Kaieteur News

Thursday Edition February 27, 2014 - Vol. 7 No. 08

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Today is D-Day for AML Bill AFC now Last minute Opposition gives Pres. adopts negotiations Ramotar APNU’s demands breakdown ultimatum

D E K C O L D DEA Car accident involving Finance Minister …

Inewsguyana report signals rift between govt. ministers - Opposition

Missing Bachelors Adventure woman’s body dumped husband is prime in cemetery - suspect

Dead: Patricia Young

New Venezuelan rice deal being finalized despite ongoing unrests - Agri Ministry

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Kaieteur News

Thursday February 27, 2014

Thursday February 27, 2014

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Kaieteur News

Opposition meets with President on Anti-money Laundering Bill…

Opposition gives President Donald Ramotar ultimatum - If we miss the deadline by two or three days they can't kill us for that - APNU By: Kiana Wilburg

A

delegation which included members of the political opposition presented President Donald Ramotar with a list of demands yesterday.

They asked that these must now be brought simultaneously to the National Assembly with the Anti Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism Bill today.

Failing this, the Opposition said that they may very well honour their recent declarations to withhold their support for the Bill.

Guyana is expected to submit a report to the

Caribbean Financial Action Task Force on Friday.

Failure to do so will see the regional body referring Guyana to the Financial Action Task Force in Paris which could see Guyana facing serious consequences and being blacklisted by the international body.

At the head office of A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) on Hadfield Street, Shadow Minister of P u b l i c Wo r k s a n d Te l e c o m m u n i c a t i o n s , Joseph Harmon, said that APNU and the Alliance For Change (AFC) presented the President and his team with a joint list of demands.

“We were basically looking at issues in relation to the Anti Money

Laundering Bill. The APNU and AFC presented a joint list of demands that included that the Bill itself be subjected to amendments to allow for better issues of governance and enforcement, secondly that those Local Government Bills he assented to, be operationalized and thirdly, all the other Bills not assented to and had returned, be assented to.”

“What we said to the President is that all of these things must be done and passed simultaneously with the passage of the Bill and that's our position.”

Harmon said that the meeting yesterday with the President was only “Round One” and that no clear cut

assurances were given at the conclusion of the meeting.

“In negotiations you don't finish it in one round so the next stage is to go to the Parliamentary Select Committee at 5:00 (yesterday) and look at the amendments we tabled.”

That meeting was expected to refine the amendments to the antimoney laundering Bill made

by APNU. “There were proposals and these proposals were to be refined by the Chief Parliamentary Council and that has not been done as yet.

But before we completed this stage some politicians have been spreading it to mean that it

Fate of AML/CFT passage in Chief Parliamentary Counsel's hand … APNU will not vote on Bill without its proposed amendments - Harmon

Parliament will meet today. As of yesterday evening there was yet to be a vote in the Special Select Committee on whether the Anti Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism Bill will be taken to the House for eventual passage.

A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) is

adamant that the Bill will not reach the House for a vote, unless its amendments are included.

The Caribbean Financial Action Taskforce (CFATF) requires a report tomorrow on Guyana's progress on the passage and assent of the Bill, but up to last evening, the drafts for the APNU amendments had not been

completed.

Attorney General, Anil Nandlall, described the proposed amendments by APNU, as offensive and would have a serious ripple effect that could see the Bill being rendered non complaint by CFATF. He had earlier in the day indicated to the media that the Chief Parliamentary

Counsel (CPC), Cecil Durjohn, had written to the Special Select Committee over his predicament and as such requested guidance and further instruction.

APNU's Joseph Harmon, following a meeting of the Special Select Committee yesterday evening, told this publication that Durjohn (continued on page 20)

President Donald Ramotar is the final conclusion on the part of the proposed amendments.

“We expect that those proposals will be looked at so that some Ministers like the Junior Finance Minister, Bishop Juan Edghill can stop feeding people the dough before it is baked.”

Depending on what happens in Select Committee, Harmon said that the President has left a channel open for them to “get back to him and we will take it from there.”

Commenting on the fruitfulness of the engagement, the Shadow Minister said, “Any time the parties meet and there is some movement forward I believe that, that constitutes to some degree of success.

“Any time you have an opportunity to discuss issues and see the different sides and try to find

Shadow Minister of Public Works and Telecommunications, Joseph Harmon common ground I believe that it is a movement forward.

The fact that we are talking on this matter before the February 28 deadline is an important development and it is something we should encourage.”

The APNU member said that the opposition will remain committed to doing what has to be done in the interest of nation.

“Things happen and we can also set future dates for the sitting of National Assembly to continue talks.

The President has a deadline to which he has to deal with certain demands.

“If in fact we run over a little bit we can call a meeting for Assembly again and I am sure if we miss this thing by two or three days then they (CFATF) can't kill us for that.”

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Kaieteur News

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

Publisher: GLENN LALL Editor: Adam Harris Tel: 225-8465, 225-8491. Fax: 225-8473, 226-8210

EDITORIAL

The need for stricter drug interventions The fact that the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency sometimes takes years to build a case on narcotics traffickers, violators of money laundering, and terror suspects seems to have been lost on local law enforcement operatives. It is almost as if there is no real desire to nab the kingpins or big fishes. How can an agency claim to have been alerted by the number of times someone traveled abroad and not put in place the necessary surveillance to determine who are their contacts and associates? It is as if the capture of a smalltime mule represents the end of their professional efforts.

If we are really serious about disrupting the supply and demand chain in the organized crime business of narcotrafficking, then it is to be expected that all stops would be pulled to ensure that not only the hapless mules are caught but also their agents who give them the drugs to take overseas. Any drug enforcement unit worth its salt would have put in place the surveillance mechanism available to it.

These would include intercepts of telephone conversations, use of covert operatives, and quiet background checks with organisations like the Guyana Revenue Authority, Police Criminal Records Office, and the Immigration Office, just to name a few.

The dismantling of criminal enterprises demands that resources must be deployed in a prioritized manner based upon extensive knowledge of the criminal environment.

This brings into focus the need to continually engage communities in a framework of mutual respect for human rights, and adherence to the rule of law. It could be argued that the way that the law enforcers deal with those members of society who have access to the criminal environment, and who are willing to provide information for intelligence purposes should be evaluated if maximum benefit is to be derived from the relationship.

So the question remains unanswered as to why the various sources of intelligence sharing are not more widely utilised. It does the image of this country no good when mules are intercepted after leaving this jurisdiction through official departure points. It would appear as if the drug sniffing dogs have outlived their usefulness, and therefore we should be told the results of an audit of their performance. Many are the anecdotes that for every one mule intercepted locally at least three have passed through successfully.

A caution is apposite with respect to the use of informants. It should be noted that not all data garnered from the use of informants or human intelligence sources have been accurate or can be described as quality intelligence. However a properly coordinated human sources scheme can provide the type of professional management and high level of oversight required in such a sensitive undertaking. In the Guyana context with the ever present potential for abuse it would be necessary to ensure that any informant scheme is subjected to a formal independent audit complete with a range of accountability systems to guarantee quality.

Corruption, ethical informant management, and substandard intelligence management are high risk considerations which could be addressed through an adequate policy design.

For government law enforcement interdiction, information sharing, and intelligence efforts to be taken seriously more attention must be paid to the enabling environmental factors which are seemingly set to overwhelm the relevant agencies individually and collectively. More can and must be done; acting like a petulant child in the absence of vital information from the large international partners is useless. Both sides have good grounds for some of their actions but Guyanese are more inclined to demand more from the supply or as in our case, the transit side of the international illegal drug trade.

Thursday February 27, 2014

Letters... Where your views make the news

No evidence that PPP will implement and enforce new AML legislation DEAR EDITOR, Financial Advisor from the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF), Roger Hernandez, stressed that passing the new AntiMoney Laundering and Countering the Financing of Te r r o r i s m ( A M L / C F T ) (Amendment) Bill is not good enough. It must be implemented!

Laws passed without implementation and enforcement are useless, toothless and an exercise in wasted time. Guyana already has an AML/CFT law and FIU in place for several years. Yet, in this country of drug trafficking gone wild, with Mexican and Colombian cartels and the Italian mafia now operating freely here and billions laundered every year, a single case of money laundering against these criminal interests has not been pursued by the FIU. Mr. Hernandez has his job to do, which is to ensure these laws are passed by the countries that form part of CFATF. However, he truly has to get real about the realities of implementation and enforcement of this proposed AML/CFT legislation in Guyana. If the PPP has not implemented and given force to the existing AML/CFT law for several years, what makes anyone think it will do so for a new law?

For Mr. Hernandez’s o r g a n i z a t i o n , implementation is largely about meeting minimum standards. If the new AML/CFT calls for a monitoring agency, the country simply has to set up one and they have fulfilled their mandate to the CFATF. It does not matter that this agency is politically manipulated and castrated and lacks oversight or does absolutely nothing. This is what happened with the existing FIU. Therein lies the problem between international obligations and local demands. There is nothing wrong in exceeding those minimum standards when the people of the country,

buckling under the weight of criminality, drug trafficking, money laundering and its cruel manifestations, want more than just rubberstamping mute agencies.

Exceeding the minimum is what the opposition has to do. Parliamentary approval of the FIU director and the creation of the Procurement Commission are two elements of going past minimum standard to make the new AML/CFT capable of enforcement. The US Senate must confirm the Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence who oversees their version of the FIU, Financial Crimes

Enforcement Network (FinCEN). So, what is wrong with what the opposition proposes?

Money laundering companies are likely using their unfair and illegal financial advantage to secure government contracts in a corrupt public procurement system, so why shouldn’t we have the Public Procurement Commission (PPC) in conjunction with a stronger AML/CFT legislation to combat this scourge which denies legitimate companies? The stop and search provision is extreme, especially with a corrupt police force. Unless APNU is willing to put serious

restrictions on that power along with protection, it cannot be entertained.

Should we really pass this watered-down, politically-fingered version of the AML/CFT the PPP wants us to pass, when we could pass an AML/CFT law with teeth working alongside a PPC to combat money laundering?

The PPP wants this version to be passed quickly to avoid sanctions and scrutiny. They don’t want the opposition’s version because they lose political control over the monitoring of money laundering and they know the opposition will (Continued on page 23)

GRA needs officers who cannot be bought or sold DEAR EDITOR, Numerous letter writers over the years would have made their voices heard on the issue of public officers who commit criminal offences and are moved from one area to another with similar or even greater opportunity to do the same thing. In some instances they are returned to the same place and position to “pick up from where they left off,” and from all that I have read, to do so with a vengeance.

Once again, the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) is in the news. The entity seemed to be embattled by crooks and thieves.

From reports emanating from the agency and other sources, it would appear that there is a vendetta being executed against the agency and its hierarchy by corrupt officers who have been disciplined and their businessmen cronies who would have had the law thrown at them.

It is common knowledge that some Customs Officers continue to be in the pockets of wealthy businessmen or they themselves are conducting competing businesses, which is the genesis of massively corrupt practices and very unethical conduct on the part of

Yes the European and North American countries should do more to address the consumer demand side of the process, but in the final analysis how we commit to dealing with the passage of illegal drugs, and attendant money laundering activities will determine the level of meaningful international cooperation we receive.

The eruption of mansions and massive buildings from questionable funding does not send the right message to citizens especially if there is no movement by officialdom to question the source.

Customs Officers.

Not only are they strategically placed to influence the release of goods at questionable and suspicious values, but are being used to enforce the biddings of very corrupt businessmen of all categories, whether they are car dealers or importers of consumer items. The GRA needs A1 intelligence to rid the organisation of these criminal elements.

I echo the call by Mr. Khurshid Sattaur for members of the public, businesses included, to honour their civic

responsibility and provide verifiable evidence of corrupt practices. Something needs to be done about these dishonest elements who, based on the recent GRA press release, are wreaking havoc for legitimate remigrants by granting Remigrant status to overseas-based fake remigrants who, according to the GRA release, are working for corrupt businessmen.

What is the role of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs?

They determine who is a remigrant; so what do they plan to do? The GRA needs help!

Concerned citizen

Types of foundation and the Marriott Hotel

Thursday February 27, 2014

Kaieteur News

Letters... Where your views make the news

Reshaping our future DEAR EDITOR, Throughout the PPP’s reign in government there have been many calls for the prosecution of government officials suspected of corruption.

There have even been comparisons of the stiff charges meted out for petty theft and other small crimes, while these corrupt officials who receive handsome bribes, kickbacks from government projects and payoffs for other crimes of corruption which cannot be documented here - remain free and continue unrestricted in the misuse and abuse of their offices.

The logical question is: Why has the PPP continued to allow its corrupt, and in some instances, clearly incompetent government officers, to go unprosecuted and remain in office?

The answer is rare and surprising: Corruption is integral to the PPP’s system of government, being part of the mechanism of how this country’s socialist elite are compensated or rewarded for their ‘great service’ to this nation.

The PPP executive recognizes that some of its underlings and servants who engage in underhand dealings, are either incapable of managing on their government salaries, or are plainly intent on getting rich before they leave their offices.

Since these socialist elite are not governed by society’s laws, at least while the PPP remains in government, they are free to reap their bounty by whatever means they find convenient. The word and meaning of ‘corruption’ is therefore taboo to the PPP, and it is of no effect to hold any discussion on corruption with that party.

With corruption and graft being acceptable, therefore, there will never be an end to instances of these crimes against the state under the PPP. Unless some extragovernmental organ is established with the mandate (for a start) to identify, organize and strengthen the country’s laws on corruption and government graft, and apply the full force of these laws to protect us, by identifying and prosecuting all instances of corruption going back to October 5, 1992.

On another note, Mr. Lincoln Lewis is to be congratulated for his active stance on the rights of Guyana’s workers.

He is however encouraged to exercise prudence in his remarks in whatever matter he has occasion to discuss with the APNU’s Leader, Mr. David Granger. And while the PPP continues to engorge itself,

its hapless intellectuals continue to maintain unfounded illusions and lies in the minds of whoever is gullible enough to believe their propaganda.

Mr. Faruk Mohamed takes it upon himself to raise issue with Dr. Thomas on the details of poverty in his article ‘the right to criticize…’ Feb 22/14).

The larger issue upon which the gentleman should exert himself is the general level of inadequate incomes, even including secondary amounts, a large proportion of Guyanese families have to contend with every day.

This and its retarding impact on the lives of all family members, with children being those most adversely affected, are what would be most productive.

Mr. Mohamed and others of his ilk should seek to shed light on the following questions, which remain unanswered by the PPP: How many employable bright Guyanese continue to leave our shores every year in search of a life that the PPP has been unable to provide for them? How many jobs has it created during the two decades or so since it has been in power?

After this enormous lapse in time, how many large new companies do we see throughout the length and breadth of our country? How many sugar workers have been displaced through woeful mismanagement and misdirection at GuySuCo? Why has the unemployment issue not been addressed more clinically by first producing statistics on employment in all of our ten regions?

Mr. Mohamed continues to write of ‘the PNC’s 28 years of dictatorship and mismanagement’, even after I explained (KNews, ‘Let us all look forward…’, Feb 18/14) that the hardships endured in the years prior to 1992 were primarily a result of the application of socialist economics, whose contemporary example can be found nowhere closer than the chaos and destruction being visited upon our neighbouring Venezuela under President Maduro’s socialist policies.

I wish to reiterate that the

reconstituted PNCR is committed to capitalist economics and is working as a team in APNU to harness Guyana’s potential and create more and higher paying jobs for all Guyanese by working closely with the private sector to increase investment across the country. APNU has a clear picture of the Guyana we all seek, but it can only deliver this when given the mandate by our votes.

While I am not an official member, I am sure the executive of APNU has read of, and was pained by the immense losses suffered by the many farmers and other persons who have had their properties inundated by floods that resulted from the downright incompetence of the PPP government on a matter as simple as the management of our country’s drainage system over the years. All who read and saw the televised coverage felt sorry for those farmers and other affected persons.

APNU also looked on as the PPP made a mess of GuySuCo, placing the lives of many sugar estate families in jeopardy.

The executive of APNU have families also; they also endure the pain and suffering inflicted by the PPP upon these and all those who continue to suffer as a result of the PPP’s incompetent government and mismanagement of their affairs, even at the level of their towns and villages.

APNU is very much aware that many of our children are being short-changed by the PPP because of inadequate diets, poor education and limited job prospects across the country.

APNU has asked, and is asking for the mandate to rectify the PPP’s misdeeds and put this country on track to that standard of living for which we all strive.

May we all grant it that opportunity to restore our lives in a meaningful way.

Craig Sylvester

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Last minute talks breakdown over support for anti money laundering Bill Head of State, Donald Ramotar, yesterday in a last minute effort to secure support for the passage of the Anti Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism Bill (AML/CFT), met with the political Opposition at Office of the President, but did not achieve the desired results.

He accused the Opposition of engaging in blackmail politics. Ramotar, along with Attorney General, Anil Nandlall and Junior Finance Minister, Bishop Juan Edghill, subsequently briefed the media on the meeting and said that A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) is maintaining its hard-line stance that their amendments be included in the Bill that will finally be taken to the Parliament for a vote.

The President reported that the Alliance for Change (AFC), while they were all along tying their support for the Bill to the establishment of the Public Procurement Commission, it has now joined with APNU in demanding the inclusion of the additional amendments.

According to the President, the Bill as it stands is compliant with the recommendations of the Caribbean Financial Action Taskforce (CFATF) and as such to avoid international blacklisting, the Opposition should allow the Bill to be approved and the proposed amendments addressed subsequently.

CFATF requires a report from Guyana by tomorrow or risk being submitted to the Financial Action Taskforce (FAFT) for a review, which could blacklist the country internationally.

Guyana is currently already blacklisted in the region by CFATF. President Ramotar reported that the Opposition is adamant that they will only

…Ramotar laments blackmail politics by Opposition Head of State, Donald Ramotar flanked by Attorney General, Anil Nandlall (R) and Junior Finance Minister, Bishop Juan Edghill.

return the Bill to the House once their amendments are included. Those amendments however have not been drafted as yet and are still with the Chief Parliamentary Counsel (CPC), Cecil Durjohn.

Attorney General, Nandlall, when asked about the drafting of those amendments, told the media corps present at Office of the President that what has been presented for them to draft, according to their understanding and training regarding CFATF models and principles, makes it offensive.

He said that the CPC has reported that the draft is offensive to the regime promulgated by CFATF regionally and has since written to the Select Committee seeking further guidance and instruction.

Nandlall said that what APNU is proposing will have serious ramifications for the substantive law and can even affect fundamental principles such as the autonomy of the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) as well as its insulation from the political fray.

He also reminded that even the CFATF’s Roger Hernandez, had warned that the proposed amendments

by APNU run the risk of

causing the entire Bill to be non compliant. Reminded of the Opposition’s concern that the substantive law was weak and there was a lack of enforcement, the President said that this is precisely what Government and CFATF is looking to remedy.

According to Ramotar, “the Bill before the Parliament is to correct whatever deficiencies the Act had as far as enforcement is concerned.”

He said that the Bill is to give legal effect to m e a s u r e s to be taken if persons were to be found guilty of money laundering.

Ramotar further noted that the same legislation exists across the Caribbean and he is not aware of any successful prosecutions in any of those other countries.

“One of the things the Opposition is saying is that we have not made any charges, then the whole region is deficient as far as implementation is concerned.”

Meanwhile Nandlall stressed that there are continuous waves of assessment of countries by CFATF. The last one by CFATF for Guyana was as a result of failure of prosecution

and institution of charges.

The next wave will focus on enforcement, “Hernandez made that very clear,” said Nandlall.

Junior Finance Minister, Bishop Edghill, told media operatives that as of February, 9 last, all of the parties in the Special Select Committee were in agreement with the recommendations sent by CFATF. He said that the terms of reference that the Committee had been given was to deal with the Bill and not to address any other clauses in the Principle Act which the Opposition is now pushing

the Government to accept.

Minister Edghill reminded that the CFATF representative, Hernandez, did warn that Guyana did run the risk of being non compliant as a result of the APNU proposals.

He said that to tinker with the substantive Act when there is no time is putting Guyana at risk.

“There is no way that the APNU could convince the people of Guyana that good faith exist in getting a Bill to the parliament that would bring us into compliance and prevent us from being blacklisted…what they are seeking to do by saying they are strengthening the Bill is putting the country at risk at having a Bill that is non compliant.”

He charged that the issues APNU wants to address require national consultations, “CFATF did not ask for these matters to be addressed.”

Edghill was adamant that all present in the meeting were clear on is that if there isn’t a Bill by February 28, Guyana will be blacklisted.

“The APNU has finally agreed that there is a deadline…what we have however is the putting of pressure for all these extraneous concessions.”

Failure rate of nursing students linked to revision of curriculum - CMO

A revision in the curriculum was touted as the primary reason for a daunting failure rate among students who sat the Professional Nursing Programme last year.

This disclosure was made

by Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Dr Shamdeo Persaud, who during an interview with this publication, said that the result of the examination is likely to prompt further amendments to the programme with a view to addressing the state of affairs.

This publication was reliably informed that more than 100 nursing students from the Georgetown School of Nursing were eligible to undertake the examination last October but a mere 19 were successful.

According to Dr Persaud, this situation was not unique to the Georgetown school alone. It was evident, to some extent, at the other nursing schools.

There are currently three Government-operated nursing schools – Georgetown, New Amsterdam and Charles Roza – and another operated by the St. Joseph Mercy Hospital.

Without giving the precise pass or fail rate per

institution, Dr Persaud said that based on available statistics a total of 23 of the 276 who wrote the examination, failed “outright” while those who passed “outright” amounted to 31.

“The rest were broken down by different papers; 65 per cent actually passed the practical exam, 58 per cent passed the functional exam and 41 per cent passed the clinical exam...so we know where the weaknesses are,” noted Dr Persaud.

He explained that moves to revise the Professional Nursing Programme some four years ago entailed not only a modification to the curriculum but there were also some changes made in the examination procedures, to the kinds of areas to be tested as well as the marking system.

Dr Persaud said that the previous marking system was based on a pass mark of 50 per cent but the recommendation for the existing curriculum requires that students secure a pass mark of at least 60 per cent.

Obtaining this percentage

Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Shamdeo Persaud was expected of the students who were admitted to the programme, some three years ago. According to the CMO, in its current form the examination is judged in three areas: functional and clinical nursing, both of which have two segments and a practical aspect as well.

And since the system in place is one that requires that each student pass 60 per cent in each paper and the practical too, it is therefore one that is a little different from what the Caribbean Examination Council (CXC) has.

“For example what CXC does is that if the pass mark was 60 and you had 58 in one

(paper) and 65 in the other they pool those two marks together and if the combined score is above then you pass the course...They didn’t do that in this instance and that is something we need to review,” said Dr Persaud.

And a review is essential, Dr Persaud said, since this is what obtains at the level of the Regional Nursing Examination. “What we have here right now is a situation where if you fail a paper, you in essence fail the entire exam.”

This resulted in a “below expectation” pass rate when the examination papers were reviewed, said Dr Persaud who insisted that “we would have liked to see better performances.”

However, he noted that the nursing students who failed are in fact now afforded three chances to re-sit the examination as opposed to the two opportunities they were formerly granted before the revision took effect.

Students who failed to make the successful cut last year will be able to take advantage of their first re-sit opportunity in March when a supplementary exam will be conducted.

Thursday February 27, 2014

Kaieteur News

Letters... Where your views make the news

A deserving tradition is being randomly observed DEAR EDITOR, There is an old saying which states that any Man (Woman), if he or she wants to live a successful and peaceful life, he or she must keep close to three persons God, a Doctor and a Lawyer.

God to give Spiritual guidance, a Doctor to ensure that you maintain good health and a Lawyer to ensure that everything you do is within the confines of the Law. It was therefore not surprising that taking Guyana as an example, Lawyers have played over the years such an important part in developing a society that gives everyone an opportunity.

Lawyers ensure that you get justice in a Court of Law. Lawyers have always been involved in politics and in other social organisations.

So far as the Court is concerned, a Lawyer is an officer of the Court.

His duty is to assist the Court to arrive at decisions that provide justice to the

parties concerned.

The primary purpose is to ensure that the Court provides justice and not ensuring that as a Lawyer you win every case you present.

In an effort to ensure that Lawyers do what is expected of them, historically many traditions used to be observed which are now not routinely observed.

Specifically, I am referring to the old tradition when any Lawyer dies, within one month of his death a Full Court will be assembled where his family will be invited and lawyers pay tribute to the deceased Lawyer. This tradition helped to encourage Lawyers during their lifetime to do what is expected of each of them.

Now this tradition in recent years has not been observed on a regular basis.

On a few occasions Full Court was held for prominent Lawyers, two or three Lawyers at a time. This is a

departure from an old and proven tradition. For some strange reason, no one has ever sought or given any explanation why this tradition is not regularly observed.

Let me give an example.

Ms. Norma Jackman was a prominent Lawyer and one of the first female Lawyers to earn a Master’s Degree in Law, yet when she died no Full Court was held for her.

Lawyers seem to die three at a time. The last three to have died recently were Messrs.

Randolph Eleazar, William Alexander, who once held the position of Chief Magistrate, and Marcel Crawford S.C., a popular Berbice Lawyer.

In fact all three deceased were Berbicians. So far no Full Court has yet been held for any of them. Let us wait and see. Meanwhile, I would like to hear from the Bar Association and other competent authorities on why this tradition is not regularly recognized in a timely manner.

Jonas M.F. Coddett

The proposals by the opposition and GTUC are just DEAR EDITOR, There are a couple of things this society should be mindful of on the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) Bill. i) Laws are dead if they are not implemented. There is a principal AML/CFT Act that is yet to see implementation by the government; ii) The concern the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF) has with Guyana are twofold - a) implementation of exiting AML/ CFT laws and b) embodying its recommendations in any new law; iii) Since 2009 CFATF has been working with Guyana to ensure (ii); iv) CFATF sets Guyana for review in May 2014; v) In 2013, due to the

government’s negligence in implementing laws and embracing recommendations via new laws, CFATF was compelled to put Guyana on a Watch list (Black List); vi) Roger Hernandez, CFATF’s representative, said a) “You require implementation; it is not just passing the law. It is about implementing the law”and b) “from experience the minimal period for removal is approximately two years;” vii) It means Guyana will be on CFATF’s list until at least 2015. viii) Passage of the AML/ CFT even in its present state is no automatic guarantee that Guyana will be off the list. To that question posed to Hernandez, his answer was “no;” ix) During the two years Guyana remains on the Watch

list, persons and institutions doing business with us would be expected to take the necessary precautions to ensure financial transactions are legitimate and they do not aid any money laundering or financing of terrorism; x) Persons and institutions who are engaged in legitimate financial transactions may be required to prove so. But this is a price the law-abiding should be prepared to pay in order to rid the society of illegality and financing of terrorism, that should these acts present/ escalate in our society, they pose potential risk of Guyana and Guyanese being negatively profiled.

It is public record an estimated 40-60 percent of Guyana’s economy is nacro(Continued on page 23)

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Thursday February 27, 2014

Thursday February 27, 2014

Kaieteur News

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ALL GUYANESE SHOULD KNEEL The most powerful position is not standing tall on your two feet. The most powerful position is to be on your knees in prayer.

All Guyanese should for the next two weeks kneel and bow before the Great One. Get on your knees and bow before your Master who is above all things.

Right now, Guyana needs goodness and kindness and mercy. We have strayed from the righteous path. We have veered off course and the Dark Shadows have penetrated into the corners of our nation, bringing despair, enmity and plenty of thieving. We need to stop this high-tech pickpocketing that is taking place in Guyana.

This country has always been known for its skillful pickpockets. A few of them were on the loose on Mash Day and robbed quite a few citizens. However in recent times, a new breed of pickpockets has emerged.

They pick the pocket of the Treasury. These are hightech pickpockets. These fellows are so good that they have the ability to pick the milk out of your coffee.

This is happening because we have become a sinful nation. And we all need to dedicate one week to prayer and fasting so as to

restore hope to our country, restore order, restore peace, restore goodwill and allow all the bitterness to fade away.

So, I invite all Guyanese, whether you are Christian, Hindu or Muslim, whatever your denomination, to get on your knees over the next week and pray for the politicians of this country that they would be granted the gift of vision and then wisdom to do what is right. They first need vision to know where they are going.

Then they need wisdom to know what to do.

We have to have a week of prayer in Guyana because our country is being overcome with too much bitterness, too much enmity, too much pettiness, too much arrogance, too much haughtiness and too little godliness.

As Bo Bennett said,”While we are focusing on fear, worry, or hate, it is not possible for us to be experiencing happiness, enthusiasm or love.”

The cosmos right now over Guyana is not conducive to development and good relations. The vibes are not right. Once we are blanketed with so much ill will, it will only result in further problems and Guyana will continue to slide down the drain.

We need new ideas, new

Dem boys seh...

Ash Knee got Brian, Jagdeo got Babita Dem boys got some advice fuh Ash Knee. He got to come off drinking and driving. Mash Day he knock a man car and send de man, he wife and de car in a trench. He nah got luck.

Last year June he do de same thing. He knock a li’l girl car and get off light. Brian tun up and settle de matter. He tell she “For the record, I was de driver.” This time everybody know was drunking Ash Knee.

De girl car fix and she was happy de way it look. Today she got problems wid she car that mechanic can’t fix.

Today she open de paper and see that Ash Knee do de same thing to a man. Again Brian tun up but he tun up late suh he couldn’t claim that he was de driver like de first time.

He however try to do de same thing he do to de girl; settle de matter.

Everything drunking Ash Knee knock Brian tun up. And every time Jagdeo get knock Babby does tun up.

Dem boys seh that dem love this man who drunking Ash Knee knock because he asking fuh he rightful compensation.

He don’t want after one year he car giving he trouble like that girl own.

He want a new car and dem boys fully agree wid that.

He also ask fuh $3 million each fuh he and he wife plus other payment fuh expenses. But that was only after he ask fuh medivac to Florida.

He tell dem boys that if Jagdeo can get medivac fuh li’l belly wuk and a plug why he can’t get medivac after he get lick upside down in a trench wid he wife? He know anyhow that de money not coming from Ash Knee shirt jac pocket.

De same time Jagdeo was getting medivac to Florida, de same time de Waterfalls boss man been in Miami. But de boss man lef before Jagdeo land.

One of de Waterfalls paper employee seh, “Boss you come back quick. Why you didn’t wait fuh be by Jagdeo bedside?”

De boss seh, “No man. Jagdeo didn’t want me deh. Nurse Babita did done tun up and been at he head side from Georgetown.

vision, more capable leaders, but above all we need an atmosphere that would be conducive to harmony, peace and development.

We need to pray. Not that we have not been praying.

But much of our praying has been about ourselves. We need now to pray for our political leaders that they will stop fighting each other and come together to make Guyana a better place. We need to pray that some of them will stop becoming frustrated

at their own failures and stop lashing out at others.

We need to pray that they will think about the problems of the small man. We need to pray that these leaders would stop fighting for power and instead dedicate more time to addressing the needs of their people. This is what we need in Guyana. We need to pray for these things.

But we also need to pray for ourselves that we would be less demanding, especially considering that most of us

have more than we need to live a contended life. We must take a good look at our neighbours and find out if there is anything we can do to help them. We therefore need to pray for that willingness to give up for the sake of others.

We need to smile a little more, even when politicians say the silliest things.

Instead of getting angry, we need to smile and let the hurt pass, because this is the only way that we will rid the

cosmos of all those bitter and negative emotions.

So get on your knees and say a little prayer for Guyana and then say an extra prayer for our political leaders… and hope that when you are finished you still have your knees intact.

New Venezuelan rice deal being finalized despite ongoing unrests - Agri Ministry Government says that its rice exports to neighbouring Venezuela will not be affected by ongoing unrests there which left several dead over the past two weeks.

The situation has raised worrying questions whether the multi-billion dollar oil-forrice deal between the two countries will be threatened as Venezuelans are calling for President Nicolas Maduro to pull back the economy decline of that country.

One of the areas Maduro is under pressure for is the Petro Caribe oil concessions with 17 states, including members of CARICOM. Under the deal, the countries are sold oil cheap under concessionary rates and with options to pay over a 20 year period.

Yesterday, Agriculture Minister, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy disclosed that a new rice deal is in its final stages with exports to Venezuela expected to resume operation once all the logistics has been completed between the two Governments.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture, last week, a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA), was inked between La Casa, on behalf of the Venezuelan Government, and Guyana’s Ambassador to Venezuela, Geoff Da Silva.

“We have made progress

Guyana and Venezuela finalizing a new rice deal

in completing arrangements for shipment of rice to begin.

There are three stages in terms of the annual shipment of rice to Venezuela… at the end of every year, we have to have a period of reconciliation in order for Venezuela to issue payment to the Ministry of Finance,” Ramsammy said.

In the past, the reconciliation process, which is a critical one in the Guyana/ Venezuela rice deal, took months to be completed.

However, this year this has been completed in a much shorter time and shipments are now closer to recommencing.

Last year, under the 2013 deal, Guyana had to deliver

140,000 tonnes of seed paddy and 70,000 tonnes of white rice, valued US$128.8M. However, the Ministry said that 110,000 tonnes of white rice and 88,000 tonnes of paddy were shipped to the Spanish-speaking country.

“There will be a change in paddy verses white rice and once the contract is inked we will announce that, but the MOA has already established those numbers”, Minister Ramsammy said.

With the MOA already inked, the final stage of the Guyana/Venezuela agreement is near completion. This would include the purchasing order and shipment schedule.

Harvesting for 2014 first

crop has already started.

Already shipments have started to Europe, the Caribbean and to new destinations, the Ministry said.

The loss of the rice market would be a worrying one for Guyana with the Venezuela deal seen by farmers and Government as an assured one. It is even more lucrative from the perspective of the cheap oil deal.

In recent days however, there has been calls from regional academics who believe that the Petro Caribe deal is not likely to last, with countries urged to take steps to lessen the impact when that happens.

Page 10

Kaieteur News

Thursday February 27, 2014

=== The Freddie Kissoon column ===

The milk train doesn’t stop here anymore: Gail Teixeira’s politics One would like to think that even in a place like Guyana, we will soon see one of Tennessee Williams’s fantastic plays put on by the Theatre Guild (have they been paid the $1.4 million owed to them by the CARIFESTA Secretariat?) now that the place has been refurbished.

The ontological message in Williams’ plays transcends race, culture and borders.

And the Guyanese people should be given a taste of this literary genius.

Such exposure may help to dilute the philistinism that is so buried in the psyche of those trusted in running this country. It may help. It should.

Given the curiously impertinent show Gail Teixeira

put on at Linden two Wednesday ago (February 19), I would suggest, “The Milk Train Doesn’t Stop Here Anymore.” And we should urge Ms. Teixeira (and naturally Clement Rohee) to see it. We would hope this powerful apparatchik from the PPP’s Stalinist era of the seventies and eighties and now as powerful in the State as the President himself would try to grasp the meaning in the title of the play (for an analysis of the politics of Gail Teixeira, see my Feb 12, 2011, column, “Orpheus Descending,” the caption of which is the title of another superb Williams’s gem).

Ms. Teiexeira was as defiant as the old communist

leaders when the Stalinist wall began crumbling all over Soviet Europe in 1992. She didn’t see that the milk train had stopped coming and she needed to be elsewhere, as Flora told Chris in Williams’ play. She intoned with a fierce, combative, demagogic delivery; “Some people feel that Linden is their territory like some warlord.”

She became agitated and an expressive emotion raged as she sang a song that has been sung out and rang a bell that has been rung out long, long ago; “The Government has decided that there is no place in Guyana that the President cannot go… there is no place in Guyana that the government cannot go…there

Sophia resident indicted for illegal gun, armed robbery Ron McFarley, a 32-year-old Sophia resident accused of using an illegal gun to mug a man on America Street three days ago, is now a remanded prisoner.

McFarley who claims that he is unemployed pleaded not guilty before Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry who then ordered him held until his next court hearing on March 18.

According to the Prosecution, on February 24, last, in America Street, the defendant had a pistol in his possession even though he was not the holder of a firearm licence.

Moments before he was nabbed with the gun he and two others had used the weapon to rob Welford Mac of his $35,000 BlackBerry cellular phone and $5000 cash.

Inspector Michael Grant, who prosecuted, related that the victim Mac was walking south

along America Street when the accused and two others cuffed him about his body and relieved him of his belongings.

He said they then escaped but acting on information received, police ranks chased after the trio. When they reached McFarley, he reached for something around his pants waist.

Nonetheless, the ranks managed to apprehend him and the gun was found on his person but the two other managed to escape police custody.

The Inspector objected to bail for McFarley, adding that he is being charged for two serious offences. He added that a gun was recovered and that bail for firearm offences requires special circumstances but none were raised by the defence.

The accused, who was not represented by legal counsel, did not make an application for bail and was remanded to prison.

is no place that the PPP as a party cannot go.”

Then defiance turned to hypocrisy and rudeness. Too poor in intellectual planning, Ms. Teixeira became a jaded, doomed figure the kind Williams wrote about when she told her audience, “You have a right to be heard…you have a right to air your views.”

The very people Ms.Teixeira spoke these words to have access to only one television frequency. It is the state owned NCN. Ms. Teixeira was right; no one owns Linden, no one owns Berbice, no one owns Guyana, no one owns the East Indian Guyanese community, no one owns the resources of Guyana, no own owns the air waves of Guyana.

But the people in Linden cannot be that stupid not to know that there are powerful people who have been administering the nation’s business for twenty-one years now and their postures, attitudes, deportment and demagoguery, as Ms. Teixeira’s in Linden last Wednesday definitely give

the graphic indication that they own Guyana.

But leaving aside the hypocritical moments of her speech, Ms. Teixeira was totally oblivious to the reality that the milk train stopped going to Freedom House a long time ago. Like her atavistic colleague, Clement Rohee, she lives in a warped timeframe that is so typical of the character in a Tennessee Williams’s play.

Some of her Orwellian colleagues at Freedom House are more willing to concede that life is about new realities replacing old ones.

In Marxist philosophy, this is called the, “dialectic.”

How horrible that Marxism was stuffed down the throat of every protégés that Cheddi Jagan nurtured yet Ms. Teixeira doesn’t understand the iron law of dialectics.

Not only that the PPP and its Government may not be able to go where they want to in Guyana but the leaders admit that defeat awaits them in many areas of political life.

Mr. Jagdeo screamed out in front of his audience last year at the Convention

Frederick Kissoon Centre; “They killed hydropower,” Then he named the killers – Dr. Clive Thomas, Ramon Gaskin and Chris Ram. Doesn’t look from this admission by the Champion, that Ms. Teixeira’s party is still in control. Then El Presidente himself told a PPP rally in Port Mourant at the PPP Congress last year that the Jagdeo libel case brought against me hurt the PPP vote-getting capacity in the 2011 general elections (for more on this admission, see my column of August 16, 2013, “I am glad my libel defence reduced PPP votes in 2011”). The milk stopped going your way a long time, Mama Teixeira. Wake up!

COLUMNIST’S NOTE:A column on Ms. Teixeira’s common-law husband (deceased) and personal friend of mine, Fazal Khan, is forthcoming .

Homestretch Avenue accident…

City taxi driver granted bail for causing death A taxi driver was yesterday placed on $250,000 bail on a charge of causing the death of a basketball player on Homestretch Avenue, Georgetown last week.

Wendell Sooklall, of Lot 353 Cummings Street, Georgetown yesterday appeared before Chief Magistrate Priya SewnarineBeharry charged with the death of and was arraigned for 20-year-old Quacy-Quinn Leigh’s death.

The charge was that on February 18, last, he drove motor car PPP 6592 in a manner

dangerous to the public on Homestretch Avenue, and caused Leigh’s death.

Sooklall pleaded not guilty and later submitted a bail application through his lawyer. His case is being prosecuted by Inspector Michael Grant.

About 22:00 hours that evening the 20-year-old was riding his bicycle with his cousin. They were heading home from basketball practice at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall when he was hit from behind by the taxi driver.

Leigh, who resided at Lot 324

Dead: Quacy Leigh East Ruimveldt, Georgetown, was reportedly rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) in an unconscious state and later succumbed.

In making a bail application, his lawyer urged the court to offer her client a court bond stating that Sooklall is not a flight risk and has no previous brushes with the law. She added that her client has been cooperating with the police and had been placed on $100,000 station bail.

The prosecution did not object. The matter was adjourned to April 1.

Thursday February 27, 2014

Kaieteur News

Page 11

AFC now adopts Harmon says Rohee’s press statements APNU’s demands libelous - challenges him to go to Court Government is seemingly troubled that the Alliance For Change (AFC) has now expanded its demand to include those set out by A Partnership for National Unity (AFC).

Initially, the AFC was only concerned with having the Public Procurement Commission (PPC) established before it could support the anti-money laundering Bill.

Attorney General, Anil Nandlall, at a press conference hosted by President Donald Ramotar, yesterday, said that after 10 months of demanding the creation of PPC and not “caring” about the AntiMoney Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (Amendment) Bill the AFC has changed its tune.

But after all those months Government finally realized it was willing to trade the establishment of the Commission for the passage of the Bill. Incidentally, this is two days before the Government submits a progress report to the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF).

According to President Donald Ramotar, initially the AFC wanted only the PPC, that it had no problem with the Bill. Government never conceded AFC’s position because it wanted to maintain its no-objection role in the public procurement process.

The passage of an amended legislation would have eliminated Government’s noobjection.

Ramotar said that the AFC has not changed its position but has also adopted those of the APNU calling for amendments to the existing Bill that is compliant to the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force.

In addition, APNU wants the president to assent to those Bills which were passed in the National Assembly but were not assented to because they were deemed unconstitutional.

The Attorney General said that the Opposition seems to be operating on the premise that the Bill is Government’s and that Government would stand to lose something without the non-passage.

“So they are using this Bill to extract all manner of things from the Government…This Bill has to be opposed because it is important to Guyana and everyone would expect that every national party, that every national leader in this country would see the importance of this Bill. That concept of national importance of this Bill is lost

on the Opposition,” he said.

According to Nandlall, Government met with the AFC and APNU yesterday morning to discuss the possibility of having the Bill passed. Government had informed the AFC that it is willing to give the PPC tomorrow morning (today).

“We have said to the AFC that we are prepared to give you the PPC for tomorrow morning…We are prepared to do everything that can be done (before today’s sitting of the Nationl Assembly).

Government had been working on making the PPC possible. He explained that months ago Government tabled a Bill in Parliament to restore Cabinet’s noobjection even when the Commission is established.

“But when that Bill was put to the floor the opposition together signaled that they would defeat it as a result the Government had to ask that the Bill be adjourned…while we arrive at some compromise,” Nandlall said.

Nonetheless, as Nandlall emphasized AFC had been demanding the PPC some 10 months ago whilst Government tabled the amendments to the Procurement Act about four months ago.

According to Ramotar, the issue of the Procurement Commission came about in the Eighth Parliament.

“Cabinet sent this to the Parliament to be passed…And the modification was made on the floor-ill advised modifications however, we were still ready to proceed with some of these issues. And I was one of the lead negotiators with the PNC,” he said.

He said those negotiations broke down and the Bill was passed. However, he maintains that Government needs to maintain its noobjection.

Ramotar said that Government does not award contracts. “But we feel that if we are going to be held responsible, and charged everyday for corruption and all of that…this is an executive function and the executive is to be held responsible this is the minimum that we can have and that is our right to noobjection.”

Yesterday, during the meeting with Government the AFC proposed that Government establishes the Commission and act as a stakeholder who could raise issues for any tender awarded.

The ultimate decision would be left with the PPC. According to Ramotar, that proposal was put to Government (yesterday). As such, it has to be examined.

A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) Executive Member, Joseph Harmon, has come out in defence of the statements made by General Secretary of the Peoples Progressive Party and Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee for attributing the political coalition to criminality.

Harmon said that Rohee made very strong remarks in which he attributed the murder of two young boys to the Leader of the Opposition, Brigadier (ret’d) David Granger. He made certain statements which seem to suggest that he (Rohee) had information that during Harmon’s tenure in the army, he was providing information to the Opposition which basically made it difficult for government to operate in Guyana.

According to Harmon the statements that are made on a weekly basis on what “I call the Monday afternoon Theater by Mr. Rohee must be seen as nothing more than that, because they are by and large uninformed, un researched and they come from a person who is supposed to be the Minister responsible for the security sector in this country.”

“We want to put on record that while Mr Rohee peddles this disinformation and propaganda, the vital security sector of this county which is his remit cries out for competent leadership,” said Harmon.

He said that under Rohee’s watch Guyana has digressed to a haven for narco traffickers and gun runners and other forms of criminality. “We have given you aspects of the amount of crimes that have occurred in this county on a daily basis.

“These are issues which

affect all citizens of this country and Mr. Rohee who is the Minister of Home Affairs, whose constitutional requirement and his job specification require him to give all of his time to his professional duties.”

Harmon said that APNU is focused on the issues that affect people in this country.

He said that APNU “will not be digressed. This is a diversion by creating noises that have nothing to do with the central issues of development of this country.

So we want to make that very clear we did not want that to linger. I want to send a clear message to him that every Monday that he goes on the television and make these statements on Tuesday I will come and answer him. He could look forward to that.”

Legal Action Speaking on the issue of Rohee initiating legal action with APNU over identifying him (Rohee) as being a subject of criminal investigations hence the reason why he is not aware of Guyana’s links to drug trafficking, Harmon said he has not received any writ or any such document from the Minister or his attorneys.

“I really would wish that he does so. I challenged him; I dared him to let us go to Court and I am issuing that challenge again to him.”

“I believe that the statements he made in the press, those people themselves might be looking at what form of legal action they could take against him, they are scurrilous, these are statements I could understand that a person who is not in a position to receive credible information can make, for the Minister of Home Affairs to make those statements it is something to

APNU’s Executive Member Joseph Harmon

question what is the state of his mind,” Harmon exclaimed.

According to Harmon, Rohee did say that the conversation between Leader of the Opposition and the GDF was mind boggling.

“Well he has a very simple mind that’s why it is boggling him, this is very straight forward Mr. Granger made it clear why he was there and he made it clear that he was going to support the army in its budgetary allocation in so a far as it relates to fighting narco trafficking, he made that very clear.”

He said that they are high government officials that who are supposed to know better but never the less spin information and give the impression “that we in the opposition are bad people.”

Harmon stressed that APNU is concerned about the state of security in this country “we are concerned about gun running; we are

concerned about money laundering; we are concerned about narco terrorism.

“The investigations disclosed a clear linkage between the Italian Mafia, the operations in the United States of America and the operation here in Guyana, a very clear linkage, so we have to be concerned about things like that.”

Harmon said that APNU has to be concerned when the murder rate goes up, especially at times when there are issues with drugs and guns. “We have concerns about that and anybody who can do something about that we will engage, we will engage the army, the police, civil society because we believe that this is an important issue, we cannot just leave it like that a just be reading the Newspapers and do nothing and just throw our hands back and say that’s life in Guyana.”

Page 12

Kaieteur News

Thursday February 27, 2014

Anti Money laundering February 28 deadline…

Failure to pass Bill will have enormous economic effects - PSC

By Kiana Wilburg A most critical decision will be made today in the National Assembly over the Anti Money laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism Bill. Despite Government’s calls for the political Opposition’s unwavering support, it has remained firm that certain conditions must be satisfied first before such is given.

By February 28, Guyana is expected to submit a report to the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF).

But the recent indications by the political Opposition to withhold its support to the Bill has now forced the Private Sector Commission (PSC) to publically express its concerns over the economic consequences that will result if the Bill is not passed and the report not submitted.

Guyana’s failure to comply with prior deadlines has already placed it on the CFATF’s regional blacklist.

And its financial Advisor, Mr. Roger Hernandez has recently stated that the mere passage of the legislation will not be enough to erase its

misgivings and necessitate immediate removal from their list. Hernandez expressed that implementation of the legislation is the only way out.

In addition, there lurks an even more poisonous bite if Guyana fails to meet the deadline on Friday; the country faces being recommended to the Financial Action Task Force in Paris and the International Cooperation Review Group (FATF/ICRG).

This of course, is a more serious course of action. It would mean an international call for countries and banks to take protective measures against Guyana. To get off FATF’s blacklist can take as many as 18 months.

But even in the face of this danger, some local businesses and associations have expressed that the political Opposition which has been at the center of the delays, should remain strong in their objections which are geared towards ensuring that Guyana gets a legislation that is strong, one that this time around when enforced does not toy with the constitutional rights of

Financial Analyst, Ramon Gaskin citizens and does not give excessive powers to any Minister.

On the other side of the divide, there are those agencies who are extremely disappointed that the political Opposition is delaying the Bill despite the fact that the CFATF’s advisor has said that the Bill as it is, is compliant.

The PSC, after recent talks with the political Opposition, was unable to persuade them to lend their support with blinders on. The Commission

reminded that a number of international banks have begun to impose financial restrictions with consequential delays on transacting business with Guyana.

The Commission in a public missive strongly expressed its concern over the “enormous and irretrievable damage that will be done to the country’s economy from which it will take Guyana a minimum of two years to recover after having first met its international obligations to legislate and implement measures against money laundering.”

In spite of the Commission’s worry, Financial Analyst, Ramon Gaskin is of the firm belief that the impending economic calamity should also be placed on the background that Guyana is actually paying for the Government’s failure to uphold the constitutional demands by the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and the Alliance For Change (AFC).

“The Principal Act is unconstitutional and the Opposition has a right to fix

Chairman of the Private Sector Commission, Mr. Ronald Webster it. If the Government believes that there is such a great apocalypse on the way, then meet with the Opposition and grant them their requests. The Opposition is not asking them to do anything that is illegal.

They are simply asking the Government to be responsible and uphold the Constitution. Instead they continue to refer to their crafty scare tactics.”

Supporting Gaskin’s comments, A Partnership for

National Unity’s Shadow Minister of Public Works and Telecommunications Joseph Harmon during a press briefing yesterday said that the PSC needs to understand that the Legislation without being strengthened is “just toothless.”

“The Legislation needs teeth and needs a more transparent arrangement in terms of the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) having clear terms on the criteria for appointment and having reporting mechanisms established in a very clear manner.”

Harmon added, “We need to remove elements of the act that create doubt. We are not asking for anything that is unconstitutional.

Our discussions with the PSC were not a negotiation.

As a stakeholder in this country they have a right to ask questions. In this regard they are not a political party.

We listened to them and we told them our concerns and we asked them to utilize the same spirit with the Government to ensure that they grant the demands we asked for.”

It’s my responsibility to advise the government on all legal matters

By Latoya Giles Attorney General Anil Nandlall has maintained that as the principal Legal Advisor to the government it is his responsibility to advice, on all matters of law including the constitution. The AG was answering questions on his advice about the “constitutionally” of three Local Government Bills which have not been

- AG assented to by President Donald Ramotar.

“As principal legal advisor to the government it is my responsibility to advice the government on all matters of law including the constitution...I have repeatedly said that the court is the final arbiter on matters

of law and the constitutionality of matters,” Nandlall told the media yesterday.

The Attorney General further noted that it does not prevent him from expressing his legal opinion on a legal matter which is part of his constitutional responsibility.

Nandlall said that anyone who disagrees with an opinion expressed by him is free to approach the court.

“I have that much

indicated to the opposition and also, that they could seek the opinion of another lawyer if they aren’t satisfied with mine” the attorney general said.

According to Nandlall he has asked on numerous occasions to debate these issues via several television shows but no one has come forward.

The Attorney General had said that the amendment which was made to the Local Government Bill in the National Assembly was not assented to by the president because it was unconstitutional.

Nandlall had said that the amendments which the joint opposition made in the National Assembly to one of three Local Government Bills had essentially changed the functionality and had made deficient the Bill hence the reason for the President’s non assent. “President Ramotar

assented to three of the Local Government Bills on the 28th of October 2013. On that date, his Excellency exercising the powers conferred on him by article 170 (3) of the Constitution of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana withheld his assent for the Local Government Amendment Bill of 2012.

“On the 14th of November 2013 the President returned the Bill to the Honorable Speaker of the National Assembly, with a message stating the reasons for withholding assent pursuant to the relevant provisions on the constitution.”

The Attorney General said that when the Bill was in the Special Select Committee of the National Assembly, changes were made by the Joint Opposition (A Partnership of National Unity APNU and Alliance for Change AFC) that were objected to by the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C).

The objection, he said, was however rejected since the joint opposition has a majority vote “in the committee.”

According to Nandlall, the changes made by the joint opposition to the Bill rendered the latter “constitutionally and institutionally defective and deficient.” Nandlall added

Attorney General Anil Nandlall that the several changes made by the joint opposition, were intended to “confer upon the Local Government Commission powers duties and responsibilities beyond and in excess of those granted to the Local Government Commission by Article 78A of the Constitution.”

“Many clauses which were contained in the Bill originally tabled by the Minister of Local Government and Regional Development were deleted by the joint opposition in the Special Committee without any adequate insertions made to fill the void.

As a consequence, there are now several structural and institutional deficiencies in the functional architecture of the Local Government structure created by the said bill” Nandlall had expressed.

Thursday February 27, 2014

Page 13

Kaieteur News

Car accident involving Finance Minister…

Inewsguyana report signals rift between govt. ministers - Opposition

I

newsguyana.com, an online media outlet which is said to be owned by Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment, Robert Persaud, recently carried reports on Dr. Ashni Singh's car accident.

Dr Singh . according to INews, was reportedly drunk when he failed to stop at a major road and slammed into a car transporting a husband and wife. The couple ended up in a trench.

A Partnership for National Unity's Shadow Minister of Public Works and Telecommunications, Joseph Harmon, said that he suspects that this might be a clear indication that there is a rift between the government ministers.

Harmon said, “Inews which is reportedly owned

by Robert Persaud has on his online news site the incident and it was a surprise to many opposition members.

“If his news agency is carrying it in the way it did then it means something is going on.”

When cornered to be more specific about his

suspicions he said, “Invariably news agencies carry the line of its owner. I am saying that it is somewhat logical to speculate that there is some rift within the party. It may indicate a rift between the two.”

Calls to Minister Persaud to comment on Harmon's hunch, proved futile.

According to reports, the

Robert Persaud

Dr. Ashni Singh

CANU issues bulletin for Wayne Williams, Tarachandra Persaud

Wayne Hubert Williams

Tarachandra Persaud

The Customs AntiNarcotics Unit has issued a wanted bulletin for Wayne H u b e r t Wi l l i a m s a k a “SPLICER”. Williams was born on May 14, 1962. His address was given as Greenheart Street, South Ruimveldt; and Lot 50 New Hope, East Bank Demerara.

Williams is wanted in connected with cocaine found at CJIA , yesterday.

A 24 year-old woman was caught at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) after Customs and Anti Narcotic Unit (CANU) o ff i c e r s d i s c o v e r e d a quantity of cocaine

concealed in achar in her luggage, shortly after 05:00hrs.

She was an outgoing passenger on BW 525, CJIA said in a statement.

The Canadian citizen is currently assisting police with their investigations And Robert Narine Khaimraj or Tarachandra Persaud aka Doce / Dos is still being sought by CANU in connection with cocaine found at CJIA on Saturday February 8, 2014.

Khaimraj of Republic Park, East Bank Demerara, was born on August 30, 1974.

Finance Minister's vehicle crashed into another at the corner of Garnett Street and Delph Avenue, Kitty.

Dr. Singh was reportedly unhurt but left the scene leaving behind two injured passengers, Jageshwar Hira, the driver and Parbattie Shivcharan.

Minister of Home Affairs, Clement Rohee had been questioned on the

matter at his weekly press conference but refused to give any specifics.

He insisted that it is a “police matter.”

Harmon said, “Rohee should be able to distinguish between his political duties and his duties to the nation. He is responsible for Public Security.”

The politician stressed

that no one is above the law and that the Finance Minister should have been charged. “We will have to ensure that the police do what they have to do.”

Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, is representing Dr. Singh. He has made efforts to cement plans to compensate Hira and Shivcharan.

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Thursday February 27, 2014

Kaieteur News

Port facilities race to comply with int'l safety requirements

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s Guyana race to pass critical anti-money legislations, work is ongoing to ensure that the country does not also face possible blacklisting from another end.

This time, port officials have been meeting to ensure its players are aware of international safety requirements that need to be in place to ensure its wharves and maritime facilities are protected against possible terrorist activities.

The Shipping Association of Guyana (SAG), in close collaboration with Maritime Administration Department (MARAD), hosted a crucial

awareness seminar for port operators last Tuesday at Cara Lodge.

The key objective was to ensure that senior supervisory staffers as well as port and ship security officers were fully aware of how essential their adherence to the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code is. Non-compliance could see Guyana blocked from accessing international maritime traffic.

SAG said the one-day seminar was also designed to reinforce the need for continued observance and correction of all protection systems and procedures.

The Association,

speaking on the meeting last week, explained that a significant indicator of the health of a nation's maritime sector is the level of its adherence to the international maritime conventions, specifically the Safety of Life At Sea (SOLAS) convention.

Almost immediately following the devastating September 11, 2001 attack on the US' World Trade Centre, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) set about amending SOLAS in order to strengthen maritime safety.

“The SOLAS Chapter 74 Amendment XI became the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS)

Port officials during the meeting on security measures last week.

Code which every nation traversing the seas and oceans of the world is

required to become signatories to. As such, every wharf and maritime facility in Port Georgetown, Berbice and Essequibo is required to put in place specific measures to guard against any type of maritime terrorist activity,” SAG disclosed.

Guyana has been a signatory to SOLAS for more than a decade.

Last year, the United States Coast Guard (USCG), which is the designated authority for enforcement of the ISPS Code, visited Guyana to inspect facilities ahead of the issuance of the 2014 – 2019 Compliance Certificate. “ T h e g e n e r a l shortcoming identified by the visiting team was the absence of the unrelenting execution of port security requirements at some wharf facilities.

Every public and privately held maritime facility must be compliant before Guyana could achieve certification,” SAG warned yesterday.

The USCG delivered specific recommendations which the shipping association has placed in its work programme for 2014.

The code requires, among other things, that security personnel are always present; that fences and partitions are constructed at specific heights, and that security cameras are always functional.

“The US Coast Guard also found that Port Facility Security Plans at most wharf facilities in Guyana were in place but were being treated

as contingencies rather than a way of life. This, they said, was a recurring theme throughout the Caribbean and Latin America.”

According to Chairman of the SAG, Desmond Sears, during the meeting, there is a need for staff at all levels of wharf operations to ensure awareness of the code and its requirements.

He also emphasized the negative national economic consequences that would result from non-compliance with any requirement of the ISPS code.

“There are considerable challenges to successful implementation of the ISPS Code, but non-compliance could result in a USCG Advisory which may blacklist a port,” cautioned Sears.

The shipping official noted that the process to ensure compliance has not been easy as both time and money must be expended by both Government and terminal operators.

Participants of the seminar were drawn from the Guyana National Shipping Corporation (GNSC); the Guyana Oil Company (GUYOIL); Courtney Benn Contracting Services; Benjamin's Marine and Salvaging Company; Demerara Shipping; Regal Shipping; Bosai Minerals; Guyana National Industrial Company (GNIC); John Fernandes Ltd. (JFL) and Guyana Power and Light (GPL) Inc. Also involved were operators of cargo/freight terminals, wharves and customs brokerages.

Thursday February 27, 2014

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Kaieteur News

Missing Bachelors Adventure woman’s body dumped in cemetery

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he semi nude body of a 19year-old woman was yesterday found in the cemetery at Bachelor’s Adventure, East Coast Demerara.

Patricia Young, a former employee of KFC, who last worked at Clear Connect call centre, appeared to have been killed since Sunday night, when she was last seen.

Her reputed husband had led police to her body around 17:30 hours, after finding her slippers outside the cemetery. The discovery followed days of frantic searching.

A senior police official last night informed that the woman’s reputed husband has admitted to killing her.

He reportedly told investigators that the woman left home by herself on Sunday (Mash Day), and upon her return they had an argument which led to a physical altercation.

According to detectives, the woman’s body was dragged from the road into the cemetery where it was dumped. There were also attempts to make it look like a gang rape.

The dead woman’s miniskirt was pulled up and her top was rolled up all the way around her neck. She appeared to have been strangled, since there were no other visible marks of violence on the body.

The discovery of Young’s body saw residents in the area leaving their homes to flock to the cemetery to get a glimpse of the already bloated body, which was lying at the base

- husband is prime suspect

The dead woman’s uncle Kewis Young talking to reporters. of a huge tree.

Residents who live close to the cemetery reported hearing no screams and the discovery was a total shock to them.

Her uncle, Kewis Young, who hails from Plaisance was at the scene last night and spoke to this newspaper.

He said that the woman grew up in Plaisance but m o v e d t o B a c h e l o r ’s Adventure a little over a year ago to live with her reputed husband.

Young said that he was told by his niece’s fiancé that she left home by herself on Sunday and was not seen alive since.

“Yesterday (Tuesday) he come and tell we and we just start looking into it right away…we just go around and mek reports at de station, put out check fuh she, but nothing,” Kewis Young told this newspaper.

Even the hospital was

checked but Patricia Young could not be found.

But yesterday the breakthrough came and with it the reality that something terrible had happened to the young woman.

According to Kewis Yo u n g , t h e w o m a n ’s reputed husband reported to police that he found one side of the pair of sandals that she was wearing when she left home on Sunday, lying in front of the cemetery “Is come dey come fuh look fuh de sandals and after dey find it outside there, and dey search and dat is how dey find de body under de tree,” the dead woman’s uncle stated.

The evidence suggests that Patricia Young was attacked on the road and put up a fierce fight, causing her sandals to fall off, before she was dragged into the nearby cemetery.

Her uncle related that she grew up in a large family and was taught how to defend herself from an early age.

“I saw the body. She skirt deh on she belly and she top deh round she neck, she ain’t gat on no panty, she deh naked skin…it look like rape and murder,” Kewis Young explained.

Residents initially believed that Young was attacked by more than one person.

They told this newspaper that although they were shocked that something like this had actually happened in their community, they had

expected it.

The residents said that even if persons had heard Young screaming, they might not have ventured out from their homes, because as he put it, “gun bullet does fire.”

She recalled, “when tief jump we house and we hollerin, and none body, even neighbour very close a n d d e m a i n ’ t come…everybody frighten dey get a bullet,” the woman stated.

Before moving to Bachelor ’s Adventure, Patricia Young lived with her grandmother in Plaisance since she was three weeks old, having lost both of her parents at a tender age. “ D i s i s r e a l devastating..fuh know dat you tek care of you niece all dese years and den now fuh come and see she like duh, and rape too…dat is real r o u g h , ” K e w i s Yo u n g lamented.

Dead: Patricia Young

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Kaieteur News

Thursday February 27, 2014

Thursday February 27, 2014

Kaieteur News

“Mash garbage” being dumped on Princes Street Tons of garbage that were supposed to be taken to the official Haags Bosch landfill site at Eccles, is now being dumped in the compound of the Stone Depot on Princes Street, Georgetown.

The mountainous pile of garbage consists of materials that were left behind in the aftermath of the recently concluded Mashramani celebrations.

Kaieteur News visited the Stone Depot compound yesterday, and the people who work there, were not too pleased with the condition of their worksite.

Apart from the flies and mosquitoes that now swarm their working area, the men and women who fall under the employment of the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) are also left to deal with the stench of the unsightly build up of garbage.

“We can't continue like this. We are people, and this thing that dey got we in here is very unhealthy,” one man said.

“It gat suh much truck and tractor loads coming in here and dumping garbage, that it hard to keep track of it,” another worker added.

The workers are also at another discomfort, as a number of dead dogs tied in bags were dumped in the canal just outside the compound, in close proximity to its gate.

“Right outside by the gate, next to the bridge the thing deh, and it stink. When yuh think yuh could escape the smell in here, yuh can't even go by the gate and lime, because the smell out deh worse,” a worker told this newspaper yesterday.

The man said that the

workers are all annoyed, especially since they have no one to complain to.

“It look like this compound is the eye pass compound. People bringing all dem unwanted things and dey dumpin' it here, and I think is about time we put a stop to it,” the worker said.

According to the M&CC employees, a couple of them had approached the supervisor of the Stone Depot with their complaints.

However the workers said that the boss responded that the garbage will soon be burnt.

“How dey can burn garbage in this environment, eh? This ain't right. Look at this pile, and it deh right up to the buildings now, so I don't understand wha gon happen to we if dey burn it right here.” Something got to be done. Almost two weeks now we suffering with this thing, and with how terrible this thing is, somebody might end up falling sick,” an employee said.

The man explained that a few years ago, garbage used to be buried aback of the Stone Depot compound, and that this did not cause any inconvenience to the people working there.

“I guess we could live with dem burying it here, but why dey ga do that when we got the dumpsite up the East Bank (Demerara)? We does maintain that place, and dey still dumping here. This eye pass got to stop,” the Stone Depot worker stressed.

Meanwhile, Kaieteur News made several attempts to get a comment from officials of City Hall to ascertain why the garbage isn't being transported to Haags Bosch. However, these proved futile.

Woman caught with cocaine in achar at CJIA A 24 year-old woman was caught at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) after Customs and Anti Narcotic Unit (CANU) o ff i c e r s d i s c o v e r e d a quantity of cocaine concealed in achar in her luggage yesterday morning, shortly after 05:00hrs.

She was an outgoing passenger on BW 525, CJIA said in a statement.

The permanent Canadian

citizen is currently assisting police with their investigations.

Meanwhile, the actual amount of cocaine has not been determined as yet.

The discovery of the cocaine comes on the heels of the arrest and subsequent charge of Tishana Edwards who on February 23 was allegedly caught with 2.092 kilogrammes of cocaine concealed in cream liqueur.

Just a section of the mountainous pile of garbage dumped at Stone Depot on Princes Street

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Thursday February 27, 2014

Kaieteur News

Patentia Secondary School student - One attacker reportedly chopped after lessons admits to planning murder

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haquille DaSilva, a 17-year-old student of the Patentia Secondary School is currently unable to attend school, as he is nursing chop wounds to the head and hand.

He was attacked on Friday night last.

According to the Phoenix Park, West Bank Demerara resident, he was attacked at around 20:30 hrs, just minutes after leaving his teacher's home in Sister's Village where he was taking extra lessons.

“About three of we did standing on the road and some ah dem boys from in the area did riding they bicycle across the road. We didn't pay much attention to dem, and I didn't even know that they did comin' cover to we,” DaSilva said.

He explained that although the place was dark, he saw one of the boys running towards him and his friends holding a cutlass.

But before they could make an attempt to do anything, the boy was already standing in front of DaSilva, armed with a cutlass.

The injured teen said that before he and his friends could react, he (DaSilva) was dealt with a blow from behind that caused him to fall to the ground.

“I don't really know who hit me from behind,” DaSilva pointed out.

However, as he lay there,

chopped me in my head from behind, I fall down, and while I deh on de ground, the other boy that did walk up in front of me, start tekin de cutlass and chopping 'Wild West.'”

The lad said that his friends then raised an alarm, after which his teacher's husband ran out of the yard, chasing the attackers away.

DaSilva was then rushed to the West Demerara Regional Hospital where he was admitted and treated.

In addition to several stitches to the head, DaSilva also suffered a severed vein and a few fractured bones in the left hand.

Following a court hearing on Tuesday, the teenager accused of chopping DaSilva was remanded to prison until March 21, while two of his accomplices were placed on $75,000 bail.

The whereabouts of the youngster, who DaSilva said, is responsible for

An injured Shaquille DaSilva

severing his vein and fracturing his bones is currently unknown.

However, the injured teen's mother, Colleen Blair, told this newspaper yesterday that police ranks have promised that an arrest warrant will be issued for the accused.

This publication understands that one of the defendants has confessed to planning how to kill DaSilva and a friend.

According to DaSilva, he and his friend became targets a few weeks ago, after they intervened and helped to part a fight involving another friend and DaSilva's attacker who is on the run.

“Me ain't really know dem boys this properly, but is because we part the fight mek dey start holding this thing against we,” DaSilva said.

Da Silva's mother, Blair, said that she has been able to confirm that her son's

attackers are regular “bad boys” who are usually a nuisance to their community and the neighbouring school.

“The boys claim that they are all 16-year-olds, but they don't go to school. The teacher said that the boys left school long, so how can they still be 16? Anyways, from what I understand, these are the usual bad boys to the area, and they usually harass students who go to the lesson and who attend Patentia Secondary,” the woman said.

Despite being in pain, Blair said that her son, who is preparing to sit the upcoming Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examination, will be returning to school on Monday.

“While the police dealing with the matter and so, he will be going back to school, and thankfully is not his right hand that got injured, so he can write.”

Parents reportedly abandon young children during Mash “jump-up”

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with blood oozing from the back of his head, DaSilva said that the boy, who he saw

with the cutlass, began hacking him.

“After somebody

wo parents of Friendship Backlands, East Coast Demerara who abandoned their children at the Kitty Seawalls during the city's Mashramani celebrations are now being prosecuted on four counts of neglect of child.

Marcia Adams and Curtis Changa were jointly charged after their nine, seven, four and three-yearold children were rescued a little after midnight by public spirited citizens who found the little brood wandering alone on the seawalls.

The mother and father appeared before Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry at the Georgetown Magistrates' Court yesterday. They pleaded not guilty and were each placed on $50,000 bail.

The court heard that on February 23, at the Kitty Seawalls, the parents of the four children, neglected them in a manner likely to cause them unnecessary suffering or danger to their health.

Inspector Michael Grant the prosecutor, said that public spirited citizens saw the children who were seen wandering on the seawalls after midnight, and decided to approach them.

Accused Father: Curtis Changa According to Grant, when questioned the children stated that their parents “just take them and left them there.”

As a result, the matter was reported to the Kitty Police Station who called in Child Protection Agency ( C PA ) . F o l l o w i n g investigations, Changa and Adams were contacted and subsequently arrested and charged.

The State Prosecutor told the court that the children have since been in the care of CPA which is continuing its investigation.

Grant beseeched the court to consider what could have happened to those children had there not been proper intervention. He

objected to bail too stating that the serious nature and the penalty attached to the offence were sufficient grounds for their pre-trial liberty to be denied.

The two who were unrepresented by legal counsel stood quietly with their shoulders slumped during the short court proceeding. Adams and Changa spoke only to confirm details of their particulars and did not make a bail application.

The father indicated that he works with a Ministry of Agriculture Drainage and Irrigation project and was previously charged for the possession of marijuana but never convicted.

On the other hand, the mother who claimed that she is a sanitary worker stood beside her partner outside of the prisoners' docks and appeared confused about her home address.

Adams initially stated that she lived at Vigilance, East Coast Demerara but when questioned she had difficulty with verifying her address. The court heard that she had provided the police with a Friendship, East Coast Demerara address.

Their case was transferred to Magistrate Faith McGusty for trial.

Thursday February 27, 2014

Civilians hold vigil outside GHRA in solidarity with abused toddler

The injured baby’s eyes

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bout fifty persons from different walks of life last evening stood united as they gathered in front of the Guyana Human Rights Association (GHRA) on Hadfield Street and Austin Place, in the city, in solidarity with the one-yearold toddler who was recently abused by her babysitter.

The demonstrators who picketed the Association stated that they are in total disagreement with the position taken by the Human Rights Association on the matter. .On February 14 last, 19year-old baby sitter Fatima Martin was sentenced to five years imprisonment after she confessed to inflicting grievous bodily harm on the one-year-old child under her care.

Reports are that the babysitter, who flew in a fit of rage, dealt the toddler several slaps and even choked her. Amidst public outcry over the sentence, pro-bono lawyers moved to appeal the sentence and have since secured $100,000 bail for the young woman.

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Kaieteur News

The GHRA had decried the sentence, stating that the court extradited the case and handed down a harsh and undeserving prison term.

The group of persons who gathered last evening claimed however that the decision by the High Court to grant the woman bail is sending the wrong message to the Guyanese society.

They believe that child abusers should feel the brunt of the law.

Sarah Balgobin, the organiser of the vigil, stated that it is the hope of the group to achieve public support against the recent action taken which, according to her, is an injustice to the defenseless child.

“There have so far been a lot of mixed reactions. Many persons are supporting this young lady who has battered this child and I cannot understand that. How can you support a woman who did something so heinous?” she questioned.

Balgobin believes that the real point has been missed and the true victim has been overlooked. “This

is a child who was beaten, and that should be the whole point of this. We want to highlight that a child was beaten. Not who the parents are or what they do.”

She stated that too much attention has been given to the ethnicity of the babysitter and the parents of the afflicted child who are Attorneys-at-Law (one of whom is a serving Magistrate).

“We want to make sure that justice is served for this little girl. She could have been my child, your child, or anybody’s child. Almost everyone I asked stated that they would have acted harshly had their child been abused.”

“A message should be sent to people who are beating children. They should know that they should not be doing this because you will face the full force of the law. Aren’t you supposed to pay for a crime that you committed?”

Balgobin indicated that the peaceful protest will continue today and tomorrow at the GHRA building from 19:00 hours.

Linden biker dies after slamming into timber truck A motorcyclist from the mining town of Linden died on the spot last night when he crashed into the back of a truck on the Soesdyke/Linden Highway in the vicinity of Kara Kara.

The dead man has been identified as auto salesman, Lloyd Smith, also known as ‘Junior Street Boy’, who is believed to be in his early twenties.

According to reports, Smith had overtaken a car and slammed into the back of a lumber truck which was travelling in the same direction.

The impact hurled him from the bike and onto the road.

Relatives and friends who later got news of the tragedy screamed in anguish when they arrived on the scene and saw the body of the father of one child sprawled on the roadway.

Kaieteur News understands that Smith had acquired the Kawasaki motorcycle only a few days ago.

Lloyd Smith

Guyanese on US$50,000 for undeclared US$35,000 A N e w Yo r k - b a s e d Guyanese was arrested last week by US authorities after he failed to declare more than US$26,000 in cash that he was carrying.

Vilton Bourne, 30, has since been placed on US$50,000 bail.

According to a complaint

by Special Agent, Gregory Stemkowski, of the Department of Homeland Security, Bourne was set to travel to Guyana on February 19 on a Caribbean Airlines flight to Guyana.

Personnel from the Customs and Border Protection at the JFK International Airport selected him for an “outboard enforcement” examination.

When asked, he declared US$9,000 and signed a form.

However, he reportedly presented US$10,000 to the officers, the complaint said.

He was asked if he had other cash and Bourne replied in the negative.

According to the Special Agent, the security officials took his two pieces of

Charged: Vilton Bourne

luggage and searched them.

There was US$10,000 in each.

In the defendant’s wallet, the officials discovered that Bourne had US$5,577.

He was arrested. In total, the complaint said Bourne had US$35,577.

Bourne was charged with knowingly and with intent to evade the currency reporting requirements, he attempted to transport the cash from the US.

On February 20, he appeared before Judge Cheryl Pollak of the Eastern District of New York Court.

Bourne was ordered held until February 24 when he was placed on US$50,000 bail.

According to the court documents, there may be a possibility of the plea bargain.

Bourne was ordered not to leave the New York area until the matter is completed.

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Thursday February 27, 2014

Kaieteur News

Colwyn Harding assault...

Policemen could be charged - Kennard I

f the policemen under scrutiny are found culpable for the baton rape of Colwyn Harding, they would more than likely be charged with inflicting grievous bodily harm.

H o w e v e r, t h e investigation that is being conducted by the responsible agency must be able to make the charge stick, Chairman of the Police Complaints Authority, Justice Cecil Kennard told Kaieteur News yesterday.

He was responding to questions pertaining to the hiring of a separate and Special Investigator for the probe into the prominent Harding baton-rape case.

The Chairman was also speaking on the length of time that is taking to complete a thorough and c o m p r e h e n s i v e investigation to make the case against the police ranks accused of shoving a condom-covered police baton up the anus of the 23year-old Georgetown resident.

Justice Kennard told

Kaieteur News that in some cases involving death, serious injuries, discharging a loaded firearm etc. Section 12 of the Police Complainants Act 1989 caters for the police force to send its investigation file to his office before that file is sent to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

It is then sent back to the Police Commissioner if the report is not done properly and then back to the Police Complaints Authority before the DPP receives it; provided that the report is now properly completed.

Justice Kennard feels, however, that to hire an independent or special investigator for the Harding case “would make no sense.”

When asked about sections of the law that allow for an independent or separate investigator probing the Harding case, the Chairman opined that there was no need to “waste money” to hire such a person, when in his opinion, the DPP, Mrs. Shalimar Hack, “is quite capable and competent of

Police Complaints Authority Chairman Cecil Kennard handling the matter.”

He said that he has heard of the talks about a separate investigator probing the Harding matter. “What makes Harding's case different from others or special?”

He asked whether the DPP is not independent. The DPP, he charged, has handled other serious cases.

Justice Kennard went on

to say that in any case that is probed, it is not just a necessity to find a prima facie case against those accused but to ensure, “a realistic prospect of (the case's) success.”

Kennard explained that the case should be solid to the point that it will not be easy for the accused to appeal the matter and get off.

“In the Harding case”, he added, “The victim is making the accusation against the police, who have so far denied.

There are no other witnesses to vouch for Harding's story and therefore the case depends heavily on medical reports”.

He added that although he is not in receipt of the independent local and foreign medical report provided by Harding's Attorney Nigel Hughes through Harding's civil support group, all documents will have to be taken into consideration if charges are recommended.

Harding, in the meantime, appeared at the Providence Magistrate's

23-year-old Colwyn Harding

Court on Tuesday for the continuance of his alleged peace officer assault case.

Harding is on $50,000 bail for the alleged assault.

To date none of the police officers accused of assaulting and sodomising Harding with a police baton has been charged.

Harding claimed that late last year he was beaten and baton raped by police officers in search of petty

thieves. It is alleged that in the wee hours of the morning, the police officers, along with officers of the Community Policing Group stormed the house Harding was occupying and assaulted him.

Harding was allegedly beaten over a period of days.

He suffered internal injuries which had to be repaired by several surgeries conducted both locally and overseas.

Fate of AML/CFT passage in Chief Parliamentary ...

From page 3 appeared before the committee where he was provided with clarifications on what APNU wanted in their amendments.

He asked for time to complete the draft and requested to meet back with the Committee at 11:00hrs today.

Parliament will convene its session at 14:00hrs.

According to Harmon, a decision has already been taken, that should Dhurjon not be able to complete the draft by then, the Committee will meet again next Wednesday.

Should he manage to complete the draft, this would leave the Committee with less than three hours to prepare a final report and vote to take the Bill back to the House.

Asked about the amendments running the risk of making the Bill non compliant as had been i n t i m a t e d b y C FAT F representative Roger Hernandez and echoed by Government, Harmon said that Hernandez has not seen what the final draft looks like.

Amendments at the Committee level, he said, can take days, weeks or even months to make.

According to Harmon, what the current Bill satisfies is the minimum recommendations by CFATF and as such APNU is simply seeking to strengthen it further.

He said that what C FAT F s e n t w e r e recommendations that were drafted into a legislative format. He pointed out that even government was not in agreement with all of CFATF's recommendations.

Harmon pointed to a recommended fine by CFATF to be imposed on delinquent banks as $100M. This has since, through negotiations with CFATF been reduced to $5M and is still allows for the Bill to maintain compliance.

Minister Nandlall, himself, had also spoken of a recommendation he altered and has still found compliance with CFATF. Nandlall recently in a public statement said, “In fact, I refined many of the recommendations which came from the CFATF from

which the Bill was coined with a view of reducing certain powers which were recommended to reside with Ministers in the Bill.”

He cited as an example, i n t h e C F AT F recommendations, the Attorney General was to have powers to instruct a commercial bank to freeze any account held at that bank which the Attorney General has reasonable suspicion to believe contains proceeds of crime.

“I refined that recommendation to say that the Attorney General must apply ex parte to a judge for an order to freeze the account, and must be able to satisfy that judge that he has credible and reasonable basis to suspect that the account contains proceeds of crime,” said Nandlall.

According to Nandlall, “I specifically, shifted that power from the Attorney General to a Judge, because I believe that the Executive branch of Government should not enjoy such plenitude of power over the citizenry as there would be a likelihood of abuse.”

Thursday February 27, 2014

Kaieteur News

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Mahaica farmer murder... Guyanese doctor sentenced to 10 years

Police witness tells court suspect was positively identified

Orin David (left) and his alleged accomplice Shawn Thom at court yesterday Prosecution witness, Mahendra Dandhat, called ‘Sugo’ concluded his evidence in chief at the Georgetown Supreme Court yesterday, in the murder trial of Orin David called ‘Plait Hair or Malik’ and Shawn Thom.

The two men are before Justice Franklyn Holder and a mixed 12-member panel of Jurors for the murder of Mahaica rice farmer, Lakhram Bishundial, who was shot and killed on August 20, 2010.

Dandhat recounted that he was in the truck with a group of men, including‘Carlton’ and ‘Dolphus’ when a gunman shot Lakhram Bishundial before escaping on a motorbike.

The witness told the court that ‘Helen’ was in the front seat of the truck when Lakhram stopped to talk with his brother, Totaram, at Hope, East Coast Demerara.

He claimed that he was peeping from the cabin of the truck, when he saw a negro man with a gun…”He jumped on the front tyre of the truck and fire a shot and after he went to the pickup and a collect a bag before he jump pon a motorbike.”

Inspector of Police, Kenrick Parris, was the next witness to testify in the matter.

He told the court that he was attached to the Turkeyen Police Station in September 2010, where he conducted an identification parade with the number two suspect, Orin David, in relation to the murder of Lahkram Bishundial.

Parris said that he cautioned the accused in

accordance with his rights. I told him that he had the right to remain silent, the right to an attorney, or a relative present … he refused the options.”

Parris said that he placed the suspect among nine other men of similar height and description.

He said Totaram Bishundial, the brother of the deceased, and another eyewitness, Chaman Singh, attended the parade. The policeman claimed that both witnesses picked out Orin David as the suspect of the murder.

“Afterward I told the suspect that he was identified as man who shot Lakhram Bishundial who is now dead…he remained silent.”

Upon the prosecutor’s request, the policemen pointed out the accused Orin David. “He is sitting in dock with a white shirt and blue tie.”

Previously, Cicely Charles, a pump attendant, who was attached to the Guyoil Gas Station at Victoria in 2010, testified in the matter.

She claimed that she was on duty at the pump station when she suddenly heard a loud noise and upon checking, she saw a crowd.

“It was man running coming with a bag and a gun.

A burgundy pickup truck had tried to pin the man to the fence.”

Lahkram Bishundial, a rice farmer from De Hoop Mahaica was shot and killed during a robbery, just two days before a wedding celebration for his younger brother, Totaram Bishundial.

for sexually abusing sedated patients A Canadian anesthesiologist convicted of sexually assaulting 21 sedated women during surgeries was sentenced on Tuesday to 10 years in prison, according to an Associated Press report.

Ontario Superior Court Justice, David McCombs said Dr. George Doodnaught, 65, exploited the extraordinarily high degree of trust the patients placed in him and his conduct “did enormous damage and was reprehensible in the extreme.”

“The profound psychological impact of the physical violations has been compounded by the victims’ deep feelings of betrayal — that these offenses were committed during surgery, by a medical doctor, in an operating room, a place of ultimate vulnerability and trust,” McCombs said in sentencing Doodnaught. The doctor is reportedly from Guyana.

Many of Doodnaught’s victims were in the courtroom and wiped tears from their eyes as the sentence was read. Their victim impact statements at an earlier sentencing hearing told of “debilitating” feelings of anger and bitterness, shame, panic attacks, loss of selfworth, distrust of doctors and an inability to form intimate

Dr. George Doodnaught relationships, McCombs said.

The judge said that in several cases Doodnaught “compounded his victims’ sense of violation and humiliation by manipulating them to try to make them believe they were somehow responsible — that they had initiated sexual contact or had engaged in sexually explicit conversations.”

Though Doodnaught was sentenced to 10 years, he may not spend much time in custody.

Doodnaught intends to appeal his convictions, and the Court of Appeal for Ontario is set to hear an application Wednesday to let him out on

bail pending the appeal.

One of his victims — the woman who sparked the investigation — clapped as he was led away in handcuffs.

Outside court she said the prospect of more court hearings as Doodnaught proceeds with his appeal is “devastating,” but she will keep attending and fighting to be heard.

“At this point I’ve come this far and I need to show my children how to do the right thing and how to stand up (against) what’s wrong and this is so wrong on so many levels and I need to do that for them,” she said with her husband by her side.

The woman, who can’t be identified due to a publication ban, went in for a hysterectomy in 2010. During the surgery Doodnaught fondled her breasts, kissed her and put his penis in her mouth, the court found.

When she was in the recovery room, Doodnaught leaned in close to her and said, “As soon as you were out, the first thing you reached for was my... (penis),” the court found.

Doodnaught declined the opportunity to make a statement before he was sentenced.

Doodnaught’s lawyer, Brian Greenspan, said his client was “disappointed”

with the sentence.

“He continues to enjoy widespread support not only with his family but amongst his colleagues, patients,” Greenspan said outside court.

When Doodnaught was convicted in November, McCombs found that the doctor relied on his three decades of operating room experience to avoid detection as he sexually assaulted the sedated women while concealed only by a surgical drape from other medical staff.

The first six assaults were spread over 3 1/2 years and 15 others in the last six months before he was stopped.

All but one of the assaults happened at North York General Hospital in Toronto.

During his trial, most of the 21 victims, between the ages of 25 and 75, took the stand against Doodnaught.

They gave generally similar accounts of being kissed and fondled by him, and of having his penis placed in their mouths or hands. The women testified they were conscious enough to be aware of what was happening, but were not able to move their limbs.

An anesthesiologist since 1981, Doodnaught had worked at North York General for 28 years.

Dr. Norton urges academic review of nursing school Describing the final results of the Professional Nursing Programme as a “national scandal,” A Partnership for National Unity (APNU)’s shadow Minister of Health, Dr. George Norton is re-emphasizing the need for the subject ministry to reconsider its academic policies in regards to the profession.

Earlier this month, the results of nursing students who participated in final examinations last October surfaced. The reports suggested that of a total of 120 students from the Georgetown School of Nursing, 19 were successful.

However, in a bid to shed light on the issue, Dr. Norton pointed to elements of the programme which he says is the basis of the academic downfall.

“It is terrible across the board… in Linden out of approximately 77 students, who wrote the exams 11 passed, in New Amsterdam, only a few students passed …. I believe that the administration needs to reconsider their course of action… A few years ago, the

Government decided on increasing the student intake of the programme to satisfy the need for nurses in Guyana. However this is not the solution, because they lack the facilities to cater to the academic needs of large numbers of students at one time.”

“When that happens, the students suffer because there are insufficient tutors; the classrooms are crowded, making the environment not conducive to learning.”

On the other hand, the APNU Member of Parliament says that the administration needs to ensure that suitably qualified persons enter the programme.

“It is the responsibility of the Nursing Council to set the academic curriculum for the programme…but those selected to participate in the programme must be able to cope with the academic demands. In April 2010, a total of 255 nursing students entered the Georgetown School of Nursing.

Just about half of that amount sat the final examinations in October, the others dropped out.”

In addition, Norton says that a significant number of nurses, who wrote exams to become midwives were unsuccessful.

“It is very disappointing that nurses are failing the midwifery exams because this is an area where there is need for more professional care.

From the beginning lecturers at the Nursing Schools had warned against such a huge intake of students.”

However, Dr. Norton believes that the nurses should be allowed to rewrite the exams.

Meanwhile, some student nurses are of the opinion that the academic decline is due to “a tug -of- war between the Ministry of Health and the school’s administration.”

“Since we entered the school in April 2010, the administration did not want us, but the Ministry forced us in. Indeed we were a large batch and we had a problem with space and tutoring, but I think the administration is proving a point to the Ministry,” a 21 year old female student of the Georgetown School of Nursing asserted.

According to the nurse,

Dr. George Norton the Professional Nursing Programme should be conducted over a three year period, but some students have been attending classes for almost four years.

“The final examinations consisted of three main components; a surgical, medical test paper and a practical, some of the top runners of the class have to rewrite parts of the exams and I don’t understand because the papers were based on flooding and road safety; any commoner could write it. I think it was tampered with and the Ministry should definitely investigate.”

When contacted for a comment on the matter, Health (Continued on page 24)

Page 22

Kaieteur News

FOR SALE

FOR SALE

PROPERTY FOR SALE

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Puppies-

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Price Negotiable - Tel: 6606763 Smart Choice Auto: Unregistered: Premio, Runx, IST, Spacio, Fielder - Call: 652-3820; 665-4529 1 Toyota R4 2004 model – $2.6M cash – Tel:686-5083 800 Ford Tractor & 1 - 450 Ford Towing Truck, 1 Rear Size 38 tractor back wheel – Contact Floyd:694-5599 or Gurro: 689-1864 One Ford Crane Truck & 10 Ton Crane (new) - $8M – Call:622-6746 1 Mitsubishi Galant Car; 1 Toyota Corolla AE100 Car, 1 Honda CBR motorcycle – Call: 227-7544; 612-2542; 614-6011

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Thursday February 27, 2014

EDUCATIONAL Learn to decorate with Balloons. Classes on March 1st – Call: 225-3133; 613-7513 for more information.

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Unregistered Toyota Sienta (2004), Raum - 2004 & Spacio -2003 – Tel:617-5536 One Toyota Premio unregistered – Price $2.550M – Call:225-5082 2004 A4 Audi, sunroof, Turbo, 4WD 1800cc, DVD, Bluetooth, $4.2M negotiable – Tel: 669-7298 Nissan Tiida, 45,000 KM leather interior, reverse & side cameras, CD & TV deck, excellent condition - $2M – Tel:615-2684; 227-8822 (Continued on page 23)

Thursday February 27, 2014

Kaieteur News

Page 23

Letters... Where your views make the news

No evidence that PPP will implement and enforce...

From page 4 push a FIU director appointed

by Parliament to actually investigate money launderers, some of whom may make some damning public disclosures of who their friends and beneficiaries are.

How could anyone oppose stronger scrutiny mechanisms in the proposed AML/CFT when we all know that money laundering companies are essentially using cheap blood money to drive legitimate companies off the playing field? Minimum standards have failed in Guyana.

Time for stronger medicine.

The opposition must stick to its guns. Sanctions and increased monitoring are already putting the world’s glare on the crooks in Guyana.

Some are now being watched because of sanctions.

Guyana cannot be a minimum standard country on money laundering. Not when

drug trafficking and money laundering are destroying this country and causing inflation, ruining the lives of the majority poor who are paying more for basic food.

An opposition worth its salt must respond to this growing danger to improve the standard of living for the working class of this country.

The PPP did nothing with the existing AML/CFT law. In fact, from the time the current AML/CFT law was passed to today, drug trafficking, theft of public resources, corruption and money laundering have been at its greatest surge and sits now at its peak.

Even Roger Khan’s cartel did not seemingly have the ambitions of these present kingpins seeking to export US$1 billion in cocaine with the feared Mexican cartels and the Italian mob in tow.

The PPP continues to do nothing as crime puts this

country under the gun.

An opposition cannot act in good faith to allow this situation to continue. It must fight for the soul of this country if the PPP is prepared to hand it over to criminality.

It must protect the sovereignty of the people against the rise of the cartels and the destruction they are willing to create for profit.

The days of the FIU playing political poodle must end.

As it stands today, there is more monitoring now of money laundering with these sanctions than ever before.

Foreign criminal indictments are probably already prepared on some individuals.

To pass the PPP’s version of the AML/CFT is to end this monitoring and return us to the orgy of money laundering.

To continue this level of monitoring, we must implement the opposition’s proposals.

M. Maxwell

The proposals by the...

From page 5 controlled. This means the society is dealing with a high presence of money laundering; xi) Some interested in passage of the Bill see the potential of having a more involved partnership with Guyana to stamp out money laundering and financing terrorism and perpetrators held accountable. These can only be possible if the government implements the laws and the respect the court’s ruling should persons be found guilty; xii) This government has a history of nonimplementation and disrespect for the court. Some examples are 1) the refusal to respect the 2008 High Court’s ruling in favour of Chapman and Yearwood for broadcasting licence in Linden, 2) 1999 Public Service Award arising from the Armstrong Arbitration Panel, 3) Herdmanston Accord, 4) St. Lucia Statement, 5) Hoyte/ Jagdeo Agreement, 6) Corbin/ Jagdeo Communiqué, 7) August 2012 Agreement between Central Government and Region 10, and 8) government’s June 2012 commitment to the Supreme Court to re-issue letters to start arbitration proceedings into the Bauxite Company of Guyana Incorporated (BCGI) impasse; xiii) When the Private Sector is asking the National Assembly to pass the Bill as is, some things are happening here - a) a disrespect for our political system that speaks to an inclusionary democracy based on representation, b) ignorance of our system of

governance, c) being the agent of another seeking to manage the nation’s affairs by dictat; xiv) Those calling for the Bill’s passage are either unaware of or uncaring about the non-implementation of the principal AML/CFT Act which would see this nation being taken down a continuous path that would risk the society staying longer on the Watch List (Black list).

Clearly, for the CFATF this issue is not only about passing law, it is about implementation. Refer to (vi); xv) The bottom line is, Guyana has to implement laws and agreement and honour the Court’s decision for the AML/CFT to be effective. When these are not done, the country will not be

removed from the Watch list (Black List).

President Ramotar has to demonstrate to this society he has the capability to manage the country in good faith.

And good faith means honouring agreements made and having himself and ministers of government respecting the laws. The proposals by the opposition and the Guyana Trades Union Congress are just. Had the president resolved these issues they would have been used as testimony by national and regional institutions and citizens, as to his preparedness to govern consistent with universal and acceptable principles, which are, Respecting Rights and the Rule of Law. Lincoln Lewis

(From page 22)

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

WANTED Taxi Cars at M&M taxi service @ 29 Queen St Kitty Tel: 226-4743; 231-7392

CAMP STREET, Prime Business Space Call: 6394499

Experienced bartender, male/ female waitress & cooks.

Apply in person @ Sheriff Restaurant & bar, Lot 10 Sherriff St, between 1pm-4pm Tel: 658-0719

GT TOOLS RENTAL: TEL: 675-0767; 627-5098

General Domestic, cleaner – Contact:609-1535; 227-8529

1 – Two bedrooms house to rent @ Agricola – Call: 6027589 or 233-0038, between 9am to 17:00pm

Attractive live in waitress Tel: 228-5129; 604-8277

New house at Leonara WCD, 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, double garage, fully tiled yard. Decent Person Wanted. – Tel:2691277; 685-4016 Bulldozer, bobcat and excavator for hire best rates.

Please contact:261-6664; 2616607 or 629-5414 One Semi furnished apartment to rent at Industry ECD – Tel:222-6001 1,2,3 bedroom @ Lot 2 Anna Catherina W.C.D – Tel:2760818 Rooms - Call: 225-9223 One and two bedrooms furnished apartments situated at South Ruimveldt Price $500USD and $800USD Call: 601-9323; 649-2251 A bottom flat 2 bedroom apartment - $45,000.00 – Contact:226-6374; 666-9534

Upholsterer, joiners, spray painter & handyman – Contact:225-6810; 660-5190 Sawmill workers – Tel:6539752.

Skilled mason and carpenter Tel: 668-9863; 625-0930 One cook to work in interior Contact: 681-6044 Experienced Counter Servers, roti /puri cooks & waiters. Apply @ Hacks Halaal, 5 Commerce St. Husband / wife to live in and work. Husband: Labourer, wife: domestic – Tel:227-1830 Hire car drivers - 35yrs and older - Tel: 611-1018 or 6426564 One maid - Call: 614-4358 One Cook (must be able to prepare a variety of Indian Dishes & assist in cleaning) – Tel No:688-3686 Male and female models and show girls needed urgently Contact: 695-8127 1 hairdresser station to rent Contact Number: 682-4077; 617-2055

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Carpenter/Mason with small family to work on livestock farm on EBD all accommodations provided – Tel:266-2711; 609-4594 1 Female sales person to work in meat outlet in Georgetown – Tel:266-2711; 609-4594 Urgently needed properties in Georgetown - From $10M - $25M Call:675-7292 One Salesgirl – Drop application to The Old Navy Store @ First Floor City Mall.

House Wanted @ East, West, North, South Ruimveldt - Tel:675-7292

WANTED Land or house to buy in Parafaite Harmonie & Herstelling – Tel:675-7292 1 Experienced Secretary, must be computer literate, 5 subject CXC, 25yrs and over Call: 265-3586 FOR RENT Bottom Flat @ Nandy Park, EBD – Call:610-4436

Page 24

Kaieteur News

Thursday February 27, 2014

Up production or relinquish quarry licences - Govt warns operators Government yesterday said it will be introducing new requirements for the issuance of quarrying licences as both Government contracts and the construction industry continue to face a reported shortage.

According to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, the issue has reached the level of the Cabinet of Ministers which has since mandated a review of the conditions under which quarrying licences are granted.

According to Government, last month’s quarry production was 50,197 tonnes, below 52,360 tonnes for 2013.

“Thus far for the month of February, the figures remain unsatisfactory,” Minister Robert Persaud said.

The shortage has been affecting a $3B Government road programme and a number of sea and river defence projects. Also being affected is housing development, both in the public and private sector.

“Many of the Government, as well as the

private contractors are themselves complaining, and have reported of their inability to access the type and quantity of quarry products that they need,” the Minister lamented.

Concerns have also been raised by stakeholders about pricing, but this is determined by the market.

“The Ministry’s primary interest is to get quarry operators and producers to increase and improve their production which they had pledged to do, at a meeting earlier this year. This was the basis on which they were granted licences to operate.”

Persaud convened meetings last month with quarry, sand and loam pit operators with the aim of advising them on projects and the projected level of materials that will be needed to satisfy the demand.

“We have been given the assurance by all the operators that they intended to not only maintain the 2013 level which was considerably higher than 2012, but also to increase and expand…but I am dissatisfied that operators are not responding, and not producing adequately to

Government has urged stone quarries to up production in face of shortages.

satisfy the demands, be it for roads or other areas of the construction sector,” the Minister said.

Operators have submitted a number of reasons for the low production, including equipment failure; difficulties in clearing equipment spares; shortage of labour, and other logistical issues.

The Ministry said it has even intervened, paving the way for operators to meet with

officials from the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) to iron out some of the issues and to continue to engage them in discussions with a view to resolving this problem.

However, Persaud said that much more can be done on the part of the operators.

“Against this backdrop, The Ministry is also encouraging investors who are interested in quarrying to

go into the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) to look at available areas.”

Minister Persaud said that this will bring more players into the sector, and increase the competition.

He also explained that if the issue of low production persists, then the country will have to go in the direction of importing stones, which a few contractors and operators are

already doing.”

“We have to put more stringent conditions to ensure that if people have this resource, they utilise it, and if they cannot utilise it, that they relinquish it so that it can be made available to others… we have vast resources in terms of quarry, so complaints about inadequate supply or availability should not be an issue,” the Minister said.

Fernando Gonzalez Mandela Avenue released today after 15years food vendor critical Cuban Five….

Today, after 15 years of incarceration, one of the Cuban Five, Fernando González Llort will be released from Safford Federal Prison after serving his entire sentence, according to President of the Guyana Solidarity Movement with Cuba” Halim Khan.

He will be taken from the Federal Correctional Prison in Safford Arizona to a federal immigration prison until his deportation back to Cuba.

September 12, 2013 marked the 15th anniversary of the detention of Gerardo Hernandez, Ramon Labañino Salazar, Antonio Guerrero, Fernando Gonzalez Llort, and Rene Gonzalez Schewerert.

Last year, René González was released after serving his time and returned to his homeland.

The Five were detained while monitoring from the city of Miami, the movements and activities by violent groups and individuals engaged in planning terrorist acts against Cuba, which led to thousands of deaths and people with disabilities for more than 50 years. This case is a political case and the Cuban Five are political prisoners.

On Sept. 12, 1998, a heavily armed FBI SWAT team arrested the members of

Fernando González Llort who is to be liberated from prison today

President of the Guyana solidarity movement with Cuba” Halim Khan.

the Cuban intelligence network in Miami. The five agents were tried under hostile circumstances and convicted on low-bar charges of “conspiracy to commit” everything from espionage to murder and sentenced to impossibly long prison terms, including one double life sentence, plus 15 years.

President of the Guyana Solidarity Movement with Cuba” Halim Khan explained that Fernando Gonzalez Llort will be embraced by his family and the people of Cuba, who have never wavered in their solidarity with Fernando and his four brothers.

Underscoring that during

his long captivity Gonzalez Llort has remained in cold and distant prisons in various parts of the American geography, Khan said that as an additional punishment Gonzalez Llort was banned from receiving visits from friends and supporters.

During all these years only his mother Magali Llort, his sisters Lourdes and Martha, his wife Rosa Aurora Freijanes and other family members were able to visit him. And even they averaged only one visit a year.

However, Khan said the lone exception was a single visit from the former Bishop of Detroit Thomas Gumbleton

in March 2007. Despite this form of isolation Fernando, like his 4 brothers, received on daily basis volumes of mail of solidarity that filled the mail rooms of the prisons.

Even though Fernando has fulfilled everyday of his sentence, he will still have to go through a process of undetermined time before he will be able to enjoy his freedom surrounded by his love ones.

“Along with his family, the heroic people of Cuba, and the thousands of people in the international solidarity movement for the Cuban Five, we advocate that this last bit of injustice ends as swiftly as possible.

All the love, pride and respect of the entire island of Cuba is waiting for Fernando, a true Hero of the Republic of Cuba. His return will give more strength to the solidarity movement as he joins forces with Rene in leading the struggle to demand the freedom of Gerardo, Antonio and Ramon.

We will share a moment of joy with the family of Fernando upon his return and then we will multiply our commitment to continue the fight until the final return of the Five to Cuba.” Khan emphasised.

after hit-and-run A popular Mandela Avenue food vendor was battling for his life at the Georgetown Public Hospital last night after a hit-and-run accident.

Relatives of Claude “Chippy” McPherson said that after he was hit by a pickup, in all likelihood a Toyota Tundra, the East Ruimveldt man was hurled at least 100 yards on Mandela Avenue.

According to his niece, Sue, McPherson runs a small snackette just off Mandela Avenue, not far from John Fernandes Limited. The accident occurred around 21:00hrs.

He had left home riding his bike. Residents said they heard a loud noise and saw a dark-colored pickup driving away from the scene.

McPherson was found in

Claude ‘Chippy’ McPherson front of a shop with his bike badly mangled. His leg was severely crushed.

He was reportedly rushed to the hospital by a relative.

At press time, McPherson also known as ‘Rastaman’ was being prepared for a scan of the head.

Dr. Norton urges...

From page 21 Minister, Dr. Bheri Ramsaran said that the issue is receiving the attention and assessment of the relevant persons.

He debunked claims of a rift between the Ministry and

the administration of the Georgetown School of Nursing. “I don’t believe that we have such unprofessional people working with us at the helm of the Georgetown School of Nursing.”

Thursday February 27, 2014

Kaieteur News

Ukraine protest leaders name ministers, Russian troops on alert

Fearing that the Russian language and culture will be outlawed in the country, the residents of Ukraine’s pro-Russian region of Crimea launched protests on the peninsula.

SIMFEROPOL, Ukraine/ KIEV (Reuters) - Ukraine’s protest leaders yesterday named ministers they want to form a new government following the overthrow of President Viktor Yanukovich, as Russia put troops on high alert in a show of strength.

President Vladimir Putin’s order to 150,000 troops to be ready for war games near Ukraine was the Kremlin’s boldest gesture yet after days of sabre rattling since its ally Yanukovich was ousted at the weekend.

Moscow denied that the previously unannounced drill

in its western military district was linked to events in its neighbor but it came amid a series of increasingly strident statements about the fate of Russian citizens and interests.

With the political turmoil hammering Ukraine’s economy, the central bank said it would no longer intervene to shield the hryvnia currency, which tumbled 4 percent on Wednesday and is now down a fifth since January 1.

Yesterday’s abrupt abandonment of Ukraine’s currency peg sent ripples to

Russia where the rouble fell to five-year lows and bank shares fell.

In Kiev, leaders of the popular protests that toppled Yanukovich named former economy minister Arseny Yatseniuk as their choice to head a new interim government.

In a display of people power, the so-called ‘Euromaidan’ council made its announcement of Yatseniuk, and candidates for several other key ministries, after its members addressed crowds on Independence Square.

U.S. vows aid to Georgia to boost visa-free travel to EU WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States pledged assistance to Georgia yesterday to help the former Soviet republic with visa-free travel to the European Union, a move that will spur its efforts to boost ties with the West. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry didn’t elaborate on the plan, which comes as Washington increases its support for Georgia and Moldova, which are seeking more integration with Western Europe and rejecting pressure from former master Russia.

“Today I am announcing additional assistance by the United States to help support Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic vision, specifically to help Georgia achieve visa-free travel with the EU and to mitigate the hardships by borderization along the occupied territories,” Kerry said at the start of meetings with Georgian Prime Minister Irakly Garibashvili.

John Kerry Kerry was referring to occupied territories like Georgia’s breakaway region of South Ossetia, the center of a brief 2008 war between Russia and Georgia.

Garibashvili told Reuters in an interview on Tuesday that Russian forces had resumed building a barbed wire fence on the border of

South Ossetia following the recent conclusion of the Winter Olympics in Sochi.

Kerry lauded Georgia’s economic reforms and urged the government to quickly implement plans to boost trade with the United States and with Europe. “Strict adherence to rule of law and steadfast commitment to the process will encourage the confidence of investors and will serve as a catalyst for integration with Europe,” Kerry said.

Referring to tensions with Russia, Kerry urged Georgia to “look forward and leave the past in the past.”

Garibashvili’s visit to Washington comes amid political turmoil in another former soviet state, Ukraine, which rejected deeper ties with the EU when president Viktor Yanukovich abandoned a proposed trade pact with the EU in November, sparking violent street clashes.

Page 25

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Kaieteur News

Thursday February 27, 2014

U.S. Supreme Court says Allen Stanford T&T Central Bank confirms shortage of foreign exchange currency on local market victims can sue lawyers, brokers WA S H I N G T O N , (Reuters) – Investors in Allen Stanford’s $7 billion Ponzi scheme can sue to recoup losses from lawyers, insurance brokers and others who worked with the convicted swindler, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled yesterday.

On a 7-2 vote, the court held that lawsuits filed in state courts can go forward.

Stanford’s fraud involved the sale of bogus certificates of deposit by his Antiguabased Stanford International Bank. He is serving a 110-year prison sentence.

New York-based law firms Chadbourne & Parke and Proskauer Rose and insurance brokerage Willis Group Holdings Plc were all sued by former Stanford investors. The investors also sued financial services firm SEI Investments and insurance company Bowen, Miclette & Britt.

“It’s clear the justices understood that ruling for the defendants would create an immunity that Congress never imagined,” said Tom

P O RT- O F - S PA I N , Trinidad - CMC – The Central Bank of Trinidad and Tobago (CBTT) says it has pumped half a billion US dollars into the domestic foreign exchange market, saying it is aware of the difficulty some businesses and the public have been experiencing in obtaining foreign currency.

In a statement, the CBTT said that it has been “actively and aggressively” taking steps to address the situation

Allen Stanford

Goldstein, a lawyer representing the former Stanford clients.

A Chadbourne spokesman said that when the case returns to the lower court the defendants would move to dismiss the suit on other grounds. Representatives for the other defendants did not immediately respond to requests seeking comment.

Writing for the majority, Justice Stephen Breyer said

the Securities Litigation Uniform Standards Act (SLUSA) did not prevent the state lawsuits from proceeding. The law says that state lawsuitsarebarredwhenthealleged misrepresentations are “in connection with” the purchase or sale of a covered security, which is defined as a security listed on a national exchange at the time the alleged unlawful conduct occurred.

and that in the last three and a half months it has sold US$500 million to the banking sector to alleviate tensions in the domestic foreign exchange market.

The CBTT said that it typically supplies 25 per cent of the total foreign exchange needs of the market, with the remaining 75 per cent supplied by the banking system.

“The Central Bank is assuring the public that other

initiatives are currently being pursued to strengthen the operational efficiency of the domestic foreign exchange market.

The Bank continues to monitor developments in the foreign exchange market and will take appropriate action as needed,” the statement added.

The bank gave no reasons as to the shortage of US currency on the domestic foreign exchange market.

Venezuela arrests five intelligence agents in protest killings Caracas (AFP) Venezuelan authorities said yesterday they had arrested five intelligence agents for suspected ties to killings during protests against President Nicolas Maduro’s government.

On Monday, nine people were arrested in the same case including three SEBIN intelligence service members, and the rest police.

“The prosecutor’s office has detained five SEBIN

officials for their alleged connections to the deaths of demonstrators Bassil Da Costa and Juan Montoya,” it said in a statement, noting that brought to 14 the number of arrests in the case.

Da Costa was a student involved in the protests against Maduro’s government, while Montoya was part of a pro-government organization.

Oil-rich but deeply divided Venezuela has been

swept by student-led protests since February 4, posing the greatest challenge yet to Maduro’s government just under a year since he took office.

Maduro has sought to deepen the socialist, antiAmerican policies of his charismatic predecessor and mentor, the late Hugo Chavez.

But public anger over shortages of food and other basic goods, soaring inflation and rampant crime has served as kindling for street violence.

Pope calls for calm and dialogue amid Venezuela unrest

Opposition deputy Maria Corina Machado (R) and Lilian Tintori (C), wife of jailed opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez, take part in a women’s rally against Nicolas Maduro’s government in Caracas yesterday. REUTERS/Jorge Silva CARACAS (Reuters) Pope Francis called yesterday for an end to violence in Venezuela that has killed at least 13 people and urged politicians to take the lead in calming the nation’s worst unrest in a decade.

Both political camps were demonstrating in cities around the country. In the

capital Caracas, female opposition supporters rallied, while agricultural workers marched to the presidential palace in support of the Socialist government.

Students and other opponents of President Nicolas Maduro are demanding that he quit over grievances including high

inflation, shocking levels of violent crime, shortages of basic food, and what they say is his repression of political rivals. The protests are the biggest challenge to Maduro’s 10-month-old administration, although there is no sign they could topple him or affect the OPEC nation’s oil shipments.

Thursday February 27, 2014

Kaieteur News

Mangal takes Heineken

small putting green and chipping target and gave away prizes for successful shots. He also noted the contributions to the club of Troy Cadogan, Ansa McAl’’s Marketing Manager and an enthusiastic golfer. Ansa McAl’s PRO Darshanie Yusuf said the company was excited to be a part of golf in Guyana and assured members that they would continue their support of the game.

This week’s tournament is sponsored by ECI Engineering Services at starts at 12:00pm Saturday.

Golf Tournament Mike Mangal took top honors on Saturday in the generously sponsored Heineken Golf Tournament at the Lusignan Golf Club.

His 77 gross score net 68 made it back to back wins for the former Guyana open champion. Second place went to Ravi Persaud with a 96 gross net 68, third place went to Shondell Webster gross 103 net 69 and fourth to George Bulkan gross 83

net 69. Nearest to the pin was won by William Walker and longest drive by Avinash Persaud.

In comments after the game, PRO for the club, Walker thanked Ansa McAl for their generous sponsorship of the tournament which included prizes for the top players, some snacks and free refreshments.

Heineken also set up a

Thursday February 20, 2014 ARIES (MAR 21 - APR 19): A minor conflict with a romantic partner in the morning is likely to end with a tearful reunion and much reassurance by mid-afternoon. *************************** TAURUS (APR 20 MAY 20): Your intuition, imagination, and insight have served you well on the job, and should pay off soon. A raise, commission, or perhaps a chance to invest in the company could be offered to you. *************************** GEMINI (MAY 21 - JUN 20): You can count on a very idyllic and romantic day today, Gemini. You’re feeling especially warm and sensual, and you tend to view the partner in your life through rose-colored glasses. *************************** CANCER (JUN 21 - JUL 22): Someone who is a student of natural healing may come to visit you and share some ideas today. *************************** LEO (JUL 23 - AUG 22): Books and movies may inspire you to get involved in artistic activities. Your aesthetic sense is very high today, Leo, and you may be drawing your inspiration from the higher realms. You might want to stroll through an art gallery or museum and try to sense the feelings of those from the past. ************************ VIRGO (AUG 23 - SEP 22): You could be feeling a bit flush today, Virgo, and therefore you might decide to do a little work on your house.

This is more likely to be redecorating than any major repairs, as you’re more into beauty right now than practical matters.

LIBRA (SEP 23 - OCT 22): You’re feeling especially psychically and mystically inclined today, Libra. You might want to read about such matters or attend a lecture or workshop given by someone in the field. *************************** SCORPIO (OCT 23 - NOV 21): You’re usually a very practical and down-to-Earth person, but today you may be more inclined than usual toward mysticism. *************************** SAGITTARIUS (NOV 22 DEC 21): Group activities involving meditation, psychic or spiritual topics, or artistic pursuits are probably very appealing to you right now, Sagittarius. *************************** CAPRICORN (DEC 22 JAN 19): You’re normally a very intuitive person, and today you may experience clairvoyance that could rival Jeane Dixon’s.

You could be feeling especially attuned to other planes, and your dreams are likely to be powerful and vivid.

*************************** AQUARIUS (JAN 20 FEB 18): Your imagination is flying high today, Aquarius.

Your interest in mystical and metaphysical matters is at an all-time high, and you could find yourself strolling through New Age bookstores. *************************** PISCES (FEB 19 - MAR 20): Some wonderful news concerning money and career matters could come your way today, Pisces. Your natural kindness and sympathy for others has led you to make some good friends who are also valuable business contacts. This is definitely paying off.

Page 27

LCC/Cosmetic World T/20

Stephen hits half century as Falcons beat Rebels by 1wkt Rick Stephen stroked a fine half century as Falcons defeated Rebels by one wicket when action in the Leguan Cricket Committee (LCC)/ Cosmetic World T/20 tournament got underway recently.

At Enterprise, Rebels scored 162 all out in 20 overs, batting first. Chetram Rabindra stroked 50 while Sultan Ali supported with 32.

Richard Harriram snared 4-19 and Aquasie Arthur 2-15.

Falcons, spearheaded by Rick Stephen 59 and Kelvin Klass 24 reached their target in 18.5 overs, ending on 1659. Brian Roopchand had 3-23 and Chetram Rabindra 3-29.

Rebels beat Maryville by 6 wickets. Maryville batted first and scored 125 all out in 19.5 overs. Paul Williams made 37 and Royan Jacobs contributed 27. Raymond Nandram claimed 3-18 and Chetram Rabindra 2-23.

Rebels replied with 126-4 in 13.3 overs. Rabindra led with 46 not out and Wazir Ali 32.

Falcons went down to Western Pitbulls by 6 wickets.

Falcons took first strike and

ECC congratulates Khan on national team call up Everest Cricket Club has extended congratulations to leg spinner Amir Khan for his call up to the Guyana Regional 4-day side as replacement for injured Leon Johnson. Khan, who plays for Everest first division team, has grown and matured from the junior level having represented Demerara, Guyana and the West Indies at the U-15 and U-19 levels. He had a good run with the ball in the recently concluded inter county tournament representing the President’s X1.

Khan won the cricketer of the year at the Everest CC 2012 awards ceremony and he is among the selectees for the 2013 awards to he held on February 28.

The club is celebrating its 100 years anniversary and has a rich history of producing outstanding cricketers and hopes that he continues to make them proud.

managed 91-8 after the game was reduced to 12 overs due to rain. Richard Harriram made 19 and A. Persaud 12. Godfrey Austin captured 3-9 and Rayden Austin 2-22. Western Pitbulls responded with 94-4 in 9.2 overs. Godfrey Austin led with 51; Rick Stephen took 2-17. Maryville went down to Falcons by 3 runs. Falcons took first turn at the crease and rattled up 183 all out in 19.4 overs. Rick Stephen slammed 40 and Keon Gordon 23. Warren Williams snared 326 and Jasper Carter 2-18.

Maryville responded with 180-4 in 20 overs. Mark Williams stroked 81 and Aseeb Khan 57. Aquasie Arthur took 2-10.

Rebels defeated Satro by one wicket. Satro scored 186-

4 in 20 overs after taking first strike. Shazaad Razack belted 65 while Mustapha Zaman and Huckumchand Savitir scored 39 and 24 respectively.

Raymond Nandram picked up 2-22. Rebels replied with 1889 in 20 overs. Wazir Ali made 34, Satesh Latchana 32 and Jainarine Nandram 25; Zaman claimed 3-37, Kevin Gordon 232 and Savitir 2-39.

Young Warriors overcame Rebels by one wicket in a game which was reduced to 12 overs. Rebels managed 86 all out in 12 overs. Chetram Ravindra made 27 as Tulsieram Premnauth 4-9.

Young Warriors reached 87-9 in 12 overs in reply. Tyrone Narine scored 31; Wazir Ali captured 3-16 and S. Wahid 2-3.

Page 28

Kaieteur News

Thursday February 27, 2014

Fortuin, Rabada power South Africa to final ESPNcricinfo - Kagiso Rabada’s pace, with speeds touching 90mph, powered South Africa Under-19s to their first World Cup final since 2008, beating Australia Under-19s comprehensively by 80 runs in Dubai. Rabada had earlier jolted West Indies at the same ground nearly two weeks ago, but his six-wicket haul in the semi-final was the standout bowling performance till date in the tournament. A target of 231 was always going to test Australia but Rabada’s spell didn’t give them an inch.

The Australian top order found Rabada’s pace and bounce a handful. He struck with the first ball of his third over, bouncing out Matthew Short as he tried to hook.

Damien Mortimer had just edged him to third man for a four the same over, but Rabada struck back the following ball, with a skiddy delivery that beat Mortimer for pace and knocked back the middle stump. The impact on the stumps was so strong that one of the LED bails landed beyond the 30-yard circle.

Rabada claimed another in his first spell when Jaron Morgan inside-edged to his stumps, leaving Australia in trouble at 33 for 3 in nine overs. That wicket came off the last ball of Rabada’s fifth

over and there would have been a temptation to keep him going for an over or two, but captain Aiden Markram decided to give him a rest and preserve him for later, if a partnership needed breaking.

Markram continued to set attacking fields even after the Powerplay overs. Justin Dill regularly made the batsmen play and the offspinner Dirk Brewer bowled out his ten overs for an economical 32.

Seeing the effect the Australian spinners had, Brewer was given the new ball and though he didn’t take wickets, he held one end up.

Alex Gregory and Jake Doran gave Australia hope with a fourth-wicket stand of 63 and the pair weren’t afraid of scooping the ball over the infield if the ball was pitched up. However, a chipped drive from Gregory to mid-off off the seamer Corbin Bosch opened the floodgates for South Africa. The next ball, Ben McDermott set off for a run but was sent back and run-out by a distance.

The pressure on Australia increased with the asking rate. Rabada got Tom Andrews miscuing a pull to midwicket but his following wicket was thanks to an outstanding leaping catch by the wicketkeeper Clyde Fortuin to his right. Rabada finished it off with a slower

Kagiso Rabada (ICC)

Clyde Fortuin top-scored with 74 to lift South Africa to 230 © ICC.

ball that Guy Walker spooned to mid-on. If it was pace for South Africa, it was spin for Australia. A century opening stand between Markram and Fortuin put them on the path to a score of 250 and above, but Australia’s spinners did well to pull them back. For a change, wickets didn’t fall in a clump at the start of the innings, as had been the case

with teams batting first in Dubai. Markram and Fortuin produced the best start of the tournament at the venue, nullifying Australia’s pace attack by batting positively.

There was hardly any deviation to cause trouble and the batsmen were able to hit through the line with ease.

Batting sides had struggled to do the same earlier.

Australia weren’t very disciplined with the ball either, conceding eight wides and a no-ball in the first 15 overs, during which South Africa had reached a healthy 66 for 0. Spin was introduced as early as the ninth over, as the seamers were ineffective in providing a breakthrough.

Fortuin was strong against anything short and looked at ease against the left-arm spinner Thomas Andrews, pulling and sweeping.

After passing fifty, he clipped the seamer Walker over mid-on before pulling him to fine leg. Markram had scored two centuries prior to this match and had faced 237 balls without being dismissed. He extended that to 300 balls before he was

caught brilliantly by Walker at backward point, diving to his left. Markram had made a steady 45 and his drives found the middle of the bat.

South Africa had progressed at five an over till the 30th but that’s when their control began to slip. The offspinner Short struck first ball in his opening spell when he had Fortuin driving straight to extra cover. He then removed Kirwin Christoffels with a leading edge to cover and Andrews claimed another with a return catch, sending back Greg Oldfield. South Africa had suddenly lost 3 for 17 and the Powerplay didn’t change their fortunes either.

The Australia spinners kept things tight and conceded just 12 runs in the Powerplay.

The seamers ensured South Africa didn’t motor along in the last ten, where they scored 56. Valli played some innovative shots, making room and scooping down to fine leg and clearing the infield. As South Africa later found out, 230 was more than sufficient to beat Australia for the first time in an Under-19 World Cup. They will now meet Pakistan in the final.

Scores: South Africa Under-19s 230 for 9 (Fortuin 74, Markkram 45) beat Australia Under-19s 150 (Doran 36, Rabada 625) by 80 runs.

VCB, Shelly-Ann, Carter headline World Indoors 23-strong team Jamaica Observer MONTEGO BAY,St James — The Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA) has named a strong 23-member team to compete at the March 7-9 IAAF World Indoor Championships in Sopot, Poland.

Twelve women and 11 men were named on the team that will see Maurice Wilson as the technical leader, and Fitz-Albert Coleman and Paul Francis as the coaches.

The team that was named Tuesday after being ratified by the JAAA’s executive a day earlier will include twotime women’s 60m defending champion Ve r o n i c a Campbell Brown, a day after she was cleared of doping charges by the Court of Arbitration in Sport (CAS); triple outdoors World Championships gold medallist Shelly-Ann FraserPryce and Nesta Carter, a silver medallist in the men’s 60m two years ago in Istanbul, Turkey.

Olympic and World Championships triple jump finalist Kimberly Williams, who was fifth in Istanbul, and World Championships long jump finalist Damar Forbes,

were also named.

Maurice Wilson told the Jamaica Observer Tuesday that he thought the team was well balanced and one of the better teams to have been named to represent Jamaica at the indoors in a long time.

“Based on what we have seen this is a strong team, certainly one of the best we have had in a long time for the World Indoors,” Wilson said. “It is a good all- round team and well balanced.”

Wilson, who was head coach of the Jamaican teams to the Daegu, South Korea World Championships in 2011, and the London Olympics in 2012, and was the technical leader of the team to the Moscow World Championships last year, said “even without a trials to select this team we have seen some very good performances, both locally and internationally”.

He cautioned, however, by saying that a number of coaches would not have been preparing their athletes specifically for the World Indoors, but added they were still expecting “good results”.

Campbell Brown, who was cleared of doping charges

after she tested positive for the banned diuretic Hydrochlorothiazide at the Jamaica International Invitational held at the National Stadium on May 4 last year, had only indicated her availability 24 hours earlier after the Lausannebased CAS handed down its decision after the expedited hearing in London last Friday.

Fraser-Pryce will be contesting her first World Indoors and is currently ranked number four in the world over the 60m after running 7.10 seconds at the Birmingham Indoors two weekends ago. Carter’s 6.53 seconds, which he ran in Birmingham, has him ranked at number 12 in the world currently.

Triple jumper Kimberly Williams, who has consistently been among the best in the world over the past three years, and who was fifth in Turkey, has been named along with middle-distance runner Natoya Goule.

Damar Forbes, who made the final of the men’s long jump at the IAAF World Championships in Moscow last year, is on the men’s team along with sprint hurdler

Andrew Riley, shot putter O’Dayne Richards, as well as quarter-milers Akheem Gauntlett, Allodin Fothergill, Dane Hyatt and Errol Nolan.

Gauntlett had withdrawn from the Jamaican team to Moscow last year, while injury had ruled out Nolan after he had made the team to the London Olympic Games to run the relays.

Te a m : Wo m e n — Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Veronica Campbell Brown, Kaliese Spencer, Kimberly Williams, Stephenie Ann McPherson, Patricia Hall, Natoya Goule, Anneisha McLaughlin, Monique Morgan, Indira Spence, Sophie Smellie, Verone Chambers.

Men — Nesta Carter, Edino Steele, Kimmari Roach, Akheem Gauntlett, Andrew Riley, Damar Forbes, O’Dayne Richards, Jermaine Brown, Allodin Fothergill, Dane Hyatt, Errol Nolan.

Management team: Ludlow Watts, manager; Dena Davis, assistant manager; Maurice Wilson, technical leader; Fitz Coleman, coach; Paul Francis, coach; Michelle Depass, physiotherapist.

FRASER-PRYCE… will be contesting her first World Indoors and is currently ranked number four in the world.

Thursday February 27, 2014

Kaieteur News

Page 29

Interest heightens for Saturday’s GTA serves off 2014 season with Assuria GMRSC Race Challenge at National Park Insurance Invitational Classic tourney Just to add a pinch of dynamism to Saturday’s Guyana Motor Racing & Sports Club Race Challenge (Dexterity) Meet scheduled for the National Park Tarmac, Team JR Burgers have joined the growing list of contenders for the overall title.

Yesterday, the team that comprises father and son Jad and Ryan unveiled their car for the event which will be a Ford Cosworth and Kaieteur Sport was offered the opportunity to see the machine unveiled in the presence of club officials at the team’s garage on Sandy Babb Street.

Both Rahamans expressed confidence of doing well and even threw down the gauntlet on all contenders who dare to challenge them for the title.

The event which is returning after a bit of a hiatus will test the skills and handiness of the competitors as they try to navigate between a number of obstacles and pylons on different courses in the shortest possible time.

According to a member of the Organising Committee, the Course will be changed after every round and this he said will pose the biggest challenge for the competitors, but more importantly add more fun to the event.

He added that persons have been using the social network to inquire about what the event is all about and according to him, it is all about providing an opportunity for persons who’re already involved in the sport and those who’ve never had the chance to compete, to do so on the same track.

“It may surprise some that you may very well find some good drivers who’ve never competed before outduel those with circuit experience so I urge fans to come out and witness this segment of racing that has been missing for sometime right here in Georgetown,” the official stated.

It is also anticipated that

a few female drivers have expressed interest in going up against their male counterparts in the battle for supremacy.

Meanwhile, the Organisers are urging all competitors to observe that safety and the well being of everyone will be the watchword on Saturday and is therefore advising all to walk with their helmets and proper seat belts.

Competitors are also being advised that an official Booth will be set up to register all those interested in competing and this could be done from 12:00 hrs, while a period for practice sessions will follow the registration process before the competition begins.

JR Burgers and a full drinks bar will be there for patrons as well.

Action time is 16:00 hrs and Rent-a-Tent Floodlights will be available.

Parking and security is also assured.

From page 32 in ODIs. Thirteen of the 19 have come while chasing.

Only once has he failed, incidentally his last hundred earlier this year against New Zealand. This one ended on 122 balls, having struck 16 fours and two sixes.

Against a team that had thrice previously failed to defend scores in excess of 250 against India, this innings and the dominance under the lights was inevitable. Very much like most of Kohli’s oneday centuries these days.

From 54 for 2 in the 13th over, Kohli took advantage of every loose ball that came his way, be it deliveries sliding down the leg side or those gone wide. When Bangladesh stopped giving him room or letting him curl his forearms, he unleashed the cover drive time and again. The rasping speed takes it past cover as soon as the fielder gets into position, and by the time the long-off fielder has taken a few steps to his left, the umpire signals four.

He reached his fifty off 48 balls in the 25th over, and his hundred off 95 balls in the 38th over. It was that easy.

Ajinkya Rahane held it together at the other end, never giving away any advantage as he ensured Kohli was fed as much strike as possible. He made 73 off 83 balls, his fourth ODI fifty. The first two wickets, through Abdur Razzak and Ziaur Rahman, were all Bangladesh could muster

when the game was still in their grasp. Left-arm spinner Razzak is Bangladesh’s most successful bowler in the second innings, but he went for 55 in his 10 overs, not beating Kohli and Rahane regularly enough.

Mashrafe was decent without any menace while Sohag Gazi continued his ordinary form, going wicketless in his first six overs, only picking up Rahane towards the end. His first delivery to Kohli was a rank long-hop, a nightmare which only Varun Aaron could relate to. Mushfiqur’s second ODI century, and his 133-run third wicket stand with Anamul Haque gave Bangladesh a competitive total. The pair came together in the 13th over after Shamsur Rahman could not handle Shami’s extra bounce in the sixth over and Mominul Haque had clumsily got himself stumped off an inside edge off R Ashwin.

Anamul was more aggressive at the start of the partnership. He was particularly harsh on Aaron, picking up 34 runs off 19 deliveries from the pace bowler. Mushfiqur recovered his scoring rate at the latter end of the stand.

Their partnership was the highest by a Bangladeshi pair against India, and the eighth century stand against today’s winners.

Anamul struck two sixes with equal contempt off Aaron, both over long-on. He moved to his fifty with a

straight six off Ashwin, who remained a quiet presence through the Bangladesh innings.

Anamul was dismissed by Aaron at the end of the 37th over but not before he had set up a platform with his 106-ball 77. Mushfiqur added 49 for the fourth wicket with Naeem Islam, after which he reached his century off 104 balls. With Ziaur, he added 29 off just 19 balls with the allrounder opening up his stance every once in a while to force the ball through the straight field.

Ziaur struck two fours and a six, all through the mid-on arc.

Aaron struck Mushfiqur under his arm with a beamer in what turned out to be a nightmarish day for the fast bowler, who gave away 74 runs in 7.5 overs. He was clobbered around by Anamul and Mushfiqur mainly, and the ending, when he was taken off, was even more disappointing. India’s bowling was led by Shami’s four-wicket haul, particularly his first two spells in which he hardly let any batsman get on top of him even on a flat wicket. His performance and the young batting line-up’s successful chase would be aspects India would be rather pleased with going into bigger matches against Sri Lanka and Pakistan later this week.

Scores: India 280 for 4 (Kohli 136, Rahane 73) beat Bangladesh 279 for 7 (Rahim 117, Anamul 77, Shami 4-50) by six wickets.

- Team JR Burgers unveiled

Kohli century seals another..

The Guyana Tennis Association (GTA) will serve off its 2014 season with the second year run of the Assuria Insurance Invitational Classic.

The competition, which was created in 2013, was the brainchild of the Surinamese Insurance Company under the management of Dick Wesenhagen who, being an avid tennis player, made a commitment to annually sponsor this special tournament for the top four players in each of the main singles categories, Men’s Singles, Women’s Singles and Men’s Over-35 Singles.

The format of the tournament for each category is round robin.

The tournament would be played at the Le Ressouvenir Tennis Club over three weekends; Thursdays – Sundays; but starting tomorrow Friday February 28th and ending on Sunday March 16th.

In Ladies Open Singles the top players are Carol Humphrey, Nicola Ramdyhan, Afruica Gentle and Jamaali Homer. In Men’s Open Singles, Anthony Downes, Leyland Leacock, Gavin Lewis and Daniel Lopes head the list of contenders. In Men’s Over35, Godfrey Lowden, Carlos Adams, Harry Panday and Rudy Grant will spearhead the title charge.

In a Press Release from the

GTA, Assuria under the guidance of new General Manager, Clyde Muntslag, has committed to ensuring that this annual tournament is again successful and that it brings out the best in our advanced players. The tennis fraternity continues to be grateful for sponsorship of a tournament of such high calibre.

The Grand Opening Ceremony for the tournament will be held at the Le Ressouvenir Tennis Club at 5:30pm tomorrow. All players are asked to be present and tennis supporters around the country are asked to come out and support their favourite players and support the development of the sport.

CAS confirms it cleared Campbell Brown KINGSTON, Jamaica (AP) — The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) confirmed Tuesday that it upheld an appeal by Jamaican sprinter Veronica Campbell Brown and cleared the high-profile track star of any anti-doping rule violation.

In a statement, the Swissbased court disclosed that it set aside earlier decisions by a doping review board of the International Association of Athletics Federations and a Jamaican disciplinary panel that were recommending a two-year suspension for the three-time Olympic gold medallist.

Campbell Brown, who has won 16 Olympic and World Championships medals, including two 200-metre Olympic gold medals, made international headlines in May when authorities with the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association announced she had tested positive for a banned diuretic at a local meet. The 31-yearold sprinter vowed to clear her name and accepted a provisional suspension while a Jamaican disciplinary panel reviewed her case.

Tuesday’s statement came a day after Campbell Brown and her legal team announced that CAS had cleared her to return to competition. She said she would never “resort to illegal means to success” and her self-respect will enable her to “leave behind the insensitive and ill-informed media remarks and look toward returning to the track”.

In October, the Jamaican panel announced they were recommending a public reprimand and warning for Campbell Brown without any period of ineligibility. Their decision was reviewed by the doping review board of the

CAMPBELL BROWN… has won 16 Olympic and World Championships medals, including two 200-metre Olympic gold medals.

IAAF, track’s international governing body, which instead called for a two-year suspension to be imposed.

On February 12, the Jamaican disciplinary panel issued its final decision, which called for her suspension for two years. But Campbell Brown immediately filed an appeal with CAS requesting that the decision be set aside, arguing that there was no legitimate proof to say she had ever committed any anti-doping violation.

Without disclosing specifics, the court said Campbell Brown argued that WADA’s standards for testing were violated during the course of collecting her urine sample and its integrity was compromised. She requested an expedited procedure so she could register for the World Indoor Championships if her appeal succeeded.

The arbitration procedure was confidential and the full award will be issued in a few weeks along with the grounds for the panel’s decision, the court said. The court’s arbitrators conducted the hearing last Friday.

In a Monday statement, Campbell Brown’s US attorney Howard Jacobs said CAS has ordered the JAAA to pay a portion of the athlete’s legal costs in connection with the appeal.

He described her as the “embodiment of a virtuous sportsperson”. Growing up in the same rural parish as Usain Bolt, Campbell Brown has long been one of Jamaica’s glamour runners and one of the world’s top female sprinters. The small Caribbean country has produced enough world-class talent to win 28 medals over the past three Olympics — 12 in 2012, 11 in 2008, and five in 2004.

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Kaieteur News

Thursday February 27, 2014

The Young and the Restless win second annual Mash Cup The winning Young and the Restless team.

The second annual Young Warriors Cricket Club organised Inter-Club Mashramani Cup Cricket competition for teams in the East Canje/East Coast Berbice area came off with a bang this year on Mash Day (Sunday) at the Cumberland ball field.

The one-day event included 10 teams, participating in a five overs competition which was won by the Young and the Restless Cricket Club (Y&RCC).

The final was reduced to a two-over per side affair due to time constraints and the Young and the Restless combination beat Rose Hall Community Centre (RHCC) by 10 wickets with five deliveries to spare in fading light.

RHCC took first strike and reached 16-3 off their allotted overs before the Young and the Restless easily romped to 17 without loss to take the Championship Trophy and the $60,000 winner’s Prize.

Losing finalist RHCC received $30,000 and trophy, while hosts Young Warriors collected $15,000. Regional Chairman David Armogan assisted with the distribution of the prizes.

In the semi-finals, (Y&RCC) thumped favorites Young Warriors by eight wickets although the home team reached a formidable 610 in five overs with Mortimer

Fraser hammering an unbeaten 55 with six fours and two sixes. The Young and the Restless then blazed to 622 in 4.4 overs.

RHCC drew the bye into the final after getting past Canefield in a thrilling encounter in the second semi-final. Rose Hall batted first and made 52-5 from five overs to which Canefield responded with 48-2 off their allotted overs.

Canefield were at one stage cruising at 44-0 off four overs. However with eight needed from six balls, they could only manage four runs and lost two wickets.

RHCC had earlier scored a nail-biting victory over Betsy Ground in a first round match. Betsy Ground took first strike and scored 40-2.

RHCC scraped home with one ball to spare.

Canefield Settlement squeezed past Number 19 by eight wickets with two balls remaining in the game.

(Scores) Number-19 Village made 57-2 in five overs and Canefield replied with 58-2 off 4.4 overs.

Young and the Restless in their first round game against Number-two Village, blasted a tournament high 81-2 off five overs with Kishar Gangaram clobbering a pugnacious unbeaten 58, decorated with five fours and five sixes.

Number two-Village in reply were restricted to 31-4 when their overs expired.

Simspon to know ...

From page 32 based on gross negligence on her part.

The scheduled 10:00 am proceedings got going almost half an hour late because of a fire drill at the Conference Centre.

Gordon then fired the first salvo.

Gordon, with his assistant Danielle Chai at his side, noted that there was no dispute as his client had admitted to the doping violation and accepted the provisional suspension from very early.

“So we are aware of the fact that the only issue that is before this tribunal is what sanctions [are] to be applied,” said Gordon.

He made it clear that Simpson has been very transparent and cooperative, and hence they are asking for leniency.

“We are submitting that the period of ineligibility, if any, should commence from when the athlete did the initial test. It’s only fair, the athlete has not been performing.

For eight months she has not been employed. So in a way she has already received her punishment, and I ask you, Mr Chairman, and your panel, take that in mind,” pleaded Gordon.

“We are here to discipline an athlete, we are not here to end an athlete’s career. This is a disciplinary hearing,” said Gordon.

“There is a lesson I learn from my senior counsel. He showed me a pencil when I had made an error as a young attorney, and he said what you noticed about the pencil.

I had no idea what he meant.

He said there was a rubber on top. It was by design because humans are bound to make errors. Turn around the pencil, erase your error and move on.

“We have accepted that there is some degree of fault and negligence, but what we have argued is that it is minimal, given the circumstances of this case.

“In considering these critical issues, the panel must take into consideration the evidence that were presented,” said Gordon.

He then noted that specified substance was in fact in the system of the athlete, Miss Simpson. That on a balance of probability the specified substance Oxilofrine was of a consequence of a dietary supplement, which is Epiphany D1, and the evidence has established that it is improbable that the athlete would have been able to ascertain the presence of Oxilofrine prior to taking it.

“The evidence has shown that there was no intent to enhance performance, and that the Epiphany D1 was being taken as part and parcel of a dietary regime,” said Gordon.

“This is an athlete who was prepared to speak about even things that may be considered detrimental to her own case. She never had to say she received injections. There was no need for her to say that. She didn’t have to say what the other supplements were, or certainly the type of treatment she was getting from Mr Xuereb (Chris),” Gordon reasoned.

Windies Women crumble...

Region Six Chairman handing over the winning trophy to captain of Young and the Restless Vedesh Singh.

Young Warriors made 434 off five overs before Goed Banana Land replied with 313 off of their five overs in their contest.

Gangaram Strikers opened the day’s proceedings with an easy 10-wicket win over

Bristol Warriors, reaching 350 in reply to Bristol Warriors 34-4.

In another game Gangaram lost to Young and the Restless by 11 runs. Young and the Restless made 48-5 and Gangaram replied with 37-3.

From page 33 West Indies top order including Captain Merissa Aguilleira who was trapped lbw for four. Opener Natasha McLean was caught for 18 after putting on 39 runs for the second with Shemaine Campbelle, who was bowled

by Leydon-Davis, for a top score of 22 that included four fours. Leydon-Davis returned to dismiss Tremayne Smart and Vanessa Watts in successive overs after the two had put on a 42 run ninth-wicket stand to push West Indies past 100. Smart was caught for 11, Watts bowled for 18, while Shanel Daley cracked three fours in a knock of 20.

Leydon-Davis finished with five for 18 while Nicola Browne picked up two for 34.

It was not all smooth sailing for New Zealand who stumbled to 90 for the loss of four wickets after winning the toss and deciding to bat first.

Middle order batter Sarah McGlashan was bowled by Shaquana Quintyne for 25 while opener Sam Curtis was

run out for 24.

However Rachel Priest hit seven fours and a six while steadying the innings with a 40-ball 57 that boosted their total past 200 to keep them in the game.

Quintyne and Stacy-Ann King picked up two wickets each, while Smartt, Taylor and Watts each grabbed one.

West Indies and New Zealand begin a five match T20 series on Saturday.

Summary Scores: New Zealand Women Innings: 221/ 8 (50 Overs). Rachel Priest 57, Sara McGlashan 25, Sam Curtis 24, Nicola Browne 22; Shaquana Quintyne 9.2-1-392, Stacy-Ann King 5-0-33-2, Stafanie Taylor 7-1-19-1, Vanessa Watts 10-1-43-1.

West Indies Women Innings: Shemaine Campbelle 22, Shanel 20, Vanessa Watts 18, Natasha McLean 18; Felicity Leydon-Davis 8.2-1-185, Nicola Browne 10-0-34-2, Frances Mackay 7-3-25-1, Morna Nielsen 7-3-10-0.

Result: New Zealand Women won by 107 runs.

Thursday February 27, 2014

Kaieteur News

Page 31

Football Coach, Peter Sir Everton Weekes turns 89 not out Lashley laid to rest The remains of Football Coach Peter Lashley is taken out of the St Sidwell’s Church yesterday.

Sir Everton Weekes with Darren Bravo. (WICB)

Just under two weeks following his horrific death, former National Football Coach, Peter Lashley, was laid to rest yesterday afternoon. Family, friends, footballers and other affiliates of the football fraternity, where Lashley had given yeoman service, joined with other mourners

to pay their final respects at the St Sidwell’s Church in a moving service before he was interred at the Buxton Cemetery.

Lashley died on February 14 last after being involved in an accident at the Mandela Avenue/Jamoon Drive junction; he was 54 years-old. Since his death,

many of his colleagues around the world had telephoned to convey their sympathy while several organizations have held wakes in commemoration of his passing.

Lashley is survived by his wife, Lorraine and three children, all boys, Kobie, Nicholas and Jamal.

Khan replaces Johnson …..Chanderpaul to captain Guyana

Guyana middle order batsman and captain, Leon Johnson, is out of the Guyana team for the first round of the Regional FourDay Tournament due to a knee injury he sustained on Saturday during the warmup game. The GCB is awaiting a specialist report on Johnson’s injury to decide on his re-entry into the squad for the other matches.

Johnson will be replaced

by Amir Khan, who finished second to fellow leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo among the leading wicket-takers in Guyana’s Inter-County Four-Day Competition.

Khan, who is presently in Trinidad playing League cricket, will travel from there to join the team in Jamaica.

The 21-year-old Khan played his solitary first class match in 2011 when he replaced Bishoo in the side after Bishoo was selected for the World Cup in India.

Shivnarine Chanderpaul who was selected as Johnson’s deputy, will take over the captaincy while Christopher Barnwell will

Amir Khan be the vice captain.

The Guyana squad for the first round departed Tuesday for Jamaica where they will take on the home team from February 28.

The team reads: Sewnarine Chattergoon, Assad Fudadin, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Narsingh Deonarine, Shivnarine

Chanderpaul (Captain), Anthony Bramble, Christopher Barnwell (ViceCaptain), Amir Khan, Ve e r a s a m m y P e r m a u l , Devendra Bishoo, Ronsford Beaton, Keon Joseph and Vishaul Singh. The Manager is Alvin Johnson and the Coach is Esuan Crandon.

Barbados Nation Bridgetown, Barbados - Sir Everton Weekes is just 11 short of another hundred.

That’s because one of the best and most attractive batsmen the West Indies has ever produced, celebrated his 89th birthday yesterday.

Did you know that Sir Everton was just 22 when he made his debut for the West Indies against England in January 1948. He must have had the shortest walk by a debutant to the ground as he had to make a few steps from his home Pickwick Gap to Kensington Oval.

He was one of seven West Indians on debut. The others were compatriots Sir Clyde Walcott and John Goddard, Guyanese Robert Christiani and Berkely Gaskin and Trinidadians Prior Jones and Wlifred Ferguson.

E . A . V. “ F o f f i e ” Williams, joined the West Indies side at the last minute when Sir Frank Worrell dropped out owing to food poisoning. What was far more significant about this match was that for the first time, a black man, the great G e o r g e H e a d l e y, w a s captaining a West Indies side.

The match was also memorable for England’s Joe Hardstaff being dismissed at 98 and Christiani for 99.

Sir Everton had little early coaching but his potential was realised at St Leonard’s Boys’ School where he was a regular member of the team. He was reportedly spotted by former West Indies captain Teddy Hoad while serving

with the Barbados Battalion of the Caribbean regiment.

Did you know that the West Indies never lost a match in which Sir Everton made a hundred. Of those 15 tons, five were scored in victories and ten in draws.

His highest score after three Tests was 36 and he was dropped for the final Test of the series at Sabina Park in Jamaica to make way for George Headley, although he was restored when Headley had to drop out. The Kingston crowd wanted hometown boy John Holt instead of Weekes, and he was booed throughout the England innings.

Sir Everton responded with 141, and on the 1948 tour of India which followed he scored 779 runs at 111.28 and set a world record of five successive hundreds, the highest being 194 at Bombay. It would have been six were it not for a controversial run-out decision at Madras.

Most people know that Sir Everton finished with a batting average hovering near 60, but few know that he is the joint fastest to 1 000 runs ahead of even the great Sir Don Bradman. He along with the revered English batsman of the 1920s and 30s, Herbert Sutcliffe, required just 12 innings.

The stats on Sir Everton and Sutcliffe are fairly similar. Sir Everton had 15 hundreds, Sutcliffe had 16; Sir Everton averaged 58, Sutcliffe 63; and only 100 runs separated them, the Barbadian had an aggregate of 4 455 while Sutcliffe’s was 4 555.

Sir Everton made the

most of the lightweight attacks of India and New Zealand. He scored seven tons against India and three against the Kiwis. When he scored those four hundreds in 1948, India had not tasted a Test victory, their first win not coming till 1952.

His splendid record speaks for itself, but it has to be said that he has a modest record in both Australia and England, the yardsticks for batting excellence. He has never made a hundred Down Under and only has one in England.

Sir Everton struggled with the pace of Ray LIndwall and Keith Miller on the 1951-52 series in Australia against Lindsay Hassett’s team, averaging just 24. In fact, the late Sir Frank Worrell, is the only one of the batting triumvirate known as the Three Ws, with a Test hundred in Australia, a memorable 108 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).

His only hundred in England, is 129 at Trent Bridge on the historic 1950 tour. His tour of England in 1957 was blighted by poor health, and aside from a gutsy 90 on a lively Lord’s wicket, when he was struck a painful blow on the hand, he disappointed.

Sir Everton was a master batsman, who was a stylist.

For him batting was an art and he seldom struck the ball in the air, hitting just one six in his career. He had the satisfaction of capturing a Test wicket, removing the outstanding Australian opener Arthur Morris in the 1955 Sabina Park Test.

Page 32

Kaieteur News

GLTA Celebrates 2nd World Tennis Day on Sunday March 2nd

In pic: Children at the Guyana World Tennis Day 2013 with Mr. Chico

The 2nd World Tennis Day will once again be celebrated in Guyana on Sunday March 2, 2014. The Association successfully celebrated the event last year at the National Racquet Centre at Camp and Woolford Avenue with over 50 children participating in fun tennis related activities.

There were clinics for beginners, intermediate and advanced players and great exhibition matches were also played by Guyana’s top juniors, which were witnessed by an excited crowd of spectators. The young players also received a pep talk from GTA’s President Ramesh Seebarran.

In a release, the GTA stated that, this year, they will join with 60 ITF member nations to replicate this event with the

expectation that more children will participate from at least ten primary schools that were invited.

The children’s activities are scheduled for 9:00am to 11:30am which will include activities on and off court for children aged 5 to 14years old.

The GTA will also open the doors to the adult public to play during the afternoon session in a bid to encourage more adults to adopt the sport as a form of exercise.

The adult session will start at 1:00pm and end at 4:00pm and it will include CARDIO tennis drills, which combine the best features of the sport of tennis with cardiovascular exercise as a high energy exercise regime that is useful for persons wishing to lose weight and improve their health and wellbeing.

In an effort to grow and

promote the game of tennis around the world, the I n t e r n a t i o n a l Te n n i s Federation launched this annual event in 2013 in partnership with StarGames, a multinational tennis partner, who once again this year organized the three exhibition match showdowns which will be held in New York, Hong Kong and London on Monday March 3rd with a line-up of top ranked players that is sure to thrill the international tennis fraternity.

The GTA invites the general public to participate in this event and the organisation will also use the opportunity to provide information on coaches and their club programmes for interested persons who wish to start playing tennis in Guyana.

Simspon to know fate April 8 Jamaica Observer SHERONE Simpson will have to wait until April 8 to know her fate after final submissions were presented to the Jamaica Anti-Doping Disciplinary Panel Tuesday at the Jamaica Conference Centre.

Lennox Gayle, chairman of the three-member tribunal, said based on the substantive documents put forward, they will need adequate time to peruse the submissions before making a verdict.

“We have heard earlier from Mr Gordon for the respondent Miss Simpson, and we heard at length from Mr Robinson. Now it is for the panel to consider this vast evidence and information that have been presented to us over the past two months and to make our decision,” said the chairman, who is also an attorney.

“Clearly, we are going to need some amount of time.

We are still not in possession of all the transcripts, and so we will definitely need some

time to peruse this information before us,” he added.

Simpson, 29, who failed a drug test last May for Oxilofrine, was not present at the hearing, and her attorney Kwame Gordon pleaded for leniency of six months or less based on mitigating circumstances.

However, the Jamaica Anti-Doping Commission (JADCO) attorney Lackston Robinson suggested the maximum two-year sanction (Continued on page 30)

Thursday February 27, 2014

Frank Watson Memorial Football championships

Four teams battle for two titles in anticipated action packed duels Another day of pulsating action is anticipated when the two top teams emerging out of the preliminary stage clash for top honours when the finals of the Frank Watson Memorial Football championships get underway at the Georgetown Football Club ground this evening.

When the first whistle blows at 16:30hrs, Western Tigers will go head to head with Fruta Conquerors in an U-14 showdown just before Pele tackle another Conquerors team, this time in the U-16 category for a first prize of $100,000. The runners up in each category receive $50,000.

If what was witnessed in the playoff rounds last Saturday means anything, football buffs could look forward to two enthralling affairs. On that day football fans were treated to a full day of action in 16 action packed matches in the U-14 and U16 categories. Fruta Conquerors had then gone on to defeat Grove Hi Tec in the U-14 category thus sealing off their spot in today’s fixtures. Western Tigers had emulated that feat in the other U-14 category after defeating Den Amstel 3-2 on penalty kicks.

The two U-16 semis finals ended in similar fashion; nil all in regulation time, and necessitated sudden death penalty kicks where Fruta Conquerors

Andrew Murray

prevailed over GFC 3-2, while Pele defeated Renaissance 2-1. Those winners will now face off in today’s finals just after the conclusion of the U-14 showdown.

Fans will receive an extra treat when an All Star U-14 team clash with their U-16 counterparts from 16:00hrs for a lucrative prize of a gift voucher to the tune of $5,000 along with uniforms and school supplies.

Additionally, the MVP in the U-14 and U-16 categories will receive laptop computers while one player from each category will receive smart phones for the Golden Boot award.

The matches are being played in memory of

Watson, a former President of the Pele Football Club who died in a plane Crash in Kamarang in 1973. Two former footballers from that club, residents of New York, Patrick ‘Labba’ Barton and Ivor Carrington have travelled to Guyana to be a part of the action.

Participating teams will receive two footballs each while there will be special prizes for the best defensive player, most valuable player, most prolific goal scorer and the best goalie. The winning team and runners up will also receive trophies and medals.

The tournament is sponsored by the Pele (overseas) alumni, while former national coach, Lennox Arthur is the coordinator.

Kohli century seals another chase ESPNcricinfo - The Fatullah crowd waited for Virat Kohli to reach his 19th ODI hundred, and started heading for the exit soon after he reached the landmark.

India still needed 77 from 12.3 overs in a chase that, if statistics were anything to go by, still had some juice remaining. They had every right to leave, however, as the India captain made 136 and easily brought out a sixwicket win.

Bangladesh’s bowling attack hardly put a dent in the record 213-run third-wicket partnership, barely creating a chance that could keep the spectators on their seats for the entire game. Instead, the ground had almost emptied by the time India completed the win in 49 overs. This, after Bangladesh had posted 279 for 7 with captain Mushfiqur

Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane © AFP Rahim making 117. This was the just the second time in ODI history that both captains scored hundreds in the same game. While Mushfiqur’s century was about redemption after a series of controversies, Kohli ensured he wasn’t trumped by his opposite number, particularly in a situation which favours him.

But the crux of the chase was with Kohli’s regular mastery of the situation. He neither panics, nor takes things too lightly. His batting has the assuredness that every international team craves for, particularly when they have to chase high totals. Kohli has now equaled Brian Lara in the all-time list of hundreds (Continued on page 29)

Thursday February 27, 2014

Kaieteur News

Page 33

NP Electronics, Malteenoes start Wins for Belle West, Wales, GTTA League on winning note GCB/Scotiabank Kiddy cricket-WBD

Mc Gill and Vreed-en-Hoop

By Zaheer Mohamed Belle West, Wales, Mc Gill and Vreed- en- Hoop primary schools recorded victories when the Guyana Cricket Board/Scotiabank nationwide Kiddy cricket festival continued with action in the West Bank Demerara district at Wales yesterday.

Belle West overcame Goed Fortuin Primary by 6 runs. Belle West batted first and scored 146-6 in 10 overs. Anthon Khan made 7, while extras contributed 28. Christopher Gurdial claimed two wickets for Goed Fortuin who replied with 140 -10 in 10 overs.

Leandra Sam scored 11 and extras assisted with 30.

Romario Durga, Shameeza Sheriff and Alicia Nohar captured two wickets each.

Wales got the better of Malgre Tout Primary by 10 runs. Wales took first strike and posted 164-4 in 10 overs. Ravi Ragnauth led with 13 while Shaun Paul and Satish Persaud supported with 10 and 9 r e s p e c t i v e l y. R e a n n a Emmanuel took two wickets.

Malgre Tout responded with 154-5 in 10 overs. Grace Kissoon made 7; Tiffany Douglas and Amica Forley snared two wickets apiece.

Mc Gill defeated La Grange Primary by 10 runs.

Mc Gill managed 129-6 in 10 overs, batting first, with 20 extras. Surendra Bikhram had 2-0. La Grange scored 119-8 in 10 overs. Uvindra Ram top scored with 11 and Samuel Lamott made 9. Daniel Grant, Anjalie Ram and Narine Etwaroo picked up two wickets each.

Two Brothers Primary went down to Vreed-enHoop by 55 runs. Two Brothers suffered 13 dismissals in scoring 96 in 10 overs after taking first turn at the crease. Daniel Jordan 11 and Shaun John 9 were their leading batters.

Faith Ann Walcott grabbed four wickets, while Shaun Patterson captured three, Jagmohan Singh and Elian Rampersaud two apiece.

Vreed-en-Hoop made 151-7 in 10 overs in reply.

Elian Ram stroked 15, Jonathan Jacobis nine and Shawn Patterson eight.

Jordan and Lidya Atkinson had two scalps each.

Leandra Sam hits out during his top score

Shemar Britton N P E l e c t r o n i c s ’s Michael Vieira, Xen Goliah and Sammy Boodhoo defeated Titans ‘B’ team of Mark Evens, Jewel Todd and Victor Harrinandan 3-0 in the ‘B’ Class Category when the Guyana Table Tennis Association (GTTA) League that started Monday.

Malteenoes Sports Club ‘A’

Chelsea Edghill

Shemar Britton, Chelsea Edghill and Kyle Edghill also had a victory over Blue Thunder ’s Remy Taitt, Devon Richmond and Vernon Rodrigues 3-0 in an ‘A’ Class contest. Blue Thunder ‘A’ then returned to beat Malteenoes Sports Club ‘B’ (Kevin Prass, Kevon Corbin and Tyriq Saunders)

3-0 in the same category.

The League will continue on March 7 at a venue to be named and will run until April; the GTTA have so far reduced entries in the ‘A’, ‘B’ and ‘C’ Classes for their League, which commenced at the National Gymnasium on Mandela Avenue.

Windies Women crumble to 3rd ODI defeat Faith Ann Walcott delivers

New Zealand players celebrate during the match.

Elian Ram of Vreed-en-Hoop Primary gathers runs on the on-side

CMC - LINCOLN, New Zealand - West Indies lost to New Zealand by 107 runs in the third and final One-Day International (ODI) allowing the home side to complete a three-nil series win at Bert Sutcliffe Oval, here yesterday.

West Indies restricted New Zealand to 221 for 8 but a five wicket haul from teenager Felicity LeydonDavis shattered the visitors’ efforts to overhaul that total as they folded for 114 in 37.2 overs. The Caribbean side lost opener Shaquana

Quintyne in the fourth over in a shaky start to the 222 run chase. They relinquished further control by losing seven wickets for 35 runs, plummeting from 45 for one to 80 for eight. 19 year old Leydon-Davis removed the (Continued on page 30)

GTA serves off 2014 season with Assuria Insurance Invitational Classic tourney P.29 Carlos Adams Carol Humphrey

Anthony Downes

Interest heightens for Saturday’s Fortuin, Rabada GMRSC Race Challenge at National Park P.28 power South - Team JR Burgers unveiled Africa to final P.29

VCB, Shelly-Ann, Carter headline P.28 World Indoors 23-strong team

Mangal takes Heineken Golf The father and son duo of Jad and Ryan Rahaman pose with their Team JR Burgers Ford Cosworth yesterday at their garage on Sandy Babb Street.

P.27

Tournament

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