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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: 225-8491, 225-8458, 225-8465 Fax: 225-8473 or 226-8210
Editorial
Promotions and the police officers Based upon observations it seems likely that annual promotions within the officer ranks of the Guyana Police Force will once again be stagnated this time due to the absence of a quorum in the virtually defunct Police Service Commission. The worrying factor is the apparent lack of objective criteria whereby ranks particularly gazetted officers are evaluated for advancement in the GPF. Anecdotal evidence suggests that among the reasons persons are not promoted are to be found in two principal areas namely (i) pending disciplinary matter(s); and(ii) adverse annual confidential report(s). However it is not unknown that favoured officers have been beneficiaries of promotions sometimes to the extent of superseding more worthy candidates. Some of these (un)worthy things have been given a free ride never having experienced the travails of professional policing. The other side of that coin is that those officers who find themselves in disfavour are stagnated sometimes to the point of opting to resign in circumstances that can aptly be described as constructive dismissal, or to not rock the boat and go with the flow until retirement so as not to jeopardise their retirement benefits. Two such cases come to mind where until her retirement the most senior of Assistant Superintendents was passed over for promotion for more than ten years. The other instance is where the most senior of Superintendents has been consistently superseded by persons less experienced/qualified for a number of years. The ostensible reason is that there are pending disciplinary matters against both of these officers. The fact that these people’s right to a hearing has been violated contrary to the principles of natural justice seems not to have made any impression on anyone. To regularly raise the spectre of disciplinary inquiries whenever the time approaches for the PSC to consider promotions recommendations reeks of vindictiveness sheltering in an unstructured, opaque and disorganized process. Many of those promoted to their level of incompetence are prone to exhibit the worst form of leadership behavior including oppressive and tyrannical conduct towards subordinates. The findings of a survey on this aspect might be revealing for the administration. The issue here is the example which we are seeking to provide the young and impressionable among us. Can anyone fault either of those two officers if they were to paint a less than favourable picture of the current realities? If officers are being investigated for any infraction of the Standing Orders then it is to be expected that they should face an expeditious hearing of the matter. To suspend indefinitely a disciplinary inquiry is akin to Damocles’s plight and is essentially perverse, and a denial of natural justice. Officers desirous of being promoted should be required to meet certain stated objective criteria, including critical thinking skills which consist of organized and critical thought that facilitates good judgment. They must demonstrate the ability to arrive at (and justify) conclusions; prioritize ideas; apply strategies for dealing with error, improbability, and ambiguity; and to value and access information. Officers should be afforded the opportunity to be guided by a superior officer if their performance is evaluated as not up to the expected standard for promotion to the next level. Those aggrieved officers who are impacted negatively by a process that they perceive to be skewed should be provided with the opportunity for a review. It is high time that a properly constituted, untainted and functioning PSC demands of the Force administration that this unprincipled practice cease forthwith. A verifiable list of seniority should accompany recommendations for promotion along with detailed explanations and supporting documentation showing why seniors are being superseded. In other words the potential for subjectivity and abuse of the process must be removed or - at the very least, considerably reduced. Holdovers of disciplinary matters should not be a feature in any new dispensation which speaks of reforms and police modernization.
Sunday December 22, 2013
Kaieteur M@ilbox Send your letters to Kaieteur News 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown or email us kaieteurnews@yahoo.com
GPL not planning to spread any Christmas cheer DEAR EDITOR, Christmas is a standing offence to the idea of economic and social rationality. The entire population launches on an orgy of over-eating, gift-giving, card-sending and party-throwing, abandoning any rational thought of where the money will come from or how best to prioritize expenditure. As though to kick us back to reality we are boldly reminded in the dailies that GPL will not be partying with us or indulge in the gift-giving mania. Instead, like spoilt brats they will put out our fairy lights and plunge Santa into darkness as he slides down the chimney if we don’t put aside and settle our outstanding balances. Here is one utility giant that is not trying to earn goodwill or spread any form of Christmas cheer. The GPL disconnection notices in the form of half page ads could at least have been designed in colour to show holly on the borders with red candles, crimson cherries and even a reindeer or
two scampering across the ad in a mad rush to deliver gifts of darkness and defrigeration guaranteed to spoil our seasonal goodies. We can only hope that to preserve the Christmas spirit in true Guyanese style, the disconnection crews will be wearing Father Christmas outfits and arrive noisily so that they alert our dogs and cutlass-wielding watchmen. This writer strongly recommends that disconnection crews operating in some of the livelier inner-city communities arm themselves with pepper spray, stun guns or CS gas devices if these are allowed. Mind you, some rottweilers have been trained to withstand gas attacks and how to connect with disconnectors. In my lower East Coast community, GPL Santas disconnect several times every night and frequently during the day. Sometimes the outages last for a few minutes only. My fairy lights flicker all through the night not because they’re designed that way but because of GPL
tinkering with the electricity supply. But gifting and the economy of regard should intrude well beyond GPL. Government must become that Santa Claus employer, gifting its workers job security and higher than a mere 5% increase. Their employees will reciprocate by gifting higher morale, productivity and commitment and by lowering lateness and absenteeism. The economy of regard is the essential glue of both a well-performing government and the good society. This is understood, if only subliminally, by every Guyanese. It is why there is growing skepticism at the blind way the government is managing the nation’s affairs- from secret, sweetheart deals conceived under mistletoe, to allowing our capital city to sink under Christmas rubbish , to gifting Brazilian interests a huge chunk of territory on our southern flank. It would seem that reciprocity, trust and giving without being asked (Continued on page 6)
Sunday December 22, 2013
Kaieteur News
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Kaieteur M@ilbox Kaieteur M@ilbox Guyana needs an integrated management plan to address solid waste problems DEAR EDITOR: After witnessing the debacle surrounding the appointment of the Georgetown Municipality Town Clerk under circumstances that undermine due process and procedures and which potentially perpetuates a culture of mediocrity in our country’s public offices and institutions, I feel compelled to write on one of the most compelling issues affecting all municipalities – solid waste management and disposal. Guyana needs a holistically integrated management plan addressing the solid waste problem across the country by focusing on a three-step process that starts from waste generation and storage, moves to safe collection, and culminates in environmentally responsible final disposal. While short term, fragmented approaches can be welcomed, we will not get anywhere in the longer term if we do not take into consideration all three
components in achieving an effective solid waste management system. At the operational levels of waste generation and storage there are many initiatives that could be pursued. These include awareness programmes emphasizing the importance of reducing waste and using environmentally responsible storage methods; the sorting or source segregation of waste, initiatives encouraging household composting, and the provision of large public waste receptacles. At the collections stage, initiatives can encompass
timed and increased collections of solid waste; use of appropriate collection equipment; outsourcing to private enterprises; the provision of an incentive- or market-based schemes for collectors of recyclable materials (that is, such collectors could be formally organized under umbrella organisations or categories). At a more creative level, upgraded judicial rules could allow for community service sentences and collaboration with the reform prison system to carry out garbage collection with working prisoners who have been
classified as low security risks. At the point of final disposal, the country needs a technologically updated recycling plant; proper landfill and dumpsite management sites across the country; tipping fees to ensure sustainability of landfills, and landfill composting facilities. It is widely acknowledged that finished compost has a
marketable value and can be sold to enrich our soils, improve vegetation and reduce the need for fertilizers. However, for this threestep process to work, it must rest on a foundation where appropriate laws are adopted upon the principle of zero tolerance for irresponsible solid waste disposal. Likewise, efforts must engage participation of citizens and
residents through community programmes and awareness campaigns involving schools, NGOs, citizens’ groups, municipal authorities, local businesses, and other entities. Other essential considerations should encompass adequate, stable funding for relevant institutions as well as financial oversight, transparency and accountability in the procurement and budgetary allocation process. More (Continued on page 6)
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Kaieteur News
Kaieteur M@ilbox
Sunday December 22, 2013
Kaieteur M@ilbox
How the PNC and PPP Underdeveloped Guyana DEAR EDITOR, I would like to offer a brief recap of the strategies played out by the People’s National Congress and the People’s Progressive Party, which individually, but when examined collectively, have led to two major development setbacks for Guyana. Time neither space does not permit me to offer an indepth analysis of how both groups have undermined Guyana and have lost the trust not only of their support base but of a sizeable portion of the Guyanese population. Population here refers to Guyanese living in and outside Guyana. Back to the two strategies, which are provided below using bullet points so reads and better digest, reflect and critique:
How the PNC underdeveloped Guyana, summation of once implemented political strategy - Control the economy by nationalizing key productive and service sectors (this eventually led to the collapse of Guyana’s economy which is a symptom of the PNC’s former economy development plan) - Enlarge the public sector and make them fearful of and dependent on the PNC controlled executive government - Cultivate a highly educated society and channel them into a life of service in the public sector - Rig National Elections - Where and when necessary use violence to
intimidate and suppress How the PPP is currently under-developing Guyana - Control key economic sectors such as the telecommunications and print and electronic media by: (a) privatizing the economy and channeling investments to sectors that are dominated by party supporters; (b) aligning with the elite productive class (read elite private sector) and constantly swinging carrots in the form of investments and investment opportunities their way and (c) owing, controlling and creating politically aligned factors of production (own the land, own or have primary access to financial capital; restrict bargaining power of labour force). Essentially where the PNC tried state control the
PPP is trying political control; that is members, friends and close associates of the party own a majority of and/or most major national economic assets. - Facilitate social, economic divisions and PPP control of key service sectors such as the Guyana Police Force, Guyana Defence Force, Trade Unions, Regional and Neighborhood Democratic organs and Public Service Administration by deliberately or unconsciously fostering corruption within these sectors - Leverage associations with groups and members of the criminal underworld to target and intimidate political and other types of opponents and detractors. That is create space and
opportunities for narcotrafficking, etc. to flourish in exchange for intimidation and other types of elimination services associated with the criminal underworld in Guyana Destabilize the University of Guyana and key municipal and local government organs to justify arbitrary actions that result in PPP control or majority influence in decision-making and budgetary allocations. - Institutionalize rigging/ altering national elections in favour of the PPP - Limit development opportunities for groups and constituencies that do not support the PPP I certainly hope your readers, especially the researchers and those interested to further explore my offerings, do not take lightly these actions and pursue further investigation respectively. Taken
collectively the PNC and PPP misrule and underdevelopment of Guyana not only has present consequences but has likely set our development back beyond the total number of years both parties have unfortunately led Guyana. I would also like to share with your readers that development isn’t second hand cars, buses, mortgages (read indebtedness) to build houses and the proliferation of laundered money. Development is neither a high and stable gross domestic product nor per capita income; development is the collective intellectual capacity of a country or group of people. History has taught us that this can only be nurtured through rigorous and sound education and the acquisition of complementary skills such as those learned through the arts. Mike Archer
GPL not planning... From page 4 underpin government’s philosophy but only for the lucky few. I advise them to give generously this season as the Christmas party may end abruptly in 2014. We have all been playing our part in the economy of regard-the givers, the takers and the candle stick makersso don’t get angry at those credit card bills and bounced cheques as you survey the financial ruin of another Christmas. Your lack of cer-
tainty in what 2014 will bring is part of the human condition but rest assured we do know that: the rich will get richer some beyond their wildest dreams, the poor will spend beyond their means and pray to God in their darkened rooms while chunks of Guyana will be sold off to friends and family. But for the time being get ready for the disconnection crews. Feed your dogs early on Christmas eve then let them loose until year end. F. Hamley Case
Guyana needs an... From page 5 critically, the plan should promote the use of appropriate technology, such as biomethanation for organic wastes and composting equipment. At the most significant level, the plan should be coordinated through a central coordinating agency (for example, at the ministry level of local government or other governing unit) that involves the broadest spectrum of stakeholders representing, among others, municipal departments, private enterprises, waste collectors,
NGOs, and residential groups. A central policy clearinghouse will help avoid the potential problems of disintegrated approaches, duplicated efforts, waste of resources, or an unwieldy solid waste management programme. Finally, local government reform and regularly held elections also are critical components, as they ensure accountability from municipal authorities and gives the people of Guyana their duly merited say in how and who should manage the day-today affairs relevant to their geographic constituency. Indeed, the proper, responsible management of solid waste disposal is a hallmark of an effectively functioning government and society. Clinton Urling
Sunday December 22, 2013
Kaieteur News
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Pepsi Dream prize winner attends live Beyonce concert Demerara Distillers Limited and Pepsi announced that the winner of the Pepsi Dream Prize Promotion left Guyana for the all expenses paid VIP Experience trip and concert in New York City with the world renowned musician Beyonce. The winner, Brian Persaud and Guest (who submitted over 300 entries and are from East Berbice) have received an all inclusive trip for the Music VIP Experience which includes two VIP concert tickets, a recording studio experience, accommodation at the Marriott Marquis Hotel
in Times Square for four days and three nights, airfare and spending money. Brian Persaud turned out the eventual winner at the final draw of the promotion which was held on September 28, 2013 at DSL Cash and Carry at Industrial Site, Ruimveldt. The Pepsi Dream Prize promotion which commenced on August 16 and concluded on September 26, last gave one Pepsi consumer and a guest the opportunity to see Beyonce‘ perform live at the final show of the Mrs. Carter World Tour that was held in
New York on December 19, 2013. Last year December, Pepsi announced a wide ranging global collaboration with Beyonce‘. Pepsi in a release at that time explained that the collaboration would include the development of new content and innovative ways to engage fans, consumers and retailers to benefit both the Pepsi brand and Beyoncé. As a brand ambassador, Beyoncé has appeared in print and out-of-home advertisements for Pepsi. She has also been visible in-store
and on-premise through materials such as shelf promotions, in-store displays and in-store advertising. Pepsi has had a relationship with Beyoncé for more than a decade — she first served as a Pepsi spokesperson in 2002. According to DDL Brands Executive Larry Wills, the Beyoncé partnership is the lead example of how Pepsi is pioneering a new way for brands to engage with musical artists, moving from sponsor to partner. This creates a creative and commercial collaboration that serves both artist and brand.
Brian Persaud and his guest at the NY airport
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Kaieteur News
Sunday December 22, 2013
India says US ties ‘very strong’ as it seeks to cool maid row New Delhi (AFP) - India sought to tamp down yesterday a furore over the arrest and strip-search of one of its diplomats in New York, insisting the episode should not be allowed to derail “strong” ties with the United States. Related Stories Angry India tells US ‘times have changed’ after diplomat spat AFP India diplomat says she faced cavity search in NYC Associated Press India transfers diplomat to U.N. in bid to defuse row with U.S. Reuters India urges US to drop case against arrested female diplomat AFP India demands that US drop case against diplomat Associated Press Foreign minister Salman Khurshid said a dialogue with Washington was under way to defuse the crisis sparked by the 48-hour detention of deputy consular general Devyani Khobragade on December 12. “Our relationship is that of partners. Our mutual relations are very strong,” Khurshid told reporters in New Delhi. “I believe people in both the countries wouldn’t want the old ties we share to get unsettled by this one incident,” he said “...I speak to America
through diplomatic channels and my diplomatic channels have been interrupted. That is my concern,” he added. At the same time, Khurshid warned that the United States “must understand the value of (their) partnership”. Nonetheless, Khurshid’s tone was milder than on Friday when he termed the treatment of 39-year-old Khobragade by US Marshals “hurtful” and “unacceptable”. The two countries’ ties have warmed considerably since they were on opposite sides of the fence during the Cold War. They now participate in joint security exercises and Washington sees India as a valuable strategic partner in the troubled region. But the world’s two largest democracies have been at loggerheads since the arrest of Khobragade, who said she was handcuffed and subjected to an invasive body search. The diplomat, a mother of two, now free on bail, was arrested over accusations that she lied about the salary she was paying her Indian servant in a US visa application. According to New York authorities, she was paying the domestic worker a third of the figure mentioned in the
visa application. But her treatment has caused outrage in India, with the government urging Washington to drop the case and apologise. India is trying to secure stronger diplomatic immunity for Khobragade by shifting her to its UN mission in New York, although such a move needs State Department approval. The Press Trust of India reported Saturday the UN had received a notice from India to register Khobragade as a member of the Permanent Mission, adding the request would be processed according to “standard procedures”. However, a spokeswoman for the State Department made clear in a briefing late this week that there could be no retroactive immunity for Khobragade. “If there’s a change in immunity... because of a different diplomatic status, that immunity would start on the date it’s conferred,” Marie Harf said. The government and opposition parties have taken a tough stand over the issue as they gear up for a general election next year. Delhi has made a series of moves against the United States, bulldozing security barricades around the US embassy and snubbing a visiting US delegation.
Arab report slams U.S. security ideas for Palestine CAIRO (Reuters) - The Arab League yesterday rejected U.S. proposals that would allow Israeli soldiers to be stationed on the eastern border of a future Palestinian state, underscoring the challenge facing a U.S. effort to wrap up a peace deal by April. At an emergency meeting called at the request of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas yesterday, Arab League Secretary General Nabil Elaraby said there could be not one Israeli soldier in the territory of a future Palestine. But a resolution he read at the end of the meeting did not repeat the harshly critical language of a report circulated to the Arab delegates ahead of the gathering. The report, seen by Reuters, said the U.S. security proposals “achieved Israeli security expansionist demands, and guaranteed (Israel’s) continued control of
Mahmoud Abbas (the Jordan Valley) on the security pretext”. It also described them as “an American retreat”. Palestinian sources have detailed a U.S. plan to allow a continued Israeli military presence for the next 10 years in the Jordan Valley. Israel says its troops have to remain
there to prevent arms and militants entering the West Bank. Abbas has rejected the idea of Israeli troops being stationed along the Jordan Valley, but says he could accept the deployment of U.S. troops there. Secretary of State John Kerry, who has been shuttling between Israelis and Palestinians, has said the United States has presented “some thoughts” on security arrangements, but given no details. The Arab League report said the United States and Israel were linking talks on political issues to the Palestinians’ consent to “the American security solution”. “This is what the Palestinian side rejects,” it said. Israel and the Palestinians resumed direct peace negotiations in July after a three-year break, but there has been little public sign of progress.
Sunday December 22, 2013
Kaieteur News
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Dem boys seh GM unsure when NIS bought 950 million shares from NICIL GPL RUNNING OUTA EXCUSE …NIS now owns 76 per cent of Berbice Bridge
Financial Analyst, Christopher Ram Financial Analyst, Christopher Ram, has accused the Private Sector Commission (PSC) of resorting to intrigue, diversion, distortion and deception to divert attention from the fact that the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) now owns 76 per cent of the Berbice River Bridge Company. According to Ram, the PSC in its most recent statement on the Bridge Company Inc. was unwilling to acknowledge this. He pointed to the PSC statement that read, “as far as we are aware, the government directly or indirectly has no investment in, or liability relating to, the [Berbice River] bridge at this time.” Ram described this as a crudely disguised political response to A Partnership for National Unity (APNU’s) call for reduced toll charges across the Berbice River. That statement issued by the Private Sector Commission drew questions from some of the PSC membership about the process leading up to its issue. Ram said that instead of addressing the concerns of whether the statement was authorised by the PSC Executive rather than authored by Ramesh Dookhoo at the behest of Ron Webster, the PSC after an unsuccessful investigation
Chairman of the Board of Directors, Dr. Roger Luncheon with General Manager, Doreen Nelson. into an email “leak” resorted to distortions. He said that its latest offering reveals that NICIL has sold to the NIS, 950 million worth of preference shares in the Berbice Bridge Company Inc., the existence of which it never acknowledged, let alone the ownership of those shares, even in statutory filings signed by then Company Secretary, Winston Brassington. According to Ram, the sale does not alter the factual nature of his earlier response to the PSC statement. He reminded of his position when he said Government, inclusive of the NIS, owns 76 per cent of the issued shares of the company. The PSC had argued that NIS is an institutional investor which bought the 950 million shares. According to Ram, “It is hard to believe that the PSC does not know that a transfer from one government controlled entity (NICIL) to another (NIS) does not alter the Government’s direct and indirect investment in the issued shares of BBCI. “Does the PSC truly believe that being an
institutional investor in the Bridge Company alters the legal nature and status of the NIS…And does it not agree that following the sale, the NIS now owns 76 per cent of the issued shares in the Company?” According to Ram, the PSC has refused to acknowledge that NIS is Government-controlled. “It cannot be outside of their knowledge that by law, the Minister of Finance appoints everyone of the Scheme’s eight nonexecutive directors as well as its sole ex-officio director. And again by law, that the Scheme is under-written by the Consolidated Fund.” Ram said that the PSC dishonestly claims that he “pointed” to Government’s ownership of a Special Share as “evidence of ownership”. “Coming from the PSC, such distortions are unsurprising but no less dishonourable.” Ram said, “I find it hard to tell whether the bigger problem for the PSC is being honest or being accurate.” He said that in responding to the PSC’s call to him to extricate them from the embarrassing situation in which they found
themselves, Brassington, NICIL’s CEO, could not avoid revealing that NICIL’s coffers are now swollen by the proceeds of the sale of the preference shares with an original book value of $950 million. “I believe that this is the first public intimation of that sale.” He said that with strong public relations link between the PSC and NICIL, it was relatively easy for the PSC to recruit Brassington to divulge to them information to shape their response, “including the small matter of a billion dollar transaction.” He said that NICIL and the NIS must now provide the public with full particulars of the preference shares sale transaction, including the persons engaged in the negotiations; the date the transaction took place; the price at which the shares changed hands; the basis of the valuation; and whether the shares were sold Continued on page 10
When dog accustom to suck egg it can’t change. GPL accustom to giving people blackout at this time of de year and now, regardless how good things good, people got to get blackout. De thing wha get dem boys vex was that de same GPL had de nerve to announce that people gun get full current during de holidays and then hand people blackout three and four times a day. Of course, de company find excuse. It claim how breeze blow plenty and it blowout de current. When dem get another long blackout, de power company claim how too much rain fall and de next thing dem know was that couple transformer blow and some post fall down. De only thing is that nobody aint hear no explosion and dem ain’t see no post fall nowhere. De other day dem had neither rain nor breeze yet dem had blackout. De power people ain’t find no excuse. Long time dem use to blame rat and cockroach. In de old days dem use to blame fuel shortage. Dem also use to blame de machine. Dem boys seh that one day dem gun run out of excuse; just like how some business people running out of excuse. Imagine dem use to blame de bank suh dem keep dem money under dem bed. De excuse was that de bank can collapse like Globe Trust and dem would lose dem money. But things change suh dem, had de excuse that de banks got so much money that dem got to pay de bank to keep dem money. One man claim that if he put he money in de bank he got to pay taxes. Bandits thiefing dem money by de millions. Tek Kirpalani. If he had to pay tax he woulda pay less than he try fuh send to de bank in a carton box. But is Christmas and this is a time of sharing. Dem boys seh that perhaps Kirpalani was sharing de wealth wid de bandits. Talk half and hope that somebody share wid dem boys.
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Kaieteur News
Sunday December 22, 2013
Opposition ups pressure for increased Parliamentary scrutiny of GGMC’s millions
A road in the Mahdia community that the AFC hopes Government will rehabilitate. The Alliance For Change (AFC) has stepped up calls for changes that would allow a number of Government agencies to come under closer monetary scrutiny. This is to ensure that monies gathered from the various agencies are paid into the government’s central coffers - the Consolidated Fund. The issue was raised during the party’s weekly press briefing at the Side Walk Café, Middle Street on Wednesday. Asked to comment on complaints that several hinterland communities were not benefitting from the gold rush with roads and other
infrastructure in poor state in many areas, AFC’s Vice Chairman Moses Nagamootoo was highly critical. He expressed concern that the monies being collected from the extractive sector managed by the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) are not being placed in the Government’s central account. GGMC is the government regulator charged with managing the mining industry, collecting fees and royalties. Under the law, all monies to be spent from the Consolidated Fund have to be approved by the National Assembly. The Opposition,
following the November 2011 General and Regional Elections had gained a oneseat majority in the House and have been questioning spending. Several agencies, like the Guyana Energy Agency, the Guyana Forestry, the Lotto Fund and the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL), have been coming under the microscope. Annually, the agencies have been handling billions from fees and royalties and in the case of NICIL, sale of Governments assets, with the Opposition accusing Government of using these monies like a slush fund.
LONG-SERVING BERBICE DENTAL SURGEON Prominent dentist Dr. Benoit Langlois, 73, who hailed from Haiti and of Lot 41 Stanleytown, New Amsterdam, and who has been residing in Guyana for the past 36 years in Berbice, has died. He passed away on Tuesday after ailing for some time at home. When his condition worsened he was rushed to the New Amsterdam Hospital where he died later that day. Well known as ‘Doctor Ben’, Dr. Benoit Langlois arrived in Guyana as a dental surgeon from Haiti in 1977 and worked exclusively in Berbice. He left his home country Haiti in 1974, before journeying to Canada to study. After spending three years in Canada, he journeyed to Guyana and joined the Ministry of Health in 1977. In March 1977 he was sent to the New Amsterdam Hospital which had been without a dentist for two years. Dr. Ben immediately fell in love with the Ancient County
Dr. Benoit Langlois and moreso, New Amsterdam. He refused to move when he was being transferred to other locations. On one occasion he was asked to serve in Linden and he threatened that he would prefer to return to Haiti than leave Berbice. The doctor would travel the length and breadth of costal Berbice to other hospitals to conduct his clinics. He would visit Fort Wellington, Port Mourant, Mibicuri and Skeldon which did not have dental surgeons.
His love for the job was so much that he served way past his retirement age and finally stopped working in the public sector in June 2012 and the age of 72. He however continued to practice at his private clinic at his Lot 41 Stanleytown Home. During his time he was a prominent member of the Rotary Club of New Amsterdam. Members described him as simple, hard working, dedicated and always willing to go the extra mile to assist. He also did work with the Berbice Mining Enterprise (Bermine). His long time serving staff member Ella Thomson who also worked with him at the New Amsterdam hospital stated that one of the reasons that he remained in Guyana for so many years was because he never liked travelling, “not even to cross the Berbice River with the ferry.” Dr. Ben leaves to mourn, a wife and three children who all reside in Canada. Plans are being made to take his remains back to Haiti for burial.
The Opposition has criticised and questioned decisions by Government to spend from NICIL to build the Marriott Hotel and even pay for critical expenses for the Amaila Falls hydro project. Investments in the Berbice Harbour Bridge have also come under fire for not being approved by the National Assembly. According to the Member of Parliament, the monies should be channeled into the revenue stream (Consolidated Fund) and used in an “equitable way” to service the nation. There have been growing complaints of the state of hinterland roads, many of them used by miners, loggers, farmers as well as residents. The argument has been that because the hinterland communities have been generating significant earnings for the country, investments of similar nature should be plugged back in. Gold for the past three years has been the biggest foreign currency earner for Guyana with production this year surpassing the highest declaration recorded. A c c o r d i n g to figures released by Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment, Robert
Persaud, on Tuesday, the gold production recorded as at December 16, 2013 amounted to 458,105 ounces; surpassing the previous highest level in 2011 when the gold declared amounted to 455,918. Logging activities, though not on the same level as gold production in terms of employment, have also been providing significant employment for especially Amerindians. There have been calls for that industry to also spend monies in equal fashion in the hinterlands. According to Nagamootoo, the monies should “be used for the benefit and purpose of the people”, not only in mining communities but across the board where there is need. “Of course roads are very important, not only in interior areas… In some of the communities where we have
AFC’s Vice Chairman Moses Nagamootoo farmers producing and they don’t have access to the network of roads and other forms of communication to get their produce to the market; because that, for us, is very important for the livelihood of our Guyanese people,” the politician said.
RONNIE SARWAN CAUGHT
Guyana and West Indies batsman Ramnaresh ‘Ronnie’ Sarwan and Cindy Parsram tied the knot yesterday at a Hindu religious ceremony at Bush Lot, West Coast Berbice. This ceremony would be followed by a reception today at the Guyana International Conference Centre..
GM unsure when NIS... From page 9 ex-div or cum-div, that is, with or without the dividends payable at the date of the transaction. NIS General Manager, Doreen Nelson, said that she could not remember when the scheme bought 950 million shares in the Berbice River Bridge from NICIL. Nelson was contacted yesterday, to ascertain when the shares were purchased from NICIL. She said that she could not remember the exact date but that the information was at her office.
Efforts to contact Winston Brassington, who heads up NICIL proved futile. NICIL, the government holding agency for national assets, and headed by Brassington, sold all of the $950M worth shares that it had to the NIS. There was no announcement of this sale. NIS is in receipt of healthy dividends on the $80M it had initially invested, while NICIL had waived collecting any dividends on the $950M it had plugged into the construction of the bridge.
The original investors in the Berbice bridge were NICIL with 950 million shares, Bobby Ramroop’s New GPC, NIS, CLICO, and Secure International Finance Company had 80 million shares each. Hand in Hand and Demerara Contractors each held 40 million shares. The CLICO shares have since been sold to New GPC making Ramroop the largest single private shareholder in the bridge and with NICIL selling its 950 million shares to NIS, that body now holds 1.03 billion shares in the bridge.
Sunday December 22, 2013
Kaieteur News
Govt’s no-objection role in state contracts should continue - PSC As the debate continues about whether the Cabinet Ministers should continue holding the right to object to awarding of state contracts after the long-overdue Public Procurement Commission (PPC) has been made operational, at least one business body believes that the Government should have a say. According to the Private Sector Commission (PSC), an objection can only be made if Cabinet believes that the procedures laid out in the Procurement Act were not adhered to. This is in the existing act already. “Cabinet’s objection should be made to the Procurement Commission as an oversight and appellate body, who will then review the reasons for the objection and make a ruling.” If the Procurement Commission disagrees with the grounds for objection and finds that the law was adhered to as per the Procurement Act, then permission will be granted to the National
Attorney General, Anil Nandlall Tender Board to proceed with the awarding of the contract as recommended by them without referral back to the Cabinet. According to the PSC, if the Procurement Commission agrees with the objection, then the matter is sent to the National Tender Board to remedy the shortcomings and send it back to Cabinet for a no objection. PSC urged that once the Procurement Act is amended by parliament and assented
by the President, the Procurement Commission should be installed with a level of urgency. “Adequate funding should be provided to ensure that the Procurement Commission can carry out its function effectively.” The issue has been a sore one between Government and the Opposition, with the latter feeling that the administration has been manipulating contract awards with power to object. On Thursday, the National Assembly was debating amendments to the Procurement Act which would continue to allow Government to have a final say in a contract award. According to Attorney General, Anil Nandlall, Government does not award contracts, rather this is left to the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board. When the Procurement Commission is appointed and up and running, entities or persons unhappy with the award of state contracts will be able to make complains to that body. He denied that Government could in reality pick up the phone and direct that a contract be awarded to a particular person or entity. The awards of contracts have been a sore issue with the administration time and again being accused of bribery. On Thursday, the National Assembly voted to hold off debating the amendments for six months. The Alliance For Change, the smaller of the two Opposition factions with seven seats, said that the vote to hold off deliberations would come with the understanding that the Public Procurement Commission is established soonest. The business body has been meeting with AFC and A Partnership For National Unity this past week to seek to resolve any issue. PSC has also called for the select committee meetings to be opened to the local press.
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Anti-Money Laundering Bill
Gold exporters brace for effects from blacklisting Local licensed exporters of gold are not yet feeling the full effects of Guyana being blacklisted by the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF). But, they are awaiting the inevitable if Government and the Opposition Parties in the National Assembly do not compromise and approve the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (Amendment) Bill. Because Guyana did not amend its Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism legislation by the November deadline set by CFATF it was
blacklisted. Business entities are fearful of stringent measures overseas partners would take when doing business with Guyana. According to a major city gold exporter, his business has not been negatively impacted by Guyana’s blacklisted status. The exporter explained that the usual process of selling gold to overseas companies and having the payments wired to his business’ corporate account has neither changed nor experienced any delays. However, other exporters, not only in the gold business, are experiencing delays in
receiving payments. The delays are not lengthy but the three to four-day delays are impacting their operations. Besides the psychological trauma of wondering if one’s goods would be returned, exporters are bombarded with constant phone calls from suppliers for money. According to an exporter, since Guyana has been blacklisted there have been delays in receiving payments from overseas buyers. Whenever this occurs, suppliers also have to wait more days to receive their payments and this suffers their operations, he added.
GOVT. CALLS ON US TO EXPLAIN ITSELF Even though the Guyana Government has rejected a project by USAID, Cabinet is in receipt of numerous reports that the elements of the project are still being implemented. This is according to Head of the Presidential Secretariat, Dr. Roger Luncheon, who this past week called on the US Embassy, USAID or the International Republican Institute to explain. Dr. Luncheon, told media operatives that the US Embassy or the other two institutions must clarify their understanding of Cabinet’s rejection of the project. The Head of the Presidential Secretariat also informed media operatives that he has since written to the US Ambassador for an explanation. “There needs to be some clarification provided…” He said that from observations and reports by Cabinet members, the activities are going on in Region Three and Region Four and it attends to political
…claims opposition party being assisted with mobilization party and their mobilization. He was quick to point out that this work with political party and mobilization did not apply to the ruling Peoples Progressive Party. This implies that the US was assisting either A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) or the Alliance for Change (AFC) on mobilization. Following up on a request by the media for details of the project, Dr. Luncheon also provided an outline. Below is an excerpt of the project outline: USAID/Guyana Elections and Political Processes (EPP) Fund, Leadership And Democracy (Lead) Project. The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) is developing a programme to strengthen democratic institutions in
Guyana. Through this programme, USAID seeks to strengthen the democratic functioning and characteristics of political parties and the Guyanese National Assembly through the provision of technical assistance. The objectives are to enhance the technical capacity and functionality of the legislature through the regular use of consultative practices and mechanisms for legislative drafting, analysis, review, and passage. The programme should further reinforce democratic governance in Guyana by broadening political participation through more representative and competitive multi-party engagements. This programme will include a particular focus on women and youth.
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Kaieteur News
Sunday December 22, 2013
Essequibo speedboat Women murder accused further operators make a ‘killing’ remanded in US citizen’s death Speed boat operators plying the Parika/ Supenaam route after the regulated cut off time of 17:30 hours are making huge profits from passengers who are willing to take the risk to get across to the Essequibo Coast from Parika after dark. Monitors at Supenaam have said that while their cut off time for boats plying the Parika/Supenaam route continues to be 17:30 hours, speedboat operators from Parika continue to operate beyond that deadline at their
own risks. The monitors have indicated that the activity by those Parika speedboat operators is not unique. These operators have been initiating huge prices to transport passengers, especially from across Essequibo Coast because after they would have offloaded passengers at Supenaam they would return to Parika without any passengers. Passengers from the Essequibo Coast have
lamented that while speedboat operators are not forcing passengers to use their services after 17:30 hours they are however advised to pay an extra $700 as opposed to the regular fee of $1,300 to cross over to Parika to Supenaam, especially at this Christmas season. Thursday evening last, five men including a prominent businessman from the Essequibo Coast agreed to pay $20,000 for five persons to travel after dark from Parika to Supenaam.
Two women, including the wife of the now dead US-based Guyanese, Abdool Shakeel Majid, charged with his murder are undergoing their second Preliminary Inquiry. The result is that they have been further remanded to jail. Hemwattie Abdulla, 37, called “Anita” or “Nazeema Khan” formerly of Albion, Corentyne and of Ozone Park, New York, and her reported accomplice, Surojinie Tirmaul, 43, of
Second PI underway
Hemwattie Abdulla
Surojinie Tirmaul
Belvedere New Housing Scheme, Corentyne, Berbice is on trial for murder before Magistrate Rabindranauth Singh at the Springlands Magistrate’s Court. They allegedly murdered Majid on April 26, 2012 at Number 63 Beach Corentyne. The women are being represented by Attorney at Law Mursaline Bacchus. Special prosecutor Attorney at Law Ganesh Hira is representing the state. The women had earlier undergone a preliminary inquiry by retired Magistrate Krisendat Persaud; however this was incomplete when he retired. The matter had to be restarted before the new Magistrate. So far one witness, Zaheer Dexter Thomas, a brother of the deceased, led
by Attorney at Law Hira, has given his evidence in chief. At the moment he is being cross examined by defence Attorney at Law Mursaline Bacchus. Police were able to crack the case after the man’s wife returned to the United States while he went missing. When the woman returned to Guyana from the United States, she was asked to report to the New Amsterdam Police Station and asked to identify her slain husband’s body. She was promptly arrested. The body was found a few days earlier with its scalp missing at the N u m b e r 5 6 Vi l l a g e , Corentyne foreshore around 07.40 hrs in the morning. It bore other injuries. Bloodstains and sand were found in the car trunk that the couple had rented. Detectives had also r e t r i e v e d t h e w o m a n ’s driving permit from the car. The remains were only identified on May 16 when a brother of the deceased visited Guyana after becoming suspicious about the wife’s behaviour. He subsequently travelled to New Amsterdam, Berbice and positively identified his brother’s body at the mortuary. The man, a former New Yo r k t a x i d r i v e r, w a s reportedly murdered shortly after he arrived in Guyana on April 22, after the couple had visited Guyana for a holiday. The victim and prime suspect married in December 2011. After the marriage, the woman reportedly made frequent visits to Guyana. The man had reportedly taken out an insurance policy not long before. The matter is expected to be continued on January 9th when Thomas is expected to be grilled once again by Attorney at Law Bacchus.
Sunday December 22, 2013
By Leonard Gildarie There will be quite a number of Guyanese who will be sleeping in their new homes this Christmas. There can never be a more grand feeling than owning a piece of real estate that you worked hard for. The pressure will be on to spend a lot on decorations and paint and other stuff. It is natural. Everybody wants to show off a little and feel good about their beautiful home. But based on past experience, unless you have real deep pockets, I would suggest you temper it down. A little restraint can go a far way. In the new home, especially if you have taken a mortgage, there will be many things that still need fixing. My neighbour has her new home and she moved in with almost nothing. Daily, I can see her shoveling a little piece here, painting a little piece there. I like that. She still does not have her fence as yet. She has taken a mortgage too, like me, and has realized the need to save by doing the small things. It is simple…look after the pennies and the dollars will look after themselves. Keep your money; the early months of the new year are where lots of deals on housing materials can be found. Many persons are normally broke around that time and the hardware stores would do promotions to sell off their stocks. Any new home will come
Frustration often causes people to do things that they come to regret. From the national standpoint it is causing the country to lose its human resource. This time around there have been more murders than at any other time in recent memory. This is unusual and it is the result of a hungry reaper who is finding that more and more people are chasing the lure of money and want nothing to even sidetrack them. A gun attack would lead to another fatality but whatever little satisfaction the ensuing arrest would cause would do nothing to ease the worries of the law enforcers. ** Another river disaster will occur soon. It will involve
Kaieteur News
with problems. The contractor is always rushing to finish. That is the nature of the housing sector. The demand for contractors has brought about a worrying problem that cannot be fixed anytime soon…the shortage of skills. I have made a mental note to raise this issue with the Labour Minister as well as the Central Housing and Planning Authority. That problem has seen many labourers rapidly marketing themselves as contractors and the unsuspecting owner of a house lot just simply does not carry out the required due diligence. Due diligence is really a big term for checking the background of that contractor to ensure he can do what he says. Let him show you homes he built and you can quietly inspect them and ask the neighbours. I have spoken before of this need. So what we actually have is a number of labourers who are learning the job on your time and money. A media colleague of mine has applied to the bank for mortgage financing and he was asked to adjust downwards his estimates in order to qualify for what he asked for. He wants to know what to cut. His contractor is taking a third of the $9M he is spending. I told him that is crazy. He is building an upstairs with plywood ceiling. There are several bits of advice for him and others who are about to build and working on a tight budget.
persons plying the Guyana/ Venezuela route in the western part of the country. Some people would have to be dragged from flotation units they fashioned in the heat of the moment. ** Another robbery will occur in the outskirts of the city. Some people home for the holidays would be the target. This is going to cause raised eyebrows because it is happening all too often.
You need light, water, grills, doors that are protected from the elements, a kitchen sink and a bathroom. Another priority for me was a water pump and two of those 450gallon water tanks. I have two kids with the wife and two of these tanks are good. Many of my neighbours don’t have that. Water in La Parfaite Harmonie comes from a well that the Government installed a few years ago. The water is extremely red. I pump it up to the tanks and use that in the home. It is impossible to wash the yard with the water from the pipes because the ‘redness’ is a maddening sight for the home. I strayed a little. Bottomline is that you prioritise what you need and then work your way after you would have moved in. Don’t build fancy and leave the home with a kitchen installed and no doors in place. The grills are a priority too. I need not explain the rationale for this. Painting the inside of the home can be done by the family. It does not have to be done in a day or week. Take your time. I did all my front wooden windows. I sanded, applied the sealant and later the stain and then coat to protect it. I felt good after moving in three years ago and see the looks from persons passing. My wife painted the inside and most of the exterior. I feel a little ashamed because I was
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Prioritise what you need and then work your way after you would have moved in.
at work. She understands that the “Man” has to work. So yes, I have not touched on a particular subject today but just rambled.
This piece will be the last before Christmas and in the new year we will have to ramp things up. Please don’t drink and
drive and enjoy the holidays and don’t forget to drop your comments or questions to gildarie@yahoo.com. God bless you!
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By Michael Jordan Taxi drivers claim to have a built-in instinct about danger, but the driver in the burgundy Toyota Carina felt no apprehension when the three boys approached his car. Maybe it had to do with the fact that they didn’t fit the profile of the young men the cops were blaming for the three-year spree of robberies, kidnappings, and murders. He readily agreed to drop them up the East Coast of Demerara. Some of his buddies at the Demico Park would later say that he was just a bit reckless when it came to picking up strangers. During the journey, the passengers stopped at UG Road, where they picked up some other friends. They then asked to be dropped to a night spot at Lusignan. Shortly after nine o’clock on October 24, 2004, persons living near the St. Mary the Virgin Anglican Church in Beterverwagting heard screams of ‘Murder!’ and ‘Thief!’ coming from the vicinity of the church. Those who looked outside saw a man stagger from a burgundy car. Still screaming, the man stumbled south along Quamina Road before collapsing at the roadside. Meanwhile, the car headed in the direction of Georgetown. The older residents went to the scene, where they found a man of mixed ancestry lying there who had literally been stabbed all over his body. He was clearly dead. Detectives eventually arrived but found no documents on the victim. The photograph of the
Kaieteur News
dead man appeared in the October 25, 2004 Kaieteur News edition. Because he had exited a vehicle, there was speculation that the victim might be a taxi driver. Following that slim lead, I took a copy of the Kaieteur News and headed to the Demico car park. The second driver who I showed the picture to said with certainty: “That is Teddy Smith.” It couldn’t be this easy, I thought. But I entered his car and we journeyed over the Demerara Harbour Bridge to Goed Fortuin, West Bank Demerara where Teddy Smith lived. I rapped at the front door and an attractive young woman, who identified herself as Sonia Garryva, invited me in. With some trepidation and a sense of guilt, I showed her the newspaper. Sonia Garryva screamed. Yes, the sobbing woman said. The man was Teddy Smith, the father of her three children. Dressed in white and red jersey, jeans and brown boots, 35-year-old Teddy Smith, called ‘Fine man’, had left home at around 18:00 hrs on Sunday October 24, 2004. Sonia did not suspect that anything was amiss when Teddy failed to come home the following day, since he often worked until morning. The car he drove was a burgundy vehicle, PGG 9723. At the time, not even the police had this information. I had already completed my story when we were tipped off about an intriguing development. The night after Teddy
Sunday December 22, 2013
Teddy Smith
Smith was slain, taxi driver Deochand Debidayar was in the Cummings Lodge area when two young men hired him to take them to Ogle. Debidayar had no idea that the occupants of a burgundy car were trailing him. When he arrived at Ogle Airstrip Road, the passengers, who were armed with knives, began to beat Debidayar. But luck was with him that night. A Special Constabulary mobile patrol was traversing the Ogle Airstrip road at the same time and heard his screams. When they arrived at the spot, some of the youths fled from the burgundy car that
was trailing Debidayar’s. However, one of them was nabbed in the vehicle. According to the police, the suspect led then to five other accomplices. One of the youths was reportedly hiding in a wardrobe when the cops arrived at his home. Although the licence plates had been removed, detectives quickly confirmed that the burgundy Toyota the suspects had used was the same one that Teddy Smith had driven when he was slain. According to the police, the youths confessed to murdering Smith, while a fingerprint expert lifted their prints from the dead man’s car. Detectives were somewhat disturbed about the coldblooded nature of the attacks. After all, none of the teens—five from Cummings Lodge and one from Prashad Nagar—was from an impoverished home. Five days later, alleged mastermind Christopher Dhanrad (called Paul Jagnandan), Azim Khan, Vijay Rajkumar, and Kumar Seeraj, all aged 17, were charged with murder and armed robbery. One 15-year-old lad was also charged with murder, while another 15-year-old was charged with robbery under arms. Eventually, only Dhanrad, Khan, Rajkumar and Seeraj appeared in the High Court on murder charges. Case closed? Not so. They had caught the accused in Teddy Smith’s car. They had confessions and
Teddy Smith’s reputed wife Sonia Garryva
fingerprints. But the state’s case began to fall apart. The battery of defence attorneys began to pick the State’s case apart and to expose their sloppy preparation. During cross-examination, the police rank who had uplifted the fingerprints from the murdered man’s car admitted that both he and his assistant had omitted to sign the card on which the fingerprints had been mounted. The detective also could not say with certainty which officer he had asked to sign the document and was not in a position to recognize the signature on it. As a result, the Presiding Judge ruled that the fingerprints were inadmissible as evidence. The defence also queried whether the police had forced the ‘confession statements’ out of their clients. Dhanrad and Rajkumar
would later allege in unsworn statements from the dock that they had signed blank papers after police ranks beat them in an effort to achieve confessions. The Judge accepted nocase submissions in relation to Azim Khan and Kumar Seeraj and ordered them to be freed. A day later, a jury, directed by the Presiding Judge, then found Rajkumar and Dhanrad not guilty of murder. If you have any information about other unusual cases, please contact Kaieteur News at our Lot 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown location. We can be reached on telephone numbers 2258458, 225-8465, 225-8491 or 225-8473. You need not disclose your identity. You can also contact Michael Jordan at his email a d d r e s s mjdragon@hotmail.com
Sunday December 22, 2013
Kaieteur News
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== THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN ==
“Senza Fine” and winged impulse Writer’s note: Because of the large number of people I ran into this season that I never knew migrated, I am republishing my May 8, 2008 column with three small additions. “Senza Fine” (pronounced sensa finay) is one of Italy’s great love songs only sung in English by Connie Francis and Dean Martin. It means, ‘never ending.’ Monica, the daughter of the world famous music composer, Henry Mancini (who gave us the Pink Panther theme) does it the best in the Italian language. The song became famous after it was featured as the theme for an internationally successful movie, “Flight of the Phoenix” and reproduced recently in the movie “Ghost Ship.” Check out the beauty of the Italian singer performing the song live in front of the “jumbies’ on the ghost ship. Both the song and the original movie have symbolic meaning for understanding where Guyana is going. Here are some lines from this enchantingly beautiful melody that you can reflect on as the Guyanese phoenix takes daily flight; Senza fine
Let it always be senza fine There’s no end to our love, our hopes Our dreams, our sighs No end at all No sad goodbyes No fears, no tears No love that dies It’s senza fine Let it always be sensa fine Never ending The sunlit days, the moonlit nights The sea, the sand, the starlit heights Are yours and mine forever more Every day in this country, those who cannot leave, and those who choose not to leave keep on dreaming, clingingly dearly to the hope that like the phoenix, Guyana will rise from the ashes. For those people, it is senza fine no end to our hopes and dreams. This writer is one of them. But there is the other side of the coin. Every day, people in this country take flight. Guyana’s tropical romance they leave behind. They turn away from the sea, the sunlit days and moon-lit nights for cold evenings and lugubrious, winter nights. Their starry heights they will enjoy in another country, maybe in
any other country except Guyana. Some of them we know closely; some we share a strong bond with. Some of them are well loved family members. Many of these wonderful Guyanese we may never see again. As a teacher, you see this flight in its more graphic form than in many other professions. You may work in an office and over the years, maybe a dozen of your colleagues have flown. But as a teacher, hundreds each year pass through your hand, and year after year, you watch them take winged impulse. One of the phenomenal things I have learnt from being a teacher in this country is the inexplicable human fertility with which Guyana is naturally endowed. Despite the lack of resources in our educational system, this nation continues to produce students that are warm-hearted, learned, philosophical in their outlook, and generally embody good values comparable with any other nationality in the world. If Guyana could find a way to make these people remain here, then the phoenix will rise from the ashes. When that would be is anyone’s guess. The future
does not look bright. As soon as someone migrates to colder but richer pastures and leaves relatives behind, we hear about the money they will send back. Statistics compiled in the US on remittances show that just over US$400M come into this country by those who took flight. Analysts and commentators have agreed that this has done immense good for Guyana. But there is a downside to the movement of money that economists like Professor Clive Thomas and others like him have to zero in on. Capital flight has been going on in this country since Mr. Hoyte opened up the economy with his 1989 budget. The US$400M that this land receives is not the whole
story of sweet roses. Lots of foreign currency, gold and diamond leave these shores annually. I would say of that US$400M that comes in, you have to subtract over US$100M in both cash and minerals. Remember some years ago a well known established family business in the hardware division had a dispute in a Canadian court involving C’dn$2M. How did that money get to Canada? Do you know how many Guyanese are American citizens and have enterprises here and they transfer the profits abroad. I know one guy who lives in New York. The main operation in Guyana has several branches. He selected his friend to become the CEO. The arrangement is that X amount of American dollars
Frederick Kissoon must be banked every month in New York for him. Whatever the CEO makes he can keep once the owner gets his target. And the target is met every month. There are dozens and dozens of arrangements like that. It is possible more money leaves Guyana than what comes in? Hope you listen to “Senza Fine.” You would love it. Nice song.
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Book Review: Critic: Dr Glenville Ashby Poets have always stirred the conscience, embedding themselves in struggles for social change. Their words are also celebratory finding solace and warmth in the nature’s resplendence. Like the Psalmist, they cry out from the depths of their soul, soothing the bruised heart and offering hope to the hopeless. It is this authenticity that has made many poetic gems timeless, transcending cultures and creeds. To rank Trinidad-born Michael Ashby in the same vein as a Shelley or Wordsworth is arguably an overreach, but he comes daringly close. His Poetic Jewels journeys back to a life in all its rustic magnificence with whistling birds, brooks and streams and the fertility of green. And the beauty of the human body he lauds unabashedly. It is nature in its pristine form. Ashby’s verses are crisp with a pedestrian beat and almost symmetrical in tone and colour. Maybe its predictability can be faulted,
Kaieteur News
Sunday December 22, 2013
A pricey literary gem of unrivaled worth Book: Poetic Jewels by Michael Ashby but this does not detract from the overall weight of his message. There is a raw and appealing simplicity to Ashby’s oeuvre. He writes with elegant authenticity that proves to be a robust retort to any critic. Poetic Jewels beckons the reader to reflect on the fundamental gift of life, a gift that has been ravished by internecine wars and twisted teachings that promote social injustice. Alas, the existentialist’s philosophy of self-realisation, amid the most arduous of challenges is alien to today’s society. And Ashby responds in the only way he knows how. Whether it is “Who is a Friend,” “A Secret to Tell,” “The Stairway to Heaven,” or “Splendour,” Poetic Jewels flows effortlessly - in phases. From the homostrophic odes to ancestors and the glorification of nature; from the sensual hymnal tones of lost and found love to divine supplications, this poet is message unwavering. Shunning prosaic poetry, he is an apologetic classicist. In “She is Gone,” he writes: “How must I feel now that she
is gone, trashed in the gutter, melted and worn; where craziness lies and even spent, woe to this sadness there lies resent…” And in “the Pinnacle of Love,” the poet intones: “I am at the pinnacle of ecstasy, so aroused by this sensation of sublimity. How great thou art, I found my lady of black beauty…” While “Jewels” rings of genuine human emotions love, acceptance and understanding - from an individual level, one cannot ignore its social implications. Ashby’s love grows outward, bursting with a cry of liberation that connects to those trapped and stymied by oppression. “I am what I feel, the surge of power it reveals. The essence of my tribulations that once were, now vibrates a joy I am happy to know,” he writes. We also see this catharsis in African Woman, a work of rebellious pride: “My name is not colonial but of significant importance. Anika by birth of ancestral acceptance…….Free at last, so free at last, Emancipation
has made its way into our hearts. Come my African sisters, this is our day. Let us celebrate in our own special way. You may light a candle or beat a drum, but whatever you do, May it be done in honour of African Redemption….” And as a fitting corollary, Ashby hails Makandal Daaga in an eponymous poem: “We marched the length and breadth with this man, even to work in the sugar cane land. So now is the time for our children to heed of the struggles we had, so they can lead…” Has this poet left the sublime to swelter in the heat of politics? Not likely. “Daaga” is a poem replete with sensitivity, historical awareness and gratitude. In fact, it may very well encapsulate the humanistic underbelly of this compelling work. Feedback: glenvilleashby @gmail.com/Follow him on Twitter@glenvilleashby Poetic Jewels by Michael Ashby, 2013 ISBN: 976-8193-10-7 Recommended (868) 3841523/ michael.ashby007@gmail.com
Sunday December 22, 2013
Kaieteur News
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My column
A fool and his money I always used to hear the saying, “A fool and his money are soon parted”. My mother would often say that to me when I rushed to spend the ten cents and the pennies that I would collect from neighbours for doing odd jobs. Sometimes I would get a raise from visiting relatives. So it was that every time I would see the boys heading for the rum shops as soon as they got paid, the thought about the fool and his money would come to mind. Sometimes they would get robbed as they left the rum shops so they would end up going home with precious little or nothing. It was not until this past week that I realized how many fools we have in the society. There was the Ministry of Works. Admittedly, the money represented what the taxpayers contribute to the national coffers, so in a sense the Works Ministry was not losing its money. Yet the fact that it lost money entrusted to it, highlighted how foolish some people are. I am not going to carp on the need for bank payments to employees and for people
to gravitate to plastic. I have done so far too often, to the point that I now realize that I am merely talking to the breeze. No sooner had I remarked on the foolishness at the Works Ministry than I found a bigger fool, this time a business enterprise. For an established business to move large sums of money in carton boxes is the most stupid thing anyone can imagine. This business has been in Guyana for decades to the point that it became a household name. For such a successful company, one would believe that it would have a security firm at its disposal to move its money. The commercial banks do not make light of moving money around to restock the Automatic Teller Machines. They hire security companies with armoured trucks and armed guards. I cannot recall any commercial bank being robbed by gunmen. One of them was reportedly robbed while transporting money from Berbice, but it turned out that the robbers were the very people transporting the
money. They were caught. Guyana Sugar Corporation, another fool, was not so unlucky when it happened to be moving money to the West Demerara to pay its employees. Some gunmen attacked the vehicle transporting the money and made off with the payroll. However, they did not get far and within hours the sugar company recovered its money. But there was this business entity seeking to deposit more than $17 million into the bank. A fool and his money are soon parted. The manager packs the money into a carton box and gives it to a clerk. There is this clerk walking about with enough money to build three low cost houses and a buy a car and perhaps a minibus. Some men, as if by clairvoyance, find out that money is in the carton box and they take it away. There is no comment from the business entity but the clerk is in police custody, whether for being stupid or for being complicit in the act of making the money disappear. Yet I cannot ignore the
fact that the government has made fools of all of us taxpayers. President Bharrat Jagdeo, with much fanfare, announced that he was going to do what England, Canada, the United States and some other developed country have done. He was going to set up closed circuit cameras around the city. Millions of dollars went into the project which was supposed to put a dent on crime in the city. Many people thought that they would now see fewer carjackings, fewer robberies and even fewer incidences of the police using excessive force. The cameras would have been like the proverbial all-seeing eye. But this is not to be and there are no explanations. Some gunmen shot and killed a policeman under the eyes of one of the cameras and there was no record of what happened.
In fact, it turned out that there were commentators who claimed that the government set up that particular camera to keep an eye on protesters walking along Regent Street. So we have this $17 million heist in a city where the cameras are supposed to be pervasive. It must be that they are blind and are in need of surgery. But then again, the technician who installed them probably fleeced the government. I asked the Cabinet Secretary about these cameras and he told me that they are not for real-time use, that people would have to check the footage gathered by the cameras and make a determination of the situation. He however promised that before long, with the advent of the e-governance cable, everything would be real-time. Well the advent of the cable may be decades away. So for now, we have paid huge sums for the authorities
Adam Harris to keep an eye on criminal activity in the city. But it is left to us to keep an eye on the situation and then report to the authorities. This lapse does not make the Works Ministry and the business entity bright. It does not change their status from ‘fools’. Imagine putting money in a carton box and sending a lone clerk without security to a commercial bank. At last someone or something made me in my old age understand what my mother used to tell me.
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Kaieteur News
Sunday December 22, 2013
The AFC is here to stay! By Moses Nagamootoo M.P A major success was the defeat of the notion that a “third party” such as the Alliance For Change (AFC) could not survive in our divisive and polarized political arena. The AFC has not only carved out an indelible niche on the Guyana political landscape, but has become the fastest growing political party as well. The AFC is here to stay! This is due primarily to three factors: 1. AFC maintains a vibrant and robust voice in the National Assembly; 2. AFC mirrors the image of a genuinely authentic multi-
ethnic, multi-class movement with equal appeal in places such as Port Mourant, Linden, Anna Regina, Moruca and in the Marudi Mountains; 3. AFC has become part of the national consciousness that demands that the scourge of corruption should be wiped out from this land. These are no small successes which we share with other political and civic forces that have made the fight for accountability a national concern. AFC has finally bought a building to house its headquarters, and the Centre For Change will soon be part of the our profile of being ready for Government.
We maintained a cohesive leadership, in spite of the attempts at character assassination and “cussdown politics” and our National Executive Committee and Management Committee broke new grounds in meeting outside the Capital. AFC, defying shortage of money, is still able to publish our newspaper, “Key”. Our major failure has been ineffective communication with our members and supporters, and not having sufficient outreach in the riverain and interior communities. AFC’s messaging problem is due primarily to denial of access to the state media (radio, TV and newspaper), all of which have been converted into propaganda outlets of the ruling party. So we will keep our scissors sharpened for any subvention to these state agencies. We have been
denied the right of reply to vicious attacks and misinformation by the ruling cabal and have to divert our meagre resources to paying for TV time on private channels. The result is that our rank and file does not get timely information of AFC’s position on national issues resulting, as in the case of our conditional support for the Amaila Hydro project, in a few dropouts from our membership. We have not been successful against the PPP’s propaganda onslaughts, to convince a wider section of our people that AFC’s position on various issues is patriotic, in the national interest, and intended to make our governance clean, honest, transparent and accountable. But, it is satisfying to know that our fight against dirty money via crooked deals and contracts, is gaining ground, which is why there is now broader support for the establishment of a Public Procurement Commission
(PPC) to end government’s role in approving or disapproving public sector contracts amounting to billions of dollars. There are several issues that will roll over to 2014, at the top of the agenda being how to get Local Government elections by mid-year so that we can energise the grassroots to be involved in the process of changing their communities. We will continue to track the spending of public funds and may cite senior government officials for corrupt practices, and up the fight to bring all public funds into the State Treasury, like excess monies from NICIL, Wildlife, Lotto, etc., so that they flow to the people and not into the pockets of government cronies. The AFC will also continue to fight for a fullystaffed Financial Intelligence Unit to go after dirty money; Integrity Commission to probe the assets and unjust enrichment of the political elite; broad-based state media
Moses Nagamootoo board to ensure equitable access; and for a Commission of Inquiry to examine the giveaway allocation to friends and family of television, radio and other telecommunications frequencies, as well as state lands and concessions. The AFC is grateful for the goodwill, and even the criticisms, it has received from our people here and abroad, and pledges to uphold high standard of political behaviour, as we follow the road map to change and honest government in Guyana.
Sunday December 22, 2013
Kaieteur News
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SUNDAY SPECIAL NEW RIVER TRIANGLE DEBACLE… RAMOTAR MUST SCRAP MININGPACT, RELIEVE ROBERT PERSAUD OF MINISTERIAL DUTIES …COMPANY WAS SECRETLYGRANTED RIGHTS FOR 2,200,000 ACRES OF LAND- CHRIS RAM “Whatever the Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment, Robert Persaud, may or may not have said to the Natural Resources Committee of Parliament, one fact is clear: Muri Brasil Ventures Inc, has been granted the right to apply to the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) for, and shall be granted (emphasis added) a maximum of eighteen Prospecting Licences for Rare Earth Elements, Bauxite, Limestone, Nephelene Syenite, Gold, Diamonds and Granite Stones.” This is the assertion of Financial Analyst, Christopher Ram, who in his most recent writings on his chrisram.net media outlet, said that in face of the implications and improprieties, President Ramotar has only one option in this matter. According to Ram, the President must scrap the ‘Permission to survey’ given to the company and relieve Robert Persaud of any ministerial duties. Ram suggested that Persaud’s Ministerial performance has been characterised by some grave lapses and his commitment to responsible governance and accountability is poor. “There are several and dangerous implications arising from the actions of Minister Persaud, whatever he and his Stakeholder Support Officer namesake may try to spin,” said Ram. BERBICE BRIDGE TOLL REDUCTION IS NOT FOR THE POOR - APNU The Berbice Bridge Company Inc has announced a reduction of its tolls, but it did not address the poor man who represents the bulk of the people traversing the facility. This is according to A Partnership for National Unity’s (APNU), Joseph Harmon, who in an invited comment last week Saturday, said that while he is happy to see that the company has started to respond to the needs of the people for a reduction in the toll, “I am disappointed that they have not chosen to reduce that category of vehicles which the poor man uses to traverse the bridge.”
President Donald Ramotar According to Harmon, the announcement by the Berbice Bridge Company Inc is more of an “anti poor measure.” He said that it is the minibuses, cars and motorcycles that the poor man uses to traverse the bridge, but the bridge company did not address the tolls for these categories of vehicles. The bridge company in announcing the reduction of tolls said that the categories to benefit from the reduction are 4 Wheel Drive SUVs/Pickups, Pickups pulling trailers with boats, jet skies for recreational purposes, Pickups and SUVs pulling horse bogies, 50 and 30-seat minibuses and large trucks. “This is an attempt to give rich people a further benefit at the expense of the poor man.” Harmon said that the general thrust of the motion he intends to lay in Parliament, is to assist the poor people. MONDAY EDITION NEW RIVER TRIANGLE DEBACLE… MURI DEALWILLPOSEA THREAT TO NATIONAL SECURITY …GDF HAD OBJECTED TO A PREVIOUS ATTEMPT – CHRIS RAM The Permission granted by Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment, Robert Persaud, to Muri Brasil Ventures Inc, to survey more than two million hectares of land in Guyana for rare earth elements will pose a border and security threat. This is according to Financial Analyst, Christopher Ram, who in his latest writings points out that the Permission Area is located at the confluence of the Kuyuwini and Essequibo Rivers and is right on the border. “Indeed, Annex A to the permission states that Point C of the area is located approximately three hundred yards from the Brazil Guyana border”. According to Ram, had the Minister done the kind of background research
Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment, Robert Persaud which one associates with such major decisions, he would have recognised that the national policy was against any commercial activity in the area. “Had he applied his mind to his action he would have recognised that a potential consequence of his decision is a practical erosion of Guyana’s border, since the issue of the eighteen Prospecting Licences leading to mining in the area will render the border exposed and vulnerable.” According to Ram, “national security and territorial integrity could be compromised over a huge swathe of Guyana.” He reminded that the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) raised concerns in opposition in an earlier attempt under the Cheddi Jagan Administration.
Financial Analyst, Christopher Ram taken.” Granger articulated that the process to bring the Finance Minister to the Parliamentary Committee of Privileges has started. “A motion has been drafted and I think by now it would’ve been in Parliament or submitted.” He said that ministers are accountable to the National Assembly and he is aware of the law and what the Constitution and the Standing Orders call for. Speaking on when the Finance Minister will be brought before the Parliamentary Committee of Privileges, the Opposition Leader said that once the motion is brought before the National Assembly, it has to be first approved and after the decision is taken it is then up to the Speaker to convene a committee.
TUESDAY EDITION APNU SEEKS TO SANCTION FINANCE MINISTER FOR UNAPPROVED SPENDING
GOVT.’S EXPLANATION OF INCREASES IS WITHOUT MERIT – GOOLSARRAN
The political opposition coalition A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) has taken the next step in its promise of holding the Finance Minister Dr. Ashni Singh accountable for allocating unapproved monies that the combined opposition cut from government agencies and projects in the budget. APNU, through its leader David Granger, announced recently that the action by the Finance Minister was unlawful and that APNU will initiate action through the National Assembly to deal with “Ministers who feel that they are not accountable to the National Assembly and who behave in an unlawful manner.” According to Granger “As far as that is concerned you have not heard the end of it, any Minister of the Government who is held to behave in an unlawful manner will have to answer to a Committee of Privileges and that action is going to be
Government has sought to defend its position that the $4.4B voted for revision of wages and salaries cannot pay more than five per cent increase to public servants by saying that the allocation is also used for new recruits and promoted employees. Former Auditor General, Anand Goolsarran, has rubbished this explanation. He said that it does not have merit, since every year the National Assembly approves of revised staffing tables for ministries, departments and regions. Goolsarran, in qualifying his pronouncement, used as an example the staffing details for Office of the President under the accounting head, Presidential Advisory: Cabinet and Other Services. According to the former Auditor General, the authorized staffing for 2012 was 176, while that for 2013 is 196, an increase of 20. In terms of wages and salaries, the revised figure for 2012 was $331.1M while the
APNU’s Joseph Harmon budgeted figure for 2013 is $409.6M, an increase of $78.468 million. Goolsarran noted that the five per cent increase in 2012, which works out to $16.6M, was met from the Ministry of Finance’s allocation, since the revision of wages and salaries is budgeted centrally under the Ministry of Finance. This amount would have to be added to the wages and salaries for existing staff members to arrive at the new figure for 2013. The difference of $61.9M would therefore be to cover the wages and salaries of the additional 20 staff members. WEDNESDAY EDITION NEW RIVER TRIANGLE DEBACLE… COMPANY SAYS NO INVESTMENT IF NO ASSURANCE OF PROSPECTING LICENCE Muri Brasil Ventures Inc is defending the special clause in its Permission for Geographical and Geophysical Survey (PGGS) awarded by Natural Resources Minister, Robert Persaud, granting it the right to apply for a number of prospecting licences, saying that “it is normal.” The company, Tuesday, for the first time made a public pronouncement on the raging debate, following the disclosure that it has been given permission to survey 2.2 million acres of land in the controversial New River Triangle location. In defending the clause that essentially assures it of receiving 18 prospecting licences for the area, the company said, “These kinds of exploration activities cost millions of US dollars, which can only be sourced as exploration investments from outside of Guyana…No such investments would be available if the investor is given no assurance that he will be granted prospecting licences.” The Company argued that it is the investor taking a risk and if he/she is not assured
David Granger
Aboo McGusty of a potential return, investment capital will dry up and so will Guyana’s mining industry. In defending its PGGS, Muri argued that for a prospecting licence to be granted, a work programme and financial and technical capabilities have to be proved. CITY MAGISTRATE’S ABUSIVE HUSBAND SENTENCED TO JAIL The husband of a City Magistrate, who was recently charged with assaulting her, was Tuesday found guilty and will serve four months behind bars. Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry presided over the matter and before delivering her decision, affirmed that there is a need for the courts to send a strong message against domestic violence. Aboo McGusty was last week arraigned and appeared before the Chief Magistrate at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court to face two charges whereby the prosecution claimed that he assaulted and used threatening language towards his wife on December 9 at John Street, Werk-en-Rust. He, however, had refuted the prosecution’s allegations. On Tuesday afternoon in the same courtroom, McGusty was represented by Attorney at Law Latchmie Rahamat who stated that since her client was found guilty, they will plea in mitigation. She said that her client wished to (Continued on page 45)
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Kaieteur News
Sunday December 22, 2013
Public opinion should support public servants Guyana’s greatest postindependence public service strike which occurred in AprilMay 1999 left many of the issues for which the strike was called unsettled. The eight-week strike, organised by the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU), was supported by four smaller unions – the Amalgamated Transport and General Workers Union;
Guyana Postal and Telecommunications Workers Union; National Union of Public Service Employees and Union of Agricultural and Allied Workers. The unions struck against the People’s Progressive Party Civic administration mainly to secure increases in wages and salaries. The strike ended with the establishment of an arbitral tribunal comprising
Drs Aubrey Armstrong (chairman), Clive Thomas (nominee of the public service unions) and Gobind Ganga (nominee of the government). The tribunal’s award of a 31.6 per cent pay increase for 1999 and 26.6 per cent for 2000 delighted the public servants but disappointed the Government. The causes and consequences of the strike, not least the award, seem to
have poisoned labour relations ever since. The PPPC administration abandoned the Collective Labour Agreement with the GPSU and resorted to the unilateral imposition of wages and salaries. It has also frustrated and obstructed trade union representation by transferring public service employees to semiautonomous agencies and by displacing traditional public servants with contract employees. The administration tried to strangle the union by eliminating its check-off system. The PPPC allowed the appointment of the Public Service Appellate Tribunal to lapse. It ignores the International Labour Organizations (ILO) Conventions ratified by Guyana’s National Assembly that deal with Freedom of Association and the Protection of the Rights to Organise and Collective Bargaining. These are not accidental occurrences but a deliberate policy that disrespects public servants, disregards institutions and damages the Union. The PPPC and GPSU, therefore, have continued on
a collision course for over two decades. PPPC administrations from 1993 have always been unprepared to negotiate salary increases with the GPSU. The administration’s unwillingness to negotiate resulted in the several serious stoppages and strikes which had the effect of paralyzing some government ministries and state agencies. An agreement to measure the impact of annual inflation rates on salaries and wages with a view to arriving at a sustainable policy was reached after the 1994 elevenday strike. This, however, was never implemented. The PPPC’s failure to honour this agreement and maintain its engagement with the GPSU, especially after 1997, was a contributory factor to the 1999 debacle and strike. The PPPC administration must appreciate the need to pay public servants “a living wage.” Workers at the lowest levels who comprise over 75 per cent of the Public Service will see their salaries increase by less than $2,500 per month with the proposed 5 per cent increase this year. Public servants nowadays are frequently unable to afford to meet some of their basic household expenses, utilities and transportation. Many are obliged to borrow money even to settle day-to-day expenses. Many are convinced that they deserve a higher salary increase, particularly in the light of the high cost of living. There is good reason for the public to support public servants. Guyana needs an efficient public service. The Government needs to attract well-educated, well-paid and
highly motivated employees who want to pursue satisfying careers in the public service. There is no way that the Government’s current attitude will encourage ambitious young graduates to enter the service. Support for public servants will protect, not damage the economy. The more successful the public service unions are in defending their members’ living standards and conditions of work, the better for the economy. The GPSU protest action, therefore, is not just for workers’ amenities today but for the future of the state itself. The PPPC seems willing to respond only to agitation, not to arguments. The Union, therefore, at this stage of relations with the Administration, has no option but to resort to industrial action in order to call attention to its demands. The GPSU’s action is a reminder of the plight of nurses and others who actually do the work that matters most to our lives. The PPPC must understand the importance of an efficient public service to the long-term administration of the state. It must, therefore, implement a comprehensive, strategic plan to improve the conditions of service of all public servants. The PPPC and the GPSU need to move back from the precipice of perpetual conflict. The administration must demonstrate leadership by respecting the collective bargaining process, by reviewing the conditions under which public servants work, and by implementing a strategic plan to improve the public service as a whole.
Sunday December 22, 2013
Kaieteur News
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IS THERE A COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT? It was to be expected that the main opposition groupings, A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and the Alliance for Change (AFC) would throw their support behind the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU), which is engaged in protest activity against the arbitrariness with which public servants pay is being increased. The main grouse of the union is that the government refuses to engage in negotiations with it over wage increases and for the 13th year in a row, the government has imposed a wage increase on workers within the public service. APNU believes that the manner in which this imposition was made represents derecognition of the union. But this argument raises the important question as to with whom the government should negotiate in determining wages increase. The union feels that since it is the recognized representative of workers in the public service, the government should engage it in negotiations. The union further feels that the government by not doing so is in breach of the ILO Convention on Collective Bargaining. In the 1970’s, Forbes Burnham arbitrarily imposed agency fees on public service workers. This took away the
right of any worker to decide whether or not he or she wished to be associated with the representative union in his or her workplace. Burnham did this to reward the unions for their support. Under agency fees, all workers, whether or not they belonged to the recognized union, were subject to deductions from their salaries. These deductions went to the union and made the finances of the recipient unions very healthy. After the 1999, fiftysix-day strike which was called by the GPSU, the agency fees and the system of automatic check-off was challenged in the Courts. They were deemed to be unconstitutional. As such, the unions could only now receive deductions from their members, and to receive these fees, their members now had to authorize the union dues deductions. This, it is believed, led to serious financial problems for unions which previously were in receipt of agency fees. In the context of the call for collective bargaining, it needs to be therefore determined just what percentage of the total public service workforce is now unionized. Given the large numbers of contract employees within the public service, and given that thousands are now no
longer paying agency fees, it may well be that the Guyana Public Service Union represents only a tiny fraction of the overall public service workforce. If this is the case, then the union’s ability to effectively negotiate will be weakened. At issue here is also collective bargaining. Collective bargaining refers to a process of voluntary negotiations between unions and employers. Employers under collective bargaining agreements are required to negotiate with the recognized unions. The GPSU remains the recognized representative of its members in the public service. Therefore, so long as there exists and subsists a valid collective bargaining agreement, then the government must negotiate with the union, failing which the union may resort to court action to force the
government to do so. It is indeed surprising that the Guyana Public Service Union has not moved to the Courts to demand that the government honour the terms and conditions of any valid and existing collective bargaining agreement. This is one of the options open to the union, and may in fact be the best option available to end the arbitrary imposition of wage increases by the government, which continues to insist that what it has imposed is all that it can afford to pay. The Alliance for Change, another opposition party, however feels that the government can afford to pay more. But can the government really afford to continue each year to increase the wage Bill without a serious contraction in the workforce? And can these increases be sustained over an extended period? Cheddi Jagan was faced
with a dilemma in 1993. Guyana was still in a structural adjustment programme with the IMF and World Bank, and the former wanted certain categories of workers to be red-circled, meaning that wage increases should be constrained for these workers. At the same time, Jagan wanted to pay the workers more, but was not sure of where the resources would be found to do so. So what did he do? He invited two persons to sit down and go through his Budget to see where the additional resources could be found to pay workers more. The additional resources were not found. The issue of course today is not where the money will come from. The issue is not affordability but rather sustainability and viability. The concerns are about whether large increases can be sustained and the likely
impacts of these increases on inflation and GDP growth. There is a way out. An agreement should be brokered to have two independent specialists go through the Budget and future economic projections to determine both the possible inflationary effects and the effects on GDP growth of increased wages beyond the 5% that the government usually offers. With a credible determination of these two concerns, it may be possible with reasonableness for the two sides to narrow their differences and agree on a level of wage increases that does not jeopardize economic stability and which will move workers close to a living wage.
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Kaieteur News
Sunday December 22, 2013
Sunday December 22, 2013
Kaieteur News
A GLOOMY TIME By Sir Ronald Sanders The announcement on Friday 13 December by the government of Barbados that it will lay-off over 3,000 public servants in January as a first step in cutting back government expenditure and reducing national demand for goods and services has rightly rattled other Caribbean Community (CARICOM) members. Concern has been greatest in neighbouring Eastern Caribbean countries, particularly the six independent ones that, with the British overseas territory, Montserrat, form the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS). While the economic recession that began in late 2008 has abated in North America and Europe, its effects have been prolonged in those Caribbean countries whose economies are highly reliant on services, the principal one being tourism. From the start of the recession, policies were required to cut government spending on anything but economically sustainable projects, scale back borrowing to finance only infrastructural development that would lift the tourism product, and prepare the economies to take immediate advantage of a return to economic health of their main markets. Instead for many countries, it was business as usual. The net effect is large debtto-GDP ratios, significant fiscal deficits, and in many countries little capacity by governments to pay wages and salaries without incurring even more debt. Of the 14 independent CARICOM States only the four commodity-exporting ones - Belize, Guyana, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago - have escaped the now alarming prospect of implementing austere measures in order to survive. The Barbados situation was set out by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) after its annual inspection in early December of the state of the country’s economy. The inspection is euphemistically called an “Article IV consultation”, and the statement issued by the IMF at its conclusion is a highly sanitized script designed not to offend the government concerned while, at the same time, setting out worrying developments. In short, the IMF report on Barbados was as follows: Central government debt had risen to 94% of GDP by September 2013; the government’s deficit is expected to rise to 9.5% of GDP in 2013/2014; the government wage bill rose to 10.3% of GDP in 2012/13 –
“the highest in the region”; and, most worryingly of all, international reserves had fallen to US$468 million at end-October. The majority of CARICOM countries should be troubled by the Barbados situation for two reasons. The country has been regarded for decades as a model of good governance and stability in the Caribbean. To the extent that this reputation is eroded in the international community, the region will suffer on the perception that if matters have reached a sorry pass in Barbados, it must be a lot worse in other countries. At a more fundamental level, Barbados is the second largest importer of CARICOM goods and has been so for many years. As an example, Barbados imported goods from CARICOM worth US$616. m (2012), US$600.2 m (2011) and US$523.3 m (2010). Therefore, a cut in Barbados’ demand for goods (resulting from a lay-off of over 3,000 public servants and consequential job losses in the private sector) will have an impact on the quantum of Barbados’ imports from CARICOM countries. Those affected countries will either have to find alternative markets or face losing some foreign exchange earnings and jobs associated with their exports to Barbados. The economic situation in the majority of the neighbouring six independent countries of the OECS has been similar to Barbados’ for some time. Unemployment has been in double digit figures for over four years and rises every year; foreign exchange receipts are moderate; and investment in education and knowledge creation has declined. Over the last four years, none of the OECS countries, The Bahamas, Barbados or Jamaica has enjoyed economic growth of 2% or more; indeed for much of the period their economies weakened. When it is considered that these economies require approximately 5% growth per year simply to absorb schoolleavers into employment and maintain existing infrastructure, it can be seen that the last four years of minuscule or no growth have set them back significantly. The only CARICOM countries that showed growth over the period 2010 to 2012 were three of the four commodity-exporting countries – Belize 5.3% (2012), 1.9% (2011), 2.7% (2010); Guyana 4.8% (2012), 7.8% (2011), 3.0% (2010); and Suriname 4.8% (2012), 4.7% (2011) and 4.1% (2010). In the
Sir Ronald Sanders case of Trinidad and Tobago, it had a mere blip in economic growth of 0.2% in 2012 after a decline in 2011 of 2.6% and a similar blip in 2010 of 0.2%, but consistent oil and gas revenues helped it to weather the storm. On top of all this is the high debt-to-GDP ratio of almost all of the CARICOM countries projected for 2013 by the Western Hemisphere Department of the IMF. With regard to debt-to-GDP ratios, apart from Trinidad and Tobago (33.4%) and Suriname (37.1%), the others are troubling. At the high end are Jamaica (142.7%), Grenada (115.8%) and Antigua and Barbuda (95%); and at the lower end are Guyana (58.2%) and The Bahamas (56.1%). None of the others are below 75%. Unless debts are reduced considerably by the countries with debt-to-GDP ratios of over 70%, debt repayment will consume much of their dwindling foreign exchange reserves summoning them to the hard path that Jamaica has travelled recently with the IMF and that now beckons to Barbados. The financial institutions in Barbados and the members of the OECS are also facing difficulty. The asset quality and profitability of many of the banks are now troubling given that clients are finding it difficult to repay both personal and commercial loans. In the case of some banks – particularly the indigenous ones – over exposure to governments for loans and advances pose a real problem. Some time ago – certainly among the members of the OECS – a programme of mergers and acquisitions of the indigenous banks should have been actively encouraged. Now one collapse could spell calamity. It is a gloomy time. (The writer is a Consultant, Senior Research Fellow at London University and former Caribbean diplomat) Responses and previous commentaries: www. sirronaldsanders.com
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Kaieteur News
The Hourglass dolphin (Lagenorhynchus cruciger)
The hourglass dolphin (Lagenorhynchus cruciger) is a small dolphin in the family Delphinidae that inhabits Antarctic and subantarctic waters. The dolphin has rarely been seen. It was identified as a new species by Qouy and Galmard in 1824 from a drawing made in the South Pacific in 1820. It is the only cetacean to have been widely accepted as a species solely on witness accounts. By 1960, despite decades of whaling in the Southern Ocean, only three specimens had been recovered. As of 2010, only six complete and 14 partial specimens had been examined. Further information was obtained from four strandings and boats which searched for the dolphins in areas rarely visited by ships. Though it is traditionally placed in the genus Lagenorhynchus, recent molecular analyses indicate that the hourglass dolphin is actually more closely related to the dolphins of the genus Cephalorhynchus. The hourglass dolphin is coloured black and white and sometimes variations of dark grey. For this reason it was colloquially known by whalers as a “sea cow”. Each flank has a white patch at the front, above the beak, eye and flipper, and a second patch at the rear. These two patches are connected by a thin white strip, creating, loosely
speaking, an hourglass shape and hence the common name of the dolphin. The s c i e n t i f i c name cruciger is Latin for “cross-carrier”. This refers to the area of black coloration, which, viewed from above, vaguely resembles a Maltese cross or cross pattée. In its usual range the dolphin is easily identifiable. Only the southern right whale dolphin is of comparable size and lives as far south. The right whale dolphin does not have a dorsal fin, so the two species are easily distinguished. The fin considerably varies across individuals. It is generally tall and curved, and the curve may be particularly pronounced in older animals. A fully grown adult is about 1.8 metres (5.9 ft) length and weighs 90–120 kilograms (200–260 lb). Males are thought to be slightly smaller and lighter than females, although the small number of specimens does not permit a firm conclusion. The range is circumpolar from close to the Antarctic ice pack to about 45°S. The most northerly confirmed sightings were 36°S in the South Atlantic Ocean and 33°S near Valparaíso, Chile, in the Pacific. Sightings have been made most commonly from the south of New Zealand, around the South Shetland Islands and
off Tierra del Fuego, Argentina. The species is unlikely to be particularly densely populated close to these lands. One survey estimated the population size at more than 140,000 individuals. Hourglass dolphins tend to move in groups of about five to 10. One International Whaling Commission study recorded a group of 60. Claimed groups of up to 100 have been found. They share feeding grounds with other cetaceans s u c h as sei, pilot, bottlenose and minke whales and southern right whale dolphins. They are regularly seen with fin whales. Whalers who were hunting these much larger animals used hourglass dolphins as “look-outs” to aid them in their hunt. Hourglass dolphins are keen bow-wave riders. Examinations of the stomach contents of the few specimens indicate they eat various (unrecorded) types of squid and small fish. The hourglass dolphin is covered by the Memorandum of Understanding for the Conservation of Cetaceans and their habitats in the Pacific Islands Region (Pacific Cetaceans MOU). Although they have not been studied extensively they are of least concern to conservationists. (Source: Wikipedia – The Free Online Encyclopedia)
Sunday December 22, 2013
Education Ministry to probe teaching hindrances - CEO “With innovation comes great expectation,” was the notion emphasised by Chief Education Officer (CEO), Olato Sam, when he addressed the audience at the Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE) graduation on Thursday. While it is expected that graduates of the institution should reflect the quality fitting the investment made towards their training, “we are yet to see the direct transfer of best practices reflected in the training experience consistently applied all across the education system,” Sam said. “This continues to be an area of deep concern for the Education Ministry. Teacher educators and managers alike, lament the continued regression we see from individual graduates from CPCE.” Sam noted that the onus is on the Ministry of Education to launch an investigation to ascertain the barriers that are preventing transfer of skills to the pedagogical experiences teachers are tasked with engaging. He said that innovative tactics have been introduced into the education system, to cater to its moving away from the “very traditional, essentialist education environment that dominated our classrooms all across Guyana to a more progressive, student-centred and relevant education philosophy.” Sam asserted that for many of the educational institutions that fall under the purview of the Education Ministry, their mode of operation has not yet matched what is known to be theoretically sound. “Many within our ranks are stuck in the mirage of antiquated pedagogy which stifles individual growth, creativity and retards critical thinking and inquiry...We must fight against this as a new pack of (our) educators (are) charged with
Chief Education Officer, Olato Sam transforming our dreams into reality for the education system.” In his remarks to the graduates, Sam forewarned them that they will face serious opposition from “those wardens of traditions.” “You will be accused of wanting to show them up; you will be called names...The most recent one I heard was cardboard teachers, (these are teachers) who worked hard to create their own teaching aids to stimulate learning in the classroom”. The CEO impressed on the graduates, and by extension teachers within the system, that they should not be deterred in their quest to raise the standard of the education system while in the classroom. “You are our only hope for a new age in education where our teachers are innovative risk takers, willing to be challenged, and eager to move the system forward.” Turning his attention specifically to the 336 students who graduated on Thursday, Sam reminded them that they are the highly
intelligent products of the country’s premier teacher training institution and should therefore conduct themselves as such. “You are special, you are the first recipients of the induction experience specifically designed to help you further develop your skills in a guided, nurturing environment.” He further urged them to utilise the opportunities available to the fullest and to be willing at the same time to “share your ideas and knowledge freely to move others along with you. Do not shy away from opportunities to demonstrate your talents,” he stressed. Of the 336 graduates, 74 are trained to deliver Early Childhood education, 110 are trained to deliver Primary education and 152 are trained for the secondary level. This has, by extension, allowed for CPCE to surpass its mandate, as was announced by the Education Ministry in 2008, to contribute 70 per cent trained teachers to the education system.
Sunday December 22, 2013
Kaieteur News
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Salvation Army volunteers...
The people who keep the pots boiling for others at Christmas By Rehana Ashley Ahamad When most of us think of Christmas, we think of not just a day, but of an entire season, including the beginning of the New Year. We think of all the cleaning, shopping, cooking, partying, holidaying, and having fun in general. But for those volunteering at the Salvation Army, Christmas takes on a whole different meaning; the right meaning. Many of us cannot even imagine spending a Christmas Day without a scrumptious meal, new clothes and in some cases, expensive gifts. However, the volunteers of the Salvation Army understand that there are people in Guyana and across the world who remain hungry throughout this joyous season, hoping to have someone fill that growling sound in their stomachs and those of their young and innocent children. But do we ever spare a thought about the less fortunate and how they cope throughout the season? Many of us might be too caught up in our own lives to do so, but surely not the volunteers at the Salvation Army. They give up their plans
Major Cathrine Brown at her City Mall post for Christmas Day, and put in a whole lot of work just to provide for those who have very little, or none at all to look forward to during this period. Year after year, when thousands flock the streets of Georgetown to buy goodies and gifts, these volunteers take up positions at various parts of the city trying to raise enough money to fulfill their mandate of caring for the less fortunate. They stand for hours beside their kettles ringing those little bells, trying to convince members of the public that dropping a few dollars in the pot will go a long way toward putting smiles on the faces of many who may
have lost their reason to smile. Kaieteur News over the past week spoke with a few volunteers situated along the streets of Georgetown, particularly Regent and Robb Streets. Major Cathrine Brown has been volunteering for many years. She says that while there are a million other things that she can be doing besides standing on the street and asking for donations, doing this shows that she cares for the less fortunate people of the world. “You see, we at the Salvation Army believe very much in our theme - ‘Sharing is Caring’,” Brown said. She explained that while
Marion James is a proud volunteer of the Salvation Army anybody can claim to care for someone, action speaks louder than words, and improving the lives of others guarantees care. “Any of us can say that we care for somebody, but by sharing and doing for them guarantees that we do,” Major Brown said. “It is okay to know that somebody is hungry, but just knowing is not caring. You can know, but you have to really care to actually do something about it, and we at the Salvation Army care very much about those who do not
have the luxuries of eating properly. Asked about what motivates her, Major Brown said that “nothing can compare to the feeling that you get after helping somebody and knowing that you have made a difference in the world. I don’t think it can be explained, honestly, but it is worth it,” she added. Meanwhile, Marion James, another Salvation Army volunteer said that her main motivation lies with thinking about the fact that there are actually people in the world
who remain hungry on Christmas Day. “I don’t think many of us could comprehend how hurtful that is; at least I can’t… and I know that from the bottom of my heart, I don’t want to. If I personally don’t want to, it is only fair that I try to ensure that nobody else has to,” James said. According to head of the local leg of the Salvation Army, Major Emmerson Cumberbatch, the body has been functioning in Guyana for approximately 108 years, and has been doing well. He stated that leading up to Christmas Day, the vol u n t eers spend hours gathering materials and funds. On the much anticipated day, Salvation Army volunteers get started with a pleasant Church service, after which they head out to the various locations, spreading cheer. He said that while the monetary support is satisfactory, there is a significant shortage in the amount of persons volunteering. Major Cumberbatch noted that currently there are just about 25 volunteers in Georgetown who stand at their posts from 09:00hrs to 17:00hrs each day. He is urging persons to volunteer and help to put a smile on someone’s face. “It is worth it, trust us,” he emphasized.
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Kaieteur News
Sunday December 22, 2013
Over 5,000 house lots distributed this year The Ministry of Housing has achieved its allocation target of over 5,000 house lots for this year. More are expected to be distributed before year-end since the Ministry intends to host more One Stop Shops. Housing Minister Irfaan Ali mde this assertion during a recent interview with this publication. He said the total number of One Stop Shops hosted by the Ministry for the year 2013 stands at eight. The Ministry will be hosting several more similar exercised to surpass its target of hosting 10 One Stop Shops for the year. Fifty-nine One Stop Shops were hosted between 2009 and 2013. While the Ministry regularized more than 600 lots for 2013, it distributed over 5,000 new titles this year. “In addition to that we have more than 3,000 transports and titles that are in the process of being distributed and completed,” he added. According to Ali, the Ministry has performed tremendously this year with the completion of its programme in record time - by November month-end. In addition, the Ministry was able to launch several projects such as the Professional Housing Development, the 1,000 Homes Initiative,
An artist’s impression of a Silica City edifice at Building Revolving Homes for Clerical Workers, and Silica City. He asserted that these programmes were launched to build Guyana’s future of new urban centres and the development of new growth poles and centres. Indeed, the development of new urban centres is important because of the establishment of new housing developments. With the unavailability of lands for
housing development on the East Coast Demerara and limited land available on the East Bank Demerara, the Ministry will be creating a new urban centre - Silica City. According to Ali, “We do not have any new lands for development…This is because the existing land is owned by GuySuCo and we have exhausted the potential areas, in terms of the best areas for housing
development along the East Coast…We’ve bridged this gap by bringing forward and expanding development on the East Bank.” He said that the Ministry is now in its penultimate state of developing houses on the East Bank Demerara. After distribution of these current sets of land along the East Bank Demerara in areas such as Farm, there is probably one more area before the stretch
becomes saturated. Essentially, this is the reason why the Ministry has prioritized the development of Silica City. It will be aggressively pursuing this undertaking next year. Design works have already commenced. “We are working with Lands and Survey to earmark the area... to define the area... and it would be a complete mix of development. We are hoping in Silica City we can have
some eco-tourism, industrial development, commercial development, residential golfing community and also a low income community, with a farmstead, so it is not an easy community to plan,” Ali said. He emphasized that it will take a lot of effort for the Ministry to ensure it has the right mix of development that would ensure the success of Silica City.
Health and illiteracy among six key issues to receive reparatory diplomacy and action By Zena Henry The CARCIOM Reparations Commission has identified illiteracy and health care among six key issues plaguing slavery descendants. Public Health was one of the key issues identified by the Reparations Commission to receive reparatory diplomacy and action. The disclosure was made by Chairman of the CARICOM Reparations Commission Professor Sir Hilary Beckles, at a press conference two Tuesdays ago following a meeting of the representatives from the Commission with law firm Leigh Day on Monday last at the UWI Mona. Leigh, Day& Company is a British law firm identified to represent Caribbean nations in the legal battle seeking redress from European countries for horrors endured during the 300-year-long slave trade of African peoples. Professor Beckles in his address stated that, “the African descended population in the Caribbean today has the highest incidence in the world of chronic diseases such as
hypertension and type two diabetes.” He said it was the direct result of their nutritional exposure, endemic inhumane physical and emotional brutalization and other aspects of the stress experience of slavery and post slavery apartheid. Education was the second of the six issues identified. The Commission Chairman stated that at the end of the colonial period the British left the African-descended population in a state of
general illiteracy. He noted that this illiteracy continued to plague Caribbean societies and accounted for significant parts of their development challenges. Speaking to cultural institutions, Professor Beckles said that there was no development of institutions such as museums and research centres to prepare Caribbean citizens for an understanding of their history. He spoke further of
cultural deprivation as another issue that needed to be addressed and outlined; that the primary cultural effect of slavery was to break and eradicate African commitment to their culture. The Chairman stated that African culture was criminalized and pointed to how Caribbean people were affected by cultural deprivation. He said this included low ethnic selfesteem; the devaluation of black identity; broken
structures and diminished family values; delegitimisation of African derived religious and cultural practices, and disconnection from ancestral roots and culture. Psychological trauma was another area identified by the Commission that needed to be addressed. According to Professor Beckles, during the time of slavery, Africans were classified in law as nonhuman, chattel, property and real estate. He said they were denied recognition as members of the human family by laws and practices derived from the parliaments and policies of Europe. This history, he said, has inflicted massive psychological damage upon African descendants and is evident daily in social life. The sixth issue which the Commission said needed to be remedied was that of scientific and technological backwardness. It was highlighted that for 400 years the policy of Britain and Europe had been that the Caribbean should not participate in any manufacturing or industrial process, and should be
confined to the production of raw materials. This policy, according to Professor Beckles, “has rendered the Caribbean a technologically and scientifically ill-equipped civilization for which it continues to experience debilitating backwardness in a science and technology globalized world.” Additionally, he said that the subjection of the Caribbean to this state, has denied Caribbean youth membership and access to an enhancing science and technology culture that has become the world youth patrimony. It was also explained by the Commission’s Chairman that the argument that CARICOM should request reparatory dialogue with beneficiary slave-owning European states with a view to formulating a new development agenda for the Caribbean was reaffirmed. The next meeting of the full commission will be in January 2014 and it is anticipated that its first interim report will be ready for submission to the CARICOM Heads of Government at the February 2014 meeting.
Sunday December 22, 2013
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Anti-Money Laundering amendments…
Private sector supports APNU on strengthening of FIU, BOG The Private Sector Commission (PSC) has come out in support of A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), in relation to its stance on the Anti Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) legislation. The PSC met with both APNU and the Alliance for Change (AFC) this past week to exchange views on the passage of the amendments to the Law and the deleterious effects of its non passage. The Commission has since announced that it agrees with APNU that while the current amendments will satisfy the international requirements, the changes must include the institutional strengthening of the Bank of Guyana and the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU), sufficient to achieve the objectives set out in the Legislation and to ensure enforcement under the law. APNU, during the meeting, pointed out to the PSC that, even though the Bill presented to Parliament in its present form may satisfy the minimum standards of the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF), it did not meet the conditions considered by APNU to be essential for the implementation of the legislation. The PSC further urged APNU to support the referral of the Bill to the Parliamentary Special Select Committee and advised that it should make every possible effort to find consensus and complete the work of the Select Committee in time for the Bill to be returned to Parliament. The PSC proposed to APNU that the meetings of the Special Select Committee should be held in public and APNU stated that it would support such a proposal. In its meeting with the AFC, that party informed the PSC that its support for the amendments being passed in Parliament is conditioned on the government agreeing to the appointment of the Public
Procurement Commission, as is currently legislated for by Parliament without any further amendment to provide the Cabinet with the right of a “no objection”. While the PSC acknowledged the position of the AFC, it believes that the ‘no objection’ clause in the legislation should be retained. The PSC told the AFC members that it has on more than one occasion urged the government, in writing, to appoint the Procurement Commission as is required by the Constitution. The Commission, however, proposed that the AFC consider a compromise in reaching a consensus with government on the appointment of the commission. The PSC suggested that the Procurement Act should be amended to give the Cabinet the right to a no objection for contracts proposed by the National Tender Board, even after the Procurement Commission has been set up. It said that “an objection can only be made if Cabinet believes that the procedures laid out in the Procurement Act were not adhered to…This is in the existing Act already.” Under the current legislation, upon the establishment of the Public Procurement Commission, the role of Cabinet which is
the council of Ministers chaired by the President, will be phased out. The PSC is adamant that Cabinet’s objection should be made to the Procurement Commission as an oversight and appellate body, who will then review the reasons for the objection and make a ruling. According to the PSC, “If the Procurement Commission disagrees with the grounds for objection and finds that the law was adhered to as per the Procurement Act, then permission will be granted to the National Tender Board to proceed with the awarding of the contract as recommended by them without referral back to the Cabinet”. It further said that if the Procurement Commission agrees with the objection, then the matter will be sent to the National Tender Board to remedy the shortcomings and returned to the Cabinet for its no objection. The PSC said that once the Act is amended by Parliament and assented by the President, the Procurement Commission should be installed with a level of urgency and adequate funding should be provided to ensure that the Procurement Commission can carry out its function effectively. The PSC said that it informed the AFC that the
Commission is willing to represent this position to the government in an effort to persuade consensus. The PSC urged the AFC that, in the meantime, the party
should join with APNU in the Special Select Committee to find consensus on the antimoney laundering amendments. According to the PSC, the
AFC also agreed with the proposal that the Special Select Committee meetings should be held in public and confirmed that they would support such a proposal.
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Kaieteur News
Sunday December 22, 2013
Is the Cuban embargo eternal? By Tim Ashby Senior Research Fellow for the Council on Hemispheric Affairs Commenting on the recent passing of Nelson Mandela, President Obama referred to the legendary South African figure as “one of the most influential, courageous, and profoundly good human beings that any of us will share time with on this Earth.” Yet, until just five years ago, Mr Mandela was on the US terror watch list, a grossly anachronistic Cold War absurdity equaled only by the continuation of Cuba on the same discredited list. Sadly, despite fundamental changes both in Cuba and the global geostrategic balance, the Caribbean island will probably remain as an “enemy” for decades to come due to the rigidities of US domestic politics and the lack of immediate incentives to propel change. The position that the Obama administration holds, just as its predecessors did, is that Cuba is intrinsically different from any of its adversaries in the Cold War and thus requires an unremitting campaign of hostility. It seems that it is well beyond the ability of the White House to mobilize credible strategies to cure a diplomatic paralysis that seemingly has lasted forever. We now know, despite what the administration has stated on scores of prior occasions, that it will never allow an entente cordiale to develop between Washington and Havana unless the Castro leadership eliminates itself. This stipulation has never yet seen itself applied in various versions, but has never entirely been different from the likes of Iran or North
Old Havana, Cuba. Photo: Creative Commons/Jialiang Gao
The position that the Obama administration holds, just as its predecessors did, is that Cuba is intrinsically different from any of its adversaries in the Cold War and thus requires an unremitting campaign of hostility. Korea. That is why we must take note of the fact that the embargo aimed at Havana may be more of a political strategy than an economic one. If it were economic, it would be even more open to a rational solution than has proven to be the case. Cuba Has Changed on Its Own Accord, Not Because of the Creativity of US Policy The US trade embargo has done enduring damage to Cuba’s economy, with the effects of sanctions being registered every day by Cubans and by international businesses engaged in commercial transactions with their governments. Despite US efforts to strangle the island’s economy, over the past five years, Cuba has undertaken a multitude of inventive economic, fiscal and social reforms. Despite some setbacks, small, private businesses are beginning to thrive, ordinary Cubans can buy and sell real estate and motor vehicles, Cubans can travel abroad without fear of being denied reentry to their country. There is a new sense of optimism
about the future, in which the best of two worlds will be brought forth. The generation of Cubans born after the Revolution is increasingly well educated and generally more aware of other economic and political systems. Most will readily admit that the original communist economic model has failed, and they are now at least cautiously optimistic that it is being gradually replaced by a model that will incorporate the positive goals of the Revolution – universal education, health care, social equality – with an expansion of market forces. Despite over half a century of active hostility by the US and decades of purportedly subversive activities, Cuba has cooperated with the US in a variety of areas including drug interdiction and hurricane warnings. The island has also been a market for billions of dollars of American exports, despite the fact that the trade is overwhelmingly one way (Cuban imports are illegal in the United States). US Policy – Hypocrisy
and Timidity Last month (November 2013) President Obama was the honored guest at a private fundraiser held at the Miami home of Jorge Mas, president of the Cuban American National Foundation. Obama’s remarks were specific about the need for US policy change towards Cuba, but were muddled over how it would be manifested, indicating how tangled and confused Washington policy remained. Obama declared: “We’ve started to see changes on the island. Now, I think we all understand that, ultimately, freedom in Cuba will come because of extraordinary activists and the incredible courage of folks like we see here today. But the United States can help. And we have to be creative. And we have to be thoughtful. And we have to continue to update our policies. Keep in mind that when Castro came to power, I was just born. So the notion that the same policies that we put in place in 1961 would somehow still be as effective as they are today in the age
of the Internet and Google and world travel doesn’t make sense.” While the president’s remarks were greeted by warm applause from the largely Cuban-American audience, they are merely rhetorical – a reworking of hackneyed phrases dating back to Obama’s days as a senator. The radical wing of Cuban-Americans represented by politicians such as Rep. Ileana RosLehtinen and Senator Robert Menendez perpetuate a feral mentality that would only disappear with the overthrow of the Cuban government and its replacement by descendants of those who ruled Cuba under Batista. For example, former Representative Lincoln DiazBalart (ironically, Fidel Castro’s nephew), is obsessed with becoming President of Cuba. While serving as a US Congressman, he openly advocated the assassination of Fidel Castro (illegal under US law), he defended Velentin Hernández, who was convicted of murdering Luciano Nieves, a fellow
Cuban exile who supported negotiations with the Cuban government. He also lobbied extensively for the release and pardon of Cuban exile Orlando Bosch, a bona fide and self-admitted terrorist who was involved in the 1976 bombing of Cubana Flight 455 which killed 78 passengers. No Change Can Be Expected Regardless of who succeeds Obama as president, Washington’s anachronistic policy towards Cuba can be expected to continue even with the inevitable succession of a new generation of leaders on the island. The Cuban embargo has been a treasured legacy passed from Republicans to Democrats and back. Nevertheless, most US politicians have no idea why they should continue to support the embargo. It is now part of the American cultural and social legacy, Monday Night Football. During one of the author’s visits to Cuba, a senior official told with a bitter shake of his grey head: “Your government will never be satisfied even if we [the Cuban government] stood on the Malecón with pistols to our heads and blew our brains out.” The US propensity to act with dignity and provide a solution to diplomatic problems in other parts of the world seems to be beyond Washington’s ability when applied to Cuba. Washington would be wise to understand that, if it has any hope for even a remotely respectable policy towards Cuba, it must give up its lunatic stance that has no prospects for success or respectability. (Caribbean News Now!) (Tim Ashby is a former counter-terrorism consultant at the State Department and current best-selling author.)
Sunday December 22, 2013
address the court, and in an extremely silent courtroom, the accused humbly rose to express remorse over the situation. Neatly decked in a jeans and checkered shirt he fixed his eyes on the Chief Magistrate and said, “Over the past week, I’ve had a terrible experience where I was found guilty and embarrassed my family, the court and myself.” “At this state, I am humbly asking the court to be lenient with me” he continued. “I apologised to my wife and in her absence, and in front of everyone who is within the environment, I promise you that from today I will not be standing in this position again.” THURSDAY EDITION NEW RIVER TRIANGLE DEBACLE… BHARRAT JAGDEO PRESSED FOR MINING IN DISPUTEDAREA …CABINET MEMBERS OPPOSED BUT THEN PRESIDENT HELD STRONG POSITION It was former President Bharrat Jagdeo who began the pursuit to explore and mine in the disputed New River Triangle Area, during his last term in office, despite the fact that several of the members of the Cabinet at the time did not agree with the move. This confirmation came Wednesday from Head of the Presidential Secretariat, Dr Roger Luncheon, who was at the time being questioned by reporters following his post-Cabinet press engagement at Office of the President. Dr Luncheon was asked whether the government policy on mining in that area changed. “I am uncertain as to if there was a specific policy,” but it was the 2006 term of former president Jagdeo, when he brought up the issue of mining and exploring in that location, Dr. Luncheon said. Dr. Luncheon added, “At that time, the President had a strong position that was not consistent with others in the Cabinet; but we are an advisory body as you would recall and therefore the president’s view held sway. That was 2006 to 2011.” Asked if the sitting President, Donald Ramotar, is pursuing the lines of Jagdeo, Dr. Luncheon responded, “I am not saying anything further…2006 to 2011.” Dr. Luncheon was asked about the Government not heeding the warning of former Army Chief, Joseph Singh when the Guyana Defence Force (GDF)
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responded by pelting back the piece of wood which struck the neighbour’s daughter.
The Hijacked car
had objected to similar moves by the administration under the late President, Cheddi Jagan. CARJACKERS FLEE WITH $1.5M, LEAVE SHOTGUN BEHIND A law-abiding East Bank Demerara resident was carjacked and robbed of his Android phone and over $1.5M at approximately 8:10pm on Tuesday. The robbery occurred at the Industrial Site, Georgetown, as Imran Khan was heading home after a hard day’s work. This newspaper understands that the road that leads to Khan’s place of work is in a terrible state and as such, calls for every driver to be careful as it poses much difficulty. As the 38-year-old Khan was slowly manoeuvring along the craterfilled road, a man armed with a “big gun” jumped out of the bushes, ran to his car window and ordered him to exit the vehicle. His accomplice, who was also armed, sprang from his hiding place and reinforced the demands of his partner with several threats. Khan now muzzled by fear, exited the vehicle and walked away slowly so as not to give his attackers any reason to take more than they intended. After noticing that he was out of the shooting range of the bandits, he then made his way to the
Ruimveldt Police Station where he made a report. FRIDAY EDITION PROCUREMENT BILL DEFERRED FOR SIX MONTHS - OPPOSITION AGREES ON CONDITION THAT DISCUSSIONS CONTINUE OUTSIDE PARLIAMENT After an intense six-hour debate on the contentious Public Procurement Bill, Government’s Chief Whip Gail Teixeira made a proposal for the adjournment of the debate for another six months. This was agreed to by the Opposition, but consent came under two conditions. Shadow Finance Minister of A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), Carl Greenidge, said that the opposition was in favour of the adjournment provided that it does not affect the current work of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC). The PAC has already started work on nominations for the Procurement Commission. The second condition was that the deferral should provide for further discussions on the amendment. Minister of Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh, said that in 2003, the Bill came before the house and included in the provisions was clause 54 which had five subsections including Cabinet’s role of the review process of any contract which exceeded $15M. It
Winston Brassington
Roger Luncheon
also articulated that it did not give Cabinet the role of awarding contracts. The Act contains contradictions, said the Finance Minister. One section prescribes that the role of Cabinet be removed with the establishment of the Commission. Another section recognizes the role of Cabinet in the review process. Eventually the Minister argued for Cabinet to maintain its “no objection role”.
children and lived with the majority of his siblings. Godfrey Jhaggroo, a father of one who is separated, became upset and had a quarrel with his mother after discovering that the DVD remote was not working. The woman said that the next door neighbour, who owns an off-licence liquor shop intervened and a quarrel ensued between the two. According to the mother, the neighbour came over and allegedly threatened to hit her son. Persons in the shop were also inviting the mason to “fight”. Following more arguments, the neighbour came in her yard and allegedly “dropped a lash” on Jhaggroo, across his abdomen. The injured man
LABOURER FATALLY SHOT BY CPG MEMBER – THREE IN CUSTODY A small West Demerara community is heavily divided after a shooting death Wednesday night left a labourer dead and three of its own in police custody. Dead is 20-year-old Godfrey Jhaggroo called “Oh-Oh” of 31 Second Street, Belle Vue, a community located along the “sea-dam”, and less than a mile south of the entrance to Canal Number Two. The incident is said to have occurred at around 19:00hrs. In custody are a member of the community police group (CPG), a bar owner who lives next door to the dead man, and the father of the alleged shooter. According to a shocked Babita Jhaggroo, the dead man’s mother, her son came home from work shortly after 18:00 hrs Wednesday. He was the second of nine
SATURDAY EDITION NICIL TRANSFERS SHARES IN BERBICE BRIDGE TO NIS …GOVT-OWNED SCHEME NOW HOLDS LARGEST STAKE, HAS NO VOTING RIGHT - PSC The National Industrial and Commercial 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), which 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. On Friday the PSC insisted that it stands by its statement.
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Kaieteur News
Sunday December 22, 2013
Teasing tied to less Stress gene linked to heart attacks physical activity among kids Children who are teased while playing sports tend to have a worse quality of life than their non-teased peers, a new study suggests. Some of them may also become less active over time. “Teasing not only influences psychological functioning but may reduce physical activity and lead to poorer physical, social, and emotional functioning for children,” Chad D. Jensen told Reuters Health in an email. He led the study at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. The link between teasing and less physical activity is particularly concerning considering most children are already not exercising as much as they should. Previous research shows less than one in 10 children meets the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ recommendation to participate in at least one hour of moderate or vigorous physical activity every day. Jensen and his colleagues surveyed 108 kids, aged nine to 12, in 2010 and again in 2011. They asked kids about their participation in 21 different types of physical activity before, during and after school and how often
they had been teased while playing sports or exercising since kindergarten. The researchers also asked the kids how well they functioned physically, emotionally, with friends and at school. Together those measures were used to determine children’s healthrelated quality of life. Children who were teased reported a worse quality of life than those who were not. In particular, overweight and obese kids who reported being teased on the first survey had a poorer quality of life both initially and again one year later, the researchers write in the Journal of Pediatric Psychology. “Negative effects of teasing appear to be persistent, affecting important outcomes one year after teasing is reported,” Jensen said. Normal-weight kids who reported being teased on the first survey were more likely to become less active over the next year. For overweight and obese children, teasing reported in year two was linked to less physical activity the same year. “School policy makers are encouraged to think of this form of peer victimization as a direct threat to children’s health outcomes,” write
Jensen and his co-authors. “These findings provide support for comprehensive bullying prevention programs and suggest that efforts to reduce peer victimization in the context of physical activity participation may be helpful in promoting physical activity participation and children’s quality of life,” Jensen said. David Palmiter, a psychologist at Marywood University in Scranton, Pennsylvania, said the findings are not surprising. “Being teased or being bullied in any kind of an ongoing way itself is a symptom . . . and worsens symptoms,” he said. Kids who are teased “often have vulnerabilities,” such as low self-esteem, before the teasing starts. “Any kid, no matter how healthy they are, can have isolated instances of bullying,” he told Reuters Health. But a pattern of consistent bullying probably points to inner pain in the child who is bullied, said Palmiter, who wasn’t involved in the new research. He said one way to address or prevent repeated teasing is to increase the size of children’s friend circles, so they’re not always on the fringes. That way, “They can travel from class to class with a pack,” he said. Parents can arrange sleepovers and other activities with children’s peers outside of school and boost their children’s confidence by identifying their areas of strength and making sure they are regularly exposed to these areas. In addition, Palmiter stressed the importance of parents spending one-onone time with their children, focused entirely on what the child is doing or saying. He also echoed Jensen’s sentiment about the importance of comprehensive bullying prevention programs. “Every school should have an antibullying program,” Palmiter said.
A stress gene has been linked to having a higher risk of dying from a heart attack or heart disease. Heart patients with the genetic change had a 38% increased risk of heart attack or death, say US researchers. Personalised medicine may lead to better targeting of psychological or drug treatment to those most at risk, they report in PLOS ONE. The study adds to evidence stress may directly increase heart disease risk, says the British Heart Foundation. A team at Duke University School of Medicine studied a single DNA letter change in the human genome, which has been linked to being more vulnerable to the effects of stress. They found heart patients with the genetic change had a 38% increased risk of heart attack or death from heart disease after seven years of follow up compared with those without, even after taking into account factors like age, obesity and smoking. This suggests that stress management techniques and drug therapies could reduce deaths and disability from heart attacks, they say. Dr Redford Williams, director of the Behavioural Medicine Research Center at Duke University School of Medicine, said the work is the first step towards finding genetic variants that identify people at higher risk of
Heart
cardiovascular disease. “This is one step towards the day when we will be able to identify people on the basis of this genotype who are at higher risk of developing heart disease in the first place,” he told BBC News. “That’s a step in the direction of personalised medicine for cardiovascular disease.” Identifying people with the genetic change could lead to early interventions for heart patients who are at high risk of dying or having a heart attack, say the researchers. About one in 10 of men and 3% of women in the group of 6,000 heart patients studied had the genetic change associated with handling emotional stress badly. Commenting on the study, Prof Jeremy Pearson,
associate medical director at the British Heart Foundation, said the results provided further evidence that stress may directly increase heart disease risk. “By finding a possible mechanism behind this relationship, these researchers have suggested tackling the problem either by changing behaviour or, if needed, with existing medicines,” he said. “There are positive lifestyle changes you can make to help you cope with stress. A balanced diet and regular physical activity will help you feel better able to cope with life’s demands. “If you often feel anxious and you’re worried about your stress levels, make an appointment to talk it through with your doctor.”
One week of youthmedication in two-year-old mice meant their muscles became akin to those of a sixmonth-old in terms of mitochondrial function, muscle wastage, inflammation and insulin resistance. Dr Ana Gomes, from the department of genetics at Harvard Medical School, said: “We believe this is quite an important finding.”She
argues muscle strength may return with a longer course of treatment. A cure? However, this could never be a cure-all for ageing. Other aspects such as shortening of telomeres or damage to DNA would not be reversed. Dr Gomes told the BBC: “Ageing is multi-factorial, it’s not just one component we can fix, so it’s hard to target the whole thing.
Youth-drug can ‘reverse’ ageing in animal studies US scientists have performed a dramatic reversal of the ageing process in animal studies. They used a chemical to rejuvenate muscle in mice and said it was the equivalent of transforming a 60-year-old’s muscle to that of a 20-year-old - but muscle strength did not improve. Their study, in the journal Cell, identified an entirely new mechanism of ageing and then reversed it. Other researchers said it was an “exciting finding”. Ageing is considered a one-way street, but now researchers at Harvard Medical School have shown that some aspects can be reversed. Their research focused on a chemical called NAD. Its levels naturally drop in all cells of the body with age. The team showed this disrupted the function of the cell’s in-built powerstations, mitochondria, leading to lower energy production and ageing. Experiments showed that boosting NAD levels, by giving mice a chemical which they naturally convert into NAD, could reverse the sands of time.
Sunday December 22, 2013
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
Attractive live in waitress to work in bar – Tel: 686-4818
1 experience electrician with knowledge of house wiring Contact: 644-9084 or 664-9635
Wanted: contract cars & experience dispatcher @ West Site Taxi - Tel: 6130419; 600-0688 Urgently need 2 plot of land to buy in Parfaite Harmonie Tel: 675-7292 CLEANING LADY FOR SHOWROOM & OFFICE 6 DAYS A WEEK 8AM5PM, AGES 21-40 WITH EXPERIENCED - TEL: 231-8529 1 Couple or small family to live and work on live stock farm @ New Hope E.B.D 2662711, 609-4594 1 Professional Chef & Baker - $10,000 daily - Tel: 2336517/ 622-1957 One mechanic to work in the interior must know about Cummings & Perkins - Tel: 681-6044 URGENTLY WANTED: Thirty five (35) Security officers. Apply: SECURITY ALLIANCE Barrack Street, Kingston (upstairs FedEx) Contract cars, Atlas Taxi Service- Tel:661-3043 Season’s Greetings! Urgently Needed contract cars for taxi services – Tel:656-3669 Wanted 1 driver to work in interior must have bus and lorry license - Tel: 681-6044 Person to slaughter and clean pigs at new Hope, E.B.D. call: 266-2711, 609-4594
Premio Vitz (NM), Spacio, Rush latest models, best rates with low deposits – Contact:692-1051; 685-5011 Wings Car Rental- Call: 643-1131 Dolly’s Car Rental- Call: 2257126/226-3693- dollysauto rental@yahoo.com/ www. dolly sautorental.com Premio, Vitz call:347-933-9790, 639-4452. A i d a n ’s C a r R e n t a l & Pickup - Call: 645-7981/ 698-7807 Joshua’s Car Rental Call:6656485; 679-8400
TOURS Suriname Old Years Into New Years return Trip December 29th –January 2nd Tel:644-0185; 639-2663; 665-5171; 227-8290
2 - 2007 Toyota Avensis - Tel: 698-0674
PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION,WEDDINGS, ANNIVERSARY, ETC. – CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 216-1043; 677-6620
ALYEA AUTO SALE: PREMIO 2004, ALLION 2008 NEW SHAPE & CARINA 212 @ 40 CROAL STREET STABROEK – TEL:231-7284; 622-3823 Unregistered Toyota Sienta (2004) 1500cc and 7 seater – Tel:617-5536
Rental of wedding dresses & clothing for sale Phone:6160505 Are you interested in opening a restaurant? A popular Hotel @ Tuschen Public Road have space- Tel: 638-1627
Toyota AT 192 PLL 841: Leather interior, rims - Tel: 616-1671
House & shop at 66 Broad Street Charlestown, Georgetown - Tel: 225-8305; 661-7527
AT192, 212, Allion, Premio, Hilux Surf, BNN & RZ & Pitbull buses, 7 seater super custom. Cash / termsCall:680-3154
Top Flat @ Lot 261 Golden Grove EBD - Tel: 233-5802 or 617-2261
BMW sports (unregistered)Contact: 650-0979 1 Suzuki 600 GS X – R 600cc, 1 Toyota Hilux Pickup 4X4Tel: 644-5096, 697-1453 2008 Fielder – unregistered Tel: 617-2891 Christmas Special! Premio $2.4M, Spacio-$2.1M, 2008 Fielder $2.7M, Unregistered - Tel: 617-2891
Campbellville, Diamond $100US, Ogle-$2500US, Prashad Nagar -$1500US, all complete houses – Contact Shawn:231-2199; 618-7483 Furnished two bedrooms apartment for overseas visitors – Tel:699-7559 1- Two bedroom apartmentContact: 617-3001 (call between 8:00am- 5:00pm) Diamond - $70,000, $80,000, $150,000 – Tel:661-0180
1 Madza PPP series-Tel: 668-6329
1 Toyota Rav-4, IST, NZE Corrola, Fun Cargo, AT 212, AT192, AT170, Tacoma, Caldina Wagon - Tel: 6445096; 697-1453 We buy & sell vehicles for cash, also parts available & 30 seater buses; Extra Cab pickups; 2006 TacomaCall:680-3154 1½ & 2 Ton Canters with power gate, unregistered, $ 2 . 4 M & $ 2 . 7 M - Tel: 617-2891
FOR SALE
Male or female to work in fast food restaurant immediately. Experience Necessary! - Tel: 225-1024 or 226-2829
Cheap earth delivery to spot E.C.D and E.B.D- Call:6279977, 698-0182
Perkins engine 4 Cylinder & 6 Cylinder in good working condition – Tel:669-4680
Panel Doors & Arch Frame as low as $19,995 – Tel:6641109; 626-8141
Handyboys to work – 16yrs and over. Live-in accommodation and meal free! - $30,000 per month Telephone:228-5655; 6281756 1 Boy to work in interior salary - $80,000 age 20-35 call between 9-5 – Call:675-7043; 697-1164 1 Live in maid to work in Diamond – Salary $50,000 Call:675-7043; 697-1164
FOR RENT
Toyota Allion PNN 9626 $1.9MContact:2335557,610-1309
Experienced roti/ puri cooks, pastry makers, counter servers, cleaner & handy boys. Apply @ Hack’s Halaal @ 5 Commerce St Scrap Metal – Tel:615-5315; 658-9045
VEHICLE FOR SALE
1 Raum PKK series - $1.250M Tel: 264-2954; 642-1305 CAR RENTAL
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VEHICLE FOR SALE 2008 Toyota Premio for sale (unregistered) – Tel:665-4480 Toyota 4X4 solid Def EFI – Contact: 609-4028
Must See! 2002 and 2003 Premio - $2.5 Million and 2001 Carina 212- $2M, Fully loaded – Tel:226-5473 1-55 Leyland DAF truck, excellent working condition. Price $2.8M, Must Go!Contact:656-8346 Driven Auto – Xmas Blowout Sale – Unregistered fully loaded Toyota IST $2,295,000 & Madza Axela $2,295,000 – Tel:643-6565; 226-9931 Must see! 1 Toyota Verossa PPP series.– Contact:6780456 1 G- Touring wagon: A/c, mag rims, music & roof rack – Tel:618-8040 Cheapest manual buses, Spacio, Hilux- Manual , automatic- Cell:616-7635
LAND FOR SALE Waiakabra, Linden Highway: 1,409’x403’ or 13.73 acres. Concrete house thereon. 1,100 feet from Highway Call: 619-4152 High Income Land for sale @ Diamond - $5.5M negotiable - Tel: 683-9699
FOR SALE
FOR SALE
LARGE QUANTITIES OF HIGH PURITY MERCURY (QUICK SILVER) 99.99995% PURITY $19,000 PER POUND CALL: 592-227-4754.
Honda ATV 500 4X4 DBL shocks – Tel:688-6274; 6913851
Live and pluck chicken - Tel: 220-9203; 650-4421 Rayobe 2 colour printing machine etc - Tel: 639-9553/ 277-3627 PIT-BULL pups (Red Nose) - Tel: 667-0338 1 farm 20.1 Acres @ Yarowkabra – Tel:265-3586 PORK wholesale only, whole half and quarter carcass - Tel: 266-2711; 609-4594 Earth delivery to spot also Bobcat and Excavator rentals Tel: 626-7127 Ducks & Pigs – Tel:688-7291
Dog’s- Young Adult Terrier ready for reproduction – Call:696-7467 Household Items: Electronics, 4x4 Wheels, food warmers, steel grills, carpets, colognes, motorcycles, cars & much more. Tel: 223-1885 1 Toyota Rav-4; excellent condition, one owner – Contact:626-9582
Old bottles, stamps and coins - Tel: 694-8486 Brand new RCA led TV $75,000 32", Vehicle Dash Board Video Recorder camera -$25,000 brand new Tel: 621-7728; 609-7257.
2 Cummings six cylinder engines – Contact:691-9844 or 673-9501 4 cylinder Ford engines for miners, lowest price – Contact:678-0456
Brand new Queen size spring filled mattress with box spring - $125,000 – Tel:6217728; 609-7257
Hifi Sound Connection: Car Audio, Pro Audio, complete sound system generator.Call:610-1230/673-5828
12 Pure bred German Shepherd pups – Six [6] weeks old – Tel:638-5778
1 Boat, 40ft cabin Cruser – Contact:665-2314
Metal scaffold, size 5"X5" & 6.6"X5"-Call: 267-1563. Price negotiable
Parfaite Harmonie - $1.2M – Tel:675-7292
Two propellers – Call:6673124; 226-9659
2- Acres cultivated, 2-1 Acres cultivated, 7 Acres cultivated, citrus, house, fish pond, storage at ParikaCall: 226-7968
Spare for washing machine, microwaves,fridges, stoves, timers, gearbox, pumps, etc call: 225-9032,647-2943
Diamond $3M, $4.5M, $7.5M, $9.5M, $10M, Samatta Point- $4.5M, Houston Public Road $98M Tel: 661-0180
Dell computers complete with 20" LCD $69,000, 6 months warranty @ Futuretech- Call:231-2206
Original Games- Call:6722566
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
Live/pluck chicken call:6504421, 220-9203
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 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
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 1 pair weber racing carburetor $100,00, 5X15 tyres for road Pick-up $100,000, 1 & 3 phase entrance switch $10,000$15,000- Contact:222-4158 1 counter top fridge $15,000, 1 Hammer drill $5,000, 1 mitre saw $75,000, HID 12V light kit $10,000- Contact:222-4158 Clean Garden Earth & builders waste also Bobcat rental, excavating, clearing and leveling done- Call:6160617 or 663-3285 (Continued on page 62)
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Kaieteur News
Sunday December 22, 2013
Medicine Chest Pharmacy spreads Christmas cheer (From page 61) 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 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 2 Storey business premises: 94 Campbell Avenue, C/Ville- Call:6808857/647-300-4294
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 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: 6947817; 668-0306 Salesboys, salesgirls, night security. Apply Avinash, Water St - Tel: 226-3361; 2277828 Vacancy exists for an experienced cosmetologist with pleasing personality and educational background - handsome salary Call Urgently: 227-4799 Vacancies for mechanical maintenance, Technicians on food packaging machine (overtime available)Contact Allison:603-1089 Vacancies exist for production line workers, previous production experience desirable (overtime available) Contact Allison: 603-1089
EDUCATIONAL Learn any Language fast – Tel: 622-0001 Advance Mental Health Module 1 At Critchlow Labour College – 13th January, 2014, Monday & Wednesday – 5pm-7pm – Call:226-2483 or 226-2797 Advance Mental Health Module 2 at Critchlow Labour College. 18th January, 2014. Saturdays! 10am-2:30pm – Tel:226-2483 or 226-2797
Female Accounts Clerk, 5 subjects CXC, CAT level 1, 2 years experience. Apply @ Truckmasters 6062 Industrial Site Eccles Tel: 233-3358/3762
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
Proprietor of the Medicine Chest, Jackie Fraser (left), hands over the donation to Beverly Fergus-Ferrell of the International Women’s Aid to Mahaica Hospital. The Medicine Chest Pharmacy made a monetary donation to the International Women’s Aid to Mahaica Hospital yesterday as part of corporate commitment to helping charitable organisations during the Christmas Season. Proprietor of the Medicine Chest, which is located on Middle Street,
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 Repairs to all generator, all industrial machine and wiring – Contact:644-9084, 664-9635 Brian Moe @642-3543: Computer Technician: FB/ Brian.Moe.165: Home and Office visits at your comfort!! FOR SALE / FOR RENT American pool table - Tel: 277-0578 Vacant corner lot 58"X30" @ Garnette & Republic Streets, Newton Kitty - Tel:645-0616
TO LET Fully furnished short term apartments, Eccles call: 347933-9790, 639-4452. Furnished two bedrooms apartment in Linden for short term, local & overseas guests - Tel: 614-4415; 444-4704 Newly built house call:6986496 1 Business Spot suitable for any business - Tel:223-9727; 673-0373 One bottom flat, 3 bedroom house @ Land of Canaan EBD opposite GafoorsContact:266-5469, 680-9252
Car wash attendantCall:694-4148 or 225-6296 PEN PAL Meet your match! Lifelong partners, confidential: Rules Apply Tel:592-2238237; 592-648-6098 (8:30am-5:00pm), (both phones same time)
LEARN TO DRIVE SALON Make Up Courses, Artist Trained & Certified in Trinidad. Call: 660-5257, 647-1773
Soman & Sons Driving School , First Federation Building Call 225-4858, 6445166,622-2872,615-0964
J a c k i e F r a s e r, t o l d Kaieteur News that the pharmacy collects contributions from customers over the year and whatever is the sum at the end of the year, the Pharmacy matches the amount to make the donations. “This year we have chosen the International Women’s Aid to Mahaica Hospital to spread the Christmas cheer and to brighten up their Christmas. The children are very special to us,” Fraser told this newspaper after the presentation. Treasurer of the International Women’s Aid to Mahaica Hospital, Beverly Fergus-Ferrell, on behalf of the President and members of the organisation, thanked the Medicine Chest for their contribution. “ We w o u l d l i k e t o express my gratitude to Mrs Fraser and the Medicine Chest family for their contributions to our project for 2014. We a p p r e c i a t e t h e i r support and service. We want them to know that we are very grateful,” Fergus-Ferrell said. The Medicine Chest had also donated to the organisation two years ago and had chose Christ Church last year as part of its charitable initiative.
For our advertising rates call: 225-8491, 2258465, 225-8458
Sunday December 22, 2013
Kaieteur News
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Hundreds turn out for gift giving at Ruby foreshore body identified as “Charlestown thief” GT&T’s Magical Night of Christmas Santa was kept quite busy during the “Magical Night”
GT&T’s Magical Night of Christmas has become a traditional feature in the Christmas calendar of events in Guyana of the past few years. The event has outgrown its traditional venue in the Promenade Gardens and this year was held at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall. GT&T’s CEO Mr. R.K. Sharma welcomed patrons to the event and noted the significance of this Goodwill signature event especially at this time of year. GT&T, he said, in addition to its core business, has lived up to its many corporate and social responsibilities and has become more than a household name. The company has made significant contributions in the areas of Sports, National Events, Culture and National Development as a whole. The CEO endorsed the universal feeling of brotherhood, joy and giving in keeping with the spiritual observance of Christmas.
He noted that during the year the company continued to offer goodwill and reward its customers in various ways including its competitive cellular rates with its After 2 promotion, enhanced DSL speed at no additional cost, reduced roaming rates with no subscription and more recently its initiative to request of the Public Utilities Commission approval to reduce international calls by 80%. Mr. Sharma said to top it all off, in the good spirit of Christmas, the company has provided the opportunity for its customers to win millions of cash for the Christmas Holidays, the grand drawing for which takes place tomorrow, live on radio. Despite the inclement weather hundreds of children showed up for the cultural programme and were notably excited as demonstrated by their jubilant reaction to the performances and gifts received.
The body which was found at the foreshore of the Atlantic Ocean, near Ruby, East Bank Essequibo around 13:00hrs on Thursday has been identified as Rafeek Mohamed; a man who neighbours say was a well known thief. Mohamed, 38, of Lot 2 Drysdale Street, Charlestown, Georgetown, was discovered on the foreshore near Ruby, clad in a black vest and black three quarter pants. He was barefooted and had been shot at close range to the head, with the bullet apparently entering through the left side and leaving a gaping exit wound on the right. His body was identified around 11:00hrs on Friday by his reputed wife, Shanna, who bluntly refused to speak to this newspaper. “Listen, my husband cannot come back if I speak to you,” the wife shouted before she disconnected the call. Neighbours opined that Mohamed might have met his demise after he attempted to rob “the wrong guy.” During a visit in Charlestown on Friday, this publication was told that Mohamed who was popularly
Rafeek Mohamed’s home called “Ravi” had lots of enemies and there are many people who wanted him dead. Mohamed fathered three kids from his previous marriage. He had been living in Charlestown for the past four years with Shanna. “They don’t talk with people. They does sell clothes but don’t ask me where they does get the clothes from,” a man, who refused to give his name said. A woman said that Mohamed was placed before the court on numerous “break and enter” charges.
“He does go jail steady. He is an old crook. He does go all over and rob people. He does thief for a living.” Kaieteur News understands that Mohamed was last seen on Tuesday entering his yard on a bicycle. “Hear wah happen. The sister like she see the story in the newspaper and when she see the “Rebecca” and “Love” tattoo on his hand, she called the wife and they went straight to the funeral home,” a distant relative of the dead man said. Investigations are ongoing.
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Sunday December 22, 2013
Sunday December 22, 2013
Kaieteur News
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Kaieteur News
Sunday December 22, 2013
India’s Gandhi admits ruling party stumbled in polls New Delhi (AFP) - India’s ruling Congress’ scion, Rahul Gandhi, tipped to be named the party’s candidate for premier next month, admitted yesterday the party stumbled badly in recent state polls but vowed to stage a comeback. A stunning performance by an upstart anti-corruption party helped topple Congress in elections to New Delhi’s state assembly earlier this month, only months before the country goes to the polls in general elections. Congress, in power at national level for a decade, also lost in three other state assembly contests in a devastating blow ahead of the May election. “We didn’t really hit a six in the last election,” Gandhi, using a cricket expression, told top Indian business leaders at a conference. “We didn’t do as well as we expected, but we will renew ourselves and will fight strong and confidently,” Gandhi said. In his first major speech since the party’s polling rout, Gandhi said endemic corruption was “bleeding the people” while adding the country urgently needed to get back on a high-growth trajectory. “Poverty cannot be fought without growth — there is no confusion in my mind. There is a business engine and the people have to empower the business engine,” he said. Meanwhile, in a shake-up
Rahul Gandhi addresses the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry in New Delhi yesterday. (AFP Photo/Prakash Singh) ahead of the elections, Congress environment minister Jayanthi Natarajan resigned yesterday. The Indian media reported she was going to be drafted into working for the Congress party during the elections. Oil minister M. Veerappa Moily was given the extra responsibility of the environment ministry, a government statement said. Indian media have reported Gandhi, 43, whose family has given India three prime ministers, could be named the party’s official candidate during a Congress meeting in mid-January. The move would pit Gandhi against Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi who has been named the prime
ministerial candidate for the Hindu nationalist opposition Bharatiya Janata Party. Modi has become a hero of middle-class India, hailed as a business-friendly moderniser who could revive a sharply slowing economy. But hia ability to erase memories of deadly antiMuslim riots in 2002 after he became Gujarat chief minister remain an issue for many. There are also doubts about Gandhi’s ability and desire for the job of prime minister. Opinion surveys point to a fractured election outcome in which smaller regional parties with differing agendas and a reliance on Muslims and other religious minorities for support could end up with an upper hand.
Cameron vows to defend Falklands after ‘momentous’ year London (AFP) - Prime Minister David Cameron vowed Friday to defend the Falkland Islands after a “momentous” year in which residents voted to remain a British overseas territory. In a Christmas message, Cameron said the world should respect the overwhelming result of a referendum in March which came in the face of increasing calls from Argentina to negotiate the island’s sovereignty. “2013 will be remembered as a momentous year in the history of the Falkland Islands,” Cameron said. “So as we look to 2014, you can count on the British government’s continued support in countering the Argentine government’s campaign to claim the islands’ resources and to inflict damage on your economy.” Cameron said Argentina’s attempts to damage the
David Cameron islands’ economy involved recent “shameful attempts to discourage hydrocarbons exploration” in Falklands waters. The islanders voted 99.8 percent in favour of staying British in a referendum last month, but Argentina rejected the vote as meaningless. Cameron said Britain would “remain steadfast in its commitment to your sovereignty and security”. “The Argentine
government will never succeed in any attempt to misrepresent the history of your islands or question your right to self-determination,” the prime minister added. “Britain will always be ready to defend the Falkland Islands.” Argentina invaded the Falklands, a windswept archipelago, on April 2, 1982, but surrendered on June 14 after a British task force reclaimed it. Argentina’s then-ruling military junta tried to claim the south Atlantic islands, which Argentines call the Malvinas. The conflict killed 649 Argentine and 255 British service personnel. Cameron also paid tribute to the late Margaret Thatcher, who as prime minister launched the task force. She died in April. “Her contribution to the security and future of these islands will never be forgotten,” he said.
Sunday December 22, 2013
Kaieteur News
Syria views Saudi as number one enemy Damascus (AFP) - Syria now views Saudi Arabia as its number one enemy and accuses it of trying to destroy the country by arming jihadists and other rebels fighting to oust President Bashar al-Assad. The oil-rich Gulf monarchies have sided with the opposition from the start of Syria’s conflict in March 2011, with Riyadh leading calls for the fall of Assad. Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Muqdad told AFP this week that Saudi Arabia was providing unfettered support for “terrorist groups” in Syria, while other nations had reviewed their positions. “I think that all those who supported these terrorist groups have the feeling now that they have made big mistakes,” Muqdad said in an interview on Thursday, referring to the rebels seeking to topple Assad. “The only party who is declaring the full support to the terrorist groups, to AlQaeda, is Saudi Arabia,” he said. Muqdad urged the world to press Saudi Arabia to halt its support for the rebels, to prevent what he said was “another 11 September incident”. “I think that if the world wants to avoid another 11 September incident, they must start telling Saudi Arabia ‘enough is enough’,” he said, referring to Al-Qaeda’s 2001 attacks on the US. Earlier this month, Assad’s government urged the United Nations to take a stand against Saudi support for Islamist groups whose influence has grown on the battlefield. “We call on the UN Security Council to take the necessary measures to put an
end to the unprecedented actions of the Saudi regime, which is supporting takfiri (Sunni extremist) terrorism tied to Al-Qaeda,” the foreign ministry said in a message to UN chief Ban Ki-moon. It was the first time the Syrian government has appealed to the international body to take action against Riyadh. “Saudi Arabia is not content to merely send weapons and to finance but also mobilises extremist terrorists and sends them to kill the Syrian people,” the Syrian message said. Saudi ‘not to stand idle’ Saudi-Syrian relations had been tense for years, long before the start of the brutal conflict that has now killed an estimated 126,000 people. The Sunni-ruled kingdom severed diplomatic relations with Damascus following the February 2005 assassination in Beirut of Lebanese expremier Rafiq Hariri who had close ties with Riyadh. Four years later, diplomatic ties resumed and Assad, who belongs to the Alawite Shiite sect, paid an official visit to Riyadh in March 2009. Saudi King Abdullah, who rarely embarks on official visits abroad, reciprocated in October that year and made a landmark visit to Damascus to seal ties. But relations deteriorated from the onset of the Syria war and were finally severed, with Riyadh repeatedly calling for the end of Assad’s regime. Saudi officials have simultaneously chided the West for its reluctance to intervene militarily on the side of the armed opposition. On Tuesday, the Saudi ambassador to Britain, Prince Mohammed bin Nawaf bin Abdul Aziz, published in The New York Times a bluntly
worded assessment of the West’s policies on Syria and Iran. “We believe that many of the West’s policies on both Iran and Syria risk the stability and security of the Middle East,” he wrote in the commentary. The senior diplomat said Saudi Arabia has “global responsibilities”, both political and economic, and vowed it will continue to support the rebel Free Syrian Army and opposition fighters. “We will act to fulfil these responsibilities, with or without the support of our Western partners,” wrote the ambassador. He also acknowledged the threat of Al-Qaeda-linked groups in Syria, arguing however that the best way to counter the rise of extremists among the rebels was to support the “champions of moderation”. Muqdad on Thursday told AFP that “Saudi Arabia should be put on the list of countries supporting terrorism.” Outside regime circles, there is also growing animosity towards Saudi Arabia. Earlier this month, a film which depicts the Saudi royal family in an unflattering light was screened at the Damascus opera house. “It was important for me to show this movie,” said director Najdat Anzour of his “The King of Sands” movie, which opens with Al-Qaeda’s 9/11 attacks on the US. “Al-Qaeda didn’t come from Mars but from Saudi Arabia, from the Wahhabi, extremist way of thinking,” Anzour told AFP. Anzour said a Saudi cleric has issued a fatwa, Islamic decree, authorising his killing.
Italy FM starts Iran visit on rare EU mission Tehran (AFP) - Italian Foreign Minister Emma Bonino arrived in Tehran Saturday for two days of talks, on a rare visit by a senior European official to the Islamic republic, Iranian media said. Leading a high-ranking delegation, Bonino is to meet her Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif and President Hassan Rouhani on Sunday, the official IRNA news agency said. This is the first time in nearly 10 years that an Italian foreign minister travels to Iran and follows a trip by Deputy Foreign Minister Lapo Pistelli in August, shortly after Rouhani’s inauguration. The visit comes nearly a month after a landmark agreement between Iran and world
powers over Tehran’s controversial nuclear programme, with Iran rolling back and freezing part of its drive in return for limited sanctions relief. Italy has supported the diplomatic progress, and Zarif met Bonino in Rome last month. Bonino’s visit also comes after a meeting in Vienna this month between Paolo Scaroni, the head of Italian energy major ENI, and Iran’s Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh. The two discussed “potential new activities” in Iran subject to the lifting of sanctions-something that can only happen under a comprehensive nuclear deal yet to be negotiated. Years of US and EU sanctions have more than halved Iran’s oil sales and crippled its economy.
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Kaieteur News
Sunday December 22, 2013
OPM DISTANCES ITSELF Barbados a wake-up call for St Lucia FROM CONTRACT FIASCO Trinidad Observer - The Government has moved to distance itself from blame for awarding a contract to construct housing projects, valued at over $733 million, to a contractor whose registration has been revoked by the National Contracts Commission (NCC) for several breaches. The Office of the Prime Minister (OPM), in a press release Thursday, gave timelines for the process it followed in awarding the contract, and the subsequent announcement by the minister responsible for information, Senator Sandrea Falconer, at a Post Cabinet briefing at Jamaica House on Wednesday. The OPM said that its release was responding to questions which have bee raised about the award of contracts to Cenitech Engineering Solutions Limited, which has been de-registered as a Works Grades 1 4 contractor by the NCC. The OPM said that the contracts were awarded to Cenitech, following an endorsement by the NCC. Cabinet approved the recommendation for the award of the two contracts at its meeting on December 2, then met on December 16, and ratified those decisions. “During this meeting, Cabinet was never made aware that there was an issue with Cenitech Engineering Solutions,” the release said. It added that it was on December 16, following another meeting, that the Cabinet secretary received a letter, dated December 13, from the NCC, indicating that, based on
the results of an investigation carried out by the Contractor General into the operation and registration of Cenitech Engineering Solutions Limited, the NCC, at a meeting on December 11, took the decision to revoke the registration of Cenitech Engineering as a Works Grades 1-4 contractor with immediate effect. Cenitech had been advised of the revocation of its registration with the NCC, and the Cabinet Office was requested to issue a circular to all permanent secretaries and heads of entities, informing them of the revocation of Cenitech’s registration. The OPM also stated that when Senator Falconer reported the matter to the press at the Jamaica House Media Briefing on Wednesday, she had not been advised that there was an issue with Cenitech. The Observer reported Thursday that sugar workers in St Thomas are to benefit from housing projects valued at over $733 million. Cabinet approved two contracts for the construction of houses in Stokes Hall and Hampton Court, under the Barracks Relocation Project segment of the Sugar Transformation Programme. The report said that, in making the announcement Senator Falconer said that the contracts for the infrastructure works had already been signed, with work progressing satisfactorily and nearing completion on four of the sites. She also confirmed that the works were being undertaken by CeniTech, over a 10-month period.
CASTRIES, St Lucia CMC – The Civil Service Association (CSA) says plans by the Barbados government to trim the public sector should serve as a warning for the region to make the sector more productive. The Barbados government announced last week plans to lay off 3 000 workers early next year as it seeks to cut back on expenditure and revive an ailing economy. There has been speculation here that St Lucia could follow Bridgetown or ask public servants to agree to an eight per cent wage cut. Head of the National Competitiveness and Productivity Council, Reno Gajadhar, said the Kenny Anthony government needed to adopt a similar measure, noting that such a move was long overdue. He said the government should have implemented measures to trim the public service four years ago, but delayed the process because it feared the political backlash. CSA president Mary Issac disagreed with statements
that the public service [was too large], saying if this was the case, it was due to a number of high level appointments by government based on favouritism. “You also have a number of people being brought into the public service on contract. These workers get a gratuity every two years. That to me is a heavy burden as opposed to employing people on a permanent basis in the public service. “…From where I sit I am of the firm view that cuts should be made starting from the people that they are just planting in the public service, who are just choking the system and preventing
persons from having upward mobility as well all the political appointees that are being recruited into the public service right now,” she said. Issac said many of the consultancies given out by the government could be undertaken by public servants. Issac said that the impending public sector cuts in Barbados should serve as a warning to St Lucia that the region was facing severe problems. “I think it’s a situation that we have to take seriously, and we ourselves have to look at our public service and see how best we can make it more efficient and more productive,” she added.
Uruguay economy minister resigns amid airplane scandal – president MONTEVIDEO (Reuters) - Uruguay’s economy minister resigned yesterday in the face of questions over the alleged irregular sale of governmentowned airplanes following the closure of the country’s flagship carrier, President Jose Mujica said. Mujica defended the conduct of Fernando Lorenzo, his minister since March 2010, as local television broadcast images of the economist entering a criminal courthouse. “He has been a brilliant minister,” Mujica said. “We have no doubt about his ethical integrity.” Mujica is considering replacing Lorenzo with the current president of Uruguay’s central bank, Mario Bergara, a source with the president’s political party told Reuters. Lorenzo was widely respected by investors, but faced growing criticism after the government sold seven airplanes that once belonged to Pluna, the airline the state took over and shuttered in the
wake of its bankruptcy last year. The government has yet to receive payment for the planes, which were bought by a Uruguayan businessman who changed his name before making the purchase. Pluna had been 75 percent owned by the Leadgate financial group. Lorenzo’s departure will allow him to make statements about the scandal that he might not be able to make as minister, a source with the ruling party told Reuters. Fernando Calloia, the president of Uruguay’s state bank, was also summoned to provide statements to investigators on Saturday about a guarantee the bank made for the purchase of the planes. Mujica vowed to adhere to the court’s ruling. “We will respect the decisions of the court entirely, as is natural in a lawabiding society,” Mujica said. A source in the economy ministry said that Mujica did not ask Lorenzo to resign.
Uruguay’s Economy Minister Fernando Lorenzo (R) speaks to the media before entering a court in Montevideo yesterday. REUTERS/Stringer
Sunday December 22, 2013
Kaieteur News
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Government to oversee City Hall finances The Royal Gazette Government has taken control of the Corporation of Hamilton’s purse strings after the municipality was charged with a raft of good governance violations. And the move could put City Hall in line for yet another costly court battle after Deputy Mayor Donal Smith last night suggested Government was acting illegally. At a press conference Friday afternoon, Home Affairs Minister Michael Fahy said the decision — which will give Government oversight of all the Corporation’s financial dealings — was “regrettable”, but that it was made “in the best interests of Bermuda”. Government’s decision to step in came one week after Ombudsman Arlene Brock filed an in-depth, highly critical report citing numerous examples of maladministration at City Hall, including questionable expenditures, potential conflicts of interest, City business being held in secret caucus meetings, the advice of technical experts being
ignored and an increase in retroactive and unsigned resolutions. “These actions were all called into question,” Mr Fahy said yesterday. He went on to say that, in his capacity as Minister for Home Affairs, and with the support of Cabinet, he had “served notice on the Corporation of Hamilton advising that the Government, via the Minister of Home Affairs, will temporarily assume stewardship of the Corporation’s financial administration and treasury functions, with immediate effect”. “Essentially this action means that all financial matters are to be overseen and carried out only upon the authorisation of the Minister of Home Affairs,” Mr Fahy said. “This includes tendering, accounts receivable, accounts payable, purchasing and all other money management matters. Corporation of Hamilton vendors should verify the originating authority for the purchase of any product or
service, inclusive of legal services, before providing them.” Mr Fahy was unable to say how long Government would continue to oversee the financial dealings of City Hall, but did say that it would only step aside once satisfied that a number of financial procedures and good governance measures were in place and being observed. The Minister added that he expected the Corporation’s elected Board to cooperate fully with the measure. However, last night Deputy Mayor Smith said: “The Minister is the Minister and he is sure he is working within the law. We take a different position and our attorneys are advising us accordingly.” Ms Brock launched her investigation into the Team Hamilton administration, which was elected in May 2012, in March of this year. She concluded that maladministration had “crept up at every corner in a dazzling, infinite, relentless variety and wilfulness of ways”. The Ombudsman was
critical of the way in which the $300 million waterfront development project was tendered, concluding that the process was flawed, unfair and possibly illegal. The Corporation has repeatedly been in the news in recent months after councillors, led by Mayor Graeme Outerbridge, approved a number of controversial resolutions. Financial records leaked to The Royal Gazette showed that councillors had allocated $850,000 for their expenses for this year, compared to just $10,000 set aside the previous year by the former administration. Ratepayers also footed the $30,000 bill to send four councillors and an interpreter to a conference in Colombia. The administration also came under fire for hiring a New York marketing firm to promote the city overseas at a cost of $5,000 per month. And in October councillors agreed to pay themselves $375 for each committee meeting they had attended since coming into office 18 months earlier. The
payout, totalling around $55,000, was challenged by Government. (See separate story). Councillors also passed a resolution amending the process by which Corporation cheques can be authorised. Previously cheques had to be signed by a senior councillor and countersigned by one of three senior administrators. New rules voted in by the council decreed that cheques could be cashed if signed by two senior councillors. The Corporation was criticised for paying out $200,000 to retain the services of a top London law firm to fight a series of legal cases. The municipality this week outlined a legal challenge to Government’s Municipalities Amendment Act 2013, which requires Corporation leases longer than 21 years — including the controversial waterfront development project — to be approved by MPs. Mayor Outerbridge and his deputy were in court earlier, unsuccessfully defending charges of
contempt after failing to cooperate with the Ombudsman in her investigation, and they also launched an unsuccessful legal challenge to block her final report being published. The Corporation is also embroiled in a legal tussle with the Bermuda Public Services Union over the union rights of senior administrators. Yesterday Mayor Outerbridge did not respond to requests for comment, but the Opposition Progressive Labour Party did express concern at the development. “Today’s decision by the OBA raises serious questions about the viability of the Corporation of Hamilton going forward,” said Acting Opposition leader Derrick Burgess. “To seize control of the city’s financial administration without benefit of a financial report or audit, throws a shadow over the motivations of the OBA. The ongoing saga between the OBA and the Corporation is benefiting no one and we hope that it will be resolved quickly.”
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Sunday December 22, 2013
Sunday December 22, 2013
Kaieteur News
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Narine shines, but WI batting... From page 75 behind down the leg-side for one from a feathered legglance in the bowler’s fifth over. Shivnarine Chanderpaul came to the crease and spent just over half-hour with Marlon Samuels stemming the fall of wickets. But Samuels was caught behind for 13 off left-arm medium-fast bowler Corey Anderson hanging his bat outside the off-stump and Chanderpaul, a centurymaker in the first innings, was caught at gully off Wagner in the following over, as the Windies stumbled to 46 for five.
Another period of temporary resistance came when Denesh Ramdin joined Narsingh Deonarine and they shared 29 for the biggest stand of the innings, but they were both dismissed before the total reached 100. Deonarine was caught at first slip off Wagner for 13 and Ramdin, also a first innings century-maker, was trapped lbw to Boult for 18, leaving West Indies 91 for seven. Sammy responded to the carnage with typical flourish, collecting half-dozen boundaries in a 17-ball cameo, but Southee returned for a second spell to have him caught behind and mop up the
rest of the tail, claiming his 100th Test scalp, as the last three wickets fell without adding a run. Earlier, Narine continued to make run scoring difficult for New Zealand’s batsmen, but Taylor struck 16 fours and two sixes from 264 balls in close to 5 ½ hours of batting to significantly reduce West Indies lead, after New Zealand resumed from their overnight total of 156 for three. Narine struck in the first half-hour, when he had New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum caught at slip for 12, but the Windies met resistance when Anderson and Taylor linked up for a 50-
Sunday December 22, 2013 ARIES (March 21 - April 19): You may experience a bit of tension and resistance with someone during the early part of the day, but things will ease as evening draws near. People will be more flexible as the day wears on, and be more receptive to your perspective. ******************* TAURUS (April 20 - May 20): You may be caught in a difficult quandary. Your attention to other people's needs may draw you into dramas that you don't want to be part of. As a result, you may be indecisive and unsure of how to proceed. ****************** GEMINI (May 21 - June 20): Once you have your feelings under control, you can be more expansive in other parts of your life. You can branch out, reach toward others, and make important connections that will help move you toward success and good fortune. ******************** CANCER (June 21 - July 22): Instead of directing all your energy outward and dominating the conversation with your ideas, consider listening. Let ideas flow your way. ********************* LEO (July 23 - Aug. 22): Things will be moving more in your favor as the day wears on. An easygoing, sensitive energy dominates the atmosphere. It will be easier for you to be yourself. ******************* VIRGO (Aug. 23 - Sept. 22): You may feel like you're spinning your wheels today, especially as the end of the day draws near. Nothing seems to be going your way.
LIBRA (Sept. 23 - Oct. 22): You're in a good position to make a major breakthrough. Your sensitivity works to your advantage. It gives you insight into things that others miss. ********************* SCORPIO (Oct. 23 Nov. 21): Don't get too hooked on the free spirit that may dominate the morning hours. Have your fun at that time, but all good things must come to an end at some point. ******************** SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22 - Dec. 21): You may feel you're coming to a dramatic emotional climax regarding an issue that you take personally. There's a strong force stirring up your feelings, but that doesn't mean you have to spin out of control. .********************* CAPRICORN (Dec. 22 - Jan. 19): Be careful of letting your erratic, willful nature dominate the scene. Go with the flow and be more sensitive to the people around you. Stay grounded, focused, and aware of your emotions. ******************** AQUARIUS (Jan. 20 F e b . 1 8 ) : You may be scolded for something you failed to take care of properly. There's a wonderfully expansive feeling to the day that you should capitalize on. ********************* PISCE S ( F e b . 1 9 March 20): The beginning of the day may start out boisterous and easygoing. The object of the game for you will be to have some fun.
run, fifth-wicket stand. Veerasammy Permaul’s stifling left-arm spin then produced a wicket, when Anderson was caught at deep mid-wicket for 39, as the New Zealanders reached 249 for five at lunch. After the interval, Sammy had Bradley-John Watling caught behind for 20, chasing a wide ball, and this opened up the tail for Narine, but Taylor remained entrenched, reaching his hundred from 239 balls, when he drove a half volley from Tino Best through extra cover for his 14th four. Best finally brought
Taylor’s defiance to a close, when he had him caught at third man from an upper cut, but the Black Caps tail-enders were still able to add another 43 to shorten the visitors’ advantage. The Windies trail 0-1 in the three-Test series, 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.
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Sunday December 22, 2013
“Merry Christmas 2013! When West Indies fail, WICB must hold public inquiries!” Merry Christmas 2013 to all! Do not consume too much of high-spirited liquids, but please enjoy fully and be safe! So, is all lost for West Indies, as considered internationally, especially in Tests, after recent outright shambolic debacles and disappointments on tours of India and New Zealand? Who knows, but it could be a very long haul, beginning 2014, to repair West Indies’ international Test standing! “National Lampoon’s Animal House” is that 1970’s comedy classic, starring screen luminaries John Belushi, Karen Allen, Tim Matheson, Tom Hulce and Donald Sutherland. After a series of outlandishly vile situations, Belushi, acting as John “Bluto” Blutarsky, first uttered those now fully immortal words: “When all else fails, start drinking heavily!” Obviously, that suggestion should not be for West Indian cricketers, but supporters are suffering terribly. While enjoying the festive season, there should be serious in-depth
introspections by the entire recently Test-toured senior West Indies contingent, to assess as to where exactly they, and our senior team, are. All may not be fully lost, yet, so drinking very heavily, especially by our p l a y e r s , may not be necessary, yet, but after the last two Tests in NZ, and those in India, one has to seriously worry about this WI team. In Test No. 2, v NZ, last week, WI ignominiously lost its way to New Zealand’s bowling, by an inning and 73 runs, in just two days and two sessions. What an embarrassment! Utterings from Head Coach Ottis Gibson and Manager Richie Richardson after Test No. 2, v NZ, were pointed, suggesting that there could have been serious problems in the camp on tour. Had Gibson been a soccer manager, he would have lost his job ages ago, since Champions Trophy 2013! One could only hope that when the festive season is complete, in the first week of January 2014 even, before 2014’s cricket season starts, that a real, not contrived
Ottis Gibson (AFP) assessment, but a full public investigation, will be completed by WICB, as to what exactly went wrong on these recent tours to India and NZ. One thing is certain, even from the outside. Something is seriously wrong with the entire make-up of the senior team and its coaching structure, since none of our cricketers could boast of becoming any better! Realizing how West Indies cricket has worked over past years, always moving forward without obvious assessments of recent mine-fields, do not hold your breath, but such an
overview should be welcomed. It is Christmas time, so one should be charitable, but how does anyone who really cares about West Indies cricket interpret the absolute disgraceful garbage perpetuated on us from that other Down Under; NZ? At time of writing this article, West Indies, even with expected exploits of Shiv Chanderpaul, with another, almost ubiquitous century, 122 not out, and as welcome a three-figure score as a wicket-keeper-batsman could want, 107 from Denesh Ramdin, in 1st innings, had just succumbed to 103 all out, 2nd innings, 3rd Test, in just one session of batting, leaving NZ to get only 122 for a 2-0 series win. Only Sunil Narine’s efforts can stop that, but that would be an unlikely Christmas miracle! 1st Innings, Test 3, WI were also 86-5, facing real fire, so those centuries from veterans Shiv and Denesh could not have come at a better time. 2nd time around was not so fortunate. Much has been written about Chanderpaul and Ramdin, but they do continue
to produce, mostly when desperately required, hoping to see their team-mates do similarly! In both innings, 3rd Test, openers Kraigg Brathwaite and Kieran Powell gifting wickets away, while Kirk Edwards seemed so much at sea to swinging deliveries that he would not be out of place with the fisher-folk at Oistins, or with captains of luxurious yachts moored in the Carenage, in his native Barbados. “Messiah” Darren Bravo has not delivered any new miracles since his gamesaving double hundred; Test No. 1. George Frideric Handel must be wondering how his masterful musical work could be so defiled! I hope that you had time to read, on Cric-Info and Caribbeancricket.com, a magnificent comparison by former New Zealand ace batsman and captain, Martin Crowe, of West Indies exploits these last several years, and also touching on New Zealand, England and Australia too. It was a good assessment of what it was like to face the now almost forgotten might of West Indies when Crowe
Colin E. H. Croft says: was NZ’s captain. He even managed to make light of having to change many under-garments as he, and team-mates, thought, and waited, to face Holding, Garner, Croft, Roberts etc., and according to him, the best of us all, Malcolm Marshall. Thinking about it now, even after three decades, facing West Indies then must have been a chilling feeling! Whenever I cover or look at cricket played by WI these days, a la v NZ, it is obvious that, as was also described in “Animal House”, WI cricket, at least on the Test field of play, has reached “a new low!” 2014 cannot come fast enough, as one must believe that the new year will be better. Enjoy the season!
Alpine Skiing: Knee lets Vonn down again VAL D’ISERE, France (Reuters) - Lindsey Vonn’s injured knee let her down once again on Saturday, raising doubts about whether the downhill Olympic champion would be in a position to defend her title at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. The American four-times
World Cup champion, watched for the first time in a World Cup race by boyfriend Tiger Woods, missed a gate in the middle section of French resort Val d’Isere’s OK piste and later said her knee was to blame. “I didn’t hurt myself more than I’m already hurt,” Vonn told reporters.
“Unfortunately I have no ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) and it gave out on me. “It was a small compression, and it was fully loaded on the right ski and my knee just completely gave out. I tried to pressure the ski again and it gave out again. I had no chance of making that gate, unfortunately.” Vonn first tore ligaments in her right knee at the world championships in Schladming in February and she aggravated the injury in training at Copper Mountain, Colorado, last month. Her initial return to competition in Lake Louise two weeks ago had been promising as she climbed from 40th in her first downhill to fifth in the Super-G held two days later. Now the doubts are back for the second most successful female skier in history with 59 World Cup wins, three less than Austria’s Anne-Marie Moser-Proell. “It’s certainly not the return I had anticipated,” she said. “It was Tiger’s first time on a World Cup race and I was really hoping to win my 60th as a present for him.” She said she would have
Lindsey Vonn (front R) of the U.S. and her boyfriend, golfer Tiger Woods leave after the Women’s World Cup Downhill skiing race in Val d’Isere, French Alps, December 21, 2013. REUTERS/Robert Pratta to learn to live with the injury and potentially adjust her technique to reduce the impact on her knee. K A U F M A N N ABDERHALDEN VICTORY She remained optimistic, however, about her chances of being competitive at Sochi in February. “I’m going to stick to a similar plan that I was on before. I just need to be more careful of how many races I
do. “I’m at risk of doing more damage to my knee and my meniscus. So I’m going to play it safe and race really minimal races. Probably one or two before the Olympics.” Vonn missed the races held in St Moritz last weekend and told Reuters that she probably would not return before Cortina d’Ampezzo on January 16, a resort where she has won seven previous
races. Before her mishap Vonn had already been making headlines, having been besieged at her hotel by journalists, photographers and paparazzi because of Woods’s presence. The golfer was seen at the bib ceremony on Friday and the pair were also spotted in a tea lounge downtown. On Saturday, sporting a grey hat, shades and a checked anorak, he stood in the finish area, his back to the press and remained expressionless when his girlfriend faulted. “He was very happy to be here and he told me he was very concerned by what’s happening to me,” Vonn said. Her rivals also wished her a prompt return to her best form. “I talked to Tiger a bit in the finish area,” World Cup champion Tina Maze said. “He didn’t bring her luck today. But I respect them both very much and I hope Lindsey will soon recover.” The Slovenian finished second in the Val d’Isere downhill behind unheralded Swiss Marianne KaufmannAbderhalden, who clinched her maiden World Cup victory.
Sunday December 22, 2013
Kaieteur News
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Woodpecker Products annual Christmas singles Badminton tournament
Ramdhani siblings dominate
Outstanding players show off their hardware after the Woodpecker Products Badminton Tournament at Queens College. The Woodpecker Products Annual Christmas Singles Tournament concluded on Friday at the Queens College Badminton Courts. Matches continued in Under-19 Girls Singles Finals where Caribbean Gold Medalist Priyanna Ramdhani defeated Ambika Ramraj: 2116, 21-9 and was crowned the Under-15 & 19 Champion. In the Open Men Final, Narayan Ramdhani defeated Nicholas Ali in a thrilling three setter with Nicholas Ali winning the first set at 22-20, but Caribbean & South American Bronze Medalist Narayan Ramdhani came back in the last two sets: 1821, 15-21 to take the Open Men Singles Title and was
crowned Junior and Senior Champion. The results of matches played were: Under-19 Girls Singles Final: Priyanna Ramdhani defeated Ambika Ramraj: 2116, 21-9 Open Men’s Singles Quarter Final: Narayan Ramdhani defeated Armand Ramdhani: 21-7, 21-13 Noel Shewjattan defeated Jonathan Mangra: 21-15, 2115 Christopher Persaud defeated Darrell Carpenay: 21-9, 19-21, 21-18 Nicholas Ali defeated Josh Oudit: 21-4, 21-1 Open Men’s Singles Semi-
Final: Narayan Ramdhani defeated Noel Shewjattan: 2112, 21-13 Nicholas Ali defeated Christopher Persaud: 21-13, 21-4 Open Men’s Singles Finals: Narayan Ramdhani defeated Nicholas Ali: 22-20, 18-21, 15-21 The Presentation to the winners in the different events was done immediately after the Finals and was done by Lance Sanford & Marlyn Sanford, Senior Badminton players from London, England, who is visiting Guyana. The Overall Results are: Under-15 Boys Singles:
1. Jonathan Mangra 2. Hemraj Beharry 3. Armand Ramdhani & Ransell Ramsaroop Under-15 Girls Singles: 1. Priyanna Ramdhani 2. Ambika Ramraj 3. Abosaide Cadogan & Siya Persaud Under-19 Boys Singles: 1. Narayan Ramdhani 2. Noel Shewjattan 3. Jonathan Mangra & Sachin Ramdhani Under-19 Girls Singles: 1. Priyanna Ramdhani 2. Ambika Ramraj 3. Althea McDavid Open Men’s Singles: 1. Narayan Ramdhani 2. Nicholas Ali 3. Christopher Persaud & Noel Shewjattan
Entries roll in for Norman Singh, Jumbo Jet, horses owners $11M horserace treat Entries have been rolling in for the Norman Singh Memorial Turf Club (NSMTC), Jumbo Jet Auto Sales and racing stables and horse owners grand preNew Year’s horserace meet on Sunday29th December at the Norman Singh Memorial Turf Club, No 6, West Coast Berbice. Over $11M in cash and trophies are on offer for the outstanding performers. The NSMTC is in good condition and some fast times are expected to be recorded, especially with the massive payments promised. Several key events have been listed on the day’s
programme which includes the much anticipated A class main event, races for the three year old Guyana and West Indies bred horses, the E 1class horses, an event for two year old West Indies Bred horses, while the G and three year Guyana bred events will also be crowd pullers. The feature “A” class race will see the horses racing for total prize money of over $3.8M. The winner will race away with whopping $2M and trophy over 1600M. The Three Year old race for horses bred and born in Guyana and the West Indies has a $1M reward for the winner over 1600M.
The Two year Guyana and West Indies Bred horses will gallop over 1200M for the $700,000 first prize and trophy on offer. The E1 class event has a wining haul of $600,000 and trophy over 1200 meters. There is a race for G1 class horses also over 1200M and will see the champion horse taking home a winners money of $500,000 and trophy. The race for Guyana bred three year old horses is for a pole position taking of $400,000 and trophy over 1200M. The ‘I ‘and lower 1200M event is for a winning money of $250,000 and trophy. The other event is for the
animals classified J, K and L and lower, which is also a 1200M affair, is for a winner’s pocket of $200,000. Entries are expected to be closed today interested horse owners are asked to make contact with –Rajendra ‘JinJo’ Jagdeo on 618-7278, C. Ramnauth on telephone numbers 337-5311 or 6971979, Campton Sancho 6900569, Ganesh Singh on 6003626 or 649-3636, Lenny Singh on 642-3172 or Romell Jagroop on 624-1798 or the Jumbo Jet office on numbers 232-9711, 232-0633. Nasrudeen ‘Jumbo Jet’ Mohamed is the coordinator. Race time is 12:30hrs.
Bishoo eyes senior Windies recall By Zaheer Mohamed Leg spinner Devendra Bishoo, the leading wicket taker in the recently concluded Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GT&T)\Hand-inHand senior 4 day inter county tournament told Kaieteur Sport yesterday that he wants to return to the senior West Indies team as early as possible. Bishoo who took 25 wickets in the inter-county competition; helping Berbice to the title said he is happy with his performance. “I am happy that my bowling has return to where i want it to be. I am very comfortable and please that i played an important role in helping Berbice win the inter-county tournament”, added Bishoo. Bishoo who took 40 test wickets from 11 matches with his best being 5-90 against Bangladesh and 20 wickets from 13 matches in ODI’s including 6-34 versus England as well as six scalps from four T\20 games with a best of 4-16 against Pakistan stated that he is working feverishly to improve his game and trains six times a week. The leg spinner indicated that like most other cricketer he went through a bad patch. “I had a bad game; it was the
same match where Sunil Narine took one wicket. My bowling fell down somewhat after i was dropped from the team, but i started to work harder and i was always confident that i will return with a bang”, he said. Bishoo informed that he is also pleased with his batting which is always improving. Speaking about the intercounty competition Bishoo indicated that he had to lead from the front. “With the absence of Veerasammy Permaul, i had much more responsibility on my shoulders in the bowling department. Everyone supported each other and we had some good performances from Royston Crandon, Assad Fudadin, Sewnarine Chattergoon and Jonathan Foo to name a few. The guys performed when it matters most”, said Bishoo. When quizzed about the upcoming Regional Super 50, Bishoo said that he is looking forward to a good tournament. “I am looking forward to perform with both bat and ball and help Guyana win the title. It’s a long time we haven’t tasted success in a one day tournament, we have a good chance this time but we have to play smart cricket”, he stated.
Narine shines, but WI batting flop again HAMILTON, New Zealand – Career-best bowling from Sunil Narine was followed by another dramatic West Indies batting collapse in the final period, leaving New Zealand to chase 122 for victory in the third Test on Saturday here. Narine grabbed 6-91 from 42.3 overs, but Ross Taylor 131 – hit his third hundred of the series – as the New Zealanders were dismissed for 349 just before tea on the third day at Seddon Park to give the Windies a slender first innings lead of 18. The Caribbean side then failed to ease concerns about their batting, as the Black Caps’ pacemen, led by leftarm swinger Trent Boult with 4-23 from 10 overs, bowled them out for 103 in their second innings just before the scheduled close. West Indies captain Darren Sammy hit the top score of 24 and Shivnarine Chanderpaul made 20, but no other batsman reached that many, as Tim Southee captured 3-12 from 8.5 overs
and left-arm medium-fast bowler Neil Wagner claimed 2-34 from seven overs. The Windies then failed to make a breakthrough, as openers Peter Fulton and Hamish Rutherford carried New Zealand to six without loss before stumps were drawn. A painful ankle that kept Kieran Powell off the field during the latter stages of the Black Caps’ first innings meant that Kraigg Brathwaite and Kirk Edwards were forced to open the batting for the visitors in their second innings. In the twinkling of eye, all three were sent packing in a destructive opening spell from Boult that left West Indies wobbling on 13 for three. Brathwaite was bowled for seven with an in-swinging first delivery of Boult’s third over and Powell was caught at third slip for a duck with the final delivery when he hung his bat outside the offstump to a ball shaping away before Edwards was caught (Continued on page 72)
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Sunday December 22, 2013
Suarez scores twice Digicel wires in hefty last minute to put Liverpool top Port Mourant Champion of Champions Horserace meet
support, one change made
The horses have completed their training routines and ready to gallop with the jockeys prepared for fireworks at the Port Mourant Turf Club today when the club stages their Champion of Champions horserace meet. Over 85 horses are expected to take to the turf for the long awaited event in what promises to be an exhilarating day of horseracing which is the last for the club for this season. With all systems in place, a bumper crowd is expected to swarm the PMTC arena for the day in the Ryan Crawford Memorial Turf club and Sports Facilities and the Shariff Business Enterprise and Racing Stable jointly organised meet. The PMTC, which is in the best of condition at the moment, is synonymous with its December meet where thousands of overseas Guyanese and visitors usually flock to enjoy their end of year horse racing extravaganza. Seven action packed races are now on the card that brings together the best horses in Guyana with over $8.5 M in cash trophies and other incentives up for grabs. Telephone Giants Digicel is on board with hefty sponsorship for the event. The feature A class race has an impressive lineup that features the best in the Country at the moment with reigning champion Score’s Even, two times Guyana Cup defending champion Elle’s Vision, 2012 champion Settle In Seattle, best groomed horse Grande De Roja, the overseas contingent of Rock Movie Star, Money in Return and Some Legend and
seasoned campaigners Got To Go, Mission King, CP Got Even, Who is on the Case, Swing Easy, the Message and Country Armagh battling compliments of Banks DIH Limited for the hefty first prize of $1.2M in cash and trophy in what is expected to be a mouthwatering encounter. With all the distances now 1200M affairs, upsets are very much possible during the day’s action. The co-feature Three Year old derby for Guyana and West Indies Bred horses is expected to be close. With the two three year old races now combined as one, a ding dong battle is anticipated. It will once again see the renewed rivalry with the likes of Cat Messiah; It’s My Turn, Silent Night, She So Special, Monsoon, Gold Rush, Princess Alisha, Easy to win, Battle Hymn and Gold Princess in action. The race is an open affair for the hefty winnings of $600,000 and trophy. The D and lower event with a first prize of $600,000 will see among them Swing Easy, Country Armagh, Treacle, Golden Reprise, Red and Lovely and Majestic battling. The G1and lower class race will see the likes of Damascus Dream, Captain Crook, Bridal Stone Corner, War Craft; this Cat is Back, Rosetta, Ferry Landing and Wild Grinder also for a first prize of $300,000 and trophy. Sunday Silence, Untouchable, Key for The Killer, Shooting Star, Release the Beef (Golden Key) and Triple among those entered in the race for Two Year old Guyana Bred and West Indies Bred maiden horse for a
winner’s purse of $300,000. The ‘I’ and lower race will have a top money of $200,000 and trophy with I want Revenge, Savion, Funny Side and Mary Ann among others in the running. The J and lower event have Smarty Light, Sango and Golden Reprise running for winning prize of $150,000 and trophy. Among the sponsors are 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, Buffalo Energy Drink, Phagoo General Store, Southland Incorporated, John Dere Company, Kit Scipio of USA , Jai Sign, Khanai’s Electrical, Fazal Habubulla, G. Singh Engineering Services, Kris J a g d e o Construction, Lekeram ‘Buddy’ Sukhdeo, Romell J a g r o o p Construction, Customs racing Stable , Shano Seenarine, Attorney at law R.N Poonai and Lenny and Niranjan Singh. 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 minutes queries can be directed to Mohammed Shariff on 611-0684, Chanu Ramkissoon- 6249063, Kris Jagdeo 624-6123; 322-0369, Rajendra Jagdeo 618-7278 or Ramnauth 337-5311. (Samuel Whyte)
Satisfying year but race walking authorities eye international accomplishments Despite hosting several events and enjoying a productive year of activities, organizers of the Cavaliers Sports and Tour Club (CS&TC) are adamant that much more can be done if local walkers are to measure up to their Caribbean counterparts. This much was revealed in a press release dispatched by officials of the CS&TC who have also committed to several developmental strategies to enhance these fortunes. Consequently, officials plan to host several events with an international flavor while increasing participation in overseas
events. Officials are also mulling countrywide training sessions to mould a national race walk team for participation in the 2016 Brazil Olympics. Officials admitted to debilitating challenges including the sudden death of founder-member and coordinator, Olga Harry, coupled with a paucity of adequate sponsorship but nonetheless acknowledged the input of several individuals and entities that kept the sport alive. Among this group are Public Service Minster, Jennifer Westford, Managing Director of Modern Optical Services, Dr
Jose .L. Da Silva, Commissioner General of the Guyana Revenue Authority, Khursuid Sattaur and BanksDIH Ltd Events Manager, Mortimer Stewart among others. The organizers also had kind words for Kaieteur News sports reporter, Michael Benjamin, who has supported their advancement through the reporting of events and activities. Others coming in for kudos are US based Guyanese Andrew Wilson, HBTV Director, Charles Griffith, Chairman of the Green Path Foundation and President of the Taurus Women’s Club, Sharon Moffat.
Luis Suarez fired home 2 goals to help propel Liverpool to the top of the Premier League. (Reuters) BBc Sport - Luis Suarez helped propel Liverpool to the top of the Premier League as the Reds beat a Cardiff side with the conflict between owner Vincent Tan and manager Malky Mackay hanging over them. The Uruguay striker broke the deadlock with a volley and then raced clear to set up Raheem Sterling for a tap-in. Suarez brilliantly curled in a low 18-yard shot before an unmarked Jordon Mutch headed in for the visitors. Cardiff’s fans stayed back after the game to chant their support for Mackay. The Bluebirds boss had stood on the Anfield pitch for some time after the final whistle and applauded his side’s supporters, many of whom were holding up banners against Tan. There had been doubts as to whether Mackay would be in the dug-out for the game after being told in the week to resign or face being sacked by Tan, who was at the match. But despite the owner discussing his manager’s future with chairman Mehmet Dalman at a meeting on Friday night, Mackay was in charge for a game which resulted in Cardiff’s eighth defeat of the campaign. The home side made sure they did not get distracted by the sideshow surrounding
the game, and Suarez’s performance came on the back of the 26-year-old signing a new four-and-halfyear deal with the in-form Reds. Liverpool have scored 17 goals in their last four league games and, depending on the result between Arsenal and Chelsea on Monday, they could head the top flight at Christmas for the first time since 2009, when they went on to finish second. The last time the Reds were top at Christmas and won the league was in 1987-88. Cardiff started the game promisingly and went close early on when a swift counterattack resulted in Mutch playing a ball though to Craig Noone, whose 22-yard shot was palmed over by keeper Simon Mignolet. Liverpool responded with a Suarez shot being deflected wide and a well-struck Sterling effort being blocked before they eventually broke through the Bluebirds blockade. Joe Allen laid the ball off to Jordan Henderson on the left side of the area and he crossed for Suarez, who had initiated the move, to volley past keeper David Marshall for his 18th league goal of the season. The Reds almost doubled their lead only to be twice denied by the post. First, Philippe Coutinho gathered a
short Suarez corner, burst into the area and saw his angled shot come back off the woodwork. Right-back Glen Johnson’s cross then found left-back Jon Flanagan and his first-time side-foot came off the face of the same post before Marshall cleared. The chances began to flow for Liverpool and after Henderson released Suarez with a piercing outside-ofthe-boot pass, the Uruguayan squared for Sterling to tap in. Suarez added an impressive third just before the break when he latched on to the tireless and improving Henderson’s backheel to curl a low shot into the bottom corner. Cardiff reacted by putting the Anfield side under pressure in the second half and were rewarded with a goal when Mutch was left unmarked to steer in a header from Peter Whittingham’s freekick. The visitors might have had a penalty for Reds centreback Martin Skrtel holding Steven Caulker but referee Lee Probert saw no foul. Liverpool regrouped and regained their grip on the game and, after Sterling’s shot was saved, Suarez struck the follow-up strike against the outside of the post as the home side claimed an 11th league win of the season.
Sunday December 22, 2013
Kaieteur News
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GCUC BGM set for February 22 2014 Future of hockey looks
The Biennial General Meeting (BGM) of the Guyana Cricket Umpires Council (GCUC) will be held on February 22, 2014 at the Georgetown Cricket Club, Bourda at 13:00hrs. Members are asked to be reminded that notice of motions or resolutions shall be sent in writing to the Secretary or the Management Committee not later than twenty eight days before the BGM. Nominations for the
positions of President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Assistant Secretary/ Treasurer, Public Relations Officer and four Management Committee Members shall be made by members of the Council not earlier than two months and not later than one month before the Meeting. The agenda reads as follows; 1. Call to Order 2. Prayers 3. Minutes of OGM
4.
Matters Arising from the Minutes 5. Correspondents 6. Secretary’s Report 7. Treasurer’s Report 8. Report from Sub Committees 9. Reports from Sub Associations 10. President’s Remarks 11. Presentation of Certificates 12. Any other Business 13. Election of Office Bearers
Obama sends message by including gay athletes in Sochi delegation WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama made clear on Friday that his inclusion of three openly gay athletes in the official U.S. delegation to the Winter Olympics in Sochi was intended to send a pointed message to Russia, where anti-gay laws have drawn Western criticism. Former tennis star Billie Jean King, Olympic figure skating champion Brian Boitano and Olympic ice hockey medalist Caitlin Cahow were among a group of prominent Americans named to represent the United States at the Games’ ceremonies. The White House added to the symbolism when it announced this week that neither the president, first lady Michelle Obama nor Vice President Joe Biden would travel to Sochi. The decision was widely viewed as a snub from a U.S. administration whose relations with Russia have been strained over a string of diplomatic disputes. “I think the delegation speaks for itself,” Obama told a White House news conference when asked whether the composition of the U.S. delegation was meant to send a message. “The fact that we have got folks like Billie Jean King or Brian Boitano, who themselves have been worldclass athletes that everybody acknowledges for their excellence, but also for their character, who also happen to be members of the LGBT community, you should take that for what it’s worth,” he said. “When it comes to the Olympics and athletic performance, we do not make distinctions on the basis of sexual orientation,” Obama said. “We judge people on how they perform, both on the court and off the court, on the field and off the field.” Their selection has been widely regarded as a rejection of Russia’s laws that include
U.S. President Barack Obama holds his year-end news conference in the Brady Press Briefing Room in the White House in Washington December 20, 2013. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst a ban on what it calls the spread of homosexual propaganda among minors. The laws have been criticized internationally in the lead-up to the Games, which open on February 7 in Sochi. Obama, speaking about the Russian law in a television interview in August, said he had “no patience for countries that try to treat gays or lesbians or transgender persons in ways that intimidate them or are harmful to them.” As for his own decision not to attend, Obama pointed out he had not gone to Olympics during his presidency and suggested he would be occupied with domestic priorities, such as dealing with what has been a flawed roll-out of his
healthcare law. “Attending Olympics, particularly at a time when we have got all of the stuff that people have been talking about, is going to be tough,” he said. “Although I would love to do it.” The decision was made to have the delegation led by former Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano, a lower-ranking official than has been the case for recent Olympics. This comes at a time when relations between Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin have been under stress because of differences over Syria, as well as Moscow’s granting of temporary asylum to former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden, who has leaked U.S. surveillance secrets.
bright - Fernandes
Basking in the success of the Ladies performance in Argentina earlier this year and more significantly Guyana’s surge up the FIH Women’s ranking to #38 and national goalkeeper Alysa Xavier’s call up on the on the Pan Am Elite team, President of the Guyana Hockey Board (GHB) Philip Fernandes in giving his assessment of the sport’s performance said it has been a laudable one and worthy of praise. Fernandes, who is the national female coach speaking with Kaieteur Sport recently commended the efforts of the executive of the Board as well as all the players, coaches, well wishers and members of the corporate community who all joined together to make the year a successful one. “I think that because all the components came together in a big way, it has enabled the sport to make a strong resurgence, one which has seen us reap the rewards for the hard work that started some 2-3 years ago when we embarked on our mission to get to the Pan Am Cup, while the work done by the coaches in the schools has also borne fruit as evidenced by the appearance of a crop of young talented players which augurs well for the future of the game here,” Fernandes mentioned. Asked to pinpoint some of the significant achievements for the year, Fernandes disclosed the increased
Philip Fernandes number of tournaments staged, both local and international, Guyana being the biggest climber on the FIH recent ranking and the sharp and admirable swell in new players in the sport, are all major accomplishments. Fernandes, however, felt that the national women participation for the first time in the prestigious PAHF Cup in Argentina was probably the most important achievement for the year. “While the team finished at the bottom of the eightteam PAHF Cup, this tournament was well beyond the expected reach of Guyana and for them to be ranked 16 in Pan Am and qualify to compete with the top 8 was a fantastic achievement in itself. The ladies have moved
to a rank of #8 in PAHF. From relative obscurity, the Guyana women’s national team has risen over the past three years to challenging for a spot among the top teams of the confederation. The GHB Head once again lamented the absence of an artificial surface which he blamed for Guyana not being a more potent force in the Caribbean earlier, but reminded that the players through steadfast commitment has slowly, but surely emerged as legitimate contenders within the Region. “I think we will continue to struggle a bit in the outdoors due to quite a few impediments such as less than ideal pitches, poor lighting facilities, constant flooding of outfields and the unavailability of grounds, especially when cricket is being played,” Fernandes stated. Fernandes also spoke of the challenge faced by kids from the poorer communities who he revealed usually struggle to procure proper equipment due to the cost of such. He pointed to the recent announcement of a national men’s team who will be aiming to participate in the PAHF Indoor Championships in April next year in Uruguay, along with the Ladies who have an opportunity to participate in the CAC Games as among the main focus for next year.
Kelvin Williams back as T&T Head Coach Trinidad Express -Port of Spain, Trinidad - Trinidad and Tobago coach Kelvin Williams has reclaimed his place in charge of the senior men’s national cricket team and is currently overseeing their preparation for next year’s Super50, which will take place in T&T from January 30 to February 16. Kelvin Williams served as David Williams’ assistant for the 2013 season, but will now assume the reins one more. This was confirmed by TTCB general secretary Arjune Ramlal on Wednesday, who said David Williams will still have a key
Kelvin Williams role to play in T&T cricket, serving as the TTCB technical
director overseeing all T&T national teams. Last year, the former West Indies assistant coach came back into the TTCB coaching set up as technical director with direct responsibility as coach of the national senior team. Third vice president of the TTCB Patrick Rampersad explained that now David Williams has been assigned to work with all the coaches of the various national teams. Williams (D) will also be chairing the newly formed TTCB Talent Identification Committee with Kelvin as secretary.
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Kaieteur News
Sunday December 22, 2013
Sunburst/LABA Sec. Sch. U-17 B’ball
Unbeaten Mackenzie High to face Christianburg Wismar for championship
Mackenzie High’s Otis Williams (left) and Daniel Anthony Mackenzie High School, yet to taste defeat and Christianburg Wismar Secondary have booked their respective places in the championship game of the inaugural Linden Amateur Basketball Association (LABA) / ‘Sunburst Orange Juice’ sponsored Secondary Schools Under-17 basketball competition. In the semifinals which were contested on Wednesday last at the Mackenzie Sports Club Hard Court, Mackenzie High, as expected breezed past New Silvercity Secondary 40-21, while there was a surprise win for Christianburg Wismar Secondary who overcame
Linden Foundation Secondary 47-36. Linden Foundation Secondary’s inability to have a bench took its toll on the only five players available which resulted in their defeat. I n f e a t u r e p l a y, Linden Foundation were up against Christianburg Wismar and were fancying their chances of another win having defeated the said opponents in the preliminary stage of the competition. However, after they played brilliantly through three quarters, they paid the price as Christianburg Wismar made full use of their substitute bench; in the end
This Christianburg Wismar Secondary player (4th left in red) getting off a shot between the arms of opposing players from Linden Foundation Secondary in grey uniforms. the winners bounced Linden Foundation out of contention. Despite sterling contributions from the Linden Foundation duo of Isaiah Semple and Nigel Plowell, who demonstrated the will to win despite not having a bench, but they were exhausted by the end of the third quarter. It was here the game was lost for them as after Christianburg Wismar had
tied the scores at 31 with a big three pointer, the winners pulled away. At the end of the first quarter, Christianburg were trailing 9-17, while the scores were tied at the half way mark, 21-21. Daniel Lee was the leading scorer for the winners with 16 points; Akini Buntin touched in 10 with Kellon Patterson and Gregory Euripi tipping in six each. Semple and Plowell
showed why they are regarded among the best players at this level with contributions of 15 and 12 points respectively. In the first game, Mackenzie High, after leading 4-2 and a half time level at 6 accelerated to outscore their opponents 19-10 to lead after three quarters 25-16 and eventually eased home to a 41-20 triumph. Guiding the victory bid
was forward Daniel Anthony who poured in 12 points as teammate Otis Williams 11 and Edson Emmanuel supported well with six. Four players for New Silvercity Secondary each got four points and they were Cleveland Denny, Branley Griffith and Jafar Moore. The final will be contested on Wednesday, January 8, 2014 at the Mackenzie Sports Club Hard Court.
Canadian footballer De Rosario arrives in Guyana
From left- Tony De Rosario, Aubrey Shanghai Major, Dwayne De Rosario, Shomari Ramsay and Mark De Rosario after their arrival. Canadian footballer Dwayne De Rosario said he is pleased to visit the country of his roots, Guyana. He was speaking with Kaieteur Sport shortly after this arrival yesterday. Dwayne, who is here as an observer of the Chico Kashif and Shanghai schools tournament, said that the
main purpose of his visit is to help develop the young footballers and he will conduct a clinic in Linden today. When quizzed about the schools tournament, De Rosario stated that Education and football go hand in hand. “Education is important for the youths, this will help build the national
team and it also augurs well for the development of sports in Guyana,” he added. De Rosario informed that one of the main reasons for his visit to give back to the sport. “I am here to help the youths; there is lots of talent, but the kids need more help in order to make a name at the
international level,” he said. “Facilities are important in term of their development, it makes players feel better and it enhances their talent. I am happy to help support their development,” said De Rosario who feels that hard work, Education and confidence are important.
Sunday December 22, 2013
Kaieteur News
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Kaieteur News
Sunday December 22, 2013
Trophy Stall supports KennardTurf Club Christmas Meet The Trophy Stall yesterday supported the Kennard Memorial Turf Club (KMTC) annual Boxing Day one day horserace meet fixed for Thursday 26th December at the Club’s entity Bush Lot Farm Corentyne, Berbice. Proprietor Ramesh
Sunich presented the trophy for the champion jockey to Justice Cecil Kennard of the KMTC at the Trophy Stall new location at 241 South Rd & Bourda Streets. The club has been providing the trophy for this outstanding category for 25 yrs. Eight races are slated for
the days programme which will see $9M in trophies and cash incentives available for the outstanding performers. Entries closed yesterday and no late entries will be entertained. Contact can still be made with Justice Cecil Kennard on telephone numbers 226-1399, 225-
4818 or 623-7609,club Secretary Niketa Ross on 662-4668, Roopnarine “Shine’ Matadial, 325-3192, Ivan Dipnarine 331-0316, Isabella Barton (693-7812) or Dennis Deroop 3253301(609-9143) for further information.
Ramesh Sunich (left) of the Trophy Stall presents the champion jockey trophy to Justice Cecil Kennard yesterday.
Kemo Paul... From page 79 play for the Essequibo Islands’ Secondary School where his talent was spotted and was invited to the Essequibo U-15 inter county trials and never looked back. Paul knows that he has to continue working hard if he is to achieve success on a regular basis especially at the higher level. “I am looking forward to the next Regional U-17 and U-19 tournament. I always give my best for my country and i am hoping to break into the West Indies U19 team in the near future”, he added. Paul has displayed maturity that belied his age and has already gained the attention of the number of senior cricket officials in Guyana and the Caribbean. He trains three to four times a week.
Sunday December 22, 2013
Kaieteur News
YOUTH IN FOCUS
Kemo Paul is a talented cricketer By Zaheer Mohamed Fifteen year old Kemo Paul is a talented cricketer. Born on the 21st of February 1998 at Saxacalli, Essequibo River, Paul, like most young cricketers aspires to represent the West Indies at the highest level. Paul, who is a fast bowling all-rounder, started to take cricket seriously at the age of 11 when he migrated to the island of Wakenaam. He is a member of the Noitgedacht Sports Club and Demerara Cricket Club and represented Guyana at the U15, 17 and 19 levels. He captained his country in the 2012 Regional U-15 tournament in St. Kitts. His best performance in that tournament was 76 and 3-15 versus the Windward Islands. In the 2013 regional U-17 tournament which was held in Trinidad and Tobago, Paul most outstanding feat with
the bat was 54 against Leeward Islands and 3-29 with the ball against Jamaica. He also scored a half century against Demerara in the 2013 senior inter county one day tournament. Paul told Kaieteur sport that he started to play the game at Saxacalli, but develop his skills in Wakenaam where he was exposed to club cricket. He was subsequently selected to (Continued on page 78)
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Bishoo eyes senior Windies recall
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Sunburst/LABA Sec. Sch. U-17 B’ball
Unbeaten Mackenzie P.76 High to face Christianburg Wismar for championship
Linden Foundation player Isaiah Semple (in grey) in offensive mood against Wismar Christianburg’s #12 Kellon Patterson as other players watches on.
Narine shines, but WI batting flop again P.73
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