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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
Making headlines for the wrong reasons Guyana has been making the headlines for all the wrong reasons. Of course, some of the headlines have been about good things like the environmental preservation and for reaching some of the Millennium Development Goals but for the greater part people are only made aware of Guyana when something horrible happens. In the international community, this country is differentiated from the African country of Ghana by the Jonestown Affair. When we say Guyana people hear Ghana until we explain that we are a South American country and the only English-speaking one at that, on the mainland. Indeed, we are trying desperately to lose even that status because our grasp of the language is fast diminishing. At the start of the week there was a report that a flight out of Guyana was under the threat of sabotage. The airline owned and operated by the Trinidad-based Caribbean Airlines, reported that it got a credible threat out of Barbados. Later, the authorities said that the person phoning in the threat spoke with a Trinidadian accent. Immediately Guyana got international exposure. Every major newscast turned its attention to Guyana, and many rushed to their archives to dust off material that many of us had consigned to the pages of history. For example not many of us paid any great attention to the fact that at least three heads of state were overthrown shortly after they visited Guyana. One of them was Yakubu Gowan of Nigeria. Indira Gandhi visited and a few years after she was assassinated. King Moshoeshoe of Lesotho came and was sent into exile. Guyana made headlines for being the so-called country of one of the most wanted men in the world, Adnan al Shukrijuma. This individual’s claim to Guyana rested with his father who was a Moulvi in Florida and who has since died. This name helped put Guyana in the map even as the international broadcasters remembered that two Guyanese men are now languishing in American jails for plotting to blow up the fuel pipelines at the John F Kennedy InternationalAirport. The dust had scarcely settled on that issue when news came that the Italian Mafia was involved in the local drug trade and were working with the Mexican cartel. The fact that just a few short years ago many young men were dying because of the drug trade must have meant nothing. Things had reached the stage where the capital had almost become a ghost town. There were killings and vendettas and all because of a rampant drug trade. The now jailed Shaheed Roger Khan was quoted that it took millions of dollars a month to just keep his men. The reality is that knowing that Guyana has its porous borders which the authorities cannot effectively patrol just about everyone who has contact with the cocaine trade knows that it is easy to get drugs in and out of Guyana. But reading about the cruelty that passes in Mexico, where judges and policemen are killed, and knowing about the brutality of the Mafia one must now ask whether the people involved were really aware of what they were doing to the country. All day yesterday there was nothing other than talk of the smashing of the drug ring. But for all the talk the country has allowed the world to see exactly how much respect the international community has for Guyana. Neither the Federal authorities in the United States nor those in Italy said a word to Guyana. Our investigators were left in the dark. And there is a reason for this. Everybody outside of Guyana feels that our anti-drug enforcers consort with people who feed information to the underworld. Even before this drug bust the Americans were openly saying that they would not share information with Guyana. We were angry but the fact remained that we simply did not appear to be serious to halt the drug trade. Brigadier David Granger said, on Wednesday, that the government would only arrest the small people with a few grams, and ignore those who deal in tons of cocaine. The international drug fighters believe this.
Thursday February 13, 2014
Letters... Where your views make the news
There is more monitoring of money laundering now than ever before DEAR EDITOR, For those unfamiliar of how leaders steal from the people and try to hide and launder their ill-gotten gains, read the indictment of former Guatemalan President, Alphonso Portillo, that led to his extradition to the US to face charges of money laundering. See it here: http://www.justice.gov/usao/ nys/pressreleases/May13/Po rtilloAlfonsoExtraditionPR/ U.S.%20v.%20Alfonso%20 Portillo%20Indictment.pdf. The scale and extent of the embezzlement and theft was shocking to read. There are lessons in that indictment for those in power in Guyana who steal from the people. If nothing else, Portillo’s case reveals the US has been monitoring money laundering since the 1990s and has mountains of evidence sitting there ready to use. The Americans and Europeans already have files on those Guyanese who are laundering money. For those who don’t know, Guyana already has money laundering laws. The PPP has simply made them toothless and useless. The Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) has been a worthless entity for many years, failing to produce evidence to convict one single money launderer. Now that Guyana is blacklisted and the world is mandated to closely examine this country’s financial transactions, you can bet more evidence of money laundering has been unearthed than the FIU collected in the many years since its creation. If we want a better country, without drug trafficking and other illegal activities and the laundering of the proceeds of those illegalities, we cannot expect the PPP to provide it, even with a new AML legislation. Look at what the PPP did with the last and still current AML legislation! Absolutely nothing. It was rendered pointless with the party’s shameful inaction. The PPP has proved it will not monitor and act upon money laundering in Guyana. A new anti-money laundering law will not change this misconduct. Therefore, it is time Guyana gets sanctioned just so the world can monitor the scourge of money laundering afflicting Guyana, and collect evidence for prosecution of those engaged in it. The ABC embassies want the AML legislation
passed to provide legal cover for future prosecution, but it must recognize the truth that occurs in Guyana. That truth is that as long as the PPP remains in office, it will continue to pull out the teeth of any anti-money laundering action. Guyana is not Guatemala. The fortitude and moral direction to do what the Guatemalan government did with Alphonso Portillo simply does not exist in the PPP. So, someone else must act for that reluctant party. If we cannot monitor ourselves, we need others with better systems to do it for us. If the opposition passes the AML legislation in the form the PPP drafted, it will be a repeat of the same nauseating failure and a disaster for Guyana. To pass this law without changes will provide the PPP the relief from sanctions and foreign
monitoring of suspicious local transactions. The Western countries have proven surveillance, monitoring and intelligence capabilities to monitor every single transaction occurring in Guyana. The FIU cannot even do so for a handful of transactions. Yes, legitimate business will experience a slowing down of transactions, but they must make adjustments, and they can adjust and survive. They will profit and benefit the most if this current increased monitoring by Western countries results in expected arrests, prosecutions and targeting of Guyanese money launderers, for legitimate business will have a chance to flourish again, rather than compete with those washing cheap and illegal money. I agree that the AML legislation should only be
passed with the amendments proposed by the opposition. Political parties, which could be funded by drug dealers and drug cartels and money launderers, must come under the ambit of the AML legislation. There is nothing wrong w i t h t h e o p p o s i t i o n ’s demand for the director of the FIU to be appointed by Parliament, particularly when it has been so useless since its formation. The US equivalent of the FIU is the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN). The director of FinCEN is appointed by the Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, a position appointed by the US President and confirmed by the Senate, the upper house of the US equivalent of our Parliament. If the Senate (Continued on page 25)
Congratulations are in order DEAR EDITOR, Allow me to take time out to congratulate Peoples National Congress Reform Chairman, veteran politician and Member of Parliament Mr. Basil Williams on his recent accession to the office of Deputy Speaker of the House. Mr. Williams’ decades-long experience in the parliament, coupled with his profound knowledge and familiarity of the Standing Orders, make him a unique replacement to this noble office. I am confident that Mr. Williams will continue to use his office and position to champion the cause of all Guyanese. Like so many Guyanese, I believe that the critical roles Mrs. Deborah Backer played in the parliament cannot be underestimated. Her contributions are well noted. I wish Mrs. Backer a speedy recovery and await her active involvement in the national body politics of Guyana.
Please also allow me to offer words of congratulations to Dr. Karen Cummings on her election to serve in the Parliament. Dr. Cummings’ election to serve in the National Assembly has come at a crucial time in the life of the parliament. I am confident that she will not only give of her best, but that she will draw from her wealth of experience and ability to competently serve the people. My only advice to you, Dr. Cummings, is to remain grounded and humble, as you strive to impact the national agenda and help to make the lives of every Guyanese better. Politics, for me, must always be about the people, especially those who are often forgotten and left trapped in a vicious cycle of despair. APNU must continue to work to bring hope to these people by lifting the burden of depression from their backs. Best wishes to you, Dr. Cummings. Lurlene Nestor
An unequivocal apology must be demanded forthwith DEAR EDITOR, Let me from the outset make it pellucid that I have neither an interest in the internal decision-making mechanism of A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) nor any intention of challenging same. What I do have, however, is a profound difficulty with the way young Member of Parliament Vanessa Kissoon was treated at the last sitting of parliament. Ms. Kissoon is a sitting member of the National Executive Committee of the Guyana Youth and Student Movement (GYSM), Youth arm of the People’s National Congress and a Member of Parliament of seven (7) years of distinguished service. Thus, by virtue or her office, she should have been granted the minimum, the common courtesy of a notification of the change in her seating arrangement. What is more disgusting is the deafening silence of the National Chairman of the GYSM, who himself is a member of the august assembly and by extension, the
executive of the GYSM. This to my mind gives tacit support to the crude and disrespectful treatment of young people. If this is the manner in which the political leadership will be treated, the young people of the party and more so of Guyana, then the youths of this country have a lot of rethinking to do. It is time for the youth of this country to demand equal treatment and be seen as equal partners at the decision-making table. I wish to say without fear of successful contradiction that at no time, during my tenure in the GYSM and that of my predecessors, would such level of disrespect have been tolerated. Thus an unequivocal apology must be demanded from the chief whip and the intellectual authors of the decision forthwith. Bevon Currie Youth Activist Former National Secretary Guyana Youth and Student Movement (GYSM)
Thursday February 13, 2014
Kaieteur News
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Letters... Where your views make the news Letters... Where your views make the news
Poverty and crime are inextricably linked DEAR EDITOR, There is incontrovertible evidence that poverty and crime are linked, hence, my disagreement with the subject of your editorial of the 28th January 2014, which stated among others that there is no link between crime and poverty. “Poverty and crime have a very “intimate” relationship that has been described by experts from all fields, from sociologists to economists. The UN and the World Bank both rank crime high on the list of obstacles to a country’s development. This means that governments trying to deal with poverty often also have to face the issue of crime as they try to develop their country’s economy and society, hence the inextricable link between poverty and crime”. While politicians like to say that poverty is not linked to crime, international organizations often make the point that crime which includes public sector corruption, often exposes vulnerable sectors of the population to the risk of poverty, which is very often accompanied by crime. According to one international report “the unmistakable connection between poverty and crime is that they’re both
geographically concentrated – in a strikingly consistent way. In other words, where you find poverty is very often where you find crimes of various types. Some time back a minister of the PPP administration was quoted as saying that poverty does not cause crime. He went on to say that if poverty was linked to crime, Amerindians were supposed to be heavily involved in crime, since they are about the poorest people in the country. I pointed out then, that this was an erroneous assumption, since it did not take into account the fact that the Amerindians are about the only people in Guyana who still live in traditional settings, which would have insulated them somewhat from many of the elements which habitually affect their counterparts who live in urban environments where the majority of crime is concentrated. This being the case as the Amerindian subsistence traditional lifestyle does not engender materialism or greed. By extension, one could postulate that if poverty and crime were linked then rural people would be represented more in crime. While many rural communities still possess much of their traditional
values, urban transformational forces among others, have delivered urban-type problems at their very doorsteps, to the extent that police community relations in much of rural Guyana is characterized by acrimony, mutual suspicion and sometimes open hostility and violence. Many rural communities just cannot survive on their current income base – this in turn leads to hopelessness, helplessness, despair, poor nutrition, prolonged stress and fatigue, alcohol and drug abuse even among rural women, which cause numerous degenerative diseases, breakdown in family and community structures, suicide, prostitution, marijuana cultivation, praedial larceny, piracy, smuggling and a litany of illegal activities which the remote nature of rural communities afford. These are but some of the diverse coping mechanisms rural people employ to deal with the effects of poverty and rural underdevelopment. While the causes of crime, especially urban crime are infinite, urban poverty and urban unemployment are two of the most important factors; which brings vocational training into the equation. Thousands of
youths traverse the streets of our urban areas daily without any salable skills or any hope of securing meaningful employment at home or abroad. In fairness to politicians and the Kaieteur News editorial, which failed to make a distinction between quality of life crimes and/or those crimes which have their genesis in material insufficiency; it must be acknowledged that many crimes are caused by a breakdown in structures at the family and community level, which has no relationship with poverty. I have always held the view that many homes and communities, especially afroGuyanese communities, have sufficient resources to do better. Many young African men who turn to crime are disoriented to the point of steadfastly holding onto unrealistic assumptions; one such view is that even though he possesses few salable skills, he has no desire to learn and believes that he could not or should not work for this or that because there is no incentive to work. Very often he is not a lazy person, but
rather those views - a form of messed up thinking - have their origin in a specific subculture. For example, in many African countries where there is a dominant African population, and a minority white, Indian and Lebanese population. The expatriates would rent space from Africans and establish businesses and nurture them overtime, wherein those businesses become strong, to the point where the expatriates dominate the local business sector. This trend was started more than a hundred years ago and prevails even now. In response, the Africans would blame the whites, government or local Indian business class for their every woe; it would seem that blaming others exclusively has become an “evolutionary stable strategy” among black folks. Just look at the manner in which many in our communities squander resources at a domestic level. Under closer consideration, the situation gets worse at the community level, and NGOs, including churches, which used to be among the best managed
entities in the community, have now become part and parcel of the mismanaged malaise. So that while mismanagement in itself is sometimes a crime, mismanagement at the domestic, community and higher levels can also lead to crime. It is important, however, that we make a distinction between crimes which allegedly have their origin in” material immiseration” and those which could be described in the words of Professor Sung Habo of the Public University of China as having to do with an entrenched privilege mentality, such as those crimes committed by the joint services, governmental officials and their children; children of the middle class, and as of late, many individuals in newly-emerged middle income countries who, in the words of former South African President Nelson Mandela, are devoid of focus of aspiration, because they do not know what it is to make sacrifices for anything, since the generations before them have already paid the price and paved the way. Clairmont Featherstone
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Thursday February 13, 2014
Ramotar instructs Rohee Nandlall objects to $2M to request info from the US limit in personal cash Anti-Money Laundering Legislation
By Latoya Giles
APNU is now proposing that police and customs officers be given the power to stop and search persons, and if such persons are found with $2 million worth of currency or more, that currency can be seized and the persons arrested if the police or customs officer has reasonable suspicion that it is the proceeds of some serious offence or the subject of money laundering. This observation came from Attorney General Anil Nandall. Currency is defined in the Act to include jewellery and precious metal, he said. The victim then must get an order from a judge to release his currency. This is susceptible to abuse and Government is concerned with the granting of such power to mere police and customs officers. Guyana is a cash-based economy. In the ordinary course of business, it is not unusual for Guyanese to have in their possession over $2 million in cash. For example the rice farmer after he reaps his paddy is paid in cash; a person who is building his house will go with cash exceeding $2M to buy his hardware items. A police officer or customs officer can seize
Attorney General Anil Nandall those monies, he said. “We are aware of the allegations of corruption against the police force and the customs department. This power in the hand of the wrong person can wreak havoc in our country. “We believe that at least, there must be consultation with the Guyanese public before such a law is passed. In any event, this is not an amendment to the bill, neither is it part of the CFATF’s recommendations.” APNU is also proposing to change the whole Government structure of the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU). It is removing the
power of the appointment of the director of FIU from the Minister and placing it in a committee of the National Assembly, Nandlall noted. The opposition grouping further proposed the establishment of an authority comprising10 persons nominated by the National Assembly after consulting with stakeholders, Nandlall added. “The United Nations Security Council has produced a book in which they have examined all the FIUs around the globe. They have recommended the executive model to be used as it has proven to be the most effective. “Guyana, the entire Caribbean, the United States and Canada have this model. In this model, the officers are appointed by the Executive however, whichever model is used, they emphasise that the FIU must be autonomous and independent. “The rationale clearly is that if you have too many persons involved in the appointment, it compromises the independence of the unit, its confidentiality, and exposes it to conflict of interest scenarios with too many persons now being associated with the unit some of whom are their relatives or may be the subject of investigations themselves,” he stated. In terms of confidentiality, these persons will have access to a huge amount of people’s financial and other personal information. For these reasons, the AG is doubtful whether these proposals will enjoy the support of the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force as no part in the world such a model exists.
President Donald Ramotar yesterday insisted that Guyana must not and will not become a safe haven for criminals. The President made the statement in light of the recent news which surfaced that more than 20 gangsters were busted in New York for drug trafficking and other offenses, with some of the shipments passing through Guyana. The New York Mafia reportedly conspired with the Italian syndicate to traffic cocaine and heroin stashed in shipments of pineapples, frozen fish and other food. President Ramotar was at the time speaking at the Commissioning Parade for the Standard Officers Course #46, held at Camp Ayanganna.
According to the Head of State, he has instructed the Minister of Home Affairs Clement Rohee to write to the United States and request information that they probably have. “We have also extended to them our full cooperation with dealing on the matter. This country will not become a safe haven for criminals,” President Ramotar stressed. Opposition Leader David Granger, along with Members of Parliament Joe Harmon and Winston Felix immediately met with Chief of Staff of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Brigadier Mark Phillips following the revelations. Granger told the media yesterday that the creation of a link between local narco traffickers and major international drug lords is more than a dangerous
development. According to the Opposition Leader they had asked for the meeting with the Chief of Staff in light of the grave reports about linkages between Guyanese narco traffickers with the Italian mafia. He said that his party felt that it is a situation that requires immediate and forceful reaction by the government. Discussed in the meeting was the opposition’s willingness to lending support in whatever regard. Granger said that they can help strengthen the technical arm of the GDF, particularly aviation, coastguard and land assets to interdict narcotics and guns coming into Guyana. Granger further noted that the Chief of Staff has stated his intention to have (Continued on page 24)
Chicken smuggling troublesome for GRA The smuggling of chicken into Guyana, particularly at the eastern border, was a troublesome area for the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) last year. As such, GRA extended its operations to Corriverton to effectively monitor the flow of contraband goods. This is according to Khurshid Sattaur, Commissioner General of GRA during a recent interview. Sattaur emphasized that law enforcement is a critical area that complements the work of the audit department. Law enforcement officers, who work in the fields, primarily target persons who evade customs duties. They investigate the evasion of other taxes as well but that information is disseminated to the Intelligence Unit for
- Sattaur action, he added. “We have dealt in a lot of areas that have been evading taxes based on smuggling very high valued items. For example alcoholic beverages where the duty could be very significant…Another troublesome area for us which was prevalent last year is the smuggling of chicken,” Sattaur said. According to Sattaur, the Authority’s work in intercepting and even stopping the passage of contraband goods into Guyana was very successful. He said, “I think in excess of $150M was realized in quite a lot of cases. We report these matters to the task force.” Sattaur said that GRA is part of the Task Force on Smuggling of Contraband, which convenes monthly and is chaired by the Minister of Home Affairs, Clement Rohee. He noted that valuable information of what takes place in the GRA in these operations are shared with the task force. In addition, GRA partners with other law enforcement agencies such as the Guyana Police Force, the Coast Guard and CANU. He explained that sometimes the work of the GRA does not result in revenue collection, but the apprehension of persons
engaged in nefarious activities. However, revenue collection remains a primary function of the GRA and the audit department plays an integral role in this regard. During, 2013 the GRA accomplished collecting in excess of $1.2B in revenue because of auditing. “And, I cannot quantify the other benefits that would have accrued from auditing. As I mentioned, if you do not have auditing, the level of voluntarily compliance would diminish significantly,” he noted. Sattaur emphasized that audit is a major and key function of any tax organization because without taxpayers being subjected to an audit or any scrutiny of their returns filed v o l u n t a r i l y, t h e d a n g e r e x i s t s of their returns not meeting the required standard for submission. “Last year we took major steps in revamping the audit department. What we did was take out all the examination functions that were previously conducted within the tax operations services for example in the VAT, Income Tax and Customs and put those functions within the audit departments not to have duplications,” he said. He related that the audit department has had a massive increase in staff and its mandate has been extended much wider.
Thursday February 13, 2014
Kaieteur News
Vendors decry state of... From page 3 collect the rent promptly...in November they (are) collecting for two months, November and December, but yet they ain't doing anything for we here.” And one of the primary concerns faced by the vendors is that of the porous roof which they claim is especially disastrous when it rains. One man who is arguably the oldest vendor at the market disclosed that the only remedial work he can recall being done at the market was when the zinc sheets were replaced at the back of the market. But the irony to that move, he noted, is that there is less vending at the back when compared to that at the front of the market. This publication noted that construction works on a number of stalls, at the back of the market appear to have been abandoned. According to another vendor, who preferred to be identified only as Ross, he has been plying his vending trade at the front section of the market for over three decades. He does not recall any work being done to improve the facility other that the partial roof works. He said that the market is in dire need of a facelift. With a facelift Ross is confident that more customers would be inclined to venture inside the market rather than merely see it from the outside. He is convinced that the “biggest concern” is the state of the market which results in “too few customers.” “If this market looks better I believe people will come in, and if they come in they
will see that it has plenty to offer...clothes, groceries, meat... all kinds of things,” said Ross. However, meat vendor, Ms. Bacchus, is not too confident that there is hope. According to her although back in the day the market was a thriving one, in terms of customers, many have since moved away from the area. She believes that some of the former customers are now residing in “far-off” areas such as Diamond, East Bank Demerara, and the West Coast and West Bank of Demerara. “Business is slow, slow here; I don't know how we can recover from this,” said the woman as she sat in an isolated section of the market. This publication understands that a few hundred vendors have stalls in the market but several of these stalls were closed when this publication visited the facility sometime after noon Monday. On Monday, too, the area designated to house fish vendors was empty, save for three kittens, although this publication was informed that there is usually one vendor who operates there during the week and about three at the weekend. The market is usually open to the public from 07:00 hours to 16:00 hours daily. Roadside vending is permitted on Sunday. Mr Chow, who has been a vendor for more than two decades, conceded that the relevant authority has not been kind to vendors at the La Penitence Market. “All the time the Stabroek Market and Bourda Market (are) getting all the attention, but what about this market?”
UN launches emergency food airlift to Central Africa Bangui (Central African Republic) (AFP) - The UN food agency yesterday was set to launch an airlift of emergency food supplies to the Central African Republic, though it admits it will not be enough to meet the desperate need in the crisishit nation. The World Food Programme said it would fly a month’s supply of food from Douala in Cameroon to the Central African capital of Bangui which would be enough for 150,000 people. “This is a rather exceptional operation, our biggest emergency air operation in a long time, bigger that for Syria and the Philippines,” WFP spokesman Alexis Masciarelli told AFP. But he added that the operation “would not definitively solve the problem”.
According to the United Nations, 1.3 million people, nearly a quarter of the population of the CAR, need immediate food aid, particularly in the camps of displaced people numbering more than 800,000 who have sought refuge there from the sectarian violence that has erupted in the country. The first WFP cargo plane carrying 80 tonnes of rice is expected to arrive in Bangui on Wednesday morning. It will be followed by 24 daily rotations for a total of around 1,800 tonnes, according to the WFP. The humanitarian situation in the CAR has deteriorated since a coup in March 2013 led by the mostly Muslim Seleka rebels plunged the country into chaos and led to an outbreak of sectarian attacks between the Muslim ex-rebels and Christian vigilantes.
The man is worried that should no effort be made to improve the state of the market there is a possibility that it could reach the state of the dilapidated Kitty Market. Like a few of the other city markets, vagrants are usually seen near the entrance of the La Penitence market, which certainly doesn't help to improve the appearance of the facility.” For most of the vendors their operation at the market is their only source of income, which they claim they cannot afford to lose. “If we didn't need this we would have long gone,” said another vendor as he hung his head in evident despair over the situation. According to the vendors they are only calling on the municipality to do simple things such as repairing the roof of the market and if possible designate a suitable area for parking which could be convenient for vendors as well as customers. According to ChaseGreene the subject of parking has also been gaining the attention of the municipality. It is the belief of the Deputy Mayor that when the markets in the city were constructed many years ago no thought was given to parking since there weren't too many people privileged to drive then. “Now we have, in my estimation, one in every 10 persons driving and there isn't enough parking...we are looking at this throughout the city,” added Chase-Greene. In order to address the parking situation, she is hopeful that the Central Housing and Planning Authority will seek to adopt a proposal that recommends that all “highrise” building put in place a flat for parking. In turning her attention back to the La Penitence Market, Chase-Greene said that the municipality will also be directing attention to ensuring that vending activities are confined, particularly on Sunday. She is convinced that the economic state of many people in the society today sees an increased number of persons vending beyond an established boundary which results in a great section of a major roadway being blocked. “We have to look at the possibility of even removing this activity altogether,” added Chase-Greene.
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15 graduate from standard officer’s course - Essequibo teenager is best graduating student One of the top graduating ensigns
The Guyana Defence Force (GDF) on Wednesday hosted its ensigncy parade at Base Camp Ayanganna where 15 officer cadets who completed the standard officers’ course were promoted to ensigns. The best graduating student was Simon Gordon from the Guyana Defence Force. He also received the Sword of Honor from President Ramotar. Of the 15 officer cadets three were from the Belize Defence Force. The new ensigns include Obitre Hytmiah, Alvin Holladar, Dishon Harris, Steffon Branche, Curtland Melville, Carlos Moore, Shaheed Zaiboon, Neil Asregado, Simon Gordon, Lawrence King, Kevin Salaru, Noel Lanza, Marion Hernandez and Austain Flores all of whom received their badges of rank from Commander in Chief, President Donald Ramotar. The President, in his feature address, said that it was yet another “proud day” for the military in Guyana. According to President Ramotar yesterday, the army has fraternal relations with sister military organisations within the region. He said that he was happy with the cooperation between the
Guyana Defence Force and sister Caricom state Belize. “I’m pleased about it and I do hope that this relationship will continue,” the President said. He also urged the graduating ranks to act with integrity and not to be carried away with temptations. President Ramotar also stressed that the Army must not restrict its role to the protection of Guyana’s borders but must also lend a helping hand to other law enforcement agencies, especially in the fight against drug trafficking. He also expressed his discomfort with the number of ranks who are “Absent Without Leave” (AWOL) from the force. According to the President, the ranks who stay away from their duty without
just reasons are imperiling the future of the Army. Ramotar said that their actions are affecting the security of Guyana and also “shortchanging” taxpayers whose money was spent to train them. These acts are as a result of indiscipline and must be rooted out from the Force, he added. The standard officers’ course Number 46 commenced on March 15, 2013 with 25 officer cadets, but during the period of training, 10 persons either withdrew or failed to achieve the minimum standard of the course. The syllabus of the course includes an intensive programme of military skills and tactics, rigorous physical fitness, team activities designed to promote stamina and group spirit.
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Kaieteur News
Thursday February 13, 2014
Fiscal Programme Vital Says Finance Minister Barbados’ fiscal consolidation programme is sharp but absolutely critical, says this island’s Minister of Finance, Christopher Sinckler. He made the comments recently when Senior Fellow and Director Emeritus of the Peterson Institute for International Economics, Dr. C. Fred Bergsten, paid him a courtesy call at his office at Government Headquarters. Mr. Sinckler said Government was working diligently to get the country out of the current economic challenges, but acknowledged that it was not easy. “The structural reform of our economy can bring tremendous advantages but it is a painful exercise... We need to restructure and rebuild the base of our economy because we don’t want to do these restructuring programmes every 10 years,” he stated. The Minister noted that Government was working with its stakeholders in the tourism industry to lead a resurgence in that sector and identified increasing the number of hotel rooms as one area being pursued. Stressing that Barbados had always done well at the higher end of the tourism market, he explained, however, that the necessary changes had not been made in the industry, and as a result, the economic recession had a tremendous effect on it.
Finance Minister, Chris Sinckler (right) and Director Emeritus of the Peterson Institute for International Economics, Dr. C. Fred Bergsten in discussion prior to their meeting at Government Headquarters.(C.Pitt/BGIS) In an effort to grow the Barbados economy, Mr. Sinckler said Government was rejuvenating the international business and financial services sector, as well as revitalising the sugar industry to make it more attractive for persons to cultivate sugar cane. “In addition, we are pushing the renewable energy sector and we just passed critical pieces of legislation; so we are breaking new ground in that area,” he declared. During the discussions, Dr. Bergsten asked the Minister a series of questions to ascertain Government’s
plans to successfully bring Barbados out of this economic crisis. Dr. Bergsten will participate in the first-ever Caribbean Economic Forum at the Grande Salle, Central Bank of Barbados, on Wednesday, February 19, beginning at 8:00 p.m. The Washington-based Peterson Institute, of which he was a founding Director, is the only major research institution in the United States devoted to international economic issues, and it has been described as “the most influential think tank on the planet”.
demonstrators vented frustration over issues ranging from rampant crime to mounting economic hardships, they were united in their resolve to force Maduro out of office by constitutional means. “All of these problems — shortages, inflation, insecurity, the lack of opportunities — have a single culprit: the government,” Leopoldo Lopez, a Harvard University-trained former mayor, told a crowd of about 10,000 people gathered at Plaza Venezuela in Caracas. Lopez, who leads a faction of the opposition that has challenged what it considers the meek leadership of two-time presidential candidate Henrique Capriles, called the protests “a moral and patriotic duty.” “If we don’t do it now, then when? And if it’s not us, who will?” Across town, Maduro told his supporters that he won’t back down in the face of what he said
is a conspiracy by opponents to provoke violence and destabilize his government. “A Nazi-fascist faction has emerged that wants to take Venezuela down the path of violence,” the 51-year-old former bus driver said. “What we’re going to have is peace and prosperity.” Protests also took place on Wednesday in other cities, including Merida and San Cristobal, where students have clashed with police in recent days. Merida’s Mayor Carlos Garcia told the AP that three people were injured by gunfire in protests Tuesday after a group of hooded government supporters began firing into the crowd. Maduro yesterday acknowledged the incident, but told supporters that those responding to the opposition’s violent provocations aren’t true revolutionaries.
Venezuelans march in anti-government protests CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — Thousands of Venezuelans opposed to President Nicolas Maduro took to the streets in Caracas in a show of force following two weeks of sometimes violent anti-government protests that have swept across the country. The protest, organized by students and hardliner members of the opposition, was the biggest faced by President Nicolas Maduro since he was elected nearly a year ago following the death of his mentor Hugo Chavez. Pro-government supporters countered with a march of their own to express support for Maduro, who has accused opponents of trying to violently oust him from power just two months after his party’s candidates prevailed by a landslide in mayoral elections. While anti-government
Thursday February 13, 2014
Kaieteur News
The Americans parade their rich and successful. We tear ours apart. The Americans worship material achievement. We idolize service without reward. To grasp this reality just study this newspaper’s column on Special Persons in our society. This column appears every Sunday. The persons chosen are invariably those who have been said to have given back to society more than what they have taken out of it. The Americans, however, make no such pretence: wealth accumulation is the benchmark of personal success. In the heart of capitalism, the more you have the better. But while the rich are making their zillions, the poor have to be made contented with their crumbs. Thus they are sold the view that being poor is virtuous. This deceives the poor into not upsetting the status quo, thereby allowing the rich greater freedom to continue to make untold riches which the poor satisfy themselves with the virtue of serving others for the pure joy of doing this. Capitalism is however built upon the virtue of greed. Greed is good; greed is what drives wealth creation and provides competition. This competition allows for all, both rich and poor, to benefit. Competition drives down prices, allows for expansion, which in turn creates more jobs and provides incentives for further innovation to reduce prices and thus provides more benefits. Greed is good for all then. This is the creed of capitalism. But it is the creed that
applies only to the rich, for the poor are encouraged to accept their lot. All kinds of spectacles and entertainment are provided so as to conceal and suppress the fact that they are being exploited and used as cogs to make the rich get richer. They are also encouraged to see what they do as something good. They are encouraged to give. “Ask not what America can do for you, but what you can do for America.” And the poor swallow this line, hook and sinker. They even begin to believe in the service to others. The poor are encouraged to give and give and give and the more they give, the less they receive while the less the rich give the more they receive. As a result of these diametrically opposed processes, a form of class division results. The rich get richer and the poor become poorer. But this too is suppressed by selling to the poor the notion that everyone can one day become rich. The poor swallow this pill too and the very poor man follows his own pipe dream. And while they are chasing rainbows, the rich are smiling all the way to the bank. The poor are encouraged to believe that if they work hard, if they make the necessary sacrifice that they too can one day become as prosperous as the rich man. In the rich countries it is easier for a man to believe this. But in poor countries, there are limited resources and thus there is competition for these limited resources. This competition does not leave everyone better off.
Instead it creates a gaping gap between the rich and the poor which becomes starker. This in turn leads to two symptoms. The first is mimicry. Everyone wants to be like the rich man. They see what the rich man has and they think that if they only do as the rich man does that they too can become rich. So the rich man is the shop man or so people feel. They have not seen his bottom line, just his shelves. They think he has a fat bank book, but they do not know about his overdraft. So wanting to become a shopkeeper, they forget about working for others and see the measure of their independence as working for themselves even if it is in a four by eight contraption that is a shack. They see it as a “shop” or the even the “store”. They stock this shop by purchasing on credit, and they sit all day waiting on the sales to come. Mimicry does not work in small societies. It creates self delusion – individuals believe that they have become a man or a woman when they no longer have to hold down a steady job, when they can sit all day in their shop, never mind all that is selling is a few cigarettes and mints, trying to make enough to repay the wholesalers from whom they purchase. And in this shaky business of mimicry, they still can muster the sense that sitting all day waiting for a sale that they have arrived; they have achieved status; they are self-employed and even if their store is a knocked-up shack made of a few odd pieces of plywood, it is
Dem boys seh...
Kaneel want to safeguard heself and dem big boys De longer de government tek fuh pass this money law, the clearer it showing that dem got nuff people who don’t really want this law pass. Kaneel don’t want de law wid some of de amendments de Hap New want to see in de law. De opposition nah got money. Dem does walk around not only wid dem mouth dry but wid dem pocket empty. De Pee Pee Pee boys walking about wid wads of $5,000 bill. De opposition saying that if anybody got more than $2 million in cash dem must be stopped and de money seized till dem can explain wheh dem get it from and wha dem going and do wid it. Dem boys seh that this clause stalling up de law because de fat crook, Brazzy, de Rat, Bobby, and Kaneel don’t want this clause in because dem is de first people who money gun get tek way. That thing got Kaneel vex because he and he friends got plenty millions, not in Guyana dollars, but in Uncle Sam green notes. Brazzy pocket always got US. He don’t walk wid Guyana dollar. Some of dem does collect de bribe in US and some of dem does
tek fees in US. Is dem frighten de police and de Customs seize it. This $2 million is joke money fuh some of dem wha does charge client. And dem got to carry it home because dem can’t lef it in de office and dem don’t declare it. Ask some of dem big lawyers, doctors, kantractahs and other professionals. Even de accountants. And Khurshid know, but he frighten fuh touch dem because some of dem got connection more than GPL and GT&T. Ask Bobby and some of dem kantractahs. In Trinidad and de entire region, if you got more than US$5,000 in cash, de police can seize. In de United States, dem does tek way even less cash than that. But Kaneel feel that we got to be different. We bigger than de world. We can walk around wid bigger money in our pockets than wha we sister country and America does allow dem people fuh walk wid. Dem boys wonder wheh dem does get dem money from. Wha dem does do for it and wha dem don’t do. Talk half and watch how dis thing gun play out.
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still their own, their business. The second reaction that competition for limited resources creates is a culture of pulling down the rich. And this is very much evident in Guyana. Those envious of the rich try to justify their own lack of accomplishment by pulling down the rich. They do so by suggesting that the rich have become prosperous through ill-gotten means. How often do we not see this in Guyana? A man builds a fancy house and the rumours are rife that he is into something underhand. A person works his way from rags to riches and instead of us worshipping that person’s
success, the person is pulled down; his fame is ridiculed and his good name tarnished. The man is pulled down in the eyes of the public. He is seen as a target for attack. Rather than celebrating that person’s luck, tact, skill or the political and social connections that have allowed that person to make an easy profit, we try to pull that person down. If we say that capitalism is about making money and if we say that capitalism is good does it not follow that so long as what a man acquires is through honest means, even if it is an easy profit, that we should be happy for that
man? Should greed not be groovy to every aspiring capitalist even if he has bought something for $1M and sold it for $40M? Or do we prefer for that man to sit all day in a shop and sell a few mints and chewing gum and make a $2 profit? Which is the better role model? The one who is greedy and makes a huge profit? Or the one who is also greedy and makes a small profit?
Rumour of child in septic tank sends parents to school The police and Guyana Fire Service as well as representatives of the Region Six Administration and the Department of Education of Region Six were called in as word spread like wild fire that a student had fallen into the septic tank at the St Therese Primary school in Vryman’s Erven, New Amsterdam. The St Therese Primary School which is the only A Grade Primary School in the Region; houses over 900 students. Hundreds of parents raced to the school to enquire if their child was alright. The police were forced to
cordon off the area as the anxious parents descended on the school from various quarters forcing the authorities to lock the gate, in their quest to keep the situation under control. The relevant personnel immediately got the word and after searching the septic tank with the help of a drug addict it transpired that the information was just a rumour. A physical count was made of the studens present in school that day and all were accounted for. The rumour started around midday when a student reported to the
school administration that another student had fallen into one of the uncovered manholes on top of the septic tank. The school administration immediately got into action and called in the relevant authorities who responded promptly. A decision was taken on the spot that the situation as it stands was dangerous enough and warranted some immediate action as it was decided that the uncovered manholes will be attend to immediately. By night fall a contractor was being summoned to begin emergency work on the tank.
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Kaieteur News
Thursday February 13, 2014
=== The Freddie Kissoon column ===
President Ramotar is a weak beneficiary who is a yes man ‘Both opposition parties are prepared to call President Ramotar’s bluff on the snap poll. The PPP dictators are hinting that if the budget is voted down, it will call a general election. AFC leader, Khemraj Ramjattan, spoke to the press and opined that Ramotar wants his full term so he will not go into an early poll. The truth and reality in
this situation is that Mr. Ramotar would like to have his five-year prize but the truth of and the reality inside Mr. Ramotar’s psychology is that he is not a self-confident, ambitious, pioneering leader. Anyone who has known Mr. Ramotar from his young days with GAWU, then through his party years, then through his elevation to the PPP leadership, and with the climax
of General-Secretary position, would know that he has always been a quiet backbencher who has always stayed away from the fights, controversies and decisionmaking initiatives within the PPP. The PPP duo of Janet and Cheddi Jagan never saw him as part of the indispensable school of strategists and for this reason they were prepared to part with him for almost a decade when he was posted to Czechoslovakia. No party activist with potential for leadership role will be sent abroad for ten years not to study and come back but to work at a magazine. After the PPP came to power in 1992, it was obvious to any analyst that he was not seen as material that was necessary for transformation of Guyana. Both Cheddi and Janet Jagan were happy to let him do party work where he became a helper to Mrs. Jagan at both Freedom House and the Mirror newspaper. Then came the jewel in the
crown which turned out to be his moment of failure – he acceded to the throne of party leader. It was a miserable period for Ramotar during which he proved to the senior apparatchiks in the PPP to be a shocking incompetent. Thousands of complaints from PPP members, supporters and ordinary citizens were left unattended over the years when he was the party General-Secretary. .Hundreds of persons told me that Ramotar was a person who sympathized with your plight, asked for your understanding but was decent and honest enough to say he couldn’t help. I represented the TUC at a national stakeholders’ confabulation at the Convention Centre hosted by the Ethnic Relations Committee and if you saw the difference in activism between Gail Teixeira and the PPP’s General Secretary, you would never believe he was the party’s leader. I sat in front of him and all
he said at that meeting was to whisper to me, “Freddie, ‘ya’ll talking about racism but nobody never took the PPP Government to the UN.” At another point, he whispered again to me saying; “Freddie, I know you hate Cheddi Jagan.” The real PPP leader at that forum was Gail Teixeira. This is Ramotar for you. This is the man who wrote a letter in this newspaper asking me what the poetic essence of history means. Well there is also the perverse essence of history where an accident produces a leader who ends up being an incident in history. Ramotar’s incompetence as General-Secretary was in stark contrast to Mrs. Jagan. You complain to Mrs. Jagan; there is a follow up the next day and if she wants to help you then you are helped. Rohee as General-Secretary will be the opposite to Ramotar. Hate him or dislike him, Rohee will not be afraid to act when PPP supporters and
Frederick Kissoon citizens go to him as party leader with complaints. Rohee and Ramotar are dialectical opposites. Those who write about Ramotar must be honest and ask the question why did Jagdeo chose him, an act that caused Ralph Ramkarran to hit the roof. Jagdeo chose Ramotar above every other leader who was entitled to be considered because Jagdeo knew that with Ramotar as de jure president, he Jagdeo, will be de facto president. It turned out this way after the 2011 elections. The PPP’s decision to go to a snap poll will depend on the thinking and emotions of Bharrat Jagdeo, Gail Teixeira, Roger Luncheon and Clement Rohee. If there is consensus among these four, there will be early elections. The quietest and neutral voice around the table will be Ramotar. If Jagdeo wants a snap poll there will be one. I never replied when he asked me what the poetic essence of history was. But it is the opposite to the perverse essence of history. I think Ramotar knows which one he embodies. Uncle Donald or De Donald has already become an incident in history.
Thursday February 13, 2014
Kaieteur News
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Colwyn Harding case...
Jamaican medical personnel confirm sodomy Medical examinations conducted by independent doctors both here and in Jamaica have concluded that a “foreign object” was inserted into the anus of 23year-old Colwyn Harding, causing extensive damage to the man’s anal region. This was the report by the Colwyn Harding Support Group (CHSG) and lawyer for the victim, Nigel Hughes. The team reported to the media that independent medical practitioners found also that no examination of Harding’s anus/rectum was done so a comprehensive report on damage sustained was not ascertained. Member of CHSG, Roxanne Myers, related a sequence of events to the media. She said that Harding was discharged for the Georgetown Public Hospital on January 20, after spending a total of 33 days at the institution. He was immediately taken to a private doctor to be evaluated, and was readmitted to a private hospital with sepsis (potentially fatal whole-body
Harding’s mother breaks down when the findings are read by Attorney Nigel Hughes. inflammation), fever and painful distress. She said the GPHC hospital chart that was collected on behalf of the family by Harding’s lawyer indicated three procedures being performed. However, at no time during hospitalization at GPHC, was any examination of the anus/ rectum performed, according to the patient’s hospital chart. The only examination of the anus/rectum was done by
the independent doctors contracted by the CHGS, Myers said. The independent doctor from St. Mercy’s Hospital found that Harding has active rectal mucosal bleeding and an inflamed rectum. The evaluation also found other inconsistencies. Harding was however sent to Jamaica and evaluated of February 5, to “conduct a forensic examination and to benefit from medical advice,”
600 refund cheques returned to GRA More than 600 refund cheques have been returned to the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) for want of receipt. According to Commissioner-General, Khurshid Sattaur, the cheques are being returned because persons are unwarrantedly fearful of receiving mail from GRA. “Over the years persons have made claims that the GRA does not pay refunds. This is not true, as the GRA has always paid refunds. However a decision was taken to place more emphasis on PAYE Refunds, and since the process was intensified in 2012 millions in refunds still remain unclaimed,” Mr. Sattaur said. He said that persons have grown so accustomed to rejecting mails sent by the GRA that they are now rejecting the very refunds they have been seeking. “This is rather unfortunate, as not all mail sent by the GRA is one requesting the payment of tax. Rejecting a mail does not negate one’s obligation to pay their taxes,” the Commissioner- General said. Also of concern to the GRA and a factor that has contributed to the large volume of cheques being returned is the failure by
taxpayers to update their information on GRA system by providing the agency with same when they would have changed their names and contact information such as address and telephone numbers. Some persons also cannot be reached via the contact information they provided and claims remains the same. Of the more than 600 cheques returned, the GRA has only been able to make contact with less than 250 persons who have been advised to come in and uplift their cheques. Notwithstanding, Mr. Sattaur stated that the GRA would not take responsibility for cheques returned. Taxpayers are urged to provide accurate and up-todate contact information in order to receive documents and information in a timely manner. Apart from the refund cheques, numerous TIN Certificates and motor vehicle licences have also been returned to the GRA. “This is of concern to us and taxpayers will be held responsible for their lack of compliance.” Persons are encouraged to visit the GRA’s Headquarters or any of its Integrated Tax Offices countrywide, with the
on the way forward for Harding’s recovery. The report of the Jamaican surgeons is consistent with local referring surgeons, Myers said. She said that they noted that there was inflammation of the rectum and a “”narrowed distal sigmoid” as the surgeons were unable to go beyond 25cm with the scope, indicative of an injury that is consistent with abuse.” The Jamaican surgeons recommended further study on Colwyn’s intestines before he has the third surgery which will provide more details about the “narrowed distal
sigmoid” and a number of surgeries that may be required to remove stomas. Harding should be ready for surgery in the next six to eight weeks to have the ostomies reversed (closed). The CHGS also registered several inconsistencies with GPHC records handed over by the hospital. Myers charged incorrect page numbering, missing details, chronological errors, and different handwriting on several pages of the charts, which bear the same name; among other matters. To the inconsistencies, independent surgeons questioned the
validity, reliability and authenticity of some pages in the patient’s chart, Myers continued. She had accompanied Harding and his mother on their Jamaican trip. Attorney at law Nigel Hughes has stated however that Harding’s representatives are still to receive information requested from the police regarding Harding’s alleged assaulters. He said that the civil matter against the Attorney General has also been delayed after the police Commissioner complained of inadequate time to investigate. Hughes said that there has not been any new information on the investigation except for what is being read in the media. He wrote to Attorney General Anil Nandlall on February 11, about compensation for Harding in light of the independent examination. The results of that examination will be with the Director of Public Prosecutions so that she can consider before making recommendations. The lawyer has also indicated the likelihood of civil proceedings in upcoming weeks. The lawyer also addressed the comments of (Continued on page 23)
Man crushed by sand truck, suicide suspected
CommissionerGeneral Mr. Khurshid Sattaur exception of Lethem and Rosignol, to update their information. To assist in the provision of a more effective and efficient service, the GRA is also requesting that taxpayers consent in writing or the signing of available forms to have direct messages sent to them via a third party or service provider. It should be noted that a person who fails to inform the GRA of any change in their business information commits an offence and is liable on conviction of up to fifty thousand dollars and to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years. For more information on how you can provide updates of your personal taxpayer information, taxpayers can call the GRA’s Tax Hotline on telephone number 227-6060 Extensions 1201 to 1204.
A Kuru-Kururu man was killed on the spot after his head was crushed by a sand truck on the Linden/Soesdyke Highway yesterday around 16:00 hours. From all indications the man who was still unidentified up to late last night, threw himself into the path of the truck despite the efforts of the driver to avoid hitting him. The accident occurred about one mile from the Linden/ Soesdyke Highway intersection. Reports reaching this newspaper stated that the truck was heading to Linden when the pedestrian wandered into its path. The truck driver, Leon Benjamin, who was taken into custody to assist police with their
Truck driver Leon Benjamin points to the section of his vehicle that crushed the unidentified pedestrian
investigations, told this newspaper that he was proceeding at a normal rate of speed when he saw the man walking at the side of the road. “By de time de truck ready fuh pass de guy, he throw he body under de truck,” Benjamin said. Several persons were left dumbstruck when they saw the dead man lying in a pool of blood with his brains scattered all over the road. No one was however, able to identify the victim who is of Amerindian descent and who was clad in a pair of three-quarter denim pants and black and white T-shirt. The body is at a city mortuary awaiting a post mortem examination.
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Kaieteur News
Thursday February 13, 2014
Army re-commences financial support ...More injured for Camp Groomes victims soldiers come forward
There seems to be light at the end of the tunnel for the military men who were injured during the deadly explosion at Camp Groomes back in 2000. The Guyana Defence Force has committed to address the financial support of the former members. As the matter gains prominence in the local media, at least five more injured soldiers have come forward seeking financial benefits. The Guyana Defence Force (GDF) in a press release recognized the negative experience of the Camp Groomes survivors and said it, “wishes to assure the claimants that their benefits are forthcoming.” The army statement added , “that a proposal for the injured soldiers to be paid benefits as if they have already retired was approved by the Defence Board, however, a re- computation
More survivors have come forward to claim their benefits resulting in improved benefits for them, is currently being verified to ensure payment, shortly.” “The further amendments, which were necessary to give them more money, resulted in the delay. Their benefits when paid will be effective from
2014-01-01,” the statement added. The GDF says that high ranking officials met with the survivors yesterday and the delayed process was explained. “Additionally the ranks were assured that the Force is in touch with all involved agencies to have
the process completed by Feb 28.” Kaieteur News understands that the ranks were given an advance payment to take care of their expenses until they received the promised gratuitous payment. The Force added that they are prepared to continue addressing the welfare of the soldiers until they are in receipt of their benefits.
They also expressed regret for the inconvenience caused due to the delay, committed to making interventions towards ensuring a speedy conclusion of the matter. Recently-appointed Chief of Staff Mark Phillips also made a gallant move to apologise for the inconvenience the men faced. The new army leader
has vowed that his tenure will not elapse without him making every effort to address the issue. The men were injured back in 2000 when the GDF’s ammunition bond e x p l o d e d . The building housed hand grenades and alleged chemical bombs which had serious effects on the soldiers’ physical capacity.
Violent mugger gets two years’ jail sentence ACIC hosts special Zikr Program A young man, who mugged a man and stole his cellular phone and a pair of spectacles while the victim was in the heart of the city some time last year, has been sentenced to two years in prison. Nicolas Anthony Smith (no address given), accosted, choked and severely thrashed Jomal McDonald before he
grabbed and made off with the victim’s belongings on August 26, in the city. McDonald was reportedly walking along Camp and Middle Streets, Georgetown, when Smith and three others attacked him, relieved him of the items worth $115,000 and ran away. The matter was reported and subsequent investigations led to Smith’s
arrest. Two days later, Smith was remanded by Magistrate Faith McGusty. The matter, however, was tried by Magistrate Ann McLennan and prosecuted by Corporal Deniro Jones. The Prosecution managed to prove beyond reasonable doubt that the accused was guilty of the crime and as such Smith was sentenced to prison.
- Internationally recognized Canadian Journalist to attend The Anna Catherina Islamic Complex (ACIC) in association with the Markaz al Ihsaan Guyana Branch will host a Special Zikr (remembrance of Allah) Programme on Friday from 6.30PM (after Maghrib salat) at the Anna Catherina Islamic Complex. The program will feature two renowned personalities – internationally acclaimed Journalist, Nazim Baksh and distinguish Caribbean Scholar, Maulana Dr. Muhammad Waffee. Internationally recognized and award winning Canadian journalist and TV Producer, Torontobased Guyanese Nazim Baksh. He has worked extensively in Afghanistan,
Pakistan and recently reported from Guantanamo Bay. He has a Masters in Journalism and is recognized for his production of the documentary – “Son of Al Qaeeda” about a Canadian youth Abdurahman Khadr. In 2007, he, and two others, won an award from Canadian Association of Journalists for a segment entitled “The Mole”. In 2011 he and another journalist, won a Canadian Association for Journalists award for “Death in a Community. A Muslim scholar in his own right, he has travelled extensively and has been responsible for bringing some of the best scholars to Guyana and the Caribbean. World renowned Muslim
Scholar, Maulana Dr. Mohammed Waffee was born in Trinidad & Tobago and obtained his Bachelor’s Degree and his Masters (MA) in Islamic Studies at the University of Karachi. He also obtained his Doctorate (PHD) in Comparative Religion at the University of Karachi. For two decades he was assigned to the reputable Muslim World League (MWL), based in Saudi Arabia. From 1990 to 2002 (when he retired) he served as the Regional Director (Caribbean and South America) of the MWL. He was also the Principal of the famed Hajji Ruknudeen School of Higher Islamic education and founder / Principal (to date) of Markaz Al Ihsan (Center of Refinement) based in the twin island. He served in numerous local and international organizing and advisory positions over the years and was the Editor of “The Minaret” in Karachi Pakistan. On the political scene, he served as Senator of the Upper House of Trinidad’s Parliament from 1981-86. He was the Editor of several magazines including “Al Ilm” and “The Muslim World”. He has written over 30 Islamic Books and is one of the most respected scholars in the Caribbean and further.
Thursday February 13, 2014
Kaieteur News
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EFFORTS UNDERWAY TO US$100M request just a IMPROVE NOC ‘rough estimate’- Prime Minister GPL Loss Reduction Prog.
Prime Minister, Samuel Hinds says that he is unaware if the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) earns any money from the various cable operators across the country utilizing the poles to run their cables. Hinds was asked by this publication to comment on the amount of revenue earned in this regard, and according to Hinds, he is not sure if any money is being paid. A number of cable television operators have been using the power company’s poles to run their cables, an act that the main telephone service provider, Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GT&T) is asked to pay to do. Asked to expound on the US$100M he recently said was needed to reduce technical losses in the system, the Prime Minister said that the figure mentioned was simply a ‘rough estimate’ and not based on any definitive study. Such a study would require several million dollars and a number of years, according to Hinds, depending on the
Prime Minister, Samuel Hinds level of specificity required. According to Hinds, the US$45M upgrade being undertaken to the system is dealing with the main distribution lines. He said that the additional request is to deal with the secondary distribution network which would involve the wires or feeders running to the homes of the more than 170,000 customers. The Prime Minister, who has ministerial responsibilities for power, in a recent letter to
the editor noted that feeders have a thermal limit, and if exceeded, could fuse and start a fire. “Standard utility practice is to not load feeders beyond 40 per cent of their thermal limits – but with our nation’s limited money, most feeders were loaded way above the standard. Many feeders were at 80 to 100 per cent of their thermal limits.” The result has been high technical losses, voltage levels out of range, and frequent trips to protect the feeder from even small surges. “The nearly-completed GPL Transmission Upgrade programme, of about US$45M, introducing, for the first time sub-stations – seven at this time – at points in the network, will create about halve the load on feeders, with consequential improvements in technical loss-reduction, greater conformity with the standard voltage levels, and reduced trips.” But similar considerations apply to the secondary distribution circuits and feeders, and GPL Inc. is working at this, the Prime Minister assured.
Cubana Air Disaster…
In spite of negative reports surrounding the operations the New Opportunity Corps (NOC), the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport is working to facilitate, the overall enhancement of the institution. Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, Alfred King, has said that efforts are underway to better the staff capacity and security arrangements at the NOC. King said that after the incident in 2012, which created unrest at the NOC, the Ministry has worked to ensure better security management at the institution. “A Ministry security arrangement is now in place as well as a number of programmes, which promote skills training and character building amongst the inmates.” Within the past two years, reports of sexual misconduct and poor management have plagued the juvenile correctional facility located at Onderneeming, on the Essequibo Coast. While the investigations into some of the allegations are still ongoing, King says that the Ministry is working in collaboration with a number of local and international organizations, which includes the Canadian University Service Overseas (CUSO) to achieve better results at the NOC. “We have expanded the agricultural projects, sports programmes, cultural entertainment and other social programmes for the light entertainment and positive interaction of our young people,” he added “We have also expanded on school curriculum, to allow students of NOC to reintegrate with the formal school system. In fact, we have three students preparing for the upcoming CSEC examinations and five students working on CSEC programmes within the institution itself... “All the students are now exposed to at least one vocational skill training programme
Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, Alfred King that is usually available to students at the Kuru Kururu training college.” During, the 2012 unrest at NOC, fire destroyed fractions of the building, including a female dormitory and a skill training department. Addressing the infrastructure concerns of the school, King said that the administration is also working to enhance overall accommodation capacity at NOC. “The female building, which was burnt, is now back in operation and we are also working to enhance the infrastructural feature of the facility as well, we are currently working on a confinement building, which is 85 per cent complete.” He explained that the weakening structure of the school is due to absence of adequate management. “We have tried almost every skill set that is needed to operate the facility but we have found that reshuffling the administration is not the solution. The environment there sometimes has to do with people’s outlook and self-reliance. “The NOC administration must find ways to enhance their ability and competence.”
Families of the victims 442 persons receive training in... should be compensated - Khan Families of the victims of Cubana Airline flight 455 in which 73 passengers, among them 11 Guyanese, were killed in 1976, should be compensated, according to the President of Guyana Solidarity Movement with Cuba, Halim Khan He said that Luis Pasoda Carriles who is the alleged mastermind lives in Miami. “Today, Posada, 85, walks the streets of Miami, a living contradiction in America’s war on terrorism. Khan said that the Guyana Government should seek Posada’s extradition to Guyana just as Cuba and Venezuela did and try him in the courts for killing the 11 Guyanese. The Guyanese killed were Jacqueline Williams, Rawle Thomas, Ann Nelson, Sabrina Harripaul, Rita Thomas, Margaret Bradshaw, Violet Thomas, Raymond Persaud, Harold Norton, Gordon Sobha and Seshnarine Kumar. “Guyanese lives are just as important as other human beings. We need justice. We need compensation for the victims’ families from those countries that harbor them.” He made reference to the governments of the United
States, Britain and Libya who had pledged cooperation to bring to justice those responsible for the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103, exactly 25 years ago over Lockerbie, Scotland. “So those responsible for this most brutal act of terrorism brought to justice, and to understand why it was committed…it is essential to fully support an investigation team to enable them to complete their enquiries successfully and bring justice to these killings.” In the spring of 1998, Cuban agents uncovered a plot to blow up an airplane filled with beach-bound tourists from Europe and Latin America. Castro enlisted his friend, Nobel Prize-winning novelist Gabriel Garcia Marquez, to carry a secret message about the plot to President Bill Clinton. The White House took the threat seriously enough that the Federal Aviation Administration warned airlines. In June of that year, FBI agents flew to Havana to meet with their Cuban counterparts. During three days in a safe house, the
Cubans provided the FBI with evidence their agents had gathered on various plots, including the planned airplane attack and an ongoing campaign of bombings at Havana hotels that had taken the life of an Italian Canadian businessman. But the FBI never arrested anyone in connection with the airplane plot or the hotel attacks - even after exile militant Luis Posada Carriles bragged about his role in the Havana bombings to the New York Times in July 1998. Instead, on September 12, 1998, a heavily armed FBI SWAT team arrested the members of the Cuban intelligence network in Miami. In 2000, Posada was arrested in Panama in connection with a plot to assassinate Castro; he was convicted and served four years before receiving a stillcontroversial pardon. That pardon was revoked in 2008. The closest the U.S. Government has come to prosecuting Posada was in 2009, when the Obama administration charged him not for his role in the Havana bombings but for lying about his role on an immigration form. He was acquitted.
From page 18 guides at Bina Hill, Annai. The training, which was conducted on February 8, 2014, was conducted by Mr. Railton Evelyn of St. John's Ambulance Brigade. Forty -three tour guides from nearby villages and lodges participated in the training session which touched on topics such as Burns, Bleeding, Sprains, Strains, Heart Attack, Chok-
ing, Unconsciousness and Fractures. Guides also participated in practical sessions conducting CPR and demonstrating techniques on tying a sling for fractures. The objective of the training programme was to ensure that registered guides are capable of providing First Aid assistance to visitors and tourists in the event of an emergency while conducting tours. It is also a requirement
of the Tourist Guide Regulations that all guides must be trained in First Aid/CPR and able to provide valid Certificates before licensing. The Rupununi, being a high traffic location for tours and with the largest number of tourist guides, was ideal for this training programme; the Authority also facilitated a similar First Aid/CPR training in 2013 for guides in Georgetown.
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Kaieteur News
FOR SALE
FOR SALE
VACANCY
LARGE QUANTITIES O F H IGH PURITY MERCURY (QUICKSILVER) 99.99995% PURITY $19,000 PER POUND CALL: 592-227-4754.
3 (8) weeks old: White Brown & Cream Fluffy Puppies – Contact:699-6006
24 Hour East Coast Guyoil needs night pump attendants, salesgirl & office assistant Call: 670-8893/684-2838
German Shepherd Pups. Tel: 220-2277; 220-8904; 626-0910 1-2640 MF Tractor 4wd with 1 – Rome Plough 20 dish, 1CAT Satndby 3306,194KVA 3 Phase 60 Cylinder – Tel:693-4596 Spare for washing machine, microwaves,fridges, stoves, timers, gearbox, pumps, etc call: 225-9032, 647-2943 Live/pluck chicken call: 6504421, 220-9203 1- 500 Ton Cargo ship - Tel: 676-6933 Large Plucked Chickens $280lb retail, Pork $380lb retail @ George & Hadfield Streets. Sears Riding mower $280,000, Honda Generator - $430,000 New, Brand new 18" Chain Saw 38,500 - Call: 261-2988 Dell computers complete with 20" LCD $65,000, 6 months warranty @ Futuretech- Call:231-2206 1 Honda Twister – Contact # 671-3533 Pure bred Rottweiler & German Sheperd- Tel:6108627/686-3072/618-2903 Fishing Boat: Length - 30ft, Width - 6½ft, Depth - 3½ft. Engine 15HP Tohatsu - Tel: 697-0648; 667-9662 1 20 KVA enclosed generators - call: 675-7838 1 Stall @ Stabroek Market Tel: 658-0115; 718-757-8031 2 – M132 Laverda Combine, 3- Pressure Pump 4x3 for gold field – call:627-0447 PVC Ceiling Panels, PVC Mouldings, Medallions. Royal Quality! – Tel:6148564; 629-0372 Toyota Verossa (White) Excellent Condition - $2.7M Negotiable – Contact: 6668492.
270 Amps Portable Honda Welders and 1-2002 Tundra Tel: 611-5114 All Types of Power tools, Hand Tools, Silicones, from spray, bicycle & spares, nails, etc -Tel:614-8564; 6800862 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
Secretary! Send written application to Shakoor Seafood, 80 industrial Site, Eccles EBD Lumber Factory Manager, Labourers, Lorry Drivers, woodmizer, brandsaw and moulder operators @ Eccles, Industrial Site - Call Richard 609-7675; 233-2614
VEHICLE FOR SALE 3 Ton Toyota Toyoace, excellent Condition with power gate GPP Series $2.7M negotiable – Tel:6850889 Suzuki 750 GSX-R, registered, price:$1,100,000 negotiable – Tel:672-0697; 684-5918; 685-5323 Toyota Passo, PNN Series – Tel: 642-6664 1 Toyota AT212, AT192, AT170, EP71 Starlet, LTouring Wagon, Hilux Pickup 4x4, 1 Nissan Caravan E24 - Tel: 644-5096; 697-1453 Toyota Carina 170 – Tel:6804718
VEHICLE FOR SALE ALYEA AUTO SALE: CARINA 212 NEGOTIABLE @ 40 CROAL STREET STABROEK – TEL:2317284; 622-3823 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
Generators Two John Deere, 63 KVA 50KW 3M. 135KW – 168KVA – $4.5M, 440 Volts, 240 Volts – Tel: 644-9084
One male cleaner. Apply Alabama Trading Georgetown Ferry Stelling Stabroek.
One Toyota Tacoma 2006, 12ft Aluminum Boat, Tacoma : rims & tyres – Call:6858282; 220-1981; 222-5671
1 precision built 14-16" bore, rice field, trailer, pump, 1 -4 wheel box trailer - Tel:227-1830
Concierge/Security. Apply in person to B.M. Hotels Inc. 123 Kanuku Street, Section ‘M’ Campbellville.
One 2005 Toyota Avensis. Owner leaving country! $3.4M – Tel:628-6160
Original Games - Call:6722566 1 smoothie machine, 2 ice machine- Contact:231-0655, 683-8734 2 Trucks - Tel:618-1967; 6984321 75KVA Generator, 1 Crash Mercedes Benzes/ C200/ 1998-2000, 3 used commercial air condition and AE91 sprinter - Call:223-1589; 2274406 Houses in Georgetown, ECD & EBD. Investment Properties in Georgetown Commercial land - Contact: 223-8479; 647-3768; 628-1408 www.spaceseek.gy House lots on EBD, 1,500 acres @ Berbice, Executive Apartment Complex Contact: 223-8479; 647-3768; 628-1408, www.spaceseek.gy Special Exotic plants for Valentine on February 14th, 2014 outside St Roses High School. Brand New: Power fist Gasoline generators on wheel – 6500 watts – AC (DC) current 110-240 Volts Contact:617-2205
One GX110 (PJJ Series) Toyota Mark 2. Lady Driven. Excellent Condition, $1.9M negotiable. Call:609-2466 1 Set 05 Tacoma lights, 1 pathfinder A/C Compressor, 110V energy bulbs, 12V LED bulbs - Tel:641-1127
LG Google cell phones asking $22,500, brother ink cartridges LC-51,61, etc – Tel:663-2079; 226-0011
Toyota Tacoma 4X4 Extra Cab 2002, Nissan Frontier 4X4 Extra Cab 2002, DJ System – Tel:695-9807
Samsung blue –ray player with nex-flix, streaming WiFi, etc -Tel: 663-2079; 226-0011 Pekingese, Tibetan Terrier, Rabbit ( Peter Plat) @ VreedEn- Hoop Pet Shop – Tel:6816284; 643-5451
VEHICLE FOR SALE New 2014 Isuzu: D-Max single & double cabsCall:691-0234 1 -1RZ, 15 seater, automatic mini-bus, BNN 3760 - $1.7M Negotiable. Good condition, never used for public transportation – Tel:628-0310 ; 672-5429 First Class Auto: Premio, Spacio, Passo, IST, 212, Raum Cold & New Modles Tel: 609-8188; 602-6307 Smart Choice Auto: Unregistered: Premio, Runx, IST, Spacio, Fielder - Call: 652-38201; 665-4529 One Carib CRV - Price $1.5M negotiable - Excellent condition- Call: 666-9472; 673-3152
Hire Car drivers from ECD @ A-1 Taxi – Tel:220-1000
PROPERTY FOR SALE
2008 Fielder: Bodykit, spoiler, rims. Unregistered $2.95MCall:617-2891
Two Joiners to work in Workshop - Tel:610-7005; 219-1342
One Land (100ftX50ft) and small house @ Tuschen E.B.E $5,000,000 - Tel: 6846245; 611-3802
1 AE100 Corolla $550,000 & 1 AE100 Corolla Wagon $950,000 – Tel:611-6634; 6643488
Passo, Fielder, Raum, Premio - Call: 661-9651; 6818474
Prime Property for sale – Light Street, Alberttown – Contact: 639-3619, 619-7299
2 Ton open back canter with power gate, unregisteredCall:617-2891
Unregistered Toyota Sienta (2004) 1500cc & 7 seater - Tel: 617-5536
Security Guard: Requirements: Police Clearance must have NIS, & ID Cards, 2 recommendations, Age: 3545. Call: 642-8140; 642-8650
Satya Cinema Good Faith Mahaicony – Call:641-8472
RX-8 – Tel:602-6024
One 2 Storey property for sale at Covent Garden Island Call: 265-3586
1 Black Titan 4 wheel drive, fully loaded - $3M negotiable- Tel: 699-2322 or 678-2814
2007 Axio $2.85M, Spacio $2.250M, fully loaded unregistered- Call:617-2891
Host/Hostess & Cleaners – Interested persons can contact us on telephone number:603-4523 FOR SALE / RENT
At Eccles, East Bank Demerara Price -$38M . Please Contact -780-381-6147 or email:irgopaul@gmail.com
One Fuso Mitsubishi Crane Truck & 3 Ton Crane GPP Series - $5.5M - Call: 622-6746
1 Housekeeper must know to cook @ 223 Camp Street. (3 Storey building next to Shell Gas Station) - Call: 644-7724
For Sale/ Rent: One Taxi Service with complete base station radio, frequency, lighted sign board etc. Call: 619-2800.
Lot 12 Mon-Repos E.C.D, Market Street - Tel:220-7330 FOR SALE Rotweiler pups for sale Tel: 619-6086/ 699-7077 Farm at Yarrowkabra - 20.1 Acres - Call:265-3586 Greenheart Piles – Tel:6393450 Pure Rottweiler pups - Tel: 650-8496 US Army Surplus generator sets : 1 3KW, 1 5KW, 1 60KW, low prices – Tel:648-4959 Blowout sale for slightly damaged zinc sheets – Tel:657-4072 Blowout sales on steel rods on 5/8”, ½” and smooth steel -Tel:657-4072
One Ford Crane Truck & 10 Ton Crane (new) - $8M – Call:622-6746 New ATVs: Introductory price $1,875,000 (Duty Paid)Call:691-0234
LAND FOR SALE
Food Warmer - Tel:696-9999
Playstation one - $8,000, PS2 $20,000, PS3 $45,000 Nintendo 64 - $10,000, Slushie Machine – Tel: 2642732; 670-2732
PSP with 4 games and 8GB memory card – Tel:675-2239; BBM 25c58FEO
Vacancy for security. Apply in person @ Alabama Trading Georgetown Ferry Stelling Stabroek.
Thursday February 13, 2014
1 Transported large lot @ Tuschen EBE - $2.5M – Tel: 617-4439 Gold and Diamond mining lands already Prospected – Tel: 646-4501 82 Acers @ Hogg Island, 120 acre @ Mahaicony & 11 Lots @ Wakenaam – Tel:6864994; 225-3070 Parafaite Harmonie (100ftX50ft) - $1.8M - Call: 675-7292 Parafaite Harmonie - $1.3M Call: 675-7292 House lots for sale on the West Bank of Demerara Harbour Bridge in Harbourville SchoonordContact:650-0402
Toyota Allion, Premio, Spacio, Alex, Runx, Contact Classic Auto Sales - Tel: 6237684; 665-3131 White Allion PNN Series, Milleage 70,000, reverse camera, TV, CD, Deck. Price $2.2M Negotiable – Contact: 675-2690 One Honda XR 125 Scrambler motorcycle $320,000 negotiable - Tel: 6997697 Mitsubishi Lancer PHH Series fully loaded. Driven by Lady. Owner leaving country. Price negotiable. Telephone:611-5426 or 2206368 Car for sale PKK Services 100 Corolla - $850,000 Contact: 623-0016 1 Leyland DAF 4x4 Bush Truck. 1 Toyota Hilux 4x4 bush ready – Contact Kim: 658-5193
2008 Honda CRV imported from England 17" Rim, fog lamps Surround Sound System, unregistered $6.8M neg. Tel: 642-7295; 220-2345 Manual Mitsubishi Convertible eclipse. Excellent Condition! - $2M negotiable Call:625-9000 Hilux Surf, PKK Series – Tel:617-3001 AT212 - $1.2M, Spacio $1.9M, Voxy GSS - $2.1M, Sienta Seven Seats - $1.6M, Madza Tribute PSS – Call:661—9651; 681-8474 1 Mitsubishi Galant Car; 1 Toyota Corolla AE100 Car, 1 Honda CBR motorcycle – Call: 227-7544; 612-2542; 614-6011 One Toyota Cresta Mark two, automatic, fully powered - Price $775,000 negotiable. Tel: 623-7684; 665-3131 AT192, 212, Allion, Premio, Hilux Surf, BNN & RZ & Pitbull buses, 7 seater super custom. Cash / terms- Call: 680-3154 We buy & sell vehicles for cash, also parts available & 30 seater buses; Extra Cab pickups; 2006 Tacoma- Call: 680-3154 (Continued on page 23)
Thursday February 13, 2014
Kaieteur News
Page 23
Technician behaved disorderly in court A man who identified himself as an auto body works technician was yesterday slapped with a disorderly behaviour charge after he reportedly rushed into a city courtroom and made a spectacle of himself as he demanded to know why an arrest warrant was issued for him. Yesterday, the charge which was read to Orrett West by Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry detailed that he had behaved disorderly in the courtroom of Magistrate Geeta ChandanEdmond on February 11. He pleaded guilty to the charge and asked to explain his actions. West told the court, “I didn’t know but I heard an arrest warrant get issue for me because I missed a court date so I rush to the court saying what? I approach the Magistrate and ask her how I could get an arrest warrant for an abusive language charge.” According to the Prosecutor, West had made a spectacle of himself in the process and he disrupted the courtroom.
“All the Magistrate seh is carry me to the lockup; I swear on me life,” the accused claimed. “I would really like to go back to court to apologise for my behaviour,” he said. However, the Chief Magistrate informed him that Magistrate Chandan-Edmond would have been the complainant in this matter so he “cannot go back.” West was also charged for resisting and assaulting Corporal Peters whilst he was acting in the execution of his duties. However, he pleaded not guilty to those charges and was subsequently placed on $20,000 bail each. The court heard that when the Police Corporal tried to arrest him and remove him from the scene, he refused t o cooperate and started yelling, causing a scene in the courtroom which is nearly the busiest at the city court. As a result of his admission, he was fined $25,000 for his disorderly behaviour but the case relating to the peace officer was transferred to Magistrate Faith McGusty’s court.
Deed’s registry employee on bail for fraud
Bail was yesterday set at $200,000 for a 56-year-old employee of the Deeds Registry who is accused of fraudulently obtaining $4M for the sale of a plot of land some time last year. Appearing at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court was Bibi Sattaur, of Lot 8 Station Street, Kitty who pleaded not guilty when the charge of obtaining money with the intent to defraud was read to her by Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry. The Prosecution claimed that on March 28, last year, in Georgetown, she obtained the cash from Bibi Akleema Goberdhan by falsely pretending to transfer a plot of land, despite knowing the actions to be false. The case is being prosecuted by Inspector Michael Grant who told the court that whilst Sattaur “sold” the land to
Goberdhan, the buyer soon found out that she was a victim of fraud. According to him, Goberdhan was prevented from claiming the land since it already belonged to someone else, so she reported the matter to the police. Subsequent investigations led to Sattaur’s arrest. However, in submitting an application for reasonable bail, her lawyer Leslie Sobers refuted the Prosecution’s claims stating that his client had not entered into any agreement with Goberdhan. According to him, his client is “shocked and amazed” at the allegations leveled against her. Sattaur was subsequently allowed bail on condition that she reports to the Brickdam Police Station every Friday at 16:00 hours. The case will be called again on March 10 for report and fixtures.
Jamaican medical... From page 11 Justice Cecil Kennard, Health Minister Bheri Ramsarran and officials of the GPHC who pronounced that there was no medical evidence to support a police baton being pushed up the man’s anus and that other medical conditions had caused the damage, among other things.
Hughes charged that the officials should have less to say since it was confirmed that no examination of Harding’s anus/rectum was done at GPHC, although it was those examinations that confirmed that the man’s injures were consistent with the insertion of a “foreign object.”
TO LET Fully furnished short term apartments, Eccles call: 347933-9790, 639-4452. Fully furnished Vacation home with all amenities- Call during working hours - 227-1218 Furnished apartment in Bent Street, Wortmanville – US$30 per day. Contact:2263309; 218-1033; 678-4267 Furnished Apartments for Overseas Visitors – Contact: 668-5198 Aracari Hotel. West Bank Demerara Rates from US$30 Tel: 264-2946-8 Furnished executive one or two bedroom suite in Diamond. Ideal for foreigners. Call:609-2466 Fully Furnished 2 bedrooms apartment in South - 6895877 (Overseas or Visitors) 1 Complete Lumber Factory to rent/ lease with all sawmilling equipment situated @ Eccles, Industrial Site. Call Richard: 609-7675.
EDUCATIONAL Princeton College Forms 1-5 CXC adults classes, Phonics, Sat, Lessons & Mathematics for slow learners - Tel: 2237906; 690-5008 Learn to decorate with Balloons. Classes on March 1st – Call: 225-3133; 613-7513 for more information. Makeup Classes @ J’ adore Makeup by Natalie. Come register and be apart, its life changing! Call:676-3916; 615-5028
LEARN TO DRIVE Shalom Driving School @ 2 Croal street. Fee $16,000Call:227-3869 Ultravoilet Driving School – Contact:231-2372;6022583;658-4015 Soman & Sons Driving School , First Federation Building Call 689-5997, 6445166,622-2872,615-0964 FOR HIRE All Types of Trucks - Tel: 618-1967 or 698-4321. ADOPTION Kittens for Call:628-1486
Adoption
FOR RENT
(From page 22)
PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION,WEDDINGS, ANNIVERSARY, ETC. – CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 216-1043; 677-6620 CAMP STREET, Prime Business Space Call: 6394499 One Semi furnished apartment to rent at Industry ECD – Tel:222-6001 GT TOOLS RENTAL: TEL: 675-0767; 627-5098 1 -Two bedrooms apartment at Better Hope, ECD - Call: 617-3001 between 8:00am4:00pm
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
WANTED 1 Whole day domestic - Tel: 667-5717; 650-4761 Live in housekeeper / babysitter. Must be willing to work, reliable, responsible, mature & Trustworthy. Please Call: 619-2388/ 222-6001
Commercial Offices in Georgetown, commercial buildings, executive apartments & houses Contact: 223-8479; 647-3768; 628-1408, www.spaceseek.gy
Repairs to Fridge, Freezer, AC, Washers, Stoves: Call 683-1312,627-3206 (Nick)
Female worker needed, 3 CXC subject or sound secondary school education- Call:626-8586
HOUSE PLAN DRAFTING FOR ONLY $10,000CALL:694-9843/227-2766
Watch man to work at Lamaha & Albert Street. Contact: 223-5273/4
2 Business Stall @ Port Kaituma Market – Tel:6187983; 684-6428
We repair fridge, freezer, AC, washer, dryer call:2310655,683-8734 Omar
Newly Constructed apartment - WCD - Call: 6986496
For all your prefab building works & welding fabricating etc. 5 Brickery EBD -Tel: 6582567; 660-3466
Manager / Supervisor at Xenon Hotel Charity / Ebo. Accommodation provided, attractive salary is offered Contact: 771-4989; 7714180; 670-6559
1 Newly renovated house @ Eccles Front. 3 Bedrooms upstairs - $90,000 & 2 bedrooms downstairs $80,000, separate entrance & parking – Tel:268-2121 5 Acre Land with house to lease $95,000 for month – Call:261-2988 Property for rent located at 32 Old Road Vreed- En- Hoop WCD. For further information contact:6610162 Business Space to rent: 26"x38" On Durban Street Lodge – Call:648-7868 FOR HIRE Dump Trucks for hire to transport sand, aggregate, etc and bobcat for rental – Tel: 694-1657; 261-6664
Chauffeur & Personal assistant for company or own use – Call:687-7017 House plan drafting from$10,000 surveying and estimates services available Tel: 667-2189 Permanent & Visitors Visa Applications, Professional Immigration Consultant Room D5 Maraj Building Call:225-6496,662-6045, 223-8115 We Refill HP cartridges for $1800 call: 650-7699 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 Specialized in all classes of industrial and domestic work, motor rewind and fixing of generators – Tel:644-9084
CAR RENTAL Dolly’s Car Rental- Call: 2257126/226-3693- dollysauto rental@yahoo.com/ www. dolly sautorental.com Premio, Vitz call:347-9339790, 639-4452. Wings Car Rental- Call: 643-1131 Untouchable, low rates, low deposits - Call:226-9668; 677-4613. Aidan’s Car Rental & Pickup Call: 645-7981/ 698-7807
Electrical Repairs & Servicing Done to generators, water pump, washer, dryers, fans, blenders, stabilizers & Transformers (Johnny 6193194) WE FILL PASSPORT & VISA FORMS: U.S.A, U.K & CANADA. ALSO ONLINE CREDIT CARD PAYMENTS TEL: 225-9030 PEN PAL Overseas Male is seeking female 29yrs & up – Call:661-3299
Salesgirl with Secondary Education @ Christine’s Fashion – Tel:227-8529; 6091535 Driver, salesman and porters to work on beverage canter truck – Call:222-4650;2223927;649-9876;616-3802 Babysitter/ Housekeeper. To work in Campbellville, Monday – Friday, ages 3040, reference needed. Apply to PO.BOX 101302 One welder for grill work Call: 625-5763 We pay $1M for land in Parafaite Harmonie- Tel:6757292 General Live in maid, with experienced age 30-50 – Contact: 609-1535; 227-8529 Family to live and work on farm in Craig village, EBD – Tel:663-2079; 226-0011 Urgently needed live-in waitress to work in bar, reasonable salary offer – Tel:259-0574 Live in male & female domestic – Tel: 613-6613 One Dragline operator – 613-6613 Live in , live out babysitter – Tel:225-6070 Cashiers , Handyman at Impact Frenzy - Tel:223-4778 SALON Make Up Courses, Artist Trained & Certified in Trinidad. Call: 660-5257, 647-1773 Beautopia Cosmetology Training: Day & Evening classes, nails, hair,facial / makeup - Tel: 604-3002; 629-3497
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Kaieteur News
Thursday February 13, 2014
Guyana among lowest ranked in region; Jamaica leads
Int. Press Freedom…
Guyana has improved slightly on the 2014 Reporters Without Borders World Press Freedom Index, to 67th, two spaces below its 2012 rankings. The index’s annual global indicator, which measures the overall level of violations of freedom of information in 180 countries annually, has risen slightly. The indicator has gone from 3395 to 3456 points, a 1.8% rise. The level of violations is unchanged in the Asia-Pacific region, but has increased in Africa. Faring better than Guyana in the region is Jamaica, 17; Suriname 31: Antigua 36; Trinidad 43 and Haiti 47. Guyana is better off than the
Dominican Republic at 68 and neighbouring Venezuela at 116. According to the watchdog press body, the ranking spotlights major declines in media freedoms in such varied countries as the United States, Central African Republic and Guatemala and, on the other hand, marked improvements in Ecuador, Bolivia and South Africa. The same trio of Finland, Netherlands and Norway heads the index again, while Turkmenistan, North Korea and Eritrea continue to be the biggest information black holes, again occupying the last three positions. “The World Press
Guyana remained among the lowest ranked in the region in the latest press freedom rankings released yesterday. Freedom Index is a reference tool that is based on seven criteria: the level of abuses, the extent of pluralism, media
independence, the environment and selfcensorship, the legislative framework, transparency and infrastructure,” said Reporters Without Borders Secretary-General Christophe Deloire. “It makes governments face their responsibilities by providing civil society with an objective measure, and provides international bodies with a good governance indicator to guide their decisions.” Reporters Without Borders Head of Research Lucie Morillon said: “This year, the ranking of some countries, including democracies, has been impacted by an overly broad and abusive interpretation of the concept of national security protection.” This year’s index covers 180 countries, one more than in last year ’s index. The newcomer is Belize, which has been ranked in the enviable position of 29th. The 2014 index emphasizes the negative
correlation between armed conflicts and freedom of information. In an unstable environment, the media become strategic goals or targets for groups or individuals trying to control news and information in violation of the guarantees enshrined in international conventions. Syria (177th) is rubbing shoulders with the last three countries in the index. Around 130 professional and citizen-journalists were killed in connection with the provision of news and information from March 2011 to December 2013. They are being targeted by both the Assad government and extremist rebel militias. The Syrian crisis has also had dramatic repercussions throughout the region. In Africa, Mali continued its fall and is now ranked 122. Progress in the conflict in north of the country has stalled, preventing any real revival in media activity. Central African Republic (109th) has followed suit, falling 43 places. In Egypt (159th), President Morsi’s ouster by the army led by Al-Sisi freed those media that the Muslim Brotherhood had gagged ever since coming to power, but it marked the start of a witch hunt against journalists suspected of supporting the Brotherhood. Far from these conflicts, in countries where the rule of law prevails, security arguments are misused as grounds for restricting
freedom of information. Invoked too readily, the protection of national security is encroaching on hard-won democratic rights. In the United States (46th, -13), the hunt for leaks and whistleblowers serves as a warning to those thinking of satisfying a public interest need for information about the imperial prerogatives assumed by the world’s leading power. The United Kingdom (33rd, -3) has followed in the US wake, distinguishing itself by its harassment of The Guardian. Aside from the 13-place fall by the United States (46th, -13), Guatemala’s dizzying plunge (125th, -29) was due to a sharp decline in the safety of journalists, with four murders and twice as many attacks as the previous year. Vi o l e n c e against journalists, direct censorship and misuse of judicial proceedings fell in Panama (87th, +25), Dominican Republic (68th, +13), Bolivia (94th, +16) and Ecuador (94th, +25), although in Ecuador the level of media polarization is still high and often detrimental to public debate. The past year was marked by laudable legislative developments in some countries such as South Africa (42nd, +11), where the president refused to sign a law that would have threatened media freedom. Contrasting with South Africa’s improvement, other countries regarded as regional models registered no progress or even significant declines.
Ramotar instructs Rohee to... From page 6 discussions with his officers. He also disclosed that the Chief of Staff has already taken the guide from the Disciplined Services Commission, which calls for the strengthening of the Force’s technical arms. Granger stressed that there is need for the army to have more assets to help with the sea and aviation aspects of the force since they are largely insufficient to go after traffickers and protect Guyana’s borders. He believes too that the absence of a National Drug Strategy master plan is largely responsible for these types of occurrences. “There is no valid national drug strategy master plan. It expired in 2009 and the administration appears to be in no hurry to implement a new plan” he said, adding that
“there is no justification for the absence of such a plan for five years.” Granger recalled that during the period 2000 and 2008 well known traffickers had brought sophisticated equipment into Guyana which led to the death of many Guyanese. He believes that there is a linkage between international drug lords and local traffickers and that large amount of drugs are being smuggled in and out of Guyana. On Tuesday, news surfaced that more than 20 gangsters were busted in New York for drug trafficking and other offences. The New York Mafia reportedly conspired with the Italian syndicate to traffic cocaine and heroin stashed in shipments of pineapples, frozen fish and other food. The shipments traveled
through ports in Guyana, where Mexican drug cartel members facilitated deliveries, prosecutors said. The raids targeted a network of drug smuggling that stretched from Guyana to Italy to Malaysia to the United States. An undercover agent recorded alleged Gambino associate, Franco Lupoi, and others plotting to transport 500 kilograms of cocaine hidden in shipments of frozen fish or pineapples, according to court documents. Prosecutors found $7 million worth of cocaine hidden in crates of pineapples and coconut milk. In September 2012, Lupoi was recorded explaining to an undercover agent that he had contacts in Guyana who could arrange the shipment of cocaine to his contacts in Italy, court records state.
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Letters... Where your views make the news
WE AS A SOCIETY HAVE Uproar in the House as PM reveals DESERTED OUR YOUTHS $117m spent on overseas trips HOLNESS: Ministers must travel with frugality
(L-R) SIMPSON MILLER... seven-day trip to Ethiopia cost $6.5 million. HOLNESS... said he would not be deterred by noise and distraction Jamaica Observer - A nasty episode of namecalling, jeers and shouts of abuse characterised most of the approximately hour-long interlude during which Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller answered questions about her frequent overseas trips in the House of Representatives Tuesday. House Speaker Michael Peart fought to keep order during most of the period as Opposition Leader Andrew Holness posed some followup questions emanating from the 61-page document tabled by Simpson Miller with her answers to his original questions. There were only a few copies of the document available. The Opposition had to make do with two copies, and the Government members with probably two more. No copies were available for the press. The prime minister’s answers said that full cost of overseas visits by members of her Government, including junior ministers, was $117.8 million. The cost of trips paid for by the Office of the Prime Minister was $25 million for staff, and $15 million for the prime minister alone on her 25 trips. Holness was greeted with laughter and derision when he rose to ask additional questions. Leader of Opposition Business Derrick Smith suggested that the Speaker ensure that the opposition leader was protected by the chair, but Peart said the jeers were not confined to one side. When the Opposition
demanded that the Government show the opposition leader some respect, junior minister Luther Buchanan said, “him doan deserve that yet”. “No amount of noise and distraction is going to prevent me, or the members on this side from bringing out the truth about the operations of this Government. So they can make as much noise as they want,” Holness responded. “I take a stand on this side, that when the prime minister rises on her feet, and all my members here are aware of the stand I take, that the Office of the Prime Minister must be respected. I take that stand and I am not here begging respect from anyone,” he added. Holness said that it was understood that prime ministers must travel, however, the debate was not about “whether or not prime ministers should travel, or are entitled to travel, but that when prime ministers travel they must report to Parliament”. “And they must exercise the entitlement of travel with discretion and frugality,” the opposition leader said.
The most expensive trip listed by the prime minister’s document was the $6.5 million spent on a seven-day visit Ethiopia in May 2013 for the 50th anniversary celebrations of the Organisation of African States (OAS)/African Union. But Holness came under some heavy bombardment from Government members when he asked about the outcome of the expensive Addis Ababa trip. The prime minister said that she was surprised at the question being asked about an African nation. “Fifty years of the African Union and I am touring where my ancestors were born and bred, some of them, and some in Jamaica, and you know something, Mr Speaker, never mind enslavers, because there were times when our own caught us and sell us into slavery...,” Simpson Miller said as she related the story of African children caught and sold into slavery. “The African blood runs deep in my veins...” she said. “The African blood runs deep in me, as well,” Holness responded. “No, no, no,” shouted Government MPs, which angered Holness.
DEAR EDITOR, This serves as a rejoinder to Ms Samaroo’s justifiable lamentation under her article: “Alarming number of youths being prosecuted for serious crimes”. Immediately after the chaos emanating from the 2002 Camp Street jailbreak was brought under control, I went on record warning of small youth gangs and a proliferation of small arms easily obtainable because of our porous borders. I was not alone. Indeed, the present tragedy was, unintentionally perhaps, hatched and nurtured years ago by the brains behind the jailbreak. Their present impotence to rein in the children soldiers, who have now become the proverbial monsters, manifests itself in the daily assault on the citizenry, regardless of age, race or religion. Sadly, the easiest way out for many is to lay total responsibility for what is happening at the doorstep of the Administration. Pontius Pilate is certainly alive! These marauding and dangerous youths do not originate in space and neither do they disappear into space. They are not aliens. They live in our villages, in our neighbourhoods. We know them. We know what they do. We helped to raise them, and we excused away the petty wrongs they were doing; we hid them when the law came for them; we shared in the loot they took off others; we tell them it is okay to steal and rob because they are poor. Today, the petty thief is a robber, a hijacker, a murderer. And we are afraid to speak out
against his atrocities. Why? Because he is one of our collective? Where is the guilt of any Administration in any of this? Where is our own guilt as citizens? Schools, Churches, Community Centres, etc., etc., were designed to serve a purpose, the primary of which is to develop and guide our young and impressionable to be responsible and productive adults. Have we as teachers, Ministers of (whatever) religion, community leaders succeeded? Schools today are venues for making extra earnings through extra lessons; many Churches are commercial endeavours; many community centres and playgrounds are pastures for cattle. Did the Adminstration do this? Or did we allow it to happen? As adults, whether in school, church or the community, whether as parents or neighbours, we as a society have deserted our youths; we have encouraged and widened the disconnect which naturally exists between generations, because of our own insecurities as adults. We seem afraid to embrace, guide and empower our youths. We are reluctant to allow our youths to take us to their future. Rather, we insist on dragging them to our past. It is my appeal that our citizenry recognise that crime will overpower us if we allow it to do so. As older folks we must accept that the fight against crime must involve our youths themselves. Our youths also wish for a peaceful and crime-free society. This combination will work if we want it to work. Any other option is unthinkable. Taajnauth Jadunauth
There is more monitoring... From page 4 does not confirm the Undersecretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, that individual is not appointed. So, there is nothing wrong with the director of the FIU being confirmed by Parliament. A compromise would be for the President to present three candidates for FIU Director to Parliament, with Parliament voting by simple majority on those candidates. Further, the opposition needs to demand that the FIU publish regular public reports and that the Director can be called into Parliament to explain concerns or can be removed by a majority of Parliament with a replacement to be proposed
by the President within 30 days of such removal. Similarly, the USA has strict laws regarding the carriage of large sums of money. Why is it in a poor country like Guyana US $10,000, a fortune to most, should not trigger action by the police and Customs? At a minimum, that should be reported to the FIU and an investigation launched. A number of Guyanese who are now in American jails, laundered billions in illegal drug trafficking pro-
ceeds right here in Guyana and not a single peep or squeak was heard from the PPP. There is wholesale thieving every single day right here in Guyana, where the people’s money is stolen and handed through all manner of shenanigans to a handful of vagabonds who then launder that money. Not a single charge of money laundering has been brought against these rogues. It is time to end this wilful PPP impotence. M. Maxwell
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Iran warns ready for ‘decisive’ battle with US, Israel Tehran (AFP) - Armed forces chief of staff General Hassan Firouzabadi has warned the Islamic republic’s arch-foes that Iran is prepared for a “decisive battle” if attacked, Fars news agency reported yesterday. “We are ready for the decisive battle with America and the Zionist regime (Israel),” Fars quoted Firouzabadi as saying. He also warned neighbouring nations not to allow any attack to be launched on Iran from their soil. “We do not have any hostility towards regional states, but if we are ever attacked from the American bases in the region we will strike that area back,” he said. Washington has many military bases in the region, including in Bahrain, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Turkey. US Secretary of State John Kerry said late last month that if diplomacy with
General Hassan Firouzabadi Iran fails, “the military option of the United States is ready and prepared to do what it would have to do”. But Firouzabadi accused the US of bluffing. “Over the past decade, they brought their forces but came to the conclusion that they can’t attack us and left,” he said, dismissing the US military threat as nothing but a “political bluff”. President Hassan Rouhani said on Tuesday the
West should not have and delusions about using a military option. “I say explicitly, if some have delusions of having any threats against Iran on their tables, they need to wear new glasses. There is no military option against Iran on any table in the world,” he said. Iran is due to resume talks on Monday in Vienna with the P5+1 — Britain, France, the United States, Russia and China plus Germany — aimed at reaching a comprehensive nuclear accord following a landmark interim agreement struck in November. Western nations have long suspected Iran of covertly pursuing nuclear weapons alongside its civilian programme, allegations denied by Tehran which insists its nuclear activities are entirely peaceful. Neither the United States nor Israel has ruled out military action to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon, if diplomacy fails.
Britain to tell Scotland: Lose the pound if you exit UK L O N D O N / KILMARNOCK (Reuters) Britain’s main political parties will tell Scotland in coordinated statements in coming days it cannot keep the pound if it votes for independence, two people familiar with the matter said yesterday. Scottish nationalists accused British politicians of bluffing and said they knew well any bid to withdraw the pound from Scotland would damage English business. They said it would mean Scotland would not shoulder any share of British debt. The drive by the three main parties, the boldest attempt yet by the British political establishment to scuttle Scottish nationalists’ independence bid, reflects a growing sense that the issue of what currency a breakaway Scotland would use could be decisive in swaying undecided voters. Scots are due to vote on whether their oil-rich country of 5 million becomes independent on September 18, with polls showing just over one third favor independence. More assertive noises from London may move some toying with the idea of independence to caution but could also inflame some national feeling. “I think telling Scotland what we can and cannot do
George Osborne from the south could upset some people but I will still vote against independence,” said Sheila Lochhead, 65, a carer in the town of Kilmarnock, one of the areas of highest unemployment in Scotland. George Osborne, Britain’s Conservative finance minister, will deliver the message in a speech today, taking aim at one of the central policies of the proindependence Scottish National Party (SNP) which argues a currency union with the UK would be the only viable option. Danny Alexander, Osborne’s deputy and a Liberal Democrat, is expected to reinforce that message today. Ed Balls, the opposition Labour party’s spokesman on financial
affairs, is expected to say the same separately at an unspecified date. The coordinated move leaves the SNP without an immediate plan B since it has built its case for independence around being able to share the pound and has not disclosed a fallback scenario. An independent Scotland would need to apply to join the European Union before it could ask to join the euro, and the SNP has so far shown no enthusiasm for the single currency. Joining the euro or creating a new currency are seen as more expensive and potentially riskier alternatives. The currency issue goes to the heart of what has become an i n c r e a s i n g l y fractious debate as Scots say the economy is the single most important issue for them when it comes to choosing whether to end their 307-year-old union with England. “It’s safe to say there’s going to be movement on the currency issue,” one person familiar with British government thinking told Reuters. Another source said the government would spell out its policy on the pound in clear and concrete terms. A spokesman for the UK Treasury said he said he was unable to immediately comment on the matter.
Thursday February 13, 2014
Kaieteur News
Ex-New Orleans mayor convicted of taking bribes NEW ORLEANS (AP) — A federal jury has convicted former New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin on charges that he accepted bribes, free trips and other gratuities from contractors in exchange for helping them secure millions of dollars in city work while he was in office. The jury yesterday
convicted Nagin of 20 of 21 counts against him. Nagin was indicted in January 2013 on charges he accepted hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes and truckloads of free granite for his family business in exchange for promoting the interests of a local businessman.
He also was charged with accepting thousands of dollars in payoffs from another businessman for his help in securing city contracts. Before the verdict was read, Nagin said outside the courtroom that he’s “been at peace with this for a long time. I’m good.”
Cameron under pressure over flood spending pledge (Reuters) - British Prime Minister David Cameron came under pressure yesterday to spell out where he would find the money for his pledge to spend whatever was needed to help those affected by severe flooding in England. Parts of southwest England have been under water for weeks after the country’s wettest January in nearly 250 years, with more densely populated areas near London also hit by flooding in the last few days as the rainy weather continued into February. Several politicians who have donned rubber boots to wade through muddy waters on visits to flooded areas have received a rough ride from residents angry at a perceived slow response to the crisis and a l a c k o f funding for flood prevention measures. On Tuesday, Cameron said “money was no object” in the relief effort, a pledge his critics said was at odds with the austerity policy of his government, which has made deep spending cuts in the last few years to tackle
a record peacetime budget deficit. Highlighting comments by Transport Minister Patrick McLoughlin earlier on Wednesday that there was no “blank cheque” for flood spending, opposition Labour party leader Ed Miliband asked Cameron exactly what his promise covered. Speaking at the prime minister ’s weekly parliamentary grilling, Miliband also questioned
Bangui (Central African Republic) (AFP) - The UN food agency yesterday was set to launch an airlift of emergency food supplies to the Central African Republic, though it admits it will not be enough to meet the desperate need in the crisis-hit nation. The World Food Programme said it would fly a month’s supply of food from Douala in Cameroon to the Central African capital of Bangui which would be enough for 150,000 people. “This is a rather exceptional operation, our biggest emergency air operation in a long time, bigger that for Syria and the Philippines,” WFP
spokesman Alexis Masciarelli told AFP. But he added that the operation “would not definitively solve the problem”. According to the United Nations, 1.3 million people, nearly a quarter of the population of the CAR, need immediate food aid, particularly in the camps of displaced people numbering more than 800,000 who have sought refuge there from the sectarian violence that has erupted in the country. The first WFP cargo plane carrying 80 tonnes of rice is expected to arrive in Bangui on Wednesday morning.
David Cameron
UN launches emergency food airlift to Central Africa
plans to cut the number of staff at the Environment Agency dealing with floods. “If money is no object ... is he committing now to reconsider these redundancies?” he asked, expressing doubts about what he called Cameron’s “grand promise” of financial aid. Reiterating his spending pledge o n We d n e s d a y, Cameron gave details of plans to help those affected, saying homeowners and businesses would get grants of up to 5,000 pounds ($8,200) each to help with repairs and future flood defences. Businesses would also be able to claim tax relief, while a 10 million pound fund would be made available to farmers. Earlier Cameron’s official spokesman said the government had “a number of contingency funds”.
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Guyana Malta Supreme face Barbados for place in... From page 32 match but if there is grass on the pitch he could be included today since the Guyanese are generally uncomfortable to short pitched bowling. Despite missing a match each Ramnaresh Sarwan (151) and Shiv Chanderpaul (144) are among the top three leading run scorers this year with half-centuries in both of their matches and should play key
roles today. Sarwan needs one more ton to share the record of most tons in the entire tournament with Brian Lara (4) and if the openers could build a firm foundation and Barnwell and Johnson again fire at the ‘death’ Sarwan could have two more matches to achieve the feat this year. Trevon Griffith and Fudadin both scored fifties but they are the only two
in the team (apart from Deonarine who has struggled badly) to have a strike rate of less than 60 and need to demonstrate more urgency when they bat. Deonarine is the last Guyanese to register a century in Regional 50-over cricket. His unbeaten 102 against Barbados in 2009 was full of class, but his form has slumped with him managing just two runs from two
Thursday February 13, 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.
matches. Deonarine, Robin Bacchus and Fudadin, could be the men on the bench today. Royston Crandon is one of 11 Guyanese to score a ton at this level but he did so in his debut game in 2006 and could get one more chance to justify his place in the side. Guyana will hope to eliminate as much ‘dot balls’ as possible today when they bat
on what should be a lightning fast outfield. Like they did last year, Beaton, arguably the quickest bowler on show this year along with Wintz, should test the Bajan top order while medium pace support should come from Barnwell and spin from Veerasammy Permaul, Devendra Bishoo and Crandon. Beaton, earmarked to
become the first Essequibo player to play International cricket, is the leading wicket taker in the tournament with seven scalps, while Permaul (6) has lent good support. Wintz and Bishoo have four wickets each although Bishoo has not produced his best so far. Barbados don’t play spin bowling too well and if Permaul and Bishoo, both with Test experience, extract turn and bowl with control the Bajan batsmen could have plenty of headaches. The left-handed Carter is one of three batsmen to score hundreds in this competition and his accomplished 109 against Trinidad and Tobago was a joy to watch and stunned the biggest crowd of the tournament into silence as the Bajans beat the home team. Dwayne Smith’s pugnacious 83, was also scored in that game and they are the only two Bajan batsmen to register fifties. They will hope for support from Rashidi Boucher, Dowrich, Stout, Holder and Carlos Braithwaite Opener Kraigg Braithwaite models his batting on Chanderpaul and while he exhibits wonderful temperament he does not possess Chanderpaul’s vast experience and restricting his scoring should not be problematic for the Guyanese bowlers. In 32 Regional 50-over games against Barbados, Guyana have won 16 and lost 14 with two games ending in no-results and the other one being abandoned. When the dust settles tonight, the Guyana Malta Supreme from the continent of South America will hope that their v i c t o r y m a rgin against Barbados is increased to 17 wins. BARBADOS: Kevin Stoute (captain), Sulieman Benn, Tino Best, Rashidi Boucher, Carlos Brathwaite, Kraigg Brathwaite, Jonathan Carter, Shane Dowrich (wicket-keeper), Fidel Edwards, Jason Holder, Ashley Nurse, Dwayne Smith, Kenroy Williams; Hendy Springer (coach) GUYANA MALTA SUPREME: Christopher Barnwell (captain), Shiv Chanderpaul (vice captain), Ramnaresh Sarwan, Anthony Bramble (wicket-keeper), Robin Bacchus, Trevon Griffith, Leon Johnson, Narsingh Deonarine, Royston Crandon, Assad Fudadin, Devendra Bishoo, Veerasammy Permaul, Ronsford Beaton, Paul Wintz; Esuan Crandon (coach)
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Scotia Bank Kiddy cricket
Leonora, Cornelia Ida and Meten-Meer-Zorg record wins Latchman Singh and Rosignol Primary victorious By Zaheer Mohamed Leonora, Cornelia Ida and Meten-Meer-Zorg primary schools recorded victories when play in the Scotia Bank nationwide Kiddy cricket tournament continued yesterday at the Uitvlught Community Centre ground, West Demerara. Leonora defeated Uitvlugt Primary by six runs. Uitvlught batted first and scored 177-6 in 10 overs with Malcolm Dainty top scoring with 14, while extras contributed 28. Leonora replied with 183-8 in 10 overs. Aryan Batool led with 17 while Rafiel Khemraj and Kevin Northey made 13 each and Irfan Hack 12. Alifiyaad Chand grabbed 4-7. Cornelia Ida overcame Windsor Forest Primary by 11 runs. Cornelia Ida took first strike and posted 148-6 in 10 overs. Bhumeshwar Lalgie made 16. Windsor Forest scored 137-9 in 10 overs in reply. Saraswat Primary went
down to Meten-Meer- Zorg Primary by 10 runs. Saraswat managed 125-6 in 10 overs after taking first turn at the crease. Andrea Seepersaud and Brian Budhan were their leading batters with 13 and 10 respectively; Zaheer Mohamed claimed 2-3. MetenMeerZorg responded with 135-7 in 10 overs. Vickram Harold and Dhanraj Ramjattan stroked 15 apiece while Saif Mohamed supported with 13. Seepersaud and Rahay Rampersaud captured 2 wickets each. In lower West Berbice District, Latchman Singh Primary thumped Calcutta Primary in the final which was played on Monday last at Bush Lot ground. Latchman Singh batted first and rattled up 176-7 in 10 overs. Jashan Saul led with 33 while Timothy Harrichand made 12. Kenroy Ali, Trevon Prince and Britney Lyte picked up two wickets each. Calcutta were restricted for 128-9 in 10 overs in reply.
Aryan Batool of Leonora Primary on the go during his top score
Harrichand captured four wickets and Saul three. In the semi finals Novar Primary lost to Latchman Singh Primary by 4 runs. Novar made 192-6 in 10 overs batting first. Tristan Tappin scored with 27 and Kaif Shaw 14. Harrichand took
4 wickets. Latchman Singh replied with 196-4 in 10 overs with Saul hitting 47. Calcutta beat Litchfield Primary by four runs. Litchfield scored 162-8 in 10 overs after taking first strike. Orlando Dellon made 22 and Darnel Alfred 12; Kenroy Ali and Zenair Sharp had two wickets each. Calcutta made 166-3 in 10 overs in response. Colis Duke led with 39 as Alfred took two wickets. In the Upper West Berbice District, Rosignol hammered No 5 by 65 runs in the final which was played yesterday at Blairmont. No 5 scored 846 in 10 overs, batting first.
Alfiyaad Chand in action Esan Flats made 11; Tejpaul Khedon snared 3-6 and Abdool Singh 2-8. Rosignol Primary made 149-4 in 10 overs reply. Marvan Prashad led with 14 and Evan Smith 10. In the preliminary round, Ithaca went down to No 5 by 16 runs. Ithaca mustered 1065 in 10 overs after batting first. Filton Edwards scored 10 while extras supported with 20; Elbris Headley took 2-7. No 5 scored 122-4 in 10 overs in reply. Extras made a healthy contribution with 22; and Matthew Persaud captured 2-4. Rosignol defeated Blairmont by 23 runs.
Blairmont took first strike and posted 95 in 10 overs, losing 10 wickets in the process. Balwant Bissoondyal and Paramdeo Ramdhan made 10 each as Alvin Chowramootoo grabbed 4-9, Okifi Patoir 3-18 and Leon Chamalall 3-20. Rosignol scored 118-9 in 10 overs in response. Prashad and Singh scored 15 apiece and Shaheed Hussain bagged 3-13. Bath Primary went down to NO 5 by 16 runs. Bath made 96-9 in 10 overs, batting first. Jamaal Fraser snared 3-3. No 5 managed 112-6 in 10 overs in reply. Richard Saures had 312.
Ansa Mcal sponsors International Goodwill Boxing tournament Ansa McAl Trading Limited stood firmly in the corner of the Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) yesterday ahead of the three-day, fournation International Goodwill tournament, which boxes off tomorrow at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall. The GBA tournament includes Guyana, Saint Lucia, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago. During a simple presentation ceremony at the company’s Beterverwagting Headquarters, Marketing Director, Troy Cadogan said he is pleased to support the tournament.“We know it’s an expensive venture and being the corporate citizens that we are, we are pleased to support this series. We hope that this small gesture will help to put them on the road to the 2016 Olympic Games,” Cadogan said. Cadogan presented the sponsorship cheque to GBA President, Steve Ninvalle, who thanked Cadogan.
Troy Cadogan
Steve Ninvalle
According to Ninvalle, Ansa McAl has always been a supporter of amateur boxing and the sponsorship is a muchneeded shot in the arm. He said that some of the funds will go toward the
local and visiting pugilists’ encampment. The GBA President called on the boxing fraternity to support products of Ansa McAl; the contingents from overseas are scheduled to begin arriving today.
Thursday February 13, 2014
Kaieteur News
PEPSI maintains sponsorship of RHTY&SC U-19 and Intermediate teams 11 years on
DDL’s Larry Wills (left) hands over one of the T-shirts to Hilbert Foster as a sign of their commitment to the RHTY&SC team. The outstanding performances of the Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club (RHTY&SC) on and off the field of play continue to receive the thumbs up from many corporate entities. One such entity is Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL) under their PEPSI brand which is internationally renowned. They have renewed sponsorship of the Rose Hall Town Under-19 team for the 11th successive year. PEPSI became the official sponsors of the RHT Pepsi Under-19 and Intermediate teams in 2004 after they replaced the G u y a n a Te l e p h o n e a n d Telegraph Company which had decided to sponsor the c l u b ’s Pro-Education campaign. Secretary/CEO of the RHTY&SC Hilbert Foster extended gratitude to DDL and PEPSI for their continuous investment in the development of youths of the club, stating he was pleased to be associated with the popular international soft drink brand. He said that over the years, the teams have represented the brand with pride, passion, discipline and dedication. The RHT Under-19 team have won the Berbice Under19 championship four times and have produced a total of 21 national junior players including the likes of Assad Fudadin, Abdel Fudadin, Dominic Rikhi, Askay Homraj, Shemaine Campbell, Plaffina Millington, Clinton Pestano, Khemraj Mahadeo, Delbert Hicks, Shawn Pereira, Shailendra Shameer, Brandon Prasad, Erica Hashley and
Shabika Gajnabi. Forty-four of the club’s players have also represented Berbice over the years. RHT Pepsi Under-19 and Intermediate teams in 2013 completed over forty SelfDevelopment programmes that touched and changed the lives of thousands of youths and less fortunate families. The Intermediate team are the current BCB Intermediate Neal and Massay champions. This year, both teams have set themselves a target of fifty self development programmes. Cricket Manager and O f f i c e M a n a g e r o f t he RHTYSC, Moonish Singh, disclosed that the Pepsi teams like the rest of the club’s teams have been restructured and this year the Under-19 side would be led by Nicholas
Cameron with Askay Homraj as his deputy. West Indies female allrounder Shemaine Campbell would be in charge of the Intermediate team while her deputy is Under-19 player Devin Baldeo. Moonish Singh is Manager. Winston Smith has been named Coach of the team. Ronston Lawson and Sohan Harry are the Assistant Managers. D D L’s P E P S I B r a n d M a n a g e r L a r r y Wi l l s stated that his company was pleased to be associated with the RHTY&SC, noting that the club has represented the brand well in the past. He expressed best wishes for a successful 2014 and called on all the players to uphold the high tradition of dedication and discipline.
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Slingerz FC signs Anthony ‘Awo’ Abrams Just a year ago, one East Bank Essequibo businessman assembled some of the best football players in Guyana, with the aim of one day having the country’s number one team and though that title still respectfully belongs to Alpha United, Slingerz Football Club enjoyed a fruitful inauguration into Guyana’s football arena. The pinnacle of the club’s accomplishments for 2013 was winning the prestigious Georgetown Football Association (GFA) Banks Beer Cup, following a 3 – 2 win over Santos in the final. Added to that, the club’s only defeat since their registration under the West Demerara Football Association (WDFA) on February last came at the hands of Alpha United. The ‘Hammers’, owned by Odinga Lumumba, Presidential Adviser on Youth Empowerment, clinched a 1 – 0 win in the Mayor’s Cup Finals and then defeated the ‘West Side’ team 4 – 2 in the finals of the Goal for Gold tournament. They competed in five tournaments, winning three and finishing runner’s up in two; a statistic that General Manager Colin ‘BL’ Aaron is happy about. “If you look back at football in Guyana, I don’t think there’s any other club who can boast that in their first year, they were able to have that amount of success. So Slingerz FC is happy. We’re not satisfied because in sports, everyone’s aim is to be the best at what they do and as such, we will be going all out to ensure that happens,” Aaron said. Looking ahead, the club made eight new signings with the acquisition of National s t r i k e r A n t h o n y ‘ Aw o ’ Abrams being the most notable.
- Club revamps roster for 2014 season
Anthony Abrams Abrams was acquired from Slingerz FC’s arch rivals Alpha United and the a m b i d e x trous striker, according the club’s General Manager, will certainly be an asset to the team. “I think every coach will also love to have a player like ‘Awo’ on his side. He brings with him a wealth of experience. He came from a top club in the Caribbean, and so he knows what it means to play hard and to win titles.” Dominique Babb (Milerock), John Waldron (Silver Shattas), Deon Charter (Eagles United), LennoxAllicock (Vasco), Dextroy Adams (Young Achievers) Leroy Pedro (Western Tigers) and Jamal Harvey (Uitvlugt United), are the other new players who will now don the Slingerz uniform. “This is a team that we believe will be successful this season and will give us that competitive edge. We came out with a bang and so the club and its players are always in a situation where we have to perform at our best because, that’s what persons
are expecting of us. We have an obligation to the people who support us. Things can only get better for us from this stage onwards,” Aaron said. Asked if the exit of former Captain Dwain Jacobs is seen as a major blow to the team, Aaron said, “Jacobs is a great player and played an important role in us being in the position we’re in presently, but him leaving didn’t put a hamper on us in anyway. The players all play specific roles and as such, collectively, we were able to achieve some of our objectives for last year, but it is never about no one man getting things done. But we wish him well.” Slingerz FC will roll out their star studded roster this Saturday when the second A n n u a l St a g B e e r / We s t Side Mashramani Champions Cup kicks off at the Uitvlugt Community Center Ground. The defending Champions will come up against Bagotville in the opening encounter, while the home side and Stewartville collide in the second of the evening’s fixed double header in the knock-out tournament. Slingerz Roster; Michael Crandon, Trenton Lashley, Pierre Joseph, Tichard Joseph, Vurlon Mills (Captain), Joshua Brown, Kimba Braithwaith, Olvis Mitchell, Quason McAully, Rondell Hutson, Les-Charles Critchlow, Simon Emmanuel, Colin Nelson, Jason Cromwell, Anthony Harding, Clive Nobrega, Domanique Babb, John Waldron, Deon Charter, Lennox Allicock, Dextroy Adams, Leroy Pedro, Anthony Abrams, Devon Millington and Jamal Harvey. Coach: Charles ‘Lilly’ Pollard.
T&T make Jamaicans see red at the Oval to march into Saturday’s... From page 32 failed to better the 68 they made against Barbados in Barbados in 1982. Darren Bravo (23*) and Lendl Simmons (21) then saw Trinidad and Tobago, who asked Jamaica to bat, to 51-3 off just 13.1 overs despite an impressive spell from Taylor who captured 3-11. Jamaican Usain Bolt is the fastest man alive, but yesterday the Jamaican batsmen were just as fast in their procession to and from the middle as wickets tumbled in a crumpled heap to the delight of the fans in the stands. Promising 20-yearold John Campbell nibbled at Dwayne Bravo and was caught behind by Denesh Ramdin for a duck to start the
dramatic slide. Nkrumah Bonner scored a top class century against Guyana, but yesterday, he was removed by Rampaul for one as Jamaica slipped to 4-2 and it got progressively worse after that as the home team never released their stranglehold on the Jamaicans. Tamar Lambert was trapped LBW by Bravo for a duck, Carlton Baugh fell to Rampaul for four and Jamaica had lost half of their side for 14 runs. Dave Bernard (1), Andre Russell (4) and McCarthy were sent back in rapid succession by Emrit and the lads from Reggae Country were punch drunk and wobbling on the ropes at 368.
Sunil Narine got rid of Nikita Miller (3) and at 40-9 Jamaica were in danger of making the second lowest total ever at this level after the Steven Jacobs led West Indies under-19 were skittled out for 18 at Blairmont in West Bank Berbice in 2008. However, Taylor with a Test hundred to his name against New Zealand hit three boundaries to take his team past the 48 made by Bermuda against the Windward Islands in Jamaica in 2000. But Andrew Richardson fell to Emrit before he had scored as Jamaica were shot out for the tournament’s third lowest total at this level since 1976. When Trinidad and Tobago began their reply they quickly lost Evin Lewis for a
duck at 1-1 when the left hander played a nondescript shot to Taylor and spooned a catch to Russell at mid-on. Imran Khan was strangely sent in at number three, presumably as a pinch hitter and did not last long with Taylor trapping him in front for one, nine runs later. Darren Bravo joined Simmons and the pair spared their teams further blushes with some scintillating shots on the lightening fast outfield. A straight hit for six by Simmons and a majestic Brian Lara like cover drive from Bravo brought the crowd, which had built up to a large one, to life. Simmons was soon bowled by Taylor at 34-3 to bring Man-of-the-Match
Dwayne Bravo to join his sibling at the crease. Dwayne was dropped at mid-off by Bernard off Russell and skied a one ‘miles’ into the air, then rubbed salt into the Jamaicans’ wounds by pulling Russell audaciously to the mid-wicket boundary next ball. Not even Bob Marley’s ‘Everything Is Gonna Be Alright’, which was played by the DJ in the Trini Posse stand, could inspire the visitors as Bravo finished the game with a boundary to put an exclamation mark on the victory and start a Carnival fete which went well into the evening. T&T now await the second semi-final between Guyana Malta Supreme and Barbados to know their opponents in the final.
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Kaieteur News
Thursday February 13, 2014
Strong athletics contingent Guyana Malta Supreme face leaves for B/dos Relay Fair Barbados for place in final NAGICO Regional Super50 cricket
By Sean Devers in Trinidad In Association with Digicel, Carib Beer, Giftland Office Max, Payless Variety Store & Leisure Inn & Car Rentals When Guyana last won the title it was Barbados they defeated by seven runs on the Duckworth/system in near darkness at Bourda in the 2005 final after Sewnarine Chattergoon’s 119 spurred them to 247-7 from 49 overs in reply to 249-8 made by Barbados off 50 overs to hand the hosts their ninth title at this level. A crucial boundary off left-arm spinner Suleiman Benn in the 49th over by Neil McGarrell (who also took 357) pushed Guyana in front when Umpires Billy Doctrove and Norman Malcolm stopped the match because of bad light. The last of Barbados’ six titles was achieved in 2010 after the first ever tie in a Regional 50 overs final left the
Leeward Islands celebrating and the Bajans almost in tears. The title was shared after a dramatic end to the low scoring contest as Sabina Park. Chasing 139 for victory Barbados were fairly comfortably placed at 124-6 before they lost their last four wickets for 15 runs with last man Tino Best being inexplicable run out trying to steal a bye with the scores level and 12 overs left. Today at the Queens Park Oval in front of what could be a large partisan Guyanese contingent, the two teams clash in the semi-finals of the NAGICO Regional Super50 competition in a Day/Night affair to decide who will face –Trinidad and Tobago in Saturday’s final and especially Barbados, will hope for no more heart breaks. In their last meeting at this level Barbados won by five wickets at the Kensington Oval last year with only Leon Johnson and Assad Fudadin passing 20 for Guyana who crumbled to the spin of
Ashley Nurse (4-22), falling for 111. The Bajans overcame an early scare as Paul Wintz (340) and Ronsford Beaton (229) reduced them to 64-5 before Jonathon Carter (38*) and Shane Dowrich (28*) saw them to safety. The Guyana camp was confident ahead of the ‘finalfour’ stage of the tournament and Coach Crandon revealed that the four players who were affected by the ‘flu’ (Sarwan, Fudadin, Johnson and Deonarine) should be back to full fitness in time for today’s semi-final. Surprisingly, in a team with fast bowlers Fidel Edwards, Jason Holder, Carlos Braithwaite, Kevin Stout, Dwayne Smith and Best, spinners Benn and Nurse (who has the lone 5wicket haul in the competition) have been the most successful bowlers for Barbados as the pitches got slower as the tournament progressed. Best has not yet played a (Continued on page 25)
Some members of the University of Guyana team pose for a photo op at Police Sports Club yesterday. A strong 14-member University of Guyana Athletics Team will depart today to participate in the Barbados Relay Fair scheduled to be staged at the National Stadium. The team which departs today for the Caribbean Island includes: Kareem Critchlow, Dane Johnson, Floyd Phillips, Kadeem Peters, Delon Willis, Owen Adonis, Adesina Flatts, Cleveland Forde, Joshua Griffith, Kiswana Jefford, Feona Jones, Kezia Bess, Kim Chan and Tamica Garnett with Sports Co-ordinator of the University Lavern FraserThomas as Manager and Mark Scott as Head Coach. Team captain Adonis speaking with Kaieteur Sport yesterday during their final training session, at Police Sports Club, informed that they are thoroughly prepared and excited to go to the Meet and perform well. “Preparations went well, we had everyone coming out to train which was conducted
from Monday to Friday under Coach Scott and the confidence in the Camp is high,” he expressed. Adonis said he expects the team to win medals in all the events, but singled out the 4x100 metres team and the 4x400 metres units as the strongest possible contenders to capture medals. He also pointed out that athletes such as himself, Critchlow, Willis and Peters as strong candidates for podium spots, while on the distaff side, the same could be said of Chan, Jones and Flatts. Quite a few of the athletes are returning for the second time and they are expected to lead the charge for gold as well as assist in helping the first timers adjust to the atmosphere of international competition. Chan, who is the designated leader of the ladies squad in her remarks, spoke of the purpose of their involvement, stating that apart from going to the Games to do their best, they are also trying to ignite interest in
sports on the Campus. “We are helping to promote sports at the institution so we are therefore trying to encourage more students to become involved in sports at UG,” she informed. Meanwhile, Coach Scott when asked about the team’s preparations said that it has gone well with the athletes working Monday-Saturday and their work ethic has caused him to have high expectations of success. He noted also that the composition of the team has given rise to a high degree of optimism of gaining medals, pointing to the team’s strength which he felt lies in the 4x100 and 4x400 metres relays. The team he said will participate in all the races since according to him it is a Festival and while the interaction among students will be of benefit, it is only fitting that they go there and have fun as well. The team returns on Monday.
NAGICO Regional Super50 cricket
T&T make Jamaicans see red at the Oval to march into Saturday’s Final Sean Devers in Trinidad In Association with Digicel, Carib Beer, Giftland Office Max, Payless Variety Store & Leisure Inn & Car Rentals Most of the ticket holders were caught in the usual hectic early afternoon traffic jam and missed almost the entire Jamaican innings, but those who were lucky to be at the Queens Park Oval
yesterday witnessed a clinical demolition by the Trinidad and Tobago bowlers in the semi-finals of the NAGICO Regional Super 50-over competition. Trinidad and Tobago made Jamaica “see red” with a humiliating seven wicket victory to march into Saturday’s Finale of the eight team tournament. Jamaica catapulted to their lowest total at this level
being bundled out for an embarrassing 49 from 24.2 overs as only Jerome Taylor (13*) and Andrew McCarty (16) reached double figures in an atrocious batting displayat this level. Ryad Emrit finished with 4-19, Dwayne Bravo 310 and Ravi Rampaul 2-6. On a decent track and in glorious sunshine the Jamaicans, hampered by an array of impetuous shots, (Continued on page 31)
Thursday February 13, 2014
Kaieteur News
GSCL Inc. Republic Cup set to kick off tomorrow By Zaheer Mohamed The inaugural Georgetown Softball Cricket League Inc.(GSCL Inc) Republic Cup, which is set to kick off tomorrow, was officially launched yesterday at the Guyana National Industrial Corporation (GNIC) Sports Club. The tournament will be played in two categories, the Open and Over-40 and will be of 20 overs duration. Preliminary matches will be played at Everest Cricket Club, Police Sports Club ground, GNIC and Demerara Cricket Club tomorrow and Saturday with the finals set for Sunday at Everest while the Open final is expected to be broadcasted live on NCN radio. In the Open category, Memorex, Regal XI, Bartica Challengers and DVD Titans have been drawn in Zone A, while Zone B consists of Wolf’s Warriors, Farm XI, Speed Boat XI and Trophy Stall. In the Over-40 segment Floodlight, Savage, Regal Masters and Industry Super Kings make up Zone A, while Zone B is comprised of F r o n t l i n e X I , M i k e ’s Wellman, Parika Defenders and Success Masters. Teams will play each other once in their respective zones and the top two teams will go through to the semifinals. In the first round fixtures in the Open category, Bartica Challengers will play Regal XI and DVD Titans will face Memorex in Zone A, while Wolf ’s Warriors will come up against Trophy Stall and Farm XI will match skills
with Speedboat XI in Zone B. Floodlight will take on Industry Super Kings and Savage will clash with Regal Masters in the Zone A, while Frontline XI will play Success Masters and Mike’s Wellman will entertain Parika Defenders in the opening fixtures in Zone B of the Over-40 division. The winning team in the Open division will take home a trophy, $600,000 and medals, while the runner up will pocket a trophy and $200,000. The victorious team in the Over-40 category will receive a trophy, $500,000 and medals, while the runner up will collect a trophy and $200,000. The man of the match in the final and player of the series will be given a trophy and a three piece living room suite respectively. Speaking at the launching, first vice president of the GSCL, Ian John wished the teams well and said he hoped the tournament will be played in good spirits. He lauded the efforts of his fellow executives for their efforts in organising the competition. He added that play will start at 09:00hrs each day and stressed the need for teams to be on time and thanked the media for their support. Director of Sport Neil Kumar credited the GSCL for promoting softball, adding that the sport helps to encourage healthy lifestyles. He also stressed the need for fair play and hopes the tournament will be a success.
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Officials of the GSCL Inc. share a moment with Director of Sport Neil Kumar (fourth from left) during the launching of the Republic Cup yesterday
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Kaieteur News
Thursday February 13, 2014
Young Tiger roars in second warm-up win
Tagenarine Chanderpaul CMC DUBAI, United Arab Emirates - Tagenarine Chanderpaul compiled a powerful half century to guide West Indies to a comfortable six wicket win over New Zealand in a warm-up match on Wednesday before the start of their campaign in the ICC Under 19 World Cup here tomorrow. Chanderpaul rekindled the innings with a top score of 62 allowing West Indies to overhaul the 147 scored by New Zealand who batted first at the Sevens Stadium Pitch 2, Dubai. The young cricketers from the Caribbean stumbled to 7 for the loss of two quick wickets within three balls in the third over after opener Shimron Hetmyer was caught for two and Nicolas Puran was also caught without scoring. But the son of the f a m o u s We s t I n d i e s batsman Shivnarine, struck seven fours and brought his side back o n c o u r s e featuring in two half century partnerships before he was forced to retire hurt. Chanderpaul teamed up with Jeremy Solozana in a third wicket stand that produced 66 runs, resurrecting the chase from two for 7 to three for 73. Solozana scored 35 which included five fours. A second partnership for the fourth wicket between the young Guyanese batsman and Jonathan Drakes yielded 50 runs. Drakes, who picked up four boundaries, scored 28, while Brandon King was unbeaten on 16 as West
Indies cruised to 151 for four. Earlier, captain Ramaal Lewis led a bowling attack that created all sorts of problems for the young New Zealand players who lost their first three wickets with only 54 runs on the board. Resistance in the middle of the innings offered hope in the form of a 46 run 4th wicket stand between Robert O’Donnell and Shawn Hicks. O’Donnell top scored with 31, Hicks scored 27 while Tim Seifert added 23, the main contributors as the last six wickets tumbled for the addition of 47 runs. Lewis finished with three for 26, Charles 2-9 and McSween 2-24 O n M o n d a y, We s t Indies Under-19s scored a comprehensive nine wicket victory over Afghanistan Under 19s in a warm-up game. West Indies begin their campaign in the ICC U n d e r - 1 9 Wo r l d C u p against South Africa in Dubai on Friday. Summary Scores: New Zealand Innings: 147 All Out (45.2 Overs). Robert O’Donnell* 31, Shawn Hicks 27, Tim Seifert 23, Kyle Jamieson 11; Ramaal Lewis 9-0-26-3, Bryan Charles 4.2-0-9-2, Preston McSween 9-2-24-2, Gudakesh Moti-Kanhai 9-118-1. West Indies Innings: 151/4 (37.2 Overs). Tagenarine Chanderpaul 62, Jeremy Solozano 35, Jonathan Drakes 28, Brandon King 16; Leo Carter 5-0-131, Shawn Hicks 3-0-14-1, Kyle Jamieson 7-0-35-2, Jeremy Benton 4-0-12-0.
Thursday February 13, 2014
Kaieteur News
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Milo Schools Football Competition
Schools receive balls to commence preparations Representatives of s c h o o l s s e t t o participate in the 2nd A nnual Milo/Petra O rg a n i s a t i o n F o o t b a l l Competition received balls to commence preparations for the event which is scheduled to start on Saturday, at the Ministry of Education ground, Carifesta Avenue. In attendance at the handing over ceremony were Petra Organisation officials Troy Mendonca, Angeline Dyer-McCarthy and Mark Alleyne, while Milo was represented by Nestle Beverages Brand Manager Treion D’Anjou and Dr. Ertenisa Hamilton acted on behalf of the Ministry of Health Genderbased Violence Unit. The tweny-four teams chosen are: Bishop’s High, Carmel, Central High, Charlestown, Chase Academy, Christ Church, Cummings Lodge, David Rose, Dolphin, Lodge, New Campbellville, North Georgetown, North R u i m v e l d t , Q u e e n ’s College, Richard Ishmael,
Nestle Beverages Brand Manager Treion D’Anjou hands over one of the footballs to a student in the presence of Petra Organisation officials and Ministry of Health representative Dr. Ertenisa Hamilton, during yesterday’s handing over ceremony at the Ministry of Education ground. South Ruimveldt, St. George’s, St. Winefride, Tucville, Tutorial, St. Joseph’s High, St. Mary’s, Freeburg and Kingston. The winning team will receive $500,000, r u n n e r - u p - $ 3 0 0 , 0 0 0, 3rd place- $200,000 and 4th place- $100,000, while there will be prizes for
outstanding individual performances. All the winning teams will have to choose a project of their choice to benefit the school since no monetary prize will be awarded. The tournament starts this Saturday and runs until April 5.
T&T make Jamaicans see red at the Oval to march into Saturday’s Final Dwayne Bravo leads the T&T celebrations as they claim another wicket. (Ash Allen photo)
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Ryad Emrit celebrates after claiming on of his four victims as Trinidad demolished Jamaica for 49. (Ash Allen photo)
Guyana Malta Supreme face Barbados for place in final Ronsford Beaton
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Ramnaresh Sarwan
Jonathan Carter
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