Monday January 05, 2015
Kaieteur News
Page 5
Letters... Where your views make the news...Letters... Where your views make the news
President’s pronouncement on Amaila Falls is unachievable in such a short time DEAR EDITOR, In his New Year’s address, President Ramotar attempted to assure Guyanese that during his new term of office (yet to be announced) he will achieve financial closure for an estimated US$900M to commence construction of the proposed Amaila Falls Hydropower Project (AFHP) on the Potaro River and complete the job to bring all the attendant benefits to his people. President Ramotar’s political gaff is similar to the one made by former President Jagdeo a few years before he vacated office, as AFHP went nowhere during his tenure, despite his flowery promises to have the project completed before he left office. President Ramotar’s pronouncement lacks substance as it appears to be
more of a political gimmick to win public support at the next poll, rather than a serious attempt to develop a hydropower project and negotiate finance for it; promises unachievable in such a short span of time. Firstly, a feasibility study will have to be carried out to determine AFHP’s economic, financial and technical viability. If one was already done, then the document will have to be updated to reflect real time costs and circumstances if it is to be seriously considered by prospective investors. If, after review by them, the project is considered high risk with low return, then it is going nowhere. Further, investors stay clear of investing in politically unstable countries such as Guyana, however attractive
the returns. AFHP is in its preliminary stage of development, as much work remains to be done to complete the river crossings for the access road, geological site investigations for final design of the dam and penstock foundations, as well as that for the power station. Final detail design for the project has to be prepared, including that for the transformers and transmission lines to the coast, as well as tender documents and cost estimates. The project then has to be put out on tender, costs analysed and awards made for construction. Does President Ramotar have a time frame for completion of these items of work including that of the project, or does he tacitly
expect it to be another East Bank Highway Project, once construction contracts are awarded for AFHP? The President should stop pandering in an election year and state specifically where the money will come from to achieve financial closure for his administration’s flagship project, as without assured and committed sources of finance, AFHP will once again be going nowhere, despite all the sweet talk of the project laying the foundation for a brighter tomorrow for all Guyanese. It is unfortunate that the Govt. has already expended over US$30M of its scarce resources to build an access road with appurtenances to get to AFHP site without first obtaining finance to fund the project.
Guyanese will have to decide what to do with Donald and his administration DEAR EDITOR, Donald Ramotar and the PPP administration have not announced a date for early elections in their New Year’s message. If the character and agenda of him and the PPP are anything to go by, this delay will continue indefinitely. This flies in the face of the will of the people and denies them their right to vote and elect a new and more effective Government. Therefore, with the onset of the New Year, Guyanese will have to decide what to do with Donald and his administration, since the corruption and injustices previously perpetrated by the PPP now have little chance of being challenged and addressed with the proroguing of Parliament. Exposing himself more recently as a slippery, unsavory character more at home with rum shop politics and abusing the ordinary Guyanese citizen, Donald Ramotar has definitely become a member of Jagdeo’s A-team, meaning that he, like the good Minister of Finance, has trampled his h o n o r, i n t e g r i t y a n d responsibility as the P r e s i d ent and leader of Guyana and upholder of its democracy by denying the will of the people for a call of early elections, in favor of prolonging his term in office to pursue Jagdeo’s agenda of further pillage and hiving off of our financial and other resources. His recent push for the
start of the Amaila Falls project for which I, to date have yet to see a feasibility study being made public, the very same study being sought by the IDB, to the best of my recent knowledge, clearly points to this claim of following J a g d e o ’s ‘ d e v e l o p m e n t agenda’ along the lines of Skeldon’s busted US$200 m i l l i o n s u g a r f a c t o r y. Jagdeo’s grand idea (which it is) of the Berbice Bridge also involved the financial bedevilment of the National Insurance Scheme, in addition to its heavy tax on Berbicians and others travelling. The PPP’s corruption, its injustices against our citizens,
the criminality within its ranks, and the recent violation of our democratic rights are the very real issues we as a people need to consider and take stock of at this point in time. We have a clear, hard decision to make, the delay of which will further strengthen their resolve to ride roughshod over us. And it is this outcome that we cannot tolerate at any cost. (This is the idea that the PPP does not want Guyanese to consider.) Our choices are clear in the circumstances. To end Donald’s proroguing and the PPP’s corruption in government, the APNU and AFC will first have to meet to
agree that the PPP will have to be forced out of office. Secondly, they solicit support from the unions and the wider society, then move to shut down the operations of the public service by calling a strike to force Donald to set a date for elections. Once this is established, then the strike can be suspended. If the PPP decides to further disregard our calls to restore our democracy, then our case against them is clear. The fundamental question at hand is: Do we allow the PPP’s corruption, injustices, and its trampling of our democratic rights to continue? Craig Sylvester
The costs (capital + maintenance ) which is still rising for this white elephant, will impact adversely on development of the Country’s physical infra-structure so necessary to grow the economy to create jobs. The World Bank, of which Guyana is a member, has been the largest source of financing for hydropower projects in developing countries. Strangely, Guyana never attempted to tap this source for financing AFHP. President Ramotar/Finance Minister Ashni Singh (Guyana’s rep on the World Bank) could probably enlighten us all why this was so. F i n a l l y, President Ramotar is aware that the high cost and unreliability of electricity have been the biggest impediments to investment and job creation in Guyana but his Government has made no serious attempt to address
the problem by first changing the incompetent management of a politically controlled GPL and then reducing the large thefts of electricity. Instead, he continues, as his predecessor did, to dream that AFHP would soon become a reality and provide cheap and reliable electricity for all Guyana. In much of the USA, a KWhr of electricity costs more than in Guyana but investments continue to flow into that country and creating jobs for all those newly arriving Guyanese. Hence the Govt has to look beyond cheap electricity and remove those other impediments such as poor port facilities, roads, water supply, drainage of coastal areas, bribery and corruption that are disincentives to any investor. Dream on, Mr. President, as you head into your next term of office !!! Charles Sohan
It takes a stupid... From page 4 clear is that the PPP leaders are not interested in stopping violence or reducing crime against the people, since they are the main beneficiary of the perpetual crime wave and now these political acts of intimidations, such as the threats against the Amerindian Leaders by a senior PPP apparatchik in the Amerindian Affairs Ministry, Mr. Dharamlal, threats of violence against the Kaiateur News staff by the Attorney General and now the threat against an Amerindian man by none other than the PPP President – Mr. Ramotar. When will these threats end and when will the PPP start respecting the first peoples of Guyana and stop treating them as second class citizens? The PPP leaders continue to treat the Amerindians as being a group of docile people who must be told by the PPP officials what to do and what is good for them. This is the reason why the President has called an Amerindian man stupid and allowed one of his presidential guards to slap another. But we want the president to know that it takes a stupid man to know another stupid man. So who really is Guyana’s No. 1 stupid man? Asquith Rose and Harish Singh
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Kaieteur News
Ministry to intensify efforts to tackle smuggling in the prison It is the brazen boast of prisoners that there is nothing that cannot be had behind the prison walls whether it is illegal or not. Then there is the conviction that most of the contraband found within the walls of the prison are smuggled in or facilitated by the prison officials themselves. It is against this backdrop that the Ministry of Home Affairs is concerned about the reports of illegal drugs and other paraphernalia entering the prison locations by inmates, prison officers and civilians who attempt to smuggle them through the gates. Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee during his end of year briefing last Wednesday, told a packed audience at the Police Officers’ Training Centre that his Ministry has a zero tolerance for this scourge and as such those who were caught with illegal goods, be it drugs, cigarettes or other items, did not escape the Court. In 2014, due to diligence on the part of the Prison Administration, there was an
increase in the detection of cases and four Prison Officers were charged and placed before the Court while three others were charged departmentally. In October last year, an exprison officer Akeem Vyphuis, who smuggled cannabis into the Georgetown Prisons for inmates, was sent to join them for 56 months after he was found guilty by city Magistrate Judy Latchman. The officer was found to be carrying a package containing 279 grammes of marijuana valued at $139,500 at the Camp Street facility. Three civilians were also placed before the Court - one is presently serving two years for attempting to smuggle cartridges into prison and two were sentenced with the option of paying a fine. Most of these activities occur at the main prison facility in Georgetown and this is despite the stringent measures that the authorities have been putting in place to prevent them. Items such as marijuana, cigarettes and even liquor, which somehow end up in the prison, could fetch 10-times
the actual retail price, and according to a source, there is no shortage of money to purchase them. It is said that many inmates actually take care of their families by conducting illegal business from behind bars. According to the Home Affairs Minister, in order to beef up the security infrastructure, cameras, monitors and electronic scanners were installed at all prison locations and were complemented by regular body searches of both inmates and officers. “Regular searches at the locations by Prison Officers and members of the Joint Prison/Police teams were carried out to address breaches in the security system,” the Minister said. But despite major seizures of illegal items, replacements somehow find themselves back in the cells as soon as the searches are over. The Minister said that security efforts aimed at eliminating the problem will continue in 2015. He highlighted that $298M was allocated to the (Continued on page 17)
Monday January 05, 2015
Guyanese need to be governed, not ruled By Leon Suseran Political activist and former Government Minister, Dr. Faith Harding believes Guyana can only move forward when political leaders start to govern the nation, instead of ruling the nation. Speaking exclusively to this newspaper last week, Dr. Harding stated that Guyana is at a point where there is widespread distrust throughout the government, opposition and society. Guyana, she posited, needs to move out of the state of “rulership” it is currently in, to a state of “governance.” The Government and combined Opposition parties have been at odds for several months, resulting in the Parliament being prorogued by President Donald Ramotar in November of last year. The Opposition had planned to table a No- Confidence Motion against the current PPP- led Administration. However, after several weeks of prorogation, Mr. Ramotar announced that General Elections will be held early this year. This has widened the political rift between the political parties. Dr. Harding said that the situation between the Government and Opposition is brewing a climate of confusion, fear and the unknown. She noted that the politicians in Guyana are unaware of how to get Guyana to being a nation that can be governed, rather than being ruled. “You have a society that cannot even trust themselves to manage our country,” she put forward. She said that there is a lot of distrust of the politicians. “There is no interest in political leadership. You will see people who feel displaced in their society; as the President has announced elections will be held—I have a feeling it won’t be early this year—I’m looking at late 2015 or early 2016,” she related. She believes it is a bad idea for the current (PPP) administration to cut its term short and have elections. “I
- Dr. Faith Harding rather believe unless the government or President of this nation does something threatening to our safety, or outrageous, he should see through his term (in office)…I think Guyana needs that,” she added. She questioned why Guyana should be the country with the highest negative social statistics, including highest suicide and alcohol rates in the world. She posited, too, that since Guyana ranks at number 38 in the happiness scale in the world, it means that the people are not really happy, thus they do not function to capacity. “That’s frightening! It shows the status of the people in the country, who are being governed by rule, and not by people feeling free and happy!” Dr. Harding noted that Guyana is a nation “at risk and disturbed.” “We are a suspicious nation; everybody suspects somebody of doing something. This situation weakens our ability to grow as a nation.” She is of the opinion that everybody does not trust the President’s word, “and you get the sense that his words are not trusted; that the Opposition isn’t even trying to make this country better.” She questioned whether the Opposition parties are going out into the various communities and hosting the types of programmes to uplift the spirit of the people, “or to drag them down further, or to just ‘bad- talk’ the governance that is taking place?” She added that numerous studies have shown that people do not want to come to Guyana anymore due to the current political climate. The interior is being highly neglected and is crying out for development and investment. The Capital City, she said, also lacks leadership, trust and openness. “You have a capital that is filthy—we use to be very proud of our
Dr. Faith Harding Garden City…today in Kitty, people are still using outhouses!” She said that the officials within the Council need to go. “I need a big boot to get them out— and they are close to the [Demerara] River...send them on a boat sailing; let them have a vacation on the (Demerara) river.” “And then they are having a meeting in the yard? Now, do I want my child to pattern his life after these people? You are role models! Is that what you are bringing up in the society? Is this what you want to transcend? Where’s the decency? Where’s the decorum in leadership— it doesn’t exist anymore— if at the Local Government level we can’t have it, and we don’t have it at the National and central level, what is going to happen to our nation? We are in crisis!” She said that the only solution to the City Hall debacle is fresh elections, since none was held since 1994. “It’s time for elections! Some people need a big boot! They’ve done nothing while at the City Council! I don’t feel they represent me; they have done nothing for my community; they don’t have my interest; they don’t have meetings as a City Council for community residents. I’ve not had one meeting- and I’ve been living in that community for more than ten years -with one City Councilman or woman or anybody from the City Council who I would have voted for!”
Cop might have concocted... (From page 2) conscious of what had transpired. “It was New Year’s Day and squibs were going off and so it sounded like squibs …,” the cop said. He added that, “I felt my
leg grow numb and I kind of collapsed to the ground… I looked up and saw a white motorcar with heavily tinted windows speeding off in the direction of Parika…but I didn’t see the licence plate.” Salim said that after realiz-
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ing that he was shot, a friend, who was nearby, came to his rescue. He summoned a taxi which transported the policeman to the hospital. “My friend helped me and I got my mother and came to the hospital immediately,” he had said to this newspaper. Investigations are ongoing.
Monday January 05, 2015
Kaieteur News
Page 7
Workers saw hell in 2014 - GTUC It is the view of the Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC) that 2014 was a year where workers from various sectors in Guyana continued to “catch hell.” Analysing the labour situation in Guyana, the GTUC noted that many are “ u n e m p l o y e d , underemployed and the employed are made to feel they are being granted a favour by the employers and not appreciated as the most vital resource in the workplace.” The GTUC, who conducted a labour review of 2014, is of the belief that these failing conditions are a result of the government’s refusal to put systems in place to create the enabling environment where the worker is valued as the nation’s premium resource. “Our industrial climate is such where some Guyanese are denied every right under the Laws with the Government not only being a major player but also a protector of foreign businesses engaging in these malpractices.” “Patriotism and nationhood,” the GTUC said, “are thrown through the window as the nation continues to witness Trade Unionists, Politicians, Lawyers and Industrial Relations Consultants engage in an orgy of transgressing rights and violating laws in return for money.” The GTUC is of the firm belief that ruthlessness has wormed itself into professional sectors once held in high esteem, and the role of the Labour Minister, Dr. Nanda Gopaul did not escape their focus. “The Minister of Labour, a former Trade Unionist, who would have struggled for better conditions and wages for workers, has today shamelessly strayed from these beliefs, and is now part of a political environment that disregards the value of workers.” “He functions with
apparent ease and comfort under a government that disregards workers’ rights protected in ILO (International Labour Organisation) Core Labour Standards. The Minister now appears comfortable with these anti-working class policies that undervalue his legacy as a trade unionist.” According to the umbrella union body, last year the society continued to be plagued by poor governance, a hallmark of successive PPP administrations. Further, the trade union federation noted that the absence of a comprehensive Job Creation Policy, anchored in a National Development Plan that takes into consideration population growth and workplace development, continues to be a feature of the government. “Persons having completed studies are having difficulties securing gainful employment consistent with ILO Core Labour Standards, which the Government of Guyana has embraced,” the body said. The industrial relations climate continues to be troubling, GTUC expressed. “Collective Bargaining for some workers is treated with contempt by employers, with the major violator being the government.” The trade union federation divulged that for the twelfth year the government refuses to engage in good faith negotiations with unions in the Public Service. The GPSU, the largest union in the Public Service, also found itself undermined by contract workers. “Whilst the intent may have been to break the back of the union, workers are compromised, for even though they may receive higher wages, they lose benefits, safety and security of organised labour and place themselves at the mercies of an exploitative regime.” Focusing on the Bauxite Company of Guyana Incorporated (BCGI), GTUC
said that for the fifth year workers are being denied the right to representation by the legally recognised union, the Guyana Bauxite and General Workers Union (GB&GWU). “This violation,” the GTUC said, “is aided and abetted by the Minister of Labour Nanda Gopaul, with his refusal to honour the government’s commitment to the court in July 2012 to reissue letters for the commencement of arbitration between the union and company.” It said that denial of bauxite workers is tantamount to affecting the communities of Region 10 which have largely been sustained by bauxite. In the case of BCGI, Mohamed Akeel, former Chief Labour Officer is its Industrial Relations Advisor and Carvil Duncan, General Secretary of GLU, Chairman FITUG and PSC, is the Chairman of LEI Board of Directors. GTUC said “Duncan and Akeel, by their actions, continue to prove that they have assumed the role of riding shotgun for employers to trample workers and violate the laws. These men enjoy the favours of the PPP government and are rewarded for undermining workers’ rights.” At the Revenue Authority, GTUC said that the management refuses to engage the GPSU, a case that has been ongoing for years, in as much as the Trades Union Recognition & Certification Board pronounced in the union’s favour. “Another group of state workers, Guyana Livestock Development Authority, to date has not had the issue of their pension, gratuity and tenure of service determined.” Focusing on the controversial sugar industry,
General Secretary of GTUC, Lincoln Lewis GTUC said that workers continue to be challenged by poor performance in the industry and price in the international markets. Nevertheless, the body noted that the sugar unions continue to make demands for improved wages and benefits. “These unions, traditionally hyperactive in militancy, are less militant than former years, causing widespread perception that workers’ rights are sacrificed on the altar of political allegiance.” Drawing focus to safety and occupational hazards, the trade union said it is concerned about the spate of
industrial accidents. “The GTUC continues to be concerned about the absence of a core/specific department in the Ministry of Labour to address Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) at the workplace. This matter was raised with the ministry at the merging of the Labour and the OSH departments.” “For instance, massive construction and sanitation works are being done and workers are put to perform duties without basic safety wear and the Ministry has failed to correct this unhealthy situation and risk to workers health and safety.” The environment of labour continues to see the existence of two trade union federations, namely, FITUG and GTUC, with the former enjoying support from the government. The GTUC said it continues to be denied an annual State grant from workers/taxpayers’ money, which was taken away during the administration of former President Bharrat Jadgeo, a position maintained by the current president’s administration. On the other hand, it said, FITUG continues to receive significant assistance,
inclusive of their affiliation fees to the international bodies and expenses to conferences paid by the government. On February 27, last year an Opposition-piloted Motion was passed in the National Assembly paving way for the annual subvention to Critchlow Labour College to resume but the GTUC said “The Critchlow Labour College (CLC) continues to be denied workers/taxpayers’ money even as the government offers financial assistance to another institution that engages in trade union education.” Notwithstanding the challenges and setbacks the GTUC and CLC continue to shoulder their responsibility in holding government accountable, fighting for citizens/workers’ well-being, conducting trade union and workers’ education, empowering students, workers and union representatives to make a positive difference in society. “Most noteworthy being our training in Capacity Building that saw education in Governance and Youth Development and, the CLC’s 39th Convocation in December (2014) with 185 graduates.”
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Kaieteur News
Monday January 05, 2015
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Kaieteur News
Bad weather shortens search hours for missing ASL carrier Inclement weather remains an obstacle in the search for the Air Services Limited (ASL) Britten Norman Islander which went missing last week Sunday. Search efforts which are ongoing in the Mahdia, Region Eight territory had to be delayed until noon yesterday since bad weather curtailed the operations. The Rescue Coordination Centre is yet to locate the
missing aircraft which was carrying 27-year-old Nicky Persaud and 51-year-old cargo handler David Bisnauth. The men were providing shuttle service between Mahdia and Karisparu in the Potaro-Siparuni region. They were carrying construction equipment to Karisparu and had taken off from the mining community just after noon when contact
was lost with the aircraft. Today will be the ninth day since rescue efforts begun and still rescuers are no closer to locating the plane. Spirits are not too high on finding the ASL crew alive. As recent as Friday, the rescue centre deployed a further three teams to commence ground search in the Mahdia area. They were previously conducting aerial
searches. The Rescue Coordination Centre is currently focusing on specific areas of ‘interest’. These are Black Water and North Fork. The centre had received at least nine reports of possible plane locations. None has however proved fruitful. Rescue works are expected to continue today depending on the weather conditions.
Robbery suspect shot dead by off duty... From page 9 on the East Bank Demerara Public Road. One of the men had his hand around the other’s neck, saying something, “apparently trying to calm down the other man,” the eyewitness opined. They were later joined by Couchman who appeared to be their friend. The eyewitness said that he was too far away to hear what was being said, but according to him Couchman turned away from the two gentlemen and reportedly went up to the driver side of a car that was parked near where the commotion was taking place. A confrontation took place between Couchman and the driver of the car and it appeared that Couchman, who was armed with a broken bottle, assaulted the driver. The other two men who were walking away then
rushed to the motorcar, and they allegedly pulled the driver out of the car and a scuffle began. According to the eyewitness, gunshots rang out and he saw Couchman fall to the ground, while the two other men ran away. Immediately after, the driver for the motorcar got into his vehicle and sped off. Several persons rushed to where Couchman lay badly wounded and they eventually tried desperately to organize transportation to take him to the hospital. When Kaieteur News arrived on the scene, Couchman was still alive, but barely moving. His eyes were open, but he seemed to be having problems breathing. His blood had already stained the white tee-shirt he was wearing; and eyewitnesses claimed that at least four gunshots were pumped into Couchman’s chest. The traffic was also backed up since persons returning to the city from creek outings on the Linden Highway, had also pulled over
to get a glimpse of the dying man. The deceased man had remained on the road corner for a few minutes before his body was placed into a car which sped him to the Diamond Hospital. Couchman was however identified as being no stranger to the law. He has made several court appearances in the past and another off duty policeman who spoke with Kaieteur News on the scene said that the man had allegedly been involved in robberies. In November, 2008, Couchman was detained in connection with a multimillion dollar heist at a Thomas Street gold establishment. Police had alleged that he drove the getaway car that was involved in that robbery and that an eyewitness picked him out during an identification parade. In January 2011, police alleged that Couchman and four others posed as customers and robbed a group of Bel Air diamond dealers of over $4.9 million in articles. He was remanded on that charge. A senior police rank told this newspaper that Couchman’s death was as a result of a robbery. He claimed that a policeman attached to ‘C’ Division was
attacked by two men at the Soesdyke/Linden junction. The senior police source said that based on their investigation so far, they were informed that the policeman was standing when the two men approached him. One of the men struck the rank in his face with an object in an attempt to rob him. The rank then opened fire on his attackers which resulted in the death of Ryan Couchman. When Kaieteur News arrived last night at Diamond Hospital, the Couchman’s wife, Natasha, told reporters that she was not at the scene of the incident. She related however that her husband, some family friends and relatives were at an outing at the creek on the highway and travelled to the Soesdyke junction later yesterday evening for a “wash down” at a nearby bar. Natasha said that her husband’s friend subsequently got into an argument with someone. She said that the father of her two sons tried to intervene in the quarrel but apparently did not succeed in diffusing all the tension which subsequently led to a shootout. The woman said that her husband was a gold miner and that doctors at the hospital said there was no sign of life when Couchman arrived.
Monday January 05, 2015
One month later…
Relative still seeking assistance to locate missing De Willem teen One month after she went missing, relatives of 14 yearold Uitvlugt Secondary School student, Seema Poloram are still seeking the assistance of the public to locate her. Poloram called ‘Usha,’ left her grandmother’s Lot ‘E’ De Willem, West Coast Demerara residence for school on the 3rd December but never returned. The teenager was last seen clad in her school uniform, which is made up of a blue tunic, white shirt and blue tie. Marlene Poloram, the missing girl’s aunt said that after a month of meticulous searching, the family still has no clue about her whereabouts. “Somebody tell we she been in Berbice but when we check, was the wrong person, so we search for her up there but we ain’t had luck. We check she school friends they say that them ain’t know nothing,” the woman stated. Poloram said that her niece was living with her grandmother Parbattie at the time of her disappearance. The woman told this newspaper that the teenager showed no signs of wanting to run away from home. “ She doesn’t live with she parents because she grow up with my mother(her grandmother) but de family ain’t got no kind of problem to mek she want run away…up to now she grandmother and everybody real worried
The missing teenager, Seema Poloram about she,” the aunt explained. Poloram said that on the day she went missing, her niece had promised her grandmother that she would return home early. “She is a good girl. Me ain’t even think she had boyfriend. We ain’t had no problem with she and up to the day she disappear she seem normal and happy. She tell she grandmother she coming home early…We begging she to come home, don’t be afraid, we won’t do she nothing,” the woman added. The family of the missing teen is seeking the assistance of anyone who might have information on whereabouts. Such persons are asked to contact the nearest police station or call her relatives on telephone numbers 216 -1885 or 227-0464.
Seven-year-old walks... (From page 2) Sailor about it. “Having someone that is a witness (is) always helpful in the investigation, it gives us kind of a story line,” Moats said.
It’s not clear when investigators might talk to Sailor, who despite being bloodied and suffering a broken wrist, pulled herself from the wreckage and walked to the nearest home. “She absolutely went to the nearest house that she could have,” Kentucky State Police Lt. Brent White said. “But it was still a considerable feat for her to do that.” The remains of the Piper PA-34 plane were moved yesterday so officials with the NTSB can inspect it. They haven’t discussed any possibilities of what brought the plane down or how Sailor survived the crash.
Corruption benefits the rich and powerful at the expense of the poor. Say no to it.
Monday January 05, 2015
Kaieteur News
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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 Two 320CL Caterpillar, Excavators; good condition, price to go – Call: 611-4775 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
SALE! SALE! SALE! New model Spacio (2005) TV, Front & back camera; fully loaded - $2M- Call: 6427295 Toyota Prado, Price$5.5M Neg. Call: 643-2403
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 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 1 Wash Bay & Snackette; good Hope E.B.E –Call: 6804990 or 277-3033 Five bedrooms house @ 107 Lamaha Gardens & large parking, AC rooms, hot & cold, purified water system – Call: 661-8908; 335-3590 One 3 bedroom flat house in West Ruimveldt – Call:6927377; 672-2194
Experienced Receptionist and maids to work at Hotel, shift work @ Hilton Crest Hotel – Call:223-6284 Plant shop vacancy; literate, hardworking, pleasant, team player, 18-28yrs. Must have work experienced –Location Huston & Sherriff Street.
SALON
FOR RENT
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
LAND FOR SALE 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
CAR RENTAL
Rubberized Tarpaulins for sale 20X20 - $20,000, any size available – Tel: 657-2304 One double stall with overhead storage in Stabroek Market – Call: 6197925 (can be inspected) Brand new Toshiba washing machine – Call:628-1155; 6220784 Marine parts (In Board) engines from 20HP to 500Hp Propeller gearbox, shaft, gland all electronics etc – Call: 674-3735; 652-8970 Mining blocks in Bartica call: 6136815 Mixed breed puppies for sale – Call:253-3114; 692-0126 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 German shepherd pups. Tel: 699-7077/619-6086
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
LEARN TO DRIVE Soman Son & Outar Driving School at Maraj BuildingTel:644-5166; 622-2872; 6150964; 689-5997
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Money Back guarantee; cleaner, clearer younger looking skin in two weeks, also flatter stomach – Call: 684-9409; 699-4211
EDUCATIONAL Practical Electronic Course; Starting 12th January 2015Call Abdul Electronics: 2266551; 225-0391 CXC Classes; students/ adults –Call: 231-5678; 6905008
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 Cheapest: VVTI & 1RZ Stick gear, automatic buses, front view property in Bougainvillea Park, E.B.D for sale. Call: 616-7635 One Toyota Tundra - $1.7M – Contact: 613-7596; 2268643; 231-0497 One AT170, One 24 Engines – Call: 601-4929; 652-9107 Tractors Massey Ferguson from Canada MF265 -$2.1M, MF165 - $1.8M, MF135 $1.2M, Pickup Ranger -$1.6M – Call: 682-5230; 628-9596 1 Premio; year 2004 ; $2.450M – Tel:664-0825 1 Thundra $2.2m, 1 Totoya Hilux Solid Deaf $2.8- Call: 613 6815
WANTED 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 1 Live in housekeeper and Teacher to give child lesson in Diamond – Call: 675-8101 Live in waitress age 18-25yrs – Salary $50,000-$60,000 monthly – Call: 610-5043 Live in Domestic must know to cook Indian dishes age 2545yrs salary -$60,000 monthly – Call: 610-5043 Mature couple to work & live on Resort @ Parika, Must know to read & write – Call:226-9492, between 9:30am-3:30pm (Mon-Fri) Urgently! Needed live- in waitress- Call:686-3116 One live-in domestic or couple to work in Mahaicony River- Call:225-6571, 644-6905 Salesgirls & porters; apply with written application at Best Buy Food Supplies @ Lot 1E Dennis & Middleton Street Campbellville. From 2pm -12pm; 4 waitresses to work at Bora Sports Bar at W.C.D – Call: 680-0129; 276-1925
Rooms & apartments (furnished & unfurnished) in Eccles & Alberttown- Call: 225-3234 2 bedroom apartment $55,000 @ Dowding Street Kitty –Call: 674-3735; 6528970
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 Live in or live out babysitter/ domestic –Call: 219-5354 Mon-Sat between 8:15-4:15 Wanted staff to work in fast food restaurant -Call 2262829 / 225-102 Experienced workers @ Courtney Boutique Stall “A” Bourda Market – Call: 2273407 Salesperson/Cashier; male & female – Apply in person with written application at Nirva Supermarket – Contact: 227-5771
Vreed-En-Hoop; new apartment, 2 bedroom spacious living /kitchen, grill/ camera secure yard – Call Raj: 682-5230; 628-9596
PROPERTY FOR SALE One house & land in hope low land, E.C.D, one house & land in Bloomfield Berbice Call: 689-5254; 256-0504
Cottage to let @ Turkeyen Area – Call: 604-6973 PROPERTY FOR SALE Flat concrete house newly built all utilities at Bath Settlement W.C.B, price reasonable –Contact: 6869514; 648-5012
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
TO LET
Monday January 05, 2015
Kaieteur News
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Weather frustrates AirAsia search divers, no ‘pings’ detected (Reuters) - Bad weather forced divers trying to identify sunken wreckage from a crashed AirAsia passenger jet to abort their mission yesterday and Indonesian officials said they had not yet picked up any signals from the lost plane’s “black box”. I n d o n e s i a ’ s meteorological agency has said seasonal tropical storms probably contributed to last week Sunday’s crash and the weather has persistently hampered efforts to recover bodies and find the cockpit voice and flight data recorders that may explain why the Airbus (AIR.PA)A320-200 plunged into the sea. “Conditions did not allow diving operations,” the head of Indonesia’s search and rescue agency, Fransiskus Bambang Soelistyo, told a news conference in Jakarta. “Our priority is to dive in the location we suspect parts of the plane to be.” Flight QZ8501 crashed into the Java Sea about 40 minutes after taking off last week Sunday from Indonesia’s second-largest city Surabaya en route for Singapore. There were no
Rescue team members in a boat communicate with other members of the team on the deck of the Search and Rescue (SAR) ship KN Purworejo during a search operation for passengers onboard AirAsia Flight. REUTERS/Beawiharta
survivors. The main focus of the search is about 90 nautical miles off the coast of Borneo island, where five large objects believed to be parts of the plane — the largest about 18 metres (59 feet) long — have been pinpointed by
ships using sonar. “Based on past experience, the black box is not far from the plane debris we have found,” Soelistyo said. But he added that none of the searching ships had detected any “pings”, the locator signals the black box
should transmit after a crash. Until investigators can examine the black box recorders the cause of the crash remains a mystery, but the area is known for intense seasonal storms. BMKG, Indonesia’s meteorological agency, has said bad weather
may have caused ice to form on the aircraft’s engines. “The flight document provided by the BMKG office shows fairly worrying weather conditions for the aircraft at cruising level on the chosen route,” the agency said in a report.
Both flight recorders are located near the tail of the Airbus, but it was unclear whether that part of the aircraft was among the debris found on the seabed. “Based on the finding of pieces of debris it looks like the body of the aircraft split or cracked and was separated from its tail,” said Air Force Lt Col Johnson Supriyadi, a search and rescue official coordinating the operation from the southern Borneo town of Pangkalan Bun. The suspected wreckage is lying in water around 30 metres deep, which experts say should make it relatively straightforward to recover. Nine ships from four countries have converged on the area, with teams of divers including seven Russian experts standing ready, but strong winds and four-metre high waves have kept progress agonisingly slow. “There’s a storm ... Earlier, four divers were transferred to (Indonesian navy ship) KRI Banda Aceh but they cancelled the diving because the sea currents were too strong,” said a Reuters photographer on board one vessel.
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Kaieteur News
Kumar Sangakkara closes in on Don Bradman’s double ton record BBC Sport - Sri Lanka’s Kumar Sangakkara scored his 11th Test double century to move one behind Australia legend Don Bradman’s alltime record. He made 203 on day two of the second Test against New Zealand to help his side to 356 all out, a lead of 135. Sangakkara will quit one day international cricket after the World Cup, which starts in February. But the 37-year-old said he will “see whether there is a few more months of cricket in me Test-wise”. Sangakkara, who spent the first third of his Test career keeping wicket claiming 178 catches and 20 stumpings before giving up the gloves - also became the fastest player to reach 12,000 Test runs on day one. “It just depends on how everything pans out after this World Cup,” added the former law student.
“It’s really hard to predict what will happen and what my thoughts will be at the end of the World Cup about my future.” Day two in Wellington ended with the Kiwis 22-0 in their second innings. Sri Lanka need to win the Test to level the two-match series after an eight-wicket loss in Christchurch. Leading double centurions in Test cricket: 12 - D Bradman (Australia); 11 -K Sangakkara (Sri Lanka); 9 B Lara (West Indies); 7 - W Hammond (England), M Jayawardena (Sri Lanka) 6 M Atapattu (Sri Lanka), V Sehwag (India), J Miandad (Pakistan), R Ponting (Australia), S Tendulkar (India) Scores: New Zealand 221 and 22 for 0 trail Sri Lanka 356 (Sangakkara 203, Chandimal 67, Neesham 342) by 113 runs.
Monday January 05, 2015
Nomination motivates me to work harder — Russell Jamaica Observer KNOWN for his penetrative fast bowling, powerful batting and electric out-fielding, Andre Russell has now mastered the art of being a match winner. Despite making his debut in Test cricket against Sri Lanka in November 2010, his only cap at that level, Russell’s strengths have been better suited to the shorter format of the game. During that season, Russell played at Barnards Green Cricket Club, Worcestershire, England, helping them secure promotion to the Birmingham League cricket. He took 39 wickets at an average of 10.15, and also led with his batting, hitting 799 runs in 11 innings at an average of 99.88. Following his impressive display with the ball on his One Day International (ODI) debut at the 2011 Cricket World Cup, Russell’s allround prowess caught the eye of Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise, Delhi Daredevils who bought him for a sum of US$450,000. The 26-year-old came in for even more admiration in 2012, when he became the first bowler in Twenty20 to take four wickets in four successive deliveries. But his most memorable performance to date came in last year’s Caribbean Premier League (CPL) when he led the Jamaica Tallawahs to a sixwicket victory over the Guyana Amazon Warriors at Sabina Park. With the Tallawahs requiring 10 runs from two balls, the aggressive batsman slammed a four and a ferocious last ball six on his
way to an unbeaten 58 off 24 balls, which included three fours and six sixes. That performance has placed the right-hander amongst six of the top performances nominated for the RJR Sports Foundation People’s Choice of the Year Award. The Jamaica and West Indies fast bowling allrounder has attributed the positive sequence of events over the past year to hard work, which has propelled him into maintaining a high level of consistency. “It’s a very good feeling to be a part of the People’s
Choice Award nominee again; I was a part of it last year and I didn’t win. But at the same time I feel good to know that I am doing well to get nominated again,” he told the Jamaica Observer. “Once I am getting nominated for whichever award, I know that I am doing a good job in my area. So that motivates me to just continue to work hard and do well every year,” he added. Russell is up against boxer Nicholas Walters, Jaheel Hyde (athletics), Kemar Lawrence (football), Andrew Gutzmore (football) and
swimmer Alia Atkinson, who is the only female nominee for the People’s Choice Performance of the Year Award. “Being a nominee means a lot to me and it’s not just winning. Win or lose I am still appreciative of all I have accomplished and of all the support I have received. “So I give God thanks to be a part of it another year, and thanks to everyone who is going to vote for me. I also express gratitude to those who have chosen me as a nominee and I am really grateful,” the 6ft 1in athlete said. Russell, more popularly called ‘Rusty’ by his peers, further exclaimed his versatility when he began a second career as a recording artist under the name ‘Dre Russ’. He released two singles late last year, one of which is a collaboration with Beenie Man. Russell has also exploited his talent as a member of Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL, and Melbourne Renegades in the Australian Big Bash. He is also a member of the touring West Indies team that is currently in South Africa.
(Reuters) - World number one Serena Williams backed the searing Perth conditions as perfect preparation for her Australian Open title bid but the weather proved too hot for Canadian Eugenie Bouchard, who was thrashed in yesterday’s Hopman Cup opener. Williams will pair up with John Isner for the United States in the mixed-team event in Western Australia this week as the 18-times grand slam singles champion bids for a sixth title at the Melbourne showpiece later this month. Temperatures in Perth are expected to reach 41 degrees Celsius and Williams, who won the last of her Australian Open titles in 2010, said she was looking forward to the
warm feeling in today’s opener against Italy after a cool winter at home. “If anything it’s going to help me for Melbourne,” Williams told reporters on Sunday. “Perth is one of the most hottest places I’ve ever played, so it will be really good for the preparation in Melbourne, which is always super hot. “I haven’t won in Australia for several years, but there’s also a lot of other people who want too. I’ll just have to do my best.” With Flavia Pennetta, Czech Lucie Safarova and Bouchard as opponents in the round robin matches at the Hopman Cup, Williams will have no dearth of quality opposition. “The women’s field is excellent here. It’s going to be great,” the 33-year-old said. “More than anything it’s a great time to get match play and not get stressed out too much. “Usually I’m really stressed (in knockout tournaments), so this will be really good for me.” The 27-year-old Safarova
showed she had adjusted quickest to the conditions in Perth as she breezed past world number seven Bouchard 6-0 6-4. “It’s the best way I could imagine and I started really strong and was pressuring her from the first point,” said the world number 16. “I had a really hard and good off season in Florida and another week at home in Czech and I came here, it’s the fifth day here, so I’ve had time to adjust to the hot conditions.” Safarova later teamed up with Adam Pavlasek, who lost his singles match to Vasek Pospisil, to win the mixed doubles and lead Czech Republic to a win over Canada. World number six Agnieszka Radwanska also made a winning start in her preparation for Melbourne, where she reached the semifinals last year. The 2012 Wimbledon finalist did not have to break too much sweat as she defeated Casey Dellacqua 62 6-3 in an evening match to give Poland a 1-0 lead against Australia.
Andre Russell
Serena welcomes Perth heat as Bouchard wilts