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Kaieteur News
Kaieteur News Printed and Published by National Media & Publishing Company Ltd. 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown, Guyana. Publisher: GLENN LALL Editor: Adam Harris Tel: 225-8465, 225-8491. Fax: 225-8473, 226-8210
EDITORIAL
TO CLOSE OR NOT TO CLOSE WALES! It is very difficult to determine when the leader of the Opposition, Mr. Bharrat Jagdeo, is taking an intellectually valid, reasoned stance on a number of issues or reacting in a knee-jerk, spiteful fashion, opposing for opposing sake. Very seldom has he heaped praise on the government. Everyone knows that the job of the Opposition Leader is to oppose in order to convince the electorate that his party is a valid alternative to the Government. But there is a difference between opposing when there is need to do so and in the interest of the country and the people, or to object just to be obstructionist. Since losing the election, the PPP first act as the opposition was to challenge the election results in court, mischievously suggesting to the people, particularly its supporters that there was collusion between GECOM and the APNU+AFC coalition. The PPP also boycotted Parliament and opposed the budget and all Government Bills in the National Assembly. These were not credible acts by the PPP. In less than one month in office, the government was told of the poor state of GUYSUCO and had to bail it out immediately in the amount of G$12 billion. A new Board of Directors and an Interim Management Committee were appointed by the government to manage GUYSUCO. The team confirmed the Government’s worse fears that the corporation was bankrupt and an infusion of billions of dollars were needed to keep it afloat. Truth be told, the government inherited the Skeldon Sugar factory which according to the Minister of Agriculture was overpriced by US$60 million. The US$200 million factory, commissioned by President Jagdeo had been a drag on the sugar industry and on the taxpayers. It has only started to produce positively for the first time last year. Despite efforts by the government to revive the sugar industry; it is in much deeper financial trouble than expected as demands for sugar on the world marked have declined. GUYSUCO is facing serious problems and the government has been searching for solutions to turn it around. With its revenues shrinking, and the cost to produce sugar increasing, the Government had to make the most difficult decision to close the Wales Sugar Factory at the end of the year, with the full understanding of the impact its decision would have on the livelihood of thousands of sugar workers and members of the Wales community. The Commission of Inquiry (COI) set-up by the government to find solutions to the problems facing GUYUCO did not recommend the closure of the Wales estate. Nonetheless, some felt that it was a sound decision which the government had to make due to the gloomy outlook for sugar prices in the foreseeable future. Others believe that it should have been sold or privatized. The COI projected that the estate will lose between $1.6 and $1.9 Billion this year and it is by far the estate in poorest shape. Therefore, to divert scarce funds from the good estates to keep it afloat was no longer feasible as the survivability of the other estates could be jeopardized. The Diamond and La Bonne Intention sugar estates which were in poor conditions and were deemed too costly to maintain were closed by Mr. Jagdeo. So why is he condemning the government for closing the Wales estate? The answer is to score cheap political points. It is hypocritical and wicked for Jagdeo to mislead the people by telling them that the government’s decision to close the factory is deliberate. GUYSUCO became a retarded son under Jagdeo. Reducing costs and losses, increase efficiency and the production of sugar have become the top priority for the government to ensure the survival of GUYSUCO.
Tuesday January 26, 2016
Letters... Where your views make the news
Things went vastly astray under Khurshid Sattaur DEAR EDITOR, I note with disbelief the revelations made by the former GRA Commissioner General, Mr. Khurshid Sattaur in the Kaieteur News (Saturday January 23, 2016) about him being asked to do illegal things under this present administration. As an employee of this entity I would like this newspaper to permit me the space to describe heart-breaking things that occurred under the former tax boss’ reign. First off Mr. Sattaur stated that he was ask to settle taxpayers cases for meagre sums that would have cost the country billions of dollars in revenues. Under Mr. Sattaur’s watch the GRA and the country was losing billions of dollars in revenues. There are a few companies that paid little or no taxes and when the time arose for them to pay taxes the Heads for certain sections would have meetings with these companies and come to some arrangement, especially when they have to get a compliance or some document that would entail they don’t owe the GRA any money or are in the process via payment arrangement to settle the
amounts. One section that deals with payment arrangement is the Debt Management Division and upon instruction from that section, certain persons were allowed to access compliances upon their assurance they would settle the sums due. Low and behold some of those companies and at times individuals would not honor their obligation. On the other hand, the same section would pursue certain companies and individuals to pay sums that weren’t even a fraction of what some of the “big boys” owe before they get a compliance. Persons were promoted who did not have the requisite qualifications and who were acting for a considerable period before they were suitably qualified. When the Intelligence section was “revived” in 2012 after the last scandal, a certain manager chose the staff that he knew. Persons were called for interviews and surprisingly persons that had already finished level 2 ACCA and had the relevant experiences were overlooked whilst persons from Debt Management who didn’t complete the
level 2 ACCA and certainly didn’t have the relevant experiences along with other persons from the Examinations Division where selected. Persons complained since this was unfair but who listened? Those under-qualified and underexperienced individuals were selected by their friend- a certain senior manager Further, the Head of a certain vital division is still under- qualified for that position even though he may have the relevant experience. I’m certain staff under this Head (ag) may be more qualified. Nothing has been done to correct this for many years. How a female staff who is listed as a friend of a certain big-wig was placed in charge of certain branch over persons that were way more qualified and certainly had a ton of experience more than that individual, in areas that would have been relevant to ensure the proper functioning of that office? By GRA’s reluctance to do the right things, to pass instructions so the right procedures were followed, many staff were left feeling frustrated since there (Continued on page 23)
Royston King and the Deputy Mayor in controversy again DEAR EDITOR, Recently, Demerara Waves and the Guyana Chronicle carried articles which reported on a statutory meeting of the Mayor and City Council of Georgetown and what was said by Council officials in relation to the state and future of the Kitty Market. We, the stall holders and vendors of Kitty Market are major stake holders in that entity. We have invested tremendously in the market and are paying keen attention to what is said, particularly by the Council and its officials and by representatives of Central Government, on the market. We are always encouraged when the market attracts public attention be it positive or negative. We have taken the position that this attention will contribute in some way to our more than two decades of struggle to have the
market rehabilitated. We find the remarks that were carried by both media houses which were attributed to Town Clerk, Royston King and Deputy Mayor, Chase Green, to be extremely worrying since both are senior and long standing officials of the Georgetown City Council and ought to have knowledge of agreements arrived at ages ago between the Kitty Market stallholders / vendors, Mayor Hamilton Green and the Council, on the way forward for the market. We are concerned that Town Clerk Royston King feels fee to call on the Council to make a decision to relocate vendors and stall holders without seeing the need to have a prior discussion with the occupants of the market who will be the ones most seriously affected by the implementation of such a decision. We are also amazed and shocked
that the Town Clerk was quoted as saying the Council is trying to find a study that was done years ago dealing with conditions of the market structure. Mr. King ought to be aware of the recent inspection, and report on the market that was carried out by the Ministry of Local Government a few months before the May 11.2015 General and Regional Elections. That report addressed the issue of the structure of the market and concluded that the market can be rehabilitated, and there is no need to pull it down. This was the professional opinion of the engineers who carried out the study. Mr. King is just being dishonest if he is pretending to be ignorant of the existence of this study. Now that he is reminded of it I wish to use this opportunity to urge (Continued on page 23)
Rejection of the beating of children DEAR EDITOR There is welcome news that President Granger does not intend that beating be a part of his three B’s initiative for education. There have always been mutterings and quotations from various political leaders about not beating but they always succumb to the “consultative process.” The Guyana Teachers Union (Kaieteur News, October 28 2015, “GTU against government’s plans to ban Corporal punishment in schools”) it seems wants to retain the power to beat children in the care of their members. Successive administrations might have made bold daring moves, but it seems an
engagement of healing with the members of the GTU and other citizens who think beating children helps just does not seem to happen. There are many teachers who do not beat children. It is unfortunate that those teachers do not get to share their experiences and that these are not cascaded. A lot of personal transformation and unlearning is required to overcome to decide not to use violence towards children. It requires a lot of forgiveness of those who used to ‘beat us for our own good, or because we were bad “. There is no doubt a war for the minds of children. For example, many minibus drivers and minibus owners at
2.30pm or near ‘lessons’ venues appeal apparently to customer demand of school children to listen to music with lyrics which are geared towards demeaning people rather than building equality and consciousness. It is vicious - the drivers sometime seem to be powerless. The alcohol advertisers and sellers do not restrain themselves .No one expects the teachers to have the sole responsibility of discipline and nurturing learning environments. The responsibility has to be shared with the wider society, with the understanding that many adults are also indisciplined and contribute to the violence Vidyaratha Kissoon
Tuesday January 26, 2016
Kaieteur News
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Letters... Where your views make the news Letters... Where your views make the news
Different take on the Wales closure The PNC, PPP and their attitude DEAR EDITOR, There is much debate about the proposed closure of Wales Estate in December 2016. Government officials and GuySuCo executives have been making a case for closure on the basis of: (1) Economics (2) Neglected Cultivation (3) Old Factory These areas were further clarified during a television programme aired on NCN Channel 11 on the evening of Tuesday 19th January, 2016 with panelists being the Chief Executive Officer, Errol Hanoman, General Manager Agri. Services, Raymond Sangster and General Manager-Technical Services, Yusoof Abdool.
poor state and lack of adequate financing may be part of the cause. The General ManagerAgri. Services pointed out the state of infrastructure and fields cause cane yields to be tragically low. The Guyanese public needs to know that Mr. Raymond Sangster has been the General Manager- Agri. Services for 7 years now with overall responsibility for Agriculture in the Industry. His office is ultimately responsible for all agriculture decisions in the company and many poor decisions (e.g. fertilizer adjustment, chemical adjustment, young cane harvesting, etc.) were made under his command causing the state of fields across the Industry. Mr. Sangster presided over the dramatic decline of agriculture in the industry
Editor, the utterances from these top executives paints a picture to prove that Wales Estate is the worst performing estate and the level of investment required to rehab it is too great for a Government. It is true that the estate’s performance is not to its potential but it is totally untrue to state that it is the worst performing estate and I dare say that these GuySuCo executives are compulsive liars and plain hypocrites. They have set out on a journey to mislead the Guyanese public. Let us examine Wales’s performance over the last five (5) years. Sugar production for the years 2011-2015 is shown above: (see table) The figures show that production from Wales is significant averaging at 20,574t/yr. Its percentage contribution to the Industry’s overall production is also significant averaging at 10% per year. Assuming that Wales got US$500 per tonne sugar over the last 5 years, it brought in on average, US$10,287,056.00 into Guyana’s economy per year. Looking at the estate’s production, there is certainly room for improvement however, it is almost certain that Wales performed better than other estates in the areas of production and costs over the same period. Maybe, GuySuCo Executives can present the numbers to confirm or dispute this. The question therefore to Messrs Hanoman, Sangster & Abdool is; “What sort of economics was used to justify closure of a better performing estate? It is also true that the cultivation is in a
and Wales Estate is no exception. Isn’t it ironic for the person responsible for a decline in agriculture to now use it proudly as justification to close an Estate? Like agriculture, a similar situation exists with factory where Mr. Yusoof Abdool has been General Manager- Technical Services for 9 years now with overall responsibility for factories in the Industry. His office is ultimately responsible for all technical decisions on operations and maintenance of factories. To now state that Wales’s equipment is old and obsolete and too costly to maintain is an indictment on the execution of his duties and lack of foresight from the Company’s leading technical executive. Did he not observe this when approving the maintenance programmes for factories each year? While one can agree that there is aged equipment at Wales, this is also the case for other factories. With the support of cane farmers supplying canes, Wales’s factory is more utilized and more reliable than some factories in existence. The General Manager-Technical Services needs to come out and say this. I am also advised that equipment from Wales is also used at interchangeably at other factories so how can this factory become obsolete suddenly. Again, isn’t it ironic for the person responsible for a decline in factory maintenance and efficiency due to poor maintenance to now use it proudly as justification to close a factory? Frederick Yuvraj
This much-talked about shopping entity is brutal
DEAR EDITOR, We must thank Freddy Kissoon for this exposure of certain unscrupulous employers who treat staffers like stray animals, the latest being 2 major shopping establishments. The economy had slowed and so are employment in the country. However for one particular store, nothing has slowed especially the wanton hire and fire of staff. We are speaking of a new shopping complex that was based in Georgetown but now relocated. Editor, please allow me to express my sympathies to the hundreds if not a thousand staff that were fired by this heartless company over the last 3 years. By no means is this a large company but the
employment turnover rate make large companies like Banks or DDL look like cottage industries. Young men and women received the shock that will remain for the rest of their lives in the manner their jobs were terminated. The company has the habit of employing young and inexperienced staff many of whom are not familiar with labour laws or basic human rights laws and would allow tyranny to triumph because of their inexperience in these matters. Many came with bright smiles on their faces in anticipation of the world of jobs and seeking financial independence. Your first job experience stays with you for
the rest of your life and here in this company after a few weeks or months, smiles turned to shock and horror, many not envisaging what a cruel and heartless place the world can be. Young men and women are left traumatized by the manner in which hope turns to hell. Analysis of the reasons for most dismissals centered on family egos and “hearsay.” This is a company managed and controlled by family members who themselves (Continued on page 23)
toward the Guyanese people DEAR EDITOR, It is astonishing, the manner in which society works (or rather, work unjustly) between the governed and governors. The latest stories in the Caribbean are that the army is being called out to suppress crime and end social chaos. No objection in principle or on practicalities. However, social chaos and crime have many causes. How much is caused by political and social exclusion, discrimination, neglect, and waste of taxpayer’s money? And by incompetence and economic mismanagement, corruption, cronyism, nepotism, greed, power drunkenness, and dishonorable behaviors of the political class; the cumulative effect of which is socio-economic failure, degrading a country’s resources and thereby making it less and less feasible to provide for the majority of the population. For thousands of years societies have learned to store excess supplies for the proverbial ‘rainy day’. We have learned how ancient Mesopotamians and Egyptians built vast grain storehouses, to provide for bad harvests or famine. Yet, more than four thousand years later, in the age of civilization(enlightenment, religion, education), and economics, public accounting and management science, each time a government leaves office the treasury is empty; no fault of the majority of the population. Guyana allegedly grew for years under the PPP but was really virtually bankrupt. The consequence is that the most vulnerable, the majority, face the greatest pressures, compounded in part by lack of inclusion in the sociopolitical processes, education, employment and other economic opportunity. Note that society already extracts from them and make them carry the burden of development. When the economy declines they again suffer the most, since shrinking resources means that they get the least or nothing. This could happen in the months ahead, as commodity
prices fall and deflation threaten global economic recession. In the past 50 years Guyana had only two political parties in power, each accused of looking after its own at the expense of everyone else. There is truth to this basic charge. The majority of the people who are supposed to be looked after are excluded, neglected, left in want; and when they rebel the state resort to the most monstrous acts of violence, in the name of maintaining law and order, when its own actions contributed substantially to socioeconomic chaos in the first place. One must ask for example, after 50 years why basic things such as, reliable electricity, health care and education, for about 760,000 people remain so problematic? Why does it take 23 years to start clean up urban and rural living spaces? An interesting part of Guyana’s story is this; collectively, we all know tens of thousands of ‘supposedly poor, simple, uneducated people’, including many in our respective families who left for North America. Many go back to school, sometimes while doing two jobs, save, buy homes and raise families like the normal people they are. Leave those same people in Guyana and they fall off the cliff. Why? They’ take out their malnutrition, misery, hopelessness, frustration and rage on society. No one can justify crime; however, successions of ignoble and outright wretched governments in small societies like Guyana must be heavily blamed. A large part of the explanation is justice and opportunity. Create opportunity and a just society and people will rise. Yet, the answer of some within the political class and their cronies in the business class in Guyana is state violence, and that there will always be poverty. Yes we agree that poverty will persist, how-
ever, negative behavior of the political class makes it much worse for the majority of the population. An ugly part of this story also is that wicked people justify disgraceful discriminatory conduct, saying that politics means, ‘who gets what, when and how’. How does any definition of politics justify unnecessary, willful impoverishment and suffering of so many people? Why the sacred duty of leading people is diminished to and equated with contemptible behavior, and called politics? Why does contemporary society continue to accept such nonsense? A most distasteful part of the process is that those who suffer have no practical way of delivering justice to those causing the suffering. The only recourse in democratic societies is to remove them from power through elections, long after the damage is done, with perpetrators usually walking away, leaving the problems behind. Can prosecution succeed? Unlikely; state institutions and civil society lack the requisite countervailing power. Yet, greater balance to this unpalatable state of affairs is necessary. Another reason why this imbalance of outcomes is so distasteful is that civilians are punished for very small transgressions, even mistakes; the poorer they are the greater the punishment, while the political class, whose costly, catastrophic blunders, and whose deliberate acts cause injury to so many can simply walk off into the sunset, usually richer than when they gained public office. Twenty first century society needs better answers. Ivor Carryl
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Tuesday January 26, 2016
Businesses urge slashing of fuel prices, GPL tariffs - warn of cheaper costs of imported products Businesses are calling for Government to seriously consider lowering fuel prices and electricity tariffs. Yesterday they said that imports could become cheaper than local products. According to the Private Sector Commission (PSC), it remains concerned that fuel prices in Guyana are not reflective of the global trends where prices are low. PSC “fears that the competitiveness of local manufacturers, farmers and service providers will be lost if urgent action is not taken. If these trends continue, imports will be cheaper on the local markets and certain local production will diminish whilst exports will be more expensive.” The business body, which has membership including banks, manufacturing companies, argued that with record lows in oil prices being translated into low prices at the pump in most countries, Guyanese consumers and manufacturers are still paying US$4.50 ($900) per gallon of gasoline which is almost double the price in some developed economies. It also wants considerations that will see electricity rates being adjusted downwards to benefit consumers. “The Private Sector Commission calls upon Government to review the prices of fuel, in particular at the State owned Guyana Oil Company, and consider a reduction in electricity rates so that the benefit of the lower oil prices can provide relief to consumers who are suffering from reduced disposable income.” The business body noted that at this time when the economy is still reeling from the effects of the electionsinduced slowdown in 2015,
lowering the cost of fuel and electricity would provide a much needed stimulus to the recovery of the sluggish economy. Guyana plants bananas, rice and a host of other crops. With fuel one of the main inputs, it is not a far stretch to think of bananas being imported and sold cheaper than locally grown ones. Government officials have not been too enthusiastic about the lowering of gas prices now, which on the world market slid by twothirds from more than US$100 per barrel to now US$30. With world’s commodity prices taking a beating, the country’s main exports of rice, sugar and gold have been recording falling revenues. This in turn has negatively affected earnings for Government from the taxes and royalties. With other sectors underperforming, at least one senior Government official last week hinted that a drop in fuel prices is not likely to happen anytime soon. This was after world prices for oil dropped below US$28 per barrel on July 18, its lowest in 13 years, leaving a number of big producing countries reeling. Prices are hovering around US$30 now and predictions are that it will not deviate much in at least six months. Currently, Government is collecting up to 50 percent Excise Tax on every barrel of gasoline and diesel coming in– monies that Government says it can ill-afford to lose now because of its under-performing key sectors. That Excise Tax is the highest since last year when prices started sliding on the world market. It had stood then at 45 percent. A decision
was reportedly taken to hike the tax to 50 percent in the last quarter. At the GuyOil gas station on Regent Street, gas was retailing yesterday for $190 per litre, not much different from other service stations. Just over a week ago, some US states were retailing under a US$1 per gallon. Yesterday, the retail price was US$1.98 per gallon. Leader of the Alliance For Change (AFC), Khemraj Ramjattan, said that it is unlikely that local fuel prices will be lowered soon. Ramjattan, who is the cur-
rent Vice President/Minister of Public Security, said it is unlikely, insisted that with little revenues from elsewhere, the argument will forever be made that revenues will have to be taken in somehow, to carry them out. The AFC leader said that because of poor world prices for rice, sugar and even gold, the shortfall in revenue is being felt.”And so it might not be the (best) time to carry that down. I can see an argument and I can make the argument as to why we just can’t carry it down, especially in the con-
text of our three primary products… the current prices on the world market.” It is always desirable, Ramjattan argued, that as the world prices go down, that the country benefits with a few extra dollars “here or there”. Robert Badal, owner of Pegasus Hotel and Guyana Stockfeeds, had joined calls for Government to fuel prices indexed to world market price, and publish a weekly advisory in the local media without further delay. ”Since the last half of 2014, international crude oil
prices have plunged to more than a third to under US$30 from over $100 per barrel. This has done a great deal economically in oil importing countries all over the world,” Badal noted. Sadly, he said, this is not the case in Guyana. “When oil prices were over US$100 per barrel and increasing, the local oil cartel was adjusting prices every week even though they were not having weekly shipments. Now that those prices are a third of what they were in 2014 those companies have all held on to high prices.”
Better overall policing, community relations boosting crime fight The recent successes by the Guyana Police Force (GPF) in fighting crime have been attributed to better policing methods and closer relationships between communities and the GPF, Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan, has stated. Yesterday, the Minister explained that there is more training being done in areas
such as ‘crime scene management’ and increasing levels of confidence from residents of communities that are being battered by the bandits. Minister Ramjattan said there is heightened cooperation on the part of residents in many communities with law officials. “Police can’t solve any crime without a good relationship with citizens of the country,” he asserted. He added, that the previous norm of non-cooperation
- Minister Ramjattan is now “cracking up and they are now telling the police who and who are the bad ones within the community. Immediately the police are going after them, and that is why we can catch them.” The Minister said new procedures are being used by the police, and these are also helpful in their crime fighting efforts. The Coalition Govern-
ment, he emphasised, is keen on improving the working conditions of ranks and police stations, some of which are in a really ‘bad shape’ and will be rehabilitated. At least 18 police stations will be upgraded under the Citizen Security Strengthening Programme, launched today, Minister Ramjattan stated. Local funding from the soon to be presented, National Budget will address the needs of other stations, he stated. The issue of better salaries will also be looked at the Minister promised. “We will see how best we can do that (salaries), but that will also help and go a far way. Moves are also being made to boost the force’s capacity which needs some 1,500 ranks or more.” The Public Security Minister said that once this is done, crime and violence will be “cracked”.
Tuesday January 26, 2016
Kaieteur News
Syria peace talks stalled over who represents opposition
People inspect a site hit by what residents said were airstrikes carried out by the Russian air force in the town of Turmanin, near the Syrian-Turkish border yesterday. (Reuters/Ammar Abdullah) Syrian peace talks meant to begin this week were stalled yesterday partly over the question of who would represent the opponents of President Bashar al-Assad. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said he expected clarity within a day or two, and expressed support for the United Nations envoy who has the tricky task of issuing invitations for the first talks in two years to end the 5-yearold civil war. The talks were meant to begin yesterday in Geneva, but have been held up by international disagreement over who should be invited from the opposition. Rebels also want an end to air strikes and government sieges of territory they hold, and the release of detainees. Diplomacy has so far yielded no progress toward ending or even curbing Syria’s civil war, which has killed more than 250,000 people and driven more than 10 million from their homes. Since the last peace conference was held in early 2014, Islamic State fighters have declared a caliphate across much of Syria and Iraq, and the war has drawn in most world powers. The United States has led air strikes against the militants since 2014 and Russia last year launched a separate air campaign against enemies of its ally Assad. The Syrian military and its allies have been encouraged by recent gains carved out with the help of overwhelming Russian fire power. Diplomats were given a new push by a U.N. Security Council resolution backed by Washington and Moscow last month calling for talks, but peace efforts are on hold while questions including whom to invite are unresolved.
Russia says opposition figures it calls terrorists should be barred from the talks, and wants to include groups like the Kurds who control wide areas of northern Syria. Regional heavyweight Turkey strongly opposes inviting the Kurds. The main Sunni Arab opposition groups, who are supported by Arab governments and the West, say they will not attend unless they can choose their own delegation. Spokesman Salim al-Muslat said the opposition High Negotiation Committee (HNC) would discuss its position on Tuesday. Kerry said he backed U.N. envoy Staffan de Mistura in holding off on issuing invitations until things are clearer. “We will have to see what decision Staffan makes as to exactly how he is going to begin; but we don’t want to decide and have it crumble on day one. It’s worth taking a day or two, or three, or whatever,” Kerry said during a visit to Laos. It was up to the Syrian parties to ensure successful talks, Kerry added: “They have to be serious. If they are not serious, war will continue. Up to them. You can lead a horse to water; you can’t make it drink.” FRUSTRATION The peace conference, if it takes place, will be the third since the war began and the first conve n e d b y d e Mistura, a veteran diplomat with dual Swedish and Italian nationality who took the job of U.N. envoy for Syria in 2014. His two predecessors quit in apparent frustration after presiding over conferences in Geneva that yielded no significant progress, with the opposition refusing to back off its demand that Assad
leave power and the president refusing to step down. The war has ground on for years with no side close to victory. After months of opposition gains in early 2015, Russia’s intervention in the second half of the year tipped the balance of power back in favor of the government. Rebel forces lost the town of Rabiya in Latakia province over the weekend, their second major setback near the Turkish border in northwestern Syria in recent weeks as the Syrian government and Russia seek to cut rebel supply lines to Turkey. A member of Ahrar alSham, one of the biggest insurgent groups, said the intensity of the Russian intervention in the area meant the rebels’ strategy of holding and defending territory had collapsed and fighters would shift to guerrilla tactics. “The small guerrilla operations have begun. They (rebels) enter an area, attack and return back,” said Abu Baraa al-Lathkani. The Syrian military, its morale running high, is planning the next phase of its offensive in northern Syria. The coming target is Idlib, a stronghold of rebel groups including the al Qaeda-linked Nusra Front, said a military source. Opposition spokesman Muslat accused Russia and the Syrian government of throwing obstacles in the path of the talks. The HNC, formed in Saudi Arabia last month and grouping armed and political opponents of Assad, has repeatedly said talks cannot begin until air strikes are halted, government sieges of rebel held territory are lifted and detainees freed, steps outlined in the Dec. 18 U.N. resolution.
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Tuesday January 26, 2016
‘Murders in Jamaica higher Suriname seeking financial support from IMF than in hottest war zone’ (Jamaica Gleaner) A reputable academic has suggested that the murder wave that has been making its way across Jamaica over the past decades is more devastating than the one-off terrorist attack of September 11, 2001 in the United States. Anthony Clayton, Alcan professor of Caribbean sustainable development at the University of the West Indies (UWI), said that given the recurring nature of murders in Jamaica, “the number is actually much higher than in a war”. Clayton said that the US, which absorbed the 9/11 terrorist attack, which claimed the lives of approximately 3,000, would have to be dealt weekly attacks of a similar magnitude to match the murderous onslaught on Jamaica. The country’s leaders have set a target to reduce murders to 25 per 100,000 by the end of this year, down from the current levels of 44 per 100,000. “If you look at gang-related and domestic violence, it is eight times higher than in the hottest war zone, yet people don’t make that comparison very often,” he said. Clayton, who was speaking at a round-table discussion at The Gleaner’s North Street offices on Friday, said sustained programmes of policing and community i n t e r a ctions could bring about transformative won-
WASHINGTON, USA — The Suriname government has approached the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to discuss the possibility of financial support for its economic reform program in response to the sharp fall in international commodity prices. According to Daniel Leigh, the IMF mission chief for Suriname, several important policies have already been implemented in the context of this program with a
An IMF team will visit Paramaribo in the next few weeks for discussions on Suriname’s reform program and financing needs. The Inter-American Development Bank noted it has been working for several years to support reforms in Suriname and confirmed it stands ready with to help Suriname meet its economic challenges. IDB missions will also visit Paramaribo in the next few weeks.
JLP would cut income tax …but Shaw cautious about abolishing tax altogether in short term UWI Professor Anthony Clayton ders as evidenced in several countries which have in the past been troubled by high crime levels. DEVASTATING TO ECONOMY The professor said that the scourge of crime and violence had not only placed Jamaica on the list of 20 most murderous countries on the globe, but was also devastating to the country’s economic fabric. He, however, suggested that National Security Minister Peter Bunting has an appreciation of the challenges and what needs to be done. Clayton noted that there
is a one per cent chance of a major earthquake hitting Jamaica in any one year. “We have 1,500 people murdered in a given year, so the impact of crime is actually 15 times higher than the impact of the earthquake,” he said. With crime-fighting chalking as much as 7.5 per cent of GDP and the average cost of a hurricane, 1.5 to two per cent of GDP, Clayton said hurricane averages would work out to less than half per cent per annum. “Crime costs about 19 times more than hurricanes,” he said.
T&T Privy Council rules: Section 34 repeal legal (Trinidad Guardian) The Privy Council has ruled the repeal of the controversial Administration of Justice (Indictable Offences) Act was lawful. Delivering a 19 page judgement at the United Kingdom’s Supreme Court in London this morning, five law lords of the Privy Council stated that Parliament did not act illegally when it moved to repeal the legislation almost two weeks after it was proclaimed on August 31, 2012. Their decision clears the way for a dozen people and companies accused of fraud
view to strengthening the level of international reserves and paving the way for the economy to achieve sustained growth and financial stability. “Together with our sister organizations – the Caribbean Development Bank, the InterAmerican Development Bank, and the World Bank – we stand ready to help Suriname meet the economic challenges it is currently facing,” Leigh said in a statement on Friday.
arising out of the construction of the Piarco International Airport, who sought to use the short lived legislation to have the protracted cases automatically dismissed, to eventually go on trial. It is consistent with consecutive rulings from High Court Judge Mira DeanArmourer and the local Court of Appeal who had previous rejected the constitutional motion lawsuits brought by businessmen Ameer Edoo and Steve Ferguson and insurance company Maritime General. The trio’s lawsuits were
used a test case which decides the fate of all 42 people and companies which applied under section 34 of the act before the repeal. The clause gave people, whose trials for specific offences had not started after ten years after the crime was committed, the right to apply to have the case dismissed. In their lawsuits the applicants claimed that Parliament infringed upon the judicial independence as by repealing the law, it removed the court’s power to determine cases already filed before it. The Privy Council, in their judgement, rejected this notion as it ruled that the move by Parliament to correct its “oversight” on the effect of the clause was legal and did not infringe the applicants’ constitutional rights.
A Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) Government would be willing to cut personal income tax gradually until it could abolish it altogether, said Shadow Finance Minister Audley Shaw. Shaw, who is expected to again be finance minister under a JLP Administration, said personal income tax was too high and he favoured reducing it. But he appeared cautious in the face of long-standing calls for a shift in emphasis from personal income tax to consumption tax that puts more money in the hands of workers. “Because of Jamaica’s level of indebtedness and expenditure requirement such a drastic position (abolishing income tax) could not be contemplated at this time,” Shaw told the Jamaica Observer on Friday, a day after Antigua announced the full abolition of personal taxes. “However, I’m in favour of, over time, phasing down the rate of income taxes. Over time, I would favour a gradual reduction of the rate,” Shaw added. He would “absolutely” tackle the issue should his party prevail in the general election constitutionally due this year. “That’s something I’m prepared to look at. I’m in favour of reviewing it as to reducing the rate. It would have to be phased out over a period of time in line with the reduction of the debt. It’s something that has to be finetuned,” he said. Personal income tax in Jamaica is 25 per cent. On Thursday, Antiguan Prime Minister Gaston Browne announced in his 2016 budget presentation that, effective April this year, personal income tax would be
abolished in its entirety, in keeping with an election campaign promise. Browne said that abolishing the tax “will put more money in the pockets of the people, so that they can save or spend more for the benefit of the economy as whole,” help to “re-establish our country as one of the most competitive in the Caribbean and beyond”, and “attract investment over other countries”. He said with the elimination of the income tax, more than EC$30 million would be back in the pockets of the people. (One EC dollar is equivalent to US$0.37 cents.) “…Concerning the loss of $37 million in revenue with this decision, the elimination of the PIT will be partially substituted by an increase in the Revenue Recovery Charge from 10 per cent to 13 per cent, which is expected to yield an additional $20 million in revenue,” he said, noting that all food items in the basket of goods would be exempt from this increase. Should a JLP Government manage to reduce personal taxes in a serious way, it would be good news for workers whose purchasing power and ability to save would be increased. Companies would be able to increase employment and the economy as a whole would benefit, it has been argued in a proposal for tax reform made in to Parliament by the Private Sector Working Group in 2012. Similar arguments were also made in the 2004 Final Report of the Tax Policy Review Committee to the Government of Jamaica, commonly referred to as ‘the Matalon Report’. Government has over time
Shadow Finance Minister Audley Shaw increased the threshold for pay as you earn (PAYE) workers, exempting those who make under $$592,800 per annum as at January 1 from the personal tax. This relieved another 9,000 households from income tax, bring the total number free of the personal tax to 129,000, Finance Minister Dr Peter Phillips said last year. The revenue loss from this adjustment is $644 million. But the Government has not moved to reduce personal taxes, which is also a recommendation in the 2012 and 2004 proposals. The main revenue generator under the working group’s 145 proposals submitted to Parliament would be the General Consumption Tax. Although the working group called for a five percentage point cut in GCT from 17.5 per cent to 12.5 per cent, that would be more than offset by extending the tax to most goods that are now exempt, it proposed.
Tuesday January 26, 2016
Kaieteur News
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THE EAST STREET CAR PARK The East Street car park was built by the former administration to accommodate the growing number of vehicles that take visitors, patients and staff to the Georgetown Public Hospital. The greater part of the parking lot was a hospital car park. It has now been taken over by the Georgetown municipality. The government is not objecting to this possession. The protests are emanating from a different source. The residents of the areas are complaining that they have nowhere to park. They cannot afford the prohibitive rates that are charged by the Council - which is essentially profiteering from the large volume of traffic that use that vicinity and which require parking space. The exact financial arrangements that the Council has entered into over the management of that park is not known. It is has not been revealed just how much is being paid to the persons who operate the park or whether it is the Council which has to pay those that erected the barriers around the perimeter. There are many unanswered questions about the new operations of City Hall. No attempt was made by City Hall to explain whether it was
lawful of them to collect monies from businesses on Regent Street on a daily basis that sell on the pavement. No attempt was made by the media to investigate the legality of the collection of monies from vendors over the Christmas holidays. Were these sources of revenue approved by the Ministry of Communities? Were they lawful? This has implications for the East Street car park. Is there lawful authorization for that activity of collecting fees for parking? The Council also removed vendors from one section of the Merriman Mall and placed them in another section after protests. But it has not explained how it is that certain businesses are allowed to be permanently established at the head of that particular section where the temporary vendors are relocated. There are more questions than answers and these questions need to be answered. The monies that the Council will earn from parking fees are a pittance in terms of their own financial needs. Parking fees are not going to become a major revenue spinner, because the people of Guyana cannot afford the fees that are being charged. There is, however, a need for provision to
be made for parking, but this should not be at the expense of residents, such as the residents of East Street. Where are these residents expected to park the vehicles at night? Where are they expected to park in during the daytime when they are not home? No consideration seems to have been given to the hardships that have been created by the system of paid parking on East Street. It is
unfair for the residents, who are also ratepayers of the Council and entitled to their services, to be denied the right to parking. The decision to establish this paid parking lot should be challenged as an infringement of the right of property owners, because they have nowhere to park now. It is simply unacceptable. The City Council is doing a wonderful job in cleaning the city. But their plans at ra-
tionalizing vending and parking seem to be driven by financial considerations rather than balancing these considerations with the interests of the people. The Council can easily approach the government for a surcharge on rates and taxes – which are extremely low in any event - and that surcharge will more than compensate for the revenues that will be gained by the parking
lots, if the Council is at all making any money from these lots. We do not know just what they are making, because the deals that they have entered into with private businesses have not been made public.
Banks Guyana is not for sale 2015 was a very good Year - Clifford Reis
Dem boys seh...
Rohee trying to wake up a jumbie When dem boys was growing up dem use to see big man walking wid dem hand in dem pocket and whistling. When dem boys do de same ting dem get such a slap that dem head spin. That was de lesson that dem mustn’t do wha dem see others do, especially if de others is big people. Jagdeo was a big man who knock off couple thousand bauxite workers. Dem workers couldn’t seh nutten. Nuff of dem cry because dem had to pack up and lef Linden wheh dem spend most of dem life. De same big man Jagdeo shut down Diamond sugar factory, then he shut down LBI. Dem sugar workers who he knock off ain’t dead. Soulja Bai shut down Wales estate and before he know it, he nearly get one slap behind he head. Is a good thing he duck. Jagdeo ask him if he think he is a big man fuh do wha big, scampish people does do. Dem nearly had big story. De thing that getting dem boys vex is that Rohee getting in de mix up. He tell people how he glad, that now he gun get a chance to protest. Since de elections people forget he and Donald and Jagdeo so dem got to find something to mek dem feel relevant. If wasn’t Wales it woulda been some other thing. But Soulja Bai already seh that de same people who talking now but not closing Wales was de same people who been talking how de government pouring money down a bottomless pit when it come to giving money to GuySuCo. Wales was tekking nearly $2 billion fuh next year. De next year it woulda tek $4 billion. LBI didn’t cost half of that and Jagdeo close it. All dem farmers in BV and Triumph and Success nearly had to sit down and eat dem cane. Jagdeo and dem trying to raise a jumbie. Now Rohee talking bout dem cane farmers in Wales and Canal, knowing that dem gun ship dem cane to Uitvlugt. But as dem boys seh is a case of goat dung only waiting fuh high breeze. Talk half and wait fuh de hoorah.
Banks DIH Chairman Clifford Reis addressing shareholders By Mondale Smith To rousing applause, Chairman Clifford Reis yesterday reassured shareholders that “Banks DIH Guyana is not for sale”. His comment was prompted by expressions of concerns. The performance last year “was very good,” he said. He however noted that the past year may not have been outstanding in a general performance synopsis, as Banks DIH celebrates 60 years of being the first publicly traded company ever in British Guiana. Many external factors prevailed such as consumers’
reaction during the post national elections period. This statement however was not as earth shattering to shareholders as was the chairman’s announcement that “Banks DIH Guyana is not for sale” and that they are to benefit from a total of $600M, some of the proceeds of the sale of the company’s shares in the Barbados beverage company. He said the year would have been outstanding if the company had gone to at least 20 percent but that was not the case. Reis allayed queries and fears by emphatically assuring the shareholders that they
are the beneficiaries of the sale of the Barbados shares even as the ‘journey of discovery’ continues for the company. This was greeted by rousing applause from those who attended the shareholders’ meeting at Thirst Park, Saturday evening. Reis, who is also the Company’s Managing Director, noted that the shares in Banks Barbados were sold for a net gain of $1,147B to the company. “The company did good enough to pass the figures of their 2014 accounts so we had a good year. “So the shareholders are going to get 35 cents on every share at the final dividend on Monday morning and then they are going to get 60 cents on every share on the 15th of February.” This means that shareholders will have $95 cents on every share which will cost Banks an estimated $950M. There are three commercial benefits of the sale of the shares which include the enhancement of training of employees. “Banks Barbados is now owned by SLU ltd and this company brings many beers such as Corona, Bicalo, Skol, Brama, Bex etc a whole variety. Barbados will do some of these beers and we will do
some and then we will exchange. “Guyana needs a premium beer at a reasonable price which can be done if we manufacture locally.” Eight years ago Banks DIH had meetings with Embev with a view to producing Becks beers locally which saw the purchase of bottles etc. but the company soon after merged with Budweiser and the whole plan was placed on the back burner. “It’s not that Banks Guyana brewery can’t manufacture foreign beers, plus all the investments we have done it makes it better for us to win a contract to international stuff such as Skol or Brama, a Brazilian beer, given our geographical closeness to Brazil and the Brazilian population in Guyana. Speaking of the rum industry Reis said after many years of attempts to sell its rum overseas the company has finally signed a contract with the Royal Wines Company in New York. As a result of this move Banks has already sent out two containers of rum to the USA. While noting that the Guyanese population in the Diaspora is large he said it’s not at saturation point in New York as yet. “We don’t want them to be confined to the one (Continued on page 21)
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Kaieteur News
Tuesday January 26, 2016
=== The Freddie Kissoon column ===
Coke in cream: The magistracy opens its 2016 innings The New Year is with us and in Guyana don’t hold your breath about changes. I plan to do a column on the traffic signals that are outside where I live. That spot is one of the busiest junctions in the whole of Guyana. The PPP regime couldn’t get them to work. The APNU-AFC Government is finding it impossible to get them lighted. I get headaches each night from UG Road to cross over the Railway Embankment
to get to my home which is about a minute drive. I will use that road this evening and the confusion will scare me so wish me luck tonight. And wish me luck as I traverse this dangerous spot so I can live to see Guyana celebrates 50 years of Independence. Let’s return to the magistracy in this brand new year. A lady at the airport was about to travel. She handed over to airport security two bottles of crème liqueur. She
said that it was given to her to take out but she was suspicious. She named the giver. He was arrested. When the man’s trial came up, four witnesses testified; three police/ CANU officials who conducted the investigations and another lady. The other lady was the sister of the recipient. The recipient did not testify because she was out of Guyana. Her sister took the stand on her behalf saying that she saw when the man
gave her sister the cream. The man at the trial denied ever doing so. What is interesting about this case, is that the police accepted the statement of the traveler and arrested the giver. The police presented the sister of the chief witness when they could not find the chief witness. I have my opinion on this case but I only highlighted it here because of the Robb Street granny murder trial. Follow the deportment of the police. The traveler said “John Singh” handed her the cream. “John Singh” claimed she lied. The police believed the traveler, charged the cream-giver and he got convicted by one of our learned magistrates. One of the accused in the granny murder trial named a real person belonging to a prominent business who imports vehicles and sells spares but the police never looked him over. The magistrate in question is not Alex Moore, Ann McClennan or Judy Latchman. It is my opinion that these three magistrates need to have an independent
panel review their work. It is my opinion that their judicial learning could be seriously challenged. I doubt that will happen because after all, this is Guyana where Donald Trump would come across better than some of the powerful people we have in our midst. And this is Guyana where there will be the largest pyrotechnical display in the world as we celebrate 50 years of Independence. I am not going to identify the magistrate suffice it to say, I did name her in one of my columns when I was in her court to monitor a case and she asked her orderly to instruct me to remove my glasses. I refused. I didn’t see the legality or propriety in the request. I am still puzzled why she wanted me to take off my spectacles through which I see the world. I spent five years in the High Court with the Jagdeo libel trial and testified with the same spectacles and was never asked to remove it. The magistrate in question is not Anita Singh. But I saw that Ms. Singh made an
Frederick Kissoon interesting decision last week. A boatman was charged with fishing without a licence. He pleaded poverty but was convicted and fined, $100,000. In this country you can be found guilty for dangerous driving and pay $7,000. Naturally, poverty is no excuse to break the law but the law many times is an ass as we all know from time to time. So the magistracy has gone out to bat as 2016 begins its life. What will the scoreboard of jail time be like? But what about the Judicial Service Commission (JSC)? What changes are expected in that area? Why is a trade unionist that the Guyana Power and Light has made a serious complaint against still on the JSC? More importantly, why is JSC the sole custodian of public information as it relates to the public work of the Commission? And I am not talking about confidential papers. I was advised not to publicly name the magistrate whose application for judgeship was rejected because that is highly confidential JSC matters. Why her name cannot be revealed? Every day we read about who applied for this and that and didn’t get it.
Tuesday January 26, 2016
Kaieteur News
Page 11
Armed bandits grab $1.7M from Lands and Surveys Armed bandits carried out a brazen mid-morning robbery at the Lands and Surveys Commission in Durban Backlands, Georgetown, carting off close to $1.7M in cash, around 10:30 hrs yesterday. The three armed men walked past the security hut located at the front of the building and went straight to the cashier’s booth where one of them held up three female staffers, including the cashier. The gunman’s two accomplices were in the building at different locations trying to distract other workers from going in the direction of the cashier’s booth. The robbery lasted for approximately eight minutes. “One of them went by the HR (Human Resources Officer) trying to distract her so
that she wouldn’t look up and see that a robbery was taking place next door to her. The other person was sitting downstairs, not far from the security,” a staffer told this newspaper. When Kaieteur News visited the scene yesterday, detectives were there taking statements from workers and trying to lift fingerprints from a canister. There are reports that the robbery might have been an inside job, but this is yet to be confirmed. According to information received, one of the bandits went into the cashier’s cubicle and when questioned as to why he was there, he (bandit) reportedly pulled out a gun and told everyone to be quiet. “He (gunman) said this is a robbery and don’t make any
The Lands and Surveys Commission noise. He had his gun in his hand and he went and collected the canister and he took out the money. He said that he mark our faces so if we say anything, he will see us on the road,” the staffer related. After the men left, the
terrified employees then raised an alarm, but by then the bandits had already escaped. This newspaper was told that the money the men escaped with was what the cashier had collected from custom-
ers on Friday. “The money was supposed to go to the bank but they didn’t have any money bag, so a staff went to collect bags from the bank.” With the number of persons who visit the Lands and Surveys Com-
mission daily, this newspaper was told that it is difficult to search everyone, but there is a sign at the entrance of the building stating that no weapon is allowed in the compound. The company has no surveillance cameras.
GTU contemplating protest action against TSC ...as it awaits court’s ruling on stalled teachers’ promotion matter Even as the date nears for the controversial 2015 teachers’ promotion issue, the Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU) is contemplating protest action. The matter between the GTU and the Teaching Service Commission (TSC) is slated for the High Court on Friday (January 29, 2016). The TSC is expected to defend itself against GTU’s accusation that its promotion process is flawed. The GTU had last year filed an injunction against the Ministry of Education’s School Board Secretariat and the TSC, both of which are tasked with promotion of teachers within the public school system. TSC is however responsible for dealing with the majority of promotions. The GTU had seen the need to file the injunction so as to force the entities to review their list of promotions before unveiling final promotion lists, to rule out its concerns about the process. While the Education Ministry had decided to embrace the GTU’s call for a review, the TSC refused and insisted that the matter be tried in the court. However, sources close to the GTU have divulged that despite the state of affairs, the TSC has disregarded all concerns and the fact that the matter is before the court, and
has continued to issue notices of promotion and transfer of teachers. And the GTU, this publication has been reliably informed, will seek to use this against the TSC when the matter is called. The proposed protest action is reportedly to retaliate against the actions of the TSC pending the hearing. Among the actions of the TSC that the Union sees as worrying, is that of the recent promotion of a Grade C teacher to a Grade B school. An official told this publication that the promotion was deemed an administration appointment. “This is a position that was advertised and it is being challenged by the GTU...this vacancy should have been filled through the normal process, whereby suitably qualified teachers were given an opportunity to apply,” said the official. Details of correspondences regarding the matter were shared with this publication. Based on these correspondences, the TSC initially denied that such a promotion had occurred, but subsequently rescinded its promotion decision, complete with an apology which was forwarded to the GTU. “The Union first got a letter of denial that this thing even happened, then later a
letter of apology, and then a withdrawal of the appointment altogether...and this was only because of the pressure from the GTU,” the official told this publication. Another matter that has disturbed the Union is that of a questionable transfer of a Deputy Head Teacher to another school. “While the matter is before the court they are busy transferring and appointing people,” the riled-up official stated. The GTU, during recent interactions with President David Granger, had shared its concerns with the TSC. “What we have been telling the President, we need a new Commission, because this Commission shouldn’t be fighting our case in the court. We have evidence that the system has been breached. Why are they trying to take it through the paces when they know that they don’t have a case? They are just stalling everything.” According to Chairman of the TSC, Ms. Leila Ramson, the body had declined to review its 2015 list of promotion in light of the fact that it usually has to deal with 4,000 to 5,000 applications per year. “It is not easy to just have a do-over...it is a lot of work
you are talking about here. It is easy for the Ministry to change its mind, because the Ministry only had to process a few applications,” Ramson explained. She had noted,
however, that the TSC had made the proposal to take into consideration the concerns of the GTU when it undertakes the processing of applications for teachers’ promo-
tions this year. This proposal was not accepted, according to Ramson. In the meantime, the promotion for teachers for last year remains stalled.
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Kaieteur News
Cops reopen probe into 2009 disappearance of US citizen By Michael Jordan The mysterious June 2009 disappearance of US citizen Kwame Jobronewet is once again engaging the attention
of the Guyana Police Force. Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum disclosed yesterday that he had examined a file on the Jobronewet case last Friday and investigators “are
doing some additional work,” on the matter. “We are doing some additional work. Having pursued the file, we have already taken a certain course of action,” the Crime Chief added, while declining to elaborate. Kaieteur News understands that Blanhum requested the file on the 67year-old’s disappearance after a document on the case was sent to him. The document is believed to have been sent to the police by one of Mr. Jobronewet’s US-based relatives, who was recently in Guyana. The relative had reportedly also contacted officials at the US Embassy here, as well as some Government officials, with a view to having the case re-opened. Last week, Jobronewet’s uncle, retired Superintendent of Police Ignatius Birchnell Browne, also appealed, through Kaieteur News, for police to reopen their investigation into his nephew’s disappearance. As he had done previously, Mr. Browne expressed the view that his nephew, like British teen Dominic Bernard, was murdered shortly after he arrived in Guyana for money he had in his possession. Mr. Browne also believes that the killers disposed of the
Tuesday January 26, 2016
“We are doing some additional work. Having pursued the file, we have already taken a certain course of action…” - Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum body in a village on the East Coast of Demerara, located just a few villages away from where Mr. Browne himself lives. He claims that his nephew “was loaded with cash,” when he arrived in Guyana, since he had planned to undertake the financial arrangements for his mother’s funeral. Mr. Brown says that back then, he had provided the police with this information, and though two suspects were detained, the retired policeman alleged that police ranks never conducted a thorough search in the area, because “they were afraid” to venture into the community, which had been a main hideout for dangerous gunmen during the ‘crime wave’ period. It was on June 12, 2009, that the former Buxtonian, who had migrated to the US many years ago, returned to Guyana to bury his mother, a well-known Buxton resident. On his arrival, Jobronewet first stopped at Goedverwagting, East Coast Demerara, where his uncle, Mr. Birchnell Browne lives.
A brother then took him by car to his mother’s former home at Company Road, Buxton. According to Mr. Browne, his nephew promised to be back by 15:00 hrs. At the time, the house in Buxton was occupied by Phyllis Browne, (now deceased) a cousin of the elderly American. In an interview shortly after the disappearance, Ms. Browne had said that Mr. Jobronewet arrived at around 10:00 hrs and took a bath shortly after. According to Ms. Browne, she was in the yard tending to her dogs at around 15:00 hrs when Mr. Jobronewet came downstairs. He was toting three small bags. She says she asked him where he was going, and he said that he was going to visit his uncle in Goedverwagting. Jobronewet reportedly then left through the back gate, which led onto Middle Street, Buxton. Ms. Browne says that was the last time she ever saw her cousin. Mr. Browne said that after his nephew failed to turn up, relatives notified ranks at the Vigilance Police Station. Despite checks at hospitals and in various areas, they failed to locate the elderly man. They contacted the U.S. Embassy here and informed officials that Mr. Jobronewet was missing. A Buxton shopkeeper stated that on the night of June 12, 2009, a man fitting Jobronewet’s description, and speaking with an American accent, had visited his shop on Company Road. According to the shopkeeper, the man had a ‘speedy’ look and appeared to be restless. The shopkeeper claimed that the elderly man had tried to buy a drink with US coins. But the shopkeeper says he
Missing since 2009: Kwame Jobronewet told the stranger that the coins had no value in Guyana and the man had left. Detectives had detained 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). 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. 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. The relatives subsequently posted a reward for information on Jobronewet’s whereabouts but got no response. 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.’
Tuesday January 26, 2016
Kaieteur News
Soesdyke/Coverden Land controversy…
Ex-NDC Chairman vying for Chairmanship at upcoming LGEs Days after an article was published in the Kaieteur News captioned “Ex-NDC Chairman obtains land through questionable means”, the Ex-Chairman has revealed that he has already begun his campaign to regain Chairmanship of the Soesdyke/Te Huis Te Coverden’s NDC in the upcoming Local Government Elections (LGE). When contacted, recently, Aaron Grant-Stuart, who served as Chairman from 2009 to 2015, said that he has already begun to “test the waters”. He is optimistic that he will regain his post from which he said, he was “forced out”. Grant-Stuart landed in hot water after it was discovered that he arbitrarily constructed several buildings on the Government-reserved lands located on the southern side of the Soesdyke/Linden Highway Junction. This act, residents said, stemmed from Grant-Stuart’s “abuse of power” when he was Chairman. However, the man refuted all allegations made against him stating that his move to construct the three buildings—the Torchbearers Youth and Young Adults’ Club; the Community Policing Group (CPG) building and his snackette—was all in the best interest of the people; an initiative which was taken by him when he served as the NDC’s Chairman. All materials used to construct the buildings he said, were donated. Several fundraisers were also done to assist paying the carpenters. NOT THE POWER OFATTORNEY In 2011, during the early stages of constructing the CPG building and his snackette, which he owns and operate, he came under scrutiny by members of the Council where he was questioned about the ownership of the land. It was reported that he told his colleagues that he was the Power of Attorney (PoA) of the Jaundoo land – on which part of his snackette “might” be on. However, he denies ever saying that he was the PoA. Accompanying him to Kaieteur News was the “Caretaker” of the Jaundoo land, Bobby Moore. Moore having got wind of the article, stated that GrantStuart was not the PoA and if his “boss (Jaundoo)” who lives overseas sees this, it would result in Jaundoo “wondering how Grant-Stuart become Power of Attorney” and would lead to him (Moore) to losing his job.
He also said that he does not have any knowledge of Grant-Stuart occupying a section of Jaundoo’s land however, measurements would have to be carried out to determine this. Moore also pointed out that some persons operating on the opposite side of the Highway - which he also looks after - were constructing illegal facilities; septic tanks, etc. and all efforts to end this have so far, been futile. THE RETROACTIVE LETTER Subsequent to the May 2015 General Elections, GrantStuart confirmed that he had written and personally submitted a letter to the Ministry of Public Infrastructure on September 16, 2015 in support of a letter that was written by the Community Policing Group (CPG) to have the CPG ‘s building erected. The CPG’s letter was also dated the same September 16, 2015 and addressed to the same ministry. Therefore, the letters requesting and supporting the construction were backdated since the buildings were already constructed five years ago. This sparked curiosity among village heads and residents. Grant-Stuart in his defence, stated that the reason to backdate the letter was due to the realisation that the former administration, the Peoples Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) was going to lose the General Elections and in an aim to “regularise” the
building, the letter was submitted. Meanwhile, the Chairman of the CPG has denied all knowledge of the letter’s existence and is questioning how his signature was attached to the letter. On the question of how the CPG’s Chairman’s signature appeared on the documents, Grant-Stuart said that he could not remember how the signature got there and said that he would have to see the letter, then it would all “come back” to him. Then, he declared that he is the General Secretary of the CPG. Regardless of this he said, there was no need for him to forge the signature of the CPG’s Chairman and all claims of him doing so, represent an attempt to “mudsling” him and to tarnish his reputation. Reports of him utilising the Torchbearers Youth and Young Adults’ Club as his residence he said, were lies since he owns several properties. Grant-Stuart is questioning why he is being “targeted” for “constructing a building and earning an honest living” when there are numerous persons occupying lands on both private and state-owned lands without permission “all around the junction and the highway”. This issue of squatting in the area, according to the current Chairman Leslie Glasgow, will be addressed in the upcoming Council Meeting which is pegged for later this month.
10,000 doses of H1N1... From page 3 pretty much everywhere… So one of the principal things that we are encouraging everyone to do, including health workers, is to wash your hands as frequently as you can.” According to the CMO, taking hygienic precautions could in fact reduce the likelihood of a person being in-
fected with the H1N1 virus by as much as 99 per cent. “There is a small chance you can get it from the air, but most infection is through direct contact,” Dr. Persaud asserted. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has reported that most human infections have been mild and the virus usually is not spread to other people.
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Lima Sands residents draft plan to capture jaguars Even as Jaguars continue to make the lives of residents at Lima Sands, Mainstay/ Wyhakah and Tapakuma, all hinterland locations uncomfortable, an agreed approach has been decided on. Yesterday the police, a senior member of the Region Two Administration, and residents met to draft the plan to capture the animal. The police have promised to provide one of the means which will supposedly aid in the capture of the jaguars. Residents recalled seeing imprints of the jaguar paws in Lima Sands and Mainstay, Monday morning. One Lima Sands resident who lost three dogs to the jaguar, said that
the endangered animal usually visits the Lima Sands area twice every night, at 7PM and at 2 AM. The Lima Sands resident said that the jaguar entered her dog pen and killed one of her dogs, feasting on his head and intestine and on two other ocassions it killed two more of her dogs. Another resident of Red Lock lost ten goats, while persons in neighbouring Mainstay/Wyakah complained of losing a number of ducks. Residents said the situation arised now that the country is experiencing a prolonged dry spell. They have opined that the jaguars that have emerged from the Savannahs are in search of food. (Yannason Duncan)
Women need to take up active... From page 17 develop the perception about women's ability to contribute in governance and produce results for their constituencies. She added that local governance is central to any strategy aimed at improving security and stability, and to prevent village disintegration. Thus, it is essential that unified local governments are formed and work toward representing the needs of their constituencies, while at the same time providing a platform for citizens to be involved in the planning, execution and monitoring of public service delivery, she said, adding that it was therefore imperative that women are represented in local governments and are coached to be successful leaders. She disclosed that the GWR will be hosting several issues forums in Regions One, Four and Seven so that the electors will be able to interact with the female contestants. She stated that the GWR refuses to limit themselves to recruiting only ten contestants and will continue to advocate for more women to join them from the other seven regions and pave the way to representing their communities at the elections. “Not only do we want women but we want women that are qualified and know what is best to run their communities,” Stewart added. According to a statement from the GWR, women's in-
volvement in local government and advocacy could lead to the passage and or adjustments of several pieces of legislations and policies affecting women in the bigger picture. It stated that the activities of local government affect both men and women in ways that are fundamental to satisfying basic needs and quality of life, and that women are not privileged equal access to control basic services provided by local government because they continue to be under- represented in both political leadership and administration at the local level. Stewart said that it was imperative to understand the
effects of an ineffective local government system and that impact it has on the lives of citizens. Therefore, she stated that it was also important to understand gender roles and responsibilities and promote its equality through the establishment of policies and programs. She said that establishing women's group with a mandate to provide leadership increases women's potential in political involvement and improve gender equality outcomes in local government. Local government elections will be held in nine towns and 62 Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs).
Banks Guyana is... From page 9 area so they are now going to move to areas such as Virginia and Florida to sell all our rums.” It was also announced that the Citizens Bank will be opened at Camp and South Road in early April. Reis sharing the report on the company’s performance for the period ended September 30, 2015 said the profit after tax was $2.569 billion compared to $2.265 billion for 2014 which represents an increase of $304.0 Million or 13%. This improvement was as a result of the increase in the physical sales by three per
cent, an increase in revenue by four per cent due to internal efficiency measures and favourable material prices. Closer to home Consumer confidence was eroded in the run up to the last elections cycle and the post elections events. These resulted in a contraction of consumer spending. In spite of these challenges Reis said, “We continue to adapt to the realities of operating in a rapidly changing business and social environment. The Groups turn over net of taxes was $24.875 billion compared to $23.695 billion in 2014, an increase of $1.180 billion or five per cent.
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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 Girls to work @ restaurant in Contact # 669-7376 the Interior, salary -$80,000, Repairs at affordable prices: monthly- Call: 675-7043; 674fridge, air conditioner, 1767; 664-5199 washing machines, dryers, TV, microwaves & freezer- One live in maid-Call: 6683985; 264-2563 Call: 610-5846 or 661-8158 INNOVATIVE MARKETING & PUBLISHING INC –TEL: 600-4212: We create A/works, logos, business cards, posters, etc, placements of ads included. TAXI SERVICES GR TAXI SERVICE. CALL: 219-5000; 227-1982 & 2257878 (24HRS)
One room to rent between GTown to Anandale (ECD). Can Pay $20,000 Per Month. Contact Mobeen 624-316. One live domestic must know to cook, salary-$70,000$80,000 monthly –Call: 6103974 Office Assistant: must have Mathematics, English, Accounts and must be computer literate. Call:6500402 General Workers-Call: 2653586 (8am-4pm)
PEN PAL Businessman seeking single female, for Companion/ friendship; Contact Deo- 27 Experiment West Coast Berbice: Text/call 611-9970
MASSAGE Happy Touch Day Spa: Come & Experienced heavens touch, visit us today! –Call: 690-6079
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 Massage Therapist & cosmetologist: must be certified in facial waxing, manicure & pedicure. Call: 672-1239; 226-1172 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 One experienced room maid. Call or text Sheik on 621-9759 or Donald: 673-4628 Security Officers, apply in person. Massey Security (Guyana) Inc, Lot 0 Ruimveldt, Georgetown. Call: 225-5773-6 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
Tuesday January 26, 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 Noah & Voxy: unregistered & fully loaded -$1.7M (black, white & silver). Call: 603-9700 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 Eccles (already land filled)$5M, Herstelling (110ftX90ft) -$4.5M, Parfaite Harmonie Main Road- $1.6M, Zeelugt$1.6M. Call: 611-7223; 6042207 Parfaite Harmonie -$ 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 Westminster Major Road$1.8M, Onderneeming $1.5M, Dairy (100ftX50ft) $2.8M & Pafaite Harmonie with foundation & structure $2.6M. Call: 604-2207; 611-7223 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
FOR RENT PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION,WEDDINGS, ANNIVERSARY, ETC. CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 216-1043; 677-6620 Office Space at Camp Street –Call Naz: 639-4499 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
Two bedrooms house “A” Field Sophia, fully grilled off Road Parking, CCTV, $40,000 monthly with 2 months We buy & sell vehicles for security-Call:693-2237; 219cash, also parts available & 0211 30 seater buses; Extra Cab pickups; 2006 Tacoma- Call: 680-3154
Toyota Hilux , Toyota wagon , food mobile canter contact 621-5907 / 223-5273 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
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: 6610162 Modernize 2 bedrooms apartment –W.C.D (Vreeden-Hoop) in a safe and healthy environment. Call: 698-6496
One extra cab gasoline Rooms in Alberttown- Call: automatic 4 wheel/drive 225-3234 Toyota Hilux GSS seriesVEHICLE FOR SALE $3.5M-Call: 654-0779 1 RZ Mini bus, BJJ seriesToyota Wish (7seats), PKK Call: 678-5887; 677-3177 VEHICLE FOR SALE series, excellent condition & one owner -$1.3M. Call: 6989771 Sliver Nissan Marano, 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 1 Double Axle TM Truck with built in fuel tank, capacity equivalent to 100 barrels- Call: 680-8783 AT192, 212, Allion, unregistered Premio, Hilux Surf, BNN, RZ & Pit-bull, 7 seater super custom. Cash / terms- Call:680-3154 1 Single axle TM truck with built in fuel tank, capacity equivalent 50 barrels. Call: 680-8783
EDUCATIONAL Practical Electronic Course beginning 26 th January. Register early! Call: 226-6551; 225-0391 Private customs brokerage, training certificate course from 2nd Feb 2016, register now & save –Call: 694-8322; 223-1506 January Computer Deals: 9 Courses office 2016 @ Micrographics, Vreed-enHoop-Call: 264-3057. Earn your diploma now! Computerize Accounting: 4 courses: QuickBooks, POS, Peachtree, Excel 2016- Call Micrographics Vreed-enHoop-Call: 264-3057 Continued on page 23
Tuesday January 26, 2016
Kaieteur News
Page 23
Letters... Where your views make the news
Things went vastly astray under... From page 4 was no one to listen to their concerns. Promotions occurred when the persons who had questionable records of service. The Remission division has many untold questions relating in particular to getting duty free letters. A certain individual in that division when one or more of those scandal occurred has been reassigned in the capacity of senior manager despite it’s a known fact that he played a role and had to have some knowledge of what was happening under his nose since regular staff could not have carried out such a scheme without the input of some senior help. This same senior manager has been accused many times over of victimizing persons that would not pay up. In relation to the rehiring of persons who were previously dismissed for corrupt practices and placed in senior positions, that too needs to be highlighted. Those re-
hired were involved in big scandals. Many employees the past ten years were involved in schemes and they were not fired. Accusations from taxpayers about staff collecting money to understate audit findings, Customs Officer collecting money to push people’s documents, and “runnings” in the Enforcement Division have all fallen on deaf ears. Those things warranted investigation but many times they were swept under the rug. In an unrelated matter, Mr. Sattaur used to talk to subordinates in a manner not suited for someone who held a position like him. If given the chance I’m certain the response that I have provided will be confirmed by many of my coworkers. I’m kindly asking the new board to not fall asleep like the previous board, on matters that can affect the performance of all members of
staff from the CommissionerGeneral right down to the cleaners since we all play an important role in the daily effective functioning of the activities of the GRA. Happy employees are productive employees and that’s what the GRA needs and that’s what will take us forward. A great step was taken when the new boss took time out of his busy schedule to listen to the voice of all staff last year when a meeting was held at the Cultural Centre. Thank you all and we the staff of GRA look forward to a productive working relationship with you. Further, I would like to recommend that persons that are overly qualified and have the relevant experiences be taken into consideration for promotion instead of hiring persons off the road who may very well have the same qualifications but not the experience. There are many persons within the GRA that spent money and invested a lot of
time to acquire qualifications and at the end of the day they are being overlooked when vacancies arise. Also all Divisional seniors within the GRA from time to time need to be trained so they become up to date with whatever changes may occur within the GRA, Many times due to lack of understanding or proper training mistakes are made and they can cause delay in the executing of duties to provide service to the public and also in the collection of revenue. Finally, like I stated above myself and a lot of other members of staff are not in agreement with persons that were dismissed for matters that are well known to the public, being re-hired. There are many persons who need jobs who are university graduates or holders of ACCA qualifications that don’t have a job so let’s give them a chance. GRA employee (name supply)
Royston King and the Deputy Mayor...
From page 4 him to get close to the report so that he can refresh his memory on the information contained therein. The statement made by Deputy Mayor, Chase Green, seems to be a rehashing of an age old position of the Council; “the Council wanted the job to go to public tender so that anyone who was interested in rehabilitating the structure, or at least portions of it, could come forward with a proposal which the Markets and Public Health Committee would have to review”. We are also concerned that both the
Deputy Mayor and the Town Clerk have demonstrated ignorance, of the agreement reached with Mayor Green and the City Council on the way forward to get the market rehabilitated. Both parties are on record of having send joint letters to two former Presidents requesting Central Government’s financial support to repair the market. Given the deceit being demonstrated by those in authority at City Hall and for the knowledge of the present Council and any future Council, we the Kitty Market Action Committee restate our
position on the way forward for the market, which was made public in our June 2013 press statement. “ Our position that the Kitty Market should be repaired and maintained as a municipal market because of its historic importance is a reasonable one, in light of the years of suffering which we, the Kitty Market stall-holders endured while paying rent for use of the market to the council: (1)Demand that urgent steps be taken by the Mayor and City Council and Central Government to save the historic Kitty Market, so that it
This much-talked about...
From page 5 have senior positions within the company. Each family member has the power to effect dismissals at their own jurisdiction without explanations to the other. The family egos run so high as Mount Everest that a mere comment deemed to be negative and overheard by some passersby can effect a dismissal. Simple mistakes caused by lack of experience that can be corrected are not excused. A basic complaint pertaining to the job such as querying an unpaid overtime will be viewed as an attack on the family. Family members will assign tasks to a single staff and if he chooses to carry out the task received first, the other family member becomes offended who assign the second task. I have never seen so many employees behave so timidly on the job as here. Once Freddy Kissoon wrote that it is heartbreaking
to keep a friend in this company (and there are many friendly staff there) because next time he visited, that person no longer works there and other staff currently there does not know who he is asking for. He further states that most of the staff wears a trainee badge even visits after visits. This is so true. One major getaway route this big shopping complex is utilizing is the severance route. In order to avoid scrutiny or challenges, the company uses the severance termination clause. I am not sure if this route is contestable but the company is getting away with
murder using termination by severance. This means if an employee is employed for less than one year, there will be no payment and if more than one year, one week per year. There is an HR department there that operates like a mill that continuously enjoyed hiring and firing as its raw material and finished product. One hopes that with the new Government, the Labour ministry zero in on this shopping mall and establish some form of agreement with a labour union to cease this dastardly act and who fails torecognize that poor people are still humans. Store employee (name supplied)
continues to serve residents of Kitty and surrounding communities. (2) We are opposed to any form of privitisation of the market. (3) Restate our conviction not to support the sale of the market, since we have no mandate from the people of the community to do so. The land on which the market was built was private property donated to the community for the market. (4) Demand that the IDB money which was given for repairs of the market and utilized by the Government to promote World Cup Cricket should be used for the rehabilitation of the market. (5) Appeal for solidarity and support from all national stake holders, Guyanese living oversea, regional and international agencies, to join our advocacy to save the historic Kitty Market”. Tacuma Ogunseye Kitty Market Action Committee. VACANCY Internal Security: Must Be Literate, 3 Years’ Experience, A Valid Police Clearance -Tel# :227-5195 X A Entertainment, a London base fashion company is casting females ages 16-23 for video & magazine shoots. Contact Mr. Henry: 592-672-5189
From page 22
PROPERTY FOR SALE Property for sale, Grove $20M / Rent: $50,000 per month. Tel: 625-5461. 3 Bedrooms concrete house 22feetX48feet, land 50X90feet @ Vision Garden, Versailes, W.B.D – $11M negotiable. Call: 609-1367; 658-5803 Lot 1884, 20 Ave, First corner, Diamond H/Scheme, 3 bedrooms, flat house- Call: 662-4676, 602-9403 Brand new 2 storey concrete building in 5th Avenue, Diamond, E.B.D, all modern amenities –Call: 662-9335; 612-3244 Hutson Ville E.B.D Bungalow- 3 bedrooms (1 self contained) A/C, hot & cold water, secured-$16M negotiable .Call:625-5431; 622-3736; 697-4131 Two house & land for sale, excellent condition, one located at Tuschen & one at Goed-Fortuin. Call: 668-3985; 660-3235 Front house lot @ 30 Ketley Street, Charlestown -$8M negotiable. Call: 625-1031 One 5 bedrooms, 2 storey & 3 self contained room, was a shop; previously renovated -$24M @ Lot 1313 Norton St. Call: 619-1570 One roadside, 2 storey building @ V/Hoop, ground excellent for restaurant or other business –Call: 6540779 70 Acres Transported river side land for $40M negotiable. Call: 678-1575 or 641-6635 Plaisance, Betterhope, B.V, Diamond, Parfaite Harmonie, Land of Canaan Public Road$60M negotiable. Call: 6416635 or 678-1575 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
FOR SALE LARGE QUANTITIES OF HIGH PURITY MERCURY (QUICK SILVER) 99.99995% PURITY$19,000 PER POUND CALL: 592-227-4754. Earth Delivery on spot, also bobcat & excavator rental. Call: 617-5536 Wholesale & Retail quantity of all types of belts –Call: 670-2343 ADORABLE PUPPIES FOR SALE. CALL: 6004212 AMERICAN BULLY DOGS, REMYLINE & GOTTILINECONTACT HARRY: 6100068/220-7933, WHATSAPP: 667-4845 1,500 lb snapper sein e i n excellent condition. Call: 6570044 One Yamaha 2007 R1 with chrome rims. Call: 662-2569 Lots @ Blankenburg behind the gas station- $3.9M- Call Us Today: 650-0402 Over 12,000 stamps from 1840 to 1940 from all over the world, old coins etc. Call: 6247341; 227-6817 Minibus, SUV, Pickup 39.8 rear deferential & 14.5ft fiberglass boat with trailer and 35HP motor- Call: 6789536 290 MF Tractor- $1.4M, 330TK Bedford dump truck$1.2M; in working order-Call: 614-9262; 604-2540 1 Evenrude outboard engine 115 HP EFI- Contact: 6808783 1 Toyota Premio, very good condition, price negotiable. Call: 603-5190 Household items: carpet, blender, dinette set, wall divider, blinds & many more items. Owner migrating- Call Allison: 688-5446 1-25 Yamaha Engine & 15inch seine: 350lb, cord top & bottom 10MM- Call: 6695618
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
DRESSMAKING
Vehicles for rental: cars, SUV, pickups etc, long term only @ Ray’s Motor Spares and Auto Sales. Call: 231-7839
Turn your flair for fashion into an exciting career or hobby. Enroll Now –Call: 626-2629; 676-6312
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Kaieteur News
Tuesday January 26, 2016
Prepare for tough oil bargaining From page 18 the fourth year of processing. “The U.S is still not a member of the EITI. So the expectation and the demand that Guyana must be immediately compliant is not reasonable or possible.” While unlegislated, EITI is a multi-stakeholder group which is considered a global standard for countries with extractive industries such as oil, gas and mining to aspire to. It exercises oversight over extractive companies in countries which contract their services. There are currently 49 participating countries, with 31 EITI compliant. Once involved, the EITI process sees companies hav-
ing to disclose tax and royalty payments, Government's disclosing receipt of the payments and finally an independent process of verifying the tax and royalty payments. The scope of EITI's work also involves providing oversight/assistance with the award of licenses and contracts, the regulation and monitoring of operations. The partnership also involves oversight of Government's revenue distribution and management, as well as how it implements sustainable development policies. The group also has a mandate to publish the payments and revenues the government gets from the respec-
tive company, as well as auditing these transactions. It can also reconcile the transactions and publish the report, as well as provide a financial plan to work with. All this is with the view of opening the process to scrutiny. Over the years, foreign investors have come to Guyana and extracted natural resources. But there have been accusations that Guyana has received little benefit for the leeway and tax concessions that were granted as part of the initial agreements. One such extractive company that this accusation has been leveled against is Chinese logging giant, Bai Shan Lin. The company has been
in Guyana for a decade and came with the understanding that as it harvested logs, it would build a wood processing facility that would churn out value added products and allow local employment. It was also granted massive concessions, including on its imported equipment. By 2014, however, no facility had been built despite massive amounts of wood exported from its operations. Worse yet, evidence emerged that showed that the company had used its equipment and allowances to expand into other sectors including mining, housing development and even barge operations, at the expense of local operators.
Defendant tells police he was wrongly... From page 19 was listed on a form that was prepared for one of the ID parades. Thompson suggested to the witness that Narine and another man by the name of Keon Clarke were suspects on the third and fourth ID parades that were viewed by
Chand. He said that both men, who were suspects at the time, chose their own numbers. On both parades the lawyer noted that Narine held up number one while Clarke held number 7. The lawyer then asked Persaud, “Did Mr. Chand identify more than one person on the fourth parade?”
Govt. faces pressure to pass Telecoms law... From page 15 their residence for internet and landline. “The end of the GTT Monopoly will bring significant inward investment into the country, creating hundreds of quality jobs and allowing Guyana to compete on a level playing field with its neighbours.” Digicel, an Irish-owned mobile company with significant presence in the region, insisted that everyone is in favor of ending the monopoly
including GTT. “…so why is the legislation not passed by now and allow all Guyanese to enjoy the same competitive services and lower prices that people in other countries enjoy across the Caribbean?" Yesterday, Minister Cathy Hughes, who has responsibilities for the telecoms industry, said that new legislations remain a priority one for the administration. Several companies are also on standby to enter the local market.
In response, the witness said that he (Chand) only identified one person. Although it was his first time doing an ID parade via Skype, the police recalled that he heard the voices of the witnesses clearly. When Persaud was further cross-examined by Millington, he was accused of giving false information to the court. Millington appeared a little lost for words and had to be guided by the Magistrate with formulating his questions. Nevertheless, he told the court that he was never holding the number seven on any of the ID parades. Persaud however insisted that this defendant was holding that number. Millington then told the Magistrate that he was given a C19 form by ASP Reid, after he was not identified by Chand. But Persaud stressed that this was not true and pointed out that Millington was given the form before the commencement of the ID parades.
Thereafter, the other defendants and Prosecutor, Nigel Hughes, declined to ask the witness questions. This trial was adjourned to today. Pierre, Chand and Peters have so far positively identified four of the defendants (Samaroo, Millington, Narine and McKenzie) as the ones who were part of the robbery/ invasion that occurred on July 9, last in the gated community of Felicity, East Coast Demerara. Meanwhile, the number five defendant, Warren McKenzie is no longer paralyzed. McKenzie was shot during a confrontation with police at a house in Craig, East Bank Demerara last July. He was bedridden for months after the shootout that claimed the life of wanted man Rolston 'Sadam' Morrison. His injuries were so severe that he had to be taken to court on a stretcher. McKenzie has fully recovered and is moving about unaided.
Tuesday January 26, 2016
Kaieteur News
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Kaieteur News
Tuesday January 26, 2016
Oil tumbles 3 percent but ‘Zika’ outbreak will spread global stocks hold ground across Americas: WHO (Reuters) - Oil prices tumbled 3 percent yesterday and dragged the dollar down, but world stocks clung onto gains in a sign of stabilization after a horrendous start to the year. Crude oil prices fell 3 percent as Iraq announced record-high oil production feeding into a heavily over supplied market, wiping out much of the gains made in one of the biggest-ever daily rallies last Friday. That tumble briefly weighed on stocks, which recovered ground as hopes of further monetary stimulus by major central banks helped take the edge off the bearish sentiment that has dominated since the start of the year. The MSCI world equity index was up 0.1 percent, almost 5 percent above 2-1/2 year lows hit last week. Asian stocks rose 1.5 percent and moved further away from last week’s four-year low, while U.S. stock futures traded just 0.1 percent lower. “Risk-asset markets have received a boost from the European Central Bank hinting at stimulus last week, and investors are also looking at whether the fall in stocks has run its course,” said Philip Shaw, chief economist at Investec in London. Global markets slumped at the start of the year on fears that a slowdown in China would spread to the rest of the world economy, while oil prices sank to 13-year lows. German business morale
fell to an 11-month low in January, a survey showed, suggesting growing concern among company executives in Europe’s largest economy. The Ifo survey reading of 107.3 compared with 108.6 in December and was well below 108.4 forecast in a Reuters poll. FED IN FOCUS Market turbulence sets the backdrop for a meeting of the U.S. Federal Reserve on Tuesday and Wednesday, while Bank of Japan policymakers gather on Jan. 28-29. Last week, the European Central Bank signaled it could deliver further monetary stimulus, raising hopes that other central banks might take the same path. The market rout meanwhile could throw the Fed off its course of gradual interest rate hikes. “Attention will now turn to the U.S. Federal Reserve and the Bank of Japan’s latest policy decisions later this week, with the main focus on the U.S. central bank in the wake of last month’s historic decision to raise rates for the first time in nine years,” said Michael Hewson, chief market analyst at CMC Markets. Stock markets in London, Frankfurt and Paris reversed early falls to trade virtually unchanged on the day. Emerging market stocks extended their gains and hit a 10-day high, while in Asia Shanghai stocks added 1 percent and Tokyo’s Nikkei, which slumped to a one-year low last week, rose 1.2 per-
cent.
(Reuters) - Islamic State and other militants are very likely to attempt big new attacks in Europe following those in Paris, the EU’s police agency said yesterday, echoing previous warnings by senior security officials. The assessment was based on discussions concluded eight weeks ago by security agencies from EU states. The 8-page public report said further attacks could even take place quite soon. The events in Paris “appear to indicate a shift toward a broader strategy of IS going global, of them specifically attacking France, but also the possibility of attacks against other member states of the EU in the near future”, it said. There was “every reason to expect” an attack, by Islamic State or “IS-inspired terrorists or another religiously inspired terrorist group”. “This is in
addition to the threat of lone actor attacks, which has not diminished,” it said. At a news conference to mark the launch of a new European Counter Terrorism Centre within Europol, based in The Hague, its director Rob Wainwright said Islamic State “has the willingness and capability to carry out further attacks in Europe”. Since immediately after the Paris attacks on Nov. 13, in which Islamic State gunmen and suicide bombers killed 130 people, Wainwright, a senior British police officer, has said further similar attacks are likely in Europe and that “lone wolf” militants are no longer the prime threat. The Europol report said Islamic State may have established an “external action command trained for special forces-style attacks in the international environment” and noted that, as the Paris attacks
showed, the group was largely active in Europe through radicalized European citizens, not foreigners. The report also warned of a risk of cyber attacks but said there was no evidence of Islamist militants trying to use chemical, biological or nuclear material as a weapon in Europe. Wainwright welcomed what he called a “considerable improvement” in the level of intelligence information that EU governments were now willing to share with each other through Europol following the attacks on Paris, which have concentrated minds on a need for cooperation against Islamist threats. Currently, some 30 Europol experts are working to support the Franco-Belgian investigation into the Paris attack, Wainwright said, helping track movements of money, weapons, fake documents and other elements of the plot.
DOLLAR SLIPS The dollar edged down against other major currencies as renewed selling on oil markets drove investors into their current safe havens of choice, the euro and yen. The dollar slipped 0.3 percent to 118.40 yen, moving away from a two-week high touched on Friday at 118.88. The euro firmed 0.2 percent to $1.0813, after losing 0.8 percent on Friday. The Russian rouble and other currencies sensitive to movements in commodity prices, weakened. The rouble was 2 percent weaker against the dollar at 79.80, while the Australian dollar was down 0.3 percent to $0.6982, backing off a nine-day high of $0.7046 on Friday. Brent crude oil futures fell 85 cents to $31.34 a barrel. U.S. crude declined $1 cents to $31.18 a barrel. Iraq’s oil ministry told Reuters yesterday that oil output reached a record high in December, putting oil prices under renewed pressure after signs of recovery last week. U.S. Treasury yields were down 1.7 basis points at 2.03 percent, as the fall in oil prices lent some support to safe-haven debt. Elsewhere, Greek two-year government bond yields fell 3 basis points to 13.54 percent and the stock market rose 1 percent .ATG after Standard & Poor’s raised Greece’s rating by one notch to B minus on Friday.
EU security chiefs brace for more Islamist attacks
(Reuters) - The mosquitoborne Zika virus, which has been linked to brain damage in thousands of babies in Brazil, is likely to spread to all countries in the Americas except for Canada and Chile, the World Health Organization said yesterday. Zika has not yet been reported in the continental United States, although a woman who fell ill with the virus in Brazil later gave birth to a brain-damaged baby in Hawaii. Brazil’s Health Ministry said in November that Zika was linked to a fetal deformation known as microcephaly, in which infants are born with smaller-than-usual brains. Brazil has reported 3,893 suspected cases of microcephaly, the WHO said last Friday, over 30 times more than in any year since 2010 and equivalent to 1-2 percent of all newborns in the state of Pernambuco, one of the worst-hit areas. The Zika outbreak comes hard on the heels of the Ebola epidemic in West Africa, demonstrating once again how little-understood diseases can rapidly emerge as global threats. “We’ve got no drugs and we’ve got no vaccines. It’s a case of déjà vu because that’s exactly what we were saying with Ebola,” Trudie Lang, a professor of global health at the University of Oxford, said on Monday. “It’s really important to develop a vaccine as quickly as possible.” Large drugmakers’ investment in tropical disease vaccines with uncertain commercial prospects has so far been patchy, prompting health experts to call for a new system of incentives following the Ebola experience. “We need to have some kind of a plan that makes (companies) feel there is a sustainable solution and not just a one-shot deal over and over again,” Francis Collins, director of the U.S. National Institutes of Health, said last week. The Sao Paulo-based Butantan Institute is currently leading the research charge on Zika and said last week it planned to develop a vaccine “in record time”, although its director warned this was still likely to take three to five years. RIO CONCERNS The virus was first found in a monkey in the Zika forest near Lake Victoria, Uganda, in 1947, and has historically oc-
World Health Organization Director-General Margaret Chan addresses the delegates during the WHO Executive Board meeting in Geneva, Switzerland, yesterday. (REUTERS/DENIS BALIBOUSE) curred in parts of Africa, Southeast Asia and the Pacific Islands. But there is little scientific data on it and it is unclear why it might be causing microcephaly in Brazil. Laura Rodrigues of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine said it was possible the disease could be evolving. If the epidemic was still going on in August, when Brazil is due to host the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, then pregnant women should either stay away or be obsessive about covering up against mosquito bites, she said. The WHO advised pregnant women planning to travel to areas where Zika is circulating to consult a healthcare provider before traveling and on return. The clinical symptoms of Zika are usually mild and often similar to dengue, a fever which is transmitted by the same Aedes aegypti mosquito, leading to fears that Zika will spread into all parts of the world where dengue is commonplace. More than one-third of the world’s population lives in areas at risk of dengue infection, in a band stretching through Africa, India, Southeast Asia and Latin America. Zika’s rapid spread, to 21 countries and territories in the Americas since May 2015, is due to the prevalence of Aedes aegypti and a lack of immunity among the population, the WHO said in a statement. RISK TO GIRLS Like rubella, which also causes mild symptoms but can lead to birth defects, health experts believe a vac-
cine is needed to protect girls before they reach child-bearing age. Evidence about other transmission routes, apart from mosquito bites, is limited. “Zika has been isolated in human semen, and one case of possible person-to-person sexual transmission has been described. However, more evidence is needed to confirm whether sexual contact is a means of Zika transmission,” the WHO said. While a causal link between Zika and microcephaly has not yet been definitively proven, WHO Director-General Margaret Chan said the circumstantial evidence was “suggestive and extremely worrisome”. In addition to finding a vaccine and potential drugs to fight Zika, some scientists are also planning to take the fight to the mosquitoes that carry the disease. Oxitec, the UK subsidiary of U.S. synthetic biology company Intrexon, hopes to deploy a self-limiting genetically modified strain of insects to compete with normal Aedes aegypti. Oxitec says its proprietary OX513A mosquito succeeded in reducing wild larvae of the Aedes mosquito by 82 percent in an area of Brazil where 25 million of the transgenic insects were released between April and November. Authorities reported a big drop in dengue cases in the area.
Tuesday January 26, 2016
Kaieteur News
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Kaieteur News
Tuesday January 26, 2016
Libya’s recognized parliament rejects U.N.-backed unity government Libya’s internationally recognized parliament voted yesterday to reject a unity government proposed under a U.N.-backed plan to resolve the country’s political crisis and armed conflict. The rejection was widely expected, but signaled that mediators still face a steep challenge in winning support for a new government. Of 104 members attending the session in the eastern city of Tobruk, 89 voted against an administration nominated last week, demanding a fresh proposal within 10 days. Since 2014, Libya has had two competing parliaments and governments, one based in Tripoli and the other in the east. Both are backed by loose alliances of armed groups and former rebels who helped topple Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. Western powers hope a unity government will deliver stability and be able to tackle a growing threat from Islamic State militants.
Eastern lawmakers said the proposed 32-member government had been rejected because it included too many posts. They called on the Tunis-based Presidential Council to put forward a shorter list of ministers. Lawmaker Mohamed alAbani told Reuters that the proposed administration also did not represent the interests of the Libyan people but had been formed “according to the demands of militia leaders”. Another lawmaker, Omar Tantoush, said he voted against the government because it did not “respond to current challenges”. “They did not use the correct criteria in choosing ministers and the size of the government, especially now that the economy is collapsing in Libya,” he said. In a second vote, 97 members of the Tobruk parliament backed the U.N.-mediated agreement that sets out a political transition for Libya and under which the Presidential
Council operates. However, they rejected a clause that transfers power over military appointments to the new government. The armed forces allied to the eastern government are led by Gen Khalifa Haftar, a former Gaddafi ally who has become one of the most divisive figures among Libya’s rival groups. Many in the east see him as the future leader of a national army, but he is despised by forces allied to the government in Tripoli. Representatives from both sides of Libya’s political divide signed the U.N.backed plan in Morocco in December, but the agreement has faced stiff opposition from many members of the two parliaments and from factions on the ground. Two of the Presidential Council’s nine members also refused to put their names to the proposed government when it was announced after a 48-hour delay last week.
Tuesday January 26, 2016
Kaieteur News
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F1 drivers want cockpit safety device for 2017 LONDON (Reuters) Formula One drivers are calling for a new safety device to be installed in their cockpits from 2017, hoping the so-called “halo” will prevent the lethal threat posed by flying debris. Grand Prix Drivers’ Association (GPDA) Chairman Alexander Wurz said on Monday that his members wanted “swift implementation” of the design initially suggested by Mercedes — a bar attached to the car that curves around the driver’s head and is supported in front by an upright strut. Formula One has been testing various ways of improving head protection, weighing up the pros and cons of the halo compared with completely closed canopies, an option that some people fear could trap the driver in the event of a crash. The halo is designed to be removed quickly in such cases. Its backers say it does not significantly obstruct the
Formula One drivers (L-R) Red Bull’s Daniil Kvyat of Russia, Lotus’ Romain Grosjean of France, Force India’s Nico Hulkenberg of Germany and his team mate Sergio Perez of Mexico crash during the start of the Russian F1 Grand Prix in Sochi, Russia, October 11, 2015.(Reuters/ Maxim Shemetov) line of sight. “The research the FIA experts have done is very thorough and the process has brought forward a clear solution,” said the Austrian, who retired as a driver last year and now works on safety with the sport’s governing body. “Now the drivers feel it’s
time to implement the extra protection at the latest in 2017,” he told the BBC. Improving head protection became a priority after the deaths last year of Briton Justin Wilson, a former F1 racer who suffered head injuries from debris in an IndyCar crash, and Frenchman Jules
Tuesday Jan 26, 2016 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) Your temper may erupt if you have allowed others to cost you too much money. You can make amends by taking them somewhere special.
LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) Don't let your partner get away with spending too much of your money. Call a good friend. You're in the mood to spend money.
TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20) You can make extra money. Rewards will be yours if you put in the overtime required.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) Get involved in fitness programs that will bring you in contact with new friends.
GEMINI (May 21–June 20) Your suggestions for fund raising events will be well received. You must not lead someone on or show interest in them for the wrong reasons.
SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) If you put your mind to it, you could entertain or host a multitude of social events. Opportunities for new and exciting relationships will be yours if you get out and join groups.
CANCER (June 21–July 22) Trips will be favorable for business as well as pleasure. You can take advantage of opportunities if you are quick to make a move. You can get a promotion if you put in a little extra detail.
CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19) You can easily impress others with your generous nature. You may want to put your creative thinking cap on. Don't spend more than is necessary on travel or friends.
LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) Get the whole family involved in a worthwhile cause or cultural event. Don't let jealous friends put you down, making you insecure about your capabilities. VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) Don't take your frustrations out on the ones you love. You may be somewhat emotional concerning a rather private matter. You will easily blow situations out of proportion.
AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) Coworkers may not be on your side. Clear up domestic chores that have remained undone for some time. Time to deal with institutional environments, government agencies, and matters of a private nature today. PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) Your mind will be wandering to exotic destinations. Abrupt changes concerning your professional position are evident.
Bianchi. Bianchi, Formula One’s first driver fatality in 21 years, died in July, nine months after suffering severe head injuriesatthe2014JapaneseGrand Prix when his car skidded off and hit a recovery tractor. In 2009, Brazilian Felipe Massa suffered near-fatal injuries when hit on the helmet by a bouncing spring during qualifying for the Hungarian Grand Prix for
Ferrari. He recovered and now races for Williams. Wurz said that backing from the drivers should make the introduction of the halo “a formality” “Obviously structural changes are required to the chassis but, with almost a oneyear lead time, I don’t see any technical person speaking against such substantial safety improvements, especially given the last big acci-
dents in open-wheel racing involved head injuries,” he said. FIA safety director Laurent Mekies told reporters last October that a head protection device could be introduced in 2017 if tests produced satisfactory results. Team technical directors are due to have a regular meeting with the FIA on Friday to discuss changes for the 2017 season and beyond.
Raonic shocks Wawrinka, qualifier... (From page 30) delighted fans with some spectacular dives as he beat Russian Andrey Kuznetsov 75 3-6 6-3 7-6(4) to reach the quarter-finals for the first time. Raonic is on an eightmatch winning streak since the start of the year, a run which included upsetting Roger Federer to win the Brisbane International, and he credits new coach Carlos Moya for giving him confidence to stray from the baseline. “He’s sort of organising my strengths, my weapons and how to use them better,” the 13th seed told reporters. Chinese qualifier Zhang, on a fairytale run after snapping her streak of 14 firstround exits at grand slams, overhauled a hobbling Madison Keys 3-6 6-3 6-3 in the day’s late match. The 133rd-ranked 27year-old struggled to put the ailing American down but eventually celebrated becoming the first qualifier to reach the last eight in Australia since Mexico’s Angelica Gavaldon in 1990. ELATED ZHANG “I want to say bad luck to Madison for her injury. But I’m very lucky today,” an elated Zhang told the crowd after tossing her racquet in the
air in jubilation. “I think one week ago people were thinking 15 times first round and that I would be going back to China.” After the stress of Nigel Sears’ collapse at Rod Laver Arena on Saturday, Murray returned to the same venue to ease past world number 17 Tomic 6-4 6-4 7-6(4) and will battle hyper-fit Spaniard David Ferrer for a spot in the semi-finals. Murray’s Sydney-born compatriot Konta, granted British citizenship in 2012, continued her superb run, overhauling last year’s semifinalist Ekaterina Makarova 46 6-4 8-6 in a match lasting three hours and four minutes. “Those four minutes count!” Konta said. Twice champion and 14th seed Victoria Azarenka continued her ominous advance, beating Czech Barbora Strycova 6-2 6-4. The former world number one has dropped only 11 games so far. “I played smart, I played aggressive and I took
my opportunities. Can someone tell me if the Broncos won?” she asked the crowd at Rod Laver Arena, having spent the morning worrying about whether her favourite NFL team had reached the Super Bowl. Azarenka next plays German seventh seed Angelique Kerber who she thrashed in the Brisbane International final. Kerber reached her first Melbourne Park quarter-final with a 6-4 6-0 win over fellow German Annika Beck. Monfils literally flew into the last eight where he will add some flair to proceedings. One dive on the unforgiving Melbourne court against Kuznetsov left him with a cut hand. “I just go for it. I’m just a competitor, I want to win every point and I think I can get it and I just fly,” he said. Eighth-seeeded veteran Ferrer booked his sixth quarter-final at Melbourne Park, thrashing American John Isner 6-4 6-4 7-5.
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Kaieteur News
Tuesday January 26, 2016
New Zealand bowlers skittle Pakistan after Nicolls leads revival WELLINGTON (Reuters) New Zealand pacemen Trent Boult and Grant Elliott shared seven wickets as the hosts bundled out Pakistan for 210 to win the first one-day international at the pacy Basin Reserve by 70 runs on Monday. Elliott did the early damage while Boult, the world’s top-ranked ODI bowler, ran through Pakistan’s lower order as the touring side were shot out in 46 overs, chasing a target of 281 in the first of the three-match series. Pakistan captain Azhar Ali and Ahmed Shehzad fell early to Elliott but Mohammad Hafeez (42) and Babar Azam (62) added 81 for the third wicket to put them back on course. A mid-innings collapse, however, saw Pakistan lose their last seven wickets for 68 runs despite New Zealand being a bowler short in the absence of Mitchell McClenaghan, who suffered a blow to his eye while bat-
Henry Nicholls, January 25, 2016 ©AFP ting and was forced to retire hurt. New Zealand, put in to bat, were reduced to 99-6 in the 23rd over before man-ofthe-match Henry Nicolls rescued them with a knock of 82. The left-hander, playing only his sixth ODI, added 79 for the seventh wicket with Mitchell Santner (48) before Matt Henry and McClenaghan launched a late assault to power New
Grant Elliott celebrates one of his three wickets, New Zealand v Pakistan, 1st ODI, Basin Reserve, Wellington, January 25, 2016 ©Getty Images Zealand to 280-6 in their 50 overs. Henry hit four sixes and the same number of fours in his 30-ball 48 while McClenaghan, who was hit by an Anwar Ali bouncer that went through the gap in his helmet, smashed 31 in 18 balls as New Zealand scored 71 off
their last five overs. The left-arm fast bowler suffered a small fracture above his left eye and will undergo a minor surgery on Friday, local media quoted a Black Caps spokesperson as saying. The injury is likely to keep the 29-year-old out of the re-
maining matches against Pakistan. “Thanks for all the concerns. Everything is as good as it can be just a few broken bones. Great win for the boys!” McClenaghan tweeted with a picture showing heavy bruising around his left eye.
Mohammad Amir was the most successful Pakistan bowler with 3-28 but had to leave the field injured after bowling the first delivery of his ninth over. Anwar took 366. The second match of the series will be played in Napier on Thursday.
Former South Africa player gets 20-year ban to these people who are willing to potentially fix games, whatever standard it is, they shouldn’t be involved in cricket ever again. That’s the only thing that would send a shockwave through the game. Mohammad Amir is back playing for Pakistan [after a five-year ban for spot-fixing], but I personally would have banned him for life. It would scare everyone.” South African cricket writer Neil Manthorp: “It came as a surprise how quickly he [Gulam Bodi] admitted guilt. It was expected that he would mount some sort of defence
Gulam Bodi is banned from any event sanctioned by the CSA. (Getty Images) BBC Sport - Former South Africa spinner Gulam Bodi has been banned for 20 years after admitting charges of contriving or attempting to fix a number of domestic Twenty20 matches. The India-born 37-yearold played two one-day internationals and a Twenty20 match for the Proteas in 2007. The match-fixing charges relate to the 2015 Ram Slam T20 Challenge Series. Five of those 20 years are suspended on condition that
Bodi, a left-arm wrist-spinner, commits no further offences. Cricket South Africa said “a lengthy ban was appropriate”. CSA chief executive Haroon Lorgat added: “Our attitude to corruption will always be one of zero tolerance. “There is no doubt that Mr Bodi’s actions have threatened the integrity and image of the game that we love and he must be handed a strong punishment. He accepts the folly of his actions.”
‘Life bans would scare everyone’ Former England captain Michael Vaughan: “If you are found guilty of corruption, the only way to stamp it out and to set the precedent of everyone in the game of cricket is to give a life ban,” he told Test Match Special. “Why 20 years? We play in a great game. Bodi has been caught in the planning stage - they don’t feel the games were actually fixed. “Until the message is sent
against the charges. “It would have had a huge financial cost to Cricket South Africa as well as damage to its reputation so Bodi made it easy for them to get a lack of criminal prosecution or jail time in return.” Former South Africa wicketkeeper Mark Boucher: “A lot of people are saying Bodi got 20 years and Hansie Cronje got life [for receiving money from bookmakers], the offence is probably worse nowadays because it is all being exposed and players are being educated about it. You sign contracts and if you are
involved in match-fixing, then you know what is going to happen to you. “I do believe it will go further than this. Will it go to court? Is it a criminal offence? If it does go to court then I have no doubt there will be quite a few names mentioned. “After the Cronje saga, the whole game did definitely clean up but it is very difficult to monitor at domestic level. Some of the guys are towards the end of their careers and lured to a bit of easy cash and it is difficult to say no to. That is is what has happened.”
GTC to hold Horserace Meet at Mocha on Sunday The Georgetown Turf Club will be holding a grand one day Horserace Meeting on Sunday January 31 at the Mocha Race Track as the organisation look to return frequent competition to the venue. Seven races are carded for the Meet and over $3Million in cash prizes and trophies are up for grabs. The feature event is for J1 and Lower racehorses and most of most of the country’s top horses in this category
will be in action. The likes of Red Jet, Little Red, Regent, Liquid Lion, Plane Land, Blue Lighter, Noble Import, Miss Regena and others will compete for top honours. Other Events on the card are the J3 and Lower, JK and Lower, the L1 and the L2 and Lower, the unclassified, the L3 and Cart horses. The President of the Georgetown Turf Club Michael Sims is back in the Country and has already started working on the track
and Grand Stand. He indicated that fans can look forward to events being staged at the venue. Banks DIH Ltd, Choke Gas Station, Jumbo Jet Auto Sales, S h e r i f f R a c i n g Stable, Davo’s Lumber Yard, BM Soat Auto Sales and others are on board as sponsors. For further information contact can be made with Sims on 669-8163 or Compton Sancho on 6900669.
Tuesday January 26, 2016
Kaieteur News
Rabada at the double as South Africa scent victory
Hashim Amla watches a bouncer go by during his 96, South Africa v England, 4th Test, Centurion, 4th day, January 25, 2016 ©Gallo Images PRETORIA (Reuters) Firebrand fast bowler Kagiso Rabada bagged two wickets as South Africa reduced England to 52 for three at the close of day four of the final test on Monday. The tourists, who have already won the series, need a further 330 for what would be a record-breaking victory on the final day but must do so on a wicket showing variable bounce and prodigious turn at Centurion Park. England’s hopes of an unlikely victory or survival will rest on Joe Root (19 not out) who is at the crease with James Taylor (19 not out) after Rabada gave the hosts the perfect start. The 20-year-old forced another failure from opener Alex Hales who was trapped lbw for one by a ball that kept low and jagged into him. Rabada claimed his ninth wicket of the match when he had Nick Compton (six)
caught behind, the England batsman unsuccessfully reviewing what seemed an obvious edge. With a tense final day likely, England will hope that wasted review does not come back to haunt them. In between, Morne Morkel grabbed the prize scalp of England captain Alastair Cook (five) with a brilliant one-handed caught and bowled to leave the latter still 36 runs short of 10,000 test runs after a poor series. South Africa should have celebrated the wicket of Root as well, but wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock failed to take the ball after spinner Dane Piedt had drawn the batsman from his crease and beaten the edge. South Africa earlier declared their second innings on 248 for five. Hashim Amla fell four short of a second century in the match when he uncharac-
teristically flashed wildly at a wide deliver from Stuart Broad in the pursuit of quick runs. Amla added 117 for the fifth wicket with Temba Bavuma (78 not out), who showed great application and maturity. The highest successful chase in test matches at Cen-
turion Park is 251 by England in 2000, though the pitch was only used for two days in that match after rain spoiled the contest and the teams decided to forfeit an innings each to force a result. Thunderstorms are forecast in Pretoria on Tuesday, though those will likely come late in the afternoon.
NSC hosts Circle Tennis workshop... (From page 29) Silver Bell, Amazing Run, Princess Maya, Cat Messiah, Quiet Storm and Monsoon set top compete for the $250,000 and trophy over 6.5 F. The race for 2 yrs old Guyana Bred animals has such horses as Ready for Romance, She in Control, Touch D Road and Secret thinker among others. The ‘J’ and Lower race will see the winner taking home $160,000 over 6F and has the likes of Party time, Affinity, Massiquita Dr, Liquid Lion, Red Region and Savion.
K class will see the likes of Royal Stallion, Turn About, Smarty Light and Speed Vision racing for a first prize of $140,000 and trophy over 6F. The L class event also over 6F for a winning take of $120,000 and trophy will see the likes of Call She Royal, Magaline, Blondie, Royal Progressive and Iron Man among others. The race for Three-YearOld maiden horses has a winning pocket of $220,000 also over 5F. Among the sponsors so far are Banks DIH Limited, Inshan Bacchus Trucking
Service, Chester Fried of Bush Lot, West Coast Berbice, Anirude Construction, Jumbo Jet Auto Sales, KP Jagdeo Construction, Fiesta Guinness Bar, Sunil Chicken outlet of Rose Hall Market, Poonai Pharmacy of Rose Hall Town and Friends of Port Mourant Turf Club among others. The race will be run under the rules of the Guyana Horse Racing Authority (GHRA). For more information and entry details interested persons can contact, Kris Jagdeo on number 322-0369,
Rajendra (Jim-Jo) Jagdeo on 618-7278, Ramnauth on numbers 337- 5311 Fazal on 6577010 or Dennis De Roop on 640-6396. Race time is 12:30hrs. (Samuel Whyte)
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Teams for Unity Cricket announced E’bo name softball squad The moment of truth is less than a week away and big question is who will walk away with the President’s Trophy, $1 million dollars and bragging rights? The answer will be known on Saturday night at the Providence Stadium when a galaxy of International t20 stars invades the Stadium to play in the feature game under lights from 19:30hrs. The Ramnaresh Sarwan led Legacy All Stars face-off with the 007 Warriors which will be led by Chris Barnwell to climax a day of fun and frolic for the entire family in an attempt to forge National unity through sports. Chris Gayle has never made a century in Guyana but he said goodbye to the Big Bash in Australia with the fastest ever t20 fifty from just 12 balls and could correct that statistic here on Saturday. Gayle will have to contend with very strong bowling attack which includes Reyad Emrit, Ronsford Beaton, Jason Holder, Daren Sammy, Veerasammy Permaul and Samuel Badree. Every fan in the stands who take a one handed catch will be us$500 richer and if Gayle cuts loose they could have plenty of opportunity to do so. Softball cricket attracts its own crowd as was seen by large turn-out for the Guyana Cup and with today (Tuesday) being the last day for the ‘early bird’ tickets which cost $2,000, an anticipated Capacity crowd is anticipated and tickets which will cost $3,000 after today is expected to be sold out before week-end. Children under 12 will be admitted free providing they do not use a seat in the stands. Five softball matches will be played from 10:00 hrs but semi-finals and Final of the Open 10/10 could the most exciting games for the softball fans. The ‘open’ will commence at 16:30hrs. Demerara, Berbice, Regal and Wolf Warriors will compete for $500,000 in the ‘Open’10/10. Berbice Masters and a female Berbice team will compete against their Demerara counterparts. The winner of female match will get $150,000 while the Masters champions will receive $50,000. The Man-of-the-Man in the feature event will collect us$500. Guyana Skipper Leon Johnson was forced to pull out due a shoulder injury, while Shiv Chanderpaul, Andre Russell and Khrismar Santokie are unavailable due to their participation in various t20 leagues around the world. The teams: Legacy All Stars: Ramnaresh Sarwan (Capt), Chris Gayle, Rajendra Chandrika, Andre Fletcher, Narsingh Deonarine, Jonathon Foo, Nicholas Pooran, Evin Lewis, Devendra Bishoo, Sulieman Benn, Assad Fudadin, Robin Bacchus, Gajanand Singh, Royston Crandon and Dwayne Bravo 007 Warriors: Chris Barnwell (Capt), Dwayne Smith, Lendl Simmons, Anthony Bramble, Shemroy Barrington, Jason Holder, Darren Sammy, Steven Jacobs, Sherfane Rutherford, Reyad Emrit, Veerasammy Permaul, Ronsford Beaton, Samuel Badree, Gudakesh Motie. The Essequibo softball team: Patrick Rooplall, Khalid Baksh, Eknauth Persaud, Vijay Surujpaul, Shawz Grosvnor, Brion Mangar, Ramesh Narine, Greg Singh, Deoraj Dindyal, Govindra Sharma, Ehwaas Baksh, Ricardo Peters, Omesh Gobin, Demerara Masters: Richard Persaud Capt. Ramo Malone, Yunis Yusuf, Lloyd Rooplall, David Harper, Eric Thomas, Mahendra Hardyal V/Capt, Fazil Baksh, Davanand Kannon, Tony Singh, Jagdesh Persaud, Wayne Jones, Mohamed Rafeek Manager: Dharam Persaud. Demerara Female softball team: Latoya Smith Capt., Kavita Yadram V/Capt, Zola Telford, Matanna Cambridge, Roxanne Demonick, Haseena Mohamed, Tamika Wilson, Jinelle Nero, Amanda Bobsemple, Kaysia Shultz, Sangetta Sawh, Alicia Allen, Odessa Oneil. Coach is Linden Wilson.
Under-13 cricket tourney to continue under lights The under-thirteen cricket tournament sponsored by the Guyana Floodlights Softball Cricket Association, Trophy Stall in collaboration with the Demerara Cricket Club DCC, will continue this
week. Tonight Bel Air Rubis will play Transport for the final semi-final spot. The winner will play GCC on Thursday at 6:00 PM, while the first semi finals will see Everest play GYO tomor-
row at 6:00PM. The winners of the t w o s e m i - f i n a l s then clash this Sunday 6:00PM for the finals. All matches will be played at the DCC ground, Lance Gibbs Street, Queenstown.
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Kaieteur News
Tuesday January 26, 2016
Stiff competition the order of the day at Bushy Park last weekend Bushy Park Circuit Inc. Barbados – Radical International descended upon the 2.01 km race track at Bushy Park Circuit in Barbados. On the opening weekend, there was stiff competition with all cars being relatively equal. A grid of Suzuki-powered Radical SR3 RS sports racers contesting the Suzuki Challenge Series which offers the fastest racing in the region. Radical SR3 sports cars are lightweight, 2-seater, 1.5 Litres, 11,000 RPM, Suzuki-powered racing cars from 220 horsepower. They can scoot from standing still to 100 kph (62 Mph) in about 3 seconds and can reach 2.5G through corners and under braking. The top qualifier on day one was # 14, Suleman Esuf of Barbados with a blistering 58.965 lap time. This is Esuf’s first season of circuit racing and he is radically improving each time out especially only having his first test in a
Calvin Ming with his car and trophies. (calvin ming facebook) Radical back in December. He comes from a drag racing background with the Barbados Association of Dragsters & Drifters, with achieving the fastest ¼ mile times in his EVO IX back in 2013 & ’14 before moving onto a 3rd place finish in the Karting Association BKA 125 Shifter Class in Barbados in ’15.
He must’ve been blessed because in his debut race, he claimed top spot with # 86, Mark Maloney and # 22, Sean Maloney of Barbados rounding out the podium with # 10, Calvin Ming of Guyana debuting in 4th place. The reigning Radical champion, # 22, Sean Maloney, hand a ding dong battle with the rest of the
Forrester century gives GCC comfortable win
competitors before he narrowly polished them off and was victorious in Race 2. Sean Maloney is the lesser known of the Maloney’s, even though, he is not seen in action as much as brothers Mark & Stuart, mostly in cars. Sean Maloney is just as competitive. He used to drive a Hyundai Scoupe (also rallied by Stuart) in the first couple of Rally Sprint seasons at Vaucluse Raceway in the early 2000’s then he won at Old Bushy Park in a Toyota Starlet. In Karting, he was the BKA’s 125 Shifter Kart Champion for his first season in 2004, finishing year-end runner-up in the class in ’05 & ’09. He also competes in a Z-Cars Mini, powered by a rear-mounted Suzuki Hyabusa engine. Race 2 finishers were #10 Calvin Ming followed by 3rd place, # 7 David Simpson of Barbados with # 86 Mark Maloney rounding out the top 4. The final race for Day One, saw # 22 Sean Maloney continuing his dominance on home asphalt by winning again followed by # 10 Calvin Ming and # 86 Mark Maloney improving from his earlier 4th place finish whilst # 7 David Simpson dropped a spot this time around. Quite possibly the tallest racer in motorsports at 6’7, # 17 Jack Manchester of England bowed out with damage to his Radical in race 1. Then, there was Day Two for another 3 races on hand.
In qualifying, # 10 Calvin Ming scorched out an impressive lap time of 58.869 (possibly a track record) to start on the pole. However, he was pressured by the Maloney family and ultimately was pitch forked into a 4th place finish. The win was claimed by # 22 Sean Maloney, 2nd was # 16 Stuart Maloney and rounding out the podium was # 86 Mark Maloney. Race 2, # 10, Calvin Ming re-grouped and claimed the coveted prize by winning in style in his 5th race in his white and green Radical. Calvin Ming of Guyana is no stranger to racing. In fact, he is following in the footsteps of his successful father, Stanly who is a multiple race winner in motorsports (4 and 2 wheels). Calvin started racing Karts at the age of 6 at the Cosmos track in Georgetown before tackling the ‘Circuit’ at South Dakota, Guyana where he won the Shifter Kart title in ’2012. In ‘2015, he claimed his 1st Stateside race win in Karts. In a different race series, he finished on the podium in his debut weekend racing in the US FF1600 finals. But, Sunday, in race # 2, He was closely followed by 2nd place finisher, # 22, Sean Maloney then, 3rd was # 16 Stuart Maloney, whilst Saturday’s winner # 14 Suleman Esuf rebounded for a 4th place finish. Final race of the day and the 6th this opening weekend
of the Radical Series, # 10 Calvin Ming continued his winning streak by winning consecutive races. This time, he was able to finish ahead of the Maloney’s. Second was claimed by # 86 Mark Maloney followed by # 22 Sean Maloney and just missing the podium was # 16 Stuart Maloney. This was an extremely exciting race weekend because it seems there is no space for errors because these machines are so closely matched that on any given race, anyone can come out a winner. The field is loaded with talent and the rest of the races can only get better if this weekend was any indication. See complete results below:
Two of Guyana’s young hockey stars invited to play in England Leon Williams Winston Forrester slammed a fine century as Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) defeated University of Guyana (UG) by 78 runs when t h e G e o r g e t o w n Cricket Association/New Building Society second division 40-over tournament continued on Sunday. Forrester and Manny Forde set the tone for a challenging total with an opening stand of 94 after GCC decided to bat at Bourda. Following the demise of Forde, caught off Dennis Heywood for 24, Forrester who timed the ball
From Left Winston Forrester, Steffan Wilson and Martin Pestano Belle well shared in second wicket stand of 116 with Martin Pestano Belle to further frustrate the visitors. Forrester struck twelve fours and four sixes before he was caught off Heywood for a fluent 124 while Belle hammered five fours and two sixes in scoring 79. Devon Lord chipped in with an unbeaten 26 as GCC rattled up 270-4; Heywood finished with 2-44. UG lost an early wicket in reply, but Leon Williams and Mahendra Persaud featured in a second wicket stand of 74 to stabilise the
chase. Williams played some handsome shots, hitting five fours before he fell for 52 while Persaud who hit one four and a six made 34. Left arm spinner Steffan Wilson then picked up a few quick wickets before Dwayne Dudson and Pravendralall Persaud (11) added 51 for the seventh wicket. Dudson remained unbeaten 44 with five fours while Lloyd George was not out on 15 as UG finished on 192-7. Wilson captured 4-36 from eight overs. (Zaheer Mohamed)
Two of Guyana’s exceptionally talented national players, Jamaarj Assanah and Aroydy Branford, have been invited to play for the Bishop’s Stortford Hockey Club in the East Men’s Hockey league. The duo’s exploits were noted by Bishop’s Stortford’s coach, former Trinidad & Tobago International Albert Marcano, who made contact with the players through England based Guyanese International Marvin Dannett. Assanah has performed at a consistently high level for the past few years, winning numerous MVP awards on the local scene. Internationally, Assanah has been equally consistent; at the 2014 Indoor Pan American
Cup in Montevideo, Uruguay where he was Guyana’s most outstanding player, scoring seven (7) goals in five (5) matches to end the tournament as the second highest goal scorer. He was also part of the midfield setup that powered Guyana to a respectable 4th place finish at the Pan American Challenge, in Chicklayo, Peru last year, where their only two loses were penalty shoot-outs. Branford has also had an exceptional two-year run, where he spearheaded the junior national team to a record of 10 wins and 3 losses on their last two international tours. He has also added a creative flair to the senior na-
tional team and was part of Guyana’s historic Bronze medal winning team at the 2014 Indoor Pan American Cup. He lit up last year’s Pan American Challenge, in Peru scoring nine (9) goals in five (5) matches to end the tournament as the number two goal scorer. Once the pair’s visa applications are approved they will join the club for the second half of the 2015/2016 season. Branford is due to represent Guyana at the junior Pan American Championships scheduled for Toronto, Canada from May 20-28, while Assanah will be using the experience to prepare for upcoming senior international engagements.
Tuesday January 26, 2016
Kaieteur News
Page 33
NSC hosts Circle Tennis workshop at Kildonan
Participants share a moment just before a practical session. National Sport Commission took a major step in its quest to promote Circle Tennis with the staging of a workshop yesterday at the Kildonan Community Centre. The workshop attracted schools both primary and secondary from Crabwood Creek to Fyrish which includes Black Bush Polder. Ministry of Education Department of Sport, Sports Officer A Munroe said that the workshop signaled the beginning of a series of workshops to be held across Guyana leading up to a regional championship during this
50th Independence year celebration. In delivering the feature address, Munroe stated that this is the first clinic held under the theme ‘Circle Tennis’ taking the Game back to its Glory days. “During the 70s and 80s circle tennis was popular in Guyana, but for the last 1015 years we have seen tremendous decline. Our aim has always been to ensure that the excitement of playing circle tennis is felt right across the country, and that we have planned a number of tournaments for the year.” he added. “The NSC would be looking to send special
teams to the various regions between March and April not only to show case the sport but assist with setting up of sub associations and facilitate training ahead of the championships. National Sports Commission Board members Seon Erskine and Inga Henry were also present. Henry in her brief remark welcomed the participants and charged them to ensure the sport is played in the schools. The clinic was facilitated by Munroe with assistance from Michael Trotman, Marsha Wong and David Wren.
Meanwhile another workshop will be held on the East Bank of Demerara on Thursday January 28, at
the Timehri Red Ground (Hype Park Community Centre) commencing at 09:00hrs and will involved
school primary and secondary schools, clubs a n d r e l i g i o n organisations.
Entries and sponsors pour in for Port Mourant Turf Club Horserace meet A number of entries have been received already while a bevy of sponsors are already on board for the Port Mourant Turf Club grand one day horserace meet set for Sunday 7th February at the Club’s entity, Port Mourant, Corentyne, Berbice. With over $4M in cash, trophies and other incentives up for grabs in the seven race meet the entries columns
are filling up at a fast pace. The feature event is an open one and is for all horses imported in Guyana and locally bred. The distance is 5F and the winner is set to take home $700,000 and trophy. So far a number of top runners have already entered including Princess she’s not, Plum Plum, Storm Bird, Bigman Bass, Storm Mark and the newly imported
American Boss of the Jumbo Jet stable. The G and lower race over 6.5Ffor for a winning pocket of $300,000 and trophy has the early entries as Rosetta, Chelsea, B i r d m a n , C o m p r a d o r, Settling Star and Bridle Stone Corner. The H1 and lower event already has the likes of Midnight Blues, Goldikova, (Continued on page 27)
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Kaieteur News
Tuesday January 26, 2016
Albion Cricket Club crowned Elizabeth Styles Under-19 champs Balchand Baldeo was outstanding National under-19 allrounder Balchand Baldeo single-handedly led the mighty Albion Cricket Club to a massive eight wicket win over Port Mourant in the final of the Elizabeth Styles Under-19 Cricket Competition for teams in Berbice. The match, which was played last Saturday in hot sunshine at the historic Albion Sports Complex, saw Port Mourant winning the toss and taking first strike. The decision backfired as they lost early wickets and never recovered. Only Berbice youth player Dimitri Cameron with 26 offered any resistance against a quality all spin Albion attack ending on 127 all out. Berbice off spinner Daniel Lewis was the leading bowler with 3 for 18. He received solid support from national youth player Sharaz Ramcharran with 2 wickets for 4 runs, rising star David Latchaya 2 for 14 and
The winning Albion team take a victory pose with representative of the sponsor, Bissoondyal Singh (left) and BCB representative, Vicky Bharosay. another youth player Balchand Baldeo with 2 for 8. In reply, Albion lost Adrian Sukhwa for 0 but that did not cause panic in their camp as Sharaz Ramcharran joined Baldeo before Ramcharran went for a well played 37. Baldeo ended on 71 not out to cap a good allround performance, earning him the man of the match award. David Latchaya was
unbeaten on 17 as the champions ended on 129 for 2. At the presentation ceremony held immediately after the game, Vicky Bharosay, speaking on behalf of the Berbice Cricket Board, thanked Elizabeth Styles for their continued support and for staying the course with the BCB in very difficult times. He added that without
their sponsorships and others, it would have been very difficult for the board to continue to fulfill its mandate and play cricket at all levels. He thanked Mr. Bissoondyal Singh for negotiating with Elizabeth Styles USA and for securing the sponsorship. Bharosay said that this competition played a great role in the continued success
of Berbice cricket and even contributed to the success of Guyana under-19 team in the 2015 regional youth tournament. Speaking on behalf of the s p o n s o r, o n e o f t h e distributors in Guyana and proprietor of Bissan’s Trading Mr. Bissoondyal Singh said tha t t h e sponsors are very much contented with the way the BCB has managed the
tournament. Singh thanked the players for supporting the products manufactured by Elizabeth Styles and urged that they continue to do so. Elizabeth Styles has many distributors across the United States, the Caribbean, Latin America, South America and Africa. The USA based company will be renewing this sponsorship for 2016.
Raonic shocks Wawrinka, qualifier Zhang rolls on
China’s Zhang Shuai (Reuters/Thomas Peter) M E L B O U R N E (Reuters) Milos Raonic struck a blow for the next generation of men’s tennis by flooring former champion Stan Wawrinka on Monday before China’s Zhang Shuai became the first qualifier to reach the Australian Open quarterfinals in more than 20 years. Second seed Andy Murray, returning to court
two days after his father-inlaw was rushed to hospital, hit back for the old guard in the evening session at Rod Laver Arena though, banishing Bernard Tomic, the last home hope in the singles. Murray’s win capped a banner day for Britain following Johanna Konta’s advance, giving the nation men’s and women’s singles
Gael Monfils goes airborne to save a point during his Australian Open match. (Getty Images) quarter-finalists at the same grand slam for the first time in nearly 40 years. Melbourne Park was rocked by corruption allegations on its opening day, and a week later, integrity fears returned as a former Australian professional player pleaded guilty to match-fixing at a Sydney court. Former world number
187 Nick Lindahl appeared in court just hours after a top global bookmaker suspended betting after heavy gambling on a mixed doubles match at Melbourne Park. The winning doubles pair dismissed suspicions over the match after being questioned by integrity officials. There was no
Canada’s Milos Raonic (Reuters/Jason Reed)
questioning the commitment of Raonic and Wawrinka as the pair slugged out a threehour 44-minute thriller in the day session on Rod Laver Arena. Long seen as a threat to the Novak Djokovic-led establishment, 25-year-old Raonic showed ice in his veins to fend off the 2014 champion 6-4 6-3 5-7 4-6 63 after the 30-year-old Swiss
roared back from two sets down. Unveiling an aggressive serve-volley game, Raonic fired 82 winners past the fourth seed to set up a second successive quarter-final at Melbourne Park. Having lost to Djokovic a year ago, he will be favourite against French showman Gael Monfils who (Continued on page 25)
Tuesday January 26, 2016
Kaieteur News
Page 35
Panthers pulverize Cardinals, to meet Broncos in Super Bowl (Reuters) The Carolina Panthers, led by all-around quarterback Cam Newton and a defence that forced seven turnovers, mauled the Arizona Cardinals 49-15 in Charlotte on Sunday to set up a Super Bowl 50 clash against the Denver Broncos. Newton ran for two scores, soaring above defenders at the goal line, and threw for two others to set off a victory party at Bank of America Stadium by reaching the Feb. 7 National Football League championship game outside San Francisco. Earlier, Denver and veteran quarterback Peyton Manning edged last year’s champion New England Patriots and their signal caller Tom Brady 20-18 for the AFC title. Carolina scored the first three times they touched the ball in seizing a 17-0 lead and led 24-7 at halftime, taking advantage of four turnovers by a shaky Arizona attack. Last week the faststarting Panthers raced to a
31-0 lead by intermission against the Seattle Seahawks in the Divisional Round before holding on for a 31-24 victory. Three more interceptions of beleaguered quarterback Carson Palmer, including one returned 21 yards for a touchdown by Luke Kuechly, and cool execution by Newton in the second half expanded the rout. “ We w a n t e d t o b e efficient, we wanted to start fast, wanted to keep the pressure on and wanted to finish, most of all,” Newton said after the game. Newton, who led the team to an NFL-best 15-1 record and is the favorite to claim league Most Valuable Player award, spoke to the team at halftime about playing hard to the end. “We won as a team. We came out here and fought our tails off, and we did what a lot of people said we couldn’t do,” Newton said. “It’s not over yet. We’ll be ready to go in two weeks.”
Newton completed 19 of 28 passes for 335 yards and added 47 yards on 10 rushes. P a l m e r, p r e s s u r e d continually by the Carolina
104.3/LABA’s first annual Mash Cup Competition set to launch February 07th Cash and Trophies are up for grabs as 104.3 Power FM in collaboration w i t h L i n d e n Amateur Basketball Association will launch their first annual Mashramani Basketball competition on February 07th at the McKenzie Sports Club Hard Court. According to CEO of 104.3FM, Haslyn Graham, the knockout competition will run over two weekends beginning on February 12th with the finals being played on February 27th, 2016. Graham said the reason being him hosting this competition is he realized that the performance of players have declined tremendously over the past few years due to the lack of support. “Being a Past President of LABA and CEO of 104.3 Power FM I believe it is the opportune time to combine my love and experience for the sport in hosting this competition. I do hope other
Haslyn Graham CEO 104.3 Power FM corporate companies will come on board.” Six teams will battle for the first prize of $100,000, 2nd Prize $50,000 and 3rd and 4th place $25,000 and $15,000 respectively. Trophies will also be
given to the Best Defence and Most valuable Player. The teams are Half Mile Bulls, Retrieve raiders, Victory Valley Royals, Amelia’s Ward Jets, Block 22 Flames and bankers Trust Falcons. (Jacquey Bourne)
pass rush, threw four interceptions and fumbled twice to provide the Panthers with six turnovers. Patrick Peterson fumbled a punt return in the second quarter f o r A r i z o n a ’s o t h e r giveaway. Arizona looked set to cut the Carolina advantage before halftime after Peterson intercepted an overthrown Newton pass and ran it back 72 yards. But Palmer tried to strike right back for a touchdown and was intercepted by Kurt
Coleman on the very next play to set back the Cardinals. “The interceptions. I think the big one was right before the half,” said Cardinals coach Bruce Arians. “After the punt fumble, we get the pick and then we throw a pick. I thought that was the change in the game. But give credit to Ron and his football team.” The seven turnovers by Arizona tied the most ever in an NFC championship set by
the 1978 Los Angeles Rams against the Dallas Cowboys, and helped Carolina reach their second Super Bowl after a 32-29 loss to the Patriots 12 years ago. “It hurts to lose like this, in this fashion,” said Cardinals veteran wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald, who was held to 30 yards receiving after gaining 176 yards last week against the Green Bay Packers. “We just didn’t have it today. That really stings.”
t r o Sp
Two of Guyana’s young hockey stars invited to play in England Jamaarj Assanah and Aroydy Branford
Stiff competition the order of the day at Bushy Park last weekend
Calvin Ming (centre) with the Maloney brothers on the podium after one of his victories. (calvin ming facebook)
Calvin Ming trails in second position during one of his races. (calvin ming facebook)
Teams for Unity Albion Cricket Club crowned Elizabeth Cricket announced Styles Under-19 champs E’bo name softball squad Printed and published by National Media & Publishing Company Limited, 24 Saffon St.Charlestown, Georgetown.Tel: 225-8465, 225-8491 or Fax: 225-8473/ 226-8210