Kaieteur News

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Kaieteur News

Thursday December 10, 2015

Letters... Where your views make the news

Kaieteur News Unfortunately, it is low-income Printed and Published by National Media & Publishing Company Ltd. 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown, Guyana. Publisher: GLENN LALL Editor: Adam Harris Tel: 225-8465, 225-8491. Fax: 225-8473, 226-8210

EDITORIAL

RESTORING HOPE TO THE HOPELESS Guyana’s economy is slowing down. Based on the Poverty Index Indicator range from zero to ten where zero is the lowest and ten is the highest, Guyana, a year ago was rated at seven. Today, it is ranked eight which means that poverty is increasing in the country. The Living Standards Measurement in 2014 revealed that between 10 and 15 percent of the population live on US$1.50 per person a day and 20 percent live on US$2 cent per person a day in Guyana. The good news is that Guyana has the capacity, knowledge, resources and leadership to eradicate poverty, but realistically, poverty has increased significantly in the past few years. To rescue those from poverty, a lot of things will have to be done, including the ability to manage the country’s resources and finances effectively, and not squander them or use them to enrich oneself as some in the previous government had done. The government must be credited for restoring hope to a hopeless population, for reducing corruption, for shrinking the illegal narcotics trade, and for providing good governance; but it is not enough to reduce poverty. The road out of poverty is rarely a smooth, one-way street, not even in the rich countries. It is a long, hard and bumpy road, which the government should navigate. The government has to make the reduction of poverty its highest priority and collaborate with all the stakeholders, including the private sector and the unions. The economy has to grow at an annual rate of six percent or more for three successive years and create 2,000 jobs every month also for the next three years. The government must be prepared to make huge investments in education, employment and self-employment opportunities, as well as associated infrastructure that would allow the people to improve their living standards while building their resilience to cope with set-backs or disasters. Such investment could lead to the reduction of poverty, grow the economy, expand individual opportunity, and build confidence among the people. Above all, it could reduce the galloping poverty gap between the rich and the poor as well as gender inequalities. However, since taking office six months ago, there have been a few bright spots but some dull ones as well, in governance. One of those bright spots is in foreign policy in which the Minister of Foreign Affairs has performed superbly in quelling the fears of the nation in the face of threats from Venezuela. He has succeeded in getting the United Nations to agree to a judicial settlement. On the dull side, crime, especially murders and armed robberies have increased significantly within the past six months. And only time will tell if “Operation Dragnet” will end the free reign of the criminals or make them more brazen. However, a long-term crime fighting strategy is urgently needed to end this scourge on the nation. The country also faces a problem of diminishing returns in all sectors of production and the poor are always hit the hardest. The sugar industry is virtually bankrupt and the rice, bauxite and gold sectors face a dismal future. The fact that the cost of producing a pound of sugar is 300 percent higher than the price paid for it on the world market shows that the industry is not viable. The same is true for rice and gold as the prices for these commodities continue to fall on the world market. This is the reality that the new government must grapple with. The survival of both the sugar and rice industries depends on subsidizes from the government. Also, remittances which account for 20 percent of Guyana’s GDP are on the decline, while the country’s imports continue to exceed its exports. These along with budget deficits, the national debt which is 65 percent of the country’s GDP and excessive borrowing by the government, suggest that the country is spending more than it is earning.

parents who beat their children DEAR EDITOR, I refer to Mr Malcolm Alves’s letter: “The Debate on Corporal Punishment” in which he defends its use and this prompts my letter. I fully support a ban and respectfully disagree with Mr. Alves. Here are my reasons: Firstly, Mr. Alves pointed out that 19 states in the USA are currently using corporal punishment and this includes: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Wyoming. However, these are

mostly poor states which lag behind. It is to be remembered that 31 states, mostly affluent ones with disproportionately high levels of c o l l e g e graduates have banned it. Secondly, the odds are that the remaining 19 states willsoonfollow. Why cite such an example to stall a ban that will do a world of good? T h i r d l y, c o l l e g e graduates are also likely to be of a higher socioeconomic bracket; as such they understand the injurious consequences of corporal punishment (both mental and physical) and are more likely to axe it. It is no wonder 31 states have banned it. Fourthly, it is erroneous

to assume that all kids in New York City are wild. Parents from higher socio-economic brackets in New York or elsewhere are less likely to beat their kids, yet they are not wild. The fact remains that New York City and the USA at large have produced most of the leading academics in the world which includes Nobel Laureates in science, technology, and finance. Wi l d k i d s d o n o t become leading academics but highly disciplined ones do. Unfortunately, mostly folks belonging to a lower socio-economic background beat their kids, not realizing its negative consequences.

They destroy children’s lives. Fifthly, this country has five decades of failure and change is needed. Why stifle change? It is something we voted for. Sixthly, piles of scientific evidence point to the fact that corporal punishment is indeed bad and this is not propaganda. Our kids are hurting. We need to move forward with a ban. F i n a l l y, c o r p o r a l punishment (a form of operant conditioning) has been traditionally used but science has taught us that this is bad. Why continue to use it? It just does not make any sense. There are safe, (Continued on page 23)

GRA still trying to reimburse taxpayers who over-paid DEAR EDITOR, The Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) wishes to assure the general public, more particularly the individual who penned a letter of concern in the December 3 edition of Stabroek News that fervent efforts are still being made to disburse refunds. To the best

of the GRA’s knowledge, the payment of refunds to taxpayers who for some unfortunate reason overpaid taxes at one or more tax periods, has not been averted but to a large extent has been obfuscated by some employers who have been tardy in submitting Employers’ Return

GGMC is a corrupt state agency DEAR EDITOR, The recent allegations of over $200,000 monthly being spent on food and drinks for GGMC is just the beginning of many secrets GGMC as the custodian of the mining industry in Guyana should be answering to the public about. As a mining advocate, I always held the belief that GGMC is one of the most corrupt state agency and has a lot of secrets within its senior functionaries . There is serious allegation of rampant corruption inside the agency. P r i o r t o m a y 11 t h election, 3 billion dollars was to be transferred to the former Ministry of Housing, signaling the wealth the agency is in possession of. GGMC officials and officers stationed in mining locations across the mining districts should be made to declare their assets to the Integrity Commission. There is serious allegation of corruption in the mining industry and GGMC is being

blamed as the facilitator of persons mining on PL (Prospecting Licenses) which is illegal. rior to may 11th election, 3 billion dollars was to be transferred to the former Ministry of Housing, signaling the wealth the agency is in possession of. GGMC officials and officers stationed in mining locations across the mining districts should be made to declare their assets to the Integrity Commission. There is serious allegation of corruption in the mining industry and GGMC is being blamed as the facilitator of persons mining on PL (Prospecting Licenses) which is illegal. GGMC should be restructured and steps taken by government to minimize the level of corruption that exists within the agency. For GGMC has out lived its present scope of work as mining is being redefined in Guyana. Sherwyn Delano Downer

otherwise known as a Forms 2 Such was the case with the abovementioned individual who, the GRA recalls, first raised the concern on November 12, 2014, under the caption, Can’t Get Tax Refunds and subsequently in June of 2015 under the headline Still waiting for income tax refunds for 2012, 2013. Those concerns have certainly not fallen on deaf ears. Records would should that the GRA promptly responded, with valid explanations on every occasion that the concerns were publicised. In the interest of a hasty resolution however, the best option would be for the GRA to contact the taxpayer’s employer to request the relevant information.

The GRA wishes to note however that it is the obligation of the Employers, as mandated under Section 93 of the Income Tax Act Ch. 81:01, to submit Employers Returns (Forms 2) on or before February 28. This information would enable the GRA to reconcile with the employees’ tax returns. Assessments have shown that while some employers have been grossly negligent in this regard, other stumbling blocks have been encountered where submissions have been replete with so many inaccuracies that they further stymie efforts Kurshid Sattaur Commissioner-General Guyana Revenue Authority

Why did two Ministers snub this man? DEAR EDITOR, On September 7th 2015, in a lead story in Kaieteur News, prominent mining advocate and Bartica resident, Sherwyn Delano Downer, was featured in the article where he called for the reopening of the Bartica Gold Board. On November 30th 2015, the government heeded to the mining advocate’s call and the Bartica Gold Board was reopened. But sadly and most unfortunately, the mining

advocated was not invited. He was not seen at the opening much to the surprise and dismay of residents of Bartica who believed the mining advocate should be credited for the reopening. With his mining advocacy and many other issues locally on which he writes on for his community, with Bartica in mind, Could Ministers Brooms and Trotman say why the mining advocate was not invited to the reopening of the Bartica Gold Board? Nixon Williams

Thursday December 10, 2015

Kaieteur News

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Letters... Where your views make the news Letters... Where your views make the news

Wesleyan pastor is guilty The police force is a runaway train of corrupt behaviour of Pharisaic blindness DEAR EDITOR, I read the letter “Are Wesleyan Christians true Christians?” (Nov. 7), with disappointment and sadness. The KN letter, written by Ganesh Mahipaul, related an incident that occurred a few weeks ago at Maria’s Pleasure, Wakenaam; this letter was a follow-up of his previous letter, “This type of religious intolerance in Guyana is dangerous”, on Nov. 20 in the KN. Apparently, there was a cultural (Diwali) program hosted by the Meer Zorg Vishwa Jotir Mandir where a 14-year-old girl from the Wesleyan church danced. Evidently, the girl was penalized by the church by putting a 6-week ban on her from active participation. In his alleged conversation with the pastor of the church, she defended the decision by pointing out, “you cannot dine at the lord’s table and the enemy’s table at the same time”. If this is true, the pastor has grossly erred in her social and spiritual stance. Where is the love that is the bedrock of the Christian faith in that stance? The pastor reminds me of the passage in Mark 12:28-34. One can go through all the “right” religious motions - paraded with a holiness garb, but if there is no love, it is like the sound of a pukni banging a pipe! The pastor and her church were probably incensed that the girl went and danced at the mandir. A good, decent Christian girl should never be found mingling with Hindus – especially in a place of “idolatry”, right? Again, this incident reminds of me how incensed Jesus’ disciples were when they found out he wanted to dine with the

‘worst’ of sinners; they called him a wine-bibber, for a good religious person who never have mingled with such sinful people. The disciples’ idea was that “holy” people should be in the church or synagogue; Jesus, however, had different ideas! Christians are called to be ‘salt’ and ‘light’. What an opportunity to do so in the Hindu temple! The apostle Paul was confronted with the myriad of gods at Athens. However, instead of staying away, he was in the middle of it all – and proclaimed the love of God to the people in love. Branding Hindus the “enemy” is not prudent in winning the admiration of the Hindus. As Christians, we should do what we could to win their respect and love. Consequently, they will see our “good works and glorify the Father in heaven”! I wonder why the pastor was peeved. Was it because the girl danced? Was it because she danced an Indian song, or was it because she danced at the mandir? If the girl had danced an ‘English’ song, would that have been okay? (I understand... I’ve been through that. After I came to faith in Christ, I was conditioned to think that everything Indian was degenerate and depraved and should be despised. Praise God, I now know better!) Christians need to know that (1) God is the God of all peoples and cultures, and it is okay to dance (or sing) Indian, (2) We need to go (as we are commanded) into places that make us uncomfortable, so that we could be salt and light, and (3) We need to share the Good News

of God to the peoples of the world – and “use words if necessary”! To the young woman, I say, “Keep on dancing. Dance well, and try to perfect your skill as much as possible. Indian) dancing is very artistic and expressive. And let your every expression bring glory to God”. (Rina Singha, perhaps the most accomplished Indian Christian dancer in the world, taught Indian dancing to Christians at a Wesleyan church in Guyana in 2004. Rina is a born-again, evangelical Christian, but also dances with Hindus and dances at various Hindu cultural events). To the pastor, I say, read and re-read 1 Cor. 13, where it says that if we do not have love, our religion is worthless, and in vain. If love is not present, I suggest that you use your time and energy to do something else! In the meanwhile, repent for your folly. Take the right next step by humbling yourself (before man and God), and He shall lift you up. Start by apologising to Mr. Mahipaul and all Hindus of Guyana for your careless words, for you are guilty of your Pharisaic blindness! To bhai Ganesh Mahipaul, as a Christian, I wish to express profound regret over the incident. Forgive the pastor, for she knew not what she did. Someday I would love to come to your mandir, sing bhajans about Yeshu ka pyaar – (Jesus’ love), dance fervently (I know some kathak!), and share the Good News of God (my passion!) with you as well as with the other bhaio aur baheno (brothers and sisters. Devanand Bhagwan

DEAR EDITOR, As I write this letter, I am also trying to quell the plethora of thoughts that continue to ravage my mind. A multiplicity of enigmas looms on the mental horizon. When and where will this end? To whom do the average Guyanese John and Jane Public turn to for protection? The Guyana Police Force in cooperation with the State, the Society and the Citizens of Guyana have according to their mission statement sworn to provide service and protection by means of crime prevention and detection, maintenance of law and order, traffic control, property protection and peace preservation, through the provision of the highest standard of professional police service with absolute integrity and dedication. The primary responsibility of police officers is to protect the public, but to all sane appearances the public need to be protected from the police. Kaieteur News December 5, 2015 revealed that a serving member of the Police Force reportedly confessed to his involvement in a carjacking ring that recently relieved a taxi driver of his vehicle at gun point. The presence of rogue cops at all levels within the force has been a problem plaguing both the past and present government, and its continuation speaks volumes, not only as confirmation for the public at large that they don’t deserve those who serve, but also typifying the inefficacy and inability of the Force to rid itself of this ongoing, longstanding scourge. Last year, past President Donald Ramotar made pro-

DEAR EDITOR, I am a driver of a 42 Route bus on the E.B.D and I wish to let the public and those in authority know about the danger that chauffeurs and vehicles, pedestrians, school children, the elderly and farmers and even animals face daily by the action of some of the resident of Friendship squatting area East Bank Demerara Five electricity wires could be seen everywhere on the street and in the canal under the bridge entrance to the koker on the school fence. There is about 15 illegal connections just over the school guard’s hut on top the G.P.L post and the guards open the gate and allow these people to connect in the night

because these people say and boast that permission was given by an female AFC bigwig during the election campaign to connect wherever there is a post. Top officials of the Education Ministry are aware of the live current that runs there and the danger to these school children and turn a blind eye. And there is more on the street lamp post at the entrance of the koker, making it dangerous to open the door because live wires run all over the dams leading to the squatting area. It is only a matter of time before a vehicle burst into flames and life lost on top of the road bridge. One guy is now crippled after being shocked with live

current in the canal as there is numerous live and loose wires that run across the canal and nobody can stop these people because they boast that the AFC official gave them clearance. The bully in the squatting area is one Jennifer who has many connections and sell power to different home at 2 and 3 thousand dollars per week. GPL employee turns a blind eye and some could be seen climbing lantern posts in the night making connec-

tions; some will bring the GPL wire and sell to these people. These wire “cove” is nothing to hide as one looks on top the bridge one could see wire left right and centre for these people. Sir please publish this letter in your daily newspaper and let the authority do something about this danger that the travelling public, vehicles- animals etc face daily. Please don’t print name for fear of revenge Concerned citizen (name supplied)

Live illegally wired lines threaten lives of school children

nouncements regarding the introduction of integrity tests within the law enforcement organization, as part of the efforts geared towards stopping corruption within the ranks. Such a proposal seemingly evoked hilarity and was the target of lack of popularity. As far back as 2002, yes over a decade ago during the reign of then President Bharrat Jagdeo, those sworn to protection became the subtle transmitters of a strange infection that eventually aroused suspicion and evoked detection. Revelations during a courtroom trial in the U. S caused the Guyana Police Force Special Police Target Squad to become the target of an investigation, involving Thomas Caroll, a former ViceConsul of the United States Embassy in Guyana. The latter had solicited the assistance of members of the Tactical Squad of the Police Force, known as The BlackClothes Police, to act as enforcers, silencing and intimidating anyone who revealed his visa selling racket. As I have afore-written in an earlier article on the said issue, the security and law agencies within Guyana need to look microscopically closer, at not only their hiring policies but also the integrity of those whom they hire. It is evident that the cancer of corruption that was slowly invading the fabric in Guyana has now fully metastasized. Corruption is rife at all levels. Let us not forget embattled Senior Superintendent of Police Steve Merai who despite all the negative allegations of criminal wrongdoings including links to the underworld was promoted to the rank of Assistant Commissioner of Police. Incidentally, Merai was head of the Black Clothes Police, who developed a bloody history. Still at the higher level and taking pride of place is Police

Force Sergeant David Leon Lindo who along with another individual was charged with conspiring to murder a popular businessman. I have arrived at the conclusion that the Force is viewed as a last resort employment organization of sorts, hiring among its members those whose job options are limited in scope. Do not for the briefest of moment labour under the misapprehension that I am of the opinion that only rogue cops exist within the Force. Far from the truth! There are representatives within the ranks who Protect Correct and Serve as the public deserve, and these representatives merit our admiration, respect and cooperation. However, as a bona fide Guyanese, I find it deeply disturbing to read of sworn law enforcement men and women clearly violating their oath, the law, and civil liberties of the people. This seemingly corrupt and undisciplined force is blatantly adding to the woes of the citizens, and like a runaway train no one seems able or capable of stopping it. Let us look beyond the existing imbroglio and view the ramifications of these dastardly acts perpetrated by members of the Force. Needless to say the image of the force has been gravely (but hopefully not irreparably) tarnished, taking in its wake the aspirations of any young Guyanese wanting to become Police officers. Based on current behaviour, prospective entrants may get the impression that if you become a part, you’ll soon master the art. Guyana is a beleaguered country, but the most pressing need is and one which the current Government cannot afford to ignore is a Police Force consisting of representatives that the citizens can trust. With the recent arrest along with the so many (Continued on page 23)

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Kaieteur News

Thursday December 10, 2015

US, UK assist with money laundering … as Guyana's resources were leaving left, right and investigations centre under the PPP rule - SARU Head, Clive Thomas Investigations which are currently being carried about by the State Assets Recovery Unit (SARU) show that various forms of corruption were spiraling out of control under the previous regime. But with the assistance being rendered by the United States of America (USA) and the United Kingdom (UK), SARU’s head, Dr. Clive Thomas, insists that justice will be served. He said that he is also appalled at, “How deep money laundering connections ran under the People’s Progressive Party (PPP).” Dr. Thomas said that the UK and the USA have pledged their support to ensure that the fight against corruption under the Granger led-administration goes beyond mere talk. Thomas noted that both the US and the UK have told him on various occasions that they are indeed concerned about the level of corruption in Guyana hence “Their readiness to assist wherever and whenever they can.” Dr. Thomas said, “There are intense investigations

going on right now and believe me, we here at SARU intend to see that justice is served. I wish to repeat President David Granger’s statement that those who did the crime will definitely do the time. We are building some irrefutable cases. “We have some evidence on certain officials within the PPP who have been involved in serious money laundering activities and these will be revealed in due time. We are receiving the help of the USA and the UK on these matters and their support to us has been tremendously helpful.” “They see the importance of Guyana having an anticorruption unit and they are also working along with us to provide legal support as well. They are worried about the level of corruption that has occurred over the years. Both countries have presented us with damning evidence that showed that the resources of this country were leaving left, right and centre under the PPP. They couldn’t care less because they were simply drunk,

drunk with greed.” “When I look at some of these documents it is astonishing. I just can’t understand how people who call themselves leaders could act so callously. It’s inhumane what they did. We were being ruled by a set of people who had no conscience.” The economist added, “But while the USA and the UK are readily assisting us, they have also insisted on the importance of getting our legislation in order. We are hoping for this to be done by year end.” While these moves are being made, Government must also place emphasis on modernizing Guyana’s anti-corruption laws and seeking to expeditiously, prosecute various cases. “The issue of corruption and how devastating it can be to the economy cannot be underestimated. It’s an epidemic in Guyana and the task is now up to the new government to rectify this. But stopping corruption won’t be easy. It requires modernizing our legislation, because what corruption has now evolved to today is not

covered in some of our laws.” The economist said that for the time being, the law provides for criminal penalties for official corruption. Several laws cover various aspects of corruption, including the Integrity Commission Act, the Fiscal Management and Accountability Act, the Audit Act and the Criminal Law Enforcement Act. He said that for too long, “Many engaged in corrupt activities and are yet to do the time. That should not be. We need to get serious. We need to be resolute and practical about our approach to the matter.” He said, too, that SARU will place special attention on two other areas of significant illegality and corruption in Guyana, which generate massive economic haemorrhaging; illicit capital flight and the criminal underground economy. Dr. Thomas explained that in Guyana, illicit capital flight refers to assets whether legally obtained or otherwise, that are intentionally transferred, smuggled, or sent abroad, without the knowledge of the Guyana Revenue Authority and other oversight authorities. These, he said, are not generally intended to yield proceeds that will be returned to the country. Because these transactions are illegal, they are kept secret. “Therefore, when capital flight occurs, the capital disappears from Guyana’s financial/asset records, even though it might turn up in records elsewhere.” Dr. Thomas said that he now has evidence to prove that this occurred “by the billions of dollars” under the PPP/C. “During the 1980s and 1990s, capital flight was widely acknowledged as a major problem confronting Guyana. During the 2000s, however, it has been barely referenced by the authorities. During that time, capital flight resumed with a vengeance. “This took place because the previous ruling political elites promoted collusion, through mutually-supporting networks, with criminal endeavours seeking to evade the regulatory and oversight functions of the state,” Dr.

Thomas related. He added, “As I have argued elsewhere, this constitutes the starkest reminder of the ongoing criminalization of the state…” He then referred to data accumulated from two international sources responsible for annual tracking and reporting on aspects of global capital flight, including Guyana. One is the United Nations and the other is the Global Financial Integrity (GFI) founded in 2006. Dr. Thomas noted that for the years, 2010-2012, Guyana’s illicit financial flows had averaged US$443million or approximately $90billion in local currency. Although these flows do not fully account for total capital flight, he said that they provide an order of magnitude for that sum. He had said that by any standard, this is a huge amount and that it has risen rapidly during the 2000s. “Retrospectively, the 2010-2012 average compares to US$83 million back in 2003.This had doubled to US$173 million by 2006, and more than doubled yet again by 2010 to US$575million. The recorded growth in capital flight therefore, has been explosive during the 2000s,” he said. A UK expert on Asset Recovery is in the process of gathering information on Guyana’s systems for thwarting corruption as well as examining how much use law enforcement agencies have made of its legislation in this regard. Mr. Brian Horne is appalled at his findings with regard to money laundering. He said, “I don’t think at the moment

SARU Head, Dr. Clive Thomas there have been any prosecutions or use of the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism Legislation (AML/ CFT). My understanding is that there hasn’t been a case using those provisions which are in place.” “Now I would ask myself in this regard why not? The legislation has been in place since 2009 and there hasn’t been any prosecution. Why? It might be a rhetorical question but it is still curious to know that you have the legislation but have not used it.” Mr. Horne, who is a Guyanese by birth, and has worked in more than 22 countries in the field of State Assets Recovery, and the successful prosecution of the defaulters said, that he found such a situation to be “alarming.” “The reason for passing legislation is because you think there are matters you (continued on page 8)

Nagamootoo heads for Argentina Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo, will represent Guyana at the upcoming Inauguration Ceremony of Argentina’s newly elected President, Mr. Mauricio Macri in Buenos Aires, today. Mr. Macri was elected on November 22 in a run-off election following General

Elections on October 25. He is the former Mayor of Buenos Aires and succeeds Cristina de Kirchner as the South American Head of State. Prime Minister Nagamootoo left Guyana for Argentina yesterday. He is scheduled to return on Saturday.

Thursday December 10, 2015

Kaieteur News

Venezuela President Maduro vows to fight opposition CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro is promising to protect the country’s socialist revolution from what he says are “bad guy” opposition leaders who will take control of Congress next month. Speaking from the mausoleum of the late President Hugo Chavez Tuesday night, Maduro said he would fight the agenda of opposition leaders who won a landslide victory in Sunday’s legislative election. The embattled socialist president stood directly over the marble sarcophagus where his mentor’s body rests, and appealed to Chavez for guidance. “Oh how we miss you, Commander; your advice and your fighting spirit,” he said. “I hope that the historic project you left to Venezuela and the world can continue.” Maduro promised to reject a law backed by opposition leaders that would free imprisoned anti-government activists. That rejection would be mostly symbolic, because in Venezuela bills can become law even if the president does not approve, so long as the Supreme Court does not find the legislation unconstitutional. Maduro also pledged to shake up his cabinet in the wake of the opposition’s first national victory since Chavez initiated the socialist movement in 1998, and to hold a summit to examine what went

Nicolas Maduro

wrong in the election in which, he said, “the bad guys won.” A group of justices requested early retirement in the run up to the vote, raising fears that the socialist party would try to pack the court if the election went against them. Those justices could in theory reverse any legislation the new National Assembly approves. On Tuesday, National Assembly president Diosdado Cabello announced that the government would appoint 12 new Supreme Court judges before the opposition leaders are sworn in on Jan. 5. Cabello also said the National Assembly’s television channel would remain in the hands of the station’s government workers. The tiny channel has become a point of contention because the opposition has been almost completely frozen

out of the mainstream media here. State television stations, including this one, have become organs of propaganda for the socialist party. Opposition members now use a YouTube channel to get their announcements out, and have already been eagerly planning what they will do with the National Assembly channel. Venezuela has not seen a divided government since Chavez came to power in 1998, and Maduro’s remarks Tuesday added fuel to fears that the two camps will be unable to share power. The opposition has said it will use its new legislative power to remove Maduro from office if he refuses to work together to rescue the country’s sinking economy, and even some socialists have called for his resignation in the wake of Sunday’s loss.

China military paying ‘close attention’ to U.S. plane deployment

(Reuters) - China’s military is paying “close attention” to an agreement between the United States and Singapore to deploy the U.S. P8 Poseidon spy plane to the city state and hopes the move does not harm regional stability, the Defence Ministry said. “We are paying close attention to how the relevant situation develops, and hope bilateral defense cooperation between the relevant countries is beneficial to regional peace and stability and not the opposite,” the ministry said in a brief statement late on Tuesday. The foreign ministry of China, which is at odds with Washington over the South China Sea, said on Tuesday the move was aimed at militarizing the region. In a joint statement after a meeting in Washington on Monday, U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter and Singapore Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen welcomed the deployment of the aircraft in Singapore from Dec. 7 to 14. A U.S. defense official said further deployments in Singapore could be expected. Ng told a seminar in Washington on Wednesday that Singapore had agreed the P8

deployment would be “rotational” and said it added further “substance” to Washington’s assurances that it would continue to act as a stabilizing force in Asia. China claims almost all of the energy-rich waters of the South China Sea, through which more than $5 trillion of maritime trade passes each year. The Philippines, Brunei, Vietnam, Malaysia and Taiwan have overlapping claims. The United States already operates P8s from Japan and the Philippines, and has conducted surveillance flights from Singapore’s neighbor, Malaysia. Washington has criticized China’s building of artificial islands in the South China Sea’s disputed Spratly archipelago, and has conducted sea and air patrols near them. Last month, U.S. B-52 bombers flew near some of China’s artificial islands and at the end of October a U.S. guided-missile destroyer sailed within 12 nautical miles of one of them. In May, the Chinese navy issued eight warnings to the crew of a U.S. P8 that flew near the islands, according to CNN, which had reporters on the aircraft.

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Kaieteur News

Thursday December 10, 2015

Project Restore Guyana...

NTFC submits Draft Contractor General Wants More Restoration Plan to Cabinet Corruption Offenders Sent To Prison

Chairman of the National Task Force Committee (NTFC), Retired Major General Joseph Singh revealed yesterday that the Draft Restoration Plan for Phase 1 under the “Project Restore Guyana” has been submitted to the Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson. The NTFC was set in motion earlier this year to monitor the extent of approved

work executed by agencies, and is made up of six committees: for drainage, public consultations, solid waste disposal, Urban and Rural upgrading, welfare management; for the homeless, mentally challenged and the addicted. Singh has assured that the Commission would not sit and wait, as he pointed out that there are still projects

US, UK assist with money laundering... From page 6 need to tend to, and you need the legislation in order to deal with the issues as you saw it. But if you have the legislation and you don’t utilize it, it makes people think why not?” “With my background in the UK, if a piece of legislation is implemented, it is because it is relevant to something that needs to be dealt with and it needs to be used. Perhaps one of the reasons it wasn’t used, was the lack of skills and technical staff to implement the work the legislation was intended to do, but that is just speculation on my part.” The UK asset recovery advisor said that his role is really going to be using that piece of AML legislation to inform any subsequent

legislation that he may recommend to strengthen Guyana’s State Asset Recovery Unit (SARU). The UK expert emphasized that an anticorruption body is a “positive move” as it will not only thwart corruption, but also “strip illegal assets from those who are involved in it.” He noted however that it will take time, “so the people must have patience and not expect results tomorrow.” Horne explained that he will be focused on examining Guyana’s systems in place for fighting corruption and gathering other information. At the end of this exercise, he will make recommendation for Guyana’s State Asset Recovery Unit’s (SARU) transition to being the country’s formal anticorruption body.

being undertaken. In his address, he revealed that the Commission has held up its end in honouring their commitment to the government, and the next step would be to review their proposal which would be a reflection of what Cabinet would be prepared to move forward with. “The Commission is on track, we have honoured the timeline which Cabinet required…The next steps will be the review of what we have put forward in the draft report and through Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson, to receive feedback from Cabinet. Not only their assessment, but what they intend to pursue based on funds available, time available… because some of it involves legislation, matters to be tabled in Parliament, and based on that outcome, review our plans for the first half of next year,” Singh said. With regard to the Disaster Risk Reduction team which recently visited from Holland to lend their expertise on Guyana’s drainage system, Singh pointed out that the team made several recommendations after visiting all the sluices and outfalls from Meadowbank to Liliendaal. They also conducted an aerial survey from Pomeroon to Skeldon and the conservancies. “The recommendations were tabled at the wrap-up session on the 26th of November and we expect that they can have their report to their Dutch government on the 15th of December. The Government of Guyana should be in receipt of their final report with their recommendations by the end of this year or early January,” Singh stated. Singh also said that there was a meeting between a representative of UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) and the NTFC, and they spoke about a pilot project involving the recycling of cardboard which makes up a “substantial percentage of waste”. He continued that this undertaking would require the need of both manual and mechanical compacters and working with the Private Sector Commission (PSC), UNESCO and potential partners, he hopes to acquire these.

The Gleaner - Contractor General, Dirk Harrison, wants to see more people who have been found guilty of corruption offences sent to prison. Harrison says the legislation is in place to send people to prison in these cases. He says prosecutors in these matters should ask the courts to impose the most appropriate sentences. There has been renewed discussion about the degree of penalties associated with breaches of the Contractor General Act arising from the case of the former Lucea mayor, Shernette Haughton,

who is being accused of breaching the government’s contract rules. A conviction would result in a fine of $1,000 and or 30 days imprisonment. While not commenting directly on the Haughton case, he says the legislative framework for convicted persons to be given custodial sentences for breaching the OCG Act is in place. Harrison agrees that penalties could be stronger, but emphasises that sending someone to prison is an option that should be greater utilised. The Contractor Gen-

eral was speaking on Nationwide Radio yesterday morning. His remarks came against the background of yesterday’s observation of the International Anti-Corruption Day. The OCG will yesterday hosted two forums for young people as part of its public awareness activities to educate the public about corruption. The Office is also mounting three anti-corruption billboards, two in the Corporate Are and one in St James, to encourage Jamaicans to stand against the illicit activity.

Turkish PM accuses Russia of ‘ethnic cleansing’ in Syria (Reuters) - Turkey’s prime minister accused Russia yesterday of attempted “ethnic cleansing” in northern Syria, saying Moscow was trying to drive out the local Turkmen and Sunni Muslim populations to protect its military interests in the region. Ahmet Davutoglu’s comments could further harm strained relations between Moscow and Ankara, already at their worst in recent memory after Turkish forces downed a Russian warplane near the Turkish-Syrian border late last month. “Russia is trying to make ethnic cleansing in northern Latakia to force (out) all Turkmen and Sunni population who do not have good relations with the regime,” Davutoglu told foreign reporters in Istanbul. “They want to expel them, they want to ethnically cleanse this area so that the regime (of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad) and Rus-

Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu (REUTERS/YIANNIS KOURTOGLOU) sian bases in Latakia and Tartus are protected,” he said, speaking English. The Turkmens are ethnic kin of the Turks and Ankara has been particularly angered by what it says is Russian targeting of them in Syria.

Davutoglu said Russian bombing around Azaz, also in northwest Syria, was designed to cut supply lines to Syrian groups opposed to Assad, Moscow’s ally, and ultimately to benefit Islamic State militants.

Calm polling yesterday in St Vincent

Daily Nation - There was an air of calmness in St Vincent yesterday morning as locals went to the polls to elect their fifth prime minister since Independence. From the time the polls opened at 7 a.m. there was a steady stream of voters, who refused to be deterred by the heavy morning showers. By mid-morning the number of people waiting in lines to cast their votes in and around the capital city, Kingstown, had not diminished and many emerged from their booths proudly showing their ink-stained index finger and identification card. There was police and Defence Force personnel stationed on the outside of polling stations, but reports indicate voting has been incident-free. A check with officials outside a number of the stations in East Kingstown revealed the steady stream of voters were there before the polls opened at 7 a.m. Polls close at 5 p.m. A vendor in the Kingstown market re-

marked she had never seen so many people exercising their constitutional right. “And I am 40 plus,” she said. A sales assistant, who said she voted early yesterday morning before reporting for work, commented on how quiet the country appeared. “The atmosphere real quiet but I guess everybody done mek up them mind so there is no need to fight,” she said. Unity Labour Party (ULP) leader Dr Ralph Gonsalves cast his vote at the C.W Prescod Primary School in the afternoon, while New Democratic Party head, Arnhim Eustace placed his ‘x’ in Sion Hill, the constituency of East Kingstown yesterday morning. Gonsalves is seeking his fourth consecutive term as prime minister, while Eustace is seeking his first full term as term as head of government. He was prime minister from October 2000, upon the retirement of Sir James Mitchell, until March 2001, when his party lost at the polls.

Thursday December 10, 2015

Kaieteur News

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GGMC Chairman gave instructions to speed up transfer of US$15M loan to Housing Authority Chairman of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), Clinton Williams, recently emphasized that neither he nor the other members of the Board interferes in the daily activities of the Commission. But evidence recently surfaced which proves otherwise. In fact, Kaieteur News has seen credible documents which show that Williams had given clear instructions for a US$15M loan to be transferred to the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) just months before the General and Regional Elections in May. This publication has also seen various documents that reveal that the GGMC Commissioner, Rickford Vieira, had refused to be a part of the deal which was being aggressively pursued by Williams. In fact, the GGMC Chairman had written to Vieira instructing him to prepare the cheque for the payment of the money to CH&PA. He impressed upon the Commissioner for the matter to be handled

“expeditiously.” Speaking to Kaieteur News yesterday afternoon, one of the GGMC Board members said, “Williams indeed pushed for this loan to be processed as quickly as possible in spite of the disapproval of other members on the Board. “I can say to you for sure that I was not in favour of it and I know that Vieira was against it. He made his concerns on the matter very clear to the other members of the Board too. But Williams had an agenda.” In late January, GGMC, via a joint statement with the Housing Authority, indicated that a Loan Agreement on the US$15M was signed. GGMC said that the submission of an investment proposal by the CH&PA stated that the monies will be loaned for a period of one year and used for the development of the housing sector. The Board of Directors of the Commission, it said, met and deliberated on the proposal submitted. It was noted that the interest rate being offered by CH&PA was five percent which was 3.2

Dem boys seh ...

Jagdeo surprise that so much money lef back Nobody can love money more than Bharrat Jagdeo and he kavakamites. Brassington is a big one in more ways than one and he is Jagdeo right hand. Dem can’t stop talk much less dream about money. Everything de coalition do is cuss from Jagdeo; every cent de coalition spend is more cuss because he think he and he kavakamites dem did move out all out of Guyana. De first cuss was when Soulja Bai get inaugurated at de stadium wha Jagdeo build. Every day he Jagdeo want know how much money spend. He vex because it wasn’t he. He did spend more than that on that special jet when he go to Florida fuh a simple fresh cold and to put de sturdy plug in ee. When every president get elect is a big occasion; is a big show. When Barack Obama get elect he made it into a showpiece that de world admired. Jagdeo more vex over de few penny Soulja Bai spend fuh clean up de city. He and Donald spend hundreds of millions of dollars every year of dem presidency fuh clean up but still li’l children squeezing dem nose going to school much less big people. Dem boys seh at least is only a few months into Soulja Bai term and de city done start looking back clean but other people seh it smelling better. Brassington black half-brother, Clinty de Willie, seh he can confirm wha dem boys seh. He carry some visitors around de town before he carry dem to eat jumbo prawns and big basha. Dem tell him how de city nice. He seh he woulda walk round wid dem bout he knee can’t tek de weight. Jagdeo vex bout other thing. When he meet wid Soulja Bai to talk bout de acting Chief Justice he tell Soulja Bai that he should pick de person based on seniority. Dem boys seh that Jagdeo eyes pass people, just like that pension wha he tek fuh heself. He never tell de truth then and he gun never tell de truth now. Indeed Judge Roy senior to Judge Cummings. When Jagdeo mek Carl Singh Chief Justice, Claudette Singh was senior. Talk half and do de Maths.

GGMC Commissioner, Rickford Vieira percent higher than what was currently being earned via the commercial banks and other investment options open to the Commission. The parties involved articulated that the loan is for a period of one year with interest calculated using the reducing balance. In the event CH&PA fails to repay the entire amount by the deadline, the Commission has the right to increase the interest rate to seven percent. GGMC said that at the level of the Board of Directors, it was agreed that the investment proposal was financially prudent and sound. And as such it was agreed to grant the loan subject to the terms and conditions enshrined in the Loan Agreement and any

GGMC Chairman, Clinton Williams additional guarantees required by the Commission. It claimed, also, that the CH&PA project is pivotal to the realization of the Government of Guyana’s strategic target of allocating 30,000 lots under the Adequate and Affordable Housing Programme in order to maintain momentum in the provision of service land in several areas on the East and West Demerara. The move was one that earned condemnation and harsh criticisms from various sections of the society including the political opposition. In fact , the then Opposition Leader, David Granger, had said that he felt this approval was not only out of order but outside of the law.

He said that his understanding is that the rules governing the expenditure of GGMC funds are clearly defined and that they are only supposed to be used for activities that can advance the work of the Commission. Granger had emphasized that it is outrageous that state funds which do not go into the Consolidated Funds could be used improperly for such a speculative matter in the housing sector.

Chairman of the GGMC Board, Clinton Williams, in spite of the concerns raised, insisted that the Commission’s action was within its laws. But his attempts to justify the decision taken by the Commission only served to rouse more criticisms and incite protests. The matter was eventually taken before the High Court and the Commission was asked by acting Chief Justice Ian Chang to justify the loan agreement. But after failing to do so, Chang quashed the matter and deemed the agreement to be null and void. After the May 11 elections, more documents surfaced which revealed that CH&PA had wanted restrictions lifted on the money, allowing the entity to use it for other purposes. An investigation into the loan agreement by the Granger administration eventually showed that while the Housing Authority had signed the agreement for the US$15M it so desperately needed, it had US$40M lying dormant in private accounts.

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Thursday December 10, 2015

=== The Freddie Kissoon column ===

Chant down Babylon! The crescendo to change the marijuana laws is occurring alongside some strange, unusual, mysterious actions by magistrates who loved to jail people for a few grams of marijuana. But first, the man whose imprisonment started the “itation” of intended change - Vibert Butts. Butts was a famous Guyanese footballer who has carved his name in sports history by becoming the first footballer to score a goal in the World Cup preliminary round against Surinam. Butts was jailed by Fabayo Azore for both possession of ganja and ownership of a smoking utensil. Since then, we have some strange movements in courts especially in the arena of Magistrate Ann McLennan. Here is a brief quote from my Monday column; “Crawford was sentenced to a fine of $15,000 along with six weeks

Magistrate Ann McLennan of community service. Taite was fined $5000 and ordered to perform six weeks of community service, while Augustus was fined $12,000 and ordered to perform five weeks of community service.” These three persons were arrested and charged in Kitty. Before the Butts tempest, one

Freddie Kissoon and Victor Butts could have predicted that a jail term would have been imposed. Then Magistrate McLennan had more surprises in store for human rights activists.

Six Lindeners charged for ganja trafficking last week were each assigned $20, 000. The fine for the Kitty trio and the modest bail for the six Lindeners were directions one could hardly believe the magistrate would have taken. Not only Ms. McLennan but all magistrates have a pattern of either remanding such accused or imposing a gargantuan bail that was beyond the reach of the defendant. In fact, Chief Justice Chang set an imposing bail on Butts. It amounted to over half a million dollars. On the conviction of possession of a smoking utensil, the Chief Justice assigned bail at $100,000. Persons can get jailed for the possession of a smoking utensil. As we are on the topic of the Chief Justice, I had several calls from curious folks asking me what the

connection is between Chief Mike and the Chief Justice, because in the caption of my Tuesday column, I mentioned Chief Mike. I did say there will be a forthcoming article on Chief Mike, so I’ll leave it there. Let’s get back to the cry for changes in the marijuana law. An elegant and illuminating letter has been published in the Tuesday, Dec 8 edition of this newspaper headlined, “Possession of 56 grams of ganja in Jamaica is not a criminal offence.” What a mess this country is and perhaps will always be. The number is not in the dozens but maybe in the hundreds of those who went to jail for far less than 56 grams of marijuana. The alleviation in the penalties is inevitable. The pressure is mounting on politicians to amend the law but there is also pressure from another quarter – African rights groups are beginning to realize that this 1987 law by President Desmond Hoyte has outlived any usefulness it ever had in the first place. African rights activists are bound to argue that Hoyte’s law is aimed at and has targeted specifically African youths. The issue is bound to manifest its ugly presence at both national and local elections in the immediate future. The jailing of Vibert Butts has propelled the abomination of the harsh marijuana sentencing into the national spotlight. Why in so many countries, a small amount of marijuana is legal but people could be hauled before the courts for a gram of ganja in Guyana?

Frederick Kissoon As the letter referred to above states, in Jamaica possession of 56 grams is not a criminal offence. What should not escape the attention of the critics of this law is the fact that it is also being used by policemen to target only one section of the Guyanese society, and it allows too much latitude to magistrates who are u n r e a s o n a b l e , unconscionable humans. The Vibert Butts case has a dimension to it that is sad. He was a famous footballer whose legacy galvanized others to highlight his case, including this columnist. But think of the hundreds who didn’t have the status of a Vibert Butts. Their lives have been destroyed. We have no study available but the number of young men who have had their future devastated by the imprisonment for tiny amounts of marijuana must be staggering. The second most evil aspect of the marijuana tragedy is the use of the police force to hunt down these people. Just last week they raided a sports complex in Linden and went on the roof to charge six men for ganja possession. Who is the police force directing these ranks to pursue ganja smokers and not big cocaine traffickers?

Five of the six men who were placed on modest bail for ganja possession

Thursday December 10, 2015

Kaieteur News

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Kaieteur News

Thursday December 10, 2015

Former Guyana Ambassador Linden Enterprise Network to urges talks with new be officially launched today Venezuelan legislature After years in limbo...

By Enid Joaquin Entrepreneurs across Linden and Region 10 will finally be afforded the opportunity to access loans to further expand or consolidate their businesses, when the Linden Enterprise Network (LEN) gives out its first set of loans today. This will be done during the official launch of the entity at 10:00hrs by President David Granger, who will be gracing the occasion and will personally hand out some of the loans. The President is also expected to unveil the new ‘Welcome To Linden’ sign, which was donated by mobile network giant Digicel, and later have lunch at the Watooka Complex, where several residents are expected to join him. LEN’s new board was inaugurated last year January, after the entity had remained in limbo for years, after taking over from its predecessor LEAP (Linden Economic Advancement Programme). LEN was established after LEAP’s existence ended in December of 2009.

But there were more questions than answers, as regards LEN’s role, as business persons became increasingly frustrated over the unavailability of funds to further develop their businesses. CEO of LEN Valerie Adams-Patterson said that it had become embarrassing when persons requested loans. “People were approaching us for loans and we couldn’t deliver, and we couldn’t tell them when we would have been able to do so - so it was really embarrassing. Patterson said that things have however changed and several persons that have applied for the loans, and whose applications were approved, would be receiving their loans today. LEN was appropriated $155 million by the Granger administration in its very first budget, Adams-Patterson said. She noted that out of that amount, $100 million will be used to facilitate the loans, while the remainder was used in the rehabilitation of the entity’s headquarters on Republic Avenue. The

expenditure included the installation of new air conditioning units, proper lighting and the purchase of new computers and other equipment. A part of the money was also utilized to rehabilitate a few of the company vehicles, she added. Like its predecessor, LEN is expected to boost the economic viability of Linden and Region Ten. LEAP along with its sister entity LEAF (Linden Economic Advancement Fund), was designed to provide loans for business development in the Region. Some 701 loans were reportedly granted under LEAF, totalling in excess of $732M. But the entity was roundly criticised by Lindeners, who felt that the organization had not quite fulfilled the purpose for which it was established, which was to help create a more viable economic climate and provide more jobs. The entity in its seven years of existence was not quite successful in (continued on page 24)

A former Guyanese Ambassador to Venezuela said Tuesday, that his Government should engage with the opposition parties who just won control of the Venezuelan legislature to assess their view on the longstanding border controversy between the two countries. In a broadcast interview, Odeen Ishmael, said that it will be important for Georgetown to interact with the Democratic Unity Roundtable, known by the Spanish acronym MUD, which won at least 99 of the 167 seats in Sunday’s elections. “We haven’t heard their opinion on it as yet. And remember, they are the ones who will now be calling the shots in the National Assembly,” Ishmael said. He pointed out that Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro “stated that they are not interested in the UN Secretary-General deciding to ask the International Court for an opinion” on the territorial dispute. “If the MUD has a different view, then it will help us to understand how a future MUD administration will act in relation to the border controversy,” Ishmael said. Ishmael, who served as Georgetown’s envoy to Caracas from 2003 to 2011,

noted that even sectors of Maduro’s United Socialist Party of Venezuela prefer a softer approach to the border controversy. At the same time, the former ambassador cautioned against assuming that MUD would withdraw Venezuela’s claim to Essequibo, a resource-rich area of 167,839 sq. kilometers (64,800 sq. miles) now administered by Guyana. Sadio Garavini, a former Venezuelan Ambassador to Guyana, favours improving relations with Georgetown, Ishmael said. “He has always been very keen to cement better relations with Guyana and so it will be useful to initiate conversations with him,” Ishmael said of Garavini, who was posted to Georgetown in the 1980s. Ishmael said the key is finding out where the Venezuelan opposition stands on taking the quarrel to the International Court of Justice in The Hague. Guyana hopes to obtain a favourable ruling from the ICJ to reassure potential foreign investors about ventures in Essequibo. An arbitration panel awarded the territory to Guyana, then still a British colony, in 1899, but more than 60 years later, the U.S.

MPI installs streetlights in Timehri North

Odeen Ishmael government provided Venezuela with information indicating that the panel’s decision was the result of favoritism. Based on that information, Venezuela secured a UN resolution calling for negotiations over the status of Essequibo. The long-simmering boundary controversy took on new urgency May 20, when a subsidiary of U.S.based ExxonMobil announced the discovery of a significant oil deposit in the coastal waters of Essequibo. A week later, Maduro issued a decree asserting Venezuelan sovereignty over those waters. (www.laht.com)

The Ministry of Public Infrastructure (MPI) has installed streetlights in Timehri North, a week after Minister David Patterson visited the area. The action was taken in an attempt to make the community safer for the residents, particularly schoolchildren. The residents, during the meeting held with Minister Patterson on November 29, last, had the opportunity to voice their issues and solutions for the community. Among the problems outlined was the lack of streetlights in the area. Many residents expressed concern for the safety of late workers and schoolchildren, and opined that streetlights would go a far way in reducing crime. Hence, MPI saw it fit to provide the community with this much-needed infrastructure. On Sunday December 6, 2015, a total of nine 250W lamps were installed, from the “Prison Road” to the “Amerijet Junction”. Residents have expressed gratitude to the Ministry for its swift action.

Thursday December 10, 2015

Kaieteur News

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ADVOCATING THE RIGHTS OF ABUSED CHILDREN Two little girls aged five and seven, were sexually abused by their mother’s boyfriend and subsequently taken into local authority care. The trauma of being taken away from everything they knew as normal: their home, their school, their mother, their Aunty and Grandmother’s care, must have had a negative impact on them initially. They were thrust into the institutional care of strangers and made to live among children of various ages who had undergone similar traumas in their short lives. Although they were the victims of a crime, they were made to pay a sad price, by being institutionalized, all because of a mother who failed to protect them and a wanton, fiendish act by a man who has little or no morals. Like most children, they adapted to their fate; they learnt the regulations and abided by the rules; this was their new home. It was also a chapter of their childhood that would no doubt be with them for the rest of their lives. While they were in care, the perpetrator who was initially locked up pending trial had obtained a lawyer to defend his case. Seemingly the law was doing the correct

thing in striving to obtain justice for the victims. However, contrary to striving for justice, the fact is that, on several occasions over a span of two to three years these young girls were whisked away from the children’s home, in care of a social worker and made to attend the daunting environment of a court of law. They were questioned by a defence lawyer like criminals and liars and made to tell the story of their ordeal over and over again, even though medical evidence would have already proven that they had been sexually molested and they had already identified their molester. As adults we never like to be reminded of anything that may have caused us undue distress or upset in anyway, yet where was the consideration given to the anguish or the long term affects that attending court, (due to sexual molestation) would have on two young children? This was, and in some cases, still is, our system here in Guyana. Children are molested, their innocent childhoods snatched away. They are then hurled into a world of investigations, interviews,

examinations and sometimes even accusations, where sometimes very little sensitivity is shown to their plight or to their psychological disposition. Surely this is an infringement and violation of their human rights. Furthermore in this particular case, after so many years in care and after so many court appearances, the girls received no justice. Their molester was never sentenced. Today he is walking the streets, possibly in a new relationship, where he is free to molest other children, and the girls are living with an extended family member. In 2013 The Child Care and Protection Agency partnered with two local NGO’s “Child LinK Inc”. and “Forward Guyana” and along with their development partner, the Delegation of the European Union they worked to establish Child Advocacy Centres in Regions Three, Four and Five. Child Advocacy centres (CAC) have been set up as a way of ensuring a safe, moreco-ordinated and efficient service for children who have been abused. The CAC lessens the trauma for the child who is

Truck driver dies after slamming into utility pole Reckless driving on the Good Hope, East Coast Demerara (ECD) Public Road, allegedly caused the death of 50-year-old Youghraj Singh of Lot 30 B Coverden, on the East Bank Demerara (EBD) early yesterday. The father of three was pronounced dead on arrival at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation a little after 02:00 hrs yesterday. The police said that investigations so far have revealed that Singh was driving the vehicle along the roadway, allegedly at a fast rate, when he lost control and collided with a utility pole. The accident occurred some time after 01:00 hr yesterday, just after Singh had delivered a truck load of sand for a block maker at Good Hope, and was making his way home. Madera Singh, the man’s daughter, said that she was informed that her father swerved from an object on the roadway and ended up hitting the utility pole. She said that he somehow managed to swerve back into his lane where he then collapsed in the truck. According to Singh, early yesterday one of her neighbours called and informed her that there was

Dead: Youghraj Singh news at the sand pit, that her father was involved in an accident on the ECD. Just as she was talking with her neighbour, she received a telephone call from one of her father’s friends, who informed her that he had taken the man to the hospital after finding him unconscious. “When I went to the hospital, he was already dead. The doctor said that he died on arrival. I saw him lying on the bed and there was blood coming out from his nose and mouth,” the younger Singh related.

She said that her father’s friend, a truck driver, told her that he was in Good Hope and that he passed and saw her father had parked on the road. “He said that he thought my father had a flat tyre so he stopped to help but then he realized that he didn’t have a flat.” According to Singh, the man went to the driver’s side of the truck and saw the father of three in a sitting position with his head on the steering wheel and thought that he was sleeping. “He said he held onto his shirt to wake him but when he pulled, my father didn’t move then he realized that something was wrong. He and the man my father took sand for took him to the hospital,” the younger Singh related. The woman said that her father was in the truck for more than 15 minutes before he was taken to hospital. “The incident happened a short distance from where he dropped off the sand and no one offered any help. People said they only see the truck parked up there and didn’t know it was an accident,” An angry Singh revealed. A Post Mortem examination will be done on Friday.

making the statement about abuse: this is done by allowing the child to speak with a trained counsellor while being recorded on camera. This is known as Forensic Interviewing. Once the interview has taken place, the child will not have to repeat his or her story again at different times to various bodies such as child protection officers, medical

staff, the Police, Lawyers and the Judiciary. The Child Advocacy Centres fall under the Ministry of Social Protection’s ‘Child Protection Programme’, with an oversight from the ‘Childcare and Protection Agency’. In order for these centres to be used to their optimum capacity, collaboration between

interested bodies must exist. A representative from each relevant sector must attend the interview and watch the process in an adjoining room. This is called a multidiscipline approach, where persons from the law enforcement, the child protective services and mental health and medical profession, sit together, study (continued on page 24)

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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 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: 6831312, 627-3206 Building Contractor, house plan, general home maintenance, free estimatesCall: 216-0671; 622-0267; 6928464 Graphic Designing: Brochures, Funeral Programs, Printing Ads, Business Cards, etc. emAgination: 6487606 or email: anil_naraine@yahoo.com

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 Cooks to work in Trinidad, must be experienced in Indian and English dishes- Call Selwyn in Trinidad- 001-868680-2083 Waitress to work at a bar (live in or out)- Call: 612-2522 Attractive live in waitressCall: 327-0252/674-4665 OFFICE CLERK NEEDED: MUST HAVE COMPUTER KNOWLEDGE, CXC IN MATH, ENGLISH, ACCOUNTINGAND OFFICE WORK EXPERIENCE. CALL: 231-8529; 231-8344 BOND WORKER/ PARTTIME DRIVER. MONDAY TO SATURDAY, OVER 21 AND WITH POLICE CLEARANCE. CALL: 231-8529; 231-8344 WANTED TO BUY ONE 580C HYMAC EXCAVATOR CONTACT 223-5273/4 2 Skilled Mason to plaster a building for $2,000 – Call: 6762524

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 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 One office clerk to work at a Welding, Fabrication and Machinery EstablishmentCall: 254-0611 Desk staff (male), ages 2545yrs- Tel: 225-0198 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 1 Welder; apply at Alabama Trading Georgetown, Ferry Stelling. Labourer and cleaner-Tel: 695-0007

Thursday December 10, 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 3 Bedrooms for rent @ Lot 3 Norton Street Lousia RowCall: 682-9021

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

CRV EXCELLENT CONDITION, 1998CC, ALARM, DVD, MAGRIM, CLEAN ENGINE & BODYCALL: 684-5868

ACCOMODATION Saturdays & Sundays after lunch @ Inner Retreat Hotel Parika: Bar-B-Que & games: pools, darts, table tennis etc – Phone: 260-4504. Inner Retreat Hotel Restaurant & Bar, Retreat Road Parika. Indoor /Outdoor bar in Picturesque setting – Phone: 260-4504; 685-6934 TOURS Suriname Old years into new- exciting fireworks, shopping, site-seeing & tours (Dec 30th- Jan 3rd). Call: 665-5171, 639-2663

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 1 Toyota Corolla Fielder PMM series in good condition. New tyres. $1.3MTel: 266-5282 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

Great Deals on video games & all gaming consoles. PC, phone games & applications. Delivery also – Call: 672-2566; 265-3232

AT192, 212, Allion, unregistered Premio, Hilux Surf, BNN, RZ & Pit-bull, 7 seater super custom. Cash / terms- Call:680-3154

New and used parts for all types refrigerators, air conditioners, microwaves, stoves, washers etc.- call: 233-2008/ 613-8800

Smart Choice Auto: Premio, Allion, Bluebird, 212, IST, Fielder, Spacio- Call: 6523820/ 665-4529

One property in Nandy Park and one complete dredge for sale- Call: 642-3808, 644-7207 33.6 Acre Farm Land, located at Linden/ Soesdyke Highway also ideal for poultry farm –Call: 225-7794; 679-1151 TIBETAN TERRIORS (FLUFFY) PUPS- CALL: 222-7891; 609-9202 Concrete Stall @ Bourda – Call: 692-7888, 610-0227 One Daihatsu Bego/RushContact: 691-1161

Dairy Cow, breeding goat, ram & ewe –Call: 699-1069; 226-1322

LAND FOR SALE

VEHICLE FOR SALE

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

Pure bred pit-bull pups for sale –Contact Lisa: 697-8867

CAR RENTAL

DOLLY’S CAR RENTALCALL: 225-7126/226-3693 DOLLYSAUTORENTAL@ YAHOO.COM/WWW. DOLLYSAUTORENTAL.COM

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

One two bedrooms flat @ East Bank Demerara-$40,000 –Call: 666-5114

PROGRESSIVE CAR RENTAL:CARS&SUV FOR RENTAL- $4,000 & UP PER DAY- CALL: 643-5122, 6560087 , EMAIL: PRO_ AUTO RENTAL@YAHOO. COM

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

1 N i n t e n d o Wi i game console with 1 game $16,000, 1 Xbox (first box) with 30 games -$15,000- Call: 6219604, 694-1748 1 Nintendo DS Lite with 4 games $15,000, 1 Dell XPS M140 laptop C -$47,000, 1 Dell Precision M60 laptop $30,000 - Call: 621-9604, 6941748 1 Toshiba satellite C655 laptop -$60,000, 1 Bosch hand sander -$18,000, Dewalt 7 1/4" circle saw -$35,000Call: 621-9604, 694-1748

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 For Sale: Model M winch, dump, 5 Speed, rough body $3M or best offer –Call: 2665647

LEARN TO DRIVE Soman Son & Outar Driving School at Maraj Building- Tel:644-5166; 622-2872; 615-0964; 6895997 PEN PAL American Indian Male is seeking female, age 32plus, no texting –call: 679-9646 Continued on page 23

Thursday December 10, 2015

Kaieteur News

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Letters... Where your views make the news Letters... Where your views make the news

Can there be such a thing as an Four methods to use to exorcise racism inter-denominational prayer?

DEAR EDITOR, We welcome the Government’s initiative to review Christian prayers in public schools. As secularists, we believe that religion is a private matter. When it comes to educational institutions, it should be a matter of public interest. The Ministry of Education acknowledges that government needs to uphold secular ideals given Guyana’s confrontation with pluralism. Before Guyana’s independence, British colonialism brought Anglican Christianity to our shores. One of their main interests in colonizing the Caribbean and other parts of the world was to spread Christianity as a global religion. The Ministry of Education realizes that the current institutionalized prayers in public schools is a relic of our colonial past and must be rejected since Guyana is not theocratically governed. As such, we support the government’s call to rid colonial relics of our past from our public institutions. However, there is a problem with the approach the Ministry of Education is taking that we should confront. The Ministry proposes to have “Inter-denominational prayers” to replace the currently dominant Christianthemed prayers; a sort of universal prayer that fits everyone’s religious convictions. It is our understanding that intentions to implement this have already begun. According to the Ministry’s reasoning, universal prayers could “apply to all religions rather than to any single denomination”, a move they see as “the only policy” that balances plurality and reinforce Guyana’s integrity as a secular nation. We strongly disagree. This proposal is counter-intuitive for a number of reasons, but we will highlight two important concerns to consider. Firstly, the term “inter-denominational” is ambiguous. Guyana consists of three major religions (majority faiths that people subscribe to) and within these major faiths, there are denominations or sects with orthodox and dissenting views. For instance, Christianity consists of Anglicanism (the majority denomination), Catholicism, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Christadelphians, and so on. Hinduism consists of Shaivism, Vaishnavism and Shaktism. Islam consists of Sunni (the majority denomination), Shia, and Sufism. There are faiths which are non-theistic, such as Buddhism. There are also the irreligious - people who do not subscribe to religion. By now

you can tell that being “interdenominational” poses a serious challenge; one that questions whether the government should have an obligation to address theological compatibility in order to come up with an inter-denominational prayer. But how can it be practically possible to mend all of these different ideologies together and package it as a ‘one-fits-all’ prayer? Doing so is an unrealistic theological project by itself, since monotheistic faiths are incompatible with polytheistic faiths. Even non-theistic views, such as Buddhism may have compatibility issues with monotheism and polytheism. Furthermore, it would seem to neglect, either inadvertently or intentionally, minority groups of people, including children, who do not have a religious view. So we think this sort of approach would be very impractical. Secondly, religious people are assured constitutional protection: the freedom to practice or manifest one’s religion, and the freedom to be religious. This is further assured under the constitutional principle of freedom of conscience or belief and to profess those beliefs. Additionally, the constitutional declaration of freedom of conscience also protects an individual from imposition or indoctrination of conscience against one’s will. Since public institutions are funded by all members of society (religious and irreligious) the government has only one obligation: to meet the demand of inclusivity in the interest of all its stakeholders. And because public schools are accessible to all children, regardless of religious convictions or belief, the government’s obligation to meet inclusivity is arguably best met with neutrality. That means public schools should be free from religious or government dictation, and let our afforded constitutional freedoms be practiced

without coercion or mandatory observances that would impede upon freedom of conscience. Institutions of religious practice (churches, temples and mosques) have the freedom to instill religious doctrines in those who voluntarily desire to have it so by attending these institutions of worship, and quite interestingly free from government dictation. How, then, do we address this complexity of pluralism? We would like to suggest two possible solutions. 1) A moment of silence without a particular religious preference or 2) Government neutrality, which implies that government would exclude itself completely from mandating allotted time to pray or observe in the interest of religion. (We feel that this translates to state promotion of religion and would therefore privilege religion above other worldviews, including nonreligious worldviews). The former suggestion has been implemented in many countries, although we would like to emphasize that it is not the only approach to reconcile religious pluralism. The latter suggestion has been manifested as a constitutional declaration under the principle of the ‘separation of

Church and State’ in countries such as the United States of America, where religious plurality is best recognized and safeguarded under secular principles. We therefore would like to encourage the Ministry of Education to carefully think through its proposal. Institutionalized prayers of any form in public schools may be detrimental to the government’s sincere intention of promoting social cohesion in Guyanese society. It is important to keep in mind that any consideration of inclusion should also extend to children who may not hold religious views or parents who may not want their child to be coerced by religion through state sanctioned religious practices. Respecting pluralism means to respect difference, including our diverse worldviews. We believe that plurality in our society is what contributes to our collective Guyanese identity. Ferlin Pedro Mahendra Doraisami Nastassia Romanova Lisa Sharma Raul Mohan Brittanny Singh Derek Gomes Guyana Secular Humanist Association

Unfortunately, it is... From page 4 effective, cheap and highly feasible alternatives available including – other types of operant conditioning with a focus on reward/reinforcement schemes rather than

whacking. Reward/ reinforcement schemes have broad appeal and are particularly suitable for a country like ours where poverty soars. Dr. Cecil Dilip Kumar

The police force is... From page 5 previous others, I am calling on the President, the Minister of Home Affairs, and the Chief of Police to give this matter their urgent attention. Again I say a change is not out of range, for if crime is a major problem then polic-

ing cannot also be part of that list. The Police Force must be restored, replete with competent and incorruptible representatives thereby standing true to its mission statement. We are still in need of a force of which we can be proud. Yvonne Sam.

from Guyana

DEAR EDITOR, The most important question we should be asking ourselves is what do we do to build a better Guyana? And the real answer is a yet to be realized in actions. Since we are not able to make decisions based on ideas and strategies and we are still voting for race, we are moving from one extreme to the next, which is counterproductive and at the detriment of the youths. The hope to have political and economic parity as a collective, regardless of race, is in great crisis like never before in Guyana. But our politicians pretends this is not so and behave like everything is normal under their rule. But we must accept that the country is divided down the middle and it is not because I am saying it now, it is more of an historical disease without a cure so far. For us to change the course of our country’s disastrous history, there are four basic premises that all of us must embrace sooner than later. Of course these are not the only premises but from my experience as an average Guyanese, they are critical. The first premise is we must consciously separate politics from our ability to develop as a people. In other words we must relegate politics to its original function of state affairs and public service. We must nurture the practice of self-development and community strengthening through micro economics, collective security and leadership. Secondly we must see politics as a process based on ideas and measurable successful outcomes and not race. When we move away from the primitive and insecure behavior of race politics and move towards ideas, Guyana will see a transformation for the greater good. We have to come to the realization that the ability to be great politicians is not limited to race but can be demonstrated in any skin color.

Third, we have to quickly learn to embrace unity based on reason in the interest of the country. By sharing ideas and working together for common solutions for Guyana, we will inevitably build a higher level of understanding and trust for each other. Functional pluralism is achievable and it is vital for our success. Finally, the private sector has a moral and patriotic duty to foster an environment of race free relations that should be coded in their policies of conduct and procedures. By creating a business culture on racial parity and being corporate citizens free of race identification, we will see a culture of respect and working together evolve more quickly. From my observation and experience, our greatest weakness has been fear for each other, I see Indians acting the way they do out of a sense of fear of Africans and Africans portraying a behavior of intimidation because of insecurity. This dynamic has spiraled into a fault line driven so deeply into our country that if we don’t act soon, it will require generations to reverse it. Malcolm Watkins

From page 30

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. 2 Bedrooms house @ Good Hope E.C.D –Call: 662-9043

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Thursday December 10, 2015

Drunken getaway driver Timehri woman found guilty on narcotics charge, mother freed knocks down farmer ..then crashes into truck about 30 miles away A 60-year-old drunken hire car driver who on Tuesday morning stuck down and injured a cattle farmer on the No.19 Public Road, then failed to stop, is now in hot water. During his getaway bid he reportedly crashed into a truck at Bath, West Coast Berbice, before being nabbed by police. The man, Mohamed Khan, a hire car driver of 110 Mon Repos North Squatting area, was driving his motor car HC1209 at a fast rate in the vicinity of the Borlam Turn entering the No.19 straight road. He lost control and crashed into Dwayne North of Gibraltar Village, Corentyne, Berbice who was cycling on the road. North reportedly saw the car coming and headed for the corner, but was followed and struck down by the errant driver. The man instead of

stopping continued to drive in his escape bid. The entire incident was witnesed by a minibus full of passengers. The driver gave chase, but Mohamed was able to escape as he entered the Berbice Bridge access road on his way back to his destination. A report of the accident was made and the police responded immediately. Collecting vital information including the vehicle number, the cops sprang into action. An all station alert was sounded while road blocks were set up at the Fort Wellington Police station. The police after patrolling and waiting for some time at the road block did not see the car coming. They subsequently heard of an accident involving a car and a truck at Bath on the West Coast Berbice and decided to investigate. Upon arriving at

the scene they realized that it was the same vehicle they were looking for. The drunken driver reportedly lost control and crashed into the truck. The driver was taken into custody and tested for alcohol. He was found to be way above the limit. In the meanwhile North, 39, was picked up and rushed to the New Amsterdam hospital where he was admitted for emergency treatment. He was diagnosed with a broken left arm and several fractures on his right foot. He was subsequently transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital for further treatment. Khan who had a passenger in the vehicle reportedly told persons around that he was not drunk, that it was overnight drinks. He is in custody and charges are likely shortly.

After 10 months of trial, Magistrate Leron Daly found a Timehri woman guilty of trafficking in narcotics and remanded her to prison. Attorney Nigel Hughes had requested that his client be sentenced below the minimum penalty for the offence. The woman, Tanunza Solomon, of Timehri Dock Area, East Bank Demerara was convicted yesterday for having 10 grams of cocaine in her possession for the purpose of trafficking. She was busted with the drug on October 14, 2013, at Timehri. After hearing the Magistrate’s decision, Attorney Hughes made his request. According to Hughes, any attempt by a Magistrate to impose a mandatory minimum sentence without exercising her independent discretion would be unconstitutional. The lawyer argued that the required minimum sentencing for this offence is unconstitutional and referred to Article 153 of the Constitution of the Republic of Guyana. Hughes said that under this Article, the Magistrate has no jurisdiction to

determine constitutional matters. In this regard, he requested that the matter be referred to the High Court, which has the jurisdiction to handle the matter. In addition, the lawyer asked that a probation report be prepared for his client. This was approved by the Magistrate. Thereafter, the Magistrate informed Tanunza Solomon that they were some legal challenges preventing her from imposing a sentence on her for the offence. She was remanded to prison and ordered to return to court tomorrow, when a decision is expected to be made. Solomon’s mother, Margo Solomon, was also slapped with the same charge. However, when the matter came up yesterday, the Magistrate informed the court that there was not sufficient evidence to tie the older Solomon to the crime. She informed the court that she found the woman not guilty and dismissed the charge against her in the Providence Magistrate’s Court. A total of four witnesses testified on behalf of the prosecution, led by Police

Inspector Michael Grant. In delivering her decision to Tanunza Solomon, Magistrate Daly said that she believed the case of the prosecution and pointed to the fact that none of its witnesses were discredited. According to court facts, on the day in question, the police acting on information, went to the home of the two, at Timehri. Upon arrival at the premises, the police contacted Margo Solomon, who was seated in the verandah. The woman was informed of the reason for the lawmen’s presence and called out to her daughter, who was inside the home. When the police entered the home, they saw Tanunza Solomon running from east to west with something inside her hand. The police pursued the woman and relived her of a transparent bag containing the illicit substance. Margo Solomon and her daughter were told of the offence, cautioned and taken to the Timehri Police Station, where the charge was instituted. They had initially pleaded not guilty to the charge and were granted bail by the High Court.

ADVOCATING THE RIGHTS OF ... From page 21 the case and work out the best way forward for a successful prosecution. Inter-agency association means less anguish for the child victim and their families: they don’t have to go to several agencies, repeating the same story each time. It also promotes a consistent and more effective service where relevant bodies can collaborate on a number of child protection issues. This, no doubt, will result in the more successful prosecution of perpetrators. There can never be too many facilities for children in Guyana, and the entire concept behind Child Advocacy centres signify a step in the right direction for the protection of those

children who need a special kind of assistance in order to relate and cope with the undesirable experiences they have encountered. What the two little girls went through on a number of levels was a violation of their rights. First the sexual abuse, then the separation from family, then the court appearances and testaments: imagine, sexually abused children being made to stand up in a court of law to testify, or visiting different agencies or establishments where they have to go over the details of their abuse again and again. It could never be right. It is clear to see that Child Advocacy Centres are very much needed in Guyana and the use of their facilities should be mandatory for all

cases of abuse against children. Greater commitment, dedication and collaboration from the respective agencies and especially the Government of Guyana are essential. This will help to enhance and establish the sustainability of these centres and ensure Human Rights for our most vulnerable citizens - our children. Human Rights Day is commemorated annually to remind people that everyone is entitled to basic human rights. Everyone has the right to be treated fairly and with dignity, without stigmatizationn discrimination or prejudice. Let us continually work towards empowering Human Rights here in Guyana.

Linden Enterprise Network to ... From page 12 diversifying what is commonly known as the mining town, into a town that

depended less heavily on bauxite as its mainstay. During LEAP’s operations, some $40 million was spent in establishing the Region Ten Business Centre, $100 million on the River Front Development Project, including the $43.9M Egbert Benjamin Exhibition and Conference Centre at Mackenzie and the $18M spent to rehabilitate and enhance the River Front, in the Coop Crescent vicinity. Other projects included

the establishment of a farm at Moblissa on the Linden/ Soesdyke Highway, to offer technical support to farmers within the Region, and the rehabilitation of the Linden/ Georgetown bus park. LEAP was launched with 12 million euros; 1.9 million euros of that sum was allotted to LEAF, the lending arm of the organization. LEAP utilized the remainder for administration, technical assistance and infrastructural development.

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Kaieteur News

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Thursday December 10, 2015

Brazil opposition draws first blood in Rousseff impeachment fight

Dilma Rousseff

Brasília (AFP) - Brazil’s Supreme Court suspended action by a special congressional commission weighing impeachment proceedings against embattled President Dilma Rousseff. The move freezes the impeachment process until December 16 when the court convenes for a full session. Brazil’s first female president, a moderate leftist, is accused of illegal budgeting maneuvers, but says the practices were long accepted by previous governments. She calls the attempt to bring her down a “coup.” Rousseff is fighting for her political life just one year into her second term at the head of the world’s seventh biggest economy. The commission is charged with studying the case, then making a recom-

mendation to the lower house of Congress, where a twothirds vote would be required to put Rousseff on trial in the upper house and possibly force her from office. The unrest is stirring passions across the South American country of 204 million people, where Rousseff’s Workers’ Party has been in power since 2003 with the help of its often uncomfortable partner the centrist PMDB. Deputies either in open opposition or part of the ruling coalition yet favoring impeachment took 39 of 65 seats on the newly formed commission after a chaotic voting process that erupted in shouting and pushing. This did not bode well for Rousseff, who on paper has the numbers between her Workers’ Party and main coa-

lition ally PMDB to survive. 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. If Rousseff is forced from office, Temer would become interim president. The turmoil has alarmed markets, already bruised by recession and a huge corruption scandal centered on state oil company Petrobras. Andre Perfeito, chief economist at Gradual Investimentos, referred to a “climate of war.”

Another Paris attacker named, had been in Syria

(Reuters) - The third man who attacked the Bataclan concert hall in Paris on Nov. 13 has been identified as a 23-year-old French national who went to Syria two years ago, according to officials involved in the inquiry into the multiple attacks on the French capital. Investigators identified Foued MohamedAggad as one of three Islamist gunmen who killed 90 people at the Bataclan after his mother told them that she had been informed of his death by text message from Syria, a lawyer for the dead man’s family said. Two of the three attackers killed themselves by exploding their suicide vests and another was shot dead by police. Officials have yet to put names to all of eight dead gunmen and suicide bombers directly involved in last month’s attacks, for which Islamic State, a militant group that controls swathes of Syria and Iraq, claimed responsibility. They managed to identify Mohamed-Aggad after being alerted by his mother and then matching her DNA to his. “The SMS message told her that her son had died, saying: “He died on November 13 with his brothers”,” said Francoise Cotta, lawyer for the mother and her family, who said

the woman got the text message 10 days ago. “She was instantly struck by the horrific thought that he might have been one of the Bataclan suicide attackers,” said Cotta, adding that she was asked by the dead man’s mother to get in touch with investigators. Mohamed-Aggad went to Syria in late 2013 with a gang of others from his neighbourhood in an area outside the eastern French city of Strasbourg. Seven of the group were arrested in May 2014 after returning to France. It remained unclear when and how Mohamed-Aggad returned to France, where intelligence services are under scrutiny over their monitoring of the movements of homegrown jihadists. His older brother Karim, who also went to Syria, is in jail in France, the officials said. The Bataclan shootings were part of a coordinated attack in Paris in which assailants killed 130 people at a string of cafes, near a sports stadium and at the Bataclan. The other two attackers at the concert hall have been named as Samy Amimour, 28, from Drancy, north east of Paris, and Ismail Omar Mostefai, 29, a Frenchman of Algerian descent who lived for a time in Chartres, south west of Paris.

Thursday December 10, 2015

Kaieteur News

German chancellor Merkel named TIME’S ‘PERSON OF THE YEAR’ (Reuters) - Time magazine named German Chancellor Angela Merkel its 2015 “Person of the Year” yesterday, noting her resilience and leadership when faced with the refugee crisis and turmoil in the European Union over its currency this year. In a statement explaining the magazine’s choice, managing editor Nancy Gibbs said despite crises in the region that caused “reason to wonder whether Europe could continue to exist,” Merkel, 61, emerged as an “indispensable player.” “For asking more of her country than most politicians would dare, for standing firm against tyranny as well as expedience and for providing steadfast moral leadership in a world where it is in short supply, Angela Merkel is TIME’s Person of the Year,” Gibbs wrote. In response to the news, Merkel spokesman Steffen Seibert told a government news conference: “I am sure the chancellor will cherish this as an incentive in her job.” Merkel celebrated her 10year anniversary as chancellor last month, making her the European Union’s longestserving leader. For years she was seen as a cautious, risk-averse leader who paid close attention to public opinion in formulating policy. But her leadership in the Ukraine crisis last year, her clinching of a deal this summer to keep Greece in the euro zone and her stance in the refugee crisis have changed that view. In late August, when tens of thousands of migrants fleeing war in the Middle East streamed into Hungary, threatening a humanitarian

German Chancellor Angela Merkel appears on the cover of Time Magazine’s Person of the Year issue in this undated handout photo obtained by Reuters yesterday. (Reuters/Time Inc./Handout via Reuters) crisis, Merkel agreed to suspend the European Union’s asylum rules and allow them to continue into Germany. She declared to skeptical countrymen: “Wir schaffen das,” which translates as, “We can do this.” Her “open-door” stance has led to a fall in support for her conservatives and in her own popularity ratings, which have slid to 54 percent from 75 percent over eight months. Time also noted her leadership this year in leading the West’s response to Vladimir Putin’s “creeping theft of

Ukraine” and welcoming refugees to Germany despite “the reflex to slam doors, build walls and trust no one.” Merkel topped a short list of finalists that included U.S. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, who came in third, and Islamic State leader Abu Bakr alBaghdadi, who was runnerup. She is the first individual woman to hold the title since Corazon Aquino in 1986, though women have been honored as part of a group. Last year, a group of Ebola doctors and survivors won the title.

French bird flu outbreak spreads with four new cases

France has discovered four more cases of highly pathogenic bird flu in the southwest of the country, including one in the HauteVienne region that was previously unaffected, the farm ministry said yesterday. France has now reported 10 outbreaks of avian influenza since a case last month in Dordogne that marked the first known occurrence of the virus in eight years in the European Union’s biggest agricultural producer. In the latest cases, the H5N1 strain of the virus was detected at a poultry farm in HauteVienne, while bird flu was also found at three more farms in Dordogne, mostly involving ducks, the ministry said in a statement. Previous reported cases have also included two in the Landes region. There is no evidence that bird flu can be

transmitted to humans via food, but France is facing restrictions from trading partners on products as well as live poultry animals. Eight countries have restricted imports of French poultry birds and products due to the outbreak, including Japan which is France’s biggest export market for foie gras. The wave of bird flu is affecting France’s major foie gras producing region, coming just before demand peaks over the year-end holiday season. Certain strains of bird flu such as H5N1 have infected and in some cases killed people in direct contact with sick animals, notably in Asia, but the French authorities have said the H5N1 detected appeared to be unlike an the strain known in Asia. France has also detected H5N2 and H5N9 strains among the recent cases.

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Kaieteur News

Thursday December 10, 2015

Greece moves stranded migrants to Athens from tense border (Reuters) - Greek police rounded up some 2,300 migrants who had been stranded for three weeks at the border with Macedonia and transported them to Athens yesterday, dashing their hopes of

seeking asylum in northern Europe. Scuffles broke out but not on the scale of recent clashes between police and the migrants, who are mostly from Pakistan, Morocco, Algeria

and Somalia. They have been encamped in squalid, freezing conditions near the town of Idomeni after Macedonia began filtering migrants by nationality on Nov. 19. Some 350 police were involved in transferring them, out of sight of media cameras, on 45 buses to an indoor sports stadium in Athens used for taekwondo during the 2004 Olympic Games and to disused premises at the former Athens airport of Hellinikon. A police official said the migrants had been given 30 days to leave the country but were not in detention. If they are caught in Greece after the deadline expires, they will be arrested and deported. However several of their home states do not have readmission agreements with Greece. Last week Pakistan refused to take back some migrants flown home from

Athens by the EU border agency Frontex. At Idomeni, some 30 men initially resisted being herded onto the buses and were taken to a police station near the border but were later put on Athens-bound buses as well. At least three foreign journalists and photographers were briefly detained to prevent them watching the police operation, a Reuters photographer said. Police said in a statement the journalists had been kept away “to protect them from any possible violence, tension or threatening and aggressive behaviour�. At the other end of the country, 12 migrants drowned when their boat sank off the small Greek island of Farmakonisi, close to Turkey, in the early hours of yesterday, a coastguard official said, while 26 were rescued and 12

more were missing. The U.N. refugee agency said those rescued included a seven-year-old child whose parents were both missing. Six other children were among those who drowned. PERILOUS CROSSING Migrants continue to attempt the perilous crossing despite the onset of winter weather, mounting obstacles in Europe and increased efforts by Turkey to crack down on people smugglers. Hundreds of thousands of people have streamed into Europe this year, mostly through Greece. Balkan states began blocking passage last month to all but Syrians, Iraqis and Afghans, who are considered as refugees because they are fleeing war zones. Some of those stranded near Idomeni began hunger strikes and a handful sewed their lips shut to dramatise

their demands. A Moroccan was electrocuted to death last week on a railway line which migrants had been blocking. Another was seriously burned when he climbed on top of a train to try to cross the border. Macedonia has erected a metal fence to keep unwanted migrants out and plans to extend it to cover more than 40 km (25 miles) of the border. More than 600,000 people have arrived in Greece this year, making the short but perilous journey by boat or rubber dinghy from Turkey to outlying islands. Thousands more have drowned. Turkey has vowed to do more to stop the flow after signing a deal with the European Union on Nov. 29 under which it will receive 3 billion euros ($3.3 billion) in aid to improve conditions for the 2.2 million Syrians Ankara has been hosting.

Thursday December 10, 2015

Kaieteur News

Cops secure evidence for prosecution in Pradoville 2

Police investigators have now secured potential evidence in the matter involving the controversial allocation and sale of prime seaside property at Sparendaam to themselves by former President Bharrat Jagdeo and a number of exMinisters. The police are carrying out investigations based on the recommendations of the State Asset Recovery Unit (SARU), headed by Professor Clive Thomas. The investigation had been stalled after the police were advised by their Legal Advisor Justice Claudette Singh to seek clarification on several aspects of the matter. Last evening, Professor Thomas explained the sequence of events that have so far occurred with regard to the status of the matter.

He said that the SARU first sent its recommendation to the Director of Public Prosecution, who then forwarded it to the police for them to conduct investigations. The police investigators then consulted with Justice Singh who advised them to seek some clarification from the SARU, since they were not provided with an actual file of potential evidence. This was subsequently done and according to Professor Thomas that process was finalized earlier this week. “The police did come to us to see what evidence we have….to the best of my knowledge, the evidence was provided,” Professor Thomas told Kaieteur News. SARU was appointed by the David Granger

administration to retrieve properties believed stolen or acquired through illegal means by government officials. The case of the Sparendaam property, known as Pradoville 2, located on East Coast Demerara, was the first major one to have charges recommended by SARU. There has been impatience with the pace of investigations under the new administration which had vowed to investigate all reports of corrupt transactions that allegedly took place under Jagdeo’s rule. While there have been questions over what charges are likely and whether Jagdeo has presidential immunity, legal experts have also not ruled out civil actions. The Pradoville 2 deal itself had raised eyebrows as the property was not opened

for ordinary citizens to have a shot at acquiring. SARU’s report last month noted that in 2010, the Jagdeo Cabinet made a decision authorizing the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited, (NICIL), to privatize state lands. NICIL, during the tenure of the People’s Progressive Party government, became tasked with overseeing the privatization of state assets. It reportedly spent more than $200M to develop the seaside community without the knowledge and blessings of the National Assembly and other relevant bodies. The said lands were then secretly sold to the former Ministers and known friends and associates of the previous regime. At the time of the sale, the report said, the lands were

Jennifer Westford court case...

Police return fraud files to DPP A number of files on which the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) had wanted more information have been returned, paving the way for the chambers to now make a decision whether more charges are likely against a former Minister and her assistant. A source close to the investigations revealed that the files were delivered to the DPP yesterday. The matter has to do with a $500M-plus in state funds that were discovered missing shortly after the May 11 General Elections which saw a change in Government. Former Minister of Public Service, Dr. Jennifer Westford, and her assistant, Margaret Cummings, were both questioned in the matter. In September, police investigators wrapped up the matter and sent the 20-odd files to the DPP for advice on the way forward. However, the DPP wanted more clarity and details on a number of issues and returned the files to the police. The Ministry of the Presidency had filed an official complaint to the police in late July after finding more than $120M missing from the bank accounts of the Ministry. However, investigators eventually stumbled on $400M more missing from the bank accounts. The police, to whom the matter had been handed over, had dispatched a special team to the Ministry of the Presidency to examine records of the payments. Several staffers as well, as Dr. Westford and her assis-

Former Ministerial Assistant, Margaret Cummings tant, were questioned during the probe. Investigators had initially looked at 2014 transactions at the Ministry but went back to 2012. The monies were transferred from the Office of the President and were to be used for training workers in the various Regions. However, there was no evidence that the Regions were in receipt of any money. Dr. Jennifer Westford and her ex-assistant, Margaret Cummings, were questioned by police and released on bail.

Ex-minister, Dr. Jennifer Westford

Police sleuths would have wanted to know what role, if any, the two played in the withdrawals. Both of the women, in July, appeared in court charged with the illegal transfer of eight vehicles belonging to the state. They were placed on a total of $2M in bail. Several persons from the Public Service Ministry who were involved in preparing documents for payments have been questioned. Westford is also report-

edly being investigated for a Recreational Vehicle (RV) that was brought into the country but for which the correct tax was not paid.

grossly undervalued and sold substantially below the market value thereby depriving the state of its full benefits. Jagdeo himself paid only $9.8M, for two acres of lands that overlooked the Atlantic Ocean. SARU argued that the former Ministers could be held liable for misconduct in public office and in the absence of legislation for the unit, that the Attorney General, Basil Williams, may institute proceedings against the former Ministers. The unit said that the actions of the former Cabinet Ministers have shown that they willfully neglected to perform their duties without reasonable excuse or justification to such an extent that it amounted to an abuse of the public trust in the office holders, hence its belief that criminal charges are indeed warranted. In 2010, Jagdeo was sold 1.5 acres of land, Block III, Parcel 246 Lot 246 Plantation Goedverwagting and 0.4603 acres, Block III, Parcel 241. Former Agriculture Minister, Robert Persaud, was sold Lot 239 Goedverwagting, Block III, which is 0.3030 acres. The report noted that on September 20, 2011 the land was transferred to Kamini Persaud and Robert Persaud Jnr. The land with the house was then sold on September 18, 2014 to LSR Inc. Company for $90M. LSR’s public records indicate that its Secretary and Director is Andrew Pollard. Also benefitting was former Public Service Minister, Dr. Jennifer Westford, who was sold a Lot 238 Goedverwagting, Block III; former Education Minister,

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Bharrat Jagdeo Priya Manickchand, was sold Block IV, parcel 176. She later sold the property to one Dave Naraine on February 21, 2013 for $100M. Other beneficiaries included Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Shalimar Ali-Hack; former Head of the Private Sector Commission (PSC), Ramesh Dookoo; former Cabinet Secretary, Dr. Roger Luncheon; PPP General Secretary and former Home Affairs Minister, Clement Rohee; former Labour Minister and Dr. Nanda Gopaul. The lands were transferred to the persons on various conditions- one of which included that the transferee shall not be at liberty to sell, lease, transfer or part with possession of the said property within ten years of transfer without the written consent of the Minister responsible for Housing. According to the SARU report, however, Manickchand sold her land three years after purchasing it and she did so without written permission from the CH&PA, thereby breaching the conditions. Persaud also breached the conditions, SARU said. Given the history and nature of the deal, SARU, believed that it has a strong case for the former Ministers to be charged with misconduct in public office.

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Kaieteur News

Thursday December 10, 2015

Thursday December 10, 2015

Kaieteur News

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Guinness ‘Greatest of the Streets’ Futsal Competition

Sparta Boss outlasts N/Ruimveldt in epic semi; Debutants Warriors outfoxes Back Circle for a final berth Thousands of fans that descended at the National Cultural Centre Tarmac Tuesday night watched national champions Sparta Boss repel attack after attack and retaliate with clinical efficiency to cancel out defending champions North Ruimveldt ambitions of retaining their title after beating them 3-2 in a gripping semi-final encounter that necessitated extra time to produce a winner. In the preceding semi-final that many felt was the ideal forerunner for the feature game, giant killers Channel 9 Warriors continued from where they left off following their quarter-final upset over West Front Road ‘Gold is Money’ by claiming another big scalp, this time former national champions Back Circle who they defeated 2-0 in a penalty shootout after regulation and extra times failed to break a 1-1 deadlock.

Playing in the feature semi-final of the Georgetown Zone of the Guinness ‘Greatest of the Streets’ Futsal Competition, Sparta Boss made an emphatic statement to all pretenders to their throne by beating a well prepared North Ruimveldt unit that proved to be worthy champions, fighting all the way until the final whistle sounded in what has clearly been the game of the tournament so far. The former champs, however, were clearly missing the services of the experienced Gerald Grittens who opted to play for North East La Penitence in this tournament, someone whose skill and stability at the back is a thorn for opposing teams. North Ruimveldt took the lead through Joshua Browne, who gave himself enough room after receiving a pass from the left side, before hammering a fierce right-footer into the

empty goal to send their supporters scurrying on to the tarmac in celebrations. Here is where the absence of Grittens was missed as Sparta Boss’s response was swift and deadly with Gregory Richardson leveling the proceedings one minute later. Richardson, who like strike partner Devon Millington joined the team after the completion of the Stag Elite League, dribbled his marker after collecting a pass from the back and punched his effort into the back of the goal. The two teams continued to thrill the fans with some enticing football as the half neared and it remained deadlocked until the whistle sounded signaling half time. The resumption was a carbon copy of the first as Browne’s effort flew just outside the upright, while Sparta’s talisman Sheldon Shepherd watched agoniz-

Thursday December 10, 2015 ARIES (MAR. 21APRIL 20) Try to convince a good friend to take a holiday with you. If possible, rely on coworkers to back your objectives, and talk to superiors in order to get approval.

mance will develop through work related activities. LIBRA (SEPT. 24 OCT. 23) You will have no problem getting along with clients. You will enjoy physical activities more than you think.

TAURUS (APR. 21MAY 21) You may find that your generosity has been taken for granted. Opportunities to show your worth will enhance your reputation and bring possible advancement.

SCORPIO (OCT. 24 NOV. 22) Pleasure trips should be on your agenda. Your doubt could lead to insecurity.

GEMINI (MAY 22JUNE 21) Take care that arrangements to spend quality time together are made in advance. In-laws or older individuals may give you a bit of a hard time today. CANCER (JUNE 22JULY 22) Be ready to explain your actions. Your personal life will be under the gun and you may want to avoid the questions your lover is going to want to ask you. LEO (JULY 23-AUG 22) Use discrimination and play hard to get. Your home environment may be volatile if precautions aren’t taken. VIRGO (AUG. 23 SEPT. 23) Sit back. Ro-

SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 23 -DEC. 21) Cultural activities open your eyes to new ways of doing things. If possible, rely on coworkers to back your objectives, and talk to superiors in order to get approval. CAPRICORN (DEC 22.- JAN. 20) Don’t let relatives get the better of you. Romantic opportunities will be plentiful if you go out with friends. AQUARIUS (JAN. 21 FEB. 19) Be sure to take care of the needs of your immediate loved ones first. They won’t pay you back and you’ll be upset. PISCES (FEB. 20-MAR. 20) You may get upset with peers or relatives. Those you live with may be experiencing problems.

ingly as his strike crashed into the side of the goal. Both Denis Edwards and Millington missed from close range, while Travis Grant’s stinging shot was blocked by Shepherd in the nick of time. However, the lanky Solomon Austin, who was firing shots from long range intercepted a pass and in one motion delivered a thunderous strike into the back of the goal for a 2-1 North Ruimveldt lead. Once again it was met with an immediate response from Sparta as Richardson completed his run with a firm shot past a surprised Austin at the back to square things. The battle was well and truly on, but solid defending and errant shooting kept the game tied until the whistle sounded to end regulation time. Millington then sealed the win when he fired past two defenders to earn Sparta a hard fought win, but more importantly a place in Saturday’s final. Upstarts Channel 9 Warriors employed a well thought out tactical scheme to wear down the highly favoured Back Circle, before beating them via penalty kicks. The tournament debutants used a defensive posture in the opening period of the game as Back Circle attacked with purpose, but just could not penetrate the Warriors backline. They were eventually caught on a counter attack by

Lara and Chanderpaul for Masters... From page 30 Arabians. The former Windies skipper was among six icon players listed for an auction held in Dubai Monday ahead of the tournament. Lara was picked up by Leo Lions for their base prices of 100,000 dollars. Former South Africa allrounder Jacques Kallis attracted the highest bid of US $175,000 while former Australia wicketkeeper-batsman Adam Gilchrist was the second most expensive player in the auction, purchased for $170,000 by the Sagittarius Soldiers franchise. Each of the six teams was assigned two marquee players from a list of 12 that included eight former international captains. The inaugural MCL is run by former Australia batsman Dean Jones’ company, Major Events Group.

the Warriors that saw Kemo Lawrence hit a screamer past the last stop to hand them the early lead in the 10th minute. This was another underdog that the fans embraced and they erupted with delight as they sensed an upset. The Warriors held that advantage until the break and came out after the resumption using the same strategy to frustrate Back Circle. However, Duke, who was a constant threat finally found some space to fire past the last stop in the 31st minute of play to put things on par. It stayed that way even after extra time, but one could sense that Back Circle players were a spent force, having utilised every ounce of energy to get a positive result. The younger Warriors opened up with a successful attempt, before Back Circle missed theirs to feel immediate pressure. Warriors’ next shooter strode up and unflappably placed his shot

down the centre of the goal to give them a 2-0 lead which was never threatened after Back Circle missed their next attempt to hand Warriors a place in the final. North Ruimveldt and Back Circle will vie for third place. The winning team will take home $500,000, the championship trophy and the right to represent the zone at the national tournament, while the second, third and fourth placed finishers receive $200,000, $150,000 and $100,000 respectively. In the night’s full results: Game-1 - Back Circle-1 vs Channel-9-Warriors-1. Channel-9 won 2-0 on penalty kicks. Channel-9 Scorer Kemo Lawrence-10th; Back Circle Scorer Andy Duke-25th. Game-2 North Ruimveldt-2 vs Sparta Boss3. Sparta Scorers Gregory Richardson-13th and 31st, Devon Millington-41 st, North Scorers Joshua Browne-12th, Solomon Austin-30th.

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Kaieteur News

Chelsea top Champions League group after win Chelsea forgot their domestic woes by easing into the Champions League knockout stage with a routine victory which eliminated opponents Porto. The Blues enjoyed some luck for the opener as Diego Costa’s low shot was saved by Porto keeper Iker Casillas and rebounded in off Ivan Marcano. Porto, needing to win to join Chelsea in the last 16, offered little threat. Willian ensured Chelsea advanced as Group G winners by thumping in a rising shot from 20 yards after the break. The Blues created plenty of opportunities in the final 15 minutes, exploiting the space left behind as Porto chased an improbable comeback at Stamford Bridge. Eden Hazard struck the post from a tight angle, while recalled striker Costa wasted two clear opportunities as Chelsea threatened a third. The comfort with which Chelsea negotiated a potentially nervy evening came as welcome relief for manager Jose Mourinho, after a season which has lurched from one calamity to another. The reigning Premier League champions have struggled domestically, losing eight of their 15 topflight matches this season to leave them in 14th position.

Mourinho’s position has been under intense scrutiny amid their perilous league position, but he insisted before the match that he retained the unwavering support of Blues owner Roman Abramovich. And his players responded to Saturday’s shock home defeat by newlypromoted Bournemouth with a solid, if not sparkling, victory. Winning their group means the Blues will avoid the likes of Barcelona, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich when the last-16 draw is made on Monday. The London side will be drawn against either Paris StGermain, Juventus, PSV Eindhoven, Benfica, Roma or Gent. Mourinho was able to restore Captain John Terry following injury and, more significantly, summoned Diego Costa back into his starting XI. The Spain striker enjoyed a productive debut campaign as the Blues easily won the Premier League title last season, but was left on the bench against Tottenham and Bournemouth after struggling to replicate that impact this term. Costa responded with an industrious display against Porto, creating space for his team-mates with his movement and drawing the save from Casillas which led

to Chelsea’s opener. He also linked up neatly with Hazard for Chelsea’s second, holding up the ball to bring in the Belgian, who played in Willian for his seventh goal of the season. The only blemish in Costa’s performance was his inability to score himself and he was bundled over by Porto defender Danilo when clean through in the final 15 minutes. Nevertheless, he received a standing ovation when he was replaced in the final few minutes - and a warm embrace from Mourinho. Porto, who are second in the Portuguese top-flight, arrived with 10 wins in their previous 12 matches - but offered little adventure at Stamford Bridge. Julen Lopetegui’s side had only lost once in 19 matches this season and beat Chelsea 2-1 in September’s reverse fixture. But former Barcelona goalkeeper Lopetegui named a conservative-looking side to face the Blues, including five recognised defenders, two holding midfielders and no out-and-out striker. With Dynamo Kiev winning 1-0 against alreadyeliminated Maccabi Tel Aviv, Porto needed victory to join Chelsea in the last 16. But they failed to register a shot on target in the first half and rarely worried Blues keeper Thibaut Courtois after the break. Chelsea must try to replicate this European form on the domestic stage - in their next Premier League match at leaders Leicester. The Blues travel to the Foxes, who are 17 points ahead of Mourinho’s men, on Monday. (BBCsport)

Thursday December 10, 2015

CGI Local Franchise League....

Rutherford, Sookdeo propel Georgetown to victory By Zaheer Mohamed Sherfene Rutherford and Jeetendra Sookdeo struck half centuries as Georgetown defeated West Demerara by 53 runs when play in the Cricket Guyana Inc. (CGI) Local Franchise League 50-over tournament continued yesterday. After deciding to take first strike at Bourda, Georgetown lost opener Shemroy Barrington (06) with the score on 16, but opener Sookdeo shared in a second wicket stand of 55 with Andrew Lyght to steady the innings on a decent pitch before Lyght went for 25. Kwame Crosse was then bowled by Richie Looknauth for four, leaving the score at 87-3 before Sookdeo and Rutherford consolidated to frustrate the opposition with a fourth wicket stand of 74. Sookdeo timed the ball nicely and struck five four’s before he was dismissed for 63. The left-handed Rutherford hit the ball with power, smashing three fours and a similar number of sixes before he departed for 63. David Dick and Kemol Savory hit 32 and 24 not out respectively as Georgetown amassed 241-7 off their allotted overs. Malcolm Hubbard claimed 3-32. West Demerara threatened somewhat but were bowled out for 188 in 48 overs in reply. Ganesh Narine cracked two fours and two sixes in scoring 52 while opener Yetesh Dhanpaul hit 31 and Travis Persaud 19. Left arm spinner Devon Lord snared 3-32, Kellon Carmichael 2-29 and Sookdeo

2-33. At Enmore - Upper Corentyne overcame Essequibo by 41 runs on the Duckworth/Lewis/Stern Method. Ricardo Adams removed openers Loyydel Lewis (04) and Balchan Baldeo (08) while Trevon Garraway accounted for Jason Sinclair (01) to reduce Upper Corentyne for 23-3, batting first. However Rajiv Ivan and Jonathan Foo added 77 for the fourth wicket to repair the early damage; Foo was lbw to Anthony Adams for 31. Ivan mixed aggression with defense and hammered five fours off 111 balls before he was lbw to Nokta Moses (143) for 65. The Essequibians fought back to restrict their opponents somewhat- Upper Corentyne were bowled out for 188 in 49 overs;Arif Chan contributed 26. Ricardo Adams captured 2-35, Garraway and Anthony Adams had 2-38 apiece. Essequibo were set a revised target of 147 in 29 overs after 90 minutes of playing time was lost due to the meals arriving late for the players and officials. When their reply got underway, both Royan Fredericks and Kevon Boodie took boundaries off pacer Clinton Pestano before offspinner Rajiv Ivan had Boodie caught and bowled for 10 with the score on 27. Ivan then removed Ricardo Peters (04) while Baldeo sent back Parmesh Parsotam (04), leaving Essequibo at 43-3. Following the dismissal of Fredericks, bowled by Foo for 29, Essequibo’s innings failed to gain the much needed impe-

tus as they finished on 106-9; Anthony Adams scored 20. Foo 2-22 and Ivan 2-27 were the pick of the bowlers. At Albion - Lower Corentyne/New Amsterdam/ Canje continued their unbeaten run as they disposed of East Coast Demerara by 56 runs. Batting first, the home team was bowled out for 189 in 45.5 overs. Gajanand Singh struck 34 while Joemal La Fleur hit 33 and Eugene La Fleur 32. Steven Sankar snared 4-37 and Anthony Ifill 3-34. In reply, East Coast Demerara were bowled out for 143 in the 43rd over. Brian Sattaur smashed 60 (7x4) while Steve Ramdass and Steven Sankar chipped in with 21 each. Eugene La Fluer took 218, Royston Crandon 2-28 and Devon Clements 2-40. At Port Mourant - East Bank Demerara/Upper Demerara went down to West Berbice by nine wickets. East Bank/Upper Demerara got to 207-8 off their reduced 45 overs due to a late start. Danny Narayan stroked a fluent 100 which included four fours and two maximums and Leonard Caleb made 36. Bowling for West Berbice, Waqar Hassan claimed 3-26 while Krishnadat Ramoo had 3-32. In reply, West Berbice cruised to 210-1 in just 36 overs. Skipper Kandasammy Surujnarine, hit a shot-filled 104 not out; including six fours, while Avishkar Seewkaran hit 50-the pair added 136 for the first wicket to put their team on course. Raphael Estriado made 36 not out. The competition continues on Saturday.

2015 MLS Combine to be held across three Islands ST. JOHN’S, Antigua – The third consecutive MLS sponsored Caribbean Football Union Combine will be held across three countries instead of one central venue as in previous years, starting with St. Kitts from December 13-16. The other venues are Curacao (December 17-20), and Martinique (January 1-4). Twenty-four players have been invited to each venue, representing a marked increase in the number of elite players from the Caribbean who will vie to be among those selected to attend the MLS Combine from January 8-13 in South Florida. St. Kitts will host players

Guyana drawn in Curacao leg from Anguilla; Antigua and Barbuda; BVI; Cayman Islands; Jamaica; Montserrat; Puerto Rico; Turks and Caicos; and USVI. Curacao will host Aruba; Bahamas; Bermuda; Bonaire; Dominican Republic; Guyana; Haiti; Suriname; and Trinidad and Tobago, while Martinique will host Barbados; Dominica; French Guiana; Grenada; Guadeloupe; St. Maarten; St. Martin; St Vincent; and St. Lucia. CFU President Gordon Derrick said the main reason for decentralizing the initia-

tive is to increase participation and opportunity. “We are grateful to our partners at the MLS who were receptive to our proposal to hold the Combine in more than one venue. This will allow a greater number of Caribbean players to attend and to have the chance to gain selection to the South Florida Combine where they will be seen by pro scouts,” Derrick said. Under the expanded arrangement, member associations are responsible for airfare while the MLS will absorb all other costs. (CFU)

Thursday December 10, 2015

Kaieteur News

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Guyana to participate in Warriors up to 23-0 and 2016 CFU Futsal Tourney counting after beating Pacers

With Guyana set to participate at the January 22 – 26 CFU Futsal Tournament in Cuba, the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) will be hosting a closed door tryout for prospective Futsal National team members at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall. The trial which runs from December 10 – 12 will see some of the country’s top Futsal players being scrutinized by Technical Director Claude Bolton and former National coaches Joseph ‘Bill’ Wilson and Denzil Thompson. Successful participants at the tryouts will be asked to join a minicamp at the beginning of January 2016 where the final selection will be made. Guyana has been drawn in Group ‘A’ with Trinidad and Tobago, Antigua and Barbuda and Haiti, while in Group ‘B’, host

Cuba will be joined by St Maarten, Costa Rica and Guadeloupe. The top two teams from the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) tournament will advance to the CONCACAF Futsal Championship. The 2016 CONCACAF Futsal Championship will be held in Costa Rica in May. Same as previous editions, the tournament acts as the CONCACAF qualifiers for the FIFA Futsal World Cup. The top four teams of the tournament will qualify for the 2016 FIFA Futsal World Cup in Colombia as the CONCACAF representatives. Guyana last participated at the CFU Futsal Tournament in 2008, finishing fourth behind winners and host Trinidad and Tobago, Haiti (second place) and Suriname (third place).

The Sports Xchange Golden State improved to 230 with a 131-123 victory over Indiana on Tuesday, with guard Klay Thompson scoring 29 of his season-high 39 during the Warriors’ 79-point first half. Going back to last season, Golden State have won 27 consecutive regular-season games, tying the 2012-13 Miami Heat for the NBA’s second-longest winning streak. The 1971-72 Los Angeles Lakers won 33 consecutive

Giroud hat-trick sees Arsenal through in Champions League

Olivier Giroud scored his first hat-trick for Arsenal to ensure the Gunners qualified for the last 16 of the Champions League by beating Olympiakos. Needing to win by two clear goals, the Gunners produced a performance of nerve and nous to finish second in Group F. Giroud headed the opener in the first half, then stroked home the second after good work by Joel Campbell. The French striker put Arsenal’s qualification beyond doubt with his third from the penalty spot. Arsenal have never failed to reach the knockout stages of the Champions League since the start of the new format in 2003-04, and their experience on the biggest stage shone through on a memorable night in Athens. They weathered the early enthusiasm from the physical home side, who were backed by typically partisan support, and slowly seized the initiative with a composed performance. Mathieu Flamini had already hit the bar before Giroud opened the scoring with a near-post header from Aaron Ramsey’s cross, which

Giroud celebrates his hat-trick with team-mate Theo Walcott.

went in off the goalkeeper Roberto. The second was the best goal of the night as Giroud won a flick-on on the halfway line and timed his run into the box to perfection before stroking home. The third was slightly more fortuitous as Omar Elabdellaoui was penalised for handling Nacho Monreal’s shot and Giroud stepped up to convert with ease. It’s got to be Olivier Giroud for the way he applied

the finishing touches to an accomplished team performance. However, special mention must go to Joel Campbell who held off three defenders before taking out another two with a cute pass for Giroud’s second goal. Time and again, Campbell showed strength to hold off his marker and vision to slide in Giroud to offer hope to Arsenal fans that they have the makings of a fine strike

partnership. Gunners fans will also be cheered to see Theo Walcott starting the game, and while the England forward clearly lacked match fitness he made some clever runs and looked dangerous both out wide and when he drifted inside. Arsenal did well just to qualify after chastening defeats by both Dinamo Zagreb (2-1 away) and Olympiakos (3-2 at home) meant they had failed to register a single point in the group after two matches. They went on to be defeated 5-1 by group winners Bayern Munich in Germany too, after winning 20 against Pep Guardiola’s team at home. The fact they finished second to Bayern means they are likely to get a tougher last16 draw than the German side. Their potential opponents when the draw is made are Spain’s Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid and Barcelona, Wolfsburg from Germany or Russian side Zenit St Petersburg. They will join fellow Premier League sides Chelsea and Manchester City in Monday’s last-16 draw at 11:00 GMT. (BBCsport)

regular-season games. Thompson made eight of 10 shots from three-point range during the first 24 minutes, when the reigning NBA champions led by as many as 22. Through three periods, Thompson and Stephen Curry had 62 combined points. Curry finished with 29 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds. ”Our guys were locked in,” Warriors interim coach Luke Walton said. “They were excited about this game tonight. We were thrilled with the way we played during the first three quarters. “I don’t think there is any pressure on us. Our guys are having fun.” After the game, Thompson said he rolled an ankle stepping on another player’s foot. He expected it to be bruised and sore for several days but did not expect to miss extended time. The Warriors play on Friday at Boston. ”Tonight, I was very selective with my shots,” Thompson said. “I was taking my shots in rhythm. I just happened to get a lot of great looks. I felt like I was due for a game like that.” Through the first three quarters on Tuesday, when the Warriors led 111-83, Golden State made 44 of 71 field goal attempts (62 percent). The Warriors finished 52 of 95 (54.7 percent), including 16 of 36 from three-point

range. Curry called Thompson’s first half unbelievable. ”He had eight threes at the half,” Curry said. “That is amazing. You could see the look in his eyes. When he has that look, he is going to have his confidence all night. All it takes is for a couple of shots to go in.”Last season, Thompson scored 40 and 39 in two games against the Pacers (12-8), who have lost three in a row and gave up 122 points or more in each of the three defeats. “We play an up-tempo style, which means games can get into the 100s on each side, but we still have to involve our defensive principles,” Pacers coach Frank Vogel said. ”Our transition defense was poor early in the game, and we gave Klay a chance to hit a couple of threes early, and then he really got going. This (Golden State) team can teach you a lot of lessons.” Paul George led Indiana with 33 points, and C.J. Miles added 24. George Hill and Chase Budinger each added 12, and Jordan Hill had 10 points. “When they go on runs like that one, they go on runs with three-pointers,” Miles said. “Thompson and Curry always shoot extremely well, and when they got on that run, we lost them in coverage several times.”

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Kaieteur News

Thursday December 10, 2015

Gayle special helps Barisal cruise home in style

West Indies out to regain respect

Chris Gayle targets the leg side ©Dhaka Tribune

Captains Jason Holder and Steven Smith pose with the Frank Worrell Trophy. ©Getty Images

Chris Gayle sent out a stern warning to the rest of the playing field with a blazing unbeaten 92 that flattened the already demoralised Chittagong Vikings. The eight-wicket win consolidated Barisal’s position in the top half of the BPL standings as they moved to 12 points. Gayle struck nine sixes and six fours in his unbeaten 47-ball knock. But the big hitting was triggered by Mehedi Maruf, who slammed Bilawal Bhatti, before the Jamaican took over by slamming Maruf for 18 in the fifth

over of the innings. There was more carnage as Gayle slammed Asif Ahmed for 19 courtesy three fours and a straight six. The six-hitting spree didn’t stop there as Naeem Islam and Tillakaratne Dilshan also came under fire, as Gayle brought up his 53rd T20 half-century in just the 13th over to put Barisal in cruise control mode. From there on, it was simply one-way traffic. With 21 needed to win, Gayle struck Jeevan Mendis for four sixes over long-on to end the game

within the bat of an eyelid. However, there was controversy in the first over of the Barisal chase when Dilshan bumped into Rony Talukdar, who was trying to take a quick single. The collision meant Talukdar was well short of the crease when Dilshan picked up the ball and threw it to the wicketkeeper Anamul Haque, who removed the bails instantly. Both Talukdar and Gayle discussed the matter with the umpires but ultimately it was given adjudged run out. Earlier in the day, there wasn’t much drama, but there was inconsistency that has hampered Chittagong time and again this season. Their makeshift captain Dilshan had a new opening partner in Anamul for the first time in the tournament after Tamim Iqbal pulled out due to a groin niggle. They put on 52 for the first wicket before Dilshan fell. His 22-ball 28 was contained two fours and two sixes, which he hit in the same Al-Amin Hossain over. Anamul also struck two fours before Sohag Gazi, playing in his first BPL match this season, had him bowled. The offspinner finished a fine four-over spell in which he conceded only 17 runs. Kevon Cooper had Yasir Ali caught at point in the tenth over before Mendis got into a tangle trying to play a reverse-sweep and was given out. Mohammad Sami then got into the act, first dismissing Umar Akmal after being hit for a six, and then Asif Ahmed in the last over. On both occasions, the batsmen had just changed their bat before the delivery. As far as these performances were handy in restricting the final total, none of it could match the might of Gayle on the night. (ESPNcricinfo)

From the pink ball, big crowds and a sense of excitement to the red ball, fewer spectators and a sense of trepidation. Such is the shift in the Test landscape in Australia over the past fortnight. The inaugural day-night Test against New Zealand lasted only three days but provided plenty of reasons to watch, not only for the novelty value but for the close contest and tight finish. Now, Australia host West Indies for three Tests and the interest level from the Australian public has fallen away significantly, not helped by West Indies’ 10-wicket loss to a Cricket Australia XI full of rookies in their only tour match in Brisbane. Ticket prices have been slashed but there are still concerns that the stands at Bellerive Oval will be sparsely populated, especially given the first two days of the Test are weekdays. It is into this environment that Jason Holder and his squad arrived. Their task is enormous. He knows it. His team knows it. The Australians know it. For more than 20 years Australia have held the Frank Worrell Trophy, and West Indies’ chances of regaining it have rarely been poorer than this. When the teams met in the Caribbean earlier this year, Australia won 2-0. Now Australia have the home advantage. West Indies have not won a single Test match away from home against anyone but Bangladesh in

nearly eight years. They have an attack capable of causing trouble, but only three of their batsmen have averaged over 30 in the past year - and none over 40. At least they have their coach back, Phil Simmons having been reinstated after his suspension in September for criticising a squad selection. Even so, it seems the best West Indies can hope for in this series is to regain some respect rather than the trophy. Australia are coming off a 2-0 victory over New Zealand but the series was closer than that scoreline suggests, and the result largely reflected New Zealand’s awful start in Brisbane. There are personnel changes, too. Mitchell Starc is out of this series due to his foot injury while Usman Khawaja, who missed the Adelaide Test with a hamstring problem, is again sidelined in Hobart. James Pattinson returns for his first Test in 18 months and Shaun Marsh is hoping to build on his encouraging performance in Adelaide, but they are among a number of Australians still trying to establish themselves in this Test team.

And given the low expectations being placed on West Indies, the pressure is all on Steven Smith’s developing side not to stumble. Carlos Brathwaite impressed during the tour match in Brisbane and could be in line for a Test debut, which would likely mean Shannon Gabriel would miss out. Shai Hope is yet to score a half-century in his five-Test career and Rajendra Chandrika played ahead of him in the warm-up match; whichever opener joins Kraigg Brathwaite, West Indies will need them to put a high price on their wicket. West Indies (possible) 1 Kraigg Brathwaite, 2 Shai Hope/Rajendra Chandrika, 3 Darren Bravo, 4 Marlon Samuels, 5 Jermaine Blackwood, 6 Denesh Ramdin (wk), 7 Jason Holder (capt), 8 Carlos Brathwaite, 9 Kemar Roach, 10 Jerome Taylor, 11 Devendra Bishoo. Australia 1 Joe Burns, 2 David Warner, 3 Steven Smith (capt), 4 Adam Voges, 5 Shaun Marsh, 6 Mitchell Marsh, 7 Peter Nevill (wk), 8 James Pattinson, 9 Peter Siddle, 10 Josh Hazlewood, 11 Nathan Lyon. (ESPNcricinfo)

HJ Water World dominoes SET FOR SUNDAY HJ Water World of Providence, East Bank Demerara will be hosting a dominoes competition dubbed ‘Dominoes on the Beach’ on Sunday starting at 13:30 hrs. Twelve teams are expected to battle for $250,000 worth in prizes.

YBG Titan Bowl bounces off tomorrow Youth Basketball Guyana (YBG) will host schools in the nation competing in a doublethe sixth edition of its ‘Titan Bowl’ Champi- round elimination tournament”. onships at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall this President’s College take on New weekend. The Championships bounces off Amsterdam Multilateral School from 3pm totomorrow and will conclude on Sunday. morrow in the first game. Kwakwani SecondAccording to a press release from YBG, “it ary challenges Bishops’ High School in the is the final school basketball tournament for second game. Marian, LTI and St. Roses will the year and will see the top nine ranked also bounce into action tomorrow night. POOLA POOL B POOL C GTI KWAKWANI SEC. PRESIDENT’S COL MARIAN ACADEMY LINDEN TECH. ST. ROSES HIGH MACKENZIE HIGH BISHOPS’ NEW AMSTERDAM

Thursday December 10, 2015

Kaieteur News

Page 35

Marshall and Khan lead Guyana begins Soesdyke past Warriors into semi finals NAGICO SUPER 50 Sunburst/EBFA U17 League...

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oesdyke Falcons mauled Kuru KururuWarriors 12-0 to book a semi final date with Herstelling Raiders when the group stage of the SUNBURST / East Bank Football Association ( E B FA ) U n d e r- 1 7 League/knock-out competition ended on Sunday last at the Grove Playfield. Soesdyke ended Group B as the runner-up team to Grove Hi Tech and were led to their big win by Tevin Marshall who blasted four goals with diminutive f o r w a r d Ty r o n e K h a n

minutes later while Tyrone Khan capped the first half with his second goal in the 26 minute. Taking over their 3-0 lead into the final half, Soesdyke upped the ante against the Warriors as they hammered in 9 second half goals without an answer from their opponents. Tyrone Khan’s brother, Tyrel inked his name on the score sheet in the 41 minute. Carter was on target in the 44 and 45 minute while Marshall hit the network in the 49 , 63 , 68 and 70 minute. Tyrone completed his hat-trick in the 53 minute while Shonan Somnauth accounted for the other goal in the 60 minute. The competition is now down to the final four teams who will be battle for a place in the final. This Saturday’s semis will see Herstelling taking on Soesdyke from 13:00hrs to be followed by defending champions Grove Hi Tech battling Mocha Champs. th

Tevin Marshall (left) and Tyrone Khan converting a hat-trick while Kevin Carter helped himself to a double. It was clear from the outset that Soesdyke, who had upset Agricola Red

Triangle in their previous match were going all out for a huge win. Tryone Khan commenced the goal spree in the 13 minute; Shane Meusa doubled the advantage two th

FOLLOWING IS THE FINAL GROUP POINTS STANDINGS Group A Team P W L D GF GA Herstelling 2 2 0 0 10 0 Mocha 2 1 1 0 3 3 Diamond 2 0 2 0 1 11 Group B Grove 3 3 0 0 18 2 Soesdyke 3 2 1 0 17 4 Agricola 3 1 2 0 7 10 -3 KK Warriors 3 0 3 0 1 26

st

th

th

th

rd

Points 6 3 0

+16 +13 3 -25

9 6 0

th

rd

th

GD +10 0 -10

th

against Windwards in St Kitts Tournament runs from Jan 7-24

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uyana, Runnersup to host Trinidad & Tobago in last year’s Final of the 2015 Regional Super50, will begin their 2016 campaign on January 7, 2016 against the Windward Islands in St. Kitts. Guyana will then take on the Leeward Islands on Saturday January 9 before facing Jamaica on January 11. On January 13 the teams play their return matches with the Guyanese facing-off with the Windwards for a second time while they come up against the Leewards on Friday January 15 before playing their final game in St Kitts on Sunday January 17. The other zone, involving Barbados,

Trinidad & Tobago, ICC Americans and CCC will be played in T&T where the Semi-Finals will be contested on Thursday January 21 and January 22 before the final is played Sunday January 24. The fifth and final round for the year of the WICB PCL four-day tournament will be contested from tomorrow at three venues around the Caribbean with Guyana coming up against Jamaica at Sabina Park before the PCL takes a break for Christmas and resumes on February 12 when Guyana face T&T at Providence after the completion of the Super50 Tournament which will be played under lights.

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Kaieteur News

Thursday December 10, 2015

First Lady to unveil RHTY&SC biggest ever Christmas Village on December 20 The cricket teams of the Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club launched their biggest ever Christmas programme which would include the hosting of the first ever Christmas Village in Berbice. The teams - Rose Hall Town Farfan & Mendes Under-15, Bakewell Under17 and Second Division, Pepsi Under-19 and Intermediate, Metro Females and Gizmos & Gadgets Under-21 and First Division on Saturday last launched the programme by entertaining hundreds of less fortunate children at the Club’s Area ‘H’ Office. This year’s Programme would also include visits to Children Homes in Region 6 and a visit to the Dharam Shala. During the visits, meals, drinks and toys would be distributed while over 2000 toys would be given to less fortunate students. Also forming part of the benevolence of the clubs would be general feeding of

Christmas programme kicked off on Saturday last the poor (a public initiative), distribution of 500 food hampers worth to less fortunate families and senior citizens among others. The hosting of the historic Christmas Village will take place in the compound of the Rose Hall Town Primary School. Club Secretary/CEO Hilbert Foster informed that all plans are in place of the Christmas programme and the Christmas Village which promises to be one of the biggest events held in the Ancient County. The Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club has received support from the M i n i s t r y o f To u r i s m , Ministry of Culture, Bank of Nova Scotia, Nand Persaud Co. Ltd, Edward B. Beharry Co. Ltd, Bakewell, Gizmos & Gadgets and Ansa Mcal Trading among others for the hosting of the Village. The Village would be launched on December 20,

2015 at 16.00 hours by First Lady Sandra Granger who would also turn on the switch to light up the 20 foot Christmas Tree. Other attractions for the Village would include a large depiction of the Nativity Scene, a computer game section, a photo studio, games Fun Park and numerous booths selling Christmas products including toys, drinks, cakes and gifts. The Burrowes School of Art would be providing an artistic depiction of the Christmas season which would be placed across the Village. The club’s cricket teams have been sponsoring the Christmas Outreach Programme as part of their personal development programme with the main aim of making sure that no one goes hungry, thirsty or loveless during the festive season.

Foster expressed confidence that all of the planned events would be successful and that the Christmas Village would achieve its main objectives of promoting the traditional meaning of Christmas, attracting tourists to the

Township of Rose Hall, providing clean and fun entertainment for families and promoting social cohesion among residents. Gratitude was extended to all the sponsors across Guyana who have come on board and issued and invitation for families to visit the Christmas Village between December 20 - 24.

FIRST LADY Sandra Granger

Lara and Chanderpaul for Masters Champions League Shivnarine Chanderpaul (right) and Brian Lara.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates CMC Cricket legend Brian Lara and Shiv Chanderpaul are among several West Indians who have signed up to play in the inaugural Masters Champions League (MCL) next month in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Lara heads a list that includes discarded

West Indies cricketers Tino Best, Shiv Chanderpaul, Fidel Edwards as well as Krishmar Santokie. Best and Santokie will play for Sagittarius Soldiers, Edwards will join Leon Lions while Chanderpaul has signed with Gemini (Continued on page 31)

Thursday December 10, 2015

Kaieteur News

Smalta / Min. of Public Health Girls Pee Wee Schools Football

Young lasses to display skills this Saturday in final

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malta / Ministry of Public Health Girls Pee Wee Schools Football champions Stella Maris is anticipated to receive a stern test when they face nemesis St. Stephen’s in the final of this year’s competition set for Saturday, at the Ministry of Education ground, Carifesta Avenue. The reigning title holders have not looked at their best in this year’s event, but are known to be a tenacious bunch that usually fights until the end. Just like last year, they will be looking to the inspirational Ludesha Reynolds to lead their quest to successfully retain the crown. In last week’s action, they scraped past West Ruimveldt 4-3 on penalty kicks, before Reynolds stunning free kick accounted for the impressive North Ruimveldt exit. Reynolds, however, will have to get more support from other players if they are to sneak past the consistent

St. Stephen’s side that no doubt will be aiming to exact revenge for last year’s loss. S t . S t e p h e n ’s h a v e looked solid all tournament and it came as no surprise that they’ve made it so far. Kizieya Phillips has been the marquee player in their line-up and much will be expected from her once again. They beat a tough South Ruimveldt team on penalty kicks in their semi-final clash and before that had taken care of Tucville 2-1 which shows that they too are a resilient squad that can come through tough encounters. It sure promises to be entertaining and fans are being urged to come out and see the young lasses display their individual and collective skills. The competition is being organised by Petra Organisation with support from other sponsors such as Sterling Products under its Igloo brand and the National Sports Commission.

GFF concerned about misinformation on SEL prize monies

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he Guyana F o o t b a l l Federation has responded to what it says was an erroneous article published in another section of the press yesterday. Following is the full text of the federation’s release. ”The Guyana Football Federation (GFF) is deeply concerned by what we feel was an erroneous article published in the Sports section of the December 9 edition of the Stabroek News. The article captioned “Elite League football prizes still to be funded”, implies the GFF’s inability to honour our obligation with regards to rewarding the top four finishers of the just concluded STAG Elite League. Of all that was stated in

the article by an anonymous writer, the GFF is disturbed by what was mentioned in one paragraph “according to the sources, the federation has supposedly met the title sponsors to try and ascertain when the presentation for the prizes will occur”. The article leads one to believe that it was Ansa McAl who was responsible for the clubs not receiving their prize money and we strongly refute such perception. Ansa McAl as title sponsor for the Elite League under their STAG Beer brand has so far honoured their contractual obligation and is also working closely with the GFF to ensure that Guyana and more so the participating teams, benefit from the staging of the League.”

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Part of the action in this year’s competition.

t r o Sp

=Guinness ‘Greatest of the Streets’ Futsal Competition=

Sparta Boss outlasts North Ruimveldt in epic semi final; Debutants Warriors outfoxes Back Circle for a final berth Sparta Boss’s Denis Edwards (backing camera) is closely watched by North Ruimveldt’s Solomon Austin during their encounter on Tuesday.

Back Circle’s Andy Duke attempts to dribble past a player from Channel 9 Warriors in their clash on Tuesday evening at the National Cultural Centre Tarmac.

Rutherford, Sookdeo propel Georgetown to victory CGI Local Franchise League....

Rajiv Ivan picked up two crucial wickets for his team.

Royan Fredericks plays a cut shot.

GFF concerned about misinformation on SEL prize monies

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