Wednesday December 16, 2015
Kaieteur News
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Letters... Where your views make the news... Letters... Where your views make the news
The $50,000 off payment should be given to retirees too DEAR EDITOR, What logic informed the one off payment to only presently serving public servants? At the outset let us get one thing clear – Public Servants are grossly underpaid and any relief that is provided to them must be supported. Since I hold this view I am happy for the relief that the government has decided to provide to public servants working for less than $500,000 per month. However I have some questions for the government, these are as follow: (a) Why public servants working for less than $500,000 per month? Should we take this cutoff point that you by choice impose to mean that you (the Government) feel persons with an income less that the said sum are in need of relief? (b) Since retired public
servants are forced to live on extremely small pensions, why were they not seen as deserving of relief? What is your moral argument for excluding them? (c) Why weren’t our citizens receiving old age pension not considered for a share of this relief? (d) Was Minister Volda Lawrence a part of those making the decision on this one off bonus? Mr. Editor, even as I await a response (the truth is I doubt there will be any) let me say this; I am truly tired with the way people in authority in Guyana tend to treat those who cannot or are not organized to defend themselves. If extending relief to this needy group would have been a financial challenge then the Government had the option of changing the criteria for those qualifying for the relief. No
one would have opposed if they had offered public servants $30,000 tax free bonus so that public servant pensioners could also have some relief. Further, with the explanation that they needed to also help pensioners the Government could have lowered the qualifying monthly salary to $350,000. Guyanese are known to be caring especially for their parents and their parents’ generation – there would have been no protest! Finally, Mr. Editor, are we going to hear from the religious community, the various trade unions and their governing bodies, to which retired public servants contributed from their small salaries during their years of service? I am disappointed and not at all comfortable with the Government’s behavior in this matter. Claudius Prince
Clive Lloyd’s formula has failed DEAR EDITOR, In relation to Carl Parker’s letter (KN Dec 15), the WI test squad should have had a balance of youth and experience (inclusion of Shivnarine Chanderpaul who knows Aussie conditions more than anyone else with his several tours to lift the spirit of the younger players). With the embarrassing defeat at Hobart Oval last week in the first test (in two and a half days) and the disastrous performance in the warm up match that preceded it, is not time for the selectors of that squad to be questioned about their experiment of choosing youth over experience - so called Clive Lloyd model? Why is it that only management is being asked to account for its blunders? Is it not time that the selectors also be held accountable and perhaps forced into permanent retirement for sending that weak team to Australia and to Sri Lanka as well? To say the squad, selected by the selection committee led by chairman of selectors Clive Lloyd, has been an abject failure is understating what really has been
happening in Australia and in prior series. The team’s recent performance, inclusive of several who played in the three short series preceding the trip was depressing, pathetic, pitiful, and mediocre to describe it mildly. The team has been underperforming for the entire year and its meek submission in Hobart was not unexpected as I penned last week. The players were not even competitive and did not even attempt to put a fight in seven tests they played against England, Australia, and Sri Lanka since April and the latest one in Hobart. These are not players who fight tooth and nail for honor, respect and for nation. Virtually every player was lethargic and lackadaisical on the field at Hobart as though they were just going through the motions of passing time giving up the fight on day one accepting defeat as the ultimate outcome. The squad badly lacked experience and most of the squad should be sacked along with coaches, selection panel and management. Lloyd should know that he can’t Continued on page 29
Chartered Accountant defends former minister
DEAR EDITOR, I wish to address the article in the Tuesday, December 15th edition of the Kaietuer Newspaper “2007 Cricket World Cup financial statements … Ashni Singh instructed removal of negative comments in AG’s report – Goolsarran”. I find this article to be misleading and would be grateful if you publish this response to the article in order to make it clear in the minds of the public that there were no irregularities at CWC 2007. I will commence with the statement that I see no need for such an article as the removal of negative comments in a draft audit report is part of the audit process and there is nothing wrong here other than to say that the article is suggesting to the reading public, more so those without financial and auditing competencies, that there were irregularities and acts to conceal irregularities. Let me first deal with the perception of irregularities. As the finance manager of CWC2007, I want to assure the nation that there were no
financial irregularities and the problem here that has kept the Auditor General from issuing a clean opinion (unqualified opinion) on the financial statements is the removal of the NICIL funded expenditure from the CWC financial statements and accounting of these expenditure in the books of NICIL. It is merely an accounting problem where the accounting was not done according to sub units and not irregularities as the article suggested. Now the perception of the act by the former Minister of Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh, and management to conceal irregularities. As mentioned before, the removal of negative comments in a draft audit report is part of the audit process and as it relates to CWC 2007, the audit process is not completed. The audit process allows management to provide the relevant
explanations/documents or make the necessary corrections to the findings reported in the draft qualified audit report before a final report is issued. To date, the AG has issued a draft qualified audit opinion and therefore Dr. Ashni’s instruction, as stated in the article, to remove the AG’s qualification of the accounts from CWC Inc.’s Annual Report is well within his rights as part of management. Removal of the qualification in the context of auditing, means providing the necessary explanations/ documentation and/or corrections. In conclusion, there were no irregularities at CWC 2007 and the Former Minister’s action is well within his rights as part of management. Chateram Ramdihal (ACCA) Chartered Acountant
Wednesday December 16, 2015
Kaieteur News
South Africa’s ANC rallies round Zuma Reuters - South Africa’s ruling ANC rallied round President Jacob Zuma yesterday, rejecting calls for him to stand down after he rocked financial markets last week by appointing an unknown backbencher as finance minister. Zuma appointed David van Rooyen, a former mayor, to replace the widely respected Nhlanhla Nene last Wednesday, a move that sparked a selling frenzy in the rand, bonds and stock market. But he changed his mind late on Sunday and reappointed former finance minister Pravin Gordhan to the post he held from 2009 to 2014. The dramatic U-turn caused a relief rally in South African assets. But it also fuelled speculation that the ruling party might make the 73-year-old relinquish the reins of power because of the damage done to Africa’s most advanced economy. However, spokesman Zizi Kodwa said top officials in the African National Congress (ANC), Nelson
Jacob Zuma Mandela’s erstwhile liberation movement that has ruled since the end of apartheid in 1994, had not contemplated such drastic action. “I can confirm that there was no discussion of recalling the president,” he told a news conference. Ratings agency Moody’s cut its outlook on South
Africa’s sovereign credit rating to negative from stable, citing the increased probability that economic growth will remain low for a prolonged period of time. It also said there was a growing risk of fiscal slippage from both slower growth and increasing political pressure in the country. It reaffirmed the rating itself at baa2. The Nene fiasco came as the ANC prepared for May local government elections in which it is likely to face stiff competition from the opposition Democratic Alliance and the leftist Economic Freedom Fighters, especially in urban areas. ANC deputy secretarygeneral Jessie Duarte said Zuma had decided to change van Rooyen’s appointment on Sunday afternoon after a 70-minute meeting with top party officials, including deputy president Cyril Ramaphosa. “The change has been made and that action has been taken to rectify what we believe really caused a bloodbath in the economy,” Duarte said.
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Trinidad police officer, UWI student gunned down in sting operation gone bad PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad – Four suspects are in custody following a failed sting operation in which one policeman and a University of the West Indies (UWI) student was killed. Dead are 24-year-old Police Constable Russell Ramnarine, who had been an officer for just over a year, and UWI engineering student Avery Keshwar, 22. The two were gunned down early Monday morning near a popular barbecue establishment as lawmen followed up on a report Keshwar had made, that a cell phone and other items were stolen. According to police, Ramnarine and a uniformed officer had accompanied the student in an unmarked vehicle to meet a suspect in
Russell Ramnarine Aranguez, a community in the town of San Juan, to retrieve the stolen items. “When the suspect observed the uniformed officer
seated in the vehicle, he took off on foot causing PC Ramnarine who was in plainclothes and the other officer, to alight from their vehicle and give chase along Williams Street, Aranguez. The uniformed officer continued the pursuit while PC Ramnarine made his way back to the vehicle w h e r e Av e r y w a s s t i l l seated. Upon entering the vehicle, shots from the nearby barbecue outlet were fired at both men who subsequently died at the scene,” a statement from the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service said. Contrary to reports, police said, there was no exchange of gunfire between Ramnarine and anyone else. (Caribbean360)
CTO says new climate deal offers hope for region’s tourism BRIDGETOWN, Barbados – The climate change agreement hammered out in Paris, France last week was a “huge achievement” for the Caribbean and offers hope for the region, the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) said. The Barbados-based CTO welcomed the agreement in a statement issued at the conclusion of Paris the negotiations which saw 195 nations adopting the agreement. “This new agreement offers hope. As many of CTO’s members are Small Island Developing States (SIDS),
we remain optimistic that the tremendous strides made in Paris w i l l h e l p t o e nsure that this issue continues to occupy a prominent position on the global agenda. Let us all do our part to support the outcomes in Paris in any way we can,” it said. The CTO noted that the region is experiencing the impact of the ravaging effects of climate change. It identified sea level rise, frequent and intense natural hazards; extended dry seasons resulting in water scar-
city, loss of livelihoods and the disappearance of some of our islands as among the present-day dangers facing the Caribbean. “The tourism sector and the environment are inextricably linked and environmentally responsible tourism is paramount to the sector’s sustainability and overall success. Tourism must be stewarded and balanced so that the benefits for the environment, the communities it serves, its employees and the economy outweigh the costs. Our commitment to the climate cause is one way to do this,” the CTO said. (Caribbean360)
Wednesday December 16, 2015
Cocaine in T&T orange juice cartons...again Trinidad Express - Liquid cocaine has again been found in orange juice containers shipped from Trinidad and Tobago, and headed to a destination in North America. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police disclosed yesterday that two men had been arrested and charged after border officers found liquid cocaine concealed in orange juice containers being shipped through Halifax. The investigation began on November 16, when Canada Border Services Agency officers were inspecting a shipping container at the Port of Halifax. The container was full of food products destined for Toronto from Trinidad and Tobago. The officers found 44 litres of liquid cocaine, which could be converted into 24 kilogrammes of powdered cocaine. The drugs were concealed in 40 cartons of orange juice. The police named the
Cocaine: RCMP have charged two Toronto-area men they say smuggled about 44 litres of liquid cocaine into the Port of Halifax by hiding it in orange juice cartons. SOURCE: (Canada Border Services Agency) men detained as Norris Williams, 46, of Whitby, and 46year-old Lincoln Strachan, of Mississauga, who now face charges of possession for the purpose of trafficking, importing drugs into Canada, and conspiracy. The men appeared in
court on November 30 and will reappear on January 22, 2016. Last year, US authorities seized an estimated US$100 million worth in cocaine concealed in orange juice cans originating in Trinidad. The shipment was discovered at the Port of Norfolk, Virginia.
Obama says may visit Cuba in 2016 if citizens enjoy more freedoms WA S H I N G T O N (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama is open to visiting to Cuba in 2016 but first wants to see ordinary citizens there enjoy more personal freedoms, he said in an interview released on Monday. In an interview with Yahoo! News, Obama said he has told Havana that without
such progress, he is unlikely to visit the Communist island nation before he leaves office, despite the historic reestablishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries earlier this year. “I am very much interested in going to Cuba, but I think the conditions have to be right,” Obama said. “And what I’ve said to the Cuban government is ‘If, in fact I with confidence can say that we’re
seeing some progress in the liberty and freedom and possibilities of ordinary Cubans, I’d love to use a visit as a way of highlighting that progress.’” “If I go on a visit, then part of the deal is that I get to talk to everybody,” Obama said. “I’ve made very clear in my conversations directly with President [Raul] Castro that we would continue to reach out to those who want to broaden the scope for, you know, free expression inside of Cuba.” In the interview, which coincided with the anniversary of the announcement that Havana and Washington would restore relations, Obama also defended his aim to close the U.S. military prison in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, but acknowledged that it was unlikely to be handed back to Havana any time soon.
Wednesday December 16, 2015
Kaieteur News
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GPL disconnection crews show little mercy Guyana Power and Light Inc. (GPL) pays private contractors to undertake disconnections. These private contractors have an incentive when they turn up at your home to disconnect your power; that incentive is a financial incentive in the form of payments for disconnecting your power. The disconnection crews are not interested in explanations as to why you did not pay your bill. Once you cannot show proof that you have paid your bill, you will be disconnected. There have been the rare cases, far and apart, whereby
some disconnection crews have allowed persons in default to go immediately and pay their bills. But this level of toleration is very rarely exercised. GPL has placed too much power in the hands of these contractors. Private contractors should not be allowed, unless the law explicitly states so, to come to anyone’s home and demand to question you about the payment of your electricity bill. If these are private contractors they should not have GPL identification cards. There are far too many risks involved in having
private contractors go to private citizens’ homes. The citizen needs to be sure that if someone is coming to their homes to disconnect power, that person is connected directly to GPL and that person’s conduct is accountable to some senior official at GPL. There have been cases in the past, even though admittedly these were few and far apart, where persons posing as GPL staff, have robbed homeowners. Persons coming to disconnect electricity should come in a vehicle with the GPL logo. They should not appear in a small minibus with a
Dem boys seh...
De fat crook, de shaat scamp and Jagdeo must go to jail Brassington tek US$5 million from GNCB to help build de Barriott hotel. Jagdeo and de Shaat scamp know bout de money and dem know when he tek it. Dem boys not certain if is dem same two tell him to tek it. Wha dem boys certain about is that he didn’t put it in de Barriott, he hide it in a secret account. If de govt didn’t change that woulda been another set of money gone in dem overseas bank account. Dem boys plan to talk bout overseas bank account another day. He didn’t have to pay any interest pun de US$5 million he hide. Hear wha
he do Guyana; he borrow US$15 million from Republic Bank fuh put in de Barriott and got de Guyanese paying fat, fat interest. In a layman terms let dem boys explain wha Brassington did wid that US$5 million. Odinga family house falling down and it will cost $10 million to rebuild. He go to he eleven brothers and sisters and tell dem “Let’s pool our money to rebuild de house.” All dem come up wid when dem done pool was $3 million. Dem Daddy who live in America hear wha dem plan to do suh he give Odinga, de big brother, $3
million to assist. Odinga ain’t tell none of he buddy and sissy bout that money and he hide it away. So when dem done spend dem own $3 million Odinga tell dem “We gat fuh go to de bank fuh a $7 million to finish de house.” Dem tek de loan and lef demself wid a big interest when Odinga coulda put in de $3 million and dem woulda only got to tek $4 million and pay a smaller interest. That is wha Brassington do all Guyanese right now wid de Marriott. Talk half and decide wha to do wid de fat crook.
ladder on top and a plywood sign marked “GPL”. That is not good enough, given the crime situation in Guyana. The entire approach by GPL to power disconnection is poor public relations. GPL was amongst the first companies in Guyana, and this includes private companies that allow you to check your accounts online. For all the talk about how badly GPL was managed under Bharrat Dindyal, GPL was a leader in the electronic access to your bill information. The system is still working. But if GPL could have gone to so much trouble to ensure t h a t y o u c o u l d access your accounting information online, then why does it not treat its customers and clients with due regard and collect contact telephone numbers?. Whenever a customer’s account is in default, GPL can call that customer and advise that person that they need to pay their account. It can email or text a message to that person. It should not be disconnecting persons without first contacting them directly and not giving them a chance to put themselves
in order. Immediate disconnection without warning is poor public relations on the part of GPL. It needs to treat its customers better, and it will see that when it does this, not only will corruption be reduced, but more people will pay up, because they will view GPL as their friendly utility. Improving GPL’s public relations is just a phone call away. The majority of Guyanese voted for change on May 11, 2015. There have been changes at GPL. There will probably be more. However,
the one area in which change has been absent is in GPL’s relations with its customers. GPL has handed to contractors the power to disconnect. It has given these contractors an incentive to disconnect rather than encourage customers to go in and settle their accounts. In this day and age, that approach is wrong and outdated.
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Kaieteur News
Wednesday December 16, 2015
THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN
The telephone directory symbolizes the tragedy in Guyana I have advanced countless arguments for pessimistic analyses on Guyana’s future. I have offered substantial evidence for pessimistic predictions. My columns are entering their 28th year of existence. I’ve looked at Guyana from both sides now; from up and down, from win and lose, from give and take, and still somehow it’s Guyana’s illusions I recall, I really don’t know Guyana at all (these words are borrowed from the famous Joni Mitchell hit song, “Both Sides Now” minus the name Guyana of course) It is not that an analyst wants to be deterministic; it is the unchanging nature of this country that plays with your sanity. In the twenty-seven years gone by, I have confronted mountains of negatives in this land and they just would not go away. Perhaps they
will never disappear, but will be around like a zombie that haunts a castle and eventually devours its occupants. A long, long time ago in these columns, I commented on more than one occasion on the absolute incompetence that characterized the make-up of the telephone directory. In one of my commentaries, I pointed out that all the entries for the University of Guyana were left out. Surely that was a compelling reason to fire the hired firm that did the document for the GT&T (now renamed GTT). How could the compilers have missed such a huge institution of importance? Last week I had an unsettling quarrel with GPL. They came to cut the electricity for nonpayment. I relied on the monthly bill to guide me. But the bill didn’t come for December, so GPL came to
disconnect. I wanted to know who was at fault; was GPL late in sending bills to the central post office or was it the incompetence of the Post Office Corporation (at the time of writing, Dec 15, no November bill as yet). I picked up the current directory to call the post office. There is no listing for the post office under P or under G, meaning Guyana Post Office Corporation. In the previous directory (the last one before the current one was published in 2011), on page 172, after the Guyana Pentecostal Fellowship, comes the Guyana Post Office Corporation with 92 numbers for all the public post offices throughout the ten Regions of Guyana. I did a random check on ten of them from different Regions to see if those numbers are still operational; they are. The telephone
directory is not a compilation of GTT; it out-sources that assignment. But over the three decades that GTT has been here, it has stuck with the same firm, even though that company has made vital omissions in every directory it produced for GTT. I repeat for emphasis – despite graphic mistakes in every issue, GTT uses the same compilers. I want to reiterate what previous columns have observed on this matter – the telephone directory since GTT came to Guyana has had glaring mistakes in every issue. The Manager for Customers’ Service at GPL, Lanceford Cummings told me his listed direct line is a mystery to him; he doesn’t know how, why and where GTT got that number as his direct line.
I am not a computer expert, but I understand what the process “database” means. If Kaieteur News is putting out a yearly booklet of its past and present employees, then the 2016 publication will include the database for 2015 plus the new staffers that came in 2016 and the same exercise goes on for the following years to come. How did the database for 2011 which contains 92 phone numbers for the Post Office Corporation and its branches throughout Guyana get lost? In my layman’s knowledge of computers, I would say the person(s) compiling is (are) hopelessly incompetent. The sadness of this country is that a parent with a five-year-old kid would have read my criticism of the omissions in the directory fifteen years ago. That fiveyear-old would now be twenty years and, in 2015,
Frederick Kissoon reading about a certain negative aspect of life in Guyana that I highlighted fifteen years ago. An analyst is compelled to ask - what is there to celebrate on the 50th year of Independence? I went to Dale Andrews of this paper and voiced my fear of having to join that line to renew my driver’s licence. Then yesterday in the kitchen, my wife reminded me that our passports have expired. I am not joining that line too. Ten years from now, I will voice the same fear. What changes in my country? Will there be any happiness for the people of my country?
Wednesday December 16, 2015
Kaieteur News
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Bids opened for final phase of Camp St. prison reconstruction During yesterday’s session at the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB), bids were opened for the construction of a brick prison, under the Guyana Prison Service (GPS), phase IV. It is understood from a prison official that this is a structure which was located at the Camp Street Prison location. Works commenced on the facility in phases back in 2011, in order to make it more conducive for inhabitation. At present, the complaints about overcrowding at the Georgetown prison are numerous. Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan commented on this during a visit to the facility in October. He had revealed that once the brick prison structure is ready for inhabitants and prisoners are transferred, remedial works would be done on the vacated old blocks. The engineer’s estimate for phase IV was $84.9M.
Meanwhile, bids were opened for the rehabilitation and remodeling of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) bond, at Coldingen, Region No. 4. This contract is the phase I aspect. The engineer’s estimate was $26.5M.
And finally, there were also provisions for phase II of the GECOM, Coldingen project. The engineer’s estimate was $13.3M.
Meanwhile, bids were opened under the National Frequency Management Unit (NFMU), for the procurement of spectrum monitoring equipment.
There were also bids opened for the construction of offices at the Parliament Office of Guyana. The engineer’s estimate for this was $2.7M.
Under the Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC), there were bids for the provision of security services. Three companies bid for this.
Meanwhile, under the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, there were bids for the construction of timber revetments at New Forest, Canje River, Berbice, Region number six. The engineer’s estimate was $36.6M.
Also under the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, there were bids for the rehabilitation of the No. 66 Corentyne steel truss bridge, Region No. 6. The engineer’s estimate was $28.6M.
Meanwhile, police at Port Kaituma are slated to have their Officers’ quarters rehabilitated. During a recent visit to the community, complaints had been made about its deplorable state. The bids for the project, under the auspices of the Ministry of Public Security, were opened yesterday. It is estimated to cost $9.9M.
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Wednesday December 16, 2015
Staffers debunk unflattering reports about Drop-In Centre “Children accommodated at the Drop-In Centre do not reside in a state of chaos.” This was the firm assertion of Manager of the Hadfield Street, Georgetown, Care Centre, Ms Melissa Gentle.
Her remarks were forthcoming yesterday to refute allegations detailed in a daily newspaper which suggested that the facility which falls under the purview of the Child Care and
Protection Agency, is currently in a deplorable state and the children there are not afforded deserving care. In refuting the allegations levelled against the facility, Gentle said “it must be noted
From left: Claudette Mentor, Norma Hamilton and Melissa Gentle that this is not a museum. As such people live here and things will be out of place (at times)...these are children.” Gentle has concluded that the content of the recently published article is merely an attempt at criticising an institution with only noble intentions. To prove that the state of the facility was not deplorable, Gentle yesterday morning afforded media operatives a guided tour of sections of the Hadfield Street Centre. There was no evidence of many of the allegations highlighted. Gentle however considered that any criticism levelled at the institution will only spur efforts at further improving it. “We need to take criticisms...to better whatever situation we may have...but as it stands it is not deplorable here,” asserted Gentle. While Gentle made it clear yesterday that the severity of a roach infestation reported on was not entirely true, whereby children were being bitten. In offering an explanation for the presence of the creatures at times, she noted that “when we bring things in from the bond some of them tend to secret themselves, and as such they come in. But what the supervisors and I have devised is to empty these things outside, and that has helped to decrease the
number of roaches,” said the Manager. Added to this, she noted that the facility regularly benefits from extermination services. “We have people come in here and do monthly spraying...we take care of the home as best as we can,” insisted Gentle. Children at the home, according to Gentle, are given the best possible care, even as she added, as far as possible, they are not deprived of anything. This of course means that they attend school regularly and are granted the needful counselling that “troubled” children deserve. Although the Drop-In Centre has the capacity to accommodate some 40 displaced children, there are only 20 residing at the Hadfield Street location. Since assuming the position of Manager about seven months, Gentle disclosed that there have been numerous improvements to the facility, even moves at beautifying it. She however noted, that like most homes “we are now fixing for the Christmas...so right now you wouldn’t see the real beauty that we intend to showcase.” Gentle, as manager of the facility, has an office at the Hadfield Street location. She is tasked with administrative responsibilities there and has
similar responsibilities at other Care Centres including the Mahaica Children’s Home and the Sophia Care Centre. She is able to fulfil her mandate with support staffers, among them a house service supervisor and an assistant supervisor. “They would look at the ‘on-the-ground’ aspects of things...they look at the daily running of the homes and my aspect is to help them acquire certain items...food and other items for the children.” Supporting Gentle’s defence yesterday was Norma Hamilton, the Assistant House Services Supervisor. She disclosed that she was surprised yesterday morning to see an article publicised which placed the children’s home ‘in an ugly light’. She particularly took aim at reports of the allegations of a roach infestation adding that “I don’t know if anybody’s home in Guyana doesn’t have a roach...” Because of the known presence of roaches, Hamilton said that the staffers at the home almost every day spray the environment with Baygon, an insecticide spray. Claudette Mentor, who is the House Services Supervisor, also shared the views of her comments asserting that she is very pleased to be associated with the Drop-In Centre which has been helping to fill a needful gap created in society.
Wednesday December 16, 2015
Kaieteur News
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Wednesday December 16, 2015
GuySuCo staffers involved in $$M fertilizer racket: eyewitnesses It appears now that the multi-million fertilizer racket involving staffers of the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) was well organized. Details coming out now indicate that the fertilizer was clandestinely released last week Tuesday night from a secured location of GuySuCo at Gay Park, East Bank Berbice. On Thursday, police and GuySuCo officials, acting on intelligence, swooped down at North Lesbeholden, Black Bush Polder, seizing 100 bags of Urea fertilizer from a home. A businessman was arrested in relation to the discovery Special Assistant of the Office of the Prime Minister, Gobin Harbhajan, yesterday disclosed that the man was on Sunday placed on $50,000 bail at the Whim Police Station after he was questioned. The fertilizer, in heavy demand by cane, rice and cash crop farmers, was found in bags stamped with the
Gobin Harbhajan, Special Assistant of OPM GuySuCo logo. Insiders believe that the discovery of the fertilizer is no isolated incident. Rather, it is part of an ongoing racket that has been happening over the years. The loss to GuySuCo would have been in the tens of millions, as fertilizer is one of the main inputs. Yesterday, the truck owner who picked up the bags of fertilizer visited Harbhajan in
Berbice. According to Harbhajan, the truck owner was told to pick up the fertilizer at 20:30hrs from GuySuCo’s facility at Providence, in Berbice. A GuySuCo official, who was named yesterday, was the one who released the fertilizers, which is valued at over $500,000. The truck owner kept the fertilizer until Thursday when he delivered it to Black Bush Polder. Harbhajan said that the truck owner was fearful and will be handing himself over to the police today, in the presence of GuySuCo’s security. The discovery of the Urea fertilizer would point to a bigger racket that has been reported. GuySuCo, struggling to regain its footing after more than a decade of losses and poor performance has been under pressure to improve. Several workers were recently dismissed and some reinstated after checks uncovered that fertilizer was not applied to acres of cane land.
Escape of accused killers…
OPR to submit report this week The Police’s Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) is close to completing its investigation into the circumstances that led to the escape of alleged killers Stafrei Hopkinson Alexander and Robin Maxwell Thomas from the Mackenzie Police Station. A police official said yesterday that a report on the OPR’s findings is likely to be complete by weekend. Kaieteur News understands that investigators have questioned about nine civilians, including prisoners, and nine police ranks. Four police ranks were reportedly on duty during the period that the suspects broke out of their cell. Hopkinson and Thomas reportedly escaped by smashing a hole through a cell wall two Mondays ago. The suspects, along with Aiden Bowen, of Blueberry Hill, Wismar, were charged for the April 4, 2015 murder of businesswoman Shevon Gordon, who was shot near her One Mile, Linden premises. Her son, Devon, was also shot in the leg. The suspects were being held overnight at Mackenzie and were due to appear at the Christianburg Magistrate’s Court the following day. Acting Crime Chief, Assistant Police Commissioner David Ramnarine had told Kaieteur News that, according to
WANTED: Stafrei Hopkinson Alexander
WANTED: Robin Maxwell Thomas
information, the on-duty ranks were in the Enquiries Office at around 02.00 hrs, and when they checked the lockups they observed a hole in the concrete wall. “For anyone to dig a hole in a concrete wall, is that they went in there with some instrument, and it sends a message that they were not searched and that their cell was not searched,” he said. “It is clear that there was a supervision problem and that enough vigilance was not exercised. I know that there will be an investigation.” In all, four people were charged with Gordon’s murder. Aiden Bowen, of Blueberry Hill, Wismar, Linden; Anthony Primo, 29, of 153 Laing Avenue, and Robin Maxwell Thomas, 22, of Lot 120 West Montrose,
East Coast Demerara, had first appeared in court in May. Stafrei Hopkinson, 30, of Lot 129, Laing Avenue, West Ruimveldt, Georgetown, was arrested and charged with Gordon’s murder in November. He was also slapped with several armed robbery charges. Following the breakout, the slain woman’s husband, Fitzroy Elon Gordon, expressed concern for the safety of his son, who is the key witness in the matter. Anyone with information that may lead to the arrest of Stafrei Hopkinson Alexander and Robin Maxwell Thomas is asked to contact the police on telephone numbers 444-3406, 444-3274, 444-3512, 226-9941, 225-6411, 911 or the nearest police station. All information will be treated with strict confidence.
Wednesday December 16, 2015
Kaieteur News
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GPL not accepting blame for stalled remuneration talks with GPSU A blame game has started between Guyana Power and Light Incorporated (GPL) and the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU), with each insisting that the other is responsible for a breakdown in negotiations regarding an increase in remunerations to junior and senior management of the power company. GPSU at a press conference told media operatives that the power company has not fully embraced multi-year proposals submitted for increases in salaries for employees within the Union’s bargaining Unit. According to GPSU’s spokesperson, First Vice President, Mortimer Livan, at a press conference on Monday, GPL had opted to have discussions on only a few aspects of the proposals. He added that “the management of GPL procrastinated in dealing with the proposals. It has come again to the end of the year and still this matter is not resolved to the satisfaction of the employees.” He had contended too, that the GPL since 2013 has only met with the Union in November of this year and according to him too, “the main contention is the dollars amount.” But GPL yesterday refuted claims by GPSU that it has caused undue delay in the 2015 remuneration for the workers. In a statement disseminated yesterday, the GPL said that it categorically refutes the claims of the GPSU in negotiations for increase in salary and allowances for the
year 2015. The power company explained that “On November 16, 2015, GPL formally invited the GPSU to begin negotiations on Wednesday, November 18, 2015, following on advice received from the Ministry of Finance on the applicability of the five per cent and the $5,000 salary increase announced earlier by the Government.” At this meeting it was noted that GPL made an offer of a five percent salary increase (inclusive of two per cent across-the-board and a three per cent in-scale increment) and a $10,000 monthly ($120,000 for 2015) as a one-off payment, both with effect from January 1, 2015. GPL also claimed that it proposed an increase in the mileage allowance for use of personal vehicles from $135 to $150 per mile and an increase of $100 in meal allowance for overtime work, both also with effect from January 1, 2015. But according to GPL, the GPSU responded to the Company’s offer by requesting a five per cent across-the-board increase, a $200,000 ($16,660 per month) to be included in salaries for 2015, an increase in the meal allowance by $500 and a mileage allowance of $220 per month. It was noted that the Union then wrote to GPL on November 30, 2015, rejecting the Company’s offer and proposed a five per cent across-the-board increase and requested that the Company’s offer of $120,000
for 2015, be added to the current annual salary with effect from January 1, 2015. “On December 8, 2015 the Company revised its offer, accepting the Union‘s proposal for the five per cent increase and restating its offer of a $120,000 one-off payment, along with its initial offer of increases in meal and mileage allowances,” GPL indicated in its statement. But according to the power company, “Regrettably, to date, the Union has yet to formally respond to GPL’s revised offer.”
The total cost of the Union’s current proposals for 2015, according to Livan, “is a mere fraction of the $27 million the former Deputy Chief Executive Officer siphoned off to his personal accounts claiming to be back payment for increases in his salaries and allowances”. Stressing the income disparity between GPL’s executive staff and the junior and senior management categories, Livan noted that GPSU is hopeful that this will be adjusted urgently.
“The Union wishes to emphasise the pivotal role being played by the employees of the GPL and of the need for urgent attention to be given to improving their remuneration,” said Livan as he pointed out that “GPL is the only state-run entity whose employees have not benefited from any increase in remuneration for 2015.” According to Livan, the GPSU in an effort to stress its disappointment with the GPL’s “callous” attitude has since written to Minister with
responsibility for the power company, David Patterson, to intervene, in hopes of having an amicable resolution. Minister Patterson has however not acknowledged the GPSU’s correspondence of December 7, 2015, Livan stated, a state of affairs that is of much concern to the Union, he added. Moreover, the Union is slated to meet with its members today in order to plot the way forward, which, according to Livan, could include industrial action.
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Kaieteur News
SERVICES PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION,WEDDINGS, ANNIVERSARY, ETC. – CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 216-1043; 677-6620 INNOVATIVEMARKETING & PUBLISHING INC –TEL: 600-4212: We create A/ works, logos, business cards, posters, etc, placements of ads included. Visa Application: U.S.A, Canada & UK; Guyana Passport application. Graphics design, Advertisement. Tel: 626-7040; 265-4535. Repairs at affordable prices: fridge, air conditioner, washing machines, dryers, TV, microwaves & freezerCall: 610-5846 or 661-8158 Permanent & Visitors Visa Applications, Professional Immigration Consultant Room D5 Maraj Building. visadocumentsgy@ y a h o o . c o m . Call: 2256496, 662-6045 We repair fridge, freezer, AC, washer, dryer-Call: 2310655; 683-8734. Omar Repairs at low cost: Fridges, air- conditioners, washing machines, TVs, microwaves, freezersCall:629-4946 or 225-4822 New and used parts for all types refrigerators, air conditioners, microwaves, stoves, washers etc.- call: 233-2008/ 613-8800 REPAIRS & SPARE, FRIDGE, FREEZER, A/C, WASHERS, STOVES – CONTACT NICK: 6831312, 627-3206 Building Contractor, house plan, general home maintenance, free estimatesCall:216-0671;622-0267;692-8464
WANTED Experienced canter truck driver and labourers –Call: 225-2618 between 9am-4pm for more information Damage batteries in any quantity, best price offeredCall: 696-5728, 656-2783, 6225941, 648-9395, 223-1111 Cooks to work in Trinidad, must be experienced in Indian and English dishes- Call Selwyn in Trinidad- 001-868680-2083 Eccles, Herstelling, Providence, Farm, Phoenix Park, Utilight, Zeelught & Parfaite Harmonie land to buy- Call: 604-2207; 611-7223 WANTED TO BUY ONE 580C HYMAC EXCAVATOR CONTACT 223-5273/4 Attractive female bartender to work in Trinidad 30TTD/hr. Contact Deborah Batson +868-326-0821/ email:debra_batson@ yahoo.com Wash bay workers –Contact: 697-9540 Salesgirls urgently- Monday to Saturday- Call: 225-7417 (11am to 4pm) Live in waitress to work in a bar & hotel-Call: 604-6606 Licenced motorist for weekend job-Call:686-9296; 655-1534 Contract Cars & DriversContact: 619-2229 or 6606102; 227-1720 Male and female to work in the Interior –salary-$80,000 – Call: 674-1767; 675-7043; 6592708 Security Guard –Call: 2271717 Watchman for the interiorCall: 681-3801 One live in maid, assistant salesgirls @ E.C.D-Call: 6035416; 644-9802
PEN PAL American Indian Male is seeking female, age 32plus, no texting –call: 679-9646 I’m told Guyana have beautiful women, just want one, age 28 to 40, grown and sexy. Whatsapp only: 6134085 DRESSMAKING Working suits/uniforms professionally done – starting $3,000 up –Call Sharmie: 626-2629; 676-6312
Experienced Cosmetologists and Barbers required for upscale Salon- Please call: 670-1911 / 698-9394 BOND WORKER/ PARTTIME DRIVER. MONDAY TO SATURDAY, OVER 21 AND WITH POLICE CLEARANCE. CALL: 231-8529; 231-8344 OFFICE CLERK NEEDED: MUST HAVE COMPUTER KNOWLEDGE, CXC IN MATH, ENGLISH, ACCOUNTING AND OFFICE WORK EXPERIENCE. CALL: 2318529; 231-8344
Wednesday December 16, 2015
VACANCY
SALON
1 Accounts Clerk, apply at Alabama Trading, Georgetown, Ferry Stelling.
-Make Up Courses with Mac, Bare Minerals, Black Opal, Mabelline. -Nail Technician Course Call: 647-1773/660-5257
Cashier 6am-3pm & 3pm12pm. Submit application to Shell Station Providence EBD, shellramsburg @gmail.com Desk staff (male), ages 2545yrs- Tel: 225-0198 Full & Part time & Seasonal, local & international work available, training provided $5,000 plus daily – Call: 6221957/ 233-6517, www.jobfairworldwide.com Welder/Fabricator, 3yrs experience, 30yrs & older, apply within: send application & photograph -Technical Services, 18-23 Industrial Site. One female cleaner for office, apply within: send application & photograph to Technical Services, 18-23 Industrial Site Eccles. 1 Driver:5yrs experienced, police clearance, driver’s license, 30yrs & older, apply within: send application & photograph Technical Services, 18-23 Industrial Site. Accounts Clerk: Requirements: 5 CXC subjects, computer literate, MS Office, 2yrs experienced. Email:shellramsburg@gmail. com, A&B Ramsburg Providence. Cashier/Supervisor-Call: 6255322
FOR RENT PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION,WEDDINGS, ANNIVERSARY, ETC. CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 216-1043; 677-6620 House in Bel-Air Gardens; 4 bedrooms with all modern convenience. No agents! Call: 231-7839 working hours. House in Bel-Air Park: 3 bedrooms upstairs/ downstairs, all modern conveniences -$1,600US monthly. Call: 231-7839 working hours 3 Bedrooms for rent @ Lot 3 Norton Street Lousia RowCall: 682-9021 2 Storey @ Robb Street Building, top flat furnished, 3 bedrooms apartment for living/office/storage, bottom flat for business-Call: 2272454 1- Two Bedrooms apartment to let for $50,000 per month at Linj Street. Call: 669-7203
LAND FOR SALE
1 Bedroom apartment preferably working couple or single person. (Light, water and garbage included) $35,000 monthly- Call: 638-8858
Providence house lots, size 50ftX100ft -$7M –Call: 6002031; 233-5535
Offices to rent @ 220 South Road, near the High CourtCall: 691-8420; 227-1042
House and land for sale. Call Molly on 669-3683; 234-1241 Land @ Sunshine Villa’s & lot 262 Land of Canaan. Call Bibi: 220-6799; 666-8901 Land at Parfaite Harmonie $1M, $1.6M, $2M 50X100, Tuschen 11th Street -$2.5M, Phase 2, $1.2M, term available. Call: 604-6724 Zeelugt (100ftx50ft) - $2.2M, Parfaite Harmonie -$1M, Farm -$2.5, Eccles$5M, Herstelling -$4.5M- Call: 6042207, 611-7223, 223-1443 LEARN TO DRIVE Soman Son & Outar Driving School at Maraj BuildingTel:644-5166; 622-2872; 6150964; 689-5997 EDUCATIONAL Registered for Phonics, Reading, Spelling etc, classes for all ages, private tutoring also offered –Call: 675-4379
FOR SALE LARGE QUANTITIES OF HIGH PURITY MERCURY (QUICK SILVER) 99.99995% PURITY$19,000 PER POUND CALL: 592-227-4754. One 2011 Honda ATV Bike, only used for prospecting, air cool. One Model M Bush Truck with Winch Call: 6882597 One 928 F Caterpillar Wheel Loader $ 7.1 M, Price negotiable -Call Us Today On #650-0402/260-4988 Four Mercedes Benz tyres and rims (18inches, 5 holes) –Call: 646-3427; 699-7874 Crazy Deals: Dell/HP desktop & laptop computers from $49,000, free games & educational programs @ FutureTech: 231-2206 One property in Nandy Park and one complete dredge for sale- Call: 642-3808, 644-7207 Hobart Bread Mixer for sale $3.4M, in good condition with accessories, price negotiable –Call: 696-9399 One Daihatsu Bego/RushContact: 691-1161 Used Fridge compressor, imported from Canada for sale and other types of motorsCall: 613-8800; 233-2008 Air compressor, 38KVA Generator, 140HP Yamaha outboard, tyre machineCall: 694-0535 CAT 930- Front End Loader, CAT D4H bulldozer, 9wheeled Pneumatic, Roller – Call: 275-0538; 683-7225 Leyland DAF 55 Dump Truck, CAT 320 BL excavator. Call: 275-0538; 683-7225
FOR SALE/RENT American Pools table-Call: 277-0578
One Honda CRV, immaculate condition –price $1,650,000- Call: 626-2884 1 RZ mini-bus -$750,000 negotiable, down payment & installment acceptedCall:694-8322; 223-1506 Toyota 2 RZ BTT Series, power window, sunroof, TV, fog, mint condition, owner leaving country- $1.6MCall: 612-6121 Toyota Dyna (enclosed), never registered, lift gate (hydraulic), back camera, excellent condition, low mileage -$2.6M –Call: 629-4494 Smart Choice Auto: Premio, Allion, Bluebird, 212, IST, Fielder, Spacio- Call: 6523820/ 665-4529 One Axela Mazda -$1.550 negotiable, one Nissan Titan, one Audi A4; all vehicles in excellent condition-Call: 6653038; 226-4356 Unregistered Fielder Wagon, fully loaded, rims, camera, bodykit, HID, dark interiorCall: 617-5536 We buy & sell vehicles for cash, also parts available & 30 seater buses; Extra Cab pickups; 2006 Tacoma- Call: 680-3154 For Sale: Model M winch, dump, 5 Speed, rough body $3M or best offer –Call: 266-5647 AT192, 212, Allion, unregistered Premio, Hilux Surf, BNN, RZ & Pit-bull, 7 seater super custom. Cash / terms- Call: 680-3154 2008 PTT series, Allion, 17" rims, TV, Viper alarm -$2.9M negotiable. Call: 669-7298 PROPERTY FOR SALE
1 New 2000 D.J Speaker with microphone-Call: 2230065; 618-4872
Property for sale, Grove $20M / Rent: $50,000 per month. Tel: 625-5461.
Bloodline German Shepherd puppies for sale-Contact: 612-6672; 697-1141
Property @ Lot 134 Block 2 Waterloo W.C.B and lot 169 2nd Street Woodley Park, W.C.B-Call: 328-7416; 6923912; 674-4184 Brand new 2 storey concrete building in 5th Avenue, Diamond, E.B.D, all modern amenities - Call: 662-9335; 612-3244 Herstelling Deal: land (100ftx50ft) & house (brand new with fence), two bedroom-$8M-Call: 6042207; 611-7223
CAR RENTAL DOLLY’SCARRENTAL-CALL: 225-7126/226-3693 DOLLYSAUTORENTAL@ YA H O O . C O M / W W W. DOLLYSAUTORENTAL.COM PROGRESSIVE CAR RENTAL:CARS&SUV FOR RENTAL- $4,000 & UP PER DAY- CALL: 643-5122, 6560087 , EMAIL: PRO_ AUTO RENTAL@YAHOO. COM Wing’s Car & 4WD Vigo pick up rental- Call: 690-6494 Aidan’s Car & 4WD Vigo pick up, cheapest rate, low security- Call: 698-7807
VEHICLE FOR SALE
TO LET Rooms in Albertown and apartment in Eccles–Call: 225-3234 Apartments for rent @ Nandy Park -$90,000 negotiable –Call: 227-5194 PROPERTY FOR SALE 2 Bedrooms house @ Good Hope E.C.D –Call: 662-9043 2 Storey 45x35 concrete property, lower flat incomplete. Land 65x120 @ Diamond N/S 5th Avenue,E.B.D- Call: 664-5052
Church and 2 storey building Lot 180 Charlotte Street Bourda, between Albert & Oronoque Streets -Call: 2276817; 624-7341; 226-5183 Business & residential property @ EBD Public Road, all amenities including security camera & grilled, best cash offer accepted – Call: 684-2119
Wednesday December 16, 2015
Kaieteur News
Letters... Where your views make the news
Praise for the police from former Asst. Commissioner
DEAR EDITOR, The discussions on the efficiency and effectiveness of the Guyana Police Force continue in the print and electronic media and elsewhere. This is even more so when the police produce criminal statistics to justify their performance. Patrick Mentore in a recent letter to the editor of Kaiteur News asked an important question- where is the baseline to compare the statistics? Both Stabroek and Kaiteur News carried editorials on the crime situation in Guyana. Peeping Tom did not only peeped. He scanned the environment and posited that the anti crime strategy will fail. Time will tell whether or not he is correct. Mr. Norman McLean, retired Major General, raised some valid issues on the crime situation in Guyana. This was on his own behalf and in his capacity as Chairman of the Private Sector Commission. He had been giving the police professional and financial support over the years. He has good will for the law enforcement agency. The police policy analyst in a reported article in Kaiteur News made a hasty, angry and unprofessional response to the renowned security management expert comments. The facts in issue put forward by Mr. McLean were not analyzed and dealt with. It would appear as though those issues were hurriedly dashed under the policy analyst’s unsolved serious crimes red carpet. The performance of any police force that do not response to well founded criticism with a willingness to change will be prosaic. The vexed question is how does one conduct a performance appraisal on a police force that is operating below twenty percent staff strength? A police force may be losing more ranks that it is recruiting on an annual basis; a police force that need more boots on the ground; a police force that had been starved of human and other resources over the years; a police force that is woefully short of basic land, water and air transportation; a police force that may lack the resources to conduct rapid response operations in relation to reports of serious crimes even though they may have actionable intelligence. Despite all these serious challenges and many more the police on several occasions over the past few months have sparkled. Green shoots are emerging in several areas. They will be fruitful. I am heartened that the real issues and concerns affecting the police are being dealt
with at the highest level. Sometimes, it may not be correct to measure success by weeks and months. Most people want to live in safe, orderly neighborhoods. Reduction of fear is an important measure. This will send a message to citizens that the police are addressing their fear of crime and neighborhood disorder. The police are considered effective when they produce the perception that crime is under control. As part of their Strategic Plan, the GPF designed and implemented a new mission statement. It states,” The mission of the Guyana Police Force and its auxiliaries is to serve all citizens and communities of Guyana in a professional, proactive and accountable manner. To achieve this we must work in partnership with communities, public agencies and private bodies to enhance and support an environment where all people are preventing crime and building a safer and secure Guyana,” I like the building of partnerships with the various stakeholders, but can you imagine an environment where all people are preventing crime and building a safer and secure Guyana. Certainly, it cannot happen. All cannot be involved in the fight against crime and the fear of crime. It is not realistic or achievable. A mission statement must be specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and timelysome strategic management experts will say task oriented.(SMART). The drafters of this mission statement were a bit careless and reckless but definitely not dangerous or fatal. Citizens’ approval or disapproval for the police performance is generally reflected in letters of criticism or commendation, support for police programmes, cooperation with reports being investigated, letters to the editor, public reaction to a single police citizen incident or responses to police - initiated surveys. Wayne W. Bennett and Karen M. Hess (2000) recommend that one way to assess citizens approval or disapproval is through citizens surveys which can measure trends and provide positive and negative feedback on the public’s impression on law enforcement. They add, that community surveys are often a win-win situation-citizens are better served and officers receive positive feedback. Community surveys are also a key in establishing communication. Clinton Conway Assistant Commissioner of Police retired
Clive Lloyd’s formula has... From page 5 send an inexperienced team to Australia and expect wins; the team needs the very best and a balance of youth and experience. Lloyd’s team has no age or experience balance. So Lloyd’s model is bound to fail. With regards to age, it should be noted that Bobby Simpson was asked to come out of retirement to lead Australia to West Indies at age 45 in the last 1970s. Bevan Congdon led New Zealand into his 40s. Clive Lloyd led the team till past 42 when he was not even performing. So why is Chanders being excluded? Several other legends (Chanderpaul, Kallis, etc.) played into the 40s. Chanders has an opportunity to cross Brian Lara record. Lara said he is no problem with the record being broken. And records are made to be broken. Why should Lloyd have a problem with Chanders breaking Lara record? What good are the youths if they can’t perform and if they consistently fail? The selection panel opted for youth over experience; they did not even opt for a balanced combination of youth and experience as previous selection committees did. The committee should have known that it can’t simply cut away Chris Gayle, Dwayne Bravo and Chanders from the squad without suffering serious consequences. Gayle and
Bravo opted for 20/20. At least one (Chanders since he is available) should have been included in the team to buttress youth and inexperience. Chanders and the other two also would have provided guidance and psychological support to the youngsters. Lloyd’s youths have failed miserably. Should he not accept responsibility and do the honorable thing that Caricom governments have been asking of the management – step aside? Lloyd’s formula of youth, as used by the management after the sacking of Rohan Kanhai in 1974 and that worked somewhat during the late 1970s and 1980s, has not worked out over the last year. Lloyd and his selection committee should have the maturity to acknowledge that their model of selection formula (of youth over experience) has failed and tender their resign. If they are unwilling to resign, the WI management should rescind their appointment. The selection panel has an opportunity to redeem themselves after sacking Chanders and recall him. They said they wanted to send Chanders out in grace. With that heavy defeat last week, the management and selection panel have a second opportunity to redeem themselves – recall Chanders and then resign from management and the selection panel. Vishnu Bisram
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Shopkeeper remanded on fraud charge Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan remanded a shopkeeper to prison yesterday, after emphasizing that he was dishonest and a flight risk. The man, 42-year-old Carlos Singh, is accused of fraudulently converting a quantity of items given to him by Larry Gursahai. It is alleged that on November 9, at Georgetown, Gursahai entrusted Singh with 12 portable DVD players, three Mac lights, 12 fourgigabyte flash drives, two Samsung phones among other items, to the value of $585,000. The defendant was given the items to sell and return the proceeds to the victim, but instead he fraudulently converted same to his own use and benefit. Singh, of Better Hope, East Coast Demerara denied the charge and was remanded to prison until January 13. He had initially pleaded guilty to the charge and stated that he was willing to compensate Gursahai. He told the Magistrate that he had raw gold at home and some of the articles he was given to sell. In this
Carlos Singh regard, the Magistrate ordered that a police officer escort the man home to retrieve the items. This resulted in the matter being stood down for awhile. When the case was recalled, the police informed the court that some of the items mentioned in the charge were recovered and carried a combined value of $252,000. However, the police said that no raw gold was found. Singh also managed to retain Mark Conway as his attorney. The lawyer told the court that his client is
experiencing financial constraints and needs time to pay back the money. He explained that Singh had planned to go into the interior to work and accumulate the cash to pay the complainant. But the Magistrate refused to release Singh on bail on the grounds that he was dishonest with the court and might not return for continuation of the matter. The Magistrate also told him that he would be slapped with another charge for lying to the court. Police Prosecutor, Corporal Deniro Jones explained that on the date in question, Gursahai gave the items to the defendant for him to sell and return the proceeds. He said that the victim never saw Singh until this month at a bar in the city. The prosecutor stated that the complainant approached the defendant and inquired about his money. According to Jones, Singh told the man that he had utilized the money. The matter was reported to the police and Singh was arrested and charged for the offence.
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Kaieteur News
Wednesday December 16, 2015
Region Four honours teachers, Homosexuals can adopt, be foster outstanding performers parents, guardians – CPA Director Under the theme, “Celebrating growth, success and achievement,” the Region Four Department of Education, yesterday held a regional award ceremony and education management graduation for outstanding achievement and performance. The venue was the Theatre Guild. In attendance was Chief Education Officer, Olato Sam, who, while commending the students receiving awards, decided to focus on the teachers. Sam said that he believes that “it is time that we as a country” once again place teachers on those pedestals on which they belong. He charged educators to see their work not as just a means of putting food on the table, but as a means of honing the minds and contributing to the development and growth of the country as a whole. Often, he said, many in the education sector do not have the “calling” and this results in many shortcomings such as absenteeism, unpreparedness, and a
general lack of interest in the job they are charged to do. “One has to appreciate the bigger picture,” Sam emphasised. “The most valuable teachers are the ones who internalize the fact that their work is of national significance.” He added that as educators who have the task of shaping lives and building a nation, it is important to understand that results are most often gained upon the degree of seriousness that one attributes to one’s tasks. “We all have a duty from today, to work diligently to restore the pride and solid social standing that this service requires that our teachers undertake,” said Sam. Region Four Chairman, Genevieve Allen commended the region, as it has had commendable improvements “in all areas,” during the year. Trying to keep with President David Granger’s hope of having every child remain in school, Allen touted this as the reason for the Region’s recognition of teachers and students who
would have improved this year with regards to internal and external examinations. “Our region will be the frontline region in Guyana.” Acknowledging that it is not an easy job, as the department is aware of several deficiencies, Allen said that she hopes that the team would “ensure that our constituency benefits from the education system.” Various awards were presented to students who would have had outstanding performances and improvements in examinations such as the National Grade Two Assessment, National Grade Six Assessment, National Grade Nine Assessments, Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate and the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination. Awards were also given out to outstanding primary debate winners and athletes. Retired head teachers, outstanding head teachers, outstanding private school support staff and former staff were all given special awards for their contributions to the education sector.
Two years for phone thief A jail sentence of two years was yesterday handed to an East Ruimveldt resident after he admitted to robbing a man of his cell phone. Kevin Harris, 37, of 309 East Ruimveldt, Georgetown pleaded guilty to the charge which stated that on December 11, at Georgetown, he robbed Pertab Mangal of one cellular phone valued $4,000. During the course of the robbery the court was told that Harris made use of personal violence to the victim. Police Prosecutor, Corporal Deniro Jones, told the court that on the day in question, at about 06:30hrs, Mangal was walking along Barr Street, Kitty, when Harris rode up on a bicycle and dealt him several slaps to the face. Jones said that the assailant demanded Mangal
to hand over his valuables. He then reached into the man’s pocket, took out the cell phone and made good his escape on the bicycle. The prosecutor explained that the victim reported the matter to the Kitty Police Station. He said that the lawmen and Mangal returned to the area of the crime and carried out a search. Mangal positively pointed out Harris and he was arrested and charged. Jones said that while at the Police station, the phone was found in Harris’s crotch, and Mangal subsequently identified the item as belonging to him. When given a chance to explain his side of the story, Harris told Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan that Mangal owes him money and he merely took away the man’s
Kevin Harris phone as security. He claimed that he had “represented Mangal” sometime and the man had promised to give him $2,500. Harris went on to say that he was really in need of the money at the time. However, Mangal stated emphatically that he had never seen Harris before.
Head of the Childcare and Protection Agency, Ann Greene, makes her presentation at the workshop. Director of the Childcare and Protection Agency (CPA), Ann Greene, has brought firmly into focus the fact that there are no laws barring homosexuals from adopting or being foster parents. Greene stated emphatically that the agency does not discriminate, and under her direction she encourages anyone to apply for the care and protection of vulnerable and neglected children. “There is nothing in the law barring gay people from adopting or applying to be foster parents. The Childcare and Protection Agency does not discriminate, and under my direction the agency is more than willing to try it.” Traditionally, heterosexual couples are selected to be foster parents or adopt children, but the agency has recently begun exploring other options in its quest to find more comfortable and secured homes for OVC (orphans and other vulnerable children). Her comments came during her presentation on childcare services offered by the State. The forum was a Children’s Rights Workshop hosted by SASOD with support from USAID’s
Advancing Partners and Communities (APC) Project last Friday. The activity commemorated International Human Rights Day 2015. The workshop was held under the theme, “Our Rights, Our Freedoms, Always.” The workshop, which was attended by representatives of nearly 30 Civil Society organisations, focused on the rights and issues affecting OVC in Guyana. Greene, is encouraging more citizens to apply to be foster parents and/or adopt. She said that the CPA recently tried a single male; he was screened, selected and approved to be a parent. This however was challenged by the child’s biological parents who argued against the adoption – the agency won the case on the grounds that the single man has met the State’s requirements and the selection was in the best interest of the child’s welfare. Director Greene posited that children need love, support and protection from violence and any harm. It does not matter who those protectors and caregivers are, as long as the child’s welfare is secure and comfortable. “That is what children
need, security and protection from abuse, violence and harm; the agency will protect these children and hold their welfare in regard – Under my direction the Agency is willing to try it [single persons and homosexuals adopting]. Children need us. “The Agency screens everyone the same, equally and without discrimination, and will grant a child/children once applicants meet the agency’s requirements of offering safety, comfort and resources to take care of children. Children’s welfare is paramount to us.” These remarks were later supported by Attorney-atLaw, Dela Britton, who also sits as a Trustee on the Board of Directors of the Guyana Responsible Parenthood Association (GRPA). “Single persons and homosexual couples can adopt. There is nothing in the law against this; people have their own biases and prejudices, but the law must consider what is in the best interest of the child.” The best interest of the child is determined under the mandate of the Director of the Childcare and Protection Agency with power invested in the office under the Childcare and Protection Act.
Wednesday December 16, 2015
Kaieteur News
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Kaieteur News
Wednesday December 16, 2015
PPP protests “flagrant violation Bandits shoot bus driver, of parliamentary democracy” terrorize passengers The opposition People’s Progressive Party is voicing its concern over what it is calling a flagrant violation of parliamentary democracy by the ruling A Partnership for National Unity and Alliance For Change coalition government. The contention is the move by the ruling coalition to “rush through” three important Bills at tomorrow’s sitting of the National Assembly. The PPP in a statement issued last evening informed that its Members of Parliament began receiving after 13:00hrs (1 pm) yesterday, copies of Bills slated for first reading on the Order Paper for the December 17th, 2015 sitting. According to the opposition party, the package also contained a Motion to be moved by the Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo suspending the Standing Orders to allow for all three Bills to go through all three stages at the December 17th sitting. The Motion had received the leave of the Speaker. The three Bills listed in the Motion are the Municipal and District Councils and Local Authorities (Amendment) Bill No. 14 of 2015, the AntiMoney Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (Amendment) Bill No. 15 of 2015 and the AntiTerrorism and Terrorist Related Activities Bill No.16 of 2015. The PPP noted that none of these bills was seen before yesterday afternoon and although they were dated as
being gazetted on December 9th and 10th, none has been posted on the Official Gazette of Guyana website or on the Parliament of Guyana website. “This is a flagrant violation of parliamentary democracy which is premised on, this the highest law-making body being able to scrutinise and examine legislation as well as to provide ample time for the public to know what business is before the National Assembly and to be able to be informed and to exercise the freedom to express their views on these matters before the House,” the PPP said. “In particular, a cursory glance of these Bills is revealing - the first Bill, Bill No. 14 with regards to Local Government Elections (LGE) increases the number of signatures required to support a political party list under Proportional Representation. These amendments essentially make it extremely onerous or may even deny smaller parties from participating in the LGE. These amendments are undemocratic and must be opposed by all,” it added. The PPP continued that the second Bill, Bill No. 15 has also not been made public and therefore has not been given adequate time for scrutiny by Members of Parliament or the public and civil society. The party questioned the rush on this new AMLCFT (Amendment) Bill when the Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs has denied that Guyana is not compliant with FATF. “Why isn’t there the same urgency to set up the
AMLCFT Authority and the FIU as provided for in the government’s AMLCFT Amendment Act 2015?” The third Bill, Bill No, 16 is a brand new 98-page bill, which again no one has seen the PPP stated. It said that due to developments in other countries on terrorism, and concerns with human rights here in Guyana, this Bill should be properly and publicly scrutinised in a Parliamentary Special Select Committee. The PPP argued that the move by the government to deny scrutiny and to rush through these Bills further exposes the new administration for its undemocratic actions. “Their actions fly in the face of positions taken by the APNU/PNCR/PNCRIG and AFC in previous parliaments.” For instance, the PPP highlighted that the Final Report of the Special Select Committee on the Needs Assessment of the Guyana National Assembly, April 10th, 2006, which was unanimously adopted by the National Assembly specifically amended the Standing Orders “to prevent Ministers moving that bills be considered “forthwith” and “not allow Bills to be taken through all their stages in one day” unless in a case of an emergency (Appendix pg2). The PPP explained that the Report includes recommendations that (i) bills must be circulated in advance and made accessible and available to the public (websites, post
offices etc.,) and (ii) “all major and /or complex bills would be sent to a special select committee”. In fact even prior to this report the Parliamentary Management Committee had agreed that all “major and ‘or complex bills would be sent to a special select committee”. The opposition party stressed that since 2006, with the new Standing Orders, the PPPC government abided by these rules and parliamentary conventions and norms. In contrast, since the beginning of the 11th Parliament on June 10, 2015, the APNU/ AFC government has suspended the Standing Orders in order to railroad through legislation on more occasions than the entire period between 2006-2015 under the PPPC administration, the party stated. The PPPC Members of Parliament are calling on the Commonwealth Secretariat, the European Union, the UN and in particular the UNDP, the Inter-Parliamentary Union, OAS, CARICOM, the World Bank, and the InterAmerican Development Bank to note “this new assault on parliamentary democracy by the APNU AFC Coalition Government” and to take a stand in support of parliamentary democracy in the 11th Parliament. “We also call on civil society and progressive and democratic Guyanese to express their opposition to the consistent erosion and abandonment of parliamentary democracy by the APNUAFC Coalition Government.”
Passengers traveling in an East Coast minibus endured several minutes of terror last night, after gunmen shot their driver, while trying to board his vehicle. Jermaine Burrowes, 28, was shot in the side at around 22.00 hrs, shortly after he had picked up passengers at the Gifland Mall at Liliendaal, East Coast Demerara. The wounded man managed to drive his vehicle for a short distance before veering into a trench at Blygezeight Gardens, East Coast Demerara. He was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) where he was still undergoing emergency surgery at press time. Some of the passengers sustained minor injuries and were treated at the GPHC. One woman, who lives on the East Bank of Demerara, said that the driver had picked up her and some other passengers at the Giftland Mall, located at Liliendaal. She said that the bus proceeded towards Georgetown, but shortly after, two men flagged the d r i v e r d o w n . H o w e v e r, when the driver stopped, an occupant of the vehicle apparently suspected that
the two men were robbers and pulled the door shut. At that point, one of the men pointed a gun at Burrowes and shot him. Kaieteur News understands that with passengers screaming and telling Burrowes to drive, the wounded man continued in the direction of Georgetown, before losing control of his vehicle and ending up in a trench. The woman said that she lost her handbag containing her mobile phone and other valuables. Another woman, who was sitting next to Burrowes, said that the vehicle had first left Plaisance, East Coast Demer a r a , a n d h a d stopped in the vicinity of Turkeyen, when she saw a man point a gun at Burrowes and shoot him. Up to late last night, heavily-armed police ranks were still scouring areas on the East Coast of Demerara for the gunmen. At present, police have been battling to stem a spate of brutal armed robberies throughout the country. Recent police statistics revealed that there have been 22 robberymurders, and 791 gunpoint robberies at the end of November.
$50,000 bail for simple larceny accused A 54-year-old man was yesterday placed on $50,000 bail, when he appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court, to answer to a charge of simple larceny. Clyde Flue of 129 Sideline Dam is accused of stealing one boat propeller and a shaft among other items valued at $800,000 on October 29, at Meadow Bank. The items are
the property of Seeran Bishwah. Attorney-at-Law, Mr. Paul Fung-a-Fat told the court that the items belong to his client and he has receipts to prove it. Police Prosecutor, Deniro Jones made no objections to bail and told the court that the complainant is overseas. The matter was adjourned until January 14.
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Wednesday December 16, 2015
Iran’s October missile test violated U.N. ban - expert panel
Matthew Rycroft UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - The mediumrange Emad rocket that Iran tested in October was a ballistic missile capable of delivering a nuclear warhead, which makes it a violation of a U.N. Security Council resolution, a team of sanctions monitors said in a confidential new report. The conclusion of the council’s Panel of Experts on Iran will likely lead to calls for expanding sanctions against Tehran in Washington and some other Western capitals. The White House said yesterday that it would not rule out additional steps against Tehran over the missile test. “On the basis of its analysis and findings the Panel concludes that Emad launch is a violation by Iran of paragraph 9 of Security Council resolution 1929,” the panel said in its report. Reuters yesterday reviewed the 10-page report, which was dated Dec. 11 and went to members of the United Nations Security Council’s Iran sanctions committee in recent days. The report was expected to come up late yesterday when the 15-nation council discusses the Iran sanctions regime.
Mohammad Javad Zarif
The report said the panel considers ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons to be those that can deliver at least a 500 kg payload within a range of at least 300 km. “The Panel assesses that the launch of the Emad has a range of not less than 1,000 km with a payload of at least 1,000 kg and that Emad was also a launch ‘using ballistic missile technology’,” the report said. The launch took place on Oct. 10, according to the report. The panel noted that Iranian rocket launches from 2012 and 2013 also violated the U.N. ban on ballistic missile tests. The U.N. report could put President Barack Obama’s administration in an awkward position, since Iran has said that any new sanctions would jeopardize a July 14 nuclear deal between Tehran and six world powers. But if Washington failed to call for sanctions it would likely be perceived as weakness. Diplomats say it is possible for the U.N. sanctions committee to blacklist additional Iranian individuals or entities, something Washington and the Europeans are likely to ask for. However,
they said Russia and China, which dislike the sanctions on Iran’s missile program, might block any such moves. Republicans in Congress who disapprove of the Iran nuclear deal are likely to seize on the U.N. panel’s findings as grounds for additional congressional U.S. sanctions. While ballistic missile tests may violate U.N. Security Council sanctions, council diplomats note that such launches are not a violation of the nuclear deal, which is focused on specific nuclear activities by Iran. Asked about the panel’s report, British U.N. Ambassador Matthew Rycroft told reporters it was “absolutely crucial that the Security Council upholds its responsibilities and does respond effectively to what appears to have been a breach.” The expert panel did not mention a second reported missile test that Iran carried out last month. The panel produced its report after the United States, Britain, France and Germany in October called on the U.N. sanctions committee to take action in response to Iran’s test of an Emad missile. Iran’s U.N. mission did not respond immediately to a request for comment. In October Tehran disputed the Western assessment that the missile was capable of delivering a nuclear warhead. “None of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s missiles has been designed for a nuclear capability,” Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said at the time. Security Council resolution 1929, which bans ballistic missile tests, was adopted in 2010 and remains valid until the nuclear deal is implemented.
Wednesday December 16, 2015
Kaieteur News
Swiss examine 133 suspicious... (From page 34) financial conduct, and have indicted 27 football officials over multimillion-dollar bribery schemes for football marketing and broadcast rights. Twelve people and two sports marketing companies have been convicted. That investigation is also looking into the flow of suspicious money through the banking system. The Financial Times reported that prosecutors were threatening to punish banks for failing to report suspicious activity in FIFA-related accounts. Acting under U.S. requests for legal assistance,
Swiss justice officials have agreed to share bank information with U.S. prosecutors in five cases, a spokesman for the Federal Office of Justice in Berne said. No information has changed hands yet, because account holders have appealed. The names of the account holders, the banks involved and the amount of money frozen in the probe have not been released. U.S. Department of Justice indictments indicate that conspirators made transfers to accounts in at least two Zurich banks: Bank Julius Baer (BAER.VX) and the
Swiss unit of Israel’s Bank Hapoalim BM (POLI.TA). Big Swiss banks UBS (UBSG.VX) and Credit Suisse (CSGN.VX) say they have received inquiries from authorities concerning their banking relationships to certain people and entities linked to FIFA, and that they are cooperating. FIFA President Sepp Blatter, his deputy Jerome Valcke and European football boss Michel Platini have all been suspended by FIFA’s internal ethics watchdog. None of them has been charged with a crime, and all deny any wrongdoing.
Preparations for Guyana Cup... (From page 37) have put together some interesting incentives for lucky patrons and participants. The event will be held under the rules of the Guyana Horse Racing Authority.
Interested persons can contact Chandu Ramkissoon (624-9063 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 for any details pertaining to the meet. Race time is 12:30 hrs. The coordinator is Nasrudeen (Jumbo Jet) Mohamed. (Samuel Whyte)
Wednesday December 16, 2015 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) Friends or a group with which you're affiliated might run into financial difficulties and ask for your advice. It wouldn't be a good idea to give it, at least not today. TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20) Communication with family members and the special person in your life could be frustrating today. Either you aren't in accord or you keep missing each other. GEMINI (May 21–June 20) Plans for travel or advancing your education could be on your mind. Your excitement might keep you from focusing on whatever tasks you have to do. CANCER (June 21–July 22) Thoughts of romance and dreams of a wonderful evening with that special someone are foiled by work that needs to be done right away. LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) You might be planning to attend a social event today. You're looking forward to it. Paperwork could take up so much of your time today that you wonder if you can make it. VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) Frantic communications involving a project or family affairs could have you feeling scattered and unfocused. Too many important concerns have hit you at once.
LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) Good news about money could fill you with ideas about how to spend it, particularly on your home. SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) Your mind is sharp and ready to take on anything thrown your way. Family members or friends could pick up on this pretty quickly, so don't be surprised if they come to you for help and advice. SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) Books and magazines on psychic, spiritual, or metaphysical matters could take up a lot of your attention today. CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19) A fairly recent goal that you've set for yourself might seem a bit overwhelming. You might wonder if you'll get it done. AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) Today you should feel especially optimistic and enthusiastic about life. You'll have a lot of great ideas about what to do with your day, but unfortunately, your ability to put these plans into motion will probably be curtailed by other responsibilities. PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) Discussions about religion could come up during your day. A recent rush of intuitive revelations could cause you to want to expound on your beliefs, but this could backfire.
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Champions League draw: Arsenal face Barcelona
BBC Sport - Arsenal will face holders Barcelona in the Champions League last 16. Chelsea have been drawn against Paris St-Germain for the third consecutive season, while Manchester City face Dynamo Kiev. Roma versus Real Madrid and Juventus, last year’s beaten finalists, against Bayern Munich are two of the standout matches in the draw. First legs are scheduled to take place on 16-17 and 23-24 February. Return legs are on 8-9 and 15-16 March.
The winners of each group, including Chelsea and Manchester City, are at home in the second legs, while Arsenal will host their first leg. Barcelona v Arsenal is a repeat of the 2006 final, which the Spanish champions won 2-1 thanks to two late goals in Paris. PSG, who are 17 points clear at the top of the French league, knocked Chelsea out on away goals at this stage last season, while the Blues beat them on the same rule in the quarter-finals the previ-
ous year. Dynamo Kiev beat Manchester City in the 201011 Europa League last 16, with striker Mario Balotelli sent off for the English side. The first leg in Kiev will be played in a stadium without any supporters present, as Dynamo Kiev were punished following racist attacks on fans during a group game against Chelsea. The draw for the quarterfinals will be held on 18 March with the semi-final line-up drawn on 15 April.
Once-mighty ‘Calypso Kings’ now... (From page 35) showing talent still exists, and Richardson has been trying to instil more confidence in the largely inexperienced team. “We have to back our-
selves and look to win. We have a young team we are moulding,” said Richardson, who amassed 16 centuries in 86 Tests before retiring in 1995. Confidence will help, but
it looks likely to a long, tough tour for the West Indies, who will play the second Test from December 26 in Melbourne – with the Big Bash still in full swing.
GFF, FIFA ready to move ahead... (From page 33) off the ground. Wilson’s effort also failed to see the project start, and then President Christopher Matthias upon taking office, abandoned the plot of land, already owned by the GFF at Orangestein, stating that the site was too remote and sought further negotiations with the Ministry of Sport for land behind the National
Uitvlugt oppose BVTU in... (From page 34) and will be no pushovers on home turf with Kip Austin, Andrew and Timothy St. Hill, Fabian Semple, Kenneth Bess and Stephon Nelson leading their quest for victory. Guyana Football Federation President Wayne Forde and Director of Sport Christopher Jones are expected to be on hand for the opening matches and will share remarks with the teams and fans before the ceremonial and traditional kick off of the tournament at the Leonora Football Field. The winning team will walk away with $1.5 million, losing finalist $500,000 while the third and fourth placed teams will pocket $300,000 and $200,000, respectively. Kick off time is 18:00hrs. Meanwhile, action continues Friday with a double header at the Victoria ground, East Coast Demerara. Ann’s Grove face Eagles @ 18:00hrs, while Stewartville battle Victoria Kings @ 20:00hrs in the two scheduled encounters.
Track and Field Centre at Leonora. Things again didn’t materialise, since the then government had offered only a little over three acres of land which FIFA said was inadequate for the Project to materialise. The new Executive Com-
mittee of the GFF however believes that this project represents a tangible demonstration of a new era of football in Guyana and the change in governance structure to provide material evidence of development commitments by FIFA and the Executive Committee.
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FIFA’s Blatter proclaims innocence, denounces ‘Inquisition’ ZURICH (Reuters) Suspended FIFA President Sepp Blatter again proclaimed his innocence in a corruption scandal gripping the world soccer body as he prepares to testify this week before the group’s ethics panel. “I will fight on for my rights and at the end of this week present my view before the adjudicatory chamber with great conviction and a firm belief in justice,” he said in a letter to FIFA members released to the media. “I am suspended but not isolated and not at all mute.” FIFA ethics investigators in November called for sanctions against Blatter and European (UEFA) soccer chief Michel Platini, both of whom were suspended from their posts for 90 days on Oct. 8 pending a full investigation. Blatter reiterated that a 2 million Swiss franc ($2.02 million) payment from FIFA to Platini in 2011 — when Blatter was running for reelection — was legitimate and resulted from a verbal
Former FIFA President Sepp Blatter. (AFP) contract for work Platini had done for the organization years before. He said the way the ethics committee’s investigative arm had pursued the case was “tendentious and dangerous. This trial reminds me of the Inquisition,” he wrote. Blatter is due to testify on Thursday and Platini on Friday. FIFA’s ethics panel is set to rule on their cases
next week, and could impose much longer bans than the provisional suspensions if it finds the men guilty of violations. U.S. prosecutors have charged 41 people and entities in an inquiry into soccer corruption. Soccer bosses from throughout the Americas are among the defendants in a case that prosecutors say involves $200 million in bribes and kickbacks tied to the marketing of major tournaments and matches. Blatter is also the subject of a criminal investigation in his native Switzerland over the Platini payment. The avalanche of corruption allegations prompted Blatter to say in June he would resign, only days after being re-elected to a fifth term. Blatter has not been charged with a crime. Blatter’s comments came in the traditional end-of-year letter to FIFA members he has sent for 17 years, but this time on his own stationery.
Wednesday December 16, 2015
WICB TO SET UP COMMITTEE TO LOOK AT SUSPENDED BOWLERS Gros Islet, ST. LUCIA – The Board of Directors of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) has approved a bowling review committee to look closely at the players who have been reported and/ or suspended for illegal bowling actions in international games. The committee will review, assess and make the relevant recommendations of all the international players before they are allowed to bowl in domestic competitions. The announcement was made by President, Dave Cameron at the end of the two-day meeting held in St. Lucia (Saturday and Sunday), December 12 and 13. Among the other decisions which were approved by the directors were the adjustment to the cricket year, which will run from May 1 to the end of April. Fitness standards were also revised and approved. President Cameron noted that
these “new and improved standards are intended to improve the performance of the teams and will be put in effect immediately.” As was reported at the end of day one, the WICB has acquired the services of Anthony Waddy Astaphan, noted senior counsel to look at the recommendations from the CARICOM, - final report on the governance of cricket. Astaphan made a presentation to the directors and will prepare a paper recommending a pathway “for both organizations for the benefit and improvement of cricket on and off the field.” The President also announced the release of the third running of the NAGICO Super 50, the region’s premier one-day tournament now set for venues in Trinidad and Tobago and St. Kitts, scheduled to start on January 7. The tournament will have eight teams and will include the six regional teams, the Combined College Campuses
and newcomers, ICC Americas. The President took time out to recognize defending champion, Guyana Jaguars, leaders of the Professional Cricket League (PCL) now on and wanted to highlight a summary of good performances up to Round 5 which ended yesterday. He noted that to date, eight centuries have been scored and a full summary will be available at the end of this round. Additionally, the President revealed that the Board will sh o r t l y announce an important sponsorship deal, thanks to the work of top sport marketing firm, Pitch International LLC. “The audited results for the year ended September 30, 2015 will be prepared by the 31st December 2015, and will be laid before the shareholders at the annual general meeting to be held in Antigua in March 2016,” said Cameron.
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Guinness G/ town Zone winners GFF, FIFA ready to move receive prize monies and trophies ahead with Goal Project The respective winners of the Georgetown Zone of the Guinness ‘Greatest of the Streets’ Futsal Competition received their monetary prizes and trophies during a simple ceremopny that was conducted yesterday in the Boardroom of sponsor Banks DIH, at Thirst Park. Headling the list of teams receiving prizes was Sparta Boss, who was crowned new champions of the Georgetown Zone after beating debutants Channel 9 Warriors 1-0 in a tense and exciting final on Saturday, at the National Park. For the win, Sparta Boss, who is the current national champions collected $400,000 and the winning trophy, while the Warriors received $200,000 and a trophy. Third place finisher North Ruimveldt, who failed to send a representative, will receive $150,000 and a trophy, while former champions Back Circle took home $75,000 and a trophy. Sparta Boss’s Sheldon Shepherd was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player and he collected a replica. Meanwhile, Guinness Brand Manager Lee Baptiste speaking at the occasion thanked the teams, fans and the media for their support throughout the tournament and called on them for similar support during the staging of other tournaments in different locations. He said the Company was
- Conceptual design approved
Sparta’s Devon Millington collects the MVP award on behalf of teammate Sheldon Shepherd from Banks DIH representative Shawn Stephney yesterday. extremely proud to have concluded the Georgetown Zone which ran trouble free, adding that several milestones were achieved during its staging. He mentioned the performance of debutants Channel 9 Warriors, who had to endure the qualifying rounds to reach the main draw and went as far as the final an achievement Lee referred to as tremendous. He also cited the record number of entries which stood at 58, the largest number of teams to have signaled an interest in participating in the competition. The Guinness Brand Manager also cited the performance of Jamaica’s dancehall artisite and Guyana’s own Natural Black as adding value to the tournament, while the turnout of fans throughout the event
was the largest ever to descend, especially the final. He closed by urging all teams to continue preparations for the upcoming national finals set for next year. Petra Organisation’s Director Troy Mendonca whose entity is charged with the organisation of the event said this year ’s competition rpovided more excitement, especially from the young teams and this he pointed to as solid proof of the format’s growing status as a must see among football lovers. He, too, thanked the teams, fans and media for their support throughout the tournament. Also in attendance were Company Communications Manager Troy Peters, Ginness representative Shawn Stephney and Rainforest Waters Brand Manager Errol Nelson.
The Guyana Football Federation (GFF) and world Governing body FIFA are ready to move ahead with the establishment of Guyana’s first Goal Project. Under the Normalisation Committee, the GFF and the Eccles/Ramsburg Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) signed an agreement that saw the local governing body for the sport receiving a 30-year lease for the 8.5 acres Providence Community Centre Ground. Following a unanimous decision taken by the President Wayne Forde led Executive Committee to endorse the project, FIFA will now send out an International Tender for contractors for the installation of the artificial turf and once identified, work is expected to begin and a timeline of five months of completion has been set from commencement. Members of the Executive Committee recently met with
Marcel Gaskin, Architect of the Conceptual Design for the facility, where it was pointed out the project will be completed in two phases with the first being the installation of the artificial turf. The second phase will see infrastructure such as stands, lights, beach and futsal training pitches, mini pitches and an administrative centre for the Headquarters of the Federation being establish. FIFA contracted inspector Dr. Stephen Baker visited Guyana on August 25, 2015, and conducted soil testing where the Englishman looked at the sub-base and at the entire topography and reported back to FIFA on what was needed in order to have the turf installed. On December 5, Howard McIntosh, FIFA’s Development Officer also met with members of the GFF’s Executive Committee on his visit and conveyed FIFA’s satisfaction (with the
conceptual design) and readiness to move forward with the Goal Project. Guyana was actually earmarked by FIFA to pioneer its ‘Goal Project’ with then FIFA President Sepp Blatter making his maiden voyage in 1999 for the turning of the sod at the University of Guyana, but plans fell through after negotiations went sour with the Guyana Government. In 2007 under former president Colin Klass, the GFF began work at Orangestein, on the East Bank of Essequibo, for what was supposed to be the location for Guyana’s first Goal Project. Following Klass’ exit, Franklin Wilson, his vicepresident at the time (2013), had assumed the post of president (ag) and travelled to Zurich where negotiations with FIFA’s Development Committee brokered US$500 000 to be allocated to Guyana to help get the ‘Goal Project’ (Continued on page 31)
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2nd Stag Super XVI kicks off today at Leonora Uitvlugt oppose BVTU in feature; Beavers tackle Herstelling Raiders in opener The battle lines will be drawn from today among sixteen association teams from West Demerara (6) and five each from East Bank and the East Demerara Football Associations as the second edition of the Stag Super XVI knockout competition gets underway with two matches. First timers Beavers FC of West Demerara and East Bank’s Herstelling Raiders
will be seeking to make a big impression when they get proceedings underway in the first game at 18:00hrs. The main event will see East Demerara’s BV Triumph United taking on home team Uitvlugt in what is anticipated to be a fierce clash. BV will be looking do better than last year having excited after their first game, losing to defending champions
Grove Hi Tech 2-0. Uitvlugt will be no easy team to get past, they are the current number one team in the WDFA and will be looking to maintain that billing as they make a strong claim for the top prize of 1.5 million dollars. At the helm for BV will be veteran marksman Delroy Deen who will find able support from the likes of Quacey and Yonel Price, Collis Jones Jr., Marcus Havercome, Clifton and Collin Bacchus, Akim Curry, Reon Hopkinson, Lorenzo Phillips, Mark Herbert, Donald Evans and Kevin Williams. Uitvlugt, a mixture of seasoned and young players will be led by former national defender Orville Bobb, former national junior Lennox Torrington, Jamal Petty, Seon Bobb, Owen McGarrell, Keon and Kevin Duke, Daniel Floy, Alex Moore, Montel Dainty, Nikel Persaud and Jonathan Leitch. There will be no room for complacency as only the winners will advance to the next stage. Teams will be eager to stamp their authority early in order to put pressure on the other side. Herstelling Raiders FC, based at Farm on the Eats Bank is the youngest team in the competition; ever since their debut just over two years ago, have been improving with every match. They boost some exciting young players including national Under-17 goalkeeper Quazim Yussuf. The man who is credited with the formation of the club, Devon Winter (player/coach) will be on the pitch marshalling his young troops and with the likes of exciting forwards Seon Alfred and the multi-talented Ricky Debidyal, the Raiders will be aiming to start on a winning note. Home team Beavers have been around for some time (Continued on page 31)
Wednesday December 16, 2015
Gayle hopeful of Test return in 2016 ESPNcricinfo - West Indies batsman Chris Gayle has said that he was not fit enough to play the ongoing Test series against Australia, but hopes to make a return to Test cricket next year. He also urged fans to give more time to the struggling West Indies Test team and allow youngsters to develop their game. Gayle, who played the last of his 103 Tests in July 2014, said he was trying to get back into the groove after undergoing surgery on his back in July. He recently made a return to competitive cricket in the Bangladesh Premier League and will now play for Melbourne Renegades in the Big Bash League. “If I wasn’t (recovering from a back injury) I would definitely. I haven’t retired from the game,” Gayle told the Daily Telegraph. “I’m just trying to get back into the groove. Next year, hopefully Test cricket is on the agenda. I haven’t batted for such a long time. I scored 92 in a game and the next day felt like I’d been hit by a bus. The body will actually take time to build up gradually.” Gayle has scored 7214 Test runs at an average of 42.18, but has played only four of West Indies’ 16 Tests since January 1, 2014. His last Test appearance was in the first match of the home series
Chris Gayle has played only four of West Indies’ 16 Tests since January 1, 2014 © WICB Media against Bangladesh in July. He subsequently missed Test series in South Africa and Sri Lanka, and home series against England and Australia due to fitness issues. Gayle also stressed that a young West Indies team needed time to develop in the longer format. West Indies have lost seven of their last ten Tests. On the current tour of Australia, they suffered a ten-wicket loss in a tour game against a Cricket Australia XI side that featured six players making their first-class de-
buts. This was followed by a listless performance in the Hobart Test, which they lost to Australia by an innings and 212 runs inside three days. “If you want to bash the cricket, you bash me basically,” he said. “We are loved around the world. We might not be playing good cricket but … it’s a young team so we have to definitely give it time rather than being so harsh on West Indies’ cricket all the time. Some young players are coming through the ranks. We have to give them time.”
Swiss examine 133 suspicious transactions linked to 2018 and 2022 World Cups ZURICH (Reuters) Swiss authorities are reviewing 133 reports of suspicious financial activity linked to the decisions by football’s ruling body to let Russia and Qatar host the 2018 and 2022 World Cup finals, the Swiss Office of the Attorney General (OAG) said on Monday. That was up from the 103 cases the OAG had reported in August in its investigation
of suspected corruption at FIFA, whose headquarters are in Zurich. Russia and Qatar, a small desert country with no real football tradition and where daytime temperatures can top 40 degrees Celsius (104F), have denied wrongdoing. An OAG spokeswoman said by email in response to a Reuters query that the suspicious activity reports came
from a Swiss financial intelligence unit called the Money Laundering Reporting Office Switzerland (MROS). “These reports are related to the ongoing criminal proceedings around the allocation of the Football World Cup 2018 and 2022,” she added. U.S. federal prosecutors are conducting a parallel investigation into FIFA’s (Continued on page 31)
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Once-mighty ‘Calypso Kings’ now missing a beat HOBART, Australia (AFP) – The sad state of West Indies cricket will come into sharp focus this week when some of their best players take part in an A u s t r a l i a n Tw e n t y 2 0 tournament – just days after sitting out the latest embarrassing Test defeat. Chris Gayle, Dwayne Bravo and Darren Sammy will all show their talents in the Big Bash League, after they were notable absentees in the West Indies’ innings and 212 runs Test loss to Australia in Hobart. A stand-off with administrators, complete with a players’ strike and the coach’s suspension, is at the heart of what has been a dizzying descent for the former “Calypso Kings”. The West Indies have been stuck in the mire since Australia’s watershed series win at Jamaica’s Sabina Park in 1995. In 197 subsequent Tests, they have won just 42 – 21 per cent – and are above only Bangladesh and Zimbabwe on the Test rankings. For those with memories of the grander times of Garfield Sobers, Clive Lloyd, Viv Richards and Brian Lara there is a hollow feeling watching the current crop. So how did it come to this? How could the West Indies have become the easybeats of world cricket after producing so many dynamic and inspirational characters? Fazeer Mohammed has been broadcasting on West Indies cricket for 23 years, and is in Australia witnessing yet another dispiriting chapter in their history. “West Indies cricket has been in this situation for almost two decades so it’s more of a systemic issue that ties in all aspects of governance of the Caribbean game from the boardroom to t h e f i e l d o f p l a y, ” Mohammed told AFP. “Three reports commissioned by the WICB (West Indies Cricket Board) in the past eight years have all recommended fundamental changes to the administrative structure yet these recommendations have been ignored. “Now Caribbean prime ministers are involved following the latest recommendation calling for
the immediate dissolution of the present administration and the setting up of an interim management committee.” Last year the West Indies players, disgruntled over terms of their contracts, and walked out of their tour of India. I n d i a ’s B C C I h a s presented the cash-strapped WICB with a compensation claim for US$42 million, covering the loss of media rights fees, sponsorships and ticket revenue. Bravo, the captain and players’ spokesman in India, and Kieron Pollard were dropped for the subsequent ODIs in South Africa and this year’s World Cup. Bravo and Sammy are now long-term absentees from the Test side, and Pollard is yet to make his Test debut. Gayle blames chronic back problems for his reluctance to play the five-day format. Meanwhile, coach Phil Simmons was suspended in September after criticising selection for the tour of Sri Lanka, before being reinstated last month. Trinidad and Tobago board chief Suruj Ragoonath says the onus is on administrators to make sure players prioritise playing for their country over lucrative Twenty20 cricket. “We must understand that the sport of cricket now is not what it used to be many years ago,” he said in the Trinidad and Tobago Guardian last weekend. “Therefore we at the administrative level must find ways and means of dealing with the problem of players choosing to play for club rather than country.” Lara, who scored 34 centuries in 131 Tests and ranks as one of cricket’s greatest batsmen, also faults the administration and says there has been a breakdown of trust between the board and the players. “ I t h i n k i t ’s b a d governance. I think the West Indies Cricket Board has faltered over the years,” said Lara, currently in Australia. “We’ve had the same sort of thinking from the 1970s right through until now. There’s nothing new going on in West Indies cricket, especially at administrative level. “The guys don’t trust the board anymore.”
The current West Indies team has no shortage of greats mentoring them, from manager Richie Richardson, travelling selector Courtney Wa l s h a n d b o w l i n g consultant Curtly Ambrose. During the Hobart debacle, Darren Bravo scored a century and opener Kraigg Brathwaite hit 94, (Continued on page 31)
West Indies’ Jerome Taylor falls to the ground while batting against Australia during their cricket test match in Hobart, Australia on Saturday (PHOTO:AP)
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Wednesday December 16, 2015
2015 New Building Society Second Division 40-Over Cricket competition in Berbice
Youardan Gurdayal (104), Imran Khan (78) propel Chesney into play-offs Chesney beat Kendall’s Union B to emerge as winners of Zone I of the 2015 New Building Society Second Division Cricket Competition in Berbice and therefore earning the right to advance to the last 16 playoffs of the Competition. Leading them to victory were Youardan Gurdayal who slammed 104 (8 fours and 2 sixes) and former Guyana T20 batting
sensation Imran Khan 78 (2 fours and 1 six), the two of them featuring in a 171 run 2nd wicket partnership which was mainly responsible for Chesney amassing 247 for 6 in 30Overs. Kendall’s Union B could only respond with 151 for 7 in 30-Overs with Richard Dhuman hitting 69 (2 fours and 2 sixes). Bath offspinner Satesh Latchman took 5 for 31 from
6.1 Overs to help bowl out Monedderlust of No. 5 for 129. Bath however, still fell short in their response due to Monedderlust medium pacer Royden Peters picking up 5 for 5 from 5-Overs to bowl them out for 103. Narine Badrinarine scored 60 (4 fours and 2 sixes) to help No. 48 Challengers reach 135 for 5 in 25-Overs against No. 64 Fighting Marines. Then his
team-mate, legspinner Budhram Samaroo took 5 for 19 from 5-Overs to see the Marines bowled out for 97 in 21-Overs. Also scoring half century were Saif Latchana of Fyrish Road and Darshan Chalitar of Crabwood Creek Rising. In summarised scores: At Chesney, Chesney beat Kendall’s Union B by 96 runs. Chesney 247 for 6 in 30-
Imran Khan O v e r s w i t h Yo u a r d a n Gurdayal 104, Imran Khan 78. Fazal Gobin 2 for 35 and Vishal Persaud 2 for 47 were the main bowlers for K e n d a l l ’s U n i o n B . Kendall’s Union B 151 for 7 in 30-Overs with Richard Dhuman 69. Imran Khan 2 for 17 and Anesh Deonarine 2 for 19. At No. 5, Monedderlust beat Bath by 26 runs. Monedderlust 129 in 22.1 Overs with Erwin Johnson 34, Gladwyn Johnson 28. Satesh Latchman 5 for 31 and Makesh Persaud 3 for 12. Bath 103 in 28-Overs with Akash Ramnarine 31. Royden Peters 5 for 5, Dharamdeo Misir 2 for 9 and Colvis Sam 2 for 29. At No. 73, No. 48 Challengers beat No. 64 Fighting Marines by 38 runs. No. 48 Challengers 135 for 5 in 25-Overs with Narine Badrinarine 60. Vadanand Sugrim 2 for 14, Ramesh Joseph 2 for 15, Kumar Chand 2 for 21 and Jason Itwaru 2 for 26. No. 64 Fighting Marines 97 in 21Overs with Budhram Samaroo 5 for 19. At Kilcoy, Fyrish Road beat Chesney Riders by 4 wickets.
Darshan Chalitar Chesney Riders 132 in 21-Overs with Nazrudin Bux 36. 72 year old Zamin Hamid 3 for 29, Saif Latchana 2 for 10, Asif Gajnabi 2 for 24 and Hassan Hussain 2 for 27. Fyrish Road 135 for 6 in 29-Overs with Saif Latchana 63, Rakesh Rajnauth 2 for 10 and Isaac Kamaludin 2 for 25. At No. 71, Crabwood Creek Rising beat No. 71 by 4 wickets. No. 71 scored 149 in 30Overs with Shabir Khan 35. Darshan Chalitar 2 for 12, Satesh Baldeo 2 for 25 and Divendra Chandradat 2 for 37. Crabwood Creek Rising 152 for 6 in 23-Overs with Darshan Chalitar 54 and Errington Seergobin 43 N.O. At Bath, Blairmont Community Centre A beat Bath Spartans by 13 runs. Blairmont Community Centre A 147 in 24.1 Overs with Ritesh Bridgelall 46, Mahendra Singh41. Terry Surijbali 4 for 10 and Ravi Goosai 3 for 56. Bath Spartans 134 in 27 Overs with Navin Ramnauth 29, Chetram Dhanprasad 26. Javed Karim 2 for 1, Ritesh Bridgelall 2 for 29 and Avishkar Sewkarran 2 for 33.
Swiss extradite FIFA official Napout to U.S. in corruption probe ZURICH (Reuters) FIFA Vice-President Juan Angel Napout, president of the South American soccer c o n f e d e r a t i o n CONMEBOL, was extradited to the United States on Tuesday to face corruption charges, the Swiss Federal Office of Justice said. Napout, a Paraguayan, had ben detained in Zurich this month on a U.S. warrant accusing him of accepting bribes worth
millions of dollars in connection with the sale of marketing rights to soccer tournaments in Latin America. The justice office also said Eduardo Li, former president of the Costa Rican soccer federation, had dropped his appeal against a ruling in September ordering his extradition to the United States. He had been arrrested in Zurich on a U.S. warrant in May.
Wednesday December 16, 2015
Kaieteur News
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Sankar takes five as ECD thump West Dem Wins for E’bo, Upper Corentyne, Georgetown as Foo, Adams star A five-wicket haul by leg spinner Steven Sankar led East Coast Demerara to a five-wicket victory over West Demerara when the Cricket Guyana Inc Local Franchise League 50-over tournament continued yesterday. West Demerara never recovered from a poor start and were bowled out for 77 in 23.5 overs after they were inserted at Enmore. The visitors got off to a bad start when opener Chandrika Persaud was run out for two with the score on three, while Anthony Ifill removed Chabiraj Ramcharran (01) with out addition to the score. Pacer Paul Wintz then trapped Jevon Searles lbw for eight as West Demerara slipped into further trouble at 13-3. Sankar then proved a handful as he led the destruction to finish with 523 from six overs. Ifill had 227 while Wintz and Amir Khan had one each. The home team encountered some early
Chanderpaul Hemraj hiccups in reply-Searles removed Vivian Albert (00) and Steve Ramdass (08), while Malcolm Hubbard sent back Brain Sattaur (17) to leave them at 24-3. Searles then uprooted the stumps of Amir Khan before Kamesh Yadram was lbw to Yetesh Dhanpaul (08) with the score at 44-5. But Chanderpaul Hemraj steadied the chase with a fluent unbeaten 43 aided with four fours while Ifill ended on nine. Searles
Steven Sankar snared 3-31, Hubbard and Dhanpaul had one apiece. At Imam Bacchus, Essequibo defeated Lower Corentyne/New Amsterdam Canje by 28 runs. Batting first Essequibo posted 205-9 off their reduced quota of 40 overs. Ricardo Adams smashed 70 with nine fours and one six while Royan Fredericks made 40 and Eknauth Persaud 31. Gajanand Singh captured 4-32, Raun Johnson 2-26 and Royston
Preparations for Guyana Cup rematch heating up Over 65 entered for $10M race meet set for this Sunday Despite a few setbacks the organisers of the Guyana Cup Horserace meet are pushing ahead with preparations for the Guyana Cup rematch meet which is slated for this Sunday at the Port Mourant Turf Club (PMTC), Corentyne Berbice. The nine race meet has $10M in prizes and trophies on offer compliments of the Jumbo Jet Auto Sales and Racing Stables in collaboration with the PMTC. According to the organizers the event is definitely on despite the passing of prominent horse owner and businessman, Mohammed Nankoo Shariff. It is also expected that some of the horses of the Shariff stable might still participate in the day’s activity. Whilst most of the big stables are waiting to make last minute entries, reports out of the organizing committee are that over 65 horses have been entered so far with the closing date set for today. The PMTC is in the best
of condition at the moment with the stands, track and paddock all being spruced up for the big day. The feature event is for animals classified A1 and lower and is expected to see the best in the business as they compete for the whopping $1.2M available for the winner from a sumptuous total $3M prize package and trophy over 1800M. Horses such as CP Got Even, Just Call Me boss, Princess She is not, Spit Fire, Diplomatic Cat, Jack in My Style, Bridal Stone Corner, Kazi Azari, Giant Time and Lady Budapest among others are all still expected to participate in the feature event. The other races on the day’s card are for; E1 and lower catering for two year old American bred maiden horses with the distance now 1000M. The first prize remains $800,000 and trophy. The three year old West Indies and Guyana bred event is a 1500M affair for a winning purse of $600,000 and trophy.
The recently installed F3 and lower event will be a 1300M affair for a $500,000 and trophy winning take. The Two year old event for West Indies Bred horses has its first prize tagged at $400,000 and trophy over 1200M. The H1 and lower 1200M race has a winning pocket of $400,000 and trophy. The event for two year old horses has a take home prize of $300,000 and trophy over 1000M. The J class event is now for J3 and lower horses over 1000M for the winning pocket of $250,000 and trophy. The final event is for animals classified K and Lower over a distance of 1000M for a winning purse 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 organisers have also (Continued on page 31)
Ricardo Adams
Jonathan Foo
Crandon 2-28. NA Canje were bowled out for 177 in 35.5 overs in response. Seon Hetmyer struck 51, Romario Shepherd 33, Kevin Ramdeen 26 and Crandon 25. Fredericks grabbed 4-32 and Anthony Adams 3-38. At Port Mourant, Upper Corentyne beat West Berbice by 99 runs. Led by a fine century from Jonathan Foo, Upper Corentyne rattled up 272-6 in 50 overs,
taking first knock. Foo stroked nine fours and one six and got support form Sharaz Ramcharan 53 and Rajiv Ivan 40. Kevon Jawahir claimed 3-56. West Berbice were bowled out for 173 in 45.5 overs in reply. Quacy Mc Pherson got 57 and Jawahir 28; Foo had 3-27 and Eon Hooper 226. At Wales, Georgetown overcame East Bank
Raj Nanan Demerara by eight wickets. East Bank were sent packing for 94 in 36.2 overs, batting first. Leonard Caleb made 29, Shivram Persaud 23 and Robin Bacchis 13. Raj Nanan bagged 4-10, Kellon Carmichael 2-26 and Devon Lord 2-28. Georgetown responded with 96-2 in 15.4 overs. Jeetendra Sookdeo hit 40, Shemroy Barrington 22 not out and Andrew Lyght 18.
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Wednesday December 16, 2015
National U-19s beat T&T Academy by 41 runs at Bourda
Ashmead Nedd took 4-24 from impressive over yesterday at Bourda. By Sean Devers National under-17 left arm spinner 14-year-old Ashmead Nedd captured 425 from 10 frugal overs to spearhead the National U-19 team to a 41-run win against the Trinidad & Tobago Academy U-19s despite a 78-run opening stand between the inform Keagan Simmons (30) and Trevon James (50) at Bourda yesterday in their second game of their eight-day trip to Guyana. Guyana batted first in sultry conditions and lost
their first wicket with just 13 runs on the board when the powerfully built Clevon Kalawan bowled Bashkar Yadram for eight, but top order batsmen Raymond Perez who reached the boundary twice in 45 and Parmesh Parsotam, who stroked five fours in 42 offered fight to Trinidadian bowlers on a slow track. The T&T Academy team got right back into the game as Quammie Mohamed, a six foot fast bowler who reminded many of West
T&T’s Trevon James cuts for four during his fifty at Bourda yesterday. Indies Captain Jason Holder struck twice, Kalawan another six foot pacer also struck twice before spinner Emilio Gopaul (3-20) reduced the Guyanese to 134-8 and in danger of falling below 150. But the versatile Nedd who plays for Marian Academy in the National School cricket League joined Parsotam to add 50 for the ninth to give the South Americans the impetus to reach 190 before they were all out with 1.2 overs to left in their innings.
Clevon Kalawan is bowled for a duck by Akieni Adams yesterday at Bourda.
When the lads from Carnival Country began their run chase they were off to a solid start with the lefthanded 16-year-old Simmons following up his accomplished 71 in the washed out two-day encounter against the same side at the same venue over the weekend, again stroked the ball with plenty of confidence and along with Trevon James, who hit six well timed boundaries in an entertaining even fifty, added 78 for the first wicket before Simmons
was caught and bowled by Nedd. When the right-handed James was bowled by Leftarm spinner Akieni Adams for 30 with two fours, the T&T unit were still in the hunt but Kristoff Lewis (1) was bowled by Nedd and the burly left-hander Jean Paul Rockie (12) was run out, the visitors had slipped to 97-4 and never recovered as only T&T’s National U-19 left hander Byran Boodam and Gopaul reached double figures. Boodram, whose only
boundary was a swept six into the dilapidated Kenny Wishart Stand, was last dismissed by Kasim Khan for 25. Kasim Khan (2-6) and Adams (2-30) supported Nedd. The Academy team will have a break today before they travel over 100 miles to oppose the Berbice U-19s at Albion in the second largest of Guyana’s three Counties tomorrow in a 50-over affair. They play their final game at Wales against the Demerara U-19’s in another 50 overs game.
2015 Raffik & Sons Construction Second Division 20-Over Cricket competition in Berbice
Keon Sinclair’s 49 sees Courtland through to semi-finals A match winning 49 (6 fours and 2 sixes) from Keon Sinclair enabled defending champions Courtland All Stars to defeat Big Star of Ulverston to complete a clean sweep of Group A of the 2015 Raffik & Sons Construction Service Second Division 20-Over Cricket Competition which was specially organised for teams in the Lower and Central Corentyne Area. They therefore advanced to the semi-final. Spearheading them to victory was Keon Sinclair whose contribution led them to 182 for 9 in their 20Overs. Big Star were 119 for 5 in 17.1 Overs when bad light brought an end to the match, giving Courtland
Keon Sinclair victory on a better run rate. Tasho Forrester made 47. Mahendra Ramdihal hit 46 (4 fours and 4 sixes) to help Tamarind Root post a challenging 152 for 9 in 20-
Overs against Fyrish which never the less successfully attained the target set with just one ball to spare with Chetram Roopnarine leading the way with 33 (5 five and 1 six). In summarised scores: At Fyrish, Courtland All Stars defeated Big Star by virtue of having a better run rate. Courtland All Stars 182 for 9 in 20-Overs with Keon Sinclair 49, John Percival 24, Joe Tyndall 2 for 15, Patrick Tyndall 2 for 21 and Royden Gray 2 for 51. Big Star 119 for 5 in 17.1 Overs with Tasho Forrester 47 and Timothy Mc Donald 2 for 21. At Fyrish, Fyrish beat Tamarind Root by 3 wickets. Tamarind Root 152 for 9 in 20-Overs with Mahendra Ramdihal 46, Altaf Hussain 4 for 29 and Imran Ally 3 for 32. Fyrish 153 for 7 in 19.5 Overs with Chetram Roopnarine 33 and Dilip Rengasammy 2 for 20.
Wednesday December 16, 2015
Kaieteur News
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Bolton optimistic as GFF WICB’s three-man team visits Guyana for Ladies programme wraps up Futsal trials - Team to be encamped in January Te c h n i c a l D i r e c t o r Claude Bolton said that he’s enthused about Guyana’s chances at next year’s CFU Futsal Tournament, set for January 22 – 26 in Cuba, as the G u y a n a F o o t b a l l Federation (GFF) wraps up its trials for team selection. Approximately 30 players gathered that the National Gymnasium for the three-day trials which was conducted by Bolton with assistance from former m e n ’s N a t i o n a l t e a m head coach Denzil Thompson. Bolton, who also served as the head coach for Canada’s National Futsal team, explained that the squad will now be trimmed to between 16 and 18 players. The players will be part of a minicamp from January 9 – 11. “It was unfortunate that with the zeal that was represented on the field that we can’t take everyone and invite them into camp because all exhibited the enthusiasm that you would want a player have for the game,” Bolton said when asked to comment on the talent displayed and team selection. Guyana will be placed in
Claude Bolton Group ‘A’ with Trinidad and To b a g o , A n t i g u a a n d Barbuda and Haiti, while in Group ‘B’, host Cuba will be joined by St Maarten, Costa Rica and Guadeloupe. The top two teams from the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) tournament will advance to the CONCACAF Futsal Championship. The 2016 CONCACAF Futsal Championship will be held in Costa Rica in May. “We have a far way to go in Futsal” Bolton said, while adding “but in our
understanding of the small sided format and the skill level, the skill displayed was a level of commitment.” Bolton pointed out that the team is expected to have “some sort of competition” prior the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) event, but much depends heavily on the funds available. “Guyana participating in this tournament has a lot to do for us (the GFF) seeing where we are in Futsal, since we’re attempting to develop all areas of football. We’ve planned that this will grow in years and will also help the Futsal programme as we move forward,” said Bolton. Same as previous editions, the CFU Futsal tournament acts as the CONCACAF qualifiers for the FIFA Futsal World Cup. The top four teams of the tournament will qualify for the 2016 FIFA Futsal World Cup in Colombia as the C O N C A C A F representatives. Guyana last participated at the CFU Futsal To u r n a m e n t i n 2 0 0 8 , finishing fourth behind winners and host Trinidad and Tobago, Haiti (second place) and Suriname (third place).
Former national footballer Richard ‘Fox’ Clarke dies Former National Football player Richard ‘Fox’ Clarke has died in the United States. This information was r e l a y e d b y h i s teammate, former player and Coach Lennox Arthur. Arthur disclosed that Clarke died just recently in the US where he was residing. He described him as a strong skilled player who played with a lot of heart. The ‘Fox’ was one of the
Tutorial boys back in the days that ruled the roost in local football. He along with Michael Hamden, Donald Neblette and Michael Pierre attended the Tutorial High School. Arthur noted that Clarke was among a distinguished company. He was one of the members of the first youth national team to represent Guyana. He also stood out as being among only a few of
those players that went on to represent Guyana at all levels (U-17, U-19, U-23) straight through to the senior national team. The others that held this distinction were Arthur, Pierre, Hamden, Neblette, Terry Camacho, Dennis Humphrey, David Wo o l f o r d a n d E r i c Phillips. Arthur extended his heartfelt sympathy to the family and friends of the late Richard ‘Fox’ Clarke.
Vasbert Drakes (right), Ezra Mosley and Cuban Hector Charles in discussion outside Bourda yesterday. A three-man team from the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) arrived in Guyana on Monday to conduct a two-day ‘Genetic Syllabus’ programme for Guyana’s three selected players for next year’s Women’s tri Nation series in South Africa. The series involves host nation South Africa, Australia and West Indies and the Guyanese in the Squad are batter Shemaine Campbelle, who despite her 23 years, can now be considered a veteran at the International level, with a highest score of 105 from her 61 ODI’s since making her debut in 2009 against South Africa. She has also played 69 T20s for the West Indies Women. The other two Guyanese in the Squad are fast bowlers 30 year-old Tremayne Smartt who has played 51 ODI’s and 53 T20s and Sabrina Munroe, who is also 30. Munroe has played 23 ODIs and 21 T20s since making her ODI debut against the Netherlands in 2010. The three man team comprised former West Indies pacer 46-year-old Vasbert
Drakes, who played 12 Tests and 34 ODIs, his Barbadian countryman 57-year-old Ezra Mosley who played two Tests and nine ODIs for the West Indies and Cuban Physical instructor Hector Charles. Drakes said that three ODIs and three t20s will be played in South Africa and their reason for coming here was to access the three players selected for the West Indies Women. “We have been making a lot of progress but we need public and financial support. The Women have been doing well and making us proud at a time when the men are struggling badly,” said Drakes from the Bourda ground yesterday. “The girls are really doing well and they need to be rewarded for their success but the main challenge is to have more consistent programmes to be successful,” added Drakes. The former West Indies player informed that the three man team visited Jamaica and Trinidad before coming here. They are scheduled to leave today for Barbados where they will conduct a similar programme. (Sean Devers)
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GFF, FIFA Guinness G/ town zone winners receive prize monies and trophies ready to move ahead with Goal Project
National U-19s beat T&T Academy by 41 runs at Bourda 2nd Stag Super XVI kicks off today at Leonora Sparta Boss Captain Devon Millington (2nd left) receives the team’s monetary prize, trophy and Guinness bags from Guinness representative Shawn Stephney in the presence of Company officials yesterday.
Uitvlugt oppose BVTU in feature; Beavers tackle Herstelling Raiders in opener
Inaugural Stag Super XVI champions Grove Hi Tech receiving the winner’s trophy from Ansa McAl PRO Ms. Darshanie Yussuf on January 1, 2015 at the #5 ground after defeating Ann’s Grove 5-0. Printed and published by National Media & Publishing Company Limited, 24 Saffon St.Charlestown, Georgetown.Tel: 225-8465, 225-8491 or Fax: 225-8473/ 226-8210