Kaieteur News

Wednesday August 03, 2016

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Kaieteur News

PPP executive against Much respect for the late Bishop George 25th anniversary of the dedication of the He had some phagwah sprinkled on his DEAR EDITOR; “winner-takes-all” Much respect to the late Bishop Anglican Church of the Transfiguration shoes. Being a child of just ten, to be society, we George for daring like Daniel to stand on Mandela Avenue, Bishop George’s seen and not heard, I thought silently to governancetransplanted managed to forge by and alone and to be unpopular even in his offering to Dr. Jagan, a born Hindu who myself – people may not have seen but DEAR EDITOR; I have always held the view that race relations in Guyana are generally good. While it is a fact that voting behavior over the past decades were largely influenced by perceptions of race, that in itself does not make a case for ethnic divisions in the society especially as it relates to the two major ethnic groups. In fact, Guyana is today a good example of a multi-ethnic and a multi-cultural society where all races and ethnicities peacefully co-exist and where there are high levels of tolerance and respect for diversity. Ours is a display of unity in diversity and it is therefore incumbent on us all to maintain and build on this strength that we have managed to forge and preserve over the decades. We are reminded time and again that there is no superior race as there is no superior culture. We have come a long way since the days of slavery and indenture ship. Despite the fact that we have been a

large a harmonious and cohesive society. This is exactly what are foreparents would have wanted for us. This indeed is the challenge before us. We have to deepen our democracy to allow for greater inclusivity and participation of all Guyanese regardless of ethnicity of political affiliation. The ‘winner takes all’ approach to our politics must give way to a more enlightened system of governance based on a winwin formula where there is no dominant group but where all segments of the population are adequately represented in the governance structures. Let us celebrate our diversity even as we guard against any display of ethnic or cultural triumphalism. Such tendencies are counterproductive and certainly not in our best national interest. I take this opportunity to extend Emancipation greetings to all Guyanese in particular my Afro- Guyanese brothers and sisters. Hydar Ally

The death penalty is the life of every other inhuman for human being, with the DEAR EDITOR, It is to me a ludicrous situation in this “civilised” age that we should even have a debate about the justification of a system by which the death penalty is administered by those who purport to have the power to enact and enforce the laws that control our societal affairs. With the benefit of so much scientific knowledge, extensive research and historical experience at our disposal, and the wisdom and reason which should have resulted from these, it is only logical to assume that human beings would have become so enlightened as to have already rejected this barbaric practice in the administration of justice. Added to this, the oft-quoted truism that “violence begets violence” seems only to be applied when it suits our purpose at getting others to adopt a culture of peacefulness. I proffer now that, unless we believe and act accordingly that NO HUMAN BEING has the right to take another’s life, war, murder and other forms of violence would always be there to blight our existence and obstruct any other efforts at creating a world of peace and justice. Unless we accept that love and respect

concomitant qualities of empathy and desire to help, inform the response to all our problems, then we shall continue to live in imbalance and strife, no matter what progress we make in economic and all other areas of our living. Is it not reasonable to accept that the justice system must be naturally more reformative than punitive? The persons who perpetrate murder and other criminal acts, are they not products of our own society to whom we owe at least the obligation to assist them to reform themselves into useful human beings? Does anyone or any society have the right to condemn any of its own without giving them the opportunity for this reform? Are we as a result saying that we do not possess, especially when we have criminals in our total custody for any period of time, the will and the means to facilitate such reform? In this effort to expedite the solution to this brutal practice, which I feel was simply inherited from the more “advanced countries”, please let us use our natural qualities of love, fairness and empathy. Our humanity and Guyanese bigheartedness would be severely marred if we don’t. Roy Paul

own church, voicing and acting out his dissent with the 1968 solution of rigged elections to keep the communist Dr. Jagan and those different people of the PPP out of office. Much respect too for providing us an example of reaching out to bridge remaining gaps between our different peoples. In a short sketch at the back of the funeral programme, Canon Thurston Riehl tells of Bishop George’s bringing of a pragmatic and prophetic approach in the challenging situation of Guyana in the 1970s and 1980s. As one of the young Guyanese not yet 23 at our independence in 1966, I and many of my generation who had chosen to stay in Guyana were feeling by the mid-1980s that our lives might have been wasted in fruitless sacrifice. Then, for me, there was that letter from Bishop George comforting and consoling and raising hope that there may be many who would want to turn away from that 1968 solution. The arguments for doing a seeming small wrong to avoid much greater wrongs is always seductive but often lead to outcomes and consequences which everyone later regrets but find difficult to move away from. Recall the controversy when at the

by all appearances had become an atheist, and Dr. Jagan partaking in the Sacrament of Holy Communion. It was said that Bishop George had invited Dr. Jagan as Dr. Jagan had made the land available to the Church during Dr. Jagan’s 1957-64 period in office as Premier. This was not desecration but demonstration of reaching across gaps between us, having worked together to achieve something. That Communion story resonated with me. Today, most of us whatever our religion play phagwah but at an earlier time we would have been uneasy. I recall my grandfather, a parson, telling me in the early 1950s about the time in the early 1930s when his friend invited him to play phagwah. He thought about the admonition in the Bible about not taking part with nonChristians in their non-Christian ways but this was a friend with whom he had experienced many of the vicissitudes of life, in minding a few heads of cattle and in reading the almanacs of the day which purported to predict days of sunshine and days of rain, as they sought to determine the best day on which to plant their rice. The hand stretched out by his friend was not to be rebuffed but to be grasped.

your God in heaven would have known about the phagwah on your shoes. We Guyanese speak easily, too easily in my thinking, of our six peoples coming together as one, with no apparent recognition and hence no readiness for the sore testing and painful reshaping which it may be our lot to undergo. We see the other person as evading and retreating from the call to nationhood. Bishop George did not evade nor did he retreat. We of the PPP and the PPP/C have long looked to us six peoples steadily, gradually converging as we make shared, common experiences both good and bad, as we work together to make a better life for each of us, bonding together as we work together. The funeral service of Bishop George was well attended as it ought to have been – it may well be that the contribution of Bishop George in bringing us back from the 1968 solution and all that inevitably followed, could be more easily acknowledged at his passing than in his life. May this time of his passing be also the time for turning those pages of our history? Samuel A. A Hinds Former President and Prime Minister

Travel ban on UG graduates is lawless and unconstitutional DEAR EDITOR; The recent pronouncement of the Minister of Finance in which he declared with the utmost pomposity that graduates who are in arrears with the University of Guyana would be prevented from travelling out of the country until they had settled the debt, must strike all right-minded people as an appalling act of idiocy and lawlessness. This is so much the case that International News Agencies carried the story. Citizens of Guyana are subject to and protected by the Constitution of Guyana and I cite section 148(1) as follows:” No person shall be deprived of his or her freedom of movement, that is to say, the right to move freely throughout Guyana, the right to reside in any part of Guyana, the right to enter Guyana, the right to leave Guyana and immunity from expulsion from Guyana “ There are some exceptions to this which are to be applied under the Laws of Guyana but which can only be imposed after the judgement of a Court of Law, and I refer particularly to section 148 (h) which states that restrictions upon the right of any person to leave Guyana may only be made if they are reasonably required in order to secure the fulfillment of any obligations imposed on that person by LAW.

Unless the order to fulfill an obligation is made by a Court of Law, no President, Minister of Government or Cabinet can take it upon themselves to subvert the Constitution of Guyana and infringe the Constitutional Rights of any Guyanese citizen to travel freely. Indebtedness is a civil matter and must be proven in a Court of Law on a balance of probabilities! When a judgement is made, further action at law can be taken if there is evidence that the party under obligation does not intend to fulfill it. The Government of Guyana has just recently launched this disgraceful attack on University of Guyana graduates which is intended to shame and humiliate thousands of people who have made significant contributions to Guyana mostly by working overseas and sending remittances which have supported the economy for years. For most of those who remained, it was impossible to get a decent job to earn a salary which could take care of ordinary obligations let alone pay back student loans. The free movement of Caricom nationals was also a policy intended to allow professionals and University graduates an opportunity to develop themselves and to contribute in all parts of Caricom. How does this Minister of Finance think this ridiculous

dictatorial policy will work? Someone seeking a job overseas will have to present a million dollars to some Customs Officer in order to leave the country, which will eventually amount to a lesser sum in order to ‘get away.’ Is the Minister so blatantly ignorant of Guyana’s international agreements and citizens’ rights? Is this the new democracy? The level of crassness with which this matter of student loans has been handled by the Granger Administration leaves one to wonder at the quality of governance it intends to provide. There was no attempt to engage graduates on the issue before publishing the “List”, instead the administration took the route of name and shame which was immediately latched upon by

the news media and others with glee, and which had the effect of criminalising those named in the public eye. To President Granger, this policy is a serious, unforgivable breach of the Constitution of Guyana, the tenets of which you publicly swore to uphold. There are much better ways of dealing with this matter and as President of Guyana it is your duty to find a way. Graduates will not forgive the stripping of their dignity in this manner. I call on the legal profession in Guyana and the diaspora, and indeed all citizens, to get involved in preventing this breach of the Constitution of Guyana and infringement of the Constitutional rights of Guyanese Graduates. This Government must be held accountable. Abiola Inniss

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Kaieteur News

Wednesday August 03, 2016

Charges of racial discrimination must always be addressed DEAR EDITOR; There is much to agree with in the SN editorial of August 1st (titled “The charge of discrimination”) if only as the bases for deeper discussion. Charges of racial discrimination are likely the most galvanizing of political rhetoric, with greater emotional impact than, say, charges of government corruption or incompetence. Even a government with good intentions will face an uphill challenge to beat back unwarranted accusations of discrimination. The coalition government, however, faces the dilemma that while Freedom House has intensified bombardment on the discrimination front, many coalition supporters remain displeased that too many “PPP people” are still in positions of official power. And this displeasure is devoid of racial ill will. It is fueled by the perception and reality that opportunities and benefits seen as due since May 2015 remain out of reach because of the same people being in the same positions. In this

political culture of ours, therefore, charges of discrimination against the coalition government could be equally matched by charges of undue and excessive accommodation of PPP political types. Our political parties have always viewed the administrative apparatus (the so-called fourth arm of the state, comprising ministries, public agencies and corporations, commissions and other such entities) as essential to winning and maintaining political power. The deprofessionalization of the public service has been the stark outcome. Indeed, charges of racial discrimination are to a large extent not complaints about race, but really about imbalances in political power. Would the PPP withdraw its charges of racial discrimination on state boards if AFC Indians were in the majority on most boards? The slow but increasing separation between race and power in local politics will complicate the search for

solutions. Notwithstanding, all charges of discrimination must be taken on board. I share the optimism that despite the ingrained suspicions and perceptions (not to mention political gamesmanship) that inflame feelings of discrimination in Guyana, proper government postures and strategies can correct systemic errors, reducing the problem to mostly resolving nonsystemic isolated cases. To this end, a few broad strategies could be attempted in addition to the good governance approach advocated in the SN editorial. One strategy is to depoliticize key administrative agencies and functions either through the establishment of robust independent bodies or through transparent preset decision-making procedures. Depoliticization is a strategy whereby political figures and parties are deliberately withdrawn from key decision-making arenas and those arenas immunized as far as possible from partisan politics or government diktat.

Time to stop the quarrels at... From page 4 reorganize, build competence and strengthen the Sangha and must be seen and accepted as such. Until now I cannot fathom how and why “Prescriptive Rights” to the Cove & John Ashram was granted to former Swami Shivshankaranand by the competent authority, that is, the Land Court without a copy of such an application served on the principal(s) of that body, namely Swami Vidyananda. Nevertheless, the fact that no lesser person than the President of the Bharat Sevashram Sangha from Kolkata himself had to travel to the USA then Guyana to intervene and forced to take the ultimate action to sever relationship with the former Swami was most unfortunate. The posting of Swami Shiv to the Los Angeles Ashram would have allowed for much exposure and growth to his stature in the organization. I sincerely would like to see him back with the Sangha. This sad issue has no doubt led to a few very supportive and formerly ardent followers of this organization seeing it differently and aspersions are being cast on Swami Shivesh no doubt to malign and tarnish his name. This is a terrible sin on those misguided and should cease immediately. I want to make an appeal to them and others not to let this matter cause conflicts and parting of ways as we are all children of this great Sangha and it is imperative that we stand united even in times when we may view issues differently. Collective responsibility requires us to stand together even as our opinions differ on issues after all “only fools think alike and the wise seldom differ.” I contend very strongly that the sharing

of different opinions is perfectly healthy and normal, but we must abide by decisions of our learned leader who is none other than the current Head of the Bharat Sevashram Sangha. Decisions must stand the test of times and be respected and complied with, though some of it may appear sometimes to be stern. I hope too, that good sense will prevail and exhort fellow members and devotees of this wonderful organization to let healing take place. Let us with sincerity recommit ourselves amidst whatever the adversities, to stand strong and rally behind the banner of the Sanghaalways. There must be no place for division whatsoever as we are all children of Guru Maharaj and must steadfastly remain. The washing of dirty linen in newspapers must cease. This matter is finished and must be so regarded. Time to move on and heal. In conclusion, I wish to quote from the Guru Gita the following Slokas which should set the stage for our recommital to the Sangha: Slok 102 Ya a v a t k a l p a a n t a k o d e h a s , t a a v a d e v a g u r u m s m a r e t , svacchandoyadivaabhavet. Continue to remember the Guru until the end of time, as long as the body lasts. Never disobey the Guru even on attaining spiritual freedom. Slok. 104 Gurumtvamkritya hum kritya, gurumnirjityavaadatak; Aranyenirjaledeshe, sabhaved brahma raakshasah. One who talks to the Guru rudely, argues irreverently and speaks in insulting terms, would be reborn as a demon in a waterless jungle. I pray that commonsense and good judgment will dawn on the few misguided souls, and in the not too distant future they will re-unite and be with us at the America Sevashram Sangha. In the same vein, I pray that former Swami Shivshankarananda would resume his monastic life within the organization Jugul Roopnarine

The constitution commissions are potential examples of this approach, of which the Public Procurement Commission and the Local Government Commission may be the frontrunners because of their greater administrative scope (at least on paper). The strategy of using preset rules and formulas to make decisions in areas such as in the allocation of state resources and opportunities can increase the reality and perception of fairness. A lot of such rules already exist.

They need to be better enforced and expanded. I would also recommend the introduction of a government practice of preparing ethnic relations impact statements or, more broadly, social cohesion impact statements for ethnically-sensitive decisions, such as the closure of sugar estates and the award of large contracts. The preparation of these statements will force active consideration of the issue of discrimination. Addressing racial

discrimination in all its manifestations (perception, reality, and past impacts and disadvantages) will forever be a work in progress. But move we must. Challenges abound. Will racially-neutral or racially-blind policies and practices be acceptable even if these produce racial imbalances? Should we look at affirmative programs to address existing imbalances? What should we do when racial identity and political identity do not intersect? Sherwood Lowe

Thoughts on the achievements of Black people DEAR EDITOR; GREATNESS lies within each of us. Some are called to be teachers, religious leaders, lawyers, parents, politicians, gravediggers, labourers and so forth. It matters not what you are called to be, but the quality of service you deliver on the task you are called to perform. Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said it best in reminding us: “If a man is called to be a street sweeper, he should sweep streets even as Michelangelo painted, or Beethoven composed music, or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause and say, here lived a great street sweeper who did his job well.” We must proceed to do what we have to do by first reaching deep within us and bringing to the fore the needed confidence to propel us into action. Though slavery was brutal to our ancestors, they have overcome as evident in our presence today and what they have bequeathed us. With less they did more and persevere in spite of the roadblocks. Their success did not happen by fluke. Success came because our ancestors’ conviction never to doubt their ability and capability to beat the odds kept them going even at times when the road seemed rough and rugged. The acquisition of villages which was purchased through the cooperative economic model is a source of pride for and in the African community. When former enslavers thought Africans could not have survived outside of their control, direction, spitefulness and domination, they were proven liars. Africans have built and maintained infrastructures, beautiful homes, gardens and surroundings. They have tilled the soil, sold produce,

pursued education and maintained family on the principle of the African proverb “It takes a village to raise a child.” The extended family structure was central to the cohesiveness and success of the African child and the community. Our elders held their pride of place. Religion and education were key pillars in establishing the sense of community, brotherhood and sisterhood. Religion instilled in us faith and the moral compass to discern right from wrong. Education empowered us to open new doors into the world of knowledge as we acquired and honed skills, secured work and provided for the economic needs of self and family. An educated people are an empowered people, because they possess the skills to think for themselves, ask the right questions and would not settle for less. Earlier political affairs in the villages were handled through elders, then later the Village Councils/ Neighbourhood Democratic

Councils and at the national level. Sports, both competitive and noncompetitive, were hallmark of all ages, be they indoors or outdoors, lending to community spirit, putting the mind and body to work in a relaxed and fun-filled environment. Entertainment was ensured to showcase cultural and dancing skills and recognising the bestdressed. What is being pointed out here is that the Black family had a structured, successful and well-organised life. This is not to say there was no social ill, but it points to the fact that a structured and organised environment was central to the confidence that drove the innate desire for self-determination and economic accumulation. In this month of August as special attention is being paid to the struggles against and freedom from chattel slavery, our greatness in other endeavours must come to the fore to ensure upward mobility. A good starting point would be examining practical solutions to problem solving used by our ancestors in their struggles to overcome. K. Sharma Solomon

Stamp out marijuana cultivation in Santa Rosa DEAR EDITOR; There is rampant cultivation and consumption of marijuana in the Santa Rosa Amerindian village, Moruca sub region, Region 1 (Barima-Waini) before the eyes of law enforcement officials and they are not doing anything about it. There is a police station based in the Santa Rosa village and it seems that its officers are not playing an active role, hence their inaction or refusal to stop marijuana cultivation and consumption in the village which are destroying the lives of Amerindians particularly the young, including school students. Villagers are highly concerned over narcotics consumption in the Santa Rosa village but they have no one to complain to. The Village Toshao is currently completely unmoved since he appears unbothered by the cultivation and use of marijuana in his village of which he is the chief. I am calling on the Minister of Public Security, the Commissioner of Police and the customs Anti-narcotics Unit (CANU) to stamp out marijuana cultivation and consumption in the Santa Rosa Amerindian Village. Concerned resident

Wednesday August 03, 2016

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Kaieteur News

Social Cohesion Ministry must aggressively confront PPP’s ‘divide and conquer’ culture - WPA By Kiana Wilburg There is no doubt that the work of the Ministry of Social Cohesion (MSC) is relevant and is placed in charge of a very sensitive area of national life. But be that as it may, Executive Member of the Working People’s Alliance (WPA), Dr. David Hinds posits that among other areas, the MSC must aggressively address the “divide and conquer” culture championed by the People’s Progressive Party (PPP). In an exclusive interview, Dr. Hinds emphasized that the lack of cohesion within ethnic and social groups has to be a focus. And with this in mind, he stressed that “the fracturing of village cohesion brought about by the culture of divide and conquer by the PPP has to be confronted.” Furthermore, the University professor stated that the glaring divide between men and women is systemic and the consequences are farreaching. He said that there can be no meaningful social cohesion outside of this fracture between the sexes. On this note, he said that the MSC is, therefore, more than relevant. The University professor also made the point that the Ministry of Social Cohesion is still a relatively new ministry and is still feeling its way in terms of its mandate. Taking this into account, Dr. Hinds said that he would not agree with some sections of society which have said that the Social Cohesion Ministry has failed or has not done enough to heal the ethnic divide. He insists that it is in charge of a very sensitive area of national life, and as such, has to be very careful. But Dr. Hinds does not believe that the Ministry can bring about ethnic unity. He said that the most it could do is facilitate that unity and

improve the conditions for that unity to blossom. “I sense that the MSC has been engaging the socalled ‘stakeholders’ in the country. While this is a good first step, it has to move beyond that approach and engage the communities directly.” He continued, “We have to have a bottom-up approach to social cohesion—a communityoriented approach that engages the communities separately and together. In the final analysis, social cohesion can’t be about stakeholders, it has to be about addressing the barriers to national cohesion.” “I would urge a community education approach, using the arts and sports as mediums for promoting social cohesion.” The political activist said that the major justification for the Social Cohesion Ministry is that Guyana has a historical problem of polarization between its major ethnic groups. And inside of those groups, Dr. Hinds said that that needs to be addressed by all stakeholders, including the government. He said that there is also the issue of class polarization that is often masked by ethnicity. Dr. Hinds said, “We have spent a lot of time wishing that our ethnic diversity goes away, and that in the process we become Guyanese bereft of ethnic identities. But the more we wish, the stronger our individual ethnic identities have become.” He continued, “Obviously there is something fundamental about identity that some of our commentators and politicians do not grasp or care to grasp. Our challenge, then, should not be the eradication of our ethnic identities.” He added, “Rather it should be about constructing a national ethos that accommodates our diversity.

In the end education, both formal and informal, and the enactment of government policies, are the most potent tools.” Dr. Hinds said, too, that the biggest barrier to a Guyanese national ethos is the fear by all ethnic groups of domination by the other. He said that often, it is the fear of domination that leads to the practice of domination and vice versa. “For me, then, the Ministry of Social Cohesion’s major task should be tackling the problem of ethnic domination. If we are able to contain the instinct and fear of domination, then we would go a long way towards creating more space for a shared ethos. “A lot of that work has to be done through formal and informal education. The MSC has to partner with the Ministry of Education to create in our larger

curriculum, a Social Cohesion curriculum.” The University professor also stated that there is a need for a Community Social Cohesion initiative that aims to reduce the tension between ethnic identity and national belonging. In this regard, he opined that it is necessary for the MSC to acknowledge the nation’s diversity and highlight both the intersections of those identities and the uniqueness of the individual ones. “We are very good at pointing to the intersections, but we silence the uniqueness for fear that it is interpreted as bigotry. In this regard, education and frank discussions about race are inevitable. The dream of a nonethnic society must not be substituted for an inter-ethnic socio-political, cultural and political space,” the WPA

WPA Executive Member, Dr. David Hinds Social Cohesion Minister, Amna Ally member expressed. Additionally, Dr. Hinds said that the MSC should focus on developing policies aimed at socio-ethnic equality and suggest these to the government. He posits that there can be no social cohesion without social

equality. This he said has to be a priority for the Ministry. The WPA Executive Member commented, too, that the unevenness that exists between social and ethnic groups is an impediment to a national ethos. Dr. Hinds said that the poor know that they are dominated by the rich and that government policies generally favour the rich.

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Kaieteur News

Wednesday August 03, 2016

AFTER 20 YEARS…

Parliament to approve Procurement Commission members today The long awaited Public Procurement Commission (PPC) will finally be a reality. Five persons, including a Minister under the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), have been nominated for appointment. The individuals who were shortlisted are Dr. Nanda Gopaul, a former Minister of Labour; Carol Corbin, wife of former Opposition Leader Robert Corbin; Sukrishnalall Pasha, who served as Chairman of the Small Business Bureau; Ivor B. English, former head of the Transport and Harbours Department; and Attorney-atLaw Emily Dodson. They are the product of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC)’s deliberations, which culled a list of 12 applicants. Longstanding anticorruption advocates Anand Goolsarran and Christopher Ram were denied a place on the final shortlist. Goolsarran is a former Auditor General with a wide financial background, while Ram is a former President of the Guyana Bar Association and a Chartered Accountant.

Overlooked; Chartered Accountant Christopher Ram

Overlooked; GuyOil Chairman Lance Carberry

Overlooked; former Auditor General Anand Golsarran

Shortlisted; former Minister of Labour Dr. Nanda Gopaul

Shortlisted; Ivor B. English

Both assisted in carrying out some of the most damning forensic audits initiated by the current administration into state agencies and projects and were seen as front runners for the PPC. Other applicants who did not make the shortlist were former Minister of Public Works Robeson Benn; Guyana Oil Company (GuyOil) Chairman Lance Carberry; Balwant Persaud; Devan Khemraj and Cecil

Jacques. Tomorrow’s sitting of the National Assembly will see PAC Chairman Irfaan Ali moving a motion to have the report on the nominees considered. Previously, he had announced that his committee was working towards a March deadline for the establishment of the much needed Commission. For years, accusations of corruption and fiscal irregularities have been

bantered around. Recently, the bid protest committee was set up. However, it is believed that the establishment of the Public Procurement Commission will address many of the concerns with the system. Pending its establishment, the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) had fulfilled some of its functions, as set out by the Procurement Act of 2003.

The Act states that upon PPC’s establishment, acts such as appointing a pool of evaluators and exercising jurisdiction over tenders “which exceed such an amount as prescribed by regulations” of the agency will stay with the NPTAB. Other functions such as making regulations to govern procurement and determining the form of documents to be used in the process such as standard bidding and prequalification document will revert back to the PPC. Some of the PPC’s most important functions will be making formal judgments in proceedings to debar contractors and making recommendations to improve the procurement system. The PPC’s establishment comes after Guyana was

ranked 119 out of 168 countries on the Transparency International (TI) Perceptions Index in the 2015 Corruption Perceptions Index. The report showed that despite much talk by nations to fight corruption, countries, including Guyana, showed little sign of improvement. Guyana received a score of 29, signaling a slip one place down from its score last year. But Guyana did improve in ranking. In 2014 it was ranked 124 out of 175 countries but in 2015 it moved up to 119 out of 168 countries. The report said that any score below 50 indicates a serious corruption problem. Guyana has never been above 50. Additionally twothirds of the countries surveyed scored less than 50.

NOTICE Kaieteur News is currently in possession of a number of cards belonging to Barbara Claudine Bihm, which were found scattered on Hadfield Street, Georgetown yesterday. Ms. Bihm is asked to visit our Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown office to claim her belongings.

Wednesday August 03, 2016

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Kaieteur News

UG needs a management specialist The University of Guyana has great plans for the future, on paper. Translating those plans into results requires good management and good money. The Government of Guyana cannot raise the resources necessary to fully fund the university. The government has been compensating for this by offering to students a loan facility. The monies for loans are channeled back to the university to finance its operations. The student loan facility is reportedly owed billions by students who have graduated from the institution but who have not repaid the loans. The government is contemplating stern action as means of ensuring that those who owe pay up. The government must be commended for addressing this issue. The PPPC had no interest in ensuring that students paid up their fees. As far as they were concerned, cost recovery at

the University of Guyana was a product of the negotiations under the Economic Recovery Programme. The international institutions wanted a commitment from Hoyte that cost recovery would have been implemented. They got that commitment and the PPPC was burdened with the measure. The Student Loan Facility ensured that students got access without having to find the money and the IMF and World Bank got what they wanted. The PPPC never pursued, with any vigour, the recovery of the monies loaned, because they were not interested in collecting it. They saw the student loan facility as a means of circumventing the demands of the IMF and World Bank, while saying that they have implemented cost recovery. The PPPC’s working class orientation has always led to the belief that education should be free, and it merely went along with the cost

recovery mechanism to satisfy the IMF and World Bank. The PPPC government effectively left this as a UG problem. They even bailed out the facility by approving close to half of a billion dollars in 2014 to ensure students had access to loans The only time that the PPPC government took direct action to collect monies owed to it was in the case of a former Cricket Board official who was prevented from leaving the country unless he paid off his indebtedness in full. This was despite the fact that the official had, contractually, seven years to pay it off. The PPPC had a problem with the Cricket Board official and demanded that he pay all at once before being given permission to leave. The poor guy wanted to save his job overseas and borrowed the money to pay. But if he did not have to leave hurriedly he may have filed a constitutional motion against the government, and then it

Dem boys seh...

$22 billion is joke fuh some ex-Ministers 22 seems to be a beautiful number. A lot of people know it, especially if dem got children. Every minute you does here tu-tu. Burnham know good bout tu-tu and is because Walter Rodney talk that everything Burnham touch it tun tu-tu that he had to meet ee Maker. When Burnham dead Papa Cheddi tek over and he pick up a li’l boy he use to call tu-tu. He wife mek this tu-tu president. Since then de world smelling Guyana and asking wheh all that tu-tu come from. After 22 years, de country is about to get a group of people who will oversee and deal wid all dem scampish, crooked, cockish and good-for-nutten kantractahs who been raping this country. Dem boys seh Jagdeo never want that committee in place because it woulda cut up every runnings he had. He and he kavakamites coulda never own dem billions that dem got tuck away. Some of de money deh tuck away in dem backyard, some deh in dem bank account and other places wheh dem think people wouldn’t

look. Tek de Sheriff, de man who was de head of de youth arm of de Pee Pee Pee party. He was just a li’l PS and was caught wid $22 billion in different accounts all across de globe. When he get ketch he seh he get all de money from Fu card. Dem boys remember de song bout de gyal who went ‘Fu Kane,’ Dem boys seh if a li’l ‘Nat a R**s’ PS get ketch wid $22 billion and Gawd knows how much property ee got, imagine –just imagine—wha men like Rob de Earth, Irfaat, Ashni, Brassington, Anil, have. Dem boys seh dem don’t have $22 billion, dem have more than $222 billion. And dem boys ain’t touch or talk nutten about de man above dem—de man who really made that $22 billion possible fuh dem.. Some gone already and don’t even plan to set foot back in this country and dem boys hear that more of dem planning to beat out, never to return. Talk half and hope Soulja Bai hurry up wid de investigation and blacklist all of dem.

would have been decided whether the PPPC was trying to bully him and restrict his freedom of movement. The present government inherited the student loan mess. The problem it faces is that any recovered funds cannot be channeled to the administration of the university. The recoveries have to be placed back into the revolving student loan facility to help other students, and to ensure that government does not have to fork out another half of a million dollars to finance student loans. Where then will UG get the funds that it desperately needs to turn around the institution? Unless the university can fix its financing problem, it makes no sense announcing all those fancy plans that it says it will be doing, such as establishing a school of business. The first business of the present administration of the University is to put the

financing of the University in order. All the previous Vice Chancellors, dating back to Dennis Irvine, were faced with this challenge. It overcame all of them. The University of Guyana - indeed almost all universities worldwide - has a tradition of giving the Vice Chancellor to an academic. But it is time they tried giving it to a management specialist. This is not a criticism against anyone. It is not intended to say that academics cannot make good administrators. But all the previous Vice Chancellors who were academics were not able to solve the financial woes of the university.

When there is a crisis, and that crisis is financial, you have to hedge your bets on a financial or management expert. This is what the University of Guyana needs. It is time it breaks with tradition. If the present Vice Chancellor can come up with a plan to make UG financially sustainable, it would be a wonderful thing. It is not going to be easy, but the present Vice Chancellor should be supported in making an attempt to achieve this goal.

CORRECTION Contrary to a report carried by this newspaper on Sunday, the Government has not made a final decision on whether it will service the $5.2B investment that was made by the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) some years ago into CLICO.

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Kaieteur News

Wednesday August 03, 2016

THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN...

All Guyanese should be ashamed of this backward country In the US, unlike Guyana, there is no mandatory term of imprisonment you face for possession and trafficking of narcotics. What the US has is guideline sentencing. Such a framework offers enormous scope to the judge. A little example should explain it. For possession for the purpose of trafficking, the range of sentence starts from 18 months up. So you can get 18 months or you can get ten years. But there is a process called below guideline sentencing. Once the prosecutor agrees to below guideline sentencing, you can get probation. It is simple; the law allows the judge to go below the guideline. This is what Rajendra Ramrattan of Guyana benefitted from last Wednesday, July 27, in a New York court. Ramjattan was caught with 550 grams of cocaine at the JFK airport in April of this year. He pleaded guilty and the prosecutor did not object to the defence’s request of below the guideline. Ramrattan will be deported back to Guyana within days, but he may want to die instead of returning here. Would you believe what that New York judge did to Ramrattan? He was so generous

and it is for this reason Ramrattan may dread coming back to Guyana. Remanded in April for the cocaine, the Judge told Ramrattan he would sentence him to time served. From April to July is three months. Such a sentence in Guyana is virtually impossible. Let me say boldly and unambiguously, not one human being that was found guilty of 550 grams of cocaine or less in a Guyana court ever received a sentence of less than three years. In its Saturday, December 5, 2015 edition, KN reported the case of a woman arrested for one gram of ganja at her home in Sandy Babb Street, Kitty. For more on this, see my article for Monday, December 7 titled, “Eureka! Eureka! Someone discovers a law.” Any Guyanese should Frederick scorn their country in the 21st century when it could arrest a woman for possession of one gram of marijuana, while an American Judge awards a sentence of three months for 550 grams of cocaine. Is the White man superior to non-white people? Do White leaders have more commonsense

than non-white politicians? At Leonard Craig’s wedding reception last Sunday, some of us were chatting about the changes to the marijuana laws that will be presented to Parliament in the name of AFC Parliamentarian, Michael Carrington. Carrington sat next to me during the wedding reception and said very little when we asked about the amendment. The AFC’s Bill should be in Parliament next week. Two persons from the AFC leadership joined in the conversation and said they doubt it will ever come before Parliament. Carrington refused to answer any question, advising us that the issue was a sensitive one for both the APNU and AFC leadership and he may boil in hot water Kissoon if he says anything and it ends up in my column. My advice to him is if he feels that way, then he should shut his mouth. So it doesn’t look like we will join most countries in the world and lessen the draconian penalties for as little as five grams of ganja. Interestingly, after we left Leonard

Craig’s wedding, we got caught in a humongous traffic jam at Hopetown where preemancipation celebrations were going on. I pushed my head out of the car window to ask four policemen why the jam. They said the Prime Minister and other Ministers were meeting the revelers. Michael Carrington and I came out of the car. I had to walk half of a mile to get to the Prime Minister to ask him to intervene to allow the traffic to move. While walking, the scent of marijuana danced over my face. I remember the opening lines of “Hotel California” that went like this; “Cool wind in my hair; warm smell of colitas rising up through the air.” I was annoyed at the traffic chaos, but the smell of ganja reminded me of the stupidity and tragedy of my country. I am assuming that many young men from Hopetown had to spend the Emancipation Night in a jail cell. Maybe a few of them got arrested for the mere possession of a ganja smoke. They may be on remand by now. I spoke to the Prime Minister and Minister David Patterson, who both apologized for the police action in stopping the traffic. As the vehicle crawled out of Hopetown, my face was out of the window and the cool wind came into my hair and the stink smell of jail time was rising in the air.

Wednesday August 03, 2016

Kaieteur News

PAGE 11

Multimillion-dollar contracts out to restore National landmarks During yesterday’s bid opening at the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB), Ministry of Finance, tenders under the Ministry of Education, Department of Culture, Youth and Sport were unveiled for projects aimed at restoring national landmarks. One such project was for the restoration of the Hog Island windmill on the Essequibo River. The engineer’s estimate was $11.8M.

There was also another retender for a contract to rehabilitate the sluice, located at the Manatee pond in the Botanical gardens. The engineer’s estimate was $1.3M.

And under the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) there were contracts for the construction of the wharf, slipway and floating raft for Coast Guard base at Fort Island, Essequibo River. The engineer’s estimate was $13.9M.

In addition, there was a contract for the restoration of a section of the iconic Fort Zeelandia, located on Fort Island, Essequibo River. The engineer’s estimate was $7.5M.

There is a project for a consultant to develop a revised National Opt- in mechanism and conduct a pilot process. Bidders submitted financials.

There is also a project, under the Ministry of Public Health, for the supply of Medical Equipment.

There was another contract, under the National Parks Commission, for the rehabilitation of the operations building at the National Park, Thomas Lands, Georgetown. The engineer’s estimate was $6.7M.

In addition, a contract was retendered for the construction of a Caiman Exhibit, at the Zoological Park.

Also under the Guyana Defence Force, there was a project for the rehabilitation of the administrative building at Base Camp Stevenson, Timehri, Region four. The engineer’s estimate was $12.4M.

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Wednesday August 03, 2016

Kaieteur News

EFFORTS APACE TO Trio in court for robbery, STOP PENSION FRAUD stealing gold chain ...Digitization to be enforced by Jan. 2017 The Ministry of Social Protection is moving to introduce an automated distribution system for Old Age Pension by January 2017 to ensure greater efficiency, accountability and transparency. According to information disseminated by the Ministry, all Old Age Pensioners will require the new National Identification Cards to collect their Old Age Pension in 2017. As such, the Ministry is requesting that all Old Age Pensioners who do not have the nine digit identification cards issued in the last Registration Cycle by the Guyana Elections Commission, upgrade their National Identification Cards. “The new system will only use the nine digit National Identification Cards. Pensioners are advised to capitalize on the ongoing registration process at the Guyana Elections Commission offices in their areas to have the new National Identification Cards if they have not done so already,” the Ministry outlined. In recent years, there have been accusations that the Government’s old age pension scheme was laced with fraud, with many persons collecting under false pretence. With thousands of Guyanese living abroad, there have been known cases of so-called ‘double dipping’. The monthly pension

Minister of Social Protection, Volda Lawrence is just over $18,000. Last June, Minister of Social Protection Volda Lawrence had announced a plan towards digitising the pension system to make it more efficient in identifying redundancies in the system. The Minister had highlighted the incidence of ‘double dipping’ – with persons not living in Guyana accessing pension from both the Guyanese government and the country in which they live in – among the issues to be addressed through the digitization process “We will be putting an end to persons who are ‘double dipping’…We have persons who believe that it is

their right to live in a foreign country and collect their pensions here. We are saying no, it is not going to happen,” Minister Lawrence said. She added that last year this issue was brought to the attention of the staff of the ministry, who were advised they will be held responsible and surcharged where books are issued with them knowing the persons do not live in Guyana. Persons desirous of accessing old age pension will have to be living in Guyana for a minimum of two years. “In the hinterland regions we know there are persons with more than one identification card who draw (collect) pension under one name in one region, then travel to the next and draw under the other name,” Minister Lawrence explained. She said that the issue of ‘double dipping’ is not limited to accessing pension, but also public assistance for school-aged children. She explained that some students are beneficiaries of public assistance in Guyana, but they also benefit from similar assistance in neighbouring Brazil. “To address this, guardians will have to submit an attendance report for the child so that they can continue accessing such assistance,” Minister Lawrence stated.

Orin Favourite

Joshua Adams

Three men were yesterday arraigned in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts- two for the offence of robbery under-arms and another for simple larceny. Joshua Adams,18, of Barr Street, Kitty, Georgetown and Kevin Smith,20, of Curtis Street, Albouystown, Georgetown, are accused of robbing Marlon Hilliman of $3000 in cash, while they were armed with a chopper, on July 31, at King Street, Georgetown. Meanwhile, Orin Favourite, 29, of Rosemary Lane, South Cummingsburg, Georgetown, is accused of stealing a gold chain valued $135,000 from the person of Charles Hytmiah on June 28, at Leopold Street, Georgetown. The men, all of whom were unrepresented, pleaded not guilty to the allegations read to them by Magistrate Dylon Bess. Adams, Smith and Favourite were each ordered to post bail to the tune of $75,000. As condition of bail, Smith and Adams were instructed to report to Sergeant Sarrabo, the Subordinate Officer in Charge of the Brickdam Police Station Criminal Investigation Department (CID) every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. In relation to the first charge, Police Prosecutor Christopher Morris told the court

Kevin Smith

that Hilliman was walking along King Street at around 0:55hrs when he was accosted by the defendants. He said that the defendants held a chopper to the virtual complainant’s head and relieved him of the cash mentioned in the charge. According to Morris, Hilliman reported the robbery to a mobile police outpost and the defendants were subsequently arrested and positively identified. However, Adams and Smith claimed that they were riding a bicycle on the day in question, when they were approached by Hilliman who told them that he was robbed. The defendants alleged that they advised the man to report the matter to the police. Smith told the court that he went to prison in 2012 for narcotics. Favourite denied stealing the gold chain and told the court that he was released from prison last November after serving a sentence for assault. Prosecutor Morris had no objections to the men being released on bail. However, he asked that same be granted in a substantial amount considering the prevalence of the offences and the penalty they attract. The trio will return to court on August 16.

Wednesday August 03, 2016

Kaieteur News

BERBICE TRIPLE-MURDER…

Father, son and co-worker remanded

: HERram T A F Chet

ton Carl

A father and son were among three men remanded to prison, after being charged in connection with the Berbice triple-murder in which the bullet-riddled bodies of Pawan Chandradeo, Naresh Rooplall and Jaikarran Chandradeo were found in the Cookrite Backdam at Mibicuri, Black Bush Polder, Corentyne. The accused, Carlton Chetram, 38; his son Jairam Chetram, 18; along with Tameshwar Jagmohan, 26, all farmers of Mahaicony, were remanded to prison for the indictable offence of murder when they appeared before City Magistrate Judy Latchman. The unrepresented men will make their next court appearance on September 6, before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan, when the matter is called for assignment. The trio was escorted into the Georgetown Magistrates’

: SON etram

m Jaira

Ch

Courts yesterday afternoon by ranks of the Major Crime Investigation Unit. They were all clad in white shirts and bowed their heads upon seeing droves of reporters. According to reports, the bodies of Pawan Chandradeo, 37; his son Jaikarran Chandradeo, 15, both of Mibicuri Creek North and Naresh Rooplall, 33, of Number 70 Village, Corentyne, Berbice, were found on July 22. It was reported that the slain teen still had a bag with fish slug around his shoulder. The corpses reportedly bore gaping shotgun wounds to the head and upper bodies. According to reports, the victims were found by a rice farmer of Black Bush Polder and his workmen. It was reported that 13-year-old Alvin Chandradeo, who accompanied his father Pawan and brother Jaikarran was left at a pump station on

CO- : KER R O W war esh Tam ohan Jagm

a dam, as the others went further into the Savannah to fish. The lad stayed at the pump station from where he reportedly heard gunshots.

PAGE 13

New home for Brickdam Secondary students According to Public Relations Officer of the Ministry of Education Suelle FindlayWilliams, the students and staff of Brickdam Secondary School will be relocated to the East La Penitence Primary School when the new school year begins on September 5. The PRO further stated that the students from East La Penitence will be moved to the St. Pius Primary school. It is unclear whether the primary level students will share the building on a shift system or whether it can accommodate the students all at once. Parents and staff of Brickdam Secondary had raised concerns last June regarding the institution’s deplorable conditions. At a related press conference, Chief Education Officer Olato Sam had said that the Ministry was looking for land to build a school that will accommodate students from both Brickdam and Central High School. Sam had said that the ultimate aim is to move the staff and students of both schools out of their current environments. According to Sam, the Ministry’s aim is to have the students of both schools housed in one building. Parents as well as staff had suggested that the students be housed either at Enterprise Primary School in D’Urban Backlands or at Saint Stanislaus on Brickdam. When the CEO was asked about these suggestions, he informed this publication that it was not the

Ministry’s intention to use either of those two schools. During Sam’s press conference, he said that the major problem which the Ministry faces is finding land in the Georgetown area on which to build the new institution. The Brickdam students were forced to finish the last school term under deplorable conditions at the school while the Ministry’s building engineers made structural repairs. Sam had described this as a “stop-gap measure” since no permanent solution could have been found at the time. It is disappointing that the Ministry cannot find a permanent location for these students, particularly since the need for a new building had been raised since 2011. A staffer of Brickdam Secondary had informed this publication that the former Minister of Education Shaik Baksh had announced that a new building to accommodate the students from both schools was being constructed. Moreover, in 2013 staff had met Sam highlighting their plight and in the following year the Guyana Teachers’ Union held a special press conference highlighting the problems at the school. Teachers were then told that there is a state-of-the-art institution being built to house both Brickdam Secondary and Central High. To date, that building has not materialized.

PAGE 14

CJIA check-in system restored Relatives at home and abroad, whose loved ones were stranded at Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) for two days, can now breathe a sigh of relief since the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GTT) was successful in installing a backup system restoring the airlines’ reservation systems. According to reports, the system went back online sometime around 14:30hrs

Wednesday August 03, 2016

Kaieteur News

- Airlines work on backlog yesterday and several airlines including Insel Air, Dynamic Airlines and Eastern Airlines were working tirelessly in clearing the backlog of passengers who had to be dispersed to several hotels in Georgetown and along the East Bank of Demerara. It is still unclear whether all of these passengers have returned home or are still in the country. However, the several Cub Scouts who were also among the stranded, have returned to their respective countries, a Scout representative said yesterday. According to reports, several flights were delayed, while some were cancelled after there was a collapse of the Americas II Cable located

off the French Caribbean island of Martinique. The cable which feeds data to SITA – an information technology (IT) company that provides IT and telecommunication services to the air transport industry – had rendered the Automated Airlines Check-in services inoperable, resulting in airlines conducting their check-ins manually – a process that takes hours longer – an Airport Official had explained on Monday last. Another airline spokesperson had also stated that 90 percent of the cancellations and delays were due to operationalisation issues on the part of the airlines and not the Airport.

Laing Avenue execution…

Cops detain man, seize suspected getaway car Police have detained a La Parfaite Harmonie, West Bank Demerara man as they seek the killers of former murder accused, Orin David, who was gunned down outside his Laing Avenue home on Monday. They have also impounded the detained man’s car - a black field wagon - that reportedly fits the description of the vehicle in which the killers arrived and escaped. ‘A’ Division Commander Clifton Hicken yesterday confirmed the arrest, but said that investigators would have to await an identity parade before deeming him a suspect. There were indications last night that police were closing in on David’s killers. Police have the identities of two of the gunmen who executed the father of one. One individual is a 20year-old from Agricola, East Bank Demerara, while the other is a 25-year-old from Meadowbank, East Bank Demerara. David, called “Malik,” was gunned down in front of his Lot 89 Laing Avenue, Georgetown home, around 15:00 hrs, in the presence of his reputed wife and other relatives . The 33-year-old was pronounced dead at the Georgetown Public Hospital, shortly after one of five men came out of a car and pumped several bullets into him. Police recovered a number of 9mm bullet casings from the scene. According to reports, David had several confrontations with an

Agricola, East Bank Demerara (EBD) resident who he had bailed out of jail some time last year. David and the individual were involved in a heated argument again, since the Agricola resident had refused to return the $150,000 David had paid to have him released. After the argument, the Agricola resident went away, but later returned with four other men in two vehicles and executed the former murder accused. The man’s reputed wife, Joycelyn Laurie, said the persons who executed David were once his friends and had even eaten at his home. Laurie said that some time last year, one of the ‘friends’ was remanded for robbery. “He was calling him (David) all the time for bail money, now when David bailed him out, he doesn’t want to pay back.” According to Laurie, enmity arose between David and the ‘friend,’ over the man’s refusal to repay the loan. “They had an argument for the money and today (Monday), David see the boy and he chuck him and the boy go away and come back with two cars with some men. I tell them that y’all are friends and it ain’t call for all that. I hear when one of them ask the other one where his AK was and they went away.” She said that she was at a neighbour’s home when she heard someone saying that the men had returned. “When I look, I see they patting down David to see if

Orin David called “Malik” he had anything and all I hear was ‘pow, pow’ and I run,” Laurie said. She added that the men escaped in both cars while her partner collapsed on the roadway. In February 2015, David was freed after spending five years in prison for the 2010 murder of Mahaica farmer, Lakhram Bishundial. Bishundial, called Mohan, was shot during a robbery at Hope Turn, East Coast Demerara, as he was on his way to a nearby Ashram to make preparations for his younger brother’s wedding. David and another person, Shawn Thom, were subsequently charged for the murder. Thom was freed a week before David. On July 12, 2015, David, who had allegedly tossed a firearm in a trench during a police patrol exercise on July 9, was remanded after being charged with unlawful possession of a handgun.

Wednesday August 03, 2016

Kaieteur News

PAGE 15

Board unaware of ‘New’ Chinese, Indians and Peruvians top list of foreigners seeking work here Deputy CEO at GPHC - SENIOR OFFICIALS PUZZLED Senior officials of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) including the hospital’s Board were reportedly stunned yesterday when a ‘new’ Deputy Chief Executive Officer (CEO) turned up at the facility issuing instructions for a meeting today. This publication understands that the “new” Deputy CEO, Paul Clarke, whose last known public sector position was manager of the Cheddi Jagan Dental Centre, arrived at the public health facility and informed senior officials of his appointment. Clarke, this publication was reliably informed, arrived at the public hospital yesterday informing senior officials that he intends to have a familiarisation meeting with them. But this publication was told too that not only isn’t there a position of Deputy CEO at the hospital but the Board, which is tasked with ensuring the optimal performance of the facility, was not even aware of the appointment. Reports reaching this publication suggest that Clarke arrived at the hospital and said that he was there on the instruction of the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Public Health, Mr. Trevor Thomas, to take up the position. A telephone call to Thomas’s office yesterday to verify this appointment was met with disclosures that Thomas was engaged in a

meeting. Kaieteur News was told that Clarke did not bother to present a letter of appointment to anyone to substantiate his claim of being the ‘new’ Deputy CEO. Reports are that the Acting CEO, Mr. Alan Johnson is currently on sick leave. Filling the gap in his stead is Director of Medical and Professional Services, Dr. Sheik Amir, who, this publication was reliably informed, was also unaware of Clarke’s appointment. “This is not only disrespectful to the Board of Directors but it is disrespectful to the entire hospital...how can we operate like this,” questioned an official close to the operation of the hospital yesterday. This development comes at a time when the hospital’s Board is dealing with a number of controversial issues, including the reinstatement of its CEO, Mr. Michael Khan. Khan was sent on administrative leave last year to facilitate a forensic audit of the procurement process at the hospital. However, this publication understands that the findings of the audit conducted by Junior Finance Minister, Mr. Jaipaul Sharma, cleared Khan of any

wrongdoing. Although the Board, ahead of the unveiling of the findings, had agreed that Khan should be reinstated once cleared, the Board is said to be currently divided about having him returned as CEO. Moreover, the Board has since written to Minister of Public Health, Dr. George Norton, to preside over the matter. When contacted yesterday Minister Norton acknowledged that while he has the final say when it comes to Khan being reinstated, he also intends to bring the findings to the attention of Cabinet before a decision is made. Cabinet met yesterday, but this publication was not able to verify whether the matter was brought to its attention. However, Minister Norton had made it clear that “the forensic audit might have very little to do with reinstatement...but much more to do with if a wrong was done, to what extent and the consequences.” The Minister added too that even if a decision is made at the level of the Board on this issue he must first approve it before it can be enforced. He was not available for a comment on the appointment of the ‘new’ Deputy CEO.

Corruption benefits the rich and powerful at the expense of the poor. Say no to it.

Guyana seems to be a popular destination for a number of persons seeking work, business and travel. In the past three years, the statistics compiled by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Department of Citizenship reported that over 2,836 foreigners came to these shores seeking employment, education and adventure. The information represents statistics presented to the meeting of the Parliamentary Committee hosted by Vice President and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carl Greenidge and Minister of Citizenship, Winston Felix, on Wednesday last. According to the data, visitors from China account for the highest number of foreigners seeking work and extension of stay in Guyana. Statistics show that with a total number of 760 Chinese came to Guyana seeking work and apply for extension of stay within periods of 2014, 2015, and 2016. Indian nationals accounted for the second highest number of visitors to Guyana - 458 applied for work permits and extension of stay in Guyana within that period. A significant number of Indian visitors were reportedly contracted to work and share their expertise on government projects within the period Natives from the South American Peninsula of Peru are the third highest on the list. Peruvians account for some 234 foreigners purportedly seeking work in the extractive industries. Commenting on the topic of granting nonnationals permits to work in Guyana, subject Minister, Winston Felix said that there are certain criteria under which the permits and employment visas are approved. According to the Minister, one such condition is that the applicant must possess skills and expertise that are not available in Guyana. “We don’t want to take our work and give

it to foreigners when there are Guyanese who can do the job,” Felix noted. Meanwhile the records also show that a number of work permits were granted to visitors from the North America, the Caribbean, England and other far reaching destinations such as the Netherlands, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Ethiopia, New Zealand, Jordan, Estonia, Singapore, Somalia and Syria. According to the information, approximately 790 non-nationals were granted employment visas; 103 student visas and 283 visitors’ visas were approved in 2014, alone. When added to figures representing those seeking business and courtesy visas, the data indicated that over 1473 visa applications were approved. The information also highlighted an increase in the number of persons visiting Guyana for leisure, within the three-year period. Approximately, 941 persons visited Guyana seeking adventure within the timeframe. Earlier this year, the UK Business Insider recorded Guyana as one of the 12 Emerging destinations to visit in 2016, particularly during the observance of the 50th Independence Anniversary celebrations. Broadcast journalist and photojournalist, Anisha Shah had explained that 2016 is all about emerging destinations. “Wilderness, wildlife and culture; these themes will illuminate the year’s travel itineraries. Escapism and authenticity are key, and nowhere offers them quite like fledgling and far-flung nations,” she said. In sharing her perception of the destination, Shah, a freelance journalist for CNN, BBC Travel and Huffington Post, listed Guyana’s untouched pristine interior, Amerindian villages, wildlife, castaway beaches, endangered sea turtles, Kaieteur Falls and virgin ancient jungle, as some of the “must have in an adventurer’s paradise”.

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Kaieteur News

Wednesday August 03, 2016

Billionaire public servant secured nine properties over 7-year period The wealth and assets accumulated by public servant, Omar Shariff, continues to stun investigators. In addition to his multibillion-dollar bank accounts, the Permanent Secretary has been able to buy properties all across Guyana. He has properties in Essequibo, Eccles, Kitty, Campbellville, Lethem and Kuru Kuru. Interestingly, Shariff has been able to secure many of his properties during a short period of time. These are only the ones that have been discovered and revealed by the ongoing investigation. In November 2007, Shariff secured two properties in close proximity to each other at Kuru Kuru, Soesdyke/ Linden Highway. Two years later, in March 2009, Shariff acquired another plot of land. This one is at Lethem, Left Bank of Tabatinga Creek, Right Bank of Takutu River. Another two years after that, in 2011, Shariff stretched his hands all the way to Essequibo. He bought a property at Lot 16 Acme Scheme, Vergenoegen Coop Society, East Bank Essequibo. The very next year, the Permanent Secretary was able to acquire more properties. This time he moved to Georgetown. In February and September 2012, Shariff bought two properties at Eccles, East Bank Demerara. One year later, in 2013, the billionaire was able to secure a property in another high end area. He bought a property at Dadanawa Sheriff Street Section “K” Campbellville. Shariff got his hands on more assets in 2014. In that year he secured another property at lot 36 Section B Vergenoegen, East Bank Essequibo. He also bought a property at 36 Dowding Street, Kitty. Of the nine properties that Shariff has been able to put

Billionaire public servant Omar Shariff his hands on over the sevenyear period, six are in the name of his reputed wife, Sabeita Hardeo. Kaieteur News previously reported that the public servant had billions of dollars in a number of accounts at local banks, there is also information that he has invested some of his money in shares at a few thriving establishments. In 2010, Shariff and his reputed wife, Sabeita Hardeo, acquired thousands of shares in three major companies across Guyana. These companies are Banks DIH, Republic Bank, and Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry (GBTI). Kaieteur News has found out that Shariff has 14 accounts. Some contained millions of dollars while others had billions. The Permanent Secretary has accounts at five banks. He had over $1B in his Citizens Bank account. He has nine accounts at GBTI. The combined amount in those accounts was just over $14.9B. Shariff has only one Republic Bank account. He had deposited over $953.6M there. He has two Scotia Bank accounts. However, Kaieteur

Cops accused of robbing miners of raw gold From page 3 present at yesterday's court hearing. Police Prosecutor Shellon Jupiter did not oppose bail for the defendants. However, she asked that same be granted in a substantial amount to ensure their return for trial. Jupiter also requested for the defendants to lodge their passports and report to the Officer in Charge of CID Headquarters, Eve Leary.

Prosecutor Jupiter stated that the complainants were robbed at around 14:20hrs on the day in question. She said that they were at Base Camp Stephenson, Timehri, when they were approached by the officers and relieved of the gold. It was reported that the ranks visited the area after receiving information that the miners were allegedly involved in illegal activities.

News was only able to get its hands on information of what was contained in one of these accounts. Shariff had deposited over $454.9M in one of his Scotia Bank accounts. He also has a New Building Society (NBS) account. He deposited only $2.1M there. In total, Shariff deposited over $18 Billion in local currency, equivalent to US$90 Million, in his 14 accounts. His overall withdrawal amounts to over $16.2B. It is believed that the monies were deposited over a five-year period. Shariff has six motor vehicles in his name including a tractor and a trailer. All properties and vehicles were acquired before 2015. Shariff is a former Chairperson of the Steering Committee of the Progressive Youth Organisation (PYO), an arm of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), the current Opposition, and was a candidate for that party in last year’s General Elections. Shariff was sent off on leave earlier in July, by Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, in order to facilitate a probe by both the Special Organized Crime Unit (SOCU) and the State Assets Recovery Unit. A letter Harmon sent to him indicated that the Minister knew sometime before that Shariff was under investigation. In addition to being questioned, Shariff also had his home searched by Law Enforcement officers. Investigators are probing how Shariff ended up with billions in his accounts. From all indications, investigators are not buying what Shariff told them - that he owned a business that was raking in almost $100M annually for the last seven years. There seems to be little evidence that taxes were paid. In addition, there were questions about his role after a major investigation revealed that the Office of the President, under Shariff’s watch, transferred hundreds of millions of dollars to the Ministry of Public Service, headed by then Minister, Dr. Jennifer Westford. Westford, a sitting PPP Member of Parliament and her assistant Margaret Cummings, are currently before the courts facing 24 simple larceny charges. The charges allege that between August 2011 and April 2015, while being employed in the Public Service, they stole the sum of $639.4M belonging to the state.

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Iraqi PM bans travel for MPs Obama to Republican leaders: Why are you still endorsing Trump? accused of defence corruption Reuters - Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi yesterday said six lawmakers accused of corruption in the defence sector would not be allowed to travel abroad until a parliamentary committee had completed an investigation. Defence Minister Khaled al-Obeidi on Monday accused Parliament Speaker Salim al-Jabouri and five other MPs of lobbying for businesses seeking contracts to sell overpriced planes, vehicles and other goods to the armed forces. He said they sought to influence ministry appointments and some tried to blackmail him. All six deny the accusations. The scandal comes at a critical time for Iraq as its armed forces gear up to recapture Mosul, the capital of Islamic State in Iraq, in what is meant to be a final push to defeat the militants. Yesterday, parliament appointed a committee to probe the allegations, which will begin its work today, the parliament’s Integrity Commission head Talal al-Zobaie told Reuters. “This matter caused an earthquake in parliament,” he said. Separately, Abadi an-

Haider al-Abadi nounced the six MPs, four men and two women, would not be allowed to travel until the investigations were completed. Obeidi made his announcement while appearing before parliament on Monday to respond to separate corruption allegations at his ministry. He previously called his summons to address MPs a “conspiracy by the corrupt.” The Iraqi defence ministry has been accused by lawmakers of wasting billions of dollars in public funds and weakening the armed forces to the point where they collapsed in 2014 in the face of the Islamic

State threat. This allowed Islamic State to seize a third of Iraqi territory, but the group has since been pushed out of many of those areas by Shi’ite Muslim militias and a military that is slowly being rebuilt with the support of a U.S.-led coalition. Abadi’s efforts to combat corruption in government have been met with resistance and caused major disruption to Iraqi politics. Iraq, which ranks 161 out of 168 on Transparency International’s Corruption Index, but has faced resistance from within the political elite.

Zuma, economy in focus as South Africa holds local elections Reuters - South Africa holds local government elections today in what looks likely to become a referendum on President Jacob Zuma’s scandal-plagued leadership and on an economy forecast to stagnate this year. The African National Congress (ANC) has held sway in the main cities since white-minority rule in Africa’s most industrialised country ended 22 years ago. Any defeats could erode the party’s support before a general election in 2019. Opinion polls see a close race in those cities, including the capital Pretoria, economic-hub Johannesburg and the symbolic Nelson Mandela Bay named after the anti-apartheid icon. “The way the opposition parties have carried out their campaigns and the way the ANC has responded, show the vote will be a referendum on Zuma and the performance of his government on the national economy as well as the local level,” BNP Paribas Securities South Africa political analyst Nic

Reuters - President Barack Obama issued a scathing attack of Donald Trump yesterday for criticizing a Muslim family whose U.S. Army captain son was killed in Iraq, and he challenged Republican leaders to withdraw support for their “unfit” nominee. O b a m a ’s c o m m e n t s added to a growing number of statements from Republicans and Democrats lambasting Trump for his criticism of Khizr and Ghazala Khan, who appeared at the Democratic National Convention last week. Trump questioned whether Ghazala Khan did not speak at the convention bec a u s e she was prevented from doing so by her religion and he characterized Khizr Khan’s criticism of him as “vicious.” Families who lose an immediate relative in a U.S. military action are called Gold Star families. “The notion that he would attack a Gold Star family that had made such extraordinary sacrifices on behalf of our country, the fact that he doesn’t appear to have basic knowledge around critical issues in Europe, in the Middle East, in Asia means that h e ’s woefully unprepared to do this job,” Obama said of Trump during a White House news conference. The Democratic president noted that leading Republicans , including Speaker of the House of Representatives Paul Ryan, Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell,

Barack Obama

and one-time Republican presidential nominee John McCain, a U.S. senator from Arizona, had criticized Trump for his remarks but have stood by their endorsements of him. “The question I think that they have to ask themselves is, if you are repeatedly having to say in very strong terms that what he has said is unacceptable: Why are you still endorsing him?” Obama said. “What does this say about your party that t h i s i s your standardbearer?” Obama said during a White House news conference with Singapore’s prime minister, Lee Hsien Loong. Obama has endorsed his former secretary of state, Hillary Clinton, the Democratic nominee for president. Trump quickly hit back at the president and Clinton, whom he often says is running for

Obama’s third term, as e m bracing policies that have destabilised the Middle East, hurt veterans and shipped American jobs overseas. “They have betrayed our security and our workers, and Hillary Clinton has proven herself unfit to serve in any government office,” Trump said in a statement. Obama said that even if he had lost his White House races in 2008 and 2012, he would not have doubted his Republican rivals’ ability to lead the country. That was not the case for Trump, a businessm a n f r o m N e w Yo r k , Obama said. “There has to come a point at which you say, somebody who makes those kinds of statements doesn’t have the judgement, the temperament, the understanding to occupy the most powerful position in the world,” Obama said.

India’s biggest tax reform looms, many companies unprepared African National Congress (ANC) president,Jacob Zuma (2nd R) waves to his supporters as he arrives for the parties traditional Siyanqoba rally ahead of today’s local municipal elections in Johannesburg, South Africa. REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko Borain said. Zuma, who has been beset by a series of scandals, survived an impeachment vote in April after the Constitutional Court said he breached the law by ignoring an order to repay some of the $16 million in state funds spent on renovating his home. In December, he was widely criticised for changing his finance minister twice in a week, sending the rand plummeting and alarming inves-

tors. Zuma has rejected the accusations, saying he is fit to lead. The ANC party backed him to defeat an impeachment vote. But anger is rising in a country where one in four people are unemployed and the central bank expects zero growth this year. The economy is on the brink of a recession after shrinking by 1.2 percent in the JanuaryMarch period.

Reuters - Throughout years of political gridlock, the risk that India might pass its biggest tax reform since independence appeared reassuringly remote for many businesses. Suddenly, the prospect that a new Goods and Services Tax (GST) could enter force next year has bosses panicking at the likely impact and seeking advice on how to cope. The expected passage by parliament today of a key constitutional amendment would resolve crucial issues needed to transform India’s $2 trillion (1.4 trillion

pounds) economy and 1.3 billion consumers into a single market for the first time. The amendment is likely to clear the upper house after the opposition C o n g r e s s p a r t y, w h i c h originally proposed the G S T w h i l e i n p o w e r, wrung concessions from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government. Yet the vote will only fire the starting gun in a legislative marathon in which the national parliament and India’s 29 federal states have to pass further laws determining the - still unknown - rate

and scope of the tax. At the same time, a huge IT system needs to be set up, tax collectors trained and companies brought up to speed on a levy that experts say will force them to overhaul business processes from front to back. One boss who isn’t ready is G.R. Ralhan, head of Roamer Woollen Mills in the northern city of Ludhiana. “Companies, particularly smaller ones, are apprehensive,” Ralhan told Reuters, calling for more time to adjust and saying a high rate of GST could put his firm out of business.

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Griffith: Ticket to Syria Trump’s immigration should be one-way to hell stand generates fear Trinidad Express - Confirmed local terrorists who arrive in Syria to become part of the Islamic State (ISIS) terrorist group should not be allowed to return to Trinidad and Tobago. This is according to former national security minister Captain Griffith who said if Government took such a stance, that should act as the ultimate deterrent for locals wanting to join ISIS. He said terrorists must know that once they purchase a ticket to head to Syria, “that is a oneway ticket to hell.” However, in the reported case of the nine citizens who were in the process of being deported from Turkey en route to Syria, Griffith said they should be allowed to re-enter the country but must be monitored closely. His comments after a Turkish newspaper reported that nine Trinidad and Tobago nationals were expected to be deported to their home country from Turkey shortly. Griffith told the Express: “Several countries, Canada, Australia, Great Britain, they are looking at the concept of denationalising their citizens.

Trinidadians whose images are used in the ISIS propaganda magazine This I think is the ultimate deterrent. What is happening now is that many young naive, easily influential gang members, they are seeing an opportunity to go abroad to become what is known as foreign terrorists fighters. They are in 50 odd countries, Trinidad and Tobago is one of those. We can’t be in a position where these persons are deemed as terrorists and then be allowed re-entry

based on us not having enough evidence for prosecution. There must be an ultimate deterrent and the only deterrent and the only deterrent is to show that this is a one way ticket to hell. If you purchase this ticket and you go across to Syria to become a foreign terrorist fighter, you are going to denied re-entry back into your country and you would remain in Syria.

Brazil impeachment trial closer to sealing Rousseff fate Reuters - A Senate report found yesterday that Brazil’s suspended President Dilma Rousseff violated the constitution by manipulating government accounts, moving her drawn-out impeachment trial closer to deciding her fate. The report is expected to be approved by the impeachment committee on Friday and by the full Senate next Tuesday, leading to the final trial phase in which the 81 Senators must reach a verdict at the end of August or first days of September. The impeachment of the unpopular leftist leader has paralysed Brazilian politics for seven months and held interim President Michel Temer in a legal limbo that has hindered his efforts to pull Brazil from fiscal crisis and severe recession. Rousseff is accused of altering official budget figures and using funds from staterun banks to cover up the real state of Brazil faltering economy as she ran for reelection in 2014. Her impeachment would mark the end of 13 years of rule by the left-of-center Workers Party and leave Latin America’s largest economy in the hands of the Temer, Rousseff’s conservative vice

Donald Trump the president.” As Mapp, now in the third year of his first four-year term sees it, Trump’s approach to immigration was laced with racism, and that’s reflected in his characterisation of Spanish-speaking people as rapists, drug dealers, killers and crooks. “His policy relative to immigration smacks of racism,” said the mayor, a certified public accountant who served as president of the Plainfield City Council before becoming mayor. “He would be a nightmare not only for immigrants but for the entire country,” said Mapp, who must face re-election in November 2017. Phillips, who was recently re-elected to the number two position in the TWU’s hierarchy, agreed. “Trump at the head of the Republican ticket should be a wake-up call for all immigrants who are eligible to vote but are not registered to do so,” said the trade union executive. “Immigrants must become

more active in the nation’s political affairs and be in a position to vote. If they don’t, then they are opening the door to deportations, rejection of comprehensive immigration reform and to limits being placed on their children’s opportunities to a good education. This is scary stuff.” In an appearance on the national television programme Meet the Press, a week ago, Trump said that far from rolling back some of the proposals he articulated during the primary election season, he would expand and toughen them. The TWU executive said he couldn’t believe some of the immigration threats Trump outlined before, during and after the convention. “Immigrants including those from the Caribbean must wake up and be far more politically active than they are now,” said Phillips. “Failure to act could result in some of the most stringent anti-immigration policies.”

Venezuela opposition plots next moves against Maduro

Dilma Rousseff

president. While 54 votes are needed to convict Rousseff, or twothirds of the Senate, Brasiliabased political consultancy ARKO Advice says between 56 and 60 Senators today favour removing her, a narrow margin that is unlikely to be reversed because Temer is seen delivering political and economic stability. Efforts to defend Rousseff by her Workers Party and its founder, former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who faces corruption charges, have not been enough to save her, Arko said. The Senate impeachment committee listened to the author of the report, Senator Antonio Anastasia, read out from its 440 pages detailing

Daily Nation - Two highly-placed Bajan immigrants in New York and New Jersey share a common concern: the “frightening” impact of Donald Trump’s proposed immigration policies. And in their different ways, Adrian Mapp, the Democratic Mayor of Plainfield, a municipal area with a population of between 50 000-60 000 people in New Jersey, and Earl Phillips, secretary-treasurer of the 40 000 Transport Workers’Union with headquarters in downtown Brooklyn, paint a gloomy picture of billionaire Donald Trump as a president who would ignore the historic role of immigrants in helping to propel United States’ prosperity, and erect barriers that would limit the flow of Bajans and other West Indians into the United States. “His position on immigration is very frightening,” said Mapp. “His ideas on who should and shouldn’t enter the country are very scary. After listening to him during the recent Republican National Convention in Cleveland you have to be very worried about what could happen in November when people go to the polls. “When Trump speaks about building a wall along the Mexican-US border, the barriers erected in the path of Muslims and the deportation of millions of undocumented immigrants, it makes you worry about the direction the country would take if he were

the alleged illegalities of the accounting methods that Rousseff used to augment her government’s spending power in the run-up to the 2014 election. Anastasia, a member of the PSDB, the main opposition party to Rousseff’s administration, said there was enough evidence for the impeachment trial to continue. The trial phase in the Senate will be presided over by Brazil’s Chief Justice Ricardo Lewandowski. According to the Supreme Court, if the Senate approves Anastasia’s report next Tuesday - only a simple majority is needed - the final trial session would begin on Aug. 26 and last about a week, with a final vote on Sept 2.

Caracas (AFP) Venezuela’s opposition steeled itself for a new battle yesterday as it advanced on its campaign to remove President Nicolas Maduro in a referendum, vowing mass rallies to pressure the crisis-hit government. Seventeen years after his late mentor, Hugo Chavez, launched Venezuela on the path of socialist “revolution,” Maduro is clinging to the helm of a country in deep crisis. Once-booming Venezuela, home to the world’s largest oil reserves, is gripped by severe shortages of food, medicine and basic goods that have triggered violence and looting. The opposition, which blames Maduro for the mounting chaos, wants to get

rid of him with a recall referendum. They won a key battle Monday when the National Electoral Council (CNE) announced the opposition had successfully collected nearly double the 200,000 signatures required to start the process. Maduro’s camp has vowed to fight tooth and nail. Complicating matters, the opposition says he controls both the electoral council and Supreme Court. To trigger a recall vote, they must now gather four million signatures in just three days, at a yet-to-be-decided time. Opposition leader Henrique Capriles called two days of nationwide rallies for today and tomorrow to start mobilizing support. Other opposition leaders

camped out yesterday at the electoral council’s headquarters, awaiting the official certificate declaring they had gathered the necessary signatures to complete the first phase. Once they have the document in hand, they will have two days to formally request a recall vote. The opposition is racing to force a referendum by the magic date of January 10, four years into the president’s sixyear term. After that, a successful recall vote would simply transfer power to Maduro’s handpicked vice-president rather than trigger new elections. Maduro has declared a state of emergency and given his military sweeping powers over food production and distribution.

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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: 6267040; 265-4535. INNOVATIVEMARKETING& PUBLISHINGINC–TEL:6004212: We create A/works, logos, business cards, posters, etc, placements of ads included. Repairs at low cost: Fridges, air- conditioners, washing machines, TVs, microwaves, freezers- Call:6294946 or 225-4822 RAMDASS VISA APPLICATION & immigration services, room A-4, Maraj Building, Georgetown. Call Samantha: 227-0295; 615-9295 Passport, permanent & visitor visa application, Professional Immigrant Consultant – Sabita Immigration Services. Call: 225-6496; 662-6045 Hello the doctor is back! Have your gas stove service and repairs. Call: 601-0595; 220-4073; 220-5785 Repairs at affordable prices: fridge, air conditioner, washing machines, dryers, TV, microwaves & freezerCall: 610-5846 or 661-8158 US/Canada, Visa Applications, Cybertron Visa Center, Parika. Call: 2604850

FOR RENT PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION,WEDDINGS, ANNIVERSARY, ETC. CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 216-1043; 677-6620 Teepee Suites Apartments: Lot 7 Princes Street, Charlestown, Guyana. Call: 592-223-7903/email: teepeesuites@yahoo.com One 2 bedroom apartment located at Section ‘A’ Block ‘X’ Great Diamond, E.B.D. For more information, please call: 643-9286; 603-0067 2 Bedrooms bottom flat to rent lot 5 Wallers Delight, W.C.D -$45,000 monthly. Call: 6744929; 662-0187 1 Complete 3 storey building for rent at 68 Pike St. Kitty Call: 615-8176 One 2 bedrooms apartment, one 1 bedrooms apartment at Timehri –Call: 658-4754 1 Snackette with warmer & glass cases, 1 grocery & bar @ 7 Durban street Lodge- Call: 690-5796 Business place in prime location, fully grilled, spacious and air conditioned @ East street, North Cummingsburg- Call: 2266592, 643-8833 2 bedrooms furnished top flat front house for rent Tel # 6381112, 647-3054 Hair station rental at convenient location, Georgetown, Call: 638-1106, discounts given to newcomers, persons with experienced & clients OneTwo bedrooms apartment in ‘B’ field SophiaContact: 650-8827, 621-5781 1-2 Bedrooms house fully grilled & fenced with parking space in Sophia- Call:219-0149 after 17:00 daily, 627-6206 (anytime)

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Wednesday August 03, 2016

Kaieteur News

VACANCY Vacancies exist for workers @ Ice Factory and Meadow Bank Wharf. Call: 231-1408; 642-9191 8am-2pm Janitorial Staff with experience, able to work flexible hours. Applications must be sent to PO.BOX 12329 Female room attendant. Tel: 225-0198 or visit 233 South Road, Lacytown. Assistant cook. Apply within call: 611-5615; 225-7933 or visit us at 173 Sheriff Street Part-time Babysitter with valid US visa. Experience with children. Hiring on excellent recommendations ONLY. Tel# 655-1560. Exists for a real estate agent, stipend paid & CommissionText-648-2345 One nail Technician- Call: 609-7458

TO LET (2) Bedrooms, bottom flat apartment, toilet & bath inside, grilled & sealed. Location: Canvas City Linden- Call: 670-6479,6162752 2 bedrooms house to rent, new, Herstelling Call: 6847366, 617-8739 One fully furnished apartment $80,000 monthly & one unfurnished room $18,000 @ Diamond- Call: 668-0306, 694-7817 2 BEDROOMS FULLY FURNISHED APARTMENT FOR OVERSEAS GUESTS @ ECCLES, E.B.D- US $30 DAILY- CALL: 609-8132, 672-8569

Property for sale at Lot 32 Princess street Werk-EnRust- Tel: 621-8767 East Ruimveldt corner $15M. East La Penitence $13.7M 2 storey, Aubrey Barker road (corner) $30M- Call Shawn (Broker) 231-2199, 618-7483 House & land for sale $8,000,000, 422 Fourth Street, Herstelling, East Bank Demerara. Call: 677-0792 2 Storey house, 2 bedrooms, size 20x30. 2 inside bathrooms @ Best Village, W.C.D. $15 million- Call: 609-5620, 6644415 Modern 3 bedrooms flat house in Eccles with ACs, water filtration, automatic gate, alarm, pressure pumpCall: 600-1398, 645-0405 House & land 2 storey concrete building (4 bedrooms; 2 self-contained), semi-furnished @ Grove & Diamond N/S. Call: 216-1861, 657-2300, 614-0578

2 BEDROOMS UPSTAIRS APARTMENT WITH PARKING ETC. IN ECCLES, E.B.D. $80,000 MONTHLY- CALL: 6098132, 672-8569 ACCOMODATION Harmony Inn- furnished apartments and rooms (long term & short term) affordable prices- Call: 668-0306/6947817/ 218-1400

FOR SALE/RENT American Pool Table. Call: 277-0578

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PROPERTY FOR SALE Corner property in Grove, 1 block from Main Road- Flat House, price negotiable. Call: 1905-626-2572 Transported property @ Grove and Diamond $16M negotiable. Call: 625-5461 Newly built @ Craig E.B.D (land size: 91X50 feet), (House 40X28), 3 rooms, 1 self contained. Call:718-213-6496; 679-8091 Brand new 2 storey concrete building in 5th Avenue, Diamond, E.B.D, all modern amenities -Price Reduced – Call: 662-9335; 612-3244 One (2) family house lot 32 Ann’s Grove housing scheme, land 100x50 $20M negotiable- Call: 623-5423 40X32 House @ Anna Catherina, W.C.D –price $13.5M negotiable- Call: 6462341; 225-7164

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VEHICLE FOR SALE 2010 IST -$2.6M, 2011 BLUEBIRD -$2.7M, 2011 RACTIS -$2.6M, 2009 AXIO -$2.4M, 2009 BELTA -2.4M. CALL: 617-2891 SALE! SALE! 2010 IST $2.4M, 2009 NOAH -$2.5M, ARUIS -$2.5M- CALL: 6172891 3 TON CANTER ENCLOSE AND OPEN BACK WITH 4D ENGINE, PRICE -$3.6M, NEVER REGISTERED – CALL: 617-2891 2009 RX8, Allion, Music Bus, Small bus, Motor cycle, Benz. Call: 265-4979 1 Toyota Noah Wagon – Call: 227-4339/ 227- 8772 One 2007 Fielder stick gear $2.7M negotiable. One B12 Sunny $300,000- Call: 6165974, 618-8703 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 Toyota Vigo, excellent condition, $2.1M negotiable Call: 668-4553 1 Toyota Fielder Wagon 2003 in good condition $1.5M negotiable- Call: 615-6944

FOR SALE Used XBOX 360 and play station 3- $35,000, plastic barrels -$4,000. Call: 6217497; 603-8643 LARGE QUANTITIES OF HIGH PURITY MERCURY (QUICK SILVER) 99.99995% PURITY$19,000 PER POUND CALL: 592-227-4754. One 6 base music set with QSC amps, RCF speakers. Call: 622-0503; 689-9932 Toyota IST-$1,895,000, Toyota Fielder-$1,895,000, Toyota Spacio-$1,895,000, BMW 318i-$2.3M, Audi A4-$3.7M. Contact#6500402 1 Toyota Super GL minibus, (Pitbull), 2008 model, power window & fully A/C. Only 1 month old. Call: 652-4640; 664-2088 Great Deals on video games & all gaming consoles. PC, phone games, applications & repairs – Call: 672-2566; 265-3231 Spare for washing machine, microwaves, fridges, stoves, timers, gearbox, motors, etc. Call:2259032;647-2943;604-5198 ADORABLE FLUFFY PUPPIES FOR SALE. CALL: 615-0146 1 -2700 PSI pressure washer, 1 5Gal hand & Bissell wet vacuum, 1 steam cleaner, 1 tank & hose for pressure washer -$180,000. Call: 2275169

EDUCATIONAL Electronic Course. Starting 9th August. Hands-on training repairing all types of TVs, etc. Call: 226-6551; 225-0391 IAE: Register for full time school (Grades 7-11) CSEC lessons; adults and school leavers CXC classes. Call Mr. Roberts: 683-5742 Kids Summer Computer Classes: ages 5-14 -$5,000, Diploma in computer $30,000, 9 Courses @ Cybertron, Parika. Call: 2604850 Summer Computer Classes for kids -$6,000 ages 5-15; 9 courses diploma in computers -$35,000, Vreeden-Hoop. Call: 264-3057

LAND FOR SALE We have interest in buying lands at Farm & Herstelling. Call: 266-0693 Land for sale at Eccles and Diamond. Call: 609-7766 Tushen $2.2M, $3.5M, Parfaite Harmonie- Call:6421252

MASSAGE

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).

Happy Touch Day Spa: Come & Experienced heavens touch, visit us today! –Call: 690-6079 The Gent’s Spa: take time for yourself with lovely masseuses. For appointments call: 658-6677 Continue page 29

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Consultations underway for regularisation of social work practice The Ministry of Social Protection is seeking to enhance the standards of social work in Guyana, through a series of consultations aimed at developing professional guidelines for conduct within the field of work. According to organiser of the programme and Head of the Department (HOD) for Sociology at the University of Guyana, (UG) Paulette Henry, the process has been set in motion towards realizing the codes of conduct to govern the profession. Henry reiterated that since “social work is a critical profession in Guyana’s social landscape there is need for guidelines for the profession. She opined that for too long the landscape for social work has been unregulated adding that “in the world the different professions are guided by principles and rules, social work is no different. “ The University HOD said that concept of developing a code of conduct for social workers derived from a meeting with the Minister of Social Protection, Volda Lawrence. Henry said that as a result of the discussions with the Minister, the University of Guyana pledged support to continuous education and enhancement of social work in Guyana. “We are seeking to determine

HOD Sociology Paulette Henry speaking at a recent press briefing on the topic. from social workers which set of framework would be suitable for Guyana.” Based on the discussions, Henry said that benchmarks will be developed as part of realizing the goal. The panel is expected to also establish a commission for which social workers will be held accountable. “So that once they are violated the appropriate sanctions will be enforced. The whole idea is to provide

structure for the profession, “Henry added. The organizer is optimistic that the project will be in the final stage in time for the reading of the next budget. A number of agencies have pledged their support to the project. These include University of Guyana, the Ministry of Social Protection, the Guyana Association of Professional Social Workers (GAPSW) and the United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund, (UNICEF) Childcare professionals and other stakeholders. The panel has since participated in the inaugural two- day conference on ‘Standards for Professional Social Work Practices.’ This is expected to yield fruits towards forming a set of rules outlining the social norms and rules and responsibilities and proper practices for an individual employed in the field of social work, set to materialize within a few months. The conference was hosted at the Arthur Chung Convention Centre Liliendaal, East Coast Demerara last month. During the conference Minister Lawrence had announced Government‘s plan to regularize and standardize social work practice in Guyana. Minister Lawrence said that the world has been advancing by leaps

and bounds, technologically, socially and otherwise, and it is only fitting that we in Guyana make efforts to catch-up and keep abreast with global standards and practices. This is the goal that the Ministry has envisioned for Guyana’s professional social workers and social work practice in our country, hence the timely hosting of this important conference,” Minister Lawrence noted that social workers represent a substantial percentage of the Ministry’s workforce; therefore the standardisation of the practice is critical to the smooth running, and provision of quality social services to Guyanese. She reiterated that optimising the performance of social workers calls for modern enhanced standardisation, so that the entire workforce will be au fait with the requirements and expectations which are in keeping with the vision of quality social work practice. “Our advocacy for standardisation sets the stage for high professional competence and ethnical practices, it is the launching pad from which we can craft a code of conduct and ethics which will hold all stakeholders accountable. “Further, we can visualise, in the not too distant future the granting of licences for our social work practice,” she added.

Lethem hospital to become regional institution – Public Health Ministry working on sourcing specialists Minister within the Ministry of Public Health, Dr. Karen Cummings along with a team of senior health officials, yesterday visited the Lethem Hospital in Region Nine to address a number of issues affecting the health sector in that region. In a meeting with the staff of the Lethem hospital, the Minister heard their concerns. Minister Cummings stressed that health care protocols should be observed by all staff working in the hospital. “A team is as strong as the weakest link so we want everybody on board,

singing from the same page so protocols for all health care procedures must be observed, all staff must work together to achieve this,” Dr. Cummings urged. Director of Regional Health Services, Dr. Kay Shako who also accompanied the minister to Lethem, applauded the hospital for the level of health care provided, but indicated that there is need for the hospital to be recognised as a regional institution. However, she pointed out that in order for the hospital to attain regional status, the

requisite specialist staff must be available. “We are working assiduously to bring this hospital up to the level of a regional hospital. We feel that this hospital has most of what is needed for it to become a regional hospital, but what we are working on is trying to get the appropriate specialists to come and complete Lethem being a regional hospital,” Dr. Shako added. The team addressed staffers’ concerns, one of which was the updating of the records department with

ICT systems, to provide more efficient service. The department currently engages in manual record keeping. Another issue was that of referrals. One doctor explained that when a patient is referred to the Georgetown Public Hospital, the patient is usually asked to return to complete the treatment, which would be costly, transportation wise. The doctor added that although there is the Amerindian hostel available in Georgetown, to accommodate individuals,

there are still many complaints of the poor living quarters at the facility. Staff attached to the Maternal and Child Health Department in the region requested the provision of transportation to assist in providing health services to persons in need in the sub– regions. Minister Cummings charged the Regional Health Officer, along with the Regional Executive Officer to take into consideration the issues which were raised and seek to address them in a timely manner.

From page 28

WANTED Girls wanted to work at a popular bar in MahdiaCall:662-4738 Salesgirl & porters. Apply with written application at 1E Dennis & Middleton Street, Campbellville. Salesgirls- apply at Dian’s Deli, Bar Street, opposite Kitty Market. Call: 225-3700 2 Experienced handyman & bar/shop workers for Interior, 1 handyman for G/ Town, age 18-35yrs. Call: 231-0363 Mon-Fri 9:00-11:30 & 1:30-4:30pm Experienced sand truck driver – Call: 227-8529; 2237356 Drivers/Dispatchers to work @ Gem’s Taxi Service- Call: 225-5075; 231-3709 Attractive live in waitressCall: 327-0252/674-4665 ONE HANDYMAN contact 223-5273/4 Experienced cashiers needed to work in general store on the East Coast (willing to train)- Call: 6454238, 274-0285 Wanted land to buy @ Tushen, Uitvlugt, Zeelugt, Parfaite Harmonie. Best price offered- Tel: 642-1252 Drivers & Labourers for garbage trucks Contact: 6707920 One used Nissan Bluebird Sylphy to purchaseCall:676-1697, 225-6138 One live-in experienced waitress 18-25 years, salary $70,000-$80,000 monthly. Boarding & lodging freeCall:610-5043 One lorry driver. Experience in selling water- Call: 6781234 Experienced cashier, apply with written application @ Hack’s Halaal 5 Commerce Street. Welders & persons to use torch set- Call: 673-7991, 6947385

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Kaieteur News

THE VOICE OF THE LIBERAL DEMOCRATS...

“The young bones of the revolution are still soft” – Trotsky By Sase Singh INTRODUCTION What started in Tunisia brought this question back to the table about whether there is space for a revolutionary working-class movement to advance the cause of the majority of the people. In the Mecca of capitalism, Senator Bernie Sanders clearly illustrates to us that in most societies, the 90% at the bottom are not happy with what is happening to them compared to the top 1%. Trotsky once

said that a revolutionary situation is created when in an environment of dual power; one of those power centres consistently abuses that relationship. He referred to it as the “dual impotence of the bourgeoisie class”. It is a simple philosophy; some politicians tell the people to give them a chance so that they can fix the ills that are perverting progress. The people give them a chance and then they do completely the opposite by using that power loaned to them by the people, to operate in a bubble,

as if they are not accountable to the people. GUYANA Do we see any similarities in Guyana over the past decade including today? Too many politicians have committed egregious breaches of the people’s trust by enriching themselves financially with the people’s money, leaving less for the ordinary people. This mental corruption did not just happen under the PPP, it has been happening for most of our independent 50 years and continues to happen even today in 2016. For example, spending close to a billion dollars of the people money on all sorts of jubilee projects such as D’Urban Park, when over 217,000 of our citizens are living in poverty, can only be classified as mentally bankrupt and an outrageous abuse of one’s position. But the lack of transparency and accountability around this D’Urban Park Project remains inexcusable. On May 5, 2016, in a public statement published in the State Newspapers, the country was promised full details and accountability on the spending with regards to this project. It is now August 2016 and the Project Completion Report still cannot be laid in Parliament. This reminds me of a previous government being unable to account for the funds spent on World Cup Cricket. But this is how the new petit bourgeoisie class operates today, with many

similarities in attitudes with the team before them. They spend the people’s money by the billions and do not feel obliged to account to the people. When the working class, especially those single mothers who are security guards, have to watch the new petit bourgeoisie class collect their 50% increase only three weeks after assuming office, but still cannot see their “small piece” some 15 months after, that is a revolutionary situation. Actually, the working class is being labeled as lazy these days by some in this new petit bourgeoisie class as their way of justifying why the one per cent at the top should scoop the cream from the Treasury on their journey to becoming stupidly rich, while the 90% at the bottom continue to get poorer. The masses will revolt by migrating which will just make Guyana so much poorer. If the people are not in Guyana, who are you going to tax; phantoms? For my entire adult life I have been hearing infantile excuses from the ruling class that “we do not have enough resources to do the things we want to do for you the people”. It is a blatant untruth and must be exposed. Explain to me how come they will find some $700 million in 2016 to fly first class all around the world on taxpayers’ money on many trips that provide little value for money spent, but continue to deny the workers their fair share of the economic pie?

I know a white business owner in Maryland who took a pay cut for all of 2013 and 2014 so that he could keep all his staff on the payroll. But the new “massa” in Guyana got to get more so that the people can get less and they call that public service; that is a public crime.

Sase Singh AGRICULTURE It was former President Bill Clinton who reminded us of the real deal and the makeup deal (fake) to fool the people. The real deal is when the 90% can see an improvement in their lives in a real way. That is not happening in Guyana today. For most of its 50 years, Guyana lived in a fake deal and when we worked to change that in May 2015, but all we got was a change in personnel; but the ideals from the past and the ideals of the present bear much resemblance. Today “nuff nuff” money spending but it is not percolating down to that 90%. That is a crying shame, because when the small but important group of approximately 4,000 persons from the sugar belt rejected the PPP in 2015 and voted for this Coalition Government (667 from Bath Settlement alone), they did it with a pure heart, but with a hope that better will come. I am still hopeful that one day soon. President Granger will wake up and read the riot act on his hopeless executives who continue to under-perform and underserve the Guyanese nation. Guyana remains an agricultural country but the starkest reminder of this under-performance is how the people in the agriculture sector have literally been abandoned. There is enough irrefutable evidence now to illustrate a gross display of policy ignorance and executive incompetence in the Ministry of Agriculture. There is extreme variance with the real issues that urgently needs executive intervention. Some of the best farmers are

life-long supporters of the PNC and this executive incompetence is seriously hurting the PNC. So this cannot be only politics; this is plain and simple incompetence. The PNC has an important role to shake up this government as it continues to fall asleep on the wheel. I remember meeting one of the best swine farmers in Essequibo Coast who always told me, “Boy Sase, I born a PNC and I will die a PNC”. He sent me an email last week saying “these people nah know wha dem ah do”. It is the same in the sugar and rice belt and in many other subsectors. We can do better than this as a nation. If one looks at all the indicators in the agriculture sector, irrespective of how we twist it and turn it, it speaks to a consistent message; one of policy neglect, lack of creativity on the new ideas, and a failure to think outside of the box on the big issues. These actions by the petit bourgeoisie have all the ingredients to stimulate a revolutionary situation… and I am not talking about guns. I am talking about rice farmers abandoning the land to work as construction workers in America on a visitor’s visa. That is how the people are revolting, with intellect, not bullyism. Guyana will suffer in the end as we gain shortterm remittances in exchange for a destroyed rice industry. LINDEN Think about the people of Linden. They have been in a depression since the alumina plant closed. Why can’t we find one big project or idea to create some real jobs for these people on a sustainable basis? If there is any urban area that has a strong culture towards working hard and building a nation, it is Linden. They do not need a handout, they need a fishing rod; they shall do their own fishing. I remember being part of the team that wrote the AFC action plan in 2011. In that document were some great ideas to turn around Region Ten. But today not one of them has been implemented so far. CONCLUSION As you can see from my tone, I am very concerned that we are not doing what is needed to protect our longterm future by stimulating a national development programme that is grounded in transformational ideas and projects. How long will the policy makers continue to overtax the taxpayers to pay for the parades, squander-mania projects, and the Cadillac lifestyle? Better must come to Guyana!

Wednesday August 03, 2016

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Wednesday August 03, 2016

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UK lawmakers say Europe’s efforts over migration crisis ‘lamentable’ Reu t e r s - E u r o p e a n Union attempts to tackle the migration crisis have been a failure, amounting to “too little, too late” with not enough being done to tackle people-smugglers, a committee of British lawmakers said yesterday. “Europe’s efforts to address this colossal refugee crisis have been lament a b l e , ” s a i d K e i t h Va z , chairman of the British parliament’s Home Affairs Committee. “The atrocious conditions in migrant camps within and on the borders of the richest countries on earth is a source of shame.” A flood of refugees from the Middle East and Asia, many escaping conflict in Syria and Iraq, has grown into Europe’s worst migration crisis since World War Two. The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) said yesterday more than 257,000 migrants and refugees had entered Europe by sea this year and at least 3,000 others had died. Following a year-long inquiry, the British committee said the failure of members of the Schengen area system, which allows free passage between most EU states, had made the problem worse by failing to agree on control of its external borders. “The EU’s March 2016 agreement with Turkey on

Keith Vaz return of migrants is arguably a first step towards a meaningful response but it has come far too late and is itself highly controversial for a number of reasons,” the committee said. The lawmakers said too much was being left to the countries most affected, such as Italy, Greece and Turkey, and Vaz said naval deployments in the Mediterranean had failed to deter the migrant flows or disrupt people-smuggling gangs. “The EU’s response in combating people-traffickers who are exploiting, exacerbating and profiting from this crisis has been poor,” he said. Closer to home, the committee said recent fig-

ures suggested Britain was unlikely to meet its own target of resettling 20,000 Syrian refugees by 2020, and said maintaining an agreement with France for British border checks at French Channel ports should be a priority for the British government. There has been speculation that the deal could be at risk following the vote in June for Britain to leave the EU. “Our priority is to offer humanitarian support to those most in need while maintaining the security of our borders,” said a Home Office (interior ministry) spokeswoman, adding that Britain was committed and on track to meet its target for Syrian refugees.

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Wednesday August 03, 2016

Canada to let Supreme Court candidates nominate themselves TORONTO (Reuters) Canada will change the way it fills vacancies on its top court, letting qualified lawyers and judges nominate themselves for Supreme Court openings and using a nonpartisan advisory board to recommend candidates, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said yesterday. There is a looming vacancy on the nine-member Supreme Court, with Justice Thomas Cromwell announcing he will retire in September, giving Trudeau his first chance to appoint a member of the court since becoming prime minister last November. Under the current system, Supreme Court justices in Canada are effectively picked directly by the prime minister, who does not require parliamentary approval. In the United States, by contrast, Senate confirmation is required for U.S. Supreme Court appointments. The change in Canada, announced in a government press release, creates a new system for determining candidates for the court, where justices serve until the age of 75. Once potential justices have applied, and a shortlist

is compiled by the advisory board, the justice minister will consult other levels of government, various parliamentary committees and opposition politicians. The eventual nominee, picked by the prime minister, will appear in a question-and-answer session before legislators from all parties. The move by Canada’s Liberal government is aimed at making selection more transparent, Trudeau wrote in a column in the Globe and Mail newspaper yesterday. “The process used to appoint Supreme Court justices is opaque, outdated, and in need of an overhaul,” Trudeau wrote. There is excitement in legal circles about the new process, and the open nominations have the potential to improve diversity, said Canadian Bar Association past president and spokeswoman Michele Hollins. “You may reduce the risk that the people involved in the process, however wellmeaning, will seek out the people that they know,” she said. But advocacy group Democracy Watch said the process is still partisan because

the prime minister has the final say. While the selection of Supreme Court judges in Canada has traditionally been less political than in the United States, there have been controversies. In 2014, the Supreme Court rejected then-Prime Minister Stephen

Harper’s pick of Marc Nadon in a high-profile clash, saying Nadon was not qualified. Trudeau said the independent and nonpartisan advisory board will be chaired by former Progressive Conservative Prime Minister Kim Campbell. U.S. Supreme Court ap-

pointments have become highly politicized. The ninemember U.S. high court has had a vacancy since the death of a justice in February because the Republican-led Senate has refused to take any action on Democratic President Barack Obama’s nominee to the position.

Justin Trudeau

Wednesday August 03, 2016

Banks DIH Ltd, / ABSAA Under-13 Inter-Community Football resumes today Play in the ýBanks DIH Ltd, / *ýABSAA, inaugural Co-Ed Under-13 Inter-Community Football Competition resumes today, at Parade ground on Middle and Wellington Streets, starting at 10:30 hrs. Among the six (6) teams listed to participate in the round robin format are: Group C: Grove, West B and Campbellville, while in Group D: Agricola, Golden Grove Warriors, Tucville. According to a release from the Organisers, the quarterfinals, semi-finals and final will be played this Saturday and the teams already qualifying for this round are Kingston, Eastville, Tiger Bay, and West A. Trophies and Medals will be awarded to the top 3 finishers’ compliments of main

Tallawahs face-off with... (From page 33) last year. Jason Mohammed has the most catches and has been very consistent with the bat but only Dwayne Smith and Aussie Nick Maddinson who has struggled to score freely in his three matches since replacing Martin Guptill, has managed half-centuries for the Warriors.

Rio opening ceremony...

sponsor Banks DIH. Other sponsors on board include: ABSAA, Guyana Football Federation, Samuel Bunbury, James Paul (USA),

Puran Brothers Disposal Inc, Petra Organisation, Donna Shop (Fort Kingston), Frontline Hardware Store (Plaisance),Trophy Stall.

Wednesday August 03, 2016 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) Be careful when dealing with loved ones. Use your innovative mind to surprise youngsters. Consider the source before you believe what you hear. TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20) It's doubtful anyone will try to stand in your way or cut you off at the pass today. Don't expect new acquaintances to be completely honest about themselves. GEMINI (May 21–June 20) You will have to be sure not to burn the candle at both ends. Minor accidents are likely if you take risks. Hard work will bring rewards. CANCER (June 21–July 22) Try not to jump to conclusions. Try to make amends by planning a nice dinner for two. You need to start planning that vacation. LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) Don't depend on coworkers to help; they may only hold you back. There'll be difficulties if you spend too much. Your lover will be annoyed with your participation. VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) Double check your work and be sure that your boss is in a good mood before you do your presentation. Your outgoing, aggressive nature will attract someone you've been eager to meet. Only offer to do the things you have time for. Luxury items will cost you more than you can truly afford.

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Kaieteur News

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) You will be able to borrow money in order to invest. Your ideas are right on the mark and your work commendable. However, you may not attract the kind of interest you had in mind. SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) This could be a difficult day to deal with coworkers. Back off if you want to keep the relationship intact. Your mate is going to want and need some attention. SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) You can make excellent purchases today. Observations will be far more productive. This could be a difficult day to deal with coworkers. CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19) You may have a rather hectic day due to events that children are involved in. Dealing with foreigners will be most enlightening. AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) Much knowledge can be obtained through the experiences you have. You have to know what your boss wants if you expect to do your job correctly. PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) Opposition is present and you should be prepared to counteract it as best you can. You will have to be careful not to let others find out about your intentions. Opportunities for love will develop while traveling or while attending religious functions.

(From page 39) the lack of a track, will gather at the center of the legendary football arena. “The ceremony has a purpose,” Balich said. “Talking in a positive way in terms of sustainability. Doing a dry celebration is not enough. The fact that we are taking position might not make everyone happy but that’s what it is.”

It important that as crunch time approaches the other batsmen need to pull their weight more so if Lynn, Smith and Mohammed fails at the top Chris Barnwell, Anthony Bramble, Steven Jacobs, Skipper Rayed Emrit and Sohail Tanvir step up with the bat. Tanvir’s 18 scalps is only one less than DJ Bravo’s 19 wickets and has bowled well throughout the season, will

need support from leg-spinner Adam Zampa (14 wickets), left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul and Emrit has bowled well for the Warriors. The winner of this match goes to the final, while the loser gets a second chance of playing in the final since they are to play the winner to tomorrow’s game between the Zouks and TKR. The loser of that game goes home.

Ecclestone’s helicopter... (From page 35) so they can’t abduct anyone else in Sao Paulo.” The BBC understands that Mr Ecclestone had wanted to come to Brazil to help with the investigation and had even offered the services of a private security

company to deal with the kidnappers. Mr Ecclestone, 85, is one of the most powerful men in sport and is worth an estimated $3.1bn (£2.3bn). He married Ms Flosi, 38, in 2012, three years after meeting her at the Brazilian Grand Prix.

A crackdown on counterfeits... (From page 34) back at the “megastore.” As he launched into a pitch offering two for just $15, another peddler runs over and points: Municipal guards, well-known to them as part of the crackdown, are headed

their way. “I gotta go,” the vendor yelled, grabbing his blanket by the corners, snatching it into a bundle, and running off into the crowded beachfront. “But come back later.”

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Wednesday August 03, 2016

WADA in the crosshairs, as IOC members fume at late response RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) The World AntiDoping Agency was told it needed to restore its reputation as the war of words over the timing of its response to the Russian doping scandal escalated on Tuesday. WA D A h a s b e e n criticised by members of the International Olympic Committee for not acting on information from whistleblowers of widespread doping in Russia until it became public through the media last year. As a result, a WADAcommissioned report on the extent of the abuse, was published in July, leaving the IOC to make a decision on whether Russian athletes could participate in the Rio Games just weeks before they were due to open. The scandal has led to dozens of Russian athletes being banned from the Olympics, which begin on Friday, including essentially the entire track-and-field team. But the IOC has come under fire for not imposing a blanket ban on Russian athletes, despite the report revealing systematic statebacked doping in the

country. WADA chief Craig Reedie, who is also an IOC Vice President, has defended his organisation’s actions, saying it acted once concrete facts were made available. But at Tuesday’s IOC session the fire was turned back on WADA. Alex Gilady, of Israel, told fellow IOC members: “Already in 2010 the whistleblower came to WADA. They said they didn’t know what to do with this.” “One has to scratch his head if WADA says they did not know what to do with whistleblowers who came to them with clear information and just left it. So whistleblowers had to go somewhere.” Gilady was referring to middle-distance runner Yulia Stepanova, who had w r i t t e n t o WA D A , repeatedly offering evidence of state-backed doping in Russia, but ended up providing the information to German broadcaster ARD which produced several documentaries revealing the scandal. “It is not the reputation of the IOC that needs to be restored but the reputation of

WADA,” Gilady said. VEILED CRITICISM Reedie sat through the fiery session but said he would respond when he presented his report later. Several national antidoping agencies and athletes groups had accused the IOC of failing to show leadership at a crucial time. But in another veiled criticism of WADA, IOC President Thomas Bach said: “Given our remit, it is not the IOC that is responsible for the accreditation and supervision of anti-doping laboratories. “It is not the IOC which can be held responsible for alleged corruption between the leadership of an international federation and a national member federation to cover up doping. “The IOC has no authority over the testing programme of athletes outside the Olympic Games. The IOC has no authority to follow up on information about the failings of the testing system.” Calls for an all-out ban on Russian competitors in the wake of the report were overruled by the IOC, which instead set a number of

We are 110 percent behind Boyce and Jefford Classic A n s a M c A l ’s N o n Alcoholic Brand Manager, Anjeta Hinds has indicated that the conglomerate is fully supportive of the 2016 Boyce and Jefford Track and Field Classic VII scheduled for the Mackenzie Sports Club Ground, Linden on August 27-28. Hinds disclosed that the meet this year will be sponsored under the Smalta and Lucozade brands during a presentation ceremony yesterday at the Beterverwagting Headquarters, East Coast Demerara. “We are a proud sponsor of the Boyce/Jefford Classic and we continue to be on board for the last seven years due to their phenomenal growth and for them keeping it in Linden,” she said, adding that their support is for the development of sports in Guyana.

“We look forward to all the participants competing and we could not pass up this opportunity to partner with this meet. I know it was launched already, but it is important for us to do this just to show that we are 110 percent behind Boyce and Jefford Classic,” Hinds continued. According to the Ansa McAl Alcoholic Brand Manager, MSC ground has produced some great athletes and it is only fair that they support the development of sports in general in Guyana. She said that the meet will be held just after the Olympic Games when everyone his hyped from what will take place in Rio de Janeiro in neighboring Brazil. She informed that the company also supports the efforts that are being made to help develop the ground.

Ansa McAl has been a sponsor of the meet since its inception in 2010; the company was also the first to contribute $3M to the development of the MSC Ground under its Stag Crown Your Community Project. One of the Coordinators of the meet, Edison Jefford thanked Ansa McAl for their continued support and indicated that the Championships this year is scheduled to be the biggest so far with new countries confirming their participation. According to Jefford, Antigua and Barbuda will be competing at the meet for the first time along with Jamaica, who will be returning. Trinidad and Tobago, St. Vincent and Grenadines, Grenada, Guyana’s US-based athletes and the Guyanese will match strides.

A woman walks into the head office for the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) in Montreal, Quebec, Canada on November 9, 2015. (REUTERS/CHRISTINNE MUSCHI/FILE PHOTO) criteria, including a spotless doping record and sufficient international doping test, for Russians to be cleared to compete in Rio. But Argentine member Gerardo Werthein said it was WADA that had failed, saying the organisation was more interested in self-

promotion. “I believe that this delay by WADA and the failure to investigate serious and credible allegations more swiftly has left the sports movement ... in a very difficult position facing incredibly difficult decisions in an impossible timeframe.

“At times WADA has seemed to be more interested in publicity and selfpromotion rather than doing its job as a regulator, acting with t r a n s p a r e n c y, a n d looking after the best interest of clean athletes.”

With rules suspended... (From page 36) woman she has taken the same medications that an intersex athlete would take to lower testosterone levels. Transgender athletes who transition from male to female are eligible to compete in the Rio Games without gender r e a s s i g n m e n t s u rg e r y. However, they are required to maintain certain testosterone levels, while intersex athletes do not have such restrictions. “If you were born female, then any natural advantage is perfectly legal,” Harper says of Rio. “There’s no testing, no regulations.” UCLA’s Vilain sees that as an unfair contradiction. “I’d fully expect a transgender athlete to challenge the rule,” he says. If the CAS reinstates the IAAF rule next year, intersex athletes will once again face surgery or medication to alter their bodies in order to compete. T h a t ’s w h a t C h a n d ’s attorneys and gender activists argue is fundamentally unfair. ‘A good mistake’ M a r t í n e z - P a t i ñ o ’s gender test came at the 1985 World University Games. Three decades later, sports

officials find themselves still struggling to define gender and detect advantage. Martínez-Patiño says her experiences as an a t h l e t e , t r a i n e r, T V commentator, scientist and professor give her a unique perspective on all this. “I had everything taken from me, but now I have regained everything and more,” she says. “I see this through the passage of time, as someone who can see both sides — both as a scientist and someone who was affected by (gender testing). … I think this is why I’m on the medical commission, because I have such a wide perspective, perhaps way more than people who have (only a) medical point of view. I believe my opinion has a heavier weight.” The arc of her life’s story is remarkable. “I’ve gained everything back with my position on the medical commission,” she says, voice choking with emotion. “If I had been an American, they would have made a movie about me.” She feels a bond with Semenya and Chand. “We are three different women, at different times in history, with three different

perspectives,” she says. “All three of us have been stigmatized.” Martínez-Patiño expects an “astonishing” performance from Semenya in Rio — and controversy to match it. She sees a silver lining in all this. Instead of trial by error — which is how Harper characterizes the IAAF’s and IOC’s efforts over the past three decades — Martínez-Patiño sees Rio as “trial by fire.” She expects these Games to provide a roadmap on how to determine rules and r e g u l a t i o n s o n hyperandrongenism — by showing the world how it works without regulation. “I have a double perspective,” MartínezPatiño says. “The rules have basically been removed. This also provides a marvelous test. It gives us a chance to leave theory aside and focus on the practical, based on what happens in Rio. There are women from more than 200 countries and it’s very difficult to establish rules that satisfy everybody. We get to see what happens when the rules are suspended. Human beings learn from good and bad mistakes. “This is a good mistake.”

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Rain helps hapless WI survive another day Ishant Sharma removed Rajendra Chandrika before rain interrupted play, West Indies v India, 2nd Test, Kingston, 4th day, August 2, 2016 ©Associated Press

Mohammed Shami delivers a ball, West Indies v India, 2nd Test, Kingston, 4th day, August 2, 2016 ©AFP ESPNcricinfo - Earl, the tropical storm threatening Kingston, allowed for only 15.5 overs on the fourth day. In that time, India helped themselves to four wickets, suggesting all they needed was a session or two more to wrap up a Test victory. The forecast is better for cricket tomorrow and West Indies are trailing by 256 runs in their second innings. An early start - at 9.30 am had been scuppered by overnight rain leaving the outfield rather wet. When the players finally got on the field at 10.45 am only three overs were possible before a couple of sharp showers forced them back into the dressing rooms. A good chunk of the session was played amid a mild drizzle, which at one point got strong enough to halt play for

about a minute before it disappeared into thin air. West Indies felt tentative batting in these conditions. Not least because the heavy cloud cover was helping the new ball swing nicely. Mohammed Shami used it to his advantage, pitching one on middle and seaming it away to hit the top of Marlon Samuels’ off stump for a five-ball duck at his home ground. In his next over, with lunch only seconds away, Shami had Darren Bravo caught in the slips with a well-directed short ball. Bravo lasted 37 balls, most of which were looking to maim his nose. He did not look to attack them. He struggled to defend them. He often took his eyes off them. Eventually he fell to one of them. The weather was bad, which

might have worried India but West Indies’ abysmal batting sent them to lunch with beaming smiles. There was no more play thereafter. Although not as wide as India’s smiles, there were cracks on this pitch now, around the short-of-a-length area. Ishant Sharma is naturally a hit-thedeck bowler. When he did so at the start of his second over, it stayed low. Two balls later, however, it gained some extra bounce, hit Rajendra Chandrika’s elbow as he was trying to leave the ball outside off and cannoned onto his stumps. Chandrika made 1; his Test average is currently 14 after 10 innings. No West Indian opener has been as bad. Kraigg Brathwaite had looked a lot better against the

short ball. He cut and pulled at the first opportunity against the fast bowlers. Could he bat as well against spin? Virat Kohli brought Amit Mishra on in the 13th over. Mishra bowled one unintentionally short. Brathwaite played an awful pull shot - his feet not going back and across to generate power and was caught excellently by KL Rahul running back from midwicket. Kohli ran up to his bowler, his mouth open, his eyes wide, laughing. Mishra hugged his captain, bemusement on his face. Rain that started one minute and left the next. Batsmen who didn’t really know what to do. And bowlers who were taking wickets as easily as they snapped their fingers. It was all just a little silly for Test cricket.

Tallawahs face-off with Warriors today Loser still has second chance to make final By Sean Devers When the Jamaica Tallawahs face-off with the top of table Guyana Amazon Warriors from 19:00hrs today in the first play-off game at Warner Park in St Kitts, higher totals are anticipated on the smallest of the grounds used for the 2016 Hero CPL matches. Only two teams have managed 200 totals this season. The St Lucia Zouks piled up 206-3 in scorching heat in Florida against the Tallawahs and the Patriots made 203-7 against the Zouks at Warner Park. And if the most destructive t20 batsman Jamaican Skipper Chris

Gayle, who has 303 runs and along with TKR’s Colin Munroe, scored the only centuries this season, gets going Warner Park could look as tiny as a backyard. Sri Lankan Kumar Sangakkara (260 runs with two fifties), Chadwick Walton (245 with 2 fifties) and Rovman Powell (203) have also contributed with the bat and it was good to see that the Tallawahs still prevailed when their captain failed. Shakib Al Hasan has only managed 139 runs from 10 matches and has been a major disappointment for the Franchise from Reggie Country. Andre Russell, who got

Adam Zampa ©CPL/Sportsfile married during the Florida leg, was not as consistent with the bat as he usually is and was blasted for 64 runs in four over against the Zouks in Florida when leading run scorer Johnson Charles (410) and Andre

Chris Lynn ©CPL/Sportsfile

Fletcher blasted the ball to all parts of American venue. The loss of Dale Steyn, their leading wicket taker with 12 wickets, is a major blow to their bowling attack but Kesrick Williams has 11 wickets and has done a good

job with the ball for his team. I m a d Wa s i m , t h e Pakistani left-arm spinner, has been the most economical bowler for the Ta l l a w a h s , h a s s e v e n wickets as does Al Hasan and Russell.

Kumar Sangakkara ©CPL/Sportsfile The Warriors batting carried by Australian Chris Lynn is only behind Johnson with 398 r u n s a n d proving a revelation this season after struggling badly for the Tallawahs (Continued on page 31)

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Wednesday August 03, 2016

A crackdown on counterfeits at merchandise-happy Rio Games RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) Want an Olympic license plate, or a handembroidered Olympic handkerchief? How about Olympic cocaine? These and other products are among those being seized by Brazilian police in a crackdown on less-thanapproved use of the five rings, mascots and other Olympic symbols ahead of the Games, which start in Rio de Janeiro on Friday. In a country where pirate versions of just about any product are as common as tropical fruit, Olympic

organizers are battling a tide of bootleg goods sold and produced by those seeking to profit from the hype around the first-ever Games held in South America. “ T h e s e a r e opportunists,” says Valeria Aragão, a police inspector in charge of a 20-member counterfeit squad that in recent weeks has conducted raids across the city, confiscating all manner of ersatz Olympic goods. During one recent sting, she caught an elderly merchant, who had just embroidered “Olympics 2016” on a series of

One of dozens of packages of cocaine stamped with a Rio 2016 label (REUTERS/Rio de Janeiro State Police/Handout via REUTERS/File Photo) handkerchiefs, hanging one in her shop window. Narcotics police, meanwhile, in recent busts have even seized bricks of pressed marijuana and

packets of cocaine that traffickers adorned with the Olympic rings. “There are all sorts of people out there trading on something that has little to

Regional Under-15 Championship – 4th round

T&T and Guyana remain unbeaten ST .GEORGE’S, Grenada, CMC Leaders Trinidad and Tobago’s unbeaten run continued when they hammered lowly placed Leeward Islands by 114 runs in fourth round action of the Regional Under-15 Championship here on Monday. Starts from top order batsmen Anthonio Gomez, Ta r i z M o h a m m e d a n d Hayden Seales and three wicket hauls from Jayden Seales, Rivaldo Ramlogan and Sameer Ali catapulted T&T to a commanding win at Progress Park. Gomez scored 46, Mohammed 45 and Seales 41 as the young Trinidadians posted 223 for seven and bowled out their opponents in 40.2 overs. Leewards slumped to 56 for four and never recovered in the face of a persistent bowling attack led by Seales, Ramlogan and Sameer who grabbed 3-19, 3-21 and 3-21 respectively. T&T now sits at the top of the table on 25.4 points while Leewards are on fourth place with 7.4 points. Meantime, Guyana is five points adrift of T&T after a convincing 100 run win over hapless Jamaica at Tanteen. The Jamaicans did well to bowl out the Guyanese for 150 in 48 overs after they recovered from a shaky 31 for the loss of three wickets with two batsmen getting starts-Sachin Singh 43 and Dwain Dick 32. Romain Jacobs three for

30 and Bisnarth Headley two for 15 were the pick of the Jamaican bowlers. Jamaica did not capitalize on the advantage given to them by their bowlers and suffered a total meltdown on the chase, crumbling for 50 runs in 41.1 overs. No player made the cross over into double figures as Nigel Deodat 3-8, Lance Roberts 2-16 and Sheldon Charles 2-1 reaped havoc. Unbeaten Guyana is second on the points table on 20.7 points while their beaten opponents languish in the cellar position on 0.3 points. Over at LaSagesse, a century partnership between Antonio Morris and Demetrius Richards laid the foundation for Barbados to outplay Windward Islands by 99 runs. Morris top scored with 79 from 89 balls including 13 fours while Richards posted 60 from his 83 ball innings that counted two fours. The two put on 136 runs for the third wicket as Barbados soared to 239 for five in their 50 overs in a dominant batting display. Effan Doctrove two for 51 and Ramando Brown two for 35 made breakthroughs for the Windwards but their efforts were not enough to contain the prolific Bajans. Windwards suffered major setbacks while chasing the target, sliding to 58 for the loss of four

wickets but were unable to repair the damage and were eventually dismissed for 140 in 41.5 overs. The main destroyers shared the spoils evenly – Hans Campbell 2-17, Renacko Belgrave 2-16 and Nicholas Austin 2-18. Barbados is in third position with 14.1 points while Windwards are 6.8 points, just above bottom placed Jamaica. Scores: At La Sagesse: Barbados won by 99 runs. BARBADOS 239 for five off 50 overs (Antonio M orris 79, Demetrius Richards 60; Effan Doctrove 2-51, Romando Brown 2-35) WINDWARDS 140 all out off 41.5 overs (Simeon Gerson 28, Garvin Serieux 29; Hans Campbell 2-17, Renacko Belgrave 2-16,

Nicholas Austin 2-18) At Progress Park :T&T won by 114 runs. TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO 223 for seven off 50 overs (Anthonio Gomez 46, Tariq Mohammed 45, Jayden Seales 41, Leonardo Julien 35; K’von Esdaille 243. LEEWARDS 109 all out 40.2 overs (Demari Benta 26, Tariq Newman 35; Jayden Seales 3-19, Rivaldo Ramlogan 3-21,Sameer Ali 3-21 At Tanteen: Guyana won by 100 runs. GUYANA 150 all out off 48 overs (Sachin Singh 43, Dwain Dick 32; Bisnarth Headley 2-25, Romaine Jacob 3-30.JAMAICA 50 all out off 41.1 overs (Joseph Simpson 9; Nigel Deodat 38, Lance Roberts 2-16, Sheldon Charles 2-1)

A street vendor offers unauthorized items for sale stamped with Olympic symbols Picture taken on July 28, 2016. (REUTERS/SERGIO MORAES) do with the spirit of sport or Olympic values,” says Sylmara Multini, the director of licensing and retail for Rio 2016, as the organizing committee is known. MONEY AND SPORTS The Olympics, of course, are as much about money as they are about sports. Officially, those who are supposed to get in on the action are sponsors and local partners that at present include major multinationals like Coca-Cola Co., McDonald’s Corp. and Banco Bradesco SA, a big Brazilian bank. Then there are licensees, who manufacture and sell the roughly 5,000 official trinkets, garments and souvenirs hawked by Rio 2016. Combined, revenues from those sources for Rio 2016 are expected to total almost $1 billion. But in Brazil, the black market is big business. Sales of pirate and counterfeit goods each year exceed well over $30 billion, according to estimates by various industries. It is not the first time Olympic authorities have wrestled with the problem. Officials in China, home to many black-market manufacturers, also fought counterfeiters before the 2008 Games in Beijing. Over the past week, the squad led by Aragão raided souvenir stands at wellknown tourist markets in the popular beachfront neighborhoods of Copacabana and Ipanema. They seized over 2,300 items, ranging from pens and key chains to T-shirts and beach towels. “People want to take advantage of an event like this, whether they know it’s illegal or not,” Aragão says. Some of those caught in the dragnet are left scratching their heads.

“Rio 2016? How is that protected? It’s just a word and a year,” says Washington Valderrama, a vendor of souvenir license plates in Copacabana, who lost about $600 in revenue when the cops took 75 of them during a sting last week. ‘COME BACK LATER’ A law passed in May of this year, complementing existing copyright legislation, specifically spells out protection for terms, in any language, including “Rio 2016,” “Olympic Games,” “Rio Olympiad,” and “any other abbreviation or variation that could be created.” In a giant white tent on the sands of Copacabana beach, the main drag for Rio tourism, Rio 2016 recently set up what they are calling a “megastore”. There, they peddle official merchandise including Olympic bikinis ($85), miniature metal replicas of the official torch ($170) and polyester ties peppered with green and yellow Olympic golf logos ($66). “It’s kind of pricey,” says Cristian Krummenauer, a 38-year old visitor, eyeing a $40 red wine with an Olympic sailing logo bottled by a vintner near his hometown in southern Brazil. “It’s cheaper where I live, but it wouldn’t have this nice label.” A two minute walk up the shoreline, past a phony Spiderman posing for pictures and an Olympicthemed castle crafted by one of Copacabana’s wellknown sand sculptors, a street vendor touts garments folded across a large blanket. He offers one, a white p o l y e s t e r T- s h i r t emblazoned with Olympic rings, for about $9 – onethird of the price of the official cotton version sold (Continued on page 31)

Wednesday August 03, 2016

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Joel Fearon: GB bobsledder runs joint -third fastest 100m time by a Briton BBC Sport - Bobsledder Joel Fearon ran the jointthird fastest 100m by a Briton at the English Athletics Championships on Saturday. The 27-year-old Birchfield Harrier’s time of 9.96 seconds was also the quickest time by a Briton this year. Of Britons, only Linford Christie and James Dasaolu have run 100m faster. Fearon, who will not be at Rio 2016, was part of the four-man bobsleigh team

that came fifth in the 2014 Winter Olympics. The Coventry-born athlete was part of the GB 4x100m relay squad at the 2013 World Championships but did not compete at the event. He had improved his 100m personal best from 10.10 to 10.04 at a meeting in Loughborough two weeks ago. Fearon becomes only the seventh British man to post an official sub-10-second time for the distance.

Despite his impressive performance Fearon will not be competing at the Olympics in Rio. G B ’s m a l e 1 0 0 m representatives have already been selected, with Dasaolu and Ujah joined by James Ellington. Dasaolu’s personal best is 9.91secs, achieved in 2013, while Ujah ran 9.96s in 2014. Ellington’s personal best is 10.04s. Fearon focused on Pyeongchang In an interview with

BCCI announces two T20Is against WI in Florida ESPNCRICINFO India will play two T20I matches against West Indies in Florida later this month, BCCI president Anurag Thakur announced on Tuesday, after the board’s working committee meeting in Mumbai. The matches will be played on August 27 and 28 at the Central Broward Regional Park Stadium in Lauderhill. Officials from both boards had meetings in Florida last week to discuss

the staging of the matches at the conclusion of India’s ongoing four-Test series in the Caribbean. The ability to obtain US visas was the primary logistical hurdle before the boards but this was cleared after the BCCI submitted documents for its intended T20 squad to the US embassy in Jamaica, where the second Test is currently being played. In a press release issued by the board, Thakur stated that the series would be

India and West Indies may return next year to the USA for a cricketing series © Getty Images

developed into an annual event in the USA. “As part of our continuous efforts to reach out to new markets and audiences, I am very happy to announce that Team India will play two T20Is against the current world champions West Indies in the United States,” Thakur said. “This will be a great opportunity for the cricket fans in America to watch the two champion sides in action. This will be developed into

an annual cricketing event in the United States.” The Central Broward Regional Park is the only ICC-certified ODI standard stadium facility in the USA and recently hosted six Caribbean Premier League matches between July 28 and 31. The ground has previously hosted four T20Is - in 2010, New Zealand played two matches against Sri Lanka, and returned in 2012 for two games against West Indies.

Joel Fearon (front left) was part of Britain’s four-man bobsleigh team that came fifth in the 2014 Winter Olympics. (Getty Images) Athletics Weekly after Saturday’s race, Fearon did not rule out pursuing his track ambitions before next year ’s Athletics World Championships in London, but said the 2018 Winter Olympics remained his focus. “It’s a year before our Olympics so it’s up to [British Bobsleigh],” he said. “I’m their athlete so if they give me the freedom to go out and run, and if I’m in a position where I could make it, they’ll allow me to go and do it. I’ll work with the bobsleigh guys and see what we can put together. “My focus is really on the bobsleigh at the Winter Olympics. We missed out on a medal in Sochi so I’m very focused on going and redeeming that and hopefully getting that medal that we should have got.” From sprinting to bobsleigh - a well-trodden path

Fearon is not alone in taking his sprinting talents to the bobsleigh track. British sprinter Mark Lewis-Francis, who won Olympic gold as part of the 4x100m relay team at the 2004 Athens Games, joined the GB Bobsleigh set-up last year in a bid to reach the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympics. Fellow 2004 Olympic gold medallist Jason Gardener also competed in the 2008 GB Bobsleigh championships, while other sprinters who have made the switch include Simeon Williamson, Marcus Adam, Allyn Condon and Beijing Olympian Craig Pickering. Fastest British men of all time 1. Linford Christie 9.87 seconds 2. James Dasaolu 9.91s 3. Chijindu Ujah, Joel Fearon 9.96s 5. Dwain Chambers, Adam Gemili 9.97s 7. Jason Gardener 9.98s

Ecclestone’s helicopter pilot arrested over kidnapping BBC Sport - Police have arrested one of Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone’s helicopter pilots on suspicion of involvement in the kidnapping of Mr Ecclestone’s mother-in-law. Aparecida Schunck, 67, the mother of Mr Ecclestone’s wife Fabiana Flosi, was abducted from her home in Sao Paulo on 22 July, but was rescued on Saturday. A $36.5m (£28m) ransom was demanded for her release but none was

paid. Pilot Jorge Eurico da Silva Faria is one of three people seized by police. Mr Silva Faria is the alleged mastermind of the attack. Ms Schunck was freed after being traced to a house near Sao Paulo after investigators monitored phone calls between the kidnappers and her family. Shortly after she was freed, Ms Schunck told Brazilian media: “I only ask for these bandits to be jailed (Continued on page 31)

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Wednesday August 03, 2016

With rules suspended, intersex athlete to take center stage at Rio Olympics 2016 Games likely to be a ‘trial by fire’ for IAAF, IOC USA TODAY Sports Caster Semenya is a South African runner who could emerge as one of the most compelling figures of the Rio Olympic Games. She is favored to win gold at 800 meters while perhaps breaking track’s longeststanding world record, even as her stunning speed is leading to uncomfortable controversy at the uncertain intersection of gender and athletics — and of human rights and athletic fairness. Semenya has never said she is intersex — a word preferred to the stigmatizing hermaphrodite — but speculation follows her around the globe, her private parts a mortifying matter of public debate. (Intersex is an umbrella term for people who are born with sex characteristics “that do not fit typical binary notions of male or female bodies,” according to a definition by the human rights arm of the United Nations.) Track observers believe S e m e n y a i s hyperandrogenous, meaning her body naturally produces high amounts of testosterone, the hormone that helps build muscle, endurance and speed. The International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF), track and field’s governing body, has rules limiting the amount of naturally occurring functional testosterone allowed for female athletes. But today those limits are in limbo. The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) suspended them last summer, citing insufficient evidence that high levels give female athletes a boost in performance. The IAAF has until next summer to make a case for its regulations or the court will abolish them. The

Rio Games, meantime, fall during an interregnum where the rules don’t apply. “This is a huge human rights victory,” intersex studies expert Joanna Harper tells USA TODAY Sports, “but sports, not so much.” Harper, chief medical physicist of radiation oncology at Providence Portland (Ore.) Medical Center, means that some intersex athletes may have hormone-fueled advantages over other female competitors in Rio. Maria José MartínezPatiño refers to it as a “freefor-all.” She was the world’s most famous intersex athlete in the mid-1980s when, as an elite hurdler for Spain, socalled gender testing found that she had XY chromosomes. She soon learned that her outwardly female form hid internal testes. She lost her place on the national team, her scholarship, her fiancé, her privacy, her sense of self. “Everything taken away,” Martínez-Patiño says in Spanish, “as if I never existed.” Today she is a professor of science education and sport at Spain’s University of Vigoand an advisor to the International Olympic C o m m i t t e e ’s m e d i c a l commission. And she is strongly in favor of the sincesuspended limits on testosterone. “The reality of sports is someone will always have an advantage,” she says. “It’s very difficult to establish who has it and who does not. We need to have a rule that applies to everybody.” Martínez-Patiño testified in favor of the IAAF’s upper limits before the arbitration court. That case was brought by Dutee Chand, India’s first female sprinter in 36 years to

qualify for the Olympics 100 meters. She was suspended for high levels of testosterone in 2014 — echoes of Martínez-Patiño, who won an appeal of her own decades ago. Martínez-Patiño was dismissed from the Spanish team ahead of the 1988 Seoul Games because of her sex chromatin test. She appealed based on a condition called complete androgen insensitivity syndrome, which prevents her body from responding to testosterone, negating any advantage. She won her appeal and regained her status. But she failed to make the 1992 Spanish Olympic team; her moment had passed. “It’d be easy to believe because of the difficulties of that past that I would be opposed to any rules,” Martínez-Patiño says. “That’s not the case. That would not be fair, not be ethical. I understand the positions of other people. I am in favor of rules.” The difficulty, she says, is balancing the human rights of intersex athletes with the competitive rights of other athletes. British marathoner Paula Radcliffe made news this month when she said on the BBC that if Semenya is guaranteed to win the 800 “then it’s no longer sport.” She later said in a statement that audio snippets did not capture the complexity of her overall point: “I tried to get across how difficult and complicated the situation is and how finding a solution where nobody gets hurt is pretty much impossible.” The IAAF said in a statement to USA TODAY Sports that it does not comment on individual a t h l e t e s : “ O n Hyperandrogenism Regulations the IAAF has publically confirmed that its regulations were suspended for two years by CAS in 2015 until more evidence is provided as to the precise degree of performance a d v a n t a g e t h a t hyperandrogenic female athletes enjoy over athletes with normal testosterone levels.” South African track officials did not respond to attempts for comment.

Maria José Martínez-Patiño sees gender testing from two different lenses, one as a former athlete who fought major adversity and now as a professor and advisor to the International Olympic Committee. (Photo: Courtesy of Maria José Martínez-Patiño) Chance to break world record Semenya won the 800 meters at the 2009 world championships when she was 18. Her time of 1:55.45 was among the fastest in history. Competitors raised questions. One called her a man. Word leaked that she had elevated levels of testosterone. She was subjected to unfair and unseemly comments. The IAAF’s and IOC’s vague policies on gender verification at the time considered testosterone levels, though that was only part of it. After Semenya’s case, the IAAF developed a rule that specified female athletes could not compete with functional testosterone levels above 10 nanomoles per liter, an upper limit determined to be three times higher than 99% of the women who had competed at recent world championships. The IOC adopted the IAAF rule in time for the London Games, where Semenya won silver at 800 meters, behind Russia’s Mariya Savinova, since caught in her nation’s statesponsored doping scandal. Semenya was performing at an elite level, but well shy of the promise of her astonishing performances in 2009. Harper says short of surgery that medication — typically Spironolactone and external estrogen — is the most likely way to reduce naturally high testosterone levels. Last year, Semenya failed to advance past the semifinals in the 800 at the

world championships. This year Semenya is improving markedly. She won the 400-, 800- and 1500-meter runs — all on the same day — at the S o u t h A f r i c a n championships. Her time of 1:55.33 in the 800 this month is the world’s best since 2008. T h a t ’s w h y H a r p e r believes Semenya is now competing with elevated levels of testosterone, calling her “untouchable” and suggesting her 200 splits and lordly demeanor on the track make her a near-certain bet to win the Olympic 800, with a chance to break the world record of 1:53.28 set in 1983 by Jarmila Kratochvilova of w h a t w a s t h e n Czechoslovakia. (Allegations of doping against Kratochvilova were never proven.) Eric Vilain, human genetics professor and chief of medical genetics at UCLA, says biological testing can differentiate between natural testosterone produced by an intersex athlete and injected testosterone from doping. “It was clear the IOC was shocked by the ruling of the CAS,” says Vilain, who attended an IOC-hosted meeting on the issue in May. “It was an absolutely unexpected outcome.” Harper watched in person as attorneys argued Chand’s CAS case in Switzerland. “We were all shocked,” Harper says, at the outcome. Unfair to transgender athletes? If intersex athletes produce testosterone

Caster Semenya (Photo: Kirby Lee, USA TODAY Sports) naturally, how is that different from other genetic advantages in sports — height in basketball, for instance, or long arms in swimming? “ We a l l o w c e r t a i n amounts of advantage” in sports, Harper says, “but not overwhelming advantage. For instance, left-handed baseball players against right-handed baseball players. But we don’t let 200-pound boxers get in the ring with 100-pound boxers. At some point, advantages become too great and we need two categories.” That’s why sports are divided into men’s and women’s. “The reason why women can’t excel against men is a testosterone-based advantage,” Harper says. “The essence of dividing sport is largely based on the testosterone advantage. Using a testosterone-based divide (for women’s sports) is the best that we can do. It’s a compromise of trying to protect female athletes and also giving intersex and transgender athletes the chance to compete. There’s no perfect solution. It’s very difficult. It’s absolutely not the same case as being a very tall or very fast athlete.” Harper, who identifies as a transgender woman, became interested in intersex and transgender studies after starting hormone replacement therapy — a testosterone blocker and estrogen — that caused her running times to dwindle. She says as a transgender (Continued on page 32)

Wednesday August 03, 2016

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Atkinson won’t put it off any longer, she wants Olympic glory now Jamaica Observer J a m a i c a ’s s w i m m i n g sensation Alia Atkinson is hoping to cap off a superb season with her first Olympic medal at the Games in Rio later this month. Atkinson, 27, who qualified for her first Olympic Games at the age of 15 years old, has since made appearances at the 2004, 2008 and 2012 Games. The latter was her most successful, as she just missed a spot on the podium after finishing fourth in the 100-metre breaststroke final. Since then, she has gone on to achieve the World S h o r t - c o u r s e Championships 100-metre breaststroke record of 1:02.36 minutes in 2014, and clocked her best time ever of 1:05.93 minutes over the Long-course 100m breaststroke last November. With the close shave of 2012 etched in the back of her mind, the decorated swimmer has been effectively sharpening various facets of her technique in a vigorous preparation phase. Over the past months, she has recorded fairly satisfactory times on the circuit at Arena Pro swim meets. In January in Austin, Texas, she clocked 1:07.47 minutes, followed by 1:06.84 minutes in Arizona in April and 1:07.81 minutes in Charlotte a month later. At the Speedos Sectional Championships in Orlando last month, she effortlessly clocked 1:06.80 minutes, and at the same meet, set a new national record of 29.78 seconds in the 50m backstroke.

“Preparations have been going very well indeed. In fact, my coach Chris Anderson said that I am much more consistent in practice now than I was preparing for the last Olympics in London. I am much stronger and much more familiar with the breaststroke technique now having spent the last several months perfecting it,” she told the Jamaica Observer in a recent interview from her base in Florida prior to joining the team in Brazil. “I have been working on my start, pull out, turn and finish. Of course, during the swim itself I am conscious that I have to move my head forward after completing the stroke rather than coming straight up as I have done in the past,” she added. Pleased with how her season has progressed so far, Atkinson is confident in her chances of making the podium. However, she was quick to add that it will come down to the “perfect execution”. A medal would not just simply place her name in the history books once again, but would have to be a culmination of the significant level of hard work and dedication that have gone into her impressive career. Atkinson’s journey is ardently being supported by Rainforest Sea Foods, GraceKennedy Money S e r v i c e s ( We s t e r n Union/Money Gram), Speedos UK and the prayers and well-wishes of numerous fans locally and in the diaspora. “I feel as if I am fully

prepared to execute what I deem as a perfect race to come going into the Games. Perfect in the sense that when I come out of the water I don’t look back and think that I could have done better in this area or in that area. And, this all comes down to preparation which has gone very well,” she noted. Atkinson also expressed delight about having Timothy Wynter and diver Yo n a K n i g h t - Wi s d o m

joining her in the pool for her fourth appearance at the modern Olympic Games. “I am very happy that two swimmers made the ‘B’ cut for the Olympics, but it is disappointing that both were not chosen on the team. I have to congratulate Timothy Wynter and it is also amazing that we have a diver on the squad. It only shows that with determination and hard work you can achieve whatever you want to in life,” she said.

Alia goes through her breaststroke during a training session. (Jamaica Observer)

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Wednesday August 03, 2016

Dangerous sea creatures surface off Rio before start of the Olympics G r i n d T V Contaminated water off Rio de Janeiro might be only one concern for beach-going tourists and water-sports athletes at the 2016 Olympic Games, which begin this week in Brazil. Another possible threat is posed by dangerous sea creatures that swept in with the currents last week. Daniel Botelho, a renowned nature photographer who lives in Rio, told GrindTV that several swimmers were stung by Portuguese manof-wars last week off Barra da Tijuca, site of the Olympic Training Center and about 15 miles from water-based competition venues. The photographer captured three beautiful images of one colorful manof-war, with Rio as a backdrop, before painful stings drove him from the water. (Stings typically leave

welts that can last for days.) “I made one photo, two photos and bang! It felt like hot iron on my skin,” Botelho said. “But I kept shooting until as many tentacles as I could stand got me. After making sure I got a few images, I decided to leave the water. It took about 12 hours for the pain go away, and some fever happened, and then an unpleasant itching.” Botelho, whose sister-inlaw also was stung, said swimmers were warned about the presence of manof-wars, but beaches were not closed. The Portuguese man-ofwar is not a jellyfish, despite its appearance. It’s a siphonophore, consisting of may organisms called polyps. Its name is derived from its uppermost polyp, a purplish bladder often visible above the surface, that resembles a warship under sail.

Dangerous sea creatures sting several swimmers not far from Olympic sports venues. Photo: Courtesy of ©Daniel Botelho

Tentacles can extend more than 150 feet, and are capable of stinging even after breaking free and drifting on their own, or washing ashore. Man-of-war stings are not deadly, but pain associated with stings is

usually intense. Botelho, who travels the world photographing sharks and other marine creatures, had just returned from a lengthy expedition and was relaxing at the beach with family.

“I was in the water with my brother and his wife when suddenly she started to scream, ‘Something is biting me. Help me please!’ “ Botelho recalled. His brother swam to the rescue while Botelho,

realizing that a rare photo opportunity had presented itself, rushed home to collect his camera. Once back in the water, he found himself surrounded by several manof-wars moving swiftly with the wind. “My hands were shaking and my heart was speeding up, but not because I was afraid of the sting,” Botelho said. “I was terrified with the possibility of missing the unique opportunity to make an underwater image in front of my house, including my house as part of the background – maybe a oncein-a-lifetime opportunity.” He told GrindTV on Monday that man-of-war encounters in Rio’s waters are rare, and that an easterly wind might have carried the stinging creatures farther offshore. He added, however, that another wind change could bring the dangerous sea creatures back again.

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Wednesday August 03, 2016

Tang Soo Do Martial Arts team performs creditable in T&T T&T Director and Chief Instructor Roland Eudoxie of t h e Ta n g S o o D o International Guyana has informed that his team of young competitors performed creditable in the Dragon Cup Martial Arts Championship in Trinidad and Tobago on Sunday 31st July, 2016. The fifth edition of the event saw team Guyana challenging teams from Venezuela, USA and host Trinidad and Tobago with the Guyanese youngsters battling tough competition to make their club and nation proud. Competitors Table: 1. Ksn Roland Eudoxie 18-34 Black Belt Traditional Form Empty Hand Kata - 2nd

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The Tang Soo Do team: Back Row – (from left) Master Jose Torres and Ksn Roland Eudoxie; Front Row (from left) Jamal Conway, Jordan Osborne, Wayne Toney, Reynaldo Hall and Xavier Eudoxie.

Place 2. Wayne Toney age 5-7 Traditional Empty Hand Kata - 2nd Place Weapon Form - 3rd Place 3. Jordan Osborne age5-7 Traditional Empty Hand Kata - 3rd Place 4. Xavier Eudoxie 5 & Under Traditional Empty Hand Forms - 3rd Place 5. Jamal Conway - Did not place 6. Reynaldo Hall - Did not place Special thanks have been extended to the National Sports Commission and the Ministry of Culture Youth and Sport, family and friends of the students for their support.

Rio opening ceremony to break with opulent traditions RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) The Rio de Janeiro Olympics opening ceremony on Friday will break with the recent tradition of large-scale and expensive shows, featuring a low-emissions cauldron and an “analogue” experience, executive producer Marco Balich said on Monday. With four days to go until the first Games in South America get under way, Balich told Reuters the show at the Maracana stadium was tailored to the current economic conditions in the country. “This is not an opulent event given the situation in Brazil,” said Balich, who has been involved in several past Games ceremonies, including the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics. Brazil is suffering its worst recession since the 1930s with Games organizers struggling for cash and racing to finish venues and infrastructure projects days before the global showpiece event starts. “It does not have the

An aerial view shows the Christ the Redeemer statue with the Maracana stadium, where the opening ceremony of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games will be held, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, July 16, 2016. (REUTERS/RICARDO MORAES/FILES)

grandiosity of Beijing, the huge special effects of Athens, the eccentricity and technological skills of London. It is an analogue opening ceremony,” Balich said.

The show, expected to cost about half the $42 million spent by London in 2012, is based on the themes of s u s t a i n a b i l i t y, t h e Brazilian smile and

“gambiarra”, the ability to keep functioning with makeshift fixes. “Brazil has the last big garden (the Amazon rainforest) of the world. We need to take care of this

garden and we tried to share this message, a message of hope,” Balich said. “ I t i s a v e r y contemporary ceremony. Even without special effects it talks to people

about the future. In a very humble way. It is not a display of how good or modern Brazil is.” Opening ceremonies are among the best-kept secrets of the Games along with the final torchbearer who will light the cauldron. That cauldron, however, will not be like past big structures with huge flames, visible for miles. “It will be a lowemission cauldron as it would be an oxymoron to talk about sustainability and then burn massive amounts of gas,” Balich said. “It is a small burner with a kinetic sculpture.” While the real flame will only be accessible for Olympic stadium ticket holders, a smaller copy will be placed in a live site in central Rio for fans to take photos of. Some 4,800 people will take part in the opening ceremony along with about 11,000 athletes, who will enter the stadium and, due to (Continued on page 31)

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Rain helps hapless WI survive another day

Groundsmen bring the covers on after rain stops play, West Indies v India, 2nd Test, Kingston, 3rd day, August 1, 2016 ©Associated Press

We are 110 percent behind Tallawahs face-off Warriors today Boyce and Jefford Classic with Loser still has second chance to make final -Says Ansa McAl non-alcoholic Brand Manager

Chris Gayle ©CPL/Sportsfile

Edison Jefford (left) receives the sponsorship cheque from Ansa McAl’s Non-Alcoholic Brand Manager, Anjeta Hinds yesterday. 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