Kaieteur News

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June 19, 2012 - Vol. 5 No. 25 - Price $80

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

GPHC Drugs purchase scandal continues…

Govt. pays $8,000 for - also buys $1,600 $600 injection aspirin for $2,700 P. 17

Deplorable road condition sparks protest in Linden P. 2

Pest Control owner laid to rest... 20P.

Boat mishap IPA demands answers in Puruni, on disqualification to Police detain three missing supply medical drugs businessman P. 9

P. 6

Page 02

Tuesday June 19, 2012

Kaieteur News

Deplorable road condition sparks protest in Linden N

urses and auxiliary staff of the Linden Hospital Complex, yesterday downed tools for several hours and formed a human barricade to block traffic along Casaurina Drive, to protest the deplorable condition of the road.

“Enough is enough,” many of them shouted. They collectively vowed to continue the protest until,

'something is done'.

“This is the state of the art hospital, but look at the road we have to use to get to work. You know how many pairs of shoes we break up just by trudging through this slush; and the thing is, some taxis dropping you off in front the old hospital and we got to walk through it with we white shoes. This is totally unacceptable,” one nurse complained.

“We're sick and tired of

this road, and we will continue to do this (protest) until this road is done to our satisfaction,” another declared.

Another displayed her brown shoes, which she said she opted to buy, because it makes no sense to “wear whites in the quagmire.”

It was pointed out that persons visiting the hospital often fall 'into the mess', with the latest incidents occurring yesterday and even Friday.

The incident yesterday involved a guard attached to the hospital. The woman reportedly had to remove her clothing, wash them and have them dried, before she could leave the compound.

Several residents, among them taxi operators, later joined in the protest. The taxi operators were very vociferous, in their condemnation of the road, which they claimed was 'breaking up' their vehicles.

Casaurina Drive is one of the main thoroughfares in Mackenzie, Linden, which apart from being the access road to the hospital, also connects Linden to remote communities like Coomacka, Kwakwani and Ituni.

There have been numerous complaints about the state of the road for several years now, but apart from promises, nothing tangible has been done to rectify the situation. In the meanwhile the road continues to deteriorate.

Residents are convinced that the “big trucks” traversing the road, are responsible for its continued deterioration.

Recently, Bosai Minerals had committed to give some assistance towards the rehabilitation of the road, and had promised to collaborate with other stakeholders including the Linden municipality to erect barriers to prohibit the trucks-- especially logging and container trucks-- from traversing the thoroughfare.

Many roads in Linden 'are a nightmare' for residents, despite the millions of dollars that are spent every year on

rehabilitative works.

Only last year several alleyways and roadways which were rehabilitated across Linden, deteriorated mere weeks after such works were completed. Residents have complained, in vain, about the substandard works that are executed in the community, but to no avail.

And major stakeholders o f t h e To w n h a v e condemned most of the works as totally substandard.

Regional Chairman, Solomon Sharma, has announced that pending the commencement of permanent works, the drains on both sides of Casaurina Drive are expected to be cleared in an emergency effort to facilitate easy water run off to mitigate the current situation..

Sharma also indicated that the current delay in rehabilitating the road was due to the fact that tenders for the expected works are expected to begin today and the regional administration did not want to change the scope of work.

The delay was also due to the long time tabling and approval the 2012 National Budget had taken, Solomon pointed out.

Some $13 million has been allocated for repairing Casuarina Drive. In addition, BOSAI Minerals, has pledged $5 million plus equipment and labour to help rehabilitate the road.

Tuesday June 19, 2012

Kaieteur News

Page 3

Missing seaman’s Police lab will do forensic - Barbadian and French family seeks closure DNA testing specialists to train locals The family of missing seaman, Gerald Fraser, has expressed frustration with work done to recover his body. It has been 11 days since the cargo vessel, Miss Elissa, capsized midway the Demerara River.

Fraser’s relatives say that this year Father’s Day was bleak for them. The missing man’s niece, Sharon Pickett, told the media how out of place she has been feeling since the incident. She added that she misses her uncle dearly.

Pickett said that her uncle was like a father to her and her seven siblings. She said that even though her uncle had four children of his own he was the kind of person who would take care of his family thoroughly.

Pickett said that while they were children her uncle supported her mother who was a single parent for years. He would send money from abroad to pay our rent, food bill, school bill and whatever else, she said.

Pickett noted that even though her uncle spent most of his time at sea he had a close relationship with his children. She recalled that one of Fraser’s children had traveled from overseas to be with him on Father’s Day. Just then Geraldine Fraser Pickett’s mother, who sells fish at the Stabroek Market, entered the room. The woman said that she left her work and took a taxi and came to tell her

… wants more to be done to retrieve their relative’s body side of the story.

The woman expressed disgust at the work done by the authorities to retrieve her brother’s body. She said that she wants closure.

“Even if they ain’t find he alive if they search they must woulda find he body or even a little piece of him that give us some satisfaction.” She said that she constantly finds herself looking out at the river to the location where the boat sank.

She said that her brother was good to her and all his family and that he would take care of her children while she was away on business and that she would have no problems.

The woman said that her brother supports his family in any way possible adding that he even promised to buy another sibling a piece of land.

Fraser’s niece then interjected and stated that her uncle was a wonderful cook. She added that when they were children he would cook and clean for them.

The woman then broke into tears as the memories came flooding back.

She said that she is frustrated with what is being done by the parties involved to find her uncle’s body. The woman said that more

Fugitive from justice captured after 8 years, charged with murder A man who was wanted for murder since 2004 and during which time he committed a number of misdemeanors, was recently nabbed after committing another robbery. He has now been charged with murder. He is expected to appear before the Albion Magistrate’s Court today.

The man, Abdulssalam Azimullah also called

Adbussulum Azimulla, called “Sato”, 29, of Lot 183 Hampshire, Corentyne, Berbice, and Nigg Squatting Area, has been charged with murdering Gary Simon on December 18, last.

The man was recently nabbed with others in a house in East Bank Berbice after they allegedly robbed a couple while armed with an AK47.

concern is expressed on how much money has been lost than the life of her relative.

Pickett said that they had paid two divers to search for the body since the divers contracted by the Ministry of Works gave them little information. “The divers them come and only went down one time and come up and talk bout the boat they ain’t even say nothing about my uncle”.

Pickett stated that her uncle had complained about the vessel being overloaded with goods and that the captain was operating the boat at too much speed. A three days journey would take him two days to complete, the woman recalled the now dead Fraser saying.

The missing man’s sister then noted that her brother knows enough about the sea because he did this type of work since he was 17 years old adding that it is hard to believe that her brother would turn back for a bag and cell phone in such a case.

Fraser also noted that the crew members gave conflicting statements. The woman also said that the owner of the vessel, Fijia Sankar, had offered to pay all the funeral expenses and promised to give her brother’s reputed wife a something. But those promises mean little to the family since no body has been recovered.

The family said that they have since tried to contact the boat owner on the number he gave them but it turned out to belong to his son who would make frivolous excuses as to why his father is unavailable.

“All we want is assistance to find Gerald. It has been 11 days since the incident.”

Efforts by the Ministry of Works to find Fraser’s body which is reportedly trapped in the vessel proved futile.

However, family members of the missing seaman say that they will not rest until satisfactory work is done to retrieve his body.

The soon to be completed police forensic laboratory at the University of Guyana Turkeyen Campus will definitely have the capabilities to do DNA testing for forensic purposes.

This was disclosed by Minister of Home Affairs, Clement Rohee, who told the media that the administration has obtained the commitment of two specialists to train local scientists in the process.

There was discussion on the capacity of the local facility to conduct DNA testing for forensic science.

Over the years Guyana has had to rely on overseas laboratories for this purpose, which often led to confusion and delays.

But according to the Minister, the administration has put in place measures to address this problem.

“A Barbadian specialist is coming down to Guyana to assist us with that. We’ve also got commitments from the French Government for them to send someone to assist us with that, particularly the DNA aspect,” Rohee disclosed.

However, apart from the training in DNA science, there will be the need for specialist training in the field of

evidence gathering for court purposes.

In a recent interview, a local forensic analyst had indicated that no one has so far been sent for the requisite training to, first of all, work in a state of the art forensic laboratory, much less give expert testimony on the results obtained.

“This facility requires state of the art training and so far nothing has been done in this area.

Those who have to operate in the lab will have to attend specialist universities to do work like Serology, which is one of the most common forms of evidence today,” explained the source.

DNA testing, locally will be cost effective, he argued, since it could easily cost the Guyana Government about $300,000 to send each sample overseas for testing.

“Where are all the bright Guyanese? Barbados is beating us with training. In their lab they have people with Master’s Degrees,” the

source declared.

Last year, Minister of Home Affairs Clement Rohee remarked that because of the involvement of University of Guyana personnel, public confidence in the forensic results would be well enhanced.

He noted that in Guyana and the rest of the world, “the complex nature of crime has to be responded to both with old, tested methods and with new cutting edge methods.”

Last year April, the Guyana Government signed a $450M contract with Courtney Benn Contracting Services Limited for the construction of a forensic laboratory at the University of Guyana, Turkeyen Campus.

The construction of the laboratory, which is funded by the Inter American Development Bank in partnership with the Guyana Government, is expected to greatly enhance the investigative capabilities of the Guyana Police Force.

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Kaieteur News

Tuesday June 19, 2012

Letters... Where your views make the news

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

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

EDITORIAL

Corruption has Donald Ramotar cornered Over time the people of this country have been hearing about their corrupt government. For example, there was talk that Forbes Burnham had stolen so much money that he was the fifth richest person in the world. The accusers quoted Forbes Magazine. Those were the days when information contained in foreign magazines was not readily available.

It turned out that there was never such a publication.

Today, more than 25 years after Burnham’s death there is no evidence that he was ever a wealthy man. President Cheddi Jagan came to power with a pledge to run a lean and clean government. And he was true to his word. He caused his government to import pharmaceuticals when a local supplier turned out to be fleecing his government. Suffice it to say that that local supplier is once more the major supplier of pharmaceuticals to the government.

As news of unprecedented corruption began to circulate the then President Bharrat Jagdeo simply asked people to provide proof. Some did and got nowhere. Others were threatened by persons unknown to keep their mouths shut and some lost government contracts. In the end people chose to report to the media.

That there is rampant corruption is now an open secret, so open that Nadira Jagan, a daughter of the Jagans, publicly accused the people in the party her father founded of stealing at unimaginable levels. She said that she was ashamed and her audience listened.

Now, a man who challenged for the presidential nominee of his party, has become the latest to complain about the levels of corruption. Mr Ralph Ramkarran has said that some of the corruption may be perceived. None can fault that statement. Burnham’s wealth was perceived but people believed and acted against it. But there are clear cases of corruption.

And Mr Ramkarran wants the head of state to act.

These days, very few of the accused can say that they are as clean as driven snow. In the first instance their physical assets defy explanation. When one compares these assets to their earnings there seems to be no correlation. In some countries the tax man would have intervened but in Guyana, given the nature of the politics, he has chosen to remain silent.

One case was revealed when a woman whose earnings were no more than $40,000 per month from the Guyana Oil Company, proceeded to buy a house for $60 million. This was brought to the attention of Head of the Guyana Revenue Authority, Khurshid Sattaur, who simply ignored the information.

There are other reports of corruption, all of which remain uncontested. And there is a reason for this. The people who should conduct the investigations subvert themselves to the political directorate. The result is that if someone is close to the political directorate then that person enjoys immense protection, even from criminal protection.

There is now the case of the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL). This body controls Government assets. It has the power to dispose of these assets and it does not have to account to the National Assembly.

In the same way that the auditor has found that the government-owned National Communications Network cannot account for some $215 million, NICIL is probably in the same position. In the case of NCN the money might never have been collected from people who placed advertisements. In the case of NICIL there may be people who have acquired government assets without completing the payment. This is dishonest. This is a corrupt practice.

And as if the heavens have opened, each day there are new reports of corruption being unearthed somewhere. We now have the city council among the latest band of corrupt practices. Already the NCN probe has revealed that people caused to be paid to their personal accounts, money destined to the media outlet.

President Ramotar has to take control and act condignly.

Corruption has caused his party, for the first time, to preside over a minority government. Further corruption could see the People’s Progressive Party losing the seat of government altogether.

Let’s bring the gravy train of corruption to a screeching halt now!

DEAR EDITOR, In response to SN’s scathing editorial, “CHEC,” (June 18), I couldn’t help noting the writer’s recognition of the Jagdeo regime’s failure to exercise due diligence before secretly signing with the Chinese government-owned Chinese Harbour and Engineering Corporation (CHEC) for the US$138M expansion of the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA).

That failure was in stark contrast to the exPresident’s call on the current President to review the CHEC-CJIA deal in light of information from the World Bank that CHEC was barred from participating in World Bank (WB)-funded projects until 2017 for engaging in corrupt practices.

Whether President Donald Ramotar will heed his predecessor’s advice and review or even rescind the project is left to be seen, but let me zero in very quickly on the issue of corruption and why any rescinding of the deal could prove difficult if not impossible, if the deal was mired in corruption.

From the Jagdeo regime’s side of the discussion, we can readily conclude that it has been overtaken with corruption, with numerous examples being detailed in the private media over the years.

From CHEC’s side, we only learned about its alleged involvement in corruption after word out of Jamaica revealed that the WB had barred CHEC from WB-funded activities for corruption-related reasons.

Prior to this corruption disclosure, it was Jamaica that also revealed the CHEC-CJIA deal was actually struck mere days before Guyana’s election.

Now, even if we wanted to doubt the WB’s claim, because it is the polar opposite of the Chinese, damning information has since emerged that in November 2011, former C h a i r m a n o f C h i n a ’s H e b e i P o r t Group, Huang Jianhua, was sentenced to death for taking bribes from the China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) and its parent company, Communications Construction Company Ltd. (CCCC), among other entities.

CCCC, according to investigations by Chinese authorities, gifted Huang a house worth more than 4 million yuan (US$628,000) after he arranged for them to win a bid in 2008 for the construction project at

the Huanghua Port Wharf in China.

If that were an isolated incident, one could overlook it, but then there was Arafat ‘Koko’ Rahman, a son of the former Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Khaleda Zia. Rahman was accused of taking bribes from CHEC and the Bangladesh subsidiary of Germany’s industrial giant Siemens AG, for helping them win Government contracts during his mother’s 2001-2006 premiership.

Last year June, he was jailed for laundering millions of dollars in bribes taken from CHEC, and Judge Mohammad Mozammel Hossain said in his verdict that Rahman was guilty of smuggling more than 200 million takas (US$2.089M) to Singapore.

The judge also fined Rahman 190 million takas (US$1.6M) and asked authorities to get the smuggled money returned.

Now, given that we know the Jagdeo regime was blatantly corrupt and CHEC was identified as corrupt, especially in the area of bribery, and given the secrecy surrounding the signing of the CHEC-CJIA deal worth US$138M to Guyanese taxpayers, Guyanese can only hope bribery was not involved here. I am not

implying bribery was involved, but against the background of two corrupt entities engaging in a secret deal worth US$138M, how can Guyanese know if the deal was above-board?

Against the foregoing, I completely concur with the a f o r e m e n t i o n e d SN editorial’s summation: “The Ramotar administration – despite the involvement of some of its Cabinet members in this deal – can well say it needs to pull back from this CHEC contract to review all of the relevant factors.

This contract is definitely the result of the worst forms of governance applied by the Jagdeo administration and should be put on hold.”

When we consider that 1) the Jagdeo regime also went to China in 2010 and secured a US$500M loan for the Amalia Falls HydroElectric Project (AFHEP), which has also been mired in cesspool of confusion, and 2) the Chinese botched the Skeldon Modernization Plant we borrowed US$200M to modernize, and is fraught with problems, we have a right to ask: what if the cost-benefit result of the CJIA investment or the AFHEP investment mirrors the result of the Skeldon Modernization investment ? Among the three – Skeldon, AFHEP and CJIA – that’s US$830M in loans

that must be repaid

by Guyanese.

Far from being exceedingly pessimistic, I am simply saying that all developmental projects must be the direct result of multiple studies showing strong demand and buttressed by a prudent cost-benefit analysis. Guyana, therefore, should not be grabbing what it can simply because China is flush with money to invest in Third World countries as part of its global political ambition to become a superpower.

If not, then Guyanese could well be financially obligated to China for the next generation for all these loans for projects not carefully thought out.

For the record, I am all in favour of a modernized CJIA if comprehensive transportation studies back the need for this and a cost-benefit analysis supports it, but we need at least a preliminary estimate and an invitation to contractors to publicly bid for the project.

The CJIA expansion should never become a political wish-list item of the ex-President or even an opportunity for personal enrichment of Guyanese officials. Let’s bring the gravy train of corruption to a screeching halt now!

Emile Mervin

Robert Corbin has demonstrated sober leadership DEAR EDITOR, Since Mr. Robert Corbin has announced his intention not to seek re-election to serve as leader of the PNCR, there has emerged all kinds of pundits, real or fictional, who have begun to occupy letter sections of the local news papers to pedal all kinds raison raison d’être as to Mr. Corbin’s perceived failures and successes.

Some will make it their duty to attempt to again engender and promote internal division in the PNCR by launching their media campaigns to pit potential contenders for the office of party leader, against each other. I urge and ask members and supporters of the PNCR not to fall prey to these covert attempts to promote disunity amongst us.

We have a rich heritage of spirited campaign, but at no time must we engage in public vilification of our leaders, present and past, who have worked to improve things in our country and party, and are continuing to make positive impacts, even today.

The PNCR has travelled the long and arduous road of political maturity and has picked up many scars along the way, let us use our history and our immediate past to build on that maturity and not fall victims to our detractors. Those of us who seek election to higher party office must also take care to ensure that our actions do not engender or encourage unnecessary public excursions of vilification of any of us.

This significant congress of 2012 provides us that unique opportunity to continue to demonstrate good and sober political

leadership. Let us build on what we have so proudly accomplished, and encourage others to follow our lead.

I am not naïve to believe that our achievement is complete; rather, I would be forceful in admitting that we still have more ground to cover, but I am confident that we are closer to achieving those noble objectives for the people. The journey towards a government of national unity was started many moons ago by our founder leaders. Like every organization, we have made our share of errors and have learnt and grown from them, it is time to continue to build this land that belongs to all of us.

Let me be the first to salute Mr. Corbin for his bold leadership and join with others to impress upon him to continue to provide positive political leadership to Guyana, even though he may not be leader of the PNCR, he has done this before and I am confident that he will do it again.

I believe that his decision to leave office while he is still here with us, a point he always makes, provides us that unique opportunity to express gratitude to a leader at a time when he has the breath to appreciate it. For I believe it to be more valuable to express gratitude at a time when we each have the mental faculties and breath to appreciate same.

For those who are quick to judge and vilify I say, sometimes we have to demonstrate the capacity to take that high road and as the saying goes just ‘give jack he jacket’. Mr. Corbin no doubt has made his share of (Continued on page 5)

Tuesday June 19, 2012

Kaieteur News

Page 5

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

June – A significant month in Guyana’s political calendar DEAR EDITOR, The month of June is significant in the political calendar of Guyana. It is the month in which five sugar workers were brutally shot to death by colonial police for having dared to stand up for their rights.

It is also the month in which Walter Rodney was assassinated for having dared to stand up for a democratic Guyana.

Much has changed since those sordid years. Guyana is today a free and democratic country, quite unlike what it was during the days of the Enmore shootings and the death of Walter Rodney.

At the time of the shooting of the sugar workers, there was no massbased political party.

Indeed, it was the shooting to death of the five sugar workers that acted as a catalyst to the formation of the PPP. At the graveside of the slain sugar workers, Dr. Cheddi Jagan made a silent pledge that he would dedicate his entire life to struggle for the liberation of the Guyanese people from the yoke of colonial rule.

He was later instrumental in the formation of the People’s Progressive Party which until today remains the true voice of the working people and the vanguard of the liberation struggle for a better and united Guyana.

Walter Rodney fought valiantly for a democratic Guyana. Unlike the sugar workers who later became known as the Enmore Martyrs, Guyana during the time of Rodney’s death had freed itself from colonial rule, but there was a new kind of oppression that resulted from the destruction of the democratic fabric of the society following the removal of the PPP from government in the elections of 1964 and the installation of the PNCUF coalition government.

One of the first indications of the rise of authoritarian rule was in 1967, one year after the attainment of political independence, when the PNC booted out its junior coalition partner the United Force from government and hastily called fresh elections, but only after it had taken full control of the elections machinery.

From a minority party in all elections prior to 1968, the PNC dramatically arrogated to itself through force and fraud the status as the ‘paramount’ party.

It was against this background that the struggle for a democratic Guyana has meaning and significance.

While the country was

independent from British colonial rule, the dark shadows of authoritarian rule became a limiting factor in the country’s quest for genuine freedom and statehood.

To a large extent, freedom from colonialism was overshadowed by a new oppression which saw the systematic erosion of civil and constitutional rights of the Guyanese people.

The high expectations of a prosperous and united Guyana following the attainment of political independence were shattered by the insatiable greed for power by the PNC regime, which shamelessly rigged all elections after 1968 until democracy was finally restored to Guyana on October 5, 1992.

The Working People’s Alliance, of which Walter Rodney was a founding member, became a sharp critic of the PNC then led by Forbes Burnham. Rodney was able to turn the tide of rank and file support away from the PNC by exposing the antiworking class postures of the PNC. The economy was in crisis and it was the working class who was made to carry the full burden of the crisis.

Real wages and salaries fell drastically which affected mainly those in the public service, the majority of whom were Afro-Guyanese drawn mainly from the ranks of the public service, army, police and the teaching profession.

As the crisis worsened, the PNC became more vicious and authoritarian. Burnham boasted of its “steel being sharper” in direct reference to Rodney and the WPA leaders, many of whom were harassed and tortured by the PNC. It is widely believed that the PNC was responsible for the eventual assassination of Dr. Rodney, who was killed on June 13, 1980, under mysterious conditions.

Politics, it is said, make for strange bedfellows. Today, some thirty-two later, the WPA or what remains of that Party, is politically affiliated with the self-same PNC which that Party is accusing of masterminding the assassination of Walter Rodney.

This is indeed an interesting development, especially given the close ties between the WPA and the ruling party, the PPP/C, during the days of authoritarian rule.

Rodney was highly regarded by Dr. Jagan and the PPP for the courageous stand he took against the PNC dictatorship, for which he later suffered martyrdom.

The WPA is now calling for the setting up for a Truth and Reconciliation Commission, before which it would be willing to share information on the events that preceded the assassination of Walter Rodney.

It is interesting to know what new disclosure that party is willing to lay before the Guyanese people.

Both the Enmore Martyrs and Walter Rodney have etched their names in the political sands of time in Guyana.

There are others such as Father Darke, a Jesuit photographer who was knifed to death by thugs belonging to the House of Israel, and the two ballot box martyrs from Corentyne who were shot and killed by the military for protecting ballot boxes from being carted away to some undisclosed location.

These are people who have paid the ultimate price for freedom and democracy.

The freedom and democracy that we enjoy today is as a result of the grit and determination of a significant number of Guyanese, some of whom have given their lives in the process.

Hydar Ally

Robert Corbin has...

From page 4 mistakes, for it is human to do so, but we must acknowledge that he’s surely ‘worth his salt’. It is an irrefutable fact that he has spent many decades in public office, in which he served Guyana faithfully. His refusal to give up on the PNC in its most difficult times is unselfish and demonstrates his commitment to party.

Mr. Corbin has been maligned and vilified many times over, but never quit on the country and party, and has resisted the many temptations to seek greener pastures for his personal

enrichment. For this I salute you Mr. Corbin! More importantly, however, is that under his leadership the party and Guyana have come closer to achieving national consensus, a legacy which is rightly his.

APNU is undoubtedly a living testament to the leadership of Robert Corbin, I ask his critics to judge objectively.

Lurlene Nestor

The Preamble of a Constitution can no longer be ignored or brushed aside

DEAR EDITOR, The days when the Preamble of a Constitution could be ignored or brushed aside are over. The attitude it seems has prevailed in places from time to time.

The present Preamble of the Guyana Constitution deserves to be read again and again.

It was enacted at a time when a Constitutional Reform Commission representative of all parties, if not of all the people, sat and struggled with the excess powers of the constitution as it was then.

They did not remove every excessive power. My information is that they discussed and then decided by consensus. If the two major parliamentary parties did not agree, no change could be made.

Not all the parties agreed with what their delegates achieved. Outside of the Preamble the WPA’s proposal on marginalization was heavily watered down.

My argument recently after the PNCR’s Press Statement on the Independence anniversary disturbed Mr. Sultan Mohamed into a fit of vomiting. Let us say I did not make myself clear. He missed my most important statement on federation.

The Preamble would not be there if it had no meaning.

Why would adults get around the table and write words to introduce a Constitution if they were only joking. Preambles vary. I am going cautiously, because of the widespread lack of interest in the subject.

When I returned from Guyana, after my brother’s funeral, I circulated the Preamble of our Constitution to about 30 persons. I received one response asking whether it was official.

What is well known about me is that I am “crazy”. The general response seemed to be, “What is he talking about?”

To me, the 2011 election results were a gift to the people of Guyana from the people of Guyana. All races joined in those results. They did not plan it. Perhaps they collectively wished a settlement. It will be a crime to undo that result. It seemed to me like the Voice of History saying, “Get together and work it out.”

The Constitution has no direct answer to those results.

It has provisions that may be used for negotiating a patriotic settlement. I named one of them outside of the Preamble. The President could have discussed the conditions, if any, under which the bare-majority opposition would offer ministers for the government.

A CALL TO DUTY DEAR EDITOR, The winds of change are enveloping the entire planet – first and third world countries alike. Dishonesty and corruption are implicated in many instances.

In our own context, only a moron will fail to grasp the significance of it all.

Incompetence, bribery, corruption, injustice, you name it, are some of the issues which must be dealt with appropriately.

Not to do so constitutes a tacit approval, and in reality, the person then becomes an accessory to the crime.

So it behooves us all to do our utmost to improve the situation in Guyana. Some of

us may have erred in the past and no longer support the same point of view. This would be a golden opportunity to redeem oneself and to contribute in a positive way to the welfare of Guyana.

Let us all do our utmost, whether it be at school, at work, in the market-place, or wherever our situation dictates.

Guyana needs you.

John Fredericks M.D.

There is one I did not name.

In the Constitutional articles, the Leader of the Opposition is listed under the Executive.

The Constitutional lawyers can help us here. I never knew why.

This is where the Preamble comes in. And some Preambles are entrenched like fundamental rights. Ours is not, but it can be helpful.

Strangely, what drove me to the Preamble is not a government of national unity.

I had been observing reports of the demonstrations of the youth, free of attacks on their political opposites, and I was excited and refreshed.

The disturbing voices from all sides began to call on the youth to get off the streets. Voices wanted them to shut up!

The Preamble has something to say directly on that in the name of the people.

I’ll risk quoting it even though I know what the chorus will be – “Partition.”

The Preamble says: (We) “Acknowledge the aspirations of our young people who in their own words, have declared that the future of Guyana belongs to its young people, who aspire to live in a safe society which respects their dignity, protects their rights, recognises their potential, listens to their voices, provides opportunities, ensures a healthy environment and encourages people of all races to live in harmony and peace, and affirm that their declaration will be binding on our institutions and be a party of the context of our basic law. “ Yes. All of that is in the Preamble. Enjoy!

Eusi Kwayana

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Kaieteur News

Tuesday June 19, 2012

IPA demands answers on disqualification to supply medical drugs Head of International Pharmaceutical Agency (IPA), Lloyd Singh, says that his company is only given medical supply contracts when the government has to measure up to the transparency requirements of international donors.

Otherwise, Singh said his company is denied supply contracts and without any explanation.

In a heated dispute, the supplier is denying accusations being leveled against him by the government and wants an explanation of why he was told that he was not prequalified to tender for the supply of medical drugs.

Singh denied a statement by the New Guyana Pharmaceutical Corporation (New GPC) that he had benefitted from hundreds of millions of dollars in contracts.

Singh said that the only large contracts he has received are those paid for by the Global Fund for AIDS. These contracts add up to $102 million.

He said his company also received contracts for the supply of medical equipment and laboratory supplies totaling $51 million.

These contracts, he

stated, were evaluated by the same National Procurement and Tender Board Administration (NPTAB).

Singh said that he was written to by the Ministry of Health of February 24, and told he is not qualified to tender for the supply of medical drugs for the government.

Singh said that the Procurement Act provides for him to be supplied with details of why he did not qualify, but he said he is being given the royal run around.

He said that the IPA wrote the Tender Board and was told to direct his questions to the Ministry of Health. When he asked the Ministry of Health, he was referred back to the Tender Board.

Frustrated, Singh said he had a meeting with Head of the Presidential Secretariat Dr Roger Luncheon, who told him that the Cabinet only ratifies what comes to it from the Tender Board.

Singh said that he wrote letters to the Tender Board, to the former Minister of Health Dr Leslie Ramsammy, to the former Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health Hydar Ally, to former President Bharrat Jagdeo and to all the members of Jagdeo’s Cabinet.

Bolivian officials get spy pens in anticorruption effort Bolivian custom officers will have to carry special pens, with a hidden micro-camera and voice recorder, as part of a government initiative to tackle corruption. The measure was announced by customs director Marlene Ardaya, who will be issued with her own pen.

"They will work as an antidoping mechanism in the department."

She explained that the voice recorders will remain

active during all working hours. The authorities said officials would be selected randomly to have the recordings in their devices checked.

The Bolivian Customs Department, with more than 1,000 employees, is seen as one of the most corrupt areas of the government in the South American country.

It is supposed to control all import and export, including the sale of valuable mineral resources.

Singh said he has not received any replies.

Recently, he said he wrote to the new Minister of Health Dr Bheri Ramsaran, who informed him by telephone that he is looking into the matter.

In a statement, former Health Minister Ramsammy said that the Ministry of Health and the Guyana Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) procure medicines and medical supplies through two mechanisms.

First, he said that medicines and certain medical supplies are procured through a list of pre-qualified suppliers. This list of prequalified suppliers has been determined after an open

tender process, using public tendering modeled after a World Health Organization (WHO) model.

Secondly, he said certain specialized medicines, laboratory supplies and medical supplies are procured through regular open tender as the need arises.

In regards the first mechanism, the present prequalified suppliers are PAHO/WHO, UNFPA, UNICEF, IDA, New GPC and MedPharm.

In 2010, Ramsammy said that the Government of Guyana initiated a prequalification mechanism through an open public tendering process to establish a list of private

sector suppliers, local and international.

A pre-qualification tender process (an invitation to be pre-qualified to supply certain medicines and medical supplies) was advertised on October 22, 2010.

He said that one of those companies that requested the pre-qualification tender document was IPA. During the first week of November 2010, the Ministry of Health invited all companies that requested pre-qualification tender documents to a clarification meeting to answer any query the suppliers might have had relating to the prequalification process.

At that meeting,

Ramsammy said that several of the companies which were present requested that they be given additional time.

When the prequalification document process was opened on November 23, 2010, five companies submitted bids to be pre- q u a l i f i e d as suppliers to the Ministry of Health.

The National Procurement and Tender Board evaluated these submissions based on its well-known process and approved two companies as pre-qualified companies. The IPA was not one of the companies pre-qualified.

IPA is seeking to know why it did not qualify.

Proper labelling of drugs in English pivotal - Govt. Analyst - Department to remove items from supermarkets, retailers who have information not displayed in English The Government Analyst/Food and Drug Department (GA/FDD) will be removing from the shelves of supermarkets and other retail levels all food, human and veterinary drugs, cosmetic and medical device where the information is not properly displayed in English.

Furthermore, the department will not release foreign labelled products coming through the ports of entry.

The organisation says that some of the languages on foreign labelled items include Chinese, Portuguese, Dutch, Arabic and Spanish.

The Analyst Department noted that the Food and Drug Act Regulations mandate that all regulated articles offered for sale should be in English. It was explained that labeling of regulated articles must not only be viewed as a market tool but an integral part of communication between societal players,

such as, Manufacturers to Distributors, Control Authorities to Consumers and Business to Consumers. In addition, proper labeling allows consumers to make safe, healthy, sustainable and informed choices at the point of sale.

Accordingly, the information on the label should commensurate with the technical knowledge, experience and education of intended users, that is, it should be readily understood by the intended user.

For foods the label contains information on the ingredient listing which informs on health, nutrition, quality and safety in addition to providing useful information on potential allergens and shelf-life.

“Also persons may have preferences because of religious and other beliefs and thus, the right to make discriminatory choices. Some temperature sensitive foods

may warrant specific storage information, for both the maintenance of quality and safety specifications.

Information may also be necessary to guide preparation and consumption to negate food safety risks. The country of origin is important, especially for dairy and meat based products and allow for risk assessment on zoonotic diseases (Zoonotic diseases are diseases caused by infectious agents that can be transmitted between (or are shared by) animals and humans.)

Also to inform on countries that are known producers of substandard and defective products,” Government Analyst/Food and Drug Department (GA/ FDD) underscored.

The analyst department also noted that cosmetic and medical device labels must communicate performance based information, such as precaution warnings, proper functioning and operations

and level of effectiveness.

Safety information on sun protection, allergens and hypoallergens are also required. Ingredient listing is of primary importance to assure that all ingredients are approved and used in stipulated quantities.

“Of particular importance are the sun protection ingredients, skin lightening ingredients containing steroids which can be absorbed and penetrate the skin in significant quantities.

Herbal cosmetics are emerging as a very key group with health implications, since many are manufactured by unapproved manufacturers and may contain contaminants that are injurious to health.”

It was further advised that Veterinary Drugs if inadequately labeled could result in inappropriate use, with resultant ineffective treatment of animals and possible development of resistance to such drug.

In addition, failure to observe withholding periods, that is, the period after an animal has been treated with a drug, prior to the consumption of its products (meat, milk, egg) by man could result in accumulation of such drugs in the human population with chronic and resistance effects. “The (continued on page 21)

Tuesday June 19, 2012

Kaieteur News

Page 7

Syrian forces pound cities as Obama, Putin meet (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed yesterday that the violence in Syria must stop but gave no sign of agreeing on how to do it even as Syrian security forces pounded opposition areas across the country.

Intense artillery fire was reported in Douma, a town 15 km (9 miles) outside the Syrian capital Damascus that for weeks has been under the partial control of rebels who have joined the 15-month-old revolt against President Bashar al-Assad.

At least 79 people were killed in violence that has escalated since international observers suspended their mission, activists said.

A Russian naval source said Moscow was preparing to send marines to Syria in the event it needed to protect personnel and remove equipment from its naval facility in Syria’s Mediterranean port of

Tartous, according to the Interfax news agency.

Russia is one of the Syrian government’s staunchest backers.

International efforts to halt the violence are deadlocked because Russia and China, which wield vetoes in the U.N. Security Council, have blocked tougher action against Assad. They say the solution must come through political dialogue, an approach most of the Syrian opposition rejects.

Obama and Putin held two hours of talks - longer than originally planned - at a Group of 20 summit in Mexico after a week of Cold War-style recriminations between U.S. and Russian diplomats over Syria. Putin frowned and Obama wore a sober expression during remarks to reporters after the meeting.

“We agreed that we need to see a cessation of the violence, that a political process has to be created to

prevent civil war,” Obama told reporters.

“From my point of view, we have found many common points on this issue” of Syria, Putin said, adding the two sides would continue discussions.

Obama said they pledged to “work with other international actors,” including U.N./Arab League envoy Kofi Annan, to find a resolution.

Obama initiated a handshake for the cameras while the two remained seated. At the end of their statements, as reporters were being ushered out, both sat glumly watching but made no move to re-engage with each other. It was the first ObamaPutin meeting since 2009.

Obama and Western allies want Russia to stop shielding Assad from further Security Council sanctions aimed at forcing him from power. Putin is suspicious of U.S. motives especially after the NATOassisted ouster of Libyan

Greek leaders close to coalition, aim to ease bailout (Reuters) - Greece’s conservatives are close to forming a new coalition government following a narrow election victory, a party official said yesterday, after their leader promised to soften the country’s punishing austerity program despite German opposition.

A relief rally on financial markets after Sunday’s vote quickly fizzled out as it became clear that the New Democracy party of Antonis Samaras had failed to win a strong mandate to implement the big spending cuts and tax increases demanded by the European Union and the IMF under a bailout deal.

Radical left-wing bloc SYRIZA and smaller parties opposed to the conditions attached to the 130 billion euro ($164 billion) bailout won around half the vote, though they took fewer seats in parliament because the electoral system rewards the first placed party disproportionately.

Samaras received a mandate from the president to form a coalition, and a New Democracy source said the party expected to clinch a deal today after Samaras met the

third-placed PASOK Socialists and the small Democratic Left group.

Samaras said Greece would meet its commitments under the bailout which aims to save the country from bankruptcy and an exit from the euro zone. But he added: “We will simultaneously have to make some necessary amendments to the bailout agreement, in order to relieve the people of crippling unemployment and huge hardships.”

A senior New Democracy official expected agreement soon on a new cabinet. “We are going to clinch a deal tomorrow, we will form a government,” said the official, who declined to be named.

It would aim to accelerate and broaden a privatization program to top up state coffers, but also ask its creditors to spread 11.7 billion euros of further austerity cuts over four years instead of two.

PASOK would also hold cabinet posts, meaning the two parties which have dominated Greece for decades and led it into crisis would stay in power despite SYRIZA’s strong showing.

The official also expressed hope that the Democratic Left, a small, moderate leftist party, would also take part.

There were mixed signals from Europe over the extent of any possible changes to the bailout deal. Euro zone paymaster Germany, already irritated at what it sees as the slow pace of Greek reform, ruled out more than minor delays to some targets in the rescue package Greece’s second since 2010.

Chancellor Angela Merkel said at a meeting of G20 leaders in Mexico that any loosening of Greece’s agreed reform promises would be unacceptable. “The new government will and must stick to the commitments, which the country has agreed on,” she said.

U.S. President Barack Obama, greets Russia’s President Vladimir Putin at the G-20 Summit in Los Cabos, Mexico, yesterday (AP Photo) leader Muammar Gaddafi last year, and has offered little signs of softening his stance.

‘NOAPPETITE’ Though the United States has shown no appetite for a new Libya-style intervention, Russia is reluctant to abandon Syria, a longtime arms customer, and risk losing its last firm foothold in the Middle East, including access to a warm-water navy base.

Russia supports Assad’s argument that foreign-backed terrorists are behind the unrest. Russia has repeatedly urged Western and Arab countries, who mostly back the rebels, to rein in their support in order to stem the violence.

International outrage over Syria has grown in recent weeks after two reported massacres in which almost 200 civilians were killed, most of them from the Sunni Muslim majority that has led the revolt. Assad comes from Syria’s Alawite minority, an offshoot of Shi’ite Islam that has mostly backed the president.

Heavier fighting and apparent sectarian killings have led many, including the head of U.N. peacekeeping forces, to brand the violence a civil war.

The British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which has a network of activists across Syria, said 51 civilians and rebel fighters

had been killed on Monday, seven of them in Douma. It said 28 members of the security forces were also killed in clashes with rebels in Deir al-Zor, Damascus and Deraa.

“We can’t even accurately count the dead because we have so many injured people to treat, there’s no time to think about anything else,” said an activist in Douma who called himself Ziad.

“The army attacks all the time. They have tanks, missiles, mortars, and artillery.

Even helicopters have fired on us. People can’t escape because the army is surrounding the town.”

Assad’s forces have in recent weeks used not only artillery but also helicopter gunships against rebels in civilian areas.

The head of the U.N. observation mission in Syria, General Robert Mood, is to brief the U.N. Security Council in New York today, three days after his mission was suspended due to security concerns.

Mood said on Sunday he was worried about civilians trapped in the central city of

Homs, epicenter of the revolt against Assad, whose residents say they have been pummeled by mortar and rocket fire almost every day since early June.

French Foreign Ministry spokesman Bernard Valero said the “relentless repression of the regime, and in particular in the city of Homs” meant it was more necessary than ever for the United Nations to enforce Annan’s failing peace plan.

France has called on the United Nations to invoke Chapter VII, which can authorize the use of force, to enforce the plan, under which the Syrian army was to withdraw heavy weapons from towns and cities and both sides were to cease fighting in April.

In Geneva, U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay said the government’s use of heavy weapons in populated areas could amount to war crimes, saying: “I urge the international community to overcome its divisions and work to end the violence and human rights violations to which the people of Syria have been subjected.”

Page 8

Kaieteur News

RECKLESS DAVID “ I m p o s s i b l e , unreasonable and reckless.”

This is how Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar has described demands made over the past few months by political leader of the Movement for Social Justice, David Abdulah.

Persad-Bissessar made the comments in response to Adbulah’s announcement Sunday that the MSJ will be withdrawing from the People’s Partnership Government.

He also announced that he would be resigning as a Government Senator.

But the Prime Minister said his departure from the ruling Partnership had only “strengthened” the Government.

In a statement issued about five hours after Abdulah’s announcement at the Oilfields Workers’ Trade Union headquarters in San Fernando, Persad-Bissessar confirmed she was informed

by Abdulah of the MSJ’s intention to withdraw from

the People’s Partnership Government.

Referring to Abdulah only by his first name, PersadBissessar confirmed she had received his letter of resignation.

“I respect the decision of the MSJ and David so to do,” Persad-Bissessar said.

She did not address the question of who will replace Abdulah in the Senate.

But the Prime Minister had strong words for the manner in which he led the MSJ’s participation in the Partnership in the months leading to the party’s withdrawal.

“I am compelled to tell you that the list of demands made by David over the past few months were always impossible, unreasonable and reckless.

It seems David’s entrance into Government never allowed him the advantage of a national perspective. He remained trapped in isolationist thinking,” PersadBissessar said.

Tuesday June 19, 2012

- PM blasts Abdulah after MSJ pulls out of Govt.

David Abdulah

Kamla Persad-Bissessar

In reference to Adbulah, the Prime Minister said: “You cannot negotiate governance like a labour union leader representing the interest of only one group. In Government your responsibility is larger than that; it seems not everyone can make the shift. As for David’s accusations they are vacuous and without a shred of evidence.”

She further said: “We have established a more transparent and accountable

government than any other before. David’s comments and criticism as a parting shot fired from the gun of a new political aspirant is an ambitious quest for power.”

She thanked Abdulah for his service and wished him all the best but said her administration will “continue with our labour agenda regardless of the absence of the MSJ”.

She said Labour Minister Errol McLeod, the MSJ’s only MP in the House of

Representatives, has a “lifelong dedication with the struggles of the labour movement” that can never be challenged, and “remains as a huge resource within the People’s Partnership Government”.

“So in a sense, the Government can be strengthened by David’s predictable but timely departure,” Persad-Bissessar said.

Contacted for comment before the Prime Minister issued her press release, Foreign Affairs and Communications Minister Surujrattan Rambachan echoed her sentiments that the government was not surprised by Sunday’s developments.

“So we are not ruffled by this at all. And we will continue to carry out our manifesto which is now as you know a policy document that has been laid in the Parliament,” Rambachan said.

He linked previous statements made by Abdulah

and Oilfields Workers’ Trade Union (OWTI) president general Ancel Roget to support his point.

“I think that both Roget and Abdulah had been telegraphing that they were going to leave the Partnership,” Rambachan said.

He was asked about the impact of the MSJ’s withdrawal on what is already a strained relationship between the Government and the labour movement.

“I think even when MSJ was a member of partnership you had the situation occurring at (Trinidad Cement Ltd), for example.

I do not think that labour relationships between the Government and the labour movement are going to be affected by this at all,” Rambachan said.

He said Government settled 36 industrial relations agreements in less than two years left over by the previous PNM administration.

Two Kwakwani institutions benefit from Digicel’s benevolence Chairman of the Kwakwani Skills Training Centre, Shiron Reece, is presented with one of two sewing machines.

Digicel representative Trevor Williams (left) and members of the Kwakwani community pose with the books donated by the company recently.

Kwakwani resident Jocelyn Morian speaking with Kaieteur News following the presentation of a large quantity of books by Digicel, last Saturday, said the gesture by the Company was a very good one, especially at a time when the youths of the community have been suffering from the absence of a Library for some time now, while adding that the gift will help re-establish a very important institution.

Morian, who is considered an elder statesman within the community, said the mere fact

that the Library will now have books where the youths could go to read, could initiate a turnaround in the neighbourhood, in terms of encouraging more persons to read. He spoke at length about the importance of reading, adding that it is the initial step to learning, and also that it is very important that there is a place in the community where people could go to learn through reading.

The Library which is situated inside the Resource Centre (Workers Club) will now have books to prepare

students writing CSEC as well as those who are desirous of entering the practical field.

Teacher Debra Adams, who was also among a group of influential members of the community present during the presentation ceremony, thanked Digicel for the gift which was presented by representative Trevor Williams.

Adams, speaking on behalf of the residents, said they are extremely glad that the books are all recent and updated editions, and they will be put to good use, especially among the

students who have to prepare for the CSEC and CAPE. Regional Vice-Chairman Byron Lewis, in his remarks, also thanked Digicel for the gift, which he assured will go towards the benefit of the entire community, adding that it is a significant donation, while also underscoring the importance of reading which could then lead to an educated community.

Lewis referred to the day as a ‘special one’ for Kwakwani, especially in light of the fact that the Library will once again be opened to the residents.

“A community without a Library is like a vineyard without grapes,” Lewis said.

Williams, who is also a Parliamentarian, said he was glad to be associated with the Kwakwani Youth Developers Sports Club, the organisation that approached him for the assistance, and more importantly with young people whose desire is to move forward.

The Digicel Representative applauded the Group for wanting to make an impact within the community and even took the time to point to the low percentage

level of passes in subjects such as Mathematics, Principles of Accounts and Science, which he felt needed to be addressed and curtailed.

Additionally, Williams presented two sewing machines to the Kwakwani Skills Training Centre on behalf of Digicel to Chairman Shiron Reece for the benefit of persons attending the Centre.

Reece thanked Digicel on behalf of the entity and assured that the machines would be used to upgrade the skills of those participating in the programme.

Tuesday June 19, 2012

Kaieteur News

Page 9

WHAT IS THE PROBLEM? The latest explanation by the opposition for not supporting a financial paper submitted by the government for expenditure made from the Contingency Fund for 2011, was that it was the same document that was submitted before.

In this context one has to ask: just what variations did the opposition expect?

Obviously, the government cannot vary the sums involved.

The government was essentially tabling elements of a financial paper that were voted down by the National Assembly. Whether the National Assembly can do that or whether there is need for a division of the House is another issue.

But the fact that the government brought the elements back to the National Assembly obviously meant that they were seeking to replenish the Contingency Fund and the sums involved quite naturally could not be varied.

The only variation, therefore, that one can reasonably conclude was required, had to do with the format of the appropriations.

In this regard, one has to question: whether the opposition knows just what is the format in which supplementary provisions are

to be presented?

According to the FMAA s u p p l e m e n t a r y appropriations are required to be submitted in the same format as an annual appropriation.

There is however the requirement for an explanation as to what the expenditure was for and this has to be provided in a supplementary document as well as how the spending will impact on the Budget.

Since the original financial papers were presented after the end of the fiscal year and not during the fiscal year, the latter impact assessment is therefore not required since legislation did not ask for the actual impact to be documented, only the anticipated impact.

The FMAA requires that the annual appropriation Bill be presented as part of the annual Budget. More importantly, it gives exclusive discretion to the Minister of Finance to determine the format in which it is to be prepared but urges that the Minister be guided by acceptable international standards.

Neither the FMAA nor the constitution of Guyana prescribes or adopts an acceptable international standard and therefore the format of the appropriation is

Dem boys seh ...

De Health Ministry B fuh Kwame de nation There is a saying. It is better to let people think you are a fool than to open you mouth and remove all doubts. Dem boys got dem own one. It is better to let people think you are a thief than to open you mouth and confirm you is a thief.

That is exactly wha somebody do. Dem boys not calling name pun this one because dem frighten because dem hear a hundred billion-dollar lawsuit coming.

Dem issue a statement which insult people intelligence.

In short dem think dem boys stupid. De statement was rude and very disrespectful. Dem boys want fuh know who does buy something and lef it right wheh he buy it from? Not even hire purchase goods does lef in de store.

In this case somebody set de stage fuh thief. Remember dem Chinese who give Ohh Pee some computer as gifts and then draw down some billion-dollar contracts?

In this case, somebody claim how dem does give free storage. But dem boys see how dem does mek de money when dem charge fuh certain drugs. Dem boys seh that is better dem pay ten times de cost to store it elsewhere than fuh pay de million times jack-up price wha dem got de nation paying fuh de drugs.

Dem know dem boys nah go far in school but dem know de difference between $80 and $2,000.

And dem boys seh that Jagged is part and parcel of all this. De kind of money wha pass through de Health Ministry to that man hand is too huge fuh he can honestly tell this nation that he don’t know bout it. He was de Finance Minister when this start and it ain’t done yet. And is years this thing was happening.

He was a man who use to peep at everything wid a fine tooth comb suh he can’t seh he never know. Shaatie continuing de tradition.

Anyhow, de Waterfalls paper got dem pun de back foot and some of dem pun dem belly. Dem don’t know wheh fuh look or wheh fuh tun. Is better dem come out and seh dem thief. That gun reduce de size of de pumpkin jumpsuit and de sentence.

Talk half and let Jagdeo admit de other half.

at the discretion of the Minister.

The FMAA, as mentioned earlier, requires that supplementary appropriations be submitted in the same format as that of the annual appropriation.

The opposition therefore needs to indicate the problems it has with the format of the supplementary financial papers submitted by the Minister of Finance. Once the format is the same as that of the annual Appropriation Bill, and once there is a supplementary sheet explaining the uses to which the expenditure was put, then there is no reason why the financial paper should not be deemed to be in order.

The opposition is probably confused between the requirements for the Appropriation Bill and that for the Budget proposal. In the case of the latter, the government has to satisfy a number of requirements including a financial plan for the fiscal year, an overview of

the medium term outlook for the domestic and international economy, the requisite assumptions that inform the Budget proposal, the fiscal policy objectives, projected revenues and expenditures etc.

As part of the annual Budget, the government is also required to submit the accompanying annual appropriation Bill referred to above. This is explicitly spelt out in the FMAA. Therefore the requirements for the annual Budget proposal and the requirements for an Appropriation Bill are not the same.

As regards the latter, the Minister of Finance guided by international standards, has discretion in determining the format in which these financial papers are required to be submitted.

The opposition should therefore state clearly its expectations of the financial Bills that were submitted recently by the Minister of

UG to honour Amerindian priest The Amerindian Research Unit at the University of Guyana, Turkeyen campus, will be hosting a programme titled Asserting the Amerindian Presence: The Life and Work of J P Bennett today at 14:00 h in the Education Lecture Theater, Turkeyen campus.

The event is coordinated

by Al Creighton in Bennett’s memory.

According to Mr Al Creighton, “Canon John Peter Bennett (1914-2011) was a unique individual, in many ways a pioneer, and an important contributor to Amerindian Studies in Guyana. His work has been innovative and very important in the preservation and propagation of Indigenous languages.

“He was a priest, a leader among his people, the author of an Arawak-English Dictionary, the translator of Biblical text into Arawak, and was devoted to the development of the Pomeroon River community, especially his home village of Kabakaburi.”

The programme will feature presentations from

Al Creighton visiting researchers Prof Ian Robertson of UWI (JP Bennett : The Ideal Linguistic Informant ) and Prof Walter Edwards of Wayne State University (Linguistic Characteristics of Arawak), as well as Jennifer Wishart of the Walter Roth Museum (The Bennett Collection at Walter Roth), Romona Bennett of UG (Introduction to JP Bennett’s Loko Stories) and Jennifer Baharally of Kabakaburi and will be chaired by Head of Language and Cultural Studies at UG, Terrence Fraser-Bradshaw.

Finance.

The opposition needs to be reminded that it is the constitution itself which permits the Minister of Finance to place before the National Assembly, a supplementary estimate or a statement of excess showing the sums needed to meet expenditure or sums which have already been spent for which the amount appropriated is either nonexistent of insufficient, or in respect to any monies expended for a purpose for which there was no

appropriation.

There is therefore no legislative lacuna involved.

The constitution is the supreme law of the land and the constitution is quite clear as to what can be done and what cannot be done.

Whether the opposition understands this is another issue altogether.

Boat mishap in Puruni, three missing Three miners are missing and feared drowned after a boat they were travelling in overturned around 07:00 hrs yesterday in the Puruni River, located in Middle Mazaruni.

One of the missing men is believed to be George Bowman, a 35-year-old miner of Lot 535 Section ‘B’ South Sophia. Police are still trying to ascertain the identity of the two other men.

Bowman’s mother, Helena Smith, told Kaieteur News that she was told that the men had come out of the Puruni backdam on Sunday for a Father’s Day celebration.

They were reportedly returning to the backdam when the mishap occurred. It is unclear what caused the vessel to overturn.

Ms. Smith said that she was informed that her son, who knew to swim, was wearing long-boots when the boat overturned.

“He was wearing longboots and when he went down he never came up.”

However, Ms. Smith said that she has not given up hope that her son might still be alive.

Bowman has four children aged 18, 10, three and ten months.

She said that her son, a former minibus driver, travelled to the interior with a friend on April 17 last.

After things failed to work out, he decided to travel to Puruni. The woman said that a Bartica resident informed her of the accident.

Page 10

Kaieteur News

Tuesday June 19, 2012

THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN

Is Bharrat Jagdeo ignorant, naïve or just deceptive?

When the mind refuses to see reality it stagnates. It locks itself up in a warped time zone. When actual events relentlessly force themselves on such a mind, it is inevitably too late. Such a narrow psychology is immensely destructive when it comes to heads of importantly large national or international institutions, Prime Ministers and Presidents.

If this commentator had written that the University of Guyana lost its international accreditation for its programmes, the response would have been that I am a perennial critic. But it was the

Chronicle that reported that upon meeting Guyanese residents in Barbados, President Ramotar was told that employers do not recognize the UG certificate.

This is a tragic state of affairs but it is the type of mind referred to above that has brought UG to this state.

Two of the senior UG administrators put there by the Government would robotically refer to criticisms of falling standards by constantly denying the crisis.

I could provide readers with a dozen letters to the KN and SN where an administrator pointed to the excellent

standard of UG by citing how well UG graduates were doing in their post-graduate studies at other universities.

So if you came out of the gutter and helped yourself to a Wall Street job, it was the brilliant training you received in the gutter that caused you to excel elsewhere.

This kind of bizarre thinking prevented UG administrators from seeing that the place was falling down. These defenders were either ignorant, naïve or plain deceptive.

It may be too late to save UG. It may be too late to save Guyana because former President Jagdeo used to think and still does like those two senior UG administrators.

Mr. Jagdeo has surfaced again and he continues to make appallingly jejune analyses.

Speaking at the opening of the NBS building, he praised the economic performance of Guyana by pointing to the economic mess in Greece. One does not know if Mr. Jagdeo is being honest in his misplaced

thinking or is simply propagandizing.

An economist cannot take comfort that his country is doing well because Greece is in decline. In economics, the comparison is untenable and should not be used.

Greece is an EU country far more advanced than Guyana.

Greece has developed over the decades while Guyana has gone nowhere. Then as 2012 started, Greece began to fall.

And when it stops falling, it will stay at a stage that is still far above Guyana.

Why should any citizen take comfort in Guyana’s economy because Greece is in dire straits? You can only do the juxtaposition if the two economies are comparable.

You then can make the comparison of different economic policies and conclude which approach is superior.

Greece is going through what happened to Argentina in the mid eighties. The situation was worse in Argentina. The banks could

not disburse customers’ own money that they went to withdraw. Argentina is, today, one of the fastest growing economies in the Third World, not only in Latin America. And where is Guyana in 2012?

Let us answer that question briefly by returning to UG and other places in this land.

The UG situation hardly needs rehashing. Trinidad is now growing and selling carrots in commercial quantities. Guyana imports it.

Which of the two countries should be exporting the vegetable? Our schools lack basic facilities. Our roads are in terrible conditions.

The index on poverty shows that disease afflicts large numbers in our population. So has Greece fallen? The answer is yes but while it lies flat on its face, it hasn’t reached the levels of poverty and infrastructural decay that characterize forty years of Guyana’s existence.

The Greeks will look to the Argentines and they will say

Frederick Kissoon like them we, Greeks will rebound. The Guyanese will look at Greece and think of Argentina that has rebounded and they know Greece will survive.

And Greece will endure and rise again while Guyana remains where it is – one of the poorest countries in the world and at the time of debt forgiveness by the Group of 7 five years ago, was listed by one of the eleven poorest nations in the world.

Guyana will not move and catch up with Greece and Argentina because inside the mind of those that control Guyana, like Mr. Jagdeo, we are as developed like Greece and Argentine. If you believe that one of the poorest territories in the world is not poor and is like Greece and Argentina, then with such a mind, you are bound to destroy that country because you cannot see reality.

Tuesday June 19, 2012

Kaieteur News

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Kaieteur News

Hundreds rush to meet registration deadline As the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) yesterday prepared to wrap up its registration process, scores of unregistered persons, both young and old, flooded locations all across the country, for their last minute registrations.

Although the lines moved at a sluggish pace, many were prepared to wait out of fear that they might be penalized since it was announced via the media, that persons eligible and unregistered will be prosecuted.

And as such, many were calling on GECOM to extend the registration process, so as to provide late registrants, most of whom are a part of the working world, a chance to get registered.

“I does got to work. Me boss man don’t want give me time off,” Anita Gomes said.

She noted that there are many like herself, who, in fear of losing their jobs, prefer not to get registered.

Meanwhile, several persons at the Little Diamond location yesterday vented their anger on the fact that that location has also been conducting registrations for persons in the Diamond and Grove Housing Schemes respectively.

This publication observed as several persons, after examining the lengthy line, opted to leave without being registered.

Tuesday June 19, 2012

Guyana arm of Pan African Movement remembers Soweto massacre … commemorates Day of the African child

Some of the models at the Pan American Movement In 1976, a massacre of African youths occurred in Soweto, South Africa. The killings stemmed from a protest staged by a vast number of African students.

June 16, is acknowledged around the world as “Day of the African Child”, in commemoration of the killings.

On Sunday, the Pan African Movement hosted its annual concert to pay its

respects to the Soweto dead.

The main instant in the African History to be remembered on the Day of the African Child is the killing of numerous youths during a protest.

The protest was mounted as youths expressed dissatisfaction of the inequality in schools. Black students had to learn lessons in English and Afrikaans, whereas whites could have

chosen which language to learn.

The day began with a march by 10,000 students carrying banners and slogans, saying “Down with Afrikaans” and “Viva Azania” (the name given to South Africa by black nationalists).

At least 12 people are reported to have been killed in a series of violent clashes between black demonstrators (continued on page 21)

Father’s Day donation to Uncle Eddie’s home

The male inmates of Uncle Eddie’s Home located in Tucville, Georgetown, were the recipients of large hampers last Friday in recognition of

Father ’s Day which was celebrated on Sunday.

Members of staff of the donors, Food For The Poor, a non-governmental organization gleefully distrib-

uted the gifts which consisted of clothing, food and other commodities.

The inmates expressed gratitude to Food for the Poor for their generosity.

Tuesday June 19, 2012

Kaieteur News

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Man jailed for 21 years on beheading conviction Colin Bentick, the man who was on trial for the beheading of another at Seafield, West Coast Berbice, and had pleaded guilty to the lesser count of manslaughter, was yesterday sentenced to 21 years in jail by Justice James Bovell-Drakes at the Berbice High Court.

Bentick, 39, of No 42 (Seafield) Village, West Coast Berbice, was charged with the murder of 38-year-old Elton Shepherd, called ‘Fine Man’ and ‘Scarlon’, a clothes vendor, at Seafield, West Coast Berbice, on October 31 2007.

Justice Bovell- Drakes, before handing down his decision, recounted the gruesome incident that was presented earlier by State prosecutor Attorney at law Rondell Weaver.

Weaver had told the court that Shepherd and a group of persons were sitting underneath an old house playing dominoes at Seafield, West Coast Berbice. She had stated that some time between noon and 13:00 hrs they were approached by Bentick who went up to Shepherd and stated that “Shepherd is a dead man”.

He then asked Shepherd if he knew anything about his “Data” (his girl), to which Shepherd responded in the negative. Bentick then left and returned with a cutlass and proceeded to chop Shepherd across his right hand, the other persons ran away. Shepherd allegedly ran for his life but fell in the process and was again attacked by the accused.

Police officers who were passing were informed by residents what was taking place. The police proceeded to the area and saw Bentick chopping at a person lying in the street.

He was instructed to stop, but continued to advance toward the ranks with his cutlass. The police

Colin Bentick - jailed for 21 years then left to get assistance as the man then proceeded to cut off Shepherd’s head and held it up in his left hand. As police reinforcement came Bentick was arrested and taken into custody, where he was subsequently charged.

Justice Bovell-Drakes did make mention of all of the above and stressed on some of the statements. He stated that the accused did state that he took a smoke before going home and return with his cutlass.” He then chopped and rolled Shepherd’s head off.

Justice Drakes stressed on the injuries which included open incise wounds and compound fractures to

various parts of the body. He stated that the wound to the arms showed that Shepherd was trying to bar the chops.

Justice Drakes noted that the time Bentick spent in the Psychiatric Ward of the Georgetown Hospital and of his failure to take follow up treatment. He spoke of the trauma that any child and adult would have experienced after witnessing the killing.

The children might still be traumatized, he added.

Justice Bovell-Drakes told the accused that the crime was a premeditated and dastardly act. He told the accused, “You use a spliff before you committed the crime; you went home and collected a cutlass which by all accounts was sharp; you inflicted chop after chop on an helpless defenseless man to cause him grievously bodily harm; you fail to heed the pleading of the police ranks and you only stopped when the head was severed from the body.

“You were then walking on the road with cutlass in hand and your statement that you had to do the sacrifice shows how you planned and premeditated to do the act.”

The judge said that Shepherd was 38 years old when he was killed and taking into account Berbicians live for a long time, for at least to 70 years, he had planned to

sentence Bentick to 32 years.

But, taking some mitigating factors into consideration he first reduced five years for the time he was in prison, another six years for his guilty plea leaving a total of 21 years.

Justice Drakes also ordered that Bentick be examined periodically to ascertain the state of his psychiatric and mental health and that he be given whatever medication that may be necessary for his rehabilitation.

Bentick’s sentence was postponed from Friday after a Probation Report was presented and a plea of mitigation by Attorney at Law Perry Gosai who was sitting in for Attorney Mursaleine Bacchus.

Today attorney at law Rabindranauth Singh appeared for Mr Bacchus

who was again unavoidably absent.

A Probation report had stated that the accused was the father of two.

He was not privy to much formal education and earned a living by operating a small grocery and ground provision business. He was a regular user of Cannabis Sativa and further stated that during 2003 the accused was an inmate at the Georgetown Hospital for abnormal behaviour.

It mentioned that persons in the community complained of the erratic and threatening behaviour of the accused and that numerous reports were made to the police stations in the neighborhood by persons who complained often of aggressive and threatening behaviour.

The report also mentioned that the accused

had showed mental instability for a long time before he killed Shepherd.

Attorney at law Gossai in his pleading urged the court to take everything into consideration and to temper justice with mercy. He had said that his client has shown remorse and did not waste the court’s time, in that he pleaded guilty to the lesser count of manslaughter.

He had urged the court to commit his client to the National Psychiatric Hospital where he could be properly treated and rehabilitated.

Justice Bovell Drakes had expressed his disappointment in the defence. Who he had expected would have brought some of Bentick relatives to testify in court so that the court could have had a better insight and be a little more informed.

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Kaieteur News

Tuesday June 19, 2012

Hinterland Communities need to attract, retain qualified teachers - Chief Education Officer - Baramita Village Captain says boys, girls not interested in education, prefer to be at rum shops

By Rabindra Rooplall In many of the hinterland communities there is a challenge of attracting and retaining qualified teachers to develop the districts, according to Chief Education Officer, Olato Sam. This was disclosed in Baramita, Region One, Saturday, after the education official visited the community where Consolidated Northwest Resources Incorporated , which is a mining company, adopted the Baramita Primary School.

This company has also undertaken a number of developmental and social enhancement initiatives.

Baramita is a settlement which is occupied by some 3000 Amerindians, many of whom are predominantly from the Carib Tribe.

Chief Education Officer Olato Sam explained that in Baramita, the village council which controls the area, has prepared incentives for teachers who decide to stay and teach in the village.

He said that other than the incentives and allowances given by the Education Ministry, the village council is also providing added incentives such as housing, ration for meals, and other necessary assistance needed to make the teacher’s stay as productive and as comfortable as possible.

“This is a good model for other communities to adopt.

It will entice teachers to stay

for a long period. We now have the responsibility to make sure those teachers are trained and then they can deliver the quality of education we expect at this level,” the Chief Education Officer noted.

Noting that a significant challenge for teachers and students is the language barrier, the Chief Education Officer said that for many of the youths coming into the various levels, the education sector has to develop the teaching of English as a second language in the predominant Carib Community. The teachers will be provided with the necessary skills.

“It’s not to make a total transition to English, but for the community to retain the native language while learning Standard English effectively.”

However, residents of the Amerindian settlement are pleading for the implementation of programmes to engage the youths of the village.

According to the captain of the village, Bradley Thomas, a disturbing issue is the prevalence among youths to drop out of the school system and their i nvolvement in alcohol consumption.

Captain Thomas noted that both boys and girls from an early age demonstrate a lack of interest in the education system.

He explained that the girls

(From Right) Chief Education Officer Olato Sam listens to proposals being put forward by Chief Financial Officer of CNRI, Fedor Stovsky and Headmaster of Baramita Primary, Bissoonauth Bacchus. can be seen daily at the rum shops in the village while the boys mostly labour at mining camps. This attitude leads to the usage of marijuana and rum.

“I spoke with few of the boys and they told me,’Sir, school can’t put food in meh belly, but if I go and turn a batell in de backdam, I can get gold to buy food at de shop,” Thomas said.

He underscored that there is a need for career-oriented teachers to be hired in Baramita, and as such youths will be constructively occupied. Nevertheless, Thomas said that although it appears as if the youths have little or no liking for “books,”

villagers have decided that having the youths involved in a more practical aspect of the education system, would be beneficial.

Thomas underscored that most of the young men are interested in mining, equipment and heavy-duty machinery. The Education Ministry combined with the relevant authorities can introduce programmes in this regard, he added.

According to the Headmaster of Baramita Primary School, Bissoonauth Bacchus, the Baramita Village has four appointed teachers for the 160 plus students. The Headmaster is aiming to reach the 200 student enrollment by

September.

He explained that Consolidated Northwest Resources Incorporated (CNRI) which is a mining company has promised to extend the school and provide furniture in order to facilitate more students.

“We have 110 students attending classes regularly and it may vary, we have to get students in school and even their parents we want them to see the importance of education which is the biggest challenge that we face here.”

Noting that the Carib language is very difficult since there is no alphabet or sequence in which to learn the

language, Bacchus said there is no structure in which to understand the language and thus a local interpreter will relate the concept to the students, until they understand the English language.

“Some students don’t really grapple with the English language, and we are trying to break that c o m m u n i c a t i o n barrier…Baramita has a negative image through the health and economic situations and the recreational aspects need to be developed to attract people and that is what the mining company is doing developing the area,” Bacchus explained.

Underscoring the benefits for teachers if they decide to teach in Baramita, Bacchus said that there is a proposal that at the end of five years a teacher would be given a small house or provided with a vehicle, an annual vacation, ration, and not forgetting other incentives provided by the Ministry of Education.

Chief Financial Officer of CNRI, Fedor Stovsky, said that the mining company is partnering with the community to develop its education facilities and the company is presently constructing a $20M recreational facility. However, the mining company plans to invest an overall $60M to fully develop the area as part of its corporate responsibility.

Tuesday June 19, 2012

Kaieteur News

Guyana welcomes 10th Chinese Medical Brigade As Guyana continues to place major emphasis on improving the quality of health care available, the newly arrived 10th batch of Chinese medical team was welcomed yesterday, at the Cheddi Jagan Research Centre.

Tribute was also paid to the outgoing ninth batch that served in the country for the past two years and will be returning to China shortly to continue service in the medical field.

To date, the country has benefitted from the expertise of several Chinese medical teams, which have made significant contributions to the health sector.

Kaieteur News understands that this 10th batch of medical personnel includes a plastic surgeon, gynaecologist, cardiologist, general surgeon and radiologist.

Meanwhile, the outgoing batch of Chinese medical personnel who served at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) and Linden Hospital Complex, Region Ten, consisted of 15 doctors who collectively

made significant contributions in the fields of obstetrics and orthopedics.

Sheik Amir, Director of the Medical and Professional Services, stated that such initiatives are testimony to the continuation of services offered over the past 18 years by the Chinese.

There have been shortages of specialists in certain areas but with the contribution from the Chinese, Guyana has benefitted tremendously with multi faceted approaches in the medical arena as well as the addition of new dimensions and skills.

“With the contributions of the Chinese in the medical field we have been able to have complex surgical operations performed successfully from the advent of the Chinese Brigade medical teams.

“They have also been donating equipment and specialized apparatus to Guyana… Some of those in the 9th batch have worked beyond their call of duties while serving in Guyana and (continued on page 20)

GPHC CEO Michael Khan awards two departing Chinese doctors

Some of the newly arrived members of the 10th batch of Chinese Medical team

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Kaieteur News

Car fire rocks Bartica Fire destroyed a grey wagon, PJJ 840, around 14:00hours yesterday while it was undergoing some repair works at the Tony Chan's Welding and Fabrication Workshop, Third Avenue, Bartica.

The Bartica Fire Service responded promptly to out the fire that threatened the other vehicles that were close by. It also threatened to engulf nearby residential buildings.

The electrical, telephone and television cables that were directly above the burning car were damaged as were the walls of the workshop. Eyewitnesses stated that they also heard an explosion followed by the wailing sound of the fire tender approaching the location. They then saw the car

engulfed in flames that were shooting skywards toward the overhead cables.

Workers in the said workshop said that they were engaged in their tasks when they noticed flames below the car. The flames quickly consumed it. Suspicions are that sparks from nearby welding works could have ignited residual fuel that was in the car.

The Bartica Police and the Local Fire Chapter are continuing with their investigations.

The last major fire to occur on Bartica was on Tuesday March 20, last, around 1:50 am , when the building located at lot 26 Fifth Avenue was completely destroyed. ( Edward A Persaud )

Tuesday June 19, 2012

Tuesday June 19, 2012

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Kaieteur News

GPHC Drugs purchase scandal continues…

Govt. pays $8,000 for - also buys $1,600 $600 injection aspirin for $2,700

GPHC Head Michael Khan

New GPC and Guyana Times Boss Dr. Bobby Ramroop

Former Minister of Health Dr. Leslie Ramsammy

For this $600 injection, govt pays $8000, 13 times higher than what it was being purchased for

One day after government came out in defence of reports that it purchased an $80 anti-fungal cream for $1,909 per tube, there are now more shocking details of how one contraceptive was bought at an exorbitant $8,000 for one vial.

The injection, Depo Provera, is retailed and available on prescription in the local hospitals for as low as $1,100.

One major importer has told this newspaper that he has been supplying the said item to the government for $600 per vial.

Yet, the drug was sold at a whopping $8,000 for one vial by the New Guyana Pharmaceutical Corporation (New GPC) to government for distribution to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC). This is 13 times higher than what it was being purchased for.

Depo Provera is the brand name for a 150 mg aqueous injection of DMPA depot medroxyprogesterone acetate and is applied in the form of an intramuscular injection. The shot must be injected into the thigh or buttocks or deltoid four times a year (every 11 to 13

weeks) and provides pregnancy protection starting a week after the first injection.

It has also been revealed that GPHC is also buying from New GPC, Acetylsalicycic Acid (aspirin) for $2,700 per bottle when it can be bought for $1600. Each bottle contains 1,000 tablets.

Over the weekend, Kaieteur News published a report of the Ketoconazole cream which was being purchased by government for $1,909 when it is being sold for $80.

In this case, too, the

seller was the same New GPC owned by Dr Ranjisinghi Ramroop, former President Dr Bharrat Jagdeo's best friend. Dr Ramroop also owns Guyana Times, TVG 28, Queen's Atlantic Investment Inc. (QAII) and several other companies.

The Ministry of Health, through the GPHC, on Sunday issued a statement attempting to defend the Ketoconazole purchase.

Government insisted that it “worked assiduously to ensure reliable supplies of medicines at the most affordable prices”.

The hospital suggests, on behalf of the Ministry of Health, that “the common quoted products between suppliers are compared in terms of prices and the overall lowest price is accepted for the list…This is what happened on the last two occasions when Ketoconazole was (sic) procured as one item of a list of items.”

According to the hospital explanation, this medicine was part of a large list and the overall cost was lower by purchasing through the NGPC. This was a determination

made through the evaluation process of the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board at the Ministry of Finance.

The hospital insisted that “item-by item cost varies among suppliers” and “while we do take into consideration cost per item, the overall cost for a list of items is critical for overall savings.”

This statement suggested that the $1,909 paid to NGPC for a tube of cream that is retailed for $80, is not overpriced.

The hospital statement (continued on page 24)

Page 18

Tuesday June 19, 2012

Kaieteur News

Rohee defends acquisition of $37M water cannon Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee has defended Government's acquisition of a water cannon, dismissing assertions that it might have been a case of misplaced priority.

The Minister was speaking to reporters following a public demonstration of how the equipment works. The location chosen was near the Manatee Pond in the National Park yesterday afternoon.

It was the first time that the equipment which was acquired at a cost of $37M was officially put on display, since it was handed over to the police last November, a few weeks before the general elections.

The water cannon, according to the Home Affairs Minister, would be used to “manage public order and would be used a g a i n s t l a r g e demonstrations”.

While many persons had welcomed the move by the Home Affairs Ministry to employ the use of non-lethal force against demonstrators, some opposition members were of the view that the water cannon is “simply an

Water spouts from the nozzle of the multi-million-dollar police water cannon effort by the PPPC to terrorize the Guyanese public.”

However, yesterday the Home Affairs Minister was clear in his mind that the purchase of the equipment was part and parcel of the process to bring the Guyana

Police Force up to date with modern technology.

“We have no apologies to make for procuring this type of vehicle for the Guyana Police Force. All Forces around the world have this, so why should Guyana be an exception?” Rohee said.

A water cannon is a device that shoots a highpressure stream of water.

Typically, water cannons can deliver a large volume of water, often over dozens of metres. They are used in firefighting and riot control.

The one in the possession of the Guyana Police Force can accommodate up to 600 gallons of water and depending on the way it is used, its bursts can last several minutes.

But given Guyana's

crime situation and the layout of the territory, would the Guyana Police Force be better off with boats and helicopters to fight crime, instead of a water cannon?

The Home Affairs Minister had his own views on the subject.

“It depends on who is placing and who is misplacing the priorities,” Rohee said, adding that people will always have opinions on what is best and what is not best for the Force

at a particular point and time.

He said that decisions on the procurement of equipment for law enforcement are made based on the requests of the agencies involved.

Rohee pointed to the imminent deployment of a mobile police station for the Force's Interior Division.

“We didn't build it because people are saying so, we did it because the Force told us that they (continued on page 21)

Tuesday June 19, 2012

Kaieteur News

Page 19

Bouterse installs CARICOM youth leaders President of the Republic of Suriname and Chairman of the Caribbean Community, Desiré Delano Bouterse, last Thursday, officially installed 31 youth leaders as CARICOM Youth Ambassadors.

The installation ceremony took place as part of the opening ceremony of the CARICOMUNASUR High Level Youth Exchange hosted by President Bouterse in Paramaribo , Suriname from June 14, last.

Jamaica’s Dwayne Gutzmer was also installed as the new Dean of the CARICOM Youth Ambassador Corps.

The CARICOM Youth

Ambassadors Programme is a mechanism for leadership development and youth participation. The Youth Ambassadors (CYA’s) are the Community’s focal points for deepening the regional integration and development process through advocacy and peer education initiatives.

Membership of the network currently stands at 34 CYA’s from 14 Full and four Associated States. They are selected from the membership of National Youth Councils or other representative youth organizations and/or are experienced youth leaders.

In charging the newly installed Youth

Ambassadors, President Bouterse told them that their “ mandate is implicit in their pledge to use their energies, talents and resources to provide leadership for young people of their country and region, and promote the aims, objectives and goals of the Caribbean Community.”

He encouraged them to make a difference in the region and to endeavor to “transcend class and geographical barriers and work together to realize their full potential, thus helping to improve the quality of life of other youth in the region.”

President Bouterse who has lead responsibility for youth development, in the

Local chicken farmers protest planned importation

Local commercial chicken farmers are complaining of being sidelined and some say that they may have to close their businesses. The farmers are complaining bitterly of losing millions of dollars in investments.

This comes after Minister of Commerce Irfaan Ali announced that 12 businesses will be allowed to import one million pounds of chicken. The farmers are wondering how the importers were selected since there were no advertisements for open tender.

However, according to Minister of Agriculture, Dr Leslie Ramsammy, the government has not been issuing licence to importers in order to promote the local industry but there was no permanent ban added to the issuing of licence.

Dr Ramsammy added that applications have always been made by businesses and that due to the chicken shortage the licences were granted. He noted that those

licences will only be valid for three months.

This, he said, was done to satisfy the demand on the local market.

Local farmers have in recent months made assumptions that feed manufacturers and hatcheries have breached protocol because most of their chicken are not gaining weight or are dying out.

They claimed that the standard of the feed had dropped in terms of nutrients and that the baby chicks are not being properly vaccinated at the hatcheries.

They also noted that the prices for baby chicks have increased while feed remains at the regular price.

Even small scale farmers who rear mostly for domestic purposes have complained about their livestock dying and not gaining the expected weight.

According to Chief Executive Officer of the Guyana Livestock Development Authority, Dr

Dindyal Permaul, investigations into the farmers’ claims are ongoing.

Permaul however noted that he does not believe there is a problem with the feed since the preliminary results have suggested otherwise.

He stated that manufacturers are paying more for the ingredients used to produce the feed.

Permaul said that the GLDA is satisfied with its finding. It periodically visits the hatcheries and farms and has found no significant breaches.

Permaul suggested that the farmers should pay more attention to safety and sanitation.

He added that the demand for chicken is evident. There has been a rise in the consumption of the meat not a decrease in production.

Permaul said that chicken is the preferred meat. In recent months there has been an increase in orders for chicken coming from the interior, he added.

Quasi Cabinet of the CARICOM Conference of Heads of Government expressed his commitment to stand with the youth Ambassadors in their pledge “to work for the social and economic advancement of our region and to advocate for the Caribbean to be recognized and respected as a zone of peace, tranquility and human dignity and excellence within the global system.”

“I give you my solemn commitment to invest in youth NOW for the Community Tomorrow,” the CARICOM Chairman concluded.

Ms Myrna Bernard, Officer in Charge of the Human and Social Directorate in the CARICOM Secretariat also charged the Youth Ambassadors to provide “…the kind of leadership that enhances the motivation, morale and performance of their peers to achieve positive social change and promote human dignity through improved quality of life.”

The Youth Ambassadors who were installed are Phil Rose, Robyn Joseph (Antigua and Barbuda); Demathio Forbes, Ashley Stirrup (Bahamas); Christaneisha Soleyn, Jamonn Roberts (Barbados); Dylan Williams, Kera Bowen (Belize); Dalton Maronie, Natasha Maxwell (Dominica); Kerry Frank (Grenada); Nikson Athis, Cindy Morquette (Haiti); Dwayne Gutzmer, Kerry-Ann Chen (Jamaica); Ian Gerald, Claris Yearwood (Montserrat); Kelvin Antoine, Donna Nelson (Saint Lucia); Kevington Pemberton, Patrice Harris (St Kitts and Nevis); Romena Brown (St Vincent and the Grenadines); Raynell Fraser, Abigail Misdjan (Suriname); Jervis Richardson, Rhina Meade (Anguilla); James Geary, Takiya Smith (Cayman Islands); Dekkel Simmons, Phildreka Mayham (Turks and the Caicos Islands).

The CARICOM Youth Ambassador Programme was launched in Saint Lucia in 1993 by the Heads of Government to mark the

Desiré Delano Bouterse Twentieth Anniversary of CARICOM and was formally instituted in 1994. Since its inception, the Youth Ambassador Programme has contributed to increased youth knowledge and awareness of CARICOM issues and priorities; has raised the profile of young people at the national and regional levels; and has assisted in integrating the views and perspectives of young people from across the Region into national, regional and international policy and programmes.

Page 20

Kaieteur News

Pest Control owner laid to rest...

Tuesday June 19, 2012

A section of the gathering at the Versailles Masjid

Cops detain businessman Police have detained a city businessman in connection with the execution-style killing of Pest Control Plus owner Mohamed Salahudeen Bacchus Baksh.

An official explained that the businessman was taken into custody yesterday. He has reportedly denied any involvement in Baksh’s slaying and has given detectives an alibi for his movements at the time of the attack.

Kaieteur News understands that some associates of the businessman have given investigators statements alleging that he was with them at the time Baksh was slain. A lawyer also said that the man

Mohamed Baksh has a solid alibi.

While investigators have no evidence to link him to the case, police are looking at the businessman as a suspect

because of a prior financial dispute between the man and Baksh.

Police officials confirmed that they had also impounded a burgundy car that fit the description that eyewitnesses gave of the gunmen’s getaway vehicle.

Suriname warns Guyana of nononsense policy on fishing grounds Suriname has dispatched a letter to Guyana informing authorities of its ‘no nonsense’ approach to protecting its fishing grounds and guarding against piracy, according to Surinamese newspaper (de Ware Tijd).

According to the newspaper, the Suriname Government has allocated S’name $80 million under its Home Affairs Ministry to put the Coast Guard into operation this year.

“This indicates the government is serious about this matter,” Jerry Slijngard, head of the National Disaster Coordination Center (NCCR) said in an interview with de Ware Tijd.

Last Tuesday, potential suppliers of water vessels and airplanes held a presentation for the Commission to Put into Operation the Coast Guard (COK). The Ministries of Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Fisheries

(LVV) and Justice and Police are part of this commission, while the NCCR represents the National Army.

“The plans are at an advanced stage,” Slijngard states, but adds, it is too early to divulge further details.

“The games are over now, and some surprises are in store”, says LVV official Gerrit Breinburg about the government’s aggressive plans to protect the natural resources at sea in a serious manner.

He says that with an eye on the big plans for the Coast Guard, LVV Minister Hendrik Setrowidjojo has already sent a letter to his counterpart in Guyana informing him that Suriname will conduct a ‘no-nonsense’ policy to protect its fishing grounds against illegal fishing and piracy.

“It is well-known that many Guyanese fishermen are active here, whether legal, illegal or in a grey zone. We

have stated in the letter that illegal fishermen will be brought in. Those fishing in Surinamese territorial waters with a Surinamese permit will be registered as well,” Breinburg explains.

The letter also invites Guyana to sign a fisheries agreement with Suriname that will allow a limited number of Guyanese vessels and will include guidelines for the types of vessels, catching methods and the delivery of fish in both countries.

“We’ve received indications that certain (illegal) methods are being used, and we will deal with this in a serious manner”, Breinburg adds.

Besides investments being made in equipping the Coast Guard, legislation is being drafted to increase sanctions on violators. Both Breinburg and Slijngard say the government has the political will to bring order in this matter.

Guyana welcomes 10th Chinese Medical ...

From page 18 I thank them,” said Amir.

Minister of Health, Dr. Bheri Ramsaran, told the gathering that both Guyana and China have enjoyed and shared “excellent experiences” over the past decades with each other.

While other countries and continents have many teams of Chinese medical brigades serving there is only one country in the Caribbean where these teams serve; and that is Guyana.

“Their presence here is an indication of further rolling out of medical contributions and the ninth brigade did well.

The 10th brigade promises to do better. At present there is a

construction of a home for Chinese doctors in Linden for those who will serve there and this is in progress,” said Dr. Ramsaran.

He urged the newly arrived batch to stay committed to serving not only at the GPHC and Linden Hospitals but at other areas where they may be able to offer their services during their stint in the country. “The Chinese teams (in the past) have done well and I am challenging the 10th batch to be better.

These Chinese skilled intellectuals in Guyana are good signs and we are recognizing the good work done by the brigades.”

Chinese Ambassador to Guyana, Yu Wenzhe, expressed gratitude to the ninth batch for their hard work and dedication during the past two years they served the Government of Guyana in the medical field.

“For the outgoing team this is not the end of the relationship with the Georgetown Public Hospital or the Linden Hospital, so you must promote the beauty of the Guyanese country and friendliness of Guyana when you go back to China.

This is also a good opportunity for the new team to get good experiences,” Wenzhe stated.(Kristen Macklingam)

However, the car was handed over to the owner after detectives confirmed that it belonged to a police officer.

Investigators have turned over a 9mm warhead and a bullet fragment that were extracted from the slain man’s skull during a post mortem yesterday.

Baksh, 42, who was laid to rest yesterday, was shot twice in the head by gunmen on Friday night as he sat with friends in the Flava’s Grill, located in Thomas Street, Cummingsburg.

He succumbed the following day. A 9mm bullet casing was recovered at the scene.

Following the post mortem, the body was handed over to relatives for burial. Hours later, scores of persons turned out to the Versailles Masjid on the West

Coast of Demerara to pay final tributes to the slain man.

The gathering included parliamentarians, lawyers, members of the Islamic religious community, and other prominent persons.

During the latter segment of the programme, Religious Adviser and Senior Official of the Central Islamic Organization of Guyana (CIOG), Shaykh Moen Hack, in his address to the gathering, called on those in prominent positions to use their influence to create awareness to eliminate lawless and senseless killings.

The motion was seconded by many, who not only hoped that the perpetrators of this crime be brought to justice, but those directly, or indirectly involved in the many other similar cases.

The funeral service was a quiet one. The family chose to follow their religious beliefs, and celebrated the life Baksh lived, rather than mourn his death. The man’s wife however, was described as being emotionally numb.

Praises of Baksh were being sung in every corner of the Masjid compound. He was said to have been not only an intellectual and thorough businessman, but also a generous man who was of high moral standard, who loved and cared for his family and society at large.

Family members who spoke to Kaieteur News were at a loss to come up with a clear motive for his killing.

On August, 7, 2008, Baksh was shot in the abdomen in the vicinity of Lamaha Street, North Cummingsburg.

Tag team in McDoom brawl remanded for murder Two men were remanded to jail yesterday. They were identified as two of those involved in a fight on the East Bank of Demerara (EBD) which left Mark Solomon, called ‘Tantie’, 36, of 154 Non Pareil Street, Albouystown, dead.

The men, Sheldon Bowen, 26, and Leon Munroe, 29, appeared before Chief Magistrate Priya SewnarineBeharry at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court . They were not required to plead to the indictable charge of murder.

The men heard that on June 12 at McDoom, East Bank Demerara, they murdered Mark Solomon. The police said that there was an argument between the two accused and the deceased.

As a result, a fight ensued.

Bowen received chop wounds from the deceased, and the two accused, armed with knives stabbed Solomon about the body, resulting in his death.

The two accused will face the court again on July 16.

The court has also asked that the police case file be sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions for advice while

Leon Munroe the prosecution, on completion of the DPP’s examination, is expected to file statements in preparation for the Preliminary Inquiry.

On Tuesday last, during an alleged fight with two men, Solomon was stabbed to death. Kaieteur News was told by the dead man’s coworkers that the altercation between the men had reportedly started from the previous day.

According to reports,

Solomon was said to be a former employee of the Noble House Seafoods and started working at his new job, Pritipaul Singh Investments (PSI) one month prior to his death. It is alleged that he and his attackers had worked at the same establishment where they reportedly had a misunderstanding.

One co worker said, “All we know is earlier this boy and he (Solomon)…some talking they had in de wuk place. De boy must be cuff he to he mouth.” The employee added that Solomon immediately left for home.

Eyewitnesses however said that they saw Solomon in a confrontation with two men and they somehow ended up on the eastern side of the East Bank Demerara Public Road.

The melee continued into Middle Street, McDoom, where Solomon apparently received his fatal wounds. He was reportedly stabbed in his left side neck and right side chest.

Solomon was pronounced dead on arrival at the Accident and Emergency Unit of the Georgetown Public Hospital around 19:30hrs.

Tuesday June 19, 2012

Kaieteur News

Man stabbed while representing pregnant girlfriend An employee of the Cheddi Jagan International Airport is currently in a critical condition at the Georgetown Public Hospital after he was stabbed in the region of his heart while trying to defend his pregnant paramour.

According to reports, 19year-old Vishal Lall, of Independence Street, La Grange, was rushed to the West Demerara Regional Hospital around 21:30 hours on Sunday.

The incident occurred at Church Street, Stanleytown, West Bank Demerara where Lall went to visit his pregnant girlfriend. The man’s girlfriend, Shonette Fraser, told this publication that she was sitting in the house watching television earlier in the night but decided to go outside for a while.

According to Fraser, while outside she was standing on her neighbour’s bridge when she noticed one man running another. When the first person approached the bridge she heard one of the men complaining “Me cousin junior running me fuh stab me”.

“The boy ask me fuh a pass and he pass and when the other boy, Junior, reach to where I went standing he just push me in the trench.”

Fraser, who’s in an advanced stage of pregnancy said she made her way out of the trench by which time a cousin ran for her boyfriend who was in the house.

“Me cousin run inside and tell Vishal come see Junior push Shonette in the trench and he (Vishal) run out with a piece a wood.”

Fraser said when Lall

came to her she was crying as she was in pain and he began asking her what was the issue.

“I was crying so I didn’t answer and Junior come running towards we and me boyfriend raise the wood and Junior just stab he two time to he left side chest.”

Fraser said that her boyfriend collapsed by which time persons had rushed to their assistance.

“Junior family come out and hold he back and then he uncle tie he up till the police come.” Lall was rushed to the West Demerara Regional Hospital but was subsequently transferred.

Up to press time yesterday the perpetrator was still in police custody assisting with investigations.

Lall’s condition was listed as critical but stable.

Essequibo motorcyclist battles for life Motorcyclist Asif Mohamed was said to be in a serious condition, one day after he was involved in an accident with a minibus. The accident occurred at Lima on the Essequibo Coast Sunday evening.

Mohamed, a report said, was returning to his Henrietta residence, with a pillion rider called ‘Brush’ when he collided with the minibus.

Mohamed a n d h i s pillion rider, the report added, were proceeding south on the public road while the minibus, BNN 195, was heading north.

The motorcyclist was transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital where doctors were fighting to save his life. The pillion rider, reports said, sustained a broken leg.

Mohamed, who was picked up by residents of Lima moments after he was hit, sustained severe injuries about his body, eyes and throat. He also sustained

Teen on $250,000 bail for snatching woman’s bag An 18-year-old man was yesterday placed on $250,000 bail after he appeared at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court before Chief Magistrate Priya Beharry.

The man was nabbed after he reportedly snatched the handbag of an unsuspecting female passenger travelling to the city in the same minibus in which he was seated.

Delhoy Matthews, said to be a porter, of 84 Kaneville Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara, pleaded not guilty to a charge of larceny from the person.

The police said that on June 11, at Agricola Public Road East Bank Demerara, he stole from Melcia Quintyn, one shoulder bag, a BlackBerry cell phone, two digital cameras and one wallet.

The court prosecutor said that on the day in question, the victim and the defendant were travelling in the same minibus heading to the city along the East Bank Demerara.

He continued that the

Guyana arm of Pan African ...

The damaged motorcycle broken arms and legs.

While traffic officers have since impounded the minibus, the driver was placed into custody.

Another report is that the driver of the minibus was returning from a trip to one of the popular lakes in

Essequibo and was said to have attempted to overtake a car and as a result, collided with Mohamed.

The minibus has shown signs of damage to the right side of the front of the vehicle, while Mohamed’s cycle was extensively damaged.

Rohee defends acquisition of $37M ...

From page 18 needed a mobile police station in the interior to deal with crime …it all depends on how the Force tells us what their priorities are. So far the Police Force has not told us in clear and definite terms that they need a helicopter or a plane…,” the Home Affairs Minister stated.

“The police determine, in the final analysis, where their priorities lie,” he added.

At present, the Guyana Police Force is in possession of a high powered, high speed boat which is supposed to effectively patrol the riverain

Page 21

areas of the country.

While the vessel was acquired a few years ago for a whopping $18M, few have actually seen it work effectively.

But according to Rohee, the police have assured him that the vessel is in working order and is currently moored at the Police Maritime Department on the eastern bank of the Demerara River at Ruimveldt.

However, strangely enough it was not seen in action when an ocean going cargo vessel capsized at the mouth of the Demerara River.

How effective the water cannon will be, is left to be

seen, given the paucity of working hydrants in and around the city.

Judging from yesterday's demonstration, the operators from the Force will certainly have to undergo more training.

And just when does the Force expect to use the new piece of equipment? “It's there to be used whenever the Force considers it necessary to be used. They're the ones who determine the time and place when it will be used. It will not be based on political consideration…The political consideration is over,” the Home Affairs Minister stated.

From page 12 and police in several South African townships.

Angry youths threw stones and beer bottles at police, as a protest against the compulsory use of Afrikaans as the main teaching language in black schools turned violent.

It was referred to as “the worst outbreak of racial violence seen in South Africa since the Sharpeville massacre” which occurred 16 years prior to that.

According to a Pan African Movement official, “The occasion is used to call attention to the achievements made as well as the challenges faced by Africa in the area of survival, protection and development”.

It is also used to mobilize resources for programmes designed to benefit women and children. “Unfortunately, all over the world today, there are still too many examples of homeless and malnourished children not forgetting those exploited through child labour…” said the official.

According to Joycelynne Lonke, another Pan African official, it is important for African youths to be cognizant of their history. The yearly event could aid in refreshing the memory of those who may have forgotten.

There was a wide range of entertainment at the concert including a fashion show, numerous dances, and poems, musical renditions and definitely not forgetting the drums.

victim was seated in the second row of the bus while the defendant sat two seats behind her.

The defendant later stopped the minibus in the vicinity of the Agricola Public Road, but before exiting the bus, he snatched the woman’s bag which she had resting on her lap. The defendant hustled out of the bus and sprinted away.

The complainant went to the Brickdam Police Station and reported the theft. On

June 16, a few days after the incident, the woman returned to the police station where she saw the alleged culprit and pointed him out to the police.

He was arrested and later charged with the offence.

The police prosecutor did not object to bail but asked for a substantial amount.

After the court revealed the pre-trial sum, the prosecution was ordered to file statements for the commencement of the trial.

Berbice Criminal session opens today The Criminal session of the Berbice High Court is expected to open today with the march past and inspection of the ranks in front of the Berbice High Court at Esplanade Road New Amsterdam. A contingent of ranks from the Felix Austin Training School in Berbice ‘B’ Division is expected to form the guard of honour.

Thirty-six persons including an alarming 25 for murder are in prison awaiting trial. The information was revealed by Assistant Superintendent of Prisons Evelyn Crandon who gave the report as she presented

the jail delivery at the New Amsterdam High Court before Justice James BovellDrakes.

The report showed that of the 36 persons awaiting trial, there is one female who is awaiting trial for unlawful and malicious wounding. It also showed that some persons are awaiting trial since 2007.

The breakdown shows that 25 were for murder, sexual penetration, five, carnal knowledge, two, possession of firearm without licence, one, robbery under arms, one, escaping from lawful custody, one. All 36 persons are requesting an early trial.

Proper labelling of ...

From page 6 proper labelling of drugs in English is of pivotal importance, since drugs are therapeutic agents used for the purposes of treatment or prevention of disease, or otherwise affect structure or function of the human body.

It is necessary for the consumer to read the label for critical information on directions for use and the nature and merit of the drug.”

The Government Analyst noted, “In

consideration of all the issues that could impact on Consumer Protection and Safety the department will take firm actions to ensure that the regulated products are properly labelled and of the right quality and safety.

The department is calling on all importers, manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors, and the general public to assist in this drive, to ensure that commodities are properly labeled in English.”

Page 22

Kaieteur News

WANTED 1- Carnegie trained cook 2035yrs Call: 614-4358 1 -Marketing representative & Co-host for TV Programmes Call: 6796044,621-5114 1- Male of female to look after layer birds in the Interior Call: 696-2698 One live in domestic,must know to cook.Age 25-50 yrs Salary $50,000 Call: 610-5043 Cooks,waitress,cashiers.

Impact Zone Call: 6260189,225-0963,653-0222 At Kesh Palace 1 kitchen assistant & waitress,Free Accomodation Call: 616-5559 Workers to work in the interior,marack & jetman Call: 685-4837,671-9351 Watchman Call: 223-5273-4 Waiterss Call: 220-1842 Girls to work waitress,Age 18-25 Enmore Call: 256-4096

as at

VACANCY Bilingual representatives.

Must be fluent in Portuguese and English. Send CV to: 64 Industrial Site, Beterverwagting ECD Call: 220-0401-3 Be part of our World Class customer care team. Send CV to: 64 Industrial Site Beterverwagting ECD Call: 220-0401-3 IT Technician & Occupational Health & Safety officer. Please send CV to: 64 Industrial Site, Beterverwagting ECD. Call: 220-0401-3 or email: recruitmentguyana @qualfon.com.

Portable wood mizer mill operator porters, truck driver to work in Eccles Industrial Site EBD Call: 609-7675, 2332614 1 Experience male/female supervisor,1 handy man for hotel Call: 223-6284,Sales girl Phatz Style Boutique Call: 227-0501

FOR SALE 1Caterpillar D7H bulldozer@ Jettoo’s Lumberyard & Sawmill @ Coverden Public Road, East Bank Demerara Call: 2615041, 261-5042 Lot 16 Lamaha Spring South Georgetown,Value price $22M ,negotiable price $17M Call: 662-5036 Spares for washer, microwaves, fridges, stovetimers, gear boxes, pumps, etc. Contact 225-9032, 647-2943 Enclosed 3 ton Mitsubishi canter & Stall at Stabroek Market Call: 619-2388 Pallet Wrap & Plastic Film.

Tel: 231-8819

Tuesday June 19, 2012

PROPERTY FOR SALE 20x40 Two flat concrete building @ Kitty. All amenities. Price $23M to be seen. Call: 668-9512,223-2570 Ongoing business property at Agriculture Road ECD, land 35Wx600L, $20M Call: 220-7220 East Bank $12M,Bent Street $17M,Robb Street $160M,Regent Street US$3.2M Call Diana: 2272256,626-9382 Regent, Robb Street, Kingston back –lot, New Providence, Festival City, Enterprises, Mc Doom Contact GMC Realty 2312199,618-7483

Pine lumber for sale @ River View Wood products Inc. Address: 164-165 Friendship EBD Call: 266-0296,639-2577 15" Celestion speakers 1600 watts, one complete stage, size 24ftx20ft Call: 644-3390 or 667-7511 Roofing shingles Call Mr. Skepmire 227-5195 (8AMto5PM) NARS lipgloss, eyeshadow & Clinique Chubby Stick. Tel: 669-8374.

PEN PAL An African male seeking a female for a serious relationship Age 18-30 yrs Call:602-4742,648-6486

1 8 foot off set satellite dish & 1 8 foot C Band satellite dish solid Call: 687-7167,2278873

FOR SALE Baby chicks Call: 225-3234

15-15-15 Fertilizer Call: 2662711,609-4594

One PS3 160GB $90,000, one dryer 240 volts Call: 650-7719

Air wick, 2 gadgets and 2 refills $5000 in large amount Call: 694-5371

2003 Kawasaki, Ninja 500 also 8 camera,DVR security system Call: 643-6468

Attention loggers & lumber exporters, now available anchor seal, wood wax end sealer Call: 265-3541,695-4785

Baby chicks available weekly,fully vaccinated Mr.D.Lallbharry 371 Craig Public Road E.C.D Call: 6269589

Attractive live in waitress Call: 228-5129 Person to cut from masterpattern and seamstress with factory experience Call Sharmie: 225-2598 Sawmill workers Call: 6539752, 261-6412 Taxi drivers Call: 225-3234 Live in/live out babysitter/ domestic Call: 225-0188,2256070

1- Two bedroom selfcontained, fully grilled apartment- situated at Land Of Canaan. East Bank. Navita : 266-5563,615-9441 O ffice/Business Space Call: 667-1549 Apartments Call: 667-1549

Experience jetmen for land dredge Call: 653-7213

Ongoing business at Agriculture Rd ECD land 35wx600l,$20M Call:220-7220

Hi-Hab trucks to transport material from Georgetown to Corentyne Berbice Call: 6981894,691-2340

Carwash with or without equipment in G/town Call:231-1786/625-1874

1 marketing representative & co-host for TV programmes Call: 6796044,621-5114 Live in domestic to do general house cleaning Call:639-7700 1- General domestic Call: 6144358 CAR RENTAL Al”s car pickup & canter rental Call: 698-7807

Furnished room for single decent working female Call:231-1786/625-1874 Excellent spot for offices/ school or other business ,Camp St Area Call Richard 609-7675,233-2614,610-2506 DATING SERVICE Immediate link-Singles 1880yrs. Confidential: Tel: 2238237,648-6098. (No -text) 8:30am-5:00pm Mon-Sun (Both phones same hours).

GPS system map 76 Brandgramin price$95,000 Call:6000036 Yamaha Riva Scooter car set (speakers & maps) infrared wireless security system two 18’’ speakers Call:231-1786/ 625-1874 Dell computers with LCD monitors from $49,000 Call: 225-3709,691-2077,641-0537 One wooden boat, just cork, sand & paint ,53-9-5 ½, excellent condition Call: 2620316 Games for PS2 $900,PS3 $2600,PSP $900,XBOX & WII Call Junior : 6722566,265-3231 One Nissan Xtrail Call: 6272550 American Finest Brands Computers Desktop & Laptop $85,000,visit our store at Goed Fortuin Public Road Call:253-3426

HOUSE PLAN DRAFTING FOR ONLY $10,000 Call: 694-9843 We repair fridge, freezer, AC ,washer, dryer Call: 231-0655, 683-8734 Omar.

TV repairs, DVD, Micro waves, amplifier, stereo, washing machine etc. and house wiring Call: 693-2683 Problems with PC? Call Roul for assistance 610-9490 US & Canada VISA application services. Call: 643-6630. Family discounts available.

Taxi drivers, bus drivers, dispatcher @ Princess Hotel Call: 265-7076

East Street $45,000,Albertown US $750,Republic Park US $1500,Bel-Air US $1900 Call Diana: 227-2256,626-9382

Electrical installation domestic & commercial maintenance & repairs also AC installation , estimates , call Marlon Tel: 216-0934,626-6298 or 669-8992

For welding and fabrication Call: 225-7907

One 15HP Yamaha long foot Call: 689-5254,643-0332

TO LET

Repairs, sales & spares, air conditioning, microwaves, washer, fridges & Stoves.

Ultra Cool: 225-9032, 647-2943

Repair to fridge, stove, washing machines, AC unit CallLindon641-1086,694-2202

One female to cook for family in Interior Call: 696-2698

Survival Shopping Complex, Sheriff Street needs cashiers, bag packers for information Call: 227-528690

SERVICES Permanent &Visitors Visa Applications Professional Immigration Consultant Sabita - Room E-4 Maraj Building 225-6496/ 223-8115/662-6045.

New: 5 Speed Drill Press,4 tow portable puller kit,Air brush kit Call: 641-1127 1 ship 67 metre in length selling as scrap Call: 2272027,623-4045,227-5500

VEHICLES FOR SALE Just arrived: Allion and Premio, tel: 624-2000, 622-1610 One Toyota Tacoma, silver grey, GMM series, low mileage, price neg. Call: 6217020,669-4622 International Tow Truck with flat aluminum bed; takes two vehicles. Call: 6393900, 619-5400 Guyana Auto Sale.

Unregistered 2007 Tacoma, Solid Def Pick-up, Raum, Refrigerated and Dump Isuzu Truck. 227-1737 1 New Modle 212 & 2-RZ Excellent condition & 1 3 Y Minibus Call: 678-0191,2201693 or 658-7034 2005 BMW 3201,2007-2005 Allions, 2004 Avensis L 1some with TV &backcam Tel: 615-4114,665-4480 Zoom Auto Sales: Allions:2006,2004, Toyota Belta 2006,TV back camera etc. Call: 685-7611 3 ton enclosed & open back canter, unregistered. 6172891 Toyota Runx, special edition, PNN $2.3M, New Model Nissan Wingroad Sports Wagon $2.3M unregistered Call: 6122522,645-5893 One Honda Titan CG, price $140,000 Neg. Call: 645-3782 One Allion for sale $7.1 million Call: 647-9470

LEARN TO DRIVE Soman & Sons Driving School;First Federation Building Call: 225-4858,6445166,622-2872,615-0964

1 Toyota Wish $3.750M,1 Toyota Noah Unregistered $2.3M Call: 648-6869

Space to rent location diamond housing scheme.

Contact# 6455347

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1 big business place & 2 bedrooms new house Anna Catherina W.C.D Call:2760818

GMC Tow truck, scrap 720 Nissan pick up, one industrial lathe Call:Richard 609-7675,233-2414,610-2506

TO RENT

Pantoon 200x50x12 as in,no reasonable offer refused Call: 227-2027,623-4045,227-5500

One red Allion PNN seriesfemale driver one year old $2.5M (cash) Call:618-3093

1 2007 R1 Candy Red at a reasonable price Call: 2272027,623-4045,227-5500

Toyota NZE PNN seriesmags, pioneer cd player, tv 2.6M (CASH) call:618-3093

1 16ft fiber-glass boat on trailer with 25 Johnson engine $600,000 Call: 6664000 1 heavy duty Hilti jack hammer 110 volts,1700 watts with 2 bytes $470,000 & 1 IPhone 4S $90,000 Call:6664000 Big yard sale at 29 Croal Street Enterprise Ladies sandals $150 Call: 664-2209 Plastic drums Call: 233-5273-4

VEHICLE FOR SALE AT192 $600,000 Call: 6251499 1 long base Nissan canter JNN Call: 653-6098 Just Arrived Pitbull, VVTI, 2 RZ, Minibuses, Allions, Corollas, Fielders, Spacious, Dump, Long & Short Canters Call: 259-3178,650-5657 Unregistered Fielder Spacio (Dark Blue) Cami 4x4,45/150 DAF Truck Call: 641-1127

1 AT 192 PJJ 6038 $1,050,000,One Mitsubishi Mirage PJJ 2096 $1.2M Call: 639-9528,694-4827 1 Dodge Ram Dually 3500 fully loaded ,good for interior $3M Call: 2272027,623-4045,227-5500 Toyota Hilux pick-up, solid DEF, 4X4 long base, diesel, excellent condition Call: 6230243 (Continued on page 25)

Tuesday June 19, 2012

Kaieteur News

Page 23

Page 24

Kaieteur News

The Abigail Column is not ready.

Better he re-evaluated he feelings monogamy before than after you have made a commitment.

Avoid bad – nagging, pleading of growing ultimatums. Such tactics are irritating and will probably, drive him away forever.

Alternately, if you feel very strongly that he is not decided, tell him so and consider the relationship history.

that he was not ready to make a commitment. The problem is that whenever, he skillfully changed the subject. Do you think there is hope!

Grace DEARABIGAIL, Prior to being together my boyfriend said he was thinking of getting married.

Three years later, he is still thinking. The last time we discussed this issue he said

Dear Grace, There is hope providing that you have the patience to wait until your boyfriend makes up his mind. The big question, however, is when will that be. I am sure he was done so and has decided he

Tuesday June 19, 2012 ARIES (MAR 21 - APR 19): It’s hard to assert your own ideas when everybody else is trying to make you conform. Try separating yourself from the crowd, if only for a short time. Stay away from familiar haunts and keep a distance from people who are especially controlling. ************************ TAURUS (APR 20 - MAY 20): The more experience you get, the better choices you will make, especially with regard to your career. It’s possible you will be drawn to working with the public in some way. Providing valuable services gives you a sense of pride and accomplishment. ************************ GEMINI (MAY 21 - JUN 20): Don’t assume everybody else is more qualified than you or be focusing on your weak points; concentrate on your strengths. Emphasise them when you go on job interviews or make work proposals. Exuding an air of confidence is half the battle today. ************************ CANCER (JUN 21 - JUL 22): Helping a friend become more self-sufficient requires some restraint on your part.

Although you want to protect this person from dangerous situations, it may be better to let him or her fend for themselves. ************************ LEO (JUL 23 - AUG 22): Getting organised is essential if you’re going to meet your goals. If your surroundings are cluttered and chaotic, it may be because you’re unwilling to face the work ahead. Consider what will happen if you let this situation continue. ************************ VIRGO (AUG 23 - SEP 22): You’ve never been a fan of confrontation, and that’s especially true today.

However, if you’re going to conquer a stressful situation, you’ve got to face off with the person who is creating it.

LIBRA (SEP 23 - OCT 22): Staying informed makes you a valuable asset in the work place. You may want to subscribe to your industry’s trade papers. If you’re in a dead-end job, start researching your desired field.

Learning new software programs and mastering emerging technologies can keep you ahead of the pack. ************************ SCORPIO (OCT 23 NOV 21): Your ‘never say die’ attitude helps you make impressive breakthroughs.

While everybody else is playing it safe, you’re pushing the paper. Go ahead and sign up for a course, take a trip or explore some unknown creative territory. ************************ SAGITTARIUS (NOV 22 - DEC 21): Usually, you’re the life of the party, but today you’re shy and withdrawn. This may be because you are attracted to someone who doesn’t seem to appreciate you. Don’t let this person’s daft attitude stop you from having fun. ************************ CAPRICORN (DEC 22 JAN 19): Fight the urge to get drawn into a predictable routine, or your love life will suffer. It’s hard to cultivate romance when you’re uninspired.

Even the simple act of taking a different route to the office can work wonders for you. ************************ AQUARIUS (JAN 20 FEB 18): Working with young people feels like a breath of fresh air. If there’s anything you hate, it’s cynicism.

Watching kids play could remind you of some of your favourite childhood activities. ************************ PISCES (FEB 19 - MAR 20): Never underestimate your creative potential, even if your family underplayed your artistic inclinations. Your sensitive nature can guide you towards projects that will uplift and inspire you.

Tuesday June 19, 2012

Govt. pays $8,000 for $600 injection From page 17 said that “in instances where the cost for one item is priced far too high, we disaggregate out the items where the quoted prices are too high and remove them from the list.”

When Kaieteur News first ran the story about the cost of the cream, the Guyana Times, carried an article in defense of the New GPC. It contended that the others were selling counterfeit drugs.

The Guyana Times article sought to suggest that the cheaper creams being sold on the local market are counterfeit, or fake.

However, Kaieteur News has found that the very creams that the Guyana Times sought to label as fake are all being manufactured in India, including the one that the New GPC sells to the government through the Ministry of Health.

The same cream Ketoconazole is being manufactured by U.S. company Johnson and Johnson in India. This brand of the cream can be obtained for $210 here in Guyana. Another company out of Britain also manufactures KETOCONAZOLE out of India. This is being sold in

Guyana for $155.

The one the government buys from New GPC is also manufactured in India.

This particular one is not being sold in local drug stores but Kaieteur News, through its agent, managed to source it out of India for $80 per tube.

The maximum suggested retail price that is stated on the box is the equivalent of $127, inclusive of all taxes.

It simply means that the government is buying the cheapest one at a price that is almost 25 times the Indian retail price… or paying $1750 more for one tube.

DTV CHANNEL 8 08:55hrs. Sign On 09:00hrs. Live! With Kelly 10:00hrs. The A-Team 11:00hrs. The View 12:00hrs. Prime News 12:30hrs. The Young and the Restless 13:30hrs. The Bold and the Beautiful 14:00hrs. The Talk 15:00hrs. Boy Meets World 16:00hrs. Beverly Hills, 90210 17:00hrs. MacGyver 18:00hrs. Awakening 18:30hrs. Nightly News 19:00hrs. Greetings and Announcements 20:00hrs. Alliance on the Move 21:00hrs. DTV’s Summer Movie Fest 23:00hrs. Sign Off

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Guides are subjected to change without notice

Tuesday June 19, 2012

Kaieteur News

Page 25

BCB contributes to Devers’ medical expenses International Cricket broadcaster Sean Devers has received a contribution of $50,000 towards his medical bills (MRI images) from the Berbice Cricket Board from its recently held Independence Cup T20 tournament at Albion.

A sports Journalist with the Kaieteur News, Devers was diagnosed with a Level one brain tumor in January and traveled to Trinidad in February where he was seen

by Radiologist Dr Omar Khan and Brain Surgeon Dr Robert Ramsarran.

It was recommended that Surgery was not done at that time since the Tumor was not at a critical stage and surgery would have affected Devers’ speech.

The 42-year-old Devers, also a former Guyana cricketer, will return to Trinidad next

Ex-Berbice cricketer to return to Brain Surgeon next month month for evaluation and is currently on medication to control seizures which, according to Guyanese Neurologist Dr Sean Legall, is triggered by stress.

Due to his illness Devers was unavailable to do Radio commentary in this year’s Caribbean T20 competition and the West Indies home series against Australia while he was also unable to cover the Australia series for the BBC World Service. He is also likely to miss the West Indies home series against New Zealand which starts next month.

Devers who was also being treated for depression, explained that he is getting stronger mentally and more able to control his seizures,

which is his biggest worry ahead of his return to the Brain Surgeon in Trinidad. ”God is a great God and since my illness I have had time to reassess my priorities in life and gotten closer to the Almighty. I am feeling better each day and I am confident that with God’s grace I will not have to do surgery next month,” Devers said.

“God has put so many people in my life and I am grateful for all the support I have gotten since my weekly visits to the doctor, the cost for drugs, their side effects plus the restriction on my normal life is at times frustrating to deal with,” Devers informed.

A former Berbice senior Inter-County off-spinner,

Devers revealed that of all the entities in and outside of Guyana providing support, donations from Malteenoes, GYO and the BCB were the most touching since those were places he represented on the cricket field. Devers also represented Demerara at the senior inter county level.

“The contribution from the BCB is special since some of my proudest memories playing cricket was representing Berbice. The fantastic work of the BCB in recent times has seen Berbice now dominating cricket but in 1997 when myself and Mahendra Nagamootoo bowled 123 overs combined and took eight wickets between us at Albion it was the first time in 20 years that

James scores 29, Heat rally past...

From page 27 one of the league’s best offensive teams. Harden, the Sixth Man of the Year, shot 2 of 10 for his nine points.

Westbrook finished with 19 points.

After a split of the first two games, the series made its way from Oklahoma City, where fans in blue shirts filled every seat, to Miami, where white shirts hung on empty chairs just minutes before the tip. The late arrivals in Oklahoma City had been the Thunder players, who fell into big early deficits and acknowledged some first-time finals jitters in Game 1. Brooks

said he heard the cries to change his starting lineup but said it never crossed his mind.

The Thunder quickly fell behind 10-4 in this one after spotting the Heat a 13-point lead in Game 1 and getting clubbed into an 18-2 hole in the opening minutes of Game 2. They didn’t let things get any worse this time, playing the Heat even from there and trailing 26-20 after one. James, Wade and Bosh combined for Miami’s first 18 points.

James and Wade had some dazzling drives in the second and Shane Battier got free for a pair of 3-pointers in the final 2 minutes, but the

Thunder stayed with them the entire way, briefly holding a three-point lead. Westbrook’s 3-pointer with 2.3 seconds left cut Miami’s lead to 47-46.

Oklahoma City started to take control with a 14-2 run early in the third. Durant had the first four points, and Westbrook fooled the Heat with a fake behind the back pass before sneaking in for a layup. Then Durant leaped over James for a follow dunk before nailing a jumper for a 6051 lead with 6:55 left in the period.

But it was barely a minute later when he drew his fourth foul. The Thunder pushed the lead to 10 on Derek Fisher’s

four-point play, but the Heat got right back in it when Battier and then Jones made all six free throws after being fouled behind the arc.

Brooks also pulled Westbrook with 5 minutes left and left him out the remainder of the period, leaving the Thunder without their two best players as they tried to hang onto the lead.

They couldn’t.

The Heat scored the final seven of the period, Wade making a turnaround jumper and two free throws before setting up James for a 3pointer that made it 69-67 headed to the final quarter.

Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. stops Andy Lee in 7th...

From page 30 passed, the Mexican champion began to stalk Lee, blasting him with right-cross counterpunches. ‘’He’s strong, he’s young, he’s big,’’ Chavez said of Lee. ‘’He gave me everything he had, but he couldn’t do anything to me.’’

In the fifth round, Chavez openly taunted Lee’s punching power, dropping his gloves, grinning wildly and pretending to have wobbly knees. From there, Chavez’s strength put Lee in retreat, and Chavez punished him with left hooks to the body and right uppercuts to his head. ‘’I couldn’t hold him off,’’ Lee said. ‘’He was too big and too strong.’’

Lee’s trainer Emmanuel Steward concurred with his fighter’s assessment, saying, ‘’Junior fought a smart fight.

He’s very strong. He passed the test.’’

Chavez attributed his initial

tentativeness to leg cramps. ‘’It hadn’t happened to me in about three years, last time it happened was in Ciudad Juarez,’’ Chavez said. ‘’I thought I wouldn’t last 12 rounds.’’

With the victory, Chavez put himself in position for a title-unification fight with recognized world middleweight champion Sergio Martinez. ‘’Martinez moves a lot,’’ Chavez said. ‘’That’s a fight I have to make.’’

Before the main event, El Paso Mayor John Cook, who also performed the National Anthem in the ring, presented promoter Bob Arum with a key to the city, in an expression of gratitude for Arum’s decision to both select El Paso as a host city and then to resist an initial cancellation of the event by University of Texas system Chancellor Francisco Cigarroa in April.

The decision that initially cited a ‘’higher than normal’’risk assessment was later reversed.

The Sun Bowl was teeming with law enforcement officers Saturday, there to provide beefed-up security, including bag checks and patdowns at the entrance.

Helicopters circled the venue on the University of Texas at El Paso campus.

University spokeswoman Veronique Masterson said earlier in the day the visible security would be similar to other sporting events at the Sun Bowl.

Masterson said of the snipers and helicopters: ‘’we always coordinate with local and other law enforcement

agencies. It’s normal for a special event like this.’’

Assertions of El Paso’s safety record were ubiquitous, including statements on the blue mat that read ‘’America’s Safest City’’ and a reminder from ring announcers before each of the evening’s nine matches. ‘’Thank you all for standing up to people on the outside,’’ Arum said to cheers from the Sun Bowl Stadium crowd of 13,467. ‘’If you all stand up together, nobody from Austin and nobody from Washington can push you around.’’

Berbice had beaten Demerara in a senior four-day game. The next week in Essequibo when I got 5-12, Berbice dismissed Essequibo for 31, which is still a senior inter county record,” Devers reminded.

Devers informed that he is grateful for all the support and added that while the Guyana Government has pledged $1 Million and others including the Hits and Jams Organizations, WIPA, Ramnaresh Sarwan and Lennox Cush have promised financial support he has not yet collected these contributions which would be used if he has to do Surgery.

“The Minister himself and the Ministry of Health has been very helpful and their contribution has already been approved but I cannot access it unless surgery is needed.

The bulk of what I have received has been used for my trip to Trinidad in February and my medical bills since then,” Devers stated.

Devers wished the BCB and especially cricket officials Anil Beharry, Carl Moore, Angela Haniff and Keith & Hilbert Foster, continued success and urged other local sports entities to use the BCB’s committed work as an example to move sports in Guyana forward.

(Samuel Whyte)

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Page 26

Kaieteur News

Tuesday June 19, 2012

Rising star Tom Maynard dead at 23 AFP – London: Surrey’s Tom Maynard, one of England’s most promising batsmen, has died at the age of 23, the county said Monday.

Maynard, the son of former Glamorgan and England batsman Matthew Maynard, was killed after being struck by a London Underground train in the early hours of Monday morning.

British Transport Police (BTP) confirmed a 23-year-old man, named locally as Maynard, had died near Wimbledon Park station in south-west London.

A BTP spokesman said: “BTP officers were called to the line near Wimbledon Park London Underground station on Monday, 18 June after a man was struck by a District line train.

“London Ambulance Service medics attended but the man, believed to be 23 years old, was pronounced dead at the scene.

“The incident was reported to BTP at 5.03am and is currently being treated as non-suspicious.”

Mystery surrounded the end of Maynard’s life after London’s Metropolitan Police said he’d run away when stopped while driving “erratically” on Arthur Road, near Wimbledon Park station, before being hit by the tube train.

“At approx 0415hrs on Monday, 18 June, officers

stopped a vehicle after it was seen being driven erratically in Arthur Road, SW19,” Scotland Yard said.

“The male driver of the vehicle — a black Mercedes C250 — made off on foot.

Officers were unable to locate the man. “At approx 0510hrs the body of a man fitting the same description was found on tracks near Wimbledon Park station.”

Tom Maynard began his career with Glamorgan before joining Surrey at the start of last season and also played for the England Lions, the national A team.

He left Glamorgan after his father was forced out as coach of the Welsh county in 2010, saying his position had become “untenable”.

Maynard scored his maiden first-class hundred at Cardiff, Glamorgan’s headquarters, last year and helped Surrey win the county 40-over tournament.

A first-class record of 2,384 runs in 48 matches at 32.65 with four hundreds may seem modest but it was the way he compiled that tally which led him to be identified as an England prospect.

Surrey chairman Richard Thompson said: “There is a profound sense of loss at the passing of Tom. To lose anybody at such a young age is an utterly senseless tragedy.”

England and Wales

Tom Maynard Cricket Board (ECB) chairman Giles Clarke added: “This is a very sad day...Tom was a player of enormous potential who had already represented England Lions and had an exciting future ahead of him.”

Maynard’s Surrey teammate Kevin Pietersen was among England players who posted their condolences on Twitter.

“So unbelievably sad!!

The Maynard family is so special!! Thoughts are with this special family!! Loads of love guys!! KP xxx £RIPTom”.

Australia coach Mickey Arthur, who knows Matthew Maynard from the time he spent in Arthur’s native South Africa, spoke of his shock following the squad’s arrival in Leicester ahead of a one-

day series against England.

“I know his dad quite well — he was coach of the year in South Africa this year,” said Arthur.

“It’s a tragedy to lose such a talented player. He was certainly flamboyant, had a lot of potential and a lot of talent.”

“Who knows where he would have ended up?”

“But our thoughts are with the family, and I hope they get to the bottom of it,” Arthur added.

This was the third time in 15 years Surrey were mourning the passing of a young cricketer after both Ben Hollioake, an England allrounder, and wicket-keeper Graham Kersey died following car crashes in Australia.

From Australia, Adam Hollioake, Ben’s brother and a former Surrey captain, tweeted: “Wot is going on at Surrey? R we cursed or something? Graham Kersey, my bro, now this....Treasure every moment with loved ones x.”

An ECB spokeswoman confirmed there would be a minute’s silence ahead of the second one-day international between England and the West Indies at The Oval, Surrey’s London headquarters, on Tuesday with the England team wearing black armbands as a mark of respect.

Lebron has no love for style points, only victory (Reuters) - The Miami Heat have been winning ugly, which is fine with LeBron James who is within two victories of claiming his first National Basketball Association (NBA) title.

“I don’t give a damn how we get four,” James told reporters after practice on Monday, the day following Miami’s 91-85 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder that gave the Heat a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven NBA Finals.

“We can win 32-31. It doesn’t matter to me.”

The Heat shot an anemic 38 percent from the floor, and under 20 percent of their outside shots, but muscled their way to the pivotal Game Three win that has put them in the driver’s seat.

A win in Tuesday’s Game Four at their AmericanAirlines Arena would give the Heat a chance to finish the championship series off with another home court victory on Thursday.

The Heat fell short in last year’s NBA Finals to the Dallas Mavericks and Dirk Nowitzki. League MVP James said Miami did not have to

LeBron James look pretty against the youthful Thunder team, they just had to find a way to win.

“We can win any type of game,” said James. “We can win a gritty game, a high paced game. We take every game as its own.

We don’t go into a game saying this is what type of a game it’s going to be. “I don’t care how we get four.”

MONSTER INSIDE THE PAINT James has been a monster inside the paint during the finals, eschewing the outside jumper and using his brute force to drive to the hoop and fierce determination to corral rebounds.

Averaging 30.3 points and 10 rebounds, James said his mindset changed earlier in

the playoffs after power forward Chris Bosh was sidelined for nine games with an abdominal strain.

“I had to change when Chris got hurt,” he said. “I understood I had to change my approach both offensively and defensively.

I had to rebound more, attack more, get into the paint more to make up the difference with Chris being out.

“I just had to change, and it’s kind of stayed that way since he got back.”

Last year, the Heat were up 2-1 against the Mavericks before Dallas fought back to win the crown in six games in a crushing defeat for Miami.

“Of course it stuck with us, all the way to this day,” said James, who has become comfortable in his role as Miami’s go-to guy in his second year with the Eastern Conference champions.

“We’re a totally different team than we were last year when we were up 2 1. We understand what it takes to win and we’ve used that motivation, and we will continue to use that motivation.”

Tuesday June 19, 2012

Kaieteur News

Page 27

James scores 29, Heat rally past Thunder 91-85 MIAMI (AP) The Miami Heat have been here before, two wins from an NBA title.

A title. The difference now? LeBron James isn’t letting his head get in the way of his talent.

James had 29 points and 14 rebounds, and the Heat took a 2-1 series lead with a 91-85 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday night.

Miami also won Game 3 of the finals last year, but that was its last victory as the Dallas Mavericks stormed to the title. It was a painful failure for James, who looks determined to prevent a similar collapse.

Wade had 25 points, seven rebounds and seven assists for the Heat, who ‘’carry that pain with us’’ from last year, according to forward Chris Bosh. ‘’We think about it every day and that really helps us to succeed in this series,’’ Bosh said.

James’ poor performance was part of the problem then, but he seems on top of his game this time. His 3-pointer sent the Heat to the fourth

quarter with the lead, and he scored five straight Miami points when the Heat were building just enough cushion to hold off another late flurry by the Thunder.

Game 4 is tonight.

Kevin Durant had 25 points for the Thunder, but picked up his fourth foul in the third quarter and had to go to the bench when they seemed to have control of the game. ‘’It was frustrating,’’ Durant said. ‘’Of course we had a good lead and they came back and made some shots. We fouled shooters on the 3-point line twice. It’s a tough break for us, man. You know, I hate sitting on the bench, especially with fouls.’’

The Heat survived their own fourth-quarter sloppiness - nine turnovers by getting enough big plays from their Big Three.

James scored 30 and 32 points in the first two games, his two best finals performances. He fell just shy of another 30-point effort but reached 20 points for the 20th time this postseason, two shy of Wade’s franchise record

Miami Heat small forward LeBron James (6) and Oklahoma City Thunder small forward Kevin Durant (35) get into position for the next play set in 2006.

Gone is the player who seemed so tentative down the stretch last year in his second finals failure. He’s constantly on the attack now, all while defending Durant in key situations.

Bosh had 10 points and 11 rebounds for the Heat, who can win a second title by winning the next two games

Police probe assault complaint against Nalbandian

Argentina's David Nalbandian, left, looks on after causing an injury to the line judge, right, and is disqualified during the Queen's Club grass court championships final (Reuters) - British police are investigating a complaint of assault after Argentine tennis player David Nalbandian injured a linesman in a petulant outburst during the final of the Queen’s Club tournament at the weekend.

The governing body of men’s tennis (ATP) said separately that they had fined the player the maximum of 10,000 euros ($12,600).

Nalbandian had already forfeited prize money (at least $56,800) and ranking points for the week.

The ATP also said he could face an additional fine or ban once the governing body has finished reviewing the incident.

Nalbandian was leading Sunday’s match 7-6 3-3 when he dropped serve in the seventh game and reacted by kicking out at a wooden advertising board which disintegrated on impact and slammed into official Andrew McDougall’s left leg.

A shocked McDougall cried out and

instantly clutched his shin. When he rolled up his trouser leg, blood could be seen seeping from the wound.

He received some on-court attention before being escorted off the ground to the club’s medical centre.

After prolonged discussions between officials, umpire Fergus Murphy disqualified Nalbandian for “unsportsmanlike behavior” and awarded the match to his Croatian opponent Marin Cilic.

A Scotland Yard spokesman said on Monday: “An allegation of assault has been made to us relating to an incident at the... tennis tournament and we are now investigating.”

Nalbandian apologized after the incident, saying: “I know (what) I did (is) a mistake, 100 percent. I feel very sorry for the guy. I didn’t want to do that. But sometimes you get angry and you cannot control those moments.”

at home. That’s what they did in 2006, one of just two home teams to sweep the middle three games in the 2-3-2 format.

They seemed out of it

when Oklahoma City opened a 10-point lead midway through the third. But Durant had picked up his fourth foul with 5:41 left on Wade’s baseline drive, though there appeared to be little or no contact. Thunder coach Scott Brooks decided to sit Russell Westbrook with him, and the Heat charged into the lead by the end of the period.

Westbrook looked angry going to the bench, but denied any frustration afterward. ‘’Nah, man. I mean, coach’s decision,’’ Westbrook said. ‘’Got to live with it.’’

The Thunder grabbed their last lead at 77-76 on James Harden’s basket with 7:32 left. James answered with two free throws about 20 seconds later, and the teams would trade turnovers and stops over the next couple of tense minutes.

Wade then converted a

three-point play, and another minute went by before James powered to the basket, Durant trying to get in position to draw a charge but watching helplessly as he picked up his fifth foul. James made the free throw for an 84-77 advantage with 3:47 to play.

After another basket by James, the Thunder had one last burst - haven’t they always in this series? - ripping off six straight points to get within one before Bosh made a pair of free throws with 1:19 to play. Durant missed badly on a wild shot attempt, and the Thunder missed another chance when Westbrook was off from behind the arc. James hit a free throw for a fourpoint lead with 16 seconds to go and Wade added two to close it out.

The Thunder were just 4 of 18 on 3-pointers and hit only 15 of 24 free throws, unusually awful numbers for (Continued on page 25)

GCF National Championships set for this weekend Bragging rights for one year hence, a championship jersey and medal is at stake for the category winners this weekend when the Guyana Cycling Federation (GCF) brings off their annual National Championships.

On Saturday, the Time Trials will be held from Madewini Hill on the Linden Soesdyke Highway to the Toll Gate and back, pedaling off at 14:00hrs. For the start of the Time Trials, cyclists will assemble at the top of the hill.

For the first time the Road Race will start and finish in the Bauxite Mining Town of Linden and cycling fans there will welcome this move by the GCF. Linden, to their credit has been holding their own among the best in the land with Orville Hinds enjoying a fine year so far, his latest victory being last Sunday’s Guyoil sponsored Father’s Day Road Race on the West Demerara.

Also doing well in that race from Linden were Neil Reece who placed second and junior rider Michael Anthony who finished 5th overall and second for juniors.

With this level of showing by the Linden riders, fans from the Bauxite Town are expected to be out in their numbers to cheer on their own for this weekend’s championships.

The Road Race on Sunday will commence at Amelia’s Ward proceed to

Walter Grant-Stuart

Paul DeNobrega

Junior Niles

Hazina Barrat

Madewini Hill and return to the starting line for the finish.

Junior riders will turn back at Kuru Kuru, while the female riders and the veterans will turn back at Dora, all on the Linden Soesdyke Highway.

Race time on Sunday will be 08:00hrs.

For Saturday’s leg of the c h a m p i o n s h i p s , transportation will depart the National Park at 12:00 noon, while for Sunday’s leg; transportation will leave outside Distribution Services Limited, Mandela Avenue at

05:30hrs for Linden.

With the cream of the nation’s riders expected to face starter’s orders on both days, this event is anticipated to be hotly contested with riders expending quality hours in training over the past weeks. It is the wish of all riders to hold the accolade of National Champion.

The defending senior, junior, veteran and ladies champions are Walter GrantStuart, Paul DeNobrega, Junior Niles and Hazina Barrat.

Page 28

Kaieteur News

Tuesday June 19, 2012

Mathews’ brilliance denies Pakistan Yahoo!

Cricket – COLOMBO: Angelo Mathews’ unbeaten 76-ball 80 took Sri Lanka to a thrilling two-wicket win over Pakistan in the fifth and final ODI at the R. Premadasa Stadium, on Monday night.

Mathews punished Pakistan for a deplorable day in the field and snatched victory from the jaws of defeat after the hosts had looked out of the contest at 138-6 in the 35th over, in pursuit of Pakistan’s 247.

The punishing allrounder featured in a series of brisk stands and finally hit 15 runs, including a six and four, in Mohammad Sami’s last over of the innings to bring about a nail-biting win with two balls to spare.

The result enabled Sri Lanka to claim the five-match series 3-1, with one match abandoned due to rain.

Pakistan dropped two catches, messed up a series of run out chances, and conceded 22 extras, allowing Mathews to mastermind quick partnerships with the lower order (37 apiece with Lahiru Thirimanne and Jeevan Mendis, 36 with Nuwan Kulasekara) that swung the momentum back the way of the hosts.

Sri Lanka were jolted early in the chase as left-arm paceman Sohail Tanvir sent back the openers, Upul Tharanga and Tillakaratne Dilshan, cheaply - within the first six overs. The home team was resurrected by a 78-run partnership between Kumar Sangakkara (40) and Dinesh Chandimal (54).

But Shahid Afridi took two wickets in two balls in the 25th over of the innings to peg the hosts back. Sangakkara was run out by the wicket-keeper Sarfraz Ahmed off Afridi, and on the next ball new man Mahela Jayawardene was caught and bowled for a golden duck.

It finally took Mathews’ presence in the middle to guide Sri Lanka over the line.

Earlier, Misbah-ul-Haq elected to bat and was served well by opener Imran Farhat and Umar Akmal, who cracked half-centuries as Pakistan posted a competitive 247-7. Farhat, playing his first ODI in four months, hit an impressive 56 and Akmal an unbeaten 55 in the day-night match to keep alive their team’s hopes of leveling the series.

Earlier, Pakistan batted steadily after losing out-ofform opener Mohammad Hafeez (6), with Azhar Ali (30) and Farhat adding 60 for the second wicket, and then

Mathews almost single-handedly took Sri Lanka to a thrilling win over Pakistan.

Akmal putting on 61 for the fifth wicket with skipper Misbah-ul-Haq (32).

Akmal smashed two sixes and five fours in a 61-ball knock for his 15th halfcentury in one-dayers.

Hafeez, who was bowled by paceman Nuwan Kulasekara in the sixth over, has now scored just 20 runs in his last four one-dayers.

Farhat dominated the Sri Lankan attack in the initial overs, twice hitting Kulasekara for three fours in an over. Kulasekara conceded 35 runs in his opening six overs before being replaced by off-spinner Tillakaratne Dilshan.

Farhat fell pulling seamer Thisara Perera to deep midwicket where he was caught

by Dinesh Chandimal after smashing nine fours in his

12th half-century in one-day internationals.

Leg-spinner Jeevan Mendis, playing his first match of the series, was the most impressive bowler with 2-30 off nine overs while Kulasekara finished with 2-53 off 10 overs.

Sri Lanka made one change from the team which won the last match by 44 runs on Saturday, replacing Sajeewa Weerakoon with Mendis.

Pakistan brought in Farhat and paceman Mohammad Sami in place of Younis Khan and off-spinner Saeed Ajmal.

Scores: Sri Lanka 248 for 8 (Mathews 80*, Chandimal 54, Tanvir 3-42) beat Pakistan 247 for 7 (Farhat 56, Akmal 55*, Mendis 2-30) by two wickets.

Sombre atmosphere...

From back page have worked on reducing his pronounced dip in his stance.

He is the key to England’s middle order, both in his ability to clear the ropes and his skill at pacing a run chase.

Marlon Samuels remains the man in form for West Indies and eased to 30 with a strike-rate of 100 in the first match of the series until falling to his good friend James Anderson. Given how he is playing it was strange that he was not promoted after Darren Bravo’s injury; West Indies need to make best use of his form. He was useful with the ball, too, taking a couple of wickets to hold England in the middle of the innings.

It is likely that only a late injury will lead to England tinkering with their team, although there may be a temptation to fit Samit Patel in the team on a surface that can help the spinners.

England (probable) 1 Alastair Cook (capt), 2 Ian Bell, 3 Jonathan Trott, 4 Ravi Bopara, 5 Eoin Morgan, 6 Craig Kieswetter, 7 Tim Bresnan, 8 Stuart Broad, 9 Graeme Swann, 10 James Anderson, 11 Steven Finn.

West Indies were awaiting the results of scans on both Gayle and Andre Russell, with the former desperately needed now Darren Bravo has left the tour with a groin injury.

The bowling attack needs a shake up so Russell could be dropped even if fit to allow Tino Best or Fidel Edwards a game.

West Indies (probable) 1 Chris Gayle, 2 Lendl Simmons, 3 Marlon Samuels, 4 Dwayne Smith, 5 Dwayne Bravo, 6 Kieran Pollard, 7 Denesh Ramdin (wk), 8 Darren Sammy (capt), 9 Tino Best, 10 Ravi Rampaul, 11 Sunil Narine.

(Cricinfo)

Tuesday June 19, 2012

Kaieteur News

Page 29

EURO 2012 QUARTER-FINALS

Cassano, Balotelli send Navas puts Spain Italy through through, Croatia out

Italy's Antonio Cassano (2ndL) scores a goal against Ireland (Reuters) - Antonio Cassano’s first-half header and Mario Balotelli’s spectacular late volley gave Italy a 2-0 win over Ireland which took them into the Euro 2012 quarter-finals as Group C runners-up.

Cassano, who missed half the season with AC Milan after undergoing a minor heart operation, headed home 10 minutes before the break and Balotelli brilliantly hooked the ball home in the final minute to leave Italy second with five points behind Spain.

Italy, who played with one eye on the Croatia v Spain game, deserved their win although they had to survive an aggressive late rally from Ireland, coached by their wily 73-year-old Italian Giovanni Trapattoni, before substitute Balotelli’s strike.

The physical Irish, already eliminated after two defeats, forced a flurry of late free kicks and corners as Italy, who gave up leads in 1-1 draws with Spain and Croatia, again appeared to tire.

Having conceded early goals in losses Croatia and Spain, Ireland were

determined not to get caught out again and went straight on to the attack.

Backed by a vociferous and large contingent in the crowd, they looked briefly threatening against an Italian side which featured four changes to the starting line-up.

Italy took their time to get going with Andrea Pirlo getting plenty of the ball but struggling to find openings for Cassano and strike partner Antonio Di Natale who replaced Balotelli.

Di Natale had the first real chance after a break down the left by Federico Balzaretti and there were appeals for handball as his shot was blocked by a defender.

Cassano then had a shot fumbled by Shay Given before Italy went ahead from a corner.

Pirlo’s inswinging effort found Cassano at the near post and, although Given got a hand to his header, the ball crossed the line before Damien Duff, making his 100th appearance, could hook it away.

Italy kept attacking after

the break, Cassano wasting a good chance with a sidefooted shot before Daniele De Rossi curled another effort over.

A neat combination between Thiago Motto and Cassano then set up Di Natale whose shot from a difficult angle was blocked by Given.

Keith Andrews reminded Italy that the game was not over as his awkward longrange shot gave Gianluigi Buffon his first real test of the game on the hour.

Italy began looking nervous and there was a rare moment when Pirlo lost possession to Andrews in midfield but De Rossi came to the rescue with a timely tackle to block the Irish midfielder’s shot.

Another thumping Andrews shot was saved by Buffon as Italy clung on and the Ireland midfielder was sent off for his second bookable offence moments before Balotelli settled matters with a superb piece of skill, the maverick forward living up to his reputation when he failed to celebrate his stunning goal.

(Reuters) - Substitute Jesus Navas tapped home two minutes from time to snatch a 1-0 victory over Croatia and send holders Spain through to the last eight of Euro 2012 as Group C winners.

Croatia, who battled hard against the world and European champions, went out as Italy finished second thanks to a 2-0 win over Ireland. Spain will now face the runners-up in a Group D featuring France, England, Ukraine and eliminated Sweden.

Spain topped the group on seven points, with Italy on five and Croatia on four, while Ireland finished with zero.

Spain’s late winner was tough on Croatia and they probably had the best chance of the game before Spain’s goal when Iker Casillas brilliantly blocked Ivan Rakitic’s close-range header in the 59th minute.

However, as the game opened up in the latter stages, Spain substitute Fabregas and fellow midfielder Andres Iniesta were able to carve open the Croatian defense and Iniesta squared the ball for Navas to slid home into an empty net.

“It was a very tense match, very tough,” said Spain coach Vicente del Bosque. “They closed ranks at the back very well and didn’t give us much space.

“We threw on Cesc (Fabregas) because we needed not only possession

Nicklas Bendtner banned for underpants celebration Euro 2012:

Denmark’s Nicklas Bendtner has been banned for one match and fined 100,000 euros (£80,000) by Uefa for his goal celebration against Portugal.

He lowered his shorts to reveal the logo of a betting company on his underpants after scoring the second of his two goals in the 3-2 defeat.

“This suspension applies to the next 2014 Fifa World Cup match for which Bendtner is eligible,” said

Uefa.

Bendtner has three days in which to appeal.

Denmark play the Czech Republic in their first World Cup qualfying game in September.

After the Portugal game on 13 June, the Arsenal striker said: “It is just a pair of lucky boxer shorts that I used in the first game as well and have used before the tournament.

“I didn’t know I was breaking any rules but I am aware of that now.”

Croatia's goalkeeper Stipe Pletikosa (L) reacts as Spain's Jesus Navas shoots to score Nicklas Bendtner

of the ball but someone to get forward into goalscoring situations.

Goalscorer Jesus Navas added: “It was a tough match and they managed to play their game well. It was difficult to penetrate their defenses.

We are the kind of players who go all out for victory because that is what we believe in and what we want.”

On a warm and breezy night at Gdansk’s ambercolored PGE Arena, Spain quickly seized control of possession in the first competitive meeting between the two sides.

CROATIACOUNTER The Croats, with in-form Mario Mandzukic operating as a lone target man up front, looked to catch Spain on the break but had to wait until the 25th minute for their first goal attempt.

Playing in unfamiliar lightblue shirts, Spain struggled to create any clear chances and centre backs Sergio Ramos and Gerard Pique had probably their best two efforts of the first half with long-range strikes.

Spain coach Vicente del Bosque fielded an unchanged side from last week’s 4-0 drubbing of Ireland, with Fernando Torres leading the line and Iniesta and David Silva operating on either flank. Torres had a quiet game and was replaced by Fabregas, who operated as a roving forward in Spain’s 1-1 draw with Italy and had netted the equalizer.

Del Bosque’s Croatian counterpart Slaven Bilic, who is joining Lokomotiv Moscow after the finals, switched to a more defensive formation, with in-form striker Mario Mandzukic ahead of an offensive midfield trio led by playmaker Luka Modric.

It was Modric who conjured a superb pass with the outside of his foot to create the chance for Rakitic but he was otherwise well shackled by the Spanish midfield and defense.

“I’ll have several sleepless nights after missing a great chance to give us the lead,” said midfielder Rakitic.

“But we have no regrets because we left it all out there on the pitch, we played our hearts out and we can bow out with our heads high.

Coach Bilic added: “I can only congratulate my players because they played a heroic match but unfortunately we didn’t win because we didn’t take our chances and we always knew they would come few and far between against the Spaniards.

“The game plan was to thwart Spain in the first half and have a go at them in the second. It worked and we did everything right except score.

“We came here to go all the way and we failed because we lacked that tiny bit of luck that makes all the difference. I think my staff and I are leaving behind an excellent generation which has every chance of improving.”

Page 30

Kaieteur News

Tuesday June 19, 2012

We are undeserving of that Unknown Bollers elusive Olympic gold medal now known Says Michael Benjamin Whosoever coined the old adage about putting all of one’s eggs in one basket would have felt exonerated after Imran ‘Magic’ Khan, Guyana’s key hope for a medal at the impending London Olympics, lost his fight to Argentina’s Alberto Melian at the Olympic Box-off in Brazil recently.

Several other boxers did attend that forum including Bert Braithwaite, who eventually suffered a loss to St Lucian, Marcellin Lyndel, and Stefan Gouveia, who despite winning his inaugural bout against Teofilo Jeronimo of Honduras, lost out to Columbian, Eduar Marriaga in the quarter-finals.

Shortly after the boxers returned to Guyana, President of the Guyana Amateur Boxing Association (GABA), Steve Ninvalle, joined Tournament Director and coach, Terrence Poole, at a press conference to inform media operatives of the details of the trip. This is not the first time this was done nor was it the first time that journalists were fed with a litany of excuses regarding the boxers’ failure.

Of note though, was Mr. Ninvalle admittance that his executives erred in the development of its nursery sector. It was refreshing to note that GABA executives have rectified that anomaly somewhat and has subsequently teamed up with beverage giants, Demerara Distillers Ltd to stage the first edition of such an initiative with a promise of at least two others before the year has expired.

At that press conference also, the media was assured that there was a glimmer of hope that at least one of the pugilists might have still received an opportunity to attend the Olympics by dint of a wild card option. The media was warned that the notion was a bit far-fetched and would be ventilated by President of the Guyana Olympics Association (GOA); K A Juman Yassin after the latter individual had explored the options.

To date there has been no positive word on this matter and it seems painfully obvious that Guyana’s team would be devoid of boxing representation; the last pugilist to represent us being John Douglas at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.

This country’s inaugural entry to the Olympic Games was in 1948 and if the absence

Michael Parris of a boxing representative fails to raise our ire, one needs only to reflect on the fact that after fifty-six years of representation at this forum, Guyana still has only a bronze medal to show. For the record, boxer Michael Anthony Parris, Guyana’s first and only Olympic medalist, procured that accolade at the 1980 Games in Moscow.

Recently Cuban boxing icon, Teofilo Stevenson passed away and subsequently received a state funeral. Notably, this former Cuban boxer has won gold for his country in 1972, ‘76 and ’80. Despite Fidel Castro’s communistic ideals and the perception of many that Cubans were under siege, the world could not help but admire Stevenson’s staunch nationalism when he opted, against all odds and imperialistic pressures, to continue representing his country.

This decision was amidst offers to fight Muhammad Ali for a huge purse (reports had the sum somewhere around one million dollars). Any affirmation by Stevenson would have been in contravention of the policies of his government since Cuban athletes are not allowed to compete professionally. Furthermore

they earned only a fraction of the salaries that their counterparts in other countries took home. But Stevenson did not appear to have any regrets about his decision to turn down a big payday by staying amateur.

“What is $1 million compared to the love of 8 million Cubans?” he had declared.

His boxing contemporary and countryman, Felix Savon recently disclosed that Stevenson had told him that he was offered $US5m (£3.2m) to fight Mike Tyson - the best professional heavyweight of his own generation- but he refused even after that fee was later doubled.

Maybe the most impacting statement at Stevenson’s funeral came from the lips of President Fidel Castro; “No other amateur boxer in history shone so brightly,” Mr. Castro declared, hailing Stevenson’s talent first, then his loyalty. “Cuba invests heavily in sport, only to see many of its finest athletes defect in frustration, seeking better pay and opportunities overseas, but Stevenson could not be bought for all the money in the world.” Mr. Castro said, Recently, I spoke with a Cuban national here in Guyana and he told me of the royal treatment that was meted out to Stevenson. He spoke of the many privileges enjoyed by the late boxer/ statesman as the Cuban authorities honoured, in no uncertain manner, the feats of one of their loyal sons.

My Cuban friend also pointed out that such privileges are not only for Stevenson, but those stalwarts that have served diligently in the sport sector.

While Stevenson was chalking up his third gold medal at the Moscow Olympics in 1980, Guyana was still in the doghouse and this

country’s only claim to Olympic fame, fifty-six years after it was represented at the Olympic Games for the first time, was a bronze medal at the above mentioned Games.

Regrettably, we as a nation have failed to hail this momentous achievement in a tangible way.

When Parris returned to Guyana following his medal winning feat, he was accorded a heroes’ welcome and the government of that era had gifted him a house on behalf of the Guyanese people. Since then our boxing hero has been obliterated from the local sports map and is only heard of or referred to whenever our top officials are in search of cheap publicity.

Recently, the executives of GABA ‘honoured’ Parris with the dedication of an amateur tournament. At the inauguration ceremony, Director of Youth and Sports, Neil Kumar spoke glowingly of Parris’ feat. If indeed the Sports Director nurtures such deep regard for Parris, he should be instrumental in organizing a gift that is more significant than affixing our stalwart’s name to a tournament with superficial benefits. Merely dedicating an amateur tournament is a far cry from an honourable gesture.

Further, during those 32 years since Parris’ feat none of our administrators (sports or government) has seen it fit to suggest a trip for Parris as our flag bearer/ambassador to any succeeding Olympics yet we continue to crave that elusive gold even as we demonstrate scant respect for the ambassador that has netted the only meaningful accolade at this level of local sports. Small wonder then that this emblem has eluded, and will continue to elude us; we are simply undeserving of the accolade.

- records fastest 200m time oversea for locally based junior athlete Royal Youth Movement (RYM) athlete, Elton Bollers of the University of Guyana (UG) has been improving tremendously in his athletic career that he resumed earlier in the year.

The nineteen years old athlete, who was in the silhouette for quite a number of years when he started his track career in his High School days, has climbed a few steps further from the bottom of the ladder, ranking as one of Guyana’s best sprinters in the junior category.

Bollers last Sunday in Twin Island, Trinidad and Tobago at the annual Morvant Jets and Mustangs Games at the Hasley Crawford Stadium, Port of Spain outsprinted his opponents in the boys under_20 100m finals to continue his winning streak at the Games in a time of 10.88 seconds.

Despite not medaling in the U_20 400m, the upcoming athlete managed to run off with two gold medals. The race which was won by a Trinidadian athlete saw Bollers finishing in fifth place.

Asking Bollers, who arrived in Trinidad on Friday to compete at the games which was held over two days, to comment on his performance in the race (400m), he stated that his energy was not there in the race. “I don’t know what went wrong. I wasn’t myself, my energy wasn’t flowing but the race wasn’t fast, it was won in early 48.”

The athlete also competed in his pet event; the boy’s U_20 200m the previous day (Saturday) and copped gold in a time of 21.5 seconds after taking charge of the race from the final 100m.

Overall for the year,

Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. stops Andy Lee in 7th round EL PASO, Texas (AP) Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. recovered from a slow start he blamed on leg cramps and stopped Andy Lee at 2:21 of the seventh round Saturday night to retain the WBC middleweight title.

A right uppercut by Chavez snapped Lee’s head upwards and sideways and Chavez connected on a barrage of punches before referee Laurence Cole intervened and

waved an end to the fight. ‘’I began by studying him,’’ Chavez said. ‘’I saw he had nothing, and I dove in.’’

Chavez (46-0-1, 32 KOs) began tentatively, not even throwing his first punch until 75 seconds had elapsed in the first round, and was initially outboxed by Lee (28-2), a much taller challenger than Chavez had previously faced.

But as the next two rounds (Continued on page 25)

Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., left, throws a right at Andy Lee during their WBC middleweight title bout

Elton Bollers

Bollers have 4 gold medals with one silver. His first gold medal was obtained at the Athletic Association of Guyana (AAG) National Youth, Junior and Senior Championship at the Police Sports Club ground, Eve Leary in the boys U_20 (Junior) 200m. This was where Bollers left spectators and CARIFTA Team athletes, Chavez Ageday and Stephan James dumb folded as he aggressively sprinted to a sweet victory in a time of 21 seconds (on grass).

His second gold medal locally was at the recent successful President’s/ Jefford Classic III at the McKenzie Sports Club ground in the men’s 400m.

Bollers a third year student at UG (Bachelors of Science Degree in Economics) will be looking to continue his outstanding performance in Trinidad and Tobago this weekend in the Men’s 400m Invitational at the Sagicor National Gas Company National Open Championship at the Hasley Crawford Stadium.

The athlete indicated that he will be looking to break the 50 seconds barrier in the 400m to record to a new personal best time in the race.

Confirmed to compete at the Open Championship which will be held over two days form 3pm are former Royal Youth Movement athletes, Philip Drayton and Wayne Harlequin. Drayton’s 400m (preliminary) is slated for 10:50pm while Harlequin’s 800m preliminary as well is set for 5:50pm.

(Juanita Hooper)

Tuesday June 19, 2012

Kaieteur News

Page 31

Another one bites the dust

By Edison Jefford F i r s t i t w a s Albouystown/Charlestown, then it was North Ruimveldt, and now it’s the super-strong Wortmanville/Werk-EnRust that has exited the 2012 National Community Basketball League (NCBL) after a heartbreaking loss in the quarterfinals Sunday night.

Albouystown, North R u i m v e l d t a n d Wortmanville have all been to the semi-final and final of the Inter-Ward tournament, which has been rebranded NCBL, before. However, the emergence of some formerly weaker teams this year has booted the usual favourites.

Sunday night, in another keenly contested and entertaining quarterfinal, the Western Union-sponsored Plaisance/Vryheid’s Lust sent Wortmanville packing with a 77-67 win, at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.

Veteran guard, Enoch Mathews was at his best, scoring 18 points while shooting guard, Steffon Gillis scored 17 points, Ron Campbell 13 points and

Nikkoloi Smith 10 points for Plaisance, who like Diamond/McDoom, reached their first Final Four.

Naylon Loncke scored 14 points and Jermaine Hamilton eight points to lead Wortmanville in their first loss of the competition.

Wismar, Diamond and Plaisance are the three teams that have so far qualified for the Final Four. The other quarterfinal game will be played Thursday night in Linden between Central McKenzie and Kwakwani.

Loncke started the game hot, landing three-point jumpers for Wortmanville, which ignited his team’s offence early in the game.

P l a i s a n c e , h o w e v e r, maintained their composure against the early blitz and went down 12-15 at the end of the first quarter.

Wo r t m a n v i l l e w e n t ‘small’ at the start of the second period with guard, Aubrey Austin, Delon Davidson and Randy Burgess deputising for the senior nationals, Loncke, Royston Siland and Clement Brusche.

Maybe the tactic was to respond to the pace of Plaisance/Vryheid’s Lust, but that backfired with the Wortmanville bench failing

Plaisance/Vryheid’s Lust will play in their first Final Four game of the Inter-Ward competition, now the NCBL, Saturday night at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall after beating Wortmanville/Werk-En-Rust Sunday night. to produce the necessary results on both ends.

Wortmanville got only two points from their bench within five minutes of the period.

Siland and Brusche returned to the game and immediately impacted the defensive boards, which led to offensive outlets. Loncke and Burgess made the conversions, and Wortmanville got going again with a 26-19 lead with two minutes left before halftime.

Wortmanville continued to dominate Plaisance in the first half on both ends. They closed the half leading 3326. But the loud supporters of Plaisance, who never stopped cheering for them, seemed to be the appropriate Sixth Man for the young team.

Mathews worked the ball inside for consecutive layups to complete a sixpoint run. The scores looked the same and the game got extremely defensive. Smith

released a floater high off the glass that kept Plaisance competitive in the must-win game.

H o w e v e r, L o n c k e responded with four unanswered points and returned the momentum to his team. Plaisance’s coach, Andrew Hercules went to his most dependable players, Campbell, Gillis, Smith, Hugh Arthur and Ryan Gullen to combat Wortmanville.

Campbell finished a fast-

- Plaisance reaches first Final Four

break layup to cease a 42-40 lead for Plaisance then Gillis drilled a big three-point jumper to extend advantage.

Gillis continued his offensive assault with another shot from just inside the arc. In three minutes, Plaisance was coasting with a 51-44 third quarter lead.

Plaisance did not let up i n t h e f i n a l q u a r t e r, Campbell and Smith continued the surge, but the seniority and skill of Loncke was still a threat. Loncke consistently forced his way into the paint, finished tough shots and drilled a threepointer to haul Wortmanville back in the game.

But Gillis answered with a missile from downtown, pulling up for the shot between two defenders at the top of the key to bang it off the glass. The supporters from Plaisance got louder as their team ceased the offensive initiative in crunch-time.

Plaisance opted to use the clock excellently, forcing Wortmanville into foul trouble. Smith and Mathews wrapped up the win for Plaisance with consecutive drives in the paint, ensuring that it is Plaisance, who will play Wismar in the first semifinal Saturday night.

LIVEWIRE makes donation to Coomacka CDC - several sport activities for Weekend Festival LIVEWIRE Productions also donated a water tank to the CDC, which will allow for use of the indoor sanitation facilities.

Coomacka has in the past produced a number of outstanding sports personalities among which is Onan Thom, who represented Guyana at the

LIVEWIRE Productions, Andrew McBean (right) hands over one of the lights to a representative of the Coomacka CDC.

C

oordinator of the u p c o m i n g Coomacka We e k e n d F e s t i v a l , LIVEWIRE Productions on Sunday presented some Mercury vapour lamps to the v i l l a g e ’s C o m m u n i t y Development Council (CDC) ahead of the upcoming CARICOM

Weekend event.

Th e d o n atio n f r o m LIVEWIRE Productions followed a request from President of the Coomacka CDC, Allister Fraser for items pivotal to the development of the Coomacka Community Centre Ground, which is the main host venue for outdoor

sporting and cultural events in the former mining area.

The Mercury vapour lamps will increase access to the facility during the night.

Residents of Coomacka are perceived to be very sportsoriented, but were limited to daylight activities owed to the previous absence of the lights, which they now have.

Olympics and several other national swimmers including Schenelle Bremner.

The upcoming C o o m a c k a We e k e n d Festival billed for June 30July 1 will feature several indoor and outdoor sporting activities, including football, cycling, dominoes and a road-race from Linden to

Coomacka.

Other activities include overnight camping, Demerara River Tours, speedboat rides, hiking, fishing, cooking competitions and a fashion show. The Guyana Tourism Authority has sanctioned the C o o m a c k a We e k e n d Festival.

t r o Sp Digicel Nationwide Schools Football Competition...

Covent Garden crush APS -Houston stun Mercy Wing

Covent Garden Secondary School scores a goal in their encounter against Academy of Professional Studies yesterday.

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ovent Garden registered the largest margin of victory so far in this year’s Digicel Nationwide Schools Football Competition after inflicting an 18-1 drubbing on Academy of Professional Studies (APS) in their encounter yesterday, at the Grove Community Centre ground.

In the other game scheduled in the East Bank Demerara Zone between Camille’s Institute and Friendship Secondary, the referee decided that the ground was unsuitable for play due to

consistent rain which made the venue waterlogged and therefore abandoned the game.

The game will now be played today, at the Grove Community Centre Dominic Garnett led the way for Covent Garden, hammering in five goals which came in the (12 , 24 , 55 , 56 , and 65 ) minutes, while Kevin Agard added a hattrick in the (4 , 22 and 67 ).

Other contributions came from Omali Henry (31 and 36 ), Trevor Jones (41 and 49 ), while there was one each for Sheldon Chapman th

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(6 ), Trevon Gaskin (16 ), Kesta Joseph (21 ), Rodick McKenzie (39 ), Ronel McLean (47 ) and an own goal (62 ).

David Coates scored APS’ solitary strike in the 57th minute.

At the Camptown Football Club ground, the venue was not conducive for the fixture between Ascension Secondary and Freeburg Secondary and it was switched to the Georgetown Football Club ground, wherein the latter was a no show.

At the Kuru Kuru Cooperative College ground, the contest th

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between Camille’s Institute and Friendship Secondary was postponed due to the unfit condition of the venue and this will be replayed today at the Grove Community Centre ground.

At Tucville, Houston Secondary made Mercy Wings pay for their blunders, cruising to a comfortable 2-0 win.

Kevin Douglas in the (52 ) and Shaquille Grant in the (60 ) netted for the winners, while their custodian Rudolph Doobay, denied Mercy Wings from recording any goals. The competition continues nd

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today with six more matches at various venues.

At LTI ground in Linden, Mackenzie Hugh takes on Linden Technical Institute from 15:30hrs; at Dem Amstel, Goed Fortuin battles Sarswat Secondary; L’Aventure engages Stewartville; North Georgetown and St. George’s collide; North Ruimveldt Secondary takes on New Campbellville Secondary and Queen’s College square off against David Rose Secondary.

All the above matches are scheduled to start at 15:30 hrs.

Sombre atmosphere as England hunt series Chris Gayle

T

five specialist bowlers paid dividends as they removed West Indies for 172 after the visitors made a promising start to their chase.

After being built up as favourites for the series it was a hugely disappointing performance from West Indies, which steadily went downhill following the early success of removing Alastair Cook for a duck. The bowling attack did not trouble England and, apart from Dwayne Smith, the power-packed batting order failed to live up to their billing. Fingers will be crossed that Chris Gayle is fit to return.

Eoin Morgan’s first innings for England since the Twenty20 series against

Pakistan in February suggested that he is getting his form back on track. He scooted along at a run-a-ball during a brisk partnership with Bell and appeared to have worked on reducing his pronounced dip in his stance.

He is the key to England’s middle order, both in his ability to clear the ropes and his skill at pacing a run chase.

Marlon Samuels remains the man in form for West Indies and eased to 30 with a strike-rate of 100 in the first match of the series until falling to his good friend James Anderson.

Given how he is playing it was strange that he was not promoted after Darren Bravo’s injury; West Indies

Ian Bell

he one-day series compassionate leave from continues at The t h e s q u a d w i t h need to make best use of his can help the spinners.

O v a l t o d a y , Wa r w i c k s h i r e ’s C h r i s form. He was useful with the Eoin Morgan’s first overshadowed by the death Woakes added as cover. ball, too, taking a couple of innings for England since the of Tom Maynard, the Surrey England, though, are wickets to hold England in Twenty20 series against b a t s m a n , y e s t e r d a y . unlikely to feel the need to the middle of the innings.

Pakistan in February Maynard had been tipped to make any changes after a It is likely that only a late suggested that he is getting appear at full England level comprehensive 114-run injury will lead to England his form back on track. He and many of the current victory to start the series. Ian tinkering with their team, scooted along at a run-a-ball squad expressed their Bell’s comeback century although there may be a during a brisk partnership dismay at the news. Jade w a s t h e h e a d l i n e temptation to fit Samit Patel with Bell and appeared to Dernbach, the Surrey pace performance of the match, in the team on a surface that (Continued on page 28) bowler, has been given while the tactic of picking Printed and published by National Media & Publishing Company Limited, 24 Saffon St.Charlestown, Georgetown.Tel: 225-8465, 225-8491 or Fax: 225-8473/ 226-8210