Kaieteur News

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Kaieteur News

Tuesday February 17, 2015

Letters... Where your views make the news

Kaieteur News I do not agree that the Guyana Prize 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

Ethnicity for the wrong reasons Just when some people were of the view that Guyana was moving away from the idea of ethnic polarization there, big and bold in the Sunday Chronicle is the alleged quotation of a man now dead. The man collapsed and died of a heart attack on Saturday while he was at a bottom house meeting of the People’s Progressive Party. The Chronicle reported that the cause of his death was the announcement of a coalition between A Partnership for National Unity and the Alliance For Change. The man reporting this incident was said to be a Member of Parliament, Neend Kumar, who was hosting the meeting. To add icing to the cake, Kumar reported that the man feels so strongly about racial voting that he literally killed himself when he thought of Moses Nagamootoo taking eleven per cent of East Indian votes to A Partnership for National Unity. It goes without saying that Kumar did not even seek to address the issue of ethnic voting because one could sense his bitterness at not only the death but the reported cause. We do know that there was no love lost between himself and Nagamootoo. The nation must now wonder whether there are those among us who are so hopeful that we will one day be Guyanese instead of Indians, Blacks, Chinese, Amerindians and the rest, that they actually see movement in this direction. Indeed, at the level of the state some years ago, in fact, from the days when Forbes Burnham was alive, reporters were prohibited from describing criminals by their ethnicity. So if three men of African or Indian ancestry committed a crime the reporters were constrained to merely report that three men had committed a crime. The view was that crime had nothing to do with ethnicity. Further, since the society was so polarised back then, one ran the risk of stereotyping particular groups of people. This mode of reporting actually dates back to the violent days in Guyana—the early 1960s when the two major races were at each other’s throat. People were being killed and the newspapers were there to report the killings. The editors found that when they reported that three Indian men were killed, the next day they were made to report that four Black men were killed. More than half a century later in a country with less than a million people, who have been living together for nearly 200 years, inter-marrying and sharing the same space, we still perpetuate our differences. These differences must be very sharp for a man to collapse and die at the mere thought that eleven per cent of Indian votes would go to APNU, a party headed by a Black man. But then again, we are not unique. There must be something about this thing called race. Haslyn Parris, a mathematician and former Minister of the Government, sees it as ethnic preference. But a preference does not usually lead to violence or death. In South Africa, Sri Lanka, and in what was once Czechoslovakia, people were attacked and killed because they looked different. In the United States there is still racism. The police slammed an Indian man face down into the ground and caused him to be hospitalized because a White man called to say that a Black man was walking down his street peering into places and things. It turned out that the Indian man was visiting his son and was merely strolling down the street. The good thing is that the society took condign action against the policeman. As fate would have it, there are people who vote by conscience. These people would support a politician for reasons other than his race or religion. And while these people do not exist in overwhelming numbers they do exist. Trinidad which gained its independence a mere four years before Guyana has long torpedoed the vote by race. But Guyana is a different kettle. Some politicians hold on to race because for them there is nothing else.

should be scrapped arbitrarily Dear Editor, I refer to your Peeping Tom article of Tuesday, February 3, 2015 under the caption “The Guyana Prize for Literature Should Be Disbanded”. I have been associated with the Guyana Prize for Literature by way of being a judge on several occasions. I do not agree that the Prize should be scrapped arbitrarily. The arts and culture are the backbone of a society and so we must nurture the arts rather than throw out. Every nation needs such institutions that feed the soul just as its people need food, water and shelter. However, the Guyana Prize is operating in the context of a paucity of writers locally and, as reported, mediocre work. These are not passing or superficial problems that will go away with a few ad hoc workshops in the run up to the Prize. The problem is more pervasive and the Guyana Prize cannot afford to bury its head in the sand where this is concerned. Even as one of the objectives of the Guyana Prize is to nurture writers in the society, this does not translate into the Guyana

Prize itself organising writing workshops. This is a misguided conclusion and a potential conflict of interest. The Guyana Prize cannot be judge, jury and executioner all in the same breath. Creative writing classes should be offered at the Sixth Form level or at university level or other writing programs, independently of the Prize. In this sense Guyana is failing its aspiring writers by not providing such avenues. The non-availability of works shortlisted for the Prize is another source of disappointment to the public. The shortlist whips up interest and critical reviews can be done when the shortlist is announced but the works cannot be obtained in Guyana either to borrow or buy. And even when books have won the Prize they are still unavailable. A work of art mirrors society critically, but how are we supposed to see ourselves reflected in these works when they are not available? How is this society supposed to grow by the light of its artists and writers? How is the society supposed to read more when works that are deemed prize-winners are

not available? People are supposed to read for the sheer pleasure of it. I also cannot agree to P e e p i n g To m ’s g l i b suggestion that “the Prize should be scrapped and the funds used to either revive Kyk-Over-Al or create some new journal that would provide access to local writers in all genres including short story and academic papers”. This columnist needs to know that there is such a Journal published in Guyana that offers creative writing and academic papers. The Arts Journal is now in its tenth year and subscribed to regionally and internationally. How is it that Peeping Tom can attempt to write a critical comment on the state of the literary arts of Guyana and not know of the existence of The Arts Journal? Peeping Tom might also consider that any academic Journal worth its salt wants to retain its independence and academic freedom and so will not seek subsidy from the state. Under the circumstances, I would argue that a suspension of the Guyana Prize indefinitely is justified.

This would allow for the emergence of a cadre of serious local writers whose works can actually compete with overseas entries. The prize budget should be diverted to financing credible writing courses and workshops, under a different management, that would help the aspiring writer develop. There are established writers here who would not need these workshops, but Guyana needs to encourage and hear new voices and give them a place on a level playing field. The University of Guyana, which is currently under financial distress but still has a rich purse for this Prize, should consider r e v a m p i n g t h e administration of the prize when it comes back on stream; some new blood and vision would be in order. Due to similar dissatisfaction with the administration of the National Visual Arts Competition, that competition was suspended some time around 1994 and was only re-commenced in 2012 (eighteen years later). Dear Peeping Tom, the Caribbean Press is another matter. Ameena Gafoor

AFC and APNU have sacrificed all for a better Guyana DEAR EDITOR, The last two weeks have witnessed the most hectic, intensive and sincere negotiations between APNU and the AFC, as their leaders prepare for the May 11 general election, irrespective of the outcome. The stakes were high, but it is not unusual for political parties to embark on intensive negotiations when the stakes are high. Their goal was to form a coalition in the face of severe odds against them. It was the beginning of something new that no one believed would materialize, including some the leaders, but they and many of their supporters were optimistic. With no agreement in hand and time running out, supporters of both parties pleaded with their leaders for more time to reach an agreement. Failure was not an option for them. The leaders’ renewed interest in forming a coalition in 2015 did not come as a surprise to many. The curious, enquiring

public was not satisfied with the reasons given for not forming a coalition in 2011 and both parties regretted that decision after the results were published. Had they agreed to form a coalition in 2011, they would have been the government of today. But even though some versed in philosophy put forth the proposition that “things happen for a reason” yet, many believe that the country could not stand five more years of PPP corrupt, scandalous and abusive rule.

So what drove the parties to negotiate? Was it fear? Was it their rationality that guided them to do what is best for the people and the country? Or was it because of widespread dissatisfaction by the constituents of both parties? Whichever way, it would have been humiliating for them not to form a coalition and then lose the election again. Now, speculation is rife in the PPP camp as the coalition enjoys tremendous national support and poses a

formidable threat to the ruling cabal. The wave phenomenon which gripped the country since the election was announced in January 2015 was virtually absent in the last election as widespread anti-PPP sentiment increases. The arrogant PPP regime continues to suffer from tremendous corrupt practices and scandals. Unlike 2011 when the political dynamic was somewhat different from 2015, these scandals have (Continued on page 5)

Another call for the immediate dissolution of parliament DEAR EDITOR, The Independent Party joins the Guyana Bar Association in calling for the immediate dissolution of parliament. The president must accept that his prorogation has failed and it is now time to move the country forward. A date for the upcoming election has been set and parties are in full campaign mode. As president, we expect Mr. Ramotar to respect and abide by the set constitution he swore to uphold. At present, the dissolution of

parliament should have occurred on or before February 10th, 2015, three months exactly before the May 11th, 2015 General and Regional Elections without violating the constitution. The president and ruling party should refrain from stalling tactics and political gimmicks serving their interest and do what is in the best interest of all Guyanese and not a select few. Mark A. Benschop For the Independent Party

Tuesday February 17, 2015

Kaieteur News

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Letters... Where your views make the news Letters... Where your views make the news

The PPP is running a I applaud the APNU-AFC alliance politically-themed séance to contest the national election DEAR EDITOR, I had just turned 12 years old, only a few months older than my son is now, when the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic came to power in 1992. My primary experience with suppression of dissent, of institutional racism, of blatant corruption, of the state-sponsored murder and torture of citizens, of nepotistic incompetence in public office, and of poor public infrastructure and services didn’t happen before 1992, but in the 23 years since. On a personal level, the PNC of 1984 did not clandestinely threaten my income because I made a case of incompetence and a lack of accountability against one of its Ministers; the PPP of 2014 did that. That said, I am willing to forgive, to listen to what the PPP has to say that is progressive, that is forward thinking, that is inclusive. I am waiting for a policy on youth or culture or equitable

economic growth or combatting corruption, but instead what I keep getting is a rearview mirror on the PNC years. For example, on Saturday you had stories in the Chronicle in which both Gail Teixeira and Donald Ramotar were referring to the events of the Burnham era and warning against their return. On social media, PPP pages and accounts are popping up presenting the sort of ultra-murderous and ‘Dark Age’ view of that time that even Burnham’s worst critics would fail to recognize. The PPP is not so much running a campaign as it is running a politically-themed séance, resurrecting and pitting itself against the ghost of a long dead Forbes Burnham. But then again, even outside of Burnham, there is of course no limit, no barrier of decency restraining its shameless exploitation of the dead. When PPP people attended and spewed divisive hatred at a Lusignan

Massacre Memorial, it was shameless exploitation of the dead. When this weekend, the PPP controlled Guyana Chronicle published an article claiming that news of the APNU/AFC Coalition caused a 67-year-old man to suffer a fatal heart at a bottom-house meeting held by the PPP’s Neil Kumar, it was a shameless exploitation of the dead. The Coalition is now set, with a President candidate, David Granger and a Prime Ministerial candidate, Moses Nagamootoo. Instead of speaking simplistically about the penalties attached to the possession of bread 30 years ago, Donald Ramotar should have the courage to invite Granger on national television and radio to debate his record as President over the past three years, or even that of his predecessor in the previous ten. Cowardly abuse of the state media and a refusal to openly debate cannot be a winning strategy for the PPP at this critical time. Ruel Johnson

AFC and APNU have sacrificed all for... From page 4 resulted in a backlash against the PPP. It is indeed heartening to see the formation of the coalition has finally materialized with both parties injecting new, young blood into the party’s team of candidates. This is an excellent and selfless decision by true patriots and great statesmen who are prepared to put the interests of the people first and move Guyana forward. .The decision was not an easy one, and both parties had to work extremely hard to overcome decades of prejudice and mistrust, but in the end, they have succeeded and the people and Guyana have won. Kudos to the principal negotiators — David Patterson and Dominic Gaskin of the AFC and Carl Greenidge and Joe Harmon of APNU — for their extraordinary patience, intellect and incredible negotiating skills, and for enduring restless days and sleepless nights. All patriotic Guyanese must pay homage to the stalwart Guyanese politician,

Moses Nagamootoo for parting the Red Sea a second time—first in 2011 when he left the PPP to join the AFC and now to be part of the coalition. Moses has shown a kind of humility which is a very rare quality found among politicians and human beings in general. At the same time, all must applaud David Granger who never gave up on the idea of an AFC/APNU coalition and for putting Guyana and the people first. Like a true soldier, he is an eternal optimist, an everlasting pragmatist and a diehard nationalist. And Khemraj Ramjattan must be appreciated for putting the people and the country’s interests ahead of his party. His elegant, flamboyant and effervescent style of speaking coupled with his uncompromising stance against corruption and other wrongdoing have made him a tenacious politician. Congratulations to all the leaders and negotiators of APNU and the AFC for their exceptional skills, talent and remarkable patience. Their

conscious decision to unite for the good of the people and the country will have a positive influence on the quality of life for the masses and a bright future for the country. They have given hope to the hopeless and the downtrodden in Guyana. The coalition has allowed them to maximize their political potential to lead Guyana in a new direction. They are our heroes and real leaders, as according to Nelson Mandela “real leaders must be ready to sacrifice all for the freedom of their people.” Asquith Rose, Chandra Deolall, Dr. Merle Spenser-Marks

DEAR EDITOR, I applaud the APNU-AFC alliance to contest the May 11 national election. After weeks of discussions and negotiations the two parties have displayed a high level of maturity, soberness, and have placed Guyanese and Guyana first. The leadership of David Granger and Khemraj Ramjattan and their respective teams ushered in a new era of bipartisan politics and racial harmony that has eluded our nation since our independence in 1966. This is a historic development. In an instant, the hope for a better Guyana has been restored. I would encourage all Guyanese to embrace and support this National alliance.

The downward slide of our country by bad governance, incompetence, misuse of public resources, high taxation, lawlessness and arrogance among those in authority, abuse of public office must be stopped forthwith. Discrimination against Guyanese businesses and people in favour of foreigners is an attack on our citizenship and our national identity. The wholesale giveaway of our natural resources to friends of those in authority in return for pittance paid to us and under-the table gifts to the decision makers have created a ruling elite that boast visible wealth while the masses of us languish in poverty. Taxes are extorted from us before we receive our

salaries while some with no prior connection to our economy are serenaded with tax-free benefits of all kinds. The disrespect and contempt for us as Guyanese by the PPP/C administration after 23 years in office must not continue. The racial divide has been exploited for too long by those who see public office as the route to personal wealth and dominance. With it has emerged a culture of thinking within their circle that they have a transport on us because “Indo-Guyanese will always vote for us”. Time to put a stop to this. The APNU/AFC alliance is vital for a national emergency and cannot be more timely. Robert Badal

History, it would appear, is repeating itself DEAR EDITOR, I read with interest an editorial in the Stabroek News (Monday February 16, 2015) captioned ‘The Cummingsburg Accord’. I agree with the view advanced in the editorial that coalition politics in Guyana have not fared well. The PNCUF coalition folded up a mere three years after its formation. One factor that was responsible for the collapse of the coalition government which was not sufficiently highlighted was the fact that there was no agreed programme on which to take the then colony of British Guiana forward. The only thing the two parties had in common was a common desire to remove the PPP from office. It was for all practical

purposes, a marriage of convenience. Ideologically, the two parties were poles apart, with the United Force unapologetically capitalistic and the PNC at some unspecified location in the left of the ideological spectrum. History, it would appear, is repeating itself. Today, another marriage of convenience has taken place ironically on Valentine’s Day, between the PNC and the AFC with one common objective, namely the removal of the PPP/C from office. Apart from how to apportion parliamentary and cabinet seats in the highly unlikely situation of an electoral victory, there is hardly any mention of concrete measures of a

programmatic nature on the way forward. The editorial was unfair to the PPP/C by stating that there were hardly any transformational projects undertaken by the administration. Indeed, it would have been much more correct to say that the administration’s plans to modernize Guyana were obstructed by an unsupportive opposition which has now morphed into a political organism, not dissimilar to that of the illfated PNC-UF coalition. Hydar Ally

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Kaieteur News

Tuesday February 17, 2015

Walter Rodney COI…

PPP joined WPA in common struggle, worked for people’s freedom - Rohee Despite talks of a close relationship with the Working People’s Alliance (WAP) and earlier admissions of the holding of joint public meetings to “strategize”, People’s Progressive Party’s General Secretary, Clement James Rohee denied knowing of any intention on the part of the combined Opposition to overthrow the then governing People’s National Congress (PNC). In fact, the politician is of the opinion that the WPA and PPP in those days had joined forces to work solely for the freedom of the people. These views were shared by the party’s General Secretary under intense cross-examination as the Commission of Inquiry (COI) set up to get to the bottom of political advocate, Dr. Walter Rodney’s death, continued yesterday. Dr. Rodney, a scholar, social activist and co-founder of the Working People’s Alliance (WPA) was killed in an explosion on June 13, 1980. Rohee had previously testified that the political figure had been the victim of state-sponsored terrorism and that the period 1978 – 1980 was one which saw members of both the PPP and WPA being kept under close surveillance by the members of the Special Branch of the Guyana Police Force. He had earlier testified too that his party’s supporters made calls to take action against the pressures of the

PPP General Secretary, Clement Rohee at the Dr. Walter Rodney inquiry

Government and that they had considered taking up arms. The now Minister of Home Affairs had previously painted a disheartening image of the economic situation prevailing in the country during the 1978 - 1980 period. He had pointedly said that the economy was a total disaster as a result of the policies of the then governing party. The long standing PPP member had told tales of a politically oppressed nation; distancing his party from the practices of that time. When he returned for cross-examination yesterday, Basil Williams, the attorney

representing the PNC suggested to Rohee, that the government of the day was following a socialist pattern but the Minister stated that his party didn’t agree with the social form that the PNC had adopted. Williams said that one of the principles was taking the commanding rights of the economy through which the Government would nationalize certain important industries in the country that were foreign-owned. The lawyer suggested to Rohee that the PPP offered critical support to the policies of the then government of the day. He said that meant his party supported what they then considered to be the progressive policies of the then government but were critical of many other policies and methodologies in which those ‘progressive policies’

were carried out. “We had no control as the opposition party over the decision-making process…the manner in which it was carried out. We had views that were different from the government.” Rohee said that between 1976 and 1978, the economy began to decline and as that happened, certain social, political and economical policies developed in the country. He said that it was around that time that Dr. Rodney “appeared on the scene”. He said the declining economy resulted in the changes in policies. Rohee explained that overtime, people felt the locals were being exploited by foreign expatriates but when the local “bureaucratic and parasitic bourgeoisie” took over, it was found that the industries were not being properly run, and the amount of monies that was being pumped into the industries were not giving the necessary results and monies were being siphoned off from these industries to pay for things like the Guyana National Service and other paramilitary groups that existed at that time. Rohee said that the state siphoned off huge sums to build and grow towards the militarization of the economy and that the State trying for cooperative socialism was a failure. The Minister went on to describe a country plagued by nepotism. He said in order for anyone to land a job in any state enterprise you had to have some sort of political connection; “party card” or (Continued on page 24)

GPL responsible for wharf delay - Harmon With Guyana Power and Light (GPL) and BK International pointing fingers at each other about the US$242M fuel wharf delays at the new Vreed-en-Hoop station, APNU General Secretary and shadow minister of Public Works, Joseph Harmon, is clear that GPL needs to take responsibility for the delays. It must also be responsible for subsequent expenses incurred from trucking fuel to the station. The power plant was commissioned on February 9 by President Donald Ramotar, though the wharf and fuel lines were not yet in operation. This has resulted in GPL using private tankers to truck the fuel across the Demerara Harbour Bridge on a daily basis. Harmon stated that, like many public entities, GPL was characterized by management’s inability to make cost effective decisions, as well as improper consultation. He said that around the world, public entities are accountable to the people they serve, yet GPL operates as though it has autonomy over everyone. According to Harmon, GPL was the one that allowed BK to “gouge it in its eye”. The private company (BK) has its own responsibilities to make a profit for themselves. It is up to GPL to provide the appropriate oversight.

APNU Parliamentarian Joseph Harmon However, this oversight among Government agencies is lacking, which is why there are so many stalled and inadequately done projects. One example he mentioned were the many poor quality roads, which must be redone. He went on to call for the shaking up of the GPL management, citing their history of poor cost cutting decisions. It was BK’S Group Chairman, Brian Tiwarie, who had called for Ministries, agencies and Governmentowned corporations to improve their capacity to properly supervise and manage projects, rather than blaming the contractors whenever problems arise.

Suspected coke swallower intercepted at Ogle International Airport A 28-year-old man was yesterday nabbed at the Ogle International Airport at approximately 14:30 hrs by Police Narcotics Unit, under the suspicion that he had swallowed pellets containing cocaine. The police suspicions were confirmed when an XRay examination was done on the man at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) minutes after he was removed from a flight to Barbados. The suspect has been identified as Stephen Watson of Lot 86 Stanleytown, West Bank Demerara (WBD).

Up to press time, this newspaper was told that the suspect passed out a number of pellets. He was admitted into the ward under police guard. According to information received, Watson was on a flight to Barbados when he started to act in a suspicious manner. Sources confirmed that he was sweating profusely. He was subsequently arrested and taken to the GPHC where it was later confirmed that he had swallowed pellets containing cocaine. Investigations are ongoing.

Corentyne man hangs self after chopping wife A 58-year-old Number 19 Village, Corentyne man hanged himself around 15.00hrs yesterday after chopping his wife. Police said that Deonarine Juianand was involved in an argument with his wife,

Totmattie Juianand, 50, during which he is alleged to have chopped her about her body. She was admitted to the New Amsterdam Hospital. Police said that Juianand was later found hanging from the ceiling in his home.

Tuesday February 17, 2015

Kaieteur News

Greece rejects extension of EU bailout, talks stall

Protesters hold a giant Greek national flag during an anti-austerity and pro-government demonstration in front of the parliament in Athens. CREDIT: REUTERS/ALKIS KONSTANTINIDIS (Reuters) - Talks between Greece and euro zone finance ministers over the country’s debt crisis broke down yesterday when Athens rejected a proposal to request a six-month extension of its international bailout package as “unacceptable”. The unexpectedly rapid collapse raised doubts about Greece’s future in the single currency area after a new leftist-led government vowed to scrap the 240 billion euro bailout, reverse austerity policies and end cooperation with EU/IMF inspectors. Dutch Finance Minister Jeroen Dijsselbloem, who chaired the meeting, said Athens had until Friday to request an extension, otherwise the bailout would expire at the end of the month. The Greek state and its banks would then face a looming cash crunch. How long Greece can keep itself afloat without foreign support is uncertain. The euro fell against the dollar after the talks broke up but with Wall Street closed for a holiday, the full force of any market reaction may only be felt on Tuesday. The European Central Bank will decide on Wednesday whether to maintain emergency lending to Greek banks that are bleeding deposits at an estimated rate of 2 billion euros a week. The state faces some heavy loan repayments in March. Seemingly determined not to be browbeaten by a chorus of EU ministers intoning that he needed to swallow Greek pride and come back to ask for the extension, Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis, a left-wing academic

economist, voiced confidence that a deal on different terms was within reach within days. “I have no doubt that, within the next 48 hours Europe, is going to come together and we shall find the phrasing that is necessary so that we can submit it and move on to do the real work that is necessary,” Varoufakis told a news conference, warning that the language of ultimatum never worked in Europe. He cited what he called a “splendid” proposal from the European Commission by which Greece would get four to six months credit in return for a freeze on its antiausterity policies. He said he had been ready to sign that but that Dijsselbloem had then presented a different, and “highly problematic”, deal. A draft of what Dijsselbloem proposed, swiftly leaked by furious Greek officials, spoke of Athens extending and abiding by its “current programme” - anathema to a government which, as Varoufakis said, was elected last month to scrap the package. “MORE LOGIC, LESS IDEOLOGY” Commission officials denied offering a separate plan and the man Varoufakis said presented it, Economics Commissioner Pierre Moscovici, stuck to the same script as Dijsselbloem. Greece must extend its bailout on the current conditions, he said, even if that could be couched in language that did not embarrass Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras before his supporters. “We need more logic and

less ideology,” Moscovici said as EU officials fretted about how seriously the novice Greek leaders were taking their finances and how far concerns about semantics and saving political face might trump pressing economic needs. Dijsselbloem, who insisted he was willing to be flexible on terminology that has become highly charged for Greek voters, said further talks would depend on Greece requesting a bailout. Varoufakis and the other ministers will remain in Brussels on Tuesday for a routine meeting on the EU economy. “The general feeling in the Eurogroup is still that the best way forward would be for the Greek authorities to seek an extension of the programme,” Dijsselbloem told a news briefing. The talks, which had been expected to last late into the night, broke up in less than four hours - less even than a previous meeting last Wednesday after which EU officials voiced concern and astonishment at the Greeks’ lack of preparation. Both sides showed signs of fraying patience, with several ministers complaining of disappointment and fearing “disaster”. Dijsselbloem and Varoufakis spoke of a need to rebuild trust. Asked what would happen if Greece did not request a bailout extension, Edward Scicluna, the finance minister of the smallest EU state Malta said: “That would be it; it would be a disaster. “Greece has to adjust, to realise the seriousness of the situation, because time is running out.”

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Tuesday February 17, 2015

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BETRAYAL The AFC held a rally in 2006 at the Parade Ground (now Independence Park) in Georgetown. It was at the same rally that one of the AFC’s leaders almost fell through the floor of the stage because of loose boards. At that rally, I noticed a number of young people. Two of them, I recognized. The parents of one were long-time supporters of the PNCR. The other young lady

belonged to a family that has long supported the PPPC. The two young people were making a statement. They were indicating that they were breaking with the political loyalties of their families. But they were also saying that they wanted to distance themselves from the old race-based politics and wished to embrace a new political culture. I had a chat with these two

young persons. They indicated that they supported a Third Force because it offered the best promise of changing what they believed was an archaic political culture that was suffocating the development of the country and by implicating their future. They said they were products of the new generation and therefore they wanted to identify with a third force. Their presence at that

Dem boys seh...

Hanna and Hanan mek a big mistake When people want to mek a mess of you reputation dem does seh all kinds of things bout you. Dem big ones does call it character assassination. If you talk to you niece somebody who don’t know de child would tell de world how you involve wid young children. Hanna Benjie and Hanan Pussad from de Big Market paper is two people who listen to wha somebody in Donald camp tell dem and dem claim how dem hear from a observer. Dem hear how de Waterfalls boss man sell he soul. When people hear that, dem start fuh ask who is de devil that buy de boss man soul. Dem know that is only one man that de Waterfalls boss man does call de devil. But everybody know that no amount of money from that devil coulda buy de boss man soul. De truth is that de Waterfalls paper controlling de Big Market paper. De boss man was suh vex that he seh he will not sell he soul to Lamatar, Granger, Prakash, or Nagamootoo. Dem boys hear how de boss man seh that he soul belong to one man and that is de Supreme Being. He seh that no politician can buy him suh all who spreading de news that mek

Hanna and Hanan talk stupidness should watch out because he, de boss man know more Observer than all of dem put together. Nuff of dem know that dem story ain’t nice. One of dem kill dem mother fuh money. One of dem father knock down a woman and kill she pun Sheriff Street and lef de country. He never spend a day in jail. Dem boys hear when de boss man seh that as fuh de Donald, he is de lamest duck that ever live in State House. Right now he sick; he tek in Valentine night when he hear Moses and David married and right away people seh that like he want follow Cheddi. Cheddi did tek in Valentine night and dead de next month. Nuff people tek in wid Donald. But not all of dem get cloth soak in methylated spirits, and smelling salts. While he wife was soaking he head he whisper, “Girl that thing between Moses and David, is a serious business. Leh we enjoy this big house fuh de next couple morning because is just now we gone.” She just watch he and cry. “I rather lef you than go back to that small house.” Talk half and watch how de Big Market paper gun swallow he words.

meeting was not out of curiosity. They were there because they rejected the politics of the PPP and the PNCR and wanted to be part of the creation of a new political culture. The AFC offered them this opportunity. The AFC presented itself as an alternative to Guyana’s racebased politics and ethnic polarization. A great many young people flocked to the AFC because they wished to distance themselves from the old politics and to embrace a new political culture, the one promised by the AFC. I wonder how these young people feel about the decision of the AFC to no longer offer itself to the electorate as Third Force. Is the feeling one of betrayal or one of confusion? I wonder how they feel when they saw the AFC squander the opportunity to use its position of holding the balance of power in the 10th parliament to bring about change. Were they disappointed that the AFC instead of using that position to do so contributed to the political gridlock and confrontation? I wonder whether they see a future in remaining within the AFC

now that it has indicated its intention to join in a pre and post- elections alliance with APNU. When a political party emerges as an alternative to the two main political parties in the country and then later joins with one of those parties to contest an election, it is impossible for it to re-present itself to the people again as a Third Force. If the AFC jumps into bed with the PNCR, as part of a pre-election coalition, then the AFC would have betrayed its founding principle as a third party. Any coalition between the AFC and APNU will alter the DNA of the AFC. It has long preached that it would never join with either the PNCR or the PPP. It is now turning its back on that principle. The AFC is likely to counter that it is impossible to change the political culture unless the PPP is removed. This line essentially argues that a third force in Guyana is ineffectual, even one that holds the balance of power. But can the AFC truly bring about change from within APNU? Unlike its position in the 10th parliament where it could exercise leverage on both APNU and the PPPC, the AFC will hold

no balance of power under this new arrangement. How then will it bring about this change? And what is the new understanding of the AFC when it comes to changing the political culture of the country. Changing the political culture of Guyana is not about passing the Public Procurement Bill or some other Bill. That is a far cry from changing the political culture. Indeed, the great fear is that this decision of the AFC to move towards a coalition with APNU signals that the AFC does not see itself as having the patience to continue to struggle for this change. It now places emphasis on holding power and position. For those two young persons who were at the 2006 rally, this position by the AFC I am sure represents a disappointment and a betrayal. It is a development that will test their loyalties and misplaced faith in the AFC.

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Kaieteur News

Tuesday February 17, 2015

=== The Freddie Kissoon column ===

THE ROAD TO STUPIDITY

I was leaning on the rail of the balcony of the High Court waiting for the hearing of the Jagdeo libel trial last week when this lawyer who is with the PPP asked if I am not glad that the road in my community has been done. I replied that it was stupid not to see the link between a road that was non-existent for over twelve years and its sudden recovery with the imminent general elections. He backed off immediately because he knew I would have objected to his

insult to my intelligence. You can take a horse to the trough but you cannot get it to drink. Likewise you can preach and beg how much you want but if a person doesn’t want to respect you there isn’t anything you can do about it. What you can do is defend the assault on your intelligence. When people come up to intelligent, educated people and try to push their narrow self-interest to you, you can walk away or reject their deliberate intention to

disrespect you. If some people want to spend their lives in foolishness, that is their right but we need to tell them how silly they are. I read an election advertisement where the PPP promised within five years new universities, fifty percent reduction in electricity rates and fifty percent increase in salaries. A mind has to be an asinine one to believe that and for commonsensical reasons. Why after twenty-two years of PPP in government there weren’t more universities and the biggest university in Guyana, UG is almost moribund? Why after twenty-two years in power we didn’t get electricity reduction but it came just two months before an election? Why hasn’t there been even a ten percent wage increase since the PPP came to power twenty years ago but suddenly in a few years from now there will be a fifty percent increase?

It is horrible to contemplate that actual human beings would believe such sickening deceptions but life is full of such people. Not to see the infrastructural works that are about to flow and its connection with the upcoming May 2015 general elections is to display a very sad, useless mind. One cannot be less harsh because such a mind deserves a harsh description. It takes commonsense and one would assume that all humans have commonsense to know that there cannot be new universities coming when we cannot fix our big university at Turkeyen and our secondary schools and other educational institutions that are lying in derelict conditions. Why are there going to be electricity reduction rates when for the past twenty two years of PPP rule electricity supply deteriorated from the era of President Hoyte? Instead of giving us reductions in rates, give us electricity supply. Readers would not want to live where I reside at Turkeyen. Blackouts bring daily miseries. My southern

neighbour had her fridge blown up from high voltage on Christmas Eve. My wife and I were so sorry for this woman because of the timing of GPL’s incompetence. The next month, January 2015, my western neighbour saw sparks all over her house because of high voltage. Against this backdrop, the promise of fifty percent tariff lowering in the future is an election promise that no decent mind should accept. The election promises are flowing like water from the Kaieteur Falls. It will be difficult to keep track of them. As the election date nears, the theatre of the comic, the drama of the absurd and the histrionic display of asininity will overrun Guyana. Will people fall for this outrageous hilarity? One would hope not. The promises will defy imagination. I guess we will hear about overpass to ease the congested traffic situation. A highway from Berbice that bypasses Georgetown and links up with upper East Bank. Roads and bridges that will link Essequibo with the rest of Guyana. Free internet service for the Guyanese people.

Frederick Kissoon Street lamps on every road in Guyana including villages. Large buses financed and maintained by the state with a nominal traveling fee When these crazy things are brought to your attention, commonsense must come into play. Why weren’t there even attempts to start these things since 1992 when Papa Cheddi’s great party came into power? Why after twenty two years in charge of this country the streets outside the most important state institutions –Police, Army, Office of the President, Ministries and Hospitals – have no lamps? A political party that has made Georgetown the dirtiest capital city in the world will come to you in the coming weeks and promise you paradise. You have an empty mind to believe such nonsense.

Tuesday February 17, 2015

Kaieteur News

Page 11

Neesa Gopaul murder trial...

Dumbbells found at crime scene were - witness sold to murder accused Civilian witnesses testifying in the matter for which Jarvis Barry Small and Bibi Shareema Gopaul are on trial for the murder of 16 yearold Queen’s College student, Neesa Gopaul, have noted that they are familiar with the dumbbells which were allegedly found at the scene of the crime. The dumbbells, which were presented as part of the evidence in the trial, the witnesses pointed out, were also marked with their initials. Small and Gopaul are on trial before Justice Navindra Singh and a mixed twelve member jury for the murder which allegedly took place sometime between September 24 and October 2, 2010. Small is being represented by a team of lawyers including Glenn Hanoman, Bernard De Santos SC, Lyndon Amsterdam and Zanna Frank, while Gopaul is being represented by Attorney-atLaw, George Thomas. State Prosecutors, Diana Kaulesar and Stacy Gooding are presenting the case. According to reports, the teen’s body was found at a location along the Linden/ Soesdyke Highway tucked inside a suitcase that was partially submerged in a creek. A rope was wrapped around the suitcase and dumbbells were attached at one end, apparently in an effort to keep the body under water. In his evidence- in -chief yesterday, Nazar Mohamed Okeeland recalled that he had sold the dumbbells to the accused on August 1, 2006. After pointing out Small in the courtroom, Okeeland explained that the exercise equipment was a gift from his nephew but he had no use for it. As such, the man explained that he sold the dumbbells to the defendant who operated a gym a village away from where he lived. He explained that when he sold the pieces of equipment it was in a container and

comprised 27 pieces of round metals (weights) and three solid shafts. Okeeland told the court that he offered the accused the dumbbells at the price of $4000 GYD but Small only give him $1500. Okeeland said that he was supposed to return for the remaining cash but he never went back to the premises. The witness further disclosed that on October 6, 2010, he was summoned to the Leonora Police Station by Assistant Superintendant of Police, (ASP) Terrace Paul who inquired from him whether he had sold Barry Small “some weights.” Okeeland said that he was shown a dumbbell which he identified to be one of which he had sold to the accused some four years prior to the incident. The man said he subsequently went to Ruimveldt Police Station, where he was shown a pair of dumbbells with a red rope attached to it. He recalled that he also identified the components to be those he sold to Small. The witness noted however, that the accused denied having any knowledge of the exercise equipment at a confrontation involving him and police ranks, later that day. The witness noted that the dumbbells were marked with his initials “NMO” which made it easy to identify them. The witness went on to point out the markings on the weights which were also present in the courtroom yesterday. Under Cross examination by Defence Counsel, Glenn Hanoman, Okeeland told the court that he had given the police a statement as it relates to the dumbbells which he had identified. The witness however, noted that the dumbbells were shown to him before he submitted the statement to the police. As such, the witness accepted that he described the dumbbells the

way he had seen it at the station. In response to questions posited by the Attorney, the witness noted that the dumbbells had two colours; black with red spots. He also noted that the apparatus could have been identified by the rough edges, which are common with locally made weights. Okeeland told the court that at the Ruimveldt Police Station he had assisted officers by carrying the weights from a storeroom to the upper part of the building. Hanoman then suggested to Okeeland that he has a good relationship with Officer Paul; that he would give the officer information in exchange for money. “No sir,” the witness quickly responded. Welder/fabricator, Bharrat Narine Samaroo was next to take the stand. He told the court that he had done some work on the dumbbells after Small purchased them from Okeeland. He explained that he had painted the weights and welded them for the accused whom he became familiar with while attending his gym. The witness said that in October, 2010 he was summoned to the Leonora and Ruimveldt Police stations where he saw the said dumbbells. The man noted that he could identify the equipment by his initials B.S. He went on to identify the equipment in the presence of the Judge and Jury yesterday.

MURDER ACCUSED: Jarvis Barry Small

MURDERED: Neesa Gopaul

MURDER ACCUSED: Bibi Shareema Gopaul

Ravindra Naikram also testified yesterday. Naikram said that he is a resident of Leonora, West Coast Demerara for more than 13 years. The man said that he operates a shop and canter in the area. Naikram said that prior to the murder he had assisted Small by moving some of his exercise equipment from his home to “another woman’s” house which is located on the Public Road. The witness indentified Bibi Shareema Gopaul, who was seated in the dock as that woman. He further said that in October 2010 he was arrested and subjected to questioning from the police. The man said that he was interrogated about the items that Small had instructed him to move from Gopaul’s premises. Naikram noted that he only moved a motorcycle

from the residence but he was kept in police custody for 72 hours undergoing questioning. The man said that he submitted statements in this regard. The witness was thereafter shown the dumbbells but said that he did not recognize them. Assistant Superintendent of Police, (ASP) Mitchell Caesar concluded his portion of evidence in the trial.

Yesterday, the policeman was subject to cross examination by Attorney-at-Law, George Thomas. The Officer revealed that he questioned Gopaul about her relationship with her daughter and Small. Caesar said that Gopaul had uttered words which led him to believe that she had harboured malice against her daughter. At this point of the proceeding, Gopaul began to weep silently. The witness afterward clarified that the woman said that whenever her daughter was not around Small would treat her well, but whenever the teenager was present he treated her like she was not wanted. The trial continues today.

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Kaieteur News

Tuesday February 17, 2015

Design of new management system, census for Prisons By Rabindra Rooplall A prison census in Guyana’s five prisons along with the design of a new case management system is among the many projects set to be implemented through a US$15 million loan from the InterAmerican Development Bank. The loan also includes operational finance for a series of projects that include perception of security in Guyana, domestic violence, vocational training, training workshops, community policing and courses on forensic investigation. Guyana’s prison population is made up of 70 per cent of young offenders, who are either serving sentences or are on remand for allegedly committing very grave offences. In order to improve rehabilitation and reintegration of prisoners, the Guyana Prison Service (GPS) has embarked on many new initiatives to tackle effective reforms, with the aim of getting delinquent youths reintegrated, and becoming meaningful contributors in society. However, a top official within the prison system said that the Guyana Prison Service in collaboration with

the government and relevant stakeholders has been addressing these concerns. Although youths in prisons are the most difficult to engage in reform programmes, the prison service noted that the prison administration is collaborating with the Education Ministry, to

engage imprisoned youths in basic literacy programmes. There are also qualified counselors, vigorous men’s groups and religious organizations that partake in the reform process. The GPS is also undertaking an extensive project, whereby all of its prisons are being

rehabilitated. Currently, construction works are being carried out on the Camp Street Prison. A prisoner is released, often with no prospects for employment. Former prisoners are generally subjected to socio-economic exclusion and are thus vulnerable to an endless cycle

of poverty, marginalisation, criminality and imprisonment. Thus, imprisonment contributes directly to the impoverishment of the prisoner, of his family and of society by creating future victims and reducing future potential economic performance. When considering the

cost of imprisonment, account needs to be taken not only of the actual funds spent on the upkeep of each prisoner, which is usually significantly higher than what is spent on a person sentenced to non-custodial sanctions, but also of the indirect costs, such as the social, economic and healthcare related costs, which are difficult to measure, but which are immense and long-term. Reform of the prison system should therefore always take into account the needs relating to the reform of the criminal justice system as a whole and employ an integrated, multi-disciplinary strategy to achieve sustainable impact. Thus, reform initiatives will usually need to also encompass criminal justice institutions other than the prison service, such as the judiciary prosecution and police service, as relevant. Half of the US$15M loan is financed from the IDB´s Fund for Special Operations, which carries a 0.25 percent interest rate and a 40-year amortization period. The remainder is financed from ordinary capital with a fixed interest rate and a 30-year amortization period.

Tuesday February 17, 2015

Kaieteur News

Page 21

Hindus to observe Maha Shivraatri today Police nab E’bo serial rapist

Hindus around the world will observe Maha Shivraatri today (Tuesday March 17, 2015) as the Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha encourages all Hindus to observe this day with faith and devotion and to attend their mandirs and pray that Bhagawan Shiva will shower his blessings on all. Maha Shivraatri is observed each year on Chaturdasi in the dark half of the Hindu month of Phalgun. Shivratri is not Shiva’s birthday as some may believe, it is the night specially consecrated for his worship. The important features of this religious function are rigid fasting for 24 hours and vigil during the night. The worship of Lord Shiva consists of flowers, bael leave and other offerings on the Shiva Lingam. Ling in

Sanskritik means mark. It is the symbol which points to an inference. When you see smoke you infer there is fire. When you look at the Ling your mind is at once elevated and you begin to think of the Lord. According to the Sabha, Shiva is both Sagun and Nirgun. Those two words mean form and formless. Simply put, he can be meditated upon as the allpervasive force, god almighty, without knowledge of any image of him or an image itself. This perception gives a wide scope for worshipping Shiva and provides innumerable modes through which he can be reached. Consequently, the evolved yogi will retreat in deep contemplation from the

early hour of Shivratri and remain in incessant dhyaan on both Triodasi and Chaturdasi. Other devotees will take part in akhand – unbroken recital of Om NamahShivaya, while a high percentage will invoke His Sagunroop and do puja before Shiva’s murti and yet an equally large number will offer arghya or dhaar to the Shiva Lingam. All these formulaes done with deep affection and sincerity will yield equal results. “Hinduism says that which is negative must first crumble before the positive, in which there is the full opportunity of human expression and satisfaction can be established. Maha Shivaratri is probably the deepest spiritual occasion on the Hindu

calendar. Maha Shivratri, according to the Maha Shiv Puran, was decreed by Lord Shiva himself. It is seen as a day for divesting oneself of all negative tendencies and worshipping Shiva for the removal of impediments to a blissful life. It is my hope that Hindus throughout the country will be given time from work and studies to attend their mandirs on this very auspicious and sacred day to engage in moments of devotion and prayer. You are invited to join Pandit Jagmohan Persaud for special MahaShivratriSatsangh at the Dharmic Rama Krishna Mandir, Barr St. Kitty at 5:30pm and Shri Krishna Mandir, Campbellville at 7:00pm.” The Sabha noted.

Post mortem says woman strangled The results of a post mortem report conducted on 37-year-old Hemwanttie, a/k/ a “Kathy”, who was discovered dead by her husband, Annruid, a/k” Frankie”, at the couple’s Lima Sands home, Saturday morning has determined that she died of asphyxiation due to manual strangulation. The post mortem was performed by Dr. Nehaul Singh, yesterday morning, at the Suddie Funeral parlour. Annruid, who was previously arrested and

released by the police on Saturday, was re-arrested Monday morning after the post mortem report was released. He reportedly told them that he returned to his Lima Sands home hungry and when he questioned his wife about his meals, he learnt from her that she did not cook, and then he decide to choke her. He had however, initially told the police that his wife was ailing and she was vomiting blood. Police examined and transported the woman’s

body to the Suddie funeral parlour on Saturday, but had indicated that they were no marks of violence on the woman’s body and they were at the time not treating the woman’s death as murder. They were relying on the results of the PM report. The two are known alcoholics to residents of Lima Sands. Annruid’s family had said that he was the one who had informed them about his wife’s death early Saturday morning. The man’s family said

that the couple would imbibe alcohol together and fight but would later reconcile. Kathy has one 23-year-old son. The couple lived at Perseverance Estate, Columbia and Lima Sands. Annruid worked at a private entity at Affiance, Essequibo Coast.

Police on the Essequibo Coast have finally captured and charged the man, who habitually broke and entered women’s homes and physically assaulted them. He is suspected to have been doing this for a lengthy period. Police have indicated that the man, Astil Paul, of La Belle Alliance, Essequibo Coast previously served a lengthy jail term for rape. Paul was on Monday charged with rape and remanded to prison until a date in March when he will reappear before Magistrate Sunil Scarce. He appeared unrepresented at the Charity Magistrate’s Court. The menace prowled, targeted, broke and entered the homes of women who live alone and in most cases, raped them. He roamed between Devonshire-Castle and Bush Lot on the Essequibo Coast. Most recently, a Bush Lot, Essequibo Coast woman’s home was broken into on three occasions. The woman, who is forced to sleep at her neighbour’s house, related that on all three occasions the man entered her house, scaled the bedroom wall and physically assaulted her. “He choked me.” Another time, she said the man after choking her stole her groceries. The woman is now scared to sleep in her own home since she said, every evening she has to beg lodging at her neighbour’s house. “It’s not fair that I have to leave the confines of my own home to sleep at my neighbour due to someone who is making my life uncomfortable.”

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Kaieteur News

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Tuesday February 17, 2015

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(Continued on page 23)

Tuesday February 17, 2015

Kaieteur News

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WPA has no interest in the fortunes of the pro-democracy alliance - Ogunseye By Abena Rockcliffe The Working People’s Alliance (WPA) has made it clear that its membership in A Partnership For National Unity (APNU) is not driven by a desire for power but by a desire to see the prosperity of Guyana as a country. When APNU contested the 2011 elections, the Presidential Candidate was given to a member of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) and the Prime Ministerial Candidacy came from the WPA. But this time as a result of the “Pro-democracy alliance, APNU is heading to the polls with its Prime Ministerial Candidate coming from the Alliance For Change (AFC). That spot has been taken

away from the WPA. However, the party which has been struggling to have more meetings with APNU, is now saying that its priorities lie not with what it can get from the partnership but more about how the partnership can provide what is best for Guyana. At Saturday’s press conference-which served to make the alliance between AFC and APNU knownExecutive Member of the WPA, Tacuma Ogunseye told Kaieteur News that his Party has been associated with the pro-democracy talks from the very beginning. He noted that the WPA was first represented in the discussions by Dr. Rupert Roopnarine. However, Dr. Roopnarine had to abort the

talks after he was selected to be on a Commonwealth team to observe General elections in Nigeria. Ogunseye said that he immediately replaced Dr. Roopnarine. “I can assure the country that WPA had full participation in the process and we are satisfied that we made the necessary compromise in the interest of the county. The WPA is not too concerned with the fortunes of the alliance; we are concerned about the fortunes that are to come to the country through such an alliance.” As for whether or not WPA will still have adequate representation in the National Assembly under a new government, APNU Leader, David Granger told the media

that the coalition will have it no other way. He pointed out that APNU has been in parliament over three years and has had representation from all five of its partners. Granger said that in this regard, the same rules from 2011 will be applied in 2015. Granger committed that the WPA, PNC/R, the Guyana Action Party (GAP), the National Front Alliance (NFC), the Justice For All Party (JFAP) and of course the AFC, will all have adequate representation in the National Assembly under a new government. Granger said that the Partnership is yet to get down to detailed negotiations as to which party will get what, but WPA will still have a voice as well as the other partners.

UG workers resolve to continue strike action... From page 13 with the University Administration to insist that the striking workers return to work before a continuance of negotiations. According to the UGSSA President, “They only got one side of the story and I think it is shameful for the Minister or the Ministry to pronounce on an issue when it hadn't even spoken to the Unions to get what our take on the industrial situation is.” The industrial action is one being embraced by some 700 employees and according to Dr Ifill, “for such a large number of workers to be ignored and disrespected, it is shameful and certainly more determined efforts must be made to ensure that there is a resolution to this.” According to Dr Ifill, too, neither the Unions nor the workers are to be blamed for the industrial action, since it was the University's Administration that withdrew itself from negotiations that were on-going at the time. She pointed out that the Administration was negotiating well with the Unions even when it had initially started

industrial action in the form of a sit-in. STUDENTS' SUPPORT While there are some students who have pledged their support for the workers, Dr Ifill said that the Unions are certainly not upset with those who clearly are not. “There are some students who of course are interested in their own lives; they are interested in completing their degrees, they are interested in completing their courses and we completely understand that, but what we have said to the students is that we want to ensure that you don't complete a substandard degree. “We want to ensure that the course that you are doing has all the necessary materials to give you effective and proper instruction,” intimated Dr Ifill to this publication. She therefore noted that while the workers understand the concerns of the students, at the same time the Unions are seeking to ensure that the quality of education that is being delivered is one that they deserve. “We also need to ensure that as staff we can live decent lives...We sympathise but

Drivers 'feel the squeeze'... From page 14 strikes were not as tough on him as they were on other drivers. However, he nonetheless said the work available to the drivers was noticeably lower. Despite the serious effects of the industrial actions on the drivers, Wilson expressed solidarity with the staff and said that their movement was a necessary one. “I am of the view that in a government institution workers should never, ever have to protest for benefits; benefits should be thrust upon them. This is madness going on here,” he said. “A government that opposes the Uni-

versity deposes itself; this is wrong,” he added. When asked whether the drivers had conferred amongst themselves on a plan of action, the drivers indicated that there is not much that can be done. “We really can't say nothing so we not complaining. We just got to feel the squeeze,” De Abreu said. Since January 26, tensions have been high at the University when the staff began industrial action following a collapse of wage negotiations between the main unions and the UG administration. The University had been scheduled to reopen since that date.

our resolve is strong; we urge them (students) to come on board with us, in fact, I would want to suspect that if they came on board with us a resolution would be much sooner rather than if we were to do it alone,” Dr Ifill noted. INDEFINITELYSTRIKE Although she was not prepared to hazard a guess as to how long workers could continue the on-going industrial action, Dr Ifill said that based on the forthcoming response workers are not prepared to return to work until a decent proposal is offered to them. And Dr Ifill is sure that the workers are committed even as she pointed out that in her 16 years of employment at the tertiary institution there has not been such a prolonged strike action.

She however, noted that some older staff members have likened strike action that occurred in 1994 to the on-going one where workers embraced a similar sense of resistance. “I have never been in such an industrial action where people are off the job and could very well lose their pay for the entire month. So I would say that we are pretty resolved and it will be indefinite,” said Dr Ifill of the industrial action. Under the watchful eyes of police ranks, the march which gained support from A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), and representatives of the Trades Union movement, came to an end at the Wesleyan Bible College at Manget Place and Brickdam.

(From page 22)

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Tuesday February 17, 2015

Finance Minister deems call by PPP joined WPA in common... WPA to IDB as economic sabotage Extremely disappointing, highly irresponsible and tantamount to economic sabotage were the terms used by Finance Minister Dr. Ashni Singh as he slammed a call from the Working People’s Alliance (WPA) for the Inter American Development Bank (IDB) to halt its funding of a loan to Guyana. The policy loan granted by the Bank is in support of policy reforms that are being implemented or have been implemented, or are to be implemented, according to the Finance Minister. Minister Dr. Singh said that the loan is to be utilised in the environmental sector. “It’s attached to a number of institutional strengthening initiatives aimed at improving environmental governance and the discharge of our e n v i r o n m e n t a l responsibilities”. The Minister said that Guyana has “established credentials at the forefront of

environmental leadership”. He added that this country has credentials as a “green nation”, with very strong environmental policies, and as “a country with a very strong track record in implementing those policies”. The approval by the IDB, the Finance Minister said, signals that institution’s confidence in the work that Guyana is doing in the environmental sector. He described the funding as the second installment, a predecessor loan, to support the first round, and the attached policy conditions as “extremely important”. Any responsible stakeholder, Minister Dr. Singh said, who is committed to the environmental sector would be in support of the loan. “One cannot possibly claim to be pro-development or in this case, proenvironment and then turn around and urge the

withholding of these resources. By no stretch of the imagination can these two positions sit side by side. A responsible stakeholder cannot in one breadth say we are not in agreement with this loan or we are not in agreement with these resources being disbursed to Guyana, and in the other breath claim to be committed to the environment or development.” He lamented the position adopted by the WPA as being contradictory with that which would be taken by a responsible party committed to the development of Guyana. The WPA had described the announcement that Norway recently asked the IDB to receive US$80 million as Guyana’s equity in the Amaila Falls Hydroelectricity Project as a flagrant violation of the Guyana Constitution, adding that the arrangement amounted to a conspiracy. The WPA called on the IDB to return the funds to Norway which it said must not release any monies to the Government of Guyana until the National Assembly is reconvened. (GINA)

From page 6 be in some way associated with the main functionaries in a state enterprise or ministry. Rohee said too that based on the high level of political influence those already employed could not be promoted. He claimed that the practices at the time “didn’t gel with the whole philosophy of socialism.” Williams grilled Rohee on whether the decision and execution of nationalization received critical support from the PPP at the time. To this, the Minister said that when his party analyzed the steps being taken to nationalize bauxite and sugar primarily and to bring it under the control of the State, they recognised that as a policy measure the PPP should have supported it. Rohee admitted, however, that when things “changed,” his party never sought to formally withdraw their support. The General Secretary claimed, however, that during the period, the party had engaged in talks with the PNC but after the budget was presented the party noted with displeasure that “certain demands” put forward were excluded from the budget. He said large sums were allocated for military and paramilitary organisations, which the PPP opposed publically. Rohee said afterwards their critical support “went up in smoke”. But they never formally withdrew it. Rohee said they supported nationalization. Williams suggested that the long lines and shortages of food and foreign exchange in those days, was a result of the political parties agreed policy of nationalization. But, at this point, Rohee disagreed. The PNC lawyer asked whether the WPA was the leading opposition force, but Rohee didn’t agree. He

denied too that the WPA dominated the space of the opposition during the period under review. Asked whether his party joined forces with the WPA to overthrow the Government, Rohee claimed that his party had instead joined in a “common struggle.” Williams asked whether that meant to get rid of the Government, but Rohee said they joined to promote the livelihood of the people. He was questioned too on whether his party could have had a motive in the death of Rodney, but the Minister claimed he wasn’t aware of such. Rohee was of the opinion that the opposition had no agreement to remove the government of the day. Confronted about reports from the Special Branch about the presence of Cuban spies in Guyana and the hierarchy of the PPP being in full knowledge of the move, Rohee claimed he had no knowledge of such. During his cross examination, Williams referred to several reports of the Special Branch which spoke of plans to overthrow the government but Rohee claimed that the Special Branch could “write anything.” Williams suggested too that Rohee initially had no intention to testify, but when the theory emerged that the PPP could have had a hand in Rodney’s death, he opted to testify. But Rohee insisted that he came only to “speak the truth.” He contested being a witness of convenience. Asked whether the PPP was concerned that the WPA was encroaching on their support base, Rohee said “its rubbish, total rubbish,” much to the amusement of the civilians gathered to listen to the proceedings. Rohee told the Commission that there were

tactical differences between the PPP and WPA but they managed to “work them out.” Williams asked Rohee whether he knew of WPA talks of a violent overthrow, Rohee said no. Re-examined by assistant lead counsel of the COI, Latchmie Rahamat, the Minister explained why he rejected the notion that his party had any involvement in Rodney’s death. According to the PPP official, when Rodney returned to Guyana, the WPA leader and Dr. Cheddi Jagan, who led the PPP at the time, had a “bond” and their relationship grew based on their political and philosophical positions. “The fact that these two individuals were meeting regularly to have discussions, the fact that those discussions eventually manifested themselves in collaboration and cooperation between the two parties on different levels at public meetings and so forth, was a manifestation of the growing cooperation between the two parties.” He said that the fact that the two leaders sought to ensure that the tactical differences that existed between the two parties were minimized to such an extent that it didn’t overflow into any antagonistic or discordant relations between the two, were grounds sufficient enough to show that the PPP could not have been implicated in any type of physical or other means of threat to Dr. Rodney. Rohee said any notion that his party was involved was misconceived, misplaced and has no foundation. Rohee claimed that their basis was to work together for the freedom of the people. The Minister has completed his evidence. The public hearing will continue today and Holland Yearwood is slated to take the stand.

Tuesday February 17, 2015

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Under Xi, China’s defence budget seen defying economic slowdown (Reuters) - President Xi Jinping is expected to authorize robust defence spending for this year despite China’s slowing economy, determined to strengthen the country’s armed capabilities amid growing unease in Beijing at Washington’s renewed focus on Asia. While China keeps the details of its military spending secret, experts said additional funding would likely go toward beefing up the navy with anti-submarine ships and developing more aircraft carriers beyond the sole vessel in operation. The military budget will be announced at the start of the annual meeting of China’s parliament on March 5. Last year, defence spending rose 12.2 percent to $130 billion, second only to the United States. That continued a nearly unbroken two-decade run of double-digit budget increases, although many experts think China’s real defence outlays are much larger. China’s leaders have routinely sought to justify the country’s military modernization by linking defence spending to rapid GDP growth. But growth of 7.4 percent last year was the slowest in 24 years, and a further slowdown to around 7 percent is expected in 2015. Other factors would now keep defence spending high, from the U.S. military and diplomatic “rebalancing” to Asia to Xi’s crackdown on corruption in the People’s Liberation Army, which has caused some disquiet in the ranks, military experts said. “Xi has put a premium on the ‘dream of a strong military’ as part of his grand strategy for China’s rise, perhaps more than any other modern (Chinese) leader,” said Zhang Baohui, a security specialist at Hong Kong’s Lingnan University. “This greater emphasis on the military is very significant.” Indeed, troops are rehearsing for a major parade in September where the PLA is expected to unveil new homegrown weapons in the first of a series of public displays of military might planned during Xi’s tenure, sources have told Reuters. U.S. ALLIANCES RANKLE At the forefront of the minds of China’s strategic military planners is the U.S. rebalancing, which among other things calls for 60 percent of U.S. warships to be based in the Asia Pacific by 2020, up from about 50

Chinese President Xi Jinping (CREDIT: REUTERS/ FRED DUFOUR) percent. “The adjustment in the U.S. strategy towards the Asia Pacific has brought enormous external pressures to bear on China,” said a recent commentary by the Study Times paper, published by the Central Party School, which trains rising officials. It pointed in particular to U.S. efforts to bolster alliances with countries such as Japan and the Philippines. China is involved in bitter disputes over sea boundaries with both nations, as well as Vietnam, which has sought to strengthen ties with Washington. “Higher Chinese spending, coupled with increasingly aggressive actions and assertive language, is likely to further push countries into the U.S. nominal embrace,” said Richard Bitzinger, a military analyst at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore. Many Asian countries are also getting out their chequebooks. Japan approved a record $42 billion military budget last month. India boosted defence spending by 12 percent for 2014-15 to $38.35 billion and military expenditure is seen rising to $40 billion in Southeast Asia in 2016. While Chinese leaders would be aware of the regional optics of announcing a big budget for the 2.3-million strong PLA at a time of lower projected fiscal revenue growth, diplomats said they believed Xi wants to also placate military leaders and ordinary soldiers feeling the heat from an anti-graft campaign. China’s top military decision-making body, the Central Military Commission, which Xi chairs, has investigated several generals as part of a scandal into the selling of PLA positions. It has also targeted the

second artillery corps, which controls China’s nuclear missiles, as well as the navy and the air force. “It is inconceivable Xi could make cuts now given the enemies he’s got internally,” one Western diplomat said, speaking on condition of anonymity. MONEY FOR ANTI-SUB SHIPS, DRONES Despite the massive sums spent over the past two decades, a recent report by the U.S.-based RAND Corp think tank said the PLA suffered from potentially serious weaknesses that could limit its ability to win future wars. The report, commissioned by a U.S. Congressional committee, said China faced shortcomings stemming from outdated command structures, quality of personnel and corruption, as well as weakness in combat capabilities such as antisubmarine warfare. Aware of some of these gaps, experts said the PLA would continue strengthening its naval presence in the Indian Ocean and South China Sea, a region dominated by the United States and its allies, and through which four-fifths of China’s oil imports pass. “The navy is still seriously lagging behind in anti-submarine capabilities,” said a military expert at a Chinese government think tank who declined to be identified. Rory Medcalf, head of the National Security College at the Australian National University, said he expected more funding for military drones and maritime surveillance aircraft. “Pro-defence spending actors within China can easily say China is expanding its global role to j u s t i f y spending on submarines, amphibious ships and aircraft carriers,” he said.

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St Kitts-Nevis voters RONALD SANDERS re-named for Commonwealth Secretary General post head to the polls to ST. JOHN’S, Antigua – Antigua and Barbuda has renamed its High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Sir Ronald Sanders as a candidate for the post of Commonwealth Secretary General. Sir Ronald faces a challenge from Baroness Patricia Scotland who is the Dominica candidate and Trinidad and Tobago’s nominee, the Minister of Planning and Development Dr. Bhoendradatt Tewarie. Prime Minister Gaston Browne has written to Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries outlining his administration’s position as it relates to Sir Ron’s candidature. “Since writing to you on 10 December 2014 regarding my withdrawal of Antigua and Barbuda’s nomination of Sir Ronald Sanders for the upcoming position of Commonwealth SecretaryGeneral, I have been

overwhelmed by messages of regret and requests for reconsideration from within and beyond the Caribbean, including from some of you. “The burden of those messages was that the Commonwealth has been deprived, at a time of crisis, of the candidate manifestly most suitable and most likely to be chosen given his Commonwealth-wide network and diplomatic experience. The latter concern is the principal motivation of this message,” he wrote. Prime Minister Browne said that “Sir Ron has the declared support of nine of the 12 Commonwealth Caribbean governments at our December 8 meeting” and that it is still open to him to put Sir Ron forward as a the candidate of Antigua and Barbuda for the post. But he reminded his regional colleagues that at their meeting in Cuba no other candidate had received more

Sir Ronald Sanders than two votes, and that quite recently CARICOM leaders did not apply any consensus requirement to candidates for the posts of Secretary General of the ACP Group and the Deputy Secretary-General of the Organization of American

St. Vincent and the Grenadines reduces fuel prices, fifth time since October KINGSTOWN, St. Vincent – The St. Vincent and the Grenadines government has announced a reduction in fuel prices and petroleum petroleum products including “cooking gas” that is being reduced for the time since 2011. Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, speaking on his weekly radio programme on Thursday night, said the price of gasoline has been reduced to EC$11.47 (One EC dollar =US$0.37 cents) from EC$12.72. This represents the fifth reduction since October 2014, when the price was EC$15.28 per gallon. Diesel will now retail for EC$11.05 per gallon, down from the current price of EC$12.92. There is now a new classification of “low-sulphur diesel”, which will sell for EC$11.80 per gallon, down from EC$12.92. The lowsulphur diesel is more expensive because it is imported from outside the region and, therefore, attracts a higher tariff. But the biggest saving is on liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), commonly called “cooking gas”. A 20-pound cylinder of cooking gas will now sell for EC$29, down from EC$41.81 while a 100-pound cylinder of LPG will now sell for EC$138, down from EC$197.05.

The reduction in the prices comes amidst complaints from consumers about the seemingly low reaction of the government to adjust the prices locally even as the price of oil internationally has fallen by more than half since last June to US$50 per barrel. The government uses a three-month rolling average and the bonus-malus system to determine the price of fuel locally. During a Chamber of Industry of Commerce event earlier on Thursday, accountant Brian Glasgow, who gave an overview of the 2015 National Budget, spoke

on the implications of the falling oil prices on the local economy. “Any thing that represents a reduction in the cost of living is certainly welcomed,” Glasgow said. “Energy, as far as I remember from looking at the financial statements of a number of manufacturing industries…does represent a reasonably significant component of the cost of production. “To the extent that energy can be reduced and the cost of production falls, that benefits the consumer and it facilitates expansion of the manufacturing sector,” he said.

States (OAS). Prime Minister Browne said that “in the interest of Caribbean unity among ourselves and in the projection of our unity to the Commonwealth” he is still anxious “that we proceed by consensus if we possibly can”. He said he has “strongly urged Sir Ronald to withdraw his intimation of standing down his candidacy despite his earlier decision in what he considered to be the interest of our region. “He, too, would still prefer the region to go forward as one. And has told me of the great sense of honour he felt at receiving the backing of so many Heads of Government.” Browne said he will use a meeting of Commonweath Caribbean leaders later this month to seek consensus for Sir Ronald’s candidature as the Commonwealth Secretary General. “Given that in Cuba last month there was majority support of Sir Ronald, I look forward in fraternity to your backing,” Browne added.

elect new government

BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – Voters in this twin island Federation casted ballots yesterday to elect a new government with Prime Minister Dr. Denzil Douglas urging them to ensure that his 20-year-old administration is returned to power for another five yearterm. Douglas, 62, is seeking to become the first head of government in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) to win five consecutive elections and leads his St. Kitts-Nevis Labour Party (SKNLP) into a tough battle against a combined opposition group, Team Unity that is equally confident of denying him the opportunity of rewriting the history books of the country. The SKNLP, which entered into a cooperation agreement with the Nevis Reformation Party (NRP) for the 11 seats being contested

in Monday’s general election, is facing the opposition group that consists of the main opposition People’s Action Movement (PAM), the recently formed People’s Labour Party (PLP) that includes two former senior ministers in Douglas’ cabinet and the Concerned Citizens Movement (CCM). There are 22 candidates in the race. There are 133 polling stations scattered across the two-island nation but it is uncertain the number of voters eligible to cast ballots in the elections since the Electoral Commission had not, by at least 24 hours before, released the official voters list. However there are expected to be over 30,000 people who could vote based on the previous electoral lost. It has been difficult to obtain information from the Supervisor of Elections, Wingrove George.

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Tuesday February 17, 2015

Tuesday January 20, 2015

Kaieteur News

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Exiting match ups envisage for Final four go after final spots... Rising Sun Jumbo Jet Sprint... (From page 29) Jet stable and Right To Rule of the Jagdeo stable expected to move up in class to tackle the likes of Jack Is My Style, Red and Lovely, Passion for Song. Country Armage, of the Jagdeo stable is expected o make a return. With the speedy Curfew Tower not going, all eyes will be on Piz a Holiday of the Elcock stable which will be making its first entry in the racing arena. A few more entries are also expected for this event with owners having until tomorrow to make a final decision in their quest to claim the sumptuous $1M and trophy. The E2 and lower event will see Captain Crook of the Jumbo Jet stable looking for its fourth win in a row for the $500,000 first prize and trophy. However it will have to first get past the likes of Swing Easy, Silent Night, Battle

Hymn, Unsettled and War Craft among others. The other events on the day’s programme are the race for Guyana and West Indian bred horses for a winner’s money of $500,000 and trophy. There G class race has $400,000 and trophy up for grabs. There is also $400,000 and trophy on offer in the event for four year old animals. There is a race for Guyana bred and born three year old horses for a winner take of $250,000 and trophy. The winner of the H and lower race will also get $250,000 and trophy. The event for I3 and lower animals will see the winner taking home $200,000 and trophy. The J3 and lower event has a winning prize of $150,000 and trophy. Among other animals expected to race are Release the Beast, It’s My Choice, Dream Come Through, Keep on

Swinging, She So Special, Princess Alisha, Settling Jet and Awesome Warrior, Swing Easy, Settling Star, Gold De Cova, Miss Lewinsky, Silent Night, Settle in Seattle and Spit Fire are expected to burn up the opposition. Among other top entries so far are Strom Bird, Unsettled, Just call Me Boss, Battle Hymn and War Craft among others the event is expected to be scintillating. The event will be held under the rules of the Guyana Horse Racing Authority. Interested persons still have time to contact Chandu Ramkissoon (624-9063 or 2320633), Kris Jagdeo (624-6123; 322-0369), Rajendra (Jim –Jo) 618-7278, Ramnauth 337-5311, Romel Jagroop (624-1798) and Sancho 690-0569. Race time is 12:30 hrs. The coordinator is Nasrudeen (Jumbo Jet) Mohamed.

Tuesday February 17, 2015 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) Some unsettling news from far away could have you stressed out, Aries. This might affect your work if you aren't careful. Your mind may stray back and forth from work to the news and its implications. TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20) You're likely to be in a good space right now, Taurus. If you're single, you're in no hurry to change that. GEMINI (May 21–June 20) A visitor may come over today, Gemini, but you might wonder why this person bothered.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) A sibling or neighbor may tell you one thing, Libra, while your intuition tells you the opposite. This isn't a vindictive deception. SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) A friend who's having money problems might dump all their woes on you today, Scorpio. Your inclination isn't to be very sympathetic, but hold back that tendency. SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) Have you been given a task to do at work that hasn't been explained properly, Sagittarius? If so, you may feel at a loss.

CANCER (June 21–July 22) A phone call may come from someone you know is prone to gossip, Cancer. This person may have a lot to say, but be sure you take it with a grain of salt, if not the whole shaker.

CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19) You're probably excited about a forthcoming journey, Capricorn, but you may be unclear about the arrangements.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) The desire to make a major purchase of some kind, perhaps a luxury item, might have you counting your pennies today, Leo.

AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) A dream or insight might find you questioning one of your long-held goals, Aquarius. Perhaps you've formulated another goal you like better, or you're beginning to doubt the workability of the old one.

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) IWorries about a household member could plague you today, Virgo. This person might have gone away without telling anyone, or seem upset.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) Someone at work may be upset, Pisces, and not inclined to communicate their feelings to anyone else. This might cast a pall over the atmosphere.

(From page 28)contested tomorrow evening when Conquerors play Western Tigers at 19:00hrs, while Slingerz will tackle Pele in the feature attraction two hours later. The final will be contested between the respective winners, while the losers will

battle for the third place next Sunday. The winners of the tournament will pocket one million dollars donated by Banks DIH Ltd while the runners-up receive $300,000. The 3rd and 4th place finishers will take home

$200,000 and $100,000 respectively. Several other corporate entities have pitched in to ensure the tournament is successful including MACORP, Busta, Sterling Products, John Fernandes, GT&T, TCL, CIDI and the Vieira brothers of Houston.

An Affront to the Nation’s... (From page 27) K. Juman Yassin, James Bond and Alexi Ramotar that engaged representatives of FIFA, over a 2 days period, G.C. (04.02.15) in an article captioned “FIFA Officials arrives for 2 days” by Rawle Toney, Editor, once again the “cart is being placed before the horse”! Wherein, with the two former, both of whom are Attorneys – At-Law, but devoid of Constitutional expertise, smacks professionalism! Since as it relates to National Sports, Mr. Yassin as the Head of the GOA, had never in the past done anything in his vested powers to mediate, in the ongoing football dis-

EVEREST, DCC, MSC AND GCC CHALK ... (From page 31) Satyaur 18 (2x4). At MSC, the host thumped St. Stanislaus by 63 runs. MSC took first strike and scored 167-5 in their reduced 30 overs. Shaquille Moseley cracked 57 and Joseph Cupidore 35. Lindon Wilson took two wickets. St. Stanislaus made 104-9 in 30 overs in reply. Wilson scored 26; Andrea Andries claimed three wickets and Timothy Mitchell two. At Eve Leary, GCC thumped Police by eight runs in a match which was reduced to 20 overs. GCC managed 115-8 in 20 overs. Dellon Fernandes smashed 36 and Bernard Bailey 25. Leon Rodrigues took three scalps. Police were routed for 107 in 19 .4 overs in reply. Troy Benn slammed 44, Trevor Benn 16 and Rodrigues 14. Devon Lord snared 3-5 and Fernandes 2-19. At DCC, the home team trounced University of Guyana by 133 runs. DCC rattled up 208 all out; taking first strike after the game was reduced to 20 overs. Dennis Squires led with 60. UG were bowled out for 75 in response. Squires returned to take four wickets.

putes, despite the fact that football is an Olympics Sport! As it relates to Mr. Bond, the APNU Parliamentarian is also the President of Camptown FC, an affiliate of the GFF, via the GFA! With under-development continuing as a norm in the capital city, both administratively and lack of competitions continuously, in addition to an outdated Constitution, definitely remains a “red herring”, so, in actuality to appoint the two lawyers, along with Mr. Ramotar, who is not publicly known as Constitutional knowledgeable, is a clear manifestation of “nepotism”. Once more I must enquire why Attorney – At – Law, Mr.

Saphier Husain for his boldness and meaningful successful challenge (s) on constitutional matters of national interest was overlooked. Editor, at this crucial juncture in our nation’s football history, which coincidentally is older than Trinidad & Tobago, in excess of 100 years, with Guyana, achieving the milestone first! When will the “Affront on National Football” cease to exist forthwith? Where is the collective voice of the GGF General Council? Are they once again being reduced to “toothless poodles” that meows like a domestic cat! Respectfully yours, Lester Sealey.

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Kaieteur News

Tuesday January 20, 2015

Plaisance Guardians ground Joyful Ireland deepen West Indies turmoil Jets to advance in National Basketball Championships -Kings, lone Linden team moving forward after Opening Night By Edison Jefford Thirteenth ranked, Plaisance Guardians grounded the fourth-ranked Amelia’s Ward Jets Sunday night in a major upset when the 2015 National Basketball Championships: The Road to Mecca II tipped-off at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall. Guard, Nikkoloi Smith left Colts for his foundation team, Guardians and was sensational with his game-high 19 points that also included defensive work that produced five steals. Smith led Guardians to a 66-56 victory against one of last year’s semi-finalists. Forward, Trenton Woolford and guard, Ron Campbell supported with 12 points each for Plaisance Guardians. Centre, Allister Webster scored 13 points and grabbed 14 rebounds while Adrian Webster added 15 points and 12 rebounds for doubledoubles. Parrish Cadogan had 12 points for the Lindenbased team that exited the competition owed to the loss. The night, which featured four games, began with a lopsided 77-60 win for Georgetown’s Pepsi Sonics against Half Mile Bulls. Guard, Jason Squires dropped 23 points, grabbed four rebounds, dished four assists and made five steals to lead his team. Squires got assistance

from shooting guard, Trevor Smith, who scored 22 points, most of which came from beyond the arc. Smith also had six rebounds while new addition to the Sonics’ roster, centre, Kurt Elias had a doubledouble with 11 points and 19 rebounds. The presence of Pepsi’s ‘big men’ Elias and Earl O’ Neil in the paint made life difficult for Bulls offence, which upcoming guard, Terron Welch led. However, Welch needed much more support, which he didn’t get in a relatively close first half game. Welch and Dennis Niles scored 16 points apiece for Bulls. Heading to the third quarter leading 42-36, Smith put on a shooting exhibition with three straight jumpers from ‘downtown’ that set the two teams further apart. Bulls never recovered from what turned into an offensive onslaught aimed at pushing the sixth ranked Pepsi team into Round Two of the National Basketball Championships. Kings became the only Linden-based team to qualify for the Super Eight, following a 77-61 win against Georgetown’s Masters. Abdulla Hamid scored 16 points and grabbed eight rebounds for Kings, while Marvin Hartman ended with 13 points and Orin Rose 10 points. Masters’ Lugard Mohan scored 26 points, grabbed

eight rebounds and dished seven assists, while Kenrick Thomas had 16 points and eight rebounds. Juma Dennis scored 12 points and took eight ‘boards’ for the underserviced Masters with a depleted bench. Trinity Grid Holdings (TGH) Pacesetters ensured its place in the next round of the competition was also secured with an emphatic statement. Pacesetters trashed Wismar Pistons, which failed to fire in the game, 72-36 taking its feet off the throttle in the third quarter. Pacesetters led 45-13 at halftime. Shawn Gillis scored 13 points and had seven assists while Randy Richardson completed a double with 11 points and 13 rebounds. Michael Turner had 12 points. Pacesetters rested their frontline offence, including guard Travis Burnett, forward Royston Siland and shooting guard, Stephan Gillis with increased bench-time. Pepsi Sonics, Plaisance Guardians, Kings and Pacesetters have all advanced to the quarterfinals of the Championships. The Road to Mecca II continues tomorrow night at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall with Georgetown’s Colts United taking on Linden’s Bankers Trust Falcons and New Amsterdam Warriors playing Linden’s Retrieve Raiders.

NBA All-Star Game: West beat East in highest-scoring game BBC Sport - Russell Westbrook led Western Conference to a 163-158 victory over Eastern Conference in the highest scoring NBA AllStar Game in history. Oklamhoma City point guard Westbrook, 26, hit 41 points to claim Most Valuable Player honours, with LeBron James top-scoring for East with 30 at Madison Square Garden in New York. The mid-season exhibition showcases star players from both NBA conferences. The line-ups for the match are voted for by the fans. The 64th edition of the event saw a number of pointscoring records broken in an

Western Conference guard Russell Westbrook (Bob DonnanUSA TODAY Sports)

attacking game that had little emphasis on defence. Westbrook’s 27 first-half points were the most ever in an All-Star half and Western Conference’s 25 three-pointers were the most for one team in an All-Star game, as was the combined total of 48 for both

teams. Cleveland Cavaliers’ LeBron James, 30, surpassed Michael Jordan on the all-time All-Star scoring list and is now just two points away from equalling Kobe Bryant’s record of 280 career All-Star Game points.

ESPNcricinfo - Ireland put the world in the cup as the obliging West Indies sleepwalked to an embarrassing - does it embarrass them anymore, though? - defeat during which only Darren Sammy and Lendl Simmons seemed awake in rescuing them from 87 for 5. The West Indies bowling was as flat as their top order as the adventurous Paul Stirling, smooth Ed Joyce and nerveless Niall O’Brien coasted to the target of 305 efficiently and without any anxiety despite a late wobble that came too late. Fittingly the most compelling story played itself out in Nelson, whose population is 45000 and whose cricket ground, the Saxton Oval, holds a maximum of 6000. There was immense joy as Ireland’s discipline and nous stood in a two-finger salute to the administrators’ plans to keep them and other smaller cricket teams out of the World Cup. There was grief too as West Indies showed for the most of the match a lack of application, fight and cricketing smarts. It was almost as if they had a long night out in Nelson but forgot to invite Sammy and Simmons. Only rarely do two men win matches against teams that maximise their resources as Ireland do. It doesn’t matter that Sammy posted the highest score by a No. 7 in World Cups - 89 off 67, it doesn’t matter that the 218 their lower half added was the second-highest in ODI history, it doesn’t matter that Simmons accelerated from 26 off 44 to 102 off 84. What mattered was that this was a flat pitch with boundaries hard to defend, and that they didn’t have the bowling to defend. Stirling and Joyce showed them how to do it, letting at no point in the chase the asking rate go beyond 6.64. This was no upset; there were 25 balls to spare when the match finished. This was a clinical defeat of a team that could not look less interested even if it tried. The Ireland attack is made up of quicks who bowl in the mid-120s and spinners who don’t turn the ball. They rely on accuracy and tenacity and clever changes of pace. West

Indies have some of the biggest hitters going around who make millions through Twenty20 freelance. This was a small ground. Ireland’s industrious scrappers could have come unstuck at any point of time, but by the time that happened West Indies had decisively dug themselves a hole too big through woeful shots and attitude. Take a look at the replays from the umpire’s point of view during West Indies’ first innings. None of their non-strikers backed up. They avoided singles with the faithfulness of committed men. And then take a look at the wickets. Only two fielders are allowed outside the circle in the first 10 overs. When one of them is at long-on, it takes some special skill and thinking to hit a catch down his throat. You’d venture a batsman with such skill and thinking won’t be averaging more than 20; Dwayne Smith averages 19 and scored 18 here. Later in that over, Darren Bravo, possibly the worst runner going around in international cricket, took some time taking his eye patch off and registered the first diamond duck of this World Cup. Chris Gayle played his slowest innings against a nonTest-playing nation, 36 off 65, before holing out to deep midwicket. When Marlon Samuels was caught plumb later in the same over, he proceeded to display self-indulgence by wasting a review. Denesh Ramdin went on to sweep without getting outside the line and missed. There would have been a lesson in there for Samuels had Ramdin actually got outside the line and missed out on the review, but West Indies until then were too woeful for that. There was redemption in the air for Ireland spinners. Andy McBrine, the offpsinner chosen ahead of Craig Young and Alex Cusack, known better for his 24-run over in their rout by Netherlands in the World Twenty20, turned the screws on. He began with a maiden to Gayle before running Bravo out. George Dockrell, the other spinner who was bowled for only three overs in Ireland’s defeat to West Indies in the last World Cup, then handcuffed the other big hitters and took the three wickets in the middle overs. The last of the wickets brought Simmons and Sammy together in the 24th over. The pair batted sensibly for their 154-run stand in 21.1 overs. Sammy reiterated what a grave mistake it was to strip the ODI captaincy of him.

West Indies took 167 off the last 15 overs, but the telling comment was made by the centurion Simmons in a spot interview. He said they would have ideally wanted 340 on this surface. The words rang true from the time William Porterfield and Stirling began to hit boundaries early in the chase. Stirling wore one on the head early in the piece, but hooked the next bouncer for a six. There was emphasis on bowling short, and there was limited success enjoyed by West Indies with that. However, the wicket of Porterfield fell to Gayle’s part-time offspin. That hardly broke the momentum as Joyce and Stirling flowed smoothly. Stirling took the odd risk, but Joyce hardly made a mistake. There was a ruthlessness to how the two went about the chase. There had been a relatively quiet phase when Kemar Roach came back to bowl the 23rd over. The asking rate was at its highest at this point, but Roach’s three overs earlier had gone for 26. Stirling just took him on. The first ball he slogged over midwicket for six. The third he pulled for four. The pressure had dissipated. In the next over Joyce went after Sammy, hitting him for three fours. West Indies went back to Jerome Taylor in the next over, and Stirling hit him out of the attack too, taking 18 off the over. The ask was now down to less than a run a ball, and now the only question was if there would be an icing with centuries to both. They weren’t to be. Stirling fell eight short, Joyce 16, but ever the scrapper, Niall O’Brien made sure there were no major stutters with an unbeaten 79 off 60. The biggest icing, though, was that of the five successful chases of 300 in all World Cups, three have been delivered by Ireland, two of them against Test nations. Still want to keep them out? Summary Scores: West Indies Innings: 304/7 (50 Overs). Lendl Simmons 102, Darren Sammy 89, Chris Gayle 36, Andre Russell 27*; George Dockrell 10-0-50-3, Kevin O’Brien 9-0-71-1, Max Sorensen 8-0-64-1, John Mooney 7-1-59-1. Ireland Innings: 307/6 (45.5 Overs). Paul Stirling 92, Ed Joyce 84, Niall O’Brien 79*, William Porterfield* 23; Jerome Taylor 8.5-0-71-3, Chris Gayle 8-0-41-1, Marlon Samuels 4-0-25-1, Jason Holder 9-1-44-0. Result: Ireland won by 4 wickets

Tuesday January 20, 2015

Kaieteur News

Fly Jamaica offers significant support to Guyana’s participation at CMRC in Jamaica -Seaboard Marine reaffirms sponsorship By Rawle Welch Following on the heels of celebrating two years of its presence in Guyana, Fly Jamaica demonstrated its gratefulness for local support after presenting the Guyana Motor Racing & Sports Club (GMR&SC) with forty (40) airline tickets towards the team’s participating in the opening leg of the Seaboard Marine Caribbean Motor Racing Championships (CMRC) scheduled for later this month in Jamaica. Also, reaffirming its commitment was major sponsor Seaboard Marine, an entity that has continued to offer significant support towards the sport across the Caribbean. Representing the two entities were Nadine Hing, who acted on behalf of Fly Jamaica and Jeremy Fernandes of Seaboard Marine. Also in attendance at the occasion which was conducted at the GMR&SC were President of the entity John Carpenter, Vice-President Shairaz Roshandin Mohamed, Guyana’s representative on the Caribbean Motor Racing Association (CMRA) Ray Rahaman, executive members

of the GMR&SC and competitors. Carpenter, who chaired the proceedings, said that club was extremely appreciative of the kind gesture made by Fly Jamaica, while also extending similar sentiments to Seaboard Marine for its sustained commitment to motor racing in the Region. Hing in her remarks first thanked the Club for approaching Fly Jamaica and encouraging the Company to come on board, adding that they were pleased to be part of the sponsoirship. She said she hopes the assistance will mark the beginning of a strong relationship between the two entities, before wishing the club and team every success at the upcoming Meet. “I urge that you all proudly fly the Guyana flag and do us proud,” Hing said. Fernandes in his brief remarks said how proud the Company is to once again be on board as a major sponsor of the GMR&SC and the CMRC. He reminded that the sponsorship represents a hefty sum, informing that they will continue to have a strong

relationship with motor racing. Rahaman, who declared he was acting in both capacities as local and regional representative thanked the two sponsors for their support towards motor racing in the Caribbean. He reminded that when Seaboard came along a few years ago and added its name to the list of sponsors of motor racing, very few realised that their generosity had actually saved the Series. The CMRA official said that the cost of shuttling competitors machines across the various countries to compete in the Championship was being borne mainly by the competitors who also had to take into account the preparation of their machines and those costs were having a debilitating effect on their individual financial accounts, a development that was directly affecting their ability to remain in the sport. Mohamed for his part thanked the major sponsors and assured them that Guyana will be sending a very strong contingent to defend its crown.

Letter to the Sports Editor

An Affront to the Nation’s Football! Dear Sir, With the 31st December, 2014 being the last working day for the General Secretary, Guyana Football Federation, automatically a vacancy existed. However, what is most “mind boggling” is the length of time the Secretariat operated without the services of the individual, in excess of one month! That with Guyana, a sovereign state occupying an area of 83,000 square miles; a population of approximately 740,000 and ten administrative regions, Editor; it remains a “gross insult” on the intelligence of this nation, for a Trinidadian to be appointed as the Federation’s General Secretary! Are we a nation of dunces and functional illiterates? Is this a mandate of FIFA/CONCACAF? If, this logic becomes applicable, then a “conflict of interest exists”. By the way did the Trinidadian, apply for the job? What are his qualifications, and if they are acceptable then why is it he is no longer employed in his native country? By the way maybe

the Guyanese public can be apprised of his most recent termination of services in Trinidad! Editor, it would be remiss of me not enquire, if at no juncture whatsoever did the Normalisation Committee, in its “infinite wisdom” attempted to: review all previous appointments of paid administrators, not inclusive of General Secretaries. And definitely I can attest that both Mr. Kurt Douglas and Miss Abigail Osborne; both former employees of the GFF, in their respective categories of: FIFA funded/sponsored GFF National League, Coordinator and the GFA, Office Manager! Suffice it to say that, both individuals were overly honest in their deliberations, compounded by an extremely high degree of efficiency and professionalism, in addition to the relevant academic qualifications. Within this context, what more must the Guyanese public ask for? Moreover, since with the Trinidadian’s appointment, apart from a triple digit salary; accommodation, meals and transportation (internally) would have to be

provided and paid for! While not foregoing modern amenities, in relation to accommodation i.e. hot and cold water; cable T.V, maid/cook and possibly a gardener depending on the location! So, from all indications with the Normalisation Committee being subservient to the “whims and fancies” of FIFA/ CONCACAF, then in actuality, Mr. Urling as Chairman, Blue Caps is “shooting himself in the foot”. Since promoting national interests, youth development, transparency and accountability have all been “swept under the carpet”, meekly surrendering to the dictates of a foreign domination! Can it be ascertained if of all the local applications for the post of General Secretary failed to fulfill the requirements including retired Army Officer, Frankie Bispham, a former P.S.? Surely, the late Aubrey Henry, former GFF, Hon Treasurer, would be “turning in his grave” to envisage hiring a General Secretary, from Trinidad, is amounting to approximately $1,000,000 (GUY) Monthly! Finally, the appointments of (Continued on page 25)

Page 31

GCB Inter County U-15 tourney

Omroa bowls Berbice to huge win over Essequibo By Zaheer Mohamed Left arm spinner Kelvin Omroa grabbed eight wickets for five runs off 5.5 overs to hand Berbice a comprehensive 177-run win over Essequibo when the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) U-15 50over Inter County tournament continued yesterday. Chasing 230, Umroa bowled with good control and variation to send Essequibo crushing for 53 in 21.5 overs at Wales Community Centre ground, West Bank Demerara. Arnold Adams and Amos Sarwan commenced Essequibo reply cautiously adding 26 for the opening stand, but when Adams was bowled by Omroa for 11, the innings went downhill with only Sevond Bess (10*) managing double figures. Adams and Sarwan seemed comfortable against the new ball pair of Haifa Walters and Jevon Schultz, but the introduction of spin brought immediate success for the Berbicians. Skipper Orlando Jailall was caught off spinner Seon Glascow for one as Essequibo lost their second wicket at 27. Omroa then sent back Sarwan (02), Bhumeshwar Ramkissoon (01) and Bumeshwar Ramdahin (00) leaving the score at 29-5. Mahendra Dindyal (06) hit Glascow for four but played across to Omroa and lost his stumps to one that kept low. Sheldon Charles (01), Kevin Sandiford (01), Esho Persaud (00) and Parsram Singh (00) failed to show any fight handing Berbice, who will play Demerara today at Enmore, full points. Earlier, Berbice lost seven wickets off 50 overs after they were inserted. Bess provided Essequibo with the early wicket of Davindra Somra (00), but Junior Sinclair and

Man of the Match Kelvin Omroa (right) collects his trophy from Chairman of GCB junior selection panel Nazimul Drepaul Garfield Benjamin steadied the innings with a second wicket stand of 77. Sinclair benefitted from several dropped catches and a miss-stumping and stroked six fours off 69 balls in a top score of 53, while Benjamin faced 81 balls and hit three fours before he was bowled by Sarwan for 43. Dindyal then had Kevlon Anderson (18) caught by wicketkeeper Jailall before off-

spinner Ramkissoon knocked back the stumps of Glasgow (00) to leave Berbice at 164-5. However Alex Algoo cracked 38 (6x4) and Omroa chipped in with 32 (6x4) to beef up the total in the latter stages of the innings. Ramdahin claimed 24, Sarwan 2-25, while Dindyal, Ramkissoon and Bess had one each. Essequibo will play the President’s XI today at Police Sports Club gourd Eve Leary.

Garfield Benjamin

Junior Sinclair

Silver Bullets, Show Stoppers to clash in NEE Mash Futsal Final Silver Bullets and Show Stoppers will battle in the final of the New Era Entertainment (NEE) Mackeson Mashramani Futsal Final on Saturday after setting up the riveting showdown in the semis last weekend at the MSC Hard Court in Linden. Silver Bullets defeated Magic Stars 6-5 in one of the semi-finals compliments of a hat-trick from Colwin Drakes and solitary strikes from Tony Gilbert, Damian Williams and Keon

Sears, which evaded Magic Stars in a closely fought showdown. Clarence H scored twice, while Jermain G, Jonathan F and Joel McKinnon scored a goal each for Magic Stars. In the other semi-final, Sean Brewly scored a hat-trick with Steve Brewly, John Waldron and Anthony Sancho each scoring a goal in Show Stoppers’ 6-3 win against Plantain All-Stars that was among the top teams after its giant-slayer

status. Donavan Francis scored all three goals for Plantain AllStars, who will play Magic Stars in the third place game Saturday night in the Mining Town of Linden. The winning team will pocket $300,000 while the runner-up gets $100,000. The third place team gets $75,000 in the tournament with $25,000 set aside for the fourth placed team. The MVP gets a pair of Futsal sneakers and trophy.

Page 32

Kaieteur News

Letter to the Sports Editor

Response to Mr Lowe’s letter Dear Editor, Allow me to respond to a letter penned by Mr Ricky Lowe which appeared in yesterday’s edition of the Kaieteur News accusing me of being ‘disrespectful’ to former West Indies Captain Guyanese Clive Lloyd, who is the only man to lead the West Indies to three successive World Cup finals; winning the first two in 1975 & 1979. Mr Lloyd is a cricketing icon and I would never dream of being critical of his tremendous achievements as a one of the greatest players this Country has produced or of his work as an ICC official or West Indies team Manager. My comments about Mr Lloyd were made solely in his capacity as Chairman of the West Indies Selectors. I fully agree with Mr Lowe that ‘Lloyd’s credentials (on the field and in the dressing room) speak for themselves’ I also agree with Mr Lowe that Mr Lloyd one of the most successful Test captains ever. He captained the West Indies between 1974 and 1985 and during his captaincy West Indies registered 27 consecutive Tests without defeat, which included 11 wins in succession (Viv Richards acted as captain for one of the 27 matches, against Australia at Port of Spain in 1983–84). Lloyd was the first West Indian player to earn 100 international caps and yes I agree with you Mr Lowe, those accolades can never be tarnished. However, as a Selector Mr Lloyd is helping to destroy the rapidly declining image of

West Indies Cricket by not picking the best team for the ICC showpiece event which is held once every four years. When Lloyd led a team to the Kerry Packer World series for better wages in 1978, the players who went to that series were all banned by the WICB. However, knowing that World Cup, watched by a global audience, was important to the image of West Indies cricket they rescinded the ban and picked their best team for the 1979 World Cup. The team Lloyd has picked now is not our best team and even ICC Associate team Ireland, registered their first ever victory against the West Indies on Sunday night. In my article I said when Lloyd replaced Dwayne Bravo as West Indies 50-over Skipper with 23-year-old Rookie Jason Holder for the One-Day series in South Africa and for ICC World Cup, that selection raised eyebrows. Holder was appointed Captain because Lloyd feels he is a good leader although he never captained any team at any Regional contest before and had played just 21 ODIs without reaching 25 or claiming a five-wicket haul for the West Indies. The 31-year-old Bravo has two centuries and 10 fifties from 164 ODIs in addition to taking 199 wickets with a best of 6-43. Andre Russell has four fifties and 53 wickets from 44 ODIs but was selected ahead of the T&T pair. Michael Holding and Colin Croft, who were both

part of Lloyd’s invincible team in the 1980s, both expressed the same view that Bravo should have been selected and that Holder’s appointment could destroy his career. I also told the public that Pollard is 27 and has three tons and seven fifties and 44 wickets in his 91 ODIs and Lloyd’s justification of performances does not reflect a fair picture for the two cricketers (Pollard and Bravo), as they are fourth and fifth on the list of highest run-scorers for West Indies since the 2011 World Cup. I added in my article that Lloyd maybe forgot he told the world that the West Indies is moving forward in a new direction with the emphasis on picking young players who has performed in West Indies cricket. Yet 32-year-old Jamaican left-arm spinner Nikita Miller, who turns 33 in May, has replaced Sunil Narine in the World Cup squad ahead of Guyana’s Veerasammy Permaul whose 11 wickets is just one less than Narine, who finished as the top wickettaker in the recent NAGICO Super50 competition in Trinidad & Tobago. The 25-year-old Permaul bowls the same left-arm orthodox as Miller and is also the leading bowler in the Four-Day Franchise, while Miller is ninth on the list of Most Wickets with six. He is also six places behind Permaul in the four-day version, so Lloyd is contradicting what he says with what he does by picking Miller instead of Permaul.

Mayor’s Cup Football Championship

Final four go after final spots in semi-finals action tomorrow night After several weeks of competitive action the wheat will be separated from the crop when the four surviving teams in the Mayor’s Cup Footba l l C h a m p i o n s h i p battle for a spot in the finals when semi-final action in that tournament resumes tomorrow evening at the Georgetown Football Club (GFC) Ground, Bourda. This was decided after matches in the quarter finals concluded Sunday evening last and Conquerors defeated GFC 2-0 after their game went into extra time. Daniel Wilson (90+5) and Sheldon Holder (90+19) made the difference for Fruta Conquerors moments before

Western Tigers breezed past Ann’s Grove 3-0 in the night’s feature game. Randolph Wagner (90+13) and Michael Pedro (90+23 & 90+25) netted Western Tigers’ success in a match that went all the way down to the wire. The Fruta Conquerors/ GFC shindig was a ferocious battle as both teams attempted to establish their dominance and move forward. The confrontations were furious and after one such, Steve Wilson of the GFC was cited for a serious infringement and earned himself a red card. But even before that, Conqueror’s striker, Sheldon

Holder, almost broke the deadlock when he received a pass square in front of GFC goalmouth. He slammed in a shot which lashed into the inner part of the goalpost merely seconds to the final whistle and sent the game into extra time. Holder ’s teammate, Romario James was also cited for a mild infringement and received a yellow card in the 60th minute, while two players from Tigers, Randolph Wagner (90+13) and Michael Pedro (90+25) also received yellow card citations as both teams threw down the gauntlet. The two semi finals will be (Continued on page 25)

Tuesday January 20, 2015

Cyclists getting ready for Forbes Burnham 92nd 2-stage race Sunday

The respective winners and organizers following the presentation of prizes at last year’s race. The nation’s leading cyclists including juniors and veterans are gearing up for Sunday’s two-stage road race that will commemorate the 92nd birth anniversary of former President of Guyana, Linden Forbes Sampson Burnham. Organised by the Burnham Foundation in association with the Guyana Cycling Federation (GCF), the first stage of the race will start

in the Bauxite Mining Town of Linden from 08:00hrs Sunday next and proceeds to Homstretch Avenue in the City. The second stage will pedal off later in the day, from 14:30 hrs from Ocean View International Hotel, Liliendaal proceed to Belfield before returning to the opposite end of the starting line for the finish. Raynauth Jeffrey (2hr 50m 08s) is the de-

fending senior champion while Michael Anthony (2hr 51m 06s) copped the junior segment and Junior Niles (2hr 52m 50s), the veteran. Anthony is now campaigning in the senior ranks which mean a new junior champion will be crowned. Over 200 thousand dollars will be up for grabs in the race which is anticipated to be very competitive.

GCA/Hadi’s World City Mall Inc first division

GCC takes first innings from Police, GNIC and GDF draw Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) grabbed first innings from Police, while GNIC and Guyana Defence Force (GDF) played to a tame draw when the Georgetown Cricket Association (GCA)/Hadi’s World City Mall Inc first division two-day competition continued last weekend. At Bourda, Police batted first and were bowled out for 144. Ricardo Adams slammed 52 as left arm spinner Raj Nanan snared 5-48 and Winston Forrester 2-5. GCC replied with 238-8. Joshua Wade stroked 72, while Ronaldo Mohammed retired hurt on 54 after he was hit on the head by pacer Seon Daniels, Martin Pestano Belle chipped in with 38

Ryan Shun a n d R o b i n B a c c hus 28. Daniels took 4-44 and Adams 2-38. Batting a second time, Police were sent packing for

159. Royan Fredericks cracked 53; Daniels scored 47 and Pernell London 20. Nanan captured 4-40 to finish with match figures with 9-88 and Forrester 3-33. Set 71 to win GCC ended on 31-1. At Everest, GNIC batted first and posted 210-4 declared. Ryan Shun struck 102 not out (14x4), Jermaine Grosvenor slammed 50 (4x4,2x6) and Stephon Campbell 20. Randy Lindore claimed 3-74. GDF were 68-3 at stumps on the final day. Damien Ross scored 44 (6x4,1x6); Collins Butts, Jason George and Orlando Kirton had one wicket each. The entire first day’s play was rained out.

GFSCA Mash Softball is Saturday at DCC The Guyana Floodlight Softball Cricket Association Mashramani One Day Softball tournament is Saturday. This day/night tournament will be held at the DCC ground on Lance Gibbs St., Queenstown. Matches start at 2:00pm and will conclude at 11:30pm. Fourteen teams will be taking part. Eight teams will play in the Open category (male of any age) and six teams will play in the Master category (40 years and over).

The Male Open will be 5/5 overs while the Masters will be 10/10. Matches will be played on two pitches simultaneously. Time will be strictly implemented. A five over innings will be 20 minutes, while a 10 overs innings will be 40 minutes. Changing between innings is 5 minutes. Entrance fee for the Open category is $15,000 and the Masters is $20,000. Winner of each category will receive

$50,000 and the Runnerups will receive $15,000 each. The yellow Floodlight ball will be used. Teams can purchase it at Mike’s Pharmacy on Sheriff Street. Teams wanting to take part can call GFSCA organiser Wayne Jones at 650-1790 or 685-6908 to book their spot. The One day/night Softball 14- team tournament will be held every last Saturday of every month at the DCC ground.