Thursday January 01, 2015
Kaieteur News
Where your views make the news
Page 5
Letters... Where your views make the news
Drug-free travel at Timehri Outstanding Personalities DEAR EDITOR, Guyanese returning to visit their homeland often worry about drugs being planted in their luggage at the airport. They also have to worry about items given to them by apparent wellmeaning relatives or friends. Quite often there are items in the news where unsuspecting travelers are charged with carrying drugs in items given to them by others. This situation has made many Guyanese leery about visiting their homeland. Here is a suggestion which I think is practical and would make it safer for travelers. Outgoing travelers
should be given the option of paying $2000 to have their luggage and items searched and sniffed by the airport police/security at check-in. If any drugs are found they are not to be held responsible since they volunteered for the paid search. As a traveler I would feel much safer knowing my luggage is cleared by security before I proceed. On arrival at my destination I would be much more confident that I am “clean.” The downside of this plan is the person who intends carrying drugs may pay a lot more to the “security” to pass his luggage.
However, if the security in charge of this paid search wants to continue earning their $2000 a search, it is in their own interest to be thorough and honest about their jobs. If one “cleared” luggage is found later with drugs, the credibility of the search would be shot. This is just one small way of alleviating the situation at Timehri where drugs in passengers’ baggage is concerned. I hope my humble suggestion is seen by or passed on to the relevant authority and it is implemented soon in the new year. Malcolm Alves
This society is singular in its dancing...
From page 4 This MP sought protection under Article 172 (3) and was subsequently made a minister. Under the presidency of Forbes Burnham, Desmond Hoyte and Cheddi Jagan, this person would have never had their support and appointment to ministerial position. These men would not have allowed their names or administration to be tarnished with this unethical behaviour. Bharrat Jagdeo and Donald Ramotar have proven to be different. The concern is that there continues to be an interpretation that the roles and activities of the presidency include abuse of the citizenry and illegal activities, which the presidency, first and foremost, is not designed to be involved in. One of the hazards of democracy is that any character, once he or she satisfies constitutional requirements, can run for and be elected to office. But it is the primary responsibility of citizens to either elect or reject that person, and if so elected, that person be held accountable to the
DEAR EDITOR, When we write the modern history of journalism in Guyana your newspaper and its staff will be highlighted not because they have been in the forefront of the exposure of the venalities of a government, but mainly because of their steadfastness in sticking to their mission. If this country had awards like the Pulitzer Prize then surely, Editor, you and your publisher would win this year’s awards. I have stood on the sidelines and watched you
persevere despite severe difficulties. You have continued to inform of happenings in the nation in a balanced and objective way. The responses of the government to your various investigations have shown them to be strangers to the truth; to be mired in abject poverty of mind; to be callous in the administration of public affairs. To cap it all comes the telephone conversation with Mr Gildarie. In any normal jurisdiction the honourable minister would have been
languishing in jail by now for his terroristic threats to the life and limb of your fellow staffers. I salute you all for carrying on even when faced with such grave threats. You have done us all proud and risen above self. It is my view that you, Editor and Mr Lall are indeed our persons of the year. I wish Kaieteur News greater successes for the new year and the winds of change bring us all a more caring new government. Thank you for your efforts. Cyril Walker
Cultural Education
expectations of the society and its laws. The absence of vigilance and militancy are contributing factors to many of the ills this society faces today. For if there are discussions on the merit and demerit of the spirit, intent and articles in the Constitution, the Guyana Constitution is not singular in many regards as cross references with other societies and their constitutions have shown. Where this society is singular is in its dancing around and ignoring the elephant in the room, which is, the failure to hold elected and public of-
ficials accountable to the instrument they have to sworn to uphold, to its spirit, intent and letter. It is reiterated a constitution is dead at its heart unless activated by the people. Even if the calls for reforms are realised, given the apathy and/or enabling voices in civil society to the lawlessness committed by some politicians post-1992, the constitution will be blamed and not the actors in the continued process of not wanting to take the responsibility for holding persons accountable. Lincoln Lewis
DEAR EDITOR, I need to be educated on a cultural matter. Electronic mail is now the way to communicate the world over, but I find much pleasure in utilizing the old “snail mail” to keep in touch with relatives, friends and school mates who grew up in the 1960s. As a consequence I usually purchase postage stamps for mailing cards and letters to overseas addresses. Three days ago (Monday, 29th instant), I purchased stamps at the GPO and was disappointed with what was sold to me. The $150 stamps for the greeting cards I sent to the USA and Canada had
From page 4 Mr. Jailall Kissoon, Minister of Health, PNC Government (referring to the PNC); #4 – Dr. Rupert Roopnaraine; #5 & 6 – Dr. Rupert Roopnaraine; #7, 8 & 9 – Mr. (now Dr) Yesu Persaud; #10 – Dr. Roger Luncheon, Executive Committee, PPP; #11 – Dr. Byron Blake, Caricom Secretariat; #12 & 13 – Pat Thompson; #14 – PNC
(quoted by Dr. Selwyn Ryan from Stabroek News of September 30, 1990). Yes, the regularly heard plaintive wail of the PPP about opposition elements wanting to take away their plaything comes straight out of the PNC playbook. The theme of the conference was “Guyana at the Crossroads”. In 2015, Guyana
finds itself at the crossroads again. It appears to be the selfsame one. The main difference, after 23 years, appears to be that we are looking at it downwards, from a sharper incline, and without parliamentary brakes. Anyone has any idea of the probability of avoiding it in 2038? Is it cyclic? Frederick W. A Collins
Guyana at the crossroads
depicted on them combat aircraft depicting Chinese Aviation Centenary with our country’s name printed on the bottom left of the stamps. Is this the present cultural norm? Is this part of globalization? Is it then possible that postage stamps printed in Beijing can depict Guyana’s masquerade dancers, or the Chateau Margot Chimney? Some time in the past I
saw another local postage stamp which depicted a Caucasian image skiing on a white (icy) slope. The post cards I sent off to North America this week are addressed to relatives and friends, some of whom were former military personnel. I don’t think they will be amused. I anticipate their emails and comments on leadership and patriotism. S. A. Scott
Page 6
Kaieteur News
Thursday January 01, 2015
Angry Dynamic Airways passengers file lawsuit By Kiana Wilburg After a “callous and inhumane” experience with the embattled Dynamic Airways, two brothers have filed a class action lawsuit in the Federal Court in New York, demanding full compensation from the North Connecticut carrier. US-based Attorney-atLaw, Moses Rambarran and his brother, Rohan Rambarran, informed the media yesterday of the awful episode with the airline they claimed “treated its passengers like animals” and likened it to being the “Grinch who stole their Christmas.” The Rambarrans at a press conference which was held at the Ocean View Hotel, Liliendaal yesterday, said that after enduring cancellations and many delays for days with Dynamic Airways, they were left with no other choice but to return home via Caribbean Airlines. They said that their initial plan was to travel with Caribbean Airlines but at the time they were booked up. He said that he was told of Dynamic Airways from a travel agent. The lawyer said that he and his brother had no idea, the nightmare they were walking into. In his remarks to the media, the attorney said that he felt hardworking Guyanese are being exploited for money and their human rights violated by the airline. “We must stand up together at all costs and challenge the exploiters,” he commented. On that premise, he said that the federal lawsuit was filed on Monday in the United States District Court, Southern District of New York
Says, “Airline stole our money and treated us like animals, they are the Grinch who stole our Christmas…”
Captain Gerry Gouveia in his name as well as his brother ’s. His attorney, Donald J. Schultz, subsequently served a copy of the suit on Dynamic Airways on Tuesday. He sought to notify that any other passenger who is seeking compensation from the airline carrier can be joined to the law suit. He said that he can be contacted on his Face book page ( https:// www.facebook.com/ rambarranlawfirm ) Rambarran asserted that the final cost of the suit will be determined after all the interested passengers would have come forth to be joined in the process. He said, too, that damages are limited to US$6,800 per passenger and he and his brother have expended together almost US$3,000 for business class seats with the airline which seems to be plagued by delays and inconvenience. “We were delayed because of the actions of the airline and we want to be compensated. There were people who had to sleep at
the JFK airport, there were elderly persons in wheelchairs, and there were mothers and fathers with their children waiting for hours without answers from the airline. Not one person I spoke with was given proper accommodation…,” the lawyer recounted. He described the experience to Kaieteur News as an awful ordeal and informed the members of the media that passengers were “treated like animals.” He added that passengers were there and could not get a glass of water. “It was a heartbreaking sight to see people in wheelchairs lined up and treated like animals… We paid them to bring us home not treat us like animals. It’s cruel and inhuman treatment.” “Airline companies have a duty to transport its passengers to their intended destinations without unreasonable delay or cancelations and if they fail to do so, the airline is responsible for the harms and losses to its passengers. “Dynamic Airways failed to have planes available to transport its passengers to and from JFK and Cheddi Jagan International airports. As a result there were gross and unreasonable delays and outright cancellations after making its passengers wait in lines for inordinately long hours. It had some returning to the JFK airport for up to four days without relief. Some
Attorney-at-Law Moses Rambarran (left) and his brother, entrepreneur, Rohan Rambarran
Dynamic Airways
slept at the airport. The airline finally canceled all flights on Christmas Eve at 2 am citing safety issues with the aircraft. “We as every paid passenger were bursting with excitement to return to a family and a country that we
love… but it appears that Dynamic Airways took our money and did not bring us home for the holidays, essentially stealing Christmas from thousands of Guyanese,” Rambarran expressed. He said, too, that he later learned that Captain Gerry Gouveia is in charge of the Dynamic Airways operations in Guyana. The lawyer said that he heard Gouveia say that Dynamic Operations will not put people’s lives at risk by flying planes that need maintenance since safety is always priority. But his message to Gouveia yesterday was, “If safety is priority, then secure safe planes first, then collect airfares… Instead, the facts appear to support that Gouveia and Dynamic Airways made it their “priority” to pocket millions of hard earned US dollars only to callously leave passengers stranded with no explanation… These actions by Gouveia and the airline are shameful. I urge all Guyanese never again to choose Dynamic Airways.” Rambarran also lambasted the government for its silence on the airline’s treatment of Guyanese. After his experience with the airline, he said that he and his brother may be interested in getting into the airline business, to
hopefully bring quality service to the people. In the same breath, he noted, “There is need for legitimate airlines and we don’t need to start one to have that. We need to see a change in the policy to allow those international airlines to come to Guyana. There are reputable airlines flying all over the Caribbean except to Guyana. There are reasons why,” he concluded. After being apprised of Rambarran’s comments, Gouveia said that the airline indeed experienced some technical difficulties with the 767 Dynamic plane and to relieve stranded passengers, a 737 was rented. He said that the 767 plane which is a Jumbo Jet experienced issues with the navigation computers. It was eventually fixed. He added that he is only responsible for the ground handling work in Guyana for which he has a contract with the US-based carrier. He said, too, that he is surprised to learn that the airline is being sued. “Dynamic Airways is sorry for the delays but as you can see the airline service all over the world is experiencing challenges. We are trying to overcome those difficulties but we always put the safety of the passengers first.”
Thursday January 01, 2015
Kaieteur News
Page 7
Despite high crime and road fatality… DPP ignores other criminal aspects of Nandlall’s conduct Rohee paints glowing picture - Bar Association President of 2014 security situation
DPP Shalimar Ali-Hack
Attorney General Anil Nandlall
Ronald Burch-Smith
Though he expressed reservations about giving an opinion on the recent advice provided by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Shalimar Ali-Hack on the alleged threats to Kaieteur News (KN)’s publisher and staff by Attorney General (AG) Anil Nandlall, President of the Guyana Bar Association, Ronald Burch-Smith believes that there are other criminal aspects of the tape which are still to be addressed. The lawyer told Kaieteur News, yesterday, that it would be difficult for him to express his views on Ali-Hack’s decision without seeing the statements the DPP’s office received in the first place. However, from the perspective of the Bar, BurchSmith said that it is believed that Nandlall’s conduct has made his continuation in the position of AG impossible to defend. He reiterated that there remain several aspects of the matter that have not been dealt with, such as Government’s policies on spending for personal matters which he deemed as being “arbitrary and hidden.” Nandlall, in a profanitylaced recorded conversation with a Kaieteur News reporter, admitted that he “used money from the government… and pay back long before” Publisher, Glenn Lall “made an issue of it.” However, after the conversation went public, in a statement released to the press, the Minister said, “I wish to set the record straight …the reference relates to the reimbursement I received for monies I expended on medical treatment. This reimbursement was approved by Cabinet in a written Cabinet decision dated 20 June, 2013. This is, and historically has been, an entitlement of every member of Cabinet long before my appointment.” Since this statement, numerous questions were raised, particularly on the premise that if the money
Nandlall claimed he received was “an entitlement” why did he feel compelled to repay it. The contradictions arising from what was said in the tape and his later statement, moved several politicians and even accountants, to call on the country’s auditor general to run a full-scale investigation into the matter. The Bar Association President said, too, that President Donald Ramotar’s reaction has been quite surprising. “How the President so comfortably brushes aside such immoral and unprofessional conduct is astonishing,” he said. KN’s Publisher Glenn Lall had filed a complaint with the police, alleging that Nandlall threatened the safety of his employees during the conversation, as he had mentioned an imminent attack on the newspaper’s main office on Saffon Street, if the company continued with its exposure of government corruption. But after over a month of delays, the DPP, in a statement, revealed that she advised that no charges be laid against Nandlall. In her statement to the media, the DPP referred to the recorded conversation between “personal friends” Senior KN reporter, Leonard Gildarie, and Nandlall as private. Ali-Hack said that based on the evidence contained in the police file, the conversation was “not between the Attorney General…and Mr. Glenn Lall.” She explained that the offence created in Section 141(a) Chapter 8:02 is in relation to the speaker using threatening language with intent to provoke anyone else to commit a breach of the peace, that is, provoking another person to do so. According to the DPP, the threatening language must be such as is likely to provoke a breach of the peace by anyone else, that is, the person to whom the threat is directed. “In these circumstances,
the communication to Mr. Gildarie does not provide an evidential basis which can support the institution of criminal proceedings,” she advised. With regard to the DPP’s decision, Burch-Smith said that Ali-Hack’s position would be consistent with advice she had given on other cases. He said, however, that it should not negate the fact that there are other offences which are evident in the recorded conversation. Leader of the Alliance For Change (AFC), Khemraj Ramjattan, had also said that there is enough evidence to charge Nandlall under the Terrorist Act and urged the DPP to review the evidence and her decision. A Partnership for National Unity (APNU)’s Shadow Minister of Finance, Carl Greenidge had agreed with this position. Asked if he would lend his support to this stance, BurchSmith said it would be difficult to do so without knowing more. “For instance, the DPP would have had the benefit of statements which are outside the conversation. A police officer would have interviewed the AG or attempted to do so. I haven’t seen anything published about that. Questioning by the police would have clarified a lot. “Similarly, a refusal by the AG to answer questions would also have been instructive in her decision-making. If she felt there was inadequate information, she could have asked the police to conduct further investigations.” With particular reference to what Ramjattan posited, the Bar Association President said, “People say stupid and careless things all the time in private - doing so is not necessarily a crime. The Terrorism offence is not intended to make stupid conversations the subject of criminal prosecution, otherwise we’d have to close all the country’s bars and rum shops.”
If you ask anyone who has been in Guyana for all of the past year, that person will tell you that it was a year that saw police excesses, a high murder rate, gun related crimes and record number of road fatalities which threatened public trust in policing. But Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee has described the recently concluded year as uneventful and relatively successful for law enforcement agencies. The past year saw a 10 percent increase in robbery under arms and a road fatality figure that outnumbers last year’s by a staggering 34 deaths. But again the Home Affairs Minister maintained that peace and good order prevailed. The safety and security of the general population has improved significantly, he added. In what sounded like a typical budget debate presentation, Rohee spent close to two hours painting a glowing picture of the Guyana Police Force and the work of his Ministry. He spoke of improved training for the Police and the much touted reform process that is currently underway within the organization. He acknowledged that there will be critics and cynics, not to mention the prophets of doom and gloom, who he said have established themselves through their writings in the print media. “When I hear the usual suspects criticizing the law enforcement agencies, I invite them to support the reforms currently underway at the Guyana Police Force. Sometimes I get the impression that the critics do not want reform. In this regard, their actions speak louder than their words,” Rohee told a packed auditorium at the Police Officers’ Training Centre, while presenting an overview of his Ministry’s performance for 2014. According to the Minister, criticisms of his Ministry, and the law enforcement agencies that fall under it, are political in nature, notwithstanding the pretences at “wanting an improved security situation in our country”. He referred to a recent police press release which chided opposition political parties for using the Force as a political tool. Rohee also lashed out at sections of the media which, he said, are sacrificing objectivity for sensationalism “The Kaieteur News while pretending to be a friend of the police force pays
Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee seems to be taking in the advice of his predecessor Ronald Gajraj, following his end of year presentation at the Police Officers’ training centre yesterday. enormous sums for leaks, while the Stabroek News is always on the lookout for potential stellar performance awardees but never finding any in the security sector,” he said. Other media houses compete and jostle with each other to paint the gloomiest and crime-riddled picture of the situation in Guyana, he added. He said that while the crime situation in Guyana must not be hidden, the sensationalizing of these issues on the front pages of the local newspapers all year round hurts the law enforcement agencies. Rohee said that the media houses mentioned consider it their duty to do more since it rakes in more profits in terms of newspaper sales. “The end result of this analysis, therefore, is that we have in our country deeply prejudiced and profit driven media houses, who for their own selfish interest view the security sector as a golden goose whose dropping must be exploited fully,” the Minister said. Mention was made of the unprecedented complex task of police reform, which according to Rohee was never undertaken in the 175year history of the Guyana Police Force. He said that this process, which addresses operational deficiency and organizational cultural reforms, is not only a step in the right direction, but is an indication of a commitment on the part of his Ministry, which is dedicated to bringing the Guyana Police Force in line with modern global policing. “Ultimately, it is for the Commissioner, the Crime Chief and the subordinate ranks to determine how best to achieve this…not the Minister or Public Servants. I
consider it my duty to challenge the police to improve and insist that they continually challenge themselves,” the Minister stated. Rohee spoke of the noncooperation of the political opposition in implementing certain changes in the security sector. He referred to the Opposition’s nonsupport for the changing of the name of the Guyana Police Force to the Guyana Police Service. Of course the Opposition’s stance stemmed from their No Confidence Motion that was passed against the Minister of Home Affairs. But despite this, Rohee and his Ministry are not sitting back and admiring their achievements. He said that they certainly understand the nature of the security sector and are constantly analyzing trends and developing initiatives to treat with emerging challenges. “Notwithstanding, I wish to place on record my deep appreciation to the hard working staff of my Ministry who have supported me in the implementation of policy decisions relating to the Sector. “I wish to thank also our local and international partners who provided us with much needed support. In 2015 the Ministry as well as its constituents Departments will continue working with its partners to ensure that the service we provide to the general public is efficient and effective, ultimately improving on the results of 2014 and the preceding years,” the Minister said. He appealed to citizens to come on board and work with the Ministry in a genuine effort to preserve the safety and security of Guyana.
Page 8
Kaieteur News
President confident that Guyana will overcome present challenges President Donald Ramotar has expressed confidence that Guyana will overcome all its challenges, and the nation will continue to advance the all round gains and improve the quality of life of all Guyanese. The President’s optimism was delivered in a New Year’s message to the nation last evening.He noted that the outgoing year was very eventful and marked with both significant gains and major challenges. But the President noted that Guyanese have always displayed remarkable strength and resilience in the face of major challenges. According to the Guyanese leader it is significant that 2014 saw Guyana growing economically for the ninth successive year. This he said is the longest period of continuous economic growth in the country’s recent history.“It is even more noteworthy that this growth was achieved in the most testing of circumstances. Over just the two and a half years to mid-year 2014, the size of our economy has increased by 25 percent to $650 billion, our country has attracted more than US$629 million in foreign direct investment, credit to the private sector has grown by 41.5 percent to $190.5 billion, and total deposits in the commercial banks has grown by 22.1 percent to $334.6 billion.” The President said that all of this was achieved
despite the fact that the international environment was not favourable for some of the important sectors of our economy.The price of gold, for instance, saw a notable fall on the international market that had, and is having an impact on our gold sector. The price for sugar on the world market also experienced a dramatic decline by some sixty percent. The rice industry has similarly been facing the challenges of market availability, unfavourable price movement, and late payments.That Guyana has continued to grow in such circumstances is testimony that the country’s economic base is now much broader and good governance continues to characterize the management of the economy. He spoke of the strong link between the performance of the economy and the gains made in the social sector and cited the progress in the field of education and health. “Our health services too have improved both in terms of quality and quantity, despite many challenges. We now have services at a tertiary level including by-pass operations, dialysis services, improved cancer treatment and better facilities for burn victims,” President Ramortar explained. He also touched on the housing sector, pointing to entire new communities that have emerged and tens of thousands of Guyanese families that have
President Donald Ramotar realised their dreams of home ownership.“Regrettably, the great strides we have made in improving our economy and advancing the social sector were not matched in the political arena. This is most disappointing.In my message on the occasion of the beginning of 2012, I had pointed to the great benefits that can accrue to our people by having greater cooperation of the parties in Parliament.I had also pointed to the dangers of not doing so. Then, I warned that ‘...to try to make deals or to gang up against one partner, when we should be working for consensus, can be counterproductive for it will continue to breed suspicion and mistrust. We should be working together to find common ground in the interest of our people.’ Unfortunately, I did not find receptive ears in the Parliamentary Opposition. At every turn attempts have been made to stymie the growth and development of our country. At no time did the opposition seek to use the one seat majority in (Continued on page 12)
Thursday January 01, 2015
Guyanese continue to suffer at the hands of Bai Shan Lin From all indications, workers attached to the Chinese logging company Bai Shan Lin continue to be treated disrespectfully. They have complained about the treatment dealt to Guyanese has gone from bad to worse. One worker, who highlighted his concerns who sought anonymity, said that “the Chinese are in the habit of insulting Guyanese, especially when they have to receive the salaries that we work very hard for.” The employee said that upon being hired, the Human Resources Manager, identified as Mr. Ali, told him and a few others who were simultaneously hired that they have to live at Linden and that the company will provide meals and accommodation. He said that much to his dismay, “every week we have to beg for money to buy food stuff. We had to sleep in the trucks…The place where we sleep is worse than a pig pen with no mattresses.” The disgruntled employee said that the treatment reminds him of the “days of slavery, when workers had no rights and no voice. ‘What the Chinese tell you to do you have to do or else they tell you go home and they hold up your salary.” He said that sometimes the trucks have mechanical problems but “the Chinese
-Workmen lament disrespect would say ‘go work, fix later.’ This is big risk for the drivers.” “Chinese have meetings every month where their matters and concerns are addressed, but the Guyanese do not have any meetings to discuss their problems.” Regional Chairman, Sharma Solomon, said that he receives similar complaints almost daily. He said that Region Ten residents and workers who are stationed there are just fed up of the callous behaviour exhibited by Bai Shan Lin as a company which is getting so much out of Guyana but is prepared to give little or nothing in return. “Workers are complaining, Moblissa residents are complaining, the Kwakwani residents still complain about the problems with the road, in fact the entire Region is complaining,” said Solomon. “We are all still very concerned,” said the Regional Chairman. Bai Shan Lin is still to do an Environmental, Social Impact Assessment (ESIA), he added. He said that some workers attached to Bai Shan Lin, frequented the Office of the Regional Democratic Council complaining of the way the company has been violating their rights. The Chairman said that
Region 10 Chairman, Sharma Solomon workers lamented the conditions they work under, bad treatment and poor payment. Tw o d a y s a f t e r t h a t story was carried, Bai Shan Lin released a statement refuting allegations of $500 pay but ignored claims of mistreatment, poor working conditions The company sought to debunk allegations that it has an employment ratio of 70 percent Asians to 30 percent Guyanese and that it has been paying the few locals it employs as little as $500 per day. Solomon subsequently told this newspaper that he saw the statement and noticed that the company did not reject what he said. Bai Shan Lin has a known presence at Moblissa, Coomacka, Bamia, Kwakwani and Ituni.
Nine industrial deaths recorded in 2014 - Labour Ministry Industrial accidents continued to be a source of concern to the Ministry of Labour this year just passed. There were 421 reports while nine persons lost their lives, according to the Ministry.
Labour Minister Dr. Nanda Gopaul expressed the hope that this, 2015, will be a year for no fatalities. “There were 320 (accidents) in the agricultural sector, 10 in the mining sector, 77 in manufacturing, two in forestry and 12 in other areas. This represents a drop from last year by 20% with 530 accidents reported.” However, the Ministry noted that while there has been a reduction, much more has to be done to make work-
places accident free. Labour Minister Dr. Nanda Gopaul implored workers to see themselves as joint advocates to ensure that workplaces are accident free. He said that the Occupational Health and Safety Act has several regulations governing mining and quarrying, and are at the chambers of the Attorney General for final vetting before they are gazetted. This Act will be proceeded with, early in 2015.
Thursday January 01, 2015
Kaieteur News
Page 9
DISMISSAL OR SUSPENSION The Guyana Agricultural and General Workers’ Union (GAWU) has reason to be confused in relation to the arbitration ruling in the case involving the dismissal/ suspension of a worker from the sugar corporation. The gist of the ruling, as gleaned from the reports in the media, is that the terms of reference of the arbitration precluded the arbitrator from determining whether the
actions of the corporation were justified. As such, the arbitrator could only pronounce on the question of whether the employee was dismissed or suspended. That is confusing because the ruling constitutes a narrow construction of the terms of reference and such a restricted construction does not necessarily accord with the common understanding of the purpose of arbitration
proceedings. Arbitration is a dispute settlement mechanism. Having failed to resolve the dispute between the union and the sugar corporation through conciliation, the Ministry of Labour invoked arbitration proceedings and appointed an arbitrator. Arbitration is a process of adjudicating on a dispute. It is not, like an inquiry, merely to determine facts even
Dem boys seh...
OUR WISHES FUH DE GOOD AND DE BAD DEAR FRIENDLY READERS, After serious and careful consideration, your contract of friendship has been renewed for the New Year. It was a very hard decision to make …so try not to screw it up!! Here is dem boys 2015 Wishes for you all. May peace break into your home and may thieves come to steal your debts. May the pockets of your jeans become a magnet for $5000 bills, only. May love stick to your face like Vaseline, and may laughter assault your lips! May happiness slap you across the face and may your tears be that of joy. May the problems you had forget your home address. May the Creator continue to bless you all richly. In very simple words ... May 2015 be the best year of your life!!! Dear Crooks and Scamps of Guyana.{yaal know yaalself} After serious and cautious consideration, your contract of continued exposure has been renewed without fail for 2015 It wasn’t a hard decision to make …so you’d better not screw up further in this New Year!! Here is dem boys Wish fuh yuh bastards. May confusion and problems break into your homes and may thieves come to steal all that you stole from the hard working people of Guyana. And may God laugh. May the pockets of your jeans become a magnet for handcuffs so that Guyanese can get a good laugh. May Shame and disgrace stick to your face like Vaseline, and may laughter and smiles be strangers to your lips! May sorrow slap you every day in 2015 across your face and may your tears be that of sadness and grief.
May the problems you had in 2014 multiply 100 times and take up permanent residence in your homes, rentfree. May the CREATOR in his perfect judgment grant you exactly what you deserve. In other words ... May karma be your best friend throughout 2015 ** CNN has a programme called ‘Keeping them honest’. We at de Waterfalls paper want to make it clear that we ain’t deh hay fuh remove, put out, or eject any party in government. Nor we ain’t deh hay fuh elect or put in any party That is not our business. Our motto was very clear throughout 2014. We wanted our leaders to be honest. Instead, in 2014 was a lot of scampishness left, right and center. We expose some and who was responsible. Dem boys seh 2015 is here and dem want to sound it loud and clear, dem wouldn’t not allow anyone to run this country in secrecy and mek shady deals, whether you from the Pee Pee Pee, Pee Hen See, or Hay, Heff See or any See whatsoever. So if you See dem boys hang on to dem like leach don’t think that dem don’t like dem; it is because dem want answers, and honest, truthful,
responsible sensible answers. Not like that answer wha Jagdeo and Benn give fuh spend US$150M pun de new airport. Dem answer that dem was eyeing Africa fuh get people fuh come to Guyana when dem can’t even bring people from Venezuela and we other neighbours. De people of dis country have a right to know how dem tax dollars is being spent; and if it spending wisely. 2014 was shrouded in secrecy and deceit with the cockish and conning projects. De nation never get a clear or honest answer. Bai Shan Lin still clearing de forest, not only wid timber. Dem boys want to make it clear that dem will never ever shut dem mouth or wear a plug like Jagdeo towards any officials being put in place to govern the people’s business on any project. Dem boys is Guyanese and dem want all Guyana to know that the Creator nominated dem to keep dem leaders in check Dem boys want a Better, Brighter and Beautiful Guyana; one that is fair and just; one that is free from the Greedy, Selfish and Mean Bastards, like all de Bees. Dem boys seh talk half and wait fuh de whole thing, in de New Year
though this is an aspect that is necessary in order for a determination to be made. An inquiry proper would have been the appropriate mechanism to determine whether the employee was dismissed or suspended, since the purpose of an inquiry is to determine the facts of the matter. The purpose of arbitration on the other hand goes beyond a determination of facts. It is to hear the evidence on both sides and make a decision. The problem that has arisen in this matter is that the arbitrator felt confined by the terms of reference which he was handed. He did at the end of the proceedings indicate, according to the union, that unless the terms of reference were amended the matter could not proceed further. As such he operated on a narrow construction of the terms of reference he was handed, and determined that he could not rule on the justification of the action taken against the employee. A wider construction of the terms of reference may have led to such a determination but the arbitrator opted to stick to his understanding of the terms of reference and thus made his ruling, to wit, that the employee remains dismissed. The union is of the view that the ruling should have been different. They felt that
in the circumstances the ruling should have been that the employee remains suspended. The union here is equally confusing because in effect they are not questioning the narrow construction of the interpretation of the terms of reference but are questioning the actual finding of the arbitrator. They should have been insisting that the terms of reference should have been so interpreted as to allow the arbitrator to determine not just the action taken against the employee, but whether such action was justified. The problem therefore revolves around just what dispute went to arbitration. This is what the union needs to clear up with the Ministry of Labour. The Ministry in turn needs to come forward and explain its understanding of the dispute that it put in front of the arbitrator. Did it intend only for the arbitrator to rule on whether the employee remains lawfully dismissed or suspended? Or did it also intend for there to be an inquiry into whether the action taken, be it dismissal or suspension, was justified? That is what the Ministry of Labour needs to explain. If it is the view of the Ministry that the purpose of arbitration was simply to decide on whether the action taken by the sugar corporation amounted to dismissal or
suspension, then there is nothing the union can do because this narrow construction was what the arbitrator would have ruled on. If on the other hand the dispute that the Ministry referred to arbitration was expected to pronounce not just on what action was taken but also on the propriety of such action, then the Ministry should agree to an amended terms of reference to allow for a wider determination. My point is that the very nature of arbitral proceedings should not have confined or limited the arbitrator to only considering the question of whether the employee was dismissed or suspended but should have equally allowed for a determination as to the justification for the action determined to have been taken against the employee. This wider construction of the terms of reference did not take place. It is now for the Ministry of Labour to explain precisely the nature of the dispute that it referred to arbitration. This will determine whether the arbitration process can be reopened or whether the recent ruling is a final and definitive determination of the dispute that was put to arbitration.
Thursday January 01, 2015
Kaieteur News
Page 11
Old sugar factories use 12 tonnes cane to produce 1 tonne sugar, while US$200M new Skeldon plant uses 26 tonnes cane for 1 tonne sugar Despite passing its targets for the first time in almost a decade, the year 2014 has ended with the flagship Skeldon sugar factory again, recording one of the worst performances of all the four Berbice estates. Skeldon, the newest factory in the country which was only commissioned in 2009, fell behind the target by 5,449 tonnes, closing with 21,813 tonnes for the second crop. According to figures provided, the factory also for the second crop, required an alarming 26.9 tonnes of cane to produce one tonne of sugar, more than double the industry average which stood at 12.9 tonnes of cane to one tonne of sugar. Albion was the estate with the highest production surpassing the target of 33,516 tonnes by some 681 tonnes. Even Rose Hall did better, recording 22,214 tonnes, or 808 tonnes above the target set for this last crop of the year. Blairmont also surpassed its target of 20,560 tonnes, ending the crop with 22,723 tonnes. In Demerara, Enmore beat out Wales and Uitvlugt, recording 108 tonnes more
than the targeted 16,524. The most efficient of all the estates was Blairmont requiring 12.9 tonnes of sugar to produce one tonne of cane. At the beginning of the year, the Guyana Sugar Corporation had set a 216,000 tonne target, but at half year with things looking better, forecast a 219,000 tonnes production at the end of December. It fell short of that adjusted target by 2,858 tonnes. GuySuCo will be looking at the figures, keenly, because while the first crop ended on high 79,995 tonnes, the second crop fell short of the targeted 139,050 tonnes, by just over 2,900 tonnes. EMBARRASSMENT The Skeldon situation has continued to be an embarrassment for the continuous administrations of the ruling party. The US$200M project, which included the factory and expansion of canefields, has been hailed as a saviour for the industry. However, the Chinesebuilt factory has been a drag on the entire industry, with costs of production way above that of the other six estates in Berbice and Demerara.
Former President Bharrat Jagdeo
Agri Minister, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy
GuySuCo’s CEO, Dr. Raj Singh
Former President Bharrat Jagdeo had vowed to personally see that Skeldon’s fortunes turn around, but there has been silence in his corner for one of his babies. Among some of the biggest problems for the new factory is the punt dumper which takes the cane into the factory. It has been faulty from the start, despite over $1B spent by Government to fix that and some other issues. Another problem is that the capacity of factory requires lots of canes, something that cannot be supplied at the moment. For hours on end, workers say,
the factory would stand idle waiting on cane, an intolerable situation. Government has been coming under fire by the Opposition as GuySuCo has been operating at a loss for several years now, using precious taxpayers’ dollars to prop the ailing industry up. GuySuCo has sued the former supervisor of the Skeldon project, Booker Tate, for US$30M, because of the problems. The debts for the industry have also been mounting. In July, GuySuCo officials appeared before the Parliamentary Sectoral Committee, to report that it has $58B in debts. This includes money to local and foreign suppliers, the Guyana Revenue Authority, the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) and the Sugar Industry Labour Welfare Fund Committee (SILWFC). In recent months, GuySuCo reportedly took almost $4B in loans from a Jamaican bank to finance expenses for its second crop. In terms of local debts, GuySuCo reportedly has been granted a moratorium on its commitments for payments to the National Insurance Scheme to the tune of $1B. Over $20B (US$100M) is owed for the new Skeldon Sugar Factory to the World Bank, China EXIM Bank and Caribbean Development
Bank. Earlier this month, the Caribbean Development Bank said it has approved $1.5B loan to enhance the capacity of GuySuCo to produce and harvest sugar cane on selected estates. Between last year and now, Parliament approved US$50M but GuySuCo now wants another US$30M to help the industry. HIGH COSTS The price for sugar and the cost for production have also made GuySuCo’s situation even more alarming. While last year, GuySuCo was getting US$715 per tonne, a glut in the market caused prices to tumble to now US$350. The entity reportedly failed to enter into a three-year agreement to lock in the high prices and instead opted for a one year contract. It is now paying the price because of the shortsightedness of GuySuCo officials, one union official said this week. In terms of cost of production, it is also clear that
An aerial view of Skeldon factory, East Berbice.
unrealistic US$0.35 per pound in which sugar is being produce could not compete on the market. GuySuCo is actually selling for an average US$0.25 per pound, meaning that it was losing big time. In other words the industry, because of efficiency, remains unsustainable in the current situation. To realistically compete with the rest of the world, Guyana must bring down its production costs to below US$0.20 per pound. GuySuCo’s officials has asked Opposition Parliamentarians for patience, saying that Guyana will have to wait until 2017, as part of its strategy to turn the fortunes of the industry around, to bring production prices to about US$0.27 per pound. That would still not be enough. Industry experts have forecasted that sugar prices will remain depressed for some time as neighbouring Brazil and Thailand have increased their output, helping to flood the world market. GuySuCo itself has said that there is glut in the world market of almost two million tonnes. This has driven prices down. The Skeldon expansion project is the most expensive project to date in Guyana. The industry is facing technical problems, poor prices and low workers’ turnout with production plunging to a 23-year low in 2013 to 187,000 tonnes. It is also the biggest single employer with over 16,000 employees.
Page 12
Kaieteur News
President confident that Guyana will... (From page 8) Parliament to demand of us to do more for our people. On the contrary, they moved in every way to stop progress and to cut funds for development.” He added that the Opposition also wanted to deny the country other important infrastructure such as a new and modern airport which can contribute greatly to the building of a strong tourism sector, creating more jobs and generating income for Guyanese. “Strangely too, they are implacably opposed to the building of a Speciality Hospital that will make important medical procedures affordable to our people. Not only would this facility help to save lives, but it would also provide to all Guyanese services which are today available only to the wealthy. The Opposition displayed remarkable recklessness and disregard for the welfare of our people by twice opposing the passage of the Anti-Money
Laundering Bill in the National Assembly. In so doing they are endangering our Financial Sector, exposing it to International sanctions.” President Ramotar said that on November 10th, he was forced to prorogue the National Assembly because of the attempt by the opposition to close the Assembly down. “I did this for two reasons mainly. First I had hoped, as I still do, that we can have dialogue on many important issues that I would like to see resolved by this 10th Parliament….Secondly, it is important to note that, had the opposition proceeded with their intended No Confidence Motion, thousands of Guyanese voters would have been disenfranchised given where we were in the voter registration process. Thus far the opposition has spurned my attempts to discuss these issues and in their customary manner have rejected my invitation to dialogue. Clearly, we can’t continue in this
way,” the president said. He added that with an opposition that has displayed a remarkable antidevelopmental tendency it is important that his government regain the majority in the National Assembly to ensure continued social and economic progress. The President said that given the present political conditions, he anticipates that Guyanese will be called upon in the near future to exercise the choice that will be so critical to determining the path Guyana will follow in the years to come. “The future of our country will be decided by the manner in which that choice is made, whether our country is to continue to progress in the way it has in recent years or whether it is to regress to the dark days of the past. I have every confidence that the Guyanese people will choose the path of progress. I wish you a happy new year and every success in 2015.”
Two public hospitals record... (From page 10) reports that the woman’s family members made donations of blood after they were told that the hospital did not have blood. The AFC has repeatedly highlighted the inadequacies within the public health system and in particular, the conditions at the Suddie Hospital insisting that “too many young women die during child birth under questionable care.” In light of the recent unfortunate situation, AFC has extended deepest sympathy to the husband and other family members left to mourn the loss of Rampersaud. And as if the death of
Rampersaud was not a big enough blow to the health sector, another death was recorded at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) also on Tuesday. According to a statement issued by the GPHC, the woman delivered her baby on Christmas Day and was discharged the following day. She however became ill and was taken to the Diamond Hospital from where she was referred to the GPHC. This publication has since been able to ascertain that the dead woman is 19-year-old, Marina Persaud, a resident of 1107 Section ‘C’ Diamond, East Bank Demerara. She, according to the hospital statement, succumbed
hours after admission to the Accident and Emergency Unit of the Hospital. The GPHC in extending condolences to the family of the deceased woman informed that a post mortem examination is to be conducted. However, reports from a medical professional close to the operation of the hospital said that from all indications the woman’s demise resulted from septicemia. This state of affairs, it was revealed, could have developed as a result of a swab being left inside of her or failure on the part of the attending medical personnel to thoroughly remove the placenta.
Thursday January 01, 2015
Leaders use Guyana as a vehicle to accumulate wealth Recently, Professor Emeritus, Clive Thomas, noted some “facts” which he said has contributed to his drawn conclusion that Guyana is a degenerating state moving more and more into criminality. Among the things considered by Dr. Thomas was the recorded conversation between Attorney General, Anil Nandlall’s and a Kaieteur News reporter. This is where Nandlall was heard making violent threats against Kaieteur News. Also considered by Thomas was President Donald Ramotar’s prorogation of Parliament. Professor Thomas said that the root cause of most of Guyana’s problems is the fact that those in control of the country and its resources are not managing it like a government should. Thomas said that it is clear that Government officials are using the country’s resources for their personal upliftment and that of their friends and family. Addressing those who gathered at a symposium hosted by the Working People Alliance (WPA) held at the National Library, Thomas said, “At the heart of this worsening (reference to increased authoritarian rule) lies a ruling cabal who patently values the Guyana state, first and foremost, as a vehicle for promoting their criminal networks, enterprises and other endeavours.” Dr. Thomas noted that, in “the language of radical political economy, the Guyana state is now operating as a “state- foritself”. That is, it is primarily geared to function as an instrumentality for accumulating wealth and treasure for those who run it.” He said that therein lies the reason for many other problems faced by the
- Dr. Thomas Guyanese public. Dr. Thomas opined that if that is addressed, Guyana stands a chance of moving forward in a positive way. That is to mean, that the politicians running the country should put the masses first. The recently retired professor said that the government is also looting the nation’s resources. He said that each resource that is caught up in the present looting requires its own examination. He promised to go into that realm at a later time but paid attention to the main resources at risk. Some of the resources include minerals like gold and manganese; the forest and the spectrum- needed for communication services like mobile phones, computer/ internet, television and radio broadcasting. He said that under the guise of promoting a Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/ C) administration is “fraudulently promoting a frantic scramble for minerals with the attendant looting of Guyana’s natural resources.” He added, “Government represents that, over the medium term, with the right package of tax-giveaways and Government generosity in providing would-be investors with publicly owned natural resources this would fundamentally transform the economy and sustainably raise the overall level of livelihoods.” Dr. Thomas’s comments tie in with an expose‘ done by Kaieteur News which highlighted former President Bharrat Jagdeo’s use of US$20B to enrich him, his family and friends. Jagdeo, when at the helm of power in Guyana, engineered the heist of the telecommunications industry. The plan was to use monies from the national coffers to finance a number of
Professor emeritus, Clive Thomas seemingly unrelated projects that cost Guyanese in excess of US$100 Million ($20B). To facilitate this plan, Jagdeo embarked on the US$32M E-Governance project which he claimed was to increase efficiency in the public service. He also launched another ambitious project using the Guyana Power and Light Inc (GPL. Jagdeo said that he was upgrading GPL to address line losses and needed US$42M to do so. Hidden in the transmission power lines along the coasts was a fibreoptic cable. He also initiated a fibre optic cable from Brazil and which is in trouble to bring internet to the city. Shortly before he was scheduled to demit office, Jagdeo rolled out another multi-billion-dollar (US$27M) project and said Government will supply 90,000 laptops to families across the country. By the laptop project, Jagdeo has created a demand for internet. It is the intention to use a number of companies he has close links with, along with the infrastructure from the E-Governance and GPL projects, to take control of the communication market. Industry experts have also opined that by refusing to use GT&T’s submarine cable in the first place, Jagdeo in essence has left Guyana four years behind the technology curb.
Thursday January 01, 2015
Kaieteur News
Page 21
Extra caution was exercised whilst cutting the plane to access the bodies, because of drums of fuel on board
Winston Brassington promised an update on the Marriott Hotel, but didn’t provide any
JANUARY GUYSUCO IN DEEP FINANCIAL CRISIS - OWES CREDITORS $10.5B Early in January, Government found itself scrambling to find solutions for the country’s sugar industry as production fell to an embarrassing 23-year low in 2013. Production at the eight estates in Berbice and Demerara closed on December 21, the last day of
grinding, at a dismal 186,807 tonnes. This was below the 190,000-tonne figure that had been targeted and which had been revised again and again from the original 260,000 tonnes at the beginning of the year. The situation left the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) owing banks and suppliers in excess of $10.5B, union officials confirmed. MULTI-BILLION $$$ DRUG CONTRACTS… PRE-QUALIFICATION
SYSTEM FLAWED, MUST BE SCRAPPED – AFC SAYS Government’s multibillion-dollar drugs purchases once again came under intense scrutiny. The Alliance For Change (AFC) demanded that the administration scrap plans to shortlist or pre-qualify suppliers. The last prequalification period expired on December 31, 2013, and the Ministry of Health had been looking to select the suppliers
A decision was taken to bring in geo-textile material and lay it down to allow some consolidation to get the heavy equipment around the GPL’s Vreed en hoop site.
for the next three years. A prequalified contractor is automatically considered when it is time to order critical or emergency supplies. GEORGETOWN MARRIOTT HOTEL… BRASSINGTON ‘MUM’ ON FINANCIAL CLOSURE, CASINO OPERATORS Work is continuing apace at the construction site for the Marriott Hotel in Kingston, Georgetown, but it is unclear
where the funding is coming from. Chairman of Atlantic Hotels Inc (AHI) Winston Brassington, at the end of 2013, had promised an update in the New Year, but has refused to answer any calls made to him from this publication. Brassington had indicated that there would be financial closure with the private investor before the end of 2013, but this did not happen. The monies to be sourced through Republic Bank were yet to be secured, but the project continued. EXTRA US$8M SPENT ON V/HOOP GPL PLANT …CEO SAYS DUMPED SAND DISAPPEARED OVERNIGHT IN SWAMP, AND THIS CONTINUED FOR MONTHS
Prime Minister Samuel Hinds and top brass of the Guyana Power and Light Inc (GPL) toured the construction site of the company’s latest generation plant at Vreed-en-Hoop, along with members of the media, and it was disclosed that the project was just about 20 per cent complete and would see cost overruns in the vicinity of US$8M. GPL’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Bharrat Dindyal, in providing an update, said that the increase in the cost was related to the civil works and not the Warstila Contract which remains at US$26M. Dindyal said given the nature of the soil there had to be a significant amount of work to be done, more than (Continued on page 22)
Page 22
From page 21 had been envisaged. He reiterated that when GPL first took possession of the site, it was a swamp. In explaining the soil conditions and what they had to deal with, Dindyal said that when the contractors for the foundation first arrived on the site, their equipment immediately began sinking. Dindyal said that they decided to dump sand, but this would disappear overnight into the swamp and this went on for months. According to the CEO, a decision was then taken to bring in geo-textile material and lay it down to allow some consolidation to get the heavy equipment around the site. The new power plant had initially been set for commissioning in late 2013, but was pushed back to July 2014. MAZARUNI PLANE CRASH…VICTIMS’ REMAINS BROUGHT TO CITY, PROBE CONTINUES After three days in the Mazaruni Jungle, the bodies of a Trans Guyana Airways pilot and aircraft loader who perished in a plane crash were transported to the Ogle International Airport. Though Guyana Defence Force Special Forces discovered the bodies among the wreck, they were only able to execute the extraction after seventytwo hours. Extra caution was exercised whilst cutting the plane to access the bodies, because of seven drums of fuel on board. Relatives of the dead loader, Dwayne Jacobs and the Canadian High Commissioner Nicole Giles were at the airport when the bodies arrived. The pilot, Blake Slater, was a Canadian by birth and the holder of a Guyanese passport. FEBRUARY GT&T NOT BEING ALLOWED TO EXPAND, SAYS CEO
Chief Executive Officer of GT&T, Radha Krishna Sharma
Kaieteur News
As the debate continued over the state’s aggressive EGovernance project to connect its offices and build internet towers across the land, the country’s biggest telephone company complained that a delay in permission to expand has halted the advancement of new technology in the local telephone and internet sector. Speaking with media operatives during a dinner social, Chief Executive Officer of the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GT&T) Radha Krishna Sharma, made it clear that Government has no business in the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Sector, and rather, it is an area that should be spearheaded with capital from the private sector. During GT&T’s annual media dinner at Grand Coastal Inn, East Coast Demerara, Sharma explained that in 2010, the company spent US$30M to bring the Suriname/Guyana Submarine Cable System. The cable, he said, has tremendous potential for bandwidth delivery potential in Guyana and would have had developmental impact in keeping with the country’s national ICT objectives. 15-YEAR-OLD SHOT DEADAFTER INVADING PARADISE HOUSE A 15-year-old was shot dead by a shopkeeper when he and two accomplices staged a barefaced daylight robbery at Fourth Street, Paradise on the East Coast of Demerara. The teenager, whose name was given as Leon McCurdy, and, whose last address was La Penitence, was shot dead in the upper flat of the house owned by businessman Eon Evans. The intruder had been deserted by his accomplices. The police in a press release stated that three men, two armed with handguns and the other with a pair of scissors, entered the grocery and liquor store of the businessman. The men held up Evans’ son and took away an undisclosed amount of cash. While one of the men remained with the son, the two others went upstairs where they held up Eon Evans and his wife. The woman was subsequently tied up and placed in a bedroom, while the perpetrators took away Evans’ jewellery. The police said that as the men were leaving, Evans, who is a licenced firearm holder, engaged them during which one of them was shot and killed while the other two managed to escape.
FEMALE SOLDIER TO FACE MURDER CHARGE A 22-year-old female soldier was arrested in connection with the murder of 55-year-old Donna Taylor, whose bound corpse was found in her Agricola backyard. Police took a statement from the slain woman’s British-based guest, Samantha Sabat, in which she identified the Guyana Defence Force rank as one of the individuals who invaded Taylor’s home. Police indicated that they were treating the killing as a crime of passion, since they believed that the suspect, who is the girlfriend of Mrs. Taylor’s son, committed the act out of jealousy. The Taylors’ guest, Samantha Sabat, was believed to have
been the main target. GOLD PRICES, SUGAR SLUMP WILL LOWER GUYANA’S GROWTH THIS YEAR – IDB A slump in gold prices and poor performance from the sugar sector will see Guyana facing major downside risks to its growth momentum, the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) said. In its Caribbean Region Quarterly Bulletin issued in January, the bilateral lending agency said that this would lead to a lower growth forecast for 2014 at 4.3 percent. “Further downside risks may stem from lagging investments in productive infrastructure, especially roads, ports and electricity; as the economy’s competitiveness and capacity
Thursday January 01, 2015
to diversify are stymied by high energy costs, limited electrical generation capacity and poor quality of electricity service.” During 2013, lower gold prices and weak output from sugar prompted authorities to lower the growth forecast from 5.3 percent to 4.8 percent.The IDB noted that the struggling sugar industry still weighs heavily on Guyana’s overall economic performance. “During the first half of 2013, non-sugar economic growth plateaued at 6.0 percent, while the sugar sector diminished by 32.5 percent.” SWAT TEAM WILL NOT BE USED AS A POLITICAL TOOL – HOME AFFAIRS
MINISTER - 27 RANKS TO COMMENCE TRAINING Twenty-seven of the Guyana Police Force (GPF)’s finest were introduced to the public in February as they geared for intense, high-level training to assemble the country’s first-ever Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team. They were identified during a special ceremony at the Police Force’s Camp Road Training Centre, attended by keynote speaker Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee, Police Commissioner Leroy Brumell, senior police officials, members of the security sector and several public stakeholders. During the occasion, which marked the official (Continued on page 23)
Thursday January 01, 2015
From page 22 launch of the much anticipated tactical unit, Minister Rohee addressed what he said was a continuous echo by persons who opposed the commissioning of a local SWAT team. “This SWAT team, as far as I am aware, is not being established to oppose and suppress members of the public or members of the opposition and people who are opposed to the government.” He continued that the team is not being established, “to be used as a political tool, or to accomplish political objectives,” but rather to fulfill certain professional responsibilities based on established Standard Operating Procedures. AMERICAST. MONEYCHANGER GUNNED DOWN BY BANDITS
Dead: Brijlall Persaud An America Street moneychanger was shot and killed by bandits on Lombard Street, just minutes after he had left his Eccles, East Bank Demerara home. The assailants, one armed with a handgun, also grabbed a bag containing $1M, and made good their escape. Forty-twoyear-old Brijlall Persaud was killed around 08:10hrs. According to reports, Persaud was driving along Lombard Street when one of two men opened fire on his vehicle. The bullets shattered the glass on the driver’s side window. Persaud was shot to the head and leg. He was pronounced dead on arrival at the Georgetown Hospital. ANTI-MONEY LAUNDERING LEGISLATION…PASSING BILL WILL NOT LEAD TO AUTOMATIC REMOVAL FROM BLACKLIST – CFATF Guyana will not be automatically removed from the blacklisted status it holds with the mere passage of the amendments to the AntiMoney Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism Bill. This was
Kaieteur News
confirmed by Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF) representative, Roger Hernandez, following an extensive meeting. At the Public Buildings he met with members of the Special Select Committee tasked with addressing the amendments to the Bill. CFATF submitted a number of recommendations following a review of Guyana’s legislation but the political opposition, specifically A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), made changes. Hernandez was asked specifically if with the passage of Bill, Guyana would be removed from the current CFATF blacklist. His response was a resounding “no” and he added that what is required is implementation. MARCH JAGDEO AIRDASHED TO FLORIDA HOSPITAL Former President, Bharrat Jagdeo was in a Florida Hospital in early March, having been airdashed to the United States of America. According to reports, Jagdeo had a persistent fever and diarrhea. A privately-owned Lear jet out of Florida transported Jagdeo and his entourage comprising Dr. Ranjisinghi Ramroop and his (Jagdeo’s) security detail. This publication learnt that the chartering of a Lear Jet, from Florida to Guyana and back for a medivac, would cost between US$35,000 (G$7M) and US$40,000 (G$8M). On May 28, 2009, then President Jagdeo assented to the controversial Former Presidents (Benefits and Facilities) Bill bringing it into to law. Under that Act, he would receive free medical attention and medical treatment, paid for by the state, or reimbursement of medical expenses incurred by him for the medical attention or treatment of himself and the dependant members of his family. 34 YEARS LATER…COMMISSION APPOINTED TO PROBE WALTER RODNEY’S DEATH Almost 34 years after his death, a team of international jurists was selected to probe the killing of politician/ historian, Dr. Walter Rodney. The members of the Commission of Inquiry (CoI) were sworn in by President Donald Ramotar, with the army shortly after announcing its intention to fully cooperate. Chairing the CoI was Barbadian Queen’s Counsel, Sir Richard Cheltenham, with (Continued on page 24)
Page 23
Twenty-seven of the Guyana Police Force’s finest were introduced to the public in February as they geared for intense, high-level training to assemble the country’s first-ever Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team
Page 24
Kaieteur News
From page 23 the other members being Guyana-born, Trinidad-based Senior Counsel, Seenauth Jairam and Jamaican Queen’s Counsel, Jacqueline SamuelsBrown. Shortly after the ceremony at the Office of the President, Head of State, Donald Ramotar, said that the Rodney family has been petitioning him to bring closure to the incident by ordering an independent inquiry. JAGDEO USED LUXURY JET, NOT AIRAMBULANCE FOR MEDIVAC When former President, Bharrat Jagdeo, was airlifted to the United States destined for a Florida hospital, he used a private luxury Learjet instead of an air ambulance. Air ambulances are planes or helicopters that have been specially fitted with medical equipment and beds and would also include medical personnel accompanying the aircraft to treat the passenger as they are taken to the hospital. What Jagdeo used is a fixed-wing twin-engine, 10seat jet. The jet was charted from Jedami Aircraft Charter, LLC, registered in Florida. The People’s Progressive Party (PPP) lashed out at the political Opposition over what it called disparaging and insensitive remarks made when Jagdeo took ill and had to be flown overseas for treatment. The party in a missive, sought to remind the
Thursday January 01, 2015
Opposition that several of its members, including former Opposition Leader Robert Corbin and the late Sheila Holder benefitted from assistance from the State to seek medical attention abroad when it became necessary. EMBASSIES, CIVIL SOCIETYREITERATE CALLS FOR EARLY LOCAL GOVT. ELECTIONS The pressure piled up for Guyana to hold local government elections early with a joint statement from civil society and three embassies signaling a growing unhappiness over the country’s situation. “The political parties have reaffirmed their desire to hold local elections and are making c a m p a i g n preparations. It is therefore our hope, as the PPP/C, APNU, and AFC pledged in their 2011 election manifestos, that local government elections will be held…” Also endorsing the statement were the Berbice Chamber of Commerce; Consultative Association of Guyanese Industry; Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry; Guyana Association of Women Lawyers; Guyana Bar Association, Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association, Guyana Trades Union Congress, Justice Institute, Private Sector Commission and the Transparency Institute Guyana Inc.
Rondy Jagdeo (inset) riding away from the court after he was freed.
RAMOTAR’S NONASSENT OF LOCAL GOVT. BILL IS EXECUTIVE LAWLESSNESS – RAMJATTAN President Donald Ramotar’s refusal to assent to a Bill passed by the House calling for Local Government Elections on or before August 1, 2014, represents the height of executive lawlessness. This was the view of Alliance For Change (AFC) Leader, Khemraj Ramjatttan, who opined that the President is afraid to go to the polls under the reformed regime put in place. Ramjattan said that the excuse being used by the ruling party to not call local
government elections was “laughable and ludicrous”. The PPP/C had stated that there needs to be a voter education campaign before any election, given that the majority of citizens may not be au fait with the processes. The last local government election was held in 1994, some 20 years ago. ST. LUCIAQUARANTINES CARGO SHIPAFTER GUYANESE CREW MEMBER DIES Several Guyanese crew members were ordered quarantined by St. Lucian health authorities after one of their own died on board a St. Vincent and the Grenadinesregistered cargo ship.
The remains of Deborah Backer (inset) being carried into St Andrews Kirk
According to the Maritime Administration Department (MARITIME), MV LADY ZAI departed Georgetown, Guyana, on March 6. On board were 10 Guyanese crew members and a consignment of cargo in bulk, with its destination being St. Lucia. By the time the vessel arrived in that Caribbean island , a crew member had already died with another ill. MARITIME said that prior to the ship’s arrival in St. Lucia, Port Health officials there were informed of the situation and the vessel was immediately quarantined. According to the Ministry
of Health in St Lucia, the deceased was taken off the vessel and an emergency post mortem was done. The other crew member was simultaneously taken to hospital where he was treated, MARITIME said. TRAGEDYAT PORT KAITUMA…MOTHER, FOUR CHILDREN PERISH AFTER BERSERK FATHER TORCHES HOME A mother and four of her five children were burnt to death when a 50-year-old Port Kaituma businessman set his heavily-grilled two-storey home alight with his family (Continued on page 25)
Lenus La Cruz, who killed his wife and four children, succumbed two weeks later to injuries sustained in the fire he had set.
Thursday January 01, 2015
From page 24 trapped inside. Two of the man’s daughters and his two sons perished with their mother. Police listed the victims as Lurlene La Cruz, 39, Leah La Cruz 14, Labron La Cruz, 8, Lavette La Cruz, 3, and Levon La Cruz, 1. Residents spoke of hearing the children screaming inside the inferno, but not being able to do anything to help them. They said that they feared the possible explosion from the gas cylinders and fuel stored nearby. They identified the businessman as Lenus La Cruz, who owned a variety store that was in the bottomflat of the property at Main Road. Sources said that La Cruz suffered burns to the head, back and limbs after fleeing from the burning building. He was
Kaieteur News
subsequently detained at the Port Kaituma Hospital where he sought medical attention. FOUR INJUREDAFTER ANOTHER PLANE CRASH A rescue team was Tuesday dispatched to the Region Seven community of Arau following another plane crash, involving a single engine light aircraft which, according to reports, crashed shortly after taking off from the area’s airstrip. One passenger, Ivor Williams, was seriously injured, while the pilot, Bernard Singh, 44, of Strathspey, East Coast Demerara, and other passengers; Troy Daniels and Leon Bristol, 24, of Nabaclis, East Coast Demerara, were said to have suffered minor injuries. They were flown to the city by army personnel and later housed at the
Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC). The pilot and the three men who were identified as his employees were the occupants on board the United States-registered civil utility Piper Cherokee, which is a privately-owned plane. Guyana Defence Force (GDF) ranks were dispatched to the crash site and conducted the evacuation of passengers from the valley where the plane went down, to the Kaikan airstrip, which was closest to the accident site. The Piper Cherokee was said to have been operated by Singh, a Guyanese pilot. FIRE DESTROYS MEDEX BUILDINGAT LILIENDAAL The Ministry of Health’s Medex building at Liliendaal, East Coast Demerara, was completed destroyed by fire.
Page 25
The edifice housed several administrative offices under different departments within the Ministry of Health, including Food Policy and Environmental Health, Veterinary Public Health, Health Sciences Education, and that of a Government Parliamentarian. ECCLES BIKER SHOOTING DEATH…RONDY JAGDEO LET GO OF MURDER CHARGE Five months after being accused of gunning down a man who was said to be a good friend of his, Water Street businessman Rondy Jagdeo walked out of the city court after the Chief Magistrate discharged the murder charge instituted against him. The 28-year-old had been accused of killing popular biker Kirk Davis on
September 3, 2013. After spending almost two months on the run, Jagdeo surrendered to police custody and was then brought before the courts to be arraigned for murder, appearing before Chief Magistrate Priya SewnarineBeharry on October 30, 2013. On February 5, the Preliminary Inquiry (PI) got underway before the said Magistrate. The businessman who was represented by Attorneys Mark Waldron and Roger Yearwood was being prosecuted by Corporal Bharat Mangru. The pre-trial matter engaged the attention of the court for a little over one month and some seven witnesses were called to take the stand on behalf of the Prosecution. The Prosecution was later ordered to close its case after failing on three occasions to produce its two remaining civilian witnesses to the court. After the Prosecution closed its case, Yearwood stood on behalf of the accused and made his nocase submission. GUYANAGETS $220B BUDGET A $6B bailout for the ailing Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo), a $3.7B bailout for the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) and a $625 increase for Old Age Pensioners were among the features of the $220B Budget announced by Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh. Under the theme, ‘A better Guyana for all Guyanese’ the Minister spoke for nearly three hours, detailing the largest budget ever, which comes on the heels of the eighth year of economic growth. Dr. Singh, in his presentation, said that the budget is fully financed with no new taxes. Among the measures for the populace, specifically pensioners, was a five percent increase. The Minister also announced that in an effort to give additional support to parents of school aged children, “Government will provide a cash grant to the parents of every child attending nursery, primary or secondary school in the public education system in the amount of $10,000 per child for the year 2014.” Dr. Singh also announced a countrywide clean-up campaign to the tune of $1B, of which $500M will be used to clean up Georgetown. YOUNG MOM KILLS TWO CHILDREN WITH POISON Tragedy struck the community of Perth, Mahaicony, when a 21-yearold mother took the lives of her two children by feeding
them a poisonous substance. Jabari Cadogan, 16 months, died at the Mahaicony Cottage Hospital, while his sister, four-year-old Odacia Gordon, succumbed some hours later at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), despite the best efforts of staffers to save her. The mother, identified as Awena Rutherford, 21, was also believed to have ingested the same poison. She was admitted to the GPHC. Relatives said that Rutherford had given the children the deadly rodenticide known locally as ‘carbon tablets’, after telling them that she had “a surprise” for them. Kaieteur News was told that the young mother had bought the rodenticide earlier in the day, in the vicinity of the Plaisance car park. Rutherford’s reputed husband, who lives overseas, reportedly called his mother earlier in the day and had asked her to keep the children at her Ann’s Grove, East Coast Demerara residence. Sometime in the afternoon, Rutherford reportedly went to Plaisance to collect the children. PORT KAITUMA KILLER SUCCUMBS …14 DAYS AFTER BURNINGWIFEAND FOUR CHILDREN TO DEATH Lenus La Cruz, the father who torched his Port Kaituma house with his wife and four children inside, succumbed to injuries he sustained while committing the heinous crime. The 50-year-old businessman, had suffered burns to his hands, legs and back. It was unclear why the badly burned suspect had initially been kept for some four days in the Port Kaituma Hospital, which lacks the facilities to treat patients with such injures. During the days spent at the GPHC, La Cruz, who was under police guard, refused to speak to persons including the nurses who were taking care of him. GUYANESE BID FAREWELLTO DEBORAH BACKER Hundreds of Guyanese gathered at St. Andrews Kirk to pay their final respects to former Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, Deborah Jan Backer. Backer died on March 21. She was 54. The body of the Parliamentarian lay in state on the lawns of Parliament building before being taken to the church across the road for the funeral service. President Donald (Continued on page 26)
Page 26
Kaieteur News
Thursday January 01, 2015
The signboard adjacent to Ahmad’s almost 17-acre plot Ed Ahmad
From page 25 Ramotar, First Lady Deolatchmee Ramotar and members of the Cabinet, were among the mourners as the body lay in the Parliament building compound. And scores filed past to get a final glimpse of the woman who served as Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly. Among the other prominent persons paying heartfelt tribute to Mrs. Backer were Speaker of the National Assembly, Raphael Trotman; Opposition Leader, Brigadier David Granger; members of the Lions Club of Georgetown, the Guyana Association of Women Lawyers and the Guyana Bar Association. Backer served as a member of several important organizations. Through her involvement with the PNC, she served as a councillor in Georgetown City Council. She entered the National Assembly in 1997 and served until she tendered her resignation in February 2014; she was the Deputy Speaker, the Chairperson of the Parliamentary Sectorial Committees and was also the main opposition spokesperson on Foreign Affairs, Public Safety and National Security. A lawyer by profession, Backer obtained her Legal Education Certificate from the Hugh Wooding Law School in Trinidad and Tobago after receiving a Bachelor of Laws at the University of the West Indies in 1981. Many expressed gratitude for her life and service to the country as they bade farewell.
Backer who leaves to mourn a husband and two children, was laid to rest at Le Repentir Cemetery. APRIL PROBE INTO GOLD BOARD RACKET UNEARTHS COLLUSION Several hundred million Guyana dollars are being siphoned off each month in a racket at the Gold Board, as a result of collusion between dealers, Government and senior officials of that entity. An official within the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) explained the scheme that was uncovered and which led to the closure of the Guyana Gold Board sub-office at Bartica, Region Seven. Five low-level employees at the office were arrested. According to the source, dealers would purchase gold from miners across the country at purity levels that vary. This gold would then be sold to the Guyana Gold Board Office and its branches countrywide. The source said that through collusion, some corrupt staffers in the Gold Board pay the dealers for gold at a 95 per cent purity rate, when in fact the purity level is far less. This means that despite the fact some of the gold sold to the Gold Board may be 60 per cent pure, the dealer is still paid for the gold at the 95 per cent rate. According to the official, the racket had been going on for several years and as such had to be with the knowledge of very senior officials at the
Gold Board and possibly at the Ministry level. The official opined that it is highly inconceivable that the Gold Board could not have picked up on the scheme. BRUTAL END TO KIDNAPPING… BUSINESSMAN’S BODY FOUND IN CEMETERY
Dead: Rajendra Singh called Sunil After holding their captive for almost four days, kidnappers finally lost patience and murdered Enmore spare parts dealer, Rajendra Singh, called Sunil, even before they could collect the $25M ransom they had demanded. The 40-year-old Singh’s body with a bullet wound to the head, was discovered in an isolated section of Le Repentir cemetery. His killers had used a jersey to tie his mouth and nose. The killers then proceeded to stuff him in an alcove created by some fallen trees. They had removed his
pants, leaving him clad in his socks and his underwear. His hands were bound with what appeared to be his belt. A worker who was in the process of identifying suitable land for burial sites stumbled upon Singh’s bound body. News of the discovery was relayed to Singh’s immediate relatives who were obviously shocked, since they were desperately hoping that he would have been released without harm. OPPOSITION BLOCKS SPECIALTY HOSPITAL, $1.1B AMERINDIAN FUND - HEALTH MINISTRY GRILLED OVER PRICES PAID FOR DRUGS In the first of its promised cuts to the year’s National Budget, the Opposition voted against the Indian-funded US$18M Specialty Hospital and a $1.1B provision for the Amerindian Development Fund. The blocking of the $910M for the controversial hospital slated for Turkeyen, East Coast Demerara, and the $1.1B set aside for the Amerindian fund immediately sparked condemnation from the Government side, which said that the action undermined the possibilities of talks with the Opposition refusing even at the last moment to say what its concerns are with respect to the budget. A m e r i n d i a n representatives in the National Assembly for the Opposition insisted, during a hasty press conference, that they want a clear plan from
Government on how the fund is being spent, with Toshaos and villagers complaining that the monies are benefitting mainly handpicked representatives of the ruling People’s Progressive Party/ Civic who collect $30,000 monthly and do virtually nothing. An attempt at a possible resolution on the Specialty Hospital during a break failed. SOOBA’S APPOINTMENT AS TOWN CLERK QUASHED - CJ RULES MINISTER DOES NOT HAVE SUCH POWER The decision to appoint Carol Sooba as the substantive Town Clerk of the Georgetown Mayor and City Council (M&CC) was quashed when Chief Justice (ag) Ian Chang ruled that the Local Government Minister does not have the power to appoint any person in a substantive position within the body. The Chief Justice was at the time passing judgment on the matter brought against the Local Government Ministry by Royston King who challenged the government’s appointment of Sooba to the office of Town Clerk, when he explained that the Constitution does not give the Minister the power to appoint any official earning a certain amount of money annually. Chang emphasized that the Constitution specifically gives that power to a Local Government Service Commission; members of whom shall be appointed by the Prime Minister.
ED AHMAD GEARS TO MAKE $600M ON $8M GUYSUCO LAND DEAL …CHANGES FROM WOOD PROCESSING PLANT TO HOUSING SCHEME Almost five years after acquiring a huge piece of prime, seaside property to develop a value-added wood processing operation, a New York-based Guyanese businessman has now instead converted the area into house lots. However, there has been no official announcement by the administration over the new arrangements and who would have given the permission. The conditions of sale were that the company would have set up a factory to create jobs for persons in the neighbourhood. This condition was responsible for the low price they paid for the land. There has been no factory to date. Instead there is a multi-million-dollar housing development project. The project, Leonora Mall and Hollywood Garden, is being managed by Leonora Projects which is owned by Shareef and Ed Ahmad. The latter is said to be a close associate of former President Bharrat Jagdeo. The name of the project is advertised on a signboard established at the site of what was to be the location of the wood processing plant. The conversion of the almost 17-acre plot to the Leonora Mall and Hollywood Gardens raised eyebrows as again, it was the controversial National Industrial and (Continued on page 27)
Thursday January 01, 2015
From page 26 Commercial Investments Ltd (NICIL) that was involved. Winston Brassington, who heads NICIL, was the one that piloted this deal with Ahmad. The land, located around a scenic turn, was once the managers’ compound. It was under the control of the stateowned Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) and home to a pool and several of GuySuCo’s senior staffers. Around 2009, NICIL reportedly sold it to Ahmad for $80M or about $4.7M per acre. According to the company’s website, Leonora Projects is planning to construct 87 homes on the site. Company officials said that a house lot is now being sold for at least $7M. This
Kaieteur News
means that the $80 million plot of land is now worth more than $600M. COMBINED OPPOSITION SLASHES $37.4B FROM 2014 BUDGET…AMAILA VOTE RESPONSIBLE FOR $22B Finance Minister, Dr. Ashni Singh, in late March presented a $220B Budget for 2014. By the time the voting was finished, some $37.4B was slashed from the Estimates, leaving the administration with only $182.6B. Those affected by the cuts were the Ministries of Health, Amerindian Affairs, Public Works, Finance and Office of the President. On the final day for the consideration of the 2014 estimates, some $22.2B was
lopped from the Capital Programme for the Ministry of Finance. The contentious allocation in the Ministry’s Capital Programme was that of a $16B allocation for the Amaila Falls Hydro Electric Project under the Bharrat Jagdeo-led Low Carbon Development Strategy. When the project came up for consideration, Alliance For Change (AFC) Leader, Khemraj Ramjattan, requested that the allocation be delinked from the rest of the programme, given that the party had no problems with other allocations, but maintained its positions on the Amaila Falls Hydro Electric Project. He reminded that the party wanted to await the findings of the Inter-
Page 27
American Development Bank’s due diligence report on the project before it could take a positive vote for the allocation. MAY WALTER RODNEY COI BEGINS WORK… SEVERAL FILES MISSING – POLICEMAN TESTIFIES Former Officer in Charge of the Special Branch unit of the Guyana Police Force, and now Crime Chief Leslie James, said that he was unable to locate several files which had covered developments that attracted police attention on and leading up to the death of Walter Rodney. James said that he could not say whether the files are
“lost” or have been “misplaced”. James was the first witness to be called as the Walter Rodney Commission of Inquiry commenced. The Crime Chief explained that the Special Branch unit usually deals with matters of national interest, such as treason, sedition and murder. He added that reports which are generated by the department would be filed and kept by the Head. James submitted three documents from the Special Branch on Rodney labelled ‘WPA eight, nine and ten’ respectively to the Commission of Inquiry. An additional three files from CID along with an arrest warrant that was issued in June 1996 for Gregory Smith in relation to Rodney’s death was handed over to the commission. They were later tendered into evidence. James explained that all files which are being submitted have been duplicated. OVER 15 MILLION NIS CONTRIBUTIONS NOT YET ENTERED IN SYSTEM - DR. LUNCHEON With over fifteen million records of contributions to the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) yet to be entered and verified, Government has decided that the task must be concluded before the end of 2014 to relieve contributors of this burden. This was revealed by Dr. Roger Luncheon, Cabinet Secretary and Chairman of the National Insurance Scheme Board, during his weekly post-Cabinet press briefing at the Office of the President. For years, numerous contributors to the scheme have complained bitterly of not being able to access accurate contribution records. This has frustrated contributors who are oftentimes unable to receive their benefits. According to Dr. Luncheon, at an April 29 Cabinet meeting, members reinforced their earlier pledge to stakeholders to have the backlog of contribution records entered electronically and verified by the end of 2014. He said Cabinet had been notified that the process would be executed by a combination of permanent staff, project staff hired into the service of the scheme specifically for this project, and by outsourcing to private contractors. MEDIA HOUSES RADIO LICENCES… UNTHINKABLE APPLICATIONS IGNORED FOR DECADES – US AMBASSADOR
United States Ambassador, D. Brent Hardt chided the Government of Guyana over what he called the “censorship of the media”. The ambassador at a reception on May 2 to celebrate World Press Freedom Day criticized how Government had failed to properly address several pressing media problems. According to Ambassador Hardt, back in 2012 he had expressed his surprise at knowing that Guyana alone had complete state monopoly of the radio. He said that in other countries with their ubiquitous “call-in shows” was a vital public forum, but in Guyana there is no such counterpart. According to the Ambassador “it’s unthinkable that the licence applications for certain media have been delayed or ignored for nearly two decades”. Ambassador Hardt made a further call for the newlyconstituted Broadcasting Authority to immediately undertake a speedy and fair review of any outstanding licence applications and to ensure that all applicants are subjected to independent review. TRAGEDY ROCKS EAST LA PENITENCE…CHILD, THREEADULTS DEAD AFTER CONSUMING COCAINE-LACED TONIC
Dead: Natasha George A six-year-old boy and three adults from East La Penitence died after unwittingly ingesting the contents of a bottle of SSS tonic, which was laced with liquefied cocaine and was to have been smuggled to the United States. Natasha George, 36, her friend, Simone Pryce, 36; Pryce’s reputed husband, Alex Blair, 42 and their son, six-year-old Jahaquel Blair, all succumbed at the (Continued on page 28)
Page 28
From page 27 Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), after frothing at the mouth and collapsing with agonizing stomach cramps. The couple’s 12-year-old son, Jamal Waterman, who also ingested the substance, was admitted in a critical but stable condition at the hospital. He survived because he spat out the substance and also drank some fruit juice afterwards. Kaieteur News was told that ranks from the Customs Anti Narcotics Unit tested the substance and confirmed that the ‘tonic’ contained cocaine “in the purest form.” According to police, investigations revealed that the bottle of SSS Tonic with the cocaine dissolved inside, along with cassareep and chicken foot, had been left at the house by a man known to them, for a female guest from overseas to take back when she was returning. She, however, did not carry the
Kaieteur News
items and the victims consumed some of the SSS Tonic which had been left in their possession PPPACCUSES US AMBASSADOR OF MEDDLING IN LOCAL POLITICS Tensions between the government and the US Embassy escalated with the ruling party labeling the US Ambassador as a meddler in local politics. This was following criticisms by Ambassador D. Brent Hardt of Government’s hand in censoring the local media. The ruling People’s Progressive Party (PPP), in a statement titled “Journalists must recommit to Guyana’s developmental agenda”, was harsh in its assessment of the diplomat. “US Ambassador to Guyana, Mr. Brent Hardt, a known meddler in local politics, must be rebuked for his assertion that censorship of the media is
practiced by the government. At the same time he purposefully ignores the Opposition slashing of the budgetary resources for NCN and GINA. This exposes the political duplicity of this individual.” The party insisted that it was supportive of fair and objective journalism and “demands an end to the callous, personalised attacks which are most times riddled with libel and defamation against the President, his cabinet Ministers and public officials.” CCJ ORDERS GUYANA TO REPAY US$6M TO ‘THRILL’DRINKS IMPORTER …FOR UNJUST ENVIRONMENTALTAX Guyana has been ordered to pay back a whopping US$6M ($1.2B) for an environmental tax it took over time from the importers of the ‘Thrill’ brand soft drinks.
Thursday January 01, 2015
Three cocaine-laced SSS Tonic victims and lone survivor
Dead: 6-yr-old Jahaquel Blair (left) and survivor Jamal Waterman Rudisa Beverages and Juices N.V. and its local distribution company, Caribbean International
Dead: Alex Blair and Simone Pryce
Distributors Inc. (CIDI) had taken Guyana to the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ). Rudisa argued that the legislation violated the trade policy contained in the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas (RTC), in particular the free movement of goods and the prohibition on import duties on goods that are of CARICOM origin. Both Guyana and Suriname are part of CARICOM. Rudisa, through CIDI, has been in Guyana since 2007. According to the CCJ in its judgment, Rudisa’s application was based on the provisions of the Customs Act of Guyana which imposes an environmental tax on all imported nonreturnable beverage containers. The legislation does not contain any exemption in relation to CARICOM goods. The environmental tax in effect caused Rudisa to pay $10 on each imported container. The Surinamese company claimed that no similar tax is imposed on local producers of nonreturnable beverage containers and, by the definition of “Import Duties” laid down in the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas (RTC), the levy must be regarded as an import duty. LUNCHEON MUM ON PROFITABILITY OF GT&T SHARES SALE Two years after Government reportedly sold its 20 percent shares in Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GT&T) it remained tight-lipped about the financial transaction. Cabinet Secretary Dr. Roger Luncheon during a post-Cabinet press briefing at the Office of the President, would not reveal whether Government received the outstanding US$5M from the US$30M deal. He also
declined to comment on whether Government’s decision to place the proceeds of the sale in the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Ltd (NICIL)’s coffers was a profitable one, earning more than the annual US$2.5M in dividends. According to Dr. Luncheon, he would not be specific as to whether all the monies were received but assured that all the proceeds that were earned from the sale of the shares are retained in the coffers of NICIL. The shares were reportedly bought by a Hong-Kong-based company, Datang Telecom Technology and Industry Group. Dr. Luncheon said it would be easier to say where Government has the money than to say who bought the shares. However, he believes these disclosures might have been made before. NEW CONFECTIONERY COMPANY HITS LOCAL MARKET Guyana’s confectionery market witnessed a serious shake-up in May as Sueria Manufacturing Inc. came into operation. The complex which was officially launched in grand style at its Eccles Industrial Site location offered to take the taste buds of “candycrazed” children and even the discerning palates of adults on a tasty adventure. The business was established by Frank Sanichara and his wife, Teshawna Lall. Many of Guyana’s celebrated business tycoons, among them Dr. Yesu Persaud, and Hemraj Kissoon, joined President Donald Ramotar and First Lady, Mrs. Deolatchmee Ramotar, for the opening. On display was the wide (Continued on page 29)
Thursday January 01, 2015
Kaieteur News
Page 37
Marriott Hotel’s private investors are ‘yet to put a dollar’
From page 36 court action said that the grounds of the seizures were “arbitrary”, “unreasonable”, in breach of their legitimate expectations and of the provisions of the Customs Act, and was unlawful. The Brijnanans are being represented by attorneys-atlaw Robin Hunte, Ganesh Hira and Manoj Narayan. In their claims, the couple said they have homes in Number 61 Village, Berbice, and at Continental Park, East Bank Demerara, and that they were United States residents since 1997, acquiring citizenship in 2003. MARRIOTT HOTEL’S PRIVATE INVESTORS ‘YET TO PUTA DOLLAR’ - BRASSINGTON STILL SEEKING PARTNERS – SOURCE The Georgetown Marriott Hotel is being constructed in Kingston, Georgetown and as of September the only official source of funding was the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL). This publication was told that despite an announcement by Atlantic Hotel Inc (AHI), its owners, the project was yet to receive the funding from its private investors, US$8M or the Republic Bank syndicated loan of US$27M. Kaieteur News learnt that Ace Square Investments was yet to put in a single dollar, while AHI’s Winston Brassington was busy running around trying to borrow a huge sum from a Trinidad bank to help pay off the contractor who built the hotel with purely Chinese labour. This publication confirmed that Brassington was in China seeking new investors.
US$18M SPECIALTY HOSPITAL SINKS IN DEEPER TROUBLE… GOVT. MOVES TO TERMINATE SURENDRA’S CONTRACT - CITES FRAUD, NONPERFORMANCE More than two years after controversially awarding a US$18.1M ($3.7B) contract to an Indian firm to build a specialty hospital at Turkeyen, Government announced that it was moving to scrap the deal for fraud and non-performance. The announcement came days after reports that one senior official of Surendra Engineering Company Limited (SECL) had skipped the country following a court judgment in favour of a prominent contractor which did works on the East Coast Demerara project site, but was not paid. After building US$12.8M Enmore Packaging Plant, the former administration under President Bharrat Jagdeo then turned around and granted a US$4M contract to the Indian firm to supply 14 pumps to help reduce flooding on the coastland. Diligent checks found that the company had no history in pumps. That contract was still mired in problems as Government was unable to say where the pumps were and whether Surendra actually supplied all of them. The answers were sketchy at best. Regarding the specialty hospital contract, which was award in August 2012, the Government of Guyana “Press Statement” said that SECL was written to, and “deep concerns” about the execution of the project’s design and construction were expressed. Government admitted that all was not well
with the performance targets it set for Surendra and monies it had advanced. UMANA YANA DESTROYED BY FIRE A significant part of the country’s history went up in flames after a fire, believed to be of electrical origin, completely destroyed the Umana Yana at Main Street, Kingston. Officer in Charge of Operations at the Guyana Fire Service, Compton Sparman, told media operatives that fire crews and four tenders got to the scene within minutes, but were unable to save the structure. “There is nothing else in there that could have started a fire, it can only be electrical, there was no cooking, no human activities going around to start a fire and fires don’t just happen, they are caused.” No one was in the building at the time of the blaze, but a security guard who was on duty was rushed to the hospital with minor injuries. The Umana Yana stood 55 feet (16.78 metres) high and was made from thatched
allibanna and manicole palm leaves, and wallaba posts lashed together with mukru, turu and nibbi vines. No nails were used. Fashioned like the Wai-Wai benabs or shelters which are found deep in Guyana’s interior, it occupied an area of 460 square metres, which made it the largest structure of its kind in Guyana. It was specially constructed to serve as a V.I.P. lounge and recreation spot during the Non-Aligned Foreign Ministers Conference held in Georgetown in August 1972. OP NOW PROBING SURENDRA OVER US$4M PUMPS - INJUNCTION BARS GUYANA FROM RELEASING OUTSTANDING MONIES Surendra Engineering Company Limited (SECL), the Indian firm accused of submitting a fake bank guarantee to Government for the Turkeyen specialty hospital, headed for even more trouble in September. Not only did Government move to terminate that US$18M contract, filing a
court case and involving the police, but an active assessment was also conducted into another controversial deal involving the supply of 14 drainage pumps to the tune of US$4M. That contract was awarded in 2011, shortly before former President Bharrat Jagdeo ended his second term. Minister of Legal Affairs, Attorney General, Anil Nandlall, said that both the Ministry of Agriculture and the Office of the President were reviewing the pump contract, with Government not “oblivious” to the fact that there is another deal. However, the official declined to go into details, saying it was too early. ‘ILLEGALLY’SPENT $4.5B BY FINANCE MINISTER “NOTA POLICE MATTER” Almost two months after the Leader of the Alliance for Change, (AFC) Khemraj Ramjattan, filed a complaint against the Minister of Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh, over alleged illegal expenditure in excess of $4.5B, the Guyana Police Force said that it did not find that the Minister committed a crime and legal advice is being sought. The Force, by way of a statement, said it is obligated to investigate criminal breaches only and does not conduct investigations into civil breaches or administrative breaches of the law, save and except those related to the Police (Discipline) Act Chapter 17:01 regarding the conduct of its ranks. JAGDEO/SATTAUR PLOT TO DESTROY KAIETEUR NEWS UNEARTHED Publisher of the Kaieteur News, Glenn Lall, was provided with incontrovertible evidence of a plot by former President, Bharrat Jagdeo, and Commissioner-General of the Guyana Revenue Authority
Glenn Lall
Khurshid Sattaur
Bharrat Jagdeo (GRA), Khurshid Sattaur, to bring down Kaieteur News. C o n f i d e n t i a l documentation, leaked to the publication, revealed that the Commissioner-General provided the former President with detailed tax information of a number of independent media houses in Guyana. The disclosure of the (Continued on page 38) The Umana Yana was the largest structure of its kind in Guyana
Page 38
From page 37 information by GRA’s Commissioner-General to Jagdeo, represented a grave breach of the ‘Oath of Secrecy’ sworn to by Sattaur as an officer of the Guyana Revenue Authority, one lawyer said. In taking the Oath, Sattaur solemnly declared that he would “truly, faithfully, impartially and honestly execute the powers vested in him.” He also swore that he would “judge and determine upon all matters and things before him without fear, affection, or malice”. And he swore, too, not to disclose any tax information concerning any taxpayer, but this has not been the case. SATTAUR ADDRESSES ISSUE OF PLOT TO DESTROY KAIETEUR NEWS
Kaieteur News
…NEWSPAPER PROVIDES THE EVIDENCE Kaieteur News reported on what it said was a plot by Commissioner General of the Guyana Revenue Authority, Khurshid Sattaur, and former President Bharrat Jagdeo, to destroy the newspaper. The news report prompted the following response from Sattaur. “Dear Editor, Reference is made to various articles in Kaieteur newspaper edition of 21/9 of which you are well undoubtedly aware. There would appear to be a deliberate and orchestrated effort on the part of the paper and no doubt that of the owner/publisher of the newspaper to give maximum coverage to the ongoing legal proceedings involving the vehicles imported by
remigrants but “loaned to the Lalls”. This can be construed as an apparent and continuing effort to influence the learned Chief Justice in his impending decision. This belief is further confirmed from the most naive reference made by the editor of the publication that “this matter is before the court and I am sure it will go nowhere”. Perhaps the editor of Kaieteur News can enlighten the public what is meant by this statement and if he is privy to information that is not in the public domain. The GRA is still of the firm belief that the matter will be heard and determined expeditiously and justice will prevail. While this reference to a current court case and these unjustified and baseless statements may appear to the
uninitiated to be innocuous, Mr. Harris should be seriously reprimanded by the Chief Justice for contempt. The statement that “nothing in the law that says a man cannot loan his vehicle” betrays the ignorance, misapprehension, misinterpretation of the law or represents a deliberate attempt by the publication to disseminate this misinformation to the reading public.” MAN’S HEAD FOUND IN PLASTIC BAGA FEW YARDS FROM BODY Workers attached to the Ministry Public Workers made a shocking discovery while clearing out a cemetery at Cummings Lodge, East Coast Demerara. Hidden in a clump of bushes was the badly decomposed body of a man.
Thursday January 01, 2015
The particular area where the body was found is very desolate. A few yards away a human skull and a pair of blood-stained shoelaces were found in a black plastic bag. There was also some “heavy duty” tape wrapped around the bag. Several other bones which appeared to be human where scattered around the scene because dogs had begun to devour the remains. Police sources said that plastic handcuffs along with a car mat were found in the bushes close to the body. SATTAUR MOVES TO SILENCE KAIETEUR NEWS…SUES FOR $500M While criminal charges were promised, Commissioner General of the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) has filed a lawsuit against the Kaieteur News, its Publisher Glenn Lall and Editor-in-Chief Adam Harris, seeking in excess of $500M as well as an injunction preventing the publication from repeating a number of allegations against Sattaur. Sattaur successfully secured an interim injunction against Kaieteur News, by way of Justice Sandra Kurtzious, from circulating or causing to be published any libelous statements against him. In the court documents filed by Sattaur, it was claimed that Kaieteur News had libeled him on no less than nine times in recent weeks, dating back as far as August 31. Sattaur’s writ was filed by his attorneys R. Satram, CV Satram and Mahendra Satram. OCTOBER VERY LITTLE SPACE LEFT FOR MORE TV, RADIO STATION IN THE CITY- BROADCASTING AUTHORITY Applicants for new television licences may find that there are not many left for allocation in the city. That is because there are few frequencies left available. And it may be the same for radio stations as well. Speaking with Kaieteur News, Chairperson of the Guyana National Broadcasting, Bibi Shadick, said the body was dealing with regularization of current broadcasters to adhere to the law. No new applications from the Georgetown area were being considered. Rather, applications from religious organizations and from outlying areas, like from Region One, were being assessed. The issue of radio,
television and cable licences has been a sore one following revelations that several entities and individuals were green-lighted by former President Bharrat Jagdeo, shortly before he stepped down from office in November 2011. Most of the approvals by Jagdeo, acting in his capacity as the Minister of Information, went to close friends and associates of the ruling party. Several prominent media houses, seen as being critics, were overlooked by Jagdeo. “UNSUITABLE SOIL” SLOWS DOWN AIRPORT EXPANSION PROJECT - ENGINEERS TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS TO RUNWAY Engineers working on the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) runway expansion project were required to make what appeared would be major adjustments to their plans due to unsuitable soil in some areas. Kaieteur News confirmed that engineers were conducting soil tests on the southern end of the airport runway after encountering “unsuitable soil” at the northern section. Because of this, officials said the proposed design of the expanded runway was likely to change from the original plan, in which the runway would have been extended to the north. Public Works Chief Roads and Bridges Engineer, Ron Rahaman, who is overseeing the project, told this newspaper that workers commenced some amount of preparatory work north of the runway. He explained that the soil on the south seemed to be better. UK HIGH COURT OVERTURNS SUKUL DISBARMENT The United Kingdom (UK) High Court overturned the disbarment of the former Appeal Court Judge, Rabi Sukul. The court ordered that his case be sent back to the UK Bar Council Tribunal. The London barrister, who was called to the bar in July, 1988, was disbarred on February 14, 2014, for “intentionally misleading his client by drafting false grounds of appeal.” The former Judge who filed an appeal had his disbarment formally suspended by the Bar Standards of England and Wales. Following the appeal hearing, the UK High Court ruled the disbarment null and void and ordered that the case (Continued on page 39)
Thursday January 01, 2015
Kaieteur News
(From page 38) be sent back to the Tribunal which had imposed the disbarment in the Judge’s absence. His lawyers had learnt that a document dated January 6, 2012 that is central to the case was not disclosed to the Disciplinary Tribunal. In Guyana, Sukul had been appointed as the Court of Appeal Judge but following his disbarment, he was asked to resign by Chancellor of the Judiciary (ag), Carl Singh.
Kissoon and Mahendra Satram. Cheers broke out when Lall walked out the court with his wife by his side, arm-inarm for the most part. As the couple made their way out of the compound, scores greeted the Publisher and his wife with a resounding round of applause. There were chants for the GRA’s boss to resign. After interacting with the crowd, Lall walked to Kaieteur News office on Saffon Street, followed by a crowd.
KN PUBLISHER, WIFE RELEASED ON SELF-BAIL -AFTER GRAALLEGES TAX EVASION CHARGES ON LEXUS VEHICLES On October 13, Kaieteur News Publisher, Glenn Lall, and his businesswoman wife, Bhena Lall, appeared before Chief Magistrate Priya Beharry, and were released on self bail. The Lalls were jointly charged with conspiring to evade taxes on two vehicles imported by two remigrants. The couple was also charged with attempting to defraud the GRA of revenue. They denied all the charges read to them in the court. The court appearance came less than a month after a series of shocking emails between the CommissionerGeneral of the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA), Khurshid Sattaur, the Attorney General Anil Nandlall and former President, Bharrat Jagdeo, which spoke of a plot to silence Kaieteur News. It was a packed courtroom that heard Chief Magistrate, Priya Beharry as she read the charges. The court corridor, stairs, passageway and yard were filled with scores of persons who had turned out in solidarity with the Kaieteur News Publisher. Vendors, lawyers, staffers of Kaieteur News and every other media house in the city were in the courtroom. Outside there were dozens of others who had turned up in support of the Publisher and his wife. The couple was greeted with loud cheers when they emerged from the City Magistrates’ Court, after signing the bail documents. The Lalls were represented by a battery of high profile lawyers led by Senior Counsel, Rex McKay, Attorneys-at-Law, Khemraj Ramjattan, Nigel Hughes, Joseph Harmon, Robin Hunte, Brenda Glasford, Bettina Glasford and Christopher Ram. Appearing for GRA were Attorneys-at-Law Sandil
GOLD MINERS WORRY AS PRICES PLUNGE TO FOUR-YEAR LOW Gold prices fell to a fouryear low on the world market bringing fresh worries for local miners who were banking on the shiny metal holding steady. The Wall Street Journal reported that most-actively traded gold contract for December delivery, fell US$22.20, or 1.8%, to US$1,192.90 a troy ounce on the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange, erasing future gains for the year. The situation saw the Government of Guyana worrying about the impact of the falling prices on mining operations and the economy. Miners expressed concern because of loans and other debts they had incurred. Many of them had benefitted from the huge windfall from high prices but the crippling drop caught them in a lurch. According to Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment, Robert Persaud, as part of the continued mandate, his ministry and the regulators, Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), met with the miners to determine the way forward. MP MOVES TO COURT TO BLOCK PROPERTY TRANSFER …SAYS NICIL CONNIVED WITH EXECUTIVE TO AVOID PARLIAMENTARY OVERSIGHT
Desmond Trotman Member of Parliament for A Partnership for National
Unity (APNU), Desmond Trotman, again petitioned the High Court to prevent the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL), Atlantic Hotel Inc (AHI) and their head, Winston Brassington, from mortgaging, leasing or in any way transferring the title of the land and building on which the Marriott Hotel sits in Kingston. He filed the action as head of the Committee for the Defence of the Constitution Inc. Trotman, through an action filed by Senior Counsel, Rex Mc Kay, also sought to have the court grant a Conservatory Order restraining the Minister of Finance his servants or agents from encumbering, mortgaging, leasing or in any form transferring the properties.
Page 39
The Conservatory Order is also meant to prevent the Finance Minister from empowering NICIL, AHI or Brassington from dealing with mortgaging, encumbering, leasing or transferring the title of the property. He is also looking to have the Court grant any other Order it may deem necessary. In his affidavit, Trotman noted that NICIL is a wholly Government-owned company, while AHI is a wholly-owned subsidiary of NICIL. He noted that by virtue of a vesting order issued in November 2010, the more than six acres of land on which the Marriott sits was transferred to NICIL. This information was published in the Official Gazette and three years later the land was leased for 99 years by NICIL to AHI.
SATTAUR BYPASSES GOVT, SEEKS INFO FROM INTERPOL, US EMBASSY Amidst a systematic wave of attacks against the Kaieteur News by Government, evidence surfaced that Head of the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA), Khurshid Sattaur, had been making other moves on his own. He attempted to solicit information from International Police (InterPol) and the US Embassy in Georgetown. However, both the Embassy and Interpol rebuffed Sattaur’s attempts for information. From the US Embassy he sought personal information on two remigrants who are United States citizens. The embassy immediately wrote to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs citing procedural breaches and advised the Ministry to restrain Sattaur.
The Embassy said that it could not accommodate the request, explaining that it must be forwarded through the “correct channels”. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs seemed to have been caught unaware of Sattaur’s request for information, and called on the GRA boss to follow the correct procedures in the future. The Foreign Ministry in turn wrote the GRA Commissioner General asking him to forward such request through the Ministry, providing details of what he wants and the actions he is seeking. Sattaur did not stop at the United States embassy. He wanted to trace phone calls which he said were made to him by Glenn Lall from the United States of America. Sattaur alleged that during the (Continued on page 40)
Page 40
(From page 39) telephone calls, Lall threatened him. For the telephone call information, Sattaur wrote InterPol, Washington DC. He wanted a record of calls made to his phone and the owner of the telephone number. However, that international security organization in its response made it clear that it is barred from releasing the information. HEAD FOUND IN PLASTIC BAG…RELATIVES ID REMAINS AS MFK TRADING BOSS Speculation turned into reality when relatives positively identified human remains found at Cummings Lodge, East Coast of Demerara, a few weeks ago, as that of missing businessman Mohamed F. Khan. The relatives confirmed their worst fears when a nephew of the businessman was able to identify a belt and a pair of trousers that were found on the skeletal remains. However, investigators insisted that they still needed to do DNA tests to ascertain definitively if the corpse was that of Khan. “His former wife and his nephew went to the parlour where the remains are being kept and identified it,” a police source confirmed. The remains of a man of East Indian descent was discovered on a dam at Cummings Lodge on September 23rd, a month after Khan disappeared. The skull, which was wrapped in a plastic bag, was located several feet from the body. EBOLA THREAT…REGION IMPOSES TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS FOR WESTAFRICA International travel was disrupted as restrictions were implemented and enforced by a number of territories in light of the prevailing Ebola outbreak that ravaged sections of West Africa. And Guyana, like a number of Caribbean and international territories, embraced this restriction in order to ward off the potential entry of the virus. Speaking of deliberate implementation moves was Cabinet Secretary, Dr Roger Luncheon, as he hosted his weekly post-Cabinet press briefing. He told a gathering of media operatives that although the viral epidemic continues to devastate West African territories evident by high cases of fatalities, and
Kaieteur News
has reached other continents, it has however not yet invaded the South American continent. In its attempt to prevent the Ebola Virus from entering Guyana, moves were made by Government to institute restrictions against travellers from West Africa. LOG EXPORTS DOUBLE IN 2014 Guyana’s log exports for the first eight months of 2014 more than doubled compared to the same period of 2013. According to the Forest Products Development and Marketing Council of Guyana Inc. (FPDMC) in its August 2014 Market/Export Report, a staggering 86,250 cubic metres of logs were exported between January and August. This earned US$14.5M. In 2013, for the same period, 41,518 cubic metres were exported, earning over US$7M. This meant that log exports doubled in 2014. For the year, up to August, log exports represented about 46 percent of the total forest exports as against the 30 percent for 2013. RONALD RAMJATTAN AWARDED BY QUEEN ELIZABETH II Although he left these shores more than a decade ago, Ronald Ramjattan still has a very prevailing presence in Guyana, throughout the Caribbean and further afield. He is the business mogul standing firmly behind the well known Baron Foods Limited. As a Food Entrepreneur for many years he has maintained a flawless and distinguished reputation which was perhaps enough for him to be awarded with the Order of the British Empire (OBE) at Buckingham Palace. The award was bestowed upon him on October 9, by Queen Elizabeth II. “I am indeed fortunate,” said Ramjattan who has been exporting his over 125 food products from Saint Lucia to Guyana for the last 20 years. All of his products have a l s o b e e n c o n s i s t e ntly maintaining an ISO 22000 Standard and are exported throughout the English, Dutch and French Islands of the Caribbean, North America and Europe. His integral support to the Saint Lucian economy saw the Government there nominating him for the OBE award which was accepted by the Queen. Though grateful for the recognition, Ramjattan is of the belief that the honour “is a plus for Guyana and Guyanese living outside.”
ATTORNEY GENERAL HINTSAT IMMINENT ATTACK ON GLENN LALL, KNEWS - POLICE PROVIDED WITH AUDIO, TRANSCRIPT OF PLOT
Attorney General Anil Nandlall
KN Senior Reporter Leonard Gildarie Guyana’s Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall hinted at chilling plans in relation to Kaieteur News publisher, Glenn Lall and the newspaper’s staff. Alluding to an imminent attack, Nandlall, in a profanity-laced 19-minute telephone conversation advised senior reporter Leonard Gildarie to get out of the Saffon Street office, which he described as a “dangerous place”. He hinted at an intended hit on Lall and the establishment, and described himself as a “thoroughbred” and as a “Kshatriya” (pronounced Chatree), a reference to an upper social class in India, known to be united by their claims to rulership, the pursuit of war, or the possession of land. Nandlall portrayed himself as a “bad-man” who “running things” in Guyana. He boasted that former President, Bharrat Jagdeo, his best friend Bobby Ramroop, and Winston Brassington, were no match for him. RAMOTAR DEFENDS AG’S THREAT ON KNEWS MERE HOURSAFTER REVELATION Mere hours after Publisher of Kaieteur News, Glenn Lall, released a recording of Attorney General Anil Nandlall
vocalizing a threat of violent proportions, President Donald Ramotar and the government came out in defence of the Attorney General. In the recording, Nandlall is heard talking about an imminent attack on Kaieteur News that would see the innocent paying for the guilty. He also made an offer of employment to a reporter whom he told was working in a “dangerous place”. In the expletive-laden conversation, Nandlall spoke of the heightened confrontation with Kaieteur News after the newspaper threatened to release details of his wife. In a statement, the government sought to accuse the newspaper of manipulating “a private conversation of a Government Minister, whose conversation was illegally recorded, and distorted, and broadcast.” PRESIDENT RAMOTAR MUST DEMAND NANDLALL’S IMMEDIATE RESIGNATION - MINISTER HAS BROUGHT THE AG’S OFFICE INTO DISREPUTE – AFC The Alliance For Change in a statement indicated the party was “shocked beyond disbelief” at the revelations in a conversation between Kaieteur News reporter
Thursday January 01, 2015
Leonard Gildarie and Attorney General (AG), Anil Nandlall. The party said that the transcript of the conversation “which the AG has most recently admitted as having said, highlights that he has proven himself wholly unfit to hold the office of Attorney General of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana”. “President Donald Ramotar must demand the immediate resignation of Mr. Nandlall, as his failure to act swiftly on this issue would be an endorsement of such behaviour by persons who represent our country at the highest level in Guyana and internationally. “It is now clear to the AFC that our party, civil society organisations and the citizens of Guyana cannot continue to do business with this Government if it holds persons in the ilk of Mr. Nandlall as its representative. Only his immediate resignation could save this country the embarrassment of having one of its highest offices brought further into disrepute and disgrace.” RECORDED THREATS AGAINST K/NEWS…THE WORLD IS WATCHING THE GUYANAPOLICE FORCE – APNU The brouhaha involving the Minister of Legal Affairs,
Anil Nandlall and Publisher of the Kaieteur News, Glenn Lall, has evolved into an international scandal, and the world is watching to see how the authorities, especially the Guyana Police Force, will treat the matter in light of the lodged report. This was the view of General Secretary of A Partnership for National Unity, Joseph Harmon. In an invited comment on the professionalism of the Guyana Police Force and its handling of the matter, Harmon lamented its capacity to investigate certain crimes and further, its ability to guard itself from political interference. According to Harmon, who is a practicing attorney who would at times have to interact with the Guyana Police Force over criminal and other investigations, the force is notorious for dragging its feet in the compilation of reports before approaching the Director of Public Prosecutions for advice. He observed, too, that it has been some time now since the report was lodged with the Police Force and a report is yet to be completed. Harmon said that it is at present unclear if the Attorney General was even questioned by the Police, which would have to be included in any such report to the DPP’s office.
Thursday January 01, 2015
NOVEMBER COP GETS 4 YEARS FOR TRAFFICKING GIRL, 14 A Police Corporal who masterminded an operation designed to traffic a 14-yearold girl and her sister was jailed. Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine Beharry sentenced Huford David to four years’ jail at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court. The 36-year-old was accused of transporting the 14-year-old from Georgetown to Kumakuma Creek, Mazaruni River, where he forced her into prostitution. The Trafficking in Persons charge leveled against David detailed that the girl was sexually exploited within the period of January 1 to January 31, 2013. The case was prosecuted by Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Prosecutor, Sergeant Neville Jeffers. PRESIDENT SUSPENDS PARLIAMENT TO DODGE NO-CONFIDENCE VOTE Days after signaling his intentions to either suspend or dissolve Parliament in face of a non-confidence motion against Government by the Opposition, President Donald Ramotar made true to his promise, announcing on November10 that he had issued the necessary proclamation. The announcement by the President to prorogue the Parliament shortly before a sitting of the National Assembly, immediately sparked demonstrations. Below is an excerpt from the President’s statement: “Fellow Guyanese, in my address to you on November 4, I indicated our desire for the National Assembly, in its post-recess sittings, to deliberate and give priority to important matters relating to the development of our country and the future of all of our people. I also extended a hand to the Opposition for us to put the nation’s business first rather than political gamesmanship. I further advised that should I be provided with reasons to believe that the Parliamentary Opposition intends to disrupt Government’s business by forcing a debate on their No Confidence Motion, I resolved to respond immediately by exercising my Constitutional options to either Prorogue or Dissolve Parliament paving the way for holding of General Elections. Consistent with my earlier position and in accordance with powers conferred on me by Article 70 (1) of the Constitution of the Republic
Kaieteur News
of Guyana, I earlier today issued a Proclamation proroguing the 10th Parliament.” UGGRADUATES URGED TO SHARE IDEAS - AS 48TH CONVOCATION CEREMONY HOSTED It was Joel Samuel Joseph of the Faculty of Social Sciences who was named the best graduating student when the University of Guyana Turkeyen campus held its 48th Convocation Ceremony. Joseph, with a Grade Point Average of 4.0, was the valedictorian and was duly honoured with the President’s Medal for being the best graduating bachelor’s degree student. The Business Management student in his valedictory speech likened the graduation to a West Indies win and went on to encourage the relevant authorities to ensure incentives are in place for graduates to encourage them to remain in Guyana and serve. The Lindener also urged his fellow graduates to help develop their homeland even as he pointed out that “we graduates cannot do it alone. We require the support of others,” as he alluded to the saying “hand wash hand mek hand come clean.” Joining Joseph in the awards receiving circle Sunday was Dave Umar Sarran of the Faculty of Natural Sciences. He was presented with the Chancellor’s Award for being the second best graduating bachelor’s degree student. Also receiving open prizes and awards were Soyini Ashaki McPherson (School of Earth and Environmental Sciences), Shanesha Deonath (Faculty of Education and Humanities), Kezia Abika Bess (Faculty of Natural Sciences), Sherod Avery Duncan (Faculty of Social Sciences), La Donna Fredericks (Faculty of Technology) and Thais Chelsea Fraser (Faculty of Technology). A total of 1,605 students were scheduled for graduation at a particularly auspicious ceremony that was held even as the University celebrates 50 years of existence. Ahead of the students being conferred with their respective degrees, diplomas and certificates they listened attentively to the feature address delivered by Caricom’s Secretary General, Ambassador Irwin LaRoque. NANDLALLWAS CRUDE AND DISRESPECTFUL – MANICKCHAND
The deafening silence of People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Members of Parliament on issues that came out of the recorded conversation between Attorney General, Anil Nandlall and a Kaieteur News reporter, was finally broken when Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand became the first government official to comment on the immorality of the utterances made by Nandlall in the recorded conversation. Nandlall was heard saying that there are plans afoot to kill “innocent people” working at Kaieteur News in reaction to the many exposing stories the paper has been carrying. He was also heard admitting that he took taxpayers’ money and utilized it on his personal needs. Very disturbingly as well, the Attorney General, in the recording referred to a female Kaieteur News reporter as a “lil thing” and advocated for his relative to receive sexual favours In an invited comment, Manickchand told Kaieteur News that “what Nandlall said was crude and disrespectful and flies in the face of the environment that we (the government) are trying to establish and foster in Guyana.” The Minister said that that environment is one where women should be treated as equals and celebrated for their worth in the development of Guyana and “not seen as chattel for men to use.” The Minister said that she was shocked at the things Nandlall said and noted that she expressed to him how offended and disappointed she was at his remarks. MAN GETS SUSPENDED SENTENCE FOR 67 KILOS OF COCAINE A confessed drug dealer who admitted to trafficking in more than 67 kilograms of cocaine may not spend a day in prison. Leonard Bacchus, who was arrested three years ago after a police raid netted the $300M worth of narcotics, which was contained in kunds, was handed a five-year suspended sentence by Magistrate Alex Moore when the matter came to a close. Bacchus was also given a slap-on-the-wrist suspended sentence of two years for being in unlawful possession of 125 12-gauge cartridges and 115 .32 rounds of ammunition, which also stemmed from the raid on his Block 20 Enmore/Haslington Housing Scheme, East Coast Demerara home on August 16, 2001. In addition to being spared a mandatory prison
Page 41
term, Bacchus was fined $2.5M. It meant that he would only go to jail if he commits another offence within the five-year period. When the prosecution, which was started by Superintendent Karimbaksh and concluded by Inspector Stephen Telford, closed its case, the court found that a case was made out against Bacchus and Magistrate Moore ordered him to lead a defence. But in a surprise move, Bacchus, who was represented by Attorney at Law James Bond, changed his plea to guilty on both charges. Magistrate Moore accepted the plea and then informed Bacchus that in addition to possible jail time he was staring at a fine of more than $300M. But, then to the amazement of most of the persons in the courtroom, the Magistrate handed down the suspended sentence for both of the charges. He then considered the pleas of Bacchus’ lawyer that he could only afford to pay a fine of $2.5M, which he was given up to the end of June 2015 to do. EXPLOSIVE OMBUDSMAN REPORT…SACKED MANAGER CLAIMS VICTIMISATIONAFTER REFUSAL TO BACK PROPOSAL
Cleared: Former NBS CEO, Maurice Arjoon Maurice Arjoon, who was one of three New Building Society (NBS) Managers sacked in 2007, has made startling claims. NBS is the country’s largest mortgage finance entity. Arjoon said he ran into trouble after refusing to back a proposal to lend $2B in 2006, to a committee, for the building of the Berbice River Bridge. The claims by former Director/Secretary and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Maurice Arjoon, were contained in an explosive report by an independent public complaints body. The report was released in early November. The report would have come from a complaint filed
Ombudsman, Justice Winston Moore by Arjoon back in January with the Ombudsman, Justice Winston Moore. On June 1, 2007, Arjoon, Kent Vincent and Kissoon Baldeo were all charged with fraud over the withdrawal of some $69M from a savings account. NBS has repaid the account holder almost $74M. The fraud charges were dismissed but NBS had already sacked the Managers citing fraud, negligence and serious misconduct. The Ombudsman report essentially cleared the three managers, and questioned how investigators recommended charges when there was clearly no evidence in the police file. Justice Moore noted in his findings that: “The standard required for conviction of a criminal offence is proof beyond a reasonable doubt for every element of the offence – the acts as well as the mental ingredients. “Without intending any disrespect to anyone, I would state that carelessness, most species of negligence, foolhardiness or even stupidity are not the standard of proof of guilt for a criminal offence. “I do not hereby state any finding or conclusion that anyone at the NBS should be blamed for any of these.” Assisting with the Ombudsman’s independent investigation of the complaint was Henry Chester, Deputy Commissioner of Police (retired). According to the report, Arjoon in his complaint said
DPP Shalimar Ali-Hack
that at the time of the “trumped up charges”, he was six months away from retirement, which would have entitled him to receive a lucrative monthly pension and substantial benefits. Arjoon believed that an independent investigation would have revealed that persons from the Central Islamic Organisation of Guyana (CIOG), including the Director of Public Prosecution, Shalimar AliHack, did not want to take action against the real perpetrators of the fraud. The reasons, he said, were simple. It was punishment for “certain
Former President Bharrat Jagdeo decisions and/or recommendations I made in the interest of the NBS, but were deemed unfavourable to the President of Guyana and certain Directors of the NBS.” The President at the time was Bharrat Jagdeo. Government had been seeking monies to finance the construction of a bridge across the Berbice River. Arjoon claimed that while NBS is supposed to be a private company, it is run by persons aligned to the Government and CIOG. OMBUDSMAN TAKES ON MINISTER GOPAUL - TELLS HIM TO “REREAD” REPORT ON NBS FRAUD CHARGES Days after an explosive report that raised serious questions over the manner in which charges were laid against three top managers of the New Building Society (NBS), Ombudsman, Justice Winston Moore, took on a Government Minister who criticized him. According to the Judge, who has sweeping, independent powers to investigate complaints against public officials, he read statements attributed to Dr. Nanda Gopaul, Minister of Labour, that the NBS Board of Directors was not afforded a hearing by the Ombudsman. Moore, in a statement, said that he spoke to Dr. Gopaul by telephone “advising him to read or re(Continued on page 42)
Page 42
(From page 41) read my report and to point out where in the report I made any finding on anything done by the NBS Board.” The Ombudsman noted that the only mention he made of the NBS Board is in one sentence of the report, and in which he said that “I have no jurisdiction to pronounce on the action of the NBS Board in firing the managers and I therefore refrain from any comment.” Justice Moore urged Minister Gopaul to do what is “honourable”. The report angered Government officials. NBS Chief Executive Officer, Maurice Arjoon, and his two managers, Kent Vincent, and Kissoon Baldeo, were all charged in June 2007 for a $69M fraud at the bank. The charges were later dismissed, but not before the three were sacked for what NBS Board of Directors said was “dereliction of duty, negligence and serious misconduct”. In January, shortly after Justice Moore was sworn in, Arjoon who had been insisting that he was framed, filed a complaint with the Ombudsman’s office, insisting that he was deliberately and maliciously charged. TEEN SISTERS PERISH IN SUSPECTED ARSON ATTACK The family of two teen sisters was Monday plunged into sorrow as news of their demise by fire began to spread. The girls perished in a massive blaze which completely destroyed the two-storey building they were living in with their father. Fifteen -year-old Theresa and 12-year-old Feresa Rozario were said to have been burnt beyond recognition when they were trapped in the early morning inferno that also left their father, Hilrod Randolph Thomas, nursing second and third degree burns at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation. . We believe that concessions were granted. Now we are hearing that the project may not be happening.” LIMITED USAIRWAVES FETCH US$34B AND COUNTING - BUT JAGDEO GIVES AWAY GUYANA’S TO FRIENDS AND FAMILY A multi-billion-US-dollar auction for six blocks of airwaves has attracted huge interest in that North American country. It has also starkly highlighted how
Kaieteur News
Guyana deliberately set about giving away what is one of its most valuable assets. According to the New York Times online news, a government auction of airwaves for use in mobile broadband has exceeded expectations, becoming the biggest auction in the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) history. The demand for the electromagnetic spectrum or frequencies as they are known would signal how phone companies expect demand for internet will soar in face of rising popularity of smartphones. FCC collected bids of more than US$34B as of Friday afternoon for six blocks of airwaves, totaling 65 megahertz of the electromagnetic spectrum. That total is more than three times the US$10.5B reserve price that the FCC, as the US regulators, put on sale. The US a u c t i o n h a d h u g e s i g n i f i c a n c e for Guyana as it continued to highlight how valuable the airwaves are considered for some countries while in Guyana it is given away to friends and family of the ruling elite. The issue of the airwaves became a burning issue following an announcement by Government in late 2011 that former President Bharrat Jagdeo doled out several frequencies before he was due to step down in November of that year. The radio frequencies went mainly to his best friend, Dr. Ranjisinghi ‘Bobby’ Ramroop, the ruling party, and to an overseas-based sister of sitting Natural Resources Minister, Robert Persaud. These three were given multiple frequencies allowing them countrywide coverage. Others were granted single frequencies, giving them limited range in their transmissions. It would also be recalled that frequencies were given by Jagdeo to E-Networks and Quark Communications Inc., two companies he has close links with, to go-ahead to run cable TV services. Quark, E-Networks and Global Technology’s iNet Communications, all with links to Jagdeo, are now standing at the head of the line for telecoms licences that will be automatically granted to them once new laws before the National Assembly are passed. These licences and the frequencies will also allow the companies to offer telephone services, mobile services, internet and a host of other high demands services.
SATTAUR DROPS THREATENING LANGUAGE CHARGE AGAINST GLENN LALL …NEW DATE SET FOR TRUMPED UP TAX EVASION CHARGES
Thursday January 01, 2015
the matter and did not plan to appear in court to testify against Lall. The matter was accordingly dismissed. GUYANESE PILOT CAUGHT WITH US$620K STASHED IN PRIVATE JET EN ROUTE TO G/T A Guyanese businessman was held in Puerto Rico after he was found in possession
Khurshid Sattaur The charge against Kaieteur News publisher, Glenn Lall, which claimed that he threatened Commissioner General of the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA), Khurshid Sattaur, was dismissed by Magistrate Alex Moore. It was three months after an investigation was launched into the allegations, that Lall was summoned to appear before the Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court. The publisher of the local daily newspaper was being accused of using threatening language towards the GRA Head on August 29, last, at Plantation Goedverwagting, East Coast Demerara. Lall pleaded not guilty to the allegation. Magistrate Moore smiled and remarked, “Fortune smiles upon your favour”. The Magistrate went on to inform Lall through his Attorney, Khemraj Ramjattan, that a legal representative for Sattaur had addressed the court prior to his arrival. He explained that Sattaur through his attorney, Joy Persaud, had refused to offer any evidence against Lall. The GRA boss, the Magistrate said, was no longer interested in pursuing
Khamraj Lall of US$620,000 in cash that was stashed in an aircraft he was travelling in, heading to Guyana. The bust was made when the aircraft stopped on the Spanish-speaking island to refuel. The cash was unearthed when agents of the United States Customs and Border Protection carried out a routine search of the aircraft. From all indications, the man attempted to conceal the cash, since initially he had only declared a small amount to US Customs Agents. According to Special Agent DaRika Davis, who is attached to Homeland Security Investigations of the United States Homeland Security and is assigned to the Investigations Branch of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement, San Juan, Puerto Rico, Lall and two other individuals arrived at the Luis Munoz Marin International Airport on a private aircraft bearing tail number N822QL. Lall was the co-pilot, while the other two individuals were his father and the pilot
of the aircraft. When US Customs and Border Protection Agents who were at the airport approached the aircraft, the occupants informed them that they had only stopped to refuel and would be departing immediately for Georgetown, Guyana. The officers however informed them that an outbound inspection of the aircraft was necessary. Three agents, including Davis, were detailed to carry out the search. The money was reportedly discovered in more than one area of the aircraft. JET WITH STASHED $$$ TRANSPORTED PRESIDENT ON STATE TRIPS … PILOT HAS PRIVATE HANGAR AT CJIA The Guyanese pilot who was detained in Puerto Rico for failing to declare hundreds of thousands of United States dollars stashed in different sections of his private jet has a private hangar at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA). He had also piloted President Donald Ramotar on official trips to Brazil and Puerto Rico. Khamraj Lall was detained in the Spanish-speaking territory which is an unincorporated territory of the United States. US Customs and Border Protection agents had carried out a routine search of the executive craft when sums totalling US$620,000 were found hidden under seats and near the plane’s engine. Lall was the co-pilot on the flight. He was travelling with his father and the plane’s pilot and took sole responsibility for the hidden cash. The three occupants declared certain sums of money, far less than what was found by the customs agents. Lall was permitted to build a private hangar at Guyana’s largest airport to conduct
executive flight services and medical evacuation. MAGISTRATE SUSPENDED WITH IMMEDIATEEFFECT
Magistrate Alex Moore The Judicial Service Commission took a decision to suspend controversial Magistrate Alex Moore, as they investigated allegations of inappropriate behaviour made by an East Coast Demerara businesswoman. The decision to suspend the controversial Magistrate took immediate effect, leaving a huge void in the Magistracy, since Moore was described as one of the more efficient Magistrates. Moore was accused by the businesswoman of improper conduct during a hearing at the Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court on November 12. The 47-yearold East Coast Demerara businesswoman, Seerojanie Singh wrote to the Chancellor of the Judiciary (Ag), Justice Carl Singh over the “torment” she claimed to have endured at the hands of Magistrate Moore. Singh who resides and operates her business at Le Ressouvenir, East Coast Demerara, told Kaieteur News that she felt very uncomfortable appearing before Moore, as his behaviour towards her earlier in the month was one she found very disrespectful. She was hoping to have her case transferred to another court.
The aircraft (foreground) in which Khamraj Lall was allegedly transporting the bulk cash.
Thursday January 01, 2015
DECEMBER ANOTHER MAGISTRATE SUSPENDED
Magistrate Chandra Sohan Magistrate Chandra Sohan became the latest victim of the newlyconstituted Judicial Service Commission (JSC) when he was given temporary marching orders following a brief hearing into complaints brought against him, relating to his work. Kaieteur News understands that Senior Magistrate Sohan, who was presiding in the Georgetown Traffic Court, was suspended for a number of alleged infractions. He follows Sparendaam Court’s Magistrate Alex Moore who was sent off temporarily by the JSC over alleged inappropriate conduct while on the bench. According to reports, the JSC is looking into a complaint made by a woman, in relation to a court matter involving domestic violence. The matter was heard sometime last year at the Vreed en Hoop Magistrate’s Court, when Sohan was briefly presiding there. There are allegations that Sohan appeared to be biased towards the woman’s husband during the time he was dealing with the matter. However, according to a source, Sohan is known to the couple and merely gave advice for an amicable settlement of the matter before it was dragged through the court. In fact the matter was assigned to another Magistrate and the woman had been insisting on several occasions that she did not wish to pursue the matter in the court. Surprisingly, she wrote to the JSC complaining about the magistrate’s conduct in the matter. Sohan is also being accused of leaving the jurisdiction in December last year without permission. BRASSINGTON PAWNS MARRIOTT, ADJOINING STATE LANDS From all indications, Republic Bank unable to gather investors to
Kaieteur News
contribute to a US$28M syndicated loan for Atlantic Hotel Inc. (AHI) needed for the completion of the Marriott-branded hotel in Kingston, Georgetown. This was made evident by the mortgaging or pawning of the hotel. The hotel was mortgaged to the very bank that was to be the lead lender of the syndicated loan (a loan offered by a group of lenders). Also, AHI which was set up as a Special Purpose Vehicle to oversee the Marriott and is essentially being controlled by the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL) has mortgaged the neighbouring land that once accommodated the Government AnalystFood and Drug Department. The accumulated loan for the two assets amounted to slightly more than what was supposed to be sourced through Republic Bank as a syndicate. According to the Official Gazette published on November 22, last, the mortgage of the state land “and all future building and erections that may hereafter be constructed or erected” will last for a term of 99 years. Kaieteur News was not able to confirm with Republic Bank the reasons for the change of plans. But, in September, Executive Director of NICIL, Winston Brassington, who also heads AHI and has been consulting and negotiating with himself on behalf of NICIL and AHI, said that the Republic Bank was “close to finalizing the documentation for the debt financing agreement. GUYANA IS THE MOST CORRUPT COUNTRY IN THE ENGLISH-SPEAKING CARIBBEAN - 2014 REPORT Guyana has improved by three points over its 2013 rating on the Global Corruption Perception Index, but the country remains at the bottom of the list of Englishspeaking Caribbean countries. The result of the 2014 Annual Corruption Perception Index (CPI) revealed that out of the 175 countries surveyed by the international body, Guyana ranked 124, with a score of 30 .(0 being highly corrupt;100 being very clean.) The only other countries in the region that ranked below Guyana were Haiti and Venezuela. MULTI-BILLION$$$ AMAILA FALLS ACCESS ROAD…$1.7B CHINESE – BUILT SECTION WASHING AWAY Just a few weeks after
Government said that a critical section of the multi-billiondollar access road to the Amaila Falls hydroelectric dam has been completed, there is indisputable evidence that parts of it are washing away. It would raise tough questions now about the level and quality of supervision carried out by engineers. Section Seven, which ends the almost 200-kilometre road from Mabura to the Kuribrong River, Region Eight, was awarded to China Railway First Group (Guyana) Inc. in 2013 for $1.7B after problems surfaced with other contractors over deadlines. Public Works Minister,
Page 43
GUNMEN STORM STERLING PRODUCTS LTD, KILL GUARD Gunmen stormed Sterling Products Limited killing a security guard and wounding a 41-year-old Indian national before fleeing empty handed from the Providence, East Bank Demerara Company. Wilfred Stewart, 45, a Beharry Group of Companies security guard, of Graham’s Hall, East Coast Demerara, was shot in the groin and hip as he sat in a security hut, after the gunmen, who reportedly arrived in a silvergrey car, forced their way through the main gate. A Quality Assurance Chemist, an Indian national,
The decision not to challenge the motion is a clear admission by the state that Thornton did suffer torture at the hands of the police, while he was in custody at the Sparendaam Police Station late in May. However, according to Todd, this would in no way bring an end to the criminal matter for which police Constable Earwin Forrester is before a Magistrate, nor is it related to the civil action brought against Forrester and Commissioner of Police(Ag) Seelall Persaud for damages for personal injuries. Another related criminal matter regarding the Attempt to Pervert the Course of Justice brought against a
Significant parts of Section Seven of the Amaila Falls access road are being washed away Robeson Benn, in early December said that 93 percent of the roadway is complete. In the case of Section Seven, that China Railway built, it was reported since October that that section was completed. Following Minister Benn’s update, and based on complaints that all was not well, Kaieteur News visited the road and discovered significant signs of erosion at Section Seven. What has made the situation more worrying is that parts of that roadway have not even been open to traffic, unlike other sections. As a matter of fact, warning signs have been erected restricting traffic. It was in stark contrast to other sections constructed by local contractors. These are holding up well under the use of heavy traffic from loggers and miners alike. What made matters worse, according to worried persons who took Kaieteur News to the areas, was that the rainy season had not really started, and “the little rain that fell” saw water in the valley area through which Section Seven runs, rising quickly, washing away portions of the road built with the red loam.
was shot in the left foot by one of the gunmen who had entered the firm’s laboratory. He was treated at the East Bank Demerara Regional Hospital. Relatives of the slain guard said that he fathered two daughters and that his wife is expecting a third child. His mother, Gloria Stewart, said that her son had worked as a guard with the Beharry Group of Companies for over ten years. STATE SETTLES WITH SPARENDAAM TORTURE VICTIM FOR $1.5M The Government conceded that the state was liable in the torture of 19-yearold Sparendaam resident, Junior Thornton, and settled with the young man to the tune of $1.5M. Thornton’s hands were allegedly doused with methylated spirits and set alight while he was in custody at the Sparendaam Police Station lock-ups. Kaieteur News understands that the State threw in the towel in the constitutional motion which was filed in late June by Attorney at Law Dexter Todd on behalf of Thornton, opting not to offer a defence.
Police Inspector, who happens to be a relative of the victim, was dismissed on October 10 last. Junior Thornton was picked up for loitering and was held in the Sparendaam Police Station lock-ups for a few days. It was alleged that he began behaving in a disorderly manner and refused to desist when asked to do so by the ranks on duty. BRAZIL/GUYANAFIBRE OPTIC CABLE PROJECT COLLAPSES More than four years after an agreement was signed between Guyana and Brazil for a fibre optic cable to link Government facilities, the project appears to have collapsed because of technical issues. It would appear certain now that billions of dollars have gone down the drain, unless Government finds a way to rescue the venture. According to a Government source close to the project, continuous breakage to the cable has left the project in limbo. Time and again the deadlines have been pushed back. The cable passes through difficult terrain along the Linden/
Lethem trail. Logistics have reportedly caused major headaches for contractors. It was indicated that initially little thought went into the project as Government itself reported that cables not of the correct lengths were ordered. Independent supervisors hired to monitor the project were reportedly fired. Physical works for the laying of 560 kilometres of cable began in April 2011. Poor weather conditions and the absence of appropriate equipment were cited for the slothfulness of contractors. Several of them were fired. Government had even reportedly resorted to foreign help in moving the cable project forward. On the Brazil side, Globonet, a sidsidiary of Oi, the largest telephone company of that neighbouring country, had landed the fibre optic cable. Under the agreement, Guyana was reportedly paying US$150,000 annually for internet connectivity. It is unclear what is happening to these fees now that the project remains incomplete. DNA TEST CONFIRMS TURKEYEN BODY IS MISSING TEACHER They waited five months to confirm the fate of their beloved one and when confirmation finally came, the relatives of school teacher Nyozi Goodman could hardly accept that she was dead. Police announced that the results of DNA tests conducted on the remains of a female found at Turkeyen on July 24, confirmed that it belonged to the missing St. Stanislaus teacher, who disappeared on July 6 after leaving the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall, where she had accompanied students on a sports assignment. “The results of the DNA testing conducted by the Forensic Science Centre of Trinidad on the samples taken from the body that was recovered at Turkeyen, ECD, on July 24, 2014, have confirmed the body to be that of teacher Nyozi Goodman, of (Continued on page 44)
Nyosi Goodman
Page 44
(From page 43) William Street, Kitty,” the police said in a statement. “I did not want to believe that it was her. I was hoping that she is still out there,” said the woman’s mother Carol Green. According to Green, she was disappointed with the way she found out about the results. She said that she did not want to be told the results of the DNA test via telephone, since she had asked the Crime Chief to invite her to his office and break the news gently to her. JAGDEO INVESTED $20B FROM TREASURY TO ENRICH SELF, FAMILY AND FRIENDS Kaieteur News has been at the forefront of reporting on corruption and other questionable deals in which billions of taxpayers’ dollars were blatantly used to secretly fill the pockets of a few. As a result of extensive research and consultations with worried industry experts, Kaieteur News unearthed that via a massive scheme, former President Bharrat Jagdeo, when at the helm of power in Guyana, engineered the heist of the telecommunications industry. The plan was to use monies from the national coffers to finance a number of seemingly unrelated projects that cost Guyanese in excess of US$100 Million ($20B). GT&T signed a US$30M deal with Suriname to land a submarine fibre optic cable in Guyana. That cable has the capacity to service the demands of Guyana, five times over, providing ‘lightning speed internet service’ to the country by increasing its available bandwidth 3,000 fold. The Jagdeo administration announced shortly after, much to the surprise of Guyana, that it was no longer interested in holding onto its shares in GT&T. That 20 per cent shareholding was one of the most lucrative investments for Government, earning as much as $500M a year. By the time GT&T’s fibre optic cable landed in Guyana, Jagdeo announced that Government had already made a down payment for its own fibre optic cable coming from Brazil. He said that the government cable will facilitate E-Governance—an ambitious US$32M plan to increase efficiency in the public service. MISS GUYANA CRACKS TOP 10 AT MISS WORLD 2014 PAGEANT
Kaieteur News
Guyana’s very own Rafieya Husain managed to be one of the top 10 contestants in the Miss World 2014 pageant, which was held in London. The achievement marked Guyana’s first time in over 40 years in making it this far in the international competition. Husain took to the popular social media site, Facebook, to give thanks to all her supporters. At the time she remarked that she was still in “a world of emotions”. She remarked that despite being sick on the night of the competition, she gave it her all, and was proud to represent Guyana in the pageant. The other nine contestants were Miss India, South Africa (the eventual winner), England, Brazil, Hungary, Kenya, the United States, Mexico and Australia. In addition to cracking into the top 10, Miss Guyana won the title of “Beauty with a Purpose”, which she shared with India, Kenya, Brazil and Indonesia. JAGDEO STIFLED GUYANA’S TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT Former President Bharrat Jagdeo, through his actions, deliberately stalled Guyana’s technological development by more than four years. Industry experts have opined that had he made use of the advanced facility Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GT&T) – which in 2010 already had the high speed fibre optic cable in place – Guyana would have been on par with the rest of the Caribbean. The GT&T cable has the capacity to service the demands of Guyana and five other countries like it. There was consensus that all major Government facilities would have been connected via fibre optic. The plans to enhance the public service operations would have been in place. A range of services such as “E-Health” allowing for video consultation, movement of information from one health centre to another and tracking disease outbreaks would have made life for the medical personnel much easier. Regarding security, there would have been quick transmission of information including video and data between police stations with an enhanced database. The police would have been better informed, able to conduct speedy background checks, monitor people, vehicles and police operations. It could have realized a faster
Thursday January 01, 2015
this (also),” she pointed out. “The alleged recording of a telephone conversation between the AttorneyGeneral and the Minister of Legal Affairs and Mr. Gildarie, does not fall under Section 1a1 (a) or (b) Chapter 8:02,” Ali-Hack stated. “In these circumstances the communication to Mr. Gildarie does not provide an evidential basis which can support the institution of criminal proceedings,” the DPP concluded.
The whale at the Kitty Seawall
implementation of surveillance mechanisms across the country, using cameras. 40-FT. WHALE WASHES ASHOREAT KITTY Workers attached to the Ministry of Public Works and Police ranks had their work cut out for them as hundreds of curious persons converged to view the remains of a 40-ft Sperm Whale. The massive mammal was discovered ashore at the Kitty Seawall, in the vicinity of the Russian Embassy. JEALOUS CANE-CUTTER SLAUGHTERS THREE – ONE CRITICAL A jealous cane-cutter slaughtered his wife’s lover, his mother-in-law and nineyear-old step-daughter after forcing his way into a house at Tuschen New Housing Scheme, East Bank Essequibo. The alleged killer, identified as Joshua Franklyn, also hacked off his spouse’s left hand at the wrist and chopped her about the body before fleeing the scene. The woman, Geeta Boodhoo, was admitted to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), where she underwent surgery. Those killed were identified as 55-year-old Bibi Zalima Khan; her nine-yearold granddaughter, Ashley Boodhoo, and the alleged lover, Floyd Drakes, 30, all of Tuschen. According to information received, Franklyn smashed his way through the louvre panes of the house he once lived in with his reputed wife, four children and two step children, before beginning his rampage. KAIETEUR NEWS ISA VICTIM OF STATE
TERRORISM – DR. THOMAS At a Working People’s Alliance (WPA) symposium, Professor Emeritus Clive Thomas spoke profoundly about what it means for Guyana to have a sitting Attorney General who vehemently threatened an institution. In Dr. Thomas’ eyes, Attorney General Anil Nandlall’s actions have further descended the country into a criminalized state. Upon such basis, Dr. Thomas said that Kaieteur News (KN) is a victim of state terrorism. The recently retired professor told this to approximately 150 persons who gathered at the National Library’s conference room. The event was a symposium that focused on “prorogation and its aftermath.” Former Minister of Finance, Carl Greenidge and Attorney-at-law Christopher Ram also spoke at that event. AG THREATAGAINST K/ NEWS…NO EVIDENCE TO CHARGEATTORNEY GENERAL – DPP After a delay of more than a month, Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Shalimar Ali-Hack, finally advised that there was no evidence to charge Attorney General Anil Nandlall over threats he allegedly made during a telephone conversation with Kaieteur News Senior Reporter, Leonard Gildarie. The DPP said in a statement that the file on the matter has been returned to the police, advising that no charges be laid against Nandlall. The advice came several days after persons protested outside her office accusing her of compromising the integrity of her office. Kaieteur News Publisher,
Glenn Lall, had filed a complaint with the police, alleging that the Attorney General threatened the safety of his employees when during the conversation, he spoke of an imminent attack on the newspaper’s main office on Saffon Street, if the entity continued with its exposure of government corruption. The DPP in her statement referred to the recorded conversation between “personal friends” Gildarie and Nandlall as private. Based on the evidence contained in the police file, the conversation was “not between the Attorney General…and Mr. Glenn Lall.” She explained that the offence created in Section 141(a) Chapter 8:02 is in relation to the speaker using threatening language with intent to provoke anyone else to commit a breach of the peace, that is, provoking another person to do so. According to the DPP, the threatening language must b e s u c h a s i s l i k ely to provoke a breach of the peace by anyone else that is the person to whom the threat is directed. She said that for the threatening language to result in provocation, the threat must be directly communicated to the person to whom it concerns, that is, in his presence and hearing. “There is no evidence of this contained in the police file,” the DPP stated. She further stated that the offence created in Section 141 (b) Chapter 8:02 is in relation to the person using abusive, insulting, obscene or profane language to the annoyance of another, that is, such language is used directly to the other person in his presence and annoys him. “There is no evidence of
‘MONEY JET’ PILOT FOR FEBRUARY 2015 TRIAL A Puerto Rico Court has set February 23rd, 2015, for the trial of Khamraj ‘Kem’ Lall, the Guyana-born pilot who was allegedly caught with over US$600,000 in cash hidden in his private jet. According to court documents scheduling the processes of the court case, the pilot will have until February 13 to file a plea agreement or signal a change of plea. The matter will be heard before Judge Jay Garcia-Gregory. The matter made headlines in Guyana as Lall, who owns Kaylee’s Gas Station in Coverden, East Bank Demerara, was arrested by airport authorities in Puerto Rico in November, after his jet made stop to refuel, on its way to Guyana. BRASSINGTON SPENDS $1.7M TO ADVERTISE UNFINISHED HOTEL MARRIOTT HOTEL IS THE SYMBOL OF CONTEMPT FOR TAXPAYERS’ $$$$ - HARMON A Partnership for National Unity’s (APNU) General Secretary, Joseph Harmon, stated that the Marriott Hotel currently under construction in Kingston, Georgetown, is not only one of the most crass examples of Government’s financial lawlessness, but is also a symbol of contempt for millions of taxpayers’ hardearned dollars. Harmon’s comment was made in light of the discovery that the Head of National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL), Winston Brassington, paid a whopping $1.7M for an advertisement of the unfinished hotel. The advertisement was placed at the back of the 2014 issue of the Guyana Telephone Directory. The cost of the advertisement was confirmed by a sales representative of Guyenterprise Advertising Agency. Harmon said that the nation knew from the start, that the Marriott project reeks of kleptocracy.
Thursday January 01, 2015
Kaieteur News
People’s Progressive Party (PPP) The dawn of a new year always brings with it a renewed sense of hope and optimism for a better and more prosperous Guyana. The PPP shares this optimism and feels proud of the role it has played as the ruling party in influencing and shaping the several programmes and policies which cumulatively have impacted positively on the living and working conditions of the Guyanese people. The PPP is confident that the best days in our individual and collective lives are still ahead of us. There can be no doubt that the foundations for a strong and secure Guyana has been firmly laid, thanks to the visionary leadership of the
PPP and the PPP/C administration. Regrettably, the full potential of our development has been stymied by a reckless and unsupportive opposition which have used their combined one-seat majority to deny the people of Guyana a better quality of life. And, as if that were not enough, they have now joined forces in their attempts to remove the popular, democratic and duly elected PPP/C Government led by President Donald Ramotar by way of a no-confidence motion. One consequence of such reckless action by the opposition, was the decision by President Ramotar to prorogue Parliament to allow
for political stability and normalcy in the administration of the affairs of the state. There can be no doubt that despite the setbacks, we have achieved much. The hard work of our President and his administration has paid dividends and the tidal wave of prosperity has lifted all boats. All Guyanese look forward for a continuation of this momentum of growth and development in the coming period ahead. The New Year of 2015 from all indications will be an exciting one which hopefully, will see an end to political gridlock, greater political maturity on the part of our political opposition and a
continuation of the peace, progressive and prosperity which has now characterized our national life. The PPP takes this opportunity to thank all its members, supporters and friends for standing by the Party over the years and looks forward to their continued support, especially at this critical time in our history when dark clouds are hovering the land. The PPP is confident that the Guyanese people will make the correct political choices when called upon to so do so that the dreams and aspirations of our citizens can be realized. Once again, a Happy and Productive New Year to one and all!
A Partnership For National Unity Guyana’s ‘Year of democratic renewal’ dawns on 1st January 2015. Guyanese in 2015 will have an opportunity to choose a new government in the forthcoming general and regional elections. The choices facing the nation are clear. Our choice will be between the inauguration of a ‘government of national unity’ proposed by A Partnership for National Unity on the one hand or a continuation of the ‘winnertakes-all’ approach adopted by the People’s Progressive Party Civic administration on the other hand. Our choice will be between electing APNU’s multi-party partnership and perpetuating the PPP’s oneparty dictatorship.
Our choice will be between inclusionary democracy and one-party dictatorship. Our choice will be between electing new councillors in fresh municipal and local government elections or enduring further incapacitating central government control of our towns and neighbourhoods. Guyanese, far too frequently in 2014, have had to protest against the People’s Progressive Party Civic administration’s dictatorial prorogation of Parliament and its refusal to hold local government elections. We have had to demand investigations into police torture. We have had to demand regular and reliable electricity supply in hinterland centres such as Bartica, Lethem and Mahdia.
We have had to demand the payment of ‘living’ wages for our working people, improved schools for our children, enhanced social protection for senior citizens and safer roads for everyone. We have had to bear the brunt of the high rate of crime including armed robberies, arson, inter-personal violence, murder, piracy, rapes, fatal road accidents and trafficking in persons. We have suffered most from the high cost of living, high level of unemployment and high rate of migration. These have all taken a toll on our families and our quality of life. We deserve a society in which we could look forward to living in safety, to working for ‘living wages’ to cope with the cost of living and to enjoying adequate social
Guyana Public Service Union New Year’s Message 2015 from the President, Mr. Patrick Yarde. We have commenced the year 2015, a new year, where after reviewing our experiences in 2014 resolved to change positively the challenges we, as a Union, have encountered, challenges directed to our very survival. In so doing, let us be realistic about what prevails, what we desire and what must be done to have the situation corrected. Let us not be in denial. There is an authoritarian regime in Guyana, which is anti-working class and has exhibited an insane grudge and bitterness for public service workers, especially members of the Guyana Public Service Union. This conduct manifested itself because public service workers dared
to stand up for their rights and the privileges championed by their forefathers. The intention of the Government is to seek ways and means to undermine the Union. They have exhibited undemocratic principles, acting in conflict with the Constitution and Laws of Guyana, to such an extent that decisions of Parliament and orders of the Court are being flouted, fundamental rights of citizens are abused as well as the discriminatory actions and conduct displayed to sections of our society. Together, we must ask ourselves the question, why have we tolerated this abuse and condone such lawlessness? It is time to draw the line at this juncture declaring enough is enough. 2015 must be the year for positive change. Let us stand
firm in defense of the Constitution and Laws of Guyana; we must stand firm for trade unionism in Guyana; we must stand firm for equal rights and justice; we must advance unity for our national brothers and sisters, and for the general good and development of our homeland in a fair and evenhanded manner. As members of the premier Union in G u y a n a , t h e Guyana Public Service Union, we must set the example in our nation where leadership has been lacking for decades. This task we shall not fail to carry out in the interest of our country. I would like to take this opportunity to wish you and your families a happy, prosperous and fulfilling New Year, in so doing, committing ourselves to bring about positive change in Guyana.
protection in our old age. 2015 must be a ‘Year of democratic renewal.’APNU is prepared to participate with political and social partners in a government of national unity to make this a reality. Such a government will aim at improving educational standards for our children, providing jobs for our young people, protecting our women and girl children from criminal violence and ensuring the country is safe for all. Let us vote to remove the PPP from office, install a government of national unity and work together towards providing “a good life for all Guyanese.” My best wishes for a happy new year to everyone!
Page 53
Alliance For Change The Alliance For Change extends best wishes to all Guyanese as we enter a new year. 2014 was a year of many challenges and it brought to the fore the indomitable spirit of the Guyanese people as we sought to overcome these challenges. We saw an increase in serious crime that more often than not, resulted in the gruesome murder of our citizens. This was compounded by the failure in many instances of the Police to bring the perpetrators to justice. Many families will go in to 2015 without a loved one due to speeding on our roads. On the last day of 2014, we learnt of yet another young mother dying in child’s birth. For so many families, 2014 was a devastating year where murder, suicide or other fatal incidents brought grief and pain. For many more, the past year was one of stagnation where hoped for promotions and advancements were not realised as personal economic growth did not materialise despite additional efforts. In the business sector, the hardships and trials continued as many of our local businesses struggled to compete in an uneven playing field. On the political front, we saw the worst form of governance as the minority PPP government suspended the National Assembly rather than defend its record in a debate of a No Confidence Motion. We saw illegal spending of the people’s
money by the very minority Government and who would forget the debasement of the office of Attorney General by its present holder or the feral blasé unleashed on the American Ambassador by the Education Minister. Indeed, the chronicles of 2014 would show that it was not a year of which we could be proud. But, 2014 was not without its successes. Our CSEC student did our country proud as they excelled at the National and Regional levels. Our sportsmen and women also kept our flag flying high, especially our Rugby players. Throughout the year, the unconquerable spirit of the Guyanese people shone through and allowed us to rise to every challenge that we faced. 2015 will no doubt, have its share of challenges but it also presents that periodic opportunity to free ourselves of the shackles of bad governance. It expected that early in the New Year, we will have the opportunity to go to the polls to elect a new government. Let us use this opportunity wisely to rid ourselves of those who squander our money while filling their own pockets, giveaway our patrimony and keep us divided. Let 2015 be the year when we take back our country. Long live the unconquerable spirit of the Guyanese people and a just and rewarding 2015 to all of us!
Page 54
Kaieteur News
People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) Happy New Year! To every home, family and community across the farflung regions of our country. The People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) extends greetings for a Happy New Year to all Guyanese at home and in the Diaspora. As the Year 2014 fades into history along with the abnormalities inflicted on the people of Guyana by the Donald Ramotar led People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/ C) Administration, such as poor governance, mismanagement, corruption, a rampant drug trade, a rise in poverty, increased violence against women, escalated crime, executive lawlessness, high unemployment especially among young people, and an insensitivity to the needs and care of our senior citizens. It may be true to say, that the past year brought forth all of the possible ills that can overwhelm our society. Yet, and not for the first time in its history, the Guyanese people overcame. As the New Year dawns, the PNCR calls on all of our peoples, regardless of race, ethnicity, political affiliation or religion, to join A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) in bringing about the transformation of our country so that Guyana’s vast resources may, at last, be made to serve the imperative for development and social
advancement of all the people of Guyana. Guyanese in 2015 will have an opportunity to choose a new Government in the forthcoming general and regional elections. The Opportunity to correct the many ills facing our beloved country; Opportunity to remove many of the fundamental obstacles that have halted the development of our country and ourselves; and, Opportunity to place Guyana on the path to national harmony and real progress by electing APNU’s multi-party partnership and ushering in a Government of National Unity. On this the first day of the New Year, it is our hope that all of us will realize a measure of prosperity in our personal lives and that each of us, wherever we may be, will endeavour to make some contribution, however small, to the development of our country. The PNCR, therefore, looks forward to participating, as it has successfully done in the past, in the continuing drive for the peaceful development of this dear land of ours. The Party wishes all Guyanese a very Happy New Year and looks forward to the New Year with optimism and hope. May God Bless our Nation as we strive to provide a Good life for all Guyanese!
Thursday January 01, 2015
Mayor of Georgetown, Hamilton Green Our tradition is to wish for a New Year prosperity and goodness. I do so for Georgetown and Guyana. For us expressions for the better need be for substantial change during 2015. Change from the daily dose of fatal accidents (up by 25 %) so far murders and suicides, change from a slow and sluggish justice system; that seem not just. Up until recently I was a great admirer of our DPP, but alas, she seem to have fallen prey to the pro temp mighty Guyana Empire. Yes a society where justice and security have become alien, we wish for change. Our Police seem blind to certain high profile criminality. The case of GINA – President Ramotar promised action – the Attorney General outage - Roger Khan criminal establishment and other narco-traders operated here unhindered. No Police action - CANU is yet to bring in the big fish. And a Government that jail a petty thief for years in a stinking prison cell. But friends have a special hanger at Timehri, that allow them to bypass Customs and Immigration. Fact is our Police Force leadership seem compromised and ranks are now in the mode to follow the Leaders, even though the system has put them in the greatest danger in its history. Facts for the last 100 years of the Guyana Police
Force existence over 60 Police ranks were killed. Up to the time the PPP took office, only twenty-one Police ranks were killed (80 odd years) Colonial and PNC rule. This included five killed in the externally sponsored Rupununi Uprising of 1969 – so for all intent and purposes sixteen Police were killed in the ordinary course of duty up till 1992, this is one Police killed every five years. Since the PPP Government took office the average is more than two every year, an increase of 1000% under the present regime, facts and figures don’t lie. One thousand percent increase of Police deaths under this Government. Next, we wish to stop the heist of Guyana led by Messrs. Jagdeo, Ramotar, Dr. Ramroop and Brassington – just follow the independent media - The NICIL rape of our resources, Manipulation of NIS funds. Guyana is the only independent country where a group of Asian plunderers are allowed to extract raw logs, including precious species, for export leaving behind swamps for reptiles, vermin, and leaving behind an environmental hazard for this and succeeding generation of Guyanese to ‘inherit’. While this inexcusable destruction of our patrimony is taking place, a Guyanese, the Bulkans, whose fore-parents sweat, tears and blood helped build this country, cannot obtain a meager 10 acre to do a business that, unlike the Asians, will develop skills and a secondary industry locally. Our former President ordained himself ‘Champion of the Earth’ more like the seller of our earth, a good story for Ripley’s, ‘Believe it or not’ column, or a National joke. Yes, let us wish for change where an insidious decline of morals is taking place, eating away at the tender minds of our children and the social fabric of our society. The generation being consumed by the highest level of injustice and criminality ever in this country we need a change. All of the above is worsened by a Government which has no respect for the majority who rejected them at the polls by this latest subterfuge of inviting the Courts, to USURP the powers, role and duties of the Parliament, the highest forum in the land, where all the people are represented. Of course, we have the
Hamilton Green abomination of the unprovoked prorogation of the Parliament. Yes, let us pray for a change for the New Year. An area where change is needed is the way the Capital City continues to be micro and mismanaged by the Government. This message of hope is for a change in 2015 predicated on the fact that citizens on all sides are aware of the sorcery surrounding consistent efforts to destroy Georgetown. But the sad, sordid story of our Capital City highlights the need for change. Flooding – drainage of Georgetown. Since 1994 – 1995 the Mayor promised to rid the City of flooding, the Government is determined to punish citizens and those who come into the City for no good reason. Set aside a Motion passed in the National Assembly for the restoration of Georgetown – They come up with a Billion dollar band aid operation that fools no one, digging canals starting from the wrong spot and digging foolishly using the wrong equipment and, as is the case of Sussex Street Canal, likely to cause the collapse of that roadway. Briefly to avoid ‘flooding’ in the City requires the following: 1. A good administration we have the worst possible, today. 2. A well organized public education programme, involving schools, civic groups, Religious Organisations, and the media. 3. Cleaning all of our blocked drains, culverts and alleyways. 4. Expand opening hours of Haags Bosch so that waste can be deposited for a longer period. 5. Have all of our main
Corruption benefits the rich and powerful at the expense of the poor. Say no to it
canals desilted, starting with the Downer Canal. 6. Ensure that all of our out fall channels are cleared regularly. 7. Persons not to be allowed to concrete lands in the City, unless given permission based on criteria to be established. 8. Impose the laws/ regulations related to the importation and use of plastic Styrofoam and other non-bio degradable material. 9. Allow the plan approved by both the M&CC related to parking regulations in the City to be put in place. 10. Stabilize the whole question of zoning and allow the Local Authority (GT M&CC) a greater say in this important area. Yes my wish for 2015 is for change – to save our City and State. After all change, may I remind those afraid or reluctant to push for change, that change designates perhaps the most conspicuous and pervasive aspect of our human experience. Denial or fear of change is almost unnatural in our present environment, where corruption, crime and cronyism is at its highest level even in our history. For that reason my final wish is for our Religious, Business, Professional, Media, Youth and Women Bodies to speak up now before it is too late. A cowardly silence will do our children and their children a great injustice – the poem by the late celebrated Lutheran Pastor Martin Niemoller (1892 – 1984) is instructive. “In Germany they came first for the Communists, and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a communist. They next came for the Jews. And I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Jew. Then they came for the trade u n i o n i s t s , a n d I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Trade Unionist, then they came for the Catholics, and I didn’t speak up because I was a Protestant, then they came for me and by that time no one was left to speak up. Another Martin more familiar to us Martin Luther King Jr said “Our lives begin to end the day we became silent about things that matter. The US 16th President Abraham Lincoln put these solid words “to sin by silence when they should protest makes cowards of men” My wish for 2015 is no cowards, for that is what Satan loves.
Thursday January 01, 2015
Kaieteur News
Page 55
PM on teen found in... SALON Make Up Courses with Mac, Bare Minerals, Black Opal and Sacha cosmetics. Call: 647-1773/660-5257 CAR RENTAL ACCOMODATION SIGNATURE INN: Luxury Suites & Apartments. Free Wi-Fi & Breakfast; AC & Self Contained Rooms @ 83 Laluni Street Queenstown. Tel: 592-226-2145
VACANCY Live in housekeeper; to care for infant 40-50yrs – Call: 697-8797 IT Technician to install outdoor antenna, must have drivers license. Send application to jobs@awngy.com International Cruiseline Purser officers, waitresses, waiters, cooks, receptionists, storekeepers, cleaners, electricians, carpenters, plumbers, musicians etc – Tel: 231-6296, 650-9880 Waitresses to work at a Bar at Agriculture Road –E.C.D Cashier able to work flexible hours and have CXC Maths, send application to jobs@awngy.com
PROGRESSIVE AUTO RENTAL: CARS & SUV FOR RENTAL-$4,000&UPPERDAYCALL: 643-5122, 219-3900, EMAIL: PRO_AUTO RENTAL@YAHOO.COM
SERVICES PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION,WEDDINGS, ANNIVERSARY, ETC. – CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 216-1043; 677-6620 Guyana Passport & Visa Forms Application, USA, Canada and England. Tel: 626-7040; 265-4535. Repairs & spare, fridge, freezer, A/C, washers, stoves. Contact Nick: 683-1312, 627-3206 We repair fridge, freezer, AC, washer, dryer Call Omar: 2310655,683-8734 Permanent & Visitors Visa Applications, Professional Immigration Consultant Room D5 Maraj Building Call Sabita: 225-6496, 6626045
3 Pastry makers, please apply at Humphrey’s Bakery & Farm products limited 38 Ketley & Sussex St. Charlestown- Call:225-7864/ 225-8607 One refrigeration Airconditioned trainee- Call:2310655,683-8734 Accounts Clerk; apply @ D. Singh & Sons @ 95 King Street Georgetown- Call: 2261316; 226-0881
EDUCATIONAL Maths Lessons! @ 44 Delph Street Campbellvill – Contact Sir Dass. Call: 654-3159; Forms 2, 3, 5 & repeaters, limited space available Mathematics Classes available for Grade 9 (Nine) & 10 (Ten) students - $2500 per month – Call: 604-2518; 627-2743
PROPERTY FOR SALE One house & land in hope low land, E.C.D, one house & land in Bloomfield Berbice Call: 689-5254; 256-0504 Unfinished house at Parfaite Harmony, West Minister, W.B.D - $4.5M – Tel:6610618; 601-3469 Two Storied concrete & wooden house, Enterprise Gardens, E.C.D – Call: 6466357 FOR SALE/RENT American Pool Table – Call: 277- 0578
Practical Electronic Course; Starting 12th January 2015Call Abdul Electronics: 2266551; 225-0391
TO LET One bedroom apartment for a couple. $30,000 monthly. In Charlestown- Call:223-3958/ 660-9463 Rooms & apartments (furnished & unfurnished) in Eccles & Alberttown- Call: 225-3234
FOR SALE LARGE QUANTITIES OF HIGH PURITY MERCURY (QUICK SILVER) 99.99995% PURITY$19,000 PER POUND CALL: 592-227-4754. Complete Snapper Boats for sale – Excellent Condition – Contact: 648-6815; 641-4506
FOR RENT PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION,WEDDINGS, ANNIVERSARY, ETC. CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 216-1043; 677-6620 GT TOOL RENTALS: COMPACTOR; CHIPPING HAMMER RANSOM & FLOOR SANDER, (SALE) & MORE, JACK HAMMER, CONCRETE SAW - CALL: 675-0767, 667-2535 Taxi service to rent @ 58 Station Street Kitty – Contact Maylene Sahadeo: 226-8978 or 622-5187 Business spot to rent on public road- Call:613-0448/ 672-8625 1 Upper flat 2 bedroom concrete apartment @ Grove New Housing Scheme E.B.D (First Bridge) - $45,000 per month – Call:642-1956 Three bedrooms house at 119 Canterbury Walk, BV, E.C.D - $30,000 monthly – Call: 654-6841 Lower 2 bedrooms apartment @ Factory Road, Paradise, East Coast, Demerara; with light & water -$40,000 monthly – Contact: 625-9939 Two bedrooms apartment in Grove Housing Scheme; 3rd Avenue – Call: 622-0784; 6281155
1- Complete 6" Dredge for mining, includes 6 Cylinder Perkins & 1-4 Cylinder. All pumps, mats, etc, asking $3M – Contact: 610-1001 Portable sawmill fully hydraulic Th30-25 Timber Harvester – Call: 261-2553 Christmas Sale: Dell/HP Computer with 19" LCDs, laptops - $55,000 @ Futuretech – Call: 231-2206 Promix BX with microrize $10,500 per bag; ask for Rayman – Call: 615-2346; 6280200, 263-5300 1 Toshiba Laptop (17.3inches) 1 5000 Watts Briggs & Stratton generator - Call: 622-0503; 689-9932 1 Numark DM 1295 4 Channel mixer, 1 Teac CD burner uses any blank CD – Call: 6220503; 689-9932 2 Gemini GXA 4000 Watts power amp, 1 Technical Pro 3250 watts pro 3250 watts power amp – Tel: 622-0503; 689-9932 2 SL I serato boxes, 2 Denon 3500 CD Juggler, 2 Gemini GXA 3000 Watts power Amp – Call: 622-0503; 689-9932 Diving Suit – Call: 265-3449; 613-5158
Money Back guarantee; cleaner, clearer younger looking skin in two weeks, also flatter stomach – Call: 684-9409; 699-4211
SALE! SALE! SALE! New model Spacio (2005) TV, Front & back camera; fully loaded $2M- Call: 642-7295 Toyota Prado, Price$5.5M Neg. Call: 643-2403 One ford IVECO sand truck with Cummings Engine, GNN Series, excellent condition, owner leaving country - Call: 604-6860, 643-2911 2003 Toyota IST; fully loaded with bodykit -$2M, never registered – Call: 628-0909; 260-2327 2005/ 6yrs Silver Toyota Allion, new shape, lights at D.North Auto Sales, low mileage $2.550M – Tel:663-0584 Spacio 2004, Body Kit, rims, camera, spoiler, dark interior, crystal light, new shape (unregistered) – Tel: 617-5536 Toyota Spacio, Body Kit, Rims, spoiler, CD player; never registered - $2.1M – Call: 617-2891 Blow Out Sale!!! Unregistered Toyota IST $2,200,000- Bodykit, TV, Spoiler, Fogs, Alloy Wheels, Crystal Lights & Alarm – Call: 643-6565, 226-9931 Blowout Sale! – Unregistered 2007 Madza Axela - $2,350,000 – Crystal Lights, Alarm, Steering Wheel Audio Control . Call: 643-6565, 2269931
PEN PAL Companion for retired gentleman 38+ Bobby Other, Worksharp, 92-96 Lord Street, PR8 1JR, England. Mixed male, age 26, seeks female friends 18-30. Phone 696-9746
WANTED
LAND FOR SALE
DOLLY’S CAR RENTAL CALL: 225-7126/ 2263693 DOLLYSAUTO RENTAL@YAHOO.COM/ WWW.DOLLYSAUTO RENTAL.COM Aidan’s Car & Pickup rental, cheap rate, low security – Tel:698-7807; 690-6494 HEALTH
Pitbull bus ($3.2M) Verossa $3.7M, Noah- $2M (All new) Call: 603-9700
Rubberized Tarpaulins for sale 20X20 - $20,000, any size available – Tel: 657-2304
Five bedrooms house @ 107 Lamaha Gardens & large parking, AC rooms, hot & cold, purified water system – Call: 661-8908; 335-3590
CAR RENTAL
VEHICLE FOR SALE
From page 50 waiting a PM examination to proceed with their investigation. Meanwhile, the partner of a 35-year-old woman whose lifeless body was found floating in the Lama Canal in an area called the “Blacka” at 'B' Field Sophia on Monday remains in police custody. The body of Natasha Jacobs called “Tasha,” a mother of four, of North Ruimveldt; Georgetown was discovered by a child, partially submerged amidst a patch of weeds in the “Blacka,” where residents would normally swim. Police have arrested the woman's partner after they found several marks of violence on the remains. They are awaiting a PM examination to determine whether the mother of four was murdered. The PM was supposed to be done yesterday but was also cancelled due to the pathologist's illness.
Blankenburg, Public Road W.C.D (38ftX150ft), (39ftX150ft) - $16M each; Back Street, Unity Street La Grange W.B.D 85X750- $16M Call: 666-3619 Parfaite Harmonie -$1.4M & $3.5M (110ftX50Ft) Herstelling - $5.5M, Providence -$5.5M, Schoonord -$4.2M, Gove $2.6M –Call:675-7292; 6522018 1500 Acres Transported Land @ Bartica 2 ¾ miles River Front, Virgin Rock, Quarry Resort – Call Mark: 704-465-2222/603-1266 Double Land @ Lot 7 Tuschen E.B.E – Call: 6722215
One manager to work at an out of town hotel - Call: 225-2535; 626-6909 from 9am to 4pm Urgently needed live- in waitress- Call:686-3116 One live-in domestic or couple to work in Mahaicony River- Call:225-6571, 644-6905 Live in domestic in Peter’s Hall, 1 week on; 1 week off, 40years plus, starting $13,000. Call:675-0767, 627-5098 From 2pm -12pm; 4 waitresses to work at Bora Sports Bar at W.C.D – Call: 680-0129; 2761925 TM Driver with mechanical experienced – Call: 684-0172 Hire cars @ Atlas Taxi Service – Call: 218-5593; 218-5594 One male able bodied clerk – Call:225-2313;226-1497 Cooks & waitresses; cashier, cleaners to work at Flambouyant Restaurant & Bar, preferably applicants from E.B.D only – Call: 2332849
WANTED We buy land in Parfaite Harmonie, Providence, Schoonord, Herstelling & Eccles - Tel: 675-7292; 2185591; 652-2018 Experienced Puri/Roti Cook, Pastry makers, cleaner; apply at Hack’s Halaal Commerce Street. Urgently porters to work on beverage canter truck, preferably on E.C.D- Call:2223927; 649-9876; 686-1352
Page 56
Kaieteur News
Thursday January 01, 2015
Thursday January 01, 2015
Kaieteur News
Bodies from crashed AirAsia plane arrive in Indonesian city (Reuters) - The first two bodies from the AirAsia plane that crashed off the coast of Borneo arrived on Wednesday in the Indonesian city of Surabaya, where relatives have gathered to await news of their loved ones. Rescuers believe they have found the plane on the sea floor off Borneo, after sonar detected a large, dark object beneath waters near where debris and bodies were found on the surface. Ships and planes had been scouring the Java Sea for Flight QZ8501 since Sunday, when it lost contact during bad weather about 40 minutes into its flight from Surabaya to Singapore. Seven bodies have been recovered from the sea, some fully clothed, which could indicate the Airbus A320-200 was intact when it hit the water. That would support a theory that it suffered an aerodynamic stall. Tatang Zaenudin, an official with Indonesia’s search and rescue agency, said earlier that one of the bodies had been found wearing a life jacket. But he later said no victim had been recovered with a life jacket on. “We found a body at 8.20 a.m. and a life jacket at 10.32 a.m. so there was a time dif-
Members of the Search and Rescue Agency SARS carry debris recovered from the sea ference. This is the latest information we have,” he told Reuters. Two bodies, in coffins bedecked with flowers and marked 001 and 002, arrived by an air force plane in Surabaya. Most of the 162 people on board were Indonesians. No survivors have been found. Hernanto, of the search and rescue agency in Surabaya, said rescuers believed they had found the plane on the sea bed with a sonar scan in water 30-50 meters (100-165 feet) deep. The black box flight data and cockpit voice recorder have yet to be found. Authorities in Surabaya
were making preparations to receive and identify bodies, including arranging 130 ambulances to take victims to a police hospital and collecting DNA from relatives. “We are praying it is the plane so the evacuation can be done quickly,” Hernanto said. Strong wind and waves hampered the search and with visibility at less than a kilometer (half a mile), the air operation was called off in the afternoon. He added that the plane’s whereabouts had not yet been confirmed and so the search for it would continue. Indonesian President Joko Widodo said his priority was retrieving the bodies.
Venezuela confirms recession, inflation hits 63.6
Venezuela entered a recession in 2014, with the economy shrinking in the first three quarters, the Central Bank said on Tuesday, blaming political opponents for the dismal figures. In a statement, the bank said GDP contracted 4.8 percent in the first quarter, versus the same period of last year, then it fell a further 4.9 percent in the second quarter and shrank 2.3 percent in the third quarter. The statement added that 12-month inflation, which is the highest in the Americas, reached 63.6 percent in November. The central bank statement, confirming an economic contraction widely forecast by analysts, came just before President Nicolas Maduro was about to start a news conference in which he was expected to announce economic changes. Venezuela’s socialist government blames political opponents, who protested in the streets for four months earlier this year, for damaging the South American OPEC
nation’s economy. The protests resulted in violence that killed 43 people. “These actions against public order blocked the correct distribution of basic goods to the population, as well as the normal development of production of goods and services,” the bank statement said. “This resulted in an inflationary spike and a fall in economic activity.” Opponents say
Venezuela’s economic crisis is a consequence of 15 years of socialist policies, begun by Maduro’s predecessor Hugo Chavez, who ruled from 1999 to 2013 before his death from cancer. “With one day of the year left, they publish the September, October and November figures. The highest in the world. Economic efficiency Nicolas! Wonderful,” scoffed opposition leader Henrique Capriles via Twitter.
Page 57
Page 58
Kaieteur News
Thursday January 01, 2015
Venezuela’s president blames opposition for deep recession CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — Venezuela’s government on Tuesday confirmed that the economy is struggling to emerge from a deep recession but President Nicolas Maduro said the crisis engulfing the oil-rich nation could have been a lot worse. In an almost three-hour long press conference, the socialist president blamed the severe slump on his government’s opponents, who brought the economy to a standstill during deadly protests earlier this year and are now heartened by a recent plunge in oil prices that they hope will loosen Maduro’s grip on power ahead of key congressional elections just months away. “We’ve contained the economic war, but it’s not yet been defeated,” Maduro said, valuing the government’s efforts to step in for private business and restrict smuggling. Maduro’s comments came hours after the central bank said gross domestic product
shrank 4.8 percent on an annual basis in the first two quarters of 2014 and 2.3 percent in the July-September period. Inflation soared to 64 percent in November from 54 percent a year ago. The report came as no surprise to economists, who blame the government’s tight control of prices and foreign exchange for scaring away investment and widespread shortages of even essential items such as soap and sugar. But being the first GDP data released in over a year, it was a rare admission of the depth of a crisis forecast to worsen if prices for Venezuela’s oil, which have fallen by half in the past six months, remain low. Petroleum accounts for 95 percent of Venezuela’s exports and the government needs substantially higher prices to fund spending that expanded dramatically during the revolution started 15 years ago by the late Hugo Chavez Maduro repeated a pledge to straighten the economy by eliminating wasteful spend-
President Nicolas Maduro ing. He cited Venezuelan embassies abroad and a government fleet of imported cars as dollar-sucking areas ripe for cuts. But he avoided announcing more pronounced budgetsaving measures economists say are needed to avoid a default on the country’s debt, such as hiking gas prices that are the cheapest in the world. He also disappointed those hoping for an overhaul of the country’s rigid currency system.
New Bermuda work-permit policy to be introduced in March
Michael Fahy HAMILTON, Bermuda (CMC) – Home Affairs Minister Michael Fahy says government’s revamped new work permit policy will come into effect at the beginning of March. The implementation of the policy was halted after unexpected problems developed with a specific category of permit called the Bermuda Employment Visa, which has since been abandoned. “It was about finding the right balance between assisting international business in getting the best employees they can in a competitive mar-
ketplace, while also ensuring that qualified Bermudians are given the opportunities we deserve,” Fahy said yesterday. “A balance which I believe has now been found due to the extensive consultative process.” The new rules include the introduction of the Global Entrepreneur Work Permit to allow individuals who are planning start-up companies in Bermuda to apply for work permits. Permit holders can live in the island while conducting their business planning.
The changes provide for a Business Work Permit for new companies to Bermuda to obtain work permits without advertising during the first six months of their existence. The permit will be available for new exempted companies on a limited basis. The new policy also requires employers to advertise all jobs on the Government Job Board for at least eight consecutive days. Under the new rules, busine s s e s m a y b e a s k e d t o participate in initiatives led by the National Training Board to boost the number of B e r mudians employed in job categories where there are high numbers of work permit holders. The policy was put together after widespread consultation with industry leaders as well as a raft of stakeholder groups. “Overall, we believe these changes will demonstrate to the local and international community that Bermuda continues to be open for business as we continue to cut down on the red tape which hinders our growth as an international business domicile,” Fahy added. “I believe that the policy changes will make employers even more responsible and cognisant of their responsibilities to the local workforce.”
Thursday January 01, 2015
Kaieteur News
PM: Don’t worry ...promises no cutbacks despite falling oil prices
Kamla Persad Bissessar Trinidad Express - Oil prices are falling but citizens need not worry, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar said Tuesday. Delivering her New Year message at the post-Cabinet media conference at the San Fernando Teaching Hospital, Persad-Bissessar said despite decreasing oil prices, Government will not be cutting back on any salaries, social and health care programmes, programmes or major projects. Persad-Bissessar, who took no questions, said: “We are at a point in our nation’s affairs when we are faced with lower energy prices. I was part of a former administration in 1995 when the country also had to be managed with lower energy prices. Despite this, we demonstrated that we were up to the task and the country experienced a level of prosperity which few thought possible. I am therefore not
daunted by the current situation but instead feel very confident of our ability to mitigate the impacts of lower energy prices whilst preserving jobs and promoting economic growth. “I remain doubly focussed on the task at hand. Attempts to distract my attention and energies from my responsibility to lead and manage the affairs of this nation will not deter me from my goal of a prosperous and secure nation.” Persad-Bissessar said: “As we move into the New Year, I am as concerned about this country as everyone else should be. As such I propose to do the following. I will speak to the nation on the state of the economy on January 8, 2015. I will address the issue of falling oil and gas prices and their implications for Trinidad and Tobago and outline the way forward in the year ahead. “On Friday January 9, 2015 the Finance Bill will be debated in the House of Representatives. This bill gives life and traction to the measures announced in the 2015 Budget Statement. Following this debate, during the following week, I will also engage stakeholders in a discussion on the state of the economy, the way forward and options for investment, growth, diversification and development. “I wish to give the assur-
ance that there will be no cut to affect the vulnerable and the under privileged as well as health sector reform and crime fighting. The preservation of jobs is high on our agenda. I look forward with keen interest in the ideas and suggestions which the stakeholders and citizens will share as we deepen our partnership in the interest of a prosperous and secure Trinidad and Tobago. In the meantime feel secure in the fact that your government is monitoring the situation on a daily basis and working with you in mind everyday.” Persad-Bissessar said when her People’s Partnership government came into office in 2010, the country’s financial stability was threatened by the CL Financial and Hindu Credit Union (HCU) fiascoes and now the country was in a better place enjoying political stability, economic growth, financial stability, lower levels of poverty although her government was the most scrutinised ever in the nation’s political history. Persad-Bissessar also listed the government’s achievement, among them the maintenance of a subsidy on gas prices. And she said although the number of serious crimes was down, there were still the challenges of murders and domestic violence cases.
especially in cases that appear to be outright abuse or advantage, and in these matters especially for those with the ultimate responsibility for the enforcement of all laws, the need for calm restraint and to set the tone for a professional response is at its highest,” Griffith said. The minister has been in touch with all of the relevant authorities that govern both the police service as well as those that govern the conduct of police officers and is awaiting the results of findings or investigations before weighing in further on this matter. Griffith said he remains resolute that in all matters where the laws of Trinidad and Tobago are infringed, the guilty parties must face the full weight of the law. Meanwhile, the Police Complaints Authority (PCA) has initiated an independent investigation into the incident. The Trinidad Express reported that residents have expressed outrage over the apparent callousness of the actions of the police officers, and want action to be taken.
Southern Division Senior Superintendant Cecil Santana has described the actions of the people in the video as a disgrace to the Police Service. Santana said the police officers are to be investigated immediately. “The Commissioner (of Police) has instructed that the Professional Standards Bureau begins investigations into the matter immediately,” he said. Santana said: “I want to assure you that no stone will be left unturned and the appropriate action will be taken against those officers.” The video, which is less than two minutes long, has attracted the attention of thousands of viewers as by Monday afternoon there were almost 28,000 views and it had been shared by 2,270 people. A prominent attorney commented on social media: “Look, I too do not know and do not care what the guy in the wheelchair did. This is outrageous! Slapping a guy in a wheelchair!! Police officers do not have the right to abuse citizens... this is assault and battery.
Trinidad minister responds to alleged police beating video
Gary Griffith PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad — Trinidad and Tobago National Security Minister Gary Griffith on Tuesday issued a statement regarding a video that appears to show the abuse of a disabled man at the hands of a uniformed, and plain clothed police officer last Saturday. Griffith said he has been apprised of the video, which appears to show a man in a wheelchair being abused by two persons, with one of them appearing to be a woman police officer (WPC) in uniform. “Needless to say issues such as these tend to provoke a highly emotional response,
Page 59
Page 60
Kaieteur News
Thursday January 01, 2015
BASKETBALL enjoyed its most... Court deals transfer ban... From page 63 forced to literally fight with Director of Sport, Neil Kumar for practice time for a national team at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall. This writer joined the call to Kumar in an article to stop using the Sports Hall as if it is his own facility. The male national team then faced a roster problem in Tortola when Gordon Klaiber was deemed ineligible after travelling from Japan to join the team. The CBC was of the view that Klaiber did not claim his nationality before its stipulated age limit. The GABF fought the caveat at the FIBA level and won after proving the rule cannot apply to a Guyana-born player. More controversy erupted in Tortola when several senior players defied an edict from the team’s management to return the team uni-
forms. Those players were subsequently fined and banned, but several of them have since returned the uniforms or paid their fines. The authority of the federation was flouted when Youth Basketball Guyana (YBG) refused to get the necessary sanction to run its programmes. The Kumarbacked YBG continues to believe that it does not require the requisite sanction from the GABF to run its programmes. The GABF is the governing body for all basketball in Guyana. Finally, the federation bemoaned the lack of recognition at a Guyana Olympic Association award ceremony in December for what it called an “exemplary year”. “It does appear to be some major oversight on the part of the GOA to not recognize the efforts of
the GABF, as is done for Netball and Hockey among others,” the federation said in a statement. Early 2015 Projections The GABF has registered Guyana’s male and female teams to participate in the 2015 Caribbean Basketball Confederation (CBC) Championships in the British Virgin Islands (BVI), paying the requisite US$1000 per team as a result ensuring participation. The Federation will also host Road to Mecca II early in 2015 as a means of selecting the national team that will play Bermuda and the Washington D.C Jammers in Guyana in March. The robust first quarter of 2015 is geared toward preparing the national teams for CBC in hope that Guyana can improve its overall performance.
Thursday January 01, 2015 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) Today is an inspirational day for you. Let those visions come to you, process them, and try to verbalize them. A lot of information and electricity is in the air, and you should have no problem picking up on it.
LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) Even if you're a person of action who knows how to react to situations, you should be careful not to be too impulsive.
TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20) You're usually good at bringing people together. Your greatest strength is giving identity to those people who seek it.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) You may have a tendency to be overprotective of the people closest to you, especially children. You may feel you live in a dangerous world in which people don't care about responsibility to one another.
GEMINI (May 21–June 20) Some of you still let individuals from other Zodiac Signs do all the creating for you. The planetary configuration today pushes you to free yourself from the ties that bind you.
SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) You probably need society's or other people's approval in order to feel good about yourself. But your original personality and way of thinking are often hard for others to accept.
CANCER (June 21–July 22) You are very interested in all kinds of professions that concern humans, Cancer medicine, psychology, or any kind of spiritual therapy.
CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19) The events of the day depend on your ability to put things into question today, Capricorn. In general, you're good at analyzing situations when things aren't going well in your relationships.
LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) You may surprise the people around you over the next few days, Leo. You're a responsible person and others can count on you. But just like anybody else, you're sensitive to your desires. VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) You may have to stand by certain difficult, worrisome decisions today, Virgo. You may feel a kind of urgent need for stability in your personal life. What is really behind this feeling?
AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) The planetary aspects are going to have a big impact on you today. This isn't the time to fear the future. Rather, it's a time to make it happen. PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) People are more alike than we think, especially on days like today that mean virtually the same thing to everyone. Some incredible changes have taken place in the world and its economic and social systems.
From page 59 Barcelona then went to the CAS. Barcelona aggressively fought the ban at the start, calling it a “grave injustice” and a threat to its ‘Masia’ academy which nurtured the likes of Lionel Messi and Andres Iniesta. But it has since admitted errors in the cases of the 10 young players. The ban is a new blow to the club’s image. Barcelona already face criminal proceedings in Spain over alleged tax avoidance in the signing of Brazilian star Neymar in 2013. Argentine striker Lionel Messi also faces a possible trial over tax
avoidance. And the sanction will not help coach Luis Enrique in his campaign to get Barcelona back to the winning ways expected by fans. Barcelona had been linked with a January move for Germany’s World Cup forward Marco Reus. The team won the Spanish title in 2013 but have since been eclipsed by Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid in Spain and Europe. Barcelona last won the Champions League in 2011. They are currently one point behind Real but have played one game more. Reigning champions Atletico
in third place are just three points behind. Vermaelen is injured and not expected to play again until at least March and other new signings have not shone. Suarez has scored only one league goal since making his debut in October. Enrique insisted this month however that Barcelona can compete even without new players. The FIFA ban will put pressure on Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu, already struggling with the Neymar case, and who may have to put his job up for reelection before his term ends in 2016.
JAGUARS REGROUP ON... From page 61 ICC Under-19 World Cup in 2016. The preliminary competition will be played on a nonelimination format with each side playing the others in their group once and two matches being contested each day at either the Queen’s Park Oval, the T&T Cricket Board’s National Cricket Centre in the central Trinidad
Sir Viv... From page 57 with our passionate cricket fans through columns. “The ICC Cricket World Cup is the biggest event and it is a privilege to be part of it in any capacity. Like all my other knowledgeable colleagues, I look forward to this exciting experience and playing my role in promoting this wonderful event.” The schedule of exclusive content (to be released at 1000 Dubai time) is as follows: (subject to changes): Wednesday, 31 December – First-person article by Sachin Tendulkar Thursday, 1 January – First-person article by Stephen Fleming Friday, 2 January – Firstperson article by Javed Miandad Saturday, 3 January – First-person article by Sir Vivian Richards Sunday, 4 January – TV interview with Clive Lloyd Sunday, 4 January – Firstperson article by Paul Collingwood Monday, 5 January – Firstperson article by Balwinder Singh Sandhu Tuesday, 6 January – Firstperson article by Allan Border Wednesday, 7 January – First-person article by Inzamam-ul-Haq Schedule of exclusive content from Thursday, 8 January to Thursday, 15 January will be announced on Tuesday, 6 January 2015.
community of Couva or Shaw Park in Scarborough, the capital of Trinidad’s sister island Tobago. The top two teams from each group advance to the semi-finals at the Oval, where the group winners play the runners-up from the opposite group in a one-off match for a place in the Grand Final. The Jaguars go into action on the opening day when they face-off with the Volcanoes before opposing Barbados Pride on January 17 and CCC on January 19 before the ‘final-Four’ stage of the tournament commence on January 22 with the first
semi-final. All of the Jaguars games will be played at the Queens Park Oval and they will be without Leon Johnson and Narsingh Deonarine, who are in South Africa with the West Indies limited overs side and possibly Tagenarine Chanderpaul and Shemron Hetmyer, who are both expected to be in Young West Indies side. The Four-Day version of the Franchise tournament resumes on February 6 when leaders Jaguars face-off with second place Jamaica in Kingston Jamaica in a fifth round encounter.
Thursday January 01, 2015
Kaieteur News
Sir Viv, Lloyd for World Cup columnists ICC Media - Dubai, United Arab Emirates - The International Cricket Council (ICC) yesterday unveiled its team of distinguished cricketers who will contribute expert columns in the lead up to and during the ICC’s pinnacle event, the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015, which begins in Australia and New Zealand on 14 February. The first-person columns will be available from the Online Media Zone on a daily basis from Wednesday, 31 December and media can download these for free editorial use, but must credit the ICC by adding 2014 © ICC D e v e l o p m e n t (International)Limited at the bottom of each article. ICC’s expert columnists include Aminul Islam (Bangladesh), Andy Bichel (Australia), Alistair Campbell (Zimbabwe), Paul Collingwood (England), Stephen Fleming (New Zealand), Trent Johnston (Ireland), Javed Miandad (Pakistan), Muttiah Muralidaran (Sri Lanka), Sir Vivian Richards (West Indies), Graeme Smith (South Africa) and Javagal Srinath (India). In addition to these stalwarts, India’s Sachin Tendulkar and Balwinder Singh Sandhu, Allan Border of Australia, West Indies’ Courtney Walsh and Pakistan’s Inzamam-ul-Haq will also contribute exclusive articles for the ICC. This initiative is a further enhancement of the ICC’s ongoing service to cricket fans and global media as these celebrated cricketers will share their insight, knowledge and experience through the Online Media Zone. In the lead up to the tournament, the columnists will discuss a wide range of topics, including reflecting on their time at ICC Cricket World Cups, assessing their respective sides, talking about their highs and lows, discussing how One-Day International cricket has evolved over the years, looking back at some of the best cricketers to have played this exciting format, and looking forward to the players to watch out for during the tournament. Once the event kicks off, the guest writers will preview and analyse matches as the world’s 14 best sides go head to head for the ultimate prize in the sport in the 44-day tournament during which 49 matches will be played. Sachin Tendulkar’s column From ball boy to World Cup winner will be the
Legends Clive Lloyd (left) and Sir Viv Richards. first of a series of first-person articles, which will be released on Wednesday, 31 December at 1000 (Dubai time). This article will be followed by pieces by Stephen Fleming, Javed Miandad and Sir Vivian Richards. Besides releasing exclusive print content, the ICC will also distribute video interviews of Grant Flower (Zimbabwe), Richard Illingworth (England), Anil Kumble and Javagal Srinath (both India), Clive Lloyd (West Indies), Adam Gilchrist and Geoff Marsh (both Australia), and Waqar Younis (Pakistan). Furthermore, an exclusive video interview with ICC Chief Executive David Richardson, who represented South Africa in the ICC Cricket World Cup 1992 and was ICC’s General Manager – Cricket at the previous three events, will be released on 13 January, a day before the world celebrates one-month to go to the start of the tournament. This and other video interviews will be available on the Online Media Zone and can be downloaded for free editorial use. When using these video clips, TV news channels will be requested to credit the International Cricket Council and are reminded that the content can be used for editorial purposes only for a period of 14 days from the date of first release by the ICC. Commenting on the initiative, ICC Chief Executive David Richardson said: “The involvement of these highly respected cricketers in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 in a journalistic role is an exciting initiative. I am sure this enhancement will a broader and better perspective of the game, and at the same time will take the coverage and promotion of ICC’s pinnacle event to a new next level.” https://ssl.gstatic.com/ui/ v1/icons/mail/images/
cleardot.gif Collingwood, who is England’s leading run-getter in ODIs and captained his country’s 50-over side from 2007 to 2009, said: “I am delighted to be working as a guest writer for the ICC for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015. It will surely be an exciting event and I look forward to sharing my opinions with you in the weeks ahead.” Miandad, who won the ICC Cricket World Cup 1992 with Pakistan, said: “On the occasion of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015, some of the most experienced and knowledgeable cricketers will be writing columns from a historic perspective. I am proud to be part of this privileged panel.” Muralidaran, who was a member of the Sri Lanka side that won the ICC Cricket World Cup 1996 and is the leading wicket-taker in ODIs, said: “I am pleased that the ICC has offered me the opportunity to share my knowledge and understanding of the game (Continued on page 56)
Page 61
It’s D day today as Grove Hi Tech battle Ann’s Grove in the FINAL Exactly two weeks of exhilarating action will come to an end this evening when the final of the Stag Super XV1 knockout football tournament is contested between Grove Hi Tech and Ann’s Grove at the #5 ground, West Coast Berbice. But before this game, two of the teams from the East, Berbice Football Association (New Amsterdam United and Cougars) will be battling each other for the third and fourth places in this competition which attracted the 16 best teams from the East Demerara (6), East Bank (5) and Berbice (5) associations. When the action kicked off on December 14 at the same venue it was any body’s guess as to which of the two teams would have made it to the 1.5 million match today. Beyond the shadow of a doubt, the best two teams have earned the right to battle for the most lucrative prize in their respective histories. While Grove will be at full strength for this encounter today with their most lethal marksman Domini Garnett at the forefront, Ann’s Grove will be without the services of their main goalkeeper, Travis Allen who suffered a fractured jaw following a collision with a Cougars player in their semi final game in December 28 last at the Buxton ground. Manager Gordon Reynolds informed that another keeper would take Allen’s place and not the man with the golden hands, Jamal Blair who filled the gap for Allen when he had to exit the semi final clash in the 68th minute. Blair kept well and despite letting in the equalizing goal that sent the game into extra time, saved two goals in the
NA United face Cougars for third ensuing penalty kicks to hand Ann’s Grove passage to the championship game. Navado Denny will start in goal for Ann’s Grove and is expected to be the only change to the starting X1 from the semi final. The other players are Andrew Murray, Dwayne Duke, Linden Roberts, Levon Adams, Jamin Rogers, Maxton Adams, Antonia Jackson, Quincy Johnson, Nickose Denny and Kevon Barry. Grove Hi Tech will be aiming to make Ann’s Grove their third scalp from the East Coast having already taken care of BV Triumph United and Buxton United. The task will not be easy though, since their final opponent accounted for some tough opponents too including Corriverton Links, Victoria Kings and Cougars. It will take some doing for Grove to emerge as the only unbeaten team in order to take the top prize, ambitions that Ann’s Grove are also harbouring. Grove will again look to the energetic and smart Domini Garnett who has scored four goals to date including all three that saw them past NA United 3-2 in a grueling semi final battle. Goalkeeper Rondell Alleyne who has conceded two goals in three matches, both in the last game will once again play a pivotal role between the uprights for his
team as will the likes of Captain Shermon Doris, Travis and Trevoc Jones, Clive Matthews Jr., Wayne Andries, Nathaniel Pilgrim, Romel Matthews, Devon Joseph and Orson Francois. The third place showdown between two home teams is expected to be laden with fireworks as the respective sides aim to end the tournament on a high. New Amsterdam will be led by the Adams siblings, Leonard and the competitions leading goal scorer, Adrian who has 7. Jamal Butts, Jermaine Samuels, Rondell Hazel, Dane Johnson and custodian Javano Dos Santos will all be working in tandem to secure a NA United win. Cougars will look to Adrian Bess, Dirk Henry, Carlton Brutus, Stefano DeFlorimonte, Dalton Moore, Ron Wilson, Sherwin Halley, Collis Bennett and Jermaine August to see them through to victory. After the on field action is served up and consumed by the fans as the main course, dessert will take the form of an international show that will feature Lil’ Rick and Skinny Fabulous who have promised to make the evening an unforgettable one for the fans and players after a hard two weeks of competition. Game time today is 18:00hrs.
Page 62
Kaieteur News
Strong team for T&T in NAGICO Super50 Trinidad Guardian - Port of Spain, Trinidad - T&T’s senior cricket team will be bolstered by the return of their top West Indies players for the upcoming Nagico Super50 tournament that will be played in T&T from January 15. President of the T&T Cricket Board (TTCB), Azim Bassarath said that Dwayne Bravo, Keiron Pollard, Sunil Narine, Ravi Rampaul and Darren Bravo have all indicated that they are willing to play for this country in the tournament and this is welcome news. According to Bassarath: “It is heartening to see that Kieron Pollard and Dwayne Bravo will be coming home to play in the Nagico Super50. Sunil Narine has also indicated that he would play,as well as Ravi Rampaul and Darren Bravo.” Pollard, Dwayne Bravo and Ravi Rampaul were not selected for the West Indies one day series against South Africa and is available. Narine who was called for an illegal bowling action during the Champions League in October will get a chance to test out his corrected action before the World Cup starts in New Zealand and Australia in February. Bassarath said last’s year loss in the finals of
Thursday January 01, 2015
WILTSHIRE Birth Anniversary dominoes to commence January 4 Manager of F and H Printing Establishment Hazim Hakh (right) presents the cheque to Mark Wiltshire.
Kieron Pollard and Dwayne Bravo will be included in the T&T line up. the Nagico was really hurtful and he is looking forward to the Red Force taking the title this time around. “We had a very good tournament last time around until that final period where we lost a very close final to Barbados. “I am delighted with the fact that the senior guys will be here for this tournament and on paper we have the team to win the title. However experience would tell that you can have all the big names but it all comes down to what you do on the day and we will be hoping that our players prepare well, go into the games a focused lot and bring
home the title this time around.” Red Force will begin their campaign against the West Indies Under-19 cricket team at Shaw Park in Tobago. After that they return to Trinidad, where they play their remaining matches at the Queen’s Park Oval. All matches at the Oval will be played as day/night affairs, while the other matches to be staged at the National Cricket Centre (NCC) in Couva will start at 9.30am. The national cricketers are currently in training and early in the new year the selectors would announce the team to take part in the series.
The nation’s top Dominoes teams are set to battle for supremacy from January 4 when the Mark Wiltshire Dominoes competition commences at Faye Joseph residence, Gaulding Place, South Ruimveldt. The competition is being hosted by the Georgetown Dominoes Association in honour of its secretary Wiltshire’s 60th birth anniversary. Entrance fee is $10,000. The winning team will pocket a trophy and $200,000, the runner up a trophy and $100,000, third place a trophy
and $50,000, fourth a trophy and $20,000 and fifth a trophy and $10,000. The best female player will take home $5,000, the player sharing the first love will receive $3,000 and the player sharing the first double love $5,000 in the play offs. One re-entry will be allowed. Teams from Bartica, Essequibo Coast, East and West Coast of Demerara, East and West Bank of Demerara, Mahaicony, Mahaica, Berbice and Georgetown are slated to take part. The competition will conclude on January 18 at Malteenoes Sports Club. For more information teams can
contact Wiltshire on 665-5855. Meanwhile, F and H Printing Establishment has thrown their support behind the competition. Upon presenting the cheque of an undisclosed amount to Wiltshire at their location in Campbellville yesterday, manager of the entity Hazim Hakh said they are pleased to be associated with the contest. Wiltshire thanked Hakh and stated that the competition is expected to be keenly contested. He is asking that teams be registered as early as possible to ensure a prompt start.
Seven months later Maximum... From page 59 a pictorial and verbal perspective of the noble sport. He wishes to thank the ardent viewers who, over the months, have tuned in to the programme and at times called in to express their views or seek clarity on issues. Max is also grateful to members of the corporate
community that has contributed by way of sponsorship. “This is the oxygen of the programmes and I would be erring if I ignore such input,” he said. Those sponsors/entities include Caricom Group of Companies, Fitness Express, Terminex Pest Control, Marics and Company Ltd (Jailing),
Jermin’s Enterprise, Comfort Sleep, Ganesh Parts and General Store, Guyana Karate College, Interline Fitness Gym, West Indian Sports Complex, Evil Eyes Electronics and General Merchandise, Gordon’s Stationery and Copy Centre, A Ally and Sons and Demerara Bank Ltd.
Thursday January 01, 2015
Kaieteur News
Page 63
Seven months later Maximum Court deals transfer Sports continues to deliver ban blow to Barcelona He is a proficient 2nd degree Black Belt martial artist and just seven months ago, Max Massiah ventured into television broadcasting and launched ‘Maximum Sports.’ He is ably assisted by Patrick Chanderbhan on the one hour programme, broadcast on National Communication Network, Channel 11 (Channel 15 in Berbice) on Fridays at 21:00hrs and aims to promote the various combat and strength sports disciplines thus creating awareness and appreciation for them. Now seven months and thirty one editions later, Mr. Massiah reflects on the benefits derived from the programme, while setting the tone for the succeeding year. He gushes with pride while disclosing that though he operates on a meagre budget, he has been able to host all of the disciplines under whose purview the programme transmits. “My initial aim was to create a platform where the principals of each discipline could have graced the show and highlight the pros and cons of their area, create a high interest level while simplifying the intricacies of the sport for the uninitiated,” explained Mr Massiah during an informal chat with Kaieteur
Max Massiah
Sport. He said that he was concerned that the Guyanese sports public was not aware of these intricacies and such ignorance impacted poorly on the development of the disciplines. To this extent,
Maximum Sports has entertained the presence of several high profiled individuals from the various disciplines including the highly renowned Master Frank Woon-a-Tai, Chairman of the International Karate Daigaku, Mr Universe, Hugh Ross, world rated boxer, Clive Atwell and Professional USA Bodybuilder, Jeff Beckham among others. The programme has also hosted representatives from the Guyana Boxing Board of Control, Guyana Karate College, Mix Martial Arts Association, Flex Night Inc, Guyana Amateur Bodybuilding and Fitness Federation, Guyana Boxing Association, the Guyana Rugby Football Union, the Guyana Amateur Powerlifting Federation and the Jaguar School of Combat among other entities. As the new year dawns, Max, as he is familiarly called, plans to host the chief instructors of the many martial arts schools to add their voices to the debate that the sport is indeed one that can be considered a microcosm of life. This programme will be aired tomorrow night and Max advises his viewers to be at their television sets to gather (Continued on page 58)
The main international sport appeal court on Tuesday backed a one year transfer ban against Barcelona in a major blow to the Spanish football giants. The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) “dismissed” a Barcelona appeal against the FIFA ban imposed in April for breaching rules on signing players aged under 18. Barcelona cannot buy players during the transfer window that opens on January 1 and for the summer transfer period before the 2015-16 season. They can only open the cheque book again in January 2016. “FIFA considers that CAS has shown clear and strong support for FIFA’s efforts to protect underage players,” the world ruling body said in a statement. Barcelona however said they would consider a new appeal to a Swiss federal court. CAS and FIFA are both based in Switzerland. Barcelona were also fined 450,000 Swiss francs ($455,000, 375,000 euros). The
Spanish federation was also reprimanded by FIFA and fined. “The panel found in particular that FC Barcelona had breached the rules regarding the protection of minors and the registration of minors attending football academies,” said the statement. Barcelona said they “totally disagree” with the sanction which they called “disproportionate” and “excessive”. The club acknowledged making “errors” but said these were caused by “conflict between FIFA regulations and Spanish legislation.” Barcelona said they would
study the full CAS ruling and could make an appeal to a Swiss federal court. FIFA ordered the ban in April after an investigation into several under-18 players who were registered and played for Barcelona between 2009 and 2013. It found that Barcelona and the Spanish federation were guilty of a “serious” infringement of rules for 10 players. Barcelona made a first appeal to FIFA and the sanction was suspended enabling them to make major signings such as Luis Suarez from Liverpool for 95 million euros. They also bought defenders Thomas Vermaelen from Arsenal and Jeremy Mathieu from Valenica, midfielder Ivan Rakitic from Sevilla and goalkeepers Claudio Bravo from Real Sociedad and Marc-André ter Stegen from Borussia Monchengladbach in a summer spree of more than 150 million euros. FIFA’s appeal committee upheld the ban in August and (Continued on page 56)
Page 64
Kaieteur News
Thursday January 01, 2015
ALL ROADS LEAD TO RISING SUN TURF CLUB FOR GRAND $8M HORSERACE MEET By Samuel Whyte The day has finally arrived and despite the numerous New Year’s Day activities the place to be is the Rising Sun Turf Club, Arima Park West Coast Berbice. Thousands are expected to swarm the venue for the Club’s Annual New Year’s Day Grand Finale Horserace meet. With close to $8M up for grabs all the top horses have entered in an effort to end the year with a bang. Over 80 horses are down to participate and it is expected to be a day full of action. The top stables and top Jockeys are all well prepared and ready to go and a sizzling and action pack day of racing is anticipated. Banks DIH Limited sponsored the feature D and Lower event with an injection of a massive $3M and trophy, with the winner set to race away with $1M and the Banks DIH Trophy over 1600M. The lineup includes Guyana Cup Champion C.P Got Even, the inform Treacle, Guyana Cup Rematch champion Curfew Tower, Princess She Not, Grande De Roja, Run Nana Run, Jack Is My Style, Rock Movie Star, Settle In Seattle
The record breaking five winners of The Jumbo Jet stable from the last Guyana Cup Rematch ready to go again; from left Captain Crook, Keep On Swinging, She So Special, Amazon Warrior. and the newly imported USA bred Tiza Holiday from the Elcock stable. The co-feature event is sponsored by the Jumbo Jet Conglomerate and is a combination race with the much talked about three year old event for horses bred and born in Guyana and the West Indies now being combined with the E and lower race in what is expected to be a humdinger of a race. When horses such as Spit Fire, Just call Me Boss, Unsettled, Releases the Beast, Swing Easy, Settle in Seattle, Rosetta and It’s My Turn line up in the same race anything could happen. The
winning prize is $500,000. The 1100M G1 and lower showdown has all the best horses in the division in the lineup with the likes of Appealing Harvest, Cassie, War Craft, Release The Beast, Damascus Dream, Sent From Above, Weekend Surprise and Settling Star ready to go for the $300,000 and trophy. It My Choice, Midnight Blue, Lock Song, Miss Lova Lova, Atlantic Storm, Settling Star, and Shooting Star will race for the $340,000 winners money and trophy over 1200M in the race for two year Guyana and the West Indies bred horses. Another new event for
horses classified G3 maiden and H and lower over 1100M will see the likes of Princess Paige, She So Special, Easy To Win, Mary Ann, Red Cloud, Super Bowl and Sent From Above looking to the heavens to take home the $240,000. The horses classified J1 and lower will gallop over 1100M with Smarty Light, The Gump, Red Jet, Sunny Silence, Royal Intention and Speed Vision looking to outdo each other for the $200,000 and trophy pay day.
The final gallop is for horses classified J3 and lower also over 1100M for $160,000 and trophy. The lineup includes Smarty Light, Speed Vision, Royal Intention, Red Region, Magnum, Trigger, Affinity and Super Mike. The top individual performers including Top Jockey and runner up, top stable and top trainer will all be rewarded with trophies and other goodies compliments of Ramesh Sunich proprietor of Trophy
Stall of Bourda Market. Among the sponsors for the day’s programme are Beverage Giants Banks DIH Limited, Trophy Stall Bourda Market, Inshan Bacchus Trucking Service, Shariff Business Enterprise and Racing Stable, Poonai’s Pharmacy, Chester Fry of Bush Lot West Coast Berbice, Hablaw Meat Centre and Businessman Rohan Oudit. The Race will be held under the rules of the Rising Sun Turf Club and Bugle time is 13:00 hrs.
Papiss Cisse: Newcastle United striker admits wrongdoing BBC Sport - Newcastle striker Papiss Cisse has admitted the Football Association were right to ban him for violent conduct. The 29-year-old Senegal international escaped punishment from match officials for striking Everton’s Seamus Coleman in Newcastle’s 3-2 win on Sunday. But the FA took retrospective action and he will miss matches against Burnley, Leicester and Chelsea. “I would like to play
the next games, but I did something that’s not good and the FA were right to ban me,” he said. “It is not like me. I am not an aggressive player, but in football you cannot do something like this.” Cisse, who scored his fifth goal in six league games in the victory over the Toffees, has now played his last game for Newcastle before heading to Equatorial Guinea for the African Nations Cup, which runs from 17 January-8 February.
Papiss Cisse (PA)
Thursday January 01, 2015
Kaieteur News
Page 65
UDFA/GT BEER SUPA 16
Large crowd expected at Mecca of New Year’s Day football By Rawle Welch
Defending champion Winners Connection will have an opportunity to twopeat when they face Hi Stars in today’s final of the Upper Demerara Football Association/GT Beer Supa 16, at the Mackenzie Sports Club ground. The reigning title holders must start as firm favourites to retain their crown after displaying the tenacity that is the hallmark of most champions, having to claw their way back on two occasions leading up to the championship game. In their quarter-final clash against Botofago, Winners Connection had to come from behind to advance to the semis thanks to the experienced and crafty Rawle Gittens, who fired in a brace with a solitary strike coming off the boot of
- Winners Connection aiming for two-peat, faces Hi Stars Delroy Dainty. They faced a similar scenario in their semi-final encounter against Eagles United that took the lead after twenty-three minutes of play, before Gittens got into the act, sending a perfect corner kick into the box for Chris Younge to head home. Gittens proved to be the architect of doom for opposing sides when he reached on to the end of a cross from the right flank to head past the goalkeeper and give his team the lead shortly before the break. Not done for the night, Gittens then set up Renee Gibbons in the second period to seal the win for Winners Connection and a place in the final.
Hi Stars who many feel is the surprise package in the competition will start as the underdogs, but Winners Connection must take heed not to underrate them since they’ve already shown a liking for such a tag with the Mining Town’s most famous team Top XX being the latest casualty to them. Julian Allicock and Stephan Tappin will once again be called upon to lead their quest for victory with secondary support expected from Tony Adams. What is certain is the fact that New Year’s Day and the MSC has long been associated with football and its Mecca and a large turnout is anticipated as fans come out in support of their
NAGICO SUPER50 FRANCHISE CRICKET
Jaguars regroup on Saturday Team for T&T to be picked next week
(flash back) The Jaguars going through their paces at Providence last year. By Sean Devers The 2015 Regional cricket season begins on January 15 with the NAGICO Super50 cricket tournament in Trinidad & Tobago and the Guyana Jaguars will regroup on Saturday for a fitness test from 08:00hrs at the National Stadium at Providence. According to Chairman of the National selection panel former Guyana pacer Rayon Griffith, the final 14man team will be selected next week before two
practice matches are played on January 7&9 before the team wings out for the twin Island Republic on January 13. Barbadian left-handed All-Rounder Raymond Reifer who returned to ‘Bim’ for the Christmas holidays is expected to return to Guyana tomorrow. Combined Colleges & Campuses (CCC) and the West Indies under-19 team will join the six Regional teams in the tournament which will be divided into two zones. The tournament climaxes on January 25 with
the final and the Jaguars are grouped in Zone ‘A’ along with the composite university side along with reigning champions Barbados Pride and the Windward Islands Volcanoes. Zone ‘B’ comprise of the Windies Under-19s, Jamaica, Leeward Islands Hurricanes and hosts Trinidad & Tobago Red Force. According to the WICB, the tournament is being used by the Windies Under-19s as part of a longterm build-up for the next (Continued on page 60)
Alexis Barrington, representing Trophy Stall, presented the Championship trophy to President of the UDFA Collis Gifth (right), while two other representatives from the UDFA share the moment as they display the third place and runner-up trophies.
respective teams. The Mining Town of Linden for over two decades has established itself as the place to be on New Year’s Day for football and judging from last year’s crowd, an even bigger turnout is expected, especially with Winners Connection aiming
to repeat as champions. In the playoff for third place, Top XX go head to head with Eagles United and this affair promises to be a sizzler as well with bragging rights, a central theme in this fixture. The winning team will take home $1million and a
trophy. Kickoff time is 19:00 hrs. Meanwhile, the Trophy Stall of Bourda Market, has partnered with Banks DIH to sponsor the trophies for today’s third place play-off and final of the UDFA GT Beer Supa 16 at the MSC ground.
Page 66
Kaieteur News
Thursday January 01, 2015
2014 was a busy and successful for Badminton By Sean Devers The year 2014 was a busy and successful one in terms of tournaments for the Guyana Badminton Association (GBA) with the Association hosting an International tournament, Players Development Programme and gaining Cooperate new sponsors like Continental Group of Companies & E-Networks. The GBA held local tournaments during the year and successfully hosting the GUMDAC Open Tournament, the National Sports Commission (NSP) Age Group Tournament, Gokarn Ramdhani (right) and his charges preformed well for Guyana during 2014. Guyana Olympic Association Discover Tournament, Guyana Classic International Tournament and the Woodpecker Products Age Group & Open Tournament. the Inter Guiana Games in Singles events in the different Ramdhani said. At the International level, Suriname, where this Country categories and carted off all the first He expressed pleasure that he Guyana attended the Suriname finished second and the Central prizes with matches being played in was elected General Secretary of International Easter Tournament American & Caribbean Games in the Under-13, 15, 19 & Open the Central American & Caribbean w i n n i n g 11 - Tr o p h i e s , t h e Veracruz Mexico. Events. According to GBA’s Games 2014-2018 at the CAC Caribbean Regional Badminton Narayan & Priyanna Ramdhani President Gokarn Ramdhani the games in Mexico and for the C h a m p i o n s h i p s i n J a m a i c a made a clean sweep of titles when experienced gained by the players confidence showed by the winning eight Medals, which the Woodpecker Products Annual saw much improvement in their International Community in his included a Gold medal, five-Silvers Christmas Singles concluded in game in an upward direction. “Our ability and interest to help in the and two Bronze. December at the Queens College Top players continue to show their development of Badminton. Guyana also participated in the Badminton Courts with the Round talent as they performed well on the The GBA Head was also Pan American Olympic Festival Robin Singles Tournament. international side, standing up to elected General Secretary of the Tournament in Queretaro, Mexico, The Ramdhanis won all the the world ranked players,” Gokarn Caribbean Regional Badminton
Confederation last year in Jamaica for a two-year term. “We still face a lot of difficulties in getting a steady supply of feather shuttlecock which have to be used to train our players for international tournaments. These shuttlecocks are very costly as up to five or more can be used in a match. We are working towards getting a supplier,” Ramdhani explained. “The development of the junior players was affected by after-school lessons and this continues to be a problem, which we will have to try and solve. The GBA would like to thank Director of Sports Neil Kumar for allowing us to play at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall which has the wooden floor and already we are seeing our players training more intensely” Ramdhani disclosed. Ramdhani thanked Guyana Olympic association for their continuous effort to help Badminton and sports in general and promised to continue to have Badminton played at a high level. He also thanked the Media, Sponsors and all who supported Badminton during the year and look forward to their continuous support in 2015.
Thursday January 01, 2015
Kaieteur News
Page 67
Basketball enjoyed its most productive SEASON IN LAST DECADE - NSC, YBG, GOA were biggest challenges of 2014
Nigel Hinds
Ravens showed in 2014 why they won the National Club Championships, they went on to win every title they contested last year for an unbeaten Championship record.
Akeem Kanhai was a breakthrough player in 2014 for Ravens, showing his all-round maturity to help Ravens become the best club in Guyana.
By Edison Jefford Against the background of returning both male and female teams to the Caribbean Championship that helped secure a full basketball scholarship for female prodigy, Ginelle Ifill, and a robust sub-association i n G e o rg e t o w n , l o c a l basketball enjoyed its most productive season in the last decade owed largely to its new leadership. Under the stewardship of businessman and finance expert, Nigel Hinds, the Guyana Amateur Basketball Federation (GABF) has engineered a path for future
development with its excellent performance in 2014 albeit the systemic challenges. The federation announced its presence earlier in the year with a ‘Mecca Eliminator Series’ that featured over 12 emerging clubs from across Guyana, playing for a place among the top seeded teams from Linden and Georgetown for the National Club Championship. Following the Eliminator Series, the GABF bounced into action again with its ‘Road to Mecca’ N a t i o n a l C l u b Championships, ‘Mecca’
being the epithet for the hub of local basketball, the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall. It marked the historic hosting of the first ever National Basketball Club Championship in Guyana and gave a true reflection of basketball talents across the country. Ravens Basketball Club won it all when they won the title and rights to be called the best club in Guyana. The National Club Championships was an extensive competition, which saw the last eight teams all receiving prize monies. Following that event, GABF hosted an All-
Star Game that featured an energised Ravens against a combined ‘best of the rest’. Ravens underlined their quality when just a point separated the two teams in an entertaining showdown. The national federation also hosted the Media against the Diplomatic Corps, as well as an Inter sub-association competition among Berbice, Georgetown and Linden, which was another historic event, given that such a contest was not held in over a decade. The GABF continued to roll out its robust 2014 Programme when it had full gender participation at the 2014 Caribbean Championship, JulyAugust, in the British Virgin Islands. National Club’s Championship was held to select the national team to represent Guyana at the Caribbean C/ships in Tortola, BVI. The GABF Executives with support from some corporate entities funded Guyana’s participation to CBC with full male and female teams to the tune of US$15,000. Guyana had not had both of its teams’ participation in 18 years, finishing fifth among the men and creating an opportunity for the talented Ifill to be spotted in the female competition. In addition, the GABF funded two referees Rawle Toney and Sherwin Henry for an International
Basketball Federation (FIBA) certification programme in the Cayman Islands. Henry succeeded, and is currently the only FIBA certified referee in Guyana. In the last quarter, the federation also bounced off its Schools’ Exchange Programme among St. Stanislaus College, Bishop’s High School and President’s College. It was the federation’s method of ensuring basketball is played under its watch at all levels. Meanwhile, while basketball in Georgetown was proliferated at an impressive rate with Michael Singh wrapping up his first term at Georgetown Amateur Basketball Association (GABA) Head, the same cannot be said for Linden. In Georgetown, Singh completed Division I, II and III tournaments in 2014, including the GABA Trifecta Tournament that had all three Divisions playing at once; there was an InterCorporation, Pepsi Sonics Under-23, Pepsi Sonics U14 Academy and Phillip George Legacy tournament also played in Georgetown. Comparatively, in the other largest basketballp l a y i n g c o m m u n i t y, Linden’s Amateur Basketball Association (LABA), Victory Valley Royals held their annual schools’ tournament and their 20 Anniversary competition and BOSAI had an Inter-Department event. The Linden subassociation is yet to host a tournament for 2014. The LABA President, Haslyn Graham has been engaged in work commitments, leaving h i s S e c r e t a r y, J o s e p h Chapman to run amok with the affairs of the Linden subassociation. In Berbice, the GABF th
Michael Singh
Patrick Haynes provided support for Vibert Garret, who hosted an Anamayah Memorial Division I and Legend Division I competitions. Garret has also received the support of GABF to host an upcoming Banks DIH Division I Championships. The GABF also provided sanction for Sports Management Inc. Mecca to McKenzie, which was a return fixture to Linden for the Final Four of the N a t i o n a l C l u b Championships; Mackeson’s 3x3 Basketball Championships also received GABF sanction. M o s t n o t a b l y, t h e federation nominated and supported Patrick Haynes, who was elected to FIBA Management Committee. The election of the Guyanese was a landmark achievement that augurs well for the development of basketball in Guyana. CHALLENGES The first major challenge for the new GABF administration emerged in them trying to sources all the funds to send full teams to the CBC Championships in Tortola. The federation still managed to send the teams without support from the Government and other major stakeholders despite the Office of the President contribution. The GABF was (Continued on page 60)
t r o Sp
Grove Hi Tech FC
Ann’s Grove United FC
It’s D day today as Grove Hi Tech battle Ann’s Grove in the final NA United face Cougars for third
UDFA/GT Beer Supa 16
LARGE CROWD EXPECTED AT MECCA OF NEW YEAR’S DAY FOOTBALL
- WINNERS CONNECTION AIMING FOR TWO-PEAT, FACES HI STARS 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