Kaieteur News
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Friday December 02, 2016
Kaieteur News Printed and Published by National Media & Publishing Company Ltd. 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown, Guyana. Publisher: GLENN LALL Editor: Adam Harris Tel: 225-8465, 225-8491. Fax: 225-8473, 226-8210
EDITORIAL REMEMBERING VICTIMS OF HIV/AIDS Acquired Immuno-deficiency (AIDS) is celebrated in most countries every year on December1, since 1988 when World AIDS Day was founded by the United Nations. Countries in which the topic was considered taboo are now offering testing and treatment for the virus. World AIDS Day provides an opportunity for people around the world to draw attention to the HIV/AIDS epidemic. It is important to remind the public and governments that the virus still exists and that it is vital to increase its awareness and educate the people against prejudice. World AIDS Day is also meant to remember loved ones who have died from the disease, to show solidarity with people living with it, to celebrate their survival and health, and to raise money for HIV/AIDS and related causes. Its recognized symbol is the red ribbon which people wore to show their support. Every year there a new theme for World AIDS Day. This year's theme is “Hands Up for # HIV Prevention.” The aim is to emphasize the different aspects of HIV prevention methods and what it means for specific groups of people. Individual countries can also choose to interpret the themes in their own ways. Despite the recent discovery of medicine to treat the virus, HIV/AIDS remains a deadly disease. According to UNICEF, last year, AIDS was the second leading cause of death globally. AIDS related deaths among adolescents have tripled since the virus was first discovered in the late 1970s. It is the number one cause of death among adolescents in Sub-Saharan Africa where young women are disproportionally impacted by the epidemic. A whopping 1,068 young women were infected with HIV every day last year, and AIDS is the leading cause of death for women aged 15–44 globally. Since the outbreak of the epidemic, more than 75 million people have contracted the illness and more than 36 million have died from it, leaving roughly six million orphan children in its wake. It is estimated that nearly 37 million people worldwide are living with the virus today of which 25 million or 69 percent live in Sub-Saharan Africa and 91 percent of children infected with HIV also live in Africa. To date, 25 million AIDS related deaths have occurred in Sub-Saharan Africa. Although AIDS affects only human beings, it is like other viruses such as the flu or the common cold, except that the human immune system can get rid of colds and flu, but it cannot get rid of the HIV/AIDS virus. HIV is spread through sex and certain body fluids such as blood, semen, rectal and vaginal fluids and breast milk from an HIV/AIDS infected person. It is also transmitted by sharing needles and syringes, etc. Once someone is infected with the virus, its stays with that individual forever, but antiretroviral (ART) medicine helps to control the virus so that people infected with HIV can live a longer, healthier and normal life expectancy. ART also reduces the risk of transmitting HIV to full blown AIDS, which is the final stage of HIV. Despite the scientific advances made in treating the disease, it continues to affect the Caribbean. Based on recent data, about 1.6 percent of the adult population or 240,000 people in the region are living with the disease, which is higher than any other region except Sub-Saharan Africa. Several factors influence this epidemic, including poverty, gender, tourism, and stigma. In Guyana, there is a high HIV incidence which has spread beyond specific high risk groups into the general population. However, it has made tremendous strides in reducing the number of AIDS-related deaths from 480 annually a decade ago to less than 200 today. As Guyana joined with the rest of world to celebrate World AIDS Day, it remained committed to eliminate the epidemic by 2030.
Editor’s Note; If your sent letter was not published and you felt its contents were valid and devoid of libel or personal attacks, please contact us by phone or email.
Quoting Martin Luther King in the cry for justice in Guyana Dear Editor; I am an unapologetic, ardent supporter of President David Granger and his APNU-AFC coalition government of Guyana. Indeed, the new government has a mandate to govern with transparency, ensure that social justice is aggressively pursued and rapidly advance Guyana’s development. President Granger’s policies to engender economic growth, social transformation and national prosperity are satisfactory and should be implemented resolutely. The Guyanese society, however, cannot progress without social justice; including equal protection under the constitution and law. As President, Bharrat Jagdeo and his PPP government sunk Guyana to unprecedented lawlessness. Jagdeo relinquished the country’s national security apparatus to a criminal notorious drug baron Roger Khan, and the Phantom Death Squad. Roger Khan and the death squad jointly, with criminal elements in the security forces, allegedly committed hundreds of murders and extra-judicial killings. These killings were tantamount to genocide. They triggered an investigation by the United Nations. Special Rapporteur for Minority
Rights, Ms. Gay McDougall investigated these mass murders. The McDougall report established that over 400 executions and extrajudicial killings took place in Guyana under Bharrat Jagdeo’s presidency. J a g d e o ’s N a t i o n a l Security Minister, Ronald Gajraj, was fingered as an alleged co-conspirator with Khan and the death squad. I personally raised this matter with then US President George W. Bush, Secretary of State Colin Powell, Governor George Pataki of New York, dozens of Members of Congress, all Caricom Heads as well as International Human Rights organizations. On April 12, 2005, Ambassador Richard Boucher, then Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs condemned Jagdeo’s administration and Gajraj at a State Department press conference: He said inter alia of Gajraj “A Guyanese commission of inquiry looking into his links to the so-called ‘phantom death squad’ has found serious procedural irregularities in his official conduct related to his involvement with individuals who allegedly carried out extra-judicial killings.” We believe significant questions remain unanswered
regarding his involvement in serious criminal activities.” Subsequently, Gajraj was appointed an Ambassador, granted diplomatic immunity and whisked away to India by Jagdeo. These killings were never properly investigated. Gajraj’s diplomatic tour has ended and he has returned to Guyana. He had been banned from entering the US, UK and Canada. He lives in Guyana, but appears to enjoy a renewed celebrity status with his erstwhile comrades from the Guyana Defence Force. The murders, however, remain unsolved today- even with a new government. This is a disgrace! APNU+AFC Coalition government officials campaigned on a promise to restore law and order and equal justice under law. They promised the victims’ families, and our nation, justice. I supported that promise then and now. However, to date justice has not come and is nowhere in sight. The APNU+AFC coalition government has taken no action to investigate the corruption and murders that took place under President Bharrat Jagdeo and the PPP. This is an epic, unpardonable failure. I am as astonished as I am profoundly disappointed. I
spent the last 20 years of my life fighting for justice. To see this opportunity squandered away is a deep betrayal of those of us in the diaspora who cared when most did not and, even more importantly, an equally painful betrayal of the thousands of people who voted for this coalition. We cannot allow this government to abdicate its responsibility to these families. I am prepared to wage a full-fledged battle for justice on behalf of the victims and their families. We demand full accountability and complete justice for these killings! I therefore strongly call on President David Granger to appoint a Presidential Commission of Inquiry to investigate all assassinations, executions, extra-judicial killings and acts of torture that occurred from 2004 to 2014, as well as the activities of the phantom death squad, its composition and financiers. The victims’ families await justice. Our nation awaits justice! As Martin Luther King, Jr. said “Justice denied anywhere diminishes justice everywhere.” Rickford Burke President Caribbean Guyana Institute for Democracy (CGID)
Friday December 02, 2016
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David Granger inherited the mess the PPP Parliamentarian lives in fear of From his various dis- courses rather than just to Police Force in the early days, PPP left us incourses, he figures that his look at one side of the coin being mugged9 percent decrease in gun-related robberies; a 12 percent and so we have a very seriDEAR EDITOR; I am somewhat concerned about the constant rumblings about the various requests from the Diaspora. In some cases, there is a call for this group to be represented in Parliament etc. Now I see that Mr. Asquith Rose has written to the President of Guyana. I used to read Mr. Rose’s very lengthy letters in the media and then I stopped. This is because Mr. Rose thinks he has all the answers to the problems in Guyana and just maybe he would have made a better President and Government all in one.
side of the Coalition is better equipped with the intelligence, and other endowments for the job at hand. Therefore nothing that President Granger does or says will make sense. For all of his advice, has Mr. Rose ever gone to any of the hinterland Regions? No, but he bases his arguments/advice on what he sees on a computer graph and comes up with figures that he thinks makes him an authority on all avenues. We here in Guyana have ideas too and it would be generous of Mr. Rose to avail himself to have objective dis-
and rally people to his cause rather than develop a national momentum. And for crying out loud, when David Granger was sworn in, he did so using a Bible. There was no magic wand and no fairy godmother to swipe away the mess that was inherited from the past regime. It would be better if Mr. Rose and friends come to help rather than to feel it is your right to dictate. You do not know it all. As the old people say – ‘Whoever sen yoh, tell dem you ain’t find David Granger’. Monica Sealey
The London scandal is a terrible one DEAR EDITOR; The recent sex scandal of self-styled Pope Emanuel sets a very bad example to the Christian community, and men of the cloth and even those from other religions. Just two weeks ago, when I was at church at a Sunday morning service, a few of my members approached me and told me about the sex tape of this pope circulating on Facebook and in the media. I didn’t respond to it, because I didn’t see it in the media. When I returned home and opened my Facebook page I saw the tape, and after many glimpses of it, I could not bear to look at it. I was flabbergasted, and am still wondering if those tapes are authentic. Then I started to read in the newspapers about this pope who has fallen from grace, and I saw his story on television. I don’t know a great deal about this self-proclaimed pope, but I saw him a few times on television with another guy he calls Bishop Griffith. My first observation about this pope — which bothers my mind — was the number of titles he has behind his name. He was formerly referred to as the Right Reverend Archbishop Dr. Philbert London “the Messenger of God in Guyana”; now His Highness, Pope Emmanuel. Immanuel (Hebrew: meaning, “God with us” tells me clearly that this man has taken on a divine name, claiming some sort of divinity. I am also captivated by the expensive way he dresses, and the companions he has. Very few men of God can afford such luxurious attire.
I took some time off to listen to his preaching and teachings on television, and discovered his doctrine is diametrically opposed to Christian Theology and the teachings of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. I heard him say that people can drink, smoke, fornicate, or they can commit any kind of sin and still go to heaven, as long as they say they believe in Jesus Christ. That’s completely false when compared to Jesus’s teachings. It’s no wonder he has many educated supporters, because people today like churches that do not preach against sin and lawless living, so they think they can live how they like and still go to heaven. Jesus said in Matthew 15: 19-20: “For out of the heart come evil thoughts.” Here we see Jesus Himself address immoral living, so how can this so-called pope preach his own diabolical gospel to deceive his flock and our nation? The Christian faith is about Holy and decent living. Our moral and spiritual standards are set very high, but Satan used one cult leader to stain the names of good men and women of God in Guyana, and to bring shame, disgrace and reproach to the body of Christ. The doctrine of grace this pope preaches is diametrically opposed to biblical teachings. In simple terms, he tells us to live how we like, then throw all our sins on Christ’s shoulder, while we ourselves do nothing about our integrity, morality and character. The end of Christian teaching is about good conduct and character. It’s no wonder God exposed him.
Not very long ago, a certain preacher from a certain denomination who is a scholar visited my home to ask me if the doctrine this pope preaches — a vile lifestyle — is what Christ taught us. My answer to him was NO. “Although I hope to come to you soon, I am writing you these instructions so that if I am delayed, you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God’s household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.” (1Timothy 3:14-15) We, as church leaders, ought to know how to conduct ourselves in the house of God. For example, as Ministers of the Gospel, we must counsel and advise members with our wives, husbands, and other elders around, so we won’t be vulnerable to accusations; because people who are prominent in the religious and secular world are always under scrutiny by the media, so we ought to be watchful. A religious leader must not drive alone with a female member of his church, nor counsel a female alone in a closed office. I believe offices should have glass doors where counselling and prayers are done. Jesus warned us in His Word that false prophets and people like this so-called pope will come. Here are the words of Jesus: “And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. For there shall arise false Christs and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders, insomuch that if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. (Matthew 24: 11, 24) Rev Cecil Gideon
DEAR EDITOR; What the leader of a country says is often taken very seriously. In the hours leading up to Donald Trump’s historic victory in the US Presidential Elections, the Dow Jones industrial average was down 827 points. The S&P 500 was down 107 points. The technology heavy Nasdaq 100 had fallen 241 points and similarly, stock markets in Europe, Japan and other countries dropped sharply as investors come to grips with what President Trump means for trade and global growth. Because of this, political leaders should always be aware that irresponsible rhetoric has real consequences. Of late, we have been getting conflicting reports from this Administration on the status of crime in Guyana. On July 9, Crime Chief, Wendell Blanhum announced a record 20 percent reduction in serious crime. Then statistics released on August 8 by the Guyana Police Force show a
decrease in armed robberies; a 22 percent decrease in robberies with violence; a 17 percent decrease in rape; and a 21 percent decrease in break & enter and larceny. Burglary was also reportedly down by 15 percent, and larceny by 35 percent. But despite these figures, the public remains very skeptical, and questions the accuracy of these reports. In fact, the perception is that crime is very much on the increase, and it would appear that President Granger shares this concern. On Thursday, November 10, the day after the home of former Minister of Home Affairs, Clement Rohee was robbed by bandits, President Granger in his weekly TV interview, “The Public Interest”, had this to say, “I am suspicious that there are some persons who are committing crimes to show that the Police Force and Government are weak. We don’t know for sure what is taking place, but many of these crimes have their origin in the weakening of the
ous problem on our hands.” Unfortunately Mr. Editor, the President is part of the serious problem he alluded to. In May 2015, just after APNU+AFC ascended to power, a compassionate President Granger announced that his government will grant presidential pardons every year to prisoners sentenced for “minor misdemeanors”. He then released 60 convicts back into society… some of whom have since committed serious crimes for which they have been convicted and sent back to jail. To date, despite several appeals from the PPP/C and members of the private sector, the government has refused to release the names of the pardoned convicts and the nature of crimes they commit. Again last December, Granger pardoned 11 female prison inmates so that they can “spend Christmas with their families.” We still don’t know the names of these convicts and the nature of the crimes (Continued on page 6)
The Constitution does not put the President above the law DEAR EDITOR; There was a letter in Guyana Chronicle of the 28th November 2016, signed by Basil Williams, Attorney General and Minster of Legal Affairs. This letter was in response to expressed public concerns about President Granger non-appointment of persons recommended by the Judicial Service Commission to be appointed as judges. Without getting into the exchanges, though such activities augur well for this nation as we seek to strengthen the pillars of democracy, what was most striking is the title of the letter. This letter is titled “Never the intention of the framers of the Constitution for the President to be commanded.” I would like to believe this headline was not submitted by the Attorney General, who is the legal adviser to the government, but that the newspaper editor. The fact that such a perception can be arrived at is of grave concern, given that it points to a gross misunderstanding of the concept of the Rule of Law. By its very nature, the rule of law subjects every person to it. The framers could not have
intended otherwise or there would have been no need for the President, in taking the oath to office, swearing to respect the Guyana Constitution and Laws of Guyana. There are several areas in the constitution where specific command is given to the President. Some of these are: 1) consultation with the Leader of the Opposition on the appointment of the Chancellor to the Judiciary and Commissioner of Police; 2) specific timeline within which to assent to bills sent from the National Assembly and where there is failure to comply within the timeframe an explanation be given; and 3) the number of non-elected persons that can be appointed to the Cabinet. Going through the constitution there can be found numerous instances where it specifically states how the President must conduct the business of the state. These are not recommendations, but commands. It must be made
clear that the President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, as every citizen and those who operate within Guyana’s jurisdiction, is not above the Guyana Constitution and Laws. The Rule of Law subjects all and this we all must confirm to. Lincoln Lewis
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Friday December 02, 2016
The United States will find itself at the crossroads with Trump Dear Editor; Kindly jolt me from my reverie and self-induced stupor by gradually whispering into my auditory canal that November 8, 2016 has come and gone. Do not be startled by my dazed and stupefied reaction as I gradually become aware of my immediate environment, for all around me I get the feeling that November 8 is yet to come. I turn on the television CNN, MSNBC, Fox News, you name it and even talk radio have gone on anabolic steroids regarding the bashing of Donald Trump. Although he has won the election, you are left with the impression that we are still in the race leading up to the nomination, the way the Christians, the far Right, the Left, the Republicans, school children, Libertarians, and even television announcers are attacking him nonstop, and on a constant onslaught of hate and desperation to ensure that he never steps foot in the White House. According to the haters Trump presidency does not necessarily translate into a White House residency. What does America really and truly want? Speaking from a politically correct perspective, it is either one or the other. Either Donald Trump will make America great again, or he will destroy America. It is my profound belief that America is hopelessly and irretrievably lost, with resultant illogical and irrational think-
ing by the citizens. The voting populace was neither duped nor hoodwinked as they are trying to make us to believe. Trump’s message to the people was crystal clear and simply put— we are disgusted with the establishment and tired with a Congress that suffers from inertia, and we need a leader that is capable of attacking the system by the horns to defeat it, restoring and returning the country to the people who stand for the same principles that once made America great. Every candidate had their deep faults, and Trump capitalized them enough to gain traction, and eventually the majority of delegates. Folks have marched, protested, been verbally abusive, levelled denigratory remarks and carried out threats against other human beings, called for recounts, all in a do -or- die effort to show their growing dislike and sanguine animosity for the winner of the election. The poignant question that must be addressed is – Has there been any significant progress? What change if any has been brought about by these various activities? None! The president elect is still scheduled to be inaugurated on January 20, 2017, when he will officially take up residence in the White House vacated by the former Black President. It is blatantly apparent to the mostly severely
myopic and the profoundly moronic that the Trump haters are both impatient and clueless when it comes to politics and how the real world functions. Psalms 27:14 in the Good Book, clearly outlines, the course of action that should be taken in situations such as these, “wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord”. Granted, President Trump will attempt in his peculiarly assertive manner to implement his campaign promises, but he will find himself facing fire from his opponents. The Democrats have already started firing the first salvo. In addition there are millions of citizens lying in wait to confront him on policies that they deem racist and dictatorial. Surely, there is no sane person harboring the notion that President Trump will subjugate the United States, herald in authoritarian government while the nation recoils in silence. There cannot exist even the slightest of doubt that Americans will just go about their everyday business and allow Donald Trump to dissolve the traditions of democracy that Americans have accepted as essential to existence. Of noteworthy interest is the fact that Blacks are nowhere in the political toss-up let alone conversation on either the Republican or the Democratic side. Shortchanged once again! They
PPP Parliamentarian lives in fear... From page 5 they committed. But my source revealed some to be hard-core criminals, hence the reason for not releasing the list of names. With Christmas approaching, Granger is expected to pardon and release more prisoners. But without programmes to adequately rehabilitate these inmates back into society and jobs to provide employment after they have been released, it wouldn’t be long before most are tempted to prey on Christmas shoppers during the holidays, and end up back in the slammer, hopefully before someone gets killed.
The President has created a revolving door that emboldens and rewards criminals who are now hopeful of being freed when incarcerated by a presidential pardon. “I don’t believe that somebody shou l d b e damned forever for stealing a cell phone. There’s a trail that would stay with that person whenever he or she applies for a job. I do believe in forgiveness,” President Granger. While a cell phone may be viewed by Granger as a misdemeanor undeserving of jail-time, it is an invasion of privacy to the victim. When my iPhone and gold chain were stolen during
Christmas of 2013 in the vicinity of Stabroek Market by two young bandits, one of whom was shot and killed five months later in front of New Thriving Restaurant by an employee of a private security firm, I felt violated. A criminal had access to my personal information, passwords to my various accounts, photographs and confidential phone numbers that were stored in the stolen iPhone. Sadly from all reports, the teenaged bandit that stole my iPhone had graduated to stealing half-a-million dollars when he met his demise, something I predicted would happen. Now whenever there is a need for me to walk in Georgetown, I live in fear of being mugged. The theft of a cell phone may be a misdemeanor, Mr. President, but it leaves a lasting scar on the victim who is always suspicious and fearful of anyone who gets too close to them. Harry Gill (MP (PPP) Editor’s note; Mr. Gill’s letter will be continued in our issue tomorrow
have once again found themselves on the outside looking in. Gone are the rousing speeches especially in churches that caused them to feel good but never made them go out and "do good" for themselves. Let’s face the fact- politically the Black voters are obsolete. Politically, Black voters are obsolete, seemingly no longer needed, and in some cases, no longer even wanted. Who will they
turn to now that it’s all over and President Obama is on his way out? Martin Delany points out in his book, “The Political Destiny of the Colored Race on the American Continent that “no race can be free who themselves do not constitute an essential part of the ruling element of the country in which they live. The freedom of no man is secure who does not control his own destiny. Where
is destiny leading them now? Unless a critical number of Black people are organized and who are collectively willing to leverage their dollars as a trump card against a political system that has no regard for them, then Blacks are doomed and stumped as a concern in public policy. Strange but true, hate has become America’s new form of entertainment. Yvonne Sam
Cultural artist questions the laws and Her Worship refuses parents they are marthe courts his ried the following January evidence to the contention DEAR EDITOR; I am the father of three children two girls and a boy, and the grandfather of a beautiful granddaughter, no one else but I have stood at the helm of my children’s upbringing. Their collective interests and the society they must live in are important to me. The contents of this letter is directed to the lawmakers of my country and composed against a recent experience I witnessed where a close male relative was placed before the Magistrate in Courts 8 & 9. My concern is whether the laws concerning the following content of this letter can be measured against the blindfolded “Maat” (Egyptian goddess of justice) of the unbiased scales of Justice or whether human preferences tipped the scale towards some ‘Feelings’ driven, popular cause of the day, directed at a deliberate male imbalance. Two young people who have known each other for over a decade and were a few years prior to 2016, in a short relationship, came together on the 29, November 2015. The woman arrived in the country reportedly from London where she is based, to stay at the abode of the young man, who had had some bad experiences from which he had recovered, and was still recovering. She is to return soon, so the young man requests that she stay the two weeks. This is allowed. The unexpected follows next. The two weeks have extended, despite protests from his parents. Without the engagement of
27 (2016). The new wife claims that she is pregnant. The new husband accepts. Then by mid April he discovers that she did not come to Guyana via London as she had said, but that she had left three months prior and had gone to Suriname where she had lived with a man, before coming to his place of abode. Fate would have it that the man is the father of the new husband’s Godson. Still rooted in his parents’ home, their presence becomes unbearable; his parents demanded that she leave. By May they were separated completely as other issues on the new wife’s character began to emerge. He proceeded to legal aid to proceed with a divorce. His family had cautioned him about the woman and since infidelity is a rebuttal of marriage, the question of a paternity test must be an option. This was agreed. The wife subsequently took him to court for support of the child which the law of marriage dictates is his whether he acknowledges it by signature or not. What a Law! The case proceeds in the context of ‘Child Support’. The wife has a lawyer, he doesn’t. This is important as it seems to determine how the scales may be tipped. The evidence given all of the above in specifics is articulated. The Magistrate states that the contention presented by the estranged husband is not for her court.
from the husband, then rules that regardless of his contention which is ignored by the court, that he must pay both wife and child a weekly sum. The problem here is that if infidelity proven is a repudiation of marriage, then how come the argument and evidence are not entertained or directed to some existing legal forum of mediation? If the court is limited as implied by the Magistrate to deal with such matters as stated by the husband, would it not be unjust to pronounce against him, having denied him his right to defence? It is the Law or the Magistrate? If it is the Law, then, is this law contrived to push men to the dark side, are the courts not subject to a semblance of fairness. During the three engagements that I endured, there is no doubt that this area of the law is tedious, but I saw no evidence of a middle ground where contentious testimony is weighed. I would have thought that equal grounds of contention must be entertained. To heap contempt on a situation, is when the court acknowledges that the husband is not working, declares his evidence and contention as untenable. Yet proceeds, to tell him that he has worked in the past, so he is threatened to find money by any means to fulfill the conclusion of a good court day, how is this to be construed. There has to be another word, other than justice. Barrington Braithwaite
Hamilton Green’s autocratic days DEAR EDITOR; What a shame for the government to burden us further with this man of the past, Hamilton Green. Lets’ not forget the days of his authoritarian reign as Prime Minister when he would show up at Timehri on arrival of aircraft with
p a ssengers bringing in loaves of bread, which he would confiscate and trample on . “The evil that men do live after them, the good is often interred with their bones,” in his case there are no good to be interred with his bones. Also the “mills of the Gods
grind slowly but exceedingly fine” In this case he deserves no kudos as he destroyed us all and rendered us paupers. Please do not continue to burden our children with this little autocrat, from days long gone, around their necks. Mike John Toronto, Canada
Friday December 02, 2016
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GTT to reclaim US$6M Prince Harry to arrive in Guyana today loss from consumers By Abena RockcliffeCampbell
“Is ole house pon ole house.” That is an adage older folk would use in giving a synopsis of Budget 2017 as seen through the eyes of the Private Sector Commission (PSC). At a press conference yesterday, the PSC spoke about the “few positives” and the “many negatives” in Budget 2017. One of the many negatives includes the new policy proposal with regards to exempt and zero rated items in the Value Added Tax (VAT) system. During his Budget Speech, Finance Minister, Winston Jordan, proposed to expand the list of exempt items and eliminate all zero-rated items, with the exception of those pertaining to exports and manufacturing inputs. Yesterday, PSC’s Ramesh Persaud said this will cause a strain on businesses and that strain may, in many cases, be passed on to consumers. Persaud highlighted that under the VAT Act, supplies are classified in three categories: standard supplies, zero rated supplies and exempt supplies. Only standard supplies and zero rated supplies are considered to be taxable supplies. Where taxable supplies are made, input VAT can be reclaimed. In such a case VAT is not a tax on business. Under the new system where most zero rated items have become exempt, input VAT cannot be reclaimed. This will result in the increase in prices of many basic commodities. Persaud said that the government should consider reversing this position as it would be a horrible impact on the poor. He said that this policy will contribute to inflation and will inhibit growth in the economy. Persaud called for clarity needs to be provided on items removed from the zero rating list such as education and health services. INCREASE IN DATA COST Chief Executive Office of the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph (GT&T), Justin Nedd explained his company’s take on how the removal of zero rated tax would affect the business. He told the media that while most governments are seeking ways to reduce taxes so as to attract more businesses, “this budget appears to be a little less business friendly.” Nedd told the media that the increase in tax rates cannot be wholly absorbed by businesses so the burden
NAMILCO’s Financial Manager: Fitzroy McLeod
GTT’s CEO, Justin Nedd
will have to be shared by consumers. Nedd said that the corporate tax rate for the telecommunications sector remains at 45 per cent while non-commercial businesses will only be paying 27 ½ percent. “We compete against players that pay noncommercial business rates. That means that we will pay almost 20 per cent more tax than some of our competitors.” Nedd said that GTT was stunned at the government’s proposals regarding the VAT system that will have “harmful impacts” to the consumer. He said that the measures reflect a 180 degree inconsistency with the government’s goals of bridging that divide and expanding and modernizing the ICT sector. By GTT estimations, “If we put VAT on broadband, internet mobile data, as well as data sold to corporate entities we see an increase of about US6M per year for the services.” Nedd said that that is US$6M that will have to be passed to the consumers. He added that this will stymie demand for services and create a negative cycle in how much GT&T is able to invest in growth. “The negative cycle will only reduce the company’s ability to grow.” Nedd said that GTT is aware of the demand for increased internet speed and is looking to major expansion in terms of the internet speed through fibre optics. “But the business case for that has now significantly changed given the increase cost to the consumers.” Nedd admitted that GTT can choose not to pass the charges on to consumers but
said, “It is a business and we want to invest in more technology to give faster speed.” He said that the investments are in the millions of US dollars. Nedd added that the taxes paid by GTT are the highest in the country. He pointed to fees that have to be paid to the Public Utilities Commission, the National Frequency Management Unit and corporate taxes. Nedd said that GTT gives back significantly to the people of Guyana in the taxes paid. The CEO acknowledged the fact that the Appropriation Bill has not been passed and expressed his hope for amendments. “The Budget is still in the draft. We are really looking forward for consultations for more clarity. We remain committed to Guyana as a company and are eager to work with the government to bridge the digital divide,” said Nedd. NAMILCO The National Milling Company of Guyana (NAMILCO) will also feel the proverbial squeeze. However, that company will not be passing the cost on to consumers. Present yesterday at the presser was NAMILCO’s Financial Manager, Fitzroy McLeod. He said that because of the move from zero rated to exempt, the flour company will be losing over $200M in VAT refund. He told the media, “We are not at liberty to simply pass off cost to consumers because we have to compete with other products.” He said that what were once recoverable will now become final expenses “and we have to find a way to absorb that.”
More than a decade after his father, Prince Charles, visited the Land of Many Waters, His Royal Highness; Prince Harry of Wales, is expected to arrive in Guyana today. The Prince’s visit to Guyana will wrap up his twoweek visit to the Caribbean on behalf of Queen Elizabeth II. The fifth-in-line for the throne has already visited Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Grenada, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia and St Vincent and the Grenadines. The visit to the Caribbean coincides with the 50th Anniversary of Independence for Guyana, the 50th Anniversary of Independence for Barbados, and the 35th Anniversary of Independence for Antigua and Barbuda. The Prince will spend three days in Guyana. The British High Commissioner to Guyana, Gregory Quinn, had stated that His Royal Highness will have the opportunity to see life in Guyana from various perspectives, including not only Georgetown but also the hinterland – most notably the villages of Surama and
Prince Harry of Wales is expected to arrive in Guyana today. (Photo: womansown.co.uk) FairView, as well as the spectacular Kaieteur Falls and the Iwokrama conservation reserve. “It will, I can confidently predict, be a visit that HRH will not forget,” the High Commissioner was quoted as saying. Born in London, England as Prince Henry Charles Albert David, on September 15, 1984, the Prince is the second son of Charles, Prince of Wales and the late Princess Diana of Wales. He served in Afghanistan and was promoted to captain in 2011.
In 2015, Prince Harry ended a decade of active service in the military. He currently volunteers for the army in support of wounded servicemen as well as devotes his time to his duties as a member of the royal family. He is involved in numerous charitable causes.
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Friday December 02, 2016
Kaieteur News
UG Loan students in limbo A number of students at the University of Guyana (UG), Turkeyen Campus are complaining about the loan process being carried out by the Ministry of Finance, Loan Agency which is located on the university campus. The Loan Agency was recently constructed to accommodate more students and also to give them some comfort as the building now has air conditioning and chairs. But the students are very frustrated with the way officials at the Loan Agency are handling the students’ loan process. Also, what is established was that final examinations are scheduled to start on Monday, December 5, 2016. Most of these frustrated students are scheduled to have their exams on Monday but they cannot obtain their exams slips or even an exam pass that would allow them to sit their examinations as a result of their loan not being awarded to them. One student said that she sought an examination pass and was told that she would have to pay for the semester if she wanted to write her exams. The students see this as totally unacceptable. They said that in the first place they opted for a loan because they couldn’t financially afford to pay for the semester. One student was even in tears as she does not have any idea how she would be coming up with her tuition fees by Monday to sit her fi-
The newly constructed loan agency at UG. nal examinations. Students were given suggestion by officials to not write the final examinations but to sign up for the supplemental examinations. Supplemental examinations are set for students who would have missed their final examinations because of emergency incidents and transportation issues. The Public Relations Division at UG declined to comment as to what would happen to the students scheduled to sit their final examinations on Monday but have not yet had their loans approved. However, the University of Guyana Student’s Society (UGSS) President, Ron Glasgow, commented on the
issue. Glasgow said that the students are not at fault here. The Loan Agency has implemented some new policies for students. First time loan applicants have to present the following documents; certified passport sized photograph; letter of acceptance from UG; student registration invoice (tuition); original and copy of birth certificate; affidavit from one guarantor; recent proof of address showing student’s name, parent’s or guardian’s name; Guyana passport information page (s) and recent travel history; TIN certificate (with copy); salary deduction/bank standing order – if employed and after consultation with SLA to determine
repayment instalment; job letter/recent salary statement – if employed. Continuing loan students would have to acquire the following documents; student registration invoice (tuition); original and copy of birth certificate; affidavit from one guarantor; recent proof of address showing student’s name, parent’s or guardian’s name; Guyana passport information page (s) and recent
travel history; TIN certificate (with copy); salary deduction/bank standing order – if employed and after consultation with SLA to determine repayment instalment; job letter/recent salary statement – if employed and for the guarantors the documents required would be; evidence of employment; Guyana passport information page (s) and recent travel history; TIN certificate (with copy) and liabil-
ity statement and/or credit reports from the Credit Bureau. The UGSS President explained that it has proven to be a bit difficult for persons to acquire all the required documents since first time loan applicants are students who are now just leaving high school. However, the President said that there is a meeting scheduled for Monday with the Ministry of Finance concerning the issue with the Loan Agency. He said that for students who would have to sit exams on Monday and have not been awarded their loans as yet, he suggests they negotiate with the Exams Registrar to acquire an exam pass. The office of the Exams Registrar said that the Registrar cannot issue such a pass without the payment of tuition of fees or the loan award. Many of students would have reportedly submitted their required documents to the Loan Agency before the due date which was October, 28, 2016. The students said that they are still being pushed around to receive their loan awards.
Guyana faces potentially damaging correspondent banking crisis-Finance Minister Like other Caribbean economies, Finance Minister Winston Jordan, recently stated that Guyana faces a potentially damaging correspondent banking crisis. The economist, during the presentation of the 2017 budget, noted that the local banks and financial institutions of small Caribbean economies rely heavily on correspondent banking relationships with global banks to connect with the international financial network. He said that these rela-
tionships allow local residents to receive remittances from abroad, tourists to access cash from their home accounts, and facilitate the transfer of funds needed to support trade and investment in the region. The Finance Minister said that recently, concerns about meeting new, stricter rules related to Anti-Money Laundering and Combating the Financing of Terrorism (AML/ CFT) have led correspondent banks to terminate their relationships with their local part-
ners, a practice termed “derisking”. While this trend has affected countries around the globe, the Finance Minister said that the small economies of the Caribbean have been hit especially hard. Jordan said that while foreign-owned banks operating in Guyana have not been subject to derisking, locally-owned banks have been severely affected by de-risking, losing in the aggregate, approximately 37 percent of correspondent relationships by the end of June last. Jordan said that thus far, only one bank has been able to establish new correspondent relationships to cover about 75 percent of those that were lost. The Finance Minister noted, however, that if this trend continues, financial transaction services may become more costly and more limited, and legitimate transactions may go underground. He said that such a state of affairs would encourage the use of cash and increasing other forms of informality at a time when Government is attempting to deepen financial inclusion. The economist said that the end result is likely to undermine the efforts to supervise and regulate the financial sector and fight money laundering and combat the (Continued on page 10)
Friday December 02, 2016
Kaieteur News
Did Cabinet approve the Budget measures outlined last Monday? The stunned reaction of the government side of the National Assembly last Monday when Budget 2017 was read may have been due to the lengthy presentation by the Minister of Finance. Quite a few of the members of the government side were photographed dozing off during the presentation. The Minister of Finance, at one stage, was speaking quicker than usual in an attempt, no doubt, to finish within the time limit. But in spite of all of these factors, it is hard to explain the less than euphoric mood in the House. One has to ask, having read the excerpts of the Minister’s presentation, how those measures passed muster with Cabinet. Did the Minister detail to his Cabinet colleagues, including the President of Guyana, all of the measures which were announced last Monday? It is difficult to comprehend how such measures could have all been approved by Cabinet? It is hard to see how the AFC could not approve ap-
plying VAT to water and electricity, regardless of the thresholds over which they become applicable. It is hard to imagine how a measure that is clearly inflationary could have been approved by Cabinet. How can the AFC allow for comments made about the Guyana Sugar Corporation? How can the AFC have sanctioned a budget which imposes oppressive penalties on tax defaulters? How can the AFC, which has three lawyers within the Cabinet, not object to the garnishing of funds out of the bank accounts of citizens without a Court order. The AFC ought to know that this measure, when approved through enabling legislation, will be challenged on the grounds that it is unconstitutional because it amounts to the arbitrary forfeiture of property? How can the AFC sit within Cabinet, if it did, and allow for measures that would allow for persons to be denied leaving the country because of tax liabilities? Surely the AFC must know that there is sufficient case law on this score to have such a measure
deemed to be inconsistent with the constitutional protection of freedom of movement? The AFC must explain its role in formulation and approval of the 2017. It must explain to the Guyanese people whether it is prepared to break ranks with its APNU colleagues on the measures in the budget which do not seem to be properly thought out. When the government first came to power, it was announced that there was an Advisory Economic Council which would advise the government. The members of that Council were named. It involved prominent Guyanese economists. The government should have second guessed the draft 2017 budget. It should have put the proposals to the Economic Advisory Council and ask them for an opinion before Cabinet would have debated the matter. We are not sure whether this was done? We are not sure about anything? We are not sure whether Cabinet even debated the measures. The government was clearly in a hurry to pass the budget so that it could boast
PAGE 9
Brazilian national arrested following discovery of body in pit about an early budget. There may not have been sufficient time for all the measures to be adequately debated. That debate, if it did not take place then, should now take place. The estimates can be passed using the coalition’s one seat majority but the measures to achieve the revenue targets could be adjusted following a broader discussion on the matter. It is not too late for the controversial Budget measures to be dumped. It is not too late for pursuing measures which will save jobs in the forestry sector, restore the Venezuelan rice market, stimulate economic activity and place the sugar corporation woes in proper context. A debate on the budget within the government is needed before next Monday’s face off when the opposition is likely to maul the budget measures outlined last Monday.
The police have arrested a Brazilian national after the body of one of his colleagues was found with multiple injuries in a pit at Dukwari Backdam, Cuyuni River on Wednesday morning. The victim has been identified as Kido Lewis of Quataman Village, North Rupununi. According to information received, at around 16:00hrs on Tuesday last, the suspect and Lewis were seen leaving their mining camp but only the suspect returned later that evening. Around 10:00hrs on Wednesday, the General Manager of the camp and a group of workers discovered the body in the pit after they followed a trail of blood some distance away from the camp. The matter was reported and the suspect was arrested.
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Friday December 02, 2016
Kaieteur News
=== The Freddie Kissoon column ===
Grasscutters are going to blind or even kill someone one day There was a wooden bridge over a trench on Cemetery Road. The planks got loose. The planks were shooting in the air. This bridge was dangerous. This death trap was there for all travelers on Cemetery Road going south on Princes Street to see. The municipal authorities knew about this precarious thing. One day, an employee of Nigel’s Supermarket, struck the planks. The motor cycle and rider were pitched into the air and death was the result. The City Council went the very next day and started to build a new structure. The death of a young man, in the prime of his life, had to be the factor to galvanize the City Council into action. Harry Brijmohan, a staffer at Kaieteur News, was 27 when he died on the East Bank
Demerara four-lane highway. Each morning, the police open a part of the one-way, south bound, eastern lane to two-way traffic. Harry going home, riding south, moved from behind a vehicle and went into oncoming traffic. He probably didn’t know what the police do every morning. Since Harry’s death, the police have put cones along the section where the lane is made available to two-way traffic. If the City Council had shown commonsense that Nigel’s Supermarket employee would have been alive today. If the police had applied commonsense and used the cones, I would have seen Harry smiling as his normally does when I go to Kaieteur News this afternoon. At the head office of the
trade union NAACIE on High Street Kingston, there is a little bar run by the union. One night, I was in there. At a table imbibing were three men. I only knew two; Attorney –at-Law, Gordon Gilhuys and then Permanent Secretary in the Office of the President, Nanda Gopaul. People always call me to make reference about something in my columns. Gilhuys called me to the table, pointed to the third gentleman and asked me if I knew him. I didn’t. Gilhuys introduced me to one of famous bakery owners in Guyana, Mr. Graham. Who in Georgetown doesn’t know about the landmarkGraham’s Bakery at Third and Cummings Streets? I never got to know this famous face because he died one week after I was introduced to him He made a left turn from Lamaha Street into JB Singh Road, missed the street and ran into the trench. He died by drowning. The same week, a fence went up around that part of the trench, no doubt courtesy
of Nanda Gopaul who had big power at that time under president Jagdeo. Today, if you miss the turn as Mr. Graham did, you wouldn’t die as Mr. Graham did. When I came home from studies abroad, I use to take the UG bus from what used to be Central Garage. There was a man of unsound mind roaming the area with huge obstacles in his hands. Georgetowners knew about him. One day, this lunatic picked up an empty coconut shell, hurled it into a man’s head and killed him. These things happened in Guyana, are still happening (though in different forms) and will continue to happen. Have you ever looked at the front windscreen of the Rav 4 I drive? If you haven’t, then please look at it. It has a
crack that is five years old. My wife and I were returning home after dropping off her sister at the airport. In the vicinity of the Bounty Chicken plantation, the weeders from that particular NDC, sent a brick onto the windscreen and cracked it. I pulled over to complain and to seek compensation from the NDC. My wife simply insisted that we go our way. She is like that. My vehicle still has that broken windscreen. In my compound, I live two doors from Ms. Verleen Klass. Ms Klass is a nice, friendly neighbour. Last Tuesday, her weeder was doing the parapet outside her residence and a small piece of wood struck me under my right eye as I was driving. I was extremely lucky. One
Frederick Kissoon day, a person is going to lose an eye or maybe even die from a flying object from these weeders who are ubiquitous. These grass cutters carry a bag that covers the blades or twines but they are not used in Guyana. The flying objects are prevented from flying by the bags. Amazingly, the cutters are always decked out in a cloth face mask to protect face and eyes and they have long boots. We are not going to compel them to use the bags until someone is blinded or is killed from a flying object. But this is Guyana.
Dem boys seh...
De budget got teachers thiefing Since de budget come out even teachers now thiefing. Before de budget was only politicians and bandits who was thiefing. De bandits use to wait till de people go to de bank and then pounce; de politicians use to pounce pun de bank. De teachers suppose to teach de children good morals and how to be upright citizens but when de teacher start thiefing dem boys wondering wha gun happen to dem children. Dem remember de head teacher who spend out de children exam money. He end up in jail but some of de children who he use to teach seh that dem learn something. People didn’t understand till dem children tun big people and quarrel to keep de box hand. Dem boys don’t have to explain. Now something happen that got people blaming Soulja Bai. He is de one who start off telling people that every teacher got to get a laptop. He go to de training college and he share out. Up to
now nuff teachers ain’t get so this one who teaching at a private school in Diamond decide that she ain’t able wait. A pupil go to de school wid she computer and by midday de computer disappear. When de girl raise de alarm de teacher done gone wid de computer. Dem boys seh that dem now understand how much influence de teacher does have on de children. Just like de headmaster who thief de exam fees and got he students thiefing dem box hand, is de same way if a teacher stupid he or she gun produce stupid children. De school full of security cameras. Dem boys want to know if de teacher didn’t see that. De head mistress call de police and run de camera. In living colour de police see de teacher thiefing de child computer. Last night she was complaining how bug biting she in de lock-ups. Talk half and wait fuh more stupidness.
Guyana faces potentially damaging... From page 08 financing of terrorism. The Finance Minister said that Guyana, in partnership with other Caribbean economies and international institutions such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank, is working to address the threat posed by de-risking. He said that this is being done through both advocacy and addressing the perceived risks that lead international banks to sever correspondent banking relationships. The Finance Minister said that Guyana has enhanced compliance with the implementation of recommendations by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and the
Financial Stability Board (FSB). He stressed that it is critical that international banks work with local banks to transfer practices that reduce risk, rather than severing relationships. In the meantime, the issue of de-risking remains under the watchful eye of the Bank of Guyana and the Ministry of Finance. According to Central Bank Governor, Dr. Gobind Ganga, Guyana’s financial system has been threatened by de-risking with Bank of America giving notice to a few banks of its intention to cease doing business with them. He said that although other banks showed an interest to fill the void, the conduct of international banks to
terminate correspondent relations with legitimate clients (banks and non-banks) as a way of mitigating legal and other risks can be detrimental to the economic and financial health of economies such as Guyana. Giving his point of view on the effects of the financial challenge, Dr. Ganga said that de-risking curtailed countries’ access to essential cross-border financial services such as trade finance and international money transfers, w h i c h are essential for growth and development. Through May 2016, at least 16 banks across five countries in the Caribbean have lost all or some of their correspondent banking relationships.
Friday December 02, 2016
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Kaieteur News
CAL plane departs after repairs…
Boeing inspectors arrive to assess grounded Fly Jamaica aircraft The damaged tail of the Fly Jamaica plane with a section on the tarmac. The wing of the CAL aircraft can be seen at left.
The damaged tail section of the Fly Jamaica aircraft
A Caribbean Airlines aircraft that was involved in a collision, Tuesday, with Fly Jamaica plane has been repaired and has since left the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, Timehri airport. Civil aviation officials yesterday confirmed that the Boeing 737-800 aircraft operating as BW 527 has returned to its home port in Trinidad and Tobago after being cleared for departure. A team had come from that Twin-Island Republic to conduct repairs to the damaged wing of the CAL aircraft. Yesterday, also, a team from Boeing arrived in Guyana to assess the damage to the Fly Jamaica plane. The assessment will determine what repairs will have to be made before the plane is allowed to fly again. Meanwhile, according to Lieutenant Colonel (ret'd) Egbert Fields, Director General of the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), the task of his organization as regulator of the aviation industry, is not to apportion blame. Rather, it is to present a report to the stakeholders,
including to CAL and Fly Jamaica. The two operators will then decide on how to settle the matter- whether through legal channels or via settlement. On Tuesday, authorities announced that a probe had been launched into an incident that occurred that morning in which the tail of a Fly Jamaica aircraft was struck off by a plane belonging to Caribbean Airlines Limited (CAL). The two planes were grounded at the CJIA with flights to North America - the US and Canada – affected. There has been worry about flights availability as the Christmas peak season is almost here. Thousands of Guyanese live in New York, US and Toronto, Canada. According to a brief statement from CJIA on Tuesday, its investigators and those of the GCAA are currently probing the incident that occurred between the two aircraft around 07:20 hrs on the international apron. The Fly Jamaica flight had reportedly landed about
an hour earlier than the Caribbean Airlines flight. Caribbean Airlines, also in a short statement, said that one of its planes, a Boeing 737-800 aircraft operating as BW 527, from JFK International, New York to CJIA, Guyana, was involved in an incident on the ramp. The Trinidadian-owned airline said that all passengers and crew were safely disembarked. “The aircraft has since been temporarily withdrawn from service and all appropriate inspections and procedures, along with an investigation are in progress.” Fly Jamaica also issued a release Tuesday evening on the incident, it read: “ At approximately 07:20hrs this morning at Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) in Guyana, Fly Jamaica Airways’ B767300, which was parked at an assigned gate, was struck by the wing tip of a taxiing Caribbean Airlines (CAL) B737-800 aircraft. Fly Jamaica Airways’ B767-300 aircraft has been withdrawn from service, and the airline awaits the findings of the investigation
currently being conducted by the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA). The Directors and staff of Fly Jamaica Airways wish to reassure their customers that they are working assiduously to lessen the inconvenience caused by this in-
cident, and to ensure that all of their passengers are accommodated in the most efficient and convenient manner. Both airlines have been playing a critical role in offering air transport linkages to especially the US and
Canada. Fly Jamaica, partially owned by Guyanese, will be more affected by the incident as it only has two planes. Caribbean Airlines, headquartered in Trinidad and Tobago, has several aircraft, including B737-800.
PI into KNews grenade attack…
Police Station diary vanishes …arrest warrant out for Kaieteur News staffer A diary of the Ruimveldt Police Station has disappeared. The diary contains entries for June 4, 2016, the day a live grenade was lobbed at a Lexus Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) belonging to Glenn Lall, publisher of the Kaieteur News. It was to be tendered in court yesterday by Police Constable Darson LaRose, when the Preliminary Inquiry (PI) into the grenade attack continued. LaRose is stationed at the Ruimveldt station and attached to the Criminal Investigation Department (Continued on page 31)
Alfie Garraway
Janeil Howard
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Kaieteur News
Friday December 02, 2016
Corps of wardens to boost enforcement of mining regulations
Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman
A Corps of Wardens will be introduced to function in the Natural Resources sector to boost the monitoring and enforcement competences of the regulatory bodies in Guyana. Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment, Raphael Trotman made this comment after an inquiry on what will be done to address some of the issues was raised by Major General Joseph Singh in a letter published in this newspaper Wednesday. Trotman responded by supplying this newspaper with a letter sent to Major Singh by Director of Compliance, Derrick Lawrence, after
he informed them of the prevailing situation. In Lawrence’s response, he told Singh that an investigation into the complaint has been ordered by the subject Minister. He said that senior mines engineer, Carlos Todd, accompanied him to the area as part of an investigation team. Lawrence relayed to Singh that although it could not be determined which specific “dragga” (water dredge) was responsible for the environmental damage reflected in the pictures sent to him by Singh, his team has identified the weaknesses within the existing
Guyana Geology and Mines Commission inspectorate to effectively monitor Guyana’s rivers. Hence, with the soon to be introduced Corps of Wardens, he said that the issue will be pursued as a matter of urgency by the Compliance and Enforcement Division of the Ministry. According to Singh’s letter, on October 17, 2016 he had informed relevant regulatory and enforcement agencies of serious degradation taking place at the Potaro and Essequibo Rivers between Tumatumari and Omai due to careless gold dredging activities. In addition, Singh said
that on a later date, November 27, 2016, while on an aerial reconnaissance he noticed that the indiscriminate mining did not only affect the Potaro and Essequibo Rivers but also in the middle of the Cuyuni, in the Wenamu River, in the Ekereku River and in the middle of the Mazaruni River. He said that the impact of mining activities on river banks such as on the left bank of the Cuyuni River below Ankoko Island, and on the
river channel of the Wenamu River (on both the Guyana and Venezuela banks) also have strategic implications since they relate to the delineation of the international border. He said that although gold mining is important to Guyana and Guyanese, the way in which it is conducted must be in accordance with established regulations.
Deep Guyana-B'dos... From page 3 migrants.” Significantly also, Guyana has played a role in the Barbados celebrations with the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) delighting the crowd gathered at the reveal of the National Monument event with a spectacular fireworks display. In addition, GDF paratroopers, supported by the Air Corps were set yesterday at the Independence parade at the Garrison, Savannah to entertain. A total of 25 GDF members are participating in the Independence activities. Also attending the 50th Anniversary of Barbados Independence events is Prince Henry of Wales, KCVO, familiarly known as Prince Harry. The Prince, who delivered a message on behalf of Queen Elizabeth II at the Toast to the Nation event, and will be arriving in Guyana today, greeted the President and the First Lady at the Toast to the Nation event. The Guyana Head of State and Mrs. Granger were also
greeted at that event by Barbadian superstar and Youth and Cultural Ambassador, Ms. Robin Rihanna Fenty, and her Guyana-born mom, Monica Braithwaite. Barbadian National Hero and West Indian cricketing great, Sir Garfield Sobers, familiarly known as Sir Gary, also met with President Granger following the Toast to the Nation event. Prime Minister Stuart had earlier described Sir Garfield's role in establishing Barbadian pride at the time of Independence. “While we were discussing Independence at Lancaster House in 1966, Sir Gary Sobers was on the playing fields of England making a statement on behalf of Barbados and the West Indies in the summer of that year. Needless to say, of course, the West Indies team triumphed in that 1966 series and Sir Garfield Sobers outperformed everybody else, both in the batting and bowling departments. So he made his own contribution to our confidence as a people in 1966 as we were making those tentative steps towards nationhood.” President Granger, who was scheduled to return to Guyana yesterday, used his time to meet with Guyanese diplomat, Sir Shridath Ramphal for a private meeting.
Friday December 02, 2016
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Kaieteur News
Guyana begins process to protect ‘Demerara’ brand
Mr. Bernard O’Connor at the podium delivering his address as Assistant Secretary-General Joseph Cox, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carl Greenidge and representative of the EU Delegation, Adam Wisniewski (seated from left to right). Guyana is about to go one step further to protect one of its most cherished Geographical Indicators (GI), the “Demerara” brand. A conference commenced yesterday at the Guyana Marriott Hotel which is geared towards helping Guyana recapture ownership of the Demerara name. Lead Expert and lawyer of the Guyana Quality Project, Bernard O’ Connor, said during his address that over the last week, three applications have been submitted to the Commercial Registry to have the registration of geographic indications in Guyana. According to O’Connor, Guyana has the fortune to have a culture and a history which is tied into the name Demerara. He recognised that the name is used with products such as rum, molasses and sugar. However, he said that over the years, the fame of the name has spread out and has
become well-known in Guyana and abroad. He said that the biggest challenge, however, has been exercising control over the name to the extent that the country’s claim to the name has since slipped away. He said that the applications which were made mark the end of the first phase of the long term project for the protection of “Demerara” for the benefit of Guyana. “We have just reached the end of the first phase, and the end of the first phase is the registration. An application takes time and it is a detailed administrative procedure and we can expect that as the applications go forward there will be ups and
downs.” O’Connor said that while the applications are being processed, there are negotiations being conducted between the Caribbean Forum (CARIFORUM) and the European Union on the mutual recognition of a series of geographic indicators. He said that this is so since Guyana has a very special geographic indications law. “What Guyana has in its law is the fact that a geographic indication can be protected without registration. Registration is something in addition; a GI is still a GI even if it is not registered but if it is registered then it benefits from a whole series of other
Some of the locally made products on display yesterday as the name “Demerara” takes centre stage
advantages.” According to Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carl Greenidge, delivering his address, under Article 145 of the Economic Partnership Agreement protection is provided for geographical indications. However, he said, “That protection is not automatically given to products. They have to first of all enjoy protection in the countries in question.” He said that of all the GIs in the Caribbean, only one tenth is registered in the European Union. Greenidge
said that the price of a genuine GI product can be double the price for a comparable product which does not enjoy that sort of recognition. There have been two instances whereby the name Demerara became the centre of international controversy. The first was in the 1913 case of Anderson v. Britcher. In that case, sugar from Mauritius was sold as Demerara sugar originating from Demerara, Guyana. However, it was argued by the purchaser that the product was not the genuine
sugar from Demerara. The court, in its ruling said that the term ‘Demerara’ is a generic one used to describe brown, crystallised sugar produced from sugar cane grown in the country of Demerara, Guyana. The second case was in 2010 between Bedessee Imports Limited of Canada and the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo). Similarly, Mauritian sugar was packaged and sold as “Demerara Gold” which was a registered trademark by (Continued on page 27)
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Kaieteur News
Friday December 02, 2016
Internal elections at municipalities…
Corriverton Mayor nearly voted out; tie saves him
Deputy Mayor, Krishnand Jaichand
Ganesh Gangadin taking oath in 2015 The Corriverton Mayor and Town Council on November 24, 2016 held its annual election to determine who will be the Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Corriverton come 2017.
The Town Council comprises a total of 14 councillors with 12 being opposition (PPP/C) and two from the Government side. However, the persons contesting to take up the seat
as the Mayor of the town, Ganesh Gangadin, presiding Mayor and Krishnand Jaichand, Deputy Mayor, are both from the opposition, PPP/C. The proceedings on
November 24 saw smooth sailing and resulted in a tie with Gangadin copping the votes of seven councillors and Hemchand the same. It was after the elections that the councillors realized that one councillor may have been swayed to vote for present Mayor Ganesh Gangadin, which resulted in the unexpected tie. According to information, Denis DeRoop, Vice Chairman of Region Six and also head of the People’s Progressive Party Civic in Region Six was seen chatting with a councillor who is well known as one of Jaichand’s biggest supporter. Everett Harewood, one of the councillors present at the
election who spoke with Kaieteur News via telephone, said that if were not for the intervention of the Regional Vice Chairman another election would not have been necessary to break a tie, since according to him there would not have been a tie. Harewood pointed out Jaichand was expected to win the elections. However, after DeRoop coerced one of the female councillors, the woman voted for Gangadin. “The Regional Vice Chairman was trying to persuade one person to move over to Gangadin’s side. Another councillor said, “This is not a party thing; this is a community thing.” He strongly insisted that
Guyana is a democratic country. “DeRoop cannot come and tell people who to vote for,” the annoyed councillor said. Meanwhile, another meeting is expected to be held on Friday at 10:00 am in an effort to break the tie and have a new Mayor and Deputy Mayor elect. However, sources have revealed that the Vice Chairman is likely to attend the meeting once more in order to ensure that the results favour his party’s choice of Mayor. Voting will once again take place today to see whether there is a clear declaration of a mayor and a deputy.
Epileptic fails to secure conviction Lewis Bacchus on Wednesday appeared in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court before Magistrate Brendon Glasford to answer to the charge of assault. When it was over he walked out of the court a free man. The charge read that on November 25, last, at East Ruimveldt, he assaulted Lloyd McBean. The defendant pleaded guilty and asked to explain the reason for the plea when the charge was read to him by Magistrate Brendon Glasford at a sitting of the Night Court in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts. Bacchus told the court that McBean was in a fight
with another man and he went to part them. That caused McBean to tell the Police how he was the one that assaulted him. Based on his explanation the court entered a not guilty plea. McBean an epileptic, in his testimony told the court that he is 31 years old and resides at Lot 170 Charlotte Street. He went on to tell the court that on the day in question, around 20:40 hrs he was sitting by his aunt with friends when the defendant came up to him with a Rambo knife and lashed him across his face and told him not to disrespect his mother. McBean told the court
that the two of them started to fight and the defendant then dealt him 16 punches behind his head. McBean then made a report to the East La Penitence Police Station and Bacchus was arrested and charged for the offence. When it was time for the defendant to cross examine McBean, he asked him how he can see behind his head to know who was hitting him since it was multiple people in the fight. Magistrate Brendon Glasford told the court based on that crucial question that the defendant asked and McBean being unable to answer, the matter was dismissed.
Friday December 02, 2016
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Kaieteur News
GTT customers receive cash back in Christmas promotion Seven customers on Wednesday received their cash back in GTT’s Win More Christmas promotion at the GTT’s Fogarty’s Store, Water Street. The cash ranged from $5,000 to $25,000 for purchases made at the various GTT stores across the country in the first week of GTT’s Christmas promotion. The winners were Alana Nicholas of Amelia’s Ward, Linden -- a DSL modem; Rajendra Ramkumar of Windsor Castle, Essequibo Coast-- he won his Blu Studio G Plus valued $21,999; Colleen Farrell of John Alley Christianburg, Linden- she won her Unnectto Neo Free; Shemar Davis of Tucville, Georgetown-- he won his first month’s DSL Bronze service free. Latchman Narain, of Tain, Corentyne, received his money back after purchasing a Plum Might Plus 2; Diana Damdar of St. Marysville, Mon Repos, East Coast
Demerara received her DSL Bronze service free and Neil Rudder of Angoy’s Avenue, New Amsterdam received his cash back for Unnecto Quattro X. According to GTT, every customer with a purchase of $5000 or more has a chance to win back their purchase in the current Christmas promotion. The winners are selected every Wednesday at a GTT Store. “Apart from that, GTT has amazing smart phone deals for everyone this Christmas. Customers get their money back in top up when they buy the DroneXT, Unnecto Quattro X or the Blu Studio G Plus, in addition to 1GB free data,” the telephone company said. “There’s more; with the purchase of the Alcatel Go Play customers get a free VR Gear and a free wireless speaker with the purchase of the Idol 3 along with 1 GB data equivalent to onemonth’s 4G data plan.”
Ex-cop on bail for shooting ‘John Kirby’ thrice
SHOT: Martin Atwell aka ‘John Kirby’
CHARGED: Lloyd Lyte
Former policeman, Lloyd Lyte, who allegedly pumped three bullets in Martin Atwell, also known as John Kirby, after he refused to remove some beer bottles from his car, was yesterday charged with intent to commit murder. Lyte, 43, a father of seven appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts, where he was released on $150,000 bail. It is alleged that on November 27, last, at East Ruimveldt, Georgetown, Lyte discharged a loaded firearm at Atwell, 48, a seaman of Lot 374 East Ruimveldt, with intent to commit murder. The accused, who was represented by Attorney Satesh Kissoon, was not required to plead to the indictable allegation. Atwell did not turn up in court although he was informed by the prosecutor to be there. According to reports,
Atwell was standing outside the ‘Wings and Things’ bar, Mandela Avenue, Georgetown, on Saturday at around 02:00hrs, when an argument ensued between him and Lyte. Police said the row started after Atwell refused to remove some beer bottles he placed on the trunk of Lyte’s vehicle. It is alleged that after the argument, the ex-cop went into the bar, but Atwell followed him, pulled out a firearm and shot at him. The man immediately drew his licensed handgun and discharged several rounds at Atwell, hitting him in the chest and abdomen. Atwell was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) by patrons. He has since been discharged. Police said four spent shells were retrieved at the scene. During a bail application, Attorney Kissoon told the (Continued on page 28)
Some of the winners in GTT’s Christmas promotion week 1 drawing with members of the GTT team.
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Kaieteur News
Friday December 02, 2016
Surujbally steps down…
Opposition starts search for new GECOM chairman Leader of the Opposition, Bharrat Jagdeo, has started the process to search for a new Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM). The long-serving Chairman, Dr. Steve Surujbally, has resigned with his last day being Wednesday, November 30. According to a statement from the office of the Opposition Leader, the consultations which started Wednesday are “in pursuit of the practice of inclusionarydemocracy”, and has provided an opportunity for citizens’ participation. This participation, it was explained, was with organizations. The process includes nomination of individuals to be submitted to President David Granger for selection of the new Chairman in keeping with Article 161 (1) (2) of the Constitution of Guyana. On Wednesday, Jagdeo
Former GECOM Chairman, Dr. Steve Surujbally led a delegation of People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/ C) Parliamentarians who consulted with representatives of the Christian, Hindu, Muslim and Labour communities at the Parliament Buildings. The consultations were expected to continue yesterday with the private sector, youth, women, indigenous leaders, professional bodies and other prominent nongovernmental organization (NGOs). “These engagements saw wide-ranging discussions on the importance of a strong and effective GECOM and the submission of names to be considered for the appointment of a new Chairman. These organisations also seized the opportunity to discuss other issues directly and indirectly affecting their constituencies, requesting the opposition to make appropriate interventions at various
Representatives of the Hindu and Muslim organizations meeting the Opposition Leader on Wednesday for a new GECOM Chairman.
levels, inclusive of representation in the National Assembly,” the statement from the office of the Opposition Leader said yesterday. Dr Surujbally, a
veterinarian and newspaper columnist, who headed the elections commission since the early 2000s, has been under pressure this year, after a number of shocking stories came out that hundreds of
millions of dollars were spent in highly questionable manner by GECOM. While no one has been sent home, state auditors have started a major probe with initial investigations pointing to significant breaches at GECOM.
President Granger will receive a list of nominees from the Opposition Leader and is supposed to choose the new Chairman. Of course, Granger can refuse to accept the names and ask the Opposition for new nominees.
PAGE 26
Cancer in eye…
Toddler to leave Guyana after receiving financial support Omkar Persaud, the twoyear-old child who needed financial support to travel to Cuba to undergo urgent treatment in his right eye will leave Guyana soon. The ensuing surgery will prevent him from going blind. Persaud has received the financial support he needed to pay for the treatment, thanks to donations received from the public. He is diagnosed with retinoblastoma in the right eye. His left eye has already been removed following infection with the same disease. Retinoblastoma is a rare malignant tumour of the retina, affecting young children. The toddler needs urgent treatment which includes intra ocular and systemic chemotherapy and local cryotherapy. Since the treatment is not available in Guyana, a local hospital referred him to a tertiary eye care plus cancer centre in that country for the specialized treatment, as he is on a high risk of not only losing the right eye and
Friday December 02, 2016
Kaieteur News
Omkar Persaud with his mother becoming blind but also having an intracranial spread. The treatment will cost $4M. The government assisted the family with one million dollars; the family has managed to arrange a million dollars and the public contributed two million dollars toward the child’s treatment.
Keimchand Persaud, the child’s father, said that his son was born w i t h t h e disease in his left eye but doctors had informed him to wait until he grew a little before they operated on him. As such, the two-yearold underwent surgery to remove the eye two months ago but it was during his surgery that medical practitioners noticed that the cancer had spread to the other eye.
Thieves burgle Alberttown grocery store, escape with $1.5M, DVR Proprietor of Dev Grocery and Variety Store on Albert and Sixth Streets, Alberttown, went to his business place yesterday morning only to find that it had been broken into and more than $1.5M in cash and stocks, missing. The perpetrators took the businessman’s DVR (Digital Video Recorder) with them, making it difficult for investigators to identify the culprits. Devindra Gangaram explained that when he went to open his variety store around 07:40 hrs yesterday, he noticed that a few items were scattered on the floor when he opened the shutters on the front door of the store. Upon investigating, Gangaram found that the back door of his store had been broken while a surveillance camera, pointing in the direction of the back door had been turned upward and a piece of card board had been placed around a bulb that is situated next to the camera. It is unclear how many men raided the store but investigators said that there might have been more than two persons. The robbery is believed to have occurred some time between midnight Wednesday and Thursday morning. The businessman said that he left his store some time around 23:00 hrs on Wednesday. “When I come to open, I see things on the floor and the back door open.” No one reported hearing any noise. Gangaram said that the men escaped with cash, phone cards, milk, cigarette, baby lotion and chocolates among other items. It was the third time in three years that the businessman’s store had been burglarized. Anyone with information of the robbery can contact Gangaram on 618-3575.
A crime scene rank dusting for fingerprint yesterday
The door that was broken by the perpetrators
Friday December 02, 2016
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Kaieteur News
Another cop on $100,000 bail for corruption charges Another serving member of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) has been accused of corruptly obtaining money. This time it is a Sergeant with 23 years of service and who is stationed in Police ‘G’ Division. Sergeant Lakeram Deochan, a father of two, of Lot 739 Charity Essequibo Coast was brought before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan yesterday in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts, where he pleaded not guilty to the charge. It is alleged that on April 26, last, at Charity, Pomeroon, while being an agent of the Government of Guyana, he corruptly obtained the sum of $2M cash, from Nalini Baharally, as an inducement to forgo to charge Lennox Baharally, Nalini’s husband, for causing a boat mishap which resulted in the death of Mohamed Shameer. Based on reports,
Sergeant Lakeram Deochan
Constable Dwayne Marshall
Police Corporal Selvin Elkana
Shameer went missing on April 25, after the wooden balahoo he was travelling in was reportedly struck by a 75horsepower engine vessel driven by his nephew, Lennox Baharally. However police discovered his dismembered body three days later in a plastic bag, in a clump of bushes in an area in Moruca.
Police were at the time acting on a tip off from Rondell Kellawan, who reportedly told them that Shameer was in fact murdered. It was reported that Kellawan was an occupant of Lennox Baharally’s boat. Lennox Baharally was detained by police as a prime suspect.
During an application for bail, Attorney George Thomas denied that his client received any monies from Nalini Baharally since he never met her. According to Thomas, at the time of the alleged transaction his client was on annualized vacation leave and as such, handed over the matter to the Divisional Commander. The lawyer told the court that his client is not a flight risk and is willing to comply with any conditions attached to bail. Attorney Thomas said Deochan has no intentions of tampering with witnesses in the matter. Police Inspector Neville Jeffers represented the prosecution. He made no
Coast Guard ranks detained after parts vanish from patrol boat - others unable to leave base as investigation launched Two of the Metal Shark Aluminum Boats
The Guyana Defence Force has launched an investigation int o t h e disappearance of parts from a US-donated aluminium patrol vessel, while it was moored at the Coast Guard Ruimveldt headquarters. Army Public Relations Officer Major Delbert George confirmed yesterday that a number of Coast Guard ranks are in custody at Camp
Ayanganna. “Ranks have been detained…I am aware that there is an issue with the Metal Shark (vessel), and the Chief of Staff has ordered an investigation.” Kaieteur News understands that several male and female ranks who are stationed at the Coast Guard headquarters have been barred from leaving the base since Sunday, when the theft
Guyana begins process... (From page 13) Bedessee since 1984. At that time another sugar was packaged with the map of Guyana on it. GuySuCo sought to register the “Demerara Gold” trademark in Canada. Bedessee filed an opposition and tried to register the same name. This was opposed by the government of Guyana. The case was soon transformed into one questioning statements made by then Minister of Agriculture which Bedessee believed were defamatory. Ultimately, the name “Demerara” has never been dealt with, thereby providing Guyana with the opportunity to have the name registered as a geographic indicator for the country’s benefit.
was discovered. A source said that some who reported for duty on Friday are among those who have been unable to leave the base. According to reports, officials discovered on Sunday that two propellers had vanished from the 500 horsepower vessel, which was donated by the US government two years ago. Some detained ranks who contacted Kaieteur News also claimed that some $50,000 each was being taken out of their salaries to repay for the stolen parts. They were reportedly told that the missing propellers were worth some $300,000. In March, 2014, former US Ambassador D. Brent Hardt handed over two patrol vessels to former President Donald Ramotar. The boats were built in the US by Metal Shark Aluminum Boats at a total cost of US 1.7M.
objections to bail. Sergeant Deochan was released on $100,000 bail and was instructed to return to court on December 17, at the Charity Magistrate’s Court. Deochan is the fifth policeman to appear at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts for the year, charged with corruptly obtaining money. On October 4, Police Corporal Selvin Elkana, 38, and Constable Dwayne Marshall, 37, both stationed at the Alberttown Police Station, Georgetown were accused of obtaining $60,000 as bribe from Deonarine Dowlatram to forgo an assault case. They were each ordered to post $50,000 bail by the Chief Magistrate. Police Corporal Ronald Fraser, 43, of Supenaam, Essequibo, was accused of accepting an ounce of raw gold; three pennyweights of raw gold and two pennyweights of raw gold from Mark Williamson to forbear to investigate him for the offence of narcotics (cannabis sativa) possession between February 1 and February 20, last, at Ekereku Police Station. Corporal Fraser denied the allegation on July 16,
before the Chief Magistrate. He was granted $75,000 bail. In June, Police Constable Colin Rodney, 33, of Lot 17 Joseph Pollydore Street, Lodge, Georgetown, was charged with two counts of accepting bribes. He was accused of engaging in corrupt transactions as an agent of the state by accepting inducement from Hushaam Mana and Saeed Gopie on June 15, at Kingston Seawalls, Georgetown. The cop was placed on $30,000 bail after his lawyer argued that he was wrongfully accused. In August, David Ramnarine, then Acting Commissioner of Police revealed that a total of 15 ranks have been dismissed by the GPF for 2016; six for corrupt transactions, two for rape, three for narcotics related offences and four for simple larceny. The previous year, 12 ranks were dismissed. Seven for corrupt transactions, two for firearm related offence, two for narcotics related offences and another for assault. Twenty-one ranks were interdicted for offences ranging from conspiracy to commit murder to assault, last year.
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Kaieteur News
Flags to be flown at half mast today for Castro Guyana has agreed to a suggestion from the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat to join with CARICOM member states to honour the late President of Cuba, Fidel Castro Ruiz, by having all national flags flown at halfstaff today. According to official communication from the Secretariat, this is an appropriate and meaningful gesture of support and solidarity with the Government and people of Cuba as they pay tribute to their former President. The Golden Arrowhead will be flown at half-staff at all public buildings. The late President Castro was the holder of a honorary award of the Order of the Caribbean Community (OCC). He died last Friday night.
Cuba has announced a week of mourning for Castro,
hailed by some a revolutionary.
Trump’s victory in the U.S. presidential election on Nov. 8 and Britain’s vote to leave the European Union on June 23 as expressions of popular anger with ruling elites who have failed to stem the widening global wealth gap. A 2016 report by charity Oxfam showed that the wealth of the world’s richest 62 people has risen by 44 percent since 2010, with almost half of the superrich living in the United States, while the wealth of the poorest 3.5 billion fell 41 percent. “This creates tension among people at the bottom (of the income ladder). They blame refugees and minorities - and unscrupulous politicians exploit this,” said Yunus. “You don’t trust other people, so you build walls,” he said in reference to U.S. President-elect Trump’s promise to build a wall along
the southern U.S. border to keep out Mexican immigrants that he said were rapists and criminals. BORN ENTREPRENEURS To break free from an unequal financial system that disadvantages the poor, people should use their creative energy to become entrepreneurs themselves and spread wealth among a broader base of citizens, said Yunus. “People are not born to be job seekers they are entrepreneurs by nature,” he said, adding that businesses that are focused more on doing social good than generating maximum profit can help to rectify economic and gender inequality. “If wealth comes to billions of people, this wealth will not come to the top one percent (of rich people), and it will not be easy to concentrate all the wealth in a few hands,” he said.
Ex-cop on bail for shooting... (From page 15) court that it was Atwell who pulled out a gun on his client. The lawyer said that his client’s only intention was to disarm the virtual complainant (VC). Kissoon asked for his client to be admitted to reasonable bail because he is the sole breadwinner of his family. He said that his client is employed as a security guard with a gold and diamond mining company and has an unblemished criminal record. Kissoon disclosed that Lyte be released on $100,000 station bail pending investigations. Police Prosecutor Neville
Trump warns of consequences for U.S. firms sending jobs abroad
Fallen former Cuban leader, Fidel Castro
World’s growing inequality is ‘ticking time bomb’ - Nobel laureate Yunus LONDON (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - The widening gap between rich and poor around the world is a “ticking time bomb” threatening to explode into social and economic unrest if left unchecked, Nobel Peace laureate Muhammad Yunus said yesterday. The banking and financial system has created a world of “the more money you have, the more I give you” while depriving the majority of the world’s population of wealth and an adequate standard of living, Yunus told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. “Wealth has become concentrated in just a few places in the world ... It’s a ticking time bomb and a great danger to the world,” said the founder of the microfinance movement that provides small loans to people unable to access mainstream finance. Yunus cited Donald
Friday December 02, 2016
Jeffers made no objections to bail. However, he asked that the accused lodge his passport and report to the Ruimveldt Police Station weekly until the determination of the matter. Prosecutor Jeffers also asked the Chief Magistrate to warn the accused to stay away from Atwell and all witnesses in the matter. These requests were granted by Magistrate McLennan, who adjourned the case until January 9, for reports and fixtures. However, relatives of Atwell told Kaieteur News that the ex-cop shot him during an argument over
Atwell spilling ketchup on his vehicle. A relative said that Atwell visited the bar with his girlfriend and went to the counter inside to purchase chicken for the woman. According to the relative, after receiving the food, Atwell went back inside to get ketchup and returned outside, where he accidentally spilled ketchup on the vehicle. She said that a heated row ensued between them which led to the former cop, whipping out a gun and firing five shots in Atwell’s direction. She said that only three bullets hit him.
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump greets a worker as he tours a Carrier factory with Greg Hayes, CEO of United Technologies (L) in Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S., yesterday. REUTERS/Mike Segar (Reuters) - Presidentelect Donald Trump yesterday warned that U.S. companies will face “consequences” for outsourcing jobs overseas, as he touted his early success in persuading an air conditioner maker to keep around 1,000 jobs in the United States rather than move them to Mexico. “Companies are not going to leave the United States any more without consequences. Not going to happen,” the Republican said on a visit to a Carrier Corp plant in Indianapolis. Trump, who takes office on Jan. 20, did not say what the consequences would be, but during the election campaign he frequently threatened U.S. firms that his administration would put a 35 percent import tariff on goods made by American manufacturers who moved jobs offshore. Trump made keeping jobs in the United States one of the main issues of his election campaign and frequently pilloried Carrier for planning to move production to Mexico as he appealed to blue-collar voters in the Midwest. Apparently under pressure from Trump, Carrier announced this week it had agreed to keep more than 1,000 jobs at the plant and at its headquarters, while still planning to move more than 1,000 other U.S. jobs to Mexico. Trump said his negotiations with the maker of air conditioning units were a
model for how he would approach other U.S. businesses that are tempted to move jobs overseas to save money. He pledged to create a healthy environment for business via lower taxes and fewer regulations. “I just want to let all of the other companies know that we’re going to do great things for business. There’s no reason for them to leave any more,” Trump said. If that approach did not work, there would be penalties, Trump warned. Though the company is still outsourcing Indiana jobs to Mexico, the deal marks a quick win for Trump, who has spent most of his time since the Nov. 8 election in New York building his team ahead of the handover of power from President Barack Obama. He toured the plant in Indianapolis and shook hands with workers on an assembly line. Some workers yelled out “Thank you Mr. Trump” and “Thanks Donald” as he greeted them. Carrier confirmed that Indiana agreed to give the company $7 million in tax incentives. A source briefed on the matter said the tax incentives are over 10 years and the company has agreed to invest $16 million in the state, which is run by Governor Mike Pence, Trump’s vice president-elect. Carrier, a unit of United Technologies Corp, still plans to move 600 jobs from the plant to Mexico, the Wall Street Journal said. Reuters
reported earlier this week Carrier also still intends to close a factory in Huntington, Indiana, that employs 700 people making controls for heating, cooling and refrigeration and move the jobs to Mexico by 2018. SANDERS CRITICISM U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders, who lost the Democratic primary to Hillary Clinton, said the Carrier deal is incomplete and leaves the incoming Trump administration open to threats from companies. “Trump has endangered the jobs of workers who were previously safe in the United States. Why? Because he has signaled to every corporation in America that they can threaten to offshore jobs in exchange for business-friendly tax benefits and incentives,” Sanders wrote in a Washington Post opinion piece yesterday. He noted that Trump had originally said he would save 2,100 jobs that Carrier planned to move to Mexico. “Let’s be clear: It is not good enough to save some of these jobs,” Sanders said. Despite Trump’s deal, employers elsewhere in Indiana are laying off five times that many workers because of foreign competition. Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim said yesterday that if Trump succeeds as U.S. president, it would benefit major trading partner Mexico because of increased employment and U.S. economic growth.
Friday December 02, 2016
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Kaieteur News
Venezuela is suspended from Brazil Senate boss indicted for embezzlement Mercosur: Brazilian official (Reuters) - Venezuela will be suspended from the Mercosur regional trade bloc as early as today for failing to meet membership requirements, a Brazilian official said, in the latest blow to the oilproducing country during a deep political and economic crisis. According to the official, who asked for anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue, Mercosur understands that Venezuela failed to meet economic, human rights and immigration accords governing the group. Mercosur’s other members are Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay and regional diplomatic heavyweight Brazil. Earlier yesterday, Reuters reported that three unidentified Brazilian officials expected Venezuela to be suspended from the bloc. “Venezuela has not adopted all the membership rules and treaties it had promised,” one of those officials said. “Everything indicates that Venezuela will be suspended starting in December.” An Argentine government source said later yester-
day that the decision would not happen until a Dec. 14 meeting of Mercosur foreign ministers. Socialist-led Venezuela has said it will not leave Mercosur and has denounced what it calls a campaign by right-leaning Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay to expel it from the group. Foreign Minister Delcy Rodriguez yesterday said via Twitter that Venezuela had called on member countries to activate a mechanism for “resolutions of conflicts,” tweeting a complaint letter sent to Mercosur foreign ministers. “Venezuela must be respected!” Rodriguez said on Twitter. “Officials who adhere to imperialist mandates will not win against our fatherland.” The suspension would not carry any sanctions against Venezuela, but would sideline its government from bloc meetings and trade negotiations, the Brazilian officials said. A suspension would also further isolate Venezuela as it struggles with food shortages and social unrest as its
oil-dependent economy crumbles. Brazil’s Foreign Ministry was not immediately available for comment. Tensions within Mercosur reflect the changing political landscape of a region that has turned to conservative governments after years of domination by leftist leaders buoyed by a commodities boom. Some Brazilian officials had considered delaying the suspension to avoid hampering Vatican-led negotiations to ease the political crisis in Venezuela, but they later dropped those plans, said another official. Businesses in Brazil have complained that the presence of Venezuela, which joined the bloc in 2012, has delayed key trade and regulatory decisions. “It’s a political decision that shows Mercosur countries trying to be in line with the global reality,” said Roberto Ticoulat, head of the Brazilian Council of Commercial Exporters and Importers. “Brazil needs to be part of global trade, and we can’t wait any longer.”
U.N. chief sorry for U.N. role in deadly Haiti cholera outbreak (Reuters) - Outgoing United Nations SecretaryGeneral Ban Ki-moon apologized to the people of Haiti yesterday for the world body’s role in a deadly cholera outbreak that has killed more than 9,300 people and was blamed on Nepali U.N. peacekeepers. Haiti was free of cholera until 2010, when the peacekeepers dumped infected sewage into a river. The United Nations does not accept legal responsibility for the outbreak of the disease that causes uncontrollable diarrhea and has sickened 800,000 people. But for the first time, Ban said sorry. “The United Nations deeply regrets the loss of life and suffering caused by the cholera outbreak,” Ban told the 193-member U.N. General Assembly in Creole, French and English. “We apologize to the Haitian people.” “We simply did not do enough with regard to the cholera outbreak and its spread in Haiti. We are profoundly sorry for our role,” said Ban, who steps down at the end of 2016 after two five-year terms. While Ban acknowledged that the outbreak was “a blemish on the reputation of U.N.
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon (REUTERS/PierreAlbouy) peacekeeping,” he did not specifically say that U.N. troops were responsible for bringing the water-borne disease to Haiti. An independent panel appointed by Ban issued a 2011 report that did not determine conclusively how cholera was introduced to Haiti. However, in 2013 the panel members independently published an article that concluded personnel associated with the U.N. peacekeeping mission were “the most likely source.” “As a father and grandfather, I felt tremendous heartache at the pain so many families have had to endure. I will never forget it,” Ban said yes-
terday of a visit to Haiti. A U.S. federal appeals court upheld the United Nations’ immunity in August after a lawsuit was filed in the United States on behalf of cholera victims. Deputy U.N. SecretaryGeneral Jan Eliasson told reporters yesterday that the court decision had allowed Ban to apologize before the end of his term. Yesterday Ban also outlined a new approach to try and wipe out cholera in the Caribbean country. The United Nations hopes to raise $200 million for families and communities worstaffected by the disease outbreak. Ban described it as “a concrete expression of the regret of our organization for the suffering,” proposing that material assistance and support be based on priorities established in consultation with communities, victims and their families. U.N. special advisor David Nabarro said in October that raising those funds through donations would be “highly unlikely.” The General Assembly could instead be asked to add the cost to the U.N. budget, which is paid through assessed contributions.
Brazil’s Senate President Renan Calheiros (L) and federal judge Sergio Moro attend a session at the Federal Senate in Brasilia, yesterday. REUTERS/Adriano Machado (Reuters) - Brazil’s Supreme Court indicted the president of the Senate, Renan Calheiros, yesterday for embezzlement, a ruling that is expected to fan growing tensions between the judiciary and Congress over corruption cases. The top court voted 8-3 to try the senator charges of misusing public funds in a nine-year-old case involving the payment of child support for a daughter Calheiros had in an extramarital affair. Calheiros was indicted for billing the Senate for car rentals with false contracts. But the court dismissed charges he had falsified documents, including receipts for cow sales, to mask palimony pay-
ments prosecutors said came from an engineering firm. Renan, a key ally for President Michel Temer’s drive to restore fiscal discipline and pull Brazil from recession, faces 11 investigations for corruption, eight of them for what prosecutors describe as kickbacks in the massive graft scandal centered on state-run oil company Petróleo Brasileiro S.A., known as Petrobras. A skilled politician, Calheiros has survived accusations that he took an Air Force jet to get hair implants, among other corruption charges. When he was accused in 2007 of letting a lobbyist pay support for his illegitimate
daughter, Calheiros stepped down as Senate boss to save his seat and he re-emerged as a power broker in Brasilia politics some years later. Calheiros’ term as head of the Senate expires in February, long before his case can reach a conclusion, so the fallout for Temer is limited. But it does further tarnish the image of an unpopular government and the scandal-plagued ruling PMDB party. It will also worsen relations between Congress and the judiciary, which have soured over attempts by lawmakers to curb the authority of prosecutors and judges in a move to shield themselves from corruption charges. Calheiros on Wednesday failed to rush through the Senate a corruption bill sent up by the lower chamber of Congress that would undermine the authority of prosecutors and establish penalties for judges for abusing their authority. Prosecutors see the bill as an attempt to intimidate them as they prepare to implicate dozens of politicians in a plea deal with a major contractor involved in the Petrobras scandal. Elected officials such as Calheiros can only be tried by the Supreme Court. Despite the indictment, he will keep his seat which only a Senate ethics committee can strip from him.
Region lacking capacity to deal with climate change, says expert KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC – A regional climate change expert says the Caribbean does not have the capacity to deal with the impact of unpredictable weather patterns that that have been affecting the region in recent times. Just this week, Barbados and St Vincent and the Grenadines were inundated by torrential rains which resulted in widespread flooding and infrastructural damage. The matter is being discussed here this week at a meeting of the Intergovernmental panel on climate change . Speaking to the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC) on the sidelines of the meeting, deputy director of the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre (CCCCC), Dr Ulric Trotz, pointed to the 2013 Christmas Eve trough which affected St Lucia, St Vincent and Dominica, as well as the recent passage of Hurricane Matthew, and said this will be the new reality for several Caribbean countries.
Dr Ulric Trotz “You’ll notice for instance we say that the region is going to be drier and there’s going to be less rainfall, but with the floods that you had in Barbados and St Vincent recently you wouldn’t think so. But what has happened is that previously when you get a set of rainfall extending over, say about a three to four month period, you’re getting all that in a few days, our drainage systems
aren’t designed to basically deal with that. “Our reservoirs for the water companies aren’t designed to hold that volume of water, so the water goes up. So what happens is there’s an extended dry period. The result is our reservoirs are dry and our aquifers are basically depleted,” he said. Trotz noted that the CCCCC is taking steps to address the situation across the region. “We are addressing it by looking at water harvesting, which means that each household should have a facility, a cistern that catches the water when it is available. And we have installed reverse osmosis plants, just as you have in Barbados, in a couple of countries, Bequia is one, and recently i n Petit Martinique and Carriacou,” Dr Trotz stated. According to him, all the facilities are powered by solar energy, given the fact that they are energy intensive.
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SERVICES PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION,WEDDINGS, ANNIVERSARY,ETC.-CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 2161043; 677-6620
SALON - Make-up Courses with Mac, Bare Minerals, etc. - Cosmetology Courses: $120,000 - Technician Course: $45,000. Call: 6471773/660-5257
Visa Application: U.S.A, C a n a da & UK; Guyana p assport application. Graphics design, advertisement. Tel: 6267040; 265-4535. INNOVATIVEMARKETING & PUBLISHING INC –TEL: 600-4212: We create A/ works, logos, busi ness cards, posters, etc, placements of ads included. Passport, permanent & visitor visa application, Professional Immigrant Consultant – Sabita Immigration Services. Call: 225-6496; 662-6045 Eagle’s: Re-gas -$8,000, Washing machine repairs, Gas Stove, Plasma flat Screen & more. Call: 697-2969/6460966 Firber glass repairs, truck caps, boats and many more. Contact Taitram Singh Aka Anil:220-2350/621-9021 Sparkle Time domestic services: Professional cleaning services, gardening (internal & external of house), weeding, etc. Call: 688-6509/604-5381 Repairs at affordable prices: fridge, air conditioner, washing machines, dryers, TV, microwaves & freezerCall: 610-5846 or 661-8158 DRESSMAKING Evening wear, working uniforms and more professionally done. Call: 626-2629/ 676-6312
Friday December 02, 2016
Kaieteur News
VACANCY Receptionist male, room attendant, desk staff. Call: 2250198 or visit 233 South Road, Lacytown. Vacancy for salesgirls, hair & nail station rental @ New Market Street. Call: 667-7409 Cook/baker for the Interior location, applicants must be experienced. Call: 618-2020 Giftland Mall: External , Security, Internal Security . $ 447 per Hour. Contact: 2227334 – 63 One Supervisor for Xenon Hotel in Charity. Contact 2235273/4
FOR RENT
FOR SALE
PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION,WEDDINGS, ANNIVERSARY, ETC. CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 216-1043; 677-6620
MX QSC 2000, 1500, 1000 watts, 4 Bass 4MID, 4 horn, 4 tweeter mixer, juggler, EQ, Speaker, Cable. Call: 6542732/ 253-3070
House for rent located at 696 Golden Grove, E.B.D. Call: 611-1963 for further details 3 Bedrooms apartment, bottom flat -$50,000 per month @ Triumph, E.C.D. Call: 604-0883 128 Akawini, Sheriff Street: 3 storey building, unfurnished, 5 bedrooms, kitchen. Call:2200365/ 652-1504 Fully furnished, ideal for professionals, 3+1 bedroom @ 195 Camp Street. Call Joe Ishmael/ Leslie Dookhan: 227-1964/227-1961/226-6569/ 690-9216 2 Bedroom top and bottom flat @ 261 Golden Grove E.B.D, top flat $40,000, bottom flat $35,000. Call: 233-5802/ 641-1476/ 600-4984 One house @ Lamaha Gardens -$1,000US per month, one business place on Sherrif St. - $2,000US per month. Call: 670-7171 Self-contained rooms in Prashad Nagar. Tel: 227-2993 1 Business space in Ablert & 6th Street Alberttown. C a l l : 6 1 8 - 3 5 7 5
One sales representative needed. Please contact: 2258205 One experienced computer legal clerk. Call: 624-7087/ 258-0213/ email: husainsaphier@yahoo.com 1-3 Days domestic, age 2532. Call: 223-3430 ACCOMMODATION Harmony Inn: furnished apartments and rooms, ideal for overseas visitors from $6,000 per night. Call: 6680306/ 218-1400/ 694-7817
1-30 feet aluminum jet boat with spares. Call: 642-7898 LARGE QUANTITIES OF HIGH PURITY MERCURY (QUICK SILVER) 99.99995% PURITY$19,000 PER POUND CALL: 592-227-4754. Cargo trawler- Call: 682-8724, 616-5954 Cat 928F loader, 3406 Cat Engine, 3116 Cat Engine, 3208 Cat Engine. Contact #650-0402 1 Large double door freezer 40cubic ft, owner migrating. Call: 696-2957 One complete sawmill situated at Yarrowkabra Industrial site, Soesdyke, Linden Highway. Call: 6441190/ 609-8041 Wardrobes, fridges, TV stand, chairs, dresser, gas stove, etc @ Helena #2 Mahaica. Call Jai Singh): 622-7842/ 639-2070 Refrigerator $60,000, RCA smart TV $30,000, all prices negotiable. Call: 687-3241/ 656-1153 Design & Make Aluminum windows, doors, stainless rails, showcases, rolling shutters, make & install automatic doors. Call: 2336818/677-5599/659-9999 Muscovy Ducklings and ducks (Live & Pluck)). Call: 602-7203
LAND FOR SALE House lot for sale @ Blankenburg -3.5 & 4.5 M, Schoonord -6.5 M. Contact #650-0402 Land at Tuschen -$2.5M, La Parfaite Harmonie -$1.4M, $1.2M, Zeelugt, Herstelling, All price reduced & terms available. Call: 604-6724
HEALTH Learn how you can benefit from iridology Mon, Dec 5th - Contact Hazel’s Herbal Store: 226-9136
Great Deals on video games & all gaming consoles. PC, phone games, applications & repairs – Call: 672-2566; 2653231 2 CBR bikes 600 RR 2014 and 2009 (year model), 1 raptor 2012 (year model), bike 700R. Call: 677-7920/660-1269 Kilm Dried Boards, purple heart & greenheart, great prices, will dress. Call: 6270056
C. Persaud & N. Outar Driving School formerly Soman & Sons Driving School @ Maraj BuildingCall: 644-5166; 622-2872; 6150964; 689-5997 (affordable packages).
CAR RENTAL DOLLY’S CAR RENTALCALL: 225-7126/226-3693 DOLLYSAUTORENTAL@ YA H O O . C O M / W W W. DOLLYSAUTORENTAL. COM AIDAN’S CAR RENTAL:PICKUP,9-11 SEAT MIN BUS, GOOD FOR AIRPOTR & FAMILY OUTING, CHEAPEST RATE . Call: 698-7807
PROGRESSIVE CAR RENTAL: CARS& SUV FOR RENTAL- $4,000 & UP PER DAY- CALL: 643-5122, 6560087 , EMAIL: PRO_ AUTO RENTAL@YAHOO. COM WING’S CAR & PICKUP RENTAL: LOW DOWN PAYMENT, CHEAP REATES,SPECIAL OFFER FOR THE SUMMER. CALL: 690-6494
TO LET Fully furnished vacation home with all amenities Call during working hours 227-1218 Two bedrooms apartment at Eccles East Bank Demerara. Call:676-7634 Apartment in Eccles 2 bedrooms, furnished & unfurnished short & long term-$60,000 per month-Call: 225-3234
VEHICLE FOR SALE Bluebird for sale 2011 model, dark interior, reverse camera $2.7M negotiable, preorder any vehicle Call: 655-3400
Experienced cahiers, curry cooks, cleaners. Apply @ Hack’s Halaal with written application, 5 Commerce Street.
2009 NOAH & VOXY $2.6M IN ‘G’ SERIES, 3 TON OPEN BACK CANTER -$3.6M. CALL: 617-2891
Couple to work on farm @ Yarrowkabra, ages 35-45yrs, must be experienced in farming. Call: 642-9191/ 2311408 8am-2pm
CHRISTMAS SPECIAL: SIENTA -$2.3M, RAUM $2.3M, RACTIS -$2.3M, FIELDER -$2.6M, NEVER R E G I S T E R VEHICLE.CALL: 617-2891
6 Waitresses to work in Mahdia; attractive salary. Call:601-1479 after 11am or whatsapp. One male to work on chicken farm interior, must have knowledge of chicken rearing. Call: 680-2702
Toyota Spacio (2003) 16" Mags, flair Kit, remote start, alarm, black interior, HID lights, PNN. Price $1.650M. Call: 619-1047 One Freightliner truck and trailer. Call: 615-0887
Live in/live out domestic 3555yrs, salesgirls, must be computer literate. Call: 6035416/ 644-9802
Honda Civic (04) stick shift from Singapore. Rims, deck. In immaculate condition $1.150M negotiable- call: 618-4257
Experienced female shop worker, domestic and handyman for the interior. Call: 231-0363
1 Toyota Allion PVV series: TV Camera, HID, lights, alarm & remote start $2.2M negotiable Call: 649-0956
Experienced domestic worker must know to cook for G/ town location. Call: 231-0363
Red Toyota Beigo, lady driven excellent condition, low mileage, price negotiable. Call: 628-0723/ 668-2407/ 660-6774
Roti/Puri maker, male & female. Apply at Shanta’s , 225 Camp Street. Two female to work shift system. Call: 231-6293 Caretaker/live in guard, must know gardening, driver for lorry trucks at Soesdyke, Highway. Call: 600-0036/ 6641808 FULL TIME WAITER/ WAITRESS AT AAGMAN RESTAURANT, SHERIFF STREET. EXPERIENCED PREFERRED.CALL:219-0158 One maid; one baby sitter. Attractive salary. Call 696-9386 One salesgirl and one kitchen assistant to work in restaurant in Mahdia. Call: 684-1718 General domestic to cook, clean, wash & Iron. Call: 6992067 Receptionist, bartenders, handyman. Apply in person @ 12 Henry Street, Werk-enRust. Call: 223-6284
CAR RENTAL
LEARN TO DRIVE
WANTED 1 Female shop assistant to work in the interior, salary depends on experienced. Call: 678-0565
Security officers wanted, 8 hours & 12 hours shifts, remuneration $3,000 daily, base on qualifications. TIN/ ID/NIS needed. Call: 2316052/40 Labourers for wood concession -$5,000 per dayCall: 618-0487 FOR SALE/RENT American Pool Table. Call: 277-0578
PROPERTY FOR SALE Transported property @ Grove and Diamond $16M negotiable. Call: 625-5461 Two buildings on lot at180 Charolotte Street Bourda (W30XL120). (Price negotiable). Call:624-7341/ 227-6817/226-5183 Vreed-en-Hoop -$27M, La Parfaite Harmonie -$4.5M & $18M, Second Bridge Herstelling -$4M, Parika $45M. (Terms Available). Call: 604-6724/ 673-6300 House & land for sale at Good Hope Public Road, East Bank Essequibo. Call: 689-0785, 660-2504, 671-5095
Friday December 02, 2016
Husband charged for allegedly threatening to kill wife Simeon Vibert Forde, yesterday, made an appearance before Magistrate Leslie Benjamin to answer to the charge of assault and threatening behaviour. The charge read that on November 29, last, at North Ruimveldt, Georgetown, he assaulted his wife, Simone Forde, so as to cause her actual bodily harm. The defendant, a security guard, pleaded not guilty to the charge after it was read to him by Magistrate Leslie Benjamin at a sitting of the Night Court in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court. The defendant was represented by Attorney Paul Fung-a-fat who told the court
that his client is 33 years old and a security guard attach to the US embassy and since the matter he has removed from his matrimonial home and is in the process of a divorce. Police Prosecutor, Sanj Singh, did not object to bail but asked that the defendant and the virtual complainant be placed on a bond to keep the peace until the completion of the trial. According to the facts, on the day in question the Virtual Complainant was at home at Lot 1792 Humming Bird Street, North Ruimveldt, Georgetown, in the company of a friend when the defendant came home and told the
friend to leave. After the friend left the house, an argument ensued and as a result the defendant pushed the VC to the floor and dealt her several punches to her face and later threatened to kill her with a kitchen knife.Afraid for her life, the Virtual Complainant made a report to the North Ruimveldt Police Outpost and the defendant was arrested and charged for the present offence. The defendant was placed on $20,000 bail for assault causing actual bodily harm and $5,000 bail for threatening behaviour. He will make his next court appearance on December15.
Police Station diary vanishes From page 11 (CID),Leroy Williams,25, of Durban Backlands, Georgetown; Janeil Howard, 20, of 322 Section ‘C’ Turkeyen, East Coast Demerara; Alfie Garraway, 36, of Norton Street, Lodge, Georgetown, are accused of conspiring together with other persons to cause an explosion by way of grenade, likely to endanger lives and cause damage to property. Garraway is currently out on $300,000 High Court bail. The other two accused remain on remand. Howard is unrepresented by an attorney. Alfie Garraway is being represented by Attorneys Stanley Moore and Glenn Hanoman, while Attorney Neil Bollers is defending Williams. Constable LaRose was scheduled to be cross-examined by the attorneys in relation to entries he made in the diary pertaining to investigation done by him in the matter. However, when Constable LaRose took the stand he said that he was unable to locate the station diary. According to the police witness, he made checks in the storeroom and inquires office of the said police station for the book, but found nothing. He added that he also
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Leroy Williams searched the office of the Station Sergeant and came up empty handed. Meanwhile, Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan issued an arrest warrant for Somal Sharma, Network Administrator at Kaieteur News. Sharma has failed to attend three consecutive court hearings to testify, despite being informed several times by Police Prosecutor Neville Jeffers to be present in court. He is the final witness in this PI, before the prosecution closes its case. At the last court hearing (November 24) Detective Corporal Junior Blair was cross examined by both lawyers. Corporal Blair is the Subordinate Officer (SO) in
charge of the Forensic Video Unit at CID, Police Headquarters, Eve Leary, Georgetown. Corporal Blair had testified in relation to CCTV footage retrieved from Kaieteur News building which he extracted on to three compact discs. The discs with the footages were admitted to form part of the prosecution’s evidence, after its contents were revealed to the court. According to reports, on the day in question, a security staffer heard an unusual sound coming from near Lall’s vehicle PRR 8398, which was parked on the western side of the newspaper’s Lot 24 Saffon Street, Georgetown office. On checking the front of the vehicle, the staffer spotted a grenade lying near one of the front tyres. Video footage from the company’s CCTV cameras showed a grey-coloured vehicle, slowing as it approached Lall’s vehicle. The driver accelerated after the explosive device was thrown. Shemar Wilson also known as ‘Abdue’ is still wanted by the police for questioning in relation to the grenade attack. He is 20 years of age and his last known addresses have been given as 43 North Sophia and 51 West La Penitence, Georgetown.
Another accolade for Dr. Yesu Persaud Dr. Yesu Persaud was Wednesday evening honoured by the West Indian Rum and Spirits Producers’ Association Inc (WIRSPA) at the Georgetown Marriott Hotel. Chairman of WIRSPA, Frank Ward, presented Dr. Persaud with a token of appreciation. Dr. Persaud, the retired Chairman of Demerara Distillers Limited, was recognised for his sterling contributions over the decades as a serving member of WIRSPA and a former Chairman of the regional body. DDL was one of the founding members of WIRSPA which was established in the 1960s. It is also one of the most acclaimed private sector organisations in the region.
Speak out against corrupt, rogue will continue cops – Ramjattan urges ministration to root out the rogue elePublic Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan wants to leave little doubt about the consequences for those law enforcement officials who betray the duties of their offices. Addressing the media at the Ministry of Public Sec u r i t y o n We d n e s d a y, Minister Ramjattan said these ‘corrupt’ officials would be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. “We know that there are massive amounts of drugs; cocaine, meth (methamphetamine) and cannabis out there and that they can have what is called this appealing effect on even our law enforcement officers,” Minister Ramjattan said. He said that the “big monies in these major drug deals,” have a corrupting influence with even the senior law enforcement officials. “That is why ‘rogue cops must go’ is a theme of this administration and this Ministry,” the Minister said. The administration’s zero-tolerance for corrupt law enforcement officials has thus far resulted in
over 50 officers from the Guyana Police Force (GPF) being interdicted, charged and fired for various acts of misconduct. These include corrupt transactions, robbery under arms, larceny, and wounding. Minister Ramjattan, in a government release, said that the administration will be using more stringent measures as it works to weed out other corrupt officials in other security sector agencies. “We are going to do everything to scrutinise even some of the investigators and the investigations they have done to ensure that we catch them…We want this thing to come to a halt,” Minister Ramjattan said. He said that the “cleanse” will include the Coast Guard, the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) and the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) law enforcement sections. The Minister said, “Once we start cleaning up the law enforcement, I think we are going to have a better security system.” Ramjattan said the ad-
ments in law enforcement, and the public can also play its role. He called on the public to assist the administration in its effort. “We are going to do all in our capacity to turn this thing around. It is going to take some time but we are going to turn it around…That is why I am telling the people I want them to speak out against rogue and corrupt cops and law officials,” the Minister said. The administration’s efforts to get rid of rogue officials are aimed at professionalising the security sector to ensure that its mandate is delivered effectively. Steps in this regards have also seen moves to ensure a better quality of intake at the recruitment level, and the provision of more training for those officials that are already in the system. There has been a number of high-profile cases being solved but public criticisms of the police operations have continued with accusations that some cops are in cahoots with criminals.
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Friday December 02, 2016
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Kaieteur News
Grim Hollande says he won’t seek second term as French president (Reuters) - President Francois Hollande shocked France yesterday by announcing he would not seek a second term next year, acknowledging his deep unpopularity and making way for another leftist candidate to take on conservative Francois Fillon and far-right leader Marine Le Pen. The surprise announcement - effectively an admission that by running again he would hurt his party’s chances - marks the first time since France’s fifth Republic was created in 1958 that an incumbent president has not sought a second mandate. “I am aware today of the risk that going down a route that would not gather sufficient support would entail, so I have decided not to be a candidate in the presidential election,” a somber-looking Hollande said in a televised address. Dogged by high unemployment, Hollande is the least popular president in French polling history, yet his closest aides had consistently said he would run. After Britain’s shock vote to quit the EU and the U.S.
French President Francois Hollande, seen in this picture taken from French TV, makes a televised address from the Elysee Palace in Paris. HANDOUT/France Television via REUTERS choice of Donald Trump as president, the election next April and May is on course to turn into another test of voters’ anger with traditional elites, with Le Pen tapping into frustration with immigrants, austerity and the European Union. The past two weeks have turned French politics on its head. First former president Nicolas Sarkozy was knocked
out of the conservatives’ primary, and then runaway favorite Alain Juppe was beaten to the party’s nomination by Fillon, a reformist in the mould of Britain’s Margaret Thatcher. Hollande’s retreat makes it likely that his prime minister, Manuel Valls, will throw his hat in the ring to take part in the Socialist primaries in January.
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Friday December 02, 2016
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Thailand’s crown prince becomes country’s new king (Reuters) - Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn, 64, became Thailand’s new king yesterday after he accepted an invitation from parliament to succeed his father, King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who died in October. King Bhumibol, 88, was widely loved and regarded as a pillar of stability during decades of political turbulence and rapid development in the Southeast Asian nation. Prince Vajiralongkorn, who will be known as King Maha Vajiralongkorn Bodindradebayavarangkun, according to a statement released by parliament’s public relations department, met Pornpetch Wichitcholchai, president of the National Legislative Assembly, at Bangkok’s Dusit Palace. “I would like to accept the invitation for the benefit of the Thai people,” the new king said in a televised statement. His ascension will likely allay worries among some analysts that the kingdom was headed for a period of instability following the death of King Bhumibol, according to a senior Western diplomat who declined to be named because speaking about the royal family is a sensitive matter in Thailand. “This royal succession highlights a desire for stability and continuity in Thailand,” he said. Thailand has been without a monarch since King Bhumibol’s death with the head of the king’s advisory council, Prem Tinsulanonda, 96, serving as regent. King Bhumibol was widely loved and regarded as a pillar of stability during decades of political turbulence and rapid development in the Southeast Asian nation. The new King Maha Vajiralongkorn has yet to command the kind of adoration that his father received from Thais and he has kept a much lower profile throughout most of his adult life. NEW KING King Maha Vajiralongkorn - who will also be known as Rama X, or the 10th king of Thailand’s Chakri Dynasty takes the throne at a tumultuous time for Thailand, a longtime U.S. ally in Southeast Asia. The military toppled an elected government in 2014 and enforced a political calm in a country divided by more than a decade of conflict between a military-backed roy-
Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn became Thailand’s new king yesterday alist establishment and populist political forces. In times of crisis, the palace has occasionally acted as a final arbiter. The late king’s image as a truce-maker peaked after violent clashes in 1992 between pro-democracy activists and the army. King Maha Vajiralongkorn has spent much of his adult life abroad and has a home in Germany. Over the past few years, however, he had taken on more of his father’s ceremonial duties while the late king received medical treatment. Public events, including two cycling events in 2015, organized by the palace, have portrayed Maha Vajiralongkorn as a devoted father and family man. “Some people have pointed to the monarchy as a stabilizing force in Thai politics,” said David Streckfuss, an independent academic specializing in Southeast Asian studies. “Because of the popularity and veneration of the previous king it would be hard for any person to step into the role because of expected comparisons,” he told Reuters. The new king, like his father before him, is shielded
from public criticism by Thailand’s lese majeste laws, which carry a penalty of up to 15 years in prison. King Maha Vajiralongkorn’s personal life and suitability as king have been the subject of private speculation by Thais and overseas observers beyond the reach of the law. IDOL OF THE PEOPLE One of King Maha Vajiralongkorn’s first acts as monarch will be to endorse a constitution drafted by the military that the public overwhelmingly endorsed in an August referendum. The royal endorsement is a formality. The junta has said the constitution will pave way for an election in late 2017. Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha said in a televised statement that the new king’s coronation would “be at his discretion” and would not take place until after a royal cremation for his father next year. “May all the Thai people unite to pray that the powers of King Bhumibol and past kings protect the new king so that he may long reign as an idol and guardian of the Thai people,” Prayuth said.
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Top thoroughbreds for... Russia athletics ban to run into... From page 35 while animals classified in the ‘J and Lower’ category will compete over a distance of 440 yards for a winner’s take of $240,000 and trophy. Several other races will add flavor to the day’s events including t h e ‘ K a n d Lower’ event over 440 yards where the winner will take home $200,000 and trophy, two ‘L Class’ events over 440 yards for a f i r s t p l a c e p u r s e of
$110,000 and trophy and the ‘L Class’ event for non-winners over 440 yards for a pole position purse of $100,000 and trophy. Meanwhile, the champion jockey will be awarded a trophy donated by Trophy Stall of Bourda Market. Of note, jockeys will only earn points when their horses place during the events while horses will not be allowed to compete unless they are listed in the classi-
fication. All entries must be paid in full before race start. The event will be run under the rules of the Sky plus incorporated and the management of that entity reserves the right to cancel races that are in contravention of the rules. Interested persons can contact Neil on telephone 685-3658 or 325-3564 or Mohini on 600 4728 for further information.
Stakeholders support needed for... From page 38 examples of this country’s capacity to host events of such nature with the Caribbean Basketball Confederation (CBC) Under- 16 Championships, the Caribbean Motor Racing Championship (CMRC), the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) qualifier against Jamaica, the Inter-
Guianas Games, several matches in the Caribbean Premier League Cricket Tournament and the TriNation Series involving the West Indies, Australia and South Africa serving as just a few shining examples. The question was then posed to President of the GHB Philip Fernandes
about whether the Board has any intention of lobbying to host the Pan Am event and his response was that while such an undertaking could be a real fillip for the sport locally, it will require a stronger input from more stakeholders to make it possible. The Cup according to him usually has in attendance a number of top teams from Latin, South and North America as well as the Caribbean and is regarded as one of the marquee tournaments on the PAHF calendar. To host this event he added will require significant improvement of the playing facility and these include upgrading the floor to make it smoother, enhancing the side boards and assuring the rightful use of the medical and media rooms. These are standard requirements to host international competitions, especially when it is considered that countries such as Argentina, Canada, Uruguay and the USA are usual participants and accustomed to playing on superior surfaces and facilities. It could be done it is just a question of stakeholders meeting to discuss the needed support and putting their shoulders to the wheel to place Guyana in a strong position to lobby for the right to host the tournament. Hockey has enjoyed some remarkable results recently and purely on the merit of those perform a n ces and the GHB’s proven administrative record deserves the chance to host such a high profile tournament. Unmitigated assistance should be given to the Board, an entity that has been knocking on the door for a home for quite a few years now. The FIH had promised to offer its support in the acquisition of a synthetic field, but the parcel of land to draw down on that gift remains elusive.
From page 33 products,” he told a news conference. ”But one of the key remaining issues is how to demonstrate the IAAF and RUSADA (Russian AntiDoping) will be able to carry out testing without interference which is a key part of their reinstatement. McLAREN REPORT ”The Task Force will go to Moscow in January to assess the response to part two of the McLaren report on Dec. 9 and to monitor progress.” Richard McLaren, co-author of the independent WADA report, is due to release the second part of his findings in London next week. Andersen said the Task Force would report back to Council in February when it hoped to “identify a clear road
map” for Russia’s return. However, he declined to give any further likely timeframe and it appears unlikely the nation will be in the frame for the European indoor championships in Belgrade in March. Earlier yesterday, Russian President Vladimir Putin used his state of the nation address to say he thought effective measures would be in place early in the New Year. “I am sure the so-called doping scandal will allow us to create the most advanced system of righting this evil in Russia,” Putin said. ”I assume the national programme of counter-acting doping will be ready as early as the beginning of next year.” Today, the IAAF will announce the winners of the male and female athlete of the year
awards while tomorrow’s Congress is to discuss and almost certainly improve Coe’s radical shakeup of the organization. Those changes, geared towards making the IAAF more accountable and transparent and establishing an independent integrity unit, will be debated against a backdrop of more allegations of massive corruption by Coe’s predecessor Lamine Diack and his son Papa Massata Diack. Both men are being investigated by French prosecutors for alleged corruption and money-laundering and have been accused of accepting bribes to cover up positive doping tests and influencing the award of hosting rights for major events. (Reuters)
Friday December, 02 2016 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) Real estate and joint financial ventures will be profitable. They will not have the patience to wait for you to complete things that they've asked you to do. You won't get the reaction you want from your mate today. TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20) You may find that romance will unfold through business connections. You should put your efforts into creative projects. Monitor your budget carefully to avoid unnecessary stress. GEMINI (May 21–June 20) Don't blow situations out of proportion or you could find that others will misinterpret what really happened. You will enjoy lavish forms of entertainment and should consider making arrangements early. CANCER (June 21–July 22) Children's needs could be more costly than you anticipated. You can get others to do things for you but be sure not to overpay them or lend them money. Those you work with may have little consideration for the underdog. LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) Your involvement in interest groups may bring you popularity. Inharmonious situations at home may be extremely upsetting for you today. Get back to the comforts of cottage or home. VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) Get back into a routine that promises a better looking, more aware individual. Direct
your energy into physical exertion. Residential moves will be favorable. LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) Opportunities to upgrade your living standards will come through your lover or through joint financial investments. Mingle with those who can further your goals. Listening can be more valuable than being a chatterbox. SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) Overstatement will be your downfall. Try to make arrangements with close friends or relatives to spend a few days away. Don't make promises you can't keep. SAGIT (Nov. 22–Dec. 21) You may as well work on projects that will allow you to make progress. You will have an inaccurate assessment of your status in society. Don't let your family put demands on you. CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) You have a lot to offer. Be careful that you aren't saddled with the responsibilities of others. You can enjoy short trips. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20–Feb. 18) Resist secret affairs that could be detrimental to your reputation. Unexpected visitors will be a welcome surprise. Be prepared to meet new lovers through colleagues. PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) Think of joining a health club that will benefit your physical appearance. Financial limitations are likely if you take risks. You will be a real chatterbox today.
Kaieteur News
Friday December 02, 2016
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Bravo controversy typical Ronaldinho and Riquelme ‘to of current Windies come out of retirement and play’ culture, says Sir Viv for tragic Brazilian club Chapecoen
Sir Vivian Richards St John’s, Antigua, CMC – Legendary captain, Sir Vivian Richards, believes the recent sending home of Darren Bravo from the TriNations Series is another indicator of the lack of progress in West Indies cricket. Speaking to the Observer newspaper here, the former master batsman said whenever there were positive strides made, there were always being undermined by controversy and this was a culture which needed to change. ”I think it’s about time
that we just leave these things alone at this stage. I guess there are a lot of issues going on there,” Sir Viv said. “All that I can say on the whole matter is that rather than moving on, we just keep moving back every time. Every time there is some grounds gained, we move yards back after that.” Bravo was sent home ahead of the tournament in Zimbabwe after the West Indies Cricket Board cancelled his match/tour contract over a controversial tweet. Responding to WICB
President Dave Cameron’s criticism of his form which led to him earning only a Grade C retainer contract, Bravo tweeted: “You have been failing 4 d last 4yrs. Y don’t u resign and FYI I’ve neva been given an A contract. Big idiot @davec51.” @davec51 is Cameron’s twitter handle. The board subsequently informed Bravo that he had contravened the terms of his match/tour contract and that he would be withdrawn from the tour. He was also given a deadline to remove the offending tweet but failed to do so. Sir Viv, who never lost a series as captain, said it was possible Bravo’s incident could be stemming from his older brother Dwayne’s wrangles with the board. “I just believe that maybe, young Darren Bravo himself could be in that persecuting sort of a lane because of maybe, other stuff that was done with his brother (Dwayne) so it’s a long s t o r y, ” h e s u r m i s e d . West Indies failed to make the final of the Tri-Nations Series which was won by Sri Lanka.
Russia athletics ban to run into 2017 Russia’s athletics ban will run into 2017 and may include the August world championships after a Task Force monitoring the nation’s anti-doping programme refused yesterday to put any dates on a “road map” for a return. Rune Andersen, the Norwegian heading the independent Task Force, reported to the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) Council that there had been areas of progress but many issues still needed clarifying in the New Year. IAAF President Sebastian Coe said the Council felt “comforted” the changes had come about as a result of the decision to ban the Russians but recognized that athletics still had work to do to regain the trust of the public. ”This is a pretty important week in the history of our sport,” said Coe who will present a series of radical governance reforms to a special Congress meeting on Saturday. ”I do not want this sport to return to the grotesque stories that even over the last few days we’ve been waking up to,” he added, in reference to recent allegations of more corruption in the organization under its previous leadership. The Russian Federation (RUSAF) was banned in November 2015 after an independent World Anti-Doping Agency
Rune Andersen REUTERS/Eric Gaillard (WADA) probe exposed state-sponsored doping on a massive scale. The suspension was upheld earlier this year, ruling almost all Russian track and field athletes out of the Rio Olympics. Yesterday, Andersen indicated there was a chink of light for the country, one of the super-powers of athletics. “RUSAF has made further progress since June including anti-doping education modules and securing the co-operation of the Russian criminal a u t h o r i t i e s a n d p a r l i a m e n t in criminalizing the supply of doping Continued on page32
Ronaldinho could come out of retirement to play for the tragic Brazilian club Chapecoense Ronaldinho and Juan Roman Riquelme would consider coming out of retirement to play for tragic club Chapecoense, according to reports from South America. The Brazilian side have been devastated by the loss of 19 players, as well as a number of backroom staff, in a plane crash in Colombia on Tuesday. Despite the deaths of many of their squad, Chapecoense may still be required to fulfill fixtures in the coming weeks, before they embark on the process of rebuilding the club. And two football legends could help the team in their time of need. Some reports have suggested Ronaldinho, who won the World Cup with Brazil and can list Barcelona, AC Milan and PSG among his previous employers, and former Argentina international Juan Roman Riquelme have offered their services for free. Ronaldinho’s agent and brother, Roberto Assis, said no talks had yet taken place as Brazil continued to mourn the tragedy - but he confirmed that the two-time FIFA World Player of the Year will do all he can to help the club. ’It is a very difficult time,’ Assis told Globo Esporte. ‘Later on, if there is a contact, we can talk. ’I can only say that we are here and we want to help. ‘He (Ronaldinho) fits the profile, can be the right guy. But the moment is to help families and it would be
Juan Roman Riquelme is another ex-pro reportedly set to come to the club’s aid
(wrong) to create expectations for now. As Brazilians, we feel involved. We are together.’ Meanwhile, emotions in South America are still raw 48 hours after the horrific incident. Thousands of supporters filled Atletico Nacional’s stadium in Medellin on Wednesday to remember the Chapecoense team on the night the sides were scheduled to play the first leg of the Copa Sudamericana final. Atletico’s Atanasio Girardot Sports Complex stadium, which holds 45,000, was full with people remembering those who died, while thousands more filled the surrounding streets. A minute’s silence will be held ahead of all of next week’s Champions League and Europa League matches as a mark of respect to those who died, UEFA announced yesterday. U E FA P r e s i d e n t Aleksander Ceferin said in a statement: ‘European football is united in expressing its deepest sympathy to Chapecoense, the Brazilian football confederation (CBF),
CONMEBOL (the South American confederation) and the families of all the victims following this week’s air disaster. ’This tragedy has shaken the world of football, and we would like to send our support to all of those affected by it.’ The ‘black box’ flight recorders from the British Aerospace 146 plane have been retrieved and are being brought back to the UK to be examined in Farnborough, the Air Accidents Investigation Branch has confirmed. A recording of the flight’s final minutes revealed the pilot told air traffic controllers there had been a ‘complete electrical failure’ and that he had run out of fuel before the doomed plane plunged into a wooded mountainside. A full investigation into the crash is expected to take months and will review everything from the 17-yearold British Aerospace a i r c r a f t ’s f l i g h t a n d maintenance history to the voice and instruments data in the black boxes. (MailOnline)
Kaieteur News
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Paul steers Capoey All Stars to Gobin Female T20 crown Lydia Paul struck a fine century to lead Capoey All Stars to a 16-run victory over Sand Pit Step Up Girls when the final of the Derrick Gobin female plastic ball T20 tournament was contested on Sunday at Zorg on the Essequibo Coast. Paul hammered 116 as Capoey amassed 240-8,
taking first strike. She got support from Joya Henry 21 and Tricia Francis 20; Nadira Narine had 3-40 and Carline Fredericks 3-35. Sand Pit Step Up Girls scored 224 all out in reply. Narine returned to hit 85 while 13-year old Lisa Charles, the youngest player in the tournament made 28.
Henry captured 3-30 and Savita Wellington 3-40. Both teams received trophies while Paul and Narine also took home prizes. Organiser Debra Daniels congratulated the teams on their efforts and expressed gratitude to Derrick Gobin for his input.
Squad of 26 shortlisted; encampment to begin on Sunday Guyana to participate in Int. U15 tournament The Guyana Football Federation Inc. (GFF) has been invited by the French Guiana Football Association to participate in an international Under-15 tournament and has shortlisted a squad of twenty-six (26) players for encampment. The tournament is scheduled for December 1722 next and encampment is scheduled to commence on Sunday following which a sixteen 16-player squad will depart on December 16 and return on December 24. The list for encampment will feature players from across Guyana including Bartica (1), Berbice (2), Rupununi (5), Linden (1), East Coast Demerara (5), East Bank Demerara (3) and Georgetown (9). The players were
shortlisted following two days of national trials held in Georgetown on November 20th and 27th, at the GDF Ground, Camp Ayangana and Ministry of Education Ground, Carifesta Avenue, respectively. The programme began with seventy-four (74) players and was reduced to forty (40) following the first day of trials. The participating players of the first day were suggested by the respective Associations. The trials conducted utilized a new format as established by the Technical Staff headed by the Technical Director, Ian Greenwood, and included the following: warm-up sessions in small groups, 8v8 Small-Sided Games (SSGs), technical practices, possession/decision-making practices and cool-down
exercises. The second day of trials consisted of 8v8 SSGs, 4v4 SSGs and Position Specific Practices all at a high tempo and intensity. The GFF is seeking to use this event in preparation for its participation in the scheduled August 2017 CONCACAF U-15 tournament. It will be used to provide the necessary player experience/exposure, enable the assessment of players’ ability/performance level and as part of the developmental process for both players and staff. The Tournament will feature participation from French Departments and neighbouring countries including Martinique, Guadeloupe, Guyana, Suriname and Olympique de Marseille.
Friday December 02, 2016
Sunshine Girls take lead with dominant opening victory London, CMC – Jamaica’s Sunshine Girls overcame a sluggish opening quarter to draw first blood in their three-match series against England by cruising to a 66-49 victory in the opening contest at the Copper Box on Tuesday. The Caribbean side trailed 12-16 at the end of the first quarter but produced a strong surge to lead 31-27 at half-time, before dominating down the stretch to come away easy winners. Goal shoot Jhaniele Fowler-Reid made an emphatic return to national colours, scoring 49 goals from 56 attempts while goal attack Eboni BeckfordChambers supported with 1 7 f r o m 2 0 . For the hosts, Jo Harten led with 33 from 36 attempts while Kadeen Corbin chipped in with 14 from 19. England captain, Ama Agbeze, afterwards bemoaned the inability of her side to sustain their early momentum. ”The energy and the link we had to a home venue and crowd, we just didn’t carry that on which isn’t really great,” Agbeze said. Harten combined with
Captain Jhaniele FowlerReid … spearheaded Jamaica’s opening win.
Corbin to provide the early energy as England caught the Sunshine Girls napping with their strong start. However, Jamaica rebounded in the second quarter with Vangelee Williams stealing possession on one play for Fowler-Reid to convert. Half-way through the quarter Jamaica drew level and it was Fowler-Reid who put her side ahead from long range, as the half approached. England
produced a surge in the third quarter but Jamaica kept their wits about them to maintain their advantage. The high ball into Fowler-Reid was particularly effective and she kept Jamaica in the lead at 49-42 at the start of the final quarter, with accurate shooting. In a frantic final stanza, England made several key mistakes while the Jamaicans were clinical, out-scoring their opponents 17-7.
Woods makes sizzling start to comeback at Bahamas event Tiger Woods made a sizzling start to his first competitive round in nearly 16 months as he mixed four birdies and a single bogey on the front nine at the Hero World Challenge in the B a h a m a s y e s t e r d a y. Woods, who had been sidelined from competition due to a chronic back injury, looked relaxed and a lot like the former world number one who dominated the sport before his health woes as he briefly put his name atop the l e a d e r b o a r d . Greeted by applause from a small gallery, Woods, dressed all in black except for a white glove, calmly stepped up to the par-four first hole on a blustery day at the exclusive Albany course on the island of New Providence. Woods pulled his opening drive left and narrowly avoided a fairway bunker but then hit a solid approach shot to reach the green in two. The 14-times major champion then missed a long birdie putt before rolling in a routine threefooter for par and more polite applause. After another par at the
Tiger Woods is a picture of concentration as he putts on the first hole yesterday.
second Woods began a charge with a tap in birdie at the parfive third. The 40-year-old then shifted into top gear with a run of three consecutive birdies, capped with a three-footer at the eighth, to move into a share of the lead. The only blemish at the midway mark came on the par-five ninth where Woods sent his tee shot deep into the scrub. He punched out then missed his approach, botched a greenside pitch on way to taking a six to make the turn at three-under 33 and sit three back of J.B. Holmes who was six-under through 11 . T h e H e r o Wo r l d
Challenge is hosted by Woods to benefit of his charitable foundation. The elite 18-man field has attracted some of the world’s top golfers including Americans world number three Dustin Johnson and number five Jordan Spieth, fourth-ranked Swede Henrik Stenson and Britain’s Olympic champion Justin Rose. With no midway cut Woods will get four rounds to assess his comeback before deciding on where and when he will return to the PGA Tour. (Reuters)
Friday December 02, 2016
Top thoroughbreds for Nand Persaud and Co. Limited/Sky Plus Horse Race Meet Jockeys are gearing up for a day of intense competition while turfites are envisioning action packed encounters when Nand Persaud and Company Limited, in association with Sky Plus Incorporated Promotion Company stages their second Sprint Classic event at the company’s new and improved racing facilities, # 36 Village, Macedonia Estate, Corentyne Berbice, this S u n d a y, D e c e m b e r 4 , starting at 13:00hrs. Eight races are carded for the day and jockeys will be competing for cash, trophies and other incentives totaling some $4M. The feature attraction will be an open affair with all participating horses vying for honours over 880 yards for a winning purse of $400,000 and
trophy. Z The once vaunted ‘Score’s Even’ starts as a favourite but will have to be wary of several other thoroughbreds the likes of Honey Flow, Brave Sky, Golden Blue Echo, Perfect Wi n d s t o r m , a n d Ti z a Holiday, all in ripping form and rearing to go. Horses competing in the G Class category will be galloping over a distance of 660 yards for a winning purse of $250,000 and trophy. Another event, classified ‘H and Lower’ will also be over 660 yards with the winner pocketing $300,000 and trophy. The two years old Guyana bred maiden animals will be racing over 660 yards for a $200,000 winning purse and trophy Continued on page 32
Kaieteur News
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Stratavon overcome Enmore to claim Fairfield T20
Members of the victorious Stratavon team. Stratavon defeated Enmore to win the final of the Fairfield CC T20 tournament which was contested recently on the East Coast of Demerara.
Enmore were bowled out for 115 after they were inserted with Rudolph Singh scoring 34 (2x4 2x6) and Imran Hassan 27 (1x4 2x6).
Off-spinner Gajanand Suknanan picked up 4-11 and pacer Sylus Tyndall 311. Stratavon responded with 116-6 in 20 overs. Gobin Hemraj struck two
fours and three sixes in a top score of 36 while Chanderpaul Hemraj scored 28 with three fours and one six. Satesh Jainarine had 416 and Yuvraj Dyal 2-32.
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Kaieteur News
Friday December 02, 2016
Organisers hail unprecedented viewership for T20 showpiece
Record numbers tuned in to the 2016 Caribbean Premier League. Castries, St Lucia, CMC – Caribbean Premier League organisers announced yesterday that the Twenty20 showpiece had once again exceeded global viewership figures for the just concluded season, with a nearly 44 percent increase over the previous year. According to figures, this year’s tournament enjoyed an audience of 134 million, a significant rise over the 93 million viewers that tuned in for the 2015 edition. Viewing numbers have steadily risen from 36 million in the inaugural year in 2013 and the 66 million recorded for the 2014 event. ”Today is a proud day and further evidence of the rising international stature of the Hero CPL not just in the Americas, but across the UK, India, Middle East and beyond,” said CPL’s chief executive, Damien O’Donohoe. ”The release of these global viewership figures are a tremendous boost, not just
for the game of cricket in the Caribbean, but for each of the local tourism boards and our loyal sponsors who invest so much in the development and marketing of the game.” Several broadcast markets also enjoyed a significant boost in viewing numbers. In India, there was a doubling of viewership from 44 million to 82 million while in the United Kingdom, numbers grew from 548 000 in 2015 to 2.5 million. In the United States where matches were played for the first time in Florida, there was an increase from 694 000 to 743 000. O’Donohoe pointed out that the figures were also a reflection of a successful y e a r f o r We s t I n d i e s cricket and said organisers would continue to build on the quality product for 2017. ”The profile of West Indies cricket has never been higher and 2016 was a memorable year with the
men’s senior and Under-19 sides, as well as the women’s team, enjoying international success in the first half of the year,” he noted. ”From the tournament’s inception back in 2013, we were determined to showcase the very best of what the Caribbean has to offer, both on and off the field, and we believe that the growth of the biggest party in sport in 2016 has further enhanced this reputation. ”We are immensely proud of the huge steps that the tournament has made in just four short years. Furthermore, we believe that there is even more to come in 2017 as we continue to attract the biggest names to the Caribbean and shine a spotlight on the incredible and unique culture that continues to thrive across the region.” Jamaica Tallawahs are the reigning CPL champions after defeating Guyana Amazon Warriors by nine wickets in the August final in St Kitts.
Friday December 02, 2016
Kaieteur News
GCB Scotiabank Kiddy Cricket
Leonora Primary beat Goed Fortuin Primary in West Demerara final Leonora Primary defeated Goed Fortuin Primary to win the final of the West Demerara leg of the Guyana Cricket Board Scotiabank Kiddy Progression one competition which was c o n t e s t e d r e c e n t l y. Playing at Leonora, Goed Fortuin batted first and made 113-3 off their allotted 14 overs with Andell Austin and Joshua Chung scoring 24 and 21 respectively. Leonora responded with 115-9. Romel Ramdeholl struck an even half century and Murali Seodat made 16. In earlier matches, Goed Fortuin beat Bagotsville Primary. Goed Fortuin took first strike and managed
124-8. Andell Austin struck 32 and Vaidnauth Hardeo 17. Bagotsville were restricted to 89-9 in response. Patentia Primary got the better of Wales Primary. Wales made 79-9, batting first while Patentia replied with 85-3 in 10 overs. Jairam John got 21. At Bush Lot, West Berbice, Blairmont and Belladrum will clash in the final after recording semi final victories. Blairmont defeated Ithaca by 183 runs i n t h e i r e n c o u n t e r. Batting first, Blairmont rattled up 287-3 with Veer Farhad scoring 170 not out which included two fours and 25 sixes. Ithaca made 102 all out in reply. In the
EDFA Senior League double-header on Sunday The first double header in the 2016/17 edition of the East Demerara Football Association (EDFA) Senior league is set for this Sunday at the Golden Grove ground from 13:30hrs when Mhaica Determinators lace up their bots to tackle BV Triumph United. The main attraction brings together Golden Stars and Ann’s Grove from 15:30hrs. In latest results, Mahaica Exterminators and Ann’s Grove battled to a 1-1 stalemate on Sunday last at the same venue. After a goalless first half, the Exterminators drew first blood when they converted from the penalty spot compliments of Samuel Vandyke but Ann’s G r o v e ’s K e v i n B a r r y ensured that they shared in the spoils when he scored
the equaliser in the 74th minute. The winning club will walk away with $200,000 while $100,000; $75,000 and $50,000 would go to the 2nd, 3rd and 4th placed clubs. The Highest Goal Scorer receives the President’s prize of $25,000 and a pair of football boots, while the Best Goalkeeper would collect a pair of gloves and a football. A number of entities have contributed to the league including the Guyana Football Federation, National Sports Commission, Demerara Harbour Bridge, Sterling Products, Integrated Security, Jerricks Funeral Parlour, Keltech Document Center, Depart of Culture Youth and Sports and The Trophy Stall.
GCA/Noble House Sea Foods quarter finals for weekend The quarterfinals of the Georgetown Cricket Association / Noble House Sea Foods second division twoday tournament will be played this weekend, commencing tomorrow. Police will take on Malteenoes SC at Eve Leary (Hortence Isaacs and Joseph Jeffery), Guyana Defence Force will host GNIC SC (Shannon Crawford and Moses Ramnarine), Everest will stay at home to DCC (Ryan Banwarie and Deon Feassal) and MYO will entertain Transport SC (Javed Persaud and Andrew Alleyne).
next semi final Belladrum overcame Latchmansingh Primary who took first strike and got 150-7 while Belladrum responded with 155-6. The final will be contested shortly.
Blairmont Primary with star player Veer Farhad (centre) will face Belladrum in the West Berbice final.
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Kaieteur News
Friday December 02, 2016
Stakeholders support needed for GHB to host 2017 Indoor Pan Am Cup Regarded as one of the best players in Guyana, Hikers Aroydy Branford’s (centre) reputation is also felt in the Pan Am region as well.
By Rawle Welch The successful staging of the 14th Annual Diamond Mineral Water International Indoor Hockey Festival provided ample proof of the Guyana Hockey Board’s
(GHB) administrative ability to host major global competitions. T h i s w a s t h e overwhelming feedback by most members of the visiting teams that came from the USA, Canada and Trinidad and Tobago to add to similar sentiments expressed by local teams’ representatives. This year’s Festival was assessed to be amongst the best ever in the event’s history and it clearly showcased the GHB’s growing administrative acumen, especially its willingness to expose a number of young, bright individuals to the skill of organisational techniques and being good hosts. Guyana or more directly Guyanese have long held the reputation of exhibiting exceptional warmth to persons visiting our shores, but rarely are we presented with opportunities to host international events so to be greeted with a general feedback of an ‘A’ Grade in the hosting of this year’s Festival, though not surprising, evoked a feeling of excellence. Speaking with several players following the Festival’s conclusion last
Sunday, most were willing to confirm their presence next year, citing the high quality of the tournament, the general feeling of welcome and the alluring social activities as dominant reasons for their premature decision. Every night one of the local clubs hosted an event that had the visiting teams longing for more and while many may be tempted to downplay the importance of social activities during competition, it may be useful to remind all that such occasions when organised correctly can play an essential role in forming a positive and lasting legacy in the minds of visitors, while also acting as a cheap source of advertisement for one’s country. Next year, another edition of the Indoor Pan American Cup is scheduled to be staged and with the previously assigned country already informing the Pan Am Organisers of its inability to host the event, it presents Guyana with a glorious opportunity to step forward and put its hands up as willing to step in and do so. There are recent Continued on page 32
Kaieteur News
Friday December 02, 2016
Guyanese wins MMA fight in Trinidad Corwin D’anjou became the first Guyanese Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighter to compete in the ‘Octagon’ for Guyana where he won at the 145lbs level in the Caribbean Ultimate Fist Fighting (CUFF) competition in Trinidad and To b a g o l a s t w e e k e n d . Representing Guyana out of the Rising Sun Judo Club, a press release indicated yesterday that “the odds seemed stacked high against D’anjou early, due to unforseen setbacks. The release
said that D’anjou was the sole fighter representing the Golden Arrowhead. “During the fight, Danjou quickly established himself to be a handful in both striking and grappling, which frustrated his opponent to the extent that the latter was disqualified for attempting an illegal blow,” the released said. D’anjou saved his opponent from having to tap out from an impending submission technique that was in the works.
“All in all we were hoping to make a bigger statement and prove like Ronda Rousey did in the UFC, the effectiveness of Judo,” the release continued. D ’ a n j o u w a s trained/coached solely at the Rising Sun Judo Dojo and would like to thank his family, Club, training partners, CUFF, Kerry Grant and Southern Warriors for their support. The sponsors include Fitness Express, Ricks and Sari Agro Industries and Tracmax.
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Corwin D’anjou
t r o Sp
Paul steers Capoey All Stars to Gobin Female T20 crown
Members of both teams after the final
Guyanese wins MMA fight in Trinidad
Squad of 26 shortlisted; encampment to begin on Sunday Guyana to participate in Int. U-15 tournament
Tyrel Khan
Omari Glasgow Printed and published by National Media & Publishing Company Limited, 24 Saffon St.Charlestown, Georgetown.Tel: 225-8465, 225-8491 or Fax: 225-8473/ 226-8210