Kaieteur News

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Kaieteur News

Kaieteur News Printed and Published by National Media & Publishing Company Ltd. 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown, Guyana. Publisher: GLENN LALL Editor: Adam Harris Tel: 225-8465, 225-8491. Fax: 225-8473, 226-8210

EDITORIAL

CAN GOVERNMENT SUBSIDIES SAVE SUGAR AND RICE? In Guyana, falling prices for sugar, rice, bauxite and gold have led to the slowdown in economic growth. Fortunately, there have not been the corresponding job losses. And with the recent disclosure by the Minister of Finance that the country ended the year with a two percent growth rate, means that the people should brace themselves for another challenging period in 2016. However, some are optimistic that 2016 will be endowed with some good news that once prudent measures are put in place by the government, the economy will turnaround. But the government must be committed to make the tough decisions needed to get the economy back on track in the midst of falling commodities on the world market. It is only natural that the government turns to agriculture which has been the pillar of the economy for decades not just to reduce the food import bill, but also to create jobs, diversify the economy and stimulate growth. The idea of turning to agriculture, especially sugar and rice is not new, and although the revenue from both commodities is lower, the commodities have managed to surpass their targets for the first time in more than a decade. But there are growing problems in both industries that the government must address before the economy gets worse. GUYSUCO has been in severe financial straits over the past few years, and has been receiving billions of dollars in bailouts from the government, with another $12billion earmarked for 2016. Yet the industry is not showing any signs of recovery. Along with the bailouts, GUYSUCO has also incurred $82 billion in debt from local, regional and international financial institutions. The Skeldon sugar factory, commissioned in 2009, has accounted for much of those debts. Subsidizing GUYSUCO with billions of the taxpayers’ dollars is a short-term solution. With an estimated 16,000 workers, GUYSUCO seems to be a drag on the economy. The Commission of Inquiry which cost the taxpayers more than $77 million came up with some of the weirdest recommendations that have even confused Ministers in the government. Why would the COI make recommendations without a detailed plan and a budget to execute them? The Prime Minister has stated that the COI report is weighty with far reaching effects, yet, after two ministerial weekend retreats, the government has not made any statement on the report because there is nothing new in it that the average person does not already know. The COI report remains a secret and so are the inept proposals from the Minister of Agriculture who seems to be at a loss in the process. Furthermore, how can the government expect GUYSUCO to turn around when it appointed the same individuals who had presided over its demise, as its new CEO and deputy CEO? Subsiding GUYSUCO indefinitely seems to be the only answer for the government. This could be a colossal mistake. The rice industry is facing some serious problems especially in the wake of the abrupt termination of the rice arrangement by the Venezuelan government. The Venezuela/Guyana oil for rice agreement saw Guyana exporting rice to Venezuela at concessionary prices in return for Venezuela’s oil.And the money earned went to pay the rice farmers. In 2015, Guyana’s rice industry recorded bumper crops but despite increased exports of rice, there has been a significant decrease in money earned from the exports, compared to the corresponding period of 2014. Unless government subsidies are given to rice farmers in the form of pesticides and fuels, many are predicting that the next rice crop will see a substantial drop in production due to lower prices and a significant number of farmers abandoning the industry for jobs elsewhere, as they struggle with high production costs and little money to show for it. Can government subsidies save the sugar and rice industries.

Saturday January 09, 2016

Letters... Where your views make the news

CHRISTOPHER RAM SAYS THERE WAS NO SUCH DEPOSIT DEAR EDITOR, Some time ago, Messrs. Ronald and Rustum Bulkan, Joint Managing Directors of Precision Woodworking Limited (PWL) called to request a meeting with me. Although we had brought the auditor-client relationship between Ram & McRae (the firm) and the company to an end for professional reasons several years earlier, I agreed to meet with them at our office. At the meeting, the company’s directors informed me that there was an issue between Republic Bank (Guyana) Limited and PWL as an account holder of the Bank over what they claimed was a deposit of a certain sum of money to the company’s account. They explained that they were seeking my representation in the matter. I responded that for professional reasons, neither the firm nor I could offer any representation or information to them in the matter. What we did not disclose was that, out of an abundance of caution, we not only reviewed the working papers in our office but a partner of the firm was asked to carry out a further review of the alleged deposit. We found that there was no such deposit. Despite our refusal to engage the company, the directors insisted on maintaining written contact with the firm, by direct letter to us, or by copy of letters addressed to other persons. An example of the first is a letter dated May 29, 2014 copied to Attorneys-at-Law Messrs. Khemraj Ramjattan and Joseph Harmon. That letter contained certain statements and repeated the writers’ hope that “this intervention of ours will not be a futile one.”

Consistent with our earlier position, we responded on June 20, 2014 that we are not permitted to engage in communication with customers of our clients except in the course of and directly related to our audit. We suggested that they take the matter up with the management of the Bank. We received another letter bearing the same date, this time making further statements concerning their account and the deposit of $82,068,617 which they claimed “was not deposited by [them]”. We did not consider it necessary or appropriate to respond for three reasons: i) it was professionally inappropriate; ii) our audit had established to our satisfaction that there was no deposit and hence, no merit to the complaint; and iii) the matter was under litigation. That correspondence appeared in the Kaieteur News on June 02, 2014 as an “open letter”, prompting our firm to write to the Editor of the Kaieteur News and to the Court, rejecting a statement reportedly made in court by the company that the letter was released to Kaieteur News, incorrectly and implausibly, by Ram & McRae. The most recent correspondence addressed to me as Managing Partner, Ram & McRae and President, Guyana Bar Association, was a copy of a letter dated December 21, 2015, signed by Messrs. Ronald and Rustum Bulkan addressed to Dr. C. Y. Thomas, Head of the State Assets Recovery Unit (SARU). In that letter the writers related, among other things, the discredited claim about a deposit of $82,068,617 having been made by a

named individual. The letter sought the intervention of SARU, and was copied to eleven (11) persons. The next development was a report in the Kaieteur News of Wednesday January 6, 2016 (SARU probes local bank accused of money laundering)”. The report claimed, among other things, that the Managing Partner of Ram & McRae was written to by the account holder informing him that the account holder was in possession of information which could prove (emphasis ours) that the deposit of $82,068,617 was effected by a named person. While neither PWL nor any of its directors was named in the report, the sum referred to is identical to that which Messrs. Ronald and Rustum Bulkan had claimed in their letter of June 20, 2014 to Ram & McRae as having been deposited to the account of their company. We are aware that PWL and RBL are engaged in court proceedings concerning the receivership of the company: See Precision Woodworking and Ronald and Rustum Bulkan —vKashir Khan and Republic Bank Guyana Limited — Action No. 298/CD of 2012. In the court pleadings, which are public records, the Bank specifically denied the existence of the alleged deposit of $82,068,617. Ram & McRae wishes to make it very clear that the firm was never provided with any proof of any deposit of $82,068,617 to any account holder of Republic Bank Limited, including Precision Woodworking Limited. Christopher Ram Ram & McRae Chartered Accountants

SAM HINDS ACCUSED OF INSULTING THE GUYANESE PEOPLE DEAR EDITOR, Former Prime Minister Samuel Hinds (letter, Guyana Chronicle, 2 January 2016) claim that the “ PU/NICIL has been good for people and country”. Nothing in his letter proves this to be so. Mr. Hinds and the PPP have been challenging Guyanese who criticized them to provide ‘data and scientific analysis’ in support of their criticisms, yet he did not include one iota of data and scientific analysis to support his claim. The problem he presents has many faces. First, Guyanese are in no position to independently evaluate the activities and results of the PU/NICIL. The reason is obvious. The government that Mr. Hinds served, as one of its leaders, has not maintained or developed systematic governmental organizational arrangements for the systematic collection and regular publication of information about government activities, accessible to Guyanese, which were done in their name. The question is where is the information which Guyanese must use to independently assess Mr. Hinds’ claims? In the absence of this Guyanese must presumably accept the mere words

in Mr. Hinds’ letter. Not surprising at all, because this is the level of disrespect which Mr. Hinds and the PPP have for the intelligence of the people of Guyana. Second, in order to independently assess the claim made by Mr. Hinds, at minimum, Guyanese would need to be able to compare the starting benchmarks of the privatization programme, against subsequent historical records, up to say the end of 2014. Since 80 % percent of the economy was owned and controlled by the state of Guyana at the time of establishment of the PU /NICIL what does this mean in terms of the following (data broken down by economic sectors would be most valuable); • the total net value of all the assets owned and controlled by the state; • the share of Gross Domestic Product and National Income arising from government’s 80% share in the economy; and • employment, exports, etc. relating to the 80% government share in the economy? We can then compare these starting positions, annually, with what has happened since. We can compare this

information with data on the changes, and the link of these changes to the economic and social improvements in the lives of Guyanese, who must first understand for example; • which assets were completely divested into private hands, which assets were partially sold, and the interest which the state has in other income bearing entities in the economy ( e.g. majority private enterprises in which the state hold shares); • the revenues from these various activities and what was done with these monies: e.g how much was transferred to the Consolidated Fund, to other government departments, to projects or to other uses; • which assets are still held by the state? What percentage of the Guyanese population, for example, are shareholders in divested companies, and how is this broken down among the various ethnic groups (the sovereign)? What is the level of employment of Guyanese citizens in the divested properties compared to the period before they were sold? This would provide some indication (Continued on page 23)

Saturday January 09, 2016

Kaieteur News

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

Exchange on cooperatives in Guyana Unfolding drama at Hope Estate

DEAR EDITOR, Please allow me to respond to an article written by Mr. B. Balkarran which was published in the Stabroek News and the Kaieteur News on Thursday, January 7, 2016, in relation to Cooperatives in Guyana. First of all, I would like to inform Mr. Balkarran that the Cooperatives Department is not in disarray and malfunctioning as he erroneously presumed and is trying to portray, and that both the CCDO and Deputy CCDO are well qualified to manage the af-

fairs of the department. I would also like to advise him that there is a comprehensive strategic plan in place to revive the cooperative movement in Guyana, starting with the very Inquiries ordered by the Honourable Minister, Ms. Simona Broomes. Secondly, those who were placed on the Interim Management Committee of the Guyana National Cooperative Union consisted of very capable persons from Regions No. 2, 3, 4, 5, and 10. Some of them are from different Cooperative back-

ground, i.e., Credit Union, Agricultural Cooperative, Multipurpose Cooperatives, etc. The aim is to restore the Guyana National Cooperative Union to its former glory. Thirdly, steps are currently being taken to place Regional Cooperative Development Officers in some of the Administrative Regions, including Region No. 3. To quell some of the speculations made in the article, it must be noted that the Region No. 3 Officer was employed through the Public Service Commission and his

salary is being paid by Central Government. Finally, I would like to thank Mr. Balkarran for his contribution and assure him that this department has been working very closely with the National Cane Farming Committee and other relevant bodies to ensure that not only those Cane Farming Cooperatives on the West Bank of Demerara continue to develop, but all functioning Cooperatives around the country. Mr. J. Panchu Assistant Chief Cooperatives Development Officer

DEAR EDITOR, I am convinced more and more every day that my desire to see an inaugural ex-offender rehabilitation center established in Guyana is rooted in logic and basic commonsense. My vision was again highlighted when I read what Child Protection Agency Director, Ann Green, said recently. She spoke of the need for her agency to conduct Parenting Classes. Mrs. Green stated emphatically that “Parenting is in trouble!” This begs a series of obvious, logical, questions. If parenting is in trouble, what kind of children are these troubled parents raising? If a parent doesn’t know how to parent, what kinds of mores and values are they instilling in their children? Now that you have answered those two questions,

you are closer to understanding why I am in this mad scramble for the establishment of a post-release, ex-offender, rehabilitation center. We are failing our children, they are falling through the cracks, they are behaving badly, we are incarcerating them, and then they are returning to the society with additional scars and bruises, branded as “criminals”. Many in the society, even religious leaders, show disdain and scant regard for these “criminals”, when the problem, by and large, has its genesis in problematic and failed parenting. Mrs. Green is right and should be applauded for her frank assessment of the main contributor to Guyana’s crime problem. In essence what the CPA Director is saying is that if the child does not receive the requisite

foundational skill-sets to prepare him/her for life, then that child is off to a problematic start in life. While in the USA I worked for the South Bend Community School Corporation, in Indiana. My title was Family and Community Specialist. My role was primarily to mediate for the interest of the children, between the school and the parents. I worked for an inner-city school. What I was made to understand was that projections for the building or expansions of prisons were based on the dropout rates of what they call the K-12, Title One schools, in the inner cities. These were the primary schools in neighborhoods with predominantly underprivileged, addicted, low-income, families. Yes, with ‘parenting problems’.

People are people. The parents whom Mrs. Green is planning to target fit the category of the parents I interacted with and whose children I mediated for. If the professionals in the USA could tie the realities of problematic parenting to crime, it is obvious that that sociological fact could be assumed here in Guyana. That is why for all we are bent on increasing the size of the police force and incarcerating these youths, there must be a comparative, well thought out, well funded rehabilitative program, for after all, it is not solely the youth’ problem. Additionally, that is why what the President is doing by releasing non-violent, young offenders has merit, in my view. Pastor Wendell P. Jeffrey

Urgent need for parenting classes

Why can’t I enter with my firearm on me? DEAR EDITOR, I write in relation to a selfimposed mandate that is arbitrarily being applied by various Government and other agencies, including the GPL, GRA, GT&T, NIS, etc. I refer to the refusal of permitting licensed firearm holders entry into these entities. It is an established fact that stringent criterion must be satisfied before a firearm license is granted, whereupon, the licensee is required to always be in possession of his/her firearm and license except, when in the courts or in the office of senior Government functionaries. No condition is stipulated on the license hence, no authority is endorsed to supersede the conditions of the said license and to deny a licensed firearm holder entry with his/her firearm, is an act of constitutional infringement. A simple solution

would be for a person to produce his/her firearm license when requested to do so before being permitted entry into any agency with such authority. This would be similar to a police rank requesting the driver of a vehicle to produce his/her driver’s license which would be a legal directive. However, it would be a legal impropriety for a driver to be instructed that his/her license is not authorized for use in specific parts of the country. Entities with restrictions for entry with a firearm should employ a security based system where a licensed firearm holder can have his/her firearm lodged at the point of entry and retrieved at his/her point of exit, as is being applied at “The Princess Hotel”. The commercial banks where financial transactions are paramount do not advance this insensitive rule.

Licensed firearm holders are now faced with the daunting risk of having to leave their firearms at home or in their vehicles when it is necessary to conduct business in the agencies referred to. I have been advised by a brilliant legal exponent to challenge this ill-conceived practice in the courts of law as the very foundation of its genesis would be unable to withstand legal scrutiny. Which bandit with felonious intentions would subject him/herself to a physical examination for a firearm? How many robberies, attempted robberies or gun-related crimes have been thwarted by this time wasting

imposition? I have had the misfortune of being disrespected by security guards where the performance of this exercise can be quite demeaning. Further, the negative attitude in the performance of this specific duty is at times reflected in the lax display by some security personnel whose distractions, including gossiping and the use of cellphones, are occasionally evident. I trust that the contents of this missive will inspire appropriate action and my suggestion in para two will be considered for urgent implementation. Maurice Rajkumar

DEAR EDITOR, Please allow me to respond to Mr. Ed Singh’s letter published in K-News January 07 2016 edition. Firstly who is Ed Singh? Ed Singh is the Administrator of Dr Iamei Aowmathi’s (Chairman of the board of Hope Coconut industries limited) Herbal Clinic. Mr. Ed Singh seems to have amnesia or maybe the bush medicine from the herbal clinic is affecting his clarity. I am no supporter of the PPP but for Mr. Ed Singh to say that the “PPP treated us like rubbish” referring to the people and farmers at Hope Estate is utterly ridiculous and untrue. Ed Singh was a supporter and beneficiary of PPP luxuries but like many when there’s a change of Government, Ed Singh changed his support to the APNU+AFC. Under the late President Burnham, farmers were renting lands for low as $1.00 Guyana dollar. Under the PPP farmers were paying $2, 000 for cash crops and rice farmers 3, 000 per acre per year. Despite the many challenges faced by the farmers of Hope under the PPP administration they were happy with the rent. However in order for the estate to survive and pay its staffs it must increase the rent but to how much; $15,000, $20,000..........$140,000? That’s how much the rent were increase to. The $1, 250 per month mentioned by Ed Singh only applies to 1-5 acres which farmers are asked to pay 15,000 per acre per year. From 6-10 acres farmers are asked to pay 20,000 per acre per year and the increase goes on. Several times, Ed Singh keeps mentioning the poor; can a poor farmer afford to pay $140,000 who has ten mango trees on his cash crop farm? In his response to Sase Singh’s letter, he didn’t address my legal appointment as the administrative manager of Hope Coconut industries

limited by the Ministry of Agriculture and the Chairman’s unacceptable occupancy of my office. Maybe just maybe Ed Singh had too much bush medicine. I am calling on the members of the board of Hope Coconut industries limited to immediately call for an audit of the estate accounts. I will also like to bring to the attention of the President H.E. David Granger and Minister of State, Joseph Harmon that the actions and behavior of the Chairman of the board of Hope Coconut industries limited will hurt coalition’s image. The majority of farmers are East Indians and are living in fear that their lands will be taken away because they can’t afford pay the new increases. These men may very well be PPP agents in disguise to sabotage the government, Mr. President and on this note I humbly ask that the chairman be immediately removed. In closing Mr. Ed Singh said my family is fighting for land my family has the right to defend what’s legally and rightfully theirs. All the records at Hope Estates shows the lands are my grandfather. Aseef Balmacoon Administrative Manager, Hope Coconut industries limited

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Kaieteur News

Saturday January 09, 2016

Republic Bank threatens legal action against KN - demands apology, retraction Republic Bank Limited (Guyana) is threatening legal action against Kaieteur News for two articles that implicated the commercial institution in an allegation of money laundering. According to a letter sent out by Cameron and Shepherd Law Firm, yesterday, Republic Bank said that it is seeking an apology and retraction for the articles appearing in Kaieteur News on January 6 and January 7, 2016 in addition to $5 million worth in damages. The document stated that the Bank will proceed with legal action, if the newspaper fails to comply with these demands within the next seven days. The articles in question appeared on the pages 3 and 7 of Kaieteur News on January, 6 and January 7, 2016 under the headline “SARU probes local Bank accused of money laundering” and “Probe into money laundering by SARU: No evidence of wrongdoing by Republic Bank — says Central Bank” respectively. The legal correspondence outlined that the said articles, which name Republic Bank are replete with untruths, are false, malicious and inaccurate statements,

conclusions and inferences that have been maliciously contrived to irreparably injure the impeccable reputation of our client, which is the largest commercial bank in Guyana with a reputation for excellence in all aspects of its business and a subsidiary of Republic Financial Holdings Limited, which owns other banks throughout the Caribbean. According to the letter, the first untruth in the article published on 6th January is that a deposit of $82,068,617: was effected to the bank account of a sitting government minister on June 16, 2011. The second untruth is the insinuation that the alleged deposit of $82,068,617 was effected by Haresh Narine “Chinee” Sugrim, the proprietor of Guytrac. According to the letter the first article also insinuated that because Mr. Sugrim was accused in the United States of money laundering, the Bank was somehow involved in money laundering. It was noted that following this article, the Bank of Guyana, which has sole statutory regulatory control over commercial banks, issued a statement that after a full investigation it had found no wrongdoing by our

client.However, the document from Cameron and Shepherd pointed out the article published on January 7, while mentioning the statement of the Bank of Guyana, improperly, irresponsibly and recklessly sought to defend the untrue statements in the preceding article and to repeat the untruths falsehoods, misrepresentations, and insinuations. “Had you chosen the path of responsible journalism by making enquiries, you should have ascertained that the circumstances of the matter relate to the failed business of Precision Woodworking Limited, which has been placed in receivership by our client, (Republic Bank) for recovery of a debt of over half a billion Guyana dollars, which debt was personally guaranteed by its directors, Ronald and Rustum Bulkan.” the letter said. After the company was put in receivership, the document stated that, three legal actions were filed by the company and its two directors against the Republic Bank. Only one of those actions, Precision Woodworking and Ronald and Rustum Bulkan — v- Kashir Khan and Republic Bank Guyana Limited — Action No. 298/CD of 2012,

Lindener on bail for assault A Lindener was yesterday released on bail by Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan in the Georgetown Magistrates Court for assault. Curt Mingo, 29, a labourer who resides on the Soesdyke-Linden Highway, pleaded not guilty to the allegation which stated that on December 17 at Moblissa, Linden, he unlawfully and maliciously wounded Lawrence Viveiro. The Magistrate placed him on $15,000 bail. However he has to make another court

appearance on January 20, 2016 at the Linden Magistrates’ Court. Police Corporal, Deniro Jones made no objections to the defendant being granted bail. Jones told the court that on the day in question the defendant approached the complainant to inquire about the purchase of a goat. An altercation arose between the two men and Viveiro suffered a laceration to his left shoulder.

Demerara survived. In that action, the lawyer’s letter noted that very issue of the alleged deposit of $82,068,617 was raised by the plaintiffs (Ronald and Rustum Bulkan) and has been fully answered and explained by Republic Bank in paragraph 20 of its defence and counterclaim and paragraph 33 of the witness statement filed on its behalf, both of which are public documents and in which it is stated: “[T]he loan facilities granted by the Bank to the Company because of the admitted inability to pay by the Company and the voluntary closure of its business became nonperforming and the Bank was obliged under the provisions of the Financial Institutional Act and the Rules and Orders made there under to make book provision for the Company. In so doing, the Bank provisioned for the sum of $82,068,617 which appears as a credit to the company’s account.” “The said sum of $82,068,617 however represents a provisioning entry passed in accordance with the Financial Institutions Act and the Rules and Orders made there under,” the legal letter explained It went on to note that “by virtue of the failure of the company to pay its indebtedness to the Bank, to which the Financial Institutions Act and its Rules, Regulations and Orders apply, could no longer recognise the sum of $82,068,617: as an asset on its books and an accounting entry was passed through equity to reflect this. This accounting entry does not have the effect of reducing the indebtedness of the

Company nor does it represent a credit to the Company’s account.” It was noted that the matter was explained to the Plaintiffs and their Attorneysat-Law and their failure to understand it does not mean that the explanation was incoherent. “The provisioning entry was not, therefore, an actual deposit and it is false and untrue to say that it was. Moreover, it is completely false, malicious and untrue to suggest that the alleged deposit of $82,068,617: was made by Haresh Narine Sugrim and that our client was somehow involved in money laundering.” The letter therefore said

that the two articles published by Kaieteur News are false, malicious, irresponsible and amount to serious libels committed by the publication. In the circumstances, the Firm was instructed to demand, an immediate retraction of the articles and an unequivocal apology from the newspaper and an undertaking not to write and/ or publish any further articles relating to this matter, save and except the apology. “Our client also demands damages for the loss and damage it has suffered as a consequence of the aforesaid libellous publications in the sum of $5 million to be donated to a charity of our client’s choosing.”

Remigrant wants compensation from Cable Company Re-migrant, Sybil Mingo, of Henrietta Village, Essequibo Coast, is asking a cable company for a replacement of her 60-inch Mitsubishi flat screen television set. The cable company is “Premium Cable”. Mingo is contending that on December 16, last, a technical team from the company which has a branch, at Cotton Field, Essequibo Coast, was sent to her home to install a “box”. She had leveled a complaint to senior officers that she was not accessing all of the channels that she was initially told she would be able to access. Mingo explained that after the incident she was successful in obtaining a number for the company and similarly proceeded to lodge her complaint. After being told by an employee that the boss was not available, she visited the Cotton Field office and

lodged a complaint. Mingo said that within an hour a technician visited her home with a box. Similarly after the installation of the box, during the process of turning on the television set it stopped working. When she told the technician that something was wrong, his response was “Your TV nah good.” Mingo said that it was most alarming to be given that response by the technician since she said it was a brand new television which she had brought from the United States for US$1,500. All these things you see here I brought from the states. She said she was confused after the incident and didn’t know who to turn to. She said she would not rest until she receives full compensation or the company takes responsibility to repair her television set. (Yannason Duncan)

Saturday January 09, 2016

Kaieteur News

Pressure grows on China to rein in North Korea; South launches propaganda barrage South Korea unleashed an ear-splitting propaganda barrage across its border with North Korea yesterday in retaliation for its nuclear test, while the United States called on China to end “business as usual” with its ally. The broadcasts, in rolling bursts from walls of loudspeakers at 11 locations along the heavily militarized border, blared rhetoric critical of the Pyongyang regime as well as “K-pop” music. North Korea later responded with its own broadcasts. Wednesday’s nuclear test angered both the United States and China, which was not given prior notice, although the U.S. government and weapons experts doubt Pyongyang’s claim that the device it set off was a hydrogen bomb. China is North Korea’s main economic and diplomatic backer, although relations between the Cold War allies have cooled in recent years. China’s Foreign Ministry urged North Korea to stick to its denuclearization pledges and avoid action that would make the situation worse, but also said China did not hold the key to resolving the North Korean nuclear issue. “Achieving denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and safeguarding the peninsula’s peace and stability accords with all parties’ mutual interests, is the responsibility of all parties, and requires all parties to put forth efforts,” ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told a news briefing. The North agreed to end its nuclear program in international negotiations in 2005 but later walked away from the deal. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said on Thursday that he had told Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi that China’s approach to North Korea had not succeeded. “APPROACH HAS NOT WORKED” “China had a particular approach that it wanted to make, that we agreed and respected to give them space to implement that,” Kerry told reporters after the phone call. “Today, in my conversation with the Chinese, I made it very clear that has not worked and we cannot continue business as usual.” In a call yesterday with his South Korean counterpart, Yun Byung-se, Wang said talks on the issue should be resumed as soon as possible, China’s Foreign Ministry said. South Korea’s nuclear safety agency said it had found a minuscule amount of xenon gas in a sample from

A South Korean soldier operates loudspeakers, just south of the demilitarized zone separating the two Koreas, in Yeoncheon, South Korea, yesterday. (Reuters/Korea Pool/Yonhap) off its east coast but said more analysis and samples were needed to determine if it came from a nuclear test. The head of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO), which uses monitoring stations around the world to detect atomic tests, said only “normal” levels of xenon had been detected, at a site in Japan. “Xenon readings at 1st station downwind of #DPRK test site RN38 Takasaki #Japan at normal concentrations. Sampling continues,” the CTBTO’s executive secretary, Lassina Zerbo, said on Twitter on Friday evening. The presence of xenon would not indicate whether the blast was from a hydrogen device or a simpler fission explosion. Seismic waves created by the blast were almost identical to those generated in North Korea’s last nuclear test in 2013, Jeffrey Park, a seismologist at Yale University, wrote in a post on the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists website, adding to scepticism about the hydrogen bomb claim. Meanwhile, South Korea resumed its frontier broadcasts, which the isolated North has in the past threatened to stop with military strikes. The last time South Korea deployed the loudspeakers, in retaliation for a landmine blast in August that wounded two South Korean soldiers, it led to an exchange of artillery fire. The sound can carry 10 km (6 miles) into North Korea during the day and more than twice that at night, the South’s Yonhap news agency reported. BORDER PROPAGANDA A male announcer could be heard from South Korea telling North Koreans that their leader Kim Jong Un and his wife wear clothes costing thousands of dollars. Another message said Kim’s

promises to boost both the economy and the nuclear program were unrealistic. The North’s broadcasts were not clearly audible from the South and appeared intended to drown out those from the South, Yonhap said, citing a South Korean official. As North Korea boosted troop deployments in frontline units, the South vowed to retaliate against any attack on its equipment, raised its military readiness to the highest level near the loudspeakers, canceled tours of the Demilitarized Zone on the border, and also raised its cyberattack alert level. In Washington, the North’s actions appeared to have forged rare unity in the House of Representatives between Republicans and Democrats on tightening sanctions against North Korea. Nancy Pelosi, the House Democratic leader, told reporters that Democrats would support a North Korea bill likely to be brought for a vote by Republicans next week. A congressional source said it was expected as soon as Monday. But it is unclear how more sanctions will deter North Korea, which has conducted four nuclear tests since 2006. The United S t a t e s a n d South Korea are limited in their military opt i o n s . Wa s h i n g t o n s e n t a p a i r o f n u c l ear-capable B-2 stealth bombers over South Korea in a show of force after North Korea last tested a nuclear device in 2013. North Korea responded then by threatening a nuclear strike on the United States. A South Korean military official said Seoul and Washington had discussed the deployment of U.S. strategic weapons on the Korean peninsula, but declined to give details. Media said the assets could include B-2 and B-52 bombers, and a nuclear-powered submarine.

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Mexico recaptures drug boss ‘Chapo’ Guzman, president says Reuters - Mexico has recaptured the world’s most notorious drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman six months after he brazenly broke out of a maximum security prison through a mile-long tunnel, President Enrique Pena Nieto said yesterday. Guzman, head of the powerful Sinaloa Cartel, who Pena Nieto first caught in February 2014, was captured in an early morning raid in the city of Los Mochis in the drug baron’s native state of Sinaloa in northwest Mexico. “Mission accomplished: We have him,” Pena Nieto said on his Twitter account. “I want to inform all Mexicans that Joaquin Guzman Loera has been arrested.” The operation to recapture Guzman involved Mexican marines, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and U.S. Marshals, a senior Mexican police source said. Prior to Pena Nieto’s announcement, the Mexican Navy said a raid took place in Los Mochis based on a tip. Five people were killed in the standoff and six were captured, the Navy said. A security source said Guzman was captured during that raid. In October, the government said Guzman narrowly evaded security forces searching for him in the northwest of Mexico, sustaining injuries to his face and leg. He staged a jaw-dropping jailbreak in July, when he escaped through the tunnel which burrowed right up into his cell, heaping embarrassment on Pena Nieto. Dozens of people were arrested over the jailbreak, though details of who Guzman bribed and how his accomplices knew exactly

Joaquin ‘El Chapo’ Guzman where to tunnel into the prison remain scant. Guzman now faces the prospect of extradition to the United States. After coming under fire for failing to do so the last time, Mexico’s Attorney General’s office said in July it had approved an order to extradite him north of the border. An official at the attorney general’s office, speaking on condition of anonymity, said his extradition would “take time”. Guzman is wanted by U.S. authorities for various criminal charges including cocaine smuggling and money laundering. Once featured in the Forbes list of billionaires, Guzman’s Sinaloa Cartel has smuggled billions of dollars worth of heroin, cocaine, marijuana and methamphetamines into the United States and fought vicious turf wars with other Mexican gangs. The kingpin’s legendary reputation in the Mexican underworld began to grow in 2001, when he staged his first jailbreak, bribing guards in a prison in western Mexico, before going on to dominate

drug trafficking along much of the Rio Grande. Still, many people in towns and villages across Mexico remember Guzman better for his squads of armed gunmen who carried out thousands of brutal slayings and kidnappings. After Guzman’s first prison break, violence began to creep up in Mexico and the situation deteriorated during the 2006-2012 rule of Pena Nieto’s predecessor Felipe Calderon, when nearly 70,000 people lost their lives in gangrelated mayhem. Guzman’s reputation grew and in 2013 Chicago dubbed him its first Public Enemy No.1 since Al Capone. El Chapo, or “Shorty”, is believed to be 58 years old. The 5-foot, 6-inch gangster’s exploits made him a hero to many poor villagers in and around Sinaloa, where he was immortalized in dozens of ballads and low budget movies. Security experts concede Guzman has been a master of his trade, managing to outmanoeuvre, outfight or outbribe his rivals to stay at the top of the business for over a decade.

Labour Ministry Pushes To Get More Women Involved In Overseas Employment Programmes The Gleaner - Minister of Labour and Social Security, Dr Fenton Ferguson, says the Ministry is seeking to put measures in place to increase the participation of women in the overseas employment programmes. He was speaking at the 2016 dispatch ceremony for some 310 participants in the Canadian Seasonal Agricultural Workers Programme earlier this week. He says he will be engaging the relevant stakeholders in discussion towards advancing this initiative. Ferguson has disclosed that Prime Minister, Portia Simpson Miller, has directed that all Cabinet Ministers

Dr Fenton Ferguson work towards creating gender equity within programmes under their portfolios.

Meanwhile, Chief Technical Director in the Ministry, Dione Jennings, says the Ministry is assessing the skills of female applicants, which will assist in placing them in the most appropriate industries. She notes that while women have traditionally served in the hospitality sector, working as housekeepers, cooks and kitchen assistants, there has been a decline in demand in these areas. Approximately 8,090 Jamaicans benefitted from employment opportunities in Canada last year, with 97 per cent engaged in farm work, while other persons travelled under the Low Skill and Skilled Workers programmes.

Saturday January 09, 2016

Almost half billion US dollars laundered in Trinidad and Tobago PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad — More than three billion dollars (US$467 million) were laundered in Trinidad and Tobago over the last four years, according to information reported to the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU), Susan Francois, director of the unit, disclosed on Wednesday. According to Newsday, she said the sum was reported by financial institutions and businesses as the suspected receipts of criminal activity. “This was not legal money, this was money that the financial institutions and businesses reasonably suspected came from crime,” she said. She noted that the huge amount, which only represented the sums reported, showed the attraction of crime “and that is why people take the risk, that is why they conduct criminal activity, that is why they commit crime, because of the huge profits which are generated.” Francois was speaking at the University of the Southern Caribbean (USC) in Maracas at the launch of the Money Laundering and Financial Crimes Institute in Trinidad and Tobago, a joint effort by the University of the Southern Caribbean and the Arthur Lok Jack Graduate School of Business. The two institutions have

Susan Francois teamed up with the Floridabased Money Laundering and Financial Crimes Institute (MLFC) which itself is a joint ventu r e b e t w e e n t h e S t Thomas University and Compliance Aid, an international consulting firm specialising in anti-money laundering; countering the financing of terrorism and preventing financial crimes, Newsday reported. Francois added that, while people consider money laundering as white collar crime, the three billion dollars that were reported came from violent crime, while white collar crime does not usually involve violence, or injury to the person. “But that three billion dollars, a lot of it could have come from kidnapping; murder for profit; extortion; intimidation and related offences such as drug traffick-

ing; human trafficking; trafficking in arms, and ammunition and those crimes cause destruction, serious bodily harm, if not death to persons,” she said. She pointed out that tracing the money back to the criminal was necessary in order to detect the crime, to prosecute it, and to dismantle the criminal networks and seize and confiscate their criminal wealth. She said measures to deter and detect the crime were crucial strategies in combating the crime of money-laundering. According to Francois, just as drug traffickers find inventive ways to hide and smuggle their drugs, so the money launderer will find new ways to disguise and move the money earned from his illegal activity. (Caribbean News)

Ecuador prepares for CELAC regional summit QUITO, Ecuador (ACN) – Ecuador ’s vice-president Xavier Lasso said in Quito that his country has “nearly everything ready” to host the fourth summit of the Community of LatinAmerican and Caribbean States (CELAC) later this month. In statements to the Ecuadorinmediato.com website, the foreign minister said that 22 out of all CELAC 33 leaders have thus far confirmed attendance, though he expects to receive confirmation from some others. The summit, whose highlevel session is to take place January 27, will be hosted at the building of the Union of South American Nations, located in a tourist resort some 15 kilometers north of the capital Quito. Along with its traditional political declaration, the summit will also adopt some 20 documents on specific issues, the official announced. He said that, as part of the agenda, Argentina will propose a declaration claiming

Xavier Lasso sovereignty over the Malvinas or Falkland Islands, while Cuba will demand the return of the territory occupied by the US naval base in Guantanamo. Ecuador, current pro-tempore president of the bloc, will pass its chair to the Dominican Republic, which according to the foreign minister will focus on issues, such as technology transfer, connectivity

and actions to cushion the impact by climate change.As to Ecuador’s role in heading CELAC, the minister said that they worked hard to further consolidate the bloc. He said the region has to keep with its efforts to lower high poverty levels, since this is not the poorest region of the world, but the area with the biggest inequalities on the planet. In the current regional context, Cuban President Raul Castro said at the closing session of the Cuban Parliament in December that it is crucial to defend the unity of CELAC as a legitimate, necessary, unitary and diverse mechanism for political dialogue and integration, which made it possible to get all 33 heads of state of the region together. Founded in 2010, the CELAC bloc comprises all countries in the Americas, with the exception of the United States and Canada. (Caribbean News)

Saturday January 09, 2016

Kaieteur News

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APNU+AFC is smelling like the PPP Enough has been said and written about the totally unprofessional conduct of the Guyana Revenue Authority in its humiliating treatment of its Commissioner-General Khurshid Sattaur. What needs to be explained is why this is not an isolated incident. Even though he is on administrative leave from which very few expect him to return he remains the Commissioner General of the Guyana Revenue Authority and is clearly, as any person on leave, entitled to his full contractual benefits. The GRA has though its wild actions sought to deprive him of such by seizing the computer, cellular phones and vehicles which are assigned to him. This is conduct unbecoming but one that has become quite familiar since the new APNU+AFC came to power. The APNU-AFC must appreciate that there is a right way and wrong way to do things and it should err on the side of doing things the right way rather attempting to run roughshod over Government agencies. There have been too many instances of Wild West tactics since the change in power in the country. Whether or not Khurshid Sattaur was professional in his work cannot be used as a

justification for the manner in which he was treated. Two wrongs do not make a right. The coalition government should not be doing to persons what it condemned the PPP for doing. There should be no double standards. There was no reason to subject him to such action. He will soon reach retirement and it is obvious that he will be let go. So why humiliate him even before he has demitted office? The unprofessional and undignified manner in which the Commissioner General has been treated is partly because of the bitterness that was built-up just prior to the elections. When the new government came to power this bitterness was translated into a get-even sentiment with many supporters of APNU+AFC wanting to see the backs of those persons who were perceived to be associated with the former regime. This would have included persons who were simply doing their jobs but who by virtue of their profession or rank became the object of the get-even campaign. APNU+AFC has also appointed a number of political commissars into public office. Some of these persons overcompensate for their incompetence and lack of knowledge by being uncouth and

Dem boys seh...

Even dead people threatening dem boys, now Since you small you learn bout threatening. Mammy, Daady, big buddy and big sissy always threaten fuh do you dis and do you dat. As you grow, you neighbour threaten you, you teacher does threaten you, and you friends, police, and lawyers and liars does threaten you too. Imagine yesterday, dem boys get a threat from two dead lawyers—Cameron and Shepherd. Dem seh how dem client, a bank, want $5 million. And on top of de $5 million dem want dem boys seh ‘sarry’. Dem boys ain’t know wha dem saying sarry for or wha dem must pay $5 million for. All dem boys know is a threat. Dem, boys get so much of threat in dem lifetime that dem don’t know wha fuh tek serious and wha fuh mek joke. Fine Man threaten dem boys, Skinny threaten dem boys, scampish Jagdeo and crookish Brassington threaten. Brassington run from he own threat and Jagdeo guh follow him soon. Dem boys thought that dem see it all, until Venezuela threaten Guyana. That was de biggest threat dem boys know bout. Now dead people threatening dem boys. This got to be joke. If is not a joke and dem serious bout de money, both Cameron and Shepherd can come to de Waterfalls paper Monday morning, bright and early. If dem really can’t come fuh whatever reason, Ralphie can come. Dem boys gun double it fuh he. Dem gun buy he a drink and gaff old time story. Richard from de bank could come too but he must walk wide he own money and some tennis roll. De Waterfalls paper got nuff stove. Talk half and dem boys waiting fuh de bank people.

unprofessional. Others believe that because they have political Godfathers they can do as they please. One such person is addicted to skirt tails and has been making merry in the office that he occupies. His position of authority even has women throwing themselves at him. This sort of licence that the recent appointees have will encourage them to take attempt to do as they please.

The big loser in all of this is not the PPP. It is the country. Professionals in this country are just as divided politically as the rest of the electorate. But professionals abhor unprofessional conduct. Most of them know the consequences of arbitrary dismissals, dismissals at pleasure, the sending of fellow professionals on administrative leave humiliating treatment of senior public officers and political appointments

within the public sector. History is repeating itself. Long before the economy, under the PNC, hit rock-bottom, there was an exodus of professionals. They saw from as early as 1970 what was happening. They saw the power of a party card. They saw the square pegs being placed in round holes. Unable to stand working under incompetent, less qualified and inexperienced political commissars, the profes-

sionals created the first braindrain wave in Guyana. Guyana has never recovered from that exodus. We may not survive the one that is sure to follow should the humiliating treatment of professionals continue within the public sector.

Gastro outbreak in Baramita leaves one dead, several sick - health team to be deployed to educate residents At least one person has died and a few scores are reportedly suffering from symptoms consistent with gastroenteritis. This is according to information filtered to the Ministry of Public Health to the Government Information Agency (GINA), which suggests that at least 60 individuals have sought care at the Baramita Health Centre manifesting symptoms of vomiting and diarrhoea. It was in fact mounting cases of vomiting and diarrhoea that caused the Ministry to commence a close monitoring process of the indigenous locale. The Region One area had an outbreak of gastro-enteritis infection in the past resulting in the deaths of a few children. Minister of Public Health, Dr. George Norton, on Thursday evening recalled, “Some years ago, right in Parliament here, Mr. (David) Granger moved a motion for an investigation on the Commission of Inquiry into deaths in the North West district, particularly the Port Kaituma area, of children dying of gastro-enteritis. For some reason or the other there (has) been a closing off of the media, in terms of providing the public with information about that situation. “We want to do it differ-

ently. We want to be the first to let the media know that we are on top of the situation that has existed, not in Port Kaituma now, but in the village of Baramita,” Minister Norton said. Baramita, which has a population of about 3,000 and 20 satellite villages, has one Health Center, which is manned by a Community Health Worker, a Medic and a Doctor. But, according to Minister Norton, the situation is under control. He however noted that the issue is of great concern to the Ministry, and therefore a team of officials will be deployed to the area to educate the residents about the illness and measures they can take to avoid it.

But there are some challenges in accessing some of the satellite villages, Minister Norton has admitted since these areas are only accessible by All Terrain Vehicles (ATVs). Gastro-enteritis is an infection of the digestive system. It can be caused by bacteria, viruses or parasites found in water, food and animals. It causes a combination of diarrhoea, vomiting, and abdominal pain, cramping, nausea and headache. Dehydration may occur as a result. “We do have it under control, we have enough medication there,” said Minister Norton. He disclosed that another challenge in addressing the outbreak has been

found to be that “the population is not cooperating.” “They don’t want to use the bleach in the water or the tablets that we’re using in the water because they said it tastes bad. Secondly, they’re not carrying through with the medications we’re giving them to use, and they are not all attending the clinics even though the clinics are there, available for them. So we’re running into some difficulties there. But the situation has improved from what it was from the beginning,” Minister Norton explained. The occurrence of gastroenteritis is seasonal, with the highest incidence occurring during December to March. In 2013, there was an outbreak in the North West District area, where a total of 529 residents from Port Kaituma and surrounding communities were infected, most of whom were children. There were three reported deaths. Prior to that, there was an outbreak in 2009 and six residents died.

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Saturday January 09, 2016

=== The Freddie Kissoon column ===

Creeping post-2015 dictatorship in the City Council Lincoln Lewis, a good friend of mine, never fails to mention to me whenever the liming session turns to the topic of a unity government; that it is something he dreads. After the way the City Council has behaved toward vending on Merriman Mall between Orange Walk and Cummings Street, I have become afraid of unity government too. There must be an opposition in any country to detect

and denounce the creeping intolerance of the State. That there is a creeping dictatorship in the City Council was graphically displayed this week in Georgetown. The AFC and APNU that were so virulent in their denunciation of the PPP dictatorship are silent on the City Council tyranny. What the City Council has done constitutes a vicious assault on the lives of poor people. The people of this

country, with the exception of Mark Benschop, uttered not even a whisper. The AFCAPNU that I campaigned for, its leadership chose not to come to the rescue of the vendors. This puts the WPA in the limelight. If there is any political organism that you expect to reject the tyrannical mistreatment of the vendors it is the WPA. I have profound respect for David Granger and many in the PNC leadership.

I respect, and admire deeply, Nigel Hughes and Khemraj Ramjattan, but the PNC and the AFC have their philosophical limitations. It is the WPA of all the political parties in this country that I expected to voice a sympathetic vocabulary for the vendors. The WPA is facing its moment of truth. As a historical party of the left and the custodian of working class biology, it is going to find itself in quick sand as the APNU-AFC regime gets deeper into political trouble. Take the hypocritical manifestation of the barriers around Parliament. It was the WPA Parliamentarian, Desmond Trotman, who piloted the motion in the House to remove the steel grids that enveloped Parliament Building during the reign of the PPP. When the APNU-AFC came to power and extended the barriers, it was morally incumbent of the WPA to reject the extension. It did not. You can see trouble brewing inside the WPA; its youth arm has not accepted the rationale behind the huge salary increase for Ministers. I know Christopher Ram is on the WPA executive and I

would expect him along with the great stalwarts of the WPA to monitor the democratic lapses that we are seeing. If the WPA is imprisoned by its participation in the government, it runs the huge risk of a slow death. What the City Council did to those vendors was heartless and sickening. I apologize to each of them for not participating in the picket outside the Office of the President. I didn’t know about it. I will ask Mark Benschop through this particular column to keep me informed of the picket schedule. In an examination of the failure of the GPL, I did indicate that in a forthcoming column I will apply the theory of the over-developed state as founded by the Pakistani political theorist, Hamza Alavi, to explain the failure that is Guyana. The over-developed state inherited from the colonial Leviathan did not cultivate a culture of service. The state then in Guyana from the united PPP in 1950 to Jagan in 1957 to Burnham in 1964 to Jagan in 1992 to Jagdeo in 1999 to the Coalition in 2015 did not and does not operate with the culture of service. One can argue that the clean-up of Georgetown does not fall within the ambit of state service to the people. Which state institution in Guyana from Independence onwards is imbued with the

Frederick Kissoon instinct of service to the population? Every major state institution from the fifties onwards has failed to deliver service to the citizenry. They cannot. The overdeveloped post-colonial state has produced a psychology that makes serve impossible to achieve. It was psychologically impossible for the City Council to provide service to the vendors by landscaping the new site then transfer the vendors there. The City Council woke up a morning and simply issued their edict – we are stopping you from selling. And the Coalition Government failed to see the ruthless assault on these poor people. As the picket was going on outside the Office of the President, Carol Sooba and the PPP leadership were laughing all the way to the bank. I was shopping at Bourda Green outside the Bourda Market and many vendors said to me – this is the change you wanted, Freddie.” Honestly, I felt deeply revolted. The March local government election will be fascinating.”

Saturday January 09, 2016

Kaieteur News

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Affected Berbice bus drivers Govt to up the meet Govt. on water taxi service ante to curb TIP

Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson and Minister within the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, Annette Ferguson, interact with the Berbice bus drivers

Bus drivers of the Route 56 Minibus Association yesterday met with Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson, and Minister within the Ministry, Hon. Annette Ferguson, to voice their concerns over the impact of the Berbice River water taxi service on their livelihood. A dozen Berbice bus drivers turned up at the Ministry. During the meeting, President of the Association (Ag), Dennis Chesney, indicated that the bus drivers were “under serious pressure” since the introduction of the Berbice River water taxis. According to Chesney, the association is a very structured one with seven groups of established drivers who work according to a schedule. There are approximately 50 buses in the association. He explained that before the introduction of the water taxis, the schedule had seen the operation of about four groups of drivers each day. However, he said, this schedule was changed when the water taxis came on s t r e a m . N o w, t h e d a i l y groups have been reduced due to reduced bus users, Chesney said. “There are days when, if the four lines come out, those on the last line would not have work,” another driver said. “Three days of work is not enough…right now we don’t know where we’re headed.” The drivers stated that

the situation has greatly impacted their lives and those of their families, particularly during the Christmas season. “Almost all of my earnings go to paying insurance and other fees,” an emotional Chesney said. While the drivers expressed pleasure with the recent news that the Government of Guyana provided a $31M commuter subsidy to allow the reduction of tolls from $2,200 to $1,900, they believed that more must be done for them. The association presented a few proposals. Among the proposals were reduced hours of operation for the water taxis and the removal of the service on weekends. In regards to the reduction of hours, the association suggested a new schedule of 6:00am to 9:00am followed by

3:00pm to 5:00pm. These hours, the association said, would cater for schoolchildren and workers who travel during weekdays. “At least cutting the hours would help us catch our hands,” a driver said. These proposals were noted by the Public Infrastructure Ministers. However, Minister Patterson emphasised that, “Decisions must not be made in a vacuum”. He noted the benefits of the service, including improved school attendance and improved business in New Amsterdam, and said that these benefits have gone a long way in bettering the lives of the public. Minister Patterson further said that while he understood the bus drivers’ concerns, it would not be fair to serve only one section of the populace

while neglecting another. Both Ministers Patterson and Ferguson particularly expressed concern over the parents of schoolchildren who have benefitted from the water taxis. Patterson said common ground must be found. He further emphasised that the impact on all relevant stakeholders must be taken into account before a final decision is reached. Additionally, the Ministers committed to giving serious consideration to the proposals and indicated that they would confer with technical personnel to determine the feasibility of the proposals. The speedboats were introduced after Government clashed with the Berbice River Bridge last year over the reduction of tolls. The bridge company refused but finally relented last month.

Government, through the Ministry of Social Protection and other agencies, will up the ante in its efforts to stamp out human trafficking. Minister of Social Protection, Volda Lawrence said that Government recognises the negative impacts of human trafficking, and will take proactive measures to address this scourge, by putting a system in place that is aimed at its eradication. Minister Lawrence explained that through collaboration with a Non-Governmental Organisation, the Ministry was able to secure comfortable living quarters for TIP victims. She added that the “TIP Unit” at the Ministry’s Labour Department was also restructured to make it more efficient. More personnel will be recruited and training will be done. “We are going to ensure that the unit is peopled with the right skills and also to work with the Guyana Police Force to ensure that together, we can begin to tackle these issues from a holistic point. “There are going to be extended focus in this area of trafficking because I think people have begun to look at it as though it’s a one-off something, and so we are going to have a continued approach in terms of seeking and finding those perpetrators and bringing them before the court,” Minister Lawrence emphasised. The intention is to ensure that both the masterminds behind TIP and those who conspire with them are brought to justice. She also noted, “It’s more than that, now is to

ensure that we have a plan for each victim, and be able to help them to move forward with their lives.” For three consecutive years, the United States, “State Department’s TIP Report” had placed Guyana on the Tier Two Watch List. This, according to the report means that Guyana does not yet fully meet the minimum international standards for eliminating TIP, but the country is making efforts to do so. Since the Trafficking in Persons Act was enacted, very little was done to make the legislation useful and effective. In this regard, Government announced its plans to reconvene meetings of the TIP Ministerial Task Force on this year. The Task Force will be chaired by Vice President and Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan. He will be joined by Ministers from the Ministry of Social Protection, Legal Affairs, Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs. One major priority of the Task force will be the formulation of an Action Plan for the period 2016-2017 to tackle human trafficking.

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Kaieteur News

Saturday January 09, 2016

House passes Budget allocations for 16 Constitutional offices, other agencies By: Kiana Wilburg

Tempers flared in the National Assembly on Thursday as the Opposition passionately objected to Government using its proverbial scissors to cut most of the proposed budget estimates for 16 constitutional offices and other agencies. It was an auspicious occasion as it was the first time that the Constitutional offices and other agencies brought proposed estimates to the House. These were arrived at without the input of the Executive, specifically, the Ministry of Finance. This display of financial independence was credited to the recent amendment to the Fiscal Management and Accountability Act. The amendment brings the Act in line with Article 22 of the Constitution which supports constitutional offices and agencies enjoying such financial freedom. The estimates of the Constitutional agencies will be incorporated into the budget for 2016. When the 2016 budget is being considered by the House later this month, these sums which were already passed will remain untouched. They will be passed as part of the Appropriations Act. The sums for these agencies will have a first claim on the Consolidated Fund. This means that the full sum will have to be paid to the entities when the 2016 budget is passed and the entities will have control over how they spend it. AUDIT OFFICE The deliberations on the

estimates for the Constitutional Offices and other agencies lasted into the wee hours of the morning. The first agency up for consideration was the Audit Office of Guyana which had a proposed budget estimate totaling $790M. But before the discussions could get underway, Opposition member, Irfaan Ali, said that, he, as the head of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), should answer any questions on behalf of the entity. Ali said, “The Audit Office does not report to any Minister. It reports to the Public Accounts Committee and therefore, since I stand as the Chairman of this Committee, it is only fitting that I speak on their behalf and not a member of the Executive.” The Opposition Member posited that should any member of the Government speak on behalf of the entity in this regard, then it would undermine the principle of having the entity insulated from the Executive when it comes to its finances. The Government however objected to this. In fact, a total of seven speakers from both sides of the House exhausted various arguments on whether the Executive should be representing the Audit Office on such a matter. Hours passed and no consensus was reached. Taking note of the gridlock in such unchartered waters, House Speaker, Dr. Barton Scotland, suggested that members select on both sides to use part of the recess

to clarify the way forward on this matter. After over two hours of in camera deliberations, it was decided that Ali would speak on behalf of the Audit Office. Minister of Finance, Winston Jordan, took the floor and informed the House that while the entity is requesting $790M he is recommending $714M. The PAC Chairman objected to Jordan’s proposal stating that it is tantamount to starving the Office of the resources it needs for ensuring transparency and accountability. He said that should the House accept the reduction to $714M then it would be hampering the work needed to be executed by the office. In support of Ali’s position, Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo said, “With the change in laws to support the financial independence of these agencies, we expected that the proposed amounts would remain unaltered. “To now reduce the proposed allocation without explanations would be seen as politicking and flip-flopping on the part of this Government as they were the ones who called for the financial independence of these agencies when they were in Opposition.” Minister of State Joseph Harmon disagreed with the Opposition Members. He reminded the House that the total appropriation voted for the agency last year was $601M. He said that the $714M as recommended by Jordan represents an increase from then to now. He said, too, that it is a mere $76M reduction from what the office is requesting. Harmon said that based on his examination of the proposed budget estimates by

excessive in any case; hence it was reduced to $714M. This reduced sum was subsequently approved by the House.

Finance Minister, Winston Jordan the entity, the monies allocated for supporting staff employment and other critical areas were not touched. In light of his arguments, he challenged the former Housing Minister to show how the reduction would hamper the work of the AG’s office. Ali said, “We are considering a lump sum not line by line items and that is the poor inconsistency of your argument. I may be crazy but this crazy man will stand up and defend the interest of transparency.” The argument was also put forward by the opposition that if Government cuts the proposed budget allocations for these agencies then it is essentially telling the entity how much it can and cannot spend. It said that this dilutes the entire meaning of financial independence. However, Foreign Affairs Minister Carl Greenidge told the Opposition that it is sorely misguided. He emphasized that financial independence does not mean that an entity should have unlimited access to the nation’s purse. He posited that $790M is

DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC PROSECUTIONS (DPP) The Chambers of the DPP proposed a budgetary allocation of $235M. However, the Finance Minister recommended $160M. This sum was passed but not without objections from the opposition. Specifically, Opposition Member Anil Nandlall said, “I am against this. We have moved the power to cut allocations from the Ministry of Finance into the Parliament. So instead of the Finance Minister cutting as before in his Office he is coming to the Parliament to cut and then it will be approved by the Executive. This defeats the purpose of the independence given to these agencies.” Public Security Minister, Khemraj Ramjattan found Nandlall’s arguments to be without merit. He said, “Indeed these agencies should have financial independence but how far should it go? Should the DPP say she wants $3B and we approve whatever is asked? We must not get ridiculous here. What we have is a request of reduction by Jordan based on what is in line with the national budget. “We would be making the assembly impotent if we can’t say anything about the proposals. There would be no point for the House if we just take any request and approve without question.” PARLIAMENTAND THE OFFICE OF THE LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION Based on the grounds of affordability, the proposed $20M and $1.4B for the Office of the Leader of the Op-

position and the Parliament Office respectively were not passed by the House. They were reduced. On Thursday, the House passed an amendment to the FMAA which allowed for the Parliament as well to enjoy financial autonomy. The House then passed $1.3B for the Parliament Office and $12M for the Office of the Opposition Leader. Jagdeo seemed unhappy with this cut and challenged Jordan to explain to the nation why his Office will only receive $12M. OTHERAGENCIES The Finance Minister did not propose cuts to three agencies and their recommended allocations were passed. These agencies included; the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) with $3.6B; the Judicial Service Commission with $10M and $44M for the Office of the Ombudsman. Additionally, the Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC) had requested $131M but only $81M was approved. Opposition Chief Whip, Gail Teixeira chided the government for making such a decision. She said that the cut is a most insensitive response to the work of this Commission and can be seen as an injustice. Foreign Affairs Minister, Carl Greenidge, said that Teixeira was being unfair with her comments. He said, “Let me remind the house that if they look at the estimates of the past, they will find that this Commission is in the habit of being given sums and spending far less than it got.” Greenidge noted in 2013, the ERC received $83M but only spent $49M. He said that there is no reason to now grant the entity $131M when it is not absorbing even half of the funds it is usually granted. Furthermore, the Human Rights Commission was allowed $28M instead of its proposed $53M while the Indigenous People’s Commission was allowed $23M instead of its $66M request. The Rights of the Child Commission received $31M while $87M was passed for the Public /Police Service Commission. Instead of its proposed $20M request, the Public Service Appellate Tribunal received $12M with $1.5B passed for the Supreme Court of Judicature. Additionally, the Teaching Service Commission was granted $109M with $38M being approved for the Women Gender Equality Commission. The National Assembly is expected to continue its work on January 14.

Saturday January 09, 2016

Kaieteur News

More medical equipment missing The missing Electro Cardiograph Machine which went missing since October last, has now been brought to the attention of the police and a probe into the matter has begun. No one has ever been held accountable ever since the Administrative body at the Suddie Public Hospital was informed of the missing equipment. Meanwhile, reports of a missing piece of dental equipment this time from the Anna Regina Health Centre, have surfaced. Alliance for Change Regional Councillor, Hardat Narine, said he again made the discovery, and is again questioning the seriousness of the administrative body of the Suddie Public Hos-

pital. Narine is contending that the health system in Region Two has been broken down. At least for the sake of innocent residents residing in Region Two, their health should not be tampered with in any way or form. The Councillor is therefore calling on this new administration to effect a thorough investigation into such reports whereby, important equipment are reported missing and no one is being held accountable or are prosecuted for such lawless acts. “Unless severe penalties are enforced, such nonsense especially by ignorant people would continue to occur.” (Yannason Duncan)

Spike in social problems gaining... From page 2 they are not only sent to prison and have custodial sentences, but we want to look at three aspects of justice within society and that is security, rehabilitation and we want to look at reintegration of persons who might be placed before the court,” explained Munroe. He highlighted the importance of security in the prison system even as he pointed to the need to ensure that it is not overpopulated, a situation that could in fact pose a great challenge to security. “We recognise that the Probation Department has a big role to play in that, and so we want to ensure that with the alternative sentencing the Probation Department can play a great role in reducing the number of persons who are sent to prison,” Munroe intimated. Rather than custo-

dial sentences, Munroe spoke of persons instead being placed under supervision. “Persons can be placed on probation, particularly first offenders and persons who are charged with not so grave offences...We are looking at that presently and we also want to ensure that we can provide the court with such information that the courts seeks, so that in their adjudication in cases those decisions can be made,” Munroe noted. Aiding the rehabilitation of offenders, he asserted, is one of the main goals of the Probation and Social Services Department. And this is due to the fact that “we don't want situations where persons are placed in prison without any proper work being done with them in terms of rehabilitation.” Particular consideration is given to those considered

to be in the peak of their labour years, according to Munroe, who pointed out that such persons should not just be taken out of society, but rather reformed and be integrated into society.

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Kaieteur News

WANTED OFFICE CLERK WITH EXPERIENCED, CXC, C O M P U T E R S KNOWLEDGE AND GENERAL OFFICE WORK, POLICE CLEARANCE. RUIMVELDT. TEL: 2318529 SERVICES PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION,WEDDINGS, ANNIVERSARY, ETC. – CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 216-1043; 677-6620 Graphic Designing: Brochures, Funeral Programs, Printing Ads, Business Cards, etc. emAgination: 6487606 or email: anil_naraine@yahoo.com Visa Application: U.S.A, Canada & UK; Guyana Passport application. Graphics design, Advertisement. Tel: 6267040; 265-4535. Permanent & Visitors Visa Applications, Professional Immigration Consultant Room D5 Maraj Building. visadocumentsgy@ y a h o o . c o m . Call: 2256496, 662-6045 Building construction, house plans & estimates, floor sanding, lacquering & painting, boat for Santa Mission –Call: 650-4362 Custom Made: Kitchen cabinets, chest of drawers, beds, wardrobe, TV stand (strictly wood) @ Chung’s Craft Ent. Call: 592-627-3670 We repair fridge, freezer, AC, washer, dryer-Call: 231-0655; 683-8734. Omar

WANTED Damage batteries in any quantity, best price offeredCall: 696-5728, 656-2783, 6225941, 648-9395, 223-1111 Contract cars, dispatchers and hire cars (paid salary)Call:219-4086; 219-4087 Attractive waitress-Call: 6702323 1 Experienced male to look after layer birds in the Interior. Call: 678-0565 1 Experienced cook for a family in the Interior. Call:6780565 One domestic to work at Lusignan, 2 to 3 half days a week –Call: 220-0302 One graphics artiste & junior technician- Call: 223-4555; 695-2199 One live in maid-Call: 6683985; 264-2563 We buy land in Parfaite Harmonie, Eccles, Herstelling, Prospect and Farm- Call: 6117223; 604-2207

Wanted to rent one lumber yard anywhere on the E.C.D, E.B.D and W.C.D-Call Cris: 663-7692 Live in couple: husbanddriving & mechanical skill & wife: domestic. Excellent rates. Call: 227-1830

1-3 Bedrooms concrete bottom flat (new) and “grilled secure” at Lot 1560 Block XDiamond- Contact: 686-6379

Stalls 64-72: 47 feet long & 7 feet wide, section 1 LaPenitence Market, Albouystown-Call: 663-1597; 218-4837

Two house & land for sale, excellent condition, one located at Tuschen & one at Goed-Fortuin. Call: 668-3985; 660-3235

Diving Suits-Call: 265-3449/ 613-5158

Church and 2 storey building Lot 180 Charlotte Street Bourda-Call: 227-6817; 6247341 House for sale with 3 bedrooms upper & bottom flat, @ Lot 153 Green Acres, Stadium Road- Call: 681-7366

AMERICAN BULLY DOGS, REMYLINE & GOTTILINECONTACT HARRY: 6100068/220-7933, WHATSAPP: 667-4845 Wholesale & Retail quantity of all types of belts –Call: 6702343

1-3 Bedrooms upper flat @ Section ‘A’ Diamond, H/ Scheme E.B.D, fully grilled & concrete fence with parking space- Call: 662-9335; 6123244

3068 Amelia’s Ward Linden: 4 bedrooms, 1 selfcontained-Call: 640-4731; Crazy Deals: Dell/HP 624-6609 desktop & laptop Albouystown: front spot, 3 computers from -$49,000, bedroom upstairs, free games & educational downstairs, parking and programs @ FutureTech: suitable for business, 231-2206 $8Million negotiable. Call: 33.6 Acres farm land @ Kuru 227-0583 Kuru Linden Soesdyke H/ way, 1 garden tiller. Call: 2257794; 679-1151

Apartments for rent @ Nandy Park, 2 Bedrooms, recently renovated, free WiFi, $80,000-$90,000 negotiable. Call:227-5194

One used ATV 4 wheel motor bike, colour: yellow, 450 model, at Parfaite Harmonie, asking price -$1.5M. Call:6623350

1- Barber Station to rent at Bourda Post Office upstairsCall: 686-6379

1290 MF tractor in good work order. Call: 614-9262

D’Aguiar’s Park: original house in gated community, unfurnished -$120,000 negotiable. Call: 600-2031

3 Storey building for rent on Durban & Smyth Street, Werk-en-Rust- Call: 697-9540

ADORABLE PUPPIES FOR SALE. CALL: 6004212

Security to work in the Interior, must have past military/police experienced, ages 40-50. Call: 226-9768; 615-6172

Self-contained rooms in Prashad Nagar. Tel:6593865; 227-2993

One Toyota Corolla 192 Gold-Call: 694-3113

Live in domestic, must know to cook Indian dishes & also baking. Salary $80,000 monthly-Call: 610-3974 1 Female to work in snackette & bar. Must know to cookbetween ages 20-35 -Call: 6477432/ 223-5798 One housekeeper, one babysitter, age 30-45 years. Call: 621-4999 1 Female cleaner apply Technical Services, Lot 18-23 Eccles Industrial Site E.B.D EXPERIENCED WRITERS, FREELANCERS OR GHOST WRITERS FOR SHORT FICTION EBOOK- GOOD PAY! TEXT ONLY: 603-0758 Wash bay workers –Contact: 697-9540

1 Personal assistant to work, must be 25 years & older with prior experienced. email detailed CV: humresdes@gmail.com One receptionist ages 25yrs and older with working experienced. Contact us for more information: 223-0090 Female & male factory workers ages 19yrs & older with working experienced. Contact: 223-0090 Porters age 16 to 24 years, kindly call: 225-8066 Experienced security officers, age 30yrs to 45yrs, kindly call: 225-8066 One live in domestic or couple to work Mahaicony River, well paid-Call: 6446905; 225-6571 Landscape maintenance team seeks hardworking, reliable workers, ages 17-35; on the job training. Call: 219-0468

PROPERTY FOR SALE

Brand new 2 storey concrete building in 5th Avenue, Dachshund pups mixed with Diamond, E.B.D, all modern Pekingese for sale –Call: 677- amenities –Call: 662-9335; 612-3244 2476

Experienced general domestic maid @ DiamondCall: 626-8003; 227-8529

Buying non working BMW vehicles, Mercedes etc-Call: 684-2119

Harmony Inn Apartments: accommodation, internet, hot & cold water, 24hrs tea/ coffee, $5,000-$10,000 –Call: 668-0306; 218-1400; 6947817

Urgently needed on Tibetan Terrier, Male 6/12wks old, light brown – Call: 626-5445

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

Property for sale, Grove $20M / Rent: $50,000 per month. Tel: 625-5461.

One nail technician: apply in person with written application to Zytech Building Regent Street. Call: 225-0563

Repairs at affordable prices: fridge, air conditioner, washing machines, dryers, TV, microwaves & freezerCall: 610-5846 or 661-8158

Building contractor, drawing of house plan general, home maintenance, free estimateCall: 216-0671; 692-0267; 6928464 ACCOMMODATION

Live in waitress to work in a bar- Call: 604-6606

-Make Up Courses with Mac, Bare Minerals, Black Opal, Mabelline. -Nail Technician Course Call: 647-1773/660-5257

FOR SALE LARGE QUANTITIES OF HIGH PURITY MERCURY (QUICK SILVER) 99.99995% PURITY$19,000 PER POUND CALL: 592-227-4754.

Experienced salesgirls @ Christine’s Variety Store, Lombard Street. Call: 6268003; 227-8529

3 Private cars/bus for rental on a long term basis for business place @ E.B.D $70,000 monthly. Call: 6842119

Building or renovating for quality construction services from foundation to fine finished. Call Carlos: 592-6829935; 592-223-2695

Computer literate person, CXC passes in Mathematics & English, apply with written application @ Trophy Stall (Bourda Market).

SALON

One tailor or seamstress- Call: 673-0373

Repairs at low cost: Fridges, air- conditioners, washing machines, TVs, microwaves, freezers- Call:629-4946 or 225-4822

Desmond Repair Services Fridge, AC, gas stove, microwave, washer, etc on the spot repairs –Call: (592)6788683; 687-9709

BOND WORKERS FOR WAREHOUSE, STRONG, FASTANDALERT. POLICE CLEARANCE A MUST. RUIMVELDT. TEL: 2318529 Wanted land to buy at Parfaite, Tuschen, Providence, Diamond, Eccles, Uitvlugt, best price pay-call: 604-6724

Saturday January 09, 2016

Spacious 2 bedrooms apartment in Festival City. Asking $80,000- Call: 6192141 1-3 Bedrooms top flat, front & back verandah & parking space at Austin Street. Call: 628-7953 Lodge apartments (Vlisssengen/Durban): unfurnished $40,000-$90,000 monthly, furnished (for visitors) USD$600USD$1,000 monthly- Call: 677-9638 Lodge (Vlissengen/ Durban): Professional/Office/Business space, (no food retailing). Call: 677-9638. Office Space at Camp Street –Call Naz: 639-4499 Top Flat in Diamond New Scheme, E.B.D-Call: 615-5833 MASSAGE Happy Touch Day Spa: Come & Experienced heavens touch, visit us today! –Call: 690-6079

AE100 Corolla 7A Engine manual -$600,000 negotiable. Call: 602-6024 One 15 Cu.Ft Frigidaire Chest Freezer, like new, great for home or business –Call: 6222899 One Power mate 3000 watt portable generator, like new $80,000 negotiable- Call: 6222899, 666-6592 1 HP laser jet 100 colour printer, 1 laminating machine, 1 paper trimmer (cutter), 2 Dell Desktop computer, 1 glass showcase –Call: 6168570 Lots @ Blankenburg behind the gas station- $3.9M- Call Us Today: 650-0402 Nintendo Wii console & 1 game $15,000, Dell Precision M60 laptop -$20,000, Toshiba satellite C655 laptop $55,000-Call: 621-9604; 6941748 Chicago Multi- Function tool -$12,000, Chicago 71/4" circle saw -$15,000, e-machine desktop, PC -$40,000 –Call: 621-9604; 694-1748

VACANCY Immediate vacancies exist for at least 12 workers to work @ Ice Factory, MeadowbankCall: 231-1408/ 642-9191 Driver and porter for water truck-Call: 680-3863. One Cook/cleaner and one Cashier –Call: 624-0033. Person to work at body work shop-Call: 649-2569 or 6701637 Admin Manager for furniture manufacture, minimum 5 years experience, send resume to vacancy at starcomm36@yahoo.com Receptionist needed for front desk @ Millenium Mannor Hotel, bring in application to 43 Hadfield Street, near Camp St. Male security, male desk staff, 25-45 years- Lot 233 South Road LacytownCall: 225-0198 One manager to work at a Hotel/Club on the Essequibo Coast, must have experienced in said field – Call:225-6610; 615-6172 LEARN TO DRIVE Soman Son & Outar Driving School at Maraj BuildingTel: 644-5166; 622-2872; 6150964; 689-5997 Continued on page 23

Saturday January 09, 2016

Kaieteur News

Page 23

Letters... Where your views make the news

Royston King is wearing the King’s new clothes DEAR EDITOR, Re: M&CC Should Cease Hoodwinking the Public Forthwith! In the words of my late mother, who was devoid of a secondary education, but nevertheless ensured all of her children, subsequently benefitted. “Six of one and half-adozen of the other, are all the same” Editor, within this context, I find it extremely amusing that the Council’s Town Clerk, along with probably the world’s longest serving Mayor, have at last found their voices. As such, two crucial areas of public concern under the auspices of the M&CC are as follows: i)“City Hall suspends vending along section of Merriman Mall” (SN:05-01-06). ii) “Town Clerk Royston King had expressed concern about the deposit of sludge in these canals” (K.N. 06-0116) Caption: “Sludge buildup in canals to be addressed in short order - GWl boss” For public edification how long has Mr. King been employed by the M&CC? This I ask in relation to the aforementioned, since what is regrettably absent, is extensive research. Wherein vending on the Merriman Mall has been ongoing for decades now, likewise the deposit of sludge in the canals. By the way wasn’t revenue generated from vending on the Merriman Mall? As a consequence, was there ever a situation where a substantial amount of money was ever

set aside for sanitation? Was it compatible to income against expenditure? Meanwhile to designate the Merriman Mall, as a recreation facility, between Cummings Street to Orange Walk, is nonsensical. Suffice it to say the rectangular area, inclusive of the skating rink, cannot accommodate a full size basketball or volleyball court, much less the basic amenities to facilitate seated spectators, scorer and referee. Wouldn’t it have been more prudent to rehabilitate the existing run-down infrastructures of the Burnham Courts (basketball and volleyball); Parade and St. Stephen’s Grounds, along with those that fall directly under the auspices of the M&C.C? With the non-collection of revenue from vending, where would additional monies emanate from, for maintenance? In relation to the buildup of sludge, it’s the result of filters being washed on a nightly basis, the perceived waste from the process is then discharged into the city’s drainage system. When I was an employee, way back in the 70’s sludge was deposited into the drainage system, from the washing of filters and the periodical “desludging of the sedimentation tanks”. This had to be known to the M & C.C, which at the time was responsible for the collection of water rates, from the GS&WC. Consequently, it’s extremely good to hear that

Sam Hinds accused... From page 4 of the amount of income which households continued to earn from divested properties. Since the assets, their use and the activities undertaken were for the most part (last 23 years) in the hands of PPP administrations then it is the PPP, not the citizens, which must produce this kind of data and demonstrate what was “ …good for people and country”. What does good mean anyway? Third, the foregoing is only part of the story. There are other crucial elements of accounting and accountability. For example, one issue is the allegation that some assets, such as the Sanata Complex, was sold at several millions below market value to Dr. Ranjisinghi ‘Bobby’ Ramroop. This would raise serious questions as to who PU/NICIL was ‘ good for’, since citizens may have been cheated out of significant sums of money that could have gone into improving the scientific and

technological capacity and capabilities of Guyana, and health, education, infrastructure, sanitation etc. Fourth is the overall vexed question of accountability. Article 9 of Chapter II of the Constitution of Guyana declares that “Sovereignty belongs to the people, who exercise it through their representatives and the democratic organs established by or under this Constitution”. We remain dazed at the legal capacity of NICIL and the power of Mr. Brassington, in circumstances where the vast proportion of the economy effectively fell under the control of NICIL. This is not a simple matter. Nothing can describe this act of recklessness. Small wonder therefore that Guyanese don’t know what was done in their name. NICIL is a law unto itself. The PPP not only claimed, it acted on the claim that the people’s representatives (the Parliament) cannot compel NICIL to report to it. Ivor Carryl

“a recycling process will be done shortly, to reuse the waste water”. Hats off to the recently appointed G.W.I, C.E.O Dr. Richard Van West Charles for this timely innovation! Why the sludge was never diverted away from the sewage system for drainage, over the decades that could have been facilitated is anyone’s guess? Maybe, the King with his “new found clothes” can provide the answer if he cares to. By the way does the M&CC have the technical expertise to deal with the specifics of erecting a basketball and volleyball court on the Merriam Mall? Since the erection of two basketball backboards, markings with proper paint is necessary; along with the requirements for volleyball. Would two changing rooms, in addition to a sanitary block be constructed? The sun about to set and in the process brings the curtains down on His Worship, Mayor, Hamilton Green, in March, when local Government Elections is convened. At least the restoration of Parade Ground, benefitting the school children from St. John’s College, Christ Church, Bishops, St. George’s, St. Agnes and Private Schools in close proximity should be a “front burner issue”, moreover, with the reintroduction of physical education, within the school’s curriculum. For over two decades, it was left in a poor state; compliments of the M&CC. For a few years “heavy duty equipment for the Miners Week of Activities” was displayed there. And the Council use to garner revenue. It is time for a “moral and a spiritual revival!” Charity begins at home! Lester Sealey

From page 22 CAR RENTAL PROGRESSIVE CAR RENTAL:CARS&SUV FOR RENTAL- $4,000 & UP PER DAY- CALL: 643-5122, 6560087 , EMAIL: PRO_ AUTO RENTAL@YAHOO. COM DOLLY’S CAR RENTALCALL: 225-7126/226-3693 DOLLYSAUTORENTAL@ YA H O O . C O M / W W W. DOLLYSAUTORENTAL.COM Aidan’s Car & 4WD Vigo pick up, cheapest rate, low security- Call: 698-7807 Wing’s Car & 4WD Vigo pick up rental- Call: 690-6494

EDUCATIONAL January Computer Deals: 9 Courses office 2016 @ Micrographics, Vreed-enHoop-Call: 264-3057. Earn your diploma now! Enroll Now: classes starting 1st FebruaryCake decoration, cakes & pastries, floral arrangement. Contact: 223-3303; 612-4193 Practical Electronic Course beginning 26 th January. Register early! Call: 226-6551; 225-0391

TO LET One bottom flat 3 bedrooms to rent at Eccles. Call: 6727756 or 694-3421 Apartments in Eccles & rooms in Alberttown. Call: 225-3234

GR TAXI SERVICE. CALL: 219-5000; 227-1982 & 225-7878 (24HRS)

Noah & Voxy in ‘G’ series, fully loaded, never registered -$1.7M –Call: 6172891 Toyota Fortuner 2012 yearCall: 624-6702 New model RAV 4 4X4 $2.5M, Mazda Axela -$1.5M, good for bank purchase (both excellent condition) – Call: 220-6380; 639-2490

Lessons Classes: Phonics, Reading, Composition & Mathematics- ages 4-12 years old @ Roxanne Burnham Gardens –Call: 2182076; 619-4355

We buy & sell vehicles for cash, also parts available & 30 seater buses; Extra Cab pickups; 2006 Tacoma- Call: 680-3154

LAND FOR SALE Land for sale with structure at 407 Great Diamond, 8th Street front half. Call: 6533381; 609-3692

TAXI SERVICES

One Axela Mazda -$1.550 negotiable, one Nissan Titan, one Audi A4; all vehicles in excellent condition-Call: 665-3038; 226-4356

Computerize Accounting: 4 courses: QuickBooks, POS, Peachtree, Excel 2016- Call Micrographics Vreed-enHoop-Call: 264-3057

Unfurnished building to rent with 3 bedrooms @ D’Aguiar Park –Call: 660-4481 Light Street: 2 rooms secured & tiled, suitable for office or dwelling -$75,000. Call Diana: 227-2256; 626-9382

VEHICLE FOR SALE

Parfaite Harmonie -$ 1.6M, 1.8M, $1.5M, 1.3M, Tuschen 11 street -$3M with foundation, Phase 2 – $1.4M, Uitvlugt -$3M, Terms available – Call: 604-6724 Land with building foundation @ Second Bridge Diamond/Grove, price $2.9M. Call: 624-2857 Gold & Diamond mining land for rent in the Ekereku, Puruni & Siparuni area- Call: 6683100 or 615-8810 Prime corner lot @ Main Road (85ftX50ft) -$1.3M, Pafarfaite Harmonie - suitable for church-Call: 611-7223; 604-2207

AT192, 212, Allion, unregistered Premio, Hilux Surf, BNN, RZ & Pit-bull, 7 seater super custom. Cash / terms- Call: 680-3154 Fantasy Auto Sales: Xtrail 2008, Mitsubishi RVR 2010, Audi A4, preordered vehicles & get $100,000 discount. Call: 611-1833 1 Toyota Hilux Pickup single cabs; GGG $1.3M negotiable, excellent condition, long base- Call: 675-2650 O n e To y o t a M a r k 2 Grande for sale. PKK series, excellent condition, price $1.5M negotiable. Call: 601-4163 2-Unregistered new model Toyota Tacoma: step, alarm, crash bar, bed covering, dark & light blue colour. Call: 6956461; 639-7758 1 Jailing Motorcycle 70HP -$40,000 –Call: 6482356 1 RZ Mini bus, BJJ seriesCall: 678-5887; 677-3177 Unregistered fielder wagon 2003, roof rack, rear spoiler, dark interior, body kit, fog, TV-Call: 617-5536 1- 212 PNN series, for saleCall: 615-5833 2008 Fielder- fully loaded vehicle, never registered $2.5M- Call: 617-2891

DRESSMAKING Turn your flair for fashion into an exciting career or hobby. Clas s e s s t a r t i n g January –Call: 626-2629; 6766312

Mercedes Benz C250, 2014 Model , 223-5273/4 Noah & Voxy in ‘G’ series, fully loaded, never registered -$1.7M –Call: 6172891

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Kaieteur News

Saturday January 09, 2016

Perception of corruption in gold, logging industries must change - Trotman urges

Ministers Raphael Trotman and Minister Simona Broomes in discussion with senior functionaries of the Ministry during yesterday’s strategic sector review. The Ministry of Natural Resources on Friday held its first Strategic Sector Review aimed at identifying the problems facing the various sectors, challenging managers to improve their performance in order to achieve maximum output. The forum also stressed the effective delivery of services and the enforcement of the relevant regulations, which guide the operations of the various sectors. The review, which saw the active participation of Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman, and Minister within the Ministry of Natural Resources, Simona Broomes, received presentations from the various agencies which fall under the Ministry. At the end of the all-day forum, the Ministry’s management team compiled a final document from which excepts will be presented to a special Cabinet meeting today by Minister Trotman. At the forum, the heads of

the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), Guyana Gold Board and the Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC) which fall under Natural Resources Management made presentations on their respective agencies. Similarly, under the environmental management division, the Environmental Protection Agency, Protected Areas Commission and the Guyana Wildlife Division delivered presentations. Minister Trotman, according to the ministry, encour-

aged the sharing of resources, facilities and workload among the various agencies to maximize output. He stressed that there is need to “move beyond talking” while adding that the time has come for more young people to be trained in the sectors so as to get the “young generation involved.” Both Ministers Trotman and Broomes were particularly interested in the public perception of the gold and forestry sectors which for some time now have been

dogged by allegations of corruption. Minister Trotman pointed out that the Government is very keen in improving the gold sector and he said the notion of “managing as best as we can” needs to be removed and better needs to be done. There is a perception, the Minister added, that there is some degree of corruption within the industry “and these are some of the things that concern the Government.” “It is not good enough…” the Minister commented,

adding that changes have to take place but admitted that “it will take time.” For her part, Minister Broomes spoke on the issue of occupational, health and safety hazards- a major concern in the extractive industry. She urged that mechanisms be put in place to address these. The Minister was also concerned about the manner in which workers are treated in the mining sector. She stated that this is an issue that must be addressed by

GGMC. Also of concern to Minister Broomes were the manner which some small miners are treated and the manner in which claims are verified by the Commission which at times is disadvantageous to the small miner. “The Ministers pledged their commitment in ensuring that all of the agencies falling under their purview are improved since it is the mandate of the administration that all sectors move forward in creating a good life for all Guyanese.”

$100M Canada boost for Guyana's Criminal Justice... From page 14 reaffirmed the Government of Guyana's commitment to strengthening the administration of justice in Guyana and thanked the Government of Canada for its ongoing support. The Minister also noted that the training comes at a very opportune time when Government has undertaken to restore the rule of law, to

deliver a justice system that is impartial, accessible and accountable and to ensure that crime is solved more quickly and efficiently. “We are therefore pleased to partner with the Justice Education Society (JES) programme in Canada under the theme “Strengthening the Guyanese Criminal Justice System” in ensuring that we strengthen our capacity in solving crime by training our police prosecutors, crime scene investigators, state prosecutors, magistrates and forensic experts. “ Williams added that through intense consultation

with stakeholders and views on crime prevention, criminal investigation and case management, the Guyana /Canada continuous cooperation has contributed greatly to the development of an even closer relationship between the criminal justice administrations of our two countries, Guyana and Canada. “It is often said that economic development provides the basis for social stability, however, sustainable public peace, based on law and order, are inevitably needed to ensure the fruits of economic development. “This training will there-

fore strengthen our capacity in crime scene investigation, forensic training, training of prosecutors and ultimately solving crime in a timely manner.” Together with this common objective, Williams said that he is sure much can be done to help the government in giving the protection the people need and ensuring their safety and security. “With the initiatives that will hopefully create, and the programmes we will come up with through this activity, we shall likewise be able to contribute in preventing crime and building a society where

peace and order reign.” Poulin noted that this project is an important part of Canada's contribution to strengthening the rule of law in Guyana. While observing that access to a competent and fair justice system is a fundamental human right. Poulin reaffirmed Canada's commitment to working to strengthen national justice systems in the region, by sharing Canadian expertise, improving access to and efficiency of the justice system, and providing training and mentoring programs for both police and justice officials.

Saturday January 09, 2016

Kaieteur News

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Kaieteur News

Saturday January 09, 2016

Foreign tourists wounded in attack at Egyptian Red Sea resort Two assailants armed with a gun, a knife and a suicide belt attacked a hotel in the Egyptian Red Sea resort town of Hurghada yesterday, wounding two foreign tourists, security sources said. One of the injured was from Denmark and the other from Germany, the sources said. . They said the attackers had arrived by sea to launch the onslaught on the beachside Bella Vista Hotel, but that security forces had repelled the assault, killing the attacker wearing the suicide bomb.

However, the Interior Ministry gave a very different account, saying two assailants with knives had wounded two Austrians and a Swede. It said one of the attackers was a student from the Cairo suburb of Giza. Egypt is fighting a wave of Islamist militancy, which began as attacks on security forces in remote regions of the Sinai, but is increasingly focusing on targets previously considered safe such as the tourist resorts on the Red Sea. The Islamic State militant group said on Friday that an

attack on Israeli tourists in Cairo on Thursday had been carried out by its fighters, in response to a call by the group’s leader, Abu Bakr alBaghdadi, to target Jews “everywhere”. Security sources said those tourists were Israeli Arabs. None was hurt and Egyptian authorities said the attack was aimed at security forces. On Oct. 31, a Russian passenger plane crashed in Sinai, killing all 224 people on board, most of them tourists returning home from the Red Sea resort of Sharm al-Sheikh. Cairo says it has found no evidence of terrorism in the crash, but Russia and Western governments have said the airliner was probably brought down by a bomb, and Islamic State said it had smuggled explosives on board. Tourism is critical to the Egyptian economy as a source of hard currency, but has been ravaged by years of political turmoil since the revolution that ousted veteran president Hosni Mubarak in 2011.

Saturday January 09, 2016

Kaieteur News

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British teen found in shallow grave -Cops capture god-brother in city hotel The search for missing British teen, Dominic Bernard, came to a grisly end at around 13.30 hrs yesterday, following the discovery of his decomposed body in a shallow grave at Nurney, Corentyne Berbice. The victim was fully clothed and his body appeared to have been mutilated. The body was left overnight under guard at the scene. A postmortem is to be conducted today. Police sources said that Aaron Wilfred Hing, the victim’s god-brother and a prime suspect, was captured last night in a city hotel. He had booked into the hotel at around 17.00 hrs and was asking a staffer to borrow a cell phone when two police ranks, who had received information about his whereabouts, informed the staff that they were looking for a murder suspect. A source said that Hing attempted to slip away from the scene but one of the policemen recognized him. He was then arrested and was still being questioned at press time at CID Headquarters, Eve Leary. A second man is also in custody. Police had issued a wanted bulletin for Hing, 23, who is a

British citizen, and who had lived with Dominic Bernard’s family before coming to live in Guyana. The bulletin had given Hing’s last known address as Lot 19, Kildonan Village, Corentyne. A similar bulletin was also issued for Staymon George, who is also 23. His last known address was given as Lot 19 Charles Street, Charlestown and Kildonan Village, Corentyne. Police sources said that Dominic Bernard’s corpse was found after detectives, responding to an anonymous call, conducted a four-hour search of a desolate and bushy area some five miles off the main road at Kildonan, Corentyne. The ranks were reportedly tipped off some time on Thursday night that Dominic Bernard had been slain and his body buried in the area. They reportedly began searching the bushy terrain from as early as 08.00 hrs yesterday. There are reports that the ranks were about to give up the search when they received a second call. This caused them to intensify the search and the shallow grave, with its gruesome

Dominic Bernard remains, was eventually found. Detectives from Georgetown, including ranks from the major Crimes Unit, joined detectives from Berbice in their investigation and remained at the scene up to late yesterday evening. Indications are that the 18year-old British citizen was murdered, by persons who knew him, shortly after he arrived in Guyana. Dominic Bernard reportedly travelled to Guyana on October 14, last to meet his Godbrother, Aaron Wilfred Hing. He failed to make contact with family or friends. The teenager was scheduled

Miner refused bail for attempted murder charge Kelroy McPherson, a miner was yesterday remanded by Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court on an attempted murder charge. The 33-year-old who resides at Lot 14 Christianburg, Linden, was not required to plead to the indictable charge which stated, that on December 27 at Christianburg Linden, he unlawfully and maliciously wounded Clifton

Craig with intent to commit murder. McPherson, who was not represented by a lawyer, was remanded until January 20. The matter was transferred to the Linden Magistrates’ Court. Prosecution facts were not revealed, but Police Prosecutor Deniro Jones told the court that Craig is still hospitalized. He is currently recovering from multiple stab wounds to the head and neck.

“We understand that the invasion of Mr. Sattaur's home was not conducted by the National Police armed with a warrant for search and seizure of items from his home. This is a violation of his human rights. It was reported that the officers who went to Mr. Sattaur's home were officers of the Guyana Revenue Authority and we do not believe that they are or were legally authorized to do so.” PSC said that the searching of homes of officials of entities under investigation

Staymon George

to fly back to England on November 5, 2015. During a press conference held at Cara Lodge, the missing teen’s father, Andrew Bernard, said that his son left London to travel to Guyana on October 14, 2015 on Caribbean Airlines Limited (CAL) flight BW 903. He said that Dominic landed at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) Timehri at 21:50hrs and “has not been seen or heard from since.” He went on to say that his son is six feet tall and of medium build.

According to Mr. Bernard, Dominic was last seen wearing blue jeans and white sweatshirt with a black jacket that has leather in the middle and fabric on the arms. A photographer/film maker, the teen was also wearing a pair of white Nike sneakers and was carrying a suitcase along with one piece of hand luggage. Andrew Bernard stated that this was his son’s maiden trip to Guyana. He was supposed to be picked from the airport by his God-brother, whom he was coming to

Pork-knocker remanded for robbery with assault Yesterday a pork-knocker was remanded on a charge of robbery with assault, after he made his appearance before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court. Kevin Anthony, 28, of 193 Silver City, Linden, pleaded not guilty to the charge which stated that on January 7 at 111-Mile, he allegedly robbed

Rodney Campbell of two gold chains, one Plum cellular phone and $85,000. However, Prosecutor Deniro Jones objected to bail citing the gravity of the charge, and also that Anthony may be a flight risk since he presented conflicting addresses to the police who made the statement. Jones also told the court

that Anthony used personal violence to obtain the items. Campbell is currently in the hospital recovering from injuries sustained to his head. After hearing the prosecution facts, the Magistrate remanded the accused. The matter was transferred to Mahdia Magistrates’ Court for January 18.

Asylum seekers among suspects in Cologne’s New Year violence Kelroy McPherson

Sattaur forced confrontation with GRA... From page 3 inquiry. He has not been asked to resign and as such remains both the de jure and de facto Head of the GRA.” In the circumstances, if his electronic communication devices were required for purposes of the investigation, then the proper procedure would have entailed a request to Sattaur to hand these over to the Board, PSC said in its statement. The truth is that this was the procedure adopted.

Captured: Aaron Hing.

spend time with. Mr. Bernard stated that after his son failed to return home, he contacted his Godson who claimed that he had not seen the teen and did not even know he had travelled to Guyana. Mr. Bernard said that it was unusual for his son not to make contact with his family. He recalled that his son had travelled to Atlanta, Georgia, in the US earlier last year, and had made contact with his family as soon as he touched down there. Dominic Bernard resided in England with his parents and according to his father, he was not encountering any problems back at home. On Thursday, police, acting on reports that the missing teen had been spotted, searched locations in Berbice, Sophia and Timehri. Several CID, Intelligence and uniformed police ranks from Georgetown and Berbice, searched a house in Kildonan, Corentyne. According to reports, the house turned out to be the home of the missing teen’s best friend and god-brother, Aaron Hing.

seems to have become common practice and, “We call upon President Granger to rein in what appears, from all accounts in the public domain, to be a show of excessive enthusiasm on the part of some persons.” In recent days also, commentator Chris Ram and David Hinds also raised questions about GRA's visit, insisting that Sattaur for all purposes is still the Commissioner-General and a member of the Board of Directors. Today the GRA Board set the record straight.

(Reuters) - Nearly two dozen asylum seekers are among those suspected of involvement in mass assaults and muggings on New Year’s Eve in Cologne, officials said yesterday, intensifying a debate about Germany’s welcome for hundreds of thousands of migrants. Some 121 women are reported to have been robbed, threatened or sexually molested by gangs of men of foreign descent as revellers partied near the city’s twin-spired Gothic cathedral. The assaults have shocked many Germans and led to calls for tougher laws to punish migrants who commit crimes. Yesterday, Cologne police

chief Wolfgang Albers, who had been heavily criticism for his handling of the violence and police communications afterwards, was dismissed. Some 1.1 million migrants arrived in Germany last year, far more than in any other European country, most of them fleeing war or deprivation in the Middle East. Chancellor Angela Merkel has resisted domestic pressure to introduce a formal cap on the numbers, repeating her “We can do this” mantra to Germans. But the Cologne attacks have deepened scepticism among the population. Cologne police said yesterday that they had arrested two males aged 16 and 23 with

“North African roots” suspected of involvement in the assaults. SUSPECTS IDENTIFIED Separately, German federal police said they had identified 32 people who were suspected of playing a role in the violence, 22 of whom were in the process of seeking asylum in Germany. The federal police documented 76 criminal acts, most them involving some form of theft, and seven linked to sexual molestation. Of the 32 suspects, nine were Algerian, eight Moroccan, five Iranian, and four Syrian. Three German citizens, an Iraqi, a Serb and a U.S. citizen were also identified.

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Saturday January 09, 2016

Venezuelan socialists protest new congress’ ban on Chavez CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — Although the face of Hugo Chavez is already plastered on walls throughout much of the Venezuelan capital, the late leader’s supporters are now vowing to put up images of the “eternal commander” on every street corner. Caracas Mayor Jorge Rodriguez gave the order at a rally Thursday to protest the decision by the new opposition-controlled congress to banish from the neoclassical legislature building all images of Chavez and his mentor, independence hero Simon Bolivar. Chavistas have been enraged by a video playing nonstop on state media showing the congress’ new leader, Henry Ramos, cracking jokes while ordering workers to haul away a giant billboard of Chavez. “I don’t want to see Chavez or Maduro,” Ramos says in the video, shot from a cellphone on his first day on the job. “Take it all to Miraflores, or the trash,” he says, referring to the presidential palace. At the rally Thursday outside the National Assembly in Plaza Bolivar, hundreds of

government supporters dressed in red swore loyalty to Chavez and Bolivar. One protester dressed up as Uncle Sam pulling the strings of a cut-out Ramos. “I have to defend their honor for my children, my grandchildren and great grandchildren,” said one protester, 77-year-old Eva Prada, who held images of both Chavez and Bolivar. President Nicolas Maduro visited Chavez’s mausoleum accompanied by his newly appointed Cabinet to lend his support to the campaign. In a fiery speech before dozens of military officers, he called the removal of Bolivar’s portrait from congress the most-serious affront to the memory of “the Liberator” in the nearly 200 years since his death. He ordered that every military family be given pictures of Bolivar and Chavez to hang in their homes. “I don’t know how each of us should react, in our hearts and minds, when the entire fatherland has been undeniably desecrated,” Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino told troops at the mausoleum, which is in a historic fort atop a Caracas slum. Chavez, who died in 2013

suffering from cancer, is revered by millions of poor Venezuelans who benefited from social programs like free housing and medical attention. A stencil of his eyes, on giant red billboards and spraypainted on buildings, is the most ubiquitous image in the country. Opponents say the socialists’ outrage is being feigned to distract from the economic crisis that led to the government’s thrashing in legislative elections last month, when opposition candidates won a two-thirds majority in congress, taking control of the body for the first time in 17 years. Foes of the socialists note that while Chavez’s eyes are everywhere — providing a protective gaze or Big Brother-like dose of despotism, depending on the viewer’s political views — his chosen successor, Maduro, is rarely lionized in the same way, which they say is a reflection of growing discontent among Venezuelans. In Bolivar, however, Ramos picked on a more universally beloved figure. Among the images removed from congress is a giant reconstruction of

Government supporters gather in Bolivar Square next to an oversized portrait of Venezuela’s late President Hugo Chavez that was recently removed from the National Assembly building, in Caracas, Venezuela, Thursday. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano) Bolivar’s face based on an exhumation of his remains ordered by Chavez. The image has long stirred controversy because it was given a darker complexion that contrasts with 19th century paintings in which Bolivar is shown with more European features.

Ramos in the video says the only depiction he wants to see of Bolivar in the legislature is the “classic” one. “That’s no Simon Bolivar, it’s an invention of this man, a crazy thing,” Ramos says, referring to Chavez. Since the video went viral, Ramos has defended his

decision to clean house, saying that congress should be free of overt political symbols and that the only acceptable emblems are the nation’s flag and coat of arms — both of which Chavez changed to reflect the core values of what he dubbed his Bolivarian revolution.

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Kaieteur News

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Harden’s 33 points lead Rockets to victory The Sports Xchange James Harden tallied a gamehigh 33 points and the Houston Rockets wrangled control in the second half by quickening the tempo to surge past the Utah Jazz 103-94 on Thursday at Toyota Center. The Rockets (18-19) scored 64 second-half points while shooting 65.7 percent from the floor to erase what was once a seven-point deficit. Houston produced 12 fastbreak points following the intermission, 10 in the third quarter, to set the pace. With the Jazz (15-20) fighting to remain in contention, Harden drilled a step-back elbow jumper with 2:46 remaining before adding a driving layup with 1:51 left to keep the advantage at 96-90. He finished 13-for-25 from the floor despite missing all seven of his three-point attempts. Terrence Jones chipped in 14 points and eight rebounds, while Jason Terry and Marcus Thornton scored 12 points

apiece off the Houston bench. Harden added eight rebounds and two of the Rockets’ 11 steals. Houston scored 16 points off 19 Utah turnovers. Gordon Hayward paced the Jazz with 15 points, while Trevor Booker (12), Chris Johnson (11) and Trey Burke (10) scored in double figures off the bench. Utah dropped their third consecutive game and second to Houston this week. The Rockets perked up when Jazz guard Rodney Hood was lost to an ankle injury with 8:37 remaining in the third quarter. Hood paced Utah with 10 points at the point of his departure, and the Jazz led 48-46 after Harden scored a transition layup with Hood writhing on the floor in pain. The Rockets posted 33 points in the third quarter after scoring just 39 in the first half. Harden poured in 16 in the period and assisted Trevor Ariza for a three-

pointer after recording a block as the lone defender during a three-on-one break for the Jazz. Ariza pushed the Rockets to a 57-55 lead with 5:33 left in the period, an advantage Houston did not relinquish in the fourth quarter. The third quarter marked a departure from the Rockets’ secondquarter woes. Houston missed 17 of 24 shots in the second period and closed the half 1 for 10 from behind the arc. And while Utah stood at a deficit in paint points and failed to score in transition by the break, the Rockets’ errant shooting helped the Jazz to a 44-39 halftime lead. Utah center Rudy Gobert, making his first appearance following an 18-game injury hiatus, provided an immediate boost during his five minutes in the first quarter when the Jazz outscored Houston by 10 with Gobert on the floor. Houston led 10-2 before surrendering an 11-1 run.

Saturday January 09, 2016 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) Try a barbecue or a day at the beach. Someone you live with is ready to play emotional games. Legal matters that have been pending may be alleviated through compromise. TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20) Your ability to visualize will help you convince others of the possibilities. Your disciplined attention to jobs will enhance your position. GEMINI (May 21–June 20) Don't blame everything on your mate. If you've taken on a lot of work, be sure to leave some time for yourself and family. CANCER (June 21–July 22) You may have problems with those you live with. Your passionate mood will be well received by your mate. Try to be there for someone if they need assistance. LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) Think twice before you pursue an unrealistic endeavor. Relatives may be less than easy to deal with. VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) Sudden disruptions will cause upset and a change of routine in your home environment. Watch for empty promises that may give you false hope.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) This may not be the time to lend or borrow. Problems with financial investments could make you nervous. SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) Don't let friends convince you that you should contribute to something you don't believe in. Someone may be trying to damage your reputation. SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) The existing problems must be dealt with one way or another. You are best to move quickly and to get in good with the boss. CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19) You can make a huge difference to children if you are able to put yourself in their shoes. You should be on the road. Your emotional partner may make you angry today. AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) You can travel for business or pleasure. You have a lot to offer. You will have a problem dealing with groups. PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) Don't forget to read the fine print. You can make extra cash by moonlighting. They will jump at the chance to do something without you if it sounds like more fun.

Houston Rockets guard James Harden (13) drives as he splits the defense of Utah Jazz forward Chris Johnson (23) and guard Raul Neto (25). USA TODAY Sports

Adams blasts ton, Hussain grabs... (From page 29) Omesh XI batted first and made 152-4 in 10 overs (Adams 88) Settle XI replied with 158-3 in 9.5 overs (Ameer Nizamuddin 71 and Diaram Persaud 44. Wolf ’s Warriors destroyed Brickery All Stars XI by 10 wkts: Brickery All Stars XI made to 46-6 in 10 overs with Kevin Oxford taking 3-4. Wolf’s Warriors replied with 47-0 in 2 overs with Lincoln Leander slamming six sixes in one over in his 45 out of the 47 to win. Wolf’s Warriors ended Settle XI unbeaten run by defeating them by 7 wkts: Settle XI made 95-6 with Safraz Karim taking 3-12. In reply Wolf’s Warriors made 96-3 in 7.2 overs (Riaz Karim 37 n.o) Brickery All Stars XI defeated Zeeburg Warriors XI by 6 runs:

GCC, Blairmont clash.... (From page 30) Guyana Sugar Corporation, who has authority over the ground, before naming the pavilion after Fredericks. Both entities approved the request. Blairmont will depend on the likes of ex-Windies fast bowler Brandon Bess, Parmanand Ramdhan, Waqar Hassan, and leg-spinner Kevon Jawahir while GCC will look to Jeetendra Sookdeo, left-arm spinners Raj Nanan and Anthony Adams, Devon Lord and Joshua Wade. Admission to the venue is free, and trophies for the game have been provided by Berbice Bridge Company Inc., Baksh Travel Service, Big B Restaurant and Greens Massive.

Brickery All Stars XI made 121-4 in 10 overs Kevin Kanhai 49 and Anil Mangar 41. In reply, Zeeburg Warriors scored 115-3 in 10 overs (Zaman Baskh 55). Activities on January 23 include entertainment with Chow POW, Kool Boyz and Granny Ivelaw among the artistes. In addition Slingerz sound system will feature alongside Hi- Five, while

children’s, Ring and other games for the families will also feature at the venue. The one ball manto which carries a grand prize of $60,000 will be played in between the games. All cricket lovers are invited and tickets cost $300 and $500 and two winning tickets will be drawn randomly with the lucky person getting cell phones from Mobile Wizards.

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Saturday January 09, 2016

Mark Cavendish targets Waites defeats top seed Durrant triple success in 2016 BDO World Championships

Scott Waites produced another stunning comeback to defeat top seed Glen Durrant and reach the last four of the BDO World Championships. Durrant looked certain to progress when, while leading 4-2, he took a two-leg lead in the seventh set. But 2013 champion Waites, who fought back from 3-0 down to beat Geert de Vos 4-3 in round two, took the final three sets without reply. Jamie Hughes beat Wesley Harms 5-1 and will meet Waites in the last four. Middlesbrough’s Durrant, who had not dropped a set in his first two matches, lost to Waites despite hitting 12 maximum 180s in their lasteight tie. Durrant missed six darts to break the throw in a

Scott Waites nervy second leg of the decider, and after Waites landed double nine, he raced clear to secure a semi-final spot. Hughes had been first to reach the last four, averaging more than 94 in a convincing

victory over Dutch fifth seed Harms. Defending champion Scott Mitchell plays Richard Veenstra in Friday’s late session, while Dennis Harbour faces Canada’s Jeff Smith. (BBCsport)

Coe could have pushed for IAAF reform years ago: investigator The head of an investigation that found high-level corruption in international athletics has accused Sebastian Coe, leader of the sport’s world governing body, of missing opportunities to push reform “a long time ago” when he was vice-president. Dick Pound authored a World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) independent commission report that exposed a state-sponsored culture of doping in Russia and shook the athletics world. The second part of the report, due next Thursday, is expected to focus on the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) that Coe heads. Coe was not immediately available for comment on Pound’s accusation, but a Dutch IAAF Council member said he had played a major part in exposing the problems faced by the sport. Pound accused Coe, successor to Lamine Diack who is now under French police investigation on suspicion of corruption, and then-fellow vice-president Sergey Bubka of worsening the situation at IAAF by failing to take prompt action. ”Coe and Bubka were there (as vice-presidents to Diack),” Pound told the British Times newspaper. “It’s easy enough if you want to get a governance review. They had a (19th-century) constitution in a 21st-century organization. ”They had an opportunity a long time ago to address issues of governance, and you saw from the International Olympic Committee what happens if you don’t do that,” he told the Times. The

Sebastian Coe. Reuters/ Jean-Pierre Amet International Olympic Committee was embroiled in a corruption scandal in the 1990s involving, among other things, influence-peddling and gifts by cities bidding for the Games. DOPE TEST RESULTS HIDDEN Two top Russian athletics officials and the son of Diack were banned from athletics for life on Thursday for covering up an elite Russian athlete’s positive dope test and blackmailing her over it. Officials have said the scandal may spread to other countries and other sports. The IAAF corruption inquiry, focusing on the suppression of positive doping results in return for payments by athletes, coincides with a corruption scandal in world soccer body FIFA. Dutch IAAF Council member Sylvia Barlag defended Coe’s role. ”Seb championed the establishment of the Ethics Commission and Code on the IAAF Council,” she said. “Without the independent

commission the IAAF would not have had the mechanisms in place to investigate these matters which resulted in the sanctions which were delivered yesterday.” Coe has said his vicepresident role was minimal and for a long period took a back seat to organizing the 2012 Olympics. “I was aware we had a problem, but the specific numbers, I did not,” he told a British Parliamentary Committee last month. Earlier this week Coe published his “road map” for the future of athletics which included a radical overhaul of the IAAF’s internal operations which he promised would result in greater accountability, transparency and communications. Coe said when the doping scandal broke with a German television report of misconduct within IAAF that the investigation could stir a witchhunt that could ensnare clean athletes. Pound rejected this suggestion. ”If the IAAF does not acknowledge it had a problem, then it will be hard to put in place the changes they need to make,” Pound said. “With very few exceptions, I have not seen international sports federation presidents so involved in corruption, as opposed to moving money around like the FIFA boys. ”In a sense, this is worse. This gets down to affecting the outcome on the field of play. It’s about the integrity of competition.” The doping scandal has thrown doubt over the award of some medals in international competition in recent years. (Reuters)

Mark Cavendish is targeting the yellow jersey in the Tour de France, an Olympic medal and victory in the World Road Championships in 2016. The British cyclist, 30, has been training on both road and track this winter before a busy year. ”If I don’t win any of them it is not a failure because they are the biggest things you can do in cycling,” Cavendish told BBC Sport. “If I won one I’d be happy but I’ll try to win all three.” Cavendish, who will ride for Team Dimension DataQhubeka, was speaking in Manchester, where he has been training at the Velodrome. ”I’ve been mixing road and track,” he added. “I’ve been doing more specific track stuff. “I don’t know how that is going to affect my road racing. I could be flying, I could be catastrophic, I could be indifferent. I don’t really know - we will have to see when I get racing.” Cavendish, who is hoping to earn a place in the omnium for Great Britain at the Rio Olympics, will compete at the

Mark Cavendish next round of the Track World Cup in Hong Kong on 16-17 January. ”If I don’t do anything in Hong Kong you won’t be talking to me about the Olympics,” added Cavendish. The Manxman has not won an Olympic medal and faces competition from Ed Clancy and Jon Dibben for the omnium place. British track coach Heiko Salzwedel told the Times: “Cavendish has to deliver in Hong Kong, full stop. I can’t

think of sentiment. “We have a luxury problem. Three world-class omnium riders fighting for one spot. It’s probably easier to win the Olympics than win selection.” The Tour de France starts on 2 July with a flat stage that will suit the sprinters, and Cavendish is hoping to win that stage to claim the yellow jersey. The Olympics start in Rio on 5 August, and the World Road Championships take place in Doha, Qatar in October. (BBCsport)

Letter to the Sports Editor

The Integrity of Football Administration Dear Sir, In extending a Happy, Healthy, Prosperous and Progressive New Year; filled with the blessing of the Eternal and Everlasting Father; God Almighty”, it’s my sincere desire that the recently elected executive of the Guyana Football Federation, which to date has not extended its best wishes for the New Year, publicly to the sport’s various stakeholders, but in the electronic age of emailing, probably this was done. Unlike my time within Georgetown, Christmas Cards were delivered to Affiliates, Referees Association and the GFF. Meanwhile, for 2016 mistakes of the past (last year) are not repeated, more so, in relation to associations hosting end of the year tournaments, suffice it to say that it must be included in the Annual Calendar of activities, which must be submitted to the GFF within a specific timeframe. Since in further “Developing and Promoting, the sport of Association Football”, remains compatible with “coordinating various competitions/tournaments, within

the respective divisions”. Would it be prudent to have absolutely nothing, or a token few then year-end, it’s all about money? While the paying public is shortchanged with quality play! That aside, once again the “clarion call” for Elite League players to be included as loan players, for the various clubs domestically, in the respective associations; whereas, i.e. a sponsored club, in pursuit of winning and can afford recruiting overseas based players, can go that route without breaching any rules. And locally, Elite League players are relegated to “glorified onlookers”. Finally, “fielding an ineligible player” as what had occurred with Mahaica Determinators, in the recently concluded EBFA/Stag Beer Super XVI KO, wherein the player, who is on the roster of Monedderlust, an Elite League Club, played in the semifinals. With a “written protest” being submitted, Mahaica lost by default. Did it occur elsewhere and a fine was instituted, which in the process, comprising the integrity of the sport’s administration! As a

consequence the Determinators should have been debarred from further participation with Victoria Kings automatically being awarded the third place. With the fourth place prize money in the coffers of the organiser, maybe as an incentive the Kings could have played the losing quarterfinalist that Mahaica had defeated, for a 60-40% split, of the fourth place prize money. Interestingly, had the Kings lost and subsequently filed a protest or played under protest, what would have been the organisers’ response? Editor, this is why it’s extremely important for debriefing, prior to the commencement. By the way was “levy fees” imposed, or was there a waiver? Nevertheless, my congratulations to the winners, to the losers, better luck next time around, to the defaulters and compromisers of the sport’s integrity administratively. “For Good of the Game and Love of the World, Fair Play Please, Always”! Respectfully Yours, Lester Sealey.

Saturday January 09, 2016

Kaieteur News

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Australia push for No. 1 with little prep time Australia captain Steven Smith and his deputy David Warner will expect their team to adapt to New Zealand conditions without the assistance of a tour match as preparation, for a series in which the visitors can claim the No. 1 Test ranking. Much was made of the poor preparation granted to both New Zealand and West Indies on their visits to Australia this summer - Brendon McCullum’s side was humbugged by a Blacktown pitch they deemed unplayable, while Jason Holder’s team had only one warm-up match in Brisbane before being badly beaten in Hobart. Australia’s trip across the Tasman has an even skimpier lead-in. A Sheffield Shield match between New South Wales and Western Australia is set to be played in Lincoln near Christchurch to afford adaptation opportunities for some members of the Test squad. However, Smith and Warner are among those set to be

occupied by the concurrent ODI series that precedes the Tests, and Smith said he expected his players to find other ways to adapt. ”There’s a lot of ways where you can replicate what you’re going to get,” Smith said. “You can get soft balls and get them to swing, you can bat on grass against spinners for subcontinent where the ball does unpredictable things, so things like that where you can work on what you’re likely to face and try to find a way to be successful against it. ”I’ve had a few chats about it to some of the boys. I think when you’re under pressure you go back to what you know. I think that can hurt you a little bit sometimes away from home, I think you almost have to find another way to do things, whether that be playing in England and New Zealand making sure you’re playing under your eyes ... that’s one thing I’ve spoken about to a few of the boys.

”We’ve always played quite well at home but the challenge for us is to make sure we’re winning series away from home, and that starts with a tough series for us in New Zealand. Hopefully we can adapt to the conditions we’re going to be faced with in New Zealand, I dare say they’re going to have a bit of grass on them and they’re going to swing a little bit so we’re going to have to be better than we have been previously on those sorts of wickets, hopefully we can adapt well.” A win over New Zealand away - something Australia have achieved in every attempt since a drawn series in 1993 would propel Smith’s team to the top of the ICC rankings, provided England defeat South Africa in the series they presently lead 1-0. In the case of a drawn series between those two countries, Australia could claim top spot by defeating New Zealand 2-0. The stakes are high. When asked whether he would prefer to play in the

Steven Smith

Shield match rather than the ODI series as a better way to get used to New Zealand climes, Warner said it was important Australia played their strongest side in the 50-over matches. At the forefront of his mind was Australia’s loss to New Zealand at a raucous Eden Park during last year’s World Cup. ”We’re trying to win series for our country,” Warner said. “The one-day series is going to be obviously the first thing we play over there and

Defensive-minded Bulls top Celts for sixth in a row The Sports Xchange - The Chicago Bulls are becoming an offensive juggernaut but they are quick to credit their defense for a season-high sixgame winning streak and a rapid rise up the NBA’s scoring rankings. Once again the Bulls created an offensive surge by playing better defense in a 101-92 victory against the Boston Celtics on Thursday at the United Center. Trailing 43-33 late in the second quarter, Chicago outscored Boston 15-4 in the final four minutes to grab a 48-47 halftime lead and roll to a comfortable win. Butler and Pau Gasol each had double-doubles to lead the Bulls (22-12), who had six players score in double figures — including all five starters. Butler had 19 points and 10 assists, while Gasol totaled 17 points and 18 rebounds for his 19th double-double this season. The Celtics (19-17) were coached by assistant Jay Larranaga while head coach Brad Stevens visited Andrew Smith, a former player of his from Butler University who is hospitalized in Indiana with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Larranaga, 40, got his first taste of running an NBA bench after joining the Celtics in 2012 as an assistant. “Brad always says that the focus is

we’re going to try and set out to win that. I look back at Eden Park during the World Cup and we were quite poor there. That’s something we’ve got to try and be better at winning away from home. We’re definitely going to put our best team on the park. ”It’s going to be not too dissimilar to England I think. It’s going to be swinging conditions but I think the wickets are probably going to be a bit greener. We saw the wicket against Sri Lanka where it was sort of green day one, day two then actually flattened out a little bit. I think it spun from memory. ”We’ve got to go over there and play with the same intent we do here in Austra-

lia. We know the swinging conditions are probably going to favour them a little bit more than us. We’ve got to be on top of our game to beat them over there at their home.” Warner joined the Australian ODI squad that flew to Perth yesterday ahead of the five-match series against India, though his wife Candice is nearly due to give birth to their second child. “Fingers crossed it comes when it’s due,” Warner said. “That’s later towards the end of this month. I’m just looking forward to playing the first couple of one-dayers and obviously I’ll be by the phone waiting for that phone call.” (ESPNcricinfo)

Letter to the Sports Editor

Cricketers must be Committed

Chicago Bulls guard Jimmy Butler (21) drives to the basket against Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart (36) during the second half. Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports to win the next game, one possession at a time, and that’s really how I approached it,” said Larranaga. ”I was obviously thinking about Brad and wanting to represent him well and our players ... wanting to do right by them.” Seven Celtics players finished with double-digit points, including all five starters. Jae Crowder (17 points) and Kelly Olynyk (16 points) led the way for Boston, who have dropped their last two games and four of their past

five. Chicago got additional double-digit scoring from Derrick Rose (18 points), Nikola Mirotic (11 points), Taj Gibson (10 points) and Tony Snell (10 points). All six of the Bulls’ wins in the streak have come against Eastern Conference opponents, and Chicago improved to 13-8 against the East. Isaiah Thomas (14 points), Jared Sullinger (13 points), Amir Johnson (12 points), Evan Turner (10 points) and

Marcus Smart (10 points) also reached double figures for the Celtics. The Bulls, who came into the game ranked ninth in the NBA with an average of 102.2 points a game, scored 100-plus points in their ninth straight outing. Boston used an early 123 run to spark a 27-21 lead after the first and led for most of the second quarter. It did not hold up, as the Bulls turned up the heat defensively to seize the lead by halftime and keep going.

Dear Editor, I read in various sections of the media that explosive batsman Jonathan Foo should have been included in the Guyana Jaguars NAGICO Super50 squad. I follow my cricket closely and must commend the selectors and the Guyana Cricket Board for their recent success at all levels. Mr. Foo performed credible with the bat and if performance in the recent local Franchise League was used, he should have been selected; at least in front of non-performers. However, I recently learnt that Mr. Foo was an Academy player contracted by the Guyana Cricket Board and he abandoned his contract last year without giving a reason.

He simply did not turn up for practice. I also learnt that the last time Mr. Foo was selected in the NAGICO Super50 squad, he was ill for the entire tournament, “home sick” it was described to be. Editor, I fully support the notion that players should be selected on performance but commitment, fitness, discipline and working as a team must also be components to complete a player’s right to selection. I am sure the selectors of our national squad have an unenviable task but on this one, I do support their final 14. Mr. Jonathan Foo needs to show commitment. Yours sincerely, Anand Dyal

Mix Up, Scramblers register... (From pagw 28) and Ken Wahl 14 for Specialist while Colin Boyce and Paul Henry got 15 apiece for Hotshot. Meanwhile, Organising Secretary of the Georgetown Dominoes Association Mark Wiltshire will be hosting a tournament tomorrow at Whitee Sports Bar, 22 Best Road, West Demerara. Action gets underway at 14:00hrs and entrance fee is $10,000. The winning team will pocket

a trophy and $100,000 while the runner up will receive $50,000 and third place $30,000. Among the teams slated to take part are TNT, Turning Point, Phantom, Gangster, C Point, Saddam, Spartons, Renegade, OPKO, Rage, Transport SC, West Side and Frankies. There will also be a pool competition; entrance fee is $2,000. For more information teams can make contact with Wiltshire on 665 5855.

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Saturday January 09, 2016

GABA League semis BVA season serves off continues tonight at CASH today at Blairmont

The Georgetown Amateur Basketball Association (GABA) has indicated that the match-ups for the Division I and Under-23 titles are decided with just two games remaining in ‘regular season’. The GABA League had taken a break for the Christmas Season. In the Division I, Dyna’s Ravens will play Bounty Colts in one of the semi-finals tomorrow night while Plaisance Guardians take on University of Guyana Trojans in the other semi-finals tonight in the featured game at the Cliff Anderson Sports

Hall. It is not sure who national forward, Akeem Kanhai will suit up for in the semis since he plays on both UG and Ravens teams, an anomaly that needs correction. However, Quincy Easton and the Trojans are playing in their first Division I Final Four. It will be an uphill task for them against Nikkoloi Smith and Guardians. Interestingly, Pacesetters who are the current National Champions, will not play for the GABA Division I title, giving way to two Final Four newcomers, UG and Guardians.

In the Division II competition, Eagles will take on Patriots while the night gets underway with a Pacesetters vs Ravens U-23 semi-final tonight. The first U-23 semi-finals, which brought Eagles and Colts together was played last night at the same venue. Republic Bank Nets and Knights will contest a Division II semi-final tomorrow night. The finals of the League are slated for next week. The GABA said in a press release yesterday that all finals will be contested in a best-in-three format.

The Berbice Volleyball Association (BVA) is set to serve off 2016 season today with the staging of the Ashwell ‘Pumpkin’ Mohabir Open one-day competition at the Blairmont No2 ground, West Bank Berbice beginning at 10:00hrs. Prizes, trophies and other

memorabilia will be at stake for the winning and runnerup teams as well as outstanding individual players including the best setter, best spiker, most discipline team and the best uniformed team. Among the teams set to compete are Port Mourant Training Centre 1, 2, & 3, Port

Mourant Jaguars, Strikers, Albion United, Tain Humanitarian, Corriverton Jets, No 52 Survival and Port Mourant Jaguars. Two female teams have also been entered, Black Birds Volleyball Club and Corriverton. Competition will be in the senior, females and junior categories.

RHTY&SC host successful Christmas Village/Christmas Charity Programmes

The truth will come out one way or the other By Rawle Welch After many years of silence and cover-ups, the international sports landscape is experiencing a major shakeup thanks to US Attorney General Loretta Lynch and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). Lynch, who has been responsible for massive investigations of fraud within the powerful FIFA displayed marvelous courage in bringing down some of the most influential and powerful administrators in the Sport including its President Sepp Blatter and many of his loyal lieutenants. WADA on the other hand recently revealed the findings of its investigations into doping scandals involving the powerful Russia which has resulted in the country’s immediate suspension from world athletics that could also affect its participation at this year’s Olympics in Rio. The results have implicated three major figures in

the sport including the son of former President of the International Association of Athletics (IAAF) Lamine Diack and two Russian officials who were all slapped with life bans. In the football arena, Blatter, former Presidential aspirant Michel Platini, General Secretary Jerome Valcke, CONCACAF President Jeffrey Webb are among the ‘big’ names to suffer at the hands of the US Attorney General’s actions and the FIFA Ethics Committee respectively for suspected corrupt activities stemming from lengthy investigations. These examples of justice being served should be a wakeup call for local officials who believe that they can act with impunity and escape punishment. Lynch has demonstrated that the long arm of the law can reach across nations and it would not be surprising if the tentacles of her entity reach the shores of this nation. The football arena has

long been the subject of corruption and those who held the reins of power patently failed to address certain pertinent issues in relation to the sport’s governance both in terms of finance and administration and perhaps it will take the presence of Lynch’s staffers to let us know the real facts. We can no longer depend on inconclusive audits that are happy to report the absence of pertinent information, but rather the forensic investigation of a credible organisation that cannot be easily compromised. For a small country that plays very little football internationally, the debt burden is unbelievable and while several audits have been conducted, the conclusions seem just as unbelievable as the stated liability. The truth will come out one way or the other and when it does it will be a day that local fans of the sport had hoped for, for years.

GCB extends condolences to Chandrika on the passing of his father The executive and staff of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) have extended condolences to Guyana and West Indies player Rajendra

Chandrika on the passing of his father Baljit Chandrika earlier this week. In a release the GCB noted that it is never easy to lose a

Mix Up, Scramblers register wins Mix Up and Scramblers recorded victories when the Faye Joseph free-entry dominoes tournament continued on Wednesday night at Gaulding Place, South Ruimveldt. Mix Up chalked up 70 games to beat C Point 67 and Spartons 55. Andrea Foo and Ganesh Sankar scored 16 each for the winners while Oswald Clavis got 16 and

Colin Mc Ewan 15 for the runner up team. Spartons leading players were Rawl Peters with 17 and Linden Bowman 1 4 . Scramblers marked 75 games to win their encounter ahead of Specialist on 70 and Hotshot 69. Basil Bradshaw made 16 for Scramblers; Andrew Mendonca scored 16 (Continued on page 27)

loved one, especially a parent. “Rajendra was very close to his father and looked up to him for guidance and support. We share his pain and grief and extend our most heartfelt sympathy for his loss. Our thoughts and prayers are with him and his family during this difficult time and we wish him peace, comfort and courage to face the days ahead.” The has urged young Chandrika to keep the memories of his father alive by continuing to progress in the sport. “His father was his biggest fan and was proud of his achievements. Remain committed to the sport and forge ahead in the future,” the release concluded.

First Lady Mrs. Sandra Granger flicks the switch to turn on the lights for the Christmas Village. At left is Minister of Tourism Ms Cathy Hughes. The eight cricket teams of Guyana‘s leading youth and sports organisation, the Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club from December 20-24, 2015 successfully hosted Berbice’s first ever Christmas Village in the compound of the Rose Hall Town Primary School. The historic event was a joint effort between the Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club, its cricket teams - Rose Hall Town Farfan & Mendes Under-15, Bakewell Under-17 and Second Division, Pepsi Under-19 and Intermediate, Metro Female and Gizmos & Gadgets Under-21 and First Division and the Ministry of Tourism. Thousands of Berbicians visited the Village and for many children it was a first time experience. The club’s Secretary/ CEO, Hilbert Foster described the Christmas Village as challenging but said it was a huge success as they achieved all of objectives. The Village, Foster stated allowed many to experience the old tradition of celebrating Christmas in a peaceful and respectful manner with the birth of Jesus being the main theme. The entire compound of the Rose Hall Town Primary School was transformed into a dreamland with Christmas characters, fairy lights and children characters. The Village also included the Nativity Scene, Santa, his sleigh and reindeers, a 20 feet locally made Christmas Tree with plastic bottles, Christmas

games and fun park, a very popular Horror House, Computer games section, a photo studio and food booths. First Lady Mrs. Sandra Granger and Minister of Tourism Ms Cathy Hughes were present at the opening of the Village and both hailed the Club for its vision of hosting. Foster expressed gratitude to the Ministry of Tourism, Ministry of Culture, the Central Corentyne Chamber of Commerce, Nand Persaud Co. Ltd, Gizmos & Gadgets, Bakewell, Scotia Bank, Edward B. Beharry, the Ministry of Education, Region 6 Regional Democratic Council, Rainbow Signs, Rose Hall Town Primary School, “B” Division of the Guyana Police Force, Guyana Fire Service, Berbice Division of the Guyana Prison Service, Poonai Drugs Store, Balram Shane Store, Décor Gift Gallery, China Trading, Guyana Beverage Company, National Communication Network and Berbice Regional Health Authority for their support of the Christmas Village and announced that the event would be an annual one by the Club. This would be undertaken by the Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club, based on the response from the general public who all expressed pleasure that families were able to enjoy Christmas in a special way. Meanwhile, the Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club was also able to successfully complete its annual multi-million dollar Charity

Programmes despite having to host the Christmas Village. This year’s programmes included sharing toys to 1500 less fortunate Children, 300 food hampers to less fortunate families, clothing to children, general feeding of the poor programmes, visits to Children and Senior Citizens homes in Berbice among others. The main objectives of the programmes were to make positive difference in the lives of others during the festive season. Foster praised his fellow executives, members of the cricket teams and the Club’s Over-35 Section for their hard work and dedication towards making all the plans for the season a reality. The Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club would like to express gratitude to all the major sponsors of its 2015 Christmas Charity Programme especially the Bank of Nova Scotia, H.A. Snacks Co. Ltd, Toucan Industries, Busta, Sueria Inc, DDl, Edward B. Beharry Co. Ltd, Impression, Starr Computers, Ansa Mcal Trading, Namilco, Fitness Express, F & H Printery, De Sinco Trading, H.A Nauth, Narine’s Trading, the Gift centre, Tiger’s Sports Len’s Craft, Woodpecker’s Sports, Kanhai’s Electrical, Gizmos & Gadgets, Farfan & Mendes Ltd, Sentinel Security, Guyana Lottery Company, Bermudez, China’s Trading, Bounty Farm Ltd, A. M Khan and John Lewis Styles among numerous others.

Saturday January 09, 2016

Kaieteur News

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Mobile Wizard 10/10 Cricket

Grove Hi-Tech rewarded for Adams blasts ton, Hussain grabs 7 in defending Stag Beer Super XV1 title

7 balls; Quarterfinals set for Jan. 23 Ricardo Adams scored the first century while Shazim Hussain captured seven wickets in seven balls as the Mobile Wizard 10/10 Softball Cricket tournament organized by the Guyana Softball League and s p o n s o r e d b y Wo l f ’s Furniture Store, Trophy Stall, Rohan’s Furniture Establishment and Miss Love Trading enjoyed its most entertaining weekend. The weekend saw10 matches on two grounds as Speedboat SC maintained their unbeaten run, while Wolf’s Warriors and Cross breed Warriors also won their games to advance to the quarterfinals which are set for January 23 at Zeeburg Ground where a hardball 10/10 will be played before the quarterfinals are contested. AT THE LEONORA PRIMARY SCHOOL GROUND: Speedboat SC mauled Leonora Youths by 7 wkts: Leonora Youths made 50 in 8.1 overs with Hussain taking 3-12 including a hattrick. Speedboat SC replied with 52-3 in three overs with

Ricardo Adams Ganesh Narine making 25 from seven balls. Crossbreed Warriors defeated MMZ XI by 6 wickets: MMZ were limited to 89 all out in 9.3 overs with Sunil Boodhoo slamming 42 off 1 5 b a l l s a n d Ye z i m M o h amed mak in g 2 8 . Anthony Arjune (3-5) bowled well for Crossbreed Warriors who made 94-6 in 7 overs with Arjune scoring 20. Speedboat SC demolished Vipers XI by four wkts: Vipers XI made 82 all out in 9.5 overs with Hussain

taking a helmet-trick on his way to 4-7 off two overs. Speedboat SC replied with 88-6 in 8.3 overs with Greg Singh making 21. Vi p e r s X I c r u s h e d Superstreet XI by 41 runs: Vipers made 93 all out in 9.3 overs as Rohit Khan (329) was the best bowler, while Superstreet Reloaded fell for 52 in 8.3 overs with Arif Hussain taking 3-12. Crossbreed Warriors XI defeated Irfaan XI by 4 wkts: Irfaan XI made 65 all out in 9.2 overs as Jitendra Kishore made 30. Crossbreed Warriors replied 67-6 in 4.3 overs with Rayon Sookram contributing 22. IN OTHER RESULTS: AT THE RUBY GROUND: Adams clobbered nine sixes and a four in an unbeaten 109 before blasting 88 as Omesh X1 defeated Zeeburg Warriors by 58 runs but lost to Settle XI by 7 wkts. Omesh XI 165-3 in 10 overs (Adams 109 n.o). Zeeburg Warriors 107-6 in 10 overs (Zaman Baskh 35). Settle XI defeated Omesh XI by 7 wkts: (Continued on page 25)

Grove Hi-Tech FC of East Bank Demerara were yesterday rewarded for successfully defending their Stag Beer Super XVI football title January 1, 2016 at the Golden Grove ground. The team received a trophy and $1.5m at a simple presentation ceremony held yesterday at Ansa McAl h e a d o f f i c e , Beterverwagting, East Coast Demerara where the runner up, third and fourth placed teams as well as the c o m p e t i t i o n ’s B e s t Goalkeeper, Most Valuable Player and Highest Goal Scorers were also rewarded. Grove Hi-Tech defeated A n n ’s G r o v e o f E a s t Demerara 2-1 on sudden death penalty kicks after regulation and extra time failed to separate them. The second edition of the tournament featured sixteen teams from East Bank, East D e m e r a r a a n d We s t Demerara Football Associations. Ann’s Grove pocketed a trophy and $500,000 while Vi c t o r i a K i n g s w h o overcame Mahaica Determinators 4-3 on penalties in the third place match took home a trophy

Stag Super XVI 2nd edition MVP Lloyd Matthews receives his trophy from Ms. Yussuf of Ansa McAl. a n d $ 3 0 0 , 0 0 0 ; Determinators received a trophy and $200,000. Michael Matthews of Grove Hi-Tech was given the Best Goalkeeper prize while his teammate Lloyd ‘Badai’ Matthews carted off the M o s t Va l u a b l e P l a y e r accolade. Alden Lawrence of Victoria FC, Junior Whitrite and Esan Nelson both of Bearers FC were the tournament’s top goalscorers with three each. Speaking at the ceremony, Public Relations Officer Dharshanie Yusuf lauded the organisers for a

successful tournament and pledged their continued support. She added that their aim is to lay a solid foundation for football so that it can be played at a higher level. Yusuf stated that she is pleased with the talent and congratulated Grove Hi-Tech on their victory. President of the East Bank Football Association Franklin Wilson thanked Ansa McAl for their support as well as the players and clubs adding that he is happy Ansa McAl has committed to sponsor the tournament yet again.

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Kaieteur News

GCA had a fruitful 2015

Saturday January 09, 2016

WICB retains 15 players for the rest of the year

Members of the victorious DCC team. By Zaheer Mohamed The Georgetown Cricket Association had a commendable 2015. Despite a number of challenges including the availability of grounds, the association successfully staged a number of competitions at various levels. Demerara Cricket Club, Georgetown Cricket Club, Everest and University of Guyana were the dominant teams. DCC captured the Brain Street U15 and Carib Beer T20 Titles, while GCC won the 2014/2015 Hadi’s World Inc City Mall first division two-day and New Building Society second division 40-over tournaments. University of Guyana gained first division status after winning the Noble House Sea Foods second division two-day competition. BRAIN STREET U15 Demerara Cricket Club (DCC) defeated Guyana National Industrial Corporation (GNIC) by 4 wickets to win the Brain Street final at DCC. GNIC managed 82, batting first while DCC responded with 82-6. DCC owed much of their success to their bowlers; Sagar Hathiramani (3-9), Ronnell Brandis (2-7) and Timothy Mc Almont (221). DCC also won the league phase while GNIC took the runner up spot.

Notable performances came from Mc Almont with a highest score of 99, Joel Spooner of Transport SC 15 wickets, Raymond Perez of DCC 275 runs, Colin Barlow of TSC who had 610 and Bhaskar Yadram the MVP (146 runs and 13 wickets). BANKS MALTA U13 Everest Cricket Club overcame Gandhi Youth Organisation (GYO) by 41 runs in the Banks Malta Supreme U-13 final at the Malteenoes Sports Club (MSC). Everest posted 2512, taking first strike in 25 overs. GYO replied with 210-8. Several players were rewarded for their outstanding performances during the tournament; Mootoo won the MVP of the final and the best bowler accolades, Narendra Persaud took the best batsman in the final award, Gardener was named the best fielder, Adrian Hinds of Transport Sports Club (TSC) won the prizes for the highest individual score (49*), leading batsman (167) and best all-rounder, while Ronaldo Fredericks of TSC received the trophy for taking the best bowling figure (5-5). NBS 40-OVER Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) were crowned champions of the New Building Society (NBS) second division 40-over

NAGICO Super 50 Matches on today Group A Jamaica Scorpions Vs ICC Americas Venue: UWI Spec - 09:00:00 Local T&T Red Force Vs Barbados Pride Venue: Queen’s Park Oval - 09:00:00 Local Group B Leeward Islands Hurricanes Vs Guyana Jaguars Venue: Warner Park - 13:30:00 Local Windward Islands Volcanoes Vs Combined Campuses & Colleges Venue: St Paul’s - 09:00:00 Local

competition - they defeated Transport Sports Club (TSC) by 159 runs in the final at Malteenoes Sports Club. GCC were led to 2676, batting first. Ellon Fernandes was their leading batsman with 71 while Martin Pestano Belle got 64 and Oslyn Batson had 3-38. TSC folded for 108 in 30.2 overs in reply. Ronaldo Mohamed, Deonarine Seegobin and Devon Lord snared three wickets each. Outstanding performances in the competition came from DCC’s Antonell Atwell (7-35), Charwayne McPherson (317 runs) and Dwayne Peters (182). McPherson and Richard Latif were voted the MVPs in zone A and B respectively. NOBLE HOUSE SEA FOODS SECOND DIVISION University of Guyana (UG) came from behind to beat Transport Sports Club (TSC) by one wicket in an exciting final at MSC. UG trailed by 109 runs on first innings, but Omesh Danram led his team to the title with a polished 87. TSC scored 287, batting first before restricting UG for 176. TSC were bowled out for 126 in their second innings to lead by 235. With only a minimum of 45 overs remaining on the final day, UG won the game in the final over for the loss of nine wickets. They were largely indebted to Danram who anchored the innings with sensible batting. The competition top performers were Gavin Sookdeo of Everest (7-16 vs G N I C ) b e s t b o w l e r, Khemraj Ramdeen of Everest (161 no vs GNIC) batsman with the highest score, Trevon France of GYO (25) most wickets, Dennis Squires of DCC (290) most runs, Adrian Hinds of TSC (11) most dismissals by a w i c k e t k e e p e r. Tr e v o n France (zone A) and

Ramdeen (zone B) were the MVPs. HADI’S WORLD INC CITY MALL TWO-DAY Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) amassed 154 points to win this tournament, while Demerara Cricket Club and Malteenoes Sports Club finished second and third on 148 and 131 points respectively after eightround of matches. Raj Nanan of GCC who finished with 48 wickets at an average of 5.25 and made 140 runs was voted the MVP, while Christopher Barnwell with 605 runs including three centuries at an average of 100.8 and 11 wickets was the best allr o u n d e r. C h a r w a y n e McPherson of Transport SC took the best fielder award. Other outstanding performers were Tagenarine Chanderpaul of Everest with 524 runs including two hundreds with his best being 179 against GCC; he averaged 131. Brain Sattaur of DCC notched up the highest score 189 versus Gandhi Youth O r g a n i s a t i o n . Kevin Ross of TSC claimed 26 scalps. Nanan registered the best bowling figure in the tournament 13-37 versus MSC; he also took 11-96 against GYO, while DCC’s Paul Wintz had 10-55 against GYO. CARIB BEER T20 Host DCC overcame GCC in the final by 30 runs. DCC posted 170, batting first, with Kevon Boodie scoring 40. Pacer Ronsford Beaton got 3-36 for GCC who responded with 140-8. Raymond Reifer made 38. The NBS 2015-2016 competition is set to resume on January 16. Everest and Gandhi Youth Organisation are leading zone A with 105 and 88 points respectively, while DCC and TSC are atop of zone B on 139 and 127 points correspondingly.

Rajendra Chandrika ©WICB Media Photo/Randy Brooks St. John’s, Antigua - Chandrika, Darren Bravo, The West Indies Cricket Marlon Samuels, Denesh Board (WICB) has retained Ramdin, Devendra Bishoo, the following players for the Shannon Gabriel, Jermaine period, October 1, 2015 to Blackwood, Jerome Taylor, S e p t e m b e r 3 0 , 2 0 1 6 . Sheldon Cottrell, Shai Hope, J a s o n H o l d e r, K r a i g g Shane Dowrich, Leon B r a t h w a i t e , R a j e n d r a Johnson and Kemar Roach. The schedule for the rest of this period also includes: NAGICO Super50 – January 7 – 23 PCL Round 2 – February 11 – March 18 ICC World T20 – March 8 – April 3 Indian Premier League – April 8 – May 29 Tri-Nation ODI Series – June 6 – 26 Caribbean Premier League

GCC, Blairmont clash for Roy Fredericks Cup tomorrow Pavilion to be named in late batsman’s honour

Jeetendra Sookdeo In what is billed as a Berbice and Demerara showdown, Blairmont Cricket Club will face off with Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) tomorrow in a 50-over match for the inaugural Roy Fredericks Cup at the Blairmont Community Centre ground, We s t C o a s t B e r b i c e . The match will get cracking at 09:30hrs, but prior to the bowl-off, management of the Blairmont Community Centre will unveil the naming of a pavilion at the venue after Fredericks, the

Parmanand Ramdhan late great former Guyana and We s t I n d i e s o p e n i n g b a t s m a n . Fredericks, a dashing lefthander, played for the Blairmont Cricket Club in his heydays, and current executive Shabeer Baksh said branding the pavilion after batsman is a fitting way of paying tribute to his contribution to the game. Baksh informed that the club has sought permission from the Berbice Cricket Board, which has control over cricket in county, and the (Continued on page 25)

Saturday January 09, 2016

Kaieteur News

Page 35

GBBC Brazilian Invasion CONCACAF Presidential Kwesi ‘Lightening Struck Assassin’ Jones hopeful focused on delivering for the Lady Jags resumes career against Puerto Rican By Michael Benjamin

Flashback! The Lady Jags showing appreciation to the fans for their support with a lap of honor after defeat SVG in June 2015 at the GCC in WCQ. By Franklin Wilson Current Head Coach of the Lady Jags, Guyana’s flagship team and most accomplished to date having reached two CONCACAF Finals, Mark Rodrigues has recently made the headlines not as a coach, but as a Presidential hopeful for the CONCACAF top job. Rodrigues, who has presided over the Lady Jags on each occasion that they have flew the Golden Arrowhead aloft in qualifying for CONCACAF says that while he has made his intentions known and has also released a 14-page manifesto outlining his vision for the CONCACAF post, he is 100% committed to the Lady Jags’ quest to qualify for this year ’s Olympics. ”I’m 100% committed to Texas, completely focused on advancing to Rio. The players were advised at the start of the camp and saw my

commitment in training. It’s not a distraction in any way.” The Lady Jags on Wednesday last wrapped up their first and only training camp ahead of next month’s CONCACAF Olympic Qualifying Tournament set for Houston Texas, USA, February 10 – 21. The Lady Jags is made up of a group of focused and committed ladies who are hungry to prove that they belong among the best in the world. They have embarked on this mission a few years ago and still has unfinished business which they are hoping to seal with qualification for the Rio Olympics. Coach Rodrigues who shared the recent camp with Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Technical Director Claude Bolton informed that team has adopted a new and more specific approach for the first match in Texas against Canada on February 11. ”We’ve adopted a new

style of play and a very specific game plan for game one. The players have bought into it and are executing it well. Our time restraints with them and lack of matches limit us being at our best, but we apply as best we can with what we have to work within our constraints.” GFF President Wayne Forde in an invited comment yesterday once again congratulated and hailed the commitment of the Lady Jags and Technical Staff towards this mission while also stating that the federation is working assiduously to ensure that they get at least one warm up match before the Olympic Qualifiers. Guyana has been drawn in Group B which includes neighboring Trinidad and To b a g o , C a n a d a a n d Guatemala while the world leading USA is in Group A along with Mexico, Puerto Rico and Costa Rica.

Gayle, Fletcher to play in Unity Cricket Christopher Henry Gayle has been confirmed to participate in Unity Cricket T20 game on January 30 at Providence. The big Jamaica is the most destructive T20 batsman in the world and the anticipated capacity crowd at Providence will get the chance to see the left-hander in action with his ‘Golden’ bat which he will use for the first time in the Caribbean. The 36-year-old is the w o r l d ’s n u m b e r o n e entertainer in cricket and has the most runs in the world in this format. Local fans should be at Providence to see him perform. Fans will hope he hits lots of sixes since every spectator who takes a one-handed catch in the stands will go home US$500 richer. Gayle and Grenadian Andre Fletcher, who has nine fifties including a highest

Chris Gayle score of 90 not out from 87 T20 games, are the latest players to board the Unity Cricket train as it moves closer to Providence for Saturday January 30. The pair joins overseas Internationals Lindl Simmons, Dwayne Smith, Darren Sammy, Reyad Emrit, Krismar Santokie, Nicholas Pooran, Sulieman Benn and Samuel Badree to confirm the participation in

what is the biggest sporting event in Guyana for this year. Another world-ranked T20 spinner should confirm his availability by mid January. Ramnaresh Sarwan will want to remind his many fans of his class with his silky cover drives while Devendra B i s h o o , Ve e r a s a m m y Permaul, Jonathon Foo, Gudakesh Motie, Chris Barnwell, Raymond Reifer, Jevon Searles, Leon Johnson, Anthony Bramble and Rajendra Chandrika should among the locals on show. Apart from five softball matches that will be played involving the best teams in Guyana, there will also be a fun day on the tarmac for Children and tickets which will go on sale shortly, will cost $2,000 before January 30th and a bit more at the gate.

Approximately three years ago, on February 23, 2013, Kwesi ‘Lightening Struck Assassin’ Jones gathered the nerve to fight Barbadian powerhouse, Shawn Cox in an eight rounds non title heavyweight affair. Fifty-five seconds into the 4th round, Cox unleashed a two fisted attack that had Jones blocking up and eventually forced referee, Eion Jardine, to halt the contest in the Bajan’s favour. Since then, Jones had taken a self imposed hiatus but this will soon come to an end when he squares off with Puerto Rican, Samuel Clarkson, for the WBC light/heavyweight title on a card organized by the Guyana Boxing Board of Control (GBBC), scheduled for February 20 next at the Giftland Office Max Mall, Lilliendaal ECD. Jones entered the professional ranks seven years ago and managed to chalk up a decent 10-3-0 record with a decent knockout ratio of 46%. His most notable win was against former world rater and European champion, Howard ‘Battersea Bomber’ Eastman for the local light/heavyweight title in September 2010. Afterwards, he had chalked up three wins against Anthony Augustin, his Barbados based countryman, Cleveland Fraser and Kelsie George before a points loss to Lennox Allen and then Cox. Clarkson stepped into the professional arena two years after the Jones had stripped o ff h i s s h i r t a n d t h e American started his trek with a 1st round knockout over his countryman, Cody Perez. Since then he has fought in several States in the USA and has so far compiled a 17-3-0 record with 11 knockouts. He was knocked out by Don Mouton in October 2012 but has since rebounded with a string of victories, his most recent in October last year, against another American, Lavarn Harvell, whom he stopped in the 2nd of an eight round heavyweight contest. Reports are that Clarkson dropped Harvell twice in the first stanza and once in the second before the referee,

Kwesi Jones

mercifully stopped the proceedings at 48secs. Earlier in his career, Clarkeson had challenged Philadelphian, Jesse Hart for the vacant junior/super middleweight North American Boxing Federation (NABF) title in April last year but was decked twice in the 4th round before losing on points. Otherwise, Clarkeson, who fights out of a southpaw style, has recorded victories in his last 7 fights, 5 inside the distance while chalking up a 55% knockout ratio. Meanwhile, the card will be headlined by recently crowned jnr/welterweight Fecarbox champion, Dexter Gonsalves, who will match skills with Barbadian, Miguel Antoine for the former boxer’s recently acquired jnr/welterweight fecarbox title. Antoine is no slouch and has dominated the local scene ever since he started his sojourn at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall (CASH) a few years ago. Among his Guyanese victims to date are Revlon Lake, Mark Austin, Jermaine King, Cassius Matthews, Shawn Pyle and Paul Lewis. Gonsalves will be brimming with confidence following his upset victory

over world rated pugilist, Clive Atwell; a fight that e a r n e d h i m t h e jnr/welterweight fecarbox title which will be at stake. The card will provide entertainment with an international flavor as the organizers are negotiating with the management of three Brazilians to match their skills against their Guyanese counterparts. Those local boxers are former bantamweight champion, Dexter ‘The Kid’ Marques, New York based Caribbean Boxing Federation (CABOFE) bantamweight champion, Elton ‘The Bully’ Dharry and female boxer, Mandessa Moses. The names of the Brazilians would be released soon. GBBC officials also said that they have lined up Commonwealth title fights for Gonsalves and Dharry and the imminent bouts will serve as warm up for those C o m m o n w e a l t h encounters tentatively set for May 20. Imran Khan, who has recently made his professional debut, will also comprise a part of next month’s card and he is scheduled to match gloves with Barbadian, Ezra Lord.

t r o Sp Grove Hi-Tech rewarded for defending Stag Beer Super XV1 title

Ansa McAl Public Relations Officer Ms. Darshanie presents the trophy to Grove Hi-Tech Captain Shermon Doris in the presence of individual winners and team representatives.

WICB retains 15 players GABA League semis for the rest of the year continues tonight at CASH Leon Johnson ŠAFP

Devendra Bishoo ŠGetty Images

Nikkoloi Smith

Akeem Kanhai

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