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Kaieteur News
Kaieteur News Printed and Published by National Media & Publishing Company Ltd. 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown, Guyana. Publisher: GLENN LALL Editor: Adam Harris Tel: 225-8465, 225-8491. Fax: 225-8473, 226-8210
EDITORIAL
The fate of loose societies The strength of any society depends on the relationship between the people in that society. In the ancient times communities trusted themselves and regarded outsiders with distrust. Many are the battles that erupted between communities. As could be expected the stronger communities won and those were the ones that shared close bonds either through a strong leader or because for the greater part everyone was related. As the world expanded communities became nations and pretty soon there was need to establish bonds of unity, the need for the people to recognize that they were the ones who were responsible for holding the nation together. The result were symbols of nationhood-flags, anthems and coat of arms. These were carryovers from the days when kings and queens ruled the landscape. Guyana, for all its independence and its symbols of nationhood, has never been a closely knit society. First, the ethnic divide made this almost impossible. To this day there is hatred between the various ethnic groups with the darkest of the races being reserved for the greatest hatred. As a result the uncaring nature of the society came to the fore. People would see a neighbour being assaulted and would more often than not, withdraw to the confines of their homes. In rural Guyana where communities tended to be more tightly knit and this remains the case to this day, neighbours would readily respond to the plight of the other. Many a thief came to realize this with anguish. In these days of guns many neighbours would not respond with the alacrity of those of yesteryear but cases of people leaving their homes with pieces of wood and cutlasses are not unheard of. In the city where people have never really grown close to each other one sees the worse of human behavior at the best of times. Last week a young man climbed on the roof of a building in the city, threatening to commit suicide. Immediately a crowd gathered. There were a few who hailed from rural communities who beseeched the young man to come down and to consider better options but there were those who invited him to jump, to stop playing games with his anti-man self. They shouted to the young man that he was bluffing. It is now known that a policeman blindsided the young man and snatched him from the edge of the building, thus thwarting any possibility of suicide. Some may argue that the people who screamed at the young man to take the plunge might have been looking for some excitement in their lives. Had the young man jumped and pasted himself on the roadway below then these people would have had a talking point for the rest of their lives. However, most feel that these are the heartless among us. There was a similar case the other day. A homeowner shot and killed a fifteen-year-old who had entered his house with two accomplices to commit a robbery. Some in the society said that the homeowner should have effected an arrest since the boy was only a kid who might have been misguided. But many said that the homeowner was within his rights; that today’s killers are all young men and they should be expunged from the face of the earth. It may be that we have come to recognize that there are not too many helping hands out there so the ideal thing would be to keep to oneself. There would be less sharing and less association. This trend extends to the beggars and to strangers on the streets. As is the case in the big cities we have learned to not see people, not even in our peripheral vision. This recognized by the criminals who now attack people in broad daylight knowing that the community is hardly likely to rush to help.
Thursday February 06, 2014
Letters... Where your views make the news
Is there a way out for efficient contractors “lacking in capacity”? DEAR EDITOR, When the Procurement Act received the President’s Assent in 2003 the establishment of the Procurement Commission was already part of the Constitution. Since the President’s Assent in 2003, two PPP/C Presidents of Guyana took the Oath of office—one in 2006 and the present one in 2011. Each solemnly pledged to uphold the Constitution as it was then. Did they take the Oath with a “mental reservation”? There are reasons why the ruling party will not like the provisions of the Procurement Commission. First, its members are chosen not by the Minister, but by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the National Assembly. This method goes against one -party control. With the power in the hands of the Minister, as in the Broadcast Authority Act, 32 becomes 33 and 33 becomes 32. Secondly, the Procurement Commission, once appointed, takes over the review, functions and the “grievance procedure” of the hand-picked National P r o c u r e m e n t a n d Te n d e r Administration (NPTA.) Next, the Cabinet loses its “backstopping” veto power over the decisions of its own hand-picked NPTA, appointed solely by the Minister, in effect by the PPP. Luncheon was kind enough to reveal that in Guyana “democratic centralism” is an applied state doctrine. The Procurement Commission will cut these privileges. The commission can refer disputes about contracts to a tribunal appointed under an Act of parliament. An aggrieved party can refer a decision of such a tribunal to the Court of Appeal for a final ruling. All of these measures stand in the way of the paramountcy of any party. The President, on December 8, 2013, announced support for the Procurement Commission, but he does not want the Veto over the NPTA to pass to the Commission, as the Act requires. The commission became necessary because of long demonstrated unfairness in the award of contracts since the days of what we called “The Gang of Four.” This powerful Gang had one virtue. It treated non-PPP Indians and Africans equally. In correcting this unfairness, the PPP Procurement Acts created a machinery chosen by the party’s Minister of Finance. Their control of everything was bound to break down. When one of the power centres in the contracting sector lost out, he took his comrades to court, and the consequent judgment essentially damaged the prestige of the Procurement Authority for all time. The procurement ruling opens to question NPTA’s fairness, even within the favoured circle. (Please see my article ‘The Procurement Act 2003’ in SN of April 4, 2004) Sadly for those now excluded from the tendering process, namely African contractors, largely inactive for some years, the written laws offer no hope. E v e n w i t h t h e C o m m i s s i o n ’s establishment, tendering can remain a
scramble and a rivalry among the accustomed pre-qualified and privileged tenderers. This remark will attract strong criticism, but it is better to s o u n d t h e w a r n i n g n o w. T h e commission has no function to include those excluded. It can merely request a change of the rules. For reasons known to him, President Ramotar has announced the PPP’s conditional support for the Commission. A new government bill to amend the Procurement Act will remove the section of the existing Act which takes away the “No Objection” power from the Cabinet and transfers it to the Commission. Leaving the No Objection power with the Cabinet and after the establishment of the Commission will be a new area of contention. Next the government will try to amend the Constitution to get rid of the ample powers of review vested in the Commission. In both cases the National Assembly is central. In his press briefing of December 8, the President is reported as saying “Guyana, as it stands, now has given up more authority in that area than any other government in the Caribbean. We are the only Cabinet that does not award contracts.” It should be recalled that Guyana was also the only country in the
Caribbean in which a UN special official found noteworthy discrimination against African Guyanese contractors. The government’s apologist on that occasion admitted that African Guyanese contractors played a minor role in government’s contracting, but explained it by saying that they “lacked capacity.” As a long time observer of the sector, I would add that they also lost capacity heavily and progressively during the 18 years (1992 to 2010) and later of the PPP rule. While the Procurement Commission will bring independent monitoring and oversight to the procurement process, it will not by itself change the balance of ethnic and political participation in government contracting. The procuring entity may require a contractor or supplier that has been prequalified to demonstrate again it is in accordance with the same criteria used to prequalify such supplier or contractor. How can they have all of these after 20 years of undeserved idleness? How can they prove “reputation” and “experience” after inactivity or very low activity for two decades? In addition, Section 7 provides that suppliers or contractors are permitted to (Continued on page 7)
THE RODNEY COI WILL REQUIRE A NON PARTISAN APPROACH DEAR EDITOR, The General Secretary of the PPP Mr. Clement Rohee is reported to have urged the government, of which he is a member, to “move expeditiously to e s t a b l i s h t h e Wa l t e r R o d n e y Commission of Inquiry.” (Kaieteur News, January 7th, 2014). I support Mr. Rohee’s call. After all it was in 2005 that the National Assembly adopted a motion on the need for such an inquiry and since then there have been calls publicly for one to be launched. Will this be done soon as expected? However, given the charged (some might say toxic) political environment
which unfortunately is our current lot, it is most desirable that those whose responsibility it is for making the inquiry a reality are circumspect and open with respect to the process of implementation and the conduct of the inquiry. They should so comport themselves that there can be no suspicion that the inquiry is being used to serve partisan rather than national interests. Any such contamination of the inquiry would impair one of its potential benefits. This is its role as “part of a healing process” which Mr. Rohee asserts the PPP believes. Rashleigh E Jackson
Recycling dysfunctionality DEAR EDITOR, The ambiguities of decisionmaking – from Timehri to Corriverton. Different strokes for different folks. The inanities of decision-making, the counter-productivity inherent in the superficial show of discipline. Transfer the malfunctionaries to another locale where they may be better tolerated, where they can boast to their new and apprehensive colleagues of their cloak of immunity, and set themselves up as examples to be emulated, safe in the knowledge that decision-making would at least be consistent in dealing with any future, similar misbehaviour by colleagues of whatever rank (or odour) would only be
subject to fumigated transfers. Somewhere, sometime down the road, when the dysfunctionalities, unrecorded as they may be, become unremembered, it is quite possible that these creators of civil protest would have been upgraded in the hierarchy, and become positioned to exercise their certified expertise to ensure that new recruits follow in their dysfunctional footsteps. It would be but a triumphal culmination of the decision-making process. Who was it that observed to the effect: you cannot solve the problems you have if you are of the same mind when you created them. E.B. John
Thursday February 06, 2014
Kaieteur News
Letters... Where your views make the news
An open letter to the Top Cop and Army Chief DEAR EDITOR, The spate of teenage violence and criminal behaviour in Guyana must be of concern to every right-thinking person. While the government continues to play politics with this dangerous reality more of our children fall victim to this raging cycle of criminal behaviour. Despite the regime’s intransigence and public denial that crime and violence has been on the upsurge, I know that there are others who are concerned about this dire situation, and care enough to take action. No longer can we wait for this regime to do its job and act on behalf of our children. It is, therefore, important that we act before we are all consumed by this vicious cycle of crime. I therefore, make a special appeal to the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Leroy Brumell and Chief of Staff of the Guyana Defence Force, Brigadier Mark Phillips, to review the recruitment policy of their respective organizations with a view of developing a comprehensive programme to attract many of our young people into these institutions. We need to get out into the communities, schools, youth organizations and every place where young people congregate, and make a ‘sales pitch’ to our children. Let them know that the disciplined services offer opportunities for them, let them know that they can turn negative energy into positive contributions. Our children must know that these organizations are open to them; they must know that these entities are not their enemies. The jobless rate among our youth will continue to be a huge challenge because of poor economic policies but these
organizations can open their doors, even if only to provide apprenticeship. Are we better off aiding and abetting their criminal career? Are we better off slaying them when we confront them in our homes? Are we better off having them languish in jail cells? Are we better off just blaming their parents? Are we better off adopting a “Rohee/ PPP/C attitude towards crime and violence in the country? Certainly not! Let us work to stem this dangerous tide. These children are our children, they must be rescued! Let us be proactive on this issue. Let us speak to the young people, for their voices and outlook on life will be critical in helping to find solutions to the many challenges they face. We all must act to stop our children from falling through the cracks. These children live in the same society we exist in, they are our neighbours. We visit the same barber shop, buy groceries in the same stores, we breathe the same air. It is not sufficient to be satisfied with the fact that our biological children are doing “just fine”, we have to be concerned about those around us. We cannot simply render these children criminals and write them off. Some kind of effort must be made to deal with this problem of youth crime and violence. I know there are many who are truly concerned. Let’s act now. Maybe it is time for an open discussion on why the PPP/C government made it its priority to disband the Guyana National Service. Maybe, just maybe, many of these children might have been learning a trade. Lurlene Nestor
Being more careful on our roads DEAR EDITOR, Recently, I asked one of my friends something pertaining to traffic, and he invited me to a conference that they are supposed to have in March, where I could submit a few ideas to help make the road a better place. I agreed to attend. After recently reading about an accident in which a seven-year-old lost her life, I decided to pen this letter expressing my disgust about these unwanted deaths that are occurring by accidents. Before reading the report, people would jump to the conclusion that it’s the driver’s fault, but lots would be said about drivers and in most cases they might be right. I have three children and the eldest being a seven-yearold girl also, and we (my wife and I) try our best to avoid having her and her siblings on the public road, but some things can’t be avoided. Her school is in a village far away and we would take her to the school and pick her up, but in some cases her aunt would drop her off whilst passing our home and we ensure one of us is there before she reaches, so that she wouldn’t have to cross the road alone. Lots of minibus operators are always late and they
cannot spend an extra minute to see a child across the road or inquire if he/she has to cross the road and assist them. We always reminded our daughter not to cross the road alone or play on it if we couldn’t make it, or ask someone to cross her. Why a seven-year-old girl is on the public road by herself is a question that should be asked! As a small boy growing up, I was always advised not to talk to strangers and to date, lots of parents are still practicing that, because they are not advising them properly. It is dangerous. Many times I would see small children on the road attempting to cross it, some would answer and allow me to cross/guide them over and some of them would simply look at me then look away, and make me feel stupid for asking. Why aren’t parents advising their children to wait until someone comes, and ask for assistance in crossing a public road? It is high time we stop with that way of thinking; if you are training your children not to talk to strangers, don’t make them be where their life is at risk by themselves! There are an abundance of pedestrian crossings and many children don’t use
them. Their parents are not training them to use them. In some cases, motorists always seem to be in a hurry; they are not aware that a pedestrian crossing exists at a certain point, and there is no sign informing them of its presence. It is no secret that a number of drivers “buy” their licence, and they could hardly read, so reading the road signs might be a hard thing for them. Minibus and taxi operators seem to be later than anyone else and they hardly pay attention to road signs. Their errant attitudes cause many accidents and lack of evidence makes them escape justice. There are lots of cases where vehicles are parked on the road and when someone wants to cross, they both go behind or in front of the parked vehicle and rush to cross, when they or an approaching driver cannot see until it’s too late. Why can’t they just wait until the vehicle moves or move a little distance away from the vehicle where they could clearly see both directions and cross? I will be penning a few more observations that could make road users more careful and avoid unnecessary deaths. Sahadeo Bates
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Thursday February 06, 2014
Don’t play politics with Blame game continues over the Anti-Money Laundering Bill Anti Money Laundering Legislation After storming out of the meeting of the select committee on Monday, the Opposition boycotted the February 4, meeting. APNU’s Carl Greenidge and Jaipaul Sharma, are the only two members of the committee dealing with the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) (Amendment) Bill, who have indicated that they are out of the country. Nevertheless, in the interest of time, the members of the Government side proceeded to examine the new submissions that were received. The committee is slated to meet again tomorrow. Government’s Chief Whip and Presidential Advisor on Governance, Gail Teixeira, assured that on the part of the Administration, no effort will be spared to meet the February 13 deadline; however, this is not up to the Government alone. There is urgent need for the Opposition to take a forthright and principled position in the interest of the nation. She was at the time speaking on programme titled ‘The Conversation’ aired on the National Communications Network (NCN) RANSOM It is the intention of the Government to return the Bill to the National Assembly by
- Teixeira February 10 or February 11. Teixeira said that the Opposition is yet to propose any amendments they want to see effected to the Bill. “How can you be telling the country that the Bill needs to be strengthend and more comprehensive and you haven’t said, in the committee, what must be done…Clearly this is bullyism and holding the Government and the nation at ransom.” The Chief Whip said that the inconsistent positions that the Opposition, particularly APNU, has taken on this issue is worrying and has left many bewildered. ULTIMATUM She recalled that around mid January, Opposition Leader, David Granger in a public statement had assured that the Bill will be passed by February 13. This news was welcomed by the Government and Prime Minister Samuel Hinds issued a statement the very next day acknowledging Granger ’s position and expressing similar optimism from the Government side. However on January 29, a letter was sent to President Donald Ramotar, while he was in Havana, Cuba, attending the Community of Latin America and Caribbean States (CELAC) Meeting of
Heads. In this letter, the APNU changed course from its previous position. APNU essentially presented the Head of State with an ultimatum, that its members will withhold their support for the AML/CFT Bill if he (the President) does not assent to the Bills which he sent back to the Parliament without his assent on the basis of their constitutionality. The Chief Whip, who also chairs the committee that is dealing with the Bill, said that should the February deadline informed that should this deadline be missed, it is highly probable that the international body, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) will put Guyana under a prima facie review. This would be much more stringent in terms of the standards and requirements that have to be complied with than that of the preliminary review conducted by the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF), the regional body. While this is being done, Guyana will remain blacklisted, but more importantly, the banking, insurance and financial systems will be required to take protective actions against Guyana. As it stands right now, they have only been issued advisories to take precautionary measures. (GINA)
There has been for quite some time now, an incessant back and forth between the political Opposition and the ruling administration over who is to be blamed for the non passage of the Anti Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AMLCFT) legislation which has left Guyana blacklisted by the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFAFT). General Secretary of the Peoples Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) Clement Rohee, commenting on the “blame game” being hurled back and forth between the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), Alliance For Change, (AFC) and the PPP/ C said that both negatives and positives can be derived since it brings out the “polemics” of the arguments of those “casting blame on one side or the other.” More importantly, Rohee stressed that “the body that pronounces on these matters in Paris later on in March this year will bring an end to this blame game because then the chickens will come home to roost and then we will actually know the price that the country …the nation and the people of Guyana will have to pay as a result of the
Home Affairs Minitser Clement Rohee Opposition’s filibustering.” Rohee made mention of the Opposition walking out of the Parliamentary Select Committee (the body that was agreed upon by both parties to articulate their concerns over the AML legislation before it’s laid in the National Assembly) because of what he (Rohee) opined is “some rather frivolous arguments about media presence and private sector presence while the meetings are going on.” The General Secretary expressed that “you can’t blow hot and cold on transparency issues.” He
added that he sees nothing wrong is making available what transpires at the Select Committee of Parliament unless it is a “secret meeting” determined by the members themselves. “The private sector community has a role to play in all of these things, so you know as I said if you are committed to transparency, you have to do transparency; not only talk transparency” said Rohee. He explained that the perception is that a joke is being made out of the blacklisting issue and that “we are not serious that it’s happening.” He however stressed that it is serious business and only when “we begin to see certain visible signs then we will begin to believe.” Rohee related that based on the signs that he is receiving from the Opposition, there isn’t much optimism of the Bill being passed in time for the plenary meeting which he said will be held soon to see if Guyana has complied with CFATF regulations. “We have to keep our eyes on the Opposition ball. I think the government has been much more than consistent on these matters.”
Eccles biker’s killing…
EDUCATION MINISTRY Witnesses testify as PI for Randy Jagdeo gets underway MAY CLOSE SCHOOLS The Ministry of Education is on high alert following reports of possible high intensity rainfall expected over the next 24 hours. Reports from the
Ministry of Agriculture indicate that a high intensity weather pattern, which is at present over the Atlantic, could result in rainfall of 45 to 80mm over a 24-hour period. This weather pattern which was expected to commence last evening, is expected to be at its maximum capacity on Thursday. The Hydromet Department says there is a 70 percent chance
that the weather pattern will remain as predicted. Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand, has directed a team to closely monitor the situation and is asking parents to be cognizant of this hydromet warning and as far as they can the reality surrounding their children’s school tomorrow prior to taking or sending said children to school.
Three witnesses were yesterday called to testify on behalf of the Prosecution as the Preliminary Inquiry (PI) into the death of biker, Kirk Davis, commenced at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court. The preliminary inquiry is being heard by Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry. On November 21, last year the Prosecution stated that it will be leaning on eight witnesses to establish a case of murder against businessman Randy Jagdeo. Jagdeo, 27, of Lot 159 Third Street Alexander Village, Georgetown is said to have murdered Davis at his Eccles, East Bank Demerara residence on September 3, last year. At yesterday’s hearing, Randy Davis, the biker’s brother, was the first to take the stand. He told the court of the part he played in conducting of the post mortem of his brother’s body. Next to give evidence in the matter was the biker’s employee, Carlos Da Santos Fiedtkou, who is said to have lived with Davis. Fiedtkou
Dead: Kirk Davis
Accused: Randy Jagdeo
testified to what he would have witnessed at the time of the alleged shooting. The third witness was Detective Corporal Wittingham, a crime lab photographer attached to the Criminal Investigations Division Headquarters, Eve Leary who, under oath related what he did during the investigation of the murdered man. At the request of Corporal Bharat Mangru, who prosecuted, the Detective Corporal will return
to court today to continue giving his evidence. The Water Street businessman allegedly ventured to Davis’ house and invited him into his car then shot him 15 times about his body before he tossed him out of his vehicle. Jagdeo subsequently fled the jurisdiction then later surrendered. Davis’ bullet-riddled body was picked up and taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC).
Thursday February 06, 2014
Kaieteur News
Letters... Where your views make the news
Promotion of collective bargaining in enterprises DEAR EDITOR, One of the oldest mottos of the workers’ education movement is “Knowledge is Power”. The promotion of collective bargaining obviously presupposes the presence of the parties at the bargaining table and therefore the designation of the organizations that will represent the workers. The Right to Organize and Collective Bargaining Convention (No. 98) calls on States to take measures to encourage and promote voluntary collective bargaining. It refers specifically to “the full development utilization of machinery for voluntary negotiation”. Importance is placed on the voluntary nature of collective bargaining, thus limiting the State’s direct role in the process. However, this is balanced with the concept of “Promotion”: a State is not entitled to remain indifferent with respect to collective bargaining. While the International Labour Organization (ILO) supervisory bodies have not determined an “ideal” collective bargaining system, they have identified practices and procedures that promote collective bargaining. The recognition of representative trade unions for the purpose of collective bargaining, good faith bargaining, the prohibition of unfair labour practices, and mediation conciliation procedures have been identified in this context, all of which are provided for in all Guyanese jurisdiction. Once certification is granted, either party can give notice to begin collective
bargaining. When notice to bargain is given, the employer again must refrain from unilaterally changing terms and conditions of employment, and both the union and the employer are obliged not only to bargain, but to bargain in good faith. Good faith bargaining is important in the view of the ILO supervisory bodies “for the maintenance of harmonious development of labour relations”. Although good faith bargaining requires the parties to reach an agreement, it does require them to make every reasonable effort to enter into collective agreement. In this context, the Committee on Freedom of Association has noted the importance of genuine and constructive negotiations and avoidance of unjustified delays. The committee has also stated that agreements, once reached, should be binding on the parties, which is the case of collective agreement under the laws of Guyana. ILO Convention 154 (Convention concerning the promotion of collective bargaining 1981) Article 5 stated: 1. Measures adapted to national condition shall be taken to promote collective bargaining. 2. The aims of the measures referred to in paragraph 1 of Article shall be the following: a) collective bargaining should be made possible for all employers and all groups of workers in the branches of activity covered by this Convention; b) collective bargaining should be progressively
Is there a way out for efficient contractors... From page 4 partake in the participation process without regard to nationality. Thus the majority of home-based contractors are open to unequal competition, which may be legally “fair” competition from home and abroad. It has been claimed that the situation described by the UN was not due to discrimination. A Guyanese poet in
Maryland, Arnold Bathersfieid, has published a new volume of poetry “No Way Out”. Dr Jagan spoke eloquently about equal opportunity legislation. Others are also on record. Is there a way out at home for efficient contractors “lacking in capacity”? Good question! I hope to attempt an answer. Eusi Kwayana
extended to all matters covered by subparagraphs (a) determining working and terms of employment; and/or, (b) regulating relations between employers and workers; and/or (c) regulating relations between employers or their organizations and a workers’ organization or workers’ organizations, of Article 2 of this Convention; c) the establishment of rules of procedure agreed between employers’ and workers’ organizations should be encouraged; d) collective bargaining should not be hampered by the absence of rules governing the procedure to be used or by the inadequacy or inappropriateness of such rules; e) bodies and procedures for the settlement of labour disputes should be conceived as to contribute to the promotion of collective bargaining. Finally, let it be emphasised that the organization and content of labour training for Trade Unionists must take into account certain guiding principles, including timeliness and relevancy, so as to ensure that immediate and emerging problems facing the Trade Union Movement in our country at the national, local and industry-wide level, are organized in terms of priority concerns and presented from a practical problem-oriented point of view, taking into account their direct impact on the lives of the workers. In the words of late Nelson Mandela, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the World” Sherwood Clarke General President Clerical & Commercial Workers’ Union
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More than 2,500 teenage pregnancies in Trinidad and Tobago annually PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad - CMC – Education Minister Dr. Tim Gopeesingh said many men were getting away with statutory rape after indicating that more than 2, 500 teenage pregnancies are reported annually in Trinidad and Tobago. Dr. Gopeesingh, speaking in the Se n a t e , s a i d t h a t most of the teenagers had become pregnant for fathers who were between the ages of 25-40 and that some of the mothers were below the ages of 12. The Education Minister told legislators research by the Faculty of Medical Science of the University of the West Indies (UWI) showed that by age 19, more than 1,000 young women already had four children. D r. G o p e e s i n g h , a gynaecologist with more than 27 years practice, described the situation as “frightening” saying that for every 15 new patients in the ante-natal, 10 were teenagers. He said the country could not continue to ignore the statutory rape of teenagers adding it was necessary to apprehended the fathers engaged in the practice so as to induce “fear
Dr. Tim Gopeesingh among the perpetrators” that “t could serve as a deterrent to statutory rape. “It is a n i s s u e o f socialisation and what these teenagers are looking for. When you question them, even when I was in my own practice…they said they were looking for some degree of love. They felt they were not loved,” he said. According to figures released here on Tuesday, between 2008 and 2012,
there were four reported cases of girls attending primary schools who gave birth and Dr. Gopeesingh said between the same period the Ministry of Education received reports of 153 cases of teenage pregnancy. But the figure could be higher, as The Ministry of Education said the cases were only those reported to its Student Support Services. Dr. Gopeesingh said there was under - r e p o r t i n g o f teenage pregnancies and that many pupils merely dropped out of school and that the authorities were not able to track those pupils. Dr. Gopeesingh said the Ministry of education was reforming the primary school curriculum and the secondary school curriculum with morals, values and ethics, character development, citizenry development, physical education, visual and performing arts and health and family life education being added to the curriculum. He said social studies, with some degree of sex education, formed part of the secondary school programme.
Thursday February 06, 2014
Hotel employee killed by out of control pick-up truck
The pickup truck ended up on its side several metres away. A female hotel employee was last night killed on the spot when an out of control pick-up truck slammed into her while she was standing outside the Ocean View International Hotel at Liliendaal, East Coast Demerara. The woman whose name was given as Lovina Tull of Melanie Damishana, East Coast Demerara, had just left work at the City Holiday Inn also located at Liliendaal, and was awaiting transportation to get home at around 21:30 hours when the pick-up hurled her body several feet into the Ocean View Hotel’s compound. The vehicle ended up on its side about 80 meters away after slamming into a utility police, severing the electric wires and ripping apart a huge section of the hotel fence. Another woman who was standing with Tull escaped unhurt by running to safety when she saw the vehicle careening towards them. The woman, an employee of the Ocean View Hotel and who gave her name as
Annetta, was still in shock when this newspaper arrived on the scene about 30 minutes after the accident. She told Kaieteur News that she would normally wait for Tull so that they can catch a bus together since they were living in t h e s a m e village. “When she came over the road she told me good night and I said good night to her and next thing I look up the road and I see this car coming towards us and I run inside de yard. She probably didn’t see it because she had her umbrella in her hand which maybe was covering her face,” Annetta said. She said she heard the sound of the vehicle hitting Tull and started to scream, “because I know she gone…when I look back I see she lie down.” She said that she thought that the vehicle had sped away but when she checked minutes later, she saw it in a ditch several metres away. A taxi driver, who said he witnessed the accident, recalled that the pick-up sped
past him about 1000 meters from the entrance to the Ocean View Hotel. He said that the vehicle apparently hit a pool of water near a bend in the road, causing the driver to lose control. “I see he start to wobble and I hear he hit something and he fly in and fly out and then slam into dis drain,” the taxi driver stated. A fellow employee of the dead woman said that shortly after the accident, he received a telephone call from the woman’s husband, enquiring about her. “She husband call me and ask me if she ain’t knock off yet, I say ‘Buddy, you wife just dead, come down quick’,” the colleague stated. Tull’s body was picked up from the Ocean View International Hotel compound and transported to the Georgetown Hospital where she was officially pronounced dead. The driver of the pick-up was taken into police custody and is assisting with the investigations.
Man stabs brother-in-law during gambling row Doctors are trying to save the life of a 23year-old Queenstown carpenter, Kurt Walcott, who sustained a stab wound to the chest. His assailant was fellow villager and relative, 25-year-old, Andrea Peter, a Jet man. Police said Walcott’s condition is serious. Doctors performed emergency surgery on Walcott, yesterday morning. Reports stated that Walcott and Peter were gambling under a mango tree some time
around14.15hrs Monday afternoon, at Sand Reef, Queenstown Village, on the Essequibo Coast when a heated argument ensued over money. Peter, who is Walcott’s brother-in-law, allegedly had a knife on his person and reportedly inflicted a stab wound to Walcott’s chest before fleeing. Walcott was transported to the Suddie Public Hospital while the police are seeking Peter.
Taxi driver shot by carjackers A taxi driver was shot in the buttocks when bandits hijacked his silver grey Toyota Premio motorcar last night. Details of the incident are sketchy but this newspaper learnt that Wayne Estwick, 41, of Meadowbrook was shot by bandits who relieved him of his car. The incident occurred on Aubrey Barker Road, South Ruimveldt. Estwick reportedly went to the hospital where he was admitted, while a report was made to the police. An all station message was immediately dispatched but up to late last night the car had not been recovered.
Thursday February 06, 2014
Kaieteur News
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SITTINGS OF SELECT COMMITTEE SHOULD NOT BE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC Sittings of the full House of the National Assembly are open to members of the public. Sittings of Special Select committees are not. The reasons why Bills are sent to a Special Select Committee are multifold. Firstly, they are sent there because there was an understanding between the political parties of the previous parliament that important and controversial matters would first be discussed within select committees before being brought back to the full House for approval. Secondly, Bills are sent to select committees so that they may be refined for eventual resubmission to the House. As part of this process of refinement, it may become necessary for the Committee to invite testimony from experts on the subject matter of the Bill before the Select Committee. Experts may be invited to give their opinions and the members of the committee will then have to consider whether and how to incorporate these opinions into the revised Bill that will be sent to the House. Thirdly, sending a matter to a Select Committee allows for political compromise. Within the Select Committee, the parties may discuss in a
less contentious atmosphere the various clauses of a Bill. These discussions are usually less acerbic than in the full House and the nature of the discussion allows for all sides to be considered because the environment in the Committee is more conducive to this than in the full House. There may even be some form of horse trading behind the scenes whereby one party pledges support for one clause in exchange for the inclusion of another clause or an amendment. This is more easily accommodated within Select Committees sittings and is one of the advantages of referring a Bill to a Select Committee Members of the public do not attend sittings of Select Committee either as observers or as spectators. It is strictly a confidential sitting even though verbatim records are kept of the proceedings. The public does not therefore see what takes place within Select Committees and their opinions of relations between the various sides of the House are based mainly on what they see when the full House Assembly sits. The image that is formed is not usually a nice one. They see a combative atmosphere. They leave the
Dem boys seh...
Bug talk mek police get beat up Dem children in school got a new game dem does play when school dismiss. Dem does form a circle and sing Bharrat got Bobby, Rob de Earth got Terry, Ah Kneel got Clifton and Ganga got Kwame. Is a nice song but dem boys trying to find out de meaning. Of course dem got an idea bout Rob de Earth and Terry. Dem did hear Terry buy some concession fuh US$6 million. People seh that only rich people could afford a claim like that but dem boys know different. De word out there is that Rob de Earth tek way somebody claim and give Terry. De money is just to stop people from asking questions. Dem boy seh is not only he got money. Bharrat got money too, plenty money. But sometimes when a man got nuff money people does feel sorry fuh he. This is one man who got people worrying about who he gun lef he money for when he dead. He ain’t got a chick or a child. He got sisters but dem might travel before he because he still young. But then again, dem always got de junkies who does move in when a place lef empty fuh too long. Then police does get busy when somebody complain. If this thing wasn’t serious dem boys woulda laugh. Three prisoners beat a police constable and all because de man tell he colleagues that de station got bug. De three prisoners was coming out of de court and de same time a minibus was passing de police station playing loud music. This prisoner hear de word bug and he think that de policeman telling he friends something else. Suh when de policeman approach dem wid a baton in he hand dem boys ain’t tek no chance. De next thing dem see is that de policeman put he hand in he pocket. One of dem think was a condom he was reaching for so was blows from de start. In de end dem tek way de baton and dem boys hear de policeman hollering. Talk half and wonder wha happen to de baton.
public gallery during sittings of the full House feeling that the sides are at great odds with each other and that personal relations are strained. In the full House also, there is a high risk of political grandstanding and playing to the gallery. There is hardly any compromise when the full House meets, except during the odd periods when there is unanimous support for Bills and legislation. This however, is not the full picture because the reality within Select Committees is totally different from what exists when the full House meets. A great deal of progress is usually made in
Select Committees. The banter heard within the full House is almost absent and the personal exchanges are far more civil and respectful. Indeed the environment within Select Committees is far more amicable than what exists in the House. And therefore more progress can be achieved. If sittings of Select Committees are open to the public that increases the risk of political grandstanding and playing to the gallery. For that reason and the fact that public hearings can reduce the pace of compromise amongst the sides, select committees should not be made public. There is no need for the
private sector to be invited to sittings of Select Committees. Their presence there of course may help in determining who is telling the truth when it comes to the causes of impasses. But their presence will also mean that much of the haggling that takes place behind the scenes will be stifled. Without compromise, the Bill when presented to the National Assembly will not enjoy passage because it will not reflect the wishes of those who hold the majority. If APNU gave assurances to the Private Sector Commission that it would not object to the PSC sitting in at sittings of Select Committees,
then it is for APNU to explain why it gave such an assurance and why now it is reportedly seemingly reneging on this agreement. APNU would however, be on solid ground if its position is that on the basis of principle there should be no observers at sittings of Select Committee. The presence of the public at Select Committee sittings changes the character of those sittings and should be discouraged because it is counterproductive.
CJ’s ruling failed to observe parliamentary procedure - Granger Opposition Leader Brigadier (retired) David Granger has said that Opposition members in the House of Assembly will not be stifled by the ruling of the Chief Justice, which in his view seeks to restrict the functions of the Parliamentary Opposition. Yesterday, Granger indicated that Chief Justice (ag) Ian Chang failed to acknowledge the existence of parliamentary procedures when he ruled that the Opposition cannot reduce budget estimates forwarded in the House by the government’s Finance Minister. Granger warned that a “car crash” may be the best description of the scenario that lies ahead in relation to the upcoming budget. He said, “We feel that if there was no consensus on the budget or, prior to its presentation or if the government went ahead to deliver a budget to the National Assembly which did not incorporate some concerns of the Opposition, it will be a car crash.” Granger said that no budget consultations were held for the 2014 budget,
which by now would have already been completed. Coupled with that, the ruling by the CJ has failed to acknowledge the presence of parliamentary procedures. Granger explained that like any other Bill that goes through the parliament there is a process that must be followed. He said that the Minister would lay the budget and the Speaker would dissolve the House to the Committee of Supply, where the budget is debated, sometimes for weeks. He continued that each line item is scrutinized and voted on. However throughout the process the Opposition would indicate its approval/ disapproval before the final reading of the budget and its subsequent passing or refusal. He emphasized however, that this is the procedure with every Bill that is presented in the House and it should be no different when it comes to the budget. The Opposition Leader added that the CJ cannot change or alter the parliamentary procedures, and suggested that disapprovals will continue once the Opposition is not
satisfied or convinced about the sums presented. Granger has added also that the CJ’s ruling will not deter the Opposition from taking action against the Finance Minister for the spending of unapproved sums used in the 2012 budget. The Opposition and the government had engaged in a blame game relating to the budget consultations. Both sides have been stating that no earnest effort was made to discuss the financial future for this year. While the Opposition has stated that they have not been invited to budget talks, the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), through its General Secretary Clement Rohee stated that it is not the job of the party to call on the PPP-led Administration to initiate budget talks. Alliance for Change (AFC) Leader, Khemraj Ramjattan, had previously stated when asked, that the
Opposition Leader David Granger CJ ruled that to use monies from the treasury, a majority legal authorization is needed from Parliament. Ramjattan stated also that while there will be an appeal of the CJ’s ruling, they are prepared to suggest the necessary adjustments to the budget where deemed necessary.
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Kaieteur News
Thursday February 06, 2014
=== The Freddie Kissoon column ===
The PPP is damaging the opposition See if you identify the causal factor that has led to months of tempestuous antigovernment passions in the streets of the Ukraine to the point where at the time of writing the government in Kiev may fall – discovery of massive corruption; police killing demonstrators; passage of legislation that takes away many democratic rights; a Minister’s violent abuse of some complainants; violent attack on a trade union strike; presidential abuse of the government’s purse. The answer is none of these. A trade deal that the Ukraine Government did not follow up on has led to the conflict that is the worst since the Ukraine became independent. The President chose not to sign a free trade pact with the EU, and it angered a large section of the population. As a Guyanese you may find the reason for the protests unbelievable but that is because Guyanese are sheep.
See if you can identify the reason for the massive street demonstrations taking place months now in Thailand and may likely to bring down the government any moment now. The same factors we will cite above. But your answer is again wrong. Protest broke out in Bangkok because the opposition said that the Prime Minister was not the real power in the Cabinet, that it was her brother who is in exile. Whether you want to believe it, those two distant factors may lead to the removal of the government in both Thailand and the Ukraine. Not to mention there were large demonstrations in Turkey last year over the decision to demolish a park to build a shopping centre. In Guyana, the ugliest atrocities committed by the PPP Government are met with reverberating silence. In a column bemoaning the lack of response from the
Guyanese people over the systematic violations of their rights, one of the anonymous clowns who hides under his mother’s petticoat using the fictional name T. King (king of the land of cowards) and who no doubt is one of the PPP leaders, publicly advocated an investigation of me because I was advocating violence. I don’t know why a faceless, nameless sycophant thinks he can intimidate me but then again when you hide under y o u r m o t h e r ’s d r e s s t o attack people you reduce yourself to a worm or insect. T. King, no doubt, was alarmed because he knows if critics of the government keep lamenting the lack of decisive, confrontational action by the Guyanese people in the face of a relentless onslaught on their rights and freedoms, then sooner than later, we may join the league of nononsense countries that will
let their voices be heard and their bodies be seen. This inexorable devastation of democracy by the PPP Government is going to go on until the opposition parties, pro-democracy stakeholders, trade unionists and other sections of the society get up and take a stand. But when that time comes the opposition may not be able to rise from their hospital bed. What the opposition is ignoring is that the assault on democracy may be deliberate stratagem by the PPP to weaken the opposition parties. And it seems to be working. For the past fourteen years, from Jagdeo to Ramotar, the regime has gone from one ugly, nasty, morbid policy to another, and there is no reaction from the opposition. The latest bulldozing episodes are firstly, the new requirements from Ramotar’s Government for supplying
pharmaceuticals to the Health Ministry. Unless a tendering company has a turnover of about a billion dollars, employs more than fifty workers, has lab facilities and a massive warehouse structure, then it will not be eligible. Obviously, this is a shameless, diseased denial of fairness. It is designed to help a person who is a friend of the little dictators. Secondly, the regime forcefully removed dwellers on the Lamaha Street embankment telling the poor souls that the installation of high tension wires can electrocute them. Now the entire stretch is being landscaped for parking facilities for the business friends of Jagdeo, Ramotar and company. So can’t you get electrocuted while parking there? Like the radio license abomination, like the killing of unarmed protestors in
Frederick Kissoon Linden, like the torture and burning of a fifteen-year-old youth, like the demolition of hundreds of poor vendors’ stalls at Stabroek Market Square, like the sodomizing of a poor youth with a police baton, like the take over of City Hall, like the countless other sickening debauched, pathological actions, the PPP cabal will continue its semifascist march over the nation. People will eventually turn their backs on an emasculated opposition that they see as doing absolutely nothing that is decisive to stop the PPP’s runaway train. It is happening already.
West Bank Demerara to get fire station
West Bank Demerara will soon acquire its own fire station. Chief Fire Officer, Marlon Gentle, has indicated that there are plans in the pipeline to build a fire station on the West Bank of Demerara. According to Gentle, the Guyana Fire Service (GFS) has had to respond to a number of fire related incidents on the West Bank between Vreed-en Hoop and Wales. This is a situation that has been compounded by the La Parfaite Harmonie/ Westminster development, which is one of the larger housing schemes in the region. Gentle said that a fire station servicing the area would reduce greatly, the service’s response time to incidents on the West Bank. There are currently 16 fire stations in
Guyana, including the $13M station at Mahaica and the $20M station at Diamond, East Bank Demerara, a Government statement said. Prior to 1992, there were only eight fire stations with four of them operational. Over the years under the PPP/C Administration, there has been the building and commissioning of nine new fire stations in various parts of the country. There were, as well, only three fire trucks at that time. Today there is a fleet of over 50 fire trucks countrywide. Lethem, Mahdia, Kwakwani, and Mabaruma Kumaka and Port Kaituma, are also to be provided with fire fighting capabilities shortly.
Thursday February 06, 2014
Kaieteur News
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Opposition’s clandestine connections… Govt. inciting physical violence against opposition - Harmon Rohee must explain his failings A misuse of state funds to launch an attack on its own citizens by inciting violence, were the words used to describe the fact that Office of the President, has been funding full page advertisements in the daily newspapers calling on Guyanese to “Let us stop the opposition from destroying Guyana now.” A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), Joseph Harmon, yesterday said that it has been brought to the attention of the Opposition that it is in fact Office of the President that is funding the campaign against them. The advertisement calls on citizens to “stop the opposition from holding Guyana at ransom! Stop the opposition from protecting money launderers, criminals, and terrorists.” According to Harmon, the amendments to the Bill have not even been voted on as yet and the Opposition Leader, David Granger, has already signaled to the President that support for the Bill is conditional, in that he would have to support the Opposition Bills already approved. Harmon said that for the Office of the President to call on citizens to stop the Opposition not by the ballot; can only mean a provocation of violence. He said that Opposition members are now insecure. “They are inciting violence against the Opposition; this is a clear provocation.” According to Harmon, the statements being paid for
APNU’s Joseph Harmon using state funds to attack the opposition are akin to calling on the army to go and attack citizens. Harmon said that this act by Office of the President must be condemned by all right thinking Guyanese. It might also be condemned internationally. “State funds are being used to attack its own citizens...Government is inciting a certain level of violence” The advertisement seeks to denigrate the Opposition, according to Harmon, and seeks to insinuate that the Opposition is supportive of money launderers and drug lords. He suggested that it is those in government who have a vested interest in supporting drug lords and money launderers and pointed to the extravagant
lifestyles, mansions being built and vehicles owned by people way above their pay grade. He said that when the Opposition reacts to such provocations they are deemed to be terrorists when it is in fact the Government which is using terrorist tactics by the state calling for attacks on its own citizens. Harmon posited that the posture by the Government is reminiscent of the Stalinist era. The advertisement suggests that the Opposition has refused to pass the amendments to the Anti Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism Bill “although these amendments are recognised globally as the global antimoney laundering and counter-terrorist financing standards.” The advert suggests that “the Opposition has not been attending meetings to discuss and flesh out the issues they are concerned about so that the amendments could be passed within the time frame.” It says, too, that the Opposition is using all forms of delaying tactics to ensure that these amendments are not passed within the extended time frame so that Guyana would have to face the devastating implications. “What are they trying so desperately to hide…why are they+ afraid to deliberate on these amendments in the view of the public,” questioned Office of the President through the paid advertisement.
before he smears others - Felix A Partnership for National Unity’s (APNU) shadow Minister of Home Affairs and former Top Cop Winston Felix says Minister Clement Rohee should do some introspection instead of smearing the Opposition. He was referring to the recent comments made by the Home Affairs Minister linking the Opposition with drugs and criminal elements because of what he (Rohee) stated is their non support of the passage of the Anti Money Laundering and Countering of the Financing of Terrorism (AMLCFT) legislation and the Opposition’s actions of walking out of the Parliamentary Select Committee that was tasked with reviewing the said legislation. According to Felix, Rohee must look at his own role as Minister of Home Affairs against the backdrop of the burdening drug problem that exists locally and the fact that not “one drug arrest has been convicted since he became Minister of Home Affairs from August 2006 to now… and that is one of the reasons why a no confidence motion was passed against the Minister.” Felix questioned “if he knows that the Opposition is involved with drug dealers then how is he leading his Ministry to unmask those who are really and truly involved, rather than paint brush it? His Ministry, through intelligence gathering and through
Man uplifts dead man’s salary at Uitvlugt Estate Just over 100 workers attached to the Uitvlugt Sugar Estate, West Coast Demerara, yesterday downed tools in protest of the dismissal of two of their colleagues. The two, Ravi Dasrat a supervisor, and Roshan Khan a foreman, on Tuesday received their marching
orders which were effective from Monday last. Those striking at the estate yesterday included field foremen, supervisors, weeders, pest control personnel as well as factory workers among others. The two were dismissed
…two sacked, workers down tools because the salary for a dead man was paid to some unknown person whose signature was illegible. According to reports, the pay packet with $31,000 would have been prepared by Dasrat and reviewed by Khan.
When contacted last evening President of the Guyana Agricultural Workers Union, Komal Chand said that while he has heard of the incident, he was out of office yesterday and as such was unaware of the details.
APNU shadow Minister of Home Affairs Winston Felix information sharing should have been able to unmask all Opposition people who he claims is involved in crime or drug trafficking, so Rohee’s statement is useless and is more in support of the inefficiencies of the Ministry of Home Affairs.” The APNU shadow Minister said that Rohee is jumping to conclusions by saying that they (APNU) are not supportive of the AML CFT legislation. He is adamant that although his party is supportive of the legislation, they have found deficiencies that they want corrected in the old Bill such as the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) not properly established. Felix said that more input in necessary to make our own Bills effective because even “if you pass the current AML legislation that is being “imposed” by the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF) you still don’t have the financial institutions to deal with all of those issues and that is what we want ;a proper functioning FIU, properly staffed, properly resourced, with proper Parliamentary oversight.
Those are the things we are looking for… we are not against AML, as a matter of fact we see it as complementary to the drug fight.” He called on Rohee to explain his failings “before he calls names and smear other people or other political opponents without any proper evidence to support these vicious allegations” said Felix. The former Top Cop stressed that Rohee has a lot to do to make inroads into drug trafficking in Guyana, “we have had last year a large quantity of cocaine found in a sawmill operating out of the interior and the East Bank. They arrested a large number of people but you know what, everybody went free because nobody has been charged, all they have is the cocaine and they have not dealt with the problem. These are issues Rohee must focus on and he needs to build credible narcotic sections both in the police force and CANU [Customs Anti Narcotics Unit] to deal effectively with these matters whenever they are uncovered.” Felix stressed that the fact that a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is absent in Guyana is another typical indicator “that the government is not interested in adding muscle to the local drug enforcement agency.” With respect to the Opposition walking out of this hearing of the Committee, he said the action was taken because of the position taken by the Chairperson of the Committee Gail Teixeira. “One position was passed and she was coming with a motion to counter that motion… what are you intending to create?” He questioned. He stressed that the decision had nothing to do with what Rohee said about the private sector and media being present at the hearing of the Committee.
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Thursday February 06, 2014
Suriname committed to “quiet Govt. appeals court decision diplomacy” over New River Triangle to overturn GGMC award Suriname has restated its commitment to “quiet diplomacy” with Guyana over the disputed New River Triangle area. According to President Desi Bouterse, in a report yesterday in Suriname’s online Waterkant online website, since news that Guyana was interested in activities in the area, his Government has been busy. The Head of State himself had spoken with President Donald Ramotar on this issue. Also, the Guyanese Ambassador to Suriname was “summoned” to a meeting, the report said. That neighbouring country has also sent a protest note to Government and “warned” against economic activities in Tigri (New River Triangle). “It is thanks to a series of diplomatic actions that took place behind the scenes, that Guyana has decided to stay away from the disputed territory of Suriname…,” said Bouterse during a press conference. “Suriname maintains the indivisibility of the territory. On the other hand, it has not
Suriname President, Desi Bouterse chosen violence,” the report said, Bouterse does not see military action as a solution to the decades-old conflict. Muri Brasil Ventures Incorporated announced a few weeks ago that it made a decision to no longer pursue its exploration activities under the Permission for Geographical and Geophysical Surveys (PGGS) granted by the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC). This was after a debate over the survey in the public domain. Public Works Minister Robeson Benn had confirmed that his Ministry denied permission to the company for the construction of an
airstrip. The PGGS was for two million acres of land. From time to time, the Government of Suriname has made claims to New River triangle, an area of about 6000 square miles (about 15,600 square kilometers) of Guyana’s territory located on the southeastern corner of the country. Suriname has also claimed the entire Corentyne River as its territory, and this itself has caused some controversy. Suriname itself had ejected an oil exploration ship hired by Guyana from conducting work in what it said was its waters. However, a UN tribunal later made a ruling on the boundaries. Guyana and Suriname in recent years have been increasing ties. A ferry service is in place with a vibrant cross border trade. Recently, it was confirmed that Suriname and China will fund a bridge across the Corentyne River to Guyana. A significant number of Guyanese are also living in that neighbouring country.
Government has appealed a December ruling by which Chief Justice (ag) Ian Chang overturned a decision by the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission to award CB&R Mining a road contract. The decision of December 5, resulted from an action brought by BK International against the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) to protest a contract for $385M.for the rehabilitation of Phase One of the Aremu Road in Region Seven (Cuyuni/Mazarui). GGMC is represented by Ralph Ramkarran and supported by Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment, Robert Persaud, in the appeal which was filed on January 15. Initially, GGMC had prequalified bidders including BK Intentional and CB&R, a mining company in Bartica, and advertised for bids since June 2013. The advertisement had stated that the bidding will be done through procedures set
out in the Procurement Act which demands that certain criteria are set out in the bid document. There must be compliance from the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) and Guyana Revenue Authority, (GRA) evidence of legal status experience in this type of work, human and financial resources, among other things. When the bids were opened, BK’s bid was for $379.7M as against CB&R’s $385.5M. MMC had submitted a bid for $525.4M. At the opening of the bid it transpired that CB& R did not submit its NIS or GRA Compliance certificates. Information regarding General and specific expenses nor equipment capabilities nor financial data nor did it provide any documentation proving its legal station a check at the various registries confirmed that there was no such existing registered entity as CB&R Mining. An internal evaluation committee awarded the
contract for the Aremu Road Phase One, Region Seven to CB&R despite BK protesting to Minister Persaud about the award. The Minister retained Caribbean Engineering and Managing Consultants to review the matter BK contended that CB&R was not a constitutional company and never did similar work before and did not comply with the requirements of the bidding documents. BK also contended it was also the lowest bidder. Caribbean Engineering did not support the award of the contract to CB&R. The matter went to court before the Chief Justice on September 13, last. GGMC contended that it was not bound by the Procurement Act but the Judge found otherwise that Commission was indeed an agency of the executive Government and is therefore a “procuring entity” for the purposes of the Act.
Sewage chambers should not be tampered with - GWI
Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) is appealing to all businesses involved in food preparation to install and consistently clean grease traps. The water company continues to experience numerous reports of overflowing sewerage which has resulted from sewer pipes becoming clogged due to coagulated fats and oils used for food preparation by restaurants and hotels. GWI’s Sanitation Department records in excess of seven (7) sewerage overflows per week which have resulted from restaurants and hotels not installing grease traps or failing to clean the devices. In light of the recent media reports regarding persons being injured due to the removal of a sewer chamber cover by unauthorized persons, the company wishes to advise that it is an offence to tamper with any device under the
- urges restaurants and hotels to install grease traps One of the open sewage chambers at Stabroek Market
purview of the Guyana Wa t e r I n c o r p o r a t e d a s stipulated by the Water and Sewerage Act 2002. The company is alarmed by recent events and urges all residents of Georgetown to report immediately any instances of tampering particularly the removal of
sewer chamber covers to GWI. Through the Government of Guyana/InterAmerican Development Bank (IDB) US$10,000,000 Georgetown Sanitation Improvement Programme (GSIP), GWI is rehabilitating the entire sewerage system in an effort to alleviate sewerage
overflows. However, without residents utilizing the system properly the improvements will yield poor results. The company, through the GSIP, is currently planning a seminar for hotel and restaurant owners to provide education on the installation and correct use of the grease trap. This is expected to be held within the second quarter of 2014. In addition, GWI conducts scheduled inspections of hotels and restaurants to ensure that grease traps are being effectively utilized; the company also provides advice for hotel and restaurant owners on the correct use of the device via its call centre and Sanitation Department. To report instances of tampering customers are advised to call GWI’s Customer Services Call Centre on 227-8701.
Thursday February 06, 2014
Kaieteur News
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Army optimistic about Toll stations for main hinterland roads re-fleeting air wing By Zena Henry The aviation arm of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) is optimistic that Government will review the need to re-fleet the Air Corps fixed and rotary wing air carriers. Deputy Chief of Staff, Colonel Khemraj Persaud, during an interview on Tuesday, said that given the positive feedback from those tasked with making decisions concerning the tooling of the GDF, he believes that moves to better equip the country’s first line of defence will be coming soon. Although the Colonel could not say exactly when the Air Corps could expect to have new or additional planes, he stated, that based on the feedback, “it seems as though we will be getting there soon.” Colonel Persaud explained, further, that the Air Corps has had its share of challenges in terms of maintaining their fleet, “but we will get to the point where it will be up and running.” He said that currently the army has three rotary wing and fixed aircraft. When asked about discussions pertaining to the re-fleeting aspects of the force, he said that, “There are always discussions with the leadership of the country and the Defence board, on the recapitalization, not only of the Air Corps, but other areas of the army.” He stated further that any word on new airlines would be in the area of Chief of Staff Brigadier Mark Phillips, but reiterated that hopes are high for bettering the capacity of the force. Senior officers from the GDF Air Corps had expressed concern over the force’s aging, and corroding airplanes and highlighted the
Deputy Chief of Staff Colonel Khemraj Persaud need for the Administration to re-view the re-tooling aspect of the army, specifically the air equipment. The newspaper was told that the current fixed wing fleet includes a 1960s Britishmade Skyvan which has been in use for several years, and is “corroding unusually,” a Chinese Harbin Y-12, purchased in 2001, was recently given an extra five year-operational life; and a smaller aircraft; a singleengine Cessna 206; seized during a drug raid. Three helicopters that included a Bell 412 complemented the line. Veteran pilots had said that the authorities should seriously look over the fleet, suggesting that the GDF focus on sourcing new airplanes such as short C-23 Sherpa and the Polish light cargo and passenger PZL M28 Skytruck, “as these are ideal for the relatively short and sometimes rough interior airstrips.” A senior officer had told Kaieteur News that replacing the ideal multi-purpose Skyvan is not as easy since in his opinion, “no aircraft can compete with it.” The plane is obsolete and replacing
parts is very difficult and expensive. The officer explained further that the six-seat single-engine Cessna is much too small for the army’s tasks. A team the officer suggested would have to be put together to assess all that is necessity for the Air Corps and to properly source the most suitable air transport. The officer also touched on the need to upkeep, and even to improve, interior airstrips so that it should not affect the type of planes to be sourced. Opposition leader, Brigadier (retired) David Granger has also agreed that the country’s army needs upgrading. He said, “Given our perception of the current threats to Guyana’s national defence and security, there needs to be more attention paid to deal with territorial issues, border and territorial security.” This, he said, would require aircraft, since we have over 2,500 km of border, plus a sea coast to man. He spoke about a huge sea space, of about 52,000 square miles, “and in order to cover our territory adequately, the defence force need not only land vehicles, but also more attention needs to be placed on the technical arm particularly, aviation; Air Corps and Coast Guard which deals with maritime problems.” The Opposition Leader added that there is the need for additional financing to develop specifically the Air Corps and Maritime arm especially in light of the continued reports of piracy and banditry in interior locations. The Leader said that he supports the call for re-fleeting the Air Corps and believes that more must be done for the nation’s defense.
Port Kaituma resident finds skeleton “in the bush” Whilst hunting yesterday, a resident of Orinoque, Port Kaituma found parts of a skeleton in the forest. The male resident is said to have been frustrated with some acca tigers that have been eating his chickens and decided to venture into the nearby forest where he subsequently found the skull and some limbs of a body lying on the floor. The matter was reported to the police at the Port Kaituma Police Station who collected the remains.
Remains found in Port Kaituma
- Heavy-duty trucks main destroyer of roads
A timber bridge along the Linden to Lethem Road (photo by vimeo.com) The Ministry of Public Works is planning to setup toll stations at the main arterial hinterland roads to finance the maintenance of the roads. Heavy-duty machineries transporting cargo, including logs and fuel, are the main contributors to the destruction of interior roads. This is according to Naeem Mohamed, Hinterland Engineer of the Public Works Ministry during a recent interview. Mohamed said that the Ministry is still working on the proposal since such a timeframe has not been set for the materialization of this project. However, installation of the toll stations is imminent. Large craters on the roads and weakened bridges are caused by large trucks that are oftentimes overloaded. He said that the toll stations may be installed along the Ituni to Kwakwani Road, Brian Sucre Junction to Mahdia Road, and Linden to Lethem road. “Based on the amount of money spent
yearly and the flow of traffic the toll will be devised,” Mohamed said. According to Mohamed, there are 52 bridges along the Linden to Lethem road, which is the longest road in Guyana linking the coastland to the southernmost region of the country. It accommodates traffic intended for logging and mining districts and Amerindian communities. He said that of the 52 bridges, four are composite structures comprising steel bottoms and timber decking; 10 are log structures, and the remainder are timber structures. Fifty structures were completely rehabilitated and the Ministry will be rehabilitating the other two shortly. Mohamed said that yearly between $30M and $35M is budgeted for the maintenance of the structures. Having timber structures, which require the changing of decking and beams from time to time, is more economical than having concrete bridges, he added. Mohamed explained
that to construct a 100-foot concrete bridge would cost over $35M and the Ministry would still have to execute regular maintenance works owing to the overweight trucks traversing the area. He noted that in good weather the timber bridges could accommodate 30 tons maximum and only specific trucks could carry this weight. He said that the preferred trucks to traverse the bridges are the triple axel trucks that have double wheels. The Model M trucks which carry 20 tons are more detrimental to the bridges because the weight is not distributed equally. According to Mohamed, the Ministry has to monitor the weight of these trucks that pressure the structure at critical areas.
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Kaieteur News
Thursday February 06, 2014
FOR SALE
FOR SALE
FOR RENT
PROPERTY FOR SALE
LARGE QUANTITIES O F H IGH PURITY MERCURY (QUICKSILVER) 99.99995% PURITY $19,000 PER POUND CALL: 592-227-4754.
Dell computers complete with 20" LCD $65,000, 6 months warranty @ Futuretech- Call:231-2206
PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION,WEDDINGS, ANNIVERSARY, ETC. – CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 216-1043; 677-6620
Paradise [Land] - $1.5M, Happy Acres - $45M, Regent Street - $46M - Call Diana: 227-2256; 626-9382
M.F Tractor 3650, 4X4, 131 H/P, 6 Cylinder Turbo Diesel Tel: 228-5040; 662-9848 Angle Grinder, Circular Saw, Belt Sander, Routers, drilling machine, foam spray and general hardware – Tel:6148564; 629-0372
3 (8) weeks old: White Brown & Cream Fluffy Puppies – Contact:699-6006 PVC Ceiling Panels. Best Quality! Tel: 614-8564; 6800862 One Three Seater Suite & one wooden wardrobe & 100cc Jailing Scooter. Price Negotiable! Contact: 616-6060.
Spare for washing machine, microwaves,fridges, stoves, timers, gearbox, pumps, etc call: 225-9032, 647-2943
German Shepherd Pups. Tel: 220-2277; 220-8904; 626-0910
Greenheart Piles - Tel:6393450
Turbo Bedford Dump 330 truck. Any Reasonable Offer Call: 657-4072
270 Amps Portable Honda Welders and 1-2002 Tundra Tel: 611-5114
2005 Yamaha R6 motorcycle Tel: 609-2815
Live/pluck chicken call: 6504421, 220-9203
Honda CG & 125 Fan for sale $260,000 negotiable - Tel: 684-5402
1- 500 Ton Cargo ship - Tel: 676-6933 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 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 Pure bred Rottweiler & German Sheperd- Tel:6108627/686-3072/618-2903 Clearance Sale, Slightly Damage Zinc Sheets, steel rods ½”&]!. Reasonable Price - Call: 657-4072 1 AB Dick 360 printing machine, 1 Hydraulic Cutting machine, excellent condition. 76 Brickdam, Phone:227-3356 (next to N.I.S), Ahmadiyya Anjuman
One Long base Canter. Contact Chubby on : 6290592 or 651-3092
4 Cylinder Perkins Engine bedded for Brazilian pump – Tel: 646-4501 Games PS2 $900, PSP $900, X-Box 360 $2600 & PS3 $2600- Call:672-2566 1- 40 foot Cabin Cruiser BoatCall:665-2314
Toyota Verossa (White) Excellent Condition - $2.7M Negotiable – Contact: 6668492.
One bedroom apartment self contained, Fully grilled @ Land OF Canaan E.B.D – Call Navo: 2665563; 615-9441 American Slate pool table – Tel:616-8328 GT TOOLS RENTAL: TEL:675-0767; 627-2535 Fully Furnished 2 bedrooms apartment with hot & cold shower,etc. Only short term overseas guest. Contact:223-2812; 661-1717
CAR RENTAL Dolly’s Car Rental- Call: 2257126/226-3693- dollysauto rental@yahoo.com/ www. dolly sautorental.com
Untouchable, low rates, low deposits - Call:226-9668; 677-4613.
Lovely Poodle Pups male and female vaccinated – Call:649-4247
Aidan’s Car Rental & Pickup Call: 645-7981/ 698-7807
PSP with 3 games and 8gb memory card - $40,000 – 6752239
Join Avon and be your own boss! – Call Oma: 690-0209
VACANCY
1 - CAT D5 Bulldozer Contact Number: 650-0402
Charlestown Corner Property - $35M - Tel: 6735882 Regent Street - $46M, Herstelling - $10M, Happy Acres - $45M, Camp Street $36M – Contact Diana:2272256; 626-9382
Situated in Leonora opposite the market – Tel:674-0645 New 3 bedroom property @ 14 Dryshore, Essequibo, access to River. Bargain Price – Tel: 689-4384
LEARN TO DRIVE
TO LET Fully furnished short term apartments, Eccles call: 347933-9790, 639-4452.
VEHICLE FOR SALE
Mitsubishi Lancer, excellent condition, HID lights, 17" mags, music - $1,250,000. Negotiable – Tel:275-0297; Cell:676-3000; 653-6490
One Toyota Noah New model, mag rims crystal lights, flare, PSS Series $2.3M – Call:611-6632; 6643488
1 Madza Truck, short base with hydraulic lift GPP Series Call: 638-8036; 223-2814
AT192, 212, Allion, Premio, Hilux Surf, BNN & RZ & Pitbull buses, 7 seater super customs. Cash / termsCall:680-3154
One 800 Ford Tractor and one 450 Ford Towing Truck Contact Floyd:694-5599 or Gurro: 689-1864 One Toyota Prado and Tundra for sale: - Priced to sell – Tel:600-5759 or 225-0683-5 1 Toyota R4 2004 model – $2.6M cash – Tel:686-5083 Nissan Caravan – Driving Condition, all papers enforced - $250,000 – Tel:2662381 One 2005 Toyota Avensis. Owner leaving country! $3.4M – Tel:628-6160 Toyota Raum PMM Series $1.4M negotiable , Excellent Condition – Call:671-6051 2008 Fielder: Bodykit, spoiler, rims. Unregistered $2.95MCall:617-2891 2007 Axio $2.85M, Spacio $2.250M, fully loaded unregistered- Call:617-2891
2008 Honda CRV imported from England 17" Rim, fog lamps Surround Sound System, unregistered $6.8M neg. Tel: 642-7295; 220-2345 One enclosed canter in immaculate condition, GPP series Call:628-8777
Fully furnished Vacation home with all amenities- Call during working hours- 2271218
Learn To Drive on your time, experienced teacher $10,000 For two weeks, 3 times a week - Tel: 687-7017
Alberttown - $50,000, Bel-Air - $100,000, Campbellville $90,000, Section K – $US1200 – Call Diana: 2272256; 626-9382
Shalom Driving School @ 2 Croal street. Fee $16,000Call:227-3869
Aracari Hotel. West Bank Demerara Rates from $30 – Tel:264-2946-8
Ultravoilet Driving School – Contact:231-2372;6022583;658-4015
Secured Concrete bond 87’X32’, lots of yard space suitable for CarMart Public Road McDoom: Tel: 233-0570
Soman & Sons Driving School , First Federation Building Call 689-5997, 6445166,622-2872,615-0964
VEHICLE FOR SALE
2 Ton open back canter with power gate, unregisteredCall:617-2891
Bel- Air -$100,000, Lamaha Gardens - $US1000, Atlantic Gardens – US900 – Contact Diana:227-2256; 626-9382
Original Games- Call:6722566
Beautopia Cosmetology Training: Day & Evening classes, nails, hair,facial / make-up – Tel: 604-3002; 629-3497
Concrete 3 bedrooms transported property @ New Scheme Tuschen E.C.E $8.5M – Tel:692-3454
Premio, Vitz call:347-9339790, 639-4452.
Dog meat @ $50 per pound & pig food - Tel:266-5382; 602-5656
Make Up Courses, Artist Trained & Certified in Trinidad. Call: 660-5257, 647-1773
Eccles Residential (Transported) 2 flat building 4 bedrooms, large patio, garage (3 vehicles), & large shed. Flood Free Area! - Tel: 652-5601
Rice Factory @ Wakenaam & Poultry Farm @ Yarrowkabra – Tel:686-4994; 225-3070
Wings Car Rental- Call: 643-1131
SALON
One three storey business property @ Middle Street Georgetown - Tel: 619-7134; 225-6481
Satya Cinema Good Faith Mahaicony – Call:641-8472
CG125 Honda Motorcycle, excellent condition - Tel:6729530
2 – M132 Laverda Combine, 3- Pressure Pump 4x3 for gold field – call:627-0447
Puppies; breed: Pekingese & Tibetan terrier. Contact: 6441972 / 661-2837
3 Bedrooms @ South $70,000, Lamaha Gardens house: $900US, Ogle & Republic Park - Tel:2312199; 618-7483
1-2640 MF Tractor 4wd with 1 – Rome Plough 20 dish, 1CAT Satndby 3306,194KVA 3 Phase 60 Cylinder – Tel:6934596
1 Stall @ Stabroek Market Tel: 658-0115; 718-757-8031
1 Honda 250 customs motorcycle. Good condition. $380,000Call:627-0688
CAMP STREET, Prime Business Space Call: 6394499
2 Business Property on Whim Public Road Berbice Tel: 619-7134; 225-6481
Furnished Apartments for Overseas Visitors – Contact: 231-0706
First Class Auto: Premio, Spacio, Passo, IST, 212, Raum Cold & New Modles Tel: 609-8188; 602-6307 1-55 Leyland Daf Excellent working condition. Price $2.8M Negotiable – Tel:6568346 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:6445096; 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:6761826;679-6103 Unregistered Toyota Fielder, TV, Rims, alarm, reverse camera, low mileage - $2.250 negotiable – Tel:6542036; 663-2700
EDUCATIONAL
One RX-8 Mazda fully air conditioned, stick gear, wheel lights, fog lamps, power windows - Tel:653-2477
Courses in dressmaking, curtains, floral & cake decoration - Tel: 670-2653; 618-1706
2002 Premio PNN Series reverse camera 17inch rims $2.1M negotiable - Tel:6877017
IAE @ 194 Camp St Register for CXC 2014 Classes: Mathematics, English A, Business & Science . Flexible Timing Tel: 683-5742; 223-0604
We buy & sell vehicles for cash, also parts available & 30 seater buses; Extra Cab pickups; 2006 TacomaCall:680-3154
Swimming classes @ Colgrain Pool, Thursday & Saturday 5:30-6:30/ 6:30-7:30 (all ages)- Call:669-3757/ 6412571/ 690-1559
One Hilux Surf, ac, mags, new tyres, fully loaded, music, 4X4, one Tacoma pick up- Tel:678-2298 (Continued on page 23)
Thursday February 06, 2014
Kaieteur News
Page 23
Some school heads to be blamed for teachers’ misconduct Each year the Teaching Service Commission (TSC) is tasked with addressing a number of complaints against teachers. These range from absenteeism to corporal punishment. According to TSC Chairperson, Mrs Leila Ramson, these situations should not be allowed to persist in the public school system. The blame, in several instances, could be placed squarely at the feet of head teachers. “If head teachers would put pen to paper when these things happen a lot of these can be avoided. But sometimes they try and they talk and at some point the talking doesn’t work,” said Ramson. She disclosed that a head teacher has the right to write to errant teachers at least three times after which the complaints must be directed to the Commission. “Many teachers don’t do that and when the situation becomes chronic in the school that is when they want to send it here. We ask them, did you ever write to the teachers and the answer is often no...but this is what
head teachers need to do.” She said that it is recommended that head teachers undergo management training which would equip them for managing entire schools. Ramson said that the Ministry of Education has in place managerial courses to help boost the performances of head teachers. According to Ramson among the cases that were seen by the TSC during the past year was that of failure by teachers to mark students’ work, poor or non-existence record keeping and teacher’s inability to be punctual accounted for the greatest number of complaints. In fact she disclosed that “some of them don’t even come to school; some of them just take time off and go to the University of Guyana without release and that sort of things we are faced with...in doing so they short-change the children.” All schools, the TSC Chairperson said, have a quota of teachers that can be released at any one time and this figure, she noted, will vary from school to school based on the level - that is,
Bound and dehydrated... From page 3 signs of maltreatment and mistreatment and he was a child who was in need of immediate care.” According to Greene, their first task was to get the child medically examined and then launch an investigation. She said that her agency is always open for persons to call in with information regarding abandoned and abused children. She said that even outside working hours, persons can contact their hotline telephone number 227-0979.
“This is not the first child that we have rescued for the year. We have been responding to our hotline. We get calls every day on our hotline…Since we finish rescuing one we have to go out and rescue another,” Greene said. “The police did real well; the persons who informed them too. I'm feeling really satisfied that persons now are responding…We're getting people to understand that child protection is everybody's business,” she added.
Spectacular performances... From page 18 de Streets” dance. There were many group entries into the 'Religious Beliefs' category, but securing the top position was North Georgetown Secondary School. In the 14-17 age group, Lisa Walcott from the South Ruimveldt Secondary School received the first place trophy for a piece titled- 'African Tradition Lives.' In the Individual Interpretive category, Shanika Khan secured first position, while Khrista Christian of North Georgetown Secondary placed first in the Social Commentary dance. Karisma Charles of Richard Ishmael Secondary School gained first position for her performance in the 'Religious Beliefs' category.
Her school also secured top positions in three categories of group dances. These include the area of social commentary, Interpretive, and Religious Beliefs. St. Joseph High was adjudged the top school in the Hip Hop category, with South Ruimveldt Secondary emerging victorious with its Legend and Tradition inspired dance. Lodge Secondary secured first position in the Masquerade group. Under the theme, “Cultural Folklore, Celebrating 44,” the Children's Mashramani Competitions will continue today with the costume segment, which is booked for the Cliff Anderson's Sports Hall. The children's competitions are being organized by the Department of Education.
WANTED One Office Clerk must be computer literate. Apply @ Survival Lot 10 Bond Vlissingen Road. One Computer Literate C l e r k , Tw o S e c u r i t y Guards & Labourers, One Receptionist. Text or call 627-0799 / 225-8645 / 6227933
TSC Chairperson, Mrs Leila Ramson nursery, primary or secondary. Complaints relating to corporal punishment are also seen by the TSC though to a lesser extent, Ramson said. She said that while corporal punishment is permitted in the school system there is a mandatory way in which it must be done. “It must go to the head teacher first and so the complaints arise when the teachers take it upon themselves, without the approval of the head teacher, to administer corporal punishment,” noted Ramson. And there are a few cases of sexual abuse that were reported to the TSC in the past year, Ramson disclosed. This however, is not prevalent, the TSC Chairperson said, even as she pointed out that while some of these cases are handled by the Commission there are others that gain the attention of the Guyana Police Force.
Cashiers & Porters for Yog Yog’s Frozen Yogurt 79 Albert & Laluni Streets in Queenstown “Nimbus Building” Call:231-7002 Supervisors to work at 704 Bar – Contact:223-5273/4 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 Manager / Supervisor at Xenon Hotel Charity / Ebo. Accommodation provided, attractive salary is offered – Contact: 771-4989; 7714180; 670-6559 Experienced taxi drivers – Tel:667-9013 Salesgirl with Secondary Education @ Christine’s Fashion – Tel:227-8529; 6091535 One Garden / Handyman, age 40 & above. Preferably from Georgetown & East Coast Demerara - Tel:6994152 Land to Buy in Parafaite Harmonie, Herstelling & Tuschen - Tel: 675-7292
VACANCY
Responsible Hire Car Drivers Tel: 231-7200
Network Technician, must be able to work out of town email applications to jobs@awngy.com
One female dispatcher at Classic Ride Taxi Service, 18 Hendbury Ave. Nandy Park, E.B.D- Tel:233-5227
Receptionist. Apply to Hick’s Ville Hotel, Contact:227-7714 or info@hicksvillehotel guyana.com
Experienced Hire Car drivers & minibus drivers – Call:6450025
Labourers - Call:225-6070; 225-4492
Cashiers @ Shell Service Station Providence EBD. Must be able to work shift (5am-3pm & 3pm-12pm) – Tel: 265-7305
Pump Attendant @ Shell Service Station Providence EBD. Must be able to work shift (5am-3pm & 3pm-12pm) Tel: 265-7305
LAND FOR SALE 2- Acres cultivated, 2-1 Acres cultivated, 7 Acres cultivated, citrus, house, fish pond, storage at Parika- Call: 226-7968 Lot 12 Mon-Repos E.C.D, Market Street – Tel:2207330 Section ‘A’ Block Y Golden Grove – E.B.D – Call:6939736/ 697-5742 Private Development 50X100 @ Greenwich Park, EBE Tel: 690-5061 House lot for sale @ Parafaite Harmonie - Tel:6777682 50 Acres Estate land at Grant Lester, Lower Pomeroom. Tel:671-8100 Parafiate Harmonie - $2M (100FTX50FT), Tuschen $2M - Tel: 675-7292 Gold and Diamond mining lands already Prospected – Tel:646-4501 100ftx50ft high income $2.2M @ Parfaite HarmonieCall:675-7292/218-5591 82 Acers @ Hogg Island, 120 acre @ Mahaicony & 11 Lots @ Wakenaam – Tel:6864994; 225-3070 Herstelling (high income area 110ftX60ft) - $3.8M -Call:6757292/218-5591
MASSAGE American Style massage services- Call:678-7499 The Gent’s Spa: Let beautiful sophisticated masseuse pamper you: New masseuse available- Call:657-5979
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) HOUSE PLAN DRAFTING FOR ONLY $10,000CALL:694-9843/227-2766 We repair fridge, freezer, AC, washer, dryer call:2310655,683-8734 Omar For all your prefab building works & welding fabricating etc. 5 Brickery EBD -Tel: 658-2567; 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
Able Bodies Labourers – Call:617-8369; 665-3550
24 Hour East Coast Guyoil needs night pump attendants, salesgirl & office assistant Call: 670-8893/684-2838
Secretary! Send written application to Shakoor Seafood, 80 industrial Site, Eccles EBD
(From page 22)
EDUCATIONAL Makeup Classes @ J’ adore Makeup by Natalie. Come register and be apart, its life changing! Call:676-3916; 615-5028 Princeton College Forms 1-5 CXC adults classes, Phonics , Sat, Lessons & Mathematics for slow learners - Tel:223-7906; 6905008 Learn to decorate with Balloons. Classes on March 1st – Call: 225-3133; 613-7513 for more information. Need help with reading, English, etc? Call Private Tutor – 696-7467 VACANCY Machine Operator to work at Garment Factory - Tel: 222-2541
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:2259030 Transportation services available in and out of Georgetown – Tel:646-4501 Masons seeking job work – Tel:678-9043 Technicians available for appliance repairs – washers, dryers, microwaves, stoves, deep fryers, etc – Tel:6190793; 218-0050 COOL TECH : Repairs Services & Installation of all types if homes appliances: Air Condition & Refrigeration units – Tel: 233-2008; 675-4659
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Kaieteur News
Thursday February 06, 2014
Masquerade is an important part of our heritage Other the years the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports has been able to garner significant support from a number of agencies interested in the preservation and sustainability of cultural rudiments. Over the years there has been an evident decline in interest and participation in steel pan music and masquerade, and much has been done to reinvigorate these two Guyanese art forms. One partner that has assisted the efforts of the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports is UNESCO. Through UNESCO, the Ministry via the National School of Music benefited from a US $18,000 grant which saw funds being made available for the acceleration of activities to reinvigorate steel pan music and masquerade. Today several pieces of equipment including tapes, DVD players, steel pans and learning materials on masquerade and steel bands were handed over to the MCYS by UNESCO Representative IngeNatoo. The simple ceremony was held at the Music School on Brickdam. This project will train forty youths in the area of music with specific emphasis on the steel band art form and Masquerade Band since in communities where the art forms could thrive there was a lack of access to instruments. In this regard, the project
- Minister Anthony provides the platform for the transfer of knowledge and develop a new community youth steel band in Region 3, and two masquerade bands in Regions 10 and 2. Both art-forms have had a long rich tradition in Guyanese society and forms a unique part of our cultural heritage, and research has shown that one of the main reasons for this decline is the lack of transition of information, skills and practical knowledge from seniors involved in the artform to youths in the society. With regard to masquerade, the Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports, Dr. Frank Anthony emphasized that people should stop looking down on the art form. “We have had our own challenges with the propagation of the masquerade art form and over the years we have been trying to encourage more people to get involved in masquerade bands…a lot of people look down on the art form and perhaps they are not familiar with the history and why we have this art form, but people who are cognizant of the art form would recognize that this is an important part of our heritage,” he emphasized. Minister Anthony noted that this art form was passed down through the generations since the days of slavery hence it is important for the art form to be continuously passed out to the younger generation. This is critical because these elements (culture and traditions) defines and
identifies a nation, “and if we allow them to be extinguished then we would lose that identity,” the Minister stressed. He explained that masquerade is more than what meets the eye and the nation cannot afford for these elements to disappear; hence the importance of the project. Further, the Minister posited that if the techniques are understood then the art form would be more appreciated and embraced. In this regard, the production of the DVD and manual makes it easier to share the knowledge since they can be reproduced and distributed beyond the target groups. Minister Anthony also suggested that the content be placed on the Ministry’s website and youtube for further reach. Minister Anthony highlighted that in steel pan a lot has been done and this is evident in the distribution of steel bands to schools and communities. This has resulted in the emergence of more school and community bands who participate in the annual steel pan competition during Mash celebrations. The Minister also called for the need for more partners in this regard. Republic Bank has been one of the main partners thus far. Minister Anthony is also calling on the public to support events where there are steel pan and masquerade performances. One such activity will be held in Ann’s Grove on
UNESCO Representative Inge Nathoo makes a donation to Minister of Culture Dr. Frank Anthony February 9 where, as part of Mash celebrations, a flounce off will be held, and several steel pan concerts will be held around the country. The Ministry also received assistance from UNESCO for the digitalization project at the National Archives. Students will have access to the best available human resources and be exposed to an environment that is conducive to learning. The two main resource persons in this regard are Andrew Tyndale from the Music School and Tr. Linda Griffith from the National School of dance. They worked on the production of the student manuals for both courses which will be given to all participants. A DVD was also produced and will be circulated to the various Regions so as to encourage participation and increase appreciation of the art forms. Tr.Linda noted that even though the masquerade tradition is diminishing, it is still a cherished tradition. She further added that the masquerade fraternity has
been doing Guyana proud overseas. She also emphasized that the art form is not being passed on to younger generation as such the grant from UNESCO is welcomed. This, she emphasized, sets the stage for a good future in masquerade as teachers and students would be exposed to learning materials about the art form. It is anticipated that more masquerade bands would emerge to facilitate better competitions. The Education Ministry’s children Mash competitions include a category for masquerade. Beneficiaries of the initiative were selected from Regions 2, 4 and 10. The project also ensures gender inclusiveness as forty percent of the participants being female. UNESCO office Director in Guyana, IngeNatoo in her presentation explained that the handing over of the equipment and materials is in the first quadrennium of the Medium Term Strategy 2014-1021 promotes the pivotal role of culture, heritage and creativity as a
means of achieving sustainable development and peace. “It will do so by implementing strategic objectives 7 ‘protecting, promoting and transmitting heritage’ and 8 ‘fostering creativity and diversity of cultural expressions’ through two main lines of action and seven expected results, in order to demonstrate the power of culture as a driver and enabler of peace and sustainable development through the organization’s flagship programmes and standard-setting instruments,” she said. In recent times Guyana has received considerable assistance and capacity building under the several UNESCO Conventions. These include the 2005 UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions. This Convention was acceded to in 2009 and work is ongoing on the Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage and the Convention on the Protection of Underwater Cultural Heritage. Additionally, in 1977 Guyana accepted the 1972 Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage.
Thursday February 06, 2014
Kaieteur News
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Kaieteur News
Thursday February 06, 2014
Philippine leader likens China’s rulers to Hitler Manila (AFP) - Philippine President Benigno Aquino has warned China’s efforts to claim disputed territories are like Nazi Germany’s before World War II, drawing a fierce Chinese response yesterday branding him ignorant and amateurish. In an interview with the New York Times, Aquino called for world leaders not to make the mistake of appeasing China as it seeks to cement control over contested waters and islands in the strategically vital South China Sea. “At what point do you say: ‘Enough is enough’? Well, the world has to say it — remember that the Sudetenland was given in an attempt to appease Hitler to prevent World War II,” Aquino told the New York
Times in Manila on Tuesday. Aquino was referring to the failure by Western nations to back Czechoslovakia when Adolf Hitler-led Nazi Germany occupied western parts of the European nation in 1938 ahead of World War II. Aquino’s comments come less than two weeks after Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe raised the temperature in a parallel territorial dispute with China by appearing to compare Sino-Japanese relations with the run-up to World War I. Japan and China are at loggerheads over the sovereignty of disputed islands in the East China Sea, raising fears about a military confrontation between Asia’s two biggest economies. China also claims nearly all
of the South China Sea, one of the world’s most important waterways as it is home to vital shipping lanes and is believed to sit atop lucrative deposits of natural resources. But the Philippines, as well as Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and the Taiwan, have overlapping claims to some of the waters, and those disputes have for decades made the South China Sea another potential trigger for military conflict. China has been steadily increasing its military and coast guard presence in the sea in recent years to assert its claim, causing diplomatic tensions to rise and stoking concerns in the Philippines about perceived Chinese bullying. The Philippines says Chinese vessels have since
Iraqi efforts to block Iranian overflights ‘not enough’: U.S. official WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Iraqi government needs to do more to prevent Iran from flying weapons and fighters through its airspace en route to Syria, a U.S. official told lawmakers yesterday. Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki has been accused by the United States of allowing Iran to fly planes through Iraqi airspace and send support to bolster Syrian President Bashar alAssad, whom Washington blames for a nearly three-yearold civil war that has killed
more than 130,000 people. “The issue of overflights is something where the Iraqis have not done enough,” the State Department’s Brett McGurk said at a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing. “We continue to press this issue. Inspections go up, inspections go down. It’s very frustrating,” he added. His comments come as the Obama administration is seeking to expedite delivery of a range of U.S. w e a p o n r y t o M a l i k i ’s government as it fights a
resurgent militant threat. Both Iraq and Iran have Shi’ite Moslem majorities, and Maliki’s Shi’ite-led government has maintained close ties with Tehran before and after U.S. forces left Iraq in 2011. McGurk, who serves as deputy assistant secretary for Iraq and Iran, said it is difficult for the United S t ates to get specific intellige n c e a b o u t t h e flights, but that military equipment is believed to be transported from Iran on civilian aircraft.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (R) greets Philippines’ President Benigno Aquino the Abe’s official residence in Tokyo, on December 13, 2013 (AFP Photo/Koji Sasahara) 2012 effectively occupied a rich fishing area called Scarborough Shoal, which is about 220 kilometres (135 miles) off its main island but 650 kilometres from the nearest major Chinese land mass. The Philippines launched legal action with a United Nations tribunal last year, asking it to rule the Chinese South China Sea claim is invalid. China has refused to participate in the UN process. Anger in China over Nazi comparison China’s foreign ministry did not immediately react to Aquino’s comments on Nazi Germany but an angry commentary was released on the state-run Xinhua news
agency. “Philippine President Benigno S. Aquino III, who has taken an inflammatory approach while dealing with maritime disputes with China, has never been a great candidate for a wise statesman in the region,” the commentary said. “But his latest reported attack against China, in which he senselessly compared his northern neighbour to the Nazi Germany, exposed his true colours as an amateurish politician who was ignorant both of history and reality.” The commentary also insisted China’s claims to the South China Sea were legitimate, and that war
references by Aquino and Abe were not warranted. “Despite lame comparisons by Philippine and Japanese leaders, the international community cannot ignore the fact that China has long chosen a path of peaceful development,” it said. Aquino warned in the New York Times interview that China may pursue further territorial conquests if it succeeded in taking control of areas also claimed by the Philippines. “If we say yes to something we believe is wrong now, what guarantee is there that the wrong will not be further exacerbated down the line?” he said.
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Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and a leader of Ukraine’s opposition movement. “Now I am not saying that we cannot sometimes play our hand more strongly. But surely it is a bad idea to let foul play undercut the very values that constitute our power of attraction in the first place - a power of attraction that brought down the Berlin Wall,” he said. “Our biggest carrot is our way of life; our biggest stick: a closed door.” The targets of Van Rompuy’s words, without being named, were Russia’s Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovich, who sparked the crisis by abruptly turning his back on an EU free trade deal and throwing his lot in with Moscow. Yanukovich’s security forces have cracked down on pro-EU demonstrators - at least five protesters have been killed - while Russia has enticed Kiev away from the EU with the promise of $15 billion in cheap loans and cutprice gas.
Some diplomats expected the EU to wash its hands and walk away. It cannot match Russia’s inducements on either the financial or energysecurity front. Instead, it appears to be playing a long game. After EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton was quoted as saying Brussels and Washington were working on assistance for Kiev, EU officials were quick to say there was no new plan apart from the promise of financial help that Brussels had held out if it signed the trade agreement. Even without the impact of the last four years of financial crisis, EU leaders are not about to open their coffers and disburse huge sums to Ukraine. It was hard enough to do so for Greece, Portugal and Ireland. And, dependent on Russian energy themselves, EU member states cannot hope to provide Kiev with the gas it needs, especially as much of it flows to them via Ukraine. What Europe has to offer is more conceptual: rule of law,
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know our tives are we will not out our ies,” Zarif Sherman, arheading Tehran on amme, said d some of ties. that Iran o have an
under which it agreed to roll back parts of its nuclear work in exchange for the release of billions of dollars in frozen assets and limited relief from sanctions that have choked its economy. It also committed not to make further advances at its Arak, Fordo and Natanz facilities. Fordo is an underground nuclear enrichment facility with nearly 3,000 centrifuges and dug deep into a mountain near the Shiite holy city of Qom, some 150 kilometres (90 miles) south of Tehran. The Arak site is of concern to the West because Tehran could theoretically extract weapons-grade plutonium from its spent fuel if it also builds a reprocessing facility. Western powers suspect Iran’s nuclear activities mask military objectives, despite repeated denials from Tehran, which insists its programme
world powers aimed at reaching a comprehensive nuclear agreement are to resume on February 18 in Vienna, following November’s interim deal.
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Thursday February 06, 2014
More than 2,500 teenage pregnancies in Trinidad and Tobago annually PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad - CMC – Education Minister Dr. Tim Gopeesingh said many men were getting away with statutory rape after indicating that more than 2, 500 teenage pregnancies are reported annually in Trinidad and Tobago. Dr. Gopeesingh, speaking in the Senate, said that most of the teenagers had become pregnant for fathers who were between the ages of 25-40 and that some of the mothers
were below the ages of 12. The Education Minister told legislators research by the Faculty of Medical Science of the University of the West Indies (UWI) showed that by age 19, more than 1,000 young women already had four children. Dr. Gopeesingh, a gynaecologist with more than 27 years practice, described the situation as “frightening” saying that for every 15 new patients in the ante-natal, 10
were teenagers. He said the country could not continue to ignore the statutory rape of teenagers adding it was necessary to apprehended the fathers engaged in the practice so as to induce “fear among the perpetrators” that “t could serve as a deterrent to statutory rape. “It is an issue of socialisation and what these teenagers are looking for. When you question them, even when I was in my own
practice…they said they were looking for some degree of love. They felt they were not loved,” he said. According to figures released here on Tuesday, between 2008 and 2012, there were four reported cases of girls attending primary schools who gave birth and Dr. Gopeesingh said between the same period the Ministry of Education received reports of 153 cases of teenage pregnancy. But the figure
could be higher, as The Ministry of Education said the cases were only those reported to its Student Support Services. Dr. Gopeesingh said there was under-reporting of teenage pregnancies and that many pupils merely dropped out of school and that the authorities were not able to track those pupils. Dr. Gopeesingh said the Ministry of education was reforming the primary school
curriculum and the secondary school curriculum with morals, values and ethics, character development, citizenry development, physical education, visual and performing arts and health and family life education being added to the curriculum. He said social studies, with some degree of sex education, formed part of the secondary school programme.
Union members march as hotel sackings row escalates HAMILTON, Bermuda CMC - The powerful Bermuda Industrial Union (BIU) yesterday staged a massive show of strength in the capital support of 10 workers sacked by an historic hotel here last week. The dispute has gone to arbitration, but the BIU appears not willing to participate. Government said bus services were hit, while ferries were cancelled, as union workers downed tools in support of the workers dismissed by the Fairmont Hamilton Princess hotel. Five of the dismissed workers are members of the union. The industrial action escalated yesterday morning when staff at the resort’s sister hotel, the Fairmont Southampton, voted to walk off the job. Unionised hotel workers marked that decision with a march through the
streets of the capital at lunchtime. The BIU promised an even greater show of strength later in the day, with members from all union divisions — including transport workers — called in for another protest march. “The march was a result of a meeting that we had this morning. Members from both hotel properties and all our general council members met this morning and decided enough was enough and decided to ask me to put a call out to the entire union membership to come up to Union Square as soon as they could make it, “ said BIU president Chris Furbert. “We are anticipating that in the next hour or two we should get many more members of the BIU to come here and get behind the members of the Fairmont Southampton and Hamilton Princess.”
Legislator wants media to disclose their affiliation to political parties PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad - CMC – An independent legislator has called on the media in Trinidad and Tobago to state whether or not they are affiliated to any political party in the country. Speaking on the motion for the reform of campaign financing, Anthony Vieira, said journalism was a noble profession but when reporters facilitate political agendas while pretending to be neutral, they do their profession and country a disservice “The media should not become an echo chamber for politicians; reporters should declare their personal and commercial relationships. When a media has been
hijacked by special interest, by people with deep pockets or by those who may have a personal axe to grind, those conflicts of interest should be known. It is wrong for reporters to be used as hired guns,” said Vieira. He suggested there was need for regulations, telling legislators “in the United States, one can’t pretend to be an independent media house if one is a lobbyist; that must be declared, that’s the law there, but here, agendas can be hidden”. Vieira support the need for regula-ting campaign finance, saying it was a threat to democracy when politicians become obligated to party financiers.
Thursday February 06, 2014
Kaieteur News
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West Indies tour is Vettori’s fitness deadline From page 35 Zealand captain and their most successful spinner, Vettori, has been battling injuries recently, and last played for New Zealand in June 2013. He met captain Brendon McCullum and coach Mike Hesson on Tuesday to discuss his future, and was told he would have to prove his fitness around the West Indies tour, which be-
gins this May. New Zealand will co-host the World Cup at the start of the next year. Nathan McCullum has proved to be an able replacement in the ODI side even as Vettori tried to stage a comeback through the Big Bash League. He had to struggle with a back injury, though, which negated his claim made through an impressive economy rate of 6.25 in seven
matches. Vettori hasn’t bowled a ball since, nor is he expected to anytime soon. He has two to three months to get back to fitness. It has been made clear to him that he won’t be considered for the World Twenty20 in March. “To be fair to everyone at NZ Cricket, I sense from speaking to Hess that they need me to be proving my fitness around the West
Thursday February 06, 2014 ARIES (MAR 21 - APR 19): Today you should be feeling very energetic, Aries, both physically and mentally, and you're likely to feel rather anxious for some physical activity. Go for a workout if you have time or for a short walk if you don't. *************************** TAURUS (APR 20 MAY 20): A lot of physical and mental energy could be channeled today into artistic projects of some kind, Taurus. *************************** GEMINI (MAY 21 - JUN 20): It's another potentially anxious day ahead, Gemini. But you have the power to soothe your ruffled feathers. *************************** CANCER (JUN 21 - JUL 22): Your level of physical and mental energy should be very high today, Cancer, and so you could feel restless throughout the morning. As a result, you might spend your afternoon and evening out and about, shopping, paying visits, or attending classes or lectures. *************************** LEO (JUL 23 - AUG 22): Your level of imagination and inspiration should be operating at a very high level today, Leo, so if you've been planning to start a new artistic project, this is the day to do it. You're also likely to be feeling quite intuitive, so don't be surprised if you find yourself tuning acutely in to the thoughts, feelings, needs, and desires of others, even strangers. ************************ VIRGO (AUG 23 - SEP 22): A group with which you're affiliated could ask you to take care of a few tasks. This might involve making phone calls, running errands, or both. Your energy and enthusiasm are high, Virgo, so this is a good day to prove how valuable your work is and how efficient you are.
LIBRA (SEP 23 - OCT 22): Important projects, either job related or personal, might need to be completed today in order to meet a deadline or fulfill a promise. *************************** SCORPIO (OCT 23 - NOV 21): A long-awaited vacation may be coming up soon for you, Scorpio. The study of travel books might be on your agenda for today. *************************** SAGITTARIUS (NOV 22 DEC 21): This could prove to be a very busy day, Sagittarius. Someone close to you might come to you for advice on how to manage their resources, perhaps because of successes you've had in the past. *************************** CAPRICORN (DEC 22 JAN 19): Social events, probably family related, could take up a lot of your time today, Capricorn. They might involve outings, perhaps to parks or other recreational areas. *************************** AQUARIUS (JAN 20 FEB 18): Your home today could be like Grand Central Station, with lots of people coming and going and a lot of activity taking place within the house itself. The phone could be also ringing off the hook, Aquarius. *************************** PISCES (FEB 19 - MAR 20): This is probably going to shape up to be a busy and rather chaotic day. You might find yourself spending a lot of time out and about, Pisces. You may need to run a lot of errands and see a number of people. A friend might accompany you. Phone calls might need to be made in order to make arrangements for future events, and someone might take up too much of your time calling to chat.
Indies tour, that’s when they really want to get on and press for the World Cup,” Vettori was quoted as saying by Fairfax NZ News. New Zealand Herald quoted Vettori as saying: “Mike and Brendon made it clear that if I play for New Zealand again I’ve got to deliver in all three facets of the game, which is completely fair. I can’t just bowl 24 balls, and then expect to be hidden in the outfield [during the World T20]. “I’ve also got to consider the deal I’ve signed to coach RCB [Royal Challengers Bangalore in the IPL], which could require me to be there three weeks early. That might create a difficult situation regarding the World Cup.” Hesson said that fitness in non-negotiable. “There’s plenty of water to pass under the bridge,” Hesson said, “but the key is we’re very keen for Dan to still be available for the Black Caps and Dan is still really keen to play. That’s the prior-
ity. We’re going to have to be pretty rigorous in terms of what we see from him, and whether we’re going to select him [for the West Indies tour]. Hopefully he can play some cricket before the end of the season.” While Nathan McCullum might have emerged as a good replacement in limited-overs cricket, New Zealand are struggling to find a Test substitute. Before the start of the home international summer, New Zealand were keen to get Vettori back. They delayed naming of the Test squad against West Indies so that they could see how Vettori went in his Plunket Shield match against Central Districts. It was only his second first-class match in 16 months, and New Zealand decided to go ahead without him. Vettori played two more first-class matches before being injured again during the Big Bash League. “It was a little bit worse than the past,” Vettori said of the
injury. “Running around was difficult. I’ll just rest up and try and get that ready. If I can then that’s great, and if I can’t then the writing is probably on the wall. “It’s all about bowling and because I haven’t done that for a couple of weeks it’s hard to know. I don’t want to just sit back in February with no cricket for a little while, and just give it away. If I can work reasonably hard and try to push towards it [an international return], then who knows.”
Kevin Pietersen: Alastair Cook... From page 34 the textgate story, he was a problem, but once they reintegrated him he’s been fine, he’s had a great attitude’. “Then England get rid of him on apparently cricketing reasons and that’s the guy that scored more runs than anybody else in the Ashes series. It’s a sad day for cricket.” Vaughan believes that Flower’s replacement should have been the one to make the decision about Pietersen and that the batsman has been punished for speaking his mind in team meetings. “A new director of cricket will be appointed in April and won’t have the opportunity to pick a star player,” he added. “They should be making those decisions on their own. “Kevin will speak his mind. If there’s an issue within the side he will go straight to the coach and say these are the things we need to sort out and maybe Andy Flower didn’t like what KP was saying and that’s why they’ve got rid of him.” However, another former England great Geoffrey Boycott does not agree and believes Pietersen’s batting at times set a bad example to his younger team-mates. “We all remember his wonderful innings, but what about the daft things and the stupid shots?” he said. “That has an effect on the dressing room and young players. How do you tell young players to play responsibly? It stops you from building discipline. “You can be an individual within the team but you cannot just be an individual. He has said this is how I play, take it or leave it. Well they’ve taken it for long enough and now they’ve said thank you very much, we will leave it.”
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NBA roundup: Love, Timberwolves hand Lakers 7th straight loss
Los Angeles Lakers’ Steve Nash, right, makes a pass over Minnesota Timberwolves’ Ricky Rubio, of Spain, during the first quarter of an NBA basketball game, Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2014, in Minneapolis. (Associated Press) Associated Press MINNEAPOLIS — Kevin Love had 31 points and 17 rebounds for Minnesota, spoiling Steve Nash’s return for languishing Los Angeles and leading the Timberwolves to a 109-99 victory Tuesday night that stuck the Lakers with their seventh straight defeat. Kevin Martin scored 14 of his season-high-tying 32 points in the opening 10 minutes to help the Timberwolves start strong, and the NBA’s highestscoring first-quarter team surged to a 25-point lead midway through the second period. Nash had been sidelined since Nov. 10 because of nerve problems in his back. The soon-tobe-40-year-old two-time league MVP had seven points and nine assists in 25 minutes, about 10 more than he was supposed to play. Steve Blake also returned, coming back from a torn ligament in his right elbow that had shelved him since Dec. 10. He ruptured h i s eardrum during the game but kept playing on another night of bad luck and bad defense for the fallen franchise. Blake was scoreless in 31 minutes. Jodie Meeks (sprained right ankle, first quarter) and backup Jordan Hill (headache and neck strain, first quarter) went down for the Lakers, who have been without star Kobe Bryant for most of the season. Pau Gasol
sat out with a strained right groin and could be out until after the All-Star break. BULLS 101, SUNS 92 PHOENIX — Carlos Boozer had 19 points and 12 rebounds, and the Bulls snapped the Suns’ fivegame winning streak. The Bulls shot 45 percent from the field and had five players score in double figures, bouncing back from an ugly 99-70 loss at Sacramento on Monday. The Bulls shot 28 percent and were outrebounded 53-30 against the Kings. One night later, it was a completely different story. Jimmy Butler and D.J. Augustin had 18 points apiece for the Bulls, who won for the fifth straight time in Phoenix. Joakim Noah, who was ejected in the third q u a r t e r o f t h e loss at Sacramento, had 14 points and 14 rebounds. Goran Dragic led Phoenix with 24 points. Channing Frye had 18. PACERS 89, HAWKS 85 ATLANTA — David West scored 22 points and Paul George added 18, helping NBA-leading Indiana get the win. The Pacers snapped a 12game regular-season losing streak in Atlanta while i m p r o v i n g t h e l e a g u e ’s best record to 38-10. Atlanta failed to place a starter in double figures. It had won two straight and five of seven. Jeff Teague and Kyle Korver had nine points apiece for the Hawks, but All-Star forward Paul
Millsap went 2 for 11 from the field and finished with seven points. Te a g u e m a d e a 3 pointer to give Atlanta a 4135 lead with 1:06 left in the second quarter, but the Hawks were outscored 38-16 over the next 17 minutes. Cartier Martin’s 3 cut Indiana’s lead to 86-84 with 14.9 seconds left. C.J. Watson and Danny Granger then combined for three free throws to help the Pacers hold on for the win. BOBCATS 91, WARRIORS 75 OAKLAND, Calif. — Al Jefferson had 30 points and 13 rebounds and Gerald Henderson added 17 points and eight rebounds for Charlotte in Kemba Walker’s much-anticipated return. Walker finished with seven points, seven assists and six rebounds after missing the last seven games with a sprained left ankle. He played 33 minutes. The Bobca t s w e n t ahead by 18 points late in the third quarter and 22 midway through the fourth. Charlotte, which shot 47.4 percent, held the Warriors to a seasonlow 31.2 percent shooting. Stephen Curry had 17 points and 11 assists, Klay Thompson scored 12 and Andrew Bogut grabbed 15 rebounds for the Warriors, who have been held below 38 percent shooting in three of their past four games. The Bobcats closed out their road trip 3-1 and swept the season against the Warriors.
Thursday February 06, 2014
T&T defeat Leeward Islands by 5 wickets (WICB) Scarborough, Tobago - A day after flying in from South Africa, Sunil Narine tore through the Leeward Islands, as hosts T&T dismissed their opponents to win by five wickets at Shaw Park. The Leewards found themselves in early trouble when they were reduced to 46/4 in 18 overs. However, Devon Thomas and Jahmar Hamilton came together in a 67-run partnership to bolster the tourists. Thomas hit two sixes in his knock of 42 runs from 52 balls. His stay at the crease lasted just over an hour. At the other end, Hamilton was more patient, hitting 39 runs from 80 balls. He struck two fours and a six. However, Rampaul and Narine proved to be too much for the visitors. Rampaul
nabbed 4-20 while Narine took 4-17. T&T needed to get to their target of 141 runs in 40 overs to gain the bonus point. Their run chase hit a block when Adrian Barath was caught behind without a run being scored. Elvin Lewis followed soon after when he got to 11. Darren Bravo and Lendl Simmons then met in a 40-run stand. Both batsmen took the score to 65 before Simmons lost patience and tried to clear deep mid-wicket. He was superbly caught by Mali Richards for a well played 42. Darren Bravo became T&T’s fourth wicket nine runs later when he was caught behind. T&T were quite shaky at that stage but the international pair of Dwayne Bravo and Denesh Ramdin combined to save the hosts. They put on 65 runs from 58 balls to take T&T to within
touching distance of victory. The older Bravo scored four fours and three sixes in his knock of 42, being out late in the innings. Denesh Ramdin ensured the victory, staying at the end and finishing on 22 not out. T&T won by five wickets. Summary Scores: Leeward Islands Innings: 140 All Out (43.2 Overs). Devon Thomas 42, Jahmar Hamilton 39, Montcin Hodge 15, Rahkeem Cornwall 14; Sunil Narine 9.2-3-1-17-4, Ravi Rampaul 9-3-20-4, Rayad Emrit 7-0-19-1, Yannick Ottley 6-0-30-1. Trinidad & Tobago Innings: 144/5 (27.1 Overs). Dwayne Bravo 42, Lendl Simmons 25, Denesh Ramdin 22, Darren Bravo 22; Gavin Tonge 8-2-38-3, Justin Athanaze 6-1-30-2, Anthony Martin 5-0-22-0, Quinton Boatswain 6.1-1-35-0.
South Africa police say ready for track star Pistorius’ trial
Oscar Pistorius awaits the start of court proceedings while his brother Carl (L) looks on, in the Pretoria Magistrates court February 19, 2013. REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - South African police are ready to present their case when Olympic and Paralympic track star Oscar Pistorius goes on trial on March 3 for the murder of his girlfriend, domestic news agency SAPA reported on Wednesday. Pistorius says he shot his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp in the head, arm and hip in the mistaken belief that she was an intruder at his upmarket home on Valentine’s Day last year. Pistorius, who is out on bail, could face life in prison if convicted in a case which
has divided public opinion in South Africa. “All necessary evidence that we needed to take the docket to court has been collected so far,” SAPA quoted police spokeswoman Major General Tebello Mosikili as saying. Mosikili said 107 witnesses are expected to testify for the prosecution, including Pistorius’ sister, uncle and residents of the Silver Woods Country Estate in Pretoria he shot Steenkamp, a model. Last October, prosecutors said Pistorius would face two additional gun-related
charges related to previous incidents in which he is alleged to have fired a gun in a public space. State lawyers plan to use forensics and w i t n e s s e s who say they heard shouting before Steenkamp was shot to prove Pistorius killed his girlfriend in cold blood. The 26-year-old double-amputee, who is known as “Blade Runner” for the prostheses he wears in competition, was one of stars of the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics in London and is one of South Africa’s most revered sportsmen.
Thursday February 06, 2014
Kaieteur News
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Serious problems in GFF Sochi 2014: Jamaica bobsleigh as correspondence leaked team lose luggage & miss training Matthias asked to resign There seems to be a serious crisis brewing among the administrators of local football as a letter leaked to the media indicates. Kaieteur Sport received a letter sent by Guyana Football Federation Vice President Ivan Persaud dated February 2, 2014 to President Christopher Matthias and copied to General Secretary Noel Adonis, Persaud called on Matthias to resign from his post citing serious discrepancies in his stewardship of the organisation. Persaud opened the missive by stating; “Further to my letter dated January 28, 2014, to which I am still awaiting a response, I write once again as a matter of principle and to provide added information which I pray will cause you to do the right thing and set Guyana’s Football free of tyranny and dictatorship.”
Citing the GFF’s president’s “unprofessional behaviour and lack of respect for fellow executives and members of the football fraternity”, Persaud accused Matthias of misleading them and the general public at a press conference on January 27, 2014. “I am therefore asking you to put away your pride and ego and resign from the office of President of the Guyana Football Federation with immediate effect,” the Vice President wrote. Further making his case Persaud wrote; “Mr President I am fully aware of the fact that the Georgetown Football Association as of today (February 2, 2014) did not have any approval in writing or signed any contract for the hosting of their GFA/Banks Beer tournament and as such they too should have been banned and suspended at the illegal Extraordinary Congress which you held unconstitutionally. The Guyana Football Fraternity would be happy to know when a similar ban will be extended to the Georgetown Football Association and its Executives.”
It further continued, “Sir you lied to this nation when you left Guyana to attend a FIFA meeting in Zurich on September 2, 2013 and never did so and reported that you did. Please Sir, leave the office of the President of the GFF now or face the consequences.” Kaieteur Sport has been reliably informed that Matthias was not in possession of a Schengen Visa, the required document to travel to Europe, hence him being denied permission to travel there in the United States. This latest chapter comes on the heels of the Upper Demerara Football Association (UDFA) executives being banned for going ahead with their January 1 finals in contravention to the GFF ruling. Meanwhile, Kaieteur Sport sought a response from Matthias via telephone on the accusations made by Persaud and he responded by saying that, “We are fully aware of Persaud and his accomplices’ missive and the GFF will respond very shortly.”
Simpson dope case: Attorney questions doctor’s qualifications Jamaica Observer KINGSTON, Jamaica – Sprinter Sherone Simpson’s defence attorney Kwame Gordon Wednesday tore into Jamaica anti-Doping Commission (JADCO) witness Dr Paul Wright about his qualification to speak authoritatively on supplements in the human body. Dr Wright, who has over the 35 years experience in the doping cases, had previously advised athletes not to take supplements but to instead consult an accredited sports dietician, a registered nutritionist with expertise in sports nutrition or a sports and exercise-medicine doctor. “Athletes generally do not need to take supplements,” Dr Wright instructed. But Gordon while cross-examination of Dr Wr i g h t , We d n e s d a y questioned whether or not he had any scientific research that says follow a dietician’s plan instead of taking supplements. “No sir that’s common sense,” replied Dr Wright. “In the profession that you practice are your opinions based on common sense or research”?
Olympic silver medallist Sherone Simpson arrives for her drug hearing at the Jamaica Conference Centre back in January. Gordon continued. “Research, experience and common sense,” said Dr Wright. Then Gordon questioned Dr Wright’s qualifications noting that he failed three times to pass
the medical examination in Jamaica. “Have you received any certification that gives you the authority to speak on how a supplement works in a human body”? Gordon asked. “Yes,” replied Dr Wright. He was then shown a copy of his qualifications and asked to show the medical training that he received that allowed him to speak authoritatively on supplements in a human body. Gordon then bombarded Dr Wright with questions about JADCO educational programme as being unacceptable, not even having a website to inform athletes. Dr Wright paused, then laughed, asked for forgiveness saying the last time he answered a question like that he got in serious trouble. “Is there a fifth amendment in this country,” joked Dr Wright. “ C o u n c i l t h a t ’s a v e r y embarrassing question for me on a personal note.” “I don’t embarrass you. I won’t press you further than that, I think your response speaks volumes,” said Gordon.
BBC Sport - The Jamaican bobsleigh team missed their first training session on the Sochi Olympic track after their luggage was lost en-route to Russia. Driver Winston Watts, 46, and brakeman Marvin Dixon, 28, will compete in the twoman bob in Sochi as Jamaica ended their 12-year Winter Olympics absence. “It’s really frustrating,” said Watts, who has competed at three Games. Last month a funding plea saw the public donate more than £6000 to help the team travel to Sochi. “We have just got all the funding together and have arrived at the Olympics - but then this happens,” added Watts. The Jamaican team became famous after their 1988 appearance at the Winter Olympics was later turned into the film Cool Runnings. Watts competed at the 1994, 1998 and 2002 Games - the last
time Jamaica took part in bobsleigh at the Winter Olympics - and came out of retirement two years ago. “The sled is here, but our blades that go on the sled aren’t and neither is the clothing that we wear when we slide,” he said. The Jamaican team flew from their training base in Lake Placid, US, on Monday with Delta Airlines and were due to take a connecting flight from John F Kennedy [JFK] airport to Moscow. However, bad weather prevented the plane from landing. “We were circling for an hour or hour-and-a-half and were then re-routed to Philadelphia to refuel before going back to JFK again,” said Watts. “Our original flight had already left so we had to take another.” They finally arrived in Sochi on Tuesday afternoon local time and remain hopeful
they can take part in training on Thursday. “This is a very new track for everyone and I’m not really happy about missing today,” added Watts. “We will have maybe three more sessions - six runs in total and I’m confident we will take part in those because we have a lot of friends here and I’m sure people will lend us what we need.” British bobsleigh pilot Lamin Deen, who will compete in the two and fourman competitions in Sochi, is friends with Watts and admits the course takes time to feel comfortable navigating. “It’s a safe track, but it’s very difficult to be quick, so missing out on these two runs will not be an advantage,” Deen told BBC Sport. The Winter Olympic opening ceremony takes place on Friday, with the twoman competition beginning on Sunday 16 February.
Sochi 2014: Shaun White withdraws from slopestyle event BBC Sport - Snowboarder Shaun White has pulled out of the Sochi Winter Olympics slopestyle competition because of safety concerns. The American will instead focus solely on winning a third consecutive gold medal in the halfpipe event. White, 27, said the course was “a little intimidating” and needed further changes after Norwegian Torstein Horgmo broke his collarbone on Monday. He told USA Today: “The potential risk of injury is a bit too much for me to gamble my other Olympic goals on.” White, halfpipe champion in 2006 and 2010, hurt his left wrist during slopestyle practice on Tuesday. In a statement issued by US Snowboarding, White added: “The difficult decision to forego slopestyle is not one I take lightly as I know how much effort everyone has put into holding the slopestyle event for the first time in Olympic history, a history I had planned on being part of.” Course officials reduced the combined height of the three jumps by about six feet (1.82m) ahead of Tuesday’s penultimate training session following Horgmo’s incident
Shaun White (Reuters) which ruled him out of the Games. Snowboard slopestyle qualification begins on Thursday ahead of Friday’s opening ceremony. Competitors raised concerns about the proximity of the rails at the beginning of the course and called for the lowering of three jumps. International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) technical delegate Bill van Gilder told BBC Sport that it was common to have “concerns” after the first day of training and believes that “everyone is ‘stoked’ with the course”.
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National Aquatic Centre is accessible to national swimmers - Kumar Director of Sport Neil Kumar told Kaieteur Sport yesterday that the National Aquatic Centre at Liliendaal on the East Coast Demerara is available for the national swimmers to prepare for future engagements. Kumar stated swimmers from the Dorado, Orca, Silver Shark and Dolphin Swim clubs as well as athletes from Linden are currently using the pool for training which is being facilitated by national coach Stephanie Fraser from Monday to Saturday adding that the facility opens from 05:30 hrs. He said that when swimmers reach a certain level then they are allowed to use the pool. “We only allow the stronger swimmers to use the facility because it may not be safe to have the beginners train there, so the clubs would
normally select its members who must be strong swimmers to use the pool and that is reason the youngsters commence training at Colgrain which is much safer for them”, he added. Kumar informed that they are planning to hold another International Life Guard certification programme later this year adding that the Inter Guiana Games will be held at the facility in March. The Director explained that the equipment for the warm up pool is here, but they are waiting for the groundwork, which is being carried out by Innovative Engineering Consultancy Services, to finish. Managing Director of the company Deoraj Dalchand said they encountered a few difficulties in laying the foundation. “We had some
delays due to the depth and the weather, but we have a deadline to meet that is the first week in March before Myrtle Pool c o m p a n y returns to complete the facility which should take about two weeks so the p o o l s h o u l d b e up and running in March”, he affirmed. He stated that he is pleased with the ongoing works and they are on schedule stating that they had to ensure the existing pool was not affected while working on the foundation which is why they had to release the water from it for sometime. Coach Fraser indicated that Guyana should be able to host the 2015 CARIFTA games once the warm up pool is completed within the specified time frame.
Cadogan chides clubs for poor showing at Rose’s funeral Former national basketball player, national coach and coach of the late Trevor Rose’s last club, Trinity Grid Holdings (TGH) Pacesetters, Robert ‘Bobby’ Cadogan yesterday chided clubs for their poor turnout at the funeral service of Rose. Stakeholders from a wide cross-section of society, including the corporate community and sports enthusiasts paid tribute to the late Rose at a Funeral Service at the Olivet Seventh Day Adventist Church in Durban Backlands on Monday. Rose, who was gunned down more than a week ago outside the Eccles Community on the East Bank Demerara carriageway, served the Georgetown Amateur Basketball Association (GABA) as President during 2008-2011 and surprisingly, some basketball players and clubs were visibly absent from the moving Funeral Service. Those present included Ravens with its coach, Darcel Harris, representatives from Pepsi Sonics, Panthers and Plaisance Guardians. Newly elected President of the Guyana Amateur Basketball Federation, Nigel Hinds was also present. The Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport was also not visibly represented at the service to pay homage to the deceased. The United States of America-based Cadogan believes that the low-key turnout from one of Rose’s main constituent, basketball was nothing short of disrespectful to the contributions of Rose. Below is Cadogan’s full letter sent
Thursday February 06, 2014
Lennie Shuffler 75th birth anniversary volleyball set for this Sunday One of Guyana’s most long serving administrators and committed servant in the volleyball realms, Lennox Shuffler has achieved yet another great milestone. Yesterday the elder statesman celebrated his 75th birth anniversary and to show appreciation to this stalwart, the Guyana Volleyball Federation (GVF), of which Shuffler is still President, would be hosting the fourth annual Lennie Shuffler birthday festival set for the National Gymnasium, Mandela Avenue, Georgetown. The GVF Executive Committee has informed that all systems are in place for a grand day of volleyball which will serve off at 09:00hrs. They have promised that it will be a memorable day. This one of a kind festival is open to all existing and emerging third-division teams across Guyana and will feature both male and female teams. There will also be an exhibition match between the
Lennie Shuffler reigning volleyball champs of Region 4 and the fast rising Guyana Defence Force team. This initiative is organised to show gratitude while highlighting Shuffler’s unwavering sportsmanship and dedication to the sport. Over the years, the event has attracted participants from other sporting disciplines including hockey players who also performed
admirably. The same approach will be undertaken this year. Shuffler, who has been at the helm of the sport for many years, was introduced to the game at the tender age of thirteen (13) and ever since then he has elevated himself going on to become a national player and then Captain of the Guyana National team. It has now been sixty-two (62) years Shuffler would have been involved in the sport, first as a player and then as an administrator. He is now serving his third and final term as the President of the GVF and soon will be handing over the reins to his successor. This year’s activity will be the last time this event will take place while he still holds office as President of the GVF but will continue to be an annual event. His philosophy of friendliness, team work, fair competition, peace and meaningful interactions is expected to be demonstrated during the festival.
Brumell 10/10 Softball Cricket Competition
Roger Hinds Enterprise, Mark Interior Communications aboard Trevor Rose and Robert Cadogan in a previous photo. to Kaieteur Sport. “It is very disturbing to know that the clubs did not mobilise themselves to attend Trevor Rose’s funeral in the traditional way that we do when one of us passes on. After all he had done for the game in Georgetown, the least clubs could have done is to show up in a formal way with their members in uniform and show support to his family in time of mourning. As the then Secretary of GABA under Rose leadership, this young man went beyond the call of duty to make sure that the game was played. He literally breathed life into the game during his tenure as President. Just a few examples of what he did include bringing new fans to the game, adding lights at Burnham Basketball Court after decades in darkness, most tournaments played over the two years in office; the most lucrative tournaments; the formation of new clubs; the return of clubs that were dissolved; countless meetings with the Director of Sports, Neil Kumar to reduce
the rent for the Sports Hall and the use of his personal financial resources to make sure basketball was played in the Sports Hall. It is a shame that some clubs and players could not find the time to pay their respect to him and his family, more so his children. It would have been an indication of their father’s involvement in basketball; I urge the players to ask themselves what they can do for the game not what the game can do for them. Do not always place the development of the sport on administrators; many times administrators and promoters have to spend lots of money on advertisements etc. to ensure that players have an audience to showcase their talents. Many of the players don’t have a fan base and don’t promote the game by encouraging family and friends to come out and support the game. At least they could have shown gratitude to someone who went the extra mile to make them play the game they love.”
Operations Manager of Roger Hinds Enterprise, O. Brown, hands over their contribution for the Brumell 10/10 Cricket Competition to Police Sports Officer, Colin Boyce yesterday. Roger Hinds Enterprise and Mark Interior Communications became the latest spate of companies to join the list of sponsors for the Brumell 10/10 Softball Cricket Competition that will be held at the Police Sports Club Ground, Eve Leary, on Sunday.
Both companies reiterated how enthused they were to continue their relationship with the event, while Police Sports Officer, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Colin Boyce said that promoting a successful sports competition is not possible without such
sponsorship. Apart from cricket, Boyce said that the event will also feature a football match involving the Guyana Police Force team, dominoes and other sport events in a Family Fun Day setting aimed at improving the relationship between the Police and the Public.
Thursday February 06, 2014
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CPL hires Australian Jamaica expected to send as director of cricket ‘strong’ team to World Relays Jamaica Observer - THE Caribbean Premier League (CPL) recently announced that former Australia International, Tom Moody, has joined its ranks as director of cricket. Moody has vast experience at the top level of the game, having represented Australia, Warwickshire, Western Australia and Worcestershire as a player, before turning his attention to coaching, commentary and cricket administration. “From a purely cricket perspective, CPL has set the bar high from its inaugural year and I’m excited by the challenge of helping to continue to improve and deliver the highest possible standards for the fans, the players and everyone
Tom Moody... has vast experience at the top level of the game. associated with the tournament,” Moody said. Commenting on the appointment, Caribbean Premier League CEO,
Damien O’Donohoe, said: “We are delighted that Tom Moody has joined the team at CPL. As the tournament progresses, we will strive to maintain our status as a firstclass cricket tournament, attracting the best players and coaches from around the world,” he said. Following his retirement from the game in 2001, Moody became president of the Australian Cricketers’ Association and coach, then director of cricket at Worcestershire. In 2005, he was appointed as Sri Lanka’s coach, guiding the team to the World Cup final in April 2007, before returning home to coach Western Australia. He is currently coach for IPL franchise, Sunrisers Hyderabad.
Sangakkara 319 sets Bangladesh big test ESPNcricinfo - Having sown 14 years of indefatiguable work ethic and uncompromising selfimprovement into the game, Kumar Sangakkara harvested another crop of statistical triumphs in Chittagong, where he became the third Sri Lanka batsman to hit a triplehundred. His 319 in a team total of 587 has almost put an upset, series-leveling victory beyond Bangladesh, spirited though the hosts have been in their innings so far. Bangladesh lost Tamim Iqbal for a duck, but wiped 86 off Sri Lanka’s lead by stumps, fortuitously having suffered no further loss. En route to his triple, Sangakkara had become the fastest man to 11,000 Test runs, eclipsing Brian Lara’s previous record by five innings. In the morning session, he had also matched Lara’s doublehundred count of nine, to sit at second equal on the list, behind only Don Bradman. Already Bangladesh’s most brutal tormentor with the bat, Sangakkara’s score was also the highest ever against them, easily surpassing Ramnaresh Sarwan’s 261. Shakib Al Hasan was Bangladesh’s best bowler of the day, completing an 11th career five-wicket haul. But though his
JAMAICA is expected to send its strongest team to the IAAF World Relays. Jamaica Observer JAMAICA is expected to send its strongest team to the IAAF World Relays in The Bahamas despite not having a trial prior to the event set for May 24 and 25. D r Wa r r e n B l a k e , president of the Jamaica Athletic Administrative Association (JAAA), didn’t envisage any problems in team selection when he spoke with the Jamaica Observer. “We will be selecting the team the same way we have done with the Penn Relays teams that comes on a month before and the World Indoors,” said Dr Blake. “We write to the coaches and the athletes’ reps and get in touch with them and they will recommend which of their athletes will be available and then we choose the best team out of what is available at the time,” he noted. The first edition of the 2014 IAAF World Relays will serve as a qualifying
competition for the 2015 IAAF World Championships and is expected to have more than 1,000 athletes and team officials from 40 nations for the event. The top-eight teams to place in the 4x100m and 4x400m events at the IAAF World Relays Bahamas 2014 shall automatically qualify f o r t h e I A A F Wo r l d Championships Beijing 2015. If one or more teams in the A Final are disqualified or do not finish, their qualifying places will be taken by the top-placed finisher(s) in the B Final. Jamaica, with the incomparable Usain Bolt, have swept the 4x100m relays at the Olympic and World Championships since 2008 and are expected to dominate once again regardless of the composition of the team. Meanwhile, fans will have the chance to have a preview of the upcoming I A A F Wo r l d R e l a y s Bahamas 2014 during a test
event scheduled to be held prior to the IAAF World Relays. On May 9 & 10, young high school athletes from around the Bahamas will test the readiness of the newly built Thomas A Robinson Stadium by competing in the replica of events that will be run at the Relays. The participating teams will compete in the following test events — 4x100m, 4x200m, and 4x400m, along with a sprint medley that will include 400m, 200m, 200m, and 800m legs for the boys and 100m, 100m, 200m and 400m legs for the girls. A maximum of one team from any one member country can compete in each relay event and a maximum of six athletes may be entered for each relay team. Any four athletes among those entered for the competition may then be used in the composition of the team for the first round. They will target an ideal number of approximately 16 teams to qualify.
Sochi 2014: US warns airlines of Russia ‘toothpaste’ bomb threat aggression brought rewards, he also gave away 148 runs at 4.35. Sohag Gazi may never want to look at the scorecard again, having been hit for 181 for his one wicket. At 286, late in the second session, with a no. 11 a t t h e o t h e r e n d , Sangakkara leapt beyond his own previous best, flew through the 290s and into the record books in three calculated, consecutive strikes. Shakib pitched the third
ball of his 33rd over outside leg stump, which Sanga darted at, then powered it over midwicket for four. He ran at the next ball as well, launching it over long on. Almost unable to stop himself from charging a third time, Sangakkara picked Shakib’s leg-stump line early and walloped him again towards midwicket, this time all the way. His celebrations were muted, as they had been at each of the five milestones on his way.
BBC News - The US has warned airlines flying into Russia for the Winter Olympics that explosives hidden in toothpaste tubes could be smuggled on to planes. The Department of Homeland Security told US media the alert affected direct into Russia as it prepares for the games in Sochi. The agency said it was not aware of any specific danger to the US at this time.
Russia has beefed up security for the Winter Olympics. (AP)
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Thursday February 06, 2014
Scotia Bank Kiddy Cricket- East Bank E’bo
Philadelphia, Blake, Parika Salem triumph
Philadelphia’s Shemar Hutson gathers run s on the leg side
Alex Ali of Parika Salem pulls a delivery By Zaheer Mohamed Philadelphia, Blake and Parika Salem Primary schools recorded victories when action of the Scotia Bank nationwide Kiddy Cricket Festival continued yesterday on the East Bank of Essequibo. At the Vergenoegen ground, Philadelphia
defeated Zeelugt by 33 runs. Zeelugt batted first and scored 126-8 in 10 overs. Yashpaul Ramcharittar scored 11, while extras contributed 22. Amos Baird grabbed four wickets, while Orwin Waithe claimed three and Akeem Throtman two. Philadelphia replied with 159-4 in 10 overs. Baird and
Shemar Hutson led with 14 a p i e c e w h i l e Wa i t h e supported with 12; extras assisted with 22. Anil Jacobs and Suresh Hansraj picked up two wickets each. Blake overcame Tuschen Primary by 13 runs. Blake took first strike and managed 127-8 off their allocation of 10 overs which included 30
extras. Rachel Durga snared two wickets for Tuschen who responded with 114 in 10 overs, but suffered 11 dismissals. Extras played a vital role with 43. Nicholas Persaud grabbed 3 wickets while Rayshanna Sukhai and Lallman Persaud had two each. St. Lawrence Primary went down to Parika Salem
by 10 runs. Parika Salem posted 169-7 in 10 overs, batting first. Alex Ali was their leading batter with 28, while Donald Gibson chipped in with 14 and extras added 36. Celina Wong and Leesa Rampersaud bagged two wickets each. St. Lawrence replied with 159-6 in 10 overs. Beesham Singh
made 17 and Krishamurtie Singh 10. Extras supported with 30. Alex Ali and Neetu Gobind had two scalps apiece. Action in this zone continues on Monday with Parika Salem facing Philadelphia and Blake playing Greenidge Park who drew the bye in the semi finals.
Kevin Pietersen: Alastair Cook influential in batsman’s exit BBC Sport - England captain Alastair Cook played an influential role in the decision to end Kevin Pietersen’s international career. Cook was part of a threeman panel who met the batsman on Monday and told him of their decision. Although some members of the England dressing room have no issues with Pietersen, the BBC has learned that Cook felt the 33year-old’s departure was in the best interests of the team. Pietersen scored 8,181 runs at an average of 47 in 104 Tests for England. Cook, who succeeded Andrew Strauss as captain in August 2012, brought Pietersen back into the England fold after he had been dropped for sending provocative text messages to South Africa players. But following England’s disastrous 5-0 Ashes whitewash in Australia,
during which Pietersen was criticised for repeatedly falling to reckless shots, the captain wants to mould a new team with a new culture for the next five years. Pietersen was summoned to a meeting on Monday with Cook, new England and Wales Cricket Board managing director Paul Downton and chairman of selectors James Whittaker at the Danubius Hotel near Lord’s. That was followed on Tuesday by a separate meeting involving Pietersen’s agent Adam Wheatley, Professional Cricketers’Association chief executive Angus Porter and Downton to discuss the severance terms of his 12month central contract that was signed in October. On Tuesday evening, the ECB sent out an official press release in which Downton, who had the final say on Pietersen’s departure, stated: “The time is right to
rebuild not only the team but also the team ethic.” Pietersen, meanwhile, feels he was not given a clear explanation for his sacking despite asking Downton and Whittaker for justification during the brief meeting. BBC Sport has been told that he is angered by stories of stand-up arguments with Cook and rumours of his alienation from the team. He admits to occasionally turning up late for meetings and feeling frustrated by England’s overly analytical approach, but points to his support for younger players and work with tail-end batsmen as examples of his commitment to the cause. Although there is no written condition that Pietersen will never be allowed to play for England again, it is believed to be highly unlikely that he could ever be recalled. Indeed, whoever is chosen to replace Andy
Kevin Pietersen (right) and Alastair Cook. (Getty Images) Flower as England team director is likely to be informed that the South Africa-born batsman is not available for selection. The decision to jettison England’s highest international run-scorer has been questioned by former captain Michael Vaughan.
Vaughan, who captained Pietersen in the 2005 Ashes success, wants the ECB to explain their decision. “I really do think the ECB and the people involved have to give us the reason exactly why they got rid of Kevin Pietersen,” he told BBC Radio 5 live.
“You hear of rumours that he’s been a nuisance around the dressing room but it was only last week that Graeme Swann, who’s been in that dressing room for the last few years with Kevin Pietersen, said ‘yep, in 2012 and the South Africa series, (Continued on page 29)
Thursday February 06, 2014
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GCB congratulates R&R Int. 23rd Mash 40-miler victorious Banks Malta fixed for Sunday on West Dem. Supreme Guyana Team
Flashback! Last year’s winner Alonzo Greaves cruises to the line.
The 23rd edition of the R&R International 40-mile Cycle Road Race is set for this Sunday on the West Demerara. With the season now warming up, spectators are in for another exciting event. Orville Hinds of the United Bike Shop won last Sunday’s NSC sponsored season opening 40-miler and he will start as favourite in this week’s showdown. The fact that most of the big guns will be in their saddles again makes the contest even more interesting so it’ll be anybody’s guess who will cross the finish line as the winner. Robin Persaud, Geron and Marlon Williams, Paul De Nobrega, Albert Philander and Raynauth Jeffrey to name a few will all
be in contention. Early bragging rights and setting a platform for the rest of the season will be central for the cyclists individually and collectively from a club standpoint. Consistent performances will also be important when it comes to selection to national teams. With Guyana Cycling Federation (GCF) boss Cheryl Thompson already informing that this year will see the re-introduction of Inter Club races, an exciting season looms. The youth pool of riders makes for stimulating reading also, the like of Stephano Husbands, Akeem Arthur, Michael Anthony, Shaquelle Agard, Alanzo Ambrose, Romelo Crawford and Raul Leal, who has
returned to full fitness after an accident that had him incapacitated for months. Leal has made his presence felt ever since his return, defeating some of his more senior colleagues to date. He finished third overall on Sunday last and was the top junior. The anticipated duels with the likes of Anthony, Arthur and company can only benefit the sport. The veteran category is also one to watch with the most successful rider over the past two years, Junior Niles aiming to maintain that status. He will be challenged by Robin Persaud and Jude Bentley among others. On Sunday, the first six finishers overall will be rewarded as will the first two juniors, veterans females
and first mountain bike competitor. Six prime prizes are also up for grabs. The starting point is Scoonorde just off the Demerara Harbour Bridge at 08:00hrs proceeding to Bushy Park on the East Bank of Essequibo before returning to the starting point for the finish. Managing Director of R&R International and former cyclist Jacob Rambarran is expected to be on hand to assist with the presentation of prizes. Last year’s winner was Alonzo Greaves who covered the distance in One Hour 41 Minutes 58 Seconds. Raul Leal took the junior category, Stephen Fernandes (veteran) and Naiomi Singh the female class.
In a release, the Guyana Cricket Board extended congratulations to the Banks Malta Supreme Guyana team on two spectacular victories which earned them a place in the semifinals of the WICB NAGICO Super 50 Tournament. The release stated, The first victory against the Irish team was achieved with a fair amount of ease but the second against the defending c h a m p i o n s , Wi n d w a r d Islands, showed our mental and physical fortitude. Our mental and physical preparation in the last month was put to the test in this encounter and the team passed with flying colours. There are a few areas that need tightening up, but overall it has been a total team effort that has contributed to our successes so far. We w o u l d l i k e t o congratulate the captain, the players and the management team for a job well done but wish to caution them that the work is not yet complete as
we they have three more matches to win prior to bringing home the bacon to the victory starved Guyanese cricket nation. The captain has displayed very astute leadership in these games. He received excellent support from his bowling attack and fielders in defending our totals. Their next encounter against powerhouse Jamaica should be treated as a dress rehearsal for the final and would determine whether we lead our Group at the end of the preliminary round and trust that our team would continue to execute their carefully thought out plans on the field and emerge victorious in the end. Once again, congrats to the Banks Malta Supreme team! Let’s make winning a habit as our performance in this tournament will also determine our mindset and confidence for the upcoming 4 day competition which starts in the next 3 weeks time.
West Indies tour is Vettori’s fitness deadline
Real Madrid beat Atletico 3-0 in fiery Copa del Rey semi BBC Sport - Real Madrid closed in on the Copa del Rey final with a 3-0 first-leg win over Atletico Madrid in a niggly semi-final. The hosts, without Gareth Bale with a calf injury, took the lead when Pepe’s effort cannoned in off Emiliano Insua. Jese poked home from Angel Di Maria’s smart pass before the latter saw his own shot deflect off Miranda and past Thibaut Courtois to add to Real’s lead. Atletico had few chances and will miss striker Diego Costa for the return after he was booked in the second half. Costa, whose 20 goals in 22 league
games have played a large part in Atletico’s climb to the top of the table, was the focus of much of the Real early attention, not all of it legitimate. After a roughhouse challenge from Pepe, Real defender Alvaro Arbeloa tested Costa’s patience further by raking his studs down the striker’s Achilles tendon as the pair waited for a free-kick. Costa, whose readiness to go to ground under the slightest contact did little to endear him to the Bernabeu crowd, finally saw yellow as he reacted to a challenge from Di Maria and earned a
suspension that will keep him out of the second leg. Even with Costa at his disposal, manager Diego Simone would struggle to wrestle the tie back in Atletico’s favour. When periods of play did break out amid the fouls and stoppages, Real were the more impressive side. Homegrown 20-year-old Jese looked particularly dangerous for the hosts and got the goal his performance deserved when he nudged home from Di Maria’s clever, reverse ball. By that stage, Real had already taken the lead via a
cruel deflection and gone close through a well-struck Luka Modric volley. Modric did well in defence, clearing off the line to deny Diego Godin an away goal and help ensure Iker Casillas a club record eighth successive clean sheet. A little over a minute later, a second fortuitous ricochet this time off Miranda - left Courtois helpless and Atletico almost certainly out of the tie. Real are likely to face Barcelona in the final after the Spanish champions beat Real Sociedad 2-0 at the Nou Camp in their first leg.
Daniel Vettori will need to be fit by May end for Brendon McCullum to consider him for the World Cup © Getty Images ESPNcricinfo - Daniel Vettori’s fitness when the team is selected for the West Indies tour will be critical
for him to keep alive his hopes of playing in another World Cup. Former New (Continued on page 29)
National Aquatic Centre is accessible to national swimmers - Kumar P.32
T&T defeat Leeward Islands by 5 wickets P.30
The pool at the national aquatic centre at Liliendaal
Sunil Narine’s 4 for 17 helped TT to a 5 wicket win over Leewards and earned him the man of the match award.
Works being carried out on the foundation of the warm up pool yesterday
Serious problems in GFF as
letter leaked Matthias asked to resign P.31
Christopher Matthias
Ivan Persaud
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