Kaieteur News

Thursday Edition July 26, 2012 - Vol. 5 No. 29

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OP pays $300K per month to Freedom House operative p. 3

... Kwame Mc Coy rakes in $335,000

Solidarity with Linden

The solidarity rally and march in support of the people of Linden brought the city alive yesterday.

Black was the colour and it was prominent.

Mystery deepens in Linden - Crime Chief says only four shotgun cartridges shooting probe missing from ammo taken to Linden p. 8

Linden shootings …

Disaster averted p.

Light traffic 6 Bullets struck twop. after murder accused protesters in the 7 resumes on Colin Jones snatches police guns p. 3 heart, one in the back Harbour Bridge

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Kaieteur News

Thursday July 26, 2012

Thursday July 26, 2012

Kaieteur News

Disaster averted after murder accused Colin Jones snatches police guns Tragedy of immense proportions was averted yesterday at the Providence Magistrate’s Court when police ranks had to call on their expertise to subdue high profile murder accused, Colin Jones, after he made two attempts to wrestle firearm from two ranks.

On one occasion a brave rank risked his life to grab Jones after he had succeeded in taking away a rifle from one of the ranks, who was detailed to provide security around the courts.

Kaieteur News understands that Jones was among five high profile prisoners taken to the Providence Magistrate’s Court yesterday under heavy police guard.

The others were Randy Mars, Jaffar Simpson, Basil Morgan and Andy Wilson.

All were shackled and handcuffed as they were led into the court.

It was explained that whenever high profile prisoner s a t t e n d c o u r t , heavily armed ranks would provide strict security around the perimeter and strategic sections of the building.

However there appeared to be a lapse in the intensity of the security detail.

As the prisoners were led from the courtroom to the prison van at the end of their matters, Jones made his move. “Dis man run with he

shackle and snatch a policeman rifle,” a source told this newspaper.

But thanks to an alert policeman, who quickly grabbed Jones, a catastrophe was averted.

“De man vice he and he drop de gun,” the source said.

Jones did not stop there.

After the policeman let go of him, he ran to another rank and grabbed his Beretta semiautomatic weapon.

The cop held firm and was quickly assisted by the same cop who had subdued Jones before.

Again they managed to subdue Jones and take him to the security of the prison van.

“Dat policeman, dey does call he ‘Pit Bull’. He probably save de Magistrate because if Jones de get hold of dem gun he could’a kill everybody, Magistrate and all.”

Jones is considered very dangerous given the gruesome nature of the crime he allegedly admitted to.

He is on trial for the murder of two of his accomplices, who he allegedly killed and buried their remains in the forested area aback of Linden.

Jones is also said to be suicidal, as there are reports that he has tried to kill himself while in prison.

“He tell dem police if ‘Pit Bull’ didn’t bin deh, he would kill all ah dem.”

PSC announces new Chairman Following the resignation of Yog Mahadeo as Chairman of the Private Sector Commission (PSC), Ronald Webster, representative of the Caribbean Container Incorporated (CCI), was yesterday elected to take his place.

His election came at a Special General Meeting called for the purpose of elections.

Mahadeo resigned as Chairman to this body mere days after resigning as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GT&T), following financial irregularities by his underlings.

Mahadeo was initially elected along with three other persons. Clinton Urling, President of the Georgetown Chambers of Commerce, was elected Vice Chairman.

Andrew Astwood, President of the Guyana Shipping Association, was named the Secretary to the body.

Chrandradat Chintamali of the Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL) was elected the new Treasurer.

Page 3

OP pays $300K per month to Freedom House operative A request by A Partnership for National Unity’s (APNU) Joseph Harmon, as it relates to the names and designations of persons terminated as a result of the 2012 Budgetary Cuts, has revealed that at least one Freedom House operative, Mahendra Roopnarine, earns $395,000 per month. And the salary is paid by Office of the President.

Minister of Finance Dr Ashni Singh, yesterday presented a list to the National Assembly representing the list of persons unable to access their salaries.

Among those persons unable to access their salaries, according to Dr Singh’s information, is “Press Undersecretary, OPL” Mahendra Roopnarine whose salary payable at the end of last month was $395,000.

Roopnarine currently hosts the weekly programme “Getting it Right,” which used to be undertaken by the then Junior Health Minister Bheri Ramsaran.

Roopnarine was also a staple on pro-government television channels during the

….Kwame Mc Coy rakes in $335,000 per month 2011 Election Campaign.

Controversial Office of the President figure, in the person of the President’s Information Liaison Officer, Kwame McCoy is being paid $334,850 per month. McCoy’s designation is listed as a ‘Communications Coordinator.’

It was also revealed that Government Information Agency (GINA) which had its Budget reduced to $1, pays its Director Neaz Subhan $295, 530, while GINA’s Editor-inChief Shanta Goberdan earns $295,460 per month.

Head of the Presidential Secretariat Dr Roger Luncheon, is listed as being paid by Office of the President, a salary of $895,326 while his Deputy, Hydar Ally is paid $550,064.

Office of the President also pays the son of Former Attorney General, Charles Ramson, $430,196 for the position of Technical Legal Director.

Major General (ret’d) Joseph G Singh who has been retained by Office of the

President as a Special Assistant to the President is paid some $667,440 for his services while OP’s Protocol Advisor Eshwar Persaud is paid $268,000.

A Cabinet Monitor Officer named Leroy Cort also earns from Office of the President some $155,628.

“Presidential Pol. Liaison Officer” Chitraykha Dass earns $255,000 for his services while Parliamentarian Reverend Kwame Gilbert also receives $294, 585 for his services as a ‘Community Develop. (Social Policy Officer).’ Cheddi Jagan 11, the Attorney-at-Law earns from Office of the President $489,666.

Desmond Kissoon, the Presidential Political Liasion Officer Region Nine, earns some $280,000 while Clive Lloyd, the President’s Advisor on Sports earns

$721,000 in this capacity.

Reepu Daman Persaud the ailing Pandit is listed on the June payroll for Office of the President to receive $412,320 for his services as an Advisor to the President while former Regional Chairman for Region Six, Zulfikar Mustapha earns for himself as Head, Community Relations Liasion Officer some $307,600.

Presidential Advisor Gail Teixeira, earns for herself $967,985 from Office of the President in that capacity.

The entire Ethnic Relations Commission has listed $372,434 to be paid to its Chief Executive Officer Yvonne Langevine.

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Kaieteur News

Thursday July 26, 2012

Letters... Where your views make the news

Printed and Published by National Media & Publishing Company Ltd. 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown, Guyana.

Publisher: GLENN LALL Editor: Adam Harris Tel: 225-8465, 225-8491. Fax: 225-8473, 226-8210

EDITORIAL

Disowning one’s responsibility Leadership is one quality that is not worn easily. It has its responsibilities and it can be a costly thing. Not everyone can be a leader. Some people are natural leaders because they fit easily into the role of accepting responsibility.

However, there are those who profess to be leaders but would desert their men at the first time of problems.

Sometimes, people have to be trained to become leaders.

They are exposed to the various levels and promoted according to the qualities they display. These are often the people described as being forged into leadership positions.

We have often seen cases where leaders quit jobs because the people they led failed to behave responsibly and brought shame to the unit. One recent example was the case of Yog Mahadeo of the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company. The senior management of the company mounted an investigation into reports of irregularity.

There were reports that the telephone company had engaged in irregular financial practices with people at the state-owned National Communications Network and the team came down to Guyana. Four men were found culpable and Mr Mahadeo immediately resigned. He declared that the irregularity occurred under his watch and he was therefore culpable.

In the United States yesterday a Roman Catholic functionary was sent to jail for three to six years because he presided over some priests who molested young boys. The court found that he was complicit, that he was responsible for the men and although he did not molest any young boy he simply shifted the errant priests.

A captain aboard a cruise liner was sanctioned most severely when the vessel ran aground. He was the head of the vessel. Government Ministers in some countries have resigned over situations that affected their areas of work although they were not really culpable.

And so we come to the recent episode of the shooting to death of three people in Linden. Ron Somerset, Selwyn Boyea and Allen Lewis were shot dead during the first day of the protest in Linden, against the hike in electricity rates.

Someone had to give the orders to shoot. Even worse, someone had to authorize the use of live rounds. The senior officer was Superintendent Clifton Hicken. Indeed, Hicken was the officer in charge of what occurred in Linden. Even if he were not in the mining community he had to be aware of the situation because Linden is not a remote community with difficult communication systems.

The situation started from sunrise and one can rest assured that the people on the ground were reporting to the police hierarchy almost every hour. Hicken was there and if he were in the Mackenzie Police Station then he would have been aware of every move his men made. He would have been issuing instructions.

The Minister of Home Affairs who in recent times adopted a hands-on attitude with the police force would have been made aware of everything. It was the Home Affairs Minister who caused an Assistant Commissioner to be sanctioned because he dared to be critical of the other officers in the force. And the Minister justified his actions.

It was the Minister who defended the police force when the media zeroed in on some corrupt or perceived acts of corruption. He said that the buck stopped at his door. For him to deny that he had no say is to suddenly tell the nation that he was not in control of the police force. If the latter is the case then he was misleading the nation all along.

If it is that he is a leader who would abandon his post at the first sign of trouble then he should never have been a Minister with such a responsibility and should therefore be removed with immediate effect.

If he was left in the dark while the police committed their irregularities then he must still accept responsibility. He should resign because that would at least be the decent thing to do.

If indeed the police acted precipitately and without the permission of the superiors then one is left to wonder at the heavy presence at the post mortem. Does someone have something to hide?

The PNC is a failed and incompetent political organization DEAR EDITOR, Sometimes I wonder if that mass murdering charlatan, Jim Jones, is still operating in Guyana when I read the utterly illogical asininities that come from the mouths of political barkers in the public press. I wonder if Kool-Aid drinking is still en vogue.

Lurlene Nestor’s assault on truth and celebration of myopia titled “The PNCR remains the most progressive political party in current day Guyana” (KN, July 24, 2012) is the retch-inducing kind of journalism that if left unchecked could do serious damage to the intellectually and morally damaged who happen to believe this absurdity.

The PNCR is the laziest and most incompetent political party in the history of the region. It is an intellectual wasteland, devoid of thinking that could arrest its constant electoral beatings election after election. I do not often agree with Freddie Kissoon, but his view on the unmitigated indolence of the PNCR since the election in failing to use the courts coincides with mine.

Even before the results of the elections, the PNCR has been masquerading around this country only during elections when it goes begging and pleading with Africans for their votes, only to turn their backs on Africans when its leadership gets their seat in Parliament and the gold-plated concessions and benefits with it.

The PNCR has kicked, manhandled, backstabbed, abused and discarded the constituency that butters its political bread, Africans, since 1992. Its leadership has made some downright dumb decisions. It has shown no inclination to change its political stratagem when the hard, cold facts and brutal reality of ethno-politics and demographics kick it in the face.

The PNCR has stood as a silent bystander while the PPP has stolen, corrupted and redistributed hundreds of billions of Guyanese taxes in the past 20 years into the pockets of the plutocracy it feeds. Not one single court challenge has been brought by the PNCR to fight the PPP’s venalities. Even when Guyana got an opening of potential judicial light with the CCJ, the lackadaisical PNCR has not made one single challenge of national importance for the people of this country.

It is now close to eight months since the November

28, 2011 election and the PNCR has brought one measly piece of legislation to Parliament and, a law dealing with the Clerk of the National Assembly to boot, not legislation on corruption or NICIL or thievery or inequality or injustice.

The PNCR has been missing in action since the election. It backstabbed the AFC to get into bed with the PPP during the budget negotiations to double-cross Lindeners on the electricity issue before backpedalling when it was found out.

It was as silent as a doorpost when the Chronicle’s racist editorial landed upon this nation on July 3, 2012, arguing it was going to let others decry the editorialized racism while it stayed out. Imagine this ‘progressive’ political party shutting up when its breadand-butter constituency, Africans, were vilified, tarred and feathered.

Lurlene Nestor has some outlandish gumption to come here and talk about the PNCR as a progressive political organization. An organization that is recycling for leadership political dinosaurs associated with the most fascist and horrendous period of our nation’s history, a 28-year dictatorship that still cripples this country.

How could this organization be progressive?

Is Nestor telling us that in this country of brilliant African minds, the PNCR could not find a young, progressive African professional who has no linkage to the nasty past of the party ahead of these men who will never lift the PNCR beyond the African vote, which is never enough

to win an election?

Before Nestor puts the PNCR up on a pedestal where it has no place standing, she must realize that the PNCR is always going to be a perpetual second, once racial voting holds in Guyana, because the PNCR has done absolutely nothing to win votes from any group but Africans. The vital crossover ethnic groups, Amerindians and Mixed, rebuff the PNCR. The numbers are stacked against the party.

Stop this balderdash about a government of national unity. Incompetents sharing power is not the horizon the people of Guyana crave. Unless the PNCR and PPP and AFC are radically reformed to become more democratic organizations that encourage better leadership to challenge and displace the power-drunk and corrupt within their ranks, this government of national unity will be an opportunity for the governmental banditry to explode while they hold hands and sing Kumbaya.

A government of national unity is an attempt to obtain power through the back door by a group of politicians and parties that can no longer secure it through the electoral and democratic front door.

Guyanese must reject it, for now with the PPP knowing its future is now minority government for quite some time and the PNCR knowing it cannot win a free and fair election ever in this country’s history, the national unity government drumbeats are beginning to sound louder. Forbes Burnham was never interested in national unity, only his own selfish power

which impoverished Guyanese. Where was the PNC with this government of national unity concept all these 20 years?

Shared governance with this crop of PPP and PNC corrupters, rogues, misfits and incompetents will be a disaster in Guyana. It will lead to one-party state. When that happens the entire country will suffer. Who gave two ethnic parties representing two-thirds of the nation’s population the right to hog shared governance? Shared governance cannot work when it is done by ethnic parties catering to their constituencies, because those sizeable ethnic groups without political representation like Amerindians and Mixed will be at the mercy of other ethnicities.

Shared governance in ethno-politics is always going to be a disaster. Furthermore, when the internal democracy of the PPP and PNC are shaky, the Guyanese people are not getting the best leadership in a shared government situation, as the best citizens have no fair chance of serving their nation in a government of national unity.

Imagine the combination of Carl Greenidge and Ashni Singh running the finances of this country and you get the nightmare. What happens when these two proven failures start divvying up the spoils and handing it out to their ethnic constituencies to the exclusion of others? How is shared governance going to work in the absence of any motivation to change the constitution to fix the inequality problem in (Continued on page 19)

These people really do not have an iota of shame DEAR EDITOR, It’s amazing and mostly disgusting how GuySuCo and the Guyana government view the strike situations in the sugar industry from 1992 to the present time. The current strike at Albion is met with pleas for sensible, strikefree talks. These pleadings are from the management of a corporation which states that striking is unnecessary.

The managers are and have been stating that the company is losing big money with every industrial unrest. The losses are a result of the workers’ withdrawal of their labour and the inability of GuySuCo to meet their various local and international obligations.

Can these managers, directors and GAWU tell us

where was this kind of thought process about strikes in the sugar industry being unnecessary when during the PNC’s time in government GAWU was encouraged by many in the current government administration to strike for anything, everything and nothing? Plus regular arson, larceny and general sabotage were a norm.

If so much money is being lost now, then what was being lost back in those days?

If the workers should do a small fraction of what they were taught by administrators of their union, GuySuCo and this government would pack up and head for the hills, pronto.

In my next missive, I will reveal some of the dastardly

and devious measures they took to actually bring GuySuCo to this sad state it is in. It has been touted that sugar is the backbone of this nation’s economy. Well in that case, GAWU and its instigators back in those days, broke up this country’s backbone, shinbone, skullbone and every good bone in the economy.

This government took over a cripple of their own making and should be the last to upbraid or complain about the sugar workers’ striking actions. The right history of that period in Guyana is buried away in these people’s memories for their own devious convenience.

They really do not have an iota of shame.

G. Lewis

Thursday July 26, 2012

Kaieteur News

Page 5

Letters... Where your views make the news Letters... Where your views make the news

Rohee’s own words are sufficient to Guyanese husband and wife are judges in the Caribbean justify his immediate resignation DEAR EDITOR, After massive public outrage and condemnation of the barbaric action which took place at Linden, Minister of Home Affairs Clement Rohee on Sunday, July 22nd, 2012, came out and laid blame squarely at the feet of members of the Guyana Police Force for the mayhem which resulted in deaths and serious injuries. He told the nation that he was in no way involved in the decision for police officers to gun down innocent citizens.

On Tuesday,6th December, 2011, Minister Rohee made the same excuse when police rained pellets on peaceful citizens in Hadfield Street Georgetown. Many people were shot in the back and head.

The fact that these heinous acts are committed by the members of the Guyana Police Force with such frequency and boldness must be a cause for concern, especially since the Home Affairs Minister claims to be oblivious as to what is going on.

If we are to accept Minister Rohee’s claims that he is ignorant as to what transpired at Linden and that the police, not him, is responsible for causing the mayhem, the Minister of Home Affairs may have a

serious problem managing the police force or exercising any authority over same.

The question as to who is responsible for the maintenance of internal security becomes very critical in this case. If the Minister never knows or is uninformed about these excessive and deadly measures used by members of the police force to shut out peaceful demonstration, then he is clearly not in control of the police force and must resign forthwith.

Too often the Minister claims not to know, and this claim, if true, puts the Minister in a very unsympathetic position which emphasizes his weakness, lack of control and inability to manage the Guyana Police Force. The protection and safety of all Guyanese then becomes very risky, as it seems to be left to elements in the force who, based on Minister Rohee’s claims, can determine when to shoot and kill innocent citizens.This situation is sufficient to demand the immediate resignation of Minister Rohee.

If we are to accept Minister Rohee’s position that the police force is to be blamed for the open use of live rounds on peaceful protestors at Linden, and which resulted in deaths, we

must ask ourselves what might have caused these police officers to, without more, take such barbaric action? What might have encouraged them or induced them to take such murderous action against innocent citizens?

Just last month I had reason to caution Minister Rohee, the Minister responsible for public order and security, to refrain from making certain statements which I believe were suspicious and capable of causing unnecessary fear and excitement in the nation. The readers would remember the minister’s comments about ‘some fragile state of national security’ in which he claimed Guyana have found itself. His specific reference to Linden, as a place where some unusual security situation might take root, is mindboggling today.

So did the ranks, who Mr. Rohee claims must take sole responsibility for the shootings, decide to unleash terror in Linden because they felt that some ‘fragile security’ situation, in Linden, referred to by their subject minister, warranted these acts of murder?

My hope is that the investigation reveals all the relevant details.

Lurlene Nestor

Freddie Kissoon’s statements and references are ominous and incendiary DEAR EDITOR, It is very tragic that the Guyana Police Force lost control and opened fire leaving three dead and several injured. The police should have more intense training in dealing with disorderly crowds.

I read that the situation in Linden was descending into mayhem as a group of raucous protesters were setting vehicles and buildings alight and endangering the lives of other peaceful protesters. However, this does not give the police carte blanche to fire at will into any crowd, and the loss of innocent lives in these situations is always heartrending and tragic.

In one of his recent articles (KN, July 24), Freddie Kissoon references a dire warning made by “speaker after speaker” on the platform of the Youth Coalition for Transformation that “the Linden killings is a race trap set by the PPP that the PPP needs to survive”. Then follows that up with the statement:”Of course the obvious is yet to happen, and

as yet”.

What is he implying?

Whatever it is, his statements and references are ominous and incendiary and serve only to incite and promote more racial hatred.

The present government needs to: · address this situation seriously. · provide an avenue for independent investigation of this lethal incident, and apply the full force of the law to perpetrators. · provide proper training and discipline of its police force. · review its decision on cancelling subsidies for the Lindeners, especially if

cancelling them subjects these people to unmitigated hardship. · be willing to enter into discussion with the opposition to come up with smart, effective compromises that would benefit all of Guyana.

The people of Guyana do not need incendiary statements tossed around, and least of all, they don’t need Freddie Kissoon singling out one race, “the Indians,” to show “love, respect and solidarity” - they need all Guyanese to come together and act as one race in mutual respect and fellowship.

Fara Scafuri

DEAR EDITOR, Guyana’s economic situation is getting from bad to worse. Its export in rice, bauxite, sugar, gold, lumber, and agriculture is not as good as it was of yesterday year, but its export in human resources is mounting - the brain drain is robbing the country of qualified and talented persons, hence the reason for the maladministration that now exists.

Maybe the massive and barefaced corruption which is the order of the day is due to an incompetent government which cannot properly control its officials.

And while the country is suffering from the brain drain, other countries are benefitting tremendously from the expertise and talents of Guyanese. I recall several years ago I attended a regional law conference in Port of Spain and Guyanese represented five Caricom countries at the confab.

Now the region has a large number of Guyanese holding top positions in various fields. For instance in Belize, in Central America, the country’s Chief Justice

Kenneth Benjamin, a Guyana scholar, the President of the University of Belize, Essequibian Carey Frazer; Chief Education Officer Christopher Aird; three Puisne judges Oswell Legall, Minette Hafez, and Denis Hanomansingh; Scientific Advisor of Climate Change Dr. Ulric Trotz, former Caricom Chief Fisheries Officer Hugh Saul, and former Chief Agricultural Officer, Neville Mc Andrew, are all from the Co-operative Republic. I also served in that Central American Country as Solicitor General and worked for five years in St. Vincent and the Grenadines as Solicitor General and acted as Director of Public Prosecutors for three years as well.

Many medical doctors and other professionals who qualified from the University of the West Indies, married to Jamaicans and did not return home, and dozens of them are now scattered all over the world - many of them have not only excelled as professionals but are entrepreneurs and make significant contributions to their adopted countries.

Our own Sir Shridath

Ramphal who served three terms as Commonealth Secretary General, and who now lives in Barbados, has been trying for decades to forge a better link among regional countries, and he has been doing an excellent job, and so is Sir Fenton Ramsahoye who is an expert on Constitutional law, and is now based in Port of Spain.

Keith Thom of New Amsterdam has recently been appointed a judge in the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court based in Antigua and has joined his Essequiboborn wife, Gertel Thom, who is attached to the St. Vincent circuit on the Judicial Bench.

It seems as if this is the first time that a husband and wife are serving as High Court judges in the same jurisdiction at the same time.

There are several legal luminaries like the Luckhoos in Georgetown and the Rattrays in Jamaica, but no husband and wife sat together on the judicial bench.

It should be noted that the Thoms are Guyanese and it is quite an achievement for them to be appointed judges in another jurisdiction.

Oscar Ramjeet

The police clearly lack the necessary training in crowd control DEAR EDITOR, I must extend my condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in the unfortunate incident that occurred in Linden during a demonstration to highlight their disapproval in the proposed increase in electricity rates.

Many persons are examining it politically, but it’s not my intention to view it from that perspective. I intend to view the demonstration from a security perspective and to establish if all security standing procedures were followed during the day in question.

My first question is if the organizers of the demonstration applied to the Commissioner of Police to hold a demonstration, and if so, were they granted permission. If they did apply and permission was granted and the necessary conditions were given, then the demonstrators had a legal right to be there. Furthermore, if no act of violence was committed during the demonstration or policemen’s lives were not in danger, then in my opinion, the police used more force than is necessary.

The police high command should have been aware of

the demonstration and should have put certain measures in place to handle any disturbance, in the event that the demonstrators had decided to change their tactics. Therefore, I assume that the police had proactive measures in place to prevent any violence which might occur.

What really happened on that fatal day? Were the police at the demonstration’s lives in danger? Did the police have reasonable grounds to suspect that a crime was about to be committed. Did anyone discharge a (Continued on page 19)

Page 6

Kaieteur News

Thursday July 26, 2012

Light traffic resumes on Harbour Bridge Cars and “light” traffic started flowing on the Demerara Harbour Bridge yesterday midday, more than 48 hours after a section collapsed. The opening brought much needed relief for stressed commuters.

Shortly after 13:00hrs yesterday, the gates were opened and according to General Manager, Rawlston Adams, the heavier vehicles will be allowed passage sometime today.

Works to bring the structure back into full operation are more than 95 per cent complete, the official told media personnel yesterday during an early morning tour.

It was chaos on Monday after a temporary pontoon at the western end of the bridge sank. This caused the first and second spans to be swamped under water. A minibus filled with workers bound for the city barely managed to escape the

collapsing section.

The bridge management said that the temporary pontoon was attached to facilitate planned maintenance on corroded connections.

The maintenance works were being done over the weekend.

It was on Monday that the connections to the temporary pontoon broke loose.

Thousands of commuters were left stranded with many forced to sleep with their loads of lumber and rice.

Emergency measures had to be put in place to allow speedboats to work beyond the 18:00 hrs close off time.

Several gas stations are reported running short of fuel especially on the West Coast Demerara.

According to Adams, staffers worked around the clock since the incident, only letting up for short periods when the tide fell.

While lauding his team, the official admitted that the

The Albion Estate strike has finally come to an end after management, GAWU officials and workers met yesterday to iron out issues and discuss a way forward.

More than 500 workers attached to the Albion/Port Mourant Estate on the Corentyne, Monday, intensified strike actions to demand a higher price for canes.

Workers, mainly caneharvesters blocked the entrance to the sugar factory on Monday, and congregated

to air their concerns and views about the matter. They are demanding $4,000 to cut the ‘over-run’ [bad] cane and not $1,600 and $1,800 that are being offered to them at present.

The strike lasted 10 days and placed a financial burden on the already ailing sugar industry in Guyana.

Kaieteur News spoke with Gang representative last evening, Stephen Kishan, who related that Director of the Albion Estate; Estate Manager, Devendra Kumar; GAWU Field Secretary Harvey Tambarin and General Secretary of GAWU, Seepaul Narine met yesterday morning with the workers’ reps.

An amicable solution was reached in that the estate has

Ongoing works at the Demerara Harbour Bridge yesterday.

bridge’s sudden closure due to the accident would have caused some severe fallouts with small businesses losing perishables.

The structure which links

Albion estate strike ends after parties meet

agreed to burn the fresh crop of canes from today.

“They said that they will not pay for any over-run cane and the workers asked them not to burn any over-run canes unless the reps are called in. They have a say in the matter,” Kishan said.

Albion Estate has over 25 punts of over-run (spoilt) canes from the last crop.

GuySuCo, he said, related to them this morning that the strike, which lasted 10 days, has cost the estate some $10M in canes.

All of the reps. he said, were satisfied with the decision even though they would not be paid $4,000 for the ‘over- run’ canes since the industry said that it does not have the funds to pay such.

However, the payments they will receive can be higher than that, all depending on the type and conditions of the canes that are harvested.

All workers resume work today.

East Demerara to the heavily populated West Demerara and Essequibo is the main link for commuters, sand, goods and other critical supplies.

Government has said it is looking at an alternative to the bridge but nothing concrete has been publicised.

Commissioned in 1978, it has long passed it 20-year life span but officials believe it has another 10 years to it.

Government has been subsidizing it to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars as maintenance costs continue to rise in face of

increasing traffic.

There was total chaos Monday as commuters converged at the Vreed-enHoop end to make way to the capital city for work and business.

The situation improved Tuesday with a heavy police presence that closed sections of Vreed-en-Hoop to normal traffic. Police presence at the Stabroek Stelling helped too but many persons were still on the roadways late waiting for transportation.

Announcing the reopening of the bridge yesterday to light traffic,

Minister of Transport, Robeson Benn said that there may be restrictions to heavy traffic in the initial phases.

Several commuters were still skeptical and the traffic remained light yesterday afternoon on the structure.

The crowds continued at the Stabroek stelling.

There was one reported case of a speedboat charging up to $90,000 from one passenger to transport a body for burial on West Demerara. Several farmers from West Demerara and Essequibo were said to have been severely affected too.

Light traffic started flowing on the Demerara Harbour Bridge yesterday.

Thursday July 26, 2012

Kaieteur News

Linden shootings…

By Latoya Giles Trinidad-based Pathologist, Professor Hubert Daisley, has revealed that preliminary results have shown two of the three slain Linden protesters were shot to the region of their hearts with “bronze-tipped metal fragment” rounds. The third was shot in the back.

The Alliance for Change had made the request for Prof.

Daisley to witness the post mortem which were done by Government Pathologist Dr Nehaul Singh. According to Prof. Daisley, the metal fragments were found in two of the victims, which might suggest that the same weapon was used.

Ballistic tests would determine what caliber weapon was used, but they looked similar, Daisley stated.

“It wasn’t from an assault rifle; there was no exit wound …it could be a handgun, but the ballistics would be in a better position to answer that question”.

The professor posited that there was no tampering of the body since the clothing which the victims were wearing corresponded with the entry wounds. He noted that all of the men died in similar fashion, noting that they were all shot in the chest, except a third who was shot in the back.

Acting in the interest of the families of the victims, attorney at law Nigel Hughes said that by no uncertain terms this could have been an accident. Hughes said that it was no coincidence that all of the victims were shot in the same manner “to the heart” and the third to the back.

The lawyer suggested that the Director of Public Prosecutions should act right away and not wait on the inquiry.

“I cannot over emphasize the fact, that the state shot citizens of Guyana and killed them. This was not done for crowd control because of where the victims were

Page 7

Bullets struck two protesters in the heart, one in the back

From left Region Ten Chairman Sharma Solomon, Professor Hubert Daisley, Attorney at law Nigel Hughes and Aubrey Norton shot….This takes Guyana into a grave place,” Hughes posited.

Former Member of Parliament for the People’s National Congress Reform, Aubrey Norton said that revelations from the post mortem have changed the observation of the political spectrum.

According to Norton there should be no reservation about Minister Clement Rohee’s resignation.

He said that under the laws of Guyana, the Minister gives directions to the Police Force.

He added that the policemen who were at Linden didn’t come to end a demonstration, since they came ill-prepared. “They didn’t walk with protective shields, and different types of weapons…They came with a clear general direction which was to kill,” Norton noted.

He is maintaining that more pressure should be placed for the resignation of the Minister and the Commander for the division.

Further, the former Member of Parliament is calling for the policemen

involved in the incident to be charged.

“We also need to question how the Police Force acts since the policemen do not understand their role of protection. They only know how to brutalize people.”

He made the call for all of Guyana to get out and act.

“We’ve started with simple police brutality then to torture...then extra judicial killings now to murdering of citizens openly.”

He said the issue is now to bring the police back into line and for them to understand their role to “protect and serve”.

It was a week ago when

police opened fire on protesters in Linden, killing Shemroy Bouyea, 24, Ron Somerset, 17, and Ivan Lewis, 46, all of Wisroc, Linden. The shooting also left several persons nursing injuries.

Relatives yesterday said that they were pleased with the findings of the independent post mortem.

Margaret Somerset said that she will refuse to accept any mediocre explanation by the authority about her son’s death. The woman said she will continue to push for justice for her son.

“My son was 17 years old. He had his whole life ahead of him…He was out there protesting for his right

to have a good job when he was finished with school…but that right was taken from him. He had a bright future.

“He could have been anything, but now he’s dead!” The woman cried as she spoke to reporters.

Meanwhile, the police in a press statement said that the post mortem examinations were conducted yesterday by Pathologist Dr. Nehaul Singh in the presence of Trinidadian

Pathologist Prof. Hubert Daisley.

According to the police the cause of death of Ron Somerset was haemorrhage and shock due to multiple gunshot injuries. Allan Lewis died from perforation of the lungs and stomach due to gunshot injuries; and Shemroy Bouyea died of perforation of the heart due to gunshot wounds.

Investigations into this matter are in progress.

Page 8

Kaieteur News

Thursday July 26, 2012

Mystery deepens in Gasoline, food prices soar at Linden shooting probe As Linden strike continues...

As the ‘shutdown’ in Linden continues, the prices for commodities in neighbouring mining district, Mahdia, have increased.

Miners and residents believe wholesalers are exploiting them during this turmoil.

Besides air transport, which is expensive, cargo and people could only enter Mahdia via road. However, with protesters blocking the roads in Linden access to Mahdia has been impeded.

The protest, which originally targeted electricity rates increase in Linden, on Wednesday last, now includes the senseless killing of three residents- Selwyn Boyea, Ron Somerset, and Allen Lewis- by ranks of the Guyana Police Force (GPF).

According to a Mahdia businesswoman and member of the Guyana Women Miners’ Organization, Juliet Parsaram, wholesalers of grocery and fuel in Mahdia are exploiting miners and residents.

She noted that the cost for food items has increased.

One pound chicken now costs $800 and one pound eddo costs $150.

“We used to pay $52,000 for a drum diesel some businessmen want between $65,000 and $80,000 for the same drum diesel.

The cost for a gallon of gasoline has increased from $3,000 to $3,500.

“These prices are

Mahdia

unreasonable; not everyone could afford to pay them. If this crisis continues we may have to pay more.

Government really needs to intervene,” Parsaram said.

But wholesalers claim that they are forced to increase their prices because of the high cost attached to transporting goods via air and fuel through the trail from Bartica to Mahdia.

In relation to food items, a wholesaler said that wholesalers are unable to transport large volumes of goods by air transport. In addition, this mode of transport is costly.

The trail being used to transport fuel from Bartica to Mahdia is deteriorated, as such, truckers are charging exorbitant amounts. The Cassandra Crossing, an old bridge, which miners are calling to be resuscitated, lacks maintenance.

According to GWMO’s President, Simona Broomes, the exploitation of miners and residents in Mahdia would not have occurred if the Cassandra Crossing (the Denham Suspension Bridge at Garraway Stream) was operational. Broomes stated that for over 10 years miners have been advocating for the

bridge to be rehabilitated but nothing has been done.

Instead, commuters have to travel from Georgetown to Mango Landing and then to Mahdia.

Minister of Transport and Hydraulics, Robeson Benn noted that owing to the lack of funds the structure and surrounding area have not been rehabilitated.

According to a wholesaler, even if the Cassandra Crossing was operational, transporting goods via that trail would be too costly. Therefore, accessing Mahdia using the Mabura trail and crossing the river at private operated Mango Landing is more cost effective.

However, for many, the argument remains that there should be another entrance or exit to Mahdia.

According to Operations Manager, Kevin Ramotar of Mekdeci Mining Company, of the five crossings operated by the company, only Teperu Crossing located in Bartica is not affected. The crossings at Sherima, Omai, Mango Landing and Kurupukari have experienced significant revenue loss.

Ramotar related that the company has over 100 employees at these locations and transporting food and other materials for their sustenance via Bartica is quite costly.

By Michael Jordan The mystery over who fired the fatal shots at the Linden protesters got even more puzzling yesterday with Deputy Commissioner of Police (Law Enforcement) Seelall Persaud stating that only four shotgun cartridges were missing from the ammunition that police ranks had at the scene.

“The ammunition (the ranks had) was checked immediately and four shotgun cartridges were unaccounted for,” the Crime Chief told Kaieteur News.

The ranks who used the shotguns have submitted reports to investigators, Persaud said. However, the Crime Chief said that all the other ammunition that the ranks had was intact.

As a result, the hands of the ranks who were at the protest were not swabbed for evidence of gunpowder residue.

“This (the swabbing of the hands) wasn’t necessary because all the ammunition (except for four shotgun shells) was accounted for,” Persaud said.

But Trinidadian forensic pathologist Professor Hubert Daisley told reporters that bronze-tipped metal fragments, suspected to have come from a handgun, were

- Crime Chief says only four shotgun cartridges missing from ammo taken to Linden extracted from the three slain Lindeners during a post mortem yesterday. This confirmed claims by eyewitnesses that police had not only used shotguns while firing at protesters.

A local forensic expert told Kaieteur News that the type of fragment could have come from a 9mm round, a Self-Loading Rifle (SLR) or a 7.62x 38 round, used in the Ak-47 assault rifle.

Contrary to the Crime Chief’s view, the forensic expert said that the hands of all the ranks, including those who used shotguns, should have been swabbed for evidence of gunpowder residue.

“In any shooting incident you try to do that, because it’s important,” the source said.

“If you swab the hands, you would be able to pinpoint those who fired. In the case of a shotgun, it (the residue) would even go on the clothing because a shotgun cartridge has a bigger charge.

Shotgun pellets could also be fatal if you fire directly. When you are doing crowd disposal, you are supposed to shoot down at the ground.”

The source also explained that this test has to be done immediately, since gunpowder residue can be easily removed from a suspect’s hands.

The expert also said that all the weapons that were used at the scene of the shooting should have been handed over to ballistics experts to establish whether they matched shells and

warheads that were retrieved.

This should have been done immediately, since the components of some weapons are unmarked and could be switched with other firearms.

Kaieteur News was also told that although crime scene ranks travelled to Linden, they were not instructed to search for any ballistic evidence. They were reportedly only instructed to collect evidence from fires that were set and to take photographs, something that the expert found to be unusual.

Crime Chief Persaud also said that aside from collecting debris from fires that were started at Linden and taking photographs, the Crime Scene investigators did not retrieve any ballistic evidence during their visit to the bauxite mining town.

He said that the only bullets and spent shells that he saw were those that were displayed in the newspapers, allegedly after being retrieved by civilians. He appealed to persons with information to come forward.

Persaud said that up to when he had been briefed, no bullets or pellets from the wounded had been handed over to investigators. He added that the wounded patients were questioned but they refused to provide written statements.

However, Kaieteur News understands that some pellets were extracted from the injured and have been handed over to the Crime Scene department.

Thursday July 26, 2012

The report that no student from Region Six was among the top performers at the recently concluded National Grade Six Examinations mirrors Guyana’s greatest development challenge: how to create greater equity.

Guyana has consistently produced some of the top performers in the region in the CSEC and CAPE examinations. Our top students have kept the Golden Arrowhead flying.

The results demonstrate that Guyana is still producing quality graduates from within the school system, students who can match the best in the world. But below that crème lies the real problem. Below that top layer, there are serious problems within most of the regions. Most of the top performers are coming from too limited a geographic span.

This in part is attributable to the distribution of the population. With the bulk of the population residing in Regions Three and Four, one expects that schools in those regions would dominate national and regional examinations.

But something is seriously wrong when a region like Region Six was not represented in the list of top performers in the Common Entrance this year, and when for many years now it has only managed a few within the

Kaieteur News

bracket of elite performers.

It represents a serious crisis within the educational system and one that shows a failure of policy. The cry now must be for a revamping of the system.

The situation in education mirrors national development. Guyana has since 1989 been pursuing a neo-liberal model of development.

This model has brought progress to all regions of Guyana. It has sustained growth and led to the rising of all economic classes. It has however to a much less extent been able to reduce the inequality gap.

The inequality in performance with the educational system needs to be addressed urgently because education is for the poor and the escape route out of their deprivations.

There is no doubt that the system has improved. But when it comes to the performance of students, the out-of- town regions continue to lag behind.

Since the Donald Ramotar administration took office very little new policy changes have been initiated.

Policy changes have to be driven by data and this is perhaps the one area where greater attention needs to be paid. If only limited data is available about school attendance, performance and

teacher qualifications, then the policy makers are hamstrung and forced to act on intuition rather than verifiable facts.

Data collection in education should drive policy. It should not have taken the results of the National Grade Six Assessments for the government to realize that a serious problem resides in the delivery of education.

The government can boast about the improvements in education.

In so doing it can also point to producing the top performers in the Caribbean consistently. But below that glitter, there is a serious issue of the inequitable performance across regions and the government needs to

address why this is happening.

The problem is not just limited to the primary schools.

A similar trend has manifested itself at the secondary level and has forced the Education Ministry to launch a special initiative to deal with schools whose performance needs improving.

Now it should also be clear that there is a serious crisis within the educational system.

All the national strategies that have been developed have not reduced the problems associated with inequitable performance across the regions.

A new strategy is needed; one that addresses how to reduce performance gaps

Page 9

nationwide.

The problem may be with the quality of teachers. Many of the top performers at both the primary and secondary levels have related that they went to extra lessons. So the problem may be in the quality of the teaching that is available.

There may be sufficient teachers but are there sufficient good teachers?

What incentives are available to retain good teachers and motivate them to help the poor performers?

Even if the incentives can be found to retain good teachers, there is still a problem of how can the system be turned around?

How can this be turned around? What can be done?

It is simply not fair to the children outside of the urban centres to be so disadvantaged that each year when the results of national or regional examinations appear, they do not make the cut. Since they do not make the cut they are likely to be left behind.

And when large numbers of students from one area are left behind, there is an even greater risk that the area will be economically left behind because the skills for development will simply not be there.

Digicel turns sod for multi-million dollar children’s home

Dem boys seh ...

Kwame thief de pensioners money People does go to school fuh get an education. De more education you get de more money you should earn because you bright and people got to pay you fuh you brains. This government paying people different. De less brains you get de more money you get.

Dem boys lef wid dem mouth open when dem hear wha some people carrying home. Kwame getting more than three head teachers put together and he can barely write he name.

He ain’t de only one. Dem paying Romel Roopnarine more than Kwame. Dem giving he wha four head teachers does get.

De principal fuh Queen’s College buss cry because she study hard fuh she degrees. She friend teach Kwame and Romel and she seh that none of de two coulda pass CXC. In ten try dem get two subjects and one is Art. Roger de Lunchman is Gail boss and Gail getting more than he. He spend years fuh study doctah. Gail study fuh mek trouble.

Some of dem getting pay just fuh stay home. De pandit getting pay fuh talk li’l Hindi. He getting wha five head teachers put together does get in one month.

When dem boys talk bout paying teachers better Bharrat seh that he ain’t got money. When he find de money fuh pay he friends? Dem boys know that wha come out is not de real figure because dem hide de allowance. Pensioners does get $10,000 a month. De money that dem paying Kwame can pay 40 pensioners.

Well dem boys want fuh know wha Bharrat use to get.

When Prakash seh that he use to get $3 million a month. And is now dem boys understand how dem can’t build a real bridge across de Demerara River. Dem giving away de money to dem kavakamites.

Talk half and beg Kwame fuh de other half

An artist’s impression of Mahaica Children’s Home Telecommunication giant, Digicel turned the sod for the new Mahaica Children’s Home recently. This new multi-million-dollar home will replace the existing structure which houses over 50 children.

The new Mahaica Children’s Home was designed by Marcel Gaskin and Associates. It will feature girls’ and boys’ dormitories, bathrooms, laundry room, study room, recreational room, infirmary, kitchen, nursery, dining room, office and caretaker’s quarters.

The Children’s Home will provide a safe environment for children in difficult circumstances such as parental neglect and abuse.

Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony, Digicel Chief Executive Officer, Gregory Dean, said, “Digicel is happy to assist with not only providing a safe haven for the children but also a comfortable home which will aid in their growth and development.”

“Since Digicel’s launch in

Guyana, the company has been working with a number of charities across the country. However, we wanted to do something even more meaningful this year that will contribute to the development of many over a long period.

“After visiting the children at the Mahaica home last Christmas, we decided to embark on this project so that the children can be housed in an environment that is conducive to their growth, learning and development,” Dean said.

Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Jennifer Webster, said that her Ministry is happy to work along with Digicel to ensure that the new home is equipped with all the right features for the children.

According to Minister Webster, “The Mahaica Children’s Home which is administered by the Ministry of Human Services is responsible for nurturing the children. We provide educational, social, physical, and spiritual care for these

children so we are happy that the new home will be equipped with the right amenities to cater to their needs. Special thanks to Digicel for committing to such a project and we look forward

to the completion of the new home.”

Digicel Head of Marketing, Jacqueline James, said that a fully furnished home will be presented on completion of the project.

Page 10

Kaieteur News

Thursday July 26, 2012

THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN

Is it the end for Rohee?

The answer is no. The Parliament’s no confidence motion will not be implemented by the Executive. It is doubtful that any parliamentary action that the PPP frowns upon will be accepted. President Ramotar has gone on record as saying that Bills which saw no input from the Executive will not be assented to.

The Rohee no confidence motion will not see Rohee’s removal but the Commission of Inquiry may well end Rohee’s political life. And this

is based on the ongoing nonsense he speaks.

Rohee is quoted in the papers as saying communication on police radio between Linden and Georgetown is impossible.

But then again look at some others including you know who. When there was the first big show of protest in Linden on July 1 when thousands turned up, protestors began to block the roads. About an hour after, Officer Hicken appeared with two vans of police armed to the teeth and

showing off tear gas canisters. He was openly talking on his set to his Georgetown superiors, or so it seemed.

On the bridge that Wednesday when the protestors grew into the thousands, Hicken was actually describing the situation to Georgetown. Protestors who were nearby were listening.

When the Commission begins its work, Rohee will end up being a clown on parade for his statement that radio communication between Linden and Georgetown is impossible.

Linden is 65 miles away from Eve Leary where Commissioner Brumell and Rohee have their offices. You can buy transmitting sets in the US that covers far more than 65 miles and I am saying that the police have such sets.

Guyanese must be laughing at Rohee since he opened up his mouth to

speak of radio communication. Why in this modern world would a Minister need a radio set to speak to high ranking officers? Has Rohee heard about cell phones? The army chief in Guyana can give his deputy in Iceland an order over his cell phone.

Everyone familiar with modern communication knows Rohee is talking nonsense.

The other manifestation of his imbecility is when he said over the weekend that he has no access to police communication so he cannot go to the police head office and direct them. Rohee currently has his office in a police building in Eve Leary.

The PPP hierarchy would march in to any police office at Eve Leary and pick up a communication set. This is the kind of stuff they are made of. We have a situation in Guyana where the PPP leaders do not recognize the limits to power in a constitutional democracy.

That is why we no longer have a fully functioning constitutional democracy.

William Cox, my cousin who works in the Office of

the President is a living witness in 1999 when we saw Normal Rekha, Secretary to the Treasury, talking down to his boss, the Minister of Finance, Sase Kowlessar.

A former Education Minister in 1998, told me a certain “MBA” man who at the time worked at the Mirror newspaper, walked into his office and was bold enough to give him instructions. You call this party paramountcy.

President Ramotar joined in and made the situation worse. In his defence of Rohee, he asked the nation why Rohee should be disciplined because after all he was not at the scene in Linden . Is Mr. Ramotar serious about his presidency?

Leave out his defence of Rohee and let’s examine the theoretical foolishness behind his observation. Why is geography a factor in the commission of a crime?

No army chief has ever been present at the scene when a protest was put down.

No army chief was ever present at the presidential palace when a coup took place.

What is the point? They simply transmit their edicts.

Frederick Kissoon Even if Ramotar wants to come to Rohee’s rescue more intellectually astute excuses will have to be made.

I guess Mr. Ramotar has now revolutionized the laws pertaining to accessory to murder. Go to Barbados , order a hit in Jamaica , state how it must be done and advice on how to collect payment.

When you are charged for accessory to murder you will be acquitted using Ramotarian logic.

After all, you were not in Jamaica at the scene of the crime.

I need to state publicly why the American Government in 1994, refused for six months to offer Rohee a diplomatic visa or a mere visitor’s visa. I have not done it. Seven lawyers told me if he sues for libel, the American Embassy officials aren’t going to testify in court.

Thursday July 26, 2012

Kaieteur News

Page 11

Page 14

Thursday July 26, 2012

Kaieteur News

Fire flattens Wakenaam house

The distressed Jadookool family Where the house once stood

Fire of an unknown origin razed a wooden cottage at Zeelandia Estate, Wakenaam Island shortly after 14:00 hours yesterday.

The house was owned by Mr. Jadookool, known in the community as 'Saga'. He said that his wife was resting below the 28' x 14' house which was elevated off the ground on wooden stilts.

Their smallest son went home and observed the house on fire and woke his mother.

The mother then began

screaming for 'Saga' who was with some farmers two house lots away.

The men ran across to the house with buckets but the two bedrooms of the threeroom house were already engulfed by the flames.

A valiant effort by neighbours who formed a bucket brigade failed to have any effect on the fire which was fanned by a strong wind.

'Saga' told this newspaper that he is puzzled at what could have caused the fire

since no one was in the house at the time. No cooking was done in the house after 5 a.m.

There was no electricity as the power was off since 8 a.m as usual.

He said that he could not assume arson since he had no enemies that he was aware of. Everything went up in flames and all they were left with were the clothing on their backs.

He said the house had all the conveniences except a washing machine. He estimates his loss at over $4million.

Trying to hide their tears the couple said that they don't know how to restart their lives.

They have one daughter and four sons, the last of whom is hoping to a t t e n d t h e Wa k e n a a m Secondary School in September.

When KN visited the scene police were conducting investigations.

Thursday July 26, 2012

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Doberman pups Call:6666714, 226-9548 Neo Sport Diving Suit Call: 227-0702, 681-8292 XBOX 360 elite 120GB, Price $45,000 Call: 639-7114, 6745625

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Page 16

Kaieteur News

Thursday July 26, 2012

Local Govt. Minister appoints five Flood destroys $$$ millions replacement officers at City Hall in school textbooks - Royston King overlooked again for Town Clerk position Local Government Minister, Ganga Persaud, has appointed five officers from within City Hall to execute duties of the senior officials who were sent on leave owing to fraud allegations.

Ranks of the Guyana Police Force are currently investigating the allegations.

Initially, the fraud allegations surrounded three senior officials- Town Clerk Yonette Pluck; City Treasurer Andrew Meredith; and City Engineer Gregory Erskine.

However, following advice from the Central Government and the police who had begun investigations while the officers were on duty, three other officials were sent on leave.

They are Solid Waste Manager-Hubert Urling, Deputy Town Clerk Sharon Harry Munroe, and Personnel Officer Paulette Braithwaite.

City Hall’s former Legal Officer Carol Ryan Sooba will be executing duties of the Town Clerk. This comes as a blow to Councillors, who at

the last Statutory Meeting, suggested Royston King for the position. King, who purported himself as the Town Clerk, yesterday, invited the media to a staff meeting at City Hall.

Sooba’s name was also suggested to fill the post by PPP/C’s Councillor Kamla Ross at the same meeting.

However, Councillors refused that proposal and an upset Ross walked out.

Lloyd Alleyne will be acting as the City Engineer; Ron McCalmon was appointed acting City Treasurer; and Michelle Smith will perform the duties of Personnel Officer.

Parbhudin Bissoondial will act as the Solid Waste Manager.

However, no one was appointed by the Minister to fill the position of Deputy Town Clerk.

PNCR Councillor Oscar Clarke noted that the council found it “strange” that six persons were sent on leave when the council had initially recommended that three person be sent off to assist in

the investigation.

While the Ministry has received police advice on the persons to be sent on leave to aid the investigations, Clarke said that the council is not privy to the police investigation and henceforth does not know the reason for additional staff to be temporarily exempted from their posts.

He stated that while the Ministry requested that six persons be sent on leave to aid the inquiry the council is unaware of the basis of the call for additional persons to be sent on leave. However, the council granted the Ministry’s request.

In an effort to streamline City Hall to prevent further frauds, a six-member subcommittee was also proposed to aid the Implementation Committee with further investigations in the fraud.

The sub-committee will include Councilors Ranwell Jordan, Elme Ishmael, Gladstone George, Oscar Clarke, Junior Garrett and Deputy Mayor Patricia Chase-Greene.

Three police ranks testified before Chief Magistrate Priya Beharry yesterday in the armed robbery trial that stemmed from the reported attack on the Bel Air home of businessman Malcolm Panday on July 12, last year.

Of the three, two ranks testified to taking statements from two of the accused.

Prosecution witness, police Sergeant Bowman, who was led by special prosecutor Bernard De Santos, continued his evidence; and revealed the envelopes which he said he found at the Ocean Spray Hotel compound where the defendants were captured. The police presented the envelopes to the court and made connections with the names and amounts that he initially provided to the court.

Following his testimony, police officer Hubert Henry, another prosecution witness, testified to reportedly taking a statement from Jermaine Mitchell, one of the accused.

The police read the contents of the statement that revealed the actions of those accused of the robbery some time before the incident took place.

The police alleged that Mitchell admitted to the part he played in the incident. He also mentioned in the statement which was read in court that the persons had congregated and had met at certain locations where they went over the details of their

alleged plot. Guns were reportedly brought to facilitate the robbery.

Another officer Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Wright took the stand next. He testified to taking a statement from the fourth accused, Rayon Jones. He read the said statement which revealed that the accused reportedly played a small part in the matter. According to the police, Jones had stated what part he played and what he was supposed to do in the matter.

Attorney-at-law Randolph Kirton however objected strongly to the information the police provided. The lawyer claimed that his client only gave a statement to one police officer and the rank in the box was not that individual.

The lawyer also said that the statement that his client gave was not taken voluntarily. Kirton argued that inducement, force and trickery were used to obtain the statement from his client.

To support the claim, Kirton said the police placed a bag over his client’s head and pounded it with books.

He said his client was further told that if he gave a statement to the police just saying what he did he would be set free. But Kirton said the next day his client was brought to the court.

In both the statements given by the defendants, former policeman Shawn

Hinds’s name was mentioned.

Both statements said that the man was present when the persons congregated before the matter.

Both statements even made mention of the alleged mastermind Chandrada Rampersaud. It is believed that the woman told the defendants about money being kept at the Pandays and together they plotted the attack.

One policeman testified that Chandrada Rampersaud in an oral statement to the police said, “Me set up de work to rob Panday because me bin bruck.” The woman was invited to cross examine the rank but she said nothing, not even to deny that she made such a statement to the police.

Following the statements being presented to the court, none of the accused wished to cross examine the witnesses. The information was tendered with no objections from the defendants.

Chandrada Rampersaud, Hardat Kumar, 23, Jermaine Mitchell, 20, Rabindra Seemangal, 20, and Rayon Jones were all implicated in the robbery matter and are facing the court for the alleged crime. Shawn Hinds was initially charged for the matter, but according to police information the charges were withdrawn since there was not enough evidence to implicate the former police rank.

The matter will be called again on September 11.

Three police ranks testify in Bel Air heist trial

...Education Ministry plans a large bonfire

Textbooks destroyed by flood waters Thousands of school textbooks valued millions of dollars have been damaged in flood waters at the Department of Education in New Amsterdam, Region Six. This newspaper discovered piles of books dumped aback of the Department of Education building.

According to reports they will be burnt. The books of different kinds and for different levels of children in the school system were procured at great cost to the taxpayers.

Efforts to contact Mrs Shafiran Bhajan, Regional Education Officer, proved futile, since she was said to be out of the country. “First time I am hearing about it; I

will investigate it right away,” said the Region Six Chairman. .The texts such as, Mathematics- Complete Course with CXC Questions 3rd edition 2010; Fun with Language (Primary) all sets; Longman Office Administration for CXC; Complete; Maths Course for Secondary Schools Books 1 and 2; Ralph Reader 1-6 ; Exercise books;; CXC Modules for all subjects ; Science around UsBooks 1-5; Composition and Comprehension for Primary Schools; Information Technology for CXC; Geography for CXC ; Carpentry for CXC; Broadcasts to Schools Books and Adventures in English Book 3 as well as hundreds

of exercise books were all stored in the lower flat of the two- storey building.

They were all destroyed a few weeks ago after the Berbice River overtopped and flooded most of the area, including Philadelphia Street, New Amsterdam where the department is located.

According to an unnamed source, the books could have been stored in a safer, less flood- prone environment and “could have been of good service to the children if they were properly managed.”

Many are of the view, too, that the books, many of which are not totally destroyed, could have been dried and given out to less fortunate children or school children.

Elderly woman gives unsworn statement in manslaughter trial The manslaughter trial of Thakurmani, 64, the West Berbice woman who is accused of killing her husband, is continuing in the Berbice High Court before Justice James Bovell-Drakes and a mixed jury.

When the matter continued the woman gave an unsworn statement from the dock. Before she gave her testimony, Justice James Bovell-Drakes had earlier overruled the no case submissions of defence Counsel Rabindranauth Singh, and called upon the woman to lead a defence.

In her evidence before Justice James Bovell-Drakes and the mixed jury she stated that on the day in question she was in the upper flat of their home going about her business. She eventually saw her husband coming towards their home.

Sometime later, she heard the sound of water falling and, on going down stairs she saw her husband washing blood from his hand. She asked him what was wrong and he told her that persons unknown had beaten him.

“I asked him to show me his injuries but he did not allow me. I then telephoned his brother, Charrandan Maiku, and told him what he told me. I also told him that his brother needed to be taken to the doctor. Subsequently his brother arrived and left after he summarized that his brother’s condition was not serious.

She said that the brother left a telephone number and told her that should his brother’s condition worsen he must be contacted.

The woman stated that during the time Yodha who was left lying under the house

got up and started to “curse me, using the vilest of languages. I told him he should have gone to the doctor with his brother. I then took my medication and fell asleep.”

“When I saw Yodha again he was not where I had last seen him. He was silent. I thought he was asleep. I called him but he did not respond to my calls. “I then called his brother, who came and left to contact the police. He then returned with officers Jacques and Bristol, before whom I repeated my story.”

She stated that she was arrested and taken into custody.

She was subsequently charged. The case has been adjourned to Thursday when the prosecution and the defence are expected to sum up their case to the jury. The woman, of Bennett (continued on page 18)

Thursday July 26, 2012

Kaieteur News

Page 17

Young aspiring medical students Guyana Watch extends its among Guyana Watch Medical Team humanitarian mission to Region Six clinic there next year.

While many youths would choose to spend their summer vacation involved in summer activities, Anjali Ghodasara, Kushal Dave, Nikita Mehta, Namrita Mehta, Sunil Reddy, Kavita Dave, and Gary Mana have given a part of their summer to volunteer with the Guyana Watch Medical team.

Nikita said that this is her first year being a part of the team but she looks forward to coming back next year. The aspiring biomedical engineer student said that she used this opportunity to come to Guyana to be exposed to some of the most common illnesses and to have some of the complications explained to her in detail.

She said that it feels extremely heartening to be a part of the Guyana Watch Team and to be able to give medical assistance to Guyanese. They all vowed

that they would be returning to Guyana next year to not only be a part of the medical team but to also interact with the Guyanese public with whom they’ve built bonds with upon receiving great hospitality.

Meanwhile, President of the Guyana Watch Team, Tony Yassin, said that the response from the residents of St Cuthbert’s Mission has been tremendous.

He said that 402 persons were seen on Monday at the St. Cuthbert’s Mission Secondary School —107 children, and 179 adults were seen by the general medical doctors and 116 by the dentists.

Yassin explained that the residents of St. Cuthbert’s were very healthy and the majority of them just came to the outreach to get a checkup.

He said the outreach in St. Cuthbert’s was the first for his team, and because of the great response there will be another

He reiterated the need for more dentists for his team and he plans on working toward achieving that. Dr. Janet Kong said this is her first year with the team and that the outreach in St. Cuthbert’s was well received by the residents.

“It was interesting to see the facilities, which were way better than I expected”. She added that for the adults seen, the most common illnesses were high blood pressure and diabetes while the most of children were treated for skin infections.

During its mission here last year the team saw in excess of 2,500 patients with various complaints. The team also dispensed drugs for ailments that included fungal infections, common colds, high blood pressure and diabetes.

Follow up treatment was also given to ten persons who were identified for overseas treatment.

Aspiring medical students, volunteering with Guyana Watch

Patient going through triage The Guyana Watch Medical team continuing its humanitarian mission yesterday extended its medical services to Tain, Region Six, Berbice.

The day started off quite slow, but gained momentum just after noon. Speaking with Kaieteur News were several persons from various parts of Region Six such as New Amsterdam, Rose Hall, Skeldon, Albion, Corriverton, who all expressed their heartfelt gratitude to the medical outreach.

One resident who came all the way from number 78 Village, Corriverton, said that the service provided by the doctors was exceptional. She added that she arrived at 6am and was surprised to see that the team had arrived on time and went straight into work.

She said that yesterday was her first visit since the

Festival City headed for conversion to a historical Caribbean destination As the 40th anniversary of the Caribbean Festival of Arts (CARIFESTA) approaches, Festival City residents are in quest to make their community one of the Caribbean’s historical heritage sites.

In an interview with Kaieteur News, yesterday, the chairman of the Festival City Parent and Youth Group (FCPYG), Richard Taylor, stated that they have approached the CARICOM Secretariat to have their community established as a heritage site for the Caribbean.

“It is not just a piece of Guyana’s history, it’s a part of regional history. It was the first city that was ever built to house CARIFESTA. It is the only city that was ever built to facilitate the festival.

We are looking to preserve this historical city and restore it to what it once was and let the people of the Caribbean know its significance.”

Kaieteur News was told that this initiative is a collective idea of the FCPYG which was established a mere three months ago.

According to Taylor, rehabilitative works have already started in the community. “We are currently involved in cleaning the drains in the community and we will be doing some more work on Sunday. We want members of the community to come and be part of a grand cleanup campaign.”

The FCPYG will collaborate with numerous private sector organizations including Habitat for Humanity. The anniversary celebration will begin August 24.

Some activities slated for the event are a football competition, a senior citizen’s day, youth gathering social, and the erecting of a monument to commemorate the significance of the occasion.

According to Seraiah Hinds, FCPYG secretary, the group’s aim is to tackle the social, economical and educational issues in the community.

“We have doctors, lawyers, teachers, electricians and other tradesmen living within the community so we are looking to harness all these resources and put them together to make it useful for Festival City. We also have head teachers, and Customs officers on board who will aid in the initiative,” Hinds related.

He further noted that the group is looking to improve the employment rate among the Festival City populace.

“We are looking to have the young people trained and taught basic trades and later establish a barber shop or salon where they can operate from.”

This year the event will be celebrated as the CARIFESTA and Festival City 40th

anniversary and family reunion.

The CARIFESTA celebrations first took place in this post-independence format in Guyana in August 1972. CARIFESTA in Guyana lasted for three weeks. The celebrations which were held to commemorate the independence and republic status of Guyana between the latter parts of the 1960s into the early ‘70s, led to a great deal of discussion among the artistes who were involved.

Critical to this discussion were two of the region’s most senior artists, novelist George Lamming and acclaimed Guyanese poet, Martin Carter.

The then Guyanese Prime Minister Forbes Burnham supported the idea of a new Caribbean Arts Festival and offered to host the event; and so, CARIFESTA as we know it, was born. In 2008 the festival returned to its initial host Guyana in celebration of CARIFESTA X.

team has been coming to Guyana over the years, but explained that she is looking forward to the team’s next visit, next year.

The father of a 10-year-old child said that his son has been coming to receive treatment from the team for about five years, since he has had a skin infection from birth.

“I does look out for this visit from this team every year here in Berbice so I can bring my son. The medication they have been giving him is helping tremendously.”

Most of the patients visited for minor aches and pains and flu symptoms, and were treated with medication and sent home.

Meanwhile, 47-year-old Mala Boodhoo, of Tain, who went for a regular check up, found out that her glucose level was above 478. Mala said that she was unaware of this since she does not feel sick and live a normal life. “I does eat regular food like anybody else but after my daughter’s birth I never went

back to the doctor,” she explained.

When she was pregnant with her now seven-year-old daughter the nurses explained to her that her glucose level was slightly high which could have been because she was pregnant.

However, yesterday she was extremely surprised upon receiving the shocking news of her glucose level.

Mala said that her entire lifestyle would now change since she would be eating much healthier and exercising more regularly.

Most of the doctors at yesterday’s outreach said that they expected many more persons to attend, since last year the response was much more positive.

Meanwhile, many persons are calling on the team to introduce “teeth cleaning” as part of the dentistry services.

The dentistry section saw a large influx of persons, mainly young children.

Approximately 288 persons were seen yesterday.

Lamaha Park resident wins car!

An ecstatic Kevin Chin of Lamaha Park, East La Penitence, yesterday drove away with a brand new MAZDA AXELA motor car, compliments of the TrinChloro – “Touch of Luxury” Promotion.

The presentation was held at the ANSA McAL Trading Ltd, Beterverwagting, East Coast Demerara office. The final drawing of the promotion was done at the Bounty Supermarket, Water Street, Georgetown.

A thrilled Chin said that “winning the car is indeed a blessing as it comes at a time when it is needed by my family. My sister has to visit the Ptolemy Centre on a regular basis and it will help to take her when necessary.”

Meanwhile, the

company’s Managing Director, Beverley Harper, said, “We were touched to know that the winner was in urgent need of a vehicle to transport his adorable sister to the Ptolemy Reid Rehabilitation Centre.”

She added that there are countless benefits of using TrinChloro, but the company is particularly pleased that it helped the Chin Family and could brighten the lives of the other winners.

The other two winners in the final draw were Navindra Singh of LBI, Housing Scheme, East Coast Demerara, and Latoya Sukram, of Charity Amazon, Essequibo Coast, who won themselves a 32-inch flat screen television and 400gallon water tank, respectively.

Page 18

Kaieteur News

Thursday July 26, 2012

Government donates $7M for Emancipation Day celebrations A year after turning down a $10M government grant, the African Cultural and Development Association (ACDA), again made it clear that it was not interested in a government subvention.

Yesterday, a total of $7M was distributed among 49 African groups by the Ministry of Culture, to support them in carrying out their annual Emancipation Day activities.

However, there was no representative from ACDA at the Office of the President to uplift the cheque worth $5M, which was the highest figure donated. The least was $30,000.

Accused may know - ACDA receives the largest amount fate in August

Since 2005, the Ministry of Culture has been assisting the African culture groups with monetary donations. The presentation is part of the Ministry’s focus of promoting the Afro-Guyanese culture.

At yesterday’s presentation, Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Culture, Alfred King said that they are looking forward for a “colourful emancipation” this year. “We are expecting consciousness and awareness and not just celebration.

We are hoping that these

Coverden crash survivor sustains broken arms Timothy Ramdas, the survivor of the car collision at Coverden, East Bank Demerara on Sunday night last, is nursing two broken arms.

The incident which occurred shortly after 20:00hrs claimed the life of Dodston Jacobs, a resident of Haslington, East Coast Demerara. Jacobs was the driver of a white Toyota Carina, HB 9259.

According to an eyewitness, Jacobs was heading north when he slammed into a “blue car” which was going in the opposite direction, before suffering a “blowout” and slamming into a yellow ‘Airport taxi’ driven by Ramdas.

Neesa Gopaul PI ...

Dodston Jacobs was pronounced dead on arrival at the Diamond Diagnostic Centre while the 43-year-old Ramdas, of Lot 33 Kuru Kururu, Soesdyke/Linden Highway, was being treated for multiple injuries.

When contacted yesterday, Ramdas’s wife, Indira Dolat, said that her husband had been admitted to the hospital but was later discharged, and is now at home.

The woman, however, noted that apart from his broken arms, the man is experiencing intense pains in his upper body. She is however thankful that her husband did not lose his life.

groups move from celebration to groups that would educate youngsters within the communities,” King noted.

On Friday, there will be a launching of emancipation at the Museum of African heritage.

There will beaculturalpresentation, distribution of prizes and on August 01, a celebration at the National Park.

Elderly woman gives unsworn...

From page 16 Dam, Rosignol, West Berbice, is alleged to have killed her husband, Yodha, called ‘Ramsook Maikhoo,’ a fish vendor, on April 27, 2008 following a misunderstanding at their home. They had seven children.

Thakurmani was initially charged with the capital offence, but was committed on the lesser charge at the completion of a Preliminary Inquiry held at the Blairmont Magistrate’s Court by Magistrate Nigel Hawke. She was subsequently granted bail in the sum of $200,000.

A post mortem examination performed on the body showed that Yodha, died from shock and internal hemorrhage.

State Prosecutor Rhondel Weaver is presenting the State’s case.

Bibi Gopaul Jarvis Small

Neesa Gopaul

Bibi Gopaul and Jarvis Small, the two people accused of murdering 16-year-old Queen’s College student Neesa Gopaul, may very well know whether they will have to face a High Court trial when the Preliminary Inquiry is scheduled to convene on August 9 at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.

The mother of the teen and her lover were informed

by Chief Magistrate Priya Beharry yesterday that a ruling on the matter may be made on the specified date.

That will however be the case for the accused if the Chief, who is presiding over the matter, completes the perusal of the case file’s evidence, and is clear about the information put by the defence and the prosecution.

The court head said that she would be making a ruling on the next occasion, but would be seeking clarifications on the matter if needed and if those clarifications could also be requested at the next meeting of the matter.

Yesterday’s hearing saw Senior Counsel Bernard De Santos who is representing the number one accused Jarvis Small, adding and reiterating information put forward in his submissions that his client had no case to answer.

De Santos reiterated to the court that the prosecution, which is headed

by State Prosecutor Priteema Kissoon, only has one piece of evidence against his client and that piece of evidence pertains to physical items allegedly found at the scene of the crime.

That, he however said, was not enough to determine a prima facie case against his client.

De Santos added that nothing in the alleged conversation between prosecution witness, Simone De Nobrega, and Bibi Gopaul could be used against his client. He said that apart from the physical evidence against Small no other admissible evidence was put by the prosecution as it related to

Small. What De Santos said existed was evidence of suspicion. To that, the lawyer said he put over authorities on the issue of suspicion which made it clear that suspicion could not be proof.

In his final stance on the matter, De Santos asked the court that on the matter of law, to view the facts and to determine whether it is enough to state murder and to warrant a prima facie case against his client.

On the last occasion, Vic Puran who is representing Gopaul said that the main evidence being led against his client is inadmissible. He said that the alleged conversation his client had with De Nobrega could not be used against her.

It is alleged that in October 2010 the mother of the deceased and her lover murdered Neesa Gopaul in a remote area along the Soesdyke/Linden Highway.

The teen’s body was discovered in a partially sunken suitcase which was being weighed down by a pair of dumb -bells (exercise equipment). Half of the girl’s head appeared to be missing.

Tour guide placed on $400,000 bail after fatal accident A 21-year-old self employed tour guide was yesterday placed on $400,000 bail after answering a charge of dangerous driving. The man, Nicholas Samaroo, appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court to answer the charge before Chief Magistrate Priya Beharry.

The charge stated that on July 22, last, Samaroo drove his motorcar PPP 3163 in a manner dangerous to the public and caused the death of 20-year-old Alvin Thomas.

Samaroo was not required to plead to the charge which is indictable.

Court prosecutor, Simeon Payne, told the court that on the day of the accident around 17:00 hours, the accused was proceeding north along Camp Street while the deceased and his

pillion rider on motorcycle CG 3607 were heading east along Lamaha Street.

Payne said both the rider and the driver failed to come to a halt at the intersection of the streets and thus collided with each other. The prosecutor said the pillion rider has since been hospitalised while Thomas succumbed to his injuries while receiving medical attention.

Attorney-at-law Euclin Gomes represented the defendant. He requested reasonable bail for Samaroo who he said has been driving for the past three years and never had a run-in with the law. Gomes said that his client has been cooperating with the police from the beginning of the incident.

The lawyer dabbled a bit

in the evidence and said that the deceased was riding at a very fast rate. He said the rider could not avoid the vehicle in his path and it would later show that the deceased was actually the one who rode into the side of his client’s car.

The prosecution had initially objected to bail on the prevalence and seriousness of the offence.

The court however ordered Samaroo to lodge his passport with the police and that would be the only means of him getting his pre-trial liberty.

The prosecution withdrew its objection in light of the court order and Samaroo was placed on substantial bail. His matter will be called again on September 12.

Thursday July 26, 2012

Kaieteur News

Page 19

Letters... Where your views make the news Letters... Where your views make the news

The police clearly lack the...

From page 5 weapon? Were the demonstrators asked to disperse? These are the questions that need to be answered before blame is to be placed on either the demonstrators or the police.

If what I am reading in the press is correct, then we have a very serious problem on our hands. It is reported that the demonstrators were asked to move and they refused. Yes, the demonstrators were wrong if they refused to obey a lawful direction by police in uniform. From experience with large gatherings, it is not wise to make arrests, what should have been done is to seek out the most vocal person in the

crowd and speak with him or her to assist in getting the demonstrators to comply with the lawful direction of the police.

In my opinion, failing to comply with the lawful direction of the police still did not justify the police firing their guns on the demonstrators. It is my view that the police were not fully prepared for the task at hand and the information coming from headquarters was slow in forthcoming and the persons who gave the instructions to shoot panicked.

This incident shows very clearly that the police lack the necessary training in crowd

control and it also appears to me that they had no proactive measures in place to deal with the situation. I would like to believe that the officers were given specific instructions before they went on duty in terms of what to do in the event that the d e m o n s t r a t i o n became violent.

It’s regrettable that lives were lost, and I do hope that lessons were learnt by the police and that in future demonstrations, proper planning as well as intelligence-gathering is more intensely pursued, in order that such a event will never occur again.

Morris Springer

Thursday July 26, 2012 ARIES (MAR 21 - APR 19): Contrary to popular belief, you can really make a difference when it comes to world problems. Do some research into charitable organisations that speak to your heart. Devoting time or money to such a cause will chase away those feelings of helplessness. ************************************ TAURUS (APR 20 - MAY 20): Although you’ve always craved material security, this preoccupation can be a burden.

Sometimes, you want to leave all of your possessions behind for a simpler, easier life. ************************************ GEMINI (MAY 21 - JUN 20): Disagreements over joint finances, taxes or corporate money could be a source of strife. Resist taking a dictatorial approach to this matter, even if you are in a superior position. ************************************ CANCER (JUN 21 - JUL 22): Stop exposing yourself to stressful situations and unhealthy habits. Your body is probably sending you signals that something isn’t right. Refusing to respect these signs could complicate a small problem. ************************************ LEO (JUL 23 - AUG 22): This isn’t a good time to take gambles of any sort, especially financial or sexual ones. If you’ve been thinking of making a move on an attractive love interest, hold your fire. ************************************ VIRGO (AUG 23 - SEP 22): You’re determined to push past limitations that were imposed on you at childhood and while your resolve is admirable, it’s important to be gentle with yourself. If you don’t see immediate results at first, don’t panic.

LIBRA (SEP 23 - OCT 22): A business or romantic partner may undermine your confidence. The fact is, nobody can make you feel inferior without your permission.

If you’re really insecure about your knowledge, take a class or two. ************************************ SCORPIO (OCT 23 NOV 21): Nothing is more frustrating than being unable to meet a child or lover’s needs. That may be the case today, though.

Resist the urge to pretend that nothing is wrong. Instead, explain the situation as best you can. ************************************ SAGITTARIUS (NOV 22 - DEC 21): Much of your behaviour is dictated by disappointments you experienced as a child. Instead of battling these demons, tune into your own heart’s desire. ************************************ CAPRICORN (DEC 22 JAN 19): Your strong convictions could be challenged by a sibling, neighbour or cousin. It’s not necessary to get in a big argument.

Sometimes you can agree to disagree. ************************************ AQUARIUS (JAN 20 FEB 18): You want to be financially independent, but it seems you can’t make a move without an organisation’s approval.

Find other ways to assert your independence. ************************************ PISCES (FEB 19 - MAR 20): Occupying a position of power has a definite down side, which you’ll experience today. Maybe you’ll have to fire an employee or discipline a child. Perhaps you’ll have to put a loved one on a budget.

The PNC is a failed and...

From page 4 Guyana? Is Nestor opaque to the consensus that the thievery will attain even more gigantic proportions if the PPP and PNC join forces in shared governance?

Stop this stupidity about shared governance and government of national unity until and unless radical reforms have been made to ensure this country is not saddled with pathetic political baggage. If you want shared governance, allow independents to be elected to Parliament and share the party power with independents directly elected by their electoral districts.

To prove Nestor is engaging in senseless proliferation, it was the very PNC that murdered its own political future and the aspirations and potential of Guyanese in general, and its own African supporters, when it left that monstrosity of the 1980 Constitution intact. By failing to change that constitution, the PNC literally marginalized this country and its own African constituency and allowed the PPP to use that constitutional boondoggle to batter Guyanese and PNC supporters.

The PNC knew the PPP would do exactly what the PNC did; put the interests of its own supporters first and foremost. The PNC knew Africans were economically impoverished in 1992. It knew that Africans lacked capital to compete in the very capitalist system it was building to hand over to the PPP. It knew that when it was washed away from power, economically vulnerable Guyanese and its own Africans would be buried under the coming tsunami.

The PNC fully knew the totalitarian surmount of the powers of the presidency. It knew that Africans would be a perpetual minority excluded from power for eternity as long as free and fair elections continue, and the PPP would continue them, even under the threat of death, because it guaranteed them unchallengeable power.

The PNC knew all of these events. They saw the handwriting on the wall. They read the tea leaves. Yet, they bastardized Guyanese and Africans, crippled them and

marginalized them by leaving that constitution and the decrepit system of absolute domination they fashioned for 28 years to endure beyond 1992.

Lurlene Nestor must not colour the PNC’s laziness, ineptitude and uncaringness for its own people with progressiveness, for it insults those Africans labouring

under a system of inequality, unfairness and injustice the PNC has created and left intact in 1992 for them. The PNC, like the PPP, has been nothing but misery for its supporters. Stop drinking the Kool-Aid Lurlene Nestor, try the beverage of sober truth instead.

M. Maxwell

Page 20

(From page 15)

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Kaieteur News

New GPC Inc. supports Upper Mazaruni District Games The New Guyana Pharmaceutical Corporation (New GPC Inc.) has taken a lead role in fulfilling its corporate responsibility as it became the first company to throw support behind the annual Upper Mazaruni District Games, billed for next month.

The company yesterday confirmed its sponsorship of the event under the Codol Compound Build-Up Tonic during a simple ceremony at its head office at Farm, East Bank Demerara.

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Thursday July 26, 2012

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supremacy from August 5-10 at the Kamarang ground in Region Seven.

Marketing Manager of New GPC Inc., Trevor Bassoo, said his company has been an avid supporter of football, making specific reference to their contributions to the annual Kashif and Shanghai tournament and activities under the purview of the Guyana Football Federation.

Bassoo added they are now pleased to partner with stakeholders at the community level, and he used the opportunity to call on other companies follow suit and support the Upper Mazaruni District Games, which is being coordinated through the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs.

He further stated that New GPC Inc. has supported sport across the board, not just football.

Principal Regional Development Officer of the Amerindian Affairs Ministry, Anil Roberts, who is a part of the organising committee of

-10 teams to contest August 5-10 football event

Marketing Manager of New GPC Inc., Trevor Bassoo (2nd right), presents a sample of the Codol Compound Build-Up Tonic as a symbol of its sponsorship to Amerindian Affairs Ministry’s Anil Roberts. Sharing the moment are New GPC’s Sabrina Chaitram (right), and Christopher Singh of Amerindian Affairs. the games, expressed gratitude to New GPC Inc. on behalf of the Upper Mazaruni District Games’ committee and the ministry.

Roberts promised that the rivalry will be intense during the six-day event, with the 10 teams ready and rearing to go at each other. The

participating teams are Chinoweing, Imbaimadai, Jawalla, Kaikan, Kamarang/ Warawatta, Kako, Paruima, Phillipai, Quebenang and Waramadong.

The games will be the regular 11-a-side, 90 minutes, with Kamarang set to defend their title in the Male

Category and Jawalla seeking to maintain supremacy on the distaff side. Also present at yesterday’s presentation ceremony were Marketing Assistant of New GPC, Sabrina Chaitram, and Procurement Officer of the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs, Christopher Singh.

Games open with soccer, Bolt says “this is...

From back page thousands of extra visitors, moving, and security has been beefed up to protect the Games.

Counter-terrorism chiefs have played down the possibility of a major attack, although in a possible sign of pre-Games jitters, a Typhoon fighter jet was scrambled to intercept an aircraft that had flown into restricted air space.

Communications with the plane were restored, however, and the fighter told to stand down, the defence ministry said.

LIGHTNING BOLT More than 16,000 athletes are warming up for their big day at venues across Britain, and 11 million visitors will follow every twist and turn of intense battles for the ultimate prize - Olympic gold.

Bolt, Jamaican winner of the 100 meters and 200m Olympic titles in Beijing in 2008, fired the opening salvo in what promises to be an explosive 100m sprint final on August 5, arguably the blue riband event of the Games.

“This is my time,” said the 6ft-5in (1.95m) athlete, as attention turns from a security scandal and transport chaos in the run-in to the Olympics to what really counts - sport.

“This will be the moment, and this will be the year, when I set myself apart from other athletes in the world,” 25year-old Bolt told the Guardian newspaper.

Bolt, who holds the world record for the 100m race, is aiming to achieve what no

other man has ever done before - successfully defend the 100m and 200m finals.

While the British government and Olympic officials will be delighted that sport is now in focus, the threat of transport disruption and security worries lingered with just two days to go before the eagerly-awaited opening ceremony.

“ZIL LANES” One target of anger among notoriously grumpy taxi drivers and many ordinary Londoners are the so-called “Games lanes” which came into operation on Wednesday.

Scathingly dubbed “Zil” lanes after Soviet roads reserved for black limousines carrying senior Communist party members, the roads are reserved exclusively for Olympic officials, the media, athletes and sponsors. Anyone caught straying into the lanes without permission faces an automatic 130-pound fine, and there has been confusion and heavy traffic in several parts of the capital as a direct result of the system.

“They’ve closed off the Games lane, but nobody (from the Olympic community) was using it,” said Ross Keeling, a call-out engineer, speaking after he travelled from east London to the city centre.

“My journey usually takes me 40 minutes, but it took two hours with the change. It was a pain the neck. We just have to sit and watch the empty lane.”

The threat of delays at Heathrow and other airports

was avoided, however, when border guards called off a strike planned for Thursday.

Culture and Sport Secretary Jeremy Hunt announced this week that 1,200 extra soldiers had been deployed to protect Olympic venues at the last minute to cover for a shortfall in private security guards in a major embarrassment for Prime Minister David Cameron’s administration.

The presence of courteous, smiling troops at the Olympic Park has in fact proved highly popular among athletes, reporters and officials. “Security to me hasn’t been an issue,” said U.S. beach volleyball player Misty May-Treanor, one of dozens of athletes talking to the media before the training begins in earnest. “I just look at all those young faces, all the soldiers, and I’m like, you guys are so young. It kind of puts everything into perspective,” added the 34-year-old.

Also attracting the cameras were Syria’s athletes, who put aside the increasingly violent civil conflict engulfing their country on Wednesday to sign a “truce wall” at the Olympic Park and raise their flag.

TORCH RELAY The symbolic Olympic torch, nearing the end of its 8,000-mile journey, on Wednesday visited Wembley Stadium, scene of England’s only soccer World Cup triumph in 1966, and was carried by the goalkeeper in that match, Gordon Banks.

Harry Potter star Rupert Grint, who plays the redhaired Ron Weasley in the hit movie franchise, was also among the bearers.

The torch’s odyssey ends with the lighting of the Olympic cauldron on Friday evening before 60,000 spectators including Queen Elizabeth, U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama and a host of celebrities and dignitaries.

Another one billion people are expected to tune in around the world for the ceremony directed by filmmaker Danny Boyle.

While many details of the show have leaked through the media and social networking sites, some secrets remain, notably the identity of the person who will light the flame and even the location of the cauldron.

Former England and Manchester United soccer player David Beckham has confirmed he will play a cameo role in the event, which will include pyrotechnics, a celebration of British music and several spectacular stunts.

It has been widely reported that the three-hour show will feature idyllic scenes of pastoral Britain, references to the “Satanic mills” of its industrial past and nods to its place on the modern international cultural stage.

At rehearsals this week, crowds cheered the complex and distinctly British ceremony, which will be in stark contrast to Beijing’s more choreographed extravaganza.

Thursday July 26, 2012

Kaieteur News

Page 21

CFU U17 WCQ competition...

Greek triple jumper withdrawn for racist tweet Guyana face BVI; T&T oppose Suriname (Reuters) - Greek triple jumper Paraskevi Papachristou was withdrawn from the London Olympics on Wednesday after causing an uproar at home for a tweet slammed as racist, the Greek Olympics team said.

“With so many Africans in Greece... the West Nile mosquitoes will at least eat homemade food!!!” she had posted on her Twitter account.

The country’s Olympic Committee said she was being pulled from the team because her comments were against the Olympic spirit.

“She showed no respect for a basic Olympic value and unfortunately she is out,” Greek mission chief Isidoros Kouvelos told SKAI TV. “She made a mistake and in life we pay for our mistakes.”

The 23-year-old athlete, who was scheduled to leave for her first Olympics next week, later apologized for what she said was “an unfortunate and tasteless joke”. “I am very sorry and ashamed for the negative responses I triggered, since I never wanted to offend anyone,” Papachristou, a blonde-haired athlete who sports a navel piercing, wrote on her Facebook page in Greek and English. “My dream is connected to the Olympic Games and I could not possibly participate if I did not respect their values.”

The Athens-born athlete was a long shot for a medal with a season’s best of 14.58 meters, almost half a meter behind the world leaders.

Papachristou’s coach attacked the decision to expel her, saying it was too harsh a

Paraskevi Papachristou sanction for someone who had already apologized. “It’s too much, the penalty should not have been so strict,” George Pomaski told Reuters.

“This is a big disappointment not only for her but for her family and for myself and anyone involved in the Greek team.”

One man has died in a small outbreak of the West Nile virus in Athens this month and at least five other cases have been reported, Greece’s disease control and prevention body said.

Papachristou’s withdrawal is a blow for Greece, which was hoping its Olympics team would be a source of pride for an austerity-hit nation deeply hurting from a debt crisis.

Greece is sending 105 competitors in 16 sports to the London Olympics beginning on Friday.

“VILE JOKE” Papachristou’s tweet appeared to divide opinions in Greece, which has long struggled with an influx of illegal immigrants from Africa and Asia and has seen a sharp rise in anti-immigrant sentiment amid its economic crisis.

Those who pushed for her expulsion included the coruling Democratic Left party.

“She can make as many vile ‘jokes’ as she likes on social networking sites when she watches the Olympic Games on TV,” it said in a statement.

“But she certainly cannot represent Greece in London.”

However, hundreds of fans rushed to Papachristou’s defence, flooding her Facebook page with messages of support.

A group titled “We want Voula Papachristou in London” was created within minutes of the announcement and soon counted more than 2,000 fans. “Since when is clever humor a crime?” one fan posted. “Making mistakes is human.

Recognizing our mistakes demands character and compassion,” another wrote.

Papachristou finished 11th in last month’s European championships in Helsinki with a jump of 13.89 and failed to make the final in the 2011 world championships. In 2009 she qualified for the final of the European indoor championships with the second-longest jump but then failed to register a jump in the final.

PM off to support team Jamaica at Olympics PRIME Minister Portia Simpson Miller left the island Tuesday afternoon for London, England to attend the Opening Ceremony of the Games of the XXX Olympiad which will also be attended by a number of other Heads of Government and Heads of State.

The Prime Minister’s attendance is also as a result of invitations extended to her by the Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA) and the Jamaica Athletic Administrative Association (JAAA) to attend the Opening Ceremony.

The Prime Minister said there was much significance in the Games in this 50th year of Jamaica’s Independence

and 64 years after McKenley, Wint and others blazed a trail of glory at our first participation in the Olympics in London in 1948.

“Once again, all roads lead to London and I am expecting the Jamaican team to perform to the best of its ability and it is only fitting that we give them all the necessary support during the Games,” Simpson Miller said.

While in London, she will participate in a welcome flagraising ceremony at the Olympic Village and meet with the Jamaican athletes before participating in the official Opening Ceremony.

The Prime Minister returns to the island on Saturday. During her

Following their 1-3 loss to Suriname in their opening game of the Caribbean Football Union Under-17 round of World Cup Qualifying, Guyana’s Junior Jaguars will be seeking to make things right when they face the British Virgin Islands in their second game today at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Port of Spain, T&T. The home team will be riding high following their 23-0 mauling of the BVI in the feature game on Tuesday at the same venue.

Guyana will not be taking the BVI for granted despite the fact that they have been hammered by T&T.

They young Guyanese will be going for a win and their first points. They will be looking to Franklyn Parks, Jermaine Fletcher, Kareem Knights, Jason Cromwell, Mark Wrong, Keron Solomon and Paul Miggins to lead their quest for victory.

Trinidad and Suriname on the other hand will be going after their second win in as many matches. Given their demolition of the BVI side, the home team will start the game with the advantage but the Surinamese will not ease off the throttle as they too, will fancy their chances of taking another win.

Kick off time is 17:00hrs.

North Koreans walk off after flag row The North Korean women’s football team walked off the pitch at their Olympic match in Glasgow after their images were shown on a screen beside a South Korean flag.

Kick-off was scheduled for 19:45 BST. The game started over an hour late.

North Korea played Colombia in the second of the Olympic matches being held at Glasgow’s Hampden stadium.

Games organisers in London have apologised to North Korean officials for the mistake.

The error occurred when a video package was being shown ahead of kick-off, with the North Koreans noticing that their faces were being pictured alongside the South

Korean flag.

The squad walked off and could only be persuaded to return when the teams were announced again with each player’s face displayed next to the North Korean flag.

The match ended with a 2-0 victory to North Korea.

Relations between the two Koreas have been tense since the Korean War, which ended in 1953.

South Korea will face North Korea in the first round of the men’s Olympic table tennis team event after the pair were drawn against each other on Wednesday.

A statement released by London 2012 organisers said: “Today ahead of the women’s football match at Hampden Park, the South Korean flag was shown on a big screen

video package instead of the North Korean flag.

“Clearly that is a mistake, we will apologise to the team and the National Olympic Committee and steps will be taken to ensure this does not happen again.”

It was not immediately clear who had produced the video which was shown in the stadium.

London 2012 spokesman Andy Mitchell said: “The South Korean flag was shown in the video package on the screen before the kickoff and the North Koreans were naturally very upset about that.

“We have made a full apology to the team and the North Korean NOC. A genuine mistake was made for which we apologise.”

Chelsea sign Brazilian midfielder Oscar on five-year deal Chelsea have completed the signing of attacking midfielder Oscar on a fiveyear contract for a fee understood to be in the region of £25m.

The Brazilian, who is in his country’s Olympic squad, joins from Internacional having previously played for Sao Paulo.

The 20-year-old has been compared to countryman Kaka in Brazil.

Champions League winners Chelsea have already signed Marko Marin and brothers Eden and Thorgan Hazard this summer.

Oscar had previously insisted he would wait until after the Olympics before completing his move to Roberto Di Matteo’s side.

“All Brazilian players have this dream,” he said after he had helped his country beat Great Britain 2-0 in an

Oscar

Olympics warm-up. “I have, like everybody, the dream to play in Europe and the Premier League.”

Sattaur benefits for NIDECA...

Portia Simpson Miller absence, Dr Omar Davies, Minister of Transport, Works and Housing will be in charge of the Government.

From page 22 on Monday with three matches.

The three-day competition will be played from July 28 to August 16, comprising five rounds of matches.

The 50 overs-a-side competition will be played from August 19 to 29, comprising seven rounds of matches.

An ICC Americas Under20 side will join the Under-19 sides from the six WICB territories- Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica, Leeward Islands, Trinidad and Tobago and Windward Islands- for the

one-day tournament only.

Jamaica start their defence of the three-day title against traditional rivals Trinidad and Tobago in the opening round, which also features hosts Barbados against Windward Islands at Queen’s Park, and Guyana against Leeward Islands at Bayfield.

Hosts Barbados will start their defence of the one-day competition against ICC Americas at Queen’s Park, when Jamaica tackle Guyana at Bayfield, and Trinidad and Tobago meet Leewards at

Friendship.

The Guyana team reads: Shawn Perriera (Captain), Chanderpaul Hemraj (Vicecaptain), Tajenarine Chanderpaul, Mohan Ramdeen, Shimron Hetmyer, Ricardo Adams, Denesh Mangal (Wicket-keeper), Romario DeJonge, Gudakesh Motie-Kanhai, Mark Tyrell, Kamesh Yadram, Brian Sattaur, Dexter George and Vijay Surujpaul.

The coach is Adrian Amsterdam, while Alvin Johnson is the manager.

Page 22

Kaieteur News

Thursday July 26, 2012

Noble House Goals Galore Indoor Chase Academic Foundation Hockey C/ships start this evening & Planet Fitness Pro on board Malta Supreme HRC Bodybuilding & Fitness Show...

With athletes on the final straight before this Saturday’s Malta Supreme Hugh Ross Classic Bodybuilding and Fitness Show at the National Cultural Centre, corporate support for this activity continues to flow.

Chipping in with their respective contributions are Chase Academic Foundation and Planet Fitness Pro. These entities handed over their contributions to the man in whose honour the show is being held, Hugh Ross.

In presenting his cheque, Head of Chase Academic Foundation, Henry Chase said that they are elated to be a part of an activity that seeks to encourage positivity in relation to athletes bringing their bodies into competitive shape to be the best.

He noted that Ross has set a high standard throughout his career and he is challenging the local athletes that will be on show to also aim to always set high standards during their

Henry Chase presents the cheque to Hugh Ross. respective careers.

Ross in response thanked Mr. Chase for coming on board as a partner with the HRC and promised that the HRC will continue to make their contribution towards the growth and success of bodybuilding in Guyana.

Owner of Planet Fitness Pro, Alecia Rambarran also commended the HRC for bringing off a show of this nature for the third time noting

that the local athletes look forward to this event which is the biggest of its kind on the bodybuilding calendar in Guyana.

She noted that Planet Fitness Pro was pleased to be associated with the Hugh Ross Classic and is encouraging fans and lovers of the sport to ensure they are at the National Cultural Centre on Saturday for what would be a memorable event.

Sattaur benefits for NIDECA Investments’ benevolence Nadica Investments of Happy Acres, East Coast Demerara, has once again come out in support of Lusignan batsman Brian Sattaur, who will be part of the Guyana Under-19 team that departs for Barbados to compete in the West Indies Cricket Board’s Regional Under-19 competition.

Managing Director of the company, Derick Persaud, earlier this week presented a cricket bag, thigh pad and a pair of batting gloves to the left-hander, who will be making his second appearance for the national Under-19 team.

Sattaur, 16, said he is grateful for the kind gesture

by Persaud, noting that this is the third time the company has supported him in his cricketing endeavours. The former national Under-15 opener promised to make full use of the equipment, while doing his part in helping Guyana to win the title.

Sattaur represented Guyana at the Under-19 level in 2010 in St Lucia at the tender age of 14, but missed out on Under-19 selection last year, as he was carrying out the duties of captain of the national Under15 team at the time.

The national Under-19 team, which will be led by

- National Under-19 cricketers wing out today

It is regarded as the most exciting tournament on the local hockey calendar and that is the annual Noble House Goals Galore Indoor Hockey Championships which is set to start today and run until Sunday, at the National Gymnasium.

The Goals Galore clash is the only local handicapped tournament for hockey where teams begin with different goal tally’s aimed at making more competitive matches and pressing top teams to perform at their optimum level irrespective of the opposition.

Two divisions are contested in the competition comprising of the highest number of teams in any hockey tournament for the year. The A Division features top teams in ‘Bounty GCC’, Hikers Generals, Old Fort ‘A’, GCC Brodras and Hikers Cadets. Bounty GCC with a zero handicap (0) are the defending champions of the senior division but former junior division champs, the Hikers Cadets (+3) have moved up a division this year to make a challenge.

The ‘A’ division remains wide open with several teams capable of high goal tallies.

Defending champs Bounty GCC (0) have been consistent in making several finals appearances in recent times, but stumbling at the last hurdle and will be led by the ultra-competitive Dwayne Scott and skilful Orland Semple and Kevin Spencer.

Old Fort (+2) has been brilliant at times with Aderemi Simon being among the country’s best performers on any given night but their challenge will be to maintain consistency throughout the

Alysa Xavier

Dwayne Scott

tournament. The discipline and cohesion of the Hikers Generals (0) make them one of the top indoor sides in the region with an unmatched record locally.

Captain Devin Munroe will once again be at the helm while the speed of Robert France and the talented Reon Brandford will be vital assets in support. The GCC Brodras (+3) is a fit and entertaining side while the Hikers Cadets (+3) feature many of the countries talented junior nationals including the Assanah brothers and Captain Leroy Jack.

The B Division features 4 ladies teams and 3 junior men’s teams largely comprising of players coming out of the recent school’s program. The Flora GCC Tigers (0) are ranked the top side in this division and have enjoyed great success in recent years.

Led by the mesmerizing stick work of Captain Sonia Jardine, recent MVP Gabriella Xavier and goalkeeping prodigy Alysa Xavier, they will prove a difficult side to beat. Archrivals the Hikers

Divas (+4) will showcase the exciting prowess of Maria Munroe and Cora Towler along with the blistering speed of Captain Avonda James.

The GCC Snipers (+2) will showcase a mix of former nationals in strikers in Tricia Fiedtkou and Brennette Gordon along with their junior counterparts of the club.

Hikers Revelation (+8) stages an encouraging group of young ladies led by Captain Macaela Harding and will improve with every match.

Old Fort juniors (+5), Saints (+5) and the GCC Pitbulls will feature some of the very talented players who are new to the game but have a good enough handicap to create an upset and claim the gold.

The fixtures for this evening are as follows: GCC Pitbulls playing Old Fort in the junior division followed

by Saints versus the Flora GCC Tigers.

The tournament continues throughout the weekend with the finals being contested on Sunday from 17:20hrs.

Guyana squad off to Olympics

Left-hander Brian Sattaur (left) receives the gear from Derick Persaud, Managing Director of Nadica Investments Berbice’s leg-spinning allrounder Shawn Perriera, broke camp on Tuesday and will depart these shores this

afternoon for the Land of the Flying Fish. The regional competition will commence (Continued on page 21)

Guyana’s locally-based Olympic contingent left yesterday for the London Games that gets underway with the Opening Ceremony tomorrow (Friday). 400m runner,

Winston George will be Guyana’s flag bearer at the Opening Ceremony. Here in this photo, the Olympians assemble at Olympic House before their departure to London.

Thursday July 26, 2012

Kaieteur News

Page 23

Stag Beer EDFA Senior League...

BVTU, Bakewell Buxton Stars & Buxton United record wins W

h e n competition in the Stag Beer sponsored East Demerara Football Association (EDFA) Senior League continued last the weekend, BV Triumph United, Buxton United and Bakewell Buxton Stars all recorded victories; Golden Grove and Plaisance battling to a 0-0 stalemate.

BVTU can count themselves lucky to come away with full points over Victoria Kings by a 2-1 margin having to come from behind. BV created numerous chances but were very poor in the attacking third as they muffed those chances.

Victoria Kings on the other hand, absorbed the many attacks and responded with quite a few of their own; given the poor nature of finishing by BV it was no surprise when Victoria Kings cantered into the lead in the 55th minute.

Reuben Morrison it was that found the back of the nets with a well taken shot

that breached the usually safe hands of goalkeeper Linden Dennis.

It was a good reward for the Kings and a sure wake up call for BV who found themselves now trailing as they attacked the seawall end goal. With the Kings now confident and the minutes ticking away, the task for BV was even more challenging.

But as it turned out, they rose to the occasion and delivered in the end. Quincy Price it was who would draw them level in the 85th minute and two minutes later, Mark Gonsalves delivered the winner to knock the wind out of the sails of the Victoria Kings team and maintained BV’s quest to dethrone the reigning Senior champs, Kings.

The other game on Sunday at the Buxton Ground ended in a 0-0 stalemate between Golden Grove and Plaisance.

O n S a t u r d a y, b o t h Buxton teams were in winner’s row at their home ground. Ann’s Grove United

Reuben Morrison (right) starts the celebration of his goal against BV whose goalie Linden Dennis is reduced to a spectator after being dribbled. went down to Buxton United by the odd goal in three.

Jamaal Booker handed Buxton the lead in the 39th minute but it did not take too long for that advantage to be nullified by Ann’s Grove.

One minute to half time it came for them through a goal off the boot of Kevon Barry; Ann’s grove 1 Buxton United 1. With the home support flowing, Buxton did not waste any time in

restoring the dominance.

Three minutes into the second half they {Buxton}went ahead again, this time Keoma Sullivan delivered what turned out to be the winning goal.

Bakewell Buxton Stars needed a 46th minute strike from Seon Thomas to beat Mahaica 1-0 in the other Saturday match.

Play will continue this weekend.

Lowden/Persaud capture GBTI Men’s 45 Doubles title Downes/Mitchell coast to Mixed Doubles finals B

erbician Godfrey Lowden left some of his best tennis for the finals when he teamed up with Omar Persaud to defeat Carlos Adams and Wayne Alphonso in a tense and competitive three set win in the finals of the Men’s 45 Doubles.

Lowden with his trademark heavy spin serves and with Persaud were able t o p r e s s u r e Adams/Alphonso from the onset where they took the first set 6-3. They continued their excellent play and pushed to a 5-2 lead with Persaud to serve for the match. A spirited fightback then ensued from Adams/Alphonso who broke Persaud’s and Lowden’s serve as they won the next 5 games to take the set 7-5 to force the deciding super tiebreak.

The teams then battled evenly in the tie break up to 4-4 before Lowden/Persaud coasted to victory by winning all the points to 10-4 Favorites in the Mixed Doubles category, former college players Anthony Downes and Rebecca Mitchell progressed to the

(From left) Omar Persaud and Godfrey Lowden defeated Carlos Adams and Wayne Alphonso in a tense encounter to win the Men’s 45 Doubles. finals after defeating Sandeep Chand/Thi Fernandes in their semi-final encounter at the GBTI Sports Club on Tuesday evening. Downes/Mitchell showed their vast experience as they dictated the points with good ball placement and high kicking topspin

shots to keep their opponents o f f b a l a n c e .

Chand/Fernandes had their chances in the first set including a 0-40 lead on Downes serve, but in the end could only convert one game as Mitchell/Downes took the set 6-1. The second set saw Downes/Mitchell

Rebecca Mitchell and Anthony Downes

controlling the game and they coasted to victory. They will face Berbicians Godfrey Lowden/Carol Humphrey in the finals on Saturday.

In the other match played Steve David Longe booked a place in the Men’s 35 Singles when he coasted to a 6-1 6-0 victory over Mohamed

Rafeek.Longe will play Mario Naimatalli in the finals this weekend.

Matches scheduled for Thursday include both Men’s Singles Semi-Final which will see the winners of Antony Downes (2) vs Sandeep Chand playing either Leyland Leacock or

Gilbert Barckoy and top seed Jeremy Miller vs Gavin Lewis.

Downes and Miller have been the two dominant players in the tournament and a rematch of last year’s finals is eagerly anticipated amongst local tennis enthusiasts.

t r o Sp

Narine’s late strikes unsettle NZ Narine finished the opening day at the Vivian Richards Cricket Ground with three wickets for 73 runs from 28 overs, as New Zealand, choosing to bat, reached 232 for four in their first innings at the close.

The off-spinner made the impact he was expected late, after Guptill anchored the Black Caps’ batting with 97, Daniel Flynn and Ross Taylor supported with 45, and Brendon McCullum made 25.

The Mohawk-shaven Narine transformed a tough day for West Indies, when he removed Taylor and Guptill, following their 90-run stand for the third wicket.

Narine was fortunate, when he got Taylor bowled, after the New Zealand captain chopped a Martin Guptil delivery into his leg and the ball drives during ricocheted onto his stumps. his innings The off-spinner followed up in his next over, teasing Guptill with a flighted delivery and having the lanky opener caught, trying to clear mid-on for a boundary that would have taken him to his hundred. He batted NORTH SOUND, Antigua – 352 minutes, faced 250 balls Sunil Narine denied Martin Guptill and struck 14 fours and one six. his third Test hundred, claiming Until Narine’s late intervention, him as one of two wickets in the the Black Caps had made most of final hour, to bring West Indies the running, after deciding to bat on back into the first Digicel Test a hard, true pitch. against New Zealand on West Indies were made to toil Wednesday here. before lunch, as Guptill and fellow

opener Flynn hardly placed a foot wrong, carrying New Zealand to 71 without loss at lunch.

The Windies bowled tightly early on, but the visitors’ openers played through an early period of consolidation before Flynn got into stride with a couple of boundaries off Darren Sammy’s first over.

The second delivery from the West Indies captain was put away through mid-off for four and the penultimate ball was pulled through mid-wicket.

Kemar Roach, trying to find his rhythm following his injury lay-off after his early departure from the recent tour of England, helped Guptill warm up, with a short delivery that was slapped through extra cover for four and an overpitched ball that was hit straight for another boundary.

West Indies had a few appeals for lbw, and Sammy unsuccessfully reviewed one of them just before the interval, when Guptill was 33, and TV replays showed the ball took an inside edge.

After lunch, Narine and Roach each snared a wicket, as New Zealand reached 159 for two at tea.

Narine struck, when Flynn topedged a cut at a delivery that bounced awkwardly and was caught at backward point. He spent 156 minutes at the crease and struck seven fours from 126 balls.

Roach gained a boost of confidence, when he had Brendon McCullum caught at mid-off for 25

Denesh Ramdin and Sunil Narine (centre) celebrate a NZ wicket from a mistimed off-drive, a few o v e r s a f t e r We s t I n d i e s unsuccessfully reviewed a catch to gully offered by the same batsman, and TV replays showed the West Indies fast bowler had delivered a no-ball. In between, a delivery from Roach was put away through cover to gift Guptill his eighth four and take him past 50 from 107 balls. For the next 2 ¼ hours, West

Indies failed to make any further inroads, as Taylor and Guptill consolidated the visitors’ position with resolute batting before Narine changed the course of the match.

West Indies are seeking their first Test series victory over New Zealand for 16 years.

Scores: New Zealand 232 for 4 (Guptill 97, Taylor 45, Narine 373) v West Indies.

Games open with soccer, Bolt says “this is my time”

Usain Bolt (Reuters) - The British women’s soccer team kicked off the Olympics on Wednesday with victory for the home team over New Zealand, and Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt, hero of the 2008 Games and the

fastest man on earth, vowed to win again, declaring: “This is my time”.

The whiff of scandal h u n g o v e r L o n d o n ’s Olympic Park, where thousands of journalists and athletes were limbering up

for the July 27-August 12 showcase, after Greek triple jumper Paraskevi Papachristou was withdrawn from the Games for a racist tweet.

Her subsequent apology fell on deaf ears, with the head of the Greek Olympic mission, Isidoros Kouvelos, saying: “She made a mistake and in life we pay for our mistakes.”

With doping concerns at centre stage, nine track and field athletes have been banned for violations in a crackdown on the use of prohibited substances at the London Olympics.

The athletes, including leading Moroccan marathon runner Abderrahim Goumri, were all caught with the aid of the Athlete Biological Passport programme, which will be used at an Olympics

Britain’s Stephanie Houghton (left) fights for the ball with New Zealand’s Amber Hearn, Jenny Bindon and Abby Erceg during the match for the first time in London.

S e p a r a t e l y, f e l l o w Moroccan 1,500 meters runner Mariem Alaoui Selsouli, a silver medalist at the world indoor championships this year, tested positive for a banned diuretic and will also miss

the London Games.

The soccer match in the Welsh capital, which Britain won 1-0, came two days before Friday’s opening ceremony at the main London stadium, the culmination of seven years of preparations for an event

that draws billions of viewers around the world.

In host city London, basking in sunshine after a rainy summer, authorities went ahead with unpopular lane closures to keep the roads, and hundreds of (Continued on page 20)

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