Sunday July 26, 2015
Kaieteur News
Kaieteur M@ilbox
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Kaieteur M@ilbox
We call on the government Some Proposals on Flooding, to address this PSC ruling Local Government and Sugar DEAR EDITOR, We note with grave disappointment that the Police Service Commission has refused to fire Inspector Narine Lall,who was found by the High Court to have torturedTwyon Thomas, a 14 year old West Demerara teenager in 2009 by soaking his genitals with methylated spirits and setting them alight, action that those who believe in the inalienable right of all persons not to be subjected to torture have justifiably expected to result in expulsion from the police force . Justice Roxanne George, in handing down her ruling in the Twyon Thomas case found that “ the torture and cruel and inhuman treatment meted out to Thomas has demonstrated and established an absolute and flagrant disregard for his constitutional rights” and described the treatment of he suffered as “degrading, humiliating and debasing,”. Justice George also found the State of Guyana to have violated the fundamental rights of Twyon Thomas by depriving him of his personal liberty by unlawfully arresting and detaining him and causing him to undergo inhumane and degrading
punishment. Guyana is a signatory to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, article 4 of which states, “Each State Party shall ensure that all acts of torture are offences under its criminal law. The same shall apply to an attempt to commit torture and to an act by any person which constitutes complicity or participation in torture. ... Each State Party shall make these offences punishable by appropriate penalties which take into account their grave -nature.” The Constitution of Guyana upholds the rights of all Guyanese to freedom from torture and other cruel punishment. The promotion of Lall and Dolai (the other policeman responsible for what was done to Thomas) to Inspector and constable in January 2015 was a violation of article 4 of the Convention, as is the Police Service Commission’s decision to guarantee employment to Inspector Lall in the face of his having been found guilty of torture. President Granger has also made public his strong and clear condemnation of the
use of torture in Guyana, in keeping with the Convention which requires states to take effective measures to prevent torture under their jurisdiction. We therefore call on the government to take immediate action to address this PSC ruling and to reassure Guyanese that all police ranks without exception who have been found responsible for torture, rape or other breaches of fundamental human rights will not be guaranteed continuing employment in the police force. We further call for an immediate review of all current members of the PSC and for transparency, integrity, expertise and appropriate gender representation to be the hallmark of its membership at all times. Danuta Radzik & Josephine Whitehead for Help & Shelter Karen De Souza, Joy Marcus and Wintress White for Red Thread OmattieMadray for ChildLink Inc. Simone Morris Ramlall Leila Jagdeo Andaiye Vonda Radzik Cheryl Sampson Raquel Thomas Caesar
DEAR EDITOR, The build-up of water in Georgetown during the rainy season is a natural feature of the city, along with other coastal areas which lie below or just about the sea level. Someone explained to me a couple of months ago that the Dutch addressed this issue by building reservoirs within the city to accommodate the build-up of water when the sluices/kokers were closed. These reservoirs were subsequently filled up and now host the avenues which run through Thomas, East, Camp, Waterloo, and Carmichael Streets. To the extent that these avenues have now become an aesthetic feature of Georgetown, the solution to the resultant flooding very probably lies in increasing the depth of the drainage systems throughout the city. This idea could also probably be applied where possible across those regions affected by flooding. Civil engineers should however definitely be consulted for their opinion. Further, flooding in north Georgetown to Lamaha Street has been exacerbated by the inoperable sluice which empties the waterway along Lamaha Street, which serves the area bounded by Water
Street, Church Street, Vlissengen Road and Lamaha Street. Currently, the Lamaha waterway empties into the larger waterway which runs parallel to it through a system of pipes, so that the areas which should be independently served by the inoperable sluice are now dependent of the drainage of the larger parallel waterway which itself areas north, north-east of the area earlier described, and east of Vlissengen Road. Rehabilitating the sluice that empties the waterway on Lamaha Street should go a far way in relieving flooding in the areas served by the Lamaha Street waterway, sooner than later. Additionally, the use of pumps may go a far way in assisting with extreme flood conditions during periods in which the sluices are closed. As Guyana pushes forward with its agenda for economic and social progress, transforming Georgetown into an attractive, welcoming site, if this is not, should be integral to the strategy of marketing Guyana as a destination for global corporations looking to establish sustainable long term investments in South America’s only Englishspeaking state. This is not
to mention the large revenues that can be generated by raising Georgetown to the level of a viable tourist destination that is a strong competitor with the capital cities of our sister CARICOM states. Such an endeavor however must necessarily be accomplished through financing and sound management, which authority rests in Georgetown’s Mayor and City Council. Financing of the Council’s activities needs to be addressed within a long term, sustainable framework, meaning that funds for the institution’s activities should fall within a structured framework where its daily, weekly and monthly expenditure program must be accommodated by specified, controlled revenue systems. An immediate quick response to this latter issue would probably be the return of revenues from the management of the lottery system to the revenue stream of the M&CC. As already pointed out, the idea of the lottery system was that of the Council’s, as an alternative to raising revenues without altering its tax mechanism, and it is probably definitely preferable Continued on page 6
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Kaieteur News
Sunday July 26, 2015
Kaieteur M@ilbox
Kaieteur M@ilbox
Some Proposals on Flooding...
Guyanese lives matter
From page 5 to source revenues for Council’s activities from such a system. A major issue within the Council, as with the wider public sector, is the adequacy of remuneration of workers. The management of the other major towns and communities across Guyana could benefit from closer attention to their funding requirements and the development of revenue structures to deliver on the necessary financing. The state of the sugar industry will probably remain a thorny issue for some time to come, but the solution lies especially considering the viability of Skeldon estate, and in the stakeholders in the labor sector considering not only the profitability and competitiveness of Guyana’s sugar on world market, but more importantly, how have sugar workers themselves benefitted working in the sugar industry? In respect of profitability and competitiveness, the numbers are not favorable, with Guyana producing sugar at a cost of approximately
US$0.35/lb., while sugar is available at around US$0.12/ lb. on the world market. What this means is that Guyana is producing sugar at a loss, estimated at around US$500/ ton, based on information released earlier this year. One of the larger issues to consider is that, maintenance issues notwithstanding, the Skeldon sugar factory will remain a drag on the profitability of GUYSUCO since, as was already highlighted in the press, the size of the factory installed was much too large given the available supply of cane. The other more pivotal issue which needs to be addressed by the sugar workers is the benefit that has accrued to them working in the sugar industry. What have sugar workers really gained from working over the years in the sugar industry? Have their lives and welfare improved over the decades? Can they expect to retire comfortably? Are their children benefitting from a better education and improved job opportunities
as a result of sugar workers being able to provide a better life and greater educational opportunities? Further, within the context of sugar industry aiming to lower production costs, can sugar workers reasonably expect higher wage to support an improved standard of living for their families? Where do sugar workers see themselves in the next twenty years? These are serious questions which should shift the focus to one in which the welfare of sugar workers and that of their families become central. They should lead to answers which will help sugar workers to consider the net benefit of working in the local sugar industry given the global competitive forces at play going into the future, to which GUYSUCO will probably be unable to respond in the near to medium term. The answers to these questions, ultimately, should lead to a wrapping of the issues in the sugar industry sooner than later. Craig Sylvester
The actions of this police... From page 4 and family. He was taken to the Providence Station where he was charged. His superiors were later told that public servant had slapped the police rank. The police rank’s statement never reflected any slapping. The matter was settled.
The embarrassment could have caused the public servant his job. This is clearly an abuse of power by Mr. Hicken, a man people should look up to and respect. It is dishonest to convey an impression that the police rank was slapped and then to
boot, charge the public servant. How many more persons have been victims to such dishonesty and abuse by this commander or others like him? Guyana should not tolerate such disrespect to our citizens. There must be an even handed show of justice. We demand an explanation from Mr. Hicken. Cobeer Persaud
DEAR EDITOR, Life matters! It was the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. who said, “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.” Outside of natural death no one deserves to die. When a person dies at the hands of another and that killer escapes accountability, it must not only matter to the grieving loved ones but to every Guyanese. We cannot, and must not, be silent in the midst of such tragedy. The revelation by Sean Hinds about his activities, activities of State officials and the politically connected in determining who will die, how they will die and when they will die must raise the ire of the better angels within us. Earthly man is not possessing of the power to give life and correspondingly does not have the power to end life. The loved ones of Courtney Crum-Ewing, Ronald Waddell, Donna McKinnon, Satyadeow Shaw and countless others would want us to break our silence, come out in condemnation of the atrocities and call for justice to be served. The lives of their loved ones matter as much as that of our loved ones. No one, I repeat, no one, deserves the death our fallen brothers and sisters have met. In a country where the law is supreme, the law must at all times take its course, however tempting it may be to engage in vigilante activities. Vigilante activities breathe more vigilante activities,
consuming the innocent, bystanders, and entire society. No level-headed citizen can deny this country’s image has taken a beating on the global front; persons live in fear in their homes and on the streets; and our overseas loved ones shy away from visiting. Guyana is our home. This is not the image we want for her and the fear we want to live in. And since this is not what we want we can only make the change by coming out of silence and letting the security forces and government know life matters. When life is threatened or taken by another, the world is robbed of its most vital resource. And while life cannot be reclaimed justice can and must prevail for departed loved ones. Those who have information and have decided to share such, be it in the police station, television station or wherever, if properly used this can begin the process of healing, ensuring justice. Within recent days points of reference are being offered and the wheel of justice can start turning. We are One People, One Nation, One Destiny. The dividers of race and politics are immaterial to getting to the bottom of the lawlessness that shrouded this blessed land and during the 2002-2006 crime sprees, in July 2012 and March 2015. The brotherhood of man must unite us in these moments of tragedy as with One Voice we say, “No more!”
Outside of drug trafficking and turf wars, political scores were being settled and dissenters silenced. The people of Linden/Region 10 continue to speak about their story of July 18, 2012 where in standing up for their rights many were injured, Shemroy Bouyea, Allan Lewis and Ron Somerset slaughtered. This tragedy was visited on the citizens by agents of the State on instruction by those elected to serve and appointed to serve and protect, some of whom have since been promoted, continue to wear the uniform of the State and paid by those they violated. Life is a right. According to the Equality and Human Rights Commission the right to life “means that nobody including the government can try to end your life. It also means that you have the right to be protected if your life is at risk. Similarly, public authorities should consider your right to life when making decisions that might put you in danger or which affect your life expectancy.” Those who have acted contrary to this directive, aided and abetted others to act in liked manner should be held accountable. There is no statute of limitation and for as long as it takes and irrespective of the hurdle required to get there, justice must be served. And since departed loved ones cannot speak for themselves we must speak for them. Life matters. Sharma Solomon
Sunday July 26, 2015
Kaieteur News
Greek bailout talks pushed back by a few days on logistics – official Reuters - Talks between Greece and its international creditors over a new bailout package will be delayed by a couple of days because of organisational issues, a finance ministry official said yesterday. The meetings with officials from the European Commission, European Central Bank and International Monetary Fund were supposed to start tomorrow after being delayed for issues including the location of talks and security last week. A finance ministry official, who declined to be named, said talks between the technical teams of the lenders will start on Tuesday, while the mission chiefs will arrive in Athens with a delay of a couple of days for technical reasons. “The reasons for the delay are neither political, nor diplomatic ones,” the official added. Greeks have viewed inspections visits by the lenders in Athens as a violation of the country’s sovereignty and six months of acrimonious negotiations with EU partners took place in
Alexis Tsipras
Brussels at the government’s request. Another finance ministry official denied early yesterday that the government was trying to keep the lenders’ team away from government departments and had no problem with them visiting the General Accounting Office. Asked if the government would now allow EU, IMF and ECB mission chiefs to visit Athens for talks on a new loan, State Minister Alekos Flabouraris said: “If the agreement says that they
should visit a ministry, we have to accept that.” The confusion around the expected start to the talks on Friday underlined the challenges ahead if negotiations are to be wrapped up in time for a bailout worth up to 86 billion euros (£60.93 billion) to be approved in parliament by Aug. 20, as Greece intends. Already, Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras is struggling to contain a rebellion in his leftwing Syriza party that made his government dependent on votes from pro-European opposition parties to get the tough bailout terms approved in parliament. One of Tsipras’ closest aides said that the understanding with the opposition parties could not last long and a clear solution was needed, underlining widespread expectations that new elections may come as soon as September or October. “The country cannot go on with a minority government for long. We need clear, strong solutions,” State Minister Nikos Pappas told the weekly Ependysi in an interview published on Saturday.
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Sunday July 26, 2015
Obama says entrepreneurs in Africa can give hope, deliver growth NAIROBI (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama told African entrepreneurs in Kenya yesterday they could help counter violent ideologies and drive growth in Africa, and said governments had to assist by ensuring the rule of law was upheld and by tackling corruption. Obama was addressing a Global Entrepreneurship Summit at the start of the first visit by a serving U.S. president to Kenya, his father’s homeland and the biggest economy in east Africa, which has suffered attacks by Somali Islamist group al Shabaab. Security was expected to top talks with President Uhuru Kenyatta at State House, where Obama received his official welcome with a gun salute. Kenyatta called the United States a “very strong supporter of Kenya” before closed discussions. The talks at State House were attended by Deputy President William Ruto, who is facing charges at the International Criminal Court that he fomented ethnic killings after Kenya’s disputed 2007 election. He denies the
U.S. President Barack Obama (L) shakes hands with Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta (R) at the end of a joint news conference after their meeting at the State House in Nairobi yesterday. REUTERS/Thomas Mukoya
charges. Kenyatta had faced similar charges, but the charges have since been dropped. Obama is keen to boost business ties with Africa, where China overtook the United States as the
continent’s biggest trade partner in 2009. “Africa is on the move. Africa is one of the fastest growing regions in the world,” Obama told the conference, where he was greeted by applause when he began with
the words “Jambo”, the Swahili for “hello”. “It is wonderful to be back in Kenya. “Entrepreneurship offers a positive alternative to the ideologies of violence and division that can all too often
fill the void when young people don’t see a future for themselves.” He said government had a vital role on issues such as establishing the rule of law and curbing corruption, citing two issues often cited by businesses as major obstacles. He said more had to be done to help new firms secure capital. An array of technology and other companies have started up in recent years in Africa in a bid to shift the continent away from a traditional focus of commodity exports, but entrepreneurs often complain they cannot find affordable capital. “Africa is open for business,” Kenyatta said in his speech to open the entrepreneurship conference. “It is the time for a new generation of Africans to promote inclusive prosperity.” Kenya’s economy is expected to grow by about 6 percent this year. The economy of Ethiopia, Obama’s next stop, is forecast to expand by more than 10 percent, although right groups say Addis Ababa’s economic achievements are at the expense of free speech.
The annual U.S.sponsored conference was being held for the first time in sub-Saharan Africa at a U.N. compound in Nairobi. After attending the conference, Obama laid a wreath to victims of the 1998 bombing by Islamist militants of the U.S. Embassy. The site of the attack in central Nairobi is now a memorial park. The new mission is further from the centre. On arrival in Kenya on Friday, Obama had dinner with relatives at the central Nairobi hotel where he is staying. Some Africans complain that Obama, whose father is buried in western Kenya, has not paid enough attention to the continent in his presidency. Obama has sought to change that perception, in part by hosting African leaders in Washington last year. One of Obama’s initiatives, launched in 2013, was to boost electricity supplies across a continent where many are not on the grid. The goal is to add 30,000 megawatts (MW) of capacity. Deals to add 4,100 MW have been agreed so far, the White House said.
Sunday July 26, 2015
Kaieteur News
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Dem boys seh... ‘Trini’ engineer says wrongfully Jagdeo corrupt de accused of carjackings By Sunita Samaroo “Long time we looking for you boy; long, long time. Finally, we get you now! You responsible for all the carjacking we been having around this place!” Those were the words Kjell Gill, a mechanical engineer from Trinidad, who remembers being told that mere days into his first trip to Guyana. The utterances were made, he said, when he came face to face with a party of police ranks who were adamant that he had earlier robbed two men of their brand new cars. Gill arrived in Guyana on July 3, last. After a night of partying on July 17, there he was on the seawall frolicking with six other friends when his trip took an unexpected turn. He said that a jeep load of lawmen pulled up to arrest him for crimes he insists he has no knowledge of. Gill currently resides in an apartment building on Sandy Babb Street, Kitty, Georgetown and works with a reputable Trinidad engineering company who deployed him here to complete the elevators and escalators at the City Mall. The engineer is here with two other colleagues. On Friday, July 17 the three men completed their day’s work at the Mall and headed home around 19:00 hours, he said. At 22:15 hours, the men said that they felt like venturing out so they went to a popular Kitty fish shop and stayed there for about two hours. They said that they then went to another branch of the same fish shop located on Hadfield Street before the police came and clamped down on the fete at that location because the music had become a nuisance.
…provides video, photo evidence of whereabouts
Trinidad Engineers from left: Sherwin Moore, Kjell Gill (the suspect) and Joel Lopez Still exploring the Guyana night life, the men said that they hopped in the vehicle of another colleague, who was there, and ventured to Palm Court, on Main and Middle Streets. The men said that they partied there until the party was shut down at around 02:00 hours the next morning. They had, at this point, picked up a female companion each along with a local friend. The seven of them then ventured to the seawalls where they were talking, laughing and taking a large number of pictures, many of which they showed this publication. The police pulled up shortly, however, wanting to arrest the dreadlocked Gill. “They said ‘Aye you rasta come!’ He (Gill) said ‘morning’ and then he said he wanted to search him,” his colleague, Sherwin Moore said. The engineer said that when he spoke and his accent
became apparent, the officer insisted that he be taken into custody. The engineer is contending that if he was indeed the carjacker, the police would have been hot on his trails but four police vehicles had passed that morning and stopped to speak with them. He said, it was different, however, when the investigating rank came to arrest him, claiming that they had been hunting him down for quite some time. “I said officer, how could you be looking for me for a long time if it’s only a week and a half now since I got here?’ He said ‘Nah don’t tell me that, don’t tell me that. Long time we’re looking for you and we finally catch you!’ He said ‘You and your partners them are the reason the hijacking them happening in Guyana,’” the engineer recalled being told. Eventually, Gill was taken away by the police. His
friends followed in their vehicle but when the police jeep drove in the East La Penitence Police Station, they locked the gate with a pair of handcuffs. The next morning when they returned to the police station, they learnt that Gill was being held for two alleged carjackings. “This detective (name given) keeps insisting it’s him,” the men stated. He said he was later taken to the Providence Police Station. “Everybody kept coming by the cell asking questions. One said that he heard three stories and I explained what happened and everybody just laughing.” “They are claiming I have an accomplice but they have no one else in custody,” he said. IDENTIFICATION PARADEAND CONFRONTATION He said while at the East Continued on page 66
police and de army
Everything start at the top. Pickney become thief because de whole thing start wid de parents. Govt officials become scampish because dem learn from de leader. Tek Jagdeo. Under he stewardship three-quarter of he Cabinet was corrupt. That led to three quarter of Guyana heading in de same direction. Everybody know wheh corruption and skullduggery does carry people. Jagdeo de devil cousin, get de first taste when he appear before de magistrate in Berbice. Since he appear in de dock that one time he frighten because every time he got to do he tun he belly at de top like a dead crappo and kick up he foot. He fighting fuh dem withdraw de charge because he don’t want to go back but dem boys got news for him. He gun got to appear in other courts fuh nuff other things. Dem boys hear that Monday morning, bright and early, one of he confidante Minister will follow in he footsteps. This Minister and a few others going to court to appear before a magistrate. Is only time de rest of dem, one by one, will follow suit. One of de new Minister seh that people don’t want to cooperate wid de forensic audits. Dem boys got news fuh dem. All of dem gun walk behind Carvil and Ash straight in front de judge. Is now a new govt headed by Soulja Bai gun mek people understand that scampishness don’t pay and what goes around does come around. You do de crime, you to do de time. Jagdeo didn’t only corrupt de public service, he corrupt half of de army and three quarter of de police force. Read de Trini carjacking story and form you own conclusion. Read a letter in de paper bout a commander and see how far lawlessness gone and how frightening it can get. When a commander can lie like Jagdeo Guyana in trouble. People not only following Jagdeo. One Regional Chairman following Soulja Bai. De regional chairman seh that he want inauguration and parade. He want police and soldier to form guard of honour and he want to inspect dem. Then he want a march past and salute. Well Rum Jattan seh he got to salute heself because no police ain’t got time to waste. Talk half and wait fuh more stupidness.
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Sunday July 26, 2015
Uniform voucher is intact Political officials questioned about – Education Minister Crum-Ewing assassination — possible augmentation not ruled out While some parents and guardians might be concerned about the availability of the Ministry of Education-issued uniform voucher for public school children, Minister of Education, Dr. Rupert Roopnaraine, has assured that the programme is intact. The vouchers are usually uplifted by parents at the end of the school year but this did not happen at the recent close of schools across the country leaving some parents to question whether the Ministry had abandoned the programme. But according to Minister Roopnaraine “...the uniform voucher is intact and proceeding in the way it has always proceeded.” According to him, the Ministry will soon be issuing public announcements of how, when and where the vouchers will be available. The uniform voucher is valued at $1,500. When asked about an increase in the value of the voucher, the Minister disclosed that it could be possible. According to him, given the fact that Government has placed a hold on the $10,000 ‘Because We Care’ cash grant, consideration has been given to have money for that programme diverted elsewhere. He noted that the school feeding programme and the uniform voucher programmes could be among those likely to be boosted by funds that would have gone towards the
cash grant. “There is a real possibility that we will increase but I have to see how the money plays out,” said Minister Roopnaraine. The coalesced A Partnership for National Unity and Alliance for Change Government just last week announced its decision to put the cash grant initiative on a temporary hold in order to facilitate a review of its viability. The initiative was first implemented last year by the former ruling administration – the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C). Government had qualified its decision to put the programme on hold because of what it described as three critical flaws. These included a lack of monitoring and evaluation, the fact that it was economically unsustainable and that it pressured the existing human resource capacity. At a recent post cabinet press briefing Minister of Governance, Raphael Trotman, disclosed that while the decision to introduce the grant was a laudable idea it was badly implemented. He also noted, then, that the review was premised on the fact that Cabinet was advised that it is a fiscally unsustainable endeavour. “When one studies developmental economics, when you give a grant or cash transfer it must be accompanied or guided by a means test,” Trotman explained.
Minister of Education, Dr. Rupert Roopnaraine A means test is a determination of whether an individual or family is eligible for government assistance, based upon whether the individual or family possesses the means to do without that help. Moreover, Trotman underscored that the purpose of the review is to ensure that the most vulnerable in society are the sole or primary beneficiary of the grant. “So to have a grant of $10,000 to every school child without it being focused to those who need it more is not fiscally sustainable for any economy and particularly ours,” observed the Governance Minister. As such he asserted that “we want to review it to ensure that, for example, a child who would have previously received $10,000 but is living in abject poverty would now in fact receive $100,000 whereas a child...going to a private school would not received a $10,000 because it would be depriving a child who really needs it.”
Political officials have not escaped scrutiny in the investigation into the assassination of political activist Courtney CrumEwing. Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum yesterday revealed that detectives had interviewed two political officials about the former army officer’s death, but declined to identify the individuals or the political party to which they are affiliated. Blanhum was responding to a report in Friday edition of Kaieteur News which stated that “indications are that investigators are still to question any political officials, although Crum-Ewing’s assassination is believed to have been politically motivated.’ Describing this statement as inaccurate, Crime Chief Blanhum said, “Investigators involved in the Crum-Ewing investigation are duty-bound to question all individuals, whose names have been mentioned during the course of the investigation, particularly those names provided by suspects in custody.” “I wish to state that from the inception of this investigation to present, detectives from the Criminal Investigation Department contacted at least two political officials, who have been interviewed.” The Crime Chief also said that investigators are trying to complete a report on the case, which will be submitted to the Director of Public prosecutions (DPP) next week. He declined to comment on allegations by politician and social activist, Mark Benschop, that he was
Courtney Crum-Ewing informed prior to CrumEwing’s killing that one of the detained men had been paid to kill him. Benschop said that this information was provided by another man who is also in custody in connection with the Crum-Ewing case. Kaieteur News understands that investigators are attempting to locate a third individual. Rajput Narine, the exbodyguard of former Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, and Riverview, Ruimveldt resident, Regan Rodrigues, also called ‘Grey Boy,’ were reportedly still in police custody up to yesterday. Crum-Ewing was gunned down in Diamond Housing Scheme on March 10, 2015, while using a bull-horn to urge residents to vote for the APNU+ AFC Coalition. He had also protested for several days outside Nandlall’s office, while calling on the former AG to resign. Police have said that they got a lucky break after
arresting an individual who was in possession of a .32 pistol. The firearm turned out to be the same weapon that was used to kill Crum-Ewing. Some of Crum Ewing’s relatives alleged that the former army officer had reported that he was threatened by two individuals, including a PPP official, while staging his protests. In a statement to the media on Thursday, former Attorney General Nandlall, categorically denied any involvement in Crum-Ewing’s murder. He also said he had hired Rajput Narine, his detained ex-bodyguard, several days after Crum-Ewing’s death. He said that he had developed concerns for his safety. Narine, a one-time Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) officer, was reportedly employed with the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) when Nandlall hired him. But Nandlall said that he fired Narine four days later for unsatisfactory performance. Nandlall said that he did not do a background check on his bodyguard, or ask for references, because he had assumed Narine was of “good character”. But Nandlall insisted that he had never spoken to or threatened Crum-Ewing. He also gave an alibi for his whereabouts at the time. He said that Crum Ewing was shot nearly two months after he had stopped protesting outside the Ministry of Legal Affairs. Nandall said that he was speaking at a political meeting in front of the Kali Mandir at Timehri at the time of the shooting.
Sunday July 26, 2015
Kaieteur News
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OLPF project was wasting taxpayers’ money
Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, addressing attendees at the Stabroek Square last evening. The One Laptop Per Family (OLPF) project, launched under the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/ C) administration, was wasting taxpayers’ money, said Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, yesterday. Addressing a crowd last evening at a public meeting at the Stabroek Market Square, Georgetown, Minister Harmon took the opportunity to reveal to the public, some of what the APNU+AFC (Alliance For Change) administration had discovered since taking charge.
The gathering was specifically organised by the Peoples’ National Congress/ Reform (PNCR), one of the political parties in the coalition A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) as a way of thanking its supporters for bringing about change in Guyana following the May 11 elections. However, the meeting was not all about gratitude. One of these revelations was that a storeroom filled with OLPF laptops was discovered on a recent visit to the project’s head offices in Queenstown, Georgetown.
The PPP/C administration launched the OLPF project in January 2011. The government at the time had planned that under the project it would distribute 90,000 computers to poor families across the country over a three-year period. The US$30M initiative had only distributed 27,000 units by the end of 2012. “I went to the bottom floor of this building (OLPF offices) to a holding room full of computers,” Minister Harmon related. After the Minister inquired about the reason for the stocked room,
he was informed that those laptops were not operational and were useless. Minister Harmon called the PPP/C initiated project a “massive fraud” conducted by the previous government. The bulk of the laptops for the project, he said, were “useless” and “no good”. He added that while a number of laptops were donated by foreign agencies, most of the laptops utilised for the project were paid for by taxpayers. The previous administration had touted the project as a huge success, but Harmon said he saw it necessary to review OLPF, further citing his reason for sacking those persons employed under the initiative. Yesterday, it was reported in sections of the media that the current administration had dismissed the services of approximately 40 OLPF employees, an act that was condemned by the Opposition PPP/C. Minister Harmon said that during his visit to the OLPF offices, a number of
– Minister of State employees appeared to be busy at work. He witnessed some inconsistencies in agencies operations. An employee working on a file dated 2013, despite the current year being 2015. When the inconsistency was highlighted to the employee, Harmon said it became apparent that the OLPF offices were putting on a “pappy show” for him. “Everybody [was] busy doing nothing. 70something people in one building, 70-something people employed by this government, getting nice fancy salaries while they [the PPP/C administration] couldn’t pay the public servants their little wage,” Harmon told attendees. He asked that those gathered empathise with those employees as he thought them to be honest working people who were “duped” by a previous
government that promised them that they were part of a worthy initiative. Despite this, the Minister said that the OLPF was still wasting taxpayers’ money as employees were employed to essentially do nothing with ineffective computers. He related that dismissing the OLPF employees pained his heart but was a necessary step as retaining the over 70 employees would also have been criticised by the Bharrat Jagdeo-led PPP/C Opposition as being unnecessary. According to Minister Harmon he explained to those he sacked that there was no work for them to do and that the government cannot pay the “people’s money” to do nothing. He said that he told the dismissed employees that “it might be better if you find alternative employment where you can be better utilised.”
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Kaieteur News
Sunday July 26, 2015
Govt to suspend Parliamentary Recently sold iRadio to come under ... recess for budget - Govt. moves to gain control of Parliamentary sectoral committees Government is set to move a motion on Thursday to suspend the two months Parliamentary recess so that it can table the National Budget. During the sitting, it is expected also that a motion will be presented that will give Government control of four key sectoral committees-committees that it had control of while it was in the Opposition during the 10th Parliament. According to the Order Paper of the National Assembly for July 30, First Vice President and Prime M i n i s t e r, Moses Nagamootoo, will be moving to suspend the recess that is held between August 10 and October 10.
According to the motion that is to be read, due to the prorogation and dissolution of the 10th Parliament, the Minister of Finance was unable to lay before the National Assembly the estimates of Revenue and Expenditure for the year 2015. Government wants the estimates to be laid and considered before September 1. Meanwhile, on Thursday also, Minister of Social Cohesion, Amna Ally, is expected to also move a motion which will allow Government control of the four sectoral committees. Under the arrangements of the 10th
Parliament, when the Opposition was in control of the National Assembly by one seat, each Sectoral Committee had consisted of seven members- three representing the Government and four the Opposition. Wi t h the former Opposition now in Government, the David Granger administration wants to retain control. According to the motion, each committee will be adjusted to have four representing the Government and three for the Opposition. The Government and Opposition shall be entitled to elect one alternate member for each sectoral committee.
From page 3 during the life of the Tenth Parliament. The Minister of State said that that Bill will help to correct many wrongs. Speaking specifically on the recent sale, Harmon told Kaieteur News that “Clearly, if these licences are going to be reviewed, this sale may be quite problematic.” Harmon said that his government will look into whether a license holder can just pass the license over to another party given all that is required for one to get a licence in the first place including the 51 per cent requirement. Further, the Minister expressed no sympathy or any form of relent for the possible revocation of the license. “Enough notice has been given.” Harmon recalled the many protests against the unfair distribution some of which he
himself attended. He also recalled the fact that the APNU and the AFC, both separately and as a coalition, noted that the controversially granted licences will be reviewed and some may be revoked. “No one can claim ignorance of this as it was well reported in the media. I maintain that enough notice has been given” said Harmon. He added, “The person in whose hand the licences now sit must be credited with knowledge of the concerns we raised since 2013 while we were in opposition. Indeed the new government, while in opposition, had spoken extensively about its disapproval of the manner in which the licenses were distributed. Local and international media bodies and local diplomats had all been applying pressure on the Donald Ramotar government to review and even recall the licenses until a review is done on how they were issued in the first place. The details of the licences only came to light after AFC demanded answers in the National Assembly. The answers were provided earlier this year,
immediately sparking street protests by established, private media houses which were ignored by Jagdeo. Harmon had said, “The resources of a country are not the personal property of the President or anybody. This is a national resource. It is not within your (Jagdeo) power to share it out to your friends…” Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo, a former Minister of Information in the Cheddi Jagan administration, also spoke on the monopoly over state media. During the last election campaign, he highlighted what the consequence has been to the nation, owing to the Government's “misuse” of the state media. He promised that should his government come to power, the state media would be liberated and that questionable frequency transactions investigated. He told supporters, “We have a plan. We will review all those television stations, and those radio stations that were given to friends. We will ensure that they are re-distributed to those who deserve to have and who are responsible.”
It’s not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters.
Sunday July 26, 2015
Kaieteur News
Page 13
UG research gears to examine prehistoric lifestyle
Researcher, Louisa Dagger Patterning a lifestyle based on prehistoric life is the ultimate aim of Louisa Dagger, an undertaking she is looking to prove possible through a research project titled ‘Assessing prehistoric diet breadth and settlement to model a low carbon life’. Dagger was among a group of nine lead researchers of the University of Guyana (UG) who were just last week awarded grants to conduct investigative research projects. As arguably the youngest of the researchers, Dagger has embarked on a project that is undeniably the most unique. “It will mean that we will try to look at things much differently and try to utilise resources more effectively and select carefully the things we do and try to monitor our way of life,” said Dagger of the intention of her project. Her primary aim, therefore, is to let the Guyanese people
gain a better understanding of how their everyday activities impact the environment and by extension, their wellbeing. It is her hope to help model an ideal environment “where everything is within proximity so that we are comfortable doing stuff...the school is close, everything is close so we don’t have to drive motor vehicles; we can even walk to the market.” Dagger therefore has plans to collaborate with the Boise State University in the Unites States of America to highlight how her vision is possible. The project will see Dagger and a team of researchers, including a representative from Boise State University, attempting to shed light on how people survived and maintained their health in prehistoric times. With such information in hand she believes that an informed analysis can be done to ascertain how the prehistoric situation can be applied to improve modern existence. “We will be looking to see what we can use from them to become a lot healthier...have the necessary nutrients without having to head to the supermarket to get junk food so that we can live stable lives,” said Dagger. The support of Boise State University is a crucial factor, since according to the young researcher, “they have the technology and the facilities and we are going to embark on assessing prehistoric diet.” The research project will see the utilisation of isotope analysis and radiocarbon
dating which Dagger said “would help us to really get down to the bottom of what the climate was 7,000 years ago.” “So we are going to try to set a benchmark for Guyana identifying what was the carbon footprint 7,000 years ago then chronologically try to give a breakdown of how that carbon footprint changed over time,” said Dagger as she explained that the analysis will be done using fauna and human remains . “Fortunately we were able to gather some amount of data and we will be going back into the fields to excavate a few sites, collect human remains from various parts of Guyana; these of course will be pre historic humans,” she asserted. According to her too, the archaic period under consideration is one that was marked by a lot of climate shifts thus the temperature was ever changing. The researcher pointed out that in order to survive that period it is believed that people needed to develop a series of adoptive mechanisms to deal with the climate. “It meant choosing resources, doing things differently so that they could survive and their main objective would have been survival,” she insisted. As part of the project, efforts will be made to ascertain not only what sparked the survival mechanisms but also what they were and even how people of that people selected foods from the then existing
- in quest to design model for ideal environment food chain. Attempts will also be made to determine what diseases plagued human beings during that period and how they went about combating those despite a perceived limited capacity. Dagger also has plans to look at the skeletal pathology of people to deduce if they were able to gain the necessary nutrients. “Based on that we will also be able to look at how much carbon they were emitting into the atmosphere...They were lighting fire, they were doing their stuff and we really want to know what they were doing to have a thriving population in the prehistoric period so that we can use some of their methods to apply to our current population so that we can reduce our carbon emissions,” Dagger conveyed. Areas in Regions One and Two are expected to be the main target areas for the research project with the early stages including excavation of archaeological sites and attempts being made to acquire stratigraphic profiles of the sediments there. The team which is expected also include representatives from the Ministry of Culture will see
attempts being made to extract human remains (aged bones) and the securing of necessary fauna to help derive the needed answers. Although she has been engaged in such activities over the past few years, Dagger is confident that through the research on a larger scale will be possible. “For us this opens a lot of avenues so that we can now tap into funding and have laboratories do the necessary testing we need to do so that we can compile a comprehensive report that addresses critical questions
that we have been able to address over the years,” said Dagger. The project is expected to commence this month and is slated to be concluded by the end of next year. The project is being funded under the University of Guyana Science and Technology Support Project (UGSTSP) which is based on a US$10 million loan from the World Bank to the Government of Guyana that is being executed by the Ministry of Education in collaboration with the University of Guyana.
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Kaieteur News
Sunday July 26, 2015
Miners to meet Govt. as gold tumbles to US$1,097 per ounce As gold prices continue to tumble, recording a fiveyear low this past week, local miners are set to meet with President David Granger in the coming days to discuss possible measures to reduce the fallouts. Gold prices on the world market reached US$1097 per ounce on Friday, bringing fresh fears not only in the gold mines, but also for locals who are involved in the industry. Already for the year, it has become clear that miners are cashing out of the industry, with declarations falling by 20 percent for the first half of the year as compared to the period in 2014. Gold prices had reached a high of US$1895 some four years ago, leading to a rush of investments in the sector which for consecutive years became the country’s biggest earner. But it has all come crashing down now. Friday’s dismal world prices have not been unnoticed by the mining community, which issued a statement yesterday, noting the potentially devastating impact it can have on the Guyanese economy. Miners have been calling for a reduction of the fuel tax. The tax was reduced in
Banks are clamping down on defaulting miners as worry continues into the gold industry.
January by the previous administration as world oil prices fell to US$50 per barrel. Despite the prices remaining in the range, Government has raised the fuel tax in recent months, which saw reduced prices creeping up from $700 per gall of gas to back over $900 now. According to the Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association (GGDMA), steps have been taken to
actively engage the new Government at the highest levels to discuss and offer suggestions that would ensure that the industry and the 100,000-plus Guyanese, who depend on it, directly and indirectly, for a living, can continue to look to the sector for support. “The engagement is to be seen as proactive and aimed at preventing the need for any bailout as the industry is
heading into a recession. The GGDMA will actively pursue the long outstanding issues and concessions that can aid in cushioning the gold price drop,” the association said yesterday. The gold situation would worry the David Granger administration which is already grappling with sugar that is operating at a massive loss, and rice which is likely lose it major market in
Venezuela later this year. According to the GGDMA, the cost of production, for the small and medium scale miners of gold and diamonds, has remained largely unchanged while the price of gold continues to fall, with some analysts predicting the price to drop to US$1,000 an ounce in the near future. “At the current price miners are finding it extremely difficult to meet their
obligations and the sector is now plagued with repossessions, of mining equipment and property, and defaulting bank payments as many of the smaller operations find it difficult to continue to subsidize the cost of production.” The association reiterated that it will be pursuing with the Government, concessions similar to those granted to large scale mining companies. “The GGDMA recognizes the contribution that these companies can make to Guyana but notes that the thousands of Guyanese in the local industry contribute far more in terms of gold production, spin off benefits and employment and should be entitled to assistance. Small and medium scale miners, for the past few years, have been producing more gold than is currently projected to be produced by the large scale companies.” The new world market price could spell doom for many smaller operations which operate largely through self-financing and on very narrow margins. “The GGDMA members, who are mainly small and medium scale miners represent more than Continued on page 15
Sunday July 26, 2015
Kaieteur News
Page 15
PPP/C Elections petition
Lutchman seeks clarifications into allegations in petition Attorney-at-law, Harold Lutchman, is seeking clarification into the allegations made by PPP/C member, Ganga Persaud, in the elections petition seeking to challenge the outcome of May 11 General and Regional elections. Persaud had challenged the elections results which declared the APNU+AFC coalition winners. In the petition, filed last month, Persaud, who was appointed Election Agent of the List of Candidates for the PPP/C questioned the validity of the recently held polls. But Lutchman a representative of the APNU+AFC coalition and a third named respondent in the matter, in a summons dated, July 24, 2015, requested “further and better particulars,” in regards to the specifics outlined the
case filed by Persaud. According to the document, the petitioner (Persaud), is asked to supply the court with further and better particulars to paragraphs 8 subparagraphs 115, of the petition, in which he pointed to allegations including that of unrest at various polling stations, fake statements of polls (SOPs) and multiple voting. The writ filed by Lutchman’s attorneys among whom are Rex Mckay, S.C, Nigel Hughes, and Christopher Ram, further stated that failure by the petitioner to give further and better particulars in a time specified by the court can result in dismissal of the petition. All parties concerned are asked to be present in the chambers of Chief Justice, on July 30, 2015 at 11:00 am for a hearing on the application
Miners to meet Govt... From page 14 90 per cent of the operations in the interior and almost all are financed via the personal pockets of the operators.” GGDMA said that the current price and unmoved cost of production put at risk not only the direct employees of the sector but the thousands of other Guyanese who depend on the flow on effect on the industry. “Mining remains the largest creator of private wealth among Guyanese and the current slump, if not checked, will result in poverty for many. There has already been a noticeable downturn in the economy of hinterland mining communities such as Bartica, Port Kaituma, Mahdia, and other. Many other communities such as Linden, Diamond, Beehive, Ann’s Grove, Essequibo Coast and other coastal communities where miners reside have also seen a reduction in economic spending power.” The GGDMA called on its members to continue to examine methods of costs savings and increased efficiency without any compromise in safety or sound environmental practice. “The association also reminds miners to continue to sell their gold to the licensed dealers or the Guyana Gold Board and to demand a receipt for gold sold. The association is continuing to work in the interest of all miners, as it has been doing for the last 33 years, and hopes that the upcoming high level meeting will be more than a talk shop.”
made by Lutchman. Persaud who filed the petition on behalf of his party last month, claimed that the elections were “unlawfully conducted” and the result of the elections was affected or might have been affected by unlawful acts or omissions. He held that the elections were not held in conformity with the law in relation to elections, more particularly, the Constitution of Guyana and the Representation of the People Act, Chapter 1:03. The PPP/C representative claimed that the entire
electoral process was flawed, and contained many procedural errors and instances of fraudulent and/ or suspicious actions. Unrest, fake statements of polls (SOPs) and multiple voting were among several causes cited when the PPP/C filed its elections petition. Persaud highlighted several areas, in which there were perceived illegalities. Amongst the wrongdoings listed by the PPP/C member were arithmetic errors in many SOPs; multiple voting by persons at various polling divisions throughout Guyana; persons not
on the Official List of Electors (OLE) being allowed to vote; the impersonation of voters and improperly sealed or unsealed ballot boxes. The presence of “huge mobs” at several polling stations and other strategic places, particularly in Region Four was also cited as another cause. This, Persaud claimed, threatened, intimidated and created fear and tension, which in turn “rendered it impossible for polling and counting agents, duly appointed candidates to carry out their duties and functions properly. In a section of the document,
Persaud stated that he had been in contact on a number of occasions with different Commissioners of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM). According to Persaud, several issues had been raised during meetings between GECOM’s Commissioners and Chief Elections Officer (CEO), Keith Lowenfield, but they were never addressed. As such, the party essentially called for a recount of all ballot boxes for the last elections and fresh elections were also called for.
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Kaieteur News
Sunday July 26, 2015
Region Ten to finally get TV channel After years of hoping and waiting, Region Ten will finally have controlling power over what it watches following the assignment of a regional television channel. The announcement comes three years after a 2012 agreement was signed between the then People’s Progressive Party (PPP) administration and Region Ten. In 2012, there had been more than a month of protest in Linden over proposed hikes in electricity rates and three persons were subsequently shot to death by police ranks. The ownership and management of a community television station formed part of the agreement to end the unrest and the Region Ten Broadcasting Inc. (RBI) Company was set up for the purpose of applying for the license to broadcast in Linden and surrounding communities. When contacted, Sharma Solomon, one of the Directors RBI, said that the realisation of the agreement was long overdue. “I am encouraged first that, after three years, we are now seeing this agreement moving forward,” Solomon said. He said that it was also encouraging that the new
administration saw the necessity of honouring an old commitment. He explained that contact was recently made with him for the discussions on a way forward. He added that it was heartening that the three-year long issue was resolved in just a week. According to Solomon, the issue was one that could have been resolved a long time ago as there had not been, and currently are not, any impediments to get the station up and running. He said that all of the necessary requirements are already in place such as infrastructure, equipment and a management system. According to the new agreement, the government will hand over the dish and transmitter to the Linden office. This decision had been one taken since 2012 but never materialised. The only issue left to resolve is which frequency the new station will occupy. With the new assignment, it is expected that Channel 13, which is currently held by the National Communications Network (NCN), will become the regional channel. Solomon explained that concerns had been raised that
...use of NCN channel a possibility
From left: Head of the National Frequency Management Unit Valmiki Singh, Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo and RBI Director Sharma Solomon following a successful meeting. the proposed frequency was already in use and would therefore disrupt national transmissions. However, he said, using channel 13 should not be an issue since NCN also has channel 8, thus providing the region with an alternative avenue for national broadcasts.
Solomon said that if channel 13 is successfully given to RBI it will broadcast “indigenous” programming as well as international broadcasts. Solomon expressed hope that the frequency issue will be resolved by the end of the week.
The materialisation of years-long hope of the people of Region Ten came following meetings amongst Solomon, Head of the National Frequency Management Unit Valmiki Singh and Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo. The meetings had been convened by
Nagamootoo, who holds the information and telecommunications portfolios of the nation. Consultations reportedly began over a week ago and had been initiated by Nagamootoo and Imram Khan, Director of Public Information. T e c h n i c a l recommendations were given by Singh during talks with Solomon. Now, Singh will make an assessment of the company’s transmission equipment, which had been purchased since 2012 in anticipation of being granted a license to broadcast. Nagamootoo also said that discussions have commenced with regard to extending NCN television’s range beyond Linden to hinterland communities. Meanwhile, Nagamootoo and Khan earlier held discussions with Virgil Harding, who manages the operations of the Annai based community radio station, Radio Paiwomak, a GINA press release said. These discussions included efforts to strengthen the operations of Radio Paiwomak along with extending the broadcast range.
Sunday July 26, 2015
Kaieteur News
Page 25
Is it a Cold, or Seasonal Allergies? By Dr. Zulfikar Bux Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine I am sometimes told by persons of this “head cold” that they have had for most of their life. They often complain of sneezing, coughing and “bringing–up lots of cold” and there are times when it acts up. Once I get into a more detailed discussion and examination of these patients, most of the times the “head cold” is actually a seasonal allergy.
WHATARE SEASONAL ALLERGIES? Seasonal allergies, also called “hay fever,” are a group of conditions that can cause sneezing, a stuffy nose, or a runny nose. Symptoms occur only at certain times of the year. Most seasonal allergies are caused by: %Pollens from trees, grasses, or weeds %Mold spores, which grow when the weather is humid, wet, or damp Normally, people breathe in these substances without a problem. When a person has
We have had the confessions. We have also seen the reaction of the public to criminal activities. There is more to come. Admittedly some of these up and coming criminals are only copycats, but they have guns, and this is going to spur communities in which there are guns to retaliate with a vengeance. In one case two men would be caught and severely beaten that one would die. The police would once more bemoan vigilante killings. ** The road accidents are now back with us because of incon-
a seasonal allergy, his or her immune system acts as if the substance is harmful to the body. This causes symptoms. Many people first get seasonal allergies when they are children or young adults. Seasonal allergies are life-long, but symptoms can get better or worse over time. Seasonal allergies sometimes run in families. Some people have symptoms like those of seasonal allergies, but their symptoms last all year. Year-round symptoms are usually caused by: %Insects, such as dust
sideration. The holidays would see the greatest spike. A car is going to hit a cyclist and speed away. However, the panic at hitting someone would cause the vehicle to crash. It would be days before the driver is found. ** Another expose is coming. This time it would involve a former senior government official. Again money would be found hidden in a secret account. And while this is happening, the police are going to lay charges against a high profile official for fraud.
mites and cockroaches %Animals, such as cats and dogs %Mold spores WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMSOF SEASONALALLERGIES? Symptoms of seasonal allergies can include: %Stuffy nose, runny nose, or sneezing a lot People tend to complain of persistent cold/mucus that they have coming out of their nose or they cough up. %Itchy or red eyes %Sore throat or itching of the throat or ears %Waking up at night or trouble sleeping from blocked nose, which can lead to feeling tired during the day. HOW ARE SEASONAL ALLERGIES TREATED? Each person has a different presentation and will need a different combination of treatment. Your doctor should be able to discuss with you the benefits and downsides of the different treatments. The right treatment for
you will depend a lot on your symptoms and other health problems. Adherence to your treatment is very vital, since poor compliance can lead to worsening or persistence of your symptoms. CAN SEASONAL ALLERGY SYMPTOMS BE PREVENTED? Yes. If you get symptoms at the same time every year, talk with your doctor. Some people can prevent symptoms by starting their medicine a week or 2 before that time of the year. You can also help prevent symptoms by avoiding the things you are allergic to. For example, people who are allergic to pollen can: %Stay inside during the times of the year when they have symptoms %Keep car and house windows closed, and use air
Dr. Zulfikar Bux conditioning instead %Take a shower before bed to rinse pollen off their hair and skin %Wear a dust mask if they need to be outside So the next time you hear someone complain of their persistent head cold, let them see a doctor, it may most likely be a seasonal allergy which can be treated.
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Kaieteur News
Sunday July 26, 2015
George Bacchus: The man who knew too much
George Bacchus By Michael Jordan I first met him around 1993. He just walked into the Chronicle’s Editorial Department like he owned it;
this tallish, slim, bearded man with a sheaf of papers in one hand, and the strangest story I had ever heard. He told me that he had
witnessed a murder and that the killer was a cop. We sat in the office, and he told me the story. According to him, some months back, a team of policemen from Eve Leary had picked him up and taken him at night to the section of the Lamaha Canal known as ‘the blacka.’ He alleged that at least one other man, who was a suspect in a crime, was also taken to the area. He claimed that as he watched, one of the policemen stripped to his underwear, tied a rope around the suspect and then forced the man into the ‘Blacka.’ According to the stranger, the policeman repeatedly dragged the suspect beneath the water until the man eventually drowned. For some reason, the policemen spared the life of this man who had allegedly witnessed this heinous crime. He told me that he had related his story to a senior attorney. I never wrote the story, but that was not the last time that I would hear about the incident. A few months later, the case surfaced in the High
Court with all its lurid details. The alleged eyewitness testified that the senior police rank had informed the suspect that they were going on a ‘bubble-session.’ According to him, the socalled ‘bubble session’ consisted of submerging the suspect in the Lamaha Canal until he perished. No one was convicted in the case, although the senior officer was transferred from his post at Eve Leary. To this day, there are some police ranks who are angry over what they feel were spurious claims against a brilliant detective. Nine years passed before I met this controversial man again. This time, the circumstances were even more bizarre. I was living in Hadfield Street, Lodge, and had two brief conversations with a burly chap who rode a large motorcycle and occasionally hung out in the area. Somehow, he found out that I was a journalist, and during one of our encounters, he commended me for an article I had written about hit-man Axel Williams, shortly after this alleged killer was slain. I learned that he lived in Princes Street, Lodge, and I would soon learn that he was a central figure in the crime wave that had resulted in numerous kidnappings and murders. One night in January 2004, I received information that yet another person had been gunned down in the city. The victim, a Princes Street resident named Shafeek Bacchus, was sitting on a boulder outside his home when the occupants of a passing car riddled him with bullets. When I arrived at the house, I saw the burly
motorcyclist in the yard. When I was leaving, the man indicated that he wanted to talk to me. I returned the following day, and the man, whose name was George Bacchus, took me to a room in Shafeek Bacchus’ three-storey house. First off, he stated that the gunmen who had slain his brother had actually meant to silence him. Then he told me he had worked with a squad of gunmen and a senior Government official, who were eliminating criminal elements they believed were responsible for the brutal crimes around the country. Bacchus said that he provided the information and other members of the organisation did the killing. One man suspected of being a serial rapist was gunned down at the back of the Botanic Gardens, he said. He claimed that another was dismembered with a power saw. But Bacchus said that he became disillusioned with the organisation after some of them began to execute petty criminals and even persons who were no longer committing crimes. Now, he alleged, the same killers were targeting him. I began to meet frequently with George Bacchus. It was after one of these visits that we realised that we had met years before, when he had visited me at the Chronicle with his unusual story. George Bacchus also became an almost daily fixture in the media. He appeared on television and he was not afraid to talk. Meantime, the alleged perpetrators behind the Shafeek Bacchus murder were arrested and charged. One of them, a former policeman, died under unusual circumstances at the Georgetown Hospital. The other suspects were subsequently freed. But it appeared that not everyone was buying George Bacchus’
tale. Commissioner of Police Winston Felix himself expressed doubts about the alleged informant’s credibility. “We were burned by this man before,” he stated at a press conference; no doubt referring to the allegations Bacchus had made against the police so many years ago. I was asleep at my then Hadfield Street home at around 03:00 hrs on June 24, 2004, when the sound of a gunshot awoke me. A few minutes later my cell phone rang and someone whispered: ‘They just kill George Bacchus.’ I ran across to the Bacchus residence. Only a few policemen were there. A few relatives of Bacchus were on the road. I learned that Bacchus had been shot dead while sleeping in his bed. I wondered at the fact that this man, who claimed to be marked for death, had made himself such an easy target. Adding to the surreal atmosphere was a large macaw that was perched near the gate and squawked a cordial ‘Good Morning’ to everyone entering the yard. Several hours passed before a team of undertakers emerged from the house and staggered down the stairs with Bacchus’ burly corpse. It struck me that during all our encounters, Bacchus had spoken almost incessantly. Now, the man who had known so much would never speak again. If you have any information about an unsolved murder or disappearance, please contact us at our Lot 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown location. You can also contact us on telephone numbers: 2258465, 22-58491 or 2258458. You can also contact Michael Jordan on his email a d d r e s s mjdragon@hotmail.com.
Sunday July 26, 2015
Kaieteur News
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== THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN ==
The nightmare challenge that faces the Granger Government One of the most deadly and dangerous things that threaten the soul of any nation is when a perversion is accepted as normal and it becomes the standard by which people judge each other and their country. Perhaps the most graphic example is the gun culture in the US. For the average US citizen, guns are to Americans what water is to a fish. It is not that Americans love violence and therefore they worship the gun. It is far more psychologically simple than that. Generations of Americans since the 18th century have been weaned on the gun culture. The possession and use of a gun is normal to them. Try telling a Brazilian that soccer is a foolish game. The reason men beat women throughout the centuries and people hurt homosexuals was because they grew up understanding that such practices were normal. Once a negative value etches its way into the psyche of a nation, it becomes the norm. It becomes the standard by which people live their lives and the standard by which they judge others. I had a passenger in my car who is a senior journalist and I stopped to let a car coming from a corner turn into the right-of-way. He urged me to drive and leave the guy to fend for himself. According to him it is every man for himself in Guyana. This is a friend of mine who is a decent man, but he was judging me by what was the norm in Guyana. Over the past fifty years, this country, because of its backward political culture and authoritarian governance, has lost its conscience. People in Guyana have lost their humanity, their sense of outrage
at human suffering. This is a nation where at the emotional level, there is no connection and identification with the need to feel hurt at the hurt people feel when victimized, especially if the victims are the poor and powerless. Every day, including yesterday, I see wild horses roaming on the Railway Embankment. For years now these horses have resulted in deaths due to vehicular accidents. But no one is moved, and those horses will kill more people in many, many more years to come. I remember the days when my daughter was a student at Marian Academy. Her classmate was expelled for kissing a boy. I went to a group of parents and they just shrugged their shoulders. They just could not have been bothered. I approached the then head of the parent/teacher association who nonchalantly told me with a grin that the association exists in name only. I will always remember the face of that child’s grandmother. The look of helplessness and hopelessness. Children in the middle of their school term were expelled by Mae’s School after being found with cell-phones in their bags. Such an outrage against children would not be tolerated in any other country. The only place where that would not move people to anger is in a land where people have lost their soul. Such a county is Guyana. When I read a letter that the owners of a huge retail store on Water Street compels its employees to buy the toilet paper and hand detergent for use in the store’s washrooms, I thought we would see letters of indignation. This was a terrible policy by a su-
per-rich, Guyanese family. Not even one letter of response appeared in the press or single comment on Facebook. No one in this entire country saw that act as a terrible, infamous manifestation of morbid greed. I am positive that in small Barbados that would have been a hot topic for the average talk-show host. I remember last year, a judge ordered probation for a drunk driver who killed four
persons and injured two others. That sentence became an emotional topic in all the major networks across the entire territory of the United States. In Guyana, such an erratic sentence would have passed unnoticed (for details on this Google, “Ethan Couch”). This dead conscience permeates this entire country. The GRA charged a poor fellow who made a living holding an annual dance in Calcutta, Mahaicony. On the
day in court, he ran out of the courtroom and jumped into the Mahaicony River where he drowned. No one in Guyana wrote about this injustice (see my September 2, 2010 column). A teenage girl is jailed for six months for leaving Guyana for Suriname through the speedboat route on the Corentyne River. No one denounced this tragedy (see my October 24, 2014 column.). The biggest danger facing
Frederick Kissoon the Granger Government is how his administration is going to steer Guyanese out of this deep-seated inhumanity.
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Kaieteur News
Sunday July 26, 2015
THE NATION HAS LOST A FINE MIND The Alliance for Change is in a state of grief over the loss of an industrious party stalwart, a fine mind and certainly one of God’s children who genuinely cared about others. Our Executive Member, Denise Davidson-Walcott departed this life on Saturday 18th July following a brief illness. To say that she will be sorely missed is an understatement of gigantic proportions. She has left indelible footprints not only in the corridors
of the AFC, but at the Communications Concept publishing company where she toiled for close to 19 years, as well as at the Charlestown Secondary School where she functioned as Head of the Business Department up to the time of her demise. A passionate educator is what she was. She carried with her, throughout the years before and after attaining her post-grad certificate in Education, a deep love for children and the conviction that the school environment must be the springboard from which they could launch themselves into their own futures. Most people have described Denise as quiet and courteous. Those who knew
her more intimately speak about her deep love for the Almighty God and the quality of her life that was spent in His service. That quietness was very likely the crux of her strength and one reason why she was so well liked. As highly qualified as she was, Denise preferred to deliver support services and she delivered it well. She also held Bachelor’s degrees in Marketing and Management. “You have been a true warrior for a better Guyana and your efforts were not in vain. We salute you and will be forever indebted to you for your outstanding contributions.” This was but one of the
multitude of tributes to our departed friend written by her ‘Brother’ in the AFC. Another compatriot described her as industrious and as dependable as the upcoming dawn, qualities that saw her promoted to the Executive of the party a few short years after she joined in 2006. After the 2011 General and Regional Elections, she became a Counsellor in the Regional Democratic Council for Region 4. Much to our dismay and deep regret, she fell ill earlier this year and we lost her a week ago. The AFC will host a special event in her memory this evening (Sunday 26th July) at the AFC’s headquarters, Railway Embankment, Kitty, from 6.00 pm. Her home-going service will take place the following day at the New Covenant Ministry’s Cathedral near the Sandy Funeral Home, Chapel St., Lodge, Georgetown. Words will not suffice for this loss, but the AFC takes this opportunity to offer our most profound sympathy to her family, friends, sisters and brothers in Christ. We hope that you all take some comfort in the knowledge that in the AFC you have many a helping hand at your disposal. REMEMBERINGTHE LINDEN MARTYRS Today we also commemorate the third anniversary of
the Linden Massacre, the shooting to death on 18th July, 2012, of three men, and infliction of grievous injuries to the faces and bodies of 20 Lindeners by pellets and bullets. This loathsome incident occurred during a completely legitimate protest over the previous government’s precipitous decision to hike electricity charges without warning or consultation. We salute the courage of Shemroy Bouyea of Silvertown, Allen Lewis of Wismar Hill, and Ron Somerset of Wisroc, who lost their lives that day. These men and the majority of the injured were teenagers and youths still in their 20’s who had/have long, progressive lives ahead of them. The AFC mourns the fact that the three deceased did not live to see this new era come to pass. They did not live to witness their long held dream come to pass, the dream that their government would be people-oriented and would serve the nation through consultation with its citizens, by taking their ideas and turning them into working solutions for business and educational ventures to blossom. The APNU+AFC Coalition government has just completed its first two (2) months at the wheel of this ship of state. So while it caulks the hundreds of leaks (a continu-
ous process) and adjusts the forward compass for our socio-economic development, we are simultaneously working in communities in all ten regions to assess the people’s individual and collective needs. Recently the Coalition government announced that the terms of the agreement which the previous government had signed with the local government of Linden following the 2012 protest and deaths of three citizens, will soon be honoured. High on this list of commitments is the return of the television satellite dish to its original owners, the people of Linden, who had received it as a gift in the 1980’s from an expatriate company, Green Construction. Minister of State, Joseph Harmon said recently, “It is our intention to ensure that all of the commitments given by the Government under that agreement (will be) met … and the matter (of the hike in electricity rates) brought to a speedy conclusion.” He also spoke about the additional terms of the signed agreement which relate more broadly to improvements in the livelihoods of residents in all the communities that make up Region Ten including Ituni, Kwakwani, Coomacka and Wisroc. These too will be attended to in the short to medium term.
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MY COLUMN
Shaggy is not the only one singing When a gunman shot and killed Courtney Crum-Ewing, immediately people ascribed the killing to politicians. The conclusion was that since Crum-Ewing had become a high profile individual who was campaigning against the government, then he could mobilise the undecided voters.At the same time, there are people who do not like to be criticized, and the fact that Crum-Ewing was doing just that with a finger pointed at the former Attorney General then people concluded that the former Attorney General had a hand in his death. I know Anil Nandlall, and for all his talking he is incapable of killing anyone. Could he have ordered the hit? I don’t think so, because he knows more than anyone else that people talk and killers are people. It was therefore surprising that Crum-Ewing’s murder landed at his doorstep. One of the suspects actually performed bodyguard duties for him. He has come out to say that his meeting and his employment of this bodyguard happened by chance, and I believe him, although I suspect that he would have seen this fellow around given that it is now coming to light that the accused was said to be a frequent visitor to Freedom House and actually performed guard duties there. But Anil Nandlall picked
up where Shaggy left off when he sang, “It wasn’t me”. We now hear more loudly the claim by the government that there are intellectual authors of certain crimes. One must now ask who gave the second accused the order to kill Crum-Ewing. At one stage the view was that the killing would go unsolved, but in life things do happen. Thanks to the technology in the hands of the police they were able to find the gun that was used. When they found the gun they moved swiftly to unravel the case and it seems as if they have. But they are still to make the identity of the intellectual author known. These developments have caused even more revelations to surface. The talk this week has been about Sean Hinds and what he has to say. He told me that he decided to talk because he hears that the authorities were trying to pin Crum-Ewing’s murder on him. I do believe that he had nothing to do with that murder, but that he knows more than he is saying or is prepared to say at this time. He did mention that during his visit to Freedom House in the wake of a visit by a police rank, a person became jittery when he spoke about his reason for visiting. That was a most interesting revelation. This person was said to be linked to the kill-
ing, but for some strange reason the police never moved to question him. If they did I was unaware. But I did hear Sean Hinds singing the Shaggy tune. For sure many others would be singing this tune in the days ahead. In the wake of the revelations by Sean Hinds, I now fully appreciate how tenuous life can be. All it takes is for someone with a dislike to spend some money and order that the source of the dislike be removed. There are too many willing agents. And this makes things even scarier, because when Kaieteur News began to make its disclosures, people could have gone after the senior people. Perhaps it is that the senior people had done so much good and helped so many that if indeed the plot was being hatched, the authors could find no takers. During the crime wave that followed the 2002 Mash
Day jailbreak there was a lot of contract killing. Many said that the intellectual author was Roger Khan but then again, there were others. Of that I am certain. Since then I was able to learn the names of some of the agents. One of them, Sean Hinds, has come forward to say that he was on the side of the law, that the police sought his help. That is indeed a strange thing to say, knowing that the police force is an organization that only requires help with information. It turned out that he was correct, because when the dust settled, fingers were pointed at the then Home Affairs Minister. Ronald Gajraj had access to state funds and it is said that he used these funds to
help the cause. In the end he paid, because he can no longer go to the United States or any of the Western countries for that matter. Sean Hinds did not bother to talk about him, but he was quick to talk about one former policeman who has since been embroiled in a number of unsavoury situations. Why is all this happening? People see the net closing in and they want to divorce themselves from whatever is coming. No one can say that the change in Government was not a most welcome thing, because all of a sudden one sees things that were swept under the rug. We have the story of two men who paid themselves millions of dollars. For certain
Adam Harris this would not have come to the fore and people would have been rolling in taxpayers’ money while the very taxpayer would have been struggling to make ends meet. How could things have gone so wrong under a government that had vowed to serve all the people?
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Sunday July 26, 2015
Creating Youth Employment By Lance Hinds Guyana’s population is one of the youngest in the region, with our youth being close to, if not over, 60% of the overall figure. What is also of tremendous concern, however, is the news from media and also officialdom that unemployment within this demographic is close to 40 per cent. That is a staggering figure, not of course peculiar to Guyana alone. Youth unemployment has also become a troubling figure in the Caribbean landscape, and is now reported to be close to being the highest in the world (Youth Unemployment and Labour in the Caribbean, Caribbean Knowledge Series, January 2014). Many Caribbean countries are still struggling to recover from the global recession of 2008/2009. This has caused even higher debt-to-GDP ratios and economic growth. In Guyana, negative social conditions of poverty, crime, a toxic political environment and a lack of opportunities have pushed most of our youth to seek greener pastures in more developed countries. The question, therefore, is how we begin to confront and solve this state of affairs. Unemployment at such levels cannot be eradicated overnight. It requires a wellthought-out medium to long term solution that is realistic
and achievable. The reality is that job creation will not come from the usual suspects (agriculture, mining, manufacturing, sugar) due to a lack of preferential markets, competitive disadvantage vis-à-vis other countries due to issues of scale, the high cost of energy and other related challenges. Previous approaches included the concentration on specific skills development, but results from vocational educational programmes have been a mixed bag. In addition, very limited attention was given to establishing linkages with the labour market and facilitating students’ transition into it once they graduate. Based on the above challenges, I will continue argue for the implementation of ICTrelated initiatives to support the reduction of this level of unemployment. My argument is based on a fundamental belief that ICT as a practice, and also as a cross-cutting component, is the discipline with quite possibly the largest amount and widest range of career entry points. This can range from data entry/capture, scanning, mobile application development, web applications development, programming all the way up to computer systems engineering. The advantage of this is that it does not always require a university education to
work in this field. A good example of this is a process called microwork. This is a series of small tasks that have been broken out of a larger business process or project that can be completed via the internet or mobile devices. Microwork is considered the smallest – the most granular unit of work in a virtual assembly. It also requires the lowest level of skills. It means, therefore, youth in economically-challenged communities can quickly be trained to perform critical tasks while being taught to provide services higher up the food chain. There is also tremendous potential for revenue in this sector. Over the past two decades the offshore services industry has turned into one of the most dynamic sectors, employing directly over five million people around the world. The rapid evolution of information technology has allowed the separation of production and consumption of services and the possibility of developing economies such as ours, contributing significantly to the world’s services industry. Skill intensive activities, once performed by the developed world, can now be performed regardless of location. Jamaica, for example, is a leading light in the Caribbean region, by virtue of their commitment in investment in this sector and resulting returns
in terms of the sector’s contribution to the country’s overall GDP. Specific initiatives were developed with a specific goal of involving and fostering the employment of youth. In 2013, the Government of Jamaica, in partnership with the World Bank and the Private S e c t o r, launched Digital Jam 2.0. This event allowed young Jamaicans to showcase the skills, talent and capacity necessary to be “game changers” for the economy and drivers of a knowledge-based society. It saw the participation of over 2,000 young Jamaicans in a series of competitions (apps contests and ‘hackathons’ on the sport industry), workshops, training on mobile software development, and presentations by industry leaders, as well as Jamaicans offering their services online. Some specific targets were established including: 1) 4,500 new Jamaican youth working on microwork and e-lancing platforms. 2) Establishment of the funding window for start-up companies from the Ministry of Industry, Investment and Commerce 3) Commercial interest expressed by investors in acquiring apps completed as part of Digital Jam 2.0. 4) Internships at leading telecommunication companies in Jamaica and the Carib-
bean 5) Mentoring by Microsoft Jamaica 6) Scholarships to Howard University offered to app competition winners The Government of Jamaica has committed to Digital Jam being a yearly event. With proper planning, there is absolutely no reason why this cannot be duplicated elsewhere. Back then to the question about resolving the issue of youth employment in Guyana. Clearly there is a lot of work to do to achieve the desired goals and limited availability of funds because of well documented challenges does not help matters. As discussed previously there are issues on the legislative side that still need to be resolved. Still, an effort must and can be made to address this critical state of affairs. The building of community tech hubs nationwide to facilitate awareness and rapid training should be considered as a first initiative. It is a way to transfer skills without the constraints and conditions inherent in a formal educational environment. These incubation spaces are key to emerging digital economies, because they solve a lot a problems young digital practitioners face by providi n g c o n n e c t i v i t y, s u p port structures, mentorship and collaboration.
Lance Hinds Some of the infrastructure already exists. The e-government network has been designed (By the Grace of the Father) to provide connectivity to government agencies and communities. This can be extended to support community tech hubs in villages and other jurisdictions throughout Guyana. This can be the building of that youth entrepreneurial class that is critical to the long term growth and future of this economy. In 2013, the Government of Jamaica spent US$20 million for the development of ICT space for new ICT businesses and incubators. In view of the investment in our current productive sectors and their current status, that does not seem like a lot of money. (To be continued) Lance Hinds is the current President of the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce. He is also the Chief Executive Officer of the BrainStreet Group, an ICT consulting and information services company.
Sunday July 26, 2015
Sunday Special Terror gang taxi driver was planning major attack on family wedding Had they not been captured, the gang that has been linked to the killing of businessman Ganesh Ramlall and the attack of Land Court Judge Nicola Pierre, would have certainly created more terror. Word is out that the gang was planning to carry out a major heist this month end at a wedding on the West Coast Demerara, where several overseas guests were expected to attend. Kaieteur News understands that the heist was being organized by Fazeel Bacchus called Javed, one of the taxi drivers rounded up by police during a sweep last week, which led to the death of gang leader Rolston Morrison and the arrest of several of his accomplices. Bacchus was setting up his accomplices to rob his own relatives since the wedding involved a member of his family. This came out during interrogation of both him and fellow taxi driver Lennox Roberts as they continue to implicate each other in what investigators are now finding out was an elaborate scheme of well organized robberies primarily along the West Coast of Demerara. According to a source, who was a part of the interrogating team, following the killing of Regent Multiplex boss Ganesh Ramlall, some gang members who were no part of that operation, expressed disappointment that they were not involved in the action. But Bacchus reportedly told them not to worry, that he had bigger plans for them. He told them of a family wedding that was coming up this month-end where a number of overseas guests were scheduled to attend. “He tell dem that he got some uncles who coming fuh de wedding. One ah dem rich, rich. He tell dem dey gon deh good,” the source said. ‘Lucky break’ leads cops to Crum Ewing’s killers – Ramjattan “absolutely confident” case will be solved A ‘lucky break’ led police to the individuals behind the assassination of political activist Courtney CrumEwing, and Minister of Public Security Khemraj Ramjattan declared Saturday that he is “absolutely confident” that the case will be solved. Ramjattan’s comments came a day after Crime Chief
Kaieteur News
Wendell Blanhum revealed that police had made an arrest in the assassination, which occurred some four months ago. “I am absolutely confident that it will be solved, based on information that was given to me by the Crime Chief (Wendell Blanhum),” he told Kaieteur News. Like the Crime Chief, Minister Ramjattan declined to provide details due to the sensitive nature of the case, but stated that police received “a really lucky break” in their investigation. While police remained tight-lipped about the evidence they have gathered, Kaieteur News understands that police ballistics experts have matched a .32 pistol in their possession to the gun that was used in the assassination of political activist Courtney CrumEwing. It is unclear where the firearm was found, though Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum confirmed that ranks from the Major Crime Investigation Unit had conducted an “intensive interview” with a suspect, who was detained. Monday Edition Two caught red-handed robbing and stabbing victim – had trailed victim in minibus from G/T to West Dem. A Senior Superintendent of Police saved two bandits from a sound thrashing last Sunday, after they robbed a miner, who had just disembarked a minibus on the Pouderoyen Public Road, West Coast Demerara (WCD). The two men were chased down by residents who had witnessed the robbery, and thankfully for them, they managed to make it to safety outside the yard of Senior Superintendent Maxine Graham. But by then the men had already received some blows. “I had to save the day. Even though they committed the act, as a police officer, I could not sit down and see the residents beat and kill them,” the police official told this newspaper. The robbery victim, Clint Gunput, 25, of Lot 6 Samaroo Dam Pouderoyen WCD was stabbed by the two men who were armed with knives at around 14:30hrs. He sustained injuries to the abdomen and has been admitted to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC). Kaieteur News understands that the bandits had been trailing Guput and his pregnant wife from Georgetown. According to
reports, one of the bandits boarded the same bus as the couple in the city. Apparently he had his eyes on a gold chain Guput was wearing and contacted his accomplice to assist him with acquiring his target. As the minibus was making its way along the East Bank thoroughfare, the bandit requested that the driver stop at Mc Doom to pick up a friend. When the bus stopped at McDoom, the other bandit joined the bus which then proceeded along its route. Gunput requested to be dropped off at Samaroo Dam Pouderoyen WCD. The bandits also exited the minibus and began stabbing their victim. They relieved him of a gold chain he was wearing and jumped back into the said minibus, which appeared to have been waiting on them, before speeding off. Tuesday Edition GRA top brass sent on leave Commissioner General of the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA), Khurshid Sattaur, and about 20 of his senior GRA officers have been sent on accumulated leave on the directive from Finance Minister, Winston Jordan. Kaieteur News also understands that GRA’s Deputy Commissioner, Clement Sealey, will be leaving the job on July 31 as his contract comes to an end and Jordan has opted not to renew it. Sealey has already proceeded on leave. Among those sent on leave with Sattaur and Sealey are Jameel Baksh, Karen Chapman, Simone Beckles, Wayne Austin, Yonette Heyligar, Ron Simbu, Robert James, Dina Matthias, Ronald Charles, Marcia Searwar, Wendy Vyphuis, Sese Jones, Navindra Prashad, Rajendra Sigh, Wesley Duke, Kirk Cantzlaar, Maurice Abraham, Janet Abbensettes and Hema Khan. Finance Minister Jordan said that the other GRA officers were ordered to take their long accumulated leave and “return to the job when they are recharged.” He said that some officers had 200 days’ leave accumulated while others had 100. He said, too, that one person has even accumulated 300 days’ leave. The move comes at a time when the GRA is poised for a forensic audit. Junior Finance Minister, Jaipaul Sharma has been placed in charge of the team of forensic auditors. Two self confessed plotters charged with Ramlall’s murder “Hold de faith!” and “We
know is not y’all do it!” were some of the passionate cries of family and friends of the two taxi drivers accused of killing Regent Multiplex Mall owner, Ganesh Ramlall. In a packed courtroom, Lennox ‘Soldier Man’ Roberts, and Fazeel ‘Javed’ Bacchus, appeared before Magistrate Ann McLennan at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court Monday for the murder of the businessman. Roberts, 32, of 2279 Tuschen Housing Scheme, East Bank Essequibo and Bacchus, 21, of Lot 7 Anna Catherina, West Coast Demerara, were not required to plead to the capital offence of murder. It is alleged that on July 5, last, at La Jalousie, West Coast Demerara, they murdered Ramlall, also known as ‘Boyo’, during the course of a robbery. Ironically, “Soldier Man” was clad in a camouflage jersey, perhaps to place emphasize on his alias. As the charge was read to them, he constantly nodded his head though he remained silent. Instead, his lawyer did the speaking for him. Roberts’ attorney informed the court that his client was tortured by the police during his time in custody. He asked the court for his client to be sent for medical attention because he had been experiencing pain in the abdomen. The Attorney claimed that Roberts had been passing blood in his urine. Further, the lawyer said that Roberts is strongly denying the allegation and that he has no prior matters before a court. He added that his client is a father of three and is currently expecting another child. Police Prosecutor, Corporal Deniro Jones, presented the prosecution’s case and did not provide the court with any facts. On the other hand,
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Bacchus was unrepresented and only spoke to provide basic details about himself. Possibly in mourning, he was clad simply in black and white and stood calmly throughout the proceedings. They were both remanded to prison until August 3 when they will appear at the Leonora Magistrate’s Court. Wednesday Edition Shocking revelations…Sean Hinds admits role in death squad – says he got instructions, weapons from CID headquarters Any mention of the name Sean Hinds would bring up images of mystery killings during the unforgettable days of the early to mid-2000s. Fast forward to 2015 and Hinds is now admitting that he was a part of a death squad that took instructions from senior police officials at the headquarters of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID). In an explosive video interview on HGPTV Nightly News, Hinds bared his soul, saying that he could only take responsibility for what he did and not for what many people are linking him to. For one, he owned up to being part of a “death squad” – of mainly civilians – that was responsible for the hunting down and killing of many youths with criminal connections. That death squad, he said, was headed by the late Axel Williams who was well known for his close links to former Home Affairs Minister Ronald Gajraj. Hinds however made it clear that the death squad was in no way connected to the phantom squad which was headed by now imprisoned self-confessed drug kingpin Roger Khan. During the interview with
a popular television reporter, Hinds said that he would not deny being part of the killing squad. “I was in a death squad. De boss was a man named Axel Williams, who I work under. If I wasn’t a part of this killing squad, this country wouldn’t ah gat law and order…because there was Shawn Brown and Dale Moore…and Chip Teeth and all these guys,” Hinds said, referring to some of the notorious criminals who created a reign of terror between 2002 and 2006. His statements connect with those of former Minister Gajraj, who had told a Commission of Inquiry that unorthodox methods had to be applied to address the crime wave at the time since many police ranks had become afraid. Exxon’s oil find likely worth US$40B An Exxon Mobil Corp. discovery off the coast of Guyana may hold oil and natural gas worth 12 times the nation’s entire economic output. The Liza-1 well, which probably holds the equivalent of more than 700 million barrels of oil, may begin pumping crude in as few as five years, Raphael Trotman, Minister of Governance, said in an interview Monday. The prospect would be on par with a recent Exxon find at the Hadrian formation in the Gulf of Mexico, and would be worth about US$40 billion at today’s international crude price. Guyana produces no oil and its gross domestic product of US$3.23 billion in 2014 ranked between Burundi and Swaziland, according to the World Bank. Exxon, which has a market value of US$341 billion, has declined to provide an Continued on page 47
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A nation housed in sustainable and cohesive communities (Excerpts from an address to Parliament by Hon Minister of Communities, Ronald Bulkan M.P.) (Continued from last week) Central Housing and Planning Authority (CHPA): This agency has presided over the changing face of our capital and many other communities across our country. It is not for me to pronounce whether this changing face, which I have alluded to, is for the better or for the worse. That would be uncalled for. In fact, that would be impertinent. I will say, however, that it needs to stop and take stock. It needs new energy as well as an infusion of expertise and it will receive this from the Central Government. In this regard, its strategic direction, vision and mission will be brought into line with those of this administration. Its vi-
sion will now be “A nation housed in sustainable and cohesive communities.” Its mission will be, as I have alluded earlier, “To improve the quality of life of Guyanese by establishing new, cohesive communities and consolidating existing settlements, through the promotion of integrated planning, land divestment and affordable housing.” For the fiscal year 2015, its activities will include: • Community planning and design • Community infrastructure development • Land Divestment • Community Development and • Squatter Regularisation These activities will see the commencement of the planning phase for the establishment of a new cohesive community and the consolidation and expansion of the 1,000 homes project at Perseverance on the East Bank of Demerara. The installation of infrastructure will continue in 28 existing housing areas, with completion targeted for about 90% of the areas, by year end.
Approximately 800 households will benefit from the allocation of service land and turnkey homes, with three community plans targeted for implementation and 200 households benefiting from squatter regularisation. For the remainder of 2015, the Ministry will focus on implementing the third phase of installing infrastructure and the commencement of construction of the fifth batch of 50 two-bedroom houses also at Perseverance. These twobedroom houses i.e. (house and land), are being sold for $4.9 million. Additionally, 200 serviced lots will be allocated at Diamond/Grove, Farm, Covent Garden, Herstelling and Providence, all on the East Bank of Demerara, and Kilcoy, Chesney and Bloomfield in Region 6, by the end of this year. Strategic objectives 2015 – 2020: (i) Increased access to serviced land and housing. Outputs being: New cohesive communities developed; existing housing schemes transformed to cohesive com-
munities; Serviced lots allocated; Titles transferred. (ii) Promotion of public/private partnerships to facilitate the provision of housing, social infrastructure and community services. Designs of neighbourhood centres (e.g. shopping centre or market) and community facilities (e.g. multipurpose complex, bus terminal) completed; Partnership agreements and Memoranda of Understanding signed, and other; Construction of neighbourhood centres and community facilities completed by private sector, other civil society organisations and donor agencies, and other; Neighbourhood centres and community facilities utilised; Housing solutions constructed by private developers. (iii) Fostering of community involvement for the identification and implementation of community projects. Outputs being: Formation of communities; Regular community meetings held; Community projects identified and implemented; Capacity building training implemented; A mechanism established for linking communities with local government organs and our local democratic organs. This is an issue that the Ministry will play an active role, will engage, facilitate and be a catalyst. (iv) Coordination of programmes/projects through collaboration with governmental and non-governmental
organisations. Outputs being; Interagency coordinating committee expanded; Mechanism established to improve information sharing among stakeholders. (v) Integrated development planning. Outputs being: Community development plans prepared; Housing profile study completed; Housing policy and strategic plan completed. (vi) Squatter regularisation and containment. Outputs being: Comprehensive squatter regularisation and relocation plan developed; Squatter households regularised. (vii) Improve quality of housing in hinterland communities. Outputs being: Subsidies disbursed; Housing improved in Hinterland communities (viii) Review and prepare urban development plans for new towns. The House and this nation have already heard His Excellency’s announcement that before the commemoration and celebration of our 50th Independence Anniversary, next May, our country will have four new towns, these being Mabaruma, Bartica, Mahdia and Lethem. In this regard, the Lethem plan is being reviewed as well as the Bartica plan and plans will be prepared for Mahdia and Mabaruma. In addition to the legislation, which will be needed, priority will be given to remedying much of the infrastruc-
Ronald Bulkan ture deficiencies that are present in all four of the mentioned communities. Secondly, these new towns will provide governmental services that are currently unavailable; services that will be provided as part of the process of decentralisation and devolution that I alluded to earlier, among these being the availability of birth certificates, passports, as well as land titling, to name a few. The programme over the next five years, as far as this agency is concerned, the Ministry will focus on providing serviced lots in addition to constructing houses and establishing new cohesive communities, where there will be emphasis on providing social infrastructure and other amenities that are consistent with improved quality of life for ordinary Guyanese.
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Principled ‘Country Boy’ Courtney Ramsey is a ‘Special Person’ 36 years a policeman… By Dale Andrews If anyone was destined to be a policeman, it was Courtney Ramsey. He grew up around police and spent the greater part of his life being a policeman, and now that he has reached the climax of a rewarding career, he can look back with satisfaction on a job well done. Unlike so many other cops, he is one of the few policemen who could put their hands up and boast that they were not compromised. He can truly say that he came through the ranks—serving from Constable all the way to Senior Superintendent of Police. SOUND BACKGROUND AND A LASTING IMPRESSION Born in Mahaicony, Ramsey grew up in Mahaica where his father worked at a gatekeeper for the train company. His education saw him attend Supply and Helena Primary Schools, and Bygeval Secondary School in Mahaica, which provided him with the sound background that served him so well as a member of the Guyana Police Force. His story of how he became a policeman is interesting. Ramsey grew up next to the police station at Mahaica - just a trench separated his home from the station - and it was natural that the first thing he saw when he looked
In ceremonial uniform
outside was the blue and white of the police station with its ranks milling about the compound. It was bound to leave an impression on a young mind. “Every Saturday morning in those days, the Sergeant used to hold what you call a drill parade, drilling the police ranks in the compound…and
only factors that influenced his decision to become a lawman; he came from a disciplined home—his mother, a housewife, was a strict disciplinarian and his father, a gateman of the Transport Department, was no different. And besides, his brother had already enlisted in the
“I was close to home and he (commander) told me ‘young Ramsey, I’m gonna send you close to home where you can ride to go to work’ and I was transferred to Cane Grove where I spent two months.” That was way back in 1981. THE LINDEN DAYS His rendezvous with the
“Thirty six years in an organization is not easy. This is the only job I’ve done in my life. Being a policeman I would have had lots of experiences from dealing with people, different issues. And you would know there is no substitute for experience.” as little boys and girls, we used to sit down and look at the old Sergeants,” Ramsey said. Such an impression was left on him that today he could recall with ease the names of some of the sergeants who captivated him as a young man. There were Sergeants Simon, Bobb and Sealey who served in the late 1960s-early 1970s. Ramsey’s interaction with the police at that time was not only confined to watching them drill; he would venture over to the station where he would come into direct contact with the ranks. “You know as little boys the policemen would call us and send us to do an errand. You used to use their bicycle…we would get to ride,” Ramsey recalled. But those were not the
force. So it was not surprising that after completing his GCE O’ Levels, Ramsey, who “limed for a year”, was taken by his father to join the Police Force in April 1979. “my father, realizing that the devil finds work for idle hands, took me down to Georgetown and we went to headquarters and one of his countrymen, he was Assistant Commissioner, Mr Harold Martin, he took me there to him and right away he sent us to the training college. I wrote the exams and I was successful,” Ramsey recalled. At the end of July that year, he received a call from the Police Force inviting him to be sworn as new police recruits. He was among 29 such young men and women. His instructor then was Winston Felix, a former Commissioner of Police, who is now the Minister of Citizenship. It was easy for the young Ramsey, since Felix was one of the policemen he had come to know at Mahaica, one whom he had done errands for. “I don’t think that there was any policeman who was stationed at Mahaica who didn’t know the Ramsey family,” he stated. At the time Ramsey did not see himself being a policeman for the rest of his working life, since he was not focused on a career in law enforcement. But the police bug soon bit him and he remained in the Force up to this day. After nine months of training, the young Courtney Ramsey was sent to one of the beat duty centres on Water Street, where he spent four months on the beat. In his fifth month as a policeman, Ramsey was transferred to the East Coast of Demerara. It was more like coming home for Ramsey, because his commander there was one of the very sergeants he used to admire as a youngster growing up at Mahaica, Mr John Sealey.
East Coast did not last long though, for he was transferred to the mining town of Linden where he would spend most of his police career. He ended up spending 12 years straight there and it was there his career began to take off. “When I went there I was a constable and I left there as a Sergeant.” In January 1985 he got his first promotion to corporal which was done on-the-spot by the then Commissioner Lloyd Barker who was going into retirement. Two years later he attained the rank of Sergeant. It was also in Linden that he started his own family. “Yeah, I got my son there, he’s abroad now.” Being a policeman who is
Senior Supt. Courtney Ramsey stationed in one district for that period of time, one would definitely build good relationships with the citizenry. Ramsey was no exception. “It is one of the places I’ve always said I found working there very easy. It was good working in Linden. I didn’t want to go in the first place because I was a little country boy, I didn’t know anything about cooking, washing clothes and pressing clothes…but I had to learn everything,” Ramsey
Sergeant Ramsey (seated) with two constables during his stint at Linden.
recounted. What made it a bit easier for him was that he met a few of his ‘countrymen’ there. “It was in Linden that I learnt most of my policing, operating general duties,” he said. At that time there were a lot of ‘kick-down-the-door’ bandits and Ramsey, along with Neville Grey and Aubrey Lawson, under the command of Inspector Loncke, went out on foot in the area to curtail criminal activities. “We used to walk in all (Continued on page 35)
Sunday July 26, 2015
Kaieteur News
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Principled ‘Country Boy’ Courtney... From page 34 the back streets. Inspector Loncke used to tell us plain that ‘tief man nah walk in light’. I don’t think that I could add up the mileage we walked under Inspector Loncke,” Ramsey explained. Apart from Linden itself, Ramsey served at Kwakwani and was the first subordinate officer at the newly opened Mabura Outpost in 1987. He left that district in 1994 and went to Mahdia. According to Ramsey, the constant movements did not affect him much since he had conditioned his mind to keep moving. “Whenever they say transfer, I start packing. I don’t go and ask anybody anything, I just pack my bag and I keep going,” he said. From Mahdia, where he reached the rank of inspector, Ramsey was transferred to the office of the Commissioner of Police and then to the Criminal Investigations Department in 1996. The transition from a general duty policeman to the Criminal Investigations Department was smooth for Ramsey, except for the increased volume of work. But according to Ramsey, it called for a lot of discipline and dedication. “It’s not the normal shift work where you sign off at a particular time…you might be just about to leave and somebody reports a crime, you have to stay and deal with it.” There was a time when the CID was the elite section of the Police Force, but Ramsey believes that that is not so now. “Years ago when you hear you’re going to the CID, it was prestige, you glad to go…now the youngsters are running from the writing. It is difficult to get people to go CID now, very difficult. When you in CID, you were a big boy, not now,” Ramsey stated. He joined the officer ranks officially in 2002 (Assistant Superintendent) and this was followed by promotion to Deputy Superintendent in 2005. He became a Superintendent in 2009 and then a Senior Superintendent in 2011. He said that the only dissatisfaction in his career as a policeman was not attaining the rank of Assistant Commissioner. “I’m not happy, because I felt that I should have been an Assistant Commissioner, the last promotion in January. I was a bit disgruntled when the promotions came out…and not only me; there are a number of other senior officers who felt the same way, I can tell you,” Ramsey said. The vexing issue of promotion is one in which Ramsey bared his soul.
“These things have a lot to do with politics and who know who, and who could go to the Service Commission Chairman, go here and go there and talk to people. I didn’t do that, I had no intentions of doing that. I think a man should be promoted on merit and that is me. And that is the only thing that I’m leaving the force not happy with,” the retiring Senior Superintendent declared. He said that he was sidelined on a number of occasions and that caused him to approach the then Commissioner Leroy Brumell to be reverted back to uniform in 2012. “I told him plain, ‘skipper I don’t want to remain in CID’ and I gave him the reasons why. I was being overlooked and that is how I came here as Commander for ‘F’ Division. I had no intention of going to anybody, I had no intention of going to no politician like what some of my colleagues did,” Ramsey stated. INDELIBLE MARKS But it was in the CID that events left the most indelible marks in his memory. There were two incidents; the Bartica Massacre and the Lindo Creek slaughter. “I would always remember those two incidents throughout my lifetime.” He was the detective officer in the division for both incidents, and to this day he cannot erase the graphic
The dapper Mr. Ramsey
memories. He recalled the Bartica Massacre. That night he was at home watching the Stanford 20/20 finals when he received a telephone call telling him that the Bartica Station was under attack. Through the telephone he could hear the gunshots. Ramsey said that he immediately contacted the then Crime Chief, Seelall Persaud, and told him what was related to him. A few minutes later he was instructed to travel to the location. That was around 10pm and Ramsey along with other police detectives were transported by aircraft to Baganara and then by boat to Bartica. “The first thing when we arrived at the Bartica Ferry Stelling was seeing all those bodies lying there with bullet wounds. It touched me, because it was the first time as a detective over the years and as a policeman too, that I would have seen so many dead persons at a crime scene, and that was only the stelling. And when we got to the station, I saw three of my colleagues…then we went down to Banks DIH and we saw another man there…and the further down the road we saw another man, and I think that the other two were at the Bartica Mortuary.” It was not an easy sight for the seasoned policeman who did not sleep until the following night. The work was taxing, gathering
statements and all. With regards to Lindo Creek, he recalled it was a Saturday afternoon when he received a call from the then Police Public Relations Officer John Sauers, who asked if he had heard what had taken place. Ramsey was familiar with the location since he had worked in the Kwakwani District in his earlier years as a policeman. Again he contacted the Crime Chief and again he was instructed to prepare to be flown in to the area. When Ramsey and his team eventually got to the area they were shocked to find a burnt out camp where the charred remains of human beings were piled on top of one another. “That site was even more gruesome than the one at Bartica, seeing all those bodies packed together. Just flesh and bones, you can’t recognise anybody…piece of bone here and pieces of flesh there and so on. It wasn’t easy,” Ramsey recalled. SATISFYING PRAISE For Ramsey, some of the positives he derived from his job is the praise he got from his colleagues every time he left them to go on a transfer. “They would tell you, ‘sir, I’ve enjoyed working with you because of your knowledge, sharing experiences and teaching us the job’. I think I would have left a legacy along that line. Everywhere I worked, you ask the ranks and they will tell you the same thing.” FAMILY SUPPORTAND PERSONAL REFLECTIONS He always had the support of his family throughout his career, including his mother who is now deceased. His immediate family, he said, was comfortable with his constant movements…at least they understood, although they never went with him. For them, a few weekend visits to the location he was stationed was enough. “After a time women get to understand, and of course the person I’m living with now is a policewoman and she understood the nature of the police and the things that go with the job,” Ramsey reflected. On October 31 this year, Ramsey would have completed 36 years two months of service, and he would gladly do it again if he had the chance to. “Thirty six years in an organization is not easy. This is the only job I’ve done in my life. Being a policeman I would have had lots of experiences from dealing with people, different issues. And you would know there is no substitute for experience,”
Enjoying retirement with his long-time partner, Racquel Ramsey stated. He has this word of advice for persons already in the Force as well potential recruits. “This job is a rewarding career, once you put your mind to it.” He recalled working with some “great” policemen in his younger years. Apart from Winston Loncke who was Ramsey’s role model, there were Walter Gravesande, Cecil Kilkenny, Michael
Somersall and the late Lancelot Lawrence “Inspector Loncke used to always tell you, ‘you can’t get retrenched, the only way you could lose this job is if you do stupidness and you get knock off….only death or retirement can take this work fr o m y o u ’ . B e f a i r t o people, whether they are in the force or a civilian,” Ramsey said. “Be honest in whatever you do.”
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Kaieteur News
Sunday July 26, 2015
Jury finds NY senator guilty, but Ed Ahmad testimony not credible New York (NY Times) State Senator John L. Sampson was convicted on
Friday of trying to thwart a federal investigation, becoming the latest New York
lawmaker to face a prison sentence. He was found guilty of three of nine
charges, the most serious of which, obstructing justice, carries a maximum term of 10 years. He was acquitted of charges carrying sentences of up to 20 years. Sampson, who has roots in Guyana, and who previously served as the Democratic leader in the Senate, was also found guilty on two charges of making false statements. The jury in Federal District Court in Brooklyn delivered its verdict after six days of deliberations. As a result of his felony conviction, Sampson immediately lost his seat in the Legislature. He is the second state senator to be found guilty this week, after Thomas W. Libous, a Republican, was convicted on Wednesday and forfeited his seat. During the three-week trial, federal prosecutors argued that Sampson, 50, of Brooklyn, had embezzled state funds when he was appointed to oversee the sales of properties in foreclosure and then covered up the embezzlement. The embezzlement charges had been thrown out by Judge Dora L. Irizarry, who said the statute of limitations had passed. Prosecutors said on Friday that they would appeal the decision once it was officially issued. The defense argued that the government had entrapped Sampson, and it emphasized that one of his former friends, Guyana-born businessman Edul Ahmad, agreed to cooperate with prosecutors after Mr. Ahmad was charged with mortgage fraud. Ahmad testified that Sampson threatened to silence anyone who was helping investigators. Prosecutors played video and audio recordings of a visibly distraught Mr. Sampson taking a check register that Ahmad indicated could be proof of the embezzlement and putting it in his jacket pocket. Kim O’Meally, the forewoman of the jury, said the defense’s argument that Sampson was entrapped had been persuasive. “Ahmad was getting him to say things when he didn’t want to,” she said. “We felt that was entrapment,” and added that the jury did not find Ahmad credible. Sam Noel, another friend of Sampson, who for 22 years was a paralegal at the United States attorney’s office for the Eastern District of New York, was also ensnared in the investigation. Sampson asked Noel to look up information about Mr. Ahmad’s case and any case
GUILTY: John Sampson
Not credible: Cooperating witness, Ed Ahmad
being pursued against Sampson. Noel testified that he used confidential law enforcement databases to do so. Sampson’s lawyers argued that the senator had never directly asked Mr. Noel to break the law. Though Mr. Noel did not find much information, he was charged with a federal crime, lost his job and described feeling betrayed by Sampson, “a man I view as my brother.” The forewoman, Ms. O’Meally, said of Noel’s account, “Although it was an emotional testimony, we really had to listen to all the evidence and take the emotion out of it.” Prosecutors said the embezzlement occurred when Sampson, a lawyer, was a court-appointed referee for foreclosed properties in Brooklyn. Rather than returning the surplus money from the real estate sales to the State Supreme Court, as he was supposed to do, Mr. Sampson kept about $440,000, prosecutors said. Sampson set the funds aside for his own use, including to help his unsuccessful bid in 2005 for Brooklyn district attorney. In a proceeding last year, Sampson’s lawyers did not contest that the embezzlement occurred but said it had taken place so long ago that the statute of limitations had expired. The six counts the jury
acquitted Mr. Sampson of included two counts of witness tampering and one count each of conspiracy to obstruct justice, evidence tampering, concealing records and making a false statement. Federal guidelines suggest a prison sentence of “north of 10 years,” said Kelly T. Currie, the acting United States attorney for the Eastern District. Nathaniel H. Akerman, one of Sampson’s lawyers, said, “We are going to pursue all of our legal rights in this case until Mr. Sampson is finally vindicated.” Akerman added that the jury verdict showed that at no point “did he ever use his office to benefit himself.” After the verdict, prosecutors asked that Sampson, who has been free on bail, be jailed immediately. “He is unable to obey rules, regulations and laws,” Alexander Solomon, a federal prosecutor, said, adding that throughout the trial, Sampson had parked in no-parking spaces outside the courthouse using his Senate placard, “indicating he’s on official business.” Akerman responded that Mr. Sampson had been on time to all of his court appearances and that his family had watched the entire trial, indicating he was not a flight risk. Judge Irizarry denied the prosecution’s request.
Sunday July 26, 2015
Kaieteur News
NSAIDs may increase kidney risks with high blood pressure
(Reuters Health) - People with high blood pressure who regularly take common painkillers known as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) may increase their risk of developing chronic kidney disease, a study from Taiwan suggests. While some previous research has linked NSAIDs to impaired kidney function, the results have been mixed and often overlooked the effects on people with high blood pressure, or hypertension, which itself carries an elevated risk for kidney damage. For the current study, researchers examined data on more than 30,000 people with hypertension and found that those who’d been taking NSAIDs for at least three months were 32 percent more likely to have chronic kidney disease than participants who didn’t use the pills. In addition, participants who typically took NSAIDs more than once a day had a 23 percent greater risk of developing chronic kidney disease than people who didn’t use the pills. Even if patients used NSAIDs for less than three months, they still had an 18 percent higher risk of developing chronic kidney disease, the study found. “Our results suggest that NSAID duration plays a role in chronic kidney disease among subjects with hypertension,” said senior study author Hui-Ju Tsai, a scientist at the Institute of Population Health Sciences, National Health Research Institutes in Zhunan. “Physicians should exercise caution when administering NSAIDs to people with hypertension and closely monitor renal function,” Tsai said by email. NSAIDs are among the most commonly used pills in the world for ailments ranging from headaches to fever, arthritis and menstrual
cramps. This family of medicines includes over-thecounter drugs such as aspirin, which can also help prevent strokes and heart attacks, as well as ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil) and naproxen (Aleve). Prescription NSAIDs include naproxen (Naprosyn) and celecoxib (Celebrex). About one in three adults have high blood pressure, an often silent condition that can damage the heart and blood vessels and lead to stroke, kidney failure and other problems, according to the U.S. National Institutes of Health. Renal damage can develop in people with hypertension because the kidneys are laced with dense blood vessels transporting high volumes of blood. Uncontrolled hypertension can make arteries around the kidneys harden, weaken or narrow, damaging the organs by restricting blood flow. One shortcoming of the study is a lack of blood test data to confirm the severity of kidney disease, the authors note in the journal Hypertension. It’s also possible that some patients with kidney disease weren’t identified due to a lack of clinical or laboratory data. In addition, the study only tracked prescription NSAID use. In Taiwan, the vast majority of people taking these drugs get prescriptions because the cost is much lower than it would be for over-the-counter versions of the drugs, the authors point out. While past research has suggested that kidney damage linked to NSAIDs might be reversed once the pills are stopped, the current study points to the possibility that long-term use of these painkillers might lead to permanently impaired renal function, said Dr. Liffert Vogt, a nephrologist at Academic Medical Center at the University of Amsterdam in The Netherlands.
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Sunday July 26, 2015
Vulnerable populations often miss cancer warning signs (Reuters Health) - Some of society’s most vulnerable citizens are also most likely to overlook cancer warning signs, a new U.K. study suggests. While Britain provides health care for everyone and has campaigns to boost cancer awareness, the researchers found that many groups need more education and encouragement to seek help for symptoms. “Many campaigns are still not targeted to specific population subgroups, and a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach is not likely to be the most effective,” said lead author Maja Niksic, a doctoral student in cancer epidemiology and population health at King’s College London. Niksic said her own father did not recognize his cancer symptoms and delayed seeing a doctor until her mother, a physician, insisted. “People often do not prioritize their health until they get ill,” Niksic said. Or they may have trouble knowing the warning signs, she noted. People should seek medical advice for any persistent and unexplained changes in their body, she and her colleagues say, such as an unexplained lump or swelling, change in the appearance of a mole, change in bowel or bladder habits, unexplained bleeding, unexplained weight loss, persistent unexplained pain, persistent difficulty swallowing, a sore that does not heal, or persistent cough or hoarseness. As reported in the British Cancer Journal, the researchers analyzed data on nearly 39,000 women and men from 18 surveys on cancer awareness across England during 2009-2011. Although similar to the general population in gender and age, the survey participants were, on average, of lower socioeconomic status. On average, participants recognized about seven out of nine common cancer signs and symptoms. Forty percent recognized all nine. People aged 55 to 74 were most likely to recognize all the signs and symptoms of possible cancer. About two thirds of participants identified at least one barrier to seeking medical help and about one third reported three or more barriers. Women faced more emotional barriers to seeking treatment than men and were 40 percent more likely to put off seeing a doctor because they were “too scared.”
Single people were also reluctant to seek help because of emotional barriers. People living in poorest areas were 37 percent more likely than the most affluent to overlook the nine common cancer signs and symptoms. Residents of deprived areas and those with low education levels were more likely to delay seeing a doctor because of embarrassment, fear and transportation difficulties than those living in affluent areas or with more education. “Clinicians know that these patients tend to be vulnerable, but I think the study does a really good job of highlighting that with real data and showing that this is a very significant problem,” said Supriya Mohile, who directs geriatric oncology at the Wilmot Cancer Institute of the University of Rochester Medical Center in New York state. “Also, this will guide future interventions in terms of trying to close this knowledge gap where the most vulnerable patients aren’t getting the appropriate care,” said Mohile, who was not involved in the study. Elderly people also reported trouble arranging transportation to the doctor, as did people who were married but separated. The authors point out that although England has a National Health Service, underprivileged people may still have trouble accessing medical care. They suggest raising awareness in poor communities and reassuring people about the benefits of early detection. “The elderly might benefit more from educational campaigns aimed at improving their understanding of potential symptoms of cancer, and, perhaps, differentiating these from other age-specific disorders, such as osteoarthritis,” said Niksic. “Both groups (the underprivileged and the elderly) need to have affordable and appropriate transport options to reach health services.” Mohile said she suspected the gaps in knowledge and willingness to seek medical care were even greater in the U.S., where there’s more “more variability in access to health care.” “I think some of the conditions that they talked about here like being embarrassed, fearful, difficulty in transportation are very common too in the U.S., so there’s a lot of denial,” Mohile said by email.
Sunday July 26, 2015
From page 31 estimate for Liza-1 since describing the discovery as “significant” in a May 20 statement. “A find of this magnitude for a country like ours, which sits on the lower end of the scale of countries in this hemisphere, this could be transformational,” Trotman said. “From my sense, from speaking to experts outside of Exxon, it has to be something in excess of 700 million barrels.” Exxon, which began drilling the well in March, said it found a 295-foot (90-metre) column of oil- and gas-soaked rock in a subsea region known as Stabroek Block. The well is 120 miles (193 kilometres) offshore and 5,710 feet beneath the sea surface. The discovery may foretell a revival for the Irving, Texasbased company, which has been stung by three consecutive years of declining production and slowing reserves growth. Thursday Edition GPL’s deputy chief, director under police probe – after paying themselves $28.7 million Government has asked police to investigate two senior officials of the Guyana Power and Light Inc. (GPL) who reportedly paid themselves almost $29M without authorization earlier this year. In deep trouble and expected to be questioned by police are Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Aeshwar Deonarine, and Carvil Duncan, a prominent trade unionist who is a member of the Board of the Directors. Both are signatories on GPL’s bank accounts. Deonarine has since been sent on administrative leave. A new Board of Directors will be appointed shortly to address the issue of Duncan. The disclosures were made Wednesday by Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson, during the Government’s post-Cabinet weekly briefings. The discoveries of the suspicious transfers were made by independent auditors who are probing the PetroCaribe Fund, which hold proceeds of oil shipments taken from neighbouring Venezuela. Some of the monies were used to buy Wartsila engines for GPL, among other things. It was while tracking payments to GPL that auditors unearthed the strange transactions. Patterson said Wednesday that he was
Kaieteur News
alerted by the auditors to their findings as it was felt that immediate actions were warranted. Deonarine reportedly signed off on payments to himself totaling $28.7M. Duncan would have received some $948,000. Explaining, Minister David Patterson said that there are two Deputy Chief Executive Officers in GPL - one for administration and one for operations. Deonarine is responsible for administration. US$150M airport project suspended … govt. to discuss escalating costs with contractor Government has suspended the US$150M Timehri airport project, summoning principals of the Contractor from China to discuss the escalating costs. Confirming that China Harbour Engineering Company Limited (CHEC) was instructed to halt work last week, Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson, was on Wednesday confident that the matter could be resolved amicably, with normalcy expected within a week, if all goes well. CHEC has reportedly filed claims for some US$46M for works done. Such costs would put the runway extension at US$120M. According to the original contract signed between the Government of Guyana and CHEC back in 2011, the runway extension by just over 1,000 metres was pegged at US$58M. The David Granger administration since taking office in May, had vowed, during the lead-up to the May 11 General and Regional Elections, to review the project after becoming convinced that it was costing taxpayers too much…the project is the
second largest one after the US$200M Skeldon sugar factory. The new Government insists that it will not spend more than the US$150M budgeted for the project. However, an assessment recently found that other costs, including a car park, would have placed the final figure beyond the US$200M mark. According to Patterson on Wednesday, his initial assessment of the actual contract inked under the Bharrat Jagdeo administration in 2011, concluded that not much thought was put into the project and it appeared that it was written at the “back of a postage stamp”. The Minister argued that it would have been difficult for the Chinese to start engaging the Government in August 2011 and then have a contract prepared and signed by November of that year. Friday Edition Anil Nandlall’s exbodyguard detained for Crum-Ewing murder – Former Attorney General denies involvement Former Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs Anil Nandlall on Thursday categorically denied any involvement in the assassination of political activist Courtney CrumEwing, and said that an exbodyguard of his, who police have detained, was hired several days after CrumEwing’s death. Nandlall made the denial during a press conference in which he repeatedly refuted suggestions that he, or any members of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), orchestrated the murder, which is being deemed a politically motivated killing. Nandlall met with journalists shortly after online news reports stated that police
had detained Rajput Narine, his former bodyguard, in connection with CrumEwing’s murder. Narine, a former Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) officer, was reportedly employed with the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) when Nandlall hired him as a bodyguard. But Nandlall said Thursday that he fired Narine some four days after he had employed him, for unsatisfactory performance. Nandlall said that he did not do a background check on his bodyguard, or ask for references, because he had assumed Narine was of “good character”. “He was a former CANU officer, he was a licenced firearm holder, he was in the employ of the GRA, and I assumed he was a person of good character, (and) that is why he had a licenced firearm, which is a ground by which one is granted a firearm licence.” Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum declined to confirm the suspect’s link to the former AG or to release the name of the detained man. Police have also arrested an individual with a firearm that ballistic tests matched to the one that was used by Crum-Ewing’s killer. Cash-strapped pilot busted again in cocaine conspiracy As if losing his planes and bank accounts and facing jail time were not enough, a Guyana-born pilot charged with smuggling bulk cash is now in deeper trouble in the US. Prosecutors said he was plotting to bring five kilos of cocaine aboard his plane from Guyana to the US, even while he was facing court for the cash-smuggling charges. Captain Khamraj Lall last month pleaded guilty in a deal with US prosecutors and was
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out on bail awaiting sentencing on October 27th. However, on Wednesday, US Marshals arrested him in New Jersey, a state near New York, and charged him with conspiracy to distribute cocaine. Thursday, United States Attorney William Hochul, Jr announced a federal grand jury has returned a two-count indictment charging Lall, of New Jersey, with possession with intent to distribute, and to distribute, five kilograms or more of cocaine and importation of five kilograms or more of cocaine into the United States. According to 7thspace.com online news, the charges carry a minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum of life and a US$10,000,000 fine. Following his arrest Wednesday in New Jersey, Lall made an initial appearance in federal court in the District of New Jersey and was detained. The defendant will be returned to the Western District of New York at a later date. Lall’s arrest is connected to that of nine other defendants in February 2015. Edward Mighty, Seymour Brown, Andre Taylor, Ricardo Bailey, Robert Wilson, Kenneth Harper, Desmond Bice, and Christopher Samuels, all of Rochester, New York, were charged by criminal complaint with conspiracy to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine and 280 grams or more of cocaine base. They were accused of using a telephone to facilitate drug trafficking. Saturday Edition Sean Hinds prepared to speak to Govt. about ‘death squad’ - said he has made recordings in the event of his death Former hit man Sean Hinds says he is prepared to speak with Minister of State Joseph Harmon, but not with the police, about the work of the ‘death squad’ that he was an integral part of. Hinds made the recorded statement yesterday, even as Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum said that the self-confessed hit man was wanted for a “serious offence” and should turn himself in. Hinds has been spilling the beans about the work of a ‘death-squad’ which he said was set up to target criminals who were behind a spate of killings following the February 23, 2002 Mash Day jailbreak. He claimed that the ‘death squad’ worked with members of the Force and he was
among members who uplifted arms from CID Headquarters Eve Leary. But he repeatedly declined comment when asked whether the group took orders from any officials of the then PPP government. He insists that he has put those days behind him, but claimed he was forced to speak out recently after persons attempted to implicate him in the assassination of political activist Courtney CrumEwing. Hinting that individuals, whom he did not name, would now try to silence him, Hinds said that he has taken the precaution of “making two or three tapes” which would be distributed in the event of his demise. “When you mash some people toe, they will come after you. They will come after me, they will ‘try a ting’…they will come after me because I gun be mashing some people toes. “If I don’t get to say what I want to say, tapes would be dropping off at different media. I ain’t stupid. I tired going down for people.” Expressing his distrust of the police, Hinds lamented that police had repeatedly charged him wrongfully whenever he went into them. “Something got to set up before I talk to the police. I willing to talk to Mr. Harmon, I am no stranger to Mr. Harmon.” DPP to have Crum-Ewing assassination file by next week - Anil Nandlall’s exbodyguard, other suspect still in custody With a murder weapon, a possible motive, and two suspects, Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum said police are likely to submit a report on the killing of political activist, Courtney Crum-Ewing, to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) next week. Blanhum told Kaieteur News that investigators are working to complete the report by weekend. He also said that two individuals that police had detained are still custody. But indications are that investigators are still to question any political officials, although CrumEwing’s assassination is believed to have been politically motivated. Still in custody Friday were Rajput Narine, the exbodyguard of former Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, and Riverview, Ruimveldt resident, Regan Rodrigues, also called ‘Grey Boy’.
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Kaieteur News
Sunday July 26, 2015
Could Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck get back together? Could the past repeat itself in the near future? Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez haven’t been an item for years, but after the actor announced that he is divorcing Jennifer Garner, fans of the former couple began to wonder if the original Bennifer might get back together. In fact, one fan called in to Bravo’s Watch What Happens Live Wednesday to ask Lopez’s BFF Leah Remini about that very possibility. “Now I’m interested in this answer!” Andy Cohen said. “So am I!” Remini said with a laugh. In all seriousness, she admitted, “I really don’t know.” Proving her loyalties lie with Lopez, the It’s All Relative star said, “Even if I did, I probably wouldn’t [say], because it would be weird for me to comment on people’s lives. But no, not anything that I know of is...The guy is married and she’s in a relationship.” “She’s back with [Casper Smart],” Cohen noted. “No,” Remini said of Lopez’s apparently on-again relationship with the dancer turned choreographer. “I’m just saying that whatever’s in the news is the data that we have. It’s the data we’re working with.” “She’s back with Casper,” Cohen said. “Oh, OK!” Remini said with a laugh, feigning ignorance. “Thanks!” NEWS: Jennifer Lopez recalls how she once gave Ben Affleck a makeover In reality, it seems unlikely that Affleck would subject himself to such a spectacle.
“The most pernicious illusion, myth, was that this is something that this guy wants,” he told GQ in 2012 of the attention he received during his relationship with Lopez. “‘He’s wanting this much coverage.’ That’s the most unappealing thing that you can say about somebody. And I knew how disastrous it was.
Sunday July 26, 2015
Kaieteur News
Taylor Swift called Nicki Minaj before apologizing on Twitter to ‘Squash Their Beef’
If you weren’t convinced by Taylor Swift’s apology tweet to Nicki Minaj, just know, there’s a reason the rapper understood how sincere it was - because Taylor actually called her before posting on social media. “Taylor and Nicki had a talk before their Twitter mea culpa to clear the air,” an insider told HollywoodLife.com exclusively. “They decided that it would be best for both of them to squash their beef now and not let it drag out, because, at the end of the day, they were arguing about an award. They realized it was petty with all the other problems in the world, and are both very glad that it’s over.” WE’RE so glad to hear it’s over, too, especially since Taylor and Nicki are both such powerful women who have never done anything but promote girl power. But their whole feud began on July 21, when the
“Anaconda” singer went on a rant about not being nominated for Video of the Year at the VMAs, and Taylor thought she was calling her out specifically. Eventually, Tay realized that Nicki was simply addressing the media’s perception of black females, period, and on July 23, she took to Twitter to apologize. “I thought I was being called out,” the 25-year-old wrote. “I missed the point, I misunderstood, then I misspoke. I’m sorry, Nicki.” And Nicki could NOT have been more grateful for the apology. “That means so much Taylor, thank you,” she responded, even including three heart emojis. Later, when a fan commented on how great it was that ‘Nic and Taylor’ made up, the rapper added, “I’ve always loved her. Everyone makes mistakes. She gained so much more respect from me. Let’s move on.”
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Sunday July 26, 2015
Lusignan fish exporter moves for US plea deal in shrimp coketail bust A local seafood exporter nabbed by US authorities last month in relation to a 268-kilo cocaine shipment from Guyana to Brooklyn has signaled his intentions to strike a plea deal. Heeralall Sukdeo, whose place of business is Lusignan
Pump Road, East Coast Demerara, made another appearance on Friday in an East New York court, where a joint application was made to delay trial. Both the prosecutors and Sukdeo’s defense team want up to August 9th to continue
negotiations which could result in the case not having to go to trial. Sukdeo will remain in custody of the US authorities, in the meantime. Sukdeo, according to the application, said he understood that federal law gives him the right to have formal charges laid within 30 days of his arrest and a trial 70 days of those charges being lodged. He said that he was not threatened or coerced for his consent. The application was granted by Chief Magistrate Judge Steven Gold. In June, US Federal agents have discovered a new delicacy from Guyana — shrimp coketail. A drug-sniffing dog noticed something fishy about a shipping container that arrived at the Red Hook Terminal, Brooklyn, from Guyana and found 268 kilos of cocaine stuffed inside frozen shrimp, according to a complaint unsealed in the Brooklyn Federal Court. The whale of a catch has an estimated street value of more than US$12 million. The agents secretly removed the coke-filled
US prosecutors are working on a plea deal with the Guyanese fish exporter over 268 kilos of cocaine stuffed inside frozen shrimp crustaceans and tailed the container after it cleared customs on June 15, according to U.S. Homeland Security special agent Ryan Varrone. The container was delivered to an unidentified warehouse in Brooklyn where agents spotted Heeralall Sukdeo “together with others … organizing and supervising the unloading” of the shipment, the complaint states.
Sukdeo, 59, the owner of Sukdeo and Sons Fishing, a shipping company based in Queens, was arrested, but said he was innocent of any wrongdoing. “Sukdeo stated that he was present only in the vicinity of the truck containing the target shipment because he was curious about its contents,” Varrone stated in the complaint. The shipment had originated in Guyana and was
addressed to “Randolph Fraser” which is apparently Sukdeo’s alias, an employee told the feds.Sukdeo was ordered held without bail. Defense lawyer Andre Travieso said Sukdeo has never been arrested before. “I’m pretty confident that when all the facts come out, this was just a huge mistake,” Travieso told the Daily News, insisting that his client did not order the drug-crusted shrimp.
Sunday July 26, 2015
Kaieteur News
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CAMPBELLTOWN, REGION Kwebanna re-elects Pierre as Toshao EIGHT ELECTS NEW TOSHAO On Monday, residents of Campbelltown, an Amerindian community in Mahdia, Region Eight (Potaro/Siparuni), re-elected popular former Village Captain (Toshao) Rob Ivan to a second term by 132 votes. Ivan, who first served as Toshao during the 2009-12 term, will also have jurisdiction over Princeville, a satellite community. What is unusual is that Ivan’s direct predecessor as Village Captain is his e- wife, Margaret Thomas. In an interview with Kaieteur News immediately following the elections, Ivan said that though initially reluctant to run against his former wife, his hand was forced by the villagers. Meanwhile, he cited the community development of Campbelltown as his main goal. For this, he expressed optimism at the prospect of working with the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC). According to him, under the previous administration, help was in short supply for his community. He further mentioned that it was this sidelining under the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) that contributed to stymieing development in Campbelltown and its satellite community, Princeville. “We (Campbelltown
The new Tashao, with several villagers Village Council) are very much independent. We try to help ourselves. We have our own vehicles, tractors and cruisers.” However, he said, with the grant of land titles they had been able to do mining, resulting in accumulated royalties and the ability to buy things. Identifying some pressing issues affecting the community, Ivan spoke of the deplorable road condition, in addition to water supply, which he spoke of as being in a critical state. He also mentioned the electricity supply, which was only barely available in Campbelltown. Ivan’s councillors will be Kenneth Williams, Morris
Thomas, Daniel Roberts, Dennis Joseph and Marvell Thomas. Kaieteur News understands that there will be further elections on Monday, to determine the remaining councillors. Meanwhile, the Regional Chairman for Region Eight, Bonaventure Fredericks, expressed optimism in working with the new Village captain in furthering the community’s development. Himself only recently installed as Chairman, Fredericks noted that he had worked with Ivan before, as a treasurer on his council. Therefore, co-operation would come naturally. Meanwhile, Village
captain elections were held in other parts of the country. On Monday the residents of Wakapao, an Amerindian Community in the Lower Pomeroon River elected Errol Williams as their Toshao. At Akawani another Amerindian Community in the Lower Pomeroon River, David Wilson was elected Toshao. And at Capoey where Toshao elections were contested on Tuesday, the leading contestants Esther Charles and Melrose Henry were tied. Residents will however get another opportunity after a seven-day period to cast their votes for the second time to elect a Toshao of their choice.
The Amerindian Village of Kwebanna, Region One (Barima Waini) has elected its new Toshao/Captain to manage the affairs of the community. Former People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/ C) Region One Chairman, Paul Pierre, was re-elected the new Toshao of the village earlier this week. He served as the Village’s Toshao a couple years ago. However, he resigned after he was appointed Regional Chairman. He did not complete serving two terms as Toshao. Pierre secured a total of 193 votes and will be serving his community for the next three years. He secured a landslide victory beating Patrick Williams, Andrew Wilson and Shawn Jerome who were also contesting the election. Wilson copped 47 votes, Jerome 14 and Williams, six.
Toshao of Kwebanna Village: Paul Pierre Additionally, nine councillors were elected to work along with Pierre. These are Troy Peters, Brewster Williams, Theobald Bruce, Amanda James, Maurine Henry, Patrick Williams, David Thomas, Shawn Jerome and Caroline Obermuller.
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Sunday July 26, 2015
Guyana far from implementing sustainable energy Energy is the golden thread that connects economic growth, increased social equity, and an environment that allows the world to thrive. The world is at a time when 1.3 billion people worldwide lack access to electricity, while 2.8 billion people do not have clean and safe cooking facilities, and when a shift to sustainable energy use is imperative to protect the Earth’s climate, no less than a worldwide effort is required to achieve sustainable energy for all. In Guyana sustainable energy is a major issue though there are some efforts in various aspects much more is still needed to become a major player in the world effort. Like many CARICOM countries Guyana continue to depend on imported oil that fuels the electricity and transport sectors. The high level of expenditure on oil reduces the financial resources available to invest in social development, environmental protection and improving food security. With the ongoing drive to make aware the benefits of sustainable energy and its effectiveness citizens contributed by following various guidelines to save
energy and thus help lower electricity cost. Back in 2004 the Government of Guyana started the implementation of the Unserved Areas Electrification Programme (UAEP) with loan support from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). This programme had several components, including extending electric grid coverage of Guyana Power and light Inc., reducing losses, management and operational support and a Customer Information System. It also had a hinterland energy component, using Solar Home Systems (SHS) and community-based systems for schools to provide community and household access to electricity. The systems in Yarikita, Capoey, Kurakbaru and Muritaro comprised a 125W mono-crystalline panel and flooded lead acid battery. The schools in these villages received 250W system with inverter, 8x25W bulbs and 120V outlets. Another 12 villages received a total of 1200 SHS with 65W panels and maintenance-free AGM battery, and one 260W system for the school. Wind speed measurements were
carried out in Orealla, Jawalla, Campbelltown and Yupukari, but wind power potential was found to be insufficient. Where Guyana is concerned, the choices for beefing up the national grid seem to favour solar, wind and hydroelectric. These choices are not new and have often been talked about as part of Guyana’s long-term environmental and economic protection strategy. Though the cost savings over the long-run are well understood, very little progress has been achieved. The technology exists, but putting these energy sources in place keeps eluding Guyana. The reasons for this failure are unclear, but making any of these options a reality could be bounded as much by economics as by technology. Guyana advocates a lowcarbon development strategy that is intended to save the forests and prevent carbon emissions. However, installing a hydroelectric facility would destroy the surrounding forest, exchanging one environmental problem for another. Unintentionally, the preferred form of development seems to be
turning on itself. The question that faces Guyana is whether it wants to sacrifice some of its forest or emit more carbon by building standard power plans. If Guyana is to develop into something more than what it is, it will need to make the hard choices necessary to do so. Sustainable energy provides new opportunities for growth. It enables businesses to grow, generates jobs, and creates new markets. Children can study after dark. Clinics can store life-saving vaccines. Countries can grow more resilient, with competitive economies. With sustainable energy, countries can build the clean energy economies of the future. Transforming the world’s energy systems will also lead to new multi-trilliondollar investment opportunities. Sustainable energy for all is an investment in our collective future. Universal energy access, increasing the use of renewable energy, improved energy efficiency and addressing the connection between energy and health, women, food,
water and other development issues are at the heart of all countries’ core interest, which must be deeply integrated in the development agenda. The United Nations General Assembly unanimously declared the decade 2014 2024 as the Decade of Sustainable Energy for All, significantly, the resolution recognized the importance of giving appropriate consideration to energy issues in elaborating the post-2015 development agenda. In adopting the resolution, the General Assembly reaffirmed its determination to make sustainable energy for all a reality. The text calls upon Member States to galvanize efforts to make universal access to sustainable modern energy services a priority, noting that 1.3 billion people are without electricity and 2.6 billion people in developing countries rely on traditional biomass for cooking and heating. It expressed concern that even when energy services are available, millions of poor people are unable to pay for them. The resolution stressed
the need to improve access to reliable, affordable, economically viable, socially acceptable and environmentally sound energy services and resources for sustainable development. To that end, it also highlighted the importance of improving energy efficiency, increasing the share of renewable energy and cleaner and energy-efficient technologies. The Assembly called upon Governments, as well as relevant international and regional organizations and other relevant stakeholders, to combine, as appropriate, the increased use of new and renewable energy resources. In response, SecretaryGeneral Ban Ki Moon launched the Sustainable Energy for All initiative, which brings together stakeholders in Government, the private sector and civil society to mobilize action towards three objectives: to provide universal energy access; to double the rate of global energy efficiency improvement; and to double the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix.
‘Trini’ engineer says wrongfully... From page 9 La Penitence Police Station, one of the reported victims studied him and finally said that he ‘felt’ it was him. He recalled hearing “I feel is him. I believe is him.” While the other reported carjacking victim reportedly said “Nah, I’m not sure. I don’t think it’s that fellah.” The session was being facilitated by the same detective who arrested him. Gill said that after one of the victims said that he does not “think” it was him, the officer sent him outside. The investigating rank reportedly spoke to the victims privately in the room for some time and later summoned Gill back into the room. This time, the men changed their stories and maintained that it was the Trinidadian engineer who had
indeed robbed them, Gill said. MISTAKEN IDENTITY The men are insisting that it is a case of mistaken identity. “We are all together,” they said repeatedly during the interview with this publication. The engineer is insisting, too, that there are holes in the story told by the carjacking victims. “I don’t know what’s going on…the men are saying that I was moving with a fellah right through, but how could it be? How come you can’t identify this person I was with? Then he said I had a bright and shiny red phone but I have a white phone. “Everything one said, the other one said too.” The Trinidadians say that they have evidence of their whereabouts. The men have footage from their apartment building showing when they arrived and left the apartment
that night and insist that footage can be retrieved from the various nightspots to show just where they were when the men were being robbed elsewhere. “The time they are saying we were robbing, we have video to show where we were,” Moore chimed in. But their insistence to have the police retrieve video footage from the business entities or even look at the videos and photographs they have in their phones have been rejected, according to the three men. “I said ‘Officer in the Fish Shop we sat down right by the cameras. Officer all you have to do is go back by the Fish Shop you will see us.’ But he said he doesn’t want to see anything, he doesn’t want to hear anything,” he explained. “It’s a clear case of mistaken identity. These guys (three Trinidad men) came here on July 3. They don’t know this place. It’s impossible for him to come to Guyana and hijack two cars in one night,” said City Mall Manager, Desmond Hellwing, who came with the men to Kaieteur News yesterday. “These men don’t even know where Stabroek Market is,” the Manager intimated. Gill was released on $100,000 station bail; his passport and cellular phone have been taken away by the police.
Sunday July 26, 2015
Kaieteur News
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CELL PHONES ETIQUETTE AND A SILENT FAMILY GATHERING By Ralph Seeram It was a very surreal moment; I was on my cell phone messaging friends in Guyana. I looked around the living room; the two-year-old plus granddaughter was on her iPhone playing games. My nearly six-year-old grandson was on his Kindle; their parents were on their phones also. A weird silence dominated the room, punctuated by the sounds of the games the kids were playing on their devices. This scene is being repeated in so many homes today. I was in the waiting room of my doctor some time ago. There were eight or so other patients waiting; the room was in total silence. Everyone was on their cell phones, old and young, either playing games or texting. I went to do a blood test recently; there were about ten persons in the waiting area.
You probably could have heard a pin drop on the tile floors. And yes, everyone was on their cell phones, some texting. No conversations. Cell phones today no doubt are a blessing, but some of the older folks consider it a curse also. As the cell phones get smarter us humans are getting dumb. We are losing the art of conversation, losing the art of writing and spelling and don’t let me even go into grammar. I can understand receiving texts using greetings such as, gm, gn, how r u, and other abbreviations which took me a while to grasp such as, the most popular OMG, followed by the LOL, IDK, NP, SRSLY, TTYL, SUP and dozens of other terms that personally I cannot decipher yet. What is troubling and I am noticing this among young people, is that these terms are
creeping into their standard writing; some English teachers can attest to this. The editor of this newspaper once told me some time ago that it creeps into the articles of some reporters. I recall when I got my first cell phone somewhere in the early to mid 90’s, you purchased time by the hours. In fact I can recall buying two hours, yes folks, you read right, for the entire month— two hours— of course you could buy more hours at a princely sum back then. Then cell phones were considered an emergency tool and a luxury. I basically contacted my family to say “hi and bye”. Conversations were very brief—to the point. Then the rates went down, talk time increased and we started talking longer and longer. Up came the Apple with the smart iPhone and the entire world changed in terms
Family believes negligence caused teacher’s death By Shyon Hoppie Family members are questioning the circumstances surrounding the death of Festus Thomas, a 53-year-old school teacher from Karasabai Village. Thomas died at the Lethem hospital on Sunday. The family said that his death came just two days after he was sent home by nurses of the hospital even though they initially admitted him to the hospital. Thomas went to Lethem Hospital one week ago complaining of belly pain. He was admitted to the hospital but was sent home after a nurse enquired if he had any relatives in the area of Lethem. The man was given pain killers and consequently released into the care of his sister without any form of explanation about his condition. The man was told to return last Monday to see the doctor. However on Sunday, he felt more abdominal pains and was taken back to the hospital. He subsequently passed out, defecated himself and vomited blood-tainted fluids. Within two hours he was dead while receiving oxygen at the medical institution. No explanation was ever given to relatives and the medical documents were taken away by the nurses and never returned to the relatives. A family member said that they believe it was the
negligence of the hospital personnel that caused the man’s death. The doctors and nurses were arguing as to why the man was discharged. Thomas was subsequently buried without a post mortem examination even though the family said they were suspicious about the death of their loved one and wanted to know how he died.
The staff at the Lethem hospital said that the only person that can give the viable information on the death of Thomas was Dr. Joseph Tories. The relatives of Thomas are now pleading with the relevant authorities to take the matter seriously and give them some sort of satisfaction surrounding the death of their loved one.
of communications. We can talk, text, and do a host of thing that most of you know you do on a daily basis. Centuries ago it was a different world; people had to wait months to get news from other countries. The telegraph leap-frogged that to same day and, with the advent of radio, it became instant but it was never in the palm of our hands. Not everyone had a radio or could buy newspapers, so the information was still restricted to a selected few. I recalled as a “little boy” I loved reading newspapers. Not everyone bought newspapers, and I made it a routine to go to a teacher’s house to read the papers every day. Later when I moved to another area, the nearby shop was like a library, everyone went to read the newspapers, splitting up the ages to read. Fast forward to today, in the palm of my hand I can read all the news, from all over the world, see TV programmes and the whole gamut. With the advent of social media like Facebook, Facebook messenger and other Apps, the world changed dramatically, for the better or as some would say, for the worse. Herein lies the problem of social etiquette. Because of the speed of communication,
and the fact that places like Facebook make us connect instantly to family and “friends”, we tend to be on the phone more often. So the problem is when should we be on our cell phone? If I am in company, in conversation and a text or message comes in, should I answer it or ignore for the moment? Should I ask for an excuse, only to ask for another excuse if another message comes in?I find myself in conversation, and whipping out my phone to answer text or messages, or check updates on news or my FB page. I am already being accused of being addicted to my phone, which to some extent is true. Am I showing bad manners when I multi task having a conversation and messaging and texting at the same time? Granted not all messages require urgent attention, but I do find myself doing it. In my opening paragraph, I mentioned the silence in the family as everyone was on their phone. That is not the norm, as the kids have their TV and phone time. But the trend is there, where families do not communicate much now. Even at mealtime most of us still want to be connected. My little grandson gives me the best excuse for
watching his iPhone while eating, “Papa you know it makes me eat faster”. Yes, he already figured the art of manipulation. But his expertise has its advantages. Recently he put two grown men to shame, as we could not figure out a remote to go the internet to search sites like Netflix etc. Seeing we were struggling, the little genius took the remote and “breezed” through the programmes and got us a Netflix movie. Now even the TV is splitting families. Time was when family sat together to watch a movie. Not so now, you go to Netflix and everyone has the profile they prefer. So the kids gravitate to their Kindle or Ipad to watch their programme, away from the adults. This “smart” technology has now gone to Television. Recently I went to purchase a television. I “set my eyes” on one because of price, but the salesman told me that’s old technology, that why it’s cheap, that I need to buy a LED smart TV. So what’s the difference? I asked. “It shows the same programme. “Oh no,” he said, and went on to the virtues of ‘smart TV”. Now I have a new TV that is wireless, no cable to Continued on page 71
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Let’s talk: At every service encounter within a customer focused organization, service quality can be identified through the standard of customer service experience. Customer expectation is a significant component of service quality and this expectation is usually developed from past experiences, word of mouth and advertisement. The customer would compare his perceived service with expected service and when perception meets expectation then the customer is happy, however if the reverse occurs then customers are disappointed.
Kaieteur News
Sunday July 26, 2015
Companies That Embrace Service Quality Are More Profitable Customers generally have a tendency to compare the service they ‘experience’ with the service they ‘expect’. If the customer experience does not match his expectation it can most times be due to tangibles physical issues; reliability; responsiveness; service assurance and empathy. How many companies can say with certainty that they are aware of what their customers expect and that they are confident that their employee’s performance meet that expectation? Companies that embrace service quality will meet customer needs whilst
remaining competitive. If a company embraces a service quality culture, primarily, its management will exude commitment to service and demonstrate an understanding of brand development; it will work to improve operational processes and identify problems and quickly and systematically find simply workable solutions. That company will establish valid and reliable service performance measurement methodologies and is able to measure customer satisfaction. According to the PIMS database at Princeton
University, ‘businesses that are rated high by their customers for service grow faster and are more profitable than businesses rated low’. Successful Companies are always conducting research on ways to add value to their product offering in an effort to surprise and satisfy their customers. Is your company committed to improving service? It is advisable to conduct an evaluation of present Service Quality or Customer Service Practices for taking your organization on a journey towards Service Excellence. Service is the spinal cord of any organization and a
company that embraces Service Quality will: Develop policies that put people first, and develop core values that earn trust; Develop a vision based on Purpose – Many business opportunities exist, however it is important in pursuing your goals that you love for what you do Be focused on company’s goals that embraces people, through nurturing, recognition and praise, you can claim buy-in from your team; Develop a strong, reputable and trusted brand; Developing the habit of Excellence. A company that is people focused, would be interested in the voice of their customers, and would implement strategies that ensure proper analysis of responses for
sound decision making. The voice of the internal customer should be the primary focus of any organization. The recruitment process, orientation and training the right job fit for positions within a company contributes significantly towards the profitability of any company. Developing policies that focusses on staff training in Service quality will firstly highlight a company’s dedication to excellent service delivery to its customers, as well as demonstrates the value placed on customers by the organization. In so doing, feedback and social interaction with customers will allow for the recording and analysis of the ‘voice of the customer’ in order to respond effectively, thereby making ensuring profitability.
Sunday July 26, 2015
Kaieteur News
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CONSUMER CONCERNS...CAN BUYING LOCAL EVER GIVE YOU BETTER VALUE FOR YOUR MONEY? By PAT DIAL Guyanese and other West Indians have had a deep historical preference for foreign consumer goods. It is only in recent years that this prejudice, for prejudice it is, has began to wane, gradually allowing consumers to exercise more choices. Since Independence, from time to time, there have been “Buy local” campaigns sponsored by Governments. The raison d’etre of such campaigns has always been ‘to conserve foreign exchange and stimulate local industry and agriculture.’ The needs and requirements of the consumers have never been part of the equation with the result that the campaigns have never made much impact. The Guyana Consumers Association has always vigorously supported the use of local products, once such products compare favourably with the imported equivalents in price and quality. Our watchword and guiding principle has always been “Value for your money.” In the supermarkets and many greengrocers’ stalls in the markets, many kinds of imported vegetables and fruit are on sale attracting a good clientele. Such vegetables are
not only carrots but broccoli, spinach (bhaji), small squashes, beans and even tomatoes. An even wider range of these vegetables are canned. These imported vegetables, either fresh or canned, are far more expensive than the local equivalents, are grown with chemical fertilizers, and are far less fresh, healthier and nutricious than the local ones. This can be seen when, as soon as the refrigeration is removed, they begin to droop, wither and even rot. There can be no question that buying local vegetables is better value for money. The range of foreign fresh fruit widely imported is much narrower and is mainly apples, grapes and pears. Pears are outclassed by the local avocado pears and other local fruit in taste, food value and price. Apples and grapes are far more competitive and are especially so when fruit are out-of-season. For example, medium oranges and mangoes are now five and four for $200, that is, one medium orange or mango goes for $40. and $50. In such cases, apples and grapes offer better value. Fruit juices of various kinds are imported mostly
from Trinidad and Barbados, but these so-called juices are no more than concentrates, watered up, sugared, flavoured and canned. The local fruit juices produced by TOPCO use fresh fruit and are far more wholesome and healthier than the imported “juices” and offer much better value for money. The situation is identical with the colas and other sweet drinks produced by Demerara Distillers and Banks DIH. These identical drinks are imported in cans costing twice as much as the local equivalents. We recommend that buying local fruit juices and areated sweet drinks present better value for money. Most consumers, with a knee-jerk reaction go for foreign “manufactured” foods rather than the local, though many local equivalents are world-class and cheaper. We give a few examples: The biscuits, salt and sweet, produced by Banks DIH are of the highest international standards and are far less expensive than any of the equivalents imported. Or the jams and jellies produced by Demerara Distillers, Tandys and other local producers are far
cheaper and more wholesome than the foreign jams and jellies. The sweets, pastas and other food products produced by the Beharry companies have all earned ISO standards, are world-class and are exported to international markets. Their sweets have all been formulated by the best expertise from Europe,
their production machines are amongst the most modern and their range is superior to and sells at better prices than any equivalent imports. NAMILCO produces wheaten flours of the highest grade as well as other wheaten products. Their products are fresher, healthier and less expensive than foreign imports. A good example is
the cereal wheat germ which sells at half the price of the foreign import. The consumer is therefore enjoined not to precipitately buy the imported product but to ascertain whether the local product is as good as and sells cheaper than the imported one so that he can be sure of getting the best value for his money.
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Kaieteur News
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FOR SALE
Make Up Courses with Mac, Bare Minerals, Black Opal and Sacha cosmetics. Call: 647-1773/660-5257
1 Mazda Axela, PTT series, low mileage, e x c e l l e n t condition -owner migrating Tel: 649-0956 PRADO TZ Land Crusier, automatic diesel, PHH series, fully loaded -$M –Tel:2332546; 688-5554 One new model Toyota Raum, HID Lights, Rims, reverse camera DVD, excellent condition –Tel: 691-2369; 6604265
1 Madza Axela PRR series, excellent condition- price $1.550M – Contact Shawn: 668-3412
LARGE QUANTITIES OF HIGH PURITY MERCURY (QUICK SILVER) 99.99995% PURITY$19,000 PER POUND CALL: 592-227-4754.
Summer Special: In cosmetology, nails, wig design & hair cuttingClasses commence -13 July Tel: 619-7603, 666-5241
One Welder contact 223-5273 /4 Girls to work at Ressort in Bar – between 18-25yrs- Tel:6136613 One experienced domestic, must know to cook Indian dishes, must have pleasant personality & be trustworthy –Call: 656-6388 One Female to cook for family in the interior –Tel: 679-8765
Welder needed-Call: 6277835 Female worker wanted sound secondary education, computer literate-Tel: 6121607 1 – Spray painter to do work on lorry cabs –Call: 228-5655; 628-1756 Live in waitress to work in a bar –Tel: 604-6606 Land to buy in Parfaite Harmonie, Eccles, Herstelling, Uitvlught, Tuschen, and anywhere on the East Coast –Tel: 6117223; 604-2207 Experienced, qualified Phonics, Maths & Language Teachers to teach evening classes –Tel: 675-4379 1 live in domestic must know to cook - $70,000 monthly, live in waitress - $60,000 monthly – Call: 610-5043
VACANCY International Employment: waiters, cooks, housekeepers, carpenters, plumbers, cleaners, securities, receptionists, printers- Contact: 2316296, 650-9880 www.plzrecruitme.com
2008 PREMIO -$3.3M, 2004 SPACIO- $2.1M, FULLY LOADED TV, BACK & FRONT CAMERA, MAG RIMS & UNREGISTERED – CALL: 642-7295 One 318 BMW never register for $ 3.1M down payment $ 800,000- Contact # 650-0402 Fantasy Auto Sales at 38 Alexander St, Kitty. Get $100,000 discount on preorders- Contact: 611-1833
Work from home, earn $5,000$20,000 daily Call MondayFriday 9am-5pm #233-6517, 6 3 8 - 0 5 9 5 www.jobfairworldwide.com
Fantasy Auto SalesAvailable: 2010 Mitsubishi RVR, Nissan X-Trail 2008. New model Premio & AllionCall: 611-1833
Receptionist: apply in person with application at 27 Norton & Creen Street Newburg – Call: 225-5509 Cashier 6am-3pm & 3pm12pm, inventory clerk. Submit application to Shell Station Providence EBD, shellramsburg@gmail.com. 1 Manager and 4 Workers, must be experienced, Address 15/16 Croal @ Street Sino Fast Food- Call: 6010055 Bartenders & Cleaners – Call: 225-8572 Bar workers, Bahir to work in the interior – Call: 231-0363 (9am-4pm) 1- Cook for guest house, must know to cook all types of dishes for interior –Call: 2310363 (9am to 4pm) One Driver for water truck, one pump attendant, one porter –Call: 680-3863 Porters, wood mizer and moulder operator –Call Richard: 609-7675; 674-1705; 233-2614
1-RZ Minibus BTT, Hardly worked; fully loaded, rims, USB Deck, A/C, excellent condition - $2.1M negotiable –Phone: 617-9143/ 660-8160 Toyota Land Crusier Prado, low mileage -$30,000Km $10M –Tel: 696-8538, 6880639 One Toyota Tundra 2002 GMM 2760 2X4, price $1.5M negotiable, excellent condition – Call: 657-8697 One Toyota Allex 2004 PMM 8850, excellent condition, Price -$1.3M negotiable –Call: 657-8697 SALE! NEW MODEL ALLION, BELTA, FEILDER, BLUE BIRD, TACOMA, LOWEST PRICES GUARANTEED – FINANCINGAVAILABLE – CALL: 639-7101/ 621-4190 1 Toyota IST – $1.1M –Tel: 639-1997 EP 82 Starlet, AC 4 Doors, working standard rims, lady driven – good condition $550,000 – serious inquiries only - Call: 662-5052 1 Ford F350 Pickup, extended cab, 4X4 Diesel, excellent condition, fully loaded, 6" lift kit, 1 Chevy Van –Call: 6105370
1 Male to look after layer birds in the interior –Call: 6798765
ACCOMODATION Specials on room! Free breakfast, Wi-Fi luxuriously & comfortably @ Signature Inn, 82 Laluni Street, Georgetown –Tel: 2262145; 227-5037
Sunday July 26, 2015
HEALTH Herbal nectar treatment for diabetic, hypertension and other sickness (follow me) sexual enhancers –Tel: 6962957 FOR SALE/RENT Supermarket space for rent, 1 acre land in La Grange, Independence Road for sale. Call Nitesh: 684-7853
Chevrolet 2006 Silverado 1500 4WD pickup automatic – unregistered -$5.5M – Contact: 687-6884 One 750cc Suzuki, motor cycle for sale – Call: 667-2921 Toyota Fielder Wagon, year 2004, good condition – Contact: 694-6157; 216-0209 Toyota Fortuna, 2012, 16,000 KMS, Automatic -$16.5M – Tel: 688-5554; 600-0979
Two Toyota Raum, old model HB series, excellent condition, price -$800,000 & $1M negotiable- Call: 657-8697 Timber Tack 450 B log skidder, imported from the USA, scrap Nissan pickup – Call Richard: 609-7675, 674-1705; 233-2614 1-AT192 Carina (private), automatic, fully powered, A/ C, mags, CD Player, price $850,000 Contact Rocky 225-1400,621-5902 1 Isuzu canter open back (diesel engine), manual, short base, price $1.3M- Excellent condition- Contact Rocky 225-1400, 621-5902 1- Toyota RZ (excellent condition) manual, CD player, mags, 15 seater, price -$1.1M – Contact Rocky: 225-1400, 621-5902 1-AT212 Carina (private -new model), automatic, fully powered, A/C, mags, CD, alarm, Price $1.350M Contact Rocky 225-1400,621-5902 1- Toyota Land Rover (Discovery) manual , fully powered, alarm , 4X4 Diesel (2700 cc) Price -$6.7M Contact Rocky: 225-1400, 6215902 1- Toyota Raum (PPP series) automatic, fully powered, AC, alarm –price -$1.3M Contact Rocky: 225-1400, 621-5902 1- Toyota Picnic (7 Seater) 4 doors, automatic, fully powered, A/C, mags, alarm CD –Price -$2.3M –Contact: Rocky: 225-1400, 621-5902 1-Ford Ranger extra cab (4x4) automatic, fully loaded, AC, alarm. Price $1.8M- Contact: Rocky: 225-1400, 621-5902 1-Honda CRV (immaculate condition) automatic, fully loaded, mags. Price $1.9MContact: Rocky: 225-1400, 621-5902 1- Mitsubishi Pajero (Junior) automatic, fully powered, A/ C, 4X4 (1100cc), price -$1.2M - Contact: Rocky: 225-1400, 621-5902 1-Toyota Raum (new model) automatic, fully loaded, A/C, alarm, mag rims, price $1.7M Contact: Rocky: 225-1400, 621-5902 2013 Mercedes C250 turbo AMG coupe, retractable glass top, mileage 15K, alcantara leather interior, brush aluminum acc- Call: 650-5136 Toyota Bus (pit-bull) 2008 model, AC, TV/DVD/NAVI, excellent condition -$2.7M negotiable, serious enquiries -Call: 690-4373; 639-4165
IMPORTED AMERICAN BULLY PUPS –CONTACT HARRY: 220-7933, 6674845, 610-0068 (WHATSAPPAVAILABLE) BBM PIN 52E62193 45 Feet boat with 1000lbs, nylon seine, 40 Yamaha engine with icebox –Call: 672-2135 Spare for washing machine, microwaves, fridges, stoves, timers, gearbox, motors, etc call: 225-9032, 647-2943 One 1997 Yamaha outboard 225HP, saltwater series, 30" Shaft, just over 6000 hours – Contact Christie: 692-3305; 662-6151 Instock subject to being unsold; 1,000 - 10,000 watts; Complete Solar Units- Mr. Beepat – 600 - 5253 1-85 HP Yamaha outboard, remote control engine –Tel: 231-0363 (9am-4pm) Dell desktop & laptop computers from $55,000. Free games & educational software- call FutureTech: 231-2206. Mining properties in all mining districts. Price negotiable – Call: 231-0363, only serious inquiries , Monday –Friday, (9am-4pm) 1-225 HP Yamaha outboard engine, remote control on 23ft wooden boat –Tel: 2310363 (9am-4pm) One Corolla Station Wagon, Silver Grey, very good condition –Contact: 609-5432 One 3 ton box canter truck, GPP Series- $3M negotiable –Call: 694-5441 D4H CAT bulldozer, Leyland DAF 55 Tipper truck, 20 lengths- plastic sheet piles– 1930 front end Contact: 2750538; 683-7225 Pile driv i n g h a m m e r s , w e i g h t 3 and 4 tons, 6 cylinder Leyland engine, 10 tons double steel wheeled roller –Call: 275-0538; 683-7225 Pneumatic roller – 9 wheels, 2,500 GLS, steel tank, 2,000 GLS, steel tank , 428 CAT Back-Hoe Call: 275-0538; 683-7225 PSP game disc –Tel: 6131499; 699-8504 Toyota 2L Turbo Diesel engine + automatic transmission, all in working condition, price negotiable – Tel: 617-4078 Brand new LG & EverStart, Portable AC units, on wheels, 110/120V, 10,000 BTU- Call: 218-0345, 681-0180 Continued on page 71
Sunday July 26, 2015
Kaieteur News
Page 71
Floodwaters wash away $$M for businessman TO LET From page 70
Furnished 1 and 2 bedroom apartments in Nandy Park, parking available- for further information – Call: 619-4824 Rental of 3 bedroom top apartment, E.B.D - $50,000 per month –Call: 604-8044 Bagotstown Public Road -2 Storied commercial Property (next to Ray’s Auto) -3,500 sq.ft –Tel: 233-2546, 233-5859 Newly built 2 bedroom apartment and house @ Vreed-en-Hoop- Call: 6986496 House to rent -$35,000 – Tel: 613-1847 Newly built 2 bedrooms apartment: bath, toilet, kitchen, sitting area on High Road Greenwich Park, Parka –Tel: 649-6202/664-3508 Two bedrooms top flat apartment in Campbellville, G/ Town. Available 1st August, 2015- Tel: 650-0716; 223-1051 Employees removing damaged toilet paper from the factory. When Canada-based businessman Mohamed Ishmail received a call from his homeland Guyana, he did not expect that on the other line would be someone informing him that his business there had suffered an extreme blow. But that was the news Ishmail, 57, received last Thursday following the rains that caused floods in large sections of Guyana. Now, the businessman is counting his losses and trying to come to grips with the millions of dollars that were washed away with the floodwaters. Ishmail is the owner of Cuddles Touch Incorporated located at Golden Grove, East Bank Demerara. According to Ishmail, the unexpected floodwaters of Thursday saw him losing approximately US$9000 or nearly $2M in toilet paper. He added that the cost of the paper is about
US$1,500 per ton. The man explained that he lives and works in Canada. He received a call on Thursday informing him of the circumstances. He explained that the entire street in which the business is located was flooded and that there was about 10 to 13 inches of water in the building. He added that he was forced to make his way to Guyana to assess the damage. The sight which met him was a harrowing one. He said that the raw materials had been stacked in rows of four. While the higher rows were able to be saved, the bottom rows were completely destroyed. Additionally, Ishmail said that equipment have been damaged and would require specialists coming in from Canada or India to conduct repairs. He said the two machines are fully
CELL PHONES ETIQUETTE AND... From page 67 connect, can connect to the Internet, and get my Netflix, You Tube and host of other programmes, read my Kaieteur News on a large screen TV. Oh did I tell you I cut my cable Television service and only retained my Internet Service. New TV made me smart, but not smart enough to figure out all the features, I will have to call on the little genius to come over and figure out a few things for me. All this texting and messaging is creating medical problems. Recently, one of my fingers got a bit swollen, only to be told it’s because of texting. So doctors are now seeing cases of Arthritis in fingers due to too much texting. Me, I started using my voice texting, don’t mind it mistranslates my Guyanese accent. So folks, I BRB next week, IDK what I will be writing but 4SHOO I will have NP finding a topic SRSLY, it’s NP, right now I am LMAO but TTYL, XOXO. L8R YO. Ralph Seeram can be reached at email: ralph3652hotmail.com or Facebook.
computerized and are used for rewinding the paper. Without these machines, a finished product cannot be made, Ishmail said. He said too that these machines cost approximately 6M each. Furthermore, the businessman is at his wit’s end since there will be no relief from his insurance company. He explained that the company emphasised that it could only offer fire and theft insurance but none for floods. Since last week’s floods, Ishmail said that the company has been forced to shut down as cleanup efforts are being undertaken. Employees have also been out of work. These employees, Ishmail said, are paid weekly but could not be paid for the lost week since no work could have been done.
CAR RENTAL DOLLY’SCARRENTAL-CALL: 225-7126/226-3693 DOLLYSAUTORENTAL@ YA H O O . C O M / W W W. DOLLYSAUTORENTAL.COM PROGRESSIVEAUTORENTAL: CARS & SUV FOR RENTAL$4,000 & UPPER DAY-CALL: 643-5122, 219-3900, EMAIL: PRO_AUTO RENTAL @YAHOO.COM Aidan’s Car & 4WD Vigo pick up, cheapest rate, low security- Call: 698-7807
1 Toyota Black Voxy with Chrome rims PTT - Contact: 253-3233; 651-4242; 6002691
Private customs brokers certificate training course 3rd Aug 2015 (3weeks) limited jobs guarantee, register now & save –Call: 694-8322; 223-1506 Lessons: Maths, English, Accounts, Physics, Social Studies and office Administration, Location: Campbellville –Contact: 6106087 FORMS 1 TO 5 SUMMER CLASSES! Mathematics, English and other subjects Science/ Business. Vreed En Hoop junction. Contact: 612 0247/ 653 - 0436
Property for sale, Grove $18M neg. Tel: 625-5461. 2 Storey 45x35 concrete property, lower flat incomplete. Land 65x120 @ Diamond N/S 5th Avenue, E.B.D- Call: 629-4017 Property for sale @ Bachelor’s Adventure, E.C.D, two storey concrete house $42M negotiable- Contact Gavin 225-8101 Transported Property @ Grove/Diamond, 3 bedrooms, 1 self-contained, concrete fence, grilled store room & Shed, (45X26) – Call: 660-1353, 216-4338 Agriculture Road, ECD, two story four bedrooms -$14M – Call: 612-2522 2 Storied 22ftX45ft transported concrete property upstairs 2 bedroom & downstairs – bedrooms, fully grilled, Block ‘8’ MonRepos, E.C.D - $20M – Tel:625-1514, 231-7255
One Tohatsu 40 outboard engine in excellent condition- Call: 680-6192, 225-5447, 225-5427 Fluffy puppies- Call: 668-9021 VEHICLE FOR SALE
Large 4 bedroom concrete house for sale at Rumzeight Garden W.C.D Residential Area –Tel: 269-0189; 268-3214 One property in Mon Repos & two in Camp Street – Contact Andrew: 611-9297
2 Flat furnished building, 4 bedrooms @ New Amsterdam, lot: 50X100ftTel: 333-2915, 624-5567 Two storey wooden and concrete business building, located at 35 Ketley and Howes Street Charlestown – Tel: 623-9679 1 Newly built 2 storey house, 4 bedrooms & 2 bathrooms at Diamond Scheme Golden Grove –Tel: 692-8814
Unregistered Toyota IST (2002) –Tel: 657-1796 1-192 Carina alarm, A/C, music deck, working condition$750,000 negotiable, PLL/HC series now, owner leaving country –Tel: 687-32411-192 Blow Out Sale!!! Unregistered Toyota IST $2,050,000- Bodykit, TV, Spoiler, Fogs, Alloy Wheels, Crystal Lights & Alarm – Call: 643-6565, 226-9931
FOR RENT PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION,WEDDINGS, ANNIVERSARY, ETC. CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 216-1043; 677-6620 1 Business apartment for rental, good for snackette, barbershop, boutique, etc – Call: 223-9727, 673-0373 Mining s Land: Gold land to rent at Potaro, Kuri Brong, District #2 –Tel: 602-3585 Self-contained rooms in Prashad Nagar, weekly & monthly rates –Tel: 6593865, 629-2424 Vreed- En-Hoop Junction: Storage Bond, office, lessons place, games shop, other –Call: 680-9905 3 Bedrooms house up & down at Hope E.C.D $30,000–Tel: 610-1920
Brand new 2 storey concrete building in 5th Avenue, Diamond, E.B.D, all modern amenities – $45M NEG. Call: 662-9335; 612-3244
2-Two storey concrete & timber properties on single plot @ Newtown Kitty Sale by owner $75M (GYD) – Call: 643-7061/ 673-8721 FOR SALE
EDUCATION
PROPERTY FOR SALE
DRESSMAKING We make all types of ladies garments, uniforms, etc. Also sewing classes –Call: 6262629; 676-6312
LAND FOR SALE Farm land for sale at Yarrowkabra, two houses, chicken/pig pens/fruit trees, price negotiable – Call: 6909726 1500 acres transported land 4½ miles from Bartica Rock, Quarry, Forestry, Agriculture. Contact Mark: 603-1266; 625-9788 Friendship house lot for saleCall: 692-8513, 223-0733 Farmland at Ruby Back about 6 minutes from Public Road, fully cultivated with bearing fruit trees, price negotiable –Call: 617-4078 Land @ Parfaite Harmonie & Tuschen -$1.5M each, 1-2 storey property @ Crane – Call: 604-6724 Professional Realty: we buy/sell/rent/value your real estate –Call:694-3875; 649-0535; 654-6198 Land @ Anna Catherina W.C.D - $6M – 3,200.00sq.ft – Contact Ramesh: 688-8195 New Herstelling (110ftX59ft) -$4M, Parfaite Harmonie, corner lot Main Road - $2.7M, $1.2M, & $1.5M- Call 6117223, 604-2207 MASSAGE Relaxing Massage Therapy Services-Tel: 674-8147
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Kaieteur News
Sunday July 26, 2015
Trinidad PM calls on opposition leader to state manifesto policies
Kamla Persad-Bissessar (L) and Keith Rowley PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad — The ruling People’s Partnership coalition government in Trinidad and Tobago headed by United National Congress (UNC) leader, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, has “called out” opposition leader Dr Keith Rowley to state his policies and plans in the leadup to the general election on September 7. The recently launched UNC media campaign asks the people of Trinidad and Tobago to make a choice between Persad-Bissessar and Rowley. According to Rodney Charles, campaign manager of the UNC, it is “sad” that the People’s National Movement (PNM) has failed to produce a plan, except for “Vision 20/ 20” of more than five years ago, which he said has been reframed and repackaged. Added to this, he said, are the PNM’s stated intentions to close down the local government ministry and reintroduce the money-pit that is the opposition’s proposed rapid rail project. A pre-feasibility study has already cost Trinidad and Tobago taxpayers more than
$1 billion (US$159 million). “We want to see what his plan is for education, health, crime, creating 30, 40 or 50,000 jobs for the graduates of the GATE Programme (tertiary education level),” insisted Charles, former Trinidad and Tobago ambassador to the UN. Charles pointed out that, as is the norm in other countries, if the opposing parties standing for national election are reluctant to state their policies for national development, they will be forced to do it. He said simply that the new UNC media campaign “norowley.com” is to inform the population who the real Rowley is. “It is to force him to state his plans, as the UNC is eagerly awaiting the release of the PNM manifesto, which they have been promising to do for some time,” Charles pointed out. This Charles said was a deliberate UNC strategy to attack instead of going on the defensive as the general election draws near. Add to that the spate of negative reports, mainly unsubstantiated, in the
mainstream media. “It is saying it is a choice between two leaders. Let’s see who they are. What do people who know Dr Rowley closely, like Patrick Manning (former prime minister), and Colm Imbert (veteran PNM MP), say about him. “I think that it is fair that the population can take it on board and decide whether it is relevant or not in their total determination of how does he size up against our leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar, who I feel is the better choice to take Trinidad and Tobago forward,” Charles said. Last week, Vasant Bharat, minister of trade, industry, investment and communications, noted that some 268 days had passed since the PNM promised its manifesto to a bewildered Trinidad and Tobago. “On October 26, 2014, Keith Rowley first promised us his plan. We’ve waited. And we’ve waited. And we’ve waited. But, still, there is no sign of any plan. So, to let the public know just how long Keith Rowley has been keeping us waiting,” Bharath said. (Caribbean News)
Sunday July 26, 2015
Kaieteur News
Page 73
Consultations on Budget 2015…Tax will be removed from certain food items - Finance Minister By Kiana Wilburg After relating to this newspaper some days ago that consultation with the opposition, the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), is not likely to occur for the 2015 budget, the Finance Minister, Winston Jordan was able to extend an invitation for discussions and it was accepted. Jordan however told Kaieteur News yesterday that the exchange was not as fruitful as it could have or was supposed to be. He said that the meeting at the end of the day was an opportunity to break the ice between government and the opposition in a formal manner. He said that he even
suggested that both parties can have periodic consultations. On Friday, Jordan and his team met with representatives of the PPP at the Ministry of Finance for what was intended to be an exchange of views on the 2015 Budget. PPP General Secretary, Clement Rohee, accompanied by former Ministers Robeson Benn, Pauline Sukhai, and Juan Edghill and member of the Executive Committee, Dharamkumar Seeraj represented the Party at the meeting. The PPP said it decided to accept the invitation having regard to “the unfortunate state of affairs obtaining in the country since the
APNU+AFC assumed office.” This sentiment was communicated to Jordan by Rohee. In this respect, the PPP said that the Finance Minister was told about the everyday violation of the rules and regulations pertaining to public expenditure management. Rohee advised Jordan of the Party’s “rejection of the pervasive ethnic cleansing and the political and social discrimination as well as the continuing arbitrary dismissal of persons once employed by the PPP/C administration.” “The Minister’s attention was drawn to the government scaring away of foreign and local investors and the
persistent haranguing of local private sector enterprises of being involved in money laundering, corruption and other and illegal activities. These positions adopted by government, the Minister was advised, will not in any way help to restore confidence and optimism in the economy.” Jordan reportedly made it known that he was preparing a three-month budget which is likely to be laid in the National Assembly in mid August 2015. The PPP said that it left with the understanding that the budget will project a three percent economic growth and will concentrate on boosting aggregate demand. The PPP delegation was also advised that
Sean Hinds denies conducting surveillance at PM Nagamootoo’s home By Abena Rockcliffe In the face of revelations from Prime Minister, Moses Nagamootoo, that selfconfessed death squad member, Sean Hinds, stakedout his private home, Hinds is maintaining that he did no such thing. Hinds featured prominently in the news recently as a result of his revelations that he was part of the death squad that reigned during the early 2000’s. He also said that he had knowledge of numerous killings but did not actually confess to any. Hinds made these revelations when he feared that he was wanted by the police for the murder of political activist, Courtney Crum-Ewing. It appears now that the real reason the police wanted Hinds was to question him on this supposed surveillance. According to Nagamootoo, two weeks ago, Tuesday, July 14, the security detail attached to his home noticed a strange car parked close by. Hinds was identified as the occupant of the car. As the security approached, the car sped away. A check of the car’s license
plate number revealed that the particular number belonged to a car with a different colour. Nagamootoo confirmed yesterday that a report was filed at the Sparendaam Police Station over the incident. Earlier this week, Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum confirmed that Sean Hinds was wanted by the police for investigations into a “serious offence”. Nagamootoo is convinced that the surveillance was for a possible hit. “We have information that some days ago Sean Hinds had been parked in a car in the vicinity of my residence and neighbours were alerted, the police were summoned and the vehicle drove away very fast,” he told reporters. The Prime Minister believes that based on the information provided, Hinds was allegedly on “some kind of recky.” Nagamootoo added, “If I was an asset or I was a target, I believe that Sean Hinds would have to come and explain,” Nagamootoo said he was informed that another vehicle, a black automobile believed to the property ofAnil Nandlall, arrived from the opposite direction. “We have alerted the police and
apparently since then they have been trying to contact Sean Hinds,” he said. He said that he previously confronted Hinds at City Hall and told him “I understand he has interest in me and he laughed and he didn’t say much on that occasion.” When contacted yesterday, Hinds expressed total shock at the new development. He said, “Wha? What, is wha I hearing here man? Me and these people don’t have a problem and I ain’t deh pon dem thing. Nobody, from no side of de fence can’t get me to do dem things no more.” He stressed, “I ain’t deh pon dem thing.”
Hinds acknowledged that he is a popular figure and “If I want to do something I won’t mek me presence known like that. I know that a man must know that is me lie down by the house. Come on, pick sense out of nonsense.” He said that he cannot understand “what they really want with me.” “If they wanted to find out the truth they could a send a man to me house to seh well look yo wanted fuh questioning.” Hinds continued, “I am not like that… nobody cannot put me up to anything like that. I done been down that road, not me again.” (Abena Rockcliffe)
Cabinet had its first look at the budget last Tuesday. The Finance Minister, the PPP said, also advised that there will not be a 20 percent increase in salaries for public servants. The APNU+AFC’s action programme for the first 100 days in office does not state that such a figure was promised. It only promised “significant salary increases for government workers.” The opposition said in its statement that as they understand it, the 2015 budget will not feature a reduction of the Value Added Tax. It said, too that Jordan was informed that the Party will submit its recommendations to the Ministry at the earliest possible time. It informed the media yesterday that the said recommendations were forwarded to the Minister on Friday. Yesterday, Jordan said that he addressed some of the contentions made by the party. With regard to the PPP question on the 100 day plan, Jordan said that he told the opposition that the plans are in the process of being implemented, some completely while others are partial at this time.
He said that it was also explained to the delegation that some things such as the establishment of the Public Procurement Commission require cooperation from the PPP. As for the issue of tax reductions, the Finance Minister said that he told the PPP that this will not be highlighted in the budget. A team is conducting a comprehensive study and review of the tax system to see what is feasible for the nation. “We are doing a tax study and that will tell us by how much we can afford to reduce it and it will look at all the taxes taking into account the needs of a modern economy. “The willy-nilly tampering of the taxes will not send a good signal or message to the investors. They are not trusting of an unstable tax system. They don’t like that environment at all so we need to have a tax system in place where it acts as an incentive for local and regional investors. “In the meantime, we will be removing taxes on certain food items. This is going to be featured in the 2015 budget,” the Finance Minister said.
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Kaieteur News
Haiti president calls for tougher action against corruption
President Michel Martelly listening to the president of the Thompson Reuters Foundation, Monique Villa (left), during a visit to Haiti several years ago.
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (HCNN) — Haitian President Michel Martelly has instructed anti-corruption authorities to apply a “zero tolerance” policy against corrupt government functionaries and other people involved in financial crimes and other acts of corruption in the impoverished Caribbean country, officials say. The head of the anticorruption unit (known as ULCC), Rodiny Jean-Baptiste, said Martelly has given him very clear instructions to investigate and to make sure that functionaries involved with corrupt practices are prosecuted regardless of their
ranks in the public administration. “I have received very clear instructions from President Martelly to investigate and make sure legal proceedings are engaged against any functionary that would be involved in corrupt practices,” Jean-Baptiste told HCNN last week. “President Martelly told me not to hesitate to take action even if he, himself, was the one involved with corruption,” the top anticorruption officer said. “With such clear instructions, The ULCC feels comforted and strengthened to pursue the fight against corruption that is a big
scourge for the society,” JeanBaptiste told HCNN. The country’s highest anti-corruption official made those comments after a report, made by his unit, has been leaked to the media regarding the misappropriation of nearly $10 million in transactions operated between the Haitian Port authority and a private maritime agency. The ULCC has also worked and produced reports on several other cases of corruption, including a scandal that involved the embezzlement of several million dollars in state funds by school owners participating in the government-funded tuitionfree education program for Haitian children. The Caribbean country is preparing to hold crucial presidential, legislative and local elections before the end of the year.
Sunday July 26, 2015
11 people charged with murdering prominent attorney in T&T PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC) – Trinidad and Tobago police yesterday confirmed that 11 people have been charged with the murder of former special prosecutor Dana Seetahal, who was gunned down as she left a casino during the early hours of May 4 last year. Deputy Commissioner of Police Glen Hackett named the 11 people as Rajaee Ali 25, Devon Cummings 29, Ishmael Ali 30, Ricardo Stewart 30, Earl Richards 48, Stefan Cummings 23, Gareth Wiseman, Hamid Ali 34, Kevin Parkinson 28, Leston Gonsales 25, and Roget Boucher 29. They are expected to appear in the Port of Spain Magistrates’ Court tomorrow. Early last week, police had detained a number of people,
Dana Seetahal including Yasin Abu Bakr, the leader of the Jamaat Al Muslimeen group who had staged an unsuccessful coup against the then ANR Robinson Government on July 27, 1990. Bakr was released without any charges being laid against
him. Hackett, who apologised to the Seetahal family over the concerns which arose over the lengthy investigation, said a cold case team has been set up to conduct investigations into unsolved murders.
Compliance Act (FATCA). Piloting the amendment Bill received support from both sides, Minister of Finance and Planning Dr. Peter Phillips told Parliament it would facilitate the introduction of an international tax compliant regime and give effect to greater transparency of information for tax purposes, adding that it contemplates the advent of new international standards and instruments. “The Foreign Accounts Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) of the United States (US) represents one such instrument and the agreement to give effect to this, which was signed by the Government of Jamaica and the US, has to be incorporated into our domestic legislation,” he explained. Under the amendments, effective August 17, financial institutions in Jamaica will be required to make the relevant financial reports to Tax Administration Jamaica (TAJ)
on financial accounts held by US taxpayers, including entities in which the US taxpayer holds a significant ownership interest. However, for all subsequent years, the reporting date will be May 31 of each year. The TAJ will also have to submit the relevant information received from local financial institutions to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) in the US. FATCA, which was enacted in 2010 by the US Government as part of provisions under the Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment Act, is an important development in the US’ efforts to combat tax evasion by US tax payers with investments in offshore accounts.Currently, Jamaica has some 11 double taxation agreements, nine tax information exchange agreements and one multilateral double taxation agreement within CARICOM.
Jamaica approves exchange of financial information with US under FATCA
KINGSTON, Jamaica – Financial institutions in Jamaica will for the first time, from next month, have to report specified financial account information on American citizens who have accounts in that Caribbean island to US authorities. This follows the passage of amendments to the Revenue Administration Act earlier this week, which gives legislative effect to an agreement signed by the US and Jamaican authorities in May 2014 as part of the Foreign Accounts Tax
Sunday July 26, 2015
Kaieteur News
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Pakistan, Zimbabwe put Headquarters are inaugural... limited-overs series on hold ESPNcricinfo - Pakistan and Zimbabwe have decided to put on hold their limitedovers series that was to be played from August 17 to September 17 in Zimbabwe. Although no definite reason has been identified for the postponement of the series, a likely one is that Pakistan did not want to jeopardise their qualification for the 2017 Champions
Trophy. A PCB official told ESPNcricinfo the series would not go ahead as scheduled. “The decision is taken unanimously and in a cordial manner,” the official said. “Both boards now will look for another window other than August-September this year.” Pakistan had initially agreed to play a limited-overs series in Zimbabwe this year
Hamilton on cloud... From page 82 afternoon. “I don’t have an explanation,” he said. “I just didn’t find the pace. It’s been a bit up and down all weekend, I’m definitely not happy with how it went today.” Behind the top four, Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen qualified fifth with fellowFinn Valtteri Bottas lining up sixth for Williams. Red Bull’s Russian Daniil Kvyat and Brazilian Felipe Massa, for Williams, share the fourth row. McLaren, a team with an impressive record in Hungary,
endured another tough afternoon with Fernando Alonso pushing his broken down car back to the pitlane likely to be one of the year’s enduring images. The second phase of qualifying was red-flagged to allow marshals to help the sweating Spaniard get the McLaren off the track. Alonso will line up in 15th place with team mate Jenson Button alongside in 16th. Both drivers took their first grand prix win in Hungary but even a point will be a bonus this time around.
during the only available window, in August. This was intended to reciprocate Zimbabwe’s tour of Pakistan in May which helped Pakistan host their first international series in the country in seven years. Pakistan moved from ninth place to eighth in the ICC rankings after winning the ODI series against Sri Lanka. With no one-day fixtures scheduled until the cut-off period of September 30 this year for Champions Trophy qualification, the top eight teams will remain unaffected. Had Pakistan played Zimbabwe and lost the series by a margin of 2-1 or more, it could have affected their participation in the tournament. Zimbabwe had also floated an idea for a tri-series involving West Indies, but with Pakistan qualifying for the Champions Trophy, the PCB seems to have had a change of heart, leaving Zimbabwe to scrap their plan. Zimbabwe Cricket did not respond to ESPNcricinfo’s queries.
Sunday July 19, 2015 ARIES (MAR. 21APRIL 20) Do your own research and be prepared. Don't hold yourself back because you think you're too old. TAURUS (APR. 21MAY 21) If you can, make phone calls instead of going out. Look into ways to better yourself through improving your dietary habits and daily routines. GEMINI (MAY22-JUNE 21) A better diet, exercise, or a change to a relaxed atmosphere could be ways to soothe your nerves.
LIBRA (SEPT. 24 -OCT. 23) You'll get to your destination just as quickly. Travel may be confusing. One of your female friends may try to disrupt your day. Stand up for your rights. SCORPIO (OCT. 24 NOV. 22) You can meet a new romantic partner or secure the love connection you already have by going out and entertaining yourself. SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 23 -DEC. 21) You need to look into ways to change your self-image. Sit back. You can make new connections through friends or relatives.
CANCER (JUNE 22JULY 22) Quarrels will erupt if you get into philosophical debates with friends. Uncertainty regarding your mate may emerge; reevaluate what you see in each other.
CAPRICORN (DEC 22.- JAN. 20) You'll find it difficult to control your emotions. Be sure to take care of the needs of your immediate loved ones first.
LEO (JULY 23-AUG 22) Professionalism will be of utmost importance. Organize social events or family gatherings.
AQUARIUS (JAN. 21 FEB. 19) Opportunities for love will develop while traveling or while attending religious functions.
VIRGO (AUG. 23 -SEPT. 23) You could have a need to make some changes today. You can make it up to them later.
PISCES (FEB. 20-MAR. 20) Stay away from social unpleasantness. You should be trying to clear up legal contracts that have been pending.
From page 81 Joint Services level come October next while the GPF will also select the cream to compete at the World Police Games set for Columbia in September/October, this year. Following are the full results from the inaugural GPF Inter-Division 50m swimming championships. Event Placing 50m Free (M) Deon Primus (A-Div.), Roy Persaud (A-Div.), Linden Barkoye (C-Div.), Gladwin Hanover (C-Div.) 50m Free (F) Davona Edwards (HQ), Shunelle Debideen (HQ), Eva Harry (HQ), Shion Boyer (HQ) 50m Back (M) Kenvall Campbell (A-Div.), Deom Primus (A-Div.), Reyon Usher (HQ), Akeem Alfred (HQ) 50m Back (F) Shunelle Debideen (HQ), Ena Harry (HQ), La-Seena London (HQ), Shion Boyer (A-Div.) 50m Brest (M) Deom Primus, Linden Barkoye (C-Div.), Trevon Gillis (HQ), Kester Gibbons (A-Div). 50m Brest (F) Shunelle Debideen, Davena Edwards, Le Seena London 50m Fly (M) Deon Primus, Roy Persaud, Akeem Alfred (HQ), Keon Estrado (HQ) 50m Fly (F) Shunelle Debideen, La Seena London, Ena Harry
Froome poised to win Tour... From page 80 Canadian Ryder Hesjedal taking third place 41 seconds adrift. Froome, who could not respond when Quintana attacked less than four kilometers into the 13.8-km ascent, ended the stage in fifth place, 1:38 off the pace after being helped to the summit by team mate Richie Porte. “It was really difficult today but my team mates were fantastic, especially Richie Porte. What can I say, it’s a dream,” Froome told reporters. Quintana rued losing lost 1:30 on the second stage after finding himself on the wrong side of a bunch split. “It was our last chance today, we tried in the col de la Croix de Fer but failed, so we tried again in the final climb,” he said. “I think I lost the Tour during the first week.” Froome, who claimed his first Tour title in 2013, was once again booed by the crowd on the final climb. He will become the first rider since Carlos Sastre in 2008 to win both the yellow and polka dot jerseys, although the Spaniard only claimed the mountain classification after Austrian Bernhard Kohl was stripped of the title following a retroactive dope test. The green jersey for the points classification will go to Slovakian Peter Sagan and Quintana will don the white jersey for the best Under-25 rider. Froome, who lost 30 seconds to Quintana on Friday, spent another tough day in the saddle. Frenchman Alexandre Geniez attacked from the start and broke away with three others but the FDJ rider went out on his own in the climb to the Col de la Croix de Fer. Among the group of favorites, Valverde attacked about five kilometers from the top of the col de la Croix de Fer and was quickly followed
by Quintana. Helped by Porte, Froome managed to catch Quintana at the top and the group stayed together in the descent. Pinot and Hesjedal then attacked and the Frenchman, who got help on the way from his FDJ team mate Geniez, powered
away six kilometers from the finish, riding his way through hundreds of flare-waving spectators. The 25-year-old, third overall last year, snatched his second Tour stage win after claiming his first on his debut in 2012.
Sunday July 26, 2015
Kaieteur News
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Weather forces postponement of Bush Amos tames Rudisha again Lot United Turf Club meet by a week in 800 metres showdown The inclement weather continues to play havoc with outdoor activities in Guyana. The unseasonal rain fall has forced the organizers of the Bush Lot United Turf Club (BLUTC) one day horserace meet which was slated for today at the club’s track Sea View Park, Bush Lot, West Coast, Berbice, to push the event back by one week. The event will now be held on Sunday August 2nd. The events remain the same with eight races scheduled to be staged with a prize package of over $5.5M up for the taking which includes cash, trophies and other incentives. Over 60 horses have entered for the meet which is expected to be action packed. The Feature ‘C’ and lower compliments of Banks DIH Limited for a winning pocket of $1M and trophy over 1600M for a total package of $2M will see the likes of Spit Fire, Jack in My Style Diplomatic Cat, Princess She is Not, Guyana Time, Unsettled, Bridal Stone Corner, among others. Animals such as Strom Bird, Country Girl, Keep On Swinging, IT MY Choice,
Gold D Cova and Settling Star has been entered in the event for the three year old West Indies Bred animals for a take home of $350,000 and trophy over 1200M. The E1 and lower over 1500M for a first prize of $350,000 and trophy will see among others Captain Crook, Mansoon and Fresh Again, Work Force, Plum Plum, Good Will Boy, Unsettled and Red and Lovely. Rosetta, Dream Come through, Precise Gold, Shantal, Honest Penny, Sent From Above, Cat Messiah, Today Is My Lucky day, Campador, Princess Page and Bird man are among the animals entered for the G2 and lower race for the winners money of $300,000 and trophy over 1300M. The two year old animals will be making their entry into the racing circle with the likes of Jumbo Gift, Maid of the Cat, Firing Time and Willie Poo entered for the 1000M race for Guyana and West Indies bred and born animals for a winning money of $300,000 and trophy. I and lower and three year old Guyana Bred horses over 1300M for a winning take of
$200,000 and trophy which will see the likes of Amazon Warrior, Mary Ann, Secret Escape, Little, Royal Cash and Cat Messiah competing. The J and lower event has the likes of Famous Pride, The Gump, Flying Object, Regina, Secret Escape and Little will be competing for a first prize of $180,000 over 1300M. The final event will be K and lower horses over 1300M for winning a winning pocket of $140,000 and trophy respectively. There are nine animal entered for that race. Among the sponsors on board are Banks DIH Limited Inshan Bacchus Hard Running Trucking Service, Jumbo Jet Auto Sales and Racing Stables, Hand In Hand Insurance, Q Trex International Shipping, Paghoo General Store, Choke Gas Station, Tony Auto Sales, Lakeram ‘Buddy’ Sookdeo and Sandra Indian Fashion of Bush Lot Contact can be made with Coordinator and Treasurer Lakeram B. Sukhdeo on Number 232-0558 or 672-0810. The event will be conducted under the rules of the Guyana Horse racing Authority. (Samuel Whyte)
Blatter tells Putin FIFA supports World Cup in Russia (Reuters) ST PETERSBURG, Russia - FIFA has passed a resolution offering full support for holding the 2018 World Cup in Russia, FIFA President Sepp Blatter said on Saturday at a meeting with Russia’s President Vladimir Putin. “I would like to inform you that the executive committee has recently adopted a new resolution in which FIFA assures the Russian Federation of its full support in carrying out the World Cup in Russia in 2018,” Blatter said at the meeting in St Petersburg ahead of the preliminary draw. Blatter announced that he was quitting in June after a major bribery scandal being investigated by U.S., Swiss and other law enforcement agencies that plunged soccer’s governing body into the worst crisis in its 111-year history. The scandal has cast a cloud over the forthcoming World Cups in Russia and Qatar, but Russian officials have dismissed any suggestion Russia could be stripped of the contest. Putin alluded to the crisis at FIFA but his comments
FIFA’s President Sepp Blatter shakes hands with Russia’s President Vladimir Putin (R) during the preliminary draw for the 2018 FIFA World Cup at Konstantin Palace in St. Petersburg, Russia July 25, 2015. (Reuters/Stringer) were relatively cautious compared with his previous staunch defense of Blatter and his organization. “We see what is happening around soccer, but I know how you regard this and we are grateful that you are concentrating your attention primarily on sport,” Putin said. In May, when the scandal broke, Putin harshly criticized the U.S. investigation into FIFA as meddling in matters
that were outside its jurisdiction. On Saturday Putin also pledged to host a World Cup where both domestic and foreign players and fans would feel at home, promising “a grandiose international sporting festival”. An economic crisis in Russia has forced cut-backs in World Cup preparations, but Putin and FIFA officials have said this will not affect Russia’s ability to host the championship.
Botswana’s Nijel Amos wins the men’s 800m final. (Reuters / Phil Noble Livepic) LONDON (Reuters) Botswana’s Nijel Amos laid down a marker ahead of next month’s world championships by winning a highly-anticipated 800 metres showdown with Kenyan Olympic champion David Rudisha at the Anniversary Games yesterday. The unorthodox 21-yearold Amos, who also beat Rudisha in Lausanne this month, clocked a time of 1:44.57 following a strong surge down the home straight. Returning to the Olympic Stadium where he set the world record in 2012 - billed as the greatest 800 metres race ever - Rudisha, still recovering from injury, finished second in 1:44.67.”Every race I’m running with him (Rudisha) is a good race,” Amos told reporters. “I used to watch his videos as a youth so it’s a dream come true. “I’m going home now for three weeks of training ahead of the world championships.” Rudisha, 26, was given a rousing reception on the start line but is clearly not back to
his stunning best, finishing nearly four seconds off his world record pace. “It’s really nice when we are racing with these guys because we have a lot of respect and love competing with each other,” Rudisha said. “I have a lot of good memories for this track where I set the world record. There’s still a few weeks until the world championships. I’m building my mileage and my speed is okay.” Jamaica’s Elaine Thompson left a strong field floundering in her wake as she cantered to victory in the 200 metres in a time of 22.10 — over two tenths of a second ahead of secondplaced Tori Bowie. Olympic 400 metres champion Sanya RichardsRoss of the United States and Britain’s heptathlon Olympic champion Jessica Ennis-Hill finished sixth and eighth respectively. Briton Greg Rutherford, who won 2012 Olympic long jump gold on ‘Super Saturday’ alongside EnnisHill and Mo Farah, failed to
revive memories of his triumph, finishing third behind Marquis Dendy and Zarck Visser. French Olympic champion and world record holder Renaud Lavillenie won the pole vault, postponed from Friday due to adverse weather conditions, with a superb jump of 6.03 metres. Britain won the men’s 4 x 100 metres relay in a thrilling finish ahead of fast-finishing France before Netherlands Dafne Schippers capped the action winning the 100 metres, setting a new national record in the process. Jamaican Usain Bolt answered questions about his form and fitness on Friday ahead of the world Championships with a solid but unspectacular season’s best of 9.87 seconds to win the 100 metres. Farah, running after recent doping allegations centred around his coach Alberto Salazar, rekindled memories of his double Olympic triumph in 2012 by clocking 7:34.66, the fastest time of the year, to win the 3,000 metres.
U.S. in group with Trinidad for World Cup qualifiers
ST PETERSBURG (Reuters) The United States, who have qualified for the last seven World Cups, will begin their quest for an eighth straight appearance in Russia in 2018 with Trinidad & Tobago likely to provide the toughest opposition in their first qualifying group. The U.S., who reached the last 16 in Brazil last year, will also meet the winners of two earlier qualifying round games - St Vincent and the Grenadines v Aruba, and Antigua and Barbuda v Guatemala. Mexico, who meet Jamaica in the Gold Cup final on Monday, will play Honduras in their opening qualifying group as well as the
winners of the earlier round ties — Curacao v El Salvador and Canada v Belize. Jamaica, whose ranking means they have to enter the competition at an earlier stage, face Nicaragua in a two-legged tie. If they win that tie they will go into a group containing Costa Rica and Panama as seeded teams. Grenada or Haiti will also be in the same group. The top two teams in those three groups will go into a final group of six teams. The top three teams will qualify for the World Cup with the fourth-placed team meeting an Asian qualifier bidding to take their place in the finals.
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Sunday July 26, 2015
“Tour de France and CONCACAF Gold Cup - Very tough competitions to win!” Colin E. H. Croft Two important sporting events which cause serious pain physically, emotionally and psychologically end later today, so some participants from both could be recuperating for weeks! Tour de France and CONCACAF Gold Cup do not compare to each other by world sports’ standards. “Le Tour,” with riders from Columbia to Eritrea to Australia, the most inclusive sporting event world-wide except for FIFA World Cups, World Championships and Olympics, is the world’s most difficult cycle race. “Gold Cup” is just a regional soccer competition. Both last three weeks, and for teams or riders who endure to the end of each discipline, not to mention extra efforts needed to win outright, getting to the conclusion must be special, for these are events for those who survive longest, not the swiftest! So, agonizingly,
disappointedly, desperately tired Trinidad & Tobago’s “Soca Warriors”, after 120 very hot, hard minutes in New Jersey, lost to Panama on penalties in their quarter-final. Positively for our Englishspeaking Caribbean, today’s CONCACAF Gold Cup 2015 final puts unbelievably energized Jamaica against extremely fortunate Mexico. That dazzling Giles Barnes free-kick helped “Reggae Boys” into the final while outplaying discombobulated, mesmerized USA. By contrast, Mexico’s final place appears to have been quite contrived and orchestrated. Fully confident Jamaica came out firing, fast and very furious, ignoring debilitating, stifling conditions which seemed to have affected T&T so badly, going directly at USA, a tactic that rattled “Red, White and Blue” so much that Jamaica won 2-1! Support from the Caribbean must be universal, hoping that Jamaica, recalling their halcyon days of FIFA World Cup 1998, will win their
DACG/BPO Inter Ward Football...
Double header on today at Den Amstel Two more matches will be contested today at the Dem Amstel Community Centre ground when play in the Den Amstel Culture Group (DACG) / Big Player Organization (BPO) Inter Block Football tournament continues. Today’s matches in the round-robin five team competition commences at 14:00hrs with Fellowship taking on West Coast Masters with the main attraction two hours later bringing together Back Street
first ever CONCACAF Gold Cup too, continuing good regional representation in this event. As shown, penalties are not easy to score from, especially after a long, grueling game. Those who failed to score for T&T; Sheldon Bateau, Joevin Jones, Daniel Cyrus, whose penalties if converted would have won the game for T&T, and Lester Peltier, whose final penalty was brilliantly saved by Panamanian goalkeeper Jaime Penedo; have nothing at all to be ashamed of. Similarly, stellar efforts from Marvin Phillip, T&T’s No. 2 goalkeeper, kept his team alive with secure, superlative saves throughout his tenure. He should be specially saluted. Implanted when Jan-Michael Williams was injured, Phillip, who suffered that greatest of personal losses only last year, with the tragic, untimely death of his infant son, should also be very proud. Skipper Kenwyne Jones, Head Coach Steven Hart and staff, while understandably disappointed, should also be very encouraged by their team’s collective efforts. Meanwhile, regardless of what many may say now, very
few expected “Soca Warriors” to do so well in this tournament. The one negative was that Coach Hart chose, only after T&T had been eliminated, to publicly complain about two extra days of rest that Panama got which “Soca Warriors” did not have. Tournaments’ playing conditions should be studied, discussed, queried and agreed on prior to embarking on journeys, not lamented later by teams negatively affected by stated regulations. Meanwhile, Tour de France; several teams included; that long, very difficult, dangerous cycle race, peddling off from “Grande Depart” in Holland, to Belgium, thence to France, including climbing the Pyrenees and Alps mountain ranges, also ends today in Paris; a very unordinary ride indeed. Spare a though even for USA’s pre-race favorite Tejay van Garderen, realistically only an outside bet to win, who, when third overall, withdrew late from “Le Tour,” during the seventeenth of the race’s twenty-one total stages, because of ill health
and outright tiredness. This bicycle race has similar liabilities, dangers, possibilities of serious injuries and death, to Formula 1 and Moto-Grand-Prix motorcycle races. Only the very best and strongest survive! I ache all over while riding 125 or so miles a week with few undulations or hills, so I could only be in total awe as to how these guys complete approximately 125 miles per day, sometimes climbing hills nearly three miles high that same day too, the race covering nearly 2100 miles total. Only the riders know how they manage, but Tour de France has been rife with scourges of performance enhancing drugs. Even “Yellow Jersey” race-leader for most of the race, Englishman Chris Froome of “Team Sky”, had nasty accusations thrown at him last week. USA’s Lance Armstrong is a confirmed drugs cheat. Past winners Spain’s Miguel Indurain survived suggestions about possibilities of drug taking, Italy’s Marco Pantini dodged doping allegations and bans until he died of cocaine binging, while even
Colin E. H. Croft great Belgian, Eddie Merckx, probably the best road cyclist ever, was accused of blood doping. But this is also a seriously dangerous bike race. Last week, “Team Sky’s” Ricky Porte was wickedly, violently punched in the gut, as was Merckx in 1975, by one of always-encroaching crowd, while Froome had urine thrown over him for drugs allegations, plus many racecancelling injuries to riders. Also, over thirty people, and four riders, have died in Tour de France races. Victory in Tour de France on Champs-Elysees, Paris this morning is for the very fit, as it would be to win CONCACAF Gold Cup in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania later. Go JA! Rahtid! Enjoy! E-mail address = c.e.h.croft@gmail.com
Hearts of Oak Masters football Camp underway in Berbice
and West Bank Masters. Defending champions Road Front opened their quest to retain the title with a 2-1 win last Sunday against Fellowship, while West Coast Masters mauled West Bank Masters 4-1. The teams accumulating the most points following round robin play will earn the right to contest the final with the winner walking away with $50,000 while the loser will earn $25,000. Third and fourth place will be awarded $15,000 and $10,000, respectively.
The participants of the Hearts of Oak FC holiday Camp involved in classroom session last week.
Despite the inclement weather the 18th edition of the Annual Hearts of Oak Masters Football Club “teach them Young” football holiday camp is underway. The camp kicked off on Monday 20th July and is expected to last until Friday 21st August 2015. Despite the unseasonal rains the youths are turning out to the sessions which are mostly being held indoors for the moment. Sessions are scheduled to be held at the
Scot Church ground, Princess Elizabeth Road, New Amsterdam and the nearby Prison Officers Sports Club and the All Saints Primary School. The programme is being held five days weekly from Mondays to Fridays except holidays from 09:00hrs -13:00 hrs. The youths are being taught the finer points of football which includes having both theoretical and
practical sessions. The programme also caters for the development of their interpersonal skills and relationships. The practical sessions entail showing the youngsters the various ways in receiving, passing, shooting, taking, dribbling, Goalkeeping and throwing the football among other points. The youths are also expected to be schooled in Discipline, etiquette, good table manners
and general education which will also include session on HIV and AIDS. Physical fitness is also expected to be an integral part of the sessions. According to coordinator Neil ‘Grizzly’ Humphrey the main aim of the programme is to have the youths better able to appreciate the rules and regulation of the game, improve their knowledge and skills and understand general sportsmanship and have a better human relationship with others and improve their discipline generally. Some of the personnel and coaches that will be involved in the sessions are former national players Adrian Forde, Kendrick Bowry, Neil Humphrey and others including Randy Sears. Interested persons can still make contact with Humphrey on 333 5525 or 6878764 or Secretary Kenrick Bowry on number 333-4451 or any member of the club on turn up at the All Saints Scott Church ground for information and or to assist the programme in anyway.
Sunday July 26, 2015
Kaieteur News
Stag Beer Sponsors Mega Emancipation Darts Competition
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Regional U15 tourney
Guyana trounce Leewards, Barbados overcome Jamaica
Alphius Bookie
John Maikoo presents the prizes to the President of the Guyana Darts Association Mr. Jamwant Bhupan ; also in the picture are Lallchand Rambharose, Raphael DeSouza and Jamal Holligan The Guyana Darts Association GDA has planned its Emancipation Tournament for August 2, at the Malteenoes Sports Club. According to a release from the GDA, the tournament will commence from 13.00 hrs, registration will start at 12.30 hrs.
This tournament is sponsored by Ansa McAl, distributors for Stag beer and a number of lucrative prizes will be up for grabs with the winners in the male and female categories receiving $20,000 respectively. This tournament is open to all members of the GDA.
Fireworks anticipated in Grenville Felix Memorial Cycle race in Berbice today
With all the uncertainties over the clash of dates and other modalities now been settled, all systems are in place as the country’s leading cyclists are expected to journey to East Canje, Berbice today for one of the biggest race on the cycling calendar so far. The event is the second annual Grenville Felix Memorial 60-mile road race. This is the fourth year that a cycling race will be held in his honour, but the second time as a memorial event. The race will peddle off at 14:00 hrs from the late engineer’s former residence, Canefield East
Canje and proceed to Number 43 Village Corentyne before returning to its place of origin. The event is sponsored by the Felix family; most of who are overseas, in memory of the once outstanding Guyanese to commemorate his birthday and is opened to cyclists countrywide and is being organized by the Flying Ace Cycle Club (FACC). Felix passed away on January 5th and would have celebrated his 98th birthday on July 16th. The event will see the first six finishers receiving prizes. Prizes will also be awarded to
the first three juniors and first three females and the first three veterans open. A total of 10 sprint point prizes will also be awarded. The Grenville Felix Memorial Trophy is a lien trophy and will be given to the first person who gets their name on it three times. The event was first held in honour of Felix Birthday and was for Berbice cyclists only. Andrew Hicks rode away with the first edition with Neil Reece etching his name on the winner’s board on the second occasion. The defending champion is Mario King. (Samuel Whyte)
All systems in place for West Dem table tennis holiday camp Parents and their children who have benefitted from the yearly held table tennis summer camp under the auspices of the Guyana Table Tennis Association (GTTA) will be pleased to know that this year’s activities is set to get underway on Monday August 3 next. A release from officials of the West Demerara GTTA Sub Association states that activities will get underway on that date and conclude one week later. Sessions would be conducted at the Goed Fortuin Community Centre
from 9:30-12:30hrs daily and will entertain participants between the ages of 5-25 years old. Activities will conclude on Sunday August 9 with a competition among participants between 10:00 and 15:00hrs. Participants would be capably tutored in the intricacies of the sport by GTTA/IAAF levels 1&2 certified coach, Muniram Persaud who apart from his excellent knowledge of the sport is a physical education teacher at the Mae’s School,
an institution that has excelled in this particular sport. Mr. Persaud said that the programme has attracted several quality players including 2 cadet and mini cadet players, Kristian Sahadeo and Alexandre DeAbrue, shortlisted to travel to Barbados in September for national duties. Participants are reminded that they must bring along a tee shirt, short pants, sneakers and a table tennis racquet. There is no monetary requirement for participation.
Sachin Singh Guyana and Barbados recorded victories when the Regional U15 50-over tournament continued yesterday with two matches. At the Guyana National Stadium, the home team defeated the Leeward Islands by seven wickets. Batting first, Leewards never recovered from a poor start and were sent packing for 90 in 40 overs. Paul Miller top scored with 20 off 71 balls, while Elroy Francis Jr made 15 and Zawandi Whyte 10.
Alphius Bookie was the pick of the bowlers with 3-8 while Qumar Torrington captured 221 and Kelvin Umroa 2-23. Guyana replied with 94-3 in 25.2 overs. Sachin Singh struck 38 off 57 balls with three fours and one six, while opener Robin Williams cracked 19 (2x4), Kevlon Anderson 15 not out and Junior Sinclair 10. At Albion, Barbados overcame Jamaica by seven wickets. Jamaica batted first and were bowled out for 82 in
32.5 overs. Kirk McKenzie 17 and Geordae Seymour 16 were the only batsmen that managed double figures; Ajani Ince, Rikeem Headley and Shemar Persaud grabbed three wickets apiece. Barbados responded with 83-3 in 44.5 overs. Nico Reifer scored 25, Azan Holligan 20 and Mekhail Marshall 16. At Enmore, no play was possible between Trinidad and Tobago and Windward Islands after overnight rain left the outfield waterlogged.
Regional U19 50-over tourney
Hetmyer century propels Guyana to comfortable win Opener Shimron Hetmyer stroked an unbeaten century to guide defending champions Guyana to a sixwicket victory over Leeward Islands when the Regional U19 50-over tournament continued yesterday in Jamaica. Chasing 217, Guyana reached their target for the loss of four wickets, ending on 220-4 in 35.1 overs. Hetmyer and Tevin Imlach added 64 for the opening stand to give their team a solid start before Imlach was dismissed for seven. Guyana then lost Balchan Baldeo (07) and Keemo Paul (08) to be at 115-3, but Hetmyer and skipper Travis Persaud steadied the chase as they shared in a fourth wicket stand of 82 with sensible batting. Persaud faced 40 balls and hit three fours and one six before he went for 27
Kassim Khan
Shimron Hetmyer
with the score on 197. However Hetmyer anchored the innings, smashing 18 fours and four sixes to remain unbeaten on 134 off 114 balls. Mrinal Wadhwa claimed 2-32. Earlier, Jaeel Clarke slammed 60 (5x4,3x6) and
Kacey Carthy made 48 (5x4,1x6) to boost Leewards batting before they were bowled out in 46.2 overs. Baldeo, Akshaya Persaud and Kassim Khan picked up three wickets each, while Paul snared 1-24.
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Sunday July 26, 2015
Hero CPL second semi-final...
Red Steel qualifies for first final as uncertain Warriors go down by 6 wkts By Sean Devers in Trinidad In association with Bounty Supermarket, Stag Beer, Leisure Inn, Noble House Seafoods & Payless Varity Store. A day after three criminals escaped from the Prison in Port-of-Spain resulting in one of them and a Police Office being fatally shot, the Guyana Amazon Warriors could not escape a sound trashing at the hands of the T&T Red Steel in the second semi-final of the Hero CPL t20 cricket tournament last night at the Queens Park Oval as the home Franchise advanced to tonight’s final for the first time. The Red Steel will now meet defending champions Barbados Tridents in the grand finale of the biggest party in sport in the party Capital of the World. At 87-7 many felt the
Warriors looked dead and buried and in the end the sold out crowd were proven right as strange changes in the batting order and another inept performance with the bat, especially at the top, and questionable use of his bowlers by Denesh Ramdin, helped to orchestrate their own demise. Despite a well constructed 64 from 51 balls with eight boundaries from Lendl Simmons, who was last out in the final over, nobody else offered support as the Warriors could only manage 108-9 as Skipper Dwayne Bravo (2-19) increased his lead to 28 wickets.
The Skipper was supported by left-arm spinner Suleiman Benn (2-24) and Samuel Badree (2-9 from 4 overs) for the Red Steel, who fed off the energy of the fans, raced to 109-4 with nine balls to spare to qualify for tonight’s final as Kamran Akmal (49) and Daren Bravo (22) played fluently Amazon Warriors won the toss and opted to bat in bright sunshine on a slow track with more bounce than the one at Providence and the Warriors, who made one change, bringing in Trevon Griffith for Assad Fudadin. And they started badly when Griffith (5) pulled Kevon
Junior Caribbean Squash Championships 2015...
11 and counting!!!
Cooper to deep mid-wicket to leave the score on 19-1 in the third over. But Simmons who got to 1,000 runs in CPL cricket when he reached 35, got going with two glorious back-to-back boundaries off the first two balls of the match from Dwayne Bravo. He got a couple of inside edges for boundaries, fought well and along with the Warriors leading run scorer Brad Hodge tried in vain to spark a recovery which did not happen. Ramdin (6) was caught and bowled by Sulieman Benn at 50-2, Hodge (4) was removed by Badree in the ninth over at 53-3, while Sunil Narine, shockingly sent out at number four, was clean bowled for a duck without addition to the score as the capacity crowd which created a sea of Red, went wild with joy and danced to steel pan,
Tassa drumming and pulsating Soca music coming from the Trini Possie Stand. Umar Akmal also fell for a duck one run later when he was taken by Kallis at slip off Benn, while Chris Barnwell (12) who continued to bat too late, was run out at 72-6 just when he seemed to be gaining in confidence. Things got progressively worse as David Weise (5) was caught and bowled at 78-7 by Bravo, who also removed Permaul (1) at 101-8 in the 17th over. When Simmons, who reached his 50 from 41 balls, was run out after reaching the boundary eight times it was always going to be a tough task to defend such a small total. The Red Steel batsmen adjusted well to a surface which made playing through the line problematic and after losing Cameron Delport (3) to
Permaul at 7-1, Jacques Kallis (8) was taken at point in the 7th over and first bowled by Devendra Bishoo to leave the hosts on 48-2. Kamran Akmal and Daren Bravo took the score to 85 before Bravo who hit a 17-ball 22 with two sixes and two fours was caught in the deep off Merchant DeLange who made the left-hander look uncomfortable to the shorts balls on the placid track to leave the score on 78-3. Akmal, who faced 41 balls and hit seven fours and a six in his cultured 49, was bowled by Narine at 85-4 but Dwayne Bravo and Jason Mohamed, who was very lucky to be adjudged not out when a ball from Narine clearly hit his bat and was taken at slip, ensured the fans left the Oval a happy lot as the Umpiring in the 2015 CLP continued to be poor despite the selection of ‘overseas’ Umpires.
Froome poised to win Tour after Quintana attack
Guyana maintain regional Squash stranglehold Guyana retained the Overall Team Title for the eleventh consecutive time and also retained the Boys Team Title that they had won for the Last two years but could not make it ten in a row for the Girls as they were defeated by a deeper Barbados Team by three matches to two. Guyana knew going in to yesterday’s matches that it would have been difficult to beat Barbados in the Girls Team but also knowing that a win by the Boys Team would secure them victory in the Overall Team Championship as Team Guyana had won two more team matches than Barbados going into the start of the final day. In the Girls Team final, first on court was the Girls Under17 match between Guyanese Rebecca Low and the current Girls Under-17 champion Amanda Haywood from Barbados. Rebecca played well but was no match for Amanda who won three games to love. The next match would feature Chelsea Samuel Under-13 Individual runnerup from Barbados against Guyanese Kirsten Gomes.
Kirsten fought hard but Chelsea also won by three games to nil. Guyanese Under-19 Champion Akeila Wiltshire took on Jodi Smith-Padmore and completely outclassed her to win by a three nil score line. With Barbados now leading by two matches to one there was a repeat of the Girls Under-15 final as Makeda Harding was matched up against Under-15 Individual Champion Meagan Best. Meagan won easily by three games to love to give Barbados an unassailable three matches to one lead. In the final match of the Girls Team Event Gabrielle Fraser was much too good for Jada Smith-Padmore winning by three games to love. The final score in the Girls final was Barbados winning by three matches to two to dethrone Team Guyana for that title. In the Boys Team final, first on court was the Boys Under-17 match between Individual finallists Guyanese Benjamin Mekdeci and Barbadian Shemane Griffith. Shemane had defeated Ben by three games to one in the individual final to claim an
upset victory. Team Guyana knew that a win in this match by Ben would virtually guarantee them winning both the Boys and Overall Team Titles. Benjamin did not disappoint. After a close first game which he won 11- 9, he got better and better. He won the second game 11- 3 and the third game 11 – 4 to avenge his individual final defeat. Shomari Wiltshire easily disposed of Darien Benn by three games to nil and it was left to the Boys captain Nyron Joseph to seal the Team victory. He did not disappoint and quickly rapped up the match winning by three games to love. This then secured both the Boys Team title and the Overall Team title. In the final two matches Barbadian Khamal Cumberbatch beat Daniel Islam by three games to love and Reginald Brewster turned the tables on Alec Melville to win by three games to one. This meant that Guyana had secured victory by three matches to two. This would be the eleventh consecutive Overall Team title for Guyana a run which commenced in 2005.
Team Sky rider Chris Froome of Britain wears the race leader’s yellow jersey on the podium after the 110.5-km (68.6 miles) 20th stage of the 102nd Tour de France cycling race from Modane to Alpe d’Huez in the French Alps mountains, France, July 25, 2015. (Reuters/Stefano Rellandini) (Reuters) L’ALPE D’HUEZ, France Chris Froome is poised to win a second Tour de France title after being forced to hang on desperately as Colombian Nairo Quintana attacked relentlessly in yesterday’s penultimate stage up the iconic Alpe d’Huez. In a gripping finale, Quintana powered clear of Froome and sliced almost a
minute and a half off the Briton’s lead, but he could not do quite enough to prevent the Team Sky rider from almost certainly celebrating victory today. With only the procession into Paris remaining, Froome leads Quintana by 1:12 after the Movistar rider attacked repeatedly and pushed the 30year-old to the limit in a punishing ascent.
The day’s laurels went to Frenchman Thibaut Pinot, who salvaged an under-par Tour with victory on the race’s ‘Queen stage’. S p a i n ’s Alejandro Valverde is third, 5:25 off the pace. Quintana was second in the 110-km stage from Modane-Valfrejus, 18 seconds behind Pinot, with (Continued on page 76)
Sunday July 26, 2015
Kaieteur News
Page 81
GPF Inter-Division Swimming Championships...
Headquarters are inaugural champions; Primus & Debideen, top male and female By Franklin Wilson Female champion swimmer, Ms. Shunelle Dedideen guided Headquarters to the overall title when the inaugural Guyana Police Force (GPF) Inter-Division Swimming championships took place yesterday at the National Aquatic Centre. Debideen who tallied 38 points after dominating the three other female swimmers in the 50 meters contests, ensured Headquarters tallied a mammoth 164 points to land the title well ahead of ADivision which managed 89 points. B-Division accumulated 36 points while C-Division brought up the rear on 29 points. Following the official opening which was done by Assistant Commissioner of Police (Administration) Balram Persaud, the athletes and fans were treated to some exciting races.
The champion male athlete, Deon Primus of ADivision splashed off day on a winning note in the 50meters freestyle clocking a time of 28.2 seconds. Despite a narrow loss in the female version of this race to Devona Edwards (42.3s) her Headquarters colleague, Debideen (42.6) ensured there would not be such a repeat as she won all the other races including the relay. Debideen went on to win the 50m backstroke (49.3s), 50m breaststroke (1:09.6), 50m fly (1:02.8) whilst anchoring the lone female team in the 50m freestyle relay; they stopped the clock at 4:06.9s. Primus who started the day on a winning note had to settle for second in the 50m backstroke to Kenvall Campbell who clocked 37.9s to Primus’ 40.7s. Primus was back to winning ways in the 50m breaststroke in a time of
37.6s; 50m fly (36.2s) but had to be contented with the third place in the 4x50m relay which was won by Headquarters in a spirited performance. In closing remarks, Deputy Chairman of the GPF Swimming Committee Kurleigh Simon thanked all the swimmers for helping to make the inaugural competition a resounding success despite many of the athletes having only mastered the basics of the sport, recently. Simon noted that the GPF possess lots of talent in the sport and is looking forward to an even bigger competition in 2016. He also challenged the other division to ensure that Headquarters is given a bigger fight next time around. The best swimmers from yesterday’s competition will be selected to represent the Guyana Police Force at the (Continued on page 76)
Shunelle Dedideen - Champion Girl.
Deon Primus - Male Champion Swimmer.
Page 72
Kaieteur News
Sunday July 26, 2015
Hamilton on cloud nine after Hungary pole
Mercedes Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton. (Reuters/Bernadett Szabo)
BUDAPEST (Reuters) Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton took pole position for the Hungarian Grand Prix yesterday with a blistering lap more than half a second faster than downcast Mercedes team mate Nico Rosberg. The two title rivals will line up together on the front row today, with Ferrari’s four times champion Sebastian Vettel and Red Bull’s Australian 2014 race winner Daniel Ricciardo behind them on the second row. The pole was Hamilton’s ninth in 10 races this season, the 47th of his career and left the Briton perfectly placed for a fifth career win at the Hungaroring. Hamilton leads Rosberg
by 17 points before a race that marks the halfway point of the season. “I’m incredibly happy with the weekend, I can’t remember having a performance as good as this,” said Hamilton, who has now been on pole five times in Hungary and went fastest in all three practice sessions. “I’m liking the weather, loving the city. I love the track, it feels a bit like an old go-kart circuit that we used to race on many years ago.” Rosberg, who has won three times to Hamilton’s five victories this season, was on pole in Hungary last year but had no response to his team mate this time on a hot and hazy (Continued on page 76)
Sunday July 26, 2015
Kaieteur News
Page 83
Second Ground Entertainment ‘Ballers in the Summer’ Street Football Tourney
Agricola upset West Front Road to advance
- Queen Street, Sparta Boss, Showstoppers also progress Sparta Boss, Queen S t r e e t o f Ti g e r B a y, Showstoppers and Samaroo Dam were among the teams registering victories when the inaugural Second Ground Entertainment ‘Ballers in the Summer’ knockout Street Football Competition opened Friday night, at the Pouderoyen Tarmac. The tournament dubbed ‘West versus East’ and played in rainy overcast conditions which failed to stop a large outpouring of fans, they got an early taste of what was in store when Agricola scored a major upset after squeezing past one of the tournament’s favourites West Front Road ‘Gold is Money’ by a 2-1 margin. That matchup was followed by North Ruimveldt having an easy passage to the next round courtesy of a walkover from Uitvlugt. Showstoppers eased past Raiders by a 2-0 score line with Dexroy Adams opening the scoring in the third minute when he fired into the net from the left side after receiving a pass from Nathan Allicock. Three minutes later Adams sealed his brace through a stinging rightfooter down the centre of goal. Former Georgetown champions Queen Street of Tiger Bay rebounded from a one goal deficit to eliminate Patentia Street Ballers 4-1. Mark Mohan had given Patentia Street Ballers the lead in the ninth minute, firing past the last stop after a pass from the right side. H o w e v e r, S o l o m o n Austin netted two minutes later, sliding in a pass down the centre of the net,
following a two-on-one situation. Austin returned five minutes later to give Queen Street the lead, finishing into the left side of the goal. Darren Harris then made it 3-1 one minute later when he delivered a firm shot into the goal, before Alpha Fletchman sealed the win with a strike of his own in the 20th minute. The most impressive victory of the night belonged to current national champions Sparta Boss who demolished Den Amstel by a 7-0 margin thanks to pairs from Dennis Edwards in the first and 11th minute, Sheldon Shepherd in the 14th and 15th minutes and new recruit Deon Alfred in the 14th and 15th minutes. Gregory Richardson was the other player to enter the scoresheet for Sparta Boss. Samaroo Dam knocked out DeKinderen 3-0. Winston Johnson netted in the fifth and ninth minutes, while Algernon Scott completed their tally with a goal in the 20th minute of play. We s t S i d e B a l l e r s survived 2-1 in sudden death penalty kicks over Parfaite Harmonie after regulation time failed to separate a 1-1 tie, while Admiral United defeated Brothers United 10, compliments of a Quason McAuley 17th minute strike. The semi-finals of the tournament was set for last evening, while the final and third place playoffs will be played this evening, at the same venue. The winning team will receive $200,000 and a trophy and the sponsors of the event are Golf Motor Oil and A. Forrester Lumberyard among others.
Part of the action on opening night of the Second Ground Entertainment ‘Ballers in the Summer’ Street Football Tourney.
t r o Sp Junior Caribbean Squash Championships 2015
11 AND COUNTING!!!
Guyana maintain regional Squash stranglehold
The successful Guyana boys and girls Squash teams pose for photos after reclaiming their title for the 11th time.
Red Steel qualifies for first final as uncertain Warriors go down by 6 wkts Second semi-final
Lendl Simmons was the highlight of a difficult innings for the Warriors at Queen’s Park Oval. (CPL) Red Steel were fantastic in the field, economic, effective, efficient at Queen’s Park Oval. (CPL)
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