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Kaieteur News
KAIETEUR NEWS Printed and Published by National Media & Publishing Company Ltd. 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown, Guyana. Publisher: GLENN LALL Editor: ADAM HARRIS Tel: 225-8491, 225-8458, 225-8465 Fax: 225-8473 or 226-8210
Editorial
A lot is going right There is a lot wrong in Guyana but there is also a lot going right. In recent weeks the society cried out that there was a spike in criminal activity. And indeed there was a rise in some areas of crime. For example, most of the murders were of the disorderly type with people killing because of some dispute. There were also some executions and these caused some worry, and still do. In the not too distant past, the expectation was that once there was a significant drug bust people would be killed. The killing would occur because someone took money and could not deliver, or because someone was accused of squealing to the authorities. But more recently, we have come to realize that the killers are very young men, barely out of school. They have established gangs and while the killings may not be gang related they certainly reflect that young men are prepared to take on anyone who is not among their associates. At present, there are some killings; families are pitted against each other. There are threats of one family exterminating the other to the extent that some people have moved out of their homes to take up lodging elsewhere. Given that the gun is the weapon of choice, and given that there is a large number of guns in the hands of people who are not licensed to carry them, the Minister with responsibility for Public Security has started a gun amnesty. To date this amnesty has barely got off the ground. The illegal guns are not being turned in. There are penalties for possession of illegal guns and ammunition but it would seem as if these mean nothing. Just about every young criminal has a gun and he is not scared to use it. But as is noted, there is a lot going right. The police are solving crimes, some of which were all but cold cases. This augurs well. Almost two decades ago, when he was asked about the crime situation, former President Desmond Hoyte said that criminals are making bold because they are not being caught. And he is right. The deterrent to crime is catching the criminals. It has not escaped notice that more recently people who thought that they would have successfully escaped justice, suddenly found themselves in police custody. There was the man who killed a woman five years ago and fled across the borders. He came back home under forced circumstances and was immediately arrested. An alert policeman helped make this happen. Similarly, a man who robbed a court official and eluded the police for weeks suddenly came face to face with a policeman who happened to know him. He died while trying to deny justice. The Guyana Police Force during the past year unveiled a plan that would see the police being actively involved in improved community relations. Agricola was one of the first villages identified for this programme. There are still gunmen in Agricola but they are not raising their heads in that village. The police have seen to that. The police still need the help of the ordinary law abiding citizen. For sure, the law abiding people in Albouystown led to the arrest of some men who ruthlessly killed a man who was said to be equally ruthless when he brandished a gun. This might have been vigilante justice and could have been ignored except for the fact that the suspected killers are teenagers. To let them get away with this is to encourage other young men of similar age and background to kill.
Sunday December 06, 2015
Kaieteur M@ilbox Send your letters to Kaieteur News 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown or email us kaieteurnews@yahoo.com
Man is by nature an animal that would do anything to survive DEAR EDITOR, An issue which I think Guyanese need to seriously address is our attitude towards Europeans, Americans, and white people in general. Many Guyanese and other Caribbean
nationals, professionals included, occasionally get caught in the trap of attacking white persons today for the travesties and abominations perpetrated during slavery. I was embarrassed at the recent dialogue on the abolition of the
death penalty, hosted by the European Union in cooperation with the British High Commission at the Arthur Chung Convention Centre, when someone who claimed to be from St. Lucia (Continued on page 6)
Sunday December 06, 2015
Kaieteur News
Kaieteur M@ilbox
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Kaieteur M@ilbox
There is a trend of serious, Unhealthy things characterize organized criminality in Guyana the Guyana Prize DEAR EDITOR, I was delighted to read about the Guyana Prize for Literature which I found very interesting. I also learn that The Guyana Prize now extended the awards as the Caribbean Awards for Literature. The Guyana Prize for Literature is the most prestigious literary award in the Englishspeaking Caribbean that was inaugurated in 1987 by the late President Desmond Hoyte. The objective of the Guyana Prize is to, “recognize and reward outstanding work in literature by Guyanese authors at home and abroad.” As a concerned author/poet, I observed some flaws in the Guyana Prize Management Committee since I was an entrant in the Guyana Prize for Literature from 1996-2006. My thesis is that the Guyana Prize judges are becoming entrants, and entrants are becoming judges. I recently discovered that the recent Guyana Prize Awards Chairman of the Jury was Prof.Mark Mcwatt who was a former winner of the Guyana Prize and Judge. In 1994, Prof Mark McWatt won the Guyana Prize in the Poetry category with his collection of poems, ”The Language of El Dorado.” Then in 1992 he was the Chairman of the Judges for the Guyana Prize just two years before he entered for the prize in 1994. In 2006 Prof McWatt won the Best Book of Fiction for his novel, ”Suspended Sentences.” He is now chairman of the judging panel 2015 and will be an entrant next if I am not mistaken. Professor Dennis Craig was the Vice-Chancellor at UG when the Guyana Prize was in progress, and he became an entrant in 1998 and
won in the Best First Book of Poetry category for his collection “Near the Seashore” during that period, and worked with the Guyana Prize Committee. It is my opinion, like any other literary award in the world all these former judges who became entrants for the Guyana Prize should have been disqualified. The Guyana Prize for Literature has now become a society of friends, or an incestuous elite group, winning the Prize all the time most of whom are established professors in literature at universities abroad. In the case of the Booker Prize, the Cohen Prize, the IMPAC Dublin Literary Award, etc, the entries of these former Guyana Prize judges would have been disqualified since they were former judges for the award and are well aware of the criteria this award is judged by; the Guyana Prize has no such rule. I have read the brochure for the IMPAC Dublin Literary Award and its rules state: “A book shall not be eligible for entry for the Award if the author or translator thereof is any of the following: 1. a member of the Board of Management 2. a member of the staff of Dublin City Council 3. an officer or employee of IMPAC Ltd. 4. a member of the judging panel. 5. a parent, spouse or child of any of the foregoing.” It is very unfortunate that the Guyana Prize for Literature Awards brochure has no such rule listed. Mr. Al Creighton who happens to be the secretary and administrator of the Guyana Prize since 1987 and a judge in many awards abroad does nothing to have
these rules included in the Guyana Prize brochure. Why is that so? In my opinion, a judge for a literary award is a scholar and distinguished writer in the field of literature and should not compete with lesser writers than himself in a contest. It’s not surprising that all these overseas-based Guyanese writers who were judges and entrants for the Guyana Prize are winning the Prize all the time. It’s because they are professors and well recognized authors entering the contest with published books that already won several literary awards abroad. So how can Guyanesebased writers with an ordinary CXC level education compete with these experts with their unpublished manuscripts? In most cases the judges will never read the unpublished manuscripts but they will focus on books that already have a reputation and where there are high academic degrees behind the author’s name. In 1998 Roopnandan Singh’s novel “Roll Play” was short-listed in the fiction category but did not win the award because he was competing against “The Ventriloquist’s Tale” by Pauline Melville that had already won the Whit-bread Award and had been shortlisted for the Orange Prize for Fiction in England in 1997. This book that already won a major literary award (Continued on page 6)
DEAR EDITOR, Some of us may not always agree with Freddie Kissoon’s commentaries, but the man has proven over the years to have his fingers on the pulse of the nation with respect to what concerns the man in the street. In his offering on the Robb Street granny murder he made a few observations which are worthy of note. I am forced to wonder if there is some move afoot to imprison young Blacks using questionable policing methods and reliance on weak judicial officers in anticipation of another jailbreak to render this government powerless in the face of criminal extremism of 2002 and onwards. Editor, let me present a hypothetical scenario to highlight this danger. A senior officer is in a liaison with say a member of the state prosecutor’s office. It is in this officer’s best interest to be seen as effective in arresting crime. What guarantees do we have that the said officer will not use his relationship to secure charges against alleged offenders whose only crime is that they are “known to the police?” It is not unimaginable that innocent persons wrongfully incarcerated would hold a grudge against the government because the police and the judiciary are arms of the state. I agree that the moral and other support that the Mash Day escapees received was a function of a collective hatred for real and perceived injus-
tices. The result was that many innocent policemen died in a hail of bullets because they were seen to represent an unjust system. Freddie argues that there is no determined effort to nail the intellectual authors of high profile crimes. You would have to be blind to disagree with that conclusion. A man is caught on camera beating a woman to death; he tells the police that he was contracted to perform the dastardly deed and identifies the person who also sent him to retrieve the video recorder. Yet the murderer who has provided the police with no personal motive for his actions is the only one charged. Something is very wrong here unless he is insane. Sheema Mangar’s robbery/murder is another case in point. The similar situation exists in the case of the murdered granny in Robb Street; there is no established motive except that a business person was identified who had the motive, but was not pursued. The nonsense of a deal being offered should be challenged with the police being asked to show what was offered, and to whom. Editor, I fault the majority of journalists for not being diligent in the execution of
their duties. Allegations are swirling about who was responsible for the GPO Regent Street Branch robbery, and which police officer was paid millions from the booty by a certain remand prisoner charged with a high-profile murder. The intended outcome is an acquittal because of insufficient evidence tying the accused to the crime, and because some believe that he was left with the remaining eighty million. Therefore he should shut his mouth and “bear you chafe” because he could have been dead. I trust that the recent joint services initiative by the government against crime and terrorism will yield positive results because I am fearful of what the intellectual authors of crime have in store for this country. Just look at the upsurge in narcotics trafficking cases here and overseas and you will notice a trend of serious organized criminality intended to embarrass the government and people of Guyana. Julius Laundry.
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Kaieteur News
Kaieteur M@ilbox
Sunday December 06, 2015
Kaieteur M@ilbox
More criticism against This unsung hero the Georgetown Hospital needs to be recognized DEAR EDITOR, Sir! Permit me space in your column to highlight a serious irresponsible and neglectful action on both the Linden Hospital Complex medical personnel and the Public Hospital Georgetown. On 2015-11-19 Ms Carmel DeSouza, age 84 years of Lot 532 Determa Street, Mackenzie was involved in an accident and was taken to the Linden Hospital Complex building which was not so long ago commissioned and complimented as a state of the art institution. Ms DeSouza was attended to by medical personnel and was told she had a broken ankle. After waiting for two days in serious pain at her age for a specialist surgeon to check
her injuries, she was finally transferred to the Public Hospital Georgetown by way of an ambulance on 2015-11-21. On arrival at the P.H.G., Ms De Souza was refused admission and had to be taken to a relative home where she stayed for the remainder of that day and night. On 2015-11-22, Ms DeSouza was taken to the Mercy Hospital where x-rays was done and it was discovered she had two broken bones in the ankle. She was operated on immediately which was a success and she is recovering quite well. We have bigger hospitals and more doctors and nurses, larger schools and more teachers but our culture and up bringing is what we need to change in
order to give good service to each other. Let us not try - let us do the right thing. The questions we must ask ourselves, if Ms DeSouza couldn’t afford the cost of a private hospital, what would have happened? What if she was a diabetic, waiting so long? Why was she refused admittance to the P.H.G? If she hadn’t relatives in Georgetown like many of us, what would have happened? When Mackenzie, Wismar and Christianburg was not a town, we were equipped with the best medical personnel, teachers, athletes and the list goes on, today we are a town but we have lost many to many! What can we do to be saved? B. Winslow. Parris
Unhealthy things characterize... From page 5 one year before entering for the Guyana Prize should have been disqualified, and Mr. Singh’s book “Roll Play” should have won, but did not because many of the judges and entrants are friends of the elite group. One of the Guyana Prize Rule States: ‘’No selected poems or collected poems or stories, the bulk of which has been previously published in book form outside the prescribed time will be accepted.’’ After reading through many of the Guyana Prize winning entries, I discovered that this rule has been violated. For example: Ruel Johnson won the Guyana Prize in 2002 with his collection of short stories ’’Ariadne and Other Stories’’ He won again with another collection of Stories ’’Fictions’’ in 2012. I note with a great deal of interest that Johnson included two stories from his first winning collection those are: ‘’Killing the Kitten’’ and April’’ he used back the same two stories from ”Ariadne”
and other stories into his next winning book ’’Fictions’’ that makes up 30% of his book. In my opinion his entry should have been disqualified or this Prize should have been taken back from Johnson but it never happened. I am aware Mr.Creighton would say Johnson won the first time with a manuscript but that manuscript was published into a book and two of the same stories into his next book ’’Fictions’’ that makes up 30% of his book that won in 2012. It is unfortunate the erudite literary critic, Administrator and Secretary of the Guyana Prize, Mr. Al Creighton and distinguished Judges didn’t see this flaw or they saw it and allowed it to pass because of favoritism and friendship. There are many more poetry books that have lots of old published poems that makes up most of the collections but they still winning all because our chair of judges are too busy or too naive and incompetent to see these flaws. This is the only flawed
literary award in the world that allows judges to become entrants and entrants to become judges most of whom won this award four and five times and have lived most of their lives abroad. So our local based Guyanese writers are still struggling for a voice or their dying literary voices to be heard. If the Guyana Prize for Literature is ever to progress in Guyana then the entire committee will have to be changed completely. The Ministry of Education will have to administer the prize and not UG, because the prize has been compromised by literary hypocrites. The prize must be in different categories and age groups. The works of writers living abroad should be judged separately from manuscripts of writers living here. A children’s category should be established. The prize should be called ‘The Guyana-Caribbean Prize for Literature’ and should include works from the wider Caribbean. More than one prize should be given in the various categories and short listed writers should be given at least $1000 USD. It is my sincere hope that the integrity of the prize not be compromised. If a new ethical standard cannot be integrated by our new administration then it would be wise for the prize to be erased from our literary history. The literature submitted should be free from curse words, sexual overtures, racist remarks, etc. Many books that were given US dollars for the Guyana Prize awards are books of a very vulgar and vile nature and have no literary merit. Rev. Gideon Cecil
DEAR EDITOR, I understand through the dailies that there is an initiative to rename fifty streets and places in Georgetown in anticipation of fifty years of independence. While I have some reservations about this initiative, I ask the committee/board to consider renaming one street in the name of Bechu. To recall, Bechu was an indentured Indian in British Guiana in the latter stages of the nineteenth century who challenged the indignities of indenture through numerous letters to then the Chronicle. This was remarkable during the days when a majority of indentured Indians were non-literate to even challenge their basic existence much less to write about it in a form of resistance. Of equal importance is that Bechu’s leadership roles challenged the concept that there
were never any identifiable Indian leaders during indenture. Yet, this individual is practically unknown among Guyanese. Of course, Clem Seecharan dedicated an entire book on the life of Bechu but those who want to know more from their own perspective can visit Guyana National Archives. I am sure many would like to suggest their favorite names as well. However, I am asking for Bechu, one name, to be chosen to represent and remind all Guyanese of those who endured hardships on those brutal tropical plantations during eighty years of indentured servitude. Am I asking too much? Let me say that my call to include Bechuhas nothing to do with Indo-centric representation but a representation of one aspect of Guyana’s history. Lomarsh Roopnarine
From page 4 stigmatized some of the presenters and the proponents of the abolition of the death penalty as Europeans, and accosted them for contributing to the death penalty as a societal norm during colonization. Guyanese and the wider CARICOM Community need to adopt a more mature perspective on slavery by first realizing that while the European colonial governments benefitted from slavery at the time, many Europeans who came to the New World and witnessed the abuses perpetrated under slavery sought to push for its abolition both in the colonies and Europe. If anything, the abolition of slavery would probably never been achieved, or else much later, had it not been for these very same European crusaders against slavery. It is therefore incorrect, even today, to hold all Europeans and white people in general responsible for slavery. The world is much changed, with America and many European governments pushing for an end to human rights abuses in many countries, with both America and the European Union extending financial and technical support to a host of countries as a means of improving the welfare of these states. While we may be quick to practice fingerpointing, the fact is these countries have their own social problems which they themselves are trying to arrest, and we would do well to accept their assistance without the negative stereotypical thinking. Further, Guyanese can expect to deal with many persons of Caucasian descent as a result of their increased participation in our economy in the future. These individuals through their businesses and other investments create jobs and incomes which benefit our society. I therefore suggest we renew our thinking of our modern world and do more to make all Americans, Europeans and other individuals of similar ethnic origin, professionals and tourists alike, feel more at home. Listening to the BBC early one morning this week, I learnt of the trials and success of an American female comedian, Patricia Williams, who started life on the wrong side. Coming from a dysfunctional family, she got her first two children at ages fourteen and fifteen, aborting the third in her sixteenth year. Faced with providing for her two children without the benefit of an education, she resorted to selling drugs. The full details of the interview is available on the BBC’s website, but the sharp lesson from her story is that man is by nature an animal who will do whatever it takes to survive. The inescapable law of life is ‘do or die,’ and this is a fact governments, particularly in modern societies, probably need
to be reminded of occasionally, if only to remain connected to the basic nature of their populations. An inescapable truth at sea is that captains of ocean-going vessels are more often than not the most knowledgeable and experienced persons on board who have full control of their men and can manage under extreme circumstances. Even so, captains who may have more experienced persons on board will not ignore the wisdom of these individuals, or else do so at their own peril. This particular facility of utilizing available resources, or lack of it, occasionally becomes something of a character flaw in some leaders today. These individuals usually wind up being the worst leaders, and their organizations typically face the penalty of poor management and lack of foresight. The principal weaknesses of these leaders are arrogance and fear of loss of authority and control, which is ultimately realized in the long run anyway. Another weakness of leaders is that they very often forget that their accession to authority was not anything that they achieved by themselves, but was the result of someone or a group of persons working to have them appointed as their substantive leader/representative with the responsibility of administering the affairs of the said persons and attending their interests. A case is point is the collapse of the PPP administration under Bharrat Jagdeo. An intelligent person, Jagdeo adopted the wrong methods of managing our economy, for which he and the PPP ultimately paid the price for his abuses of authority. The Coalition APNU+AFC government, whose formation was no mean feat under the prevailing circumstances, are now entrusted with the authority and responsibility of administering the affairs of Guyanese. As someone who worked assiduously for, and was instrumental in this change, I can say that it is heartening to have the new government at the helm. Indeed, one of the things it is hoped is that they do not repeat the mistakes of the former administration by ignoring the interests of the Guyanese people at large and in particular, those who worked diligently to secure the new government. Indeed, the supporters of the PNCR are keen on the current administration delivering on their promise of the good life, and growing from strength to strength in the future. A great tragedy at this point in our political and economic history would be the realization of what I imagine is the greatest fear of the supporters of the PNCR: the Coalition’s loss at the next general election because of arrogance and indifference to the needs of Guyanese. Craig Sylvester.
Man is by nature an animal...
Sunday December 06, 2015
Kaieteur News
Myanmar’s ex-dictator sees Suu Kyi as country’s ‘future leader’ - relative Reuters - Myanmar’s former dictator sees erstwhile foe Aung San Suu Kyi as the country’s “future leader” and has pledged to support her even though she is currently barred by the constitution from becoming president, his grandson said yesterday. Than Shwe, who headed a military junta until he stepped down in 2011 and who many believe remains powerful behind the scenes, made the remarks during secret talks with the democracy icon on Friday, his grandson, Nay Shwe Thway Aung, said. “It is the truth that she will become the future leader of the country,” Than Shwe was quoted as saying by his grandson at the meeting with Suu Kyi, the first between the two. “I will support her with all of my efforts,” Nay Shwe Thway Aung quoted Than Shwe as saying in a statement posted on Facebook late yesterday. It was unclear whether Than Shwe’s comments were a call for the constitution, drafted by his junta in 2008, to be changed to allow the Nobel laureate to become president. She is barred from the highest office because of her sons’ foreign citizenship. Attempts by her National League for Democracy (NLD) to amend the relevant article in the constitution have been rebuffed and its landslide election win last month does not guarantee it control of parliament. Than Shwe has no official role. But though he has been out of the public eye since 2011, many in Myanmar are convinced he remains politically involved behind the scenes. Senior NLD lawmaker Win Htein confirmed the meeting had taken place and said Suu Kyi met Than Shwe due to “her belief in his influence on the government and the Tatmadaw (military),” he told Reuters. Than Shwe kept Suu Kyi under house arrest for most of his 19 years in power and was considered by the West as a dictator who crushed dissent, enriched his cronies and kept his people poor. He has not been seen in public since transferring power in 2011 to a reformist, quasicivilian government run by his loyalists. Accompanying Nay Shwe Thway Aung Facebook post was an image of a banknote signed by Than Shwe, President Thein Sein and Suu Kyi, referring to them each as
Aung San Suu Kyi Myanmar leaders. “The significance of this note is ... they signed only before they became the head of the country or while they were head of the country,” it said, without elaboration. The NLD’s Nov. 8 heavy defeat of a ruling party formed by Than Shwe has been interpreted as both a public mandate for Suu Kyi and a protest vote against the military’s political clout. Suu Kyi is seeking to smooth the NLD’s path to office by cultivating good ties with a military her party once reviled but must now work with in a power-sharing government. The constitution guarantees the armed forces executive and legislative representation. She held talks on Wednesday with Thein Sein, a former junta general and Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, the military chief and Than Shwe’s protege Than Shwe was known for being enigmatic, cryptic and calculated and has never explained his motives, nor taken credit, for ceding power to reformist right-hand men who ushered in a wave of political and economic liberalisation.
Turkish energy projects unharmed by row with Russia, says Erdogan
ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Turkey’s row with Moscow over the downing of a Russian jet over Syria has not affected joint energy projects, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said yesterday. Russia has imposed trade sanctions against Turkey, including freezing investment projects and restricting food imports, after the Turkish air force last week shot down a Russian fighter bomber near the Syrian border as it took part in the Kremlin’s campaign against militants in Syria. Russia buys about $1 billion worth of Turkish food and other products annually and is Turkey’s No. 1 energy provider, shipping gas, coal and oil. It is also due to build Turkey’s first nuclear power station in the town of Akkuyu, a deal worth $20 billion.”There is no sign yet that the problems with Russia will affect projects like natural gas and the Akkuyu nuclear power plant,” Erdogan said in a speech to businessmen that was broadcast live by NTV news channel. He denied Russian assertions that Moscow had suspended talks with Turkey on the planned TurkStream natural gas
Tayyip Erdogan
pipeline project, saying Turkey was the one to halt work. “Do not believe the erroneous press reports that Russia has halted TurkStream. Just the opposite. This is a project that we shelved because our demands were not met,” he said.
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Cameron says may be forced to campaign for Brexit - report Reuters - Prime Minister David Cameron has privately conceded he may have to campaign for Britain to leave the European Union if he continues to be “completely ignored” by EU partners, The Daily Telegraph reported yesterday. Citing an unnamed source, the newspaper said Cameron has made clear to senior figures in his party that he will lead the “Out” campaign in a planned referendum if he considers the result of his renegotiation with Brussels to be unsuccessful. “He has said that if he is completely ignored, or if they give him nothing, he will campaign to leave” the Telegraph’s source said. “It’s not something he wants to do, but in recent weeks he’s made it clear it’s no longer impossible.” The newspaper also cites Downing Street officials as saying they have calculated that the prospects of Britain staying in the EU are only “marginally better than 50 percent.” The newspaper report will add to the pressure on other members of the 28-nation bloc to accommodate Cameron’s demands. Cameron is seeking to renegotiate the terms of Britain’s EU membership and says he wants to stay in a reformed EU. However, he says he rules nothing out if he can’t get change on matters such as limiting EU migrants’ access to welfare payments. European Council President Donald Tusk said on Thursday that a discussion with Cameron at an EU summit this month should pave the way for a deal in February, opening up the possibility of a referendum from around mid-year. Tusk, who is leading the EU negotiations with Britain, also wrote on Twitter that he
David Cameron
would send a letter to national leaders on Monday with his assessment of the British negotiations. A spokesman for the prime minister said his approach had not changed. “The Prime Minister’s position is absolutely clear. He is confident he can get a good deal for Britain from these negotiations, which will allow him to campaign for the British people to vote to remain in a reformed EU,” said the spokesman. “But he has always said that if we cannot get the deal Britain needs, he rules nothing out.” Separately yesterday a report in the Financial Times said Cameron’s push to rebrand the EU as a “multicurrency union” has triggered high-level concerns at the European Central Bank, which fears it could give countries such as Poland an excuse to stay out of the euro. The FT cites an unnamed British official as saying ECB president Mario Draghi “is worried that people would resist harmonisation by arguing that the UK and others were gaining an unfair advantage.”
Report links Paris militant group to Britain, police cautious Reuters - The militant network behind last month’s attacks in Paris had links to people in Britain, the Wall Street Journal has said in a report that British police described on Saturday as “speculative”. Several people suspected of having connections to Abdelhamid Abaaoud, the Islamic State militant and alleged ringleader of the Nov. 13 attacks, are based in Britain, according to two unidentified Western officials the Journal cited late on Friday. The officials told the Journal those people, including some of Moroccan heritage, were based in the Birmingham area in central England, about 120 miles (190 km) from London. There has been no official suggestion in London of any direct links between the group that carried out the attack that killed 130 people and British militants. But jihadi groups are often loosely arranged and contacts, including the use of social media, are widespread. West Midlands Police, based in Birmingham, said on Saturday that media reports regarding the Paris attackers and potential contact with people or places in the city were “speculative”. Assistant Chief Constable Marcus Beale said the force’s counter-terrorism unit was “working hand-in-hand” with counter-terrorism colleagues in London, the national counter-terrorism network and security services to provide support to the French and Belgian investigations into the attacks. Britain’s Mirror newspaper reported that British police were investigating claims that a member of the gang that attacked Paris made several phone calls to Birmingham in the runup to the atrocity.
Abdelhamid Abaaoud
“They were made shortly before the Paris attacks. British police are urgently investigating whether anyone in the UK was involved in those atrocities and also whether there is a linked terror cell based here,” the Mirror cited a source as saying. Britain suffered by far its worst militant Islamist attack in July, 2005, when 52 people were killed by suicide bombs on underground trains and a bus. Britain is on its second-highest alert level of “severe”, meaning a militant attack is considered highly likely. This is mainly due to the threat the authorities say is posed by Islamic State militants in Syria and Iraq and their encouragement of supporters to carry out attacks in their homelands. Charles Farr, the director general of the Office for Security and Counter-Terrorism, said last month that up to 800 Britons had traveled to Iraq and Syria, some to join Islamic State. About 50 percent had returned home while about 70 were believed to have been killed, Farr said.
Sunday December 06, 2015
Kaieteur News
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Soldier, four others nabbed with guns in car Two members of the Joint Services have now been implicated in gunpoint robberies within the past two days. The first was a police rank. Yesterday, a Guyana Defence Force Lance
Corporal was among five caught with illegal firearms in a car with obscure number plates on Avenue of the Republic and Regent Street, Georgetown. The Lance Corporal, who was supposed to be on-duty,
Dem boys seh...
Soulja Bai magga like Gandhi When Mahatma Gandhi was studying law at the University College of London, a professor whose last name was Peters, didn’t like him at all. Peters was just like Uncle Freddie. He always displayed hatred towards him. And because Gandhi never bow he head when he was talking to Peters although Peters expected him to, there were always confrontations. One day, Peters was having lunch at the dining room of the University and Gandhi come along with his tray and sat next to the professor. The professor said, “Mr. Gandhi, you do not understand. A pig and a bird do not sit together to eat.” Gandhi looked at him as a parent would a rude child and calmly replied, “You do not worry, professor. I’ll fly away,” and he went and sat at another table. Mr. Peters, get really vex and decided to take revenge pun the next test paper, but Gandhi responded brilliantly to all questions. Mr. Peters, unhappy and frustrated, asked him the following question: “Mr. Gandhi, if you were walking down the street and found a bag wid wisdom and another bag with a lot of money, which one would you take?” Without hesitating, Gandhi seh, “The one with the money, of course.” Mr. Peters, smile and seh, “I, in your place, would have taken the wisdom.” Gandhi shake he shoulders and seh, “Each one takes what he doesn’t have.” Mr. Peters, by this time, coulda ketch fits. So great was his anger that he wrote on Gandhi’s exam paper the word “idiot” and gave it to Gandhi. Gandhi took the exam sheet and sat down at his desk. He try very hard to remain calm while planning he next move. A few minutes later, Gandhi get up, went to the professor and said to him calmly, “Mr. Peters, you autographed the sheet, but you did not give me a grade.” Dem boys hear when de great Mahatma Gandhi graduate he go back to India and lead nuff protests against the Raj. He came back to England to negotiate a settlement. A reporter like Freddie ask him, Gandhi, wha you think about de “civilization of England”. Gandhi think for a moment and reply to Freddie: “I think it would be a good idea.” Talk half and hope that Soulja Bai act just like Gandhi, because he magga like Gandhi anyhow.
was the driver of vehicle, PLL 9931, in which an unlicenced sawn-off pump action shotgun and an unlicenced .38 revolver with matching rounds were found under the seat. It is believed that the men were intercepted just as they were about to carry out a robbery. An army release identified the rank as Lance Corporal (LCPL) Aaron Eastman, a driver attached to the GDF Medical Corps Headquarters, located in Base Camp
- may have been planning robbery confines of the BC(A) and exited the Base to meet with his family in the vicinity of the outer parking lot. He subsequently slipped away and was never heard from until his arrest. “The Joint Services and more particularly the GDF remains resolute in ensuring its ranks adhere to the Laws of Guyana, and any rank found to be involved in any
It seems that some Joint Services ranks may be as much a danger to the public as the criminals they are supposed to keep an eye on during the Christmas holidays. Ayanganna. He was dressed in his camouflaged uniform when he was arrested. The release stated that according to the reports received, the five occupants of the vehicle were observed to be acting in a suspicious manner. “Consequently, the GPF was informed and Police ranks arrived on the scene, accosted the men and conducted a search of the motor vehicle. The search unearthed a revolver and a sawn off shot gun, and the men were subsequently arrested. “A preliminary investigation conducted by the GDF, revealed that LCPL Eastman, who at the time was the ‘Duty Driver,’ for the Ambulance, had parked the ambulance within the
illegal activities will be dealt with condignly.” And Police in a statement said that around 10:30 hrs, police ranks on “Operation Dragnet” stopped a motor vehicle with obscure number plates and conducted a search during which two unlicenced weapons and matching rounds were found. Commander of ‘A’ Division, Clifton Hicken, said that based on intelligence given to the police, the arrest
The car that was intercepted with mud on the number plate. was made. “The car was intercepted and what we observed was a soldier fully dressed in uniform but then what caught our suspicion was that he had a hood over the uniform top as he was driving. A search was carried out on the vehicle and the weapons were found,” Hicken said. “Coming out of this arrest we can clear up a lot of
robberies.” On Friday, a serving member of the Guyana Police Force and a female were arrested and later confessed to being involved in a carjacking ring that relieved a taxi driver of his vehicle at gunpoint last month. The incident took place at Bachelor’s Adventure, East Coast Demerara (ECD) on November 28, last.
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Kaieteur News
Sunday December 06, 2015
NICIL is a ‘blood sucking zombie’ that must be banished - Presidential Advisor
By Kiana Wilburg Presidential Advisor on Sustainable Development, Dr. Clive Thomas, is in total agreement with having the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL) liquidated as recommended by a forensic audit report on the entity. He said that for such a company to continue in its current state, would represent one of the greatest sins against the people who are looking forward daily for transparency and accountability. The economist said, “NICIL needs to be shut down. If you have it where it is, with its finances not streamlined into the Consolidated Fund, then it will still hold the potential to be a parallel treasury regardless of the type of government you have. The recommendation to have it closed is geared towards removing that situation and I am for it.”
Presidential Advisor on Sustainable Development, Dr. Clive Thomas With regard to comments from Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo, that NICIL is necessary and government ought to retain it in its original state, Thomas said, “I can’t be upset with him for holding that position. It proves that nothing has changed when it comes to the PPP. “If he holds that position which is reflective of his contaminated mindset then it
is all the more reason for us to understand why it was necessary for us to get them out of office.” “I have said this before and I will say it again, NICIL served the corrupt and selfish interests of the PPP era. It did not help the healthy development of the nation. But Jagdeo keeps saying that NICIL, given what we know it to be, has been part and parcel of our successes as a nation. In fact, it inhibited it and was at the centre of some of the crassest and corrupt acts committed against our people.” The Presidential advisor said that assets were disposed of in the most unimaginable ways and investments were made recklessly. This was never the original intention for NICIL. The addition of the Privatisation Unit changed its function. He added, “There is no
doubt that NICIL will go down in history as the country’s blood sucking zombie. It is what it is today because it was created to be so by the PPP and I believe that it needs to be banished. I am all for it closing down.” At his most recent press conference, the Opposition Leader was asked whether he agrees with the recommendation to have NICIL liquidated and made into a small department under the Finance Ministry. He unequivocally dismissed the notion. Jagdeo said, “I think that the government needs to probably keep NICIL. You will see that all of the audited reports of the company gave it a clean bill of health. I believe that when you would have seen the so-called forensic audit and the response by NICIL, you would also conclude that NICIL played a very useful role in Guyana’s development and it acted in transparent manner.” Jagdeo claimed that NICIL was “demonized” by private vendetta by some newspapers and by the then political opposition. “Almost every single day there would be some fabrication of a story on NICIL in the papers. They portrayed it as being corrupt. The government, when it was in opposition, made a big issue about closing NICIL down and said that NICIL is not necessary. They find themselves today in a dilemma. Either they admit that they were wrong and that they do need to keep NICIL or close it and fulfill the promise to the people to do so,” expressed the former President. It has been over one month since the NICIL report has been completed. But Cabinet is yet to see it. As a result, it has not been able to grant its blessings on the way forward with NICIL. The same situation is also taking place for various audit reports
which have been completed for a longer period. Since the launch of a forensic audit into the operations of NICIL, several glaring breaches of the country’s financial regulations have been unearthed. Not only has the report on the forensic audit implicated the Company’s CEO, Winston Brassington, in committing some of those acts, but it has also named former Finance Minister, Dr. Ashni Singh; former Head of the Presidential Secretariat, Dr. Roger Luncheon; other former members of the NICIL Board as well as former Cabinet Ministers and officials. Dr. Singh served as the Chairman of the Unit while Dr. Luncheon served as a Director. The audit, Kaieteur News understands, categorically states that there was misuse of public moneys by those office holders. It said, too, that they played an important role in one way or the other in providing the conditions necessary for some of the “unimaginable scales of corruption” to take place on the NICIL platform. Junior Finance Minister, Jaipaul Sharma, had confirmed that the report on the forensic audit speaks to three sections of the Fiscal Management and Accountability Act (FM&AA) 2003. He had said that the audit justifies holding Dr. Singh and other members liable for misuse of public monies. Section 48 of the FM&AA says, “A Minister or official shall not in any manner misuse, misapply, or improperly dispose of public moneys.” Section 85, he said, also outlines what can be deemed as the liability of an official. That section of the Act says that an official who falsifies any account, statement, receipt or other record issued or kept for the purposes of the Fiscal Management and Accountability Act, the Regulations, the Finance
Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo Circulars or any other instrument made under the Act; conspires or colludes with any other person to defraud the State or make opportunity for any person to defraud the State; or knowingly permits any other person to contravene any provision of this Act, is guilty of an indictable offence and liable on conviction to a fine of $2 million and to imprisonment for three years. The report also speaks to the liability for loss of public moneys at NICIL as it refers to Section 49 of the Act, which says that if ‘a loss of public monies should occur and, at the time of that loss, a Minister or official has caused or contributed to that loss through misconduct or through deliberate or serious disregard of reasonable standards of care, that Minister or official shall be personally liable to the Government for the amount of the loss. Minister Sharma had confirmed that there were various cases of public loss of monies at NICIL by certain officials. He said that government has a responsibility to respect and follow through on the recommendations of strict penalties against those implicated. Sharma had said, “NICIL was being run in a haphazard way. It made dangerous decisions that cost the company millions of dollars in losses. It placed the then government in a bad place. (Continued on page 72)
Sunday December 06, 2015
Kaieteur News
Page 11
Surujbally votes out PPP motion to withdraw summons
Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), Dr. Steve Surujbally, has used his vote to stop a motion from People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Commissioners, in its tracks. The motion was intended to withdraw the Commission’s efforts to strike out the party’s election petition, which was filed in the High Court. This action has drawn the ire of the PPP, with PPP Commissioners, Robeson Benn, Bibi Shadick and Sase Gunraj coming out swinging during a press conference at Freedom House yesterday. The party has never fully accepted the results of the May 11 General and Regional Elections, which saw the party being booted out of office after 23 years in power. On June 23, it filed an election petition which questioned the validity of the polls. The petition was filed on behalf of PPP member Ganga Persaud and had named Chief Elections Officer, Keith Lowenfield, and the leaders of the eight contesting political parties.
- Party claims GECOM standoff costing tax payers $7M
The PPP Commissioners, from left: Sase Gunraj, Robeson Benn and Bibi Shadick The petition had claimed that the elections were not held in conformity with the constitution of Guyana and the Representation of the People’s Act, Chapter 1:03. In a counter move, however, Attorney-at-Law Roysdale Forde filed a summons in the High Court on behalf of Lowenfield. The summons had requested that the elections petition be struck out on the grounds that sections of the petition did not disclose reasonable
cause of action and were frivolous and vexatious. It is this summons that Benn had moved a motion against, instructing that it be withdrawn. This motion was moved on November 24, during a statutory meeting and seconded by Shadick. “This action by GECOM, in our view, serves to confirm that GECOM is unwilling to open up itself to public scrutiny by way of a Court process,” Benn said yesterday. “And (it) is,
The motion the PPP moved, which has been negated by Surujbally’s vote.
therefore, unable, as it continues to operate, to deliver free, fair, transparent elections to the people of Guyana, as it is mandated by law.” He went on to denounce Surujbally for using his vote against the motion and questioned his motives. Benn also stated that it did not augur well for the upcoming Local Government Elections (LGE). The party also expressed concern about the costs being incurred to GECOM, while it has been trying to quash the elections petition. Benn, who was accompanied
by the other GECOM Commissioners representing PPP- Sase Gunraj and Bibi Shadick- pegged the legal fees at almost $7M. Efforts to contact GECOM Commissioner Dr. Steve Surujbally for clarification on the legal fees were futile. The PPP had claimed that the entire electoral process was flawed. It had stated that the process contained many procedural errors and instances of fraudulent and/ or suspicious actions. “Unrest, fake Statements of Poll (SOPs) and multiple voting were among several causes cited when the PPP/C filed its elections petition.” The presence of “huge mobs” at several polling stations and other strategic places, particularly in Region Four, were also cited by the party as another cause for intimidation and fear which in turn “rendered it impossible for polling and counting
GECOM Commissioner, Dr. Steve Surujbally agents, duly appointed candidates to carry out their duties and functions properly. However, based on a request by the party for further and better particulars, Attorney -at –law, Anil Nandlall, filed an affidavit in response.
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Kaieteur News
SARU launches investigation into BaiShanLin operations
Chief among the complaints made to the State Asset Recovery Unit (SARU) are
those on corrupt land deals. But SARU’s Head, Dr. Clive Thomas is alarmed that Chi-
nese logging company, BaiShanLin has been like a recurring decimal among the
hundreds of allegations on crooked land deals which pour in on a daily basis. It has led him to start a detailed investigation into the company’s operations in Guyana. Dr.Thomas said, recently, “Corrupt land deals is perhaps our number one complaint here. But we are concerned that BaiShanLin has so many complaints against it. And when we made some checks, we found some disturbing things. We had no option but to zero in on their operations because they involve, what I deem to be, the unlawful attainment, disposal and use of the state’s assets. And that I cannot sit by and watch continue.” The economist continued, “As such, we have launched an investigation into that entity. We have already prepared a detailed document on them and their operations since they came into Guyana. The report shows that they are a major source of corrupt land deals. This company has been operating very crookedly in Guyana.” The Presidential Advisor said that there have been numerous startling irregularities under the Chinese logging company but said that based on the nature of the investigations, he would not be inclined to reveal the findings at this stage. “We don’t want them to have a clue about the depth of our knowledge on them. Let them wonder what we do and don’t know. But if you see the blocks of land that they own. I know the nation and the government I am sure are not aware of how far their ownership runs. But we are doing some map work and with that, we will be able to
Sunday December 06, 2015
BaiShanLin’s Managing Director, Chu Hongbo
SARU Head, Dr. Clive Thomas display all the places they own. “But I will not release the details of what we have at this point. What I can say is that they probably own more land than the Guyana Sugar Corporation at this point and they acquired it through a lot of Memoranda of Understanding signed with the PPP,” Dr. Thomas said. He added, “This is a wicked, wicked situation we are facing here. BaiShanLin under the PPP was gobbling up state resources everywhere. There are some serious networks of criminality that were allowed to just flourish under the previous administration. And the investigation will unearth everything.” BaiShanLin is one of the largest companies in the logging industry and had been able to acquire so much wealth and concessions from the previous government that it has been able to spread its reach into other industries, inclusive of the housing and mining sectors. Earlier this year, the Guyana Geology and Mines
Commission (GGMC) announced in a statement that Chu Hongbo, the principal in BaiShanLin Forest Development Inc., became a naturalized Guyanese and thus was entitled to acquire the properties via the relevant systems under the Mining Act and Regulations. In fact, 98 of his Mining Permits listed were won via an open competitive bidding process at last year’s auction. Last year, Sunset Lakes Inc. which is a subsidiary company of BaiShanLin, unveiled its plans to start an extravagant and lush gated community in Providence with homes costing from $40M. Questions arose as to how the Chinese company got access to prime state lands but the former administration was tightlipped about the transaction and so was the company. BaiShanLin had also promised that it would set up a wood processing factory in Guyana but it has been over ten years and this promise is yet to be fulfilled. It recently requested from the new administration, an extension of two more years to get the facility up and running. While this has not been granted, Government has in the interim, placed a ban on the company’s ability to export logs. Minister of Governance, Raphael Trotman, had said some months ago that companies such as BaiShanLin would be given until the end of last October, to get their act together, or else sanctions would be instituted. But nothing of the sort has happened. In explaining the company’s position as communicated to him, Trotman had said, “In terms of BaiShanLin, we had met with them on successive occasions and we have had discussions with other foreign companies that have been in the forestry sector. BaiShanLin as we know and I don’t think it’s a secret that it has not complied in its entirety. I have met with representatives of the China Development Bank who of course are financing (Continued on page 69)
Sunday December 06, 2015
Kaieteur News
Page 13
BBCI delay in lowering tolls unfortunate, disappointing - former AG - financial restructuring of company needed
The Berbice Bridge
Former Auditor General Anand Goolsarran is decrying the Berbice Bridge Company Inc.’s (BBCI) latest delay in lowering the bridge tolls, as the December 1 commitment the company initially made has come and gone. Citing the fact that Government has already committed to compensating the company for the loss in revenue and that a resolution had been passed in the National Assembly, Goolsarran noted that the company’s excuse of “seeking legal advice” is a disappointment. “I would say that it is rather disappointing, indeed unfortunate, that BBCI is taking so long to agree on the reduction in tolls,” Goolsarran said, in an invited comment on Friday. “Considering that, the Government has given a commitment to compensate the company for the loss in revenue and has set aside funds in the 2015 National Budget for this purpose,” “The National Assembly had (also) passed a resolution on May 15, 2014 calling for a reduction in the toll,” he added. “(And) what is more of a disappointment is that the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) is essentially a State institution but appeared to have little say at the level of the Board.” Goolsarran said that NIS owns $1.030 billion of the $1.350 billion equity of the company or 76 percent. He described it as unprecedented for any individual or entity to have such a massive stake in shares, but not have a major say in the decision-making of the company. “Like the aborted Amaila Falls Hydro Project and the
Marriott Hotel, the company is highly geared with 83 percent debt versus 13 percent equity,” the analyst observed. “Interest charges have to be met, whether a profit is made or not. And then, the bonds have to be repaid.” “This is not so in the case of equity since dividends can only be paid out of profits and shareholders do not have to be repaid the money they have invested in the company.”
He said that the fact that the Bridge Company is having financial difficulties is public knowledge. This, he said, stems from the fact that the financial structure of BBCI has been poorly thought out. However, Goolsarran observed that the Government still holds 76 percent of the shares and should Government use its shares to influence the company to reverse its debt to equity ratio, the BBCI
could resolve its problems. The debt to equity ratio was incurred from direct construction. “There should be more equity than debt, perhaps a reversal of the current debt to equity ratio,” he said. “The Government should therefore use its 76 per cent
shareholding by influencing the company to go this direction and provide whatever financial assistance it can to assist in the effort.” After Government announced that it was buying out shares in the BBCI late in October, the BBCI had agreed Continued on page 67
Former Auditor General Anand Goolsarran
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Kaieteur News
Sunday December 06, 2015
GGMC Chairman justifies $4M food bill, owning mining lands Last week, documents were made public detailing how almost $4M was spent over an 18-month period by Chairman of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission, Clinton Williams. The monies were spent mostly in two top city restaurants. Critics believed that the amounts appeared high. Another document showed Williams approving eight blocks of mining lands to his friend and neighbor, Ivor English, last year but took control of them via an “Irrevocable Power of Attorney” of them days
before the May 11th General Elections. With GGMC sending home its Commissioner, Rickford Vieira, last week and that regulatory body facing questions by miners over its management of the industry, Williams has also been facing a no-confidence vote. Yesterday, a statement from GGMC defended Williams’ food and drinks bill and that “Irrevocable Power of Attorney”. Below is the full statement from GGMC, as issued by the Government: The Guyana Geology and Mines Commission has noted with great concern the recent
headlines of the Kaieteur News which give a distorted, biased, incorrect and unprofessional account of internal and personal matters of the Commission and the Chairman. The headlines on the 3rdDecember, 2015 “GGMC’S Chairman racks up staggering $4M food, drinks bill in 18 months” and 4th December, 2015 “GGMC Chairman approves mining lands for friend, then takes control via irrevocable Power of Attorney”, shows the lack of responsible and professional journalism given that no effort was made to seek clarification on the matter prior to
publication. Such action by Kaieteur News exposes it to be used by others with hidden agendas and motives and opens the entity to legal action for the defamation of character. Given the negative image that is being portrayed by these unsubstantiated media reports, the Commission is forced to respond to ensure that the public is aware of the truth of these matters and is willing to provide evidence of same. This course of action is deemed necessary given that stakeholders of the mining sector must be assured that the Commission is acting with integrity and transparency at all times, contrary to what is being portrayed in the said articles. In order to respond to these articles, a brief summary of recent developments is most prudent. The Board commenced a process in 2014 to review the Management Systems of the Commission given the numerous complaints and allegations being made against critical departments. A draft report was provided by the consultants in February 2015, but given the change in Government the finalization of the report was placed on hold until the Board was reconvened. In September 2015, the Board was resuscitated and approval granted for the continuation of the process of the Management Systems Review. During the time that the
GGMC’s Chairman, Clinton Williams report from the consultants was being finalized, the Government initiated a Commission of Inquiry into the spate of deadly mining accidents. The findings of the Commission of Inquiry and the Management Systems Review both revealed that there were some critical issues that needed to be addressed given non-performance by specific functionaries along with serious dereliction of duties and undertaking of practices which deviated from the Mining Laws and Regulations. Given the findings that were presented to the Board, the Board was forced to move and approve a motion of “No Confidence” against the culpable persons on the 23rd November, 2015. It is this action taken by the Board that has led to the current spate of articles that are in the media, which did not bother
to verify the accuracy, legitimacy or totality of the information provided to it. The Commissioner was on annual vacation for the month of November and was scheduled to return to duty on the 2nd December, 2015. However, given the action taken by the Board, he unofficially resumed duties on the 1st December, 2015, one day earlier, and it is alleged that he requested staff to provide the information that is currently in the media. To specifically respond to the article “GGMC Chairman approves mining lands for friend, then takes control via irrevocable Power of Attorney”, the general public must be apprised of the following so as to not be misled by persons with devious intentions. First, the Board of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission, inclusive of the Chairman, are not part of the processing of applications for Mining Permits and does not approve Mining Permits as is being posited in the article. The law requires that after the relevant departments have processed the application for Mining Permits, the Commissioner signs and then submits to the Chairman to countersign to give legal effect to the document. The requirement of the Chairman’s signature is applicable for all mining properties and not limited to Mining Permits. That is the scope and entirety of which Continued on page 68
Subhan, McCoy fleeced $$M... From page 3 that the paper of that size could be printed for less than US$1000 per edition. He said that 15,000 copies of his 80-page New York edition is printed on a weekly basis for less than US $3000. “So it is a clear case of wholesale stealing of the taxpayers' dollars. This is why when we broke the story, they could not answer. They should go to prison for this,” said Lall. “It is like if a reporter comes and tells me that he paid $3000 to travel from Kaieteur News to Kitty when I know very well that such a journey would not cost more than $500, unless the reporter takes a limousine.” Investigations prove that in addition to the exorbitant prices quoted, GINA's previous management lied about the number of issues printed so far. Lall said he was shocked when he heard that 18 issues of “The Guyanese” were printed. He said, “As I told you, I was keeping tabs on the paper and I was collecting the editions all of which I still
have in my possession. But I have nothing close to 18 editions. “As a publisher, I have to be up to date with other newspapers that may enter the market. I am a businessman. I have to keep ahead of the game, keeping tabs on all the so called competitors since we cater for and supply the same market. I see many papers come and go.” Lall also frowned upon the fact that GINA used a middle man. “Why would a state agency pay a private individual, a middle man, to print newspapers when there are so many printing companies?” He said that he had spoken to the “middle man” when he was gathering information. Lall said that an investigation into the matter would be very revealing. GINA's new director, Beverly Alert, told Kaieteur News yesterday that she would be more than willing to open the books of GINA to any independent auditor or a criminal investigation. During a previous
interview, Alert said that her predecessor, Neaz Subhan, in the handing over, gave her a list of the number published and where it was to be distributed. She said, “I was dissatisfied with the financial aspect of it; more needs to be proven.” Before elections, questions were raised about the money spent by GINA to produce the newspaper for circulation in New York, but the state-owned entity remained silent on the cost. Instead, GINA set about to deflect the issue by accusing Kaieteur News of telling lies. Leader of Alliance of Change (AFC), Khemraj Ramjattan, who is now also the Minister of Public Security, had raised questions about the publication of the fortnightly newspaper. Ramjattan questioned the spending by Subhan, and former government official, Kwame McCoy. Subhan had said that he would not speak to Kaieteur News about “The Guyanese” as it was an internal matter.”
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Fedders Lloyd to Nandlall: Indian contractor, Fedders Lloyd, which recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the new
Kaieteur News
Sunday December 06, 2015
You lied about the Specialty Hospital administration to complete the Specialty Hospital, has accused the current Opposition of lying about the project.
Ajay Jha, a senior official of the contractor, claimed that ex-President, Donald Ramotar, and his administration were all set to
offer Fedders Lloyd the project after the May 11 elections despite the firm being questionably disqualified in August 2012. The People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) went on to lose the election. The David Granger administration late last month announced that it has signed the MOU with Fedders Lloyd to complete the Turkeyen, East Coast Demerara, facility which will cater for specialist treatments for patients. Recently, Nandlall insisted that the new government wrongfully and unlawfully handpicked Fedders Lloyd for the contract. The Ministry of Finance justified the decision of going with Fedders Lloyd saying that it was the next eligible contractor after Surendra Engineering Company Limited (SECL) and in any case, the procedures used were all in keeping with established procurement systems. “This company was disqualified when the project was first tendered and this company has a close relationship, apparent or real, to Vice President Khemraj Ramjattan (Minister of Public Security),” Nandlall had claimed. The former Attorney General made it clear that should the Government insist on proceeding with the project without retendering, then the party would
Ex-President Donald Ramotar meeting with Fedders Lloyd official, Ajay Jha, in January while he was in India. challenge the government in the High Court and “bring an abrupt halt” to the process. However, according to the Fedders Lloyd representative, after sacking the former contractor, Surendra Engineering Company Limited (SECL) in September last year for poor performance and forgery on a bid bond, the then Government approached Fedders Lloyd. Jha claimed that he made a presentation to ex-President Donald Ramotar last
December and was referred to Nandlall. Over the following months, Jha and his company met with former Minister of Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh, and other top officials on the project and were asked to submit letters and other documentation in preparation for the award of the contract. On April 14, days before the elections, more documents were submitted. “I am surprised at the statements of the former Attorney General as he, and (Continued on page 71)
Wartsila to manage Skeldon’s power engines
Officials of Wartsila Corp.
Officials of Wartsila Corp (Americas) on Friday met with the newly appointed Board of Directors for Skeldon Energy Inc. (SEI) at the Marriott Hotel, Georgetown. Wartsila is expected to manage the SEI. The SEI Board comprises Dr. Lloyd Rose – Chairman;
Gobin Harbhajan – Director; Veerasammy Ramayya – Director; and Leslie Gonsalves – Director. The Wartsila officials were Tomas Ronn - Vice President Wartsila Corp (Americas); Andre Bosman - Director, SU Caribbean & Central America; Marc Tarbox - General
Manager, Sales - Contracts and Projects; Services Unit; Aaron Fraser - Wartsila Guyana and Yusuf Abul – GuySuCo (GM). Wartsila manages several power engines for the state-owned Guyana Power and Light Inc. (GPL). The company has been here for two decades now.
Sunday December 06, 2015
Kaieteur News
Page 25
City ghettos get early Christmas
Last week I did talk about the gunmen who would commit a robbery with the police being not far behind them. It is now history that they got nowhere but to jail. Another such will occur in the coming days because many young men simply want fast money. ** A fire is never far away and these are breaking out all across the country. It is not that people are so careless, but the fire demon is
very active at this time. One of them is going to cause much pain within the coming days. Children are always fas-
cinated with the flame and they quickly discard it when they feel the heat. ** Road safety month is over but the last accident is not. A pedestrian would step into the path of traffic without paying attention to the surroundings. Traffic congestion is going to make the city a safe place but when the open roadways cause a release of that pressure, only madness can occur.
Residents of D’Urban Backlands Squatting Area (left) and Tiger Bay collecting much needed supplies for Christmas
Who says Santa Claus does not come to the ghetto? Maybe it’s because the ghetto is visited long before Christmas. Yesterday, old St Nick came in the form of the Guyana Christian Charities, Canada, through its tireless Emissary, ‘Sister H’, who
touched down in the impoverished communities of D’Urban Backlands squatting area and Tiger Bay, distributing toys and clothing. Scores of residents left their early Christmas cleaning to collect their share of the goodies.
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Kaieteur News
Sunday December 06, 2015
The man who vanished ON CHRISTMAS DAY The pepper-pot and black-cake were on the table…but where was Michael Harris? By Michael Jordan I guess you know about the Marie Celeste, but if you don’t, that was the American ship whose captain, passengers and seven-man crew vanished without trace back in December 1872. And that brings me to another December mystery, more recent and more close to home. It began on the Christmas Day of 2008 at a two-storey house located at Lot 607 Hippani Oval, Retrieve, Linden. The bottom flat was occupied by Michael Harris, a 58-year-old contractor who was also the caretaker of the premises, which belonged to an overseas-based Guyanese. A female acquaintance of the owner lived in the top flat. The story that relatives have been told is that sometime that day, Harris climbed onto his bicycle and travelled to Wismar, where he had a ‘Christmas drink’ with a friend. Word is that the contractor was once a hard drinker. But earlier in the year, an intoxicated Harris had tumbled off his bicycle and almost drowned in the Demerara River. That had caused him to drastically reduce his alcohol consumption. So, when he met up with his friend at Wismar, Michael Harris reportedly only drank a malta. According to reports, the contractor then rode to Poke Street, Wismar, where he had a drink with another friend. This time, it is alleged that he took a small amount of alcohol. Mr. Harris reportedly then visited a third friend at Wismar/ Christianburg. The second friend would later tell relatives
Wayne Harris: Still seeking answers to his father’s disappearance that Harris had passed his way again, and that he had observed that Harris’ clothes were soiled with mud. The friend concluded that Harris had fallen somewhere during his journey.
Later in the day, one of Harris’s sisters called his home to wish her brother a merry Christmas. When the landline rang out, she tried to reach him on his mobile phone, but no one answered. About two days later, the relative again tried to contact Harris on the landline at his home. It is alleged that this time, the woman who lived in the upper flat informed the caller that Mr. Harris had gone out on Christmas Day but had not returned. The concerned relative contacted Wayne Harris, one of the missing man’s sons. Wayne Harris contacted another brother and they travelled to the home at Linden where their father resided. Wayne Harris said that when they entered their father ’s apartment, they found everything intact. There was pepperpot and black cake on the table. According to Wayne Harris, they visited the woman who lived in the upper flat. She reportedly revealed that she was in possession of the missing man’s mobile phone. Wayne Harris’ story is that the woman said that after his father failed to return home, she went into his flat and retrieved his phone. Worried relatives then widened the search by checking at the hospitals and even in the cemetery for any sign of their missing father. They found none. They placed advertisements on the radio and television. Callers responded by giving the family several leads about the contractor’s whereabouts. All proved to be false. Wayne Harris said that about a month later, a man confided to them that he was scouring
the abandoned mines for ‘metal’ to sell when he came across a bag, which appeared to contain human bones. According to the son, this information was conveyed to ranks at the Mackenzie Police Station and they confirmed that the man had given them a similar report. But he alleged that the policemen claimed that they had checked the area, but failed to find the bag of ‘bones.’ Harris said that he and other relatives checked the vast abandoned bauxite mines. They, too, found nothing. To date, not a trace of the contractor or his bicycle has been found. Wayne Harris was less than complimentary when he spoke about the police’s efforts to locate his father. He alleged that the police ignored information that family members provided about two possible suspects. He’s convinced that someone murdered his father. As another Christmas approaches, Wayne Harris says that family members plan to travel to Linden to honour the memory of their father, who disappeared on Christmas Day just as if the earth had opened up and swallowed him. If you have any information about this unusual case, please contact Kaieteur News at our Lot 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown location. We can be reached on telephone numbers 22-58458, 22-58465, 22-58491 or 22-58473. You need not disclose your identity. You can also contact Michael Jordan at his email address mjdragon@hotmail.com.
Sunday December 06, 2015
Kaieteur News
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== THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN ==
Johnny Braff and Aznavour’s hit song For sure young Guyanese would not know who Charles Aznavour is. I doubt whether many Guyanese, of whatever age, would be familiar with Charles Aznavour. But he is one of France’s most admired and loved icons. He was one of my favourite singers since my young days. It is simply indescribable to hear him sing English songs with a French accent. His top international hit is, “Yesterday When I Was Young.” When I left my interview with Johnny Braff, I dropped off his friend to his hotel and drove home. While driving, my mind went immediately to Charles Aznavour’s autobiographical reflection. It was a painful interview with the Guyanese superstar of yesterday. It will always produce journalistic uneasiness when you sit down with a star of yesterday who is completely lost, penniless and senile. Bolts of angst ran through me as I listened to Johnny Braff. Here are the Aznavour lyrics:
Frederick Kissoon
Freddie Kissoon and Johnny Braff.
The house in which Braff was born. His niece is in photo.
Yesterday, when I was young The taste of life was sweet Like rain upon my tongue I teased at life as if It were a foolish game The way an evening breeze May tease a candle flame The thousand dreams I dreamed The splendid things I planned I always built to last On weak and shifting sand I lived by night and shunned The naked light of day And only now I see How the years have ran away chorus... Yesterday, when I was young So many lovely songs Were waiting to be sung So many wayward pleasures Lay in store for me And so much pain My dazzled eyes refused to see I ran so fast that time And youth at last ran out I never stopped to think What life was all about And every conversation I can now recall Concerned itself with me And nothing else at all Yesterday, the moon was blue
The Night Shelter where Braff lives
And every crazy day Brought something new to do And I used my magic age As if it were a wand And never saw the waste And emptiness beyond The game of love I played With arrogance and pride And every flame I lit So quickly, quickly died The friends I made all seemed Somehow to drift away And only I am left On stage to end the play repeat chorus… There are so many songs in me That won’t be sung I feel the bitter taste Of tears upon my tongue
The time has come for me To pay for yesterday When I was young As a fourteen-year-old lad, I stood in an endless line to see Johnny Braff perform at the Globe cinema. If Guyana had a local superstar
in the sixties, it was Johnny Braff. He churned out hit after hit and his concerts (mostly at the Globe) were sell-outs, as if the performer was a foreign superstar. That was a long, long time ago. One of Braff’s friends from one of his back-up
bands from that era is visiting Guyana. He asked me to accompany him to give Braff “a small piece.” Braff, now 79, lives in the East La Penitence Night Shelter. He is a broken, lonely, penniless man. As we chatted, I thought of the fragility of
everything that makes up human existence. No wonder the Facebook founder, is giving away 99 percent of his shares. How can a regional pop star father 27 children, have dozens and dozens of grandchildren and end up in a home for the indigent? Braff told me he knows of 27 offspring, but he believes he fathered much more than that number. They are spread all over the world. He lost contact with all of them. As the story of the large number of children came up, he talked of his stellar era (reminiscent of the Aznavour song). He recalled the many women he had as a Guyanese superstar. And made the point that the list included White women from many countries. He touched on his escapades in France. He mentioned a rich Trinidadian woman that was in love with him during his glory days, but his travels denied him a settled life. I detected moments of senility when he told me he travels often and twice for this year. I asked to see his passport, which he keeps on his person twenty-four hours. The pages are blank. He didn’t travel in 2015. He said his sister works in the Guyana Embassy and she is 85 years. That is not true too. The house at 44 Station Street Kitty he said is his, is owned by his brother. He was just born there. His niece, Pipita, says he is welcome once he stops his intolerable behaviour. Braff says the night shelter is driving him mad and he wants me to ask the Government to help him. Through this column, I have done so.
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Kaieteur News
Sunday December 06, 2015
Setting the record straight By Khemraj Ramjattan Leader of the AFC; Minister of Public Security The key players within the PPP who masterminded the Specialty Hospital award to Surendra Engineering are at it again. They are masters of confusion, obfuscation, and deception. Truth and honesty had abandoned them a long time ago. Remember how the whole nation was tricked by the chief of their tribe into believing that there was a marriage when there was none. Personally, I want to clear the air once again and state that sometime in mid-August 2012, I was approached by a representative of Fedders Lloyd here in Guyana who was furious at the machinations of the then Government of Guyana in awarding the approximately $18 million US contract to build the Specialty Hospital to Surendra Engineering. The representative indicated that he was directed to me by then Indian High Commissioner Mr. Puran Mal Meena, who had told him that I am an “anti-corruption crusader” who can help. Of course I picked up the phone and verified with Mr. Meena that indeed the vexed man in front of me was the representative from Fedders Lloyd; that Fedders Lloyd was indeed a most prominent Indian construction company which had built scores of spe-
cialty hospitals worldwide, and that the Company may have lost out on the contract because of corruption and fraud by the procurement authority and the Government of Guyana. This is all that it sometimes take to motivate the politician in me to shine sunlight on PPP’s corrupt projects. When it gets as big as this, I take it on, because it will put me in a special position of political prominence. I want to remind that money, though important, is not the exclusive motivator for me in representing someone aggrieved or violated. And so I proceeded to make heavy weather concerning the corruption of the PPP Government on this Specialty Hospital. I was given all information and documentation by Fedders Lloyd. Further, I even contacted Kirti Azad, a Lok Sabha, anticorruption crusader. He, by the way, was a player in that winning Indian World Cup team of 1983. Kirti was instrumental in directing me to the Indian Exim Bank to make complaints there on behalf of the company and on behalf of the Opposition; and, to the Anti-Corruption Committee in the Lok Sabha of India. I enjoyed this exciting mission, and the publicity the issue got. As AFC leader, I got to know some sordid facts about the people involved in this transaction, and how their families benefitted from the corrupt company’s lavish
spending on them of that $4 million US it was advanced. And even how the Management Contract for the Specialty Hospital was signed up long before the construction contract was inked. On this latter issue, Jagdeo and his best friend (we all know who that is) featured heavily. To now hear Jagdeo announce that the MOU with Fedders Lloyd reeks of corruption turns my stomach. There are a couple of points which should be addressed, lest the unsuspecting be corrupted by the PPP’s propaganda. Firstly, the impression is being given that there was a disqualification of Fedders Lloyd’s bid. The garrulous Anil Nandlall is today hooked onto this. He obviously has a bad memory. He says the disqualification was due to the fact that the company had sent in a bid price that had a 23% discount. Indeed this was so. And the effect of this was to make that Company’s bid $17.6 million US as against $18.1 million US for Surendra Engineering. But Anil Nandlall and his team wanted to exclude the best bidder by the outrageously spurious argument that this discount meant it had sent in two prices. I corrected this misconstruction when it was being given publicity in August 2012, by pointing out that there were specific rules in the Bid documents which provided for discounts, namely,
paragraph 20.3 of the Instructions to Bidders. This was primarily what caused Dr. Roger Luncheon to announce two weeks after, that the contract will be re-assessed and re-examined - see Stabroek News of 5th September, 2012. Of course nothing came out of this re-assessment, because it was a done deal for Surendra Engineering and no one else. My query of Luncheon as to why no re-assessment, led to his private remark: “Banna, dis thing got mystic proportions”. I knew what he meant. The second point to be addressed is the insinuation that there is something disturbing about giving Fedders Lloyd an MOU. I notice even my good friend Anand Goolsarran saying that the contract ought to have been re-tendered. I certainly will respect his view. However, like Ralph Ramkarran, I have a different view and it ought to be respected. The contract’s general conditions, which were given to every bidder so as to inform them as to what they possibly will enter into, makes provision for the Government of Guyana, called the Employer therein, to terminate the contract if any corrupt or fraudulent practice is discovered as carried out by the Contractor. Well we all know now that massive fraud was found on the Contractor’s part, and that the PPP Government sued Surendra Engineering and got remedies of termination and damages, after 24% of the contract monies, some $4 million US, were disbursed to it. The Company’s officers all ran away from Guyana and dissolved the Company in
UAE. What the Employer under the contract’s general conditions can do upon such a termination is very explicit and without any ambiguity. Anil Nandlall may not have looked carefully for this. Paragraph 42.2.4 says that upon such a termination: “The Employer may enter the site, expel the Contractor and complete the facilities itself or by employing any third party.” This provision is what applies. And this method accords with best practice on any termination, especially when work has commenced and money to the tune of approximately 25% is spent on an incomplete project, as happened here. Just to illustrate it better. Suppose Surendra Engineering had done the construction up to say 75% and then its fraud was discovered. Would it be feasible for an Employer, upon termination at this stage, to go and re-tender the remaining 25% of work for completion? Logically work it further downwards, say 50% or even 25% completion and then fraud is found. Must there be a re-tendering process? I know of no law which provides here that re-tendering has to be mandatory. Nor do I know of any reasoning which says that if such re-tendering is not done, but a good third party completes the work, that means that the completion process “reeks of corruption”! These unfortunately dire circumstances, caused by the corrupt former administration, require that we, APNU/AFC, be practical and prudent. A third point, which is but an extension of the second, is this. The quality of a
Khemraj Ramjattan Fedders Lloyd doing the completion job for $14 million US is a win for this Administration on all counts. But there is another win which evolved out of this process and that is another $14 million US for the three (3) primary health care facilities at Suddie, Bartica and West Demerara. The Indian Government was extremely generous to the Guyanese people when, in response to our Government requesting that the balance of the contract value left on the Specialty Hospital be put towards these three hospitals, it said we will have both… monies for the Specialty Hospital and monies for the three primary health care facilities. So the PPP Government co-authored a theft of $4 million US; whereas, the APNU/ AFC Government procured $28 million US for improvement in our health sector. Why then should we unwisely start a process of selfflagellation? Why this crabsin-a-barrel exhibition? My conduct in doing all I have done on this matter, and even right up to writing this piece, which will be read negatively and adverse to me, is what I will do all over again if the opportunity arises. My support during this time for Fedders Lloyd flowed from my disgust at the fraud and corruption of the PPP Government and Surendra Engineering; and, the fearlessness of Fedders Lloyd to give publicity of this shameless scheme right up to the end. It was a support that was non-pecuniary, no lucre having ever been sought. Consequently, I do not see anything disturbing as the Sunday Stabroek recently editoralised. I was very disappointed by that remark. But this is the new occupational hazard I have to live with. I would like others to see that what was done here was correcting of a wrong committed on both the Guyanese people and on a decent Indian Company.
Sunday December 06, 2015
Kaieteur News
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My column
Changes are for the better There was some rainfall earlier this past week, the kind that would lead to some flooding in the city. By daylight I prepared myself to wade in some water on the city streets. Lo and behold, there was not a drop. I immediately recognized that the efforts to clean up the city were bearing fruit. It all started soon after the coalition government came into force. Brian Tiwarie simply put his equipment to use in the vicinity of Square of the Revolution and before one could say Jack Rabbit the area became transformed. Then groups became involved all over the country, clearing drains and cutting down the bush that tended to hide the beauty of their neighbourhoods. Today, the city is as clean as it ever was, and of course the inter-lot drains are flowing again. In some places I saw drains that I never knew existed. The cleanup is still ongoing and I am willing to bet that there is a spin-off from the exercise. For one, there are people who were once unemployed. These people now have money in their pockets. They have entered the world of work. This is just
something that the new government had promised-to put people to work. I am surprised that this was not done before. For two decades people lived in filth and all the government would say is that City Hall was allowing the city to become a garbage dump. Indeed, in the latter part of last year, the government announced that it was putting one billion dollars into a cleanup effort. Half of that money was to have been used in the city. I am not sure that the money went to where it was intended, because precious little happened. The drains remained clogged and the streets flooded. Now I hear that the government is spending too much money on the beautification effort. That speaks of a certain mindset. The coalition government is now targeting infrastructure, something that had been allowed to collapse. I still hear the previous government talking about inheriting a rundown economy and broken infrastructure. I still hear of the billions of dollars spent. I never saw the effect of such spending. Instead I saw stalled contracts.
Indeed, the government did cause some money to flow into the economy. It got tremendous help from gold and the other industries. But those industries slowed. Yet ordinary people began to drive cars. We are at the stage where we may run out of roads. Already, parking is a nightmare, and it is only time before some enterprising people open car parks in the city. There is another thing that caused me to think about how the previous government spent money. This has to do with the construction of the Specialty Hospital. Robert Persaud was friendly with Surendra Engineering and may have influenced the contract to that entity. It turned out that Surendra was far from being a household name in its native India, yet Guyana entrusted millions of foreign dollars to this company. It therefore came as no surprise when the company spent a fraction of that money and ran. Indeed, the government sued, but it simply cannot collect that money. And so it is that I came to talk with Ajay Jha, the man who is carrying the Fedders
Lloyd hat in Guyana. Two weeks ago, Anil Nandlall made a huge noise about going to court to thwart Fedders Lloyd from constructing the hospital. What he did not say was that his government had approached Fedders Lloyd to take over from where Surendra left off. Mr Jha said that through a mutual friend he got word that the government wanted to contact the company. Donald Ramotar told the Indian High Commissioner that he regretted not giving the contract to Fedders Lloyd. Anil Nandlall met with Mr Jha and began a programme of getting the company to undertake the project. Ashni Singh was cock-a-hoop. He told Mr Jha that when his party wins the elections Fedders Lloyd would begin working on the Specialty Hospital, picking up from where Surendra Engineering left off. The fact is that the then government recognized that
the Indian company was qualified to undertake the project. There was no talk about disqualification at the time. The recognition was that the money was coming from India and an Indian company had to be selected. Mr Jha said that there was nothing wrong with the Fedders Lloyd bid, except that the company offered a discount. To crown it all, the company is prepared to use whatever money is left after the Surendra deal to complete the hospital. Why should a government not accept that offer? It would seem that some of us have grown accustomed to wasting money, largely because it is not coming from our pockets. We spent a lot of money on the sugar packaging plant and we are not getting what we paid for. We spent a lot of money on the Skeldon plant that we are now getting to work. It has not escaped notice that former President Bharrat
Adam Harris Jagdeo is claiming responsibility for the turnaround. He must be the first outof-office president to guarantee a change in the fortunes of government property. Fedders Lloyd has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the government. It promises to start the project early in the New Year once the contract is signed. But will there be further objections from the previous government? Will it be like the case of a man who tried to woo a woman and lost her to another man? Jealousy can be a bitch.
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The establishment of the towns of Bartica, Lethem and Mabaruma in the CuyuniMazaruni (Region No 7), Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo (Region No 9) and BarimaWaini,( Region No 1) respectively, is one of the administration’s first acts to equalize the standard of living countrywide. Your government is of the view that two decades of a flawed policy of political patronage has dangerously divided Guyana into two zones. This East-West divide that separates the lands west of Fort Island on the Essequibo River from those to the East, has hindered development. National development depends on hinterland development. Your government in-
Kaieteur News
Sunday December 06, 2015
Hinterland development tends to reverse this inequitable state of affairs and promote countrywide progress by pursuing a sustainable hinterland development strategy. Economic growth is heavily dependent on the hinterland’s resources. Mineral and forest resources account for the major part of Guyana’s export earnings. Your government intends to implement policies and administrative arrangements to maximize earnings from mining activities in a sustainable manner. Adding value to Guyana’s forestry products will create new jobs; your government will move in this
direction of sustainable growth which must necessarily include environmentally sound best-practices. National economic progress depends on development of the 76% of Guyana’s landmass which comprises the hinterland. No less important than overall national growth is the improvement of the standard of living of the 113,000 Guyanese who inhabit Guyana’s interior, in fact, the two are inextricable linked. For too long Guyana’s hinterland residents have endured a substandard existence. The majority of those
Guyanese are the Akawaio, Arawak, Arecuna, Carib, Makusi, Patamona, Wai-Wai, Wapishana and Warau – Guyana’s Indigenous Peoples. Your government is committed to ensuring that all Guyanese enjoy a decent standard of living. Your government undertakes to empower Guyana’s first peoples to be able to sustainably provide for themselves, while ending the dependency syndrome that had characterized life in the past. Technical and agricultural institutes will be established in each hinterland region, so as to endow hinterland youth
with the skills needed for them to prosper. Currently, although there may be some good jobs available, they are given to persons brought from the coast, because local residents lack the skills necessary to fill them. Instead, most locals must take low-paying menial jobs. The administration intends to put an end to this disparity. Our hinterland-based brothers and sisters must have the same opportunity to succeed in life as coastal dwellers. The administration views development as human development, in other words, improvement in the standard of living of citizens across Guyana. Your government recognises the need for permanent institutions, jobs, farm-to-market roads, well equipped and staffed schools airstrips, safe communities, food security, decent infrastructure and efficient ser-
vices. The establishment of the new towns is one of the first steps in the administration’s quest to equalize standards of living across Guyana’s regions. As the administrative centres of the three regions, it makes sense to elevate the status of the areas to towns as the government has done. The administration will now invest in improving infrastructure and service-delivery to those communities and regions. Bartica, for example, needs a better stelling and proper waste disposal; Lethem requires improved water and electricity services; Mabaruma’s market is yet to be completed and all-weather roads must be constructed, the administration will address those and other issues which have already been identified. The task of creating better lives for all Guyanese and equalizing living standards for all citizens will not be an easy one. Your government will not be daunted, though, by the magnitude of the undertaking; we remain resolute in our commitment to improving lives. Your government is here to serve you, and although we realize that goals may not be achieved overnight, we stand by our resolve to make life better for all Guyanese.
Sunday December 06, 2015
Kaieteur News
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Kaieteur News
Sunday December 06, 2015
SUNDAY SPECIAL HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS SIPHONED OFF FROM CARIFESTAACCOUNT – AUDIT REPORT Inflated accounts and false statements were the major findings of the audit into the Carifesta spending. Seven years after calls began for an audit to be done on the 2008 Carifesta X, an audit commissioned by the coalition Government has been done by John H. Barnes. The document was submitted to the Ministry of Finance on September 3, 2015. The document revealed that there were several cases of inaccurate recording of information pertaining to the festival. For example, the payee Eze Rockcliffe received a payment voucher of $480,000 while the cash book shows that payment was made to him for $970,000. All of the sums displayed on the cash book were inflated amounts of what was actually paid. The report stated that in February 2008, the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport Ministry entered into an agreement with Swansea Industrial Associates (SIA) to “identify, procure, construct, install, commission and operate a modern stage platform plus roofing system and canopy with the capacity to support extensive ancillary stage lighting and sound system.” Reportedly, SIA after “Identifying the supplier travelled to the U.S at the expense of the Government to transact business with the suppliers and to attend to relevant detail in relation to certain technical specifications.” SIA was not paid for procurement and commissioning service but was paid $24.7M and $2.6M for the lighting systems and installation of the stage respectively. The Auditor noted that “these costs appear quite exorbitant.” A quote from the stage’s supplier, TOMCAT showed an estimate of US$412,500. This amount was then sent via telex transfer to the supplier’s bank. The stage was then imported from Wenger Corporation, USA at a cost of US$162,719. This payment was made via wire transfer to the supplier’s bank. The two transactions came up to US$575,219. However, a document signed by Dr. Roger Luncheon disclosed that Cabinet had waived Tender Board procedures to facilitate sole sourcing of the items in question. The Cabinet document stated a total cost of US$605,519 while the total transferred to the suppliers amounted to US$575,219. GPL CUTS POWER TO BAISHANLIN HEADQUARTERS
Finance Minister , Winston Jordan
Junior Finance Minister, Jaipaul Sharma
Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo
plying, with technicians cutting power to the company’s headquarters in Providence last week. According to officials of the state-owned Guyana Power and Light Inc. (GPL), BaiShanLin was caught stealing power last year and had been assessed and penalized. The logging company reportedly was supposed to pay over $20M but failed. Between Thursday and Friday (Novemer 26 and 27), GPL disconnection crew descended on the Cacique Palace and Banquet Hall, a partially finished hotel behind Princess Hotel. In August, Kaieteur News reported that the logging company owed around $600M for the property. It had belonged to a group of private developers who were aiming to capitalize on the 2007 Cricket World Cup. However, the US$3.5M ($700M) project was not completed despite a $30M cash injection by the then Government. To recover its monies, the previous administration had established a team comprising the developers and Keith Burrowes, a senior official. BaiShanLin, which was rapidly expanding its tentacles in the logging and other sectors, expressed an interest. A deal was reportedly reached for US$4.5M, down from the original asking price. However, BaiShanLin between 2012 and 2013 only paid US$1.5M. There was difficulty in collecting the remaining US$3M. The spotlight has been on BaiShanLin’s operations in Guyana along with its closeness to consecutive administrations of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic, which was voted out in May, following general elections. APNU and the AFC, while in Opposition, had criticized the seemingly excessive concessions and other tax breaks granted to the company. The criticisms have refused to die away.
ted that several reports have been completed but he has not yet gotten the opportunity to read the reports. He noted too that no recommendation from the reports have been implemented as yet as they require Cabinet’s blessings. Jordan was grilled by members of the opposition during the 2015 budget debates on the Forensic audits, the Terms of Reference implemented and the cost for each. The Finance Minister had said that the forensic audits are costing government some $133M. Several audits were launched in July while others started in later weeks. The report on NICIL has been completed for over a month, while those on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the National Frequency Management Unit (NFMU) have been completed for a longer period. Most of the forensic audits have unearthed several hidden accounts with billions of dollars poised to be transferred to the Consolidated Fund by year end. Government stated that this phased transfer process has already started. More importantly, the forensic audits in some cases have reportedly not only uncovered fraud and various forms of corruption, but investigators have also made several critical recommendations for the way forward on several agencies and sectors, all of which Cabinet is yet to see.
undertaken to commence work on the facility immediately. When the project was first tendered in 2012, Fedders Lloyd had submitted a bid which did not make the cut as Surendra Engineering Inc. was given the upper hand in the deal. This is in spite of the fact that, unlike Surendra, Fedders Lloyd’s bid was lower and it had experience in constructing hospitals across the world unlike the winner of the contract. Surendra is a mere spare parts fabricator for sugar mills across India. But Surendra turned out to be an embarrassment for the previous administration, as it ended up running off with millions of dollars in advance payment for the project, and government, despite a court ruling in its favour, is yet to recover the monies lost. When Fedders Lloyd lost the bid in 2012, it had protested against what it deemed to be a corrupt procurement process under the previous administration and representing him at the time was Attorney at Law, Khemraj Ramjattan, who is now the Minister of Public Security.
MONDAY EDITION DESPITE EVIDENCE OF CORRUPTION…GOVT. STILL TO ACT ON RECOMMENDATIONS IN FORENSIC AUDIT REPORTS
BaiShanLin’s local head, Chu Hongbo The financial troubles enveloping Chinese-owned logging company, BaiShanLin Forest Development Inc., seem to be multi-
It was in May that the Granger administration began expending some $133M of taxpayers’ dollars on a series of forensic audits to ascertain how the assets of the state were sold, disposed of or transferred under the previous administration. Now, some six months later, most of the completed reports on several agencies are yet to be read and handed over to Cabinet. Finance Minister, Winston Jordan admit-
NEW TENDER FOR SPECIALTY HOSPITAL WOULD BE TO GUYANA’S DISADVANTAGE – RAMKARRAN – SAYS OPPOSITION’S CRITICISMS ONLY MEANT TO DIVERT ATTENTION FROM ITS OWN NOTORIOUS DEEDS While the critics have been roasting the government for not pursuing a new bidding process for the completion of works on the Specialty Hospital, former House Speaker, Ralph Ramkarran contends that doing so would only be to Guyana’s disadvantage. He made this remark, among others, in his recent writings on his blog, www.conversation tree.com. Ramkarran’s comments come in wake of Government’s announcement that it signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Fedders Lloyd to complete works on the Specialty Hospital. According to the Finance Ministry, Fedders Lloyd will review the works already started, conclude a design of the Hospital that is acceptable to the Coalition government and commit to fully equip the facility on completion of its construction. The company has also
TUESDAY EDITION PROSECUTOR WANTS HIGH COURT TO TRY FORMER GOVT. MINISTER Police Corporal, Bharrat Mangru, who is presenting the case of the prosecution in Dr. Jennifer Westford’s fraud case, wants the matter to be transferred to the High Court, based on the English Authority. According to Mangru, the Magistrates’ court has no jurisdiction in dealing with matters of executive abuse, which was cited by Senior Counsel Neil Boston. The prosecutor told the court that while the Magistrates’ court has jurisdiction to deal with abuse of process, he stated that the power is limited to delays and fairness of trial as it relates to executive abuse. This was his response to a lengthy submission made by Boston at a November 12, court hearing. The matter was called again before City Magistrate Fabayo Azore in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts on Monday. Boston has maintained that the institution of criminal charges against the former Minister and her Personal Assistant breaches an amnesty promise made by Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, during a press conference earlier this year. Boston made this claim as he addressed the court on why proceedings against his (Continued on page 33)
Sunday December 06, 2015
(From page 32) clients should not go forward. In response, Mangru argued that an amnesty was never granted by the Minister for the return of state vehicles. Magistrate Fabayo Azore after documenting the submission in her book of minutes fixed January 19, 2016, for ruling. The former Minister was placed on a total of $800,000 bail after she pleaded not guilty to eight charges back in July. The charges alleged that between July 17, 2014 and June 23, 2015, she attempted to transfer eight state vehicles to four persons, including her husband, Gary Beaton; Osbert McPherson, Wayne Walker and Delroy Lewis. JAGDEO DEFENDS US$200M SKELDON SUGAR FACTORY -DESPITE MASSIVE LOSSES, DEBTS OVER THE YEARS Despite its massive losses and the debts it has amassed over the years, the US$200M investment into the Skeldon sugar factory and (by extension) the expansion project is justified and was not, after all, a ‘white elephant’.
This was the assertion of Leader of the Opposition, Bharrat Jagdeo, during a press conference at his party’s headquarters. Citing the fact that the Skeldon factory has recently seen its best production figures since it was commissioned in 2009, the former President was adamant the factory turnaround justifies that it was not a ‘white elephant.’ The US$200M Skeldon modernization project had encompassed a new factory and expanding cane lands. The project was one of Guyana’s largest ever initiatives but came at a time when countries in the region, like Belize, Barbados, St Kitts and Trinidad and Tobago, had abandoned sugar. This is because sugar in the region had been on a downward slump for years. In Guyana, the sugar industry has had to deal with attrition (large amounts of workers leaving the industry), high production costs and the loss of the decades old preferential prices offered by the European Union to Guyana. The agreement had allowed Guyana and other regional countries to sell sugar at preferential prices. However, the phased price cuts by the EU amounted to 36 percent drop in prices and some $7B in losses for Guyana, annually. However, the then People’s Progressive Party (PPP) government had insisted that sugar was viable for the country and had pro-
A section of the beleaguered Skeldon factory
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ceeded with the US$200M Skeldon modernization project. But the Skeldon factory turned out to be the worst performing sugar estate in Guyana, its production even lower than the older, less modern factories. While the older factories used some 12 tonnes of cane to produce one tonne of sugar, Skeldon used 17 tonnes to procude one tone sugar. WEDNESDAY EDITION MYSTERY MAN PAID $11M TO PRINT GINA NEWSPAPER IN NY Sentiments expressed by new Director of the Government Information Agency (GINA), Beverley Alert give reason as to why her predecessor, Neaz Subhan refused to let out information relating to the financing of “The Guyanese”. “The Guyanese” was a newspaper produced by GINA, but was printed and circulated in the United States of America. Tuesday, Alert told Kaieteur News that she inherited GINA in serious debt. She pointed to the fact that the entity owes the Guyana Chronicle just about $70M and said that instead of incurring ad d i t i o n a l e x p e n s e s , s h e d e c i d e d t o discontinue publication of the newspaper. Alert said that there was a shortage of adequate checks and balances for the venture which has proved costly. That, she said, was another factor that influenced her decision to shut things down on that end. Alert said that while records show the amount of money paid for the newspaper to be printed, there is no system to verify product for expenditure. ”There was nothing in place to show that you were paying X and got Y. As it is, we cannot do that sort of verification.” Alert said that there is record to show that US$3,060 (G$612,000) was wired fortnightly – for a total of 18 editions – to an individual (name given) for the newspaper. The full amount was US$55,080 (G$11,016,000) That individual is not attached to any entity. The Director explained that there is no GINA representative in New York who was conducting business for the agency. “The money was transferred to an individual, not a company or a consulate.” This Alert found to be “quite strange”. She said that she viewed the procedure for the publication to be unofficial in this regard.
Former Information Liaison to the President, Kwame McCoy BLIND BANDIT GRANTED BAIL FOR ARMED ROBBERIES Nigel Ellis, one of the men accused of robbing and terrorizing several persons at a Mahaicony Supermarket, has been granted bail to the tune of $600,000 by the High Court. Ellis was recently discharged from the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC). He is now permanently blind in both eyes after being shot by a vigilante. Attorney Adrian Thompson presented a bail application for the accused two weeks ago. Ellis of Lot 34 West Ruimveldt, Georgetown has been charged with four counts of armed robbery after he appeared in the Mahaicony Magistrate’s Courts on November 18. He is accused of robbing four persons – Jasoda Singh, Narine Singh, businesswoman Lakeranie Singh and Natasha Bobb – at gunpoint on November 4, at LaRaisonable, Mahaicony, East Coast Demerara. The court heard that the defendant allegedly robbed Lakeranie Singh of one Toyota IST, $300,000 cash, a quantity of gold and artificial jewellery, a quantity of phone cards, among other items all totaling $4,367,300. He was also accused of robbing Narine of a Samsung phone, US$300, a wallet and $9,000 cash – total value of $184,000. It was further alleged that he robbed Natasha Bobb of two gold rings, $80 cash and a Nokia cell phone. And finally he allegedly robbed Jasoda Singh of a BLU phone, a bag and $3000 cash – a total of $19,000. Additionally, Ellis was charged for illegal firearm and ammunition possession. Ellis will return to court on January 6, 2016. Kaieteur News caught up with Ellis Tuesday at the hospital. He has denied having any involvement in the robberies. “I still don’t understand the story. How me alone do all these robberies?” THURSDAY EDITION GGMC’S CHAIRMAN RACKS UP STAGGERING $4M FOOD, DRINKS BILL IN 18 MONTHS -SPENT AVERAGE $200,000 MONTHLY Since taking up the top position of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) last year, Chairman, Clinton Williams, racked up entertainment expenses of almost $4M in 18 months. According to figures detailing the expenses between January 2014 and up to just before the elections in May 2015, he spent $3,984,948 in three restaurants – Silhouette Restaurant (JR Enterprise) in Kitty; 704 Sports Bar on Lamaha Street and Brasil Churrascari
Former GINA Director, Neaz Subhan and Pizzaria, Alexander Street, Lacytown. The figures are raising eyebrows. For example, in February last year, over $650,000 was spent on meals and beverages at the 704 Sports Bar. There was no explanation. Earlier in 2014, some investors in Trinidad met at Silhouette. The bill came up to $311,163. It appeared that the then Minister of Natural Resources, Robert Persaud, was present at the meeting, according to the details. In May 2014, over $100,000 was spent in dinner alone. There was a buffet dinner at Silhouette in October for $568,397. That same month, another one was held with the bill amounting to $420,297. None of the Silhouette Restaurant bills were below $15,000. The entertainment expenses last year alone charged to GGMC was $3,142,862. This year, just before the elections, more than $840,000 was spent on food and drinks. In April, meals supplied for a particular occasion was almost $200,000 with more than $100,000 spent for dinner one day in February. GGMC is facing fire for its management of the country’s mining and other natural resources, excluding forestry. GUYANA CHRONICLE SACKS GM, EDITOR IN MANAGEMENT SHAKEUP The state-owned Guyana Chronicle on Wednesday announced that it had sacked its General Manager, Michael Gordon, and Editor, Mark Ramotar, as part of the moves to rebrand the newspaper. According to a statement from the Board of Directors of the Guyana National Newspapers Limited, publisher of the Guyana Chronicle and Sunday Chronicle, at a meeting on Tuesday, the Board took a unanimous decision to discontinue the services of the two. “Both are with immediate effect. ”The Board of Directors has taken these two decisions with a view to strengthening both the administrative leadership and management and the editorial department as the newspaper seeks to rebrand and reposition itself as a credible national newspaper.” Ramotar’s wife, Moshamie Ramotar, will act as the General Manager for three months until a replacement has been found. Mark Ramotar was the former Editor-inChief who was demoted earlier this year. He has been criticized heavily for the newspaper’s downward spiral in recent years. The statement said that GNNL and the Chronicle newspaper have been suffering from weak management with circulation numbers steadily declining. ”The Board of Directors is of the view that fresh and competent leadership is needed (Continued on page 34)
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(From page 33) administratively and new editorial direction and support are required. The Board of Directors thanks Mr. Gordon and Mr. Ramotar for their service to GNNL and wishes them both the best in their future endeavors.” Godfrey Wray will serve as acting editor in support of Nigel Williams, current Editor-inChief and Neil Marks, the Sunday Editor. FRIDAY EDITION GGMC CHAIRMANAPPROVES MINING LANDS FOR FRIEND, THEN TAKES FULL CONTROL VIA IRREVOCABLE POWER OFATTORNEY The question of conflict of interest situations in Government has been rearing its head in recent years. The first major one that ignited debate before the end of the last presidential term of Bharrat Jagdeo, prior to 2009, was the leasing of the Sanata Complex, in Industrial Site, Ruimveldt, to his best friend, Dr. Ranjisinghi ‘Bobby’ Ramroop. Jagdeo claimed that he recused himself from the meeting in which his Cabinet of Ministers made the decision to lease that complex under very lucrative terms to Ramroop. It was later discovered that some of the incentives granted to Ramroop and his companies were wrong in law. This forced Jagdeo and his Government to make immediate legislative changes to accommodate the deal. The deal, to this day, has remained shrouded in secrecy. Another case that sparked questions about conflict of interest was when Executive Director of the controversial state-owned National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL), Winston Brassington, was accused of misusing the financial information that he was in possession of, when he purchased for his brother Jonathan, in 2009, a $225M stake in Hand in Hand Trust Corporation. The NICIL official later claimed that he was holding the shares for his US-based brother, an investor. Nothing much has come out of those cases. Brassington is still around and Jagdeo’s party has lost its first elections in two decades, as a result of early polls back in May. Under the new Government, another case has now emerged, regarding a senior official at the Guyana Geology and Mines Commis-
GGM Chairman, Clinton Williams
Former Natural Resources Minister, Robert Persaud
sion (GGMC). According to documents filed in the Deeds and Commercial Registry back in May, GGMC Chairman, Clinton Murphy Williams, was made Power of Attorney for eight blocks of mining lands in the Cuyuni, Region Seven area. The lands, according to the “Irrevocable Power of Attorney”, belonged to one Ivor B. English, of New Providence, East Bank Demerara. Williams also lives at New Providence, East Bank Demerara where he is English’s neighbour. Williams approved the lands for English, then took control by way of the power of attorney. English was the former head of the Government’s Transport and Harbours Department, and was appointed as Principal of the Critchlow Labour College in 2010. English swore that he is the holder of eight blocks of mining lands in the Cuyuni, all granted last year. The mining blocks are MP 786/2014; MP 787/2014; MP 788/2014; MP 789/ 2014; MP790/2014; MP 791/2014; MP 792/2014 and MP 793/2014. With each block equivalent to 1200 acres, it meant that English placed approximately 9,600 acres of mining lands in the control of the GGMC Chairman. The lands are all in an area called Tiger Creek.
Airport (CJIA), has refuted claims by former President, Bharrat Jagdeo. It is now seeking to “set the record straight.” CHEC said that it has taken “very seriously” the allegations made against it with regard to the CJIA expansion project. At his most recent press conference, Jagdeo said that CHEC was at odds with the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) government. He said that the difference was over CHEC’s request for more money to complete the project, but that PPP/C denied the request. CHEC noted Thursday that in 2012, it entered into discussions with the PPP/C government for the expansion of the airport. The contract was later signed “without any disagreement or issues.” The company said, however, that during the execution of the project “variations were required due to the discovery of unforeseen ground geotechnical conditions that were not compliant with Global FIDIC Contract Conditions.” As a result, CHEC began discussions regarding the need for variation to the contract due to the extra work discovered. According to CHEC, it later worked out an agreement regarding the way forward with the PPP/C and later the APNU+AFC administration. “CHEC categorically denies that there was ever any disagreement in negotiations. All parties were aware of the issue and agreed to amend the proposals.” CHEC said that it is committed to providing Guyana with a modern, first class airport facility. The company added, “We do not wish to become embroiled in political guiles. There have been several delays during the life of this project, none of which has been due to actions on the part of China Harbour Engineering.”
CJIA CONTRACTOR NAILS JAGDEO’S LIES …ASKS TO BE LEFT OUT OF ‘POLITICAL GUILES’ China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC), the company contracted to modernize and expand the Cheddi Jagan International
IGNORING OMBUDSMAN DECISIONS IS DISRESPECTFUL TO A NATION –PRESIDENTIAL ADVISOR If no action on the reports of the Ombudsman is taken, then what is the point of having one? This sums up the position put forward recently by Presidential Advisor on Sustainable Development, Dr. Clive Thomas. He said that it has been over 10 months since Ombudsman Winston Moore released two damning reports on various injustices that occurred under the People’s Progressive Party administration and no action has been taken by the institutions involved or the state. Thomas emphasized that it is important for the findings and recommendations of Moore’s reports to be dealt with, as further procrastination would only serve to undermine efforts for good governance at various levels.
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The Presidential Advisor in a recent interview with Kaieteur News said, that the Ombudsman’s office is one that should be respected. Failure to act on his findings represents “total disregard for the people, for his office as well as the importance of ensuring justice is served.” He reminded that one report deals with the issue of Kaieteur News columnist Freddie Kissoon and the University of Guyana. Kissoon was on a contract with the University of Guyana, but it was abruptly terminated by the tertiary institution in January 18, 2012. This was in spite of the fact that Kissoon’s contract had five months remaining, at the end of which, he would have reached the age of retirement. The University said that it merely ended the contract earlier – eight months before the contract expired. The contract stipulated that it could be terminated and three months’ salary paid in lieu of notice. SATURDAY EDITION MINERS’ BODY REFUSES TO WORK WITH GGMC’S CHAIRMAN The country’s top mining body has pulled its support for the current Chairman of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) with a no-confidence motion fizzling Friday during a Director’s meeting. The falling out would come amid a number of burning issues and the unhappiness by the Guyana Gold and Diamond and Miners’ Association (GGDMA), as well as shocking details published this week regarding Clinton Williams, the Chairman. GGMC’s Secretary to the Board of Directors, Jacques Foster, was written to Friday, by the association, on the pulling of the two representatives from a planned Board of Directors’ meeting. GGDMA said that it has taken the decision that its representatives on the Board shall take no part in meetings chaired by Williams. “This decision by the Committee of Management of the GGDMA is as a result of our position in supporting a vote of no confidence in Mr. Clinton Williams as Chairman of the Board, GGMC,” the letter said. It was copied to Minister of Governance, Raphael Trotman, and Terrence Adams, GGDMA’s President. During the meeting of the Directors, minus the two representatives of the Miners’ Association, a move by a Director to bring a no-confidence vote proved futile, with the Board reportedly standing behind Williams. The official came under fire last week after audit documents revealed that as Chairman, Williams’ entertainment bill came up to $4M within an 18-month period. A top executive in the private sector, Williams was appointed as Chairman in January last year. The new administration, in late October, extended the Board’s life and his appointment to December 31st. GGMC is facing deep problems since Williams and a number of other Directors successfully moved a vote of no-confidence last month against Commissioner Rickford Vieira; Manager of the Mines Division, Derek Babb; Manager of the Geological Services Division, Jimmy Reece; and Manager of the Land Management Division, Donald Singh. The “No Confidence” motion was passed by a majority vote of 5-2 with Director Tom Dalgety and Commissioner (Ag), Mr. Newell Dennison strenuously objecting and voting against the motion. Director Unata DeFreitas abstained from voting.
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Less fortunate children to benefit from Fun Park Rentals On November 28, 2015 at the first ever Business Exposition 2015 held at the Sophia Exhibition, Fun Park Rentals launched its “Happy Hour Sharing and Caring” initiative. It is slated to continue until December 31, 2015. According to Manager, Ms Athalyah Yisrael, the venture focuses on teaching children to reach out to other children, to show caring and kindness to those less fortunate than themselves. “I believe that teaching a child to share is one of the most rewarding gifts that a parent can give to a child. It can be done for a birthday, special day or just a day of sharing with the less fortunate. We at Fun Park Rentals, located at 165 BB Eccles, are presenting the opportunity to teach your child ‘A LESSON IN SHARING’ by bringing them fun rides at 20 percent discounted cost to a location of your (parent or guardian) choice and watching your child grow through sharing.”
Children having fun during the “Happy Hour”
This can be done, according to Yisrael, “by first engaging your child/children and sharing with the less fortu-
nate, by contacting an Orphanage, a Community Centre, or any place where underprivileged children can be
reached, and offer to bring to them an unforgettable happy hour of a Fun Park Experience”. According to Yisrael,
to book an orphanage and bring the Fun Park happy hour, 617-0173 is the number to call.
“Fun Park Happy Hour is about giving your child the opportunity to grow in the right direction,” she added.
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Learning Disability: Accepting your child is not smart isn’t always the best option By Dr. Zulfikar Bux Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine Growing up we were always taught that you are either bright or you’re not. Children that were not performing well in school were often left with a stigma of being an underperformer and were sometimes given nonacademic career paths. As medicine has advanced, they have found that some children that are underperforming in school are smart, but have a learning disability.
WHATARE LEARNING DISABILITIES? Learning disabilities are problems that cause a child to have trouble learning. For example, a child might have problems learning to read, write, or do math. Learning disabilities do not have anything to do with how smart a child is. Children with learning disabilities can be just as smart as or smarter than other children their age. But they have brain differences that make it hard for them to learn, remember, and use information. WHATARE THE SIGNS
OF LEARNING DISABILITIES? Identifying a learning disability can be difficult. Your child might have a learning disability if he or she: · Experiences a delay in achieving a developmental milestone, while most other aspects of his or her development are normal · Has difficulty understanding and following instructions · Has trouble remembering what someone just told him or her · Lacks coordination in walking, sports or skills such
as holding a pencil · Easily loses or misplaces homework, school books or other items · Has difficulty understanding the concept of time · Resists doing homework or activities that involve reading, writing or math, or consistently can’t complete homework assignments without significant help · Acts out or shows defiance, hostility or excessive emotional reactions at school or while doing academic activities, such as homework or reading WHAT CAUSES LEARNING DISABILITIES? Factors that might influence the development of learning disabilities include: · Genetics. Some learning disorders, such as reading and math disorders, are hereditary (inherited). · Medical conditions. Poor growth in the uterus (severe intrauterine growth restriction), exposure to alcohol or drugs before being born, and low birth weight are risk factors that have been linked with learning disorders. Head injuries might also play a role in the development of learning disorders. ·Environmental exposure
Exposure to high levels of lead has been linked to an increased risk of learning disorders. Also a stressful or abusive environment may lead to withdrawal from learning. Dr. Zulfikar Bux TREATMENT OPTIONS If your child has a learning disability, your child’s doctor might recommend: · Extra help. A reading specialist, math tutor or other trained professional can teach your child techniques to improve his or her academic skills. Tutors can also teach children organizational and study skills. · Individualized education program (IEP). This is done in developed countries where individualized plans are developed in the schools to meet the needs of each specific child with a learning disability. · Therapy. Depending on the learning disorder, some children might benefit from therapy. For example, speech therapy can help children who have language disabilities. Occupational therapy might help improve the motor skills of a child who has writing problems. Children who have fear due to pressures at home or school may benefit
from counseling. · Medication. Your child’s doctor might recommend medication to lessen the toll of a learning disorder. If your child has depression or severe anxiety, certain medications might help. Talk to your child’s doctor about the risks and benefits. · Complementary and alternative medicine. Some research shows that complementary and alternative treatments, such as cognitive therapy, can benefit children who have learning disorders. Further research is needed, however. Not performing well in school doesn’t mean a child is not smart. Parents need to understand this important concept and recognize signs of learning disabilities in their children and seek help. Providing the correct environment is a vital component in boosting your child’s learning abilities.
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Intimate Partner Violence is hot button issue in recent “Lunch Talk” session
Joel Simpson of SASOD makes a point in the presence of Moderator Vanda Radzik (far left), Attorney-at-Law Ayana McCalman (second left) and SASOD’s Social Change Coordinator, Chelauna Providence. (Photo credit: Theresa Campbell, APC) Society Against Sexual Orientation Discrimination (SASOD) and the USAID – Advancing Partners and Communities (APC) Guyana Project has began hosting critical conversations to ensuring that barriers to attaining the highest standards of physical, sexual and mental health of all Guyanese are removed. SASOD and the USAID – Advancing Partners and Communities (APC) Guyana Project hosted the third in its series of monthly Lunch Talks at the APC office in Oleander Avenue, Bel Air Park, Georgetown. The session was part of SASOD’s observances of the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence (GBV). It began on November 25 – International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. It will conclude on Thursday, December 10 – Human Rights Day. This recent “Lunch Talk” focussed on the barriers Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) People face in accessing services for Intimate Partner Violence (IPV)”. The event featured a panel comprising Attorneyat-Law Ayana McCalman, Assistant Secretary on the Board of Directors of the Guyana Responsible Parenthood Association (GRPA); Vanda Radzik, renowned human rights activist and Commissioner on the Women and Gender Equality Commission (WGEC); and Joel Simpson, SASOD’s Managing Director. The discussion was moderated by SASOD’s Social Change Coordinator, Chelauna Providence. Radzik stated that Guyana has a number of progressive laws. However, there is a serious problem with enforcement as there are still high levels of violence in Guyanese society generally. “Violence affecting LGBT persons is particularly horrendous because there is
no legislation that specifically protects LGBT persons from the onslaught of discrimination, verbal abuse and targeted violence that in some cases leads to death,” Radzik said. Though the Domestic Violence Act is intended to be gender neutral, she was unsure how it was being applied in practice in LGBT settings and she also urged faith leaders to be progressive in their teachings. She noted that the WGEC has been calling for the establishment of a Special Victims Unit within the Guyana Police Force with fully trained practitioners to provide services to survivors of GBV. McCalman noted that there are two key pieces of legislation that deal with issues related to IPV in Guyana: the Domestic Violence Act 1996 and the Sexual Offences Act 2010. She noted that both sets of laws are not about the prevention of violence, but rather about protection from violence and that the legislation comes into effect after the act of violence has occurred. She stated that the threshold for the reporting of violence is very low, although there was been increased awareness and educational campaigns. Notable was her point that there is a lack of data on IPV in LGBT relationships. She said that this is also part of the problem because dealing with the issue begins with being aware of the extent of the problem. She added that while SASOD and its partners might be most aware of IPV in LGBT relationships, that the general public is severely unaware of this issue because it is not being recorded by Government agencies. However, McCalman noted that the underlying problem for LGBT persons is not the legislation or its application. When accessing
legal, social or health services, the real challenge for LGBT persons is stigma. “There is the stigma of saying that your partner abuses you and then there is also the stigma of being LGBT in Guyana,” she said. “Stigma hinders access to services, protection from violence and other forms of discrimination,” she added. McCalman concluded by addressing the issue of healing for the survivors of violence. ”I have been researching the topic of law as a healing profession. How do we create a society with the relevant laws and rules that do the least harm or no harm at all? “The conversations on healing are important, in doing so we can address issues of compassion, tolerance and respect. In turn we will begin to have a conversation about both ends of the spectrum of violence: prevention and protection,” McCalman related. Simpson’s presentation focused on community experiences using the law to address IPV. He noted that in his experience one of the main challenges with regards to this issue is the conflicting laws. “There are laws on the books that criminalize samesex intimacy and crossdressing but there is a gender-neutral Domestic Violence Act and a Domestic Violence Policy which clearly says that homophobia is an impediment to service provision for homosexuals in abusive relations,” Simpson said. Simpson termed this a “schizophrenic legal framework.” “In terms of protection, the state recognizes that the laws need to serve persons of all genders, but at the same time, we have these archaic laws which don’t help to prevent bias violence. In fact, these laws further propel the stigma and discrimination which lead to targeted (Continued on page 50)
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15 GDF ranks graduate from GTI Fifteen ranks of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) including an Officer, graduated at the 64th Convocation of the Government Technical Institute (GTI), held at the National Cultural Centre on Thursday last. Lieutenant Brentnol Bart, who graduated with a Diploma in Land Surveying led the group. Corporal (CPL) Winston Sutherland, was recognised as the Outstanding First Year Student in the Business Department, while Sergeant (SGT) Trevor Norris and CPL Kevin Abrams gained recognition as Outstanding Competency Based Education (CBE) Students for 2013/2015, on the Level One Refrigeration and Airconditioning and Masonry Programmes respectively. Other GDF graduates were: CPL Ormaz McLennan (Furniture Making Level 1 CBE); Lance Corporal (LCPL) Shimeika Romain (Ordinary Diploma in Commerce); LCPL Kevin Ramsay (Electrical Installation – CBE); CPL Delroy Cameron and CPL Kelon Montrose (Small Appliance Repairs Level One – CBE); CPL Ruel Whinfield,
The Army’s GTI graduates with GDF Education Officer Major Christine Porter. Also in photo are GTI Principal Mr. Carl Benn and Deputy Principal Mrs. Renita Crandon-Duncan. CPL Patrick Crandon, and LCPL Theon Sampson (Refrigeration and Airconditioning Level One – CBE); CPL Christopher Griffith, SGT Marlon Amsterdam, and SGT Clive Dover (Motor Vehicle Repairs Level One – CBE). The army in a release, while congratulating the graduates on their recent achievement, stressed that professional development
continues to be of critical importance for the Guyana Defence Force and, to this end, “the leadership of the Force remains committed to ensuring that its ranks gain the necessary opportunities for academic advancement”. “Chief of Staff, Brigadier General Mark Phillips, emphasises that, the exposure of soldiers to opportunities for academic and skills development at
local post-secondary institutions such as the Government Technical Institute, serves to provide them with a more rounded and expansive knowledge base for the conduct of their duties in the military. “Although the GDF is a military institution tasked with national security, our troops must acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to function in the
various Units of the Force. We have need for skilled mechanics, electricians, plumbers, welders, caterers, air-conditioning and administrative professionals. Our Officers and Ranks are soldiers first and they are specifically trained for that role.” “Yet, apart from understanding how to fight battles, other skills are needed in the day to day operations
of the Force. And so, the GDF provides its troops with the opportunities to learn and grow, so that they can contribute to sustaining a stronger, more-capable Force or arms. In addition, the academic opportunities provided, serve to equip soldiers with skills that can be of use to them and the wider society, when they revert to civilian life.”
LEAD ME TO WATERS... From page 38 forgetting what happened at the Blacka, someone would ask us about those bracelets and bring it all back. Who knows? Maybe that was why Max turned to drugs, and then we lost touch. A month ago, he turned up at my workplace. He had a look on his face that I remembered from that time when he'd done that dreadful thing. Instinctively, I looked at his left wrist and saw that the bracelet was gone. Told me he'd
pawned it…said he couldn't remember where. A week later they found his body by the Blacka, his face frozen into a grin of terror. I had thought that only happened in books and movies. Still, I couldn't bring myself to tell anyone the truth; not even a weeping Ralphie, who flew in from Texas for the funeral. How did I cope? The way I had been coping since I reached eighteen: Women. That was my drug. It helped, for a time, to erase the dread and the memory of the fishgirl's face and what we did to her and her father. But the parade of lovers didn't help. In the end, there remained an unexplained emptiness in me.
It took me some time to realize that the women I picked up were all of a similar type—including the one I picked after the funeral and took to a hotel. We got together and afterwards, she left. I stayed the night. Sometime before dawn, between sleep and wakefulness, I felt a cool, damp hand gently tugging at my left wrist. I awoke, or thought I did—to see a girl with black hair loose and lustrous, standing over me. I let out a cry, but then the strange girl was gone, and so was my bracelet. And the room was filled with her rank perfume, and my head was filled with the voice of a scarred, green-eyed girl calling me to waters dark. THEEND
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First Lady’s ICT Programme produces 27 graduates - Retired Headteacher is valedictorian The Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Programme which was started in September by First Lady, Mrs. Sandra Granger saw twenty-seven Buxton residents graduate from the programme. The symposium was held at Friendship Primary School on Friday. Among the graduates was Ms Sylvia Pitt, a 59-year-old retired Head Teacher who was honoured as the valedictorian of the programme. Out of 1000 points, she achieved 983. Presidential Advisor on E-Governance, Floyd Levi, who was the main speaker for the symposium, lauded the programme as one that will make a great difference to the beneficiaries. He also encouraged the graduates to use the programme as a stepping stone for further advancement and selfedification. “This programme ought to be repeated and replicated across this country. Communities like Buxton face numerous challenges,
hurdles and obstacles and programmes such as these offer opportunities to overcome these challenges, and will also inspire our youth to achieve, and to see the sky as the limit.” He told the graduating class that the programme should be used as a launching point for greater and better accomplishments. He emphasised that the programme shouldn’t be the end for them but a steppingstone on the road of success. “This programme should be taken as a life lesson. You should dream positive dreams and through dedication, commitment and hard-work, you can achieve them,” he said. “This programme was aimed to show that the government is serious towards youth development and empowerment, especially in the study of ICT.” He indicated that the government will soon start opening job opportunities for persons who are trained in the specified field. “Many good things will
First Lady, Sandra Granger (fifth from left, front row) poses with the ICT Programme Graduating Class of 2015 come with this training; this government has plans on the horizon. As we move forward, I can assure you that government will come to you to promote information technology jobs and activities among the youth. There are many things on the horizon and committed youths, like you, will surely benefit from these,” he cited. Fitzroy Younge, another speaker, told the audience that the participants of the programme will not only benefit from ICT training but also business and time
management skills which will equip them to have better entrepreneurial skills. The valedictorian, Ms Sylvia Pitt, in her remarks, made the audience aware that despite her age she was not bothered nor did it take away her determination to learn. The mother of two and grandmother of one said it was very strenuous on her working during the day and attending classes in the evenings, but was dedicated in her approach towards her studies. She said, “The world is becoming technology and computer inclined, and I realised that I needed to keep abreast of what is going on and so I was motivated to be here. I was very focused. I knew what I wanted and I practiced due diligence to get what I wanted.” When Ms Pitt was asked to address the younger generation, she simply said, “They need to know what they want and place their
focus there. They should aim high. Age didn’t prevent me from doing what I did and so they can do way better and achieve more than I did.” The First Lady’s speech was brief yet impacting. She was very pleased with the heart and performance displayed by all participants of the programme. She said the programme was the first of its kind in Guyana and she held it very closely to her heart. Mrs Granger noted that the programme was the result of innovative thinking of the residents of Buxton and she applauded their resourcefulness. She indicated that she will be considering expansion of the programme to other areas, since it was very successful. The programme is sought to serve as an outreach programme and would encourage residents to participate. She said, “This programme is due to the people of Buxton. It is their
ideas and innovation that I worked with. I am looking at learning from this and taking it to other communities, because I think it is important that people in the communities must want the things that are being done in, around and with their place.” She also stated that the certification that is offered at the end of the programme will be recognised by the Board of Industrial Trading. In her own way of giving back, she said that she will be looking to provide employment for participants to practice their skills which should be very successful. Ms Sylvia Pitt was lauded for her excellent achievement. Ms Wendella Herbert won the prize for the Most Improved Student; graduating with a pass mark of 96%, while Ms Alison Philander took the Perseverance Prize for completing the programme in her third trimester of pregnancy.
Intimate Partner Violence is hot... (From page 47) violence and hate crimes. “Abusive persons in LGBT relationships are emboldened by the fact that their partners will not go to the police to report the violence because there are laws which criminalize the very nature of their intimate relations,” Simpson posited. He then stated that “on the prevention side, we face a key challenge: firstly, the laws around same-sex intimacy are indirectly enforced and the laws on cross-dressing are directly enforced, and therefore LGBT persons are reluctant to go to the police to seek any sort of recourse.” He also highlighted the need for sensitivity training for police officers and
healthcare providers and social workers, in a sustainable way. He posited that the resources are available to deal with these problems, but our leaders lack the political will to address them. He said, “The APNU+AFC administration clearly stated in their 2015 elections manifesto that they were going to address all forms of discrimination including those related to people suffering discrimination based on sexual orientation.” He called on the administration to deliver on this commitment. Attending the forum were representatives from civil society, government ministries, international agencies, media and the
A mini health check is the first step to donating blood
police. The police saw the need for more data and research on LGBT persons’ experiences with IPV, greater collaboration with key government agencies, the need for the media to play a more pivotal role in educating the public on mechanisms to prevent and protect themselves from interpersonal violence. The need for comprehensive sexually education in schools, working ardently with faith communities to cultivate a culture of compassion, respect and equality for all, and a call for the introduction of gender-based budgeting with resources for planning and sustainability of the response to GBV in Guyana. The likelihood of contracting HIV or a sexuallytransmitted infection is amplified for persons who are in abusive, violent relationships.
Sunday December 06, 2015
Kaieteur News
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Sunday December 06, 2015
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Award-winning writer Harold Bascom reflects on success, on... From page 58 house phone rang, and I saw it was Hector Bunyan, my buddy-friend from Toronto. And the voice came through: “Harold!—ah have something here that going fire you up!—YOU REMEMBER ITABO CAFÉ IN GEORGETOWN? Of course, me being a country boy, I have never heard of this iconic café. But Hector told me about it effusively—about the great literary figures and creative minds that hung out there in the preIndependent era. Hector raved on about those days. Then he told me this story of doing his rounds as a postman, and a white guy asked him where he was from, and that he turned and to the guy and said: “Where I am from does not exist any longer.” Something about that line made me think of the old writers…the old minds…the Caribbean creative community—the writers of Guyana and the Caribbean that exiled themselves to cold England where they wrote for relevance, though they knew true relevance for themselves could only have been relished back in their native lands. There was nostalgia and a depth of loss after listening to Hector, and somewhere between that talk, the idea for Desperate For Relevance was germinated. KN: And you dedicated your play to your friend Hector Bunyan—tell us a bit more about him. HB: Well he's a Guyanese, longtime resident in Toronto, Canada—and he's a fantastic poet who works as a postman—a job he relishes since it keeps him in touch with 'people'. Hector is one of the deepest poets I know. His simplicity, however, and his downto-earth cool keep him away from submitting his work for literary prizes. Hector doesn't even have his own email address and believes fervently in public radio. What is ironic is that even though Hector doesn't care to be in the running for any kind of prize, he ends up in my play as a character, and his work becomes part of the plot's embellishment. KN: That's quite an interesting stroke—putting reallife characters in your fictional work. I read your first novel, 'APATA: The Story of a Reluctant Criminal' and in that book, you infused colorful, Guyanese street characters like, 'Law and Order' into the plot. Why do you do that? HB: It's a way to pay homage to simple but influential people who lived—to keep them alive. I like doing that. It is something I learned from the American writer, El Dotorow from reading his novel, 'RAGTIME'.
KN: Do you hope that the theme that you touched on will send a message that will cause the powers that be to honour artists like yourself? HB: Hmmm … the thing is, the powers that be normally place others to guide them in those matters. I fear that in too many Caribbean societies those that advise our leaders in matters of arts and the culture are too often political appointees—opportunists, who really do not have their finger on the pulse of the arts and the culture on the whole. Because of this—and it is often a square-pegs-in round-holes situation. The advice that the powers often get, does not often represent the needs of that what must be addressed for the advancement of the arts within specific Caribbean nation societies. So, to give you a direct answer to your question: I am hoping that the theme will send a message—but before that message can be sent, the play would first have to be staged—and that has been a problem, at least here in Guyana. Since the inception of the Guyana Prize for Literature back in 1987 and the Caribbean Award back in 2010, only one prize-winning play has ever been staged 'MAKANTALI' back in 2012. KN: That is 25 years after the Guyana Prize for Literature was started. Now I'm looking at this: 'Makantali' is a play with a spiritual aspect; 'Desperate for Relevance'—like Makantali, is partly set on a spiritual level; then there was your short story, THE VAT, based on a demon from a fictional Jonestown. Is Bascom
switching to the supernatural genre? HB: I won't say switching—let's say that the supernatural genre has always fascinated me, and I challenged myself to try it. Now I like it. KN: How do you rate this play among the others? HB: Tough question— very much like asking a mother which of her children she likes best. This is what I will say: That I find myself patting myself on the back for being able to do certain things. For example, I like how I dared to put Hector, an actual living person as a character in a fictional work. Of course, I had to be confident enough to write about someone and not cross lines of respect and privacy in terms of what he or she might say or do in a fictional setting. It was strange in many respects, but I know Hector enough to just write about him on a level that I know he would appreciate. Since we hope to do something better than the last play and the last play, I rate 'Desperate for Relevance' very high on the list of plays I have written, because I know I have transcended the barriers of crass Caribbean nationalism that made 'Caricom' the butt of Paul Keens-Douglas 'jokey' line: “Tell me again—'bout Cari-COME and CariGONE…tell mih again!” In other words, I feel that with this play, I have found kinship with other writers in the wider Caribbean. I hope I'm correct. KN: Are you hoping that this play will be staged/ filmed sometime? HB: This is what Hector Bunyan is excited about. He's telling me often that this play
is filmic property. I'm hoping that it gets staged somewhere in Guyana or the Caribbean soon, and maybe after it begins to be seen as a filmic property. KN: How do you feel about the fact that there appears to be little investment in the arts in Guyana by the state/businesses? HB: That is a definite negative spin-off from the way that most people have been conditioned to regard culture—as something not to be serious about—as something not to waste money over. The interesting thing, however, is that these very businessmen would take time off to watch at a lot of shows on American TV. Then again, maybe the businessmen feel that Guyanese can't write anything worthy of investing in. I really don't know, and since I've not been in Guyana for the past nineteen years, maybe I don't qualify to answer that question adequately. KN Do you think that these might be a revival in the
arts under this new Government? What would you advise/suggest that this government do? HB: 'UNDER' is the operative word. I have found that most of the artists and writers I speak to in Guyana under the 'new' government, speak in the same hush as they did under the 'last' government. They continue to speak cautiously—as if in fear of upsetting somebody or some Minister or some organization, lest he or she be victimized and not get further crumbs on which he or she exists—mind you! This is just an impression I get—and I could be totally wrong. But timidity and fear don't augur well for creativity. In order to be creative, one must be bold! If, under any system there is a fear and a hesitancy to be 'bold'—to rock the boat—to challenge the status quo, then there will be no revival under whatever Government—new or else. KN: How long did it take you to write 'Desperate for relevance?'
HB: I write very fast and very intensely! I wrote it in one month. KN: What is the greatest challenge to you as a writer— especially as a Guyanese writer continuing to write on Guyanese and Caribbean themes while being ensconced in the USA? HB: My greatest challenge is finding access to local references for Guyana in terms of location and currentday input as to what is happening in Guyana—beyond what I can find in the news on the Internet. To deal with this, I have developed a small database of people I can contact through social media and talk with. Sometimes I would text a friend or send a message on 'WhatsApp' and say, “Budday—send me a picture of what's happening out on yuh street right now.” And that is how I keep up with the atmosphere and other things that are going on in Guyana or elsewhere. I am 64, but I use social media to keep up to date like a 'boss'.
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Kaieteur News
Sunday December 06, 2015
GEA investigator alleges faulty arrest A Guyana Energy Agency (GEA) officer is calling for better representation from the agency after a sting operation backfired and ended in his arrest. The officer, Bernard Rodrigues, said that he received information that a man was in possession of fuel markers from the GEA and decided to investigate the matter. He stated that he
informed one of his superiors of his intentions to conduct the sting operation and obtained the go ahead. He said that on Thursday he approached the man, who was believed to be in possession of the alleged stolen markers, and posed as a buyer. He said the man revealed that he did have some markers but he would have to “go into his stash” to
obtain it. Thus, they rescheduled to meet two days later. “On the Saturday I went to the man’s place and he gave me a bottle of marker as a sample and he told me that it was worth $1.3 million,” he said, adding that he then informed the man that they should go to his boss, who wanted the marker, in Parika. “I had already called a
...wants better representation by the agency senior police officer and he said he would send backup,” Rodrigues related. He said that when they were nearing the Parika Police Station he decided to confront the man about the stolen marker and that he was about to turn him into the police. It was then, he said, the man, who is a known smuggler, escaped. He said he took the sample of the marker to the GEA and his supervisor carried it to the lab to be tested; it was confirmed to be fuel marker. He said further that he then gave a statement about what had transpired. “It was then the man started calling me and
threatening to kill me and my family,” he said, adding, “Then this Monday I was called to the CEO office and two police ranks were there. They questioned me about what had happened on Saturday and I gave them a statement but they said they didn’t believe what I was saying.” He stated that he was informed that the man, who was in possession of the markers, had filed a report at a police station against him. The man was alleging that he, Rodrigues, forced a bottle of marker into his hand and took a picture, warning him that he had to pay up some $1.3 M or else he will expose him.
Rodrigues said the policemen arrested him and took him to a police station, where he was further questioned and detained for several hours. “I don’t know anything about this...I was doing my job and the GEA, its CEO and its two lawyers did nothing to help me when I was arrested. The agency did not listen to anything I had to say,” he said. He questioned the integrity of the agency when it comes to representing the interest of its employees. The matter is currently engaging the interest of the police. In 2011, three GEA employees were charged with burglary. They allegedly broke and entered a GEA facility and subsequently stole a substantial amount of fuel marker.
Kaieteur News secures three... From page 18 that PAHO acknowledges it through engagement workshops, information sessions and other fora. Dr. Norton also insisted upon the media to practice responsible reporting on sensitive health issues such as suicide. He stated that journalists should be proactive rather
than reactive. “The media is the watchdog of society since it represents the interest of the people. Therefore, they should make every effort to act in the best interest of all Guyanese,” he said, adding that he will ensure that public health officials work more effectively with the
media so as to advance the public health agenda. Secretary of the Guyana Press Association, Iva Wharton, applauded PAHO/WHO for the promotion of quality journalism in issues and encouraged the media to produce articles, features and documentaries throughout the year.
Ming's Products and Services celebrates... From page 64 other developing countries,” Ming posited. This subsequently led to MPS partnering with Banks DIH and Shell Antilles (Guyana) Limited in 1998 to assist children living in riverain communities surrounding Bartica, by providing them with a fully equipped fiberglass boat, which the company manufactured along with a Yamaha 75 HP engine, and the first year's supply of fuel, to facilitate their attendance at the Bartica Secondary School. “Over the years we have partnered with several other business entities including Fix-it Hardware, German's restaurant, New Thriving restaurant, school of the nations, etc., in several projects throughout Guyana and beyond.”
Beyond Tiger Bay a green, modern Community “Isika” beckons According to Ming, his company MPS intends to diversify its business activities, with the acquisition of Land, South- West of Parika, East Bank of the Essequibo River. “At Blake (325 acres), we intend to expand our operations and build a green and modern community branded 'Isika', an Amerindian word meaning, 'to give'.” The residents of Isika and the surrounding communities will be provided with the opportunities to be employed, to have ready access to medical services, educational and recreational facilities etc. Within the same space- a sustainable green community, Ming assured those gathered. “I view this part of the country as the gateway to the
interior and its future development. It sits close to the mouth of the country's largest waterway, the Essequibo River, where the first settlers, the Dutch, set up a trading port in the 1700's.” Parika has been and will continue to be the gateway to the Essequibo Coast, including Charity on the Pomeroon, to the major agricultural production areas, the forestry industry, the gold mining industry and the tourism industry. In Ming's understanding, the Del Conte alignment along the East Bank of the Essequibo River which was originally envisioned by Dr. Cheddi Jagan over 50 years ago, is now being given serious consideration for construction in the not too distant future. (Mondale Smith)
Sunday December 06, 2015
Kaieteur News
Fire guts Corentyne house The gutted building
Fire of unknown origin destroyed this house at Line Path, Skeldon at around 23.00 hrs on Friday. Residents claimed that a fire tender arrived
about half an hour after the blaze had started. They also allege that the tender had no water and that ranks had to access water from a back street before returning to the scene.
BBCI delay in lowering tolls... From page 13 to lower the tolls by December 1st and take the $40M subsidy. The December 1 date, however, passed, with the company saying that the matter is in their lawyers’ hands. That announcement thus prolonged the stalemate. The Ministry of Public Infrastructure had revealed on that very day, that an agreement sent to the BBCI is still being brokered. The Ministry, in announcing the delay, explained that it had sent the draft agreement to BBCI for review. The agreement says that the Government of Guyana will provide a $40M subvention to the bridge, in return for the reduction of tolls. In return, the bridge has to provide figures of vehicles traversing the structure. The Ministry disclosed that another copy of the proposed agreement was sent to BBCI on December
30th. It is understood that this agreement is being perused by BBCI lawyers. The Ministry is reportedly awaiting a response from the BBCI, before the subventions are made available. The toll will also be implemented once the agreement is signed. The agreement caters for the toll for passenger cars and buses to be reduced from $2,200 to $1,900, a 13.6 percent decline, while other types of vehicles will be reduced by 10 percent. The toll reductions were an election campaign promise by the coalition and were outlined in Budget 2015. It had originally been projected for implementation by September first, 2015, but was not because of the imbroglio between the Government and BBCI. BBCI instead asked the government for some extension so that it could discuss the implications of the proposals with their
stakeholders. In the interim, as the commuters awaited the reduced toll, the Government had implemented river taxis to ply the Rosignol to New Amsterdam route. The bridge, which was first commissioned in 2008, has been a sore issue for the former opposition and Berbicians who have been complaining about the tolls. Originally a public/private partnership, the company ending up in the hands of a few private individuals caused the administration to increase shares and move to reduce the tolls. The bridge’s management was controlled by New GPC, a company owned by Dr. Ranjisinghi ‘Bobby’ Ramroop, a close friend of former President Bharrat Jagdeo. Government recently announced that it has moved buy out the shares of Demerara Distillers Limited in the bridge company.
Former Toshao retracts call for... From page 63 given to the former council to carry out a GWI extension project which was estimated to benefit some 500 villagers of Rincon, a satellite community of Santa Rosa. However, after a new council took over, only a $140,000 was surrendered by Cornelius. “The former Toshao, Cornelius turned in $140,000 and he told us (the Council) that the rest of the money was used to renovate a stage… another $120,000 was given to transport 172, four-inch pipes that were pledged to us by GWI. Nearly half of that number is missing which is $1M in pipes unaccounted for…” Abrams said. Efforts to contact Cornelius pertaining to
this issue, were futile. A resident of Moruca, John Torres, also had his theory of where the money might have gone. “I was told by a regional official that the money was used to renovate a stage that two political parties utilised to conduct their rallies, the PPP and the APNU… “When the APNU rally was held, we volunteered to weed and clean the surroundings…when the PPP held their rally, they had drums, cups, logos and banners” he said. When asked if the PPP/C had arrived in Moruca with any of these “campaign equipment”, he said that all the drums and logos were made “right in Moruca”.
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Bees attack Grade Three student at home A student of the St. Agnes Primary School was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital yesterday morning, after he was attacked by a swarm of bees at his Lamaha Squatting Area Home. Eight-year-old, Manasseh Henry was bitten about his body by the insects after he had ventured to the back of his yard to use the bathroom. The lad has been discharged from the hospital and is at home in the care of his mother, Carla Adams. Adams told Kaieteur News th a t s h e w a s n o t home when the incident occurred. She said that her son was rescued by a close relative, who took him to the hospital. According to the mother, persons in the neighbourhood were reluctant to render assistance to her child, despite his screams. She said that a relative who resides in neighbouring
Manasseh Henry village, Sophia, heard Henry’s cries and thought it was a fight. The mother stated that the relative ran out and saw her son’s body plastered with the insects. Prior to Henry being transported for medical attention, his mother said that he was drenched with water from the “blacka”. The mother related, “These bees have been living
in my home and would constantly fly around at the back of the yard.” Apart from a swollen face, Adams said that her son is experiencing constant headaches. When this newspaper visited the family’s home yesterday the bees were seen flying around in the southern end of the yard. The bees are currently living between several wall creases at the back of the home. Adams has since indicated that she will be contacting the relevant authorities for them to eradicate the bees. Three weeks ago, 53 yearold, Basmattie Kishore and her two year-old granddaughter were hospitalized after they were attacked by bees at their Lot 820 Enmore, Hope West, East Coast Demerara home. However, in this case, the bees that swarmed the two came from their neighbour’s house.
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Kaieteur News
Sunday December 06, 2015
GGMC Chairman justifies $4M food bill, owning mining... From page 14 the Board and Chairman is involved (see process flow chart below as stated in GGMC’S Handbook – Land Management Division). Second, the applications for the Mining Permits were made by Mr. Ivor English in his name in 2014, processed and approved by the relevant Departments and the Commissioner. The Power of Attorney
for the lands was done in 2015 and as such even the notion of “undue influence” does not hold given the fact that the applications were not made by the Chairman. For the sake of argument one may say that the Chairman may have influenced the favourable processing of the applications but this argument would not hold since it would imply that any other application can be
influenced and the third point below addresses this. Third, the Commission processes applications for mining lands on a “first come, first serve” basis which negates the exercising of subjectivity. The date and time the payment of the application fees and first year rental is paid is used to determine the “first come, first serve” eligibility. Therefore, if someone else applied for the
said mining lands prior to Mr. Ivor English, then it would have been granted to that applicant. Fourth, the GGMC Act, which is the guiding document for the Board of Directors, does not preclude members of the Board from owning mining lands or having interest in mining. In fact the Act states that the persons appointed to the Board must have the expertise and capacity in the areas of the functions of the Commission; such functions which deal with mining. More importantly, the Act allows for Board Members to be owners of mining lands or to have such interest given that Section 6 (1) to 6 (4) of the Schedule deals with the
issue of Conflict of Interest and how Board Members are expected to act if such situations arise. Fifth, precedence was set since previous chairpersons of the Board of Directors held interest in mining properties. Sixth, there are numerous members of the Board who currently have vested interests in mining and own mining properties. As it regards the headline “GGMC’S Chairman racks up staggering $4M food, drinks bill in 18 months, in 2014, the Board of Directors had approved expense accounts for the Chairman, Commissioner and two (2) Deputy Commissioners. This was deemed necessary for two (2) reasons. First, the
senior officers of the Commission often times were engaged in activities/ engagements on behalf of the Commission and thus it was deemed prudent for the Commission to fund these engagements rather than the expenses being borne personally. These engagements were in the form of dinners and other social events and were for external and internal stakeholders of the sector, inclusive of management of the Commission and not necessarily for personal engagements. Second, it would be placing the senior officers of the Commission in a difficult moral and conflict of interest position if such engagements were funded by current and potential stakeholders of the Commission. It is in these circumstances that the expense accounts and all subsequent expenses were approved by the Commission. From the details provided above, a critical thinking person can see that there were clear attempts to tarnish the image of Commission and the Chairman. The question to be asked is to what end was this being undertaken? It is of the opinion of the Commission that these actions and media releases were aimed at removing the focus of the Board from the current decisive actions being taken against specific functionaries and to derail the process that is ongoing. Finally, the Commission categorically denies the assertions and unfounded allegations made in the media; specifically the articles mentioned above and recommend that the relevant journalists hold themselves to a higher standard for the benefit of their credibility and in the interest of the general public which deserve to be given all the relevant facts rather than be misled.
Sunday December 06, 2015
STANDARDS IN FOCUS For many consumers, the deciding factors for purchasing a product are often affordability, price, brand, performance or quality.
Kaieteur News
CONSUMERS! - DON’T FORGET TO ASK FOR YOUR WARRANTIES/GUARANTEES THIS CHRISTMAS SEASON It is also imperative that one finds out just who will accept responsibility if an item that is purchased becomes defective, through no fault of
theirs. As such, it is crucial to ensure that you are provided with a written warranty or guarantee when making purchases.
SARU launches investigation... From page 12 BaiShanLin. “I am led to believe that the company itself is in the process of restructuring. Then it will re-engage with the government, but for now there has been a pause because there has been a process of restructuring its corporate activities and seeking new financing from China Development Bank.” The Governance Minister also said that when he last spoke with the company, he was informed that the Chinese logging company was in no position to have the mills that it said it would have imported within the next ten months. As a result of this sad situation for the company he said, “They have asked for two years and we have had discussions with them about an alternative mill and that is on board. But as I said, much depends on BaiShanLin securing the financing.” BaiShanLin had given conflicting reasons in the past to justify the delay in establishing this wood-processing facility. In 2014, BaiShanLin blamed the Guyana Office for Investment (GO-Invest) for delaying its application for its wood processing factory. In one of its advertisements, the company stated that in 2008, it applied to the “Government of Guyana, through the Guyana Office for Investment (GO-Invest) and other agencies, to lease lands to set up a factory to process logs and engage in value-added production, such as the making of furniture, craft and hardwood flooring.”
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It had said then that it was experiencing delays. Kaieteur News later reported that GO-Invest had no such application. BaiShanLin had nothing to say when this was revealed. This caused many, including the then opposition, to challenge the previous government to make public the investment agreement it signed onto with the Chinese logging company. This was never done. In April, the company then blamed the “hostile” media reports during 2014 for dispiriting financiers. In a statement, the Chinese company had said that it is concerned about the apparent “misrepresentations and false reports” being carried by some sections of the media on its operations in Guyana. It identified Kaieteur News as the leader of the “hostile” campaign and even cited a KN article with the
headline: ‘BaiShanLin delays US$70M wood processing factory for gold, housing, logging.’ But in its statement, it did not deny that it was approved ‘US$70M’ for certain activities. With regard to the wood processing plant in the Linden area that was to be constructed, BaiShanLin, one of the largest exporters of the country’s prime species of wood, had complained that it has indeed suffered major setbacks in completing its wood processing facility that will create hundreds of jobs for Guyanese. It claimed that these “setbacks” directly relate to lack of adequate funding from its financiers, who, since last year “when these sustained attacks began,” became concerned about the “soundness of investing further in what appeared to be a hostile environment.”
For products such as electrical appliances and cellular phones, if warranties/ guarantees are not offered, it is the responsibility of you the consumer to demand that businesses issue such an important document to you during purchases. If it is an imported product you are buying, it is likely that the manufacturer from the country of origin has provided a warranty on his/her product which local suppliers must pass on to you. A warranty is a promise by the manufacturer that he/she will accept responsibility for defects and liability for repairing or replacing an item sold which is not of merchantable quality. A guarantee is an assurance that the goods or service is of a specified quality and durability. Warranties /guarantees must contain the following information: § Name and address of the guarantor,
. The duration of the warranty (6 months, 1 year etc), . What exactly the warranty covers (whether the whole product or part), and . The warranty performance (whether the item would be repaired, replaced or the cost will be refunded). As you engage in shopping for the holidays, pay attention to the details of the warranty and or guarantee offered to you, especially if you are purchasing items such as electrical appliances, computers, furniture, generators, motor vehicles, cell phones, etc. If the business establishment from which you would like to make a purchase does not provide a warranty/ guarantee and you are not satisfied with the details and conditions stipulated in such document, be sure to find another business to make your purchases or report your
case to a consumer protection body such as the Consumer Affairs Division of the Ministry of Tourism, the GNBS or the Competition and Consumer Affairs Commission. Because warranty agreements vary, it is advisable that suppliers take some time to outline or explain to their customers the content of such agreements. This will help consumers to understand the coverage offered and avoid difficulties in the event the item becomes defective and there is need to seek redress. For further information please contact the GNBS on Tel: 219-0062, 219-0065, 219-0066, 219-0069 or visit the GNBS website: www.gnbsgy.org
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SERVICES PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION,WEDDINGS, ANNIVERSARY, ETC. – CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 216-1043; 677-6620 Visa Application: U.S.A, Canada & UK; Guyana Passport application. Graphics design, Advertisement. Tel: 626-7040; 265-4535. Repairs at affordable prices: fridge, air conditioner, washing machines, dryers, TV, microwaves & freezerCall: 610-5846 or 661-8158 Landscaping: Palms, largest varieties of plants, Used in every one of our unique landscapes- Call: 648-1821/ 219-0468 Permanent & Visitors Visa Applications, Professional Immigration Consultant Room D5 Maraj Building. visadocumentsgy@ y a h o o . c o m . Call: 2256496, 662-6045 We repair fridge, freezer, AC, washer, dryer-Call: 2310655; 683-8734. Omar Landscaping: Palms, largest varieties of plants, Used in every one of our unique landscapes- Call: 648-1821/ 219-0468 Repairs at low cost: Fridges, air- conditioners, washing machines, TVs, microwaves, freezersCall:629-4946 or 225-4822 Professional Pressure washing & water tank cleaning services, for all your home & business exterior cleaning call: 696-5424 KrossBeaux Enterpises, affordable computer classes, computer repairs, online courier service, websites. Call: 223-1915; 648-1120 or http:// krossbeaux.cu.cc AT Investments: immigration & documentation (US, Canada, UK, BVI, etc) flyers, business cards –Call: 6155633/ 641-5195/ amri_rivas@yahoo.com Floor sanding & Lacquering House plans, Estimate & painting, boat for Santa Mission Tours –Call: 6504362 LEARN TO DRIVE Soman Son & Outar Driving School at Maraj BuildingTel:644-5166; 622-2872; 6150964; 689-5997 FOR SALE/RENT American Pools table-Call: 277-0578
Kaieteur News
WANTED We pay cash for land in Eccles, Herstelling, Farm, Prospect, Parfaite Harmonie, Uitvlugt, Zeelugt- Call: 6117223, 604-2207 Wanted experienced taxi drivers and dispatchers@ Princess Hotel ProvidenceTel: 616-5419, 256-7075 Experienced pastry maker, curry & roti/puri cooks, counter servers, handy boys. Apply at Hack’s Halaal, 5 Commerce Street. Bartenders, waitress, cook, maintenance, please apply in person @ Aracari Resort 160 Plantation Versailles W.B.D Live- in waitress- Call: 2285129/ 604-8277 Security guard & a gardener: preferably from G/town and E.C.D. Call Neville Osman: 624-1737 (8:00am-4:00pm). Experienced Driver @ Gem’s Taxi-Call: 665-5338; 231-3709, 667-9013 One lorry driver to sell water, experience in such field required- Call: 678-1234 Truck driver wanted to work in Georgetown- Tel: 218-1156 Delivery riders wanted contact: 223-5273/4. A mature female living between Ogle & Mon Repos, E.C.D to help a middle aged person with memory lossCall: 678-8496, 219-4845 Roti/ Puri cook. Apply at Shanta’s 225 Camp & New Market streets Waitress to work at a bar (live in or out)- Call: 612-2522
VACANCY Plant Shop Sales Clerk: Hardworking, literate, punctual workers, Work experience an asset. Contact: 648-1821 Cook -$30,000 weekly, Domestic-$25,000 weekly, babysitter -$25,000 weekly – Call: 231-8053 ACCOUNTS CLERK, MINIMUM CXC Accounts Grades I or II; PLANT TRAINEE, GTI/ GITC graduates preferred E.B.D Residents- Tel. 676 6700 TRINIDAD JOB O P P O R T U N I T Y: EXPERIENCED HOUSEKEEPER WITH VALID PASSPORT CALL: 669-6565; 695-2838
DOLLY’S CAR RENTALCALL: 225-7126/226-3693 DOLLYSAUTORENTAL@ YAHOO.COM/WWW. DOLLYSAUTORENTAL.COM Wing’s Car & 4WD Vigo pick up rental- Call: 690-6494 Aidan’s Car & 4WD Vigo pick up, cheapest rate, low security- Call: 698-7807
SALON -Make Up Courses with Mac, Bare Minerals, Black Opal, Mabelline. -Nail Technician Course Call: 647-1773/660-5257 Earn a certificate in cosmetology. Enroll now at Artee’s School of Cosmetology and Beauty Salon-Call: 680-0156; 2750267
FOR RENT
Assistant Kitchen attendant, waitress –Contact Sheikor or Donald: 227-1131; 646-4138; 661-8548 Business Opportunity: School Cafeteria for lease in Diamond, must have experienced running a Cafeteria – Email: sevosawh@gmail.com Vacancies exist for cashiers and sales staff. Apply in person with written application at Nirva Supermarket - call: 227-5771
PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION,WEDDINGS, ANNIVERSARY, ETC. CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 216-1043; 677-6620 2 Bedrooms apartment located @ Mon-Repos North E.C.D- price $60,000 – Contact: 692-9295 & 688-6005
Cashier 6am-3pm & 3pm12pm. Submit application to Shell Station Providence EBD, shellramsburg @gmail.com
1 Space for rent, preferable supermarket- Call: 649-2354
Excavator, Bulldozer & grader operator. Work site in Timehri (CJIA Project). Good Salary- Contact: 666-7211, 681-7267 (2)Two general workers to work shift system- Call: 2181400, 668-0306 Body workman- Call: 6490659, 670-1637 Desk staff (male), ages 2545yrs- Tel: 225-0198 Full & Part time & Seasonal, local & international work available, training provided $5,000 plus daily – Call: 6221957/ 233-6517, www.jobfairworldwide.com
CAR RENTAL PROGRESSIVE CAR RENTAL:CARS&SUV FOR RENTAL- $4,000 & UP PER DAY- CALL: 643-5122, 6560087 , EMAIL: PRO_ AUTO RENTAL@YAHOO. COM
Sunday December 06, 2015
Julieann’s Apartment Rentals: fully furnished apartments with air-condition & Wi-Fi $9,000 daily - Call: 226-5336; 692-6595; 616-4686
Self-contained rooms in Prashad Nagar. Tel:659-3865; 629-2424, 227-2993 Apartment to rent West Minister First Bridge, West Bank, Bus Route, toilet & bath, living room, bedroom, kitchen-Call: 674-5779 3 Bedrooms bottom flat to rent $50,000 per month - Tel: 234-0079, 678-9176 Spacious 2 bedrooms apartment in Festival City. Asking $80,000- Call: 619-2141 Apartment for rent in Nandy Park- Call: 227-5194 1 Bedroom apartment, selfcontained. Located at Alberttown $35,000 monthlyCall: 691-2727
Porters Ripsaw, RT saw, and wood mizer operator @ Eccles Industrial Site E.B.D –Call Richard: 609-7675; 6741705; 233-2614
ACCOMODATION
TO LET One bedroom apartment @ Ogle -$30,000 –Call: 628-8667; 222-4272; 613-7953 Prime 2 flat business place to rent on Robb Street, Lacytown between Camp & Alexander Streets - Tel: 226-9377
Inner Retreat Hotel Restaurant & Bar, Retreat Road Parika. Indoor /Outdoor bar in Picturesque setting – Phone: 260-4504; 685-6934 Saturdays & Sundays after lunch @ Inner Retreat Hotel Parika: Bar-B-Que & games: pools, darts, table tennis etc. Phone: 260-4504.
FOR SALE LARGE QUANTITIES OF HIGH PURITY MERCURY (QUICK SILVER) 99.99995% PURITY$19,000 PER POUND CALL: 592-227-4754. One 2011 Honda ATV Bike, only used for prospecting, air cool. One Model M Bush Truck with Winch Call: 6882597 PRADO: TOP CONDITION, SUNROOF, FULLY LOADED, 8 SEATER, FUEL, 2000 MODEL. CALL: 6845868 CRV EXCELLENT CONDITION, 1998CC, ALARM, DVD, MAGRIM, CLEAN ENGINE & BODYCALL: 684-5868 1 Hilux Surf, 2 Trucks (1 TM & 1TL) -Tel: 618-1967, 698-4321 Rottweiler and German Shepherd mix pups for sale –Call: 641-1771 and 654-0388 AMERICAN BULLY DOGS, REMYLINE & GOTTILINECONTACT HARRY: 6100 0 6 8 / 2 2 0 - 7 9 3 3 , WHATSAPP: 667-4845 One 600amp automatic transfer switch sold as isCall:627-7835 Pools-table cloth, balls, pocket, coin-shute, rubber, cue-stick, coin, chalk, spots gully boot, white ball, poolstable locks –Tel: 669-9927 New and used parts for all types refrigerators, air conditioners, microwaves, stoves, washers etc.- call: 233-2008/ 613-8800 One airboat-aircraft engine, trailer-perfect condition. Turn Key-Contact: 610-0001 50LBS BAGS, DOG FOOD W/SALE & RETAILCALL: 222-7891; 609-9202 O n e D 8 N B u l l d o z e r, completely refurbishedready to work. Contact: 610-0001 One 7’ Diameter double wall trommel, complete with all components-ready to work. Contact: 610-0001 Used XBOX 360, PS Vita, PS3 I-pad & I-pods, XBOX one & games –Tel: 621-7497; 6038643; 649-3277 One 10ft Aluminum boat $150,000 negotiable- Call: 6851233 1 House & land at Cove & John. 1 Land residential areaCall: 649-2354 Clean Garden earth, Trucking Services and Builders Waste, also bobcat rental, excavating, clearing, leveling- Call: 6279977; 616-0617; 663-3285 33.6 Acre Farm Land, located at Linden/ Soesdyke Highway also ideal for poultry farm –Call: 225-7794; 679-1151
VEHICLE FOR SALE Toyota AT 212. Price $1.1M negotiable- Tel: 650-4736 Toyota Noah & Voxy, Fully loaded, never registered, ‘G’ Series -$1.7M. Call: 617-2891 One Honda CRV, immaculate condition –price $1,650,000- Call: 626-2884 Mitsubishi Canter for sale; GTT series, next to new Call: 611-5354; 615-4728, price reasonable Nissan Titan 2004 model, GSS series, in immaculate condition - Call: 629-4392, 220-7958 2 HB Allions for sale as isCall: 690-2250 Toyota Hilux extra cab with tray cover 2.5L full service history. Duty paid. Unregistered$6M negotiable- Tel:266-5282 1 Toyota Corolla Fielder PMM series in good condition. New tyres. $1.3MTel: 266-5282 We buy & sell vehicles for cash, also parts available & 30 seater buses; Extra Cab pickups; 2006 TacomaCall:680-3154 Honda Accord 2003, Tan Leather, TV, CD, Radio, DVD, 36,000KM, like now – Call: 689-1194 AT192, 212, Allion, unregistered Premio, Hilux Surf, BNN, RZ & Pit-bull, 7 seater super custom. Cash / terms- Call:680-3154 Smart Choice Auto: Premio, Allion, Bluebird, 212, IST, Fielder, Spacio- Call: 6523820/ 665-4529 Bus for sale with new engine, ideal for selling vegetables or transporting barrels- Tel: 622-8112, 6740725 1 new model Raum PPP series (lady driven), 1 Toyota Spacio PPP series- Call: 6492354 Unregistered Dualis -$1.6M, glass roof, fog lights and TV –Call: 669-7298
TOURS Suriname Old years into new- exciting fireworks, shopping, site-seeing & tours (Dec 30th- Jan 3rd). Call: 665-5171, 639-2663 EDUCATIONAL International Language Institute Classes for adults & Children, Spanish, English as Second Langu a g e , Portuguese, Dutch–Call:223-3556 Continued on page 71
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Christmas comes early for some less fortunate For hundreds of Children of Angoy’s Avenue and surrounding areas over the past two Sundays the Christmas Season came early and they were given the expectation of a great New Year. The local chapter of the US-based Florida/ Guyana Hope Incorporated a nonprofit organization, based in the Crabwood Creek, Upper Corentyne area provided the treat. The group travelled to New Amsterdam to join with the Justice for the Unjust (JFTU) NGO and bring smiles to the faces of hundreds of underprivileged and less fortunate children and adults in Angoy’s Avenue, Mount Sinai, Vryman’s Erven, Tucber Park and Smythfield. The guests received clothing, footwear, food, bags as well as other necessities. The distribution was done at the JFTU office at Smythfield, New Amsterdam. The Florida/ Guyana group was formed in
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PROPERTY FOR SALE Church and 2 storey building Lot 180 Charlotte Street Bourda-Call: 227-6817; 624-7341
Members of the two groups with children and parents as they participate in the distribution. December 2013 in the USA. So far it has been making a number of significant
contributions to a number of groups and persons in the country.
You lied about the Specialty... (From page 16) the former President and even Dr. Singh never said we were disqualified when they were talking to us.” Jha claimed that when the contract was surprisingly awarded to Surendra on August 23, 2012, it came as a shock as his company was ahead on all points in the assessments. Even former Cabinet Secretary, Dr. Roger Luncheon, was not clear who won since the entire project was shrouded in secrecy. “Surendra was never in contentions because the bid bond was submitted from an India bank.” Jha explained that for companies operating in another country, it is best practice to submit a performance bond that could be drawn in a local bank. Fedders Lloyd complied with its bond issued by ScotiaBank in Guyana. What was painful was the fact that it was the previous government that after insisting Surendra and the Specialty Hospital were above board, found out that the company had submitted a fake bond from Trinidad. In all, there were five bidders in 2012 with the highest US$42M. That left SECL and Fedders Lloyd, Jha disclosed. Fedders Lloyd was disqualified by Government which claimed that two bid prices were submitted in the proposal for the hospital. Jha insisted that the proposal was in keeping with the bidding process and was not two prices but rather one showing the discount that
Ajay Jha was being offered. The matter had seen a formal complaint by Fedders Lloyd in India as the monies, US$18M, was coming from there. The official claimed that the selection of SECL was surprising as it was more
known as a spare parts supplier. There was more surprise when Guyana learnt that SECL had won the contract to bring in 14 large drainage pumps for US$4M. “We are one of the top companies in India with a presence in over 30 countries,” the executive said. Last year, the previous Government, in addition to sacking SECL from the specialty hospital project, also terminated the contract on the pump. Both contracts had been a major embarrassment because of the close association that SECL had with the previous government. A court this year granted a judgment of over $900M against SECL for the specialty hospital but by then the Government was unable to collect as the company had packed up and left.
It has donated over US$18,000 to the Guyana Chapter. A Guyanese chapter was subsequently formed headed by Baijnauth with Carmen Ally as Secretary. The other local members are Bharat, Sahadeo Angad-the Treasurer and Helene Habibulla. T he group has so far donated over 100 computers to schools and other organizations in Berbice in addition to clothing, footwear and wheel chairs were also donated. Someone who
had to undergo an eye surgery in Trinidad received help while persons with cancer were also assisted to cover expense for their treatment. Persons were also assisted with kidney transplant in Georgetown, while others were assisted to acquire prostetic legs and regular feeding programmes to orphanages. The collaboration exercise between the Guyanese NGO’S is expected to continue and expand in the near future.
Property for sale, Grove $20M / Rent: $50,000 per month. Tel: 625-5461. 2 storied transported concrete property- upstairs: 2 bedrooms apartment, downstairs: 2 bedroom apartment, block ‘8’ MonRepos, E.C.D -$19M neg. Call: 625-1514; 231-7255 Transported property 48X223ft (with old house) at Hague (duck pond/ settlement) W.C.D, price $5.5M negotiable- Call: 6553667 Two properties for sale at West Coast and West Bank. Excellent condition- Call: 660-3235, 668-3985 Brand new 2 storey concrete building in 5th Avenue, Diamond, E.B.D, all modern amenities - Call: 662-9335; 612-3244 House and land - $3M @ Lot 13 La- Bagatelle, Leguan – Call Rita: 656-5734, 664-1134 Transported land, 2 storey building; four bedrooms fully grilled @ Tuschen, New Housing Scheme-Call: 6953983; 685-5747
LAND FOR SALE Parfaite Harmonie (80ftx45ft) $1M. East Coast (low lands) $1.8M, Parfaite Harmonie (100ftx50ft fenced) $3.2M call: 611-7223, 604-2207 Providence Scheme 115ftX81ft located on a Cul de Sac close to Bai Shan Lin -$8.2M negotiable –Call: 6014163; 223-0719 1155 Acres of land located at East Bank Demerara. Price Negotiable- Call: 612-2060 Luxury gated community with pool, mall, swipe entry/ exit, underground irrigation. Contact: 609-0783 Residential lot @ Kuru Kururu near Primary School 100’X100’ –Call: 680-6136 PEN PAL American Indian Male is seeking female, age 32plus, no texting –call: 679-9646
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Dental Health
TOOTH SENSITIVITY By Dr. Neromini Fagu The holiday season is fast approaching and many of us look forward to all the delicious foods and drinks. However, many people have to avoid eating certain things because of their sensitive teeth. For some, a sip of their favourite hot beverage or the taste of that special flavour of ice cream can be quite painful. Having sensitive teeth can mean anything from getting a mild discomfort to having pain that can continue for several hours. It can also be an early warning sign of more serious dental problems. In order to understand tooth sensitivity we need to look at the parts of the tooth. The enamel layer forms the crown of your teeth, the part we see in the mouth. Under the gum line a layer called the cementum protects the tooth root. In the tooth, below both the enamel and cementum, is the dentine. The dentine has tiny tubes (tubules) that are filled with fluid and which lead to the pulp (nerves) of the tooth. Eating or drinking foods and drinks that are hot, cold or sweet can cause a change in the movement of the fluid in the tubules. This movement of fluid causes the nerve endings to respond by triggering a short, sharp pain.When dentine loses its protective covering of enamel or cementum, the exposed tubules may result in sensitive teeth. Tooth sensitivity may be caused by a variety of reasons. If you brush your teeth with a lot of force or use a hard bristle toothbrush you can cause the enamel to be worn away, especially where the teeth meet the gums. The freshly exposed dentine in this area may then become sensitive. Some toothpaste contains abrasive ingredients that can damage the enamel leading to sensitivity. Tooth enamel can
also be lost when you eat a lot of acid-containing foods and beverages, such as citrus juices and fruits and soft drinks. In some people the gums may naturally recede thereby exposing the roots of the teeth leading to sensitivity. Persons suffering from gum disease which is caused by a build-up of plaque and tartar may also be at risk for tooth sensitivity. The tartar can cause the gum to recede down the tooth exposing the root surface. Persons who tend to grind their teeth or clench strongly may cause their enamel to be worn away. If you have a cracked tooth or filling, extreme temperatures, especially cold, may cause you discomfort. Persons with acid reflux or eating disorders such as Bulimia are at risk for sensitive teeth. Some patients may also experience temporary sensitivity when undergoing teeth whitening procedures or after getting a filling. Sensitive teeth can be treated and the type of treatment will depend on what is causing the sensitivity. Your dentist will be better able to advise you after your dental examination. Some of the treatment options include: De-sensitizing toothpaste: There are many brands of toothpaste that are available to help ease the pain of sensitive teeth. These toothpastes contain special ingredients that help to block the transmission of pain sensation from the tooth surface to the nerve. The toothpaste is used for daily brushing and usually requires several applications before the sensitivity is reduced. These toothpastes can take anywhere from a few days to several weeks to take effect. Fluoride application: Your dentist may treat the affected teeth with special ‘desensitizing’ products to help relieve the symptoms. Products such as fluoride
Dr. Neromini Fagu gels, rinses or varnishes can be applied by your dentist to the sensitive teeth. These can be placed on the teeth at regular appointments one or two weeks apart, to build up some protection. Sensitivity can take some time to settle, and you may need to have several appointments. Dental restoration: Some people may require the dentist to seal or fill around the neck of the tooth, where the tooth and gum meet, to cover the exposed dentine. Night guard: If you grind your teeth your dentist may suggest getting a mouth guard to wear at night when you sleep. Other measures to prevent sensitivity including using soft bristle toothbrushes and less force when brushing. You may also have to alter your diet to minimize exposure of your teeth to acidic foods and drinks. If you are thinking about having your teeth whitened, discuss sensitivity with your dentist before starting treatment. Sensitive teeth can cause discomfort or pain. This holiday season don’t let untreated teeth sensitivity stop you from enjoying the foods and drinks that you love. For more information contact OMNI DENTAL at 295 Quamina Street, Georgetown Tel: 227-0025, Parika Tel: 260-3133 or send emails to nerominifagu@hotmail.com.
NICIL is a ‘blood sucking... (From page 10) NICIL really was operating as the PPP’s greatest force in making corrupt acts realized. The more the forensic auditor keeps digging, the more dirt he finds on NICIL and how it operated.” With a new Board and Chairman in place, the
government called on Brassington to explain NICIL’s investments into all projects over the years. He was also expected to state, honestly, the position of the company’s assets. NICIL’s new Chairman, Dr. Maurice Odle, had said that there has been one meeting thus far at which Brassington
was told to prepare a “position paper” to say what policies and strategies were employed to justify investments made by the company into certain projects. He explained that the paper is expected to give good reasons for investments into the Marriott Hotel, the Berbice River Bridge Company and Pradoville Two scheme. The paper has since been submitted and the board is currently perusing it to make a decision on the way forward.
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Gender group hails St Kitts-Nevis electoral Baroness Scotland reform to address issue of BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC) — A regional network of policy makers and scholars, feminists and women’s rights activists have congratulated the newly appointed Commonwealth Secretary General, Baroness Patricia Scotland. In a letter to the Commonwealth Secretary General, the
group — which is a virtual network of more than 100 members across the region — said they are proud of Scotland’s achievement. “We feel a deep sense of pride in your achievement as the first woman, and representing the Caribbean region, to have been elected to this pivotal leadership position in
the Commonwealth family of nations, an institution with great potential for contributing to global development and peace.” The Dominica-born Secretary General was urged to continue to prioritise support for Caribbean small island developing states” and increased resources for promoting women’s empowerment and gender equality across the Commonwealth”. The groups highlighted the vulnerability of the region in the face of the global economic downturn, high levels of national debt, the loss of preferential trade agreements for primary exports such as bananas, and hurricanes and other disasters exacerbated by climate change and global warming. “These are playing themselves out in increasing poverty particularly among women heads of households, and gender-based and other forms of violence and insecurity,” the letter stated.
returning overseas voters
BASSETERRE, St Kitts (SKNIS) - Attorney General Vincent Byron stated last week that electoral and constitutional reform in St Kits and Nevis will be determined by the people in keeping with a democratic society. One issue in the context of electoral reform is the right of nationals to return to their home country to vote. “Those who fly in to vote, under our current constitution, are entitled to do so,” said the attorney general. “The constitution provides for someone who is said to be domiciled in St Kitts and Nevis to determine that they can choose to come and vote. So, at this point in time that is what adheres,” Byron noted. He explained that there had been a gap in the law that allowed nationals who lived overseas to register to vote in an area where they wanted to vote and not where they should. “In 2009 there was an amendment to this that determined if a person is born in St Kitts, and last lived in a particular location or constituency, and went overseas and you had not registered to vote before you left, you can’t come back and register anywhere. They would have to come back and register where they last lived,” he stated. Another question that the attorney general pointed out was a fundamental issue in
relation to the electoral process was where a person registers to vote is not always where they are resident. “The general feeling is that if I lived in Greenlands and I registered to vote in Greenlands and I now move to Frigate Bay, that I can go back to vote in Greenlands,” he stated. “Somehow it was acceptable. The law does not, as it stands right now, demand that you do something about it. But, if someone objects to you doing that, you have to move your name. There are other situations where many of them have not lived in Greenlands. They may have lived in an outlying constituency and they come and register in Basseterre.” Byron stated that the electoral reform process in this matter would address questions of “whether we would entertain an overseas vote or not; whether we would have an overseas constituency or how we manage an overseas voter. They may be on the voters list but they must be resident for ‘X’ number of months before a poll. Maybe we have to establish a fix date for a poll. This is a particular authority that the prime minister has. These are the matters the people will determine.” The attorney general added that, in order for democracy to be restored, the constitution should be revisited. (Caribbean News)
Sunday December 06, 2015
Kaieteur News
Correctional Officers To Hold Further Wage Talks With Govt. tomorrow The Gleaner - Correctional officers are to hold further talks with the Finance Ministry tomorrow aimed at concluding their protracted wage negotiations. Having not heard back from the Ministry following discussions last week, on Friday the unions representing correctional officers were planning to hold internal talks to decide on their next course of action to press the government to complete their wage negotiations for the new contract period. According to Deputy Financial Secretary Wayne Jones, during a meeting on November 24, the finance ministry indicated to the unions that it would set a date for the talks to resume depending on the schedule of Finance Minis-
ter, Dr. Peter Phillips. Jones says the Finance Minister did not conclude his internal consultations in time to allow him to give a response to the unions. However, Jones says the unions have since been invited by the Finance Minister to a meeting on Monday morning where the negotiations will continue. The chairman of the Jamaica Federation of Corrections, Arlington Turner, says negotiations began in July and the unions are upset over the protracted time it’s taking to reach an agreement. He says the unions will not relent in their demand for the government to pay on-call, location and overtime allowances as part of their wage deal.
Chad says suicide blasts kill at least 15 in Lake Chad Reuters - N’DJAMENA Four female suicide bombers attacked the Chadian island of Koulfoua on Lake Chad yesterday, killing at least 15 people and injuring 130 in an attack blamed by security sources on militant Islamist group Boko Haram. The swampy maze of islands in the border areas between Chad, Niger, Cameroon and Nigeria has become one of the main targets of Boko Haram fighters who can find easy cover
in the waterways. The militants are based mostly in Nigeria but have become a wider security threat for the region. “The provisional death toll is 19 dead, including the four kamikazes, and 130 injured,” said state TV. A U.N. official said that there was an unspecified number of people displaced by Boko Haram-related violence on the island when the attackers struck around midday on a busy market day.
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Police recapture escaped convicted female drug dealer Obama says ‘we will not be terrorized’ The implementation of the countrywide Operation Dragnet launched by the David Granger administration is paying off. So far, it has led to the interception and capture of a number of criminals and persons with criminal intent. This time the security forces were just in the nick of time able to intercept a Surinamese female drug convict who was about to board a boat at a backtrack landing on her way to her home country in neighbouring Suriname. This was said to be a well planned escape bid reminiscent of the drug cartels overseas. The female prisoner, Gwendolyn Pompey, a nurse in her native Suriname, was on remand since September on a drug trafficking charge. She was nabbed at the Ogle Airport with a quantity of cocaine. Reports are that Pompey, since her incarceration, was observing the movement of the prison authorities and was planning her escape. She had indicated her displeasure at staying any lengthy time in the Guyanese prison. After observing certain lapses in the way the prison authorities operate she decided to make her move. She realized that they are awakened around 04:30 hrs every day to do morning chores and tidy themselves. She reportedly returned from Court on Friday and was taken back into the prison. The woman was also given a large sum of money during her last court appearance. After being taken out of their cells on Saturday morning, Pompey easily slipped away and made her way across the compound to one of the watch towers. After climbing close to the tower she reportedly used a bed sheet which she had
torn to climb down the wall. The woman then hid in the prison farm for a while before making her way to a vacant house lot across the road opposite the road. The woman subsequently walked through some yards and ended up in the Ansa McAl compound at the head of Main and Essex Street. She then slipped over to the Central Masjid Compound, next door and hid there for a while. The woman then took a car to Corriverton. Reports are that the woman was so desperate to get away that she offered the driver $10,000 after being told the fare was $7500. When she was nabbed she also had in her possession US$400 on her person. In the meantime, after the woman had scaled the fence the authorities were alerted
and the security systems were put in place. Security forces subsequently mounted a manhunt for the woman. Photographs were also circulated of the escapee. They were just in time as the woman was nabbed at the backtrack crossing as she was about to board a boat to head back to Suriname. It is understood that the plan was for her to stay in a hotel for a few days before heading back to Suriname. The woman was an outgoing passenger on September 19, when she was arrested at the Ogle International Airport (OIA) with 902 grams of cocaine. The woman was also taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital where she excreted about 15 pellets over two days which amounted to 154 grams of cocaine.
after California shooting
Reuters - U.S. President Barack Obama vowed yesterday that federal investigators would find out what motivated a married couple in California to shoot and kill 14 people, and he asked Americans to stand united after the attacks. “We are strong. And we are resilient. And we will not be terrorized,” Obama said in his weekly address. Tashfeen Malik and Syed Rizwan Farook were killed in a shootout with police after the Wednesday attack during a holiday party at a social services agency in San Bernardino, California. The Federal Bureau of Investigation is investigating the massacre as an “act of terrorism” after Malik was believed to have pledged allegiance to a leader of the militant group Islamic State. “It is entirely possible that these two attackers were
radicalized to commit this act of terror,” Obama said. “And if so, it would underscore a threat we’ve been focused on for years - the danger of people succumbing to violent extremist ideologies.” Americans were already nervous about terrorism after Islamic State militants killed 130 people in Paris in Nov. 13 attacks. The United States is leading an international coalition fighting the group in Syria and Iraq. The nation has been transfixed by coverage of the San Bernardino attacks. Obama, already facing scrutiny for his strategy in Syria, has been criticized by Republicans for initially focusing on the issue of gun control after the attacks. Obama has been frustrated by his failure to convince Congress to pass tougher gun laws despite a series of
Barack Obama horrific mass shootings during his time in office. The U.S. Constitution guarantees the right to own guns, making the subject of reforms - opposed by the powerful gun lobby - politically fraught. Obama met on Friday with Gabby Giffords, a former Democratic representative from Arizona who survived a mass shooting in 2011 and has since become an advocate for tougher laws.
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Rousseff’s fate depends on coalition MP: Govt. must probe banks ahead of impeachment hearing As foreign exchange shortage continues…
Trinidad Guardian - The Government must investigate whether commercial banks are manipulating the foreign exchange system for their own benefit. This was the suggestion from MP for Tabaquite Surujrattan Rambachan. Rambachan said this during a debate on a motion to increase the loan ceiling under the Development Loans Act. The motion was brought by Finance Minister Colm Imbert and sought to raise the debt ceiling by up to $50 billion. Following complaints by manufacturers and local businesses regarding a limited access to foreign exchange, Imbert issued special directives to the Central Bank on the foreign exchange market. Imbert re-established the foreign exchange distribution system that was in operation as of March 31, 2014. He also made a special injection of US$500 million on October 30, 2015, to clear the queues for foreign exchange at commercial banks. Despite this, problems with foreign exchange have been ongoing. “Where did the 500 million US dollars go?” Rambachan
Surujrattan Rambachan asked Friday. “I remember the Minister of Finance said he was doing a study to find out where the money has gone.” He said importers were still complaining that they were hit hard by foreign exchange limits. He referred to a Guardian article where the Couva/Point Lisas Business Chamber president Liaquat Ali said he found it extremely strange that a certain commercial bank could say they did not have US to sell but it was possible to access a loan for the same US currency to be paid back with interest to that bank. He described a situation with a constituent who wanted to purchase US$20,000 from a commercial bank to pay for his goods.
“He is a small entrepreneur and he went into business, so he had $125,000 in the bank. “He went to the bank for the foreign exchange and they said they could not give him the money. He went back again and they said they had to hold his money against a loan for US$20,000 for seven per cent interest and they would lend the money and he would get it.” Rambachan said he picked up the phone and called the bank and asked if it was true. He said the Government needed to investigate whether one bank paid for its own investments in other countries with the foreign exchange that should have legitimately gone to the traders in the country.
Suriname to continue education reforms with IDB support WASHINGTON, USA — Improvements in the access, quality and equity of Suriname’s educational system that will benefit 90,000 students and 6,500 teachers are part of a new phase of the country’s Basic Education Improvement Programme (BEIP), to be financed with a loan approved by the InterAmerican Development Bank (IDB). BEIP will invest nearly US$12 million in developing the curriculum and textbooks
for the 7th and 8th grades, in order to improve the level of education of students. This phase continues an earlier programme, launched in 2003 with IDB support, which gradually developed the curriculum and textbooks for all the other preschool and primary grades. The programme also will provide educators with training in new teaching tools and the development of on-line content. Approximately US$5 million will be used to renovate classrooms and build residences for teachers in the countryside, where students are most vulnerable and have the highest risk of dropping out. As part of infrastructure
improvements, funds also will be used to build a home for the Center for Continuous Education Improvement (CENASU in its Dutch language acronym) that will provide adequate space for training teachers and other professional development activities. CENASU does not currently have a home. The IDB also will work closely with Suriname’s ministry of education, science and culture to strengthen the capacity of its departments through the acquisition of equipment and training sessions to support the ministry in its daily operations. About US$2 million will go toward improving these capacities. (Caribbean News)
Brasília (AFP) - Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff and her allies believe they have the votes in Congress to survive impeachment, but ahead of the first hearings in the lower house there are already signs of cracks in her coalition. A special commission is due to start forming tomorrow with representatives of all Congressional parties who will then hear Rousseff’s defense and decide whether the impeachment case should be sent for examination by the full house. Yesterday, both Rousseff’s camp and the opposition were jockeying over the exact make-up of the commission, which has the power to reject the impeachment entirely. But if, as expected, the commission rules in favor of trying Rousseff over her allegedly illegal government
accounting practices, the leftist president’s survival will depend on keeping her fragile ruling coalition intact. The most powerful party in the alliance is not Rousseff’s Workers’ Party but the PMDB of her vice president, Michel Temer. Brazilian media buzzed with speculation over the weekend on whether Temer will stick with Rousseff or abandon her, hoping to engineer her downfall and, as required by the constitution, become interim president. An early sign that she cannot count on the PMDB are the still unconfirmed reports that her civil aviation minister, Eliseu Padilha, has tendered his resignation. Padilha is in the PMDB and considered very close to Temer. “If this departure is not reversible, I think it is a very great loss,” Social Communi-
cations Minister Edinho Silva told Folha newspaper yesterday. But Silva said he did not expect an exodus of other PMDB ministers, calling on Temer to play the role of unifier. “There doesn’t have to be a falling apart or an exit. It’s not in Vice President Michel Temer’s profile to abandon the government,” Silva said. The Rousseff camp, which calls the impeachment “a coup,” suffered another setback Friday when the Supreme Court ruled against two requests for an injunction against the process. One more remains to be decided on. If impeachment goes to the full lower house, Rousseff needs 171 votes — one third of the deputies — to clear herself. The same conditions would apply if the case passed in the chamber of deputies and went on to the Senate.
Campaign strategists explain Trinidad election loss PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad — A foreign consultancy firm has produced a report explaining why, in its view, the People’s Partnership (PP) coalition government in Trinidad and Tobago lost the September 2015 general election. Campaign strategists CTF Partners of London were hired to provide overview and manage the national election campaign for the PP, which comprised the United National Congress (UNC), the Congress of the People (COP), the Tobago Organisation of the People (TOP) and the National Joint Action Movement (NJAC), local media reported. The PP led by former prime minister Kamla PersadBissessar suffered a 23-18 defeat to the People’s National Movement (PNM). According to the report, the collapse of support for the COP in the Partnership,
the breakdown of communication between campaign teams, a local media bias against the former government, late selection of candidates, failure effectively to communicate achievements to the population while in office and the general negative perception of the government were some of the reasons the party lost. The Partnership’s general election campaign was centred on Persad-Bissessar with the theme “Kamla 2015”, an ultimately unsuccessful presidential style campaign in a Westminster style democracy. “All of the party’s private polling showed very clearly that Kamla was favoured over Rowley, but that the PNM was favoured over the UNC. Hence the decision to run a Kamla 2015 campaign,” stated the report. “Entirely unchaining KPB from her deeply unpopular party in voters’ minds was going to be difficult given the short period of time available to us. However we are abso-
lutely certain that if the ballot choice had remained PNM or UNC, the result would have been substantially worse for us,” it added. The report also defended as a success the “No Rowley” campaign, which was aimed at then leader of the opposition now prime minister, Dr Keith Rowley, and which was presumably instigated by CTF Partners. The “No Rowley” campaign included a controversial and probably counterproductive website www.norowley.com, which was originally registered by a Peter Loving of Front Digital in London but the public record was later changed to a “Domains by Proxy” private registration. The No Rowley initiative was designed to shift focus away from Jack Warner’s “pseudo-revelations” and although it received substantial criticism, it was effective in highlighting Rowley’s personal failures, the report said. (Caribbean News)
Sunday December 06, 2015
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Teenagers Michael Hendricks, Kimanda Hall top Rockville Promotions 4 Miles Road Race Teenagers Michael Hendricks and Kimanda Hall led the list of performers when the Rockville Promotions 4 Miles Road Race, sponsored by the Rockville Hotel and Bar of 108 Third Avenue Bartica, was staged on Tuesday last in the Mining Community. Seventeen year old Hendricks claimed the male category, while 13-year-old Hall led the females with an inspiring showing. More inspiring was the performance of 78-year-old Elaine Stephens, who not only fin-
Michael Hendricks ished the race but won her category.
This race commemorated World AIDS day celebrations in the community. It started at the Junction of the 4 Miles Potaro Housing Scheme on the Bartica Potaro Road. The respective winners and top three finishers were in line to receive $20,000, $10,000 and $5,000 respectively, compliments of the Rockville Hotel and the Promotions Group who are committed to the development of sports and cultural tourism in the area. The Regional Chairman has committed to ensure this
West Indies lose tour match by 10 wickets ESPNcricinfo - Jason Holder scored a half-century and the West Indians avoided an innings defeat, but those were about the only positives for the tourists on the final day of their tour game in Brisbane. A Cricket Australia XI featuring six players making their first-class debuts proved too strong for the West Indians, winning by 10 wickets after being set a meagre target of 10 for victory. West Indies had resumed on 7 for 125 and an innings
win for the CA XI seemed likely, but Holder and Kemar Roach were able to put off the defeat with a 79-run eight-wicket partnership that was the biggest of the innings. However, legspinner Cameron Boyce broke the stand when he had Roach caught for 36. Boyce picked up 4 for 64, also getting rid of Devendra Bishoo for 16, before Holder was the final man dismissed, off the bowling of Matt Short for 65. Holder’s innings featured four fours and three
sixes and ensured that his team at least avoided the ignominy of an innings loss, but the CA XI openers had no trouble reaching their target without loss. The West Indies squad travels to Hobart on Sunday ahead of the first Test against Australia, which starts on Thursday. Scores: Cricket Australia XI 444 and 0 for 13 beat West Indians 243 and 210 (Holder 65, Boyce 4-84, Lees 3-68) by 10 wickets.
Sunday December 06, 2015 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) Group activities or gettogethers with friends may not go as well as usual today. TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20) A separation from the special someone in your life, perhaps because of a minor disagreement, could have you feeling melancholy today. GEMINI (May 21–June 20) A touch of melancholy and moodiness might have you feeling distanced from your entourage and so you could throw yourself into solitary activities. CANCER (June 21–July 22) You feel romantic and sexy today, but you won't have the opportunity to do anything about it.
LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) Overspending on luxury items might have you feeling the need to tighten your belt a little. SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) Perhaps a family member is away, or there may have been some petty squabbles in your household. SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) The illness of a relative or neighbor might have you feeling downhearted t o d a y. CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19) Friends or groups could make excessive demands on your time today. As a generous and service-oriented person, you tend to go along with what others want.
LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) Today you may extend an invitation to someone close to visit you in your home, but don't count on the person being able to make it.
AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) Though you're usually outgoing, today you might feel more shy and reserved, perhaps because of melancholy thoughts about love or friendship.
VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) Today you may extend an invitation to someone close to visit you in your home, but don't count on the person being able to make it.
PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) Information regarding spiritual or philosophical matters that may not be all that trustworthy may come your way.
race is run annual due to the overwhelming response of the athletes and those who came out in their numbers to cheer them along the 4 miles stretch of road.
The Regional Administration and the National Sports Commission were among those asked to provide trophies for the winners. The Rockville Hotel Promotion
has planned the presentation of prizes for Sunday 20th December at the Rockville Hotel commencing at 5.00pm. On this day the Hotel will be officially opened.
Could Milerock defend hometurf... (Continued on page 73) Huggins. Captain Joel McKinnon, Jermaine Grandison and Akeem James will marshal the backline, while Martin Leacock will be stationed between the uprights For the Kings, the vetarn Winston Pompey is the key to any chance of victory, while strike partner Akeem Holder will also being relied on to get goals along with the in-form Alden Lawrence.
Then there is Captain Calvin DeSouza and Aubrey Gibson, two experienced players with immense skill and along with defenders Sherlock Dowding, Shawn Samuels, Samuel Blackett and Obesie Johnson, the team looks loaded with talent and players capable of taking them all the way. Goalkeeper Ron Collins is also expected to play a key role in their pursuit of victory. In the playoff for third
place, Topp XX takes on Winners Connection and this is a battle for bragging rights more than anything else so fans are in for a double delight. Meanhwile, both teams expressed confidence during a briefing yesterday in Georgetown. Miler o c k w a s r e p r e sented by their Captain Joel McKinnon and Manager og Kings Everald Mundy spoke on behalf of the club.
Giftland and its tradition of giving... (From page 77) nation’s biggest school sports event in 2010, as a national brand to really become the benchmark of all studentathletes. The sponsorship of Giftland moved from administrative assistance to the contribution of apparel to top performers in the Under-20 Category of the Track and Field Competition. The support was consistent as Giftland evolved into a Mall at Lot 1 Plantation Pattensen, Turkeyen. While it would have been practical for the establishment to abandon its support for local sport in an effort to rebuild its financial base after investing approximately US$30M in the Mall, Giftland instead matched its distinguished corporate and social responsibility in sport with its national and international evolution. It meant that while Giftland Mall, the home of Giftland Department Store, featuring SportsMaxx, Guyana’s largest sports store, was developing into an international brand, it had envisioned sport and its role as a part of that evolution. It is one of the reasons local sportsmen and women are the primary marketing images throughout the SportsMaxx Store. But more importantly, it is the one of the reasons that Giftland will be partnering with the School Championships in an extensive deal that will feature among other aspects, apparel for all the age group champions and enrolment into its ambassador programme. The programme will ensure that athletes become well-rounded individuals. It
will provide for the holistic development of student-athletes with similar clauses to scholarship. Student-athletes will be able to benefit from funding for school programmes and athletics participation, and training in fields crucial to their development like public speaking.
It is expected that these Giftland Ambassadors represent the company with distinction. However, the contracts will also feature disciplinary measures for athletes, who do not uphold the standards that Giftland hopes will reflect its refreshing national brand.
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“That continuous bowlers’ throwing controversy!” By Colin E. H. Croft Like Dominica, Windward Islands and West Indies offspinner Shane Shillingford, Trinidad & Tobago’s off-spinning “doosra” bowler, Sunil Narine, has had his bowling action, his future international bowling career even, nullified by tested results. When Shillingford had his bowling action problems; twice; I opined then that he was not at fault, since everyone around him, those who should have better guided him, from coaches in Windward Islands to those he operated under for West Indies, had only been telling “Shilli” that he was doing nothing incorrectly in delivery. In Narine’s case, that assertion is tripled. His club coach in T&T, his coaches when he played for T&T and relatively few times when he played for WI, even personnel at his home cricket board, have generally been telling him the same thing too for years: “Boy Sunil, there is nothing wrong with your action at all. It is all just jealousy because of your big successes. There is a big conspiracy against you!” That is the kind of absolute jackass-ness that has our cricket in such terrible depths of despair now. Bowling coaches have always been responsible for their charges’ problems, but you never hear
coaches’ names called in the eventual negative fall-out! If any bowler, on the beach or in international cricket, has been told, from the get-go, by peers, coaches, cricket boards even, that everything he/she has always done while bowling is legal and above-board, then that bowler does not have to change anything but just believe in that legality and carry on. Unfortunately, when it eventually comes down to embarrassment and stresses of being universally scrutinized, then banned; in Narine’s case, three separate situations; all that those lame coaches do is remind that player that, “whatever happens, we have your back and are with you!” What absolute crap! How the hell does that help Narine now, after he has gone through so much trauma for so many years, to now have his only tool of employment, his bowling action, not only questioned, but found to be illegal? Have you heard of any of Narine’s coaches taking responsibilities for that? I also maintain that regional umpires, as a body, are very weak. Shillingford and Narine have never been “reported” in the Caribbean before international umpires queried their bowling actions. During the recent All-Stars cricket series in USA, I had a tremendous conversation on
cricket with three international umpires; Steve Davis (Australia), Simon Taufel (Australia) and Marais Erasmus (South Africa); standing adjudicators of that series. Only the latter is still internationally active, but the knowledge, know-how and information imparted will last me a cricketing lifetime! Umpiring has never been easy, this coming from a past player who has had run-ins with umpires everywhere. While confrontational, I was always fair, if not always reasonable. These days, with at least ten television cameras and sound devices picking up every nick, umpires are under the pump, but, like bad cricketers, if they cannot cope, then they must also be pastured. What those three umpires explained fully was that the process of having a player’s action questioned, then if found dubious, to be “reported” after a game, then scrutinized and re-scrutinized, is a prolonged process of necessary checks and balances. In the distant past, as was done to my fast-bowling hero of all time, Barbados’ and WI’s Charlie Griffith, whose 77th birthday is 14th December next, and Australia’s leftarmed fast-man Ian MecKiff, once an umpire or cricket organization deemed or calls that bowler a “thrower”, that was that; career in jeopardy, maybe even, as in Meckiff’s
EBSC Busta festival semis on today The semi finals of the Enterprise Busta Sports Club (EBSC) T20 festival will be played today at Enterprise. The home club has two teams in the semi-finals and no doubt the players will look to make it an all Enterprise final next Sunday at the same venue. In the first game, starting at 09:30hrs, Enterprise A will confront Enmore, while at 13:00hrs, Enterprise XI will square off with Buxton. Notably, Enterprise A and Buxton suffered defeat in the quarter-finals against Golden Achievers and Bravados respectively. However, Golden Achievers and Bravados were disqualified for fielding players who were not on the original list submitted to the organisers. This left the organisers with no choice, but to award the matches to Enterprise A and Buxton. Meanwhile, there were several outstanding individual performances during the last round of matches, most notably from former national youth player Clive Andries. Playing for Buxton, Andries claimed two
Bhaskar Yadram five-wicket hauls and also made a half-century. Also picking up fivewicket hauls were Pradesh Balkisson (5-9) of Enterprise XI and Garfield De Roche (512) from Bravados. Among the runs was the in-form Bhaskar Yadram, who stroked an unbeaten 95 for Enterprise XI. Below are the summarised scores from the games. Buxton defeated Strathavon by 51 runs. Buxton 170-8 from 20 overs (Clive Andries 56, M. Dale 26, T. Tyndall 2-15, G. Hansraj
2-26) Strathavon 119 all out (P. Dutchin 39, G. Sugrim 38, Clive Andries 5-5). Enmore defeated Golden Achievers by 53 runs. Enmore 148-8 from 20 overs (I. Hassan 46, Christopher Surat 25, D. Ross 20, D. George 2-25) Golden Achievers 95 all out from 18.1 overs (S. Rutherford 22, R. Woolford 20, Satesh Jainarine 4-15, I. Hassan 3-20). Golden Achievers defeated Enterprise A by four wickets. Enterprise A 139 all out (Latchman Yadram 45, B. Deodat 25, A. Beepat 23, Keon Roberts 3-28) Golden Achievers 140-6 (E. Fernandes 47, Keon Roberts 25. B. Deodat 3-29). Enterprise XI defeated Enterprise B by 120 runs. Enterprise XI 172-2 from 20 overs (Bhaskar Yadram 95*, Kamesh Yadram 41) Enterprise B 52 all out (P. Ramkissoon 20, Pradesh Balkissoon 5-9). Bravados defeated Buxton by 17 runs. Bravados 95 all out (Clive Andries 5-13) Buxton 77 all out (Garfield 512). In the other game, Enmore gained a walkover from Better Hope.
case, career dead! Nowadays, it is much more in reference to a player’s financial livelihood from bowling in cricket. Therefore, negative assessments by standing umpires, match referees, adjudicating personnel and university laboratories, eventually International Cricket Council, must be seen to be correctly prescribed and completed. In Narine’s case, these have been done several times over. He has, again, been found to be in excess of ‘arm-flex’ allowed to be legal, which now puts his entire cricketing future in real jeopardy. But where are those most culpable elements in all this, those stupid, fawning coaches? To suggest that a bowler is “pelting”, per today’s cricketing rules, is very diffi-
cult, since no-one alive can precisely identify when an arm is “flexed” fifteen (15) degrees or more. That is why modern technology has had to become involved. No longer is a less that straight arm simply accepted as a “throw”. Nowadays, obviously, there are varying degrees of “pelting!” World-leading legal practitioners and experts suggest that “eye witnesses to any event make the worst witnesses in courtrooms, for eyes do not always tell the truth!” Remember that even international umpire Nigel Llong got it wrong recently despite the excellent technology available. Brian Lara, who also participated in All-Star games, and after whom that stadium
in Toruba, near San Fernando, was named, correctly commented that “being a good international cricketer does not necessarily make one a good coach.” Agreed, but some present coaches are so poor, because of their lack of international, even regional experiences, and fear, that they cannot or will not correct obvious bowling maladies. Enjoy! E-mail address c.e.h.croft@gmail.com
CGI Local Franchise League
Wins for Upper Corentyne, Essequibo, West Dem and NA Canje By Zaheer Mohamed Upper Corentyne, Essequibo, West Demerara and New Amsterdam Canje registered victories when the Cricket Guyana Inc Local Franchise League 50-over tournament commenced yesterday with four matches. Upper Corentyne defeated East Coast Demerara by two wickets. East Coast were sent packing for 78 in 34 overs after they were inserted at Enmore. Steady bowling by the Berbicians reduced East Coast to 38-6, but Paul Wintz and Ramnarine Chatura attempted to repair the damage with a seven-wicket stand of 35. But after Chatura went for 14 and Wintz departed for 20, no other batsman offered any resistance; Bhaskar Yadram had earlier made 16 as Shawn Pereira claimed 3-17, Eon Hooper 2-5, Jonathan Foo 218 and Balchan Baldeo 2-22. Upper Corentyne found themselves in early trouble at
19-7 before Sharaz Ramcharran (18) and Joshua Ramsammy (17) carried the score to 44 to keep their team hopes alive. East Coast struck again by removing them both, but the level-headed Hooper saw his team home with an unbeaten 19 as they finished on 81-8 in 39.2 overs. Gavin Moriah snared 3-23, Rajindra Naikbaran 2-13 and Wintz 216. At Bourda, Essequibo overcame West Berbice by 43 runs. Essequibo posted 190-9 off their allotted 50 overs, batting first. Anthony Adams struck 53 (3x4,5x6), Ricardo Adams 35 (4x4), Kevon Boodie 31 and Ricardo Peters 23. Steffan Adams claimed 321 and Kevin Jawahir 2-23. West Berbice were bowled out for 145 in 45.3 overs in reply. Avishkar Seewkarran made 37 and Raffell Estraido 30. Royan Fredericks and Ricardo Adams picked up three wickets each and Anthony Adams 2-19. At Wales, West Demerara
got the better of East Bank Demerara by four wickets. Batting first, East Bank managed 178 all out in 41.3 overs. Ershad Ali got 38, Bhojnarine Singh 28, Shawn Pooran 25 and Stephan Browne 21. Akshaya Persaud grabbed 435 and Mahendra Danraj 2-39. West Demerara replied with 179-6 in 38.3 overs. Persaud stroked 74 not out, Thburaj Ramdass and Keemo Paul 22 each. Browne and Ali had two scalps each. At Albion, New Amsterdam Canje beat Georgetown by five wickets. Georgetown took first strike and were skittled for 94 in 41.2 overs. Kwame Crosse scored 39, Kemol Savory 14 and Travis Blyden 12; Royston Crandon captured 3-9, Romario Shepherd 3-12 and Jomal La Fleur 2-17. New Amsterdam Canje responded with 95-5 in 17.5 overs. La Fleur led with 40 and Devon Clements 25. Kellon Carmichael bagged 4-31. The competition continues today.
UG Wolves set to defend title in annual Tobago international sevens tournament The most successful Sevens Rugby team over the past two years in Guyana, UG Wolves, are participating for the fourth time in the Tobago international tournament. The two-day tournament started yesterday and ends today. The student ruggers have been undergoing rigorous training under the well experienced coach Lawrence Adonis. The team, according to
Adonis, is expected to reap success again this year as the cohesion within the team is tightening. Adonis has led the team in 2014 to win the Calabash Cup in the said Tobago international tournament. UG Wolves has recently won the GRFU Sevens tournament, whipping all the local teams inclusive of the now powerhouse, Guyana Defence Force team. The team consists of twelve players, a coach and a
manager. The team reads: Mana g e r - L a v e r n Adonis Coach - Lawrence Adonis Players; Lancelot Adonis, Daniel Anderson, Godfrey Broomes, Ryan Dey, Elon Fordyce, Joshua Griffith, Phabien Joseph, Kiefer Lopes, Rondel McArthur (captain), Osei McKenzie, Malcolm Rhodius and Trevin Selman.
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Caribbean ‘Back to the Future’ Development Boxing Tournament
Glorious prognosis but need arises for introspection of local fraternity Says Michael Benjamin Amidst much pomp and ceremony the Caribbean Development Boxing Tournament, dubbed ‘Back to the Future,’ got underway at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall (CASH) on Thursday November 26 and after four nights of fistic fury, boxing administrators around the Caribbean, instead of declaring an overall winner, opted for a handshake and the collective view that the tournament had served its purpose of unifying the Caribbean nations. While the move may be regarded as commendable (bearing the unity concept in mind) the general view seems to suggest that Guyana failed to assert itself as the Caribbean powerhouse in the sport, a position it had enjoyed since time immemorial. Even the uninitiated that attended the tournament would admit that the bouts were qualitative even amidst the poor turnout of patrons. It is said that looking back may be counter-productive but the wisest among us will conform to a review of past systems to improve on those currently adopted. Guyana’s performance was not as dominating as it could have been thus confirming the harsh reality that our boxers’ standards have dipped considerably over the years. In summarizing the tournament, Mr. Ninvalle said that he is pleased with the general applications of the local team but most importantly he believes that the forum has served its purpose of uniting the various nations and as such the entire Caribbean has benefitted from the exercise. His views were echoed by several other Caribbean (boxing) stalwarts who have all been in the forefront of development of the sport in the region. Longstanding boxing stalwart and Secretary of the Special Tasks Committee, Barbadian, Kathy Harper Hall, expressed gratitude to Ninvalle and his (local) team while noting that they had accepted a late invitation to host the tournament after Aruba reneged in June. She feels that the tournament will serve as the launching pad for the development of the young boxers in the region. President of the Jamaica Amateur Boxing Association (JABA), Stephen Jones, echoed similar sentiments with flattering words, “Job Well Done! This was a huge undertaking but a much needed one and it took tremendous courage on the part of the host nation to be willing to stage
the first one,” he said. Mr. Jones further urged his colleagues of other territorial associations to “take the baton and run with it.” He feels that it is imperative that the tournament remain at the top of yearly priority list even if to enhance the Caribbean’s chances of medaling on the world’s larger platforms. President of the St Lucia Amateur Boxing Association (SLABA), David ‘Shakes’ Christopher, was especially enthused and expressed as much in a note to the GBA President, “What more can I say, the joy of being there and experiencing the satisfaction on the faces of everyone especially the young boxers brought tears to my eyes.” He said that he was also delighted by the presence of the members of the Republican Boxing Gym as they strengthened the view of (boxing) administrators of the sport’s ability to effect positive changes in the lives of young people that has (temporarily) gone astray. “Just seeing prisoners, incarcerated for transgressing the laws, receive a second chance to redeem themselves gives me greatest satisfaction,” noted Christopher. “All of the parties involved should take a bow,” he concluded. Such glorious commendations should not instigate complacency on the part of local administrators who initially had said that the tournament would serve a bifurcated objective; to enlighten them of the statuses of local pugilists and to give a clear indication of the quality of competition within the region. From a local perspective, the ‘Back to the Future’ tab was merely to suggest a replication of those days when local pugilists traded punches with their counterparts from the Caribbean, Latin America and further afield and procured lucrative accolades. During the late seventies/early eighties local amateur boxers matched the skills of their counterparts from Cuba, Santo Domingo, Venezuela and many other countries and held its own. Those countries have progressed rapidly even as our progress appears to be stilted. Boxing pundits will obviously experience bouts of nostalgia when they reminisce on those days when Cuban coach, Trotman Daly and other top notch trainers, would visit Guyana on Government exchange programmes and honed our boxers to competitive statuses. It’s no small wonder then that that period was our most prolific in the ‘squared
jungle.’ Small wonder, also that Guyana’s only Olympic success, a bronze by Michael Anthony Parris at the 1980 Moscow Games and a gold medal from Winfield Braithwaite at the Commonwealth Games Edmonton Canada, August 1978, were attained during that era. Feats of this nature were probably what inspired Mr. Ninvalle, to organize the just concluded championships after consultations with his Caribbean counterparts at meetings in Barbados and St Lucia earlier this year. The tournament was indeed competitive and Guyanese boxers started their trek on a positive note on the inaugural night, winning 4 of their 5 bouts. In time though, the other countries recovered and the disparity in skill and determination became apparent and when the smoke had eventually cleared, it was Barbados that carted off the lion’s
share of the medals with outstanding performances from Trinidad and Tobago. The selectors could not be faulted for the composition of the Guyana team since it was derived from the winners in the respective divisions at the National Open Championships. Middleweight boxer, Dennis Thomas, is arguably the most experienced of the lot and he was nominated to lead the Guyanese charge. The lanky pugilist started his trek on an inspiring note, defeating St Lucian, Arthur Langelier and followed up with a 2nd round TKO victory over Bahamian, Hubert Fernander. Thomas did not fare that well in his final bout and dropped a points decision to Jamaican, Johnathan Hanson. Much was also expected of light/welterweight pugilist, Dewani Lampkin and he easily won his first bout against St Lucian, Nathan Ferreri be-
fore replicating that victory against Barbadian, Justin Edwards. Lampkin’s sojourn ended disappointingly after he surrendered a points decision to Trinidad and Tobago’s Christian McDonald. Both pugilists felt that they were ‘done in’ by poor officiating and the prognosis of Ms Harper may have compensated when she remarked, “The competition was of a reasonably high standard in all divisions, and the officiating was acceptable although certainly nowhere near perfect.” Ms Harper emphatically stated that while they are interested in the overarching development of all of the boxers in the Caribbean, they were placing special emphasis on the Simon Pures in an effort to retain a strong culture. While such strategies are commendable, Ninvalle and his crew will also be required to place special emphasis on
the distaff sector. Of all the (local) females on show only Kesha Aroukium really demonstrated the skill required at this level. It would be interesting to note the strategies employed by the Ninvalle administration in effecting a positive turn around. The coaching team of Terrence Poole and Sebert Blake et al will also have its work cut out to remold a team and bring it on par with international standards based on their observations in the just concluded tournament. Indeed, Mr. Ninvalle has declared that every country had taken some positives from the tournament and should regard itself as a winner. This may be so but in the case of Guyana, only when strategies are employed to correct the detected anomalies can we truly say that the championships have served us well.
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Kaieteur News
Sunday December 06, 2015
Johnson (92) & Fudadin (94*) give Jaguars 23-run lead By Sean Devers in Trinidad In association with Raj Singh Insurance Brokers, Stag Beer & Noble House Seafoods An entertaining 138-run second wicket stand between Skipper Leon Johnson (92) and Assad Fudadin (94*) spearhead the Guyana Jaguars to 233-3 and a lead of 23 as they replied to Trinidad & Tobago’s Red Force’s first day 210 when day two of their fourth round WICB PCL four-day First-Class Franchise match at the Queen’s Park Oval was stopped due to bad light with nine overs to be remaining yesterday. Johnson’s 92 lasted 132 balls, 138 minutes and included seven fours and five sixes as the left-hander once again failed to convert a well compiled 25th fifty into a third First-Class ton, while Fudadin’s innings has spanned 234 balls, 324 minutes and included six fours and two sixes after he and Johnson joined forces at 10-1 when West Indies under-19 opener Shimron Hetmyer (7) was LBW to Guyanese born pacer Marlon Richards in the day’s third over. Fudadin was six short of his fifth First-Class hundred, while Shiv Chanderpaul was with him on 22 from 79 balls and 80 minutes at the close.
On a day blessed with glorious sunshine the Jaguars resumed on 9-0 in reply to the Red Force’s 210 and quickly lost Hetmyer, playing in his last game before leaving for the West Indies under-19 camp for next year’s U-19 World Cup. The 28-year-old Johnson flicked debutant pacer Uthman Muhammad to open his account with a boundary before he audaciously pulled the 26-old for four as he began in positive fashion before 30year-old Fudadin backed away and spanked Richards behind point for four. It is the Christmas season here in the Twin Island Republic but preparations for Carnival 2016 in February, which is the most important holiday for most Trinis, is already in full swing and although yesterday was Saturday the Stands remained virtually empty all day. The less that 25 fans in the Carib Beer stand watched as Johnson caressed Muhammad past mid-off for four on a track with some bounce but good for batting and the openers set a firm foundation for the Jaguars against an inexperienced T&T attack badly missing Gabriel, Narine, Emrit, Rampaul, Cooper, Bravo and Pollard. Narsingh Deonarine’s offspin was introduced in the 16th over and he spun one past Johnson, one of six lefthanders in the top order, in his first over. Richards and Deonarine operated in tandem in an all Guyanese bowling attack and both batsmen, especially Johnson
looked untroubled. Johnson cut leg-spinner Imran Khan disdainfully for four and looked in sublime form on the lush green and immaculately manicured outfield while Fudadin played the supporting role. Johnson slashed Deonarine for four to bring up the 50 in the 20th over before lofting Khan effortless over mid-off for a one-bounce boundary as the partnership gained momentum. Johnson danced into Khan and deposited him for six over long-off to gallop into the forties and clobbered leftspinner Kavesh Kantasingh for six to reach his fifty, while Fudadin was content to work the ball into the gaps and rotate the strike. The 100 was posted in 34th over but shortly after the landmark was reached Fudadin stretched forward to Jason Mohamed and was dropped at silly-mid off on 34 at 105-1 but the 100 partnership came up in the final over before Lunch which was taken at 112-1. The first session produced 103 runs from 34 overs and one wicket with Johnson on 65 and Fudadin on 38 being the not out batsmen at the interval. After Lunch Johnson waded into Richards and dumped him for a couple of sixes before swiveling and pulling him for four to race into the 80s. But when on 92, Johnson seemed to lose concentration and missed an impetuous sweep at Deonarine and was bowled off the under edge at 148-2. The inform Vishaul Singh
Athletes ready to sizzle at Flex Night Int. tonight @ NCC Pre-judging begins at 09:00hrs; Showtime is 18:00hrs By Franklin Wilson The best local athletes in the body building sector, male and female will be taking on their counterparts from Suriname this evening when the 2015 edition of Flex Night International (FNI) comes off at the National Cultural Centre from 18:00hrs. Regarded as one of the best bodybuilding shows locally in every aspect, Flex Night International 2015 promises to be the best yet and will be declared open by Minister Cathy Hughes. Local and foreign athletes have been working over the past months to whip their bodies into the best possible shape in order to walk away with the various category prizes and ultimately, the Mr.
Flex Night International title and bragging rights. According to FNI Managing Director, Donald Sinclair, both the local and foreign athletes are eager to take on each other for the top prizes at stake. Sinclair noted that sponsors have truly rallied behind the event, informing that COPAAirlines is offering a return ticket to New York as a gate prize. The top athletes will be rewarded handsomely with all finalists to be rewarded with trophies or medals while the top four in the overall to receive additional cash. Sinclair commented on the level of competition anticipated from the overseas athletes: “ This year it will be a tough call for the locals, since the Suriname contingent and
the USA competitor are all in fine shape, but the local men and women are ready for battle.” Set to attract close to 60 athletes on stage, Sinclair is firmly of the view that this year’s event will be the best ever since 98% of the competitors are stage ready veterans added to the fact that Suriname has sent their special forces. Also, about 12 athletes will appear on stage from the Prison Service where Flex Night has been set up a gym in association with Demerara Life Insurance Company. Patrons are asked to be on time for the traditional parade of athletes which will commence at 18:00hrs sharp. Tickets will cost $1,500 and it would be open seating.
joined Fudadin, who soon reached his fifty when he late cut Deonarine for four and together they pushed the Jaguars to 181-2 by Tea which was taken five minutes early after there was a hold-up for five minutes after Fudadin complained that a pair of lights on the Joey Carew Member Balcony was distracting him. The lights were eventually turned off and at the break Fudadin was unbeaten 64 and his Vice-Captain on 16. One ball was bowled after the break before a shower
sent the players scurrying off the field and when the action resumed after a delay of 15 minutes, Singh, the leading run scorer in this tournament, was run out by a direct hit to the non-striker’s end for 16 to leave the score on 183-3. After a quiet period between Fudadin and Chanderpaul, Fudadin lofted Khan for six against the run of play to give the Jaguars a batting point as they reached 200 in 76 overs as angry looking dark clouds hovered overhead.
Another shower stopped play at 16:00hrs and the game restarted 40 minutes later in sunshine and Chanderpaul whipped Kantasingh for four and along with Fudadin who played without taking any risks ensured that no other wicket fell before the close. Meanwhile, in the Jamaica versus Leewards game, the Leewards closed on 112 for 3 in their second innings. They had made 164 in their first and eventually dismissed Jamaica for 243 in their first inning for a lead of 23.
Smalta / Ministry of Public Health Girls Pee Wee Schoiols Football Competition
Champs Stella Maris and St. Stephen’s to repeat last year’s final
Part of yesterday’s action in the Smalta / Ministry of Public Health Girls Pee Wee Schoiols Football Competition. This year’s Smalta / Ministry of Public Health Girls Pee Wee Schoiols Football Competition will be a repeat of last year’s final that saw Stella Mari beat St. Stephen’s on penalty kicks to win the title. The two teams have once again set up a showdown after winning their respective quarter and semi-final encounters yesterday, at the Ministry of Education ground, Carifesta Avenue. Stella Maris led by a stunning free kick from Ludesha Reynolds in the 15th minute of play eliminated a stubborn North Ruimveldt unit, while St. Stephen’s beat South Ruimveldt 2-0 after regulation ended 1-1. Earlier, Stella Maris survived 4-3 on penalty kicks against West Ruimveldt, while St. Stephen’s edged Tucville 2-1. North Georgetown defeated Enterprise 2-0 in a penalty shootout after their encounter finished nil-all, while South Ruimveldt beat St. Pius 2-0. The day’s full results: Semi-finals Game-1 North Georgetown-0 vs Stella Maris-1 Ludesha Reynolds-15th Game-2 St. Stephen’s-1 vs South Ruimveldt-1
St. Stephen’s won 2-0 on penalty kicks St. Stephen Scorer Kizieya Phillips-6th South Ruimveldt Scorer Angel Davis-24th Quarterfinal Stage Game-1 North Georgetown-0 vs Enterprise-0 North Georgetown won 2-0 on penalty kicks Game-2 Stella Maris-0 vs West Ruimveldt-0 Stella Maris won 4-3 on penalty kicks Game-3 St. Stephen’s-2 vs Tucville Primary-1 St. Stephen’s Scorers Kizieya Phillips-6th Own Goal-16th Tucville Scorer Shenia Elexy-8th Game-4 St. Pius-0 vs South Ruimveldt-2 Lenisa John-10th and 14th 5-8 Positional Section Game-1 Enterprise-0 vs West Ruimveldt-1 Shemya Lewis-9th Game-2 St. Pius-4 vs Tucville Primary-0 Makhaya Hillman-1st and 11th Alesha Jackman-14th
Shania Watson-19th 9-16 Positional Section Game-1 St. Margaret’s-3 vs St. Ambrose-0 Reshana Bishop-9th, 15th and 18th Game-2 Sophia Primary vs St. Angela’s St. Angela’s won via walkover Game-3 Winfer Garden-0 vs St. Agnes-2 Jasmine Johnson-10th and 20th Game-4 Smith Memorial vs F.E. Pollard F.E. Pollard won via walkover Game-5 St. Margaret’s-0 vs St. Angela’s-0 St. Angela’s won 3-2 on penalty kcks Game-6 F.E Pollard-0 vs St. Agnes-0 F.E. Pollard won 2-1 on penalty kicks Game-7 St. Ambrose vs Sophia St. Ambrose won via walkover Game-8 Smith Memorial vs Winfer Garden Winfer Garden won via walkover
Sunday December 06, 2015
Kaieteur News
Page 83
Giftland and its tradition of giving to sports Athletes will benefit from apparel and more, compliments of Giftland SportsMaxx Store at its Mall at Lot 1 Plantation Pattensen, Turkeyen.
By Edison Jefford In a society where the corporate community is always indecisive on its support, and what exactly ought to be its role in the development of local sport, Giftland Mall is intent on championing new sports cultures in hope that their initiatives spread like an epidemic. In its infancy on Water Street, Giftland OfficeMax,
was a leader in trumping up support for sport and youth development. Nothing exemplified that move more than its consistent partnership with The Ministry of Education, and Guyana Teachers’ Union, National Schools’ Cycling, Swimming and Track and Field Championships. G i f t l a n d ’s s u p p o r t matched its potential on Water Street. The company,
still emerging, while not a conglomerate yet, managed to offer tremendous support through the supply of stationery to the Secretariat of the National Schools’ Championships. This relationship with the Championships began f o l l o w i n g t h e commencement of the rebranding, reorganisation and repositioning of the (Continued on page 73)
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Kaieteur News
Sunday December 06, 2015
Guyana’s ladies ready for the Suriname Flex Night challenge
Suelle Shepherd (2nd from left) and Joelle Issa (3rd from left) form part of Team Suriname for Flex Night.
The ladies events at the upcoming Flex Night International will be a straight clash between 5 of the best female physiques in Suriname and a determined 7-woman team from Guyana. The ladies from the two countries will be clashing in the Miss Flex Night Bikini and Miss Flex Night Best Legs events. With the 2014 Miss Bikini winner Shawnell Warner out of contention this year, the field is wide open for the likes of Fiano Spencer, Kavita Ganpat,
Kenita Wilkinson, Makila Goodluck, Tekisha Taylor, N a d i n a Ta h a r a l l y a n d Jennica Pluck to take the top honours from an inspired Suriname team that includes Suelle Shepherd, Joelle Issa, Vanity Boue, Pauli Militia and Shirley Parta. All 5 of the Suriname ladies possess stage experience, having competed in their local Miss Bikini competitions within the last 2 months. In the case of Guyana,
Flex Night will be the baptism for Tekisha Taylor who, although possessing considerable experience as a stage dancer, will be making her debut on the competitive Miss Flex Night Bikini stage. Kavita Ganpat and Kenita Wilkinson, although competing and placing at the Fitness Paradise Gym Expo, will be tasting the Flex Night stage for the first time.
GTT / Limacol Round Robin / Knockout Football Competition
Major sponsors pleased with organisational efficiency and standard of play The two major sponsors of the GTT / Limacol Round Robin / Knockout Football Competition which is set to conclude today in the Mining Town of Linden have both agreed that they are pleased with the level of organisational efficiency and standard of play witnessed so far and are hoping that the final exceed all expectations. Speaking with the media on Friday, a representative from GTT said that they are happy with the way the tournament has been conducted, adding that they were confident that the Petra Organisation was capable enough to run off a successful competition. The Telephone Company rep added that the mere fact that they were able to secure confirmatioin and subsequent participation from teams in three different associations speaks volumes about their ability to forge friendships and co-operation among the various associations and this is a good development for the sport which has suffered so much in recent times. New GPC representative
Dwayne Lovell whose enity’s involvement comes under its Limacol brand said the Organisation was doing a very good job judging from all the reports and they are happy to be part of the tournament. He pointed to the inclusion of teams from three different associations as testimony to the ability of the Organisation to bring togetherness to a fraternity that has struggled in the past to do so. Lovell said given the fact that Limacol is a prominent stakeholder in cricket and has seen it fit to get on board with football is a true testimony to their commitment towards the development of sports locally. He further stated that Petra Organisation should be commended for the work that they are doing in helping to foster the development of football, while also crediting them with executing a good tournament. The final is between Linden’s Milerock and East Coast Demerara’s Victoria Kings at the Mackenzie Sports Club ground.
Fairfield overcome Better Hope Host Fairfield defeated Better Hope by seven wickets when the East Coast Demerara Cricket Association Tropical Spring P u r i f i e d Wa t e r U 1 9 tournament continued recently. Batting first, Better Hope were bowled out for 126 in 21 overs. Ravendra Danraj scored 29 and
Ronald Basdeo 24. Motelall Chatura claimed 4-18 and Rajendra Singh 3-18. Fairfield replied with 127-3 in 24 overs. Vishwanauth Ramlakhan struck 72 not out and Vishal Persaud an unbeaten 20. Jayadev Mana took 2-26. The game was reduced to 30 overs. The competition continues today.
Sunday December 06, 2015
Fenty/Leacock retain Title Dey/Lopes finish Year End season strong
Kaieteur News
GTT / Limacol Round Robin / Knockout Football Competition
Could Milerock defend home turf against confident Kings? THE Mackenzie Sports Club is set to come alive today when their very own Milerock FC opposes East Coast Demerara Victoria Kings in the final of the GTT / Limacol Round Robin / Knockout Football Competition.
Aretta Dey and Daniel Lopes T h e T r o p h y S t a l l partnership came to end as Doubles Championship they were dispelled from the closed with nail biting c o m p e t i t i o n b y t h e matches with the best of the d e f e n d i n g c h a m p i o n s best squaring off for the title Nicholas Fenty and Leyland o f M i x e d D o u b l e s Leacock 6-4, 6-4. champion. Daniel Lopes and Fenty/Leacock had an Aretta Dey, who have early break of serve and took become a formidable force a 5-2 lead. While the game in the category after their appeared to be quickly recent decision to become slipping from the grasp of partners, had a battle in the Andrews/Lopes, they held first set of the finals. Nicolas and immediately broke to go G l a s g o w a n d N i c o l a back on serve 5-4. Serving to Ramdyhan outplayed them stay in the set proved to be a in the set and proved to be tougher challenge for the better in almost every pair which Fenty/Leacock department of their game took great advantage over by and closed an easy set 6-3. holding their nerves and However, the momentum broke again to secure the set. shifted in the second set as Once again, Fenty/Leacock Lopes/Dey took an early took an early break in the break of serve to move ahead second set and was broken 2-0. It appeared that break later in the set to go back on was all they needed as they 4-3. Fenty, who held serve quickly settled and secured comfortably throughout the the second set 6-2. match, found himself 15-40 Both teams held to open down on his serve but he the pivotal set however wasted no time in erasing breaks were traded. The will break opportunities and power and determination of secured the set at 6-4. Lopes and Dey gave an extra Fenty/Leacock then went edge in the game as they into the finals to face Harry etched another break to close P a n d y a n d A n t h o n y the set at 6-4, crowning them Downes. Unfortunately, one this year’s Trophy Stall of their opponents had an Mixed Doubles Champions. emergency travel which T h e r a c e t o t h e gave the pair a walkover, s e m i f i n a l s b y J a s o n crowning Fenty/Leacock as Andrews and Daniel Lopes 2 0 1 6 M e n ’s D o u b l e s i n t h e i r i n a u g u r a l Champions.
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The hosts will be depending on the prolific Clarence Huggins to lead their quest for victory; Denzil Fordyce and Randy Jerome are expecte d t o p l a y a pivotal role alongside (From page 79)
Tournament organiser Troy Mendonca (centre) poses with Everal Mundy (left) of Victoria Kings and Milerock’s Captain Joel McKinnon yesterday.
t r o Sp
Johnson (92) & Fudadin (94*) give Jaguars 23-run lead
The short leg takes evasive action as Assad Fudadin pulls Imran Khan yesterday at the Oval.
Athletes ready to sizzle at Flex Night Int. tonight @ NCC Pre-judging begins at 09:00hrs; Showtime is 18:00hrs
Some of the local and overseas athletes posing during final preparations on Friday night at Fitness Paradise gym.
GTT / Limacol Round Robin / Knockout Football Competition
Could Milerock defend home turf against confident Kings? 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