Monday January 25, 2016
Kaieteur News
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Letters... Where your views make the news...Letters... Where your views make the news
LET WALES DIE SO GUYSUCO COULD LIVE DEAR EDITOR, This is a letter of appeal to GAWU in particular. I ask who your constituents are and who are the biggest losers in this entire period in the West Demerara sugar industry? From my point of view, the answer to both of these questions remains the workers. If this is the case then we must look at GuySuCo from a human development angle but with a heavy dose of financial analysis. This is not politics. If one is to observe the above figures (see attached) from a financial perspective, Wales Sugar Estate (WSE) should have been closed years ago. WSE should have been closed since 2008. But the sugar industry is not about pure profit and loss; it is a “country within a country” with its own socioeconomic structure. Therefore, we must all be grateful to the past PPP and present Coalition governments for pumping billions of dollars of taxpayers’ money into the sugar industry in an attempt to artificially keep WSE open for eight (8) additional years. But it is time to take WSE off the life support machine come the end of 2016. The risks are too much and if one observes the recommendations of the Parvattan Commission – it is privatization. But “privatization of GuySuCo” translates into “death to the sugar industry”. So what is the end game here Mr. Komal Chand, saving WSE and destroying GuySuCo or saving GuySuCo but ensuring the best severance packages are secure for the WSE workers? There is still much sugar life in estates like Albion and
Blairmont. Why not give them a fighting chance Mr. Komal Chand? So the focus for the next 12 months should not be on making this WSE issue into a political circus. It is the duty of GAWU to ensure that the Leadership Team in GuySuCo and the Ministry of Agriculture treat those workers of WSE identified for severance and the affected residents in the Wales/ Patentia/Canal Polder areas, with consideration and compassion. The big question remains how many of these soon to be ex-WSE workers will be absorbed at Uitvlugt and Enmore and what transportation system will be put in place to impose cashneutrality on their current wages. This issue is not Mr. Granger targeting sugar workers. This is about stemming the outflow of G$12 billion from the Treasury into GuySuCo, by way of this life support machine. This is about the workers and only the workers. Let us find a solution for the workers that will treat them with respect, treat them fairly, and reward them for their loyalty to the sugar industry over the years. This means that all of us (Government/GAWU and so on) must hold the hands of the workers at WSE over the next 24 months until every single one of them can be place in an alternative economic venture. This project must take the shape of a collective output that is made up of several linked deliverables. Expected deliverables must include: 1. Retraining and placement of the workers for employment outside of the sugar industry;
2. Unemployment financial support while they are out of a job but to a maximum of 12 months; 3. Reposition the workers for a continued life in sugar at Uitvlugt/Enmore with free transport to work; 4. A favourable severance package inclusive of G$1,000 houselots/lands for the planting of cash crops. We have to remember the remaining 15,000 sugar workers are watching what is going on at WSE and if this process is badly handled, GAWU will lose much credibility as being incapable of looking out for the workers. The Coalition government has even more to lose if this WSE issue is badly handled. Nothing in life is permanent, even life itself is not permanent, so why should we expect WSE should remain opened permanently? So I appeal to all, especially the workers at WSE and GAWU to remove the emotions from the issue and let us all work together to ensure every single worker who is made redundant because of this process, will not be reduced to extreme poverty. This is our duty. I stand ready to offer my service to GAWU (at a dollar a year) to help them negotiate a favorable settlement to this issue using my experience in dealing with agricultural businesses in financial distress in the UK. At the end of the day, it is all about the workers. Keeping WSE open is not in the long-term best interest of the workers, but putting them on a firm financial foundation for the future is paramount. Sase Singh
Trade unionist says APNU-AFC Govt. not learning lessons of history
DEAR EDITOR, As the APNU+AFC government sees social cohesion as vital to this nation’s development, evident in the establishment of a ministry expected to pursue this policy with laser beam attention, it is time the government not only talk the talk but walk the walk. From the outset the Wales estate issue has been handled poorly. It is also reminiscence of what Bharrat Jadgeo did to bauxite workers who heard through the media that they will be made redundant (i.e. sent home) and that LINMINE and BERMINE would be divested. He who cannot learn from history is doomed to repeat it. The manner in which the announcement of the Wales proposed closure was made has contributed to polarisation in the society and this will deepen and widen if a process is not arrived at to bring stakeholders to the decision-making table. Doing this is not only consistent with the rule of law but would also prevent a very serious issue from further becoming a political football by the self-serving and pushing this nation into camps on a matter that should be a unifier. GuySuCo is a state entity and any decision taken on this company must be arrived at after careful consideration that would lead to prudent decision-making by
stakeholders. In the meantime the National Assembly, the nation’s highest decisionmaking forum, needs to convene and discuss the Commission of Inquiry Report which can give guidance to the decisions that ought to be made about the industry. This nation has spent millions on this commission and its report cannot be allowed to gather dust like others. This is even more important given the precarious nature of the industry, its drag on the economy, and the socioeconomic impact/consequences on workers/citizens. The Wales issue borders on national interest. The price of sugar is not determined by us and it is for this reason the stakeholders are called upon to constructively engage, with a view of determining what is best for the workers/ citizens in Region Three. Wales is located in Region Three. This region is won by the PPP. Since the closure of the estate will impact on a number of workers/citizens and communities it requires the involvement of the affected stakeholders and central government working towards alternative programme to cushion the impact that will be created. This means that the Regional Democratic Council, the trade unions representing the workers, the Neighbourhood Democratic Councils in the region, central
government, cane farmers, and the PPP need to meet and deliberate. When one looks at the stated configuration what is not seen is a winner-take-all system. What is seen is a platform to realize inclusionary democracy as prescribed by the Constitution in Article 13 which the President of Guyana commits to uphold and has consistently been calling for. This article which is the nation’s Principal Political Objective very clearly states that when it comes to the management and decision-making processes of the State, individuals and groups are required to be involved on matters that impact their wellbeing. Minister of State Joe Harmon is on record saying the government has a plan for the workers who will be affected by the closure. Harmon and Noel Holder, Minister of Agriculture are called on to rethink this position. Consistent with Article 13 there cannot be a plan for any community without the involvement of the people and their representatives. The rule of law must be respected at all times. It is the rule of that would ensure the soughtafter social cohesion and national unity, and successfully arrest the lust of those who thrive on the society being divided. Lincoln Lewis
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Kaieteur News
Monday January 25, 2016
Wales Estate closure… Specialist advocates ‘levels’ to tackling domestic violence PPP using sugar workers for political benefit
While the issue of domestic violence in Guyana, has increased rapidly, Clinical Psychologist, Dr. Dianne Douglas holds the view that there are different levels to effectively tackle the problem. Dr. Douglas was among the panel of guest speakers at the recently concluded two-day seminar on Domestic Violence The seminar organized by the Supreme Court of Guyana and the Commonwealth Magistrates and Judges Association was hosted at the Marriott Hotel Kingston Georgetown. Dr. Douglas, a Mental Health Expert from Trinidad and Tobago explained that domestic violence can be strategically addressed at micro and macro levels. She noted that while there are several causes of domestic violence, this type of violence is inevitably linked to family life and relationships. As such, the psychologist opined that the effort should be made by every organisation that has input into family life. “At the micro level, there is the church and the school or anywhere there are children you find family life being addressed.” These organisations, Dr. Douglas believes are chief modes of reaching the masses with the message against domestic violence. She also advocated for unions such as the Parent Teacher Association, (PTA) to speak out against the issue. The PTA, she said has an
Trinidad-based Clinical Psychologist, Dr. Dianne Douglas outlet of speaking to parents on how they deal with conflict because the model they pass on to their children is what is perpetuated in society. The church and other religious organisation also have various opportunities to speak on matters of gender based violence. “Pre- marital counseling another means of getting the message out.” “The message is that there will always be disagreements and conflict of ideas but it doesn’t have lead to violence even though it is normal to
have conflict of opinion and differences of ideas it does not have to lead to violence because violence is not normal or cool.” In terms of tackling domestic violence on a larger (macro) scale, the doctor said that the media has an essential role to play. “The media needs to be bombarded with positive messages particularly, social media. The same way social media is used to get a negative message out, can be used for positive things. I believe social media is the most powerful tool to get the message out.” Dr. Douglas surmised that “the State must take a proposition to reorient the population and educate people about the fact that men and women are equal and what is appropriate behaviour in the face of conflict.” In his address at the opening of the seminar on Friday, President David Granger asserted that the reduction and eventual eradication of Guyana’s infamy of domestic requires a sincere and serious approach to equality and respect for Continued on page 9)
Captured bank... (From page 3) stolen cash before proceeding to split up the loot. “They said that the money for the man they drop off at BV was left with his relative,” the source told Kaieteur News. Armed with this information, Detectives are confident that they will rein in the remaining suspects soon. Crime Chief Blanhum told this newspaper that his ranks are still looking for at least four other persons who would have played a direct or indirect role in the crime. Police are still to establish if there was any direct link between the criminals and persons directly associated with the bank.
When it comes to the noise being made by the political Opposition over Government’s decision to close the Wales Sugar Estate by year end, University Professor Dr. David Hinds says it is nothing but a façade. In his recent writings on his blog, w w w. g u y a n a c a r i b b e a n politics.com, he said that the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) is only interested in using the sugar workers to score political points. He said that by their very actions, the PPP has proven that it is not sincerely concerned about the sugar workers. Dr. Hinds opined that the sugar industry has, for a long time, been a drain on the country’s meagre resources. If the industry is to survive, he said one must embrace the harsh but inevitable reality that something had to give. The political activist said that the PPP wrecked the industry to satisfy its narrow agenda. “We know of all the mismanagement and clientelism that went on. They turned the industry into an ethnic football. When the Government changed, the PPP went into blackmail mode. The new Government moved to keep the industry afloat in the short term, but this cannot continue indefinitely.” Dr. Hinds said that obviously the Government cannot and would not shut down the entire industry just like that as that would not make any economic or political sense. He said, however, that in the interest of the country, and particularly the sugar workers, “we need to find both short and long term solutions. Many of our CARICOM sister countries have long done this; we have to catch up.” The University professor said that sugar, in its present
- Dr. David Hinds state is vulnerable. “Why does the PPP want sugar workers to be forever vulnerable? Why don’t they want a stable industry? The answer is because they want to continue to use sugar workers for political benefit.” The political activist said that Guyana’s sugar industry, as it is, cannot compete with other sugar-producing countries, and the Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo knows this. “He (Jagdeo) knows that closing Wales Estate is the least painful action that can be taken in the short term, yet he opposes it. He refuses to let the workers know that this would benefit the industry and the country in the long term. Why would a Government that bailed out the sugar industry to ensure that workers were paid be interested in punishing those very workers? Score political points, but don’t lie so barefacedly.” Dr. Hinds added that no worker wants to know that he or she will lose his or her job. He said that “these are poor people” who do not have ready replacement. He opined that Guyana is without a robust private sector to absorb the labour being let go. “I am sure the Government thought of this and does have plans to assist in this regard. Its representatives have met with the union, but we know that Guyana Agricultural and General Workers’ Union (GAWU) is the PPP and it would carry out the PPP’s agenda. The Government must therefore go directly to the affected workers. And lest we all fall for the PPP’s propaganda, it should be known that the Wales Estate employs a fair bit of non-East Indian workers. So no Mr. Jagdeo, it’s not only PPP supporters who are affected.” Furthermore, Dr. Hinds said that the PPP was in full flight last week as it was up to its old tricks. He opined that based on the Opposition’s behaviour in and out of parliament, it believes that Government’s decision to close the Wales Estate is a God-sent gift. “This is what the PPP was waiting for. Its leaders so badly wanted to prove to their constituency that this Government plans to crush them that they were falling over themselves to get to Wales. Mr. Jagdeo was in his element. He immediately declared that the closure was aimed at weakening PPP
University Professor, Dr. David Hinds people economically.” The political activist opined that this is all part of the rhetoric of witch-hunting and ethnic cleansing and some of the workers bought the bait. “When your job is on the line, I suppose any bearer of sympathy and conspiracy theory is welcome.” Dr. Hinds also recalled that there were demonstrations at Wales and in Georgetown when the announcement of the closure was made. “I want to note, with much relief, that there were no arrests, beatings or shootings by the police. This must be a lesson for the PPP, which lost no opportunity during its tenure in office to facilitate the brutalization of protestors.” “Who can forget the police shooting pellets at APNU supporters peacefully marching shortly after the 2011 election, or the fatal shooting of protestors at Linden in 2012? Some of us were charged and hauled before the courts after the December 2011 shootings. The PPP must be reminded of these incidents every time it turns out to protest.” Dr. Hinds said that many may not remember that in that same Wales community, a young man was fatally shot by the police in 2010 for allegedly loitering in front of a school. He said that when social activists Mark Benschop, Freddie Kissoon, Lincoln Lewis and himself joined residents to highlight the incident by way of a picket at the Brickdam Police Station, Benschop was arrested, the canter which transported the school children was seized by the police, and the owner was charged. He noted that all of this happened under the PPP, which was last week championing causes and leading protests. “Sometimes I wonder if these politicians remember what they did when they held power.”
Monday January 25, 2016
Kaieteur News
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FRANCE’S HOLLANDE PUSHES Islamic State video claims to show FOR FIGHTER DEAL IN INDIA Reuters - French President Francois Hollande said yesterday his government was considering an agreement with New Delhi that would clear the way for a long-awaited $9 billion (6 billion pounds) sale of French-built Rafale warplanes to India. Hollande arrived in India yesterday. During his visit he will try to close the defence deal and to push forward with nuclear and solar energy agreements, including a plan to build six French nuclear reactors in western India. India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been trying to attract French companies to India and to share high technology in defence and other fields as part of a bid to promote local industry and build a domestic manufacturing base. In the run-up to Hollande’s visit, Indian and French negotiators debated the price of the 36 combat planes designed to replace ageing Indian air force jets, officials of the two nations said. “The idea we have in mind is the one of an intergovernmental agreement between the two countries in order to allow the firms involved to go all the way,”
Paris attackers
French President Francois Hollande (R) shakes hands with India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi during their visit to the Rock Garden in Chandigarh, India, yesterday. REUTERS/Altaf Hussain Hollande told journalists. “It is this intergovernmental agreement that will allow a commercial transaction,” said Hollande. The French leader, speaking in Chandigarh, a city designed by French architect Le Corbusier, said such an agreement was a prerequisite for the Indian side. He did not elaborate. Hollande will be the guest of honour at India’s Republic Day parade tomorrow, a sign of the deepening political and commercial ties between the two countries.
During his visit, Hollande will try to kickstart negotiations on a plan for French nuclear company Areva (AREVA.PA) to build six reactors in western India. The talks have recently been stuck over the price of deal, and French utility EDF’s (EDF.PA) recent takeover of Areva’s reactor business has also slowed progress. France and India are expected to lay out a roadmap for nuclear cooperation. India has launched a nuclear insurance pool to address nuclear suppliers’ concerns
over liability stemming from a 2010 Indian law. A source at Areva said the firm was waiting to see the details of the insurance cover. India will also seek French investment to upgrade of its rail system, waterways and mass transit systems planned for 50 cities, Modi said. Modi and Hollande also said countries would work together in counter-terrorism and planned to step up cooperation, including between their militaries. Formal talks will begin today.
CAIRO (Reuters) - A video published yesterday by the media center of Islamic State claimed to show images and last statements of nine of the people who took part in the Paris attacks that killed 130 people on Nov. 13. Reuters could not independently verify the authenticity of the footage. The French Foreign Ministry declined to comment on it. There was no immediate comment from the Prime Minister’s office, and Reuters was not immediately able to reach officials at the Interior Ministry. The video was uploaded to Islamic State’s official Telegram channel and shows some of the attackers wearing camouflage fatigues in a desert location, before the time of the Paris attacks. “These are the last messages of the nine lions of the caliphate who were mobilized from their lairs to make a whole country, France, get down on its knees,” a narrator in the video says.
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Kaieteur News
Monday January 25, 2016
Monday January 25, 2016
Kaieteur News
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WHAT IS THE LAW? There used to be a time when the price of gold in Guyana was below US$ 300 per oz. That was a long time ago but it was during that period that plenty men and women made big gold chains and heavy gold bands. Goldsmiths made good money because plenty people were ordering jewellery back then. People even came from overseas to make earrings and nose rings and ankle chains and necklaces. In those days you could buy a heavy gold chain for $300,000. You could make a cricket band with a few diamonds for the same sum. Since then the price
of gold has increased to almost six times before falling a few years ago. When the price increased, most goldsmiths experienced a slump in business. People could no longer afford to make jewellery. With the decline in gold prices to around US$ 1100 per ounce, things have improved, but only slightly. In the days when gold prices were low, jewellery was not considered as currency. Currency was considered as paper money — cash and travellers’ cheques. If you were leaving Guyana, the law required that if you had US$10,000 or more or in cash you were required
to declare it. Nobody checked the value of the jewellery you were wearing. There was never a problem with what you had on. People were leaving and coming with gold ropes around their necks. Some ladies had more bangles than Christmas decorations. Nobody told them that they were smuggling gold out the country or laundering currency. The problem arose when APNU was in opposition and proposed the more ridiculous and nonsensical changes to the Anti- Money Laundering and the Countering of Terrorism Bill. APNU was proposing that powers be
Murderous canecutter still on the run Police are on the hunt for a cane cutter, who on Thursday beat, stabbed and strangled his wife to death in a trench at Zeelugt, East Bank Essequibo (EBE). He had reportedly found out that she had been unfaithful to him. Late Thursday, the body of 41-year-old Bibi Zabida Khan, a mother of three of Seaview, Stewartville, EBE, was found submerged in a trench about four villages from where she and her husband of 11 years lived. Eyewitnesses told her relatives that they saw a man beating a woman on a road at Zeelugt and when they ran to help, he pushed her in a trench and jumped behind her. He reportedly strangled her in the water and escaped. Neighbours believed that the police will find the body of Randolph Williams soon since he repeatedly told them that he would kill his wife and then kill himself if he ever caught her with a man. When this publication visited the woman’s home, neighbours said that the woman might have been killed after her partner found out that she was unfaithful to him for several years. According to one neighbour, “For years now, this woman cheating on him and all the neighbours know but like he never knows. Only last month he confirmed she was seeing someone.” Kaieteur News was told that a little before Christmas, Williams was informed by a neighbour that his wife was having an affair with someone. He was also informed that his wife had a cellular phone which she used to communicate with the individual. “Like when he left and go to work, she does use this phone and make plans with
DEAD: Bibi Zabida Khan
WANTED: Randolph Williams
this man and whenever he (husband) come home back in the afternoon, she does hide it so one day he lied and tell her he going to work but he went hiding in the fowl pen at the bottom of the house,” the neighbour related. She added, “She thought that he gone to work and she called the sweet man and her husband was in the pen downstairs listening to the entire conversation and then he walk behind her and touch her on her shoulders and collected the phone.” Kaieteur News was told that Khan was beaten and thrown out of the house by her partner. “She mek he get lock up and then the matter went to the Probation Officer and then the two of them make up back and she move in back with he.” All this happened last December. “They were back to normal and living really good and loving until two days ago when we heard a big cuss out. They were cussing about some phone card so I don’t know if he found a phone card in the house and think she was still talking to the man or
what,” another neighbour related. The neighbours said that on Thursday morning, everything seemed normal between the couple since they were seen kissing on their verandah. A little later, they were seen walking out of the village holding hands but never returned. It is believed that it was then when the mother of three was lured to her death. This newspaper was told that people saw a man beating a woman in Zeelugt but when they ran to offer assistance, he jumped in a trench with her and strangled her in the trench after which he escaped in a bushy area. The couple’s neighbours yesterday said that they are convinced Williams will kill himself since he reportedly told one of his neighbours last month when he found his wife with a phone, that he will kill her and then kill himself. The couple had no children together. “They had a son but he de fall down the step and died years now.” Investigations are still ongoing.
granted to the police to detain currency exceeding two million dollars. There was uproar over the change because some salesmen were known to do more business than that on a daily basis and if perchance they were found with that amount it could be detained until they gave a satisfactory explanation. Not many people felt safe with the police having such powers. APNU also proposed expanding the definition of “currency” to include jewellery. This means that if you only had US$2,000 in currency but your jewellery on your person was one of those rope chains or expensive diamond rings worn by the rich and famous, you could have the jewellery and the currency detained under the antimoney laundering laws. Those laws were not passed by the PPP. When the new government came to power last May, they amended the laws to enlarge the definition of currency. But the thresholds as increased from what APNU had originally proposed. This means that a person can be charged if the total value of the currency and jewellery on them exceeds US$G10M. It is hard to see anyone wearing or carrying currency in this sum overseas unless they are doing a business. It is more difficult to contemplate someone having on his person more than ten million in jewellery. But that is the anti- money
laundering law. Guyana’s exchange laws require someone to declare any currency in excess of US$10,000. This law, as far as is known, does not consider jewellery as currency. It was therefore shocking to read reports in the media about someone being detained and questioned about the jewellery that he was wearing and being accused of money laundering. There was another report that the jewellery was detained. There needs to b clarification by the authorities as to just what are the laws governing the movement of personal jewellery in Guyana as well as other forms of currency. This is going to be a year when thousands of Guyanese
from overseas will be coming back home. A lot of them wear imitation gold jewellery which looks like real gold but is not. They need to know the law. They need assurances that they will not be harassed at the airport. Since when are people assessing the value of gold chain and gold band at the airport? This is a frightening! If this is the harassment that persons are going to be subjected to then they had better stop off in some other country and spend their holiday rather than risking being detained in Guyana for their imitation jewellery.
Specialist advocates... (From page 6) women, girls and other minorities. The Head of State underscored that the eradication of domestic violence must start with an investigation into causation. “It matters little how many laws are enacted; the core problem will not be solved unless the core causes of domestic violence are understood. Domestic violence is a result of a complex interplay of cultural, psychological and social factors which have combined to create an imbalance of power between parties in a relationship.” The President told the gathering which included high ranking judicial officers from the Commonwealth that while it will take time to undo decades of a culture of criminal violence, the removal of inequalities, both in the home and in the state, is a start. He noted that while there are laws is essential to dealing with the outcome of violence; laws have limitations; the law cannot deal with the impact of violence. “The law cannot rebuild shattered lives and broken homes.” (Rehanna Ramsay)
Monday January 25, 2016
Kaieteur News
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One year after death of a mentally ill man in police lock-ups…
MOTHER STILL AWAITS ANSWERS
Helena Peters
By Dale Andrews A year has passed since the body of 22-year old Tiffon Peters was removed from a cell in the East Ruimveldt Police Outpost and his mother is still on a mission to satisfy her mind that the police are to be blamed for her son’s demise. On January 22, Peters, who was mentally ill, was reportedly found hanging in the cell where he had been placed hours earlier after he was arrested for simple larceny. Although the police had promised that their Office of Professional Responsibility will investigate the matter thoroughly, the victim’s mother, Helena Peters, is still awaiting the final report, which might convince her that Peters took his own life as the police are claiming. “They said the file is with the DPP. I don’t know how long a file does take at the DPP,” Peters said. Like all deaths in police custody, suspicion is the order, and according to his mother, unless the police can convince her otherwise, she would continue to believe that foul play was involved. She visited this newspaper last week, desperate for answers, which she has reportedly not been able to get from the police. Last year, the police had stated that Tiffon Peters, of East Ruimveldt, was found hanging in a cell from his shirt, which he had stripped into a cloth-rope and tied to the metal grillwork of the lockups. The police claimed that at the time, he was in the cell with another prisoner, who was awakened by gasping sounds and alerted the police after seeing Peters hanging. The mentally challenged man was already booked to appear in court the following day. Kaieteur News was told that while in his cell, Peters told his cell mate, “Me ain’t able with this court thing.”
According to a source, the other inmate was preparing to sleep when he heard a “cracking sound.” He reportedly then saw Peters dangling from the cell bars by his shirt. Upon hearing of his death, a small group of residents gathered outside the outpost, while Peters’ mother stood by the doorway singing hymns loudly. The woman had told reporters that she last saw her son alive earlier that day when she took a puri for his lunch, along with his medication. She indicated that her son had suffered from mental illness and that he had undergone psychiatric treatment. Apart from her suspicions over the cause of his death, she has raised concerns about the placing of her mentally challenged son in the lock-ups without supervision. She said that the police were aware of her son’s mental condition, since it was not the first time that he was in their custody. According to Helena Peters, her son, a trained mechanic, was previously incarcerated at the Camp Street Prison and the authorities there took the precaution of placing him under special watch. “They took care of him, so why the police didn’t do the same thing,” she questioned. “He was locked up in Suriname after he was found wandering, and they did not call me and tell me my son hang he self, they call me and I went to collect him. But in Guyana they call me to tell me he hang he self.” The question of police handling of the mentally challenged is fast becoming a bigger issue than is being accepted by local authorities. If it is not death in the lock-ups, it’s the violence perpetrated whenever the police confront mentally challenged persons. It is argued that instead of placing the mentally
challenged in the lock-ups and then sending them to court, the proper intervention, which is psychiatric treatment, should be solicited. Take the case of James McDonald who was remanded for allegedly stealing his grandfather’s money back in March last year. McDonald has been a patient of Dr. Bhiro Harry since 2010, and was diagnosed with Drug induced psychosis, along with other concerns about his abusive, unstable childhood and teenage years. According to his sister Martina Johnson, a Senior Journalist/Radio Producer/ Photographer with the Antigua OBSERVER, McDonald been locked up so many times and the authorities seem to be making no effort to have him treated for his mental condition. “There have been occasions where my brother was locked up for a week and more without being charged...this is very prevalent, as in many countries worldwide, but should not be accepted. Many times my relatives don’t even know he’s in custody…and we only learn after the fact, or when someone becomes concerned after not seeing him for a day or two and they decide to check the stations,” Johnson had told this newspaper during a conversation with a senior reporter. Research shows that Guyana is woefully short on professionals to treat with the
dropped by 62 percent, while the percentage of those in the group with three or more arrests dropped from 26 percent to 3 percent (an 88 percent decline). According to the survey,
Tiffon Peters mentally ill, especially those persons who are inclined to be violent or those who engage in petty thefts like McDonald and Peters. It is being suggested that proven mentally challenged persons should not be subjected to the same criminal procedures as ordinary individuals. Portland State researcher Heidi Herinckx followed 368 people who were diverted to the Clark County Mental Health Court from regular court. She found that in the year before being diverted, those in the group were arrested a total of 713 times; one year after completing the mental health court program, 199 of the group (54 percent) had no new arrests. For that same period, there were only 178 arrests for the entire group – a 75 percent reduction at a time when there was no longer court oversight. Probation violations
18 months after introducing a mental health court, Oklahoma County officials assert that the county saves as much as $15,000 per year by putting an offender in treatment, rather than jail.
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Kaieteur News
Monday January 25, 2016
Parliament an undemocratic place for opposing views - Dr. David Hinds By Kiana Wilburg At every sitting of the National Assembly, it becomes clearer, that bygones will never remain bygones. Insults will be thrown. Insinuations about a politician’s misgivings will be brought up, and political finesse will be thrown out of the window, regardless of how many times the House Speaker, Dr. Barton Scotland reminds the office holders that they are being watched, that they are expected to behave in line with parliamentary codes of conduct. About two weeks ago, the Parliamentary opposition lamented that it had been over 15 sittings and it was yet to have its day in the House to bring matters it believed were of national importance. But every motion it brought was either rejected by the Speaker, shot down by the Government’s side and in one historic case, one of the Opposition’s motions was hijacked, amended by the Executive and passed. It was not their day at all, some concluded. In fact, University Professor, Dr. David Hinds says that the Parliament is not, “a very democratic place as far as scope for the Opposition is concerned.” As for the criticism that the Executive is perhaps adopting the same, “arrogant and disrespectful attitude which was displayed in the Parliament by the PPP regime,” Dr. Hinds says that he does not agree. “I don’t think it’s a case of the new government behaving like the previous one. The government has changed, but the parliamentary rules have not changed. That’s where the issue is. The problem lies at the very nature of our parliamentary democracy; it’s a majoritarian democracy that gives the majority party or parties almost total control of the parliamentary agenda and outcomes. Pure and simple, that is the problem.” In Guyana’s acrimonious political culture, Dr. Hinds said that all governments inevitably activate their majority parliamentary privilege. “I say inevitable because the parliamentary opposition is seldom in a mode of cooperation. Opposition has come to mean undermining of government and using the parliament not as oversight, but as a medium for political cuss-down.” The political activist also addressed the opposition’s objection to Executive
House Speaker, Dr. Barton Scotland
Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo
members being on standing committees or even chairing them. He said that indeed the opposition parties chair some sectoral committees. He said however that it is on the floor that major decisions are made and the opposition just does not have the votes. “Crucially, they also don’t control the agenda. So that government bills get preference partly because it is the government that primarily runs the country but partly because the government side has the power to determine the agenda. In the final analysis the parliament is not a very democratic place as far as scope for the opposition is concerned. Perhaps that is why they don’t treat it with much reverence.” The University professor said that a lot is placed on the Speaker to be a fair moderator. “But in the last analysis the Speaker is there with the support of the Majority; more often than not he or she is a member of the majority party or one of the parties in the case of a Coalition. Some of our Speakers have tried to be impartial as far as the rules allow them to. However, no speaker is going to undermine the majority that puts him or her there. In any case, often the speaker has to be constantly parting fights between the two sides and preventing the opposition from turning the parliament into street-corner party rallies.” He then referred to the recent case where the Speaker, Dr. Barton Scotland, did not allow the PPP’s motion to discuss the looming Wales closure. The Speaker rejected the motion for according to the Standing Orders, such motions should satisfy three absolute criteria—definite, urgent and of national importance. Dr. Scotland had told the House that the matter was indeed definite and of public importance but it is not urgent, since the closure is expected to be at the end of the year.
“The Speaker was acting within the rules. It was not an extraordinarily urgent matter. Of course it’s the speaker’s judgment. On such a matter I would have exercised some leniency and allowed limited debate. But if you do that where do you stop? There was other equally important business on the agenda that day. So you have to have good reason to delay that agenda.” “One of our major problems is that the parliament cannot serve as an effective oversight of the Executive because most of the members of the executive sit in parliament. There is no clear separation of powers. The same people who are Ministers are parliamentarians. The noncabinet parliamentarians of the majority party are backbenchers with little say in what goes on.” The political activist noted that often they only speak for a few minutes at Budget time. He said that one cannot reasonably expect the government to oversee itself. He said that the only exception to this rule was during the period 2011-2015 when the parliament was controlled by different parties. Dr. Hinds intimated that there is also a serious need for parliamentary reform. “I think this super parttime legislature is not serving well. There is just not enough time for parliamentary deliberations. So I think we need to move towards a more full-time legislature with more sittings and more resources for parliamentarians to do their work more diligently. They have to move from being parliamentarians in name only.” Dr. Hinds said that they are in the Parliament to represent constituents, to debate the issues, to make law, to lead. “They are not there to sit week after week and participate very little in the deliberations beyond voting. All our parliamentarians need
President David Granger
Minister of Social Cohesion, Ms. Amna Ally
University Professor, Dr, David Hinds
to be integrally involved in the debates and work of the body. The National Assembly should not be a place just for leaders in the spotlight; it must become a more inclusive body.” He also believes that there is great need for more Separation of Powers between Parliament and the Executive. “We have to begin to substantially reduce the number of Ministers who are parliamentarians. That is the only way we will get better oversight from parliament. Partisan votes would not go away. But government
parliamentarians would have a bit more autonomy to take their work more seriously. And at least we would get rid of the charade of government overseeing itself.” Hinds said that there is also a need to have more Members Days where members on both sides get to ventilate on issues that affect their constituents and the country. He said that this should also be matched with more sectoral committees to cover the various areas of government. Dr. Hinds said that it is at the committee level that Government Ministries
should be monitored and the Ministers be subjected to scrutiny. “I am not recommending we lift the American system wholesale. But some aspects of it should be adopted.” “I would also recommend that we move to a Bi-cameral Assembly. We are the only ones in the Anglophone Caribbean with a single house. We need a second House to serve as a check on the present House and to widen the base of parliamentary debate and lawmaking. This second house should have both elected and Continued on page 16)
Norwegian team expected for talks on Guyana-Norway Agreement - Minister of Natural Resources A team headed by Ambassador of the Kingdom of Norway to Brazil and Guyana, Mrs. Aud Marit Wiig, is expected to arrive in Guyana this week, to conduct a series of meetings and field visits to project sites, which the Norway Government has supported through the Guyana-Norway Agreement. The team will include Ms. Anahita Yousefi from the Norwegian Ministry of Environment, Mr. Simon Ry, Development Policy Director, Mr. Tron Lovda, Senior Adviser at Norway’s Department for Climate, Energy and Environment and Senior Adviser Ms. Hege Ragnhildstveit from the Rainforest Foundation Norway. The team is also expected to meet with Minister of State, Mr. Joseph Harmon, Minister of Finance, Mr. Winston Jordan, and Vice President and Minister of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, Mr. Sydney Allicock. The future of the Guyana-Norway agreement, which had been shadowed by a cloud of uncertainty
since the change in administration, was first discussed at a meeting held in Paris, France in December between the two countries, in the presence of key representatives of the InterAmerican Development Bank (IDB). Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman, said both parties had agreed at that time to formulate a document to determine the future of the relationship and how best it can serve both countries. He said he is looking forward to the visit, as it is imperative that the Norwegians see what has been accomplished so far under the project. “We are committed to this relationship and its continuation. They will be meeting Ministers, Head of agencies, the Opposition and civil society and we are looking forward to a successful project,” Trotman said. The Minister noted that the initial agreement expired in 2015. However, the two governments had a verbal agreement that works would continue as there remained some outstanding
Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman deliverables. “This is a fact-finding mission to see what has been accomplished so far, but we are both committed to finishing that previous one and then entering into a new one,” Trotman said. Since the agreement was signed in 2009, Guyana has earned approximately US$190 million. Of the total amount, US $69.8 million has been transferred to the Guyana REDD+Investment Fund (GRIF) while US$80 million was transferred to the IDB for the delayed Amaila Falls Hydropower Power Project.
Monday January 25, 2016
Kaieteur News
Page 21
ELEMENTARY MY DEARS “Which is it to-day,” I asked, “morphine or cocaine?” He raised his eyes languidly from the old blackletter volume which he had opened. “It is cocaine,” he said, “a seven-per-cent solution. Would you care to try it?” The Sign of Four, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, (1890) The Seven-Per-Cent Solution: Being a Reprint from the Reminiscences of John H. Watson, M.D. is a 1974 novel by American writer Nicholas Meyer and builds on the memorable interplay between Holmes and Watson in Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s original Holmes adventure, The Sign of Four. It was published as a “lost manuscript” and recounts how with the help of Dr. Sigmund Freud the father of psychiatry, Holmes recovered from cocaine addiction and helped to avert a European war. It was elementary, therefore, when I saw that the Prime Minister of Trinidad
and Tobago had decreed a seven-percent cut of the budgets of all state entities for the 2015 – 2016 financial year to immediately think of the formula made popular by Holmes. According to Kristin Hussey in the UK’s Science Museum blog, “In fact, Sherlock Holmes certainly would not have been alone amongst his contemporaries for his use of cocaine. Since 1856 when cocaine had been isolated from the coca plant, the drug was widely used for its pain-killing properties… Doctors prescribed the drug in a seven percent solution of water.” Prime Ministers, Presidents and other people of might (and not maybes) do not need drugs to prescribe or inject seven-percent solutions. They are high and mighty but do not owe their lofty stature to cocaine. While Hollywood’s “high society” including Iron Man might need drugs, the political
big-shots do not need a shot in the arm. They have already been shot in the head with the power of power. As Abraham Lincoln said, “Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want test a man’s character, give him power.” Historian Lord Acton is responsible for the best summation of the effect of power on those who have it: “Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” Corruption here does not refer to bribery, fraud and other sins of commission only, but in the whole range of delusions, decision-making and deeds of the powerful including grandeur and the sense that they are invincible, invulnerable and can do no wrong. Disgraced US President, Richard Nixon, said it all, “When the President does it that means it is not illegal.” In addition to its tendency to corrupt, there are two other characteristics of
power that I have identified from looking at the powerful in the Caribbean, especially in Trinidad and Tobago. The first is that power is an amnesiac- it makes you forget your promises and your past. You deliberately do not remember where you came from, the people who helped you to get where you are and your responsibilities to the society at large and not to special interest groups. From the time you start hobnobbing with the rich and famous, and with help from the obsequious minions who surround, flatter and suck up to you, amnesia sets in with a force and effect greater than even a hundred-percent solution. The other effect of power is that it is an aphrodisiac. It makes you feel a surge that is even greater than the normal sex urge. You feel you can do anything with and to anyone – screw them royally in fact without the slightest twinge of conscience or reprisal. As
Uncle of missing US citizen wants cops... (From page 13) the shopkeeper as well as Jobronewet’s cousin, Phyllis Browne. They were released the following day. A few weeks later, Jobronewet’s relatives received a call from someone who claimed to have knowledge of his whereabouts. According to the relatives, the caller claimed that Jobronewet had contracted malaria. The caller also demanded $1.6M from the relatives. The caller never contacted them again. Mr. Browne said that he began to receive anonymous calls from individuals who claimed that his nephew was the victim of foul play. According to Mr. Browne, one report indicated that he was seen at an East Coast Demerara residence. Some of the callers even identified two individuals that they claimed had killed Mr. Jobronewet, and also the area where the remains were allegedly buried. Mr. Browne said that he had passed this information on to Police Commissioner Henry Greene (now deceased). Acting on this information, police scoured a remote section of Buxton for possible signs of a shallow grave containing the missing man’s remains. They found none. Police also arrested two brothers from Friendship, East Coast Demerara. This happened after the police received information that suggested that the brothers had vital information about Jobronewet’s whereabouts. The information indicated that the US citizen had been murdered.
The brothers aged 25 and 31, and known as ‘Psycho’ and ‘Madman’, had had previous brushes with the law. But the siblings denied having any knowledge of the missing man’s whereabouts. Detectives also searched the backyard of a house belonging to the suspects’ mother, but found nothing. They were forced to release the brothers after searches in other areas yielded nothing. During a press conference, Police Commissioner Henry Greene had said that investigators had unearthed no new leads about the missing man’s fate. According to Green, the initial reports that investigators received indicated that Jobronewet “might not be stable”, and that he was seen in several places. “Since then, nobody has seen him in recent times. We don’t have a lead or anything to work with.” But Mr.
Browne is not impressed with the attempts by the police to locate his missing nephew. From reports he received, ranks from the East Coast of Demerara did not dig up any areas during their search. He believes that the ranks were afraid of criminal elements that were reportedly still in the community. Yesterday, the ex-policeman maintained that his nephew was abducted shortly after his East Coast Demerara visit. He has repeatedly stated that his Mr. Jobronewet had walked with a substantial sum of currency to assist with his mother’s burial, although relatives had already made their arrangements before he arrived. Dismissing suggestions that Jobronewet may have be suffering from the onset of Alzheimer’s disease, Mr. Browne said he corresponded regularly with his nephew,
who always appeared to be mentally alert. The relatives subsequently posted a reward for information on Jobronewet’s whereabouts. No one responded. But after seven years, there is still no clue about his fate. According to Mr. Browne, a relative of the missing man recently contacted officials at the US Embassy here, as well as officials of the present APNU/AFC coalition, with a view to having the case reopened. The missing man reportedly has substantial assets in the US, but these cannot be disposed of until ten years have elapsed since his disappearance. Kwame Jobronewet was reportedly last seen wearing a white shirt, blue jeans, a pair of black shoes and a white Kangol cap. He was also carrying three bags, including a red one marked ‘California.’
Two found guilty of attempt... (From page 18) evidence in chief in a wheel chair, detailed the sequence of events to the court. The two accused had given unsworn statements from the dock and denied shooting at the accused. Shaw told the court that on the day in question, he and Angeshallam went to the backdam on a motor bike. During the time he encountered the accused and his brother. He said that it was the brother of the number one accused who shot him. The number two accused, Angeshallam, also de-
nied shooting at the victim and stated that it was the victim’s brother that shot him. The accused men stated that they had to swim across the canal and escape. Both the defence and the prosecution summed up their case to the jury with Defence Attorney Perry Gosai asking the jury not to believe the story of the prosecution and to believe the story of the accused. In her address to the jury, State Prosecutors Natasha Baker called the evidence of the defence a “Nancy story” .She told the jury that the men wanted them to believe their
‘James Bond’ story. “The men want you to believe that they were over 200220 feet away and another man was shooting with a gun. And they instead of moving away they jumped off their bike and ran towards the action, swam over a trench and ran away. What a story.” She urged the jury to believe the prosecution’s story. The men had appeared in the Springlands Magistrate’s court where a preliminary inquiry was conducted. They were on $1M bail each bail.
Edmund Burke said, “The greater the power, the more dangerous the abuse.” We in the Caribbean have experienced our share of leaders who have become victims of the power they wield and which, in the end, destroys them. The Duvaliers in Haiti (Papa and Baby Doc) and, in the English-speaking West Indies, Eric Gairy and Forbes Burnham, the most interesting of them all. Burnham banned the importation of a lot of food items especially flour, potatoes, some forms of rice and split peas (dhal). Bread was an “imperialist” food. He insisted that people use local ground provisions including cassava, yams and dasheen instead but never ensured that local supplies of these tubers were adequate to meet demand. However, this draconian extreme applied to the “ordinary” people only. A Guyanese man wrote recently about his car being seized because he picked up a passenger with ten pounds of flour. I once shopped in the same supermarket in Barbados with Mrs. Burnham and she bought everything that was banned to take back to Guyana with her. I understood from my Guyanese friends this was the norm for those who
derived power from Burnham. I also found out that Mr. Burnham wore custom made boots and rode a white horse through the streets and slums of Georgetown. A Guyanese columnist wrote, “Just after he took power in the 1960’s he could be seen every morning riding his horse around the city, often with a bunch of children excitedly running alongside the horses.” The statement recently by Prime Minister Rowley of Trinidad about women who cannot peel cassava, his advocacy of “farine” (what is left of the cassava after the juice has been removed) as a cereal, and the increasing use of breadfruit is disturbing and made worse by justifying charging Value Added Tax (VAT) on salt, a commodity which has enormous symbolic and historical significance that goes beyond its cost. This is really adding salt to the VAT wounds. The poet, Shelley, asked the question, “If winter comes can spring be far behind?” If cassava comes, and the golf is already widening, how far behind are the boots and the horse? *Tony Deyal was last seen quoting Lord Acton: “There is no worse heresy than that the office sanctifies the holder of it.”
Page 22
Kaieteur News
VACANCY Cook/baker and truck driver for the Interior location, applicants must be experienced. Call: 618-2020
WANTED SERVICES PLANNING AN EVENT? Damage batteries in any BIRTHDAY PARTY, quantity, best price offeredGRADUATION,WEDDINGS, Call: 696-5728, 656-2783, 622ANNIVERSARY, ETC. – 5941, 648-9395, 223-1111 CALL DIAMOND TENTS: Counter persons; apply at 216-1043; 677-6620 Shanta’s 225 Camp & New Visa Application: U.S.A, Market Street. Canada & UK; Guyana Passport One experienced Cummings application. Graphics design, Mechanic to work in the Advertisement. Tel: 626- interior. Call: 678-0565 7040; 265-4535. 2 Male cleaners- Apply at Building Construction, Technical Services Inc, 18-23 house plans & estimates, Industrial Site, Eccles. E.B.D floor sanding, lacquering & painting, boat for Santa Female domestic to work in Mission –Call: 650-4362 Trinidad, must be educated & We repair fridge, freezer, AC, know to cook. Between 25-35 washer, dryer-Call: 231-0655; years. Call/ text 1868-6831528 683-8734. Omar One experienced domestic to Repairs at low cost: Fridges, work at resident –Call: 697air- conditioners, washing 0157 machines, TVs, microwaves, 1 Live in domestic, salary freezers- Call:629-4946 or $50,000 monthly-Call: 685225-4822 8720, 674-1767 Mahadeo Construction for all Taxi drivers and contract car construction, carpentry, (dispatcher) salary paid for masonry, pluming, painting taxi drivers- Call: 231-0316 etc. Free estimates and plan Contact # 669-7376 Girls to work @ restaurant in Repairs at affordable prices: the Interior, salary -$80,000, fridge, air conditioner, monthly- Call: 675-7043; 674washing machines, dryers, 1767; 664-5199 TV, microwaves & freezer- One live in maid-Call: 668Call: 610-5846 or 661-8158 3985; 264-2563 INNOVATIVE MARKETING One live in waitress 18-25yrs, & PUBLISHING INC –TEL: salary -$60,000 monthly, 600-4212: We create A/works, boarding & lodging free. Call: logos, business cards, 610-3974 posters, etc, placements of ads included. Experienced wash bay & janitorial, attractive salary. PEN PAL Call: 646-8748 Businessman seeking single Female to work in Production female, for Companion/ Department- Call: 644-5151 friendship; Contact Deo- 27 Experiment West Coast Office Assistant: must have Berbice: Text/call 611-9970 Mathematics, English, Accounts and must be computer literate. Call:6500402
TOURS Suriname tour (return): Mashramani weekend February 20 th -23 rd 2016. Shopping, site seeing and more. Call: 639-2663; 665-5171
MASSAGE Happy Touch Day Spa: Come & Experienced heavens touch, visit us today! –Call: 690-6079
General Workers-Call: 2653586 (8am-4pm) Experienced Cashier and store manager at American Variety Store, Lot 140 Regent & Light Streets. Call: 2251864 One experienced dispatcher –Call: 231-4000
LEARN TO DRIVE Soman Son & Outar Driving School at Maraj BuildingTel:644-5166; 622-2872; 6150964; 689-5997
Urgent: Cleaner & kitchen helper (dayshift) required at Aagman Indian Restaurant. Apply at aagmanrestaurant@gmail.com or call: 219-0158 Cleaner, office clerk, carpenters, masons, welder fabricator, labourers, housekeeper & drivers, interested person call: 603-4094 Attractive waitress, free meals and accommodation provided- E.B.D, $14,000 weekly. Call/Whatsapp: 661-8802 Network technician to install outdoor internet wireless antennas. Email CV to jobs@awngy.com Interested in working in a Private School? Apply POBOX 101818, include your contact number. Male security, male desk staff, room attendants, between ages 25-45yrs @233 South Road, Lacytown- Call: 2250198 Hicks Ville Hotel: Receptionist, Hotel Attendant, Washer/Presser, Bell Boy. Email: info@hicksvillehotelguyana. com/call:231-0951 Vegetarian Gardens: driver/ salesman. E-mail: info @ vgiworld. com/ call:223-3448; 227-7714 Accounts clerk: experienced in QuickBooks, accounting software, VAT, NIS & PAYE, @ Technical Services, 18-23 Industrial Site, Eccles. 1 Female cleaner apply Technical Services, Lot 18-23 Eccles Industrial Site E.B.D Security Officers, apply in person. Massey Security (Guyana) Inc, Lot 0 Ruimveldt, Georgetown. Call: 225-5773-6 Massage Therapist & cosmetologist: must be certified in facial waxing, manicure & pedicure. Call: 672-1230; 226-1172 Driver / Expediter contact 621-5907 / 223-5273 Manager / Accountant. Requirements: 8 subject CXC including Maths and English, Peachtree would be an asset. info@xen1net.net. Hairdressers, nail technician, barbers, also hair & nail stations available for rental location: New Market StreetCall: 638-1106 Popular East Coast Gas Station Day/Night: pump attendants, sales clerk & office assistant. Contact: 6694755; 695-9880, Non-Pareil Perkins Mechanic contact 223-5273
Monday January 25, 2016
SALON - Make-up Courses with Mac, Bare Minerals and Black Opal - Cosmetology Courses - Nail Technician Course Call: 647-1773/660-5257 Earn a Certificate in cosmetology, nails, wig designs & hair cutting etc. Classes commencing February! Register Now! Call: 666-5241; 619-7603 Hairdressers, nail technician, barbers, also hair & nail stations available for rental location: New Market StreetCall: 638-1106
VEHICLE VEHICLEFOR FORSALE SALE STAR CARS AUTO SALE: 30-06 PREMIO, 03-07 FIELDER, NEW RAUM, IST, BLUEBIRD, AXELA, PITBULL. CALL: 679-3140; 268-3509
FOR RENT PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION,WEDDINGS, ANNIVERSARY, ETC. CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 216-1043; 677-6620
Noah & Voxy: unregistered & fully loaded -$1.7M (black, white & silver). Call: 603-9700
Office Space at Camp Street –Call Naz: 639-4499
Honda Accord, 2003, leather, TV, DVD, radio, 35,000km, like new, price negotiable- Call: 689-1194 BMW 318i- $2.9M, BMW 320i- $4M, Audi A4- $4M, Suzuki Escudo- $4M, new model Premio- $3M- Contact# 650-0402/260-4988 1 Mitsubishi open back canter truck, single wheel and good driving condition -$600,000. Call: 684-8231; 661-9447
LAND FOR SALE House lot 50X100, for sale in Gated Community, Land of Canaan -$4M negotiableCall: 694-7817; 668-0306
New model Premio 2007 model $3.1M negotiable. Pre-order Allion, Premio, Bluebird 2006 model- Call: 655-3400
Residential: Ramsville Court, Cove and John 50’X100’ corner, quiet neighbourhood. Call: 2267585
Toyota Hilux , Toyota wagon , food mobile canter contact 621-5907 / 223-5273
Parfaite Harmonie -$ 1.6M, 1.8M, $1.5M, 1.3M, Tuschen 11 street -$3M with foundation, Phase 2 – $1.4M, Uitvlugt -$3M, Terms available – Call: 604-6724 33 Acres prime agriculture land located at Plantation Flensberg W.B.D-price negotiable-Contact Erick Boodhoo: Call: 654-6229; 6270556 One houselot at Mon Repos (Martyrsville) E.C.D, price $3.9M negotiable. Call: 2200538/645-2395 or Joel: 6295300 Transported Corner Lot Garnette & Republic Streets Newtown Kitty 58.4X30.8, ideal for business – Call: 6450616 (no agents) Land in Diamond -$5M, Parfaite-$1.5M, $2M, Schoonord -$3M, Herstelling -$4M. Call: 6416635 or 678-1575 Land for sale in gated community, Providence E.B.D -$9.5M negotiable. Phone: 621-6888
2008 Fielder- fully loaded vehicle, never registered $2.5M- Call: 617-2891 1 Toyota 4X4 Hilux surf, excellent condition -$1.1M negotiable- Call: 684-8231; 661-9447 One Accent Hyundai $225,000.Call: 695-1744 Noah & Voxy in ‘G’ series, fully loaded, never registered -$1.7M –Call: 617-2891 Unregistered fielder wagon 2003, roof rack, rear spoiler, dark interior, body kit, fog, TV-Call: 617-5536 Toyota Wish (7seats), PKK series, excellent condition & one owner -$1.3M. Call: 6989771
1-3 Bedrooms upper flat @ Section ‘A’ Diamond, H/ Scheme E.B.D, fully grilled & concrete fence with parking space- Call: 662-9335; 6123244 SD Real Estate: executive 2 bedrooms Apartment, in exclusive residential area with all modern amenities. Call for appointment Tele 6532920 1 Room to rent -$4500 weekly, 2 weeks down payment in Ruimveldt-Call: 663-8025 Chateau Margot4 Bedrooms, private house located on Chimney Road, E.C.D-Call: 641-3701
TO LET Business place located on Robb Street next to Bourda Market. Call: 623-7731; 6290636 3 Bedrooms upper flat for rent at Vreed-en- Hoop –Call: 661-0162 Modernize 2 bedrooms apartment –W.C.D (Vreeden-Hoop) in a safe and healthy environment. Call: 698-6496 Fully furnished luxury apartment: 3 bedrooms for rent- Call: 603-6351
Sliver Nissan Murand, Late PNN series- $6M –Call: 6815548 or 695-5701 One Toyota Mark 2 Grande for sale PKK series, owner leaving country, price $1.5M negotiable. Call: 601-4163 Modified Toyota Glanza$1M, 2005 Nissan Frontier 4 Wheel drive -$3M negotiable. Owner migratingContact: 614-2659
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TAXI SERVICES GR TAXI SERVICE. CALL: 219-5000; 227-1982 & 225-7878 (24HRS) Continued on page 23
Monday January 25, 2016
Kaieteur News
Page 23
Letters... Where your views make the news
There must be sunshine in people’s lives DEAREDITOR, Another conference on domestic violence, another march in the fight against suicide, another building being promised for abused children, and another study to address some other social problem. Trying to fight these social ills individually is a waste of time and money. I am asking that the time and money should be spent to improve citizens’ capabilities to fight poverty and improve the citizens’ knowledge and skills needed to combat, and address mental health issues and avoid most bio-psychosocial problems. I support a collective approach base on community development and the President’s link between poverty and mental health issues to biopsychosocial issues. The President a few months ago established a link between poverty and mental health to the bio-psychosocial issues. The millions of dollars spent on individual bio-psychosocial issues do not address the President’s observation. It is my humble view that a collective approach will better address the President’s observation. The government established that it is in the business of building communities. It was touted that communities will be much more than houses and roads. The emphasis will be on making communities self sufficient and beneficial to its members. This concept can be used as the catalyst to provide opportunities for citizens to improve their capabilities. It is time for the Ministry of Communities to roll out their plans on making communities self sufficient. The government is spending millions of dollars to build and repair the
infrastructures in communities across the country. How much is being spent on improving the capabilities of the members of these communities, allowing them to participate in their communities’ development? To be able to improve citizens capabilities the government should look into the following establishing well organized c o m m u n i t y centers; enacting strong policies that will ensure that economic activities benefit the communities and not only individuals; promote independence by withholding handouts; and providing incentives. Encouraging the older adults to volunteer their time and skills to improve the capabilities of persons within their communities. Making better use of social workers and other community based skilled workers to provide services to address the presenting bio psychosocial problems. Community centers must become our training and information dissemination centers. Citizens will know about and be able to secure the skills needed to work on projects within their communities. Large contracts provided by the government should include two clauses. The contractors must train the locals to construct and maintain structures, and no more than 40% of the workforce should come from outside of the communities where contracts are being implemented. Community centers can be used to hold discussions on mental health and other social problems. Awell managed center should have social workers and other mental health officials to
lead these discussions. The mystery of these issues will be removed and members of the communities will have improved their capabilities to deal with mental health and biopsychosocial issues. Dependency failed many communities in the past. No more handouts. Government should use the handouts to put in place well managed centers, to employ social workers and other health workers to bring sunshine to lives and remove the mystery of the social ills. Freddie referred to a village in Berbice where darkness and hopelessness are prevalent. He noted that the village has a large number of suicides a year. Bringing sunshine to that village requires a community center, jobs along with knowledge and skills to combat mental health and biopsychosocial issues. The President noted in a recent speech that in his opinion alcohol is not a cause of domestic violence. Many believe that alcohol is a cause of domestic violence. Educating the citizens about domestic violence will remove that mystery and allow them to reject that explanation when provided by perpetrators of domestic violence. We need to reach out to our seniors and get them to work with the not so visible youths to improve their capabilities. There are youths who are at home during the day and walk at nights because they are unhappy and lack the understanding of the issues surrounding their lives. Young girls blackballing because they are afraid to face the world hence keeping their faces close to floor is their defense mechanism to hide their sadness and feeling of being
The cycles of unfilled... From page 4 Now, the Jagans were in the main seen as mature and trustworthy leaders, capable of putting the concerns of the country first and delivering the kind of purposive governance to address those concerns. They were said to be keen listeners, empathizing with their supporters and the nation as a whole, and being willing to embrace the goodwill that came their way. They were also said to be cautious in what they promised, being more realistic and truthful, thus allowing them to better deliver on their promises. In the table above, both the voter turnout and support for the PPP grew after its first term in office. How was this increase in confidence possible, if not by meeting the expectations of the people, and displaying a modicum of inclusivity? After the Jagan era was over, how did our leaders manage the public’s political expectations and the goodwill shone towards the PPP administration? How different was that from what is obtained now? Even though there were gains in the 1990s, the average inter-election change in support for the PPP over six elections was minus () 0.85%. What happened during the latter nine years of its administration? These latter nine years correspond to the period when the public’s access to information grew, particularly through the advent and subsequent expansion of social media. Most times what was
shared, and which influenced public opinion, was not wholly acceptable, if not distasteful. The current administration is now eight months old, and people are beginning to question if the expectations they held back in May 2015, were well-founded. People want to see action being taken on the issues highlighted during the campaign; they want the results that had been promised; and they want proof of the many claims that were made. Some feel that their offer of encouragement and goodwill are being ignored, and that too many now in authority have become haughty and inaccessible. What should be most worrying is that the dissatisfaction among the population seems to be setting-in a little too early, and a little too quickly. So this goes back all the way to creating and managing expectations. Some are saying that they have begun the long wait for 2020 to come around when what happened in 2015 will be reversed. The PPP suffered an average change in voter support of minus 0.85%. If the current coalition administration, which can be regarded as the ultimate in democratic sociopolitical experimentation for Guyana, should suffer such a change, it willat best be reduced to a minority government, next time around. And, of course, the national feelings of hopelessness, helplessness and voter apathy will continue to soar. Khemraj Tulsie
unworthy. We can lift these people up by improving their capabilities to secure jobs and better address the mental health and other bio-psychosocial issues. . The government often says these is a shortage of mental h e a l t h professionals. Psychiatrists and psychologists are important but they are not in forefront in the fight against poverty, mental issues and the related psychosocial problems. Social workers and other mental health workers are the professional on the frontline. As a social worker I am upset that we are not being better used, protected and respected. Yes, we can make a difference because we are available in all Regions of Guyana. In many developed countries social workers are on the front line addressing poverty, mental health and other biopsychosocial issues. A Master’s program at the University of Guyana will allow for specialization and increase knowledge needed for us to do a better job. I leave you with two thoughts. Yes, you cannot force someone to improve themselves but you provide the opportunities they need to do so when they are ready. This is a basic principle of the Harm Reduction theory/ practice. Holland, England and other European countries used this approach to reduce the spread of HIV/AIDS by providing services to drug abusers while having services available for those who want to end their drug addiction. Also, you cannot have good youths and adults if you ignore the children in our primary schools. The youths and adults who are not visible and are not celebrated have children in our primary schools that are displaying risky behaviors. Identify these children and bring their parents to the community centers and work on improving their capabilities. Clyde Zuntie Clarke CAR RENTAL DOLLY’S CAR RENTALCALL: 225-7126/226-3693 DOLLYSAUTORENTAL@ YA H O O . C O M / W W W. DOLLYSAUTORENTAL.COM PROGRESSIVE CAR RENTAL:CARS&SUV FOR RENTAL- $4,000 & UP PER DAY- CALL: 643-5122, 6560087 , EMAIL: PRO_ AUTO RENTAL@YAHOO. COM Aidan’s Car & 4WD Vigo pick up, cheapest rate, low security- Call: 698-7807 Wing’s Car & 4WD Vigo pick up rental- Call: 690-6494 Vehicles for rental: cars, SUV, pickups etc, long term only @ Ray’s Motor Spares and Auto Sales. Call: 231-7839
From page 22
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Monday January 25, 2016
Kaieteur News
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Betrayed and raped by a policeman…
A mother’s fight for justice Who is a policeman? According to Wikipedia, a policeman is a warranted law employee whose main focus is to serve and protect their country and its people. His or her job of law enforcement and crime prevention includes serving as a role model to all. In the eyes of Sarah (not her real name), a policeman is someone you should always obey and respect. Well at least this is what her parents taught her as a child. But when this 14-year-old girl went to a policeman for his help, she was allegedly lured to a hotel far away from home, beaten with a gun and raped by the lawman, who is known to her and her family. In fact, he worked at a police station not far from her
overnight at the friend. The following day, still thinking what to do, she took a mini bus and traveled to the city. At this point, she thought about going to her sister’s workplace in Georgetown and related everything to her so that she could take her home and explain what happened to their parents. While at the park, the teen saw the policeman in question and approached him and asked for his help. Before the lawman asked Sarah what was the problem, he called a taxi and asked her to get in. Without questioning him, Sarah allegedly got into the car and went with him because he was someone she trusted. He took her to a city hotel. She said the car stopped
He pulled her hair and pushed her on the bed and sexually assaulted her. When he realized that it was her first sexual encounter, he seemed terrified, according to her. The lawman allowed her to leave the room after which she went to meet her sister. She eventually went home with her parents. Worried that her parents will beat her, Sarah was a bit reluctant to relate her experience to her mother but she eventually did. Fight for justice from the Guyana Police Force Before Sarah and her mother could have reached to the police station, the policeman had already reportedly informed his sister, who is a doctor at a city hospital, about what happened between him and
The victim and her mother home. A little about Sarah Sarah grew up in the “country area” and was raised by very strict parents. She is not allowed to go out or even go to the shop when it is too late. She leaves home in the morning to go to school in company of one of her siblings and return in the afternoon with him. She is shy and too nervous to even talk to guys. How it all started In September last, the 14year-old girl lost track of time when she caught up with an old school friend at a fast food outlet a couple villages away from her home. Scared and terrified to go home, Sarah decided to
directly at the door and the policeman got out of the vehicle and went to a counter inside the building and returned after two minutes and requested that she get out of the car. She was led straight to a room. According to the teen, she had no idea she was in a hotel and thought she was in fact getting help but she was wrong. Sarah was taken into the room- there she was asked by the policeman what the problem was, when she explained, he started to laugh and make fun of her. Sensing danger, she started to scream but the lawman hit her on her shoulder with his gun and allegedly told her to shut her mouth.
the little girl. The doctor was already at the station waiting to beg the 14-year-old girl’s parents not to report her brother. “By the time I go to the station, his sister went there and she didn’t want us to go in. She was holding onto us and begging,” Sarah’s mother, Ingrid (not her real name) said. The angry parent ignored her pleas and went ahead and made a report. The policeman was held for 72 hours and released- he was still on the job as of two Mondays ago. One month passed, no justice. Two months passed, no justice. As time went by, the policeman’s sister was trying
to settle the matter financially but the little girl’s parents refused. “She was telling us that if we kill her brother or send him to jail my daughter virginity won’t grow back and she asked us how much (money) we want but my child is not a price,” the mother cried. The doctor even cried and told the victim’s mother that her brother has two children and a sickly wife who she is taking care of. “When this girl started telling me these things I started feeling sorry for her but she had no feelings for us to know my daughter was raped and she was trying to protect the rapist.” For months, the desperate mother ran from station to station in her plea for justice but most times, she was chased from the police stations. “The police treated me and my daughter so bad. They treated us like we were the suspects. I went and I cried to some of them but they chased me out of the station and all I wanted was justice for my child,” the mother alleged. “Why did he do this to my child? She only went to him for help.” “If she was raped by someone she had liked I would have blamed her but for God’s sake he is a policeman! How could he do this to my baby,” the mother cried. After months went by and the mother got no justice for her daughter, she decided to go to the hospital where the policeman’s sister worked to relate what her daughter was going through and what she
(Ingrid) as a mother was going though to get justice. “She is a woman and I am a woman and I thought that if I talk to her she would understand what we are going through so I went to the hospital but she wasn’t there so me and my husband talked to a doctor and then we left” the woman said. She added that when she went home, a jeep load with police went to her home and picked her up. The mother was taken to the station and placed on $10,000 bail and she had no idea what she was being accused of. “They didn’t tell me what I did. All they said was for me to go see a senior rank. The next day when I called the (officer) he was a pig and he told me the police wanted me and not him, but it was the police who told me to go see him,” the mother said. Still trying to find out why she was placed on bail, the mother met with a police officer at the Brickdam Police Station, who told her that the accused policeman’s sister cried and told the commander that the victim’s mother was harassing her at her work place. The woman’s bail money was subsequently returned to her since there was no charge filed against her. “The police said they only put me on bail so that I could go to the station,” the victim’s mother said. Confused and tired of the runaround she was getting from the police, the mother went to a senior police officer at Brickdam Police Station. “I went to tell him about the push around I was getting, but every time I went
to see him, he never listened to me. He always tried to get rid of me by calling another police to deal with me but the case wasn’t getting anywhere.” The mother recalled one instance when the file in her daughter’s case was first sent to the Director of Public Prosecution Officer (DPP). “When the file was first sent to the DPP office, it was returned and we had to give more information but what they were asking for was in our first statement. They wanted to know which school my daughter was going and that didn’t make any sense.” A second file was later sent to the DDP. The woman only received good news after almost four months and that was only after she approached the media for help. Two Mondays ago, the DPP recommended that the policeman be charged with rape but he has not appeared in court yet. The mother said that she has decided to tell her story so that the public could see what she and her daughter went through to get justice. “The Guyana Police Force was formed to prevent crime and be the people’s watchdog but look at what I went through as a mother to get justice for my daughter and I am sure there are others who went through the same.” Meanwhile, the mother has a tape of the suspect’s sister telling her (the mother) to instruct her daughter to lie to the Child Care and Protection Agency and say the teen had fabricated the story.
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Monday January 25, 2016
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Britain may take in Syrian opposition says Kerry unaccompanied applies pressure over peace talks children fleeing Syria Reuters - Britain might take in refugee children who have been displaced by the war in Syria and have travelled to other countries in Europe, a government minister said yesterday. I n t e r n a t i o n a l Development Secretary Justine Greening said the government was considering whether it could do more for the estimated 3,000 children who have fled the conflict without their parents or guardians and are in Europe. Asked whether the government was close to agreeing to calls from relief groups for Britain to admit the children, Greening told Sky News television: “That’s what we are doing and I think that is the right thing.” Prime Minister David Cameron has previously said Britain would accept 20,000 refugees over the next five
Justine Greening years from camps in the Middle East, as opposed to those who have already made it to Europe. Critics say that response has been meagre when compared with the 1.1 million asylum seekers who arrived in Germany last year. Campaign groups and more than 80 Church of England bishops have urged Cameron to do more.
BEIRUT (Reuters) - The lead negotiator in the Syrian opposition said yesterday it was coming under pressure from U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry to attend peace talks in Geneva this week in order to negotiate over steps including a halt to air strikes.The opposition’s High Negotiation Committee, which groups political and armed opponents of President Bashar al-Assad, has said it will not attend negotiations until the government halts bombardments, lifts blockades, and releases detainees - steps mentioned in a United Nations Security Council resolution passed last month. Negotiator Mohamad Alloush said Kerry, who met HNC officials on Saturday, had “come to pressure us to forgo our humanitarian rights ... and to go to negotiate for them”. “There will be a big response to these pressures,” he told Reuters, without giving further details. Asked
Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Adel Al-Jubeir (3rd L, standing) walks up to talk with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry at the start of a ministerial meeting on Syria at the Quai d’Orsay, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in Paris in this file photo dated December 14, 2015. REUTERS/Mandel Ngan/Pool if the peace talks would go ahead this week, he said “we leave this to the coming hours”.
The government has meanwhile said it is ready to attend the talks. They had been due to begin in Geneva
on Monday, but a Western diplomat said yesterday that they were unlikely to begin before Wednesday.
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Monday January 25, 2016
Sanctions lifted, Iran’s Rouhani heads to Europe to drum up business PARIS/ROME (Reuters) - President Hassan Rouhani brings the case to Europe this week for Iran as a potential investment bonanza, after the lifting of financial sanctions brought his country of 80 million people back into the world of global commerce. Rouhani, a pragmatist elected in 2013 on a platform to reduce Iran’s isolation, championed the deal under which Iran curbed its nuclear program in return for the lifting of U.S., EU and United Nations sanctions this month. On his first trip abroad since the accord took effect, he will lead a 120-strong delegation that includes Iranian entrepreneurs as well as the oil and gas minister and other government officials for five days in Paris and Rome. He will meet Pope Francis and French President Francois Hollande. A week after nearly all sanctions were lifted, French and Italian officials still do not expect major deals to be signed yet during the trip. Rouhani himself has spoken of a “long road” to Iran’s economic integration with the world. Nevertheless, Iran already demonstrated its hunger for Western goods at an aviation conference on the eve of the visit, announcing plans yesterday to buy eight A-380 superjumbo jets from Airbus and eventually buy up to 100 planes from Boeing. The visit also comes as global diplomats are trying to arrange the first peace talks in two years to end the Syrian civil war. Shi’ite Muslim Iran is the strongest ally of President Bashar al-Assad, while European countries back his mainly Sunni Muslim opponents. Recent months have also seen an increase in hostility between Iran and traditional Western ally Saudi Arabia.
Hassan Rouhani “This is a very important visit,” said a senior Iranian official. “It’s time to turn the page and open the door to cooperation between our countries in different areas.” The visit to France, the first by an Iranian president since 1999, will provide opportunities to smooth over particularly awkward relations with a country that has historically been comparatively friendly. Paris took a hard line towards Iran among the six powers that were party to the nuclear negotiations, and has been outspoken in its condemnation of Iran’s support for Assad and skeptical of Tehran’s other Middle East interventions. “Trust needs to be built. It’s like love. It is only the proof of love that counts,” said a senior French diplomat. “On the nuclear accord the relationship is relaxed, but not on the other subjects. There is no change on the Iranian position for now on a number of regional issues ... so the idea (of the visit) is to open a new page,” the diplomat said. Since July, Paris has appeared more conciliatory. A senior French economic and political delegation traveled
in September to Tehran. Some 130 firms took part ranging in sectors from agriculture to construction and tourism to lay the groundwork for the first business accords between the two countries since the nuclear deal. Companies such as oil major, plane maker Airbus and car manufacturer Peugeot are all interested in the new opportunities. “We’re far from when everyone was saying we would suffer economically because of our stance on the nuclear file. There will be some accords and progress on deals,” said another French diplomat. “But I do sense some prudence among companies.” Without the same diplomatic constraints as France, Italian officials appear more upbeat. Italy has traditionally had close economic ties with Tehran and is rubbing its hands at the prospect of a possible surge in new contracts following the demise of the sanctions regime. Italy’s export credit agency, Sace, has said Italian exports to Iran might rise by some 3 billion euros in the 4year period between 20152018. Exports totaled an estimated 1.56 billion euros last year. But like in Paris, an industrial source said no major contracts were expected to be signed during the visit. An official with a major energy company said it was still not clear what contracts Iran had in mind for the sector. After speaking to business leaders, Rouhani will head to the Vatican for talks with Pope Francis. After the nuclear deal, the Pope said he hoped it would be the start of “a definitive step toward a more secure and fraternal world”.
Former Israeli president Peres back in hospital after chest pains Reuters - Israeli elder statesman Shimon Peres was hospitalised yesterday for a second time in as many weeks after complaining of chest pains, his doctor said. Peres, who was released from hospital last week after suffering a mild heart attack on Jan. 14, was conscious and the hospitalisation was a precautionary measure, P e r e s ’s personal physician, Rafi Walden, told reporters. “This evening he felt a slight discomfort and we diagnosed that he has
some difficulty with the rhythm of the heart which is called atrial fibrillation. He was taken to hospital ... and this is over already spontaneously without even the need for any treatment,” said Walden, who is also Peres’s son-in-law. He said Peres wanted to return home immediately, b u t t h a t d o c t o r s a t Te l Hashomer hospital in Tel Aviv decided to keep the 92-year-old former president and prime minister in for observation, at least overnight. Polish-born Peres is
credited with setting up I s r a e l ’s nuclear capabilities, and won the Nobel Peace Prize for his role in the 1993 interim peace deal with the Palestinians. He has served twice as prime minister and was president from 2007-2014. He is also known for his stewardship of the Peres Center for Peace, a nongovernmental organisation focused on building closer ties between Israel and the Palestinians, improving healthcare and developing local economies.
Monday January 25, 2016
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Ex-Haiti coup leader says to fight ‘anarchists’ as unrest spreads government protesters gathered in a downtown area of Port-au-Prince still largely ruined from an earthquake six years ago. They sang and danced around a bonfire in the street to the thump of a sound system before setting out for the fifth mass march this week. “Martelly believes the country is for himself and his family, we want him to go,” said Dorval, an unemployed man aged 40. Haiti, the poorest country in the Western hemisphere,
has been unable to build a stable democracy since the overthrow of the 1957-1986 dictatorship of the Duvalier family and ensuing military coups and election fraud. A former police officer accused by Human Rights Watch of overseeing extrajudicial killings, Philippe in 2004 led bands of former soldiers to the capital, Portau-Prince, and overthrew the chaotic government of thenPresident Jean-Bertrand Aristide.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency has a long-standing arrest warrant against Philippe for alleged cocaine trafficking and money laundering. The DEA has tried to capture him twice. Philippe denies the accusations and said the United States has no legal authorization to make arrests on Haitian soil. In November, the DEA participated in the arrest on cocaine charges of two men in Haiti related to Venezuelan first lady Celia Flores.
Merkel’s party, sliding in polls, weighs German ‘border centres’ Protesters break down a fence during a demonstration rallying for the resignation of President Michel Martelly in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. REUTERS/ Andres Martinez Casares Reuters - A former Haitian coup leader wanted by the United States for smuggling cocaine called on his supporters yesterday to resist “anarchists” who forced a presidential election to be cancelled, in a sign of deep polarization that could lead to more unrest. The former rebel, Guy Philippe, called for counter protests and said he would not recognise any transitional government put in place when outgoing President Michel Martelly leaves office on Feb. 7 unless it was representative of the provinces. “We are ready for war,” Philippe said. “We will divide the country.” It was not clear how much support Philippe can muster,
but he remains popular in his southern stronghold of Grande-Anse and the tone of his remarks points to the depth of polarization over the political crisis. Haiti was due to choose Martelly’s replacement yesterday, but the two-man race was postponed indefinitely after opposition candidate Jude Celestin refused to participate over alleged fraud that sparked anti-government protests and violence. In a statement yesterday, the U.S. State Department called for accountability for any violence related to the delayed election, saying electoral intimidation and destruction of property were “unacceptable.”
Given the short timeline, some form of interim government is likely to be formed to oversee the election process. Martelly says the fraud claims are unfounded, but critics believe he unfairly favoured his chosen successor, banana exporter Jovenel Moise, who came first in the first round of voting in October. Yesterday, Moise supporters in favour of holding the election protested for the first time, using trucks to block a northern highway that is a major trade route with the neighbouring Dominican Republic, regional police chief Charles Nazaire Noel said. Meanwhile, anti
No special status for east Ukraine without ceasefire – president Reuters - Ukraine will not give its eastern regions greater autonomy until a lasting ceasefire with proRussian separatist rebels is in place, President Petro Poroshenko said yesterday, in comments that could antagonise the rebels and the Kremlin. Ukraine’s parliament had been due to vote this week on legislation to devolve more power to its regions, including the disputed Luhansk and Donetsk areas, as part of a ceasefire agreed between Moscow and Kiev last year. Any attempt to delay the reform threatens to derail the peace process, which was already under strain. Both Ukrainian troops and the proRussian rebels have complained of rising ceasefire violations since the tail end of 2015. Poroshenko said he would
Petro Poroshenko not allow lawmakers to cancel the vote for the decentralisation reform. But in the same breath, he threw his support behind those parliamentarians who wanted a series of conditions to be met before voting could take place. These include a “ceasefire
and a long period of a full silence. This is what Russia has to ensure, and the world needs to see that it happens,” he told reporters. Another condition is giving international monitors unfettered access to the border between Ukraine and Russia to monitor the flow of troops and arms into eastern Ukraine. After a period of relative calm, both rebels and the Ukrainian government have complained of more violations of the ceasefire negotiated as part of the Minsk deal. Both say heavy artillery that was meant to have been withdrawn is being used. The leaders of France, Germany, Ukraine and Russia negotiated the Minsk peace deal in February and the West has tied its implementation to any loosening of economic sanctions on Russia.
Reuters - A senior figure in German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s conservative party has proposed setting up “border centres” along the frontier with Austria to speed up the repatriation of those asylum seekers deemed unqualified to stay. Julia Kloeckner, leader of Merkel’s Christian Democrats in the w e s t e r n s t a t e o f Rhineland-Palatinate, said she thought the chancellor ’s push for a European solution to a large influx of asylum seekers into Europe was still the right decision, adding that her proposal was meant to “complement it”. “On the German-Austrian border, border centres will be set up,” Kloeckner wrote in the paper, a copy of which Reuters obtained. It has been endorsed by the Christian Democrats’ (CDU) secretarygeneral. The proposal highlights the frustration in Merkel’s party with the slow progress in achieving a European Union-wide solution to the
Angela Merkel refugee crisis, which is straining the infrastructure of many German municipalities. Germany attracted 1.1 million asylum seekers last year, leading to calls from across the political spectrum for a change in its handling of the number of refugees coming to Europe to escape war and poverty in Syria, Afghanistan and elsewhere. Growing concern about Germany’s ability to cope with the influx and worries about crime and security after assaults on women at New
Year in Cologne are weighing on support for the CDU and its Bavarian sister party, the Christian Social Union (CSU). An Emnid poll for the newspaper Bild am Sonntag showed support for the CDU/ CSU bloc down 2 percentage points at 36 percent from last week. The right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD) gained 1 point to 10 percent. Merkel’s coalition partners, the Social Democrats (SPD), gained a point to 25 percent. Merkel, despite appearing increasingly isolated over her open-door policy on refugees, has resisted pressure from some conservatives to cap the influx, or to close Germany’s borders. Instead, she has tried to convince other European countries to take in quotas of refugees, pushed for reception centres to be built on Europe’s external borders, and led an EU campaign to convince Turkey to keep refugees from entering the bloc. But progress has been slow.
Haiti presidential candidate urges ‘quick’ rescheduling of runoff Port-au-Prince (AFP) - Jovenel Moise, Haiti’s government-backed presidential candidate, urged a “quick” rescheduling weekend of his country’s runoff election in the wake of its abrupt postponement. His comments came less than 24 hours after Haiti’s electoral authority called off yesterday’s vote due to “obvious security concerns.” Among those concerns are mounting opposition street protests by angry voters who say the first-round presidential election was marred by fraud that favored Moise. More than a dozen polling stations were attacked or burned in Haiti Thursday to Friday, before the cancellation. And Moise’s opponent, opposition candidate Jude Celestin, has gone so far as to boycott the poll in protest. Nonetheless, Moise told a news conference Saturday that he thought “the people are ready to vote for Jovenel Moise
en masse” and called for “quick organization of the second round.” Moise, President Michel Martelly’s handpicked ally, took 32.76 percent of the vote over opposition flag-bearer Celestin’s 25.29 percent during the October first round-vote. But with many polling stations closed due to unrest and electoral skullduggery, Celestin’s supporters cried foul, accusing Martelly of mounting an “electoral coup d’etat.” A runoff had been due to go ahead on December 27 but was then cancelled and moved after fraud allegations. “What I do not quite understand about the CEP’s decision is that they postponed the January 24 elections, just like they postponed the December 27 elections, without saying when it will finally take place,” Moise said. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon also called Saturday for the runoff to be held “without delay.”
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Monday January 25, 2016
St. Vincent losses UN voting HDC PROBE INTO privilege due to arrears POLITICAL KICKBACKS
UNITED NATIONS CMC – The United Nations General Assembly has identified St. Vincent and the Grenadines among nine countries that are not allowed to vote in the current 70th Session because of arrears in paying their dues. The Dominican Republic is the other Caribbean country that has been barred from voting. The others are: Bahrain, Burundi, Libya, Mali, Marshall Islands, Vanuatu and Venezuela. “Under Article 19 of the Charter, a Member State in arrears in the payment of its dues in an amount that equals or exceeds the contributions due for two preceding years can lose its vote in the General Assembly,” said the UN General Assembly in a statement. Ban’s letter, which was dated last Monday and circulated on Friday, also included Iran, which was under UN sanctions over its nuclear program until two
Ban Ki-moon Saturdays ago, when they were lifted.”An exception is allowed if the Member State can show that conditions beyond its control contributed to this inability to pay,” it added. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon last week informed the General Assembly that 15 countries are in arrears in paying their annual contribution to the UN regular
budget, “which means they can’t vote in the 193-member world body unless there are exceptional circumstances. UN General Assembly spokesman Daniel Thomas said Friday that Iran “just paid,” which means that its voting rights have been restored. The UN General Assembly said that, on October 12 last year, five countries in arrears to vote in the General Assembly were allowed to vote until the end of the current 70th session. They are: Comoros, Guinea-Bissau, Sao Tome and Principe, Somalia and Yemen. Ban’s letter noted “the minimum payment” that the nine other countries must make in order to have their voting right restored. Amounts range from just under US$3 million for Venezuela and US$2.1 million for the Dominican Republic to US$2,155 for St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and US$1,360 for Burundi.
Jack Warner wins fight to challenge US extradition on corruption charges PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad – Former FIFA Vice President Jack has won the first round in his battle against extradition to the United States to face corruption charges related to his time as a top executive of football’s world governing body. A High Court in Trinidad has granted him permission to challenge the legality of the extradition proceedings, which means that the process in the magistrate’s court has been put on hold. Justice James Aboud on Friday granted Warner the leave, based on two of the three grounds argued by his attorneys: that some of the provisions in Trinidad and Tobago’s Extradition Act did not conform with the Extradition Treaty between the twin-island republic and the US, and that he was denied the opportunity to
Jack Warner have his attorneys make representation to the Attorney General on the matter. The judge struck out the third argument that there was apparent bias, as the Attorney General had received legal advice from lawyers representing the
MAYHEM – SEVEN DEAD IN 12 HOURS Trinidad Express - It was a bloody start to the weekend on Friday night, as within the space of 12 hours seven homicides were reported across Trinidad and Tobago. In fact, there were so many reports of shooting incidents that in some cases, such as in the Port of Spain Division, responding officers were said to be stretched thin as they tried to visit various scenes. The mayhem across the country did not end there as two people died in separate car accidents, while police shot and killed a man who had attacked his wife with a cutlass in Couva. Police also shot and killed a San Juan teenager.
US, before signing the Authority to Proceed (ATP), the document required to begin the extradition process. According to Justice Aboud, Warner’s attorneys had provided no evidence that had occurred. Former FIFAVP Jack Warner says he is “pleased” with the decision made by Justice James Aboud in his matter. Warner’s legal team, led by Senior Counsel Fyard Hosein, has 14 days – until February 5 – to file their claim. The State will then also have 14 days to respond. The case has been adjourned until February 26. Warner is accused of 29 counts of racketeering, wire fraud, money laundering, and bribery. He was among nine FIFA officials and five corporate executives indicted last May for their roles in a long-running scheme to corrupt the sport, which included bribes and kickbacks totaling more than US$150 million that were paid or agreed to be paid to obtain media and marketing rights to international soccer tournaments. It is alleged that Warner began to leverage his influence and exploit his official positions for personal gain from the early 1990s; accepted a US$10 million bribe from South African officials in return for voting to award them the 2010 World Cup; and bribed officials with envelopes each containing US$40,000 in cash.
Trinidad Guardian - The Housing Development Corporation (HDC) is currently investigating whether millions of taxpayers’ dollars were used to pay off political debts under the former administration. The Sunday Guardian received a list of some 24 names which include media personnel and a number of United National Congress (UNC) activists now before the HDC board under suspicion of receiving state houses outside the normal qualification process. The list contains the names of people allocated state houses over the past five years, some which they claim have no documentation, several on a rent to own, and even one upscale penthouse fully paid off within the past three years. The Sunday Guardian has learned that the gated Fidelis Heights housing compound has been a popular allocation spot and now houses as many as 17 people with close links to the former administration. These were allocated homes within the last five years. Insiders close to the HDC board have revealed that the investigations seem to be centered on the role of suspended managing director Jearlean John. In December, John and
Dr. Roodal Moonilal seven other high-level executives were suspended by the newly installed HDC board led by Newman George. The board suspended the eight employees pending the outcome of an independent audit into the HDC’s operations under John’s watch. That audit is expected to conclude in February. John had contended then that the suspension was nothing more than a political conspiracy designed to remove her from the HDC because even though she was initially hired by the former People’s National Movement (PNM) in 2009, one year later when the Government changed, the
incoming United National Congress (UNC) kept her in charge of the HDC. The Sunday Guardian was informed that the internal audit is going back only five years. The Sunday Guardian has learned that when John took over at the HDC back in 2009, she implemented a system that actually removed her and her office from the process of selection and allocation. Under John’s watch, the selection and allocation could only be authorised by the Minister of Housing. Under the former administration, former minister of housing Dr Roodal Moonilal ceded that responsibility and allowed his chairman, Rabindra Moonan, to authorise the allocation of houses. The Sunday Guardian was informed that the HDC board is now questioning whether John was involved in the housing handouts or complicit in the People’s Partnership’s move to give houses to political loyalists. Those loyalists also held prime positions under the former administration, including seats on state boards and hefty URP and Cepep contracts and now boast houses in Edinburgh 500 development.
Opposition Leader says…
JLP’s Actions Preventing Street Protest Against The Govt. The Gleaner - Opposition Leader Andrew Holness is taking credit for Jamaica not experiencing the disruption and street protests recorded by several other countries that have implemented similar punishing fiscal measures over the past few years. But university lecturer, sociologist Dr Orville Taylor is not confident that the Opposition would have strong support if it decides to take to the streets. “I’m not sure how well this leader of the Opposition reads the pulse of the people of Jamaica, and how willing they would be to protest, knowing the reality facing the country,” said Taylor. “Public-sector workers are the ones suffering the worst from the austerity measures and the last major protest from them was in 1985, and this was because the Government was not engaging the trade unions
Andrew Holness and the workers in discussions. This is not like the gas riots that we have had,” added Taylor. But Holness is convinced that persons were ready to protest and would have done so were it not for his decision not to head down that road. “You think people who have to be now facing high
school fees and high toll fees and all kinds of fees are not ready to protest,” Holness told a Gleaner/Mona School of Business and Management Leadership Round-table Forum last week. “And there have been times when people would have wanted me to be the nightmare, the match that lit the fire and I have resisted that. There is no political benefit for that,” added Holness as he declared that his stance has caused him personal criticisms from persons determined to take to the streets. According to the Opposition leader, the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), which he leads, is not prepared to be quick to block roads, demonstrate on the streets and be obstructive in Parliament despite being aware of the suffering the present Government is putting the people of Jamaica through.
Monday January 25, 2016
Kaieteur News
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Error-prone Djokovic survives Chelsea deny Arsenal top spot, scare, Serena rocks on Swansea win for Guidolin Serbia’s Novak Djokovic waves to the crowd after winning. (Reuters/Thomas Peter)
MELBOURNE (Reuters) Novak Djokovic’s grip on the Australian Open title looked shaky for a short spell on Sunday but the world number one finally shook off Gilles Simon in a four-and-a-half hour marathon to take his place in the quarter-finals. Serena Williams, by contrast, booked a re-match of last year’s title decider against Maria Sharapova by sweeping into the quarterfinals without having lost a set, and Roger Federer progressed almost as comfortably to bring the day to a close. The whiff of an upset hung around Melbourne Park for much of the day — Tomas Berdych, Agnieszka Radwanska and Carla Suarez Navarro all lost opening sets — but it was most potent in Djokovic’s five-setter against Simon. Djokovic had eased into the fourth round without losing a set as he continued
the dominant form that earned him 11 titles, including three of the four grand slams, last year. Defensive baseliner Simon is a wily campaigner, however, and he elicited 100 unforced errors out of the reigning champion in his 6-3 6-7(1) 6-4 4-6 6-3 defeat. Hurtling around the arena on legs that have always looked too spindly to take the kind of punishment they regularly endure, the 31-yearold Frenchman absorbed Djokovic’s power and timed his shots to perfection to hurl it back at the Serbian. Djokovic has not won five titles at Melbourne Park without being able to negotiate a scrap, however, and despite a string of fluffed drop shots he reasserted his authority in the final set to reach the last eight for a 27th successive grand slam. [L3N15804P] “I honestly didn’t expect to make this many unforced
Serena Williams of the U.S. jumps to hit a shot during her fourth round match against Russia’s Margarita Gasparyan.. (Reuters/Jason Reed)
errors. In terms of a level that I’ve played, it’s the match to forget for me,” said Djokovic. Djokovic’s next opponent, Japan’s Kei Nishikori, must have enjoyed every last minute of the match as he rested up after a straightforward 6-4 6-2 6-4 victory over Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. Nishikori was humiliated 6-1 6-1 in his last meeting with Djokovic in November and will be hoping to avenge that defeat and revive memories of his stunning upset of the Serbian in the semi-finals of the 2014 U.S. Open. Williams lost her serve for the second time at the tournament in the opening game of her match but that was just about all that went against the American in her brisk 6-2 6-1 demolition of Margarita Gasparyan. [L3N15801T] Sharapova was make to work much harder for her 7-5 7-5 victory over teenager Belinda Bencic in the opening match of the day on the main showcourt. If Djokovic’s high error count was uncharacteristic, the fifth seed’s reliance on her serve to get her out of trouble against the rising Swiss talent was also at odds with perceptions of her game in recent years. The 28-year-old might need more than 21 aces to end a run of 17 successive defeats against Williams going back to 2004, however. David Goffin has made great strides over the last couple of years but could still not cope with 17-times grand slam champion Federer. The 34-year-old Swiss got onto court late but wasted little time in dissecting the Belgian 6-2 6-1 6-4 to set up a meeting with Berdych, who earlier came from behind to beat Roberto Bautista Agut 46 6-4 6-3 1-6 6-3. Radwanska and Suarez Navarro both had their nerves tested before being able to set up their quarterfinal date. Radwanska was 5-2 down in her deciding set against Anna-Lena Friedsam but the 21-year-old German was reduced to tears when her legs simply gave up on her, allowing the fourth seed to recover for a 6-7 (6) 6-1 7-5 victory. Tenth seed Suarez Navarro rebounded from an opening set battering to beat Daria Gavrilova 0-6 6-3 6-2 and end Australia’s interest in the women’s draw. The most welcome recovery of the day was that of Ana Ivanovic’s coach and Andy Murray’s father-in-law, Nigel Sears.
Chelsea’s Thibaut Courtois makes a save. (Action Images via Reuters / John SibleyLivepic) LONDON (Reuters) Arsenal missed their chance to go back to the top of the Premier League after being forced to play with 10 men for much of the 1-0 home defeat by London rivals Chelsea on Sunday. At the other end of the table Swansea City improved their prospects of avoiding relegation with a 2-1 win at Everton in new Italian head coach Francesco Guidolin’s first match. Arsenal’s German defender Per Mertesacker was sent off after 18 minutes for denying a goalscoring opportunity to Diego Costa, who scored the only goal five minutes later from a cross by Branislav Ivanovic. The result preserved the defending champions’ unbeaten record under experienced Dutchman Guus Hiddink, who took over as interim manager last month following Jose Mourinho’s sacking. They remain a bogey side to Arsenal, who have not beaten them in the last nine league games, failing to score in the last six. Arsene Wenger’s side were left in third place, level on points with Manchester City but three behind leaders Leicester City, who beat Stoke City 3-0 on Saturday. Chelsea moved up to 13th, as high as they have been since beating Arsenal 2-0 at Stamford Bridge in September. On that occasion two Arsenal players were sent off — although the red card to defender Gabriel was later rescinded. Costa proved the key figure on Sunday before making way for substitute Loic Remy midway through the second half. Arsenal, who took off striker Olivier Giroud after the sending-off in order to bring on Gabriel in defence, improved in the later stages, when Alexis Sanchez came on as a substitute, but they managed only one shot on target. As Chelsea’s captain John Terry claimed, his team were on top even before the sending off. Terry insisted that reaching the top four
Everton’s Romelu Lukaku in action with Swansea’s Lukasz Fabianski. (Reuters / Andrew Yates)
to qualify for next season’s Champions League was still not out of the question despite a 14point gap with fourth-placed Tottenham Hotspur. “Everyone’s beating everyone and if we can put a run of games together, we are not writing anything off,” he told Sky Sports. Hiddink was more circumspect. “It’s a big gap,” he said. “But I want to see ambition always, whether you can (do it) or not. “When you come here, you have to take the initiative and I’m proud of the guys.” Wenger felt Arsenal should have had a draw despite making so few chances but said they are still very much in the title race. “It will be very tight until the end,” he told Sky Sports. Earlier Swansea’s victory at Everton lifted them four points above the bottom three places. A poor back pass by young Everton defender John Stones led to the 17th minute penalty from which Gylfi Sigurdsson gave Swansea the lead. The home side soon equalised when Jack Cork touched Gareth Barry’s flick into his own net, but a deflection off Stones from Andre Ayew’s shot restored the Welsh club’s lead before half-time. They held out amid strong pressure in the second half, when Everton’s leading scorer Romelu Lukaku twice went close and substitute Seamus Coleman twice missed badly, including from two yards out with the last kick of the match. Achieving a second successive win for the first time this season put Guidolin’s team in 15th place, and boosted their chances of avoiding relegation back to the Championship after five years. “This is our target,” Guidolin told Sky Sports. “These (two) results are very important for us.” The defeat left Everton 12th, with their former Swansea manager Roberto Martinez rueing a slow start and missed chances. “The scoreline was very hard to take,” he said.
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Kaieteur News
Former Nat’ls to play on Tuesday under lights in Murtland Bagot Memorial match Glen Robinson & Keith Semple slated to play On January 21, 2015 former Demerara Cricket Club (DCC) and Demerara righthanded batsman Murtland Bagot became the first road fatality on the 108 square Mile Island of Antigua for that year after he fell from a truck and was struck by a 4Runner on the Sir Sydney Walwyn Highway. Bagot, who grew up in West Bank Demerara in Guyana was an attacking and sometimes an unorthodox batsman, who made his intercounty debut for Demerara against Essequibo at Hampton Court in his mid 30s, was 51 when he died. Bagot lived for 13 years in Antigua and leaves to mourn his ruptured wife who resides in the USA, four children and five brothers. On Tuesday night at DCC several former Guyana, intercounty and first division cricketers who played with or against the former DCC player, will turn back the clock when they compete in a t20 game from 19:00 hrs in observance of the first death
Murtland Bagot Anniversary of Bagot. Former Guyana and West Indies batsman 45-year-old Keith Semple who played seven ODIs in 1999 in South Africa and former Guyana left arm spinner 44-year-old Glen Robinson who played four Regional 50-over games for Guyana in the mid-90s are both in Guyana and are expected to play in this match. Former West Indies Captain Ramnaresh Sarwan,
who will lead one of the teams in the much anticipated Unity Cricket at Providence, will be joined by former West Indies Test pacers Colin Stuart and Reon King on Tuesday Evening. Former Guyana Wicketkeeper batsman Neil Barry will lead one of the teams with DCC’s Linden Lyght, the most successful second division Captain in Demerara, will Skipper the other team. Barry’s X1: Neil Barry (Captain) Shawn Holder, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Travis Dowlin, Winston Semple, Troy Lewis, Glen Robinson, Clive Grimmond, Gladwin Brandis, Jermaine Neblette, Andre Legall, Reon King, Gavin Nedd, Edward Burnette. Lygth’s X1: Linden Lyght (Captain) Keith Semple, Alfred Mentor, Lennox Cush, Clyde Butts, Lennox Cush, Colin Stuart, Sean Devers, Roddy Lovell, Mark Ferreira, Ron Ramnauth, Troy Halley, Bevaun Butts, Ronald Austin, Dexter Mckenzie. (Sean Devers)
Monday January 25, 2016
Alex Bunbury named GFF International Ambassador Guyanese born Canadian former international football star and Hall of Famer, Alex Bunbury, who is on a visit to his country of birth to promote a sports academy project here, has been made the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) International Ambassador. The announcement was made on Saturday evening at a special reception in his honour held at Cara Lodge by GFF President Wayne Forde in the presence of Junior Minister within the Ministry of Education and Sport Nicolette Henry and Mayor Hamilton Green along with other dignitaries. To a rousing round of applause during the announcement and the presentation of the certificate signifying his status, Forde handed over the accolade to Bunbury. Minister Henry also presented a special plaque to him. Bunbury in brief remarks, called for a joint effort by all to advance football is Guyana. He promised to set the bar high in his new role as Ambassador for Guyana’s football. Bunbury said that while he may not get it right all the time, he will do all in his power to advance football in this country. But most importantly
advance our young people so they can have a bright future. The football star said, it is not only with academics, but with sport and academics, noting that there has to be a balance between the two. Bunbury said our children should not be denied the opportunity to play on fields worthy of their talent. He said he was humbled by the recognition and being chosen to represent Guyana, which is the best of the many awards he has received. He expressed gratitude to those assembled and the officials for their support and recognition. Bunbury travelled here to promote his vision of establishing an academy of sports and academics for talented youngsters here with the aim of having them equipped to ply their trade overseas as he did. His vision was well received and it will be followed with interest as the work begins to make it a reality. He has the support of government and the football federation and was well received in the various communities he visited, mainly Plaisance, his home village, and Linden.
Real Salt Lake Signs Emery Welshman from the Monarchs
Garcia outpoints Guerrero to win welterweight title
Emery Welshman (left) celebrates fellow Gold Jaguar Brandon Beresford’s (right) first international goal against St. Vincent.
Danny Garcia (right) battles Robert Guerrero during their WBC welterweight boxing title fight at Staples Center. Garcia won by decision. (Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports) (Reuters) Danny Garcia overcame a sluggish start to win a unanimous decision over Robert Guerrero at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Saturday and claim the WBC welterweight title vacated by Floyd Mayweather Jr. With Mayweather, who
retired in September, sitting ringside, Garcia (32-0) took control from the middle rounds and was awarded the decision 116-112 by all three judges. “I’m back where I belong. I am now a two-division world champion,” said Garcia, who also holds the WBC super
Leonora overcome Zeeburg Leonora defeated Zeeburg when the West Demerara Cricket Association second division 40-over tournament continued recently with a number of matches. Zeeburg were sent packing for 83 in 24 overs, batting first. G. Narine made 16 as R. Rahaman claimed 5-7 and H. Kowlessar 4-20. Leonora replied with 84-2 in 12 .2 overs. P. Persaud got 38; Nairne took 2-12. Meten Meer Zorg beat Zeelugt in their match up. Meanwhile, the T20 competition commenced yesterday.
lightweight belt. “Guerrero is tough. No one has ever stopped him. He came to fight, he was in shape. I’m taking nothing away from him.” Guerrero (33-4-1) controlled the early going, landing big shots and forcing Garcia to retreat, but things took a turn in the sixth round where Garcia respond with a series of strong right hand shots. Garcia poured it on late in the fight but Guerrero thought he had done enough. “Not one person out there thought Danny won but his team. I pressured him, I nailed him, busted his body up. I outjabbed him,” Guerrero said. “I want a rematch and that’s it.”
Sandy, Utah – Real Salt Lake announced that it has signed FW Emery Welshman as a new addition for the 2016 season after the 24year-old played the 2015 season with RSL’s USL club, Real Monarchs SLC. Welshman is the first player to sign with RSL from the Monarchs, as the club continues to evolve its player development system. Per league and club policy, terms of the agreement were not disclosed. “We view the Monarchs as an in-house development system and take great pride in announcing Emery as the first player to move through our system and into the first team,” Real Salt Lake General Manager Craig Waibel said. “The environment that Coach Freddy Juarez and his staff have created challenges young players to mature and improve on a daily basis with the end goal of having a shot at the first team roster.” Welshman was a standout with the Monarchs in 2015 scoring six goals in 19 appearances to finish second on the team. He also added two assists in helping the Monarchs finish its inaugural season on a five-match winning streak to close out the season at 7-13-8 including a 6-3-5 record at Rio Tinto Stadium. “Emery deserves a lot of credit as he did
everything asked of him over the past year. He matured and accepted the challenges given to him by the staff and in the end persevered to end the season on a very strong run,” Waibel said. “We are extremely happy for Emery to be the first player to take advantage of his opportunities and look forward to his contributions with the first team in 2016.” He started his professional career as the 16th overall pick in the 2013 MLS SuperDraft to Toronto FC. He made just one regular season appearance that season and spent 2014 playing with Ligue 1 Ontario side Sigma FC in Canada’s third division. He trained with RSL in the preseason in 2015 and was eventually signed to the Monarchs. In addition to his success with the Monarchs, he also made his international debut in 2015, playing five matches and netting three goals for Guyana, including two goals in a World Cup Qualifying match against St. Vincent & the Grenadines. Real Salt Lake starts the year in the 2015/ 16 CONCACAF Champions League Quarterfinal Round, opening the schedule in Monterrey, Mexico, against Tigres UANL on Wednesday, February 24, with the return leg at Rio Tinto Stadium on Wednesday, March 2 (8:00 p.m. MT kickoff). (RSL.com)
Monday January 25, 2016
Kaieteur News
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Colts top Georgetown Lord, Wilson hand GCC victory despite Dutchin ton Division 1 Basketball League
Martin Dutchin
Steffan Wilson
Devon Lord
Devon Lord struck a fine hundred while Stefan Wilson hit a fluent half century as Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) defeated Muslim Youth Organisation (MYO) by 116 runs when the Georgetown Cricket Association (GCA)/ New Building Society second division 40-over tournament continued yesterday at Bourda. Lord anchored the innings, hitting seven fours and four sixes as he shared in a 179-run sixth wicket stand with Steffan Wilson after GCC lost a few early wickets,
batting first in favourable sunshine. Lord timed the ball well before he was run out for 117 off 80 balls while Wilson who stroked five fours off 65 balls was also run out for a well played 68. Martin Pestano Belle and Khemraj Jaikarran scored 23 and 22 respectively as GCC rattled up 306-8. Sachin Singh and Naveed Ali claimed 2-57 each. MYO lost opener Richard Latif for 11, but Martin Dutchin took the fight to the opposition with courageous batting. Dutchin clobbered
four fours and eight maximums before he was caught off Winston Forrester for 111 of 98 balls. While Dutchin played his shots, GCC bowlers managed to restrict the other batsmen with only Sachin Singh 15 and Abdul Kumar 14 offering some resistance as MYO ended on 190-7. Forrester snared 3-50, Ganesh Balkarran 2-12 and Lord 2-31. University of Guyana gained a walk over from Ace Warriors who failed to turn up at GNIC SC. (Zaheer Mohamed)
Deonarine coming home to play as mad rush on for Unity Cricket tickets The excitement for ‘Unity Cricket’ at the Providence Stadium is already building with the release of the ‘early bird’ tickets last Saturday afternoon at locations in Essequibo, Demerara and Berbice. There was a ‘mad rush’ for tickets once they were available and within the first 45 minutes close to 500 tickets were sold. Fans keen to see the top West Indies t20 players in action under lights from 19:30 hrs in addition to seeing the leading softball players in Guyana, quickly took the first opportunity to purchase tickets. For five riveting Softball matches including Demerara Girls playing Berbice Girls plus a day of fun for the kids and the t20 affair, tickets cost just $2,000 before Tuesday and $3,000 from then to match day. “We have sold over 500 tickets in less than 30 minutes and a lot of people have called and booked their tickets after the organizers had promised to have tickets on sale since Tuesday,” said the owner of Tiyo’s Future Store in Anna Catherina and Parika in West Coast
Narsingh Deonarine Demerara and East Bank Essequibo. A problem with the shipment and the clearing of the tickets delayed the start of sale by almost one week and fans, especially those in Berbice, will have another reason to travel to Providence on Saturday. Berbician Narsingh Deonarine, who helped the T&T Red Force retain the Nagico Super50 title on Saturday last by trapping danger man Carlos Braithwaite LBW for 46 and taking two catches, is coming home to play in the Unity
Cricket. The softball 10/10 ‘Open’ final will start at 16:30 hrs before the t20 finale and spectators will be entertained by pulsating music from the party stand and six pretty cheerleaders dancing on two stages beyond the boundary, while Food and beverages will be on sale all day. The two teams will comprise a mixture of local players and the International stars and the organizers have released the names of the teams and their respective Captains while the team members will be announced on Monday. Ramnaresh Sarwan will lead the Legacy All Stars and Chris Barnwell is captain of the 007 Warriors. Ticket locations: GCC Bourda (GT) Tiyo’s Future Store (Anna Catherina & Parika), Shopper’s Pharmacy (Giftland Mall), Lenny’s (Mon Repos East Coast), Debbie’s Bar (E/C), Andrew’s Supermarket (South Ruimveldt), Kester D Music (Charlotte St GT), Big Bs (Rosignol West Berbice), Little Rock Hotel (N/ Amsterdam), Poonai’s Pharmacy (Rose Hall Town Corentyne Berbice).
By Edison Jefford Colts stormed Cliff Anderson’s Sports Hall Saturday night, used their experience and superiority,and strode away atop the Georgetown Amateur Basketball Association (GABA) Division 1 League after trampling Plaisance Guardians in the closing minutes of the game. Colts scored 12 points in just under three minutes while keeping Guardians to two points to race away with a 68-58 victory that really does not underscore how competitive and close the final of the best-ofthree series was in crunch-time. Guards, Dave Causway finished with 20 points, while Shelroy Thomas contributed 13 points for Colts. Centre, Shane Webster and guard, Kurt English, who made up for his game one flop at the freethrow line with a dagger threepoint jumper, had nine points apiece. Nikkoloi Smith also had 20 points for Plaisance with guard Marlon Chesney adding 10 points in an uptempo and intense effort that lived up to the hype and expectation of a final that was made extra special with belligerent support for both teams. With plastic bottles clamoring and supporters drowning out even the referees’ whistle at times, Smith drilled a jumper from
downtown to level the scores at 56-56 with just under three minutes left in the game, sending those who trekked to the indoor venue from Plaisance on the East Coast of Demerara into a frenzy. But English responded with a similar dagger on the other end of the floor, which triggered Colts’ run to the title. With no time-outs left and Smith fouled out the game, Guardians were restricted to two points in two minutes while Colts added nine to complete a 12-2 run that landed them on top of the Division 1 League. Earlier, guard Enoch Matthews opened Plaisance account from beyond the arc before an intense defensive and fast-paced battle ensued. No doubt the sixth man, the raucous supporters from the two competing communities were involved at every play. Causway drilled a jumper from downtown to put Colts up 7-5 midway through the first period. Forward, Nicko Fraser finished five unanswered points and Rayon Cummings a threepointer to close out the opening period ahead, 18-8 for Colts. The defensive battle continued in the second quarter with Smith chipping away at Colts lead with backto-back layups. Forward, Mark Richards finished a putback that gave Guardians their
first lead since early in the first period 24-23 before Smith connected from beyond the arc to ignite an overwhelming response from the crowd. However, as would be the story of the game, Causway also connected for Colts to ensure a 27-27 deadlock at the end of the first half. Down 3033 early in the third period, Causway again landed from downtown to equalise midway through the period. Colts went on a 5-0 run to go up 40-39 with two minutes to play in the penultimate period before Chesney sent the half-packed Sports Hall wild with a lethal crossover move that had his defender skating across the floor on the northern half of the court. Colts led 44-42 at the end of the third period. Smith gave Plaisance a 49-47 lead with 6:45 left on the game clock with two free-throws from what really should have been a flagrant foul. Webster completed a put-back, and Causway a fast-break finish off consecutive possessions to push Colts up 56-53 with just under three minutes left in the game. Despite a dagger threepoint jumper from Smith, Colts never surrendered the lead again romping to another Division 1 title. Colts are the current nation-wide Forbes Burnham Memorial Champs, and lost in the National Club Championship Final last year.
Timberwolves topple Grizzlies (The Sports Xchange) - Minnesota Timberwolves interim coach Sam Mitchell has been urging his team to get out in transition virtually all season and against the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday, he got what he was looking for. The Timberwolves exploded for 37 points in the second quarter and then held on late for a 106-101 win. The loss ended a four-game winning streak for Memphis, who entered the night winning six of seven overall. Despite a double-digit lead heading to the fourth quarter, the Timberwolves did not make it easy on themselves. The Grizzlies had chances down the stretch to take the lead but were never able to overcome the Timberwolves, who led by as many as 16 points in the first half. Trailing by one with 35 seconds left, the Grizzlies had the ball to inbound in the offensive end of the court but were called for a five-second violation. Timberwolves guard Ricky Rubio made two free throws to make it a three-point game and Grizzlies guard Mike Conley missed a runner in the lane. Minnesota forward Andrew Wiggins made two free throws to provide the final margin. Rubio finished with 15 points and 12 assists. Timberwolves forward Shabazz Muhammad led all scorers with 25 points in 33 minutes off the bench. Mario Chalmers led the Grizzles with 19
points in a reserve role. Marc Gasol was one of two Memphis starters in double figures with 17 points. Grizzlies guard Courtney Lee went three of three from the floor, including two threepointers, to help Memphis to a 25-20 lead after 12 minutes. The Timberwolves went on a 20-1 run midway through the second quarter led by Rubio, who scored seven consecutive points. Muhammad scored nine points in the quarter as Minnesota finished with a 24-8 burst, outscoring Memphis 37-21 in the second quarter alone. At one point, Minnesota had a 21-2 edge in fast-break points. Rubio had 12 points, eight assists and five rebounds at the half as Minnesota took a 5746 lead into the locker room. Muhammad had 13 points in 17 minutes. Muhammad scored five more points in the third quarter as the Timberwolves took a 8474 lead into the fourth quarter. Memphis tightened down defensively in the second half, creeping closer in the fourth quarter. Chalmers scored six straight points to get the Grizzlies within three with 5:26 left. A threepointer by guard Vince Carter made it 95-93 with 4:16 left. Another three by Carter narrowed the deficit to one just over a minute later. Grizzlies guard Matt Barnes drilled a three-pointer to tie the score at 99 with two minutes remaining.
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Kaieteur News
Monday January 25, 2016
Chanderpaul’s unbeaten double Rabada’s magnificent seven century highlights latest round puts South Africa in control GCA’s Trophy Stall, GISC and Star Party Rentals Cricket
Gajanand Singh strokes one behind point in his 81 at MSC yesterday. By Sean Devers A brilliant unbeaten 205 from 19-year-old Tagenarine Chanderpaul highlighted the latest round of matches in the GCA’s Trophy Stall, GISC and Star Party Rentals two-day first division Cricket tournament which ended yesterday in the City. Everest and DCC registered outright victories, while Malteenoes had to settle for first innings points in their drawn game against GNIC. At Camp Road, Everest beat Police by an innings and 47 runs. Scores: Police (208 & 186), Everest (441-6 declared). Chanderpaul scored his first division one ‘double’ as the talented left-hander reached the boundary 14 times in a magnificent display to lead Everest to a massive score which is the highest total in the competition this year. Chanderpaul began the final day on 71 with Everest on 178-2 and the former West Indies under-19 opener was watched by his illustrious father Shiv Chanderpaul on the first day before Shiv departed yesterday for a tournament for retired Internationals in Dubai. The younger
Chanderpaul shared in a 202run fourth wicket stand with Amir Khan who hit 10 fours and a six in an attractive 86 after he had added 126 for the third wicket with Skipper Akshaya Persaud (64). Chanderpaul Hemraj weighed in with 57 decorated with eight fours and a six on the slow track and fast outfield. Jason Heyliger took 2-78 for Police, who began their second innings needing 231 to make Everest bat a second time and fell for 186 just before the close despite halfcenturies from Andrew Lyght Jr (51) and Heyliger (54). However, only Randy Knights (21) of the other batsmen offered token resistance as Hemraj (5-46) and Persaud (2-24) bowled their team to victory. In Queenstown, DCC beat GYO by an innings and 88 runs. Scores: DCC (362-8 declared), GYO (132 & 143) After Centuries from Chris Barnwell (116) and teenager Kemol Savory (100*) had given the host a huge total, Cohen Ishmod (5-33) and Carlton Jacques shared nine wicket between them as GYO were bowled for 132 and following-on, the Woolford Avenue unit reached 9-2 by the close of day one in which three innings being played.
Greg Gill hammered four fours and five sixes in an explosive 52, but only Garfield DeRoach (32) of the others showed any fight as offspinner Denis Squires befuddled the batsmen with his second five-wicket haul in two games to finish with 6-46 as the game was done and dusted before Lunch. In Thomas Lands, Malteenoes played to a draw in their own backyard. Scores: GNIC (118 & 2647), MSC (213) Led by 5-25 from Kellon Carmichael and 3-33 from legspinner Steven Sankar, MSC dismissed GNIC for the lowest total in the round before fifties from Elton Baker and Orin Forde gave MSC first innings points. GNIC began their second innings yesterday 95 runs in arrears and feared much better than they did first time around to deny MSC full points. Former Guyana FirstClass batsman Gajanand Singh continued his return to division one cricket with an accomplished 81, while Jermaine Grosnor (50*) and Joshua Persaud (46) frustrated the MSC attack with confident stroke play. Sankar captured five wickets to end with an eight-wicket match haul.
PRETORIA (Reuters) Kagiso Rabada became the youngest South Africa bowler to take seven wickets in an innings as the hosts took charge of the fourth and final test against England on Sunday. The 20-year-old’s brilliant 7-112 helped dismiss the tourists for 342 in reply to South Africa’s first innings 475 at Centurion. South Africa ended day three leading England by 175 runs with nine secondinnings wickets intact, finishing on 42 for one wicket with debutant Stephen Cook (23 not out) and Hashim Amla (16 not out). The only Proteas wicket to fall in their second innings was that of Dean Elgar (one), who edged James Anderson to wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow. The day belonged unquestionably to Rabada who confirmed his rich potential and his powers of endurance after bowling 29 overs, in part because the hosts lost seamer Kyle Abbott to a hamstring strain. Abbott’s availability to bowl again in the match is still to be determined. After Morne Morkel removed Alastair Cook (76) midway through the first session, it looked as though it would be England’s morning as they approached lunch with confidence. Rabada then had Joe Root (76) caught by wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock, two more
wickets fell quickly before the break as James Taylor (14) and Bairstow (0) fell to the same combination to leave England teetering at 211 for six. A rain delay just after the re-start took the players from the field, but when they returned Rabada removed a fluent Ben Stokes (33) with the new ball, caught in the slips by Amla. The part-time spin of JP Duminy accounted for Chris Woakes (26), before Stuart Broad (five) became Rabada’s
seventh victim. Moeen Ali (61) played an excellent rearguard hand to frustrate the hosts before he became the last wicket to fall, caught at extra cover off Morkel. Rabada was just the second player in history to take six wickets or more in an innings in both tests and OneDay Internationals before the age of 21, joining Pakistan great Waqar Younis. England have already wrapped up the series with an unassailable 2-0 lead.
TSU, BANDROOM, IMMIGRATION RECORD WINS Tactical Service Unit (TSU), Bandroom and Immigration one registered victories when the Guyana Police Force Headquarters dominoes competition commenced on Wednesday at Eve Leary. TSU won their encounter against Traffic Headquarters and Public Relations Office. TSU and Traffic Headquarters were tied on 75 games each but the former won by making more fives, while Public Relations Office (PRO) ended on 58. Hugh Mc Farlane got 15 games for the winners, while Sherwin Henry and Floyd Reddock made the maximum 18 games apiece for the runner up team. Jairam Ramlakhan scored 15 for PRO. Bandroom chalked 85 games to defeat Sports Secretariat with 64 and Mounted Branch 60. Gordon Richards got the utmost
18 for the victors, while Everton Duncan and Anthony Nelson contributed 15 each and Elivis Valentine 14. Mark Scott and Richard Henry made 13 apiece for Sports Secretariat while Jacob Doris and Carl Saul got 14 each for Mounted Branch. Thulane Mure 17, Orin Paris 16 and Kevin Archer 15 led Immigration one who managed 84 games to victory over Special Weapon and Tactics 73 and Quartermaster Stores Combined 71. Kevin Thomas scored 15 while Dorian Adams and Andel Smith made 14 each for the runner’s up, while Orville Trotz made 14 for Quartermaster Stores Combined. The love birds were Linden Mc Koy of TSC, Rockwell Delph and Kurt Sealy of Mounted Branch as well as Akelia Alves and Odellis De Santos of PRO.
South Africa’s Kagiso Rabada celebrates the dismissal of England’s James Taylor who was caught out by Quinton de Kock during the fourth cricket test match in Centurion, South Africa, January 24, 2016. (Reuters/Siphiwe Sibeko)