Kaieteur News

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Kaieteur News

KAIETEUR NEWS Printed and Published by National Media & Publishing Company Ltd. 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown, Guyana.

Publisher: GLENN LALL Editor: ADAM HARRIS Tel: 225-8491, 225-8458, 225-8465 Fax: 225-8473 or 226-8210

Editorial

The Need for Mentorship in Schools The reported incidents of violence in the Richard Ishmael Secondary School in the city force home the stark reminder that all is not well in the public school system.

It is time for a national recognition that we need to be more proactive in dealing with crime prevention and other student security issues in our country’s schools.

As obtains in other societies, the time has come for the Minister of Education to commission a survey and make public its findings. Among the areas which would be of interest to the general public are the possibility of being bullied at school; threats and attacks on teachers; threats and attacks on students; school neighborhood violence; experience of violence outside of school; attributed causes of anti-social behaviour; and the influence of the media.

The National Mentoring Programme which was launched at the Lodge Community High School during March 2010 by the Education Ministry was intended to strengthen discipline among school students.

There has been no word on its extension to other schools as indicated, nor has the results of any evaluation to determine whether its implementation has been a success been made public. This is perhaps to be expected since it appears to be the norm that new initiatives are announced with much fanfare, but the need for follow through and/or status reports are often ignored. Beginning in the home and reinforced by the other agents of socialization must be an exposure to what is acceptable behaviour.

It is likely that children’s experiences and perceptions of violence shape their responses and attitude to violence.

This is all the more reason for the relevant agencies to become involved at a more intense level. Mentoring has proven to be an effective delinquency prevention strategy, and can mean the difference between dropping out of school and graduating, or between getting involved with drugs and criminal gangs and developing the strength and self-confidence to resist such pressures. The death of young Leon McCurdy like so many others must serve as a wakeup call to protect our young people from going down the path of perdition.

The circumstances of the latter stage of McCurdy’s life, and his demise are not unusual in our collective experience.

There are many more such examples of young persons who may have lost a parent(s); or who are experiencing neglect or abuse or who may be lonely or uncomfortable in certain social situations. This vulnerable category of persons might not have benefitted from the support, attention, and kindness of a mentor equipped with special skills and other institutional supports.

Therefore, a carefully designed and well run programme could provide the type of positive influences for young people who may not have a good support system available to them. With the proliferation of trained social workers coming out of university there is no acceptable reason why one could not be placed in each school to attend to students’ concerns on security and welfare issues.

Utilising the professional skills of social workers in association with the mentorship arrangement in one-on-one relationships could prove very valuable. They can provide the necessary guidance and support to face challenges associated with schoolwork; social issues, such as pressure to drink, smoke, or use drugs; family problems or tension; and other typical difficulties of growing up. In other words it is important that the extra support that many young people need is available to assist them to resist the strong influences of peer pressure and the desire to fit.

The case for the placement of social workers in schools is further established by the fact that the daily presence puts the professional in a position of knowing the students with problems and those who are problems. The foregoing notwithstanding, it is unrealistic to expect the mentor and/or social worker to supplant the parent or guardian.

Sunday February 02, 2014

Kaieteur M@ilbox Send your letters to Kaieteur News 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown or email us kaieteurnews@yahoo.com

Speaker Trotman made a horrible mistake DEAR EDITOR, No one in this country any longer is surprised or distraught at the complete silence that has overtaken this sad, demolished, morally rubbished nation.

The most outrageous atrocity can come out of the mouths of the most important persons and not one citizen responds and shows our very young population that there is still hope for this country On the contrary, many of these people who insult this nation with the utter horrific semantics they give off are in fact feted and highly spoken of.

Surely, this is a nation that can easily be taken for a land sermonized by any famous writer who has done a story about life in hell. A prominent citizen in a Stabroek News column had the temerity to write that he saw corruption

in Canada and the US so can’t understand why we keep highlighting these things in Guyana. Can you believe this gentleman when he descended to that level? And no one took him up to tell that what he wrote was appalling nonsense President Ramotar told the nation he cannot tell a private company what price it should put on a product or service but in the same breathe urged Guyanese not to pay a mere twenty dollar increase for private transportation. Not one Guyanese exposed this terrible act of hypocrisy Now we come to the Speaker of the House. I think Speaker Trotman knows that my admiration for him is over. I campaigned for the AFC in the last election and though my admiration for Nigel Hughes and Khemraj Ramjattan

is mountainous, I will have problems in future campaigns for the AFC if Trotman is in the AFC leadership. I would have extreme difficulty in campaigning on the same platform with Trotman I honestly believe that after the 2011 elections, Trotman had no more interest in fighting for democratic restoration.

There is nothing he has said and done since 2011 that has helped the antiauthoritarian struggle against PPP hegemony. On the contrary, many of his utterances have been in favour of the Government; many of which I have exposed in my columns.

Recently, Trotman admitted that the Parliament does not have the sovereign right to accept a project from the United States on its own. In calling on the US (Continued on page 5)

Sunday February 02, 2014

Kaieteur News

Kaieteur M@ilbox

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Kaieteur M@ilbox

In response to David Hinds on criminalization of African Guyanese DEAR EDITOR, I like David Hinds primarily because he is a Buxtonion, and also because he was (and probably still is) willing to go to jail (like Gandhi, Mandela and Jagan) for his political and moral convictions.

Buxton holds a special place for me because in the early seventies, when I was in my early twenties, I “sported” a lot in Buxton.

With (Dr.) Stafford Griffith, his beautiful wife (Magistrate) Pansy, Oswald McGarrell and others, we staged plays and concerts and partied freely late in the nights. I think I was safer in and more accepted in Buxton than I was in my own hometown of Wales.

Buxton, at the time, I would say, had the highest literary quotient, more than any other township in Guyana, save perhaps, Georgetown. There were “walking dictionaries”, poets and statesmen overflowing at every corner. It was the time also when Eusi Kwayana and his wife were highly revered by everyone in Buxton.

Not even the pompous Forbes Burnham could match him in Buxton. Buxton, aptly named after the great emancipator, was the independent and revolutionary machinery that stopped the massa train (and even intercepted Cheddi Jagan’s funeral procession.)

A village undoubtedly with the richest history in Guyana.

That was the village and the time that produced the illustrious Dr. David Hinds.

Having premised that, I now refer to his piece,

“Africans are criminalized for doing what other ethnic groups are celebrated for, (KN Jan 31, 14), in which he is in full support of the protests staged by the people of Number 48 village, Corentyne. So am I. It seems that anything a people want in Guyana, even the common decency of police protection and simple needs as basic utilities, they must resort to blockading the streets before they gain attention from this government.

True, as I once wrote, “these simple things, today, are not given by the government, but have to be wrested from them by the people”.

Unfortunately, David further wrote, “I have waited two days and more for the experts on violence to condemn the actions of the people of Number 48 as violent, unpatriotic and aimed at overthrowing the government. Not a word”.

I may not be an “expert on violence”, but I did a doctoral course, “Urban Violence and Terrorism”, and I have come to accept that, unlike Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr., but more in sync with Nelson

Mandela, Che Guevara and Fidel Castro, Walter Rodney, and perhaps, Rupert Roopnarine, violence is, at times, justified.

Yes, in the political definition of violence, the action of 48 Village was violent, and in my opinion, the action was justified. At 48, the questions of violence: when, how, against whom, and for what objective were clear. But Linden and Agricola were different. Burning down the ruling party office (!), burning down a school (?), attacking private and hapless citizens and destroying their property (?), because of un-patriotism

(?), and, wanting to overthrow a (legitimate) government (?)

(Note: I use these punctuation marks as they do in chess).

Yes, the people of 48 were justified because their specific objective was reasonably and clearly defined. And in the end they achieved it. To achieve the objective did not ask for “unpatriotic action” or “overthrowing the government”.

The use of violence as a means to an end is a scientific and militaristic strategy not to be used at every whim and fancy. Let’s go back to the Israeli Irgun, from whom Mandela and Che prided

Speaker Trotman made...

From page 4 and the Guyana Government to discuss and negotiate the democracy project, he has conceded that sovereignty resides only in the government of a country. But here is the horrible part.

The government that he puts that sovereignty in is a minority regime. Trotman puts no value in the context of sovereignty on the role of Parliament.

And to think this man is

the Speaker. And to think the AFC and APNU are yet to tell him that he has weakened Parliament and thus should resign. I call upon Trotman to resign because it is my understanding that in a situation of a minority government, Parliament embodies sovereignty and can directly speak to the US Government and accept financial assistance from the US to strengthen parliamentary democracy Frederick Kissoon

themselves to have studied, and let us learn from them.

Remember, the Irgun defeated the mighty British and kicked then clean out of Palestine by the strategic and militaristic use of violence – which incidentally was later to be termed- Israeli Terrorism. We, and certainly Mandela and

Che might not agree a whole lot with the Irgun, but their effective methodology was what mattered.

I urge David, whose heritage is from Buxton, to redefine his concepts and focus on the praxis of what is to be done.

Gokarran Sukhdeo

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Kaieteur News

Kaieteur M@ilbox

Sunday February 02, 2014

Kaieteur M@ilbox

The need for a professional Guyana Is the Opposition fighting for National Transport Safety Bureau the right to destroy Guyana?

DEAR EDITOR, In the aftermath of the Cessna Caravan accident on the 18th January 2014 off Olive Creek, Mazaruni and other recent aircraft accidents/incidents, there has been a call for investigations of these occurrences by a body independent of the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA).

This call is not without precedence, since in 1982/83 during the tenure of the late Hon Steve Narine , then Minister of Works, I recommended that a team of Caribbean Civil Aviation (Senior) staff be put together to investigate aircraft accidents in the Commonwealth Caribbean States. I made this recommendation at the same time I made another one to (the Minister) that Guyana initiate talks with its Caricom brothers, about an SAS type Airline as a model for a Caricom Regional air-carrier along the guidelines set out

by ICAO. This was before the MNAC (Multinational Air

Carrier for the Caribbean) study was done by Aer Lingus.

At a meeting with VicePresident Steve Narine in his capacity as the Minister responsible for transport, a more senior officer said, relative to the first above mention recommendation, ‘I don’t want another agency looking over my shoulder’, and the matter ended there.

Almost three decades later the idea has again surfaced.

However, my view is that we need a holistic Guyana Transport Safety Bureau (GTSB) which, in the wake of numerous riverain and other road accidents, would investigate and seek compliance with the standards and practices set out by ICAO aircraft manufactures and other authorities in the fields of all transport. In the area of marine transport laws e.g. relative to excess of alcohol intake by captains of river craft would be reviewed or enforced, especially in landings in mining areas or stellings away

from the beaten track.

In the area of road transport, the matter of emergency cones for use by broken down vehicles or large trucks on narrow lanes could be examined, as well as the noise nuisance and the need for larger mass transit public road movers to reduce the gridlock because of the paucity of hard surface roads.

We should be mindful of the increasing number of vehicles being imported into Guyana. These are in addition to those from Suriname and from Brazil in the South via Lethem.

Mr. Editor, transportation safety is not only about air transport. If there is a cost attached to doing it professionally right - so be it.

I am quite sure the USA and Canadian governments would be oh so willing to assist in the quest for attaining such professionalism should a request be submitted to the TAB (Technical Assistance Bureau) of ICAO. Aubrey Alexander

DEAR EDITOR, Who gives the Opposition Parliamentarians the right to destroy Guyana?

Certainly not those who voted for them as they would normally claim.

I am convinced that the overwhelming majority of those who vote for the Opposition, voted for because they believed, or at least thought, that the AFC or APNU would outdo the PPP/C and make Guyana an even better place.

The opposition never campaigned on a platform of the right to destroy Guyana.

They promised to make it better. But, alas, the deception of Opposition leaders turned out to be unmatched in Guyana’s history.

The chief Justice has ruled that the National Assembly does not have the right to reduce estimates of the National Budget.

Why can’t they accept that they were wrong in reducing the national Budgets of 2012 and 2013? Is it that their egos, pride and narrow political objects takes precedence over the welfare of the entire nation?

Over the past two years, the opposition has, through their illegal, unwarranted and malicious acts of cutting the national budget, deprived

Guyana’s economy of over 50 billion dollars. Guyana has been denied over 50 billion dollars of investments in infrastructure and development projects of huge national significance, investment projects that have the potential to catapult Guyana to levels of development never seen in its entire history.

It is therefore a disgrace and total lack of self-respect for people parading as economists, developmentalists, and national leaders not only to deny but also seek justify their denial of their country critical development projects in excess of 50 billion dollars, using deliberately flawed and deceitful arguments. The sad thing is that many seem to believe these fundamentally flawed and deceitful arguments.

Every student of economics, and more so economists, knows that to earn you must invest; they know that the infrastructure of a country is the artery of development, if there are not here, no development can take place; they know that before you can even talk about distribution/ redistribution of wealth, you first have to first create it; they know that with globalization, it is a desperate fight for survival and to

survive you must be and remain competitive; they know that when you miss one year in today’s world, it may take you in excess of five years to catch-up, if you are lucky. As Guyanese would say ‘cat eat you dinner’.

How then can any rational human being make sense of APNU’s point man on economic and finance, Mr. Carl Greenidge, a “qualified Economist” leading the opposition butchering Guyana’s national budget for two consecutive years?

Government is not in the business of hording. It is in the business of spending money to provide goods and services to the people to make their life better. Has cutting the budget and saving 50 billion dollars of tax payers’ money made tax payers lives better?

To Mr. Ramjattan, Mr. Granger, Mr. Carl Greenidge and the 30 other AFC and APNU parliamentarians, I say there is no dignity in fighting to destroy your nation, but there is dignity in cooperation, even with your sworn enemy in the interest of others.

There is no dignity in exploiting people’s lack of knowledge, but there is dignity and respect in educating and serving them.

It is time you serve your nation with dignity and respect. Stop fighting for the non-existent right to destroy the future of Guyana and its entire population.

Accept the Chief justice’s ruling. That will be a dignified act. There is dignity and respect in putting your nation’s and not your narrow and selfish political interest first. The nation is waiting and watching.

Faruk Mohamed

Sunday February 02, 2014

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Sunday February 02, 2014

Oil spill ‘sabotage’ made up, says Rowley …‘Petrotrin probe shows faulty sealine to blame’ Trinidad Express Petrotrin concocted a story of sabotage to gain public sympathy when its own internal investigation found the oil spill originated from a faulty sealine at the Pointe-aPierre refinery port, says Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley.

Rowley Friday reiterated his call for the dismissal of Energy Minister Kevin Ramnarine at a news conference at his Parliament office, Port of Spain, saying the minister was defending Petrotrin when there were documents from the State enterprise which showed there were red flags with respect to lines in the sector that needed attention but were never addressed.

Rowley met with the Oilfields Workers’ Trade

Union (OWTU), led by Ancel Roget, on Wednesday and was presented with a report entitled “Petrotrin Oil Spill Cover-Up”.

The report, said Rowley, is based on documents from Petrotrin itself and EMA (Environmental Management Authority).

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar has rejected a call for a meeting with the OWTU, saying it would be premature to do so as the oil spill was being investigated.

Rowley said if the Prime Mi-nister had come down her “high horse” and met with the OWTU, she would have received the documents and seen the Petrotrin report.

Referring to the OWTU report, Rowley quoted a Petrotrin document dated

President Martelly to meet President Obama WASHINGTON, United States - CMC – Haiti’s President Michel Martelly will meet with President Barack Obama this week, the White House has announced.

It gave no details of the meeting, except that the two leaders would meet Thursday, the same day president Obama addressed the annual National Prayer Breakfast.

The United States has been among countries providing assistance to Haiti, the hemisphere’s poorest nation, following the January 2010 earthquake that killed an estimated 300,000 people and left more than a million others homeless. The United Nations has called on the international community to meet its commitment to Haiti.

Michel Martelly

Dominican Republic to up number of countries on extradition list Jamaica Gleaner - The Government of the Dominican Republic has indicated that it will soon table legislation that will increase the list of countries to which persons can be extradited.

Attorney General Levi Peters, who made the announcement, says the government will also establish a mechanism by which it can request the return of someone who is facing criminal charges there. Speaking in radio interview yesterday, Peters

says the so-called Backing of Warrants Bill will close the gaps in the Extradition Act as it relates to people who commit criminal acts in other jurisdictions He says under the new bill, a warrant from another jurisdiction would be communicated to the Attorney General. O n c e certain requirements are met, Peters says, the court will determine whether an individual should extradited or not.

Dr Keith Rowley October 11, 2010, where a Sri Lankan engineering expert recommended a number of lines be inspec-ted.

One particular line deemed to be high risk was the Sealine No 10—the very line where the oil spill originated on December 17, 2013.

Rowley said Petrotrin had this information in its possession and misled the country into believing the spills were as a result of sabotage.

He said further, Petrotrin’s own investigative report into the oil-spill incident, dated December 24, 2013, found the spill came from Sealine 10.

That Petrotrin report, said Rowley, also found 7,452 barrels of bunker fuel, valued at $4 million, was unaccounted for.

He said despite having all this information, Petrotrin issued a release on December 27, 2013, referring to the spills as “leaks” and not mentioning at all any of the documentation in its possession.

Rowley charged Ramnarine was “grossly irresponsible” in his handling of the entire matter and called for his dismissal once again.

He said the Prime Minister will ultimately be held accountable on how she treats with the minister.

Rowley added that EMA fined Petrotrin $20 million which the State entity accepted.

He pointed to an EMA release which stated its fine against Petrotrin was among other things for its failure to report all accidents, emergencies and spills within the stipulated time frame.

Rowley said unless both Pe-trotrin and EMA can state the documents are not authentic, then the evidence shows there was a cover-up of the true facts surrounding the oil spill.

He said Ramnarine sought to “demonise” him and embark on character assassination, instead of addressing the facts.

Sunday February 02, 2014

Kaieteur News

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Dem boys seh

Anti Money Laundering Bill…

De Chronicle holding three AGM in one

GUYANA TOPS LIST OF 55 DEFAULTING COUNTRIES

Every company does hold annual general meeting every year fuh account fuh how dem wuk during de year.

Because dem got to account to de people who own de company dem got to audit de books and present de report.

De Chronicle is a government company and it doing de exact opposite. Dem put Kwame in control and he encourage wha Jagdeo use to encourage he boys to do to de country. Everybody get a chance to full dem pocket and then dem can account to the people.

Dem boys seh that de Chronicle got a man who doing four people wuk and he claiming de four salary, not that is four hard wuk.

Sometimes is just fuh seh that you using de name. It got to be that everybody pocket full because de Chronicle advertise that it intend to break records. It is to become de first company to hold three annual general meeting in one year.

That got to be de biggest joke. Why dem couldn’t hold de 2011 annual general meeting? One man seh that it was de election year and de people was busy thiefing.

De next year dem couldn’t

have an annual general meeting because dem who didn’t get to thief in de election year, tek dem chance in that year.

Brazzy who heading NICIL had a right to clamp down pun de Chronicle but he sit he fat tail and seh nutten because he know what was going on.

But then again, one man explain that wid de government putting in almost all de advertisement and de paper ain’t selling dem didn’t have much to report. Dem boys call Donald and he seh ask Kwame who stretch he lip more.

Is Mark provide de answer. He seh that after de people thief, it tek three years fuh de paper record any money transaction.

Dem boys waiting to see if de company gun declare a profit. If it record a profit that would be the first newspaper other than de Waterfalls paper and de Big Market paper to do so.

Talk half and explain why Brazzy couldn’t control de Chronicle.

Guyana shares the worst rating in the world with Mozambique, as it relates to the list of countries under the Financial Action Taskforce (FATF) to be reviewed come February 10, when the body meets for its review group in Paris, France.

According to official FATF records seen by this publication, Guyana heads the list of the International Co-operation Review Group (ICRG).

That group includes countries such as Guyana, Mozambique, Cape Verde, Haiti, Cameroon, Aruba, Benin, Fiji and Zambia.

Last November, the Caribbean Financial Action Taskforce (CFATF) issued a public statement with regard to two of its members which are also in the ICRG pool— Belize and Guyana.

“The publication of the CFATF statement on the FATF website does not constitute an official endorsement by the FATF…However, this public statement contains relevant information that countries

and the private sector, as part of their implementation of the risk-based approach, should be aware of.”

The CFATF statement on Guyana had said that Guyana has made efforts to address its deficiencies, however, it has not taken sufficient steps towards reforms.

CFATF at the time was adamant that Guyana must pass the relevant legislation and implement all the outstanding issues within its Action Plan including; fully criminalizing money laundering and terrorist financing offences; addressing all the requirements on beneficial ownership; strengthening the requirements for suspicious transaction reporting, international co-operation, and the freezing and confiscation of terrorist assets, and fully

implementing the UN conventions.

Guyana is yet to meet the legislative obligations namely the passage of the Anti Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism Amendment Bill.

The three political parties have been haggling for months on end over the Bill which has again been sent to a special select committee of Parliament.

According to the FATF docu m e n t s e e n b y t h i s publication, as in every subsequent plenary meeting since October 2010, the ICRG should now decide whether it wishes to recommend that any of the jurisdictions in its pool be referred for a prima facie review to be discussed in February 2014.

“In practice this could be, for example, the top two

jurisdictions ranked in one region or in each region, a certain number of jurisdictions ranked at the top of the entire group, or any particular jurisdiction where the ICRG agrees there are particular risks such that a prima facie review should proceed.”

Guyana is atop the list for the Americas Region and is on par with the African Region as it holds the same rating with Mozambique which heads the list for that region.

There exists currently, three methods by which a jurisdiction could enter the ICRG process: nomination; referral based on mutual evaluation results; and referral based on nonparticipation in an FATFstyle regional body (FSRB) and non-publication of mutual evaluation reports.

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GPL engine under constant repair A senior employee of the Guyana Power and Light Company has explained that continuous repair works are being executed on the defective engine aback of the power plant at Anna Regina.

The work is being undertaken by technicians attached to the Guyana Power and Light.

Due to the repairs, sections of the Essequibo Coast continue to experience load shedding especially during the day.

Last December, the Essequibo Coast was without electricity for an entire day and on other occasions for slightly less due to the main voltage regulator being damaged.

The 20- year-old engine serves residents from Charity to Supenaam, including housing Schemes in Pomona, Charity, Lima and Suddie.

Due to the growth of the population over the years, the engine was rendered incapable of generating sufficient electricity to those extended areas on the Coast.

Plans are in the pipelines to overhaul the entire facility at the Anna Regina Power plant.

Meanwhile, business entities have since equipped their businesses with generators.

Kaieteur News

Sunday February 02, 2014

Murder re-trial draws to a close...

Accused to know fate on Monday On Monday, High Court trial Judge, Franklyn Holder is scheduled to sum up the evidence from a retrial of murder accused Parsram Lalchand called “Desmond.”

Lalchand is one of six men, who allegedly killed Viranjan of Lusignan on July 27, 2008. The other accused were Vishal Singh, Vishnu Singh, Akash Singh (14), Babzie Singh (father of Vishal, Vishnu and Akash) and Satesh Singh.

The group was accused of “double banking” Viranjan at Annadale Pump Road, East Coast Demerara. The victim sustained multiple injuries as a result of the beating. He died two days later.

At the initial trial, Vishal, Vishnu, and their father, Babzie, pleaded guilty to the lesser count of manslaughter and were each sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment.

The Director of Public Prosecution had entered a nolle prosequi (withdrawal of the charge) against Akash Singh, who was 14 at the time, while Satesh Singh (Lalchand’s younger brother) was later acquitted.

Yesterday, the Judge and Jury heard the testimony of

the final witness in the case, Babzie Singh.

He was called to the stand by Defence Counsel Huckumchand Parag, who is representing the accused.

Under cross examination

by Prosecution, the witness told the court that he and his sons had beaten Viranjan.

“Me and meh two son bin ah sell fish…We beat a man in front ah de fisheries.

Desmond neva bin dey; he bin ah he house,” the witness said to the State Prosecutors, Dhanika Singh and Mercedes Thompson.

Asked whether there was enough lighting, reflecting from buildings nearby on the night of the incident, for him to verify what he saw, the man quickly responded. “Me eye bright; me eye bright enough fuh see.” His answer evoked muffled laughter from the panel of jurors and courtroom audience.

“I’m putting it to you that you are here to help out your friend,” Prosecutor Singh subsequently suggested to the witnesses, who abruptly retorted, “Help out? Me nah help out nonebody. God got fuh help dem out. Me only ah tell wha me see and wha me

know.”

His outburst, met with more laughter from the courtroom. Singh, however told the court that he could not recall whether there were any buildings or houses situated in the vicinity of the Fisheries.

Defence Counsel related that during his unsworn statement, the accused told the court that he was “not there,” when the incident occurred.

“The prosecution only called two independent witnesses; all the others were police witnesses. The police testified that my client was picked up on Vigilance Public Road. However, my client told the court that his mother had accompanied him to the station, in answer to the accusation.”

The lawyer claimed that the evidence of the Prosecution’s witnesses differs from that which was tendered in the Magistrates’ Court.

“You must be satisfied that evidence that the Prosecution presents proves their case beyond the shadow of a doubt,” Huckumchand urged the jurors.

However the Prosecutor posited that the evidence of their witnesses was consistent at all times.

“It may sound a bit different because different

Parsram Lalchand people may have observed different things at different times. However what has resounded throughout the testimonies of the witnesses is that the accused, Parsram Lalchand had participated in the crime, which led to the death of Viranjan.”

Earlier in the trial, the court heard that the victim was chased and beaten with a piece of wood and a cutlass, following a row over a stolen bicycle. The man was taken the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation, (GPHC), where he subsequently died.

A post mortem examination conducted on the victim’s remains revealed that he died as a result of the injuries he received.

Sunday February 02, 2014

Kaieteur News

TOY GUN ROBBER JAILED A resident of Goed For t u i n , We s t B a n k Demerara, who used a toy gun to rob a man of his cellular phone, was yesterday sentenced to six months imprisonment by Magistrate Ann McLennan at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.

De Macy, also called Ivor Martin, pleaded not guilty

when he first appeared in court late last year.

The charge detailed that on October 9, 2013 at Lombard and Schumacker Streets, Georgetown while being armed with a gun, he robbed Shameer Khan Shafeek of a $15,000 cellular phone.

Reports are that the victim was sitting in a car

when he was approached

by Martin, who, armed with a toy gun, demanded that he hand over his possessions.

The victim reportedly became afraid and complied.

Martin then fled the scene but was caught by public spirited citizens who handed him over to the

police. During the trial, Police Prosecutor Corporal Deniro Jones called four witnesses and managed to establish the case of Robbery under Arms against Martin.

In determining the sentence, the Magistrate considered that Martin had spent some time in prison on remand.

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Sunday February 02, 2014

Woman, 55, bound body found in Agricola yard Police have detained a female member of the Guyana Defence Force in connection with the brutal murder of 55year-old housewife, Donna Taylor, whose bound body was found at the back of her Lot 16-17 Agricola home shortly after midnight yesterday.

Kaieteur News understands that the 22-yearold army rank is being treated as a prime suspect after a British-based woman, who survived the attack, identified her as one of the individuals who forced their way into the residence.

Police said a pair of the suspect’s pants appeared to have traces of blood and the garments are to be examined by ranks from the Force’s forensics department.

The woman in custody is the girlfriend of one of the slain woman’s sons.

Taylor ’s hands were bound behind her back, her throat was slit, and a piece of cloth was wrapped around her neck. Reports indicate that the mother of four was attacked in her bed around 23:00 hrs on Friday and slain after she was dragged to her backyard.

- British-based survivor identifies female intruder after jumping through window Samantha Sabat, a 26year-old British-based citizen who was a guest of the Taylors, escaped by removing the panes from her bedroom window and jumping to the ground from the top flat of the two-storey structure. She was found lying unconscious in the front yard.

Sabat was treated at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation for a suspected fractured arm and lacerations to her face and other parts of her body. Kaieteur News understands that Ms. Sabat came to Guyana some three weeks ago for her father’s funeral.

Although Taylor’s home was ransacked and some valuables reportedly stolen, police believe that a rivalry between two young women known to Mrs. Taylor was the motive for the killing.

Investigators also believe the killers ransacked the home to give the impression that robbers had attacked the two women. Sources said that detectives found no sign of forced entry, although the slain woman’s spouse, Bertram Taylor, suggested that the killers may have entered through his bedroom window after climbing onto a barrel in his yard.

Kaieteur News

understands that Sabat has told police that a woman and a man had tried to force their way into her bedroom, and that she had recognized the woman after the individual tried to clamber over her bedroom wall.

According to sources, Sabat has alleged that the intruders had ordered her to open her door. She eventually jumped through her window and was knocked unconscious by the fall.

The two women were alone at home when the attack occurred, since Mrs. Taylor’s husband, Bertram Taylor, was at work.

A tenant in the bottom flat reportedly heard strange noises in the upper flat and contacted the slain woman’s spouse. One tenant who spoke with Kaieteur News recalled hearing a woman’s “shrill scream,” and “muffled footsteps,”in Taylor’s flat.

Mr. Taylor, who is a senior security officer at an East Bank Demerara fishing complex, told Kaieteur News that he received a call shortly after 23:00 hrs on Friday from a tenant who said that his wife “was keeping noise in the house.”

Accompanied by his son, Mr. Taylor said that he immediately rushed home, where he found his Britishbased guest, Samantha Sabat, lying unconscious in the front yard.

“I shook her and asked her where my wife is, and she said ‘I don’t know’.” Taylor

said that on entering his home, he found the premises ransacked. Several louver panes from a window in his bedroom and one in Sabat’s room were missing. His wife was also missing.

Mr. Taylor said that he assumed that his wife had fled from the intruders, and headed to the Ruimveldt Police Station to make a report.

By the time he returned, Mr. Taylor’s son and a neighbour had located Mrs. Taylor’s body in the backyard.

A devastated Mr. Taylor said that a video recorder and about $15,000, along with other small sums of currency were missing. But he, too, said

Murdered: Donna Taylor that he believed that robbery was not the real motive for his wife’s murder.

“I lived for over 30 years in this village and nobody ever broke into my house,” he said.

Mr. Taylor points to the spot in his backyard where his slain wife was found

Sunday February 02, 2014

Kaieteur News

Page 21

Page 22

SUNDAY SPECIAL ANTI-MONEY LAUNDERING DISCUSSIONS… WE ARE NOT OPPOSED TO THE PRESENCE OF THE PRESS – APNU Shadow Finance Minister of the A Partnership of National Unity (APNU), Carl Greenidge is saying that the opposition, which is a part of the Parliamentary Select Committee, is not opposed to the presence of the media fraternity, except in the cases where there are discussions on “sensitive matters.”

This position was also supported by Joseph Harmon of APNU who serves as the Shadow Minister of Public Works and Te l e c o m m u n i c a t i o n s .

Chairperson of the Special Select Committee, Ms. Gail Teixeira and even President Donald Ramotar, were reported as being in agreement with having members of the media alliance and stakeholders present at their meetings. This, Teixeira believes, will allow for a true understanding of what really transpires during the discussions on the controversial Anti-Money Laundering Bill.

Teixeira and Minister of Legal Affairs Minister, Anil Nandlall, are also of the firm impression that the political Opposition is only employing delaying tactics for such a very important Bill.

LINDENERS STAGE PROTEST DURING RAMOTAR’S VISIT Most businesses in Linden closed their doors, last week Saturday, and Lindeners left their homes to converge at the Five Corner (Washer Pond Road) to protest the President’s commissioning of the newly refurbished PPPC office in Industrial Area. People lined both sides of the street, holding placards and voicing their disapproval.

They chanted as a popular music system blared the popular Bob Marley song ”Chase those crazy bald heads out of town”. There was also a heavy police presence, but that did not quell the vociferous chants of the people condemning the government’s attitude towards the residents of Region Ten. Later, as the President and his party took their leave, the chants grew even louder while the sound system blared, “I’m not afraid of you’. Residents shook their placards at the passing vehicles.

MONDAY EDITION GT&T NOT BEING ALLOWED TO EXPAND CEO RK SHARMA SAYS

Kaieteur News

Sunday February 02, 2014

Joseph Harmon As the debate continues over the state’s aggressive EGovernance project to connect its offices and build internet towers across the land, the country’s biggest telephone company has complained that a delay in permission to expand has halted the advancement of new technology in the local telephone and internet sector.

Speaking with media operatives last Saturday evening during a dinner social, Chief Executive Officer of the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GT&T) Radha Krishna Sharma, made it clear that Government has no business in the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Sector, and rather, it is an area that should be spearheaded with capital from the private sector.

Government has been moving to liberalise the telephone sector for a number of years. Since taking over the state’s telephone company in the early 90’s, GT&T, which is majority owned by US-based Atlantic Tele-Network (ATN), has held the monopoly on landline and international calls.

Currently, legislation by Government is before the National Assembly that, once passed, will allow new players to enter the market, in effect breaking that monopoly.

During GT&T’s annual media dinner at Grand Coastal Inn, East Coast Demerara, Sharma explained that in 2010, the company spent US$30M to bring the Suriname/Guyana Submarine Cable System.

The cable, he said, has tremendous potential for bandwidth delivery potential in Guyana and would have had developmental impact in keeping with the country’s national ICT objectives.

POPULAR DESIGNER SHOT DEAD IN TAXI - FEMALE FRIEND, DRIVER WOUNDED Popular Mashramani Costume Designer and Events Coordinator Trevor

The protesters at Linden

Rose was shot dead early last Sunday while travelling in a taxi with a close female friend.

The shooting, which occurred just before 05:00 hrs at the traffic light on the Eccles, Public Road, East Bank Demerara (EBD) left the driver of the car, Troy Nieuenkirk, 30, and Rose’s exfiancee, Latoya Towler, 29, nursing gunshot wounds at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC).

Rose, a 33-year-old father of eight, was shot about six times about his body. He was pronounced dead on arrival at the GPHC. Towler, of Eccles, East Bank Demerara, was shot in the buttock while the driver, Nieuenkirk, sustained a gunshot wound to his left shoulder.

TUESDAY EDITION CLEAR AS DAY THAT GT&T BEING PUSHED

OUT OF BUSINESS – APNU Parliament’s main Opposition has expressed concerns over statements by the country’s biggest telephone company that its expansion plans to introduce new technology was halted because of a delay in permission by Government.

According to Member of Parliament of A Partnership for National Unity, Joseph Harmon, it is obvious that the delays in permission to the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GT&T) have nothing to do with new legislation in place to liberalise the telecoms industry. That legislation is currently being examined by the Special Select Committee established by the National Assembly last year.

On Saturday, GT&T’s Chief Executive Officer, Radha

Krishna Sharma, complained to media workers that the USowned company applied to Government four years ago for new spectrum to allow for significant investments in Third and Fourth Generation (3G/4G) technology, and which would have seen faster internet to smart phones and other devices. This was after the company had already spent $6B to bring a fibre optic, high speed data cable from Suriname.

The company also criticised Government’s involvement in a US$37M EGovernance project to connect its agencies with internet using towers and a fibre optic cable from Brazil.

Such a project should have been handled by the private sector, GT&T said.

According to Harmon, it appears that the EGovernance project was

being pushed in a manner that could run GT&T out of business, a scenario not hard to imagine, especially since there seems to be no reason why permission to expand was not granted.

WEDNESDAY EDITION NEW US LAW OPPOSES FINANCING OF LARGE SCALE HYDRO PROJECTS…GUYANA NAMED Guyana’s hopes of using US-backed financing to build a 165-megawatt hydro electric project at Amaila Falls in Region Eight may have dwindled with reports that new laws have been passed that will see that North American country vote against such ventures.

W a s h i n g t o n (thejakartaglobe) – Development activists and (Continued on page 27)

Sunday February 02, 2014

Kaieteur News

Page 23

== THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN ==

God is dead! Marx is dead! Mandela is dead! And I am not feeling well!

I would urge every human being to look at the clips of the passionate yet turbulent protests that have been going on for almost two months in Thailand and Ukraine.

What you see will send an ironic jolt to your soul. On the one hand, you feel deeply worried for the type of people you see in both countries protesting for their rights.

On the other hand, you feel soulfully blessed to know that these very people are part of the world we live in.

Who are these people? I am not referring to the thousands of young men and women and able-bodied men who are determined to fight on the streets of Bangkok and Kiev. I am talking about the women whose age put them beyond fifty years and they are there every inch along the way with the youths fighting equally alongside them.

It is one of the most remarkable images to behold – women in their late fifties shouting down their government in street protest.

You have to see these pictures to understand and to accept

this manifestation of fantastic courage, this display of phenomenal valour and this show of superhuman passion and purpose.

These are not your perennial idealistic youths that have made revolutions since time immemorial.

These are not strong men with raised fists. These were mothers who have been out in the rain, sun and snow for more than two months in Thailand and the Ukraine.

From oceans away we come to tragic Guyana. No one can be that stupid and insane to quarrel with the people of Number 48 village in Berbice when they rebelled to a point where violence was at hand.

They had had enough of police inactivity in their village where violent robberies end in death and destruction.

No village anywhere in the world should have to endure weekly robberies and the police move slower than when a dying bird tries to fly.

But as much as we must admire the Number 48 villagers, the story of the legitimate venting of their

anger tells a tragic tale of a destroyed Guyana, torn by nasty racial divisions, nasty exercise of power with an ethnic twist and the rotten governance that have driven this country to the racial abyss.

There is no trained sociologist or political theorist in Guyana that can be so morally twisted as to not see the presence of the race factor when a factual description is given of Linden 2012 and is juxtaposed with Number 48 village, 2014.

I was involved from day one at the rejection of the proposed electricity tariff hike in Region Ten by the central government in Georgetown.

The very first event in June was held at a church more than a month before major demonstrations broke out in July. The streets were overflowing and Commander Hicken came with a school of battle-dressed police with tear gas canisters. He was in a nononsense mood and called on the people on the roadside to move or be removed because he claimed that they were

hindering traffic.

Mark Benschop and I engaged Hicken demanding that he desist. He called me aside and the crowd urged me not to talk to him.

This was a mere gathering of people listening to what was being said inside a church broadcast to them through loud speakers.

Yet the police intended to get rough with them. At Number 48 village last week, the crowd was as thick as that day outside the church in Linden, but there were no police in battle garb. There were no tear gas canisters.

The protestors at Number 48 almost torched a police car.

Read again, my words; not a

minibus, not a GuySuCo truck, not a private vehicle but a police car. No one has been arrested and charged either with disorderly conduct or attempted arson. No one has been arrested, period! No one has been charged, period!

And I am glad for that.

For the record, this columnist supports the protestors last week at Number 48 in Berbice.

In July 2012, Linden protestors did not try to burn anything but three of them were shot dead and fifteen wounded, including one youth who lost sight in one eye and another shot in the mouth.

So because the police did

Frederick Kissoon not touch the Berbicians does not mean that we must support them.

But we must and at the same time continue to denounce the mistreatment of the Linden protestors. Are we not prepared to do so?

Guyana is such a tragedy.

Angst, fatalism and pessimism have killed this country. You feel there is no hope.

Page 24

Book review:

Kaieteur News

Sunday February 02, 2014

Remembering a culture that once defined us

Book: Reflections by T.C. Camp Reviewer: Dr Glenville Ashby ‘Reflections’ is a collection of well-crafted short stories that flows with impressive ease. For the most part they are rife with authenticity but every now and then, there is that unmistakable legend that begs attention.

Culled from the personal experiences of T.C. Camp or handed down through oral tradition, they are written with innocent simplicity yet there is a recurring philosophical current that sweeps us to a place of sacred remembrance.

There are moments of the fantastical, such as detailed in, “Sign of The Times.”

There is longing and pain

of losing a loved one in, “The Homecoming,” and the vestiges of the plantation era are traced in, “The Delicate Ghost.” But in essence, Reflections is a subtle call to re-learn the cultural beliefs and values that once defined us. There are tales that are quintessentially Jamaican, but they all breathe the spirit of the islands.

Some are written with a wry jocularity that captures “once upon a time” moments when life was organic, simpler, earthy and very profound.

These are tales that ooze timeless and transcultural aphorisms.

In “Détente,” a boy’s dreams to become a footballer are shattered in an

accident that leaves him in a wheelchair. But through the intervention of an unlikely person - a street smart kid, he has an epiphany. Life continues with or without him.

There is little to gain from self-pity. And there are the tongue-in-cheek offerings that succeed in eliciting a smile and even a hearty laugh, as in “The Haircut,” where a young man becomes the object of his father’s forays into the art of barbering despite strident protestations. And in “Market Day Vibes,” a charming interplay between female prudence and male chauvinism in a typical island marketplace comes to life.

In the inspiring “Three Women of St Biss,” racial prejudice and female camaraderie are delivered with almost fairy tale flair.

In “Kill or Cure,” Camp whimsically recalls his childhood days when he was at the mercy of the island’s natural apothecary dished out by his mother.

He writes: “Some remedies were put on a schedule that coincided with the closing of school for the holidays, and at the end of the mango or avocado pear season, a dosage of herb tea, or salt physic, was shoved into my hand and an order given, ‘Drink all of it.’

The belt was kept handy just in case the liquid spilled.

I stood for a long time...with the tumbler in my hand....I expelled the air from my lung, pinched my nose, drank the laxative, chewed a mint ball, and then gasped for air in one quick motion.

It turned out many years later to have had it benefits. I always won conte sts of diving under water without any air support system.”

He later adds, “I was sent to the doctor as a last resort.

To my mother and many people then, it was presumptuous for a man to think he knew more about the treatment of certain common ailments than generations that passed down their knowledge on how to cure them.” Even today, not many will argue otherwise.

In a time when Jamaican homogeneity is in question, and corruption and abuse of power are unsettling, as depicted in “Operation Hot Peppers,” the author steps in, reminding his people of their uniqueness their indefatigable industry, their warmth and luminous spirit.

Theirs is a history and culture deserving of reverence, to be guarded within their bosoms, a reminder no less of their potential for greatness at every existential level.

For sure, Camp wears multiple hats. In “One Love Jamaican Fish Fry,” he proves to be an able ambassador, extolling with pure literalism,

Something must be radically wrong in the country where there seems to be at least one murder every day. And indeed something is wrong. The problem is that the situation of which people warned has come to reality.

Unemployment and poor education is now the order of the day among the poorer classes. This coming week will see two other murders that would seem unrelated but on examination, there would be a link. Berbice would indeed be the hotspot in the coming week.

the natural beauty of everything ‘Jamaican.’

With poetic sentiment, he writes, “Under the canopy of a blue sky, palm leaves wave in gentle breezes. ...Glimmering crystal clear azure water beckon and a powdery sand massages the soles of weary feet. What’s not to like? With appetites satiated, rock a rejuvenated body to the irresistible rhythms...Let the blind see His Creation. To ignore his works is sacrilegious.”

And how can one forget Camp’s celebration of the colour, rhythm and mystique of Pocomania in his rendition, entitled, “Mother.” Indeed, Camp may well be Jamaica’s biggest cheerleader and nationalist. Reflections is

loaded with multiple meanings. We can view it through nostalgic lens, as a conjuration of the fabled past, or, as a thorough and deliberate pedagogical tool that transcends the Caribbean. Therein are lessons that we have somehow forgotten as we absorb news values, effacing in the process, the cultural foundation cemented by our fore-parents. Only if we knew the destructive seeds we have sown.

Reflections: 20+ Shorts <10> Mins. by T.C. CampPublisher: Author House, USA ISBN: 978-1-4490-05269Available: amazon.comRating: Recommended

** Another young man is going to be caught up in a crime. He is going to follow an individual from a bank. His problem would be his timing because he would try to relieve the individual of his money at the same time the

police would be in the area.

There would be a shootout. ** Some say that politics is dirty business but the reality is that it is adult business. A recent court decision would actually see a change in the manner in which the major political parties actually do business with each other. There is now going to be another approach by the government and not surprisingly, the opposition would warm to this approach. Look out for some budgetary consultation.

Sunday February 02, 2014

Kaieteur News

Page 25

My column

Guyana has me scratching my head Something must be wrong with my countryâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;horribly wrong. Almost each morning in the past month and now at the start of this month I wake up to news of someone being killed. I remember at the end of last year, I hoped that the New Year would bring the peace and quiet for which this country had become well known. That has not been the case.

I would not detail the murders, because everyone knows about them. There are more news agencies than there ever was and each of them broadcast the horror in chilling detail. The electronic media even publish the gruesome photographs.

There was a time when the public made known their displeasure at the publication of these photographs in the newspapers and even by the television stations that featured a newscast. Today, the country is taking these things in stride.

In fact, the younger people actually rush to see these photographs with ghoulish glee. Something must be wrong with my country.

I am no sociologist, but I think I know what is responsible for this trend. It has to do with people thumbing their noses at the police who are supposed to the guardians of the peace.

This is due to the fact that the very police have become agents of prey on the population.

A young singer actually recorded a song about the harassment he undergoes at the hands of the police, because he happens to own a motorcycle that is the vehicle of choice for some armed robbers. Then there are the motorists who do everything right, but who are still shaken down by ranks who man roadblocks.

At the same time there are ranks who do their utmost to

uphold the good name of the force. These are the people who scurry to the scene of every crime and try to get answers. These are the people who just happen to know the criminals and who would do what. But they are not paid as they should.

Some time back, the society called on the then President Bharrat Jagdeo to pay the police and teachers better, but he declined. He claimed that such a decision would put a burden on the national coffers. I did not agree because I happened to see more money being spent on projects that actually disappear into nothingness, taking with them money that could have been better spent.

The police may not come from the best of the academics but that is an issue of recruitment. Pay them better and many of the academics would seek out a life in the force. It is the same with teachers. I am a reporter and

even here I recognize that we do not get the more academic of the lot, but we do get people who reason better than many. The pay does a lot to force these people to improve.

It would be the same with the police and the teachers.

The teachers would concentrate more on the children and thus reduce the numbers who simply disappear into the streets, only to emerge as full-fledged criminals ready to work for anyone who has a dollar to give them. At the same time, Guyana is without needed skills, although it has the population that could satisfy the need for skills.

There is a construction boom and many of the contractors complain that they cannot get enough people. That is because the young men who would have been available are too busy taking money to kill people or are busy planning robberies that would give them the

money they need to splurge.

A long time ago I warned of this and I begged for a course of action. I suggested that we put the better teachers at the lower end of the academic scale so that by the time the children reach primary school they could read and write. And by the time they are ready for the national examinations they would be so much better than their counterparts today. I was ignored.

If this was done ten years ago, the teenagers who are now the perpetrators of crime would have been gainfully employed. This is not to say that there would not have been criminals, but when one looks at the Caribbean islands where many Guyanese teachers take care of the children, the crime wave is a drop in a bucket compared to Guyana.

Firecrackers are supposed to be banned, but the other night some young

Adam Harris person let off a string of them.

People in the vicinity and even the police mistook them for gunshots; such is the prevalence guns in the society. They responded, but as usual, no one said anything, the police were not sure of the location and the matter simply died.

A few hours later the police were responding to another killing, this time a woman who had her throat slit.

Something is horribly wrong in Guyana.

Page 26

Kaieteur News

Sunday February 02, 2014

New strategic leadership in the health sector is critical

By Sasenarine Singh Many of us in this struggle to bring good governance to Guyana have seen first-hand that the partisan debates in Georgetown can serve as a distraction to uniting the forces around common-sense actions that are vitally needed for the people. Two of the interconnected hazards we face today include an underperforming economy and the continuing problem

of not securing value-formoney.

Let us look at the health sector. Today we have the infant mortality rate stagnant at 29 (per 1,000) for over a decade. We have the maternal mortality rate rising from 220 (per 100,000) in 2002 to 280 in 2010. Bottom line, more mothers are dying at child birth in Guyana since 2002.

The nurses/patient ratio dropped from 10.5 (per 10,000) in 2002 to 5.3 in 2012; meaning fewer nurses per patient since

2002. All of these statistics were sourced from the World Health Organization and International Monetary Fund; they are no gimmick but the hard truth.

In spite of spending significantly more cash on the health sector over the last decade, the nation continues to not get the results for which hard dollars were paid. To illustrate this point; it is a fact that the PPP Government increased its expenditure on the health sector from 5.8

percent of the National Budget in 2000 to 8.9 percent in 2013. To compound this waste, the 2013 budget was the biggest ever in the nation’s history. This validates that the PPP is practicing voodoo economics, but we know why they have reverted to voodoo.

The nation spent G$17 billion in 2012 on the health sector, but the results are just not there to justify where this money is going. Today we

Sasenarine Singh

have a demotivated cadre of nurses who stood in the rain only months ago to protest against another 5 percent wages increase. Where are we going as a nation? Our nation’s health investment strategy is hardly a strategy at all. We continue to not invest enough in areas that can matters such as in the human capital in the healthcare sector; the people.

The Alliance For Change (AFC) would like to offer an alternative focus and thus puts forward a proposal that allows for the revamping of the education system for training our health professionals and to provide tailored incentives such as interest rebates for nurses who are paying a mortgage for five years; free house lots for nurses who are in the public service for greater than five years and a five-year investment fund geared to supporting families with nurses who are parents to migrate from rented accommodation into their own homes.

After all, it was the AFC that committed to increasing the wages of nurses and other public servants by 20 percent if it had won power in 2011. Unfortunately, in our latest financial analysis of the 2013 National Budget, that opportunity is now lost as the economy continue to underperform; 5 percent economic growth is just not good enough to lift the nation out of poverty. The nation can only afford approximately 10 percent wages increase today, but even that the PPP Government is prepared to cheat the nurses on.

This article clearly exemplifies that the PPP Government has its priorities in the health sector all wrong; they continue to not focus enough on the productivity of the human capital and to transfer billions into procurement contracts that feed the greedy habits of those closest to them.

What must a responsible majority opposition do if not confront this naked administrative corruption at every opportunity and at

every forum? Such repression demands that the political struggle has to be taken to a different level. More of the same clearly has not worked and cannot work in the future; the fight has to be taken to the PPP, but within the confines of the law.

That is why the AFC plans to intensify its plan to inform the people of their rights to demand better value for money from the PPP and to ramp up our advocacy on behalf of the people. But on top of that, the AFC will be putting forward more policy measures to demand better governance of the nation.

The AFC calls on the PPP Government to introduce a Patients’ Bill of Rights Law to protect patients as we outlined in our Action Plan.

Any time a hospital is found to have failed the family of a patient, especially those mothers who continue to die at childbirth, the State must be held accountable, financially, to make it right for the surviving family members, if negligence is proven.

Another measure we will be pushing is more forensic audits of the health system, especially the operations at the Georgetown Hospital, conducted by the Audit Office. Those findings must be the foundation to facilitate public discussion to influence public policy. We cannot be spending over G$17 billion and people have to be waiting for hours on the “death benches” or so many young mothers continue to die in the delivery room. There must be a better way.

Do not get us wrong, the AFC remains committed to joining with any force that can and will do something tangible to address the pressing crisis in the health sector and to bring an end to this PPP squander-mania. But if it requires us continuing our overt act of taking the fight to the PPP to correct this historical injustice against the people, so that thousands can secure better health service, then this is not a struggle that we can shy away from; it is our moral imperative.

Sunday February 02, 2014

From page 22 rights watchdogs are applauding a surprise strengthening of environmental and human rights policies governing US development funding and overseas financial assistance.

Under the new provisions, the United States will be required to vote against multilateral funding for largescale hydroelectric projects in developing countries, as well as push for redress of rights violations resulting from development initiatives by international financial institutions.

ROHEE SHOOTS DOWN LEGALISING MARIJUANA Any thought that Guyana is considering the decriminalising of marijuana soon was put to rest Tuesday as Minister of Home Affairs Clement Rohee announced a zero tolerance against the possession and trafficking of illegal drugs.

“As we speak at this point in time, at twenty minutes to five, on the twenty-eighth day of January, the position and the policy of the government of Guyana is to pursue a zero tolerance policy in respect of trafficking in narcotics, possession of narcotics and any other form of activity in respect of drugs that are deemed illegal according to the laws of our country and according to the treaties and conventions of an international nature which we have signed on to,” the Home Affairs Minister declared.

His announcement was made during the launching of the National Drug Report 2012 in the Boardroom of his Brickdam office Tuesday.

“Until such time that the policy changes, some point in time, whoever is responsible for this matter will announce the time, the date and the policy of the government,” Rohee stressed. Marijuana (Cannabis sativa) remains the world’s most widely produced, trafficked, and consumed illicit substance.

THURSDAY EDITION HIGH COURT RULES AGAINST BUDGET CUTS … SPEAKER TO APPEAL Chief Justice (ag) Ian Chang on Wednesday put to rest matters relating to the Parliamentary Opposition’s ability to cut the National Budget when he ruled that the opposing side of the National Assembly, under the Constitution, does not have the power to cut the government’s budget.

In a case, the first of its kind in this country, the Chief Justice affirmed that the National Assembly has no power to cut the budget

Kaieteur News

estimates made by the government’s Finance Minister. He said that for the Opposition to cut the budget, it is a “final act” that leaves no space for amending the budget estimates. He explained that there is therefore nothing left for the government’s Finance Minister to amend.

Chang said that the Constitution provides for the Finance Minister to present the budget since the finance of the country is the responsibility of the Executive; and for the Opposition to cut the budget and then approve it; then the estimates are no longer that of the Finance Minister, but that of the Assembly.

Chief Justice Chang said that the Standing Orders of Parliament, which has been used to justify the budget cuts, is not law, but merely procedures of the House, that cannot override the Constitution.

Article 171 (2) (a) and (b) of the Constitution - which was pointed out as giving the Opposition the power to cut the budget - “has nothing to do with the reduction of the Minister’s estimates.” “The words in Article 171 (2) (a) (11) (“otherwise than by reducing it”) have nothing at all to do with the reduction of the Minister’s estimates, but rather with the reduction of a charge which has already been imposed upon the Consolidated Fund by an Appropriation Act or by the Constitution or Act.” 15-YEAR-OLD BANDIT SHOT DEAD AFTER INVADING PARADISE HOUSE A 15-year-old bandit was shot dead on Wednesday by a shopkeeper when he and two accomplices staged a barefaced daylight robbery at Fourth Street, Paradise on the East Coast of Demerara.

The teenager, whose name was given as Leon McCurdy, and, whose last address was La Penitence, was shot dead in the upper flat of the house owned by businessman Eon Evans. The bandit had been deserted by his accomplices.

The police in a press release stated that about 13:30 hours Wednesday, three men, two armed with handguns and the other with a pair of scissors, entered the grocery and liquor store of businessman Eon Evans at Paradise Housing Scheme, East Coast Demerara. The men held up Evans’s son and took away an undisclosed amount of cash.

While one of the men remained with the son, the two others went upstairs where

Page 27

Lawyer for the governmentAttorney General Anil Nandlall Lawyer for House Speaker-Khemraj Ramjattan they held up Eon Evans and his wife. The woman was subsequently tied up and placed in a bedroom, while the perpetrators took away Eon Evans’s jewellery. The police said that as the men were leaving Eon Evans, who is a licenced firearm holder, engaged them during which one of them was shot and killed while the other two managed to escape.

FRIDAY EDITION BUDGET CUT CASE…CHIEF JUSTICE’S RULINGWILLHAVE FARREACHING EFFECTS - NATIONALASSEMBLY RESERVES RIGHT TO APPEAL – SPEAKER TROTMAN Following the ruling on Wednesday by Chief Justice (ag), Ian Chang, that the political opposition can only approve or disapprove sections of the Budget, the Speaker of the National Assembly, Raphael Trotman, has since warned that this decision is an interpretation that would have far-reaching ripples and effects throughout the Commonwealth parliamentary systems and procedures.

According to Trotman in a public missive Thursday, “the right of the National Assembly to approve, including the right to amend budgetary estimates, is a long established right.” Trotman said that the doctrine of the separation of powers is the foundation of Guyana, and all parliamentary democracies, which recognise that the rule of law must be respected and upheld.

“The principle of comity dictates that the three branches of government – the Executive, the Legislative and the judicial are all separate and equal, and are to respect the rights and authority of each other…To this end, though the decision of the

The rod in the hinge that is buckling under the weight of the traffic at the Supernaam Stelling

High Court is to be respected, it remains subject to the inherent right of appeal that is reposed in the National Assembly.”

The Speaker said that he was made a party to the proceedings in his capacity as a representative of the National Assembly, and as such, it is for the National Assembly to determine and direct the way forward in conformity with Article 171.

TWO DEAD, THREE INJURED IN BACKDAM AMBUSH Two persons died and three were seriously wounded after they were reportedly ambushed on their way out of the Port Mourant FollowUp Co-op backdam, some 15 miles from the Corentyne Public Road. Dead are Krishnaraj Jagdeo called ‘Krish’, 46, a labourer of Free Yard, Port Mourant who lives alone, and Seafiel Layne, 48, a father of five and a labourer, of No 1 road Corentyne, Berbice. Injured are David Harpaul, 38, a father of two and a labourer of Rose Hall Town, Corentyne, Berbice, Clement Griffith, 48, a father of four and also a

labourer of Ankerville, Corentyne Berbice and Fazel Abrahim, 25, a Mechanic of Port Mourant and Black Bush, Corentyne, Berbice.

Kaieteur News learnt that the men were on their way home in a boat from the backdam when they were ambushed by two men, one on horseback and another hiding in the bushes.

The Port Mourant FollowUp is a co-op and three popular businessmen Kris Jagdeo, Kase ‘Manoj’ Singh of Spready’s Bakery and Pharmacist Poonai Bhirgoon, are among others doing massive cultivation of rice in the area which is situated behind the GuySuCo cultivation aback of Port Mourant. Access is via the dam and boat, and the men would have had to travel by speedboat through the GuySuCo Cultivation. The two deceased had worked for Kris Jagdeo, while the three injured are employed with Singh (Spready’s).

SATURDAY EDITION MULTI-MILLION-DOLLAR SUPENAAM STELLING FALLINGAPARTAGAIN The multi-million-dollar Supenaam Stelling that was

built to be used by the Roll on Roll Off ferries gifted to Guyana by China is falling apart again.

Large holes have been opening up on the stelling and workers have since been forced to lay sheets of metal to cover them.

To make matters worse, the ramp that has been built to allow vehicles to drive on or off of the ferries is also in a critical state, given that at least one of the hinges is tearing apart.

The steel rod which serves to interlock the two sections of the hinges has been buckling under the weight of the traffic and is close to breaking or slipping out completely.

Asked about the state of affairs of the stelling, Public Works Minister, Robeson Benn on Friday reminded media operatives that the stelling was not built under his Ministry or the Transport and Harbours Department.

He said that there were issues that have been acknowledged by the Ministry and that engineers have drafted a programme to undertake repairs to various sections of the stelling.

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Kaieteur News

Sunday February 02, 2014

The Potaro-Siparuni Region - the aching heart of Guyana The Potaro-Siparuni Region is situated at the heart of Guyana. Located in the highlands – roughly midway between the Barima-Waini and Cuyuni-Mazaruni Regions to the north and the Rupununi Region to the South – it is the most breathtaking part of the country. The majestic Pakaraimas are celebrated in the patriotic ‘Song of the Republic.’ The magnificent Kaieteur and Orinduik falls are

wonders to behold. The scenery is spectacular.

The Potaro-Siparuni Region is home to the Iwokrama International Centre for Rainforest Conservation and Development, a botanical and zoological laboratory of which all Guyanese should be proud. The Region is the setting for an annual, ten-day, 1,000 km ‘Pakaraima Safari’ that is marketed as an exciting frontier experience. The cool

mountain temperatures, fertile valleys and moderate rainfall provide a favourable environment for farming. It possesses the selected sites for hydro-electric projects such as those at Amaila Falls, Tumatumari Falls and Chiung River. Its mineral resources have been exploited for decades and continue to contribute billions of dollars to the national treasury.

This well-endowed zone, however, is underdeveloped.

Some mined-out parts have degenerated into a mosquitoinfested wasteland. Its evergreen forests and pristine waterways are under threat.

Its people – mainly Patamona – are poor. Exploiting the economic resources, sustaining the livelihood of the residents and protecting the environment demand a new approach to the administration of this Region.

The most serious problem facing the Region is rooted in

the adversarial relations between the People’s Progressive Party Civic administration on the one hand and the Alliance For Change and A Partnership for National Unity-dominated Regional Democratic Council on the other hand. The consequence is that the entire Region is being badly administered by agents of the central government. RDC councilors were obliged to pass a vote of no-confidence against the Regional Executive Officer for his chronic non-cooperation with the Chairman and the elected councillors.

Madhia is the administrative centre of a 20,051 km² region and deserves to be placed on a ‘fast-track’ to become a town with its own mayor and town council. It has, however, the appearance of a neglected frontier village.

The ‘gold rush’ over the past five years has exposed the inadequacy of the old system. Its economic activities now require branches of the Guyana Revenue Authority, Guyana Gold Board, the Environmental Protection Agency, other government services and private commercial banks and financial institutions. It also requires a change in the central government’s attitude to the Region.

The education system is inadequate and inappropriate.

The image of pupils of Kato Primary School fetching wood for the school kitchen last year has been etched indelibly in the public mind as a metaphor for the state of education administration.

The Region, along with the Barima-Waini, performed worst in the country at the annual National Grade Six Assessment examinations.

Severe shortages of teaching materials affect the delivery of education in the primary schools.

Patamona-speaking students face challenges in English language teaching.

Discipline can be difficult to maintain; 26 students were expelled for marijuana use in 2011, but the problem of substance abuse still seems to persist.

There are only two secondary schools in the entire Region – one at Mahdia

and the other at Paramakatoi.

The latter is overcrowded and the staff is insufficient for the estimated 600 students.

Marijuana use has crept into the school and, a few years ago, 26 students were expelled for alleged substance abuse.

The Region, located west of the Essequibo in a mountainous zone, is difficult and expensive to traverse.

The population is small but scattered in 23 villages and seven settlements. In this difficult terrain, only $28M was earmarked for road maintenance The vital 180 kmlong Bartica-Potaro trail, which was built over a hundred years ago to connect Mahdia in the PotaroSiparuni Region to Bartica in the Cuyuni-Mazaruni Region, needs to be reconstructed.

Mahdia can be reached, apart from aircraft flights, by road through Linden. The Essequibo River must be crossed by the privatelyowned pontoon service at Mango Landing. Electricity supply has been curtailed from 24 to 12 hours by the state-owned Mahdia Power and Light Company.

Water supply is also insufficient owing to the malfunctioning of the Salbora Water Project.

The Regional Hospital is underequipped and understaffed. Health care suffers from the difficulty of distributing pharmaceuticals to satellite villages by allterrain vehicles – usually the only means of transportation available. Health problems abound and the Region is said to account for about 30 per cent of all confirmed cases of malaria countrywide.

Malaria is linked to sloppy mining practices, poor solid waste management and weak medical support.

Garbage finds its way onto the roadside and into the drains and waterways, contributing to creating breeding pools for disease-bearing mosquitoes.

There must be a fresh approach to local government and regional development in order to meet the social, economic and political needs of this important part of Guyana’s territory.

The Potaro-Siparuni Region represents Guyana’s natural beauty at its best. It should not be allowed to degenerate into a wasteland.

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What goes wrong with the diabetic foot?

By Dr. Kumar Sukhraj BSC, MBBS, IIWCC- CAN Diabetes is a chronic medical condition that can cause a number of serious complications.

Diabetic foot problems are common complications and major health concerns that are a common cause of hospitalization and amputations (loss of digits or limbs). In many cases, serious problems can be prevented by having an understanding of what can happen to our feet and how to take care of them.

Most foot problems that people with diabetes experience are as a result of two serious complications of the disease: Neuropathy (nerve damage) and Peripheral vascular disease (poor circulation).

Neuropathy means damage of nerve fibres. The exact mechanism of damage to the nerves are not entirely clear, however there has been research that suggests that high blood glucose changes the metabolism of nerve cells and causes reduced blood flow to the nerve, thus causing damage.

There are different types of nerves in the body. These can be grouped as: · sensory nerves (those that detect sensation such as heat, cold, pain) · motor nerves (those that cause muscles to contract to control movement) · autonomic nerves (those that regulate functions we cannot control directly, such as heart rate and digestion) In diabetic patients, neuropathy mainly affects the nerves in the legs. This is referred to as peripheral neuropathy and is the type of neuropathy that causes diabetic foot problems.

It affects mainly the sensory nerves, although the motor and autonomic nerves can also be involved with important consequences.

Chronic nerve damage can cause dry and cracked skin, which provides an opportunity for bacteria to enter and cause infection.

Patients with neuropathy lose their sensation of pain. As a result, they exert a lot of pressure at one spot under the foot when they walk, building up a callus (toughened area of skin) at

that site without causing discomfort. The pressure becomes so high that eventually it causes breakdown of tissues and ulceration. The patient hardly notices any pain. However patients sometimes have symptoms of pain, burning, pins and needles or numbness, which add to their discomfort.

Peripheral vascular disease means narrowing of the lumen (inside space) of arteries and/or hardening of the arteries in the legs, causing blood flow to reduce.

It can also occur in individuals without diabetes (especially smokers), but is more common and more severe in people with diabetes. Why this is the case is not clear, but it is well established that smoking makes peripheral vascular disease much worse.

Peripheral vascular disease causes a significant reduction of blood flow to the lower extremities and as such there is decrease in transport of nutrients and oxygen to cells in the lower extremities.

Many people with diabetes who have peripheral vascular disease do not have any

symptoms. However, some people may experience mild leg pain or trouble walking and believe that it’s just a sign of getting older, while others may have leg pain, particularly when walking or exercising, which disappears after a few minutes of rest, numbness, tingling, or coldness in the lower legs or feet, dark discoloration and sores or infections on your feet or legs that heal slowly.

It is important to also note that diabetic foot problems can be further complicated by improper footwear and foot care. Therefore, everyone needs to know how best to minimize the risk of foot problems and how best to manage them.

Tips for patients to prevent and manage diabetic foot problems: · Control your blood sugar. Daily monitoring is necessary. · Careful, daily personal inspection of the feet is essential to overall health and the prevention foot problems. · Visit your doctor for a foot screen (a 60-second foot screen can help to identify foot problems and also

indicate whether diabetics have a high risk foot or not. · Quit smoking. · Aim for an HBA1C below 7%. The HBA1C test measures your average blood glucose (sugar) over the past 2 to 3 months. · Lower your blood pressure to less than 140/80 mmHg. · Get your LDL cholesterol below 100 mg/dl. · Make a special effort to know about your medical condition (read books, Internet, discussion with doctors etc.) · For people already with infection or ulceration, the

important thing is to urgently seek to treat the infection and heal the ulcer.

For any medical condition, a major component of the treatment is patient education. Remember that your health us your wealth. ******** Reference 1. I n t e r n a t i o n a l Consensus on the Diabetic Foot and Practical Guidelines on the Management and Prevention of the Diabetic Foot by the International Working Group on the Diabetic Foot/ Consultative Section of the IDF; 2007.

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Macho men in denial of their mortality

By Ralph Seeram The call came on my cell phone around 9 pm; James is in the emergency ward at the hospital, and he may die during the night. The doctors suggested that his family come down to Orlando to see him if he survives the night.

James (not his real name) is a family friend, who recently retired and moved to Orlando. Besides his wife, he has no family here; I am the closest he has for family in Florida.

I was already in bed as it was an unusually cold night in Orlando temperatures in the mid 30s F. I pulled on some sweats and headed to the hospital. He had just come out the Emergency Room and was in the

Intensive Care Unit. His distraught wife was relieved to see us. James was semi conscious with all sorts of equipment and tubes attached to him.

I knew ever since that he was not in the greatest of health; he and his family were our guests last Christmas and I detected that he was not well.

His wife started to relate the series of events that led to his hospitalization. It turns out he has blood pressure issues and was diabetic. But worst of all, he had failing kidneys and was advised to start getting dialysis.

In the week before his hospitalization his health began failing; he was in constant pain, suffered fainting spells, and could

hardly move around. Despite appeals from his wife he stubbornly refused to see a doctor or go to the hospital.

Every day as he got worse he resisted even more, saying he was going to be okay.

Eventually a neighbour came across and forced him to go to the hospital. By this time he was dying. To make a long story short, his kidneys collapsed, his body was poisoned with impurities and he was within hours of death.

It was a miracle that after six hours in Emergency the doctors and nurses succeeded in stabilizing him.

Now here is the “kicker”; here’s where the macho man denial steps in. “As his wife related what the doctors said, James said, “It has not reached the stage for dialysis

ECHO targets more...

(From page 52) their schools and control garbage accumulation within their environment, making it more conducive for learning.

Apart from these competitions, the club members were able to attend several environmental tours for example; the GWI water treatment plant in Region 6, the Skeldon sugar factory, key areas with mangroves and several rice farms, to better understand the breeding habitat and processing of the products that are exported.

This year, King said, it is hoped that more will be achieved, as the children will start off with an in-depth look at the agro-industry and its impact on the environment.

The children also have to present viewpoints and even recommendations on how they believe they can contribute to caring for the environment.

Opening more clubs in farreaching environments is a major goal for ECHO this year.

It was noted that while region five had 13 clubs in 2013, 12 more opened before year end; and while region three had three clubs, five more were opened.

ECHO is hoping to successfully execute its failed recycling programme this year, after financial constraints saw the programme become stagnated. King explained that ECHO clubs were supposed to gather and store all plastic bottles before it was collected to be partially recycled for shipment to Trinidad and Tobago, China or Barbados. Due to the unavailability of transportation, the project had to be temporarily abandoned.

This project, King said, is hoped to educate the stu-

dents about the harm plastic causes to the environment; pointing to the destructive effect it has had on Georgetown.

Plans are also in the making for programmes on personal hygiene, for especially young persons. King asserted that the need to teach children about their bodies and how they should care it was duly recognized. He spoke of personal health and cleanliness, before adding that recipients of this personal health training should also receive hygiene kits for the purpose of personal health.

In interior regions, children will be taught how to care for trees, waterways etc. since their environment and experiences would be different from that of the city-dwellers; for example, air pollution through vehicles, factories etc. and environmental damage through indiscriminate dumping etc, would be different from pollution in rural areas.

ECHO is looking forward to going beyond Guyana with more educational tours this

year. They have expressed gratitude to PAHO, the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment and especially, the private sector, for numerous contributions, and hopes that these will continue, for greater achievements.

ECHO’s head office is located at the Maraj building on Charlotte Street. There are six members on the Board of Directors and an army of over 500 volunteers who come out based on their specific environmental interest. King informed that each director has a specific function, such as the head of ECHO school clubs, or managing ECHO resources.

The organization on its own, sometimes hosts its own fund-raisers and campaigns.

The club hopes to set up community clubs to reinforce environmental education. With the current state of the city, environmental clubs that earnestly seek to reduce ignorance on environmental health might be the most effective solution to combat unhealthy environments, King opined.

yet.”

Unbelievable, he just passed through “death’s door” and still can’t bring himself to admit that his kidney is not functioning anymore and he would have to spend the rest of his life on dialysis. It was hard for him to accept this fact that his health has entered another phase.

I told him I had relatives who lived for more than 20 years on a dialysis machine; he seemed surprised to hear that most people live out their natural life without a functioning kidney.

That’s the problem with most men; they feel they are invincible, that they are immortal, that nothing can happen to them. But in reality it is only a front; they are in denial because they are afraid of the truth.

Most men know they have to get prostrate screening to prevent cancer; prostate cancer to men is like breast cancer for women. Most men resist prostrate screening, because they are afraid of the results.

I have a friend who is undergoing treatment for prostate cancer. He related how for years he kept postponing the simple test, until he got the symptoms.

His urologist told him that had he come earlier they would have caught it in the earlier stages and got rid of it.

Happily he said the doctors’ treatment is working well.

Men, on the whole, if they want to admit it, are afraid to go to doctors; they interpret

that as a sign of weakness.

There are so many illnesses like heart attack, prostate cancer, and stroke that are preventable by way of routine check ups, but don’t tell that to men. They reason that it only happens to other men but not them, until it’s too late.

I have a friend who regretted not paying attention to symptoms of a pending heart attack. He suffered a massage heart attack a few years ago; his heart is now functioning at 50 per cent, and he is lucky to be alive.

He was getting chest pains, pain in his arm, nausea and other signs of an impending heart attack. For four to five days he resisted going to the doctors. To make matters worse, his wife who a Registered Nurse, told him what he was experiencing. He still did not want to seek medical attention.

Despite the pain he went

to a party the Saturday night, where he collapsed and had to be rushed to the hospital.

Today he has stents and a pacemaker implanted and is limited to what he can do. He tells me he wished he can take back the days before his heart attack; that he would have been in greater health.

The problem was in the days leading up to his heart attack, he could not accept that his health was failing, he went to the party to show he still “got it”. Like most men he was in denial.

I think most men believe it’s a sign of weakness if they go to the doctor, even for routine physicals. The truth is most of them are afraid of what the results could be, so they continue to be in denial until it’s too late. We men are afraid to admit that we are not immortal.

Ralph Seeram can be reached at email: ralph365@hotmail.com

Fly Jamaica eyes...

(From page 16) see tourists opting for Guyana as a vacation destination and get away.

She said that the airline has viewed the need to market Guyana in a holistic way; hence the sought collaboration between the airline and local tourist organisers.

The Guyana Tourism Authority and Fly Jamaica’s executives have noted during their discussions, several hindrances to achieving their goals and had discussed measures that would aid in the development of the industry.

Fly Jamaica’s Director Roxanne Reece noted however that the airline remains resolute in promoting Guyana as a top tourist destination.

She said that the country has so much to offer and can easily rank among the top Caribbean locations.

Page 54

Kaieteur News

FOR SALE

FOR SALE

FOR SALE

LARGE QUANTITIES O F H IGH PURITY MERCURY (QUICKSILVER) 99.99995% PURITY $19,000 PER POUND CALL: 592-227-4754.

One 210 Hyundai Excavator with one complete 6" Dredge and also 4" Dredge Contact: 650-2391

Clean Garden Earth and builders waste also Bobcat rental, excavating, clearing and leveling down- Call:6160617 or 663-3285 Newly constructed three bedrooms, two story house @ Providence (Behind The Stadium) – Tel:668-5571

M.F Tractor 3650, 4X4, 131 H/P, 6 Cylinder Turbo Diesel Tel: 228-5040; 662-9848 Toyota Tacoma 4X4 Extra Cab 2002, Nissan Frontier 4X4 Extra Cab 2002, DJ System – Tel:695-9807 Spare for washing machine, microwaves,fridges, stoves, timers, gearbox, pumps, etc call: 225-9032, 647-2943 Greenheart Piles - Tel:6393450 270 Amps Portable Honda Welders and 1-2002 Tundra Tel: 611-5114 Live/pluck chicken call: 6504421, 220-9203 1- 500 Ton Cargo ship - Tel: 676-6933 2700 PSI Pressure wash & car vacuum 9 gal – Price negotiable – Tel:667-4389; 219-4357 House Lots in Housing Scheme, Elaine Ville – 1,500 Acres of land in Berbice Contact:223-8479; 647-3768; www.spaceseek.gy 1 Farm at Yarrowkabra 20.1 Acres – Tel:617-8379 Yamaha R1 motorcycle.

Excellent Condition - Tel: 685-1231 1-5 head 12" Robinson Moulder needs motor price for quick sale - $1M – Tel: 652-5601 House and land situated at Lot 95 La Penitence Street, Albouystown. Land -7,933 Sq./Ft. – Call:592-687-5851; 604-589-1852 Pioneer, JVC car deck with flash drive port - $22,000, $26,000, car accessories and alarm – Tel:661-6793 Two plot of land ¼ Acre or 3X25 Rod each @ Lot 15 & 16 Doctor Dam, La-Grange WBD - Tel: 697-5009; 665-7022 Zmodo Surveillance System – Tel:609-2815 Games PS2 $900, PSP $900, X-Box 360 $2600 & PS3 $2600- Call:672-2566 2005 Yamaha R6 motorcycle Tel: 609-2815 One half lot transported property at Triumph Railway Embankment E.C.D – Tel:618-2840 Exclusive Designed Saris ma d e i n I n d i a . P r i c e $5,000-$6,000. Also Shalwars & Ghararas Tel:216-1210; 648-8961 (In Berbice) 336-6223

One Toyota Camry SV40, AC, mags, alarm, $950,000 negotiable – Tel:661-2391 PVC Ceiling Panels. Best Quality! Tel: 614-8564; 6800862 Angle Grinder, Circular Saw, Belt Sander, Routers, drilling machine, foam spray and general hardware – Tel:6148564; 629-0372 German Shepherd Pups. Tel: 220-2277; 220-8904; 626-0910 Used Kelvinator fridge (Double Door) - Tel:2161024; 655-0370 Original Games- Call:6722566 Nissan Caravan – Tel: 2662381 Turbo Bedford Dump 330 truck. Any Reasonable Offer Call: 657-4072 Commercial Land on Charlotte St. -$400USD, Executive Houses @ E.C.D , E.B.D & Georgetown, Investment Properties @ Georgetown - Contact:2238479; 647-3768; www.spaceseek.gy

Honda CG & 125 Fan for sale - $260,000 negotiable – Tel:684-5402 One Long base Canter.

Contact Chubby on : 6290592 or 651-3092 1-2640 MF Tractor 4wd with 1 – Rome Plough 20 dish, 1CAT Satndby 3306,194KVA 3 Phase 60 Cylinder – Tel:6934596 2 – M132 Laverda Combine, 3- Pressure Pump 4x3 for gold field – call:627-0447 1 Double Door Display Cooler very good condition – Tel:679-6040; 601-5055 One 14 -16" Bore Trailer Pump. One 8’X6’ Box 4 wheel Trailer. Selling Below Cost – Tel:227-1830 Puppies; breed: Pekingese & Tibetan terrier. Contact: 6441972 / 661-2837

Blackberry 9360 with 2GB with memory card – Tel:6752239/ BBM 25C58FEO Lovely Poodle Pups male and female vaccinated – Call:649-4247 1 Chinese seine boat complete + 1400lb nylon seine - Tel: 223-4552; 691-3633.

Clearance Sale, Slightly Damage Zinc Sheets, steel rods ½”&]!. Reasonable Price - Call: 657-4072 Pools. Table. Cloth. Balls.

Pocket. Cuestick. Coinshute.

Rubber. Chalk - Tel: 669-9927 1 Stall @ Stabroek Market Tel: 658-0115; 718-757-8031 Dell Laptops, touch screen $230,000 - Tel: 695-2679 1 Fishing vessel fully loaded, 15 Yamaha, ice-box (650Lbs) Nylon 5" Seine (2.8M) – Tel:660-1825; 695-2679. Price Negotiable!

Just Imported! David’s Beautiful Bridal Outfit & Accessories Re: Jewelry, Purses, etc. All going @ reasonable prices.

Contact:225-9450; 649-4435 Cheap earth delivery to spot E.C.D and W.B.D- Call:6279977, 698-0182

WANTED One maid preferably single between ages 40-55. Must Be Living Around E.B.D and be dog friendly – Tel:6292206 One Computer Literate Clerk, Two Security Guards & Labourers, One Receptionist. Text or call 6270799 / 225-8645 / 6227933

24 Hour East Coast Guyoil needs night pump attendants, salesgirl & office assistant Call: 670-8893/684-2838 Network Technician, must be able to work out of town email applications to jobs@awngy.com Receptionist. Apply to Hick’s Ville Hotel, Contact:227-7714 or info@hicksvillehotel guyana.com

Female worker needed, 3 CXC subject or sound secondary school education- Call:626-8586 Watch man to work at Lamaha & Albert Street.

Contact: 223-5273/4 White Queen Size sheet set at reasonable prices – Tel:668-0306; 660-9961 Experienced Roti / Puri Cooks, Pastry Makers, Counter Servers & handyboys. Apply at Hacks Halaal, Lot 5 Commerce St. 1 Truck Driver with Fork Lift & Bobcat experienced – Tel:274-0424; 274-0435

Boys to work @ Car Wash, paying - $12,000 weekly.

Norton and Creen St. Ask 683-9516 Live in waitress to work in a bar - Tel:650-4309 Hire Car Drivers at Gem’s Taxi Services – Tel:627-9424 Urgently need 1 plot of Land to buy in Parafaite Harmonie Tel: 675-7292 1 Secretary to work in office Call: 617-8369; 665-3550

Machine Operator to work at Garment Factory - Tel:2222541

One Garden / Handyman, age 40 & above. Preferably from Georgetown & East Coast Demerara – Tel:699-4152

One Experienced Pastry maker, specialize in various pastries – Tel:696-9999

Experienced Sewing machine operators – Tel:220-4337

Secretary! Send written application to Shakoor Seafood, 80 industrial Site, Eccles EBD

For the BEST RATES, call us on telephones numbers: 2258458, 225-8465, 225-8491.

PROPERTY FOR SALE VERSAILLES: Furnished 5 bedrooms, selfcontained rooms, modern facilities, generator, beautiful landscape, gated community - Call: 592-6248704/ 592-684-9203 Corner lot @ 54 Stanley Town New Amsterdam Berbice - $7M - Call:223-5641

Supervisors to work at 704 Bar – Contact:223-5273/4

Experienced taxi drivers – Tel:667-9013 VACANCY

WANTED Labourers - Call:225-6070; 225-4492

Cashiers & Porters for Yog Yog’s Frozen Yogurt 79 Albert & Laluni Streets in Queenstown “Nimbus Building” Call:231-7002

Land to buy in Herstelling – Tel:675-7292

TOYOTA VIOS PMM SERIES – SPECIAL EDITION SILVER GREY – TEL: 641-7383

Sunday February 02, 2014

FASTEST GROWING FOOD IMPORTER / MANUFACTURE SEEKING CANTER DRIVER & SALESPERSONS. EXPERIENCED & POLICE CLEARANCE – CALL:2318344;223-1035 FOR INTERVIEW One Male cook for interior – Tel: 688-1087 1 Barman at a popular hotel, between the vicinity of Vreed-en-Hoop to Parika. Tel: 638-1627

EDUCATIONAL Courses in dressmaking, curtains, floral & cake decoration - Tel: 670-2653; 618-1706 IAE @ 194 Camp St Register for CXC 2014 Classes: Mathematics, English A, Business & Science . Flexible Timing Tel: 683-5742; 223-0604 Need help with reading, English, etc? Call Private Tutor – 696-7467 Princeton College Forms 1-5 CXC and adults classes, afternoon lessons. Phonics & Mathematics for slow learners - Tel:223-7906; 690-5008 Swimming Classes @ Colgrain Pool. Thursday & Saturday 5:30-6:30, 6:30-7:30, all ages – Tel:669-3757; 6412571; 690-1559 Courses in Floral Arrangement, cookery, bridal accessories, cakes & pastries, cake decoration.

Contact Sharon:672-8768; 612-4193; 223-3303 Learn to cut & sew at Enid’s Dressmaking Certificate Classes @ 66 Sixth Street Albertown – Tel: 223-9106; 643-7966. Sewing Also Done!!

Geography/ Spanish Lessons, Experienced teachers with 100% CSEC pass rate. Contact Dolly:6190387

One - 2 Storey House @ Avenue A Diamond - Tel: 643-5161 2 Business Property on Whim Public Road Berbice - Tel: 619-7134; 225-6481 One three storey business property @ Middle Street Georgetown - Tel: 619-7134; 225-6481 Eccles Residential (Transported) 2 flat building 4 bedrooms, large patio, garage (3 vehicles), & large shed. Flood Free Area! - Tel: 652-5601 Concrete 3 bedrooms transported property @ New Scheme Tuschen E.C.E $8.5M – Tel:692-3454 Charlestown Corner Property - $35M - Tel: 6735882 Rice Factory @ Wakenaam Tel: 686-4994; 225-3070 Regent Street - $46M, Herstelling - $10M, Happy Acres - $45M, Camp Street $36M – Contact Diana:2272256; 626-9382 Income Generating! 2 Storey concrete & wooden. 4 Apartments, concrete yard & fence, garage by SOL, Shell Road EBD – Tel:6585452 2 Stroey Transported property with 2 kitchens, 6 bedrooms, 2 toilet & bath @ Tuschen East Bank Essequibo – Tel:650-2982 2 Storey business premises: 94 Campbell Avenue, C/Ville- Call:6808857/647-300-4294

LEARN TO DRIVE Learn To Drive on your time, experienced teacher – $10,000 For two weeks, 3 times a week – Tel:6877017 Ultravoilet Driving School – Contact:231-2372;6022583;658-4015

Two story 4 bedrooms house with two lots. All conveniences. Move in condition @ De Willem WCD – Tel:277-0024; 684-6106 1 House & Land with business potential for sale at La Parfaite Harmonie – Call:686-5083 Satya Cinema Good Faith Mahaicony – Call:641-8472 (Continued on page 55)

Sunday February 02, 2014

Kaieteur News

Page 55

(From page 54)

TO LET Fully furnished short term apartments, Eccles call: 347933-9790, 639-4452.

Aracari Hotel. West Bank Demerara Rates from $30 Tel: 264-2946-8 Furnished rooms & Apartments (1,2&3) bedrooms apartment long & short term rental @ 95 Fifth Avenue Subryanville - Phone: 2272199; 227-2189

VEHICLE FOR SALE

VEHICLE FOR SALE

1 Suzuki R1 wagon (Jeep) Automatic, Fully Powered with A/C, hardly used – Price:$1.2M Contact Rocky: 621-5902/ 225-1400 1 Toyota Raum [Hardly Use] Automatuic fully loaded Price - $1.350M - Contact Rocky: 621-5902/ 225-1400

Smart Choice Auto: Unregistered Premio, IST, Runx & Spacio - Tel:6523820; 665-4529

We buy & sell vehicles for cash, also parts available & 30 seater buses; Extra Cab pickups; 2006 TacomaCall:680-3154

Fully furnished Vacation home with all amenities- Call during working hours- 227-1218 1 - Three Bedrooms house to rent @ Belyzheit Gardens Tel: 652-6565 Bel- Air -$100,000, Lamaha Gardens - $US1000, Atlantic Gardens – US900 – Contact Diana:227-2256; 626-9382 We pay cash & legal fees for land in Parafaite Harmonie – Tel:675-7292

LAND FOR SALE Dairy - $1.5M- Tel:675-7292 2- Acres cultivated, 2-1 Acres cultivated, 7 Acres cultivated, citrus, house, fish pond, storage at ParikaCall: 226-7968 Diamond New Scheme, Price - $6M Negotiable - Tel:6048369 Serious Inquiries only!

Parika (72X204) - $8M – 2185591; 675-7292 Parfaite Harmonie – $1.4M – Tel:675-7292

SALON Make Up Courses, Artist Trained & Certified in Trinidad. Call: 660-5257, 647-1773 Earn a Certificate in Cosmetology, wig designs or nails alone, beginning February 3rd Limited Spaces Tel: 666-5241/ 619-7603 Beautopia Cosmetology Training: Day & Evening classes, nails, hair,facial / make-up – Tel: 604-3002; 629-3497

CAR RENTAL Untouchable, low rates, low deposits - Call:226-9668; 677-4613.

Aidan’s Car Rental & Pickup Call: 645-7981/ 698-7807

Parafaite Harmonie - $2.2M Tel: 675-7292 Herstelling - $2.5M – Tel:6757292 82 Acres @ Hogg Island, 120 Acres @ Mahaicony & 11 lots @ Wakenaam. Tel: 686-4994; 225-3070

One Toyota Prado and Tundra for sale: - Priced to sell – Tel:600-5759 or 2250683-5 One RX-8 Mazda fully air conditioned, stick gear, wheel lights, fog lamps, power windows - Tel:653-2477

Overseas Male Seeking female 29yrs & up. No Text – Call:661-3299 Male 48yrs need a friend – Call:690-1405

NZE PSS series, excellent condition - Price $1.8 Million.

Contact Shahab: 613-5484 AT192, 212, Allion, Premio, Hilux Surf, BNN & RZ & Pitbull buses, 7 seater super customs. Cash / termsCall:680-3154 1 Touring Hiace Regus good condition, TV, music system, A/C, sun roof fully powered.

Registered in G – Tel:6780109

One Hilux Surf, ac, mags, new tyres, fully loaded, music, 4X4, one Tacoma pick up- Tel:678-2298

First Class Auto: Premio, Spacio, Passo, IST, 212, Raum Cold & New Modles Tel: 609-8188; 602-6307

Unregistered Toyota Premio $2.550M – Tel: 678-8534;6939246

1-55 Leyland Daf Excellent working condition. Price $2.8M Negotiable – Tel:6568346

1 Toyota Camry Excellent condition - $850,000, 1 Toyota BB (PRR Series) $1,550,000 – Contact:6962588 or 231-4471

2002 Premio PNN Series reverse camera 17inch rims $2.1M negotiable - Tel:6877017 Driven Auto Blowout Sale!!!

– Unregistered Mazda Axela - $2,295,000 – Pioneer CD, crystal lights, remote start alarm -Tel:643-6565; 226-9931

PEN PAL

VEHICLE FOR SALE 1 unregistered Toyota Spacio: wine colour, fully loaded with mag rims etc. $2.3M neg. Tel: 642-6030

1 Old model 212 in Yellow, Price negotiable – Tel:6259961

Long Creek $1M, Queenstown 60x244 - $100M, 40x80 -$25M - Tel: 231-2199; 618-7483 Parfaite Harmonie - $850, 000.00 – Tel:675-7292 Schonard - $2.5M - Tel: 6757292 Private Development 50X100 @ Greenwich Park, EBE Tel: 690-5061 House lot for sale @ Parafaite Harmonie – Tel:677-7682 50 Acres Estate land at Grant Lester, Lower Pomeroom.

Tel:671-8100

PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION,WEDDINGS, ANNIVERSARY, ETC. – CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 216-1043; 677-6620

1 AT192 Carina (Cherry Red) Tel: 683-1534; 609-4983

1 Madza Truck, short base with hydraulic lift GPP Series Call: 638-8036; 223-2814

Dolly’s Car Rental- Call: 2257126/226-3693- dollysauto rental@yahoo.com/ www. dolly sautorental.com

J o s h u a ’s C a r R e n t a l Call:665-6485; 679-8400 Wings Car Rental- Call: 643-1131

One 800 Ford Tractor and one 450 Ford Towing Truck – Contact Floyd:694-5599 or Gurro: 689-1864

Lot 12 Mon-Repos E.C.D, Market Street – Tel:2207330

Latest model vehicles @ unbeatable Prices – Tel:6855011; 692-1051

Premio, Vitz call:347-9339790, 639-4452.

Mitsubishi Lancer, excellent condition, HID lights, 17" mags, music - $1,250,000.

Negotiable – Tel:275-0297; Cell:676-3000; 653-6490

FOR RENT

Nissan Van single cab GFF series - $475.Neg – Tel:6611585 1 Toyota R4 2004 model – $2.6M cash – Tel:686-5083 New Model AT212 Carina, automatic, fully powered, A/ C, CD player, price $1.450M [Hardly Use]- contact Rocky:225-1400; 621-5902 Toyota extra cab pick-up (22 R engine) manual, (EFI) 4×4, (GPP series) price $2.5MContact Rocky 621-5902/2251400 1 Toyota RZ bus - $1.6M. Immaculate condition [Hardly Use] – Contact Rocky: 621-5902/ 225-1400 1 Toyota extra cab pick-up automatic (3RZ) 4x4 $3.7M – Contact Rocky: 621-5902/ 225-1400

1 Toyota NZE corolla, AT192, AT212, AT170, IST, Funcargo, Rav-4, Hilux pickup 4x4 – Tel:644-5096; 697-1453 One Honda CRV fully equipped with running bars & other accessories, PNN Series. Excellent Condition!

Price Negotiable - Tel: 660-6763 One Super Custom Bus, unregistered 1 Toyota L Touring wagon, EP71 Starlet, Spacio - Tel:644-5096; 697-1453 Unregistered Toyota Sienta (2004) 1500cc & 7 seater - Tel: 617-5536 Isuzu Journey Bus, 47 seater BSS115 series – Price: $5.2M negotiable – Contact Brother Keith – Tel:614-5036 W.M Auto Sales : 2006 Tacoma - $3.8M, Honda ATV, Ford Raptor, Ford 250 super duty – Tel:676-1826;679-6103

SERVICES PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION, WEDDINGS, ANNIVERSARY, ETC. – CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 216-1043; 677-6620 Repairs, sales & spares air conditioning, microwaves, washer, fridges & stoves. Ultra Cool, call:225-9032,647-2943 Repairs to Fridge, Freezer, AC, Washers, Stoves: Call 683-1312,627-3206 (Nick) We repair fridge, freezer, AC, washer, dryer call:2310655,683-8734 Omar Make your music available in 95+ online stores, Email: infopack@sslbs.com to download details.

For all your prefab building works & welding fabricating etc. 5 Brickery EBD -Tel: 6582567; 660-3466 Brains Construction & Rental Services: Excavator, Bobcat, Truck, Tools - Tel: 6015024/ 227-4536 (Bobcat & Excavator Operator needed) Services and repairs to gas stoves, washing machines Call: 688-0183 House plan drafting from$10,000 surveying and estimates services available Tel: 667-2189 Cook to come to your home.

Exotic dishes will be prepared for you. Call for more information – 687-7017 Permanent & Visitors Visa Applications, Professional Immigration Consultant Room D5 Maraj Building Call:225-6496,662-6045, 223-8115 We Refill HP cartridges for $1800 call: 650-7699 WE FILL PASSPORT & VISA FORMS: U.S.A, U.K & CANADA. ALSO ONLINE CREDIT CARD PAYMENTS TEL:225-9030 Transportation services available in and out of Georgetown – Tel:646-4501

Unregistered Toyota Fielder, TV, Rims, alarm, reverse camera, low mileage - $2.250 negotiable – Tel:654-2036; 663-2700 Cheapest: Manaul VVTI Buses, Spacio, CRV – Tel:616-7635

Brian Moe @642-3543: Computer Technician: FB/ Brian.Moe.165: Home and Office visits at your comfort!!

Driven Auto Blowout Sale!!!

– Unregistered Toyota IST $2,195,000 – Bodykit, TV, Camera, spoiler, fogs, HID, Alarm – Tel:643-6565; 2269931

FOR SALE/ FOR RENT

Computer Repairs low price $2,500 – Tel:661-0515; 6227036 Newly Built at Leonara 2 Storey 3 bedrooms, 2 toilet & Shower, double garage for sale or rent - Tel: 269-1277; 685-4016

Fully Furnished 2 bedrooms apartment with hot & cold shower, internet etc. Only short term overseas guest.

Contact:223-2812; 661-1717 Newly Built Apartments on W.C.D Furnished and unfurnished – Tel:698-6496 CAMP STREET, Prime Business Space Call:6394499 Fully Furnished Salon Stations with A/C in Georgetown – Tel: 641-1892; 665-3307 3 Bedrooms apartment at 371 East Cummings Lodge – Tel:601-2472 Commercial Offices & Commercial Buildings, Executive Apartments & houses @ Kitty, Subryanville, Shamrock Gardens, Ogle, Bel-Air Contact:223-8479; 647-3768; www.spaceseek.gy Short term and Long term apartment - $58,000 monthly Tel: 646-5147 Fully furnished apartment in Nandy Park, suitable for a single person or coupleCall:619-4824 for further information.

Norton Street, Werk-EnRust.

One Newly constructed two storey building for office/residence Tel: 623-7594 Rooms. Price Negotiable Tel: 699-2727 One bedroom apartment self contained, Fully grilled @ Land OF Canaan E.B.D – Call Navo: 266-5563; 615-9441 Short Term - 1 Bedroom self contained apartment @ Shell Road E.B.D -$30,000 monthly – Tel:658-5452 Brand new 2 bedrooms toilet & bath inside -$50,000 monthly negotiable at Triumph – Tel:615-4178 American Slate pool table – Tel:616-8328 3 Bedrooms @ South $70,000, Lamaha Gardens house: $900US, Ogle & Republic Park - Tel:231-2199; 618-7483

MASSAGE American Style massage services- Call:678-7499

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Kaieteur News

Sunday February 02, 2014

Full Gospel Fellowship of churches turns 50 The Full Gospel Fellowship of Churches (F.G.F), one of the leading Christian denominations in Guyana, is celebrating its 50th year of existence.

Year-long activities planned to coincide with the fellowship’s Golden Jubilee anniversary were officially launched yesterday morning at a prayer breakfast held at Marian Academy. Among the hundreds in attendance were Prime Minister Samuel Hinds, Opposition Leader David Granger, Speaker of the National Assembly Raphael Trotman, other political leaders and heads of the various Christian

denominations in Guyana.

Presenting the Fellowship’s history, Professor Winston McGowan noted that the Fellowship was started out of a vision God gave to the late Philip Mohabir, a Guyanese who had migrated to the United Kingdom. Mohabir returned to Guyana and along with several other persons started the Fellowship in April 1964. Today FGF consists of about 120 churches located all across the 10 Administrative Regions.

McGowan, who is also a member of the Fellowship’s highest leadership body, noted that FGF was a unique denomination as it was indigenous to Guyana. He pointed out that the majority of the workers were Guyanese and that the organisation was not at any stage overly reliant on overseas sources for

financial and other support.

Superintendant of the Fellowship, Apostle Elsworth Williams, declared the celebrations open.

Acknowledging God’s faithfulness to the Fellowship over the years, he stressed that there is much more to achieve.

He called for leadership in the churches, and nationally, that was decisive, deliberate and determined.

The theme of the celebrations is “Let’s celebrate! Together We Build; Together we Achieve!” The Fellowship has several activities planned for the rest of the year, particularly during the month of July.

These include a relay torch run, a march of witness, community projects, evangelistic outreaches and youth extravaganza. The celebrations will culminate in December with a celebration rally in Corentyne, Berbice.

Prime Minister Sam Hinds, Rev. John Smith, Superintendent of the Assemblies of God, his wife Pastor Jean Smith, Apostle Elsworth Williams (jacketed) and his wife Pastor Carmen Williams at yesterday’s prayer breakfast.

Sunday February 02, 2014 ARIES (March 21 - April 19): Don't let another person's small, thoughtless comment ruin your entire day, Aries.

People may be a bit stingy with everything from money to emotions to time spent with loved ones. The more you tell someone else that they're wrong, the more that person is going to reject your advice. ******************* TAURUS (April 20 - May 20): You may be feeling a bit tired and worn out lately, Taurus. Don't push yourself to do things when you know that your body needs rest. It could be extremely tempting to roll with the crowd and participate in all the fun. ****************** GEMINI (May 21 - June 20): Don't fritter away your time with a person who isn't going to change his or her mind about something, Gemini. ******************** CANCER (June 21 - July 22): More than likely there is a person in your world who desperately wants to get closer to you, Cancer. Conflict is apt to arise tonight if you don't open up and let this person in a bit closer. ********************* LEO (July 23 - Aug. 22): It may be easy for you to show up at a party or answer the phone when you know that it's your best friend calling with good news, but where are you when the going gets rough, Leo? ******************* VIRGO (Aug. 23 - Sept.

22): Realize that your inner state of mind is quite apparent to people just by the look on your face, Virgo.from others, especially today.

LIBRA (Sept. 23 - Oct. 22): Your opinions are apt to be strong today and you may feel on top of the world, Libra. ********************* SCORPIO (Oct. 23 Nov. 21): TRealize that you may be controlling other people's actions without even consciously knowing it, Scorpio. ******************** SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22 - Dec. 21): Beware of unexpected circumstances today, Sagittarius. The good news is that your flexible attitude is perfectly suited to deal with the twists and turns that this day is likely to offer. .********************* CAPRICORN (Dec. 22 - Jan. 19): Come out of your shell today and try not to be so aloof, Capricorn. You will never find the exact path you want to be on until you explore the different options. ******************** AQUARIUS (Jan. 20 Feb. 18):You may be wondering why everyone is getting so touchy when you see this as being just a normal day, Aquarius. Cut other people some slack when you think they aren't wearing as big a smile as you are. ********************* PISCE S ( F e b . 1 9 March 20): It could be that you don't feel as if you can begin your day until you've made it clear to someone that you have an issue that needs to be dealt with, Pisces. You have a greater amount of emotional strength than usual, and you'll find that it's important that you hold on to this feeling against all odds.

Sunday February 02, 2014

Kaieteur News

Page 57

Thai opposition under fire for election boycott Bangkok (AFP) - After two decades of election defeats, Thailand’s oldest political party stands accused of turning its back on democracy by refusing to contest controversial elections to be held today.

The elite-backed opposition Democrat Party has joined forces with antigovernment supporters who are threatening to disrupt the polls and want Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra to step down to make way for an unelected “people’s council”.

“The party is turning away from democracy,” said Pavin Chachavalpongpun, associate professor at the Centre for Southeast Asian Studies at Japan’s Kyoto University.

The Democrats are “trying to find a short cut” to power, he added, noting that on the several occasions in the past two decades when

they did take office it was with the support of the military.

The opposition accuses Yingluck’s Puea Thai party of corruption and buying votes, and says she is a puppet for her elder brother, fugitive former premier Thaksin Shinawatra — accusations she denies.

The Democrats, who are popular in Bangkok and parts of southern Thailand, argue that elections will not end a cycle of political violence in the kingdom stretching back to around the time of a military coup in 2006 that ousted Thaksin from power.

“For the country, the elections could not solve the problems and conflicts that we are facing,” Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva told AFP. “A reform process needs to be initiated so that people can be confident that come election time, and after the

Ukraine preparing state of emergency: Tymoshenko party Kiev (AFP) - The party of jailed former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko said yesterday that the Ukrainian authorities were considering the introduction of a state of emergency in a bid to break up the protest movement against the government.

On Friday, Ukraine’s SBU security service announced a criminal investigation into what it said was an opposition attempt to seize power.

“An announcement by the SBU is an element of a useof-force scenario, planning the possible introduction of a state of emergency,” a senior official with the Batkivshchyna party, Grygoriy Nemyria, told AFP. The opposition has over the past two months been locked in a confrontation with the government of President Viktor Yanukovych.

Ukraine’s most severe crisis since gaining independence in 1991 was sparked by Yanukovych’s decision to scrap a pact with the European Union in November.

Over the past few weeks the protests have radicalised and turned into an all-out drive to unseat the 63-yearold leader.

The outbreak of violence in which several protesters and policemen were killed is unprecedented in a country which saw the prodemocracy Orange

Yulia Tymoshenko Revolution in 2004 peacefully overturn a rigged election.

Weighing in for the first time since the start of the protests, the military on Friday urged the president to take “urgent steps” to ease the turmoil.

Arseniy Yatsenyuk, leader of the Batkivshchyna (Fatherland) party, told top European dignitaries on Friday that the use of the army against the protesters was “very likely.”

“This is one more element of planning the possible introduction of the state of emergency,” Nemyria said yesterday.

“The involvement of the army, this has not happened during the Orange Revolution.

This is unacceptable,” he added.

Anti-government protesters march through the streets of the Chinatown area of Bangkok, Thailand, yesterday. (AP Photo/Wally Santana) elections, an elected government does not abuse power in the way that it has done over the last couple of years,” he said.

Helped by support among rural voters who benefited from their policies, proThaksin parties have won every election in more than a decade, most recently in 2011 with 265 seats against 159 for the Democrats.

Critics say the Democrat Party missed a golden opportunity to increase its support base owing to public anger over corruption allegations and a failed amnesty bill that could have allowed Thaksin to return without going to jail.

“No democratic system works without a talented and

committed opposition,” said Thailand-based author and scholar David Streckfuss.

“They failed in their role of seizing on the moment when they could have really gained in votes.”

The Democrats also boycotted an election in 2006, contributing to the political uncertainty that precipitated the coup that toppled Thaksin.

They last came to power in 2008 by parliamentary vote after a court stripped Thaksin’s allies of power, angering his “Red Shirts” supporters who launched street protests in 2010 that sparked clashes and a military crackdown that left dozens dead. Abhisit, who was prime minister at the time, faces a

murder charge in connection with those deaths.‘Not in the spirit of democracy’ In December of last year, Democrat lawmakers resigned en masse from parliament to join the protests against Yingluck.

After the premier called snap elections in the hope of defusing the crisis, the Democrats announced they would not be taking part.

“In my opinion, it is a mistake in terms of the spirit of democracy — it was the wrong decision,” said Gothom Arya, an associate professor at Bangkok’s Mahidol University.

“They should fight on the parliamentary stage.”

Abhisit, the British-born scion of an influential family,

denied that his party was giving democracy the cold shoulder.

“We have participated in the democratic process throughout our history,” said the Oxford-educated career politician, whose name means “privilege”.

“But we have been faced with the situation where we now have an elected majority that does not respect the law, wants to put itself above the law, refuses to accept the verdicts of the courts, is engaged in abuses of power and intimidation of political opponents,” he said.

The Democrats pushed Yingluck to stand down to make way for an interim government. When that failed, they signalled they would be ready to participate in a delayed election, but the premier pushed ahead with today’s polls.

Now Democrat MPs face a dilemma: under election rules if they do not vote themselves Sunday they could lose their entitlement to run in future polls. Voting would defy their own boycott, however.

Abhisit himself said that the polls were “unconstitutional” and pledged not to cast his ballot in an announcement on his Facebook page on the eve of the election.

“It’s a very tricky situation that the Democrats find themselves in,” said Streckfuss. “I think they really thought the election date would be changed. And they didn’t have a plan B.”

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Kaieteur News

Sunday February 02, 2014

Syria rejected US talks bid without Kerry apology Damascus (AFP) - Syria’s foreign minister said yesterday his delegation had rejected a US request for direct talks unless Secretary of State John Kerry apologised for his remarks at the Geneva II talks.

“The Americans asked us to negotiate directly with them in Montreux,” Walid Muallem told Syrian state media on the plane home from 10 days of peace talks in the Swiss cities of Montreux and Geneva.

“But we refused to do so before Secretary of State John Kerry apologised for what he said at the conference,” Muallem added, in remarks carried by state news agency SANA. Syria’s government and opposition began the socalled Geneva II talks on January 22, with the participation of dozens of nations, including Russia, which backs the regime, and the United States, which supports the opposition.

In his opening remarks at the conference, Kerry said Syria’s President Bashar alAssad “will not be part” of any transitional government.

“There is no way, not possible in the imagination, that the man who has led the brutal response to his own

Walid Muallem

people could regain legitimacy to govern,” Kerry said.

Muallem also dismissed the “coalition of the so-called ‘opposition’” in his comments yesterday.

“If they do not abandon their illusions, they will get a rude shock because we are a country of institutions and a constitution and we have a president of the republic,” SANA quoted him as saying.

The regime and opposition were unable to bridge the vast gulf between them during 10 days of talks, making no progress on ceasefires, humanitarian corridors or the question of a transitional government.

The regime sought to focus the discussions on

“terrorism”, its term for the actions of all those seeking Assad’s overthrow.

Muallem said it was “a stain” on the opposition that they refused to sign a declaration condemning “terrorism” in the country.

A second round of talks has been tabled for February 10, with the opposition already committed to attending. But Muallem repeated earlier assertions that his team would await guidance from Damascus before announcing whether it would participate.

More than 136,000 people have been killed in Syria since the beginning of the conflict in March 2011, and more than 2.4 million Syrians have become refugees.

Iran’s top clergy back Rouhani’s nuclear approach DUBAI (Reuters) - President Hassan Rouhani has secured the backing of senior conservative clerics against hardliners opposed to a nuclear deal reached with major powers, Iran’s official news agency IRNA said yesterday.

His first vice president, Eshaq Jahangiri, visited clerics in the Shi’ite Muslim holy city of Qom to explain the deal and seek their blessing over “complex foreign policy issues” ahead of talks next month on a long-term accord, IRNA said.

An interim deal between Iran and the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council plus Germany was reached in November in Geneva, aimed at persuading Iran to curb parts of its nuclear work, in return for a limited easing of sanctions.

Hardline clerics close to Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, Revolutionary Guards commanders and the intelligence services have attacked the temporary concessions Rouhani has made, although Khamenei has so far backed the president.

Khamenei has the final say on all state matters, including the nuclear issue.

The talks on February 18 will seek a comprehensive agreement defining the permissible scope of Iran’s nuclear activity.

Western powers fear the nuclear program is aimed at creating atomic weapons capabilities.

Iran denies this. IRNA said the response of from the clerics in Qom, in central Iran, was unanimously positive. Support from Qom, whose clerics traditionally have influence among core supporters of the establishment,

is likely to boost Rouhani’s government’s position in the next round of talks in Vienna, having already won over more reform-minded clerics. The backing of the clergy is essential as they have direct access to ordinary Iranians in their sermons when they can mobilize people to display their support for the deal, under which Tehran seeks to end painful economic sanctions that have severely damaged its oil-dependent economy.

“This government has inspired hope in our society. Its way of communicating has put us in line with other cultures,” said Grand Ayatollah Lotfollah Safi Golpaygani, referring to Rouhani’s tone compared to his hardline predecessor, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, since his landslide election win.

Demonstrating their support for Rouhani, some clerics blamed Ahmadinejad’s government for the struggling economy as well as Iran’s political isolation.

“Poor leadership by the previous government is at the root of much of our problems today,” IRNA quoted conservative Ayatollah Abdollah Javadi-Amoli as saying.

Rouhani, whose election led to a thaw in ties with the West after years of confrontation and hostile rhetoric, has promised to pursue a consistent foreign policy of “prudence and moderation” to revive the economy.

Nasser Makarem-Shirazi, another influential conservative cleric, went even further: “Everything done during and by the previous government entailed some kind of problem. The present administration should address them gradually.”

Sunday February 02, 2014

Kaieteur News

Africa Union urges united stand against ICC trials

Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, center, and Deputy President William Ruto, center-left, are welcomed back by Chief of the Defence Forces Staff Gen. Julius Karangi, center-right, after attending the African Union (AU) summit in Addis Ababa, at the airport in Nairobi, Kenya. (AP Photo/Kenya Presidency) ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (AP) — The African Union urged its members to “speak with one voice” to prevent criminal proceedings at the International Criminal court against sitting presidents, according to a statement yesterday.

The 54-nation organization said it was disappointed that a request to the U.N. Security Council to defer the trials of Kenya’s leaders “has not yielded the positive result expected.” The African Union also has sought the deferral of criminal proceedings against Sudan’s President Omar al-Bashir, who has been charged with genocide in Darfur.

Only Botswana has opposed the stand taken by the African Union, made in a statement received Saturday after a summit in Ethiopia attended by 34 leaders.

“African states parties

should comply with African Union decisions on the ICC and continue to speak with one voice,” the statement said, adding “There is an imperative need for all member states to ensure that they adhere to and articulate commonly agreed positions ...” Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto face charges of crimes against humanity at the international court at The Hague for allegedly orchestrating post-election violence that killed more than 1,000 people following a disputed presidential election in late 2007. Both men deny the charges.

The International Criminal Court has recently come under strong criticism from African leaders who accuse it of racism in indicting only Africans. Countries such as Uganda have suggested they may decide to sever ties with

the court in solidarity with Kenya. Some Africans also argue that the Kenyan leaders need to concentrate on governing their countries to ensure stability as the region faces unprecedented terrorist challenges. Ruto’s trial continues at The Hague but the case against Kenyatta may collapse. Kenyatta’s trial was to start in November but was postponed to February after the prosecution and defense teams said they needed more time to prepare.

The prosecutor in December asked for an additional threemonth adjournment after one witness withdrew and another said they gave false evidence.

A Kenyan court on Friday refused to stop the arrest of a journalist wanted by the international court for allegedly interfering with prosecution witnesses in the case against Ruto.

Egyptian PM says reshuffle to include Sisi’s defence minister CAIRO (Reuters) - Prime Minister Hazem el-Beblawi has said a cabinet reshuffle will include the defense ministry, an Egyptian newspaper said today, in the clearest sign yet that Field Marshal Abdel Fattah al-Sisi plans to stand for president.

Army chief Sisi, now defense minister in Egypt’s interim government, deposed Islamist President Mohamed Mursi in July after mass protests against his rule and is widely expected to

announce his candidacy within days and win an election easily.

Before he can run for president he must step down from his government post.

The reshuffle will not be announced before a visit by Beblawi to Saudi Arabia, a major financial supporter of Egypt’s interim government, on Tuesday and Wednesday, the privately-owned AlMasry Al-Youm newspaper quoted him as saying.

The reshuffle is to include

the defense ministry and the ministry for international cooperation, whose head, Ziad Bahaa El-Din, tendered his resignation last Monday, according to the report.

Cabinet officials were not immediately available for comment. Mursi, meanwhile, is facing trial yesterday over violence outside the presidential palace during unrest in late 2012 ignited by a decree that expanded his powers. Around a dozen people were killed.

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Kaieteur News

Jamaican national named as IACHR rapporteur on women rights WASHINGTON, United States - CMC - A Jamaican has been appointed a Rapporteur on the Rights of Women as well as on the Rights of Lesbian, Gay, Transsexual, Bisexual, and Intersex Persons (LGTBI).

In addition, the InterAmerican Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) said that Tracy Robinson will now be the Thematic and Country Rapporteur for Bahamas, Honduras, Nicaragua and Suriname; Rapporteur on the

Rights of Women; and Rapporteur on the Rights of Lesbian, Gay, Transsexual Bisexual and Intersex Persons (LGTBI).

The IACHR said that the appointment was made during a two-day working meeting that ended on Friday with the distribution of Thematic and Country Rapporteurships.

Robinson, a lawyer, is a lecturer in Gender and the Law, Constitutional Law and Commonwealth Caribbean

Human Rights at the Mona Campus of the University of the West Indies in Mona, Jamaica IACHR said she has also been a consultant for international agencies such as the United Nations Fund for Women and UNICEF, and she has advised Caribbean governments on topics related to legislation on gender and children rights, among others.

Robinson, who is also the IACHR first vice-president,

was elected at the 41st Organisation of American States (OAS) General Assembly in June 2011 for the standard four-year term, which began on January 1, 2012. The IACHR said that it had also appointed rapporteurs for several Caribbean islands including Antigua and Barbuda, Grenada, St Kitts-Nevis, Belize, Dominica, St Vincent and the Grenadines, St Lucia, Haiti, Jamaica, Barbados, and Trinidad and Tobago.

Sunday February 02, 2014

No room for gays, lesbians in scouting movement KINGSTOWN, St. Vincent – CMC - President of the Scouts Association of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Morrison Baisden, says gay and lesbian scout leaders will not be tolerated in the organization.

Baisden, speaking to reporters on plans by the local scouting association to celebrate its 100thanniversary later this year, said like the World Scout Movement, the local body has been affected by “the spectre of homosexuality.

“The World Scout movement took the decision … that you have zero tolerance of homosexuality. It apparently reared its head in St. Vincent and it was dealt with,” he said.

“We have to refer to it as rumours, because in every case where it was investigated, they were not able to prove that it was so.

But there was sufficient talk for it to dissuade young people and parents from coming into the Movement in the way that they were coming before. And I think that applied to everybody who was in scouts and whose children were in those areas where the rumours were circulating. “… A number of the people who were involved were themselves leaders and well-trained leaders and they

had to go. They were all asked to leave,” Baisden said.

He said that the local scout movement has been affected by pressures to improve even as financing declined, and in the face of “a lot of rumours, some founded, some unfounded” the position of the local movement is the same as the World Organisation of Scout Movements.

“That is, that we cannot have leaders that are homosexuals, but if boys show a tendency toward homosexuality, we will not deny them participation in the Movement,” he said, adding that the policy wasthe same for lesbians.

Baisden said that there are also steps to help prevent the abuse of children.

“The World Scout Movement says that if you suspect paedophilia in the Scout Movement, the Cub Scout Movement, or the Guides Movement as well, then you must report the suspicion to the police immediately and the person must be suspended until it is clear that it is not so,” he said.

“We made a decision that we would put the emphasis on the Scout Movement at the younger level, the Cub Scout level, and we have made significant progress in that,” Baisden said.

IMF predicts economic growth for St Kitts-Nevis BASSETERRE, St Kitts CMC – The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is predicting economic growth as high as three per cent for St Kitts-Nevis in 2014.

An IMF mission Friday ended a three-day visit to the twin island Federation conducting reviews of the three-year US$84-million Stand-By Arrangement (SBA) the country has with the Washington-based financial lending institution.

The IMF team headed by Judith Gold said that there has been considerable progress under the authorities’ economic reform programme, noting that after a four-year contraction of economic activity there were

firm signs of a recovery in 2013. It said that Real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is estimated to have grown by 1.7 per cent with a pickup in tourism and construction, notwithstanding declines in the manufacturing and communications sectors.

Employment also showed signs of improvement with the number of total employees up by 10.2 per cent and wages up by 5.1 per cent in the first half of 2013.

Inflation has remained low at 0.6 per cent.

Gold said notwithstanding the challenges associated with the prolonged recession and the debt restructuring, the financial system has remained stable.

She said the recovery in tourism receipts and strong increase in Citizenship by Investment (CBI) application fees contributed to a narrowing of the current account deficit from over 20 per cent prior to 2011 to about 11-12 per cent in 2012 and 2013.

Sunday February 02, 2014

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Sandals will help boost ABU BAKR CASE Barbados’ economy ADJOURNED AGAIN Gordon “Butch” Stewart

Jamaica Observer - The decision by the Caribbean hotel group, Sandals Resorts International (SRI), led by Gordon “Butch” Stewart to invest in two hotel projects in Barbados should help to boost that country’s economy at a time when it is experiencing fiscal difficulties.

If the Barbados economy remains on the present trajectory, it will run a deficit of nine per cent of GDP which will require it to borrow around Bd$1 billion. The public debt to GDP ratio has risen from 56 per cent in 2008 to 102 per cent today, according to the Central Bank of Barbados’ Economic Performance Report.

Gross public sector debt stood at 98.2 per cent of GDP at the end of 2012. At June 2013, 59 per cent of public sector debt was financed domestically.

Within the last few years, Barbados has seen its investment grade ratings slip down to junk bond status (Moody’s Ba1 and S&P’s BB+/B ratings). Moody’s Investor Services advised that to combat further downgrading Barbados should focus on improving economic performance and managing the deterioration in the debt metrics.

The Minister of Finance, Christopher Sinckler will now have to approach the capital markets for a further bond issuance and to negotiate with lending agencies in order to bolster reserves by at least Bd$800 million.

Of particular concern, foreign reserves are down to just Bd$1.2 billion which in effect is only 16 weeks of cover.

“What has happened is, in the first 6 months of 2013, the amount of foreign exchange that has been coming in, is significantly less than we expected,” said Barbados Central Bank Governor, Dr Delisle Worrell. This could lead to a possible devaluation of the currency which will only serve to compound the country’s problems further.

Earlier this month in an address to the nation on financial and economic matters, Sinckler said: “In 2013, economic policy in Barbados was driven by two dramatic and unexpected developments that no responsible government could afford to ignore.

Firstly, after remaining stable at 16 or more weeks of import cover for the 2008 to 2012 period, foreign exchange reserves in Barbados began a sudden and dramatic decline from around April 2013.

The sudden and dramatic decline in the foreign exchange reserves cannot be justified by any developments in the underlying economy or dramatic policy reversals by this administration.

“Secondly, the government revenues experienced a major decline in the second half of 2013. Those two developments rather than

any change in the fundamentals of the Barbados economy were the major causes of the economic challenges and subsequent downgrades that Barbados faced in 2013.”

According to its last budget, the government assumed its total GDP to be around Bd$9.2 billion.

However that figure appears to be a tad bit optimistic and the government has been advised to cut expenditure by an estimated 4 per cent of GDP, or nearly Bd$400 million in order to protect foreign reserves and cut the fiscal deficit.

In order to reduce public expenditure the decision was taken to let go 3,000 public sector workers which represents 10 per cent of the country’s entire civil service.

Also the government has imposed a wage freeze over the next five years and a 10 per cent cut in the salaries of ministers and MPs. These cuts should save the government some Bd$26 million.

Barbados has to grow itself out of its problems and must now look to attract more foreign investment. How does it propose to do so?

Sinckler said: “Growth must be led by the sectors that earn or reduce the use of foreign exchange. At present the sectors that Barbados can be internationally competitive in are tourism and hospitality, international business and financial services, agroprocessing, light-manufacturing particularly in niche areas, and green energy.

“The growth strategy has to be led by private investment and entrepreneurship.

Government’s role is to provide incentives, infrastructure and an enabling environment in support of private initiative and investment.”

Sandals is the largest indigenous Caribbean resort chain and Barbados is a major Caribbean tourism province.

Last year, declines were registered in longstay arrivals and associated earnings. Arrivals from its three largest source markets also declined with a 15 per cent fall in visitors from North America.

At a time when Barbados’ tourism product is experiencing lackluster performances and the economy is seeing a shortfall in both foreign reserves and revenue not to mention a downgrade by the rating agencies, Sandals presence is timely and should be a fillip to its ailing economy.

Sandals has purchased the former Almond Casuarina Beach Resort in the south which will now be transformed into Sandals Barbados, while the site of the former Almond Beach Village in the north will be a Beaches family resort. Both hotels mark an investment of some US$250 million.

Chairman of Sandals Resorts International, Gordon “Butch” Stewart is reported as saying: “Being in the Caribbean and not being prominent in Barbados is not good for my organisation,” which is a recognition of the potency of the country’s tourism product and in keeping with Stewart’s avowed pledge to support the region and put in on the map as one of the world’s leading destinations.

Some in Barbados have expressed concern that Sandals is getting too many concessions.

However the Minister of Finance himself stressed the importance of incentivising investors to come to Barbados and help bolster foreign exchange earnings.

At a time when the country is facing the twin evils of a failing economy with falling revenues and significantly reduced visitor arrivals, Sandals presence is particularly propitious and will go a long way in boosting the country’s fortunes.

Des Vignes, were killed during the six-day insurrection in July 1990, and although Bakr and the members of his Jamaat-AlMuslimeen group were tried for treason, the Court of Appeal upheld an amnesty offered to secure their surrender, and they were released.

However, The London-

Yasin Abu Bakr PORT-OF-SPAIN – CMC - The case against the leader of the Jamaat Al Muslimeen, Yasin Abu Bakr, for failing to appear before a Commission of inquiry probing the circumstances that led to the 1990 attempted coup in Trinidad and Tobago, has been adjourned to February 27.

Bakr, who failed to appear in court late last month, to answer a private complaint as to why he blanked the Commission, chaired by prominent Barbadian jurist Sir David Simmons, was however present when the matter was merely called for mention on Friday and adjourned.

On the last occasion, Bakr’s attorney had told the court that his client had suffered another infection on the big toe of his right foot as a result of complications associated with his diabetic condition.

However attorney, Larry Lalla, who appears with Senior Counsel Israel Khan, and Michael Rooplal for the Commission, said that they were anxious for the matter to start, since the Commission’s term will come to an end in March.

He said his client wanted the matter to be dealt with expeditiously so it can complete its work by the end of March.

Bakr,71, has refused to appear before the Commission and in a radio interview last year said he would only appear if he is paid to give evidence.

“If you want to take my time, you paying (Sir David) Simmons and the other people for their time and if you want to take my time you have to pay me equally for my time because with me they would not exist,” said Bakr, adding only salves work for free.

“I am a free man and not a slave,” he said.

At least 24 people, including one legislator, Leo

based Privy Council, the country’s highest court, later invalidated the amnesty, but the Muslimeen members were not re-arrested.

The coalition People’s Partnership government, which came to office in 2010, set up the Commission to probe the circumstances leading to the actions by the Muslim group.

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U.S. defense boss seeks to put US envoy says rights, democracy diplomacy ahead of military might under threat in Sri Lanka Colombo (AFP) Democracy is under threat in Sri Lanka and its rights record has deteriorated in the five years since the end of a bloody ethnic war, a top US envoy yesterday.

Nisha Biswal, assistant secretary of state for South and Central Asia, said Colombo had failed to ensure reconciliation, justice and accountability, and pressure was building for a foreign probe.

“Lack of progress in Sri Lanka has led to a great deal of frustration and scepticism in my government and in the international community,” Biswal told reporters at the end of a two-day visit to Sri Lanka.

She said the US favoured a “domestic process” to investigate allegations of war crimes, including charges that thousands of civilians were killed by government forces in the final months of fighting in 2009, but there was no progress.

“The international community’s patience is wearing thin,” she said, adding mounting calls for an external investigation are the result of Colombo’s failure to show progress.

Britain’s Prime Minister David Cameron warned during a Commonwealth summit in Colombo in November he would use London’s UN position to press for an independent international investigation unless Colombo showed results by March.

Biswal said the US was moving another resolution against Sri Lanka at next month’s UN Human Rights Council meeting in Geneva to nudge Sri Lanka to do more to ensure “reconciliation, justice, and accountability”.

“Respect for human rights and a promotion of

Nisha Biswal

transparent and democratic governance are essential.

Unfortunately, continued deterioration in these areas is already beginning to take its toll on democracy in Sri Lanka,” she said.

Biswal, who arrived in Colombo on Friday, is the second US envoy to travel to Sri Lanka in recent weeks after war crimes investigator Stephen Rapp stirred controversy by visiting a former Sri Lankan battleground last month.

She met with Foreign Minister G. L. Peiris, opposition leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, and travelled to the island’s former war zone of Jaffna in the north, where she met with the newly-elected Tamil politicians in the region.

Sri Lanka’s government made no formal reaction to Biswal’s hard-hitting remarks at the end of her visit, but official sources said Colombo had said it wants more time to deliver on reconciliation and accountability.

However, Biswal widened her criticism of the government of President Mahinda Rajapakse to include corruption, an area the international community has skirted until she focused on it yesterday.

“We are concerned about the worsening situation with

respect to human rights... as well as the weakening of the rule of law and an increase in the levels of corruption and impunity.

“All of these factors lead to undermine the proud tradition of democracy in Sri Lanka,” she said.

She said the US was also concerned about continued attacks against religious minorities in the mainly Buddhist Sri Lanka, where Christian and Muslim groups had faced physical violence in many places while police looked on.

“Respect for human rights and a promotion of transparent and democratic governance are essential,” she said. “Unfortunately, continued deterioration in these areas is already beginning to take its toll on democracy in Sri Lanka.”

Sri Lanka has consistently denied what the UN calls credible allegations that up to 40,000 civilians were killed by Sri Lankan troops in the final months of the war that ended in 2009.

Government forces declared victory after wiping out the leadership of Tamil Tiger rebels in a no-holdsbarred offensive that brought to an end to 37 years of ethnic bloodshed which, according to the UN, had claimed at least 100,000 lives.

Imbert, Griffith clash over crime…

Public Can’t Wait Longer Trinidad Guardian - With a record murder rate so far for 2014, T&T can be described as one of the deadliest nations in the world, Opposition MP Colm Imbert said Friday. He made the comment in presenting a private motion in the name of Port-of-Spain South MP Marlene McDonald in the House of Representatives, as he noted the public was losing its patience with all the unkept promises on crime. Imbert began his presentation saying: “If boasting, grand charge and gun talk would deal with the crime situation, this Government would have solved our crime problem,” adding the Government seems to believe boasting and idle threats will solve the problem. He recalled that in 2005 while

Transport Minister Stephen Cadiz was chairman of the Keith Noel Foundation, he led a death march in Port-of-Spain, demanding that the crime problem be solved immediately by the then People’s National Movement government. He said now that Cadiz was in the Government, he was implying that the solution cannot be found immediately and would take a longer period. Noting that he was unaware of any murder occurring yesterday up to the time of his contribution, Imbert said: “As of yesterday (Thursday), 45 people had been killed for the month of January 2014.” Chief whip McDonald chimed in: “That is a record.” Imbert said Cadiz was not marching against crime now.

(Reuters) - The top U.S. defense official yesterday underscored the Obama administration’s intention to shift the focus of its foreign policy away from military might toward diplomacy.

Speaking at the Munich security conference, U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said he and Secretary of State John Kerry “have both worked to restore balance to the relationship between American defense and diplomacy”.

Hagel, in prepared remarks, stressed that the United States was “moving off a 13-year war footing” as the war in Afghanistan winds down and as Washington seeks to avoid getting involved in additional military conflicts overseas.

Hagel’s remarks echo those of President Barack Obama, who in his annual State of the Union address this week said the United States could not rely on its military power alone, promising to send U.S. troops to fight overseas only when “truly necessary”.

In recent years, the United States has shown its eagerness to wind down the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, where the military dominated traditionally civilian-led activities such as development aid.

U.S. officials have also sought to avoid becoming involved in new on-the-ground

military action in places like Syria and Libya.

“Foreign policy had become too militarized over the last decade or so,” a senior U.S. defense official said on condition of anonymity. “It’s time for us to be in a supporting role when it comes to the execution of this country’s foreign policy.”

“The nation’s foreign policy should and rightly be led by the State Department, with the Defense Department in full support,” the official said.

The State Department is taking the lead on several key foreign priorities for the White House, including the effort to broker a peace deal between Israel and the Palestinians and to halt Iran’s nuclear programme.

Still, the comments are striking from the head of the powerful, massive U.S. Defense Department. The U.S. military budget, even after cuts imposed amid repeated U.S. budget crises, dwarfs spending for diplomacy and foreign aid.

But the U.S. military has been strained by the long wars that followed the 9/11 attacks.

Washington pulled all troops out of Iraq at the end of 2011. It has also seeking to finalize a security pact with Afghan President Hamid Karzai that would authorize the United States to keep a small force in Afghanistan beyond this year.

NATO chief doesn’t see Karzai signing security pact (Reuters) - President Hamid Karzai is unlikely to sign a pact for U.S. and NATO forces to stay in Afghanistan after 2014 and will probably leave the choice for his successor, NATO chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen said yesterday.

Kabul and Washington spent months negotiating a legal framework for some U.S. troops to stay on after the end of 2014, when NATO-led forces are due to end combat operations, leaving behind a much smaller training and advisory mission.

But Karzai has said he will not sign the agreement unless certain conditions are met.

The delay has frustrated the United States and its allies, who want to plan the post-2014 training and advisory mission.

Both the United States and NATO have said they may be forced to pull their forces out of Afghanistan entirely at the end of this year unless the agreement is signed soon.

R a s m u s s e n acknowledged for the first time on Saturday that he did not expect Karzai to sign the U.S. pact and a similar pact that must be negotiated with other NATO forces.

Instead, he believed Karzai would leave the issue for the president elected in April 5 election.

Karzai has served two terms and cannot run again.

Hamid Karzai

“I think, realistically speaking, a new president will be the one to sign,” Rasmussen told reporters during the annual Munich Security Conference.

He said however he was confident that Afghanistan would sign the agreement “at the end of the day” and NATO would still have time to plan its post-2014 mission, even if it was not signed until Karzai’s successor was in office.

“Most probably, it will be for a new president to sign a security agreement and in that case we are prepared to stay after 2014,” Rasmussen said.

“If we don’t get a signature even from a new president, then we will also be

prepared to withdraw everything by the end of 2014, because in that case we don’t have a legal basis for a continued presence,” he said.

The NATO-led force currently has around 57,000 soldiers in Afghanistan, twothirds of them from the United States. Troop numbers are expected to fall to 8,00012,000 after 2014.

Rasmussen has said a complete foreign military withdrawal from Afghanistan could also jeopardise foreign military aid needed to finance the 350,000-strong Afghan security forces as well as development aid.

The foreign aid totals about $8 billion a year.

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Kaieteur News

Sunday February 02, 2014

CARJACKING TEENAGERS REMANDED A teenager accused of brandishing a broken bottle during a carjacking and relieving two city taxi drivers of their possessions appeared before the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court to answer charges for robbery.

The 17-year-old accused, Lorenzo Forde, on Friday, appeared before the Chief

Magistrate who transferred the matter to Magistrate Judy Latchman. The charges were Robbery with Violence and Robbery under Arms.

Forde, on December 26, last, while armed with a broken bottle on High Street, Kingston, Georgetown allegedly relieved Mervin Benjamin of his $2M Toyota Fielder motor car as well as

his $10,000 Ice Mobile cellular phone and cash $8,000.

Also, he and a 16-year-old accomplice, who is a resident of Lot 27 D’Urban Street, Lodge were jointly charged for Robbery with Violence.

This case involved the theft of a $1.5M Toyota Carina at Kingston, Georgetown on December 30, last where they used violence to rob Elijah

Adams of Colin Stewart’s car PKK2531. Police Inspector Joel Ricknauth objected to them being granted bail because of the serious nature and prevalence of the crimes.

As it relates to the theft of the $2M Toyota Fielder, Ricknauth explained that about 21:45 hours on December 26 (Boxing Day), the victim was operating his

car as hire when Forde and three others stopped him in the vicinity of the Cenotaph on Main Street and requested that he transport them to the Kingston Seawalls.

Benjamin agreed and Forde allegedly entered the front seat of the car whilst his friends seated themselves in the back. The Prosecution recounted that as they were along High Street, in the vicinity of the Umana Yana, they began to hit the driver and used the broken glass bottle to try to stab him in the abdomen and other parts of his body.

They relieved him of his cash and the cellular phone moments before they tossed him out his car and drove away, Ricknauth said.

The Prosecution stated that acting on ‘tip,’ Forde was

later apprehended and an Identification (ID) Parade was conducted during which the 17-year-old was positively identified by the victim as one of the youths who robbed him on Boxing Night.

On December 30, Forde and his 16-year-old accomplice robbed another taxi driver. The driver Elijah Adams, picked up four passengers who solicited his services claiming that they were venturing to the Pegasus Hotel located on Main Street, Kingston.

However, when the ‘passengers’ arrived at their ‘destination,’ they attacked the taxi driver and rendered him unconscious.

Inspector Ricknauth explained that when the victim regained consciousness, the car was stolen and he was later taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC).

Likewise, “ID Parade was held where the two suspects were placed among 12 others of similar description but the two were positively identified by the victim as two of the four that assaulted and robbed him of his car,” the Prosecution stated.

Additionally, Ricknauth told the court that Benjamin’s car was recovered (no date given) and specified that the other car was later recovered by police ranks on January 29, some four days ago.

When the charges were read to the youngsters they pleaded not guilty and submitted a bail application through Defence Attorney Paul Fung-a-Fat who stated that their case was one of mistaken identity.

Notwithstanding his application, the youth and Forde of Lot 4 Drysdale Street, Charlestown, were remanded to custody until their next court hearing which is scheduled for February 12.

Sunday February 02, 2014

Kaieteur News

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“Culture shock - get me out of here for the cricket!”

Having not been to Trinidad & Tobago for some considerable time, I suffered real culture shock for one of the few times that that has happened in my life, after arriving to participate, as a media practitioner, in the new NAGICO West Indies Cricket Board 50 Overs tournament for 2014.

Firstly, it seemed that noone at all knew that the cricket was on. Not even my favorite people at Piarco International Airport, taxi-drivers, knew that there would be quite serious regional cricket being played at Queen’s Park Oval from last Thursday to February 15 next.

It is relatively close to Carnival 2014, so one could understand the respective media houses doing the normal thing, neglecting cricket for bacchanal, carnival being the most substantial part of culture in T&T. Hence, reserves, manpower and resources are spent on that celebration than on cricket.

But I could not understand the massive traffic grid-locks on the main roads of Trinidad, from Piarco Int’l Airport to my place of abode near Valsayn, and then a similar distance from there to Queen’s Park Oval, for the cricket itself.

That drive to QPO was easily the most hazardous I have ever done!

In another life, I had driven a bus for Walt Disney World. To get to work in Central Florida, a journey of 28 miles, as the crow flies, I had to pass through Orlando, which, in December 2012, took me two hours.

But, nowhere in my lifetime have I seen traffic so chaotic and continuous as my drive to the QPO last Thursday. From start to finish, the distance from home to cricket ground must have been no more than 15 miles, yet it took me almost three hours, aided and abetted by thick smog from burning debris.

Everywhere, in every direction, one could see extremely long snaking lines of traffic. There was nowhere to turn to, nowhere to hide.

And this was not even rush hour, but mid-morning traffic.

One wonders how anything gets done anywhere in T&T, since, from very practical recent experiences, it takes ages to get from any one point to another. And the culture of the country is such that most people operate from offices.

Hence maximum individual vehicular use being so horrendous.

In this day and age, when smart phones are so good that they could launch satellites, and computers can hold entire countries’ budgets, why is it always necessary, in our 3rd world, to go to an office to operate properly?

Why not stay at home, tele-commute, and, at your own leisure, probably get more done?

But, the drive and hassle to get to QPO was really worth it for that first game in the West Indies 2014 season; Jamaica v Windward Islands, the defending 2013 50-over champions. What a game we had!

By the end of game one of the tournament, five hundred and fifty runs had been scored in 100 overs, for the loss of only thirteen wickets, and, in the end, Jamaica just eclipsing Windward Islands by 14 runs.

That does not tell the entire story at all.

Batting first, Jamaica were wobbling badly at 32-3, courtesy of the strongly built Dominican Mervin Mathew, whose tough out-swingers and off-cutters had Jamaica in a confused tizzy.

Then the “old man” of Jamaica, Tamar Lambert, perhaps a bit heavier, former captain extraordinaire, who had led Jamaica to several consecutive four-day tournament triumphs, came to the crease.

With a surprisingly inexperienced “young pup”, Andre McCarthy, playing in only his eight ‘List A’ game, Lambert pulled Jamaica from the abyss with a typical, dogmatic example of intelligent cricket.

The pair put on 179 for that 4th wicket stand, both falling when in sight of a century each; Lambert for

Colin E. H. Croft says:

Keddy Lesporis (WICB)

Andre McCarthy (WICB)

a thoughtfully constructed 88, McCarthy for an enterprising 93. But Jamaica were not done yet.

Andre Russell and Carlton Baugh, both former West Indies players, clouted the tiring Windwards for a quickfire 50 run partnership in only 3.4 overs, to take Jamaica to an impressive, if not impregnable, 282-5.

Windwards started briskly, Devon Smith and Johnson Charles, former and sometimes present West Indies players, beating Jamaica’s fast but sometimes wild opening spells for 62 in only 11 overs, a good start.

But the best innings of the game was still to come, that from another relatively new name, Keddy Lesporis of St. Lucia.

Playing with a maturity that belied his only 12 “List A” games, he and Smith, for a time, looked like they could marshal Windwards for an unlikely win, until Smith went

for a relatively laborious 52.

Lesporis then commandeered the bowling with authority, losing partners

along the way, as he batted, and battled, to his very first “List A” century, 100 not out, as Windward Islands

managed a respectable 268.

Lambert was named “man of the m a t c h ” f o r h i s indomitable contribution with bat and ball; he also got two wickets; but that innings of Lesporis was sheer class, even worth the effort of dancing with the dangers of T&T’s traffic. What a start to the competition, if only the traffic was more manageable!

Enjoy!

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Scotiabank Kiddy cricket –G\Town District St. Agnes and Ketley Primary schools registered victories when action in the Georgetown District of the Scotiabank nationwide Kiddy cricket festival continued

Kaieteur News

Sunday February 02, 2014

St. Agnes and Ketley Primary triumph GBTI/RHTY&SC Second-

yesterday at the Georgetown Cricket Club ground, Bourda.

St. Agnes overcame St. Angela’s by 29 runs. St. Agnes batted first and posted 135-3 off their allocation of 10 overs. Oswald Clarke led with 12 while Lorenzo Tracey chipped in 07 and extras

contributed 19. Amunike Hayles claimed two wickets.

St. Angela’s responded with 106-4 in 10 overs. Jared Stephen made 09 as Cayden Ferguson picked two wickets.

Ketley got the better of St. Stephen’s by 42 runs. St. Stephen’s managed 112-7 in

10 overs after taking first strike. Extras top scored with 20; Victor Browne snared 4 scalps. Ketley replied with 154-2 in 10 overs. Extras made a sterling contribution with 30, while Emmanuel Watkins effected 2 dismissals. (Zaheer Mohamed)

ary Schools cricket..

From page 70 Mourant Branch Manager Ghoeblall Mahadeo taking the salute.

RHTY&SC Secretary/CEO Hilbert Foster in brief remarks advised the students to stay in school, develop a culture of respect and discipline and most importantly to always Say No to Drugs. Foster described life as a gift from God and urged the youths to never consider suicide as any problems they would face is temporary and would go away with time.

The veteran administrator called on all the fourteen teams to play the tournament in good spirit and to be proper ambassadors for their respective schools.

He also expressed gratitude to the management and staff of GBTI for their sponsorship of the tournament.

Corentyne Secondary was adjudged the best school in the march past ahead of J.C Chandisingh Secondary.

In the female 10 overs tapeball match, Corentyne Comprehensive Secondary led by national female player Phaffiana Millington thrashed JC Chandisingh

(JCC) by 23 runs to advance to the semifinals.

Batting first CCS amassed 80 for 4 off their allotted 10 overs, Millington top scored with 33 not out (5x4), while Whitney Poyer and Tatyana Blair both supported with ten each. Bowling for JC Chandisingh Zian Yarrick took 2-1.

In reply, JCC were restricted to 57 for 7, Lisa Yorrick led with 12. Tatyana Blair returned with the ball to claim 2 for 9 for CCS. Later in the day, JCC got sweet revenge when their Under-15 team got past CCS by 39 runs in a match reduced to 20 overs due to rain. Batting first JCC reached 115 all out in 19.5 overs. S. Purbaskh hit 37 (2x4) with support from Kevin Hooper 15 and Vitendra Kumar 13.

Bowling for CCS Avinash Ramnarine took 3 for 19, Emanuel Seecharran 2 for 8 and Ronald Rowe 2 for 27. In their turn CCS were bundled out for 76. Only Surendra Budhoo with 24 and Seecharran with 12 offered any resistance with the bat.

Sayaad Pirbaksh returned the excellent figures of 6-16 from 4 overs.

Sunday February 02, 2014

Kaieteur News

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Sarwan aims to resurrect career

By Sean Devers in Trinidad In Association with Digicel, Carib Beer, Giftland Office Max, Payless Varity Store & Leisure Inn & Car Rentals At 33, former West Indies and Guyana Captain Ramnaresh ‘Ronnie’ Sarwan seems to have found a new lease on life.

The elegant right-hander, who was recently married, started off the 2014 Regional NAGICO Super50 cricket tournament in Trinidad & Tobago with a scintillating unbeaten 89 from 62 balls with 10 fours and two sixes to spur Guyana to an emphatic 114run win over Ireland at the Queens Park Oval on Friday night. He seems to be more settled mentally and more importantly a lot fitter now and the way he oozed confidence in his 49th 50-overs fifty suggested that he was almost back to Sarwan of old.

“My fitness has improved. I have been working really hard on that and my batting in the last couple of months or so. I am pleased to be getting back into some kind of form,” a visible trimmer Sarwan disclosed on Friday night after the game.

In 87 Tests, Sarwan has scored 15 centuries and averages 40.01, while in 181 ODIs he has five tons and averages a respectable 42.67.

His average in List ‘A’ is also over 40 and of his 11 hundreds at this level he has scored a Regional record three in one season in 2005 when Guyana last won the title. Brian Lara holds the overall record of four tons. Before Friday’s knock, the lad from the

Essequibo Island of Wakenaam had not passed 25 in his last nine innings in the CPL when he was Captain for the Amazon Warriors. But now with responsibility of the Captaincy off his shoulders his memorable innings against the Irish showed why he was once the number one ranked batsman in ODIs and called the ‘Finisher’ in limited overs cricket. ”Today (Friday) was one of those days when everything just clicked for me.

It was good to be back making a significant contribution to my team, especially after not having the opportunity to play much cricket after the CPL due to a wrist injury and not scoring too many in the Inter-County tournament,” Sarwan explained.

Sarwan has had his ups and downs both on and off the field in the past, but it would be unwise to write him off now, since he has this way of picking himself up and continuing the fight every time life has put him on the canvas.

He became the Region’s youngest First-Class player at 15 after making his limited over debut for Guyana at Bourda in the 1996 Final when Rajendra Dhanraj became the only bowler to claim a hat-trick against Guyana at this level. He entered Test cricket at age 20 with a stunning unbeaten 84 against Pakistan in Barbados and earmarked to become a great West Indian batsman.

On his first tour, to England in 2000, Sarwan lived up to the hype by topping the averages. His footwork, which seemed to require no early trigger movements, was strikingly confident and

Venue confirmed for Inaugural Goodwill Republic t20 cricket festival Cricketing fans in Berbice are in for a treat as Goodwill Promotions have now confirmed that the Bath Settlement Community Centre Ground on the West Coast of Berbice will be the venue for the hosting of the 1st Goodwill Republic T20 Cricket Festival slated for February 23rd, 2013 a national holiday, the organisers stated in a Press Release.

According to the organisers, two of the top clubs in Georgetown have already confirmed their participation in the festival, while confirmation was also given from the West Berbice teams. A launching will be done on a later date whereby the names of the teams will be made public.

The day is expected to feature two exciting semifinals and an invitational match, the final will be played under flood lights.

This is the first time that t20 cricket under lights will be played in West Coast Berbice. There will also be lots of side attractions so that fans can celebrate Mash in Berbice in grand style. One man band, African and Indian Drummers, Dancers, Steel pan music and much more will be part of the side entertainment.

Patrons will have a chance to win several gate prizes.

The Promotion is asking the business entities to come on board and assist this event, while several businesses have already indicated their support.

precise. But in his next series against Australia he could only manage three runs in five innings in Australia. He bounced back against India in 2001-02 and he was back to his composed best.

Sarwan, who took over as Brian Lara’s vice-captain in March 2003, required 28 matches and 49 innings to post his maiden Test century - 119 in December 2002.

Off the field, Sarwan was one of the players involved in a contract dispute with WICB and missed the first Test against South Africa in 2005. On his return he scored attractive runs, but was again overlooked for the captaincy when it was handed back to Brian Lara. After the last World Cup he was among the senior players (Chris Gayle and Shiv Chanderpaul among them) to publicly condemn the attitude of Coach Otis Gibson. His elevation to one of WIPA’s executives did not help his cause and he played his last Test in June 2011 against India in Barbados.

He was selected once again for the ODIs against India in June last year but

was dropped. So Sarwan has become accustomed to the highs and lows of life and will want to reproduce his 2005 efforts in this tournament to resurrect his International career. “We are taking one game at a time and our first aim is to reach to semi-finals.

I am hoping to continue getting some runs in this tournament and my aim is to help Guyana win this title and of course get back into the West Indies team,” Sarwan informed.

And the former Skipper feels that the 2005 success can be repeated this year if everyone pulls their weight.

“It was a total team effort, everyone who got a chance to bat made their contribution even young (Leon) Johnson batted really well towards the end. We (Guyana team) were looking at a 270 total but we accelerated well in the last few overs and reached 300,” Sarwan revealed. When asked if he thought this was a 300-pitch, since Guyana scored the highest total ever at this level at the ground a night after Jamaica had set a new ground record with their 282-5, Sarwan said, “No! I

don’t think this is a 300 total pitch we just happened to bat really well and score pretty quickly in the last part of our innings. Our team is a strong, well balanced one and tonight’s (Friday’s) victory has certainly given us confidence since it is always important to hit the road running and come away with an early win,” Sarwan added.

He has the class but now needs the consistency . A few more knocks like

Friday’s will surely take him closer to his goal of once again wearing the Maroon colours.

Sarwan should get his next chance to further stake his claim for West Indies selection when Guyana oppose defending champions Windward Islands on Tuesday in another Day/ Night encounter before playing their final preliminary round game on February 8 against Jamaica. The Guyanese collected a bonus point from their victory against the Irish.

Page 68

Kaieteur News

Sunday February 02, 2014

Letter to the Sports Editor

PURE HYPOCRISY AGAIN Mr. ROGER HARPER

DEAR EDITOR, The constitution of the Georgetown Cricket Association in Article 12 (1) specifically states “The highest authority of the Association shall be the Annual General Meeting which shall be held in the month of January on a date and at a venue to be decided upon by the Executive Committee”.

Before Mr. Harper’s term of Office commenced four years ago, all the previous GCA Presidents understood and respected this sacred document that governed them called the constitution.

I am aware that Mr. Harper attended Queens College, the very best Secondary educational institution in Guyana and surely this article in the constitution should not pose a challenge for him to read, interpret and act upon.

This article is very clear and unambiguous.

Mr. Roger Harper has once again breached the requirements of the GCA Constitution as no AGM of this association has been held during January. Mr. Harper did this same thing before, and on that occasion he claimed, even though he had been the President for an entire year, that he did not

have a copy of his own Association’s constitution.

How can a leader of an entity function effectively without even possessing, reading, understanding and being guided by the rules of that organization? Mr. Harper should be ashamed to even mouth his ineptitude in that revelation. I wonder what would be his excuse this time around.

Mr. Harper and his Executives also seem to be have forgotten about Article 15 (1) of their constitution which states “The Executive Committee shall give at least 28 days’ notice to the members of the holding of the Annual General Meeting…….and further, in the case of the Annual General Meeting the notice shall be published in a national newspaper circulating in Guyana at least One month before the holding of the Annual General Meeting”.

I spoke to at least three First Division Clubs in Georgetown and up to today (31st January 2014) not one of them had received an official notice of the GCA Annual General Meeting for 2014. This article is twopronged. Firstly, each member club has to be given notice

and also a notice has to be published in a national newspaper. This is another very clear breach of the constitution as a notice should have been sent to each individual member club.

This is gross hypocrisy

by Mr. Roger Harper since he took the Demerara Cricket Board and the Guyana Cricket Board to court, to stop Annual General Meetings that were constitutionally required and for which ample notices were given. In fact, those matters are still pending and those Boards had to put up defences to Mr. Harper’s court actions.

Mr. Harper is known to defy rules and constitutions as I was present on one occasion at an AGM of the GCA when Elections were due and Mr. Harper boisterously stated in a true dictatorial style, “I put a motion to the floor that the term of office be changed from one to two years, any objections…, motion is carried”.

Attorney at Law Mr. Glen Hanoman, a delegate for GCC, stood up and asked “Are you changing the constitution just like that?” He was vociferously scolded by Mr. Harper to have a seat as the motion was already carried.

The GCA constitution regarding alteration of its constitution in Article 20 states “The constitution of the Association may be amended on a motion before the AGM, which is supported by at least 2/3 of those eligible to vote”.

The Constitution also further states in Article 15 (1) in regards to motions for the AGM “Motions for the AGM shall be submitted to the Executive Committee at least Seven days before the date of the holding of the Annual General Meeting”. This aspect of that motion was not adhered to.

It was obvious that no one present as delegates on that day, including Mr. Glen Hanoman had any clue about a written motion to change the GCA Constitution and

they were all left literally dumbfounded by a rampaging Harper ably (mis)guided by his cohorts, the disgruntled group of Claude Raphael, Ronald Williams and Bissoondyal Singh.

However, no one should have been surprised as the exact situation exists on the East Coast where Mr. Harper’s comrade, Bissoondyal Singh, unilaterally did the exact thing and no one has a clue when his AGM will be held. These are the blatant shenanigans that these guys are performing to keep themselves in power.

How can these guys reconcile their actions?

No one in their right mind can question the tremendous exploits of Messrs. Harper and Lloyd on the field of play as they have both made this

entire nation proud of their numerous accomplishments and accolades that they racked up representing Guyana and the West Indies.

However, they continue to tarnish and destroy their otherwise stellar reputation as cricketers by allowing themselves to be manipulated and used by a bunch of disgruntl e d a n d p o w e r hungry former administrators.

These actions by these two great cricketers are surely a sad reflection of their administrative ability and lend credence to the fact that some cricketers are just not cut out to be administrators of the game. I urge the Clubs in Georgetown to put a stop to this nonsense.

Yours Sincerely, Intikhab Sankar

Broncos and Seahawks finish off Super Bowl preparations NEW YORK (Reuters) The Seattle Seahawks and the Denver Bronc o s p u t t h e finishing touches to their preparations for this weekend’s 48th Super Bowl by completing their final practice sessions on

Friday.

The NFC Champion Seahawks trained for just over an hour inside the New York Giants practice facility near MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, where Sunday’s game will

be played.

“And now, we wait” Seattle coach Pete Carroll told reporters.

“We had a great day today (Friday). We finished like I hoped we’d finish, and I thought our execution today was very good.”

Carroll said he was especially pleased with his young quarterback Russell Wilson, who is showing no sign of nerves as he prepares to play in the biggest game in his first Super Bowl in just his second season in the National Football League.

“Russell is exactly where he’s always pictured he’d be in life,” Carroll said.

“He prepares impeccably, and he has prepared like that this week. I think he is ready to play a very good game.”

The Broncos used the New York Jets training center in nearby Florham, spending almost an hour and a half indoors going through their plays.

Of the 53 players on their active roster, only defensive tackle Sione Fua sat out the session. Fua is nursing a calf injury and remains doubtful for Sunday’s title game.

“I feel good about where we are,” Fox said. “Our guys have worked hard all week, and the preparation’s been good. Excited to play the game.”

Both teams visited the MetLife Stadium yesterday for a walk-through before returning for the big game tonight.

Sunday February 02, 2014

Kaieteur News

Page 67

NSC 11-Race Mash Meet

Veteran Junior Niles humbles star studded field in feature showdown; Road Race on today

By Franklin Wilson Team Coco’s rider, Junior Niles, who has become the winning face of the Under-50 category in the National Park and on the road, has taken his winning ways a notch further.

The consistent Niles not only won the Under-50 (5-lap) race yet again but stormed to a memorable win in the feature 35-lap School Boys and Invitational contest of the National Sports Commission 11-Race National Park Meet yesterday. The race attracted 32 starters and Niles completed the distance in One Hour 17 Minutes 36.45 Seconds. It was a surprise to all present that Niles turned out to be the winner since he did not show any signs of being in the reckoning up until around three laps to go when he made a big move to break away from the main pack leaving the others in his wake.

On a windy Saturday and in overcast conditions, Raynauth Jeffrey was the leading contender after he broke away from the main pack on lap five along with Stephen Fernandes. The duo led for quite some time but was unable to keep the chasing, ten man second pack at bay until the end.

Fernandes himself was unable with the flying pace of Jeffrey and was dropped on lap 22, having kept up for quite some time. Jeffrey was left to battle on his own for a

NSC Official Arnold Sookraj (left) and other race officials pose with the respective category winners and others following the presentation of prizes. few more laps before all the big boys connected with him with ten laps remaining.

The lead changed from time to time but no one was allowed to establish a commanding advantage like Jeffrey of Team Coco’s did, earlier. However, the dark horse, Niles who was tucked in with the main bunch made a big move with three laps to go and was never caught.

Orville Hinds took the second place and was followed by Alanzo Greaves, Raynauth Jeffrey, Michael Anthony and Paul De Nobrega in that order.

Jeffrey took four of the

eight prime prizes; Paul ChooWee-Nam won two, while Niles and Hinds took one each. NSC Official Arnold Sookraj assisted with the presentation of prizes to the winners and other top performers. Race organiser Hassan Mohamed in complimenting the riders for another good day of incident free racing, informed them once again that this year will be hectic. A total of five races are set for the month of March (three road; two national park). Attention will now turn to the road ways for the first time this year in these parts with the 40-Mile

Mashramani event also sponsored by the National Sports Commission on the West Demerara.

Commencing at 08:00hrs; competitors will all move off

from the Demerara Harbour Bridge and unlike previous races which saw the veterans, mountain bike and female riders turning back at the Uitvlugt Community

Centre; riders will go all the way to Bushy Park on the East Bank of Essequibo before returning to the place of origin for the finish.

Trophy Stall sponsors RHTYSC Tapeball competition for primary schools in NA/Canje The cricket development committee of the Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club continues to attract sponsorship for youth cricket at the school level.

Following on the heels of the launching of the GBTI tournaments for under-15 and female cricketers in the lower Corentyne area, the club on Tuesday launched a tapeball competition for primary schools in the New Amsterdam/Canje/East Bank area.

Managing Director of the popular Trophy Stall, Mr.

Ramesh Sunich, handed over a set of trophies and medals for the tournament to office manager of the RHTYSC Moonish Singh in the showroom of the company recently opened store, based on South Road, Bourda.

Singh, who is also head of the RHTYSC Cricket Development Committee, stated that the main objectives of the tournament are to promote cricket as a safe avenue for children, identify new talents for the future and to promote the ‘Say no to drugs and yes to education”

message The winning team would receive a trophy and medals for its entire fourteen man squad, while the runners up and the man of the final would also receive trophies.

Members of each finalists would each receive a collection of books as part of t h e R H T Y S C “ Ye s t o reading” programmes. Club Secretary/CEO Hilbert Foster stated that in 2014, the RHTYSC would be placing special emphasis on school cricket.

He expressed gratitude to M r. S u n i c h a n d t h e

management of Trophy Stall for their continued support of the RHTYSC and its activities.

Sunich in brief remarks stated that he was pleased to be associated with the RHTYSC, which he described as a model organisation for others to emulate.

He expressed confidence that the Trophy Stall primary school tapeball tournament would be successful and like everything the RHTYSC organises, would achieve its objectives.

Trophy Stall’s Ramesh Sunich (right) hands over one of the trophies to Moonish Singh.

Page 70

Kaieteur News

Track at National Park taking shape The athletic track at the National Park is taking shape as works are ongoing despite the inclement weather. Yesterday Kaieteur Sport observed works going on at the facility. The pictures tell the story.

GBTI/RHTY&SC Secondary Schools cricket tourney starts with impressive ceremony

The first edition of the GBTI / Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club, Inter Secondary Schools cricket tournament bowled off on

Thursday last with an impressive opening ceremony at the Area ‘H’ ground.

All seven schools with

their male and female teams were on hand to participate in the colourful Anti-drugs and suicide march. They displayed educational

banners and posters promoting the Say No to Drugs and Yes to Life message, GBTI Port (Continued on page 68)

Sunday February 02, 2014

Mohammed’s Enterprise, K&B Mining back Brumell 10/10 Cricket

K&B Mining’s, Seeta Hussain making their donation to the Leroy Brumell 10/10 Softball Cricket Competition.

Supervisor of Mohammed’s Enterprise /City Mall, Deon Johnson presents their contribution to the Leroy Brumell 10/10 Softball Cricket Competition.

Mohammed’s Enterprise and K&B Mining returned to the list of sponsors for the Second Annual Leroy Brumell 10/10 Softball Cricket Competition which will be held next Sunday at Police Sports Club Ground, Eve Leary. Brumell is Commissioner of Police.

Police Sports Officer, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Colin Boyce told Kaieteur Sport that the event is aimed at continuing to

develop a good relationship between the Police and the Public, as it is extremely important to fortify such a connection.

“These two companies are on board from the commencement of the event last year and are very supportive of the Police,” Boyce said, adding that admission to the event is free and the intention is to host the events in a Family Fun Day environment.

Sunday February 02, 2014

Kaieteur News

Carolyn Deane is our Even at the tender age of thirteen years, North Georgetown Secondary School Form 2 student, Carolyn Deane, has already racked up two Most Valuable Player awards for her outstanding performances in competitions.

Deane, a member of the Old Fort Hockey Club speaking with Kaieteur Sport, said she has been involved in the sport for just around four years and was introduced to it by junior level Coach of the club Dwayne Alleyne during the organisation’s search to redevelop a female arm after years of its absence.

A naturally talented player, Deane in a short space of time have developed admirable skill and has become the lynchpin of her team over the period, exciting fans and mesmerising players with her deadly dribbles and athletic ability.

For someone who has been exposed to the game and tournaments over a short period, the reserved Deane told this newspaper of her love for the sport and the excitement she feels whenever competitions come around, which according to her, has been numerous with the game’s popularity growing steadily and Guyana’s performance, especially within the Caribbean, being noticeably consistent.

“I have grown to love the sport and competing against the other clubs has increased my passion for the sport so in addition to continuing to pursue my academic studies I would like to make the sport a career as well,” Deane said.

With the support of her parents, especially mom Faye, who she described as her chief supporter and is usually present at most of her games, Deane is hoping to someday make the cut for the national team which has been doing well internationally and gradually moving up in the world rankings.

She said her mom’s presence at tournaments is very special to her and it is one of the reasons why she would like to wear the national colours someday

Carolyn Deane

Page 71

Developmental strategies take centre stage as Football Coaches Association convenes Several pertinent topics relating to their development will be placed on the agenda when the executive members of the Guyana Football Coaches Association (GFCA) convene for an Ordinary General Meeting in the boardroom of the Guyana Football Federation Secretariat, Dadanawa Street, Section K Campbellville, Sunday February 16 next. Secretary of the GFCA, Sampson Gilbert said that among other things, his colleagues will examine their progress over the past year in office while discussing strategies to increase and strengthen their membership. He said that executives will also discuss innovative ways of broadening the knowledge base of its membership through the facilitation of seminars and other forums.

The association had been extinct for some time until

Wayne Dover

Sampson Gilbert

affiliates staged elections March last year and ever since executive members have been busy regularizing the fraternity. They have also held training sessions for teachers involved in the 3rd edition of the Digicel U-18 football championships last year and are currently conducting similar sessions

for the teachers engaged in the DDL/Scotiabank Football Academy Competition.

The other executive members are Wayne Dover (President), B r i a n J o s e p h ( Vi c e President), Sheron Abrams ( Tr e a s u r e r ) a n d K i r k Douglas (Assistant Secretary/Treasurer).

Michael Hyles appointed head coach of Upper Corentyne Cricket Association

and make her proud because she is the main source of encouragement to her.

Deane is also hoping that very shortly Old Fort can begin to dominate the local scene and informed that while a few of the girls are yet to show the sort of commitment that is necessary to do so, the majority have bought into what is required to be the best, which she pointed to as dedication and a willingness to train hard and have discipline.

“Most of the girls have begun to display that commitment to practice hard and I do believe that in the near future we will be a force to reckon with, but for sure we will show much more improvement this year,” she stated.

Quizzed on the benefits of playing hockey, she respond by saying that it helps her to focus more on her school work, while being fit allows her to think better and solve problems, especially within a team

setting.

Deane disclosed that the school she attends does not have a hockey team presently, but would like those in authority to encourage the formation of one, since it could help to steer the students in a positive direction to counter the negative influences that are existent right now.

The young player praised the leadership of Old Fort for seeing the need to revive the female component of the club and all the coaches who’ve helped her in her fledgling career to date.

She also extended similar sentiments to all the other clubs that have hosted tournaments and the Guyana Hockey Board which has been a source of encouragement to all the affiliated clubs, urging them to help the governing body spread the sport and ultimately bring a new and large nucleus of players to the game.

Former National and Berbice player Michael Hyles-Franco has been appointed head coach of the Upper Corentyne Cricket Association (UCCA).

Hyles- Franco is a fully qualified coach with training in the Caribbean and other parts of the world. He is also a former national coach and selector and is domiciled in the Upper Corentyne area. He was appointed by the association to oversee the overall development of the game in the area.

According to an executive of the UCCA, Hyles, a veteran and one of the most senior qualified coaches in Guyana, will be a tremendous asset to cricket development in the area. The experienced coach has already started his work and also met recently with the UCCA and is in the process of compiling a comprehensive programme for the development of cricket in the area.

The recently reformed UCCA has also released a review of its activities for the foregoing year which they deemed as highly successful.

However the association, which is one of three in the area, is looking forward for an even better year in 2014.

Michael Hyles-Franco During the foregoing year the UCCA organized a number of competitions, some of which were completed and some still ongoing.

Among the competitions were –the Mohabir Baljeet Sukhpaul’s Memorial trophy 20/20 competition, Hotel Riverton Suites U-19 50 over, City inn/ Inter City Taxi 10/10 tapeball Inter Primary School Competition. The Price is Right Supermarket 40-Over second division competition, which is featuring some 28 teams, is still ongoing and is at the quarterfinal stage.

The UCCA is optimistic that all the sponsors will renew their sponsorship for the year 2014.

So far, Hotel Riverton

Suites has confirmed their deal with a three year sponsorship for U19 cricket.

The board has also already secured sponsorship from Ms. Parbattie Jaggai for the playing off of an Inter Secondary School Competition for Schools on the Upper Corentyne, while a 20/20 Inter Club Cricket competition is also to begin soon. The board is also very keen on promoting lots of youth cricket 2014.

The UCCA would like to take the opportunity to thank all of its sponsors for their timely support during 2013 and look forward for their renewed and unstinted support for 2014 and the coming years. During the y e a r, 1 7 c l u b s w e r e financially affiliated to the UCCA out of a possible 28 and the executives are hoping that during 2014 all 28 active clubs will be affiliated, while looking to organise and or resuscitate a few more. Treasurer Vicky Bharosay stated that assistance were given to some clubs to have their grounds in order during 2013 and is certain that during 2014 the board will be in a better position to assist some more.

t r o Sp NSC 11-Race Mash Meet

Veteran Junior Niles humbles star studded field in feature showdown; Road Race on today P.69

Junior Niles cruises to the line in the feature race.

Oldest competitors! 72 year-old Maurice Fagundes (right) and 71 year-old Anthony â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Uncle Joeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Fariah

Michael Hyles appointed head coach of Upper Corentyne Cricket Association P71

Sarwan aims to resurrect career P.67

Ramnaresh Sarwan

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