Wednesday February 24, 2016
Kaieteur News
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Letters... Where your views make the news... Letters... Where your views make the news
E. B. John points to a plagiaristic document DEAR EDITOR, The recently published pronouncement that the Report of the COI into the Public Service will be ready by 29 February, 2016, offers no reason for applause. Those who monitor see such a deadline as unrealistic at least. The evidence for controverting the optimism of the protagonists can readily be found in the current National Estimates, which in its construct, is a remarkable plagiaristic document – given the fidelity with which it has copied the misrepresentations of the last two decades. A most simple example, particularly after the careful rearrangement of the governance structure in 2015, there is still a Budget Agency described as the Public Service Ministry. Immediately related, if not in fact contagious, remains the conjoining of ‘Public and Police Service Commission’ – in clear sight of all the legal luminaries who have been informed by the Constitution that they are distinctly separate constitutional entities. The same Constitution would also have identified that not only all the
Commissions, including GECOM, Teachers’ Service, all the Human Rights Commissions and several more, as Constitutional entities so emphatically, that it behooves the said luminaries to explain the methodology involved in transitioning them, along with the Audit Office of Guyana, and of the director Public Prosecutions, for example, into Budget Agencies. A most remarkable execution of ‘smoke and mirrors’ is the embedment of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (by a former Minister of the previous administration) into the ‘Public Service’. Interestingly none of the avid commentators, nor administrators, has ever questioned the legality or otherwise of an institution registered under the Public CorporationsAct, like GuySuCo, as being a Budget Agency, i.e. part of the Public Service. This travesty accounts for conspicuous groups of medical specialists – critical to the health of the nation – being reduced to the same values as groups of uppergraded ‘clericals’ and
The Post Office clarifies its role DEAR EDITOR, The Guyana Post Office Corporation (GPOC) wishes to respond to Lydia Persaud’s letter which was published in the February 21, 2016, edition of the Guyana Chronicle Newspaper under the caption, “Please investigate the Post Office.” In her letter, Ms. Persaud stated, “Now, what I don’t understand is that persons have applied (for certificates) since November last year, and when they visit, all they keep hearing is that the certificate is being processed.” Kindly be advised that the Post Office does not process birth, death and marriage certificates. Such certificates are processed by the General Register Office which is located on the third floor of GPOC’s Headquarters, Robb Street, Georgetown. The Post Office accepts applications and delivers mail on behalf of the General Register Office. Ms. Telesha Whyte Public Relations Officer Guyana Post Office Corporation
‘administrators’ whose long service alone in bureaucratic non-analytical systems, has been is the basis for their pay. One does not need to dilate on the inequitabilities of the comparisons, to come to the conclusion how and why the medical sector is undercompensated, demotivated and, too often, under-productive. So that resort had to be taken to placing a disproportionate majority of GPHC staff on contract (not nearly like the numbers in the Ministry of the Presidency). But review of the National Estimates would easily reflect the ongoing contagion of the employment of ‘contracted employees’ over the past years. Space does not allow a detailed tabular distribution of this category of employee by Budget Agency. Suffice it to say, however, that between2010 to 2016 the total has grown from 2543 to 4471; with the numbers of the ten Regional Administrations increasing from 851 to 1585 over the period 20122016. It is within the context of the foregoing confused structures one must ask the opinion of the luminaries as to their understanding of what constitutes the ‘Public Service’. The apparent misapprehension is compounded by the beguiled expectations of so many who optimistically confuse ‘Public Service’ with ‘Public Sector’. So when there is the frequent glib reference to negotiations with Unions (not only GPSU) much excitement is aroused in too many groups of ineligible workers. One area that the GPSU is bound to mine for all the gold it can extract is the Guyana Geology and Mines
Commission – a semiautonomous agency with its own Act, and not a Budget Agency. So far as the thousands of employees contracted to specific agencies in unspecified jobs are concerned, rates of pay unrelated to the Public Service 14 Grade Scales, it takes a lot of imagination, if not recklessness, to define the criteria to which the expected negotiations could apply. How are these disparate pay values going to be rationalised? Would they be transitioned back into normal pensionable status and on what terms? Would the Unions be involved in such an exercise? In the meantime there are the thousands of frustrated traditional public servants whose salaries have been bunched at the same level of entry, consequent on the demeaning across-the-board increases imposed over the past decade at least, and crying out for urgent redress. If and when the de-bunching takes place, as it must, what then will be the compensation numbers to be negotiated? But all this assumes that the traditional 14 Grade Scales are at all valid in a century that has seen the growth of new and improved technologies and specialisations – making the most explicit case for the most comprehensive job evaluation exercise ever to be conducted in this country. What a challenge for all the stakeholders, governors, governed and advisors – who however must first agree on a definition of Public Service. E.B. John
Sorry about the island without water
DEAR EDITOR, Guyana Water Incorporated wishes to respond to the letter titled ‘An island in Guyana without water’, dated Monday, February 22, 2016. GWI wishes to apologize to residents of Wakenaam, including customers of Good Success, Zeelandia Estate, Sans Souci and surrounding communities, who are experiencing reduced levels of service. This has resulted from difficulties at the ‘Free and Easy’ and Nooit Gedacht well stations which serve these communities. Both well stations have existed for over 40 years. Guyana Water Inc. has commenced preparations to drill a new well at Nooit Gedacht to provide service to the communities currently affected by the disruption. Works on the new well station, which costs in excess of G$12 Million, are expected to commence in March 2016. Completion of the civil works is scheduled for May 2016. During this period, GWI will be delivering water via tankers to the affected communities. In addition, a new well will be drilled at Ridge, Wakenaam which is also expected to be completed by May, 2016. For updates, customers can contact GWI’s Anna Regina office on 771-4162, e-mail customercallcentre@gwi.gy or pro@gwi.gy Updates will be posted on the GWI website, www.gwiguyana.com and Facebook page, available at www.facebook.com/everydropcountsgy Timothy Austin Public Relations Officer
Does the Guyana Consumers’ Association exist? DEAR EDITOR, Kindly allow me some space in the KN on the below subject. I have seen articles in the KN dealing with various educational matters under the caption Consumers’ Concerns. I know the late Eileen Cox wrote this column. Now the name Pat Dial appears on the column. What is the status of the Guyana Consumers’ Association? Does it still receive the half million dollars Government stipend? How is this money expended? Who pays for the column in the KN? As I am on the matter of accounting, does the Consumers’ Affairs Bureau also get half million dollars government money? All of the above will be of help to me, as I would like to become involved as I have been from 1976 to 1994. Hafiz Rahman
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Kaieteur News
Wednesday February 24, 2016
Guyana can still pose risk to int’l financial system - FATF By Abena Rockcliffe
While Guyana continues efforts to move from the clutches of the Anti-Money Laundering/Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) censoring regime, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) still thinks that the country can pose a risk to the international financial system. Guyana finds itself in the company of countries such as Afghanistan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iraq, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Papua New Guinea, Syria, Uganda, Vanuatu and Yemen. There are only two countries in the world that are deemed to be worse off than Guyana in this regard - Iran and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea
The FATF identifies itself as the global standard-setting body for anti-money laundering and combating the financing of terrorism (AML/ CFT). In order to protect the international financial system from money laundering and financing of terrorism (ML/ FT) risks and to encourage greater compliance with the AML/CFT standards, the FATF identifies jurisdictions that have strategic deficiencies and works with them to address those deficiencies that pose a risk to the international financial system. On February 19, FATF concluded its most recent plenary meeting in Paris, France. A document titled, “Outcomes of the plenary
meeting of the FATF, Paris, 17-19 February 2016” indicates that the body still views Guyana as a work in progress. That document contains two sections that identify jurisdictions that may pose a risk to the international financial system. In those two sections, FATF pointed out jurisdictions with strategic AML/CFT deficiencies that have developed action plans with the task force, as well as jurisdictions with strategic AML/CFT deficiencies for which a call for action applies. Guyana has been identified as one of the jurisdictions with strategic AML/CFT deficiencies that have developed an action plan. FATF noted, “In October 2014, Guyana made a highlevel political commitment to work with the FATF and CFATF to address its strategic AML/CFT deficiencies. Since October 2015, Guyana has taken steps towards improving its AML/ CFT regime, including by enacting further amendments to the AML/CFT Act and AML/CFT Regulations, and issuing FIU guidelines on targeted financial sanctions. However, the FATF has
determined that certain strategic deficiencies remain. Guyana should continue to implement its action plan, including by ensuring and implementing an adequate legal framework for identifying, tracing and freezing terrorist assets. The FATF encourages Guyana to address its remaining deficiencies and continue the process of implementing its action plan.” While there were a few variances, Afghanistan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iraq, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Papua New Guinea, Syria, Uganda, Vanuatu and Yemen have been given similar advice. Only two countries have been called upon to develop an action plan. FATF said it remains particularly and exceptionally concerned about Iran’s failure to address the risk of terrorist financing and the serious threat this poses to the integrity of the international financial system. The task force urged Iran to “immediately and meaningfully address its AML/CFT deficiencies, in particular by criminalizing
Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Basil Williams terrorist financing and effectively implementing suspicious transaction reporting requirements. If Iran fails to take concrete steps to continue to improve its CFT regime, the FATF will consider calling on its members and urging all jurisdictions to strengthen counter-measures in June 2016.” However, with regards to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, the task force reaffirmed its 25 February 2011 call on all its members and urged all jurisdictions to advise their financial institutions to give special attention to business relationships and transactions with that jurisdiction, including Korean companies and financial institutions. “In addition to enhanced scrutiny, the FATF further calls on its members and urges all jurisdictions to apply effective counter-measures to protect their financial sectors from money laundering and financing of
terrorism (ML/FT) risks emanating from the DPRK. Jurisdictions should also protect against correspondent relationships being used to bypass or evade counter-measures and risk mitigation practices, and take into account ML/FT risks when considering requests by DPRK financial institutions to open branches and subsidiaries in their jurisdiction.” When he addressed the National Assembly to deliver his contribution to Budget debates, Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs said that his government is making concerted efforts to remove Guyana from FATF’s watch list. He had said that tremendous progress was made since the new government assumed office. Williams pointed out that the Americas Regional Review Group (AARG), in its latest report that was to be presented at FATF’s plenary meeting, highlighted the progress that Guyana made. The Minister has quoted a section of the report which stated, “The main development in Guyana is the enactment of the AML/CFT Amendment Act 2015 which became enforceable on 10 July 2015. The FIU has also issued guidance on targeted financial sanctions and a money laundering typology report on the gold jewellery trade in August 2015…Guyana has continued to demonstrate its commitment to comply with the action plan and is to be commended for having met most of the deadlines.”
Wednesday February 24, 2016
Kaieteur News
Kerry issues warning as Syrian parties back halt to fighting
Codepink activists protest behind U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry before a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on the FY2017 State Department Budget Request on Capitol Hill in Washington, yesterday. REUTERS/Yuri Gripas Reuters - The government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and rebel groups have accepted a plan for a cessation of hostilities to begin on Saturday and the United States warned it would be hard to hold the country together if the fighting does not stop. With hostilities reported on several fronts, rebels backed by Saudi Arabia expressed doubts about the proposal, which excludes attacks by the Syrian army and its Russian backers on the jihadist groups Islamic State and the al Qaeda-linked Nusra Front. Saudi-backed rebels said Russia had stepped up air strikes since the plan was announced on Monday. For its part, the government in Damascus has made
clear that continued foreign help for the rebels could wreck the deal. Secretary of State John Kerry said the United States would soon know if the plan would take hold. “The proof will be in the actions that come in the next days,” he told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in Washington. If a political transition to a government to replace the present administration does not unfold in Syria there are ‘Plan B’ options, Kerry said, in a reference to undefined contingency plans believed to include military action. The next month or two would show if that transition process was serious and Assad would have to make “some real decisions about the formation of a transitional governance process that’s
real. If there isn’t ... there are certainly Plan B options being considered”, Kerry said. “It may be too late to keep it as a whole Syria if we wait much longer,” Kerry said. France said the leaders of the United States, France, Britain and Germany hoped the deal could take effect soon. The plan is the result of intense diplomacy to end the five-year-long war that has killed 250,000 and forced millions to flee their homes helping to cause a refugee crisis in Europe. But rebels say the exclusion of Islamic State and Nusra Front will give the government a pretext to keep attacking them because its fighters are widely spread in opposition-held areas.
Obama makes last attempt to persuade Congress to shut Guantanamo Reuters - President Barack Obama launched a final push yesterday to persuade Congress to close the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, despite strong opposition from lawmakers who do not want detainees transferred to the United States. The president, a Democrat, pleaded with the Republican-led Congress to give his proposal a “fair hearing” and said he did not want to pass the issue to his successor in January. The Pentagon-authored plan proposes 13 potential sites on U.S. soil to hold some
30-60 detainees in maximumsecurity prisons, but does not identify the facilities. U.S. law bars transfers to the United States, and lawmakers are unlikely to lift those restrictions, especially in an election year. “We’ll review President Obama’s plan,” Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said. “But since it includes bringing dangerous terrorists to facilities in U.S. communities, he should know that the bipartisan will of Congress has already been expressed against that proposal.” Paul Ryan, the Republican
speaker of the House of Representatives, said Obama had yet to convince Americans that moving the prisoners to the United States was smart or safe. Obama is considering taking unilateral executive action to close the facility, situated in a U.S. naval station in southeast Cuba, if Congress does not vote to allow transfers to the United States. Republicans oppose any executive order, and issuing one would almost certainly set off legal chall e n ges and further sour Obama’s poor relations with Congress.
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Kaieteur News
Wednesday February 24, 2016
Wednesday February 24, 2016
Kaieteur News
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A MILITARY PARADE INSTEAD OF MASH The flag is fluttering in the wind on a flagpole that touches the skyline. It is said that if you stand on the moon and look down, you will
actually see it. From the reaction of people, it must be considered as the greatest event in the history of Guyana. The
crowds were large and they were ecstatic. It is said to be the biggest flag and the tallest pole. One person said it was one hundred and
Dem boys seh...
Prisoners eating better than nuff people That scamp Jagdeo know that nuff of he friends and followers gun end up in jail. He see how dem was learning from him. He think he got immunity and nobody can send him to jail. He also know plenty of he friends and followers or he students like Brassington, Ashni and nuff others, including Babbie might end up in jail. That is why he set de stage to mek sure that prisoners eat and sleep well. Dem boys never know that a prisoner does eat so well. Rum Jattan seh it costing Guyana about $485,000 a year to feed one prisoner. When dem boys read that information it tickle dem brain
because dem didn’t went far in school like Rum Jattan and Soulja Bai. When dem boys do de Maths is two things come to dem mind; is either de prison official thiefing de money and de supplies to feed dem, friends dem family and dem lovers wid de prison food, or dem prisoners eating better than Soulja Bai and Rum Jattan but not as good as Jagdeo. Dem boys seh if prisoners can eat so good no wonder de crime situation so bad. Dem boys can understand why people committing so much crime. Dem and all want to go and live there. Kwame spend two morning inside and he put on weight pun he lip and he
behind. Dem boys now want to tell Run Jattan that dem got bigger thiefing elsewhere than what going on in de prison. For example, dem boys get an insight into what is going on wid de fuel supply to Guyana. De things dem boys hear gripe dem belly and dem know that if Soulja Bai hear a coonch of it, he gun throw up and run and lef de presidency. Jagdeo, that scamp, created de GEA in 1997 and it tun out just like how dem boys does describe him. Talk half and mek sure you hold on pun copy of de Waterfalls paper every day. Nuff things coming out.
eighty feet tall. As it was unfurled the spectators went wild. If they knew to whom the pole was consigned when it first came to Guyana, their enthusiasm would be less vocal. Never before has any event overshadowed Mash Day celebrations. February 23 is usually a day for persons to be partying in the streets, not watching a flag wend its way up a flagpole. The grand bacchanal in the streets this year was not missed. The vendors that usually made a lot of money did not seem to mind the losses. The people did not seem to mind that Mash was cancelled this year. They seemed to support the idea of cancelling the revelry in the streets. You would not think that would have ever been case, at least not when the PPP was in power. Guyanese turned out in their numbers to see the flag being unfurled. There was a sideshow. It was called a Beat
Retreat. People seemed excited by that also. Imagine, Mashramani being foregone in favour of the beat retreat. There were ten grandstands built. Each stand was said to hold 600 persons. The stands were made for seating, but it seems as if everyone was standing for most of the time. Persons were allowed to stand in front of the stands and therefore those in the stands had no option but to do the same. Is this what Guyanese are coming back to for May 26th, 2016? Are they returning home in their droves to see a small – and it was small – military parade. There is yet to be published a detailed calendar of events leading up to May 26. The public needs to know whether it is another military parade that will be held on May 26 or whether the show on that day will be different. How many people really enjoy military parades? How spectacular was yesterday’s
parade? There were quite a great number of children watching on. For many of them watching a military parade would have been a first time. But judging from the numbers on the parade square, Venezuela is likely to be rolling in stitches about the number of troops Guyana has, rather than trembling in their boots. Military parades have always formed part of a country’s national day celebrations. It is a colonial thing. In fact, we were told that the beat retreat is a 16th century military drill.I guess you have to have a taste or appreciation for such things to enjoy them. Yet the military drills seem to have a large following of fans. The military parade may replace Mash permanently.
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Kaieteur News
Wednesday February 24, 2016
THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN
Someone is giving cocaine to Gerry Gouveia’s employees Any columnist would tell you that you must consult a lawyer when a commentary will contain explosive or sensitive material. In my journalistic career, I have approached countless lawyers. In every instance, I have accepted their advice and have taken out the paragraphs they suggested. A majority of those deletions would not be necessary in other Caricom
states and many other countries in the western world. Last Saturday, I asked three lawyers if I could quote from the former wife of attorney Ashton Chase on her claim that she is owed maintenance money, the court case that took 35 years to conclude and that her writ to seek division of property was never heard. Two lawyers advised not to mention that it was the former wife of Mr. Ashton Chase and substitute “prominent attorney” for the name Ashton Chase. The third lawyer said he saw nothing libelous with the Sunday column. I still followed the advice of the other two attorneys. There were three uncertain parts of that column for me - 1) she said she was owed maintenance
money - 2) the case took 35 years in the court - 3) her writ for division of property was never heard for 40 years now. All three lawyers said there was nothing in those three statements that libeled Mr. Chase. First, if a divorce litigant said her alimony settlement dragged on in the courts for 35 years, in what ways is that an indictment of Mr. Chase? On the contrary it is an indictment of the legal system, the judges and Guyana. If for forty years now, a writ for division of property involving Mr. Chase has not been heard, is that a statement against the character of Mr. Chase? The answer is no; it is a chastisement of the legal system. The maintenance issue is of equal weakness in the laws of libel. The former wife submitted a bank statement
with her letter. It was for these reasons, the three lawyers told me to go ahead and publish. Since then this newspaper has interviewed the former wife and my column on Mr. Chase and his divorced wife has been overrun by that news item. In the case of Gerry Gouveia, libel is virtually impossible here when I state the facts below. You cannot lose libel when you write the facts. The fact is Mr. Jagdeo, when President, did not legally marry Ms. Varshnie Singh. There is no certificate of marriage issued by the marriage office. Mr. Jagdeo cannot sue for libel. Former Minister Jennifer Westford has been charged for fraud totaling hundreds of millions of dollars. That is a fact. Carvil Duncan has been charged with a criminal offence. That is a fact. Here we go now with the facts on Gerry Gouveia. In 2012, an employee (security officer of Roraima Airways) of Gouveia’s company was charged with cocaine found among food items to be used
on the plane. As a result of that, Mr. Gouveia set up a private committee to investigate the flaws in the system that allowed the Roraima employee to stash the drugs in the food. It was headed by then APNU Parliamentarian, James Bond and included Haji Roshan Khan. They presented their findings to Mr. Gouveia on October 8, 2012 (see my column, “Cocaine, money laundering and politics, “KN, May 31, 2013). Now in February 2016, the police are looking for another Roraima security staff, Diana Johnson, who is on the run. This was after American drug officials found cocaine on a Dynamic Airways flight at JFK Airport. Three customs officers have been charged. From what is reported, the customs officials admitted they were bribed. Someone is giving Gerry Gouveia’s employees cocaine to ship out. And it would seem that the recommendations handed in to Gouveia by the Guyanese 007 have not
Frederick Kissoon worked. Let’s return to libel. I have covered the facts. Gerry Gouveia’s employee in 2012 was charged with cocaine trafficking and jailed. In February 2016, the police are looking for another employee on a charge of cocaine trafficking. So there cannot be any libel there. I have said absolutely nothing about Mr. Gouveia. But this I will now say about Mr. Gouveia; it appears that he cannot stem the tide of trafficking by his security personnel, because a 2012 report he paid for to implement measures to stop the trafficking has failed. My suggestions are - 1) the Roraima airport security should be banned from duties at the airport – 2) the DEA should investigate Roraima to find out who is giving Gerry’s people cocaine to put on the planes.
Wednesday February 24, 2016
Kaieteur News
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GTU proposes 40% salary increase for public school teachers this year A 40 per cent across the board increase in salary is what the Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU) is proposing for public school teachers this year. Negotiations between the Union and the Ministry of Education commenced last month, but were put on hold after the reading of this year’s national budget. A multi-year agreement between the Ministry and the Union came to an end last year-end. The agreement then was for a five per cent increase over the course of five years – 2011 through 2015. According to current President of the Union, Mark Lyte, while 40 per cent is being proposed for this year, the Union is hoping to negotiate for 45 per cent next year (2017) and 50 per cent for the following three years (2018-2020) for all categories of teachers. In a proposal seen by this publication, the Union has taken into consideration inflation and made it clear that “Should there be inflation higher than the percentage agreed upon, then the teachers/teacher-educators must get the benefit of the
...higher percentages for following years
GTU President, Mark Lyte difference.” Although it was not fulfilled under the previous Government, the Union is hoping that the negotiations this time around would see teachers being placed in scales which will reflect the results of the debunching exercise, in keeping with Memorandum of Agreement (MOU) 2011-2015. This therefore means that teachers with advanced levels of training will be placed on a different scale to recent graduate teachers.
And the Union has proposed that the payment of debunching monies be retroactive to 2011, when the previous MOU was inked. Added to this, the Union is advocating for an additional performancebased incentive of three per cent per annum, of the total teachers’ wage bill. Based on the proposal of the Union, it is expected that this will be paid to eligible teachers with effect from January 1, 2016, once the multi-year agreement is accepted and approved. If the MOU under consideration is approved, teachers will also benefit from a monthly emotional/stress/ risk allowance of $5,000, and all teachers who received duty free concessions will be granted a maintenance allowance of $7,000 monthly for their vehicles including cars, motorcycles and boats. Further, the GTU is proposing that all teachers who are owners of motor vehicles be granted mileage when they are invited to
meetings or to meet with officials at the Ministry of Education, and when they are required to attend Teaching Practice sessions organized by the Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE). If the Union’s proposal is approved, teachers will also be eligible for double salaries in the month of December each year. The extensive proposal brought to the negotiation table entails benefits for teachers teaching in hinterland areas, and addresses the need for scholarships and other nonsalary issues. But while the attractive proposal was crafted under the leadership of GTU President Lyte, there is no guarantee that it will continue in its current form when negotiations resume. This is
in light of the fact that GTU members are preparing to elect a new President. While Lyte is again running for the presidency, he is competing against Milne Seymour of the GTU Plaisance branch. The GTU has 39 branches across the country with 7,000-odd members. But Lyte told this publication once re-elected, “I will work feverishly to implement the things we have highlighted like higher wages and salaries for our teachers, duty free concession for other category of teachers apart from heads and deputies and more allowances for teachers who work in the hinterland”. It is his expectation that teachers in the hinterland be given shorter periods to serve their contracts and also be able to gain points for
promotion. Usually teachers are required to serve a fiveyear period after completing training at CPCE. As president, Lyte said that he will also be advocating for smaller class sizes for teachers. And according to him too, the Union will be looking to encourage teachers to further embrace the technological realm. With Lyte at the helm of the GTU, moves will be made to have a website that is functioning, with a focus on the teaching profession. In fact, he disclosed that the GTU will be seeking to bring on stream radio and/or television programmes to disseminate valuable information to teachers. These should have already been on stream but, according to Lyte, there were some hiccups that prevented this from materialising during the past year. Continued on page 12
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Kaieteur News
Wednesday February 24, 2016
PPP’s massive rollover schemes have left country in a bind – Finance Minister
The Coalition government finds itself in a bind as it is unable to implement to a significant degree, large pet projects that it may have on its agenda. According to Finance Minister Winston Jordan, it is mainly due to the fact that there are massive loanfunded projects by the PPP which have rolled over into the plan of the current government. One might say that the government could simply drop the projects of the PPP so that it can have the space to execute its own. But this is easier said than done. Jordan explained that because of the huge size of the loans for some of these projects, simply dumping all of them would be unwise, as they have attached to them, penalties for not seeing it through. It is a dilemma that may see the Coalition administration being accused by the Opposition, perhaps for the next five years, of having a “recycled budget” or a “budget that fails to bring anything new to the table.”
Finance Minister, Winston Jordan The Finance Minister first noted this comment by Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo after his maiden budget presentation in 2015. While Jagdeo and his members hurled the same accusations for the 2016 budget, which was passed in the wee hours of Tuesday last, Jordan said that he was not surprised. He said however that the Opposition Leader used the
opportunities in and out of Parliament to distort the truth of the matter. The Finance Minister said that when it comes to these projects and their implementation, there is something which must be taken into consideration— Fiscal Space. According to Peter S. Heller of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) , “In its broadest sense, fiscal space can be defined as the availability of budgetary room that allows a government to provide resources for a desired purpose without any prejudice to the sustainability of a government’s financial position.” With this in mind, Jordan noted that the Coalition administration inherited from the previous government, a set of projects in various stages of commitment and implementation. As a consequence, he expressed that the room for his
government to insert its core projects into the Public Sector Investment Programme (PSIP) has been “severely restricted” given its stated objective of a sustainable deficit position. The Finance Minister in an interview with this newspaper said, “The fiscal space is narrow at the moment because of the projects we inherited and we could have abandoned them, but they have attached to them, loans that are massive and there are penalties on t h o s e l o a n s … Ta k e t h e Cheddi Jagan Airport Expansion Project, for example. That is a whopping US$130M Project and more than half of the money was given upfront to the contractors …If we had abandoned that project then about US$70M would have been going down the drain.” Jordan continued, “So it’s a case where you either abandon the projects while paying the consequence or you go ahead with it…but if you want to have a
Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo sustainable deficit then the capacity to bring in new and larger projects is severely constrained by the fact that you inherited all these large projects from the previous government.” The Finance Minister said that the Opposition Leader is aware of the predicament facing the Government where the fiscal space is narrow, until they get rid of some of the projects inherited. “So it’s a double whammy for this government and he (Jagdeo) could talk about all
the repackaging from now till year five of this government, but we have to get rid of some of these projects and that is the reality,” Jordan lamented. The Finance Minister also spoke to the matter of fiscal consolidation. He explained that this centres on the maintenance of a fiscal deficit and a debt profile that does not impair the capacity of the private sector to fulfill its role as the engine of growth and the generator of employment in the economy. The Parliamentarian said that already at 4.7 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), the projected fiscal balance for 2016 is below any recorded by the past PPP administrations in the last five years. Jordan said that much of the rhetoric and theatrical activity of the opposition benches need to be called out for what it is. He said that the political gamesmanship and acrimony stem from some perceived right or misguided notion to govern at all cost. He said that the notion must be rejected strenuously as a stumbling block to Guyana’s development.
Man confesses to killing boss, stealing gold The saying that a killer always returns to the scene of his crime held true this week, and led to the capture of a mining camp employee who has since confessed to clubbing his boss to death last month and stealing his gold. On February 2, the skeletal remains of Jaynarine Basdeo, a gold miner of Fort Ordinance, East Canje Berbice was found at Kurubang,
Mazaruni. A length of wood was near the remains. Police suspected that Basdeo, said to be about 70, was slain in mid-January by his 32-year-old employer, Ramishpan, who was now missing. On Monday, police arrested a man at Five Mile Junction, Mid-Mazaruni, with some 600 grammes of marijuana in his possession. It was only when they had
GTU proposes.... From page 11 Lyte, who has been in campaign mode for the past few weeks, disclosed that he will also be seeking to have more training programmes for branch representatives and teachers on a whole with a view of ensuring that they can offer a better service. “We will continue to represent and bargain for all of our teachers at all levels. Basically my focus will be on the proposal - outlined in the MOU - to ensure that everything we agree on will be implemented,” Lyte asserted. Already ballots for the election process have been sent out through the post offices to the various schools to allow members to vote. The ballots will be returned to a Post Office Box and will be retrieved on Friday (February 26, 2016) by the GTU elections officer, and counting will take place at the GTU Woolford Avenue, Georgetown office on the same day. The GTU biennial conference will follow on February 29 and will culminate on April 2, 2016. Habits are not the product of one decision — They’re the result of repeated choices that eventually become automatic responses. How can you know your true spiritual condition? By the company you keep and the choices you make. When you’re free to go, where do you choose to go? Whose company do you prefer?
taken him to a police station that the ranks realised that their prisoner was Ramishpan, the mining camp employee, who was wanted for Basdeo’s murder. According to the police, the suspect, who is from Berbice, confessed to killing Basdeo. He claimed that he had worked for the miner for about three weeks and that in January, he asked his employer for his money, which amounted to ten pennyweight of gold. He claimed that Basdeo refused to pay him, and struck him on the arm with a length of wood after they quarrelled. The suspect claimed that he managed to disarm Basdeo and struck him twice to the head. Leaving the murder weapon near the body, the suspect said he then went into the mining camp and removed 12 pennyweight of gold from a bucket under Basdeo’s bed. The employee then headed to ‘the landing’ and later travelled to Bartica. After that, he returned to his home in Berbice. On Monday, he decided to return to the interior, and it was then that he was held at Mazaruni. Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum said that DNA samples have been taken from the remains and from some of the victim’s relatives to confirm identification.
Wednesday February 24, 2016
Kaieteur News
Page 21
MPs clash over Childhood Dept. staffing, caregivers By Jarryl Bryan Minister of Social Protection, Volda Lawrence and People Progressive Party (PPP) Member of Parliament, Dr. Vindhya Persaud had lively exchanges in the National Assembly over the ability of the Early Childhood Department to carry out its duties with only five staffers. During Monday night’s session examining the budget estimates, Persaud questioned the Minister about how many staffers were ensconced in the department and whether there were plans to increase the amount of social workers and skilled workers who specifically deal with children and child-related issues, including child abuse.
Social Protection Minister, Volda Lawrence “There are a number of institutions where caregivers are placed,” Persaud noted. “Are there enough caregivers
in these institutions?” “We would like to fill as many vacancies as we can,” Lawrence responded. “But we await the Public Service Commission to fill the vacancies that we presently have. And also, we have requested the creation of some other positions, so we can have the persons filling them to assist us.” Persaud at that point demanded to know the positions that were being created. Lawrence revealed that these would consist of child counselors, licensing officers for the Early Child Health Department and Probation Officers for regions 8 and 9. Persaud also queried whether directors were in
NGOs awarded for ‘outstanding’... (From page 3) honours associations, corporations, organisations and other groups. Their sacrifice, selflessness, success and service to their communities, country and society have been consistent and of a high quality. The Medal is an acknowledgement of your service.” The President reassured the recipients that the Medals of Service that they received will not depreciate with the balance of trade. “The parchment with which you have been presented will not disintegrate with age. The acclaim of this congregation is not to be dis-
credited. Guyanese cherish these dear symbols of nationhood. Their significance is not to be devalued,” he reiterated. Since National Awards constitute an important institution of the state, the President noted that is his obligation, as Chancellor of the Orders of Guyana, to pay respect to deserving citizens. The National Awards, he iterated, have not been conferred capriciously. “Selection was done by the Advisory Council of the Orders of Guyana under the distinguished chairmanship of the Chancellor of the Judiciary.” “These Awards, indeed,
Police still looking for... (From page 15) individuals emerged from McCoy’s premises with a bag similar to the one taken from Benschop’s vehicle. The bag was then allegedly handed over to the occupants of a black car, who then drove away. Mc Coy, Abdulla, Hinds and O’Kenie Fraser, have also been questioned about the execution-style killing of political activist Courtney Crum-Ewing, who was gunned down in Diamond New Scheme on March 10, 2015.
were reserved for those who have distinguished themselves in the service of the nation. We applaud your accomplishments. We appreciate the outstanding service that you have rendered. We commend you for your commitment to the common good.” Granger encouraged the recipients to continue, through precept and example, to serve their country and community. “Civil society and nongovernmental organisations are deserving of admiration and emulation by the nation, particularly by young Guyanese.”
PPP MP, Vindhya Persaud place as yet in the Early Childhood Department and how many vacancies were in the department. She also queried whether those numbers would be enough to fulfill the mandate of the ministry, across the Regions. “Presently we have five persons in total (as staff),” the Minister said. “There is the Manager, the Executive Officer and three staff officers. And now we are moving to create those positions.” “We believe that this is a number that we can start with,” Lawrence continued. “Given the fact that most of the centres are on the
coast…And so we will be able to manage with this component as a start.” Lawrence was also asked about other technical staffing matters in her ministry. Persaud enquired what were the designations of other staffers taken on there and where they would be placed. She noted that the new staffers represented Junior Probation Officers assigned to Regions two, three, four, five, six and seven. “We have five vacancies, two of which have been filled recently, and they are placed in Regions three and four. And the emoluments will be $81,000 (each).” ADEQUACY OF BUDGETED SUM Dr. Persaud also questioned whether the budgeted sum of $12M, under Agency 49, Ministry of Social Protection, would be adequate enough considering the amount of programmes envisioned for the year 2016. “With a number of programmes envisioned for this year, I noticed the sum of $12M,” Persaud queried. “Is that enough to (facilitate) all these programmes for 2016? And who will benefit from this?” “We would like to do a lot of things, but we did budget
for this, and I am happy that the Minister of Finance gave us what we asked for,” she said. “So with this $12M, we will look at building capacity for staff, for parents and caregivers. Not to mention that we do get assistance from other agencies.” At this point, Persaud demanded to know the methodology that would be employed to determine who would benefit from the allocations, and whether it would be countrywide. Lawrence noted that not only would the caregivers countrywide benefit, but also parents in the adoption and foster care programmes. Back in September of last year, the Early Childhood Development Project was launched to the tune of US$1.7M, with the objective of improving early literacy and numeracy capabilities for children from the Nursery level upward, and their siblings not yet ready for school. The project will also look at the increased supply teaching and learning materials, and also the procurement and distribution of resource kits. It will also look at reinforcing parents’ abilities to promote children learning at home.
Page 22
SERVICES PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION,WEDDINGS, ANNIVERSARY, ETC. – CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 216-1043; 677-6620 Visa Application: U.S.A, Canada & UK; Guyana passport application. Graphics design, advertisement. Tel: 626-7040; 265-4535. Building Construction: house plans & estimates, floor sanding, lacquering & painting, boat for Santa Mission –Call: 650-4362 Repairs & spare, fridge, freezer, A/C, washers, stoves – Contact Nick: 683-1312, 627-3206 Repairs at affordable prices: fridge, air conditioner, washing machines, dryers, TV, microwaves & freezerCall: 610-5846 or 661-8158 INNOVATIVE MARKETING & PUBLISHING INC –TEL: 600-4212: We create A/ works, logos, business cards, posters, etc, placements of ads included.
Kaieteur News
WANTED 1 Security Guard at Eccles Industrial Site, with a valid police clearance. Call: 2332473
Experienced pastry maker, cake decorator, counter servers, waiters, handy boy, pleasant personality, apply @ Hack’s Halaal, 5 Commerce St. One live in domestic maid – Call: 675-5256/ 666-4153 2 Live in waitresses to work in Bar – Call: 604-6606; 6924649 1 Female domestic/cook (3045yrs) preferably from E.C.D & male to assist in snackette. (Reference & Police Clearance)- Call: 692-7698, 687-3640 Sales assistant with Maths, English & Computer knowledge , multi- task worker, apply @ Key Food Trading Mc Doom Village.
LEARN TO DRIVE Soman Son & Outar Driving School at Maraj BuildingTel: 644-5166; 622-2872; 6150964; 689-5997
PEN PAL Male seeking female (3552yrs) for relationship. Write: Mr. Other Heskey: Mount 92-96 Lord Street, Southport PR8 1JR England Man age 42, looking for female age 35-40yrs, preferably from country side. Call: 691-8074; 695-3818
Female domestic to work in Trinidad, must be educated and know to cook. Between 25-35 years. Call: 1868-683 1528
CAR RENTAL PROGRESSIVE CAR RENTAL: CARS& SUV FOR RENTAL- $4,000 & UP PER DAY- CALL: 643-5122, 6560087 , EMAIL: PRO_ AUTO RENTAL@YAHOO. COM DOLLY’S CAR RENTALCALL: 225-7126/226-3693 DOLLYSAUTORENTAL@ YA H O O . C O M / W W W. DOLLYSAUTORENTAL.COM Wing’s Car & 4WD Vigo pick up rental- Call: 690-6494
TAXI SERVICES GR TAXI SERVICE. CALL: 219-5000; 227-1982 & 2257878 (24HRS)
SALON
FOR RENT
- Make-up Courses with Mac, Bare Minerals and Black Opal - Cosmetology Courses - Nail Technician Course Call: 647-1773/660-5257
PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION,WEDDINGS, ANNIVERSARY, ETC. CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 216-1043; 677-6620
Hairdressers, nail technician, barbers, also hair & nail stations available for rental location: New Market StreetCall: 638-1106
Vreed-en-Hope Junction: Lessons place, office, storage bond, church -$20,000$25,000-Call: 603-6400 Business place: ideal for salon, printery or any other type of business. Call James: 609-3426 3 Bedrooms house (furnished) @ Windsor Estates E.B.D with 24hr security- $USD2, 000 negotiable. Call: 600-2031
Salesgirls, porters and security guard. Apply with written application at Lot 1E Dennis & Middleton Street, Campbellville. Immediate cash for lands in Eccles, Herstelling, Farm, La Parfaite Harmonie, Uitvlugt, Zeelugt & East Coast – Call: 604-2207; 611-7223
Wednesday February 24, 2016
PROPERTY FOR SALE Transported property @ Tuschen Housing Scheme $7M negotiable. Call: 2641050; 683-7045/669-3553 Transport property located @ Rosignol W.B.B: 5 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, fully furnished. Call: 679-3496; 602-6333; 330-2576; 699-4689 (motivated settler) 4 Bedrooms with washroom & bath @ 138 Uitvlugt, Ocean View, W.C.D -$7.5M – Call: 664-9998; 609-0514 Lot 15 Good Hope, West Coast Demerara – Call: 6906840 Joint Venture- commercially developed City Park/ excellent facility with swimming pool, snackette. Call: 602-1473; 680-0405 Newly built 3 bedrooms flat concrete property 22ftX48ft, land 50X90ft @ Vision Garden Versailles, W.B.D -$11M. Call: 616-0111 Transported property @ 19 Good Hope Gardens, size: 24X61, concrete building- all convenience, price -$33M. Serious inquiries only- Call: 234-0046; 656-3525
TO LET Four storey business place located on Robb Street, next to Bourda Market- Call: 6237731; 629-0636 Fully furnished 1 bedroom, air-condition $90,000 monthly, $6,000 daily. Call: 668-0306; 694-7817; 218-1400
Aidan’s Car & 4WD Vigo pick up, cheapest rate, low security- Call: 698-7807
Modernized 2 bedroom apartments in safe and healthy environment- Call: 698-6496
Vehicles for rental: cars, SUV, pickups etc, long term only @ Ray’s Motor Spares and Auto Sales. Call: 231-7839
One bedroom apartment bottom flat at Lot 9 Princes Street, Wortmanville- Call: 626-0651; 225-1127; 611-9070
3 Bedrooms apartment (furnished), Foreshaw Street, Queenstown-$200,000 negotiable-Call: 600-2031 3 Bedrooms apartment (furnished) @ Bougainvillea Park, Farm, E.B.D -$120,000 negotiable- Call: 600-2031 Renovated: PVC Ceiling & tile floor; one bedroom, semifurnished @ 25 Craig Street & Delph Ave, C/Ville- $50,000. Call: 223-1332 2 Bedrooms apartment, upper flat, located at D5 Waller’s Delight W.C.D. Call: 662-0187 One 2 bedrooms bottom flat, fully grilled, self contained, A/C, parking for 1 car. Call: 650-2708 House in Bel-Air Park: 3 bedrooms upstairs/downstairs, all modern conveniences $1600US monthly-Call: 231-7839 during working hours 4 Bedrooms house in Bel-Air Gardens; all modern conveniences; no agents!Call: 231-7839 during working hours Apartments for rent @ Nandy Park with free Wi-Fi, recently renovated- 1&2 bedrooms $70,000-$80,000. Call: 6413318
EDUCATIONAL Lessons! Nursery: Phonics, Reading, Numeracy & Primary: Reading, Revision in all subjects, Grade 7- all Subjects @ Alberttown. Call: 690-9378 FOR SALE/FOR RENT American pool table – Call: 277-0578 Newly Built at Lenora 2 Storey 3 bedrooms, 2 toilet & Shower, double garage for sale or rent – Tel: 675-5998; 268-2277
VACANCY Local & International e m p l o y m e n t : www.jobfairworldwide.com. Call: 233-6517/622-1957/6380595 between the hours of 9am-5pm Mon –Sat.
VEHICLE FOR SALE Oswin J’s Auto Imports; New arrivals: Allion 2006; Premio: 2004, 2006 & 2008, Fielder 2007 & Suzuki Escudo. Call: 592-609-2815
Skilled welder & machinist (limited supervision), apprentice, male & female cleaner. Apply @ Technical Services; 18-23 Eccles Industrial Site.
1AT 212 PRR, 1 Allion PRR Series, 1 Premio PPP, owner leaving country. Call: 642-2645
Cook/baker for the Interior location, applicants must be experienced. Call: 618-2020
2010 Toyota Hilux, Extra Cab, Carry boy tray, mud tyres, UK imports -$5.0M- ONO. Call: 629-2200
Male housekeeping Dept Supervisor, male security guard 30-45yrs, 233 South Road Lacytown. Call: 225-0198 1 Driver- apply @ Technical Service, 18-23Industrial Site Eccles. Hairdressers, nail technician, barbers, also hair & nail stations available for rental location: New Market StreetCall: 638-1106
New model 4X4, RAV4, excellent condition- $2.2M – Call: 618-1395; 220-6380
2008 TOYOTA FIELDER (UNREGISTERED), FULLY LOADED, RIM, BODY KIT, REVERSE CAMERA, TV, DVD -$ 2.5M-CALL: 6427295 Reduced prices on unregistered cars, Allion, Mazda, Fielder, BlueBird. Call City Motors:626-7478; 6163413
Security officers wanted by security company-Contact: 672-1920, between 8:00am5:00pm
1 L-Touring Wagon, Toyota Corolla, HB 9912- Call: 6906840
One sales representative. Call: 225-8205
2008 TOYOTA IST (UNREGISTERED), FULLY LOADED, RIMS, BODY KIT, REVERSE CAMERA, TV DVD -$2.5M -CALL: 642-7295
LAND FOR SALE Parfaite Harmonie; deal land with foundation, light & water, sand filled, front part- $2.6M &1.6M- Call: 604-2207; 6117223 1 House lot in gated community -$4.5M negotiable. Call: 694-7817; 668-0306 One house lot at Mon Repos (Martyrsville) E.C.D, price $3.9M negotiable. Call: 2200538; 645-2395( Joel) or 629-5300 Providence Scheme (115ftX81ft) located on a Cul de Sac close to Bai Shan Lin $8.2M negotiable. Call: 6014163 or 223-0719 Residential lease lot 100X100 @ Kuru Kururu – first Hill from Soesdyke Junction – price $1.8M negotiable. Call: 680-6136 VEHICLE FOR SALE CarsmartAuto Sale: Premio (08) $2,895,000; C-light Premio (05) $2,450,000; Premio (02) $2,295,000 & Spacio -$2,095,000. Call: 639-4295; 650-0402 Carsmart Auto Sale: Fielder $2,095,000; IST-$2,095,000, Audi A4 -$3,895,000; BMW 318i -$2,795,000- Call: 6153075; 639-4295; 650-0402 CAT Skid Steer 236B -$4.5M; CAT 928F Loader -$7.3MCall: 650-0402; 261-4121; 2614018
Toyota Hilux Surf 2783 cc, mileage 74,000 km, year 2006- $8.5M negotiable. First owner driven, excellent condition. Call 626-1372; 656-9100 First Class Auto: Rush, IST, Runx, Sienta, Bluebird, 06 Premio, 06 Allion, Fielder, Spacio, Noah. Call: 627-8383; 638-3045 Toyota verossa year 2004, mileage 69,000 km- $2.2M negotiable. First Owner driven, excellent condition. Call 626-1372; 656-9100 AT192, 212, Allion, unregistered Premio, Hilux Surf, BNN, RZ & Pit-bull, 7 seater super custom. Cash / terms- Call: 680-3154 We buy & sell vehicles for cash, also parts available & 30 seater buses; Extra Cab pickups; 2006 TacomaCall: 680-3154 2005 Mazda RX8, Mileage, 72,000 KM -$1.9M negotiable, first owner driven, excellent condition. Call: 6018612; 276-0006 Toyota Ipsum, fully loaded, music system – 5,800 watt, 7 seater, excellent condition – Call: 653-1003 One Toyota 2003 Fielder Wagon, AC, CD, 17" rims, PMM, never work heir, in excellent condition -$1.4M. Call: 619-1047 Continued on page 23
Wednesday February 24, 2016
Kaieteur News
Letters... Where your views make the news
Donald Ramotar cannot be serious
DEAR EDITOR, The absurdities in statements that emanate from the mouths of PPP representatives never cease to irritate and assault logic. It is reported in Stabroek News dated 22nd February 2016 that Mr. Donald Ramoutar claims “PPP has nothing to hide, denies ties to Roger Khan.” Is Mr. Donald Ramoutar for real? Is he speaking to his misguided three year tenure as President or to the entire twenty three years of PPP misrule? If he is speaking to the latter, then he is throwing Bharrat Jagdeo and others under a speeding bus in inviting the coalition government to set up COI’s into the atrocities perpetrated under PPP rule. Are these the ramblings of a bitter, rejected politician with an axe to grind? Careful what you ask for Mr. Ramoutar, the truth does not always set us free, sometimes it imprisons us. Not unlike your short lived, unpopular, ill equipped
Presidency, once again you are venturing into troubled waters. Maybe the PPP should, instead of grandstanding, apologise for its misdeeds whilst in office just as it insisted that the PNC do. Sometimes it is best to “let sleeping dogs lie” because we painfully remember their viciousness when awakened. Surely Mr. Ramoutar cannot be so naive to think that their twenty three years of atrocities could withstand the intense scrutiny of a Commission of Inquiry? Does he really believe that Bharrat Jagdeo, Leslie Ramsammy, Ronald Gajraj, Qwame Mc Coy and others were baptized in holy water? Does any of these contestations, Gajraj/ Bacchus; Mc Coy/Crum Ewing; Jagdeo/Khan or Ramsammy/Spy equipment/ Waddel, ring any bells, cause his stomach to cringe or tie in knots? The most deadly conspiracies were hatched,
the foulest murders committed and the most corrupt activities perpetrated during their twenty three years in government, it is difficult to envisage the PPP escaping from any investigations unblemished. Even now prominent PPP elites are in hot water, Mc Coy has been charged for the attack on Freddie Kissoon and will be arrested for his possible involvement in Courtney Crum Ewing’s murder and Jennifer Westford has been charged with stealing over $639 million dollars. Former Finance Minister, Ashni Singh, is still to give account for spending $4.5 billion dollars without parliamentary approval. So Mr. Ramotar you see just as you prorogued parliament to your own detriment you will discover that what you are unearthing is not soil at all but faeces and it stinks to high heaven imagine what will happen to the PPP if it hits the fan. C. Graham
The DJ then became ridiculous DEAR EDITOR, Stag Stage Four came and went and I am quite sure that with the level of support, the organisers must be extremely pleased with the returns on their investment in 2016. I did not go to the first two nights, but went particularly on the final night to hear and see the lyrical genius, Bunji Garlin and his Vikings Band in concert. Arriving at what was constantly being dubbed a ‘J’ouvert Party’, patrons were treated to a variety of pulsating Soca music, paint, and powder. In keeping with our stage show culture, the main acts did not come on until very close to midnight, the first being Lyrical. Bunji Garlin though, came on a few minutes to 01:00h. Be that as it may, no one seemed too bothered. A free concert, cheap beer, and great music: who cares. However, one thing bothered me and it was when the DJ seemed to have drifted off on a frolic of his own, and started playing Dancehall music at this ‘J’ouvert/Soca Party,’ much to the disgust of the more perceptive patrons. One wondered if perhaps that particular DJ did not realize that a party of that
nature has no room for Dancehall or any other genre for that matter. The organisers of Stag Stage must be very careful to ensure that there is not a reoccurrence of such a DJ faux pas at another of their Soca shows. Also, there is need for more security to efficiently and effectively handle the
many skirmishes that seem to be characteristic of the stage front. In fact, violent altercations should not be a feature of such activities. Nevertheless, Bunji Garlin and his Vikings Band did not disappoint, even though I have seen and heard them in much better form before. Richard Francois
Page 23
Commercial Registry tackles backlog of pending Trademark Certificates Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Basil Williams has indicated that the Commercial Registry is working assiduously to reduce the backlog of pending Trademark Certificates. As he addressed the National Assembly during the recently concluded Budget debates, Williams said that the Commercial Registry, having moved into new premises, is confidently building its capacity to give speedy and efficient service to the Guyanese people. The Minister informed the House that the registry is 80 percent digitized. The digitization of companies, businesses and trademarks was completed in 2009. Williams then pointed to
the Auditor General’s report which showed that only 39 percent of Trademark Certificates are issued annually. This obviously reflects a backlog. Williams said that the backlog has persisted in excess of 20 years, and a Trademark Certificate is sometimes issued four years after application. A Trademark Certificate shows that a trader’s goods or services are certified as meeting particular standards. Williams told the House that presently, the Intellectual Property Automated System (IPAS) JAVA is being used to reduce this backlog by enabling searches, examination and the generation of certificates for trademarks.
Ensure the committee... From page 4 As the complainants note, the committee started out badly and its formation is hardly likely to attract the broadest of participation, especially given that decision-making is locked into a select group that is almost completely “uni-ethnic” and supportive of only one political party. Even AFC complainants say it does not represent the coalition, much less the 50% of the nation who don’t support the coalition. People feel isolated and marginalized. They query whether this is a celebration of only government supporters. Other complainants have stated they do not wish to be mere “racial tokens” in the committee or lend legitimacy to an outfit that was constituted without the widest possible consultation or reflective of the AFC support in America. Unless there is some drastic effort to be politically inclusive and racially balanced, this celebration is likely to take place along the lines of race and politics. There should be joint or co-leadership of the committee organizing the celebrations — a real effort at power sharing that President Granger and Prime Minister Nagamootoo say they support. I suggested a joint committee of Indian and African leadership, of equity representation among supporters of the parties, of proportional representation among the races. How is that racist? Is it not better than having five Indians he mentions? Vishnu Bisram
Williams pledged that by the end of June this year, Trademark Certificates will be issued three months after application once all statutory requirements are met by the agents. He said too that patents filed since 2003 are now being advertised in the Official Gazette and subsequently certificates are issued. Also, Companies’ Certificates of Incorporation and Business Registrations are now issued within four days of application.
From page 22
FOR SALE LARGE QUANTITIES OF HIGH PURITY MERCURY (QUICK SILVER) 99.99995% PURITY$19,000 PER POUND CALL: 592-227-4754. Cheap! Cheap! CCTV Security Surveillance Kit, 8 Channels DVR with built in Hard Drive, 8 bullet cameras – Tel: 621-4740; 686-3500 Play station 4 system $90,000, XBOX one -$85,000, XBOX 360 -$40,000, PS 3$35,000. Call: 621-7497; 6038643; 649-3277 Two 10 months old pure bred pit-bull male and female for sale. Call Lisa: 697-8867 Single & Bunk Beds; freezers, commercial stove, deep fryer, microwave, excellent condition. To inspect Call: 602-1473; 680-0405 40HP Yamaha, tyre machine, 40KVA generator, 4 KVA generator, air compressor Call: 694-0535 Great Deals on video games & all gaming consoles. PC, phone games & applications. Delivery also – Call: 672-2566; 265-3231 Must sell! One three bedrooms wooden building structure, only with accessories including sliding doors & grills. Call: 227-4285; 609-9381 2006 Nissan Bluebird, imported, newly registered, in excellent condition -$2.2M. Call: 613-1946 Nissan Titan- Call: 696-5135
For the best rates, call us on telephone number: 225-8458
PROPERTY FOR SALE Transported property @ Grove $16M negotiable. Call: 625-5461
Page 24
Kaieteur News
Wednesday February 24, 2016
THE VOICE OF THE LIBERAL DEMOCRATS
The owners of GuySuCo are not broke; why not restructuring? INTRODUCTION As you can see from Part 1 and Part 2 of this Sugar Series a position is being built which clearly explains why privatization of the sugar industry is bad for Guyana. There is no doubt that there is a harsh economic reality in the sugar belt. But such a situation demands rapid systemic and organization changes in how the business is being managed going forward. However, this situation does not demand wholesale divestment or privatization of the industry.
As the accompanying picture illustrates, this situation demands a proper financial diagnosis. This situation demands a collection of sensible and rational financial and o p e r a t i o n a l recommendations. This situation demands a deal between Cabinet (as the executive representatives of the people), the Management and GAWU (workers’ representatives). This situation demands an updated and realistic Independent Business Review with the output being a Business Plan; something the Parvatan Committee was
Committee Report, or else the government might have been hoodwinked by a report that only delivered on a sub-set of the requirements of the Terms of Reference (ToR) but yet charged over $50 million for services rendered. When the PPP was in power, we would have said such a situation should be classified as executive trickery of the highest order. There is no reason to dispute that it cannot be classified as the same today. How different is this from selling the health sector an average of G$46 million per year in expired drugs under the PPP as highlighted in several of the
The owners of GuySuCo are not broke and thus, a proper restructure is what is critically needed at this point in time and fast; not privatization. Although it was a tough decision, mothballing Wales can only add value to the process to save GuySuCo.
charged with doing but failed to deliver. Throughout this entire process, monitoring and evaluation have to be done by the Economic Services Committee of the Parliament. I am grateful that the Granger administration released this Parvatan
Auditor General Reports? Isn’t this CoI Report selling the Granger administration expired data and solutions that cannot stand up to scrutiny? Expired data; expired drugs; same skullduggery; different players; different day. WHAT DID THIS COMMISSION NOT DO? • This Parvatan Commission did not model the cost drivers to present an upto-date and progressive set of financial analyzes that can serve to update the GuySuCo Business Plan. • They did not present
By Sase Singh
financial forecasts with clear views on the key assumptions. • They did not provide financial options analyses that offer different scenarios that outline different outcomes if different decisions are taken such as what if the Skeldon Sugar Factory Debt was absorbed onto the books of the Ministry of Finance and so on. • They did not even offer a cost/benefits analysis of the recommended operational improvements (what will it cost to implement these recommendations). • They did not offer alternative balance sheet forecasts with alternative recommendations. • They did not offer a medium-term cash flow forecast for GuySuCo. • They did not offer a menu of options on alternative viability options. This decision of wholesale privatization looks very political to me, since the only outcome of wholesale privatization will be the total destruction of the sugar industry. • In situations like this, investors like Mitt Romney come in with their capital and set up a classic harvesting of the assets and then walk.
Privatization will only lead to one thing – total destruction of the sugar belt. • They did not offer benchmark key performance indicators per estate that they think should be targeted in 2017 and beyond. • They did not challenge their own key forecast through sensitivity analysis to improve the dataset. They paid no heed to defining and qualifying controllable and uncontrollable sensitivities over a five-year period, much less 2016-2030 as requested by the ToR. • They did not explore how the strength of the industry can be maximum and the weakness and threats mitigated to make this work. • They did not offer the decision makers a menu of scenarios so that they can engage in further stakeholder consultations to be able to evaluate the options and define the basis for a final decision. • They did not offer GuySuCo a fighting chance. CONCLUSION So Guyana is no closer to providing a roadmap in order to deliver a preferred solution for GuySuCo. We may think we are addressing the areas of key concern for the sugar belt by shouting out
Sase Singh privatization; but we are only fooling ourselves if we think this is the end of it. The tough discussions have to be had in an environment of national unity between a team of fresh blood representing the state. GAWU is the elephant in this room and the quicker we engage GAWU, the easier this process will be for all. Until GAWU is in the room, we have to always remind ourselves of the Guyanese proverb – “nah because daag ah play wid yuh, mean he nah bite yuh”. I think GAWU is committed to saving the sugar belt and will give more to this cause if approached differently. Sugar workers have to accept that 2016 can very well be another wage freeze and that is fine if the end product is saving the sugar belt. But all this senseless talk of divestment and privatization is at best premature and underresearched.
Two remanded on armed robbery, larceny charges A twenty year-old Charlestown man was on Monday remanded to prison after being charged with three counts of armed robbery, when he appeared in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts. Appearing before City Magistrate Judy Latchman was Odinga Haywood of Drysdale Street, Charlestown. It is alleged that he robbed three persons on February 21, while armed with a knife. Particulars of the first charge stated that he robbed Mohamed Takur of an iPhone and headset valued $127,000 at Lamaha Street, Georgetown. It was further alleged that Haywood robbed Abraham Takur of a Samsung phone valued $70,000 also at Waterloo Street. And finally, he was accused of robbing Trevor Singh of a Samsung phone valued $60,440 at Lamaha Street. Haywood pleaded not guilty to the charges. An attorney, during a bail application for the defendant,
Roy Williams told the court that his client has an unblemished criminal record. He said that Haywood is willing to comply with any conditions attached to his bail. The lawyer also stated that his client is not a flight risk and is willing to surrender his passport to the court. However, Police Prosecutor, Corporal Kerry Bostwick opposed to bail for the defendant. Bostwick highlighted the seriousness and the prevalence of the
offence and the fact that an offensive weapon was used in its commission. Jones also informed the court that the defendant admitted to committing the crime. This matter will be called again on March 10. Meanwhile, in another case, another man was remanded to prison for allegedly snatching a gold chain from a woman’s neck. Roy Williams (no address given) is accused of stealing a gold chain valued at $38,000 from Lisa Kishore, on October 3, 2015 at Croal Street, Georgetown. He pleaded not guilty to the charge read to him by Magistrate Judy Latchman and was ordered to return to court on March 11. Prosecutor Bostwick told the court that the victim positively identified Williams after the attack. He said that on the day in question, the defendant snatched the chain from Kishore’s neck and made good his escape, despite the fact that she gave chase. In those circumstances he opposed Williams being granted pre-trial liberty.
Wednesday February 24, 2016
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House unanimously U.S., China see progress on passes $230B budget North Korea U.N. resolution
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un guides Korean People’s Army (KPA) military drills. Agency (KCNA) in Pyongyang last Sunday. REUTERS/KCNA Reuters - China and the United States signalled yesterday they were near agreement on a U.N. resolution against North Korea for its Jan. 6 nuclear test. “Important progress has been made in the consultations and we are looking at the possibility of reaching agreement on a draft resolution and passing it in the near future,” Chinese Foreign
Minister Wang Yi said at a joint news conference with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry. China and the United States have not entirely seen eye to eye on how strong the response should be to North Korea since the nuclear test, Pyongyang’s fourth, with Washington urging harsh punitive measures and Beijing emphasizing dia-
logue. Neither man was willing to describe what the potential U.N. Security Council resolution might say and both emphasized a willingness to resume so-called six-party talks on reining in the North’s nuclear programme. China, North Korea’s most important ally and largest trading partner, has historically been reluctant to put undue pressure on its southern neighbour for fear of destabilising the country and unleashing a flood of refugees across their border. “We have made significant progress. It has been very constructive in the last days,” Kerry told reporters. “We both hope that this can move forward very soon.” He also stressed U.S. openness on an eventual peace agreement to conclude the 1950-53 Korean War, which ended with an armistice rather than a peace treaty, if the North were willing to “come to the table and negotiate the denuclearisation.”
The mammoth $230B Budget 2016 was unanimously passed by the National Assembly in the wee hours of Tuesday, after a total of ten days of debate and intense examination of estimates by the subject Ministers and the Opposition parliamentarians. The estimates of the Ministries of Home Affairs, Social Protection, Education and Finance were the last to be scrutinized. At 10 pm on Monday, Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo, as leader of Government business, proposed that the House continue the sitting until all matters were completed. The Appropriations Bill, which details the estimates for all ministries, amounting to $212 billion, represents funding for constitutional agencies and does not require approval of the House. The additional sums take the budget to $230 billion. According to the Ministry of Finance, under the Ministry of the Presidency, $4.8 billion has been approved, while the Office of the Prime Minister will get $6.5 billion. The Ministry of Finance receives $23.6 billion, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, $3.8 billion.
The Guyana Elections Commission, which is undertaking Local Government Elections for the first time in over two decades, will get $3.5 billion. The Ministry of Indigenous People’s Affairs receives $2.1 billion, while the Ministry of Agriculture will get $18 billion; Ministry of Tourism ($35 million) and the Ministry of Business, $1.2 billion. The Ministry of Public Infrastructure gets $30.6 billion; Ministry of Public Telecommunications ($821 million) and Ministry of Natural Resources $814 million. For the Ministry of Education, some $19.7 billion has been allocated, while the Ministry of Communities gets $6.7 billion. Other approved allocations are as follows: Ministry of Public Health ($19 billion); Ministry of Social Protection ($13.9 billion); Ministry of Public Security ($14.4 billion); Ministry of Legal Affairs ($1.6 billion). The Guyana Defence Force will get $10.1 billion, and Supreme Court, $1.5 billion. The Public and Police Service Commissions have been approved allocations totaling $87.9 million, while the Teaching Service Commission has been approved $109.2 million.
The Public Prosecutions office gets $160 million, while the Office of the Ombudsman will receive $44.7 million. The Public Service Appellate Tribunal has been allotted $12.4 million and the Ethnic Relations Commission some $81 million. The Judicial Service Commission will get $10 million and the Rights Commission of Guyana $121.4 million. The Public Procurement Commission has a listing for $1,000. The Parliament Office has been approved $1.3 billion, while the Office of the Auditor General will get $714.3 million. The budget was passed in a House that had two members missing from the Government side and one from the opposition. Ministers Keith Scott and Winston Felix have been barred from sitting in the House after a ruling from outgoing Chief Justice (ag), Ian Chang on their Technocrat status. On the opposition side, People’s Progressive Party MP, Clive Jagan, recently vacated his seat due to treatment he was receiving overseas. The PPP has not identified a replacement for Jagan, who is a nephew of former President Dr. Cheddi Jagan, as yet.
Reuters The economy trumps sovereignty and immigration as the key issue for Britons when they consider whether to vote to stay in or pull out of the European Union, data from an authoritative survey of public attitudes suggests. Despite widespread and profound dissatisfaction with the EU, 60 percent of people think Britain should
continue to be a member of the bloc, while only 30 percent believe it should leave, the British Social Attitudes survey has found. The data was collected between July and November last year, through faceto-face interviews with a random, representative sample of 1,105 British adults. While the data predates the deal that Prime Minister David Cameron reached on
new EU membership terms for Britain, academics say the survey’s random sampling method gives more accurate results than more up-to-date phone and internet polls. The research found that 40 percent of people thought Britain would be worse off economically if it left the EU, while only 24 percent believed it would be better off, and this was the decisive factor in how they would cast their votes.
South Africa parliament Deeply eurosceptic Britons may passes land expropriation bill still vote to stay in EU – survey
Reuters - South Africa’s main house of parliament took a first step yesterday towards enabling the state to make compulsory purchases of land to redress racial disparities in land ownership. Land is an emotive issue in South Africa, where most of it remains in white hands 22 years after the end of apartheid and many commercial and smallscale farmers are currently facing tough times because of the worst drought in at least a century. The main house of parliament passed a bill that will enable the state to pay for land at a value determined by a government adjudicator and then expropriate it for the “public interest.” The bill, which still needs to be passed by South Africa’s other house of parliament and signed into law by President
Jacob Zuma, effectively scraps the willing-buyer, willing-seller approach to land reform. But it does not signal the kind of often violent land grabs that took place in neighbouring Zimbabwe, where whiteowned farms were seized by the government for redistribution to landless blacks. The ruling African National Congress (ANC) said the bill, criticised by opposition parties and farming groups, “will intensify the land reform programme and bring about equitable access to South Africa’s land, natural resources and food security.” Experts have estimated that about 8 million hectares (20 million acres) have been transferred to black owners since apartheid, equal to 8 to 10 percent of the land in white hands in 1994.
The total is only a third of the 30 percent targeted by the ANC under its “willing buyerwilling seller” scheme and a parallel process of “land claims” by individuals or communities dispossessed under white rule. Uner the new legislation, the state can acquire land without the owners’ consent by paying an amount determined by the office of the Valuer-General. Owners can also challenge the compensation offered in the court.
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CARICOM mounts observer 268 suspected cases of Zika mission for Jamaica elections KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) is mounting an electoral observer mission to monitor the general elections to be held in Jamaica tomorrow. The mission is headed by Josephine Tamai, chief elections officer, Elections and Boundaries Department, Belize. The other members of the mission are experts in electoral management and administration from Barbados, The Bahamas, Dominica, Saint Lucia, St Kitts and Nevis, St Vincent and the Grenadines, and Trinidad and Tobago. The CARICOM mission will meet with Jamaican electoral officials, leaders of political parties and other stakeholders. On the day of the elections, the mission will monitor the electoral process including the opening of the poll, the voting process, the
Daily Nation - The number of suspected cases of the Zika virus in Barbados now stands at 268 while the number of confirmed cases remains at seven. Senior medical officer for environmental health, Dr Arthur Phillips, gave the up-
ists, Phillips said all pregnant women who present with symptoms outside of the five-day gestation period will be assumed positive for Zika and referred to the high risk unit at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital for close monitoring.
Morales doesn’t concede as ‘no’ keeps lead in Bolivia count
Josephine Tamai closing of the poll and the counting of the ballots. The observer mission will issue a preliminary statement based on its observations and findings. A report of the general elections will be subsequently prepared and submit-
ted to the CARICOM secretary general. For CARICOM, election observation serves as a platform to support existing democratic traditions within the Caribbean Community as part of its wider policy of supporting democracy.
Police Order Arrest Of Rousseff’s Election Guru RIO DE JANEIRO, (AP) Brazilian police have ordered the arrest of the marketing expert who helped President Dilma Rousseff win two elections, a development that sees a longrunning corruption probe move a step closer to the president. In a televised news conference Monday morning, police accused Joao Santana and his wife, Monica Moura, of receiving millions of dollars in illicit
date at a Press briefing at the Ministry of Health yesterday afternoon. Phillips said the level of reports has remained consistent, and that there were no pregnant women in that number as far as he was aware. While he could not say if any situation currently ex-
Dilma Rousseff funds from Odebrecht, a major construction company
under investigation for its relationship with the state-run oil company Petrobras. The two are currently in the Dominican Republic. According to their lawyer, they are willing to cooperate with any police inquiry. As well as masterminding Rousseff’’s 2010 and 2014 election v i c t o r i e s , Santana also ran former president Lula da Silva’s successful 2006 campaign.
LA PAZ, Bolivia (AP) — President Evo Morales said Monday he was not abandoning hope despite indications Bolivians had rejected by a slim margin amending the constitution so he could run for a fourth straight term in 2019. A member of the national electoral tribunal, Antonio Costas, said later that decisive official results from Sunday’s referendum could not be promised for Monday. Morales said at a televised news conference he had faith in the slower-reporting countryside, where he has greater support. “They don’t like us much in the city,” Morales said. In municipal elections last year, urban voters showed themselves more insistent on new blood in Bolivian politics and less tolerant of official corruption. With 80 percent of the ballots counted just after midnight Monday, the “no” vote stood at 55 percent. Unofficial quick counts by polling firms based on samplings of voting stations
Evo Morales said 52 percent voted “no.” One pollster, Ipsos-Apoyo, counted ballots at one of every 15 polling stations. The chief of the Organisation of American States observer mission, former Dominican Republic President Leonel Fernandez, said there was no evidence of
fraud but called the vote count slow. Morales said he would respect voters’ will, whatever the outcome. If the ballot question loses, life will go on, Bolivia’s first indigenous president said. He blamed his disappointing showing on an opposition “smear campaign.”
MONSTERS IN SCHOOL ...and sending them to teachers Trinidad Express - There are monsters in some of the nation’s schools, Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley said Monday, as he commented that “parents were breeding monsters and
sending them to the teachers”. He was speaking on the “failing” education system, in the wake of the threat of a gun attack at the Chaguanas North Secondary School last Friday. News of a “credible threat” that day led to an emergency meeting and the cancellation of classes at the school by 9 a.m. Speaking at the National Consultation on Education at the Magdalena Grand Resort in Lowlands, Tobago Monday, the Prime Minister said he was “con v i n c e d ” t hat changes to the education system, many of which would be deemed conten t i o u s , w e r e n e c e s s a r y, i f t h e c o u n t r y were to treat with some of its familiar problems.
Wednesday February 24, 2016
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New and increased taxes announced by St. Vincent Prime Minister IWITNESS NEWS – Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves announced increases in several taxes as well as a new tax on cellphone calls when he presented the 2016 Budget on Monday. “I intend to impose a levy of 2 per cent on mobile telephone calls and on international calls — all calls — to be paid directly into the Zero Hunger Trust Fund, in accordance with a specific statute law,” Gonsalves, who is also Minister of Finance, told Parliament. It is not clear whether the parliamentary opposition will debate the EC$912 million budget, as they again stayed away from Monday’s sitting of Parliament in continued protest of the results of the Dec. 9 general election, which they say was stolen. The new tax on cellphone calls is in addition to in-
Ralph Gonsalves creases in property tax on commercial buildings, driver’s licenses, gun licenses, and the introduction of ValueAdded Tax on a number of items, including chicken, lentil, salt, butter, yeast and baking powder.
Gonsalves said the tax on mobile telephone calls is expected to general EC$2.7 million for a proposed Zero Hunger Trust Fund, which, he said, is central to the draft National Zero Hunger Action Plan.
Wednesday February 24, 2016
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Eddie Izzard completes first of 27 marathons for Sport Relief
Eddie Izzard has completed the first of the 27 marathons he is running for Sport Relief. The comedian is running a marathon a day for the next 27 days - one for each year Nelson Mandela spent in prison. ”The first 10 are always the hardest, but then your body and your brain gets used to it so it gets easier,” he told the BBC. Izzard previously attempted a similar feat in South Africa in 2012, but had to pull out for health reasons. ”What I’m doing is not particularly special here, other people have done more crazy things,” he said. The 54-yearold tweeted a photo of himself standing by the Mbashe
river in South Africa’s Eastern Cape province as he began his marathon at 06:30 local time. But a few hours later, Sport Relief themselves tweeted: “16 miles done and a little work on the feet needed,” with a picture of Izzard taking a short break. How will 27 marathons affect Eddie Izzard? When asked what he’d done to physically prepare for the challenge, Izzard said: “You can’t really train for 27 marathons, it’s mental training.” “It’s about getting your health into the right place, eating the right food, and getting mentally prepared for it. ”There’s no luck in it, you make your own luck really.”
When asked how he’d altered his diet, Izzard explained: “Once you get yourself off refined sugar, you do get to a much better place.” One of the biggest challenges he faces while running the marathons is the hot climate in South Africa. “It’s like two British summers squashed together and multiplied with a cooker. I think we’re at 30C already, and it’s 10am here,” he said. He joked that he “doesn’t actually like running”, adding that he’s trying to find things to keep him entertained along the way. “I like stopping and talking to donkeys, goats, cows,
Wednesday Feb 24, 2016 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) Be prepared to deal with groups and organizations of greater magnitude. Calm down and take a step back. Have a heart-to-heart talk with family and find out what the problems are. TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20) Put your thoughts into some trendy new ideas. Concentrate on your job. Be prepared to step into the limelight if you wish to promote your ambitions. GEMINI (May 21–June 20) Everything is moving quickly, just the way you like it. Do not push your opinions or try to reform your emotional partner today. Don't bother trying to make someone you live with see your point of view. CANCER (June 21–July 22) You should consider getting your whole family involved in a project at home. Try to do your job and then leave. Your added discipline will help you complete the impossible at work. LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) It's hard to stay mad if the object of the anger refuses to react. You can make personal changes that will enhance your reputation and give you greater self confidence. You can make gains if you look at long-term investments. VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) Don't forget family obligations. Your energetic personality will make you the center of attention at social gatherings. Try to deal with
the problems of those less fortunate; however, don't allow them to make unreasonable demands. LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) Unique forms of entertainment could capture your attention and bring about a romantic interest. Help others solve their dilemmas. SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) You'll find love and you'll get into tiptop shape at the same time. Your added discipline will enable you to complete some of those unfinished projects. You'll be able to break bad habits if you put your mind to it. SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) Your knowledge and good sense will help more than you think. This will be a great night to invite friend over to visit. Your time, not your cash, will do a lot more for your relationship. CAPRI (Dec.22–Jan.19) Be tactful if you see flaws in someone else's work. Do not push your opinions or try to reform your emotional partner today. New hair, new outfit, new you. AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) Don't bang your head against a wall. Sudden romantic connections may be short lived. You need to look into new philosophies. PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) You won't impress anyone by being overly generous. Opportunities for travel and communication are evident. The battle continues.
Nelson Mandela dogs - I’ve just been to Mvezo which is the birthplace of Nelson Mandela.” Mandela was President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999 before his death in 2013 aged 95. (BBCNews)
GNA AGM and Elections set for March 6 The Guyana Netball Association (GNA) will be holding its Annual General Meeting (AGM) and Elections of Office Bearers on Sunday, March 6, from 3pm at the National Resource Centre, Woolford Avenue. A press release from the association stated that an invitation is extended to all stakeholders and persons interested to attend the forum.
Tribute to Julian Edward... (From page 30) internationals against Venezuela at Camp Ayanganna, November 1986 and the opening Olympic qualifier against the Bahamas in Nassau. After the exodus of Anthony Williams, Dion Roberts and Oscar Rodney in Miami January 1987, Moe was recalled to the National fray for the return Olympic Qualifier against the Bahamas at GCC Bourda, this was the last time he donned National colours. International tours 1983 Antigua & Barbuda – CFU Championship 1983 Trinidad & Tobago – two friendly internationals 1984 Suriname – World Cup Qualifier 1985 French Guiana – CFU Championship 1987 Barbados – Friendly international
The actor and comedian will be swapping the rainy streets of the UK to 30 degree heat in South Africa (Sport Relief UK/PA)
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Wednesday February 24, 2016
Barcelona testing: Sebastian Vettel fastest but Mercedes impress Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel set the fastest time in preseason testing for the second day in succession in Barcelona yesterday. Vettel was 0.715 seconds quicker than Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo, as both drivers became the first to use the new ultra-soft tyre introduced for slow tracks this year. Force India’s Sergio Perez was third fastest on the supersoft tyre and Mercedes’ Nico Rosberg fourth on the medium tyre. Rosberg was
two seconds off Vettel but Mercedes had an impressive day. Rosberg completed more laps than anyone else - as did team-mate Lewis Hamilton on the first day of the test on Monday - and taking into account the differences between the tyres, world champions Mercedes still appear to have a very strong car. The ultra-soft tyre is designed for low-grip slow tracks, not Barcelona, where the long corners and abrasive
surface create are hard on tyres. But it is much softer and would provide better grip and therefore greater speed over a short distance. Tyre supplier Pirelli estimates the lap-time difference between the ultrasoft and the medium at 1.82.3secs, based on initial data. Pirelli also said it believed the difference between the medium and super-soft was about 1.4-1.5secs - and Rosberg was only 1.2secs slower on medium tyres than Vettel’s best time on the
super-softs. On the face of it, that might suggest Mercedes still had a small advantage over Ferrari. However, the times are not necessarily directly comparable - even taking the tyres into account - because the teams do not reveal the fuel loads the cars are carrying - and 10kg of fuel is equivalent to nearly 0.4secs a lap at Barcelona. What can be said is that the Mercedes ran reliably and produced consistently impressive lap times over all its runs. Rosberg ran a remarkable 172 laps to add to the 156 done by Hamilton on Monday. Vettel said he was “fairly happy” with the performance of the Ferrari - which is a much more radical design departure from last year’s car than the Mercedes. However, Ferrari are the ones with all the work to do - Mercedes had an average advantage of 0.6secs a lap in qualifying last year. Vettel brought the session to a slightly premature end when his car stopped out on track with five minutes to go, causing a red flag. Among the rest of the field, the new Haas team impressed, with Mexican Esteban Gutierrez setting the sixth fastest time after a delayed start because the car needed its front wing strengthened after a failure on Monday. Fernando Alonso had his first experience of the McLaren-Honda on Tuesday and ended the day eighth fastest, 3.2 seconds off the pace, but 0.7secs quicker than team-mate Jenson Button had been on Monday. The McLaren ran reliably
For the second day in succession Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari) was fastest in testing. - Alonso did the equivalent of a race distance in the morning session and managed well over 100 laps for the day - but the team still appear to be some way from competitiveness. Honda, which announced a new head of its F1 programme on Tuesday, has, according to Button, fixed one of the biggest issues with
its engine - its weakness in deploying recovered electrical energy. However, the engine is believed still to be a significant margin - perhaps as much as 100bhp - down on the standard-setting Mercedes in terms of absolute performance. Honda has a new engine for next week’s second and final test.
Rain forces postponement of Young Warriors fundraiser - Mash Cup 2016
Persistent rain in the Berbice area has forced the postponement of the Young Warriors annual fundraiser, Mash Cup 2016. It was slated for yesterday, Republic Day. A new date will be announced soon as the club
wish to thank the following sponsors for their support so far: ANSA McAL, Ashiek and Sons Motor Supplies and Auto Sale, Massy Distribution, Roshan Satar Supermarket, A Ally and Sons Showroom, Republic Bank (Guyana) Limited, Memorex, NBS Ltd, J’S Printery,
Vickram Jewellery, Sham Beer Garden, Mr Mortimer George, Attorney at law Murseline Bacchus, RHYY&SC, A Mahabir and Sons, Regional Democratic Council, Region No. 6, Mundal Satar, Jim Bacchus Travel Service, Balram Shane and Office Express.
Swiss examine 152 suspicious transfers linked to FIFA probe Swiss authorities are reviewing more than 150 reports of suspicious financial activity linked to FIFA’s decision to award Russia and Qatar the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, a spokesman for the attorney general said yesterday. That is up from 133 cases the Attorney General of Switzerland (OAG) had reported
in December. ”As of today, 152 suspicious transaction reports have been filed to the ...(OAG) via the Swiss Financial Intelligence Unit, MROS, in the context of the ongoing criminal proceedings reg a r d i n g s o c c e r, ” t h e spokesman said in an emailed statement. (Reuters)
Wednesday February 24, 2016
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Curry and Thompson combine as Warriors edge out Hawks The Sports Xchange Backcourt mates Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson scored a combined 63 points, and the Golden State Warriors blew a 23point lead but came back to beat the Atlanta Hawks 10292 Monday. Curry was 14-for-22 from the field and shot 5-for-11 on 3-pointers while finishing with 36 points, eight assists and six rebounds. Curry has made a 3-pointer in 126 consecutive regular-season games, one shy of matching the all-time record held by Atlanta’s Kyle Korver. Thompson also had five 3-pointers, and he scored 12 of his 2 7 p o i n t s i n t h e fourth quarter for Golden State (50-5). Forward Harrison Barnes added 14 points and matched his season high with three 3point baskets. Atlanta (31-27) lost its third game in a row and fell
for the fifth time in six games. The Hawks have lost four straight at home for the first time since 2007. The Hawks were led by center Al Horford with 23 points and 16 rebounds, and guard Dennis Schroder came off the bench to score 18. Guard Jeff Teague had 16 points and six assists. Forward Paul Millsap had 11 points and seven rebounds, and guard Tim Hardaway Jr. added 12 points. The game looked as if it would be a blowout until the third quarter. The Warriors hit the first three 3-pointers they made to race to a quick lead. Golden State had a 10-point edge with 5:50 left in the first quarter and stretched it to 30-15 at the buzzer on a 3-pointer from guard Leandro Barbosa. Atlanta got to within 3730 on a jumper from Horford, but the Warriors responded
Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) is defended by Atlanta Hawks forward Paul Millsap (4) during the second half at Philips Arena. Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports with a 17-7 run to push the lead to 17. Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer expressed his
frustration with the referees from the onset, once calling a timeout so he could
berate official Michael Smith. It reached a peak when
Horford had a shot knocked away on a drive to the basket, which caused Budenholzer to run down the court behind Smith and pick up a technical foul. The Warriors built the lead to 58-39 at halftime, the 19-point lead coming when Curry hit an off-balanced jumper with one second left. The Warriors made 10 3-pointers in the half and outscored the Hawks 160 on fast-break points. Atlanta trailed 70-47 on Curry’s driving finger roll with 6:58 left in the third. But with Horford and Schroder each scoring eight points, the Hawks went on a 28-6 run and drew to within a point at the end of three quarters, 76-75. The Hawks took the lead on a basket by Horford and led 80-76 on a 3-pointer by forward Thabo Sefolosha. However, the Warriors responded with a 17-4 run that put the game away.
Whiteside comes off bench Athletics doping: IAAF suspend to fire Heat past Pacers Kenyan body’s chief executive
Miami Heat center Hassan Whiteside (21) prepares to shoot the ball as Washington Wizards forward Markieff Morris (5) defends. Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports The Sports Xchange Center Hassan Whiteside came off the bench to provide 19 points and 18 rebounds, leading the Miami Heat to a 101-93 overtime win over the Indiana Pacers on Monday night at AmericanAirlines Arena. Miami also got 24 points, eight rebounds and five assists from point guard Goran Dragic. Indiana’s star was forward Paul George, who had 31 points and 11 rebounds, his 12th double-double of the season. He is averaging over 30 points in four games against Miami this season. The Pacers could have won the game when guard Monta Ellis was fouled by Heat guard Dwyane Wade with 0.8 seconds left in the fourth quarter. Trailing 88-87, Ellis missed the first free throw before making the sec-
ond, sending the game to overtime. Wade, who was held to 16 points on 4-of-21 shooting, made two free throws with 4.5 seconds left in the fourth quarter to put Miami in position to win in regulation. Whiteside, who nearly had his second straight 20-20 game in points and rebounds, surpassed 1,000 rebounds for his career. He is the fastest player in Heat history to reach that milestone. Heat forward Luol Deng suffered a dislocated right middle finger but still managed 13 points and a seasonhigh 16 rebounds — his third straight double-double. The Heat (31-24) split the four-game season series with the Pacers (30-26) as the teams battle for playoff position in the Eastern Conference.
Indiana point guard George Hill played despite a sprained elbow and was held to one point. Ellis was held to seven points on 2-of-17 shooting as the Pacers backcourt struggled. Indiana started quickly, leading 11-0 and then 16-2 before Heat coach Erik Spoelstra benched center Amar’e Stoudemire and guard Gerald Green. The Heat responded with a 6-0 run but still trailed 25-15 after the end of the first quarter. Miami shot just 27.8 percent in the period, and Indiana made three baskets at the shot-clock buzzer. Miami, though, closed the second quarter on an 11-0 run, cutting Indiana’s lead to 44-41 at halftime. The Heat then took a 7069 lead after a third quarter that featured three lead changes.
The IAAF has provisionally suspended the chief executive of Athletics Kenya amid allegations he asked athletes for bribes to reduce doping bans. The governing body for athletics said it took the decision concerning Isaac Mwangi “in the interests of the integrity of the sport”. Meanwhile, Kenya has been given until 5 April to show it complies with the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) code. If it fails to do show it could be banned from international athletics. In regards to Mwangi, an investigation into “potential subversion of the anti-doping control process in Kenya” will now take place. He denies wrongdoing and said he had wanted to leave his post for 21 days to clear his name prior to the IAAF announcing his suspension. Wada said it was “most disturbed” by the claims. ”The allegations have caused me a lot of mental anguish,” Mwangi said in a letter to Athletics Kenya. “I am anxious to have my name cleared.” Two suspended athletes claimed Mwangi had asked for money in exchange for more lenient punishments - allegations Mwangi said were “unsubstantiated”. ”Mr Mwangi remains presumed innocent until the outcome of the investigation and the determination of any disciplinary charges which may follow from that
investigation,” added the IAAF statement. BBC Sport revealed last week that Kenya had missed a deadline to prove to Wada it was tackling cheating in athletics, following a string of positive drugs tests and corruption allegations. The east African country, whose athletes are dominant in distance running, finished top of the medal table at the 2015 World Championships in Beijing with seven golds. But since 2011, more than 40 of its athletes have failed drugs tests.
Three other senior officials at Athletics Kenya were suspended last year by the IAAF while an investigation took place into allegations of “subversion” of the anti-doping process in Kenya and “improper diversion” of funds received from Nike. Vice-president David Okeyo, a council member for the IAAF, president Isaiah Kiplagat, and Joseph Kinyua, a former treasurer of the national association, all deny any wrongdoing. (BBCsport)
Athletics chief says Russia must qualify for Rio Games by June - R-Sport
Dmitry Shlyakhtin. Reuters/Maxim Shemetov/Files Russian athletes will be unable to compete at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games if a ban on their participation is not lifted by June, the head of the Russian Athletics Federation (VFLA) was quoted as saying yesterday. ”We believe, that our team will
perform at the Olympics ... but we understand that there is a point of no return. That is June,” R-Sport, the sports arm of the RIA news agency, quoted VLFA Head Dmitry Shlyakhtin as saying. (Reuters)
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Kaieteur News
Wednesday February 24, 2016
U.S. tops Canada for CWOQ title Houston - Midfielders Lindsey Horan and Tobin Heath scored goals within an eight-minute span in the second half to give the United States a 2-0 victory over Canada and its fourth consecutive CONCACAF Women’s Olympic Qualifying Championship (CWOQ) title at BBVA Compass Stadium Sunday. Both teams already had qualified for the 2016 Olympic Games with wins in their semifinal matches Friday. The Americans, who improved to 18W-1D-0L (98GF, 4GA) all-time in CWOQ play, allowed their northern neighbors only a handful of opportunities as goalkeeper Hope Solo recorded the shutout. Horan broke a scoreless tie in the 53rd minute. After a Canadian defender cleared the ball out of the area, U.S. center-back Becky Sauerbrunn latched onto it about 40-yards out on the right side. She floated the ball into the box that Horan headed home from eight yards for her second
The USA celebrates after defeating Canada in the CONCACAF Women’s Olympic Qualifying Championship final on February 21, 2016, in Houston. (Photo: Mexsport) international goal. The current CONCACAF, Olympic and Women’s World Cup champion doubled its advantage in the 61st minute, when 17-year-old midfielder Mallory Pugh dribbled into the left side of the area and found Tobin Heath on the
opposite flank. Heath drilled a 12-yard shot into the upper right corner for her 14th international goal. Solo was rarely tested, but was forced to make a diving save on Melissa Tancredi in the 71st minute. As it turns out, Tancredi was the last
Points Standings after the 7th round
St. John’s, Antigua – Following are the Official Points Standings after the seventh round of matches ended on Monday in the WICB Professional Cricket
League Regional 4-Day Tournament. Abbreviations: Pts-total p o i n t s , M - m a t c h e s , Wwon, L-lost, T-tied, I-incomplete match, A-aban-
doned match, DP-Abandoned match due to dangerous pitch, MR-match referee awarding match, Batbatting points, Bowl-bowling points
Dalchand Rambharose Inter-Sec. School U-15 Cricket - Berbice
Tikaram’s 12-wkt haul including hat-trick helps Black Bush beat Central Corentyne Brilliant bowling from offspinner Ajai Tikaram spearheaded Black Bush Secondary School to an outright victory over Central Corentyne Secondary School as the 2016 Dalchand Rambharose Inter-Secondary School Under-15 Two-innings Cricket Competition got started recently. In the match played at the
Mibicuri Ground, Central Corentyne, choosing to bat first, soon found themselves 57 for 7 in the first innings with pacer Yuvraj Munessar and Tikaram picking up three each. They did not progress further than that as Tikaram proceeded to snare a hat-trick which left them 57 all out. Tikaram ended with 6 for 16 and Munessar 3 for 25.
When Black Bush Secondary replied, they were able to declare their 1st innings at 122 for 7 with Shazam Mohamed hitting 40 and Ezelikel Rebeiro 22. Bowling for Central Corentyne Shemroy Simpson took 2 for 19, Rawle Johnson 2 for 22 and Jamal Hickman 2 for 34. Facing a deficit of 65 runs, Central Corentyne batted for a second time and was bowled out for 40 this time to lose by an innings and 25 runs. Doing the main damage again was Tikaram who took 6 for 12 this time to end with match bowling figures of 12 for 28 from 83 Overs. Totatram Ramnarine took 3 for 20.
player to solve the Americans’ defense in CWOQ, netting in the 2008 final. Since then, the U.S. has registered 10 consecutive shutouts, extending its qualifying scoreless streak to 904 minutes. Canada head coach John
Herdman rested some of his regulars, including star forward Christine Sinclair, 16year-old sensation Deanne Rose, goalkeeper Erin McLeod as well as midfielders Diana Matheson and Sophie Schmidt. U.S. coach Jill Ellis, on the other hand, deployed
the same Starting XI as in the 5-0 semifinal win over Trinidad & Tobago on Friday. Sinclair, who is second on the all-time international scoring list with 161 goals, came on for Nichelle Prince in the 62nd minute. (CONCACAF)
Gianni Infantino. Reuters/Arnd Wiegmann
of FAs,” he said. “It’s only normal if you want to become president of FIFA: you speak to as many people as possible but at the end of the day, you need to convince 105 FAs to vote for you. ”(I’ve taken) no advice, I take opinions from everyone and then focus on my campaign.” Infantino has been given the backing of his own federation, which has 53 voting members, and South America’s CONMEBOL, which has 10. His camp also believe he has support in the Caribbean, and on Monday Infantino said he expected to get more than half the 54 votes in Africa, even though the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has backed Salman. CAF’s endorsement of Salman is not binding on its members and African countries have usually voted contrary to their confederation’s recommendation in previous FIFA elections. ”I’m very confident that I have those votes because I met personally the vast majority of presidents from African associations,” said Infantino. “You look at them in the eyes, they look you in the eyes then you see if they are just telling you what you want to hear, or they are honest and truthful about what they say.” (Reuters)
Infantino confident of winning majority in FIFA election
FIFA presidential candidate Gianni Infantino voiced confidence yesterday he would get more than the 105 votes he needs to win Friday’s election for the new head of soccer’s world governing body. FIFA is engulfed in a corruption scandal that has led to the indictment of several dozen leading football officials in the United States. Outgoing President Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini, head of European soccer federation UEFA, have been banned for eight years for ethics violations, which they deny. Infantino, the Swiss general secretary of UEFA, is one of five candidates standing in the election, in which each of FIFA’s 209 national football associations (FAs) holds one vote. He and Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa of Bahrain are considered the frontrunners in a field that also includes South Africa’s Tokyo Sexwale, Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein of Jordan and Frenchman Jerome Champagne. Prince Ali’s lawyers said yesterday they had requested a delay in the vote while he appeals to sport’s highest tribunal over his request for transparent voting
booths and independent scrutineers. Infantino told Reuters Television in an interview: “I am very confident about the situation, and the discussions I’m having with the leaders of many associations make me feel even more confident, so I hope to have some more than 105.” He said Blatter and Platini were among the people he had spoken to, although he had not taken any advice. ”I have spoken to (acting FIFA president) Issa Hayatou, to Michel Platini, to Sepp Blatter, about 150 presidents
Wednesday February 24, 2016
Kaieteur News
Page 33
LABA/104.3 Power FM B’ball Semis
Bulls and Raiders Halt Jets and Royals to Advance They played true to form and prevailed to set the stage for one of the most anticipated final’s in recent times as the number one ranked Half Mile Bulls stopped third seed Victory Valley Royals 7165 and the second ranked Retrieve Raiders edged out fourth ranked Amelia’s Ward Jets in semifinal action of the Linden Amateur Basketball
Association’s 104.3 Power FM Mash Open basketball semifinals at the Mackenzie Sports Club Hard Court last Saturday. The Bulls played like the number one ranked as they turned back the challenge of the Royals, their leading players taking them to another solid victory against a Royal’s side that simply could not match the drive of the Bulls.
UDFA 1st Div. League
Milerock play Botafago; Eagles face Net Rockers today The battle for supremacy in the Upper Demerara Football Association Division One League continues with Milerock facing Botafao from 20:0hrs with opening play featuring bottom placed Eagles United and Net Rockers from 18:30hrs today. Milerock are coming off a 2-0 defeat at the hands of second placed Silver Shattas after goals from Dellon McAllister in the 2nd and Damion Williams in the 36th minute of play in the latest set of matches of the league last Friday and will hope to jump to joint first place with Topp XX who are on 13 points. Milerock, with 10 points from six matches including three wins, two losses and one draw, will fancy their chances against a Botafago side on six points having tasted a 4-0 whipping at the hands of Topp XX last Friday when Keon Halls (5th minute), Monty Simon (20th), Travis Waterton (34th) and Tyric McAllister in the 42nd scored. Botafago
has two wins and two losses. Net Rockers was able to s t o p A m e l i a ’ s Wa r d Panthers 1-0 in their last game compliments of a Denzil Pryce strike in the 18th minute. They are on seven points from six games with two wins, three defeats a n d o n e d r a w . The Panthers are on four points and the cellar position along with Eagles United and Blueberry Hill. They all have one win, three losses and one draw. The bottom two teams will face relegation in ten team league. Federal Winners Connection like Milerock are joint third placed teams with three wins, two losses and one draw after playing six games so far while Hi Stars are on eight points from five games with two wins, one loss and two draws. On Friday two more matches are slated for the MSC ground, at 18:30hrs Hi Stars take on Amelia’s Ward Panthers with the other game between Silver Shattas and Topp XX.
Zone B and C record wins Zone B and C registered victories when the Enterprise Busta Sports Club Inter-Zone T20 competition commenced on Sunday last. Zone C defeated Zone A by eight wickets. Batting first, Zone A made 108-8 with Bhaskar Yadram scoring 35 and Seemangal Yadram 18; L. Dindyal and Vivian Albert picked up two wickets each. Zone C responded with 1132 in 11 overs.
Albert struck 34 and Pradesh Balkissoon 31. K. Hookumchand and C. Singh had one wicket each. Zone B hammered Zone D by nine wickets. Zone D batted first and posted 124-9. V. Persaud got 27 and D. Prashad 13; B. Samaroo claimed 3-13 and B. Deodat 2-11. Zone B replied with 128-1 in 16.2 overs. K. Mohamed led with 62 while Rohan Mangal made 20. S. Ramkarran had 1-22.
The first quarter saw the Royals taking a 13-12 lead but the Bulls were able to take claw their way back as they held the edge at half time 31-26, national players Michael Turner and Terron Welch showing their class with good support from inside man Travin Dryden. In the third quarter the Royals looked encouraging as they were in the game
with the Bulls nudging ahead by a single point, 4948. But the Bulls as they have done in recent times showed their class and romped home eventually through the running game as Turner poured in 22 points, Welch tipped in 2 1 a n d D r y d e n returning to the sport after an injury contributed 10.
The best shots for the Royals were the consistent Harold Adams with a game high 29 points, Nevin Glenn added eight. In the second game the Raiders were able to carve out a win mainly through the inspirational play of power forward Dwayne ‘Brown Sugar’ Roberts who had 22 points, leading at every interval, 14-11, 20-16, 32-
27, 49-48. It was a game that must be viewed as a test for the Raiders and with the final set for Saturday. They must know the areas of concern they should address before taking on the up-tempo Bulls. The final will be preceded by the third place playoff game between the Royals and the Jets.
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Kaieteur News
Wednesday February 24, 2016
Tribute to Julian Edward Moe Kaieteur Sport has learnt that former Guyana International footballer Julian Moe has died recently in the United States. In tribute to Moe Kaieteur Sport presents piece previous carried in September 2012 by Statistician Charwayne Walker. Julian Edward Moe, Guyana international 1983 – 1987. The year was 1987 and the National Team led by P e l e F o o t b a l l C l u b ’s Terrence Archer deplaned at the Grantley Adams International Airport, Bridgetown, Barbados to contest an International friendly against the host. Whilst they were clearing immigration, the most skillful and flamboyant playmaker, Julian Edward Moe was apprehended for possession of an illicit drug. He was subsequently charged and sentenced to 18 months in prison. To make matters worse, the then Guyana Football Association banned Moe for
life. At 24-years-old, Julian Edward Moe was the most gifted midfielder in Lennox Arthur’s arsenal but he paid a heavy price for misunderstanding his role as an ambassador. However, before that moment of miscalculation and poor judgment which unfolded at the Grantley Adams Airport in March 1987, Julian Moe was the kid with the ‘golden touch’ although he never featured at the National Youth Level as a result of no National Under19 teams in 1981 and 1982. His elevation to the Senior National Team in 1983 was inevitable. Moe was Western Tigers Football Club outstanding playmaker in the 1981 and 1982 in the Demico League division-one tournaments. He also featured regularly for Georgetown in Inter Association competitions. So it was no surprise when the Western Tigers star midfielder was included in Coach Mervyn ‘Pug’ Wilson 1983 National Squad for the Caribbean Football Union
Senior Championship. His first outing in National colours was the return game between Guyana and Barbados at the GCC, Ground Bourda. From the bench he observed the mastery of Neville ‘Zipper’ Johnson and Colin Hinds who scored the goals that sent the Bajans packing from the 1983 CFU campaign. His first touch in National colours came in the next match against Antigua & Barbuda at the same GCC, the game ending 0-0. The return fixture in St. John’s where the host won 40 was Moe’s first loss as a senior. The result meant that Guyana was eliminated from t h e 1 9 8 3 C F U Championship. Moe’s next international assignment was to Trinidad & Tobago for two friendly matches against the hosts as they prepared for the 1983 CFU Finals in French Guiana. In 1984, Moe’s international campaign started with a 2-0 loss to T&T at GCC. Guyana was also defeated in the return
encounter in Port of Spain, 31 but according to Coach Lennox Arthur, Moe created several opportunities but the Guyanese strikers failed to convert. He {Moe}produced the corner that allowed Lannie Maxwell to score the lone Guyanese goal. The next opponent for Moe was the India National Team that deplaned at the Timehri International Airport a confident bunch after defeating Trinidad & Tobago in Port of Spain. But the boys from Delhi will never forget the name Julian Moe. He tormented their defence netting a memorable double and creating the final goal that Terrence Archer scored, Guyana triumphed 3-0. His next match was a 1-0 World Cup Qualifier loss to Suriname in Paramaribo. Moe was spectacular in the return fixture which Guyana drew 1-1 at GCC. His international programme in 1984 concluded with 1-1 draws against Suriname at GCC
Former Guyana international 1983 – 1987
and once again he created the goals that Nigel ‘Mice’ Cummings scored in both matches. The following year, 1985, Moe and company were too much for the Mighty Cuba culminating in a 1-0 series victory at GCC. This win was followed by another 1-0 triumph for Guyana over hosts French Guiana, Anthony Williams was the Guyanese marksman. He failed to reproduce the same form that mesmerized the Frenchmen in Cayenne against
Suriname at Camp Ayanganna in the next round of the CFU Championship and regrettably Guyana lost 1-0. M o e ’ s o n l y internationals in 1986 were for Western Tigers against Transvaal of Suriname, the visitors won both matches at the GCC Ground. Strange enough the star midfielder was amongst the spectators when Guyana engaged Barbados in two friendly internationals in June 1986 at GCC. He also missed the two (Continued on page 25)
Wednesday February 24, 2016
Kaieteur News
Page 35
Raul Leal is Forbes Burnham Memorial three-stage cycle road race king Matheson wins female title Raul Leal is Forbes Burnham Memorial threestage cycle road race king Matheson wins female title Despite placing second in the third and final stage, Raul Leal of Team Evolution was crowned overall champion of the 6th Forbes Burnham Memorial threestage cycle road race which ended yesterday. In this the first year that the event has been contested over three stages; Leal who clocked 5 hours 54 minutes 05 seconds to win, led his team’s domination of this event. Teammates, Marlon ‘Fishy’ Williams (5:54:36) and Orville Hinds (5:55:17) copped the 2nd and 3rd places overall with Paul De Nobrega (5:59:33) of Team Alanis, Shaquille Agard (5:59:34) of Linden Bauxite Flyers Cycle Club and Team Coco’s Junior Niles 6:01:40 closing out the top six positions. However, Hinds outsprinted Leal to win the third and final stage which commenced from H o m e s t r e t c h Av e n u e
(behind the gardens), proceeded to Belfield on the East Coast Demerara before returning to the starting line for the finish. Hinds stopped the clock at 1 hour 52:06 seconds, Marlon Williams placed third, De Nobrega fourth, Silvio Innis fifth and Michael Anthony sixth. Hinds also copped the second stage which commenced yesterday from Linden and finished on Homestretch Avenue, a distance of 65 miles, clocking 2 hours 52 minutes 42 seconds. Niles took the runner up spot in 2:52:54 followed by Romello Crawford, Leal, Raphael Leung and Williams. Leal also won the first stage which was contested on Sunday from New Amsterdam to Rose Hall, a distance of 29 miles. He completed the distance in 1 hour 09 minutes 15 seconds. Michael Anthony placed second, Williams was third followed by Shaquille Agard, Niles and Crawford in that order.
The respective prize winners following yesterday’s presentation. Jornel Yearwood won the junior category in 6 hours 01 minute 58 seconds while Leung finished second and Christopher Cornelius third. Niles won the veteran segment ahead of Jaikarran Sookai and Stephen Fernandes respectively.
Christine Matheson of Trojan Cycle Club (Berbice) pedaled away with the female category while Whitney Poyer placed second. Williams won three primes, Agard and Matheson two each while Hinds, Innis,
Andre Green, Fernandes, Leal, Griffith and Niles one apiece in the final stage. The event, sponsored by Burnham Foundation was held in observance of the former President, Linden Forbes Sampson Burnham’s 93rd birthday which was on
Saturday last. The race was held over o n e s t a g e p r e v i o u s l y, Georgetown to Belfield and back but now will be a threestage contest with the organisers planning to expand and include overseas riders.
Aliann Pompey International Invitational set for June at Leonora The Aliann Pompey (AP) International Invitational Track and Field Meet will be held on June 18 at the National Track and Field Centre at Leonora, featuring a plethora of overseas-based Guyanese athletes among other international athletes. The disclosure was made earlier this week in a press release. “Overseas based athletes will join their compatriots training locally in a showdown for the ages at the AP International Invitational. Together they will face runners from all around the world, to be announced at a later date,” the release said.
The Track and Field competition promises a huge influx of Guyanese athletes, who have reached the h i g h e s t l e v e l s internationally, some of whom will be competing in Guyana for the first time. “The competition is named after Guyana’s most prolific female athlete; fourtime Olympian, World Championship finalist, Commonwealth Gold and Silver medalist, Pan American and Central American and Caribbean (CAC) medalist, Aliann Pompey,” the circular noted. In comments attached to Pompey in the release, the
Aliann Pompey now retired athlete, who currently serves as a sprint c o a c h a t S t . J o h n ’s University in New York, said
that competing in Guyana and meet is her dream. “Before I retired from competition, it was my
dream to compete in Guyana. I’m eternally grateful to Mr. Colin Boyce and Mr. Edison Jefford for making that happen. Since then, we’ve seen an amazing increase in the talent level and potential of our athletes,” Pompey said. “With o n e d r eam realized, there’s more we can accomplish. I want to showcase our talent against those of the world. To be able to do that in Guyana is a tremendous step forward. This is a power move for athletics, and I’m glad to have the full support of the AAG (Athletics Association of Guyana) and GOA
(Guyana Olympic Association). This really is a huge group effort,” Pompey concluded. The release identified some of the athletes who will be competing at the AP International Invitational as Guyana’s only qualifier at the moment for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil as Police Sergeant, Winston George. Others include, Adam Harris, Jeremy Bascom, Stephan James, J a s o n Ya w, J e n e a McCammon, Jermaine Griffith, Kadecia Baird, Melissa Caddle, Alita Moore among others.
t r o Sp
Raul Leal is Forbes Burnham Memorial three-stage cycle road race king Matheson wins female title
Orville Hinds (right) gestures after crossing the finish line just ahead of Raul Leal in the third stage.
Aliann Pompey International Invitational set for June at Leonora Printed and published by National Media & Publishing Company Limited, 24 Saffon St.Charlestown, Georgetown.Tel: 225-8465, 225-8491 or Fax: 225-8473/ 226-8210