Monday December 08, 2014
Kaieteur News
Page 5
Letters... Where your views make the news...Letters... Where your views make the news
THE PRESIDENT’S SPEECH ON ELECTIONS SHOULD BE TAKEN WITH A GRAIN OF SALT
DEAR EDITOR, If the President’s statement is to be taken seriously then there will be Regional and General elections early next year at the latest. But no one, including the opposition, should take the President and the PPP cabal at their word because of too many broken and empty promises in the past. The PPP will lose the election because contrary to what the PPP cabal believes, the election will not be a battle between politics and economics or the PPP against the AFC/ APNU or a grand coalition. It will be a battle for the PPP to convince its own supporters to vote for the party because they believe that the President and his cabal have abandoned them for their rich friends. It will be a battle over a number of depraved and shameful acts committed by the PPP cabal and gutwrenching issues affecting the people, such as endless corruption, high crime rates, gigantic floods, a decaying and stinking Georgetown, lack of jobs for the youths and those who want to work, rule by decree, reckless squandering of the t a x p a y e r s ’ m o n e y, t h e Marriott Hotel fiasco, the giving away of the airwaves to friends and relatives of the PPP by
J a g d e o , a n d t h e P P P ’s refusal to establish the Procurement Commission and the Integrity Commission among others. Other bread and butter issues affecting the poor and the working class include the PPP regime’s refusal to lower VAT by two percent, reduce the toll on the Berbice Bridge from $2200 to $1000 for cars and mini buses and free for motor cycles, increase old age pensions from $13,000 to $20,000 and salaries/ wages by 15 percent for civil servants, teachers, nurses, police, army and GUYSUCO workers. Since Jagdeo assumed power in 1999, Guyana has moved backwards with the marginalization of a certain ethnic group, increased poverty, massive corrupt practices and over 400 extra-judicial murders. His ineffective and warped management skills, coupled with nepotism, which placed a large number unqualified and inexperienced PPP operatives in senior government positions, have ruined the country. His refusal to compromise with the opposition and govern in the interest of all the people, and not only in the interest of his rich friends, have turned Guyana into a failed state. Not only did he fail the
people, but he also lied to them for eight years that he was married when he was not. The mistreatment of the former First Lady by the Earth’s Champion from Unity Vi l l a g e was disgraceful and sickening to say the least. It is against this backdrop that the PPP regime has shown total disrespect for the people and contempt for the constitution. What makes the situation more treacherous is that the Jagdeo/Ramotar dictatorial and immoral regime has failed miserably to effectively impress the people, including their hard-core supporters, who have lost total confidence in the way they govern the country and will no doubt vote them out of office. The PPP is in serious trouble because the majority of their supporters did not receive the handouts, monetary assistance and special favors that were promised to them during the last election by Ramotar. Other promises that were not fulfilled by the PPP include the giving of financial help to small farmers, improving the welfare of the poor and the working class, improve the health and educational sectors, repair the pot holes on the roads, improve water supplies,
end power blackouts, reduce crime and corruption, and provide an across the board increase in salaries/wages and old age pensions. It is no secret that the PPP had used a substantial amount of the state resources to buy votes in the last election and they intend to do so again because they have and continue to be confronted by an angry constituent who believe that they do not have the people and the country’s interest at heart. The PPP regime is now in desperate mode as it seeks to convince its supporters that they are the better managers of the country’s perennially battered and anemic economy. But its majority was shattered in 2011 and this has brought into sharp focus that the PPP has become an expendable party mainly because of out of control corruption, its unpopular decisions and dictatorial rule. What will be at stake in the 2015 election is not just the disgraceful record of t h e P P P, b u t t h e p o o r governance of both Jagdeo and Ramotar which has caused Guyana to become the most corrupt country in the Caribbean and the second poorest country in the region after Haiti. They have brought shame to the country and have
embarrassed every Guyanese at home and abroad. The Jagdeo-Ramotar duo has also caused Guyana to descend to its lowest level since the founding of the nation. The people will no longer continue to take the bitter medicine dished out to them by the uncaring and dictatorial Jagdeo/Ramotar PPP regime. The low level in which the country is now, another term of the PPP dictatorial and corrupt rule would be deadly in more ways than one in that it would lead to massive starvation, very high unemployment, endless corrupt practices, a higher crime rate and perhaps a revolution. The potent question that Guyanese must ask is, can the spiteful and deceitful PPP regime do anything different given the fact that corruption and crookedness are growing leaps and bounds by the day and they have not charged anyone so far. And Ramotar has refused to sanction the two senior officials at NCN who were caught in the act of embezzling the state funds. One of then deposited over
$3 million of the state funds into his personal bank account. Can the PPP regime abandon its dictatorial rule? No! Because history has shown that dictators only change for the worst, not for the better. But with an increasingly disenchanted populace the PPP could suddenly find itself so debilitated at the next election that it could be reduced to a shell of itself. We are convinced that the next general election will be the most important since independence, when the socalled invincible cabal will be put out to pasture. So we are hoping that the President will honor his words and call elections early next year as he promised. But knowing how desperate and untrustworthy the president is and how wicked and bane the PPP cabal has become, the people, especially the opposition should not hold their breath because in the past, the Jagdeo/Ramotar regime has not matched words with action. They are deceitful and cannot be trusted. Asquith Rose and Harish Singh
Page 6
Kaieteur News
Guyana’s national wealth cannot be hived off by a few persons - Harmon ...as APNU calls for equitable distribution in future Guyana’s national wealth cannot be hived off by a few persons leaving the remainder of the population to scrounge for the remaining crumbs; there must be equitable distribution of the national wealth. This is according to General Secretary of A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), Joseph Harmon, who during the most recent Nation Watch programme accused the administration of impoverishing a large section of the Guyanese population and as a result has adopted a strategy of giving handouts in the hope of securing loyalty. According to Harmon, the Peoples Progressive Party (PPP) in the coming weeks will be looking to buy the votes of Guyanese people. He is adamant however that there is no price. “There is no price that you can put on our conscience…our conscience is saying to us as Guyanese that the PPP you have had enough.” Harmon said that Guyanese must anticipate the large expenditure on the part of the administration which will be seeking to buy votes in anticipation of the General Election. Accusing the ruling administration of being incapable of managing the affairs of the country, Harmon said, “you have sunken this country into a narco-state; you have created the largest
amount of dropouts on an annual basis from our education system; you have created a poor sense of security among Guyanese people.” Guyanese, he said, are starving at a time when there is an enormous amount of wealth in the country. “So much wealth that is in this country being enjoyed by just a small clique and their friends and families,” Harmon stated. He drew reference to former President Bharrat Jagdeo, who used a private luxury jet recently to fly to Miami to seek treatment for what was reported to be a stomach ailment. “We want a more equitable distribution of the national wealth and it cannot be done in the way which the PPP has been doing by just a small few getting the hog of the things and the bulk of us have to deal with the crumbs that fall from the table.” Two years ago, speaking at a public forum, daughter of the late Cheddi Jagan, Nadira Jagan-Brancier, had blasted the current crop of PPP leaders saying that her parents would have been turning in their graves to witness what is taking place in Guyana along with the levels of corruption. “My parents were probably the most incorruptible people you would ever find; their honesty and integrity were of very high standards, but that
together with the aim of establishing a local Chapter of Transparency International, an international non-governmental organization that advocates for transparency in public and private institutions. Meanwhile TIGI will also host its 3rd Annual Fundraising Dinner on Tuesday evening at the Savannah Suite, Guyana Pegasus. Guest Speakers at the
Parliament being starved of funds - Speaker …President refuses to sign amended Bills to ensure its financial independence - Greenidge
Joseph Harmon unfortunately does not exist or I don’t see it in many of the leaders of the party and government.” She had scolded the party for putting out platforms using her parents’ name— particularly her father’s— and not living up really and truly to what her parents stood for. “It is not enough to go out there and make lovely speeches about who my parents were, what they did and the legacy that we’re carrying on.” She said that if the PPP is saying that it is following Cheddi Jagan and Janet Jagan as a living guide, “the only way you can follow them is to return to basics, return to who this party is, which is the working-class party. Obviously you have to support other people, but the base of this party is a working-class party, get back to being a non-corruptible party, so people can’t point a finger and say there is so much corruption, why should we worry?”
Int’l Anti-Corruption Day to be observed with march and dinner The Transparency Institute of Guyana Incorporated (TIGI) will be holding a march tomorrow as Guyana joins the rest of the world in observing International AntiCorruption Day. The march will commence at 10:00 hours from the Umana Yana site to Parliament Building. TIGI was founded in 2010 when a group of Guyanese citizens came
Monday December 08, 2014
dinner will include the Honourable Madam Justice Desiree Bernard, first female Chief Justice and Chancellor of the Judiciary of Guyana and Judge of the Caribbean Court of Justice, now retired. Tickets are available at $8,000 per person at the TIGI office on Waterloo Street. Interested persons can also reserve tickets via email a t infotransparencygy@gmail.com or telephone #231-9586.
Speaker of the National Assembly, Raphael Trotman is unhappy with how financially dependent the Parliament is on t h e Executive. In order to strengthen its independence, he proposed that Parliament be given its money upfront as opposed to its current financial arrangements with the Ministry of Finance. The House Speaker made this statement during a televised Alliance For Change (AFC) programme on Sunday last. The Speaker was reminded by Moderator of the programme, Beverly Alert, about a tabled motion for the Independence of the Parliament and to what extent it is still reliant on the Executive. The House Speaker asserted that to a large extent, it is dependent. He said that the Parliament can put up proposals but it would have to be scrutinized by the Ministry of Finance and approved. He noted however that there are instances where it would be told that the Finance Ministry does not have money to support certain projects that may even be about training as it has had in the past when the Parliament was operating as per normal. He told viewers that there were times for example, when the Tenth Parliament needed a Legal Advisor but the Ministry of Finance informed that it cannot afford it. Trotman also mentioned that in some cases, Members of Parliament had difficulties with travel for conferences and what he would appreciate, as a solution to the problem, is for the Parliament to have a lump sum grant which of course would be subject to any audit. He is hoping that monies would be available to the National Assembly upfront, the same way the Judiciary should have its money at hand as well. Because of the current financial arrangements, Trotman reminded that
House Speaker, Raphael Trotman
Carl Greenidge
during the Budget cuts case, which saw several protests, parliamentary staff came to him in tears worried about how they would be affected and if it would be a good decision to go on the picket line. “Parliament staff should not have to be put in a position to choose…,” he added. He said too that there was the introduction of a Bill for a Parliamentary Commission comprising all parties that would make certain appointments and deal with the problems facing the Parliament. But this Bill remains languishing in the National Assembly. The House Speaker said that he would still advocate for the Commission. In sharing his view on the matter, Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee, Carl Greenidge, said that his coalition, A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) was the one that piloted that Bill to provide for the independence of the National Assembly. But he opined that the reason it has not been realized was because the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) asked for it to be shelved to permit certain discussions. That was in 2012. The discussions led to nothing, he emphasized. Greenidge said that that was the purpose of the request and he went on to state that it is a very common strategy of the PPP. The APNU
Parliamentarian said that what the nation is witnessing is a clear case where offices such as the Parliamentary Counsel and a Budget Office needed and requested by the Assembly have been denied by the Executive. He believes that this is a travesty because those two bodies are supposed to be separate and independent but it is clearly a case where one decides on the facilities available to the other. Greenidge said that the PPP executive can be expected to continue to refuse funds for the Budget Office because that office is supposed to help in the vetting of the Executive’s work. The APNU Shadow Finance Minister said that obviously, the Constitution and the Fiscal Management and Accountability Act need to be amended to permit the House to take care of such business and needs. He highlighted that The Fiscal Management and Accountability Amendment Act of 2013 and the Constitutional Amendment Acts of 2013 did this. “And, surprise, surprise, President Donald Ramotar refused to assent to them,” he asserted. “Therein lies Guyana’s problem – the inconsistency of the Constitution with the principles on which it is based and the ease with which the Presidency can undermine those very principles,” the APNU financial point man concluded.
Monday December 08, 2014
Kaieteur News
Page 7
Page 8
Kaieteur News
Monday December 08, 2014
Spencer expresses shock with govt’s decision to tie CIP to project in UAE ST JOHN’S, Antigua – Former Prime Minister Baldwin Spencer is expressing shock that the government of Antigua & Barbuda has tied the country’s economic citizenship programme (CIP) to a billion dollar project in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Cabinet has extended Antigua & Barbuda’s territorial jurisdiction to the UAE project, which allows the investor to offer citizenship to clients for 200 thousand US dollars each. That is 50 thousand dollars less than if applicants come through the CIP Unit. “This is totally outrageous. I can’t understand how this government could see the wisdom in doing any such thing,” Spencer said The former prime minister of Antigua & Barbuda said residents need to speak out. “This is an outrage; it’s madness, it’s crazy. The emphasis is for them to rake in as much money as they can get under the
Baldwin Spencer National Development Funds so they have funds at their disposal, so they don’t care how they get it, they don’t care how it is done; that’s an outrage and I am not too sure that is in keeping with the CIP act as I understand it,” Spencer said. “It is something clearly that I don’t think that we should sit idly by and allow them to continue to perpetrate because if they do it in this case, it is going to happen in other scenarios.” Meantime, the opposition
leader has slammed government for not following his administration’s lead and updating parliament on those receiving CIP passports, as required every six months. Prime Minister Gaston Browne said they will meet this requirement although, with six months already gone, no such update has been given as yet. Spencer said the intention was to set the bar to a higher level amid growing concerns worldwide about citizenship by investment programmes. “Those who don’t want to comply with it, well they are not welcome. We decided we have to have reports every six months to the parliament, giving the names, all the information. They decided they are not having anything of that so they came to parliament to create a situation where there is now lack of transparency, accountability and verification. I am suggesting that we are going to run into serious problems by doing that,” Spencer said.
No OWTU strike today — PM Trinidad Guardian - Prime Minister Kamla PersadBissessar has declared that there will be no strike by the Oilfields Workers’ Trade Union (OWTU) today. She was responding to questions posed by the media concerning OWTU President Ancel Roget’s threat to shut down the country and his declaration of “war” on Persad-Bissessar for allegedly using parliamentary privilege to attack him. The PM spoke after the toy distribution event at the Jean Pierre Complex, Port-of-Spain Saturday. Persad-Bissessar said, “First of all, the Minister of Energy Kevin Ramnarine has explained that we do have supply and we have put contingency plans in place should there be such a strike, so there is no need to panic.
“Further the Energy Minster told me that should the OWTU wish to strike they must serve strike notice by a certain time. “At this time Friday he advised that no strike notice had been given and therefore, unless it is a strike outside of the law, no strike will take place on Monday. “I’ve had a very exceedingly peaceful and blessed day. For those who had declared war on us and have said we will not have any peace inside or outside of Parliament, I make no war on anyone, let there be peace.” Responding to how the $55 million allocation will be disbursed to various churches, she said they’ve written to every MP through the Ministry of the People and Social Development and asked them to list the churches, caretakers, the
Kamla Persad-Bissessar numbers in the congregation of each church. PersadBissessar said there were more than 1,500 churches in the country and there may be some that may not be registered. She said the $55 million figure was budgeted but all may not be spent.
Monday December 08, 2014
Kaieteur News
Page 9
THE OPPOSITION HAVE A LOT OF EXPLAINING TO DO Next year’s election will not be about the record of the PPPC government. The next general election is going to be about the effectiveness of the opposition parties. The government will have to answer a number of charges including rogue behavior and undemocratic conduct, but the government will be able to turn these elections into a judgment of the manner in which the opposition parties used their one seat majority. There were high expectations that the combined opposition would use the one seat majority to bring about improved governance. Instead they used it to make the life of the government miserable. The PPP was hardly able to govern the country following the 2011 elections. They were constantly under siege from the actions of the combined opposition in the National Assembly. First, there were the threats to
government workers which caused hundreds of public sector workers to take to the picket lines outside of the National Assembly to protest planned cuts that would have cost some of them their jobs. When the Budget cuts did come, a number of agencies were affected, including the Ethnic Relations Commission. Major developmental projects were also slashed. In following years, sugar workers were forced to picket parliament over a threat to not approve a subvention to the sugar corporation. The combined opposition tenure as a parliamentary opposition therefore brought them in direct conflict with major sections of the working class. On the election trail, the combined opposition will have to justify why they threatened the jobs of public sector workers and sugar workers. In the case of the Guyana Sugar Corporation, the argument that there was a
Dem boys seh...
De law will ketch up wid dem Wha go round does come round. That is wha old people seh. It also mean that do got do back and knack got knack back. Now, dem got people who believe that dem can do wha dem like fuh as long as dem like and that retribution is something that only happen when dem dead. Dem is people who never listen to old people when dem seh that people can do wha dem want but not fuh as long as dem want. De longest rope got an end. Dem boys seh da one. People beginning to think that de law is only fuh some people because some does get charge and some don’t, although dem get accuse of doing de same thing. Who can explain why dem charge de Waterfalls boss man fuh threatening a man when dem ain’t hear de threat? But de same people who hear Anil threaten and who read word fuh word wha he seh can’t even try fuh charge he. It ain’t that dem blind suh dem couldn’t read or that dem deaf suh dem couldn’t hear. De message dem continue to send seem like de law is only fuh people who dem don’t like. Is two Lall. One is fuh real and de other is Nanda, which mean fake. If things change and nuff people believe that some
things gun change, then all of dem who jumping up and down and posing wid dem wealth gun find out that de full force of de law will reach dem. Jagdeo and Babbie is de first two that de law gun put hand pun. De fat crook, de Shaat scamp, de Bees and de others gun follow. Some already applying fuh visa and who frighten fuh go to de States hoping that dem can go to Canada. Dem ain’t even thinking about going to Suriname which deh close and people don’t need visa. Donald Duck done signal dat elections deh round de corner and already some people not sleeping. Some of dem going to meet people who dem ain’t talk to fuh years because dem was certain that power is dem own fuh life. Now dem going to de same people fuh ask dem fuh vote fuh dem. Some of dem bringing out jumbie but de same Donald Duck seh that whoever seh suh telling a lie. One thing is certain, de courts gun be busy and all who do wrang things got to remember that de longest rope got an end; that time longer than twine; that moon does run till day ketch am. Talk half and watch out fuh all who trying fuh sell out dem property.
need to ensure that GUYSUCO put the subvention to good use will not find much traction. The National Assembly is NOT doing the sugar workers and GUYSUCO a favour by offering a subvention to the sugar corporation. The monies that are being given at present to the sugar corporation cannot compensate for the funds that were taken away from the sugar industry through the sugar levy. In terms of net present value, the combined value of the levy far exceeds the combined subventions that are now being offered. It is the people of Guyana who
owe the sugar workers. The combined opposition will also have to defend their record on press freedom. They will have to explain why they denied the government the right to propagate its own views by slashing the subvention to GINA. It is one thing to cut the subvention to NCN but it is clear violation of press freedom and the right of the government to publicize its positions and for the people to be accorded the right to receive such information. The cuts of GINA were unacceptable and were a flagrant violation of freedom of expression. The combined opposition will on the
campaign trail have to explain why it is they opted to go this route. Finally , the combined opposition while making a big fuss about defending the independence of the judiciary will have to explain why they took the position that he judiciary cannot make an order against the National Assembly. They will have to explain their stance in relation to ruling by the Court in relation to certain actions, the constitutionality of which were challenged in the Courts. Democracy is on trial and it is not the government alone that is facing charges of being in violation of democracy. The
actions of the combined opposition in relation to the separation of powers require an explanation on the campaign trail. The government is going to use the forthcoming elections to highlight the role of the opposition parties in frustrating development. And the combined opposition will have to explain their threats against the working class, their positions on rulings of the Court on issues dealt with by parliament, and the violation of freedom of expression by denying a subvention to GINA because it was not carrying the opposition’s views.
Monday December 08, 2014
Kaieteur News
Leonora beating death…
Page 11
East La Penitence drowning…
Wife says she can’t ID Suspicions of foul cop who beat spouse play surface after PM - but denies not cooperating with investigators The wife of Leonora beating death victim, Asif Rahim Khartoon, is refuting claims by investigators that she is refusing to cooperate with them. An official from the police Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) has told Police Complaints Authority Chairman, Justice Cecil Kennard, that Khartoon’s wife, Soorsattie Chandrapaul, is refusing to attend an identification parade to pick out the police rank who arrested and allegedly beat her husband. Justice Cecil Kennard, who received the report on Khartoon’s death last Tuesday, confirmed that he was informed that Mrs. Chandrapaul has not responded to requests by the OPR to attend an identification parade. “What is disturbing is that the wife has failed to go to the identification parade; she has to identify the men who (allegedly) beat her husband.” Soorsattie Chandrapaul confirmed that on Friday OPR head, Heeralall Makhanlall, had asked her to attend an identification parade. However, the woman said that she explained to the OPR head that she could not identify the policeman that she claimed assaulted her husband when he was being arrested. “I told him I can’t identify the man and I say I don’t want to identify the wrong person, and he say that I don’t want to cooperate.” According to Chandrapaul, the arrest occurred at nightfall, and this prevented her from clearly
seeing the policeman who struck her husband while he was in a vehicle. The file is to be sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions for further advice after the Police Complaints Authority completes its probe. Khartoon, a fisherman of Meten-Meer-Zorg, West Coast Demerara, died two Thursdays ago, a few days after he was released from the Leonora Police Station. A post mortem examination revealed that he died from multiple injuries to his head, face, chest and other parts of his body. Police had stated that Khartoon was arrested shortly after midnight November 22, 2014, following investigations into a report that he had assaulted his reputed wife, Sursattie Chandrapaul. “During efforts to arrest him, Asif Rahim Khartoon resisted, but was eventually subdued and taken to the Leonora Police Station.” “At the station he made no complaints against the arresting ranks. At the Leonora Station, Asif was kept on the bench handcuffed to another man in custody whom he later reported had allegedly assaulted him,” the release stated. “Asif was subsequently taken to the Parika Police Station that Saturday where he was kept in the lockups. He was charged with assault and brought to the Leonora Police Station on Monday November 24, 2014, to attend the Magistrate’s Court.” The release stated that while at Leonora, the prisoner’s reputed wife reported that he was beaten
Asif Rahim Khartoon by the police and as a consequence, he was taken to the Leonora Cottage Hospital which then referred him to the West Demerara Hospital. He was later released and was scheduled to appear in Court on November 26, 2014.” Khartoon’s wife alleged that on the day of his arrest, five “black clothes” ranks had handcuffed her husband and placed him to lie in the back of the police van. The woman claimed when her husband attempted to sit, one of the ranks “tek one of the long gun and stomp he on he back”. She denied that her husband had resisted arrest. Chandrapaul said that when she visited her husband at the station the following day, she found him in a battered state, with his face badly swollen. After inquiring from the police about her husband’s condition, they told her that he had been beaten by other prisoners. However, Chandrapaul said her husband insisted that police ranks had inflicted the injuries. After being admitted to two West Coast Demerara hospitals and the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation, Khartoon took his own discharge, then succumbed.
Body of Cuyuni mishap victim found Police have recovered the body of 31-year-old Linden resident, Leon Cornelius, who died in a boat mishap in the Cuyuni River last Friday. Relatives identified Cornelius on Saturday after viewing his remains at the Lyken Funeral Parlour. The circumstances surrounding the mishap are still unclear. Relatives declined to speak to Kaieteur News. 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. Cornelius was reportedly hurled overboard. Kaieteur News was told that the vessel was powered by a 200 HP Yamaha outboard motor and is a registered passenger boat that operated from Bartica to the Cuyuni River. The Cuyuni River is one of the most treacherous to
traverse. In May, 2013, four passengers drowned after their vessel capsized near Matuk Falls, Cuyuni. In December, 2008, army ranks Private Colwin Harris and Corporal Wesley Hopkinson perished in a twoboat collision at Eteringbang in the Cuyuni River.
Suspicions of foul play have surfaced following a Post Mortem Examination (PM) performed on the remains of Toolsidas Mandra, the homeless man whose body was pulled from a trench near the East La Penitence Police Station two Fridays ago. The examination which was performed by Government Pathologist, Dr. Nehaul Singh at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) has suggested that the 42-yearold man was beaten before he drowned. According to the PM, there were severe lacerations to Toolsidas’ head and his face was disfigured. The homeless man’s relatives are now assuming that the individual who injured their loved one had also pushed him into the trench. His relatives have also lashed out at the ranks at the East La Penitence Police Station for not assisting Mandra. They claimed that they were informed that Mandra went to the police station to make a report but was chased out of the compound. During an interview yesterday, Neville De-Santos,
the dead man’s brother-inlaw, said that when he was informed of the tragedy, he immediately travelled to the scene with other relatives to confirm the terrifying news. At the scene, De-Santos said that the police made no effort to assist in pulling Mandra’s body from the trench although it was clearly visible. He accused an officer, who he referred to as “fat boy”, of laughing instead of helping the relatives. “I was there and I went into the trench with my clothes and pulled his body out. There was a guy who helped me lift his body up and I gave him $1000. The police did not help us and I am aware that the body belongs to the state until the PM. The police weren’t supposed to allow anyone to even touch the body,” an upset De-Santos said. He added that Mandra’s face was battered and it was beyond recognition when the body was pulled from the trench hours after he had drowned. “We identified him by his clothes…If we didn’t go there the body would have left right in that trench. The police said that he cannot swim and the trench shallow,
but I walked in,” the relative said. In defense of its ranks, the Force issued a statement saying that when the ranks at the East La Penitence Police Station were informed of the incident, several ranks including a Sub-ordinate Officer responded. The statement added that with the use of flashlights, the ranks made efforts to locate the man in the trench but were unsuccessful. However, Mandra’s relatives are refuting the police’s statement. De-Santos even went on to say that when he received the Post Mortem report, he went back to the station to show the ranks the death certificate and informed them of the latest development. “When I went, they refused to listen to me and they said that Mandra drowned. It is clear that Mandra’s life wasn’t of much subsequence to them,” DeSantos related. He added that, “He does go by his sister everyday and go back to the La Penitence Night Shelter to sleep. He drinks and that is why he would normally go to the shelter in the nights and go by his family during the days,” De-Santos related.
Page 12
Kaieteur News
Monday December 08, 2014
New info raises suspicions over miner’s death The relatives of 21-year old Clive Johnson were convinced that they had closed the final chapter on his life when they buried him in March earlier this year. They had resigned themselves to the fact that he had drowned at Omai, Region Seven, as was reported by his co-workers. Even though a post mortem examination pointed to blunt trauma to the head as one of the factors that caused his death, relatives were prepared to put that behind them and move on with their lives. But that was not to be, as lately they have been receiving reports that there was more to Johnson’s death than was reported and they now want answers. Eight months ago Johnson’s body was discovered floating in the area’s murky waters of the Essequibo River, two days after he reportedly fell from a Brazilian-style river dredge. Johnson of 19 Ramp Road, River View, Ruimveldt had left his home a month earlier to go into the interior to work with a man named “Peter”. The day before he died, he had telephoned his mother
Clive Johnson to tell her that he was coming home the following day. But hours after that telephone call, his relatives were informed of his demise by a shopkeeper who knew the family. Shortly after he disappeared, Johnson’s mother, Janice Evans, had told this newspaper that she was informed that her son had climbed onto a ‘Dragga’ to reach for something when his foot slipped and he fell into the water. She was further informed that another miner plunged into the rough waters to rescue Johnson, but his efforts were futile. But eight months later,
relatives are hearing that there might have been some foul play involved in the young man’s death, especially since they have lost contact with his former employers. Johnson had initially planned to cut a three-month stint in the interior; so relatives were surprised when he called to say that he was coming out after one month. They were suspicious that something had gone wrong. According to a relative, Johnson complained of being stressed out and wanted a break from the interior. “I ask he why he coming out so quick and he say, ‘man, up hey is bare stress, man’ and he just cut off.” The relative who asked not to be named because she has concerns for her safety, given the people who Johnson was working with, said that the first information his mother received was that workers were welding something on the ‘Dragga’ when it fell and Johnson in an attempt to retrieve it, fell overboard. Then there was another report which stated that Johnson was on the “Dragga” when he got up for
a cup of water and slid, causing him to fall into the river. The young man could not swim. The two version of events raised eyebrows but relatives were too distressed to make pointed queries. The relative said that when she saw Johnson’s body, his fists were clenched and his nose “mash in”. “He died with he gold chain on. We de so confused, we didn’t had no suspicion,” the relative stated. But some suspicions arose after the post mortem examination revealed that apart from drowning, Johnson suffered a blunt trauma to his head. “I say nah, dis boy get knock in he head. But I didn’t say nothing to nobody because we de just trying to catch we self,” the relative told this newspaper. The relative recalled that after the funeral, she accompanied Johnson’s mother to Linden where detectives were taking
statements from persons who were at the scene when Johnson fell overboard. There they observed what they described as “strange occurrences”. “One detective de pressuring one of de workers and de getting something out ah he, but den dey pull he away and me ain’t know what happen after dat,” the relative said. “We start to hear all sorts of things. People start saying dis and saying dat. People tellin we how dey kill he. We hear about four different stories. Is now we hearing dat he try fuh get back some slippers that fall overboard and dis hurting we head more,” the relative added. She said that Johnson’s mother had raised concerns over the different versions with the dead miner ’s employer but they got nowhere. “He tell she don’t bother with people, dey just trying fuh cause problems and confuse de family,”
The relatives said that she believes that the police should re-open the investigations and question all the persons who witnessed the incident, individually. “I know something wrong. I just want to know de truth, because this thing just got me puzzle. Why nobody ain’t try fuh save he when he fall? Dey had divers deh and dem ain’t find he body far from where he fall. I does get terrible dreams,” the relative told this newspaper. But the relatives’ wish might not be fulfilled since according to a senior police detective, the investigations were carried out in a professional manner and nothing suspicious was unearthed. “As far as the police are concerned, we did everything in a professional manner to the best of our ability. I don’t see what else is there to change the outcome of our investigation,” the senior official said.
Social media users vent feelings on President’s election announcement President Donald Ramotar on Saturday announced that the period of prorogation will not continue. He said that he is not willing to allow the National Assembly to get on with “business as usual.” At a press conference he hosted at State House, the President noted that instead of reconvening parliament and allow the debating of a No-Confidence Motion brought against him and his government, he will go to the polls next year. The President said that he will announce a date for the elections early in the new year. He claimed that he chose not to announce it at that forum because he did not wish to spoil Christmas for Guyanese. Minutes after the conclusion of the press conference, it became the hottest topic on social media. Many vented their feelings via this medium. Most of the commentary by citizens using the online media, revealed that they were not appeased by the President’s announcement. Local writer Ruel Johnson on his Facebook page said,
Local writer, Ruel Johnson “So essentially Donald Ramotar announces that he will announce the way forward in January. In essence, nothing has changed - the dictatorship continues.” Johnson added, “People of Guyana wake up. The President has further sunk Guyana into dictatorship and with inadequate reaction from civil society and the larger society. I find it absurd that as spurious a reason as not upsetting Christmas has been given for his failure to call a date for elections, and that the media did not press him for further clarification.
“We have a country that has failed to recognize the signs of dictatorship - the spending without scrutiny or regard for scrutiny, the refusal to hold elections, the state media under complete control of the PPP, the sharing out of the national airwaves, the sharing out of state resources and lands, and now an Amerindian teacher being slapped for daring to question the President.” Even social activist, Mark Benschop lent his voice on the situation. He said, “Donald, what’s up bro? Guyanese thought you’d grow some b#*ls and announce a date for elections today, but you’ve proven to the entire nation that either you have one ball or no balls at all. Such a disgrace, gosh.” Another user, Natasha Thomas, remarked, “Wooow, I really expected some form of serious announcement today from the President. He really had nothing to say. His actions will just make ppl more depressed for Christmas.” Bibi Khan, in giving her take said, “Donald will announce a date to coincide the end of the 6-month period from when he unilaterally prorogue parliament by then he and his cabal of thieves will drain the coffers dry.” Troy Williams, another Facebook user asserted, “ It sad to say, but Guyanese will just sit back and take this, Christmas will just go on as usual because we don’t demand the respect we deserve.”
Monday December 08, 2014
Kaieteur News
Page 21
THE AYE AYES HAVE IT When I was in my salad days and very green in judgment, I was often accused of being too “manish”, a term reserved for those of us whose urinary outpourings had not yet been so shaken by life’s vicissitudes and veracities that they had started to form or contain a rising or overflowing mass of small bubbles. In other words, as my Auntie Moon, told me, “Youh pee eh start to make froth yet and you behaving like big man and giving me talk! Youh too manish with yourself!” I am not sure what your urine making froth has to do with anything, but as a test of manhood or rite of passage it is piss-poor and fraught with logistical loopholes. So, too, was whether you were wearing “sliders” or not. “Sliders” were initially homemade, elastic-waisted boxer shorts before we had boxer shorts. Then they started to arrive from India or China. But wherever they came from, the fact was that only big men wore them. There was an age barrier but the starting point
or entry requirement was never fixed – it was extremely subjective and in some ways attached to behavior. Not wearing them meant that you were not a man and so any adult behavior on your part made you “manish”. Women dressing in men’s clothes or behaving like men were also “manish” but young boys “sooting” or “heckling” or making passes at older women were the quintessence of manishness and sometimes got “licks” or a beating for their presumed premature sexuality. Interestingly, “manish” is a popular Indian name. Wikipedia makes it clear that it is not to be confused with “mannish water” which it describes as a “goat soup” in Jamaican cuisine, believed to be an aphrodisiac made from various goat parts, including the head, brains and heart. When I described the soup, which won a prize from the Jamaican Observer for the Best New Food Idea, to a friend his immediate gut reaction was “That makes the term ‘Jamaican cusine’ an oxymoron.” My response,
Chainsaw operator dies days after camp was set on fire A chainsaw operator died at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) last Saturday, seven days after he was reportedly set alight by his employer in a mining camp at 14 Miles Mabura, Upper Demerara River. The incident occurred around 17:30 hrs on November 30, last. The dead man has been identified as David Campbell of Old Road, Timehri, East Bank Demerara (EBD). Campbell had sustained third degree burns about his body. His colleagues, Jason Persaud, Etwaroo Karran and Tyron Campbell, who were also in the camp when it was set alight, managed to escape without injuries. According to police sources, the survivors informed them that after a hard day at work, they went to their camp to relax. “They said that David fall asleep and they see their ‘Boss man’ drinking at his camp and a little after he called out and asked them to move the tractor from where it was parked and put it at another location,” the source said. He added that the survivors claimed that they did not respond to their employer’s request since they were all tired. “They said that the boss man picked up the diesel and throw it on their camp and set it on fire. They run out but David left inside because he was sleeping,” the police source said. Kaieteur News was told that after the fire died down Campbell managed to crawl out from under the fallen roof. He was subsequently rushed to the Mackenzie hospital before being transferred to the GPHC. The ‘Boss Man’ has not been arrested.
just as quick, was, “It doesn’t have any beef in it so it can’t be an oxymoron and there is nothing like a goaty-moron but maybe we should ruminate on that a bit further.” But back to our “manishment” studies. WIKIPEDIA says, “Manish (also Maneesh or Devanagari) is a common Hindu masculine given name that literally means “The God of the Mind” or the one who has controlled and master one’s mind (representing an intellectual, genius, etc), derived from the Sanskrit words “man” (mann) which means “mind” and “ish” which refers to God or master. It is a popular name in the Central and Northern parts of India.” The article cites several examples of manishness including Manish Pandey and Manish Patel, Indian cricketers, and one Manish Dayal, an American actor. He was so manish that he changed his surname from Patel to his grandfather’s
surname, Dayal. Manish is manish enough to expect that he will be nominated for a Golden Globe award for “Hundred Foot Journey” a film he has made with Helen Mirren. But when it comes to manishness, a hundred feet is not very long in terms of time or even distance. My father, who started working in the cane fields as an uneducated boy digging more than a hundred feet of para-grass every day, started drinking overproof rum early in his life because that is what the “big men” did. It was extreme manishness and led to the many illnesses that contributed to his death. Now the Los Angeles Times reports that a team led by biologist Matthew Carrigan of Santa Fe College in Gainesville, Florida, reached back into humans’ ancestral lineage to detect where the ability to produce a gut enzyme key to metabolizing alcohol first appeared. They looked for an enzyme known
as Class IV alcohol dehydrogenases — abbreviated to ADH4 — in the guts of primates from whose family trees humans diverged as long ago as 70 million years. Carrigan’s team found that the digestive enzyme ADH4, which begins to break down alcohol on the tongue and in the esophagus and continues to do so in the stomach, was first found plentifully in the gorilla, a primate ancestor from whose lineage humans diverged roughly 10 million years ago. It is similarly found in more recent evolutionary ancestors, including the chimpanzee and the bonobo. As the Americans found when they tried to prohibit the public sale of alcohol, it is impossible to do so. Now that we know how far back in time it goes and how long it has been not just with us but with primates, we can understand more clearly why people go
ape over it. Their family trees are full of swingers. But then there is also the mystery of why sailors especially respond positively to orders by saying, “Aye aye”. This is something many West Indians, notably Trinis, say or sing generally adding an extra “aye” as in “Aye aye aye”. It seems that in Madagascar there is an endangered species of lemur (something that looks like a cat crossed with a squirrel and a dog) that produces ADH4. It is called the “aye aye”. What the story of the “aye aye” should teach us is not only that beauty is in the “aye” of the beholder but what we would look like after fifty million years of saying “aye aye” every time someone offers us a drink. *Tony Deyal was last told by his nutritionist that he should start on a balanced diet – he can now be seen with a Red Stripe in each hand.
Page 22
Kaieteur News
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
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 Eddie’s Taxi Service, 6 Vlissengen Road, Newtown. 24hrs service Call: 226-0606, 225-1513
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 REPAIRS AT LOW COST: FRIDGES, AIRCONDITIONERS, WASHING MACHINES, TVS, MICROWAVES, FREEZERS- CALL: 6294946 OR 225-4822 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 2015 Calendars Personalised and beautiful designs @ City Printery, 58 Ornaque & Robb Streets -Tel: 225-4968, 621-3345 Magicjack!! Magicjack!! Magicjack!! (Authorised Dealer) Renewal/Repairs/ Troubleshooting Laptop Screens/Batteries/ Keyboards Computer/Printer Repairs, Call: 231-9429
Contract Cars Call City Taxi Service; lot 8 Vlissengen Road, Tel: 660-1100
LEARN TO DRIVE Soman Son & Outar Driving School at Maraj BuildingTel: 644-5166; 622-2872; 6150964; 689-5997 Driving classes @ 3540 Stevedore Housing Scheme, North Ruimveldt, Georgetown – Call: 655-1534, 225-6337
LAND FOR SALE Parika (Butcher Shop Street) – One (1) Lot 38' X 150' $ 7m - Contact 650-0402 - for serious inquiries Blankenburg @ The Back Of Gas Station (3) Lots @ 75' X 76' Each. $20M for all 3 Lots. (1) Lot for $10m - Contact 650-0402 One residential land at Herstelling -$4.5M – Tel:6610618; 601-3469 One maiden mining block at Issano – Call:687-2389
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 Prime business place to rent; only for offices on Sheriff Street. Tele: 627-6740 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
TO LET Fully furnished one bedroom apartment (air conditioned) Call: 623-2923 Address – 7 Durban St. Lodge: 2 bedrooms apartment for rent – Tel:6875324 One two bedroom bottom flat apartment @ C/Ville also Business Space @ C/Ville – Call: 650-0716/667-7836
VEHICLE FOR SALE 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 Special Sale! 2003 Toyota Premio - $2.3M, Spacio $2.1M, Fully Loaded, unregistered. Tel:617-2891 2- 40FT Trailers for sale. Anyone interested please contact: 683-3805
Monday December 08, 2014
VACANCY Four Security Guards – Apply @ Humphrey’s Bakery & Farm Products Ltd; 38 Ketley & Sussex Street Charlestown. Tel:225-7864, 227-8607 International Cruiseline Purser officers, waitresses, waiters, cooks, receptionists, storekeepers, cleaners, electricians, carpenters, plumbers, musicians etc – Tel: 231-6296, 650-9880 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.
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 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 Two 15" RCF Speaker MB15H401 series with box – Tel:686-5341 or 654-2847 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 - $30,000 – Call:684-8231 Pools table cloth, balls, pocket cuestick, rubber, coinshute tips, chalk spring, chalk holder, coins– Call: 6699927 PICK YOUR PIG! CHOOSE YOUR SIZEAND WE WILL HAVE IT READY! CALL:266-2711 OR 6094594 1 Popcorn machine along with 1 generator and mobile cupboard – Price$ 220,000 neg. Contact:622-9440 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 Used Dell E4300, E6500 M4400, HP Elite Book 6930 Laptops – Contact Sean: 226-9377 Panel indicating light, Genset exhaust box, contractors & relay. Tel: 6277835
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 One domestic cleaner, E.C.D – Tel:644-9802 Drivers with lorry licence apply @ Wieting & Richter Ltd. Female janitors, between ages 25-40 years – Call: 2258066 Live in Couple Berbice/ Essequibo preferably, Husband –Driving/mechanic, WifeDomestic. Tel: 227-1830 One night security guard between 35-50yrs preferably from G.Town , with experienced. Tel:623-3231 or 225-3198 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 Experienced carpenter/mason - $6,000 daily – Call: 684-8231 Female worker needed, 3 CXC subject or sound secondary school education- Call: 612-1607 One manager to work at an out of town Hotel – Call: 2269768, 642-7963, 629-0037 Experienced truck driver, for the interior – Contact:2269768 Bartenders to work at an out of town hotel – Call:226-9768 Receptionist, maid to work shift at Hilton Crest Hotel – 25yrs and over, must be experienced – Call:223-6284
Mixed breed puppies for sale. Tel:253-3114; 692-0126 or 662-3139 CAR RENTAL PROGRESSIVE AUTO RENTAL:CARS&SUV FOR RENTAL- $4,000 & UP PER DAY- CALL: 643-5122, 2193900, EMAIL: PRO_AUTO RENTAL@YAHOO.COM Aidan’s Car & Pickup rental, cheap rate, low security – Tel:698-7807 VEHICLE FOR SALE 1-Honda-600RR, Toyota Raum, Rav4, AT212, AT192, AE100 Sprinter Fun cargo, Tacoma 2007- Call: 644-5096, 697-1453
AMERICAN BULLY, REMYLINE PUP. CONTACT:667-4845, 2207933 Xbox ONE, Xbox 360 $40,000, PS3 - $35,000, Nintendo 3DS - $25,000, PSP - $16,000. Call:- 621-7497/6038643 Clean Garden Earth Delivery on Spot, also bobcat & excavator rental. Tel: 6267127 110 Corolla - $1.2M, Avensis - $2.6M – Call:645-0078, 6030078
VEHICLE FOR SALE Toyota Prado, Price$5.5M Neg. Call: 643-2403 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 (Continued on page 23)
Monday December 08, 2014
Kaieteur News
GUYOIL launches fuel handling facility at CJIA Considering the increase in inflow of flights through the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA), the Guyana Oil Company Limited (GUYOIL) today commissioned an Aviation Services Fuel Handling facility at the airport at Timehri. President Donald Ramotar who officially commissioned the facility said that it will see a drastic increase in terms of the flow of traffic at CJIA, contributing significantly to the growing tourism sector. Present at the event also were Minister of Finance, Dr Ashni Singh, Minister of Public Works, Robeson Benn, and several aviation sector stakeholders. This US$3.5 million project is phase one of an overall venture which comprises the construction of the terminal at Providence, East Bank Demerara. This facility sits on one acre of land and includes storage filtration units, and office with trained and competent staff. According to the Government Information and News Agency (GINA) President Ramotar reiterated that this project, which is part of a larger scheme that Government is embarking on to increase the inflow of traffic through the CJIA, will introduce competition in off-jet fuel services in Guyana. “It is expected that this competition that is being introduced now will help to make aviation fuel prices more competitive, and to help also to increase the flow of traffic through the Cheddi Jagan International Airport…some people are saying we are investing in facilities like this when some roads in villages need to be repaired. While those roads are important, and we are trying our best to fix them, the investment into this airport is to help increase the revenue of our country,” the President explained.
Speaking on the modernisation and expansion of the CJIA, President Ramotar said that this project is not a luxury, but rather, a great necessity; to not only enhance the services offered, but to increase the country’s revenues. “We have a great tourist product, many of us have travelled and without boasting we can say that our product is as good as any…what we don’t have is the infrastructure to develop this product, and that is one of the reasons it is so necessary for us to have a modern international airport and a longer runway as the first essential investment to develop our tourism sector,” President Ramotar said. The spinoff of this project is the establishment of a number of hotels across the country. In this regard, Government, through this year’s budget made provision to invest in a hospitality institute to train workers to provide quality services. These investments will not only benefit the tourism industry, but every other sector. “That is what seems to be missing when these things are reported. It seems that what is not appreciated is the link to the other sectors in the economy, how much it
can enhance revenues and how much more we can pour into the social sectors, build more roads and clean up the country,” he added. GUYOIL has played a significant role in regulating the transportation sector. While they have done an outstanding job in road transportation, it is anticipated that the company will be more outstanding in the air transportation sector. Minister Singh, who congratulated GUYOIL’s board and management for this signal achievement said that notwithstanding the challenges, Guyanese live in times where they ought to be excited for their country, where large local regional and international companies continue to express optimism in Guyana’s economy. Minister Singh said that he is particularly pleased with this commissioning because there is a stereotype that the public sector cannot be outstanding. “I believe that GUYOIL is an example that defies that stereotype,” he stressed. Over the past few years, Guyoil has moved its distribution of fuel all across Guyana. This company, which has been in operations for 38 years, has a staff complement of over 300, with 8 gas stations and 3 terminals.
Page 23
Women in aviation honoured as Guyana celebrates Int’l Civil Aviation Day Two female stalwarts in aviation were yesterday honoured as Guyana joined the rest of the world in observing International Civil Aviation Day. Ms. Paula Mc Adam who was the first female Air Traffic Controller in Guyana, and has spent over 40 years in this field was presented with an award alongside Ms. Sandra Persaud who was the first female in Airport Management in Guyana. Ms. Chitrani Heeralall, who is also a woman in aviation, reflected on the lives of these women who dared to pursue their careers in this area, a career which was followed by men only for over 30 years. Minister of Public Works, Robeson Benn during his remarks noted that women have played a key role in the development of the local aviation sector, and the efforts of the first women in aviation in Guyana were recognised. He urged more women to get involved. “The development needs of our country mean that we have to call upon the efforts, the knowledge and skills of women, which they have as much as we do. Perhaps they have more than we do because we are not engineered for some other
The two women who were honoured, Paula Mc Adam (right) and Sandra Persaud purposes.” He added, “We have to facilitate and foster a culture that brings in women in our work force, the administration and all levels of the things we do to be able to develop our country rapidly.” He noted that the country is constantly growing and “we have to call upon all resources.” Both women expressed their gratitude to the Ministry and the sector for this undertaking. Ms. Mc Adam encouraged young women to never consider themselves weaker than males, but instead stand their ground and be
confident in what they do. Meanwhile, Ms. Persaud encouraged women not to be complacent, and men to give them the chance because they can bring a lot to the table. This year’s observance was held under the theme “Cooperating on Global Aviation Progress: celebrating 70 years of the Chicago Convention”. (GINA)
(From page 22)
CAR RENTAL DOLLY’S CAR RENTAL CALL: 225-7126/ 2263693 DOLLYSAUTO RENTAL@YAHOO.COM/ WWW.DOLLYSAUTO RENTAL.COM
Monday December 08, 2014
Kaieteur News
Page 25
Majority of Germans want Merkel New York set fifth day of protests over to run for fourth term: poll police violence after West Coast clashes BERLIN (Reuters) - A majority of Germans want Angela Merkel to run for a fourth term as Chancellor and nearly three in four believe she would like to remain in office beyond 2017, when her current term ends, a new poll shows. Last year some leading German commentators speculated that Merkel, 60, might step down in the middle of her third term to give a successor time to consolidate his or her position before the next federal vote. But one year into her third term, Merkel is enjoying popularity levels that other leaders can only dream of, while the leading candidate to succeed her as leader of the conservative Christian Democrats (CDU), Ursula von der Leyen, has made a mixed start as defense minister. But one year into her third term, Merkel is enjoying popularity levels that other leaders can only dream of, while the leading candidate to succeed her as leader of the conservative Christian Democrats (CDU), Ursula
Angela Merkel von der Leyen, has made a mixed start as defense minister. The survey was conducted days before Merkel is expected to be feted at the CDU’s annual congress in Cologne. Conducted by polling group Emnid for the Sunday edition of the Bild newspaper, the poll showed 56 percent of Germans would like Merkel to run for a fourth term, against 37 percent who would prefer she stop after three. Some 74 percent of respondents said they believe that she wants a
fourth term. In post-war Germany only Helmut Kohl, the father of German reunification and an early mentor of Merkel, has served four terms as Chancellor. A separate poll for public broadcaster ARD last week showed that 67 percent of Germans approve of the job Merkel is doing. Record low unemployment levels and Merkel’s defense of German interests during the euro zone debt crisis have contributed to her popularity. Her tough stance towards Russia during the Ukraine crisis has also become popular in recent months after earlier polls suggested that most Germans were skeptical about whether punishing Moscow with economic sanctions was wise. The ARD poll showed that only 39 percent of Germans approve of von der Leyen, who has come under fire for making ambitious pledges of German support for crisis regions at a time when Germany’s military hardware is in a state of disrepair.
Petrobras starts up Brazilian refinery after delays, cost overruns, scandal RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) - Brazil’s state-run oil company Petroleo Brasileiro SA started producing fuel at its new refinery near Recife weekend, four years late, having suffered huge cost overruns and become the focus of a major corruption investigation. The Abreu e Lima refinery, Brazil’s first crudeprocessing facility to open in more than 30 years, is expected to cost about $20 billion on completion, five times the original budget set out by Petrobras, as the company is known. The refinery is also at the centre of an investigation into an alleged scheme where contractors inflated prices and kicked much of the excess back to political parties. That scandal prevented Petrobras from releasing its third-quarter financial results this year. The refinery, which will eventually operate two trains with the capacity to process 115,000 barrels per day (bpd) each, on Saturday started producing fuel from the first train. Petrobras operation licence allows it to refine up to 45,000 barrels per day (bpd) of crude. On its first day of operation, the train’s atmospheric distillation unit,
where crude is broken into different products with heat, produced liquefied petroleum gas, naphtha, diesel fuel and atmospheric residue that will be used to make petrochemical coke. A second 115,000 barrel a day train is scheduled to start operations in the second half of 2015. At a cost of $87,000 for
each barrel of refining capacity added, the refinery may be the most expensive ever built. Originally, 40 percent of the budget was to have been provided by Petroleos de Venezuela SA [PDVSA.UL], but the Venezuelan state oil company could not secure financing and never signed the contract.
Protesters retreat while police officers deploy teargas to disperse a crowd comprised largely of student protesters during a protest against police violence in the U.S., in Berkeley, California. REUTERS/Noah Berge (Reuters) - A fifth day of demonstrations over police use of excessive force with minorities New York 0yesterday after 13 arrests in a Saturday night of violent protests in Berkeley, California, where stores were looted and tear gas fired, and in Seattle. Clashes on the West Coast contrasted with relatively calm demonstrations on a rainsoaked Saturday in New York, after mourners held a funeral for an unarmed black man shot dead by a white police officer in the stairwell of a Brooklyn apartment house. Yesterday was expected to see protests again in New York as well as Chicago, Philadelphia, Miami and Minneapolis and dozens of other cities. In Berkeley on Saturday night, one man smashed a grocery store window with a skateboard as others proceeded to loot the store, video from KTVU-TV showed. At least two other businesses were looted, said Officer Jennifer Coats of the Berkeley Police Department. Police were pelted by missiles from a splinter group of protesters and fired tear gas, Coats said. One officer hit by a sandbag suffered a dislocated shoulder, she said. Several police vehicles were damaged, she told Reuters yesterday. The disturbance forced the closure of the local Bay Area Rapid Transit station. Six people were arrested, Coats said.
In Seattle, protesters threw rocks and attacked police who blocked them from marching onto State Route 99, resulting in seven arrests for assault and other charges, said Seattle Detective Patrick Michaud. The shooting of Akai Gurley, 28, at a Brooklyn public housing project last month was the latest in a series of incidents fuelling outrage over what protesters say is a pattern of excessive force being used by law enforcement officers against AfricanAmericans. The killings and decisions by grand juries to return no indictments against officers involved in them have rekindled a national debate over race relations in the United States. The district attorney in the New York City borough of Brooklyn said on Friday a grand jury would consider charges against Peter Liang, the officer who shot Gurley. Police have said Liang may have accidentally discharged his gun. Demonstrations began on Wednesday after a grand jury decided to bring no charges against Daniel Pantaleo, a New York City police officer, in the July death of Eric Garner, a 43-year-old father of six. That decision was announced nine days after a Missouri grand jury chose not to indict a white policeman for the shooting dead in August of an unarmed black teenager, spurring two nights of violence and arson in a St. Louis suburb.
Page 26
Kaieteur News
Monday December 08, 2014
Zimbabwe’s Mugabe promotes Thirteen killed in failed U.S. wife but leaves successor vacuum hostage rescue bid in Yemen
Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe (R) and his wife Grace arrive to close the ruling party ZANU PF’s elective congress in Harare, December 6, 2014. REUTERS/Philimon Bulawayo. HARARE (Reuters) Ninety-year-old Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe promoted his wife to the top ranks of his ZANU-PF party on Saturday but delayed filling vacant senior posts, prolonging anxiety over his lack of successor.
Africa’s oldest head of state and the only leader Zimbabwe has known since independence from Britain in 1980 was elected unopposed at the five-yearly ZANU-PF meeting, putting him on track to contest the 2018 presidential elections, when he will be 94.
After last week’s sacking of vice-president Joice Mujuru, who only three months ago was favourite to succeed him, Mugabe said he needed more time to vet candidates for the Politburo, the party’s top decisionmaking body, and the two deputy posts. “I don’t want to rush it, so be patient. By mid this week, by Wednesday or Thursday, we will make an announcement,” he told some 12,000 party members crammed into a vast marquee erected on a dusty parade ground in central Harare. His wife, Grace, has acceded to the top of the powerful Women’s League, capping a meteoric threemonth political rise based in part on her vitriolic public attacks on Mujuru. At the start of the three day congress, Mugabe accused Mujuru of leading a ‘treacherous cabal’ trying to end his 34-year grip on power, effectively crushing any immediate political ambitions she may have harboured.
(Reuters) - A woman, a 10-year-old boy and a local al Qaeda leader were among at least 11 people killed alongside two Western hostages when U.S.-led forces fought Islamist militants in a failed rescue mission in Yemen, residents said yesterday. U.S. special forces raided the village of Dafaar in Shabwa province, a militant stronghold in southern Yemen, shortly after midnight on Saturday, killing several members of al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP). American journalist Luke Somers, 33, and South African teacher Pierre Korkie, 56, were shot and killed by their captors during the raid intended to free them, U.S. officials said. AQAP, formed in 2006 by the merger of the Yemeni and Saudi branches of the network, has for years been seen by Washington as one of the movement’s most dangerous branches. Western governments
fear advances by Shi’ite Muslim Houthi fighters with links to Iran have bolstered support among Yemeni Sunnis for AQAP, which has established itself in parts of Yemen, including Shabwa where the raid took place. However, since Islamic State in Syria and Iraq began distributing films of its militants beheading Western hostages, the focus on AQAP, which has traditionally used hostagetaking as a way to raise funds, had diminished until now. At least two more hostages are being held by the group. The Yemen-based group, loyal to the wider al Qaeda organization founded by Osama bin Laden, has denounced Islamic State, but Western and Gulf sources say there may be operational connections between the two. “AQAP and Daesh (Islamic State) are essentially the same organization but have different methods of
execution and tactics,” a senior Yemeni intelligence official said. South Africa does not want to assign blame for Korkie’s death, government spokesman Nelson Kgwete said on local television, when asked if Pretoria blamed the United States. Korkie’s wife, Yolande, who was released in January after being held with her husband, spoke of forgiveness. “So today we choose to forgive. We choose to love. We choose to rejoice in the memories of Pierre and keep him alive in our hearts,” she said in a statement. No ransom was paid for Korkie as his kidnappers eventually relented on an earlier demand for $3 million, Gift of the Givers, the relief group that had tried to secure his release, said. The group had expected Korkie to be freed yesterday. The South African government said Korkie’s body was expected in South Africa today.
Monday December 08, 2014
Kaieteur News
Page 27
Page 28
Kaieteur News
Monday December 08, 2014
CCJ President praises, Venezuela cuts challenges law association PetroCaribe oil shipments
Tr i n i d a d E x p re s s President of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), Sir Dennis Byron challenged the Law Association of Tr i n i d a d a n d To b a g o (LATT) and its members on Friday to champion for the CCJ to become the final appellate court in Trinidad and Tobago. “It is really time for the court to fulfil its mandate, to serve as the final appeal court in Trinidad and Tobago,” Sir Dennis said. He was speaking during his address at the Law A s s o c i a t i o n ’s annual dinner and dance at the Radisson Ballroom, Port of Spain. Sir Dennis praised the L ATT f o r c h a m p i o n i n g several causes, including mediation, promoting higher professionalism through mandatory continuous legal programmes and championing for charity through the establishment of the Benevolent Fund. However, he suggested that the CCJ could also use the support of the LATT. “I say this with a little bit of envy, because I said (to myself) why couldn’t your society also be champions for the Caribbean Court of Justice? The government of Trinidad and Tobago was part of the vision for the establishment of the Court. It entered into the treaty, it signed all of the
Sir Dennis Byron legal instruments to legitimise the operations of the Court. It made the biggest financial contribution to the CCJ Trust Fund to finance the operations of the Court, and it facilitates its day to day operations. (And) it is really time for the court to fulfil its mandate — to serve as the final appellate court in Trinidad and Tobago,” he said. He noted that in 2015, the CCJ would have been in operation for a decade, and that it had been quite “integrated into the fabric of the Trinidad community”. He also noted that within the first ten years of operations, the CCJ had made several accomplishments, including limiting the backlog of cases brought before the courts.
“In the grand scheme of things ten years is a relatively short time. But the advances the Court has done within those ten years were competitive to its older counterparts. For example, the European Court of Human Rights was established in the 1960s and in its first ten years it delivered ten judgments. Last year there were 99,000 applications pending before the (European) Court. Now the CCJ has gotten off to a much faster start. To date 159 matters have been filed in the appellate jurisdiction which Barbados, Belize and Guyana subscribe to. Of these, only 17 matters are outstanding to date. Five will be heard by next weekend and (the remaining) two by the middle of January. Which shows that the CCJ does not have a backlog. We have set and maintained a high standard in the hearing of matters and in the delivery of judgments in the matters heard,” Sir Dennis explained. He said the CCJ has taken a stand to ensure “good governance and transparency” at a level of the State and of Caricom. This, Sir Dennis Byron said, was demonstrated by robust support for the protection of fundamental rights and freedoms.
CARACAS, Venezuela — Shipments of cut-rate oil from Venezuela to Caribbean and Central American countries under the PetroCaribe programme were cut by about 20% through October compared with the same period last year, ClipperData, a New York data tracker, has reported. And, according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), last year Venezuela’s preferential oil exports to the 13 PetroCaribe countries declined 15% from 2012, says. In Grenada, the discounted Venezuelan oil funds 40% of social programmes, from textbooks and free lunches for children to paying for roads and buses. Haiti named an airport after Venezuela’s late President Hugo Chávez , who founded PetroCaribe in 2005, and uses the oil money for food distribution programmes and for monthly allowances for the poor. The Dominican Republic has used the programme to plug a fiscal hole. In Jamaica, projects funded with Venezuelan oil have provided aid to small farmers and businesses, refurbished a zoo and replaced pit latrines in schools with flushing toilets. Meanwhile, Honduras and Guatemala are now inactive in the programme after Caracas toughened the terms, the Wall Street Journal reported. The IMF has warned regional governments of looming problems with PetroCaribe. “The likelihood of
Jorge Piñon disruption is more likely than it was because Venezuela is under greater pressure,” said Adrienne Cheasty, deputy director of the I M F ’s We s t e r n Hemisphere unit. The IMF said PetroCaribe countries will on average face a 1.6% hit to economic output if Venezuela terminates the programme, with highly dependent countries such as Haiti facing the most difficulty. Brian Wynter, governor of Jamaica’s central bank, said his government is adjusting. The programme has cost Venezuela $22.1 billion, with Petro C a r i b e c o u n t r i e s accumulating more than $11 billion in debt through 2013, said Jorge Piñon, director of the Latin A m e rica and Caribbean Energy Programme at the University of Texas at Austin, basing his calculations on PdVSA data. Participating countries paid a fraction of market
price upfront for oil, deferring the full cost through long-term loans with 25-year maturities and interest rates as low as 1%. Some regional governments sold the discounted oil at full price or earmarked savings from not having to buy fuel at market prices for social programmes and infrastructure. Venezuela has reportedly been discussing with US investment bank Goldman Sachs a proposal to cash in the debt owed by PetroCaribe countries by securitizing it at about a 60 percent discount: Ve n e z u e l a m a y s e l l PetroCaribe debt Meanwhile, after declining 28 percent in the last three years, the country’s reserves have fallen to an 11-year low and are now at about $21.7 billion, prompting the Central Bank of Venezuela to add diamonds, gold and other precious stones and metals to its foreign reserves. Measured against US d o l l a r, t h e b o l i v a r h a s slumped by 30% on the black market in the last month alone, as the government failed to provide enough hard currency through official channels. Edward Morse, head of commodities research at Citigroup Global Markets, estimates that Venezuela needs oil at $161 a barrel to break even this year, after decades of cronyism and mismanagement of its energy sector under the leftist Chávez government.
Jamaica government dismisses media reports of first Ebola case KINGSTON, Jamaica CMC – Jamaica health authorities have dismissed reports that the island had recorded its first case of the deadly Ebola virus that has killed more than 7,000 people in West Africa. “The South East Regional Health Authority (SERHA) wishes to offer some
clarification as it pertains to media reports that such a patient was being treated at the KPH (Kingston Public Hospital),” SERHA said in a statement. There had been reports that the individual had been brought to the Accident and Emergency Department at the KPH for treatment after
complaining of feeling ill. SERHA said the patient was screened and taken to the isolation area in the hospital as is done routinely for anyone who is suspected of having any infectious disease. It said that the health team donned protective gear in accordance with the established universal protocol for medical evaluation of patients displaying symptoms similar to an infectious disease. SERA said that the patient had no travel history or any contact with individuals from any of the Ebola-affected countries. It said that the patient was treated and released.
Monday December 08, 2014
Kaieteur News
Jamaica focus on trade, investment at Summit KINGSTON, Jamaica – Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller will lead Jamaica’s delegation to the Fifth Summit of the Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and Cuba. The Summit will be held in Havana, Cuba, today. During the meeting, the Prime Minister is slated to lead discussions on a range of trade, investment and cooperation issues of benefit to Jamaica with the c o u n t r y ’s closest neighbour. Jamaica and Cuba are currently engaged in several areas of technical cooperation, and culture, sports, health and agriculture have been identified as some of the possible areas for further
Portia Simpson Miller cooperation. Prime Minister Miller, as the Chairman of the CARICOM Prime Ministerial Sub-Committee on External Trade, is also expected to lead
EARTHQUAKE OFF ST. LUCIA
Barbados Nation - The University of the West Indies Seismic Research Centre in Trinidad and Tobago has recorded an earthquake off St Lucia. According to data generated, the tremor was felt around yesterday 11:35 a.m. The magnitude was 5.0, at a depth of 10 kilometres. It occurred approximately 73km east southeast of the capital Castries. The centre was roughly 115 kilometres northwest of Bridgetown and 117 km southeast of Fort-de-France, Martinique. The Seismic Centre Indicated this was preliminary information, which could change after additional data was processed. One St Lucia resident Kurt Francis said on social media that he felt it. Another, Nicola Franco, said she felt the tremors which lasted for roughly five seconds in Bonne Terre, Gros Islet, and also experienced some aftershocks lasting for about a second every three to five minutes. Saturday, a quake with a 3.9 magnitude was recorded south of Grenada at a depth of 121km.
discussions on trade and investment involving Cuba and the 15 member countries of CARICOM. During the visit to Cuba, the Prime Minister has been specially invited to be a keynote speaker, along with Cuban President Raul Castro, at an Official Ceremony tomorrow, to commemorate the 118th Anniversary of the Death of Cuban Liberator and Hero, Lieutenant General Antonio Maceo, an icon of the Cuban War of Independence. Maceo had spent considerable time in Jamaica, where his mother also lived and died.
Page 29
Page 30
Kaieteur News
Monday December 08, 2014
Monday December 08, 2014
Kaieteur News
Page 31
WICB Four-Day Franchise Cricket
Jaguars well positioned to rip Red Force to shreds By Sean Devers in Trinidad In association with Noble House Seafoods, Payless Varity Store, Star Party Rentals & Cascadia Hotel A well constructed maiden century from Skipper Vishaul Singh and four halfcenturies in the innings spearheaded the Guyana Jaguars to a commanding 294run lead over Trinidad & Tobago’s Red Force when the penultimate day of their fourth round WICB Four-Day Cricket Franchise end here at the Queens Park Oval yesterday. By the close of the truncated day’s play, the Jaguars were well positioned to rip Red Force to shreds after the T&T side reached 58-4 with Yannic Cariah on 21 and night watchman Daniel St Clair yet to score. The Red Force are still 236 runs away from making the Jaguars bat again going into today’s final day. Singh, who said complacency cost his team victory when they were in a similar position against Barbados in their last game,
took his overnight 115 to 141 from 312 minutes, 227 balls with 17 fours. All-rounder Chris Barnwell and left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul then both got half-centuries in an unbroken 112-run ninthwicket stand before the declaration was made with the score on 492-8. The tail wagged as the Jaguars scored 113 runs in the first session to take them to lunch on 413-8 after they resumed on 300-5 in reply to the 198 posted by the Red Force. Barnwell hammered six fours and a six from 131 minutes and 108 balls in his unbeaten 65, while Permaul’s undefeated even half-century lasted 100 minutes and 72 balls. Permaul reached the boundary three times and cleared it once and shared in an unfinished partnership with Barnwell as the South American based Franchise dominated proceedings yesterday. Off-spinner Jason Mohammed (3-41) and leftarm spinner Akeel Hosein (2105) were the most successful Red Force bowlers. The partnership was the second highest for the ninth
wicket by Guyana after Vishal Nagamootoo and present Assistant Coach/Manager Rayon Griffith had added 198 in their unfinished stand against the West Indies ‘B’ team in 2003. The Jaguars resumed in sweltering heat with a lead of 102 and Singh and Devendra Bishoo (0) batted enterprisingly with Bishoo driving left-arm pacer Daniel St Clair immaculately past cover for four. The diminutive Singh smashed St Clair gloriously behind point for four before stroking him down the ground when he pitched up. Bishoo, sent in as night watchman, launched into left-arm spinner Akeel Hosein and blasted him for a four and a six off consecutive balls. With cotton-wool like clouds drifting merrily over the ‘Oval’ from a clear blue sky and a nice breeze blowing across the ground, the partnership flourished as Bishoo attacked with calculated aggression and Singh remained rock solid. Singh ferociously pulled Khan for four to bring up the 50 partnership in 84 balls as
Vishaul Singh gathers runs during his responsible innings.
the Red Force bowlers struggled to make an impact on a good pitch for batting. With the sixth wicket stand on 62, Bishoo was stupendously caught by Hosein, running back from point and diving full length to give Jason Mohammed a
VONN BACK ON TOP OF THE WORLD AT LAKE LOUISE LAKE LOUISE, Alberta, (Reuters) - It only took two races after a year’s injury break for Lindsey Vonn to return to the top. The most successful active skier, forced out of action for 349 days after a shin fracture and two knee operations, clinched her 60th World Cup victory in the downhill at her favorite piste of Lake Louise on Saturday. “I fought so hard to be back where I am, at the top of the podium. It means the world to me, it’s just unbelievable”, she said. “It’s like a dream day.” Eighth on Friday for her return to the circuit, Vonn led the first-ever clean sweep of World Cup podium places for the U.S. Ski Team, beating compatriots Stacey Cook and Julia Mancuso by 0.49 and 0.57 seconds respectively. It was the American’s 15th win in the Alberta resort sometimes dubbed Lake Lindsey and her 30th downhill laurels. Vonn’s last World Cup victory was on Jan. 21, 2013 in a giant slalom in Maribor and she is now only two wins short of the all-time record of
Lindsey Vonn of the USA competes during the women’s downhill in the FIS alpine skiing World Cup at Lake Louise Ski Resort. (Eric Bolte-USA TODAY Sports)
62 held by Austria’s Annemarie Moser-Proell. “I never felt sidelined, I was supported by my friends, my family and my team. I always knew I could do it. I had confidence in myself,” Vonn said. In the men’s Super-G in Beaver Creek, Austria’s Hannes Reichelt stopped Norway’s Kjetil Jansrud from becoming the first skier to win all four speed events in the
North-American phase of the season. Crowned on the Birds of Prey in 2006 and 2008, Reichelt made it three victories in 1:12.78 with a 0.52 seconds lead over Jansrud, winner of Friday’s downhill. Leading the overall World Cup by a huge 191 points over Italian Dominik Paris and 216 over big globe holder Marcel Hirscher, who failed to finish his first Super-G of
the season, the Norwegian also won both events in Lake Louise last weekend. For Reichelt, it was a great return to form after back surgery only days after a sensational home win in the Kitzbuehel downhill last season. The 34-year-old consequently missed the Sochi Olympics. “Everything stopped after Kitzbuehel last season,” Reichelt said. “I wanted this so bad.”
wicket at 354-6. Barnwell got going by clobbering Khan for four but Mohammed struck again when he had Singh stumped at 360-7. Anthony Bramble, who scored a disciplined 73 in a losing cause against Barbados last week, joined Barnwell, and lofted Khan for a huge six before hitting Mohammed to deep midwicket after making 13 to leave Guyana on 380-8. Barnwell was joined by Permaul and together featured in a wonderful batting display much to the annoyance of another disappoint crowd. Permaul cut Khan for four while Barnwell repeated the shot in the next over off of Mohammed and the visitors were on track for a 400 total by Lunch. Hosein was dumped for six by Barnwell just before Lunch to bring up the 400 in 516 minutes and 780 balls before he smashed Khan to the cover boundary and by the interval the score was 413-8 with Barnwell on 31 and Permaul on 16. Barnwell smashed the first ball of the second session bowled by Cariah for four to signal intentions that the Jaguars wanted to score quickly to set up the declaration. Barnwell reached his fifth fifty at this level from 69 minutes, 64 balls with six fours and a six, while Permaul got to his second half-century from 100 minutes, 72 balls with three fours and a six as they ‘stepped on the gas’ after lunch. With dark clouds gathering and rain threatening, the Jaguars were scoring with ease before the
hosts employed defensive tactics to restrict the free scoring, since the longer Guyana batted would make the Red Force prospects of saving the game much easier. Guyanese-born pacer Marlon Richards bowled wide of off-stump with an off-side biased field while leg-spinner Khan bowled outside legstump to an on-side setting to stem Guyana’s runs flow and forced the Jaguars to bat longer than they had planned to accumulate an anticipated 300 lead. The lead was eight runs short of that target but once Permaul reached his fifty the declaration was made at 14:00hrs. H o w e v e r, Lendl Simmons and Evin Lewis were at the crease for just one ball when Ronsford B e a t o n ’s over was interrupted by rain and 89 minutes were lost before play restarted after Tea at 16:05hrs. Simmons (10) leaned forward and caressed Raymond Reifer for four before he was bowled by Beaton, who had Yannick Ottley caught at slip off a rebound from the gloves of Anthony Bramble first ball. A stinging one-handed catch by Reifer off his own bowling to send Lewis (3) on his way as the Red Force slipped to 14-3. Mohammed smashed Beaton for four before he was tested with successive bouncers as Beaton bowled with hostility and pace, while Cariah clipped Reifer for a boundary before Mohammed (16) was removed by Narsingh Deonarine at 50-4 to crown a dominant day at the office for the Jaguars.
Page 32
Kaieteur News
Monday December 08, 2014
Sensei Dunbar attains 7th Farfan & Mendes Junior Christmas tournament 2014 concludes Degree black belt grade Chief Instructor of the Guyana Wado-Ryu Karate Association Shian Compton Winston Dunbar has been awarded the seventh degree black belt in Wado-Ryu Karate by the Wado-Ryu Academy of Guyana in collaboration with the Martial Arts Federation International of England. Shian Dunbar said he was elated to be upgraded to seventh degree black belt, the highest ranking for WadoRyu karate style in Guyana. Dunbar has been a practitioner of Wado-Ryu Karate since 1967 and was made Technical Adviser by Grand Master Hironori Ohtsuka 11 on June 1, 2005. Shian Dunbar instructs classes at Banks DIH Sports Club, Mae’s and Eccles Primary Schools weekly. Meanwhile, Grading Exercise will take place next weekend at Banks DIH Sports Club while the end of year Social Event of the Guyana Wado-Ryu Karate Association will take place on December 20th at the same venue.
Winston Dunbar
Mohammad Hafeez: Pakistan off-spinner banned for illegal action BBC Sport - Pakistan offspinner Mohammad Hafeez has been banned from bowling in international cricket after his action was found to be illegal. An International Cricket Council analysis of his bowling style revealed that his elbow exceeded the 15 degrees level of tolerance allowed. Hafeez, 34, has played 40 Tests, taking 43 wickets at an average of 35.23. He was reported after the first Test against New Zealand in Abu Dhabi last month, which Pakistan won by 248 runs. The analysis on his bowling action was performed in Loughborough, although he can apply for a re-assessment once he has amended his technique. Hafeez, who has played in 149 one-day internationals for his country, will be hoping
to be able to bowl again in the 2015 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. That competition begins in February.
Fellow Pakistan spinner Saeed Ajmal is also currently suspended after he failed a biomechanic test in Brisbane in September.
Mohammad Hafeez (Getty Images)
Off-spinners under ICC scrutiny Marlon Samuels West Indies Reported in November 2013; cleared in December 2013 (but banned from bowling quicker deliveries) Shane Shillingford West Indies Reported in November 2013; suspended in December 2013; cleared to return in March (but banned from bowling doosra) Sachithra Senanayake Sri Lanka Reported in June; suspended in July Kane Williamson New Zealand Reported in June; suspended in July Saeed Ajmal Pakistan Reported in August; suspended in September Prosper Utseya Zimbabwe Reported in August; suspended in October Sohag Gazi Bangladesh Reported in August; suspended in October Malcolm Waller Zimbabwe Reported in November Mohammad Hafeez Pakistan Reported in November; suspended in December
The Guyana Squash Association in collaboration with its number one corporate sponsor Digicel hosted the annual Farfan & Mendes Junior Christmas Squash Tournament at the Georgetown Club Inc. squash courts. Play concluded with the final set of matches yesterday which proved to be extremely excited an entertaining. The match of the day featured the top two players in Category ‘A’ Nyron Joseph and Ben Mekdeci. Ben came out like a man possessed and easily won the first game 11 – 5. He again moved out front in game two and was up 10 – 8 game ball but Nyron won the next four points to win the game 12 – 10. The next game was also extremely close but Nyron prevailed winning 11 – 9. The loss of this game seemed to take all of the fight out of Ben as Nyron easily won the fourth game 11 – 3. Another epic battle took place between Maya Collins and Makeda Harding in Category ‘C’. Maya won the first game 13 – 11. Makeda then won the second game 11 – 8 and also the third game 11 – 4. Maya however would not give up and fought hard to win the fourth game 11 – 9. The fifth game would go back and forth but Makeda eventually prevailed 11 – 9. Final Results in each of the categories were as follows: Category H Mohyryan Baksh beat Paige Fernandes 11- 8, 9 – 11,11 - 7 Beau Fernandes defeated Isabella Ramjohn 18 – 16, 23 – 21 Teija Edwards beat Geovanna Dos Santos 11 – 9, 12 - 10 Category G Samuel Ince-Carrahal beat Jason Gomes 11 – 9,11 - 3
Liam Carpenter beat Chad De Abreu 11 – 7,6 – 11,11 - 5 Category F Gareth Da Silva beat Halley Carpenter 11 – 7, 11 – 7 Nathan Rahaman beat Gareth Da Silva 8 – 11,11 – 3,11 - 7 Nathan Rahaman beat Aliyah Persaud 11 – 5, 11 - 8 Category E Zachary Persaud beat Madison Fernandes 11 – 8, 11 -3 Kirsten Gomes beat Nechemiyah Levans 11 – 7,6 – 11,13 - 11 Zachary Persaud beat Nechemiyah Levans 10 – 12,11 – 8,11 – 3 Nechemiyah Levans beat Madison Fernandes 11 – 4, 11 -8 Category D Demetrius De Abreu lost to John Phang 7 – 11,8 – 11,1 - 11 Gianni Carpenter beat Demetrius De Abreu 11 – 2, 3 – 11, 11 – 4, 11 - 9 John Phang beat Dominic Collins 11 – 7,11 – 8,13 - 11 Category C Rebecca Low beat Jael Gaskin 11 – 6,11 – 6,6 – 11,8 – 11,11 - 1 Maya Collins beat Jael Gaskin 10 – 12,11 – 9,11 – 3,3 – 11,11 – 5 Makeda Harding beat Maya Collins 11 – 13,11 – 8,11 – 4,9 – 11,11 - 9 Category B Larissa Wiltshire beat Taylor Fernandes 11 - 7, 11 6,11 – 6 Taylor Fernandes beat Daniel Islam 11 – 7, 11 – 6,7 – 11,11 - 2 Shomari Wiltshire beat Alex Cheeks 6 – 11,11 – 8,11 – 4,8 – 11, 11 - 2 Daniel Islam beat Matthew Phang 11 – 8,11 – 5,6 – 11, 9 – 11,11 - 6 Category A Nyron Joseph defeated Ben Mekdeci 5 – 11,12 – 10,11 – 9,11 – 3
Akeila Wiltshire defeated Alec Melville 11 – 5, 13 – 11,11 –3 Final placing in the respective categories were as follows: Category H Mohyryan Baksh – Winner Paige Fernandes- Second Beau Fernandes – Third Teija Edwards – Fourth Category G Samuel Ince-Caralhal – Winner Jason Gomes – Second Kamir Khan – Third Category F James Mekdeci – Winner Nathan Rahaman – Second Gareth Da Silva – Third Category E Zachary Persaud – Winner Nechemiyah Levans – Second Madison Fernandes – Third Kirsten Gomes – Fourth Category D Gianni Carpenter – Winner John Phang – Second Ethan Jonas – Third Dominic Collins - Fourth Category C Anthony Islam – Winner Rebecca Low – Second Makeda Harding – Third Maya Collins – Fourth Category B Larissa Wiltshire – Winner Shomari Wiltshire – Second Taylor Fernandes – Third Mathew Phang – Fourth Category A Nyron Joseph – Winner Ben Mekdeci – Second Akeila Wiltshire - Third Most Improved boyAnthony Islam Most improved girl – Kirsten Gomes Most Outstanding boy – Nyron Joseph Most outstanding girl – Larissa Wiltshire
Amazing Mae’s hammer GIA Determination and a positive attitude were in the front seat when Mae’s School came from behind to hammer Georgetown International Academy 8-3 in a friendly football match played at the Police Ground in Eve Leary last Friday. Down 3-1 at the end of the first half, Mae’s shifted gear in the second segment of the game and applied Formula One speed and precision against the winded GIA group. Strikers Darshan Persaud and Alec Hopkinson both had dream runs in the game and formed a formidable
attack force. GIA took early control of the match and played more aggressive and attacking football which resulted in them rushing to a 3-0 lead within 25 minutes, as Mae’s struggled to find their rhythm. However, a pep talk at the break from Coach Mark ‘Sevens’ Charles and Games Master Ronald Austin worked wonders as Mae’s resumed to the field a different bunch. Taking full advantage of GIA’s fading energy Mae’s applied the pressure with Persaud and Hopkinson
being chief trouble makers. The sizable crowd that included Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, Steve Ninvalle, parents and several policemen w a t ching from Traffic Headquarters, were treated to a crash course on how to score easy as marksmen Persaud and Hopkinson marched into the GIA defence with impunity. They both scored three goals apiece. Immanuel Trotman netted the other two goals for the boys from Surbryanville.
Monday December 08, 2014
Kaieteur News
GCA /NBS second division 40 over tourney
Page 33
Vitamalt/Aqua Mist WDFA KO Cup
Hoyte, Batson guide Underdogs stage TSC to victory over GDF upsets on opening day
Paul O’Neil By Zaheer Mohamed Sterling all-round performances by Clyde Hoyte and Oslyn Batson handed Transport Sports Club (TSC) a 28-run victory over Guyana Defence Force (GDF) when the Georgetown Cricket Association (GCA)/New Building Society (NBS) second division 40-over tournament continued last weekend. Hoyte and Batson rescued TSC with a 95-run eight wicket stand after they were reduced to 56-7, batting first at Gandhi Youth Organisation ground on Saturday. Batson top scored with 47 (7x4,1x6) while Hoyte struck 44 (5x4,2x6). Kevin Ross chipped in with 18 as TSC managed 187 before they were bowled out in 32.2 overs. Paul O’Neil bagged 6-27 and Jeremiah Harris 2-12. GDF threatened somewhat before they were sent packing for 159 in 32 overs in reply. Travis Blyden stroked 49 (6x4,1x6) while Dennis Legay made 19, O Neil 17 and Ravi Persaud 16. Hoyte grabbed 4-34 and Shawn Massiah 3-24. The
Mandrekar Bhola
Joshua Persaud
The weather was excellent and so too were the underdogs as upsets held sway on the first day of competition in the Vitamalt/ Aqua Mist sponsored West Demerara Football Association (WDFA) Knockout Cup as Beavers FC and Wales FC registered qualification victories yesterday, at the Den Amstel ground. In the feature game of the double header, Young Achievers suffered the humiliation of going down to Beavers FC 4-0, while Wales FC edged Bagotsville/Nismes 1-0. Following their victories, they both have now entered the quarterfinal stage of the tournament. In the feature clash, Beavers took the lead in the 39th minute through an own goal which came after a cross from the left side deflected off a defender, before settling in the back of the goal. That scoreline remained until the break.
Eight minutes after the resumption, Beavers made it 2-0 when Martin Bobb netted a penalty, smashing a fierce right-footer into the lower left hand corner of the goal, following an awkward tackle inside the box. Maxwell Trapp stretched their advantage further after 72 minutes, piercing the goalkeeper after finding himself unmarked in the penalty area. Even though the win seemed virtually assured, Beavers were not done and Andrew St. Hill added another, bending his right footed freekick from just outside the 18-yard box into the lower right hand corner of the goal. In the opening encounter, Wales FC through a magnificent header from Keton Boyce in the 32nd minute of play squuezed past Bagotsville/Nismes FC in a game that both teams failed to create many chances. Prowling just outside the
left upright, the lanky Boyce ascended high in the air to head past the goalkeeper just inside the near post. Prior to the commencement of the tourney, a March Past featuring the participating teams was conducted, while the wife of the late Assistant Commissioner Derek Josiah met the teams before kick off. Action is set to continue at the same venue with a planned double header on Friday December 12. In the opening matchup at 18:00hrs, Pouderoyen FC will faceoff with Stewartville FC while Beavers FC and Slingerz FC will lock horns in the feature contest at 20:00hrs. The winners will receive the championship trophy and $1million, while the second placed team pockets $500,000 and a trophy. The third place finisher will collect $300,000, while the fourth placed side will take home $200,000 and a trophy.
Messi hits hat-trick in Barcelona derby rout Oslyn Batson (left) and Clyde Hoyte game was reduced to 35 overs. At Everest, GNIC defeated the host by 17 runs. Batting first GNIC posted 194 all out in 35 overs. Joshua Persaud led with 64; Clyde Butts scored 30 and Rawl Merrell 29. Riyad Sattaur claimed 3-25. Everest lost an early wicket, but Mandrekar Bhola and Khemraj Ramdeen steadied the chase with a second wicket stand of 114 with sensible batting. But their separation
Omar Phillips cleared of serious injury ESPNcricinfo - Barbados batsman Omar Phillips, who was struck on the head by the ball at the non-striker’s end on Friday in a West Indies first-class game, has been cleared of serious injury. A CT scan was done on Phillips after he had lost consciousness as a result of being hit on the back of his head, despite wearing a helmet, on the first day of Barbados’ game against Windward Islands. The scan, according to a statement on the WICB website, “came up negative for any damage”. Phillips, 28, an opening batsman who had played two Tests for West Indies in 2009 against Bangladesh, was batting on 38 when a shot from Barbados’ No. 3 Shai Hope struck him.
triggered a collapse as the rest of batting folded meekly and Everest were bowled out for 177 in 33.4 overs. Bhola slammed 76 and Ramdeen 46. Merrell captured 3-30, Alistair Ifill 2-15 and Orlando Kirton 2-17. At Muslim Youth Organisation, Third Class overcame Ace Warriors by five wickets. Ace Warriors took first strike and were skittled for 110 in 24.1 overs. Trevor Hussain snared 3-10 and Alvin Castello 3-16. Third Class replied with 111-5 in 16.1 overs. Castello cracked 31 and Shawn Garnette 29. Yesterday at Everest, Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) thumped the home team by five wickets. Everest took first turn at the crease and scored 144 all out in 39 overs. Mandrekar Bhola made 31 and Ramdin Persaud 28; Winston Forrester and Devon Lord picked up three wickets each and Joshua Wade two. GCC responded with 145-5 in 24 overs. Forrester led with 46 while Martin Pestano Belle made 29, Lord 26 not out and Elon Fernandes 16. Darshan Persaud took 2-22.
BBC Sport - Lionel Messi matched Real Madrid rival Cristiano Ronaldo with a hattrick this weekend as Barcelona returned to second in La Liga with victory over Espanyol. The 27-year-old struck either side of half-time with two typically well-taken finishes to put his side ahead after Sergio Garcia’s solo goal had given the visitors a surprise early lead. After Messi’s second, Barca took charge with Gerard Pique heading their third. Pedro scored a fourth before Messi had the last word by completing the rout. Messi’s three goals - the first a pinpoint finish from the edge of the box, the second a side-foot strike after he had controlled Luis Suarez’s pass and the third a tap-in following a one-two with Pedro - took him to 256 goals in La Liga in 291 appearances. They also took him past the 200 goal mark in Spain’s top flight since the 2009 arrival at Real Madrid of Cristiano Ronaldo, who scored his own 200th goal as part of a hat-trick in a 3-0 win over Celta Vigo on Saturday night. Ronaldo’s treble was a record 23rd in La Liga, but Messi is not far behind,
Lionel Messi (left) matched Real Madrid rival Cristiano Ronaldo with a hat-trick over the weekend. (Reuters) having now notched up his 21st in the competition. Ronaldo still leads the goalscoring charts for this season with 29 goals in 21 appearances in all competitions (and a stunning 23 in 13 in la Liga), with Messi having now scored 20 in 19 games this campaign, 13 of which have come in the league. Barca were once again indebted to their Argentine forward for turning the game around after Garcia had charged forward to slot Espanyol into a 13th-minute lead and give them hope of a famous victory at the home
of their local rivals. However, having claimed the lead, Barca kicked on and Pique’s header from a corner and substitute Pedro’s drilled finish from Jordi Alba’s pass swung the game decisively in their favour before Messi added the gloss. Real’s win (their Spanish record-equalling 18th in succession in all competitions) took them five points clear of their great rivals overnight. But Barca’s victory means the gap is now back to two points, with reigning champions Atletico Madrid two points behind Luis Enrique’s side in third.
Page 34
Kaieteur News
Alia stuns with world record gold medal DOHA, Qatar (AFP) — Alia Atkinson became the first black woman to win a world swimming title when she triumphed in the 100m breaststroke at the world short-course championships Saturday as more records tumbled. Jamaican Atkinson, 25, claimed the title and equalled Ruta Meilutyte’s world record of 1:02.36 in the process — although under governing body FINA rules this still equates to a new record. That took the total of world records set at the Hamad Aquatic Centre to 17. The tone was set in the first event as Russia set a new mark of 1:22.60 in the men’s 4x50m freestyle relay with Atkinson’s effort in the very next race. That was immediately followed by another stunning display from Florent Manaudou in the 50m backstroke. Katinka Hosszu claimed her fourth world record in the 200m individual medley before the session ended with a new mark for the United States in the mixed 4x50m freestyle (1:28.57). However, it was Atkinson who lit up the pool. Meilutyte appeared on course for a successful defence of her title only for her rival to move on to the Lithuanian’s shoulder at the final turn. Atkinson then clawed her way down the final length before out-touching the 17year-old by 0.10 second. She was completely unaware of what she had done, staring up at the scoreboard with an air of
First black woman to win world swimming title, equals 100m breaststroke mark
Alia Atkinson of Jamaica poses with her gold medal after winning the women’s 100m breaststroke in a world record-equalling 1:02.36 during the 12th FINA World Swimming Championships in Doha, Qatar. (PHOTO: AFP) resignation before it gradually dawned. “Me?,” she mouthed, pointing at herself before the enormity of her achievement was absorbed and so started the celebrations. She told AFP: “I couldn’t believe it. It came down to the same thing as the 50 and on the 50 I got out-touched so in my mind I went straight back to that. “I just thought ‘oh okay’ and looked up at the board and it didn’t really click yet and then it really started to click. It took a while.” Atkinson’s role at the International Swimming Hall of Fame in Florida is to
Cricket Guy Inc, GCB congratulates Captain Vishal Singh on maiden Regional century Cricket Guy Inc and GCB congratulate Captain Vishal Singh on his maiden Regional century. The CGI Jaguars and the GCB wishes to extend its sincerest congratulations and felicitations towards its Captain Vishal ‘Cheesy’ Singh for registering his maiden unbeaten century against the TT Red Force. ‘Cheesy’ finished the day not out on 115, which has been described by all as an excellently crafted and constructed innings. This century was a long time in coming and was a true Captain’s innings which has surely placed his team in a commanding position to win his first match also as captain. He has now silenced all of his critics and detractors with an unblemished and match-winning performance. His team now lead by 102 with 2 days to go. The CGI Guyana Jaguars continue to have a great season, save and except for a disastrous session last Monday against Barbados that cost them some crucial points with very disappointing batting. The CGI and the GCB wishes the team well for the remainder of the match and the season and urge that they remain focused on the job at hand. Continue to roar on together as Team Jaguars!
encourage greater involvement of different communities in swimming and to promote water safety. “Hopefully my face will come out, there will be more popularity, especially in Jamaica and the Caribbean and we’ll see more of a rise and hopefully in the future we will see a push,” Atkinson mused. Manaudou has dominated the pool in the sprint events this season with four European longcourse titles in Berlin in August. The 24-year-old sunk the 50m freestyle world record on Friday and yesterday he returned to take 0.39sec off Peter Marshall’s 50m backstroke mark from 2009 in 22.22. The 6ft 6in Frenchman now has four medals in Doha — three of them gold —and he still has the 100m freestyle final to come. “I am already three-time world champion and I have a silver in the relay so there is no pressure on me anymore,” he said. “I didn’t think I could do that (break the world record by such a large amount) and I didn’t think anyone could do it. And it’s me.” Hosszu set her fourth world record of the meet with 2:01.86 for victory in the 200m individual medley with Great Britain’s Siobhan-Marie O’Connor claiming her third silver in a new British record 2:05.87. Chad le Clos set a championship record of 21.95 as the South African added the 50m butterfly title to his 100m gold.
Monday December 08, 2014
Elton Dharry wins IBF Inter Continental bantamweight title in St. Maarten Elton Dharry has added another accolade to his collection after turning in a superb display in his fight against Nicaraguan, Jose Rios at the L B Scott Sports Auditorium Philipsburg Sint Maarten, Saturday evening last. For his efforts, the famed ‘Coolie Bully’ carted off the vacant International Boxing Federation (IBF) Inter Continental bantamweight title after scoring a unanimous points decision. According to reports, Dharry enjoyed support from the Diaspora who cheered him on to victory. Reports are that both pugilists tipped the scales at an even 118 lbs but Dharry proved to be quicker than his opponent and carted off a lopsided victory. Judges, Waleska Roldan, Robin Taylor and Daniel Ottley all scored the bout 118109 in favour of Dharry who now sports a 16-5-1 (10kos) record, while Rios dips to 121-1 (6 kos). The bout was the main event of the “This is it war!” card promoted by Bobby Ottley of B.O.S.E. Promotions. It hasn’t always been easy in the fight game for Dharry who had had several early losses. Born in Leguan, Guyana, he moved to America
Dharry (left) and Rios engage in a fierce face of just after the completion of the weigh in session. in 1999 and now resides in Brooklyn. He boxed in the U.S. Nationals and represented Guyana in the 2004 Olympic box offs. Dharry started his professional career with two wins, against Mark Fernandes, at the Cliff
Anderson Sports Hall (CASH) and Sandy Childers, in the USA, but faltered somewhat in his next six fights, losing all but one. He has since picked up the pieces and last Saturday night’s victory has made it thirteen in a row.
Guyana Mixed Martial Arts Karate Association holds 1st Championships The Guyana Mixed Martial Arts Karate Association held its 1st annual Karate Championships last Sunday at the Black Cobra Karate Club in La-Parfaite Harmony W.B.D. The association has 5 Branches which are located in Soesdyke, Diamond, Herstelling, Parfaite Harmony and at Independent Street Middle Dam. All the branches took part in the Championships which saw good performances from the participants. The Results of the Tournament are as follows: Shadow Martial Arts Karate Club Located in Soesdyke, captured 3 Gold, 2 silvers and 1 bronze in which Kevin Ramcharran took home a Silver for Kata and a Gold for Kumite, Calvin Ramcharran took home a Gold For Kumite and a silver in Free style Kata and Junior Fields got a Gold medal in Kumite. Diamond Karate Club captured 7 Gold, 6 Silvers and 3 Bronze in which Steven Persaud took home a gold medal in Free Form Kata and
Self Defence, Stephen Singh captured a gold in Traditional Kata and a Silver in Kumite, Portia Schepmyer secured a silver in Self Defence and Free Form Kata and a Gold in Weapons Kata, Kian Koodtatalli secured a Bronze in Kumite, Raul Joseph a Bronze in Freeform Kata, Kumite and Traditional Kata. He also got Silver in Weapons Kata. Toshan got gold in Traditional Kata and a silver in Kumite, Brandon Dindial got Gold in Kumite and Silver in Traditional Kata. Independent Karate Club Captured 4 Gold, 1 Silver and 2 Bronze in which Someshram Banasar secured a Gold in both traditional Kata and Kumite, Daniel captured Gold in Kumite and Silver in Kata. Brandon Deolall captured Silver in Kata and Kumite and Surajram secured Bronze in Kumite. Black Cobra Karate Club captured 10 Gold, 8 Silver and 9 Bronze. Jonathon Sooklall secured 1 Gold in Traditional Kata and a Bronze in Kumite, Joshua Sooklall secured a Silver in Kata. Shiloh Sydney captured a Gold in Traditional
Kata and Kumite and a Bronze in Self Defence, Philip Jaikisson secured a Silver in Kumite and a Bronze in Weapons Form. Daniel Chandler secured Gold medals in Kumite, Self Defence, Traditional Kata, Weapons Form and Silver in Free Form. Mondel captured Bronze in Kumite, while Nickolas secured a Silver in Traditional Kata and Kumite, Jaffar Ramnarine captured a Gold Medal in Traditional Kata and a Bronze in Kumite. Zafar Ramnarine secured Gold in Traditional Kata and Free Form, while Aaliyah Ramnarine secured Silver in traditional Kata. Christopher secured Bonze in Kumite and Traditional Kata and Silver in Self Defence and Free Form. Out of all the Clubs, Black Cobra Karate Club captured the most medals. The Guyana Mixed Martial Arts Karate Association is recruiting new members who can train at any of their locations. Contact can be made by calling 6986727/6730823/6991875/ 6936824 for more information.