Wednesday December 09, 2015
Kaieteur News
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Letters... Where your views make the news... Letters... Where your views make the news
Waiting for the pittance the masters have to offer DEAR EDITOR, I’m a recent letter from me to your newspaper. Kudas was given to the Government which by all means I say this unequivocally they deserve. But I have often said some times the runner stumble. A question I want to ask before I continue. Your house is lacking in various parts bedroom, kitchen etc. You cannot afford to do all at the same time, will it show wisdom for you to stop the leak in the kitchen conclusively and leave the bedroom only partially stopped; the place where you spend almost half of your life. The government has given us senior folk an identity and they are to my mind trying their best. But our efforts need to be prioritized and balanced in a meticulous manner. On the morning of 7/12/ 2015, I left my home at approximately 4:30 so that I can have an early attendance to be back early. The doors of the post office were opened at 7:30 precisely. Note there were many senior citizen there I think like me who were hoping to be back home by eight, because they might have left home like me without eating. Lo and behold! We were made to stand, I repeat stand in a line (there were a few who found seat) from 7:30 until 9:00 o clock like beggars waiting for the pittance that the masters have to offer.
The masters will not hasten to serve you but they do it at their leisure and you the miserly beggar must wait because you cannot do better. All the time we stood in line nobody but nobody offered a word of sympathy or of consolation in trying to appease any digest. It is written in Ephesians Chapter 6 (5) Servants be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling in single of heart as unto Christ. (6) Not with eye services as men pleasers, but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God. From the heart. (7) With good will doing service to the Lord and not to men. (8) Know that whatsoever good thing any man doeth the same shall he receive of the Lord whither he be bond of free. (9) And ye masters do the same thing unto them fore bearing threatening, know that your master in heaven, neither is there respect of person with him. Is that the way senior citizens should be treated? I wonder. My thought is that if we start something let us finish it remembering that human recourse is our greatest asset. And life which encompasses time is God’s greatest gift to man. Elder Ewart Small ACADA Compound
Nine reasons and more why the Speciality Hospital should be retendered
DEAR EDITOR, A lot have been said about the above project and the process of awarding the contract. This project should also be reviewed for feasibility/ long term survival cost to the nation and who will be the beneficiaries in a poor nation, before proceeding. This project should be retendered for the following reasons: 1) The bids were evaluated, the contract was awarded to the No 1 ranked contractor, Surendra Engineering, who accepted the award. The bid bond was returned to all contractors. The process is over, done, done, as long as the bid bond was returned. For any reason/ s the project must be retendered. 2) The clause to go to the second ranked bidder, cease to apply, due to one above. For whatever reason if the first contractor cease to complete the job, the project will now be retendered and awarded to a third party. Obviously. the third party statement , in contract law, is very important for the government and any client. The third party statement means that if the contractor signed to that, and the client contract was terminated, for unjust cause as found by a court of law, the contractor cannot make claim for loss of profits for the entire project, whether he does or third party does it. It has nothing and no bearing to retendering. 3) No responsible financial institution will give a performance bond to a
contractor for a bid that is 3 years old, especially when the bid was the lowest. There is something smelling very fishy here. 4) Minister Ramjattan was associated with this project during the bidding/evaluation process, directly or indirectly, hence, it appears to be a conflict of interest. Mr Ramjattan, as a leader, a coalition partner of the government, a man like myself who stood against corruption on our own government, fought for transparency and accountability, for his own interest and being politically correct, must advise the Government through the President/Cabinet to retender. Was the cabinet not involved in this strange inventive MOU? 5) The design is incomplete according to the media. Why retender until all designs are complete and all necessary implements/ equipments/accessories etc are clearly stated in the scope of works/Bill of quantities. Sometimes corrupt officials, deliberately encourage incomplete designs to allow for variations and extra works, to be priced highly for kick backs, like $600,000 /toilets. 6) If the scope of work is reduced and the public is being misled that there is only adjustment for works completed by the previous contractor, then this can be construed as possible corruption. Retender to remove the doubt. 7) Not to tender the project, due to time as stated, is misleading and sending a
suspicious message to the public. The great majority of Guyanese is poor, depends on relative abroad to survive and will not afford this service. The people who can afford this service is a negligible part of the population and can go abroad in the meantime for specialize treatment. 8) An MOU and to start the work at the same time, baffles me as a Contract Administrator. Is an MOU a contract? 9) Dr Jagdeo is probably right that the process is corrupt. He knows what he is talking about. It is his infrastructure, his handpicked and well trained personnel, Ministry of Finance/GRA/NICIL, retained by the coalition are dealing with this project. Notwithstanding any of the above, and since there is no monetary gain for anyone in the system, why not retender to remove the doubt of transparency and please the people who voted for you? Be politically correct. We condemned the last government for this very secret and half baked information to the public. Let the public see the original contracts and the new contracts. The same should be done for the airport. Have the public participation. Who or which company have been
revising/reviewing and managing this project for the Government Every Major project must have a management team/ PEU. Without such a team, how does the Government disburse progress payments, who inspectsthe work for quality/quantity and that the scope is met, the schedule is met for liquidated damages, variations and extra works payments? I am surprised that Ralph Ramkarrran, a man of his calibre, stated that not to retender is proper. There is a rumor that Minister Ramjattan was instrumental in letting Mr Ramkarran’s brother remain as Ambassador in Washington. If there is any truth in this, which I do not believe, this is betraying Minister Ramjattan. The public is speculating that all parties know of the invalid performance bond from the inception, and that it will be used as a “trump card”, in the event the contractor fail to come up with the inducements after the award. Knowing the modus operandi of State Planning/ Budgeting of the Ministry of Finance, the GRA and NICIL of the PPP 23 years, which is retained by the coalition would lend credence to such speculation. Joe Persaud
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Kaieteur News
Wednesday December 09, 2015
Duty-free concessions…
BaiShanLin given free-for-all under the PPP/C - Senior Govt. Official Days after it was announced that the State Assets Recovery Unit (SARU) has launched an investigation into the operations and acquisitions of the Chinese-owned BaiShanLin Forest Development Inc., worrying details are emerging that suggest that it was all a wildwest situation with respect to concessions. A senior Government official yesterday indicated that the logging company within the last two years was allowed to bring in scores of trucks and heavy duty equipment, clearing them without the necessary Customs documents being completed. “We are finding some scenarios where the vehicles and equipment were allowed under what is known as “Permit For Immediate Delivery” (PID). It means that the vehicles would come on the wharves where they are released without the documents being perfected.”
BaiShanLin’s local head, Bailiang Chu The problem with the situation is that more than a year later, in some cases, the company has been using the equipment and trucks to do their work. But the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) is still to close the files on the importations. The concessions and tax breaks to BaiShanLin have been angering business owners and other Guyanese who are forced to abide by the
Some of BaiShanLin’s trucks and equipment in Linden, Region 10. GRA’s strict rules when it comes to the importation of the vehicles and other equipment that attract duties. Last year, over $60B of the national budget of Guyana was granted in duty free concessions to investors, remigrants, farmers and miners, according to state audit reports, raising questions as to how the previous administration, under the People’s Progressive Party/Civic , was managing the country’s revenues. It had also raised the issue of corruption in the process, with state auditors
complaining of the absence of a proper accounting system. Normal Guyanese buying a car for US$5,000 are asked to pay up to US$10,000 ($2M) to remove it from the city wharves, while under concessions, that US$10,000 is waived. “We are looking into the process. The Investment Agreement…what was brought in…and other things. There are many questions,” the Government official said yesterday. FACING FLAK BaiShanLin is facing flak from several quarters over its operations here which range
from logging, gold mining, trucking sand, barge operations, cement mixing and housing. The company initially came in about a decade back, partnering with Jialing and others to conduct logging operations. However, the company rapidly extended in recent years, and was granted suspiciously large concessions, including land and tax breaks. Last year, Bailiang Chu, the country manager, was granted citizenship. He was able to acquire mining lands. Recently, truck operators complained about the company being allowed as a sub-contractor to truck sand for the runway expansion of the Cheddi Jagan International Airport. Officials believed that BaiShanLin breached its investment agreement with the Government of Guyana which bars the company from using the trucks and concessions from doing anything outside of logging. The company has failed to establish a wood processing plant under its agreement although
collecting almost US$70M from China Development Bank. BaiShanLin is claiming that negative publicity has affected the balance of the US$140M loan it has taken from the bank for its investments in Guyana. Its gated housing scheme at Providence is facing a February 2016 deadline after numerous delays, and a promised mall nearby is at a standstill. In the meantime, the company has secretly started working its river barges for private companies, fetching stone and other materials. TWO-YEAR EXTENSION It has asked Government for a two-year extension on the processing facility for Linden, in order to finalise the Chinese loan. The company came under scrutiny last year after details were disclosed about the extent of its operations. A flyover last year over the Kwakwani operations found a huge stockpile of logs in that Upper Berbice, Region 10 area. This year, the new administration, under David (Continued on page 12)
Wednesday November 09, 2015
Kaieteur News
Barbados could become first green economy in the West, minister says BRIDGETOWN, Barbados – Finance Minister Chris Sinckler believes Barbados could become the first green economy in the Western hemisphere. He says the country’s efforts to date on climate mitigation and adaptation were admirable and, as it moves into 50 years of Independence, it had “an unparalleled opportunity” to take that title. And he says the Green Climate Fund (GCF) – a multilateral fund that provides grants and concessional loans for projects and programmes that enable developing countries to boost sustainable development, whilst curbing greenhouse gas emissions and adapting to climate change – offers an unprecedented window of financing that could advance the country’s quest. “I truly welcome the progress made to date in the operationalization of the GCF. The Government of Barbados places great hope in this new and modern institution and believes that the GCF has the potential to deliver transformative, adaptive and mitigating climate project results. We
Chris Sinckler also see the GCF as a pillar of the post-2015 climate regime that will channel concessional resources that should be accessible and responsive to our needs and priorities,” the minister said as he addressed a a National Sensitization and Readiness Consultation on the GCF Readiness Programme. “Successful securitization of GCF concessional resources can facilitate our quest to become an economically-viable, socially-balanced and environmentallyfriendly modern economy.” Barbados represents
small island developing states (SIDS) on the Board of the GCF and Sinckler gave the assurance that this advantage would be leveraged to advance the country’s readiness programme, and assist stakeholders to get quality projects in the pipeline for the future consideration of the Fund. He suggested that every opportunity should be utilized to transform Barbados’ economy through the development of high impact, country-owned and innovative projects. The finance minister added that it was necessary for Barbados to fast track a robust readiness programme to provide support and facilitate successful adaptation and mitigation projects. Sinckler’s comments came as he warned that the threat of climate change is “real, serious and growing” and therefore requires urgent attention. “All the data on climate change is pointing to the fact that no nation, and certainly not the ones in the Caribbean, can escape the impact of climate change. (Caribbean360)
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Kaieteur News
Wednesday November 09, 2015
US$44M WCD Road behind schedule, to be completed before contractual deadline - Contractors By Mondale Smith Despite several setbacks, efforts to afford residents 30 kilometres of a durable thoroughfare valued at US$44M from Hydronie to Vreed-enHoop on the West Coast Demerara, are progressing smoothly. This is the official report from Lionel Kandasammy project manager, of BK International, who is a director on the joint venture for the fourth Road project being undertaken by Contractors Surrey Paving and Aggregate Limited and BK International. Started in January with an aim of widening the main road, building side drainage and replacement of a bridge at Leonora, the project also includes clearing and maintenance of culverts. The contract was signed by the previous Government and began on January 2, of this year. Also as part of the project, an asphalt plant valued at US$850,000 is also being set up for official launch in January 2016 that will produce in excess of 160 tons of asphalt per hour to pave both sides of the road. Yesterday a visit to the plant site revealed that works are also moving apace to com-
plete the skeleton plant, with funding from BK and Surrey Paving and Aggregate Limited. The project also entails the importation and use of loaders, and trucks valued at US $160,000. According to Danian Douglas, Project Manager of the joint venture, the project is currently providing for 52 persons, and that number will increase to a maximum 100 over time. The Italian-made Asphalt plant was sourced in India, and is said to be the first of this kind in Guyana, and will be a pollution deterrent that catches dust and filters in the best interest of the environment. David Blake, the resident engineer for the project on site at the Boerasirie location, yesterday told this publication that the assembly of the plant will be completed in three weeks’ time. The project, according to contract stipulations, should be nearing its 30 percent completion deadline, however it is currently pegged at 1720 percent of works completed. “We are slightly behind, because we had contractor challenges owed to the weather and utilities such as GWI buried water mains, GTT fibre optic cables… poles had
“We have confidence in the current administration’s plans for Guyana’s infrastructural development”- Brian Tiwarie
Project Manager Lionel Kandasammy being interviewed at the asphalt plant to be relocated to widen roads while officially we are programmed for completion within a two and a half years time span… we will finish on time.” Blake also assured that it is not unusual to lose a bit of time in the initial stages of projects, but he assured that
it will be finished within the period of the agreed years despite any inclement weather. All told, the road upon completion should have an economic durability of 20 years and is being built at a thickness of four inches. It borders between being a highway and a main road.
Religion has a place in advancing gender equality - IRO “Violence against women is an indication of a lack of respect, value, and regard for women.” This observation has been made by the Inter Religious Organisation (IRO) of Guyana which is headed by Reverend Ronald McGarrell. According to information obtained by this publication yesterday, the religious body is gearing to get involved in an awareness campaign that is being spearheaded by the Ministry of Social Protection. The campaign, which commenced on International Day for Elimination of Violence against Women (November 25), and is slated to culminate on Human Rights Day (December 10), will see the IRO seeking to participate, since it is convinced that religion has a role to play in advancing the equality of women and men. IRO has been seeking to point out that women are the foundation of any society. By virtue of being mothers or potential mothers, it underscored that “they have the inherent capacities to love, care, nurture, sacrifice, be understanding and the ability to sustain.” “They not only bring forth or give birth, but they nurture and instill individuals with moral values. They are
the first teachers and care givers,” said IRO, as it pointed out that when the lives of women are lost through violence they cannot be replaced. Insisting that “no one can play their roles and fulfill their responsibilities when they are no more,” the body also noted that when acts of violence are committed against a woman, they decrease her worth and value. “She loses something that cannot be replaced. She is disempowered and disrespected. She is destroyed and cannot function as she should. Again, no one can replace such a loss,” the body observed. The IRO is therefore urging, “Let us awaken to the fact that where violence exists no one can be at peace. We are meant to live in peace. Peace is the natural nature of the human spirit. We are all spiritual beings residing in physical bodies. The spiritual being stands for peace. The human spirit is nurtured by peaceful thoughts, words and actions.” Moreover, the IRO has asserted that when acts of violence are committed “we are acting against our Godgiven nature.” It has also observed that anger is the basis of violence and can destroy “firstly our own internal state of peace
Reverend Ronald McGarrell and when we direct our anger towards another, there is further destruction. Eventually we destroy not only a home, but a society and a country.” “We all exist for one common purpose and that is to be at peace and promote peace. Conflicts and disagreements can be resolved through peaceful methods. Violent thoughts, words and actions rob us of the rich experience of peace. We must protect and promote peace,” IRO has highlighted. But according to the IRO, the role of men in addressing this violence and exploitation has been recognized as a key aspect of prevention. Men and boys, it was noted, must be encouraged to speak out strongly against violence and exploitation and
not to protect perpetrators. They must make a conscious effort to understand fully the principle of the equality of women and men and its expression in both private and public life, IRO added. It has also stressed that at home, men must come to understand their role in modeling healthy relations and respect for male and female members of the family. “It is often in the home that boys and girls first learn about the nature of power and how it is expressed,” stressed the IRO, even as it went on to make it clear that “distorted expressions of power and authority promote in children attitudes and habits that are carried to the workplace, to the community, and to public life.”
REPAIR AND REHABILITATION While some persons are being inconvenienced and bridges to residents are being destroyed, the promise is that the project also entails repairs and rehabilitation works that will see the replacement of access bridges, some of which are concrete that will be removed and replaced. “We had consultations with communities and with Neighborhood Democratic Councils, and they are aware that there will be some nuisances of dust that will affect residents, but to date we have had little complaints.” Blake also noted that there are some such properties at Cornelia Ida, however all hands are on deck to ensure that the contract is not delayed, as they are aiming for the project to build a road from Parika to Bartica. Upon completion, as part of the contract, there will be a oneyear period for the contractors to monitor for effects and execute maintenance, during which time there is retention of 5 percent of the overall sum. CONFIDENCE IN CURRENT ADMINISTRATION When contacted on the progress, contractor Brian Tiwarie confirmed that the works are about 20 percent completed. “Our asphalt plant and the pug mill cement stabilizer are not just for BK’s use on projects. We will service the needs of other contractors through a batch plant on a level playing field.” During a site visit to the BK quarries at Mazaruni yesterday, Tiwarie assured that he has more than enough
material in stock as well as reserves to see the 30km project through to the end, while maintaining a steady supply to other projects and customers. “We are overcoming our issues and our asphalt plant that will be launched in January is the first of its kind for these parts, and was sourced for the long term development of Guyana, because of our confidence in the current administration and their development plans for the country.” The asphalt plant, he said, was sourced for this project through a joint venture arrangement with a Jamaican company after securing the project through the then Ministry of Public Works. “Ultimately it is for all possible projects to ensure timely completion through readily available supply of asphalt.” VOLUNTARY WORKS The joint venture initiative, Tiwarie said, will also see some voluntary works being done, which has already started in the Crane area, through advice from Ministers Joseph Harmon and David Patterson for the construction of those small roads following a visit to the community last Sunday. Additionally, after meeting with regional administrators, it was agreed that community involvement on the West Coast is a must, and as such most of the labour force - some 90 percent – is drawn from the community for the project. “We are using materials from the old mill to help small communities through the fixing of their roads even as the project is ongoing,” Tiwarie informed. BK is footing the bill at present until the Jamaican partner comes on board with its financial investment from January of 2016. On the subject of community involvement the company will employ about 40 as labourers from the communities, plus skilled personnel who will be focused operators, pavers, and grader and roller operators. Upon completion, Stuart Hughes of SRKN engineering consultancy said “residents can look forward to better quality, specialized much safer roads as the project also includes safety features to save travelling time.” Additionally “some urbanized areas such as Cornelia Ida and Metenmeer-zorg will have paved sidewalks.” Tiwarie also said that “The overarching idea is to ensure Guyana’s development, hence the investment.”
Wednesday December 09, 2015
Kaieteur News
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EAT AND DRINK ALL YOU CAN! It used to be said that “membership has its privileges”. Then it became “friends with benefits”. Now it is membership with uncapped benefits and benefits without caps. This column deals with the former – the issue of membership with uncapped benefits, particularly membership of certain boards that comes with an unlimited entertainment benefit. This issue of surface
benefits paid to Board members recently surfaced in relation to the payment of meals for the Chairman of one state-owned Board. The value of the claims on that Bill was astronomical and suggests clearly that there were no limits on the amount that could be utilized either at any one time or for the entire year. When you are living in a poor country there should be caps on entertainment
expenses. Governments of poor countries cannot afford to be paying entertainment allowances, more so to Board members. If Ministers of the government either do not enjoy or have limits on such allowances, it seems odd that members of Boards should enjoy such luxuries. It is a luxury which poor governments cannot afford. If someone can afford to donate their salary increases
Dem boys seh...
Jagdeo and Donald Dumb have no shame When dem boys talk that Jagdeo and he kavakamites greedy, nuff of he supporters use to get vex. Dem use to seh that de Waterfalls paper staining de man and lying pun dem. Now de nation and all dem supporters seeing Jagdeo and Ramotar fuh de greedy brutes they are. None of de two of dem did anything fuh Guyana that de people can be proud of. As a matter of fact, all dem did was full dem pockets, dem family pockets and dem friends pocket. That scamp Jagdeo also mek sure that before he lef office he put in place a pension package fuh mind him and de whole of Unity Village wheh he come from. When that package came out, de whole of Guyana cuss. People see de things he put in place fuh himself, things like two first class plane tickets to any destination in de world and he don’t even have a dog or pig. Donald de Dumb, he sidekick, got pickney, pig,
sheep and goat, not Rohee. He also got a wife. He sleep through he three years in office and he only wake up de other day when he hear he got to pay light bill. That is how he call Jagdeo and de two of dem decide to challenge de cut wha Soulja Bai drop pun dem. Both de scamp and Donald de Dumb had no shame whatso-ever. De things that dem put in de writ speaks volumes of who these two shameless men are. Dem eyes pass people and de court to de extent that dem had de nerve to ask de court to hear dem writ secretly. This is de first time in history that people hear a man file a writ and then ask de court fuh hear de matter in secret. De two of dem know that dem can’t talk and let people know wha dem challenging in
de court. Because dem got to show inconvenience. Imagine that de two of dem going to court to tell de judge that any cutting mustn’t affect dem, only future presidents because dem seh that de law can’t reverse. But de same Jagdeo and Donald Dumb reverse de law to mek de illegal sale of Sanata Complex to heself, legal. Talk half that Soulja Bai reverse that sale.
to communities, then one has to ask whether that person was ever in need of a salary increase. Similarly, if you cannot pay top executives a proper entertainment allowance, why allow a Board member to either have an unlimited allowance or very high allowances. Major multinationals usually give their top officials an open cheque for entertainment, but these guys are so busy that they hardly abuse it to the extent that it has to be called into question. These companies also have resources greater than the GDP of some poor countries, so their entertainment allowance is a drop in the ocean. Yet, during the financial crisis, there was an uproar over the benefits paid to top executives of banks. This led to some rolling back of benefits. In Guyana we seem to be doing the very opposite.
Instead of curtailing benefits, we seem to be expanding them. A poor country like Guyana cannot afford the luxury of open-ended entertainment accounts for top officials. If we can cap the benefits for Presidents, we should be able to cap the benefits for top officials. The top official is not to be blamed for having an excessive entertainment bill. If you are entitled to a benefit and you utilize that benefit then you should not be the one to be blamed. Blame those who granted the benefit in the first place. Chairpersons of the Boards of public entities should not be entitled to entertainment allowances. Top officials should be. The purpose of the Board is to make policy. Board members should not have to meet clients and customers, and therefore there is no need for any Board member to be paid an entertainment
allowance. A general manager or a person in an executive position should be entitled to an entertainment allowance, since they are the ones who are expected to interface with customers and clients, not Board members who exercise scrutiny over top officials. There needs to be an investigation into the recent instances reported in the press in which large sums of monies were allocated for entertainment allowances. It needs to be determined by what authority those allowances were paid; whether they were paid to other persons in the past, and why the entertainment bills suddenly stopped after the May 11 elections.
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Kaieteur News
Wednesday December 09, 2015
THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN
Chief Justice retires; will Chief Mike retire too? Space will not permit a discussion of Chief Mike, so I will confine this commentary to Chief Justice, Ian Chang. He goes on retirement leave next Tuesday. Will he occupy a spot on South Road or Croal Street and engage in private practice? I believe retired judges should not return to private practice as counsel, because it appears inelegant. I am not suggesting that such a right should be legislated against them. If a retired judge wants to return to private practice, that is his/her business. But I would stress that it does appear inelegant; more so for someone who was the Chief Justice or the Chancellor. I haven’t done the research, but I know Supreme Court judges in India are not
allowed to take up employment with private companies when they leave the bench. In the US, Supreme Court judges do not have a retirement age. In Guyana, the former Chancellor Keith Massiah did return to the court circuit. In fact, he was one of the lawyers for the University in 1996 when I filed a writ against the University for admitting law students without the approval of the Board of the Faculty of Social Sciences. We can say Chang is gone, because it doesn’t look like the present government wants to go in the direction of the Burnham regime and extend the life of judges. I guess there is always room for their talent in other areas like judicial reform or consultancy
to the State. There is also the UG route. Retired Chancellors Aubrey Bishop and Keith Massiah took up teaching appointments at UG. Whether you like or dislike Chang, he has carved his name on the walls of Guyanese Jurisprudence. He gave some deeply controversial decisions, the implications of which will reverberate for a long time. I am not a lawyer, but I have read the disagreements with his judgements with intense relentlessness. I would say I do not agree with a majority of his decisions. When I juxtapose his citations of the law in favour of the repudiation of the two-term constitution limit on Presidents with that of Mr. Christopher Ram, I find Ram’s
argument more convincing. I was unimpressed with his decision on the then Police Commissioner, Henry Greene, who sought court intervention against being charged for rape. The Chief Justice ruled in favour of Greene. I read where a lawyer is asking the lower court to postpone indefinitely the case against former Minister Jennifer Westford. Can the court put down a criminal case indefinitely? If the police forward a file to the DPP based on evidence gathered, how can you seek an injunction to prevent the DPP from recommending charges? If the law allows that, then surely, the floodgates have to open up. How does an accused know he/she will be charged?
Right now, no one except the DPP knows if PPP Ministers will be charged for the Pradoville 2 scandal. How then can one such Minister seek the court’s intervention against the DPP? I find the Chief Justice’s $500,000 bail put on famed footballer, Vibert Butts, on his marijuana conviction appeal, unreasonably harsh. Does Chang think Butts is a flight risk? I recall that in front of Christopher Ram, I told Justice Chang, I knew he wrote President Jagdeo when the GRA turned down his duty free car application on procedural grounds. GRA insisted the application should have originated from the Chancellor. Then there was the writ of habeas corpus for me and Mark Benschop for a harmless traffic offence that Justice Chang refused to hear. I will have more to say on that later. The Chang decision that I will always remember is the Carol Sooba drama. Mr. Royston King asked the Chief Justice to rule that the Minister of Local Government did not have the authority to appoint Sooba as Acting Town Clerk. The Chief Justice ruled in favour of King, but
Frederick Kissoon allowed Sooba to continue in office. Mr. King is now the Town Clerk, not by a court decision but by the change in government. I would urge him not to abandon his appeal which will come up one day. This case is too important to Guyanese jurisprudence to be allowed to die a natural death. I appeal to every lawyer in this country to offer an opinion if Sooba could have been allowed to continue. I end on a personal note. Justice Chang catapulted me into the history books. Jagdeo’s libel was heard eleven months after the writ was filed. For libel trials, I think that is a record in terms of speedy hearing in the entire history of Guyana; maybe the world. Eleven months after papers were filed? Really!
Wednesday December 09, 2015
Kaieteur News
Guyanese pays US$40,000 fine on drug conviction Bridgetown, Barbados - Guyanese, Lyndon Aubrey Kennedy, who admitted to having illegal drugs in his possession in Barbados, showed himself to be a man with deep pockets, as he immediately paid the total US$40,000 fines imposed by a magistrate on Monday. Kennedy, 34, who described himself as a miner and gave his address as Charity Extension Scheme, Essequibo, pleaded guilty to charges of possession, trafficking and intent to supply after police found him and a Barbadian in a car with six kilogrammes of cocaine last Friday. The Barbadian, Randy MacCurren, 36, pleaded not guilty and was granted US$12,500 bail, and ordered to return to court on March 31. Magistrate Kristie Cuffy-Sargeant fined Kennedy US$20,000 each on the counts of possession and of trafficking. He was reprimanded and discharged on the accusation of intent to supply. After paying the fines, Kennedy was handed over to immigration officers to be processed for an expected deportation.
City Detective, IT Specialist battle for 2015 ‘Best Cop’ As the year comes to an end, a fierce but friendly battle is playing out in the Guyana Police Force for this year’s Best Cop award. The accolade is the most coveted award in the Force. Over the years, ranks from the Criminal Investigations Department have had a stranglehold on the prize. The trend was broken last year with one of the Force’s Information Technology (IT) specialists, Inspector Jermaine Johnson, copping the award. And with more emphasis being placed on IT in the local Force, in keeping with international trends, this year will see another computer specialist in the reckoning. Kaieteur News understands that Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Shivpersaud Bacchus and Detective Corporal Derwin Eastman are locked in battle for the Best Cop, which comes with a large cash incentive and other lucrative prizes. Again, the absence of a female police rank in the reckoning has stood out. According to a source,
voting has been intense, with a single vote likely to decide the winner. “The performances of all the persons nominated were outstanding, and it would be a difficult task when the final voting takes place,” the source said. ASP Bacchus has been an integral part of the police’s IT programme, which has undergone significant improvements over the years, as the Force seeks to come to par with international best practices in the field of criminal investigations and other aspects of its operations. Corporal Eastman, who was in the reckoning for Best Cop last year, could get lucky the second time around. He has been involved in the investigations of a number of serious crimes in the city. The Best Cop will be announced at a special year end awards ceremony next Wednesday at Police Headquarters, Eve Leary. On that day also, the best ranks from the various Divisions and Departments will be announced.
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Region Two farmers to benefit from $$M projects The Ministry of Agriculture has invited tenders for rehabilitating drainage pumps in Essequibo, maintenance works on the main drains in Region Three and repairs on machinery on East Coast Demerara (ECD). These projects are likely to alleviate the frequent flooding being experienced by farmers on the Essequibo Coast. They also represent some of the biggest contracts in the agriculture sector that have been put out by the Ministry for 2015. The nearest equivalent in recent months was a tender put out under the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) for constructing a tail regulator at Buxton, ECD in October. The engineer’s estimate was
$16.4M. In the tender, seen by Kaieteur News on Monday, the Ministry invited suitably qualified persons to bid for these contracts. The bids will then be opened at the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB). The first contract is for the NDIA, an arm of the Ministry of Agriculture. Bids were invited for the rehabilitation of drainage pumps at Three Friends, on the Essequibo Coast, Region Two. The estimated cost of this project is $147.3M. The Ministry also plans to undertake mechanical repairs on NDIA’s No. 10 320CL caterpillar Hydraulic excavator at Hope Estate compound, Hope, ECD,
Region Four. As such, a contract, estimated by engineers at $5.2M, is being tendered. And finally, another contract is currently being tendered for the monthly maintenance and cleaning of the Canal No.1 and Canal No. 2 main drains, West Bank Demerara (WBD), Region Three. This project is estimated at $49.4M. There have been reports that the lack of maintenance of the drainage and irrigation systems in Region Two Pomeroon/Supenaam over the years has caused excess siltation, which precipitated the recent flooding of rice lands between Sparta and Windsor Castle, Essequibo Coast. There are reports that the
regions have also been plagued by mechanical issues with respect to equipment. One reason is vandalism, flagged as contributing to the non-functioning of several of the heavy-duty machines and other apparatus. Rice farmers emanating from Sparta/Windsor Forest have been calling for the Ministry’s intervention, with many of them fearful that their investment into the current crop would be lost. Fears were prevalent that the flooding would have extended to residential lands. These farmers agitated for intervention at the regional level. In cases where replanting might have just begun, any floods would prove detrimental to seedlings that might have been planted.
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Kaieteur News
Wednesday December 09, 2015
27 consultants vie to conduct new Harbour Bridge study, design After a late start yesterday, bids were opened for a feasibility study and design for the new Demerara Harbour Bridge, at the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB), Ministry of Finance compound. There were 27 consultancy firms tendering for the project. Of note was the predominance of foreign consultants. The few participating local consultants largely collaborated with the other firms. The contract attracted consultants from all around the world.
Also under the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, bids were opened for the construction of rip rap sea defence at Ruimzight, West Coast Demerara (WCD), Region 4. The engineer’s estimate was $97,108,000.
Under the Ministry of the Presidency, bids were also opened for the computerizing of the General Registrar Office records. This is a major undertaking, as it is estimated that some 4000 birth, death and marriage registration records must be entered daily. Six consultancy firms took up the challenge. It is also understood that the project will target records dating from 1869 to 2015, to have them entered into the Civil Events Registration System (CERS). This will provide for a more automated process to generate certificates, verify, retrieve and store. A 100 percent accuracy rating is mandated from the firms for each entry, according to the Terms of Reference (TOR) for the project.
Meanwhile, under the Ministry of Education, bids were opened for the construction of the Aurora Primary School, Essequibo. The engineer’s estimate was $119,960,554.
For the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) Region No. 6, bids were opened for the provision of security services in 2016.
And under the National Communications Network (NCN), bids were opened for the provision of security services.
BaiShanLin given free-for-all... (From page 6) Granger, has restricted log exports for the company, in light of alleged wrongdoing. Last week, SARU’s Head, Dr. Clive Thomas, disclosed that initial checks found worrying signs of regulations being flouted, warranting a deeper probe. “As such, we have launched an investigation into that entity. We have already prepared a detailed document on them and their operations since they came into Guyana. The report shows that they are a major source of corrupt land deals. This company has been operating very
crookedly in Guyana.” The Presidential Advisor said that there have been numerous startling irregularities under the Chinese logging company, but said that based on the nature of the investigations, he would not be inclined to reveal the findings at this stage. Although not getting into specifics, he had this to say. “What I can say is that they probably own more land than the Guyana Sugar Corporation at this point and they acquired it through a lot of Memoranda of Understanding signed with the PPP.”
Wednesday December 09, 2015
Kaieteur News
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2010 carjacking murder… UG meeting to hear concerns about protracted ‘washroom’ woes Accused denies killing taxi driver
A section of the washroom facilities at the Faculty of Health Sciences.
Adequate access to potable water coupled with a daunting sewage issue at the University of Guyana (UG) Turkeyen campus, is being viewed as a possible health threat, and the Students’ Society is not taking this situation lightly. The body has repeatedly amplified its concerns in this regard and is currently preparing to again bring it to the attention of the University’s administration when the Finance and General purposes meeting is convened next Wednesday, December 16.
University of Guyana Students’ Society (UGSS) President, Joshua Griffith, yesterday informed this publication that the concerns relating to the washroom facilities, under which the water and sewage issues fall, are on the agenda of the meeting. The lack of supplies for the washroom facilities have also been a constant concern to students. But these have been concerns of the Turkeyen student population for a protracted period. In fact, Griffith recalled that when the UGSS had
engaged industrial action earlier this year to raise a number of concerns about a number of issues including concerns about the state of the washroom facilities. “We had soon after gotten some relief in terms of the availability of toilet paper, running water, hand soap, but that only lasted for a short period,” disclosed Griffith. It wasn’t long after he disclosed that the situation returned to its former deplorable state. “Having these things in place,” according to Griffith, “has been a regular struggle.” Continued on page 15
Murder accused, Balram Singh has denied any involvement in the death of taxi driver, Bhomeshar Sukdeo. Sukdeo was reportedly kidnapped and robbed of his vehicle before he was murdered. His charred remains were identified on the Mocha Arcadia access road, days after he had gone missing. He was allegedly shot in the head and his body burnt. The incident occurred between January 19 and January 27, 2010. Singh provided the court with an unsworn statement in his defence yesterday. The accused stood in the prisoners’ dock for almost two hours and continuously denied any involvement with the taxi driver’s murder. “Meh ain’t kill nobody sir,” Singh insisted. “I have no reason to kill nobody sir, to get money…I had two cars working. My wife was working.” The man told the court that from the time of his arrest, he was beaten by the police. He claimed that he was coerced into signing the caution statement. He said that a police officer told him he would get to go home, if he affixed his signature. Singh said that he eventually signed the statement because he wanted to go home. He told the court that he does not know the
Balram Singh
Bhomeshar Sukdeo
contents of the statement, since he does not know how to read or write properly. The accused went on to say that he “did not go far in school”, but worked hard to acquire certain things in life. The man denied selling the victim’s car to the owner of a taxi service in Grove. He claimed that he worked on a minibus for a period of time in Grove, and never knew the owner of the taxi service or anything about that service. Singh is on trial at the Georgetown High Court before Justice Navindra Singh and a mixed 12- member jury. On Monday, Prosecution witness, Travis David, testified that in 2010, he was living at Agricola, East Bank Demerara and was working with the taxi service, owned by Bharrat Narine. He recalled that one day he met with Singh, who
inquired from him whether his “boss man” buys vehicles He said that Singh told him that he had a car to sell, but that it was in Berbice, and he introduced him to his employer. David told the court that the accused eventually sold a car to his boss for $600,000. Following Singh’s statement yesterday, both State Prosecutor Narissa Leander and Defence Counsel Jermaine Jervis, submitted their closing arguments. Jervis, in his closing address, asked the jury to consider that his client’s fingerprints were not found at the scene of the crime nor was there any evidence of blood there. The man also noted that his client suffered abuse at the hands of the police. The summing up will be done today.
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Kaieteur News
Wednesday December 09, 2015
Soldier, others remanded for illegal guns
With public security as her main priority, Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan remanded a Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Lance Corporal and three other men to prison for possession of illegal rounds and firearms stashed in a motorcar on Robb Street, Georgetown. They were arrested by a police patrol. Lance Corporal, Aaron Eastman,27, of 148 Grove Housing Scheme; Mark Anthony, 22, of Lot 1238 Canje Pheasant Place, South Ruimveldt; Andrew Davis Hescott, 35, of 155 Middle Road La Penitence; and 27-year-old mason, Ryan Hescott, pleaded not guilty to the charges read to them. The first charge alleged that on December 5, last, at Robb Street, Georgetown, they had in their possession seven rounds of ammunition without being the holders of firearm licenses. It was further alleged that the men had two firearms in their possession, when they were not holders of firearm licenses. According to reports, on December 5, police ranks on operation dragnet stopped a motorcar on Robb Street, after observing its occupants acting in a suspicious manner. They conducted a search of the vehicle, which was reported to be bearing an obscure number plate. The lawmen unearthed the guns and ammunitions hidden in various parts of the car. Police Prosecutor, Corporal Deniro Jones told the court yesterday, that concerned citizens saw the defendants in a motor car on Robb Street, acting in a suspicious manner. Jones said that the police were summoned and cornered the vehicle, driven by the soldier. The prosecutor stated that the GDF officer was at the time wearing a black hoodie. Jones informed the court that the vehicle was searched and the police found a .32 revolver with matching rounds under the front passenger’s seat. Jones said that the car was further searched and a 12 gauge Sawn-off shot gun was unearthed from under the driver’s seat. The prosecutor said that he is awaiting a fingerprint report. According to Jones, Andrew Davis Hescott has been positively identified in a series of armed robberies. More charges are likely to be laid against him soon. Seated at the bar table were Attorneys Peter Hugh, Mark Waldron and Adrian Thompson. In his address to the court, Waldron explained that on the date in question, his client, Eastman was driving a motorcar. He stated that the bag was found in the
rear of the vehicle. The bag, Waldron said, contained the firearm and matching ammo. Waldron acknowledged the fact that special reasons must be put forward in order for his client to be admitted to bail. On this notion, he argued that the bag with the alleged firearm and ammo was never found in his client’s possession. The lawyer also argued that Eastman’s fingerprints were not found on the gun. Additionally, the attorney informed the court that his client has been a member of the GDF for the past 10 years. He said that he is stationed at Camp Ayanganna and drives the GDF ambulance. Attorney Thompson represented Andrew Davis Hescott. Thompson told the court that at the time of the incident his client was a passenger in the vehicle. He argued that the articles mentioned in the charge and the vehicle do not belong to his client. He also informed the court that his client has no pending matters or previous convictions. Attorney at Law, Peter Hugh, who represented Ryan Hescott, said that his client has no pending matters before the court. However, he related that his client was convicted before on an armed robbery charge. Hugh contended that his client was also a passenger in the vehicle. He said that Hescott never admitted to ownership and knowledge of the articles, even though he was abused by the police. The lawyer added that the police are unable to prove if any of the defendants were in possession of the articles. Anthony had no legal representation. He claimed that the police assaulted him and the other defendants. He alleged that on the day of the arrest, he was walking in the area when he was stopped and searched by the police, who later arrested him. The defendant has denied having knowledge of what was contained in the bag. The prosecutor strongly objected to the men being granted their pre- trail liberty on the ground that no special reasons were put forward by the lawyers to satisfy the court. This objection was upheld by the Magistrate, who remanded them to prison, after taking into consideration the safety of the public and the need to prevent the men from committing any offence. The quartet will make its next court appearance on January 6, before City Magistrate Judy Latchman.
Wednesday December 09, 2015
Kaieteur News
Page 15
Murdered taxi driver’s killer will be brought to justice - Commander assures …as ‘Cops and Faith’ reaches out to victim’s relatives From left: Commander Stephen Mansell, Claudette Clarke, Janet Clarke and Pastor Derek Anderson
Commander of the Police West Demerara Division, Senior Superintendent Stephen Mansell, has assured the relatives of murdered taxi driver Colin Clarke that every effort is being made to bring his killer to justice. The assurance was given during a visit to the dead taxi driver’s Crane Housing Scheme home yesterday as part of the Force’s “Cops and
Faith Community Network”. Commander Mansell was accompanied by Pastor Derek Anderson who prayed with and provided counseling to Clarke’s elderly mother Janet and his older sister Claudette. Clarke, 57, and the Toyota motorcar he was driving, disappeared two Fridays ago, the victim of another carjacking. His body was discovered almost a week later
UG meeting to hear... From page 13 And the UGSS President has linked the situation to the lack of proper management and maintenance. “This system at UG needs to be prioritised, because even with all the cleaning and painting that stench will still remain, unless we condemn some of these facilities and build new ones and address the sewage system immediately and urgently,” said Griffith of the washroom facilities. “Joyous was the fortnight when the standards of our washroom facilities included regular cleaning, clean flowing water, plus soap and toilet paper. It is regrettable that this experience did not endure two weeks; instead we have returned to a state of unsanitary washroom facilities that receive inconsistent bouts of cleaning,” said Griffith at a recent press conference. But according to him yesterday, since that press conference, efforts have been made to ensure that supplies were replenished. He however acknowledged that keeping the facility in the desired condition is not only the task of the administration. According to him, some students are guilty of negligence and have not been treating the facilities with care.
“We have students who have destroyed and mishandled some facilities and we do not condone this behaviour,” asserted Griffith. “We are calling on students to be responsible and to appreciate the little that we have, so that we can work towards improving the more that we will get. Students also have to be responsible; it is not easy to represent students who are negligent, who are setting a bad example for society.” The UGSS, he insisted, “denounces any and every act by students to destroy University property; and we are considering how to properly address any student caught in such behaviour. We cannot and will not destroy that which we are trying to help build.” Griffith said that in the interim, the UGSS is calling on the University administration to implement structured regular cleaning of all student washroom facilities. The student body is also recommending procedures and protocol to ensure printed schedules of cleaning of washrooms are placed in every washroom inter alia. These recommendations are slated to be among the concerns that will be discussed extensively when the meeting is called next week Wednesday, Griffith said.
in a trench at Uitvlugt. He was apparently strangled. Pastor Anderson told this newspaper that although he has been involved in intervention as part of the cops and faith initiative, yesterday’s exercise was a bit different, since in this case he had to deal with an elderly mother and sister of a deceased, instead of the wife and children. The “Cops and Faith” initiative is the brainchild of Police Commissioner Seelall Persaud, and it involves the collaboration between the police and faith-based organizations, to effect positive intervention where necessary to cushion the effects of crime among other things. Anderson disclosed that he was touched by the outpouring of grief when Clarke’s relatives were asked how they were coping with the death. “The mother said that she usually prayed and she did pray that they would find the body and they did find it; and
she’s believing and praying again that justice will be served,” Pastor Anderson told this newspaper, adding that a return visit to the family is mandatory. Anderson said that working with the police in the “Cops and Faith” programme is very fulfilling, since the interventions made so far have been fruitful. “We really partner with the police….we’ve really become friends, and we are on the same page with the police. This “Cops and Faith” initiative is definitely a win/ win situation,” the Pastor stated. For his part, Commander Mansell said that he is very pleased to be carrying out the mandate of the commissioner with regards to working with the church to bring about positive developments in the communities on the West Coast and West Bank of Demerara. “Pastor Anderson and his team are very outstanding….we’re
transforming Region Three community by community,” the Commander said. He assured that investigators on the West Coast are working on a few leads and are hoping to make a breakthrough in the murdered taxi driver’s case. Meanwhile, the police in a press release stated that during yesterday, also, senior officers along with religious leaders attached to the “Cops and Faith Community Network”, visited a member of the public who was shot and injured by armed men during a robbery at his home recently, and a policeman who was injured while on duty at a roadblock. Commander ‘A’ Division, Assistant Commissioner Clifton Hicken, along with other senior officers and Pastors David Cole and Shane Mosley, visited Nicholas Coates at his home in Bel Air Park, where he is recuperating. Prayer sessions were offered and he was
given counseling by the religious leaders, while the Divisional Commander gave him words of encouragement. Coates was attacked at his home by four armed men on November 23, 2015, during which he was shot and injured to his right foot. The Officers and Pastors also visited Police Constable 22445 Andrew July who is a patient at the GPHC. Constable July was struck down by a fleeing motorcyclist and received serious injuries, including a broken leg, while on duty at a police roadblock on December 04, 2015. The pastors counseled and offered prayers for the speedy recovery of the rank as well as that of the other patients in the ward. The Guyana Police Force has been benefitting through meaningful support being given by religious leaders attached to the “Cops and Faith Community Network” which had been launched on September 12, 2013.
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Kaieteur News
Wednesday December 09, 2015
Gov’t, EU partner to prepare new sea defence manual The Ministry of Public Infrastructure (MPI) is looking at ways to improve Guyana’s sea defence system, and is currently finalising a coastal engineering design manual, with the support of the European Union (EU). A two-day staff training workshop kicked off in Georgetown yesterday, at Cara Lodge, with Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson, as well as EU Ambassador to Guyana, Jernej Videtiè, delivering brief remarks. Under the 10th European Development Fund (EDF) framework from 2007 to 2013, EU–Guyana cooperation has focused on a number of areas, including sea defences. The beneficiary of this latest project – the production of a Coastal Engineering Design Manual – is the Guyana Sea and River Defence Division, under MPI. During the workshop, Minister Patterson explained that coastal engineering management is particularly important to Guyana, due to factors including climate change and the fact that Guyana is below sea level. He emphasised that Guyana must look at sustainable and long-term solutions to sea defence. “It’s very important that
we recognise that coastal engineering extends way beyond the construction of physical sea barriers,” he said. The production of a design manual and the discussions which would come out of the workshop, he said, were important in the Government’s fight to ensure that the citizenry is protected. Minister Patterson also acknowledged the EU’s role and noted that the international body has been a major donor to Guyana in regards to sea defence. He expressed hope that the workshop would foster more innovative methods of sea defence. Similarly, EU Ambassador Videtiè also hailed the need for sustainability in Guyana’s sea defence system. He stated that coastal engineering was an important sector which has seen the Government of Guyana and EU working together to solve issues. He added that sea defence has been a focus of the EU for decades. In terms of Guyana’s sea defence, the Ambassador said that due to the lack of adequate maintenance of existing barriers, along with the gradual destruction of mangrove forests, the protection of Guyana’s coastal zone was drastically
Technical and other staffers of the Ministry of Public Infrastructure at the workshop yesterday. reduced. This reduction, he said, has increased the need for rehabilitation, while longterm sustainable measures became urgent. He concluded by stressing that the manual will be a useful and easily accessible tool, and he expressed hope that it will be used to build a strong strategy for Guyana. The new manual aims to provide appropriate and practical guidance for applications of methods and
techniques, with regard to the design and implementation of coastal engineering projects in Guyana. The projects concern new constructions or repair and rehabilitation of existing ones; the prevention of the erosion of oceanic, estuarine, and recessed coasts; coastal flooding; and the heavy damage from wave attacks to valuable coastal commercial, urban, and tourist communities of Guyana. The manual was put together by a team of four
consultants, including a coastal engineering specialist; a geotechnical specialist; and an engineering specialist. These consultants would have spent time in Guyana interacting with a number of agencies, including the Ministry of Agriculture; the Environmental Protection Agency; the Transport and Harbours Department (T&HD); and Central Housing and Planning Authority.
So far, the manual is a 14chapter document, and is still being refined. Focus areas in the document included integrated planning for sea and river defence works in Guyana; the physical site conditions and data collection issues; and natural flood protection systems along Guyana’s oceanic coast and river banks, and their relevance to the shore zone management process. Yesterday’s workshop session primarily saw the participation of MPI employees across the different agencies. The forum will continue today and will touch on a number of areas, including design of coastal flood protection structures; design of river flood protection structures; and the economics and feasibility of sea defence.
Wednesday December 09, 2015
Kaieteur News
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Guyanese sues Delta after Region Ten gets bitumen plant wrongfully busted for coke - Suitcase had been breached here in 2010 (NY Post) A former Yankee Stadium security guard, who was wrongfully busted for cocaine possession at Kennedy Airport in 2010 is suing Delta Airlines, claiming that they allowed his luggage to be tampered with en route from Guyana. Five years after the incident, the case kicked off Monday with opening statements in Brooklyn federal court. Roger Levans was charged with trying to smuggle cocaine into Kennedy on De c. 29, 2010, after custo ms agents found three bricks of the drug in his luggage. The otherwise mundane case drew headlines at the time, because Levans curiously told officers that his luggage contained “cooked rabbit” and other food items before they found the drugs. “The federal prosecutor determined that the plaintiff’s luggage had been tampered with while in the sole custody
Roger Levans of the defendant and the charges against defendant were subsequently dropped,” according to his Brooklyn federal lawsuit. But after a three-month investigation into the case, all charges were dropped against Levans when the feds determined that his suitcases had been broken into. Levans claimed that the lock on the piece of luggage that contained the coke had been broken and replaced with a ribbon – and prosecutors agreed.
But in his lawsuit against Delta, Levans said the damage was already done before the charges were dropped. “As a result of his arrest on federal drug charges, the plaintiff was terminated from his job by Guardsmark and was told not to return to Yankee Stadium,” according to his suit. Levans had a “stellar” record as a security guard at the famed venue and was “entrusted to guard the executive portion of the stadium” before getting sacked. “While the charges had been dropped, Plaintiff has been unable to reemploy with Guardsmark despite his best efforts,” papers state. “He has also been ostracized in his community.” Levans filed suit against Delta Airlines in 2012, claiming that they were negligent in securing his luggage during its transport from Guyana to Queens, and should be held responsible for his ensuing misfortune.
GPHC records significant decrease... (From page 23) Public Health, Dr. George Norton along with technical officers will continue to engage the doctors of the GPHC and the GHTK to ensure the continued decline in the number of neonatal deaths. The Minister applauded Dr. Sara Singh as well as the pediatric physicians, nurses and other staff of the NICU for championing the reinforcement of these measures with support and guidance from Guyana Help the Kids. Unfortunately, some babies are born very premature
A mini health check is the first step to donating blood
or with significant congenital abnormalities, both of which put them at a high risk for death. However, the Ministry of Public Health in partnership with the GHTK, will continue to provide training for doctors and nurses as well as upgraded equipment to improve facilities at the GPHC’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, while minimizing the incidence of neonatal deaths. Work is on the way to ensure that the Neonatal Intensive Care Units at the West Demerara Regional Hospital and the New Amsterdam Hos-
pital be fully functional soon. For the year 2010, the Ministry of Health revealed 14,527 births in Guyana, of which 13,265 babies were delivered in hospitals. Half of these babies were delivered in hospitals in Georgetown alone and the remainder at New Amsterdam [2,084], Suddie [889], West Demerara [1,047] and Linden hospitals [580]. There were some home deliveries. In February 2013, the Ministry recorded a 50 per cent drop in the neonatal death rate at GPHC.
An excavator operates atop a pile of bitumen made at the plant. For the first time Region Ten has its own bitumen plant, thus making life easier for residents to have better roads. Regional Chairman Renis Morian, during a visit to the plant in Wisroc on Tuesday, said that credit must be given to Minister of Infrastructure David Patterson.
Morian said, “This plant is operating in collaboration with the Demerara Harbour Bridge and the Ministry of (Public) Infrastructure. This is a new mobile machine and the Region is blessed to have it here for the first time. “It is only two weeks since it has been operational. They only did a test mixture
and it was done perfectly.” He also noted that Region Ten and the area where it is placed are perfect, because it has the sand and the stone readily available. The Chairman was accompanied by the Vice Chairman, Councilors and staff of the Regional Democratic Council.
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Kaieteur News
Wednesday December 09, 2015
Murder suspects escape from Police Station Police were up to late yesterday still hunting for murder suspects Stafrei Hopkinson Alexander and Robin Maxwell Thomas, who staged a daring breakout from the Mackenzie Police Station. Hopkinson and Thomas reportedly escaped by smashing a hole through a cell wall. The suspects, along with Aiden Bowen, of Blueberry Hill, Wismar, were charged for the April 4, 2015
- smash through concrete wall murder of businesswoman Shevon Gordon, who was shot near her One Mile, Linden premises. They were being held overnight at Mackenzie and were due to appear at the Christianburg Magistrate’s Court yesterday. Aidien Bowen, their
alleged accomplice, was in the same cell at the time. He appeared in court before Magistrate Clive Nurse, where his attorney, Gordon Gilhuys, alleged that his client was beaten by police ranks to provide details about the escape. He is said to have told police that he was
asleep, and had no knowledge of the breakout. While details of the escape are sketchy, there are reports that a rank may have allowed one of the escapees to use his cell phone. It is unclear how many ranks were on duty at the time. It is also unclear whether any of the ranks have been placed under close arrest in connection with the escape, though Acting Crime Chief, Assistant Police Commissioner David Ramnarine is convinced that “not enough vigilance was exercised” by the on-duty personnel. Ramnarine told Kaieteur News that according to information, the ranks were in the Enquiries Office at around 02.00 hrs and when they checked the lockups they observed a hole in the concrete wall. “For anyone to dig a hole in a concrete wall, is that they went in there with some instrument, and it sends a message that they were not searched, and that their cell was not searched,” he said. “It is clear that there was a supervision problem and that enough vigilance was not exercised. I know that there will be an investigation.” In all, four people have been charged with businesswoman Shevon Gordon’s murder. Aiden Bowen, of
WANTED: Robin Maxwell Thomas Blueberry Hill, Wismar, Linden; Anthony Primo, 29, of 153 Laing Avenue, and Robin Maxwell Thomas, 22, of Lot 120 West Montrose, East Coast Demerara, had first appeared in court in May. Stafrei Hopkinson, 30, of Lot 129, Laing Avenue, West Ruimveldt, Georgetown, was arrested and charged with Gordon’s murder in November. He was also slapped with several armed robbery charges. Yesterday, Shevon Gordon’s son, Devon, who was shot in the right leg during the attack on his mother, turned up at the court only to be told that the case was put down to February next year. The slain woman’s husband, Fitzroy Elon Gordon, described the escape as “a set up”, and expressed concern for the safety of his son, who is the key witness in the matter. “This is very serious and I’m very perturbed, I would
Canadian-based Guyanese.... (From page 3) two men he had implicated and a confrontation was held. During the confrontation Manget reportedly changed his tune and denied ever receiving the suitcases from the men. After listening to closing arguments, Magistrate Azore found that the prosecution had made out a strong case against the defendant and she found him guilty. In mitigation for a light sentence, Manget, who is Guyanese by birth, told the Magistrate that he was ill and has two sons in Canada who depend on him for support. He begged for mercy, claiming that the arrangement he had with the alleged drug suppliers was for him to carry pills and not cocaine. Magistrate Azore in handing down the sentence declared that a strong message had to be sent to those who may be inclined to continue to traffic in narcotics.
WANTED: Stafrei Hopkinson Alexander like to see the Minister of Public Security, pay very keen interest in this matter.” Gordon said that he heard of the men’s escape around 07.00 hrs yesterday. He said that while on the road at Mackenzie around 04.00 hrs, he saw two police ranks in a car and they said that they were looking for “two boys”. He said that he did not take it too serious at the time, as it had never crossed his mind that the “two boys” were the same suspects in his wife’s murder. “I want to see them brought to justice; when I was reminded about the court day yesterday, I said that at last something is going to happen - but I never expected this.” Shevon Gordon was shot after she resisted two armed bandits who had accosted her after she stepped out of her truck. She was also relieved of a bag containing money. The businesswoman was later pronounced dead on arrival at the Linden Hospital complex. Anyone with information that may lead to the arrest of Stafrei Hopkinson Alexander and Robin Maxwell Thomas is asked to contact the police on telephone numbers 444-3406, 444-3274, 444-3512, 226-9941, 225-6411, 911 or the nearest police station. All information will be treated with strict confidence.
NICIL carefree with GNIC, public... (From page 21) to deliver up possession of the property to NICIL. As a result, it remains a trespasser. Four years later, NICIL commenced proceedings for possession and damages for trespass (that is equivalent of rental amounts from 2010 to date). But GNIC remains unmoved by this legal action. More interestingly, while GNIC owes NICIL millions of dollars in rent and is currently a trespasser, it has boldly subleased a portion of the land to TCL Cement Guyana Ltd., without NICIL’s consent, and continues to collect rent via this sublease. GNIC’s actions are also in direct contradiction of the lease agreement which prohibits this.
Kaieteur News understands that the rent collected from the lease is about six to seven times more than the amount that is supposed to be paid to NICIL. Government has been alerted to the matter, and many questions have surfaced, including why NICIL has been so nonchalant over the years in ensuring it collects its due payment from the company. Officials are also baffled as to why NICIL was aware of the subleasing and never took any legal action against it, especially when the “trespassing status” is taken into account. There are also more damning documents which show that NICIL was deliberately dragging its feet on various aspects of this matter.
Wednesday December 09, 2015
Kaieteur News
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West R/veldt man remanded Bel Air housewife accused of fleecing millions from friend for shooting at cops A well-known West Ruimveldt footballer was yesterday remanded to prison after being accused of shooting at two police officers. Holder Pedro a/k Solo, 41, of Lot 61 West Ruimveldt, Georgetown, is accused of discharging a loaded firearm at Police Constables, Gordon Smith and Owen Holder with intent to maim, disable, disfigure or cause grievous bodily harm. It was also alleged that Pedro discharged a loaded firearm at Ryan Spencer with the same intent. The incidents allegedly occurred on December 4, at West Ruimveldt. The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charges read to him by Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan, when he appeared before her at the Georgetown Magistrates Courts. He will make his next court appearance on January 12. Pedro retained Mark Waldron as his attorney. The lawyer told the court that his
Holder Pedro client has been made a victim twice. He explained that on the day in question, persons attempted to rob his client’s business place located at the aforementioned address. Waldron said that several shots were fired and Pedro ran for cover. In doing so, the lawyer said that a number of drink bottles broke, resulting in his client receiving injuries to his right hand. Waldron went on to say
that the defendant was taken to the hospital by the police. When asked if he had any objections to bail, Prosecutor Jones replied in the affirmative. The prosecutor informed the court that on December 4, the police responded to a report of threats being made by Pedro to Spencer. He said that about 16:00hrs on the day in question, the police approached the defendant and he fired several shots at them with a gun. Jones stated that the ranks returned fire and summoned a patrol. He related that the defendant made good his escape when the other officers arrived. On this notion, the prosecutor then stated that the defendant is not the holder of a firearm licence. The prosecutor added that Pedro was arrested on December 6 and charged with the offences. He noted that a number of spent shells were recovered from the crime scene.
— released on $200,000 bail A 28-year-old housewife accused of swindling more than $7M from her friend, appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan, yesterday, to answer 17 fraudrelated charges, at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts. The woman, Sandy Balkaran, of Lot A 105 Duncan Street, Bel Air, Georgetown, is accused of defrauding Prakash Mangar of the money between last March and April. The court heard that the woman was given the money by several individuals on behalf of Mangar to purchase clothing for a boutique. But instead, Balkaran converted the money to her own use and benefit.
- court hears of stealing a $400,000 gold chain belonging to Tyson Collins on December 5, at South Ruimveldt, Georgetown. Alves denied the charge and was granted bail to the tune of $10,000. According to Police Prosecutor Deniro Jones, the defendant and the complainant
shared a relationship and once lived together. Jones related that on the date in question, Alves left the house with the chain without Collins’ permission. He said that the woman subsequently sold the chain because of Collins’ unwillingness to give her money. Alves will return to court on January 7.
Sandy Balkaran periodically. Police Prosecutor, Corporal Deniro Jones requested that Balkaran be granted substantial bail. He informed the court that the complainant is overseas. The matter will be heard again on January 13.
Meadowbrook man accused of stealing CG bike granted bail
Woman sells boyfriend’s chain after he refuses to give her money A typist accused of selling her boyfriend’s gold chain because he had refused to give her money, was yesterday released on bail, after a charge of simple larceny was read to her by Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan. Appearing in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts was Ashmalie Alves, 22, of East Bank Essequibo. She is accused
Balkaran was not required to plead to the charges. She was granted $200,000 bail. An Attorney for Balkaran requested that she be released on reasonable bail, after highlighting that she has no pending matter or previous conviction. The lawyer informed the court that her client once shared a friendship with the complainant. Balkaran’s Attorney pointed out that the relationship was severed after Mangar sent a box of sex toys to her client. The Attorney stated that her client has been cooperating with the police investigation and was released on $100,000 station bail back in April. She stated, too, that her client has been reporting to the police station
Colin Harry
Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan granted a Meadowbrook Gardens resident bail to the tune of $150,000 when he appeared in the Georgetown Magistrate Courts, accused of stealing a CG motorcycle,. It is alleged that on November 6, at West Ruimveldt, Georgetown, Colin Harry, while in the company of others, stole motorcycle CF 4344 valued at $240,000—property of Shawn Edu. Harry, 21, who resides at Lot 8 Meadowbrook Gardens, Georgetown, was ordered to return to court on January 6, before Magistrate Dylan Bess. Police Prosecutor Deniro Jones did not oppose the defendant being granted pre-trial liberty. However, he requested that bail be set in a substantial amount. Jones pointed out that the item was not recovered and that Harry was seen by neighbours removing the motorcycle.
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Kaieteur News
VACANCY Plant Shop Sales Clerk: Hardworking, literate, punctual workers, Work experience an asset. Contact: 648-1821 SERVICES PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION,WEDDINGS, ANNIVERSARY, ETC. – CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 216-1043; 677-6620 Visa Application: U.S.A, Canada & UK; Guyana Passport application. Graphics design, Advertisement. Tel: 626-7040; 265-4535. Repairs at affordable prices: fridge, air conditioner, washing machines, dryers, TV, microwaves & freezerCall: 610-5846 or 661-8158 Landscaping: Palms, largest varieties of plants, Used in every one of our unique landscapes- Call: 648-1821/ 219-0468 Permanent & Visitors Visa Applications, Professional Immigration Consultant Room D5 Maraj Building. visadocumentsgy@ y a h o o . c o m . Call: 2256496, 662-6045
WANTED Wanted experienced taxi drivers and dispatchers@ Princess Hotel ProvidenceTel: 616-5419, 256-7075 Live in or live out domestic must know to cook Salary $70,000-$80,000 monthly – Call: 610-5043 Damage batteries in any quantity, best price offeredCall: 696-5728, 656-2783, 6225941, 648-9395, 223-1111 Delivery riders wanted contact: 223-5273/4. Cooks to work in Trinidad, must be experienced in Indian and English dishes- Call Selwyn in Trinidad- 001-868680-2083 1 Experienced Puri maker – Call: 226-9561 Waitress to work at a bar (live in or out)- Call: 612-2522 Attractive live in waitressCall: 327-0252/674-4665
We repair fridge, freezer, AC, washer, dryer-Call: 2310655; 683-8734. Omar Landscaping: Palms, largest varieties of plants, Used in every one of our unique landscapes- Call: 648-1821/ 219-0468 Repairs at low cost: Fridges, air- conditioners, washing machines, TVs, microwaves, freezersCall:629-4946 or 225-4822 Professional Pressure washing & water tank cleaning services, for all your home & business exterior cleaning call: 696-5424 INNOVATIVE MARKETING & PUBLISHING INC –TEL: 600-4212: We create A/ works, logos, business cards, posters, etc, placements of ads included. Floor sanding & Lacquering House plans, Estimate & painting, boat for Santa Mission Tours –Call: 6504362 Repairs & spare, fridge, freezer, A/C, washers, stoves – Contact Nick: 683-1312, 627-3206
Vacancies exist for cashiers and sales staff. Apply in person with written application at Nirva Supermarket - call: 227-5771 Cashier 6am-3pm & 3pm12pm. Submit application to Shell Station Providence EBD, shellramsburg @gmail.com Excavator, Bulldozer & grader operator. Work site in Timehri (CJIA Project). Good Salary- Contact: 666-7211, 681-7267 Body workman- Call: 6490659, 670-1637 Desk staff (male), ages 2545yrs- Tel: 225-0198
PROPERTY FOR SALE Property for sale, Grove $20M / Rent: $50,000 per month. Tel: 625-5461. 2 storied transported concrete property- upstairs: 2 bedrooms apartment, downstairs: 2 bedroom apartment, block ‘8’ MonRepos, E.C.D -$19M neg. Call: 625-1514; 231-7255 Two properties for sale at West Coast and West Bank. Excellent condition- Call: 660-3235, 668-3985 Brand new 2 storey concrete building in 5th Avenue, Diamond, E.B.D, all modern amenities - Call: 662-9335; 612-3244 Property at Soesdyke Suitable for apartment/bar/ lounge & rooms + space for recreational/parking lot-Tel: 653-8754 serious call only. House and land for sale @ Zeelught- Call: 601-2898
Building Contractor, house plan, general home maintenance, free estimatesCall: 216-0671; 622-0267; 6928464 TOURS Suriname Old years into new- exciting fireworks, shopping, site-seeing & tours (Dec 30th- Jan 3rd). Call: 665-5171, 639-2663
Experienced cocktail bartender, apply in person @ Tajoe’s Bar, 12 Public Road Pouderoyen W.B.D –Call: 604-0204, 264-0041 Assistant Kitchen attendant, waitress –Contact Sheikor or Donald: 227-1131; 646-4138; 661-8548 Business Opportunity: School Cafeteria for lease in Diamond, must have experienced running a Cafeteria – Email: sevosawh@gmail.com
PEN PAL American Indian Male is seeking female, age 32plus, no texting –call: 679-9646
Full & Part time & Seasonal, local & international work available, training provided $5,000 plus daily – Call: 6221957/ 233-6517, www.jobfairworldwide.com Porters Ripsaw, RT saw, and wood mizer operator @ Eccles Industrial Site E.B.D –Call Richard: 609-7675; 6741705; 233-2614
Wednesday December 09, 2015
SALON -Make Up Courses with Mac, Bare Minerals, Black Opal, Mabelline. -Nail Technician Course Call: 647-1773/660-5257 Become a certified waxing specialist, master techniques in Bikini & Brazilian waxing both male/female-Call: 6967337 for details.
FOR RENT PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION,WEDDINGS, ANNIVERSARY, ETC. CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 216-1043; 677-6620 Julieann’s Apartment Rentals: fully furnished apartments with aircondition & Wi-Fi -$9,000 daily - Call: 226-5336; 6926595; 616-4686 Apartment for rent in Nandy Park- Call: 227-5194 House in Bel-Air Gardens; 4 bedrooms with all modern convenience. No agents! Call: 231-7839 working hours. House in Bel-Air Park: 3 bedrooms upstairs/ downstairs, all modern conveniences -$1,600US monthly. Call: 231-7839 working hours 1-3 Bedrooms apartment, top flat front & back verandah, parking space @ Austin Street-Call: 592-628-7953
1 Welder; apply at Alabama Trading Georgetown, Ferry Stelling.
CAR RENTAL PROGRESSIVE CAR RENTAL:CARS&SUV FOR RENTAL- $4,000 & UP PER DAY- CALL: 643-5122, 6560087 , EMAIL: PRO_ AUTO RENTAL@YAHOO. COM Providence Scheme 115ftX81ft located on a Cul de Sac close to Bai Shan Lin -$8.2M negotiable –Call: 6014163; 223-0719 Luxury gated community with pool, mall, swipe entry/ exit, underground irrigation. Contact: 609-0783 Providence house lots, size 50ftX100ft -$7M –Call: 6002031; 233-5535
Toyota Noah & Voxy, Fully loaded, never registered, ‘G’ Series -$1.7M. Call: 617-2891 One Honda CRV, immaculate condition –price $1,650,000- Call: 626-2884 Nissan Titan 2004 model, GSS series, in immaculate condition - Call: 629-4392, 220-7958 Toyota Hilux extra cab with tray cover 2.5L full service history. Duty paid. Unregistered$6M negotiable- Tel:266-5282
CRV EXCELLENT CONDITION, 1998CC, ALARM, DVD, MAGRIM, CLEAN ENGINE & BODYCALL: 684-5868
1 Toyota Corolla Fielder PMM series in good condition. New tyres. $1.3MTel: 266-5282
1 Hilux Surf, 2 Trucks (1 TM & 1TL) -Tel: 618-1967, 698-4321 Rottweiler and German Shepherd mix pups for sale –Call: 641-1771 and 654-0388 AMERICAN BULLY DOGS, REMYLINE & GOTTILINECONTACT HARRY: 6100 0 6 8 / 2 2 0 - 7 9 3 3 , WHATSAPP: 667-4845 Great Deals on video games & all gaming consoles. PC, phone games & applications. Delivery also – Call: 672-2566; 265-3232 New and used parts for all types refrigerators, air conditioners, microwaves, stoves, washers etc.- call: 233-2008/ 613-8800 One property in Nandy Park and one complete dredge for sale- Call: 642-3808, 644-7207 Used XBOX 360, PS Vita, PS3 I-pad & I-pods, XBOX one & games –Tel: 621-7497; 6038643; 649-3277 33.6 Acre Farm Land, located at Linden/ Soesdyke Highway also ideal for poultry farm –Call: 225-7794; 679-1151
Concrete Stall @ Bourda – Call: 692-7888, 610-0227 One Daihatsu Bego/RushContact: 691-1161 Pure bred pit-bull pups for sale –Contact Lisa: 697-8867
DOLLY’S CAR RENTALCALL: 225-7126/226-3693 DOLLYSAUTORENTAL@ YAHOO.COM/WWW. DOLLYSAUTORENTAL.COM Wing’s Car & 4WD Vigo pick up rental- Call: 690-6494 Aidan’s Car & 4WD Vigo pick up, cheapest rate, low security- Call: 698-7807 FOR SALE/RENT American Pools table-Call: 277-0578
VEHICLE FOR SALE
One 2011 Honda ATV Bike, only used for prospecting, air cool. One Model M Bush Truck with Winch Call: 6882597 PRADO: TOP CONDITION, SUNROOF, FULLY LOADED, 8 SEATER, FUEL, 2000 MODEL. CALL: 6845868
TIBETAN TERRIORS (FLUFFY) PUPS- CALL: 222-7891; 609-9202
Labourer and cleaner-Tel: 695-0007
LAND FOR SALE
FOR SALE LARGE QUANTITIES OF HIGH PURITY MERCURY (QUICK SILVER) 99.99995% PURITY$19,000 PER POUND CALL: 592-227-4754.
LEARN TO DRIVE Soman Son & Outar Driving School at Maraj Building- Tel:644-5166; 622-2872; 615-0964; 6895997
We buy & sell vehicles for cash, also parts available & 30 seater buses; Extra Cab pickups; 2006 TacomaCall:680-3154 Honda Accord 2003, Tan Leather, TV, CD, Radio, DVD, 36,000KM, like now – Call: 689-1194 AT192, 212, Allion, unregistered Premio, Hilux Surf, BNN, RZ & Pit-bull, 7 seater super custom. Cash / terms- Call:680-3154 Smart Choice Auto: Premio, Allion, Bluebird, 212, IST, Fielder, Spacio- Call: 6523820/ 665-4529 Unregistered Dualis -$1.6M, glass roof, fog lights and TV –Call: 669-7298 HB yellow 192 Corolla in good condition. Price $550,000. Owner migratingCall: 684-2539, 647-0271 Unregistered Fielder Wagon, fully loaded, rims, camera, bodykit, HID, dark interiorCall: 617-5536 2-Unregistered Toyota Tacoma, Colour –light blue & dark blue, step, crash bar, bed covering, alarm-Call: 695-6461, 639-7758 Blow out sale! Cheapest: Super GL automatic and stick gear VVTI buses, Hilux-1RZ engine. Call: 616-7635
Wednesday December 09, 2015
Kaieteur News
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Letters... Where your views make the news... Letters... Where your views make the news
Police Force refusing to pay newspaper vendor $56, 460 DEAR EDITOR, I am a newspaper vendor. I have being supplying the Guyana Police Force “G” Division with newspapers over a period of many years. The Divisional Commander’s Office, The Police Training School, Suddie Police Station and Anna Regina Police Station have being receiving this service. Over a period of seven years, I have been delivering newspapers on a daily basis and at the end of the month; I submit an account for payment. The Finance Division of the Guyana Police Force would process the account and send a voucher for me to sign and receive payment in “G” Division. Unfortunately, I have not been paid for the months of April, May, November and December 2012 until sometime during the month of September 2015, when I
received the sum of twentyfive thousand six hundred dollars ($25,600). I enquired about the balance of fifty-six thousand four hundred and six dollars ($56,460) and was told by the Commander of “G” Division and some of his staff that I cannot access the outstanding balance because the sum is placed on LIABILITY. Sir/Madam, I do not know what is meant by placing the money on LIABILITY. Honestly, I am not interested in knowing about it all I know is that I supplied the Police in “G” Division during the month of April, May, November and December 2012 and was eventually paid $25,600 and there is an outstanding balance of $56,460. What I would like to know is when I will be paid? Recently, I received information which suggests that the handwriting of the
then relevant official of G Division appeared on the voucher which was falsely attributed to me. Further, he eventually uplifted in the sum of $25,600 when the unholy transaction was discovered. It is important to note that this rank was the G Division officer during the period on non-payment who was authorized to pay me. I am of the opinion that something about this simple transaction is not right and needs to be investigated. I am also of the opinion that an effort is been made to cover up this affair in an effort to save some member or members of the Guyana Police Force. My major concern however, is that I am paid the balance that is outstanding settlement further delay a small newspaper vendor cannot afford to lose $56,460. Newspaper vendor (name supplied)
Lincoln Lewis surprised at what Donald Ramotar has done DEAR EDITOR, It is clear that politics has become a gravy train. The public mantra about service to the people no longer matters. The act by Bharrat Jagdeo and Donald Ramotar to take the people of Guyana to the court to have unfettered access to the resources of this nation, in order that they can live luxurious lives on our backs, has confirmed a view held in many quarters: politicians don’t care a damn about the people. The capped benefits by the National Assembly of $75,000 each month for telephone and electricity bills, is in excess of the pension earned by persons who have served this country more than 35 years in the public service, and many who are currently employed and are required to deliver eight-hour service a day. It is not the vulgar and unconscionable $1.4 million pension these men each receives per month that the
National Assembly capped. It is the open-ended arrangement where these men want access to unlimited amount of State cars, armed police guards at their premises, or staff to carry on party political work. The act of Jagdeo taking the people to court is characteristic of the contempt he has for Guyanese and therefore comes as no surprise. But the collusion of Ramotar is surprising given that this man was in the trade union movement, and would have condemned the PNC leadership for ridding on the backs of workers, had they engaged in similar or lesser conduct. That Ramotar would have mobilised protests against acts himself and Jagdeo are now involved in. The double standards of these men are clearly saying to the society that politics is not about the people and their development; it is about a few using political office to cream off the resources and wealth of this nation for
personal enrichment. During and after his presidency Ramotar has said to this society that he is his own man, not operating in the shadow of Jagdeo, or on instructions from Jagdeo. The collusion of these men to weaken the national coffers is either Ramotar is not his own man or both men are selfserving. This is troubling and should be of concern to rank and file supporters of the PPP. For these men are clearly communicating to their supporters and all Guyanese that they would go to the ends of the earth to enrich themselves on the backs of the people, and it matters not to them whether the people can afford to sustain their greed. The act of taking the people of Guyana to the court is deemed a personal attack against workers and the taxpaying public, given we have an economy that can ill afford extravagance, of which both men are aware. Lincoln Lewis
A citizens says large abandoned blocking his entrance DEAR EDITOR, Kindly carry the following in your newspaper. I wish to draw your attention to a grave injustice that continues unabated even though I’ve spoken to both the City Council and the Ministry of Public Works. I have two (2) properties situated at Lot 47 Da Silva Street, Newtown and for two (2) years a big derelict garbage truck GNN 8288 is permanently parked on my parapet preventing ingress and egress to my premises. It is parked
flushed in front one of my bridges, see photo attached.I have made repeated complaints to both the City Council and the Ministry of Public Works to no avail. It is nice to be beautifying Merriman Mall but the Mayor & City Council must also ensure that parapets are cleared and citizens can live in comfort. I therefore call on both the Mayor and Ministry of Public Works to take steps as early as possible and clear the parapet of this truck. Michael Subryan
Some recipients are ungrateful to Habitat for Humanity DEAR EDITOR, Habitat for Humanity Guyana is doing an astronomical job to bring families out and away from poverty housing and place them in better conditions thus promoting the creation of communities country wide that would engender a better quality of life for the recipients. Habitat’s contribution to the upgrade of the quality of life in Guyana is nothing short of being sterling for want of a better adjective. This group that is laden with volunteers from students at University to business entities around the country and overseas personnel and churches who make themselves available ever so often to contribute to the lives of people they don’t even know but have enough love to get involved. That’s why I think it is a shame for beneficiaries to renege on their obligation of paying for a house that they have only been asked to make a small per cent in terms of labour and finance in the initial stages, then to pay based on plan that is worked out with the family before occupancy that is affordable by any standard.
I speak because I have been part of the Habitat efforts for many years and from its inception and I know the process thoroughly. I am certain there can be no other non-profit, non-government support entity with the love, care and interest for housing as they have been. Habitat has no guaranteed financial base, they are supported by donors locally and overseas and of recent are more dependent on local input in greater measure, this is all because recipients have failed in a big way in their obligations thus they are robbing others of the opportunity of better housing and a better life. This can be termed as very selfish since these very recipients have been trained and taught about the workings and functions of Habitat for Humanity Guyana and they are made aware of the revolving fund when they pay up to give another family the blessings of a new home. I know Habitat’s repayment policy is affordable and the best In Guyana and maybe in the world. The beauty about Habitat is if families can’t for some reason meet their obligations they can go into to the office
and the competent staff there would listen and do all that is possible to make the task of repayment easy. No home owner in Guyana can ask for a better than that that is being offered by this God sent organization to serve the people of this nation. I view with shock the names published in the print media of those who have become delinquent and I am sad that some of those individuals might have come to the conclusion that they will not pay for a house that they badly needed and now live in and the domicile they can call their own and home. Most of the delinquents are personally known to me and I was witness to the tears of joy at owning a new home a place they can now call their own, I have heard the promises made not to fail the organization in their obligation to pay, sadly some have forgotten. Maybe it is now time for government to get more intimately involved with the working of Habitat. They have proved their worth in the development of Guyana and Guyanese, the country benefits when Habitat alleviates poverty. Ivan John
About 112, 500 Guyanese... From page 4 such as schizophrenia. It leads to low selfesteem, isolation, and hopelessness. It deters the public from seeking and wanting to contribute to care. Responding to stigma, people with mental health problems internalize public attitudes and become so embarrassed or ashamed that they often conceal symptoms and fail to seek treatment and in Guyana where there is already very little resources allocated towards mental health one can imagine what it must be like for
those who are experiencing mental illness in silence and if we are conscious enough to pay close attention we can witness the breakdown of those who fall through the cracks after the clawing for the type of supports they need dwindle before them. If we expect to reduce the stigma of mental health care, and increase the number of people who can benefit from it, we need to be careful anyone describes them, and understand that words can stigmatize further causing unwanted public reaction. Abdel Fudadin
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Kaieteur News
Parents complain of school’s penny-bank payout delay Parents of former St. Gabriel’s Primary School students visited Kaieteur News yesterday to express their frustration over the school’s delay to commence their penny-bank payout. The penny-bank savings, in reality the Schools’ Thrift Society, has been under scrutiny over the years following parents’ complaints of teachers misusing monies and resources. Several calls were also made by individuals to have it dissolved or to be properly managed, while some lobbied for it to remain in the educational system, because it teaches children from a young age to economize. One parent, Thom (only name given), said, yesterday, that her son who recently wrote the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate was promised his money when school closed last September. However, no money was paid out. She estimated that the payout is “something over $20,000”. Thom, who is a single parent, said that she would often struggle when the week comes to provide $500 so that her son could make a deposit, and although there were a lot of sacrifices that had to be made, she marveled at the fact that the money would come back in the end to either buy text books or to assist in some way or the other. Another parent, who requested anonymity because of being “in the system” said yesterday, that her son, who graduated from the primary school two years ago, is yet to receive a payout. She estimated that the payout is over $50,000, which was accumulated over a period of six years.
The woman said that there are many other parents like her who are still to receive monies but have shunned it by saying, “Is too little money to be running around behind”. When asked if any effort had been made to contact the relevant authorities, she replied, “I have been getting the royal run around for my child’s money since 2013 and I have exhausted every option in doing so. “I met the (Head Mistress), I spoke to an advisor in the education system, and I wrote a letter to Mr. Olato Sam, the Chief Education Officer, who acknowledged receipt, but I’m still waiting …I want to know when I’m going to get my child’s money.” Yesterday, Sam said that an audit report was conducted recently and the matter will be evaluated before the Ministry devises a plan of action. Sam assured that the matter will be dissolved and efforts will be made to meet with the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA). Sam urged that the current head of the school not be held liable, because she recently took up the position. All efforts to contact the Head Mistress has been proven futile. This would not be the first instance where monies from School Thrift Societies were not distributed. In 2012, some educators were sent on leave because of a multi-milliondollar penny-bank embezzlement, which reportedly took place in Berbice. This resulted in parents demanding teachers to repay some $3M to grade six students.
Wednesday December 09, 2015
THE VOICE OF THE LIBERAL DEMOCRATS
The Banking System By Sase Singh In the Statistical Abstract for September 2015, published by the Bank of Guyana, it was reported that net domestic credit from the banking system increased by nine percent to $169,150 million between the period December 2014 to September 2015. For the corresponding nine-month period in 2014, net domestic credit increased by 22 percent. Net domestic credit is driven mainly by credit to the private sector, so let us review those numbers. CREDIT TO THE PRIVATE SECTOR Net domestic to the private sector grew by 2 percent between December 2014 and September 2015. For the corresponding ninemonth period in 2014, net domestic credit to the private sector increased by five percent which clearly supports the position that there is a slowdown in the growth of credit to the private sector in 2015 vs. 2014. This is NOT good news, especially in light of the fact that growth in credit to the private sector, the so-called engine of growth, is one of the key elements that drives economic expansion. If businesses are borrowing more, then it translates to them investing more, consuming more and employing more. This means that growth in private sector credit also holds great potential for promoting job creation and accelerating poverty alleviation. In an economy like Guyana’s, that is constructed around the six sisters (gold, rice, sugar, bauxite, timber and seafood), the banking sector remains the principal source of credit to prime the economy in the short-term. It is not the only long-term solution, but it definitely can add economic energy in the short-term. The banking sector also serves as an important channel of financial intermediation through which financial resources can be mobilized for productive investments that are needed to kick-start our medium-term economic growth plan. Therefore, these empirical data on the developments in the financial sector remain quite worrying. Anyone who is committed to progressing the welfare of the poor and the working class has to recognize that our economy needs immediate surgery (financial policy interventions). Guyana’s greatest national threat today in December 2015 remains the economy;
not Venezuela. THE PUBLIC SECTOR INVESTMENT PROGRAMME (PSIP) Former President Jagdeo personally paid full attention to the work of one team in the old government (even during the Ramotar term) - the PSIP Team. It spent an average of $50 billion annually by way of the Capital Budget, including the inflows from the foreign projects. Anyone who has any understanding of the Guyanese economy would know this is how the PPP under Jagdeo primed the economy. We can cut it five ways, all the evidence will conclude that the principal factor that stagnated the economy was that poor decision of the Ramotar administration to prorogue Parliament. The impact of that poor decision was felt directly for seven months of 2015. However, with the passage of the 2015 National Budget, that horrible period came to an end, but the damage was done. In spite of the passage of the 2015 Budget, the Guyanese public cannot feel the wind in their hair from the output from the PSIP Team. Budget 2015 was not small. Some $39 billion in capital expenditure was committed in 2015. But the evidence of it burning at the required levels is just not there. As we commence December 2015, we are a far way from that baseline. How we spend on the Capital Investment Projects will remain the main fuel to grow this economy in the short-run. These expenditures are generally conceptualized, monitored and supervised in two departments of the Ministry of Finance. The Project Cycle Management Division (handles the inflows from foreign projects) and the State Planning Secretariat (monitors and evaluates the Capital Budget) have a clear mandate. But something seems to not be working in these two departments since the APNU+AFC government was installed. People in the government system who are in positions to help the Coalition deliver on the capital budget have complained to me bitterly that since Budget 2015, there are clear acts of bias against aggressive implementation. All these officers are getting from either the State Planning Secretariat or the Project Cycle Management Division of the Ministry of Finance, are increased amounts of bureaucratic retardants. Today we have found ourselves in a position where
Sase Singh one of Jagdeo’s men will remain a key controller of the purse string on the 2016 Capital Budget. With such a reality, we can expect bureaucratic challenges in rolling out the donor-funded projects. The old people say “all skin teeth nah laugh” meaning in his context that this Jagdeo loyalist might skin teeth with the Coalition Government, but his loyalty lies with Jagdeo. It is an absolutely impractical decision to hold on to people who have zero loyalty to the developmental agenda of the Granger/ Nagamootoo Team. Is this Coalition Government willing to take this risk of continuing along this path of possibly compromising its own growth strategy? I think a comprehensive review of the output from the State
Planning Department and the Project Cycle Management Department ought to take place. A forensic process review should be conducted on the work of these departments to ascertain input, process and output. Our economy has an estimated growth rate at the end of September 2015 of some 0.4 percent and it will be a real struggle to meet the budgetary target on growth. This is where the skillful execution of the capital works comes in. It serves as the needed stimulus toward moving the growth rate upwards in the short term. So why are we still stuck with Team Jagdeo in control of key Departments in the Ministry? CONCLUSION We cannot be distracted by prolonging these silly little matters; when the Minister of Business needs 100 percent support on his agenda. Attracting the foreign direct investments by way of the work of GO-Invest remains one of the main agenda items. An even bigger agenda item is enhancing our productivity in our productive sectors (the six sisters and more) by way of the Ministry of Agriculture, Natural Resources, and the Presidency. There is no time to waste; we have four years to deliver on the elements of the “good life for all” and the results so far are not on target. Please share your comments with me @ sasesin1@yahoo.com
Works underway to fix sabotaged E’bo pumps - PM Nagamootoo
PM Moses Nagamootoo Government says that it has ordered the repairs of several pumps on the ricegrowing Essequibo Coast which are believed to have been sabotaged. The pumps are being repaired by the Regional Administration, with a Government statement stressing that their functioning is critical for the sustenance and development of agriculture in that region.
The intervention comes days after a high-level Government team headed by Prime Minister Nagamootoo visited the region. Essequibo rice farmers are currently preparing for the next crop, with drainage and irrigation critical to this process. According to Government, of the nine pumps owned and operated by the Region Two administration, only two were in working condition. “There are persons who are doing their own little mischief to ensure that the Guyana bus does not reach its destination to prosperity. So that we’re facing some hot situations, but we’re dealing with the situations,” the Prime Minister explained. Efforts are being made through the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) to restore the drainage pumps. Bids are currently out for public tender.
Wednesday November 09, 2015
Kaieteur News
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Taiwan’s likely first woman president keeps cards close on China game plan Reuters - Taiwan’s elections are just weeks away with little clarity about how a likely win by a party that traditionally favours independence from China will go down with a neighbour that has threatened force to ensure the island never goes it alone. Taiwan votes in a new president and parliament in January when the ruling Nationalists (KMT) are expected to be soundly beaten by the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), supported by youthful voters angered by a perceived economic dependence on the mainland. The person most likely to be Taiwan’s first woman president, DPP leader Tsai Ingwen, 59, has offered no specific China policy other than broad comments indicating she is willing to engage the Communist rulers in Beijing. In a book published in 2011, Tsai said she knew opening up to China was unavoidable. “I know even better that the pace of opening up must
stay within Taiwan’s grasp and control,” she wrote. “Once you lose control of it, China will be like a great magnet, attracting away our capital and talent very fast.” But if the relationship “is always about the problem of unification or independence and ideological argument, there will never be a solution to the cross-strait issue”, she wrote, referring to the strip of water between the two sides. Liu Shyh-fang, in charge of DPP discipline, said the party had given Tsai a “lot of space” to deal with China policy. “Unless China takes provocative action, Tsai Ing-wen likely won’t go in the direction of amending the constitution to change the status quo,” she said. Taiwan bills itself officially as the “Republic of China”. Beijing calls itself the “People’s Republic of China”. China and the KMT believe there is just “one China”, but disagree on its interpretation. They say this is the status quo.
The DPP is loathed by Beijing because the party believes the future of Taiwan is for its 23 million people to decide, which Beijing takes to mean independence. The DPP does not subscribe to “one China”. Tsai has said that “a more consistent and sustainable relationship with China will be a core goal” of her government and that she will seek “to establish constructive dialogue with China”, without explaining how she will achieve it. Tsai did not need to elaborate on policy until she becomes president, said p e o p l e w h o k n o w h e r. There was no need to take the risk that voters m a y object, they said. Polling results issued on Tuesday by Taiwan’s Cross-Strait Policy Association showed the DPP presidential ticket with at least a 30 percentage pointlead against rivals, up by four percentage points from a month ago. [nL3N1341Y6] The DPP said in a state-
Taiwan’s main opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Chairperson Tsai Ing-wen waves to reporters after speaking during a news conference in Taipei in April 15, 2015 file photo. REUTERS/Pichi Chuang/Files ment its position was “the maintenance of the status quo”, which included “first, to maintain the Taiwanese people’s democratic way of life and the Republic of
China’s constitutional order; secondly, peaceful and stable cross-strait relations”. During last month’s historic summit between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Tai-
wan President Ma Ying-jeou, Xi told Ma “no force can pull us a p a r t ” a n d w a r n e d against any move towards going it alone. [nL3N21316GJ]
Wednesday November 09, 2015
Kaieteur News
Brazilian president teeters on impeachment precipice Brasília (AFP) - Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff was left fighting for her political life yesterday after the vice president, leader of the main party in the coalition government, indicated he may side with opponents in the battle over her impeachment. Backroom dealing intensified in the capital Brasilia with Congress expected to complete the formation of the special commission that will recommend pursuing or rejecting the case against Rousseff. The commission will then hear from Rousseff. She is accused of illegal budgeting maneuvers, but says the practices were long accepted by previous governments and that the attempt to bring her down is a “coup.” On paper, Rousseff has the numbers between her Workers’ Party and main coalition ally PMDB to survive an impeachment vote when the commission sends the case to the full lower house of Congress.
Dilma Rousseff
Michel Temer
However, those calculations were thrown into doubt with the publication overnight of an angry letter from PMDB leader and Vice President Michel Temer in which he all but announced their political divorce. Temer told the president that during her first term in office starting in 2011 he was reduced to a “decorative” role and that she has shown an “absolute lack of confidence” in him. The letter stops short of
declaring support for her impeachment, but neither does Temer give her his backing, strongly indicating that the PMDB is eying a split. If Rousseff is forced from office, Temer would become interim president. The turmoil has alarmed markets in the world’s seve n t h b i g g e s t e c o n o m y, which is already suffering from recession and a huge corruption scandal centered on state oil company Petrobras.
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ANSA McAL waiting on court decision Barbados Nation - After spending tens of millions of dollars acquiring shares in Banks Holdings Limited (BHL), Trinidadian giant ANSA McAL will wait on the Supreme Court of Barbados before making its next move. Barbados’ Chief Justice Sir Marston Gibson had on November 13 lifted an injunction to halt the trading of BHL shares, a decision which ANSA McAL is currently appealing. The Trinidadian company lost the battle for BHL on Monday, when Brazilian brewery behemoth AmBev was able to acquire more than 50 per cent of the BHL shares, ending a more than threemonth battle for the former Barbadian-owned company. ANSA McAL now owns millions of shares in the AmBevowned company, and will have to make a decision on if to remain a minority shareholder, or if to sell those shares back to the new owners. “The matter is still before
the courts. We still consider it a live matter,” ANSA McAL (Barbados) Chief Executive Officer, Nicholas Mouttet said yesterday during a press conference at the Accra Beach Hotel. “In due course, we will make an announcement of our intentions. It would be inappropriate to comment on that now.” Mouttet said the company, though losing, had enhanced its status by battling the larger and more powerful AmBev, and would continue to seek more acquisitions in Barbados and the rest of the region, as part of its growth strategy. “In spite of the outcome, ANSA McAL has brought tremendous value to this deal for all BHL shareholders and invested heavily in championing and protecting shareholder
Nicholas Mouttet rights,” Mouttet added. “As one of the Caribbean’s largest conglomerates, we will continue to stand for the highest levels of corporate governance, and we remain committed to our mission of being leaders in the brewery sector in this region.”
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Malaysia’s P. M. on corruption charges Prime Minister Najib Razak has brushed off graft charges after millions of dollars deposited in his bank account. Pressure is mounting from his own ruling party to step down. The Malaysian premier said yesterday that he’s done nothing wrong as a scandal over the source of millions of dollars has caused a rift within his own political party. The allegations of graft stem from dealings with the state fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) and his receipt of 2.6 billion ringgit ($610.8 million) in what he says was a political donation. Investigators from Malaysia’s Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) quizzed Najib over the deposits at the weekend. But he’s taken to the airwaves to defend himself. “Firstly, the 2.6 billion ringgit is neither public funds nor 1MDB’s money. This was confirmed by the MACC,” Najib said in an interview with state television TV3. “It’s a
Najib Razak donation, a gift. A donation is not illegal under any legal provision.” The scandals have shaken investors in Southeast Asia’s third-largest economy and rocked public confidence in the coalition led by Najib’s United Malays National Organization party (UMNO), which has held power since Malaysia’s independence from the UK in 1957, but was only narrowly victorious last time around in 2013. There’s evidence that the graft scandal is threatening
the UNMO’s support even among the ethnic Malay majority that forms the bedrock of the party. Public support sank to new lows in October, according to a poll from research firm Merdeka Center. That’s alarmed senior UNMO figures who apparently see an opening to challenge Razak for leadership of the party. “I would like to suggest that the prime minister take a rest for now,” UNMO’s deputy president Muhyiddin Yassin, a former cabinet minister who was recently purged after calling for greater transparency, told a party conference. “Allow the investigations to pro c e e d f r e e l y, transparently and fairly ... go on leave until the case is over.” This latest scandal has political figures predicting that public anger could cause UNMO to be defeated in elections due by 2018 if the prime minister remains in charge. (AFP, Reuters)
U.S. conducting ‘serious review’ of alleged Iran missile test Reuters - The United States is reviewing and seeking to confirm reports that Iran launched a ballistic missile last month in violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Power said yesterday. “The U.S. is conducting a serious review of the reported incident,” Power told reporters after a meeting of the Security Council on unrelated issues. She added that if Washington confirmed the reports that Iran tested a mediumrange ballistic missile on Nov. 21 in violation of U.N. resolutions, the United States would bring the issue to the 15-nation council and seek appropriate action.
Samantha Power A Western diplomatic source said last week on condition of anonymity that the test of a Ghadr-110, a spinoff of the Shahab-3 missile, was held near Chabahar, a port city near Iran’s border with Pakistan. He said it was a liquidfuelled missile with a 1,900 km (1,180 mile) range and was capable of carrying a nuclear warhead. All ballistic missile tests
by Iran are banned under a 2010 Security Council resolution that remains valid until a nuclear deal between Iran and six world powers is implemented. Under that deal, reached on July 14, most sanctions on Iran will be lifted in exchange for curbs on its nuclear programme. According to a July 20 resolution endorsing that deal, Iran is still “called upon” to refrain from work on ballistic missiles designed to deliver nuclear weapons for up to eight years. In October, the United States, Britain and France called for the Security Council’s Iran sanctions committee to take action over a test by Tehran of a nuclearcapable missile that month that they said violated U.N. sanctions. So far, no action has been taken by the committee, though Power said council members would be discussing the issue next week.
Wednesday November 09, 2015
Drunken stunt rider crashes into church fence …loses part of leg one day before birthday A 24-year-old man who was said to be the head of a “Wheelie” stunt crew, tried once too often to show off his skills, and is now without a part of his left leg, which had to be amputated, after he crashed into a church fence around 02:30 hrs on Monday - one day before his birthday. The man, Andrew Beerbhajan, of West Canefield, East Canje, Berbice, is now a patient at the New Amsterdam Hospital. According to information,
Beerbhajan, who is presently unemployed, was riding his red and white Honda 150 XR motor cycle (CH 4011) at a fast rate, heading towards New Amsterdam, in the company of three other cyclists. As they were in the vicinity of Main Street and Vryheid Road, Beerbhajan lost control of his motorcycle, struck an arch at the entrance of the town, before crashing into the fence of the Nazarene Church. Beerbhajan, whose left leg was badly mangled, was
picked up and rushed to hospital where doctors had to amputate from below the ankle. The injured man, who celebrated his 24th birthday yesterday, was reportedly drinking with friends at a rum shop in Canje, before heading to New Amsterdam with the intention of purchasing food. It was also reported that after the accident, the man’s friends removed the motorcycle which has not been located since.
Muslim leader: Regional borders should have been secured long ago Daily Observer - A regional Muslim leader is calling for the Caribbean to not overreact to the recent global terror surge, while warning that many other issues should have already prompted the improvement of border security. These appeals come from Umar Abdullah, head of Trinidad & Tobago’s Islamic Front, an organisation which describes itself as one ‘established to co-operate with Muslims and non-Muslims alike in acts of loyalty and piety, and to invite and struggle in the path of Allah’. “The proliferation of drugs in our countries has been happening for ages. Are we saying that because of this particular issue now (terrorism), we’re going to get stiffer on border control, and all these areas, and that’s (going to) solve our problems?” Abdullah said on Voice of the People Monday afternoon. “We’re (going to) still have these problems; we’re (going to) still be struggling with corruption within our own countries.
Umar Abdullah How do you think the guns and the drugs come into our countries – corruption,” he added. In light of what he perceives to be long-standing flaws in border security region-wide, Abdullah called for a joint approach to the issue. “Caribbean countries have to come together, and we have to decide on a prudent way of how it is we are gonna treat this issue,” he exhorted. Abdullah’s comments come against the backdrop of
the recent acts of terror in Paris, France and California in the US, which have both been either directly claimed (France) or indirectly inspired (California) by the Islamic State terror group (ISIL). They also come a day after US President Barack Obama made a public address vowing to ‘destroy ISIL’. Abdullah, who openly admits that he nearly joined ISIL, says he would allow persons who joined the group, and wanted to return after having second thoughts, back into their countries. “They would be an asset to us when they come back, because we could use them to further dissuade other individuals who perhaps may want to go,” he said, indicating that the difference between people like him not going and others who do go is simply down to misinformation. “We have to be very careful: we cannot (just) follow the rhetoric of the West, and believe that whatever America says, that’s what we need to do,” he declared.
Steel Company Lays Off 600 Trinidadian Workers The Gleaner - The Steel Workers Union of Trinidad and Tobago has denounced the decision of the
ArcelorMittal Point Lisas, a subsidiary of the world’s leading steel and mining company, to lay off 600 employees with immediate effect. The union says the company, which is listed on the New York Stock Exchange, sent letters to all its workers laying them off with immediate effect. It said that only a few workers would remain on the plant for maintenance purposes from the period December 7 to January 15 next year. In its statement,
ArcelorMittal, said it had been unable to reach an agreement with the union on a proposal for workers with accrued vacation days to proceed on paid vacation. It also wanted workers who do not have vacation leave to engage in alternative functions on a temporary basis outside of their normal duties. The company said that as a result of the failure to reach an agreement it has had no option but to begin laying-off workers.
Wednesday November 09, 2015
Kaieteur News
Top finisher in Haiti vote complains about fraud claims PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — The banana exporter who is the leading candidate in the disputed first round of Haiti’s presidential vote said Monday that critics aren’t providing evidence to back up their allegations of “massive fraud.” Haiti’s Provisional Electoral Council says Jovenel Moise received 33 percent of the Oct. 25 vote to clear the packed field of 54 presidential candidates. Contested officials results have the governmentbacked candidate with 117,602 more votes than second-place finisher Jude Celestin, a former state construction chief. The disputed results have brought a renewed surge of paralyzing street protests and so many broad accusations of electoral fraud from civil society and opposition groups it is not clear whether a Dec. 27 presidential runoff between the top two finishers can take place as scheduled. At a Monday press conference, Moise asserted that Haiti’s National Human Rights Defense Network and other organizations have been making baseless accu-
Jovenel Moise, left and Jude Celestin sations of widespread fraud including ballot-box stuffing and political-party representatives voting multiple times. He said there were various problems with the first round and he has made recommendations to the much-criticized Provisional Electoral Council, “but you can’t discredit the whole process.” “The Haitian people voted for me and they put me in the first position,” said Moise, an agricultural businessman who was plucked from political obscurity by outgoing Presi-
dent Michel Martelly to be his successor. Celestin and seven other candidates have formed an opposition alliance and assert that the vote and ballot-count were far too problematic to be legitimate. Since the Provisional Electoral Council refused their demands for an independent recount, they are calling for a transitional government to oversee new elections within two years unless changes are made to the council and police before the scheduled Dec. 27 runoff.vestigated.
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Trinidad opposition party elections ‘riddled with fraud and irregularities’
(L-R): Dr Roodal Moonilal, Kamla Persad-Bissessar and Vasant Bharath PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad — Defeated party leadership candidate Dr Roodal Moonilal has challenged the integrity of Saturday’s opposition United National Congress (UNC) internal election in Trinidad and Tobago, saying it was riddled with fraud and irregularities. UNC political leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar beat her two competitors by a large margin, amassing some 15,477 votes. Moonilal received around 1,466 votes and third candidate, former trade, investments and communications minister Vasant Bharath, received some 1,102 votes. “The overall assessment is that it was not fair and it was not free,” Moonilal told the Trinidad Guardian on Sunday.
“I am not arguing that if all of the defects were taken that we would have been successful. Maybe the results would have been the same, but what this does is undermine the integrity and credibility of the system, and regrettably the persons who have won by this flawed process,” he said. Although he was undecided on whether court action would follow, he said his attorneys were taking statements from witnesses. Moonilal acknowledged Kamla Persad-Bissessar’s reelection as party leader, but questioned whether the result would have been the same if not for the irregularities. Bharath echoed many of Moonilal’s concerns but stopped short of discussing legal action. However, he
called for changes in the electoral system. Ironically, the UNC is currently challenging the results in six constituencies in the September 7 general elections on the grounds of an ultra vires decision by the Elections and Boundaries Commission to extend voting by one hour. Bharath said, given the fact that the UNC has brought an electoral challenge before the High Court, where the transparency surrounding the general election was brought into question the party must also display a similar level of integrity. Rampersad Parasram, chairman of the UNC Elections Management Committee, said Persad-Bissessar’s victory was a fair and square one. (Caribbean News)
Cuba’s Castro consoles ally Maduro after Venezuela vote setback Havana (AFP) - Cuba’s President Raul Castro consoled his Venezuelan counterpart Nicolas Maduro Monday, following a historic election defeat which handed control of Congress to the opposition. The Cuban leader expressed “admiration” for the “extraordinary battle” waged by Maduro, the handpicked successor of late president Hugo Chavez, who now will be forced to work with an opposition-dominated Con-
Raul Castro gress. “Dear Maduro: I have followed minute by minute, the extraordinary battle that has been been waged,” Castro wrote in the state-run Granma newspaper.
“I am certain that new victories will come to the Bolivarian Revolution,” the Cuban president wrote, referring to the socialist policies put in place by the firebrand Chavez. A center-right coalition, the Democratic Unity Roundtable (MUD) won a majority of 99 out of 167 legislative seats in Sunday’s vote, handing control of Congress to the opposition for the first time in 16 years, as voters punished the socialist government for an economic crisis and insecurity in the oilrich nation. Maduro promptly accepted the defeat, a blow to his leadership and the “revolution” of “21st century socialism” launched under Chavez.
Wednesday November 09, 2015
Kaieteur News
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Busta / RHTY&SC Champion of Champions Tyson Fury: World heavyweight champion stripped of IBF title 2015 finals postponed to January 2016
World heavyweight champion Tyson Fury has been stripped of his IBF title less than two weeks after winning it. The Briton, 27, had to agree to fight the IBF’s mandatory challenger Vyacheslav Glazkov but will instead face Wladimir Klitschko in a rematch. Fury beat Ukrainian Klitschko on points on 28 November to claim three versions of the heavyweight crown. Lindsey Tucker, championships chairman at the IBF, told BBC Sport: “It’s true he’s been stripped of his IBF belt.” He added: “Our challenger was Vyacheslav Glazkov, but instead Fury’s gone and signed a rematch clause with Wladimir Klitschko.” Fury, who is unbeaten in 25 professional contests, retains the WBA and WBO versions of the heavyweight title, while the WBC belt is held by American Deontay Wilder.
Tyson Fury
The 31-year-old Glazkov, also a Ukrainian, has won 21 of his 22 professional fights. The contract for last month’s title fight in Dusseldorf included a clause for a rematch, for which the date and the venue have to be decided, and Klitschko - who had been world champion for 11 years - announced last week he would take up the option. Fury has been at the centre of controversy following his comments about
women and gay people. The Manchester fighter has been quoted as saying a woman’s “best place is on her back” and has criticised homosexuality and abortion. He subsequently said: “Tyson Fury loves his fellow humans. He doesn’t hate anybody.” Meanwhile, Greater Manchester Police are investigating an allegation of hate crime against Fury after a complaint was received following comments the fighter made on the BBC’s Victoria Derbyshire programme. (BBCsport)
The Development Committee of the Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club has informed that that the final of the 2015 Busta Champion of Champions tournament has been postponed to Sunday January 10, 2016. Club Secretary/CEO Hilbert Foster said that they had scheduled the final for December 13, 2015 at the Albion Community Centre ground under lights but it has now been rescheduled since most of the players from the clubs in the finals, Rose Hall Town
TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20) Taurus, but a colleague might ask you to attend a business-related event. You may have had a stressful few days. GEMINI (May 21–June 20) Today you may try to contact several people, Gemini, none of whom may be available. You might particularly want to reach a female friend or relative who lives far away. CANCER (June 21–July 22) Whether or not you should make a specific expenditure could cause some tension between you and a partner. LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) A friend may be throwing a party and you might be expected to attend. You've probably had a stressful day and really don't feel up to it. VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) Today you might receive some uncomfortable intuitive signals from one or more of your friends, Virgo. Perhaps someone doesn't feel well but came out to play anyway.
LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) Today you may attain a goal you've been hoping to reach for a long time. SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) Today you may be anxious to spend time with your family, but there could be some chores you need to do first. SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) Today it might be more difficult than usual for you to deal with words. Someone might lend you a book on a rather obscure subject that you can't understand. CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19) Some news that comes to you from a friend or colleague could shake you up today, Capricorn. You might find that what you learn casts doubts on concepts you've embraced for most of your life. AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) Today you may see that nearly every couple you know is quarreling, Aquarius. You may have a few differences with a current or potential partner, but this is nothing to worry about. PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) Your entourage is likely to be tense and anxious, and you're no exception.
Nial Smith, Hakeem Hinds, Devon Clements and Anthony D’Andrade would have been absent were the final to remain on the original date, clashing with the Guyana Cricket Board tournament. The club regrets any inconvenience that may have been experienced by the Berbice cricketing public as a result of the change of date but is assuring that the decision was taken with Berbice cricket best interest in mind.
Points Standings after the fourth round St. John’s, Antigua – Following are the Of f i c i a l Points Standings after the fourth round of matches ended on Monday in the WICB Profes-
Wednesday December 09 , 2015 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) You and a current or potential partner may disagree on whether to spend some time together alone or go out with friends, Aries.
Gizmos & Gadgets and Tucber Park are involved in the Guyana Cricket Board Inter-Zone tournament. Foster further noted that with the absence of the main players would compromise a quality and entertaining final, thus the decision. Players the caliber of Royston Crandon, Eon Hooper, Rajiv Ivan, Clinton Pestano, Jason Sinclair and Shawn Pererira of Rose Hall Town and Tucber Park’ Joemal and Eugene La Fleur, Romario Shepherd,
Pictorial boxing... (From page 36) Brydens, Modern Optical and Kaieteur News. Last Friday afternoon, Mr. Benjamin visited the Betterverwagting office of Ansa McAl where Senior Executive, Troy Cadagon committed to a sum to complete the project. The former pugilist extended gratitude to his benefactor while pointing out the importance of the donation. The ceremony will get underway at 13:00hrs today.
sional Cricket League Regional 4-Day Tournament. Abbreviations: Pts-total points, M-matches, W-won, L-lost, T-tied, I-incomplete match, A-abandoned
match, DP-Abandoned match due t o dangerous pitch, MR-match referee awarding match, Bat-batting points, Bowl-bowling points
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FIFA official Napout agrees to ICC announces schedule of U19 Cricket World Cup 2016 extradition to U.S.: Swiss officials
The International Cricket Council (ICC) announced the schedule of the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup 2016, which will be held across eight venues in four Bangladesh cities from 27 January to 14 February 2016. Chittagong, Cox’s Bazar, Dhaka and Sylhet will share 48 matches between them during the 19-day tournament, which will open with the match between defending champion South Africa a n d host Bangladesh at Zohur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium (ZACS) in Chittagong. The tournament will culminate with the final at the iconic Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur. All matches will be day fixtures and will start at 0930 local time. The Super League semifinals and final will have reserve days. For the first time in the history of this competition, ICC will produce live broadcast coverage of an unprecedented 20 matches. The matches which will be shown around the world by ICC broadcast partner, Star Sports and its licensees. include four from Chittagong, nine from Mirpur and seven from Fatullah. In the 2014 event in the UAE, Star Sports and its licensees had broadcast 11 matches, while 10 matches each were televised from the 2008, 2010 and 2012 events in Malaysia, New Zealand and Australia respectively. More details on broadcast coverage of the event will be announced in due course. This increased broadcast coverage is a clear reflection in the enhanced profile of the event, which is billed as the platform for future stars. This claim can be substantiated by the fact that nine of the 10 current Test captains have previously played in the ICC U19 Cricket World Cups, while Pakistan’s One-Day International captain Azhar Ali
participated in the 2002 tournament in New Zealand. Announcing the schedule, ICC General Manager – Cricket, Geoff Allardice, said: “The ICC U19 Cricket World Cup an event which provides talented youngsters an early taste of international cricket in a global setting. Countless players have come through this event, and emerged shortly afterwards on to the international arena. ”It is at this tournament that the players also receive important education on topics such anti-doping and anticorruption, which provides them a head start on the challenges that lie ahead for professional sportsmen. ”Bangladesh has staged a number of ICC events in the past and all these have been hugely successful because of the passionate and enthusiastic crowds as well as high quality playing facilities.” According to the event format, the 16 sides have been equally divided into four groups of four each, with the top two from each group progressing to the Super League stage and the bottom two to feature in the Plate Championship. Apart from the 10 Test playing countries, six Associate and Affiliate Member sides – Afghanistan, Canada, Fiji, Namibia, Nepal and Scotland – will also participate after winning the various regional qualifying events. Reflecting on his time at the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup 2006 in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh captain Mushfiqur Rahim, said: “I played in the 2006 event and it prepared me for the international stage. So, when I went to the ICC Cricket World Cup 2007 the following year, I had a fairly good idea of what to expect. ”The ICC U19 Cricket World Cup is like a dress rehearsal for the senior level. It
is the first stepping stone for every international cricketer. You can actually get a reasonable picture of the future. The genuine articles, the ones that are going to proceed to the next level and beyond can be identified here if you take a good look.” Warm-up matches 22 Jan – West Indies v Scotland, Fatullah; South Africa v Fiji, Fatullah Outer 23 Jan – Pakistan v Nepal, BKSP-1; Sri Lanka v New Zealand, BKSP-2; Afghanistan v Australia, BKSP-3; India v Canada, BKSP-4; England v Namibia, CDVs, Chittagong; Bangladesh v Zimbabwe, ZACS, C h i t t a g o n g 24 Jan – South Africa v West Indies, Fatullah; Scotland v Fiji, Fatullah Outer 25 Jan – Afghanistan v New Zealand, BKSP-1; Sri Lanka v Nepal, BKSP-2; Australia v Canada, BKSP-3; Pakistan v India, BKSP-4; Zimbabwe v Namibia, CDVS, Chittagong; England v Bangladesh, ZACS, Chittagong TOURNAMENT MATCHES GROUPMATCHES 27 Jan – England v Fiji, CDVS, Chittagong; South Africa v Bangladesh*, ZACS, Chittagong 28 Jan – Australia v India*, Mirpur; New Zealand v Nepal, Fatullah; Pakistan v Afghanistan, SICS, Sylhet; Sri Lanka v Canada, SDVC, Sylhet 29 Jan – Zimbabwe v Fiji, CDVS, Chittagong; England v West Indies*, ZACS, Chittagong; Scotland v Namibia, Cox’s Bazar (main) 30 Jan – India v New Zealand*, Mirpur; Australia v Nepal, Fatullah; Sri Lanka v Afghanistan, SICS, Sylhet; Pakistan v Canada, SDVC, Sylhet 31 Jan – West Indies v Fiji, CDVS, Chittagong; England v Zimbabwe*, ZACS, Chittagong; Bangladesh v Scotland, Cox’s Bazar (main); South Africa v Namibia, Cox’s Bazar (second) 1 Feb – India v Nepal*, Mirpur; Australia v New Zealand, Fatullah; Afghanistan v Canada, SICS, Sylhet 2 Feb – West Indies v Zimbabwe*, ZACS, Chittagong; Bangladesh v Namibia, Cox’s Bazar (main); South Africa v Scotland, Cox’s Bazar (second) 3 Feb – Pakistan v Sri Lanka*, Mirpur
Juan Angel Napout. Reuters/Jorge Adorno FIFA Vice-President Juan Angel Napout, head of the South American soccer confederation CONMEBOL, has agreed to be extradited to the United States in a soccer corruption probe, the Swiss Federal Office of Justice said yesterday. Napout, a citizen of Paraguay, was detained in Zurich last week on a U.S. warrant accusing him of accepting bribes worth millions of dollars in connection with the
sale of marketing rights to soccer tournaments in Latin America. He and Alfredo Hawit of Honduras, acting president of the CONCACAF soccer confederation, were arrested in a pre-dawn raid by Swiss police at a hotel near the headquarters of FIFA, which has been in turmoil since a first round of indictments and arrests in May. Soccer bosses from across South and Central
America were among 16 people U.S. prosecutors charged last week with multimillion-dollar bribery schemes. Napout initially opposed extradition but agreed at a second hearing yesterday to go voluntarily, Switzerland’s FOJ said. It gave no details on when he would be handed over to U.S. authorities. Swiss law mandates that people being extradited must be collected by a U.S. police escort and taken to the United States within 10 days. Corruption allegations prompted FIFA President Sepp Blatter to say in June he would resign only days after being re-elected to a fifth term. Blatter, his deputy Jerome Valcke and European soccer boss Michel Platini have all been suspended by an internal ethics watchdog. None of them has been charged with a crime and all deny any wrongdoing. In parallel investigations, Swiss and U.S. authorities are focusing on whether certain business contracts or the World Cup hosting rights for 2018 in Russia and 2022 in Qatar were won with the help of bribery. (Reuters)
Ronaldo scores four as Real thrash Malmo Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo scored four times as Real Madrid demolished Malmo to equal the biggest victory in the history of the Champions League group stage. The Portuguese hit three in 11 minutes either side of half-time before adding his 88th Champions League goal.
Karim Benzema scored the last goal and the opening two for a hat-trick, with Mateo Kovacic also netting. The result equals Liverpool’s 8-0 win against Besiktas in 2007 - when Madrid manager Rafael Benitez was in charge. Ronaldo - the all-time highest Champions League
scorer - becomes the first player to score more than 10 goals in the group stages with his 11 in six games. Spanish club Madrid had already qualified for the knockout stages as G r o u p A winners, while Malmo of Sweden finish bottom. In the group’s other match, French champions Paris St-Germain - who were sure of second place - beat Shakhtar Donetsk 2-0 at home, with the Ukrainians dropping into the Europa League with third. Elsewhere, Atletico Madrid beat Benfica 2-1 away to leapfrog their Portuguese opponents and reach the last 16 as winners of Group C. Both teams were assured of a place in the knockout stages already, while the group’s other match finished in a 1-1 draw between Galatasaray and Astana. That result means Turkish club will go on to play in the Europa League after finishing third in the group. (BBCsport)
Wednesday November 09, 2015
Kaieteur News
Good Success, Maria’s Pleasure/Zeelandia victorious
Vickram Ramnarine
Jaggernauth Manbodh
Good Success and Maria’s Pleasure/Zeelandia recorded victories when the Badri Prasad Memorial T20 competition continued on Sunday in Wakenaam. Good Success defeated Noitgedacht SC by two runs at the Wakenaam Community Center ground. Batting first, Good Success scored 142-3 in 20 overs. Abdool Salim hit an unbeaten 69 while Ejaz Mohamed made 29 not out; Mark Rampersaud took 1-36. Noitgedacht SC were bowled out in 19.3 overs for 140. Omal Bacon struck 42, Neil Ramalho and Shazaam
Mohamed 17 each. Vickram Ramnarine snared 3-23 and Salim 2-19. Maria’s Pleasure/Zeelandia overcame G Square Cavaliers by 41 runs at the said venue. Maria’s Pleasure/Zeelandia posted 167-7, taking first strike. Ryan Gordon slammed 53 and Leroy Headley 35. Lokram Narine claimed 3-20. G Square Cavaliers were limited to 126-5 in reply. Satrohan Shiwnandan hit 44 and Jagernauth Manbodh 31. Bernard Lewis captured 2-24 and Kennard Lewis 2-28. The competition continues on Sunday.
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Preparations for Guyana Cup heating up; over 40 entered for $10M race meet With less than two weeks away for the much anticipated Guyana Cup Re-Match horse race meet at the famous Port Mourant Turf Club (PMTC), preparations are heating up. Nine races are on the card for the December 20 showdown with over $10M on offer for the Jumbo Jet Auto Sales and Racing Stables / PMTC organised event. Most of the stables across the country have indicated their intentions to be a part of the day’s activity and are expected to enter many horses for the event. However the stables are finalizing preparations and would prefer to wait closer to race day to make sure their animals are in top form. According to the organizers, over 40 horses have been entered so far. The Jumbo Jet and Shariff Stables are expected to lead the entries with over 10 entries each with other stables such as Elcock, Jagdeo, Rising Sun, Singh, Bacchus, and Crawford also ex-
pected to make multiple entries. The feature event will be for animals classified A1 and lower and is expected to see the best in the business compete for the whopping $1.2M winner’s prize from a sumptuous $3M package and trophy over 1800M. Among those expected for this race are C.P Got Even, Princess She is not, Just Call Me Boss, Spit Fire, Jack in My Style, Bridal Stone Corner and Lady Budapest among others. The other events on the day’s card are for; E1 and lower catering for two year old American bred maiden horses with the distance now 1000M. The first prize remains $800,000 and trophy. In the three year old West Indies and Guyana bred event is a 1500M affair for a winning purse of $600,000 and trophy. The recently installed F3 and lower event will be a 1300M affair for $500,000 and trophy winner take. The two year old event for West Indies Bred horses
has a first prize tagged at $400,000 and trophy now over 1200M. The H1 and lower 1200M race has a winning pocket of $400,000 and trophy. The newly added event for two year old horses will see the top runner taking home 300,000 and trophy over 1000M. The J class event is now for J3 and lower horses over 1000M for the winning pocket of $250,000 and trophy. There is an event for K and lower horses running over a distance of 1000M for a winning purse of $150,000 and trophy. The top Jockey along with the runner-up, top stable and champion trainer will all be presented with trophies and other incentives
compliments of the organizers. Entries are expected to be closed on Saturday December 12. The organisers have also have put together some interesting incentives for lucky patrons and participants. The event will be held under the rules of the Guyana Horse Racing Authority. Interested persons can contact Chandu Ramkissoon (624-9063, 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. (Samuel Whyte)
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Kaieteur News
Malta Supreme/LABA Championship
Retrieve Raiders, Victory Valley Royals secures wins Retrieve Raiders (RR) defeated Flames 68-31 while Victory Valley Royals edged past Amelia’s Ward Jets 60-57 when play in the Banks DIH Malta Supreme, basketball championship continued at the Mackenzie Sports Club Hard Court last Monday night. Derwin Robertson led the way for RR with 16 points with support from Derwin Robertson, Duel Garner and Keon Cameron who sunk 11 points apiece while Alexander Rose chipped in with 10 points. Aubrey J o h n s o n scored 10 points for the Flames in what was eventually an inconsequential effort. The Raiders exhibited great team work and enjoyed
a comfortable 13-7 lead at the end of the first quarter. They then employed superb trapping defense to stifle the scoring rate of the Flames in the second quarter, restricting them to just three points in that session thus taking the honours in the first half 29-10. The Raiders tightened their grip throughout the third period and widened their advantage 46-19 before securing the overall victory 68-31. The Victory Valley Royals/Amelia’s Ward Jets match was a toss-up and down the stretch as the Jets front court men, Allister and Adrian Webster, combined with court shooting guards, Orrin Rose and Parrish Cadogan, in a furious battle to seize the initiative. The Jets were off to a good start with Rose looking dangerous from behind the
arc. They eventually secured a 20-7 cushion at the end of the first quarter. Displaying staunch grit and determination, the Royals rallied back into contention to assume the lead at the end of the first half, 30-25 with superb all round team play which eventually sealed the win for them. Their back up players, Nevin Glenn and Harold Adams scored 17 and 14 points, respectively. The top players for the Jets were Allister Webster, with 15 points while Rose, Adrian Webster and Parrish Cadogan scored 10 points apiece. The tournament continues tonight with two other potentially exciting duels at the same venue; Bankers Trust Falcons face Royals at 19:00hrs while Half Mile Bulls seek their second win against Jets starting at 21:00hrs.
Wednesday November 09, 2015
Fudadin congratulated by RHTY&SC The Patron, President and Members of the Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club has extended congratulations to one of its own members, Assad Fudadin on his achievement of scoring his fifth first class century against Trinidad and Tobago in the West Indies Cricket Board Professional Cricket League. Fudadin, who was recently named the best Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club cricketer in the 25 year history of the club, has been described as a positive role model to every one of its members who are all proud of their club mate. In a release from the club, Fudadin has been described as a perfect example of the club’s formula of success sheer hard work, discipline, dedication, faith in the God we serve; honesty and a strong desire to succeed against all odds. Despite some failures at the start of the season, we were confident that it would only be a matter of time before Assad started to perform to his high standards, the club said. “We wish him the best in the remaining matches and all of us are confident that he would shortly be regaining his place in the West Indies team. The Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club is very
Assad Fudadin raises his bat after reaching his century against T&T. ©WICB Media/Ashley Allen proud of Assad Fudadin and wishes to reassure him that
he would continue to be in our daily prayers.”
Commonwealth Powerlifting Championships – Canada
Karel Mars and 16 year-old Britney Mack headline Guyana’s golden haul Eight years from the date that Powerlifting began its resurgence with ‘Big’ John Edwards and Mervyn ‘Spongy’ Moses’ first international appearance at the 2008 North American Regional Championships, Guyana’s latest in a long line of powerlifters produced its best
ever performances to date in its maiden appearance at the recently concluded Commonwealth Championships in British Columbia, Canada. The Guyanese hauled in a near perfect 8 out of 9 Overall Gold Medals in the various weight classes to stamp its authority as this nation’s best
Gold medal haul in indoor sport. Guyana’s powerlifters have now lifted at all the major championships which include the Caribbean, Worlds, South American, PanAmerican and now the Commonwealth. The team returned home on Monday. Following are the full results:
Wednesday November 09, 2015
Kaieteur News
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“We are ready for Jamaica” - Griffith By Sean Devers in Trinidad in association with Noble House Seafoods and Stag Beer The Manger and Assistant Coach of the Guyana Jaguars team 36-year-old Rayon Griffith is satisfied with the way things are going with his team which continues to the dominate the WICB PCL FirstClass cricket Franchise after four rounds. Defending champions Jaguars lead the table with 70 points, 20 more than second placed Jamaica who the Jaguars face in Jamaica from Friday in their last match for the year. ”I am very satisfied with the way things are going so far. The team spirit is very high and everyone helps each other in the nets. One of the reasons for our success over the past two years, apart from the intense preparations, is that our team has become more matured now and everyone is fit and ready to go”
Griffith, a former Guyana fast bowler said. Also the Chairman of the National Selectors, Griffith said that West Indies Under19 opener Shemron Hetymer left Trinidad on Monday evening for Guyana where he will stay for a few days before departing for the U-19 World Cup Camp in preparation for next year’s ICC U-19 World Cup in Bangladesh from January 27 to February 14. ”Because we leave directly for Jamaica from here we included young Taignarine Chanderpaul in our squad. He will open in Jamaica as Hetymer’s replacement” the Jaguars Manager said. ”He has been one of the players not selected in the starting line-up who has been training and practicing everyday with the Jaguars and any of the Academy players, who are also contacted and paid a monthly salary, are eligible for selec-
Rayon Griffith
Vishaul Singh
Gudakesh Motie
tion. We still have five more games next year after the Super50 tournament is played in January” Griffith continued. While the Jaguars has batted consistently and made four 300 plus totals with two of them being above 400
along with having the most batting points as well as having the most bowling points of any other team (10); their inability to polish off the opposition’s lower order has been a noticeable weakness. Griffith, who played 22 First-Class games for Guyana between 1999-2007, said that the bowlers still have some work to do in understanding what is required to dismiss tail enders. ”We have some work to do and what approach we take when it comes to getting rid of the tail. We have to be patient and bowl to them in the same way we bowl to the top order instead of trying too hard to dismiss them which results in the bowlers trying too many things and giving away too many bad balls.” He noted. Griffith feels the spinners bowled too flat and quick but does not think it’s a big
problem and there is no danger of the team, despite its success, becoming complacent. ”At the end of this game we spoke about not being complacent, especially since we are on top, this is the last game for the year and everybody is getting ready for the Christmas holidays” the team official disclosed. ”But I don’t think that will happen since this is a very competitive team with everyone looking to do well as they compete for places especially
Pooranmall wins GDA final tourney for year The Guyana Draughts Association (GDA) successfully conclud e d i t s final competition for the year on Sunday last at the National Gymnasium. The game was played on the International 100 square boards which saw some high class performances from all the players as five food hampers
were up for grabs. Khemraj Pooranmall was awarded the first place with 9 points while Ulric Brathwaite followed with a close 8 points. Jiaram and Steve Bacchus ended third and fourth respectively with 7 points each. A nail biting tie breaker between Navin Meighbarran and Floyd Cumberbatch
with 6 points each saw Cumberbatch taking the nod. The GDA President is expressing thanks the following persons for donating the hampers Randolph Gibbs of Pharma Choice Drug Store, Ramroop Jiwanram of AR Printery Bel Air, DeSinco Trading, and Joshua Jiwanram Fish Processor.
when the West Indies players return” Griffith added. ”I believe that the pitch in Jamaica will be a lot faster and have more bounce than this one here (Trinidad). I suspect that they would want to have some grass on the pitch since they feel our batsmen are not too comfortable against short balls” Griffith opined. ”We won’t take Jamaica lightly even though they have not been putting up big scores but their bowling is not too bad, we are confident and we are ready for our last game” Griffith concluded. Apart from being the most successful team, the Jaguars also have the tournament’s leading bowler and the batsman with the second most runs. Left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie, in his first season at this level, has 27 wickets with three five-wicket hauls. Left-handed middle order batsman Vishaul Singh has amassed 359 runs from five innings with two centuries including a highest score of 150 and the best Average of 71.80. Barbadian Shamarh Brooks is the leading scorer with 394 runs from seven innings.
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Kaieteur News
Wednesday November 09, 2015
YBG Age-Group Basketball Tourney
Plaisance Sec., St. Roses High, North G/town, Marian Academy are latest winners Plaisance Secondary School and Marian Girls were the latest winners from week four of Youth Basketball Guyana’s Age-Group Tournament, which continued with seven games on Saturday at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall. Plaisance Secondary defeated St. Joseph High School 28-14 in the Under-15 category of the tournament with Andrew Johnson scoring 12 points and Matthew Moses seven points. For St. Joseph, Immanuel Younge scored six points. Continuing in the Under15 group, Tutorial High defeated Bishops’ High 27-21 with Zion Gray adding 14 points and Stanley Moore six points. For Bishops’, Roydon Glasgow scored 12 points. St. Roses High also had a win in the category, beating Marian Academy 27-15 with Anthony Yansen pouring in 15 points, together with four rebounds and four steals while Kwesi Roberts had six
points, six rebounds and four steals. For Marian Academy, Josiah Daniels scored six points. Marian Academy’s Girls’ team was also on the winning side with an 11-5 victory over St Roses High. Georgianna Vyphuis had six points and 15 rebounds and Jahrier Young six rebounds. For St. Roses, Lotifa Caesar scored three points and grabbed 10 rebounds. In the Under-17 competition, President’s College defeated Bladen Hall Secondary 65-17 with Kadeem Peterkin scoring 18 points and grabbing seven rebounds; Anton Fileen scored 17 points, grabbed five rebounds and took seven steals for President’s College. For Bladen Hall, Darnell Hamer had 10 points and eight rebounds. North Georgetown defeated Queens College 31-24 with Devon Hazel scoring 14 points with eight rebounds
Tutorial High School’s Zion Gray splits his defence to go up for an easy basket Saturday at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall in YBG AgeGroup Tournament.
and Javroll Shepherd 12 points and five steals. For Queens College, Omari Joseph scored 11 points and Brian Peters raked in 11 re-
bounds. Also in the U-17 Group, Marian Academy defeated Bishops’ High 41-24; Jordan Alphonso scored 17 points
and grabbed seven rebounds and Jonathan Mangra five points, coupled with 11 rebounds. For Bishops’ High, Timothy Thompson had 12
points and 18 rebounds. The YBG Age-Group Circuit Tournament will break for the Christmas Season and continue in January next year.
Petra Organisation supports Pictorial boxing archives for launch today UDFA U-17 League
Director of the Petra Organisation Troy Mendonca (2nd left) hands over one of the trophies to UDFA President Sharma Solomon in the presence of members of the executive last Sunday at the MSC ground. Petra Organisation, Organisers of the Courts Pee Wee (Boys), Smalta / Ministry of Public Health (Girls), Milo Secondary Schools (Boys) and the recently concluded GTT / Limacol Football Competitions have always articulated the position of assisting in the development of the sport locally. The Organisation’s commitment to the sport’s growth was once again emphasised during the staging of the just concluded GTT / Limacol finals when Director Troy
Mendonca handed over a quantity of trophies to President of the Upper Demerara Football Association (UDFA) Sharma Solomon in the presence of executive members at the Mackenzie Sports Club (MSC) ground on Sunday. Mendonca in brief remarks told the media that the donation was made after a plea for support was made by the UDFA and the gift will go towards the staging of the Association’s Under-17 League scheduled to commence soon.
Mendonca extended gratitude to the following associations, the Berbice Football Association, East Coast Demerara Football Association and the UDFA for their support in supplying the teams that participated in the just concluded competition. A former President of the Georgetown Football Association, Mendonca urged all genuinely concerned with the sport’s expansion to come together and forge stronger relationships for the good of the game.
Officials and other affiliates of the local boxing community are expected to converge at the Andrew ‘Sixhead’ Lewis Boxing Gym, Independence Boulevard this afternoon when former National and Continental of Americas welterweight champion, Michael Benjamin, joins with Presidents of the Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) and the Guyana Boxing Board of Control (GBBC), Steve Ninvalle and Peter Abdool respectively, to launch the nation’s first (pictorial) boxing archives. Past boxing legends, the likes of Patrick Forde, Lennox Buckles, Lennox Blackmore, Kenny Bristol and the myriad of ‘punchers’ that have institutionalized the sport locally are expected to be displayed for posterity in what Mr. Benjamin said will be of archival value to the nation at large. He said that the idea for the facility germinated about two years ago following discussions with businessman and boxing enthusiast, Maurice Pyle, who lives in close proximity to the gym. It was these discussions that have ignited the passion in Benjamin’s breast that has been responsible for today’s launch. Guyanese boxers have laid a firm foundation and during
the seventies they were most productive. Notwithstanding, it was not until 2001 when Lewis broke the jinx after demolishing James Page to take the WBA World Welterweight title. Afterwards several other (local) pugilists emulated the feat and solidified Guyana’s position on the world boxing platform. Further, Guyanese boxers have won Commonwealth, CABOFE, Fecarbox and Latin America titles among others. Benjamin said that such data should be made available for the benefit of those pugilists currently blazing the trail, if only to enhance their knowledge and act as motivational factors. Boxing pundits may also find such a facility useful for historical data. ”I’m speaking of such legends as Patrick Forde, Lennox Beckles, Lennox Blackmore, Kenny Bristol and the myriad of ‘punchers’ that have insti-
tutionalized the sport locally,” Benjamin said. ”The museum will depict the photos of a wide cross section of boxers, past, present and even those deceased. Later on the collection will include coaches (past, present, alive and dead) as well as other affiliates that have contributed to the development of the sport,” asserted Benjamin. Already, photos of several local pugilists have been mounted including ‘Sixhead’ Lewis, Gary St Clair, Wayne Braithwaite and Leon ‘Hurry Up’ Moore. The females consist of Gwendolyn O’Neil, who is a five-time world champion, and current world champion, Shondell Alfred. Administrators will also be acknowledged and President of the GBBC, Peter Abdool and the GBA President, Steve Ninvalle will be depicted for their efforts. Several corporate entities and individuals have contributed handsomely to the project including Ramchands’s Auto Sales, Claude Raphael’s Real Estate, German’s Restaurant, Dr. Max Hanoman, Abdool and Abdool’s Insurance Brokers, Eddy Grant, Oasis Waters, Joe Harmon, John Fernandes Ltd, Brydens and (Continued on page 31)
Wednesday December 09, 2015
Kaieteur News
Dolphin Award of Excellence
Jennifer Cipriani becomes fourth recipient Long time friend and supporter of Guyana’s leading youth and sports organisation, the Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club, Jennifer Cipriani on Friday last became the fourth recipient of the Club’s top award, the Dolphin Award of Excellence. T h e Aw a r d w a s presented to Cipriani for her support of the club’s numerous activities over the years, her status as a positive role model and her contributions to the development of youths and sports in Guyana. Club Secretary/CEO Hilbert Foster described Ms Cipriani as a true friend of his organization while stating that she is one of the finest individuals he has had the privilege of working along with over the years. Foster informed that Ms Cipriani’s relationship with the club commenced when she served as Marketing Director at Western Union and has continued in her position as Marketing Executive at the Bank of Nova Scotia. Gratitude was extended to Ms Cipriani for her support of the club over the years and for the role she has played in assisting to transform the lives of countless youths, the elderly and less fortunate. The club has been humbled by her dedication towards making a positive difference and Foster stated that they
{club}would continue to be a role model to every youth and sport organisation in Guyana as it undertakes over 200 programmes/activities under a wide range of subheadings, annually. A proud Ms Cipriani stated that she was very humbled to receive such a prestigious award from a dynamic organisation whose activities are unmatched in Guyana. She noted that her relationship with the Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club was a decade old and she was always amazed at the large amount of activities they successfully undertake every year. Cipriani thanked the Management and members of the club for honouring her while expressing confidence that the relationship would continue in the future. The D o l p h i n Aw a r d o f Excellence is the highest and most prestigious of eight awards that the Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club. Awardees are selected by a special committee headed by Club Secretary Hilbert Foster. A maximum of 25 (twenty five) individuals would receive the award based on their support to the Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club, status as a role model and efforts to make positive difference in the lives of youths, the elderly and less fortunate. The first three recipients were Robert Selman of the Guyana Beverage Company,
Johnny ‘Overseas’ Barnwell coordinates Queen’s College day of sports Athletes are toning down after rigorous preparation for a fund raising walkathon organized by the South Turkeyne Sports Committee, in honour of Sports Organizer, Johnny Barnwell and scheduled to get underway this Saturday, December 12. Walkers will convene at the Square of the Revolution at 06:00hrs on race day for the 10K race
which culminates at the National Park. Shortly after the completion of the race, M r. B a r n w e l l w i l l collaborate with the Queen’s College Sports Committee for a day of sports, also at the National Park starting at 10:00hrs. Students of first, second and third form levels will compete in softball cricket where the respective winners will be rewarded.
Ravi Mangar of Gizmos & Gadgets and President David Granger. A number of outstanding Guyanese would shortly be honoured with the award and they include Rajiv Ganga of Bakewell, Beverley Harper of Ansa McAl, June Mendes of Farfan & Mendes, Avia Lindie of Metro Office Supplies and Sharda Chand of Demerara Distillers Limited.
Scotiabank’s Jennifer Cipriani receives the award from RHTY&SC’s Hilbert Foster.
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CGI Local Franchise League‌.
Kaieteur News
Wednesday December 09, 2015
Sookdeo guides G/town to comfortable win; NA Canje, East Coast, Upper Corentyne also win
A sterling all-round performance by Jeetendra Sookdeo guided Georgetown to a 72-run victory over Essequibo w h i l e L o w e r Corentyne/New Amsterdam Canje, East Coast Demerara and Upper Corentyne registered victories when the latest round of matches in the Cricket Guyana Inc. Local Franchise League
50-over tournament concluded yesterday. Opener Sookdeo struck a fluent 70 as Georgetown posted 174 all out in 48.4 overs after they decided to bat at Georgetown Cricket Club, Bourda. He then returned with the ball to grab 4-10 to help bowl out Essequibo for 102. The left-handed Sookdeo added 55 for the
opening stand with Andrew Lyght Jr who was caught off Royan Fredericks for 24. Fredericks then accounted for Travis Blyden (06) while Anthony Adams got rid of Marcus Watkins (01), leaving Georgetown at 77-3. But Sookdeo anchored the host innings as he shared in a crucial fourth wicket stand of 36 with Sherfene Rutherford who went for 12.
Sookdeo struck four fours and two sixes and faced 106 balls before he departed. Essequibo then restricted their opponents with some steady bowling before Andre Stoll 25 and Ronaldo Mohamed with 18 down the order propped up the total. Left arm spinner Hemchand Persaud was the pick of the bowlers with 334; Anthony Adams had 2-
Jeetendra Sookdeo 30, Royan Fredericks 2-33 and Ricardo Adams 2-35. Left arm pacer Stoll (1-27) who bowled impressively provided Georgetown with the breakthrough by trapping Kevon Boodie lbw for two with the score on eight as the visitors reply got off to a bad start. Fredericks was then taken off Kellon Carmichael for 14 before Ricardo Peters and Ricardo Adams added 29 for the third wicket. Adams smashed Stoll for two maximums before he was caught by wicketkeeper Kemol Savory off Mohamed for 20 while Peters who timed the ball well was removed by Devon Lord for 21 at 83-4. The rest of the batting didn’t offer much resistance as Essequibo were sent packing for 102 in 36.1 overs. Lord supported Sookdeo w i t h 2 - 1 6 . At Farm, Lower Corentyne/New Amsterdam Canje defeated East Bank Demerara by nine wickets. Batting first, the home team was skittled for 92 in 20 overs. Danny Narayan scored 29 as pacer Raun Johnson bagged 5-29 off 4 overs and Eugene La Fluer 2-14. In reply, Lower C o r e n t y n e / N e w Amsterdam/Canje raced to 93-1 in 13 overs. La Fluer struck 45 not out with six fours while Waheid Edwards made an u n b e a t e n 2 9 . At Enmore, East Coast Demerara defeated West Berbice by 16 runs in a low scoring affair. East Coast batted first and was bowled out for 95 in 49.5 overs. Wa q a r H a s s a n a n d Krishnadat Ramoo claimed 3-16 and 3-18 respectively. West Berbice was sent
Steven Sankar
Rajiv Ivan packing for 79 in 32 overs in reply. Steven Sankar grabbed 4-22 off his 10 overs while Vivian Albert and Paul Wintz had 2-20 and 2-23 correspondingly. Over at Wales, Upper Corentyne defeated West Demerara by 29 runs. Upper Corentyne scored 227-9 in 50 overs, taking first strike. Rajiv Ivan top scored with 50 (3x4, 2x6), Lloyden Lewis made 28, Jason Sinclair 27 and Jonathan Foo 26. Bowling for West Demerara, Malcom Hubbard captured 4-36 and Richie Looknauth 2-35. In reply, West Demerara fell short of their target by 29 runs despite a top score of 73 from Renaldo Renee; he struck six fours and one six. Chandrika Persaud got 35; Clinton Pestano snared 3-50 and Eon Hooper 2-28. Matches continue today with Essequibo taking on Upper Corentyne at Enmore, West Berbice playing East Bank/Upper Demerara at Port Mourant, East Coast Demerara tackling Lower C o r e n t y n e / N e w Amsterdam/Canje at Albion and West Demerara facing Georgetown at Bourda.
Wednesday December 09, 2015
Kaieteur News
Page 45
SUNBURST / EBFA U17 League
Grove beat Agricola 6-1 to top Group B Defending champions Grove Hi Tech moved a step closer to retaining their crown when they defeated Agricola Red Triangle 6-1 in their final group B match on Saturday last to end with an unblemished record of three wins in as many matches. Agricola, coming off a defeat by Soesdyke Falcons in their previous clash did not recover and fell to the home team which was led by the competition’s leading goal scorer to date, Kevin Dalton who blasted a hat-trick. Dalton, who went into the match with five goals under his belt, wasted little time in establishing that Grove meant business.
From as early as the second minute he inked his name on the score sheet in handing his team the lead. The dominant home team never allowed the Agricola boys to settle down as they lived in the visitors defensive third. On four minutes, Dalton was again on target for his and Grove’s second goal. The dominance of the defending champions and Dalton continued when the leading marksman achieved his hat-trick in the 26th minute; Agricola was able to reduce the deficit on the stroke of half time, Wayne Niles breaching Grove’s defense as the first half ended
3-1. Soon after the break, Grove continued their scoring form when Nickolai Matthews hit the network in the 36th minute. There was a brief lull in the scoring up until the 54th minute when Grove netted their fifth goal of the match, Threvon Pluck, the scorer. The final goal of the match was converted by Denzel Crawford in the 59th minute to seal a comfortable win for Grove who will now play Mocha Champs in the second semi final on Saturday at the same venue. The Final group match saw Soesdyke Falcons taking on Kuru Kururu Warriors on Sunday.
Nickolai Matthews (2nd left) leads the offensive charge for Grove with support from Kevin Dalton at right.
t r o Sp Commonwealth Powerlifting Championships – Canada
Karel Mars and 16 year-old Britney Mack headline Guyana’s golden haul
Britney Mack displaying the Golden Arrowhead. Karel Mars proudly display the Guyana flag during the presentation.
Osman Mack Gordon Spencer Nairanjan Singh
Winston Stoby
Pictorial boxing archives for launch today CGI Local Franchise League….
Sookdeo guides G/town to comfortable win; NA Canje, East Coast, Upper Corentyne also win
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