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Kaieteur News
Kaieteur News Printed and Published by National Media & Publishing Company Ltd. 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown, Guyana. Publisher: GLENN LALL Editor: Adam Harris Tel: 225-8465, 225-8491. Fax: 225-8473, 226-8210
EDITORIAL
An inundated city The rains came with a vengeance on Tuesday and as has become the norm, the city flooded. There was water covering almost every street to the extent that motorists had to drive carefully, if only to avoid the ditches that lined the roads. The water rushed into homes and destroyed carpeting and furniture. In one home there was as much as ten inches of water in the bottom flat. Schools closed their doors for the second time in as many months and people had to wade to get to and from their homes. People grumbled and the government took aim at City Hall, blaming it for the deterioration of the city. And indeed it would appear that City Hall needed to be blamed, because this constant flooding of the city is something new. People who lived in the city almost all their lives now say that they could not recall the city being flooded after what they called a relatively mild shower. The truth was that the Dutch who designed Georgetown recognised that it was below sea level and that there needed to be a network of canals to trap excess water when it rained and the tide was in. When the tide went out, the sluices at the mouth of the canals were raised and the city drained. It was an efficient system that worked for close to two centuries. That the city is flooding today suggests that the new rulers have disturbed the equation that saw the city enjoying that delicate balance between the tides and water on the land. In the 1970s the government filled some of the canals on the advice of the present-day engineers. These engineers contended that the city was growing and that there was need for the roads to accommodate the growing number of cars. Coincident with this decision was the deterioration of the discipline that governed city life. From placing their refuse in containers, people began to throw their litter into the streets and drains. Homeowners refused to clean the inter-lot drains and before long these disappeared. Water no longer collected in the inter-lot drains and so remained on the land to compound the volume that could not find its way into the now non-existent canal. In many societies, having been bitten by the flood bug, people would have spearheaded a campaign to restore their city. Guyanese are a different breed; as a people they expect to see their elected leaders doing what needs to be done by way of city restoration. City Hall for some time has been calling for money to manage its affairs. Inflation had taken a toll, so more money had to be found for pay increases. At the same time homeowners were not too keen to pay higher rates and taxes; they fought any pay increase tooth and nail. To crown it, they had a government to support them. One thing often leads to another. In this case the floods led to many things. Culturally, we bury our dead after a funeral service. The floods put paid to that cultural activity. Should we consider cremation? Perhaps we should because the cemetery, once a picturesque location that adorned stamps and postcards, is now a miniature jungle. There was a time when we covered tombs with garbage, now we cannot even access fresh tombs, because the canals that border the cemetery are weed-choked and blocked in some cases. This past week many people, among them a retired Deputy Police Commissioner and a prominent communicator, could not be laid to rest after their funeral services. That is only one aspect. The flooded cemetery is a breeding ground for diseases with water leaching from tombs and graves. The time may be now for people to effect a cultural change. Strange as this may seem, Guyanese leave these shores for foreign lands and immediately they adopt a change in attitude. The government spent $42 million clearing some of the canals and outfalls. Had this not been done, one is left to imagine what the state of the city would have been. We must now contemplate measures to end flooding.
Friday January 17, 2014
Letters... Where your views make the news
This ‘Peeping Tom’ must speak of the numerous instances of corruption in Guyana DEAR EDITOR, An interesting article appeared in your newspapers from one of the ‘Peeping Toms,’ under the headline, ‘Revisiting Burnham’s Code of Conduct,’ (KN January 16th). With the luxury of anonymity, the writer attempted to address the serious issue of corruption in Guyana today. In the article, the writer manufactured a narrative with the fabric of a long deceased straw man. With this anonymity, the writer, rather than to forcefully reveal, and, speak to the reported instances of corruption under the current administration, engaged in an esoteric exercise about “perceived” corruption under the current PPP administration. Maybe, the import of anonymity in this instance is to conceal from the public the odious reality which obtains? If this ‘Peeping Tom’ wishes to be taken seriously, he or she must identify, and, speak to the numerous instances of
corruption in Guyana. The man or woman in the street knows about the recorded financial adventures on the part of the NCN duo. With single sourcing of drugs and supplies to the Ministry of Health in billions of dollars, how come the public hospital is without enough supplies of colostomy bags? Are we to believe that the gifting of radio, TV and cable frequencies fall under the rubric of this “perception?” The documented and reported list of corrupt transactions exists. The recent questionable episodes about the Solid Waste fiasco, the New River triangle survey permission etc, this ‘Peeper’ must know that the old dog used to mask the code of conduct narrative, no longer hunts. Today, secret deals are the order of the day. Each day, there are more revelations about land giveaways, mining permits and “special” investors in the Marriot hotel project, yet, this ‘Peeper’ focuses,
or, crafts a canvas in order to shift focus away from the present menace. Corruption is the clear and present danger to all of Guyana, and, its resultant effects, burden every Guyanese. Corruption is the cancer that everyone must confront, however, as a start; it requires honesty, even under the cloak of anonymity. Finally, if the ‘Peeper’ seeks to push historical information as facts, he or she must tell the readers what the declassified documents revealed about PL-480 funds and Burnham. Moreover, since informing the public was part of his or her missive, maybe, can the ‘Peeper’ tell us how GIMPEX was able to engage the services of the Swiss banking system? Also, what was it about funds from the Soviet embassy in Mexico City to a Barclay’s Bank account that somehow resulted in the death of members of the Abrahams family in Guyana? Leroy Nelson
The Commissioner of Police is in order to take over this investigation DEAR EDITOR, Reports of the savage brutalization of Colwyn Harding have shocked the nation. I must admit that I have not yet mustered the courage to sufficiently come to terms with the entire incident. When those sworn to serve and protect are deemed to have committed these heinous and dastardly crimes against the very people, they are expected to serve, it is time for national stock taking. It is time we review our moral, ethical, and professional codes. Over the last few years the crime and security situation in the country has been consistently frightening, and yet the man responsible for the nation’s security is saying to Guyanese that he has everything under control. Mr. Rohee claims that there is no cause to be concerned over the crime and security situation in the country because the criminals are only stealing cell phones. What an idiotic and ignorant comment! It is clear that if such thinking prevails in the mind of the man who has direct responsibility for the Guyana Police Force, such a man will be incapable of effectively assessing his own organization and recognizing the deep crime security challenges within same. His lack of common sense and ignorance of police work exposes his inanity every time he opensup his mouth.
Unfortunately, this is not the first time members of the Guyana Police Force have been alleged to have committed such brutality on citizens. We have lived through the unthinkable “torture period”, thanks to then Minister of Home Affairs, Ronald Gajraj, and his special police squad. It now appears that the Rohee era is heading down an even more sadistic lane, where some under his watch feel emboldened and confident enough to commit the kinds of sexual barbaric acts young Harding alleges. As a nation, we should, in one voice, denounce such
barbaric and sickening behavior of any who perpetrate these inhumane acts against another. When the police are suspected to be the perpetrators of such acts, we must move from condemnation to “national stock-taking.” We should also continue to demand more sensible leadership from the Ministry of Home Affairs. It might also be time to give teeth to the noconfidence motion against this sitting minister. Editor, I am pleased to have read the SN news article, dated 1/15/14, which reported that the police commissioner, himself, has
decided to take over the probe into the Colwyn Harding case. I believe it is a good first step of the c o m m i s s i o n e r demonstrating to the public that the matter is taken seriously by the top cop. I trust that the commissioner will use his office to ensure that justice is served in this case. My heart goes out to Mr. Colwyn Harding and I pray that his road to recovery will swiftly remove him from being in the shadows of a victim to a s u r v i v o r, a s u r v i v o r determined to overcome the wrath of his past. Lurlene Nestor
The police are operating against their motto DEAR EDITOR, For years serving members of the Guyana Police Force have been accused of committing acts that are totally opposed to their “to serve and protect” purpose. The recent sodomy, physical abuse, and alleged wrongful detention of Laing Avenue resident Colwyn Harding is now added to the list. The Alliance For Change (AFC), in its release, named the Constable being the prime enforcer of this brutal, inhumane and most embarrassing act committed on Mr Harding. Another police Constable and an Inspector are named by the AFC as being present or being participants of this horrid assault on a civilian. Commissioner Leroy Brumell, soon after his confirmation in his current position some months ago, can be credited for some pluses. These include the hunting down of criminals who created havoc on the island of Wakenaam and the West Coast Demerara area, some weeks prior to the Commissioner’s confirmation.
The police have also ensured a reasonably peaceful Christmas season, and though unnatural deaths continue in the New Year, Mr Brumell’s no nonsense approach to handling these and other matters will be relied upon. It is here that I implore on Mr Brumell, that he takes action into his own hands as head of the GPF and ensure that the three officers named in the horrid act meted out to Mr Harding, face the full extent of the law. It is with utmost disbelief that an Inspector would look on as junior ranks carry out such a power drunk act on another human being. This police Inspector should be demoted, at the least, from his position. We remember too well the treatment meted out to a teenager by ranks at the Leonora Police Station. These and other unlawful acts by serving police officers will remain in the bad books of the GPF. It is here that I call on Mr Brumell to show his true salts as that Police Commissioner (Continued on page 5)
Friday January 17, 2014
Kaieteur News
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Letters... Where your views make the news Letters... Where your views make the news
Have faith in the judicial system DEAR EDITOR, Please allow my words of caution to be carried in your publication, it concerns a very troubling development of recent vintage, that if allowed unremarked would serve to harm the very fabric of our society. Have we changed the rules of our society in Guyana? Why am I asking this question? It arises from the recent allegations of abuse by a Police Corporal of a man via baton. There seems to be a new system in place where Mr. Hughes of the AFC has become judge, jury and collector and “has formally given Police Commissioner, Leroy Brumell a 72-hour deadline that expires on Thursday January 16 to pay $100 million for the alleged “torture” that amounted to a violation of his constitutional right to protection from inhuman treatment.” (demerarawaves.com) The civilized process would usually be as follows: Allegations- formal complaint –investigation-Charge/no Charge, prosecution, civil claims etc. Mr. Hughes and the AFC seem to have a differing view of due process. Allegation-Ultimatum for damages issued- payment or constitutional and other proceedings will follow. This cannot be the way we operate as a society. Allegations do not translate into automatic guilt and damages as assessed by Mr. Hughes, we have a legal system and rules which have been disregarded in this instance. The AFC has waded into this alleged incident with both fists flailing calling for the resignation of the Police Commissioner and the Minister of Home Affairs, again WITHOUT a formal investigation of the allegations. Unfortunately for the AFC we do not live in the dictatorial paradise they so fondly remember and yearn for, we live in a country that is firmly rooted in the rule of law. I have gained every confidence in our Judicial System by way of litigation against the current government. I took on the government and won. Our principal lawyer in that instance, Mr. Sanjeev Datadin, counseled patience and faith in the judicial system. My faith in the judicial system was not misplaced. The eventual decision in
favor of the Cricket Board flew in the face of all conjecture and gossip and is an educational vindication of the judicial system that leaves no doubt as to their professionalism and independence. Perhaps it is no coincidence that Mr. Datadin was also one of the principal lawyers who represented Justice Navindra Singh in the case cited by Mr. Hughes in his claim for damages for his client, Justice Singh was awarded damages by a judge (not his lawyer) after a painstaking eight years of due process and diligent representation by his Counsel. Mr. Hughes would be well reminded that the gears of justice grind slowly but they grind exceedingly small, justice is not attained by bluster, empty rhetoric and public relation coups, it is won by diligence and honest representation of the facts. No Mr. Hughes and AFC , we cannot let emotions rule our actions, the allegations of
police brutality if proven true should have serious consequences for the INDIVIDUAL/s who perpetrated those acts, but he also deserves due process and protection of the law. This is not the first instance where a first glance at allegations provoked a strong emotional response from many only to be proven false. The rape allegations against former Commissioner of Police Henry Green come readily to mind. To those who would respond about the seriousness of the allegations and the brutality described therein, have no fear. I would in no way condone such actions under any circumstance. However, allegations must be investigated before any course of action is decided. I urge all citizens to have faith in our judiciary and seek redress within the law for any perceived injustice. Robin Singh
No evidence that this project is a collusion between USAID and the opposition DEAR EDITOR, Thanks to our Government, Democracy was returned to Guyana in 1992 and Guyana is aptly positioned to become a hub of global trade and food security. I am sure that for such a small territory engaging more globally, strengthening our democracy is critical to the protection of our people and allow us to Promote closer economic integration in the world by strengthening efforts toward building better institutions that might also help to achieve economic development. A democratic political system is central to the process of development and is essential for understanding and fulfilling economic needs. Therefore I am stunned that a resource to strengthen civil society and empower the average Guyanese to know their rights and responsibilities and participate in building our democracy is rejected. I have read many statements on this issue and I still have not seen any specific evidence of the
Government of Guyana (GoG) illustrating that the Leadership and Democracy project is a collusion between the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the opposition. Are we to conclude that if the Government does not agree with you then you are considered opposition? The GoG leaves more questions than answers in its contention and has not published their own evidence on the falsity of USAID’s claims of consultation. First we learn that there was no consultation, and shortly after we are told that the project was concocted by the
opposition and the USAID. I patiently await photos or some form of evidence to support the position of the Government of Guyana. In the meantime I empathize with the US Government in their effort to strengthen the civil society in Guyana, I am sure they will not be the last group to seek after such an opportunity. I am happy that the Government of Guyana recognizes its own values. I would be happier to know what programs the Government of Guyana has in place or will put in place to enhance democracy and governance here. D. Nicholson
The police are operating... From page 4 I admire, and deal with this matter accordingly, in the most expeditious manner. I therefore suggest that the named ranks be placed before the courts and face the embarrassment of having
their pictures splashed across the Kaieteur News, Stabroek News and other media outlets, since they too should go down in the criminal books of the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court. Paulette Harvey
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Poor drainage preventing burials…
Town Clerk must also be held accountable - Opposition MPs Given the fact that the Local Government Minister continues to have the Town Clerk, Carol Sooba and her “unpredictable management style” interfering in the affairs of the Local Authority, then she too must be held accountable for the disgusting state of affairs at the cemetery. This was the assertion of members of the opposition who have expressed their frustration and repulsion with the cemetery being flooded which has caused several funeral homes to take back bodies that were scheduled for burial during this week. According to previous reports, the recent rainfall which caused the cemetery to be flooded had forced funeral homes to suspend some of their burial arrangements. This included the burial of one of Guyana’s most
respected broadcasters Mr. Terence Holder. Commenting at length on the issue was David Patterson, member of the political opposition party, the Alliance For Change (AFC). “It is downright disgusting that after so many years we seem unable to get a handle on the situation. Everyone knows that Guyana’s coastland is below sea level and as such it is critical that we pay attention to our drainage systems. Yet every time it rains, even if it is the slightest of showers, some parts of the city and the coastland are flooded. Styrofoam and plastics alone don’t cause the drains to be blocked; we also have to look at the way construction is being done, and how much builder’s waste gets trapped in the drains and the poor
maintenance programmes by the responsible authorities.” “In terms of burial grounds being flooded, this is a sad escalation of the problem - families are now being deprived of the opportunity of paying their final respects to their loved ones. The government has long displayed little respect for the living; this has now been extended to the dead. If the government believes that they can do a better job in keeping the city clean, then it is their call to have local government elections. It must be remembered, however, that the government has its appointee at City Hall in the person of the Town Clerk (Carol Sooba), so she must also be held accountable.” Supporting Patterson’s position was A Partnership for National Unity (APNU)’s
Head of the Presidential Secretariat, Dr. Roger Luncheon has disclosed that he is unsure about whether government has received the 14 pumps from Surendra Engineering, let alone its location in the city. This he declared yesterday at a press conference held at the Office of the President. In light of the recent flooding, Dr. Luncheon explained that Cabinet met on Monday last and the issue was discussed. He told members of the media corps that there was a recorded 84 millimeters of rainfall over the past few days. “Another round of flooding induced despair among city residents and
dwellers. The extreme weather patterns are now unavoidable. This is part of the reality of climate change. .the City Hall and drainage is not a problem that is unknown to us, and we have the more recent example of the multi stakeholders’ intervention in the December 2013 rains that similarly affected the city. In cabinet’s discussion, interventions along these lines pointed to an appropriate direction on the way forward,” the Cabinet Secretary explained. He added, “Cabinet feels that the situation now calls for more aggressive thinking on the part of stakeholders from the start…also innovative thinking; thinking that brought us the Hope drainage
canal. There is a need for a study and for proposed solutions to the defects that are constantly being trumpeted and uncovered in the current drainage of the city. The financing mechanisms and implementation on work planned would be weighty matters and would need mature considerations by all stakeholders. Cabinet’s contention, putting everything aside, is that the time is now.” After his presentation, Dr. Luncheon was then asked about the 14 pumps from Surendra Engineering which were procured for a reported US$4M. In previous reports with the Secretary; some of (Continued on page 25)
Shadow Minister of Local Government, Ronald Bulkan. He emphatically stated that the state of the cemetery is, “A complete shame and disgrace. It is a reflection of the poor drainage system in Guyana and it lies squarely at the feet of the Local Government. The Ministry continues to interfere in the work of the Local Authority, and as such it is unable to exercise its autonomous rights. They continue to violate the Constitution, and as such we have situations such as this arising.” The Shadow Minster then also made reference to Sooba, as he claims that the Town Clerk continues to impose her will on the council “but it is clear to see that her “management style” has
Ronald Bulkan
David Patterson
made it conducive for the state of the drainage system to continue.” He added, “She has not pronounced on the issue or proposed any solutions, yet
the Government continues to back her appointment despite the fact that these sickening situations continue to occur under her watch. She needs to be held accountable as well.”
CT machine very costly to Luncheon “unsure”whether - GPHC’s CEO operate Surendra pumps are in Guyana No one from the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) and the privately-operated Cancer Institute of Guyana (CIG) is willing to say how much money the hospital pays to the entity for CT (computed tomography) scans annually. The Cancer Institute came into existence in 2006 via a collaborative effort with the Government of Guyana. The company does CT scans, MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) and is the only local institution which diagnoses and treats cancer. Since CIG came into existence, the GPHC has been assisting in funding half the cost per scan for every patient and in most cases, the hospital pays the entire amount, which sometimes adds up to $23,000. A CT Scan uses a computer that takes data from several X-ray images of structures inside a human’s body and converts them into pictures on a monitor so that
CEO Michael Khan medical practitioners could immediately diagnosed the problem. All accident patients are required to do a CT scan to determine the extent of their injuries and accidents are frequent at the hospital. On an average day, approximately 10 patients from GPHC are required to do a CT scan. Recently, there have been some concerns over the
amount of money being paid to the Cancer Institute of Guyana annually, but no one from both institutes are willing to disclosed the amount being paid by the hospital. The hospital’s Chief Executive Officer, Michael Khan, in a brief interview with Kaieteur News could not provide this newspaper with the cost being paid to the private entity, but when asked if the hospital has any plans to import a CT machine, Khan explained that it is very costly to operate. “It costs a lot of money to operate; the other thing is power and the maintenance of it. If the machine goes down you have to fly in people to fix it,” Khan said. He added that, “It is an important tool in diagnosing, but in my eyes, it is not as important as to upgrade the Maternity Unit.” However, he said that he included a CT Machine in this year’s budget, but it is up to the Ministry of Finance to approve it.
Friday Januray 17, 2014
Kaieteur News
Ukrainian parliament pushes through sweeping anti-protest law
Pro-European integration protesters attend a rally at Independence Square in Kiev yesterday. REUTERS/Gleb Garanich KIEV (Reuters) Supporters of Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovich hustled a sweeping law through parliament on Thursday in an attempt to curb anti-government protests, sparking an outcry from the opposition and raising tensions on the streets. The law, backed by deput i e s from Ya n u k o v i c h ’s R e g i o n s Party and allies, also adopted a similar stance to Russia on registration of foreign non-governmental organizations (NGOs), insisting they should pay
taxes on profit. NGOs that were financed from abroad and took part in political activity in Ukraine would be categorized as “foreign agents”, it said. But the law, which ran to more than 100 pages, appeared directed mainly at preparing the ground for action to end the street protests that have been taking place in the capital Kiev and some other cities since November. Yanukovich’s refusal at that time to sign a free trade deal with the European Union in favor of boosting ties with Ukraine’s former Soviet
master Russia brought hundreds of thousands on to the streets in protest. Though numbers have dwindled since, several hundred people remain camped out on Kiev’s central square of Kiev or are occupying public buildings such as City Hall. On Sunday, at least 50,000 people demonstrated against Yanukovich in Kiev. The law, which still needs Yanukovich’s signature, bans any unauthorized installation of tents, stages or amplifiers in public places, on pain of a fine of up to $640 or up to 15 days in detention.
Main Turkish opposition rejects constitutional reform proposal ANKARA (Reuters) Turkey’s largest opposition party said yesterday it had rejected plans for constitutional changes to resolve a row over the judiciary, paving the way for the government to press ahead with its own moves to assert greater control over the courts. Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan had offered constitutional change as an alternative to a new law that would tighten government control over a judiciary he believes is using a corruption investigation to undermine him. However, the effect may have been similar though the process would take longer. At the focus of Erdogan’s battle with the judiciary is the HSYK council, which appoints judges. The Prime Minister argues that the HSYK has been infiltrated by
Tayyip Erdogan followers of a reclusive Islamic cleric creating a ‘parallel state’ apparatus in Turkey. He argues his action serves to restore judicial independence.
“The proposal (for constitutional change) was viewed as inappropriate and insincere g i v e n t h a t discussions of the proposed HSYK law on the agenda of the Justice Commission were not halted,” the Republican People’s Party (CHP) said in a written statement. Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan’s opponents see the bill as an attempt to stifle a damaging corruption investigation which erupted a month ago with the detention of businessmen close to the government and three ministers’ sons. The planned HSYK reform has triggered European Union and investor concerns and Deputy Prime Minister Ali Babacan said late on Wednesday trust in Turkey’s legal system was essential to it attaining its long-term growth goals.
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Do not jump too early to conclusions The allegation that a young man was the victim of a brutal sexual assault while in police custody has gone viral. The reports have led to feelings of outrage in many quarters. But are these reports believable? With the expansive reach of social media networks, the market for the spread of unverified reports is unlimited. This in itself is a danger, because apart from the benefits of mass information, there is the risk of mass deception also. One has to be very careful when one hears allegations such as those that are being made about sexual assault, especially when all the facts are not known and more especially when these reports are being politicized. The case was reportedly discussed in the National Assembly yesterday. During that discussion, certain
information about the condition for which the young man is being treated by doctors was revealed. This information should not have been provided by the Minister of Health. Not even to the National Assembly; because it is privileged information and should only have been made public in front of an investigative team, tribunal or a court of law. Because the information was reported on by the media, the public now knows what the doctors at the hospital are treating the young man for. This knowledge will add more controversy to the case. Long before these medical disclosures were made, however, many persons had already made up their minds about what happened. That was a direct consequence of the story going viral. The faster it spreads, the less some persons seem interested
in awaiting the outcome of the investigation launched by the police and the more willing they were to condemn who they felt were responsible. One has to be extremely careful about these allegations. A final judgment should await the facts. If what is being alleged is true, then there is a serious problem with investigations within the Guyana Police Force and the reform process would be unable to correct this problem. If something of this nature can happen within the local police force, more so considering the past experience with a teenager whose genitals were set alight, then reform of the Guyana Police Force may not be good enough. If what is being alleged is true, it will mean that foreign personnel will have to be recruited to man senior
Way paved for body to regulate land surveyors As part of the bigger plan to update the country’s management of its land and water resources, Government last evening successfully piloted new legislation that will see the establishment of a special board to oversee land surveyors. In arguing for the Land Surveyors (Profession) Bill 2013, Natural Resources Minister Robert Persaud also explained that the board will be tasked with licencing, registering and regulating the land surveyors. Persaud, who has ministerial jurisdiction over the Guyana Lands and Survey Commission (GL&SC ), said that land surveyors are often not given due recognition, pointing out that it is a fact that Guyana’s first President, Arthur Chung, was a trained land surveyor. The issue of quality surveyors takes even more significance when the country’s thrust of development at this time is taken into account. Development in areas like natural resources, housing and hospitality, has pushed land surveying into the spotlight. The harsh reality is that there are simply not enough surveyors available, with GL&SC suffering from a shortage. With increased activities in mining and forestry, Government had introduced increased training, doubling the number of surveyors in the last two years. Persaud admitted that over time there were numerous complaints about
APNU’s Dr. Rupert Roopnaraine
Natural Resources Minister, Robert Persaud.
the quality of work from some surveyors as well as issues regarding their honesty. With the last changes to the laws in the 1970s, more than four decades ago, there have been gaps. The old laws do not even address issues of using Global Positioning System (GPS) as a means to conduct surveying. The Minister also admitted that many professionals “got away with murder”, but moves are being made to comprehensively address the issues. The board will deal with regulations and code of conduct, as well penalties for the breaches. Within the last two years,
there were significant increases in inspections, monitoring, approvals and lease preparations, as well as increases of activities. Meanwhile, Dr. Rupert Roopnaraine, senior Member of Parliament of A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), was also cognizant that new techniques of land surveying have changed since the ‘70s. The old laws, he said, lacked critical attention of examination. “When considering the issue of land tenure, the importance of administration and legislation becomes critical,” he said. The old laws had also placed significant power in the hands of the Minister.
positions within the Guyana Police Force because of the crisis that the incident, if established to be true, would have represented. If true, there has to be sweeping changes at all levels of the hierarchy of the Guyana Police. Instead of reform, what will be needed is a complete revamping and the creation of a completely new force. That is if the allegations are true. In analyzing the allegations to determine whether a prima facie case exists against ranks of the Guyana Police Force, a number of things need to be taken into consideration. Firstly, it needs to be determined when the violation took place and whether there were any witnesses. By now the media should have been pursuing this angle and interviewing any witnesses to the alleged sexual assault. Secondly, it needs to be determined how long after the alleged assault took place was the matter reported and to
whom it was reported. Thirdly, the issue of motive needs to be considered. Is there a motive why the alleged victim would want to implicate any ranks of the Guyana Police Force? This aspect needs to be looked at. Fourthly, the medical reports need to be examined by whoever is investigating this matter, because it is from these reports that the investigative team will be able to make a determination as to whether the injuries sustained are consistent with the claims that a baton was rammed into
the anus of the victim, leading to the rupturing of the intestines. This is a case with serious implications. If the allegations are found to be truthful, then it has repercussions for the future reform process of the Guyana Police Force. If they are not, then some politicians are going to find themselves facing political fallout.
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=== The Freddie Kissoon column ===
SOCK IT TO ME, BABY! There is no other cabal of leaders as comical as those in the PPP leadership. Gaddafi was eccentrically facetious, but it was him alone that was a comic not his close Ministers. The same can be said for ex-Italian PM, Silvio Berlusconi. The President of South Sudan makes you marvel at his cowboy hat that President Bush gave him that he wears permanently, but he is a serious man. In Guyana, one wonders what kind of protégés Cheddi
Jagan founded. These people do not know their backside from their mouth, to recognize bronze from brains, when to know to shut up, when to know what to wear, when to observe protocol, when to distinguish between official capacity and personal time. Some examples are just beyond belief. Right next to President Jagdeo, a ministerial advisor was involved in a brawl at an international boxing match. Another one justified not opening the
public-owned swimming pools to the nation because he said people must know that they have to bathe first before they use the facility. Here is an example that is hard to believe. It was at the celebration of twenty-one years in power by the PPP at an Essequibo rally. The Champion told the meeting that the reason why a Guyanese media mogul doesn’t like him is because he “tek away de outside woman” of the media mogul. You aren’t going to find this type of political lewdness elsewhere in the world. One Minister has sent a photograph to the newspapers asking that it be the image to be used. I see nothing wrong with that. Maybe other Ministers should follow this example, because it shows an attempt to appear pleasant in front of the nation. The sad problem with the PPP leadership is the abject inability to differentiate situational contexts. It is a requirement for all the peoples in the world. No
student is going to respect his/her teacher that drinks at a Christmas party and cusses away like hell. Teachers must carry a certain demeanour in front of students if they are to be successful in the classroom. A CEO cannot be seen having an affair with the coffee lady of the company. He may get away with an extra-marital affair somewhere else, but he will automatically lose the admiration and respect of his staff if he chooses the coffee lady. This is a fact of life. This is the way human beings will react. Dennis Rodman is making himself a joke around the globe. Sports heroes are people that endless youngsters want to emulate. They cannot be seen behaving like clowns around the world. Rodman is appearing foolish with his bizarre defence of his friendship with the young North Korean tyrant. Should a president be photographed back-balling in public? That is his prerogative, but it carries
consequences for his own credibility and that of his office. In my opinion (and I am an extreme liberal who believes in gay marriage; decriminalization of marijuana and re-thinking on other narcotics; no fault divorce; abolition of death penalty; abortion, etc.) back-balling is a type of dancing that carries an element of vulgarity that holders of esteemed public offices should avoid be seen doing in public. I do not for a moment think that people should be banned from back-balling. That is their right. Let them dance that way if they want to. But surely, the Pope, Presidents, Prime Ministers, Ministers, Bishops, Swamis, Imams, Teachers, Judges and similar categories should be avoiding publication of images of them doing that kind of dance. President Jagdeo cut a terrible image doing that at a Christmas party with a soldier. You automatically felt angry when you saw the clip, because here was the president of the nation appearing in public in a lewd pose. People all over Guyana were talking about that comical profanity. Sadly, Donald Ramotar has learnt
Frederick Kissoon nothing from life’s lessons. Ramotar once asked me in a published letter in this newspaper what is meant by the “poetic essence of history.” I hope by now he knows what that means after seeing the election of an African-American to the US presidency, but honestly, do you think he knows what it means? If he did, then why did he want to emulate Jagdeo and do a back-balling gyration with a soldier? He looked terrible. Did he see himself after? I saw a photograph of the said woman that Ramotar back-balled with at the same dance with another partner and my, oh my! Did you see what she was not wearing? She certainly knows how to sock it. If you think Jagdeo and Ramotar like that kind of lascivious vibes, wait till you see images of a certain Minister back-balling.
Dem boys seh...
Dem got a baton fuh De Rat Guyana getting on de map fuh all dem strange reason. De country use to have some good athletes in de old days, but then dem other counties put in facilities and dem move away. Well Guyana ain’t tekking lef. De other night dem boys pass by de cemetery and dem hear a noise like people cheering. Then dem hear de splashing. When dem look good dem see de dead people racing up and down in dem own pool. Is train dem training fuh de swimming at de dead people Olympics. De only country wid facilities fuh dead people swim is Guyana, suh dem boys seh that this country gun win nuff medals fuh de fuss time. De people who create de conditions that causing flood in de cemetery smart. And is not de City Council people alone to blame. De Rat was de first one to cut down pun de money fuh de council suh dem couldn‘t pay workers. Then he get de people who walking and always bowing down to him and saying “oh Mighty BJ” to stop paying dem taxes. Dem boys notice that when de flood come not one of dem had problems wid de cemetery. Was like if dem tell dem family to postpone dying. Everybody waiting to see how long dem gun postpone going in de cemetery. Dem is de people who breakdown standards. Imagine Donald and he outriders driving to de airport and de police put up roadblock. De entourage stop and one ah dem police had de nerve fuh ask Donald to lef a green one wid dem. He didn’t recognise de president. Brumell still looking fuh de people at de roadblock, because when dem realize is de president dem stop dem run and lef de roadblock. Is de same thing like de set who dem boys hear use de baton pun de boy. Dem try fuh run, but is only dem at de station, suh dem had to claim how dem never do nutten. Dem boys got dem baton and dem grease it good. Dem want to ketch de Rat fuh all dem things he do when he was de leader. Talk half and listen fuh de hollering
Friday January 17, 2014
Kaieteur News
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Windsor Forest murder… Hernia damaged prisoner’s intestines, not rape ‘Weed Man’ found not guilty Minister of Health Dr. Bheri Ramsaran, has denied that the injuries to Colwyn Harding, the 23-year-old man who claims that he was sexually assaulted with a baton by a policeman while in custody ,were not caused by rape, but instead are related to an incarcerated hernia. Ramsaran was yesterday addressing Members of Parliament, when A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) Winston Felix, sought an update on the injuries to Harding who had alleged that he was raped while in custody at the Timehri Police Station. Harding had alleged that a police rank placed a condom on a baton and forcibly inserted into his anus. He was later hospitalised. Amidst shouts of ‘cover up,’ the Health Minister told the House that the patient had surgery for an incarcerated hernia. This condition, he said, reached a point where Harding’s bowels had become gangrenous. He said that in juxtaposing the claim of the sexual assault, this needs to be taken into account. According to the Health Minister, a section of his intestine had to be removed and the two lengths connected. This, Ramsaran said, was done on December 18, after which there was a breakdown of the joining. The Minister said that this led to a septic condition within
Minister of Health, Dr Bheri Ramsaran the abdomen and he had to be reopened for a strangulated hernia Ramsaran said that following the breakdown in the joining of the intestines, Harding had to be reopened and rejoined, and this led to the use of Colostomy bags. The bags are used by Harding to defecate since he is unable to use his anus. The Minister maintained that the first surgery done on Harding on December 18 was because he was complaining of pains to the right scrotum when it was discovered that he had an incarcerated hernia. The second surgery according to Minister Ramsaran was done on December 28. “What our surgical professionals are saying is that the patient was operated on because of pain in the right scrotum area, this is what caused the injuries to the
bowel,” according to Ramsaran. The Minister said that the persons juxtaposing Harding’s injuries with the sexual assault have to be careful, as it is not necessarily the case that the injuries were caused by the reported sexual assault. According to Ramsaran, he is optimistic that following the second operation, Harding will once again be able to use his anus for the purpose it was intended. Asked whether the Ministry would send Harding overseas for further treatment, Minister Ramsaran, told the House that this would not be happening. “This is a case well within the reach of our skills and practice.” The Minister sought to assure the House that the Georgetown Public Hospital along with its surgeons and resources are fully able to deal with an incarcerated hernia. Asked about an independent examination of Harding, Minister Ramsaran told the House that he (Harding) was free to seek a second opinion. During a recent interview with this publication Harding had explained that he was brutalized in front of his girlfriend who was placed outside the house when she began to object.
Local medical practitioners to benefit from CME lecture A number of Guyanese medical practitioners will benefit from six hours of Continuing Medical Education (CME) lecture, thanks to the Howard University Hospital Medical Association. This was disclosed by Cabinet Secretary Dr. Roger Luncheon during his postCabinet press briefing yesterday at the Office of the President. The CME lecture, commencing today at the Guyana International Convention Centre, is part of the Association’s reunion activities. The lecture session will conclude tomorrow. Dr. Luncheon enlightened that Guyana will be hosting the reunion from January 16 to 21. The visiting team comprises 40-odd Washington D.C.-based area medical practitioners, including Guyanese David Aubrey Gorey, who
- Hung jury for three others on trial for stepfather’s killing
- Health Minister
originates from Essequibo. According to Dr. Luncheon, the team will also be exploring avenues to forge professional and academic ties with the staff of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation. The team will also be hosting a special event in honour of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on January 20 at 9:00 am at Pegasus Hotel. Meanwhile, in a press statement yesterday, United States Ambassador D. Brent Hardt said the Embassy will be hosting a reception tonight in honour of the visiting team from Howard University Hospital Medical Association. The event will begin at 18:30hrs and culminate at 20:30hrs According to Hardt, the organization is in Guyana to hold the 21st Annual Collaborative Scientific Medical Mission and will focus on current research on diabetes, hypertension, and
other healthcare-related issues. Hardt related that the Howard University, located in Washington, D.C., is a historically black university founded in 1867 and produces more on-campus AfricanAmerican Ph.D.s than any other unive r s i t y i n t h e world. Among many of Howard’s notable alumni are the late U.S. Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall; the first AfricanAmerican governor of a U.S. state (Virginia) L. Douglas Wilder; Nobel Laureate and Pulitzer Prize-winning author Toni Morrison; Emmy Awardwinning actress Phylicia Rashad; actress, producer and director Debbie Allen; attorney, civil rights leader and Wall Street executive Vernon Jordan; former mayor and United Nations Ambassador Andrew Young; and the first female mayor of Atlanta, Shirley Franklin.
Dead: Motielall Singh At least four hours elapsed yesterday before the Jury returned with the verdict in the murder trial in which four persons were accused of unlawfully killing , US-Based Guyanese, Motielall Singh. Following the summing up by Justice Navindra Singh, the twelve members of the mixed jury returned with a unanimous verdict of not guilty, for the number one accused in the matter Bissoondial Mahadeo, called ‘Weed Man’, while the three remaining accused - Farida Khan, called ‘Pum’, Bibi Shamiza Khan called ‘Sham,’ and Hoosman Khan, called ‘Strongman’ (Singh’s stepchildren) - will remain in prison to await a retrial as a consequence of a hung jury. The four accused were all on trial for the murder, which was committed in September 2009. They were represented by Attorneys-at-Law Glenn Hanoman and Senior Counsel Bernard De Santos. The victim, a resident of Lot 290 Hemlock Street, Brooklyn New York, was found lying in pool of blood at First Street Windsor Forest, West Coast Demerara. During his arrest, the number three accused, Hoosman Khan, told investigators that he was at First Street Windsor Forest, West Coast Demerara, with his stepfather when three masked men attacked them from behind. Khan told police that the men told him to “run for his life,” which he did. He subsequently took the police officers to the scene, where the lifeless body of a man was seen, lying in a pool of blood. Police investigators later recovered the ‘black knob’ of a knife from the crime scene. During the announcement, the Jury foreman explained that four jurors had returned a guilty verdict for Farida Khan, Bibi Shamiza Khan, and Hoosman Khan, but the remaining jurors were undecided. The three accused will remain in prison awaiting retrial at the next practical sitting of the Demerara Criminal Assizes.
Bissondial Mahadeo called ‘Weed Man’ (L) and Hoosman Khan
Bibi Shamiza Khan (L) and Farida Khan Justice Singh said that while the Jury had “quite shockingly,” returned a not guilty verdict for Bissoondial Mahadeo, and he was allowed to go free, Prosecutor Judith Mursalin-Gildharie, who is appearing on behalf of the State, had expressed the intention to appeal the verdict of acquittal. The courtroom of Justice Singh remained silent throughout the reading of the verdict. However, after the
conclusion of the trial, relatives of the deceased expressed their dissatisfaction in the legal system. “I am quite upset that today the person who may have actually stabbed my brother to death has walked free… I don’t see how that can happen it’s quite fishy... that verdict, “Savitri Singh said in giving vent to her frustration. Initially the four accused (Continued on page 25)
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Kaieteur News
Police deny raping prisoner with baton - probe likely to conclude by next Tuesday An investigation into the alleged sodomising of 23year-old Colwyn Harding by a police constable is likely to conclude by next Tuesday, but the accused rank and his colleagues are holding out that they did not commit the heinous act. Commissioner of Police Leroy Brumell made this disclosure yesterday, during a press conference to address allegations that a Constable beat Harding and, in the presence of others, forced a condom-covered baton up the young man’s rectum. The incident reportedly occurred last November while police were interrogating Harding at the Timehri Police Station about a break-and-enter report. The investigation into Harding’s alleged torture is being conducted by the Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR). Meanwhile, the accused constable has been placed under close arrest, while, according to Brumell, “about six to eight” other ranks, including an assistant superintendent, have been transferred from the Timehri Police Station to Georgetown. “I must mention that unbecoming behaviour by police ranks will not be tolerated by my administration, and condign action will be taken against any rank found culpable of such action,” the Commissioner said. Flanked by other senior colleagues, including ‘A’ Divison Commander George Vyphuis, and Deputy Police Commissioner (Law Enforcement) Seelall Persaud, Brumell stressed that the investigation was still
Colwyn Harding incomplete and the allegations against the Constable and his colleagues were still to be proven. He disclosed that investigators have also questioned officials at the Georgetown Prisons, where Harding was detained before being taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation. “I must state that the ranks have denied the allegations of using the baton in the rectum…We visited the Georgetown Prison, where this fellow (Harding) was remanded…There was a report that he said that he was assaulted with a baton, but he never stated that the police used a baton to the rectum with a condom.” Brumell said that investigators will also seek information from the Georgetown Hospital, as well as from court officials, “because it is known that when you are charged and taken before the court, as soon as you reach before the Magistrate you usually shout, ‘I was assaulted by the police or I was beaten.’” Asked yesterday, whether Harding could have sustained his injuries in the Georgetown Prison, an official of that facility told Kaieteur
News that Harding never indicated that he had sustained any injuries, when he was brought to the penitentiary. The official explained that prisoners being placed in the Camp Street facility are questioned as to whether they have any injuries. If the injury is not severe the inmate is treated at the prison infirmary. In cases where the injury is severe, the prisoner is transferred to hospital, the official said. Brumell also stated that he has responded to attorneyat-law Nigel Hughes, who is looking into Harding’s interest, and who has indicated that he would file a multi-million-dollar lawsuit against the Guyana Police Force. “I responded…telling him that the OPR is investigating the matter and to let good sense prevail, and let this investigation be completed to its finality…Go to the DPP for advice.” Police stated that Harding was in custody between November 15 and November 18, 2013 at the Timehri Police Station pending investigations into a report of break and enter and larceny. He was arrested, along with others, during a search at a house at Timehri for stolen property. During that period, he allegedly committed the offences of assault and disorderly behaviour. He was charged and appeared in the Providence Magistrate’s Court on November 19, 2013. He was placed on $50,000 bail and was remanded after being unable to post bail. According to Brumell, the police were first notified of the alleged assault via a text message from a female. The Top Cop said that the message came “directly to me”, in December 2013. He immediately contacted Assistant Commissioner ‘A’ Division, George Vyphuis, for an investigation to be conducted. He subsequently directed that the OPR take over the investigation.
Friday January 17, 2014
Local Govt. Minister gets seven more days to explain Sooba’s appointment By Zena Henry Lawyers for Local Government Minister Ganga Persaud were yesterday given seven more days to come up with a response explaining the Minister’s appointment of Town Clerk Carol Sooba. The lawyers told Chief Justice (CJ) Ian Chang at the High Court that they were unable to file an answer relating to the legal proceedings brought against Minister Persaud for the “arbitrary” appointment of the current secretary to the Georgetown City Council, despite the CJ i n i t i a l l y giving two weeks for the lawyers to file their answer to King’s application to the court. Royston King, who is also City Hall’s Public Relations Officer, was one of four candidates who applied for the Town Clerk position when interviews were held for the post. He is seeking to have the CJ quash the Local Government Minister’s appointment of Sooba, since according to the interview panel set up by the Local Government Ministry, she was the least qualified applicant, yet she was the one deemed “most suitable” for the post. The Local Government Minister is being asked by the court to explain his actions, given the fact that he went against the recommendations of the Local Governmentconvened interview panel which was made up of executive Local Government officers. Yesterday’s proceedings however saw Attorney Adrian Smith asking the court for an extended time since the answer to King was not provided to the Court. Royston King’s Attorney, Nigel Hughes expressed no difficulty with a new date being scheduled for another hearing of the matter; he did
Town Clerk Carol Sooba request, however, that the defence be made to explain their non-compliance to the court’s first order. The explanation did not materialize, but another issue arose as to whether the court order should be served on Town Clerk Carol Sooba. While the court proceeding does not directly involve the current Town Clerk, it was mentioned that she would be impacted by the outcome. The CJ and Hughes thus discussed the necessity of serving the order on Sooba in her personal capacity, which Hughes felt was the best way forward, while the CJ felt that the order should be sent to the Town Clerk in the capacity of her office. Hughes felt that since Sooba was not a part of the legal proceeding, but a party of interest, then the matter should be sent in her personal capacity, while the CJ believes that since Sooba was the Town Clerk - and was she not, then her name would not be mentioned in the proceedings - she should be served as Georgetown’s Town Clerk. The matter was however put to rest when Attorney Keshia Chase explained that she was present in the interest of Ms Sooba. It was then noted that the order would not be necessary, since Sooba would have already had a representative
Local Govt. Minister Ganga Persaud
Royston King in Court. This assertion was supported by Hughes who mentioned also that Sooba would have already paid sums of money to secure the services of a named lawyer. It was also explained by the court, that should the need arise; Sooba’s lawyer could be given a chance to make a representation on her behalf. The matter is however scheduled to re-convene on January 29 when the defence, which also includes a senior lawyer, Sadie Amin, is expected to put its case forward. Kaieteur News understands that following this, the plaintiff’s side could choose to respond to the defence’s answer.
Three years for cocaine possession A ‘Globe Yard’ resident was jailed Wednesday for three years after he pleaded guilty to the charge of Possession of Narcotics for the Purpose of Trafficking. Shafeek Khan appeared before Magistrate Judy Latchman at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court, where he was told that coupled with his sentence; he will also pay a fine of $10,000 for being in possession of two grams of cocaine.
On January 11, Khan was apprehended at Waterloo Street, Georgetown by plainclothes policemen who were on foot patrol when they noticed him behaving in what was described as a suspicious manner. Police Prosecutor Sergeant Vishnu Hunt told the court that the ranks had received information and went into ‘Globe Yard’ on the said street when they noticed several persons sitting under
a shed. They conducted a search and Khan was found with a bottle in his hand which contained creamish rock-like substances which they suspected to be cocaine. Sergeant Vishnu Hunt told the court that the man was told of the offence, cautioned and arrested. The substance was then weighed and confirmed to be cocaine. It amounted to two grams.
Friday January 17, 2014
Kaieteur News
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Police admit lack of proper supervision at Timehri The Guyana Police Force has admitted that there was a lack of proper supervision at the Timehri Police Station and improper communication with respect to the handling of detaine e Colwyn Harding. Harding has accused a policeman of sodomising him with a condom-covered baton after brutally beating him about his body following his arrest on break-and-enter and larceny allegations. Harding claimed that he was beaten and sodomised by a policeman in the presence of his (policeman’s) colleagues, who failed to caution him a b o u t h i s actions. “There was some lax in the supervision,” Police Commissioner Leroy Brumell admitted at a press conference yesterday. “You see, once somebody gets assaulted in the presence of other people and no action is taken there is a lack in supervision, a lack in many things,” Crime Chief Seelall Persaud, who was also at the press conference, added. The breakdown started with the casual nature in which the matter was treated.
Although the alleged incident occurred in midNovember last year, the rank who was allegedly involved was only placed under close arrest earlier this week, days after the revelation first appeared in this newspaper. Brumell told the press conference that he was only made aware of the incident when he received a text message from Harding’s mother around the second week in December, informing him that her son was assaulted. Divisional Commander George Vyphuis said that he was only made aware of the incident when the Commissioner contacted him and instructed him to mount an investigation. They both claimed that the report was just a matter of assault and they had no idea that the situation was as grave as is now being reported, hence the delay in following up on the matter more vigorously. “I depend on the Commanders to give me a feedback. Remember, when I got it, I got it as an assault and I told him (Vyphuis) to look at it. I did not know the
Crime Chief Seelall Persaud (second right) makes a point during yesterday’s press conference. Others in photo are (from left) Commander George Vyphius, Asst. Comm. David Ramnarine, Asst. Comm. Balram Persaud, Commissioner Leroy Brumell and PRO Ivelaw Whittaker nature… but then, I did not check with him, neither did he tell me anything,” Commissioner Brumell admitted. But Vyphuis explained that after receiving information about the assault, he immediately contacted the Officer-in-Charge of the Timehri Sub-Division He said that during the course of the investigation, the Sub-Divisional Officer informed him that they were dealing with a complaint against a rank at the Timehri Police Station. According to Vyphuis, based on that information,
Tender board operating without all members The National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) is operating with only six board members, instead of the required seven, and filling the vacancy has been unsuccessful, Cabinet Secretary Dr. Roger Luncheon said at his weekly post-Cabinet press briefing. He was at the time responding to a query about the composition of the NPTAB, which is responsible for awarding multi-milliondollar Government contracts.
The Minister of Finance is responsible for appointing all seven members of the NPTAB - not more than five persons from the public service and not more than three from the private sector after consultation with their respective organizations. According to Dr. Luncheon, since the departure of one of the private sector nominees, the seven-member board was reduced to six. “I am aware that six members do not prevent a
quorum from being established….I cannot say what efforts have been made (to appoint a new member)…I must admit because the situation persists, as far as I know, filling that one vacancy continues to be unsuccessful, but six of the seven-member board is in place,” he said. Meanwhile, on Wednesday, Cabinet gave its no-objection to the award of several contracts that were approved by the NPTAB. They are as follows:
“Immediately the matter was moved from Timehri to the Complaints Section at Brickdam. This matter still remains a complaint.” The Commander said that he only learnt about the sodomy allegation last week when Harding’s mother visited his office and played a recording with her son making the allegation. “I knew nothing before then…it was until after I spoke to the mother, then I had a clear picture of what allegedly transpired at Timehri,” Vyphuis said. “At no time did the mother ever mention to me that a baton with a condom was used on her son…I only learnt about this from a
recording,” he stressed. But his position was hotly disputed by one of his colleagues who told Kaieteur News that all matters of assault should be treated with the utmost urgency. “Any allegation of police brutality must be treated as a very serious allegation. We view assault on police ranks seriously, likewise, any allegation that a police assaulted a civilian in custody is also aggravating and should be investigated forthwith,” another police officer informed this newspaper. Crime Chief Persaud in clarifying the matter admitted that there were some practices that were not upheld by those
who were dealing with the matter in the initial stages of the investigations. “There were some deficiencies in our practices.” He said that if when the initial statement was taken from Harding’s mother, the severity of the allegation was ascertained, it should have been reported immediately to the force’s hierarchy. Instead, Harding spent weeks in the Camp Street prison until his condition worsened. Secondly, Persaud stated that there is a practice within the Joint Service that whenever something like this happens, the prison would usually contact the police; but this did not happen.
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Trio refused bail on felonyrelated charges, illegal firearm On Wednesday, three youths were brought before Magistrate Judy Latchman who later ordered them held on account of the separate charges which were read to them. The common charge amongst them was that of Waiting on an Opportunity to Commit a Felony, whilst one for Possession of Firearm without Licence was read to the 16-year-old in the ‘crew’ and another. The teenager who resides in East LaPenitence, Kenny Jones and Jafari King on Wednesday appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court where they were read a summary charge for Waiting on an Opportunity to Commit a Felony. The charge detailed that on January 11, at Camp Street, Georgetown, a public
place, they were waiting for an opportunity to commit a felony, punishable upon indictment, that is to say Robbery Under Arms. Additionally, the 16-yearold also faced another charge. It was alleged that at the same date and place, he and Jones had in their possession a .32 Taurus semiautomatic pistol whilst they were not the holders of a firearm licence at the time. Despite the Prosecution’s claims, the trio pleaded not guilty when Magistrate Latchman respectively read the charges to them. The Prosecution team led by Sergeant Vishnu Hunt had relayed the facts of the matter. The police were on patrol duties that day when they allegedly unearthed the crimes.
He said that they saw the 16-year-old and King on Camp Street, acting in what was described as a suspicious manner. They were searched and the .32 pistol was found in the 16year-old’s crotch. Hunt related that they were both arrested and questioned. The interrogations allegedly led to the 16-year-old admitting that he was given the gun by Jones who was at that time in a yellow taxi waiting on Camp Street while he and King were searching for persons for them to rob. Jones was subsequently apprehended, but denied the allegations when they were put to him. King however supported the 16-year-old’s story and further added that he saw when Jones handed over the gun to the teenager and told him to ‘drag’ Camp Street which he claimed meant to rob people. S u b s e q u e n t investigations were conducted, hence the respective charges were instituted against them. The Magistrate refused bail to the trio and the matter was adjourned to January 24.
Friday January 17, 2014
‘Cocaine-induced’ carjacker gets 56 months A man who claimed that he has reached the end of his cocaine addiction after he carjacked a $3M Toyota Carina, made a stirring apology before he was sentenced by Magistrate Judy Latchman, saying that he was ashamed, repulsed and embarrassed by his actions. Andrew Taylor on January 5 went on what he described as a cocaineinfluenced rampage and stole one Toyota Carina Car (PRR 7687) from Ryan Greenidge at La Penitence Public Road, Georgetown. Conversely, the charge which was initially read to him at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday was one of Robbery with Violence. It detailed that at the time of, immediately after or before he robbed Greenidge of the $3M car, he used personal violence on the man. After the charge was read to him, Taylor addressed the court saying that “I could accept stealing the car but when it comes to violence, there was no such thing. As far as violence goes, I didn’t.” However, Taylor’s tale didn’t end there. “I would also like to say that though I am guilty, I was under the influence of cocaine. Due to the amount I ingested, I committed the crime,” he continued. Looking at the complainant (Greenidge) who stood before the Magistrate with both his legs bandaged, Taylor expressed a desire to make amends “I would like to tell the person here that I am sorry and I am willing to work to pay him back.” Though, Taylor had not directly entered a plea, the Magistrate stated that based on his explanations she had entered him into a guilty plea for Robbery Simplitius. Sergeant Vishnu Hunt,
who represented the Prosecution in the matter, explained that about 13:00 hours that Sunday (January 5), Greenidge was removing some boxes from the truck of his car when he noticed the engine start up and the car began to move. The owner then observed Taylor seated in the driver’s seat piloting his car and decided to grab onto ride side stanchion between the front and rear doors. He then reportedly attempted to hold onto the car’s steering wheel in an effort to prevent Taylor from taking off with his vehicle. However, Hunt described that this did not deter the carjacker who then dealt Greenidge a cuff to his mouth and continued driving as he dragged the victim. Taylor’s attempt was however cut short when the victim let go of the car and managed to raise an alarm to which public spirited citizens came to his rescue. According to Hunt, amongst the group of persons was a licenced firearm holder who subsequently discharged two rounds in the air as a warning. However, he said that Taylor continued but soon crashed the car, exited and proceeded to run into Fourth Street, Alexander Village, Georgetown. His escape was however, short-lived as the citizens managed to apprehend him and later handed him over to the police at the East La Penitence Police Station, where charges were later instituted against him. Sergeant Hunt, who informed the court that Taylor has had no prior charges or convictions, also added that the car was recovered and later returned to its owner. Taylor at that point claimed that “I didn’t hit nobody. I know the speed I drive off with, but by the time I go off I was frightened. Same
Andrew Taylor time, I was under the influence (of cocaine) so I frighten.” The Magistrate however, offered Greenidge an opportunity to address the court and he said “I’m in a lot of pain. I am in a lot of expense right now and with the injuries I can’t work for months.” A teary Greenidge continued, “My wife is six months pregnant and I have a lot of bills. What can I possibly say?” Meanwhile, Taylor told the court that he had had a job in the market and also had a few odd jobs, though nothing permanent. He stated that he was never found guilty of any offence. “Madam, I understand you will punish me but I am asking for some mercy. I was under the influence but that’s no excuse. I am sorry and everything now is in the hands of God and in your hands,” a humbled Taylor stated. Magistrate Latchman then considered the situation before her and before handing down her decision said that she considered that Taylor did not waste the court’s time. She said however, in light of the serious nature and prevalence of the offence as well as the fact that the crime was ‘well planned’ she would sentence him to prison for the next 56 months.
‘Frustrated’ optometrist accused of slashing wife’s tyres, destroying laptop A ‘frustrated’ 30-year-old optometrist who allegedly slashed the tyres of his wife’s car and threw her laptop in the gutter after she returned home and refused to converse with him, was yesterday brought before Magistrate Ann McLennan to face two charges which stemmed from the altercation. Dr. Bernard DaSilva, Optometrist of DaSilva’s House of Optics, made his first court appearance at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court where charges for unlawful and malicious damage as well as threatening behaviour were read to him
by the presiding Magistrate. He pleaded guilty with explanation to the charge instituted against him which detailed that on January 15, at 316 Middle Street, Georgetown, he unlawfully and maliciously damaged his wife Devika Singh-DaSilva’s $183,000 Dell laptop and the four tyres of her motor car which cost $80,000. He however refuted the allegation that he made use of threatening behaviour towards his wife. Corporal Deniro Jones, who represented the Prosecution in the matter, explained that while the two
are married and share a twoyear-old daughter, they have been separated for the past eight months due to infidelity on Mr Da Silva’s behalf. He explained that even though the man had left the house, he would visit the home, babysit their daughter and sometimes sleep over. However, on the day in question, Mrs. Da Silva went out with a cousin who resides in Seaforth Street, Campbellville. The woman reportedly returned home and parked her car on the parapet and the accused soon came out with a knife and (Continued on page 15)
Friday January 17, 2014
Kaieteur News
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Water/ice processing industry being scrutinised - Food and Drug Department The operations of water and ice processors across the country came under the microscope yesterday when the Government Analyst Food and Drug Department spearheaded an interactive sensitization meeting. The forum, held at the Regency Suites/Hotel, was prompted by a number of complaints within the water processing industry ranging from the use of funnels in the water distribution to some operators opting to use their competitors’ labels. At least this is according to Director of the Food and Drug Department, Marlan Cole, who related that there were other concerns such as “persons refilling empty bottles at outlets that are not necessarily water processing outlets; we had problems with persons not using seal in the distribution process; we had problems as it relates to sterilisation.” According to Cole, the meeting was in fact a necessary undertaking, since according to him “some of the practices that obtain in the industry today have spiralled out of control and are questionable...” In light of the concerns, Cole said that letters were dispatched to all operators within the local water/ice processing industry with a view of having them addressed forthwith. The meeting yesterday was attended by a crosssection of those operators along with other stakeholders, including environmental officers, who are tasked with monitoring the processing of water and ice. And in helping to raise
- training being recommended to improve operation
A section of the stakeholders at the meeting yesterday. the bar in the industry, the Food and Drug Director said that moves will be made shortly to stipulate that refilling outlets must offer a sterilising service to consumers. This, according to Cole, is in fact among the recommended features to enable an improve water and ice processing operation. Cole noted that although anyone with the relevant requirements is able to commence a water distribution operation, such an operation can be greatly improved with training. As a result, those in attendance were enlightened to the fact that the relevant training could be had at EMPRETEC Guyana, which is a non–profit institution said to have “a mission of enhancing private sector development by providing support to established and emerging small and medium
enterprises (SMEs).” EMPRETEC Guyana was represented by a very vocal Ms Marilyn Collins, who formerly operated in the capacity of Director of the Food and Drug Department. And the training available at EMPRETEC, Cole said, is being amplified in light of the fact that “sooner rather than later the bar will be further raised as it relates to the (water/ice processing) facilities. All of this is in the interest of the consumer; not to promote any one entity or not to promote EMPRETEC.” According to him, the collaboration with EMPRETEC is in fact designed to ensure that the operators had a local avenue to secure needful training to help improve their operations. He did note, though, that there are overseas training options as well.
‘Frustrated’ optometrist accused... (From page 14) instructed her to come out of the vehicle. According to the Prosecution, the woman became afraid and didn’t exit the vehicle so her husband punctured the tyres of the vehicle. He then went to the upper flat of the house, picked up her laptop and threw it in the gutter thereby damaging it. The matter was later reported, investigations were conducted, and the charge was instituted against Mr. Da Silva. When the optometrist addressed the court, he offered to repay his wife. “It was actions due to frustrations over time. She broke my windscreen before and burnt my clothes. She keeps pushing my buttons,”
he said. “That night I came downstairs for her to talk to me and she didn’t want to and that was it. When I was slashing the tyres, she was smiling and laughing in the car,” he further explained. He added that it was about a year ago that his wife had done those things to him. “I was wrong on the adultery part, I didn’t have a right.” When the Magistrate asked whether he thought he was guilty of threatening behaviour since he approached the car with knife in hand, he claimed that he did not threaten her. She then addressed his wife, who stated that it was she who burnt his clothes and his mother who broke his windscreen.
The man continued with his pleas to repay his wife stating that he will “keep the peace.” He said that he lost it since he was frustrated. In response, the Magistrate informed them that they need to sort out arrangements for their child and informed them that due to his not guilty plea, they would have to return to court on February 7. Bail was granted in the sum of $5,000 for the threatening behaviour charge. Mr. Da Silva was also told that he is required to pay his wife $263,000 as compensation or serve an alternate eight months imprisonment. They were placed on bond to keep the peace for the next 12 months, failing which there would be a prison sentence.
Also speaking at yesterday’s meeting was Consumer Affairs Officer, Ms Kishana Archer of the Consumer Affairs Bureau, who disclosed that “the importance of standards for water is not only emphasised because we are calling you (operators) all here to have a conversation in this nice
building, but Consumers International, which is a worldwide organisation with over 250 member states, also felt the need to say how water is used is important...” In this regard, the body in 2004 highlighted the theme “Consumer and Water”, which according to Archer, speaks to the fact that consumers have the right to clean, healthy and safe water at all times. “By doing this they challenged member states to implement regulations so that everyone will be able to enjoy the benefits of good, clean water.” The entire venture of streamlining the water/ice processing sector is being done in collaboration with the Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS). And according to Ms Candelle Bostwick-Walcott, who functions as Head, Conformity Assessment Unit at GNBS, that entity is
prepared to extend its product certification scheme beyond gold jewellery and PVC pipes. She disclosed that GNBS had in fact approached the Food and Drug Department since around 2009 to explore the initiative of ensuring that water processors are certified to the national standard. “Since then we have been working collaboratively to streamline our policies and strategies as to how it will be implemented,” said BostwickWalcott, who noted that yesterday’s meeting represented the first resulting forum to sensitise stakeholders. Although the water operators are expected to be licenced on an annual basis by the Food and Drug Department by March 31, the fact that training has been recommended for their improved operation has seen the time being extended to June 30 instead.
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Friday January 17, 2014
Flooding has gone to an utterly ridiculous state - APNU Government’s care for the true development of this country is aptly reflected in the poor drainage and irrigation system which continues to manifest itself even to this day. The state of the drainage system continues to require the expenditure of millions of dollars for rehabilitation and upgrades each year, yet we continue to experience devastating floods. This is the conclusion of members of the political opposition coalition, A Partnership for National Unity (APNU). At its weekly press conference, the faction had made a call on the government to launch a national flood control plan. Expressing his concern at length on the issue was Dr. Rupert Roopnaraine, Shadow Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment. Roopnaraine expressed his disgust with the
government’s attitude towards the matter as he said that it is ridiculous that every year the country finds itself in this situation despite the millions of dollars allocated to improving and boosting the area. “We first of all need reliable information from the Meteorological Office. It’s no longer a trustworthy guide on the weather pattern. Moreover, as it relates to the issue of flooding, it comes as no surprise that with just a few hours of rainfall sections of the city are under water, forcing some schools to be closed. We have serious deficiencies in the area of drainage and irrigation. It is sickening that the government only moves to implement preventative measures when we are caught in a problem and it is never done properly. We need a holistic plan and not a quick fix.” “We need to deal with the issues that are resulting in these frequent floods, one of
Dr. Rupert Roopnaraine which is the garbage situation.” It was here that the Shadow Minister piloted the call for the government to move forward with a recycling programme than can help alleviate the issue. In addition to this, Kaieteur News had an exclusive interview with Mr.Michael Mosgrove, Chief Executive Officer of Panther Recycling Corporation.
The Canadian Company had proposed to the government last year a $26M recycling centre which came with curbside pick-up which is reportedly cheaper than the current costs for garbage collection. Mosgrove had also reminded that it was his own money being fuelled into the project and that it would cost the government and the
Michael Mosgrove people of Guyana absolutely nothing for its establishment. Unfortunately, the Canadian company was sidelined by a company that was registered under the name Natural Globe Inc which the government had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), to set up a US$30 Million recycling plant. That arrangement did not materialize. Mosgrove had expressed his disappointment with the decision as he instantly recognized that the individual who had negotiated with the government had no experience in the recycling field. After facing intense heat by members of the opposition and the Press, the MoU was dissolved and the Local government Ministry is currently looking at six other companies.
In addition to this, Mosgrove told this publication that his interest lies in Guyana because he knows that the country is in dire need of a recycling plant project. “I have seen the need for a recycling plant in this country. When I first came to this country and I saw the state of the country, I realized that my company could be very useful to Guyana and that we can make a meaningful contribution. When I came back to Guyana, I presented a plan to President Donald Ramotar and he thought it was good and he sent it to local government ministry. I spent a year and a half getting it done and a MoU was finally inked. “But another company was chosen - a ghost company. I was then called back on December 27, 2013 to present it again and I have been here ever since and I have been talking to anyone who has an interest in it and talking to members of the Guyanese community as well.” He added, “Considering the current situation in Guyana, the country drastically needs this plan. The government wants it and they have told me that they support it and I believe the general public wants it too, for it creates a lot of opportunities for the people.” “The package we have is from a blueprint my team and I created for Jamaica and we have made significant progress with Jamaica. We have done the infrastructural work and we have worked with Prime Minister, right down to the councilor, and we know the area; we just need to get the plant there.” The biggest challenge, the Canadian philanthropist asserts is the current “back and forth between the government and the opposition. It would be good if they can just move forward and look at the project because the country really needs it. This programme was tailored for Guyana.” While Head of the Presidential Secretariat, Dr. Roger Luncheon had said that they are concerned about the confidence of future investors in Guyana, Mosgrove was adamant that the delay he faces at this point in time does not deter him or have any bearing on his confidence to help the people of Guyana. “The delay does not break my confidence at all. I know the country needs it and if the government continues to delay it will continue to find that there are detrimental effects for the country. The money invested into this project is our private money it does not cost the government anything. It’s an easy steal.”
Friday January 17, 2014
Kaieteur News
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Opposition reiterates demands for AML/CFT Bill By Kiana Wilburg A Partnership for National Unity (APNU)’s Shadow Minister of Finance, Carl Greenidge, has reiterated that if their demands on the AntiMoney Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) bill are not met, then support for the bill will be withheld. This comes in light of the fact that Cabinet Secretary, Dr. Roger Luncheon expressed that the Opposition is yet to disclose their grievances with the bill and as such, proposed solutions. However, Greenidge asserts that the demands of APNU were made clear even during their debates last year on the Bill when it was before the National Assembly. Since the AML/CFT Bill is now back with the select committee, Greenidge has reiterated the demands of the coalition as it relates to the Bill.
Greenidge asserted that the legislation on its own needs to be improved, especially “Articles 8, 15 and 22.” “APNU will not assent to the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP-C) Administration as it relates to appointing and firing all the key Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) personnel. The qualification of the staff of the FIU needs to be made relevant to their job description.” The financial point man for the coalition also said that there needs to be provision for the security of information collected by the FIU which it analyses or has analyzed on its behalf. “The bill should stipulate penalties for unauthorized disclosure of information or for its use for unauthorized purposes, including financial benefit. The Bill or related legislation should identify the
Fraud Squad as the relevant agency within the Guyana Police Force with responsibility for execution of the relevant parts of the Bill and the guidelines for the operational interface of key agencies should be spelt out, as should arrangements for the identification and training of the relevant officers.” Greenidge said that failure of the government to prosecute anyone for money laundering and related activities has nothing to do with the adequacy of the legislation which the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF) report described as robust. “It has to do with the will of the PPP-C and their will is reflected in the instructions given to the key administrators, all of whom they alone appoint, to release persons and equipment seized in the course of
carrying out activities/ investigations closely associated with or actually involving money laundering.” The Member of Parliament added, “Those powers to oversee the administrative or executing agencies (The Guyana Police Force; Customs, The Bank of Guyana, FIU, The Guyana Revenue Authority etc.) and to appoint all their key personnel, should be overseen by civil society and not the PPP-C alone.” “APNU feels strongly that if this is not done nothing will change, and money launderers will continue to operate throughout Guyana without fear of ever being prosecuted.” “The tendency of the Executive arm of Government, Cabinet members in particular, to behave lawlessly without fear of reprimand and legal
Carl Greenidge consequences, and the dangers it poses to our fundamental rights are attributable to the refusal of the PPP-C and the Executive to put in place the fundamental rights enshrined in the constitution – Independence of the Judiciary; Ombudsman;
Appellate Tribunals, Public Procurement Commission; Constitutional offices etc. These problems will be compounded by strengthening the powers of the Government under the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism Act.” He noted too that in the face of the failure of President Donald Ramotar to assent to Bills “properly passed by the National Assembly” to limit or remedy the above, APNU will not pass any legislation laid by the Executive. “A strong, enforceable Bill should be accompanied by measures to meet our demands for better governance, particularly as it regards fulfillment of outstanding constitutional requirements, including the establishment of the Public Procurement Commission. The two must go hand in hand.”
‘Weed Man’ found not guilty GWI urges customers to practice safe water use
(From page 11) were charged along with Ayube Hamid, called ‘Little’. However, Hamid subsequently died in prison leaving the others to stand trial for murder. Both the Prosecution and Defence presented their final arguments before the Judge and Jury at the High Court on Wednesday. Both Defence Attorneys had made no case submissions in the matter. The Lawyers pointed the court to discrepancies in the evidence presented by prosecution’s witnesses, and questioned the consistency
of the testimony given by the police. The Attorneys also questioned the circumstances under which the statements of the accused were procured, as the two male defendants had alleged police brutality. However, Prosecutor Mursalin-Gildharie had disputed that the accused had never alleged police brutality before. This piece of evidence, she said, is not consistent with the evidence presented in the Magistrates’ Court. “This is the first time, more than four years after the evidence was presented in
the Magistrate’s Court that detailed allegations of police brutality are being made,” Mursalin-Gildharie argued. The Prosecutor explained that the plot to kill Singh was conjured up after he expressed his desire to divorce the mother of the three accused, leaving them with nothing. In her opening statement to the court, the Prosecutor revealed that the post mortem report stated that Singh died of shock and haemorrhage due to multiple stab wounds. He had been stabbed 20 times about his body.
Luncheon “unsure”whether... From page 6 those pumps were expected to be in Guyana in December of last year. However, before he could even pronounce further on the location of the pumps in the country, he firmly asserted that he could not say whether the pumps have indeed been received as yet. In addition to this, Luncheon in an added comment said, “Even if we did all the work, it would not have averted what happened to citizens in Georgetown, hence my stress on innovative thinking. Even if
Dr. Roger Luncheon we were to clean all the canals running east to west, we would have to remove those squatters from those areas and that entails removing 40 years of debris… And we would not see so much
flooding. It would be reduced. But such a project requires lots of money.” Nevertheless, Luncheon later stressed that, “We just have to put someone that can think of flood control.”
...encourages rainwater harvesting In light of prevailing flood situation, Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) is advising customers residing in Georgetown and lowlying areas along the coastal region to implement full precautionary measures as it relates to safeguarding their water supply. “Should your water supply be compromised due to flooding, ensure that all tap water intended for food and drink preparation and personal consumption (brushing of teeth etc.), is boiled for 15 minutes, Public Relations Officer of the entity, Timothy Austin urged. Persons are asked to ensure that the boiled water, whilst cooling before use, is stored in a
tightly covered container. “Alternatively, water can be made safe by using household bleach. Add three to four drops of household bleach to each gallon of water. Mix well, and allow to stand for 30 minutes before use. Again, ensure that treated water is stored in a tightly covered container.” In addition, GWI is also advising customers to practice rainwater harvesting so as to avoid contamination. It is however important to allow water to runoff from the roof for approximately thirty minutes before collection.” Further, customers are advised to promptly repair all leaking pipelines within their premises.
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Kaieteur News
FOR SALE
FOR SALE
LARGE QUANTITIES O F H IGH PURITY MERCURY (QUICKSILVER) 99.99995% PURITY $19,000 PER POUND CALL: 592-227-4754.
3 Female (8 weeks old) German Shepherd pups - Tel: 638-5778
L- Touring Wagon in excellent condition – 15’ Rims, DVD, Tv, Remote Start Alarm & HID lights $1,300,000 Negotiable – Tel: 667-9013
Diving Suites - Tel: 265-3449; 613-5158
Live-in waitress, bartender and going and coming cooks Tel: 643-9007; 664-1804
1 - 40Ft Boat Cabin Cruiser Tel: 628-9209
Land to buy in Parfaite Harmonie -Tel: 675-7292.
Dell computers complete with 20" LCD $69,000, 6 months warranty @ Futuretech- Call:231-2206
Mechanic for interior Contact: 223-5273/4
New Red RX8, Lambo doors & Rotary 7sp engine Contact: 680-2095 Large plucked chickens, wholesale only $300 per lb Contact: 266-2711, 609-4594 ATTENTION LOGGERS! ¾ METAL STRAPS, NAIL PLATES, ANCHORSEAL WAX – TEL:265-3541; 695-4785 Spare for washing machine, microwaves,fridges, stoves, timers, gearbox, pumps, etc call: 225-9032, 647-2943 One fishing boat 350lb Catguts seine (5 Inch) 40 Yamaha Engine – Tel:2207655; 220-0410; 667-8921 Ridgid Pressure Washer, Honda Engine, Honda Pressure Washer - Tel: 6277835 1 Bedford 4x4 truck with Hiab, 1 4x4 bush ready pick up - Contact Kim - Tel: 6585193 House lot at friendship and Diamond H/Scheme, EBD Tel: 223-0733; 692-8513 Live/pluck chicken call: 6504421, 220-9203 Concrete Bourda Green Stall Tel: 692-7888; 610-0227
Bicycle Frames, wheels, accessories, parts, etc - Tel: 642-1141
New arrival: 1 Toyota Tacoma, aluminum boats (12ft & 14ft)- Call:2201981,685-8282,690-1945 Two plot of land ¼ Acre or 3X25 Rod each @ Lot 15 & 16 Doctor Dam, LaGrange WBD - Tel:697-5009; 665-7022
Gardener / Handyman Available - Tel: 679-1608 ONE SHOP KEEPER FOR THE INTERIOR (MALE) CONTACT: 223-5273/4 One live in maid – Tel:6568930; 682-0951
Cashiers, waitresses, cooks & dispatchers – Tel:2332322; Cell:678-4470;629-4878 (Preferably applicants from EBD) Experienced Drivers. Apply in person with written application @ Hacks Halaal, 5 Commerce Street. Cashiers/ salesperson/ Delivery Clerks to work in supermarket/general store on East Coast Demerara Call: 220-2128,642-1141 ONE COOK FOR XENON HOTEL [CHARITY] CONTACT: 771-4989/ 6706559 One maid - Tel: 614-6675 Cashiers ( with 5 subject CXC) for Jog Jog’s Frozen Yogurt @ 79 Albert & Laluni Sts Queenstown “Nimbus Building” Call:231-7002
VACANCY
EDUCATIONAL
Writer needed. Web and article copywriting. US$1,000/month. www.capitaltyping.com/ gypro for details.
Balloon Décor Training. Classes on 28th January 2014. Call 225-3133; 613-7513 to register and more info.
24 Hour East Coast Guyoil needs night pump attendants, salesgirl & office assistant - Call: 6708893/684-2838
Courses in dressmaking, curtains, floral & cake decoration - Tel:670-2653; 618-1706
Two Printery Assistants. Requirements: Mathematics & English Grades 1-3, Two references, police clearance. P.O Box 10501 1 Live in maid must be from the country & Know to cook, age 35-50 - Tel:6110200; 662-1124
Responsible hire car drivers Tel: 231-7475
3000 Ford Tractor – Price $700,000 – Tel:628-7943
Attractive live in waitressCall: 327-0252/674-4665
General Janitor, age 35-40, preferably from Triumph – Mon- Repos – Tel:623-1387
1 smoothie machine,2 ice machine- Contact: 231-0655 ,683-8734
Experienced general domestic, must know to prepare Indian dishes - Tel: 656-6388
Urgently need live in waitresses to work in bar, reasonable salary offer - Tel: 259-0574
Female worker needed, 3 CXC subject or sound secondary school education - Call: 612-1607
Live In Housekeeper, Trinidad, 25-30 years. Wanted Immediately! Call: 1868-756-9730
One male shop attendant age 17-22 years – Tel:6791151 (7am-5pm)
Contract Cars & Drivers to work @Gems Taxi – Tel:6279424
Mason skilled in laying blocks and plastering, carpenter skilled in home interior finishing - Tel:2271830
Experienced pastry maker. Apply @ Shanta’s, 225 Camp & New Market Sts.
Driver and Salesman for Gas Trucks on E.C.D, W.C.D and E.B.D, Security Guards, Part Time Gardener. 266 4427
One skilled mechanic with atleast 4 years experienced – Contact: 649-1290; 6718122. Attractive Salary!
Security & I.T Technician. 5 CXC & Cabling Experience Tel: 627-8786
1 Stall @ Stabroek Market Tel: 658-0115; 718-757-8031 1 IPod Touch 64Gb - Tel: 6913812 4 Flat Screen monitors 4 computers - need memory, bathroom set, bathroom/ kitchen sink, used windows/ wood. Tel:223-0726; 622-4170 iPhones - $30,000 - Tel: 6262771 1- 500 Ton Cargo ship - Tel: 676-6933
One experienced excavator operator to work in interiorContact:681-6044 One experienced female shop attendant to work in interior - Contact: 681-6044
2- M132 Lavarda Combine, 1- 22RB Dragline, 3- Pressure pump 4x3 for gold field, 12640MF tractor 4WD- Call: 627-0447
PEN PAL
1 CAT standby 3306, 194 KVA 3 phase 60 cycleCall:641-8472
Overseas based Indian seeks female 25 years & up. No Text Call: 661-3299
Gold and Diamond mining lands already prospected Tel:699-3992
FOR SALE / FOR RENT American pool table - Tel: 277-0578
One experienced male shop attendant to work in interior, contact:6816044
One Nissan 2005 Bus unregistered & one Toyota Prado – Tel:642-1141 Pluck chicken - Call:676-0931
One RX-8 Mazda fully air conditioned, stick gear, wheel lights, fog lamps, power windows - Tel: 6532477
Porters & Salesgirls. Apply with written application at Best Buy Food Supplies, Lot 1 Middleton & Dennis St, Campbellville.
WANTED 1 Excavator Operator Contact: 220-8110; 622-4364
1- 320 C.L Caterpillar Excavator. Excellent Condition with 2 complete 6" & 8" Dredge - Tel: 648-5371
1- Rome plough 20 dish, 11630 Bedford truck articulated with 2 trailerCall: 693-4596
1 5Pc Chair Set, good condition - $60,000 & 1 overedge sewing machine, 4 threader - Tel: 619-8788
WANTED SPRAYMEN, JOINERS & WOMEN to work in furniture factory preferably from East Bank Demerara – Tel:6642604; 233-6743
Friday January 17, 2014
Hairdresser must be able to work with nails & handyman. Apply @ West Shore Plaza, 15 Public Road Ruimzeigt W.C.D - Tel: 269-1524
1 Plaine operator, 1 portable miller operator, labourers Tel: 619-9143 Couple (Husband & wife) to work on a Farm -Tel:601-5500
Two joiners to work in workshop - Tel:610-7005; 219-1342 One Trainee Refrigeration & AC technician - Tel:231-0655; 683-8734 One Handyman. Requirements: Secondary Education, two references, police clearance - PO Box 10501
Existing Vacancies For: Western Union CSR, Office Assistants & Cleaners. Apply @ Survival Shopping Complex 173 Sheriff St Georgetown - Telephone # 227-5286-9 One Female Clerk – Tel:2315171
Experienced Taxi and bus driver and dispatcher at Princess Hotel - Tel:2657076; 616-8419
Waiter & waitresses for 704 Sport Bar – Tel:223-5273/4 Designing and sewing classes in your district. Sharmela (Canadian- trained) - Contact: 626-2629, 676-6312
Labourers - Call:225-6070; 225-4492
One cook for family in interior - Contact: 681-6044
One live-in maid between age 30-45 - Contact:681-6044
DRESSMAKING
Land & House lots to buy in Parika - Tel:218-5591; 6757292
Sales person to work in store. Police Clearance and 2 references – Tel:226-5473
SALON Make Up Courses, Artist Trained & Certified in Trinidad. Call: 660-5257, 647-1773 Earn a Certificate in Cosmetology, wig designs or nails alone, beginning February 3rd Limited Spaces Tel: 666-5241/ 619-7603 Beautopia School of Cosmetology: Cosmetology, nails, facial/make-up courses Tel: 604-3002; 629-3497
1 Receptionist/ Typist: Mathematics & English Grades 1-2, Microsoft word & Excel, excellent Telephone Personality, 2 references – P.O Box 10501 Ice Loaders & General Workers @ B.M. Enterprise Inc. GFL Wharf Houston Tel:592-227-8176/7 Vacancy exists for security. Apply at Alabama Trading Georgetown, Ferry Stelling VEHICLE FOR SALE 1 Toyota NZE corolla, AT192, AT212, AT170, IST, Funcargo, Rav-4, Hilux pickup 4x4 – Tel:644-5096; 697-1453
Princeton College: From 15, CXC adults classes, lesson for school children: Business & Science subjects - Tel: 231-5678, 6905008, Albertown Private School, Grove/ Diamond: Nursery, Primary, Secondary full time and lessons @ Acres Academy Tel:216-4557;216-2723;2161409. Day and evening CXC Business classes for students & adults. S.B.A and Third Paper Tuitions Tel: 602-0700 9 Courses Diploma in Computer Classes / Information Technology. Micro-Graphics Technology @ Vreed-EnHoop - Tel: 264-3057 Foundations of Nursing Practice courses in Home Nursing and child care Tel:692-2063; 613-0803; 231-5757
LAND FOR SALE 10 Acres Farm land next to Creek @ Splashmins, Linden Highway – Tel:687-1392 2- Acres cultivated, 2-1 Acres cultivated, 7 Acres cultivated, citrus, house, fish pond, storage at ParikaCall:226-7968 Durban Squatting Land $600,000 & C. Sophia - $2.7M Tel: 231-2199; 618-7483 Parafaite Harmonie $800,000 - $1.2M, $2M (100FTX50FT) -Tel: 675-7292 Land at suitable location in Parika, near road, with water and light utilities available - Call: 697-9137 Parika - $4M & Herstelling (110FTX57FT) -$4M - Tel: 675-7292 Land @ Diamond New Scheme – Tel: 604-8369 (Continued on page 31)
Friday January 17, 2014
Kaieteur News
Page 31
(From page 30)
FOR RENT PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION,WEDDINGS, ANNIVERSARY, ETC. – CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 216-1043; 677-6620 1- Two bedrooms apartment at Better Hope, ECD - Call: 617-3001 between 8:00am4:00pm 1 – Three bedrooms house in Grove, E.B.D – Tel:2230733; 692-8513 Two bedroom concrete apartments, self contained toilet & baths; security steel bars & grills @ Unity ECD-Tel:680-4447; 228-2497 Vacant one house upstairs and downstairs with toilet and bath, big space for parking @ Prospect EBD Tel: 673-1872
TO LET Fully furnished short term apartments, Eccles call: 347933-9790, 639-4452. Aracari Hotel. West Bank Demerara Rates from $30 Tel: 264-2946-8 Fully furnished apartments $5,000 per night @ Harmony Inn - Tel: 694-7817; 602-8769 Executive Property Everything Paid For. US$1200-US$1000 – Tel:2185591; 675-7292 Fully furnished top flat apartment with all amenities, long term only Tel:651-5382 Apartments & Houses from $50,000 – $160,000- Tel:6757292 Fully furnished apartments for rent: TV, air-conditioned, hot and cold water @ South Ruimveldt Park- Tel:689-5877 Rooms - Tel: 225-9223; 2253234
One two bedroom house to rent in La Parfaite Harmonie WCD - $28,000 per month Tel: 668-8799
MASSAGE The Gent’s Spa: Let beautiful sophisticated masseuse pamper you: New masseuse available- Call:657-5979 American Style massage services- Call:678-7499 Massage Therapy Service Tel: 674-8147
PROPERTY FOR SALE
VEHICLE FOR SALE
VERSAILLES: Furnished 5 bedrooms, self-contained rooms, modern facilities, generator, beautiful landscape, gated community - Call: 592-6248704/ 592-684-9203
One 800 Ford Tractor and one 450 Ford Towing Truck – Contact Floyd:694-5599 or Gurro: 689-1864
Transported property : House + property for sale by owner @ Lot 153 Sparendaam Scheme - Call: 592-220-8573; 592-672-2348 3 Storey 17 rooms hotel @ Broad St - Tel: 654-4939; 6984700 House and land @ De’ Edward W.C.B – Tel:6892973 2 Business Property on Whim Public Road Berbice – Tel:619-7134; 225-6481 One three storey business property @ Middle Street Georgetown – Tel:619-7134; 225-6481 Supply: 1 House, 1 gas station (3 tanks: 1000 & 1500 gallon capacity) wharfing facility. Land size: 87’X250’ - $70M negotiable - Tel:231-5876 Friendship: 1 house, 2 sheds with saw milling equipment, 2 overhead gantries & river access. Land Size:37’X55’ - US$800,000 negotiable - Tel: 231-5876 Nandy Park: Three Storey house with automatic backup generator, semifurnished. $85M negotiable Tel: 231-5876 Business Property on two plots of land @ La Grange Public Road West Bank Demerara - $25M - Contact: 265-4007
2008 Honda CRV imported from England 17" Rim Antitheft stereo system 2000 CC fully loaded $6.8M – Tel:642-7295; 220-2345 1 Black Titan 4 wheel drive, fully loaded - $3.5M – Tel: 699-2322 or 678-2814 One Tacoma Pick up 4 wheel drive, fully loaded. Asking price: - $3,750,000 – Contact Sady:628-9524 Cactus Auto Sales: Instock - Spacio, Fielder, Raum, Premio, Allion, Etc – Tel:6814208; 220-6262 Mazda RX-8 Blue, 6 speed manual, Type S, Mint condition, PNN Series – Tel:681-4208; 220-6262 1 2L Diesel Toyota Hilux Extra Cabs 4X4. Looks and runs good, never driven off road - $2M - Tel:686-4020 1-55 Leyland Daf Excellent working condition. Price $2.8M Negotiable - Tel:6568346 1 Noah BRR Series – $2.2M negotiable & 1 Allion PPP Series -$2.2M negotiable Tel: 692-2291; 602-6333
Soman & Sons Driving School , First Federation Building Call 225-4858, 6445166,622-2872,615-0964 Ultraviolet Driving School – Contact:231-2372; 226-0765; 602-2583
CAR RENTAL Wings Car Rental- Call: 643-1131 Dolly’s Car Rental- Call: 2257126/226-3693- dollysauto rental@yahoo.com/ www. dolly sautorental.com Premio, Vitz call:347-9339790, 639-4452.
One RZ Mini-bus BHH series –Tel:615-5784 Toyota Ceres PGG Series, immaculate condition, lady driven - Tel:664-7525; 225-7131 ALYEA AUTO SALE: PREMIO 2004, ALLION 2008 NEW SHAPE & CARINA 212 @ 40 CROAL STREET STABROEK – TEL:231-7284; 622-3823 Smart Choice Auto: Unregistered Premio, IST, Runx & Spacio - Tel:6523820; 665-4529 Must See!!! – Unregistered 2002 Premio $2.5M & 2001 AT 212 $2M – Tel:226-5473 Nissan Laurel Car – Price: $350, 000 - Tel: 223-9677 AA60 Carina PNN 2852 $550,000 negotiable. Excellent Condition - Tel: 666-9719
SERVICES PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION,WEDDINGS, ANNIVERSARY, ETC. – CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 216-1043; 677-6620 Repairs, sales & spares air conditioning, microwaves, washer, fridges & stoves. Ultra Cool, call: 225-9032,647-2943 Repairs to Fridge, Freezer, AC, Washers, Stoves: Call 683-1312,627-3206 (Nick) We repair fridge, freezer, AC, washer, dryer call:2310655,683-8734 Omar Instant Blackberry unlocking - Call: 675-2239; BBM 25C58FEO Need and experienced excavator operator? - Call: 673-5467 HOUSE PLAN DRAFTING FOR ONLY $10,000CALL:694-9843/227-2766 Appliances Technician: Specialized in repairing and servicing of refrigerators, dryers, washers, stove ovens, etc - Tel: 661-5099
2005 Nissan Skyline with TV, DVD alloy rims, navigation – Tel:679-9672
2008 Fielder, latest Model $2.7M – Tel: 617-2891
One new model L.F/DAF dumping truck in very good working condition - Tel: 6815988; 675-5448
Saturn Jeep American made Tel: 223-9677 2 - 2007 Toyota Avensis - Tel: 698-0674
For all your prefab building works & welding fabricating etc. 5 Brickery EBD -Tel:6582567; 660-3466
Toyota Noah newly registered - $2.4M, AE100 Corolla Wagon - $1M - Tel: 611-6632; 664-3488
Brains Construction & Rental Services: Excavator, Bobcat, Truck, Tools - Tel:6015024/ 227-4536 (Bobcat & Excavator Operator needed)
2002 Rav 4 PNN series, fully loaded - Tel: 694-6537; 6507875 New 2014 Isuzu: D-Max single & double cabs - Call: 691-0234
LEARN TO DRIVE
VEHICLE FOR SALE New ATVs: Introductory price $1,199,000 (Duty Free)Call:691-0234
1 -1RZ, 15 seater, automatic mini-bus, BNN 3760 - $2.1M Negotiable. Good condition, never used for public transportation - Tel:628-0310 ; 672-5429 First Class Auto: Premio, Spacio, Passo, IST, 212, Raum Cold & New Modles Tel: 609-8188; 602-6307 Nissan Pathfinder (Left Hand Drive) - $1.7M & Nissan Laurel - $700,000 Telephone: 644-1144
1 Grey Toyota Premio in excellent condition, fully powered, 80,000 miles – Tel:643-9772; 223-6279 One Honda CRV fully equipped with running bars & other accessories, PNN Series. Excellent Condition! Price Negotiable – Tel:6606763 AT192, 212, Allion, Premio, Hilux Surf, BNN & RZ & Pitbull buses, 7 seater super custom. Cash / termsCall:680-3154
SERVICES
Aidan’s Car Rental & Pickup - Call: 645-7981/ 698-7807
1 - G Touring wagon with Ac, mags, music & alarm - Tel: 618-8040
We buy & sell vehicles for cash, also parts available & 30 seater buses; Extra Cab pickups; 2006 TacomaCall:680-3154
Grill work, concrete block molds, general arc welding Tel: 627-6874
Latest model vehicles @ unbeatable Prices – Tel:6855011; 692-1051
Unregistered Toyota Sienta (2004) 1500cc & 7 seater - Tel: 617-5536
1 RZ Bus EFI series BMM Price:$1.5M negotiable Contact: 685-6415
Permanent & Visitors Visa Applications, Professional Immigration Consultant Room D5 Maraj Building Call:225-6496,6626045,223-8115
Joshua’s Car Rental Call:6656485; 679-8400 SERVICES
1 New Model 212; Excellent Condition, Price negotiable. Tel: 609-4680
1-65 Leyland DAF CF210, working condition – Tel:6729415;666-5905
Masons seeking daily or job work - Tel: 678-9043
1.5 & 2 Ton Canter with power gate – Tel:617-2891
Hilux Surf, PKK Series. Tel: 617-3001
Technicians available for appliance repairs – washers, dryers, microwaves, stoves, deep fryers, etc – Tel:6190793; 218-0050 GT Tools Rental: Call this month, specials on ransom & steel rod cutter, etc - Tel: 675-0767; 627-5098 For professional Visa & Passport Applications: K&P Project Management Co. Tel: 231-5876 School bus from GroveGeorgetown – Tel: 646-5147 Online Shopping: Amazon, E-bay, etc. Cybertron @ Vreed-En-Hoop - Tel:2643057 Repairs: TV, DVD, Microwave, amplifier, stereo, washing machine etc – Tel: 693-2683 Make your music available in 95+ online stores, Email: infopack@sslbs.com to download details.
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Friday Januray 17, 2014
‘Seeds of genocide’ in Central African Republic, U.N. warns
People load their belongings onto a truck as they prepare to leave during a repatriation by road to Chad at the capital Bangui January 16, 2014. REUTERS/Siegfried Modola B A N G U I / G E N E VA (Reuters) - A senior U.N. official warned yesterday of the risk of genocide in Central African Republic without a more robust international response to c o m m u n a l bloodshed in which at least eight more people were killed overnight. The former French colony descended into chaos after a mostly Muslim rebel coalition, Seleka, seized power in March, unleashing a wave of killings and looting that sparked revenge attacks by Christian militia known as
“anti-balaka” (anti-machete). More t h a n a m i l l i o n people have been displaced by the violence since Seleka installed their leader Michel Djotodia as interim president. Over 1,000 people were killed last month alone in the capital Bangui, prompting neighboring countries to evacuate more than 30,000 of their citizens. There has been relative calm since Djotodia resigned last week under intense international pressure, but sporadic violence has
persisted in Bangui. Yesterday, a spokesman for a 15,000-strong group of anti-balaka criticized the interim government and threatened a return to violence if it was not overhauled. “If there is no solution to this, we always have our machetes which we have not yet handed in,” the spokesman, Sebastien Wenezoui, told Reuters at a base in Boeing, northern Bangui, flanked by around 20 militiamen armed with knives, machetes and Kalashnikovs.
White House releases summary of six-month Iran nuclear plan (Reuters) - The White House yesterday released a summary of the deal reached between six major world powers and Iran to curb its nuclear program, responding to calls from the U.S. Congress and other groups for more transparency about what the agreement entails. Iran has denied it wants to use the program to eventually build nuclear weapons but agreed to scale it back after the international community applied strict financial and oil sanctions. The six-month preliminary deal includes some relief from the sanctions as talks continue toward a broader, long-term deal. The White House gave Congress access to the full text of technical instructions for the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) but released a detailed four-page summary of the deal to the public. “It is the preference of the
IAEA that certain technical aspects of the technical understandings remain confidential,” White House spokesman Jay Carney told reporters. Under the deal, Iran agreed to stop production of 20 percent enriched uranium on or by Monday, January 20, and to begin diluting half of its stockpile of 20 percent enriched uranium. Over the next six months, the IAEA will verify a series of other curbs on enrichment and use of centrifuges. Iran is not allowed to commission or fuel the Arak reactor, and must stop producing and testing fuel for the reactor, the summary said. At the end of the sixmonth period, Iran will agree to “a cap on the permitted size of Iran’s up to 5 percent enriched uranium stockpile,” the summary said. IAEA inspectors will visit the Natanz and Fordow uranium enrichment sites
daily, including both scheduled and unannounced inspections. Inspectors will visit the Arak reactor at least monthly, up from the current pace of one every three months, or longer. Iran agreed to provide design information for the Arak reactor and other access to related facilities, the summary said. The added inspections will “enable the international community to more quickly detect breakout or the diversion of materials to a secret program,” the summary said. The European Union, Iran, and the six major powers (P5+1) that are part of the agreement will name a joint commission of experts to work with the IAEA to implement the deal and discuss any issues that arise. The group will meet once a month. The summary also included details on the timing of sanctions relief.
Friday Januray 17, 2014
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$1B for agro parks
Haiti’s PM promises Minister vows to ensure crucial elections this year success of projects
Jamaica Observer - More than $1 billion in grant funding has been earmarked for investment in the island’s agro parks it was revealed in an exclusive interview with the Jamaica Observer Wednesday. At the same time, Minister of Agriculture Roger Clarke, who has come under pressure from farmers following losses at a St Thomas agro park, has vowed that all will be done to ensure the success of the projects, given their importance to Jamaica’s growth strategy. “... The agro parks constitute a critical plank of the growth strategy and it is a commitment from the Ministry of Agriculture to play that role, and we have actually signed off on this in the IMF (International Monetary Fund) conditionality,” Clarke told the Jamaica Observer. The minister and a team, which included representatives from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB); Agro Invest Corporation (AIC), the managing agency of the island’s agro parks; and other ministry officials were responding to a recent Observer article which highlighted the concerns of farmers at the Plantain Garden River (PGR) Agro Park in St Thomas. The farmers, who are left owing the St Thomas Cooperative Credit Union loans of $300,000 each despite having lost their onion crop, blamed the failure of their crops on AIC not ensuring the irrigation system was installed in a timely manner, while the state-agency argued that they were playing catch-up with the farmers who went ahead in preparing the land before the irrigation system was in place. “Every (IMF) review that is being done looks specifically at what we are achieving in these agro parks, and that is why, for me, it is so sensitive,” Clarke told the Observer during the meeting at his Old Hope Road offices in St Andrew, yesterday. He, however, noted that some lessons were learned from the failure of the onion crop at PGR, and these mistakes will never be repeated, and that the original agro-park concept will now be adhered to at this facility. “We are in this, and we will have to work to straighten this one out, but there is nothing at all that is going to derail this programme
because we are committed to it and this agro park programme is going to continue to be the flagship until we achieve what we want to achieve in the agricultural sector,” the minister insisted. He added: “This is one area that we see great potential, and it has to succeed, and it must succeed; failure is not an option as far as the agro parks go.” Permanent secretary in the agriculture ministry Donovan Stanberry said the European Union will be investing more than $400 million and the IDB $540 million to put critical infrastructure in place at some of the agro parks. “By the end of the financial year we would have had significant infrastructure in place,” he said. Stanberry, at the same time, explained that the agro park model is a tripartite one. The Government’s responsibility, he said, is to identify lands in its portfolio and put in place requisite infrastructure to ensure consistent production and to assist with marketing, while the farmers are responsible for investing in the production. Meanwhile, chief executive officer of AIC, Everton Spencer said the affected PGR farmers have since been included in the St Thomas Task Force, which will meet today to discuss a crop production schedule going forward. “What we have prepared for them is an implementation plan, and out of that plan we will indicate the crops that are to be grown, timeline and all the inputs required, including theirs. And once they sign off on that we can move forward,” Spencer said. Spencer said a request made by the farmers to be granted $28,000 each in labour cost as part of the recovery plan was also being examined. The PGR farmers, he said, are expected to benefit from an accumulative $5 million worth of ginger, now in the ground, and this will also help in assisting them to get back on their feet. Despite the loss suffered by the farmers, Spencer said they will still benefit in the long term from some $78 million worth of infrastructural work done at the facility. This, he said, included construction of farm access road, drainage works, irrigation, and sanitary and packaging facilities.
PORT AU PRINCE - CMC - Haiti’s Prime Minister Laurent Lamonthe has pledged that his government will provide the necessary means to the electoral council to facilitate the holding of legislative and local elections this year. During a cabinet meeting on Wednesday, Lamothe reiterated the commitment of
his team and President Michel Martelly to democracy and the rule of law, of which regularly organized free, fair and honest elections remain an inescapable corollary. “The elections will take place this year and my government will provide the means to support the work of the electoral council,” said Lamothe. “This will allow us
to move forward on the path of democracy which this government believes in,” he advised. Many feared the worst in Haiti because of allegations that a major political crisis would result from a failure by the Martelly - Lamothe government to find a political consensus to facilitate the holding of such important elections.
Laurent Lamonthe
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Friday Januray 17, 2014
Mosquito-borne virus spreading in Caribbean KINGSTON, Jamaica (AP) — A mosquito-borne virus appears to be spreading quickly in the Caribbean during the winter tourism season just weeks after epidemiologists first found local transmission occurring in the French dependency of St. Martin. Scientists said Tuesday that St. Martin now has as many as 200 cases of chikungunya, a virus found mainly in Africa and Asia that can cause a debilitating but rarely fatal sickness with fever, rash, fatigue and intense muscle and joint pain. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said new cases have been confirmed on the French Caribbean islands of Martinique, Guadeloupe and St. Barthelemy. The virus also infected a couple of residents of Dutch St. Maarten, which shares an island with St. Martin that was already
battling dengue fever, a more serious mosquito-borne illness. On Monday, the British Virgin Islands reported three cases on the tiny isle of Jost Van Dyke, which has fewer than 300 inhabitants but fills with thousands of international revelers each New Year’s Eve. “It is important to note that these confirmed cases were not exposed to travel, which alerts us that the virus is already in our mosquito population,” British Virgin Islands medical officer Ronald Georges said. The World Health Organization was notified of chikungunya’s presence in the Caribbean in early December when the first two cases were confirmed in St. Martin among residents who had not traveled recently. Public health officials on the islands have stepped up fogging programs and
increased epidemiological surveillance. They are also urging people to clear out stagnant water to reduce mosquito breeding sites. CDC epidemiologist Erin Staples said in a Tuesday email that “further spread to other Caribbean islands and to the surrounding mainland areas is possible in the coming months and years.” She noted roughly 9 million U.S. residents visit the Caribbean each year. “Infected travelers could then cause local transmission of the virus in the United States if mosquitoes bite infected people and then bite other people,” she said. Chikungunya means “that which bends up” in the Kimako language of Mozambique, a reference to the physique of a patient. It was first isolated in 1953 in the blood of a patient in Tanzania.
Opposition calls for consultation on Tivoli Enquiry KINGSTON, Jamaica – CMC - Leader of the main opposition Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), Andrew Holness, has written to Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller regarding the appointment of persons to serve as commissioners for a Commission of Enquiry that will look into the 2010 operation of the security forces in West Kingston. In his letter to the Prime Minister, Holness said he had noticed “with interest” in the print media that the Government was giving active consideration for persons to be appointed commissioners of the West Kingston Commission of Enquiry. “Given the importance and sensitivity surrounding the matter of the Enquiry, I wish to be advised of the terms of reference before finalization and the persons being considered for appointment”, Mr. Holness added. The Opposition Leader said he was of the” firm view” that public interest would be best served “by a process of consultation with the Opposition prior to the selection of terms of reference for the Enquiry and persons to serve as commissioners.” In 2013 the Government announced that it had accepted a recommendation to establish a Commission of Enquiry into
the conduct of the 2010 operation, during which more than 70 people died. The May operation was launched to capture the fugitive, Christopher ‘Dudus’ Coke, who was wanted in the United States on an extradition request. Weeks after the Tivoli operation, Coke was captured and sent away to the US where he is now serving a lengthy prison sentence. A date has not yet been set for the start of the Commission of Enquiry.
PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad – CMC Prominent Queen’s Counsel Karl Hudson Phillips has died in London. He was 80. Hudson Phillips, was a former attorney general and judge of the International Criminal Court (ICC). Hudson-Phillips has been involved in many high-profile cases throughout the
Caribbean, as both prosecutor and defender. In 1999 he was elected President of the Law Association of Trinidad and Tobago. Former attorney general Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj tweeted that family members found the prominent attorney not breathing and called an ambulance. He died in his sleep,” Maharaj said.
Andrew Holness
Prominent attorney Karl Hudson Phillips dies
Friday Januray 17, 2014
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Antigua PM wants the successes of CARICOM told ST. JOHN’S – Antigua and Barbuda – CMC - Prime Minister Baldwin Spencer yesterday defended the regional integration movement and appealed to regional broadcasters to play a meaningful role in educating the Caribbean population about the achievements of the 40 year-old institution. Addressing the start of a two-day workshop for regional broadcasters on the regional integration and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Single Market and Economy (CSME), Spencer acknowledged that over the last few years, CARICOM and specifically the CSM component has been going through a period of consolidation. He reminded delegates that last year, the Trinidadbased Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) delivered a ruling on the landmark case involving the Jamaican national, Shanique Myrie, who claimed she had been discriminated against by Barbados when she sought to enter the island a few years ago. “To Heads of Government and member states, the judgement means that it cannot be business as usual,” Spencer said, workshops such as these offer media practitioners the opportunity to tell the region’s story more accurately and in a manner that the average Caribbean person can appreciate. “That is why I am of the opinion that broadcasters are indeed and should be the champions of the regional integration message,” Spencer said, noting that the benefits of the CARICOM from its inception “have suffered from a lack of media buss. “The paparazzi syndrome never caught on to CARICOM and the integration movement. Very often we hear in the media, negative commentary and discourse about the lack of implementation or the “talk shop” stigma regularly attached to regional bodies. “We hear very little about
success stories and continuous efforts to deepen integration,” he said, underscoring the need for ethics and accuracy “in this process of telling the region’s story”. The two-day workshop is being organised by the
Baldwin Spencer how a private sector business operating in the CSME has been able to benefit from the regimes, or how an artisan has been able to move through the region as a skilled national, or even how successful regional bodies like CXC (Caribbean Examination Council) or CARDI (Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute) have been in implementing their mandate and impacting the people of the region”. Prime Minister Spencer told the regional broadcasters that when “we look back at the gains and successes of CARICOM, I will emphatically state that they far outweigh the setbacks and challenges. “Just like any integration movement, even the European Union, CARICOM is still navigating its way through the challenges of pooling the resources of multiple states together that come with their own unique cultures and practices.” Prime Minister Spencer, who holds responsibility for services within the quasi CARICOM Cabinet, said that “this in itself is an ongoing process and is one that requires continued commitment in order to fully reap the benefits of an integration movement”. He said he was encouraging the broadcasters “not to be afraid to tell the region’s story. “Let us be proud to provide the people of the region with information on the benefits, challenges,
Guyana-based CARICOM Secretariat with funding from the 10th European Development Fun (EDF). At least 30 regional broadcasters are attending the workshop that would also discuss the free movement of skills and persons across the
region, one of the main pillars of the CSME, as well as the CCJ that was established in 2001 to replace the Londonbased Privy Council, as the region’s final court. Presentations at the workshop are being made by representatives of the
CARICOM Secretariat; The University of the West Indies (UWI); The Caribbean Broadcasting Union (CBU); The Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ); the Association of Caribbean Media Workers (ACM) as well as the private and public sector here.
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Ajmal strikes to restrict Sri Lanka in final Test From page 42 replays showed the ball was bouncing over the stumps. Faced with some accurate bowling from Pakistan, Sri Lanka found scoring difficult on a slow and low pitch at the Sharjah stadium after Mathews opted to bat after winning the toss. Mohammad Talha, playing only his second test, struck early to get rid of Kaushal Silva (17) while left-arm spinner Abdur Rehman dismissed Dimuth
Karunaratne (34) immediately after lunch. Kumar Sangakkara (52) added 60 for the third wicket with Mahela to steady Sri Lanka’s ship but hit paceman Junaid Khan tamely to mid-wicket after completing his 44th test fifty. Sangakkara, on 15, was lucky to survive an appeal for a catch after replays showed that he had gloved a sweep shot off Rehman. Pakistan opted not to challenge the umpire’s not out verdict.
Mahela looked in good control against the spinners before failing to negotiate a ball from Ajmal which turned and bounced sharply to take the edge and reach Azhar Ali at short leg. Sri Lanka, who lead the three test series 1-0, would have been in more trouble if Talha had managed to hold on to a return catch off Mathews with the batsman yet to open his account. Scores: Sri Lanka 220 for 5 (Sangakkara 52, Ajmal 262) v Pakistan.
Friday January 17, 2014 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) Point your aggressiveness in the right direction today. That shouldn't be too hard since you know and understand the meaning of a job well done and what's required to get things accomplished. TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20) Today isn't a day to lounge around. There's a very important practical matter that must be dealt with before you can engage in any lighthearted activities. GEMINI (May 21–June 20) Try to keep your emotions in check today. It's possible that you could become extremely angry and do some damage to yourself and others around you. CANCER (June 21–July 22) You may feel like someone is trying to rain on your parade. It's important not to forget who you are now. Don't be surprised if you feel a negative pull from someone or something.
LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) There's aggressiveness to you today, but this feeling can be useful to you and what you have going on. There's a practical force helping you stay grounded and realistic about certain issues. SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) There's increased emotional tension today. You may be at the forefront of the action as you take things higher and farther. Have a map handy or you could wind up alone in the middle of nowhere. SAGIT (Nov. 22–Dec. 21) Don't hold back today. You're the right person for the job in about every situation you encounter. You'll have the instincts required to move on a project, see what needs to be done, gather the resources, and get the ball rolling. CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) Strong feelings may arise through relationship dynamics today and you’ll be better off if you can share what’s on your mind.
LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) Today is a terrific day for you. You're able to accomplish a lot during the day, leaving the night open for excitement with others. Once you take care of the necessary things, feel free to grab a big helping of fun.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20–Feb. 18) Don't be surprised if you feel like you're being poked with a stick today, as something urges you to get moving. There's an aggressive energy moving about and making demands on everyone.
VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) Promote balance and harmony today by letting off a bit of steam before you try to engage with others and their dramas. Secure yourself in a stable environment where you can vent your concerns, punch pillows, or jog around the block.
PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) Pull yourself together, and figure out what it is your heart desires. There's an aggressive force tugging at your heartstrings today. Unless you have it firmly in your mind what it is you want and feel, you'll be easily pulled off track. Stay grounded and you should be OK.
Friday Januray 17, 2014
McLaren: Ron Dennis replaces... From page 37 been sacked or made redundant, with the identity of their team principal from the 2014 season to be announced next month. Dennis has been in dispute with Whitmarsh over the past two years and has tried to remove his former protege from his position on several occasions, but failed because of his fractured relationship with the other board members. It is not clear how that has been repaired. Dennis told McLaren staff on Thursday “there will be change” and “we will win again”. In December, he said he had spoken about the future with former Mercedes team boss Ross Brawn, who will be considered a front-runner to be McLaren’s new team principal once he has finished a planned six-month sabbatical. A senior McLaren insider told BBC Sport that Dennis, who has been dissatisfied with the performance of the F1 team for some time, did not want to return to a role on the
pit wall at races. McLaren had their worst season for three decades in 2013, failing to secure a podium finish for the first time since 1980, before Dennis took full control. The team have not won a drivers’ title since Lewis Hamilton in 2008, and have failed to win the constructors’ title since 1998. In a statement, Dennis said the company’s shareholders had “mandated me to write an exciting new chapter in the story of McLaren, beginning by improving our on-track and off-track performance”. He added: “Over the coming weeks I intend to undertake a thorough and objective review of each of our businesses with the intention of optimising every aspect of our existing operations, while identifying new areas of growth that capitalise on our technologies, and where appropriate further investing in them. “During February, I will articulate a new Group strategy and implement the organisational structure best
suited to achieving it.” There has been no change in the company’s shareholding; the Bahrain royal family’s Mumtalakat investment fund owns 50%, with Dennis owning 25% and his long-time partner Mansour Ojjeh the remaining 25%. Ojjeh is recovering from a double lung transplant and has temporarily relinquished his role as a director to his brother Aziz. Whitmarsh had been trying to persuade Ferrari driver Fernando Alonso to join the team in 2015 but Dennis’s new role must make that highly unlikely as the two fell out in dramatic style when the Spaniard drove for McLaren in 2007. Last month, Dennis told BBC Sport he would not have a problem with the two-time champion returning to the team, but Alonso has made it clear he still blames Dennis for their past problems. Alonso is under contract to Ferrari until the end of 2016, although his relationship with the Italian team cooled during a troubled 2013 season.
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Caribbean RADO at the ready to ECB expresses assist in the fight against doping condolences to Guyana is part of 15-member body Holder’s family By Franklin Wilson “There is more to being an athlete than training, exercise, valour and victory. An athlete must also be responsible and informed,” this is how the Caribbean Regional AntiDoping Organisation (Caribbean RADO) describes an athlete. Banned drugs in sports has seen entities the world over, led by the World Anti Doping Agency (WADA) teaming up, to combat this growing threat to clean competitive rivalry on and off the field of rivalry. Closer to home the Caribbean RADO, which has been in existence since 2005, has been making its contribution in this continuous fight. Fifteen (15) Caribbean countries are affiliated to this entity which is led by Dr. Adrian Lorde as Chairman and Executive Director – Tessa ChadertonShaw both of Barbados. Guyana is represented on the board by Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Culture Youth and Sport, Alfred King. Kaieteur News, in its continued efforts to educate our readers and Guyana at large on the concern of drugs in sport, posed some questions to Executive Director, Ms. Tessa Chaderton-Shaw of Caribbean RADO on its roles and functions and the programmes they have in train to assist its members and athletes by extension. Following are the questions and answers: KN - I would like to first know how long the Caribbean Regional Anti-Doping Organisation has been around, its roles and functions? Ms. Tessa ChadertonShaw - The Caribbean RADO has been in existence since 2005. It is largely responsible
for anti-doping activity (education, testing both in and out of competition) in its fifteen member countries. KN - How many countries in the Region are affiliated to the CRADO? Ms. Tessa ChadertonShaw - There are 15 member countries in the Caribbean RADO. KN - What is being done in terms of educational programmes and follow up for affiliates? Ms. Tessa ChadertonShaw - Anti-doping education underpins all that we do since it is essential that athletes, their entourages, their management, national, regional and international sport federations understand what anti-doping is and what isn’t. In keeping with the World Anti-Doping Code, member countries through their Board Members are expected to lead the charge by constantly outlining these responsibilities to the entire sport fraternity in terms of playing fair and playing true. KN - With quite a number of athletes being tested positive, how your organisation is aiming to combat this, and your advice to athletes, coaches and sporting organisations in rising above this challenge? Ms. Tessa ChadertonShaw - This is the very raison d’etre of our mandate; to elicit the best from athletes and to ensure that there is a level playing field in all sports in all RADO member countries. This is largely achieved through our annual board meetings, through technical assistance and funding from the World Anti-Doping Agency, by my own interface and interventions with member countries, through country
visits, by utilizing Doping Control Officers (DCOs) in the overall effort. KN - There has always been the complaint about the prohibitive costs of carrying out drug tests by the various associations/federations affiliated to the Guyana Olympic Association and perhaps other Olympic Associations in the region, how can the Caribbean RADO be of assistance to these entities with a view to have athletes tested? Ms. Tessa ChadertonShaw - National sport federations should allocate a budget for testing. However, in the past few years, WADA has allocated significant funds to Caribbean RADO member countries so that they can avail themselves of testing out-of-competition. Guyana accessed this grant in 2013 and conducted 6 tests in Boxing. Lab Analysis fees for one urine sample in competition costs US$240; one sample out of competition costs US$160. This does not take into consideration the costs of courier for shipment to the lab and other expenses incurred. KN - Who is Guyana’s representative at Caribbean RADO? Ms. Tessa Chaderton-Shaw - Mr. Alfred King, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Culture Youth and Sports. KN - How is the individual elected/selected and the term of office? Ms. Tessa ChadertonShaw - Each Board member is selected by the National Olympic Committee (NOC) and by the Government. This is a joint decision. The term of office is four years. KN - How often are meetings held and what is expected of this representative in terms of
information being filtered back to the associations/ federations? Ms. Tessa ChadertonShaw - Meetings are held annually. Each Board Member has clearly-defined responsibilities including being the leader and main point of contact in establishing anti-doping programmes; complete all agreed upon tasks as discussed at RADO Board Meetings; ensure that the Government and the NOC are informed of the needs and progress of both the RADO and the implementation of anti-doping activity; communicate regularly with the RADO office and with relevant stakeholders in country; have the authority and the ability to implement anti-doping programmes in country. The Caribbean RADO’s membership includes Antigua & Barbuda, Aruba, Barbados, Bahamas, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad & Tobago & the Turks & Caicos. List of Board Members are: Chairman - Dr. Adrian Lorde (Barbados), Executive Director – Tessa ChadertonShaw (Barbados), Felix Wilson (Dominica), Judith Joseph (Trinidad and Tobago), Donald McLean (Cayman Islands), Dr. Philmore Benjamin (Antigua & Barbuda), Clifton Keenswijk (Suriname), David Morley (Bahamas), Dr. Perry DeFreitas (St. Vincent & the Grenadines), Dr. Sonia Johnson (Grenada), Leroy Greene (St. Kitts & Nevis), Dr. Kenneth Louisy (St. Lucia), Alfred King (Guyana), Rosalie Ingham (Turks & Caicos Islands), Dr. Christian Mejia (Aruba), Ephraim Penn (British Virgin Islands).
McLaren: Ron Dennis replaces Martin Whitmarsh as CEO in coup BBC Sport - Ron Dennis has staged an internal coup and wrestled back control of the McLaren Formula 1 team. The 66-year-old, who stood down as team principal in 2009 and had been at loggerheads with the board, has been appointed chief executive officer. He replaces Martin Whitmarsh, whose role as team principal is under threat. No-one at McLaren has (Continued on page 36)
Ron Dennis (left) replaces Martin Whitmarsh as McLaren CEO. (Getty Images)
The Essequibo Cricket Board (ECB) has expressed condolences to the family of the late Terry Holder. Holder who served for over two decades as Public Relations Officer of the Guyana Cricket Board passed away on January 8. President of the ECB, Fizul Bacchus, said that Holder made a sterling
contribution to Guyana’s cricket and he always looked forward to the growth of the sport in Essequibo. Bacchus stated that he knew Holder for over 12 years and described him as a polite and approachable individual who always try to mend problems in a simple way adding that Holder will surely be missed.
Asafa Powell’s case to resume... in Canada that totally discredited Xuereb as not qualified, even as a physiotherapist. The article, published on July 18, 2013 and written by Greg McArthur and Tu Thanh Ha, was read by Robinson. It quoted a spokeswoman for the Ontario College of Physiotherapists stating that Xuereb isn’t even qualified to design a physiotherapy treatment plan in Ontario. “He is not a doctor in Ontario. He is not registered as a chiropractor in Ontario. He is not a registered massage therapist in Ontario. He is not registered with the p r o v i n c e ’s c o l l e g e o f physiotherapists, the selfregulating body that ensures people who hold themselves out as physiotherapists have passed the necessary competency tests and have at least an undergraduate degree,” the article stated. But Doyle remained steadfast and insisted that although Xuereb is not certified he “was qualified to work on Asafa”. Another article introduced by Robinson also claimed that Xuereb was fired by Canadian physician Anthony Galea, who himself was later investigated and charged for giving athletes performance-enhancing drugs in 2011. Doyle said he had no knowledge that Xuereb worked with Galea, but heard of the FBI case involving Galea. Doyle reiterated that he hired Xuereb because he was highly recommended by a Dr Carmen Stillo. “I did not do a formal
background check,” Doyle admitted under crossexamination from Robinson, saying Xuereb’s employment was solely on recommendation and a trial period in Jamaica. “What is Dr Stillo’s occupation?” asked Robinson. “He’s a chiropractor,” answered Doyle confidently. Robinson continued: “Is Mr Xuereb a chiropractor?” “Not to my knowledge,” said Doyle. “Is he a medical doctor?” “No, he is not,” Doyle replied. “Is he a registered physiotherapist?” “I do not know,” said Doyle. “Did you try to find out?” asked Robinson. “No, I did not try to find out if he had any certifications. I just knew his practical experience,” said Doyle. Robinson also asked Doyle if he knew one Esther Akinsulie, and the agent replied no. Jamaica Observer checks revealed that Akinsulie is a Canadian athlete who was suspended for six months for a banned diuretic early last year. The article by Tim Almanciak claimed that she was the girlfriend of Xuereb. Doyle also revealed that Powell’s former coach Stephen Francis was not pleased initially with the addition of Xuereb to MVP. “He...what you would call it, kissed (hissed) his teeth and said, ‘mi don’t like Canadians’,” said Doyle, while being questioned by Kwame Gordon.
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Wiltshire Dominoes Underway, GFF Vice President, Rawleston Corporation zone starts on Sunday Adams, tenders resignation The open segment of the Mark Wiltshire 59th Birth Anniversary Dominoes competition commenced last night at Dynasty Sports Bar with teams from Georgetown, East Coast Demerara, West Berbice and West Demerara battling for supremacy. The corporation zone will start on Sunday at 13:00 hrs at La Belle Sports Club and bar and participating teams are asked to contact Barbara
Marshall on 617-0493. The play offs will begin on January 25 and 26 at La Belle Sports Club and bar. The winning team will pocket a trophy, $175,000 and medals, the runner up a trophy and $80,000 and third place $40,000. The most valuable player in the finals, the player who share the first love in the final and the best female player will receive $5,000 each, while the most
outstanding corporation team will collect $6,000. Entrance fee is $9,000. There will also be a feature match involving East Coast, Georgetown and West Coast Demerara and each team is asked to pay an entrance fee of $15,000. Among the sponsors so far are Faye Joseph, Jermain Jackson, Lennox Cush, Eon Moore, George Griffith and Raymond Alli.
Hector to lay foundation for future SKN Vibes BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – Newly-elected President of the Leeward Islands Cricket Association (LICA), Auckland Hector has identified laying the foundation for future development of cricket as one of his targets during his tenure. Hector, a former Leeward and Combine Islands wicketkeeper, was last month (Dec. 2013) elected LICA’s President and will serve in that capacity for the next two years. In an exclusive interview with SKNVibes Sports, Hector explained that for the next two years he intends to put the infrastructure in place for future growth of cricket in the sub-region. “My presidency is for the next two years. During that period I intend to establish the foundation on which the development of Leeward Islands cricket will be fully established, and I would expect that shortly thereafter we would see some improvement in Leeward Islands cricket. It is going to take quite a lot of dedicated work. It is going to require the full commitment of the players and my focus will really be on youth development. That is why I am saying it is not going to happen in the next two years.” He informed that a development strategy would be drafted within the next three months. “In that respect we are proposing to establish a development plan for the Leeward Islands over the next five years and that plan we hope to establish over the next 90 days.” Hector also spoke of the some of the implementations thus far since taking office. “We have since appointed a Chief Executive Officer who is presently working from Antigua. He is
Trouble seems brewing among the executives of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) after Vice President, Rawleston Adams, suddenly tendered his resignation which appears to have forced the General Secretary (GFF), Noel Adonis, to place the issue on the minutes when the GFF Congress gets underway this afternoon at the GFF Dadanawa Street, Section K Campbellville office. Kaieteur Sport was informed through reliable sources, that Adams had written to the GFF hierarchy one week ago stating that he was no longer interested in serving in his elected post as 1st Vice President. Our source has also stated that several executive members are planning to table a no confidence motion against the GFF President, Christopher Matthias, which may come as early as today but it is unclear on what grounds this motion will be moved.
Details pertaining to Adams’ resignation are very scant and efforts to clear the issue proved unsuccessful after the principal, when contacted, confirmed that he had tendered his resignation about one week ago but did not wish to elaborate on the circumstances; he suggested that this reporter have dialogue with the GFF hierarchy. When contacted, Mr Adonis confirmed that the Vice President did indeed resign but he (Adonis) was not at liberty to elaborate on the issue. “We have received Mr Adams’ letter and he did furnish us with reasons for his actions but I suggest that you speak with him concerning those reasons,” the General Secretary declared. Mr Adonis debunked the view that today’s extraordinary general meeting was specifically convened to deal with the Adams’ resignation. “Our congress is scheduled to get underway
today and since this issue arose we decided that it should form a part of the agenda,” he said. He also said that this afternoon’s forum will present an opportunity to ventilate the issue among a larger number of executives before a decision is made to temporarily appoint someone to the post until the next elections. It’s been just under a year since the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) and Matthias defeated three other hopefuls, Aubrey ‘Shanghai’ Major, Alfred King and Ivan Persaud, to take over the reins of authority. Over that short period, Matthias’ style of leadership has been placed under severe scrutiny and several of the affiliates, including the principals of the K&S Entertainment group, have accused him of unfair and unilateral practices. Things have now reached a head.
Asafa Powell’s case to resume on February 12
Auckland Hector Derrick Nicholas. “We have already set up some committees; one is a Finance and Fundraising Committee which is chaired by the Vice President of the WICB, Val Banks from Anguilla. We have also set up a Cricket Committee, which is chaired by the President of the St. Maarten Cricket Association and it has three other members including Junie Mitcham, who is the Territorial Development Officer. “We have appointed the Selection Committee that is chaired by Ridley Jacobs out of Antigua. It has Livingston Harris of St. Kitts presently residing in the USVI and the other is Lawrence Carty from Anguilla.” Hector also disclosed that the LICA Secretariat would be based in St. Kitts in an office space provided by the government of the Federation.
He also disclosed the others who make up the Executive of LICA. “The Secretary is Robert Jeffers and Sam Franks is the Treasurer, while the Vice President is Ralph Hodge and the WICB representative is Enoch Lewis from Antigua.” Hector disclosed that the Cricket Committee is currently is discussion to plan for this year ’s Leeward Islands Tournaments. “We have asked the Cricket Committee to begin to plan the schedule for Leeward Islands Tournaments so we can give the countries time to prepare. “What we intend to do is not only establish the times for Leeward Islands cricket for this year but also for years to come, so that the countries may know well in advance when the Leeward Island Tournaments are scheduled.”
Paul Doyle (left), agent of Asafa Powell, converses with Sherone Simpson at the Jamaica Conference Centre on Tuesday. (PHOTO: BRYAN CUMMINGS) Jamaica Observer - AN agonising couple of weeks await former world 100m record holder Asafa Powell after his anti-doping hearing case was adjourned until February 12-13. Just like Sherone Simpson’s case, which will resume a week earlier, the scheduled two days of hearing was not adequate and will resume with Professor Wayne McLaughlin testifying mainly about the purpose and significance of oxilofrine. Both athletes tested positive for the stimulant oxilofrine at the Jamaica National Championships last June and have since identified the supplement, Epiphany
D1, as the product that triggered their adverse analytical findings. Wednesday’s hearing got underway with Gregory Plummer, a close friend of Powell for 10 years, testifying that the runner had rigorously researched the supplement, Epiphany D1. Plummer claimed he was just curious this time, as to how athletes do their research and basically assisted his friend in his Google search and perused the World AntiDoping Agency (WADA) Prohibited List. But when quizzed as to why he chose to assist or watch Powell research only the Epiphany D1 supplement from the nine that he got from
Chris Xuereb, Plummer replied. “The reason why that name stands out to me that much is because my girlfriend, her name is Tiffany...I can’t forget it,” replied Plummer. But it was when Paul Doyle, the agent of both athletes, took the witness stand that fireworks began. It was Doyle who recommended Canadian physical trainer Christopher Xuereb to Powell, which the defence is trying to prove started this chain of events. The qualifications and credibility of Xuereb were severely scrutinised as Lackston Robinson, representing JADCO, introduced articles published (Continued on page 37)
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Australian Open: Medical officer defends extreme heat policy BBC Sport - The chief medical officer at the Australian Open has defended criticism of the tournament’s “extreme heat policy” after Britain’s Jamie Murray was treated for heatstroke. Play was suspended on uncovered courts for more than four hours on Thursday as temperatures breached 40C for a third consecutive day, but Dr Tim Wood insisted the health of players was not being compromised. “We evolved on the high plains of Africa chasing antelope for eight hours under these conditions,” he said. “There will be some players who complain and noone is saying it is terribly comfortable to play out there, but, from a medical perspective, we know that man is well adapted to exercising in the heat. Whether it is humane or not is a whole other issue.” At 13:53 local time (02:53 GMT) in Melbourne and with the temperature at 41C, the “extreme heat policy” was implemented, suspending matches on uncovered courts. Play continued on both the Rod Laver Arena and Hisense Arena as their roofs were brought across. The suspended matches resumed soon after 18:00 (07:00 GMT). By then, Murray had won his doubles match with Australian John Peers in straight sets. But the Briton, brother of world number four Andy, started to feel the effects of the heat shortly after coming off court and needed two hours of treatment by doctors and physiotherapists. He admitted he would have been unlikely to complete his match had he and Peers not wrapped up victory over Australian duo Matt Reid and Luke Saville,
in straight sets. But Murray is hopeful of recovering in time for his scheduled second-round match on Saturday. Speaking after winning his second-round match against Vincent Millot, Andy Murray said: “He was struggling. I think he’s doing better and he went back to the hotel. I spent an hour or so with him when I got here, and then checked up with him a couple times but, he wasn’t in a great way. “He’s never had real cramps like that. I don’t know how dangerous they are, but they’re very, very uncomfortable. “When one part of your body goes and then you move, the opposite muscle goes. When it happens the first time, it’s pretty scary. “He drunk loads when he got off the court but he was finding it quite hard to eat. Hopefully he’ll be fine tomorrow. Murray was not the only player affected by the heat. Maria Sharapova spent three hours and 28 minutes in the brutal conditions on Rod Laver Arena as she battled past Italy’s Karin Knapp in three sets. The Russian later questioned tournament officials about the lack of communication with players. “We have never received any emails or warnings about the weather or what to do,” said Sharapova. “Actually, I did receive one, I think, while I was in the ice bath a few minutes ago. I was like, ‘that’s a little too late’.” Temperatures, which reached a peak of 42.2C on Tuesday and 41.5C on Wednesday, hit 43.3C on Thursday. The decision to implement the extreme heat policy is at the discretion of tournament referee Wayne
McKewen, who had been criticised for failing to suspend play on the previous two days . He uses the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature reading, which takes into account humidity and wind direction as well as heat. After play was suspended, Belgian player Kirsten Flipkens tweeted: “FINALLY!!!! Play suspended because of the heat... Heat policy should have been in two days ago already.. #burning #crazy #nothealthy.” Russian Elena Vesnina added: “Impossible to play in this heat... it’s only about surviving. Forget about beauty of the tennis!” On Wednesday, Croatian Ivan Dodig said he feared he “could maybe even die” because of the heat, while a day earlier Canada’s Frank Dancevic required medical attention after fainting in his first-round match. He claimed it was “inhumane” to allow players to compete in such testing conditions. France’s Alize Cornet looked in distress on Margaret Court Arena as she beat Camila Giorgi. “I went further than my limits,” said a tearful Cornet. “It was really hot, that’s why I’m so emotional. Doing something physical in this heat is just unbelievable.” American Varvara Lepchenko was among the first players to suffer. She required a medical timeout to have ice rubbed onto her legs after losing five straight games on Court Eight. On the resumption, she won just one more as she lost 4-6 6-0 6-1 to Simona Halep. “I couldn’t focus at one point and started feeling dizzier and dizzier,” said Lepchenko. “Towards the middle of the second set, I
Varvara Lepchenko has treatment during a medical timeout. (AP)
Cooling off Maria Sharapova feels the heat in sweltering Melbourne. (Action Images) started feeling more and more dizzy and everything started going so fast. “Then just at one point, I completely lost it.” Lepchenko said the first thing she did after the match was have an ice bath to cool
her body temperature. “I also had a lot of water with salt,” she said. “I just laid down in the locker room for the past hour because I just couldn’t physically get up.” She said officials were wrong to start matches in
such conditions. “It’s very dangerous if someone has some sort of conditions with their heart,” she said. “Being in this temperature is almost like going into a sauna. It’s not good.”
Frazzled Sharapova fumes over murky heat... struggling in the oppressive conditions but continued their arduous battle some 50 minutes after matches on outside courts were suspended at about 1:50 p.m. local time (0250 GMT). Players have slammed organizers for failing to call off matches earlier, with some describing the conditions as dangerous, and one Croatian player in the men’s draw expressing fear for his life on Wednesday. Rather than use the raw Celsius readings to assess the heat, organizers prefer to use the Wet Bulb Global
Temperature composite, which also gauges humidity and wind to identify the perceived conditions. Under a change to the rules for this year, the decision on whether to stop matches is now at the discretion of tournament referee Wayne McKewen. “There is no way getting around the fact that the conditions were extremely difficult, and have been for the last few days,” the third seed Sharapova told reporters. “It’s a tough call. I mean, I think the question I have is no one really
knows what the limit is. “Not the players (nor) the trainers themselves when you ask them when will the roof be closed. ROOF OPEN “No one actually knows what that number is in comparison to humidity or the actual heat. “Sometimes you wish you knew, because it’s it just depends on I’m not sure who, a referee or the meteorologist, and there are just a lot of questions in the air that maybe should be solved. “I asked the trainer the other day, ‘what does it
take for the roof to be closed or matches to be stopped?’ She said, ‘we have no control over this’.” Despite the suspension, players could only walk off court at the conclusion of the set they were playing, according to the policy. With no tiebreaks in deciding third sets for the women entrants at the Australian Open, nor for fifth sets for the men, Sharapova and Knapp’s battle continued well after the suspension was called, with Rod Laver Arena’s retractable roof left open.
“I think the question is from the second to the third set,” Sharapova said of the unused roof. “That’s because everyone knows there is no tiebreaker in the third set, so once you start that set, you’re going to be out there until you’re done. That’s the question I have. “I would love to know a bit more detail before not even before I get on the court, but just in general it’s good to know. I didn’t even know there was no play when I left the court. I mean, I had no idea.” Sharapova, who will
meet 25th-seeded Frenchwoman Alize Cornet in the third round, joked that she was getting “numb” to the heat in her courtside interview but will surely look forward to far cooler temperatures forecast for the weekend. “I’m really happy to get through,” she said. “I really am. I worked really hard in the last few months and I wanted this match. I didn’t play my best tennis, I didn’t do many things well.” “I got through it and sometimes that’s what’s important.”
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GABF President and Football Referees Council Raffle to be drawn today Secretary for CBC Congress The drawing of the Guyana Football Referees Council (GFRC) will take place today at the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport Compound starting at 12:30 hours. The Ministry will also take the opportunity to present officiating kits to the GFRC. The Guyana Football Referees Council (GFRC) launched its Christmas fund-
raising raffle in December last year with the first prize being a 125cc Honda motorcycle. The raffle was due to be drawn on January 1 this year but was rescheduled to today. The first prize winner will receive a 125cc Honda Motor Cycle, second place is a return trip to New York, third prize a return trip to Barbados, fourth prize a Blackberry Smartphone, fifth prize – A
day trip to Arrowpoint Resort, while there are two consolation prizes of a microwave oven and a food hamper. The main sponsors are Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, Caribbean Airline Limited (CAL), LIAT, GT&T, Roraima Group of Companies, Demerara Harbour Bridge, BK International, New GPC and Neal and Massy Guyana Group of Companies.
Dereck Chisora: Andriy Rudenko pulls out of fight with injury BBC Sport - Dereck Chisora will defend his European heavyweight title against a replacement opponent next month after Andriy Rudenko broke down injured. Chisora had been scheduled to fight the unbeaten Ukrainian at the Copper Box in London on 15 February, but Rudenko ruptured his Achilles in training. The Briton’s promoter Frank Warren says
he is on the lookout for a new fighter. “We’re disappointed to hear Rudenko has suffered this serious injury and has to withdraw,” Warren said. “It’s very unfortunate but these things happen and we have to move on and secure Chisora a new challenger. “We have some names that we are working on and will look to announce the name very shortly.” Rudenko is unbeaten in 24 contests but has only fought
once outside his homeland, while Chisora won all of his four fights in 2013. Chisora won the vacant European crown with a fifthround stoppage of Germany’s Edmund Gerber at the Copper Box in September. In his most recent fight in November, he stopped Czech Ondrej Pala in the third round at the same venue to defend his WBO International title and take the vacant WBA International belt.
Guyana to bid to host Junior CBC four nation c/ship Following the conclusion of the Guyana Amateur Basketball Federation (GABF) Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Saturday last which saw former National player Nigel Hinds emerging as President, winning from Michael Singh, who is now a Vice President, the duo is embarking on a mission to take the sport to new heights. Hinds and Singh will represent Guyana at t o m o r r o w ’s C a r i b b e a n Basketball Confederation (CBC) Congress which would be held at the Verdanza Hotel, San Juan, Puerto Rico; both officials are paying their own way. Speakin g w i t h K a i e t e u r Sport, Hinds said that at that forum they will be briefed on the agenda for basketball over the next f o u r y e a r s as many changes are taking place in the processes and structure of participation
in events under the patronage of FIBA, which is the world governing body, particularly at both the Senior and Junior levels. Hinds further stated that he would also be participating in the elections of the new executive of the CBC (2014 – 2018). “We will also be offering to host the junior CBC Southern bracket competition which comprises teams from Aruba, Trinidad & Tobago, Suriname and Guyana. This is scheduled for August of this year.” The new GABF executive has also dispatched letters to Minister of Culture, Youth & Sport – Dr. Frank Anthony, President of the Guyana Olympic Association – K. A. Juman Yassin, Director of Sport – Mr. Neil Kumar, Presidential Advisor on the Finance Committee – Mr. Keith Burrowes, Minister of Education – Honorable Ms. Priya Manickchand, Chief
Education Officer – Mr. Olato Sam, Chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC) – Mr. Conrad Plummer and Chairman of the Finance Committee of the NSC – Mr. Paul Abdool introducing the new executive, while seeking their support and assistance towards the development of the sport in Guyana. Hinds further informed that similar correspondences will be sent to key local businesses that have a history of supporting sports in Guyana. Guyanese in the Diaspora will also be targeted as will individuals in Guyana who have the influence and the network to garner assistance for the uplift to basketball. The senior Caribbean Championships is slated for Tortola, British Virgin Islands, July 1 – 12, 2014 and Guyana is aiming to compete.
Nadal thrives, Del Potro beaten in scorching Melbourne M E L B O U R N E (Reuters) - Rafa Nadal swept into the Australian Open third round under the Rod Laver Arena roof on Thursday but Juan Martin Del Potro was sent packing as sweltering temperatures, lightning and rain caused chaos on the outside courts. Fifth seed Del Potro, whose match was shunted back to the late evening by the disruptions, was the first major casualty of the men’s draw in the early hours of Friday morning when he lost 4-6 6-3 5-7 6-4 7-5 to 62nd ranked Spaniard Roberto Bautista. On a third consecutive day of sauna-like heat and with temperatures climbing towards a peak of 43.4 degrees Celsius (110 Fahrenheit), organizers finally enacted the third stage of their “Extreme Heat Policy” after three hour’s play. Play was suspended for more than four hours on the exposed outer courts and, in a bizarre turn of events, the players had been back on court for less than two hours when a thunderstorm sent them scuttling back to the locker rooms. Matches continued on the Rod Laver Arena and Hisense Arena throughout
both stoppages, the latter lasting nearly two hours, after the retractable roofs over the showcourts were closed. That allowed Nadal, Vi c t o r i a A z a r e n k a a n d Roger Federer to charge through their second round ties before the Rod Laver Arena was again exposed to the elements for Andy Murray to join them in the third round in the evening cool. “For me, everything was fine,” defending champion Azarenka said after beating Barbora Zahlavova Strycova 6-1 64. “Played under the closed roof so lightning couldn’t hit me. I didn’t feel the heat. I didn’t get sunburned. I was in the perfect conditions today.” FULL GLARE Third seed Maria Sharapova had a tougher time, though, and a quirk of the rules meant her match against Karin Knapp was concluded in the full glare of the sun some 50 minutes after it was adjudged too dangerous to play. The Russian reflected the confusion and anger of players over the last three days at a perceived lack of transparency over when the Extreme Heat Policy is put into force.
Rafael Nadal of Spain celebrates defeating Thanasi Kokkinakis of Australia during their men’s singles match at the Australian Open 2014 tennis tournament in Melbourne January 16, 2014. (Reuters/David Gray) “No one really knows what the limit is,” she said after closing out a 6-3 4-6 10-8 victory over the
inspired Italian. Top seed Nadal took advantage of slightly cooler conditions under
the roof to administer a 6-2 6-4 6-2 thrashing to plucky 1 7 - y e a r- o l d A u s t r a l i a n Thanasi Kokkinakis. The Spaniard, seeking a second Australian Open title, was delighted to be able to play indoors rather than in the furnace heat outside but more so that his serve had worked so well. Federer also picked out his “rock solid” serve as a highlight of his 107-minute 6-2 6-1 7-6 (4) demolition of Blaz Kavcic on Hisense Arena, where he had not played, under the roof or otherwise, for 10 years. The four-times Australian Open champion selected a highly aggressive strategy to deal with the Slovenian world number 99 and it paid off impressively when he wrapped up the first two sets inside an hour. Murray displayed his customary brand of controlled aggression to b e a t F r a n c e ’s Vi n c e n t Millot 6-2 6-2 7-5 in his fourth competitive match since returning from four months on the sidelines after back surgery. IRONIC BOW Millot flourished an ironic bow after holding serve early in the third set but then proceeded to break Murray twice to lead
5-1 before the Scottish fourth seed reasserted himself by winning 23 consecutive points to finish the match. Wo m e n ’s f i f t h s e e d Agnieszka Radwanska registered a two-set win over Olga Govortsova under the Hisense Arena roof but 10th seed Caroline Wozniacki needed a topsytury three to down American Christina McHale 6-0 1-6 6-2. The weather disruptions led to some violent swings in the matches on the outer courts. American Va r v a r a Lepchenko won the first set but , clearly struggling in the morning heat, losing 11 straight games on her way to a 46 6-0 6-1 loss to Simona Halep. Her compatriot D o n a l d Yo u n g , t h o u g h , said he had benefited from the weather-induced break in play to beat Italian Andreas Seppi 64 2-6 6-3 4-6 7-5. Sloane Stephens, a semi-finalist here last year, prevailed through several swings of fortunes to beat Ajla Tomljanovic 3-6 6-2 7-5 and was just thankful to g e t o f f court unscathed after the storm.
Kaieteur News
Friday January 17, 2014
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Webb receives United Nations Recognition for Social Work through Sport Acknowledgement takes place at the Fourth Pan-African Youth Leadership Summit
D a k a r, S e n e g a l , – CONCACAF President Jeffrey Webb has been honoured with a special recognition by the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS). Webb received the 2013 Protect the Goal Special Award for the Diaspora at the 4th Pan-African Youth Leadership Summit for his exceptional work in utilizing sport to advocate for social development. The theme of the summit concerns youth unemployment in the post2015 development agenda of the United Nations. UNAIDS presented this recognition to individuals from the African Diaspora whose contribution to promoting social good through sport has been exemplary. According to Senior Adviser to UNAIDS, Dr. Djibril Diallo, Webb’s efforts “have demonstrated the highest commitment to this vision of creating a better world through sport.” “CONCACAF feels
privileged to partner with the United Nations in the framework of our social responsibility initiatives, to reach out to millions of young people with prevention messages towards a healthier society,” said Webb during his acceptance speech during the Gala Dinner held at the Grand National Theater. On April 19, 2013, CONCACAF and UNAIDS signed a Memorandum of Understanding agreeing to work together in the AIDS response, particularly among young people. This is an unprecedented commitment to carry out joint advocacy and communication activities in all of CONCACAF’s regional competitions in support of the UNAIDS Protect the Goal campaign. The Confederation embarked on the dissemination of the Protect the Goal message to thousands of football aficionados. This entailed the presentation of the campaign banners and a pledge read by
the captain of each of the participating teams before the games throughout all its tournaments. “This beautiful sport is filled with passion, and passion is the starting point of all achievement. It’s the energy that fuels our dreams. The dream that we can be something bigger than ourselves. That the currents of change can build a bigger wave with the power to act in support of a healthier and more conscious society,” added Webb during his address. Throughout this past year, football has provided a platform to increase the global visibility of UNAIDS and its work in the AIDS response. Given the size of the CONCACAF tournaments, both in attendance and viewership, these events provided an opportunity for UNAIDS to send its message across colossal audiences and identify potential new sponsors and partners. Globally, an estimated 4.6
million young people 15 to 24 years of age are living with HIV. About 2,300 young people are infected with HIV each day. This means that 100 people get infected each day. One person per minute. “We felt we could use the power of our sport to reach out to youth with a message of awareness. Gold Cup 2013, our biggest tournament, conveyed UNAIDS’ message to 500,000 fans and more than 60 million viewers,” said Webb. The 4th Pan-African Youth Leadership Summit, which is attended by five hundred youth leaders from 54 countries of Africa, the Diaspora in the Americas, the Caribbean and Europe, is held at the King Fahd Palace hotel up to 17 of January. Youth leaders are expected to adopt the Dakar Declaration in which they will reiterate their plan to play an active role in international consultations under way in the framework of the post2015 development agenda of
AC Milan: Clarence Seedorf is appointed as new manager BBC Sport - Clarence Seedorf has been appointed the new manager of AC Milan. The 37-year-old Dutchman, who played for the Serie A giants from 2002 until 2012, has replaced Massimiliano Allegri, who was sacked on Monday after a poor start to the season. Seedorf had been playing for Botafogo in Brazil but announced on Tuesday he was ending his 22-year playing career to take up the role at his former club. “You can’t say that I’m back as I never really left,” he said. “We have a lot to do to get the club back where it belongs and I’m very happy to be back here. “At the moment, I feel very emotional and I also feel a sense of duty. I have to give 100% to rebuild, and to give enthusiasm and a sense of security. We can look to do important things for the fans. I left Milan in May 2012 at the end of a cycle. My job now is to open a new one.” Milan are currently 11th
the UN. The main objective of the youth summit, organized by the Pan-African Youth Leaders Network of the United Nations for the Achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (ROJALNU/MDGs) in collaboration with UNAIDS and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), is to provide a platform for youth leaders from Africa and the Diaspora to discuss and share innovative ideas on key issues of sustainable human development. Other themes pertaining to the demographic dividend, gender violence, youth and adolescents’ reproductive health issues, HIV/AIDS and information and communication technologies are also being discussed during the week-long summit.
The summit has been held under the patronage of His Excellence Mr. Macky Sall, President of the Republic of Senegal, and His Excellency Mr. Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, President of the Republic of Mali. High-ranking personalities attending include Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin, UnderSecretary General of the United Nations and Executive Director of UNFPA, Cheikh Hadjibou Soumare, President of the Commission of West Africa Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU), Benoît Sambou, Minister of youth, professional training and employment of Senegal, and other high-ranking officials o f i n t e r- g o v e r n m e n t a l organizations such as the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie, civil society and the private sector.
Vonn undergoes successful knee surgery
Lindsey Vonn (Reuters/Christian Hartmann)
Clarence Seedorf (with cap) has been appointed the new manager of AC Milan. (Getty Images) in the Italian top flight, and 30 points behind leaders Juventus. Allegri’s sacking came after Milan lost 4-3 to minnows Sassuolo on Sunday. Former Netherlands international Seedorf made more than 400 appearances for Milan, helping them win two Serie A and two
Champions League titles. He was also the first player to win the Champions League with three different clubs - Dutch side Ajax in 1995, Spanish giants Real Madrid in 1998 and Milan, in 2003 and 2007. He has also played for Inter Milan and Sampdoria.
Clarence Seedorf factfile Age: 37 Nationality: Dutch Clubs: Ajax (1992-95); Sampdoria (1995-96); Real Madrid (1996-2000); Inter (2000-02); Milan (20022012); Botafogo (20122014) International caps: 87
(Reuters) - Olympic downhill champion Lindsey Vo n n h a s u n d e r g o n e successful surgery to repair the injured right knee that cost her a chance of defending the title she won in Vancouver four years ago, the American announced on Wednesday. Vonn, who has battled knee ailments over the past year, was forced to withdraw from next month’s Sochi Games in Russia to have the operation, although she is expected to make a full recovery in time for the 201415 World Cup season. The 29-year-old four-times World Cup champion, one of the
biggest attractions in winter sport, spoke of the surgery via her Facebook account. “Resting with loved ones,” Vonn wrote. “So thankful to have such great people helping me. Will update more later.” Vonn reinjured her knee late last month in France. She was competing in just her second World Cup event since tearing her ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) and MCL (medial collateral ligament) in an accident last February. Vonn also claimed a bronze medal in the Super-G event in Vancouver.
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Kaieteur News
Friday January 17, 2014
Clayton Lambert’s 151 is still the highest by a Guyanese at the regional one day level Statistician Charwayne Walker notes that Clayton Lambert’s 151 against Barbados 1997 at Bourda is still the highest score by a Guyanese batsman at the Regional one day level. Strange enough Lambert’s feat is only bettered by Windward Islands Dawnley Joseph 155 scored against Bermuda. The first Guyanese to record a century in Regional one day was Timur Mohamed, the flambouyant left hander who caressed the Jamaicans at Jarret’s Park with eight sixes and an equal amount of fours in compiling a gracious 104, the year was 1980. Another left hander, the late Roy Federicks, emulated Mohamed by hitting a belligerent 119 against the Leeward Islands at the A.R.G during the 1980 Geddes Grant/Harrison line finals. Monty Lynch became the next Guyanese Century Maker in Regional one day Cricket when he smashed a hurricane 129 against Marshall and company at the (Mecca) Kensington Oval in 1983. The Pugnacious Lambert added his name to the list with a commanding unbeaten 111 against the
Clayton Lambert
Royston Crandon
Ramnaresh Sarwan
Leeward Islands at Hampton Court Ground in Essequibo 1989. Former West Indies Captain Carl Llewellyn Hooper became the fifth Guyanese centurion in 1995. He carved his way to a classy 104 against the Leeward Islands at Blairmont Community Centre. Eight years after scoring his maiden regional one day hundred, Lambert fashioned his superb recording breaking knock 151 against Barbados (1997) in front of an appreciative home crowd. Former West Indies Captain and ICC Cricketer of the Year 2008, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, made (112) against Barbados at the Kaiser Sports Club in 1998 to add his name to the list. Three years later former We s t I n d i e s o p e n e r Sewnarine Chattergoon
cracked 103 at GCC Bourda against Antigua and Barbuda. In 2005 Ramnaresh Sarwan became the leading Guyanese Century maker when he cracked three magnificent hundreds. Playing against Barbados at the North Stars ground St. Lucy. The elegant right hander scored (106) not out, before following up with 113 versus the Leeward Islands at the Windward Sports Ground. Against the same opposition, in the semifinals at Bourda, Sarwan managed to score 113 again. In the final of the K.F.C Cup in 2005, Albion’s Sewnarine Chattergoon made a match winning (119) against a powerful Barbados line up. Two years later 2007, Royston Crandon of Rose Hall Town Sports Club
became the first Guyanese to score a Regional one day Century on debut when he slammed 101 against the Windward Islands at the Tanteen ground in Grenada. Demerara Cricket Club’s, Travis Dowling, added his to the list with 119 against the Combined Campuses and Colleges at the Providence Stadium 2007. A l b i o n ’s N a r s i n g h Deonarine is the last Guyanese batsman to register a Regional one day century. Deonarine made a match winning 102 not out vs Barbados at Albion in 2009.Now the Million dollar question diehard Guyanese Cricket fans is asking; would Fudadin, Griffith, Johnson, Barnwell, Bacchus names be added to the coveted list above in 2014. (Charwayne Walker)
Ajmal strikes to restrict Sri Lanka in final Test Sangakkara scores half century
Saeed Ajmal exults after a wicket. (AFP)
F1’s Ecclestone faces German bribery trial MUNICH (Reuters) Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone will stand trial on bribery charges in Munich over the sale of a stake in his multi-billion dollar sport, a German court said on Thursday. “Under current planning, the main trial should start in late April,” the Munich court said in a statement on Thursday. Ecclestone, 83, was charged in July with bribing former German banker Gerhard Gribkowsky to smooth the sale of a stake in the motor racing business to private equity firm CVC eight years ago. Ecclestone has denied wrongdoing and said he will fight to clear his name. “The decision to go to trial is normal and in no way is it a finding in the issue at hand. This is something that is up to the trial itself,” Ecclestone’s
Formula One Chief Executive Bernie Ecclestone arrives at the High Court in central London in this November 6, 2013 file photo. REUTERS/Olivia Harris/files lawyers in Germany Sven Thomas and Norbert Scharf said in a statement. “The alleged bribery never took place. The accusations that are based on Gribkowsky’s testimony are incorrect and based on the facts offer no coherent picture.” Legal
problems stemming from the CVC sale threaten to end Ecclestone’s long hold on a sport that attracts hundreds of millions of television viewers to its series of grand prix races held around the globe. The legal issues also make it hard to revisit stalled
efforts to launch an initial public offering of Formula One on the Singapore stock market. CVC paid about $830 million for BayernLB’s 47 percent stake in Formula One, after the business had fallen into the hands of a group of banks following the collapse of German media company and controlling shareholder Kirch. A Munich court in 2012 jailed Gribkowsky, former chief risk officer at BayernLB, for tax evasion and bribery for taking a $44 million payment from Ecclestone and his family trust after the sale. Ecclestone, who has repeatedly said the payment had nothing to do with the CVC deal, is also awaiting the outcome of a $100 million damages claim brought by German company Constantin Medien in the London High
Kumar Sangakkara sets off for a run. (AFP)
Emarates 24/7 Sports Pakistan off-spinner Saeed Ajmal picked up two wickets in the last session to restrict Sri Lanka to 220 for five wickets at stumps on the first day of the third and final test in Sharjah on Thursday. The experienced slow bowler dismissed a well-set Mahela Jayawardene (47) with some extra spin and bounce and then baffled Dinesh Chandimal (11) with a doosra to reduce Sri Lanka
to 166 for five at one stage. Captain Angelo Mathews (24) and wicketkeeper Prasanna Jayawardene (28) held firm with an unbroken sixthwicket stand of 54 runs to deny Pakistan any further success. Ajmal was confident he had Prasanna out leg before and the umpire agreed too but the batsman reviewed the decision successfully as (Continued on page 36)
Kaieteur News
Friday January 17, 2014
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Four hours lost to heat on Putin promises no discrimination at Games Melbourne outer courts
Visitors use an escalator in the Media Centre at the Olympic Park in Adler near Sochi January 16, 2014. REUTERS/Alexander Demianchuk MOSCOW (Reuters) President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday no athlete would face discrimination at n e x t m o n t h ’s Wi n t e r Olympics, hoping to ease international concern over a Russian law banning gay “propaganda”. Aware that the success or failure of the Sochi Games will help shape his legacy, Putin has closely identified himself with the $50-billion event which opens on February 7. Putin outraged many in the West last year by signing a law banning the spread of homosexual “propaganda” among minors. Critics say the law is discriminatory and aimed at stifling dissent but calls for a boycott of the Games have failed. In a speech to new foreign ambassadors presenting their credentials at a ceremony in the Kremlin, Putin offered his latest assurance that every athlete will be treated equally. “The Olympic Games will be held in full
compliance with the Olympic charter, without any discrimination on any basis. Russia will be rooting for its own athletes of course, but we wish success to all the athletes,” Putin said. The Olympics in the Black Sea resort of Sochi are a priority for Putin, who wants to use them to showcase Russia’s modern face to the world, more than two decades after the fall of the communist Soviet Union. In an attempt to improve Russia’s image on human rights before the Games, Putin has already eased curbs on protests in Sochi, freed members of the Pussy Riot punk protest group under an amnesty and released former oil tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky, who had been Russia’s most famous prisoner. “I am confident the Olympics will bring nations closer together and help strengthen friendship, trust and partnership around the world,” Putin said.
The International Olympic Committee has not commented on Russia’s gay propaganda law, but some human rights activists are hoping the Games will be used as a platform to protest. The United States is sending three openly gay members in its official Olympic delegation. Putin’s easing of curbs on demonstrations in Sochi will allow groups to hold some marches and gatherings at sites approved by the security services. There is also a security threat to Sochi, which lies on the western edge of the Caucasus mountains. Militants trying to carve out an Islamist state in the region have threatened to attack the Games. At least 34 people were killed last month in two suicide bombings in the southern city of Volgograd. Putin beefed up safety measures nationwide after the attacks and about 37,000 personnel are providing security in Sochi.
NBA roundup: John Wall helps Wizards beat Heat, 114-97 Associated Press WASHINGTON — The Washington Wizards had a 34-point lead against the Miami Heat reduced to single digits Wednesday night before holding on for a 114-97 victory in Greg Oden’s first game in more than four years. John Wall scored 25 points, and Bradley Beal and Nene had 19 apiece to lead seven players in double figures for the Wizards, who shot a
season-high 55 percent and closed the game with a 17-9 run to avoid an second straight embarrassing collapse at home. Chris Bosh scored 26 points, and LeBron James had 25 points, eight rebounds, seven assists and four turnovers for the Heat, who have dropped three straight, all on the road. BULLS 128, MAGIC 125, 3 O T S CLIPPERS 129, MAVERICKS 127
NUGGETS 123, WARRIORS 116 TRAIL BLAZERS 108, CAVALIERS 96 ROCKETS 103, PELICANS 100 GRIZZLIES82,BUCKS 77 SPURS109,JAZZ105 SUNS 121, LAKERS 114 K I N G S 1 1 1 , TIMBERWOLVES 108 76ERS 95, BOBCATS 92
M E L B O U R N E (Reuters) - Organizers lost more than four hours of play on the outer courts when a third day of high temperatures at the Australian Open forced them to enact their “Extreme Heat Policy” on Thursday. The policy was put into force at 1.50 pm local time (0250 GMT) as the mercury headed towards a peak of 43.4 degrees Celsius (110 Fahrenheit) and no play was possible until 6 pm. In a bizarre turn of events, less than two hours after the resumption, the players were forced off the courts again by lightning and rain. Play continued on the Rod Laver Arena and Hisense Arena through both stoppages after the retractable roofs over the main showcourts were closed. Organizers had been slammed for forcing players to play on in searing temperatures on Tuesday and Wednesday and the decision to stop play was largely welcomed. “I think it’s everybody saying that sometimes it’s even too hot,” said Agnieszka Radwanska, who beat Olga Govortsova 6-0 75 under the closed roof on Hisense Arena. “Some of the girls can’t even talk after the match or practice. You can see who played a match, you know. Just so red. “Today was really, really hard. Even indoors was ridiculous.” Under a change to the rules for this year, the
decision on whether to stop matches at the tournament is now at the discretion of tournament referee Wayne McKewen. Rather than use the raw Celsius readings to assess the heat, organizers prefer to use t h e We t B u l b G l o b a l Temperature composite, which also gauges humidity and wind to identify the perceived conditions. “ To d a y t h e k e y parameters to determine whether play should be suspended were reached,” said the tournament’s chief medical officer Dr Tim Wood. “The ongoing forecast was for even warmer conditions and therefore the decision was made to suspend play on the outside courts until weather conditions improved.” FULL GLARE With players having to finish the ongoing set before play ceased or the roofs were closed, however, Maria Sharapova’s match on Rod Laver Arena continued in the full glare of the sun for 50 minutes after the policy was enacted. The third seed eventually finished off Italian Karin Knapp 6-3 4-6 10-8 to reach the third round. “There is no way getting around the fact that the conditions were extremely difficult, and have been for the last few days,” Sharapova told reporters. “It’s a tough call. I mean, I think the question I have is no one really knows what the limit is. “Not the players (nor) the trainers themselves
when you ask them when will the roof be closed.” A m e r i c a n Va r v a r a Lepchenko clearly struggled in the heat in the first match on court eight, which she lost 4-6 6-0 6-1 to Romanian Simona Halep. “I think they definitely should have not started the matches at first place,” Lepchenko, who had to be iced down during one changeover, said. “I think they should have started the matches after the temperature cooled down a little bit because this is just too much. “Obviously it is very dangerous if someone has conditions with their heart or anything like that or just being in this temperature it’s almost like going to (the) sauna.” O n Tu e s d a y, w h e n temperatures peaked at 42.2 degrees, Canadian Frank Dancevic passed out during his first round match and accused organizers of forcing players to play in “inhumane” conditions. Ivan Dodig became the 10th player to retire in the first three days of the tournament on Wednesday and said he feared for his life after being rendered immobile by the heat on the exposed outer courts. Twelve doubles matches scheduled for day four were cancelled and will be played at a future date. The hot weather is forecast to continue through Friday before a dramatic drop in temperatures at the weekend.
Frazzled Sharapova fumes over murky heat policy M E L B O U R N E (Reuters) - Maria Sharapova criticized Australian Open organizers for a lack of transparency over their ‘extreme heat policy’ when the Russian was left toiling on court for nearly an hour after organizers had invoked an official halt on Thursday. Sharapova and her opponent Karin Knapp of Italy slugged it out in 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) heat at Rod Laver Arena for three-and-ahalf hours before the Russian prevailed 6-3 4-6 10-8 in their marathon second round encounter. The pair were already (Continued on page 37)
Maria Sharapova of Russia holds ice on her head during her women’s singles match against Karin Knapp of Italy atthe Australian Open 2014 tennis tournament in Melbourne January 16, 2014. REUTERS/David Gray
t r o Sp
Caribbean RADO at the ready to assist in the fight against doping P.37
Four hours lost to heat on Melbourne outer courts
Guyana is part of Spectators 15-member body wait for a storm to pass before play on courts outside start again at the Australian Open 2014 tennis tournament in Melbourne January 16, 2014. (Reuters/Jason Reed) The Caribbean Regional Anti-Doping Organisation, Chairman Dr. Adrian Lorde (seated 3rd left), Executive Director – Tessa Chaderton-Shaw (seated 3rd right) and Alfred King (standing right) among other Board Members.
P.41 GABF President Webb receives United Nations Recognition for Social Work through Sport and Secretary
Acknowledgement takes place at the Fourth Pan-African Youth Leadership Summit
P.40
for CBC Congress
Guyana to bid to host Junior CBC four nation c/ship
CONCACAF President Jeffrey Webb acknowledges the applause at the UN event.
Michael Singh
Nigel Hinds
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