Kaieteur News

Online readership yesterday 116,026

July 22, 2014 - Vol. 7 No. 29 - Price $80

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Guyana’s largest selling daily & New York’s most popular weekly

Where are the $800M pumps?

Minister sings new tune ‘Jealous’ wife allegedly stabs partner to death

McKinnon was killed in his Plantain Walk home

DEAD: Curtis McKinnon

Suspected smuggler charged following shootout with GRA officers - granted $350,000 bail M’cony man No DNA testing at knifed to death, $1B forensic lab deportee held Govt. lacks foresight - AFC MP Deadline for $3.6B Hope Canal extended yet again...

Courtney Benn granted another

chance over delayed sluice works

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Kaieteur News

Tuesday July 22, 2014

Tuesday July 22, 2014

Kaieteur News

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No DNA testing at $1B forensic lab “If the government spent over $1B just to arrive at a ‘finished’ product that is not finished, it reflects a serious lack of foresight.”

That is the view expressed by Alliance For Change (AFC) Member of Parliament, Trevor Williams, when asked to comment on the fact that Guyana’s new forensic laboratory is not capable of DNA testing.

Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is a molecule that encodes the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known living organisms and many viruses. DNA is a nucleic acid; alongside proteins and carbohydrates, nucleic acids compose the three major macromolecules essential for all known forms of life.Wikipedia At the recent official commissioning ceremony of Guyana’s first “state of the art” forensic Science Laboratory valued some $1.05 million, Minister of Home Affairs Clement Rohee, said that President Donald Ramotar has ordered that soon there should be facilities to test for DNA at the lab.

He said that the Ministry of Home Affairs will work assiduously to ensure that

- Govt. lacks foresight- AFC MP Sheema Mangar

this happens and already the Home Affairs Ministry is engaged in negotiations with the Inter American Development Bank.

But both parliamentary oppositional parties, A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and the AFC, are questioning what could have been the government’s point in spending that amount of money on a “state of the art” lab which lacks essential features.

Williams said that there have been numerous criminal cases that remain

open because of the need for DNA testing.

He contended that in bringing such a needed facility to Guyana, the best thing to do was to consult with stakeholders on what are the major functions that the lab needs. One of the major stakeholders in the lab would be the Guyana Police Force.

Ye s t e r d a y , A P N U Member of Parliament and former Commissioner of Police, Winston Felix, said that DNA touches every form of Human identity, “so of course it is one of the most

useful facilities needed at a forensic lab.”

He said that one is left to wonder “why not ensure that this is available.”

According to Felix, Guyana’s Crime fighting unit is now no better than where it was. “I am sure that Guyanese would have imagined an upgrade…This is almost a waste of time.”

As he pointed to the “long” period of time that the government had to contemplate, Felix said, “I think that in building a lab, one would have taken into account the inabilities of the previous systems. It is pointless restricting the lab to limited functionalities.”

T h e f o r m e r Commissioner of Police added, “In Crime solving we must be able to say who is who.”

He said that the idea is a good one; that it ought to have been thought out to make sure that Guyana really got an upgrade as opposed to just another facility of the same kind.

It has been public opinion that the new lab is no different from the police

NDIA’s fraud allegations...

AG’s report to be ready by next week The long awaited Auditor General’s report on alleged corrupt practices at the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) is expected to be completed by next week with appropriate actions to follow, assures Dharamkumar Seeraj, Chairman of NDIA’s Board.

According to Seeraj, a draft report has been completed. About two weeks ago Lionel Wordsworth, Chief Executive Officer of NDIA, who is at the centre of the investigations, was interviewed by Auditors attached to the Audit Office to rectify some issues raised during the investigations.

Seeraj said that he is not alarmed by the length of time the Audit Office took to complete investigations and compile the final report, since it is a special audit rather than the routine audit.

He explained that much information about the investigations has not been released to him since it was

only when he inquired of the report, Wordsworth told him of the interview.

In 2012, NDIA’s then Field Auditor compiled a report accusing Wordsworth and the Senior Section Engineer, Aneel Chowbay of being involved in corrupt practices. The Field Auditor recommended the duo’s dismissal. That report was leaked to the media.

The report was addressed to Seeraj in his capacity as Chairman of the Board and carbon copied to President Donald Ramotar. The report speaks of conflict of interest and sole sourcing of services, such as the supply of fuel and the awarding of contracts to relatives of senior NDIA operatives, in breach of national procurement procedures.

NDIA deemed the report as mischievous, misleading and aimed at damaging the image of the Authority for personal gains and aspirations. Because the auditor skipped protocol by

sending the damning report to Ramotar he was subsequently sent on leave.

Chowbay is no longer employed with NDIA. In November 2012, Seeraj told this publication that there were procedural breaches at the entity.

However, the Audit Office would have to determine if those breaches and other malpractices could be classified as corruption, he added.

According to the Chairman, once the report shows that someone deliberately attempted to fraud the Authority for personal gains, that person will be fired. However, if there are managerial mistakes, the culpable managers would be disciplined.

Nonetheless, it should be noted that mistakes do occur and the report would allow the board to correct those mistakes, he said.

Seeraj boasted that NDIA has already taken

Dharamkumar Seeraj, Chairman of NDIA’s Board steps to improve its accountability. He said that NDIA’s finances are now delinked from the Ministry of Agriculture. For years the Auditor General has been recommending that NDIA must take control of its own finances.

According to Seeraj, when NDIA was created the agency was expected to be semi-autonomous but capacity building and appropriate accounting software were necessary.

After hiring additional staff, training of existing personnel and acquisition of accounting software, NDIA is in control of its own finances.

crime lab. Forensic samples for a number of cases, including murders and last year ’s plane crash at Sparendaam, East Coast Demerara, have been delivered to a lab in Brasilia, Brazil since February.

This was according to Crime Chief Seelall Persaud, who seemed confident that the wait for the results would not have been long.

But a month ago, Kaieteur News was told that the results are still to be received. Recent efforts to ascertain whether this remained the same, proved futile.

This publication understands that there were samples for about 12 cases, including the rape/murder of 9 0 - y e a r- o l d M i l l i c e n t Prince-Cummings and the plane crash that claimed the lives of two foreigners, Pierre Angiel, a 71 year old American pilot and a 54year-old Canadian engineer Nick Dmitriev in April last year. In the latter case, the police are looking to confirm the identity of one of the men who was burnt beyond recognition Seelall had told the media that forensic analysis complements the work of detectives and he had cited cases in the US solved on forensic analysis alone.

Guyana has entered into a new agreement to send samples to Brazil after trying other labs in Barbados and Jamaica but these did not turn out too well.

J a m a i c a ’s d e l a y i n delivering the DNA results for the Lindo creek miners spoiled relations there.

Jamaica received the samples in 2008 not long after the suspected remains of the men were found. The bodies were badly burnt and were unidentifiable in the state that they were found in.

The results were never available until 2012.

The case of the murdered Demerara Bank employee,

Millicent Prince-Cummings Sheema Mangar, is another that needed forensic intervention.

Mangar was dragged to her death by a car in which the man who had snatched her Blackberry phone was escaping. Her mother, Radica Thakoor, has given up hope that local police will solve the case.

Police had impounded two cars which crime scene technicians examined for evidence that could connect them to the crime scene or the victim.

On one vehicle a piece of broken hair was found while on the other vehicle a piece of green fabric was recovered. A red spot was also identified on one vehicle and was collected as a suspected blood stain.

Senior officials of the Guyana Police Force assured the victim’s family that the Barbados laboratory had promised to deliver the DNA results by January 2012. That deadline was not met and the results came over a month later.

Mangar’s killer was never identified.

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Kaieteur News

Tuesday July 22, 2014

Suspected smuggler Guyana adopts new surveillance charged following shootout technology for aircraft tracking with GRA officers

A

n East Coast Demerara businessman who was labeled a major smuggler by the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) was yesterday released on $350,000 bail by Magistrate Sueanna Lovell when he appeared before her charged with Discharging a Loaded Firearm with Intent.

Harilall Motielall, 53, popularly called Jinga Harry, is accused of shooting at GRA officers last Wednesday night when they intercepted a convoy of minibuses loaded with illegally imported chicken at Dundee, Mahaicony.

It is alleged that Motielall and others, using an AK-47 and other small arms, opened fire on the Customs officers, injuring one of them.

P o l i c e p r o s e c u t o r, Corporal Sheril Graham had objected to bail on the grounds that the offence was very serious in nature.

She told the court that the

- granted $350,000 bail GRA officers who were conducting a surveillance exercise based on intelligence received, had intercepted three mini buses containing 150 boxes of chicken for which no customs papers could be produced, The prosecution’s facts are that the officers had taken possession of the keys for the vehicles and the cell phones of the occupants were seized when Motielall himself and three accomplices pulled up in a grey Toyota Allion motor car.

The men exited and opened fire in the direction of the GRA officials.

The officers were forced to retreat and take cover, while the men who were detained with the smuggled chicken escaped in several waiting motor vehicles.

When the dust settled, the motor vehicle used by the

GRA officials to conduct the exercise was badly riddled with bullets, In the process, one of the GRA officers was wounded in his stomach and had to receive treatment at a city hospital.

Also, during the 10minute barrage, a resident Yogeshwar Singh was grazed by a bullet as he peered through his window to see what was taking place.

Motielall was subsequently arrested and was positively identified by the GRA officials.

In court yesterday, Motielall’s Attorney Kim Kyte John, arguing for his pre trial liberty stated that her client was not charged with illegal possession of a firearm.

In fact, except for spent shells recovered at the scene of the shootout and the statement from witnesses, the police have not found any weapons that were allegedly used.

The Attorney assured the court that her client is not a flight risk and he would return to court to stand trial.

Magistrate Lovell accepted her argument and set bail in the sum mentioned. She ordered that Motielall surrender his passport to the authorities.

The matter was adjourned to September 1.

A simple illustration of how ADS-B works By: Zena Henry Local aviation is expected to be significantly improved as the sector’s operators have commenced the implementation of new aircraft surveillance/tracking system. By next year, the Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) is expected to be fully incorporated within the local air traffic control system, but the system’s potential will be established over time.

Kaieteur News understands that testing of the US$500,000 surveillance system commenced last Friday in the country’s upper airspace. This involves the tracking of aircraft flying above 24,000 feet.

ADS-B is a cooperative surveillance technology for tracking aircraft. The system allows the aircraft to determine its own position via satellite navigation and periodically broadcast it.

The information from the aircraft can be received by air traffic control ground stations as a replacement for secondary radar.

It can also be received by other aircraft to provide situational awareness and

allow self separation.

Secondary Surveillance Radar (SSR) is a radar system used in Air Traffic Control (ATC) that not only detects and measures the position of aircraft; range and bearing, but also requests additional information from the aircraft itself such as its identity and altitude.

Initially, Guyana had none of the monitoring systems in place since -like other developing aviation sectors in the region- it was believed that the volume of air traffic was not available.

The control of air traffic (aircraft) was previously done by a timing system and radio contact among other measures. This means that aircraft would travel the airspace at particular time separations.

The new system will however, accommodate several aircraft in the sky at a time since all relevant parties; ATCOs and pilots would know the exact position of every craft. The tracking system is said to be an integrated one that also accommodates controllerp i l o t d a t a l i n k communications (CPDLC).

Head of the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA)

Zulphicar Mohamed told Kaieteur News yesterday that the new system will be implemented although at this stage the necessary testing is being done.

He said that additional equipment is expected to be in the country soon to completely set up the apparatus. Subsequent to that, the necessary training of ATCOs will also commence.

Mohamed said that apart from increased air traffic, the system will reduce separation and it is also cheaper than the widely used radar system. The tracking system is approved and recommended by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

While the system is being used and is mandatory in several developed countries the ADS-B system is fairly new. According to research information, ADS-B, which consists of two different services, “ADS-B Out” and “ADS-B In” could be replacing radar as the primary surveillance method for controlling aircraft worldwide.

The In system allows a pilot to view traffic information about surrounding aircraft; altitude, heading, speed and distance.

It makes flying significantly safer for the aviation community by providing pilots with improved situational awareness.

Pilots in an ADS-B equipped cockpit will have the ability to see, on their incockpit flight display, other traffic operating in the airspace as well as be able to access clear and detailed weather information.

Tuesday July 22, 2014

Kaieteur News

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Kaieteur News

Tuesday July 22, 2014

Bodies leave Ukraine crash site for return to Netherlands

Members of a forensic team inspect the remains of victims from the downed Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17, at a railway station in the eastern Ukrainian town of Torez July 21, 2014. (REUTERS/Maxim Zmeyev) (Reuters) - A train carrying the remains of most of the almost 300 victims of the Malaysia Airlines plane downed over Ukraine left the site yesterday, after the Malaysian Prime Minister reached a deal with the leader of pro-Russian separatists controlling the area.

The aircraft’s black boxes, which could hold information about the crash in rebel-held eastern Ukraine, will be given to the Malaysian authorities, Prime Minister Najib Razak said, indicating he had bypassed Kiev, which has

lost control of much of the east.

At the United Nations, the Security Council unanimously adopted a resolution demanding those responsible “be held to account and that all states cooperate fully with efforts to establish accountability”.

It also demanded that armed groups allow “safe, secure, full and unrestricted access” to the crash site.

The expected handover of the bodies and the black boxes, and reports by international investigators of

improved access to the wreckage of the airliner four days after it was shot down, takes place against calls for broader sanctions against Russia for its support for the rebellion, though Western leaders are struggling to agree a united response.

The Malaysian leader said he had reached an agreement with the separatists for recovered bodies to be handed over to the authorities in the Netherlands, where the largest number of victims came from.

(Reuters) - For all the tough talk, Europe is unlikely to punish Russia over last week’s downing of an airliner over Ukraine beyond speeding up the imposition of already agreed individual sanctions when the bloc’s foreign ministers meet today.

The severity of future European Union sanctions could depend on the Netherlands, which suffered the greatest loss of life when the Malaysia Airlines flight was brought down.

U.S. President Barack Obama has piled pressure on Europe for a more forceful response, and the three leading EU powers - Britain, France and Germany - said they should be ready to ratchet up sanctions.

But demonstrating the difficulty of getting agreement from 28 member states, London clashed with Paris over France’s decision to press ahead with the sale of warships to Russia.

British Prime Minister David Cameron said yesterday such an order had become “unthinkable”.

“We need to put the pressure on with all our

partners to say that we cannot go on doing business as usual with a country when it is behaving in this way,” Cameron said.

He also said the European Union should consider hardhitting economic sanctions and that Russia could not expect access to European markets, capital and technical expertise. Diplomats said today’s meeting in Brussels was still not expected to go much further than agreeing on the people and possibly companies to be hit with asset freezes under a more aggressive framework agreed last week. Previously, they had only said they would decide on the list by the end of July.

Several diplomats said moving towards more sweeping economic sanctions could only be decided by heads of government. The attitude of the Netherlands, which lost 193 people in the incident, would be critical, the diplomats said.

“The impulse must come from The Hague because they have the moral mandate to demand a resolute, firm

reaction. Everything depends on that,” one EU diplomat said on condition of anonymity.

“I think the events will serve to speed up sanctions, but as long as no new European council (of leaders) is called, ministers cannot go further even if they want to,” another EU diplomat said.

The next scheduled summit of EU leaders is on Aug. 30, though EU members could call for another emergency meeting.

A summit of EU leaders on July 16, the day before the airliner was shot down, agreed the EU would punish Russian companies that help to destabilize Ukraine and block new loans to Russia.

The wording was deliberately vague as the meeting agreed to target “entities, including from the Russian Federation, that are materially or financially supporting actions undermining or threatening Ukraine’s sovereignty”.

Adding companies to any sanctions list is more complicated than naming individuals because of the risk of legal challenges.

EU meeting set to speed, not deepen, sanctions on Russia

Tuesday July 22, 2014

Kaieteur News

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HIGHLY UNUSUAL There used to be a time in certain workplaces when it was a standard policy to prohibit the employment of more than one person from a family or household.

For example, up to the early 1970’s it was not allowed for a husband and a wife to be employed at the same time in Banks.

And if per chance you happened to be single, worked at a bank and then married one of the employees of that bank, one of the two would have had to resign immediately.

Husband and wife were not allowed in those days to be employed at the same time.

Today, with the emphasis on equal opportunity, there has been a modification of this policy worldwide. Today the general policy is that members of a family or household should not be employed in the same department. Nor should one person from a household be allowed to have any supervision or reporting responsibility at the workplace to another member of that household.

Today therefore it is not unusual to find husband and wife, mother and daughter, mother and son, father and son and even father and sonin- law being employed in the

Dem boys seh...

Ram Sammy can’t find de pump There is an old saying that thief from thief mek God laugh.

De same thing mek Satan cry. But dem boys seh that three Trinidad thief man mek Bobby de earthly Satan, get diarrhea.

He wake up Monday morning and he get de news that some Trini thief ee binni plus cash. Dem boys gun pray that people continue to thief from he and all de Bees. And dem nuff and dem got nuff nuff.

This list include de Hana Rebel, Rob de Earth, Irfaat and de Shaat scamp. Brazzy, that fat crook, is a Bee and he got li’l less than de Rat. Rob de Earth tek plenty money fuh buy nuff pump from India. Donald move he de same time and put Ram Sammy fuh deal wid de pump. But he need a good pumping heself.

Rob de Earth de young and he been pumping from small.

Everybody know that. Tool See, de pump man, teach him.

Now Ram Sammy mek people believe that no pump nevah come. He buss dem bag suh dem boys want to know wheh de pump money deh—wheh dem pump all de money.

Ram Sammy also got to talk bout de Skeldon money and de Enmore money and de Hope Canal money. He wasn’t there when none of dem thing start build but since he tek over dem still pumping money into all.

Dem boys seh that nuff of de money don’t even guh wheh it suppose to and wid all de pumping people in de loop does collect.

Ram Sammy know that he can’t pump but he singing. He start a nice tune bout dem pump. One time he claim how de pump coming pun a barge and going to Patentia. Now he singing that de pump never come.

When de money deh? And Is nuff, nuff money.

Talk half and look fuh dem pump man from India.

same institution. But it is not likely, unless we are dealing with a family-owned business, for members of a household to be employed in the same department.

In as much as you can have more than one member of a household employed within an institution, it is highly unusual for there to be a situation in which there are father and children as well as nephews and nieces all employed at the same time in the same company.

This is bound to raise eyebrows more especially when the business is a public corporation and the father happens to be the top honcho.

It is highly unusual for there to be a situation in which father, sons and other relatives are employed at the same time in one public company. This is not your usual situation. Therefore in as much as the Head of the Guyana Revenue Authority may have been upset that a member of the National Assembly raised this issue, he must be appreciative of the unusual nature of so many members of his family being employed at the same time in the company that he heads.

We are assured, of course, that no special treatment was or is being afforded the children and relatives of the Head of the Guyana Revenue Authority. We are assured also that the individuals are

qualified for the positions they hold. And this is very good to learn. But this is not the issue at hand. The issue and hand was whether those persons would have been employed by virtue of their father or uncle being the head person of the Guyana Revenue Authority. This is the issue.

We are told that this is not so since there was an independent interviewing panel and because of the fact that the Board of Directors is required to confirm all appointments made. Well, these issues need clarifying.

And it would be much better if the clarification originates from a source other than an interested party.

In other words, some other personnel, other than the Head of the GRA, should respond to the concerns since the GRA Head has an obvious interest in this matter.

We are told there was no favouritism in the employment of the relatives of the Head of the GRA. We are told that an independent panel handled the interviews.

Well independent of whom?

Was it independent of the Guyana Revenue Authority?

Were the members of the interviewing panel drawn from outside of the Guyana Revenue Authority?

They ought to have been because even though the Head of the GRA may not have been involved in the

interviews, his position alone could have injected an element of influence in the process. Those from within the GRA who had to do the interviews would have been conscious that they were dealing with their boss’ relatives.

This alone theoretically could have induced bias into the process. It may not have, but it could have.

I do not think that years after persons would have been employed that it would be fair for them to be asked to leave because of their

relationship to the Head of the Guyana Revenue Authority.

But it should encourage the development of some policy to deal with similar situations in the future because it is quite unusual for so many members however qualified they may be, to be employed in the same government corporation at the same time.

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Kaieteur News

Tuesday July 22, 2014

=== The Freddie Kissoon column ===

Thank God, the Stabroek News has said it too!

Twice I wrote in these columns (may be more times) including as late as last week, that if a no-confidence is passed by Parliament, the Executive (the Presidency) will ignore it and will continue to rule without new elections.

I wrote that opinion based on my analysis of the PPP in power since the reign of Bharrat Jagdeo.

I first penned that view early in 2013. Since then no citizen in or out of Guyana, has seen the need to publicly opine that the PPP will ignore

a no-confidence vote Now last Sunday, the Stabroek News as represented by its Sunday editorial observed; “…one suspects that the Government’s AttorneyGeneral will be asked to court around for legal impediments to acting on any noconfidence motion, should one be passed…The aim will be to find some kind of patina of legitimacy to justify ignoring it.”

So there you have it. One of Guyana’s most influential stakeholders holds the

position that a successful noconfidence passage in the House may not see a presidential resignation and new elections.

Stabroek News gave as its reasons, the past history of the PPP (in power). It does not take a professorship in philosophy to see what is taking place in Guyana is extreme power obsession.

It may have begun with Bharrat Jagdeo but make no mistake, if Cheddi and Janet Jagan had remained alive and in power, they would not have given up power if pressured by a no-confidence motion.

This is not to say that Burnham would have done it.

The man who did was Desmond Hoyte.

This action by Hoyte forms the basis for part two (forthcoming) of my analysis titled, “Hoyte was one of the best leaders in the postcolonial world.”

This has been the nature of the PPP all along (these past sixty years). And this will

be the nature of the PPP until it loses power. Only two persons in Guyanese history understood this chemistry of the PPP – Forbes Burnham and Hamilton Green.

Jagan rigged his own internal elections to weaken Balram Singh Rai. He rigged successive congressional elections to make sure his candidates were in the leadership.

Cheddi Jagan lost an election in 1964, and called a national wide strike by GAWU to protest the coalition between the other parties to form the government, something that is quiet normal in politics around the world since WW2.

The action resulted in terrible violent mayhem perpetrated by both the PPP and PNC. It is no accident that the PPP has not accepted even one motion composed by the Parliament of Guyana.

Not the Opposition Parliament (there is no such thing) but the Guyana Parliament. What the PPP has told every citizen is that the presidency is a national office and that President Ramotar is the President of all Guyana but the Parliament is a

partisan institution controlled by the Opposition.

By some incredible, acrobatic logic, President Ramotar belongs to no political party, has no affiliation to any political party and stands above partisan and party politics.

But the Office of the Opposition Leader is not a national institution but a narrow political organization because after all, the Opposition Leader is the leader of the PNC. This abject absurdity this country lives with every day accepts it every day and will continue to endure it if even there is a no-confidence motion. The no-confidence motion may be a phenomenal piece of strategizing by the AFC. The PNC cannot be that naïve not to see the positive implications. The AFC is afraid to go into the streets for fear of giving the PPP a race weapon to beat the AFC with.

The PNC is being blackmailed by the PPP because of fear of being branded as violent people who want to target Indians.

The PPP ignoring a noconfidence motion gives the AFC a water-proof motive for telling Indians why they are

Frederick Kissoon taking to the streets - the government is illegal in power and therefore hasn’t got the authority to govern therefore such protest becomes the only method of forcing them out. But the PNC has greater reasons for going into the streets. PNC constituencies lost power by its party conceding a free poll in 1992.

How can the PNC tell its hundreds of thousands of supporters, including children, that it cannot do anything about an illegal government?

And make no mistake once the motion is passed and elections aren’t called three months after, the presidency becomes untenable.

And make no mistake, once the motion is successful, the PPP will resist it and then Macbeth’s witches come into play.

Tuesday July 22, 2014

Kaieteur News

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Teenage bandit remanded for GuySuCo field foreman’s murder Residents in Berbice are showering praise on the C o m m a n d e r, A s s i s t a n t Commissioner Brian Joseph and his investigators, in the division for their diligent and efficient method in which they were able to investigate and solve a murder which occurred a few days ago.

A teen has since been arrested and charged with the capital offence.

The teenager Vishal Michael Edwards, called “Uncle Roy”, 19, of No 77 Village Housing Scheme and of Lot 450, Church Street No78 Village, Corriverton

Berbice, appeared on Monday before Magistrate Rabindranauth Singh at the Whim Magistrate’s Court.

He was not required to plead to the indictable charge of murder.

He is accused of between July 14 and July15, last, at No 78 Village Corriverton murdered Ravindranauth Tirkha, 53, called ‘Engine,’ a field foreman of the Skeldon Estate and of Lot 498 Block 16 Line Path, Corentyne.

The suspect, a labourer, is said to have colluded with a sex worker to lure Tirkha to the area where they robbed

and strangled him.

The police had interviewed a number of persons. Their interrogation led them to a bar at which the now dead field foreman was drinking. The bartender had indicated that she had indeed spoken to the man, and that he had solicited a known sex worker, with whom he left.

It was later learnt by investigators that the murder accused who lived at the same address with the sex worker, hatched a plan with the sex worker to lure Tirkha to the Springlands boat landing and relieve him of

his valuables.

On reaching the area, the teen allegedly robbed and strangled his victim. Tirkha, was found some time around 05:30 hrs last Tuesday lying face-down near a popular ‘backtrack’ route, with blood oozing from his nostrils.

His money, a gold band worth $200,000, his identification card and Automated Teller Machine (ATM) card were missing.

Tirkha’s wife, Mala, had stated that he had left home around 18:30 hrs to go to a function at the Estate. After he failed to return home by

Accused: Vishal Michael Edwards

Murdered: Ravindranauth Tirkha

19:00 hrs as promised, she made several calls to his phone, but got no response.

His lifeless body was subsequently found the following morning.

According to reports, during interrogation by investigators, the teen

confessed to killing the man and stealing his personal items.

The matter has been transferred to the Springlands Magistrate’s court for a hearing on August 8, next. He was unrepresented.

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Kaieteur News

Tuesday July 22, 2014

GECOM directs registration of non-resident voters The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) has seemingly upped the ante in its preparedness to host General Elections. It is now gearing to prepare a list of non-resident voters.

According to a Notice published by GECOM and signed by its Chairman, Dr. S t e v e S u r u j b a l l y, t h e Commissioner of Registration is directed by the Elections Commission to prepare the non-resident electors’ roll from the central register.

The preliminary results of the most recent census, recently released by the Guyana National Bureau of Standards revealed that many people have migrated or relocated.

The directive by GECOM directs that the preliminary list for the elections be prepared.

That notice, signed by Dr. Surujbally, outlined that in pursuance of the powers conferred on the Elections Commission by sections 14

of the National Registration Act, Chapter 19:08, the Commissioner of Registration is directed by the Commission to prepare a preliminary list.

The preliminary list is taken from the central register established under section nine (1) of the National Registration Act. The list contains entries, records of the full names, addresses, occupations and serial numbers of registration records of every person, who is qualified for registration with reference to the October 31, 2014 as an elector for elections to the National Assembly and the Regional Democratic Council.

On Friday, the Alliance For Change (AFC) delivered a letter to President Donald Ramotar, outlining its intent of issuing a No Confidence Motion against Government.

According to the letter, the AFC sees no other alternative than to proceed

with this constitutional mechanism “for removal of an unpopular Government that has ceased to enjoy the confidence of the National Assembly.”

The AFC accused the G o v e r n m e n t o f demonstrating unlawful and contemptuous actions and showing disregard for the Supreme Law of the Country.

The ‘action’ being referred to, is the spending

by Finance Minister Dr. Ashni Singh of $4.5B of the $30B that was disapproved by the combined opposition in the 2014 Budget.

The Finance Minister then went ahead and took the monies from the Consolidated Fund without the approval of Parliament.

The Constitutional Fund is the Fund “into which all public monies are placed and out of which all public expenditure should be met, only on the authority of Parliament.”

The Minister, in

GECOM Chairman, Dr. Steve Surujbally

justifying the legitimacy of the $4.5B expenditure, pointed to Article 218 (3B) of the Guyana Constitution which reads: “If in respect of any financial year it is found that any moneys have been expended for any purpose in excess of the amount appropriated for that p u r p o s e b y t h e Appropriation Act, or for a

PPP concerned with “deficiencies” in GECOM - says Rohee T

h e P e o p l e ’s Progressive Party w h i c h i s apparently putting itself in elections mode, has of recent been outlining several factors or areas of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) which the party is deeming as “deficient.”

General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), Clement Rohee, in his press briefing last week outlined that the PPP is concerned “over the amount of critical vacancies existing at GECOM, and calls on the Commissioner to expedite its efforts on recruiting qualified and experienced persons to fill these vacancies through a transparent and impartial recruitment process.”

Rohee had said, “It is our view that the commission members should be consulted and involved in this process since we have expressed our dissatisfaction time and again on the recruitment process of GECOM.” He is now contending that there are a number of critical Information Technology (IT) vacancies at GECOM and those positions have been “vacant for a considerable time without any significant effort being made by

GECOM to fill them.”

He said that the PPP is aware that the IT department lacks proper supervision and quality control due to there being no senior IT personnel or Manager.

According to Rohee his party is therefore concerned “over the validity of the data being entered into the National Register of Registrants Data Base (NRRDB), cognizant of the fact that the Preliminary Voters List (PVL) and subsequently the Final Voters List (FVL) will be extracted from the National Register of Registrants Data

Base (NRRDB).”

The PPP says that it is calling on GECOM to “urgently seek the valuable assistance of the International donor agencies to recruit competent IT personnel, including an IT Manager through a transparent recruitment process with all major stakeholders involved.”

Just recently the PPP had qualms over some 10,000 persons who they say are yet to be transferred especially those in the New Housing Schemes within Regions Two, Three, Four, Five and Six. This, the party has said,

is of concern since GECOM has set the claims and objections period to commence on August 4, 2014.

Rohee has said that mobile units ought “to be used in the new schemes on days and times convenient to residents as well as in the hinterland communities.”

Of additional concern to the PPP, Rohee detailed in his press briefing last week, is the proposed seven years expiration period for the validity of Identification Cards. “We are of the view that more consultations are (Continued on page 16)

purpose for which no amount has been appropriated by that Act, a supplementary estimate, or as the case may be, a statement of excess showing the sums required or spent shall be laid before the Assembly by the Minister responsible for finance or any other Minister designated by the President.”

This provision, Singh said, had been in the Constitution ever since 1 9 8 0 , a n d f u r t h e r, a Statement of Excess is not unknown to the political opposition, since over the past two years they would have approved at least 58.9 per cent of the amounts on three Statements of Excess that he has tabled as a result of the various budget cuts.

However, Ramjattan asserted in his letter to the President that the withdrawal from the Consolidated Fund was “unconstitutional” and “unauthorized.”

He said that it is the party’s belief that “such withdrawals as reported in Financial Paper #1 of 2014 are in clear contravention of Article 217 of the Constitution of the Republic of Guyana and Section 16 of the Fiscal Management and Accountability Act [FMAA].

Article 217 of the Constitution says, “All revenues or other moneys raised or received by Guyana (not being revenues or other moneys that are payable, by or under an Act of Parliament, into some other fund established for any specific purpose or that may, by or under an Act, be retained by the authority that received them for the purpose of defraying the expenses of that authority) shall be paid into and from one Consolidated Fund.”

While Section 16 of the FMAA outlines that “there shall be no expenditure of public moneys except in accordance with Article 217 of the Constitution.”

However, while the main o p p o s i t i o n p a r t y, A Partnership for National Unity, APNU remains “somewhat undecided,” on the issue.

Tuesday July 22, 2014

Kaieteur News

Page 13

Deadline for $3.6B Hope Canal extended yet again...

Courtney Benn granted another

chance over delayed sluice works

G

overnment has decided to keep working with Courtney Benn Contracting Services on a critical phase of the delayed $3.6B Hope Canal project.

Yesterday, it announced that yet another deadline has been set.

Appearing before the Parliamentary Sectoral Committee on Natural R e s o u r c e s y e s t e r d a y, Agriculture Minister, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy and his team of officials, said that the project is looking for completion in another seven weeks--by the end of September.

The project has been facing one delay after

Agri Minister, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy and senior officials updating a Parliamentary Committee. another with the Minister, earlier this month, indicating that a meeting was set to be held with the contractor to decide on the way forward.

Issues of penalties and even a possible pulling of the contract

had not been ruled out.

Government decided not to pull the project from Courtney Benn after considerations that finding another contractor will take time and cause the entire

project to go over budget.

In April 2011, Government announced that it had granted its “no objection” for the construction of a high level sluice outfall at the Atlantic

Investments in education yielding laudable results - Education Minister

‘

Ambition without action will yield no results’ is a notion that is being fully embraced by Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand.

According to the Education Minister, it was this very notion that has helped to propel the education sector, and by extension the country, to a better place today.

“If we did not invest in it (education) and all we did was say we’d like to see this happen; that we want to see that happen and we didn’t put the money there, it would not have happened. That is what is required, actual funding,” asserted Manickchand.

At the time Manickchand was addressing a gathering of stakeholders at the Lichas Hall in Linden on Friday.

She added that the evolution of education in Guyana has been one that saw the Ministry embracing “actions to meet our words, actions to meet our desires, actions to fulfil the promises that we make to the people...”

“We are very pleased to see this kind of growth in the sector,” said the Minister.

She said that investment has not only allowed for more trained teachers in the system, but has also helped to ensure equity in the delivery of education across the country.

She said that while the area of Mathematics still requires much attention, there was a noticeable improvement when the

Education Minister interacts with some education stakeholders in Linden results of the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) were released earlier this year.

This was characterised, the Minister said, by 45 per cent of the candidates, passing. There was also an improved English performance among candidates which translated to more than 50 per cent passes in the subject this year.

Growth in the system, Manickchand said, is reflected in the fact that students from various sections of the country are outperforming or performing on par with their Georgetown counterparts.

This development, she attributed, to the fact that resources are distributed throughout the country equitably, adding that “what Georgetown gets, Linden gets...If we give a child at St

Margaret’s (primary) five exercise books, a child in Linden gets five exercise books; if we give a (Georgetown) teacher chalk, cardboard and crayons, a teacher in Linden gets chalk, cardboard and crayons as well as the teacher in Mabaruma...”

It is this approach, the Minister said, that has therefore helped to guard against top performances coming from a concentrated section of the country.

“Back in the day you couldn’t dream of being in Linden and topping this country; you had to come from Stella Maris, or St Margaret’s...You had no hopes of your children topping the country, you had to come from one of those Georgetown schools because they had all the resources,” recounted the Minister.

But improved performances are not only seen at the primary level.

Manickchand said that the secondary level performances reflect a similar trend.

“From 2008 all the way to 2013 (and I hope it can be true for this year too), except for 2010, every single year a Guyanese student topped, not only Guyana but the Caribbean, at CXC (Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate examination).”

She reminded the attentive gathering in the Lichas Hall that Guyana was able to claim five of eight outstanding awards offered by the Caribbean Examination Council last year, which is indicative of the investments by Government yielding tangible results in the education sector.

Ocean to drain the Hope Canal, a man-made drainage that would help control the E a s t D e m e r a r a Wa t e r Conservancy located aback the coastlands.

For the building of a high level sluice outfall at the Atlantic Ocean to drain the channel, a contract for $605.4M was awarded.

Another contract for $120.4M was approved for the supervising of the works.

Following the 2005 floods which devastated East Coast Demerara, Government had come up with the canal project after finding that the Mahaica Creek and other outfalls along the East Bank Demerara were not enough to take off the millions of gallons of water that the conservancy holds.

With regards to the sluice contract, the Ministry told Members of Parliament yesterday that the sluice gates, which were outsourced to be constructed, are almost finished. The entire project divided into various sections, including the head regulator, the canal itself and a bridge across the Hope Public Road is about 85 per cent completed. The project is still within the budget, Ramsammy assured.

Late last year, Ramsammy announced an extended completion date – June 2013. This was shifted to August 31, and later to December 2013. Works were still then uncompleted and the deadline was extended to April 2014 and subsequently to June.

Meanwhile, in terms of strengthening the drainage for especially Demerara, Ramsammy said that the Hope Canal is but part of the bigger picture. While Government has been targeting the Hope Canal as one of the main answers to flooding, preparatory work is also being done to expand the Cunha Canal with the necessary arrangements almost completed for construction works to

commence. Cunha is the third discharge along the East Bank.

That Cunha project is part of Guyana’s Low Carbon Development Strategy adaptation initiative. Works will include the widening of the canal, rehabilitation of the former outlet structure, rerouting the canal to re-establish its original alignment and construction of a bridge on the East Bank of Demerara Public Road where the canal intercepts the road.

The Project Concept Note (PCN) for the Cunha Canal Rehabilitation Project was approved by the GRIF Steering Committee in June of 2012, laying the preparatory work for the development of the full project document and subsequent implementation of the project.

Page 14

Kaieteur News

Tuesday July 22, 2014

Final consultation on Professional Standards set for next week - as Parent/Teacher meetings for nursery entrants get underway The final in a series of consultations into the Professional Standards for teachers, is set for next Tuesday (July 29). To date, 61 consultations on the Professional Standards for Teachers have been held across the country.

A statement from the Ministry of Education states that “in a coordinated effort to craft a model professional standard policy document for teachers, the Ministry is hosting a series of public consultations countrywide with a number of key stakeholders.”

This process is designed to gain feedback on ways to improve the Standards, and to invite engagement from the profession.

Through the establishment

of professional teacher standards, the Ministry strongly believes the teaching profession will be significantly strengthened, further recognized and aptly placed among the other leading professions in Guyana.

Copies of the draft Professional Standards for Te a c h e r s w e r e m a d e available to teachers in the printed form for their perusal and comments. The ministry has also placed the document on its website, www.education. gov.gy to allow for additional comments to be made and to facilitate those who would like to contribute but are unable to physically be present at consultations. In addition, members of the public were invited to submit their comments on the

document via email to educationministry@gmail.com.

According to the M i n i s t r y, P r o f e s s i o n a l Standards for Teachers set expectations for achieving desired educational outcomes. “These standards are not intended as a tool for punitive action. Rather they reflect professional consensus of what is desirable in the supervision, leadership and delivery of education. They also provide a framework that permits professionals to engage in self-assessment,” added the statement. The proposed standards are aligned to the Organization of American States (OAS), CARICOM and other international standards therefore offer the professional community specifications against which teachers are able to set goals for personal development and progress in the profession.

Moreover, the standards are multi-dimensional and give cognizance to the key props for learning to take place, namely: (a) a motivated and willing l e a r n e r ; ( b ) e ff e c t i v e teaching and learning and, (c) an enabling environment.

Meanwhile, the Ministry in another statement revealed special parent teacher meetings to enlighten parents on the numerous ways in which

they can prepare their children for entry into nursery school is gaining considerable momentum.

Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand, during the past week met with parents and teachers of the Smyth Street Nursery School. At that forum she encouraged parents to be their children’s first teachers even as she complimented the parents for attending the meeting, since this suggests that they are serious about their children’s development.

At the meeting too, the Minister highlighted a number of important developmental areas such as, “the child being able to use the toilet and eat independently, knowing their correct name and each of the parent’s names.”

She also noted that it is important that parents teach their children the correct name of their body parts, the alphabet, letter sounds and alphabet recognition. Other skills parents can teach their children in preparation for the first year of nursery include the development small muscles, social skills and manners.

Minister Manickchand made mention of the fact that “this cohort of pupils are coming into the school system at the best time of the history of our country, where every single nursery school

child will be benefitting from: a snack every day provided by the government, readers and workbooks, the highest number of trained teachers and $10, 000 each.”

In 2013, the Ministry changed its admission policy into nursery school to allow younger children to enroll into nursery from this year.

According to Manickchand, last year it would have been

impossible for more than 3,000 children to enter nursery school.

However, the new policy states that a child must be three years-old on or before June 30 of the year their parents enrolled them in a public nursery school.

A number of parent/ teacher meetings have been scheduled where the Ministry of Education will be meeting mainly with parents of all the first year nursery school students. This is with the view to inspire parents to play their part in starting the education process at home.

Fireman jailed for cuffing out colleague’s teeth A fireman, who cuffed out four of his colleague’s teeth during a squabble at the Fire Station on New Year’s Day, last year, has been jailed for 48 months on a charge of Felonious Wounding charge.

Dellon Harris’ trial concluded before Magistrate Faith McGusty yesterday at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.

On March 26, last year, Harris, 24, of Best Road, West Coast Demerara made his first appearance before the Magistrate and was charged for unlawfully and maliciously wounding his colleague, Cedric Bradshaw on January 1, 2013 at Water Street, Georgetown.

The charge alleged that his intent was to maim, harm, disable, disfigure or cause Bradshaw grievous bodily harm. The Prosecutor in the case was Corporal Seon Blackman.

Reports are that on the day in question, Bradshaw was on duty when Harris went into the said service

station to make a telephone call. The two men reportedly had a confrontation and they started calling each other names like “thief” and “antiman.” It was reported that Harris became annoyed and dealt Bradshaw several cuffs to his face and other parts of his body. During the process, four of Bradshaw’s teeth were dislodged.

A report was made to the Brickdam Police Station and subsequent investigations led to Harris being arrested and charged.

During the course of the trial, Harris was represented

by Defence Attorney Michael Somersall.

They had called upon two witnesses to lead their defence while the Prosecution called upon ten persons to establish its case against the former fireman.

At the conclusion of the trial yesterday, Magistrate McGusty stated that she had found Harris guilty as charged. He was sentenced to forty eight (48) months imprisonment.

Tuesday July 22, 2014

Kaieteur News

Page 15

WHERE ARE THE $800M PUMPS?

Minister sings new tune There is more mystery now over the whereabouts of several pumps that Government was supposed to have purchased from an Indian contractor.

Questioned about the p u m p s y e s t e r d a y, Agriculture Minister, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy changed his tune, telling a Parliamentary committee on Natural Resources that a Patentia pump station does not have one of the pumps that were supplied by Surendra Engineering.

Rather, it is another pump that was supplied and installed by contractor, Harrichand Tulsi, in a project that cost $265M. The cost of the pump was included in that price, the Minister told reporters after the Parliamentary session yesterday.

B u t t h e M i n i s t e r ’s explanation would contradict what would have been reported all along and even from what the official himself has been saying.

Last November, Ramsammy told Kaieteur News that the pumps are currently being installed at Patentia; Bagotstown; Number 19 in Berbice; Windsor Forest; Pine Grove; Mahaicony; East Coast Demerara, and Albion, Corentyne, Berbice.

The Minister had said that one is being shipped to Lima on the Essequibo Coast. He further indicated that pumps at Canje, Rose Hall, Bengal, Crabwood Creek, and Black Bush Polder have been completed and are working.

Different officials from the Ministry have been

giving contradicting locations of the pumps and the stations at different times. Earlier this year, Kaieteur News observed what appeared to be a Surendra pump on a truck at the Patentia location. It is unclear where this one went.

Ramsammy also told the Parliamentary committee that the 14 pumps signed under a US$4M line of credit with Surendra Engineering is part of a larger project where 39 pumps were to be installed across the country.

When one stationed at R o s e H a l l To w n w a s commissioned a few weeks ago, it was confirmed that it was one of Surendra’s pumps. Another station is currently being built at Enterprise, East Coast Demerara. The Minister disclosed that at that station, one of the Surendra pumps will be installed.

Under the contract, signed since early 2011, Surendra, the contractor who built the Enmore Sugar Packaging Plant, was supposed to supply eight fixed and six mobile pumps.

There have been questions about whether the pumps were actually in the country.

A check at the pump stations listed by the Ministry, found startling evidence that engines for the pumps were bought from different suppliers. At Patentia, the engine came from John Deere. At Vredeen-Vriendschap, East Canje, the engine was from Doosan.

Both the Rose Hall Town and Black Bush Polder pumps had engines that bore marks of Cummins India.

This Surendra pump, on the truck, was at Patentia early this year. It is unclear where it is now.

The sign at East Canje suggesting that the cost of the pump station was $194M had been hidden in a nearby GuySuCo pump station, but suspicious officials there threw it out saying that something smelled fishy.

The procurement of the pumps has been a controversial issue ever since the government handed Surendra Engineering a US$4 million contract more than three years ago. The pumps were to be purchased through an Indian line of credit.

Ramsammy had said that tenders for the project were

opened in Guyana and in India, and that two companies submitted bids in 2011. However, the contract only became operational in March 2012 and was expected to end one year

later. It did not. Instead Government granted a onemonth extension.

When the Alliance For Change threatened to cut allocations under the Ministry of Agriculture in

the National Budget 2013, the Minister had said that of the 14 pumps, six were delivered to the Government of Guyana and most of the parts of the remaining eight are already in the country.

Page 16

Kaieteur News

Tuesday July 22, 2014

Mahaicony man knifed to death

By Gary Eleazar A violent killing last evening rocked the normally peaceful Strath Campbell, Mahaicony community, leaving two without a father.

Dead is Alvy Richmond, 52, who was killed by his sister’s lover, following a heated argument he had in his home that was witnessed by his 11 year-old daughter, Mion.

His killer, who up to press time was identified only as ‘Travis’, a deportee who goes by the alias ‘Yankee,’ was in police custody after he was grabbed

and beaten by angry residents following the killing.

Richmond was left dead at the bottom of his back stairs with a knife in his chest. He was removed by undertakers several hours after the incident.

Richmond’s 11 year-old daughter, Mion, told Kaieteur News last evening that her father came home and took out a meal for himself. He was eating and telling her that she “must learn fuh eat greens and suh.”

According to the young l a d y, h e r f a t h e r t h e n informed her that he was

…DEPORTEE HELD going to the washroom but his attacker was already in the washroom at which point in time her father locked the door.

Travis then started banging on the door arguing since her father was not opening the door but his sister, with whom Travis shared a relationship, went to open the door to let him out.

“He come out from the bathroom and then start quarrel up,” said Mion.

The young lady said that her father told him that he is not welcomed at the house, “and then me aunty turn and say is she man, nah quarrel up with me man.”

According to the girl, the woman then turned to her father and admonished him saying that the house was not his and that he had no right to say that her lover was not welcomed there. The house is owned by another sibling.

Mion said that the two

continued their heated argument. Her grandmother attempted to calm them, begging them to stop.

The girl recalled that ‘Travis’ then turned to her grandmother and said “Mom you don’t want me back in here. Am I wrong? Did I do anything wrong?”

She said that her grandmother said to him that he was wrong and that he shouldn’t visit the home anymore since she did not want any further problems.

The little girl said that Yankee then turned to his father and admonished him further, saying that he did not have manners. “And then he start carry on and then he say you touch me back again and you gun see wha gun happen.”

The little girl said that he told her father that should he confront him when out on the road, he was going to see what he was going to do to him.

According to the girl, her aunt with whom the man shared a relationship told him not to leave and called him to fold some clothes but her father objected to him remaining in the house.

“Meh father go up in he face and then he get vex and he pull out he knife from he brief and then he tek the knife and juk it in meh father

DEAD: Alvy Richmond heart,” according to Mion.

The little girl said that he immediately ran out of the house and her father pursued him but he escaped.

She said that her father then went back upstairs toward her grandmother, came back down the stairs and collapsed at the bottom where he died.

Neighbours who were alerted to the argument and stabbing reportedly grabbed the man and dealt him a sound trashing before handing him over to the police.

When this publication visited the home of the now dead man yesterday, scores of residents had gathered outside his home.

According reports, ‘Travis’ was not a man unknown to issuing threats.

Recently he had to be warned by a police rank.

PPP concerned...

From page 12 needed before a final decision is made on this complex matter in this regard. Since, proposal will mean that on the expiration of one’s ID card the holder will be automatically deleted from the NRRDB.” This, Rohee said, “will result in many Guyanese, including those living and studying overseas becoming disenfranchised in the eventuality there is no time for reregistration in order to receive a new card.

“It is important, too, to consider the costs of such an exercise and GECOM’s ability to process every Guyanese in an efficient and timely manner.”

Tuesday July 22, 2014

Kaieteur News

Page 17

East Canje resident dies at 103 Swindler seen in Berbice, arrest needed - Residents -“We will print his picture and share it around”

R

Bhuali surrounded by her grand daughter-in-law, Yashminie and grand-daughter Kuntee Baijnauth, both of whom took care of her

S

ukhdaia Bhuali popularly called ‘Sukhdaia’ and ‘Sumintree Mahabir’ age 103, one of Guyana’s oldest citizens died peacefully on Saturday at her Lot 86 Canefield, East Canje residence. Just a few months ago she was featured in this newspaper.

At the time she practically did everything for herself, including her laundry, weeding and cleaning.

Kaieteur News understands the old lady had complained about a hip problem and was taken to the hospital where she was briefly admitted, but was subsequently released.

Bhuali’s granddaughter, Kuntee Baijnauth, had been taking care of her for the past 39 years or so. Bhuali was born at Mara, East Bank Berbice, and her parents, both came from India with a

boatload of immigrants at Plantation Highbury. They were both agricultural labourers.

Bhuali was undocumented five years after her birth due to her father not being able to access a registration office. As a result, five years later, Sukdeo’s parents finally moved out of Mara and it was only then that they were able to register her. This caused an inaccurate dateof-birth to be recorded on the birth certificate.

“He does always tell us that he register she five years later, but she birth certificate show that she born 1911-she is five years before…you know, long time the area was bushy and to come out from there (Mara) was difficult.

“So my grandfather came out about five years later and registered her,” Baijnauth had told this

newspaper.

When asked what she remembered from her younger days, the centenarian had stated, “Me wuk a creole gang and weeding gang…me work as weeder until me stop work”, she related. “Me mama and papa come from India”, she stated. “Me cut cane and cleaned canal-me do a lot of hard work”.

“Anywhere [that is] religious, I gone-anywhere marriage dey, I gone”, she stated. “Me can do workwash house-me can do all things but she [her relative] doesn’t allow me to wash house and so now-I does wash my own house when she is not here and I does do all my work, iron my headkerchief, wash my two-piece clothes.”

The centenarian will be cremated later this week.

NICIL sources high capacity transformer for Marriott Hotel …says not bound to accept any or the lowest quotation

T

he National Industrial and Commercial Investment Limited (NICIL), the minority equity owner of the Georgetown Marriott Hotel currently under construction in Kingston, is looking to source a large transformer for the Hotel. NICIL is currently running advertisements inviting quotations for the supply of one 2500KVA, 480V/60Hz, threephase, 13.8 KV transformer.

According to the advertisement in the State-owned Guyana Chronicle, quotations must specify any applicable warranties and ability to meet a delivery schedule no later than the end of August.

Yesterday was the closing date for the submission of the quotation to NICIL’s Kingston office.

According to the advertisement, NICIL is not bound to accept any or the lowest quotation.

NICIL has been at the forefront of the controversial hotel project from its inception plugging some US$19.5M in the US$58M project only to wind up with minority ownership.

The project which is being built using a debt and equity structure sees NICIL loaning Atlantic Hotel Inc, a special purpose company created by NICIL’s Executive Director, Winston Brassington, and US$15.5 M while investing another US$4M as equity.

ACE Square Investment Inc, a British Virgin Islands (BVI) registered company with Chinese owners have committed to investing US$8M for 67 per cent ownership of the project.

AHI which is owned by NICIL and the BVI registered company, has requested Republic Bank Trinidad to syndicate loans totaling US$27M.

esidents of Berbice who were swindled by a con artist they call ‘Canadian’ say that the man lives in Skeldon, Berbice. He was seen there recently.

“Police have to go to a place called ‘110’ and they will find him. The whole family full of con artists. The other day his nephew con somebody in Berbice of US$5,000 and promise to carry someone to New York.

This same man, ‘Canadian’, went to prison before for fraud and many more people have been affected. The police needs to do something about it,” one Berbician lamented.

One family made a report to the Mahaica Police Station recently. The victims are sending a warning to members of the public to watch out for such deceitful characters who prey on people’s kindness and trust.

“Imagine I saw this m a n ’s p i c t u r e i n t h e newspapers with the story and then I realize that this is the same man who came to my house and he told us the same story. We even cook for him and buy alcohol and treat him good and even give him money too. He never returned.”

One East Coast Demerara resident, Harry Persaud, explained, “We will print his picture and share it around so people will know exactly what he is up to when

Shafeek who was caught on camera the day he swindled the Mahaica family.

he comes around.”

According to another victim of Unity Village, Mahaica, East Coast Demerara, he met the man while walking in his village.

The man had claimed to know his relatives whom he rarely contacted in Canada.

“He said his name was “Shafeek” and he called several names of relatives in Canada. I brought him home where he met the family since he said they had sent a package for us…

“He said he returned to Guyana recently and he didn’t know where the place

was, and because of how the country is now, he didn’t wear his jewels since people getting shoot for their cell phones...but he managed to take our money and he promised to return with the package and his daughter.

But he never did.”

Another victim was swindled at Vreed-en-Hoop, West Coast Demerara. She too, had a similar story about someone knowing relatives from overseas.

H o w e v e r, o n t h a t occasion the young lady became suspicious about the story she was being told.

Page 18

Kaieteur News

Tuesday July 22, 2014

Rohee accuses PNC of ‘cavorting’ with criminals …but unable to substantiate claims W

hile the General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) has lashed out at the o p p o s i t i o n P e o p l e ’s National Congress (PNC) saying that the party is in bed with criminals, when questioned he was unable to justify his assertions.

During his weekly press briefing at Freedom House, Rohee articulated that “evidence is there to show the PNC’s strong connection with the criminal underworld, the most recent being a photograph in circulation showing Mr. Granger at a function and in seemingly deep conversation with Kevin Fields an alleged bandit who was shot dead a few days ago.”

This recent expose, according to Rohee, “vindicates the PPP’s long held view that the PNC has criminal elements imbedded in its ranks and who are assisting the PNC in furthering of their political

agenda in one way or the other. The PNC has never distanced themselves from this claim.”

He said, “The late Opposition leader Desmond Hoyte attended Linden ‘Blackie’ London’s funeral, the coffin was draped with the Guyana flag while he was hailed as a freedom fighter by the PNC. All of this was done in Mr. Hoyte’s presence.”

Rohee added, “It is this same old PNC that regards the February 23, 2002 prison escapees as ‘freedom fighters’. PNC top officials even visited some of the escapees at their hide outs at various parts of the Country.”

According to the PPP General Secretary, in the circumstances he mentioned “the only logical conclusion that can be drawn is that the PNC is reaping political and financial benefits from its association with the criminal underworld”.

“It is quite possible that the proceeds of this criminal

General Secretary of the PPP, Clement Rohee enterprise have ended up in the PNC’s coffers. Moreover, it is generally agreed that PNC’s lawyers usually defend alleged criminals in the Courts pro bono.”

He then said that the PNC’s “criminal connection” has impeded government’s crime fighting

initiatives.

Rohee then turned his attention to the media, and he blamed Kaieteur News and Stabroek News for not publishing the photo of Granger with Kevin Fields in an “attempt to cover up and or protect the Opposition Leader.”

However, Rohee was then asked when Dr. Cheddi Jagan and Azad Bacchus a gunman who was killed, were photographed together, if that suggested that Dr. Jagan was involved with criminal elements.

Rohee responded that he was “dealing with a case that is current and this case is what I refer to in the press statement. What you made reference to does not obviate Kaieteur News from the

responsibility of publishing the photograph.”

Rohee was then asked if he could provide one piece of evidence of the PNC proclaiming that the 2002 jailbreak five as freedom fighters? To that Rohee responded “we will get the evidence and produce it at some point in time.”

He was then asked if what he is saying is true why is the PPP not calling on law enforcement authorities to act on the evidence to which he referred, the PNC being involved in criminal activity.

To that Rohee responded, “I don’t understand your question but what I would like to reiterate is that, if a photograph like that was available showing a government Minister or a member of the ruling party in a situation like that, I am sure that it would’ve been all over the place.”

When challenged to release the evidence of his charge, he said that at the appropriate time, “I will do so”. When asked if he was not interested in speedy justice he said emphatically “that at the appropriate time we would do so.”

When asked if he could find a paper or money trail for criminals giving money to the PNC, Rohee responded it is for “the PNC to bare their chest and come clean, let them say now that is not so, ask Mr. Granger at the next press conference if that is not happening and let

him deny it.”

Rohee was then asked if he was able to say whether he can provide evidence of any charge or accusation he leveled.

“I am going to repeat again, the onus and the burden is not on me to do so.

If you want to verify anything that I have said, the best thing is to go to the A P N U a n d a s k M r.

Granger…If he denies, he denies; so be it.

“I wouldn’t be interested in carrying on a debate in the matter. In the same way he denied he never had anything to do with (Walter) Rodney’s Assassination, he said he was in Hungary with the shooting of the ballot box markers, ok so he denies that’s it.”

Rohee was then asked in his capacity as the Home Affairs Minister, when was his Ministry aware that Kevin Fields was a gunman?

He replied “We were told that by the Guyana Police Force (GPF) when the shooting took place.”

To that he was asked, “So until then he was clean and he could have been associated with anybody?”

Rohee responded, “No you have to bear in mind that the Ministry of Home Affairs is not an operational body, it sets policies, when certain things get into the public domain, the Ministry expresses an interest, when it goes to the GPF based on Inquiry and the information comes back to us.”

Boy found wandering instead of being in protective custody

T

he 13-year-boy at the centre of the scandal that recently rocked the Berbice Anjuman Orphanage in New Amsterdam, is not in protective custody where he is supposed to be. He was found wandering the streets, smoking and doing other illicit activities.

A source stated that the boy should have been in protective custody pending the conclusion of the matter.

On one occasion he was found sleeping in a car around 01:00 hrs. The operators of the orphanage, who have gone to great lengths to prove their innocence of the charge of sodomising the young boy and other charges of abuse, have expressed great shock at the latest turn of developments.

The Principals of the Orphanage have expressed disgust that the lad is being allowed to roam the streets. They are concerned that the name of the Orphanage might be tarnished further if anything becomes of him.

They want the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security to honour its obligation and launch an immediate

investigation to ascertain why the boy is not in protective custody.

Contacted for a comment acting Head of the Child Protection agency Ms Gaime stated, that the boy was released into the custody of his mother and should have been in her care.

She promised to investigate the report to determine why he is being allowed to roam.

However, a source knowledgeable in such matters stated that since the lad and his sister were taken away from their mother due to her unsuitable state, he should not have been returned to her custody without the Agency first determining her suitability. He should have been placed in protective custody.

After the boy accused people at the orphanage of sodomising him, investigations by both the police and Child Protection Agency, proved that most of the allegations were not true. According to documentation the five boys have denied that anything ever happened to them. Medical examinations proved that they were never harmed.

However, one man has been charged and placed before the court.

Tuesday July 22, 2014

Kaieteur News

Page 19

Crane housewife murder…

Royston King threatens Chronicle with libel suit Husband still on the run

C

ity Hall’s Public Relations Officer (PRO), Royston King, has threatened legal action against state-owned Guyana Chronicle over a number of misleading articles involving an issue which King says has already been dealt with at the level of the Council and the relevant executives.

King told Kaieteur News that it has become necessary to address the issue of rates and taxes exemption to Beacon Foundation since the matter “continues to be used as a political ploy”. He told the publication that despite the matter being clarified by Head of the Municipality, Mayor Hamilton Green, the state newspaper continues to insinuate illegalities in a letter to the charity organization.

The most recent article was published last week King said, when the Chronicle stated that the police will investigate King’s actions with the Beacon Foundation.

Interestingly, the PRO stated, the waiver of rates and taxes for Durbana Square public open space, Lamaha Gardens, which was never discussed or decided upon by the Council, nor Ms. Carol Sooba’s unauthorized use of $500,000 of rate payers’ money, from the City Treasury, for her personal benefit have not been given similar prominence.

The police and the Auditor General have maintained a sluggish

CITY HALL’S PRO Royston King posture towards any reports of misappropriation or illegal act performed by the acting Town Clerk (Ag) Carol Sooba. The state paper, he charged, reports on selective matters involving the Council.

King noted, however, that during his short time as acting Town Clerk a request for rates and taxes exemption was made by Beacon Foundation.

Under the Municipal and District Councils Act, charitable organisations can be exempt from property rates. At section 212, the law states that the council shall have power to exempt from liability to pay rates either wholly or in part, in respect of the properties listed for religious, educational or social welfare, not with a view to profit.

Also, properties used for open air games, athletic sports; occupied by a club, society or other not-forprofit organizations and

property used for hospitals, dispensary or public health institution can also be exempted.

“Beacon Foundation is a charitable organization.

Documents for Beacon Foundation including an official valuation document stated that the property is being used for charitable purposes. It is an incorporated non-profit company which provides an outpatient hospice service across Guyana with meals and temporary shelter.”

Having perused the documents and the request by that organization, King said he wrote to state specifically, that Beacon qualified for an exemption.

After providing this newspaper with the letter to the organization, King noted that the last sentence stated that “the Council will have no objection” meaning that Beacon was advised of their entitlement which had not yet been granted.

King continued that the Mayor and City Council has a policy that before defaulters are taken to court, a list should be sent for final scrutiny since the Municipality was embarrassed on several occasions for taking people to court who had already paid their rates.

“However, Ms. Sooba does not supply the Mayor and Councillors with any such list. Instead, she rushes to court with selected defaulters including Beacon Foundation, Mayor (Continued on page 21)

Carjacker gets three years for car theft

A

carjacker, who made off with a $ 2 . 7 M c a r, minutes after a customer went into a city Pharmacy to purchase some tablets, was jailed for three years yesterday.

Reports are that after Ijah Byron stole Annicee Phoenix’s car on Camp Street last Friday, he was pursued by cops through the city and intercepted in Kitty.

It was three days after the daring July 18 robbery that Byron appeared in the city court before Magistrate Faith McGusty to answer to the charge of Simple Larceny. Responding to the charge, the man stated, “I did thief the car.”

Convicted Carjacker: Ijah Byron Recapping the events of the theft, Police Prosecutor

Corporal Seon Blackman stated that the car owner’s brother went to a Camp Street Pharmacy to purchase some tablets.

As the man exited the Pharmacy, he saw the car being driven away and immediately notified police of the theft.

Police ranks gave chase and managed to corner the driver at Thomas and Lamaha Streets, Kitty.

According to Blackman, Byron was then arrested and charged.

Responding to his plea, Magistrate McGusty, who considered that he did not waste the court’s time, sentenced him to three years’ imprisonment.

P

olice are still hunting for 44year-old Vidol Anthony Rawlins who allegedly killed his wife o f s i x y e a r s , C a n d y, sometime Thursday night after tying the woman’s 11year-old daughter to a chair.

Police sources say that Rawlins, a construction worker of Lot 4 Crane Housing Scheme, West Coast Demerara (WCD) left a note next to his wife’s body, and then went into hiding.

Kaieteur News understands that Rawlins, in the note, suggested that he was going to commit suicide.

“In the letter he requested that he was going with his father who passed away already,” a police source said.

Around 09:00 hrs on Friday, the nude body of the mother of one was discovered on her bedroom floor by her daughter who had managed to untie herself.

The man had bound the girl earlier.

This publication was told that the dead woman’s face was wrapped with a mosquito net and bound with

WANTED: Vidol Anthony Rawlins duct tape. Her hands were tied behind her back with a sheet. Investigators found a bloodstained knife next to her body.

Recalling what happened that night, the daughter told investigators that she was in her room and she heard her stepfather demanding sex from her mother.

She said that she did not take the “noise too serious” because constant quarrel is a norm in the home.

“She said she went back to sleep. The next day when

she wake up the stepfather taped her mouth and tied her up in a chair,” a police source explained.

He added that the 11year-old girl claimed that she managed to untie herself after some time and ran to her mother’s room.

“When she see her mother she start scream and she run and call out for the neighbours who then informed the police,” the source said.

One woman claimed that she saw the suspect leaving his home early Friday with his haversack.

“He does normally leave around that time to go to work, so I thought he was going to work but he used a different route than he does normally use,” the neighbour claimed. No one reported hearing any noise coming from the house.

Neighbours said that the couple fought and quarreled often.

“Early this year he broke her hand and it was in bandage for months,” a neighbour said.

The search is on for the construction worker

Page 20

Kaieteur News

Tuesday July 22, 2014

APNU must support the no-confidence motion …or answer to supporters - RAMKARRAN “If APNU [A Partnership for National Unity] contemplates declining support for the motion, it will have to decide what it will tell its supporters when they ask why APNU would want to keep a PPP/C Government in office. If APNU cannot figure out a response to such a question, then we might have an election on our hands.”

This is according to former Executive of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) and former Speaker of

the National Assembly, Ralph Ramkarran.

Writing on his website conversationtree.org Ramkarran pronounced on the no confidence motion which the Alliance For Change (AFC) has formally signaled its intent to proceed with via a letter to the President.

He spoke to the cause of the AFC signaling its intent to move forward with a no confidence motion, that being the tabling of a Statement of Excess in the

National Assembly by the Finance Minister outlining that “some $4.5 billion out of the $37 billion disapproved by the National Assembly last April have since been spent.”

He said, “Over the declared objections of the Opposition, and their expressed intention not to support the Government, an impassioned debate has erupted over the legality of the expenditure and the meaning of article 218(3) of the Constitution on which

the Government has placed reliance.”

Article 218(3) of the Constitution states, “If in respect of any financial year it is found that any moneys have been expended for any purpose in excess of the amount appropriated for that p u r p o s e b y t h e Appropriation Act or for a purpose for which no amount has been appropriated by that Act, a supplementary estimate, or as the case may be, a Statement of Excess showing the sums required or spent shall be laid before the Assembly by the Minister responsible for finance or any other Minister designated by the President.”

Ramkarran articulated, however, that “there is no express authority contained in these words to authorize the Minister of Finance to spend monies, which I assume has been the argument of the Opposition.

“The government, no doubt, is relying on an implied authority but it has not yet explained from precisely which words and how such an implied authority is to be extracted.”

He said, “There is also a statement by Chief Justice Chang in the Budget Case which the Government relies on as supporting its interpretation of article 218(3). But the statement merely relates to the application of the article and makes no reference to any power of spending that the

Ralph Ramkarrran

article might have conferred on the Minister.

“If there are elections and the issue assumes importance, and is not merely the casus belli for the AFC, the public might be afforded a more detailed explanation of the implications of article 218(3).”

The former Speaker of the National Assembly made mention of APNU not taking a position on the no confidence motion but outlined that the “Opposition Leader David Granger had stated quite clearly that APNU was ready for elections if called.”

He said, “It is not known what considerations would now prevail in determining whether or not to support the AFC’s proposed motion.

Surely one factor would have to be the enormous resources which would have to be raised for elections.

“In the absence of a credible explanation to its financial backers of how elections at this time will resolve the political stalemate in the country, raising adequate funds may pose a problem.”

A c c o r d i n g t o Ramkarran, the proposed no confidence motion could not have come as a surprise to the Government. “In circumstances such as these anywhere in the world,

Governments do not survive.

There is a minority government in office, without a commitment of support from any section of the Opposition. There is also no compromise on any significant issue engaging the attention of the National Assembly.”

Ramkarran outlined the no confidence motion in Article 106(6) the Constitution which provides that “the Cabinet including the President shall resign if the Government is defeated by a vote of a majority of all the elected members of the National Assembly on a vote of confidence.”

Further, that Sub-article ( 7 ) s t a t e s t h a t “notwithstanding its defeat, the government shall remain in office and shall hold an election within three months…”

He contends that the issue is not merely the elections if it happens, “The issue is what happens after.

There would hardly be a problem if the PPP/C wins an absolute majority. But if the PPP/C wins only a plurality as in 2011, as many observers expect, would the same stalemate and gridlock continue, with more years of marking time and no progress in the country?

“All right-thinking people will recoil at the thought!”

Tuesday July 22, 2014

Kaieteur News

Page 21

PNC/R LINDEN COMMITTEE WANTS ISSUES TO BE ADDRESSED -Gonsalves

A

s the countdown for the Congress of the PNC/R d r a w s n e a r, several issues were yesterday raised by the Linden committee of the p a r t y. L i n d e n P N C / R committee member Leslie Gonsalves at a press conference said that he strongly believes that the recent suspension of Vanessa Kissoon is not being addressed properly.

According to Gonsalves, the PNC/R groups in Linden had mandated him to represent the issue of the suspension of Ms. Vanessa Kissoon by the Leader of the party, He said that the group dispatched a letter to the party Leader on July 14, last, indicating the group’s discomfort with the suspension and the composition of the Disciplinary Committee, among others things.

Gonsalves said that they got a response from the Leader on July 15. However,

according to Gonsalves, the letter did not address any of the issues raised and neither had he set a time that he would be desirous of engaging them.

The Linden committee member further told the media yesterday that since these exchanges Ms. Kissoon has received a letter on July 16, signed by Mr. Allan Monroe, Chairman of Mr. Granger’s disciplinary committee, informing her of the charge against her, and requesting that she submit a statement by July 19. The committee would start its hearing today.

Having considered these events, Ms. Kissoon has been advised by the membership in Linden not to appear before the committee, Gonsalves said.

He said that all the explanations coming from the Leader have never justified that his action was consistent with the Party Rules. He noted that Linden is clear and has taken a principled position on this

issue since “we recognize that it is the Rules of the party that have to guide the business of the party. “ M r. G r a n g e r h a s repeatedly said he is operating within the Rules/Constitution. In our perusal of the Party Rules we did not find any rule that authorizes him to suspend Ms. Kissoon and neither has he sought to provide the evidence of the rule that authorizes him to suspend Ms. Kissoon,” Gonsalves told the media.

Gonsalves maintained that the argument by Granger is that the issue is serious and as such a decision was taken by him to suspend Ms. Kissoon.

However he is stressing that since Kissoon is not an employee it doesn’t apply to her.

“Ms. Kissoon is a member of the party and owns a piece of the party just like Mr. Granger and as such any decision to suspend her has to come after an investigation has been

Notorious wanted man remanded on escaping from custody charge

N

otorious wanted man, Samuel Fable, called ‘ J o h n Sampson’, ‘Charlie’, or Sammy Griffith, of Alness Vi l l a g e a n d F y r i s h , Corentyne, who was among three high profile prisoners who had escaped from custody back in 2007, has been remanded to jail.

The fugitive appeared before Magistrate Rhondell We a v e r a t t h e N e w Amsterdam Magistrate’s court on the charge of escaping from lawful custody. He was not required to plead and was remanded to prison until August 11.

In March 2007, Fable who had no fix place of abode, and two other inmates -Derick Busjit of Black Bush Polder, and Gavin Balkisoon of No. 74 Village, Corentyne, were being transported in a van, from the Whim and Springlands Magistrates’ Courts to the New Amsterdam Prisons, when they cut the lock from inside and escaped.

The men were in the vicinity of the New A m s t e r d a m Te c h n i c a l

Institute when they jumped from the prison van and escaped. After his escape (Fable) he subsequently fled to Suriname.

Fable was on remand for the murder of Gangaram Busjit, a 27-year-old butcher in November 2006 at Liverpool, Corentyne.

Busjit was gunned down in his backyard. Reports were that the man had got up around 3 am on the day of his murder to go to the pit latrine, which is located not too far from the house. While downstairs he was shot several times. Police have

also charged Seenarine Deonarine, 49, of Kilmarnock Village, Corentyne and Samuel Fraser called ‘Charlie’ o f L i v e r p o o l Vi l l a g e , Corentyne for that murder.

Fable was captured in neighbouring Suriname by that country’s SWAT-team.

He was shot in the leg when he resisted arrest during a confrontation along the Anton Dragtenweg in Paramaribo. The Guyanese national was being sought by the judicial authorities in Suriname for alleged armed robbery. Fable is expected to be recharged for murder.

Royston King threatens...

From page 19 Hamilton Green, Kaieteur News and Christopher Ram, ignoring decisions made by successive council meetings on some of the very matters that are before the courts.”

“Therefore, when Beacon Foundation was taken to court, without the knowledge of the Council, and my letter was produced by that organization, it was immediately seized upon and used by Ms. Sooba and others to attempt to discredit me.”

The issue, King pointed out was discussed several times at statutory meetings of Council and it had approved the exemption for Beacon foundation in principle. All that was needed was for Beacon to submit the appropriate documents. King said he is currently discussing his rights with his attorney.

conducted and the member found guilty,” Gonsalves said.

Another issue, Gonsalves said, involves the five persons who were not constitutionally mandated

by Disciplinary Committee, but appointed specifically by Mr. Granger to make legitimate, his act of suspending Ms. Kissoon.

Those comprising the Committee are Allan Monroe (Chairman), Lance Carberry, political advisor to the Leader; Malika Ramsey, Christopher Jones and Cheryl Sampson. He said that all the persons are members of the Central Executive Committee and have voted supporting the Leader’s decision to suspend Ms. Kissoon.

Further, Gonsalves said that the committee did not take kindly to the statement made on February 1, last, by

Ms. Amna Ally to the Leader of the party, in the presence of some, that he will have to get rid of Ms. Kissoon or she will leave the party.

He said Ms. Ally’s comment came after Ms Kissoon requested of Ms. Ally that she be spoken to with respect.

Gonsalves claims that at the next sitting of the National Assembly Ms. Kissoon was moved to the back bench without prior notification.

“There exist serious concerns since it has become obvious that there are some in the leadership of the party who are using our women to create cat fights in effort to

divert attention how the affairs of the party are being managed and the poor representation done on behalf of its constituents” Gonsalves noted.

“Having examined the entire situation the Linden Committee has been mandated to commence dialogue with Congress Place to find common ground to bring about a resolution before the Delegates Congress and the failure to do so will leave us with no alternative but to have it resolved on the floor at Congress, which is the Party’s highest decisionmaking forum” Gonsalves posited.

Page 22

Kaieteur News

Tuesday July 22, 2014

‘Jealous’ wife allegedly stabs partner to death McKinnon was killed in his home

DEAD: Curtis McKinnon

By Romila Boodram Less than 24 hours after two gruesome murders in the city, another was recorded,

this time at Plantain Walk, Klien Pouderoyen, West Bank Demerara. Around 22:00 hrs on Sunday, Curtis McKinnon, a father of four,

was allegedly stabbed to death by his reputed wife of five years. McKinnon was pronounced dead on arrival at the West Demerara

Regional Hospital shortly after he was rushed there by neighbours.

Police said, that investigations so far have revealed that the Guyana Wa t e r I n c . ( G W I ) ’ s Supervisor and his reputed wife, Nicola Joseph, were involved in an argument during which she allegedly fatally stabbed him in the neck.

Joseph has been arrested and is in police custody assisting with investigations.

According to a senior police source, the wife claimed that she went to the National Stadium on Sunday to watch the CPL game when her husband called and the two had an argument over the phone.

She alleged that the father of her two children told her that she was disrespectful before ending the call.

“She said that he turned

off his phone and when she went home the two of them had a heated argument. She said that he slapped her three times and she went into the kitchen and picked up a knife and stabbed him to the neck,” the police source said.

After committing the act, the woman called her husband’s relatives and neighbours and begged them to transport him to the hospital. She turned herself into the Vreed-en-Hoop Station soon after.

The source said that while being interrogated, the 34-year-old woman was crying continuously and claimed that she wished she could reverse time.

The dead man’s brother, Kevin McKinnon, said that he had just arrived home and was preparing to go to bed when he received a private call from his sister-in-law.

“She tell me that she just stab my brother and that she was going to the Station and that I should go to the hospital,” the brother said.

He added by the time he got

to the hospital, his brother was already dead.

At the home, yesterday, family members of the now dead man said that his killer was always a jealous person.

They claimed that the woman refused to allow McKinnon’s daughter from another relationship to visit her father.

“That woman is wicked.

Whenever his daughter wanted to see him, she had to go to his workplace and they had to keep the visit secret because she doesn’t like this girl,” a relative said.

Curtis McKinnon was described as a quiet person who preferred to walk away from problems rather than face them. One of his colleagues described him as a “lover and not a fighter.”

Shebekie McKinnon said that only recently her father told her that he would never hit a woman. The teenager described her father as a quiet and loving person.

“He was a really nice p e r s o n . R e c e n t l y, h e extended his home so that her four children from another relationship could move in with them,” the daughter said.

The GWI employee leaves to mourn his four children and five siblings.

Meanwhile, early on Sunday, a jilted man stabbed two male commercial sex workers to death before dousing himself with petrol and setting himself alight.

Reports are that the man, Samuel Bristol, 31, vented his rage on the two male sex workers, Carlyle Sinclair and Jason Samuels, after he had been “dumped” by their friend, who is also a male sex worker.

Tuesday July 22, 2014

Kaieteur News

VACANCY

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Spares for washing machine, microwaves, fridges, stoves, timers, gearbox, pumps, etc call: 225-9032, 647-2943 Games for PS2, PS3, XBOX360, WII, consoles also available – Call: 6722566, 265-3231 PVC Ceiling Panels (USA Standards), all-purpose joint compound, T h o m p s o n ’s c o n c r e t e water proofer – Tel: 6148564; 639-3675; 680-0862 New American made Wener, aluminum ladder: 17 feet$28,000; 24 feet- $38,000, 32 feet- $55,000 – Tel: 609-7257, 602-5794 View Sonic Projectors & computer monitor - Sizes: 17inches – 27inches (new) – Contact: 623-4919; 646-7768 Need body parts and accessories for Tacoma, Tundra, & Titan? – Contact: Eddie’s Auto Parts : 227-2835; 227-5381 Dell/HP computers with 17", 19"& 20", LCDs from $55,000, laptops from $55,000.

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LAND FOR SALE Agricultural Land plots @ Yarrokabra, Linden Highway -10 acres each. $1.5M per acre- Call 261-6664/690-4358/ 629-5414/676-6369

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Page 23

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One Toyota Land Cruiser Prado, PMM Series Call: 225-0188, 223-7500, MonFri 8:15-4:15pm, Sat – 8:151:15PM AT192, 212, Allion, unregistered Premio, Hilux Surf, BNN, RZ & Pit-bull, 7 seater super custom. Cash / terms - Call: 680-3154

PROPERTY FOR SALE Two storey concrete house on a corner lot, land 4079.6 Sq.ft @ Christiani Street, North Ruimveldt, G/Town$40M Neg. Contact: 600-0831 House & land at Lot 1523 Tuschen Housing Scheme, Block 8, East Bank Essequibo – Call: 268-2759; 660-4043 House & land @ Soesdyke Junction – 2 good houses with 16 house lots. 2.9 acres, good location for Store, Supermarket and Restaurant.

Call 261-6664/690-4358/6295414/676-6369- $70M River-side land with house @ Coverden. Road to River 2 acres. Good location- Price $75M- Call 261-6664/6904358/629-5414/676-6369 Property for sale, Double lot at Ruimzeight, W.C.D – Call: 629-1532; 664-7326 1 – 2storey wooden & Concrete house with 5 bedrooms upper flat & lower flat 4 apartments located@ Shell Road, kitty - $34M – Tel:642-7898 House located @ Republic Gardens - $45M, Atlantic Gardens - $80M, Enterprise - $75M. Tel: 223-8479/ 6473768. www.spaceseek.gy House located @ Foulis $75M, Oceanic Ville - $75MTel: 223-8479/ 647-3768. www.spaceseek.gy Houses located @ Nandy Park - $45M, Diamond- $31M & La Parfaite Harmonie $20M. Tel: 223-8479/ 6473768. www.spaceseek.gy Brand new 2 storey house in Republic Gardens - $55M, negotiable – Call: 600-6464 Property at La Parfaite Harmonie - Contact: 663-4883 ACCOMMODATION Tourist Villa: Furnished Rooms & apartments- 1, 2 &3 bedroom apartments at affordable rates – Lot 95 Fifth Avenue, Subryanville – Tel: 227-2199; 227-2189; 227-2186

SERVICES PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION,WEDDINGS, ANNIVERSARY,ETC.–CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 2161043; 677-6620 Permanent & Visitors Vi s a Applications, Professional Immigration Consultant Room D5 Maraj Building Call Sabita: 2256496, 662-6045 Repairs, sales & spares, air conditioning, microwaves, washer, fridges & stoves. Ultra Cool, call: 225-9032,647-2943 Repairs to Fridge, Freezer, AC, Washers, Stoves: Call 683-1312, 627-3206 (Nick) For low cost: Repairs to fridge, freezer, A/C unit, microwaves, TV & washing machine - Call: 629-4946 or 225-4822 Nurse with overseas experienced available for 24hours, home care nursing for all ages- Contact Shelly @ 603-0600/ 231-8019 COOL TECH: Repairs, Services & Installation of all types of homes appliances: Air Condition & Refrigeration units – Tel: 233-2008; 675-4959 We repair fridge, freezer, AC, washer, dryer Call Omar: 2310655,683-8734

EDUCATION Transitional foundation summer classes July 21st – Aug 21st: Forms 1 &2 Maths, English/Lit, Spanish, Music, Home EC, Social EtiquetteCall: 227-7850 Mr. Lee

TOURS

Writing CXC January/June 2015 Mathematics, English.

Additional Mathematics, Business Subjects Students, workers, Form 3, 4&5 – Call: 231-2076 Mr. Lee

El Dorado Bus Service presents weekly summer trips to Suriname, special packages for groups/children – Tel: 624-0622; 614-5639

Kids summer computer classes, ages 4-16 - $6,500 @ Micrographics, Vreed-EnHoop: 264-3057, Parika Location: 626-4833

We buy & sell vehicles for cash. Also parts available & 30 seater buses; extra Cab pickups; 2006 Tacoma- Call: 680-3154 1 Ford F150, Colour: Silver, Mint Condition, price - $3.5 M- Call: 610-0808 First Class Auto: 2006 Premio, 2006 Allion, 2004 Spacio, IST, Axela, Fielder, Rush – Call: 609-8188; 638-3045 One Toyota Spacio (Year 2002) – Contact Suraj: 692-1135 NZE Toyota, excellent condition – Price: $1.5M negotiable – Contact: 609-9306 Sale of 3 used 215 CAT Excavators with plenty spares; asking price $6M. Call 261-6664/690-4358/6295414/676-6369 New Toyota Noah, 2 Televisions, reverse camera, rims, low mileage – Tel: 6292619, 663-2700. Owner leaving country, best offer accepted.

Honda CRV, PJJ Series, good condition, price negotiable – Tel: 231-5080; 641-4704 2006 Toyota Tacoma, GNN 5726, excellent condition, first owner- price negotiable – Tel: 686-7273 Toyota AT212, AT192, AT170, L-Touring Wagon, AE110 Corolla, Raum, IST, FunCargo, Yamaha R1 1000cc – Tel: 644-5096; 6971453 Smart Choice Auto Sales: unregistered old & new model Spacio, 212, Voxy, BlueBird – Call: 652-3820/665-4529 One Toyota Marino: Never worked hire, AC in excellent condition - $750,000 – Contact: 619-1047 Premio – PPP Series - $2.2M and unregistered - $2.450M, negotiable, Spacio PRR $1.8M – Tel:697-0294; 6049591

EDUCATION Personal Tutors available for Nursery, Primary and Secondary- Contact: 6263017; 678-2210; 266-1288 (Continued on page 24)

Page 24

Kaieteur News

Tuesday July 22, 2014

Letters... Where your views make the news

Diaspora and regional governments (From page 23)

WANTED Live out domestic babysitter and live in babysitter –Call: 225-0188, 225-6070 (Monday to Saturday ) (8:15am4:15pm) Two security guards, good pay - Call:223-5180 Over edge and straight stitch operator to work at Garment Factory – Call: 222-2541 Monday – Friday Salesgirl/boys and porters apply in person, to Avinash Water Street 8:30 to 4:30 Female worker needed, 3 CXC subjects or sound secondary school education - Call: 612-1595 One live-in maid; must know to cook & clean properly – Call: 681-6044 One part time or full time gardener/handyman- to work in Bel-Air Gardens – Tel: 225-6070 Ladies to do cleaning from the West Coast Demerara $10,000 – Call: 662-9341.

Industry Area E.C.D, part time cleaner – MondayFriday, 6:30pm -7:30pm, Saturdays 8am-4pm- Tel:2262829 Monday-Friday between 9am&4pm Office clerk senior/junior CXC: English, Mathematics & computer knowledge an assetCall: 225-0188/225-6070 Looking for two or three bedroom apartment anywhere in Georgetown – Call: 698-5103 Gasoline Mechanic needed on E.C.D - $75,000 to $100,000 depending on experienced – Call: 623-0318 One live in maid must know to cook – Tel: 669-6030 Canter drivers must be from West Coast Demerara - $28,000 weekly – Call: 684-8231 Skilled carpenters to work in Coverden E.B.D – Call: 6231615 Experienced minibus and hire car drivers also dispatchers, for transportation service – Call: 645-0025 EDUCATION I.A.S Second Street Alberttown, summer classes – 4-17yrs ($5,000 for six weeks), CXC classes for adults, $1200 per subject – Tel: 223-7906; 690-5008 I.A.E is registering students for its secondary school, Forms1-5; CXC classes for adults – Repeaters and beginners – Call: 223-0604; 683-5742

FOR RENT PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION,WEDDINGS, ANNIVERSARY, ETC. CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 216-1043; 677-6620 GT TOOLRENTALS: FREE DELIVERY, CONCRETE, STEEL TILE CUTTER, SAWS, PLANES RANSOM PUMPS & MUCH MORE – TEL: 675-0767; 627-5098 One shop to rent at 45 Meriman Mall – Call:642-6381 Executive houses & apartments, Queenstown US$1,800, Bel-Air Springs US$2,500, Shamrock Gardens - US$1,800- Tel: 223-8479/ 647-3768. www.spaceseek.gy Houses & apartments: One bedroom @ Kitty - $40,000, Bel-Air Park - US$2,500-Tel: 223-8479/ 647-3768. www.spaceseek.gy One nails table @ a Prime Location – Tel: 602-5469 Houses & Apartments: Durban Backlands US$4,000, Ogle- US$1,200— Tel: 223-8479/ 647-3768. www.spaceseek.gy One bedroom apartment for working couple or single person with no children price$25,000 – Call:657-8335 Apartment to rent at Eccles, Interested person kindly Call: 233-2424 One 2 bedroom house in La Parfaite Harmonie - $30,000 per month- Tel: 668-8799 Prime business flat 100X25 (Boutique/Store/Office) @ Hadfield St. behind Brickdam Station – Contact: Simone: 626-5317; 227-0501

DEAR EDITOR, The Caribbean diaspora play an important role in their respective countries and as a result governments and opposition parties are tapping into them for more support.

Jamaica first started to recognize its nationals who live overseas by appointing officers in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to look after the interest of the diaspora and to explore more possibilities of assistance from them. Jamaica has hundreds of thousands in the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada and other overseas countries, and their remittances to their homeland are in excess of two billion US dollars annually, which is

more than 25% of the country’s national budget.

The opposition PNM party in Trinidad and Tobago announced last Saturday that it will appoint an international liaison officer, and last month the leader of the opposition APNU/PNCR, David Granger, was in New York whipping up support from the diaspora for his party.

These two opposition parties are hopeful that the diaspora can assist them to return to power.

Over in Ontario, Canada, the governing PPPC is fully behind the Association of Concerned Guyanese (ACG) which is very vibrant not only in realizing funds for Guyana, but to assist in ensuring that

the PPPC remains in government.

Last week, elections were held, and well known community worker Victor Yacoob, who is also President of the District Lions Club has been elected as President of the ACG, and he pledged to continue to support the efforts of the people of Guyana for the establishment of a society based on peace, democracy, equality, and human rights and social justice.

The ACG was established in 1973 by the then opposition PPPC “for the restoration of democracy in Guyana and to create international awareness of the unjust situation in Guyana”.

It is ironical that the PPPC is in power for more than 21 years and the situation is not better.

In fact it is worse in certain areas, especially corruption by government officials and the failure by the administration to hold local government elections.

Caribbean nationals from Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, and all the Eastern Caribbean states of Antigua and Barbuda, Grenada, St. Kitts and Nevis, Dominica, and others play an indivisible part of their homeland and send remittances on a regular basis to their relatives and communities.

Oscar Ramjeet

From page 4 of a meritocratic public sector (what heterodox economists call embedded autonomy).

He has a second book outlining his views of security as an underpinning for driving economic growth. Essentially his economic views are pragmatic, realistic and sensible.

His position on Linden demonstrates a dimension on his economic insights.

Linden is in a depression mainly because aluminum – derived from bauxite – is one of the very few commodities that suffered a price decline during the commodity boom.

Therefore, he understands that populism will not solve the problem there.

However, winning the election can allow for Linden to be made into a significant other city, given that Georgetown will eventually be under water as the ice melts.

Finally, Granger led APNU to reject the terms of the Amaila hydroelectric plant, while not disagreeing with the need to harness hydroelectricity.

At close to US$1 billion, the project was over-billed and with past experience (Skeldon sugar factory, Marriott hotel and road projects), the price would have increased even more.

This one act saved all

Guyanese from inflated external debt and expensive electricity. Unfortunately the AFC did not question this project as it should have.

One of Granger’s styles that appear to befuddle many observes is his ability to be comfortable in his skin.

He has shunned “big man” politics. He is not an insecure leader; hence he allows others to propose Bills and motions in parliament.

Does this management style warrant criticisms? Do we really want one man to take credit for all the work done by a team?

I feel Guyanese will desire this kind of management instead of the egotistical styles the country has suffered from since independence.

Being a talk man in public speech does not imply an abil-

ity to run the country. Smooth talk is no substitute for technical competence.

However, shunning “big man” politics does not mean there is no room for improving the public relations machinery of APNU. Granger’s personal integrity is acknowledged even by critical commentators like Ram and Mr Freddie Kissoon.

One of the massive obstacles to Guyanese national development and job creation is corruption that strangles legitimate business expansion and foreign investment. Granger also has a reputation as a skilled national security technocrat.

That is evidenced among other accomplishments by his tenure lecturing at the National Defense University in Washington, DC. Criminal en-

terprises like narco-trafficking, money laundering, piracy, and smuggling must be tackled credibly in order to provide the law and order that will enable and encourage remigration and job creation by honest small businesses.

I support Brigadier Granger because I feel he is the best leader to build a multiethnic rainbow coalition at this point.

Having said that, I’d like to take the opportunity to congratulate the PNCR for again electing its leader.

This is refreshing, given that the PPP has stubbornly chosen Stalin’s method of a show-of-hands.

Regardless of the outcome of the election, the PNCR would be the winner.

Tarron Khemraj

DEAR EDITOR, I have been observing over time, that Dr. George Norton would comment negatively on happenings at the PHG. In reading his comments, I observe that he is a part of Management there. That therefore begs the question, is Dr. Norton part of the problem or is he a part of the solution? Does he make

recommendations at Management meetings? Or, does he wait for opportunities to try to look good as a politician.

Also, he is Shadow Minister of Health out of the APNU umbrella.

My sympathy goes out to APNU. Dr. Norton is a surgeon, he is an Opthalmologist. He mentions that the hospital is

a training institution. The world is a training institution.

We all learn something every day.

Each day I bump into someone who was once a patient of a goodly Doctor.

Only thing is the person cannot see me. She is blind.

Let he that is without sin, cast the first stone!

Elias Jones

Granger is the best leader to build a multi-ethnic...

Let he that is without sin, cast the first stone!

Tuesday July 22, 2014

Kaieteur News

Former resident of boys’ school in T&T tells of physical, sexual abuse

A former resident of the St Michael’s Home for Boys in Diego Martin recounts incidents of abuse during his stay at the facility. PHOTO: MICHAEL BRUCE (Trinidad Guardian) The St Michael’s School for Boys, Diego Martin, is a “house of horrors” for those seeking sanctuary, confirmed one of the teenagers subjected to physical and sexual abuse at the facility. Asking for his name not to be used, the teenager, who is now 19, said it was time for the public to know what was really happening behind the sixfoot-high steel fence that surrounds the compound.

“That is not a suitable home for children. It’s like a little prison for teenagers, because they don’t teach you anything,” he said, adding, “They don’t give the children counselling. Most of them, they pull them out of school and send them to train.”

In an interview at the

T&T Guardian office, he said during his year-long stay he was deprived of a secondary school education, sexually abused by a female staff member, beaten by a male staff member, cursed and threatened, witnessed staff members using marijuana, and denied the chance to learn a trade by other members of staff, who deemed him a trouble-maker.

He spoke after Attorney General Anand Ramlogan revealed the findings of a report on the death of 14year-old Brandon Hargreaves at the home in April. The report contained similar allegations, and the AG said he had written to the Director of Public Prosecutions and the acting Commissioner of Police asking for an

investigation. Now about to become a father himself, the teenager who has never known a father’s love, said, “I have a baby coming, and I never want my child to go through what I did.

“I am willing to talk now about everything that has happened because this is for all those children who suffered like me, and for those who are still suffering.” He became withdrawn, sullen and aggressive during his time at the school, the teenager said, but was now prepared to deal with the authorities and any fall-out from making the information public. Sent to the school at 15 after his father took him before the court and deemed him “beyond control,” he said, “It wasn’t a nice situation when I was there.”

KINGSTON, Jamaica (JIS) — In another 19 months, six health facilities across Jamaica will be able to generate energy from the upgrading of their sewerage system through anaerobic technology developed by the Scientific Research Council (SRC), and funded with a $389 million (US$3.47 million) grant from the National Health Fund (NHF).

The anaerobic technology, which is patented by the SRC, protects the environment because of its low carbon process that contributes to the reduction of greenhouse gas emission, and prevents the uncontrolled emission of methane (gas that has no smell) into the atmosphere.

General Manager at Marketech, an arm of the SRC, Roslyn Fisher, outlined the benefits that can be derived from the waste treatment technology. “It uses waste to generate energy, or ‘cash from trash.’ And, the process does not require electricity, so

you can reduce on power supply sources,” she noted.

“The biogas that is generated from the system can be used for heating purposes, cooking and providing electricity. It is odourless, with little or no maintenance, and it is environmentally friendly,” Fisher added.

Minister of science, technology, energy and mining, Phillip Paulwell, who spoke at the recent launch of the project at the Percy Junor Hospital, said the collaboration of the SRC, which is an agency of his ministry, with the ministry of health, must be seen as a practical “demonstration of cost effective application of technology to add value to the lives of people.”

He said the energy from the system should be utilized in the running of the health facilities, which will result in savings. To date, the SRC has commissioned some 500 wastewater treatment systems, inclusive of

biodigesters across the island, at the residential and commercial levels. The ministry has a clear policy on utilizing waste for productive purposes, such as energy generation. For his part, minister of health, Dr Fenton Ferguson, said that the project is historic, and the scientific aspect of it is part of measures that must be embarked on for all aspects of institutional development.

“These are strategic decisions that we are taking, and we believe that it is a most important project.

While noting that part of the mandate of the National Health Fund is to facilitate well equipped health facilities, chief executive officer, Everton Anderson, said: “We consider the sum that we have allotted for this project as a keen demonstration of our dedication to achieve quality health care.”

“We will have a cost effective environmentally friendly system for the health sector,” Fisher added.

Jamaican health facilities to generate energy from sewage

Page 25

Worst of the drought is yet to come, Minister warns (Jamaica Observer) Minister of Water, Land, Environment and Climate Change Robert Pickersgill did not speak with water in his mouth as he warned Jamaicans Sunday night to brace for worsening drought conditions and more water restrictions.

The minister in a national televised broadcast said that the drought had worsened considerably in several communities in the island and that the dry spell was expected to continue for much longer. He said that the inflows into several of the country’s large reservoirs were well below normal and that the country did not receive the amount of rainfall for the usually wet months of May and June. Several of the country’s rural water systems had also been affected.

“Fellow Jamaicans, this is a challenge, and it is one that is made worse by higher temperatures and windy conditions, that provide the perfect combination for bush fires, which, given the present water shortage, will be difficult to control and extinguish,” said Pickersgill.

“Even more troubling are the meteorological projections. The El Nino weather phenomenon that is at present affecting our weather pattern is projected

Minister of Water and Climate Change Robert Pickersgill to continue and will result in no significant increase of rainfall even during the next rainy season, which is from October to November,” he added. The minister said that reduction in the amount of rainfall that the country was currently getting had significantly reduced the inflows from springs and rivers into several of the country’s facilities.

“Preliminary rainfall figures for the month of June indicate that Jamaica received only 30 per cent of its normal rainfall and all parishes, with the exception of sections of Westmoreland (54 per cent), were in receipt of less than half of their normal rainfall.

The southern parishes of St Elizabeth, Manchester, Clarendon, St Catherine, Kingston & St Andrew and St Thomas along with St Mary and Portland were hardest hit,” Pickersgill said.

Clarendon, he said, received only two per cent of its normal rainfall followed by Manchester with four per cent, St Thomas, six per cent, St Mary 8, per cent and 12 per cent for Kingston and St Andrew.

Additionally, the water minister said that inflows into the Mona Reservoir from the Yallahs and Negro Rivers are now at 4.8 million gallons per day, which is among the lowest since the construction of the Yallahs Pipeline in 1986, while inflows into the Hermitage Dam are currently at six million gallons per day, down from more than 18 million gallons per day during the wet season.

Pickersgill also stated that 120 of the 460 rural water systems that are manned by the National Water Commission had so far been affected.

However, he said the ministry had deployed 40 trucks to the affected parishes island-wide including the worse affected ones such as Clarendon and St Elizabeth and that water trucks would continue to service those parishes until normal rainfall was restored.

Big drop in murders as World Cup captivates J’can criminals (Jamaica Observer) Billed as ‘The Greatest Show On Earth’, the 2014 World Cup, which kicked off June 12 with host nation Brazil facing European rivals Croatia, kept Jamaican criminals so busy that murders dropped by 70, or 12 per cent during the month-long soccer fiesta.

Jamaica football fans and even ‘wagonists’ piled up in front of television sets supporting the teams or players of their choice.

Apparently not even crime could compete with the interest generated by the World Cup. The first noticeable development was a steep decline in traffic pile-ups, according to police, in parish capitals, notably when the more popular teams Brazil, Germany or Argentina were on the pitch. During the semifinal encounter between Brazil and Germany, Kingston and Montego Bay were like ghost towns.

But more significantly, the pull and allure of the World Cup had a major effect

on the murder toll figures for the country, compared with earlier periods this year.

Based on statistics supplied by the police and confirmed by Minister of National Security Peter Bunting in his presentation to Parliament last Tuesday, murders during the period January 1 to July 13 totalled 520, or 70 less than the 590 recorded for the same period last year, an approximate decline of 12 per cent.

For the specific period of the World Cup — June 12 to July 13 2014 — a total of 75 murders were reported to the police. This figure compares with 104 murders in 2013, a difference of 29 and 96 murders in 2012, a difference of 21 murders.

“The decrease of 12 per cent or 70 actual murders during the period of consideration is quite significant for us. We have been working non-stop in our attempts to decrease murders and other major crimes.

Despite the gains, there is still much more to be done, but we

are very committed to the cause,” acting Commissioner of Police Glenmore Hinds told the Jamaica Observer.

“There is no doubt that when we have sporting events of the nature of the World Cup, the Olympics and the Athletics World Championships, there is a major positive effect on all crimes committed in Jamaica.

Nonetheless, we are still patrolling, still carrying out our operations and still gathering intelligence. Given the impact of these major sporting events, I wouldn’t mind if we had one such event every month,” Hinds joked.

Of special note is the decrease of murders in the often problematic division of St James, which showed a decrease of seven murders year to date. The division with the largest decrease in murders thus far for the year is Clarendon, which had 65 murders in 2013, compared with 47 in 2014, a difference of 18. Westmoreland is not far off with a decline of 17 murders.

Page 26

Kaieteur News

Tuesday July 22, 2014

Gaza death toll tops 500 as U.S. steps up ceasefire efforts

Defying a U.N. Security Council appeal for an immediate ceasefire, Israeli jets, tanks and artillery continued to pound the Gaza Strip, killing 28 members of a single family near the enclave’s southern border with Egypt, medics said (Reuters) - The United States, alarmed by escalating civilian bloodshed in an Israeli offensive in the Gaza Strip, took a direct role in efforts to secure a ceasefire yesterday, as the Palestinian death toll jumped to more than 500.

Despite growing calls for a halt to two weeks of fighting, violence raged on.

Israel pounded the coastal strip, killing 28 members of a family in one strike, 11 people in an attack on a high-rise building and four in the shelling of a hospital, medics said.

Israel’s losses also mounted. Following the death of 13 soldiers on Sunday, Israel said seven more troops

had been killed yesterday, including four whose jeep was fired at by a group of militants who tunnelled across the border from Gaza.

Israeli aircraft hit back swiftly, killing 10 of the infiltrators from the Islamist group Hamas, the army said.

Violence also spread to the occupied West Bank where Palestinian medics said Israeli soldiers shot and killed a Palestinian man, 21, while dispersing protesters throwing stones at a military jeep near Jerusalem.

The Israeli military said it was investigating the incident.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry arrived in Cairo to

try to secure an end to hostilities, a day after he was caught by an open microphone saying sarcastically that the Israeli assault was “a hell of a pinpoint operation”.

Speaking in Washington, President Barack Obama said he was increasingly worried by the conflict. “ We h a v e s e r i o u s concerns about the rising number of Palestinian civilian deaths and the loss of Israeli lives, and that is why it now has to be our focus and the focus of the international community to bring about a ceasefire,” he told reporters at the White House.

Indonesia to declare winner of hotly contested presidential election (Reuters) - Indonesian election officials are expected today to officially declare Jakarta Governor Joko “Jokowi” Widodo the winner of a hotly contested presidential election in which his rival has alleged mass cheating.

Private tallies show Jokowi beat former special forces chief Prabowo Subianto by about five percentage points.

Prabowo has refused to concede defeat and is expected to challenge the result in the Constitutional Court, though experts say such an appeal is unlikely to succeed. A spokesman for the Election Commission said the announcement would be made by 6 p.m. (7 a.m. EDT).

Outgoing President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono urged whoever loses the closest presidential race in Indonesia’s history to

Governor Joko ‘Jokowi’ Widodo acknowledge the outcome to avoid violence in the world’s most populous Muslim nation. “Admitting defeat is noble,” the president told reporters Sunday, in a clear reference to Prabowo.

Hundreds of thousands of police and military are on heightened alert across the vast archipelago of 240

million people, the world’s third largest democracy.

There have been no reports of major violence.

“There are a lot of rumors of instability and unrest but cautiously I’m confident that it is implausible,” said Tobias Basuki, a political analyst at the CSIS think-tank.

Markets have largely brushed off the uncertainty in Southeast Asia’s largest economy and have rallied on the likely Jokowi win. A protracted wrangle over the election outcome could undermine confidence.

“The possibility of overturning the election result is very slim. Investors will instead focus on the presidential cabinet, which the new president should announce by October,” said Sebastian Tobing of Jakartabased brokerage Trimegah Securities.

Tuesday July 22, 2014

Kaieteur News

Page 27

Bolt to run at Copacabana, Stakeholders launch fifth Boyce...

Gatlin race unlikely RALEIGH North Carolina (Reuters) - Usain Bolt will return to Rio de Janeiro next month to run a special 100 meters on the beach, he said on his website on Sunday, but the Jamaican world record holder is now unlikely to race against Justin Gatlin this year.

The six times Olympic gold medalist added the Aug 17 “Mano a Mano” 100m on Copacabana Beach to three previously announced races in what he said was his finalised schedule for 2014.

Bolt streaked to victory in a 150m race at the famous beach in March 2013 on a track specially built for the event.

He has delayed opening his season this year because of a foot injury and will start with a 4x100 meters relay with

his Jamaican team mates at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow on Aug 1-2.

The eight-times world champion will also run 100m races in Warsaw, Poland on Aug 23 and at the Zurich Diamond League meeting on Aug 28.

The schedule, unless amended, means Bolt and U.S. world silver medalist Gatlin, who is undefeated this year, are unlikely to meet before 2015.

Gatlin, who returned from a four-year doping ban in 2010, will not receive an invitation to race against Bolt in Zurich because of the Swiss meeting’s “policy to not invite athletes that have been banned for two years or more”, meeting director Patrick Magyar told Reuters via email.

While the 100 meters race in Zurich is not part of the

Diamond League series of events, the 200 meters race at the same meeting will be.

Gatlin could therefore still race in the longer event, because it is governed by Diamond League rules.

“If Gatlin is, by the time of Zurich, in the top three of the Diamond Race (for the 200), we will invite him for the 200m, which is our Diamond Race event,” Magyar said.

Gatlin, who has won 11 consecutive 100 meters and two races at 200m this year, is currently tied for fourth in the Diamond League standings for the 200m despite running the year’s fastest time at last week’s Monaco meeting.

Fellow American Tyson G a y, who recently completed a one-year doping ban, already is confirmed for the 200m, Magyar said.

Tuesday July 22, 2014 ARIES (Mar. 21- April 20) Stick to doing things that will make you a better person both physically and mentally. You can make changes to your domestic scene that will benefit all who reside there.

LIBRA (Sept. 24 -Oct. 23) You'll need to exercise control. Don't let your mate bully you into thinking that you owe them your time and your life. Make amends if you can.

TAURUS (Apr. 21- May 21) It might be time to shake a leg and do a personal makeover.

You can dazzle members of the opposite sex with your quick wit and aggressive charm.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24 - Nov. 22)

GEMINI (May 22-June 21) Pleasure trips will be a form of healing for your emotional state of mind. You can get a great deal accomplished if you bring work home.

CANCER (June 22-July 22) You are likely to be left alone if you aren't willing to bend just a little. Your ability to deal with humanitarian groups will enhance your reputation.

LEO (July 23-Aug 22) You will inspire confidence in others. Invest wisely. Your personal life could have you tied up in knots.

VIRGO (Aug. 23 -Sept. 23) A romantic infatuation from your past may surface if you frequent places that you both used to go. Uncertainties regarding your love life will surface if you have neglected your mate. You need to sit back and enjoy.

Social events will lead to a strong and stable relationship. Intellectual stimulation is what you are looking for.

SAGIT (Nov. 23 -Dec. 21) You will accomplish the most through orderly activities. Travel could be in order. Peers may not be on your side.

CAPRI (Dec 22.- Jan. 20) Your mind will be wandering to exotic destinations. Your charm will attract someone special. Use your charm, but don't sign or agree to anything.

AQUAR. (Jan. 21 -Feb. 19) An older member of the family may need assistance. Too many opportunities and too many changes going on.

You may have personal problems, but professional duties might be pressing.

PISCES (Feb. 20-Mar. 20) You can stabilize your personal relationship if you're willing to communicate honestly. Minor accidents may occur if you don't concentrate on what you're doing.

From page 29 Manager of Digicel, the primary sponsor of the meet, Gavin Hope stated that the reason for Digicel’s continued support of the meet is as a result of continued growth over the years. He urged the organisers to continue to raise the bar.

“We have seen growth over the past four years, we have seen a lot of Caribbean athletes and we expect a similar level of participation this year. I want to congratulate the organisers for staying with it and keeping the meet in Linden and Digicel will continue to be a part of it especially with the growth we are seeing,” Hope observed.

He said that he knows that from conversation with the organisers a lot of planning goes into the event and he hopes that the other systems,

Guyana hunt 13th three-day...

From page 30 win three consecutive titles when Guyana took Championship honors in 1974, 1975 & 1976.

On what is anticipated to be slow pitches, a Guyanese batsman would be keen to register a century after Berbician Gopie Beasmonie scored 101 in 1970 at the McKenzie Sports Club ground in Linden to become the first Guyanese to score a Regional under-19 century.

Today, Skipper Brian Sattaur, Kemol Savory, Balchan Baldeo and West Indies under-19 players Taignarine Chanderpaul and Shimron Hetmyer are all capable of achieving a three-figure score this year on pitches that should make fast bowling a tedious task and fast bowling all-rounder Kemo Paul and pacer Keon Morris should not expect an easy day at the office for Guyana.

Off-spinners Sharaz Ramcharran and Akel Wallace along with leg-spinner Steven Sankar could enjoy the local tracks and do the bulk of bowling.

Guyana: Brian Sattaur (captain), Sharaz Ramcharran (vice captain), Balchan Baldeo, Daniel Basdeo, Taignarine Chanderpaul, Shimron Hetmyer, Askay Homray, Keon Morris, Keemo Paul, Steven Sankar, Kemol Sevory, Niall Smith, Daimon Waldron, Akel Wallace Leeward Islands: Jeremiah Louis (captain), Alzarri Joseph (vice captain), Colin Archibald, Therone Bussue, Kacey Carty, Jaeel Clarke, Mohit Hingorani, Asharn Hodge, Shaquille Martina, Ross Powell, Kenrick Scott, Mrinal Wadwha, Dion West, Saeed Williams Today’s matches are scheduled to begin at 10:00hrs and admission is free to all of the games.

like getting the ground ready, will support their efforts to provide a quality developmental event to the community.

In a rousing address, Ansa McAl’s Smalta Brand Manager, Anjeta Hinds called for a collective approach to sports development, stating that with much more corporate impetus, the meet could grow to mirror the globally renowned Jamaican Championships.

According to Hinds, “the meet has the potential and we have seen that potential”.

“Ansa McAl always prides itself on youth development in sport and with track and field in Guyana it is no different,” Hinds added, pledging the full backing of her com-

pany.

Contract Manager at Wartsila, another company that has been with the meet from day one, Arron Fraser, indicated that he saw what the meet has become from the first day he was presented with the proposal for the meet five years ago.

“What we’ve observed is that the event continues to grow in stature and in some ways it mirrors some of our company’s values: energy, excitement and excellence. The real people, who benefit from all of it all, are the athletes and it’s a good distraction from all the ills of society so I would encourage the athletes to continue to train hard for the meet,” Fraser said.

Page 28

Kaieteur News

Tuesday July 22, 2014

Chinese coaches graduate GC Foster sprinting course Jamaica Observer - GC FOSTER College closed the special sprinting course for the six Chinese coaches who were in Jamaica as part of a Government to Government (Jamaica to China) scholarship arrangement.

The graduation exercise was held at the Knutsford Court Hotel in Kingston last Thursday.

The six coaches who graduated were Li Xiumei, Yan Juntao, Chen Hongtao, Yan Hui, Zhang Yingbo and Wang Anlee. They received a special diploma in sprinting.

The course was patterned off the IAAF course for the discipline.

According to Natalie Neita-Headley, minister without portfolio with responsibility for sports, who spoke on behalf of Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller, under whom the sports portfolio falls, said that the course delivered to the Chinese under the scholarship programme will be available to other elite coaches wishing to learn from Jamaica.

She also said that the balance of four scholarship (six of the original 10 were taken up by the coaches who completed the one month intensive programme) will be taken up in September by full time diploma students.

Dr Wang Anlee, who

(From left) Yan Juntao (graduate), Edward Shakes, principal of GC Foster College, Rosa Joseph, chairman of the college, Natalie Neita-Headley, minister without portfolio with responsibility for sports, His Excellency Dong Xiaojun, ambassador of the People’s Republic of China, graduates Dr Wang Anlee, Li Xiumei and Chen Hangtao during last Thursday night’s graduation exercise at the Knutsford Court Hotel. spoke on behalf of the coaches in an extensive interview, praised the Government, GC Foster College and the lecturers led

by Maurice Wilson — Jamaica’s technical leader to

senior events.

He said that the six coaches learnt a lot about Jamaica’s sprinting programme in the five weeks that they were here.

He referred to the

following: The whole country pays close attention to track and field; the improvement of the company’s image through the athletes’ success; the economic benefit of the sports; the fact that

Jamaicans speak English so can communicate easily with most persons, including foreigners; Jamaica has a pool of talented athletes who receive very good scientific training; there are super stars

that make other countries jealous; Jamaicans are relaxed, easy-going people and this aides sprinting success.

He also spoke extensively about the country’s training methods which is done in short intense time segments.

This is in stark contrast to how it is done in China.

This was an eye-opener for the group. Nutrition was a big topic for them as well.

Dr Anlee said that Jamaica’s athletes consume a lot of carbohydrates, while in China the athletes focus more on meats or proteins. The way Jamaica focuses on periodisation was also mentioned by Dr Anlee.

The way that Jamaica ties education with athletic training and performance was commended by him. He spoke about the future benefit of being able to move on to a successful life when the athlete retires.

He went on further to say that Jamaica should invest in GC Foster College to improve the facility in terms of its physical plant and technology because the country could get even greater results in the future.

Two of the coaches left the island last week while the other four were slated to depart for China Saturday morning.

Schweinsteiger favoured to be new Germany leader BERLIN (AFP) — German midfield general Bastian Schweinsteiger is favourite to become the World Cup winners’ captain after the surprise international retirement of Philipp Lahm.

Schweinsteiger became a symbol of Germany’s charge to a fourth trophy, battling on through the final victory over Argentina despite taking an elbow in the face that left blood pouring from a cut.

“Will miss you on the team, my friend! Had a g r e a t time! Thank you Philipp,” said a Twitter tribute from Schweinsteiger to his Bayern Munich team-mate after Lahm’s announcement.

Lahm is quitting international football at the age of 30 having played 113 times for his country.

Age is not on Schweinsteiger’s side. He will be 30 on August 1, has played 108 matches and has struggled with injuries over the past two years.

But he was already officially Lahm’s deputy and

his leadership qualities have been widely praised.

“You don’t need to think for very long,” said Lothar Matthaus, Germany’s captain when they won the 1990 World Cup, who appeared a record 150 times for his country.

“I am going on the principle that Bastian Schweinsteiger will take over the captain’s arm band. He is already vice-captain,” Matthaus told Sky Sport television.

German coach Joachim Loew has not said when he will name a new captain and is under no pressure as European Championship qualifying does not start until September.

If he is looking for a younger candidate, defender Mats Hummels, 25, and striker Thomas Mueller, 24, have also become pillars of the worldbeating side.

“It will not be easy to replace Philipp Lahm as a player, as a person and as captain,” said another German legend, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, current chief

executive at Bayern.

Rudi Voller, Germany’s coach when Lahm made his international debut in 2004, said the Bayern defender could have kept going until the next World Cup in Russia in 2018.

Loew has concentrated on joining tributes to Lahm, who only told him of his decision at breakfast on the day after Sunday’s World Cup final.

“He is a world class player. He proved it again in recent weeks in Brazil,” said Loew in a statement released by the German Football Federation (DFB).

“Philipp is a model professional who sacrifices everything for (team) success,” added Loew, who made Lahm his skipper just before the 2010 World Cup finals.

“He was always a central and very important figure to talk to, with whom we were able to discuss our ideas.

“He can be proud of his career. He is a fantastic player with a big heart, lots of passion and character,” Loew said.

Bastian Schweinsteiger (AFP) Lahm said he had been thinking all season about retiring from the German team.

Without giving anything away about his bombshell announcement, Lahm said at the World Cup he realised it would probably be his last and vowed “so I’m going to throw all my energy into the battle.”

Lahm, one of the best defenders of his generation,

said through his agent that having won the World Cup, “it’s the right time for me” to leave.

He remains under contract with Bayern, his lifelong club — apart from two seasons on loan with VfB Stuttgart — until 2018.

On top of the World Cup, with Bayern Lahm has won five Bundesliga titles, five German Cups, the German

Super Cup twice and the Champions League, European Super Cup and the Club World Cup. DFB president Wolfgang Niersbach praised Lahm as “not only an extraordinary player but also an absolute role model.”

Germany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel expressed her “greatest respect” for Lahm’s achievements.