Monday August 12, 2013
Kaieteur News
Diamond murder… Dead teen’s mother was unaware of daughter’s relationship with alleged killer Just 72 hours after the gruesome murder of a Plaisance East Coast Demerara teenager at Diamond on the East Bank, the mother of the slain girl said that she never met her daughter’s killer prior to the incident. The woman who declined to give her name to this newspaper said that while she was in Grenada, she received a call from her daughter’s cosmology teacher who told her that the teen was murdered. She added that when she received the news she fell into a state of shock because she was unaware that her daughter had a “boyfriend”. On Thursday last, Angela Mc Allister, 17, of Plaisance, East Coast Demerara, was reportedly attacked by her enraged boyfriend after she went to his mother’s Lot 538 Eleventh Avenue, Diamond Housing Scheme home, to “sort out” the allegations of infidelity. The alleged killer, Joshua Allen, then remained at the scene with his hands raised in surrender until the police eventually arrived. Mc Allister’s mother questioned the role of the alleged assailant’s mother who reportedly contacted the teen on the day of the murder. Meanwhile, the alleged killer Joshua Allen will make his first court appearance at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court today to answer to the capital charge of murder following a post mortem
Angela McAllister and her boyfriend Joshua Allen in happier times. report which is also expected today. Sandra Allen, the suspect’s mother, told Kaieteur News that he had been behaving strangely prior to the cruel attack on his girlfriend. Ms. Allen added that when she inquired about his behaviour, her son said that a close friend had told him that Mc Allister was cheating on him with another young man from her village. “He said that since he come out the bush, he calling her phone and she not answering it so he get upset and said that he not calling her,” the mother said. The woman added that she then offered to escort him
to Plaisance to sort out the issue. “He refused to go to Plaisance and every time me bring up the issue, he used to get vex, so I just lef he alone,” Allen said. The suspect’s mother said that she then contacted Mc Allister and invited her to come over so that the teens could sort out the issue. Mc Allister reportedly agreed. She said that when the girl arrived, she had just finished preparing lunch and was about to serve McAllister, who was a frequent visitor when her son allegedly attacked his girlfriend, resulting in her death.
As transportation woes continue…
“Big buses” remain a mere consideration As commuters continue to face discomfort, the issue of “big buses” becoming operational is still merely under consideration, just as it was back in 2008. The Ministry of Public Works had expressed that it is considering the addition of “big buses” to the public transportation system in an effort to alleviate transportation woes across the country. Minister of Transport, Robeson Benn during a recent interview said that this move is still being considered, and that proposals are yet to be made to Parliament. The Minister declined to say what is causing the hold ups, and why, after so long, it is still merely “under consideration”. In June of 2008 when fuel prices were at record highs
and commuters were begging for relief, the government had expressed an interest in acquiring 150 large and medium-size passenger buses to upgrade the public transportation services. An advertisement by the Ministry of Public Works and Communications at the time had invited expressions of interest for the supply of the buses. Since then, the price of fuel has dropped significantly, and the “big buses” are yet to make an appearance on the roadways. Meanwhile, persons are still hoping that this move would soon materialize, in order to ease them of their continuous worries. One such worry includes passengers being stranded at minibus parks for hours. Some Route 31 (West Bank
to Georgetown) commutersworking parents and students- related some inconveniences that they are faced with on a daily basis. One woman told this newspaper that as frivolous as it may seem, transportation (Continued on page 7)
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Guyana faces real risk of financial sanctions Eminent Chartered Accountant and Financial Analyst, Christopher Ram, believes that Guyana now faces a very real possibility of attracting sanctions from the Caribbean Financial Action Taskforce (CFATF), given that the nation is poised to miss the extended deadline it was afforded to comply with its recommendations. Ram’s latest analysis of the money laundering debacle, comes after the National Assembly has officially begun its annual recess, but not before a Special Select Committee voted to defer considering amendments to the Anti Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism legislation. That Committee voted to defer the consideration of the amendments until October even as CFAFT had warned of an August 26 deadline, prior to its next plenary consideration in November. Ram in his analysis, has since said that “since the executive arm of the state is not in recess, there is no reason why it should not be working feverishly to address not only the problems identified by the CFATF but to identify any other deficiencies in the law and its consistency with the Constitution.” Ram said that it would not be in Guyana’s best interest to attract the sanctions by the Regulator. He suggested that not only the Bank of Nova Scotia, but indeed every other bank operating in Guyana with correspondent banking relationships in North America, could be particularly hard hit. The US Regulator has the power to impose conditions and even prohibit US financial institutions from transacting with correspondents in a designated jurisdiction. According to Ram, with so many resident Guyanese
A mini health check is the first step to donating blood
- Chris Ram
Chartered Accountant Christopher Ram receiving remittances from the USA, any adverse ruling will have a severe socioeconomic impact on the country. “If Trinidad is an accurate guide, we can expect lengthy delays in completion of foreign currency cross border payments…For businesses conducting time sensitive transactions, such delays result in penalties and loss of business as the sanction on the country flowed down to the businesses.” He said too that other possibilities are a reduction in the flow of direct foreign investments into the local economy; loss of trading partners; an increase on the cost of borrowing as a result of reduced access to foreign currency; and ultimately, negative reactions by the international community have the potential to impact funding from international agencies. Ram recalled that “the perception that a country is perceived as a haven for Money Laundering and Terrorism Financing automatically associates it with a high probability of
attracting further criminal activity and a negative assessment by the i n t e r n a t i o n a l community…This in turn carries with it financial and reputational risk.” According to Ram, any sanction could not possibly come at a worse time for Guyana. “The exchange rate of the Guyana Dollar has recently been coming under some real pressure.” This fall, according to Ram, has been helped in no small measure by the fall in gold prices, some successes against the narco-trade, sugar performing poorly, rice seeming to bring in lower foreign exchange under the quasi-barter arrangement with Venezuela, and the expertise of the expanding Chinese community in foreign exchange dealings.” He said that compounding this situation further are “two mega-Yuan projects – the airport and now Amaila – are now under a serious cloud.” According to Ram “Observers will find it fascinating to note how the Finance Minister will address these matters when he presents his 2013 mid-year, due this month-end.”
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Kaieteur News
KAIETEUR NEWS Printed and Published by National Media & Publishing Company Ltd. 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown, Guyana. Publisher: GLENN LALL Editor: ADAM HARRIS Tel: 225-8465, 225-8491 Fax: 225-8473, 226-8210
Editorial
Amaila: False Dilemma Now that Sithe Global has officially confirmed its withdrawal from the Amaila Falls Hydro-Electric Project (AFHEP), maybe we can all look at the entire episode somewhat more dispassionately. First of all, we have to point out that contrary to what the government claims, there has not been a single Guyanese or Guyanese entity of note that has been opposed to the proposition that Guyana needs to develop its hydroelectric potential. This is not an inconsequential circumstance. In our estimation, the government should have used this unanimity to bring together the country in our quest for development rather than dubbing all those that questioned the project as “anti-nationalist”. What the government has done is to create a “false dilemma” in the minds of the populace whenever it pronounced on AFHEP. The fallacy of the “false dilemma” arises in a situation when it is presented as if there are only two alternatives for one to choose between, when in fact there can be at least one more. We commonly refer to such situations as being presented in “black or white” when there can be several shades of grey. In the case of AFHEP, the government presented two separate false dilemmas. The first, broader one that on the development of hydro power, it was either AFHEP or nothing else. Now that the issue has been thoroughly ventilated, we now know conclusively that Amaila Falls is only one of several sites that might be suitable for our initial foray into hydro-electric power generation. We do not want to rehearse the facts that have been exposed as to why the physical features of the Amaila Falls option might have pushed up the costs significantly. What we are saying is that the other options should have been considered. The other more specific false dilemma presented refers to AFHEP itself: that the costs and model of financing presented by the developer Sithe Global/Government of Guyana (GoG) have no alternative formulations that might generate significant savings for the country. Again from information presented, we now know that there have been so many variables that could have been renegotiated in our favour and it is rather incredulous that the government would be offended that their choices were questioned. Take for instance the borrowing costs on the huge US$500 million loan from China Development Bank (CDB) at 8.5%. Now China Development Bank does not offer concessional loans, and their interest rates tend to be higher than those offered by China Exim bank. This rate is extraordinarily high in comparison to the loans that the bank has made infrastructural development to, for instance, African nations especially when Chinese firms are involved in the project. In the case of AFHEP, China Railway will be responsible for building the dam and power generation plant. At least we should sit down with the China Exim Bank and investigate whether we can obtain the necessary financing at concessionary terms. If this is not successful, and CDB is the only financing agency with the deep pockets still willing to finance AFHEP, we are convinced that better rates can be obtained because of the tie in with the Chinese constructing company. For instance, Ghana has recently negotiated a US$3 billion line of credit from CDB. The first tranche of $1.5 billion will have a 20yr maturity, including a 5yr grace period. The interest rate will be 6 month LIBOR (London Inter-Bank Offered Rate - presently .4% ) plus a margin of 2.95%, with a commitment fee of 1% and an upfront fee of 0.25%. Which all adds up to 4.6%. We support President Ramotar ’s statement on AFHEP to the extent that we cannot let the opportunity to begin our hydro-electric power generation slip from our grip. As should be clear by now, this support does not mean that we simply have to find another equity partner to replace Sithe Global. We should cancel their licence and begin structuring the project immediately as part of the overall development of our hydro power potential.
Monday August 12, 2013
Letters... Where your views make the news
Let’s cut our losses, bury the hatchet and go back to the drawing board DEAR EDITOR, At this juncture in time, when the Amaila Falls Hydro Project seems to have reached at state akin to” Arrested Development” I can’t help but wonder about the future of this project and further; the broader implications for large scale development in my homeland as a whole. I read earlier today (Sat. 10th August) a report stating the possibility that the Sithe Global Group has already pulled out, with their position to be made known on Sunday 11th August, a move no doubt meant to ensure that their message reaches the widest newspaper readership possible. Within the last two weeks and at this late stage everyone pro Amaila scurried to extol the value and importance of this project, but the facts are; Guyanese are wary of everything being foisted upon them, we are tired of being taken for granted, we are tired of bearing the brunt of the mistakes made by the people we elect to serve. In short; we fed up. Why must Guyanese accept blindly what is being presented to us now, when so many mistakes, so many missteps have already been made with this project. The details of this project were at first shrouded in secrecy, much like the rituals of a Masonic Lodge are. The road contract was given to someone with no road building experience. Why must we accept that this project in its present configuration will be what is best for Guyana and all
Guyanese when the integrity of the process has already seriously undermined the integrity of the product. It is my firm belief that we can do better, and we must do better. Let’s cut our losses, bury the hatchet, go back to the drawing board, consult relevant stake holders, before as opposed to after and come up with a simple concise plan. Make no mistake fellow Guyanese this latest posturing can be compared to a battleship’s Klaxon sounding general quarters, and if left to their own devices the pro Amaila group will further attempt to “Wag the Dog” and wage a fictitious war to divert attention from the facts. There was a time when we the ordinary folk would just rely on the opinions and considered judgment of a few to determine the outcome of many. The information age has changed this; the internet abounds with data on any subject more so; it is readily available to be researched by anyone. One such source of information is The World Commission of Dams (WCD) report released in November 2000. This report should be required reading for anyone associated with the Amaila project. This report titled “Dams and Development a new framework for decision making” states The WCD recognises the following steps for decision makers considering dam construction: · First assess the real needs · Review and select from a number of alternatives · Where a dam project
There should be continued public pressure on the Govt. to scrap the project DEAR EDITOR, Despite the passage of the Hydro-Electric Power (Amendment) Bill by the National Assembly, WPA continues to believe that the Amaila Falls project is illconceived, flawed and would be disastrous for the Guyanese economy. We reiterate our position that the project should be abandoned before it’s too late. WPA regrets that the joint-opposition did not take a common stand against the project, but salutes the APNU for not caving under pressure. The withdrawal of Sithe Global does not seem to deter the PPPC from pressing ahead with the project. WPA, therefore, believes that there should be continued
public pressure on the government to scrap the project. Towards this end the party plans to intensify the public discourse on the project. WPA party will host a symposium on the project on Friday August 16 at 5:30 pm at St Stanislaus School Auditorium, Brickdam, Georgetown. Speakers include Dr. Clive Thomas, Dr. Rishi Thakur and Mr. Carl Greenidge. WPA’s publication on the project “Eight Essays on the Political Economy of the Amaila Falls Project” will be launched at the symposium. Copies can be pre-ordered by calling the WPA’s office 227-4608/4609. David Hinds For the WPA
emerges as the preferred development option, then: · Ensure that all agreements are clearly formulated before tendering · Ensure that the project is compliant in all respects before commissioning · Monitor dam operations to take account of changes in the context. The WCD’s main recommendations also relate strategic priorities (chapter 8) for decision making and include: · The need for clear public acceptance, including the provision of reliable information to enable stakeholders to make informed decisions and participate effectively in decision making. With regard to indigenous people, this must include prior informed consent. · A comprehensive assessment of all the options ensuring, in particular, that social and environmental aspects are giving equal weight alongside technical factors. · A post project review of existing dams, both from a technical and social point of
view. · The development of a basin wide understanding of the aquatic ecosystem and of ways of maintaining it. · The recognition that the benefits of dams should be widely shared. · Checks and balances to ensure that at all stages and procedures comply with agreed standards. · Special reference to cross border impacts. The WCD also provides a set of 26 guidelines on how to assess options and implement dam projects in a way that meets the Commission’s criteria. Additionally, the International Hydropower Association (IHA) accepts the WCD core values and strategic priorities, even though it disagrees with some of the detailed recommendations. The IHA also has a Hydropower Sustainability Assessment Protocol which was released in 2010 and can be downloaded from their website. The fact is; the Amaila Falls Hydro Project is and will Continued on page 5
The opposition has lost its way in relation to local government reform DEAR EDITOR, Full marks to the PPP/C: it has totally outmanoeuvered an opposition that has lost its way in relation to local government reform, and in the process demonstrated that it does not have even a rudimentary understanding of its political context. In support of this position I quote without comment a recent paragraph from Stabroek News (APNU confident Ramotar will approve local gov’t bills: SN: 10/8/2013): “Also speaking at the press conference, APNU MP Winston Felix said that in the situation where the
Commission has eight members giving rise to the possibility of gridlock, it now behooves all parties involved to search for decisions based on compromise and consensus. “For too long we depended on the support of numbers to outweigh the other side. I think though we would have preferred a different formulation of the Local Government Commission, we still feel that we ought to expect the deliberations and search for resolutions through compromise and consensus.” Henry B. Jeffrey
No need for teenage girls to be in these stranglehold relationships DEAR EDITOR, I wish to extend my sincerest condolences to the relatives of Angela Mc Allister on her senseless and horrific death. There are so many things to say about this incident and the recent spate of domestic violence in Guyana. However, I just want to simply say to teenaged girls in Guyana there is no need at 14, 15,16, 17, 18 to be in these serious stranglehold relationships. At 17, Angela should have been dating (several persons), furthering her education, engaged in hobbies, playing a sport, traveling, experiencing other cultures, dreaming and planning for her future. Candice Ramessar
Monday August 12, 2013
Kaieteur News
Letters... Where your views make the news
Address this current plague of violence at a national level DEAR EDITOR, In my quest to represent a land that I am very passionate about seeing thrive and reach to a place where justice, peace and the rights of all are protected, I writhed with disbelief and anguish at the recent events of gender based violence that are being perpetuated in our society like an untreated contagious plague. In my role as an ambassador for Guyana I cannot sit in a corner and remain silent about an issue I have been advocating endlessly both nationwide and internationally in an effort to bring about change. It would seem that my efforts and the efforts of all those who stand up against any form of violence in our country have been in vain. I have read repeatedly about several attacks of grievous
bodily harm and the deaths of women and children over the past week, inclusive of young and old that are victims of these unmerciful series of assaults. I’m puzzled as to why the issue has not been made one of national address because from where I sit this is the sort of situation that calls for the state’s intervention. Our country is undergoing a current plague of violence as it relates to domestic disputes and child abuse that is not only hurting our old but young as well. It is high time that we stop being bystanders !!!! According to local media, Police have since issued wanted bulletins for Richard Lord of Zeelugt, East Bank Essequibo and Shawn Fordyce of ‘B’ Field, Sophia; Fordyce is wanted by the police for the attempted
murder of his wife Dorothy Blackman, 42, and maliciously wounding his daughters, 12year old Donette Fordyce, 26year old Wanda Fortune and 20-year old Latoya Wilson on August 2. Richard Lord is also wanted for the murder of his two children, Kimberly Houston, 5, and her two yearold brother Tarif Lord, on July 31. But clearly we are yet to see a statement being made on the handling of these issues and / or conversations regarding solutions in a legislative manner. In fact, nothing is really being said by the relevant offices that can actually make a difference. I beg to ask, how many more lives have to be lost before stern action is taken. Ruqayyah Boyer Miss World Guyana 2013
Amerindian peoples are taking development in their own hands DEAR EDITOR, International Day of Indigenous Peoples was observed on Wednesday 9th September. This is a good time to reflect on the difficult road our indigenous peoples traverse over the centuries and the challenges they still encounter in their quest for a better life. Let me say from the very inception that our indigenous peoples have made a solid contribution to the development of this country. All the other ethnic groups came and met them and together they have weaved a fabric that is uniquely Guyanese. It is no exaggeration to say that our indigenous
peoples have come a long way since the early days of colonial and PNC dictatorial rule. Those were the days when our Amerindian brothers and sisters were treated as second class citizens. It was the PPPC administration that established a Ministry of Amerindian Affairs and took steps to mainstream Amerindian development into the overarching national development process. True enough, many challenges still remain to be overcome but few can deny the fact that much has been achieved by this current administration in terms of Amerindian development. It is not accidental that
Let’s cut our losses... From page 4 by no means be cutting edge, so why should we reinvent the wheel, there are many guidelines, documented operation procedure, past projects and experiences to glean information from. I think I can safely say that the one condition that all Guyanese desire of this project is that we do it the right way. The ambiguity still associated with this project does not afford the opportunity to clearly discern much less be convinced that we are doing it right. The
current work without a doubt shows that there is much room for improvement. This our most ambitious development project ever has sadly started on the wrong foot. Let us all strive to reverse this wrong step, let us strive to make the Amaila Falls Hydro Project one that all Guyanese now and for generations to come can say “yes; we got it right”. Please let’s for once try to involve all relevant stake holders, let’s try to do this truly as One People, One Nation, One Destiny. Gregory Rickford
Amerindians today are the fastest growing segment of our population thanks to better access to health care and educational opportunities. An increasing number of Amerindian children are today the beneficiaries of higher education through national and overseas scholarships. This is resulting in greater empowerment of the Amerindian peoples who are taking Amerindian development in their own hands. Hydar Ally
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Kaieteur News
Monday August 12, 2013
President consulting with Opposition Leader to save Amaila - Granger won’t budge unless fully informed By Abena Rockcliffe President Donald Ramotar is still optimistic about the chances of saving the Amaila Falls Hydro Project. In a statement released yesterday, Ramotar disclosed that he still thinks the project can be saved and that he is engaged in talks with Opposition Leader David Granger to do so. Granger subsequently confirmed with Kaieteur News that the President did contact him yesterday morning around 7:00hrs. Granger said that during the telephone conversation, he made it clear that A Partnership for National Unity (APNU)’s position has not changed. Even though it has been well publicized that Sithe Global—project investor and developer—has pulled out the deal, citing the absence of parliamentary consensus, the President is still to confirm. He said in the statement yesterday that Sithe Global has an “intention” to withdraw from the project, because of a lack of political support from all parties in the National Assembly. According to Ramotar, even at this late hour, there is a small window of time for “our country’s leaders to rise to the occasion and to make a decision on Amaila that is based on patriotism, not partisanship.” The President disclosed that he spoke with Granger, and “urged him once again to join me in showing support
President, Donald Ramotar for the Amaila Falls Project, for our country’s future development and for the life opportunities of generations of Guyanese.” Ramotar said that he will “try” to continue this engagement with Granger in the hours ahead. He noted that as President of Guyana, he intends to honour his duty to represent all Guyanese – and will keep working to find a way forward “as long as I believe that progress is still possible.” On the other hand, Granger stressed last evening that the stance of APNU—not to support Amaila—remains, in light of the fact that no new information about the project has been made available to make that change. The party leader said “we (the APNU) are sticking to our position; there had been no alteration.” However, at a stage where
Ramotar is depending on APNU to save the project, the President said that the debate about Amaila hasn’t helped by the volume of uninformed speculation that has been visible in recent weeks, despite two opportunities to debate the project in Parliament, and the public availability of information over many months. He added that “decisions on matters such as this which are so important to our country’s future - should be based on facts, and not made as a result of speculation or political partisanship. All our political parties know that they have been equipped with the information they need to reach a decision on Amaila Falls.” The President in his statement said that the “facts are clear: today GPL incurs an electricity generating cost of US$19c per kw/h. With Amaila Falls Hydro, GPL’s
cost of electricity can be dramatically reduced, to:11c per kw/h in the first twelve years, 40% less than today; 5.6c per kw/h in the next eight years, 71% less than today; 1.8 c per kw/h for the following eighty years, 91% less than today.” However, analysts have computed that the situation would be quite the opposite President Ramotar said that the Amaila Falls Hydro Scheme will also eliminate the need for Guyanese taxpayers to subsidise GPL. In 2012, the subsidy cost taxpayers over 6 billion dollars. He said that there will also be reduce blackouts. What President Ramotar didn’t mention was that all Guyanese may not even enjoy the benefits stated above for the first 12 years since by the admission of the head of Amaila technical team, Winston Brassington, within a year after Amaila would
Opposition Leader, David Granger have come on stream, other sources of electricity will have to be explored. This is because some four years after, electricity being generated from the plant will become insufficient to meet consumer demand. Ramotar continued to sell the project in his
statement saying that it will support business growth in the processing and manufacturing industries, and create new jobs. He said too that the US$858M project will be constructed without any debt being incurred by the citizens of Guyana. “The plant will be fully paid for by the sale of electricity–at prices far cheaper than today.” According to Ramotar, it has been made clear over the last week that “one political party has not yet come out in support of our people gaining access to these benefits.” “Yet in the coming hours and days, I hope that we will see a broadening spirit of patriotism and compassion for hardworking Guyanese. If we see this s p i r i t o f patriotism and compassion emerge, I will do my utmost as President to get this project back on track in the hours ahead,” noted the President.
Sacked Berbice doctor still begging for his job ...govt. suing him for $15M breaching contract By Leon Suseran Sacked Berbice doctor, Ramesh Jaikarran is claiming that he has been threatened that he will never get his job back once he speaks to the Kaieteur News or the Alliance For Change again. The opposition Alliance for Change (AFC) in Berbice had taken up the doctor’s matter a few weeks ago when
he appeared on a Live- TV call- in Programme on DTV-8. Jaikarran is taking the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Berbice Regional Health Authority (BRHA), Dr. Vishwa Mahadeo, as well as a former Doctor-in-Charge of the Skeldon Hospital, Dr. Vishalya Sharma to court for unpaid salaries between September and December, 2011.
Jaikarran who had returned from Cuba from studies, was dismissed from practicing in the public health system in Guyana two years ago and has stepped forward to vent his frustration at what he claims to be the withholding of his salary and withholding of records that he is now trying to access to prove that he was employed at the Skeldon Hospital during the four-monthperiod. In new developments, the young doctor, who spoke to Kaieteur News recently, is very afraid that he will never get back his job and be reinstated at a Berbice Health facility. Jaikarran revealed that he
Sacked: Dr. Jaikarran Medical Superintendent of the Skeldon Hospital, Dr. Vishalya Sharma
“They told me not to contact Kaieteur News, neither AFC again - that I will have my job back....and I waited a month and I have not gotten any reply - they told me to keep my mouth shut!”- Dr. Jaikarran was contacted by a senior government official who threatened to never give him his job back if he continues to speak to Kaieteur News or the AFC party. Additionally, the fearful doctor stated that he is being sued for $5M for breaching a contract with the Ministry of Health. Dr. Jaikarran showed this newspaper two disciplinary letters received from then
reprimanding him for not making calls in the Emergency Room in November 2011. “How can they say that I was not working— here is a threat that action would have been taken against me while on the job...this is proof!” exclaimed Dr. Jaikarran. The letters, he stated, are proof that he was employed at Skeldon Hospital during the (Continued on page 18)
Monday August 12, 2013
Kaieteur News
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70 new Cuban trained, Guyanese doctors to start service by year end Seventy Guyanese born, Cuban trained doctors are likely to commence service in less than a year, Minister of Health Bheri Ramsarran told Kaieteur News last Saturday following the convocation ceremony for the latest batch of medical professionals. Following the customary registering and certification process, Ramsarran said that the upcoming professionals would be ready to enter the field of actual work. Earlier in the evening, Minister Ramsarran told a gathering of diplomats, government officials, friends and relatives of the graduates at the Guyana International Conference Centre, that the 70 where only a small part of the larger Army of medical professionals pursuing their career in the Spanishspeaking island. He said that thanks to the Cuban government and their team, over 900 students are benefiting from the medical scholarship programme. Ramasarran also highlighted that not only are the Cubans educating the youngsters in their native land, but plans are already on stream for post-graduate training in areas such as orthopaedic surgery, gynaecology and paediatrics to be provided. To the 70 returning Guyanese doctors, Cuban Ambassador, H.E Raul Gortazar Marrero said that, “No amount of money will sink you.” After congratulating the doctors on their achievement, he urged them to be professional, conscious, committed and dedicated to the work that they are about to embark on. He urged them not to get caught up in the profits of their job but rather, use their skills to save lives and to promote development. Ambassador Marrero made it his duty to warn the graduates to never be
President Ramotar and other officials thank the Cuban team for their contribution to the Guyanese students. satisfied with the little they know. He urged them to stay abreast with change in technology and medicine, since in that way they shall earn respect from their clients and peers based on knowledge. In honour of the founding father of the Latin America School of Medicine where the Guyanese students were trained, the Ambassador requested permission to dedicate the ceremony to former Cuban leader Fidel Casto as his upcoming 87th birthday approaches. The Ambassador used the opportunity to praise the tight friendship between Guyana and Cuba before emphasizing that small nations like the two countries, need to stick together and aid each other in development. He said that Cuba is pleased to lend its skills and expertise to Guyana. “We do not invest in wars to take lives; we invest in sharing and development. That is true solidarity; that makes people happy and develops them.”
Dr. Manuel Osorio, Teaching Director of the Cuban Medical Brigade in Guyana told the gathering that the Cuban trainers are satisfied that the doctors are scientifically qualified to tend
to more than 800 health problems. He said the graduates are about to embark on a huge responsibility and to promote social development through health.
Dr. Osorio also urged the doctors to excel in their profession and to never feel satisfied with their knowledge. In the words of Fidel Castro, he said, “To graduate as a doctor is to
open the door to a road that leads to the noblest thing a human being can do for others......” President Donald Ramotar was also on hand to officially welcome home the new professionals and to congratulate them on their success. Speaking on development, he told the doctors that they are new assets in the medical system, while urging them to be diligent and not to back down from the prospects of being posted in remote interior locations. He said jokingly that such posts could have its perks since it was in the far reaches of Bartica that he first courted the First Lady who was at the time working as a nurse. He told them to remember that those persons in far reaching areas would probably need their services the most; and they too deserve the services that anyone in the city would receive.
“Big buses” remain a mere consideration (From page 3) woes have caused a decline in her marriage. She explained that during the time she leaves work at around 17:00hrs, there would be a massive build up of commuters along Lombard Street, with limited minibuses in operation. This, the woman said, would most times result in her, and other persons being stranded in Georgetown for hours. The woman explained that her husband refuses to believe that transportation woes are so extreme, and would often accuse her of infidelity. “Whenever I ain’t lucky enough to get a bus early, I does get cuss, and that does be a lot. He know the situation on the park, but still, he does get vex with me. I does done
work at six, and sometimes I does reach home till eightnine. He even slap me up a couple times fuh being late and leaving we daughter at the Day Care. The man seh that he does work on the East Bank and he don’t understand why I does can’t reach home early. So that is some of the things that we does be faced with, and it might seem funny, but only the people who experiencing it could tell yuh,” the woman said. A few others also attested to having marital problems as a result of reaching home late. As for students, many told this newspaper that the situation is affecting their studies. A St. Joseph’s High School student said that “by
the time I done school and lessons, I does usually got to wait on that bus park for hours. That is really exhausting, so by the time I reach home, is eat, bathe and bed…I does be tired and don’t able stay up late to study and do homework. But next morning I can’t give my teacher that excuse.” Many, especially working parents and secondary school students were in favour of the “big buses”, suggesting that the buses pick them up at the respective “corner stops” on the main road, and transport them to the Capital City during Monday to Friday. Young females complained particularly about having to walk through dark streets to reach their homes during the late night.
These commuters, particularly those using route 42 (Grove/Diamond) buses are hoping that the “big bus” operations would also put an end to them being exploited by minibus operators. Kaieteur News understands that during the peak hours, the route 42 minibuses would haphazardly convert to operating a non-existing “Diamond inside route”, demanding that commuters disembarking before Diamond Housing Scheme pay a fare of $160, as opposed to $60 from the city to Providence and $80 up to the new scheme. Many are eager to see the “big bus” system put in place, and are calling on the Government to swiftly implement it.
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“Power Sharing is the answer to Racial Insecurity,” say Analysts By Kiana Wilburg At the recent People’s Progressive Party’s Congress, President Donald Ramotar passionately objected to “Shared Governance” and intimated that the PPP would not compromise with the opposition at the level of governance. In response to the President’s statement, Dr. David Hinds, political commentator and activist, stated at a conference on the State of African Guyanese, that Power sharing should be embraced as a fundamental right based on the principle of equality. As defined by Dr. Hinds, power sharing is a formula whereby representation in the executive branch of government or cabinet is based on proportionality. “So, instead of a party winning 48% of the votes cast and getting 100% of cabinet seats, under power sharing, that party will get 48% of the cabinet seats. In essence, the same proportionality that exists in parliament will exist in the cabinet,” asserts Dr. Hinds. He said that power sharing otherwise known as shared governance, aims at decreasing racial insecurity within the Guyanese society, creating a more equitable form of governance and promoting a sense and spirit of cooperation and consensus in a formal way. Supporting Dr. Hinds’ views was Vincent Alexander, former member of the PNCR and currently Registrar of the University of Guyana, who stated that the idea behind power sharing is to allow various stakeholders and more particularly, political parties to be able to participate meaningfully in the political process at the parliamentary or executive level. More specifically, power sharing, he noted, is intended to address the problems that may arise in plural societies where politics may mirror the ethnic or racial composition of the society and can lead to one ethnic or racial group dominating and as a consequence, excluding another group in decision making and probably the benefits of decisions being made. Dr. Hinds, who argued at the African Guyanese Forum that power sharing is necessary for racial democracy, said, “I see it as both a long term and a short term solution to the problem we face as a society, which is, given the ethnic divide, how are we going to distribute the political and economic resources of Guyana. Power sharing offers the best ways to address that problem. If you have representatives of all the
ethnic groups making decisions that affect the general population, then the sense of insecurity that is felt by those whose representatives are left out under the current system will be reduced.” Given the longevity of the PPP’s tenure in office and prior to that the People’s National Congress Reform’s (PNCR) 28 years in office, Dr. Hinds believes that the constituencies of those parties have a right to be suspicious of the governance by the opposite party, for the experience in both instances has been one of domination. Power sharing, he explained, in this case, also aims at ensuring that domination, whether it is ethnic or “one partydomination” is taken out of the equation. “I think we have reached the point in Guyana where tempers are beginning to flare, for when in an ethnically divided society, one ethnic group finds itself on the margins of power for two decades, there is bound to be suspicions, hostility and resentment, and if this is not checked, the society will be in a permanent state of instability. So it is imperative that we find ways and means to avert political and ethnic strife...” According to Dr. Hinds, who is also an Associate Professor of Political Science and African Diaspora Studies, the major objection of the PPP to power sharing is a lack of trust between the two parties. According to him, there is lack of trust precisely because the parties are not working together. He argued that trust needs not be a prerequisite for there to be a joint government. “You build trust in the process of actual cooperation. The fact that there is no trust is the reason why power sharing is needed,” said Dr. Hinds Stressing the dangers of the politics of domination, Dr. Hinds recalled the ethnic strife of the 1960s, which in his view, were fueled by the political and economic insecurities of both of the major ethnic groups. “What you need is recognition that all sections and ethnicities have a right to participate in governance and if you start off with that principle, then it should not be difficult to manage the affairs of the state in the interest of all. When a community feels dominated by another, it reacts in hostile ways and we have been down that road in the 1960s, we have seen the tragedy of that. So, it becomes very important that we do the patriotic thing
Vincent Alexander
Dr. David Hinds
Aubrey Norton
and construct a system of governance based on equal justice and opportunities and equal right to participate in national decision making,” Dr. Hinds asserted Turning his attention to what he calls the “inconsistency” on the part of the PPP, Hinds noted that when the PPP was in opposition, it was one of the fiercest champions of Power sharing. “There were at least two proposals put forward by the PPP. In 1963, the PPP suggested a power sharing government with the PNC, while in 1977 they proposed the National Patriotic Front. Finally, in 1985, they were in talks with the PNCR towards creating a power sharing government. But as soon as they got into power, their position on the topic changed” Hinds said. Despite the Government’s position, Alexander ardently stated that power sharing is “essential” as it allows for representation and creates a government for all, whether it is perceived to be so or otherwise. “It would also create an environment where we can be less ethnic in our party politics and move the country towards a place where parties are more nationalistic and the political culture is not one of exclusion but one of inclusion.” Further, stressing that power sharing is necessary, former General Secretary of the PNCR, Aubrey Norton, stated that power sharing has nothing to do with the PPP but with the country. He said that Guyana is an ethnically divided society and from that stand point power sharing could only be ‘effective.” Norton related, ”I’m not worried about the PPP’s position; I believe it is the Jagdeo triumphalism that was playing out in the Congress. I think PPP is much weaker now and you have a situation in parliament where they can’t do as they like. They are merely putting up a farce while the reality is that there is a need for a political solution. Therefore, I believe
that there are forces within the party who do not share the Jagdeo triumphalist approach and believe that the political
parties should work towards a solution of the political, economic and social problems of Guyana. You
A mini health check is the first step to donating blood
also see some hypocrisy; on one hand they claim to be following Dr. Cheddi Jagan, who believed in some form of shared governance and on the other hand they are saying no to the same philosophy that Jagan espoused. They are either hypocritical or confused. They can choose.” Regarding the future of Power Sharing, Dr. Hinds feels that it would take a mass movement to bring the country to that point. “It will take a mass movement to achieve Power Sharing and the African Guyanese community as the group outside of the formal system would have to lead the way.”
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Health Ministry embraces collaborations to address shortage of Specialists doctors Intervening measures have been streamlined to address the shortage of specialist doctors in the Public Health Sector, according to Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Dr. Shamdeo Persaud. During an interview with this publication he said that efforts have already been made to start at the level of the Georgetown Public
Hospital Corporation (GPHC) through collaborations with the Case Western University in the United States. In fact, he disclosed that already a Masters Programme in Obstetrics has been launched and eight candidates have registered and have commenced training. And this programme is a rather crucial one as according to Dr. Persaud, a
mere eight Obstetricians are currently registered by the Guyana Medical Council. “They might just be enough to serve the GPHC alone while in the meantime we are looking at three to four years training before we can get additional specialists, so it might not be enough in good time to provide to the immediate care that we need.” However, Dr. Persaud
disclosed that Guyana has commenced discussions with Cuba which has been facilitating the training of large batches of first degree students in the area of medicine. After graduation these individuals are allowed to practice medicine here. According to the CMO, Cuba along with the local Ministry of Health, “recognises the great need to
THREE COMPANIES SHORTLISTED FOR GOVERNMENT’S RECYCLING PLAN Minister within the Ministry of Local Government Norman Whittaker yesterday told Kaieteur News that of the nine companies which had placed bids for Governments recycling proposals, three have been shortlisted. The Minister in a brief telephone interview with this newspaper said that he not could divulge the names of the three companies that have been shortlisted. Whittaker said that there is currently a special projects department in the Ministry which is handling the proposals. He said that he not could stipulate a time when the names would be made public, but noted that it would be before the year ends. Kaieteur news understands that Panther Recycling Company, which is based in Canada, has made a proposal to the government. President of the company Michael Mosgrove said that his company has offered government a $26 M recycling centre complete with curbside pick-up for less than the garbage collection costs of today. The company is willing to take on this investment at no cost to Guyana,
Mosgrove explained. According to Mosgrove, his company has offered the government an additional Bio diesel section at the facility, but he was asked not to include it, since the administration was focusing on the US$800 million Amaila hydro-electric plant. Mosgrove had told Kaieteur News that Panther Corporation has the best systems in the industry and a complete recycling programme from the house or business, to the plant. He said that they are well aware and they fully understand that the landfills are still problematic, adding that their biomass is the solution. He explained that the facility goes hand in hand with their recycling sort modules and takes any biomass that cannot be reused in an incinerator which creates steam and transmits electricity. Mosgrove told Kaieteur News that the system can generate upwards of 80 MW of power and a contract with the Guyana Power and Light Inc. would not cost Guyana a cent. Mosgrove further noted that the
company’s investment in Guyana would address all solid waste problems with one complete programme. He noted that Guyana can benefit in so many ways. It will enable Guyanese to take back the pride in their communities and have a clean environment. The programme would hire up to 5000 people directly and indirectly. Last year the same recycling company embarked on a project in Jamaica to build the first solar-powered recycling centre, representing a multibillion dollar investment and the prospect of thousands of jobs being created. The company invested US$26 million to construct and outfit a 30,000 square foot modular facility in Retirement, St James. With the approval of the St. James Parish Council and the Mayor of Montego Bay, Panther has signed an MOU with the Parish. Over the last several months Panther has worked with all the parishes to establish a National Recycling Program. Although it was taking time there has been great progress with each and every parish.
provide a little bit more training for our graduates who are back and are already working for many years now, and their eligibility to go into postgraduate programmes.” However, Dr. Persaud noted that Cuba is still to respond to Government’s request to look at the possibility of facilitating the required postgraduate programmes for the local undergraduates. This, according to him, could cater to moves to expand the Obstetrics training programme. But Guyana may already have some of the necessary resources to facilitate an expanded Obstetrics training programme as, according to Dr. Persaud, a visiting team from Cuba was already able to conduct assessments at various health institutions including the Linden, Suddie, New Amsterdam and West Demerara Regional Hospitals. “They thought that some of those, with equipment and skilled persons, already have a sufficient patient load to commence training programmes...but of course there will be rotations at the GPHC,” assured Dr. Persaud. The Suddie Hospital for instance, which was rehabilitated not so long ago, was specifically pointed out as an especially workable facility given its adequate operating space. “Our thinking is if better service is out there, we might
Dr. Shamdeo Persaud, Chief Medical Officer be able to intervene much earlier,” said Dr. Persaud as he alluded to the importance of controlling the maternal mortality rate even as Guyana seeks to attain the associated Millennium Development Goals by 2015. But Obstetrics will not be the only area being targeted for specialist training, as according to Dr. Persaud, moves are also apace to have doctors trained in the areas of Family Medicine, Orthopaedics, Pathology and Psychiatry. “We have very few opportunities for external training and so far we have four such opportunities with Cuba so we have selected four general practitioners to commence training in September in Cuba in these fields,” disclosed Dr. Persaud. This will be done even as efforts are made to establish more local specialist training programmes similar to that of the Masters Programme in Obstetrics.
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Amerindians protests should not shield current development – Minister Pauline Sukhai
(From page 19) LEARN TO DRIVE Soman & Sons Driving School , First Federation Building Call 225-4858, 6445166,622-2872,615-0964 WANTED WANTED One live-in domestic. Call 617-1679 One three bedrooms apartment anywhere around town- Call:617-7865
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Secret Villa apartments: now hiring general workers to work 8 hrs shift and one handy boy – Tele :225-6337 Machine Operator to work in Garment Factory- Call:2222541 Experienced Hire Cars drivers to work in Gem’s Taxi Service- Call:227-0638/6279424 Experienced counter servers, roti/puri cooks, pastry makers & cashiers: Apply @ Hacks Halaal 5 Commerce St. Do you need excavator operator for the Interior? 12 years experience in miningCall:254-0624/655-4440 Wanted – House lot in Diamond – Call 677 -6620 Sailors/ Welders- Call:6893846/227-2027 One live-in or live out maidcall:668-3985/264-3355/6837936 One Live in domesticCall:614-6053/600-6053 Contract cars to work in Taxi Service- call: 627-9424/ 2270638 Old Guyana Currencies $1,$5,$10 bills and stampsCall:653-5696 Handy boy and salesgirl – Tele:227-8529 Live in experienced domestic & waitress; must be honest, boarding & lodging free; $50,000 monthly – Tele:698-7172 Experienced salesgirl – Call:680-0866/225-4997
VACANCY 24 Hour East Coast Guyoil needs night pump attendants, salesgirl & office assistant- Call:6889611/684-2838 Refrigeration, A/C Technician. Call 231-0655/ 683-8734 Vacancy exists for 1 Parts Sales Clerk: Sound Secondary education with knowledge in Japanese vehicles spare partsCall:231-7839 One person to build chairs in work shop- Call:610-7005/ 219-1342 One experienced female shop assistant preferably from West Bank Demerara – Call:690-2952
EDUCATIONAL I.A.E (Camp street): Register for full- time, lessons & adults CXC classes: Maths, English, Business & Science- Call: 223-0604/ 6835742 Is your child hyperactive or has a disability and needs individual teaching? For best results- Call:683-3887 Signup now for Computerized Accounting Programs: Quickbooks, Peachtree etc. MicroGraphics Technology Vreed-En-Hoop- Call:2643057 PC repairs course, CorelDraw, Publisher etc. MicroGraphics Technology Vreed-En-Hoop- Call:2643057 Register now for one year course starting September 15th at Critchlow Labour College- Call:226-2483
R.A. Soda Factory: Driver – Good Hope bond; T.K Bedford truck - Call:3332399/623-5920 R.A. Soda Factory: Driver ;Albion - canter ; live in quarter - call:33-2399/ 6235920 R.A. Soda Factory: Driver R/ Nol – Accountant & Checkers – Call:333-2399, 623-5920
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Workers for land dredgeCall:667-5717 One maid; must be able to cook and iron; age 40-50 – Tele:668-0306 Attractive live in waitressCall:327-0252/674-4665 Driver, salesperson, merchandiser & porter male needed, bring resume ( include reference) & passport photo @ Vegetarian Gardens Tele:227-7714/223-3448 1 whole day domesticCall:650-4761/667-5717 Skilled and semi skilled joiners- Call:220-4247
B & C Driving School: Lot 5 Hadfield Lodge- call:2250150,229-7258,680-6826
Aidan’s Car Rental & PickupCall: 645-7981/ 698-7807 FOR RENT 3 Bedrooms unfurnished house to rent US$2200 per month: Located in Lamaha Gardens- Call:616-5415 Furnished 2 bedrooms bottom flat @ Uitvlught Housing scheme, W.C.DCall:663-2882 Subryanville- furnished US$1000, Turkeyen house US$1200, Farm 5 bedrooms, Lusignan, Carida Park sea side, Alberttown- bondCall:231-2199/626-4890
First Choice Car Rental: $5000 & $6000 per day- Call: 668-0306/ 694-7817
Although recent picketing exercises against the Government by scores of Amerindians during the past week may have portrayed the outlook that all is not well in the hinterland communities, the Minister of Amerindian Affairs has made it clear that progress has been a resounding feat in most hinterland communities ever since the present ruling party came to power. Minister Pauline Sukhai, at a recent press conference at the Guyana Forestry Commission, Kingston, Georgetown, held in commemoration of the International Day of the World’s Indigenous People, stated that apart from the recent brawls on account of land ownership between the indigenous people and the country’s primary mining operative, the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission, the government has contributed much to present developments in the hinterland communities. The Minister said that prior to the advent of the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) into office; indigenous communities had been neglected and marginalised over prolonged periods. However, due to the ruling party’s “aggressively pursuing accelerated support for development”, the lives of Guyana’s indigenous people have been significantly improved, the Minister said. With respect to services, which she stated were previously nonexistent or inadequate, the Minister said that these stand “very credible” today. Speaking of access to education across the hinterland, Sukhai reported that the goal of providing
universal primary education has been achieved. She also stated that measures are now being put in place to expand access to secondary education. “Education is a very critical aspect of the lives of indigenous people since it propels them to move away from a level of sheer vulnerability,” she highlighted. What was also pointed out by the Minister, was the fact that within the hinterland communities, schools are now being mostly managed by the indigenous people t h e m s e l v e s . “Administratively and down to the l a s t a c t i n g o r untrained teachers, they are mostly Amerindians. And that is a big plus on one of the major concerns that affect our indigenous population.” The Minister asserted that such levels of development have been largely due to the investments that have been made on the part of the government along with other partnering entities. “Each year the Government ploughs in additional investment to enhance the services related to education, health and to advancing and improving infrastructure in indigenous communities,” the Minister identified. As a result, much more access and opportunities are being enjoyed. Still making allowance for improvements, however, the Minister said that a critical item under examination by the Ministry is empowering indigenous people to “begin to rise to the challenge of opportunities that exist.” The Minister made known that with the millions of dollars being expended into
Minister of Amerindian Affairs Pauline Sukhai the hinterland communities to assist with advancing productive and economic activities; the residents are in need of added guidance to “point them in the right direction.” “Many communities across this land do not own forests. They do not have free access to rivers and creeks. They do not have access to land in any quantity that they wish.” As the “largest collective private land owners in this country”, it is believed that Amerindians in the hinterland should “rise to the challenge” of utilizing resources that would assist them in moving to a higher level. “We have to teach them to see how rich they are, what advances they can make, and what partnerships they can forge with greater structures that exist nationally to advance their livelihood and wellbeing.” The Minister confirmed her support in this regard, while noting that the government will make support available through advice, expertise and by means of finances.
Sacked Berbice doctor... (From page 6) period for which he has never received his salaries. “The Minister [of Health] is blowing hot air and is pretending that he doesn’t know that I was working.” “They told me not to contact Kaieteur News, neither Alliance for
Change (AFC) again— that I will have my job back....and I waited a month and I have not gotten any reply— they told me to keep my mouth shut!” Jaikarran stated. “They said I am an AFC doctor...”he added. Jaikarran admitted that he is still contractually obligated to the Guyana Government. “they have actually requested $15M for me after they terminated my contract. I asked for reinstatement and they denied me with a letter from the Public Service Ministry...and I told them I cannot afford to pay $15M and that I want back my job to fulfill my contract.”
He stated that he is blacklisted from leaving Guyana. The young doctor said that he is “scared of them...I am very insecure in terms of the system.” He showed this newspaper that he has written a long letter to His Excellency President Donald Ramotar requesting a meeting, but has received no response. “Three times I have written to meet with His Excellency and wrote to the Attorney General, Dr. J e n n i f e r We s t f o r d , D r. Bheri Ramsaran, letters through registered mail...I have sent to reach with them and I haven’t gotten replies.”
Monday August 12, 2013
SERVICES Dianne’s Bridal and Party Accessories Rentals, Decorating, Catering and Event Planning. 103 Regent Road Call: 225-8111 Permanent & Visitors Visa Applications, Professional Immigration Consultant Room D5 Maraj Building Call:225-6496,6626045,223-8115
Kaieteur News
FOR SALE
FOR SALE
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500 Ton Cargo Ship with Contract- call: 687-6174
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2- 2007 Toyota Avensis. Call 698-0674
Fully vaccinated Pitbull Pups- Contact Johnny @ 628-9884 Zack’s Lumber Yard Georgetown: Millcut form board $115 per BM, Softwood & H/wood $180 per BM- Call:687-5361/674-0013 Mining claims- 1 River, 24 lands- Potaro River- Call:1613-797-3314
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2006 Silver Toyota Tacoma 4WD, automatic transmission, low kilometers. With accessories G$5.5M Neg- Call:624-6008
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DRESSMAKING Classes in Designing and Sewing. Call Sharmela (Canadian-Trained) @ 6410784/626-2629 (Continued on page 18)
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Monday August 12, 2013
Egypt police to besiege sit-ins within 24 hours CAIRO (AP) — Egyptian security forces will besiege two sit-ins by supporters of the country’s ousted president within 24 hours, police officials said yesterday, setting up a possible confrontation between the military-backed government and the thousands gathered there. One police official suggested action against the sit-in protests by supporters of ousted President Mohammed Mursi could begin as early as daybreak today. Officials, who spoke anonymously in line with regulations, told The Associated Press they are also preparing for possible clashes that might erupt in reaction to the cordons they will set up barring anyone from entering. Mursi’s supporters have said they will not leave the sit-ins until the president, ousted in a popularly supported coup July 3, is reinstated. Efforts by the international community to end the standoff and find a peaceful resolution to the crisis failed. Egypt’s prime
minister warned just ahead of the Muslim Eid al-Fitr holiday that ends Sunday that the government’s decision to clear the sit-ins was “irreversible.” Egypt’s new leadership says that the sit-ins and protests have frightened residents of Cairo, sparked deadly violence and disrupted traffic in the capital. Leaders of the sit-in say their protests have been peaceful and blame security forces and “thugs” for violence. The Arab world’s most populous country is readying itself for more potential bloodshed. Already more than 250 people have killed in violence since Mursi’s ouster. A last-ditch effort over the weekend by the Sunni Muslim world’s pre-eminent religious institution, Al-Azhar, also failed to push the two sides closer to reconciliation. Mass rallies two weeks ago called by military leader Gen. AbdelFattah el-Sissi showed that a large segment of Egypt’s population backs action by the armed forces. The Interior Ministry had said earlier it would not clamp down on the protesters but
Supporters of Egypt’s ousted President Mohammed Mursi walk through makeshift barriers to in a sit-in at Nadha Square. (AP Photo) will take gradual measures, which include the cordons. Other measures suggested include the use of water cannons and tear gas to minimize casualties. The protesters, expecting
an imminent security push to clear them out, have begun fortifying their positions. At Egypt’s main protest camp in eastern Cairo, vendors say they have sold hundreds of gas masks, goggles and gloves to protesters readying themselves for police tear gas. A few meters (yards) away from the vendors, three waisthigh cement and wooden barriers have been constructed by protesters to keep armored vehicles from crushing the sit-in. The protests include many women and children.
Organizations like UNICEF have cautioned against what they say is the deliberate use of children in Egypt who are “put at risk as potential witnesses to or victims of violence.” Mursi’s Muslim Brotherhood group says it cannot control whether families choose to stay camped out. Some of the Islamist group’s top leaders have used the sit-ins as a cover to avoid arrest. Others have already been detained and face charges of inciting violence. Mursi has been
held at undisclosed locations since his ouster and is facing a criminal investigation. Tensions between Muslims and Christians south of Cairo have been especially high since the Islamist president’s ouster. On Sunday, 15 people were wounded when a Muslim woman tried to stop a Christian neighbor from building a speed bump in front of her home. Officials say both families started fighting and assailants tossed gasoline bombs into four Christian homes and a local church.
India, Pakistan exchange more gunfire, ceasefire under strain JAMMU, India (Reuters) - India and Pakistan exchanged more gunfire across the disputed border in Kashmir yesterday, Indian border guards said, as a 10year ceasefire frays over accusations of killings of soldiers deployed on the frontline. One Indian border guard was wounded after Pakistan Rangers opened fire on a post in Kanachak, some 40 km (25 miles) southwest of Jammu, the winter capital of India’s Jammu and Kashmir state, the Border Security Force said. “It was an unprovoked firing on an International Border post from the other side. However, we responded with utmost restraint,” a spokesman of the Border Security Force said. There was no immediate comment from Islamabad. Tensions along the 740km Line of Control that
divides Kashmir rose on Tuesday when an Indian army patrol was ambushed and five soldiers killed in the Poonch region. New Delhi blamed the attack on the Pakistan army. Islamabad denied involvement. The two armies also exchanged heavy fire on Friday in t h e P o o n c h region, Indian authorities said, straining the ceasefire that has largely held on the border since November 2003. India has linked the ceasefire violations to attempts by Pakistan to push through militants into its side of Kashmir to revive a decades-old revolt there. Islamabad denies any help and instead has called for talks to resolve the disputes between the neighbors including the long-running row over Kashmir. Underscoring Indian worries over renewed unrest
in Kashmir, clashes in the Jammu region erupted after a large group of stone pelting protesters unfurled a Pakistani flag, shouting proIslam, pro-independence slogans after offering Eid prayers. Three people were killed in the violence on Friday and the situation remained tense with a curfew imposed in six out of 10 districts of Jammu, state officials said. India has deployed tens of thousands of soldiers in Kashmir to put down an armed revolt that began in 1989. In recent years militant violence has ebbed, but there has been little movement on a political settlement of the dispute. Yesterday, army troops patrolled the streets of the violence-hit districts and the local administration blocked mobile data services to stop the spreading of rumors, it said.
Monday August 12, 2013
Kaieteur News
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Chilly reception for Kerry in Brazil, Colombia? WASHINGTON (AP) — Secretary of State John Kerry’s trip to Colombia and Brazil this week builds on efforts to deepen relations with Latin America, but he can expect a curt reception from the two U.S. allies after reports that an American spy program widely targeted data in emails and telephone calls across the region. On Kerry’s first visit to South America as the Obama administration’s chief diplomat, the disclosures by National Security Agency leaker Edward Snowden could chill talks on trade and energy, and even discussions about the Oct. 23 state dinner that President Barack Obama is hosting for Brazil’s president, Dilma Rousseff. “I don’t think this is going to be a warm ‘abrazo,’” said Michael Shifter, president of the Washington-based InterAmerican Dialogue, using the Spanish word for “hug.” ‘’I think it will be businesslike.” Kerry was scheduled to arrive early Monday in
Bogota, the Colombian capital. The country is holding peace talks to end a half century-old conflict with the Western Hemisphere’s most potent rebel army, a rebel force diminished in strength thanks in considerable measure to U.S. military and intelligence support. The U.S. wants to show its support for the peace talks between the Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, which are taking place in Cuba. Colombia is one of the United States’ closest allies in the region, but the reports about the spying program have rankled Colombian officials. Brazil’s O Globo newspaper reported last month that citizens of Colombia, Mexico, Brazil and other countries were among the targets of a massive NSA operation to secretly gather information about phone calls and Internet communications worldwide.
The reports were based on information provided by Snowden. Colombia’s president, Juan Manuel Santos, said Thursday that he wanted clarification from Washington on whether U.S. intelligence-gathering in Colombia had overstepped the countries’ joint operations against drug traffickers and illegal armed groups. The U.S. has supplied Colombia with eavesdropping equipment, technicians and aerial surveillance. Santos said in an interview with The Associated Press that Vice President Joe Biden called him about the issue following revelations by Snowden that U.S digital snooping has targeted allies as well as foes. Santos said Biden offered a series of technical explanations. Asked if he was satisfied with them, Santos replied, “We are in that process.” Biden also called Rousseff to express what
John Kerry Brazil’s communications minister, Helena Chagas, said was “his regret over the negative repercussions caused by the disclosures.” Biden invited Brazilian officials to Washington to get details about the spy program. Rousseff told Biden that the privacy of Brazilian citizens and the country’s sovereignty cannot be infringed upon in the name
of security, and that Brazil wanted the U.S. to change its security policies and practices. Last week, Brazil’s Foreign Minister Antonio Patriota was at the United Nations with counterparts from other South American nations to express their indignation about the spy program to U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. The Obama administration has worked to forge stronger ties with Latin America. In May, Obama took a three-day trip to Mexico and Costa Rica. Biden has visited Colombia and Brazil, where he said stronger trade ties and closer cooperation in e d u c a t i o n , s c i e n c e a nd other fields should usher in a new era of U.S.-Brazil relations this year. Brazil has received much attention in recent months because of Pope Francis’ visit and preparations for the 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Olympics to be held in Rio de Janeiro.
Thousands of demonstrators have staged anti-government protests since June demanding better public services in return for high taxes they pay. Under considerable domestic pressure, Rousseff announced a $4 billion program to improve transportation, sewage and public housing in Sao Paulo, Brazil’s largest city. The protests have weakened her domestic support, but she can bolster her poll numbers with a strong stand against the U.S. over the spying allegations, said Carl Meacham, former Latin America adviser on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and director of the Americas Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington. “I think the tone of the visit will be a bit tense because of these issues raised by the surveillance (program) and I think Secretary Kerry will have to speak to that,” he said.
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Monday August 12, 2013
Indians wooed with cash- US accused of hypocrisy in sugar policy towards the Caribbean for-citizenship offers NEW DELHI, India CMC – Cricket may soon not be the only connection Indians have with the Caribbean, according to reports here. The Times of India in a report yesterday said St Kitts and Nevis, Dominica, and Antigua & Barbuda have “rolled out attractive cashfor-citizenship programs to woo Indian immigrants.” It said that Antigua & Barbuda is the latest to launch a citizenship-by-investment (CIP) program, opening up its borders to Indian immigrants in a month. The paper said that Antigua and Barbuda is giving full citizenship to Indian nationals for an investment of at least US $400,000 in an approved real estate project. It said in order to become a citizen of St Kitts and Nevis an investment of US $400, 000 is also required
while Dominica is even cheaper at US $100,000. The Times of India said both countries have set their sights on wealthy Chinese, as well as Indian immigrants. “Since the program was announced in March, we have had a number of inquiries from Indian citizens,” the paper quoted Jason Taylor, chief executive officer of Janik Partners, an Antigua-based company that specializes in CIP. “Most of them view it as a lifestyle investment.” The report stated that an Antigua passport can get one visa-free travel to 126 countries, including Canada, Hong Kong, Singapore, the United Kingdom and Europe. St Kitts and Nevis, on the other hand, gets one to over 100 countries, while and Indian passport only gets one to 55 countries, the paper said. “Most Asian clients are
keen on providing a western education for their children, and this is one of their primary reasons for seeking a citizenship,” said Eric Major, chief executive officer of Henley & Partners, considered the global leader in international residence and citizenship planning. “Another reason is mobility, thanks to visa-free travel.” The Times of India said Henley and Partners recently advised the Antiguan government on the design, implementation and administration of its CIP, and also reformed the CIP of St Kitts and Nevis. “We get about a 1,000 such applications each year in total, and the overall numbers are growing,” he said, stating that NRIs (Non Resident Indians) account for much of the demand “because of the Dubai situation.
Argentine midterm primary tests Fernandez popularity (Reuters) - Argentine President Cristina Fernandez faced a tough midterm primary election test on Sunday that will show whether she has enough popular support to push for a constitutional change allowing her to run for a third term in 2015. Candidates for October legislative elections are being chosen. With no competition among candidates on the
lists offered by most parties, and with voters allowed to split the ticket among their choices for the Chamber of Deputies and Senate, yesterday’s vote serves as a mega-opinion poll on Fernandez’s heavy-handed trade and eco n o m i c policies. An o v e r - v alued currency, protectionist trade policies, ever-tightening foreign exchange controls and Fernandez’s decision to
nationalize Argentina’s private pension system and top oil company YPF have upset investors and trade partners. Argentina’s bond investors and those interested in its vast farm and shale oil resources watched the primary for signs that voters may be tiring of Fernandez’s approach and are ready for a marketfriendly leader in 2015.
WASHINGTON - CMC – A major think thank here has accused the United States of hypocrisy in its sugar policy towards the Caribbean. The Council on Hemispheric Affairs (COHA) said while Washington pushes economic openness for other nations, including the Caribbean, it “actively employs protectionist policies when it comes to its own closely-held economy,” stating that this is “especially true with sugar.” COHA notes that the US government “heavily subsidizes its sugar sector, imposes quotas on sugar imports, and then hectors developing countries on the wisdom of cutting back on their own subsidies.” According to COHA these measures protect private US sugar producers from foreign competition, allowing them to seek “unreasonably high prices” in the US market. “US consumers are likely to lose from these policies, as
they end up paying higher prices at US supermarkets, and, moreover, Caribbean sugar prices also have been adversely affected by US protectionism in the sugar industry.” COHA says the implementation of sugar quotas by the United States has resulted in “colossal losses” for Latin American and Caribbean sugar economies,” stating that sugar quotas have “often been used for political objectives against Caribbean countries.” It says that since 1985 “millions of US dollars have been spent—and wasted—in an attempt to revive the sugar industry by poor Caribbeanbasin countries. As a result, sugar industries in Guyana, Jamaica, Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, and Belize “now face difficulty in exporting sugar due to protectionist US sugar policies.” COHA notes that, in most Caribbean islands, the Agriculture Production Index, a measure of aggregate
agricultural production in a given time period, has been declining in the past few decades because of US farm subsidies. The think tank states that some advocates of the United States’ sugar policy argue that, in a globalized world, Caribbean countries can target other larger markets, but it adds that European sugar policies are “hardly any different from those of the United States.” The quota system is another aspect of US sugar policy, as the quantities of imports above the quota limit are subject to “stiff duties.”
Warner gaining momentum as Govt weakens, says analyst Trinidad Express Political analyst and Express columnist Dr Winford James said Saturday that interim political lead-er of the Independent Liberal Party (ILP) Jack Warner’s brand of politics is gaining momentum as the ruling People’s Partnership “weak-ens”. Asked to analyse Warner’s political momentum, he said the Chaguanas West MP stood a chance going forward in the politics of the country. “In our suddenly very dyna--mic political context, he stands a chance. The United Na-tional Congress (UNC) is weakening, and the People’s Na-tional Movement (PNM) is not presenting alternative approaches or policies, and Jack Warner is on a momen-tum.” James added however that “success in Chaguanas West is a different kettle of fish from success anywhere else”. And while he admitted in an interview it was “too ear-ly to talk sensibly” about War-n-er’s chances in the local go-v-ernment election, con-sti--tutionally due by October 26, James said there was no doubt Warner was on the “prowl”. “He is on the prowl as we speak, taking in front, trying
Jack Warner to keep the momentum going. But the UNC is trying to douse his fire with a probable delay about the date of these elections. We’ve got to wait and see; too early to talk sen-sibly.” James believes Warner’s brand of politics has national appeal, saying he has followers everywhere. “Yes, it does have appeal. He has fans and believers eve-rywhere. People are impressed by his style of representation —a reaction, it seems, to the underrepresentation over the years from the major parties. Outside of Chaguanas West, they hope for some of what he can give,” the Tobagoborn University of the West Indies (UWI) lecturer explained.
James believes “without a doubt”, the ILP will pose trouble for the UNC in the future. “They will present them-selves as the alternative to the UNC. But we do not know yet how that will develop and play out,” he added. With Warner’s boast that the ILP will make inroads into PNM strongholds, especially along the East-West Corridor, James was of the view the PNM was at risk if it did not show itself to be critically dif-ferent from the UNC. He said: “It won’t be walk-over for them.” He said of War-ner: “We can make a few observations: One is that he is an international achiever; two, he is fabulously rich and has been ge-nerous to many; three, many find him likable and charming close up, he is an engaging rogue; and four, he counterpoints the corruption and ineffectiveness of the major parties.” Asked what he thinks about Warner’s chances in Tobago, James said there was time yet to see how that turns out. According to him, “Tobago becomes important again in 2015 (general election) which is a long way away.”
Monday August 12, 2013
Kaieteur News
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Millions missing at NWU Jamaica Observer - AN issue surrounding several million dollars of unaccounted-for spending by the National Workers’ Union (NWU) has emerged as the latest development in the unfolding story of a power struggle within the union. Acting General Secretary Granville Valentine told the Jamaica Observer last week that an audit being conducted into the accounts of its whitecollar affiliate, the Union of Clerical, Administrative and Supervisory Employees (UCASE), has shown that there is disbursement of approximately $30 million which is unaccounted for in terms of invoices or receivables. “And that is for only one year, 2009/10, so far,” Valentine told the Sunday Observer. He said that he intends to do a full audit of the accounts and to get answers about how the funds were used. However, former secretary/treasurer of UCASE, Robert Harris, has denied that the missing sum is anything new or has anything to do with UCASE. He said that a former accountant was dismissed in 2010, after an issue developed about missing funds. This followed an audit apparently commissioned by former general secretary Lloyd Goodleigh, when it became obvious that millions of dollars were being siphoned from the union’s account without receipts. According to Harris, the
accounts showed that there was some $120 million collected in dues from members, of which only about $90 million could be accounted for. However, he said that, at that time, UCASE did not have its own account until 2011 and all dues collected were paid into the NWU’s account and the general secretary had oversight over the use of the funds, until that system ended recently. “It was one of the hardest fights that we had, because the NWU always wanted to maintain control over the UCASE funds,” said Harris, who was dismissed by Valentine on July 17, triggering a dispute over unauthorised dismissal. Harris said, however, that it was his view the funds were siphoned off through the NWU’s accounts department. He said that the union fired the accountant, who has since claimed unfair dismissal, another issue involving former employees of the union now being conciliated at the ministry, or headed in that direction. Harris said that the union engaged the Police Fraud Squad at the time, but they failed to find the trail of the missing funds. “They couldn’t pinpoint how the money disappeared. There were four people who could sign the cheques. It is still being investigated,” Harris admitted. But he said that he couldn’t understand how Valentine connected the missing funds to the current issues.
Granville Valentine He insisted that the current problem at the NWU/ UCASE is Valentine’s push to assume control of both unions, at the expense of himself and NWU president Vincent Morrison. Former general secretary Senator Navel Clarke, who had replaced Goodleigh in 2009, opted to retire in 2011. But Valentine said that he decided to proceed with the audit, when he learnt that, after he had instructed that all financial transactions involving UCASE must be routed through him, UCASE took out a new cheque book and was making payments from it using the signatures of Harris and Morrison, without his approval. “Harris breached 11 accounting rules before I invited him to discuss the matter with me, and he refused,” Valentine said. Harris was suspended indefinitely by Valentine on May 20 and eventually fired on July 17, after failing to
Call for hike in sugar price Barbados Nation - A BUSINESS PLAN calling for a major increase in the price of sugar to consumers has been sent to Government for its perusal. Dubbed “Saving The Sugar Industry”, the plan by the Barbados Society of Technologists in Agriculture is based on shrinking the industry to fit the market for local sugar and provide a proven rotation crop to facilitate food-crop production. It is proposing that some 11 000 to 12 000 acres be cultivated, with some 276 000 tons of cane being harvested from 9 200 acres. The society noted, however, that upon examining the cost to produce one ton of cane, farmers should be paid $120
Keith Laurie per ton. In their view, this would result in a field revenue per acre of $3 600 which, they added, should be profitable for any well run farm.The society’s subcommittee on the sugar industry, headed by veteran sugar technologist Keith Laurie,
therefore recommended that packaged sugar be sold on the local market at $3 700 per ton or $1.68 per pound – up from the current retail price of 77 cents.This, the plan noted, would result in about $44 million total revenue per sugar crop. “At this price, which would be fair to the consumer and the industry, the factory stands to make some $10 million per crop,” revealed Laurie. Among the recommendations of the plan is that only grade “A” sugar and “A” molasses be made at Andrews sugar factory, since there is a market for about 12 000 tons of high quality “A” sugar. “A” molasses would be sold to the rum industry at about $500 per ton and bring in $9.5 million in revenue, Laurie explained.
attend meetings to discuss the issue. But Harris said that he was instructed by the general executive council of UCASE that, since Valentine was refusing to pay the union’s outstanding debts, he should find a way to make the payments. “They told me to do whatever is necessary to ensure that the debts are paid. I went to the bank and got a new cheque book,” Harris said. He explained that the only sums paid from the new book were an outstanding debt of $180,000 owed to attorney-atlaw Lord Gifford, for his work on behalf of employees of the Jamaica Public Service Company Limited (JPS), and $120,000 paid to the Medallion Hall Hotel in Kingston for hosting the union’s congress earlier this year. Harris said that he was not worried by the audit, because there is no way it could show anything corrupt on his part. “I still have the cheque book, and only those two payments have been made from it,” Harris pointed out. He said that he has also
asked the accounting firm Mair, Russell, Grant and Thornton to audit the UCASE accounts for the period since he assumed office as Secretary/Treasurer in March 2011, after the departure of Senator Clarke, to the end of July 2013. He said that audit will show that since his suspension, no funds have been lodged to the UCASE accounts, and no business has been transacted on its behalf. Valentine insists that his efforts to streamline the unions’ accounting mechanism have been influenced by the loss of members over the last decade, due to closures. “The loss of members at Air Jamaica and the bauxite companies has been a huge blow for the union. It has placed the union in a financial dilemma and we have to be looking members in new areas,” Valentine said. He said that he froze the UCASE account because it is under investigation. “There are no bills or receipts for money that has been withdrawn from the account, no receivables,” he said.
Robert Harris Senator Clarke said he couldn’t understand Valentine’s austerity argument. “When I was general secretary, I appealed to the staff to hold tight, because we couldn’t afford to give them an increase. But as soon as he assumed office he gave everybody an increase, including himself,” Clarke said. Clarke insisted that everything that Valentine has done since his appointment is in breach of the unions’ constitution, including unilaterally instructing an audit of the books.
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If I told you to phub off, will you? If you are a cellphone addict you definitely will not. This is why a group of Australians has started a campaign to stop phubbing especially since there is an increasing number of people who don’t give a phub. “Phubbing” is the act of snubbing someone during a social interaction to look at your mobile. The person who started the anti-phubbing campaign, Alex Haigh, 23, from Melbourne, was quoted as saying, “A group of friends and I were chatting when someone raised how annoying being ignored by people on mobiles was.” They then started a website
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where companies can download posters to discourage phubbing (stopphubbing.com). In other words, phubbing is phubbidden. According to Britain’s Daily Mail, “Phubbing is just one symptom of our increasing reliance on mobile phones and the > internet which is replacing normal social interaction.” Research conducted by YouGov revealed that 44 per cent of Britons spend more than half an hour a day looking at their phones, eight per cent admit to checking it for three hours a day and three per cent say they spend five or more hours on their mobiles. The poll also found that
54 per cent of people checked Facebook, Twitter or other social media every day, with 16 per cent checking more than ten times a day. More than half of the sample, or about 63 per cent, carry their phone with them “almost all, or all of the time”. In another poll, advertising agency, McCann found that 37 per cent of people feel it is worse to not answer a message than it is to “phub” your friends. The research also showed that a third of Britons polled admitted to being phubbers and more than a quarter (27 per cent) said they would answer their phone in the middle of a face-to-face conversation. Rodney Collins, regional
director of McCann’s Truth Central unit which carried out the research, said, “People do not appreciate the influence mobiles have had on their lives. When it comes to inappropriate or rude behaviour, there’s not as much admission to conducting those behaviours in the UK as there are in other markets. Only about 20 per cent of British people admit to phubbing, lower than in the U.S.” The difference in the US is that phubbing can be phatal. An article in the New York Times revealed that “staying glued to your Smartphone in public isn’t just rude, it can also get you killed” and that the rise in the number of American pedestrians killed in traffic accidents – from 4,109 in 2009 to 4,432 in 2011 – has been attributed to what is termed “distracted walking”. The Times reported that at a press conference in Washington DC on Monday, Anthony Foxx, National Transportation Secretary, claimed the increase in fatalities could be blamed partly on people walking while texting or listening to music. This is consistent with
Monday August 12, 2013
a report by the US Consumer Product Safety Commission which reported that 1,152 pedestrians were treated at accident and emergency rooms in 2011 after being injured while using a portable electronic device – up from fewer than 600 in 2004. Around two-thirds of those injured were under 25, the optimal age for texting, tweeting and tumbling (or use of the Tumbir social networking site). New York topped the table of US cities with the highest number of pedestrians killed relative to all traffic deaths, with 51 per cent. Los Angeles was second, with 42 per cent. Liberty Mutual Insurance has reported that 60 per cent of people surveyed said they often drafted emails or updated their Facebook status on the move, even though 70 per cent knew full well the risks of striding into oncoming traffic unawares. In the Caribbean the drivers of the oncoming traffic are also on cellphones. Even though Trinidad and Tobago
has made it illegal to drive with a cellphone in your hand or held up to your ear, all drivers throughout the region are phubbers and phubb almost all the time. It is not merely a matter of bad manners or even bad driving, it is literally a case of life or death. I have tried really hard to imagine the world of the 20th Century B.C. (Before Cellphones) and find it difficult even though it was just a few years ago. What I have discovered in the interim is perhaps the most important truth of all – Caribbean people can’t talk and do anything else at the same time. Texting, sexting, picturetake-outing, flubbing, tumbling, email-checking, all take priority in the daily lives of most of us. Locked in our online prisons, DIGICELS so to speak, life is a virtual LIME. *Tony Deyal was last seen “twugging” which is the term for “endorsing products and brands via tweets.” In other words, if you can’t phub it, twug it.
Monday August 12, 2013
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Truckers stranded on... (From page 11) the driver explained. He noted that Chairman of Region 10 Sharma Solomon had recently promised, at a meeting at Coomacka, that the Region would have to fix the road, even though no money was budgeted for it. Sharma had stated however that if the resources available at the Region are not adequate to fix the road, ‘residents would have to do much more than clap and ask to have the road fixed.’ Solomon later pointed out in an interview, that the truck drivers that are now com-
plaining about the road are the ones responsible for getting it in the state it is in presently, and should get together and pool their resources to help in its rehabilitation. Over the years, both residents of Coomacka, and nearby villages, along with others who are forced to use the mines road have been clamouring for the rehabilitation of the thoroughfare, but mostly to no avail. Linden to Kwakwani Road Meanwhile, residents of Kwakwani and Ituni are also calling for the urgent rehabilitation of this important thor-
oughfare, which has deteriorated once again. This road has over the years been a source of much contention and discomfort for residents who have no alternative route to get to and from the mining town of Linden. According to Kwakwani resident Jocelyn Morian, the trip to Linden that used to take about two hours is now taking twice that time. Morian opined that because the shoulders of the road are higher than the road itself, water accumulates on the road and contributes significantly to its destruction. (Enid Joaquin)
Monday August 12, 2013 ARIES (March 21 - April 19): After witnessing a mammoth power play that went nowhere recently, you are starting to feel less and less driven about getting what you want in a certain negotiation. ******************* TAURUS (April 20 - May 20): Your plans are not yet fully complete, even though you might think they are. There are a still a few 't's left uncrossed, and 'i's left undotted, so you need to stay alert, today. ****************** GEMINI (May 21 - June 20): If you are working on building a new romance right now, the best course if action is no action at all! Now is not the time to move anything forward -- even though you are filled with a sense that you've got to act now if you want to make this thing work. ******************** CANCER (June 21 - July 22): You've been running around a lot lately, but this frenzied pace of yours must stop. Soon. Take a break, today. It's the perfect time to brush off projects, because there are plenty of much more fun things to do! ********************* LEO (July 23 - Aug. 22): Words do a great job of conveying your feelings, but there is nothing quite like physical contact when it comes to making a connection. Simple things like a handshake, hug, or even just a pat on the back will show people that you are genuine. ******************* VIRGO (Aug. 23 - Sept. 22): If you are feeling indecisive today, don't get frustrated -- get busy! Do the research that's required to get to the bottom of the pros and cons of what you're dealing with. ********************* LIBRA (Sept. 23 - Oct. 22): Even if you're dying for
some peace and quiet, today's activities will be so tantalizing to you that you'll be convinced you should come out and play! In terms of your love life, you have to stop ignoring the fact that something is starting to develop between you and someone else -- sure, this might be complicating things, but what is the harm in flirting with them a bit more? ********************* SCORPIO (Oct. 23 Nov. 21):Getting time with that elusive so-and-so will be critical for you today, so when you see your opportunity for some alone time with them, don't let it go by. They are ready to talk, so things should get very interesting, very fast. ******************** SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22 Dec. 21): Today will have just the right blend of new, exciting things and old, comforting things -- you'll stay on a smooth course and be interested in every minute of the day. .********************* CAPRICORN (Dec. 22 Jan. 19): The easy life is fine for some, but not for you! You know that when a goal is too easy to attain, it is not usually as fulfilling as a hard-won victory. ******************** AQUARIUS (Jan. 20 Feb. 18): You are taking to your new responsibilities quite well, and you are making a strong, positive impression on some very powerful people. ********************* PISCE S ( F e b . 1 9 March 20): There will be a negative thinker hovering around you today, and they are going to tick you off today. Just when you're thinking everything is going great, they'll spout off with a brand new complaint about something trivial.
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Missing man found dead in Princes Street Canal The body of Jules Walker, 33 of Lot 7 Ogle Front East Coast Demerara was recovered in the Princes Street canal in close proximity to a koker that facilitates drainage into the Demerara River around 19:15 hours yesterday. The discovery ended hours of speculation that walker’s body which was first spotted in a drain at the corner of Princes and High Streets near the Infinity Gas Station on Saturday morning had floated away into the nearby river. The body of the man, who went missing on Friday, bore visible marks of violence. This newspaper understands that Walker disappeared following a heated disagreement with someone at a popular city hangout spot. At the time he was having his usual Friday night hang with his friends. The young man, who once resided with his sister, Alex Walker, was last seen at around 2: am on Saturday at a
city fish shop. He was clad in blue Jeans, white cap, white T- Shirt as well as a pair of blue and white sneakers. On Saturday commuters had seen a body bearing the depiction of Walker’s attire, floating near the canal at Princes and High Streets. Tracey Jones, a Charlestown resident said that her 12 year old nephew raised an alarm after he saw the man’s floating body. “We de walking to town and me nephew see de body and we start scream, and then we call de police and when de police come, de rain start fall hard and de water push the body down de canal.” According to the woman, the police were initially reluctant to remove the corpse. “They busy arguing is who jurisdiction de body in. Ruimveldt saying Brickdam and so…while de body floating away.” According to Jones, the police went away and never returned.
Jules Walker “De rain buss, when de police de talking on he phone …a man even offer fuh go in the trench and tek out de body but de police ain’t pay he no mind.” However, yesterday after hours of frantic and extended searching, the body which was apparently pushed towards the mouth of the Demerara River, surfaced. Relatives and other concerned persons, who learnt about the body via the media converged to the scene. They solicited assistance from the Guyana Fire Service, and a few Charlestown youths who assisted in retrieving the corpse. Meanwhile, relatives are trying to figure out who would want to harm, Jules Walker since the young man had no known enemies. Kaieteur News understands that Walker had a speech impediment, and was unemployed at the time of his death. There are reports that Walker was murdered and then dumped in the drain while others believe that he fell into the drain, knocking himself unconscious. Pamela Anderson, another resident of the Charlestown area, used the opportunity to appeal for regular patrol by the police. “This area need more police vigilance because all kind of thing does happen here, robbery, prostitution and even murder.”
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Kaieteur News
Monday August 12, 2013
Israel to free 26 Palestinian prisoners ahead of new peace talks JERUSALEM (Reuters) Israel decided yesterday to free 26 Palestinian prisoners over the next few days ahead of a new round of peace talks, in the first group of a total of more than 100 inmates it pledged to release as part of a U.S.-brokered resumption of negotiations. Three senior members of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s cabinet and a panel of security officials agreed to the list of names, which they said would be published early today. The panel headed by Defense Minister Moshe Ya a l o n “ a p p r o v e d t h e release of 26 prisoners,” a statement from Netanyahu’s office said. Fourteen would be deported or moved to the Gaza Strip and 12 repatriated to the occupied West Bank, it said. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas had demanded the release of these men, held since before
an interim peace deal in 1993, as a condition for renewing talks with Israel which had run aground in 2010 in a dispute over Jewish settlement building. Israel agreed in principle last month to free 104 prisoners in four stages, depending on the progress of U.S.-brokered talks for Palestinian statehood that resumed on July 30 after Secretary of State John Kerry’s intensive shuttle diplomacy. Far-right members of Netanyahu’s cabinet had opposed the release of prisoners with “blood on their hands.” Many of those expected to go free were convicted of involvement of lethal attacks in which Israelis were killed. The cabinet decision yesterday said the inmates would not be freed for at least 48 hours to provide time for victims’ families picketing
government offices, to appeal to Israel’s high court. The court rarely intervenes in such cases. Softening the blow of the prisoner release for far-right members of Netanyahu’s government, Israel also moved forward yesterday with plans to build nearly 1,200 homes for Jewish settlers. While condemning settlement expansion, Palestinians have stopped short of threatening outright to abandon the negotiations, which are due to go into a second round in Jerusalem on Wednesday after a session in Washington. The Housing Ministry said on its website that tenders were issued for building 793 new apartments in areas of the West Bank that Israel annexed after capturing the territory and the eastern part of Jerusalem in the 1967 Middle East war. Plots for the construction
Moshe Yaalon of 394 more units were being sold in Ariel, Efrat, Maale Adumim and Betar, settlements in areas Israel has said it aims to retain in any land-for-peace accord. “We shall continue with construction, everywhere,” Housing Minister Uri Ariel of the far-right Jewish Home party said at the formal
relaunch of an Israeli housing project in East Jerusalem yesterday. Israeli Finance Minister Yair Lapid, whose centrist party is right-wing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s biggest partner in the governing coalition, called the decision to issue the settlement housing tenders “unhelpful to the peace process”. Mark Regev, an Israeli government spokesman, dismissed the criticism saying: “The construction decided upon today in Jerusalem and in the settlement blocs are in areas that will remain part of Israel in any possible future peace agreement. This in no way changes the final map of peace. It changes nothing.” Drawing Palestinian anger, Israel’s military-run Civil Administration in the West Bank gave preliminary approval on Thursday for the
construction of more than 800 new settler homes - some of them in isolated settlements but said it needed government approval before building could begin. Most world powers regard all the settlements as illegal and Palestinians say the enclaves could deny them a viable and contiguous state. “The international community must stand with this peace process and must stand shoulder to shoulder with us and hold Israel accountable for its continuing settlement activities,” Palestinian chief negotiator Saeb Erekat told Reuters. Some 500,000 Israeli settlers live in the West Bank and East Jerusalem amid 2.5 million Palestinians. Israel withdrew in 2005 from the Gaza Strip, which is now governed by Hamas Islamists opposed to permanent coexistence with the Jewish state.
Monday August 12, 2013
Kaieteur News
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Snowden’s father to visit son in Bundesbank report on Greece Russia, rejects idea of plea deal raises pressure on Merkel WA S H I N G T O N (Reuters) - The father of Edward Snowden, the fugitive former U.S. spy agency contractor, has received a Russian visa and will travel there shortly to see his son, he and his lawyer said yesterday. Attorney Bruce Fein said in a television appearance that he and Lon Snowden were skeptical about President Barack Obama’s pledge to limit government surveillance programs, and they remain doubtful that young Snowden can receive a fair trial in the United States. “We have visas. We have a date, which we won’t disclose right now because of the frenzy” over the affair, Fein told the ABC News program “This Week,” on which they both appeared. They will travel to Russia “very soon,” he said. “We intend to visit with Edward and suggest criminal defense attorneys who have got experience in Espionage Act prosecutions,” Fein said. Lon Snowden told a reporter outside his home in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, that he “absolutely” had received his visa, but had not yet set a date for the trip to Russia to see his son. The younger Snowden was stuck at a Moscow airport for more than five weeks before Russia granted him a year’s asylum on August 1. Lon Snowden told Reuters in an interview on Wednesday that he has not spoken to his son since the former National Security Agency contractor left the United States for Hong Kong, just before news broke in June of the disclosures he made
Lon Snowden about the U.S. surveillance programs. On Sunday, the elder Snowden criticized the Obama administration’s handling of his son’s case and dismissed the president’s vow on Friday to improve oversight of surveillance, transparency and other efforts to restore public trust in the government’s programs. “I believe much of what he suggested is superficial,” Lon Snowden said on ABC. Snowden’s father added that he is “not open” to a plea deal that would allow his 30year-old son to return to the United States. “The only deal will be true justice,” he said, repeating his concern that his son won’t be treated well because his right to a fair trial has been compromised by public criticism by U.S. officials.
“When you consider many of the statements made by our leaders, leaders in Congress, they are absolutely irresponsible and inconsistent with our system of justice,” said Snowden. “They have poisoned the well, so to speak, in terms of a potential jury pool,” he said. Washington’s inability to persuade Russia to return Snowden to the United States has curdled U.S. relations with Russia. Obama canceled a planned summit in Moscow with President Vladimir Putin, although the two countries held high-level political and defense talks in Washington on Friday. A senior U.S. lawmaker from Obama’s Democratic Party told the ABC program that it seemed Washington was more interested than Putin in forging a productive relationship. “It seems to me that as we’ve tried to restart this relationship several times, that maybe now is a moment to pause and think about how we’re going to move forward with Russia,” Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Robert Menendez told ABC. Putin’s government is “unresponsive” to U.S. concerns about issues such as the civil war in Syria, nuclear disarmament and draconian Russian legislation against gays and lesbians, said Menendez.
BERLIN (Reuters) German opposition parties accused Chancellor Angela Merkel yesterday of lying before elections next month about the risks of a new bailout for Greece, after a magazine reported the Bundesbank expects it will need more European aid in early 2014. Der Spiegel quoted an internal document prepared by the German central bank as saying that Europe “will certainly agree a new aid program for Greece” by early next year at the latest. The Bundesbank, which declined comment, also described the risks associated with the existing aid package for Greece as “extremely high”, according to the report, and said the approval last month of a 5.8 billion euro ($7.7 billion) aid installment to Athens had been “politically motivated”. The report could not come at a worse time for Merkel, who is favored to win a third term in the parliamentary election but could fall short of the votes she needs to retain power with her preferred partner, the business-friendly Free Democrats. Aware that German voters are skeptical about more bailouts, she has repeatedly played down suggestions Greece may require extra aid, or debt relief, despite conflicting views from
Chancellor Angela Merkel experts, including at the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Opposition politicians seized on the report, with Social Democrat budget expert Carsten Schneider accusing Merkel of lying to ordinary Germans due to fears of an election backlash. “There will be a rude awakening after the election,” Schneider said in a statement. “By disputing the need for additional aid for Greece, the Chancellor is lying to people before the election.” The finance ministry declined comment on the report. As Europe’s largest economy, Germany has the largest exposure to Greece, which has received two European Union/IMF bailouts totaling 240 billion euros ($320 billion). The loan package is due
to expire at the end of 2014, meaning Greece must be able to fund itself on the capital markets by then to avoid the need for additional aid. Bernd Lucke, the head of a new anti-euro party called the “Alternative for Germany”, accused Merkel’s center-right government of “throwing sand in the eyes” of voters by refusing to admit the truth about Greece before the September 22 election. In early June the IMF admitted that mistakes had been made in the first Greek bailout, sealed in May 2010, drawing a rebuke from the European Commission. In particular, the IMF said international lenders should have considered restructuring Greece’s privately-held debt in 2010. Instead, they waited two years to do so, a delay which allowed private investors to sell their Greek bonds and shift the burden to euro zone governments and their taxpayers. A paper published by the Peterson Institute for International Economics earlier this month is also critical, describing European taxpayers as “the main holder of Greek sovereign risk”. “There is no private ‘buffer’ left at this point that could protect the European taxpayer from the consequences of a deterioration of the crisis,” the paper says.
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Kaieteur News
Monday August 12, 2013
C’bean Pre-Cadet Table Tennis C/ships Usain Bolt runs 9.77 seconds to win world 100m title in Moscow Guyana in hunt for Gold in Boys and Girls U-11
BBC Sport - Olympic champion Usain Bolt regained his 100m world title and won a fourth individual World Championships gold with a season’s best of 9.77 seconds in Moscow. In heavy rain, the 26-yearold Jamaican made amends for his false start in Daegu two years ago and further cemented his status as the greatest sprinter in history. The six-time Olympic champion overtook Justin Gatlin in the final stages, forcing the American to settle for silver in 9.85. Bolt’s compatriot Nesta Carter (9.95) claimed bronze, while Britain’s James Dasaolu was eighth (10.21). It was another convincing victory for the sport’s brightest star, who demonstrated his superiority by equalling the eighthfastest time of his career in unfavourable conditions. Such is Bolt’s dominance of the event, he does not have to be at his quickest to win major championships. “I
am happy but I wanted to do better,” he told BBC Sport. “My legs were sore after the semi-finals, I don’t know why, but the world record wasn’t on so I came out just to win. “Back in Jamaica, they do not expect less than that from me. They always expect me to dominate!” Gatlin, who beat Bolt in Rome in June, said: “I’m getting closer, I’m very happy with my race. The last 30m I got long. In Rome I was able to... do my race, which I didn’t do tonight. “He (Bolt) has been working on his start - in Rome he had the best reaction out of everybody and he is 6ft 5in. I had to make sure I was beating him to 50m.” Dasaolu, who ran 9.97 in the semi-finals earlier on Sunday, said: “I got to 50m or 60m but then they just started to run away from me. “I think the semi-final took it out of me, but I made it through three rounds and I’m happy that I’m injury free and I can continue with the rest of the
season.” The sight of Bolt surging past his rivals is now a familiar one, as is his fooling around at the start line - as the rain bounced off the Moscow track, he mimed holding an umbrella. When the gun went, his reaction time of 0.163sec was equal to that of main rival Gatlin, and the pair were shoulder-to-shoulder before Bolt eased away. Perhaps the only disappointment of the evening was that the Luzhniki Stadium was not full for the championships’ blue riband event. Those who were there, however, saved their loudest cheers for the man charged with lifting the sport after a spate of failed drug tests, the most recent concerning Trinidad and Tobago sprinter Kelly-Ann Baptiste. But neither the rain nor doping scandals could dampen the celebrations as Bolt, with flashbulbs lighting up the stadium, embarked on a jubilant lap of honour.
Digicel 2013 Senior Caribbean Squash Championships
Guyanese players turn in creditable showing on opening day The Digicel 2013 Senior Caribbean Squash Championships powered by POWERADE and SMALTA started yesterday at the Georgetown Club Squash Courts with the commencement of the individual tournament. Three rounds of matches were scheduled to be played in the Men’s Individual Draw and two rounds of matches in the Women’s Individual Draw were played. Up to press time two of the three rounds scheduled for the Men’s had been played. The first upset of the tournament occurred when former Caribbean Junior Champion Guyanese Ryan Farnum defeated OECS player Jules Snagg seeded 9/ 16 three games to one 7-11,119,14-12,11-4. Another former Guyanese Junior player Kristian Jeffrey gave Cayman Islands player Cameron Stafford, Caribbean Individual runner -up in 2012 and seeded 3/4 in this tournament, a major scare when he won the first game 11 - 8 and had game ball in the second at 10 -9. However Cameron won that game 15 13 and then won the next 111 and then 11- 5. Defending Men’s Individual Champion
Jamaican Chris Binnie set to defend Men’s crown Jamaican Chris Binnie won his second round match against Nku Patrick 11-0, 114, 11-5 and then cruised into the quarterfinals with a fairly comfortable victory over Guyanese Ryan Farnum who had earlier upset OECS Player Jules Snagg winning 11-5, 117, 11-2. Top Guyanese players Sunil Sett, Richard Chin and Alex Arjoon had all progressed into the round of sixteen with easy victories over their opponents. Sunil Sett beat Cayman Islands player Julian Jervis 11-4, 116, 11-3, Richard Chin beat Kevin Bailey of the OECS 113,11-2,11-9 and Alex Arjoon beat 11-7,11-4,11-0. Guyanese Jamaal Callender, who earlier had defeated Caribbean Under17 Champion Nyron Joseph 11-2,12-10, 9-11, 11-3 then lost in the round of sixteen to Former Caribbean Champion Gavin Cumberbatch 12-10,115,11-8 and Jason Ray Khalil lost to Jamaican 5/8 seed Bruce Burrows 11-9,9-11, 1210,3-11,3-11. Defending Women’s Individual Champion Nicolette Fernandes cruised
into the quarterfinals with an easy victory over Barbadian Amanda Haywood 11-3,114,11-5 and Barbadian Karen Meekins seeded two also had an easy victory over Jamaican N Boreland 11-4,11-0,11-4. Guyanese Keisha Jeffrey made a welcome return to the courts with a victory over Barbadian Nadia McCarthy 11-4, 11-8, 11-5. In an all Guyanese match up Victoria Arjoon beat Gabrielle Fraser 11-6, 11-9, 9-11, 11-7. Mary Fung-A-Fat beat Akeila Wiltshire 11-5, 11-6, 11-5 and Ashley DeGroot beat Larissa Wiltshire 10-12, 11-5, 11-7, 911, 11-3. Former Caribbean Under 19 Champion Ashley Khalil defeated another former Under-19 Champion Kathy Shuffler-Ten-Pow 11-5, 11-1, 11-5. Barbadian Caribbean Under-17 Champion Gylla Mckenzie defeated Guyanese Taylor Fernandes 11-9, 11-4, 11-3. Matches continue today with quarterfinals and semifinals in both the Men’s and Women’s Open Divisions and matches in the Men’s and Women’s Plate competitions.
To battle T&T in final
Guyana’s Jeremy Singh (left) in action against Trinidad and Tobago’s Roberto Johnson. The Guyanese turned in commendable performances in the Boys and Girls U-11 categories in the 8th Caribbean Pre-Cadet Table Tennis championships which continued yesterday at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall; they will battle their counterparts from Trinidad and Tobago. The host were not so dominant in the U13 division, but can still land gold in the boys division whereas the girls will take on Barbados for Bronze. In the U-11 category the Guyana team comprising Tyriq Saunders, Terence Raush and Bissu Niron came second in the preliminary round. The Trinidad and Tobago
team which includes Brandon Lee, Messiah Walcott and Aaron Amoroso finished first, while team Barbados and Aruba placed third and fourth respectively. In the female segment team Guyana ended the preliminaries ahead of Trinidad and Tobago. The local boys U-13 team comprise of Micheal Wong, Jeremy Singh and Khalil Ninvalle dominated their rivals as they finished ahead of Barbados, Aruba, Trinidad and Tobago and the Guyana B team in that order. Jeremy Singh led the Guyana challenge in this category defeating Roberto Johnson 3-2. The competition continues today.
Kristie Lopes of Guyana (right) backhand proved too strong for Gisdelle Griffith of Barbados whom she beat 3-2.
Daniel Richmond MCYS/NSC cricket coaching programme continues from today Some young Cricketers on the East Coast and East Bank of Demerara will continue to benefit from the national cricket coaching programme conducted by Daniel Richmond, under the auspices of the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports, in collaboration with the National Sports Commission. Mr. Richmond informed that sessions have been scheduled for school aged cricketers under the Teach them Young
programme, at Perth Mahaicony today from 2:00pm, while tomorrow, the programme moves to Golden Grove from 10:00am. On Wednesday Jonestown, Mahaica will be the target area from 3:00pm. The NSC Coach will move to the East Bank of Demerara on Thursday for two sessions. The first get underway at 10:00am at Friendship Secondary School, while the second is at Grove from 3:00pm.
Monday August 12, 2013
Kaieteur News
Amazon Warriors send Barbados Tridents crashing down to earth with 27-run victory CPL - The Barbados Tridents were brought crashing down to earth last evening, plummeting to a 27run defeat at the hands of the Guyana Amazon Warriors in their Limacol Caribbean Premier League (LCPL) match at the Queens Park Oval in Trinidad. The defeat didn’t affect the Tridents’ push for a semi-final placing anyway but did scratch their unbeaten record. Some big hitting from Carlos Brathwaite and Jason Holder at the end was merely to bridge the gap of defeat. Holder struck Sunil Narine in the final over for three consecutive sixes, but the match had already been lost with the Tridents needing 49 runs from six balls. The Tridents were chasing 150 runs to win after Martin Guptill had blazed 73 runs from just 55 balls after the Amazon Warriors won the toss and elected to bat. The chase had gotten off to a slow start scoring at six an over during the Powerplay. Kirk Edwards, who had come in to the side, failed with the
bat, scoring just one but Dwayne Smith started positively. He struck four boundaries during the Powerplay but rarely got the strike he needed. When he was out in the ninth over, it started a slide that would lead to the Tridents’ downfall. Mohammed struck twice in two deliveries, removing Smith for 28. Then Umar Akmal was stumped a ball later. Two overs later, Kyle Mayers also fell to Hafeez. The big wicket came in the next over as Kieron Pollard was bowled by Steven Jacobs. At that point, the Tridents looked done and dusted at 55/5. Not long ago, they were 36/1 after the Powerplay. Shakib also came and went as Tridents were reduced to 63/6. It was at that point Carlos Brathwaite started a show of his own. He struck 18 runs from just 14 balls, hammering a six and a four. When he was out, Holder came out and struck Narine all over the park. But too much was needed to do. The Warriors had a
contrasting innings at the top end of the game. After losing Lendl Simmons first ball, Martin Guptill held the Warriors innings together. Guptill struck 73 runs from 55 balls, smashing four fours and four sixes during his time at the crease. He batted for much of the innings, into the 18th over. The Warriors were travelling along nicely at 136/ 3. Mohammed Hafeez had played a good hand of 35 runs from 37 balls. Chris Barnwell struck 16 runs 13 balls before he was brilliantly caught at long-on by Pollard but the innings fell away, and the Warriors merely leaped to 149/9. They lost six wickets for just 13 runs. After Barnwell, no other batsman got into double figures. Rayad Emrit was the pick of the Tridents bowlers with 3-27. Ultimately, the score of 149 was enough to break Barbados Tridents’ unbeaten run. Carlos Brathwaite earned himself the Limacol Supersix award while Martin Guptill was both Man of the Match and Digicel 4G Fastest Scorer.
Russell blitz takes J’ca home
Andre Russell on the charge. (Getty Images) ESPNcricinfo - Andre Russell blitzed four sixes in a 19-ball 47 to take Jamaica Tallawahs home with 15 deliveries to spare against St Lucia Zouks after the asking-rate had touched 11 on Saturday. The win lifted Jamaica to second position on the points table behind Barbados Tridents, while St Lucia stayed at the bottom after their fourth loss in five matches. Chasing 143, Jamaica were 66 for 3 in the 13th over when Russell walked in. St Lucia had begun with spin from both ends, and although Shane Shillingford proved expensive, Garey Mathurin gave only 11 in four overs. In his second over, he had Ahmed Shehzad caught behind on the cut and thereafter, kept both Chris Gayle and Nkrumah Bonner quiet. While Gayle kept picking
Shillingford for boundaries, Bonner was completely tied down. His struggle ended at 5 off 19 when he saw the fast bowler Nelon Pascal being introduced and top-edged a pull off his first delivery. Now it was the turn of the seamers, led by Darren Sammy, to squeeze Jamaica. Danza Hyatt was the next man to stall the chase further, taking 22 balls for his 13 before Sammy had him caught behind. Russell came in and in the next over, slashed and pulled Albie Morkel for successive fours. Sammy disappeared for sixes over deep midwicket and long-off in the 15th. The St Lucia captain turned to spin again, but Gayle had already hit Shillingford for a couple of sixes before, and now he launched him over deep midwicket. However, the Jamaica captain holed out to the same position off the next delivery to depart for 40 off 31. Jamaica still needed 38 off 28. Vernon Philander, who isn’t preferred for the limited-overs formats by South Africa, took charge in the 17th over. He hit Pascal for three successive boundaries - a top-edged four to third man and sixes over long-on and deep midwicket - to surge to 18 off just 5. Jamaica had taken 61 off the last four overs, and needed only 12 from the final three overs. Russell needed three deliveries to finish it, pulling and cutting Morkel for sixes to boost Jamaica’s net run-rate. Philander had taken two crucial wickets as well after St Lucia chose to bat. He had Misbah-ul-Haq caught at slip early and later had Sammy holing out in the deep for 26 off 18. Herschelle Gibbs made a slow 22 and it was only due to Tamim Iqbal’s steadying 75 that St Lucia were able to post 142. Tamim could have got St Lucia a few more runs, but he was stumped off Muttiah Muralitharan in the 18th over. He hit nine boundaries in his 62-ball knock, but had little support. Scores: Jamaica Tallawahs 146 for 4 (Russell 47*, Gayle 40) beat St Lucia Zouks 142 for 7 (Tamim 75) by six wickets.
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POLLARD A SPECIAL CAPTAIN, SAYS HAYNES Caribbean Premier League KINGSTON, Jamaica – Kieron Pollard’s astute captaincy of Barbados Tridents has come in for high praise from head coach Desmond Haynes, who has likened the player’s captaincy skills to those of much heralded India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni. Under Pollard, the Tridents have played unbeaten in the Limacol Caribbean Premier League, chalking up four consecutive wins to romp into the semifinals of the inaugural regional tournament. Haynes, himself no stranger to captaincy, said though he had recognised Pollard’s potential before, the Trinidadian’s brilliance as a leader had been a revelation in the tournament. “Now that he is captain of the Barbados Tridents and we are working closely together, I have got even more respect for him. Pollard reminds me a lot of India captain Dhoni,” said Haynes, the legendary former West Indies opener. “I know that is a big comparison but I know what I am saying. He is a leader on and off the field and is leading by example for his team to follow. His reading of the game and his calmness in tough situations reminds me of Dhoni.” Pollard has been one of the bright spots for Tridents, producing some explosive knocks, taking key wickets and snaring superb catches to inspire the Bridgetownbased franchise in the Limacol CPL campaign to date. However, Haynes said it was not Pollard’s personal performances that had grabbed his attention but rather, his innovation and
Kieron Pollard (Windies Cricket) quick thinking when leading the Tridents in the field. “I looked at the way he handled the bowlers and it was brilliant. In our second game (against Antigua Hawksbills) he did not even bowl [pacer] Shannon Gabriel but bowled [medium pacer] Dwayne Smith who was not in our plan to bowl,” Haynes explained. “In the Red Steel game, he bowled Gabriel who did very well and also used Shakib al Hasan who nearly grabbed a world record. I am very happy with Pollard’s leadership of this team.” Haynes led West Indies in four matches of his illustrious 116-Test career and seven games of his 238 One-Day
Internationals. He also played under the great Sir Vivian Richards who never lost a Test series as captain. He said he had always backed the decision to appoint Pollard as captain of the Barbados franchise, as he had never been in any doubt about the 26-year-old’s ability. “I was one of the men who supported the idea of Pollard being Barbados Tridents’ captain,” Haynes stressed. “I have seen him before during my short stints with the West Indies cricket team and I always thought this was one guy who understands the game of cricket.” Pollard’s captaincy has also drawn praise from experienced Bangladeshi allrounder Shakib al Hasan who was quick to echo Haynes’ sentiments. “I’ve been very impressed for the three games I have seen him on the field and off the field. He is a very proactive captain and we’re having very good team meetings,” Shakib said. ”He is always leading by example. He is one of the best fielders in the world and he’s been showing that on the ground. He can also bowl a bit and whenever he needs to score runs, he gets them for the team. All in all I am very impressed with the way he is handling this team.” The Tridents will clash with Guyana Amazon Warriors in their next match on Sunday night at Queen’s Park Oval in Trinidad. They will then head to St John’s to face the Antigua Hawksbills on Tuesday before wrapping up their preliminary round campaign in Kingston next Saturday, against Jamaica Tallawahs.
Jamaicans Shelly-Ann, Kerron, Calvert and Brooks in 100m semis Jamaica Observer KINGSTON, Jamaica — Olympians Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Kerron Stewart made light work of the 100m heats on Day 2 of the World Championships to easily advance to the semis today. Defending World champion Carmelita Jeter (11.24) coming off an injury was second to Ivory Coast’s Muriel Ahoure (11.22) in Heat 6. Meanwhile strong contender Blessing Okagbari of Nigeria took Heat 5 with Jamaica’s Schillonie Calvert (11.20) in third, advancing. Stewart (11.02) won Heat
Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce 2 securing the race from 50 metres to win easily going away. American 100m champion
English Gardner running like a scared hare clocked 10.94 to take Heat 3. Jamaica’s Sheri-Ann Brooks was third in 11.32 Fraser-Pryce, in Heat 4, was quite the opposite to Gardner clocking a relaxed 11.15 seconds in a jog. Heat 1 was won by German Varena Sailer in 11.11 seconds with Octavia Freeman of the US second and Ezinne Okaparaebo of Sweden third. The first three are guaranteed a spot in the semis along with the six fastest losers. The semis are scheduled for 10.35am today.
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Kaieteur News
Slingerz Football Extravaganza kick off
Riddim Squad, Camptown
CAPTURE HONOURS
Camptown marksmen (from left) Runnell Gordon, Malcolm Wilson, Jamal Greaves. Missing is Devon Forde. A large crowd, mostly consisting of supporters of the Den Amstel community, trooped to the Community Centre ground in their area in support of their team when the curtains went up on the Slingerz Football Club/ National Association of Women’s Footballers ‘Goal for Gold football championships, but left a disappointed bunch after the home team suffered a3-2 defeat to Riddim Squad, via the penalty route, when activities in that tournament got underway Saturday evening last. Camptown FC enjoyed better fortunes than Den Amstel, shutting down Uitvlugt 5-0 to take the spoils in the feature attraction. Activities got underway a little later that advertised after the organizers were confronted with teething problems which was quickly resolved allowing the teams for the opening encounter,
Riddim Squad and Den Amstel, to take to the field. There were many missed opportunities from both teams resulting in a nil all stalemate at the half. When the players failed to change the score line in the second half and consequently, extra time, penalties were taken and Riddim Squad prevailed. Camptown ball weavers removed the need for extra time after Runnel Gordon opened their account in the 4th minute. Four minutes later, Malcolm Wilson sent his team 2 up and Jamal Greaves pushed the game further away from Uitvlugt with a stinger in the 34th minute. Devon Forde sealed the deal with a brace in the 37th and 40th minutes. Activities continue this Wednesday August 14 when Alpha United tackle Grove Hi Tec in the feature attraction that also brings together BK Western Tigers and Seawalls
in a highly anticipated thriller. The venue has been shifted to the GFC Ground and a large crowd is anticipated as these two matches are shaping up to be crowd pleasers. The women’s segment of the championships kicks off shortly as the organizers are bent on developing this sector of the sport. The winners of the male tournament receive two million dollars with the runners up receiving one million dollars. The third and fourth place finishers receive $500,000 and $300,000 respectively. Ansa McAl has contributed largely to the success of the tournament with other contributions coming from Star Party Rental of Craig Street Campbellville and Eton Cordis of the Talk is Cheap and Money Gram, Alexander Street, Kitty respectively.
Monday August 12, 2013
8th Junior Caribbean Cycling Championships
ARTHUR & ANTHONY COP SILVER & BRONZE
Akeem Arthur
Cheryl Thompson
Defending junior and juvenile Caribbean cycling champions Guyana gave up both gold medal positions when the 8th edition of the premier regional event hosted by the Aruba Cycling Federation, was staged recently. The five member Guyanese team juniors Akeem Arthur, Michael Anthony, Shaquel Agard, Hamza Eastman and Pre-Junior (juvenile) Romello Crawford, while not bring back gold, still represented the land of their birth with pride. In the junior male 74km road race, Guyana took silver and bronze through Akeem Arthur and Michael Anthony both clocking - 2hrs 13mins 35secs. This race was won by Arthur Puerto Rico’s Paul John in 2 Hours 12 Minutes 33 Seconds. Shaquel Agard ended 11th overall in (2hrs 15mins 31secs) while Hamza Eastman, who was in the leading pack and on course for a podium position, unfortunately had some technical problems (burst chain) which put paid to his chances as he failed to complete the race. In the Pre-Junior 59.20km race, Romello Crawford did not complete the distance, winning was Curacao’s Stijn Watkis in One Hour 50 minutes 38 Seconds. Pedro Rosa Nunez of Puerto Rich took the silver (1hr 50mins 43secs) with the bronze going to Jonathan Croes of Aruba (1hr 50mins 49secs). In the junior male Individual Time Trials
Michael Anthony
(15) Anthony placed 6th and Eastman 10th; Brandon Martinez of Puerto Rick was the winner. Romello Crawford finished 12th among the Pre-Juniors. Wining the junior female 44.40km road race was Trinidad and Tobago’s Kieana Lester in One Hour 38 Minutes 28 Seconds. Aruba’s Cherley Van Der Linden took the silver with Bermuda’s Gabriella Arnold settling for the silver. Aruba finished one/two in the junior 9km female time trials (Oriana Thielman & Cherley Van Der Linden) with T&T’s Keiana Lester placing third. Eleven countries participated this year, Anguilla, Aruba, Barbados, Bermuda, Curacao, Guyana, Puerto Rico, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad & Tobago and the US Virgin Islands. Guyana Cycling Federation (GCF) President Cheryl Thompson offered congratulations to the team for a fine performance despite not bring back gold. Thompson is of the view that they still did their country proud. “The level of depth we have as a cycling nation with so many youngsters available to us is very encouraging and I am very proud of these boys. As a federation, we will continue to do our best in terms of seeking exposure for them to continue in their development.” There are a few more international events that the GCF will be pursuing for local riders.
Bevy of Sponsors on board, over 60 Rain forces abandonment entries for Guyana Cup Horserace meet GSCL Inc. 12/12 C’ships
of play, tournament pushed back to this weekend HEAVY and persistent early morning showers forced the organisers of the Georgetown Softball Cricket League Incorporated (GSCL) second 12/12 championships to abandon play for Saturday and yesterday. The venue was left in a waterlogged state in some areas and some executive members of the GSCL Inc. who were present at the venue, decided to cancel play for both opening days and will now have teams compete for supremacy from this weekend. At stake in the tournament, the second of its kind following the formation of the GSCL Inc. since May, is a first prize of $600,000 and a trophy, with the second placed team collecting $200,000 and a trophy. Apart from the abovementioned prizes, the Man-of-theSeries will receive one three-piece living room suite, the best batsman and bowler will each walk away with $5, 000 and a trophy and the Man-of-the-Match in the final, $10, 000 and a trophy. Deputy Permanent Secretary within the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, Steve Ninvalle, is expected to give some brief remarks and later declare the tournament open which will have giveaways for spectators.
A bevy of sponsors have already jumped on board to be a part of the ‘jumbo size’ seventh annual Guyana Cup Horserace meet organised by conglomerates - Jumbo Jet Auto Sales and Racing Stables with establishments at Bush Lot and Chester Villages, West Coast, Berbice, East Bank Demerara and Georgetown in collaboration with the Port Mourant Turf Club with a lavish $30M in prizes on offer. The event is set for Sunday 25th August at the Port Mourant Turf Club. Among the major sponsors that have taken the early initiative to ink their names with sponsorship deals are: Banks DIH Limited, Digicel, Randy Persaud and Sunil Teekaram both of New York, S. Sahadeo Trucking, Shariff Racing Stables,
Romell Jagroop Construction, Ashmin’s Trading, Agri Parts, Hand in Hand, Alki Investment, Braveheart Construction, Guytrac, Onkar Persaud, Eldorado Trading and Vijay Ramsingh. So far the entries are filling up at a rapid pace with over 60 of Guyana top racehorses already on board. All Nine events are attracting entries at a terrific pace and horse owners are advised that no late entries will be entertained. The B and lower event is once again the feature race of the day with $3.5M and the Guyana Cup trophy over 1700M of a total prize money of $7M at stake. The other moth watering events are the Co-feature 1600M event for 3-yr old horses, bred and born in Guyana and the West Indies,
the organizers have put up a mouthwatering $2.5M and trophy. The Two year old 1000M event for West Indies Bred horses for a $1.5M top prize and trophy. The E class and lower 1400M event for a winning take of $1M top prize and trophy. There is a race for F class Horses with the winner getting $900,000 and trophy over 1000M. The G 3 and lower1200M event with the winner getting $800,000 and trophy. The second three year old event is for Guyana bred horses and has a $600,000 price tag along with trophy for the top runner over 1200M. The H and Lower 1000M race for a winning purse of $400,000 and trophy. The ‘I’ and lower 1200M event for a top prize of $300,000 and trophy, the final race has
$200,000 plus trophy at stake for the winner of the JKL event over 1200M. The top Jockey along with the runner up, the top stable and champion trainer will all be presented with accolades compliments of the Trophy Stall, Bourda Market and the organizers. Entries close on Saturday17th. The event will be held under the rules of the Guyana Horse Racing Authority. Interested persons can contact Chandu Ramkissoon (624-9063 or 232-0633), Kris Jagdeo (624-6123; 322-0369), Rajendra (Jim –Jo) 618-7278, Ramnauth 337-5311, Romel Jagroop (624-1798) and Sancho 690-0569. Race time is 12:30 hrs. The coordinator is Nasrudeen (Jumbo Jet) Mohamed. Race time is 12:00 hrs. (Samuel Whyte)