Kaieteur News

Monday December 15, 2014

Kaieteur News

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

Congratulations and reflections of the work of the ACP DEAR EDITOR, Yesterday, the Bureau of the Council of Ministers of the African Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Group of States which was established to select a Secretary General from the short list of three submitted by the Caribbean in accordance with rules established by the Group, selected Dr. Patrick Gomes. The post is shared between the six regions of the Group and the Caribbean’s turn came some 25 years after it had last had ’íts‘ turn. It is often forgotten, however, that the region did have the position out of sequence via your truly when the African Group, and southern Africa in particular, could not secure agreement a regional candidate between the years 1995 and 1996. I served as S.G during that time during when the mid-term review of Lome was launched Group, review which shaped the change in approach that underlay the Cotonou Agreement and when the Group took a decision to have the first meeting of ACP Ministers of Finance as well as a biennial Summit of Heads of State and Governments. Mr. Edwin Carrington of Trinidad and Tobago, my Caribbean predecessor as SG headed the Group until March 1990. Without offering an assessment of the performances of those predecessors of Dr Gomes let me simply say that they were both challenging and rewarding times. The Group is currently undertaking a review that should inform the future of the most under-rated NorthSouth forum. The ideas raised an discussed by the Group have not caught, in any meaningful way, the imaginations of ACP citizens and their leaders, in part I believe because the Group has lost focus. That loss is partly a reflection of the confused perception in the minds of

leaders in particular, as regards the role of trade in development and trade and its liberalization. This confusion reached its nadir in the remarkable and sometimes ill-informed criticisms of the EPA agreements as the Caribbean agreement came to the point of conclusion in 2008. The Caribbean had played a powerful role in Lome it may therefore have been fitting that the move away from that truly non-reciprocal accord should have attracted Caribbean-led approbation. The truth is however that the region has had nothing to offer in its place and the recent criticism of the region’s approach to the trade negotiations with Canada, surely one of our most accommodating and nonthreatening partners over the last century, must say something about the lack of ambition of the region in trade in general not just in relation to Canada. The position of the region vis a vis the EU and vis a vis the Pacific and Africa is now very much in question. The EU has gone ahead, for example, with a variety of initiatives which clearly seek to raise Sub-Saharan Africa and its cooperation with the EU to a level above that which is accorded to the Caribbean. Into this difficult and changing situation steps Dr. P. I. Gomes who started off adulthood in a seminary at Mount St Benedict, T&T, as a Jesuit priest. He has brought to his work in Brussels as an Ambassador since 2005 a certain ability to listen and to empathise, a capacity to network and analytical skills honed at UWI and CARTAC. That bundle of skills has helped him to stand out from his rivals in

the race for the post. The ACP Groups is the largest North-South-S Grouping with its own headquarters and bureaucracy in the world. The Cotonou Agreement under which it now operates, provides as did Lomé, the only North-South platform with a standing forum via which negotiations, monitoring of implementation, decisions and resolution of disputes are jointly managed between North-South partners, the ACP Group and the EU. Changes in EU membership, its attitude to development, the assertion of African capacity, the apparent lack of focus of the Caribbean and the Pacific as regards regional integration and the quality of the Secretariat and its relationship with the EU Commission are areas which reflect development in need of attention. It is fitting, even ironic therefore, that the leadership of the Group should be held by a Guyanese at this challenging stage of its evolution, for Guyanese also it was, who played a pivotal role in its establishment. Sir Shridat Ramphal was a mid-wife to that delivery, if not a real ’god-father’, not to put too fine a point on it, and the role of the formidable Guyana team of diplomats who supported him should not be forgotten – Rashleigh Jackson, Rudy Insanally, Harry Dyett and later James Matheson, David Hales and Dennis Benn etc. The Georgetown Agreement in which all these Guyanese played a part was the framework for the birth and maturity of the Group and it is now time for the Group to be guided out of a

painful adolescence and into maturity. Ramphal’s dexterity and vision together with that of PJ Patterson his Jamaican counterpart, when melded with Nigeria’s interest and influence as head of the OAU ensured the creation of an international institutional that few had thought possible at the time. The Group is again in need of clear political vision at the political level today. Such vision is not evident in the region at this point in time. No head of state or Government has shown the interest and commitment that Burnham showed in the Group and I am not aware that any set of Ministers has mustered the intellectual apparatus to do for Cotonou what Ramphal and company did for Lome. Hopefully, PI’s closeness to the Guyana Government will help him either to muster active and sustained support from Georgetown in the initiatives he champions and /or enable him to rely on at

least one Caribbean state with its eye on the ball and which will be trying to mobilise the other states behind new paths. It seems to be a time when regional leaders seem to have become quite listless as regards cohesive and coordinated external policy. Their pre-occupation is with securing special and differential treatment equivalent to that extended by the international community to LDCs, which they are not. Today, small size of states is now considered in international relations as just as much an asset as a handicap. The talk is now of adaptability and resilience. So smallness no longer automatically commands special funds as do states economically disadvantaged by the ravages of poverty. Many of the EU members with average per capita incomes lower than those of the Bahamas and Barbados, for example, are asking why their lower income taxpayers

should subsidise the fat cats of our countries. They argue that in many of our developing states, including the Caribbean, poverty amongst plenty and extreme income and wealth disparities are a function of economic, political and social policies. Policies are by definition a matter of choice. If that is our choice we cannot expect to have the luxury of having others subsidise it. But now I am beginning to sound a bit like the debate is the counterpart of the very one currently starting to erupt in Guyana. Suffice it for me to say therefore that Dr P.I. Gomes, a friend, has his work cut out. The fact that he chaired the ACP’s reflection group on the Group’s future would no doubt help enormously. I wish him well and extend to him congratulations and assurances of my continued support as indeed he extended to me unhesitatingly as soon as he was appointed to Brussels. Carl Greenidge

Impressed by developments at Lethem DEAR EDITOR, I recently went on a visit to Lethem and was extremely impressed with developments that have taken place within recent years. The once sleepy community of Lethem is now taking shape as a commercial hub with several new business and entertainment places established especially in the new area earmarked by government for commercial and industrial development. It seems only a matter of time before Lethem is upgraded to township status especially given the increased flow of traffic as a consequence of the bridge across the Takatu River. This will be given further impetus with the paving of the Linden-Lethem trail and the

proposed construction of the bridge across the Corentyne River which will link the two neighbouring countries of Guyana and Suriname. These projects when completed will serve to integrate the economies of Guyana, Brazil and Suriname which will be greatly facilitated by a road infrastructure linking these three countries and their respective economies. Guyana is certainly going places for which full credit must be given to the PPP/C administration for putting in place the correct policy prescriptions to take this nation forward along the path of sustained economic and social progress. Hydar Ally

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Kaieteur News

Monday December 15, 2014

Constitutional Reform… 2015 Election Alliance Guyana cannot have a “cut-anddifficult to achieve

paste Constitution”- Granger

- Ralph Ramkarran While an alliance of opposition parties to contest General Elections has always been a prime objective, history and political realities suggest that opposition unity would be difficult to achieve. This is the view held by former Speaker of the National Assembly, Senior Counsel, Ralph Ramkarran, who in his musings this past week drew reference to the pitch made by Alliance For Change (AFC), Leader, Khemraj Ramjattan. The AFC Leader, in a departure from previous policy, offered the AFC as the leader of a pro-democracy opposition alliance of trade unions, civil society, disaffected Peoples Progressive Party (PPP) members and A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) to contest the upcoming General Elections. According to the former Speaker, the AFC’s political strategy is a high risk one for several reasons. “Joining APNU in loud threats to the PPP’s leadership will certainly not attract the PPP’s disaffected…They might be disappointed in the PPP but certainly do not want to see a substantial diminishing of its capacity for political protection, even if they embrace the wave of apathy that currently exists.” Ramkarran in his analysis pointed out too that the Peoples National Congress Reform (PNCR’s) adamant refusal to merely address the fears of the historical antiPNCR forces, “which dread a return to the banning of foodstuffs and rigged elections, would adversely

- “We need to move away from beer garden talk and find out from the people what reforms they would want to see.” By: Kiana Wilburg

Former Speaker Ralph Ramkarran

AFC Leader Khemraj Ramjattan

affect its appeal to PPP supporters.” Ramkarran added too that the difficult issues of leadership, composition of the list of candidates, distribution of seats after elections and agreements on policy cannot be underestimated “If there is failure, the risks of recrimination and despondency in opposition ranks could potentially affect the AFC’s performance.” Ramkarran was adamant that the former leader of the PPP Dr. Cheddi Jagan was a fervent believer in and practitio n e r o f a l l i a n c e politics and it formed a major pillar of his party’s political strategy since 1950 but was most productive during the years of opposition; including the anti referendum campaign in the second half of the 1970s when civil forces played a major role.” The former Speaker posits, “Notwithstanding the PPP’s bravado and the scorn it pours on the opposition’s effort, it is aware of the potential effectiveness of an opposition alliance.” According to Ramkarran, “One would have thought that the political strategy of the opposition would dictate that the PPP ought to publicly

make its own overtures to the opposition parties, offering a coalition government whatever the results, in order to counter the opposition’s efforts…But no kind of positive, creative strategy appears to be of interest to the PPP.” APNU’s leaders welcomed the initiative proposed by the AFC but appeared to be less than enthusiastic,” said Ramkarran, who added that history and political realities suggest that opposition unity would be difficult to achieve. He drew reference to the failed pre-1992 efforts between the constituent parties of the Patriotic Coalition for Democracy (PCD), the Working Peoples’ Alliance (WPA) being one. “There have never been any substantial alliances that have made a political difference and have endured,” said Ramkarran. The first major, informal alliance between classes and individuals in Guyana’s politics was in 1950 under the banner of the PPP. It failed! The next was the gobbling up of the United Democratic Party (UDP) by the PNC sometime around 1956. The UDP, led by John Carter, had little support but represented the interests of the African professional and middle class and was considered to be the political arm of the League of Coloured (Continued on page 12)

Since the prorogation of the Parliament, the pressure for constitutional reform has increased, with some political parties putting forward their own menu of necessary changes to certain articles. One such party is the Alliance For Change (AFC), whose Chairman Nigel Hughes had recently put forward his party’s constitutional reform proposal, which includes tempering the powers of the President along with his immunities to suit. Even business mogul, Dr. Yesu Persaud recently spoke to the urgent need for constitutional changes, particularly the powers vested in the Executive. However, Opposition Leader, David Granger believes that considering the political state of the country, it is also important to examine other parts of the Constitution and not just the powers of the President. While he shares Dr. Persaud’s view, Granger said that there is “nothing new about that.” The Leader of A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) said that as far as Constitutional Reform is concerned, it has become a very popular topic nowadays, but “we need to move away from beer garden talk and find out from the people what reforms they would want to see.” Granger recently told the media that everyone has a package of reforms in their back pockets. He reminded of some who opined that Guyana should return to the 1970’s Constitution. Granger then emphasized, “We cannot have a cut and paste constitution.” He asserted, “We can’t have one that just selects a

bit from South Africa, a bit from India, and a part from the USA …There are like hundreds of suggestions coming up and the problem is that many of the reforms which have been recommended as of 2001 have not yet been implemented, so we need experts. We also need to go back to the people to find out what the people themselves want and not what was discussed in a beer garden or some coffee house.” The Opposition Leader said that attention should also be given to the experiences of the Tenth Parliament over the last few years, particularly because they have brought out some new issues which the Constitution will have to remedy, such as the matter of prorogation. On that premise, Granger said that a more careful look at the Constitution needs to be taken as opposed to what some have been suggesting. “I respect Dr. Persaud but we need to go to the people and we need to get experts in public law to redraft the Constitution. There is no point at this stage of Guyanese history to be cherry picking issues, saying ‘oh there is a good clause here in the USA and a good one here in India and another there’ … we finish with that. We need to hear the voices of the people in this country. There are too many “experts” who have never written a Constitution in their life and suddenly dictating what needs to be done,” Granger expressed. He expressed that he was in the Pomeroon area recently, and after listening to the plight of the citizens there, with regard to their living conditions, he observed that more attention needs to be paid to Local Government. “A lot of problems exist there and everyone is talking about presidential powers but they don’t speak on the way communities are administered, and this is what the Local Government system is meant to remedy. Everyone knows the

Opposition Leader, David Granger President must do this and the President must do that but the people are suffering at the bottom because the system is not working for them…we need to do a deeper Constitutional consultation,” Granger commented. The APNU leader then said that his coalition will continue to push for constitutional reform. Chairman of the AFC, Nigel Hughes had outlined that one of the important things the Constitution speaks to is the distribution of power and how it should be exercised. Referring to Article 51, the Attorney-atlaw had said that supreme democratic power should be vested in three organs; the Presidency, Parliament and Cabinet. He had emphasized that a worrying problem exists in that equation. “What you have is the President being a part of the parliament and then when you go to Cabinet, you have him there, where he has supreme executive power. So in effect, he has power of all three organs of the state. “He dominates them, and this is long before we come to discuss his immunities from suit, which means that in the exercise of his executive power, he is not answerable to the court or anyone and can only be removed by grave misconduct, ill-health or loss of confidence in him by the House.” Hughes had said that the current structure of the Constitution gives the President absolute power to govern, and that the AFC has advocated for this to be addressed with urgency, for power, he had opined, must be distributed evenly.

Monday December 15, 2014

Kaieteur News

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Monday December 15, 2014

Venezuela’s Maduro says ‘no rush’ Move to reverse Type 2 diabetes to hike world’s cheapest gasoline CARACAS (Reuters) Venezuela’s Nicolas Maduro said there was “no rush” to hike the world’s cheapest gasoline prices, suggesting the increasingly unpopular president has shied away from implementing the risky domestic reform in the near future amid an economic crisis. “I’ve considered, as head of state, that the moment has not arrived,” he said in a prerecorded interview broadcast on the Televen channel yesterday. “The moment will come, maybe in 2015, there’s no rush, we’re not going to throw more gasoline on the fire that already exists with speculation and induced inflation.” Venezuela’s economy is flailing under the weight of an over 60 percent annual inflation, an apparent recession, strict currency controls, and slipping oil prices. Maduro has appeared reluctant to make necessary but unpopular economic adjustments, such as hiking gasoline prices for the first time in two decades or unifying the country’s

Nicolas Maduro complex system of exchange rates. Subsidizing the world’s cheapest gasoline costs the South American OPEC member about $12.5 billion a year, according to the government. But raising prices is a hotbutton issue in the country with the world’s largest crude reserves. A gasoline price hike in 1989 triggered massive riots and left hundreds dead. A hike now would likely also further fan the region’s highest inflation rate and

especially hurt the poor, the government’s traditional base of support. Separately, Maduro reiterated his government is working on an “adjustment” to the “Sicad II” foreign exchange auction scheme, but did not offer details. Maduro blames the economic crisis on a “war” waged by right-wing foes seeking to topple him by spreading rumors of impending default, as well as smuggling and hoarding price-fixed goods. “There’s a blockade against Venezuela in the capitalist world,” Maduro told interviewer Jose Vicente Rangel, a leftist politician and former vice-president during Chavez’s government. Venezuelan sovereign bond prices have plunged and the cost to insure the debt against a default has surged as slumping oil prices worsen the country’s cash flow problems. Maduro reiterated that Venezuela is “solvent” and said the market ignores that the country has paid its debt consistently since the late Hugo Chavez came to office in 1999.

Professor Roy Taylor (left) with are Sir Richard Branson, Dr Joy St John and Professor Nigel Unwin. (Picture by Sandy Pitt) Barbados Nation - A landmark study that researchers hope will lead to a reversal of Type 2 diabetes among Barbadians is being undertaken. British airline magnate Sir Richard Branson Saturday launched the innovative Barbados Diabetes Reversal Study which is being funded by Virgin Unite, his not-for-profit foundation of the Virgin Group. It will be undertaken by Professor Nigel Urwin, chair of population health sciences at

the Chronic Disease Research Centre, and a team at the University of the West Indies, in collaboration with the Barbados Diabetes Foundation and Diabetes Association of Barbados. Speaking at a news conference for the launch at the Diabetes Association’s Beckles Road headquarters, Urwin noted about one in five adult Barbadians currently suffered from Type 2 diabetes, compared with one in 12 globally.

‘BREAKING THE CORRUPTION CHAIN’ - Watchdog group urges more work to defeat monster

The Gleaner - Public commentator, attorney-at-law Dr Paul Ashley, has cautioned against the liberal use of the corruption label on every dysfunctionality or shortcoming in the country. However, Martin Henry of the anti-corruption entity, National Integrity Action (NIA), is arguing that a broadbrush approach is necessary to tackle this massive problem as “Jamaica corrupt from top to bottom”. Addressing a Gleaner Editors’ Forum last Wednesday to mark 2014 International Anti-corruption Day, Ashley argued that it could be incorrect to label all wasteful government spending and some defects in the judicial system as corruption, “It seems to me that the NIA has such an omnibus focus that would tend to give every defect in the society the label corruption,” argued Ashley. “It could be incompetence, or it could be lack of awareness or a systemic problem but we run the danger of labelling every defect or shortcoming corruption,” added Ashley. But Henry countered that corruption is not only what the authorities do but also what people want to be done. Henry was supported by executive director of NIA, Professor Trevor Munroe,

who argued that like the rest of the world Jamaica needs to commit to this year’s theme for International AntiCorruption Day: ‘Breaking the Corruption Chain’. Munroe pointed to the Corruption Performance Index 2014, released a week ago, which he said confirmed the view of most Jamaicans that corruption is rampant among public officials. The index listed Jamaica among a number of countries needing to do much better in dealing with corruption. Jamaica earned a score of 38 and a rank of 85 of the 175 countries listed. Munroe noted that Jamaica scores highly in areas such as freedom of the press, where the country is ranked 18 out of 197 countries and ahead of the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada. Jamaica also scores highly in terms of independence of the judiciary, where it is ranked in the top third of 144 countries; auditing standards, where the country is also in the top third and, “most recently, significant improvement in government budget balance as a per cent of GDP where the country moved from 96 to 21 in one year”, noted Munroe. Low levels of government transparency However, Munroe pointed to the low levels of

Dr. Paul Ashley transparency in government policymaking, 109 out of 144 countries; the high level of favouritism in decisions of government officials, 94 out of 144 countries; the slow passage of anti-corruption legislation; and the need for more effective law enforcement against corruption as among the reasons for Jamaica’s low ranking in the index. Munroe also cited a poll commissioned by the NIA and carried out by pollster Don Anderson that suggested that a “very high percentage of the Jamaican people believe that big business is involved in corruption”. He pointed to a plethora of complaints of perceived corruption received by his office. Citing an example, Munroe referred to a complaint from a St Elizabeth resident that a road in his district was rehabilitated, but washed away by a first shower.

Monday December 15, 2014

Kaieteur News

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I WANT MY MONEY BACK! If you have a savings account, the bank every few months, sometimes quarterly, sometimes half yearly, usually gives you interest on your bank balance. When they do give you the interest, they add it on to your balance which logically increases. But you would note that before they add on this balance they take out what is known as a Withholding Tax which they have to hand over to the government. In this regard, the Withholding Tax is one way in which the government taxes the interest that you obtain from your savings. It is not the savings that is taxed but the interest that you earn from the bank. The Withholding Tax is 20% and also applies to interest earned by companies. The Marriot Hotel is not going to have to pay any Withholding Tax on any interest earned. This is unfair and unjust because the other hotels in Guyana should enjoy the same treatment. When any of these other hotels finish tallying their accounts at the end of the year, they are required to pay what is known as Company Taxes.

The Company Tax, I believe, for commercial companies is 40%. It means that the hotels in Guyana, after they would have declared their profits, have to hand over 40% of their profits to the government. In the case of the Marriot, however, it does not have to hand over a cent for the next ten years. This is unfair and unjust and gives the Marriot, built with taxpayers’ monies, the ability to put the other major hotels out of business. But it does not end there. After a company would have declared a profit, it has to decide how much of that profit it is going to distribute to the various owners of the company. This payment is known as a Dividend. The reason why persons invest in companies is so that the value of their shareholding can go up as the value of the stock of the company increases, and they also earn a return on their shares which is the Dividend. If the company does well, the Dividend to the shareholders increase. Now, for non-resident shareholders, there is a requirement that this Dividend has to be taxed.

This is called the Withholding Tax on the Dividend. Not so with the Marriot Hotel. The foreign shareholders are for the next ten years not going to pay a single cent in Withholding Taxes on their Dividend. They are exempt from this tax as part of the deal they have with the government. In the case of the Marriot Hotel, this is obscene because as we know this hotel is being primarily constructed with taxpayers’ money. As part of this controversial deal, two small investors are said to be investing only US$8M in a hotel worth more than US$50M, yet with this minority investment, these foreign investors will have a majority shareholding, because the bulk of your and my money which is being pumped into the project in the name of the government is going as loans for which no interest is going to be paid for a long time. Whoever are the lucky two investors have gotten a “sweet man deal.” They will therefore cream off the bulk of any Dividends which are declared.

Dem boys seh...

Smart money coming out fuh Christmas party Christmas coming and dis is de season fuh dem Christmas party. Before Jagdeo tun president, all dem Ministry use to have dem own party. Dem use to invite de whole staff and dem use to mek presentations to de best worker fuh de year. But de thing use to cost money; suh when Jagdeo tun president he stop dem Christmas party fuh save money. One year he get Ohh Pee fuh keep one party fuh all dem Ministry. Is only he and some friends tun up. Dis year he get invite to all dem party, again. Of course, dem boys seh that is only those parties and de one Gerry got that he gun get invite to, till Old Year’s Night. De Waterfalls paper now know why he wanted to save money. At first, couple Ministry use to join and hold dem party; then dem stop. Some Ministry still keeping individual party and it was not surprising that some of dem Minister was Jagdeo friends. This year Rob de Earth got a party and dem boys seh that is de gold people who sponsoring it. Everybody know that Rob de

Earth controlling de gold mining and dem boys seh that is he mek de price drop. He play smart and he stock up. Was while he stocking up dat he end up wid gold that he buy dear and now got to sell cheap. Berry Berry got a party too and dem boys seh that is a man who get de most benefit sponsoring that. This man just had to sit down and de cheques use to fall in he lap. Is some of dem cheques that he using to sponsor de party. And it is this that people talking how thief from thief mek de Creatah laugh. De people who planning de party jacking up de price fuh everything. In de end somebody gun pay four times more fuh de whole party. Drinks dat dem don’t drink when dem deh home or when dem buying is wha dem order. And de devil best friend ain’t really care because is not he money anyhow. And while all this going on, Donald Duck singing Christmas carol. Talk half and check out de government Christmas party.

This is an obscenity in itself but what makes it stink to outer space is despite being able to cream off the bulk of the dividends, these foreign investors in the Marriot Hotel deal do not have to pay this tax on their dividends. But to add insult to injury, the Marriot is allowed a oneoff retrofitting of the project. This means that they can change or upgrade anything in the hotel and not have to pay any taxes. What this means is that if the Marriot sees that the Pegasus has made some renovations and the Marriot decides to do the same or better, they do not have to pay any taxes on the upgrade. But the Pegasus will. How can this be fair to the other

competitors in the industry who are not as fortunate as Marriot to enjoy such generous tax concessions. With this slew of concessions, the Marriot is not going to just corner the up-end of the market. They are going to corner the entire market and throw all the other major hotels into bankruptcy. The more I read of this Marriot deal, the more I keep looking at my bankbook to see the few pennies which I have so diligently saved over the years. When I look at my bankbook, I keep seeing that every time I get a dollar in interest, the government gets 20 cents in taxes. Every time I get $100 in interest, the government creams off $20,

leaving me with $80. I am now demanding that the government repay me every dime that they have taken as Withholding Tax from the interest earned on my savings. If the government can give such generous concessions to the two multimillionaires who will hold the majority of shares in the Marriot; if they can do this for ten years and possibly more after, they can damn well return the Withholding Taxes they took out of the interest I earned on my savings. I want it returned. And I want it returned now!

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Demonstration outside Nandlall’s office…

Protestor vows to continue despite threat of charges report to the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court on Friday morning to answer a charge for breaching the peace. The father of three told

Courtney Crum- Ewing during a protest in front of the AG‘s Office When Courtney CrumEwing was questioned by the police for using a toilet attached to the Chambers of Attorney General (AG) and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall one week ago, many viewed the course of action taken by the law enforcement officers as a little bizarre. But despite this, CrumEwing, a former Officer of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) continues to pride himself in conducting a one-man protest exercise outside the AG’s Chambers on Carmichael Street, Georgetown. He has been carrying out the demonstration for a few weeks, citing offensive remarks made by the AG during a recorded telephone conversation with a senior Kaieteur News Reporter. For the past month, CrumEwing has stood in front the AG’s office calling for his dismissal, making reference to the conversation in which Nandlall was heard attempting to solicit sexual favours on behalf of a relative and hinting that there was an imminent, sinister plot against Kaieteur News Publisher, Glenn Lall and his staff. Crum–Ewing continues to maintain his stance that the actions of the AG are nothing short of shameful and that he should be dealt with condignly. “I have three daughters, a mother, a sister and many female relatives that I care about… so I feel strongly about this issue,” the man passionately expressed. He believes that it is his civic duty to sensitize the public, even if that means carrying out a lone protest exercise in front of the AG’s Office until the right course of action is taken and Nandlall is removed from office. However, on December 5th Crum- Ewing found himself in hot water, after he

Attorney General Anil Nandlall ventured into the compound that houses the AG’s chambers and opted to use a toilet in the public building. Crum-Ewing said that he was given permission to use the facility by a security guard and receptionist but was later subjected to police interrogation. Crum- Ewing was asked to visit the Brickdam Police Station, where he was questioned and he provided a statement about what took place in the toilet and how he ended up there. The man was not charged but was told to return to the station on December 8, last. One week after he found himself in trouble with the law for what appeared to be a frivolous matter, Mr. CrumEwing is once again facing a similar situation. On Thursday last, the demonstrator received similar instructions from the police. He was asked to visit the Police Station at Brickdam, where he spent five hours. “I sat on the bench at the station and waited from 11 am to 4 pm on Thursday …I asked the officers why I was there, what my crime was? They told me that they were waiting for instructions from upstairs to charge me,” Crum–Ewing stated. The man was subsequently placed on selfbail and told he needed to

this newspaper that when he turned up at the court last Friday in the company of his Attorney James Bond, he was informed that no charge was

laid against him. Crum–Ewing said that he left the court and returned to his business of protesting the AG’s office, still adamant in

his stance. When asked about the driving force behind his actions to this point, Crum(Continued on page 12)

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Chain snatcher shot by Markets face closure as City Constabulary rank workers go on strike today A 20-year-old Ruimveldt resident was shot early yesterday by a member of the City Constabulary minutes after he snatched a gold chain from a mini bus passenger. The incident occurred around 09:00 hrs on High Street, Georgetown. Jamal Letlow of Industrial Site, Ruimveldt received a bullet in his buttocks after he allegedly attacked the rank with a knife. Police in a press release said that Letlow was in a minibus when he requested to get off at High Street. While exiting the vehicle, he snatched a gold chain from a female passenger in the mini-bus. The release added that an alarm was raised and ranks of a City Constabulary Patrol that was in the vicinity, responded and gave chase.

Shot: Jamal Letlow Kaieteur News understands that Letlow attacked one of the ranks with a knife despite being called upon to desist. He was eventually shot and injured. At the hospital yesterday, Letlow’s mother, Deborah,

said that she was not aware of the circumstances under which her son was wounded. She explained that she was at home when a security guard at the hospital called to inform her that the 20-year-old was shot. The injured man’s brother, who asked that his name be withheld, said that he was informed that his sibling was walking on High Street with a friend when he was shot by a rank of the City Constabulary for no reason. The sibling said that Letlow has never been involved in any police matter. He claims that the 20-yearold, who is the father of a onemonth-old baby boy works at the Meadow Bank Wharf. Up to press time, Letlow was being treated in the GPHC’s Accident and Emergency Unit.

2015 Election Alliance a prime... (From page 6) People (LCP) which was a social group representing the same interests. According to Ramkarran, the late Forbes Burnham was a member of that group before being sought out by Cheddi Jagan for a leadership role in the 1950 PPP. Ramkarran, in giving historical context to attempts at alliances, pointed out that difficulties were experienced in 1964 when PNC Leader Forbes Burnham promised the electorate that there would be no post-election coalition with Peter D’Aguiar’s United Force (UF). “As soon as the elections were over, a coalition government was formed between the PNC and the UF, which lasted only until 1968 when the first elections were

rigged to give the PNC an overall majority.” Ramkarran is of the view that Burnham had been fearful that if he had announced the possibility of a coalition prior to the elections of that year, the PNC would have suffered n e g a t i v e c o n s e q uences from the anger of its supporters. “Proposed association in a post-election alliance with a right wing political party whose political base was in the Portuguese and Indian business communities would not have been seen as empathetic with the aspirations of the PNC’s African working class base,” according to Ramkarran. He pointed out too that in Guyana’s history, the next phase of alliance politics was practiced by the PPP during

the years of 1964 to 1992. The PPP worked with several political and civil society groups and it joined in the formation of the VLD (Vanguard for Liberation and Democracy) in the 1970s which eventually gave way to the PCD (Patriotic Coalition for Democracy) in the 1980s. According to Ramkarran, 1992 offered the greatest opportunity from the already established PCD but no pre or post-election coalition emerged. He observed that the last experience has been the creation of APNU but opined that “this is more of an absorption rather than a coalition.” He said that apart from the WPA, which is no longer an electoral force, the other parties comprising APNU are one-person parties.

...300 staff still to receive wage increase “There is really nothing we can do. I will have to see what will happen when I get into the office tomorrow (today), and if possible, maybe the government can help.” This was the response given by Town Clerk (Ag) Carol Sooba yesterday as the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) braces itself for possible strike action set to take place today. President of the Guyana Local Government Officers’ Union (GLGOU), Dale Beresford has promised that union members will down their tools today in what could very well become the first day of strike action for unapproved salary increases for some 250 to 300 City Council workers. Beresford announced last Thursday that increases for professional, clerical and other administrative staffers of the Council were yet to be approved by full Council despite having the go ahead from the agency’s Personnel and Financial Committees. He had given the Council a 48-hour ultimatum which ended on Friday and was adamant that the union would take serious measures if the matter was not addressed. Sooba told the media that if the strike should take place, this would include managers, doctors among others who are all attached to the Council. The issue, she said, involves allowances for the workers, a matter that has been continuously delayed. The workers’ increase has already been considered and is ready to be paid out, she continued, however it is left to be passed by the Mayor

GLGOU President Dale Beresford

Town Clerk (Ag) Carol Sooba

and Councillors as is Statutory. She said that two Statutory meetings ago the report was up for consideration but it was decided by the Council that the workers should be paid in line with the increases for the Councillors. “They (Councilors) want me to pay increases retroactive of 2012,” Sooba said. She maintained however that she cannot pay increases to the Councillors since their payments are decided at government level. She said currently, Councillors receive $45,000 in duty and allowance while the Mayor and his Deputy receive $75,000. However, depending on the attendance of the Councillors at the various meetings held, this is how they are paid, she explained. The Town Clerk pointed out that many persons stand to be affected if the strike is to take place. “Christmas shoppers will be affected,” she noted, adding that there is not much that can be done. Sooba said that

depending on the magnitude of the strike, assistance would be sought from the Local Government Ministry to ascertain the best way forward. The union leader had stated that city markets, the abattoir and other municipal centres will be affected by the strike. He said the union sympathizes with the Mayor and Councillors over their struggle to get increases but their contention with the government is different from approving the increases for Council staffers since a collective labour agreement exists between the Council and the union. He said no agreement exists where Council workers are paid in line with the Councillors’ increases. The workers will be paid, he claimed, or “appropriate industrial action” will follow. It has been expressed that a special meeting is scheduled for tomorrow so that the issue could be addressed. Beresford said the union is not buying that story and strike action will commence today.

Protestor vows to continue... (From page 11) Ewing said that the course of action is “long overdue.” “It is the arrogance of those in authority that motivates me…How can the President profess that they all stand in solidarity with a man who clearly has no respect for the women of his country?” He went on to say, “If you listen to that tape, it is appalling. I let it play in public transportation that I use every day and people listen to it.”

A mini health check is the first step to donating blood

When asked what he expects will be the result of his picketing exercise, the man told this newspaper that he expects Nandlall would resign at some point. CrumEwing expressed that “Guyanese are very aware of the lawlessness and we are fed up… It is just that the political culture does allow the average Guyanese to express themselves without being victimized.” “Many people pass me there on a daily basis and blow their horns in approval, offer me words of encouragement, a thumbs-up for what I am doing… I believe a vast majority of citizens feel that this is the way; that is also another motivating factor,” he added. As it relates to the issue

with the police, the demonstrator is uncertain what course of action will be taken against him. However, a source attached to the law enforcement agency told Kaieteur News that CrumEwing’s file has been sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for advice. In the meantime, Crum Ewing will continue to conduct his picketing exercise. “We need change … I started off quietly putting up signs. Now I am using my voice to express my displeasure… I am outside the office every working day of the week, for at least six hours per day and I will continue to do so,” he added.

Monday December 15, 2014

Kaieteur News

Page 21

NO AIRLINE FOR OLD MEN There is an awardwinning movie called “No Country For Old Men” which still resonates with me especially since I qualified some time ago, galloping from youth into middle-age and then hobbling into senior citizenship. While some of my friends, high on potency pills, say things like “A man is as old as the woman he feels”, I tend to feel every sports injury I ever suffered even from my earliest youth, every football knock or cricket blow and increasingly, with short breath, have become what some would call a blow-hard but in a limited sense of the word.

From the stoop of old age, looking down the timeline, one thing that strikes me is the number of names we give objects or phenomena connected with sexual organs and activities. This is something at which Trinis excel and when I remember and reflect on my schooldays, I am amazed at how many synonyms we invented, devised or used, how many variants we adopted, just to avoid the English words “penis” and “vagina”. My memory was recently pricked by a scandal surrounding Trini Olympic and World Championship medallist, sprinter Ato Boldon. The website

“Wired868.com” ran the following story, “Sex-mail 101: When you send photographs of yourself in your birthday suit and the recipient does not offer to blow out the candles, chances are you not going to finish that particular race. On 6 March 2010, Australian Senator Nova Peris allegedly sent ex-Trinidad and Tobago Olympic star Ato Boldon a nude photo to show what else could be on the agenda for his trip ‘Down Under’ to help prepare that country’s athletes for the London 2012 Olympics. Peris, a former Olympian herself and one of Australia’s ‘most decorated indigenous athletes’, was an

Residents condemn drainage works in Cedar Street

Constructed only a few weeks ago, this drain along Cedar Street has already started deteriorating. Residents of Cedar Street, Mackenzie, were all elated when works to rehabilitate the street commenced a few months ago. According to a few long standing householders, no rehabilitative road or drainage works had been carried out in over three decades. “So it was like finally we gon get a good road with proper drainage, so we were all very happy”, one resident pointed out. However their elation was short-lived, after it became apparent that the new drains that were being done, instead of alleviating water logging, was doing the exact opposite. “These drains were constructed higher than the drains in our yards, so the water couldn’t run off. The sides of the drains were actually blocking the free flow of water. And you know when work first got started, the old drains were dug out with backhoe, and the depth was

good, but then instead of doing the drains to that level, sand was used to raise the level, and then the drains were concreted to bring it to the current level. We believe that that was done to cut cost, because the shallower the drains, the less cement would be required. But now we suffering because of that, because all the water stagnating in the drains and creating a mosquito nuisance, and is people septic tank water and everything that building up in the yards, so this is not at all healthy, “another resident declared. Those sentiments were echoed by other residents, who also said that they now dread the rainy season, because there is sure to be flooding. According to the concerned residents, they voiced their concerns with the contractor, who tried boring holes in the sides of the main drains in order for the water to flow out of their drains, but

that strategy is not working. “As it is right now, my septic tank water is not flowing out, and after I complained, the contractor had some six inch pipes installed next to the drains, but that will not stand up to the volume of water when it rains, and in any case it only benefitting two households,” one of the residents explained. It was also pointed out that residents were told that their properties were too low, and therefore needed building up. “But we ain’t teking duh. The people in Mora Street and Greenheart didn’t build up de yards when the drains and streets get rehabilitated there, and we all on the same level, and all the drains had the same depth, but de didn’t decrease the depths there, so why de do it in this street?” It is only at the intersection of Cedar Street and Damon Avenue that the (Continued on page 24)

ambassador for Athletics Australia and a communication officer with the Australian Institute of Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Studies at the time. But, from photographic evidence, she had not aged as well as the Trini former track star.” While the undecorated Senator was interesting, my wrinkle in time was not her physical condition but the headline of the article. It was, “Ato Tea Party Down Under: Ex Olympic Star In Sex Less Scandal.” Apart from Ato going “down under”, it was the pure Trini pun, first used publicly by Trini comedian Errol Fabien, of “Ato Tea”. It is an old brand in a new box. One of the words we used for the male sexual organ was pronounced “toe-tea”. While there is no proper spelling, I have seen “toti” which the “Urban Dictionary” defines as “Women’s vagina in Spanish.” Despite the ambiguity, the idea of “Ato Tea Party down-under” is hilarious. The word “toto” is also very common. While “Toto” is a very successful rockband, the word has been used in Trinidad long before I was born to describe the male sexual organ. Another word, which I have not really seen in print, is pronounced “low-lee” and a variant of it is “lollo”. I am not sure how and from what language these evolved, but we used them in our early school days especially when we stood in line urinating together and making fun of one another’s “lollos”, “low-lees” and “toeteas”. It was for this reason that I, and a lot of other Trinis, found it a trifle hilarious when Caribbean Airlines hired a new CEO named “DiLollo”. The man, from everything I’ve read, is highly qualified,

extremely competent but with a name that is culturally inappropriate and will probably cause the same laughter behind his back that his appointment was greeted with when it was announced. It is not his fault but our culture. Then when his pay package was revealed, a friend called me and knowing my love for calypso asked, “Tony, you ever hear that calypso by Rio about men paying maintenance money? He call it ‘The Toto Tax’.” I admitted to having it on the music flash-drive in my car. “Well,” he continued, “when you have to pay more for travelling on Caribbean Airlines, you paying DiLollo tax.” Viscerally, I found it funny but I knew it was not right to make fun of a man’s name especially one unused to the Trini culture. But then I thought that the people who hired him should have known and perhaps warned their new CEO that his performance might be no problem but his name could be. I clung to this until I had no choice but to change my departure date on a Caribbean Airlines flight to Fort Lauderdale. The flight cost US$262 return. The change cost US$170, plus the difference in the new fare

(which was substantial). When I considered that the price of fuel was down, I had no choice but jump to the conclusion that the CEO’s salary and allowances had to be paid and this is why Caribbean was charging more for a Barbados flight than for Fort Lauderdale and why changing a ticket costs almost as much as the ticket itself. It was like when I first went to Barbados to live. I bought a used “mini-Moke” for one-thousand-dollars but the insurance was fifteen hundred. I concluded that I had to sell the car to afford the insurance. I was stopped by BWIA’s security as I was heading to board the plane to Fort Lauderdale and the young lady in charge ran her fingers over my body, thoroughly. I thought this was not allowed but the rule seems to have been changed. A friend who had seen what happened said, “I see the lady hands all over you. What she thought you had – drugs?” I took my time and answered slowly. “No. I think she was looking for DiLollo.” *Tony Deyal was last seen warning men who are searched by Caribbean Airlines female guards. If you look like you’re enjoying it DiLollo and his boys will probably charge for that too.

Page 22

Kaieteur News

SALON Make Up Courses with Mac, Bare Minerals, Black Opal and Sacha cosmetics. Call: 647-1773/660-5257

ACCOMODATION SIGNATURE INN: Luxury Suites & Apartments. Free Wi-Fi & Breakfast; AC & Self Contained Rooms @ 83 Laluni Street Queenstown. Tel: 592-226-2145

VACANCY Work from home & earn $5,000-$20,000 daily; www.jobfairworldwide.com Tel:233-6517; 622-1957; 9am5pm Mon-Fri & Saturday 10am-4pm Male & female workers: managers, accountants, checkers, salesperson & housekeepers @ RA Soda Factory – Call: 330-23992772; 623-5920 One female clerk – Call: 2315171 Immediate: Ice machine operators (training provided) & night security to work @ Ice Factory in Meadow Bank – Call: 231-1408; 642-9191 Porters; rip saw and moulder operator – Call Richard: 6097675; 233-2614 CANTER DRIVER/ SALESMAN and Factory Assistant living on E.B.D, free accommodation also available. 266 4427 One qualified hairdresser; one housekeeper – Call:2256492 Pump attendant at Shell Providence E.B.D (shift work) 5AM-3PM & 3PM12PM EDUCATIONAL Pre- Christmas Give away $25,000 OFF 9 Course Computer Diploma. Promotion ends this week! Micrographics, Vreed- EnHoop. Call: 264-3057

LEARN TO DRIVE Soman Son & Outar Driving School at Maraj BuildingTel: 644-5166; 622-2872; 6150964; 689-5997 FOR SALE/RENT American Pool Table – Call: 277- 0578

SERVICES PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION,WEDDINGS, ANNIVERSARY, ETC. – CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 216-1043; 677-6620 Permanent & Visitors Visa Applications, Professional Immigration Consultant Room D5 Maraj Building Call Sabita: 225-6496, 662-6045 Guyana Passport & Visa Forms Application, USA, Canada and England. Tel: 626-7040; 265-4535. Repairs & spare, fridge, freezer, A/C, washers, stoves. Contact Nick: 683-1312, 627-3206 Repairs, sales & spares air conditioning, microwaves, washer, fridges & stoves. Ultra Cool, call: 225-9032, 647-2943 REPAIRS AT LOW COST: FRIDGES, AIRCONDITIONERS, WASHING MACHINES, TVS, MICROWAVES, FREEZERS- CALL: 6294946 OR 225-4822 We repair fridge, freezer, AC, washer, dryer Call Omar: 2310655,683-8734 Are you looking for a personal driver: safe, reliable & courteous – Contact: 6977488 Magicjack!! Magicjack!! Magicjack!! (Authorised Dealer) Renewal/Repairs/ Troubleshooting Laptop Screens/Batteries/ Keyboards Computer/Printer Repairs, Call: 231-9429

PROPERTY FOR SALE Six acres prime roadside land and metal workshop in Corriverton, can be sold with or without workshop. Call: 626-6245 Property @ Meadowbrook Drive: four bedrooms, 3 bathrooms – Tel:664-5199; 675-7043 One unfinished house in West Minister - $4.5M- Call: 661-0618, 601-3469 (size: 20X47) One house & land in hope low land, E.C.D, one house & land in Bloomfield Berbice – Call:689-5254; 256-0504 Lot 251 Thomas Street South C/Burg, size 102’X40’, price -$85M neg. – Contact Mervin on: 647-2509; 231-6111; 2273136

FOR RENT PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION,WEDDINGS, ANNIVERSARY, ETC. CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 216-1043; 677-6620 GT TOOL RENTALS: COMPACTOR; CHIPPING HAMMER RANSOM & FLOOR SANDER, (SALE) AND MORE, SAWS & DRILLS -$10,000 - CALL: 675-0767, 667-2535 One bedroom apartment in Grove E.B.D – Call: 687-7376 House to rent – Call:2315153 Metal Scaffold for rent- Call: 623-6586 or 225-7607 Five bedrooms house, 107 Lamaha Gardens & Large Parking; AC Rooms Hot & Cold, Purified Water System – Call: 661-8908, 335-3590 One business place for rent @ Stewartville W.C.D, opposite School – Call: 6135261 Space to rent 60X40; ideal for supermarket, wholesale distribution etc at Enmore E.C.D – Call:256-4249, 6277771, 674-6427 One bedroom for couple (upper flat) - $30,000 @ 2387 Diamond H/Scheme – Call: 602-9302 CATERING From the USA Catering American & Guyanese Cuisine Specialty deserts for the holidaysvalstastytreats.com / 2193166

VEHICLE FOR SALE

WANTED

FOR SALE

One Toyota Raum : TV; Alarm, remote start ; PRR 8782 – Call:670-7243 Toyota Mark 2 - $2.2M neg. BMW 318i - $2.2M neg. Toyota Tacoma (RHD) (Auto/ 4WD) - $1.2M neg. – Call:6532005 1-Honda-600RR, Toyota Raum, AT170, AT212, AT192, AE100 Sprinter Fun cargo, Bubble Tray Tundra Call: 6445096, 697-1453 R1 2007; Candy Red motor cycle, never fall; 40 original paint 1100 miles -$7,000US or best offer – Call: 623-4045

One night shift supervisor at shell Providence E.B.D, Submit application to shellramsburg@gmail.com Female worker needed, 3 CXC subject or sound secondary school education- Call: 6121607 Bartender, kitchen assistant, waitress, ASAP @ Streem Café & Bar : Oronoque & Robb St. Must have ID – Phone: 658-6873 (apply In person)

LARGE QUANTITIES OF HIGH PURITY MERCURY (QUICK SILVER) 99.99995% PURITY$19,000 PER POUND CALL: 592-227-4754. Spare for washing machine, microwaves, fridges, stoves, timers, gearbox, pumps, etc call: 225-9032, 647-2943

Pitbull bus ($3.2M) Verossa - $3.7M, Noah- $2M (All new) – Call: 603-9700 Unregistered Spacio 2004, camera, rims, body kit, Fielder 2003, black interior, fully loaded. Call: 617-5536 Unregistered fielder wagon $2.650M, Allion - $2.275M, Premio - $2.350M, $2.45M (Mags, Rear Camera) City Motors- Call: 616-3413, 6926159. Christmas Sale! 2003 Toyota Premio - $2.2M; never registered – Tel: 617-2891 Toyota Prado, Price$5.5M Neg. Call: 643-2403 One ford IVECO sand truck with Cummings Engine, GNN Series, excellent condition, owner leaving country – Call: 604-6860, 643-2911 AT192, 212, Allion, unregistered Premio, Hilux Surf, BNN, RZ & Pit-bull, 7 seater super custom. Cash / terms- Call: 680-3154 We buy & sell vehicles for cash, also parts available & 30 seater buses; Extra Cab pickups; 2006 TacomaCall:680-3154

LAND FOR SALE CAR RENTAL DOLLY’S CAR RENTAL CALL: 225-7126/ 2263693 DOLLYSAUTO RENTAL@YAHOO.COM/ WWW.DOLLYSAUTO RENTAL.COM PROGRESSIVE AUTO RENTAL:CARS&SUV FOR RENTAL- $4,000 & UP PER DAY- CALL: 643-5122, 2193900, EMAIL: PRO_AUTO RENTAL@YAHOO.COM Aidan’s Car & Pickup rental, cheap rate, low security – Tel:698-7807;690-6494

Monday December 15, 2014

Parika (Butcher Shop Street) – One (1) Lot 38' X 150' $ 7m - Contact 650-0402 - for serious inquiries Blankenburg @ The Back Of Gas Station (3) Lots @ 75' X 76' Each. $20M for all 3 Lots. (1) Lot for $10m - Contact 650-0402 One residential land at Herstelling -$4.5M – Tel:6610618; 601-3469 Prime water front land located at Port Kaituma/ North West, approximately (110ftX100ft) business spot – Contact: 601-5500; 693-9348

Shop assistant to work in the interior salary $80,000 – Tel:688-5409; 664-5199; 6757043 One live in domestic to work in Diamond; age 25-45 – Salary $60,000 – Tel:6885409; 664-5199 Hire car driver @ Gem’s Taxi Service – Call: 667-9013, 2255075 Contract cars & hire car drivers at Atlas Taxi Service – Tel:218-5593; 218-5594 Girls to work as waitresses in bar – Tel:256-4096 One puri maker – Call: 2269561 One assistant salesgirl @ E.C.D – Call: 644-9802 One Nail Technician specialized in Nail Art design, Air Brush and also Hair Extension. Tel: 231-6000 One able bodied male to work in a Hardware store Call: 231-2029; 219-4533 One porter to work on beverage canter – Call:2223927; 649-9876 Need ladies to sort goods; apply at Alabama Trading Georgetown Stabroek. Female janitors, between ages 25-40 years – Call:2258066 One receptionist/secretary, experienced required. Send application & CV to 48 High Street, Werk-En-Rust, G/ Town. Experienced Roti/Puri cooks, Pastry makers, kitchen assistant; apply at Hack’s Halaal – Lot 5 Commerce Street

TO LET One upper flat 2 bedroom concrete apartment at Grove New Housing Scheme (First Bridge) - $45,000 per month – Call: 642-1956

For our advertising rates call: 2258491, 225-8465.

1 Double door fridge $165,000; 1 New Rigid 3600 W generator - $170,000, 1 Washer and Dryer Maytag $120,000 each – Tel: 672-7194 One PS2 with games & control, one Nintendo DSi with games & control $20,000 each –Call: 655-2318 Complete Snapper Boats for sale – Excellent Condition – Contact: 648-6815; 641-4506 Stalls at Robb Street & Bourda –Contact: 695-1359 between 9am -11am PICK YOUR PIG! CHOOSE YOUR SIZEAND WE WILL HAVE IT READY! CALL:266-2711 OR 6094594 Two forklifts Clarke & Toyota 5000lbs, wood mizer XT40 sawmill, fire proof explosion proof safe – Call: Paul: 612-7206; 619-7393 1 Toyota Rav4; year 2000 $2.5M neg. PKK Series; great condition – Tel:612-8803 Used Dell E4300, E6500 M4400, HP Elite Book 6930 Laptops – Contact Sean: 226-9377 Panel indicating light, Genset exhaust box, contractors & relay. Tel: 6277835 Perkins Engines: One 6 Cylinder - $400,000, One 4 Cylinder - $300,000, 3" Water Pumps - $60,000, GPS $60,000 – Call:693-2237 Outboard Engine - $300,000, Bedford Model M 4X4 $3.5M Negotiable – Trailer $80,000 – Call:693-2237 Lumber: Crab wood boards and planks, greenheart etc, (rough & dressed) excellent prices – Call Richard: 6097675/ 233-2614; 674-1705 Exercise equipment: Treadmill, cardio, bicycle, infant bed, swing & high chair – Call:600-1329 Xbox ONE, Xbox 360 $40,000, PS3 - $35,000, Nintendo 3DS - $25,000, PSP - $16,000. Call:- 621-7497/6038643 One farm for sale – Call: 2653586 2 German shepherd, puppies, eight weeks, fully vaccinated, mother black & father white – Contact: 626-0953 Radio System (interior) projector, salon equipment – Call: 600-0036; 223-1719

Monday December 15, 2014

Kaieteur News

Page 23

Mahaica Children’s Home girls get second chance in life In a world where the ascent is concentrated on physical attributes and girls are pressured from all sectors of society, the young ladies housed at the Mahaica Children’s Home took a step back in time yesterday and treated over a 100 strong to a classy afternoon of tea and fashion. Attired in their fineries, the parents, supporters, youth advocates, social workers and Child Care and Protection Agency (CCPA) officials sat back for an afternoon of talent at its best. The classy event culminated a three-month ‘Girls Rule’ programme in which 35 of the teenaged residents participated. Among the residents of the home are young females who were neglected, trafficked and who faced other forms of abuse. The activity, organised by the girls with support from Simpli Royal, the organiser of Miss and Mister Guyana Talented Teen, was geared towards bringing a fresh dimension to their world by allowing each of them a chance to recognize their aspirations, show their talents and their need to see themselves as valuable individuals in society. The event started off with a shy introduction but ended with the girls modeling in some tantalizing pieces from some of the most renowned fashion designers in Guyana. The voice of a 14-year-old girl awed the crowd. Her humble repetition of “Pray On,” a song by Babbie Manson, left many in the crowd commenting that they were looking at the next Miss Talented Teen. Fashion was at its best.

The girls and their certificates The pieces of budding fashion designers Mark June and Nels Nurse sent thrills of excitement through the crowd. The grand finale came when the young ladies took award winning fashion designer Randy Madray pieces to the runway. Amid the sipping of tea, polite conversation, fantastic entertainment and the ladylike munching of lovely finger foods, the young ladies listened to the featured speaker, Ms. Anne Greene, Director of CCPA. Greene said that the show, one which the ‘Girls Rule’ kicked off, focused on building self esteem and encouraging the girls to be comfortable with who they are. She noted that the Fashion Show and Tea Party was chosen because of the values knitted therein. Greene said that they are trying to

have young girls and men regain value and feel good about who they are, so focus has been given to programmes that are uplifting to young people. The CCPA Head said that she was impressed with the girls. Meanwhile, a spokesperson from Simpli Royal, Gileon James provided an overview of the project. She said that while the girls face pressure in all forms from the media, they have been encouraging them to be confident in who they are. “Don’t allow anybody to disapprove you. God made you beautiful,” she encouraged. James explained that during the time spent with the girls, focus was given to personal presentation; they were taught that personal presentation was not only for how they look but also for where they dwell.

Letters... Where your views make the news

Some more thoughts on... From page 4 However, the proverb he referred to is Proverbs 13:24: “He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes.” A more modern translation reads, “Whoever spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is diligent to discipline him” (English Standard Version). Nowhere in the Bible are parents given permission to physically abuse their children. However, parents are instructed to be loving teachers. In the Authorized Version the English word chasteneth is translated from the Hebrewmusar, which means to give instruction, warning, reproof and rebuke. Kids need discipline. How and when did this change for so many Guyanese?

At one time, so long ago in Guyana, parents did rely on the Bible to instruct them how to raise families. Our ancient p a r e n t s b u i l t a societal foundation predicated on families following the principles of the Bible to live, grow and build a successful nation. Our generation has lost sight of this primary Guyanese value. What is the result? Our families are dysfunctional, and the nation they constitute is now in obvious and serious decline. Guyana has become a nation living without more than spanking. The country has become a nation guilty of allowing its children to comfort, teach and nurture themselves. In bitterness and resentment, our children have become our oppressors

(Isaiah 3:12). It is more than a condemnation of children— it is an indictment against parents who fail to build proper families. Believe it if you want, but the Good Book is full of examples of what happens to families and nations that desire to live without godly spanking and the love, teaching, chastening, guiding and nurturing that goes with it. Examine the life of our first parents, Adam and Eve. They chose to disbelieve God, and they ended up raising a delinquent son who murdered his brother. In Guyana, if we truly want to help our children and fix our family problems, then we must get back to a Biblebased formula for childrearing. Yvonne Sam

“We also did selfgrooming, dining etiquette, skin care and makeup, wardrobe planning and everything that was essential for these young ladies,” she told the crowd. “They are very talented and promising young ladies. One of the main reasons this show is on is for them to express their self-confidence and to let John Public know whatever perception you may have about us in a home, we want to tell you different.” Part of the show, she said, is giving back to the older folks in the community. “Here at Mahaica Children Home is much more than receiving. They are being taught to give

back.” Talented Teen franchise holder and Simpli Royal Director Pamela Dillon, was the driving force behind the three month project with the girls. Dillon told this publication that the threemonth project included girls between the ages of 13 and 18. She said that ‘Girls Rule’ was an introduction initiative and her group intends to do more with the girls. “The idea was to put emphasis on the concept of giving back. We didn’t want to spend the past three months talking about what they went through,” said Dillon.

According to the Director, 10 senior citizens will benefit from the funds the girls raised yesterday. “The idea is to disregard what the media says you are, know you’re beautiful and embrace who you are,” she said. Each girl was presented with certificates for their participation. Perhaps it was the air of confidence or the look of determination on the face of each girl who took the stage, but the crowd left the Mahaica facility anticipating more. The girls at the Mahaica Children’s Home proved that they have a second chance and they’re making the best of it. (Sunita Samaroo)

Miss Guyana cracks top 10 at Miss World 2014 pageant… Guyana’s very own Rafieya Husain managed to be one of the top 10 contestants in the Miss World 2014 pageant, which was held last night in London. This marks Guyana’s first time in over 40 years in making it this far in the international competition, since Nalini Moonsar was adjudged Third Runner-up in 1971. Husain took to the popular social media site, Facebook, to give thanks to all her supporters. At the time she remarked that she was still in “a world of emotions”. She remarked that despite being sick on the night of the competition, she gave it her all and was proud to represent Guyana in the pageant. The other nine contestants who also topped the competition were Miss India, South Africa, England, Brazil, Hungary, Kenya, the United States, Mexico and Australia. In addition to cracking into the top 10, Miss Guyana won the title of “Beauty with a Purpose”, which she shared with India, Kenya, Brazil and Indonesia. The title was awarded to contestants who made great contributions advocating for their respective platforms in their respective countries. Husain’s platform was to raise awareness for signs of spousal abuse, especially among youth in Guyana. Coming out the overall winner was Miss South Africa’s Rolene Strauss with Miss Hungary, Edina Kulcsar being crowned the runner-up.

Miss Guyana 2014, Rafieya Husain

Monday December 15, 2014

Kaieteur News

Giftland Officemax shares Christmas cheer at Tiger Bay

Those present at the distribution exercise hosted by Giftland Officemax, yesterday. In the spirit of giving and spreading cheer during this festive season, Giftland Officemax distributed over $500,000 worth in hampers and gift items to scores of residents from Rosemary Lane (Tiger Bay), yesterday. Media Coordinator of Giftland Officemax, Delroy Dash noted that the event is a part of efforts made by the agency to assist persons in the area to offset their holiday expenses. “We have been doing this every year, sharing Christmas cheer with our immediate neighbours assisting them with gift items, groceries… In August we have a similar activity where we assist the school children with back to school items.”Dash said.

Employees of Giftland Officemax distributed over 200 hampers of food items, clothing, toys, gifts and other personal care items to the residents. This year, the department store also provided food hampers to 21 elderly persons living in Tiger Bay. Among those present at the distribution event were internationally acclaimed bodybuilder, Hugh Ross and local comedians Kirk Jardine popularly known as ‘Chow Pow’, Lyndon ‘Jumbie,’ Jones and Micheal Ignatius. “We are always grateful for Giftland because they always support us especially at Christmas time when we can use a hand,” one resident commented.

The Samsung experience at STARR Computer

Patrons taking advantage of the Samsung deals. Samsung authorized dealer and local Computer giant STARR Computer Inc. has added more exceptional products to its Samsung Experience Center located at Brickdam. General Manager (STARR Computer Inc), Rehman Majeed disclosed that on display will be some exciting new technology backed by great deals. He explained that Smartphones which are on everyone’s wish list are starting from as low as $14,900. The variety of Samsung phones gives every stratum to persons who want to own a high quality phone from a leading manufacturer. “Deals on phones include data plans and up to 25% off original Samsung

accessories. Samsung tablets on display offer a very high resolution display, excellent camera quality and good battery life. There are over eight models of tablets suitable for home users and the business executives.” Majeed underscored. Raydon Samaroo, Samsung Product Manager,

said that the response for Samsung phones, tablets and televisions this Christmas has been excellent. He said more and more people are looking for genuine Samsung products and over the last year Guyanese are becoming more conscious of original equipment backed by genuine warranty.

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Marchers in Washington, New York, Boston protest against police killings

Al Sharpton leads a march with family members of Eric Garner, Michael Brown, Tamir Rice and Trayvon Martin to Capitol Hill in a protest against police violence organized by the National Action Network. REUTERS/James Lawler Duggan (Reuters) - Thousands of demonstrators marched in Washington, New York and Boston on Saturday to protest against killings of unarmed black men by police officers. Organizers said the marches were among the largest in a recent wave of protests against the deaths that have cast a global spotlight on race relations in the United States. The rallies were mainly peaceful, though police in Boston said they arrested 23 people who tried to block a highway. Officers in Oakland, California said they detained about 45 people for vandalism, failure to disperse, resisting arrest and other charges on Saturday night after thousands took to the streets. Decisions by grand juries to return no indictments

against the officers involved in the deaths of Michael Brown in Missouri and Eric Garner in New York have put police treatment of minorities back on the national agenda. “We’re going to keep the light on Mike Brown ... on all of the victims. The only way you make roaches run is to keep the light on,” said civil rights leader the Rev. Al Sharpton, whose National Action Network organised the Washington rally. Sharpton urged Congress to pass legislation that would allow federal prosecutors to take over cases involving police violence. Protesters from around the country gathered at Freedom Plaza, a few blocks from the White House, then marched down Pennsylvania Avenue to rally near the white-domed U.S. Capitol. Marchers, including

many parents with children, chanted “No justice, no peace, no racist police” and “Hands up, don’t shoot.” Protesters carried signs that said “All men are created equal” and “Black lives matter.” Relatives of Eric Garner and Akai Gurley, who were killed by New York police, Brown and Trayvon Martin, slain by a Florida neighbourhood watchman in 2012, all took part in the Washington rally. “What a sea of people,” said Brown’s mother, Lesley McSpadden. “If they don’t see this and make a change, I don’t know what we’re going to do.” In Missouri, a prosecutor on Saturday released documents related to the investigation into Brown’s killing, saying his office had inadvertently held them back.

Hamas holds Gaza military parade, vows Israel’s destruction (Reuters) - Vowing to destroy Israel, Hamas paraded some 2,000 of its armed fighters and truck-mounted rockets through Gaza yesterday, marking its 27th anniversary with its biggest show of force since the end of the Gaza war this summer. A ceasefire in August halted 50 days of fighting with Israel in which local health officials said more than 2,100 Palestinians, most of them civilians, were killed. Israel put the number of its dead at 67 soldiers and six civilians. At the parade, a senior Hamas leader reaffirmed the Islamist movement’s founding charter’s pledge to destroy Israel. “This illusion called Israel will be removed. It will be removed at the hands of the Qassam Brigades,” said Khalil al-Hayya, a top Hamas leader, referring to the movement’s armed wing. In recent years, some Hamas leaders have said they would accept a Palestinian state on land Israel occupied in a 1967 war in return for a long-term truce but would continue to refuse to recognise its enemy’s right to exist. Abu Ubaida, the brigades’ spokesman, said another confrontation with Israel might be inevitable unless tens of thousands of homes damaged or destroyed in the Gaza Strip

in last summer’s conflict are rebuilt soon. “We will accept no less than the rebuilding of everything that was destroyed by the savage Zionist aggression,” said the masked spokesman, whose group is shunned by the West as a terrorist organisation. Palestinians have voiced disappointment over the slow pace of reconstruction and a limited flow of building material into Gaza since international donors pledged more than $5 billion in October. Both Israel and Egypt - which is battling Islamist militants in neighbouring Sinai - are concerned Hamas could use such material for weaponry. Israel has said Hamas has been test-firing rockets into the Mediterranean in recent weeks and Gaza residents have reported hearing explosions. Hamas has neither confirmed nor denied such tests. Trucks carrying what Hamas said were three-long range rockets, and other vehicles with multiple-launcher rockets drove in the parade. A drone with Hamas markings was on one flatbed truck, and another unmanned aircraft, identified by the group as one of its own, flew overhead, as did an Israeli fighter jet.

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Miss South Africa crowned Miss World Merkel in dilemma as London (AFP) - Miss South Africa, 22-year-old Rolene Strauss, was crowned Miss World 2014 at the contest’s glitzy final in London yesterday, with an estimated billion viewers watching on television around the globe. Miss Hungary, Edina Kulcsar, was judged the runner-up and Miss United States, Elizabeth Safrit, came third in the 64th annual competition, contested by women from 121 countries. Medical student Strauss clasped her hands together in surprise and was crowned by the outgoing Miss World, Megan Young of the Philippines, to huge cheers in the ExCeL exhibition centre. “South Africa this is for you,” Strauss said. “I think I will brace myself for what’s about to happen. It’s a huge responsibility.” She told AFP she wanted to help spread education in her homeland and thereby help other people realise their dreams. Yesterday’s show started with a spectacular choreographed dance routine, with all the beauty queens on stage in costumes inspired by their homelands — including Miss Bolivia in a colourful feathered headdress.

While beauty remains central to the event, the women taking part are chiefly judged on their talents and involvement in good causes. Miss Malaysia won the talent competition in a live sing-off with Miss Scotland. In the Beauty with a Purpose section — the heart of Miss World — contestants present a charitable project they have been working on in their homeland. In this section, the judges gave equal first place to Misses Brazil, Guyana, India, Indonesia and Kenya, unable to separate them. In rounds held since the contestants arrived in London, Miss Finland topped the sporting competition; Miss United States was the multimedia winner; Miss Bosnia and Hercegovina won the top model round and Miss Sweden triumphed in beach fashion. The 10 contestants who topped the final scoreboard were, in descending order, from India, South Africa, England, Guyana, Brazil, Hungary, Kenya, United States, Mexico and Australia. They were joined by Miss Thailand, who won the people’s choice award, voted for by people around the

German anti-Islam marches gain support

Miss World with her runners-up Miss Hungary Edina Kulcsar and Miss United States Elizabeth Safrit (Picture: Paul Grover/The Telegraph} world through a mobile phone app. The judges chose Miss Hungary, Miss Australia, Miss South Africa, Miss United States and Miss England as their top five before picking their top three. Miss World began in 1951, a year before its chief

rival Miss Universe. Strauss is the third South African Miss World, the country having held the title in 1958 and 1974. Venezuela tops the alltime leader board with six titles, ahead of India and the United Kingdom on five titles each.

PARIS, BERLIN URGE POROSHENKO TO PRESS AHEAD WITH REFORMS

(Reuters) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande urged Ukrainian leader Petro Poroshenko yesterday to press ahead with reforms to facilitate an economic recovery and access to foreign aid. Merkel’s spokesman Steffen Seibert said in a statement the two leaders encouraged Poroshenko in a telephone call “to get the planned sweeping reforms under way.” “Only that way can the economy recover and the necessary international financial help be advanced,” he said. Ukraine’s parliament last week approved the new government’s economic programme of tough reforms aimed at securing billions of dollars in financial aid from the

International Monetary Fund and other backers. The programme, outlined by Prime Minister Arseny Yatseniuk, includes overhauling the tax system, raising energy tariffs and privatising state firms in a bid to root out corruption that has helped push Ukraine to the brink of bankruptcy. Poroshenko told Merkel and Hollande that there had been no fatalities in the conflict with pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine since a ceasefire agreed last week, although the terms of the ceasefire had been violated, said Seibert. All three leaders insisted that the original ceasefire deal agreed in Minsk in September remained the only way forwards for a lasting solution to the crisis in Ukraine, he said.

(Reuters) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel faces challenges from allies and rivals to confront a rising tide of anti-immigrant sentiment driving increasingly popular antiIslam marches in the city of Dresden every Monday. With thousands expected at the next march, Merkel is in a dilemma. Her security officials are warning of an increase in hate crimes, while opinion polls show support for the marchers’ calls for a tougher German immigration policy. “There is a visible rise in xenophobic crime countrywide,” police chief Holger Muench told Welt am Sonntag, which like most German Sunday newspapers focused on today’s march by a group calling itself PEGIDA - an acronym for “Patriotic Europeans against the Islamisation of the West”. There has been a spike in both anti-Muslim and antiSemitic sentiment this year, with right-wingers joining soccer hooligans to fight Salafist Muslims and a spate of attacks on Jews. At the same time, with record levels of immigration, Germany has become Europe’s biggest recipient of asylum-seekers. Merkel said on Friday there was “no place in Germany” for hatred of Muslims or any other

minority. But her Social Democrat (SPD) coalition allies, the opposition Greens and the fast-growing Eurosceptic party Alternative for Germany (AfD) all seem to have spotted a chance to undermine the popular chancellor, whose approval rating was 76 percent in a poll in the Bild am Sonntag newspaper. The SPD, seething at Merkel’s remarks that they had declared political bankruptcy by allying with former communists in one eastern state, challenged her to respond to what senior SPD lawmaker Thomas Oppermann called “probably the biggest issue of the next decade”.

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Crime is number one priority, says Trinidad’s Prime Minister PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad - Responding to reports that the country’s murder toll now stands at seven shy of 400, Prime Minister Kamla PersadBissessar said Saturday that crime remains her Government’s number one priority. She said Minister of National Security Gary Griffith was working on several initiatives in the fight against crime. “The thing is that every murder should not happen and the increasing numbers we are seeing over the last several days is further cause for concern. At the same time we want to remember that serious crimes have decreased by a great percentage. Of course that is no comfort because the murders are still there. I do believe some of the initiatives in fighting serious crimes have been successful,” she

said. She said falling oil prices will not impact Government’s health and social services. Government ministers were instructed not to cut back on programmes geared towards helping the most needy and vulnerable in Trinidad and Tobago. Speaking to reporters during a Christmas toy drive at the Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva, Persad-Bissessar said there would be a cut in nonessential services. “I am told by Minister of Finance (Larry Howai) that a circular was sent out last week to cut back on non-essential services that we can do away with. But it was only last week so I do not have specific items. What I do know is that my instructions are not to cut essential matters like health services, social services programmes, those that will be required to help the most needy and most vulnerable,”

Kamla Persad-Bissessar she said. Persad-Bissessar said trimming will take place in the coming weeks and into the New Year. She said, however, the Heritage and Stabilisation Fund (HSF) was established to deal with “rainy days”. And the fund will be triggered should oil prices

fall below a certain figure. “Minister Howai has told me thus far there is no need for us to trigger off withdrawals from that HSF. But it is there as a padding and support for budgetary support, fiscal support,” she said. Persad-Bissessar assured citizens there will be no cutting back on her Government’s annual Christmas toy drive, as it was entirely sponsored by corporate citizens. Asked what was her Christmas wish this year Persad-Bissessar said on a personal level she would like to spend the day at home with her children and grandchildren. “To just be at home for one day of the year...please. Just stay home with my family,” she said. For the nation, PersadBissessar wished a safe and blessed Christmas. (TRINIDAD EXPRESS)

EU warns St. Kitts, St. Vincent over illegal fishing BRUSSELS, (Reuters) – The European Commission has issued warnings to four Pacific and Caribbean countries for failing to crack down on illegal fishing, exposing them to a possible trade ban. Since 2010 the EU – the world’s biggest fish importer – has taken action against countries that do not follow

international standards to prevent over-fishing, such as policing their waters for unlicensed fishing vessels and imposing penalties to deter illegal fishing. On Friday the Commission – the EU executive – issued warnings to the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Kitts and Nevis, and Saint Vincent and the

Grenadines. It gave them six months to step up their fight against illegal fishing or face a possible ban on their fish imports. The Commission proposed a set of measures for each country to address their shortcomings. “I am convinced that they will all commit to this cooperative approach since sustainable development in small island states relies on sustainable fishing,” said EU Maritime Affairs Commissioner Karmenu Vella. Around 11-26 million tonnes of fish are caught illegally each year globally, worth up to 10 billion euros

Karmenu Vella ($12.5 billion) a year and corresponding to at least 15 percent of world catches, the Commission says.

Haiti Prime Minister resigns amid political crisis Port-au-Prince (AFP) Haiti’s Prime Minister Laurent Lamothe announced his resignation early yesterday, following repeated calls for him to step down amid antigovernment protests and a political crisis in the impoverished Caribbean nation. Lamothe’s resignation had been widely expected after President Michel Martelly said Friday that the prime minister was ready to leave “to help find a solution” to the country’s political impasse that has seen a failure to hold parliamentary elections in the last three years. “If this is what can really unblock the political crisis, I decided tonight to give President Martelly my resignation as head of government, along with the resignation of all ministers,” Lamothe said during a televised speech broadcast in Creole. Lamothe, who leaves amid renewed violent protest against the ruling elite, touted his government’s “remarkable” record, which he said had seen reduced poverty over the course of three years and a 50 percent drop in crime. “I am leaving the post of prime minister this evening with a feeling of accomplishment,” Lamothe said in the address, as tweeted by Haiti’s communication ministry from its official account. Haiti has been mired in political crisis for three years over its failure to hold long-delayed municipal and legislative elections. “I recognize that he’s taken this step to help Haiti find an end to the crisis. I commend him for his courage and determination in helping Haiti,” Martelly said. If elections are not held before January 12, the legislature will be automatically dissolved and Martelly can rule by decree.

Laurent Lamothe Martelly’s foes have accused him of returning Haiti to dictatorial rule. The country’s former strongman Jean-Claude “Baby Doc” Duvalier died in October. Opposition parties boycotted recent talks initiated by the government aimed at resolving the crisis before the end of the year. An advisory commission set up by the president recommended last week that Lamothe resign. The commission also recommended disbanding Haiti’s electoral council and freeing political prisoners. Martelly said he would hold meetings today to implement the commission’s recommendations. He will choose a new prime minister with input from the heads of both chambers of Parliament. On Saturday, one man was shot dead during a new round of anti-government demonstrations in the Haitian capital calling for both the president and prime minister to resign. Clashes broke out when hundreds of youths tried to break through police barricades to enter the presidential palace. It was not clear who had fired the fatal shot.

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Bekele sets sights on Marathon gold in Rio Chief Selector Lloyd

Kenenisa Bekele of Ethiopia crosses the finish line to win the 38th Paris Marathon in Paris April 6, 2014. REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes DUBAI (Reuters) Kenenisa Bekele, world record holder over 5,000 and 10,000 meters, is aiming for Marathon gold at the 2016 Olympics, although the Ethiopian yesterday said he could yet switch back to a shorter

distance at the Rio de Janeiro games. He may not be a household name like compatriot Haile Gebrselassie or Britain’s Mo Farah, but the softly spoken Bekele is one of athletics’ true greats, with three Olympic golds and

more than a dozen world titles to his name. Yet for all the accolades, the 32-year-old’s determination remains undimmed and he wants to make a similar mark on the marathon. “There’s nothing left for me over 5,000 and 10,000 meters, so the marathon is very important for my career — it’s a new challenge,” Bekele told Reuters in Dubai. “The marathon is a different race — you have to run a steady pace from the beginning.” Bekele broke the Paris Marathon record on his debut over the distance, clocking 2:05:03 in April, while a time 48 seconds slower at October’s Chicago Marathon placed him fourth behind Kenyan trio Eliud Kipchoge, Sammy Kitwara and Dickson Chumba. He said he aims to run the marathon at the Rio Olympics in 2016, but would see how he fares over the distance before completely ruling out a return to the 10,000 meters, a title he won in 2004 and 2008.

January’s Dubai Marathon will be his third 26miler. “I want to run for the record, but I don’t think I can make that on my third marathon – it’s very tough,” said Bekele. “Dubai is a flat course and there’s a possibility to run a fast time, but the weather is a little bit hot.” Unlike stadium-based races, marathon courses can differ greatly and it was only in 2003 that athletics’ governing body ratified a world record, rather than a world best for the event. Almost two minutes have been shaved off the record since then, begging the question as to whether men could go below two hours. Bekele doubts it — at least by today’s athletes. “I don’t think human beings can do that, but maybe a new generation in the future... maybe in 10 years,” added Bekele. Kenya’s Dennis Kimetto is the current world record holder, finishing September’s Berlin Marathon in 2:02:57.

Obama says NFL was ‘winging it’ in Rice domestic violence case WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama said on Friday the NFL appeared to be “winging it” in dealing with former Baltimore Ravens star Ray Rice’s domestic violence case but praised the league for later putting in place a new policy to handle such incidents. The National Football League on Wednesday unveiled a tougher policy for disciplining players for offfield misconduct including violence against women in the wake of high-profile domestic violence cases involving Rice and 2012 NFL Most Valuable Player Adrian Peterson. During an interview with ESPN Radio, Obama said he hopes the NFL’s new guidelines send a “message that there’s no place for that kind of behavior in society.” “When you have a privilege of playing in a sports league and people looking up to you, you’ve got responsibilities to the fans and your employers and you’ve got to be treated the way other people are treated when you do make mistakes,” said Obama, a big sports fan who periodically offers his views on events in the sports world. “And some of those mistakes are ones that are very serious where you’re breaking the law,” Obama added.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell faced sharp criticism for the way he dealt with Rice. Goodell initially suspended Rice for only two games after the running back was charged with aggravated assault for knocking unconscious his then-fiancée and now-wife Janay in an elevator in Atlantic City. Only after a video emerged showing Rice punching her did Goodell suspend him indefinitely from the NFL. “Obviously the situation

that happened in the Rice family was unfortunate but it did lift up awareness that it’s a real problem that we’ve got to root out,” Obama said. “The way it was handled indicates that the NFL was behind the curve, as a lot of institutions have been behind the curve, in sending a clear message,” Obama said. “You don’t want to be winging it when something like this happens. You want to have clear policies in place.”

President Barack Obama

wants longer tours Supersport Blog Johannesburg, South Africa - West Indian Chairman of selectors Sir Clive Lloyd has called on the ICC to organise longer tours when sides do battle abroad. The eighth-ranked West Indies take on the numberone Proteas in the first test starting in Centurion, Pretoria, on Wednesday. Lloyd was honest in assessment that his squad did not have enough preparation for this tour. “I’ve always wanted two four-day games in the tour,” Lloyd said on Sunday. “I’ve said that to the West Indies and the ICC. I think one game is not enough.” The tourists played a three-day game against a South African Invitational side in Benoni, but the final day’s play was rained out on Friday. The hosts had not provided much resistance in the batting department as they were bundled out for 125 in the first innings. The visitors then came in, and while Marlon Samuels made 203 before he retired, and Devon Smith made 174 before he also retired, the rest of the top six batsmen could only manage 16 runs between them. The West Indies tour to South Africa features three tests, two T20 Internationals and five One Day Internationals ending just over two weeks before the Cricket World Cup to be held in Australia and New Zealand. “I think we should’ve had at least three games surrounding this test match. That way if someone is out of form they can go into a four-day game and get back into it. You can’t tell if a player

Clive Lloyd is doing well in the nets.” Lloyd, 70, had a test career spanning 19 years for the West Indies, scoring 19 centuries from his 110 matches at an average of 46.67. With limited overs cricket only coming into the game later in his career, Lloyd believed test cricket was still the ultimate form of the game. “Most of the tours are crammed. You’re playing 50 over games, T20s, it’s a lot of cricket and your body can only take so much. That’s why we’re seeing so many injuries. “Nicely spaced out tours would be best for me.” With just five players over the age of 30 in their squad, an extended schedule could help provide the selectors with greater insight into their depth said Lloyd. “It’s also about young players, because you want them to have a game and see what they have. We just jump into a country and then we’re gone. “You can’t groom players anymore. You want to try out a few youngsters. I’m not saying you have to have 10 games, but just enough that young players will get a chance.”

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MoH / Health 2000Inc / MoE / Ansa McAl Girls Schools Football Competition

No surprise as Kaliese wins Stella Maris, St. Stephen’s Golden Cleats top award set up dream final ...But O’Dayne Richards was taken aback by his win

Shot putter O’Dayne Richards (right) and 400metre hurdler Kaliese Spencer were named JAAA Male and Female Athletes of the Year. Jamaica Observer - Shot putter O’Dayne Richards and 400-metre hurdler Kaliese Spencer were named Jamaica Athletic Administrative Association (JAAA) Male and Female Athletes of the Year. The announcement was made at the JAAA/ Scotiabank Golden Cleats Award ceremony at the Terra Nova All-Suite Hotel, in Kingston, on Friday night. Richards, a 25-year-old who trains with the MVP Track and Field Club, created local history by becoming Jamaica’s first gold medallist at the sport when he hurtled the metal ball 21.61 metres through the air at the recently concluded Commonwealth Games for a Games and National record. While Richards was a surprise selection, his clubmate Spencer’s was not. This followed the 27-year-old Westmoreland native’s favourable exploits on the track and who easily was

ahead of the other nominees following a dazzling season where she won three major titles. Spencer won gold medals at the Commonwealth Games and at the Continental Cup. She also won the 400-metres hurdles Diamond for the 2014 Diamond League. The MVP Track and Field Club made a clean sweep of the evening’s major awards as it garnered all three awards that were on offer when coach Stephen Francis was named Coach of the Year. It was the second time Francis won the coveted honour following his initial success in 2006. Spencer was gracious in copping the award. “First, I must say that I am very honoured. We are a nation full of great athletes and very competitive and to be the recipient of this year ’s award I am very grateful. “This is just a stepping stone. I am happy that last season was a great one and

this just motivates me to train harder, and hopefully 2015 will be a much better season,” Spencer said. Spencer admitted that she did not think it was a foregone conclusion that she would have won the award as all the other nominees had done well in their own rights. “Not really, they all did well. I went out there and did my best (and) they too also gave of their best. We had Novelene and Stephanie, who all did well, but I came out victorious and I am happy about that, (especially) being my first award (and) I am very happy about that,” Spencer beamed. Richards was humbled by the recognition. “I feel very good. I have to give God thanks for the opportunity to be here and am grateful and honoured to be among the nominees,” he said. Responding to the question of whether or not he was surprised at w i n n i n g t h e Aw a r d , Richards said: “Yes. I really thought that Rasheed (Dwyer) would have got it. It was a joy to see him go below 20 seconds and to me I thought he deserved this one.” Wolmer’s Boys’ Jaheel H y d e , t h e 2 0 1 4 Wo r l d Junior champion in the 400metre hurdles and the 2013 World Youth champion in the 110- metre hurdles, was the Howard Aris Scholarship recipient on the night.

Lusignan pull off thrilling win... From page 35 aggression to batting. He got off the mark with consecutive back cuts off Rutherford for boundaries but he never suggested permanence and soon pulled Rutherford high to deep square-leg where King totally misjudged the catch and the left-handed Sattaur survived. While Ramjit looked composed, Sattuar continued to play impetuously and was miss-stumped twice by McDonald, who endured a horrible day behind the stumps. Sattaur showed sparks of brilliance in a dark cave of recklessness by depositing

Richard Woolford for a couple of colossal sixes before Ramjit (17) was removed by Skeeth at 60-2. When Sattuar, who reached the boundary thrice and cleared it a similar number of times in a cameo 38, pushed forward to Skeeth and was bowled off the inside edge at 61-3 and Leon Morgan (3) ran himself out at 67-4, Golden Grove were right back in the game. Bishundial (1) was bowled by Rutherford and Shazam Ali (4) was spectacularly run out from a direct hit by Mars at long-off, Lusignan were 1036 and the game was on a knife’s edge. But Naikbarran

kept head to give Lusignan the win in their own backyard. Skeeth (3-18) was the best bowler for Golden Grove, who had to settle for the runner-up Trophy. Singh, the ECCB President, said that despite the several obstacles faced by his Board, including problems with the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB), rain and the unavailability of grounds, several competitions were successfully staged this year. He also praised Golden Grove for showing that cricket in developing in all areas on the East Coast.

Just when you thought that the quarter-finals would have been the last round of distress for favourites, yesterday’s semi-finals proved to be even more disastrous as both of the pundits’ choices to make it to the final suffered losses via the penalty route. Playing in the inaugural Ministry of Health / Health 2000Inc / Ministry of Education / Ansa McAl Girls Schools Football Competition which continued with final four action at the Ministry of Education ground on Carifesta Avenue, the previously unbeaten Enterprise was eliminated from the championship game after going down to St. Stephen’s 9-10 in a protracted penalty kicks showdown after their encounter ended in a 11 stalemate, while West Ruimveldt exited via a similar route to Stella Maris, losing 2-0 in the penalty shootout.after regulation time finished 0-0. St. Stephen’s, 2-0 losers to Enterprise in an earlier group stage fixture, seemed to

- Enterprise and West Ruimveldt to battle for third place be heading for another disaster when Enterprise took the lead after three minutes following a goal mouth scrimmage which saw Akesha Glasgow prod home from close range. However, they defended stoutly to go to the half just behind by the solitary strike. They came out of the break looking more purposeful and won a penalty after twentyfour minutes when Glasgow was found guilty of handling the ball in the sacred area, forcing Referee Wayne Griffith to award the spot kick which was duly buried by Odelle Straughn. The scores remained deadlocked until the final whistle sounded to signal penalty kicks. St. Stephen’s moves on to face Stella Maris in what is already being touted to be a thrilling final on Thursday at the same venue. Earlier, Stella Maris got to

the final after beating West Ruimveldt 2-0 on penalty kicks which means that Enterprise and West Ruimveldt will battle in the playoff for third place. In the other results of the day, North Georgetown defeated F.E. Pollard 1-0 compliments of an Angel Denny strike in the fifth minute in the 5-8 playoffs. They will now engage South Ruimveldt for the fifth spot after the latter squeezed past Tucvville 1-0. Keiara Phillips booted the winner for South Ruimveldt in the 5th minute of play. Tucville will take on F.E. Pollard for the seventh spot, while St. Pius occupied ninth after edging St. Margaret’s 10 through Britney Sampson’s goal which came in the 3rd minute. In the first encounter, East La Penitence gained a walkover from Smith Memorial to finish 11th.

Popular Trinidad jockey Nobel Abrego to lead overseas riders for Guyana Cup rematch Turfites who will be attending at the Guyana Cup rematch horserace meet slated for Sunday at the Port Mourant Turf Club will have the opportunity to see one of Trinidad greatest jockeys in action. Top Trinidad rider Nobel Abrego is set to lead a bevy of foreign jockeys who will be descending in Guyana for the lucrative horserace meet. When most persons are focused on the horses little attention is placed on the jockeys. However, if not entirely, to a great extent the jockey has a lot to do with how the horse performs. With that said, most of the top stables are taking no chances as a number of Jockeys will be on board for the race meet. The experienced Abrego has a wealth of experience and has ridden hundreds of winners in various parts of the world in his so far illustrious career. Apart from Abrego other top jockeys from Trinidad including Nicholas Patrick, Prayven Badrie, and Keran Razack are set to be in Guyana, while a number of Jamaicans including Brian Blake, Andron Findley and Jockey Malcolm are also expected to be on board. Nine Races are listed for the day with over 65 horses already entered. Apart from the Jumbo Jet businesses, Banks DIH Limited has come on board in a big way with sponsorship for the major event. Other sponsors include Rommel Jagroop Construction, K.P. Jagdeo and Sons Construction, Mohammed ‘Nankoo’ Shariff Business Entity, Inshan Bacchus Trucking Service and Business entities among others. Among the horses expected to be on show are Guyana Cup Champion CP Got Even, the inform Treacle, California Strike, Red and Lovely, Princess She Not, Just call Me Boss, Unsettled, Release the Beast, Shooting Star, Royal Empire, Midnight Blues, Quiet Dancer, Settling Jet, Jack Is My Style, Settle In Seattle,

Curfew Tower, Plum Plum, Storm Bird, It’s My Choice, Damascus Dream, Gold D Kova, Miss Lewinsky, Got To Go, She Running Hard, Mary Ann, Easy To Win, Party Time, Royal Cash, Swift Way, Speed Vision, Smarty Light, Sunday Silence, the newly imported Big Man Boss and Spit Fire among others. The feature event for horses classified D1 and lower will see the animals competing for $1.5M and Trophy over 1600M. The other events listed are the Co-feature 1600M event for 3 years old Guyana and the West bred horses for $1M and trophy. There is the two year old event for West Indies Bred horses for a winners money of $600,000 and trophy over 1200M. The E class and lower 1500M has a first prize of $600,000 and trophy. The G1 and lower 1200M race fetches the winner $500,000 and trophy. The two year old event for Guyana bred horses has a $300,000 price tag and trophy over 1200M. The H1 and lower 1200M race has a winning pocket of $250,000 and trophy. The ‘I3’ and lower 1200M event has a pole position taking of $200,000 and trophy. The J3 and lower 1200M race for the winning pocket of $150,000 and trophy. The top Jockey along with the runner up, the top stable and champion trainer will all be presented with trophies and other incentives compliments of the organizers. The event will be held under the rules of the Guyana Horse Racing Authority. Interested persons still have time to contact Chandu Ramkissoon (624-9063 or 232-0633), Kris Jagdeo (624-6123; 322-0369), Rajendra (Jim –Jo) 618-7278, Ramnauth 337-5311, Romel Jagroop (624-1798) and Sancho 690-0569. Race time is 12:30 hrs. The coordinator is Nasrudeen (Jumbo Jet) Mohamed. (Samuel Whyte)

Monday December 15, 2014

Kaieteur News

Man Utd ease to win over wasteful Liverpool United captain Wayne Rooney gave them an early lead. (EPA)

BBC Sport - Clinical Manchester United increased the pressure on Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers as they capitalised on some poor defending to run out comfortable victors at Old Trafford. Rodgers - who dropped struggling goalkeeper Simon Mignolet for Brad Jones - can point to a succession of brilliant saves from United’s David De Gea and a controversial second goal from Juan Mata as significant factors in defeat. This, however, will do little to ease the growing concerns for Rodgers and Liverpool, with the memory of their thrilling 3-0 win here in March - in a sequence that almost took them to their first title in 24 years - seeming an age away.

United captain Wayne Rooney gave them an early lead and Liverpool had every right to feel aggrieved when Mata headed in from a clearly offside position to take the game away from them just before half-time. Even before United took the lead, De Gea made an important save from Raheem Sterling, denying the England youngster on four occasions as well as producing three vital contributions to stop Liverpool substitute Mario Balotelli getting his first Premier League goal for the club. Robin van Persie’s third for United at the end of a lightning counter-attack only added to Liverpool’s pain and gave the scoreline a lopsided look given the amount of work done by De Gea.

Jacobs wants more action, less talk Antigua Observer - St John’s, Antigua - The standard of cricket within the sub-region will not improve until the Leeward Islands Cricket Association (LICA) and others charged with its development, implement plans and programmes geared towards its progress. This is according to former West Indies wicketkeeper and head coach of LICA’s senior team, Ridley Jacobs, who said several recommendations have been put to LICA, which are yet to be implemented. “Things have been put to the board that we need to do even long before this tournament and nothing has been done, so … whatever the board decides we just have to live with it,” he said. “You know, we have TDOs and we have all sort of people who are being paid to develop Leeward Islands cricket; now is the time for them to start doing some work and develop Leeward Islands cricket. As it stands now, we need people involved to help develop the game … because

definitely we need help,” he added. Leeward Islands finished at the bottom of the standings in the WICB professional 4Day tournament with 10 points after having loss all four of their matches. The team will now turn their attention to the 50 Overs tournament, but Jacobs said he is unaware when LICA’s preparations will commence. “Well, I really don’t know; hopefully around the 5th or so of January, the team might gather but I don’t know. It’s really up to the LICA Board to really make that decision. I think the sooner the better because these players, you get them in a camp for maybe two or three weeks, you could prepare better than if you get them for a couple of days … that has been spoken before long before this tournament,” he said. The WICB 50 Overs tournament starts in February of 2015. Leeward Islands jump-starts their campaign against Barbados Pride on February 6 at Kensington Oval in Barbados.

United’s sixth successive league win continued United’s resurgence under manager Louis van Gaal and put Liverpool’s decline since they came so close to winning the Premier League into even sharper relief. Liverpool now trail thirdplaced United by 10 points. Liverpool’s owners, Fenway Sports Group, intend to give Rodgers until the end of the season at least to turn matters around given the credit he still has after last season, but after a miserable Champions League campaign was confirmed by their exit at the group stage following the midweek draw with Basel, these are crucial days for the northern Irishman. He now faces a huge seven days with a Capital One Cup quarter-final at Championship leaders Bournemouth on Wednesday before Arsenal visit Anfield next weekend. The reshuffled team sent out at Old Trafford by Rodgers gave Liverpool and their manager cause for optimism in an energetic early spell but the momentum shifted crucially in the 13th minute as De Gea saved from Sterling at one end and Rooney scored at the other. In the space of 25 seconds, Liverpool should

have taken the lead but then found themselves behind as Antonio Valencia nutmegged Joe Allen and pulled the ball back for Rooney, who scored with Jones diving in the wrong direction. De Gea thwarted Sterling - utilised as a lone striker once more before United doubled their lead in controversial fashion five minutes before half-time. Mata was clearly offside when he headed in after Van Persie got a slight touch to Ashley Young’s cross. There was daylight between Mata and the last Liverpool defender, so it can only be assumed linesman Mike Mullarkey did not believe Van Persie got a touch. It was a demoralising blow for Liverpool who, having had to replace Glen Johnson with Kolo Toure in the first half after he suffered a groin injury, replaced Adam Lallana with Balotelli at the restart. Whereas United had taken the chances that had come their way, Liverpool had wasted every opportunity, as Sterling did once more early in the second half. Michael Carrick, who had been immaculate, inexplicably allowed Jonny Evans’ pass to roll straight to Sterling, who hesitated, even when he seemed to have rounded De Gea, allowing the goalkeeper to get back and save. De Gea’s development into a world-class goalkeeper has been confirmed by a series of stellar performances this season and he showed his quality and reflexes again to turn Balotelli’s close-range shot on to the bar. The difference between the sides was illustrated once more as Van Persie wrapped up United’s win. Dejan Lovren scooped Rooney’s pass hopelessly into the path of Mata, who found Van Persie to score, with Jones once again on the wrong foot.

GCA’s Hadi’s two-day first division cricket

MSC jump to 2nd spot Malteenoes Sports Club (MSC) jumped two places to second spot in the Georgetown Cricket Associations (GCA) Hadi’s first division two-day cricket tournament when their final game for the year against Everest at MSC ended in a walkover for the hosts who collected 22 points from Saturday’s result. The Thomas Lands side moved to 103 points from seven games, 29 points behind leaders DCC whose final game when the competition resumes on January 10 is against MSC. MSC were awarded the Walkover after some members from the Everest side left the venue to return by Tea but never showed up when the Umpires deemed the ground and pitch match ready at 15:30hrs after Tea. The MSC team led by Kellon Carmichael, had a practice session at their ground after the Walkover was awarded. Full points table in the nine-team competition: DCC (132 points from 7 matches), MSC (107 from 7), Everest (85 from full quota of 8 matches), GCC (80 from 5), Police (61 from 5), GDF (53 from 4) & GYO (47 from 5).

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Doping claims as damaging as Johnson and Jones cases: Coe LONDON (Reuters) Allegations of widespread doping and cover-ups in athletics are as damaging as the cases involving Ben Johnson and Marion Jones, according to International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) vicepresident Sebastian Coe. This month German broadcaster ARD made claims of systematic doping in Russia and also alleged that the IAAF covered up or did not investigate a number of positive blood tests or bloodlevel anomalies from athletes from various nations. The allegations have not been verified by Reuters and Russian Athletics Federation chief Valentin Balakhnichev has denounced the claims as “a pack of lies”. “How do I benchmark this? In the 40 or so years in athletics, there have been big moments. Ben Johnson in 1988, Marion Jones, this is up there and nobody is remotely suggesting these allegations are not serious,” Coe, a prominent campaigner against doping, told the BBC Radio’s Sportsweek on Sunday. “If this is provable, of course it is (as big as the cases involving Johnson and Jones).” Johnson failed a drugs test after winning 100m gold at the 1988 Seoul Olympics

while fellow American Jones was stripped of three Olympic gold medals for doping violations at the 2000 Sydney Games. “It’s been described as a bad week for athletics — I would go further, it’s been a ghastly week,” Coe added. “None of us should hide or shy away from that. We have to bring this tawdry, sorry episode and any of those allegations to a close as quickly as we can.” Central to ARD’s claims is a list detailing the names of up to 150 athletes believed to have provided suspicious blood samples in the period 2006-2009. “I don’t know about the existence of this list, it only got mentioned on German television. The IAAF does not know what this list contains and whether it is a list that has any veracity at all,” Coe said. “If there is more information out there, please let us know what it is. We need to bring this to a close as quickly as possible. “That can be done by the IAAF’s ethics committee, it can be done by WADA (World Anti Doping Agency). We would go to Berlin and look at what he’s (ARD journalist Hajo Seppelt) got but we have to get as much information as we can on this.”

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Kaieteur News

Monday December 15, 2014

Lewis Hamilton wins BBC Sports Sophia humble St. Stanislaus, Personality of the Year 2014 Third Class thump GDF GCA/NBS second division 40-over tourney

Khalil Duncan (left) and Malcolm Morris Sophia thumped St. Stanislaus by eight wickets and Third Class overcame Guyana Defence Force by seven wickets when the Georgetown Cricket Association (GCA)/New Building Society second division 40-over competition continued last weekend. St. Stanislaus surprisingly opted to bat on a moist pitch after winning the toss and were shot out for a paltry 23 in 6.5 overs at Gandhi Youth Organisation ground. Pacers Khalil Ducan and Malcolm Morris rocked their top order reducing them to 10-4. Aided by poor running between the wickets and shot selection thereafter, St. Stanislaus never recovered as no batsman managed

double figures. Samuel King was the top scorer with five as Duncan finished with 3-7 and Morris 3-12 from three overs each. Despite losing two wickets in their chase, Sophia hit off the required total in four overs, ending on 26-2. Miguel Vaughn made 10 as Lindon Wilson took 2-9. The other matches that were scheduled to be played between Third Class and Demerara Cricket Club at Bourda and host GNIC and Guyana Defence Force were washed out with out a ball being bowled. At GYO, GDF managed 151-8 off their reduced 33 overs batting first. Jeremiah Harris and Dennis Legay added 73 for the fourth wicket to steady their innings after

Shivnanand Roopnarine they were placed on 61-3 before Legay was dismissed for 21. Harris slammed 55 (8x4), while Damien Ross struck 30 (6x4). Keon Bailey grabbed 3-26, Trevor Hossein 2-19 and Alvin Castello 2-32. Third Class replied with 156-3 in 21.2 overs. Shivnanand Roopnarine stroked 69 (12x4,1x6) and shared in a fourth wicket stand of 108 with Andre O Neil 41 (3x4,3x6) after they lost three early wickets. Castello chipped in with 24 (4x4,1x6) as Colin McPherson, Ravi Persaud and Marcus Watkins finished with one scalp each. The next game was set for GCC between the host and GNIC was called off due to rain. (Zaheer Mohamed)

BBC Sport - Lewis Hamilton has been voted the BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2014. The 29-year-old Mercedes driver won his second Formula 1 world title this season and joined an exclusive club by becoming the fourth Briton to win the drivers’ championship at least twice. Northern Irish golfer Rory McIlroy was runner-up, with athlete Jo Pavey third. “I was sitting there saying Rory’s going to have it,” said Hamilton, who earned 34% of the vote. “I thought it had to be someone else.” The Englishman won 209,920 of the 620,932 votes cast, with McIlroy getting 123,745 (20%) and Pavey 99,913 (16%). “I want to say a huge thank you to all the people who called in, I really wasn’t expecting it,” he added. “I am so speechless. I’m so proud and honoured to be

Hamilton becomes the fifth racing driver to win the award in its 61-year history, with Damon Hill (’94 & ’96) and Nigel Mansell (’86 & ’92) triumphing on two occasions and Stirling Moss (’61) and Sir Jackie Stewart (’73) claiming the prize once. Meanwhile, Paul McGinley capped a triumphant 2014 for golf by winning the Coach of the Year award. The Irishman, who is 48 on Tuesday, oversaw a 16½11½ win over the United States at Gleneagles in September. However, his European side were beaten to the Team of the Year prize by England’s women rugby players, who beat Canada 21-9 in Paris to claim the World Cup for the first time since 1994. Hamilton’s F1 title triumph came after a titanic, seasonlong struggle with team-mate Nico Rosberg in the dominant Mercedes cars.

inspired by them,” added Hamilton. “Thank you to all the fans. I always say we win and lose together because I feel your love. I hope I will continue to make you proud.” Runner-up McIlroy, who was also shortlisted in 2011 and 2012, was aiming to become just the the third golfer to win the award in its 61-year history, following Welshman Dai Rees in 1957, and Sir Nick Faldo 25 years ago. The man from Holywood in County Down clinched his first Open Championship with a two-shot victory at Hoylake in July. Then, three weeks later, he edged a gripping US PGA Championship in near darkness at Valhalla to become the first UK player to win consecutive majors and the third youngest player of the modern era - after Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus - to win four majors.

Oregon quarterback Mariota wins Heisman

Oregon Ducks quarterback Marcus Mariota (8) runs the ball for a touchdown in the second quarter against the Wyoming Cowboys at Autzen Stadium. (Scott Olmos-USA TODAY Sports)

(Reuters) - Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota was named on Saturday as the winner of this year’s Heisman Trophy, which recognizes college football’s top player. Mariota beat fellow finalists Wisconsin running back Melvin Gordon and Alabama receiver Amari Cooper in a landslide vote, which was the most decisive in eight years. “I’m humbled to be standing here,” Mariota told reporters during an emotional speech. “It’s breathtaking really.” Mariota’s banner season included 3,783 passing yards and 38 touchdowns to just two interceptions. The junior quarterback has led Oregon to the final four of college football’s inaugural playoff.

Hamilton, centre, beat Pavey and McIlroy to first place. (Getty Images) among such great sporting talent.” Hamilton was runner-up to boxer Joe Calzaghe in 2007 and Sir Chris Hoy the following year. Having arrived at the SSE Hydro in Glasgow with his dog, Roscoe, he was presented with the trophy by former Scotland player and Liverpool legend Kenny Dalglish after his name was announced by former England rugby player Jonny Wilkinson in front of a 12,000-strong audience. The venue, which hosted netball, boxing and gymnastics during the Commonwealth Games last summer, was chosen in the year that Scotland hosted the Commonwealth Games and golf ’s Ryder Cup at Gleneagles.

Victory in the final race of the campaign in Abu Dhabi secured the crown for the Englishman, who took the lead at the start and controlled the race as Rosberg suffered car trouble and finished 14th. The team also wrapped up the constructors’ championship after a recordbreaking season. It is six seasons since Hamilton’s only previous World Championship victory, when he won in dramatic fashion on the last lap of the Brazilian Grand Prix. He is now Formula 1’s most successful British driver with 33 victories - two more than double Sports Personality winner Mansell. “I could not have done this without my amazing team, my family, my dad who once had four jobs to help me, my brother - I’ve been incredibly

Sandwiched between those wins came victory at the WGC Bridgestone Invitational and they were soon followed by success at the Ryder Cup, when McIlroy earned three points. Pavey, meanwhile, was third after becoming the oldest-ever female European athletics champion at the age of 40 years and 325 days. The Devon athlete won the 10,000m title in Zurich 10 days after winning bronze in the 5,000m at the Commonwealth Games. She only returned to the track in May, eight months after giving birth to her second child, when she won British 10,000m Championship. “Someone gave me the third place envelope. I can’t believe I was on the same stage as Lewis Hamilton and Rory McIlroy,” she said.