Wednesday January 21, 2015
Kaieteur News
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Letters... Where your views make the news... Letters... Where your views make the news
The Minister seems Selling to the highest bidder unable to get it right DEAR EDITOR, In what one would hope to be his final stretch in an almost nine-year tenure of abysmal accountability and gross mismanagement, Minister of Culture, Dr. Frank Anthony seems incapable of getting anything right with regard to the proper management of culture, particularly as concerns the literary arts. We learn from Kaieteur News of January 19 (‘Mashramani activities to begin Monday with children’s competition’) that: “In an effort to promote education in Guyanese history and culture, the Ministry will also be hosting a Literary Street Fair on February 20, on Main Street. Moreover, the Minister is looking to enhance the public’s understanding of Republic Day significance, with a Republic Lecture by critically acclaimed Guyanese author Oonya Kempadoo on February 17 at the National Library.” On the first issue, no public notice was sent out inviting participation from persons producing books here in Guyana. This illustrates what I’ve pointed out for years with regard to Anthony’s philosophy on public consultation and inclusion for national projects. What this closed-door selection process does is encourage both discrimination and nepotism funded by the public purse. It is an attitude that he has applied to virtually every aspect of literary promotion and development directly under his control, from the selection of delegations to regional cultural festivals to publication by the Caribbean Press to events like the street fair. Writers who do not fall into line, who don’t still their voice, are excluded, no matter their demonstrated ability or willingness to participate. In order to perpetuate this system of affairs, Anthony handpicks committees that conduct their planning and deliberation outside of the view of the general public, without input or consultation from all competent and available stakeholders. This is why, for example, despite his promises there is no Board yet in place for the Caribbean Press and the selection process for books seems to be now completely in the hands of Dr. David Dabydeen. Now with regard to the scheduled appearance of Oonya Kempadoo, with all due respect to the writer and
her achievements, the fact that Anthony is flying her in to speak on the significance of the Republic Anniversary in the country in which she does not live is evidence that he is unwilling to put any competent resident writer on the national stage. And no, this is not about chauvinism: at the last Guyana Prize, three resident writers, yours truly included but also two young first-time winners – Mosa Telford and Cassia Alphonso – took the three major awards, Fiction, Drama and Poetry respectively. Nothing is wrong with inviting Ms. Kempadoo per se, but why the exclusion of local writers? Why not constitute a panel of writers to discuss the challenges and opportunities facing Guyana on the anniversary of the republic? My concern is that Ms. Kempadoo is being used to both buffer Anthony’s tarnished image, at the expense of taxpayers, while resident writers remain marginalized for political expedience. With general elections in the air, and presumably Anthony’s exit from his portfolio, the problems of accountability – particularly in the establishment of cultural policy and the expenditure of funds allocated for culture – remain unaddressed. Eight years after he promised then parliamentarian Aubrey Norton that issues of copyright would be addressed, absolutely no progress has been made. Eight years after he was handed a draft National Cultural Policy, there remains no actual policy in place.
Seven years after CARIFESTA was held in Guyana, the accounts of the billion-dollar expenditure on the festival remain unresolved. Six years after its establishment, the Caribbean Press remains without a board and despite its founding mandate to publish local writers, only a tiny minority of the books feature them, with his daughter’s gaining precedence. Two years after he promised to properly constitute the Sports and Culture Fund and invite applications for grants, a promise he again made last year when he also deliberately misinformed the National Assembly that he had sought to consult me and I had refused, the Fund remains not constituted, with decisionmaking at the sole discretion of Anthony, his Permanent Secretary and his Director of Culture. A year after he held a consultation on creative industries, participants (I had to crash the event) are yet to receive a single word of feedback on the way forward. In short, the Minister of Culture seems to be preparing to exit the stage precisely in the same way he occupied it – much fanfare, much sleightof-hand, and very little substance. This is a legacy no one should or can be proud of. Ruel Johnson Janus Cultural Policy Initiative
DEAR EDITOR, I see the PPP (Paid Pen Peter) is on his usual judgemental tirade. All his posturings now are glorifying the PPP Civic. Should he not be championing the cause of the United Force? Is not this the party for which he stood as Presidential Candidate in the last election? For all intents and purposes, Peter Persaud should hang his head in shame. He who has professed to be championing the rights of the Amerindians through his two-member Association
(TAAMOG) is now selling them out so that he alone can survive through his age-old banditry, selling his pen to the highest bidder. Now he has taken to pointing fingers at Sydney Allicock and the Opposition. Can Peter Persaud recall his indulgence in a matter between a certain Timber company and two Amerindian Communities in the Pomeroon? Was he not the facilitator who blindfolded the Leaders into accepting payments on the side and then everything
fell apart when the APA stepped in? I am Amerindian and I urge my fellow Amerindians to not allow Peter Persaud to profess that he is representing us. He would sell us out for way less than the proverbial ‘thirty pieces of silver’. And, to those who think that his allegiance can be bought, he would drop you like a bad habit for a penny more. Finally, who exactly is Trevor Atkinson? More to come on this. Angry Amerindian
Is the Child Protection Hotline functioning properly? DEAR EDITOR, Two weekends ago I had cause to call the Child Protection Hotline. A child in a neighboring yard was being beaten by an adult, with the sounds of the abuse coming loud and clear through the walls of the house. I know beating children is still common practice in Guyana, but it is not something I condone. I could not personally go into the yard where the abuse was occurring because dogs, including a pit bull, were loose so I decided to call the Child Protection Hotline, having heard that that was what you were supposed to do in cases like this. I provided the location of the house and as much information as I could to the person who answered the
phone and she promised that it would be checked out within 72 hours, as was the agency’s protocol. Three days later, I decided to call back to follow up on the story. I was shocked however, to be told by the supervisor- Mr. Robertsonthat there was no record of my call! I am now wondering how often this happens, and how many other reports of child abuse are not recorded or followed up. I am also wondering what system of checks, oversight, and accountability is in place to make sure that ‘mistakes’ like this do not regularly occur. The Child Protection Hotline is a critical tool in ensuring the safety and wellbeing of the children of
Guyana and it’s critical that all efforts are made to have it function effectively. Additionally, we- members of the public who are trying to do the right thing and take action to right the wrongs that we see in our communities- also need to have confidence in these services. ‘Mistakes’ like this can mean the difference between life and death. I hereby call upon those responsible for the operation of the Child Protection Hotline to clarify their intake procedures, to describe their monitoring and evaluation system, and to reassure the Guyanese public that they are indeed doing what they’re supposed to, not just telling us one thing and doing another. Concerned Citizen
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Kaieteur News
PPP/C “ready and steady” for elections The ruling People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) says it is all “ready and steady” for the upcoming elections as announced yesterday by President Donald Ramotar. A statement from ruling PPP/C said that it welcomes the much anticipated announcement that polls will be on May 11, 2015. “The party’s machinery is well oiled and its members, supporters and well-wishers are in the mood. They are about to be afflicted by
elections fever now that May 11th has been announced as “E” Day.” PPP/C said that it will be entering the elections with a spirit of optimism and confidence. “The PPP will exert every effort to continue the longstanding Party tradition of achieving victory at the polls as it did since 1957, save for the period from 1968 to 1992 when the Guyanese people’s democratic right to elect a Government of their choice was stolen from them by the
People’s National Congress (PNC).” The statement insisted that the people won back that right in 1992 and Guyana was once again placed firmly on the path to social and economic progress, coupled with the upholding of the political, civil and cultural r i g h t s o f a l l G u y a nese people. “The PPP calls on all its members, supporters, wellwishers and indeed all Guyanese to rally behind the winning symbol of the cup.”
May 11 is Election... (From page 3) keep them abreast with developments and my efforts to reach some level of political consensus. Meetings were also held with the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) to emphasize the need for their readiness for holding free, fair, transparent and efficient elections. This was consistent with my intention to call general elections should there be failure to find accommodation with the parliamentary opposition parties. You will recall that in December 2014, I had alerted international observers to the possibility of elec-
tions in 2015. Also, at a Press Conference I assured the nation that I was going to announce a date for General and Regional Elections early in the New Year as not to disrupt the holiday season. My commitment to preserving and strengthening our democracy is unquestionable. I made it clear then that I remained open to dialogue with the opposition parties. It is a door that I did not nor do not intend to shut, now or ever. In light of the opposition’s sustained refusal to engage my Government in the dialogue we anticipated and in light of the
commitment I made to you, the people of Guyana, I now move towards general elections. In the circumstances, I hereby announce that General and Regional Elections shall be held on Monday, 11th May, 2015. I am advised that GECOM would be in a state of readiness for these polls on that date. As usual, I intent to invite international observers to be part of the elections process and I will expect the political parties, the security services and the people of Guyana to conduct themselves in a manner that would ensure continued peace and stability before, during and after the elections. We have a collective obligation to ensure the protection of the democratic gains we have made and for which we have endured so much as a nation to secure.
Wednesday January 21, 2015
May 11 Elections…
Oppositon tells Ramotar bring it on President Donald Ramotar has finally set a date for General Election and the political opposition—A Partnership for Natio n a l Unity (APNU) and the Alliance For Change (AFC) —is ready to move into election with the expressed hope that Guyana will this time, see the back of the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C). On Monday, May 11, Guyanese will be voting, following an announcement yesterday afternoon by President Ramotar. The Head of State chose this route as he refused to face an AFCsponsored No-Confidence Motion brought against his government. Ramotar had prorogued the Parliament on November 10, the very day the Motion was supposed to be debated. The President subsequently refused to end the period of prorogation and said he would call elections early in the new year and dissolve the Parliament. However, even as the Election date has been set, Ramotar is still to dissolve the Parliament. When contacted yesterday, AFC’s General Secretary David Patterson said that his party was extremely happy to know that the date for the General Election has been finally set. He said that the AFC has been preparing for this imminent date since last year and is certainly “ready to bring down the PPP
AFC General Secretary, David Patterson
APNU General Secretary, Joseph Harmon
Administration”. “Let the games begin. Bring it on, Ramotar,” he added. APNU’s General Secretary, Joseph Harmon expressed similar sentiments. Harmon said that APNU is most pleased that a date has been set and the President has “finally brought an end to the drama and suspicion which came with the uncertainty of not knowing the date for General Election”. The Shadow Minister of Public Works asserted that he is also happy that Guyanese will get an early opportunity to go to the polls and elect a new government, one that is “guaranteed to bring an end to the unimaginable scales of corruption under the PPP regime’. Harmon said that the electorate has probably received the best gift thus far from the Ramotar-led
administration in the form of the date for elections. The General Secretary also disclosed that in the coming weeks, APNU will be sharing with the nation, its programmes and policies for improving the development of the country and “recovering those resources which were unfairly distributed to PPP acolytes such as the radio licences”. “We stand ready to take the country forward,” Harmon affirmed. Asked about talks over the AFC’s pro-democracy alliance proposal in light of the date being announced, Harmon said that the discussions are moving apace and that statements from both parties on the way forward will be made soon. He e m p h a s i z e d t h a t “whatever action or decision is made by APNU, it is always done with the country’s best interest at heart”.
Wednesday January 21, 2015
Kaieteur News
Oil falls again as IMF cuts forecast; Iran hints at $25 oil (Reuters) - Oil fell as much as 5 percent on Tuesday after the International Monetary Fund cut its 2015 global economic forecast and key producer Iran hinted prices could drop to $25 (16 pounds) a barrel without supportive OPEC action. Genscape, an analytics firm that monitors U.S. oil stocks, reported a 2.6 millionbarrel build last week in Cushing, Oklahoma, the delivery point for the U.S. crude futures contract, adding to the market’s bearish sentiment, traders said. Trade group American Petroleum Institute will issue its data on U.S. crude inventories for last week on Wednesday while the government’s Energy Information Administration will release its stockpile tally on Thursday, both delayed a day by a holiday on Monday. Benchmark Brent crude closed down 85 cents, or 1.8 percent, at $47.99 a barrel. It earlier touched a session low of $47.78. U.S. crude settled down $2.30, or 4.7 percent, at $46.39
a barrel, after tumbling to an intraday bottom of $45.89. Traders said activity in U.S. crude was heightened somewhat by the expiry of the February futures contract as the front-month. The premium for Brent over U.S. crude futures widened after Genscape’s reported build in Cushing stocks. The arbitrage was at around $1.50 a barrel when U.S. crude settled, after reaching $1.66 earlier. Oil prices are hovering near six-year lows after a selloff on worries of a glut caused primarily by unexpectedly high production of U.S. shale crude. An expected slide in the U.S. oil rig count in the first quarter compared with the fourth quarter of last year failed to boost sentiment on Tuesday as traders and investors remain focused on concerns of oil oversupply. “Because we have record oil production now, the falling rig numbers are not creating an immediate positive impact in bolstering prices,” said Phil Flynn, analyst at Price
Futures Group in Chicago. “In fact, they may be creating just the opposite impact; reminding us how poor demand is.” U.S. oil services firm Baker Hughes Inc said in a conference call on Tuesday that the U.S. average rig count was expected to decline 15 percent in the first quarter from the previous quarter, and it expected to lay off some 7,000 staff. Earlier data from Baker Hughes showed the number of rigs drilling for oil in the United States fell by 55 last week, the second-sharpest weekly drop in 24 years. The IMF, in its latest World Economic Outlook report, reduced its global economic forecast by 0.3 percentage points for this year and next, projecting a 3.5 percent growth in 2015 and 3.7 percent for 2016. Iran’s Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh said Tehran saw no signs of a shift within OPEC towards action to support oil prices, and that the industry could ride out a further slump toward $25.
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Kaieteur News
Wednesday January 21, 2015
Wednesday January 21, 2015
Kaieteur News
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NO SANCTIONS AGAINST GUYANA The non-release of funds by the European Union to Guyana is not an unexpected development. It is related to the prorogation of parliament, but does not constitute sanctions against the government. This money that is being withheld is not funds that are being provided by the European Union out of a sense of generosity. No, it is money that the European Union is obligated under agreements to provide to the country. Their failure to provide this money is due to practical difficulties that have been caused by the prorogation of parliament. Over the past ten years, the EU’s assistance to Guyana has been mainly channeled in the form of budgetary support. One of the forms of support provided by the
European Union is funds to assist sugar producers because of the unilateral decision to abolish the preferential markets that were afforded to sugar. In an effort to allow sugarproducing countries to mitigate the downside to this decision by the EU, funds have been provided to support reforms in the affected sector. These funds are therefore funds which legitimately should be given to GuySuCo. However, the European Union has also had a shift in terms of how they grant assistance. The assistance is increasingly being channeled through what is known as budgetary support. That is, the EU would not give the money directly to GuySuCo, even though this may be the intended
beneficiary. They will give it in the form of budgetary support because they favour parliamentary scrutiny of the funds they provide. This is why when people claim that the government is providing subsidies to GuySuCo, they are missing the fact that financial transfers by the treasury to the sugar company would place the sugar corporation in a stronger position to meet the conditionalities necessary for it to receive budgetary support which is no aid, but an entitlement, because of the unilateral decision of the EU to abandon the Sugar Protocol. Without support from the treasury, GuySuCo would be unable to qualify for the funds which it is entitled to, but which have to be challenged through budgetary support, that is, through the treasury,
Dem boys seh...
Donald term winding down Donald is a strategist. He smart suh till people can’t come near to imagining that is de same Donald who does tek instructions from everybody else. De fuss thing he do was call de Shaat Scamp and tell he to lower de cost of fuel. That mean that he tell de Shaat Scamp to mek sure that de gas price go down. Then he name elections date. He throw down de challenge to de opposition parties. Everything down. De other day people try to go pun de internet and dem couldn’t. GT&T was down, suh no WhatsApp and no BBM. When de people try fuh warm up some food de microwave was down. Dem
boys thought that de microwave spoil, but was GPL down. And wasn’t a case of rain fall down and some pole come down; was de whole GPL down. If wasn’t fuh de Waterfalls paper de whole country woulda shut down, because de opposition was lying down. In fact, ever since Donald shut de parliament down all dem parliamentarian was wining down. And while that was happening de police was beating criminals down. Dem boys seh that all de beating down come about because dem got some hard ears criminal. And talk fuh rain, talk fuh sun, Kwame refuse to tek a back seat. He spending a lo t of time
running li’l boys down and while he doing that some people who in high places busy throwing li’l gyal down. According to dem boys that is not de end of de story. De Chinee coming down, de army helicopters down, and de hospital rundown because all de drugs done. Babbie seh that de contract shut down suh health care down. All systems fall down. Dem boys seh that so much things deh down that some men wondering if dem can mek dem wife happy when she lie down—to sleep—wid so many things falling down and some of dem staying down. Even Rohee standing down from challenging Donald. Talk half and watch how Donald gun now sit down.
rather than being paid directly to the sugar corporation. This policy has been controversial and subject to criticism, as was observed five years ago by the EU when it began a review of budgetary support. There were concerns about the efficacy of such support and thus the EU initiated a worldwide consultation on this process. The EU favours this support because budgetary spending is subject to greater parliamentary scrutiny. But it also allows for political conditionalities to form part of the aid process. This is the principal objection to EU aid being channeled through budgetary support. A whole series of benchmarks and conditionalities must be met, and these can be used in an imperial manner to dictate government policy. The EU in fact is a frustrating developmental partner, and it is only because they are not doing Guyana any favours by providing assistance that they should not be told where to stick their developmental aid. This money that they are giving us is money that they owe us, because of their
deviousness in revoking the Sugar Protocol. But they want to make it seem as if the general assistance is divorced from the overall developmental assistance that they are obligated to provide because of the impact their cuts have had on regional economies. The fact that they are not transferring the money is because parliament is prorogued and therefore they cannot transfer budgetary support to the government if this support is not likely, in their estimation, to be
subjected to parliamentary scrutiny. It has nothing to do with sanctions. The European Union is not withholding funds because they have decided to punish the government. They cannot provide the funds until there is a sitting parliament. That will not happen, as we now know, until June.
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Kaieteur News
Wednesday January 21, 2015
THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN
The PNC should go with Moses Nagamootoo Election Day is May 11. It is up to the PNC now. Guyana is in the hands of the PNC. My understanding is that some big figures in the Guyanese society are talking to the leadership of the PNC about a grand coalition for the election, with Moses Nagamootoo as the coalition’s presidential
candidate. The historiographical explanations of the PNC by Guyanese East Indians and the PPP have been unkind to the PNC. While it cannot and must not be denied that Forbes Burnham had an inexplicable and tragic obsession with power (we are paying for his 1980
Constitution at the moment), the PNC under both Burnham and Hoyte did phenomenally good things for this country. I would not insult myself by even mentioning one of them. Generations of Guyanese know about these fantastic accomplishments. Desmond Hoyte was one of the world’s most decent heads of government. Against this background, the PNC deserves to be back in government. There are some who say that the PNC still has untrustworthy people. Trust me! There are untrustworthy people all over Guyana. It has been a long time since the PNC lost power. And even the PNC itself cannot recover from what it has seen from the PPP. PNC leaders tell me all the time; “Y’all seh de PNC was bad; what you call to what the PPP is doing?” There isn’t one person who was in the WPA and is alive today that has recovered from the mental wound that has afflicted them
from what they have seen the PPP become. Guyanese, no matter how learned, cannot believe what they have seen and are seeing from the PPP Government. It has reached the point where if this country is going to survive for another five years, the PPP has to leave office. Today, the PNC stands at the crossroads. If it loses the 2015 elections, that would be six consecutive losses. And I would include another PPP minority government as a PNC loss. It is difficult to see a bright future for the PNC after a defeat this year. If the PPP wins a plurality and becomes a minority government again, it will not share office with the PNC or the AFC. It is wishful thinking on the part of both parties to think that the PPP will do so. The PPP will persevere with minority authority, but make concessions to the PNC and AFC parliamentary agenda. If the PNC is going to be back in government, then the PNC has to win a majority or win the plurality, and if the AFC wins the plurality, I believe it will invite the PNC to share office. In 2015, the PNC would have been out of power for
twenty-three years. Its best opportunity of returning to rule this country, to show Guyanese that it can be a competent and nationalist government as it was from 1968 to 1992, is in the forthcoming general elections. But for the PNC to return to government, the strategy it uses will determine its fate. The PNC should enter into a grand coalition with the AFC and other forces, making the contest a two-person race – the PPP versus the coalition. I believe the coalition will get a majority. The victory will depend on how the PNC strategizes. I am suggesting the PNC accept Moses Nagamootoo as the coalition’s presidential candidate. Two historical factors would have been born if the coalition wins. One is the party that the PPP loved to malign and the party that East Indians loved to hate is now given the opportunity to shut the mouth of the world. Secondly, it marks the end of a glorious career for Moses Nagamootoo in which he reached the apogee – he became the president of his country. Moses Nagamootoo deserves that. It should not
Frederick Kissoon be denied him. The PNC stands to create history by making that historical concession to him. I sincerely feel that Moses will be a caring president who will accept that the PNC has the support of half of this nation and that the PNC made his presidency possible, and the PNC must make policies for Guyana. I cannot foresee a PNC problem with a Nagamootoo presidency. If there is a grand coalition, I would urge the coalition leaders to talk to Ralph Ramkarran. I have had my quarrels with Mr. Ramkarran, but I would not deny that his support would greatly enhance the chances of the coalition and the AFC, should the AFC choose to go it alone. There needs to be a figure like Ramkarran to talk to East Indians to tell them to come from the shadows and into the modern world.
Wednesday January 21, 2015
Kaieteur News
Finance Minister evades questions on budget, fibre optic cable project Minister of Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh avoided answering questions directly on the completion of the nation’s budget for 2015 and the controversial fibre optic cable project. At his most recent press conference, Kaieteur News asked Dr. Singh about the status of the budget and to provide an indication on when it is likely in his estimation to be laid. He said that the Ministry of Finance is of course guided by the Constitution which articulates the deadline for the presentation of the budget. Dr. Singh added that his Ministry will continue to work within the boundaries of the Constitution, meaning that, one would be laid once called to be so done within that deadline. “As you know, the Parliament is currently prorogued and our timeline will be determined by how we evolve in relation to prorogation and resumption. I would not wish to be preemptive. I will be guided by whatever decisions are made and whatever announcements are made after that,” the Finance Minister stated. Pressed again for what percentage of the nation’s budget is completed, he retorted, “Were I to say that, I rather suspect I would be disclosing my own thoughts in relation to the Parliament and I would hesitate to disclose those, but suffice it to say the work continues.” The Minister was also asked to comment on how much of taxpayers’ hardearned monies have been expended on the Brazil to Guyana fibre optic cable, if government is close to
securing a contractor for the completion of the project, and the status of the 90,000 laptops which were supposed to have been distributed to poor families. He was reminded that even that initiative was c i t e d b y t h e c o u n t r y ’s auditor general to be plagued by a number of improprieties. But Dr. Singh told Kaieteur News that while he admires its faith in his ability to retain information, “I don’t walk around with all the answers to questions in my head…I’m not in a position to answer in a detailed and informed manner on that question.” Prior to the Minister’s press conference, Kaieteur News had released a detailed article on how former President Bharrat Jagdeo invested $20B from the treasury in a scheme (a three part Information Technology programme ) designed to gain control of the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sector f o r h i m s e l f , h i s p a r t y, family and friends. Since then, there have been scathing criticisms from members of the political opposition and even chartered accountants that government had wasted millions of taxpayers’ dollars and even indebted the nation until 2032 with nothing to show for it. Chartered Accountant and Former Auditor General, Anand Goolsarran had chronicled the collapse and the financial improprieties surrounding government’s information communication technology programme.
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Skills and knowledge of teachers – a hallmark of proposed ‘Professional Standards’ The Ministry of Education is looking to introduce a ‘Professional Standards’ for Teachers that is expected to help improve the delivery of education. This strategic tactic, according to Chief Education Officer, Olato Sam, was devised with the intention of addressing all of the expectations for education practitioners. Sam, who was speaking at an Education Ministry press conference last week, disclosed that this mechanism is one that will seek to give attention to the required skills and knowledge of educators. Additionally, he pointed out that it will direct much focus to the professional dispositions that “are expected of our teachers or the attitudes and behaviours that they should exhibit.” The Professional Standards for Teachers will therefore set expectations for achieving desired educational outcomes and also amplify the importance of the performance of those who teach, lead, and/or supervise the education system. And according to the information out of the Ministry of Education such performance is the collective outcome of pre-service training, ongoing professional development, and the experience gained through the practice of the profession. However, since the education professional is ultimately responsible for his or her impact on the system,
it is therefore expected that the assessment of the standards will be based on practice rather than on examinations. “These standards are not intended as a tool for punitive action. Rather they reflect professional consensus of what is desirable in the supervision, leadership and delivery of education. They also provide a framework that permits professionals to engage in self-assessment,” a statement from the Education Ministry indicated. The proposed standards are aligned to the Organization of American States (OAS), the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and other international standards, and therefore offer the professional community specifications against which teachers are able to set goals for personal development and progress in the profession. Moreover, the need for teachers to embrace professional standards has even been amplified by CARICOM SecretaryGeneral, Ambassador Irwin LaRocque, who has urged teachers to place emphasis on standards to meet demands for a competent workforce in the Region. According to LaRocque, “Our community needs a workforce that is healthy, competent, and literate with strong basic skills, and which can adapt to a rapidly changing labour market and technological world.” As a consequence, he stated that there was need for
“more than passing assurance” that persons functioning as teachers are certified to teach, thoroughly prepared and maintained performance standards. “This assurance can be ascertained through the introduction of a set of measures that will enable the regulation and management of quality within a framework of professional teaching standards and, consequently, improve status of the teaching profession,” SecretaryGeneral LaRocque stated. Teacher career policies and programmes stimulating the profession; the provision of incentives to attract the best prospective candidates; established entry-level professional standards; and certification and licensing in accordance with established professional standards, were among the specific measures he suggested. Consultations for the proposed Professional Standards for the local education system were held in each Region of the country—71 altogether between February and July 2014. The consultations saw attention being given to the teaching standards detailed in a Draft Standards for Teachers in Guyana. Minister of Education Priya Manickchand, during the early stages of the consultations, had intimated that the response was heartening, and during an interview with this publication, she said that the document was even attracting
overseas attention. “It is very pleasing to me to see persons living abroad giving their input too....” the Minister informed. The overseas response, she disclosed, allowed the Ministry to access other similarly crafted documents from various countries in order to help guide the way forward. “It has been extremely good, the input we have been getting so far, because people are telling us what they think is wrong or right,” the Minister said. And the local response has been no less gratifying, she pointed out, even as she alluded to the overwhelming turnout at the stakeholders’ consultations. This is especially pleasing, the Minister said, in light of the fact that the meetings were attended by choice. “I am very satisfied…our aim has been to make it known that we have these draft standards and get feedback from everyone in the country about how they feel about them. This is to allow them to see if they want to delete stuff, if they want to add stuff…and that is the aim of the conversation and I am extremely pleased to see the turnouts, because these are not mandatory meetings,” the Minister said. Currently the Ministry is in the process of compiling a report which will entail input drawn from the various consultations that were had over the course of last year, Manickchand has disclosed.
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Kaieteur News
UNASUR explores cheaper drugs, visa-free travel for member states A regional body comprising South American countries is aggressively moving forward with its plans to introduce visa-free travel among its members and a number of key infrastructural projetcs. The Unión de Naciones Suramericanas (Union of South American Nations) or UNASUR, as it is known, is also working for its member states to access cheaper, generic drugs. The disclosure was made yesterday by Secretary General, Dr. Ernesto Samper, who wrapped up a 12-nation visit on the UNASUR’s secretariat work programme. During a short press conference at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Samper, a former President of Colombia from 1994 to 1998, said that UNASUR is working with a number of pharmaceutical
manufactures to make the drugs available. With regards to the prices of drugs, Samper said that UNASUR was cognizant of the fact that drugs in some countries are almost double the price. Also present at the press conference yesterday was Foreign Affairs Minister, Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, who said that UNASUR has developed a list of priority projects, including seven infrastructural ones. In December, the nine priority projects were submitted to the Heads of Government for approval. One of the projects included a Brazil/ Georgetown/Suriname highway and another one that will link Venezuela/ Guyana/Suriname. The projects will also involve a bridge across the Corentyne
River. Suriname has started to seek financing, engaging the Chinese. Guyana has issued contracts to build the access roads to the proposed location in Moleson Creek. According to Samper, UNASUR is also concentrating working on a common passport for its 12 member countries, allowing visa-free travel for citizens. Work is also underway for the recognition of university degrees in each other’s states. Already, eight of the South American countries have agreements for visa waivers. The Secretary General of UNASUR is the legal representative of its Secretariat. The UNASUR Constitutive Treaty was signed on 23 May 2008, at the Third Summit of Heads of State, held in Brasília, Brazil. As the Constitutive Treaty entered into force on 11 March 2011, UNASUR became a legal entity during a meeting of Foreign Ministers in Mitad del Mundo, Ecuador, where they had laid the foundation stone for the Secretariat Headquarters.
Wednesday January 21, 2015
Bandits rob minibus passengers Two bandits on Monday night held up a mini bus load of passengers, relieving them of all they possessed at the time. The hold-up occurred just after 21:00 hours on the East Bank Demerara Public Road near the Flour Mill Road, which provided an easy escape for the bandits. One of the passengers who, was sitting in the front seat of the bus, having joined it at Timehri, told Kaieteur News that the two bandits were picked up in the vicinity of Grove,
while the vehicle was heading to the city. The men positioned themselves strategically in the bus to survey their prey; one sat in the back seat while the other positioned himself in the seat behind the conductor. The passenger said that his suspicion was aroused when one of the men shouted to the driver and told him to slow down, since they were approaching the Flour Mill Road, which is a notorious spot for bandits to carry
out their attack. When the bus reached the men’s destination, they disembarked and one of them whipped out a gun and ordered all everyone else in the bus to cooperate. “One come and seh, ‘nobody don’t move. Anybody move, I gon shoot dem’,” the passenger told this newspaper. The other bandit proceeded to relieve the conductor and other passengers of their cash, phones and other valuables before the two escaped.
Police find marijuana on vessel …pregnant woman, 3 children taken into custody A vessel carrying a quantity of marijuana was intercepted at Itaballi, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) on on Monday and several persons, including a child as young as one-year-old, were taken into police custody. Reports have indicated that at about 14:00 hours on Monday the police conducted a search on the vessel which had just arrived in the area. They reportedly found the illicit substance in the bow of the boat. At the time, there were said to be nine persons on the vessel, all of whom were taken into custody. The mother of one of the detainees contacted this newspaper and expressed concern for her pregnant daughter and two grandchildren. According to the woman, her daughter who lives at Timehri, East Bank
Demerara was coming to pay her a visit with her five-year-old grandson and one-year-old granddaughter when the boat was intercepted. She told this publication that her daughter is now at the Bartica Police Station and after spending over a day in custody, her grandchildren were taken by welfare officials. According to the woman, they were taken to the hospital. The woman was upset because she received word that her grandchildren were being given to “residents in the area.” Kaieteur News was told that another woman and her 12-year-old son were also apprehended. Meanwhile, a rank attached to the station has confirmed that several persons were taken into custody as investigations continue.
Wednesday January 21, 2015
Kaieteur News
Page 21
EU needs to explain delay in approved budgetary support Minister of Finance Dr. Ashni Singh on Monday confirmed that Guyana is yet to receive •25M in budgetary support which has already been approved by the European Union (EU). Creating some amount of worry as well, is the fact that the EU has kept Guyana out of the loop as to its reasons for not releasing the funds. The Finance Minister subsequently stated that the onus is now on the EU to provide those reasons henceforth. At a press conference held at the National Communications Network (NCN) on Monday, Dr. Singh told members of the media fraternity that Guyana had met its obligations regarding the budgetary support payments due to it by the EU. He said that this is confirmed in a written agreement between the two. Dr. Singh emphasized that government met all the EU requirements, targets, and the necessary environment to be in receipt of the payments.
A large percentage of the EU funds received over the years would go to the sugar industry, but Guyana has been failing to meet all of the indicators to secure all the funding. Asked if the country met all the targets to qualify for all the funds this time, the Finance Minister said that almost all of the indicators were achieved and based on those, Guyana qualified for the disbursement of •$25M. He was also asked if he believes that the monies could be in jeopardy due to the delay in its disbursement. But the Finance Minister said that Guyana has an ongoing engagement with the Union and it never presented any “credible reasons” why government has not received the monies to date. He later qualified the actual reasons given to be “spurious”. Dr. Singh noted that Guyana was scored by independent graders of the Union and as such, it will continue to be guided by the agreement which articulates
- Dr. Singh no reason for the withholding or delay of the approved monies. The Finance Minister also said that the Head of the EU delegation in Guyana, Robert Kopecký has written to the body in relation to the payment being made. To date, Guyana has received over $31B since the execution of the Guyana National Action Plan (GNAP) in 2006 on Accompanying Measures for Sugar Protocol Countries alone. But the ailing sugar industry has been unable to meet all of the indicators, thereby making it incapable of qualifying for full funding under the GNAP. A report at the 51st meeting of the Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED) disclosed that Guyana only received 70 percent of funds allotted from the accompanying measures. Just a few days ago, UK
Finance Minister, Dr. Ashni Singh High Commissioner Andrew Ayre said that Guyana may be facing possible sanctions for operating without a Parliament. He had reportedly said as well that UK taxpayers would more than likely object to its government providing budgetary support to a country functioning without
any means of parliamentary scrutiny. This was followed by a firm retort by Head of the Presidential Secretariat, Dr. Roger Luncheon. He accused the EU and the British High Commissioner of conspiring to dishonour the longstanding budgetary
support agreement between the EU and the Government of Guyana. Luncheon also hinted that the EU had reneged on an agreement with Guyana on budgetary support. “His attempts to damage Guyana’s credibility and its economic prospects are considered by Cabinet to be unpardonable…” Luncheon had said, in response to the UK envoy. Luncheon even deemed Ayre’s comments in relation to withholding development aid as “most dastardly” and added that Government eagerly waits to see the departure of the “pariah.” Dr. Singh at his press conference was asked to comment on this and whether it was discussed at Cabinet, given Dr. Luncheon’s subsequent views. But he declined to venture into this realm. Meanwhile, Kopecký has remained up to this point, tight-lipped, on Dr. Luncheon’s “conspiracy” theory.
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Kaieteur News
SALON Make Up Courses with Mac, Bare Minerals, Black Opal and Sacha cosmetics. Call: 647-1773/660-5257 VACANCY Admin Assistant, within the vicinity of E.B.D & W.B.D. Must be well spoken & have 5 CXC subjects including: Maths & English. Email: snow198390@hotmail.com
CAR RENTAL PROGRESSIVE AUTO RENTAL: CARS & SUV FOR RENTAL-$4,000&UPPERDAYCALL: 643-5122, 219-3900, EMAIL: PRO_AUTO RENTAL@YAHOO.COM
International Cruiseline Purser officers, waitresses, waiters, cooks, receptionists, storekeepers, cleaners, electricians, carpenters, plumbers, cosmetologists etc – Tel: 231-6296, 650-9880 24 Hour East Coast Guyoil needs night pump attendants, salesgirl, office assistant & handyman- Call: 695-9880; 669-4755 Accounts Clerk, must be capable of preparing payroll and monthly vat – Call: 6144358 Part time handy man with Masonry/carpentry skills – Call: 639-5577 One Brazilian cook needed to work at a new grill – Call: 661-8814; 651-3544 Security guard/handyman to work night shift only @ Cool Square Inn; 635- Dairy Street Ruimveldt – Tel: 225-7407. Restaurant: Kitchen, dining, bar & office clerk, accountant. Apply in person to 176 Middle St. Georgetown. Chef and cook to work shift @ 44 Public Road Kitty – Tel: 231-1908/12 Work from home: Earn $5,000 to $20,000 daily, 9am to 5pm, Monday to Saturday - Call: 233-6517/ 622-1957 or www.jobfairworldwide.com Bond attendant/Porters, evening shift cashiers. Apply with written application & passport size picture @ Survival, 173 Sheriff St. 227-5286/9 Do you want to become an Avon Rep? Then Call: 6890863 One Cleaner @ Lot 4 First Street Alberttown – Call: 2253234 Experienced hairdresser & sales clerk @ West Shore Plaza, 15 Public Road, Ruimzeight W.C.D – Call: 269-1524 or 656-3561
Generator – 65KVA Perkins 4236 Engine – Tel: 623-9761
FOR RENT
SERVICES PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION,WEDDINGS, ANNIVERSARY, ETC. – CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 216-1043; 677-6620 Guyana Passport & Visa Forms Application, USA, Canada and England. Tel: 626-7040; 265-4535. Repairs & spare, fridge, freezer, A/C, washers, stoves. Contact Nick: 683-1312, 627-3206 Permanent & Visitors Visa Applications, Professional Immigration Consultant Room D5 Maraj Building Call Sabita: 225-6496, 6626045 REPAIRS AT LOW COST: FRIDGES, AIRCONDITIONERS, WASHING MACHINES, TVS, MICROWAVES, FREEZERS-CALL: 6294946 OR 225-4822 Repairs to refrigerators, gas stoves, washing machines, AC Units- Call Lindon on 641-1086; 694-2202 Services & repairs to gas stoves, washing machines, electric stoves, deep fryers Call: 688-0183 HOUSE PLAN DRAFTING AND ESTIMATES FOR ONLY $15,000- CALL:6949843/227-2766 Vyper Sound System/Studio: Hire, all events, recording of songs, building of Rhythms, etc - Tel: 265-3586, 603-9074
PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION,WEDDINGS, ANNIVERSARY, ETC. CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 216-1043; 677-6620 GT TOOL RENTALS: COMPACTOR; CHIPPING HAMMER RANSOM & FLOOR SANDER, (SALE) & MORE, JACK HAMMER, CONCRETE SAW - CALL: 675-0767, 667-2535 3 Bedrooms house at 19 Goedverwagting. E.C.D opposite Pradoville, 2 months deposit upfront. Call: 222-9098 or 614-9516 for details Two/Three/Four bedrooms houses located at Durban Backlands & Georgetown Call: 223-8479/ 647-3768 or www.spaceseek.gy One apartment for rent @ Lot 10 Mon Repos ECD, First Street - Call: 220-7330 Commercial buildings & Bonds available right now Call: 223-8479/647-3768 or www.spaceseek.gy Executive houses & apartments - Tel: 223-8479; 647-3768 www.spaceseek.gy Properties for rent for business purposes only @ 23 Saffon Street Charlestown & 164 Alexander Street Kitty - Call Devon: 663-1876 & 678-5721 HEALTH Money Back guarantee; cleaner, clearer younger looking skin in two weeks, also flatter stomach - Call: 6849409; 699-4211
Need professional counselor & social worker- Tel: 6863421 Commercial and domestic building design from $10,000 estimates and electrical works available – Contact us: 667-2189
LEARN TO DRIVE Soman Son & Outar Driving School at Maraj BuildingTel: 644-5166; 622-2872; 6150964; 689-5997
Certificate in: Cosmetology, nails, wig designs, early child care/ care for elderly classes commence February Call: 666-5241/ 619-7603
Repairs to plasma, Led television etc – Call: Abdul Electronics: 225-0391 FOR SALE/FOR RENT American Pool Table – Tel: 277-0578
FOR SALE LARGE QUANTITIES OF HIGH PURITY MERCURY (QUICK SILVER) 99.99995% PURITY$19,000 PER POUND CALL: 592-227-4754. Promix BX with microrize $10,500 per bag; ask for Rayman - Call: 615-2346; 6280200, 263-5300
CAR RENTAL DOLLY’S CAR RENTAL CALL: 225-7126/ 2263693 DOLLYSAUTO RENTAL@YAHOO.COM/ WWW.DOLLYSAUTO RENTAL.COM Aidan’s Car & Pickup rental, cheap rate, low security - Tel: 698-7807; 690-6494
Lincoln 500 AMP diesel welders with Perkins 4 cylinder engine - Tel#650-0402 Transformer: 25KVA industrial single phase 480/ 240/120V U.S.A PAD MOUNTED– Tel: 623-9761 PANEL/FANCY GLASS DOORS @ HADCO IN BAGOTSTOWN PUBLIC ROAD, NEXT TO HARBOUR BRIDGE MALL – CALL: 233-6743 400 LB Cat guts, 5 inch for sale: 695-9860; 698-8998
Wednesday January 21, 2015
LAND FOR SALE 1500 Acres Transported Land @ Bartica 2 ¾ miles River Front, Virgin Rock, Quarry Resort – Call Mark: 704-4652222/603-1266 House Lots in 1 of Guyana’s top luxury gated communities @ Eccles, 60X100 - $7.5M. (Special prices) - Call: 2272913; 683-3033 Eccles: Commercial lots for sale at Eccles – Tel:227-2913. Cell: 683-3033 1. Parika, Peter Street; 2. Blankenburg, behind gas station lot size: 75’X76' (3 parcels)= Contact 650-0402 Located in Republic Gardens, Peters Hall, E.B.D. Interest person – Contact: 231-5359 or 672-7189 Eccles - $3.8M, Providence $4.5M, Tuschen - $3M, Parfaite Harmonie - $1.4M & $3.5M, House with land $2.5M – Call: 675-7292
Plastic shipping Barrel$6,000; XBOX One $100,000; Nintendo DS $15,000; PSP - $20,000 - Tel: 603-8643/ 621-7497 One brand new fishing boar 56 feet length; 12 feet in width and 7 feet depth - Call: 671-0329 Cat 320 CL 2005 only 3800HRs sold as is, cash offer only, must go – Contact Azim: 660-3235 XBOX 360: 250GB, 2 Controller 3 games, 4Gb, 2 controllers, 3 games & kinect – Call:683-8386 Dell/Hp computers with 19" LCDs - $55,000, CPU $35,000, laptops - $65,000 @ Fututetech-231-2206 Games for PS2, PS3, XBOX360, WII, consoles also available – Call: 6722566, 265-3232 Land 135’X80’ with 2 storied building 80’X60’ Suitable for business – Soesdyke Highway - $85M, serious calls only- Phone: 653-8754 Rubberized Tarpaulins for sale 20X20 - $20,000, any size available – Tel: 657-2304 1-250 KVA Generator $3.6M, 1-110 KVA Generator - $1.8M, 1-9 KVA Generator $700,000 – Call: 223-8161 Complete Snapper Boats for sale – Excellent Condition – Contact: 648-6815; 670-4459 Household items for sale, plants, 1 galaxy s4 (brand new) – Call: 675-4066 Game Shop Equipment for sale – Call: 610-0808 One complete music Set – Tel:253-3070; 686-0322 DRESSMAKING Jean offers courses in dressmaking, curtains, floral, cake decoration @ Barr Street Kitty – Call: 670-2653; 618-1706
TO LET Three bedrooms upper flat concrete building, parking $70,000 monthly @ Block 8 Agriculture Road E.C.D – Call: 687-1050 3 bedrooms bottom flat fully grilled @ Diamond New Scheme, E.B.D – Call: 2162972; 622-3021 Fully Furnished vacation home with all amenities- Call during working hours – Call: 227-1218 New 2 bedrooms and 3 bedroom apartment Grove E.B.D - Tel: 613-3522 after 4:00pm 2 Bedrooms apartment at 14 Henry Street, Werk -En- Rust for rental- Call: 223-8442. One bedroom apartment to rent, preferably with no children, working couple – Call: 664-2861 2 Bedroom apartment @ 2290 Section C Block X Diamond New Scheme – Tel:676-2406
VEHICLE FOR SALE Toyota Prado, Price$5.5M Neg. Call: 643-2403 Toyota Voxy to register in ‘B’ fully loaded never registered - $2.1M - Call: 6172891 Nissan Titan for sale; immaculate condition, owner leaving country - Call: 641-4556 Toyota Spacio, Body Kit, Rims, spoiler, CD player; never registered - $2.1M Call: 617-2891 We buy & sell vehicles for cash, also parts available & 30 seater buses; Extra Cab pickups; 2006 Tacoma - Call: 680-3154 AT192, 212, Allion, unregistered Premio, Hilux Surf, BNN, RZ & Pit-bull, 7 seater super custom. Cash / terms - Call: 680-3154 1 Honda 600RR, Toyota 212, 192, 170, Allion, Vitz, Starlet, AE100 Sprinter, Honda CRV Tel: 644-5096; 697-1453 New Arrivals @ OJ’s Auto Imports: Allion 2008, IST, Fielder, Allion 2003, Premio. Tel: 609-2815 One Toyota Marino with A Race Ready 4Age siloer top engine - $1.1M Neg. - Call: 676-8023 1 Pitbull minibus, stick gear, BPP series, mag rims- $2.2M neg. Call: 673-7652 1 Mit Lancer PKK Series; good condition - Contact: 683-0150 PSS 3575 - $1.8M - Contact: 627-1751 or 673-3974 for information. One Toyota Hilux 1988-22R Engine, Solid differential asking - $350,000 “as is, where is” - Tel: 699-1546 Mitsubishi Lancer car (lady driven) owner leaving country - Call: 638-3203 1 Hino Canter long base excellent condition; down payment available – Call: 6965660 One Toyota Tundra - Tel: 602-3585 Trade in: T/Alteeza Benz C200, Sale! Spacio, Used T212 – Tel:679-3140 Spacio 2004, Body Kit, rims, camera, spoiler, dark interior, crystal light, new shape (unregistered) – Tel: 6175536
EDUCATIONAL Balloon Decorating Classes. January 31st – Call: 225-3133 or 613-7513 for more information & registration Earn a certificate in cosmetology or nails alone. Call Miss Jenny: 225-5360; 625-7844; 687-7566
Avensis & AT110 Corolla – Call: 645-0078; 603-0078 FOR SALE/FOR RENT 1 Flat concrete house with 5 bedrooms & 2 toilet & bath, concrete fence & grill @ 19 Ave Diamond Housing Scheme - Call: 641-2593/ 662-7732 (Continued on page 23)
Wednesday January 21, 2015
Kaieteur News
Page 23
Letters... Where your views make the news
Things are likely to get worse for the poor in 2015 under the PPP DEAR EDITOR, As the time for elections draws near, the PPP regime is “Sinking in the mud” with its deceptive campaigning and the depths to which they will go in order to win votes. The PPP cabal seems to be getting more desperate and unfortunately more crude, offensive and abusive. Despite their vulgarity and rancor, much worse may be in store for the beleaguered PPP regime whenever the next general election is held. Instead of climbing out of the mud, they seem to be splashing around in the slime. Paid assassins, armed bandits, and “hire for murder gangs” are now roaming the streets, prompting some to believe that a disturbing new ugliness and violent threats
have emerged. Entering an election year with such mischief afoot will only serve to unnerve an already fearful society and create fertile conditions for more mischief. This suggests that the nation is in for a nasty, brutal, abusive, hostile and violent political campaign from a vicious, vulgar and hysterical PPP regime. Rumours abound that hundreds of millions of dollars have already been stashed away by the PPP in various war chests and more money will flow like water once the election is called. Unfortunately much of it will be spent, not on political education or edification or on how to improve the living standards of the masses, but on bribes (paying voters to vote for the PPP),
propaganda, distortions, untruths and expensive but negative advertisements to distract the electorate from the failures, scandals and corrupt practices of the PPP regime. A brief insight into the emerging of their gutter campaign was displayed recently at their bottom house meetings where racist flyers were given to their supporters indicating what will happen to them if they do not vote and APNU wins the election. Similar flyers were secretly displayed to certain sections of the Amerindian communities. These appalling and vile events did not happen by guess but are the careful and well planned work of malevolent minds that are determined to exploit racial
tensions for political gain. The full brunt of the racist agenda will be seen once the date for election is announced by the president. This is only the tip of the iceberg so far, the people can expect much worse from the drowning PPP regime that knows its reign of terror is coming to an end and therefore, it will conduct the dirtiest and the most indecent, immoral and uncivilized political campaign. Fortunately a significant percentage of the electorate is becoming increasingly fedup with the nepotism, public scandals and blatant corrupt practices. They have grown tired of the old-school, tribal politics of the 1960s practised by the Freedom House gang. Asquith Rose and Harish Singh
A suggestion for a new government DEAR EDITOR, On November 5, 2014, I wrote to this newspaper a letter concerning advice that I suggested to the leader of the opposition (APNU) David Granger and leader of Alliance for Change (AFC) Khemraj Ramjattan, on a matter of winning any elections in Guyana against the People’s Progressive Party. It will not be an issue of a coalition. This will be wrong all over; the P.P.P will always
win them on this ground. Rather I suggest that the A.P.N.U and its leader David Granger do not contest the upcoming General and Regional Elections but fully support and campaign for the Alliance for Change. It was and still is my hope that with the A.P.N.U giving its full support to the A.F.C that these two parties will obtain victory. However, when the time will come to form an agreement, it will be an A.F.C and A.P.N.U
Government. The A.F.C has been leading the way with the support of the A.P.N.U on most of the Bills that were presented before the National Assembly. There would be no problem with the A.P.N.U giving its support to the A.F.C. More so, the most popular suggestion in and out of Guyana today on this issue is that there must be a partnership of which the two parties, the Alliance for
Change and A Partnership for National Unity are collaborating. I believe in what is best for Guyana. The Office of the President and the Office of the Prime Minister must be divided and shared. All the other Government Ministries Department and Agency must be negotiated in spirit of national responsibility love for our Country. Thank you. Dennis Atwell
Bai Shan Lin and its operational... From page 4 The Commissioner of the GFC has had months to respond about these specific areas, but has chosen instead to make generalizations about GFC’s procedures. The GFC has provided to the Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association copies of the concession licences only for those indicated with an asterisk. In a previous article (‘How Bai Shan Lin acquired the several areas of State Forest which are now in its 1.3+ million hectares empire’, Stabroek News 28 August 2014), I indicated how some of the renting or private sales of forest concessions – ‘joint ventures’ – were probably illegal (pending contradiction by formal publication of such prior approvals, with datestamping of signatures before the dates of any joint venture contracts). I noted that the total area of these probably illegal renting or joint ventures was over half of BSL’s forest empire in Guyana. I reference citizens’ rights
under Articles 13 and 146 of the National Constitution and I reference the REDD+ Governance Development Plan agreed with Norway with its commitment to greater transparency in the forest sector. If Commissioner Singh of the GFC is so sure of the legality of these holdings, would he now place in the public domain – such as the GFC and LCDS websites – the full details of the approvals. The documents should include cross reference to the exact sections of the law and the regulations operative at the time of the approvals, and should include the datestamped signatures and the entries from the Deeds
Register to show who were the company directors on both sides of the joint venture at the times of each approval. Can we also see in the public domain the details of the joint venture agreements in each case? Will the GFC Commissioner also place copies of all these documents, duly notarised as true copies, in the National Assembly for the scrutiny of the Natural Resources sectoral committee which has responsibility for overseeing the forest sector’s administration by the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment and the Guyana Forestry Commission. Later on, we can call on the GFC to explain how Bai
Shan Lin’s focus on the production and purchase of logs of the timbers itikiboraballi and wamara (as shown in the Kaieteur News overflight of the Bissaruni log sorting yard in August 2014 and as seen at BSL riverside location at Coverden) for export to processing factories in China matches the investment promises made by BSL for the last seven years. The GFC could also explain how this massive over-harvesting of preferred commercial species matches the GFC’s claims to sustainable forest management. Janette Bulkan
PEN PAL Companion for retired gentleman 38yrs+. Reply with photo to bobbyother@yahoo.com
(From page 22)
WANTED Office clerk senior clerk/ junior CXC English / Mathematics an Asset –Call: 219-5354 Live in or live out babysitter/ domestic –Call: 219-5354 Mon-Sat between 8:15-4:15 One couple to work on live stock farm, one live in cook Tel: 614-2464; 612-2057; 2251276 Professional staff to work in variety / cosmetics store @ East Coast. Commission structure & salary - Call: 6013679; 642-1141 One live in experienced waiteress - $50,000-$60,000, boarding & lodging free – Call: 610-5043 1 Puri & roti cook, must be able to work from 5:00am, apply in person @ 53 David Street Kitty Jet + Marack men for the interior, 1 male cook $100,000 monthly - Call: 6942310 Waiters/ Waitresses, apply in person to Aracari Resort, West Bank Demerara. One female to work in sackette & bar, must know to cook, age 20-35yrs – Call: 647-7432, 223-5798 Female janitors between ages 25-40yrs – Call: 225-8066 Urgently needed; attractive waitresses - Tel: 686-3116 Porters wanted to work at grocery stalls @ Stabroek Market – Tel:226-9800 Salesgirls & porters; apply with written application at Best Buy Food Supplies @ Lot 1E Dennis & Middleton Street Campbellville.
PROPERTY FOR SALE Land with small concrete house; for sale in Grove over 8,000 Sq. Ft. Call: 612-4030; 216-2759 2 Bedrooms flat concrete house and land furnished located @ Ocean View, Uitvlught West Coast Demerara – Price $3.7M. Call: 687-0930 Commercial Properties on Regent Street (double & single lot, Size: 81X113 & 41X115- Call: 223-8479/6473768 or www.spaceseek.gy Executive house in Bel Air Park waiting to be designed by you - Call: 223-8479/6473768 or www.spaceseek.gy Double lot property 33A Lamaha Street, Newtown Kitty – Just off Vlissengen Road –Contact: 231-4691 Executive houses located in Georgetown, E.C.D & E.B.D - Call: 223-8479/647-3768 or www.spaceseek.gy Concrete Property, Grove Public Road - $29M Neg. Call: 613-5645 One concrete two storey building; nine bedrooms @ Samatta Point, Grove E.B.D Tel: 602-3585 Houses & house lots for sale in 1 of Guyana’s top luxury gated communities, located @ Eccles E.B.D Tel: 227-2913; 683-3033 1 incomplete house & land @ 128 Canaan Gardens, Land of Canaan E.B.D, Price $4.8M Neg. Call: 603-1845; 603-8714
1 live in domestic to work in Mahaicony River & driver for tractor, must know about rice Call: 644-6905; 225-6571 One experienced cook to work in snackette- Call: 2230955; 697-4326 (between 9am-5pm) One barber, nail technician & hairdresser – Call: 225-5360; 625-7844; 687-7566 Hairstylists and Braidists needed at salon in Tortola. 5+ years working experience. Emailbvisalonowner @gmail. com or call 1-284-543-6822 Sales clerk to work @ Nanda’s Boutique 223 Camp St. Next to Shell Gas Station, apply with application One live-in maid; must know to cook; preferably from country area – Tel: 691-6260
WANTED Experienced Roti/Puri Cooks, Pastry makers, cleaners – apply @ Hack’s Halaal, 5 Commerce Street. The public is looking for a delivery man, must have own motorcycle – Call: 647-6072 Live in maid – Tel: 675-5256 One cook for family in the interior – Tel: 691-6260 ACCOMMODATION Harmony Inn Apartments: comfortable & clean apartments & rooms - $5000, $6,000 & $7,000 – Tel:6680306; 218-1400; 694-7817. Your luxury hideaway……
Page 24
Kaieteur News
Wednesday January 21, 2015
Weeks after 48-hr ultimatum…
Ramotar regime has No word from GPSU on workers’ representation thrown the country into a tailspin
By Zena Henry Despite complaints of government imposing wages and salaries on public workers for the last 13 years, there has been no word from the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU); the agency tasked with representing the civil servants. The body which promised “action” if the government remained defiant toward the union’s call for an increased public servant wage percent; has remained silent almost two months after issuing a 48hour ultimatum to the Administration. President of GPSU, Patrick Yarde had told reporters days after the government had imposed yet another wage increase on public workers, that he was willing to go beyond the 57day strike which the union had initiated in 1997, if the government continued to dismiss the concerns of the body, and by extension, its members. Yarde had also promised media operatives that one week after issuing the ultimatum, if the government had not responded; he would update the nation as to what follow-up action would be taken. That promise was made on December 2 last year, when Yarde addressed what he said was another “insult” coming from the government. However, when Kaieteur News sought an update on
the matter and how the agency was moving ahead to address this “insult”, the newspaper was unable to get an answer. The publication made contact with the GPSU office and was told by a staffer that the public servants’ matter is “on hold”. After requesting a word with the GPSU President, the newspaper was told further that he would call back in 15 minutes. However, a call was never returned to the newspaper and more than three phone calls made to the GPSU during the day went unanswered. Kaieteur News had also sought prior updates on the matter, but on those occasions the newspaper was told that the President was engaged or the telephone rang out. However, after making contact with other senior GPSU members yesterday, they said that they were “not aware of any action or updates at this time.” Yarde had told the media that the government is playing games with public servants. He claimed to be even more peeved because President Donald Ramotar had promised to personally see that there would have been no imposed wages on public servants. He said promises were made to have Collective Bargain Agreements prior to the retroactive fees, being made out.
GPSU President Patrick Yarde The union had stated, however, that it was prepared to accept eight percent in the interim; while something was being worked out. The government offered only five percent. During the press conference in December, Yarde was challenged by several media operatives who sought to understand his complaints which seemed endless, but no particular way paved for addressing the dilemma. Yarde was asked about the union’s effectiveness and was reminded of the many criticisms of the seemingly lax attitude of its leaders to force government to concur to rules and regulations. The GPSU President had highlighted several reasons
to defend his inaction, but stressed on the fact that civil workers were the ones to suffer most when drastic action is taken to address disrespect to collective agreements. The union leader had stated ultimately that the issue facing public servants is a “Guyanese problem”, especially when one seeks to involve the international community for support. General Secretary of the National Association of Agricultural, Commercial and Industrial Employees, Kenneth Joseph, in an invited comment had stated that union leaders should accept blame for the weakness in the unions, which he believes are becoming too entangled in the political arena. “All of us should take the blame for being foolish and for allowing the situation between the government and the union to deteriorate,” Joseph had asserted. Complaints about poor service and other dissatisfactory experiences at state agencies have been linked to the treatment of public workers. Kaieteur News had made contact with Public Service Minister, Jennifer Westford, who oversees the public sector. At the time she told the newspaper that she was out of town, but when the paper asked for a comment on the imposed wages she had “no comment at this time.”
- Elections announced but Parliament not dissolved - GTUC President Donald Ramotar yesterday announced general and regional elections for May 11, 2015 but there may be a legal problemParliament continues to exist. The issue now has the attention of the Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC), which believes that the country is venturing into unknown territory. “The nation should be advised by the constitutional lawyers on how we proceed since the Ramotar regime has thrown the country into a tailspin. It is the first time the nation has had a date set for N&RE (National and Regional Elections) and the life of Parliament continues to exist. This country is sailing in uncharted waters.” The union said it must be noted by both citizens and the international community that in the absence of the President saying when Parliament will be dissolved, the country still faces a constitutional crisis. “The GTUC further calls on the Opposition and progressive forces, including media, to police this situation and to give leadership to the society.” GTUC pointed out that nowhere in Ramotar’s address to the nation, was it mentioned as to when the prorogation will be lifted and the Parliament will be dissolved, paving the way for the stated elections. “GTUC condemns the continued prorogation and the ignoring of this by the Donald Ramotar regime, which must know full well that the life of Parliament has to end. What the President has done is unprecedented in post-independent Guyana.” With regards to the date set by the President, GTUC noted that the announcement will come at a time when the
President Donald Ramotar electorate for 17 years has been denied the right to elect local leaders through Local Government Elections (LGE). “That notwithstanding, the N&RE will give the electorate an opportunity to exercise their franchise which they have been doing since 1947. The 68 years right for eligible Guyanese to elect a government of their choice with the advent of universal suffrage, was fought for by the trade union movement since the embryonic days of Hubert Nathaniel Critchlow.” In the meanwhile, GTUC said that Government continues to spend the workers/taxpayers’ moneys without involvement, oversight and approval of the nation’s highest decision making arm, the National Assembly. “This lawless and reckless behaviour must be condemned. It remains a national disgrace that the Guyana parliament has not functioned since July 2014. This means for seven long months and counting the PPP regime has had no oversight. This is akin to having questionable characters in charge of the bank with the vault open and no security system in place.”
Say no to corruption it, it hurts us all.
Wednesday January 21, 2015
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Paris mayor plans to sue Fox News Houthis take Yemen presidential over reports of Muslim ‘no-go zones’ palace-witnesses, sources
The mayor of Paris says she intends to sue Fox News over reports aired on the cable channel in the days following the Charlie Hebdo massacre suggesting there are Muslim “no-go zones” in the French capital. “The image of Paris has been prejudiced,” Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo told CNN’s Christiane Amanpour on Tuesday. “And the honor of Paris has been prejudiced.”“We empathize with the citizens of France as they go through a healing process and return to everyday life,” Michael Clemente, executive vice president of news at Fox News, responded in a statement to Politico. “However, we find the mayor’s comments regarding a lawsuit misplaced.” On Saturday, Fox News’ Jeanine Pirro apologized for the assertion made by Islamic terrorism “expert” Steve Emerson claiming that there are “no-go” zones throughout Europe and, specifically, the city of Birmingham in the U.K.“They’re sort of amorphous, they’re not contiguous necessarily, but they’re sort of safe havens,” Emerson said on Jan. 11. “And they’re places where the governments, like France, Britain, Sweden, Germany — they don’t exercise any sovereignty, so you basically have zones where Sharia courts are set up, where Muslim density is very intense, where police don’t go in.”“The guest asserted that the city of Birmingham, England, is totally Muslim, and that it is a place where non-Muslims don’t go,” Pirro said Sunday. “Both are incorrect.” Fox News anchor Julie Banderas issued a similar apology.“Over the course of this last week, we have made some regrettable errors on air regarding the Muslim population in Europe — particularly with regard to
England and France,” Banderas said. “To be clear, there is no formal designation of these zones in either country ... and no credible information to support the assertion that there are specific areas in these countries that exclude individuals based solely on their religion.” The network’s coverage was widely mocked on Twitter, where users invoked the h a s h t a g #FoxNewsFacts.Emerson himself later issued an apology on his website:“ I have clearly made a terrible error for which I am deeply sorry. My comments about Birmingham were totally in error. And I am issuing this apology and correction for having made this comment about the beautiful city of Birmingham. I do not intend to justify or mitigate my mistake by stating that I had relied on other sources because I should have been much more careful. There was no excuse for making this mistake and I owe an apology to every resident of Birmingham. I am not going to make any excuses. I made an inexcusable error.”Those apologies were apparently not enough to stop Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, who waded into the controversy during a speech in London.In his address to the Henry Jackson Society, a British think tank, Jindal said immigrant Muslims are seeking “to colo-
nize Western countries, because setting up your own enclave and demanding recognition of a no-go zone are exactly that,” according to his prepared remarks. Later, Jindal doubled down on the “no-go zone” talk.“I knew that by speaking the truth we were going to make people upset,” Jindal told CNN after his speech. “The huge issue, the big issue in nonassimilation is the fact that you have people that want to come to our country but not adopt our values, not adopt our language and in some cases, want to set apart their own enclaves and hold onto their own values. I think that’s dangerous.” Jindal, whose parents immigrated to the United States from India, converted from Hinduism to Catholicism as a child. When pressed for evidence of the “no-go zones,” the Republican governor and possible presidential candidate pointed to an article in The Daily Mail, saying he had heard from “folks here” that “there are neighborhoods where women don’t feel comfortable going in without veils [and] where police are less likely to go.” “I’ve lived here a long time,” CNN correspondent Max Foster replied. “I don’t know of any nogo zones for nonMuslims.”“The radical left absolutely wants to pretend like this problem’s not here,” Jindal responded.
SANAA (Reuters) - Fighters from the Houthi group battled guards at the Yemeni president’s private home and entered the presidential palace on Tuesday, witnesses said, as a second day of violence in Sanaa raised fears the country was descending into chaos. In a speech on live television, Houthi leader Abdel-Malek al-Houthi suggested two days of fighting involving his men were part of an attempt to protect a power-sharing deal meant to steer Yemen to stability. His speech was critical of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, a U.S. ally with whom Houthi has been at odds over a draft constitution intended to help end decades of conflict and underdevelopment. He said no one, including Hadi, was above any steps when it came to implementing the power-sharing accord, which was negotiated after his men seized Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, in September. Houthi prizes the accord as it grants his group participation in all military and civil state bodies. “We ... will not hesitate to impose any necessary measures to implement the peace and partnership agreement,” said Houthi, whose Shi’ite Muslim group is widely seen as an ally of Iran in its regional struggle for influence with Saudi Arabia. U.N. Secretary-General Ban
A Houthi fighter poses for a photo outside a presidential guards barrack on a mountain overlooking the presidential palace in Sanaa Ki-moon has condemned the violence and called for order in the country. The United States remains “firmly committed” to supporting Hadi and his government and is calling for an “immediate cessation of hostilities,” a State Department official said. TENSIONS The emergence of the Houthis as Yemen’s top power in September has scrambled alliances and stoked tensions across Yemen’s political spectrum, raising fears of deeper instability in a country that
has one of al Qaeda’s most active branches. Washington has been increasingly concerned about the turmoil in Yemen, in part because it relies on the Yemeni government for help in U.S. counterrorism operations against al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), which claimed responsibility for the Jan. 7 attacks in Paris. Yemeni Information Minister Nadia al-Saqqaf said the clashes at Hadi’s residence amounted to an attempt to topple Yemen’s government, a charge denied by a senior official of the Houthi group. The clashes followed some of the worst fighting in Sanaa in years on Monday. Guards loyal to Hadi fought artillery battles near the presidential palace with the Houthi, which has been in conflict with Hadi over political and constitutional issues. “Yemeni president under attack by armed militias seeking the overthrow of the ruling system,” Saqqaf said on Twitter on Tuesday evening. Residents said later the fighting had died down. A government official said two people had been killed. The minister did not identify the militias, but she said they were firing from nearby houses. Hadi lives in his private home and not in the palace. Mohammed al-Bukhaiti, a member of the Houthi politburo, said his group had no plans to target Hadi.
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T&T wants to work with Guyana on oil and gas strategy Trinidad (Trinidad Guardian) - Government wants T&T to take the lead regionally in responding to the impact of falling oil prices, Planning and Sustainable Development Minister Dr Bhoe Tewarie said Monday. Speaking at a news conference at the Eric Williams Financial Complex, Port-ofSpain, he said Government is in talks with leaders of regional governments. “I want to let you know that T&T has always been proactive on these issues and Cabinet has agreed for the Minister of Planning, in consultation with the Finance Minister and Energy Minister, to establish an MoU with the IDB (Inter-American Development Bank) looking at a Caribbean solution in which T&T is the lead player in terms of the energy challenge and crisis,” he said. Tewarie said the expectation is that the matter will be on the front burner when Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar attends the Caribbean Energy Security Summit to be hosted by US Vice President Joe Biden in
Dr Bhoe Tewarie Washington DC next week. He said Government is also working with the T&T Chamber of Commerce, the IDB and other stakeholders and there are plans to look at the engagement with Venezuela in the Manatee field, particularly with the processing of gas. “We might be able to process some of that in T&T and have a fair sharing of the revenue benefits,” he said. The minister said
Government also plans to work with the Suriname and Guyanese governments and private sector to determine “where there are opportunities in oil and gas, linking that to strategies related to Northern Brazil.” “I have been working on this for a year-and-a-half with the IDB and other players like the Ministries of Finance and Energy,” he said, adding that there are implications for ports and shipping lines with a new energy corridor being developed north of T&T.He assured that talks with T&T’s Caribbean neighbours are not intended to replace PetroCaribe but are for the purpose of finding an energy solution. “No matter what the terms and conditions of PetroCaribe, you do have an awkward situation (falling oil prices) now,” he said. Tewarie said Government has been having the discussions over the last year about possible declining oil prices and the expectation is that international donors will come forward with a solution of which T&T would be a part.
Wednesday January 21, 2015
Canadian banks say Caribbean operations stand to benefit from cheaper oil TORONTO, Canada, CMC – Canadian banks with operations in the Caribbean say a combination of lower oil prices and cost-cutting is poised to help improve their operations. While the banks brace for loan losses and lower revenues in Western Canada due to the plunge in oil prices, the big Canadian banks say the Caribbean is set to benefit from the decline. “They’re one of the biggest beneficiaries of cheaper oil, so there are some positives finally starting to creep in to the economic outlook of the region from that perspective,” said Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) chief executive David McKay. “We’re operating in a very challenging economy but, with that cost takeout, we feel strongly that we will have a strong rebound in the Caribbean performance in fiscal 2015,” said McKay, who noted that RBC has trimmed its staff in the region from more than 6,500 to under 5,000 in the past two years.
“We’ve done the hard work necessary to turn that franchise around and I am confident that in 2015 you’ll see the fruits of all that work,” he told a banking conference here. Caribbean economies have been in a slump since the global financial crisis caused a slowdown in the region’s vital tourism industry. RBC announced last year it is exiting its Caribbean wealth management business, after selling its Jamaican operations at a loss. At the same
time, another Canadian bank, CIBC, took a CAN$420 million (One Canadian dollar =US$) charge on its Caribbean operations in the second quarter of last year, plus an additional CAN$123 million in loan losses. The Bank of Nova Scotia, which has also been operating in the Caribbean for more than a century, plans to close some of its 370 branches in order “to be congruent with the economic reality,” Scotiabank’s chief executive Brian Porter told the banking conference.
Man ships self in barrel to avoid ‘high’ airfare Dominica TribuneYesterday when customs officials opened a barrel that had been offloaded from the Mistral container ship, they found a man inside. It seems Mr Stenson Oswald from the community of Mt Moritz had
asked his son to pack him into a barrel in London and then had paid to be shipped to Dominica. “It way cheaper than flyin’, oui,” said Mr Oswald. “It costin’ so much to get here I surprise anyone ever come
at all.” A heated debate broke out in customs shed 4 however when it came to calculating the final cost of transporting himself here by barrel. “I askin’ them how can they charge so much duty ? I a use item oui, I not new at all. ! Look me. I look like new ting to you ? And I not manufacture, I born, oui ! Then they add VAT, tailgate and environmental charge. Environmental charge ? What de hell dat, nuh ? I not a vehicle or a cooker. I a man. I natural ! When I die, I decompose. I don’ sit in a ravine an’ rust. …environmental charge. Dat nonsense.” It seems Mr Oswald figured the cost of getting back to Dominica after visiting with his son would be both cheaper and more convenient in a barrel than in an aircraft.
Wednesday January 21, 2015
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Wednesday January 21, 2015
Jamacian man disallowed entry into home country Lloyd Bogle is living a nightmare. The 64-year-old Jamaican, who has been living in England for the past 54 years, is now stranded in the island after enjoying a two-week trip — his first back home in all that time. Bogle said his ordeal started on October 13, 2014 when he got to Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay to take a return flight to England, only to be told by Immigration officials that they could not allow him to leave. “I got the shock of my life when I was turned back and told by authorities that I would have to have a visa to leave the country,” said the distraught-looking Bogle, who added that he was not aware of the travel requirement. The reason for that is that Bogle, since leaving Jamaica in 1962 just before the country achieved political independence from Britain, never applied for British citizenship. In fact, he said he didn’t renew his Jamaican passport until just before he travelled here on September 29, 2014. “Since I migrated at age seven I have never travelled and never had any intention to. It was after I retired I decided to take a trip to Jamaica to see what the country was like,” Bogle told the Jamaica Observer yesterday. “I knew no one in Jamaica; it was the first time I was travelling since I was seven,” Bogle emphasised on the verge of tears. He said the two-week holiday in Portland was like a dream come true, but all of that changed when he got to the airport. According to Bogle, after getting over the shock of being told about the visa, he was on the verge of sleeping on the streets, as he had
Lloyd Bogle nowhere to go, neither did he know where he was. He said he managed to contact his mother in England and told her about his situation. She gave him the number for a Jamaican woman who once lived in England and told him to contact her for help. Bogle said it was through the kindness of this woman, who gave him a place to stay, that he has been able to survive. Acting on the advice from the Immigration officials, he made contact with the British High Commission in Kingston to apply for a visa and was given a list of documents he would need for the process. He said he contacted his mother, who brought the documents to Jamaica. “After I got the documents, I applied for the visa and, after waiting for some time, would receive another shock when I learnt that the visa was not approved,” Bogle told the Observer. He said that no reason was given.
Now stranded, running out of money, and with no family in Jamaica, Bogle is desperate. Bogle worked for close to 40 years in England, got married and later divorced. He is the father of two sons, who are both adults. During his time there, he purchased a house and, after achieving most of his life’s dream, decided to take early retirement. Yesterday, when the Observer contacted Bogle’s former boss, Roy Broadeent, in England, he said he was aware of Bogle’s plight. “I have heard of the situation and am really shocked,” said Broadeent, former manager of Broadhurst Engineering, where Bogle worked before going to Manchester City Council. “It is true, I have known Lloyd for over 30 years. He has been a resident in Oldham, Royton for all that time. During that time he worked for me and would later go on to work for Manchester City Council for at least 27 years,” said Broadeent.
Wednesday January 21, 2015
Kaieteur News
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Williamson century leads NZ to win
Kane Williamson gets off the ground as he punches the ball through the off, New Zealand v Sri Lanka, 4th ODI, Nelson, January 20, 2015 © AFP
Sri Lanka’s tour of New Zealand has been defined by the hosts’ refusal to give in, and again in Nelson, New Zealand clawed back from difficult situations, with ball and bat, to claim a tense fourwicket victory in the fourth ODI. Kane Williamson’s effortless fifth hundred will headline the victory, but fine performances from the lower middle order, and the death bowlers, effectively sealed it. New Zealand eclipsed Sri Lanka’s 276 all out, in the 48th over. The match was decided in the over before that. Thisara Perera had summoned a decent string of yorkers late in the innings, to dismiss Williamson for 103, and to leave New Zealand needing 25 runs off the last 18 balls, but his eighth over was substantially worse than the seven that had come before it. He missed his length first ball, and was clattered over mid-off by Luke Ronchi.
Wednesday January 21, 2015 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) Expanding your horizons is the key for today, Libra. Communications received from distant states or foreign lands could have you entertaining the idea of traveling to those places.
LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) Expanding your horizons is the key for today, Libra. Communications received from distant states or foreign lands could have you entertaining the idea of traveling to those places.
TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20) Some changes regarding your career could make a difference in your resources. This could involve a pending raise or promotion or opportunities for freelance work outside the job.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21)
GEMINI (May 21–June 20)
Today you're likely to feel especially romantic and sexy, and anxious to get together with a love partner. CANCER (June 21–July 22) Some deeply buried feelings about your mother and family could come up from the past today and need release. Don't be afraid to show your pain and anger.
Some very intense dreams could take you back to the past, perhaps your childhood or past lives. Write down any dreams you remember, Scorpio. SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) An old friend you haven't seen for a while could suddenly reappear, and you might view this person in a different light as a potential business partner. CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19) You're a service-oriented person by nature, Capricorn, and today the opportunity to spend time serving those in need could well present itself.
LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) Group activities in your neighborhood could lead to positive changes in your community.
AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) If you've been hoping for a lucky break, Aquarius, this is the day it might come, especially if it involves love and romance.
VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) Today you might find yourself in the public eye. Acknowledgment for work well done could come your way.
PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) Changes in your home could take place now. These are positive, Pisces, though they might seem a bit overwhelming.
When Perera overpitched again next ball, Ronchi hit it even better, sending it into the sightscreen. Two more straight sixes would follow in the over, and New Zealand needed only one run from the final two overs after that. Daniel Vettori smote one through the covers to finish the match. That New Zealand even took the match that far was thanks to Williamson, who transplanted his mastery over the Sri Lanka spinners from Tests to the ODIs. New Zealand lost both openers cheaply to the opposition’s new-ball pair and, though there were no big shots in the early phase of Williamson’s knock, there was none of the inertia that had dogged some of the batsmen around him. He was off the mark with a two behind point first ball, and at no stage from then on did he appear at pains to rotate strike. Ross Taylor and Grant Elliott both soaked up deliveries early in their stay. Throughout the middle overs, it was Williamson who prevented the asking rate from climbing far above 6.5, though Elliott did eventually play a helpful hand, as the pair put on 88 for the fourth
Ticket prices and on-sale ... From page 33 Executive Officer of the National Organising Committee for the FIFA Women’s World Cup Canada 2015™. “We want Canadians from coast to coast to have the opportunity to experience the excitement and thrill of this incredible event. We have priced tickets to ensure they are affordable and accessible with tickets for $20.15 available in all venues for the group stage matches.” In the weeks leading up to the general public individual ticket on-sale date, VISA card holders will have an advance opportunity to purchase individual match tickets during a VISA pre-sale window starting 6 February 2015. VISA is the preferred payment method of the FIFA Women’s World Cup Canada 2015™. Ticket Information A full range of information on Canada 2015 individual ticket prices, including a comprehensive ticketing guide, is available at FIFA.com/ Canada2015. When individual tickets go on sale, a limited number of Stadium Passports will remain available while quantities last. Stadium Half passes will no longer be available at the start of the VISA pre-sale period. (FIFA)
wicket. There was not as much turn on the Nelson track as Sri Lanka had hoped, but the visitors persisted with their spinners, who could not create chances through the middle overs. Corey Anderson was barely tested upon his arrival to the crease, and he and Williamson swiftly set about building the steady stand that saw the hosts truly take control of the match. They scored at more than five an over, collecting regular singles into the outfield, and rarely failing to punish the poor deliveries. Anderson slammed two sixes off square leg between the 40th and 42nd overs to dent the required run rate, while Williamson neared his century with a beautifully struck chip over midwicket, off Rangana Herath. He completed his ton in the 43rd over, but was bowled attempting to glance a legside Perera yorker soon after. Anderson was run out 10
balls after that as well, but the pair ’s 79-run stand had propelled New Zealand to within sight of victory. All they needed from there was the one big over, which Ronchi provided. Sri Lanka’s senior three had contributed 214 runs, with Mahela Jayawardene easing to a sublime 94 and Kumar Sangakkara going smoothly to 76, but the foundation the top order had provided was squandered by the lower middle order. Sangakkara strode past Sanath Jayasuriya’s ODI run tally during this innings, becoming the most prolific ODI batsman for Sri Lanka, to match the Test record he has already earned. He is also the third-highest ODI run-scorer overall. New Zealand 280 for 6 (Williamson 103, Anderson 47, Ronchi 32*) beat Sri Lanka 276 (Jayawardene 94, Sangakkara 76, Southee 3-59) by four wickets. (ESPNcricinfo)
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Wednesday January 21, 2015
Red Force tame Hurricane by 49 runs; Jamaica stroll to 9 wkt win
Trinidad and Tobago Red Force thumped Leeward Islands Hurricane by 49 runs to secure their place in the semi final of the NAGICO Super 50 tournament last night. Red Force posted 206 before they were bowled out off the final ball of their 50 overs having been inserted at the Queen’s Park Oval. The Trinis were reduced to 6-2 losing the wickets of Nicholas Sookdeosingh (00) and Evin Lewis (04). However Jason Mohamed and Darren Bravo took the score to 35 before Mohammed was dismissed for 21. Consistent bowling by the Islanders then saw the demise of Stephen Katwaroo (08), but Darren was joined his elder brother Dwayne and
the pair added 62 for the fifth wicket with level headed batting. After seemingly well set for a half century, Dwayne was well caught off Anthony Martin for 42. Akeal Hosein (01) followed shortly before Darren was bowled by Orlando Peters off the inside edge for 36. Man-of-the-match Kevon Cooper then rallied his team to a respectable total with an unbeaten 62. His fifty came off 46 balls and was laced with six fours. Gavin Tonge was the pick of the bowlers with 3-33 while Martin captured 2-30 and Peters 2-39. Dwayne Bravo made early inroads, trapping Austin Richards Jnr. lbw for a duck before having Shane Jeffers (11) caught behind and sending back Hodge (09) lbw as the Hurricanes slipped to 36-3 in reply. Orlando Peters and skipper Devon Thomas steadied the chase somewhat with a fourth wicket stand of 36 before Peters went for 21. Thomas hit a few boundaries off Bravo, but played back to
Riyad Emrit and was lbw for 30 leaving the score on 76-5. Hayden Walsh Jnr. gave his team some hope with an attacking 23, but with the top order failing to lay the foundation, the target was always going to be difficult against an experienced Red Force attack. Rahkeem Cornwall and Jahmar Hamilton chipped in with 15 and 12 respectively. Bravo grabbed 3-40, Sunil Narine 2-14, Emrit 2-26 and Imran Khan 2-27. With the preliminary round now concluded, it’s now down to the semi-finals which will bowl off tomorrow with a mouth watering clash between old rivals, Guyana Jaguars playing Jamaica at the Queen’s Park Oval. T&T’s Red Force will face Combined Campuses and Colleges on Friday in the second semi-final; the final is set on Sunday in the Twin Island Republic. Jamaica trounce WI U19s Jamaica strolled to an easy nine wicket win over West Indies Under 19 in the
Lopez nets twice as resurgent Cuba defeats Canada
Frank Lopez Montego Bay, Jamaica – Frank Lopez scored two goals and Cuba (1-1-2, 4 points) revived its 2015 CONCACAF Under-20 Championship campaign with a 2-1 Group B triumph over Canada (1-0-3, 3 points) on Monday at the Montego Bay Sports Complex. It was the Cubans’ first win of the competition, while Canada lost for the third straight time after opening with a victory over Haiti. The opportunistic Lopez
capitalized on a miscue to score the game’s first goal in just the fifth minute. Canada goalkeeper Nolan Wirth miskicked a backpass from Luca Gasparotto and the ball fell to Lopez, who was positioned 40 yards from the goal. As Wirth retreated desperately to his line, the 19year-old forward calmly lofted a shot into the back of the net. Canada had an chance to level in the 25th minute, but Cyle Larin headed Rares
Serban’s right-sided cross high over the crossbar from nine-yards out. That miss would come back to haunt the Canadians as Lopez found the target once again in the 40th minute, heading down from 12-yards out Roberto Peraza’s left-sided cross past a full-stretch Wirth and inside the right post. After the break, Canada emerged from the tunnel with attacking intent, looking more cohesive in the build-up. Its spirited play was rewarded in the 53rd minute. Michael Petrasso chipped a pass diagonally from the lower-left side of the box to the top right. The ball took a high bounce and Farmer was there to strike with his right foot past goalkeeper Elier Pozo from 17-yards out. From that point on, the Canadians maintained most of the possession, while Cuba rarely ventured outside its own end. Pozo was called upon to make a series a saves to preserve the win, thwarting Farmer and Samuel Adekugbe in the 75th and 79th minutes, respectively. NOTES: Cuba’s Frank Lopez scored seven goals in Caribbean qualifying for the 2015 CONCACAF Under-20 Championship … Cuba also defeated Canada, 2-1, in the 2013 CONCACAF Under-20 C h a m p i o n s h i p . (CONCACAF)
11th game of the NAGICO Super50 match at the National Cricket Centre yesterday. Solid half centuries from opener John Campbell and Jermaine Blackwood steered the Jamaicans to victory after West Indies Under 19s were dismissed for 137 in 47 overs. Jamaica lost opener Nkrumah Bonner in the fifth over when he was caught for ten after hitting two fours. But Campbell and Blackwood came together to dominate the bowling as Jamaica completed a comfortable victory. Campbell was not out on 61 hitting five fours and a six while Blackwood was unbeaten on 53 collecting three fours and a couple of sixes. The young West Indians, sent in to bat after Jamaica won the toss, were in trouble from the start plunging to 24 for four before Tagenarine Chanderpaul and Shamar Springer attempted to stabilize the innings. Chanderpaul and Springer carved out a defiant 38 run partnership for the eighth wicket but their progress was short-lived. Both batsmen fell victim to the Jamaican captain Nikita Miller- Chanderpaul caught for 25 while Springer was caught and bowled for the same score. The end of their partnership signaled another batting collapse as wickets tumbled including three with just 17 runs added as the young West Indians lost momentum. However a courageous late order fight back between Chad Williams and Michael Frew brought some
Kevon Cooper respectability to their total. Frew led the late rally smashing two fours and a six in a top score of 33 and in the process compiled an impressive 41 runs for the ninth wicket with Wi l l i a m s who c o n t r i b u t e d 11 . M i l l e r, Derval Green, Marquino Mindley and Damion Jacobs each grabbed two wickets for Jamaica who will face CCC in the second semi-final on Friday. West Indies Under-19 Innings: 137 All Out (47
Overs). Michael Frew 33, Shamar Springer 25, Tagenarine Chanderpaul 25, Chad Williams 11; Derval Green 8-3-18-2, Nikita Miller 10-2-23-2, Marquino Mindley 10-3-29-2, Damion Jacobs 101-30-2. Jamaica Innings: 139/1 (28.4 Overs). John Campbell 61*, Jermaine Blackwood 53*, Nkrummah Bonner 10; Odean Smith 5-0-29-1, Sharmar Springer 5-1-19-0, Chad Williams 9-0-35-0, Ramaal Lewis 6-0-28-0. Jamaica won by 9 wickets. (CMC)
Boxing star Pacquiao wants Mayweather decision this month Manny Pacquiao thinks fans deserve to see him fight Floyd Mayweather and wants the unbeaten American to confirm a May date by the end of this month, the Los Angeles Times reported. “We have to know soon because if they will not fight, we can move on and choose another opponent,” the Filipino fight king told the newspaper on a visit Monday to its offices to promote his new documentary film, “Manny”. “We have a deadline... this month,” Pacquiao said, although he added that he didn’t know if Mayweather would sign off on a May 2 fight in Las Vegas. Pacquiao says he and promoters Top Rank have agreed to terms that include giving Mayweather a 60 percent cut of the proceeds in a megafight widely
expected to shatter all boxoffice and television revenue records. ESPN reported this month that Pacquiao has also agreed on issues such as the gloves to be used and a drug testing protocol. Drug testing was one of the issues that caused a Pacquiao-Mayweather showdown to fall through when it was being negotiated in 2009 and early 2010. The eyes of the boxing world have long been on a showdown between the unbeaten Mayweather (47-0, 26 knockouts) and eightdivision world champion Pacquiao (57-5-2, 38 knockouts), two of the greatest boxers of their generation. Talk of the superfight gained steam in December, when Mayweather proposed the May 2 date and Pacquiao vowed to chase him into
Manny Pacquiao submission. But Mayweather has been mum since then on whether he plans to follow through. (AFP)
Wednesday January 21, 2015
Kaieteur News
England v India, Carlton Mid Tri-Series
Finn, Anderson run through India
Ian Bell © Getty Images It was here in the nets at the Gabba a year and four days ago that Steven Finn couldn’t land the ball on the strip. He was fatigued and down on confidence. He was offered an early leave from what was a trying tour of Australia. He took the offer. In the match that followed, an England attack lacking a tall bowler helplessly saw James Faulkner pull of a heist with No. 11 for company. A year and three days later, Finn announced his comeback to top-flight cricket with a maiden five-for that ripped apart India’s batting order after they had recovered from a shaky start. Finn’s charge turned 1 for 57 into 5 for 67, and 5 for 137 into 153, their lowest all-out score against England. That after India had decided to bat on a hard Gabba surface only to be undone by the extra bounce on the pitch. Ian Bell helped England chase the target down in 27.3 overs, claiming the crucial bonus point and a big net run rate boost. India had to contend with inauspicious news just before the match. Their centurion from the MCG ODI, Rohit Sharma, had to pull out with a sore hamstring, which meant Ajnikya Rahane was required to fill in as opener again. It is, however, the other opener that has been India’s problem on this tour. Against a rejuvenated and accurate James Anderson, who was returning from injury himself, Shikhar Dhawan stood no chance. It only seemed a matter of time that Anderson would get one right and Dhawan would nick off. It happened the first time Anderson bowled to Dhawan. By the time Anderson finished the over in which Dhawan got out, his
figures read 2-2-0-1. Rahane and Ambati Rayudu - the replacement for Rohit - batted edgily but stayed together for 12 overs, adding 56 runs. They had seen off the threat of Anderson and scored well against Stuart Broad, who didn’t seem to be at his most intense. There were no easy runs on offer, though. The two had to repeatedly leave their crease to try to put the England bowlers off their lengths, but they succeeded too infrequently. When Rahane tried to do the same to Finn, the ball got too big, and the inevitable top edge appeared. Virat Kohli, who for some reason has given up the No. 3 slot despite having been the best ODI No. 3 in the world, soon edged to the keeper, playing a nothing dab despite the presence of a slip. Finn’s extra bounce again did the trick. Kohli’s movement deep into the crease just before Finn had delivered hinted at desperation, at how difficult scoring runs had been. Suresh Raina, who scored a half-century in Melbourne to rescue India, provided a reminder of how difficult India had found Moeen Ali in the English summer, walking past an offbreak. The movement out of the crease again came too early. Soon Rayudu, too, failed to handle Finn’s bounce as he looked to run one down to third man. India had lost four wickets in the space of 27 deliveries, but MS Dhoni and Stuart Binny - playing in the place of R Ashwin - stalled the momentum with a 70-run partnership. Binny ended up with the top score of 44. Yet when India called for the Powerplay one over before the mandatory 36th over, they
were staring at Finn and Anderson again. With the field coming in, the singles dried up, and Finn conceded just the one run in the 35th over. Anderson dropped a return offering from Dhoni first ball into his second spell but, conceding just a single, he ensured the pressure was on. Finn came back to clean Dhoni up with a bouncer that was gloved to the keeper. Next ball he moved round the wicket to burst through the defence of Akshar Patel, who now has two ducks in two innings in Australia. Bhuvneshwar Kumar avoided the hat-trick, but couldn’t save the top of his off stump from Anderson in the next over. Two good catches - by Eoin Morgan running back from mid-off and by Moeen circling under a swirling ball at the edge of the midwicket boundary - ended the Indian innings in a hurry. India’s innings ended so early England got six overs to bat before the supper break. It was time enough for Bell to get off to a fluent start even as Moeen fell to a slower ball from Binny, who opened the innings. The rest of the innings was all about Bell stylishly knocking off the runs and Binny getting an extended spell possibly as India’s endeavour to test him out now that the match was lost. For some time it seemed Bell could get to a century even in the meagre chase, but it was too fanciful a thought. Bell finished with an unbeaten 88 off 91 balls, James Taylor got a third ODI fifty, and the match was over even before it got dark in Brisbane. After one round of matches, England sat second in the triangular with five points, behind Australia’s nine. England 1 for 156 (Bell 88*, Taylor 56*) beat India 153 (Binny 44, Finn 5-33, Anderson 4-18) by 9 wickets. (ESPNcricinfo)
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Top seeds, former champions march on in Melbourne Reuters - Top seeds Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams stuck to the Australian Open script with fairly routine victories yesterday, while men’s champion Stan Wawrinka and two-time winner Victoria Azarenka joined them in the second round. The tournament had been turned on its head on the first day with eight women’s seeds, notably fifth ranked Ana Ivanovic, crashing out in the first round. Yesterday’s matches went mostly as expected, however, with Djokovic barely troubled while Serena had some issues in the second set against players ranked more than 100 places below them. Bidding to become the second man to win fiveAustralian Open titles and touted by pundits and fellow players as the player to beat, Djokovic put in just enough effort to beat Slovenian qualifierAljaz Bedene 6-3 6-2 6-4 in a shade under two hours. “For a first round performance it was pretty good,” said Djokovic, who has been dogged by a virus this month. “Still need to work on some things. I’m still developing my game so I’m glad to go through. “It has been a rough two weeks health-wise but I’m getting there.” Serena was at her ambivalently arrogant best in the first set, appearing to barely acknowledge Alison Van Utyvanck’s presence as she swatted aside the Belgian 6-0 in 21 minutes and then jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the second. Such was her dominance a ‘double-bagel’ appeared on the cards before the 20-year-old found her rhythm and range and forced the 18-times grand slam winner into a match, which caused some frustrations for the American before she ran out a 60 6-4 winner. “As always, I had the jitters going out in the first match of a grand slam,” she said. “It’s never super easy to be the one that everyone wants to beat. “So I always have to be a little bit above. But I felt okay (and) I definitely think I can improve a
Serena Williams Credit: REUTERS/Issei Kato
Novak Djokovic Credit: Reuters/Carlos Barria tremendous amount.” TOP-10 WIN Despite taking a fall early in his match, Wawrinka was equally comfortable against Marsel Ilhan, the only Turkish man to have made a grand slam main draw. “First grand slam is never easy, but I’m happy the way I played,” the Swiss told reporters. “I play some good tennis and I have confidence with my game in general.” Kei Nishikori also had few problems, enjoying a 6-4 7-6 6-2 victory over former top-10 player Nicolas Almagro, who is on the comeback trail after foot surgery last June. Eighth-seeded Canadian Milos Raonic also advanced, 7-6(3) 7-6(3) 6-3 over qualifier Illya Marchenko, though he admitted his laconic demeanor on court hides a tangled mess of high strung nerves and personal demons. “Everything bothers me deep down,” a smiling Raonic said after his 28th ace sealed the win over the 144th-ranked Ukrainian. “Everything. I’m not that relaxed.”
DARKHORSE Twice champion Victoria Azarenka, unseeded after an injury-ravaged 2014, proved she was a dangerous floater in the draw as she got back to her banshee-screeching best, raising the decibel levels on Hisense Arena in a 6-3 6-2 win over American Sloane Stephens. “Being an unseeded player, it’s not a surprise that I have a tough draw or tough opponents in the early round,” she said. “I just need to go through that.” The tournament does not get any easier for Azarenka with a second round clash against former world number one Caroline Wozniacki, who eventually outfought American teenager Taylor Townsend 7-6(1) 6-2. “It’s going to be tough, she’s won here before (and) not the easiest on paper,” Wozniacki said of the second round clash. “But at the same time... whether you have to beat her in the second round or fourth round, whatever, doesn’t matter if you want to win the tournament.”
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Kaieteur News
Third Annual Nestle Milo U-20 Schools Football
Sam urges strong emphasis on attendance, behavior; Mendonca hoping for GFF NC collaboration Mindful of several disputes that threatened to put a bad taste in tournaments of the past, Chief Education Officer (CEO) Olato Sam speaking at the Launching of the 3rd Annual Nestle Milo Under-20 Schools Football Competition urged all connected with the tournament to ensure that participants have good attendance and behaviour records. The CEO told the gathering that included Petra Organisation Co-Director Troy Mendonca, Nestle Milo representative Renita Sital and Chase Academy’s Henry Chase that this year ’s competition should see some amount of eligibility changes for students among which should be a minimum Grade Point average thereby encouraging participants to see themselves as student athletes and not merely footballers. According to Sam, the world has moved in this direction a long time ago, informing that there is a distinct advantage between the two. He said the student athlete very often could interpret concepts and tactics much better than the one who is just a pure athlete, but cautioned that because the changes will now be implemented he does not expect sweeping changes immediately. Sam opened by welcoming Petra Organisation to the fold,
adding that it has been a consistent partner with the Ministry, while his entity has also recognised the important levels football is being at over the past three years. “What we’ve noted is that we are now at a stage where we can demand more and that the sport can now contribute to the school system,” Sam mentioned. He further added that the Ministry did notice the evolution of a girls’ tournament which from all reports was successfully run and for this the Ministry was exceptionally pleased. Sam wished the Organisers a successful tournament this year. Sital in her presentation after expressing satisfaction about the tournament’s success last year called on parents to come out and not only witness the games, but also listen to what the students say about ‘genderbased Violence’, an issue she reminded is a topical one in our society. Milo she stated is the drink of champions and was pleased to once again be associated with the tournament. Mendonca said the Organisation was proud to be back again and applauded the sponsor Nestle Milo for placing faith in them to organise the tournament, one which is assisting in the development of young people. He thanked both the ministry of Education and the Ministry of Health for their continued support over the
duration of the tournament. Mendonca too called on parents and guardians to come out and offer support to the students. Chase, who has become a vital partner in the competition in his remarks, spoke of his school’s involvement which according to him is to award four fully subsidized scholarships to outstanding players coming out of the tournament. An ardent football fan, Chase said apart from his genuine concern about the standard of the game locally, he also realized that there were many players out there with loads of talent, but did not have the opportunity to compete academically. “I decided that I had to get involved to rescue some of those talented players who were not performing at a desired level academically and who were forced to quit the traditional school system for varying reasons.” He pointed out that they will be able to attend school, get a good education and still train in the afternoons. Meanwhile, Mendonca questioned about the idea to collaborate with the Normalisation Committee (NC) of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) said that it is the Organisation’s wish that they meet soon to start discussions on the way forward. He said a plan must be constructed to capture players with the talent after the competition is over and this issue is among a range of topics that they hope to ventilate whenever the chance to meet with the NC arises. He mentioned the realisation of an academy as one way in which the talent pool could have continuity, while the placing of at least one coach at primary and secondary schools could also be a good approach. Thirty-two teams will be divided into eight groups of four and the tournament is set to kick off on January 31 with four games being played on each day. The winners will receive $500,000, runner-up $300,000, 3rd place $200,000 and 4th place $100,000, all of which will go towards a Project of the school’s choice. Outstanding individual players will also receive prizes.
Wednesday January 21, 2015
Mexico wins, clinches FIFA U-20 World Cup berth
Alejandro Diaz (pictured) celebrates acrobatically after scoring for Mexico in its 3-1 CONCACAF Under-20 Championship win over El Salvador on January 19, 2015, in Montego Bay, Jamaica. (Photo: Mexsport) Montego Bay, Jamaica Mexico (4-0-0, 12 points) qualified a third straight time for the FIFA Under-20 World Cup with a 3-1 win over El Salvador (1-2-1, 5 points) in the CONCACAF Under-20 Championship on Monday at the Montego Bay Sports Complex. The result gave the Tricolor an insurmountable lead atop the Group B table and the automatic ticket that it provides to New Zealand 2015. El Salvador did well to stifle the 12-time CONCACAF champion for most of the game, but the dam finally burst during a six-minute spell in the second half, when the Tricolor netted all of its goals. Like he’s done throughout the competition, Hirving Lozano ignited the Mexican charge. In the 62nd minute, he sent a cross from the right that took a bounce in the box. Jose David Ramirez looped a header towards the net that Salvadoran goalkeeper Carlos Cañas could only tip into the goal. It was the midfielder’s third tally of the tournament. Two minutes later, Ramirez turned provider. His service into the near post
resulted in another headed goal as Alejandro Diaz’s diving header beat Canas for his fourth goal in as many games. Lozano then converted from the penalty spot in the 68th minute after he was hauled down by Edwin Cuellar off a counterattacking run down the right side. The Pachuca midfielder made it 3-0 by slotting the ball into the bottom-right corner, elevating him to joint-top scorer with USA’s Romain Gall on five goals each. The Salvadorans were able to get a consolation goal in the 88th minute through Nelson Moreno, who entered as a substitute just three minutes earlier. Moreno was left unmarked in the box to headed Eduardo Merino’s corner past goalkeeper Jose Gonzalez. Lozano could have added a fourth for Mexico, but lifted his effort over the crossbar on a rebound attempt in the 90th minute with the goal gaping. Mexico will look to win in the competition for a 14th straight time tomorrow in a meeting with Haiti, while El Salvador squares off against Cuba that same day. Mexico will be making its
14th appearance in a FIFA U20 World Cup, when the tournament takes place May 30-June 20, 2015, in New Zealand. Honduras overcomes Haiti Honduras moved into second place in Group B with a 3-2 victory over Haiti at the Montego Bay Sports Complex on Monday night. The win boosted the Central American side to a 2-1-1 record and seven points behind group leader Mexico (4-0-0, 12). The Haitians fell to 0-2-2. Bryan Rochez snapped a 2-2 deadlock by putting in a rebound of his saved penalty kick in the 72nd minute. The Hondurans grabbed a 2-0 lead behind goals by Alberth Elis (5th minute) and Michael Chirionos (38th minute), before Haiti’s Jonel Desire took advantage of a poor defensive pass to halve the deficit in the 40th minute. Desire leveled in the 68th minute with his second goal of the match, slotting home a rebound of his saved penalty kick. Honduras will complete the group stage tomorrow in a meeting against Canada. (CONCACAF)
CONCACAF reveals Logo, Sets Official Draw for Beach Soccer C/ship El Salvador 2015 Miami The Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) yesterday revealed the logo and announced plans for the official draw for the 2015 CONCACAF Beach Soccer Championship, scheduled for March 28 – April 4 in El Salvador. The draw will take place on Tuesday, January 27 at the Intercontinental Real San Salvador at 10 am local time (11 am ET).
The proceedings will determine the schedule and groups for the Beach Soccer Championship, which features a record 16 teams from across the CONCACAF region. The event will be streamed live on CONCACAF.com. The nations programmed to participate in the quest for this year ’s CONCACAF Beach Soccer crown include host El Salvador, as well as Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Costa Rica, Guadeloupe,
Guatemala, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama, Puerto Rico, Trinidad & Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands, United States, and the US Virgin Islands. In addition to the regional title, the 16 participating Member Associations are battling for one of two places in the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Portugal 2015, to be played this July. The 2017 edition of the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup will be hosted by CONCACAF Member Association the Bahamas. (CONCACAF)