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Kaieteur News
Kaieteur News Printed and Published by National Media & Publishing Company Ltd. 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown, Guyana. Publisher: GLENN LALL Editor: Adam Harris Tel: 225-8465, 225-8491. Fax: 225-8473, 226-8210
EDITORIAL
Providing cash for the criminals On Thursday, the Ministry of Public Works suffered a major robbery when two men parked in the compound, even consorted with staff of the Ministry, then robbed the payroll when the vehicle transporting it arrived in the compound. The bandits, two of them, managed to escape with nearly $8 million designed for the lowest category of workers in the Works Ministry. This robbery came on the heels of the police making an announcement that for the period of the Christmas Policing, there had been no gun robberies in the city. The newspapers, always glad to report on something, found this a good headline story. But no sooner had the ink dried that there was this payroll snatch. The investigators are pondering how it was that the bandits could have known that the payroll would be sent for, that it would arrive at a certain time and that two men would suffice to execute the plan. Indeed there was an armed guard with the payroll but he was rendered useless. Having an armed guard with the payroll must have been the most ineffective in the movement of payrolls. And to compound the issue another weapon with matching ammunition has now entered the criminal kingdom. All too often people who are more concerned with the job that the other person is doing, is allowed too much information on what really should be of no concern to that person. Staff might have been provided with information that they might have been paid on Thursday but no other detail. But then again, who can stop a staff member from seeing the preparations? The movement of the vehicle and the armed guard heading to the bank? However, this incident exposes the backward nature of the Guyanese economy. Such a robbery would hardly have happened in any other country. If they do we surely are not hearing about them. These days companies usually deposit people’s wages and salaries into the commercial banks. When this is not done the worker is issued with a pay cheque. For years now there has been talk of Guyana moving away from a cash oriented society because of the nature of the world of business these days. There is now an international focus on money laundering, financing terrorism and even taxation. Tax dodgers rely on cash because there is often no record of financial transactions involving cash. Many people would have walked into stores in the city only to be told that unless there is a cash transaction then there would be no business. Some have gone so far as to induce further cash transactions by enticing the buyer with a lower cost and a falsified receipt. Thursday’s robbery also highlighted the level of security in a country that takes pride in moving around large sums of cash. Sometimes people can be downright stupid. There was the reported case of a store clerk who was taking $17.2 million to a commercial bank in a carton box. Who in his right sense would move that kind of money without security, without taking adequate precautions to ensure that the money is moved in secrecy? As fate would have it, two men just happened to know that the young man leaving the store with a carton box under his hand had millions of dollars in this box. Like the Ministry of Works payroll robbery, this too smacks of an inside job. The police have been saying that at this time of the year sales would sometimes quadruple so store owners should take extra precaution with their business transactions. If these two robberies, commonplace as they may seem, do not cause a rethink in the use of paper currency, then one can rest assured that long after other countries would have made paper currency almost redundant, Guyanese would still be robbed at gunpoint of their hard earned currency. Surely the business entity has lost $17 million and that is not tax deductable. We remain penny wise and pound foolish.
Saturday December 21, 2013
Letters... Where your views make the news
TAKING A CLOSER LOOK AT THE PRIVATE SECTOR COMMISSION DEAR EDITOR, Seeing allegations by the opposition in the media that the Private Sector Commission (PSC) behaves more like an arm of the government rather than a non-governmental organisation and recently voted down PSC’s anti-money laundering petition, I decided to examine its structure to see what the private sector stands for and who its corporate members and functionaries are. This in effect could give credibility to the opposition’s allegation that this is not a private sector organisation which caters to the needs of the private sector. The corporate members of the Private Sector Commission on their website are: 1. Banks DIH and their representative to the PSC is Ramesh Dookoo. 2. BK International. 3. Correia Group of Companies. 4. Demerara Distillers Limited. 5. Edward B. Beharry & Co. Ltd. 6. Excel Minerals Inc. a Brazilian company. 7. Grace Kennedy Remittance Services. 8. John Fernandes Group of Companies. 9. National Milling Company of Guyana Inc. 10. Neal and Massy Group of Companies. 11. Queens Atlantic Investment Inc. 12. Roraima Airways Group of Companies 13. SOL Antilles & Guianas 14. GT&T - The PSC website is so up to date that mahadeo@gtt.co.gy is
still listed as its contact person. In and of itself this list, on the surface, looks innocent enough. But look closely, quite a few members are definitely pro-PPP and others are known to be on very friendly terms with Jagdeo, so in a vote which necessitates criticising the government, this Private Sector Commission would definitely be pro-government. To put it another way if I had a problem with the government and I had to approach this Private Sector Commission to get satisfaction, I would not be confident that I would get it. And I certainly would not agree, were I the opposition, to accept any nominee from the PSC as impartial or independent on, for example, the Advisory Committee on Broadcasting. Additionally, the Private Sector Commission operates through certain committees namely: The Governance & Security Committee - of which the chairman is Gerry Gouveia. The chairman of the Finance & Economics Committee is Ramesh Persaud of IPED. The chairman of the Agricultural Committee is Mr. Beni Sankar The chairman of the Trade & Investment Committee is Ramesh Dookoo The chairman of the Social Sector Committee is Annette Arjoon-Martins
The chairman of the Natural Resources Committee is Kit Nascimento. The chairman of the Energy and Power Committee is Clinton Williams. And the chairman of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee is Michael Correia. Also, incredibly, the commission issues positions on certain matters without convening a meeting. So again, if one were to look carefully at these people, with very few exceptions, one is looking at a list of companies which are doing very well in Guyana, a country which is notorious for not having a vibrant private sector unless they pander to the administration, according to the opposition. The executive management committee of the private sector commission is as follows. Chairman: Ron Webster Vice chairman: Clinton Urling Secretary: Andrew Astwood Treasurer: Ramesh Persaud In Thursday’s newspaper, Mr. Urling of “German soup” fame is attempting to turn us all into soup drinkers by telling us that there was nothing wrong with the Foreign Relations insanity of exploring the New River Triangle and that we must support it. Tony Vieira
RELIGION AND POLITICS DEAR EDITOR, Pope Francis is known for the propoor stance he has taken and for his humble lifestyle which apparently did not go down well with some people, even from within the Catholic Church. Responding to conservative criticisms that his economic and social ideas smack of “communism” he said in an interview with an Italian newspaper that he is not a Marxist but that “even Marxists can be good people.” He no doubt had in mind people of such stature as Nelson Mandela, Cheddi Jagan and perhaps Karl Marx himself, who along with Friedrich Engels, came up with the ideology of Marxism/ Leninism. Marxism is a working class ideology based on the tenets of dialectical and historical materialism. There is no doubt that there are fundamental differences between religion and Marxism. But there are also many things which both ideologies share in common, especially when it comes to advocacy of the poor and the oppressed. The basic premise of Marxism is that society as is currently configured is skewed in favour of the rich and that the fruits of human labour are not equitably distributed. In the eyes of the Church, Marxism, because of its scientific world view and its materialistic interpretation of man and society, is doctrinally inconsistent with the core teachings of religion. Marxism, after all, promotes a world view that is scientific and therefore runs counter to the doctrines of the Church which essentially is premised on the belief that there is life after death and that righteousness is rewarded in the
hereafter. It is not my intention to enter the debate on religion versus Marxism, except to draw attention to the ongoing debate which is making the rounds as a result of the Pope’s advocacy for the poor and the oppressed, which is interpreted by some as an endorsement of ‘communism.’ Only recently, an American radio talk show host with a big following in the United States took objection to remarks made by the Pope on the global economy. According to the talk show host, parts of the Pope’s remarks were “pure Marxism” coming from the mouth of the Pope. He also accused the Pope of going beyond “Catholicism” and being political. Pope Francis however stood his ground by emphasizing that even though ideologically Marxism is ‘wrong,’ he had during the course of his life known of many Marxists who in his view were good people. Only a month ago, the Pope attacked what he termed “unfettered capitalism” as a new tyranny and said that an economy of exclusion and inequality had proven to be deadly for many people around the world. In response to his critics, Pope Francis said he was not speaking as a technician but according to the social doctrine of the Roman Catholic Church, and “this does not mean being Marxist. He said he was merely seeking to present a “snapshot of what is happening in the world today.” The fact is that there is so much poverty and exclusion in the world today that one does not have to be a Marxist or a believer in religion to be
concerned and worried. The gap between the rich and the poor is getting wider and wider as more and more people are condemned to a life of poverty and want. Every human being with a strong sense of social justice cannot help but be depressed by the extent of poverty and social deprivation that is afflicting humanity today. This is why Pope Francis must be commended for calling for a new and more humane system of distribution of the goods and services of human labour. Capitalism, as a mode of production and distribution, has failed to address the problems of humanity. This is because capitalism by its very nature is concerned more about profits rather than satisfying the material and cultural needs of mankind as a whole. This is why the call for a new global human order has such great resonance among peoples all across the globe. There must be a more enlightened and humane social order which puts people and not profits at the centre of human existence. It is in this context that the Pope’s statements on “unfettered capitalism” must be situated. Religion has a role to play in advancing the cause of humanity, and the sentiments expressed by the Pope are as relevant as they are refreshing, especially at this time of the year when so much emphasis is put on reaching out to the poor and the needy. It is good to be charitable but it is better to help eliminate the economic structures and conditions that created poverty and indignity. Hydar Ally
Saturday December 21, 2013
Kaieteur News
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Letters... Where your views make the news Letters... Where your views make the news
Guyana trails the Caribbean in economic growth, and the reason is obvious DEAR EDITOR, For the past two decades, Guyana has desired and pined for robust economic growth but so far has not attained it. Sadly, not only has it not achieved economic growth, it has also steadily declined while other nations around it have experienced increasing growth. The Bahamas, Barbados, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago and The Cayman Islands were on par with Guyana or just behind it in economic growth in the 60s. Now, they are far ahead, (except for Jamaica) nearing First World status, leaving Guyana in the dust. In 2011, Guyanese voted for a new political dispensation, hoping that it would bring relief to their plight, but so far, nothing has changed except for rapid increases in corruption, crime and cost of living and the reckless spending of the taxpayers’ money on ill-conceived projects aimed at benefitting a few. It seems to us that, despite all the talk about wanting and pursuing economic growth, this corrupt regime has either not understood what economic growth is, or how to attain it. They have been unable or unprepared to do what is required. If we are to believe their bogus claim that the economy grew at five percent,
then why are they refusing to give the civil/public servants a 10% increase in wages and pay pensioners $20,000 per month instead of the meagre $12,500. The truth is, Guyana’s economy is in shambles and the wreckage is around for all to see—high unemployment, widespread poverty, huge potholes in the streets, dilapidated buildings, poor health care and educational services, poor water supply, constant blackouts, and a stinking capital city. The poor economic situation demonstrates the highly mobile nature of both labour and capital, as skilled personnel and investment capital have left the country. Now, into the 21st century, Guyana is back to ‘square one’, with the people hoping that the latest extensive borrowing from international and regional financial institutions will bring relief, though similar borrowing in the past brought nothing. Borrowing money is one thing, growing the economy, creating jobs and reducing poverty, corruption and crime are another. The truth is, this regime does not have the wherewithal to grow the economy or create jobs and they have proved to be highly incompetent in their
efforts to reduce crime and corruption and improve the lives of the poor. For Guyana to achieve economic growth, the regime must understand what economic growth is, the obstacles to it, and must be prepared remove those obstacles - crime and corruption. For, until these obstacles are removed, the masses will continue to suffer. Policies must first be put in place to attract and retain foreign investment. The country’s huge size and undiscovered natural resources cannot provide all it needs without outside investment. But the question
must be asked: Is Guyana attractive to foreign investment? Another way to ask this question: If you were a foreign investor wanting to do business in the Caribbean, would you pass over countries such as Barbados, The Cayman Islands, The Bahamas, and invest in Guyana? Why would anyone choose to invest in a country with prohibitively high corporate taxes? Guyana has one of the highest, most burdensome tax regimes in the Caribbean. Its Corporate Tax rate is between 30 and 45 per cent compared to Barbados with a rate of 25 per cent that can be reduced to 1.75 per
cent and the Bahamas and Cayman Islands each has zero corporate tax rates. Then there is the perennial corruption in government and the ordinary citizen; from the corruption at the wharf, when you import goods, to the corruption doing business with the government and the man in the street. And there are not enough skills, technical or otherwise, left in the country due to migration. Above all is the increasing scourge of crime. A potential outside investor only has to go on the Internet and read the independent newspapers to see that if he sets up shop in Guyana he will
be putting his life and those of his workers at risk. Millions of dollars are lost to theft every year, both from workers and business people who refuse to expand so as not to lose more to thieves. And millions are lost due to crime, as actual dollars are lost in the high cost of security or are passed to consumers in high prices. And the people and country suffer. Thus the vicious cycle will never end. The bottom line is that this regime has done nothing to reverse the obstacles of crime and corruption in order to attract foreign investment so that the economy can grow and jobs can be created. Doing this will definitely ease the burden on the poor. Dr. Asquith Rose and Harish S. Singh
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Kaieteur News
Saturday December 21, 2013
GPSU street protest attracts small turn out Less than 100 persons, among them nurses and public servants represented by the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) took to the streets yesterday to protest the five percent increase on their salaries. The money was paid Monday and made retroactive to January. The GPSU had said that the five percent increase that the government arbitrarily imposed on the workers without negotiation or consultation with the Union, is not substantial enough to mitigate the high cost of living. GPSU President Patrick Yarde, before the start of the march, said that a lot of persons notified him of their solidarity for the protest. He said that due to the short notice that was given by the police to have the protest, there was not enough time to amass a stronger gathering. Yarde charged that the government is practising “executive lawlessness” by violating the established rule of law. “There are claims that democracy returned to Guyana in 1992. Democracy means a state that is governed by the rule of law, a state which means everyone comes under the directions of the law, no one is superior to the law, what we are protesting is the abuse of the law… There has been no respect for workers rights from a regime that claims working class credentials,” said Yarde. The GPSU president explained that there was “a budget that would have afforded a payment of 15 per
cent across the board for everyone, that is less than what we asked for but it is three times what is being prepared to pay to us. “This money was passed since April and it is only in December in an arbitrary, highhanded way that it has been paid out.” He said that this is the 13th occasion that the arbitrary payout has happened. According to Yarde, the GPSU has been asking over the period to meet with the government to discuss the matter. However, he said it seems that the government has no intention to meet and discuss the matter with them. As such the body has taken the decision to pursue the matter further by marching. “It is established that good could always conquer evil, and I never promised that this will be an overnight affair but I feel definite about it, that as long as we stand firm we will overcome it,” Yarde said. The march commenced with the protestors assembled three-a-breast in front of the Public service building. The protestors proceeded to Vlissingen Road into Brickdam shouting “5% Shutdown” followed by “what we demand a living wage.” From Brickdam the protestors marched with police supervision through High Street, into the Avenue of the Republic, all the while alternating between their chants listed above. The GPSU protestors then proceeded to Main Street, unto Church Street and then into New Garden Street, into Shiv Chanderpaul Drive, from there the protestors went
back to GPSU building. The protest comes in the wake of the government stating that it can only afford to pay out five percent, due to the global recessionary downturn and the opposition cutting of the budget. The government also established that the monies allocated for public servants were not only for the salary increases, so despite the approved sum that was allocated for the workers, they cannot have 15 percent, only five percent. Averting a crisis A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) at its press briefing yesterday called on the PPPC (Peoples Progressive Party Civic) administration to support the demands of the GPSU to improve the salaries and conditions of work for all public servants. The opposition coalition said that the PPPC administration and the GPSU should immediately engage in discussions aimed at restarting the “collective bargaining process and restoring normalcy and averting a crisis in Guyana’s Public Service. The PPPC administration, according to APNU, must appreciate the need to pay public servants “a living wage.” Leader of the Opposition, Brig. David Granger, said, “Workers at the lowest levels who comprise over 75 percent of the Public Service will see their salaries increase by less than $2,500 per month with the proposed five per cent increase. Many workers are convinced that they deserve a higher increase, particularly in light of the high cost of
President of the GPSU Patrick Yarde leading the protest living.” “Public Servants these days are frequently unable to afford to meet some basic household expenses, utilities and transportation. Many public servants must borrow money for emergencies and to settle day to day expenses,” said
Granger. APNU said that the ruling party must start by appointing the Public Service Appellate Tribunal as prescribed in the Constitution of Guyana. “It must also adhere to the International Labour Organization (ILO) Conventions ratified by
Guyana’s National Assembly that deal with Freedom of Association and the protection of the rights to Organize Collective Bargaining.” The GPSU protest marches are scheduled to continue every day until Tuesday.
Accident at Liliendaal leaves one dead, several injured A fatal accident which occurred in the wee hours of the morning yesterday, on the Liliendaal Railway Embankment, East Coast Demerara has left one dead and four injured. Police reports state that shortly after midnight, motor vehicle PNN4182 was travelling along the roadway, when the driver of another motor car, PPP1802, travelling at a fast rate lost control of the vehicle and collided headon with PNN4182. It was further reported that the driver of PPP1802 fled the scene. The injured were taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) where they were treated. However, Osnah Jardine, a passenger of PNN4182, was pronounced dead on arrival. Jardine, 39, resided in Brooklyn, New York in the United States of America with her husband and 18-year-old daughter. During her visit to
Guyana, she was staying with one of her brothers at Industry, East Coast Demerara. According to one brother, Sherwin Dellon, Osnah who had migrated some eight years ago, had decided to surprise them with a visit for the holidays and had landed in Guyana on December 13. Dellon said that his sister would have been celebrating her birthday yesterday and was in the process of preparing lunch for the Children of the St Anne’s Orphanage. This, according to him, is an annual practice for Jardine. “Normally on her birthday, she sends money to feed the children but this year she came in to do it herself.” he said. Sherwin lamented that the day before the accident, his sister had ventured to a hair dressing salon and he was supposed to pick her up. She had however, called and informed him that she would be spending some time with
Osnah Jordan her friends. Dellon said that though he was concerned, his sister insisted that her friends would take her back to another brother’s residence on East Coast Demerara. He recalled that he was in his room when he heard a banging on his wall. He said that his friend Dwayne woke him up saying “Ozo deh in an accident and at the hospital. Leh we go.” He then rushed to the hospital and was greeted with the news of his sister’s demise. “Nobody expected her to go at this age. We expected to grow old together and dying some way other than that.” Dellon said that the driver, James, was unconscious for several hours but he later recovered. He also added that the owner of the car which collided with the one that he sister was in has claimed that he was not the driver at the time of the accident. Police investigations are ongoing.
Saturday December 21, 2013
Kaieteur News
NICIL transfers shares in Berbice Bridge to NIS …Govt-owned scheme now holds largest stake, has no voting right-PSC The National Industrial and Com m e r c i a l Investments Limited (NICIL) headed by Winston Brassington has sold its 950 million preferential shares in the Berbice River Bridge to the National Insurance Scheme (NIS). These preference shares are non-voting shares and carry no vote at the Berbice Bridge Company’s Shareholders’ Meeting. This is according to the Private Sector Commission (PSC), who was at the time responding to Financial Analyst, Christopher Ram. Ram had challenged the Commission when it said that the Bridge is owned 80 per cent by Private Companies and 20 percent by the Government. Ram had asserted that 76 per cent of the issued shares of the Company are in fact owned by Government. Yesterday the PSC insisted that it stands by its statement. It said this is so since NICIL no longer owns the 950 million preference shares in the Company because these were purchased by an institutional
Winston Brassington
Roger Luncheon
investor, the NIS. According to the PSC, “Mr. Ram is dead wrong to use the NIS ownership of the preference shares as synonymous with Government ownership and control.” The Private Sector Commission said too that “with respect to the NICIL Special Share, which Mr. Ram points to as evidence of government ownership, as Mr. Ram should be aware, this is a common safeguard provision inserted into the Articles of Amendment to protect the interests of the people when assets are privatised.”
The PSC argues, “This Special Share is usually referred to as a “golden share’ and has no financial interest in the Company… It merely allows its holder to prevent th e c o m p a n y from acting outside of its mandate and would come into play if, for instance, the Company sought to utilise the bridge as collateral for a debt for a project unrelated to managing and operating the bridge.” Meanwhile the body also said that it has noted the public response to its
release on the intended legislative action for reduction of tolls payable to the Berbice Bridge Company and wishes to reiterate its position that it will not accept governmental interference in the management of private companies. “Government’s role in Private Limited Liability Companies extends t o regulating and enforcing compliance with existing laws,” it said The commission said, too, that it is of the opinion that private investment must be guaranteed protection from any form of governmental interference with legal investment strategies, most paramount o f w h i c h is pricing for products and services that directly affects shareholders’ legitimate right to investment returns. “It is only in the context of such protection that private capital can be harnessed and directed into infrastructural projects which are of crucial importance to the nation but which may be beyond the financial capabilities of government or the capability of government to efficiently manage.”
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Anti-money laundering Bill gets second life
AFC again ties support to Procurement Commission Government, late Thursday night, successfully managed to bring back the troubled anti-money laundering legislation but there will be no passage until it is screened by a special Parliamentary committee. Government has opened the window for possible passage before the end of January. During a raucous sitting of the National Assembly, the seven-seat Alliance For Change (AFC) made it clear that it will also continue to tie its support to the legislation for the establishment of a functioning Public Procurement Commission. A Partnership For National Unity (APNU), in allowing the amendments back after voting it down last month, said that it should never have left the special select committee in the first place. The proposed new laws are essential to ensure Guyana complies with international requirements to fight money laundering and preventing dirty money from being used to finance terrorism.
However, since being introduced earlier this year, the Opposition-controlled Parliament refused to be rushed into passing the amendments. The opposition sent it to a special select committee. However, after several delays and facing a November review by the regional regulator, Government moved to table the bills. The Opposition protested saying that work was not completed and promptly voted it down. Guyana was blacklisted when the Caribbean Financial Action Taskforce met in the Bahamas in November. Last month, following a review, the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF) notified its member countries to put counter measures in place when dealing with Guyana’s finances given the risks involved. Government has warned the “blacklisting” will affect payment for oil, family remittances, payment for goods and a host of other transactions that could virtually cripple (Continued on page 7)
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Kaieteur News
Saturday December 21, 2013
Army gets one month bonus, AFC again ties support to Procurement ... plus five per cent hike As is customary, all members of the Joint Services, in addition to receiving their five percent increase, will also benefit from a one-month taxfree Christmas bonus. The announcement was made by Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces, President Donald Ramotar, yesterday at Camp Ayanganna, when he and Prime Minister Samuel Hinds joined members of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) for their annual Christmas luncheon. The announcement was received with loud cheers, more so, when the President told them that he had advised the Ministry of Finance to make the payment before Christmas Day. President Ramotar said that he was hopeful that the bonus will contribute to the officers enjoying the holidays, and that they can begin the New Year fully refreshed and hopefully reinvigorated to carry out their work. He noted that serving in the Joint Services is a ‘noble way’ to serve the country, and for that, all Guyanese are grateful. The President also expressed the view that
greater emphasis must be placed on training and professionalism in the army. “The world is changing scientifically, technology and therefore it becomes imperative that we train our force to make it even more disciplined and professional and with all the other disciplines that are necessary to create a modern army,” he said. He advised that the training not be limited to military but must also to support life after the army. “So when our soldiers would have left the army, they can continue to make a valuable contribution to development of the country, by acquiring skills and by lifting their educational standards within the Guyana Defence Force,” he said. President Ramotar also called on the soldiers to take care with the equipment supplied to the army. He pointed out that Government spends millions on the equipment to ensure the army remains efficient and effective, and damaging these only places demands on the infinite resources available to Government that
could have been expended elsewhere, bringing greater service to the people. “We still have to fight poverty in our country, we still have to create more jobs for our people, and we still have to provide quality education and quality health care to all our people and therefore, if we can care our equipment that we have so that we can have longer service from them, at a very high level and have value for money. Then indirectly, you will be making another form of contribution to the development of Guyana,” he said. Chief-of-Staff, Brigadier Mark Phillips noted that 2013 was a good year for the army. He described it as one where the officers and ranks continue to serve Guyana, defend and maintain law and order, the constitution and the way of life, and protect the national interest. This is Brigadier Phillips’s first luncheon as Chief -ofStaff with the soldiers having been appointed to the position in September. He said the change has been seamless and the force remains a professional organisation. (GINA)
From page 7 trade. Businesses have reported delays in money transfers through the banks with the exchange rates already moving up. Negative effects During the debate Thursday night, Attorney General, Anil Nandlall, said that it will take some time for the negative effects from the “blacklisting” to seep in given relationship with corresponding banks already recording changes. He insisted that CFATF officials have been working with Guyana to take steps in ensuring compliance, with 98 per cent of these changes legislative in nature. Any changes to the legislations which have been approved by the regional body will only result in more delays and see business transactions affected even more badly. APNU’s Carl Greenidge, a Member of Parliament and a former Finance Minister, stressed that the amendments have seen recommendations of changes from organizations like the Guyana Bar Association. He denied that Government’s warnings of
n e g a t i v e e f f e c t s are happening, describing these as “scare mongering”. Greenidge also criticised Government for not seriously attempting to deal with money laundering. He said that legislations were passed in 2000 but that there were no significant cases of asset seizures and prosecution. He pointed to the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU), which is charged with implementation of the laws, and which for the longest while has only one staffer. Not serious He pointed to cases where persons, caught committing crimes like fuel smuggling, were let off with a slap on the wrist. Greenidge also criticised what he believed is an obsession of the Government for control, wanting to appoint all officers who are supposed to be independent—people like the Chief Justice, Commissioner of Police, Director of Public Prosecutions and of course, the FIU. APNU will not lend support until the issues are addressed. Chief Whip of the ruling P e o p l e ’s Progressive Party/Civic, Gail Teixeira, also expressed worry over hardships for Guyanese because of the non-passage of the legislations.
It will be ordinary people doing bank transfers who are affected. She urged the Opposition to “smell the roses”. Even if the Bills are passed now, it will be difficult to reverse the damage, she said, urging that the House finish its special committee work on the proposed legislations and have the Bill returned for passage before the end of January. Acco r d i n g t o A F C Leader, Khemraj Ramjattan, his party is linking the Bill to the timely establishment of functioning Public Procurement Commission. The body will oversee the a w a r d o f Government contracts but there have been years of delay despite the laws passed. He too was critical of the fact that despite the passage of laws, the administration seemed not too interested in enforcing them. He too downplayed the negative effects of the “blacklisting” saying that the bankers have not been reporting these. According to Finance Minister, Dr. Ashni Singh, there have been reports of accounts closed and large manufacturing businesses being affected. He was highly critical of the motives of the Opposition. The nation is being held at ransom by the Opposition, he said.
Saturday December 21, 2013
Kaieteur News
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UNEMPLOYMENT IS NO EXCUSE FOR CRIME Elements aligned or sympathetic to the opposition are never to be found wanting when it comes to making doomsday predictions about the future of Guyana. The usual refrain is that Guyana is about to become a State-less society or that the country is on the precipice of great disaster. There was even the time when it was said that the private banks would soon become the largest property owners because the foreclosure of hundreds of businesses was imminent. That never happened. Then during the crime wave it was suggested that the State was becoming so criminalized that law and order would be outlawed as a result of the breakdown in security. This collapse also never materialized. In fact the criminal gangs were routed. The economy, far from eviscerating, continues to improve, something that is not happening in many places of the world. People can still walk the streets and their communities in relative freedom. Yet despite this, the doomsday scenarios continue to be painted. The latest doomsday warning came recently in the form of a letter to the newspapers. It signaled that Guyana was falling apart. And what were the premises of this
diagnosis? Well according to the authors, Guyana is falling apart because the crime rate has worsened. A frightening example of this deteriorating situation was the rise in the number of women killed by their spouses. Then the argument went on to blame the overall rise in crime to the fact that young men are unemployed. These arguments need to be dissected. It is true that there has been an increase in the crime rate. But the crime rate today pales in comparison to what existed during the period 2001- 2006 when criminal gangs spread fear and terror throughout the society. During that rampage, Guyana did not collapse. If Guyana did not collapse then, it is not likely to do so now. Therefore the argument that the spike in crime is symptomatic of a collapsing society itself collapses on the weight of previous experience. Secondly, the number of women who have died at the hands of their spouses remains a telling statistic, no nexus has been established to show how the deaths of these women will trigger or has triggered the collapse of Guyana. To compound the flaws in the argument, the authors go on to argue that it is the lack of employment of young men
Dem boys seh...
Food mek Sam deh foot to foot behind Donald De fattest people in de party is Donald and Sam. That is because dem like eat and eat anything. Donald and Sam nearly fall out Friday because Donald didn’t want carry Sam to de GDF Christmas lunch. Sam mek so much noise that Donald had no choice but to tell he come along. Check de picture. He deh foot to foot behind Donald. He de Sam seh that Donald alone can’t eat all de food wha de army does cook. Donald sit down and eat two plate after he share de food. Sam eat before de sharing, during de sharing and after de sharing. Dem boys seh that is de only thing Sam Blinds learn from de fat crook, Brazzy. He belly like a pinto and he can never see he toe much less see de Creatah fuh all dem thing he and Jagdeo and Rob de Earth and Irfaat do to de people of this country. Some of dem like dem deeds ketch up wid dem. Dem boys happy to see, happy to hear, happy to learn, happy to know. In short, dem boys happy because some of dem losing weight like if dem get AIDS or cancer. But it is none of de two; is dem deeds ketching up wid dem. Dem boys plan to give dem and dem family a lovely Christmas, a Christmas that dem would never forget. Dem boys gun give dem aspirin and painkillers fuh dem sleepless night. Some of dem gun get Cialis and some Viagra fuh de half dead objects dem does walk round wid. Some gun get Mouth R because dem can’t do nutten more than use dem mouth fuh things other than eating food and drinking likker. De truth is that dem boys want give all of dem except Donald and Sam, de same expired drugs wha Bobby bringing in and giving de nation. That gun be a dose of dem own expired medicine. But dem boys got something something special fuh Bobby and you know who? He buddy. Christmas coming. Talk half and keep Bobby and he buddy gift fuh laytah.
that is responsible for the increase in the crime rate. But if those making this argument had studied the cases of the seventeen women who had died at the hands of their spouses, they would have recognized that lack employment was not a major contributing factor in these deaths. In fact, in very few of the cases of domestic violence fatalities were joblessness the main contributing factor. The main factor responsible for the altercations that led to violence that resulted in deaths in these seventeen cases was suspicion of infidelity. The excuse about unemployment being
responsible for an increase in crime has long lost its currency not just in Guyana but also internationally. At best, there is correlation between crime and unemployment but this correlation is not strong enough to establish causation at a general level. There may be cases in which persons have been pushed into crime because of their economic circumstances, including their failure to hold down a job but there are by far too many cases in which persons are unemployed and not taken to crime. As such unemployment cannot be treated as a causative factor
for crime, and it should not be made into an excuse for criminal activity. This excuse acts as a justification for elements that opt out of honest work and instead seek employment in criminal enterprises. As long as these persons are able to avoid being caught and prosecuted for criminal activity, there will be the incentive to continue to commit crimes. The greatest disincentive to crime is not jobs but it is the likelihood of being caught and subject to lawful punishment. A stronger argument therefore would be that the increase in crime is a reflection of a downgrading of security
within the society or the failure of the security services to increase the likelihood of persons engaged in crime being caught. Excuses about unemployment will not aid in that process. On the contrary such excuses can serve as a justification for those who intend to make their living from robbing cheating and fleecing hardworking and innocent people.
Constant blackouts caused by heavy winds, rains - GPL Heavy winds, intense rainfall and manmade obstruction are responsible for the constant blackouts plaguing Demerara, says Kempton France, Operations Engineer of the Guyana Power and Light Company. France said that heavy winds and rainfall have damaged a lot of infrastructure. Sometimes about 10 areas are affected at once and priority is given to the area with the most impact, he said. In addition, careless driving by some motorists has also resulted in damaging utility poles. He said that almost four to five hours a motorist drives into a pole destroying the
infrastructure. France asserted that the additional consumption of electricity by consumers for the Christmas season is not responsible for the power outages in Demerara. However, the constant blackouts have been frustrating to consumers. They find the blackouts disruptive and are wondering if the entire season, especially Christmas Day, would have power outage. Recently, residents of the first half of Diamond Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara were without electricity for about 18 hours. According to a resident of Avenue ‘A’, after constant blackouts during the day the
area was finally without power during the afternoon. It did not regain power until late yesterday afternoon. By that time some meats stored in the refrigerator were spoilt. France acknowledged the power outage and said that it was caused by a burnt pole. The incident resulted in the destruction of four transformers leaving the front section of the scheme without power. He noted that late Thursday evening the damage was discovered but because the pole was located in a swampy area the crew was unable to access the area. As a result, the area was isolated. Yesterday the crew fixed the damage.
A collapsed pole at Rahaman’s Park, EBD
Page 10
Kaieteur News
Saturday December 21, 2013
Teenage mothers account for Government must provide one in every five pregnancies money to fix Mahdia road Annually, one in every five babies born in Guyana, is for adolescent or teenage mothers. This is a social problem in society caused by several factors including poverty, increasing school dropouts, and child abuse, according to Dionne Frank, Assistant Lecturer of the University of Guyana. She was talking with adolescent/teenage mothers who graduated from the Comprehensive Empowerment Programme, on Thursday, at the Umana Yana. Frank said that one girl becoming pregnant too early is one too many. However, adolescent/ teenage pregnancy is not always the fault of the girl. Sometimes, the teenager is unable to comprehend the physical changes her body is going through. Ms. Frank is pleased that Women Across Differences (WAD) with funding from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has been able to offer second chances to young mothers. With motivation and training, the young mothers are able to attain an education to make them marketable. In addition, the life’s skills acquired help to boost their self esteemsomething that is lost during teenage pregnancies. Unfortunately, the good work of WAD and UNFPA does not reach all adolescent/teenage mothers because of limited funding. This is not the only disadvantage they encounter. Those below 18 years of age cannot access services and information on sexual reproductive health from health centres without a parent or guardian being present. According to Patrice La Fleur, Assistant Representative, UNFPA, adolescent/teenage pregnancy is considered a public health
challenge. There are many barriers including the problem for young people to access information and services from health centres. She said this is a legal challenge “…because you cannot go to the health centres without a mother or guardian if you are below the age of 18 even though the legal age of consent for sexual relations is 16 years of age, so there is contradiction there. There are also other social and economic challenges, all of which need to be addressed by our society.” La Fleur said that the Comprehensive Empowerment Programme was designed in 2007 and launched in 2008. It was designed by UNFPA in the context of the International Conference and Population and Development Programme of Action of 1994 which speaks to adolescent and youth among other population issue. She said that WAD was identified as a partner based on the work it was doing with UNFPA prior to 2007. “We felt they had the capacities and competencies to work with adolescent girls who needed special attention, who needed information and services in a safe friendly and enabling environment. In this regard the partnership between WAD and UNFPA grew and the girls who are graduating would join 250 other girls who have completed a programme since the first graduation in 2009,” she said. According to La Fleur, UNFPA is happy that based on the data presented there is a reduction in unplanned pregnancies among this cohort of young people. All the girls who would have completed the programme did not have a second or third pregnancy and that is certainly an achievement, she said.
The state of Mahdia main road, Region Eight.
The Alliance For Change (AFC) is expecting that the 2014 National Budget will provide sufficient funds for the rehabilitation of the main road in the Mahdia community. The present condition of the road is most appalling, especially in the rainy season, the party said in a statement yesterday. “The 2013 Budget did not provide sufficient funds to rehabilitate the road. It is unconscionable that for a region that contributes as much to the national coffers as Region Eight, its residents have to put up with a road as bad as the one they have.”
According to the sevenseat party, the Government while boasting of the growth in the economy and the record gold production, should put back some of that money into the region. “The AFC is urging the Local Government Minister to cooperate with the Regional Democratic Council and heed the call of the Council to have the Regional Executive Officer removed. The REO’s noncooperative attitude has stymied the efforts of the RDC to bring development to the Region and as a result the people are suffering.” Chairman of the RDC,
Mark Crawford, has repeatedly written the Local Government Minister citing numerous instances of the REO being less than professional, but, to date, the Minister has failed to see the wisdom of ensuring Region Eight has an REO who is committed to the development of the Region, the party said. “It seems that since losing control of the Region to the AFC, the PPP/C Government through the Ministry of Local Government and its appointed REO has been punishing the people of Region Eight for voting the way they did in 2011.”
Saturday December 21, 2013
Kaieteur News
Page 11
Man gets 16 years “5 percent growth does not tell for killing tormentor us anything” - Basil Williams Wayne Wright Courtney Telford, the man who butchered another man whom he accused of sodomising him whenever he was stoned has been jailed for 16 years, by Justice Dawn Gregory. The sentence was handed down when he reappeared, before her for sentencing in the Berbice High Court. Telford called ‘Baker’ or “Pawpa”, 51, of Angoy’s Avenue, New Amsterdam was charged with murder, but pleaded guilty to the lesser count of manslaughter. Telford was accused of murdering Michael Kissoon, called ‘Prickle’ or ‘Redman’, 37, of Angoy’s Avenue, New Amsterdam on Sunday April 11, 2010.Telford is alleged to have chopped Kissoon to death after he accused him (Kissoon) of constantly sodomising him at a drug yard in Angoy’s Avenue. Sentenced was deferred after Attorney at Law Artiga had asked that psychiatric and probation reports be presented on his behalf. The probation report presented by Senior Probation Officer Maisie Sheppard stated that the
accused was the second of 10 children born to his mother from five different relationships. He grew up in a poor home and had to quit school at an early age of 13. He started working as a labourer to help take care of his other siblings. He later joined the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) where he served for five years before quitting. He never knew his father until he was 34 years old. He fathered three children from three different relationships. The Psychiatric report as presented by Psychiatrist Dr. Maida Creajah stated that the accused was a patient of hers, but hadn’t much of a problem. Instead he had difficulty sleeping which she treated. He displayed some abnormal behavior which she added is typical of prisoners who are awaiting trial. Attorney at law Renita Singh stated that the accused, the deceased and another would sleep in a shed under one Denise Gomes’ house at Angoy’s Avenue. They had begun the practice about three weeks prior to the murder. He had told investigators that the deceased would
usually sodomise him while he was under the influence of narcotics and asleep and when he awakened he had to endure the discomfort in the rear. He constantly warned the deceased to desist from such practice, but the man continued. Telford represented himself during the preliminary inquiry. Attorney-at-law Artiga in mitigation asked the court to temper justice with mercy. She begged the court to be lenient arguing that her client was provoked and would have done what any normal person would have done to protect himself. Her client had made several reports about the matter, but there was no further investigation. “The accused should not bear substantial responsibility for the act. He exercised great restraints until he could not take in any more.” Justice Dawn Gregory before passing sentence, noted that although there was some amount of provocation, there was excessive force and violence unleashed on the deceased.
While the government recently boasted of the economy having an almost five percent growth, despite harsh global conditions, Leader of A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), Mr. David Granger, says that this can most certainly be a reflection of “jobless growth.” At a recent press conference, the politician contended that while it is possible for this situation to be true and some may argue that the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is a good means to measure the macroeconomic health of the economy, the reality is that “we live micro lives and there are a lot of poor people at the bottom who are not benefitting from the revenues from timber, gold and rice. “It is those people that the APNU are concerned about. They are the ones who suffer from a degraded health and education system, despite high flyers who can afford private schools while the bulk of the people attend poor schools. In APNU we have always fought for equitable living standards for our people and that is what we want.” Shadow Minister of Labour,
Basil Williams
David Granger
Basil Williams said, “The Minister of Finance (Dr. Ashni Singh) is always looking at macroeconomics but when you look at the income distribution, you would see right away that it is skewed, especially when one considers who are the ones receiving US$2,000 as their salary.” Williams also contended that while there
can be an almost five percent growth, it could only be the “cabals enjoying that while the people who are actually doing the hard work get nothing.” He noted too that the five percent growth, “Does not tell us anything. We need to look and see how the people live, how they exist and under what conditions.”
Page 12
Kaieteur News
Saturday December 21, 2013
Public-Private Partnerships on projects…
IMF warns Guyana to follow int’l best practices - believes that Amaila hydro will work if restructured
IMF has warned Government to rethink how it goes about structuring deals involving public/private partnerships.
- cautions on rapid credit growth The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has urged Government to seriously consider improving how it goes about structuring its public-private partnerships (PPP) deals for large-scale projects. The lending agency, which has over 180 countries as members, made the call in a statement from its annual review of Guyana’s economic health. That Article IV consultation by IMF’s Executive Board ended on December 9. Acknowledging the potential benefits of a more stable and reliable source of energy, IMF said that its Directors are encouraging the authorities to ensure that the Amaila Falls hydroelectric project remains financially and economically viable to curb fiscal risks. “In this context, they saw merit in strengthening the project and debt management
framework, and pursuing international best practices as regard public-private partnerships.” The developer, USowned Sithe Global, pulled out this year after the National Assembly failed to reach agreement on a number of legislations critical to the project becoming a reality. The Opposition said it remained unconvinced over the details of how the money, almost US$900M, will be spent. Two key legislations were not passed, forcing Sithe Global to announce its pullout. According to the project structure, Government under a public/private partnership would have been directly investing over US$100M and guaranteeing a significant portion. The Opposition had argued that the PPP financing structure allowed Guyana little say in the management of the 165-megawatt project
President Donald Ramotar
Minister of Finance, Ashni Singh
for Region Eight which Government had said would have solved Guyana’s longterm power woes. The project would have been managed for 20 years by Sithe Global before being handed over. Government had also used a similar financing structure in the Berbice River Bridge and the Marriott Hotel. Both investments, using taxpayers’ dollars, were questioned by the Opposition which said that the country was sidelined in receiving much-needed financial returns from the projects. IMF, meanwhile, welcomed Guyana’s strong growth over the past several
years, which was underpinned by favorable commodity prices and robust foreign direct investment. INSPECT THE BANKS But the fund warned that while the medium-term economic outlook remains positive, the authorities in Guyana must persevere in their commitment to sound policies and reforms to strengthen policy buffers, promote more inclusive growth, and further reduce poverty. It urged reforms to ensure public enterprises improve their efficiency. “Directors considered that a modestly tighter stance of monetary policy and continued exchange rate flexibility would help safeguard international reserves, contain inflationary pressures, and reduce the current account deficit.” Regarding the country’s financial risks, the IMF directors recommended continued vigilance. The fund zeroed in the rapid lending growth which could pose a problem if not monitored. “In light of rapid credit growth in recent years and high loan concentration, they advised frequent on-site inspections for larger banks
and a better integrated supervision of financial business groups. It is urgent to address remaining gaps in the regime to combat money laundering and the financing of terrorism.” Commending Guyana for the progress so far in poverty reduction, IMF called for further efforts to ensure a more even distribution of the benefits from economic growth. INCREASE PRODUCTION “In this regard, efforts to lower the cost of energy, address skill mismatches, and improve the business environment represent important policy initiatives. Steps to increase productivity in traditional sectors, such as agriculture and mining, should also be part of a strategy to foster more inclusive growth. Directors
also encouraged further improvements in data provision and dissemination.” According to the IMF statement, during the last decade, Guyana’s strong macroeconomic performance has contributed to a reduction in public debt levels and sustained poverty reduction. “The economy has experienced seven years of uninterrupted growth averaging about four percent annually.” IMF is projecting a 4.8 percent in 2013, around what Government is also forecasting. “Twelve-month inflation is expected to remain low at around 3.5 percent by yearend. The revised 2013 budget envisages an overall fiscal deficit of 5.2 percent of GDP, largely related to worsening performance of public enterprises which are projected to return a deficit of 0.4 percent of GDP compared to a surplus of 1.3 percent in 2012.” IMF said that higher VAT receipts are projected to raise central government’s nongrant revenue by 0.9 percent of GDP. “The current account deficit is expected to widen to 16.8 percent of GDP in 2013, driven by higher fuel imports, lower commodity prices, and lower remittances, which are projected to fall with slowing activity in major host countries. At the same time, with larger disbursements related to an ambitious public investment program and resilient FDI, gross international reserves are projected to remain adequate at 3.6 months of imports.”
Saturday December 21, 2013
Kaieteur News
Page 21
Uncertainty surrounds Black Bush Airline employee, friend Polder murder preliminary inquiry in court over .45 pistol There seems to be some uncertainty as the preliminary inquiry into the murder of Jeewanlall Deonarine called ‘Bingle’, 49 of Lesbeholden; South Black Bush Polder, continues. Four men, Carlton Chaitram, 37, of Mibicuri, South Black Bush Polder; Nazim Azimulla, 42, of Johanna South, Black Bush Polder; Rajesh Singh, 38, and Kumar Mangru, 17, of Lesbeholden, North Black Bush Polder, are charged with the murder. Chaitram, and Azimulla are being represented by attorney at law Mursaliene Bacchus. The two other accused Singh and Mangru are being represented by Senior Counsel Bernard De Santos in association with attorney at law Pamela De Santos. The men appeared before Magistrate Rhondell Weaver in the Mibicuri Black Bush Polder Magistrate’s court, for the start of the preliminary inquiry. However on two occasions when the men appeared in court they were told that the matter could not be started, because the magistrate, who is merely holding the brief for another, was not sure if she would be at that court, come January. According to the Prosecution, Deonarine, a labourer, had left his residence around 20:15hrs on the day in question in a car PFF 8720 with a group of men to buy cigarettes from a neighbouring shop. At the time his family was hosting a farewell party. At the shop an altercation ensued between Deonarine’s group and another group of
Carlton Chaitram
Nazim Azimulla
Rajesh Singh
Kumar Mangru
men. That group was allegedly armed with knives and cutlasses. During the altercation Deonarine was allegedly pounced upon and battered to death. The police eventually turned up and found Deonarine’s body on the Lesbeholden Public Road. He was picked up and
rushed to the Port Mourant Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival. A post mortem examination performed on the body showed that the man died from a fractured skull. The four accused have been further remanded to prison until January 7, when the matter is expected to begin
A former Air Services Limited employee and his friend yesterday appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court after they were allegedly in possession of a pistol and live ammunition at the Ogle International Airport. Jamie Farley, 20, of F24 Guyhoc Park, Georgetown, and Phillip McPherson, of 707 ‘B’ Field, Sophia, were read separate possession of firearms and ammunition charges when they appeared before Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry, and were later remanded to prison. The prosecution claimed that on December 19, last, at the Ogle International Airport, East Coast Demerara, they had in their possession one .45 pistol and four live .45 ammunition, when neither Farley nor McPherson were holders of firearm licences. According to reports, Farley was an employee attached to the airport. He was recently fired from the
company and had returned there on Thursday with his friend to uplift his severance package. The reports further claimed that he walked with the gun in case ‘force’ was needed to uplift his money. Police Prosecutor Corporal Bharat Mangru added that whilst at the airport Farley was seen handing the gun to his friend, McPherson, who there with him. He said, however, the move was spotted by a security guard who promptly contacted police ranks stationed at the airport who then moved in and apprehended the two men. A search was conducted on them and the firearm was retrieved. Further investigations were reportedly conducted hence the charge was instituted on Farley and McPherson. McPherson who was unrepresented by counsel told the court that he is a student who has no prior
conviction. Defence Attorney Euclin Gomes, who rose to represent Farley, claimed that the two men were unfortunate to be where the ammunition was found. He said that his client who is a student of Global Technology has an unblemished character and at no time had any knowledge of the weapon. The lawyer made an application for reasonable bail to be granted to his client but it was met with objections from the prosecution who believed that there were no special reasons raised by counsel as it relates to the offence. Magistrate SewnarineBeharry upheld the objections of the prosecution and refused the two students bail. Their case was transferred to the Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court before Magistrate Alex Moore on Monday, December 23 for report and fixtures.
Page 22
Kaieteur News
WANTED Magazine writers needed. Email resume & CV to teshawnalall@gmail.com. Contact: 629-2206
WANTED Experienced dispatcher & drivers to work @ Gem’s Taxi Services - Tel: 667-9013; 6279424; 227-0636
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Saturday December 21, 2013
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FOR SALE
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Dell computers complete with 20" LCD $69,000, 6 months warranty @ Futuretech- Call:231-2206
Ducks & Pigs – Tel:688-7291
New arrival: 1 Toyota Tacoma, aluminum boats (12ft & 14ft)- Call:2201981,685-8282,690-1945
LAND 40FTX600FT, LA GRANGE, W.B.D. (INDEPENDENCE ST) $12.8M (NEGOTIABLE). SERIOUS ENQUIRES CALL “MAX”:672-8569/ 609-8132 NOW!
Tibetan Terrier (Fluffy) pups - Call: 222-7891; 609-9202
1 Toyota Rav-4; excellent condition, one owner – Contact:626-9582
Exclusive residential land in Parfaite Harmonie (100ftx50ft) $2M - Tel: 675-7292
Herstelling - $4M; Eccles $5M - Tel: 675-7292.
Massey Ferguson 6140 4X4 Turbo – Call:688-6274/6913851
Games PS2 $900, PSP $900, X-Box 360 $2600 & PS3 $2600- Call:672-2566
125 Outboard engine Yamaha- Contact:665-2314 HP mini 1000- Contact:6656169 Book: uses of Medicinal Plants @ Channel 9 office Dachshund mixed with Pekingese pups for sale BBM #:28E84848, Tel:6772476 1 five month old female Pitbull- Tel:225-6137 FOR SALE / FOR RENT American pool table - Tel: 277-0578
1- 20" Grizzly Planer 5 HoP’ 1- 62"X9" Wadkin Jointer, 1 Milwaukee mitre saw - Tel: 685-0904 German Sheperd pups; 2 months old – Tel:277-01-52 German Shepherd mix with Pit-bull - $50,000 – Tel:6876072; 615-5315; 694-1900 RABBITS - $2000 EACH – TEL: 642-8843
LEARN TO DRIVE Soman & Sons Driving School , First Federation Building Call 225-4858, 6445166,622-2872,615-0964 (Continued on page 23)
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Kaieteur News
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PROPERTY FOR SALE VERSAILLES: Furnished 5 bedrooms, self-contained rooms, modern facilities, generator, beautiful landscape, gated community - Call: 592624-8704/ 592-684-9203 One two- storey concrete house, Ave A DiamondTel:643-5161 One two storey business property (Transported) @ Brickery Public Road E.B.D Tel: 660-8128 Prime property opposite Leonora Primary School – Contact:652-0709/268-3572 2 Flat Concrete Building @ Chateau Margot ECD – $32M Tel:661-9431 Soesdyke /Linden Highway, Solid concrete building. Building -95"X55"; land space- 200"X100" – Price negotiable - Tel:668-9846; 656-1360 Two storey business property (Transported). Situated in Tuschen New Scheme EBE - For more information Call: 627-6305/ 668-6858 North - $16M, Diamond, Sophia- $2.5M (La Grange) 37X600 - $23M & $40M, Dairy Contact Shawn: 2312199; 618-7483 3 Bedrooms flat house @ Mon-Repos-$14M, Diamond 18th Street Incomplete house -$5M & Herstelling - $23M – Tel: 661-0180 Property for sale - Call: 6275416 2 Bedrooms flat house @ Craig - $12M, Luxury house @ 5th St Diamond- $38M, 2 family house @ Diamond 6th St- $25M - Tel: 661-0180 4 Corner property Broad & Charles St – Tel:677-3406 2nd Bridge Diamond - $14M, Diamond 20th Street- $17MTel: 661-0180
VACANCY
SERVICES
24 Hour East Coast Guyoil needs night pump attendants, salesgirl & office assistant - Call: 6910894/684-2838
PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION,WEDDINGS, ANNIVERSARY, ETC. – CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 216-1043; 677-6620
Hire car drivers from E.C.D @ A1 Taxi – Tel:220-1000 Writer needed. Web and article copywriting. US$1,000/month. www. capitaltyping.com/guyana writer for details. Salon station to rentContact:695-5336 Barber - Call: 683-1534; 6094983 Inventory Clerk: Send application to Lot A & B Ramsburg Providence, E.B.D. - Email: srwrdepot @gmail.com Canter Drivers from E.C.D, Male Security Guards and Factory Assistants, accommodation available. 266 4427 Full Time Civil Engineer, security, personnel, labourers, accounts clerk, skid steer operators & truck drivers Tel: 603-4001 Now Hiring male and female general workers to work shift system @ Harmony Inn - Tel: 694-7817; 668-0306 One female to work in grocery / general store Contact Ameer or Shanta: 695-5815 Salesboys, salesgirls, night security. Apply Avinash, Water St - Tel: 226-3361; 2277828
Permanent & Visitors Visa Applications, Professional Immigration Consultant Room D5 Maraj Building Call:225-6496,6626045,223-8115 Repairs, sales & spares air conditioning, microwaves, washer, fridges & stoves. U l t r a C o o l , call:225-9032,647-2943 Repairs to Fridge, Freezer, AC, Washers, Stoves: Call 683-1312,627-3206 (Nick) Brains Construction & Rental Services: Excavator, Bobcat, Truck, Tools – Tel:6015024/ 227-4536 (Bobcat & Excavator Operator needed) We repair fridge, freezer, AC, washer, dryer call:2310655,683-8734 Omar Technicians available for appliance repairs – washers, dryers, microwaves, stoves, deep fryers, etc – Tel:6190793; 218-0050 Professional Pressure Washing: We clean homes, driveways, gutters, parking lots, business, $10.00 per square Ft.– call Kevin:592696-5424 Services and repairs to gas stoves, washing machines Call: 688-0183
Vacancy exists for an experienced cosmetologist with pleasing personality and educational background - handsome salary Call Urgently: 227-4799
TOURS
Vacancies for mechanical maintenance, Technicians on food packaging machine (overtime available)- Contact Allison:603-1089
Suriname Old Years Into New Years return Trip December 29th –January 2nd Tel:644-0185; 639-2663; 665-5171; 227-8290
Vacancies exist for production line workers, previous production experience desirable (overtime available) Contact Allison: 603-1089 Female Accounts Clerk, 5 subjects CXC, CAT level 1, 2 years experience. Apply @ Truckmasters 60-62 Industrial Site Eccles - Tel: 233-3358/3762 Car wash attendantCall:694-4148 or 225-6296
PROPERTY FOR SALE Bel-Air - $55M, Prashad-$40, $54M, Subryanville - $55M, Meadowbrook - $45M – Tel:231-2199; 618-7483
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First Lady fetes 200 Woman of unsound mind Essequibo children steals from Culture Ministry
Almost 200 Children from across the Essequibo Coast, and the Upper and Lower Pomeroon, were feted by First Lady, Deolatchmie Ramotar who hosted the event at the Charity Primary School on Thursday. The event was part of ongoing countrywide activities through her foundation. The excited children also got the opportunity to participate in games, dance, songs and face painting. Thursday’s visit was the third to the Region since Mrs. Ramotar assumed duties
as First Lady in 2011. Mrs. Ramotar told the children that while most of their parents could not have afforded them a gift, especially at Christmas time, her Foundation affords such treats since it has children at heart. At this time, she wanted family to be happy, she said. The First Lady Foundation is a registered Non-Governmental Organization which was established almost three years ago. The organization also supports the elderly.
Union to seek legal advice... From page 14 former manager should have been the recipient of way over $100,000 per month.” After the company was privatized in 1991 the letters of transfer would have stated that these former employees' services would have been “continuous and unbroken” and that they would be entitled to all their benefits upon retirement. The Union had written to former President Bharrat Jagdeo, President Ramotar, Dr. Roger Luncheon, Winston Brassington and Minster of Finance Dr. Ashni Singh, about the issue, and to date it
still remains unresolved. Government has not honoured those letters. According to Shepherd, those persons who terminated their services with GTC would have been paid their terminal benefits. Those that were age 50 and above in 1991 were allowed to retire if they so desired and they were paid their correct pension and over the years they would have received all the necessary increases. However their colleagues, who retired after 1991, are not in receipt of their correct pensions. To date, at least 12 ex-employees of GTC have died without receiving their correct pensions.
Almost two months ago, chaos prevailed at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court when Maria Murray made her first appearance before Magistrate Fabayo Azore to face two charges; break and enter as well as unlawfully and malicious damage. On that occasion, the charges were deemed indictable and as such she was not required to plead. However, due to the situations which occurred in the courtroom, an unstable and injured Murray was ordered to undergo a psychiatric evaluation by the Magistrate. Yesterday, in the same court, a more refined and stable Murray presented herself before Magistrate Ann McLennan. She sat quietly as the charges were read to her again, then pleaded guilty to the charge which claimed that on October 27, last, at Georgetown, she broke and enter the Ministry of Culture Youth and Sports (MYCS) and stole six beverages valued at $1600, property of the said Ministry. She however, pleaded
“Not Guilty” when the Magistrate told her that the police said that she unlawfully and maliciously damaged a quantity of curtains valued at $300,000, property of the said Ministry. At yesterday’s hearing she told the court that she is a 31-year-old mother of six who resides at 9 Hadfield Street, Lodge, Georgetown. Maria said that even though her eldest child is 15years-old and the youngest is three months, she is currently pregnant. She started wailing when she told the court that the welfare officers had taken four of her six children. Magistrate McLennan at this point asked her where the baby was staying and she said “The baby living with the Rasta man.” This individual was within the precincts of the court. He identified himself as Linden Samuel Alexander Gomel, the woman’s “childfather” and said that the relationship she shared with her first “child father” was abusive and since it ended she “started tripping.” The Magistrate inquired whether she would have been receiving medications and he said that “She used to go when she feel like and if she ain’t feel like, she ain’t go.” In turn, McLennan then told the man that he has to ensure that she goes to receive her
treatment. “She following people to do these things. A man put a gun on she and make she do the things.” At this point, Corporal Deniro Jones who represented the prosecution told the court that on October 26; she was seen loitering around the MYCS building. He said that the Permanent Secretary had secured the building and left. Jones relayed that a security guard was checking the building when he noticed a glass window from the Permanent Secretary’s office broken. He thereafter found the defendant lying on the balcony. The prosecution relayed that Maria was drunk when the incident occurred. Jones said that the matter was reported and the investigations which were conducted led to the items being discovered as missing. The Magistrate then inquired whether the items were found on Maria but the prosecutor responded in the negative. When asked what happened with the curtains, Jones said that she pulled them and tore them up in front of the security guard. Maria at this point had appeared to have fallen into a light sleep, so the Magistrate asked her to stand up and she complied but stated that her feet, one of which was
bandaged, were hurting. She told the Magistrate that “It’s a bai name Buxton. He does carry me with he. He does put me to climb up them building and tell me to thrown down them things fuh he.” “Is he does carry me all the time and when I ain wan guh, he does beat me. I didn’t tell me child father because he woulda beat he up bad, bad.” “I pull he up before but he does threaten me right pun North Road,” the Rasta Man said, Prosecutor Jones also added that the curtains and a laptop were found. “She was drinking some of the beverages. Constable Singh photographed the incident,” the prosecutor said. Magistrate McLennan remanded the woman on the unlawfully and maliciously damage charge. Her next court appearance is January 13, 2014 for statements. Additionally, she fined Maria $20,000 for the charge of break and enter larceny. She said that if she fails to pay, she will be sentenced to two weeks’ of imprisonment which she can serve at the National Psychiatric Hospital. At the end of the hearing, the Magistrate kindly instructed the woman that she will be at the hospital so that she can take her time to get better, to come off the crack and cocaine and come clean.
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Putin critic Khodorkovsky in Germany after pardon MOSCOW/BERLIN (Reuters) Mikhail Khodorkovsky, the Russian oil tycoon jailed for a decade after posing a challenge to Vladimir Putin, was freed by a presidential pardon yesterday and immediately flew to Berlin where he hoped to be reunited with his family. Once Russia’s richest man, the 50-year-old looked pale and thin but happy in a photograph of him being greeted by German wellwishers on the tarmac after landing on a private jet. President Putin, who surprised Russians and gave a brief lift to the stock market by announcing Khodorkovsky’s pardon on Thursday, said he was acting out of “principles of humanity” because Khodorkovsky’s mother was ill. A Russian government source said freeing his bestknown and potentially most powerful critic could deflect international complaints about Putin’s human rights record as Russia prepares to host the Winter Olympics at Sochi in seven weeks’ time. It also appeared to show that Putin is feeling confident in his control of the country after facing down street protests when he was reelected last year. Within hours of being released from Penal Colony No. 7 at Segezha, deep in the sub-Arctic forest near the Finnish border, Khodorkovsky was in the German capital and issued a statement confirming he had sought a pardon and had not admitted guilt. “I appealed to the Russian president on November 12 with a request for a pardon in connection with family circumstances,” he said. “The issue of an admission of guilt was not raised.” Putin’s spokesman said the Russian president had
received two letters from Khodorkovsky - a long personal letter and the official pardon request. The pardon was granted unconditionally and Khodorkovsky was free to return to Russia, he said. The former oil baron had been due to be released next August but supporters feared the sentence could be extended, as it was before. He spent the last few years working at the jail, in an area once part of Stalin’s Gulag labor camp system. With a note of defiance, Khodorkvsky thanked wellwishers for their support “to me, my family and all those who were unjustly convicted and continue to be persecuted”. In flying to Germany and possibly into exile on a hastily issued passport, Khodorkovsky was following a route taken by Soviet-era dissidents like “Gulag Archipelago” author Alexander Solzhenitsyn, who was expelled to West Germany 40 years ago. “My father is free and safely in Germany,” his son, Pavel Khodorkovsky, said on Twitter. “Thank you all for the support you’ve given my family over these years!” His mother Marina, 79, told Reuters from her home outside Moscow: “I want to just hug him. I don’t even know yet what I am going to say to him.” Her son said last month that she was facing a second bout of cancer and he might not see her again. She had his father told Reuters they planned to travel to Berlin on Saturday. Khodorkovsky, named a “prisoner of conscience” by Amnesty International, said he was eager to hug his loved ones. “I will welcome the opportunity to celebrate this upcoming holiday season with my family.” He was greeted at the
Businesses urged to take advantage of favourable economic climate Jamaica Gleaner Financial analyst Ralston Hyman is urging local businesses to take advantage of what he says is the current favourable international economy. He notes that the government has been making progress in implementing the reforms needed to facilitate growth and investment. Among the reforms undertaken by the government is yesterday’s passage by the senate of a bill to create one-stop-shop for the registration of companies. Hyman says it is now time for the private sector to step
up and start investing. On Wednesday, the Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) completed the second review of Jamaica’s economic performance under the Extended Fund Facility arrangement enabling the disbursement of approximately US$30.8 million. The IMF’s acting chairman and deputy managing director Nayouki Shinohara, said the overall programme implementation under the loan agreement remains strong and that there are tentative signs of a gradual economic recovery.
Mikhail Khodorkovsky
airport by Hans-Dietrich Genscher, the former German foreign minister who played a major role in East-West relations at the end of the Cold War and who had helped organize the plane to bring Khodorkovsky to Berlin. Khodorkovsky had not immediately realized that his mother, who had undergone treatment in Germany, had returned to Russia, Genscher told Der Spiegel online. Genscher told ARD television Putin had received him twice to talk about Khodorkovsky and Chancellor Angela Merkel said she had “repeatedly urged” the Russian president to free him. The oil baron fell out with Putin before his arrest in 2003 as the president clipped the wings of wealthy “oligarchs” who had become powerful
during the chaotic years of Boris Yeltsin’s rule following the collapse of Soviet communism. His company, Yukos, was broken up and sold off, mainly into state hands, following his arrest at gunpoint on an airport runway in Siberia on fraud and tax evasion charges. In the eyes of critics at home and abroad, his jailing was a significant stain on the record of Putin, 60, who succeeded Yeltsin in 2000 and has not ruled out seeking another six-year term in 2018. Khodorkovsky came to represent what critics say is the Kremlin’s misuse of the judicial system, curbing the rule of law, and of its refusal to permit dissent. Putin, who mounted savage personal attacks on Khodorkovsky, has always insisted he got his
just deserts in the courts for theft on a grand scale. Putin would not have allowed Khodorkovsky’s release if he saw him as a threat, political strategist Gleb Pavlovsky told Ekho Moskvy radio. “Khodorkovsky is Putin’s prisoner,” he said. Liliya Shevtsova, an analyst at the Carnegie Moscow Centre, said the pardon was not evidence of a “political thaw” but a “demonstration of the absolute power of one man in the Kremlin who enjoys his omnipotence and who has found one more way to demonstrate it”. Yukos’s prize production asset ended up in the hands of state oil company Rosneft, which is now headed by close Putin ally Igor Sechin. Sechin said on Friday that he saw no threat of legal action from Khodorkovsky, state-run news agency Itar-Tass said. Russian shares initially rose after Putin’s announcement on Thursday but later settled back. A sustained rally would require “a consistent track record of implementation of market-friendly reforms - in particular, of steps to improve the judicial system, so that decisions are more predictable and property
rights better protected”, a Moscow-based economist at an investment bank said. Putin has staked a great deal of personal prestige on the Winter Games at Sochi on the Black Sea and is under fire abroad over a law banning the spread of “gay propaganda” among minors. A government source said the pardons would deprive Western critics of a cause: “I think the decision to free Pussy Riot and Khodorkovsky was taken just before the Olympic Games so that they will not be able to wield this banner against Putin.” U.S. President Barack Obama and the presidents of France and Germany will not attend the Olympics, and the United States has named openly gay athletes as members of its delegation in an apparent message to the Kremlin. Putin’s amnesty is also expected to end the prosecution of 30 people arrested in Russia over a Greenpeace protest against oil drilling in the Arctic and allow the 26 foreigners among them to go home. They faced up to seven years in prison if convicted in another case that has harmed Putin’s image in the West.
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U.S., UK spies targeted Israeli PM, EU official - Snowden leaks LONDON (Reuters) British and U.S. spies targeted a senior European Union official, German government buildings, and the office of an Israeli prime minister, according to the latest leaked documents from Edward Snowden published yesterday. Other targets from 2008 to 2011 included foreign energy companies and aid organisations, said Britain’s Guardian and the New York Times, citing secret documents from former U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) contractor Snowden. Snowden has shone a light on widespread surveillance by the NSA and its British counterpart GCHQ, the alleged extent of which has upset many U.S. allies and fuelled a heated debate about the balance between privacy and security. He is living in Russia under temporary asylum The newspapers reported that in January 2009 GCHQ and the NSA had targeted an email address listed as belonging to
Ehud Olmert the Israeli prime minister, who at the time was Ehud Olmert. Spies also monitored email traffic between then-Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak and his chief of staff, Yo n i Koren, the newspapers said. Other targets were said to include the United Nations Children’s Fund, F r e n c h aid organisation Médecins du Monde, French oil and gas firm Total, and French defence company
Thales Group. Joaquin Almunia, the European competition commissioner who oversees anti-monopoly investigations and has been involved in a longrunning case involving Google, was another to appear in GCHQ documents, although it was not clear who ordered the surveillance. An NSA spokeswoman said the agency did not use espionage to help U.S. businesses. “We do not use our foreign intelligence capabilities to steal the trade secrets of foreign companies on behalf of - or give intelligence we collect to - U.S. companies to enhance their international competitiveness or increase their bottom line,” the spokeswoman said. “The intelligence community’s efforts to understand economic systems and policies, and monitor anomalous economic activities, are critical to providing policy-makers with the information they need to make informed decisions that are in the best interest of our national security.”
South African trade union says Zuma must resign OHANNESBURG (AP) — In a move that could have major political ramifications for South Africa’s ruling African National Congress party, the country’s biggest trade union called yesterday for President Jacob Zuma to resign and said it will not support the ANC in next year’s elections. The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa, or NUMSA, the biggest affiliate of the umbrella union movement COSATU which is one of the partners in the ruling ANC tripartite alliance, said President Jacob Zuma’s administration has been marked by one scandal after another. The decisions were made at a special congress of the union, held east of Johannesburg. The union called on Zuma to resign because his administration is “steeped in corruption, patronage and nepotism,” said the union’s secretary-general Irvin Jim. Jim said the African National Congress has not stuck to its election promises to work in close consultation with the unions. “It has just passed antiworking class law and policies,” said Jim. He said the union would not support the ANC in next year’s elections. “NUMSA as an
Jacob Zuma organization will neither endorse nor support the ANC or any other political party in 2014,” he said. The union’s alliance with the ANC is dysfunctional, in crisis, paralyzed and dominated by infighting and factionalism, said Jim. “The alliance
operates only during election periods. It is used to rubber stamp neo-liberal policies of the ANC ... It is our experience that the working class is being used by the leader of the alliance as voting fodder.” With more than 320,000 claimed members, NUMSA makes up a considerable chunk of Cosatu’s 1.8 million membership. It’s not certain however how many votes the ANC stands to lose as a result of the union’s withdrawal of support as members are still free to decide who they want to vote for. But there has been growing disenchantment with the ANC’s leadership and observers believe it is sure to have some impact at polling bo o t h s n e x t year.
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Syria most dangerous country for media in 2013, 126 dead worldwide: INSI GENEVA (Reuters) - A total of 126 journalists and other media workers around the world have died on the job this year, with Syria the most dangerous place to work for the second year in a row, the International News Safety Institute said yesterday. That was 21 fewer than last year, but INSI said the incidence of kidnappings and disappearances was rising. The institute, which organizes safety courses for reporters and monitors risks in trouble spots, said 19 of the dead had lost their lives in Syria. In addition, at least 18 foreign and 20 Syrian journalists are believed to be missing in the country after
being detained or kidnapped there, it said. The London-based INSI, whose report was officially released in Geneva, did not specify whether these were believed to be held by the Syrian government forces or by Islamist insurgents who are known to be responsible for at least some of the deaths. Overall the Syrian death total was down from 28 in 2012, but abductions of both foreign and local reporters increased, leading many international news organizations to stop sending journalists to cover the conflict. INSI, founded in 2003 by major world news
organizations, including Reuters, and professional bodies like the Brusselsbased International Federation of Journalists, said the Philippines and India were the next most dangerous countries for the media after Syria, with 13 dead each. In the Philippines, nine were murdered by unknown assailants and four others died while covering the recent typhoon disaster. In India, the INSI report said, seven journalists were murdered but none of their killings had been thoroughly investigated. Two were killed while covering communal violence and four died in accidents while on assignment.
Cameron wants labour curbs for any new EU members (Reuters) - Britain will push for tougher accession terms for any new members of the European Union to limit their citizens’ access to the bloc’s labour markets, Prime Minister David Cameron said yesterday. Cameron is under pressure to limit foreigners’ entry into to the British labour market and has unveiled a series of measures to stop EU migrants being able to claim
welfare benefits as soon as they arrive in Britain. Immigration is a particularly sensitive issue in Britain, where many eastern Europeans, including Poles, Hungarians and Czechs, have come to work following their countries’ accession to the EU in 2004. Surveys show, however, that the influx of eastern Europeans has added to British gross domestic
product and that they contribute more to social security coffers than they take out in welfare payments. Speaking at an EU summit whe r e the b l o c ’s governments confirmed plans to start membership talks with Serbia next month, Cameron said admitting new countries should not be allowed to lead to “big movements of population”.
Angry India tells US ‘times have changed’ after diplomat spat
Indian protesters push police barricades as they shout anti-US slogans near the United States Information Service (USIS) in Kolkata. (AFP Photo/Dibyangshu Sarkar) New Delhi (AFP) - India angrily brushed aside fresh efforts by the United States yesterday to defuse a row over the arrest and strip-search of one of its diplomats, warning Washington that “times have changed”. Diplomatic sources said Nancy Powell, the US ambassador to New Delhi, was holding talks with senior
foreign ministry officials as part of efforts to resolve the crisis sparked by the December 12 arrest of Devyani Khobragade, India’s deputy consul general at its mission in New York. Powell’s olive branch comes after top State Department officials called their Indian counterparts for the third time in two days to try to draw a line under the
controversy over accusations that Khobragade underpaid her maid in New York. Subsequent revelations that Khobragade was stripped by US Marshals and subjected to an invasive body search have caused outrage in India, whose government wants Washington to drop the case and offer an apology.
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Venezuela inflation data Barbados raises US$150 delay sparks controversy million from foreign investors CARACAS (Reuters) Venezuela has delayed publishing its closely watched monthly inflation data, sparking opposition accusations that the figures might be manipulated to suit President Nicolas Maduro’s “economic offensive” to bring prices down. The Central Bank is supposed to publish the latest consumer price index within the first 10 days of the month. A Central Bank spokeswoman told Reuters there were no plans to publish the figure yesterday, but could not explain the delay. “We don’t know the reasons,” she said. The South American OPEC nation’s inflation is the highest in the Americas prices jumped 5.1 percent in October, taking the annual rate to 54.3 percent. Maduro has made bringing prices down a center-piece of his presidency, sending soldiers and inspectors into businesses from November to
force retailers to make discounts. He blames capitalist “speculators” for excessive price hikes, while critics say Venezuela’s high inflation and shortages of many basic products symbolize the failure of socialist policies including strict currency controls. Maduro himself had forecast November inflation of minus 5 percent, giving the data a higher-than-usual political connotation. Elias Eljuri, head of the national statistics institute, said earlier this week the delay was not because any figures were being changed but because the “atypical” measures of November were being taken into account on the indicators. Local business daily El Mundo reported on Friday that Maduro’s measures had reduced inflationary pressure in some areas, but not the heavily weighted food sector. It quoted government sources as saying November inflation was between 2.5-3.5 percent, with the annual rate
up to 59 percent. ( http:// link.reuters.com/qed65v ) Opposition leader Henrique Capriles, who narrowly lost an April election to Maduro, said the November figure was 4 percent, with the annual figure at 57 percent, according to his sources within government. “It looks like they’re massaging it,” Capriles said via Twitter. Maduro’s price reduction campaign has so far focused on home appliances, car parts and home hardware items that comprise a relatively small portion of the index compared with weightier day-to-day expenses such as food, transportation and housing. His “economic offensive” helped the ruling Socialist Party and its allies win the majority of votes in a nationwide election for mayors earlier this month. Venezuela’s inflation malaise pre-dates Maduro and his predecessor Hugo Chavez’s 14-year rule, spiking to even higher levels in the 1990s, according to IMF data.
BRIDGETOWN, Barbados – CMC - The Central Bank of Barbados Friday said the Freundel Stuart government had been able to secure US$150 million floating rate loan from regional and international investors. It said the five-year loan provides the planned foreign financing for the current fiscal year and serves to augment
the stock of international reserves, while the recently announced fiscal measures take effect. “Consistent with Government’s medium-term fiscal and growth strategy, part of the loan proceeds will be invested in a number of critical capital projects. Government’s net public debt ratio is expected to increase to approximately 68.1 per cent
as at December 2013.” The Stuart administration announced last week that it intends to lay-off an estimated 3,000 public workers as part of the strategy to cut government expenditure and revive the ailing economy. The government said that the first 2 000 job cuts would take place by January 15, followed by others by March 1.
Businesses urged to take advantage of favourable economic climate Jamaica Gleaner Financial analyst Ralston Hyman is urging local businesses to take advantage of what he says is the current favourable international economy. He notes that the government has been making progress in implementing the reforms needed to facilitate growth and investment. Among the reforms undertaken by the government is yesterday’s passage by the senate of a bill
to create one-stop-shop for the registration of companies. Hyman says it is now time for the private sector to step up and start investing. On Wednesday, the Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) completed the second review of Jamaica’s economic performance under the Extended Fund Facility arrangement enabling the disbursement of approximately US$30.8 million.
The IMF’s acting chairman and deputy managing director Nayouki Shinohara, said the overall programme implementation under the loan agreement remains strong and that there are tentative signs of a gradual economic recovery. Shinohara said Jamaica’s growth agenda needs to be bolstered by speeding up structural reforms that reduce bureaucracy and improve the government’s interface with the business community.
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CARICOM chairman reiterates regional position on Dominican Republic court ruling PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad – CMC - Caribbean Community (CARICOM) chairman, Prime Minister Kamla Persad Bissessar, says while she welcomed reports that Haiti and the Dominican Republic have taken steps to deal with immigration and trade issues, she wants Santo Domingo to immediately address the Constitutional Court ruling that renders thousands of Haitians stateless. In a letter sent to President Danilo Medina on Thursday, Persad Bissessar, who is also the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, said that the court ruling was “unacceptable’ to her government. “Additionally, any commitment to naturalise those persons is at variance with established norms and principles whereby naturalisation frameworks constitute a means for foreign nationals to acquire citizenship. This is not applicable in this instance. Accordingly, I call on you to take steps to restore immediately Dominican nationality to those who have been denationalized,” she wrote. On September 23, the Constitutional Court in Santo Domingo has ruled in favour of stripping citizenship from children of Haitian migrants. The decision applies to those born after 1929 — a category that overwhelmingly includes descendants of Haitians brought in to work on farms. But in defending the ruling, Dominican Republic officials said it ends uncertainty for children of Haitian immigrants, allowing
Kamla Persad Bissessar them to apply for residency and eventually for citizenship. Earlier this week, Haiti and the Dominican Republic agreed to establish a joint commission to discuss the migration problem caused by Constitutional Court ruling, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said. Haitian President Michel Martelly and Medina met on Tuesday on the sidelines of a meeting of the Bolivarian Alternative for the Americas (ALBA) and of PetorCaribe and Maduro later said he was announcing the “creation of a high-level committee with representatives of both sides to address various issues on the bilateral agenda”. He said the joint commission would comprise five representatives each from the two countries and that Venezuela, the United Nations, the European Union and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) have been invited as observers.
In her December 19 letter to Medina, the CARICOM chairman said she had “seen reports that the Dominican Republic and Haiti will designate two commissions to deal with immigration and trade issues as well as environment and poverty. “I welcome this development and wish to congratulate you on taking this step. Nevertheless, the issue of the denationalisation of those who previously held Dominican nationality from 1929 to 2010 must be addressed immediately. “I therefore wish to reiterate my call to exercise bold and decisive leadership by taking immediate steps to restore Dominican nationality to those who have been denationalised. For Trinidad and Tobago, sovereignty should not be invoked as a defence for human rights violations,” she wrote. Last month, CARICOM said it would defer consideration of the application by the Dominican Republic to join the regional integration grouping following the Constitutional Court ruling. Leaders of the threemember CARICOM Bureau, comprising Trinidad and Tobago, St Vincent and the Grenadines and Haiti, said the 15-member regional grouping would also seek to raise the court ruling with several bodies including the Association of Caribbean States, the Community of Latin America and Caribbean States (CELAC) as well as maintaining “our interest and active participation at the Organization of American States (OAS).
Union optimistic about saving jobs BRIDGETOWN, Barbados - CMC – The National Union of Public Workers (NUPW) says it has put forward six proposals to government for talks beginning on Monday in a bid to save the jobs of thousands of public workers who are likely to be retrenched from early next month. The NUPW met with members on Thursday night to discuss the announcement by t h e F r e u n d e l S t u a r t government that the job cuts are part of the strategy to cut government expenditure and revive the ailing economy. “The workers want to r e m a i n o n t h e j o b. The workers don’t want to be laid off and quite frankly that is
the main aim of the Union, that whatever we do, however we negotiate, we must negotiate a package that sees that the 3 000 workers remain employed in the public service,” said NUPW general secretary, Dennis Clarke. The government said that the first 2 000 job cuts would take place by January 15, followed by others by March 1.Sinckler said that the plan to cut public service jobs would result in the government saving as much as DBS$143 million (One BDS dollar = US$0.50 cents) and that the government had also agreed to institute a “strict programme of attrition” across the central public service, filling posts only where it is absolutely
unavoidable, over the next five years, ending 2018-2019. “This attrition is expected to reduce central government employment levels from approximately 16 970 to 14, 612 jobs – a projected loss of 2 358 posts; and savings of BDS$121 million. Over the current 19-month adjustment period public sector employment will be reduced by an additional 501 jobs with a projected savings of BDS$26 million,” he added. While the NUPW has not indicated what the proposals that to be submitted for talks with the government, in recent days trade unions here have been urging the government to consider salary cuts as an alternative to sending home workers.
Saturday December 21, 2013
Kaieteur News
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GHRA must be informed in Volta Muida Capoeira joins TT Karate... writing about race meets The Guyana Horse Racing Authority (GHRA) must be informed in writing about race meets, this was disclosed at a meeting held last Thursday between the GHRA and the Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport Dr. Frank Anthony at the minister’s office. Among other items discussed were the present status of the GHRA proposed legislation and the racing dates for the rest of the year and early January 2014. However, Norman Singh Memorial Turf Club and Port Mourant Turf Club were
absent. A release from the GHRA stated that there was an understanding by the administrators of the various clubs on the following issues. Where a race meeting has been called off because of inclement weather or other special circumstances, then the club concerned must apply in writing to the GHRA for a new date. It was agreed recently, where a race meeting is called off by a club then that event should be run off after the race meetings already fixed, if
it would, cause difficulty to any other club. Where a club proposes to run off a race meeting on a date not allocated to that club, the club should apply in writing to the GHRA for a new date. The GHRA is looking forward to the cooperation of the administrators of the various clubs and it must be made abundantly clear that the GHRA is not opposed to the running of race meetings by any club but the guidelines agreed upon must be followed.
Saturday December 21, 2013 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) You are enthused about putting in a day of hard work today, but the details may require too much time and energy for your liking. However, if you become bogged down by a minor matter, consider that this isn’t where your attention is most needed. TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20) While others seem uptight or nervous today, you may appear quite confident and calm. Your optimistic attitude and polished appearance make a great impression on your peers. GEMINI (May 21–June 20) You feel extra clever today and are up for the challenge of getting your life back in order. But a problem may start at home with something relatively unimportant; unfortunately, even the smallest loose thread can unravel the largest fabric. CANCER (June 21–July 22) Using your sharp wit as a weapon today is less admirable than simply telling the truth. Don’t just settle into a defensive posture if it feels like someone is attacking you. LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) You will accomplish a lot more today if you can focus on just one thing at a time. Of course, it’s easy to be pleasantly lured off track when pets or children are in the picture. VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) You typically like your world to be clean and polished, but you might get a little dirty today.
LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) Creating balance is what you Libras do best since you prefer staying cool and reasonable under all circumstances. However, if someone gets under your skin and agitates your feelings today, you might not keep your reaction to yourself. SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) Your friends may attempt to convince you to do something that doesn’t sound like the smartest move now. It’s very important that you trust your instincts over someone else’s argument — even if you have to stand up for your beliefs. SAGIT (Nov. 22–Dec. 21) Your laissez-faire approach might get you into big trouble at work today, especially if you try to avoid the most logical solution. CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) Life feels a bit calmer today as the Moon moves through earthy Virgo. Try to make choices that stabilize a current situation while simultaneously planning for your future. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20–Feb. 18) It’s difficult to slow down enough today to give your feelings time to fully express in the way you need. You tend to be uncomfortable when you are feeling vulnerable, yet emotional intimacy may be the key to your growth. PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) You may want to avoid tackling a difficult family issue today, but it’s still probably a good idea to face an existing conflict head on.
From page 36 highest ranked in the Volta Muida Capoeria. Instructor david can be contacted at 359-6858/755-3216. Volta Muida Capoeira Classes are held at San Juan, Malabar and Maloney . What is Capoeira? Capoeira is an AfroBrazilian martial art which includes elements of physical and mental strength, beauty, and power. Mestre Jamaika often refers to capoeira as a “complete martial art” in that it encompasses a vast spectrum of movement and culture; it incorporates kicks, ground movements, selfdefence, acrobatics, music, and tradition. It is played in a circle, or roda, with two members engaging in various attacks and defences while maintaining a melodic fluidity. These movements are driven by the rhythms emanating from the roda’s instruments and vocal song. Capoeira was created by African slaves in Brazil over 500 years ago, and through Mestre Bimba and
Quan David others, has since become a recognized art form. Capoeira can be done by anyone of any age or size and
its benefits are evident in all who take it on. It is a beautiful expression, which is best understood through active Meanwhile, the T&T Karate Federation 1st Kickboxing tournament, which took place at Cosmic Boxing Gym in Marabella on Saturday December 7th, was a major success. The event which was open to only TTKF members was approved by the Brazilian Traditional Kickboxing Federation (CBKBT) and was under the direction of CBKBT representatives Rodney Ramlal and Rebecca Bhola. They are also CBKBT certified officials. For the first time women bouts were featured in local card.
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Kaieteur News
Letter to the Sports Editor
Cricketers and enthusiasts of Essequibo the secrecy of the supported the cricket petition following creation of the little known
DEAR EDITOR, As the Chairman of the North Essequibo Cricket Committee and former President of the Essequibo Cricket Board, please permit me to respond to Mr. Fizul Bacchus’ letter captioned ‘MR. LUMUMBA, THE ‘’STAKEHOLDERS’’ AND GOV’T SHOULD ALL APOLOGISE’ which appeared in the Kaieteur Newspaper dated 2013-12-16. It is quite obvious that Mr. Bacchus’ letter on behalf of the Essequibo Cricket Board and by extension the Guyana Cricket Board was purposely intended to mislead the general public when he stated that 7/8 of Essequibo did not support the cricket petition which was presented to Parliament by Mr. Odinga Lumumba, MP on 2013-12-12. This is far from the truth since North Essequibo, cricketers and enthusiasts from Central Essequibo, South Essequibo, Wakenaam, Leguan and the Pomeroon, which incidentally is the constituency of Mr. Bacchus, overwhelmingly supported the petition which amounted to over 700 petitioners. It is evident therefore that supporters of the petition came from six out of the eight area committees of the ECB. Is Mr. Bacchus implying that because he did not sign as Chairman of the Pomeroon Cricket Committee or Mr. Christiani as Chairman of the Central Cricket Committee meant that there was no support from those areas? This is only a fabrication of his deceitful attempt since the two committees are detrimentally one-man organizations without a proper financial balance sheet since they account to no one. The Committees have not held statutory meetings for several years. I was personally involved in securing magnanimous support for the petition since the present scenario at the
GCB is bereft of transparency, legitimacy and inclusivity of the majority of stakeholders of cricket in Guyana. I took time-off to traverse from Charity to Supenaam highlighting the petition to various stakeholders of cricket and they were all in unanimous support especially the cricketers from Charity, Cotton Field, Affiance, Queenstown and the Pomeroon, areas that have not played competitive cricket or had formal meetings for almost a year because of the poor leadership and virtually the non-appearance of neither Mr. Christiani nor Mr. Bacchus to those areas while they continue to serve as Secretary and President of the ECB respectively. Mr. Christiani is also the Administrator of the ECB but never occupied the office situated at the Hostel, yet he receives a monthly salary. I wonder who approves his salary and for what performance? In fact the Essequibo Cricket Board suffers the same fate and continues to erode the confidence of the cricketers because of a non- existent selection policy inclusive of incompetent selectors who never played for the county or committee, lack of sponsors for major tournaments, a depressed cricketing environment, no coaching seminars for the youths and the gradual destruction of the cricket Hostel that is now being frequently used to host other activities without a cent being spent for its rehabilitation. These are the issues that Mr. Bacchus should have taken time-off to address instead of ascertaining who would have supported the petition. In any case he was misled by his very constituent members because of their inactivity which would have led to their ignorance of the petition. Mr. Bacchus must also declare his involvement as a Director
DEB ESSENTIALS INCOPORATED, a company hastily set up by individuals purported to represent the three counties, hence the acronym DEB. Mr. Bacchus was never authorized to hold shares in his personal name on behalf of the ECB, now claiming to be his private assets that he accused the Government of attempting to revoke. How can he possibly own the assets of the ECB? This company needs to be thoroughly investigated since it is acting on behalf of the GCB which constitutionally does not exist without the constituent Demerara and Berbice Cricket Boards. Returning the assets to the legal GCB must take place in the wake of the hijacking of the Board. I am therefore challenging Mr. Bacchus to prove that supporters from the six area committees including Pomeroon, did not sign the petition while on the other hand for him to state when last did he visited his constituent or held a cricket development meeting. In fact I was approached by a prominent Umpire who claimed that he was not paid by the Pomeroon Cricket Committee since 2010 for a final that he officiated in the Pomeroon, while the ECB still owes several umpires since 2011. This is the inept state in which cricket has been administered in Essequibo and Mr. Bacchus should be the last person to speak onbehalf of Essequibians since he is out of touch with reality, while the cricketing fraternity has lost confidence in his(non) ability and integrity to lead the Essequibo Cricket Board(ECB). Instead Mr. Bacchus and the ECB should all apologise for misleading and misrepresenting the cricketing public of Essequibo. Yours Faithfully, Prince Holder Chairman-NECC
Who will be crowned G/ town Guinness champions? Who will wear the crown of Georgetown champions is the droning question being asked among pundits who’ve been following the action in the Guinness ‘Greatest of the Streets’ Futsal Competition which ends tonight with the finals being played, at the National Park. The two combatants are
Queen Street of Tiger Bay a n d Stevedore Housing Scheme who’ve both beaten the odds to arrive at a place where they will vie for the first prize of $500,000 with the loser taking home $200,000 less. But before that, there will be a third place playoff that features Albouystown ‘B’ versus Hope Street for a prize of $200,000 with the loser set
to receive $100,000. Along with the above mentioned prizes, teams were eligible to pocket an additional $25,000, $20,000, $15,000 and $10,000 each, according to their final placing. Meanwhile, a couple of exhibition matches are planned to be part of the night’s proceedings.
Saturday December 21, 2013
Changes made to Champion of Champions Horserace meet
G. Singh Engineering Services and Niranjan Singh latest on board
With race day set for tomorrow and the hype bubbling over, the organisers are bent on pulling off the long awaited ‘Champion of Champions’ Horserace meet this time around. They are leaving no stones unturned and barring serious circumstances the race ‘of the year’ is definitely on. The event is organised jointly by the Ryan Crawford Memorial Turf Club and Sports Facilities, the Port Mourant Turf Club and Shariff Businesses and Racing Stable of West Berbice. More excitement is now in store with the event been reclassified as a sprint meet with all of the races now been 1200M affairs. Apart from the excitement of the shorter races, the decision was taken to make all of the races one distance so as to avoid moving the starting gates all over the track. The eight race meet which has a total prize money of over $8M in cash and trophies at stake has attracted the best in the horseracing business at the moment, especially in the feature A and lower event. So far over 85 horses have entered for the end of year treat. The feature Banks DIH
limited sponsored ‘A’ and lower event will see reigning champion Score’s Even, two times Guyana Cup defending champion Elle’s Vision, the 2012 champion Settle in Seattle and the best groomed horse Grande De Roja race against newly imported Rock Movie Star, Money in Return and Some Legend and season campaigners Got To Go, Mission King, CP Got Even, Who is on the Case, Swing Easy, the Message and Country Armagh for the $1.2M first prize and trophy over 1200M. The other events are - for 3yrs old Guyana and West Indies Bred horses, D and lower horses, three years old Guyana Bred horses, G1and lower matchup, Two Year old Guyana Bred and West Indies Bred maiden horse, I and lower and the J and lower event. Animals such as - Cat Messiah, Silent Night, She So Special, Easy to Win, California Strike, Monsoon, Gold Rush, Princess Alisha, Gold Princess, Treacle, Majestic, Damascus Dream, Captain Crook, Bridal Stone Corner, War Craft, Rosetta, Ferry Landing , Savion and Smarty Light will also be looking for dominating performances.
Two other entities, the G and B Singh Engineering Construction and Nirangan Singh are the latest on board with hefty sponsorships as the join other major sponsors Banks DIH Limited, Trophy Stall, Jumbo Jet, Dequan Shipping, Guyana Tourism Authority, Atlantic Marine Supply Inc, Delmur Shipping Company, Sankar Auto Works-Valvoline, Toolsie Persaud Limited, Southland Incorporated, John Dere, Khanai’s Electrical, Romell Jagroop Construction and Attorney at law R.N Poonai. Outstanding individual performers including top Jockey, trainer and stable will be presented with accolades compliments of the Trophy Stall, Bourda Market and the organisers. The race will be run under the rules of the Guyana Horse Racing Authority (GHRA). Last minute enquiries can be made by contacting Mohammed Shariff on 611-0684, ChanuRamkissoon- 624-9063, or Kris Jagdeo (624-6123; 3220369), Rajendra Jagdeo 6187278, Ramnauth 337-5311. Race time is 12:30 hrs. The coordinator is Mohammed Nankoo Shariff. (Samuel Whyte)
ESPNcricinfo - South Africa fast bowler Morne Morkel will not be able to bowl anymore in the ongoing Test against India, after suffering an ankle ligament injury just before lunch on the third day at the Wanderers. His participation in the second Test is also in doubt, with team manager Mohammad Moosajee saying a grade one ligament injury usually takes seven to ten days to heal. Morkel’s unavailability left South Africa in a dire position in the first Test: India’s lead was 67 when he hobbled off before lunch and they had extended it beyond 250 with eight wickets in hand by the time the severity of the injury was confirmed. He will bat in South Africa’s second innings only if absolutely necessary. “Losing Morne is probably worse pain than my toothache,” Vernon Philander, who bowled 18 overs in Morkel’s absence, said after the day’s play. Morkel fell while fielding in the over before lunch and
appeared to have twisted his right ankle when his foot got stuck in the turf as he ran around from fine leg to collect a ball. He managed to throw the ball back to the wicketkeeper but then went down, clutching his ankle. South Africa’s captain, Graeme Smith, was at his side immediately and one of the fielders called for a stretcher, but after the physiotherapist Brandon Jackson arrived on the field, Morkel was able to walk off, helped by bowling
coach Allan Donald. Morkel had bowled only two overs in the second innings before he was injured. He had been South Africa’s most impressive bowler in India’s first innings, taking three wickets and generating steep bounce. By the end of the first session on the third day, India had reached 31 for 1, extending their lead to 67 runs. The second Test in Durban begins on December 26.
Injured Morkel unable to bowl in rest of match
Saturday December 21, 2013
Kaieteur News
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WI bowlers make it tough for NZ PG II Final Four ignites CASH tonight HAMILTON, New Zealand – West Indies followed up Shivnarine Chanderpaul’s 29th Test hundred and valuable runs from their tail-enders with purposeful bowling to leave the third Test against New Zealand in an interesting state on Friday here. Off-spinner Sunil Narine grabbed 2-43 from 22 overs, as the New Zealanders reached 156 for three, replying to the Windies’ first innings total of 367 at the close on the second day at Seddon Park. For the first time in the series, it was not all one-way traffic, as Narine and Permaul wheeled away for 45 overs, tying the Black Caps batsmen down, although Kane Williamson made 58 and Ross Taylor continued in his rich vein of form with a pulsating, unbeaten 56 in a crucial thirdwicket stand of 95. This had unfolded after Chanderpaul remained unbeaten on 122, drawing level with Australian legend Don Bradman’s 29 Test hundred, eclipsing another Aussie, fellow left-hander Allan Border’s aggregate of 11,174 runs and for the 45th time in 260 innings succeeded in making sure the opposition failed to dismiss him. He worked with compatriot Veerasammy Permaul and energetic Tino Best to earn West Indies a decent first innings total. Best made 25 and Permaul got 20, as the Caribbean side were dismissed about three minutes before the scheduled lunch interval. The pressure from the new-ball spell of Best and Sammy, the only two frontline seamers in the West Indies attack, then took its toll on the New Zealand openers. Sammy soon clutched a low catch to dismiss left-hander Hamish Rutherford for 10 in the sixth over and Peter Fulton laboured for an hour-and-a-half for 11 from 71 balls without a boundary before he was caught at leg-spin, flicking at Narine’s third delivery, leaving New Zealand 43 for two. West Indies failed to make further inroads into the New Zealanders’ batting for the remainder of the period between lunch and tea, and for all but the last half-hour of play, as Taylor came to the crease and formed a defiant alliance with Williamson, taking the hosts to tea on 76 for two. After the break, West Indies continued to bowl steadily, giving precious little away, but Williamson reached his 50 from 116 balls with a back-foot drive off Best for
two before he got tied down by the two West Indies spinners and was eventually adjudged lbw playing across a well-pitched off-break from Narine, following his review that confirmed the dismissal. With Permaul, if not Best keeping things on a tight rein from the other end, Narine started to deal his bag of tricks and both Taylor and New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum were fortunate to survive, as balls whizzed past their edge and stumps regularly in the closing overs. Earlier, Chanderpaul reached his milestone from 188 balls, when he cut Tim Southee between second slip and gully for his 11th boundary, following up Denesh Ramdin’s fou r t h Te s t hundred on the previous day that laid the platform for the visitors. The 39-year-old Chanderpaul now has 11,199 runs at an average of 52.08 from 260 innings in his 153 Tests for West Indies, still 754 adrift of fellow West Indies left-hand batting legend Brian
Lara on the list of all-time scorers. After Sammy and Narine fell cheaply, Chanderpaul found Permaul and Best steady allies, as they frustrated the New Zealanders. Best e s t a b l i s h e d a new lastwicket record for West Indies against New Zealand of 45 with Chanderpaul before he was caught behind off legspinner Ish Sodh i essaying a slog/sweep. Southee was the most successful Black Caps b o w l e r, g r a b b i n g 4 - 7 9 from 28 overs, and Corey Anderson supported with 3-47 from 18 overs. The Windies trail 0-1 in t h e t h r e e - Te s t s e r i e s , following a defeat by an innings and 73 runs in the second Test which ended last Friday at the Basin Reserve in the New Zealand capital of Wellington. Rain forced a draw in the first Test which ended two Saturdays ago at University Oval in the South Island city of Dunedin.
By Edison Jefford The Final Four of the second annual Phillip George Legacy tournament, dubbed PG II, bounces off tonight at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall (CASH) with some intense showdowns in Division I and III basketball in Georgetown. More than any other club, Republic Bank Nets must be enjoying their ascendency to the last four clubs left in the competition. It speaks of immense consistency from the club that lost in the final last year. They are back and they have lots to prove.Their opposition in the Division I semi-final will be none other than the hosts of the competition, Colts: two teams who are diametrically opposed in every way in the sport. Where Nets might be lacking in speed they compensate in size. Nets will have to contend with the agility of guards, Shelroy Thomas, Sheldon Thomas, Dave Causway and Nikkoloi Smith. Those four young guards are as good as any in the sport and have literally ran teams out of gas trying to chase them across the court. They are full of energy and bring their up-tempo nature to bear on every game. In the front
- Quality basketball ends year court of Colts, veteran forwards, Nicko Fraser and Dane Kendall get the work done in the paint, which often makes Colts an equally balanced team. Conversely, Nets relied heavily on the size of Mortimer Williams, Fabian Johnson and Drumson McCulley to dominate the offensive and defensive ‘boards’, giving them the major percentage of ball possession and allowing them to control the pace of the game. That will be difficult against the running game of Colts. But Nets guard, Hodayah Stewart will try to counter the agility of Colts’ front court quartet with his own manoeuvring in the area. The game is expected to be an extremely competitive encounter. The other Division I semifinal brings together Ravens, undoubtedly one of the best basketball institutions in Guyana, and Pepsi Sonics, another structurally good club, for a clash that will be just as good as the first game. Ravens had admitted earlier this year that it was in a slump, but the club seemed to be out of
that phase with their recent performances. From the Brusche’s Classic some months ago to the PG II, Ravens have been unbeaten in basketball in Linden and Georgetown. Their impressive run speaks to their return to the pinnacle of basketball in Guyana. Pepsi Sonics have been just as impressive with a top three Georgetown League finish this year that makes the club one to beat. The game is a top-tier battle for supremacy. The bottom line is that the Final Four of the Colts/ GeorgetownAmateur Basketball Association (GABA) fixture is as good a basketball schedule as one could get in Georgetown. It is the caveat for a man who had lived for basketball and in whose honour the competition is being held. PG II Final Four will ignite CASH tonight. The semis in the Division III contest begins at 5pm with Trinity Grid Holdings Pacesetters taking on Pepsi Sonics and Colts challenging Plaisance Guardians in the same Division in the following game. The winners of each game will play for the title tomorrow night.
Sri Lanka appoint Yorkshire’s Paul Farbrace as head coach BBC Sport - Sri Lanka have appointed Englishman Paul Farbrace as their new head coach on a two-year contract. Yorkshire’s second XI coach will replace Graham Ford, who has agreed a deal with Surrey. Farbrace, 46, previously held the role of assistant coach with Sri Lanka and was injured when the team bus was attacked by gunmen in Lahore in 2009. He suffered a shrapnel wound to his right arm during the incident, in which seven people were killed. Four months later, he joined Kent as director of
cricket, before moving to Yorkshire in November 2011. “Paul has made a huge impact during his tenure here. He is an outstanding coach and deserves to take on this role with Sri Lanka Cricket,” said Yorkshire director of cricket Martyn Moxon. “In particular, his expertise in developing junior talent has seen him provide exciting players for the longterm future of the club.” The attack in Lahore resulted in other national teams being prevented from touring Pakistan, a situation which still applies.
Paul Farbrace (EMPICS)
Cavalier’s Sports and Tour Club 10K Last Lap race
Multi-talented, Nekisha Roberts walks away with Race walking top prize On Friday December 13 last, Soesdyke Secondary School student, Nekisha Roberts, joined several other beauties and competed in the Teen and Beauty Talent competition organized by her school and was eventually adjudged the winner and queen. One day later, Nekisha stripped off her gown, donned sports gear and walked away with the first prize when the Cavalier’s Sports and Tour Club (CS&TC) staged the 10K Last
Lap Juniors race walk around the Soesdyke village, EBD. Tabela Gilkes finished in the second place, while Nykia Roberts cantered in shortly afterwards to close off the podium spots. Kevin George dominated the Boys’ category and he was followed by Jamal Clarke while Leslie Saul sealed off the final podium spot. Consequently, the organizers were kept busy following the culmination of the event, distributing toys to the children in the
community. The new beauty queen then delivered brief remarks at the ceremony and committed to the promotion of the sport in schools in the Soesdyke community. “I will also endeavour to be a good role model even as I represent my school with distinction,” exhorted Ms Roberts. Meanwhile, the organizers benefitted from the input of corporate citizen, Hand in Hand Insurance Company as well as Minister of Public Service, Jennifer Westford.
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Kaieteur News
Saturday December 21, 2013
Pujara and Kohli batter South Africa ESPNcricinfo - On Friday morning, India fans were cautiously optimistic after their side put in tenacious displays on the first two days of a Test South Africa were widely expected to dominate. By Friday evening that had turned into full-blown jubilation as India’s batsmen put them on course for a win that will rank among their greatest Test victories. Most of India’s young batsmen have forged their reputation on the back of high-octane limited-overs innings. For the second time in three days though they showed they had the patience and adaptability to thrive in the longer format. Cheteshwar Pujara gave a masterclass in innings building - he consumed 64 deliveries to make his first nine runs as Dale Steyn and Vernon Philander had the new ball curling around, but with the attack fading as the day
progressed, he caned nearly a hundred runs in the final session. Virat Kohli’s dream Test continued, as he backed up a first-innings century that showcased his discipline with a more expansive halfcentury. He was the junior partner in an unbroken 191run partnership for the third wicket with Pujara, which took the lead beyond 300, and almost certainly beyond South Africa’s reach. While those two will take much of the plaudits for a near-perfect day for India, M Vijay also did his bit with a watchful 39, highlighted by his readiness to leave deliveries outside off, that took up more than two-anda-half hours and blunted the best of South Africa’s bowlers. The only batsman to miss out was Shikhar Dhawan, but towards the end of the day, India were in such a commanding position, that
he was cheerfully swaying his arms to the rhythm of a song sung by the Wanderers crowd. As good as the Indian batsmen were, their task was made a lot easier when Morne Morkel, South Africa’s best bowler in the first innings, twisted his ankle while fielding and was ruled out of action for at least a week. With another specialist bowler, Imran Tahir, struggling to land the ball, South Africa were severely hampered but the presence of the allrounder Jacques Kallis softened the Morkel blow a bit. Kallis wheeled in gamely, and tested the batsmen for much of the second session. By tea, the two frontline quicks, Steyn and Philander, had already sent down plenty of overs, and Graeme Smith was forced to turn to other options. Imran Tahir had an extended spell which again contained a mix of long hops
Cheteshwar Pujara hit Test century No. 6 as India dominated the day © Getty Images. and full tosses, which helped India switch through to a higher gear. Tahir did produce the only real chance of the final session, but that only
Volta Muida Capoeira joins TT Karate Federation Volta Muida Capoeira Trinidad and Tobago is the first Capoeira club to join the Trinidad and Tobago Karate Federation (TTKF). The club is under the direction of Instructor Quan ‘Zulu’ David. He will also be guiding the Capoeira arm of the TTKF in the near future. TTKF is very happy to have this indigenous Brazilian martial art in the organization. Many other martial arts groups are using TTKF management and continuing education programmes for advancement. Instructor David is a student on international Capoeira expert Jamaika Mauro Romualdo who is the (Continued on page 25)
Kickboxing Tournament a success
Weena Rajkumar and Monique Coutoua (2) - Weena Rajkumar and Monique Coutoua bout ended in a draw.
served to worsen his day as he put down a simple caughtand-bowled opportunity, which would have ended Pujara’s innings on 51. Till then, though India were steadily moving into a strong position, the bowlers still had a say in the proceedings, not allowing the batsmen to score freely. All the changed over the next couple of hours, as Pujara showed he can bash as well as he can block. The signature cuts shot made a frequent appearance, perhaps the best of which was when he slapped Kallis for four first in front of point and off the next ball behind point. The wheels came off for South Africa as Pujara and Kohli plundered 46 in five overs. The variable bounce in the track seemed to vanish, and the Wanderers seemed more of a flat track than one on which batsmen had struggled over the past two days. With the shine off the ball,
Kohli was in an enterprising mood right from the start, after facing down a high-speed spell from Steyn early on. Steyn was constantly bowling in the mid-140s just before tea - about 10km more than he averages with the new ball- and though he had Kohli top-edging a pull, the ball flew over the keeper. After Kohli got through that, the boundaries flowed as he reached his 50 off 74 deliveries. Though his powerful pull off Philander a few overs before close was a representation of India’s total domination, he was a bit subdued after his halfcentury, with Pujara scoring the bulk of the runs. A cracking drive through cover off Steyn brought up Pujara’s first century away from home, something he has desperately been craving for, and he accepted the gifts on offer from Tahir and Duminy to finish unbeaten on 135. The batsmen extended the good work done by Zaheer Khan and Ishant Sharma at t h e s t a r t o f t h e d a y, wrapping up the South Africa tail within 45 minutes to hand India a 36-run first-innings advantage. Perhaps the one bright spot for South A f r i c a o n the day was Philander rewarded with the wicket of Dhawan early for a terrific opening spell, a dismissal that made him the fastest South African to 100 Test wickets. That will be cold comfort for South Africa fans, after they witnessed one of their teams toughest days in Test cricket in recent years. Scores: India 280 and 284 for 2 (Pujara 135*, Kohli 77*) lead South Africa 244 (Smith 68, Philander 59, Ishant 4-79) by 320 runs.
Saturday December 21, 2013
Kaieteur News
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Luis Suarez signs new Djokovic call even surprised me, says Becker long-term Liverpool deal LONDON (Reuters) Boris Becker said Novak Djokovic approached him to become his head coach the day the Serb lost the world No.1 ranking to Spaniard Rafa Nadal in October this year. D j o k o v i c ’ s announcement this week that the German six-times grand slam champion was to become his coach was greeted with surprise and Becker himself said it had been unexpected. “I was approached by Novak and his manager while he was playing in Beijing,” London-based Becker told BBC Sport on Friday. “He decided he needed somebody in his corner that had been there and done it. “I was surprised - I didn’t expect the phone call. I was very honored.” Marian Vajda, who has been 26-year-old Djokovic’s
it.
Boris Becker coach for each of his six grand slam titles, will continue as part of the team but Becker is set to assume head coach responsibilities at the forthcoming Australian Open which starts on January 13. It will be Becker’s first foray into coaching a toplevel player and he said he would put 100 percent into
“This isn’t a half-hearted job, it wouldn’t be right for him or for me,” Becker said. “You’re in it to win it. You either go at it fully or you don’t - either I commit myself or I don’t commit myself.” Becker joins another former world No.1 and multiple grand slam winner Ivan Lendl in the coaching circle after the Czech-born American teamed up with Andy Murray at the start of 2012 and has since guided the British player to two major titles. “When Ivan was appointed, I thought about what took some of these guys so long to talk about some of these all-time greats (as coaches),” said Becker. “There was a generation that really changed tennis and the way we played in the 1980s is not that different to how we’re playing today.”
Messi slams Barca vice
president over contract comments MADRID (Reuters) Barcelona forward Lionel Messi has hit out at Javier Faus over comments the club vice president made questioning the need to improve the Argentine World Player of the Year’s contract. In unusually strong language for the mildmannered 26-year-old, Messi told Catalan radio broadcaster RAC1 Faus knew “nothing about football” and denied demanding improved terms to the deal he signed in February that ties him to the Spanish champions until June 2018. Faus, who oversees economic affairs at Barca, told RAC1 this month he did not understand why Messi would need a better contract given that he had only recently agreed a new one. “Mr. Faus is a person who knows nothing about football and he wants to run Barcelona as if it were a company and it is not,” Messi said from Buenos Aires, where he is continuing his recovery from a hamstring injury. “Barcelona is one of the biggest clubs in the world and deserves to be represented by the best managers as well,” he added.
“And apart from that, I remind you that neither I nor anyone in my circle has ever asked for either an increase (in salary) or a contract renewal. And he (Faus) knows that very well.” The spat between Messi and Faus is unlikely to have any lasting repercussions, particularly as the player has denied wanting more money. Club president Sandro Rosell sought to calm the waters on Thursday, telling reporters he had not discussed the issue of an improved contract with Messi but adding that his
office door was “wide open” any time Messi wanted to talk. “I have no doubt that Messi should be the bestpaid player in the world because he is the best footballer on the planet,” Rosell said. Messi’s wages are the highest of any soccer player at up to $21.2 million a year, according to a list compiled by Forbes magazine in May. He was the third-highest earner overall including sponsorship deals behind number one David Beckham and second-placed Cristiano Ronaldo.
BBC Sport - Luis Suarez has signed a new four-and-ahalf-year contract with Liverpool. The striker, 26, joined the Reds in January 2011 and has scored 17 goals in 11 Premier League starts this season. Suarez, whose original deal was set to expire in 2016, will earn around £160,000 until the end of this season and then £200,000 per week over the final four years of the contract. “I am delighted to have agreed a new deal with Liverpool and have my future secured for the long term,” he said. “I believe I can achieve the ambitions of winning trophies and playing at the very highest level with Liverpool. My aim is to help get us there as quickly as possible.” Suarez admitted his close bond with Liverpool’s fans was an important factor in his decision, particularly their backing during his 10-match ban for biting Chelsea’s Branislav Ivanovic earlier this year. He told Liverpool TV: “I love the city and the supporters. They have helped me and I try my best on the pitch. “It was a difficult time after the summer, but they helped me come back and play and I think when supporters help you off the pitch you try your best to make them happy on the pitch.” He also revealed that manager Brendan Rodgers played an influential role in persuading him to pledge his
Luis Suarez (Getty Images)
immediate future to Liverpool. “He was very important. When you have confidence with the manager you can try your best,” he said. “When the team is together and you are happy in the dressing room, that makes me happy.” Suarez’s relationship with leading figures at Anfield has improved significantly since he attempted to force a move to Arsenal in the summer. The Gunners made two bids for the Uruguay international, including a club-record offer of £40m plus £1 in an attempt to trigger a release clause in his contract. Both were rejected, with Liverpool boss Rodgers accusing Arsenal of “playing games”. Suarez was considering submitting a formal transfer request and also the possibility of court action if the dispute was not resolved as he believed the second bid triggered a clause in his contract that allowed him to leave the Anfield club. Suarez was initially
made to train alone during pre-season, but returned to the first-team fold on 16 August after talks with Rodgers. “This is fantastic news for everyone associated with the club; the team, the owners and most importantly the supporters,” Rodgers said on Liverpool’s official website. “Luis is a world-class talent and securing his services is crucial for what we are trying to achieve here. “What’s most important and most exciting is that, at just 26 years old, his best years are still ahead of him and we now know we’ll be seeing him reach that potential in a Liverpool shirt.” S u a r e z ’s t i m e a t Liverpool has often been controversial and he has previously been handed handed two long-term bans. He was banned for eight games in December 2011 for racially abusing Manchester United’s Patrice Evra before receiving his 10-match ban in April for the incident with Ivanovic.
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Kaieteur News
Saturday December 21, 2013
Preparations well advanced for Kennard’s Memorial Boxing Day race meeting With the Horseracing season coming to an end with just a few more meets set, the Kennard Memorial Turf Club (KMTC), stages their traditional grand annual Boxing Day one day horserace meet on Thursday 26th December at the Club’s entity Bush Lot Farm Corentyne,
Berbice. Eight races are slated for the days programme which will have a whopping $9M in trophies and cash incentives available. Wi t h t h e K e n n a r d M e m o r i a l Tu r f C l u b (KMTC) having one of the best facilities in the
horseracing circle in Guyana and the amount of entries expected to be high, a exciting day of racing is anticipated. So far over 50 horses have entered. According to coordinator, retired Chancellor, Justice Cecil Kennard, the track is in very good condition and an action packed day of
racing is anticipated. Several sponsors have been lined up to be a part of the day’s proceeding led by beverage giants Ansa McAl Guyana Limited and DDL, the Kharag Family of USA, owners of Metro C o m p u t e r a n d O ff i c e supplies in Guyana. Among the others on
board are Republic Bank, Neal & Massy (Guyana) Ltd, Mohamed’s Enterprise, Winston & George Baijnauth – Sawmillers, Digicel, Pomeroon Oil Mill, Nand Persaud & Co, Berbice Bridge Co. Inc, Gobin Agri Spares C e n t e r, G o o d w o o d & Horse Shoe Racing Services, N. Mattai& Co, Ariel Enterprise, P & P Insurance Brokers, Kanhai Guyana Electrical Agency, Torginol Paints Inc, Gift Land Office Max, Ramesh Sunich of the Trophy Stall Bourda Market, City Mall and Guyoil. The feature A and lower event for the Deo Kharag Memorial stakes and trophy will be sponsored by the Kharag family for the hefty pole position takings of S1.5M and trophy over one mile. The co-feature event is for 3 years old West Indian maiden and Guyana bred horses also over one mile. The other events are the race for E and lower horses, the D3 maiden gallop, which will also see
the animals cover a distance of six furlongs, the race for two year old animals, the G1 and Lower race. There is the race for animals classified I3 and lower, while there is also a race for horses classified J and lower. Entries close today, 21stDecember, and no late entries will be entertained. The outstanding jockeys, trainer and stable will all received trophies and other accolades compliments of Trophy Stall Bourda market and the organisers. Interested owners can make contact with Justice Cecil Kennard on telephone numbers 2261399, 225-4818 or 6237609,club Secretary Niketa Ross on 662-4668, Roopnarine “Shine’ Matadial, 325-3192, Ivan Dipnarine 331-0316 for further information and entry details, Isabella Barton (693-7812) or Dennis Deroop 3253301(609-9143). (Samuel Whyte)
Shivnarine Chanderpaul becomes sixth highest run-scorer in Tests Pays tribute to Alan Border B B C S p o r t Shivnarine Chanderpaul has become the sixth highest run-scorer in Test history after posting an unbeaten 122 against New Zealand in Hamilton. The West Indies batsman has now scored 11,199 runs in 153 Test appearances, overtaking Allan Border’s 11,174. The 39-year-old is now only 754 runs behind compatriot Brian Lara, who is fifth on the all-time list. “I’m just trying to take each game as it comes along and trying to do as well as I can,” said Chanderpaul. It was his 29th century o v erall and his 17th unbeaten ton - one more than the recently retired India legend Sachin Tendulkar. Chanderpaul was keen to pay tribute to former Australian captain Border, who retired in March 1994, the same month in which the Guyanese made his Test
debut. “Border is a great man and scored a lot of runs against us in the past - and we have a lot of fast bowlers!” said Chanderpaul. New Zealand ended the second day in Hamilton on 156-3 after West Indies were bowled out for 367. The hosts lead the best-ofthree series 1-0, following a dramatic drawn first Test and a comprehensive victory in the second. The Magnificent Seven S a c h i n Te n d u l k a r (Ind): 15,921 Ricky Ponting (Aus): 13,378 Rahul Dravid (Ind): 13,288 Jacques Kallis (SA): 13,140 Brian Lara (WI): 11,953 S h i v n a r i n e Chanderpaul (WI): 11,199 Allan Border (Aus): 11,174
Saturday December 21, 2013
Kaieteur News
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Jamaica strong opponent to Chico K&S Secondary School Football Championships exclusion of CCC, says Heaven Famed guests of honour Dwayne
amaica Observer - THE new administration of the Jamaica Cricket Association (JCA) is vocal in its opposition to the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) excluding the Combined Campuses and Colleges (CCC) from regional tournaments in the future. The regional body discussed the fate of the team — consisting of tertiarylevel students — at a Board meeting in St Kitts earlier this month, and ultimately decided to continue to allow their participation in WICBrun competitions for at least another year. But Wilford ‘Billy’ Heaven, who was elected as JCA boss less than a month ago, and who is one of two representatives from Jamaica who sit on the WICB board of directors, believes the university team is a key element in the region’s cricket development. “ We o p p o s e d t h e omission of the CCC from the West Indies competitions. We believe that you cannot be serious about the development of cricket and not include the CCC in that process,” he said during the Jamaica Observer Sports Club forum at the t a b l o i d ’s B e e c h w o o d Av e n u e h e a d q u a r t e r s Thursday. “Not having them playing is really saying that you’re not really looking far enough down the road. “They (the WICB hierarchy) have agreed, at least within the next year to have the CCC included, but our position will not change on that,” added Heaven in a resolute tone. JCA first vice-president Dr Donovan Bennett is the other representative from Jamaica. WICB chief executive officer Michael Muirhead, in
DeRosario, Garth Nelson, arrive today
President of the JCA Wilford ‘Billy’ Heaven makes a point as he addresses the Jamaica Observer Sport Club at the newspaper’s Beechwood Avenue headquarters Thursday. (PHOTO: NAPHTALI JUNIOR) the Trinidad Express, cited “commercial” benefits and the desire to take a “different slant” as reasons for the proposed exclusion. Many cricket followers across the region as well as those directly linked to the Combined Campuses team had made appeals ahead of the Board meeting to not withdraw the CCC from the Regional Super50 and Fourday competitions. The Combined Campuses and Colleges reached the final of this year’s Super50 tournament and lost to the Windward Islands. The CCC also finished second in the 2011 edition of the Four-day tournament after being beaten by Jamaica in the final. Heaven, who on December 7 attended his first WICB board of directors meeting, explained that the CCC is valuable to the region’s cricket. “One of the things you have to look at closely and understand fully is that cricketers are no longer coming up through what was then the Estate system and sugar factories, cricketers are not coming up through bauxite industry and bauxite
companies. “Cricketers and sports people, both men and women, are coming up through the educational institutions and that’s a reality going forward that we have to face,” said Heaven, the CEO of the state-run CHASE Fund. Heaven continued: “It’s not only in Jamaica, it’s not only in the West Indies, but throughout the world, you are seeing the connect between sports and education, at tertiary institutions, in particular. Therefore it would not be in anybody’s interest to omit the CCC from the competition, because that’s the future.” The 2014 Super50 is set to be played in Trinidad & Tobago, starting in late January. The CCC first played in regional tournaments in 2007 and received a WICB grant of $US50,000 under former president Julian Hunte back in 2012. That amount is reportedly similar to what the WICB awarded to the six territorial boards for helping cricket development. The current president of the WICB is Whycliffe ‘Dave’ Cameron.
They have hosted legendary football star, Edson Arantes do Nascimento, known to the world as Pelé, and Guyanese of all walks of life had lined the streets of Georgetown for a first hand glimpse of the man dubbed ‘King of F o o t b a l l . ’ To d a y, t h e principals of the Kashif and Shanghai football organization will once again break new grounds when they travel to the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, Timehri to escort top Canadian soccer player, Dwayne DeRosario and football administrator, Garth Nelson, here as guests of the current Chico K&S Secondary School Football Championships currently underway. The duo arrives in Guyana at around 15:30 hrs today and will address a tight itinerary starting with a courtesy call on the Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports, Frank Anthony, at 17:00 hrs. The team will also engage Chief Education Officer, Olato Sam at that forum. Consequently, the K&S Directors will host a media briefing at 18:00 hrs before heading for the Princess Hotel International, Providence EBD, where the two visitors will be housed during their brief stay. Later in the evening, at 20:30 hrs, the guests will journey to the Le Meridian, Pegasus Hotel for a reception. The famed footballer will leave for Linden at 09:00hrs tomorrow morning and will facilitate a coaching clinic with youngsters in that community before
addressing several other engagements including a lunch meeting with Linden officials at the Watooka Guest House at 14:00hrs. The team will then head for the MSC Ground to witness the two matches in the competition. The first encounter w i t n e s s e s Wi s m a r / C h r i s t i a n b u r g Secondary School taking on New Silver City, while Leonora Secondary tackles McKenzie High. The team departs Guyana early Monday morning. A player of no mean order, DeRosario is born to Guyanese parentage and has notched up several lucrative awards during his illustrious career. He has clinched the coveted Canadian Footballer of the Year award on 4 separate occasions while copping the MLC Cup MVP in 2001. DeRosario was also voted Toronto FC Player of the Year in 2007 and 2009 as well as the MLS Most Valuable Player in 2011. The prolific ball weaver also earlier secured the MLS Goal of the Year award two years in a row, in 2004 and 2005. Among his other awards are MLS Golden Boot 2011 and elite spots among the MLS Best XI every year from 2005 to 2011. With a carrier spanning some 14 years, DeRosario comprises an integral part of the Canadian National Team and is currently preparing
to represent his country at 2014 World Cup in Brazil. M r. N e l s o n ’s interaction with Guyanese footballers commenced in 2000 when he took Kayode McKinnon to Spain for a tryout. One year later, he sponsored Randolph Jerome and Charles ‘Lily’ Pollard on a similar expedition to the USA. In 2002, Mr. Nelson penned an autobiography of McKinnon and that book now forms a part of those in the Linden library. The hard working football executive then secured 2nd division contracts in the USA for Nigel Codrington, Pollard, Randolph Jerome, Shaun Cameron and Kevin Beaton. H e w a s a l s o instrumental in securing the Major League Soccer contract for Gregory Richardso n i n 2004. Maybe, his most sterling achievement occurred shortly afterwards when he introduced beach soccer to Guyana and formed the Linden based, Beach Soccer Football Association. Meanwhile, the K&S schools continue today with a double header at the Georgetown Football C l u b (GFC) ground from 4:00pm. Dolphin oppose Charlestown Secondary in the first match, which will be followed by Digicel Schools tourney runner-up, Wa r a m a d o n g f a c i n g North Ruimveldt at 6:00pm in what promises to be a keenly contested match-up.
t r o Sp
WI bowlers make it tough for NZ Ross Taylor plays through the off side. (Getty Images)
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Sunil Narine extracted turn as he claimed 2 wickets. (WICB)
PG II Final Four Famed guests of honour ignites CASH tonight Chico K&S Secondary School Football Championships
Dwayne DeRosario, Garth Nelson, arrive today P.39
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- Quality basketball ends year
Dwayne DeRosario
Sheldon Thomas
Shelroy Thomas
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