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Kaieteur News
Kaieteur News Printed and Published by National Media & Publishing Company Ltd. 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown, Guyana. Publisher: GLENN LALL Editor: Adam Harris Tel: 225-8465, 225-8491. Fax: 225-8473, 226-8210
EDITORIAL
WE CONDONE CORRUPTION IN GUYANA
Guyana never escapes international attention when it comes to corruption. The fact that the country is rated as one of the most corrupt in the world is not something that we should take lightly. It is most embarrassing and it exposes the will, or lack thereof, of the authorities to stamp out this most heinous practice. Listening to those who prefer to pull wool over the eyes of the people, one would sincerely believe that corruption is not a norm in the society. There is the often repeated line that all who have evidence of corruption should provide same for appropriate action to be taken. There are many people who have done so and got nowhere. The so-called authorities are not bothered about the level of corruption in the society. The corrupt practices are many. There is the clear signal that people could expect no action even if they are caught. Corruption in the police force has been a concern for quite some time. One remembers several years ago when the drug enforcement unit busted a man who was supposed to be trafficking in cocaine; as this man attempted to board a flight out of the country. The corruption took the form of the ranks manipulating the evidence so that any conviction was impossible. They first reported on the colour of the suitcase in which the drug was found, but by the time the suitcase containing the drug had reached CID headquarters, its colour had changed three times. As far back as 2000, the government was provided with evidence of rampant corruption, particularly among people who held high office in the land. One remembers convicted United States consular officer at the Georgetown embassy, Thomas Carroll, speaking of so much corruption that helped him make millions of dollars by selling visas when he was grilled by his captors. This information was made available to the Guyana government but, as we had come to expect, nothing was ever done. No one was ever brought to book. In any other society, the people involved would have been called on to resign and in others they would have faced criminal charges. But not in Guyana. This culture of corruption reaches down to the root of our society. We have often heard of low level (and admittedly inadequately remunerated) civil servants demanding money to provide a service for which they are paid from the public treasury. They take money to deliver birth certificates, to provide copies of administrative documents like transports and the like; there are those teachers who, despite drastic measures and improved systems being put in place, are still risk taking money to place children in schools for which they are not qualified; and there are those persons who would think nothing of paying policemen to look the other way. Policemen are being found to have conducted robberies while others have been known to loan their firearm to criminals to execute robberies. We have cases of public officers defrauding the government and simply being transferred or sent on leave. How can we justify ignoring the incompetence of public officers, right to the point where the higher authorities excuse their incompetence and reinstall them? A statement attributed to the local arm of Transparency International in relation to the international body’s Annual Corruption Perception Index (CPI) speaks volumes of how Guyana is being seen by reputable entities worldwide. “The ranking of Guyana on the 2014 CPI is just another international indicator which taken together with the local reality, simply increases the public perception that
Saturday December 06, 2014
Letters... Where your views make the news
The PSC is not credible enough to negotiate an end to the Parliamentary impasse DEAR EDITOR, Yesterday there was a new issue in the press about the members of the Private Sector Commission (PSC) making a proposal to end the prorogation impasse. What crassness? When you have PPP apologists dominating all the proceedings of the Board meetings either directly or by proxy, do the people or anyone in the opposition think the Commission’s work will have any independence or credibility? The PSC in our opinion has no integrity and no moral ground to stand on. Would anyone believe or accept any proposal from the PSC which at all times has supported the actions of the PPP? This is like putting a cat to watch milk. Nothing coming out of the Private Sector Commission should be adhered to followed or accepted by anyone. Not once did the PPP apologists criticize the PPP for their wrongdoing, inept policies, or simply for their foolish actions. Where was the PSC when Ramotar prorogued Parliament? Did the PSC ever call on
Jagdeo or Ramotar to establish the Procurement Commission? Where was the PSC when Jagdeo gave away the airwaves to friends and relatives of the PPP? Did the PSC ever rebuke the president for disrespecting Parliament by not assenting to the bills passed by the assembly? As far as we can remember, the PSC has never criticized the PPP for its corrupt practices, or for spending the taxpayers’ money without P a r l i a m e n t a r y approval. Why did the PSC remain silent when Priya Manickchand cussed-down the US Ambassador at his residence and when Anil Nandlall issued threats against the Publisher, Glenn Lall and the staff of Kaieteur News? They have said absolutely nothing about Nandlall’s vulgar and disgraceful behaviour, his attempt to pimp a young reporter from Kaieteur News for his aged relative, and his admitted use of taxpayers’ money for a private family matter. Not to mention their silence on confidential tax
information of Kaieteur News being given out to a private citizen. It is very clear to the people that the PSC cannot be trusted because it is very closely aligned to the PPP cabal and will fiercely criticize those who attack them. We want the people to know that the PSC has not said anything about the constant vile reports against the two opposition parties from the PPP-aligned media entities, but it has continuously criticized Kaieteur News for its practical and sound reporting. The PSC ought to know by now that the vast majority of people purchase and read Kaieteur News because it is the “Truth Detector” for all Guyanese, even those at Freedom House. As a matter of fact, we were reliably informed that Kaieteur News is being read daily by the entire PPP leadership, including every minister in the government, before they leave for work. The reason is that they are very nervous about what will be published about them. The PSC will not and
cannot fool anyone in Guyana, not even the supporters of the PPP, because they know that no one in the PSC is objective or bold enough to speak out against the PPP excessiveness and lawlessness. What these PPP apologists who dominate the PSC fail to acknowledge is that the nation has seen through their hypocrisy and wicked attempts to keep the incompetent Ramotar minority regime in office by using devious and crafty strategies to hoodwink the majority opposition. The PSC members have not done a very job in trying to hide their political stripes; therefore the opposition will ignore these charlatans, because they know how to deal with them. The same is true for the majority of Guyanese. Simply put, the PSC stands for nothing, defends no one except the PPP cabal, remains mute on PPP wrongdoing and criticizes the opposition and those who speak out against corruption and oppose the PPP. Asquith Rose and Harish Singh
It is clear some folks know their history but have not learnt the lessons of history DEAR EDITOR, Friday 5 December 1919 was a very important day in Guyanese history. Yet none of our historians and none of our history books have made this public knowledge. Yesterday, Friday 5 December 2014, marked the 95th anniversary of British Guiana (Guyana) being offered by the British Government to India as an Indian Colony. Known as the British Guiana Colonisation Scheme, it was based on “free immigration of Indian Agricultural families”. Much of this plan can be found in the Pioneer “Colonising British Guiana. Inducement to Indians: Facility for Land”, Thursday December 11, 1919, page 6, and in the Liberal (Lahore) Indian National Congress Special Number Monday, the 29th December 1919. The Scheme, among other inducements to Indian
settlers, provided them with free passage and guaranteed employment on equitable wage. For those who do not believe this hidden part of our history, the Guyana Reparations Committee suggest as further reading the Combined Court Proceedings No. 14/1923 C.S.O.4399/23 nag Georgetown, page 20 where it is written “As our population is now about 45 % Indian (145,000) and our Constitution involves equally of all races , we are really offering India a Colony of its own on the North Eastern Coast of South America, with fertile soil and a healthier climate than that of India or of any large tropical Colony”. T h r o u g h t h e Colonisation Scheme it was argued by Dr. Nunan that India was being offered a Colony of its own in distant South America. This offer to India was debated for 10
corruption remains a chronic problem in Guyana of crisis proportions.” It will take a Herculean task to rid this country of corruption. We sadly believe that things would only get worse, because those not yet corrupt are beginning to realise that corrupt transactions really do pay and can actually enhance their lifestyles.
years from 1919 to 1929. Many delegations visited Guyana, India and Britain during this time. Delegations such as the Nunan-Luckhoo Delegation investigated the offer. The Indian Government named Mahatma Gandhi as the final arbiter of the offer. Gandhi viewed the offer with great caution and suspicion and was only willing to consider the offer if the Indian immigrants would be granted equal rights. Many Indians leaders such as C.F. Andrews and Benrisdas Chaturvedi were involved in this decade-long assessment. The Indian Government established many groups to assess the offer. There was a select Committee of the Central Legislative Council. There was a three-man Commission comprised of Dewan Bahdur P. Kesava Pillay and V.N Tiwary. This was called the Pillay Commission Ultimately Gandhi said no to the offer. He saw it as Britain seeking cheap labour to exploit. His views were that “Englishmen in South Africa are no worse than in India or Fiji or British Guiana”. Some sections of
the Indian Press were also opposed to the idea as well as other prominent Indian voices. Many things were tried by the British to encourage Indian Colonisation of Guyana. In 1928, Governor Sir Guggisberg proposed a model land settlement in the Colony and so in 1929 Bush Lot Essequibo came into being. The end of the Scheme came about after a visit by C.F. Andrews in 1929. M u c h o f G u y a n a ’s history has been hidden from the Man in the Street. Both former President Cheddi Jagan (born in 1918) and former President Forbes Burnham (born 1923) spent their early years while this debate was hot. R e c e n t l y, S u l t a n Mohamed wrote about God creating different races for different things and suggested that Indians were again superior to Africans and that God deemed them to do different things and for one to rule the other. Given his racist proposals on Federalism, where Indians would control Essequibo and Berbice, it is clear some folks know their history but have not learnt the lessons of history. Eric Phillips
Saturday December 06, 2014
Kaieteur News
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Letters... Where your views make the news Letters... Where your views make the news
What a ridiculous state of affairs! DEAR EDITOR, As a former Human Resource Practitioner in the private sector, now practicing in the Caribbean, I take with interest matters in industrial relations and human resource management in Guyana in general and the sugar industry in particular, and in this regard I make reference to the article captioned “GuySuCo, Union deadlocked over fired Skeldon Worker” that was carried in your December 4, 2014 edition. The positions articulated by GuySuCo and GAWU on whether the arbitration tribunal appointed to deliberate over the dismissal of Daniel Stephen has been duly concluded or not are not only mind-boggling, but equally amusing, because the positions are at variance like both ends of a magnet. It is incomprehensible that a clear position of the sole arbitrator, Mr. Mohamed Akeel, a retired, experienced and learned government labour officer could not be deduced by the two parties. The sugar company’s interpretation of the arbitrator’s position is that dismissed worker, Daniel Stephen, “is to remain off the job until the arbitrator submits his award, and that GAWU was taking it upon itself to instruct the worker (Stephen) to go back to his duties”. The Union, on the other hand, is insisting “that the proceedings (arbitration) came to an end on November 26”. Further, according to the Union, Akeel made it clear in his last session on November 26, 2014 that “if we (GuySuCo/ GAWU) don’t agree to move forward by altering the Terms of Reference which I cannot force, my duty (which is) based on the Terms of Reference is finished, because there is no
disciplinary action for me to inquire into, so the matter is concluded here”. Editor, if what the Union is interpreting here, Akeel has certainly concluded the proceedings; as such there should be no room for ambiguity by either party. What therefore is Akeel’s position? Has he concluded the proceeding or not? He needs to be pellucid as to whether he has closed the matter, and if he did, then it brings to the fore the contentious clause in the Terms of Resumption, which in your September 25, 2014 edition captioned “Strike over as GuySuCo agrees to stay Skeldon’s worker dismissal” says that “The agreement further specifies that the dismissal of Daniel Steven will be amended to suspension without pay until the end of either conciliation or arbitration proceedings.” It means, therefore, that if Akeel has indeed brought the arbitration proceedings to an end on November 26, and has failed to make an award, then in accordance with the Terms of Resumption, Steven’s suspension automatically came to an end on November 26, and the gentleman should have resumed his duties on the estate. The Terms of Resumption does not state if the matter remains unresolved it will go beyond arbitration. It means therefore that since Akeel, in the Union’s interpretation, has brought the proceeding to an end and an award was not made then Steven remains suspended forever! What a ridiculous state of affairs! I think the Union was in good order when it refused the arbitrator’s request to “alter” the Terms of Reference, because one cannot change the rules of game when the game has already started. Akeel, I presume, must have
had a preliminary meeting when the Terms of Reference was presented to him as the instrument of his appointment as the sole arbitrator. Why then, as an experienced labour relations practitioner, did he not discover that the said Terms of Reference was deficient? It is unprecedented, unless Akeel could prove me wrong, to have a Terms of Reference “altered” when the proceeding has started. The recourse to do so is either to abort the proceedings completely and re-appoint another tribunal with the desired Terms of Reference or request the parties to mutually agree to an amendment; failing which the tribunal automatically terminates itself. This arbitration is administratively and procedurally bungled up, starting with the parties not too clear on the operative of the contentious clause of the Terms of Resumption, and ending with the arbitrator accepting a job and not knowing what guides his deliberations. This bungling up cannot be reconciled; as such the more viable option, taking into consideration the seemingly acrimonious relationship between the two parties as demonstrated by their vitriolic press statements, is to allow Daniel Steven to return to work, and the period that the gentleman was off the job be treated as suspension without pay. It’s grossly unfair to allow Steven to suffer indefinitely because of the lack of a common understanding on whether an arbitration tribunal has been concluded or not by the leaders of GuySuCo and GAWU and a retired, learned labour officer who seems confused whether he himself has concluded the tribunal or not. Mohamed Sayad
Altruism? No Way! Not enough to make them stay DEAR EDITOR, I read with a troubled heart the impassioned plea of Vishnu Bisram (Kaieteur News, December 5, 2014) that the carjacking and robbery of Sukra and Indira Singh should not deter us from giving, especially in the spirit of the festive season. Rest assured that I am in full accord with Mr. Bisram, but at the selfsame wish to unhesitatingly state that his plea may be falling on deaf ears. As is noted, the Singhs returned to their adopted homeland the very next day, despite the added expenditure accompanying such a move. Their reaction to the robbery can certainly be viewed as being symbolic of their level of disgust, frustration, hurt and anger. Call it what you may, but they didn’t want to stay. Having no money certainly wasn’t funny. Currently in Guyana, the criminals regardless of level seem to be running rampant and running things. Only in Guyana can some barefaced criminal acts be perpetrated on a continuous basis, even in glaring daylight, and the perpetrators being able to elude the long arm of the law. Granted the Singhs were religious, good-hearted people, but they were not robbed on account of their moral standings or religious stance, but instead because they had what the thieves desired. This incidentally was one robbery that need not have happened if the measures designed to protect overseas residents, who seem to fall easy prey to carjackings and armed attacks once they depart the airport, were instituted as previously promised/recommended. Do not for one moment become myopic or amnesic, for the robbery became just
one of the many such incidents evolving around overseas residents who become easy prey once they have cleared their baggage and have left the confines of Cheddi Jagan International Airport, so few hours after touching down and setting foot once again on their native soil. Perhaps, at this juncture it is timely to alert Mr. Bisram to the strange but true fact that although resident overseas, many Guyanese still keep en courant with happenings in their homeland. Please check the recent Government of Canada travel advisory on their website, for people travelling to Guyana. It reads thus: GUYANA - Exercise a high degree of caution: There is no nationwide advisory in effect for Guyana. However, you should exercise a high degree of caution due to high crime rates. For some overseas residents, returning to Guyana for even the briefest of time calls for the summoning of mental and emotional fortitude, from the onset of the very thought. While there has been evident economic and social progress in Guyana, yet there are so many occurrences, especially the lifestyle and the crime rate, which force a serious rethinking, and expression of
gratitude to the Almighty for our absence from it all. Remember the old adage “nobody runs from good”, and “only fools rush in”. When the legal system in Guyana starts the much needed remedial measures towards curbing the crime situation, especially for returning natives, by sending loud, clear and strong messages, viz: restitution of money stolen, lengthy prison sentences with hard labour etc., all intended to serve as deterrents to any and all other likely perpetrators, then and only then would the feeling of caring and sharing translate into yearning and returning. For many of us natives currently residing overseas, we are merely existing on the pleasant memories we once had when Guyana was Guyana, our home and native land, the only Englishspeaking country on the mainland of South America. So let me make a statement— -while the land is being healed, laws are being put in place to correct the flaws, over here we will stay and pray that in Guyana a change is not too out of range. To be patriotic should not be idiotic. Certainly God on Guyana is looking down hopefully with a smile and not a frown. Yvonne Sam
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OAS, Commonwealth indicate willingness to intervene in political crisis - House Speaker By Abena Rockcliffe As Regional and International bodies continue to pay keen attention to the politics of Guyana, House Speaker, Raphael Trotman told Kaieteur News that The Commonwealth of Nations and the Organization of American States (OAS) have indicated willingness to aid in putting an end to the political impasse. The political atmosphere became intense this year after the Alliance For Change (AFC) alleged that the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) administration overstepped its boundaries in spending over $4B without parliamentary approval and tabled a No-Confidence Motion in the National Assembly. On November 10, President Ramotar, in an effort to avoid the No-Confidence Motion, prorogued Parliament with the hope that he could have somehow convinced the opposition to change course.
However, the Opposition has refused to engage in dialogue with the government during this time of prorogation, and so everything remains at a standstill. The prorogation, which attracted worldwide attention, was almost a month ago, but nothing has changed so OAS and the Commonwealth now wants to see how best they can intervene in the best interest of the country. This was communicated to Trotman who sits at the helm of the National Assembly which is regarded as the most important arm of the Parliament. Yesterday Trotman had a conference call from Commonwealth’s Deputy Secretary-General; Deodat Maharaj which he said “went well.” The Speaker told Kaieteur News that Maharaj indicated to him that his organization is very much aware of what is going on in Guyana and will continue to keenly follow.
Trotman said that Maharaj assured him that the Commonwealth is fully willing to be used as a platform upon which dialogue between the Government and Opposition can be mounted once, of course, all stakeholders agree. The Speaker said that he recommended that the body send out an official statement to this effect. Trotman also told Kaieteur News that the OAS also contacted him and basically indicated similar willingness. He said that, that body also indicated that it is following what is going on in Guyana and queried if there is room for intervention. Trotman had written a letter urging the Londonbased Commonwealth Secretariat to intervene in the political crisis spurred by the President’s decision to suspend parliament. In his letter to Commonwealth Secretary General (SG) Kamalesh Sharma, Trotman requested that a delegation be sent to
Guyana to engage the political Opposition and Government in breaking the political gridlock. Trotman wrote “The Guyana Parliament, as a Member of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, urges you to use your good offices, together with the entire weight of the Association, to intervene so that we could have a return to normalcy.” “I invite you to send a delegation to Guyana to engage all sides of this disagreement so that this unhealthy situation may be brought to a speedy and peaceful end,” Trotman continued. Though Guyana’s constitution gives the President the authority to prorogue Parliament, “the framers of our Constitution could never have intended that such authority would be used arbitrarily, or as a shield by a minority Government against the majority of the elected members of Parliament,” Trotman told the
Commonwealth Deputy Secretary-General, Deodat Maharaj Commonwealth. During his recent appearance on the radio programme ‘Hard Talk’ aired on 90.1 Love FM, Trotman expressed his opinion that there should be dialogue and said that he thinks it is the only way to move forward. Even as he admitted that the Opposition has a right to reject the President’s request for dialogue, Trotman said, “I
Raphael Trotman Speaker of the National Assembly believe dialogue is a must, an imperative. If you’re fighting, at the end of the battle you must talk. We cannot avoid dialogue, particularly when we are in a country that has factions and it is fractured.” He believes that a mediator may assist in breaking the political gridlock. The passage of the No Confidence Motion would have seen Parliament being dissolved and the holding of General and Regional Elections.
Call elections and let’s get on with it Call elections and let’s get on with it, is the exhortation of Alliance for Change Leader (AFC), Khemraj Ramjattan, who yesterday preempted Head of State Donald Ramotar’s, awaited address to the media/public today. The AFC Leader during a brief interview with this publication said that elections can be held as early as March next year, a reality that would have eventuated from a successful passage of the No Confidence Motion his party had initiated. Ramjattan is adamant that
- Ramjattan dares President there is no other recourse as there is no other forum for talks as it relates to the Administration and the AFC. Ramjattan, whose party is also heading to its General Council meeting today to among other things elect its office bearers, feels that Parliament should be dissolved now. He did caution that while the party’s Vice Chairman Moses Nagamootoo, has been nominated Presidential Candidate and Chairman
Nigel Hughes, nominated Prime Ministerial Candidate, those elections will not be held today. According to the party leader, those elections will not be had until President Ramotar calls a date for elections but in the meantime, the party will still continue to do its ground work in anticipation of going to the polls. Ramjattan however, is
adamant that the only way to break the current political impasse is for the President when he addresses the nation today, to announce a date for elections and for Guyanese to head to the polls. While Ramjattan holds this view, Opposition Leader, David Granger told the media yesterday that he is not optimistic about seeing a positive outcome from the
CORRECTION The article headlined “Patentia shallow grave murder…Tenant accused of killing landlord ‘unfit to stand trial’” published in our December 4 edition inadvertently stated that it was Justice Brassington Reynolds who ruled that murder accused Andre Hurdle was unfit to stand trial. It should be noted that it was a 12-member jury that returned the verdict that the accused was unfit to plead. Justice Reynolds had directed the jury who heard the psychiatrist’s testimony to determine whether the accused was fit or not to face trial. Kaieteur News regrets the error.
President’s announcement on the way forward. The A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) Leader said that while Ramotar is expected to announce a solution to the impasse, he doubts it will be ‘a way forward.” Granger made the point that the manner in which the Head of State has been dealing with national issues has not resulted in one single positive outcome for the citizenry. He noted that Ramotar has failed in announcing a way that leads to progress with regard to the annual budget, local government elections and even the antimoney laundering legislation. “So I don’t expect much and I wouldn’t be disappointed,” he added. Earlier this week, head of the Presidential Secretariat, Dr. Roger Luncheon announced that today Head of State, President Donald Ramotar will inform the nation on the way forward following what he called a “disappointing” response by the Opposition Leader David Granger to a November 18, letter inviting him to engage in dialogue on the way forward. According to Dr.
Khemraj Ramjattan Luncheon, “There can be little doubt that general elections are gaining currency as a reasonable and acceptable alternative to talks among parliamentary political parties,” Dr. Luncheon stated. The President, he said, has two options to choose from, following his decision to prorogue Parliament. These options are either to dissolve the Parliament and call general and regional elections within a 90-day period, or end the prorogation of Parliament. The third option has been discounted since the President indicated that he will not be extending the period of prorogation, a second time. According to Dr. Luncheon, the government has not been able to achieve the objectives of the almost one-month old prorogation.
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THE MARCH IS ON
Trinidad Express - The Joint Trade Union Movement’s (JTUM) national march against corruption kicked off yesterday afternoon in Port of Spain. The march, led by Oilfield Workers Trade Union (OWTU) president general Ancel Roget, began at Woodford Square and proceeded through Port-ofSpain. It ended with a rally at the band stand on the western end of Independence Square. The rally would include trade union leaders, civil society leaders and disgruntled workers.
JTUM claimed Thursday that the Government was mobilising Community-Based Environmental Protection and Enhancement Programme (CEPEP) workers to intimidate members of the demonstration. “It has come the JTUM’s attention that the government is mobilizing CEPEP workers to come to Port of Spain today. This tactic is similar to those they have used for the past demonstrations organized by JTUM. We condemn such abuse of CEPEP Workers for political expediency,” JTUM stated.
Roget said there was a number of revelations of corruption within Trinidad and Tobago and that Prime Minister as leader ought to take responsibility for what was happening. He said the demonstration was against massive corruption within the state of affairs in the country. He said Prime Minister Kamla PersadBissessar should be held accountable. JTUM has invited nonGovernmantal organisations, youth groups, churches and political parties excluding those belonging to the People’s Partnership.
IMF head warns of bumpy road for Latin America SANTIAGO, Chile (AP) — Latin America faces a rocky road ahead despite social and economic achievements in recent years, the head of the International Monetary Fund said yesterday. IMF director Christine Lagarde said that for two decades, most Latin Am erican nations have achieved low inflation, fiscal discipline, and financial stability. “These economies thrived because of their sound, rule-based policy frameworks, rising commodity prices, and favorable global financial conditions,” Lagarde said at a regional summit in Santiago. Despite im p r e s s i v e achievements, “the road ahead looks increasingly bumpy” for the region’s economies, she said. Lagarde said Latin America’s outlook will now be influenced by shifting economic and financial conditions worldwide. She said that while the U.S.
Christine Lagarde appears on the path to recovery, prospects for the eurozone countries are uncertain and the outlook for China has cooled. Putting extra pressure on Latin American economies, commodity prices that lifted the region for more than a decade are now falling and the era of easy financing will soon end, said Lagarde. She said that regional economic growth is expected to remain at 1.3 percent this year and 2.2 percent in 2015. Latin America must now invest more in structural reforms in education and infrastructure to lift productivity and create
economic diversification, the IMF chief said. Lagarde said Latin America’s middle class had grown by about 50 percent since 2003, partly because of a reduction in labor income i n e q u a l i t y, including through rising minimum wages. Improved healthcare and education have also helped reduce inequality in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Mexico and Uruguay by 10 to 20 percent between 2000 and 2007, she said. But social indicators remain w e a k e r, a n d i n e q u a l i t y m u c h h i g h e r, t h a n i n comparable regions, Lagarde added. “Why is this relevant right now? Because the rising expectations of Latin America’s middle class are bumping up against shortcomings in the provision of public services,” she said, pointing as an example the protests sparked in Brazil last year by rising public transportation costs.
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THE AFC NATIONAL CONFERENCE AND ELECTIONS The Alliance for Change (AFC) holds its National Conference today. It is an important gathering. The Conference will no doubt be asked to chart the way forward for the party, including the near future. That near future is likely to see elections. With the doors of political compromise shut tightly, it is almost certain that the President will early in the New Year announce a roadmap that will conclude with General and Regional Elections. It is the President who has to name the date for elections. But in so doing he also has to consider the readiness of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) to undertake polls. GECOM has just commenced another round of registration and each round runs for quite a few weeks. When this round of registration is completed,
there will be a need for the eligible names to be added to the national list of registrants, and from this list, for the preliminary list of electors to be produced. After this, there has to be claims and objections to sanitize the list before a final list is produced. The AFC may therefore feel that elections are some months away, even if parliament is summoned and the party is able to carry through with its threat to pass a no-confidence motion against the government. The AFC has to be cognizant of this reality and therefore, it is more than likely that the party will use the National Conference to develop its strategies for the forthcoming elections, whenever these are held. To not do so would be to Court disaster because the government, you can bet, will be monitoring the
Dem boys seh...
A big man get box fuh quackin’ like Donald Dem boys always hear that wheh laugh story deh cry deh. De other night dem had a big public meeting in Aishalton and de people invite Donald de Duck fuh talk to the villagers. Well everybody know that Donald is not a talk man, but he still wuckin’ up he mout’ in front of de people. He talk a whole set of froff, and de people get restless. One-one baby start fret and some of de women in de crowd start fannin’ hard hard. Dem boys know that something woulda happen, and dem wasn’t disappointed. A big man get up and look at Donald de Duck wid a serious face and decide that he had enough of the bad talking about Opposition parties, the Waterfalls Paper and de Big Market paper. So he tun to he family and friends whilst Donald blabbin’ and he start fuh crack two jokes. Everybody start laugh. De man ask Donald “Mr. President whappen to Nandlall?” Everybody laugh again. Donald tek out he kerchief and wipe he face like if he nervous. Then de de man ask “Is why you prorogue Parliament?” Donald cough. People continue to skin dem teeth. Is then a set a shirtjac man start pointin’ at de jokes man. Two of Donald bodyguards, a tall one and a short one, walk up to de man slow and seh “So is you who been talking up?” By de time de man go fuh seh no, is one box he collect from short man and he start fuh cry. Then tall man tell he, “You betta beat out or we gun drop yuh.” Is wid speed de man beat out. Later when dem reporters ask is wha really happen, one a Donald bodyguard seh that de man just get two tap behind he head, because he been quacking like a duck when Donald talk. Dem boys cyan stop laugh. People use to think Donald de Duck is a false name. Yuh see now! Talk half and watch Donald de Duck mout’ good!
developments at the National Conference of the AFC, and if the AFC does not address an election strategy at its National Conference, the government may rush to call snap elections to take advantage of the AFC’s failure to use its National Conference to ready its membership for elections. The PPP may do this even if it feels that GECOM is not ready, because what stands in the way of the PPP winning a majority is not APNU. In a month of Sundays, APNU can never defeat the PPP, never. The AFC cannot either, but it can win sufficient support to deny the PPP a majority and hold the balance of power within the National Assembly as it did in the 10th parliament. The PPP’s primary concern is therefore the AFC. Obviously, of course, the AFC knows that the government is thinking about elections in the second half of 2015. But they should also consider that the government is thinking that the AFC knows how it is
thinking and therefore, the government could come with another plan such as a snap election within three months. This is why it would be foolhardy for the AFC to not use its National Conference to strategize and mobilize its membership for imminent elections. But how can the National Conference strategize about elections without knowing or determining who will be the party’s presidential and prime ministerial candidates for general elections. You have to develop a strategy around a leadership and unless the membership or delegates know who the prospective presidential and prime ministerial candidates are, it would be difficult for them to develop an effective strategy. The AFC is however, saying that its National Conference will not elect its election candidates, since the party’s Constitution provides for a special conference for the identification of these candidates. This places the
delegates to today’s National Conference in the dilemma of having to contemplate an election strategy without knowing who will lead the party into elections. The AFC will no doubt use the National Conference to have its proposals for Constitutional reform discussed and approved. However, before the Alliance for Change addresses the supposed deficiencies of Guyana’s Constitution, it should examine the weaknesses of its party’s own Constitution, which quite amazingly allows for a Special Congress to elect the party’s presidential and prime
ministerial candidates instead of the Conference of the party doing so. If needs be, the AFC may wish to strengthen its democratic credentials by passing an amendment to its Constitution to allow for either today’s conference to elect the party’s candidates for general elections or allowing the total membership to do so at some other conference of the party.
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Saturday December 06, 2014
== THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN ==
A “Black Friday” sale in Guyana that opened my eyes Last Tuesday, one of the most patronized supermarkets had a ten percent discount. I have to pass this store daily, because it is on the route I take. What I saw on that day opened my eyes about Guyana. We can classify the masses into three strata – lower working class, the working class itself and upper working class. The lowest on the proletarian ladder would be substantial. These are poor people who earn very little in wages and are an economically depressed class. This stratum always shop at the municipal markets. That is where they buy their food.
You go to the outer perimeters of both Bourda and Stabroek Markets and they are there in their combined thousands. They buy their meat from the butcher stands in those markets. One of the reasons why the lower proletarian rung does not patronize the supermarkets has to do with class and status. They are simply intimidated by the “middle class” ambience of the Georgetown supermarkets. They believe they do not belong to that type of environment; that they will be the focus of store security and the surveillance camera.
The fact is they are right. It is called profiling. A store that is shamelessly guilty of profiling is National Hardware. I stood outside and watched how the exit security behaves when shoppers have to show their bill. They peep into the bags of certain types of shoppers only. So last Sunday, I objected to them doing that to a poor gentleman. This was a big, big fight and my wife was so scared, she walked away and went to the car. All the supervisors and managers came out and were watching as I demanded that they stop that practice. The only person I didn’t see staring at me was the owner himself, Eddie Boyer. I apologized to the guards three times, because it wasn’t their policy. Security personnel
stereotype shoppers. They look at the dress style of lower working class folks and they glue their eyes on them when they walk in. A very potent factor in the municipal market choice of lower working people is the prices. There can be no dispute all tinned stuff, cheese, pasta etc., cost less at the stands in and around the municipal markets than the shopping centres. Finally, they are happy in that environment because they mingle with their own. A substantial number of the essential working class shop at the municipal markets. But I would admit that there is a percentage of that stratum that goes into the supermarkets. The section of the proletariat that buys goods at the Georgetown supermarkets would be the upper working class. These are people who are employees but their salaries are not meagre. But it would be an academic mistake to say that the upper tier of the proletariat do not buy at the municipal markets; they do,
very much so. We can divide the middle class into lower middle class, upper middle class and the middle class itself. This is the part of Guyanese society that keeps the Georgetown supermarkets going. This is what modern life is about. Such people do not go into the municipal markets. They prefer self-service. So this store had a ten percent discount for Tuesday only. When you saw what happened at that supermarket, you wouldn’t have believed it. This was not your British and American ‘Black Friday’ sale, where working people get miraculous bargains and so there is the usual mad rush. By now everyone in the world knows that at Black Friday sales, you get more than seventy percent off any conceivable item, including expensive electronic goods and all types of designer stuff from Victoria’s Secret panties to running shoes to tiaras. Working class people use Black Friday to get what they cannot purchase in years to
Frederick Kissoon come. What I saw at that supermarket wasn’t a Black Friday sale at all. It was a mere ten percent off. The place was overflowing with middle class folks, trying to get a mere ten percent discount. And it was not at the end of the month when folks do bulk buying for their homes. They do so between the 25th to the 29th of the month. The street where this supermarket is located was literally overflowing with cars. There were constant traffic jams. Inside the store, there was nowhere to walk. I looked at these people and I knew what I was seeing was the exposure of the truth of the Guyanese society – it is a dirt poor country. If the middle classes could hunt bargains that are not really bargains, then this society is indeed impoverished.
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Saturday December 06, 2014
Granger blasts PPP for “dangerous race-baiting, vote-buying campaign” By: Kiana Wilburg Leader of the political Opposition, David Granger, sharply scolded the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) for what he believes to be a campaign it launched that reeks of fear-mongering, racebaiting, vote-buying and malicious lies. At his weekly press conference which was held at A Partnership for National Unity’s (APNU) headquarters yesterday, the Opposition Leader told the media that the PPP has launched a “dirty, divisive and dangerous campaign” which seems to be in anticipation of general and regional elections. He made known his disdain for the fact that the party’s General Secretary, Clement Rohee has been prancing around the country, issuing ludicrous
- Opposition Chief whip to lodge complaint with Elections Commission and libelous attacks on the opposition leaders and their parties. Granger said that he knew when the government started its elections campaign. He recalled that Rohee said at the annual commemoration at Babu John on March 9, that people were growing restless and uncomfortable politically and “only general elections can change the situation.” The Opposition Leader said that the PPP, since then, has been deliberately instigating constitutional crises in order to vilify the opposition and distract the population from its own sordid record of corruption and mismanagement. Granger
said that the PPP government tried every tactic in the political playbook to prevent the holding of Local Government Elections and preparing for General and Regional Elections, by indulging in “fearmongering, race-baiting, vote-buying and lying.” On the matter of fearmongering, the APNU Leader alluded to the most “scurrilous and obscene” press statement ever issued by the PPP which he said referred to him and his Shadow Minister of Finance, Carl Greenidge. He then quoted an extract of the PPP release, “Both Mr. Granger and Mr. Greenidge…
would unleash vengeance against anyone they perceive to be associated with the PPP and the PPP/C administration… these threats can only be seen as tantamount to the Demerara River flowing red with blood should the APNU and People’s National Congress (PNC) come to power.” Granger firmly stated that such a statement was only manufactured and dispensed for public consumption so that the PPP can breed fear by threatening a ‘blood bath’ if APNU were to emerge victorious at the next General Elections. With regard to its allegation that the PPP is on a race-baiting campaign, Granger said that the government has been concocting and publishing i nflammatory, racist statements in order to influence the attitudes and behaviour of Amerindians and persons of Indian origin. He said that the PPP, on December 1, falsely claimed that the indigenous population had been “battered” during the reign of the People’s National Congress and that the Opposition was “attempting to disenfranchise the Amerindians.” Granger said too that the PPP maliciously accused the PNC of being “bent on marginalizing the indigenous population.” But the Opposition Leader found this to be ironic, since he noted that the PPP has been accused by the Alliance For Change (AFC) of creating “…ethnic and geographic apartheid in Guyana” and of “…stirring anti-African fears, conjuring up the socalled ‘black jumbie’ to scare Indians and to woo them away from the AFC.” To lend further credence to his allegation that the PPP is also involved in a votebuying crusade, the APNU
Opposition Chief Whip, Amna Ally
Opposition Leader, David Granger
parliamentarian told members of the media fraternity, that the Administration has been spending state resources in certain communities in an attempt to win their votes at approaching elections. “Several Ministers have been spending state funds at a phenomenal rate in order to “buy” votes. The Minister of Local Government and Regional Development unilaterally launched a multimillion dollar ‘clean-up-mycountry’ programme. The Minister of Amerindian Affairs has been presenting villages with school uniform material. The Minister of Education waited over six months to start disbursing the $10,000 grant promised to the families of schoolchildren. The Prime Minister and junior Finance Minister have been lavishing netbooks (laptop computers) in several rural communities,” Granger said. As for the PPP’s apparent affinity with peddling lies, the APNU chief said that the government lied when it described Shaquille Grant, who was killed by the Police, as a “criminal.” He said that this was an immature attempt by the instigator of that lie to show that the Opposition leader was “in bed with the criminal underworld.” But Granger alluded to the fact that the PPP’s plan to taint his integrity backfired, and
that Rohee was forced earlier this week to apologize to Grant’s mother, Shonette Adams for that nasty lie. He added, “The PPP statement mendaciously went on to claim that “Mr. Granger indicated he will go on a ‘witch hunt’ and through his ‘lynch mob,’ would throw due process out the window.” This is a complete falsehood ¯ a fabrication that was concocted by a sick mind.” The APNU he said is warning the PPP that its inflammatory language, racial incitement and lies during its campaign, will incite fear and racial hatred. He said that the PPP and its General Secretary must bear responsibility for the consequences of these reckless statements and ferocious behaviour. In support of Granger’s points, the Opposition’s Chief Whip, Amna Ally said that the government needs to refrain from using state apparatus for political games. Granger assured that the Chief Whip will be filing a complaint with the Guyana Elections Commission for electoral breaches. The APNU’s Shadow Minister of Home Affairs, Winston Felix concluded that he believes the government is going to the extremes to secure votes, considering that it is losing its stronghold in certain regions.
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PSC calls on members to Three charged for illegal apply measures to fight dumping in Region Three gender related violence Considering the fact that private entities interact with and have access to more than 75 percent of the working population in Guyana, the Private Sector Commission (PSC) believes that this places those business owners in an advantageous position to contribute to reducing the incidences of heinous acts of gender related violence through a number of measures. With this in mind, the PSC is hoping to raise awareness about violence against women through key points established by the World Health Organization (WHO). The WHO it said, speaks to the fact that violence against women - particularly intimate partner violence and sexual violence - are major public health problems and violations of their human rights. The World Health Organization also highlights that recent global prevalence figures indicate that 35 percent of women worldwide have experienced either intimate partner violence or non-partner sexual violence in their lifetime and on average, 30percent of women who have been in a relationship report that they have experienced some form of physical or sexual violence by their partner. Another key point the Commission referred to was that globally, as many as 38 percent of murders of women are committed by an intimate partner. It mentioned that the WHO had revealed too that violence can result in physical, mental, sexual, reproductive and other health problems, and may increase vulnerability to HIV and that the risk factors for being a perpetrator includes low education, exposure to child
maltreatment or witnessing violence in the family, harmful use of alcohol and attitudes accepting of violence and gender inequality. Meanwhile, the WHO says that the risk factors for being a victim of intimate partner and sexual violence include low education, witnessing violence between parents, exposure to abuse during childhood and attitudes accepting violence and gender inequality. The Commission also said that in high-income settings, school-based programmes to prevent relationship violence among young people (or dating violence) are supported by some evidence of effectiveness while in lowincome settings, other primary prevention strategies, such as microfinance combined with gender equality training and community-based initiatives that address gender inequality and communication and relationship skills, hold promise. Additionally, the WHO the Commission said, points out that situations of conflict, post conflict and displacement may exacerbate existing violence and present additional forms of violence against women. Having noted those points, the Private Sector Commission is calling on its members to take certain actions. These are: to acknowledge and raise awareness amongst their work force that gender related
violence is a major social problem globally; implement as part of their training programs, courses and workshops that will deal with issues of interpersonal violence; enabling discussion on risk factors and mitigating; or preventative actions that can be taken and implement systems and policies to assist persons affected so that the necessary support such as counselling and guidance can be provided. On this front, it said that management systems should be adequate enough to ensure that employees are comfortable enough to report incidences or speak out when affected. The Commission is also requesting that its members establish partnerships with support groups and government agencies so that incidences of violence when reported or recognized can be reported and necessary support provided and to create sexual harassment guidelines and policies consistent with the Sexual Offences Act and encourage open discussion and prompt action when violated. It stressed that companies should entertain a zero tolerance policy on this issue. While the aforementioned menu of measures may not be sufficient and exhaustive, the Commission stressed that at least, it is a start in the right direction by private companies towards bringing some resolution to this major global challenge.
A team removing roadside garbage pile in Zeelugt, WCD.
To address the issue of illegal dumping in Region Three, Essequibo Islands/West Demerara, the Regional Democratic Council has taken stringent measures to counteract the crisis of illegal dumping across the Region. This includes prosecuting persons who are caught dumping at road corners and in and along drainage systems. According to Regional Chairman, Julius Faerber, there are lots of illegal garbage piles around the Region which are “very unsightly”. Faerber stated that recently, through an intervention by the Regional Office, three persons were charged and placed before the court for dumping along the Crane Embankment Road. The number of a motor lorry which would habitually dump refuse in the area was recorded and taken to the Vreed-en-Hoop Police Station. The lorry was tracked and subsequently, the culprits were arrested and placed before the court where they were required to pay a fine. Faerber said that communities are
monitored on a daily basis by Environmental Health Officers (EHO) and/or by Environmental Health Assistants (EHA). “Should anyone be found littering, the EHO has the mandate to take that person to court on behalf of the Regional Democratic Council (RDC),” the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development said yesterday. Meanwhile, this week, the Clean-up My Country Regional Community Bulk Waste Removal Programme, conducted a community clean-up exercise with all fourteen Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs) of Region Three, to remove illegal garbage piles and bulk waste from residents in the communities. During the clean-up exercise, several parapets along the West Coast of Demerara were found littered with garbage. On Zeelugt Public Road, a team of Community Workers under the national cleanup programme, took close to two hours to remove a pile of garbage which some residents said was created by persons from within the area.
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SALON Make Up Courses with Mac, Bare Minerals, Black Opal and Sacha cosmetics. Call: 647-1773/660-5257
MASSAGE Massage Therapy Services. Call: 674-8147 ACCOMODATION SIGNATURE INN: Luxury Suites & Apartments. Free Wi-Fi & Breakfast; AC & Self Contained Rooms @ 83 Laluni Street Queenstown. Tel: 592-226-2145 Harmony Inn: Furnished apartments (A/C, Hot & Cold, refrigeration, microwave, etc) $5,000-$8,000. Your luxury hide away. Tel: 668-0306, 694-7817
HEALTH Hazel Herbal Store for genuine herbal supplements. Iridology Evaluations on Monday December 8th 2014. Call: 2269136 NIS voucher special; Free eye exam, free case, premium frame & lenses. 71 Brickdam – Call:226-5489
TAXI SERVICES City Taxi Service (since 1968), 8 Vlissengen Road, Newtown -24hrs service – Call: 225-8600, 226-1088, 2271101, 226-7150
SERVICES PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION,WEDDINGS, ANNIVERSARY, ETC. – CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 216-1043; 677-6620 Permanent & Visitors Visa Applications, Professional Immigration Consultant Room D5 Maraj Building Call Sabita: 225-6496, 662-6045 Guyana Passport & Visa Forms Application, USA, Canada and England. Tel: 626-7040; 265-4535. Repairs & spare, fridge, freezer, A/C, washers, stoves. Contact Nick: 683-1312, 627-3206 Repairs, sales & spares air conditioning, microwaves, washer, fridges & stoves. Ultra Cool, call: 225-9032, 647-2943 FOR LOW COST: REPAIRS TO FRIDGE, FREEZER, A/C UNIT, MICROWAVES, TV & WASHINGMACHINE - CALL: 629-4946 OR 2254822 Custom Brokerage Services: let is handle all your import/ export needs- Contact D. Bess on 6708782. We repair fridge, freezer, AC, washer, dryer Call Omar: 2310655,683-8734 Boy’s Landscape & garden service for weeding, tree cutting, edge trimming etc – Call:667-4178, 610-9187 Installing phone games and apps – Call Andrew: 680-7033 Remove stubborn computer virus – Call Dorain: 616-1388
Eddie’s Taxi Service, 6 Vlissengen Road, Newtown. 24hrs service Call: 226-0606, 225-1513 Contract Cars Call City Taxi Service; lot 8 Vlissengen Road, Tel: 660-1100
CAR RENTAL PROGRESSIVE AUTO RENTAL:CARS&SUV FOR RENTAL- $4,000 & UP PER DAY- CALL: 643-5122, 2193900, EMAIL: PRO_AUTO RENTAL@YAHOO.COM PEN -PAL Looking for a female who wishes to re-marry! Age 3545. Call: 668-9020 or 6524118
LAND FOR SALE Parika (Butcher Shop Street) – One (1) Lot 38' X 150' $ 7m - Contact 650-0402 - for serious inquiries One land Located at Cornelia Ida W.C.D, Phone, water & light, Price $2.5M – Contact: 652-0709; 276-0556 Blankenburg @ The Back Of Gas Station (3) Lots @ 75' X 76' Each. $20M for all 3 Lots. (1) Lot for $10m - Contact 650-0402 Parfaite Harmonie (Dairy) $1.4M (110ftX50ft) Business spot - $3.2M, Grove (with foundation) - $2.5M – Call: 652-2018, 675-7292 One residential land at Herstelling -$4.5M – Tel:6610618; 601-3469
FOR RENT PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION,WEDDINGS, ANNIVERSARY, ETC. CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 216-1043; 677-6620 GT TOOL RENTALS: COMPACTOR; CHIPPING HAMMER RANSOM & FLOOR SANDER, (SALE) AND MORE, SAWS & DRILLS -$10,000 - CALL: 675-0767, 667-2535 Four bedrooms apartment in Ozama Street North Ruimveldt – Tel: 689-5877 House – Tel: 231-5153 Commercial Properties, Bond in the heart of Georgetown – Contact:223-8479, 6473768 www.spaceseek.gy Fully furnished two bedrooms apartment in South with TV, air condition, hot & cold, cable. Tel:689-5877 Executive Residence – centrally and beautifully located in Bel-Air Springs, Georgetown for immediate occupancy. Ph 226-6229, 226-5903 Two; Three & Four Bedrooms Houses & apartments, located in Georgetown, EC.D & E.B.D – Contact: 223-8479, 6473768 www.spaceseek.gy Prime business place to rent; only for offices on Sheriff Street. Tele: 627-6740 Apartment for rent @ La Parfaite Harmonie - Call:6742519, 601-5058 Metal Scaffold for rent- Call: 623-6586 or 225-7607 Five bedrooms house, 107 Lamaha Gardens & Large Parking; AC Rooms Hot & Cold, Purified Water System – Call: 661-8908, 335-3590 Office space! Space for boutique/salon. 78 Hadfield Street – Tel:227-0501/ 6716777
LEARN TO DRIVE Soman Son & Outar Driving School at Maraj BuildingTel: 644-5166; 622-2872; 6150964; 689-5997
Saturday December 06, 2014
VACANCY Four Security Guards – Apply @ Humphrey’s Bakery & Farm Products Ltd; 38 Ketley & Sussex Street Charlestown. Tel:225-7864, 227-8607 Salesgirls & Boys @ Avinash & Anand’s Stores – Call: 2263361, 227-7828 International Cruiseline Purser officers, waitresses, waiters, cooks, receptionists, storekeepers, cleaners, electricians, carpenters, plumbers, musicians etc – Tel: 231-6296, 650-9880 Sell plants, maintain plants, have initiative, punctual, pleasant, read and write- Call 648-1821 (8am -4pm) One female clerk – Call: 2315171 1 Lorry Driver 3-5yrs experienced police clearance, 2 references, apply @ KBR Distribution Services, 173 Mandela Ave. Thirst Park – Tel:231-4069 Hauler driver; must have a valid tractor license, apply in person to Alabama Trading, Georgetown Ferry Steeling. Cook Bartender Supervisor/ Manager, apply in person @ Cotton Club, 44 Public Road Kitty – Call: 231-1908, 2311912
FOR SALE AMERICAN BULLY, REMYLINE PUP. CONTACT:667-4845, 2207933 Used Dell E4300, E6500 M4400, HP Elite Book 6930 Laptops – Contact Sean: 226-9377 1 Popcorn machine along with 1 generator and mobile cupboard – Price$ 220,000 neg. Contact:622-9440 Panel indicating light, Genset exhaust box, contractors & relay. Tel: 627-7835 1 Heavy Duty Button Hole Machine. Call 223-9727 or 673-0373 Underwear and stockings for sale – Call: 604-9480 or 6674178 1 Portable AC – 1200 BTU 110240 new -$50,000, 1 air compressor 60gal new $150,000, 1 class case 2’height 3’width & 4’ Length - $30,000 – Call:684-8231 Pools table cloth, balls, pocket cuestick, rubber, coinshute tips, chalk spring, chalk holder, coins– Call: 6699927 PICK YOUR PIG! CHOOSE YOUR SIZE AND WE WILL HAVE IT READY! CALL:266-2711 OR 6094594
TO LET
PROPERTY FOR SALE Transported Property @ Grove/Diamond, 3 bedrooms, 1 self-contained, concrete fence, grilled store room & Shed, (45X26) – Call: 660-1353,216-4338 1 Massive 2- story concrete house & land @ Public Road, Vreed-En-Hoop, can be used for business or residence Call:626-2237, 602-3294 2 STORIED 3 BEDROOMS CONCRETE & WOODEN PROPERTY ON LARGE LAND 300FTX40FT, IN BERBICE, NEAR CANJE BRIDGE. CALL MAX: 6098132, 672-8569
Fully furnished one bedroom apartment (air conditioned) Call: 623-2923 1-2 storied, 3 bedrooms, back house with toilet & bath, prepaid meter @ Vreed-EnHoop. $60,000 per month. Call: 685-7566 Address – 7 Durban St. Lodge: 2 bedrooms apartment for rent – Tel:6875324 1 upstairs to rent for business or residence. Call 223-9727 or 673-0373 Two bedroom, bottom flat @ 8TH Street Success, E.C.D – Call: 220-5197 One 3 bedrooms upstairs at Mon Repos E.C.D - $45,000 monthly- Tel: 629-5300
House & Land @ Cemetery Rd. Helena No.1 Mahaica E.C.D. Land (65FTX150FT) $13M- Tel:689-0820, 674-3902 Small house and end lot Cove & John – Call: 256-0551 Albouystown: Corner Spot Business and residence, 3 bedrooms upstairs, parking $10M negotiable – Contact: 227-0583 One unfinished house in West Minister - $4.5M- Call: 661-0618, 601-3469 (size: 20X47)
FOR SALE LARGE QUANTITIES OF HIGH PURITY MERCURY (QUICK SILVER) 99.99995% PURITY$19,000 PER POUND CALL: 592-227-4754. Spare for washing machine, microwaves, fridges, stoves, timers, gearbox, pumps, etc call: 225-9032, 647-2943 One 14 inch dredge / draga Call: 663-0742 Complete sawmill operation with lots of equipment, customers & suppliers and large land space – Contact Swamee: 614-1466; 672-4438 Three bedroom house Located at Somerset Court (ready to move in) – Contact: 223-8479, 647-3768 www.spaceseek.gy Commercial Properties, luxury houses, located at E.C.D, Georgetown & E.B.D Contact: 223-8479, 647-3768 Grand Yard Sales @ 19 Garnett Street, C/Ville, Floral, gifts, herbal, clothes & craft – 50% off all items – Call: 225-2681, 684-5868 Sale! Sale! Dell/Hp Computers Complete with 19" LCDs, Laptops from $49,000, Blackberry from $14,000 @ FutureTech – 231-2206 Plant Sale on 6th -12th December outside St. Roses High School: poinsettia, Orchids Rose etc or call: 6528322 Two forklifts Clarke & Toyota 5000lbs, wood mizer XT40 sawmill, fire proof explosion proof safe – Call: Paul: 612-7206; 619-7393 Games for PS2, PS3, XBOX360, WII, consoles also available – Call: 672-2566, 265-3232 Oil Jazz painting, 3FTX4FT, exquisite collectors item ideal for entertainment rooms of a villa. Serious Offer! Tel:2657193 DJ Amplifier 2 Crest Audio CA12, DBX Drive rack – Call:689-3170 Mixed breed puppies for sale. Tel:253-3114; 692-0126 or 662-3139 XMAS SALE – Wicker & Rattan Furniture. Beautiful designs. Showroom: 68 AA Victoria Ave, Eccles E.B.D. 652-5601, 613-8740, 629-4269
CAR RENTAL
Xbox ONE, Xbox 360 $40,000, PS3 - $35,000, Nintendo 3DS - $25,000, PSP - $16,000. Call:621-7497/603-8643
DOLLY’S CAR RENTAL CALL: 225-7126/ 2263693 DOLLYSAUTO RENTAL@YAHOO.COM/ WWW.DOLLYSAUTO RENTAL.COM Aidan’s Car & Pickup rental, cheap rate, low security – Tel:698-7807
Clean Garden Earth Delivery on Spot, also bobcat & excavator rental. Tel: 6267127 110 Corolla - $1.2M, Avensis - $2.6M – Call:645-0078, 6030078 (Continued on page 23)
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Kaieteur News
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Businessman gets 66 years for McDoom... From page 14 before he is eligible for parole, the judge ruled. The man's relatives continued to display their emotions as he was being escorted from the courtroom to the prisoners' holding cell to await transport to the Georgetown Prisons. Some of the women screamed and wept loudly, disturbing the usually serene environment of the Georgetown Supreme Court. Their tantrums caused members of the jury to remain inside the courtroom until they had left the building. On Thursday, Assing in his defence told the court that he was innocent of the crime. Instead, he claimed that someone else had shot the woman. Earlier yesterday, a confident Assing was heard uttering that he was going to be a free man. “I going home …I done bring my goods and everything from prison already I going home today,” he said. At the beginning of the trial, State Prosecutors, Judith Gildharie-Mursalin and Narissa Leander told the court
Murder Accused Mark Assing called “Jesse”
Deceased Abiola Eadie
that on July 4, 2012 Government Pathologist, Dr. Nehaul Singh did the autopsy and came to the conclusion, that the victim had died as a result of the gunshot injuries she sustained to her head. Mursalin called a number of persons to the stand including chief witness Ayesha George, mother of the deceased Pamela Eadie, as well as her father, Lennox Jones. George had told the court that she witnessed the shoot-
ing which claimed the life of her neighbour, Abiola Eadie. She recalled that on June 20, 2012 she was sitting at a window of her apartment, when she saw the accused “Jesse” involved in a heated confrontation with Abiola Eadie who lived in the lower flat of her building. The woman said that Jesse was quarrelling loudly on the street accusing one of Eadie's sons (Martin) of “blinding his game cock in
one eye.” The woman said that the victim called out to Martin four times before he came outside the house. It was then, the witness told the court that Jesse's wife came out onto the street and began quarrelling as well; the couple was armed with knives. George said that she went downstairs and attempted to make peace between the warring parties, but the accused then pulled out a gun from his waist and pointed it at Martin. The witness said that Eadie quickly jumped in front of the pistol in an attempt to defend her son from their angry neighbour and she also went and stood between them but Jesse shoved her aside. She related that she heard a gunshot and saw her neighbour collapse to the ground. The witness also said that she heard two shots fired, before she lost consciousness. The woman said that when she came to, she realized that both mother and son were seriously injured.
Mother of one to undergo surgery to... From page 13 who had returned to the house, punched the police constable and after overpowering him, took his revolver. The policeman was reportedly forced to flee for his life after LaFleur pointed the gun at him. A neighbour said that, “This man is an ignorant man. About two or three years ago he (LaFleur) had a problem whereby, he pelt down we house and break up all the windows, this happened to both neighbours, so nobody don't have nothing to tell he.”
There were suggestions that LaFleur became mentally unstable after being jailed for killing another rank, and that his drug use aggravated his condition. LaFleur, then a Special Forces rank, was only 26 when, on January 19, 1997, he shot and killed his fellow soldier, Corporal Lindon Alleyne,
while serving with the Caricom contingent of the United Nations peace-keeping forces in Haiti. This was just days before the Guyana contingent with the peace-keeping forces was due to return home at the end of their three-month assignment. LaFleur shot Alleyne sev-
eral times with a Beretta while the victim was fleeing. It was alleged that LaFleur was drunk, and had threatened Alleyne the previous day. He was initially charged w i t h m u r d e r, b u t l a t e r pleaded guilty to the lesser count of manslaughter. He was sentenced to 14 years imprisonment.
VEHICLE FOR SALE
(From page 22)
Toyota Prado, Price$5.5M Neg. Call: 643-2403 1 PKK automatic mini-bus, good condition- Call:6520709, 276-0556 One GX110 Toyota Mark 2 in excellent condition, price $2.1M negotiable - Call: 629-5300 One Toyota Caldina -$980, 000 – Tel:218-2039, 688-7017 2002 Rav4 mags, A/C, alarm, auto start, lady driven, excellent condition, price $2.8M negotiable - Call: 629-5300 AT192, 212, Allion, unregistered Premio, Hilux Surf, BNN, RZ & Pit-bull, 7 seater super custom. Cash / terms- Call:680-3154 PRR IST, Body Kit, mags, music, chrome, kit, crystal HID Lights - $1.7M, Best Offer- Tel: 617-7113 We buy & sell vehicles for cash, also parts available & 30 seater buses; Extra Cab pickups; 2006 TacomaCall:680-3154 One Toyota Alteeza, PPP Series, with Flare, colour, in excellent conidition - $2.8M Neg. Call:680-8343 One Toyota RAV4 2002 Model, fully loaded- PMM 7257 – Call: 628-0060 Enclosed Canter Truck$600,000 negotiable - Call: 676-0455. Special Sale! 2003 Toyota Premio - $2.3M, Spacio $2.1M, Fully Loaded, unregistered. Tel:617-2891 1-Honda-600RR, Toyota Raum, Rav4, AT212, AT192, AE100 Sprinter Fun cargo, Tacoma 2007- Call: 644-5096, 697-1453
WANTED One receptionist/secretary, experienced required. Send application & CV to 48 High Street, Werk-En-Rust, G/ Town. Live-in Domestic to work in Mahaicony River. 225-6571, 644-6905 One Nail Technician specialized in Nail Art design, Air Brush and also Hair Extension. Tel: 231-6000 Handyman / gardener, age 45-50years old, preferably from Georgetown – East Coast Demerara – Call:6483817 Land to buy in Providence, Herstelling, Eccles, Parfaite Harmonie, Uitvlugt, Zeelugt. Call Anita: 6777095, 652-2018 One domestic cleaner, E.C.D – Tel:644-9802 One manager to work at an out of town Hotel – Call: 2269768, 642-7963, 629-0037 Baker & table hand for Bakery @ Best Village, to bake bread, preferably from W.C.D -Tel:254-1399,627-2515 Female janitors, between ages 25-40 years – Call: 2258066 Live in Couple Berbice/ E s s e q u i b o p r e f e r a b l y, Husband –Driving/ mechanic, Wi f e Domestic. Tel: 227-1830 One night security guard between 35-50yrs preferably from G.Town , with experienced. Tel:6233231 or 225-3198 One experienced driver for one 32 Zone minibus. Call: 629-2302, 610-3081 Experienced truck driver, for the interior – Contact:2269768. LABOURERS MUST BE ABLE TO WORK FLEXIBLE HOURS, BETWEEN AGES 21-35. FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL: 231-8344 Bartenders to work at an out of town hotel – Call:226-9768 Experienced carpenter/ mason - $6,000 daily – Call: 684-8231 Female worker needed, 3 CXC subject or sound secondary school education- Call: 612-1595
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Kaieteur News
Saturday December 06, 2014
No-confidence motion will be... Cheap sand-filled tubes project help widen city foreshore
From page 3 but as a collective, that position he said, will be decided and announced today at its National Convention which will be held at St. Stanislaus College on Brickdam. Opposition leader David Granger did not reject the proposal by the Commission; he told the media that he is sympathetic with the entity but the measures it outlines have all been tested by his coalition, bearing no positive results. The Leader of the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) said, “It's an interesting initiative but my first reaction before I consulted with my colleagues in the Shadow Cabinet, was that the main points made by the Commission were exhaustively dealt with in the meetings with the President…We met the President in February and these were the matters we discussed. We met the President in June and then in October, so actually the President has successfully prevented serious discussions and resolutions of these issues for the last nine months. Everything that the Private Sector Commission wrote about was on the President's table for the last nine months. Nobody could tell me now that I must
go and talk to the President about elections. I have written and I have been picketing for eight weeks. So although I am sympathetic with the Commission, these issues have been covered exhaustively by the President…Everything we have talked with him (Donald Ramotar).” The PSC recently proposed a number of measures to end the current Parliamentary gridlock in addition to calling for the work of the National Assembly to resume by or before year end. To avoid the No-Confidence Motion, the Head of State suspended the Parliament for six months on November 10. The President had hoped that the prorogation season would have encouraged the opposition to use good judgment and engage in dialogue. But it did not. Instead, the joint opposition has maintained that it will not speak with the government on any matter once Parliament is prorogued. The move by Ramotar was deemed as “dictatorial” by the Opposition leader. After much consultations with various civil society organizations such as representatives of Labour and Religion, the Commission recommends that the politicians
can make the first step towards solving the problem by the signing of an agreement which says that the prorogation of Parliament will be ended and the work of the National Assembly will be reconvened no later than December 31. In the spirit of inclusionary democracy, the signing of that agreement will mean that representatives of civil society will be allowed to observe the dialogue process in full. The Commission also suggested that several matters be addressed during the period of the suspension. These include the composition and implementation of all outstanding commissions required by the Constitution, and an agreement on a date for Local Government Elections some time before the life of the 10th Parliament comes to an end. Also, the PSC asked that the mechanism by which the Bills not receiving assent can be resolved, as well as a mechanism for approval of the 2014 supplementary financial papers and statements of excess. It also asked for an inclusionary mechanism for budget talks of 2015 and 2016 be discussed as well.
Engineer, Amite Bauble points to an area that has improved with the installation of the geo-tubes.
Government engineers are convinced that the use of special tubes along sections of the city seawall have successfully created a wider foreshore area. According to the Ministry of Public Works, post-installation surveys carried out on the geo-textile tubes along the Kingston/ Kitty seawall indicated that the shoreline has improved with a much wider foreshore area. Over a three month period – April to July - the Ministry installed six tubes to form a groined field. The project is an initiative under the 2014 Sea Defences Programme. Amitab Babulal, one of the Ministry’s Sea Defence engineers who executed the project, explained that over the past few months, there have been significant sand deposits recorded on the foreshore area. “The geo-textile tubes have contributed to beach stabilisation and the retention of shell/sand/sediment drifting in the westerly direction. In recent years, the
sediments have been moving towards the Demerara River channel, which would pose a challenge to marine/maritime businesses and operators,” Babulal said. Due to the success of the beach material retention, the Ministry is identifying other vulnerable sites to replicate the exercise. According to Jermaine Braithwaite, a Senior Engineer, geo-textile tubes contribute to the long term shoreline management and promoting sustainable protection of the shoreline. “Parts of Guyana’s shorelines have experienced erosion and overtopping due to the impact of high energy waves, and we have a rapid installation method that could help mitigate these adverse effects,” he added. Areas under consideration include No. 63 Beach and sites on Leguan and Devonshire Castle, Essequibo. The works at the seawall comprise of the installation of three geo-textile tube (geotube) groynes of 100 meters
length with circumferences of 6.4 meters. Each groined was constructed by sand filling two 50 meters long geo-textile tubes which were installed with a butt joint interface to form a continuous unit along the design alignment for each groined. Bauble also noted that the tubes have minimum impact on the environment and are low maintenance. “Gesture structures are also a costeffective alternative when compared to traditional marine materials and methods. They are fabricated from a high–strength, specially engineered, woven textile with special highstrength seaming techniques to resist pressures during pumping operations,” he added. The project would have special significance especially as Guyana’s coastlands are way below sealevel making the fight to keep the ocean out an uphill task. In recent years, there has been a marked increase in overtopping of the seawall during high tides.
Saturday December 06, 2014
Kaieteur News
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Saturday December 06, 2014
Protests against police violence Typhoon Hagupit triggers massive evacuation in Philippines flare for third night in New York (Reuters) - Protesters in New York and other cities staged a third night of rallies yesterday, denouncing use of deadly force by police against minorities, even as prosecutors said they would consider charges against an officer in the fatal shooting of a unarmed black man in November. The slaying of Akai Gurley, 28, gunned down in a dimly lit stairwell in the New York borough of Brooklyn, was the latest in a string of lethal police actions feeding U.S. public outrage over what many perceive as racially based violence by law enforcement. This week’s wave of angry but largely peaceful protests began Wednesday when a New York grand jury declined to bring charges against white police officer D a n i e l P antaleo in the chokehold death of Eric Garner, a black 43-year-old father of six. Garner, who had no weapon, was being arrested on suspicion of selling cigarettes illegally in a videotaped confrontation with police on Staten Island in July. The decision sparing Pantaleo from prosecution was announced nine days after a Missouri grand jury chose not to indict a white policeman for the shooting death in August of an unarmed black teenager in the
St. Louis suburb of Ferguson, spurring two nights of arson and unrest there. Then on Thursday in Phoenix, Arizona, another unarmed black man was shot dead by a white police officer during a scuffle, leading to protests in that city. “The government has created a monster and the monster is now loose,” said Soraya Soi Free, 45, a nurse from the Bronx who has been protesting in New York. A wake for Gurley is scheduled for Friday night, with his funeral to follow on Saturday. MARCHERS INVADE APPLE STORE After two nights that saw thousands of demonstrators pour into the streets and block traffic in Manhattan, Friday’s rallies started off smaller and less confrontational, with hundreds parading boisterously through a steady rain but sticking to the sidewalks. In a surprising departure from previous nights, however, a group of more than a hundred stormed into an Apple Store on Central Park South and Fifth Avenue, chanting slogans referring to Brown and Garner. The protesters then staged a brief “die-in,” sprawling out on the floor of the crowded showroom as shoppers and employees
watched. There was no looting or vandalism, and the group left, with no arrests, after about five minutes. A short time later, hundreds of demonstrators briefly streamed into a Macy’s department store packed with holiday shoppers on Herald Square, chanting “Black lives matter” as Christmas tunes played over the store’s sound system. While most businesses in midtown Manhattan have remained open throughout the week, some stores have curtailed their hours in respon s e t o t h e r e c e n t unrest. Representatives of Best B u y C o I n c a n d Ta rg e t Corp said the companies had temporarily closed stores early as a precaution. Smaller protests were held Thursday night in Chicago, Boston and Washington, D.C., where marchers echoed demonstrators across the c o u n t r y, chanting “Hands up, don’t shoot,” and “I can’t breathe.” NEW CASE IN BROOKLYN Brooklyn District Attorney Kenneth Thompson said on Friday he will convene a grand jury to consider charges against the officer who shot Gurley. Police officials have said the officer, Peter Liang, may have accidentally discharged his gun.
(Reuters) - More than half a million people in the Philippines have fled from a powerful typhoon in one of the world’s biggest peacetime evacuations as the storm churns towards central provinces that still bear the scars of a super typhoon 13 months ago. Typhoon Hagupit was approaching eastern coasts today, with its eye 230 km (143 miles) east northeast of Borongan, in Eastern Samar province, the weather bureau PAGASA said. The storm was downgraded to a notch below super typhoon category but could still unleash huge destruction with torrential rain and potentially disastrous storm surges of up to 4.5 meters (15 feet). With winds of up to 195 kph (121 mph) near the center and gusts of up to 215 kph (133 mph), the storm was moving slowly at 10 kph (6 mph) and is expected to hit Eastern or Northern Samar province early tomorrow. More than 616,000 residents of low-lying villages and landslide-prone areas have fled to schools, civic centers, town halls,
gyms and churches, the national disaster agency said. “We call on residents to voluntarily evacuate because the forecast is there will be a storm surge,” Sofronio Dacillo, head of the disaster agency in the island province of Biliran in the central Philippines, said on national radio. Residents of Eastern Samar said rain was falling and their power was fluctuating on Saturday morning. The United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction in Geneva said 200,000 people had been evacuated in the central island province of Cebu alone. “Typhoon Hagupit is triggering one of the largest evacuations we have ever seen in peacetime,” said spokesman Denis McClean. Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific canceled nearly 100 flights to central and southern Philippines on Saturday. The eastern islands of Samur and Leyte, worst-hit by 250 kph (155 mph) winds and storm surges brought by Typhoon Haiyan in November last year, could be in the firing line again.
“I am afraid and scared,” said Teresita Aban, a 58-yearold housewife from Sta. Rita, in Samar province, wiping away tears and trembling as she spoke. “We’re prepared but still fearful, we haven’t finished repairing our house, it still has tarpaulin patches and here comes another storm.” Haiyan, one of the strongest typhoons ever to make landfall left more than 7,000 dead or missing and more than 4 million homeless or with damaged houses. About 25,000 people in Eastern Samar and Leyte still live in tents, shelters and bunkhouses more than a year after Haiyan. About 10 million residents of the Bicol and Eastern Visayas regions of the central Philippines are at risk of flooding, storm surges and strong winds as Hagupit hits land. AccuWeather Global Weather Center said more than 30 million people would feel the impact of the typhoon across the Philippines. The weather bureau said 47 provinces were at risk of strong wind and rains.
China arrests ex-security chief for corruption, leaking secrets (Reuters) - Chinese authorities have arrested former domestic security chief Zhou Yongkang and expelled him from the ruling Communist Party, accusing him of crimes ranging from accepting bribes to leaking state secrets and setting the stage for his trial. Zhou, 71, is by far the highest-profile figure caught up in President Xi Jinping’s crackdown on corruption. He is also the most senior Chinese official to be ensnared in a graft scandal since the Communists swept to power in 1949 and the highest-ranking to be prosecuted since the fall of the Gang of Four in 1976 following the Cultural
Revolution. In a terse statement released by the official Xinhua news agency at midnight into Saturday, the party’s elite decision-making politburo said Zhou’s case had been handed over to judicial authorities. The party began its probe into Zhou, one of China’s most powerful politicians of the last decade, in July, following months of rumors and speculation that he was in trouble. “The investigation found that Zhou seriously violated the party’s political, organizational and confidentiality discipline,” Xinhua said. “He took advantage of his
posts to seek profits for others and accepted huge bribes personally and through his family.” “He abused his power to help relatives, mistresses and friends make huge profits from operating businesses, resulting in serious losses of state-owned assets,” the report said. Zhou also leaked party and state secrets, took money and property either himself or through his relatives, Xinhua said, without providing details. In a common accusation used to discredit fallen officials, Xinhua said Zhou had committed adultery with a number of women and had “traded his power for sex and money”. Party members are banned from keeping mistresses. DEADLY TUMOR Xi has warned, like others before him, that corruption is such a serious problem it threatens the party’s very survival. “(Corruption) is a tumor eating away at the party’s health and its resolute excision is a necessary demand to uphold the party’s character, aims and leadership and to consolidate the party’s power and basis for exercising that power,” the People’s Daily wrote in a commentary on its website on Saturday.
Saturday December 06, 2014
Kaieteur News
Seaman feared drowned in Cuyuni mishap
A seaman is missing and feared drowned following a boat mishap in the Cuyuni River yesterday morning. According to reports out of Bartica, the boat, identified as the ‘Fenella 2’, had just come from an area
known as ‘Devil’s Hole’, when it struck a rock. The victim, who is so far unidentified, fell overboard. Police at Bartica confirmed that they h a d received the report and said the victim is still to be
located. Kaieteur News was told that the vessel was powered by a 200 HP YAMAHA outboard motor and is a registered passenger boat that usually operated from Bartica to the Cuyuni River.
NA stall holder charged with business partner’s murder Police have charged an East Canje goldsmith with the murder of 62-year-old businessman Terrence Malcolm McLean, who was found, stabbed to death at his Lot 6, Sheet Anchor, East Canjie home last Wednesday. Deon Sunthgolam, 38, a goldsmith of Canefield Settlement, East Canje, Berbice, appeared yesterday before Magistrate Rhondell Weaver in the New Amsterdam Magistrate’s Court. According to Prosecutor Corporal Orin Joseph, the accused murdered McLean sometime between Monday, December 1, and Wednesday, December 3. Sunthgolam was allegedly positively identified as the man who had visited the victim’s home. But S u n t h g o l a m ’s A t t o r n e y, C h a r r a n d a s Persaud, claimed that his client can barely read or write and was badly beaten to sign a statement. Persaud stated that his client spoke to him before he went to the station after he learnt that he was being sought by the police. The Attorney said he gave his client instructions not to give any statement until he got there. However, Persaud said that he was unable to contact his client, because he was moved from one station to the next. Attorney-at-Law Persaud said that he was surprised to meet his client in court yesterday. Magistrate Weaver granted the lawyer’s request for his client to be taken for medical attention. Sunthgolam was remanded until Monday 8th
Charged with murder: Deon Sunthgolam December when the matter will be heard again in the New Amsterdam Magistrate’s court. The accused has a stall
in the New Amsterdam Market and has been a business associate of the victim for some time. McLean, who imported fiber glass boats and engines, was reportedly last seen alive on Monday. The victim’s son found the partly decomposed body at around 08:00 hrs on Wednesday, after repeated calls to his father went unanswered. The slain man’s .32 firearm and six live rounds were found in his bedroom. A substantial sum of cash was also reportedly in the house. Pathologist Dr. Vivekanand Brijmohan gave the cause of death as shock and haemorrhage due to multiple stab wounds.
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Saturday December 06, 2014
Cable and Wireless/Columbus “monopoly” worries Caribbean telecoms ministers
Venezuela may sell PetroCaribe debt
CASTRIES, St Lucia – Telecommunication ministers from the Eastern Caribbean will work with T&T industry authorities to protect the region’s consumers. Te l e c o m m u n i c a t i o n ministers from the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) say the proposed acquisition by British telecommunications c o m p a n y, C a b l e a n d Wi r e l e s s (CWC) of Columbus Communications International, would result in the formation of a monopoly in the sub-region. The ministers met in Saint Lucia on Thursday to discuss the fallout of the proposed deal. According to the host Te l e c o m m u n i c a t i o n s Minister Dr James F l e t c h e r, t h e m e e t i n g agreed that the merger would create a monopoly in the provision of fixed network services. “ We h a v e a g r e e d t o join with the Te l e c o m m u n i c a t i o n Authority of Trinidad and Tobago in the conduct of an analysis to see how this impact on our region and how we can ensure the rights of our consumers are safeguarded, that
Dr James Fletche prices do not go up, that access to services that are affected primarily by this m e rg e r, w h i c h i s f i x e d broadband, subscriber cable television and fixed telephony that those prices don’t go up.” He said the ministers also felt that the choices available to consumers are not eroded “and that there is a continuation of fair play in the telecommunication sector”. Last month, the Eastern C a r i b b e a n Te l e c o m m u n i c a t i o n s Authority (Ectel) warned that
both CWC and Columbus Communications could be in breach of their licenses if they engage in activities, which can unfairly prevent, restrict, or distort competition. It said that in reviewing the preliminary information available on the planned purchase, under the current regulatory regime, telecommunications license holders including CWC and Columbus maybe in breach of their licenses. “The decision to combine business by the two companies can have a negative impact on the telecoms sector and this has provided further impetus for the revision of existing legislation and rules governing competition in the sector, including the proposed new Electronic Communications Bill,” Ectel statement read in part. Grenada’s Communication Minister Gregory Bowen said Ectel has been informed of the proposed merger, but warns that if the deal goes through the two entities would need to apply for new licences to operate in the subregion.
NEW YORK, USA — According to a blog post by John-Paul Rathbone and Andres Schipani in the Financial Times, socialist Venezuela may sell out its Caribbean friends to capitalist Wall Street by securitizing debts owed under its $3.5 billion a year PetroCaribe subsidised oil program. Under severe pressure from the continuing decline in the price of oil, Venezuela is reportedly trying to raise desperatelyneeded cash by selling debts owed to it by the Dominican Republic and J a m a i c a t o Wa l l St r e e t investment bank Goldman Sachs. Three countries – the Dominican Republic, Jamaica and Nicaragua – together account for $10 billion of the $14.5 billion total owed to Venezuela under the 13-country PetroCaribe program. In the case of the Dominican Republic, the $4 billion owed to Venezuela would reportedly be sold to Goldman Sachs for $1.75 billion. The Dominican Republic would then issue new bonds and, with the proceeds, buy the debt from Goldman. Goldman Sachs is also reportedly holding
discussions about doing the same for Jamaica’s PetroCaribe debts. Using the Dominican Republic proposal as a template, securitizing all of the past PetroCaribe debt would bring in a total of $6 billion. Cancelling the program completely, including Venezuela’s strategically-important Cuba program, would provide the equivalent of another $3.6 billion a year – still far short of the $25 billion a year in fresh external finance that Bank of America estimates the country needs to maintain imports even at the current depressed levels. For the debtor countries, the Dominican Republic and especially Jamaica are already struggling under hefty debt loads and, although any such arrangement would effectively discount the principal amounts now owed to Venezuela, the replacement bonds would require immediate servicing. Meanwhile, Venezuela’s already dire economic straits are likely to get a whole lot worse if the latest forecasts of a continued slump in crude oil prices are borne out. On Thursday morning, the price of the US benchmark West Texas Intermediate
crude oil was back down to around $66.50 a barrel, after rebounding briefly earlier in the week, a far cry from the $100 a barrel Venezuela has been pressing for and needs to be able to sustain its economy. Although sitting on the world’s largest oil reserves, Venezuelan oil is heavier and more difficult and costly to refine and therefore sells at a discount to other benchmark prices. Much of the recent discussion on the price of oil has been focused on the dramatically increased production of US shale oil, reserves of which have been estimated to be able to supply North America for 100 years, with another 100 years capability from Canada’s tar sands. Conventional wisdom was that it would cost at least $70 to $75 a barrel to produce shale oil, which was therefore expected to underpin the global price level. However, as recently as last week, new estimates that US producers could tolerate $60 oil now seem outdated. Data from North Dakota now indicate that the average cost per barrel in America’s top oil-producing state is only $42, which includes a ten percent return to rig owners.
Saturday December 06, 2014
Kaieteur News
Page 29
Red Force see red after solid start
From page 30 batting this season. With the Northern Range Mountains as a backdrop and a clear blue sk y overhead, Ottley got going with a pugnacious pull off Chris Barnwell, who replaced fast bowler Ronsford Beaton. Beaton was forced to leave the field after bowling four overs in his opening spell due to a slight ankle injury. Simmons smashed two full tosses from Reifer, who lacked control, for a couple of murderous boundaries in the same over as the pair brought up the 50 in the 17th over. Simmons played a ferocious straight drive
that nearly took Barnwell’s hand with it to the boundary and he was already beginning to look ominous. Simmons effortlessly eased Beaton for four past mid-off when the Essequibo pacer retuned from the Northern end and spin was introduced in the 2 0 t h o v e r, 2 0 m i n u t e s before lunch. Just when the second wicket pair seemed set to take their team to Lunch, Barnwell got one to leave Ottley, who touched it to Anthony Bramble behind the stumps after making 14 and the hosts were 53-2, 15 minutes before the break.
The left-handed Cariah dumped Permaul for six to get off the mark when the Berbician flighted before consecutive boundaries were cut away by Simmons when leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo, who captured 15-149 when these two teams met, bowled a succession of short balls in the last over of the session as Sim m o n s galloped to 49. By Lunch the Red Force, who drew with defending Champions Barbados Pride in a rain ruined encounter, beat the Wi n d w a r d s a n d l o s t t o Jamaica, were 78-2 with Cariah on six, as the Jaguars used pace from the
Saturday December 06, 2014 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) You have a very dynamic day ahead of you, Aries. You may feel the need to put all your energy into a group project. You will want to roll up your sleeves and get to work. TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20) Have you ever thought of yourself as a CEO or any o t h e r k i n d o f l e a d e r, Taurus? Today is a great day to begin a project involving other people. GEMINI (May 21–June 20) There's a lot of tension in the air today, Gemini. Perhaps you feel like no one is listening to you, and that people are draining your energy. CANCER (June 21–July 22) As a Cancer, you have an innate gift for healing and calming other people in crisis situations. If this isn't what you do for a living, you should think about doing something with this natural talent. LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) You seem to be a specialist at relationships, and you're very sensitive to the ups and downs in your own. But today you may wonder if people love you less than they did before. question. VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) You're usually full of energy, Virgo, but today you may not feel so vivacious. There's nothing to worry about.
LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) You may have had a hard time lately reaching your objectives. Unfortunately for you, today will be no different. SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) Your sense of responsibility is probably the catalyst for most of your motivation. But what happens when events are beyond your control and you're powerless to do anything about them? SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) Today you could put a stop to your activities for a little while. You may take a good, hard look at things and realize that the climate of trust you need in order to be productive and creative is missing at the moment. CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19) What are you after in life? Deep down, does the kind of work you do satisfy your most intimate desires? The little problems you encounter in your professional life over the next week could be the straw that breaks the camel's back. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20–Feb. 18) It's possible that you're trying to do too much. If look at the days you spend working, you may realize that too much of your energy goes to some very meager results. PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) It's possible that you could be in conflict with people of the opposite sex today. You may feel as if they put obstacles in front of you and slow you down.
Southern end for all but one over of the first session. After lunch Simmons rocked back and cut Permaul behind point for his 11th four to post his 50 from 83 balls and 122 minutes. Permaul, the tournament’s leading wicket-taker and Beaton, Guyana’s quickest bowler, operated in tandem after the interval and the partnership flourished with Simmons using his feet to dance into Permaul and clobber him back over his head for a one-bounce boundary. With the third wicket stand worth 45, Beaton induced Simmons to glove a pull for Bramble to take the leg-side offering as the Jaguars, who left out Tagenarine Chanderpaul and Keon Joseph from their starting X1, made the breakthrough at 98-3. Cariah, back in the side after a toe injury kept him out of the last two matches, and Mohammed saw the 100 posted in 167 minutes with a
GCUC OGM set for February 15 The Guyana Cricket Umpires Council Ordinary General Meeting will be held on February 15 at the Georgetown Cricket Club pavilion at 10:00 hrs. The agenda reads; Call to Order, Prayers, Minutes of the last meeting, Correspondence, Updates from Sub Association, Updates from Sub Committees and Any Other Business. Members are asked to make a special effort to attend.
magnificent square-driven boundary off Permaul to get Jason Mohammed off the mark in fine style. By Tea, the stand had progressed to 45 with both batsmen looking well set and scoring freely on the lush green outfield. Cariah was unbeaten on 40 and Mohammed on 17 as the Jaguars bowlers, who have been a potent weapon this season, had to work much harder for success away from South American soil. Mohammed greeted Bishoo with an audacious cover driven boundary in the first over after Tea as the Jaguars introduced the offspin of Narsingh Deonarine in an all-spin attack. Cariah reached his fifty with his fifth four from 153 minutes and 115 balls. His innings also included a six, but like the others who got
starts, he failed to build on his and was bowled by Deonarine at 169-4 to trigger the dramatic collapse. Nicholas Pooran (0) was stumped off Bishoo one run later when he charged down the track and missed an irresponsible drive. Akeal Hosein (1) was bowled by Deonarine, Emrit (3) was soon stumped off Bishoo and all of a sudden the Red Force had lost five wickets for 11 runs as Jaguars fought back. Mohammed moved closer to his fifty with a spanking cover driven four off Deonarine while Imran Khan smashed Bishoo back over his head for a boundary But Bishoo got rid of Imran Khan (8) and Daniel St Clair (0) in two balls before Deonarine bowled Marlon Richards (0) as Mohammed ran out of partners at the other end.
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Kaieteur News
Letter to the Sports Editor
GABF Schools Programme
well-received DEAR EDITOR, The Guyana Amateur Basketball Federation (GABF) is pleased to report that the captioned (School Exchange Basketball Pilot Programme) has been well-received by administrators and students in the various schools. The support of The Allied Arts Unit, a Department of the Ministry of Education has allowed for seamless cooperation from the management of the schools. The first game between St. Rose’s and President’s College was keenly contested and attracted a fair turnout of student-spectators at President’s College Court, the home team won 62-57. This was followed with an overtime game between Bishops and. St. Stanislaus at the St. Stanislaus Basketball Court on November 7, 2014. The large student turnout at St. Stanislaus College to see the Bishops vs St. Stanislaus game, added to the rivalry; in addition, other spectators parked their motor vehicles and watched the game from the roadside. The thrilling encounter
ended with St. Stanislaus defeating Bishops’ 48-44. The following game between St. Rose’s and Bishops’ on November 12, 2014 where Bishops’ sent a junior team instead of their senior team to play against St. Rose’s resulted in a lopsided result with St. Rose’s winning 66-10. In the return game played at St. Rose’s High School between P r e s i d e n t ’s College and St. Rose’s, the former won by a comfortable margin of 6954. The final game for the first phase of the GABF School Basketball Exchange Programme takes place on Friday (yesterday) at St. Stanislaus Court. O n a r e l a t e d matter, Youth Basketball Guyana Incorporated (YBGI), whose leader, Reverend Chris Bowman has circulated correspondences to at least twelve schools since October 2014, and invited the schools to participate in a tournament labelled “Titan Bowl” (TB); the proposed event has not been approved by the GABF. The GABF has not received
any correspondences from YBGI seeking approval for the Titan Bowl. Promoting and participating in inter-school basketball (extramural school basketball events require the approval of the GABF); tournaments that are not approved by the GABF undermine the efforts of the GABF to manage and develop basketball in Guyana and adversely students’ selection for Regional and National Basketball Teams and Basketball Scholarships. Academic Institutions and potential sponsors of YBGI events should always ensure they have the written approval of the GABF for YBGI events to avoid supporting basketball activates that are in breach of FIBA and GABF statutes. The GABF has received reports from schools and clubs that the students or club members will not participate in the Titan Bowl without the approval of the GABF. We thank you for your support of good governance. Yours Sincerely, Nigel Hinds GABF President
Fourth GFA/Banks Beer cup... From page 33 succeed. “Guyana can benefit tremendously from FIFA and CONCACAF, but we have to prepare ourselves for those benefits and I hope that the various stakeholders can come together and work for the success of the sport,” Minister Anthony said. Dr. Anthony pointed out that we have lots of talent and resources available for its development including women football. “We have not benefitted because we have not applied for these grants and I hope we can change that,” stated Anthony. He thanked Banks
DIH for putting their resources to make sure that competitions are being played and congratulated the GFA leadership. “When we work hard and work together the things that seem impossible becomes achievable,” Anthony posited. Burnette said GFA is pleased to be associated with Banks DIH for the hosting of another tournament and urged the players to play to the best of their ability. Banks DIH executive Brain Choo-hen said they look forward to a thrilling tournament and stressed the need to focus on the development of sports in schools
to ensure its development. The final will be played at the Guyana National Stadium on January 1, 2015 and the wining team will take home a trophy and $3M along with medals while the runner up will receive a trophy and $1.5M. The action continues on Sunday at Tucville with Western Tigers matching skills with Houston Stars at 18:30 hrs and Fruta Conquerors playing Georgetown Football Club from 20:30 hrs. Other teams taking part in the competition are Pele, Santos, Riddim Squad, GDF, Black Pearl, Flamingo, Beacon and Sunburst Campton.
Saturday December 06, 2014
Ramchand and Rohan Auto Spares Softball finals fixed for tomorrow The Ramchand/Rohan Auto Spares Softball cricket finals were postponed from November 30th due to the weather and are now set to be played tomorrow at the DCC ground, Lance Gibbs Street in Queenstown. This softball tournament is also sponsored by Mike’s Pharmacy, Trophy Stall, Ariel Enterprise, Bel Air Rubis, Motor Trend, Nauth Motor Spares and Romeo’s Oil Seal. This competition started on August 10th and will see seven games played on the same day/
night, with competition starting from 10:00am tomorrow. Schedule for tomorrow’s games: 10:00am-Female 10/10 semi-finals. Pitch 1: Mike’s Wellwoman vs Karibee Girls. Pitch 2: Trophy Stall Angels vs Blue Divas. 11:15am-Third place Male play-off. Pitch 1: Parika Defenders vs Slingers (15/15). Pitch 2: Farm vs Ariel Uprisers (15/15). 1:30pm-Female finals (10/ 10). 2:45pm-Masters finals
(20/20) Floodlights vs Mike’s Wellman. 6:00pm-Open final (20/20) Wolf Warriors vs Regal. Admission is $200. Parking in ground is provided for $500 per vehicle. The winning prize for both male finals is $100,000 + winning trophy, Runner-up is $50,000 + trophy. Female is $50,000 + winning trophy, Runner-up is $25,000 + trophy. MVP in finals will receive $10,000 + trophy. There will also be prizes for centuries and 5 wicket hauls made in the tournament.
Grand Coastal Golf Tourney on today at Lusignan Managing Director, Mr Ramesh Paykoo, of Grand Coastal Hotel & Restaurant of Le Ressouvenir, East Coast Demerara, rated as “your number one choice for business or pleasure accommodations in Guyana, South America,” is still excited about the play-off of the Grand Coastal Golf Tournament which the inclement weather had postponed from Saturday, November 22nd. The event has been rescheduled to today.
Lusignan Golf Club Grounds Supervisor, Mr Mike Gayadin, reported that, “The Ground is now in fine condition. The greens, tee-boxes and fairways will all be in superb condition for Saturday’s play.” Club President, David Mohamad expects that the regular rivalry at this end-of-year tournament will be present, but more significantly is seeking to be one of those in the winning spots himself. The competition has been won in previous years
by then teenagers Arvinda Kishore and Joaan Deo, among others, both of whom have experienced Guyana Open victories, and are expected to compete this weekend. The game will be played on the open Medal Play system. Prizes would be provided for 1st to 3rd Best Net position in the male category and 1st Best Net in the female category, Overall Best Gross and Nearest to The Pin. Tee-off is set for 12:15 hours.
WICB Four-Day Franchise Cricket
Red Force see red after solid start Bishoo (4-49) Deonarine (3-24) claim 7 wickets for 55 runs in final session By Sean Devers in Trinidad In association with Noble House Seafoods, Payless Varity Store, Star Party Rentals & Cascadia Hotel The Trinidad & Tobago’s Red Force wasted the hard work from their top order in the first two sessions of the opening day of their fourth round WICB Four-Day FirstClass Cricket Franchise at the Queens Park Oval against
leaders Guyana Jaguars when they slumped from 169-3 to 198 all out in the last session as the Jaguars clawed their way right back into the game. The Jaguars, bowled out by Barbados for 67 chasing 69 to win in their last match, will go into today’s second day on 27-1 from 10 overs with Trevon Griffith (9) already back in the pavilion; caught behind off Skipper Rayed Emrit. Rajendra Chandrika (15) and Shemron Hetymer (4) with the Jaguars still 172 away from first innings lead are at the wicket. The Red Force saw ‘Red’ as a confident 59 from Lendl Simmons, who reached the boundary 12 times, faced 101 balls and batted for 156 minutes in his 23rd fifty at this level, a well crafted 51 from Yannic Cariah, who faced 169 balls, batted for 120 balls with five fours and a six and an unbeaten 48 from 169 minutes, 130 balls, with six fours from Jason Mohammed all went to waste. Simmons shared in useful partnerships with Yannick Ottley (14) and Cariah (51) before Mohammed (48*) and Cariah put together 71 for the
fourth wicket, but none of the batsmen built on the their good starts as the epidemic of poor temperament and reckless shot-selection that spread throughout the region, combined to ensure the Red Force in were bowled out in their own back yard. Leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo (4-49) off-spinner Narsingh Deonarine (3-24) orchestrated a dramatic collapse by taking seven wickets for 55 runs in the final session yesterday. The Red Force won the toss in ideal cricket conditions and elected to bat on a track with some pace and bounce and much better to bat on than the one at Providence. However they quickly lost Evin Lewis (2) in the second over, LBW to left-arm seamer Bajan Raymond Reifer with the score on 8-1. Trinidad & Tobago has a population of 1.3 million people but yesterday not more than 40 spectators watched as Simmons and Ottley joined forces in a 45run partnership to repair the early damage for their side which has struggled with its (Continued on page 25)
Saturday December 06, 2014
Kaieteur News
Page 31
Diamond Mineral Water International Indoor Hockey Festival
Old Fort stun U-19s with four-minute blitz to earn draw GCC opened the tenth annual Diamond Mineral Water International Indoor Hockey Festival with big wins in the men’s and women’s division as the festival commenced last Thursday evening at the national gymnasium. The Hikers drew the first win over GCC in a repeat of last year’s veterans final while the cliff-hanger of the evening was the thrilling men’s division duel between Old Fort and the National Under-19s which ended at 44 through an equalising goal in the final minute. The national Under-19s were up 3-0 by half time in their men’s division clash against Old Fort with the latter seeming to fade as the game slipped away from their grasp. The second half would produce the most surprising twenty minutes of hockey that anyone could expect. Six minutes into the second half, Aroydy Branford earned a penalty stroke and scored a fourth goal for the Under-19 who by now seemed well on their way to an easy victory. With the match wearing down and possession being shared by both sides there seemed to be very little that could be achieved in the final four minutes to change the outcome but Old Fort saved the best for last. A penalty stroke by Omar Hopkinson four minutes from full time seemed to inject the Old Fort side with a shot of adrenaline as they managed their second just one minute later through speedy overlapping defender Aderemi Simon. The floor seemed consumed with red as the red jerseys of Old Fort seemed to be everywhere at
the same time with the rejuvenated side coming alive and pressing for further success. Left wing Jason Dosantos entered the scoring circle on the left, weaved past two defenders and slotted home the team’s third in the penultimate minute. The inexperienced Under-19s struggled to overcome their shock as the clock ran down and a threatening Old Fort loomed in front of them. In the final minute of play, Aderemi Simon raced down the right side of the court, drawing the deep defence and threading a pass to a waiting Jason DoSantos on the far post. DoSantos’ sweeping finish sent the gymnasium into an uproar as Old Fort evened the score with seconds remaining and managing to draw the match at 4-4. Despite a skilful solo run and score from Dwight McCalman and another from Captain Peter Jones, the Renegades suffered the biggest defeat of the evening, a 2-12 loss, in their men’s division clash with GCC. Orland Semple and Kevin Spencer scored four goals each for the victors while Stephen Xavier and Rafael DeGroot both scored doubles. The final men’s division matchup of the night saw National champions the Pepsi Hikers crush Saints by 6-2. The anticipated clash between arch-rivals the GCC Tigers and the Hikers never materialised as the Tigers mauled their opponents from the opening whistle ending with a comfortable 7-1 victory. Kerensa Fernandes and Sonia Jardine with doubles and Ashley DeGroot Shebiki Baptiste and Lanica Persaud all got on the
Leon Bacchus scores the second goal for under-21s against Old Fort in the men’s division. score sheet for the Tigers. The biggest reaction however came from the first-time goal from newcomer Persaud and a skilful solo run from Maria Munroe that produced the lone goal for the Hikers. Spice looked in impressive form in the other ladies matchup of the evening as they demolished the Old Fort Shooting Stars by 10 – 1. The Stars had no solution for national striker Aliyah Gordon who stormed her way to an unmatched 7 goals, while teammates Tricia Fiedtkou with a double and Vanessa Pires with a single rounded off their tally. Owinter Henry managed the lone goal against the run of play for the Stars. The lone veteran’s match of the evening featured the Hickers and GCC, the two sides who faced off both in last year’s final and this year’s
EBFA Stag Beer top performers... From page 31 Soesdyke Falcons ($100,000) who ended with 27 points from 9 wins and 5 losses, while Timehri Panthers copped the fourth place ($75,000) with 24 points from 8 wins and 5 losses. The top four also received trophies. Grove’s Captain, Domini Garnett was the tournament’s Most Valuable Player and Highest Goal Scorer with 21
goals followed by Agricola’s Gordon Grant (15), Kuru Kururu Warriors’ Cordel Johnson (11), while there was 8 apiece for Collis Messiah of Timehri and National Under17 Joel Dick of Grove. Copping the best Goalkeeper accolade was Grove’s Michael Matthews, his team accounted for 57 goals while letting in 15 for a positive goal difference of 42.
A total of 114 goals were scored in the first round while 100 rocked the nets in the second round for an overall tally of 214. Grove accounted for 27% of the goals scored, Soesdyke Falcons 17%, Agricola Red Triangle 14%, Timehri Panthers and Kuru Kururu Warriors 13% each. Herstelling Raiders 6% and 5% each for Mocha Champs and Diamond United.
GCC Tigers Captain Sonia Jardine being challenged by Hikers Avonda James and Maria Munroe. national indoor championships final. The game produced outstanding goalkeeper from both Azad DAbreu for the Hickers and Rawl Davson for GCC which kept it to a much lower score
in the end than was expected. National midfielder Devin Munroe smashed in two for the Hickers in first half of play and GCC’s Devin Hooper managed tom pull one back in the second half but could
not close the gap before full time. The festival continues with games scheduled from 11am to 9pm today and from 10:30am to 7:00pm tomorrow with a presentation afterwards.
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Kaieteur News
Boxers rearing to go as Corporate support behind ‘Rose Hall Town Showdown’
Mr. Mark Thom (right) gratefully accepts the donation from an employee of August Beverage, Colwyn August, yesterday afternoon. After a somewhat lengthy period, boxing buffs in Berbice will have their appetites for a good punch out whetted when several pugilists out of the Ancient County square off against their counterparts from Georgetown when Thom’s Promotions present ‘Rose Hall Town Showdown,’ 26 rounds of fistic fury at the Rose Hall Ground, Berbice, next Saturday. Berbice pugilist, Richard Williamson, will tackle Dillon Allicock over 12 rounds for the local super/ bantamweight title just after another Berbician, Dereck Richmond, steps up one division to square off with Romeo Norville over 6 rounds in a super/ middleweight non title fight. Indeed, the talent out of Berbice will be showcased when another hometown pugilist, Kishawn Simon, tackles Barbadian based Guyanese, former lightweight champion, Revlon Lake, in a highly anticipated 8 rounds slugfest. The hard work by the organizers would have dwindled to naught had it not been for the support
rendered by the corporate community. And so it was that the organizers were kept busy all through the day collecting much needed support. Moments before leaving the Ancient County for engagements in Georgetown, Mr. Mark Thom travelled to Jeansville Hideout, Rose Hall Town where he received tangible support from the proprietor. Moments before arriving in Georgetown, Mr. Thom received added benevolence this time from Mohamed Construction of Lusignan ECD. The hard working promoter next visited Leisure Inn, Delph Street, Campbellville, and was blessed with another tangible donation towards the card’s success. The blessings continued to pour down and Mr. Thom received another support package from the proprietor of August Beverage, Norton Street, Georgetown. This organization has donated several hampers for lucky patrons who will be randomly selected after a draw of ticket stubs. The final contributor was Unicom Cement of Providence EBD who has donated the entire purse for one of the boxers.
WBCA T20 to continue this weekend The West Berbice Cricket Association (WBCA) T20 tournament is set to continue this weeken d w i t h D ’ Edward hosting Rainbow Generation at 13:30 hrs today and Cotton Tree entertaining Bath at 13:00
hrs on Sunday. The semi final places will be decided after tomorrow’s fixture since the 12 teams taking part have one win each. The competition is expected to conclude on December 14.
“This is indeed a show of staunch corporate support and I am indeed grateful for it,” said Mr. Thom shortly after receiving the final contribution. He said expressed deep gratitude to his benefactors while disclosing that the Berbicians are excited since it has been quite a while that they have seen live boxing action. The Ancient County has produced many top class pugilists the likes of the late Ramesh ‘Coolie Bully’ Best, Al Thomas, Howard ‘Battersea Bomber’ Eastman and Jeff Roberts among others. The sport has recently witnessed a revival with several gyms mushrooming around the region. These include the Pocket Rocket Boxing Gym, Central Boxing Gym and the Rose Hall Jammers. There has also been some emphasis on the amateur sector and several boxers have made their mark on the national scene, the likes of the Richard Williamsons and Jamal Eastman among others. Several of these boxers will be on show as the promoter compliment the card with several amateur bouts. These matches have not yet been made but the promoter has assured that the best will be selected as he will be collaborating with officials from the Guyana Boxing Association (GBA). Other sponsors to date are Castle Hotel of Chapel Street, New Amsterdam and Maximum Sports, aired Fridays on NCN 11 from 21:00hrs. Admission to the venue is $2000 for the VIP section while general admission is $1000.
Saturday December 06, 2014
National ruggers return with seventh NACRA title By Rawle Welch The Guyana national rugby team that created history by winning both the NACRA 15’s and 7’s titles in one calendar year returned home yesterday to a rather low-key welcome that had only Union officials in attendance. The national ruggers commonly referred to as the ‘Green Machine’ was greeted by the media, but noticeably absent were members of the Sport Ministry and National Sports Commission whose absence stirred responses of disappointment by the history making champions. Guyana has now won the NACRA Sevens Championship for the seventh time and the win gives the team automatic qualification to the 2015 Pan Am Games scheduled to be staged in Toronto, Canada, while a return to the IRB Hong Kong Sevens was also gained by the capture of the NACRA title. The Guyanese came from behind to beat host Mexico 33-28 in the final with former sprinter Patrick King, who was playing in his first tournament at this level scoring four tries in a dream debut to ignite a dramatic fightback after trailing 7-21 at the half. Speaking with the media at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, the NACRA debutant said it was a great experience for him, but reminded that it would not have been possible without the support of his teammates. “It was a great feeling I was not nervous until the final, but when I saw Mexico take a 21-0 lead I was just praying to get on the field because Kevin (McKenzie) told me to believe in myself and I went out there and brought it home for my team,” King told the media. Captain Ryan Gonsalves told the media that Mexico brought the game to them and even though they knew that the encounter would not be an easy one they never gave
The hero for the Guyana team Patrick King seen coming out of the Arrival Lounge yesterday. up, adding that many other teams would have thrown in the towel, but praised his players for showing the fight and tenacity to rebound and take the title for the seventh time. Gonsalves, who is also the Captain of the 15’s team, pointed to the deepness of the bench as one of the primary reasons for the team’s ability to erase even the most significant lead. He said the year is indeed a historic one for the sport in Guyana, informing that it has never occurred before where this country held both titles at the same time. Gonsalves when asked about the possibility of the team becoming the first one from these shores to represent this nation in a team sport said that Rio 2016 is a great possibility. Head Coach/player Theodore Henry in his remarks reminded the media that the victory marks the second time that Guyana’s rugby was able to qualify for the Pan Am Games, while it also allows them to get back on the international scene. “Missing last year was kind of a new experience for us, but the guys were
determined to win. This year was really special for us we came from behind on both occasions (NACRA 7’s and 15’s) and won and it just shows how tough we are mentally and physically so I think that we need the support from all Guyanese as we prepare for much bigger competitions,” Henry stated. Henry felt that Guyana could not have won without the kind of performance that King produced and credited him for his confidence and natural ability that helped them to get over the line. He, however, expressed disappointment about the absence of officials from the Government and other agencies related to sport, asking what more must the team do to generate the respect that is afforded many other disciplines whose achievements pale in comparison with theirs. The team was promised unmitigated support by the Minister of Finance Ashni Singh shortly after presenting the Union with a cheque on behalf of the Government shortly before they departed for Mexico.
MoH/Health 2000Inc/MoE/Ansa McAl Girls Schools Football Competition
Five matches on today After suffering from the effects of the inclement weather, Organisers of the inaugural Ministry of Health/Health 2000Inc/ Ministry of Education/Ansa McAl Girls Schools Football Competition will be hoping that the five matches scheduled for today are played. The games which are being played at the Ministry of Education ground on Carifesta Avenue will see Smith
Memorial take on Stella Marris and this game will be followed by the clash between South Ruimveldt and Enterprise, before St. Pius square off against St Margaret’s. West Ruimveldt then tackle North Georgetown, before East La Penitence and St. Stephen’s engage each other to bring the curtains down on the day’s activities. Kick off time is 10:00 hrs.
Kaieteur News
Saturday December 06, 2014
Page 33
Fourth GFA/Banks Beer cup kicks off
Minister of Sport Dr. Frank Anthony addresses the gathering last night alongside GFA head Vernon Burnette. By Zaheer Mohamed Following a March Past and salute which was taken by the Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport Dr. Frank Anthony, President of the
Georgetown Football Association (GFA) Vernon Burnette, Banks DIH Executive Brian Choo-hen and Banks Beer brand manager Jeoff Clement, the
Minister of Sport Dr. Frank Anthony (centre), GFA president Vernon Burnette (left), Banks Beer Brand manager Jeoff Clement (second from right) and Brain Choo-hen take the March Past as Alpha United FC display their banner. Fourth GFA/Banks Beer cup kicked off last night at the Guyana Defence Force ground, Camp Ayanganna. Local powerhouse Alpha United played Blackwater
FC in the first fixture, while Police FC took on Northern Rangers in the second game. Speaking at the launching, Dr. Anthony said football can bring people
together and we must work towards making sure the game is sustained here. “We have had our challenges but we have seen the game grown,� he added.
The minister stated that FIFA have put in place a Normalisation Committee and we all should work with this body to ensure they (Continued on page 30)
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Kaieteur News
Saturday December 06, 2014
Team Toney named for Saturday’s ‘Respect the Game’ Charity Basketball Event Fresh on the heels of the naming of Attorney-at-Law, James Bond’s team for next Saturday’s ‘Respect the Game’ Charity Basketball Showdown at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall where Division I and national players will team up with local celebrities, Team
Toney has announced the opposition. Team Bond will play Team Toney, a compilation from Journalist, Rawle Toney, in what will be an entertaining grudge contest for the Respect Trophy. The celebrity-hyped event will bounce off at 7pm with a
High School match-up. The University of Guyana takes on Qualfon in the second game before the national and Division I players team up with local celebrities, professionals and entertainers for a basketball rivalry for several charities of choice.
Team Toney has drafted national guard/forward, Akeem ‘The Dream’ Kanhai (Ravens); guards Dominic Vincente (Ravens), shooting guard, Shelroy Thomas (Colts), Kester Gomes, Stephan Gillis (Pacesetters); forwards Randy Richardson (Pacesetters) and ‘big-man’
Shane Webster (Colts) to ward off Team Bond. Meanwhile, to support the seasoned players, Team Toney has enlisted Compton Babb (‘Respect the Game Inc.’), Lugard Mohan (Former National Point Guard/Coach/FIBA referee), Carey Griffith (Proprietor Wind Jammer International Hotel), Pernel Cummings (Courts Guyana Inc. Marketing Manager), Ronald Grogan (Canada), Nerissa Pearson (98.1FM),
Robert Adelson (US Embassy Public Affairs Officer) and Joel Simpson (Founder-Director SASOD). The event is a call out to all sportsmen and women to return respect to the game, whatever your game may be; whether its the arts, sports, business or professional sectors, ‘Respect the Game’ is geared toward returning ‘respect’ to society using what it believes to be the one forum that brings people together, which is sports.
Tucker donates Best Poser trophy to Flex Night At the Flex Night event tomorrow, the bodybuilder who in the 60-seconds freeposing round executes the most appealing posing routine will win the Flex Night 2014 Best Poser trophy, donated by Mr. Frank Tucker, who will himself be a judge at the event. Mr. Tucker’s generous gesture is aimed at encouraging bodybuilders to refine and perfect the art of displaying their muscularity in the most pleasing and effective way, including the choice of music, the sequence of his movements and the projection of overall stage personality. The best posing routine will be judged as part of the normal assessment of the different weight categories and not as a separate segment, so no accessories or props are allowed. The event gets going at 18:00hrs
Frank Tucker sharp at the National Cultural Centre.
Kaieteur News
Saturday December 06, 2014
Mackeson ‘King of the Rim’ 3x3 Basketball Challenge Defending Mackeson 3x3 champions, Pitbulls are back in the mêlée for the title, ‘balling’ to the perfect 4-0 record in Georgetown G r o u p ‘ A’ w h e n Mackeson’s King of the Rim 3x3 Basketball Challenge continued Thursday night at the California Square, East Ruimveldt. Pitbulls, a compilation from Ravens Basketball Club, ripped apart their opposition for a perfect start to their 2014 campaign. Gullen was the main character in the winning script, starring from beyond the arc to lift the team atop the group. Gullen’s daggers helped humbled Pacesetters-C 125 in a hyped contest. He showed his shooting prowess with back-to-back two-point missiles from the exact spot. Pitbulls also defeated Above the Rim 9-4 in a battle of attrition against the Albouystown-based team. In their two earlier matchups, the defending champs beat home team, Texas 7-2 and Rim Kings 13-5; owed to their unbeaten record, Pitbulls qualified for the grand finale of the tournament on
December 19. Future Setters was also impressive with a record of three wins and one loss in four games. Wins registered on the night for the Future Setters include a 10-7 defeat of Colts-A, a 12-7 downing of Rim Kings and a 10-4 humbling of Texas. Their lone loss, a 6-3 defeat, came at the hands of National All-Stars. Colts-A defeated National All-Stars 14-12, Above the Rim 7-3 and Texas; In other results, Rim Kings defeated Texas 10-4 in the second matchup of the night, while Above the Rim got pass Pacesetters-C 11-9; Pacesetters C beat Colts ‘A’ 12-10 in overtime in the thirteenth match after regulation time had ended with the scores on a 10-10 deadlock. National All-Stars edged Above the Rim 9-8 in overtime following a 7-7 deadlock at the end of regular time while Rim Kings upset National AllStars 6-4 in the fifteenth game of an action packed night of basketball. Due to their similar win records, Future Setters, Colts-A, National All-Stars and Rim Kings will feature in a knockout fixture to decide the other team that
Page 35
Defending champs, Pitbulls back in title contention
Back in the final mêlée! 2012 Champs, Pitbulls, a composition from Ravens Basketball Club will be back in the 2014 Grand Finale of the Mackeson 3x3 Basketball Competition, after topping the Group Thursday night at California Square, East Ruimveldt. advances from Georgetown Group ‘A’ of the tournament today in Alberttown from 5pm. The Georgetown group-B fixtures will be
contested today at the Alberttown Basketball Court where 10 registered teams will vie for another two spots in the grand
finale. Four teams will be drawn from Georgetown with Melanie-based, TRS Raptors already qualified for the grand finale. One
team will be drawn from West Demerara while two teams will come out of Linden for the Super Eight final.
EBFA Stag Beer top performers receive prizes Ansa McAl committed to development – Darshanie Yusuf Following the successful completion of the 2014 Stag Beer sponsored East Bank Football Association (EBFA) senior league, the top four clubs were yesterday presented with their cash awards and trophies by Mr. Sean Abel, Assistant Brand Manager, Stag Beer. Speaking at the presentation ceremony held a t t h e i r l o t 6 0 Beterverwagting, East Coast Demerara, Head Office, Public Relations Officer of Ansa Mc Al Trading, Ms. Darshanie Yusuf in remarks thanked the EBFA for allowing her company to continue the rich partnership with football on the East Bank. “We at Ansa McAl are very pleased to have been supportive of this tournament which was a success. We followed it from start to finish and are even more pleased since two of the young players from two
teams were able to represent Guyana’s Under-17 team in the Caribbean competition.” Yusuf noted that this kind of returns is heartening and assures them that they are on the right track. She also commended the winning teams and the runners-up for the commitment their displayed over the duration of the two-round competition. “It is as a result of your hard work and discipline that we are here today, having completed a successful competition that you made possible. You played hard and well and deserve the rewards that you are receiving here today.” Also offering remarks w e r e A b e l a n d E B FA President Wayne Francois who expressed thanks to Ansa McAl on behalf of the association; Managing Director Ms. Beverley Harper, Marketing Manager Mr. Troy Cadogan and Stag Beer Brand Manager Mr.
The top four EBFA clubs show off their trophies after receiving cash awards from Ansa McAl’s PRO Darshanie Yusuf (4th left) and Assistant Stag Beer Brand Manager Sean Abel (5th left). Also in photo are EBFA Secretary Franklin Wilson (3rd left) and President Wayne Francois (3rd right). John Maikoo were all praised for their support. Abel also congratulated the top teams as well as the other clubs that made up the tournament. He reminded that his company has over the years
invested in the development of Guyana’s sportsmen and women so it was easy to get back on board with the association, noting that they are pleased with the way things went and would have no hesitation in supporting
next year. Grove Hi Tech emerged as winners losing a single game out of 14 (13 wins) to end with 39 points; they won the top prize of $300,000. Agricola Red Triangle returning to competitive
football after many years ended as second best losing two of their games, winning 9 and drawing two to accumulate 29 points; they received $150,000. Third place went to (Continued on page 31)
Diamond Mineral Water International Indoor Hockey Festival
t r o Sp WICB Four-Day Franchise Cricket
Old Fort stun U-19s with Red Force see red after solid start four-minute blitz to earn draw Bishoo (4-49) Deonarine (3-24) claim 7 wickets for 55 runs in final session P.31
P.30
Jason DoSantos controls the ball for Old Fort to launch a comeback against Under-21s.
Yannick Ottley is about to be caught behind off Chris Barnwell yesterday.
National ruggers return with seventh NACRA title P.32
President of the Union Peter Green (centre) holds the NACRA Trophy along with Leon Greaves yesterday at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport. 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