ming, Team Pelfrey hot on his tail with more than half the 9 car field chasing with numerous lead exchanges in a caution free race. What was arguably one of the most spectacular races of the season saw the entire lead group separated by mere inches as they battled hard

throughout the incident free race. In the end, # 3, Neil Ve r h a g e n o f K - H i l l Motorsports snagged 3rd place and padded his series leading championship points lead. But, it was all Team Pelfrey! # 81, Phillippe Denes had to settle for 2nd place with only 0.001s behind teammate # 82, Calvin Ming in a photo finish who won the 20 laps battle by the narrowest margin ever recorded. Race #2 of the weekend saw K-Hill Motorsports battle Team Pelfrey once

again. This race had a lot of excitement but, ultimately came down to these two teams factoring into the overall results. Unable to mount a challenge, Team Pelfrey’s # 81, Phillippe Denes finished 4th with teammate # 82, Calvin Ming coming up just 0.1064s behind the eventual race winner to grab the final podium spot. The story? # 3, Neil Verhagen started last overall and made quick work of the competition by passing all cars in dominating fashion whilst getting his teammate, # 24,

Peter Portante to follow. The race was won by # 3 Neil Verhagen followed closely by teammate # 24 Peter Portante as K-Hill Motorsports returned to dominance in the 17th of 21 race schedule. Race #3 and final race of this weekend at Thunderbolt road course had Team Pelfrey with 3 cars in the top 5 with # 80, Kaylen Frederick in 5th place, # 82, Calvin Ming in 4th missing a podium finish by 0.236s behind teammate # 81, Phillippe Denes. But the weekend goes to

K-Hill Motorsports with three cars in the top 6 with # 33, Hans Ada in 6th with the top 2 being # 24, Peter Portante in 2nd place with back-2-back wins, # 3, Neil Verhagen with a narrow win of only 0.011s in text book fashion with supreme timing in making a late move just before the checkered flag. K-Hill Motorsports, Neil Ve r h a g e n e x t e n d s h i s narrow overall points lead going into the final three rounds of the 21 race season s c h e d u l e a t Vi r g i n i a International Raceway, (Continued on page 25)

t r o Sp

Police handcuff hat-trick of titles at Boyce and Jefford Classic VII

Digicel’s Sponsorship and Events Executive, Louanna Abrams along with Ulex Smith hand over the Championships Trophy to Police Games Officer, Tiffany Williams in the company of the PPYC Team and Coordinators Colin Boyce (left) and Edison Jefford (right).

“Teams were better prepared than us” Coach Johnson Ninvalle cops Guyana’s only Gold Medal

The winners proudly show off their hardware. Printed and published by National Media & Publishing Company Limited, 24 Saffon St.Charlestown, Georgetown.Tel: 225-8465, 225-8491 or Fax: 225-8473/ 226-8210