Monday January 16, 2017
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Kaieteur News
Granger calls for expansion of financial services - as Republic Bank opens new $1.5B branch at Triumph President David Granger is calling for the expansion of banking and financial services across Guyana to meet the needs of the populace. He made this appeal yesterday while delivering the feature address at the opening ceremony for the new Republic Bank branch at Triumph, East Coast Demerara. Based on the successful holding of Local Government Elections last year, the President said that three new towns have been established at Mabaruma, Bartica and Lethem. He said that it is his government’s goal that every administrative region has a town, which will serve as an administrative centre, a commercial and communications hub and as an economic engine of growth. He said that as a result, citizens will have easier access to financial services, which will in turn enhance welfare, facilitate business activity and contribute to improving income for the poor and disadvantaged. “The evidence also suggests that the wider dispersion and deeper penetration of financial
services will contribute to enhancing economic growth and reduce income inequalities. The opening of bank branches brings banking services closer to the people. Residents of East Demerara will have to travel to the city in order to access banking services no longer.” The President said that the opening of the branch will promote the goal of increased financial inclusion, a key objective of his government. He said that the new branch will also serve to intensify competition in the financial sector. “This branch brings the total number of branches in our country to 41 and Republic Bank Incorporated has a total of 12 of those 41 branches.” He added that there still exists great potential for the provision of financial services further eastward and westward, so as to drive economic development in the hinterland and on the coast. According to the Head of State who is now Chairman of CARICOM, despite Guyana’s increase in the number of bank branches, it continues to lag behind its Caribbean counterparts in extending financial services. “Statistics provided by
President David Granger delivering his address at the opening ceremony. Seated from right are Republic Bank’s Company Secretary Christine McGowan, Chairman of the Board of Directors Nigel Baptiste and Managing Director Richard Sammy.
the World Bank indicated that in 2015, Guyana had only 8.4 commercial bank branches per 100,000 persons. The penetration compared unfavourably with Suriname, which had 11.1 and Trinidad and Tobago, which had 13.0. We also had fewer Automated Teller Machines (ATM) with only 17 ATM machines for every 100,000 persons compared to 41 in Trinidad and Tobago, these are deficiencies which we must address.” Granger stressed that the commercial banking sector must take bold and innovative steps to bridge the gap between the services
Kitty Market yet to be completed and reopened
At the final statutory meeting held by the Georgetown Mayor and City Council (M&CC) last year December, the Mayor, Patricia Chase-Green said that, while the Council would have achieved a number of their goals, they still have not been able to complete one major goal, which is the re-opening of the Kitty Market.
Deputy Mayor Sherod Duncan recently told Kaieteur News that he is unsure of the new reopening date for the market. Duncan said that up until December last, only 30 percent of rehabilitation work was completed. This was also the same stage at which the market was in April 2016. Duncan said that work
available on the coastland and those available in the hinterland. He said that activities cannot be confined to the coastal region. He said that currently, many of the newly designated townships are without banks, including Mabaruma, forcing residents to make costly overnight trips to access banking services. The President said that his government is committed over the long term to ensure universal access to financial services throughout Guyana. “We are in pursuit of the objectives of exploring alternatives to traditional banking services since we
Only 30 percent of the Kitty Market completed so far.
was stymied by the inability to procure materials and because the Council owed contractors. The Kitty Market is to feature a traditional health centre, offices for payment of rates and taxes and a space
for community councillors. The 19th century structure suffered massive deterioration over the years. The Council embarked on a $250M restoration exercise on February 12 last year.
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recognise that because of the smallness and the remoteness of some communities it would not be viable for banks to establish branches to serve those areas.” Chairman of the Board of Directors and President of Republic Financial Holdings Limited, Nigel Baptiste, said that lobbying from former Managing Director John Alves, and the results of a feasibility study, resulted in the decision to open the company’s first branch on the East Coast of Demerara. He said that the bank, which cost $1.5B to construct on 1.1 acres, is focused on building relationships which can endure and also in generating mutual trust. “And we believe that we can only succeed in these relationships if we serve you in a way that satisfies your needs.” Baptiste said that
customers will enjoy an enhanced banking experience at the new location, matched by service from the friendly, courteous and knowledgeable staff. Thirty employees will be stationed at the branch lead by Officer in Charge Bibi Shaleeza Seepersaud. “High among our priorities is building and solidifying relationships with the communities both as a financial service provider and in supporting social development.” In keeping with the “Green Economy” direction of the country, the building has been equipped with energy efficient Lutron Quantum lighting and variable refrigeration flow air conditioning systems. It is complete with parking, wheel chair access and other amenities for customers’ convenience.
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Monday January 16, 2017
Kaieteur News
KAIETEUR NEWS Printed and Published by National Media & Publishing Company Ltd. 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown, Guyana. Publisher: GLENN LALL Editor: ADAM HARRIS Tel: 225-8465, 225-8491 Fax: 225-8473, 226-8210
EDITORIAL
THE CABINET RESHUFFLE The New Year saw the first major reshuffle of the cabinet which led to the demotion of the Minister of Health and the promotion of the Ministers of Social Protection and Social Cohesion. The reshuffle came in the wake of mismanagement in the Ministry of Health, such as the drug bond scandal, shortage of drugs at the public hospitals, the misleading of Parliament on the drug bond contract by the Minister of Health, and the ordered release of food products by the Minister, which the Guyana Food and Drug Administration had deemed unfit for consumption. While some supported the reshuffling of the cabinet, others believe the country’s population is too small to have 28 ministers. They viewed the political framework and structural organization of the administration as being flawed. The cabinet should have been downsized, and be more efficient in order to meet the needs of the people, and ease the financial burden on the taxpayers. Cabinet reshuffles are rare in Guyana. Few took place during the last fifteen years. Reshuffling of the cabinet should reassure the nation that the government is serious about managing the affairs of the country in light of the institutional challenges and the decaying infrastructure inherited from the last administration. However, many felt that transferring the Minister to the Ministry of Social Cohesion was not enough. In the past few months, the Minister of Health was severely criticized by the media and the public for the controversial drug bond deal, and for misleading the National Assembly that the bond was completed and that drugs were stored in it. He subsequently apologized for misleading the House and the matter was placed in front of the Committee of Privileges where he is expected to be disciplined. The drug bond issue did not end there. During the consideration of the 2017 budget estimates, it caused a commotion in Parliament, when the Minister of Health informed the House that drugs were stored in the bond. The opposition denounced his claim. This led the Speaker of the House to dispatch two members of Parliament from each side of the isle to the bond site, where they found that not a single tablet was stored there and many of the cold storage facilities have still not been properly utilized. So, once again, the Minister has misled the House. The Minister of Health was also at the center of another controversy when he allegedly ordered the release of large consignment of foods which the Food and Drug Administration had declared unfit for human consumption. He was widely criticized by the media, the public and several groups for his callous actions. However, the new Minister of Health is no stranger to controversy either. During the local government elections held in March, she supported a controversial individual who contested and won his constituency. She was also quoted as saying that child molestation is a family issue. This sparked outrage by rights groups who protested in front of her ministry. Also a Commission of Inquiry (COI) was appointed to investigate the deaths of Anthony and Joshua George, who perished in a fire at the government drop-in center on Hadfield Street in July 2016. The COI found that there was dereliction of duty on the part of senior officials at the Ministry of Social Protection. Reshuffling the cabinet should help to reduce the dysfunctionality, inefficiency and in some cases, the outright failure at the many layers of the government. However, the transferring of the Minister of Health to the Ministry of Social Cohesion which he knows absolutely nothing about is not only a waste of the taxpayers’ money, which the country can ill afford, but it is being viewed by many as transferring incompetence from one ministry to another.
THE AFC LEADERSHIP IS VIOLATING THEIR OWN CONSTITUTION DEAR EDITOR, It was in 1948 that Clinton Rossiter first published his masterpiece “Constitutional Dictatorship”. The AFC oneday National Conference set to take place January 28, 2017 at Vreed-en-Hoop exposes an attempt at constitutional dictatorship. If one reads Article 19 of the AFC Constitution it says clearly that “…. no member is allowed to serve more than two consecutive terms in the same office…” but yet we find both the sitting Leader (Ramjattan), Chairman (Hughes), and General Secretary (Patterson) are all re-running for their third term. When one cannot even respect one’s own party rules, can they be expected to
respect the national constitution? But as a point aside, these same people have major issues with Jagdeo’s 3rd term attempt but none with their attempt to butcher the AFC Constitution. But it is interesting the choice of location, in the middle of Harmon-town. I was advised that the Minister of State is so popular in the Vreed-enHoop/Phoenix Park area that nothing can happen there without his input and that he was instrumental in mobilizing and supporting the AFC Conference. It is on his say so that the AFC was allowed into Vreed-enHoop. Is this a sign that the AFC has finally been
“Harmon”-ized? Is this why only 40 delegates are being assigned quite dictatorially by the AFC cabal to Berbice out of a total of 275 delegates? The result of this toxic concoction between the PNC and AFC and now dead WPA is rapidly destroying what is left of the APNU purpose from 2015. Just like how the Civic element of the PPP died years ago and in its dead form was strung along by the PPP for what it was worth, the PNC is trying its very best to drag along a now dead AFC and WPA for what it is worth. But history has illustrated such a strategy once exposed will fail and the AFC is now at it final funeral rites in Harmon’s backyard compliments of
Harmon political muscle. This is testament to the political failure Khemraj Ramjattan really is. This is a manifestation of how overrated a politician Ramjattan really is. First he was propped up by the Americans in 2006 and 2011 and they dumped him, so he ran to the PNC to prop him up in 2015 and not even a year after, they have “Harmon”ized him. Today Ramjattan stands exposed for the political opportunist he really is. History will castigate him as one of Guyana’s most overrated politicians who failed to deliver anything good for Guyana. Our people stand worse off today because of his political play in 2015. Lisa Ally
“NETHERLANDS ENGINEERS” STUDY WAS ON GEORGETOWN ONLY DEAR EDITOR, I commend Mr. Charles Sohan in both Stabroek News and Kaieteur News for entering the debate on the functional effectiveness of the Ministry of Agriculture and the NDIA. I am however compelled to directly respond to several issues he has raised in his missive. He implies that I have identified pumping capacity as being related to base-slab dimensions. Perusal of my letter will indicate that I never did. I simply identified the plan of the NDIA to place a single pump in Buxton as opposed to placing two pumps in Lusignan and Enmore. I am well aware of the simple rationale method to which he indirectly refers in his comment on rainfall intensity and drainage area. I have been a licensed engineer since 1987; and having served in a senior capacity as an engineer with the premier geosciences firms, Woodward Clyde Consultants and Golder Associates. I am in no need of an engineering lecture from him. My credits include the Pennsylvania Convention Center, Merrill Creek Reservoir and General Mills headquarters in Albuquerque, New Mexico. As someone versed in the intricacies of numerical and analytical modelling of flow and contaminant transport processes, I do not need to be informed about definition of pumping capacity. I have worked with and supervised individuals who are from diverse cultures and backgrounds and do not hold anyone in awe as is implied by his deference to Netherlands Engineers. The plans advanced by these engineers were advanced by both myself and Maurice Veecock too many times to mention. There is no complexity involved in running the TR-55 Model or Stormwater Management Model (SWMM). In fact, the “Netherlands Engineers” gave no consideration to water quality in their assessment. I would however like to return to the premise of my letter. The facts are that Buxton is located in a basin and that the
NDIA proposed to install a single pump at Buxton as opposed to two pumps at Lusignan and Enmore. I am not aware that the “Netherlands Engineers” study was focused on all of Guyana. My understanding is that the study was focused on Georgetown. In addition, as Mr. Sohan is aware, engineering assessments are based on data. Any report including those presented by vaunted “Netherlands Engineers” is flawed in the absence of appropriate data. My contention is that the NDIA habitually skews data to marginalise African-Guyanese communities. I will stand by that assertion until the NDIA involves the African-Guyanese communities as stakeholders in development works in those communities. Mr. Sohan is free to visit the Mocha-Arcadia community and to discuss with the residents of that community the problems which the NDIA has created and the level of response provided. I was heartened by the NDIA’s release to GINA which indicated that “people were guessing” about the intent of the NDIA. To eliminate “people guessing,” a welcome outcome would be for the Ministry of Agriculture and the NDIA to provide information on the factors surrounding the Hope Bridge fiasco. More importantly, the NDIA should release to the public the name(s) of the consultant(s) involved in that project and the role the consultant(s) continue to play in other projects administered by the NDIA. The NDIA should also make public any comments provided to the consultant(s) during the design phase of work on the Hope Bridge approaches. The NDIA should also indicate if the Hope Bridge consultant(s) is involved in providing consulting services for the upgrade of drainage infrastructure in historically African-Guyanese communities and the checks and balances which have been instituted to ensure an absence of results similar to those manifested by the Hope Bridge and Charity Wharf. I continue to stand by my statement
that the NDIA and Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) lack requisite engineering competence. This is easily verified by perusal of RFP documents, issued by the MoA for consulting services for drainage rehabilitation works in Mocha-Arcadia, Triumph, Buxton and Ithacha. These documents stipulate that boreholes be drilled to a depth of 4m among other things. Someone with only elementary knowledge of geotechnical engineering will know that information provided by such an investigation would be inadequate to determine deformation of facilities to be built using the data. This represents a possibility of a recurrence of the Hope Bridge fiasco. I can provide countless similar instances of NDIA incompetence; however, those are best saved for another day. I fully endorse Mr. Sohan’s statement that the APNU+AFC administration lacks a coordinated plan to tackle flooding in Guyana. I would go so far as to extend that statement to infrastructural development projects undertaken by the Ministry of Public Infrastructure. The implementation of a coordinated plan can however only be addressed by radical changes to the Ministries of Agriculture and Public Infrastructure. These entities are imbued with qualities cultivated and nurtured by the PPP regime. As we are well aware, that regime publicly articulated their inability to recognise the existence of qualified African-Guyanese professionals. That policy, applied by the NDIA and other PPP government-directed agencies, resulted in the marginalisation of African-Guyanese communities. The implementation of the coordinated policy enunciated by Mr. Sohan will demand recognition by each subject minister and/or permanent secretary that the broken system, instituted by the PPP Government policies must be dismantled and be rebuilt to allow the proactive thinkers in these ministries to respond to the country’s development thrust. Charles P Ceres
Monday January 16, 2017
Kaieteur News
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The speed boat system on Guyana’s The President must say why he rivers needs to be investigated rejected Jagdeo’s six names DEAR EDITOR, On Monday, January 9 around 9.15am my in-law and I were going to Supenaam, but the bowman of the boat loading with passengers said the Captain had instructed him not to allow us on the boat. When I asked him why, he said he didn’t know. Because the boats work with a turn system, we had to wait until that boat finished loading to hopefully catch the next boat. We spoke to the monitor, but she said that if the Captain didn’t want us on the boat then there’s nothing she could do. I then explained that recently whilst coming back from Supenaam one afternoon the monitor stopped working but boats still loaded, and then they don’t work with turn system. Then passengers are at their mercy with their tug-of-war. We were in the same boat that is presently refusing us, but my in-law knew the guys on one of the other boats so we exited that boat and joined the other one. The Captain was now seeing a chance to get back at us for exiting his boat the time before. Other than that it’s because it’s the same boat that I wrote about recently which started swaying dangerously whilst we were travelling. The monitor said she recalled the incident because she had to write a report. Editor, if someone is providing a service to the public they should be able to face criticism or be professional enough to deal with any issue, because if there wasn’t a turn system, there are lots of boats there with operators that people would choose not to travel with, but because of the system there isn’t a choice.
In December whilst going to Supenaam, the boat I was in experienced mechanical problems and the engine shut off. The boat was left adrift until another boat came which we joined. Incidentally the water was calm and thus we didn’t encounter any difficulties. Coming back from Supenaam on January 9 around 4.05pm, five passengers were forced to sit in one seat and everyone was complaining. The boat pulled off and at the mouth of the river the operator stopped the vessel and started fixing the other engine, whilst we drifted for over five minutes aimlessly. Finally they got the other engine to work but in order for it to drive the Bowman had to control that engine whilst the Captain controlled the other. The water was rough and because the two engines weren’t properly synchronized and the Captain and the Bowman couldn’t communicate properly, the passengers were treated to a lot of heavy jarring and a bonejerking ride when the boat hit a wave. Added to that, the sponge was only around half an inch thick, and it was like sitting on board. If the boat had been still moored at the Supenaam stelling, I am quite sure some of the passengers would have disembarked when they started fixing the engines. On many trips between Supenaam and Parika the boat would experience some sort of problem and those in authority are not notified because most of the passengers don’t have the time to report it or the monitor cannot be found. Based on my experience above, I would assume that if one objected to the behaviour or
performance of the operator he/she would be victimized by some of the operators. Finally Editor, on the Georgetown-Vreed-en-Hoop route, the speedboats started charging $200 on Sundays instead of the normal $100, saying that their boat is not waiting to get the full load – which was true. Eventually the boats started increasing the passengers they carried until they are now waiting to be full and are still charging the same $200. They now say that it’s Sunday and the price is double. On Christmas Eve around 7.15pm whilst going on the boat heading to Georgetown, the bowman said that the fare was $500. All the boats there, were charging the same money and you have to wait for them to be either full or near full. I along with others desirous of crossing started complaining bitterly, and we had to use the alternative method, the bus. There are authorities who are supposed to be there to monitor these operators, but sadly most of the time they are not around when it matters. Speedboats leave Supenaam at night, even though they are not supposed to. But who is checking? You would only hear when an incident occurs. There are too many speedboats and on some routes, the boats would rotate, resting one day. Since the service is very poor, many people are desirous of starting their own service, but the current owners form a monopoly and they are preventing passengers from getting a better service whilst they choose not to upgrade their own service. Sahadeo Bates
HONOURING THOSE PAST GUYANESE PRESIDENTS DEAR EDITOR, Recently, President David Granger, along with some senior PNC members and former WPA executives, who have since returned to their PNC fold, have been clamouring for all past Presidents to be recognised. This is good - even excellent - but why only now? What took them so long to realise that this must be done? Or, have they now found their long last love and loyalty for their past Presidents, who once belonged to the PNC party? Former President L.F.S Burnham passed away since 1985 and the PNC remained in power until October 1992 under President Desmond
Hoyte. It begs the question: why didn’t Hoyte and his PNC party recognise Burnham then? Then, after the 1992 elections, Hoyte became Leader of the Opposition. However, during his lifetime and up to this day, no one did anything for him. In fact, the only thing the PNC did for those past Presidents was to turn the beautiful Botanical Gardens into a burial ground with all the paraphernalia. Bear in mind though the
cremations that were done for former Presidents Dr Cheddi Jagan and his wife Janet Jagan were at a burial ground in Babu John - not a violation of any beautiful tourist or historical site or a place where parents would take their children for outings on weekends. Now that the PNC has awakened and learnt from the PPP how to show respect and recognition to their leaders, they want to play ‘follow pattern.’ Chandra Shekar Azad
DEAR EDITOR, In the Bahamas case, cited in my last letter, it is clear that the issue of whether a person is fit and proper for the purpose of the Medical Act in the Bahamas turned largely on whether that person was guilty of any professional misconduct or malpractice. In Re Chikweche [1995] 2 LRC 93, the Supreme Court of Zimbabwe had to consider whether the applicant, a lawyer qualified to practise law under the Legal Practitioners Act which contains, apart from the prescribed legal qualifications, a “fit and proper person” requirement. The applicant was a Rastafarian who wore dreadlocks. A judge refused permission to register him as a lawyer as is legally required in that country, on the ground that the applicant was not “properly dressed.” The judge specifically objected to the dreadlocks. The applicant challenged the decision on the ground that it infringed his fundamental right to freedom of conscience guaranteed by the Constitution. In dealing with the “fit and proper person” issue, Chief Justice Gubbay stated: “Construed in context, the words ‘fit and proper person’ allude, in my view, to the personal qualities of an applicant- that he is a person of honesty and reliability. See State v Mkhise 1988 (2) SA 868 at 875. I am not persuaded that the lawmaker intended by use of the phrase to embrace the physical characteristics of an applicant. For appearance bears no rational connection with the object of maintaining the integrity and honour of the profession.” The Court ruled that the Judge was wrong to reject the applicant as a person who is unfit and improper because of his hairstyle. Importantly, in Law Society, Transvaal v Behrman 1981 (4) SA 538, the South African Court of Appeal ruled that whether an applicant is “a fit and proper person” for admission as an attorney-atlaw, is a question of fact and it is not left to the discretion of the Court hearing the application. In Democratic Alliance v President of the Republic of South Africa and others [2013] 2
LRC 617, the Constitutional Court of South Africa, comprising of 11 judges, had to consider section 179 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa 1996 established a National Prosecuting Authority, with a National Director of Public Prosecutions as its head. Under s 179(1)(a), the National Director was to be appointed by the President. Section 9(1)(b) of the National Prosecuting Authority Act 1998 provided that any person appointed to the position of National Director had to: “(a) possess legal qualifications that would entitle him or her to practise in all courts in the Republic; and (b) be a fit and proper person, with due regard to his or her experience, conscientiousness and integrity, to be entrusted with the responsibilities of the office concerned.” A challenge was launched, on the ground, inter alia, that the National Director was not a “fit and proper person.” The Court ruled that it was not the President’s function to determine whether a person to be appointed to that position is a fit and proper person; that requirement is “an objective jurisdictional fact.” Further, that in assessing the qualifications of an applicant for that position, the President is enjoined by law to act rationally and reasonably. Applying these principles to Article 161(2) of the Constitution of Guyana, it is clear that it is not within the President’s power to determine who is fit and proper person; that who is fit and proper person is an objective fact. That the President’s discretion lies in determining whether a person is acceptable or not. That in exercising this power, the President is obliged to act reasonably, rationally and objectively and not capriciously and arbitrarily. He must objectively assess the person’s ability to discharge the functions of his office, their integrity, political impartially and such like. In light of the foregoing and to avoid further impasse, it is incumbent upon the President to disclose the grounds upon which he has found each of the six candidates, “not unacceptable.” Mohabir Anil Nandlall, MP-PPP
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This new law school will see the growth of legal education DEAR EDITOR, The recent announcement by the Government of Guyana that it has entered into a joint partnership agreement to establish the JOF Haynes Law School is a welcome initiative for the growth of legal education in Guyana and the Caribbean. The study of law is an academic field that has always attracted a large number of students with dreams of having a legal education. Students in the Caribbean can acquire their LLB from a total of five institutions (the three UWI branches, UG and the University of London external programme). With hundreds of LLB graduates applying annually, the three law schools managed by the Council of Legal Education were clearly unable to cope with the volume of applicants. Hence they resorted to a discriminatory quota and entrance examination system, which resulted in the exclusion of ambitious and hardworking law degree holders from completing the final two years of practical training that would permit them to become practising attorneys in the Commonwealth Caribbean. The JOF Haynes Law School of the Americas (JHLSA) will allow local, Caribbean and international LLB/JD holders to fulfill dreams and aspirations manifested in
Monday January 16, 2017
Kaieteur News
childhood to become attorneys. The skeptics both in and outside the legal profession are already trying to push the ‘too many lawyers’ narrative. A society should never complain about having an educated population, whether lawyers, teachers, engineers or accountants as the modern and global world that we live in is driven by the intellectual creativity of our educated citizens. Governments allocate large sums of money in their annual budgets for education to ensure that they have the best human capital to enhance growth and development in a competitive global environment. I would like to know if the naysayers would apply that reasoning when addressing the issue of traffic congestion in Georgetown. The US has well over two hundred law schools with an annual intake of about a hundred thousand students, but you never hear elements of that society complaining, as the value of the legal profession in upholding the democratic values and commercial success of that country is well established. The legal market will be able to absorb and utilize the skills of present and future lawyers as the study of law allows for diversity and specialization in practice (Human Rights law, Environmental law, Intellectual Property law and
Cyber law) along with other numerous areas of interest. A fairly large number of the graduates will move outside of Guyana in seeking the best option for professional growth and remuneration. Individuals in the legal profession who push the argument that a large influx of lawyers is bad for the legal market are trying to keep the status quo of reducing the profession to the ‘chosen few’ which goes against the grain of what the Attorney General, Mr Basil Williams and by extension the APNU+AFC administration is seeking to accomplish in ensuring that the legitimate expectations of LLB holders of becoming qualified attorneys are met. The current cost of tuition for two years at the Hugh Wooding Law School in Trinidad is G$5,400,000. Local students desirous of going to the Twin Island Republic still have to budget for travelling and living expenses, which at a conservative estimate will be at about G$2,000,000. Once the administrators of the JHLSA set a reasonable tuition fee along with high quality delivery of the Council of Legal Education curriculum, the institution will succeed financially in its business model and academically in providing for the legal needs of students in and beyond Guyana. Michael Baird
The Govt. should move now to capitalize on future oil revenues DEAR EDITOR, With oil production projected for 2020, the coalition government would be foolish, both politically and economically, to wait until then to capitalize on its projected oil revenues. The time is ripe for government to collateralize Guyana’s God-given oil wealth for extensive but calculated borrowing on global financial markets. We are talking about pre-production, resource-based borrowing to be repaid by future oil proceeds. Loans can be used by the administration to make early moves to boost growthenhancing sectors, infrastructure development, social welfare and, yes, personal incomes of workers, as well as to implement comprehensive solutions to intractable problems such as D&I and the sugar industry. The government indeed had the right mindset when Minister Trotman spoke in November 2015 of seeking upfront payments from Exxon Mobil. While that horse did not run, other sources of advance financing are readily available. To be sure, the record internationally on pre-production borrowing has not been heartening. And Ghana is offered as the most recent case to illustrate the economic mayhem associated with oil-induced cutting of corners and spending binges. Quickly after major oil finds there in 2007, Ghana moved to access global financing using its future oil revenues as collateral. On the back of these loans, successive Ghanaian governments, among other excessive budgetary outlays, boosted public sector salaries and employment. When oil (and gold) prices dipped, however, the unabated overspending and pork-barreling led to an economic crisis. In 2015, the IMF, with its bag of bitter pills, was invited in to bring order to the mess. Meanwhile, Uganda—whom Guyana has chosen as its mentor for oil sector development—is touted as the model of patience and preparation. While onshore oil was discovered there in 2006, production is only set to begin in 2018, as the government
took its time to put in place an array of petroleum legislation and institutions. But patience has its limits; Uganda, in addition to increasing domestic borrowing, has recently entered into agreements with EXIM Bank of China for multi-billion dollar loans to construct roads, railway and pipelines. As one report puts it, while Uganda may deny it is borrowing on its projected oil revenues, the generosity of its lenders is based solely on that calculation. The bad experiences of developing countries with pre-production financing should not be seen as deterrents but as cautions. While Minister Trotman correctly stated a few months ago that “We have entered the petroleum industry at a conservative and watchful time”, these early financial opportunities should not however be missed. Indeed, this year is the ideal time for Guyana to make its play, as several factors are in perfect alignment. For one, two sizeable deposits have already been found (Liza and Payara), with further appraisal and wildcat drilling scheduled before year end. Secondly, Exxon Mobil has taken concrete steps towards production and further exploration investment (such as green-lighting a floating production and offloading platform). Thirdly, the oil price is recovering. Fourthly, the intensified activity in Guyana’s offshore basin by other companies increases the likelihood of more finds and thus more government income. Fifthly, the country is soon to emplace legislation and other mechanisms for petroleum revenue management and oversight. Given the political and economic stakes, the 2018 national budget should reflect major watershed decisions. The lengthy gestation time for large infrastructural and other growthinducing projects demands no later a launch. Time will tell whether the coalition government intends to inch its way timidly towards 2020 or to make decisive and decent haste with its future oil revenues. Sherwood Lowe
Appearance Versus Reality The new law school will not offer the LLB, only LEC at the Berbice Dharam Shala DEAR EDITOR, It is not my habit to read the Kaieteur News’ Peeping Tom column, except for in instances when the headline attracts my attention. On most occasions when I do read the column, I am appalled at the misinformation and/or inept analysis that passes for analytical journalism. The Friday, January 13, 2017 column was no different. It carried the headline: “UG’s law programme is on wobbly legs.” Its content sought to juxtapose the UG law programme to the proposed law school and in doing so concluded that they would be competitors. It further went on to argue that as competitors, the UG law programme would be the loser, thus resulting in its demise. There is no need to pay any attention to the illogicality of the arguments since the column should be dismissed for its fictional premise. The University of Guyana offers the LLB law degree. The School is not being established to offer the LLB.
It is being established to offer, mainly, the LEC (Legal Education Certificate), which is required of the holders of the LLB before they can be admitted to practice, at the Bar. The LEC complements the LLB, which is a necessary precursor to the LEC. The School therefore will not be in competition with the UG law programme. In fact, its viability will be largely dependent on the output of the UG law programme. The two will be two peas from the same pod. The column is therefore erroneous from the factual perspective as well as from the analytical perspective, since its very information base is erroneous. Garbage in, garbage out. Once again I have to caution the public, don’t be misled by the Peeper. Peeping by its very nature does not allow for a full and reliable view of the intended object. The Peeper seems to naturally fit that characterization. His pen name, Peeping Tom, is sufficient notice of what is to be expected. Vincent Alexander
DEAR EDITOR, I refer to the letter by Kella & Pamela Ramsaroop titled: “Dharam Shala Berbice has a very pleasant and welcoming appearance”. This letter was in response to the one I wrote on the 12th indicating that the actual living conditions at the Dharam Shala were far from pleasant mainly because of its location. As an alternative to re-siting it (which the Ramsaroops are resolutely against), I invited the Government of Guyana to consider erecting a ‘Palms’ in Berbice (to be located in the site of the old New Amsterdam Hospital or the Mental Hospital compound) and using the same funds being allocated to install a less urgent elevator system in the Georgetown Palms. It is unfortunate that the Ramsaroop sisters have found it necessary to ‘attack’ me despite openly acknowledging the sterling contribution made by them
and their patriarch; they take umbrage to my suggestion to the Government which I emphasize, is not conditional upon the closure of the Berbice Dharam Shala, although I maintain that the reality of the actual living conditions belies the appearance of a “pleasant and welcoming appearance”. From the outside the Dharam Shala does in fact appear pleasant because it is overshadowed by the beautiful mandir which also houses what the Ramsaroops refer to as “an Anglican Chapel”. But the residents do not live in the latter, nor do they live in the recently refurbished Caretaker’s residence; similarly, the walkway and the fence mentioned by the goodly ladies are not at issue. I did in fact meet recently with the Ramsaroop sisters to discuss the possibility of resiting the Berbice Dharam Shala because I am convinced that the current site which might have been OK before
the Canje Bridge was built virtually over it and the drainage/flooding problems were not acute. However, having been convinced that re-siting was a “NO NO” to quote their assertion to me, I did not, nor do I intend to, pursue that approach any further. However, that is not to say that I cannot pursue the establishment of a ‘Palms’ in another location which was the thrust of my letter. I take this opportunity to debunk the allegation made by the Ramsaroops that I “was interested in the land of the Berbice Dharam Shala” and their suggestion that I owned land at PalmyraCanfield for re-siting it. I do not see any conflict in the Ramsaroops retaining the Berbice Dharam Shala as is, while the Government and/or others consider building a Palms as well; after all there is co-existence with the Dharam Shala and the Palms in Georgetown. Nowrang Persaud
Monday January 16, 2017
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The Deputy Mayor on the consequences of flooding DEAR EDITOR, We must remedy the issue of flooding in South Ruimveldt. A cursory outline will be had here but collective effort is needed towards flood resiliency. ‘Georgetown Water and Sewage and Master Plan’ of 1994 is instructive, “The City of Georgetown is drained by an interconnected network of pump and gravity systems. The network of open channels was originally developed to irrigate and drain the sugar plantations which occupied the land on which Georgetown now stands.” Outlining challenges to the drainage system it reads, “With urbanization of the area, over the years, the paving of previously pervious surfaces resulted in increased quantities of runoff. In an effort to alleviate flooding the function of the redundant irrigation canals was converted to that of drainage.” We appreciate as well that infilling of canals also led to the current situation: West Ruimveldt Canal (1972), Merriman’s Promenade (1958); Church Street Canal (1959) are just instances where we have lost
tremendous reservoir capacity. A Guyana Review article, ‘Global Climate Change: Challenges for Guyana’ posed the question, “…should we not re-examine the drainage systems that were operational before facilities like the East Street and Sussex Street canals were filled? Certainly, restoring the drainage system to its optimal level should be an immediate priority for the government.” (2006) Another article in the Guyana Review, “Flooding: A way of life?” made the point of the economic impact of floods: “Floods have an indirect impact that disrupts society. As is the case of all disasters, these impacts and their costs (or value) are not well documented. However, they include such things as business disruption and loss of income, loss of tax revenue, transportation delays, and the spread of illnesses, both physical and mental. There is also the indirect impact on other government-funded programmes. Each tax dollar spent on flood response, relief and recovery is a dollar not spent on other publiclyfunded programmes such as
education.” (2005) It is a point that would later be amplified by Dr. Balfour Spence at a lecture in 2013 at the University of Guyana, ‘Private Sector Engagement: An Imperative for Disaster Risk Management in Guyana’. Dr. Spence posited, “The 1997 drought affected in excess of 660,000 Guyanese; the flood in 2005 impacted 30,000 persons.” He said that the drought and flood and related hazards of crop and insect infestations can be expected to become “more pronounced and extreme in the absence of appropriate mitigation measures. The consequences can become catastrophic for Guyana”. The 2005 flood was an unprecedented event, reflecting the need for a proactive land use and development strategy for the coastlands. The optimization of land use is the critical baseline for the publicprivate sector engagement on risk management”, Spence noted. As such, it was welcomed news when recently the Dutch Risk Reduction (DDR) Team arrived, tasked with assisting with the development of a new pilot
system and design model to improve the drainage and irrigation system in the city of Georgetown, and from whose final report, ‘Analysis of Drainage System in Georgetown, Guyana’ (2016), we can significantly benefit. We seem closer to mitigating floods and their effects from South Ruimveldt since the DRR Team’s work focused primarily on South Ruimveldt as a catchment area. According to the Team’s Final Report, “Using the input from the local drainage system analysis, measured geometric data and simplified boundary conditions a full model of the South-Ruimveldt catchment was developed. This model can be used to assess and compare the effect of different interventions.” The Report said, “During the first session of fieldwork in South Ruimveldt catchment area, it became clear that the local drainage system does not work as it should. Many drains are filled with vegetation, litter and silt. As a consequence, flow is hindered. Due to the lack of outflow, the water level in the drains is relatively high, leading to limited storage capacity in the channels. During heavy rainfall the
It is not too late for PPP supporters to see the real Jagdeo DEAR EDITOR, This being my first letter of the year, I’d like to wish you and your staff a blessed and productive 2017. That aside, allow me to share my thoughts on Mr. Bharrat Jagdeo’s power craze. With the third term trial soon to commence I thought it best to share my perspective on the matter, with hope of enlightening the PPP members and supporters of the beast they have created and continue to feed. Mind you I believe many government officials and supporters have been feeding his ego as well. Jagdeo wants a third term because of his obsession with power and addiction to squandering. Don’t believe me? Then tell me if prior to the oil find Jagdeo was so concerned about saving the PPP? More so think of the endless possibilities it provides for him to further allow his business buddies to tap into the sector and create entities/industries allowing for a specific set of people to control and dominate the various sectors in this country making it difficult for others.
I mean look at Bobby Ramroop, I need not mention the amount of businesses he owns or shares with Jagdeo and don’t forget who made BK what it is today. I believe many of the current PPP members don’t even fully understand the nature of the man Bharrat Jagdeo. Don’t believe me? Ask Ms. Westford who has a current predicament or Ramsammy who made him signed for the spy kit? Or ask former President Ramotar what happened behind closed doors during his obnoxious stint as President. Jagdeo somehow makes them believe his actions are for the greater good, like him becoming party GS, Leader, and Leader of the Opposition are supposed to save the party. The Jagdeo that we see and hear now in 2017 claims to be positioning himself to save his party and to ensure that his party gets back into power. However, a few things must be recognized: 1. Jagdeo is of the belief that he is the only individual that is capable of running this country which is a total slap in the face of the other members of the party and their
supporters, because a supporter may be more capable of running this country than him. 2. Ever since his return to the political fore it has never been about what the party has accomplished or what the party can accomplish but about the party’s failure at the 2015 elections and what Jagdeo can do to save the party and how Jagdeo can save the party from itself, thus the need to amass all authority in the party to ensure that there is no hindrance to what Jagdeo wants. 3. Jagdeo’s intent was not and will never be to serve the people of this country; it’s one of selfsatisfaction and manipulation mixed with the divide and conquer mentality. Jagdeo has never stopped in his bid to control the country even while not being president through supporting someone like Donald Ramotar
over Ralph Ramkarran. His choice of Donald gave him the opportunity to control the government while not legally in charge. What we are faced with is someone parading as a master of deception and attracting the gullible who are mainly supporters, but I urge PPP supporters to start asking questions and critical questions too. The man you idolize and praise, lies to you bluntly at every given opportunity but you wouldn’t notice because you never cared to listen, you never cared to question and you never cared to comprehend but guess - what it’s not too late to save yourselves take small steps and start by questioning. Clayon F. Halley
water cannot discharge and cannot be stored. Because of this floods occur. A wall divides the La Penitence channel in two sections of which one drains on the Ruimveldt-South channel. It is unsure if this wall functions as a division during high water conditions.The SouthRuimveldt and Liliendaal channel are connected to each other by a siphon at Lamaha Street. However, the siphon does not function well and it is unclear what the interaction is between the two catchment areas. Discharge has been observed in both directions in along large parts of the South-Ruimveldt channel. Along the South-Ruimveldt areas several inflow points do not function anymore during high water levels in the primary channels because water levels on both side of the inflow point are equal.”
In the essay, ‘Evaluating Flood Resilience Strategies for Coastal Megacities’ the authors point out, “Flood risks and management approaches require locationspecific analysis.” Also, “In estimating risks from flooding scenarios, cities play an important role as they have access to (spatial) data on the assets—such as buildings, infrastructure, and environmentally protected areas—and sociodemographics of flood zones. Catastrophic modeling expertise from the insurance industry can be useful for cities, and new knowledge partnerships are needed between city agencies, research institutes and private sector specialists.” Sherod Avery Duncan, LLB, JP. Deputy Mayor, Municipality of Georgetown
Urgent plea for the police to stop this violent man DEAR EDITOR, On a visit to my family’s home in Berbice – West Canefield Settlement Canje, on Tuesday 10th Jan, 2017, I was told by a neighbour that someone had jumped the fence into the yard, a few days ago and stole two concrete flower pots. After making some inquires, I was told a man who lives at 1st Street Cumberland – GPL Road was the culprit. He apparently rides around the settlement with a bag and cutlass asking residents for dry coconuts but in the process looks for opportunities to steal when no one is at home. Whenever he is caught in the act and called out, he reacts in an abusive and threatening manner. The fact that he always has a cutlass with him, no one had dared so far to physically stop him. I wanted to report the matter to the Police so he could be stopped from continuing his thieving acts, but I was advised not to, that I would only be wasting my time, because several reports had been made to the police at Reliance, Canje but nothing has been done. I wonder what the police are waiting for, maybe when this dangerous menace to residents, chops someone to pieces or when he breaks into someone’s home and assaults someone’s wife or daughter, seeing he has already made that threat? Can someone in authority please take care of the situation? Madhu Singh
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Monday January 16, 2017
Kaieteur News
No action taken by Govt. on damning Ombudsman reports
20 months later...
“The appointment of an Ombudsman is only part of the task. We must ensure that the office is effective.” Those words were spoken by a national leader and staunch anticorruption advocate. In fact, the former head of the political opposition was one who fought aggressively for the operationalization of the office of the Ombudsman, a constitutional office that was non-functioning for more than seven years. That same man and even members of his team spoke at length about the worrying findings coming from the two damning reports prepared by that office. They said that the reports show injustice, vindictiveness, grave wrong doing and the financial treachery of the PPP administration. Twenty months later, many are disappointed that the David Granger administration has not taken a single action on those two damning reports, which were prepared by Justice Winston Moore, before he passed away September last. Moore was appointed to serve in that office by the Ramotar administration in January 2014. FREDDIE KISSOON One report deals with the issue of Kaieteur News
columnist Freddie Kissoon being wrongfully dismissed from the University of Guyana. Kissoon was on a contract with the University of Guyana but it was terminated by the tertiary institution in January 18, 2012. This was in spite of the fact that Kissoon’s contract had five months remaining, at the end of which, he would have reached the age of retirement. Rather than the story that he was dismissed, the University had said that it merely ended the contract earlier, eight months before the contract expired. The contract stipulated that it could be terminated and three months’ salary paid in lieu of notice. Kissoon did not hear from the University despite several efforts for a reason for why his contract was terminated prematurely. Following a complaint lodged with the Office of the Ombudsman, UG was notified that the newspaper columnist’s contract being terminated in such a manner breached UG’s regulations. The report on the issue said that he should be compensated. Since the Ombudsman made this pronouncement in January 6, 2015 no action has been by the institution to compensate Kissoon.
Former NBS CEO, Maurice Arjoon
Kaieteur columnist, Freddie Kissoon
The late Ombudsman, Winston Moore
President David Granger
THE NBS REPORT The late Ombudsman Moore had also ruled on another controversial matter relating to the New Building Society (NBS). The Office of the Ombudsman concluded in November 2014 that police wrongfully charged the former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and two of his managers of a massive $69M fraud at the New Building Society, in 2006. The explosive document by the public complaint office was based on complaints by Maurice Arjoon, the former CEO. Arjoon, in his complaint, said he and two managers, Kissoon Baldeo, and Kent Vincent, were deliberately and maliciously charged by police
for a $69M scam. Arjoon said that he believed that the trumped-up fraud charges, later dismissed in the Magistrates’ Court, stemmed from his refusal to lend $2B for the construction of the Berbice River Bridge. The former Government had been seeking financing for the project. Arjoon reportedly told his Board of Directors that the regulations barred the institution from lending that much. NBS voted to invest $350M in the project. Arjoon claimed that his refusal to illegally lend the $2B angered former President Bharrat Jagdeo, who was in power at that time. Arjoon, who has been insisting his innocence from
day one, said in his complaints that over seven years were taken away from his life. The late Justice Moore, who had sweeping powers to investigate abuse by public officers, hired former Deputy Commissioner of Police, Henry Chester, DSM, who, in reviewing a copy of the police files, found that based on the evidence, there was no way that the three men could have been charged. It was also found that the police files did not include a key exhibit. Arjoon had filed a high court action to overturn the decision of NBS to dismiss him, saying that he lost his benefits as a result. The explosive report raised serious questions about the rush by the police to lay charges; the role of the Director of Public Prosecutions, and the role played by the Central Islamic Organization of Guyana. Since the report was laid in the National Assembly, nothing has happened. UNACCEPTABLE If no action on the reports of the Ombudsman is taken, then what is the point of having one? This sums up the position put forward by Presidential advisor on Sustainable Development, Dr. Clive Thomas. He said that it has been over a year since the late Ombudsman, Winston Moore released two damning reports on various injustices which occurred under the People’s Progressive Party administration and no action has been taken by the institutions involved or the state. Thomas emphasized that it is important for the findings and recommendations of Moore’s reports to be dealt with, as further procrastination would only serve to undermine efforts for good governance at various levels. The Presidential Advisor said that the Ombudsman’s office is one that should be respected, and failure to act
on his findings represents “total disregard for the people, for his office as well as the importance of ensuring justice is served.” The nation’s Presidential Advisor on Sustainable Development says that this is just totally unacceptable and action should not be delayed any longer. He emphasized that any democratic government practicing good governance would take the reports as an indication of the type of action that needs to be undertaken if it requires such by the state or institutions within the state. The economist continued, “It is imperative that we pay attention and act expeditiously when the Ombudsman’s office highlights when injustices have occurred. The powerful principle upon which his office was established was to be the protector of the citizen’s rights. We have to ensure that his recommendations are enforced at all times and in whatever ways we can. We cannot appear to equivocate in the face of the rulings otherwise, what is the real purpose of his office and having him there?” NEW OMBUDSMAN The Government had said that a new Ombudsman would be appointed on or before January 1. But it was amended to being done by March. An Ombudsman is an official usually appointed by the government or by Parliament but with a significant degree of independence. One such official is charged with representing the interests of the public by investigating and addressing complaints of maladministration or violation of rights. The typical duties of an Ombudsman are to investigate complaints and attempt to resolve them. Ombudsmen in some instances, also aim to identify systemic issues leading to poor service or breaches of people’s rights.
We have put a significant dent in corruption - AFC By: Kiana Wilburg - Says the process is an ongoing one Even though there are criticisms to the contrary, the Alliance For Change (AFC) insists that in a period of 20 months, the coalition administration has been able to put a “significant dent” in corruption. The party made this, among other comments, at its first bi-weekly press conference which was held last week Friday at its Kitty Headquarters. At the level of ministries and other government agencies, Public Infrastructure Minister, David Patterson, was the first to contend that there have been meaningful improvements in the fight against corruption. Speaking for his Ministry, Patterson said he had the “good fortune” to be in charge of an area that is susceptible to fraud. And within 18 months, the General Secretary of the AFC was proud to disclose that the opportunities for corruption to occur have been reduced considerably. While no one can claim that corruption has been
Public Security Minister, Khemraj Ramjattan
Public Telecommunications Minister, Cathy Hughes
Public Infrastructure, David Patterson
eliminated altogether, the Public Infrastructure Minister stated that moves have been made to get the process started. The AFC General Secretary also stated that every report of wrong doing in his field or against his staff is always investigated without fear or favour. Offering similar remarks was, Minister of Public Telecommunications, Cathy Hughes. Hughes told
Kaieteur News that the administration is committed to the process of reducing corruption in Guyana. She emphasized however that the task is not an overnight one as corruption has become a culture in Guyana. In this regard, the Executive Member of the AFC said that the coalition administration has been focusing on ensuring that ministries and agencies have the necessary checks and
balances to reduce all forms of corruption. Hughes said, too, that the importance and significance of taking such an action cannot be emphasized enough. To cement her position, Hughes cited a recent example of a citizen who was trying to secure a piece of land, but was told by the authorities that none in the area he wanted was available. However, “As the man (Continued on page 23)
Monday January 16, 2017
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Kaieteur News
TIMING IS EVERYTHING A few years ago, I went to register a will at the Registry beneath the High Court. The cost was prohibitive… prohibitively low. All it cost to undertake this important legal procedure was ten Guyana dollars, less than half of one US cent. I queried why the rate was so low and was told that this was the rate which was set even before I was born. It had not changed. The cost of the registration would not even pay for the receipt on which it was issued. The Minister of Finance has been trying in all of his Budget measures to increase those fees for public services which have not been increased for years. He is trying to update these fees, many of which cannot pay for the cost of the service. The Minister of Finance has come in for a drubbing over these increases. His attempts have been described as an increase in indirect taxes, and perhaps they are indirect taxes but the policy of ensuring that fees and licenses meet the economic costs of providing them is well grounded. From an economic point of view it makes sense for licenses and fees to cover the administrative costs of issuing these instruments. If this is achieved throughout the government service, it will reduce the amount of money government has to spend to finance these services. Taken to its logical conclusion, it can result in a reduction in taxes, since user charges for these licenses and fees will cover their issuance and administration. There are instances in which a strong case can be argued for user fees to be above their economic costs. Take for example passports. People were complaining when the fees were increased to $4000. It is now higher. Yet you have a situation where people are going to pay almost $200US dollars to put a visa into that passport and then spend another US$1000 to travel on that passport. Yet these same people were protesting about the increase in the cost of a passport. There are long lines every day for passports. There is quota as to the number of applications which the passport office will accept each day. When that quota is reached, then no more applications will be accepted. This means that many persons are turned away each day, or used to be since applications are now being received in certain Regions at police stations. Yet, a number of persons apply for passports and never in their lifetime use these passports. They just
want a passport just in case they are required to travel. They cannot afford to go on a holiday over in Suriname, yet they want to apply for passport and they complain about the cost. Why burden the passport authorities with applications for passports when these passports will never be used for travel? This is why the fees for a passport should have been no less than $10,000. There is justification, therefore, for increasing the licenses and fees. But the opposition is also making a point which is not being heard by the government. They are making the point about the effect of all the increases in fees on businesses at a time when businesses need a helping hand rather than
being burdened with higher fees and licenses. The government has increased the fees for liquor licenses. This has erroneously been described by the government as a sin tax. It is not a sin tax. A sin tax is chargeable on an alcoholic product and is intended to discourage consumption by forcing an increase in the selling price of the product. The fees for operating a rum shop or for selling liquor are not sin taxes. They are business charges, as was rightly pointed out by the former Minister within the Ministry of Finance, Juan Edgehill. He had said that the increase in the fees will increase the burden on businesses. No shop or store that
Alleged gold thieves for court today Two miners from Cuyuni/ Mazaruni are to be charged today in connection with the theft of a quantity of raw gold. According to information received, the accused, aged 19 and 20 respectively, of Kamarang Village are accused of stealing 11 penny weight of gold valued $110,000 and equipment worth $100,000, from Edwin Bess, who operates a shop and dredge in the interior. It is alleged that the men stole the articles on January 9. Based on reports they washed out the gold from a ‘mat’ and made good their escape. However, they were subsequently apprehended by police. Last Friday, three other gold miners accused of stealing four and a half penny weight of raw gold were remanded to prison. Steve James, 25, of Lot 72 Dr. Charles Housing Scheme, Soesdyke, East Bank Demerara, Shemmy Bernard, 19, and Junior Bascom, 23, both of St. Cuthbert’s Mission, Soesdyke/ Linden Highway are accused of stealing four and a half pennyweight of raw gold from Prince Bowman on January 11, at Arangoy Backdam, Cuyuni River. The men pleaded not guilty to the allegation after an appearance before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan. They were each released on $15,000 bail.
deals with liquor should be paying less than $10,000 per year. In normal circumstances, if a liquor shop cannot make a profit to cover a license fee of $10,000 per year, it should not be in the business of selling alcoholic beverages. But one has to examine the increase in the context of what is happening to business right now. The business community is experiencing a slump. Therefore it is a case of ill-timing to increase fees and licenses at this time. The increase will add to business costs at a time when the businesses cannot afford any further increases. It makes economic senses for the government to place a moratorium on increasing fees when there is a slump in business activity. It is also is sound economic practice to keep taxes, licenses and fees low on the productive sectors. This is something that is
borne out in economic theory and history. You do not overtax the real sectors of the economy. You do not impose prohibitive fees on land for agricultural purposes. To do so, will make production unprofitable and will cause a collapse of the agricultural sector. It is being alleged that the Mahaica Mahaicony Abary Development Authority is proposing to increase the fees charged for drainage and irrigation from the present high of $3,5000 per acre to multiple times this amount. Any increase at this time when rice prices are low, will cause farmers in the MMA scheme to abandon the land and go bankrupt. Farmers have to pay for leases, drainage and irrigation
according to the acreage they control. Land preparation fees are calculated per acre. Fertilizing fees are charged by acre. Sowing fees are charged per acre. Harvesting fees are charged per acre. Right now, the small farmers cannot cover their cost of production. The large farmers are also hurting because of the depressed price for rice. It would be unconscionable for the MMA, in this state of affairs, to increase the charges for drainage and irrigation services. This increase will destroy the rice industry. Its timing is wrong.
Monday January 16, 2017
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Kaieteur News
Parking meters placed in front of some schools Smart City Solutions’ parking meter project is expected to attract further controversy, with the placement of meters in front of some City schools. Already, two meters have been placed along Carmichael Street in front of The Bishops’ High School. A third has been placed in front of the Ptolemy Reid Rehabilitation Centre. This means that a teacher who owns a car and works for six hours a day may end up paying as much as $1,200 a day, or $6,000 per week in parking fees. At present, parking fees are $200 an hour. The company’s Public Relations Officer, Kit Nascimento, said that at the moment, no special parking rates are being offered to the parents of students, or their teachers. He added that the company has had talks with private sector entities and government agencies, in order to come up with special packages. He said that no representative of any educational institution, or from the Guyana Teacher’s Union had made contact with the company to discuss having a special rate offered. However, Nascimento
Female cop under close arrest for releasing ganja possession accused A female police sergeant attached to E Division is reportedly under close arrest for allegedly releasing an individual, who was nabbed with three grammes of cannabis sativa. The matter came to light when the suspect was a no show at the Linden Magistrate’s Court last Wednesday. Kaieteur News was reliably informed that the police sergeant was also on duty in 2015 when two prisoners escaped from the Mackenzie Police Station. The sergeant who realized that she has erred for the second time within a short period posted on social media that she will continue to pray despite all that’s happening.
- company open to negotiations
Two parking meters along the Eastern and Western side of Carmichael Street in-front of The Bishops’ High School said that the company is willing to consider special rates for school districts and is open to negotiating with the relevant stakeholders. The company aims to install 157 parking meters in the city for 3237 parking spaces as part of the first phase of the project. The instruments will be placed along Quamina Street, Charlotte Street, Avenue of
the Republic, King Street, Wellington Street, North Road, Hadfield Street, Regent Street, Croal Street, South Road, Robb Street, Camp Street, Church Street, Water Street and Brickdam. There will be a fee of $50 for every parking rotation which lasts for 15 minutes. If persons breach their allotted time, wardens would place a lock on the wheel of the
vehicle preventing it from moving. In the event of this, vehicle owners would have to pay an $8000 fine. If this fee is not paid, owners risk their vehicle being impounded. Paid parking will be in
effect from 07:00hrs to 19:00hrs from Monday to Saturday. Motorists will not have to pay on Sundays or any National holiday. The parking meters were expected to come on stream
in time for the 2016 Christmas season. However, this was postponed until later this month. Currently, the company is engaging in a promotional/education program in the city whereby motorists are being informed as to how the meters are to be used. Based on information received, motorists will have to take note of the space number for each parking space before approaching the meter to make their payments using a GeoPark prepaid card which will be available at convenient locations. After following the printed instructions on the machine they will present their card to the scanner and be supplied with a printed receipt. Drivers are to place that receipt on the dashboard of their vehicle in full view so that wardens will know that parking would have been paid for and secondly, how much time is left for the customer. The parking meter project has received much criticism regarding its implementation. The M&CC was condemned for not putting the contract up for public bidding and for not conducting consultations with those who stand to be affected.
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Monday January 16, 2017
Forensic audits…
Govt. may have to wait ‘a long time’ for witnesses to come forward - Ramjattan By: Kiana Wilburg How can the current administration confidently declare that it will hold its own officials accountable for their actions, when it is unable to do the same in the case of past officials? This is the question many anti-corruption advocates have been asking since the coalition administration released more than 30 forensic audit reports. Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan, believes that it is still possible to hold the feet of current officials to the fire, despite being unable at the moment, to prosecute those of the past who have committed certain acts as revealed by the damning forensic audits. Ramjattan stressed that
Public Security Minister, Khemraj Ramjattan the major difficulty plaguing the use of the forensic audit reports for the purpose of prosecution is the fear of key witnesses in giving testimonies to the police and in the court.
“When it comes to these past officials, we have had much difficulty because of the character and nature of the people who have to go and give the evidence. People say they are scared and fear that their lives may be put in danger. Some gave statements, but are terrified of going to court.” He said, “…We might have to wait a time for people to come forward in the case of these forensic audits. It is just like how we are solving crimes like that of Babita Sarjou because people came forward sometime after. Some of these witnesses in the case of the forensic audits were close to those guys, so what you are going to do? Hit them on the head for them to testify? So that is the difficulty...” The Minister of Public
Security also emphasized that the “primary” purpose of the forensic audits was to see what the PPP administration did wrong. “Even though we have found that, people are unhappy that we are not jailing those past officials. And we are getting lots of blows for that. They are not happy with what the audits uncovered...” While Ramjattan holds this view, many critics opined that Guyanese feel a sense of betrayal that when it comes to the forensic audits, which have cost Guyana millions of tax payers’ dollars. Critics stressed that the citizenry was promised action on the corruption that was unearthed and to date there has been none. It was in May 2015 that the Granger-led
‘Cruelly abused’ horse euthanized - animal rights activist wants owner prosecuted
The abused horse lying at the side of the road moments before being euthanized Animal rights activist Syeada Manbodh is calling on the Guyana Police Force to arrest and prosecute the owner of an abused horse which had to be euthanized last Friday. Following a report of the animal’s condition, Manbodh and a friend located a horse lying by the side of the road leading to the Starbucks Window factory at the back of D’Agiuar Park, East Bank Demerara. Passers-by said that the owner of the horse is a man named “Eddie”. Manbodh and her assistant said that it is worrying that so many people would have passed the suffering animal and did nothing to get it help. She said that a police patrol from the
Ruimveldt Station took about an hour and a half to arrive. According to the woman, four police officers would have seen the condition of the animal and should have taken the necessary steps to find the owner and charge him with cruelty. When Kaieteur News arrived on the scene, the animal’s left hind leg was badly swollen and carried a gaping wound. The right hind leg was also lacerated with bone exposed and flies and pus on the wound. The horse was lying on its side in agony. Recalling the sequence of events, Manbodh said that when she arrived at the location, a man appeared shouting that the horse could
walk. He began to whip the horse to force it to get up and walk. While Manbodh attempted to get hold of the police, her companion placed herself between the whip and the horse, thereby preventing the man from further abusing the suffering animal, and shouted at him to leave the horse alone. The man then ran off shouting, “Ah comin back, ah coming back,” when he noticed that a car had stopped. Ms. Manbodh’s assistant asked the people in the car to call the police. Unfortunately the occupants refused to do so on the grounds that they did not know what was going on. Several people said they
had seen the horse suffering, but they did not know who to call. Although the horse was only a few yards from the Starbucks Window outlet, an individual from the business said that they were not aware of its presence. When the GSPCA inspector arrived he determined that the horse needed to be put out of his suffering. He then had the animal euthanized. According to Manbodh, the GSPCA needs to have a system in place to euthanize animals using the more human method of lethal injection. To compliment this, she said that suffering animals should be administered painkillers before they are put to death.
administration began expending some $133 million of taxpayers’ monies on 45 of the 50 forensic audits to ascertain how the assets of the state were sold, disposed of or transferred under the previous administration. The remaining five audits were sponsored by the InterAmerican Development Bank (IDB). Some of the firms contracted to conduct the forensic audits included Nigel Hinds Financial Service, Ram and Mc Rae and HLB Seebarran and Co. Chartered Accountant Anand Goolsarran along with Harryman Parmesar were also contracted to conduct several forensic audits. Nigel Hinds Financial Service earned some $25M for auditing agencies such as the
Guyana Oil Company Limited (Guyoil), the Guyana Energy Agency (GEA) and the Guyana Office for Investment (GoInvest). Ram and McRae bagged some $20M for auditing the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), the Guyana Gold Board and the E-Governance Project among others. Several audits were also launched in July 2015 while others started in later weeks of that year. While the report on NICIL has been completed for months now, criminal proceedings are still to take shape. Those on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the National Frequency Management Unit (NFMU) (Continued on page 24)
Family believes intruders killed watchman As police investigate the circumstances leading to the death of Berbice watchman Vickram James, family members suspect that the man met his death while trying to foil a robbery at his workplace. Kaieteur News understands that the 62-yearold man, called “Buddy Sham”, of Lot 102 Alexander Street, Ranpor, Corriverton was discovered with a gaping wound to the throat on Tuesday last at a log ranch on Piegon Island, some 200 miles up the Corentyne River, by a worker who came to relieve him of his duties. Information revealed that James was stabbed with his own knife which was discovered blood stained a few feet from where he was found. The man’s nephew told Kaieteur News that on Tuesday evening at around 22.00 hrs, they were informed by police that his uncle was found with his ‘throat slit’ and was being taken to the Skeldon Hospital for treatment. “They tell we dat, and we don’t know what really happened. All wah dem tell we is that he throat slit and dem taking he hospital. We barely getting information from police”. According to the slain man’s nephew, the owner of the Log Ranch, whose name was given as ‘Francis’ disclosed to him that his uncle tried to stop thieves when he was stabbed to the neck.
Vickram James “Francis tell me dat he mussie try to stop some thief and get stab, but we don’t know what really happened there”. The wounded watchman was transported to the Skeldon Hospital, then to the New Amsterdam Hospital. However because of the severity of his wound, he was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital where he succumbed a few days later. Family members told Kaieteur News that James, who was employed for more than four years, had no conflicts with anyone. Meanwhile, Commander of ‘B’ Division, Senior Superintendent Errol Watts, told Kaieteur News that no suspects were in custody, but statements were taken from persons in close proximity to the crime scene. “We have no theory as to why he was stabbed, but the police will be traveling to the area to conduct investigations”. A post mortem is expected to be conducted today.
Monday January 16, 2017
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Are taxi services screening their drivers? - many implicated in crimes ranging from armed robbery to murder
Charged: Taxi drivers Fazeel Bacchus and Lennox Roberts It was just a few weeks ago that police charged four men for the murder of an elderly couple, who were burnt to death in their home by a gang of robbers. One of the accused was a taxi driver, who allegedly transported the gang to and from the scene. The incident highlights a worrying trend of taxi drivers being linked to crimes ranging from burglary to armed robbery and even murder. It also raises the question as to whether taxi services are adequately screening the drivers they hire. A check of cases as far back as eight years ago shows that in October, 2009, two taxi drivers were charged with robbing a businessman of some $9.5M. It was alleged that the
businessman was transporting the money to the city and stopped briefly at his driver’s home, when four men in another vehicle held the businessman at gunpoint and made off with his cash. In June, 2012, a 29-yearold taxi driver from Charlotte Street was charged with robbing three persons at gunpoint. One victim was relieved of a cell phone, $65,000, an identification card, US visa card and a Scotia Bank ATM card. On the same day, reportedly armed with a gun, the same driver robbed two others of $10,000, US$110, and $130,000 in local currency. Just last week, a driver employed by a Georgetown taxi service, and two other
Gunned down: Mall owner, Ganesh Ramlall men, allegedly broke into several vehicles during a three-day spree in two East Coast Demerara communities. It is alleged that they stole articles from about 17 vehicles, before they were nabbed by villagers. Police recovered several tape decks, a tractor alternator, eight batteries and other valuables. The suspects have since been charged. On July 5, proprietor of Regent Multiplex Mall, Ganesh Ramlall, was shot dead by bandits at his La Jalousie, West Coast Demerara home. According to reports, Ramlall had just returned home and was going to use the outside bathroom when he was confronted by four men who shot him and took
Berbice company goes 100 percent... (From page 2) invest in solar energy, Over the past years, solar has become very, very competitive, the prices are going down, the technology is getting better ...” Persaud highlighted that as of now, the usage of solar energy is at two percent, but noted that the figure is expected to grow by 25 percent in the next ten years. The system, he indicated will be available to all Guyanese since it is on the agenda to partner with the company that installed it. Persaud explained that the 12000 square feet of solar panels is a 220 Kilowatts solar system that cost some US$528,000. “It generates roughly 1000 kilowatts of power on a
daily basis, so you save $50,000 per day”. He stressed that using such a system can make “businesses very competitive,” and that it also allows the investment into the business to be recovered in three to five years. “What we have now, we consume approximately 70 percent of the power we produce, 30 percent goes to GPL and to date, we have been giving them for free,” Meanwhile, Regional Chairman Mr. David Armogan in expressing his sentiments stated that “The Nand Persaud Group of Companies understands diversification in this country. Renewable energy is crucial for the prosperity of our country, it should be beneficial to our environ-
ment.” He also commended the company on such a positive move. The Norwegian Consul, Mr. Desmond Sears, also remarked that, “Nand Persaud and Companies continues to prove to all that green economies are not based solely on the heels of sacrifice but also the idea of growth, It is time to move away from the fear of the idea of green protectionism “. A brief history of the company was provided by the Managing Director of NPIC Mr. Darren Ramdial. In attendance were representatives from various businesses in Berbice and other parts of the country. Former Prime Minister of Guyana, Samuel Hinds also graced the occasion.
Gunned down: Handyman Victor Da Silva
Charged: Ranachal Singh
Charged: Taxi driver Sanjay George
away his licensed firearm, jewellery and a wallet before escaping. Two taxi drivers, Fazeel Bacchus, 21, and Lennox Roberts, 32, were among several who were subsequently charged with murder. On July 8, 2013, gas station proprietor Albert Gajadhar, and his employer, 72-year-old Victor Da Silva, were on their way to Republic Bank to make a deposit of cash, when a band of gunmen ambushed them. Da Silva was shot multiple times and died on the spot, while Gajadhar, who was also shot, was hospitalized. The gunmen escaped with $8M. Police subsequently arrested and charged Kitty taxi driver Joseph Williams for Da Silva’s murder. He told investigators that that he was hired as a
chauffeur by a group of men who requested that he follow a Toyota Rav 4 vehicle. The accused said that while following the vehicle, in the vicinity of Water Street, Georgetown, he heard loud sounds that appeared to be gunshots. Williams alleged that on hearing the shots, he exited the vehicle and ran for cover. Williams had first denied his involvement in the crime but subsequently pleaded guilty to manslaughter. He was sentenced to 15 years imprisonment. In April, 2016, the decomposing body of maid of honour Simone Hackett was found in a trench at Fourth Field, Cummings Lodge. Police subsequently charged Hacketts’s reputed husband, Cleavaughn Hamilton, for her murder. Also charged with murder was
Ranachal Singh, 31, a taxi driver of Lot 7 Good Hope, Mahaicony, East Coast Demerara. It is alleged that he transported the body to the area where it was found. The manager of one wellknown taxi service said that his establishment “has a clean record,” since all drivers undergo careful screening before they are hired. “You just don’t walk off the road and join our service. We have to really know you before you come into this service. “He (the driver who is seeking employment) would have to submit all his documents, and we would go by his house and see where he lives. You have to bring in a recommendation and we check where you last worked and the number of taxi services where you were employed.”
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Monday January 16, 2017
Family suggests cover-up Stepson, 16-year-old friend in ‘mistaken burial’ saga Estate worker murder…
likely to be charged today
The stepson of 38-yearold murder victim, Kawal Shivnauth and a 16-year-old friend, are likely to be charged with murder today. A police source said that investigators have sent a file to the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) for advice. The file is expected to be back early today. Shivnauth, an estate worker, was killed a few days after he reportedly approached his stepson and instructed the youth that he stop harassing Shivnauth’s 5-year-old daughter. “The young man it was said got upset and felt embarrassed. So, when he saw the Uitvlugt estate worker at the shop (in Anna Catherina, West Coast Demerara), he decided to vent his anger on the victim,” a police source stated. With the help of the 16year-old, the young man allegedly started an argument
Dead: Kawal Shivnauth with Shivnauth and then struck him to the back of his head with a bottle. The duo then ran behind their victim and beat him. One of the suspects allegedly then stabbed Shivnauth twice to the abdomen, before fleeing with his accomplice. The victim’s stepson was
captured at the Anna Catherina seawall the following day, while his friend was caught at Matthews Ridge, Region One. The victim’s mother, Radha Lalchand said that her son indeed spoke to his stepson sometime back about harassing his daughter. “It wasn’t anything big, he just talked to him about troubling the girl,” Lalchand said. The woman said that her son was dating the suspect’s mother for about three years. “The woman doesn’t live with him (victim) but she goes there and spends time with him.” Lalchand said that her grandchildren reside with her and two Sundays ago, Shivnauth called and asked that the children spend the day with him, since it was his birthday. Meanwhile, at the scene, one of the victim’s relatives said that Shivnauth had an altercation with the young men and as he was about to exit the establishment, he was struck behind his head, while another man pounced on him and began to stab him repeatedly. Residents raised an alarm and the police were alerted. Shivnauth was pronounced dead on arrival at the Leonora Cottage Hospital.
Ranks at the cemetery on Friday (inset) Surujpaul Dindyal
By Brushell Blackman The family of 46 year old Surujpaul Dindyal of Melanie Damishana who was allegedly buried by “mistake” by the Georgetown Public Hospital Mortuary, suspects that there was an attempt to cover-up this matter and there is a lot more than meets the eyes. Dindyal a fisherman, and father of three, died following an accident at Buxton on the East Coast Demerara on the 9th December last year. According to Vidyawattie Barrat, the victim’s sister, what she finds very strange is that her brother was buried the following day. The woman said from her understanding of a ‘poor burial’, a period of time has to elapse without anyone trying to locate or claim the body. An upset Barrat wants to know how someone can be buried under such circumstance the very next day. “People deh in deh since February an deh nah bury yet, why deh bury me brother the next day?” The woman says her suspicions were further
aroused when she realised that she was being given the “royal run around” by the mortuary. Her first visit to the mortuary was on the December 22, 2016, in the company of four police officers. On that occasion, she was told there was no record of her brother being there. Not satisfied, she said she returned the following day, in the company of two police officers, even as she waded through knee high, smelly flood waters to find her brother. She stated it was at this juncture that she was informed that the man had indeed been brought there following an accident, as the mortuary records showed his body was wrapped and tagged. According to Barrat, she was told by a mortuary attendant that her brother’s body had in fact being buried already, and that the burial was a mistake since mortuary staffers thought he was someone else. “How you can mek one mistake like dah; dah one big mistake fuh mek” the unconvinced woman
lamented. Realising that something was amiss, the police ordered that the body be exhumed after Barrat insisted. To add to the intrigue of this story, she said all of her brother ’s clothing were removed, something she did not see in the case of the other two bodies that were in the same grave with him. The woman said that she can only conclude that someone wanted her brother to vanish without a trace, along with the circumstances surrounding his demise. She recounted after the story was highlighted in the media, she was sent photographs of the alleged driver who was involved in the accident. She later learnt he is a computer technician. A post mortem examination is to be carried out today and charges are to be made once the man’s body is positively identified. The family says that they just want to give their brother a dignified burial and then they will contemplate their next move as is regards what the woman calls an “embarrassing state of affairs” by a public corporation.
Over 40 food items to be free of VAT The Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) has stated that as of February 1, 2017 a number of items and supplies would be zero-rated, based on Amendments to the ValueAdded Tax (VAT). Following the 2016 Budget, the Minister of Finance, Winston Jordan has signed an order effective of January 29, 2016 that the following listed items will no longer attract VAT at the rate of 16, but rather they will now be zero-rated in keeping with schedule 1 of the ValueAdded Tax Act No.10 of 2005. The order which makes this effective is Order No. 6 of
- Guyana Revenue Authority 2016. All consumers and importers are asked to take note of the changes accordingly. Packaging materials were previously zero-rated for VAT based on interpretation. This inclusion will now legalize the zerorating for VAT for manufacturers, who export over 50% of their manufactured products. This is according to GRA, Commissioner General (ag), Ingrid Griffith. GRA provided the public
with a list of the items and supplies to be exempted from tax. On the list were a number of food items inclusive of bread made with wheat flour or whole wheat flour whether plait or sliced and tennis rolls; raw brown rice, raw white rice and parboiled rice; raw brown sugar; cooking oilvegetable, corn and coconut oil; cow’s milk and milk powder, evaporated milk, liquid cow’s milk including Ultra High Temperature (Continued on page 15)
Monday January 16, 2017
Kaieteur News
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Mom weeps as she recalls final moments with three-year-old daughter
Vigilance fire…
Tears flow down her cheeks as she continues to deny that she needs counseling having had to witness her three-year-old daughter, Bianka Sancho, perish as dozens helplessly stood in front of the raging fire at Vigilance, East Coast Demerara (ECD) last month. Although she cries daily, Shavane Sancho is trying hard to put the pain she feels behind, so that she can whole-heartedly focus on her three remaining children, Moses, four; Isaiah, five; and three-month-old Briana. In a recent interview, the 23-year-old woman said, “If they counsel me, they will call her name and I don’t want to hear her name,” before bursting into tears as she sat in the verandah of one of her relative’s home at Vigilance. Putting aside counseling, the young mother said it was a challenge for her to explain to Bianka’s siblings that she was no more. “They keep asking for her all the time so I had to put them to sit down and explain what happened.” While it was painful for her to recall, Sancho said that she and all her children could have lost their lives on that fateful day of December 28, last. “We got one door and it had a heavy-duty bolt to prevent bandits and all the windows were grilled. My husband usually leaves early in the morning and he locks the door from outside but that morning, he didn’t lock the door or else, all of us would have died,” Sancho said. The devastated woman related that on the morning of the fire, she got up and cooked food for her partner, Delon Sancho and while doing so, little Bianka got up from her bed and begged her to help out in the kitchen. “She was a willing child
(The arrow points to) Bianka and her two brothers
- in urgent need of financial help
Shavane Sancho as she tries to fight back tears and she was always helpful. She wake up and want help me and I eventually plaited her hair and sent her back to bed,” the woman recounted. She further explained that after her husband left home for work, she went back to bed. “I wake up in fire. It was all over and it hot like the sun.” A confused Sancho said that she picked up her baby daughter and rushed to the back door and for almost 15 minutes, she desperately tried to open the door.’ “I don’t know what happened to me because I was trying to open the door for so long and it aint opening, so I put the baby down on the floor and fighting up to open the door,” she recounted. As she was trying to get the door open, the 23-yearold woman said that her two sons woke up and rushed to her in tears, “They were crying and stressing me out because I started to panic more. I asked them where their sister is and they say she sleeping.” The woman said that her intention was to get the door open and send her three children downstairs and then return for little Bianka.
The burnt structure
“When I get the door open, my brother was the only one who was there, so I put the baby downstairs and I run up back, but my sons run up back behind me and I telling them to go back downstairs and they only crying and they not moving,” Sancho said. Fighting to hold back tears, the woman said by the time she got upstairs, the fire had already covered the kitchen and she couldn’t have passed to get to her daughter’s room. “The fire didn’t reach to the hall yet, so I run downstairs and I try to push up my brother on the verandah so that he could have break the grill and get her because she was still sleeping but my brother fall down back,” the woman related. She explained that her daughter eventually woke up she heard when the little girl run to the hall crying for her. “I hear when she run and she say ‘mommy come, mommy come’ but I couldn’t have done anything, because the whole back burnt and was only the front left and no one could have gotten upstairs to help her.” Sancho lamented that her daughter’s voice slowly died as she was burnt in the blaze. The next time the devastated mother saw her child was when fire-fighters removed her badly burnt body from the debris. While the woman could not say what caused the fire, it was confirmed that the blaze was electrical in origin. Sancho is in need so that she can continue to care for her remaining children. Anyone willing to assist the family can contact 677-4622.
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Monday January 16, 2017
Who says you can’t take it with you? \Who says you can’t take it with you? In Ancient times, the Pharaohs and Emperors wanted to be remembered for their great deeds and power so they built impressive tombs because to erase one’s memory on earth was to erase one’s immortality. Many surrounded themselves with what they thought they would need when they arrived at their final destination. The Chinese were big on personal property. Like the Egyptians, they believed the dead would need their favourite objects, as well as things of value, in the other world. The tomb of the first emperor of China, Qin Shi Huangtai, is the most famous example of Chinese burial practices in the ancient world. Shi Huangtia’s tomb was designed to symbolize the realm he presided over in life and included all he would need in the next - including a terra cotta army of over 8,000 men. The journey to the afterlife was long, and so Egyptian rulers were buried with food, water and wine to
help them on their travels. In Tutankhamen’s tomb, archaeologists found thirty six jars of vintage wine and eight baskets of fruit. Beautiful jewellery and clothes were buried with a Pharaoh so he could travel in style to the afterlife. Tutankhamen was buried with over fifty garments of the finest linen…lots of jewellery, including bracelets, buckles, pendants, necklaces, rings and scarabs made from gold and precious stones. There were also fans to keep him cool; one was made from ivory with huge ostrich feathers. In comparison, the last wish of a Ugandan public servant to be buried with money is no big thing. Charles Obong, 52, who worked as a senior personnel officer in the Ministry of Public Service wanted to use the cash to redeem his soul before God. As one report put it, “The hereafter, more so meeting the Creator on Judgement Day, is without a doubt a spine-chilling thought. This was the terrorprovoking imagination that
tormented a former Public Service officer who saved more than US$55,000 to bribe the Almighty Father on Judgement Day so He could forgive his earthly sins.” Mr. Obong died on December 17, 2016 and subsequently his wife, a principal immigration officer, confessed that her husband had told her to bury him with huge sums of cash which he would carry to heaven to offer God on Judgement Day. He also instructed his brother Justin Ngole and sister Hellen Aber to bear witness to ensure his wife followed his instructions to the letter and put the money in his coffin. The will was silent about the sins Obong wanted to make amends for but, it was noted, that he worked at the Public Service Ministry which was reportedly guilty of a major pension scam involving about US$70mn. News of Mr. Obong’s overture to the Almighty reached the Head of his Clan and a tempestuous meeting followed which led to the hurried departure of the hearse and the exhumation of
the body on the grounds that burying clan members with money was taboo. When the coffin was opened US$ 5,700 in $100 notes was found in it. The Rev. Joel Agel Awio, who presided at the funeral, clarified that no amount of money can buy eternal life, adding that God cannot accept such a golden handshake. That said, would God accept a Lamborghini? A report from Florida stated that hip-hop mogul Alexander Bernard Harris was murdered in 2002 while he was at a barbershop and his last wish was to be buried in his banana-yellow Lamborghini Murcielago. The performer’s memorial ceremony featured his embalmed corpse sitting in the driver’s seat of the luxury sports-car but it looks like his widow did not agree with his request and buried him in a glass coffin. Poor Harris. He could not drive it through the Pearly Gates or offer St. Peter a turn at the wheel. According to the website CRAVE, fancy wheels and money are not the strangest things that accompany the
deceased into the underworld. One man who ate at Burger King every day took a Whopper with him. When New York attorney John Jacobs died, his wife put his fully-charged new Motorola T720 cell phone in his hand. When he cashed in his chips, Arch West, the Frito Lay executive who developed Doritos, the Taco flavoured chips, had cheese flavoured Doritos sprinkled in his grave. A Tennessee man, William Wise, was buried with his horse, hunting hound and a sharp sword because he was afraid that his soul would be consigned to Hell and if that was the case he planned to track down Satan and kill him. While Wise might not have been all that wise, what would you have done if you were Mr. Obong’s wife? Here is what another wife, faced with the same final request to bury money, did. Her husband loved money and told her that when he died she
had to take all his money and put it in the casket with him. She promised with all her heart she would do so. At the funeral, she had a shoebox with her and just before the interment placed it in the casket. One of her friends was aghast and exclaimed, “Don’t tell me you were crazy enough to bury the money with him?” She said, “Yes, I promised. I’m a good Christian, I can’t lie. I promised him that I was going to put that money in that casket with him.” The friend asked, “You mean to tell me you put every cent of his money in the casket with him?” “I sure did,” said the wife. “I got it all together, put it into my account and I wrote him a cheque.” *Tony Deyal was last seen saying that Frank Sinatra was buried with a bottle of Jack Daniels whisky and a carton of Camel Cigarettes. However, unlike King Tut, none of his fans was buried with him.
Float parade to promote a ‘green state’ - Junior Calypso Monarch for Carifesta 2017 As Mash day celebration approaches there will be a greater emphasis on promoting a “Green State”. This is according to officials of the Ministry of Education’s Department of Culture Youth and Sports. The Ministry noted that the emphasis is not on the colour ‘green’ but rather the focus will be on promoting Guyana as the leading Caribbean country as it relates to a green and clean country on Mash day. A meeting was recently convened by the Culture Ministry, and a number of leading Guyanese designers were briefed about what Government’s expectations are. Junior Minister within the Ministry of Education Nicolette Henry said that her Ministry will be flexible and once suggestions capture the ethos of what t h i s y e a r ’s c e l e b r a t i o n looks to cover she is
willing to work with them. Further, it was encouraged that floats and designer
showcase this in their designs. Henry asked that
attention be paid to solar and renewable energy, the eco system and design e r s should think outside the box when floats are conceptualised. Additionally, it was noted that this year’s Junior Calypso competition will be held in Bartica, where twelve contestants will be vying for the crown. Apart from the usual prizes and awards for the winner, this year’s junior
calypso monarch will automatically be entered into the senior competition. It was also noted that a team from Barbados will be visiting to observe the competition since the winner will also represent Guyana in Barbados in a Regional Junior Calypso competition as part of Carifesta 2017 to be held in Barbados later this year. The float parade will be using the Stabroek Market
to D’urban Park Route, a move away from what obtained in years past, when floats traversed from Church Street to the National Park. The Ministry believes that this move makes more operational sense and that there is more space for revellers to have a good time. Mashramani this year will be celebrated under the theme “Celebration with Dignity, Liberty and Greater Unity”.
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Cops probe President Anthony Carmona Trinidad Guardian - A police investigation has begun into the housing allowance paid to President Anthony Carmona. However, this is not yet a criminal investigation, acting Police Commissioner Stephen Williams explained Saturday. The investigation into the matter is currently being handled by the Anti-Corruption Investigations Bureau, Williams said. The investigation comes in response to four letters sent by attorney Justin Phelps on behalf of his client Rhoda Bharath to the Commissioner of Police calling for the housing allowance paid to Carmona to be probed. Bharath’s call for the police to investigate the housing allowance came as a result of legal advice she obtained from British Queen’s Counsel Cathryn McGahey which stated that a “proper and independent” police investigation must be conducted to “reveal the true picture” about the payment. On March 18, 2013, Carmona assumed office as this country’s president. It was revealed that Carmona received a tax-free housing allowance of $28,000 a month from July 2013 to May 2015 despite also being provided with state accommodation at Flagstaff Hill.
…over $28,000 per month housing allowance
Stephen Williams The monthly allowance amounted to some $644,000. As a result of this, McGahey was asked to advise Bharath on whether a request to the Commissioner of Police for an investigation into misconduct in public office on the part of the President, his secretary Esther Daniel-Liverpool, and Chief Personnel Officer (CPO) Stephanie Lewis was justified. In her advice, McGahey stated
that “the case is finely balanced but I believe that there are the moment reasonable grounds to suspect that the offence of misconduct in public office has been committed. “It is possible that further investigations will reveal correspondence to indicate that those involved in seeking or providing the allowance did not truly believe the President to be entitled to it, or were reckless as to whether he was. Equally, those investigations may show that everyone involved acted in good faith, whether or not the allowance was in fact payable on the true construction of the Salaries Review Commission Report. A proper and independent investigation should reveal the true picture,” she stated. On January 1, the Sunday Guardian reported that the SRC distanced itself from Carmona’s housing allowance. Since October 26, Phelps wrote the Commissioner of Police calling for an investigation into the matter. Harold Philip was acting police commissioner at that time as Williams was on vacation. Apart from the housing allowance, Phelps also raised the
Anthony Carmona issue of threats and harassment to Bharath. Phelps wrote the Commissioner of Police on three occasions after that. The latest letter that Phelps sent was to Williams on November 28. “I have not had any reply to any of my said letters, not even an acknowledgement. I am respectfully asking for such acknowledgement and reply please, so that I may
advise my client accordingly,” Phelps wrote. In response to that letter, a letter signed on behalf of Williams, dated January 3, stated that the matter was forwarded to the Anti-Corruption Investigations Bureau. “Your letter dated November 28th, 2016 on the subject is duly acknowledged,” the letter stated. “Please be advise that the report made by Ms Bharath was forwarded to the office of the Senior Superintendent Anti-Corruption Investigations Bureau where it is being diligently investigated by a team of officers,” it stated. “On completion, you will be informed of the findings,” the letter stated. Acting Snr Supt Yussef Alexander is currently the head of the Anti-Corruption Investigations Bureau. The Sunday Guardian called and sent text messages to communications manager at the President’s House Theron Boodan to get a comment on the situation. Up to late Saturday, no response was received. Contacted, Williams explained that the Anti-Corruption Investigations Bureau has made a “preliminary assessment” of the matter and has since written the Chief Personnel Officer.
Caribbean American congresswoman joins Investor in Antigua & legislators in boycotting Trump’s inauguration Barbuda Accused of Tax NEW YORK - CMC – Caribbean American Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke has joined several United States Congressional representatives in planning to boycott Donald Trump’s inauguration as US President on Friday. Clarke, the daughter of Jamaican immigrants, who represents the 9th Congressional District in Brooklyn, New York, will be among a number of Democratic lawmakers who say they will stay away from the ceremony. This comes in the wake of Trump’s attack on US civil rights icon Congressman John Lewis, of Georgia. “I will NOT attend the inauguration of @realDonaldTrump,” Clarke tweeted on Saturday. “When you insult @RepJohnLewis, you insult America.” According to the New York Daily News, Trump insulted the Georgia representative on Saturday after Lewis said he did not see Trump as a “legitimate president,” citing claims that Russia meddled in the US election in Trump’s favour. According to Politico – a Virginia based politicaljournalism organisation, – Congressmen Adriano Espaillat and Jerrold Nadler,
Yvette D. Clarke
Barbara Lee
of New York, are among at least 18 congressional representatives planning to stay away from Trump’s inauguration. On Saturday, Nadler tweeted that Trump stands with Putin, while he supports Lewis. “(We) cannot celebrate the inauguration of a man who has no regard for my constituents,” tweeted New York Congressman Jose Serrano on Thursday, responding to Trump’s campaign pledge to deport millions undocumented migrants. Another New York congressional representative, Nydia Velazquez, pledged to travel to Washington in
joining thousands of women protesting Trump’s presidency with a massive march scheduled for the Saturday after the swearingin ceremony. Earlier, California Congresswoman Barbara Lee said she “will not be celebrating or honouring an incoming president who rode racism, sexism, xenophobia and bigotry to the White House. “Donald Trump ran one of the most divisive and prejudiced campaigns in modern history,” she said in a statement. “He began his campaign by insulting Mexican immigrants, pledging to build a wall between the United States
and Mexico and then spent a year and a half denigrating communities of colour and normalising bigotry. “He called women ‘pigs’, stoked Islamophobia, and attacked a Gold Star family,” Lee added. “He mocked a disabled reporter and appealed to people’s worst instincts. I cannot in good conscience attend an inauguration that would celebrate this divisive approach to governance.” After the November Presidential Election, Lee said many hoped the presidentelect would turn toward unifying our country. “Instead, he has shown us that he will utilize the same tools of division he employed on the campaign trail as our nation’s Commander-inChief,” she said. “We need look no further than the team he is assembling to find signals that the era of Trump will be one of chaos and devastation for our communities. “Donald Trump has proven that his administration will normalize the most extreme fringes of the Republican Party,” the congresswoman added. “On Inauguration Day, I will not be celebrating. I will be organizing and preparing for resistance.”
Fraud in Germany LONDON, United Kingdom – A British businessman who was investing in several projects in Antigua and Barbuda has been arrested in London in connection with tax fraud in Germany. Peter Singh Virdee was arrested at Heathrow Airport last week on a European arrest warrant, on behalf of the authorities in Germany. The 43-year-old businessman was named as one of the investors in the US$450 million Gravenor Bay project in Antigua and Barbuda which includes two five-star hotels, golf course, marina, polo friend, villas, commercial units and residential apartments. His clean energy company, PV Energy, had also signed a contract with the government of the twin-island nation to develop and install two solar plants and solar panel roof installations on more than 50 schools and public buildings. Virdee appeared before a Westminster Magistrates’ Court where his extradition proceedings commenced last week and he was released on bail. He is accused of operating a so-called “VAT carousel” scheme on EU carbon credits, under which
Peter Singh Virdee traders export the credits from one member state to another in order to take advantage of EU VAT rules. As exports, the sales are exempt from VAT, but the traders charge their customers VAT which they never declare to the authorities. The scheme ran from 2008 to 2012. It’s alleged Virdee operated “in the background” but was one of the central organizers of the criminal enterprise and was known in the group as “Batman”. If found guilty, he could face up to 15 years in prison. But he has denied the allegations. (Caribbean360)
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VEHICLE FOR SALE 1 Toyota Allion PVV series: TV Camera, HID, lights, alarm & remote start $2.2M negotiable Call: 649-0956 Leyland DAF 65 (sand truck). Call: 623-3895 SERVICES PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION,WEDDINGS, ANNIVERSARY,ETC.-CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 2161043; 677-6620 Visa Application: U.S.A, C a n a da & UK; Guyana p assport application. Graphics design, advertisement. Tel: 6267040; 265-4535.
SALON - Make-up Courses with Mac, Bare Minerals, etc. - Cosmetology Courses: $120,000 - Technician Course: $45,000. Call: 6471773/660-5257 Exquisite Beauty works have hair and nail or barber station available for rent. Call: 6927307/ 226-6352
INNOVATIVEMARKETING & PUBLISHING INC –TEL: 600-4212: We create A/ works, logos, busi ness cards, posters, etc, placements of ads included. LANDSCAPING: We design, supply and implement residential and commercial indoor & outdoor landscaping. Call: 648-1821 Passport, permanent & visitor visa application, Professional Immigrant Consultant – Sabita Immigration Services. Call: 225-6496; 662-6045
EDUCATIONAL Private custom house broker certificate training course; January 30 2017. Register now & save. Call: 694-8322 or 671-9603 Classes for slow learners in Reading, Spelling, Mathematics, and much more for children all ages. Call: 675-4379
Oswin J’s Auto Imports: New Arrivals: Premio, Allion, Fielder, Axio, Rush, X-Trail. Free full coverage insurance. Call: 609-2815 One Nissan Duke, lady driven, immaculate condition, PTT series, low mileage. Call: 653-0018/ 6667748, price negotiable serious enquires.
TOURS Need a weekend getaway? Pay just $36000 for a return trip to Suriname. February 2326, 2017. Contact: 600-5509/ 268-2507
15 Acres transported land @ Upper Demerara River next to Kaumudi Creek opposite Timehri Docks. Call R. Mithu: 222-4708 Land @ Soesdyke, 6 lots measuring 135’X175’ -$24M negotiable. Call: 627-3334/ 696-8935, email:fcranmore@ guyanavoice.com
01 Leyland DAF55 Truck, excellent condition, no dump. Call Reaz: 675-4287/ 661-7186
Honda S2000 Convertible$3.2M, Audi A4-$3.6M, 318i BMW-$2.6M, Toyota IST-$2M. Contact#650-0402/260-4988
Nissan Bluebird 2011 model -$2.7M, Toyota Rush 2006 model -$2.8M. (unregistered vehicles) Call:655-3400
Sheep for sale at Independence Street La Grange. Call: 675-6491 1 Two storey building @ Anna Catherina, West Coast Demerara, New Scheme. Call: 628-4436
Riverside property, Roeden-Rust, East Bank Essequibo, 3 Miles from Parika. Call: 266-2217/6945109
Land @ La Parfaite Harmonie -$1.2M, $1.4M, $1.6M, Uitvlugt- $2M, Tuschen School Street -$3M, Providence -$5M, Eccles $5M. Call: 604-6724
PALMS: Any variety, all sizes, we deliver and plant anywhere. Call: 643-7193
Long bass Mitsubishi Canter -$2M, Honda Fit -$850,000, new model Raum -$2M, Audi Car $2M. Call: 604-6724
Repairs at affordable prices: fridge, air conditioner, washing machines, dryers, TV, microwaves & freezerCall: 610-5846 or 661-8158
Uitvlugt -$2.3M, Zeelugt $1.7M, Tuschen -$1.6M, La Parfaite Harmonie -$1.4M – Call: 642-1252
Great Deals on video games & all gaming consoles. PC, video games & repairs – Call: 672-2566; 265-3231
1 Big music set, owner migrating. Call: 690-5225
Hello the doctor is back! Have your gas stove service and repair. Call: 601-0595
LAND FOR SALE
FOR SALE LARGE QUANTITIES OF HIGH PURITY MERCURY (QUICK SILVER) 99.99995% PURITY$19,000 PER POUND CALL: 592-227-4754.
1 AT 212 (PNN) – Call: 6792928
PROPERTY FOR SALE Transported property @ Grove and Diamond $16M negotiable. Call: 625-5461
B U D H R A M ’ S LANDSCAPING SERVICES: FREE ADVICE, FREE DESIGN. CALL: 6561326 A&T TRAVEL AGENCY INC: TICKETS GOING VERY CHEAP!! OFFICE IN USA. CALL: 223-1332/ 6137542/+1-347-617-7582/ EMAIL:OMKARLILIAH@ GMAIL.COM Guytec Repairs Services & Spares to washing machines, pressure washer, dryer, st o v e s , r e f r i g e r a t o r, treadmill, vacuum, etc – Call: 680-2377 Repairs at low cost: Fridges, air- conditioners, washing machines, TVs, microwaves, freezersCall:629-4946 or 225-4822 FOR HIRE Chauffeur Driven Wedding cars for hire, personal service in Berbice. Call:604 9596 Or 646 9087
Monday January 16, 2017
Kaieteur News
Eccles New Housing Scheme property for sale by owner. Call: 618-2603 2 Storey house & land at UG area, East Coast Demerara. Call: 657-4349
Cheap! Cheap! CCTV Security Surveillance Kit, 8 Channels DVR with built in Hard Drive, 8 bullet cameras – Tel: 621-4740/686-3500 1 Stembow boat & engine (Yamaha 200HP) with Power Steering kit $1.6M Call 6585299/638-7748 Perkins 3 Cylinder 27 KVA Generator, price -$1,200,000 negotiable. Call: 682-6111 Design & Make Aluminum windows, doors, stainless rails, showcases, rolling shutters, make & install automatic doors. Call: 2336818/677-5599/659-9999
Aubrey Barker Road, triple lot -$27M, campbellville, DaSilva Street, Diamond Bungalow 12.5M, East- $11.5M. Call GME Realty: 231-2199/ 6187483
FOR RENT PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION,WEDDINGS, ANNIVERSARY, ETC. CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 216-1043; 677-6620 Two bedrooms apartment to rent @ Better Hope, E.C.D – Call: 617-3001 2 Bedrooms bottom flat @ Cornelua Ida, West Coast Demerara. Call:661-9689
TO LET Alexander Village 1st Street, large two bedroom, 1 self contained with A/C, parking $60,000.Call:652-8970/674-3735
FOR SALE/RENT American Pool Table. Call: 277-0578
VACANCY
One Floor Manager, must have at least five (5) years, experience in Hardware Store. Contact # 650-0402
Popular East Coast Gas Station (Non-Pareil) Day/ Night: pump attendants, sales clerk & office assistant. Contact: 695-9880/684-4197
1 Female Shop attendant to work in the Interior. Calll: 6780565 1 Male or female to look after layer birds in the Interior. Call: 678-0565 Bahier to cook in the interior. Call: 678-0565
Space to rent on Public Road, West Bank Demerara, preferably for business. Call: 661-9689
Office clerk age 18-25, security guards, care taker to work in Atlantic Garden, E.C.DCall: 638-5303/227-7380 Receptionist, Security Guard, Room Attendant. Apply to 233 South Road – Tel: 225-0198
1 Porter to work on vehicle in the Interior. Call: 678-0565
One fast food supervisor, one chef, dhal puri maker, one cashier. Call: 225-0723 for more information.
Experienced cleaners, waiters and counter servers. Apply with written application, Hack’s Halaal, 5 Commerce St. (Day Shift only).
1 General Domestic MondaySaturday, must be able to prepare vegetarian dishes, apply at Alabama Trading.
Wanted land to buy: Uitvlugt, Tuschen, Zeelugt & La Parfaite Harmonie. Call: 6579594
1 Senior Accounts Clerk. Interesting person apply to Alabama Trading, Ferry Stelling.
Boardroom/Giftland Mall: 1 experienced chef, 1 male/ female cleaner to work shift system. Call Karishma: 6809091/ Sasha: 652-6533 Experienced taxi driver, mini bus driver and dispatcher. Call: 616-5419 Live in waitress to work in a bar- Call: 604-6606;692-4646 Operator/Driver – Call: 6190898/698-4321 Male and female to work in Interior age 25-35 salary $80,000 monthly. Call: 674-1767 2 Seamstress need at Lot 5 & 6 Supply Village, E.B.D. Call: 670-8182 Male & female factory workers from age 18 and older with working experience. Call: 223-0090 2 Waitresses age 18-25yrs, 1 cook & 1 bartender in Grove. Call: 678-2295
2 Storey house 35X45 3 bedrooms, 1 self-contained @ 5th Avenue Diamond, H/ Scheme. Call: 677-0583/6645052 1-2 Story building: top flat- 4 bedrooms, 1 self contained, air-conditioned, 2 apartment bottom flat, 2 bedrooms each apartment. Call: 645-9157
WANTED
To work weekends: female bartenders, attractive waitresses, cooks needed at Eden’s Bar (East Bank). Call: 678-3616 One general domestic: Monday, Wednesday and Friday, time: 8am-4pm. Must be between age 35 and older. Call: 617-9883 Sales girl to work on a stand in the New Amsterdam area. Call 604 -9596 or 646- 9087 One Receptionist. Apply in person with application to Agriparts, 202 Mandela Avenue, Alexander Village G/ Town. One experienced sand truck driver preferably from E.B.D. Must be honest- Call: 2653024/609-0766
Valid Certificate of competence as Master of power, driven vessel. Call: 226-1100/226-5380 Female kitchen assistant and male assistant to grill meats and vegetable, weekend included. Call: 656-9313/6752550/684-7526 Accounts/office assistant CXC Accounts. Email CV to laltag@yahoo.com or whatsapp: 680-3863 Office clerk with 5yrs experienced 5 CXC subjects. Apply in person @ Universal Machine, 161 Charlotte Street. Call: 225-2093 Sales Representative to sell juices, applicants must have experienced. Apply to Mc Doom C.I.D.I, E.B.D- Call: 2330910 1 - Secretary & office clerk, must have maths,english and accounts. Contact # 650-0402 \ 260-4124. Handyman for $20,000 weekly, doctor’s assistant $30,000 weekly. Call: 220-2878 Driver for Interior -$260,000 monthly, office assistant/ sales representative -$30,000 weekly. Call: 220-2878 The #1 Plant Shop, sale staff and general maintenance and sales persons 20-30yrs. Call: 643-7193
WANTED 1 Female cleaner for office in Eccles. Call: 233-2745 Continue on page 23
Monday January 16, 2017
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Kaieteur News
CIA director warns Trump to watch Israel, Palestinians warned against solo steps harmful to peace what he says, be careful on Russia Reuters - Some 70 countries reaffirmed yesterday that only a twostate solution could resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and warned against any unilateral steps by either side that could prejudge negotiations. The final communiqué of a one-day international Middle East peace conference in Paris shied away from explicitly criticising plans by U.S. President-elect Donald Trump to move the U.S Embassy to Jerusalem, although diplomats said the wording sent a “subliminal” message. Trump has pledged to pursue more pro-Israeli policies and to move the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, all but enshrining the city as Israel’s capital despite international objections. Countries including key European and Arab states as well as the permanent members of the U.N. Security Council were in Paris for the conference, which Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected as “futile”. Neither the Israelis nor the Palestinians were represented. However, just five days before Trump is sworn in, the meeting was seen as a platform for countries to send a strong signal to the incoming American president that a two-state solution to the conflict could not be compromised on and that
FILE PHOTO - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (R) stands next to Republican U.S. presidential candidate Donald Trump during their meeting in New York, September 25, 2016. Kobi Gideon/Government Press Office (GPO)/ File Handout via REUTERS unilateral decisions could exacerbate tensions on the ground. The participants “call on each side ... to refrain from unilateral steps that prejudge the outcome of negotiations on final-status issues, including, inter alia, on Jerusalem, borders, security, refugees and which they will
not recognise,” the final communiqué said. A French diplomatic source said there had been tough negotiations on that paragraph. “It’s a tortuous and complicated paragraph to pass a subliminal message to the Trump administration,” the diplomat said.
We have put a significant dent in... (From page 8) was walking back to his car, someone came up to him and told him that if he made $120, 000 available to them, they could get the land for him.” “That is a reality all over and the course of action for fixing those challenges cannot be done in a year and a half. It can be done by ensuring that you are constantly monitoring the systems governing the process and ensuring that such perpetrators are brought to the courts and punished. The only way we can fix it is when more people are willing to bring the information and are willing to take a stand against corruption,” Hughes said. The Minister also gave another example of how various forms of corruption seem to have become a way of life in Guyana. She related that a few years ago, she was driving too fast and was pulled over by a traffic officer. “He said that he either writes me a ticket of if I want I could ‘leff something’ for him. I told him write me the ticket. Indeed the ticket costs me more, but I am not going to encourage that. First of all, I am not prepared to go down that road or have him come back to me another time and say, ‘you better give me a raise because remember de day when …’ No, No, No. Not
me. So it comes back to our integrity. We have to be honest and look at what we have become in Guyana…” At the level of state, Leader of the AFC, Khemraj Ramjattan believes that there have been major improvements in the fight against corruption. In this regard, he pointed to the establishment of the Public Procurement Commission. The Minister of Public Security expressed, “We have done what everyone should be proud of when it comes to ensuring that this big anti-corruption institution called the Public Procurement Commission came into being in the second year of our being in office. It took how long for us to get it? Almost a whole decade and more and this is in spite of the fact that the Constitution made provision for it.” The AFC Leader also chided the previous Cabinet that was run by the PPP for such a constitutional office not being established. He said that it was the Cabinet of former President Bharrat Jagdeo that set the tone for all other cabinets under the PPP to never give up that no-objection role in the public procurement process. He said, “We have been clamouring for that while in opposition…And having it today is a far, far, cry from what we have come from… “
Reuters - CIA Director John Brennan yesterday offered a stern parting message for Donald Trump days before the Republican U.S. president-elect takes office, cautioning him against loosening sanctions on Russia and warning him to watch what he says. Brennan rebuked Trump for comparing U.S. intelligence agencies to Nazi Germany in comments by the outgoing CIA chief that reflected the extraordinary friction between the incoming president and the 17 intelligence agencies he will begin to command once he takes office on Friday. In an interview with “Fox News Sunday,” Brennan questioned the message sent to the world if the presidentelect broadcasts that he does not have confidence in the United States’ own intelligence agencies. “What I do find outrageous is equating the intelligence community with Nazi Germany. I do take great umbrage at that, and there is no basis for Mr. Trump to point fingers at the intelligence community for leaking information that was already available publicly,” Brennan said. Brennan’s criticism followed a tumultuous week of finger-pointing between Trump and intelligence agency leaders over an unsubstantiated report that Russia had collected compromising information about Trump. The unverified dossier was summarized in a U.S. intelligence report presented to Trump and outgoing President Barack Obama this month that concluded Russia tried to sway the outcome of the Nov. 8 election in Trump’s favour by hacking and other means. The report did not make an assessment on whether Russia’s attempts affected the election’s outcome. Trump accused the intelligence community of leaking the dossier information, which its leaders denied. They said it was their responsibility to inform the president-elect that the allegations were being circulated. Yesterday, Trump took to Twitter again to berate “those intelligence chiefs” for
John Brennan presenting the dossier as part of their briefing. “When people make mistakes, they should APOLOGIZE,” he wrote. Brennan also sounded an alarm on U.S. relations with Russia. Trump has vowed to improve relations with Moscow even as he faces criticism that he is too eager to make an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Trump does not yet have a full understanding of Russia’s actions, Brennan said, noting its seizure of Crimea from Ukraine, its support for President Bashar al-Assad in Syria’s civil war and Moscow’s aggressive activities in the cyber realm. “Mr. Trump has to understand that absolving Russia of various actions it has taken in the past number of years is a road that he, I think, needs to be very, very careful about moving down,” Brennan said. In an interview with the Wall Street Journal published on Friday, Trump suggested he might do away with sanctions imposed by the Obama administration on Russia in late December in response to the cyber attacks if Moscow proves helpful in battling terrorists and reaching other U.S. goals. Brennan also said Trump needs to be mindful about his off-the-cuff remarks once he assumes the presidency, alluding to Trump’s penchant for making broad pronouncements on Twitter. “Spontaneity is not something that protects national security interests,” Brennan said. “So therefore when he speaks or when he reacts, just make sure he understands that the implications and impact on the United States could be
profound.” “It’s more than just about Mr. Trump. It’s about the United States of America,” Brennan said. Trump has picked Mike Pompeo, a Republican member of the House of Representatives and a former U.S. Army officer, to replace Brennan. Trump’s comments about Putin and his reluctance to assign blame to Moscow for the hacking of Democratic political groups has opened him up to criticism that he will be too soft on Russia. For months, Trump had publicly expressed doubt about U.S. intelligence conclusions on the cyber attacks before acknowledging at a news conference on Wednesday that he thought Russia was behind the hacking. Vice President-elect Mike Pence told “Fox News Sunday,””What the president-elect is determined to do is to explore the possibility of better relations.” Pence did not say whether Trump would undo some of the sanctions and diplomatic expulsions Obama had slapped on Moscow.
From page 22
CAR RENTAL DOLLY’S CAR RENTALCALL: 225-7126/226-3693 DOLLYSAUTORENTAL@ YA H O O . C O M / W W W. DOLLYSAUTORENTAL.COM AIDAN’S CAR RENTAL:PICKUP,9-11 SEAT MIN BUS, GOOD FOR AIRPOTR & FAMILY OUTING, CHEAPESTRATE . Call: 698-7807 PROGRESSIVE CAR RENTAL: CARS& SUV FOR RENTAL- $4,000 & UP PER DAY- CALL: 677-7827, 6435122, EMAIL: PRO_ AUTO RENTAL@YAHOO. COM WING’S CAR & PICKUP RENTAL: LOW DOWN PAYMENT, CHEAP REATES,SPECIAL OFFER FOR THE SEASON. CALL: 690-6494
Monday January 16, 2017
Kaieteur News
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United’s Ibrahimovic strikes late to rescue Liverpool draw themselves on the back foot with Mignolet saving brilliantly from a thunderous Ibrahimovic free kick and when one-on-one with Mkhitaryan. Rooney was introduced for his 450th league match and United poured forward with Mkhitaryan hammering one shot wide, but when the magician Coutinho, back after injury, was introduced for the last half-hour, Liverpool looked a different proposition. With a lovely touch, the Brazilian put in Roberto
Firmino, who produced a fine save from David De Gea, and he was also instrumental in creating another opportunity for Adam Lallana. Yet just when Liverpool were ready to celebrate going back into second place in the table, Ibrahimovic scored his 14th Premier League goal in his first 20 matches. Substitute Marouane Fellaini had hit the post with a header but when the ball was recycled by Valencia, Ibrahimovic produced the finish of a world-beater to secure a valuable point.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s equaliser against Liverpool means he has scored 14 goals in his first 20 Premier League games. (Reuters) (Reuters) Zlatan Ibrahimovic delivered his most important goal yet for Manchester United as he sent Old Trafford wild with his 19th of the season in all competitions to salvage a 1-1 draw with their fiercest rivals Liverpool yesterday. James Milner, so often a scourge of United, had silenced the home crowd with a 27th minute penalty as Liverpool seemed to be coasting with relative comfort to a crucial Premier League win until the irrepressible Swede struck with an 84th minute header. The draw put Liverpool into third spot, alongside second-placed Tottenham on 45 points, but left Chelsea seven points ahead of the pack after 21 games, while United, who saw the end of their nine-match winning streak, remain sixth with 40 points. It had looked as if it might
be a miserable afternoon for the world’s most expensive player, Frenchman Paul Pogba, who gave away the penalty with a clumsy handball, missed a golden opportunity to score and looked lost on defensive duty. Mourinho brought on captain Wayne Rooney as a second half substitute, hoping he would break the club’s scoring record but Liverpool, for whom Simon Mignolet made key saves, held United comfortably until Ibrahimovic’s decisive late intervention. Ibrahimovic, who scored his 11th league goal in as many matches, had to twist backwards to get power on a header from an Antonio Valencia cross to earn what he felt was a crucial point. “We would like to win every game, of course, to close the gap even more but 1-1, we continue like this, we haven’t lost a game in 15 or
16 and we are there,” Ibrahimovic told Sky Sports. “They stopped our run in terms of consecutive victories but they didn’t stop our run of being unbeaten for a long time,” added Mourinho. “That’s what we had to do.” Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp, though, felt his men had deserved the three points. “But we’ll take the one,” he added. FIERCEST RIVALS Mourinho, who was glad to see United’s fans obey his demand that they pump up the volume for the visit of their fiercest rivals, decided to keep Rooney, just one goal away from breaking Bobby Charlton’s club record of 249, on the bench. Klopp, who left playmaker Philippe Coutinho among his substitutes, risked a full league debut for 18-year-old fullback Trent AlexanderArnold, in place of the injured Nathaniel Clyne.
United came close early on with Ibrahimovic almost cashing in on a poor backpass from Dejan Lovren aimed towards Mignolet before Pogba screwed a glorious chance wide when freed by Henrikh Mkhitaryan. Pogba, challenging Lovren in the box, was penalised for handling Milner’s corner, not the first time the world’s most expensive player was exposed in defence. “Lovren is good in the air and Paul had difficulties with him,” Mourinho conceded. From the spot, Milner made no mistake, scoring against United for a fourth different club after previously being their scourge at Newcastle United, Aston Villa and Manchester City. The usual Premier League rule of thumb is that when Milner scores, his teams do not lose but not this time. Liverpool found
SOS for axed Hart as players lobby FA PORT OF SPAIN Trinidad, CMC – Less than two months after his sacking as national coach, Trinidad and Tobago men’s senior squad want Stephen Hart reinstated. In a shocking development, Hart has emerged as the squad’s favourite to take over, following the dramatic resignation of his replacement, Belgian Tom Saintfiet, last Tuesday after just five weeks and four games in charge. Speaking on behalf of a group of 23 national players, spokesman Jan-Michael Williams said they had been at fault for Hart’s sacking last November and should have taken more responsibility for their own game.
“In the players’ opinion, I think we obviously let him down, I think we should have operated in a more professional manner,” the goalkeeper told the Newsday here. “We think obviously he is the best man for the job or one of the best candidates for the job and we will like to get him back on board.” Hart was sacked by the local FA last November after three years in charge, following T&T’s poor start to the CONCACAF final round of qualifying for the 2018 World Cup in Russia. They went down 0-2 to Costa Rica at home and then lost to Honduras 1-3 away in San Pedro Sula. He was replaced by
Saintfiet in early December but the 43-year-old won just one of his four games before tendering a shock resignation, citing lack of support from TTFA as one of his main reasons. Without a head coach two months before the next round of World Cup qualifiers, the group of 23 also sent a letter to the TTFA with their suggestions for a replacement. According to the Newsday, Hart tops the list which also comprises W Connection’s Stuart CharlesFevrier, former England defender and experienced Terry Fenwick and former national player and local coach Angus Eve. “We (the players) KNOW
it is not our decision to make, neither is it our place to make such demands, but we – 23 current players – have pooled our knowledge, resources and ideas together to come up with a few names for your immediate consideration,” the letter said. “We can all agree that we the players have interacted with these names at some level, so we can safely say our knowledge can be used in this regard. “We pledge our full support regardless of who is selected to the position, even if it is a person or persons outside of this list, as we know that we the players play an integral part in helping the team to qualify for the 2018 World Cup.”
Manchester United’s Zlatan Ibrahimovic celebrates scoring their first goal. (Action Images via Reuters / Jason Cairnduff Livepic) Team 1 Chelsea 2 Tottenham 3 Liverpool 4 Arsenal 5 Man City 6 Man Utd 7 Everton 8 West Brom 9 Stoke 10 Burnley 11 Bournemouth 12 West Ham 13 Southampton 14 Watford 15 Leicester
P 21 21 21 21 21 21 21 21 21 21 21 21 21 21 21
GD 30 29 25 26 15 12 9 0 -6 -8 -7 -9 -7 -13 -10
Pts 52 45 45 44 42 40 33 29 27 26 25 25 24 23 21
Man City’s title hopes... From page 28 pickpocketed in midfield and Ross Barkley offered a neat assist. Mirallas came off to huge applause to be replaced by Morgan Schneiderlin, making his debut after his midweek move from Manchester United, and it was the signal for the wheels to fall off for City. Davies, excellent throughout, started and finished the move that saw him clip the ball expertly over the advancing Claudio Bravo, even though Lukaku told the youngster he had got the final touch. “That (goal) is definitely mine,” Davies insisted afterwards with a smile. “It is unbelievable, my dream to actually come in and do this.” Lookman, signed from Charlton Athletic earlier in the month, then produced an even more improbable fairytale in the 94th minute, latching on to the ball after a Stones error to smash his finish through Bravo after being on the pitch for just minutes.
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Man City’s title hopes hit by Stand-in captain Hafeez leads Lukaku and Everton teens Pakistan to Melbourne win (Reuters) Pakistan’s stand-in captain Mohammad Hafeez hit a fighting fifty to set up a comprehensive sixwicket victory against Australia in the second oneday international yesterday that levelled the five-match series. Pakistan, who were whitewashed in the preceding test series and lost the first ODI in Brisbane, reached their target with 14 balls to spare after their bowlers had bundled out the hosts for 220
in the penultimate over of their innings. It was the first win for Pakistan against Australia in Australia across all formats since their victory in an ODI at the WACA in January, 2005. Mohammad Amir was the most successful Pakistan bowler with three wickets for 47 after left-arm fast bowling colleague Junaid Khan, playing his first ODI in over 19 months, put Australia on the backfoot by sending back
Everton’s Tom Davies scores their third goal against Manchester City at Goodison Park. (Action Images via Reuters / Lee Smith Livepic) (Reuters) Manchester City’s Premier League title hopes were delivered a grievous blow yesterday as Everton’s inspired Romelu Lukaku and teenagers Tom Davies and Ademola Lookman made it another crushing afternoon for Pep Guardiola. The Spaniard suffered his biggest-ever defeat in league football after City had enjoyed the lion’s share of possession and chances but paid for sloppy defending that led to the Belgian powerhouse Lukaku converting his 12th league goal of the season after 34 minutes. Kevin Mirallas struck right after the break and excellent 18-year-old academy graduate Davies dinked a brilliant first goal for his boyhood club as City looked increasingly clueless. Substitute Lookman, making his debut at 19, then
completed the rout with his first touch in stoppage time, a goal that stemmed from a mistake from Everton old boy John Stones, as City suffered a fourth league defeat in their last eight league matches. Coming hot on the heels of their last loss in Merseyside at Liverpool on New Year’s Eve, City were left in fifth place, now 10 points adrift of leaders Chelsea, as Guardiola cut a forlorn figure on the bench. “The game is an example of many that has happened this season. It is football. In football you sometimes don’t need to do many things to score. They arrive once and score a goal,” Guardiola told Sky Sports. “It is not today, it is almost all the season — and it is tough for the players to handle that situation. Of course we can do better. It is awful for my players.” His team had started
brightly enough and had a strong shout for a penalty turned down minutes later when Raheem Sterling claimed to have been fouled as he tried to round keeper Joel Robles. Passes from the excellent Kevin De Bruyne set up chances for Sterling and David Silva as the visitors dominated possession but when Davies intercepted a careless Gael Clichy pass out of defence, Everton struck mercilessly. Davies’s through ball picked out Mirallas and his cut-back was met by a firsttime left-foot strike from Lukaku, for the Belgian’s third goal in his last four matches. Sterling came close with a searing left-foot strike but Everton pounced straight after the break, Mirallas cracking in a fine right-foot finish after Yaya Toure was Continued on page 27
Mohammad Hafeez tries to pull one away, Australia v Pakistan, 2nd ODI, Melbourne, ©Getty Images
the openers cheaply. Pakistan’s spinners, led by left-armer Imad Wasim (2-37), then bowled tightly on a sluggish Melbourne Cricket Ground pitch to keep Australia shackled. Australia captain Steve Smith top-scored for his side with 60 but a number of other batsmen got out after promising starts. Hafeez, who was not part of the original ODI squad and arrived in Australia as a late addition, was handed the captaincy after regular skipper Azhar Ali was ruled out with a hamstring injury. The right-handed opener struggled against A u s t r a l i a ’s pacemen initially and Smith dropped him on nought in the slips off Mitchell Starc. Hafeez, who survived again on 55, batted fluently after his initial troubles and set up the chase with an opening stand of 68 with Sharjeel Khan (29) before a second-wicket partnership of 72 with Babar Azam (34). Experienced Shoaib Malik, who was given out caught behind off Pat Cummins on 10 but successfully overturned the decision on review, took over the responsibility of getting Pakistan home after they lost Hafeez and Azam in successive overs. Malik remained unbeaten on 42 after adding a crucial 53 for the fourth wicket with Asad Shafiq (13). The third ODI of the series will be played in Perth on Thursday. Scores: Pakistan 4 for 221 (Hafeez 72, Malik 42*) beat Australia 220 (Smith 60, Amir 3-47) by six wickets.
Federer, Kerber in the spotlight on day one in Melbourne Switzerland’s Roger Federer hits a shot during a training session. (REUTERS/ Edgar Su)
MELBOURNE (Reuters) Roger Federer takes the spotlight on his return to grand slam tennis on the opening day of the Australian Open today but those looking for title contenders might be wise to cast their gaze elsewhere. Seeded 17th after six months away from the sport nursing a knee injury, Federer’s first round match against Austrian qualifier Juergen Melzer has nevertheless been awarded the prime spot of the final match on Rod Laver Arena. The 35-year-old won the last of his four titles at Melbourne Park in 2010 and half a year out of the game combined with the tricky draw that comes with the lowly ranking, makes a fifth crown a bit of a long shot,
even for the Swiss Master. Andy Murray embarks on his first grand slam campaign as world number one with much stronger title credentials, even if he has lost five finals at Melbourne Park, four of them to the man he usurped in the rankings, Novak Djokovic. The British top seed takes on Ilya Marchenko in the last match of the afternoon session on Rod Laver Arena and will have to contend with temperatures in excess of 30 degrees Celsius as well as the Ukrainian. Stan Wawrinka, the 2014 champion, also begins his quest for a third grand slam crown, against Slovakia’s Martin Klizan, while
Japan’s fifth seed Kei Nishikori renews his crusade to give Asia its first men’s champion against Andrey Kuznetsov. Women’s top seed Angelique Kerber opens the night session on the main showcourt as she begins her a first grand slam title defense against Ukraine’s Lesia Tsurenko, who pulled out of a warmup tournament in Hobart last week with a virus. Simona Halep, Garbine Muguruza and Svetlana Kuznetsova are the other top 10 women’s seeds in action on day one and they will be glad to be early starters with temperatures forecast to soar when the bottom half of the draw plays on Tuesday.
Monday January 16, 2017
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Clippers get even, rout Lakers
Burrell welcomes FIFA expansion, calls for equitable allocation ...CONCACAF boss Montagliani foresees change of qualifying format Captain Horace Burrell
LA Clippers center DeAndre Jordan (6) shoots against Los Angeles Lakers center Tarik Black (28) during the NBA game at the Staples Center. (Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports) (The Sports Xchange) - The Los Angeles Clippers returned their Christmas gift. Three weeks after losing to the Los Angeles Lakers in the prime time holiday game, the Clippers handed the Lakers a 113-97 beating in the rematch on Saturday at Staples Center. The Lakers’ win on Christmas Day was one of only two they had in 16 December games and ended an 11-game winning streak for the Clippers in the L.A. rivalry. But the Clippers were without Chris Paul and Blake Griffin due to injuries that day and lost J.J. Redick to a hamstring injury in mid-game. Griffin remains out, recovering from knee surgery, but Paul and Redick were back at full strength for
the rematch as the Clippers (28-14) extended their January win streak to six games. The Lakers (15-29), meanwhile, have gone 3-4 in January after a 214 December. The Clippers re-asserted their dominance in the rivalry quickly Saturday. Even with Paul and Redick hitting a combined 4-of-15 in the first half, the Clippers got off to a 10-4 start, went on an 11-0 run later in the first quarter (with Austin Rivers scoring nine points in the opening quarter) and built a 58-39 halftime lead. Clippers center DeAndre Jordan had a double-double by halftime (12 points and 10 rebounds) and finished with a game-high 24 points on 12-of-13 shooting and added 21
rebounds for his second 20-20 game of the season. The Lakers made what amounted to their only move of the day at the start of the second half. With Brandon Ingram and Nick Young hitting back-to-back 3s, they started the third quarter with a 10-2 run that cut the Clippers lead to 11, 60-49. But the Clippers responded with a 7-1 run of their own and the Lakers were never as close again. After his slow shooting start, Paul finished with 20 points and 13 assists for the Clippers. Austin Rivers and Raymond Felton finished with 15 points each. For the Lakers, their best production came from the bench as Jordan Clarkson led them with 21 points.
Los Angeles Lakers guard Jordan Clarkson (6) is defended by LA Clippers guard Austin Rivers (25) during the NBA game at the Staples Center. (Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports)
(Jamaica Observer) Jamaica Football Federation president, Captain Horace Burrell, says FIFA’s sensational expansion of the World Cup from 32 to 48 teams is a welcome move. But the CONCACAF vicepresident cautioned along the lines that there is still a long way to go in fine-tuning the details, plus he hopes that the allocation will be equitable. “These new arrangements are obviously very complex, but it’s clear that those who are in charge have given a lot of thought to the increase and the new format. “In terms of the allocations, I hope they will be equitable and this new format and the increase must be done properly. And apart from the business side of it, this proposed new direction must continue to benefit the sport as a source of entertainment, plus it must have strong benefits from a development point of view,” said Burrell. But the seasoned football executive has placed his trust in the leadership of FIFA President Gianni Infantino and those who are spearheading the process of bringing all the pieces together for a smooth transition. “I am confident that all the fine details will be worked out as we get closer to 2026 when the expansion is expected to take effect, so there is time to get it right,” said Burrell, the visionary behind Jamaica’s only World Cup qualification in 1998. Trinidad and Tobago followed closely behind Jamaica by qualifying for the 2006. Before them, Cuba and Haiti have also had the distinction of playing in the global event. Burrell, who hungers for more senior World Cup success, joined others to warn that additional qualifying spots to CONCACAF is no guarantee for regional teams, though it does bring hope. “Additional spots obviously do not guarantee that a Caribbean team will qualify for the World Cup. What
it means is that we have to work even harder to try and clinch one or a couple of those slots. So the technical work must continue, we must improve our infrastructure in the region, and particularly we must strive to improve our shambolic playing surfaces, which I think hampers the technical growth in our players. “We must also get at least a semipro league in the region going. There is a lot that we must do to lift our standards even higher so we can put ourselves in a more competitive space to take advantage of these new developments,” he told the Jamaica Observer. “We must pay attention to the basics, and we must pay attention to the bigger things. We must pay attention to all details to deal with development, and once that happens with proper corporate and fan support, then we will be a force to be reckon with,” Burrell ended. Meanwhile, CONCACAF President Victor Montagliani told the Sunday Observer on Saturday that with more slots forthcoming for the confederation, there is a great chance that the qualifying format would be adjusted. “Yes, I do foresee a change, but I just don’t know what that change will be with increased slots, but that is something that does not have to happen until post-2022 in terms of the change. “We have time on our side, and we will find out what the slots are probably in the next few months,” said the Canadian, who is also a FIFA vice-president and leading voice in Infantino’s expansion campaign. Montagliani said as the FIFA Council voted unanimously to the increase, some European opponents have challenged it. “There was broad-based support from the FIFA Council and the members, but obviously there are some people who have made some assumptions that I think have been clarified, but there are some people who are just critical,” he said.
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Monday January 16, 2017
Bottas move to Mercedes Bolt urges youth to use is close, says Williams his success as motivation William’s Valtteri Bottas of Finland attends a fan event. (REUTERS/Toru Hanai)
LONDON (Reuters) Williams are close to agreeing a deal that would see their Finnish driver Valtteri Bottas replace retired Formula One world champion Nico Rosberg at Mercedes, deputy principal Claire Williams said yesterday. Speaking on stage at the Autosport International Show in Birmingham, Williams indicated that only small details needed to be resolved. “It now is exactly that,” she said when asked whether it was a question of ‘crossing the Ts and dotting the Is’ in the agreement. Rosberg announced his retirement in early December, five days after winning his first title at the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. His decision left champions Mercedes, the sport’s dominant team, in a difficult position with all the other top drivers signed up to rival outfits. Bottas was an obvious
choice for his experience and existing contacts, with Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff previously a shareholder in Williams and also involved from early on in Bottas’s management. Former champions Williams also use Mercedes engines. However that team also needs an experienced driver to partner 18-year-old Canadian rookie Lance Stroll. Brazilian Felipe Massa, a former Ferrari driver who has raced for Williams for the last three years and whose retirement was announced last season, is now expected to return as Bottas’s replacement. “I suppose as soon as Nico made his announcement, I knew the call was going to come from Toto,” said Williams, who added that her team were amenable. “For us, you don’t want to stand in the way of a driver who has the opportunity to
go and race finally in a car that’s winning races, it’s winning world championships,” she added. Williams said Ferrari had also been interested in Bottas in 2015, when the team were determined to hold the Finn, who has yet to win a grand prix, to his contract. “We need to make sure that if we are to release Valtteri, we have the best credible option to replace him with,” said Williams. “I wish I could announce who it was, we are still crossing the Ts and dotting the Is at the moment with all of the contracts. “We will be making an announcement shortly because we are testing soon and we all want to know who’s going to be driving for us.” The season starts in Australia on March 26, with the first test of the new cars scheduled for Barcelona’s Circuit de Catalunya at the end of February.
Jamaica Observer Having copped a recordequaling seventh RJR National Sportsman of the Year award at a glitzy ceremony at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel on Friday night, Usain Bolt made an impassioned plea to youngsters to use him as motivation for success. Bolt, who will be retiring from the sport after the 2017 season, became an immortal when he won three gold medals at three consecutive Olympic Games, capturing the 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay. “I just want to thank all the fans and everybody that supported me through the rough times. I really wanted to thank you. It was really rough, but you guys came through for me. “I want to leave with one thing… a message for the youths. I am from Trelawny and I have never thought that I would be at this stage of my life as one of the greatest sprinters ever, one of the greatest athletes ever,” said Bolt, to loud applause. “With that I want to say hard works pays off, so if you want to be great just work towards what you want. Not only a track star, but you want to be a doctor, a lawyer, never give up, because I have gone through a lot in my career and I have never given up once. I have always pushed on and just look where I am at,” he added. “So just use me as motivation. Use me as an
example if you want to be the best that you can be. I wish you all the best. Thank you and good night,” said Bolt. The dapperly dressed Bolt, who first won the award in 2008, joins legendary boxer Michael McCallum with further wins in 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2015 as the most successful male athlete in the history of the 56-yearold awards. “For me, it was a up and down season as always, as everybody who follows my career sees that it was a rough year. But with God’s strength and all the support I got from my team, Jamaica, and fans around the world, I pulled through. “It was a big season, very stressful season, but I got through. The whole dream was to get this triple-triple and it feels really good that I really accomplished this because this is what I worked towards all my career,” said Bolt. Olympic 110m hurdle gold medallist Omar McLeod was the runner-up to Bolt, ahead of cricketer Marlon Samuels. Elaine Thompson, who became the first woman in 28 years to win the 100m, and 200m sprint double at the Olympic Games, won her first National Sportswoman of the Year award. “It’s indeed an honour standing here tonight accepting this RJR Sportswoman of the Year award. Last year was amazing; it was a blast to capture the 100m and the
200m at my first major championship, which was the Olympic in Rio, Brazil,” said Thompson. “To be the first woman over the last 28 years — and I am actually 24 right now — it’s overwhelming. Many persons have journeyed with me to this significant point in my life and I would like to say thanks,” said Thompson. Swimming sensation and last year’s winner, Alia Atkinson was the runnerup in the category that included cricketer Stafanie Taylor and athletes ShellyAnn Fraser-Pryce and Shericka Jackson. Meanwhile, Calabar High’s Christopher Taylor was voted the People’s Choice Performance of the Year for his anchor leg run in winning the 4x400m at the local athletic championship, strangely ahead of Olympic 200m gold medallist Thompson and Atkinson, who had broken the 50m short course breaststroke world record at the Tokyo stop of the FINA World Cup Tour. It shows the power of voting. Many-time champion racehorse trainer, Wayne daCosta was given the Chairman’s Award, while MVP Coach Stephen Francis received the Sagicor Iconic Award. The Victoria Mutual YOUTH Award went to triathlete Lisa Sharpe of St Andrew High School. The Honourable Mike Fennell was given the Global Lifetime Achievement Award.
Mane scores as Senegal beat Tunisia BBC Sport - Senegal began their Africa Cup of Nations campaign with victory over Tunisia 2-0 in Group B. Tunisia almost took the lead in the opening two minutes, but Ahmed Akaichi’s header skimmed the post and he smashed a shot narrowly wide. In between, Senegal took the lead through Sadio Mane’s penalty after Cheikhou Kouyate had been hacked down. Kara Mbodj powerfully headed in a second, and almost scored an own goal when his clearance struck the post. Tunisia were guilty of missing plenty of chances, in particular Youssef Msakni, who headed wide from two yards out and shot straight at Abdoulaye Diallo in the second half. Victory for Aliou Cisse’s side means they top their group after Algeria’s surprising 2-2
draw against Zimbabwe. Senegal’s year? Tunisia have won the tournament once, in 2004, but Senegal have never lifted the crown. Their best performance came in 2002 when they lost on penalties to Cameroon. This year could be a different story with a side containing Napoli centre-back Kalidou Koulibaly, West Ham’s Kouyate and Everton’s Idrissa Gueye in midfielder, as well as Liverpool’s Mane. Africa’s most expensive player - following his £34m move from Southampton to the Reds in the summer - caused the Tunisian backline problems with his pace and coolly tucked his spot-kick into the left corner. Senegal could have had another, but Ismaila Sarr’s cross came back off the bar in the second half.
From left, RJR Sportman of the Year Usain Bolt, runner-up hurdler Omar McCleod and Sportswoman of the Year Elaine Thompson pose for pictures at the RJR National Sportsman and Sportwoman of the Year awards function at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel on Friday night. (Photo: Garfield Robinson)
Monday January 16, 2017
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Kaieteur News
MVP contender Ryan delivers Team reps attend Open Draw for as Falcons down Seahawks Limacol Football Tournament
Atlanta Falcons running back Tevin Coleman (26) celebrates after his touchdown with quarterback Matt Ryan (2) against the Seattle Seahawks during the second quarter in the NFC Divisional playoff at Georgia Dome. (Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports) (Reuters) Quarterback Matt Ryan again proved himself the leading contender to win the NFL’s Most Valuable Player award as he guided the Atlanta Falcons to a 36-20 victory over the visiting Seattle Seahawks in their NFC divisional playoff clash on Saturday. Taking advantage of multiple throwing options in the league’s premier offence, Ryan completed 26 of 37 passes for 338 yards and three touchdowns in front of jubilant fans as the Falcons advanced to the NFC Championship game for just the fourth time. “It feels good,” Ryan told Fox Sports. “We have a lot of people who worked really, really hard ... coaching staff, front office, players ... they put everything into it to give ourselves an opportunity this time of the year. “I’m just happy with the way we played today.” Former Super Bowl champions Seattle made an impressive start with an opening drive that culminated in a touchdown to Jimmy
Graham after 14 plays and 79 yards, but the Falcons took control from there as their much vaunted offense was backed up by a stellar defence. “We executed really well across the board,” said Ryan, who spread the ball wide as eight Falcons players came away with at least a catch, while Julio Jones, Taylor Gabriel and Devonta Freeman finished with at least 50 receiving yards. “We weren’t perfect by any stretch of the imagination, we made some mistakes, but consistency for the entire day was really, really good. I was proud of the way that we played.” Atlanta coach Dan Quinn, who was defensive coordinator for Seattle from 2013–2014, was delighted that his team delivered their fans a first playoff win since 2012, when they edged the Seahawks 30–28 in the divisional round. “This city and our fans, their connection, you certainly feel it so it’s awesome for them,” said
Quinn. “We are going to have a playoff game at home and it’s because of them. We are so pumped to do it. “We knew that this was going to be a hard battle and it for sure was. Those guys are as tough as they come.” The Falcons will meet either the Dallas Cowboys or Green Bay Packers on Jan. 22 to decide which team advances to the Super Bowl.
Cognisant of the need to be transparent, Organisers of the 2nd Annual Limacol Football Competition Petra Organisation held an open draw for participating clubs on Saturday, at the Bransville Hotel in Prashad Nagar. Co-Director of the Organisation Troy Mendonca in brief remarks stated the reason for the occasion, disclosing that the entity felt it was necessary to take that route since it represented a level of fairness and at the same time eliminate any suspicion about the placement of teams in the various groups. The process utilised marked balls representing the respective teams and the draw started following the placement of defending champion Milerock, Western Tigers, Santos and the Guyana Police Force (GPF) in Group-A, Group-B, Group-C and Group-D respectively due to their ranking as number one seeds. The second seeded clubs were Winners Connection, Uitvlugt, Riddim Squad and Pouderoyen. In the first round of selection, Winners Connection was placed in Group-A, while Uitvlugt and Pouderoyen were drawn in Group-B and Group-C respectively. Riddim Squad was placed in group-D as the
final selection of second seeded teams. The second round of the drawing contained third seeded clubs including Grove Hi-Tech, Camptown, Eagles and Den Amstel. The first selection for Group-A was Grove Hi-Tech, while Eagles and Den Amstel were drawn in Group-B and Group-C respectively. Camptown was placed in Group-D. In the final round of selection that featured fourth seeded teams, New Amsterdam (NA) United, Ann’s Grove, Mahaica Determinators and Northern Rangers, the latter was placed in Group-A. This was followed by NA United being drafted into Group-B, while Ann’s Grove ended up in Group-C with Mahaica Determinators, being placed in group-D. At the completion of the exercise, Group-A consisted of Milerock, Winners Connection, Grove Hi-Tech and Northern Rangers, while Group-B contains Western Tigers, Uitvlugt, Eagles and NA United. Group-C is made up of Santos, Pouderoyen, Den Amstel and Ann’s Grove, while Group-D teams are GPF, Riddim Squad, Camptown and Mahaica Determinators. The competition gets cracking on January 23rd with
a double header slated to be played, at the Georgetown Football Club (GFC) ground, Bourda. The fixtures are as follows: GPF go up against Mahaica Determinators, while Riddim Squad square off against Camptown. Four days later, the competition resumes with Western Tigers opposing NA United in a group-B affair and Santos tackling Ann’s Grove in a group-C encounter. The following day the action goes to the Mackenzie Sports Club (MSC) ground in Linden with Milerock hosting Northern Rangers and Winners Connection performing similar duties in their clash with Grove HiTech in Group-A. The final fixtures of Round One scheduled for January 29th will see Uitvlugt against Eagles United in Group-B and Pouderoyen against Den Amstel in GroupC. Meanwhile, the winner of each group will receive $100,000, while the 2nd, 3rd and 4th placed finishers will be given $50,000, $30,000 and $20,000 each. The winner of the competition will take home $500,000 and a trophy, while the 2nd, 3rd and 4th placed teams will collect $250,000, $125,000 and $75,000 respectively and trophies.
Samuels, Cooper named in Super50 squad BASSETERRE, St Kitts, CMC – Test star Marlon Samuels headlines a 14-man Leeward Islands Hurricanes squad announced yesterday for this month’s Regional Super50 in Antigua and Barbados. The veteran right-hander, who has not turned out in the tournament in three seasons, will be joined by the Trinidad and Tobago pair of Kevon Cooper and Akeal Hosein for the January 24 to February 18 campaign. Test fast bowler Alzarri Joseph has also been named in the unit which will be led by out-of-favour Test lefthander Kieran Powell, with West Indies A all-rounder, Rahkeem Cornwall as his deputy. The 35-year-old Samuels, meanwhile, will be a huge boost or the Hurricanes who have been installed in a tough Zone A alongside defending champions Trinidad and Tobago Red Force, Windward Islands Volcanoes, West Indies Under-19s and English county side, Kent Spitfires. Jamaican Samuels, a veteran of 71 Tests and 187 One-Day Internationals, is a regular member of the current Windies side in all three formats. Cooper, a steady seamer and effective lower order batsman, is also expected to add depth to the Hurricanes while Hosein’s left-arm spin and lefthanded batting will be an asset. Batsman Jermaine Otto is the only debutant included in the squad. Hurricanes will hold their first training session as a unit on Monday at the Vivian Richards Cricket Stadium. SQUAD – Kieran Powell (captain), Rahkeem Cornwall, Marlon Samuels,Montcin Hodge, Chesney Hughes, Nkrumah Bonner, Jahmar Hamilton, Jermaine Otto, Orlando Peters, Alzarri Joseph, Akeal Hosein, Kevon Cooper.
West Indies batsman Marlon Samuels
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Monday January 16, 2017
Kaieteur News
Kohli, Jadhav hundreds help India eclipse England’s 350
Virat Kohli (right) and Kedar Jadhav revived India with a 200-run partnership, India v England, 1st ODI, Pune, ©Associated Press (Reuters) Virat Kohli and Kedar Jadhav hit centuries and combined in a 200-run stand to help India comfortably chase down a steep target of 351 against England and win the first one-day international by three wickets yesterday. India’s chase seemed over when England reduced them to 63-4 in the 12th over but captain Kohli and local boy Jadhav turned the match on its head with the hosts reaching the target with 11 balls to spare to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. The touring side, who lost a fivematch test series 4-0 before returning home for Christmas, would have felt confident of victory after posting 350-7. Half-centuries from Jason Roy, Joe Root and Ben Stokes took England to their highest ODI total against India, who won the toss and opted to bowl first. England lost Alex Hales early but opener Roy (73) and Root, who top-scored for his side with 78, added 69 for the second wicket to
lay a solid foundation. Roy was given out leg before on 18 off paceman Umesh Yadav but reviewed successfully to overturn the decision with replays showing the ball was missing the stumps. Stokes provided the late assault with a 40-ball knock of 62, studded with two fours and five sixes, as India bled 105 runs in the last eight overs. Left-arm seamer David Willey gave England the ideal start with the ball by dismissing Indian openers Lokesh Rahul and Shikhar Dhawan inside the first six overs. Yuvraj Singh, playing his first ODI in over three years, and former skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni did not last long either as India were left staring at a heavy defeat. But Kohli, playing his first match as India’s full-time captain across all formats, and Jadhav then took the attack to the England bowlers. Kohli, who was the highest scorer in the recent test series, was stranded on 99 for three deliveries
before he danced down the pitch to hit paceman Chris Woakes for a six and bring up his 27th ODI hundred, which came in 93 balls. Jadhav, who struggled with cramp towards the end of his knock, guided the same bowler to third man for a boundary to bring up his second ton off 65 balls. Stokes dismissed Kohli after a 105-ball 122, studded with eight fours and five sixes. Jadhav was out after a 76-ball 120, with 12 fours and four sixes, to fast bowler Jake Ball, the most successful English bowler with three for 67. Hardik Pandya, unbeaten on 40, and Ravichandran Ashwin (15 not out) combined in a crucial eighthwicket stand of 38 at the end to take India home. The second match of the series will be played at Cuttack on Thursday. Scores: India 356 for 7 (Kohli 122, Jadhav 120) beat England 350 for 7 (Root 78, Roy 73, Stokes 62) by three wickets.
Joe Root flays one through cover, India v England, 1st ODI, Pune, ©AFP
Open letter from GFF President Wayne Forde
The non-participation of Alpha United & Slingerz in the 2017 Caribbean Club Championship DEAR MADAM/SIR, I am saddened that two of our top teams – Alpha United and Slingerz FC – will not be able to participate in this year’s Caribbean Club Championship, the premier tournament for the CFU region. This would have been a great chance for some of our best players to showcase their skills on an international platform. I am disappointed that the actions of these clubs have resulted in this lost opportunity for our boys. Rest assured, the GFF stands ready to support the players so their personal development is not held back. We will intervene to protect the interests of the players, if necessary. The responsibility for this regrettable situation lies solely with the leadership of those clubs that failed to adhere to the agreed structure of football, and put political ambition above the collective good. There are rules for football on the pitch, and there are rules off the pitch. All members of our fraternity must respect these rules in a spirit of fair play. All of our members have signed the 2015 GFF Constitution, which gives the GFF the authority and mandate to regulate football in all its forms in Guyana, including how competitions are organised and structured. The clubs in question have betrayed the spirit of our constitution by refusing to participate in the expanded, domestic Elite League, despite numerous attempts by the GFF to find a solution, including the approval of accommodative measures requested by the clubs. As these teams have failed to honour their constitutional obligations, the regional governing body CONCACAF has had little choice but to take the decision to exclude them from regional competition. We have to respect this decision and work together to ensure that it never happens again. The GFF Executive Committee took the decision to expand the Elite League to accelerate the development of football, by spreading its reach, increasing participation, and improving the commercial opportunities necessary for the sustainable growth of the game. The vast majority agree that an expanded league is in the best interests of Guyanese football, and we certainly have the full support of CONCACAF and FIFA in this matter. The only opposition to this necessary expansion came from
clubs led by individuals that unsuccessfully contested the 2015 GFF elections. Their recent actions are an example of the kind of politics that we must move away from if we are to restore credibility to football. My job is to concentrate on the future of football and not to engage in the negative politics of the past. I am determined to make up for all the damage that years of infighting, misdirected personal ambition and vested interest have inflicted on Guyanese football. FIFA expects me to ensure that its financial resources are invested directly and responsibly into football development. We know that this has not always been the case in Guyana, but it is now. The global football community is working to rebuild the integrity of the game, and to get the focus back on football. Most of our members here are doing the same, and we support them in those efforts. We w e r e e l e c t e d o n t h a t mandate. It is our goal to lay the foundation for sustained development by investing carefully in all areas of the game, from youth to senior levels. My track record shows that I am in football for the right reasons, and not for personal gain. I want to make a genuine difference so that our young boys and girls can fulfill their potential, and so we can all be proud of Guyana’s football. I look forward to working with all the members of the GFF to develop football and to leave the problems of the past behind us. We will announce, in due course, the way forward for clubs that have boycotted this year’s Elite League, so that their players can have a chance to get back into top-level football as soon as possible. The GFF is greatly disappointed by the clubs’ actions, but we are ready to work with them again in good faith, and to put this matter behind us in the interests of the game. The GFF has already made extremely encouraging progress in football over the last year. This is only just the beginning. We look forward to making further announcements that will show we are leading football in the right direction and away from the problems of the past. Yours sincerely, Wayne S. Forde, President, Guyana Football Federation
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Monday January 16, 2017
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Sport Administrators are using certain media houses to attack Kaieteur News
Emerson Campbell
By Rawle Welch and Edison Jefford
T
here seems to be a p a t t e r n developing by other media entities where certain reporters are allowing themselves to be manipulated into attacking fellow media operatives, especially those from the Kaieteur News. This new development has caught the attention of both media operatives who strive to remain uncompromisingly professional in their work as well as those with the universal understanding of journalistic principles. Recently, there has been professional and analytical focussed articles written by Rawle Welch and Edison Jefford, which sought to expose the dilemma sports in Guyana, finds itself in due to administrators’ continuous poor performances.
The most recent example was in the Sunday Stabroek News of January 15 in an article captioned ‘Hutson says clubs happy with his performance’ written by Emmerson Campbell. In the article, which was interpreted as an interview done with Athletic Association of Guyana (AAG) President, Aubrey Hutson, Campbell in one of his questions to Hutson asked for an opinion of criticisms directed at him by Kaieteur News. This concentrated emphasis on our professional work only serves to underline the silmultaneous impact it is having on some reporters and administrators. Though Campbell posed the question, the Sports Editor had the ultimate responsibility to determine if it was ethical for an administrator to refer to fellow journalists as
“barking dogs”. The fact that the insult found itself into print undermines the ethical role of other media houses to keep these officials who are responsible for the development of so many lives, accountable. In fact, when carefully e x a m i n e d , C a m p b e l l ’s article was nothing short of a public relations stunt aimed at halting any analysis into the tenure of Hutson. It is as though these administrators believe that they are beyond reproach; that they are so beloved and perfect that the media must exempt them from criticism and analysis. In other words they are Guyana’s untouchables. It is an arrogant position which gives us further insight into why these a d m i n i s t r a t o r s underperform. We have not attacked any individual personally. We simply focused on their administration of sport, for which the evidence of d e c l i n e a n d misadministration are there for all to see. We sincerely hope that other media houses would have been gatekeepers of the sacred role to provide the public with factual information, but unfortunately the profession of journalism and its essential values have been sacrificed on the alter of nepotism and opportunism. It cannot be a good day for journalism in Guyana. This unfolding pattern to scandalize and insult (again we refer to the barking dogs reference) Kaieteur News for simply following the tenets of investigative journalism is a narrowminded approach to leadership that does not
Juman Yassin respect and accept independent and critical thought. Further, it is the emergence of an authoritarian instinct that threatens freedom of speech. These attempts should have been confronted at the level of the Editors of the newspapers in question since we are in the same profession. We can argue that Campbell attempted to obfuscate his poor interview with bad judgment, which unmistakably illustrates his woeful lack experience. We chose not to publish our version of the insult to barking dogs. Why? We are professional journalists. Campbell should not have been so lured into aggressively condemning (“barking dogs”) his colleagues. Campbell only recently expressed his view on the cycling imbroglio. Are we to conclude then by him doing so he became a “barking dog”? This is where Campbell displayed disdain and disrespect for the Fourth Estate. He was not alone. His indiscretion comes on the heels of Guyana Chronicle’s Tamica Garnett, who had
Aubrey Hutson asked President of the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA) K. A. Juman Yassin a similar question about the Kaieteur News’ analysis of his enduring reign at the helm of the entity without any solid results. Instead of taking the opportunity to tell us what he did, Yassin lashed out at Kaieteur News, stating among other things that we are “disrespectful”. We have given coverage and credit where due, but have also criticised and analysed when necessary. This is how journalism works. There should be no special sections or privileged quarters. We have none. Campbell and Garnett would have been better off asking pertinent questions of the two administrators’ performance while in office instead of being preoccupied with the analytical work of the Kaieteur Sports Department. How could Campbell simply accept the following response from Hutson; “there are many things we can say we are proud of, but let the critics check the records, they will see we have accomplished a whole
lot…” That was simplistic and a diversion from a very serious question, which was “What are some of your (AAG) major accomplishments since you have taken office four years ago?” Had Campbell armed himself with the facts, he would have known that Hutson cannot take credit for the construction of the National Track and Field Centre (NTFC) at Leonora nor the acquisition of the Fully Automated Timing System (FATS). The construction of the NTFC began when Colin Boyce was President of the AAG in 2010. The Guyana Olympic Association (GOA) acquired FATS and made it clear to the AAG at the handing over ceremony that it will be loaned to them upon request, which suggests that the FATS is still the property of the Olympic association. Both Campbell and Garnett surprised us with their inexperience combined with ignorance of the facts and palpable lack of research. In addition, their separate acts of imprudence, among other traits outlined here, is what evoked this response. Their Editors cannot be exonerated. Kaieteur News could pride itself on being a relentless pursuer of good governance, transparency and accountability in sport and while we have entered a New Year, as far as we are aware, the aforementioned tenets have not changed. We are also cognisant of the role we play in ensuring that athletes are properly represented and given the voice they may not otherwise have.
Vonn just happy to be racing again after 13th place (Reuters) Lindsey Vonn said she was just happy to be competing again after finishing 13th in her comeback race, a re-scheduled women’s World Cup downhill in the Austrian resort of Altenmarkt-Zauchensee, yesterday The four times World Cup overall champion, and 2010 Olympic downhill champion, had not raced for 322 days since she suffered a knee injury in Andorra late last February and then broke her arm in training in Colorado. The 32-year-old American needed surgery after the November accident, requiring an intensive program of rehabilitation. She also suffered lingering nerve damage. “I felt like I was skiing pretty well, just not
quite on the limit yet,” she said on Sunday. “For me, it’s not really a matter of the results, I’m just happy to be racing again. Of course I have higher expectations for myself, but considering the condition and the fact that we had a training run and a race in the same day, I think it was pretty good.” Austria’s Christine Scheyer won the race, her first on the World Cup circuit and from a 25th place starting position, with Liechtenstein’s Tina Weirather second and American Jackie Wiles third — the first World Cup podium finish of her career. Switzerland’s Lara Gut finished fourth and trimmed U.S. skier Mikaela Shiffrin’s overall World Cup lead to 315 points. Shiffrin, the 2014 Olympic slalom champion, did not race on Sunday.
Lindsey Vonn of the U.S. reacts in the finish. (REUTERS/Leonhard Foeger)
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Kohli, Jadhav hundreds help India eclipse England’s 350 Kedar Jadhav brings out the sweep shot , India v England, 1st ODI, Pune, ©AFP
Virat Kohli drills one through the off side, India v England, 1st ODI, Pune, ©AFP
Sport Administrators are using certain media houses to attack Kaieteur News
MVP contender Ryan delivers as Falcons down Seahawks
Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Mohamed Sanu (12) celebrates with quarterback Matt Ryan (2) after a touchdown against the Seattle Seahawks during the fourth quarter in the NFC Divisional playoff at Georgia Dome. (Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports)
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