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Kaieteur News
KAIETEUR NEWS Printed and Published by National Media & Publishing Company Ltd. 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown, Guyana. Publisher: GLENN LALL Editor: ADAM HARRIS Tel: 225-8491, 225-8458, 225-8465 Fax: 225-8473 or 226-8210
Editorial
Will flooding be a thing of the past? Any doubts about the advent of the rainy season in Guyana were promptly erased a few weeks ago. The country, including the hinterland, was drenched with heavy rains that resulted in severe flooding. Some parts of the city were flooded as well. However, there are some good and not too good news for the citizens, especially for those residing in the city and in low lying areas. According to Guyana Meteorological Service, this year’s rainy season is expected to be the same as last year’s but with more flash flooding in the urban and coastal areas. In any event, the nation must brace itself for the annual ritual of flash-floods in urban centres as was evidenced in the city on numerous occasions, or deep. In the case of the low-lying agricultural regions, this is not good news for the thousands of cash crop farmers and livestock owners. The first real rains of this year’s rainy season came with steady, moderate showers. Within hours, Georgetown and other parts of the coast, including the Essequibo coast were inundated, so much so that the Ministry of Public Infrastructure was overwhelmed. Since the turn of the 21stcentury, flooding of the main streets in Georgetown and those that adjoin it seems to be a permanent feature, Things became worse when the PPP government deprived the City Council of the ability to deal with. No money was forthcoming. Whenever the rainfall is really heavy and widespread, flooding will extend across much of the country, often with disastrous consequences to property, livestock and agriculture products, as occurred in 2005 and after. The truth is that the David Granger-led APNU+AFC Coalition Government literally came into office just a few days before the rains came on the night of May 31, 2015. Residents in Georgetown and its suburbs awoke to the all too familiar and depressing sight of their homes, business places and government buildings, including the Ministry of the Presidency under more than a foot of water. The first act of the government was to check the sluices and kokers, close schools and urge the citizens to protect themselves, their family and livestockfrom further damage. Accompanied by a group of engineers and technocrats, the newly appointed Minister of Public Infrastructure toured parts of the city that were flooded, examined the problems and proffered solutions. Ten years after the worst flood in 2005 and hundreds of millions of dollars spent to purchase larger pumps and repair some kokers and sluices by the previous government, yet the city and many other parts of the country continue to flood. Many are fed-up and are asking some tough questions: What actions are being taken by the new government to reduce flooding? When will flooding be something of the past? Experts have agreed that a multi-million-dollar drainage and irrigation system is needed to reduce or eliminate flooding in Georgetown and the suburbs and make it a thing of the past. However, neither money nor the government alone can put an end to flooding, some of which are man-made. In one way or another, everyone has contributed to the flooding which has disrupted their lives and have destroyed infrastructure, properties and livestock. Therefore, everyone has to take some responsibility for the indiscriminate littering and the discarding of tens of thousands of plastic beverage and food containers that make flooding seemingly intractable. But with mosquito-borne diseases such as dengue and chikungunya being among the hazards posed by these floods, the people must be particularly careful about their health and be mindful as to where they throw their garbage. For more than a decade, the previous government has failed to introduce and implement measures that would have facilitated the disposal and/or collection and recycling of plastic waste. Unless garbage containers are placed on the streets within easy reach and are emptied frequently, indiscriminate littering will continue, as will widespread flooding.
Sunday June 21, 2015
Kaieteur M@ilbox Send your letters to Kaieteur News 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown or email us kaieteurnews@yahoo.com
The PPP leadership should stop being national laughing stocks and go to Parliament DEAR EDITOR, So, what further nonsensical tomfoolery is this? How does the Editorin-Chief allow one of his writers to display such ad hominem hostility and misleading untruths? I refer to the headline in the Guyana Chronicle of June 19, 2015 which read “PPP/C invokes 200,000 votes to oust Dr. Surujbally. Firstly, Dr. Surujbally is a Constitutional Office Holder, with well-defined legal elements associated
with his tenure and with specific prerequisites anchored in the Constitution relating to his demittance from Office. Those 200,000 votes do not represent one of those conditions. I have no doubt that Dr. Surujbally, who led the team which many (a lot more than 200,000) believe carried out the best elections ever in Guyana, will in due course demit Office. In fact, I do remember when asked during a press conference (after the elections) what
change he would like to see, he said emphatically that, as a septuagenarian, his leaving GECOM would be the first change. So, the PPP threatening “he will go; it’s only a matter of time” is a ludicrous self-fulfilling prophesy. The PPP, knowing this fully well, is now presenting itself as demanders of that which is already quite well known and which is naturally inevitable. How pathetic? How idiotic? How counter-productive?
Are these people so collectively blind that they cannot see how jokey their performances are being perceived by their own party members and the Nation as a whole? But there are other artificial fulminations which the PPP knows to be incorrect but which they continue to peddle for reasons known to all, namely to make their supporters believe that the PPP is doing something on their behalf (Continued on page 6)
Sunday June 21, 2015
Kaieteur News
Kaieteur M@ilbox
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GTUC will determine its battles and will not be used conveniently by the PPP DEAR EDITOR, In February 2002 out of concern about the degeneracy in our society, a decision was taken to start a national conversation on rights and the rule of law. This was influenced by the PPP-led Bharrat Jagdeo government that was at the time transgressing workers/ citizens’ rights and violating laws with impunity. Those perceived not to be supporters of the PPP or expressed alternative views to that of the PPP were targeted in a sustained manner. As the conversation became intense in the society and citizens empowered, the PPP adjoined itself, claiming that their actions were constitutionally driven. This
society did not experience constitutional adherence from the PPP, but constitutional mis-interpretation and misapplication to justify their dastardly acts. Representatives of the PPP are today raising concerns as to respecting time-honoured principles, international charters, conventions and laws. And for some reason it makes the national discourse interesting. From my vantage point as a trade unionist, it is interesting to note the PPP’s cogent arguments and presentations on accountable government and industrial practices, which indicate that this party knew all along what is right but took a conscious
decision to do wrong. The PPP government engaged in a process of violating laws, transgressing rights, discriminating against groups and individuals based on race, political association and friendship. They raped the national coffers, showed contempt when asked to account and divided the country’s patrimony among themselves and friends. Conscious of the positions being adumbrated today by the PPP and more so aware of the destruction they have wrought on families, communities and our society, they have earned what is rightly theirs by being in the opposition, where they can reflect and repent for their wrong doings. Governance is
about the people and their development. It is guided by constitution, laws, international charters and conventions, inclusive of time-honoured principles. Because the PPP demonstrated no respect for these tenets Guyana was brutally mismanaged by Bharrat Jagdeo and Donald Ramotar. As a people we ought not to allow the wrongs of the Jagdeo and Ramotar governments to be repeated now and in the future. What was wrong under the PPP cannot be right now under this government. The world, even the most powerful country, speaks to governance grounded in human rights and trade union
There is a Grinch who is trying to steal Father’s Day DEAR EDITOR, It is here again. The day we refer to as “Father’s Day”. But I humbly submit that this special day is being used for Male Bashing by just too many influential people in our society. Father’s Day was first observed in the United States of America, in June 1910. In 1924 President Calvin Coolidge supported the idea of a National Father’s Day in the USA. Then in 1966, President Lyndon Johnson signed a presidential proclamation declaring the third Sunday of June as Father’s Day. Over the years, Father ’s Day has been observed in well over 100 countries around the world, including Guyana. Regrettably, in more recent
years, Father’s Day, like Christmas Day, is being attacked and abused. Let me explain. Father’s Day was intended to be the special day when the GOOD Fathers and Father Figures are pampered and told how much they are loved. It is not the day to throw all the focus on the bad fathers, as so many influential individuals do. But that is exactly what keeps happening more and more. In the very same way in which there is a Grinch who tries to steal Christmas, there is a Grinch who is trying to steal Father’s Day. These otherwise good folks get in the Media, they get on their Pulpits and say all what the dead beat fathers are doing and not doing,
completely ignoring the GOOD FATHERS, who Father’s Day is intended to be all about. For these folks, the GOOD FATHERS become invisible on Father’s Day. They are ignored. So the good fathers are now more like “The Little Boy who Santa Claus Forgot.” They are “The BIG Boys who Pastor Claus Forgot.” What a shame! What an injustice, What a disgrace. This confounded nonsense must stop. There are 52 Sundays in every year, with just ONE Sunday set aside to Celebrate the Good fathers we are blessed with. So why should the Grinch be allowed to steal this Special Day? And for those who might be ready to make a
rebuttal saying how many bad fathers there are, let me say right away that precisely because there are so many bad fathers, it is more reason to Celebrate the Hero Fathers we are blessed with. I say, totally ignore the bad guys on this Special Day. There are 51 other Sundays in the year to attack the bad fathers. Stop the madness on Father’s Day. Let’s join the many sane people who continue to do the right thing and celebrate the Good Fathers on this Special Day - Father’s Day. Happy Father’s Day 2015 to all the good fathers in Guyana. Francis Quamina Farrier The Bishops’ High School Parent of the Year 1987
rights are human rights. The trade union must embrace rights in its totality. Even if this requires being at odds with supporters of political parties because the trade union has a social responsibility not only to workers at the work place but to the communities within which they live. As citizens/workers it is in our interest to appreciate that worker/management relationship is not guided by gut feeling or perception; it is managed by a body of rules and laws emanating from the International Labour Organisation (ILO) conventions, international charters, national constitution and laws, collective labour agreement and time-honoured principles. The establishment of ILO in 1919 by the world’s major powers was premised on recognition that there are three major groups that determine development in society. These are government, employers and workers. And it is for this said reason every convention or recommendation that is developed by this institution has the input and agreement of the three parties. The governing body of the ILO comprises of government representative, trade union representative
and employer representative. And at every strata of the organisation the three groups are represented. Over the years this society is seeing a consistent effort to marginalise the input of labour and to utilise labour in a way that is counterproductive to its very own interests. The emergence of the new administration and consequent actions on and in the labour section from the very absence of a named Minister of Labour in a country which birthed trade unionism in the Caribbean are issues which the Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC) will be looking at and speak to in a more comprehensive way at the right time. Having said that the recent concerns expressed by Juan Edghill regarding the voice of the General Secretary of the GTUC on the issue of rights, due process, human dignities, Kwame McCoy et al, is noted. Hearing this coming from this agent of the PPP validates that the PPP knew what was right but ignored the tenets of good governance to govern with an iron fist and marginalise those who were dissenters and not perceived as natural supporters of their (Continued on page 6)
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Kaieteur News
Sunday June 21, 2015
Kaieteur M@ilbox Kaieteur M@ilbox Ethnic pride was never and will never be my raison d’être DEAR EDITOR, I refer to the correspondence by Dr. Baytoram Ramharack (“No collaborative conspiracy,” SN, June 10, 2015) Dr. Ramharack made some inferences about me which I will disprove. These are coupled with some misleading and inaccurate references in other areas in his missive It is Ramharack’s interpretation that when I wrote about him, Aksharananda, Ryhhan Shah, Leon Suseran, Ralph Seeram, Varshnie Singh, Nadira Jagan, Shaun Samaroo and P. Tiwari from Los Angeles and their advocacy of Indians to vote for the PPP, it was a conspiracy among them. I never used that word. But you can call it an “independent conspiracy of minds” because that is what it was. There was no meeting of the minds. They just conspired in their own way to champion apan jaat voting.
The apan jaat sermon was not even used in subliminal ways by these names listed here. What you had from them was the open serenade of “vote for your race.” The boldest of that message came from Ramharack himself. He was more honest and I mentioned this honesty in his character in one of my replies to Aksharananda. Ramharack wrote that even though the PPP was not the ideal party to vote for, it was the better option. This simply meant that Ramotar was more deserving of being president than Granger. Here is where ethnic loyalty is such a dangerous instinct. For a country to have chosen Donald Ramotar over David Granger would have been the greatest act of selfdestruction by a modern nation. I mean that from the bottom of my heart. I believe that Mr. Granger would have been better for Guyana by millions of miles than Mr.
Ramotar Ramharack wrote; “… perhaps Mr. Kissoon lacks an understanding of a rich, cultural tradition or that he may have rejected an important element of himself that defines his cultural background.” It is unfortunate that an academic has to write this way. It shows that Dr. Ramharack hasn’t an adequate background in philosophy. I hope I am wrong I come from a rich, cultural tradition. My mother had her tiny Hindu temple in her home. My dad beat tassa drum at Hindu weddings. I married an Indian Muslim woman who believes in God. My daughter has a Hindu name, Kavita. But I never put that rich cultural tradition as my raison d’être. I never did. I never will. Because to do so would be flawed philosophy I have been exposed to other kinds of rich cultural traditions - those of African
Guyanese. I was born on Hardina Street, Wortmanvile, grew up on Durban Street, Wortmanville. In primary school, you could have counted on your fingers the Indians students. On Durban Street, you have counted on your fingers the Indian residents. I grew up loving Black American music and Jamaican reggae. Four of my siblings married African Guyanese I attended to two universities in Canada and took in another type of rich cultural tradition – the values, mores, aesthetics, philosophy and culture of western civilization. By which cultural standard am I supposed to define myself? My answer is none. I appreciate the need for another human to be proud of his/her culture and religion. But I will not give that human respect if he/she chooses their cultural standards to judge others. This is where bigotry
For too long, settling scores has been a disturbing feature of our political life DEAR EDITOR, If I were a columnist, I would feel obligated to use my craft to contribute to the public conversation and to enable my readers and the public as a whole to make sense of the world they live in. This means I would have to write about what I observe and see around me. This means that I would have to take the facts as reported in the news, and subject them to analysis and critical inquiry, so that they become understandable and useful to the public. I would also have a responsibility to ensure my opinions on the issues of the day are endowed with some degree of legitimacy. This would only be true if my opinions have a reasonable basis or at least sufficiently informed to make them sustainable. I would have betrayed my responsibility if my opinions are merely suggestive of my feelings about a particular situation or person.
I would also have erred badly if I allowed vested interest because of political affiliation or otherwise to colour my views about what I see. If I see things wrongly, then I should be the first to admit I made a mistake. But above all else, I would have served the public interest the most when I maintain a critical eye of whatever the government of the day says or does. It would be my duty to challenge every policy, question every decision, even if it is just for the role of playing devil’s advocate. I believe government benefits greatly when it feels constrained by contrary views. Robert Jackson was on point when he said: “It is not the function of government to keep the citizens from falling into error; it is the citizen to keep the government from falling into error.” In light of this, I believe there are two current issues which are deserving of ongoing vigilance by our
columnists.The first concerns our long standing problem of political victimization. For far too long, settling scores has been a disturbing feature of our political life. It is high time that this tit for tat be put to an end. Our APNU/AFC coalition should not only tell us of its commitment to this ideal; it should show us. I would be greatly relieved to find out that the current spate of dismissal of public officials has little to do with political victimization, and that something more logical and explicable is involved. Secondly the scale of investigations and forensic audits of government agencies seems to me to be ridiculously over the top. Never mind the talk that forensic audits are the way to go. I know of no proven link between the inward flow of foreign investments and transparency in our fiscal affairs. The way these investigations are taking off, they are on track to cost us a fortune. Our coalition
government should be concerned that when money is tight, it is even more beholden to make the best use of it. It should be reminded that the enormous cost of these audits should be matched against any perceivable benefits to the public interest. It would be regrettable if all that money is spent and nothing to show for it. It is perhaps true to say that a downsized investigation targeting a handful of carefully selected government agencies would be the more sensible approach. Surely our coalition government would not want a few wealthy and well connected accountants getting richer as a result of this extraordinary amount of audit work. APNU/AFC’S agenda and its scorecard of accomplishments would not be well served by a fishing expedition that knows no limit. WESLEY HICKEN
comes in. That is what led some high profile Guyanese Indians into the apan jaat mode in the 2015 election I find Ramharack’s letter more than disingenuous when he criticized me for use of unbecoming adjectives in condemning Aksharananda’s position. He must have read the harsh words Aksharananda used in his response to Khemraj Ramjattan. Finally, Ramharack wrote, “I rather suspect that Mr. Kissoon has contributed to the creation of an environment with his vitriolic narrative that led to the verbal attacks on Swami Aksharananda.” I know of no verbal attacks on Aksharananda. The man
himself, so flowing with his pen remains silent. I will offer sympathy if and when proof is supplied I reject the use of the word “vitriolic” but I suspect Ramharack’s finds such words useful to strengthen his argument. I felt it was my moral obligation to my country to respond to the apan jaat narrative of Aksharananda in the midst of what was easily termed a tight election race. My personal and physical life was at risk with another PPP Government. Therefore, I felt I had to stop those who I believe were Indian supremacists. I do not apologize for that and I would gladly do it all over again Frederick Kissoon
GTUC will determine... From page 5 government. On the issue of dismissals of employees and known PPP hacks masquerading in the government service on contract workers GTUC is aware that Edghill, the PPP on whose behalf he speaks and surely Kwame McCoy et al know the processes involved in settling industrial and other disputes. They are advised that it is their right to follow through on these. The public will be following with keen attention. The work of the GTUC will continue without fear or
favour and will remain guided by time- honoured principles under this new administration. GTUC will determine its battles and will not be used conveniently by the PPP. Though over time, it is possible that we are likely to share common interests and positions, such will only be premised on the principles that labour holds faithful, and which are enshrined in our Constitution, ILO Core Labour Standards, universal declarations and charters. Lincoln Lewis General Secretary GTUC
The PPP leadership... From page 4 and to keep them in a state of tension. This is a dangerous game. But the PPP seems not to care. One example of the wickedness is to state that it is the GECOM Chairman who gives the general orders and directions to the Secretariat. Really? And what do the other policy making Commissioners do (including those nominated by the PPP, who are described by the PPP as their representatives and their Commissioners)? Do they all just sit there and accept the “bullying”, browbeating”, “threatening” and “intimidating”? You mean to tell me that Surujbally can bully and browbeat the likes of Mohamood Shaw the tough Head of BASS, the strong and courageous Vincent Alexander who challenged Robert Corbin for the PNC leadership, the bright and capable Arun Mangar and Sase Gunraj; the accomplished Sandra Jones and Charles Corbin? And what of those previous Commissioners like Haslyn Parris, Lloyd Joseph,
Moen McDoom, Dr. Mangal, Robert Williams, Jaya Manickchand? Did Surujbally manhandle these very capable and strong personalities in their own right? Did he collectively intimidate them and make them quiver? Surely, this is highly unlikely. If Surujbally could do this, then he is a powerhouse, exactly the type to lead GECOM in the midst of those Party loyalists who masquerade as independent Commissioners. I really don’t think that the Nation believes that bit of hogwash. Finally, may I suggest that Mr. Gary Eleazar (who wrote the diatribe) and the PPP leadership stop beating a dead horse; stop being national laughing stocks; go into Parliament; and defend/represent the people who gave them the 49.3%. By the way, it must have occurred to others that if the elections were rigged, why would the riggers carry out such a foolish job as to have the final numbers be so close (just over 1%)? K. Williams
Sunday June 21, 2015
Kaieteur News
CARICOM heads hope to solve pressing issues BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (BGIS) - As heads of government from across the region prepare to gather in Barbados for their annual summit in two weeks, they will do so with hopes of solving some of the pressing issues that have taken centre stage in recent times. Leaders are also expected to share their concerns with special guest, United Nations Secretary General, Ban Kimoon, who will be attending his second Caribbean Community (CARICOM) summit in recent years. His presence in Barbados augurs well for increasing the profile of the region. Other guests will be the president of Panama, Juan Carlos Varela; and outgoing Commonwealth secretary general, Kamalesh Sharma. Talks are expected to be centred on energy concerns; crime and security; finance; post 2015 development goals; climate change; decisionmaking in the Community; regional transportation; including LIAT; CARIFESTA; and reparations for native genocide and slavery, among others. CARICOM has come a long way in fostering integration, since Dr Eric Williams of Trinidad; Norman Manley of Jamaica; Forbes Burnham of Guyana; and Errol Barrow of Barbados met and signed the Treaty of Chaguaramas over 40 years ago on July 4, 1973, in Trinidad and Tobago. They had one singular vision – to unite Caribbean people and to create a better economic climate that would include enhanced trade and foreign policy coordination and functional cooperation. In addition, the heads of government made the decision in 1989 to transform the common market into a single market and economy to facilitate internationally competitive production of goods and the provision of services. The Community‘s objectives are predicated around several key pillars. They are: improved standards of living and work for its people; accelerated, coordinated and sustained economic development and convergence; and having consistent dialogue with third States. CARICOM is also concerned with creating enhanced levels of i n t e r n a t i o n a l competitiveness; increasing production and productivity; as well as trying to achieve a
Pictured are Errol Barrow and Dr Eric Williams, two of the four regional leaders who signed the Treaty of Chaguaramas on July 4, 1973, to establish the Caribbean Community greater measure of economic leverage. The upcoming 36th regular meeting of the conference of heads of government of CARICOM will be chaired by Prime Minister Freundel Stuart of Barbados. He explained that the Caribbean Community’s journey has been a long but productive one as far as regional integration was concerned. “The whole objective, of course, was to bring the people of the Caribbean closer together and to deepen the integration of the regional economies,” he said. He added: “In fact, when the Treaty of Chaguaramas was signed, Dr Eric Williams made it very clear that there cannot be a new dispensation in the Caribbean that does not contemplate the integration of the fragmented economies of the people of the Caribbean, by the people of the Caribbean, for the people of the Caribbean. And, therefore, the whole purpose of CARICOM was to deepen the relationship between the countries, integrating their resources and making it possible to create a better life for the people of the region.” He asserted that although island states were separated by water, language and culture, among other things, “over the last 40 years, we’ve seen the creation of a whole menu of institutions that have had the effect of getting the people of the Caribbean to know one another better”. These include the University of The West Indies, the Caribbean Conference of Churches, the Caribbean Court of Justice, the Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute, the Caribbean Centre for Development Administration, the Caribbean Disaster
Emergency Management Agency, the Caribbean Examinations Council, the Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology, and the Caribbean Knowledge Learning Network Agency. Others are the Caribbean Aviation Safety and Security Oversight System, the CARICOM Development Fund, the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre, the Caribbean Labour Organisation, the Caribbean Association of Industry and Commerce and the Caribbean Agricultural Health and Food Safety Agency. However, Stuart conceded that there have been some setbacks along the road to integration, adding: “We’re never going to get to a stage where everything in the region and everything in the regional integration movement is functioning perfectly. “We just have to look at integration movements in other parts of the world – this is a journey; it is not a destination. We will never get to the stage where we can say, ‘Ah, at last, now the labourer’s task is o’er, we have reached the regional integration movement- [and there is] no more work to be done’. “We’ll be constantly at this, ameliorating situations, removing frictions, and getting things to work as best as they can. We’re not going to get to a stage where there’s something called the regional integration movement that is perfect.” Consequently, this year’s summit under the theme: CARICOM: Vibrant Societies: Resilient Economies, is greatly anticipated to solidify the dream of the founding fathers and to give the people of the region hope that life will be better for them and generations to come.
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Sunday June 21, 2015
Sunday June 21, 2015
Kaieteur News
“Illegal” transfers of state vehicle ...
Dem boys seh...
Westford says transactions were done since 2010
Soulja Bai got to call Perry Mason
...evidence suggests otherwise Former Public Service Minister, Jennifer Westford signed by Permanent Secretary of the Public Service Ministry, Hydar Ally. This was done under Ally’s letterhead but signed by someone else. “He had no knowledge of this transaction,” said Minister Harmon. It was Ally who directed Harmon to the discrepancy in the paperwork forwarded to the Guyana Revenue Authority for the transfer of eight vehicles. Ally showed Harmon that the signatures of Cummings and Taylor were found on the receipts for the documentation, sale and transferral of the vehicles. Former Minister of Public Service, Dr. Westford had been implicated in the matter along with Gary Beaton, Wayne Walker, a close friend of the former Minister; Delroy Lewis; and Osbert McPherson.
Receipts showing payment for vehicles. Former Public Service Minister, Dr Jennifer Westford, has said that she does not know why she is being implicated in the transferral of state assets to private personnel. She is said to be the beneficiary of the transfer of state vehicles. Dr Westford said that the transactions occurred since 2010. She added that she is unaware why she is being implicated at this time. But the evidence suggests otherwise. The documents pertaining to the transfer of the assets surfaced in sections of the media last week. They appeared to implicate Dr Westford as well as the four persons. One of the documents showed that on April 14, 2015, Chief Personnel Officer Margaret Cummings sent a letter to Head of the GRA, Khurshid Sattaur. The letter requested a change of registration for eight vehicles from the then Public Service Ministry to then Minister Jennifer Westford and the four men. Another shows that after the May 11 Regional and General Elections, the GRA head replied to the letter but addressed it to the Permanent Secretary of the Public Service Ministry, Hydar Ally. Sattaur had asked the Permanent Secretary to reissue the request of transfer
since the government had changed. Ally responded on June 15, saying that the request was withdrawn and that he only had knowledge of the original letter. Furthermore, Ally wrote to Westford on May 29, last, asking for six of the said vehicles. He also asked for the location of a black Kia Sorrento bought for over $9M from Rudisa Motor Company in July 2013. Further, there are receipts showing the payments for the vehicles ranging from $300,000 to $2.1M from Dr Westford, along with the other four for their vehicles. It is unclear whether these are the full amount, but the receipts are all dated the same
day, July 18, 2014. Earlier this week, Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, said that the sending of two staff members from the Ministry of the Presidency on administrative leave was done to facilitate an investigation into the suspicious transfer of state assets to private individuals. According to Minister Harmon, Personnel Officer Margaret Cummings, and Joyann Taylor, were sent on leave following reports that the two were involved in the suspicious transferral. Harmon noted that it was brought to his attention that there were some documents which had been sent to the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) that were purportedly
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Last week, Rohee jump up and holler how de new government fool itself when it was in de opposition and now it in de government it continue to fool itself. De statement sound suh nice that before de week done Bishop Ten Edghill who sell out he church, and de Chat-3 sit down and claim de same thing. Now something bore because de government looking at some missing state assets. And it getting help from people who use to walk and smell Jagdeo and Donald all de time. De man provide so much information that now people want to know if dem ain’t got more in the mortar than in de pestle. Doctor Jenny deh at de centre of de probe but she seh that she ain’t do nutten. She seh that people want to dutty she name but she bigger than that. When dem boys ask she wha really happen she seh that de vehicles get transfer since 2013. She story mek dem boys member de man who wife end up in court fuh shoplifting. Was an old lady suh de judge did mean to be sorry fuh she. De husband had other ideas. De judge ask one woman wha she thief and she tell he a toothbrush and he tell she that she got to go to jail fuh one day. When de judge ask de old lady wha she thief she tell he one tin. De husband is de one who tell de judge that was a tin of beans and that he got to count de beans. Doctor Jenny seh one thing but she partner, Hydar Ally, seh that she lie. She seh that de vehicle get transfer in 2010, Hydar seh that some of de vehicle was only bought in 2013. De story sweet and dem boys waiting to see how it gun end. Talk half and see if some people gun put back dem vehicle quietly
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Kaieteur News
Sunday June 21, 2015
G$800M released by Gov’t for rice farmers In a bid to clear the approximately G$1.9B outstanding to millers across the country, the Government of Guyana through the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) authorized the release of G$800M to millers last Wednesday, a welcome development that went into effect from Friday. This is the result of meetings that Minister of Agriculture Noel Holder had with members of the Millers Association in order to iron out the myriad of issues at present affecting the rice industry. The Minister was also accompanied by Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, George Jervis and General Manager of the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) Jagnarine Singh. Among the areas discussed at these meetings were prices being offered to farmers for paddy purchased and Guyana’s export of the commodity. Much emphasis was placed on exports to Venezuela and possible mechanisms which could be put in place to ensure transparency in the allocation of shipments. To this end the millers requested that the records of
Holder in discussion with Millers the GRDB be shared with the new Millers Association, as well as the criteria used in the allocation system. The Minister had recommended that the available data be shared with the millers. Also, a meeting was held yesterday between Members of the Millers Association and the GRDB. During this meeting, the scheduling for the rest of the 2015 export quota to Venezuela for both paddy and rice was discussed. According to Holder, the Government was willing to
assist with the marketing of Guyana’s rice through its Heads of Mission overseas. In addition, the effective functioning of the GRDB was also highlighted as the members pointed to the lack of representation. The Minister asked that the names of three possible representatives to sit on the Board of Directors be submitted, from which the two statutory members will be appointed. The millers also raised an issue of the role of GRDB in grading to the Minister,
requesting that this be looked into immediately, in order to make it more transparent wherever possible. President of the Millers Association, Dr. Peter de Groot, also mentioned that a meeting is scheduled during
the coming week to address this issue. Despite rice production being at an all time high since 2013, the situation of the Gov’t owing its millers is an ongoing one since the previous People’s
Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/ C) administration and has factored into millers owing farmers for their rice. This situation has led to numerous protests, as recent as yesterday, by Essequibo rice farmers who are demanding that the Agriculture Minister pay closer attention to issues plaguing the rice industry such as poor drainage and late or non payment. In addition, the farmers issued calls for the dismissal of Jagnarine Singh, General Manager of the GRDB, as well as the removal of CEO of the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) Lionel Wordsworth and his Board. Farmers would have sold their paddy to millers last March but are still owed large sums. While the payout is to be made to millers, farmers countrywide are reported to be owed some $6B; with Essequibo farmers owed some $1.2B.
Author and former Activist hosts book signing By: Shyon Hoppie Author, former Socialist and African-Caribbean Community Activist, Eric Lindbergh Huntley hosted a book signing at the Austin’s Book Store on Church Street yesterday. The event was held in an effort to publicize the 86year-old author’s newest book, “Doing Nothing is not an option”- The radical lives of Eric and Jessica Huntley. The Huntley’s were highly politically active people, as business partners and also in their own right as individuals. They have been heavily involved in political activism, advocacy and campaign work on an international level.
Eric and Jessica immigrated to the United Kingdom (UK) in the late 1950s, to political campaign pickets outside embassies. They wasted no time before becoming active in political and social issues relating to the British AfricanCaribbean communities in and around London. The Huntley archives were the first major deposit of records from the AfricanCaribbean community in London presented to London Metropolitan Archives (LMA). The papers consist of the business records of BogleL’Ouverture Publications Limited and documents concerning personal,
Eric Huntley at the book signing yesterday showing a few of his books
campaigning and education initiatives of Eric and Jessica Huntley, dating from 19522011. The Huntley Archive Advisory Group (HAAG) was formed in 2005 to provide support, advice and generally further the work of LMA to make the Huntley Collection available to as wide an audience as possible. This group worked with LMA to establish the broad structure for the preservation of the documents in the collection. In 2012 Friends of Huntley Archives at London Metropolitan Archives (FHALMA) was formed to continue the work of HAAG. FHALMA is a volunteer (Continued on page 12)
Sunday June 21, 2015
Kaieteur News
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CGX Energy Inc. receives extension for continued works in Corentyne Block By Kiana Wilburg Canadian oil and gas company, CGX Energy Inc. announced on Friday that it has received an extension to its work commitments in the Corentyne Block in offshore Guyana of which it owns 100 percent. This was revealed by Professor Suresh Narine, CoChairman of the Company. According to Dr. Narine, on Thursday, the company received approval to extend its spud (making the initial drilling for an oil well) deadlines on the Corentyne Block from October 31, 2015 to July 31, 2016 and an extension to the spud date deadline on the second commitment well from November 27, 2016 to November 27, 2017. These extensions Dr. Narine said, were granted to allow the Company to determine how best to explore the acreage, given recent positive developments in the basin related to the discovery of hydrocarbons. He said, too, that the company which holds two other blocks in Demerara and Berbice intends to drill another well in the Corentyne block. The scientist said that these extensions were requested because the Guyana – Suriname basin, deemed a “frontier basin” is an area where very few wells were drilled. He said, “Every time we drill a well offshore Guyana we are able to calibrate the seismic surveys to the benefit of ourselves and other operators.” In essence, Dr. Narine said that it allows CGX and other explorers to “look through the glass” a little less darkly. As regards the recent oil find by American company, ExxonMobil-in the Stabroek Block, the CGX Co-Chairman said that this is nothing but good news for his entity.
- Unfazed by Venezuela-Guyana territorial dispute since Exxon Mobil’s significant find
CGX Co-Chairman, Suresh Narine He said, “We are very encouraged by the recent discovery by ExxonMobil on the Stabroek Block located approximately 120 miles offshore Guyana and immediately adjacent to the Corentyne Block. CGX Energy, being one of the longstanding operators in the basin, is delighted to affirm its continued commitment to Guyana and to exploration of the Guyana-Suriname Basin. This is an exciting time for Guyana and the Guyanese people.” While noting that CGX only operates in Guyana, he said that ExxonMobil has drilled the very same prospects that the Canadian firm has developed over the years. “In fact, we have been a proponent of the turronean geological play in Guyana alone for a long time. Both companies are targeting the same geological prospects. And so having Exxon prove what we have always said was a giant target is very exciting for us and the extension will allow us to take advantage of the learning that has taken place in the last year in the basin.” “It will allow us to finetune our well. We believe that
it is the right thing to do because one of these wells can cost $150M, so when you plan for a shot on goal with something like that you want to ensure you have your best strategy deployed and that is why we are doing it,” Dr. Narine said. The scientist added “The second extension was requested because if we drill in July 2016 and a well takes between four to six months to properly drill, that will push us up against the November deadline of the second well requirement.” “When we hit in the first well, we will require a significant amount of time to assess the nature of the commerciality of the find and that will dictate how our next design is made. CGX views its activities in the basin as a clear partnership between government and the people of Guyana and so we attempt always to make joint decisions with government to ensure that we are positioning ourselves in the best possible way for the best possible results.” He said, too, “We are unfazed about some of the noise that has been going on lately.” Dr. Narine said that the company does not view the border claims from Venezuela to Guyana to be a matter of concern since Exxon Mobil’s find does not have a material impact on CGX’s acreage
offshore Guyana. Dr. Narine then extended sincere and hearty congratulations to Exxon Mobil and its partners in their venture. “From a purely CGX perspective, this is indeed great news, given the proximity of Exxon Mobil’s Liza-1 well to our two offshore blocks (Corentyne and Demerara). Our next planned well on our Corentyne basin targets and has always targeted, even before the Exxon discovery, similar geological objectives as did the Liza-1 well.” He added, “This discovery will now allow CGX and other companies in the basin to better calibrate their exploration efforts, and to a great extent reduces the exploration risk in the basin. This all will result in increased chances of other companies also finding hydrocarbons in their own acreages, and will result in increased exploration activity in the basin. Overall, increase in exploration activity is good for the growth of the Guyana economy.” The scientist said that the Corentyne Block and the area where CGX expects to drill its next well is completely unencumbered and the company envisions no reason which will affect its exploration commitments in all its licenses in Guyana. Additionally, Dewi Jones,
Chief Executive Officer of the Company, said that the extension on their work commitments allow the Company to technically weigh how best to proceed with their drilling campaign. His comments which were read to the media by Dr. Narine on his behalf continued, “We are currently investigating joint ventures to drill the next exploration well, given the renewed interest in the Guyana-Suriname Basin. However, in the event we are not successful in attracting a suitable joint venture partner, the Company will seek alternative financing structures in order to drill the next well and meet its work commitments in Guyana.” CGX Energy is a Canadian-based oil and gas exploration company focused on the exploration of oil in the Guyana-Suriname Basin. It has been in the basin for 18 years, and is only focused on the Guyana basin. It was founded in 1997. The company received and or acquired a number of Petroleum Prospecting Licenses (PPL) in 1998 – The Pomeroon PPL, The Corentyne PPL, The Annex PPL (now Demerara PPL), the Berbice PPL and a 25 percent interest in Georgetown PPL. CGX currently holds an interest in three Petroleum Agreements, those being the Corentyne, Berbice and Demerara Blocks, covering
approximately 3.3 million gross acres offshore and onshore Guyana. The Pomeroon PPL was voluntarily released by the company in 2012 due to border sensitivities. The Georgetown PPL expired in November 2012. Incidentally, the current Exxon Mobil PPL on which hydrocarbons have been discovered was also granted in 1999. Dr. Narine told Kaieteur News that the company is a public one and is traded as CGX Energy Inc., under the ticker symbol OYL, on the Toronto Venture Stock Exchange. He explained that this means that the company is owned by its shareholders, who change quite regularly, and its board of directors serves at the pleasure of those shareholders and is elected annually at the company’s annual general meeting. “Our shareholders are not secret, and can be determined by a simple application to the Ontario Securities Commission. We operate under very strict reporting guidelines, set by the Toronto Stock Exchange and the Ontario Securities Commission. Being a public company allows any individual, including Guyanese nationals that meet the guidelines set out by the exchange to trade in CGX’s shares,” he said. Though it is a small company, CGX has spent approximately US$350 Million in Guyana, the largest amount of any company. Continued on page 64
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Sunday June 21, 2015
Heavy dependence on certain sectors leaves economy with worrying vulnerability Respected local economist, Dr. Clive Thomas believes that the nation’s heavy dependence on certain traditional sectors is perhaps one of its biggest economic weaknesses. In a recent interview, Dr. Thomas stated, “One of the most worrying vulnerabilities is the narrow base of the economy. We are too reliant on a few crops and products like sugar, rice, gold and bauxite and if anything serious happens to any one of them, this country can find itself in a financial disaster. We are already seeing signs of that. Just look at what is going on with the sugar industry and the financial repercussions incurred because of mismanagement.” The economist said that
- Dr. Thomas such dependence has its roots in Guyana’s preindependence period. He stressed that since then, the traditional sectors were heavily relied on and the situation has not changed years later. He stressed that it is imperative for the new administration to make moves towards diversifying the nation’s foreign exchange earners. He added, “We have not diversified the economy or made any real effort towards moving it away from certain fundamental limitations. In fact, we are even worse off because way back then we employed a lot of labour in
Economist, Dr. Clive Thomas these sectors but what has been happening over time is that all these sectors are downsizing the labour force. Poor governance has also contributed to the worrying financial situation the country is in too.” The economist noted that
the public service several years ago employed about 50 to 60,000 workers. Today, he opined that based on his analysis, it now employs about less than half of that. He said that this is evident in the sugar sector. Dr. Thomas noted that the sugar sector used to employ about 30 000 Guyanese but today, it is about less than half of this. Dr. Thomas emphasized that the disquieting challenges facing certain sectors like sugar should be enough evidence to compel government to make serious moves toward developing other frontiers for the country’s continued economic stability. He believes that one of Guyana’s best but still underutilized sectors is ecotourism. He opined that with proper development programmes and careful management, it could transform into a rich, service providing industry.
Colwyn Harding assault trial…
Torture cops to know fate Friday Police Constables Devin Singh and Roselle TilburyDouglas, who are accused of beating and baton raping Colwyn Harding, will know their fate on Friday, when Magistrate Leron Daly makes her ruling at the Providence Magistrate’s Court. Singh, of Lot 125 Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara and Tilbury-Douglas, of Alliance Road, Timehri, East Bank Demerara, were jointly charged with assaulting Harding during the period November 1 to November 13, 2013, at the Timehri Police Station, so as to cause him actual bodily harm. Devin Singh was also slapped with an additional assault charge. The duo, who has been on trial since November last, first appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court on June 3, 2014 and denied the allegations. Singh was released on $200,000 bail while his colleague was granted bail in the sum of $100,000 by Chief Magistrate Priya SewnarineBeharry. The defendants are being represented by Attorneys Glenn Hanoman and Leslie Sobers respectively. The matter was subsequently transferred to the Providence Magistrate’s Court and is being prosecuted by Police Corporal, Kerry Bostwick. Harding has alleged that a policeman at the Timehri station pushed a condomcovered baton up his anus in November 2013.
Colwyn Harding Harding, who was at the time a prisoner having been remanded for allegedly assaulting the cop and resisting arrest, suffered a ruptured intestine. He subsequently underwent corrective surgery in Jamaica, even as a dispute arose as to how he had come by his injuries. Medical examinations have confirmed that a ‘foreign object’ was inserted into Harding’s anus. This was reported by the Colwyn Harding Support Group (CHSG) and lawyer for the victim, Nigel Hughes. Harding, who had filed a hefty lawsuit against the state for alleged torture and constitutional infringement, was freed on a violent robbery charge last year by a city Magistrate.
Author and former Activist hosts book... From page 10 project to catalogue and make accessible two sections of the Huntley Collections – unique original photographs which are part of the Huntley Archives and printed books as part of the Huntley Library deposited at LMA. The project began in April 2014 at the LMA. For over 50 years the Huntleys participated in many significant grassroots campaigns. These included, Founder members of the Caribbean Education and Community Workers’ Association (CECWA), the first specialist Black education group to have been established in the UK. In 1974 the Huntley’s opened their bookshop, at that time called ‘The Bookshop’, in West Ealing, London. The bookshop was later renamed as the ‘Walter
Rodney Bookshop’ and quickly became a place of importance for Britain’s Black community. Eric later described it as an ‘oasis in the desert of West London’. Visitors to the shop were able to discover new radical publications, meet authors at book launches and find books to suit children from diverse backgrounds. It also became a place for teachers to learn new ways to teach their subjects and was frequently visited by artists and intellectuals visiting the UK. The Huntley Archives, the group that replaced HAAG, is granted charity status and sadly Jessica died in 2013. Eric continues to work with the Conference planning group while also accepting speaking invitations and pursuing his personal writing.
Sunday June 21, 2015
Kaieteur News
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Sacked NCN B’ce Manager now centre of fraud allegations Millions of dollars are reportedly missing from the coffers of NCN Berbice operations as investigations continue into the operation of the entity which until recently was being controlled by fired PPP/C Member of Parliament Fizal Jaffarally. According to an insider, the books are in a mess and no proper records were kept. Most of the money is owed by the PPP civic. Jaffarally, who was unqualified for the job and was the head of the entity since 2003, on Friday, had his services terminated with immediate effect. The man in trying to defend his position to grant the PPP unlimited and unaccounted usage of the NCN services stated that he had to give in. However, he was accused of double standards and not being able to make a distinction between his political work and his professional job. He could not produce any evidence to show where he had, even
FLASHBACK: A protest held by Faizal Jaffarally and Hydar Ally and Clement Rohee
once, objected to the abuse of the station by the PPP. Officials, including Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Molly Hassan, and Mark Archer, Communications Director in the Ministry of the Presidency, along with auditors, met with the staffers. Jaffarally was a candidate for the former ruling party, the People’s Progressive Party/
Civic, for the May 11, 2015 elections. He also was a Member of Parliament during the 10th Parliament for the PPP/C and had been a main face in the lead-up to the elections.Jafarally said that he was summoned to a meeting recently and told that there was no place for him and that he should resign or be dismissed. “I informed them that I had done nothing
Canadian bauxite firm bypasses Guyana for US$200M processing plant A Canadian project developer which has concessions in Guyana to mine bauxite has bypassed this country, opting to build a processing plant in the US. First Bauxite Corp. on Thursday announced plans to invest US$200 million in the development of the processing plant on a 30-acre site on the Mississippi River at the Port of South Louisiana’s Globalplex Intermodal Terminal. The announcement, according to a Global Trade online report, comes after the Toronto-based company said it had completed a feasibility study for the company to mine bauxite—an aluminabased ore—from Guyana, on the northern coast of South America, and ship it to the planned facility. The terminal will use the bauxite to produce ceramic proppants for the oil and gas industry. Proppants are sands or manufactured ceramic materials added to an industrial fluid to keep a hydraulic facture open during or following the fracking process. In the third quarter of 2015, First Bauxite plans to initiate discussions with third parties to develop strategic initiatives to finance the project. If financing for the project is secured, the planned construction period is 27 months, followed by an estimated three-year production ramp-up, the company said. “Completion of our feasibility study is a significant milestone in the
development of our bauxite industrial minerals project,” said First Bauxite CEO Alan Roughead. “The proposed facility will be located in a region offering competitive infrastructure, energy, labor and market access. We are very grateful for the assistance provided by LED [Louisiana Economic Development], the Port of South Louisiana and the local authorities and business community.” The company is also expected to utilize the state’s Quality Jobs and Industrial Tax Exemption programs. First Bauxite Corporation describes itself as a Canadian firm engaged in the exploration and development of bauxite deposits through resource discovery and mining within a niche industrial market. The company has its head office in Toronto and its current assets in Guyana.
It holds concessions in the Bonasika area, a few miles up the Essequibo River, covering deposits which were drilled in the 1940-60’s by ALCAN. It says it has another concession in Tarakuli and is looking to develop this in the coming months. The high cost of energy in Guyana has been a main grouse for investors who have initially been interested in building processing plants in Guyana. First Bauxite says it plans to deliver a feasibility study to the Government of Guyana by this month end and has undertaken to initiate discussions to secure financing. “The Company and the Government of Guyana will engage in discussions in regards to the Mining Licence to accommodate the production of proppants from the resource in Guyana.”
wrong and will not resign. So they exercised that option of dismissal.” Hassan said that NCN was not satisfied with the performance of Jaffarally. Jaffarally who is unqualified for the position since he does not have any qualifications in Management or Communication has been embroiled in a number of scandals over the years involving the same NCN Berbice operations. He would hire and fire staff and although not working he would still be signing those people’s names and collecting their monthly salaries. One such story in which he used to sign for a
driver who was employed by the PPP and collect a monthly salary, was carried in the media a few years ago. According to Hassan, the Berbice operations have not been profitable for a long time. However according to an inside source the Berbice operation should be the most profitable section of the entire Berbice operations. However, the operation was a one-man show and most of the money has been unaccounted for. According to Hassan, “We must therefore have the skills available…competent personnel.” Jafarally’s termination would come one day after two Editors from the Georgetown headquarters, were handed letters sending them home following an internal investigation into what management deemed as a misappropriation of funds. The incident was one which occurred during the elections campaign. It is reported that the Editors produced fake receipts for hotel accommodation. Those fired are Senior Editor, Edward Layne and Radio Editor, Adele Rampersaud. Kaieteur News was informed that NCN Management became suspicious of some receipts
that were presented for accommodation in Bartica for the news team that covered a PPP/C rally. Once the investigation started, the company’s auditors travelled to Bartica and made checks at the hotel. Kaieteur News understands that a hotel staffer “revealed” that Layne only paid for two double-bed rooms, but requested receipts for eight single rooms. The coalition Government which won a close race in the May 11 General and Regional Elections has vowed to clean up NCN, the Government Information Agency (GINA) and the Guyana Chronicle, because of widespread abuse of resources and mismanagement. Already, the Head of GINA, Neaz Subhan, has resigned. The David Granger administration has vowed to make state institutions more professional, removing political influence in sweeping reforms. Jaffarally, along with Permanent Secretary of the Public Service Ministry, Hydar Ally, was recently involved in the Election Campaign and was only recently leading the failed protest march against the Continued on page 64
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Sunday June 21, 2015
Paper merchant believes he is Barefaced bandits escape with being victimized by Customs millions in cash and jewellry Paper merchant Ronnie Jodha is hoping that the relevant authority will look into a plight that he has been faced with for far too long. The businessman is convinced that he is being victimized by persons within the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA’) s Customs arm. Jodha, a remigrant from Canada, has been operating Plus Printing at 207 Yubani Avenue, Eccles, East Bank Demerara for close to two decades, thus he is required to import large quantities of paper. He previously operated a similar business in Canada. While the man is happy to be home and offer the much needed service here, he believes that deliberate efforts are being made to frustrate his operation. “Everything I bring in this country of recent, regardless of what it is, they flag it…they don’t honour my invoices…” said a distraught Jodha. And this has been the state
Paper merchant, Ronnie Jodha of affairs, the man said, although he is believed to be the largest provider of paper in the country. According to the man, he pays all the necessary taxes and operates in a transparent manner but yet person(s) seem to be out to victimize him. He, during an interview with this publication, chronicled a series of recent events which he claims are too much for him to keep silent any longer.
According to the man, he recently facilitated the shipment of a container of paper from Canada for his business. The container was slated to arrive on June 4, 2015 but as usual upon its arrival here the container was flagged for attention by “Risk Management” on June 11. The container, which up to press time was still at the John Fernandes Wharf, was okayed for 100 per cent inspection. “I told someone there (Customs) do what they have to do,” said Jodha. He said that he was particularly disappointed since he was of the opinion that the container would have been processed immediately. The delay in processing means that Jodha is expected to pay US$60 per day demurrage fees. “Tell me how this can be right?” said the man who pointed out that while he has no problem with the inspection he is always subjected to, the delay is considerably affecting his operation. This, according to the man, is tantamount to unfair treatment since the paper business is a competitive one. He disclosed that while he is required to pay his regular 20 per cent duty, which he pays without question, his concern is related to the stalling of his merchandise. This according to him, means that his competitor(s) will more than likely have an advantage over him. “In my view the playing field is not level…” said Jodha who is optimistic that his highlighting of the situation would see an improved Customs operation that is fair to all.
Robbery victims
A Port Mourant Corentyne family is now pleading for assistance after two armed bandits entered their home and business premises and then proceeded to rob them. The intruders helped themselves to US, Canadian and local currencies, their passports with both US and Canadian Visas and jewellery before escaping around 13:00 on Thursday. Vevkasammy Bangari, 42, a business man and a livestock farmer of Lot 56 Babu Jaan, Port Mourant, lived at the two-storey wood and concrete house with his wife, Rooknarine Virasami, 36, and their two children Jessica 14 and Allan 9. The man has been operating the business premises for over 16 years. He stated that he had just left to go into the house, leaving his wife in a hammock in the shop when the two armed unmasked bandits entered--one with a long gun and another with a short gun. The woman recalled that as her husband got up, the men entered and asked for two bottles of Banks Beer. Before she could move one of the men pushed the display case to the ground and jumped over the counter. She began to holler and was hit in the head with a small gun. The wound required three stitches. Her husband stated that after hearing the commotion he went to investigate. He was confronted by a man with a shot gun. He was
told to lie on his face. His wife was dragged and placed beside him and they were told to lie face down and not to look. The bandit with the small gun went upstairs while the bandit with the long gun remained guard over them. The thief ransacked the upper flat and returned with a black bag that contained the cash, jewellry, passports and other valuables. They begged them not to take the passports. The men left two of the four passports. They also took the day’s sales and some phone cards before stealing two bicycles and escaping towards the back lands. The woman and her son’s passports were taken. They were expected to leave the country on July 10. The man and his daughter were expected to leave the county on August 20. The ordeal lasted for about five minutes. Bangari stated that after the men left he began running after them, shouting for ‘thief’, but stopped after the men fired a shot in his direction. Residents subsequently came out and the police were contacted, but they took some time to arrive. One of the bicycles was abandoned a few streets away. A small gun which was described as those used to start races was found in the upper flat of the building. Investigations are ongoing.
Sunday June 21, 2015
Kaieteur News
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Watchdog group says… We
have confidence in Ram, Goolsarran to conduct audits As the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) continues to air its concern over the conducting of forensic audits by Christopher Ram and Anand Goolsarran, a local watchdog group has maintained that it has every confidence in the men’s professionalism. The group, Transparency Institute Guyana Inc. (TIGI) further said that the PPP’s recent assertions in relation to Ram and Goolsarran show the party’s continued belief that if someone criticizes it, then that person is against the entire party. Since coming into power last month, the APNU+AFC government has ordered forensic audits into almost 30 state agencies, national projects and funds. The purpose of the audits was to determine whether these government agencies were running accordingly and without corruption. In an interview with Kaieteur News, TIGI President Calvin Bernard shared that Ram is a director of the watchdog group while Goolsarran is the immediate past president. “He [Ram] has other
Christopher Ram things that are part of his professional life but we can’t ignore the fact that he’s a member of TIGI. That in itself says we have confidence in him to act in a professional manner. Mr. Goolsarran was the immediate past president of TIGI and again, it’s the same thing; TIGI has significant confidence in these individuals to carry out their functions in a professional manner,” Bernard maintained. He emphasised that he did
not take seriously any cries by the party of inherent biases. “These are people who are speaking out from a professional standpoint against the previous administration because their professional opinions led to them being against what was going on. And if they’re now conducting audits, then they are performing their professional duties,” Bernard opined. However, he said, the PPP’s complaints is a reflection of a position held by the previous administration. “Basically, it’s ‘if you’re not for me, you’re against me’. They believed that if you are anti-corruption, then you are antigovernment,” Bernard said. “Or if you’re anti-PPP, you were automatically antigovernment,” he added. Bernard explained that the group had similarly been
attacked by the PPP. He added that his personal life has not been spared. “It was a very untenable type of situation to work in because from the time you spoke you’re labeled,” he said. He said that he had previously been accused of being a member of the People’s National Congress (PNC), simply because of his surname and the criticisms he would raise of the PPP government. “The first reaction was to affiliate me to a party and I
never had any sort of political affiliation with. That was the general thing; if you speak against something the PPP was doing, then automatically you were against them, you were against the government, you were even deemed antiGuyanese.” During a recent press conference Former Attorney General Anil Nandlall had expressed the party’s discomfort with Ram and Goolsarran playing integral roles in the forensic audits of several government agencies.
Anand Goolsarran According to Nandlall, both Ram and Goolsarran had been highly critical of the PPP in the past and would approach the audits with bias.
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Sunday June 21, 2015
Oil a curse if not managed properly – TIGI head By Desilon Daniels Though Guyana’s discovery of oil potential could be viewed by many as a blessing, oil could easily become a curse if not properly managed by the new administration. This is according to new President of the Transparency Institute Guyana Inc. (TIGI), Calvin Bernard, who in an interview with Kaieteur News emphasised the need for stringent measures to be put in place to ensure that revenues earned from oil end up in the right places. According to Bernard, the TIGI has recently begun focusing on the area of natural resources and the environment. He explained that the area was a critical one, especially with Guyana’s recent discovery of oil potential. Though Bernard noted that oil held great potential in elevating Guyana’s development, he pointed out that it could be a double edged sword. “Some people look at oil as a curse. There are some theories in economics and
development that suggest that, not managed well, something like oil could be a curse to a nation rather than a blessing and that’s just because of the ways in which the revenues from those kinds of operations can be corruptly applied and never reach the right sources,” Bernard said. Rather than developing the nation, Bernard said in different countries people use revenues from natural resources for corrupt practices. These practices include the buying of votes during elections and the building of personal empires. “Because of all manner of things, the benefits can never get passed on to our future generations,” he added. He further opined that Guyana’s economy is significantly dependent on natural resources, traditionally gold, diamonds and the forestry and fishing sectors. “Now with oil coming up in the future, we’ve got to be proactive to ensure that we set things in place,” Bernard emphasised. He went on to note that the new coalition government has promised
Men’s Affairs Bureau hosts “My Father, My Friend”. In honour of Father’s Day, the Men’s Affairs Bureau, (MAB) of the Ministry of Social Protection will be hosting a programme under the theme “My Father, My Friend.” The event will be hosted at the Impeccable Banquet Hall, Brickdam from 17:00hrs today. The programme will feature a blend of cultural items, an interactive segment and dissemination of knowledge in relation to the theme. The programme will be family oriented and will not exclude mothers or other family members who may wish to attend. The purpose of the programme is to create a space and an event that promotes bonding between fathers and their children, not only at the event but for the rest of their lives. The Men’s Affairs Bureau, (MAB) of the Ministry of Labour, Human Services and Social Security has hosted Father’s Day programmes annually. Last year, the MAB hosted
its “Like Father, Like Son” event. The event was held at the Auditorium of St. Stanislaus College, Brickdam. This interactive programme featured dramatic presentations and discussions, as well as indoor and outdoor activities that promote bonding between fathers and their sons. Administrator of MAB, Mr. Diego Alphonso, noted that the activity is in keeping with the department’s mandate to engage in helping and encouraging men and boys to realize and fulfill their true potential as fathers, husbands, brothers, partners and positive role models in communities and across the country. The MAB was established as a department on 4th March 2010 within the Ministry of Labour, Human Services & Social Security and is responsible for partnering, organizing and co-ordinating the activities of men and men’s group throughout the length and breadth of Guyana, so as to address issues relating to and associated with men and masculinity. The Bureau was established to enable men and boys to achieve their full potential as participants in Guyana’s social, cultural and economic development through the i d e n t i f i c a t i o n , acknowledgement and the systematic resolution of problems facing certain sections of the male population.
President of TIGI, Calvin Bernard “positive things” such as the setting up of a fund to ensure that the oil revenues benefit generations in the future. However, Bernard said, “We have to see those things materialize and set up in such a way that it actually realizes the goals that were set out.”
One area that Bernard believes the new administration should focus on is getting the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) underway. The EITI is a global standard used to promote open and accountable manage-
ment of natural resources. “The EITI has been something in the works for years now and we’ve gone nowhere. We have committees, we have feasibility projects being conducted, but we’re going nowhere,” Bernard said. He said too that consultations had been a part of the previous process and though it had been a step in the right direction, Bernard said that these consultations fell short because they were not widespread. “The consultations are a good thing to ensure that we have freed ourselves from corruption and that things are accountable…but they were certainly not down to the grassroots,” he pointed out. He stressed the need for broad-based consultations if the EITI is embarked upon as it would allow for transparency in the entire process. “The EITI is something valuable to Guyana. In Trinidad, they have been extracting oil for a number of decades. Their implementation of the EITI has been valuable for them to making things open,” Bernard
emphasised. He explained that the initiative would track revenues generated from the industry and match these revenues with what the government is saying it received. The initiative would also monitor where those funds go. “So you get a report that’s significantly detailed. If the industry says it received $10billion, then the government has to say it received $10billion. $10billion can’t change to $9billion or anything of the sort. So those kinds of things would be valuable and therefore, in our push for ensuring that the natural resources sectors in general are free from any sort of corrupt activity, we’re going to be looking at those kinds of initiatives,” Bernard said. He added, “We need to ensure that you have not only the talk of things being free from corruption but that you have data to demonstrate it.” TIGI is a watchdog body that has been around for a number of years. Last week, Bernard was elected president of the body’s 2015-2016 Board of Directors.
Massive Customs fraud taking place with...
Chinese-owned Bai Shan Lin is accused of under-valuing its Customs exports for Wamara logs. (From page 3) concessions of luxury vehicles, heavy equipment and trucks, and even acres of lands in Providence for high end homes. The new Government had vowed to examine the investment agreement of Bai Shan Lin to determine whether the company has lived up to its promises. So far, it has failed to establish promised wood-processing facilities which would create jobs. Rather, the empha-
sis has been on the export of logs. Bulkan in her letter also raised questions about the inspections done by the Guyana Forestry Commission, which regulates the industry. She disclosed that Guyana is also exporting fire ants to China, according to the same ITTO report: “Fire ants found at Fujian port - Recently fire ants were found in Pau rosa [wamara] logs from Guyana for the first time by the Fujian Entry-exit In-
spection and Quarantine Bureau. The batch of Pau rosa logs was sealed after fumigation treatment to prevent ant infestation. The fire ants are found in tropical and subtropical areas of South America. They can be a serious problem for livestock. It has also been found that fire ants can damage power supply systems by biting cables.” Bulkan noted that it is the Ministry of Agriculture that provides a phyto-sanitary in-
spection and fumigation service, and exporters should be showing the phyto-sanitary certificate when they apply to the Guyana Forestry Commission for an export certificate. “So how would it be possible for log exporter Bai Shan Lin to be exporting infested logs? Surely it could not be because they have bypassed the phyto-sanitary service and the GFC and the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) inspections prior to the sealing of the shipping container?”
Sunday June 21, 2015
Kaieteur News
Page 25
GPHC’s A&E Dept - Transforming Emergency Care in Guyana By Dr. Zulfikar Bux Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine The Accident & Emergency (A&E) Department of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corpora t i o n (GPHC) provides services to the entire Guyana. This department has the unique responsibility of accepting complicated patient cases from all institutions in the country, but also has to deliver emergency care to the general population according to the daily demands. Achieving this takes meticulous coordination of services and continuous development of resources. Over the past five years there has been significant transformation of the services provided and patient care has benefited tremendously. We will focus on the major developments during this period which have served to improve patient care. SPECIALIST TRAINING FOR DOCTORS Similar to having surgeons to do surgery and pediatricians to take care of children, emergency medicine specialists coordinate and deliver emergency medical care for patients of all description and presentation. The GPHC A&E currently has three of these specialists and has 14 others in training to supply the needs of our country. This high quality training is provided by the prestigious Vanderbilt University and Medical Center of the USA. Our goal is to have trained emergency medicine specialists in every Emergency Room of hospitals in the country. We will then
develop the emergency medical services of these hospitals so that patients can access efficient specialist emergency medical care at every regional hospital. SPECIALIST TRAINING FOR NURSES While our initial focus was on training specialist doctors, we are aware that efficient emergency medical care is team-based and our focus has broadened to ensure emergency medicine training is also delivered to our Nurses. Over the past two years, ongoing emergency nursing training has been delivered and has so far been well received. This training has been broad-based and has taken collaboration from the Vanderbilt emergency nursing training, the Atlantic EMS training partners and local faculties. Emergency Nursing care
has been transformed and our patients have benefited tremendously from this initiative. Our goal is to begin a formal specialist emergency medicine training programme for our nurses. This will be done by the Vanderbilt Medical Center and will be an equivalent specialist training programme, similar to what is being done for the doctors. Having specialty-trained emergency nurses is a key concept in emergency patient care. Support will be needed from all if we are to strive together to develop emergency patient care. AMBULANCE SERVICE (EMERGENCYMEDICAL SERVICES) Currently our country does not have an established Ambulance Service to respond to public emergencies as needed. The GPHC A&E
The Baccoo Speaks Another gun attack is going to leave people asking when it will all end. A man would be going home when gunmen would pounce on him. This would happen shortly after they had confronted a poor woman who was heading to work. Two of them would be arrested. ** A motorcyclist would crash when he lands into a deep depression on the road. This depression emerged after the recent floods. The motorcyclist would be hurt and people would recall when on that very street a motorcyclist died after he crashed into a
similarly deep hole. ** As the government pursues the money trail created by its predecessors another huge fraud would be uncovered. People would expect to see people before the courts and they would get their wish. But they would have to wait a while.
started a pilot Ambulance service 18 months ago and we currently have 20 trained Emergency Medical Technicians with two Ambulances to respond to Public Emergencies. This project was started in collaboration with the Vanderbilt Medical Center and the Morris Foundation of the USA. This small unit has so far successfully completed over 4000 patient transfers. Three babies were delivered en route to the Hospital and many accident and heart attack patients have benefitted from this efficient response mechanism. Our plans are to gradually expand to a National Ambulance Authority where every Guyanese can have access to emergency transport to a hospital when the needs arise. REGIONAL COLLABORATION We have benefitted from
collaboration with our emergency medicine counterparts in Trinidad and our doctors rotate there to gain a regional perspective of Emergency medicine. Our Physicians have also contributed by teaching and sharing knowledge with our emergency counterparts there. We have also trained the first Emergency Medicine Specialist for Antigua and that Physician is now developing the emergency services on that island. Other Caribbean territories have recognized our work and have made requests for our assistance in developing Emergency medical care in their country. I have mentioned concepts based on systems development for Emergency medicine, but there are other developments in this specialty at the GPHC A&E which are too numerous to mention in
Dr. Zulfikar Bux this article. We have our challenges like every other system. The staffers of this department have worked consistently to ensure that their decisions, actions, and goals do not affect patient care. I encourage them to preserve and continue to work in the best interest of our patients and that we always strive for the goal that we have formulated; “In times of disparity, err on the side of the patient”.
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Kaieteur News
Sunday June 21, 2015
Death and the detective’s wife
- How did Patricia James end up with a bullet in her head and an unlicenced gun by her side? By Michael Jordan If buildings could speak, then surely the house on Front Road, West Ruimveldt Housing Scheme, would tell us how a cop’s pretty wife ended up with a bullet in her head, and with an unlicenced gun by her side, almost 16 years ago. Patricia James’ relatives think they know who pulled that trigger. They are certain that it wasn’t Patricia. Her father went to his grave believing that he knew who had snuffed out his little girl’s life. But like the other relatives, and the detectives who handled this case, they just can’t prove it. Patricia James was an attractive 19-year-old student of the Cyril Potter College of Education when she married Police Corporal William Henry in December 1996. He was in his thirties. They had no children and they lived in West Ruimveldt. At around 09:00 hrs on
Saturday, October 9, 1999, several residents heard two gunshots. The sound came from the couple’s home. Detective Corporal Henry would later tell investigators that he was washing some clothes outside of the house when he heard the shots. He then ran inside and found his wife lying lifeless on the couple’s bed. An unlicenced handgun was in one of her hands and there was a bullet hole in her head. Corporal Henry contacted his colleagues and informed them of the tragedy. Police investigators placed the dead woman’s hands in plastic bags to preserve any gunpowder residue, before having the body removed. They also ‘bagged’ Corporal Henry’s hands and escorted him to the East Ruimveldt Police Station. There are reports that the weapon with which Patricia James had been shot was seized during a raid on the
East Coast of Demerara. When one finds someone dead with a bullet in the body and a gun in one hand, suicide is usually the first thought that springs to mind. But Patricia James’ relatives were sure that the young teacher hadn’t taken her own life. One family member who entered the house shortly after
the woman’s death said that he saw three half-packed bags with Patricia’s belongings nearby. She had also told a close family member that she had received death threats. A similar report was also allegedly made to a group that assists battered women. According to this family member, Patricia had slept at a friend’s house on Friday, October 8, 1999, the night before her death. This friend reportedly brought her home next day. Under police escort,
Detective Corporal William Henry attended his wife’s funeral, where he received a cold reception from Patricia’s angry relatives and close friends. He did not go to the cemetery. While the forensic investigators found no trace of gunpowder residue on Patricia James’ hands, their tests indicated that there was gunpowder residue on Corporal Henry’s hands. With everything seeming to point to murder, and with Patricia’s husband as the prime suspect, investigators sent their report to the then Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Dennis Hanomansingh. According to reports, DPP Hanomansingh was preparing to recommend that Corporal Henry be charged with murder, when Henry’s attorney dropped a bombshell. He informed the DPP that the test that the forensic team had used was an outdated and unreliable one. In fact, scientists had discovered that the “dermal nitrate test” or “paraffin test,” was so unreliable that international forensic experts
had abandoned it. The seasoned legal expert told the DPP that the evidence would not stand up in court. Local forensic experts reportedly now use a more internationally accepted test for gunpowder residue. Presented with this information, the DPP had no option but to inform the investigators that Henry could not be charged. But a relative of Patricia James says that they were promised that an inquest would be held into her death. That has not been done. Sixteen years after her death, relatives of Patricia James still want to know how she ended up dead, and who took her life. If you have further information on this case or any other, please contact us at our Lot 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown office or by telephone. We can be reached on telephone numbers 2258465, 225-8491, or 2258458. You need not disclose your identity. You can also contact Michael Jordan at his email address: mjdragon@hotmail.com.
Sunday June 21, 2015
Kaieteur News
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== THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN ==
This young girl almost jumped into my car I was with my wife driving north on Irving Street last week and the car stopped at the traffic signal a few yards from the junction at Lamaha Street. This young African Guyanese girl, with size almost doubled my weight, approached the car with runaway euphoria. The driver’s window of my car has been out of order for years now, so it cannot go down (turned out be a blessing in disguise after the miasma that was thrown on me from that very window), so I opened the door slightly to greet her. The hefty lady almost came into the car. She put her huge arms around my neck, kissed my face and yelled out, “Thanks, thanks, thank you so much, deh kyaan touch we no more.” With my eyes on the signals, I told her that yes, no one can come and remove her, and that the Minster of Works is a personal friend who would never do to her what Robeson Benn did. Green came and I drove off. My quiet wife was in smiles and asked what that was all about. One day right at that junction, I saw Ministry of Works employees chasing that little girl to arrest her for selling bottled water at that very spot. She was breathlessly trying to evade them. I stopped her, told her to stay behind me. I took the bucket and dared them to arrest me. Their excuse was that Minister Robeson Benn
ordered the arrest of the women who ply their trade on the parapet (see my column. “The PNC has to confront this horror show,” Sunday, September 7, 2014) This was life in Guyana under Robeson Benn, his PPP and his two presidents, Bharrat Jagdeo and Donald Ramotar. What pushed me into uncontrollable rage was that two blocks away, at the junction of Sandy Babb Street and Vlissengen Road, BK Tiwarie had encumbered the parapet with a humongous structure he was building. You go east on the same Sandy Babb Street where at Middleton Street, Sandy Babb Street becomes Campbell Avenue and at the junction with Austin Street, there is an apple and grapes wholesale depot that has taken over the pavements and parapets with four colossal storage facilities. If you make a southern turn from Campbell Avenue into Middleton Street, you find Mae’s Nursery School. Not only has Mae’s taken over the pavement but has built a permanent steel canopy on the pavement. Literally, then, part of the school is on the pavement. Next to Mae’s is a scrap metal business. The entire pavement on both eastern and western side of this business consists of mountains of literal junk. It is a hideous sight to see. While all of this was going on (still does – the apple and grapes people, Tiwarie’s
skyscraper, Mae’s school and the junk company are still there), Benn found time to chase and arrest a teenager selling ten bottles of distilled water. I went back the next day. She was there, but she told me her two friends were arrested while she ran away. She said the Ministry of Works people took the money and water of her two friends. The matter was reported to the Alberttown Police Station, since this was a case of theft. Since September last year, I have been unable to find the two detectives that recorded the complaint. Alberttown told me they were transferred to Brickdam. Brickdam told me they don’t work there any longer. This was the oppression
poor people had to endure under the power of Robeson Benn, his PPP and Benn’s two presidents, Jagdeo and Ramotar. The little girl ran up to my car because she knew she was liberated. The bullies from the Ministry of Works can no longer take the bottled water and the money from her and her friends. She felt she was liberated. I don’t feel I am. As I type this column I can see the image of Nigel Hughes in front of me. We were in the studio of channel nine last Sunday, as
guests of the Cuffy 250 Committee, to talk about Walter Rodney’s legacy on the 35th anniversary of his death. After the interview, we chatted in the studio and the election results came up. Nigel turned to David Hinds and asked if he could imagine such people like the PPP lost the election by 4000 votes. I understood the way Nigel felt because I feel this way every day and I tell people about it every day. How can a political party that
Frederick Kissoon hounded down that little girl, apartheid-style, not get uprooted in the 2015 national elections? Is this country real or surreal?
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Kaieteur News
Sunday June 21, 2015
MEETING THE MILLENIUM One down … DEVELOPMENT GOALS In early June, Guyana was tangibly recognized at the 39th Session of the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO)’s Biennial Conference for meeting the first of eight (8) Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The award was accepted by Minister of Agriculture, Noel Holder in Rome, Italy, and Guyana was acknowledged for meeting the more stringent World Food Summit (WFS) goal of reducing the absolute number of undernourished people between 1990-92 and 2010-2012, and halving the proportion of people who suffer from hunger. Guyana was one of four countries in CARICOM that received special honours for having met either the World Food Summit (WFS) targets and/or the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) of reducing the incidence and prevalence of hunger and poverty. Guyana officially adopted the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in Year 2000.
These goals address eight (8) common (i.e. among underdeveloped and developing states) societal shortcomings which the United Nations aims to eradicate by year 2017 thereby significantly improving the quality of life for the people living in the identified countries. The MDGs as outlined by the UN are as follows: MDG 1 - Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger. In Guyana this translates into proactive programmes to encourage more lucrative agricultural enterprises that would generate greater revenue streams and ensure food security. We have achieved private sector buy-in and entrepreneurs are contributing in larger numbers to the growth of non-traditional industries – beekeeping, craft production, fashion, cuisine art, music, Call-centres and other ICT-related businesses, and a wide range of services. But there’s more to be done. Large scale companies could
contribute more to on-site mentoring of new micro entrepreneurs, and integrate their operations by purchasing raw materials from local growers and processors. MDG 2 – Achieve universal primary education through public and private sector support for continuous literacy programmes, for the resuscitation of community libraries, reading groups and after-school programmes. MDG 3 – Promote gender equality & empowerment through active support for woman entrepreneurship, small business development in rural communities, by facilitating access to funding, and aggressively addressing the phenomenon of male under-achievement in the education system. MDG 4 – Reduce child mortality. The pillars of this goal are embedded in the quality of the overall health care delivery system. The new government has the unenviable task of building the health care system up from
the primary level, from the acquisition of authentic pharmaceuticals to re-training of health care delivery staff, and rebuilding the physical facilities at hospitals and medical centres including operating theatres, outpatient reception rooms, trauma centres, kitchens and nurses’ and doctors’ resting facilities for example, then establish mechanisms for sustaining clinical cleanliness in these environments. Reduced child mortality also depends on widespread nutrition education, especially for new mothers while they are being encouraged to strictly adhere to their children’s MCH clinic schedules. MDG 5 – Improve maternal health. Achievement of this goal depends on the factors outlined in MDG 4, in addition to continuous education and sensitization programmes for pregnant mothers. The avenues for delivering this information include the pre-natal clinics which the young expectant mothers must be encouraged to attend, their attending physicians, and even through community health workers and programmes run by community centres. The Education system has a significant role to play in this scenario by injecting into the secondary schools curricula a programme that teaches responsible reproductive health and choices to adolescents. MDG 6 – Combat HIV/ AIDS, Malaria & other diseases. This is one goal that Guyana is well on the way to achieving. The USAIDfunded National AIDS Programme Secretariat reported a few years ago that HIV/AIDS cases in Guyana has reduced to 1% of the total population in 2009–2010, complying with the UNAIDS target of 1.3%. To date, HIV prevalence among women in Guyana has remained at 1%. People at high risk e.g. sex workers, are still disproportionately affected however, showing an
HIV prevalence of approximately 16%. Today Guyana is no longer listed as a High Prevalence Country. This achievement follows a fullbore five-year workplace sensitisation programme that was conducted separately by the CARICOM Secretariat, the Guyana Responsible Parenthood Association and the Guyana Business Coalition on HIV/AIDS to stem stigma, to educate and inform, and to provide confidential access to treatment by those affected. MDG 7 - Promote environmental sustainability. This programme has only just gotten underway, in earnest i.e. since the May 2015 inauguration of the newly elected APNU+AFC government. The subject of Environmental Management and Compliance with EPA regulations has been on the business radar for some years now, but with unenthusiastic acknowledgement and compliance. However, the subject took up prominence in national discourses in recent weeks and there are concrete plans to boost environmental awareness through the formal education system. In addition to promoting green technologies and practices, the business community is being sensitized to the opportunities for new enterprises in waste disposal and renewable and alternative energy sources. MDG 8 – Develop a global partnership for development. The objective is to encourage the business community to commit to the MDGs and voluntarily create incentive schemes for workers’ initiatives to make more meaningful investments in their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programmes by lending assistance, for example, to cleaning up and beautifying their host communities, to education or social protection initiatives. Business owners may consider the benefits of promoting inclusive business
models, e.g. creating incountry partnerships with small scale growers, processors and service providers and ultimately sharing their export markets. *** Guyana is on the way to achieving at least five (5) of the MDGs by our 50th Independence Anniversary in 2016. The goals that require longer term gestation periods are improving maternal mortality, gender equality in employment, full environmental compliance and international resource flows. Compliance with the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) will obviously lead to growth in our ability to generate personal and national income and to reduction in our unemployment statistics. Compliance leads to bigger and better economic opportunities, declining incidences of preventable, communicable and lifestyle diseases, morbidity and mortality, and ultimately our ability to trade our home-grown products on a level playing field in the international marketplace. Guyana then becomes more attractive for trade, aid and investments. These outcomes are catalysts for business growth. They also provide the Private Sector with the motivation to play a much more dynamic and inclusive role in the growth and development of this nation and its peoples. HYMN FOR GUYANA’S CHILDREN By Valerie Rodway With humble hearts and heads bowed down In thanks for each new day of toil We kneel before Thine altar, Lord The children of Guyana’s soil. Great is the task that Thou hast given: Thy will to show, Thy truth to find: To teach ourselves that we are one In thy great Universal mind. But not in vain we’ll strive to build A new Guyana great and free; A land of glory and of hope, A land of love and unity. O children of Guyana, rise, Rise up and sing with happy tears: And bless the land that gave you birth, And vow to serve her through the years.
Sunday June 21, 2015
Kaieteur News
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My column
Today is special, but only for a few Today is Father’s Day, the day when people the world over will recognize their fathers. But for some strange reason, even now, one does not get the impression that too many people are actually excited about the day. And there is good reason. Men for some reason do not seem to attract the kind of adulation that women do. They seem unable to spend quality time with children because for the greater part of the day they are out trying to put food on the table. By the time they get home all they want to do is enjoy a bit of risk and relaxation. But there are fathers who do everything for their children. They find time to take them, particularly the sons, to sporting events, to go fishing where possible, and even to places where they should have gone with their mothers but for some reason, the good woman could not make it. As a father I don’t think I was any great shake. Of course I loved my children and I did everything I could do for them. I was not much for hugging and wiping noses, but in my own way I tried to make them see that I loved
them. I remember when my sons were little boys, and I played cricket, I would take them with me. It meant buying little snacks for them during the breaks, and then, if I did well, I would enjoy them talking about something I did. Of course, I was asked whether we could do it again and I always answered in the affirmative. There were many such moments. They all looked forward to Sundays when we would go swimming. My wife at the time was not too excited with her sons jumping into trenches and pools. The one time she tried to break up our outing almost became a disaster. They howled and petitioned her in a manner that even the People’s Progressive Party could not do to the Guyana Elections Commission. My daughters were not left out. They were so different from the boys. They enjoyed holding my hand as we walked down the road, talking girl things with me and getting the kind of answers they adored. But the thing I think they enjoyed more than anything else were the sessions in the kitchen. Even if I may say so
myself, I am a good cook. So, when I set out to prepare something they liked and it turned out well, mealtime was enjoyable. I was the person to whom they turned when they felt they were being accosted. In their eyes, I was the baddest dude on the earth. I always made them happy, although I never had to assault any young fellow. In fact, at the end of the altercation, the young man became my friend. My daughters were not happy, but they were never ever accosted by the same boy. There was a time when I was both mother and father— in fact there were two times. On one occasion their mother had to go to do her stint of national service, so there I was, both mother and father. It worked so well that on one occasion I was heartened to her one of them tell my wife that she actually preferred me. I was accused of spoiling my children, who all turned out to be mannerly people, and who today are enjoying the accolades of people to whom they reached out. I wasn’t always pampered on Father’s Day. I never got breakfast in bed, but I did get some special meals. At one
time I pretended to love what was prepared, but the truth is that it had some tough scraps of meat that defied my best efforts to chew. On another occasion I got the first of my pedicures. The presenter was one of my daughters in law. I had never known how good it could be to have the feet soaked and scrubbed. My children could never afford to take me out to lunch or dinner, but what they lacked financially, they made up with big hearts. Yet where I tried I know men who never made an effort. They were absent, lived their lives as though they were loners. I saw fathers who when approached by their children, refused to give them anything, although the men were there enjoying themselves in some bar or rum shop. I know men who beat their wives in the presence of their children, men who were so scary that the children were glad to see them out of the house. These are the people who caused so many to put a damper on Father’s Day. In Guyana we now have a lot of young men who are running about with guns and terrifying hardworking people.
When the police do arrest any of these young men they find that they all grew up without fathers. Sociologists now talk about boys growing up without father figures. Two days ago, a woman came to me with tears in her eyes. Her son had run afoul of the law. He was held with marijuana and according to the woman, since there was no money to pay the arresting ranks, her son is now facing a long time in jail. He is only 20. There are many young men in the jail who would say that they never had a father. That is an indictment on the role we men play in the lives of our children. But not all of us fall into that category. I wish something magical could happen so that every father could feel special on days like this. That apart, children always want to know who their fathers are. There was a fellow with whom I grew up at Dem Amstel. I met him at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport where he was waiting for his daughter, a child whom he never supported and whom he had never seen in close to 20 years. But the child was excited. Such is the love of children.
Adam Harris Many years ago when I was Editor-in-Chief at the Chronicle, a woman from the southern United States wrote a letter to the newspaper. Her son was graduating and he wanted to know who his father was. The woman said that she met the man when they were students at Tuskegee University. She became pregnant and disappeared. The man never knew that he had a son. For her part, she did not want to break up his marriage, but she wanted to please her son. I don’t know how that story ended. The boy must be kicking forty these days and I hope that he did find his father. In these days of social media it must have been possible.
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Kaieteur News
Sunday June 21, 2015
ICT - The Current State of Affairs By Lance Hinds I must say that my ego and general sense of worth and contribution got quite a nice boost by virtue of the article I wrote last week on the potential of ICT to play a significant part in the development of Guyana, and the brief introduction to some of the policy-related measures that should be introduced to move the nation in the required direction. Warm kudos were liberally conferred, along with the encouragement to continue the ‘good work’ and ‘keep pushing’. I did, however, get a few gentle, and not so gentle raps on my knuckles. Some of my colleagues said that while they noted and appreciated that I mentioned that over the years there have been encouraging signs as regards ICT development, they felt as the saying goes, that I should have put some “more meat on that bone”. Naturally I threw the Kaieteur News under the bus, saying that if I had my druthers I would take two, nay three pages extolling the goodly works done in ICT locally to date, but that I was constrained by the condition that I had to find a way to
deliver my perspective effectively and efficiently within a certain amount of words. The editors felt that I was a bright boy and therefore should be able to achieve this goal quite easily and with the least amount of fuss. My colleagues of course, made a show of being sympathetic about the extreme challenges that I face, but happily insisted that more be said about the kind of work that has been and is being done locally, regardless of the limited space, real or imagined, that has been allotted to my good self. They, like Kaieteur News, felt that I should be able to do that. It would also be remiss of me not to mention that at the end of our lengthy conversation on this matter, I had to pay the food and drinks bill as a result of what they perceive is my ‘reticence’ in providing the information that is necessary. In the interest and protection of my wallet, therefore, I will proceed to give, in the word of my dear friends, ‘jack he jacket’. There is no question that there has been a tremendous amount of work done and significant initiatives
achieved in ICT in our native land over the years. In the financial sector, banks and other financial institutions have long automated their day-to-day processes and related operations. The Bank of Guyana is now in the process of implementing an automated clearing house. In the private sector, many businesses use off-the-shelf and customized software to support their accounting, HR/ Payroll, and in some cases, distribution and manufacturing processes. A lot of significant ICTrelated implementation has been done on the government side as well. For example the Ministry of Home Affairs, now Public Security, has an extensive Integrated Crime Information System that supports the data collection, workflow, decision support and statistical reporting required from the time a member of the public reports a criminal occurrence, all the way through investigation, suspect identification, arrest, case preparation, and possible incarceration. This system is distributed over a private data network that facilitates access by police ranks and related staff to all the police stations
nationally. The office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has a Prosecutors’ Information Management System. The pride in this application stems from the fact that it has been written from the ground up by local IT professionals (very, very broad hint). The Ministry of Finance has a government accounting system that is accessible by the other ministries in transaction inputs and reporting. The Guyana Revenue Authority is now in the process of implementing the second generation of its Tax Administration Information System to even further support its tax collection and customs management operations. This application is also distributed over private data networks. The Ministry of Housing uses an enterprise level Land Management Information System to manage its housing schemes, allocation of house lots, community development services, infrastructure projects, and the processing of building permits. The Ministry of Public Infrastructure, Natural Resources, and Housing have all implemented Geospatial information-related solutions to support their technical staff in their planning and decision and policy-making operations. The Land and Surveys Commission
continues to increase the amount of maps that are available in industrystandard electronic formats. This, however, is when I start the gentle pushback against my colleagues. We are now in the year of our Lord, two thousand and fifteen. Therefore, while I accept the achievements highlighted above, and daresay that I have been part of quite a few of them, we have quite a ways to go in the successful implementation of ICT as a significant tool for the development and advancement of our society. There is a need for harmonization. Too much work is being done in individual silos. The ministry and agencies mentioned have all invested in separate private data networks in order to achieve their ICT goals. This is not cost effective and needs reviewing. It is critical that a government-wide network be created. The Minister of Public Infrastructure made the most instructive point at a public forum on Thursday, that there is simply no need for five agencies working on national geospatial initiatives. A central repository must be established for more effective management of geospatial and other government information. We will discuss the need for effective document management and storage in subsequent articles.I will not belabour the
Lance Hinds need for telecommunication liberalisation. We have been informed that it is high on the legislative agenda. It is important, however, that significant attention is paid to the creation and functions of the regulatory agency that will exist after the passing of the revised Act. Matters of effective spectrum management and policy, the application and utilisation of the Universal Service Fund, and the admission of new entrants, will require well thought-out planning and comprehensive solutions. I advise my colleagues that discussions relating to this vital cross component of our national development will continue along with the articles. I suspect, however, that I may use Skype just in case there is another nefarious plan to get me to buy lunch. Lance Hinds is the President of the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry. He is also the Chief Executive of the BrainStreet Group, an Information Technology and Content Development Company.
Sunday June 21, 2015
SUNDAY SPECIAL $200M FROZEN…RAMOTAR CABINET MOVES $$$ MILLIONS FROM BOG TO PRIVATE BANK The Ministry of Communities has launched a major investigation into the operations of the government-run Scrap Metal Unit and a bank account containing almost $200M that was under the control of the former Minister, Irfaan Ali. The unit, once controlled by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Commerce, was placed under Ministry of Housing during the tenure of the previous administration. It was tasked with collecting fees and monitoring the scrap metal industry. It is how that unit ended up under the control of former Minister Irfaan Ali and a senior staffer, Taslim Baksh that has the new Government perplexed and extremely curious. Confirming that something is happening with the unit, Minister within the Ministry of Communities, Keith Scott, disclosed that investigations are underway along with an audit into the unit’s bank account which contained millions. Scott has responsibility for the housing sector. ”I found it weird that the former Cabinet removed the Scrap Metal Unit from another Ministry and placed it, under strange circumstances, under the authority of the Minister and one other person. We are investigating this and a number of other things that appear irregular like the operations of the bank account. We are talking about a very large sum of the taxpayers’ monies.” Scott, who did not want to say much, said that he has instructed a local commercial bank to freeze the account and not allow any withdrawals or payments. The signatories to the account are also being changed. MONDAY EDITION
Kaieteur News
Guyana’s recent 49th Independence and the coalition victory at the polls was heavily monitored by New York Police. Harmon was accompanied by Tourism Minister, Cathy Hughes and Raphael Trotman, Minister of Governance and Natural Resources. The Minister said that Guyanese voted for a change and they will be getting it. Already, the city is being cleaned up already, several persons who were illegally being paid taxpayers dollars by the former administration to do political work have been sent home. ”Let them go to the people who they working for to pay them.” Several others have been sent home, including senior officials like Permanent Secretaries, as part of the cleanup. He said that Guyana has the people and the resources to develop the country. The government intends to go after assets right in the US which may have been stashed by Government officials. TUESDAY EDITION PPP/C WILL NOT CONTEST LGE WITH SURUJBALLYAS GECOM CHAIRMAN – ROHEE The People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) on Monday made no bones about its intention to avoid contesting the long-awaited Local Government Elections (LGE), should Dr. Steve Surujbally still be the Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM). This was expressed at the PPP/C weekly press conference at Freedom House. When asked whether the PPP/ C would participate in LGE under the Surujbally’s stewardship at GECOM, General Secretary of the PPP/C, Clement Rohee, declared, “Not with Surujbally. We have already begun calling for Surujbally’s resignation. We want Dr. Surujbally’s resignation almost immediately.”
WEARE GOINGAFTER SECRET ASSETS STASHED IN US – HARMON TELLS GUYANESE IN NY
FEAR OF LOSING CASH SENDS SCORES OF GUYSUCO WORKERS TO GAWU HQ
Government on Sunday vowed to go after assets stolen by the previous administration and stashed in the US. Speaking to a crowd estimated at over 10,000 in Brooklyn, New York, Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, made it clear that the people of Guyana voted for change and it will be delivered. The Brooklyn rally which was geared to celebrate
Fear of “losing out” led more than 300 Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) workers to assemble simultaneously at the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers’ Union (GAWU) Co-operative Credit Union Society, Kingston on Monday. The workers were concerned that they would not have benefitted from the union, in light of the fact, that the union has ceased busi-
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post Cabinet press briefing last week, revealed that this essentially meant that the PetroCaribe fund was bankrupt. After this piece of revelation, the PPP/C charged that it was the new administration that was responsible for emptying the PetroCaribe fund, despite being in power for less than a month. The PPP/C refuted claims that it had anything to do with missing monies, since the fund was “managed optimally and transparently” by the former administration.
Edward Layne
Adele Rampersaud
ness with GuySuCo with respect to the credit union members of the corporation. Late last month, GAWU advised its members across the sugar industry that it had requested GuySuCo to cease deductions from workers’ earnings, Credit Union savings, with effect from weekending May 30. GAWU had said that the regrettable, but unavoidable decision had been prompted by GuySuCo not remitting workers’ savings to the Credit Union contrary to the extant Agreement between the Credit Union and the Corporation. As at the end of April, this year, GuySuCo failed to provide a huge sum of over $154.4M which represents workers’ savings for five months. GuySuCo promised the Credit Union some payments not later than the third week of May, but did not make good on its promise. On Monday, GAWU President Komal Chand explained the situation being faced by the union and said that the hundreds, who occupied the premises, were there to ensure they got what was owed to them as it was taken out of their pay.
occasion, told Kaieteur News of the importance of governments demonstrating fiscal accountability and transparency. ”I think it is perfectly legitimate for an incoming government to examine what the previous government has done. So I have no problem with A Partnership for National Unity plus the Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) examining the actions of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP). They are doing it in the right way, they are doing the forensic audits, and that is perfectly right. That is the right direction to go too.”
WEDNESDAY EDITION FORENSIC AUDITS THE RIGHT WAY TO GO – BRITISH ENVOY – WILL IMPROVE FAITH OF FOREIGN INVESTORS IN GUYANA The Government’s initiation of forensic audits into almost 30 state agencies, national projects and funds has caught the attention of the diplomatic community. In fact, British High Commissioner, James Gregory Quinn praised the new administration for undertaking the audits as he opined that it is certainly, “the right way to go.” At the swearing in of APNU+AFC elected Members of Parliament on June 10, last, Quinn, who was an invited guest to the auspicious
THURSDAY EDITION PETROCARIBE MONEY …PM DETAILS TRAIL OF MISSING US$$ The PetroCaribe fund is unable to pay rice farmers. US$141M from the fund was distributed to various Government agencies and projects under the People’s Progressive Party/Civic administration. This revelation was shared by Prime Minister, Moses Nagamootoo, at the 67th anniversary ceremony of the Enmore Martyrs in Enmore, East Coast Demerara (ECD). PetroCaribe was an agreement struck between the governments of Guyana and Venezuela, where Guyana would receive concessionary prices for oil in exchange for rice. Monies received from the exchange deal would subsequently be transferred to the PetroCaribe fund, under the purview of the Ministry of Finance. Some of the money was meant to be allocated to the payment of rice farmers and millers for rice produced, to sustain the exchange. Since coming to power A Partnership for National Unity plus Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC), revealed that upon checking the contents of the fund there was no money. Minister of the Presidency, Joseph Harmon, at his
CABINET APPROVES $3.8B FOR SUGAR SECTOR…WE ARE NOT POURING MONEY DOWN A DARK HOLE – MINISTER OF STATE The sugar industry is saddled with $90B in debt until 2017. Its growth has been retarded by grave mismanagement. And though the country spends more and more to produce sugar, it is still unable to receive a good price for its product. But to demonstrate its commitment to the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo), Cabinet gave its approval for the release of $3.8B to the entity. This was part of a request for $16.8B made through the Minister of Agriculture, Noel Holder for the rest of the fiscal year. Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, at a press conference Wednesday at the Ministry of the Presidency, insisted however that government “is not pouring money down a dark hole.” Harmon said that the Agriculture Minister briefed Cabinet that the $3.8B will be used for the payment of wages and salaries, current payments to the National Insurance Scheme, payments owed to the Guyana Revenue Authority and the urgent n e e d to purchase fertilizers, fuel and lubricants and spares for equipment. He said that the purchase of fertilizers is to secure the first crop of 2016 cane as it is already late for the application. Harmon said that the $3.8B approved also takes into consideration, payments overdue to suppliers. The Minister said that this is necessary to reduce the backlog of debt created by the Corporation. As for the remaining $13B, Harmon asserted that Holder will return to Cabinet to indicate when more funds would be needed, and he will of course have to justify his requests.
FRIDAY EDITION RUBIS EXECUTIVE GUNNED DOWN IN MEADOWBROOK HOME A senior Rubis Guyana Inc. employee was shot dead at around 22.30 hrs on Wednesday in his Lot 262 Jamoon Drive, Meadowbrook home, allegedly by a lone gunman who fled with his victim’s jewellery and licenced firearm. Jason Cort, a 27-year-old account executive, was shot in the chest shortly after arriving home with his fiancée, Shauna Garraway. He died subsequently at the Balwant Singh Hospital. Police recovered a 9mm casing from the scene. Information suggests that Cort confronted the gunman near the kitchen area, apparently after leaving the southern door open. Police suspect that the accountant was trying to draw his firearm when the intruder shot him. The slain executive’s holster was found on the floor. Kaieteur News understands that the couple, who have a two-year-old son, had just come from a Kingston location, and were reportedly preparing to head to another venue on the East Bank of Demerara. Cort’s fiancée, Shauna Garraway, told Kaieteur News that after they had arrived home, she went to the top flat, while Cort remained in the bottom flat. ”I was about to come downstairs when I heard a gunshot. I then heard Jason cry out, and someone (else) said ‘where the money? Give me the money.” Garraway said that she hid under a bed, while frantically trying to contact the police, relatives and friends. TWO NCN EDITORS SENT PACKING OVER MISUSE OF FUNDS Two editors of the National Communications Network (NCN) were handed dismissal letters Thursday afternoon following an internal investigation into what management deemed as a misappropriation of funds. The incident was one which occurred during the elections campaign and it is suspected that the editors provided fake receipts for hotel accommodation. Those fired are Senior Editor, Edward Layne and Radio Editor, Adele Rampersaud. Kaieteur News was informed that NCN management became suspicious of some receipts that were presented for accommodation in Bartica for the news team that (Continued on page 41)
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Greening the energy sector in Guyana, by substantially increasing investment in renewable energy, provides an opportunity to make a significant contribution to addressing the challenges of: 1) concerns about energy security; 2) combating climate change; 3) reducing pollution and public-health hazards; and 4) addressing energy poverty. Renewable energy is derived from natural processes that are replenished constantly. In its various forms, it derives directly or indirectly from the sun, or from heat generated deep within the earth. Included in the definition is energy generated from solar, wind, biomass, geothermal, hydropower and ocean resources, and biofuels and hydrogen derived from renewable resources (IEA
Kaieteur News
Sunday June 21, 2015
A Green Economy 2008a). In his address at the commencement of the eleventh Parliament of Guyana, his Excellency President David Granger laid out his visions for the ‘greening’ of our economy. The President said: “Your Government envisages a green Guyana. We shall exploit Guyana’s favourable geographical location and abundant assets in order to develop a ‘green economy’ - one that generates human happiness in ways that are consistent with economic exploitation of its natural resources. We see a ‘green economy’ as one that sustains economic prosperity, environmental security and social wellbeing. It will allow the current generation to satisfy its needs without
jeopardizing the opportunity of future generations to satisfy theirs. We shall confront the challenges of solid waste management, coastal zone conservation, flooding, public health and damage to rivers and forests by poorlyregulated mining and logging practices. We shall introduce a strategy to protect the population from hazards, to preserve the environment from further degradation and to sustain development. Your Government will introduce an energy policy that utilizes our wind, water and solar power to provide cheap, renewable electricity to more Guyanese in our urban, rural, riverain and hinterland communities. We shall support the responsible exploitation of
the hinterland’s mineral and other natural resources. We shall ensure, however, that the livelihood of the residents is sustained and that the environment is protected by the rigorous enforcement of environmental legislation”. Guyana has a rich endowment of potential for renewable energy that can help meet and surpass our short and long term energy needs. According to the Guyana Energy Agency (GEA), there are 67 identified potential hydro-electricity generation sites in Guyana. Solar Electricity is already being used in a limited way, particularly in the hinterland regions. Under the Unserved Areas Electrification Programme (UAEP), a number of communities have received solar photovoltaic home systems. Wind energy has been explored and has good prospects. These opportunities must be considered within the context of sound environmental practices. Biomass also presents the opportunity for diversifying the sugar industry, providing income generation opportunities as well as providing a relatively cheap source of power.
The development of these resources must be given priority as part of our national development and national security strategy. Guyana’s high dependence on the Petro- Caribe arrangement can mean higher risk to the security of the national energy supply. Diversifying our energy matrix thus presents both a considerable challenge and an opportunity. Diversifying energy sources is not a new concept, nor is it unique to Guyana. In the United States of America, solar, wind, geothermal, bioenergy and water energy are all part of President Barack Obama’s Climate Action Plan. Developed countries, in the context of climate change issues are driving the growth of renewable and ‘green energy’. This means that outside of producing clean energy for domestic purposes, there is a huge potential for income generation. There are significant economic opportunities for countries that manufacture and produce clean energy. In a report compiled by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)’s Green Economy initiative, in collaboration with economists and experts worldwide, it was
demonstrated that the greening of economies did not generally place a drag on growth; rather ‘green economies’ proved to be net generators of decent jobs, and a vital strategy for the elimination of poverty. With high rates of unemployment and underemployment, especially among the youth population, Guyana has a great opportunity for transformation and job growth. Training in science and technology is already a focus of the new administration. This will allow the young people of Guyana to be able to take advantage of an expanding industry. The new, well-paying jobs that will be accrued by the creation of ‘Wind and Solar Farms’; the building and operation of recycling plants for plastic, paper, bottles and car tires etc.; the banning of non-biodegradable substances like styrofoam, can all prove to be transformational for both the economy and the environment. Placing environmental protection at the forefront of a ‘green ‘ energy sector means that natural resources can be exploited in a way that ensures sustainability while becoming an economic driver, which provides cheaper energy sources, creates jobs and ensures public health.
Sunday June 21, 2015
(From page 31) covered a People’s Progressive Party rally. Once the investigation started, the company’s auditors travelled to Bartica and made checks at the hotel. Kaieteur News understands that a hotel staffer “revealed” that Layne only paid for two double-bed rooms, but requested receipts for eight single rooms. The staffer claimed that Layne was told that this could not have been done, but financial inducement reportedly turned this around. It is alleged that Layne was then given receipts from a book that the hotel no longer used and those were the ones presented.
Kaieteur News
SATURDAY EDITION PERSONNEL OFFICER, SENIOR STAFFER SENT HOME ...AS MINISTRY OF THE PRESIDENCY PROBES SALE OF STATE ASSETS The release of two people from the Ministry of the Presidency, formerly the Public Service Ministry, was done to facilitate an investigation into the suspicious transfer of state assets to private individuals, according to Minister of State, Joseph Harmon. He was discussing the release of the agency’s Personnel Officer and a senior staffer, both female. “It is more than an allegation. It is an action the Minis-
try has taken based on a report which was made to me as the Minister of State by the Permanent Secretary (PS) of the Public Service Mr Hydar Ally,” explained Harmon. Minister Harmon said that he received written correspondence from the Permanent Secretary concerning suspicions that the two employees were involved in fraud under the Ministry of Public Service. Minister Harmon said that he learnt that there were some documents that had been sent to the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA), purportedly signed by the Permanent Secretary under his letterhead, but in effect, were signed by someone else. “He
had no knowledge of this transaction,” said Minister Harmon. According to the Minister, PS Ally had directed him to the discrepancy in the paperwork and to the application to the GRA for the transfer of eight vehicles. He said that the signatures of the two staffers, were found on the receipts for the documentation, sale and transferral of said vehicles which were owned by the Ministry. Signatures for the payment for state assets, the Minister explained, were from former Public Service Minister Jennifer Westford; Gary Beaton, a close friend of the former Minister; Wayne Walker; Delroy Lewis and Osbert McPherson.
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“(Ally) sent me a bundle of documents which included a document from GRA which showed that there was an application to transfer these vehicles that belonged to the state, to some private individuals. The bundle of documents also included receipts showing that these vehicles were sold to these individuals by the Ministry,” said the State Minister. Additionally, Minister Harmon said that based on a preliminary investigation he conducted on a visit to the Public Service Ministry, he thought it important that police be called in to investigate the matter. He said that he asked that the two staff members involved in the matter to
be “sent on leave immediately”. The documents, according to the Minister, have since been sent to the Assistant Police Commissioner, Wendell Blanum and that investigations have since commenced. Should those persons be found guilty, Minister Harmon said, the determination will have to be up to the police. He added that the transferral of 25 other vehicles is also under investigation. However, he said that those vehicles are the subject of another matter as the Government has received reports of many state-owned assets being transferred to private individuals.
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Kaieteur News
Sunday June 21, 2015
Overcrowding at GPHC to receive keen attention Last week was quite eventful at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), Guyana’s premier public health delivery institution. While the institution has been known to make the news for several worrying infant and maternal deaths, some of which could have been prevented, it has over the years been able to boast many laudable achievements. But during the past week, the institution was faced with issues of concerns that aren’t regular features in the media. Protest action by nurses to retaliate against the termination of the hospital’s Matron was among the issues of concerns that were publicised. Gaining less attention was the overcrowding situation at the hospital’s Accident and Emergency Unit (A&E). This is by no means a new development, but according to reports reaching this publication, things morphed into a troubling state of affairs last week Tuesday. As doctors and nurses attended to an influx of patients, some became concerned that the pace of the medical practitioners were not nearly swift enough. The situation, this publication understands, enraged one man who became convinced that medical attention to his ailing relative was not happening nearly fast enough. The man stormed the patient care area hurling threats. Several medical practitioners
The entrance to the GPHC’s A & E Unit
GPHC’s CEO, Mr Michael Khan ran for cover and remained secreted until the man was arrested. But according to Chief Executive Officer, Mr Michael Khan, battling the overcrowding situation at the hospital has been a prolonged struggle. Several recommendations, this publication understands, were made to have the situation addressed urgently. But correcting it has simply not been an easy task, Khan confided. “I got a call from the Minister (Dr George Norton) about overcrowding at A & E Tuesday night...this is an issue that we know we have to look at,” Khan asserted. He pointed out that every effort
is made by the doctors in the department to ensure that patients do not remain in the department longer than is necessary. Following the incident o n Tu e s d a y, K h a n s a i d that Director of Medical and Professional Services, Dr Sheik Amir, met with A&E doctors to discuss the way
forward in the overcrowding issue. But the doctors of that Unit, the CEO explained, cannot be faulted for the situation. Not only is the GPHC’s A&E Unit forced to see more than its fair share of clients, since many patients opt to be attended to there, rather than at regional facilities, Khan also pointed out that the service offered is based on a triage system. Triage means that the condition of each patient is assessed upon their arrival at the health facility to ascertain the urgency of medical attention. “Sometimes people with coughs and colds want to be treated before other people (with emergency conditions),” said Khan, as he related witnessing a patient (with a non-life threatening situation) becoming outraged after medical officials gave priority to a stab wound patient. “People have to understand what an emergency room is all about,” said Khan as he spoke of the need for more patients to visit the health centres nearest them.
“They don’t have to come here (GPHC) for a simple police report (medical),” said Khan while mentioning a strategic tactic he implemented some time ago to help tackle the overcrowding. According to Khan, under his guidance, moves were made to take the reins of several health centres, including the Campbellville Health Centre, that are all performing laudably. The Campbellville Health Centre is rated as one of the better performing public health facilities in the country. “I am in the process of looking at another health centre, but we have to do some monitoring and make the proposal to the Minister of Health before we can take it over,” said Khan, as he reiterated the need for proper functioning health centres across the country in order to reduce the pressure on the GPHC. In this quest, he said that efforts are being made to extend the operating hours of the health centres, at least a few days a week. This is in light of the fact, Khan noted, that “we recognise that many
people work and sometimes when they work in a private sector (company) they end up losing the day’s pay (when they visit the hospital) and that should not be.” “(GPHC) Management felt the need to make sure that these people are attended to at their convenience. We must not sit down in our little kingdom and have people come to us...we must go to them, and that is what drives me,” said Khan, who has functioned as GPHC’s CEO for close to a decade. As he underscored that his primary aim is to “ensure that people get treated promptly,” Khan turned his attention to the hospital’s Obstetrics and Gynaecology Department, which he labelled as another of his “pride and joy.” He said that while this department too has been challenged by a purported overcrowding situation, he is optimistic that in the coming year, overcrowding will become a thing of the past. He explained that the situation is one that can be considered systematic, since the regional hospitals are not staffed properly, thus resulting in too many patients having to seek care at GPHC instead. “If they had gynaecologists we wouldn’t have that problem, but in our master plan, which we have explained to the Minister, from 2016 and onwards we will be getting graduates from the OB/GYN programme who will be going to the peripheral hospitals to boost their capabilities there,” Khan said.
Sunday June 21, 2015
Kaieteur News
Reflections on... (From page 34) police with their tear gas canisters, the squatters and demonstrators, and above all, the fear and disharmony generated from, I was told, within the main political parties. I remember the confusion and the angst of my parents, and I’m sure, among PPP and PNC supporters in the 1961 elections, when it was announced that one party had won, only to be later reversed in favour of the other. I remember seeing cars with huge (PPP) cups strapped atop, driving down Camp Street dragging (PNC) brooms behind them, symbolizing victory for one and defeat for the other. I remember hearing the term Apaan Jhat for the first time;and everything seemed pervaded by RACE. As I grew up, I heard and ‘learnt’, that Black people were physically stronger, more aggressive, yet lazier than East Indians who in turn were more cunning, clannish, and stoop-to-conquer ambitious. I was privy, as a sort of insider, to both sets of sentiments since, for some inexplicable reason, I wasn’t considered really Black, and I had many Indian friends along with a few almost-Indian relatives. But I saw myself as Black, and thoughtlessly reacted as I imagined an Afro-Guyanese child might, to criticisms and prejudices directed toward ‘my people’. I was also confused by the racial ambivalence I felt in my teenage years. With ancestors from West Africa, Egypt and Scotland, I tended to relate well to mixed races but at the same time felt a growing awareness of, and need to assert, my Black Africanness. This was heightened by vicarious exposure to the burgeoning American Black Power movement, and so, by the time I got married in the mid-seventies I’d already planned on giving my children West African names. Preconceived notions about Blacks and East Indians in the ‘60s, lost some traction for me, after the ‘70s, as discretion a n d w i s d o m r e placed reactive thinking and feeling. Sports, particularly cricket, helped a great deal in this regard. Like most Guyanese, I knew and felt a sure sense of oneness and nationalistic pride with the exploits of Kanhai and Butcher, Lloyd and
Kallicharran, Hooper and Chanderpaul. Cricket, like death, levels the playing field, and puts race in its place. But some old notions die hard. Prejudice reared its sinister head in 1995 when my eldest son drowned at Anna Regina, Essequibo Coast. My wife and I actually gave heed to the insinuations of some persons in the predominantly East Indian enclave where we lived, who felt that he had been ‘sold’ to appease the wrath of some Hindu deity. Suddenly, what I felt was a certain accident, took on troubling and racist undertones. But resignedly, we left the matter in God’s hands. Interestingly, a few years ago I read a book written by a colonial magistrate from England in the 19th century. (I can’t recall the name of the book nor the author) But a sizeable part of it dealt with the vicissitudes of life in then British Guiana.The author was particularly keen on recalling incidents in which the criminal acts carried out by perpetrators seem, in hindsight, to have a distinct correlation to many of the very assumptions and prejudices we express today about our races. Then, like now, it was mostly Blacks and East Indians who were charged with offences ranging from simple larceny to premeditated murder at its most brutal. In this context, most AfroGuyanese were indeed portrayed as quarrelsome and aggressive, while many Indo-Guyanese were depicted as scheming and cruel. But behaviour traits tend to overlap, and it would be imprudent to imagine that other ethnicities – Portuguese, Chinese, Amerindian and European, were all model citizens. Lawlessness is part of human nature. Presumptions and prejudices don’t go away easily. These phenomena are ingrained in the minds and hearts of multitudes of individuals worldwide, from Guyana to Guam, to Greenland. But things will change. That’s my opinion and my optimism; looking through slightly rose-tinted glasses, I see my own version of Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World emerging from the ashes of racial intolerance and bigotry. And the champions of this paradigm shift are, CHILDREN!
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Toshaos elections Community involvement necessary for effective set for July health facilities in Hinterland – GRPA The election of Toshaos is expected to be held between July 16 and July 22, according to Minister of State Joseph Harmon at a post-cabinet press briefing on Wednesday. They were to be held in April but had to be postponed to accommodate the General and Regional elections, said Amerindian Affairs Minister and Vice President Sydney Allicock. Harmon said that based on numerous reports Government Ministers had received funds to be spent in various communities. He added that an audit will be done prior to the planned elections, so as to satisfy residents that monies used were spent “in the way they were meant to be spent in their communities”. He also quoted the Amerindian Act, “The date of the elections shall be fixed by the Minister in consultation with the Returning Officer; and the Minister may fix a date for the election of a Toshao, one which is differ-
ent from the date fixed for the election of the councillors.” It also says that the Returning Officer shall give the Village Council a written notice of election not later than 35 days before Election Day, which shall confirm the day on which the election will be held. Harmon said that according to the law, upon receiving the election notice, the Village Council shall immediately call a Village General Meeting and inform the people of the contents of the election notice. Additionally, not later than 60 days before the election date, the Village Council shall compile an electoral list of all adult residents, display the electoral list at the Village Office, and permit all residents to inspect it. The Vi l l a g e C o u n c i l must also submit the electoral list to the Returning Officer. The last election for Amerindian leaders was held in April, 2012.
Community involvement in hard to reach areas, like the Guyana’s hinterland, is necessary for accessible health facilities to be effective and feasible. According to Executive Director of the Guyana Responsible Parenthood Association (GRPA), Patricia Sheerattan-Bisnauth it is necessary to have such an approach to healthcare for the hinterland region to achieve long term health services. During an interview with this publication, Bisnauth cited that the regions which need the most improvement in health facilities are the Hinterland area. This region of Guyana includes five of the country’s 10 Administrative Regions (One, Seven Eight, Nine and Ten), and accounts for 76 percent of the country’s landmass. Having conducted several projects in that area in the field of Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) issues, Bisnauth described the area as having “very very poor” health facilities. She posited that as such contraceptives are hardly ever available in those re-
GRPA Executive Director, Patricia Sheerattan-Bisnauth gions. “I think money is the greatest problem,” said the health professional, “Even for GRPA; logistically it costs quite a lot. We’re able to do work, but not systematic or sustained work.” Some of the agency’s missions to the Hinterland include to Region One and the Pomeroon Region.”
Bisnauth added that travel expenses to these Regions are another factor which contributes to the unavailability of certain healthcare in those areas, and believes that it has also been a factor for the government. The GRPA Director recalled that during the campaign trail for this year’s Regional and General Elections, President David Granger had spoken of developing the Hinterland Region, which included healthcare development. To do so, Bisnauth said that the national budget will have to make substantial allocations in that area of development. “To say that we are serious about addressing the needs of those in the Hinterland area, it needs a big budget for health facilities,” related the Director. It is for that reason Bisnauth is of the view that a review of the healthcare system, how it functions and the factors that are impeding its
management needs to be done. “That’s why I think that partnership and seeking funding would be helpful approaches,” shared Bisnauth, “You need community involvement to have these things feasible and effective”. She noted that when “one off” projects are conducted in the area there is a lack of community investment and thus it phases out. In addition to community involvement, the health professional said that there needs to be a reinforcement of patients’ rights in the populace. This, along with robust monitoring, reporting and implementing recommendations are necessary in improving healthcare from the Hinterland to the Coastland. “We really have to beef up our community health care system and ensure that information is readily available,” related Bisnauth.
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Consumer Concerns
Local market overtaken by sub-standard footwear By Pat Dial The Guyana market is being inundated by very poor quality footwear sold at apparently low prices but which, in reality, turns out to be a deceit since the customer was under the impression that he/she was purchasing a better quality product, even for the price he/she paid. In other words, the consumer was not receiving ‘value for
money’. The vast bulk of this poor quality footwear originates in East Asia. Each month, the Guyana Consumers’ Association receives several complaints from consumers regarding footwear which have disintegrated or began to disintegrate after a few days wear. The defects of this type of footwear are many but the most common complaints the Association receives are the
soles falling off after a few days of wear, causing the customer to incur the added expense of having the footwear stitched or pasted. The second is shoes which are deceitfully sold as having vinyl tops but which turn out to be merely of ordinary cheap cloth (not canvas) sprayed over with some kind of plastic coating or paint to make it appear as vinyl. In a short time, the plastic coating
Guyana scouting organization... (From page 55) the direction we will like them to go.” He said, however, that a deficiency in Guyana lies with the limited amount of young adults that are willing to volunteer their time and services to the movement. Richardson said that Guyana has to recruit new and younger leaders as intergeneration dialogue is important and will aid communication. Limited financing was also listed as another hindrance, but Richardson said that this is a problem throughout the Caribbean. In a bid to sell scouting, Richardson said that the movement is all about building a nation through the values of scouting. He added that many society leaders around the world are scouts. He said that a scout can be easily identified as they are dedicated, honest, supportive and can easily get along with others. Richardson said that those qualities can be useful to the individual in their spiritual, work and family life. He said also, “A scout will always be a visionary, the one who sees the larger picture because that is what we are trained to do, so we can see the completeness in a person even when that person can-
not.” During a 2012 visit, Richardson convinced the Scout Association to adopt a modern approach to activities that allow non-members to participate, giving them firsthand experience about the programme. Guyana, which was the first Caribbean jurisdiction to start scouting, the second in South America and the fifth in the world, has had a Scout Association for 105 years
“On my honour, I promise that I will do my best, to do my duty, to God and my country, to help other people, and to keep the scout law.” This has been the solemn pledge of thousands of scouts – Guyana’s sons and daughters these past hundred and five years. The continued propagation of scouting locally will certainly uplift the moral and social conduct of Guyana’s youth.
begins to crack and peel off and the shoe becomes unusable. The most distressing complaints are from poorer parents whose children’s school shoes become unwearable after a few weeks. Several such parents cannot afford to buy two or three pairs of shoes per term for their children. And this painfully results in the child not being able to go to school. Consumers could protect their rights by: (a) Examining the footwear thoroughly for defects before purchase. (b) Ensuring that you are given a bill (receipt) stating name and address of the store or seller, description of the footwear bought and the price. A bill protects you and allows you to return the product, ascertains that you are the owner and makes it easier for the Association to take action on your complaint. If the seller refuses to give
you a proper bill, then there is obviously something suspicious, and you should not buy. (c) If there is any defect, the consumer must first make a complaint to the seller and if there is no satisfaction, he/ she may then bring the matter to the Guyana Consumers Association. (E-mail: patdial26@gmail.com). (d) Complaints should be made immediately as soon as the defects are discovered since time is of the essence in
these matters. The Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) is now finalizing a new Standard on Footwear which will be submitted to Cabinet. As soon as Cabinet would have made it mandatory, it would have the force of Law. We are urging consumers and the public in general to submit their suggestions to the GNBS for inclusion in the National Standard. Suggestions may be made by e-mail or letter before 1st August.
Page 62
Kaieteur News
Sunday June 21, 2015
Technology, the things we take for granted By Ralph Seeram I am at the cosmetic counter in the Mall; the text came on my phone, “pink” so I told the clerk “pink”. “Which pink”? And she proceeded to show me the various shades of pink, so I took a picture and texted it to her, the text came back identifying the correct shade. So in less than a minute a transaction was concluded between someone some 3000 miles away and me. I am in Florida the other person in Guyana. There was a time when that would have been a six-week transaction. I would have to cut out a catalogue page, mail it to Guyana, and then they would mail it back. Those under 25 would have no idea what I am talking about. Now today that transaction is a very normal thing, nothing significant
about it, especially for the young, very inconsequential, but it caused me to reflect how technology has progressed, how far it has taken over or became part of our existence. How many people can honestly say today they can do without a cell phone or the Internet? How many of us can go without Facebook for a day? There are some simple things in technology that help with our instant gratification. From sex to shopping, we have become a slave to the technology. Back in the late 80’s I was a network technician working on Wall Street in New York. I worked on the floors of all the Exchanges, the New York Stock exchanges and other Commodity Exchanges in New York and Chicago doing network.
So I was dealing in “cutting edge” technology then. Traders “computers” were running at 2400K bits, we connected states with modems running at 9600k bits to 39000K. What I am talking is the speed of the data, which by today’s standards would make you go insane. Today in your little cell phone your speed and storage is in MEGABYTES and GIGABYTES, and we still think that is slow. We have to get a 4G LTE network, not sure if Guyana has a 4G Network. But you get the idea; today my phone can do what a computer does, and has storage of 128Gigs. Back in the late 80’s I had my first desk top PC computer. It was an IBM computer, cutting edge in its day; it could read and write, used the good old floppy disk. “Anybody remembers those?” And had a hard drive
storage capacity of 30MB. To put it in perspective this article will probably have 30MG so you can imagine the nightmare to store data back then in PC. The CRT screen and hard drive weighted about 70 pounds, I am not joking, and cost US$5000 then, oh I did not buy it, could not afford it, it was company owned. I am writing this article on a laptop that weighs about four pounds and cost a few hundred dollars Today your little laptop has hard drives in GIGA and TERA bytes; you download your pics in seconds, and it’s still slow for us. Speaking about the weight of my laptop, back in the day I was in a Network class, conducted by AT&T then and still leader in Network Communications. The instructor was speaking about portable computers (laptops today). Back then Compaq had what they called a portable computer. (My instructor said all they did was put a handle on it and called it portable.) The computer weighed 40 pounds with no hard drive, only two floppy disk drives. I know, I had one; my kids
did their homework on it, (again company owned). Today, I can be in my bed ordering items, delivered to my door, no need to go to the store, and can order practically anything including a car. In the “old days” if you were looking for a date or romance you look up the classified in the newspapers; today many a romance starts on the Internet, many a marriage started from the Internet, many a divorce happened because of the Internet (if you call sex on the Internet cheating, but that’s a subject for another day) Speaking about sex on the Internet, a billion-dollar industry today, but on an individual level, technology has created a new avenue for sex. Virtual sex is an everyday occurrence, it’s convenience, right in the palm of your hand and fingers, literally and figuratively. I am talking about your smart phone. It’s not just ordinary folks involved in sending those nude pictures on the Internet, but even Hollywood movie stars find it fun, except when it gets exposed to the public. Of course every new set of technology brings its
disadvantages also. Criminals also update their skills to match the technology, whether it’s child porn or stealing your money. They are also up to date. About six months ago I went to use my credit card, only to be told my Card was maxed out. Someone charged nearly US$5000 on my card. Somewhere along the line someone stole my ID and card; fortunately my credit card company cleared the charges. Despite that I embrace this new technology, I prefer my four-pound laptop to the 40-pound monstrosity, and a 10 second text to a four -week reply. I love the idea of calling friends in Guyana on my phone (free of course, love Messenger, Skype, Facetime, Whatsapp, etc) I like it that friends can call me from the jungles of Guyana and update me on events. I can keep a pulse on Guyana, political and otherwise from my bed here in Florida. I am actually in bed writing this article. In a few seconds it will be on the Editor’s computer. As a reporter in Berbice back in the day, I had to read the stuff over the phone (if I could get a trunk line) and someone had to copy it at the other end. For the young if you don’t know what a “trunk” line is, ask your grandparents, then you will appreciate what we take for granted today. Ralph Seeram can be reach at email; ralph365@hotmail.com and Facebook.
Sunday June 21, 2015
Kaieteur News
SERVICES
WANTED
PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION,WEDDINGS, ANNIVERSARY, ETC. – CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 216-1043; 677-6620
Female domestic to work in Trinidad, must have education, age 25-35 – Call: 1868-683-1528
Visa Application: U.S.A, Canada & UK; Guyana Passport application. Graphics design, Advertisement. Tel: 6267040; 265-4535. Repairs & spare, fridge, freezer, A/C, washers, stoves. Contact Nick: 6831312, 627-3206 Repairs to refrigerators, washing machines, gas stoves, A/C units –Call Lindon: 641-1086; 694-2202 Balloon decorating for birthdays, weddings, anniversary etc, make your event extra special! Tel Maya: 642-6664 EAGLE’S FRIDGE RE-GAS - $8,000 & WASHING MACHINE REPAIRS. PHONE: 697-2969, 6460966 Licensed custom-brokerCall: 660-9478 REPAIRS AT LOW COST: FRIDGES, AIRCONDITIONERS, WASHING MACHINES, TVS, MICROWAVES, FREEZERS - CALL:6294946 OR 225-4822 We repair fridge, freezer, AC, washer, dryer Call Omar:2310655,683-8734 Brian Moe @642-3543: Computer Technician: FB/ Brian.Moe.165: Home and office visits at your comfort!! Permanent & Visitors Visa Applications, Professional Immigration Consultant Room D5 Maraj Building, visadocumentsgy@yahoo.comCall: 225-6496, 662-6045 Mahadeo Construction for all construction, carpentry, masonry, pluming, painting etc. Free estimates and plan Contact # 669-7376 K. Lakeram, building contractor: carpentry, masonry, drawings of plans, general maintenance –Call: 216-0671, 622-0267, 692-8464/ klakeram.construction@gmail. com HEALTH Follow-me male enhancers, diabetic, hypertension and more. Sickness free sample treatment- Tel: 696-2957
Experienced female bartenders (17-30yrs) to work in interior –Tel: 231-0363 (9am-4pm) Attractive Live in waitress – Call: 228-5129; 604-8277 Land to buy in Farm, Eccles, Herstelling, Covent Garden, Prospect, Parfaite Harmonie, Uitlught –Tel: 675-7292, 6117223 Live in waitress, must be honest and courteous, 1825yrs, salary - $60,000 monthly. Call: 610-5043 One whole day domestic – Tel:667-5717 or 650-4761 Salesgirls and porters, apply to Best Buy Food Supplies, at 1E Dennis & Middleton Street, Campbellville with written application. (1)Mechanic to work in the interior. Must have knowledge with perkins engine Call: 611-4495, 6290037, 226-9768 Porters, Office clerk, general domestic. Apply at Survival @ Lot 10 Wholesale Dept, Vlissengen Road. Jet + Marack men & 1 male cook -$110,000 monthly –Tel: 694-2310. One domestic or couple to live in and work in Mahaicony River –Call: 225-6571, 6446905 One tractor operator, must know about rice, to live in Mahaicony River –Call: 2256571, 644-6905 1 Sand Truck Driver, 3yrs experienced –Tel: 265-3024; 663-8639; 609-0766 One maid, kitchen assistant, delivery rider, must have own bike – Contact: 601-4697, 6171321
SALON
VEHICLE FOR SALE
VACANCY
FOR SALE
Make Up Courses with Mac, Bare Minerals, Black Opal and Sacha cosmetics. Call: 647-1773/660-5257 Alyssa Beauty Salon & Tattoo Parlour @ 103 Regent & Wellington St. Georgetown. Salon station to rent –Call:684-1062
1 L-Touring Wagon, excellent condition - A.C Alarm & Remote start, flair kit, CD player, 16" mags, price -$1.3M - Tel: 626-2884
Engineer, bond clerk, security officers, chef/cook, kitchen assistant, waiter/waitress, labourer- Contact: 603-4094
LARGE QUANTITIES OF HIGH PURITY MERCURY (QUICK SILVER) 99.99995% PURITY$19,000 PER POUND CALL: 592-227-4754.
LAND FOR SALE Commercial lots available at Eccles E.B.D $14M - Tel:592227-2913 or 592-689-3033
One general manager to work on land dredge in the interiorContact: 226-9768; 625-5136; 626-6909 2 Accounts clerk with Grades 1 & 2 in Maths & English. Apply at Technical Services, Eccles Industrial Site, E.B.D.
Star Cars Auto Sales: In Stock, Premio, Vitz, Bluebird, IST, Alteeza, Benz C200, Spacio - Tel: 679-3140 Don’t Miss! Venus Auto Sale: pre-order, specials on Toyota IST, Vitz, Ractis, Passo, Raum- $1.9M, $1.8M Call: 624-5617
Exist in a growing organization, for experienced seamstress, must have experienced with industrial machines. Contact: 225-8831 Work from home, earn $5,000-$20,000 daily Call Monday-Friday 9am-5pm #233-6517, 638-0595 www.jobfairworldwide.com
One Toyota Allion PNN SERIES & 1 new & unregistered Mazda Axela, excellent condition -Tel: 649-0956
Accounts clerk, must have experience send application t o rtilak@adamantiumholdings. c o m
2004 Spacio -$2M 2008 Fielder (new shape) -$2.5M unregistered –Tel: 617-2891
DRIVER-LORRY LICENCE REQUIRED, SALESMAN TO SELL COOKING GAS. 676 6700
144X37.4ft house lot, available at Buxton -$3.2M – Call: 696-8391 Prime land in Corriverton 1.3 acres roadside land suitable for Gas station, hotel, Shopping mall etc.- Call: 6266245, 335-3347
Toyota AT150, excellent condition, price negotiableCall: 226-1751
Luxury gated communitypool, mall, swipe card entry, underground irrigation. Selling @ $6USD per sq.ftCall: 609-0783
Toyota Prado, Price$4.4M Neg. Call: 643-2403
1500 acres transported land 4½ miles from Bartica Rock, Quarry, Forestry, Agriculture. Contact Mark: 603-1266; 6259788 Parfaite Harmonie - $1.4M, Eccles -$6M, Herstelling $5M, Tuschen -$1.6M – Tel:611-7223; 675-7292. Professional Realty: we buy/ sell/rent/value your real estate –Call: 694-3875; 6490535; 654-6198
WANTED One Surveyor to work with mining firm, must have own GPS-Contact: 226-9768 1 Accounts Clerk with experienced, between age 2025 –Contact: 601-0055 One waitress to work at bar in Better Hope –Call: 641-2525 or 661-9546
One experienced Head Teacher to oversee setting up of New School details. Email:mozatarti@yahoo.com Driver wanted to work Toyota Raum, preferably from West Coast Demerara – Contact Imran: 614-3280
Page 63
Just Arrived! TM Trucks from UK, excellent condition –Tel: 679-7587; 695-3188
1 Toyota Cami PLL Series, 1 Million negotiable –Tel:6793410
Experienced bartenders & cleaners – Call: 225-8572 (must be able to work shift)
1 beige Toyota spacio 2003 model. PMM series. Lady driven in excellent condition. 1st owner- Call: 628-5828 Leading Auto: Unregistered Toyota Allion, Premio, Spacio, Noah, 212, Axela, IST, Canter, bus –Tel: 677-7666, 610-7666.
50% OR ½ PRICE ON CUPBOARD, TOP BOTTOM & PANTRY @ GUYAMERICA FURNITURE STORE – TEL: 225-7441, 664-1043 Concrete spindles, post crown etc, very good quality –Call: 692-3505 Lot 6 Adventure, Essequibo, Land 352X70ft with wooden building -$14M negotiable. Contact Anwar Essequibo: 771-4395; 694-4457 or Georgetown Trudy: 225-4712 1 Yamaha R6, Suzuki GSXR 600, 1-250 Rebel, 1-250 nighthawk –Tel: 265-3024, 663-8639, 609-0766 1 Caterpillar Excavator 320C, excellent condition -Contact: 658-4450 American Truck spare parts for sale- interesting person call: 683-3805
Unregistered Toyota IST fully loaded -$1.950M – Call: 691-7475
CAKES AND PASTRIES Enroll Now! Classes start 13 July: floral arrangement, cake decoration, cakes & pastries, bridal accessories –Contact: 223-3303; 612-4193; 672-8768
Pile driving hammers, weight 3 and 4 tons, 6 cylinder Leyland engine, 10 tons double steel wheeled roller Call: 275-0538; 693-7105 D4H CAT bulldozer, Leyland DAF 55 Tipper truck, 20 lengths- plastic sheet piles– Contact: 275-0538; 693-7105
Fantasy Auto Sales: 38 Alexander Street Kitty. Get $100,000 discount on perorders- Tel: 611-1833
Pneumatic roller – 9 wheels, 2,500 GLS, steel tank, 2,000 GLS, steel tank , 428 CAT Back-Hoe Call: 275-0538; 693-7105
2 Ford F350 Pickup, extended cab, 4X4 Diesel, excellent condition, fully loaded, 6" lift kit –Call: 610-5370
German shepherd pupsContact: 615-0513 VEHICLE FOR SALE
Smart Choice Auto: Premio, Allion, Spacio, Fielder, Bluebird, Carina 212, ISTCall: 652-3820, 665-4529
Nissan Titan for sale, immaculate condition – Contact: 647-3924
First Class Auto in Stock: 09 Allion, 08 Premio, Carina 212, Spacio, Runx, IST, Mark 2, Axio, 06 Premio –Call: 6098188; 638-3045
Blow Out Sale!!! Unregistered Toyota IST $2,100,000- Bodykit, TV, Spoiler, Fogs, Alloy Wheels, Crystal Lights & Alarm – Call: 643-6565, 226-9931
Honda 600 RR, Toyota AT212, AT192, BB, Premio, Tundra fully off-road, RX-8, Nissan Bluebird –Tel: 644-5096; 6971453 MASSAGE Mobile Massage: we come to homes, offices and hotels, 20% discount for fathers, St. Lucia trained –Tel:695-1265 The Gent’s Spa: Let beautiful masseuses pamper you, four-hand massage. Khandi and Tiffany –Tel:657-5979
S E C U R I T Y GUARDS WORKING 12 HRS FOR UP TO $4,000 PER NIGHT, PART TIMEWELDER,CARPENTER/ MASON, GARDENER. 676 6700
HP Laptop -$50,000, Playstation 3- $90,000 –Tel: 628-1555 10 Acres of land road side at Kuru Kururu for business. Cheap price- Call: 601-3369
Giveaways: unregistered bluebird -$2.65M, Premio$2.25M, 07 Fielder -$2.55M, 07 Allion -$3.2M, Fielder W/ Sunroof, Axela W/rims/kit – Tel:616-3413 2007 Toyota Fielder, fully loaded, excellent condition, PTT series –Contact: 6139116
1- Silva Toyota Premio, 2003 Model, Late PNN Series, Price $1.750M – Call: 601-7222 One Toyota Celica convertible customizes (high performance set up). One Toyota Ipsum (new model) going cheap. Contact: 6295414 SALE! New model Allion $3.2M, Bluebird Sylphy $2.5M, Loaded Belta -$2.5M, Tacoma – $3.7M –Tel:6214190, 639-7101
One TM Truck, 6X6, price negotiable, excellent condition, interesting person call Mr. Carlos: 683-3805 1-16" Bore tractor driven, pump, new, 1, 2 million, 1 four wheeler box trailer-Tel: 2271830 GENERATOR 30KVA, BRAND NEW, AUTO TRANSFER SWITCH, DIESEL. SUPER SILENT, SINGLE PHASE. FROM USA, SIGMA. $3M- CALL: 695-1138 Pools table, cloth, balls, pocket, cue stick, rubber, coin Shute, spring coin, chalk holder –Tel: 669-9927 Whirlpool gold, Frigidaire, stove and fridge, stainless steel, very excellent condition –Call: 660-3753; 688-2944 Continued on page 64
Page 64
Kaieteur News
Sunday June 21, 2015
Biker dead, friend critical in LBI accident FOR SALE From page 63
WOOD- USED T-SHORE AND 3/8 PLYWOOD, TO CAST DECKING, ONLY USED ONCE @ HALF PRICE- CALL:695-1138
FOR RENT PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION,WEDDINGS, ANNIVERSARY, ETC. CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 216-1043; 677-6620 Office, storage bond, lessons place, other businesses at Vreed-En-Hoop- Call: 680-9905 GT TOOL RENTALS: COMPACTOR; CHIPPING HAMMER RANSOM & FLOOR SANDER, JACK HAMMER, CONCRETE SAW & MORE- CALL: 675-0767, 627-5098 One 2 bedroom apartment for rent –Call: 220-6168; 6741358, 618-1754; 681-1508 12 Offices $60,000 at 220 South road- Call : 601-3369 Space @ 43 Wellington Street, G/town, Suitable for Barbering, Tailoring or Boutique-Tele: 226-1839 Spacious Top Flat @ CNS Channel 6 Building, Suitable for Office or Business- Tele: 226-1839 Space @ 41 Agricola Public Road, E.B.D, Suitable for any type of Business or Apartment- Tele: 226-1839 TWO STOREY 3 BEDROOMS, 3 BATHS @CHARLOTTE ST. GARAGE, BUSINESS DOWNSTAIRS. NO AGENTS PLEASE. $3200 USD/ MONTH- CALL: 6951138 Vacation Rental: cool and comfortable fully-furnished 2 bedroom vacation apartment. Call: 678-6690; 687-3365
TO LET
PROPERTY FOR SALE Residential lots ad houses for sale at Eccles, E.B.D $7.5M. Tel:592-227-2913 or 689-3033 Property for sale, Grove $18M neg. Tel: 625-5461.
Property @ Leonora New Scheme-Tel: 678-9851 2 Storey building , 8 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, hot & cold water, Lot 11 Coghlan Dam, W.B.D, Just off main Road- Tel:264-1582, 679-7587 Property @ Lot 63 West Ruimveldt, Estate Housing Scheme Georgetown – Contact Mark: 618-9744
Pure breed Rottweiler pups, fully de-wormed & vaccinated –Tel: 220-2277, 220-8904; 629-1471
CAR RENTAL DOLLY’S CAR RENTALCALL: 225-7126/226-3693 DOLLYSAUTORENTAL@ YAHOO.COM/WWW. DOLLYSAUTORENTAL.COM PROGRESSIVE AUTO RENTAL:CARS&SUV FOR RENTAL- $4,000 & UP PER DAY- CALL: 643-5122, 2193900, EMAIL: PRO_AUTO RENTAL@YAHOO.COM
Two storey 45X35 concrete property, lower flat incomplete, in Diamond, New Scheme, 5th Avenue, E.B.D –Tel:629-4017
Aidan’s Car & Pickup rental, cheap rate, low security – Tel: 698-7807
Lot 23, Area F Zeeburg, South, old gas station road, West Coast DemeraraContact: 621-8386 (Brodo)
FOR SALE/RENT 3 Storey established business at 220 south roadCall: 601-3369
Brand new 2 storey concrete building in 5th Avenue, Diamond, E.B.D, all modern amenities –Call: 662-9335; 612-3244 Property at Kersaint Park LBI, price $11.5M negotiableContact:664-1865; 698-5713
ACCOMODATION Aracari Resort –Tel: 264-2946: Rooms from $45USD, double occupancy, fully air conditioned, hot & cold bath, WiFi, breakfast.
TWO STOREY 3 BEDROOMS, 3 BATHS @CHARLOTTE ST. GARAGE, BUSINESS DOWNSTAIRS. NO AGENTS PLEASE. $80M NON-NEGOTIABLECALL: 695-1138
East Indian, male, age 49, need a friend –Call: 690-1405
One property in Mon Repos, E.C.D-$15M & 2 properties on Camp Street, G/Town –Tel: 611-9297
Valarie Lina Wray, lot 80 Vreed-en-Hoop, Squatting area, W.C.D interested in Friends World Wide.
One bedroom apartment opposite UG, for single person –Call: 222-9123
Furnished executive one or two bedroom suites in Diamond. Ideal for foreignersCall: 609-2466 1 Bottom flat, 33 Fourth Street, La Penitence –Tel: 669-4865; 628-4611
Pine cupboard doors 16"x27" $3,200. Also any size made on order- Call Singh: 621-1278
One House in Tuschen Scheme (business place) – Tel:622-6516
Prime office space @ lot 239 Quamina Street, Central Georgetown, parking available in Private yard. Tel: 592-227-2913, 592-689-3033
3 Bedroom top flat with toilet & bath, working family preferably located in Peters Hall -$60,000 monthlyContact: 646-6831, 629-7552
400Lb 5" cat guts seine – Contact: 220-7655; 667-8921
EDUCATION Private custom brokerage certificate training course from 29th June 2015, register now & save-Call: 681-7567; 223-1506; 694-8322 Lessons: Maths, English, Accounts, Physics, Social Studies and office Administration, Location: Campbellville –Contact: 6106087
PEN PAL
A night of adventure ended in tragedy for two friends yesterday, one of whom lost his life while the other remains critical at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC). According to reports, around 02:00am BeauAllison, 27, of Louisa Row, Werk -en -Rust Georgetown and his friend Akeem Kansinally,23, of West Ruimveldt, Georgetown were on a motorcycle on the La Bonne Intention (LBI) Public Road, East Coast Demerara (ECD), when it reportedly collided with a motorcar. Beau Allison who had Kansinally as his pillion rider, was reportedly attempting to overtake the motorcar when the accident occurred. The two were rushed to the GPHC with severe injuries. Allison was pronounced dead on arrival while his friend was admitted to the facility. When Kaieteur News visited GPHC yesterday afternoon, Kansinally was being prepared for an x-ray. Grieving friends and relatives of the deceased gathered at his lot 49 Louisa Row home in disbelief at his untimely passing. The man’s mother was so overwhelmed with grief that she could not speak. Allison‘s reputed wife spoke briefly with reporters. The woman who has two
Akeem Kansinally
Beau Allison
children with Allison appeared to be at a loss for words. She took a few moments to contain her emotions before relating that she last saw her spouse alive when she visited him at his residence on Friday evening. She said that she was told that her children’s father was called out the home by a friend about 10:30hrs. She recalled receiving a call from her mother-in-law who informed her about the accident about 4:00 hrs yesterday morning. They remain unsure where the man was coming from, and it was speculated that he was returning home. Allison’s former teacher who taught him at the West Demerara Secondary School, described him as a very respectful and helpful person.
He disclosed that the class had planned a reunion which Allison was supposed to be attending but unfortunately his life was cut short. One classmate, (Lisa) who this newspaper understands was a close friend to Allison was unable to hold back her tears as she wept uncontrollably outside the home. The pain was evident as the young lady appeared shaken by the loss of her friend. Meanwhile, the driver of the motorcar is in police custody assisting with the investigations.
CGX Energy Inc. receives... From page 11 Additionally, it has exceeded by 3 times, the work requirements on the Demerara Block and is looking forward to drilling the prospects identified from its recent 3D Seismic Shoot. It has also exceeded by three times its work commitments on the Berbice block. The Canadian Company has also drilled three offshore wells, Eagle, Jaguar, and Horsehoe. It has also drilled three onshore wells, all of which were 100 percent operated. These are the Hermitge, Albion and Yakusari. When CGX was prevented from completing the Horshoe Well due to the rig being boarded by a Surinamese gunboat, CGX footed the legal bills for the Guyana Government to appeal to the UN Law of the Sea Tribunal, to the tune of approximately US$10 Million. CGX has also invested in enabling infrastructure in Guyana because it has roots in the country. It owns and operates the only logistics oil and gas yard in the country (22 acres in Palmyra, Berbice) and has spent between US$ 10 to US$15 Million on a deep water harbour at the mouth of the Berbice River.
Sacked NCN B’ce... From page 13 Guyana Government at Whim Corentyne Berbice. The two men were on a live television programme on NCN in Berbice talking how the APNU/AFC regime was a murderous one with ‘plenty’ blood on its hands. Jaffarally was on one occasion involved in a road accident. The man, through his lawyer Attorney at law Charrandass Persaud, had threatened to take the matter to court. The victim subsequently received$50,000 compensation in tranches. Jaffarally at the time of that accident was driving a white Toyota Carina 192 Motor Car belonging to NCN Berbice and used exclusively by him. Jaffarally had struck the man in the vicinity of Freedom House at Main and Cheddi Jagan Street.
Sunday June 21, 2015
Kaieteur News
New study examines ways to reduce corruption in the C’bean WASHINGTON, (CMC) – A new study by the Inter American Development Bank (IDB) suggests that Latin American and Caribbean nations can provide more effective management and reduce the risks of corruption by improving the transparency of their natural resource industries through high quality and wellmanaged information. The study covers a wide range of challenges and opportunities along the chain of production of extractive industries - oil, gas and minerals- from the issuance of licences to revenue management. The study highlights the case of Maparegalias in Colombia as an innovative use of georeferencing technology to publish information on royalties and investments on the Web. In other positive examples, Perú and Trinidad and Tobago are already meeting the requirements of the Extrative Transparency Initiative, which demands high standards of transparency of information. The region has an abundant wealth of natural resources that contribute to the economic and social development of its people. Latin America is the world’s top producer of metals and its second biggest oil producer. Extractive industries represent 40 per cent of the region’s exports and are one of the principal sources of state revenues in countries that are rich in natural resources. Activities in this sector also have generated significant problems, however, such as corruption and social and environmental concerns, often fuelling a sense of unease among citizens. “After a decade of unprecedented prices for raw materials, there has been no solution to the debate on how to capture the value of extractive industries in the most effective and sustainable form and to the benefit of all citizens,” said Juan Cruz Vieyra, who edited the publication and an IDB expert on the modernisation of government. “The extractive sector should take advantage of the institutional crises taking place throughout the region to strengthen its own framework for governance,” said Malaika Masson, coeditor and an IDB specialist on energy. “It is an urgent task, because the good times generated by natural
Juan Cruz Vieyra resources may be coming to an end.” The study entitled “Transparent Governance in an Age of Abundance: Experiences from the Extracticve Industries in Latin America and the Caribbean” was presented during the Regional Policy Dialogue on Open Government that ended in Paraguay on Thursday. The report explores initiatives for overcoming the so-called “resource curse” or “paradox of plenty”. Positive experiences in countries such as Australia, Chile and
Norway show that with adequate management the extractive sector can contribute to development through improved infrastructure, financing of basic services and technological innovation. The cases of various countries included in the book share the conclusion that transparency is key not only to preventing corruption but also to improving the efficiency of social spending. They show the challenges and lessons learned from innovative initiatives in which the governments worked with the private sector and civil society to make data available in a trusted and timely manner and in a digital format. The report also shows the importance, in moving effectively toward an improved management of the extractive sector, of political will, the benefits of using transparency as a tool of public policy and the need to remain up to date on the application of international standards, comparative frameworks and key legislation for the sector such as the Dodd-Frank law in the United States and the European Union directives on transparency in extractive industries.
Jamaica’s sugar production downward trend continues The Gleaner - Sugar production in Jamaica has continued downward for a second consecutive month. The Sugar Association of the Caribbean has reported that Jamaica produced 21,628 tonnes of sugar in May. This is in comparison to the 25,289 tonnes produced in April. For the second consecutive month, Belize topped the region in sugar production with 26,599 tonnes. Jamaica was second, followed by Guyana with 13,721 tonnes and Barbados fourth with 3,963 tonnes. Last month, the Sugar Association had blamed drought conditions for the fall off in production in Jamaica.
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Kaieteur News
Sunday June 21, 2015
Thousands demand Honduras leader resign in latest protest Tegucigalpa (AFP) Thousands of angry protesters marched in the Honduran capital Friday for the fourth week in a row to demand President Juan Orlando Hernandez step down over a corruption scandal. Activists said 30,000 people turned out for the march, which snaked through the streets of Tegucigalpa toward the prosecutor’s office. Protesters chanted “out with J.O.H!” using the leader’s initials. “We are here because we are outraged,” opposition member of Congress for the leftist Libre party, Rafael Alegria, told AFP. Weekly demonstrations kicked off last month following accusations from the opposition that the president used public funds for his 2013 election
Juan Orlando Hernandez campaign. Protesters accuse Hernandez of receiving about $90 million of more than $300 million they say was skimmed from poverty-wracked Honduras’ public health system for his campaign.
Hernandez has denied wrongdoing and has drastically played down the amount, vowing to investigate the charges and punish anyone found guilty of misusing funds.
PJ Patterson urges Jamaicans overseas to get involved in their adopted countries The Gleaner - Former Prime Minister P. J. Patterson has urged members of the Diaspora to regularise their status and get involved in the political process in their adopted countries. He says this will give them a stake in the decision-making in those countries, from which Jamaica could benefit. Patterson is reminding members of the Diaspora that they will not lose their Jamaican citizenship by becoming a citizen of another country. He is also calling for members of the Diaspora to become brand ambassadors for the country. He says as brand ambassadors they will play a key role in protecting
P. J. Patterson Jamaica’s image. Patterson was delivering the keynote address at the
closing of the 6th Biennial Jamaica Diaspora Conference in Montego Bay last week.
Brazil’s OAS unveils restructuring PLAN AHEAD OF DEADLINE BRASILIA (Reuters) Brazilian engineering and construction conglomerate OAS S.A. [OAS.UL] late on Friday unveiled a restructuring plan to a Sao Paulo court, the latest step in a plan to avert bankruptcy amid a corruption scandal at Petróleo Brasileiro SA. The plan, which still needs approval by the court, laid out two scenarios for the restructuring of about 8 billion reais (£1.6 billion) in debt, both counting on proceeds from asset sales and a debtor-in-possession (DIP) loan. OAS had until June 22 to present a plan. In a statement, OAS also
said it will seek a repayment agreement with some holders of senior notes due 2019 and 2021, and perpetual notes, totalling about $1.775 billion in principal. OAS signed confidentiality agreements with the noteholders to facilitate the discussions. The company is also seek a DIP loan to continue operating amid the bankruptcy protection plan, the company statement said. After OAS meets with creditors, the judge overseeing the bankruptcy process may free up a DIP loan of 800 million reais as early as June 26, according to a source with knowledge of
the matter. OAS filed for bankruptcy protection in March after refinancing stalled, shutting access to capital markets after prosecutors accused it of participating in a corruption scheme at state-run oil producer and key client Petrobras. OAS has denied any wrongdoing. The corruption scandal centred on Petrobras involves billions of reais in contracts between the oil firm and more than two dozen contractors. Also taking a toll on OAS is this year ’s economic downturn, government austerity and a slumping currency.
Sunday June 21, 2015
Kaieteur News
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Gunmen invade Western Union outlet, shoot proprietor Gordon Nestor, 53, is now nursing a gunshot wound to his left leg, after armed bandits stormed an Internet Café and Western Union Outlet at Duncan Street, Georgetown, yesterday and carted off an undisclosed amount of cash. At the time of the robbery, which was around 10:20 hrs, there were no customers in the outlet. The building also houses a barber shop, an internet café and liquor bar. Nestor, who is the proprietor of the Western Union Outlet was treated at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) and is now at home recovering. The businessman told this publication that he saw two men entering his business place. He said that one of them stood at the entrance as the look-out, while his accomplice, who was armed with a gun, approached the cashier, pointed a gun at him and demanded that he hand over the cash. Nestor said that he thought the man standing at the entrance was going over to the other business place in the compound to buy credit. After the cashier refused to comply with the bandit’s demands, the gunman became angry. He stormed through a small passage way and broke a glass door to gain entry to the cashiers’ booth. Once in the booth, the gunman held up the cashier, ransacked several shelves of documents and removed cash. At the time of the confrontation, Nestor said, he was at the upper flat of the building. Upon hearing the noise the businessman said that he quickly ran downstairs to the aid of his employee. “This is my worker, I have to defend him”, Nestor noted. He continued, “The gunman point the gun to my
head and told me to sit down.” The still traumatized man recalled that the men kept asking him, “Wheh de rest ah money deh?” He said he quietly informed them that there was no more cash. Nelson explained that he was standing in front of his worker and the gunman was standing about four feet from him. It was then he said, that the accomplice ordered the gunman to shoot him. After the ordeal that lasted about ten minutes, the unmasked bandits escaped in a waiting motorcar that was parked not too far from the premises. When Kaieteur News visited the scene there were several spots of blood and shattered glass throughout the premises. Inside the cashier booth was a pool of blood which indicated that
the businessman bled profusely. Several GPL bills, receipts and other documents were also seen scattered about on the floor. A spent shell was recovered from the crime scene and according to the victim’s brother, the police had already dusted for prints. A police release had stated that around 10:20hrs, yesterday, two men, one of whom was armed with a handgun, entered an Internet Café and Western Union Outlet at Duncan Street, Georgetown, and held up the proprietor Gordon Nestor, 52 years, and staff member Fernandes Ally, 18, of East Ruimveldt, Georgetown, took away over $400,000 and escaped in a waiting motor car. The police are still continuing their investigations.
The bloody, ransacked booth that the bandits left behind
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Kaieteur News
Alleged ganja find at PM’s residence...
Sunday June 21, 2015
Joseph Peters is the winner…
LAPARKAN “GTPAK Al-Rawi: Top CoP, Richardson must explain FATHER’S DAY PROMOTION” Trinidad Guardian Acting Police Commissioner Stephen Williams has a lot of explaining to do as the image of the Police Service has yet again been tarnished with the alleged discovery of the marijuana find at the private residence of Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar. So said the PNM’s public relations officer Faris Al-Rawi Friday.He also urged that former deputy police
commissioner and head of the Rapid Response Unit Mervyn Richardson go beyond the “no comment line” and explain to the nation exactly what transpired. “The Commissioner of Police has a significant amount of explanation to provide to the people of T&T in relation to the line of reporting and application of the law as it should be applied to the allegation.
“It is interesting to note that the Commissioner of Police is on record at the Joint Select Committee of National Security as saying that he is stopped from investigating the total policing event because of the Police Complaints Authority investigation into the same matter, yet on this matter he now says that he will commence an investigation while the PCA is investigating at the same time. “Most regrettably is the public utterances of the Commissioner of Police. It stands as inconsistent on too many occasions. This does little to this to foster any confidence as the efficiency and capability of the Police Service in applying the law without fair or favour, malice or ill-will,” Al-Rawi added. Saying that the country needed much ventilation of what has now become a “nefarious issue” A-Rawi said this was essential so that the average citizen many be left with confidence that no one was above the law.
From left Juman (clerk) Sherrry Singh (Customer Service Manager) Joseph Peters (Winner) Nirmala Singh (Admin. Assistant) Ian Odwin (Office Assistant) In observance of Father’s Day, Laparkan had launched a giving back promotion. On Friday, the winner of the promotion, Joseph Peters was presented with the winning certificate at the Laparkan Company. Mr. Peters will be conveying his message of how special his father is with an all expense paid lunch for two at the Pegasus Hotel today. Peters was announced the winner following a
random drawing. Children, young and old will celebrate that special man in their lives who has always been there for them and Laparkan, the leading freight forwarder in Guyana has joined with them to ensure that this Father’s Day be memorable. Many shopped online for that unique gift participating in the Father’s Day giftgiving traditions and have chosen to use Laparkan as their preferred shipping solution as is evident over the past few weeks of this promotion which started on June 1,2015 and concluded on June 17,2015. These shoppers automatically entered our Father’s Day promotion to win a complimentary lunch for two at the Pegasus Hotel. Every Father’s Day millions search for the perfect gift that conveys to dad just
how superb he is. Whether honoring a father, stepfather, grandfather, uncle or any man who has made an impact on one’s life. Laparkan PMB/GTPAK (private mail box) service continues to access three flights weekly and consignments benefit from free delivery within Georgetown and its environs. Laparkan will continue to show their appreciation for your valuable support by doing various promotions that allow us to give back. “We say Happy Father’s Day to all the Fathers and especially Private Mail Box supporters, the business community, our personal possessions shippers and every person who has used our service or has any plans in using our services, WE SAY AGAIN HAPPY FATHER’S DAY TO YOU.”
Sunday June 21, 2015
Kaieteur News
Top youth, junior athletes put... (From page 72) the 200m ahead of Linton Mentis (22.00s) and Quacy Clementson (22.40s) in that order. Chance ran 49.40 seconds in the 400m ahead of Clementson (50.40s) and Delmar Stoby (51.60s). Mentis won the 100m in 10.70 seconds with Akeem Johnson and Delroy Austin second and third in 11.20s and 11.80s respectively. Samuel Lynch took home
the 800m Boys Youth title in 2:05.60 ahead of Mel Glen (2:12.40) and Moses Best (2:15.60). Ornesto Thomas ran away with the Junior 800m title in 1:55.7 with Denzil Joseph (2:02.90) and Kester Duke (2:18.50) second and third. Mathew McKenzie won the 1500m Youth race in 4:20.50 ahead of Best (4:54.40) and Glen (5:28.90) in that order. In other results,
Chantoba Bright leaped to 11.44m to win the Girls Triple Jump Junior title while Shavez Thomas sprang to 6.07m to win the Boys Long Jump Youth title. Damon Williams won the Boys’ Triple Jump Junior title with 13.43m. Dana Nichols threw 26.44m to win the Girls Youth Javelin Throw while Jonathan Copeland threw 38.61m to win the Boys Junior Javelin Throw.
Clean up campaign and pictorial... (From page 74) explained. To this end, Benjamin has recently spoken to some of the old stalwarts the likes of Michael Reid, Kenny Bristol and Brian Muller, all overseas residents, and placed them on guard. There will also be a special section that highlights the feats of Andrew Murray, Patrick Forde, Donald Allison (all de-
ceased) and other boxers that have contributed to the rich legacy of boxing. Plans are also in train to feature the works of past and present administrators of the Guyana Boxing Board of Control as well as boxing trainers and managers. “This is a huge undertaking and will only be accomplished over time,” said Ben-
jamin. He further explained that the idea is to transform the ALBG into a true home of boxing where modern day pugilists can find recreation even as they acquaint themselves with the intricacies of local boxing history. Discussions towards these initiatives were expected to be intensified at the meeting yesterday.
Sunday June 21, 2015 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) It feels like you have more emotional armor on, Aries, which will help you deal with a looming battle. Somewhere in your world a conflict is brewing. It may not be obvious, it may not be large, but it's there. TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20) You may feel like your resources are depleted and you want to throw in the towel, Taurus. GEMINI (May 21–June 20) Your energy is running high, Gemini, and you have a great deal of fire that you can use to transform anything. You have a wonderful capacity to turn a bad situation into a good one. CANCER (June 21–July 22) Every time you bring up a sensitive, important, or deep subject, does someone squash it? You may feel like you aren't relating well to other people today, Cancer. LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) This is a wonderful day. You feel emotionally strong, Leo. You have all of your energy available for use. VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) Nothing seems to be clicking the way you want, Virgo. Your rational mind tells you that things are fine and you have the green light to proceed with your plans.
LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) You're emotionally much stronger than usual. You will be surprised at the events, thoughts, and conversations you command with your words, Libra. SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) While this may be a day when all you want to do is to relax, you may not feel like you can, Scorpio. SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) This may feel like a day made just for you, Sagittarius. You're emotionally strong. You feel like you're able to leap tall buildings in a single bound. CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19) Your energy may be a bit scattered, Capricorn. Although your days are jampacked with activities, you still go to bed every night feeling like you didn't get anything done. AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) Your emotions and actions are well aligned, Aquarius, meaning that you're likely to do things that are more in tune with your true beliefs. This wonderful alignment of energies will keep you busy and out of trouble. PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) You may feel emotionally stuck, Pisces. Perhaps you feel your sensitive, loving nature isn't fully appreciated.
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Barbados Tridents open with win over...
Guyana Amazon Warriors celebrate Shiv Chanderpaul running out Barbados Tridents dangerman Dwayne Smith. (CPL) (From page 70) winners. The Amazon Warriors are again in action on Friday against the Zouks and will look to commence a winning
streak as they aim to record their first win of the CPL tournament after being runner up in the previous editions. The action however, con-
tinues today at the Beausejour ground in St Lucia with the St Lucia Zouks facing the Trinidad and Tobago Red Steel from 4:00pm.
Seaboard Marine Caribbean Motoring... (From page 75) from the rest of the competition. The competition will be fierce on the newly repaved track that is bound to have its share of excitement. This track is destined to be a favourite amongst many of the competitors because it allows driver’s to attain the fastest speeds of any CMRC sanctioned events. At the end of the day, there will be records broken and set. We can be assured that the championships will get tighter heading to round 3 for both individual honours and the overall country championships. Judging by the times in the practice sessions thus far, today’s races should be exhilarating and surely to send pulses into unchartered territory. The Guyanese team is conspicuously missing the motorcycle riders. Unlike Round One in Jamaica, Fly Jamaica flew the entire Guyana Motorsports team. With lack of vital sponsorship funds, the riders and some drivers have decided to skip this event. Unfortunately, no money is coming from the government either. Motorsports is by far the most expensive sport that exists and any little funding certainly goes a long way. If there are any businesses that would like to contribute then, their generosity will certainly be welcomed. The sport brings in a lot of money to the countries involved by way of tourism. The money from the teams and spectators are respent back into the economy by way of accommodations, food & beverage, site-seeing, souvenirs etc… No doubt, the riders will be missed but, by no means, the quality of the drivers’ is inferior. The team is well represented in the different classes with many podium finishes expected. Nonetheless, the spectators’ throughout
the Caribbean especially at Wallerfield will be thrilled. Everyone will get to see the Best racer that the Caribbean has ever witnessed in Kristian Jeffrey. The quiet and skillful racer will unleash his technical and natural abilities around the track. He is Mr. Consistency and certainly the ‘Real Deal’. His approach is
fluidic and he goes about every lap in a smooth manner that has never been seen. The Caribbean community certainly has something to rejoice by having a world class driver in the Caribbean Motoring Racing Championship. This Fathers’ Day will certainly put new meaning in T &T (Thrill & Thrill).
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Kaieteur News
Sunday June 21, 2015
“Caribbean sports teams missing in real world action!” Colin E. H. Croft Despite everything as regards FIFA, including the “c” word – corruption – FIFA’s Women’s World Cup 2015 now being played has been thoroughly enjoyable! Having used soccer to assist with cricket fitness before playing the latter for West Indies, even being called up for Guyana’s Football Colts in 1974, I wish that I could have been half as good as those ladies now plying their great passes, runs, shunts and goals in Canada. Wow! They have been putting on a tremendous show! Japan, defending champions from 2011, who won then by a penalty shootout after a dramatic 2-2 full-time draw against United States of America, will have a tough time to win again, even as it topped its group to qualify for knock-out stages in 2015. Previous tournament winners Germany, Norway and USA, also contenders Brazil and France, look ominous. Similarly equipped teams threaten, including adventurous, spunky Cameroon – ‘Indomitable Lionesses’ – the
first African women’s team to qualify for second round, emulating their male counterparts of FIFA World Cup 1990. I still feel for Trinidad & Tobago Women’s soccer team – ‘Soca Princesses’ or ‘Women Soca Warriors’ - who just lost out on representing the Caribbean in this tournament, losing the play-off final extremely agonizingly to Ecuador, in Port of Spain last December, by one goal; 1-0. Ironically, Cameroon destroyed T&T’s nemesis Ecuador 6-0 two weeks ago in a ‘Group C’ match! Monica Quinteros’ 91st minute goal caused obvious trauma to T&T’s players, so many tears and much agony after they had lost and realized that a great opportunity to represent themselves, families and especially our region had somehow passed them by again. It was so similar to T&T’s men’s elimination from possibilities for FIFA World Cup 1990 back in November 1989, when USA, then a lowly-regarded soccer entity, also somehow managed to beat well-favored Everald
“Gally” Cummings-coached “Strike Squad” 1-0 in a reddecked POS. That magical or depressing goal, depending on perspective, one that was certainly heard around the soccer world, was scored by the only professional in USA’s team, Paul Caligiuri, in the 30th minute, to crush the calypso country’s ambitions. That goal restated USA’s soccer climb too. Ironically, after not being able to be in World Cup soccer since 1950, when they did also somehow beat England, USA was selected to host FIFA World Cup 1994, another large feather in its cap. Last week, West Indies cricket team was dismissed, demoralized then destroyed by a Test cricket team, Australia, who, while not yet at the top of its game, showed how real professionalism works. At no time in those two Tests v WI was Australia anything but confident and composed! An international team can only be thusly organized by recent histories of success partnered by proper preparation plus historical under-
Digicel Nationwide Secondary Schools Championship
standing of the job at hand. Somehow, one gets the impression that the present WI Test cricket team, collectively, do not even understand themselves! What was most confusing and disappointing about WI’s efforts v Australia was that after each game, WI captain Denesh Ramdin thought that the only wise thing to do was to suggest that “there were positives etc.” It is as if the captain is just programmed to utter such thrash. Honesty seemed to have been thrown out of the window. I have not suddenly become blind so I could not see any positives in that 2-0 drubbing! After WI surprisingly beat England with a superlative effort at Kensington Oval, even doubters started trying to believe that maybe WI could have bottomed-out, then would rebound and continue upwards against Australia. Those hopes were dashed with WI’s putrid batting efforts. WI had a 50-50 chance of beating Australia in Test No. 1 if the hosts had selected another full-fledged spinner to
play in Dominica, but to be dismissed in two innings in Jamaica for less than 250, as was so in Dominica too, is seriously troubling and distressing, certainly depressing. WI’s scores in four innings v Australia were 148, 216, 220 and 114. What is positive about that? To further have sports fans and supporters spluttering over their brandy, Guyana’s Golden Jaguars could not even cross their first hurdle, drawing on aggregate; 6-6; with St. Vincent, to be eliminated on ‘away goals rule’ from further participation in FIFA World Cup 2018. That must have been a big let-down for Jamaal Shabazz’s outfit. Seven years ahead of time, Guyana’s Golden Jaguars simply have to restart preparations for FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar. The Jaguars could not escape St. Vincent Heat’s steam and clutches, allowing the visitors to score four away goals in a 4-4 draw at Guyana’s National Stadium at Providence. The headline in Guyana’s Kaieteur News after that game
was amazing, amusing and confusing: “ Vi n c y H e a t s c o r c h Golden Jaguars in humdinger at Providence!” Knowing that Guyana had been eliminated from competition overall due to that game, there was much sadness, since yet another Caribbean team had failed in world competition. The seven million English-speaking Caribbean has always punched above its weight with diligence and determination, but that fight seems waned, so the Caribbean are missing out in the real action. Enjoy! E-mail Address c.e.h.croft@gmail.com
Hero CPL 2015 Championship
Kwakwani inflict 3-0 licking on Harmony Barbados Tridents open with win Kwakwani Secondary resistance that the homesters sprinting on to a bouncing inflicted a 3-0 licking on put up, before Kwakwani ball. Racing onto a bouncing over Guyana Amazon Warriors Harmony Secondary as play broke it in the final ten ball 28 yards from goal, the in the 5th edition of the Digicel Nationwide Secondary Schools Championship continued yesterday, at the Wisburg Secondary School ground. Linden James, Kevin Carter and Cassius Campbell netted for the winners in the 70th, 75th and 80th minutes respectively to eliminate Harmony that had defended stubbornly for a large duration of the encounter. The result, however, did not reflect the tough
minutes of regulation time totally eradicated their defensive mindset. James opened the scoring who he rose above every defender to deliver a bulletlike header past the goalkeeper off of a corner after seventy minutes. It then became 2-0 five minutes later when Carter delivered a stupendous volley from centrefield that landed over the head of a scrambling goalkeeper into the back of the net after
diminutive Carter unleashed a powerful effort that sailed over the head of the keeper and into the back of the net. Campbell then sealed the deal fortuitously after he unleashed a powerful strike from about 20 metres out which skidded under the goalkeeper’s boots and into the empty goal. Action in the tourney will continue tomorrow with several matches at various venues.
(from right)- Kwakwani goalscorers Linden James, Kevin Carter and Cassius Campbell pose for a photo op yesterday at theb Wisburg ground.
The Barbados Tridents opened their Caribbean Premier League (CPL) title defence with victory over the Guyana Amazon Warriors last evening at the Kensington Oval in Barbados by 49 runs. The tournament, dubbed the biggest party in sport, opened to a packed Oval as the charged up fans anticipated an exciting contest. They were not too disappointed as proceedings started with the home side winning the toss and electing to bat. They were pegged back early as the Warriors picked up some early wickets. However, Shoaib Malik with 39, Jonathan Carter 25, and man-of-the-match Kieron Pollard 48 pushed the Tridents to 158 for 6 off their 20 overs. Sunil Narine led the bowling for the Warriors with 2-22. The Warriors got off to an eventful start which saw both Lendl Simmons and Tillakaratne Dilshan both missed being out. However, they lost wickets along the way at intervals, failing to find the boundary as often as they should, and eventually folded for 109 off 18 overs. Brad Hodge 26 and Dilshan 24 led the batting effort as Ravi
Following his 48 from 26 balls, Kieron Pollard took 2-20 to lead the Barbados Tridents to victory over the Guyana Amazon Warriors in the first game of #CPL2015. (CPL) Rampaul and Robin Peterson each took 3 wickets, while
Pollard had two for the (Continued on page 69)
Sunday June 21, 2015
Kaieteur News
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Golden Jaguars must look forward! By Santokie Nagulendran It has been a week now since the shock elimination to St Vincent and the Grenadines in 2018 World Cup qualifiers for Guyana. However the fact that it has been widely acknowledged by both fans and pundits alike as a ‘shock’ is a testament to the rapid acceleration the men’s national programme has been going through since resuming in
February, after two and a half years of inactivity. Guyana, ranked 158th, lost to St Vincent, ranked at a significantly higher 112th, and it was labelled as a ‘shock’, a view which surely reinforces the belief that Guyana is a team with a lot of potential that will be fulfilled over time. The loss to St Vincent does not end the programme currently being developed by Jamaal Shabazz, it was a disappointment that merely reflected the fact that Guyana is
a country with no current National League and a country where the men’s National Side have only started playing as a team since February, with many players joining up even later. The loss of four UKbased players for the first leg massively hindered the side, as evident in the fact that two of those players, Sam Cox and Neil Danns, were instrumental in the 4-4 second leg draw. Matthew Briggs was ruled out of both legs, and in hind-
sight this was the biggest blow for the team; Briggs as a defender may have improved the defensive vulnerability displayed by the Golden Jags over the course of the two games, as it is simply unacceptable for any international defence to concede four goals at home. Had the four players been available for both games, the result of the tie may have differed and that’s why it is ridiculous to judge the national programme on the basis of
Horace Burrowes is new GCF President -Promises to lift the sport to a higher level By Franklin Wilson USA based businessman and former national cyclist Horace Burrowes has been elected President of the Guyana Cycling Federation (GCF) following their Annual General Meeting yesterday at the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA) Office, High Street, Georgetown. Burrowes who has been given the mandate of leading the sport for the next four years narrowly defeated the incumbent Cheryl Thompson by one vote, 6 to 5 as eleven clubs casted one vote each. Veteran cyclist Paul Choowee-nam was elected First VP following a three-way race among himself, Mark Conway who was eliminated after the first round of voting and Malcolm Sonoram by a similar 6-5 margin. The 6-5 trend continued as Andrew Arjoon was preferred to Okel Arthur for the Second VP post, while Jerome Allicock got the nod from the clubs as Third VP over Malcolm Sonoram Jr. Honorary Secretary Maria Leung and Honorary Treasurer Rosanna Sookoo were both elected unopposed as did Racing Secretary, Hassan Mohamed MS, the only surviving member from the previous executive. The AGM had its challenges as no Audited Financial Report was presented, just a normal report which was presented by William Howard the former Treasurer (ag) who called for a total audit of the federations accounts from 2011 citing the lack of accountability by a number of persons, whose names he did not call, for poor stewardship. Former President Thompson in her report also chided former executive members for their lack of commitment as many meetings did not come off for want of a quorum. There was no smooth sailing in the conduct of the AGM as
New GCF President Horace Burrowes (seated) is flanked by Secretary Ms. Maria Leung (right) and Treasurer, Ms. Rosanna Sookoo. Standing from right are, Jerome Allicoco (3rd VP), Hassan Mohamed (Race Secretary), Paul Choo-wee-nam (1st VP) and Andrew Arjoon (2nd VP). the previous executive clearly did not prepare the relevant documents to be circulated as per constitution. But even as that was the case, the eleven clubs present collectively stated that they were there to change the course of the sport for the better. Constitutionally, the AGM was due since March this year. New President Horace Burrows in his acceptance speech, thanked the clubs for showing confidence in him and promised that there will be many changes for the better in the first year of the new executive. ”One of the things that I am actually looking forward to is working with the clubs. I
want to work with every club and not to be biased; I want to make sure that every club does its duty in taking a part of the federation and doing what they are supposed to do.” He said that every member elected to the executive will serve dutifully to raise the federation to what it is supposed to be. Burrowes, who said that being resident in the USA would not affect his effectiveness as President since he is home for four to five times yearly spending over one month on each occasion, said that they only planned making themselves available for leadership, just over one week ago.
He expressed gratitude to Hassan Mohamed and Joseph Britton whose service more often than not goes unnoticed for their sterling contributions to the sport over the years. Mohamed’s name is synonymous with the sport in terms of organizing events, and Burrowes stated that that strain on Mohamed will no longer be. The new president also promised to ensure that the finances of the federation are looked with a view of bringing it in line and up to date. The first line of business for the new body will be the National Championships which is slated for next weekend.
two games. Whilst many fans have expressed disappointment at the elimination and called for the resignation of head coach Jamaal Shabazz, it is a rash way of thinking, the National Programme should not be defined on the basis of two knock out games, of which Guyana did not actually lose, rather they were eliminated on the basis of having scored less ‘away’ goals than the opposition in two drawn games. As Jamaal Shabazz recently declared: “judge me at the end of my two years, not six months into it.” Guyanese football is currently in a dire state, and it will take years for a successful National Programme to reap rewards, so patience is the key. In the meantime, there are still targets for the Golden Jaguars to achieve: mainly qualifying for next year’s Caribbean Cup, of which a top-four finish would send Guyana to the 2017 CONCACF Gold Cup, the first ever FIFA tournament the nation will have qualified for. Such an aim is realistic for Guyana, the team has an abundance of talent, but needs the right systems in place in order to maximise their potential. A massive step in the right direction would be for the National team to utilise international dates to arrange friendlies, and thereby get valuable time playing together as a unit. St Vincent’s side have played together regularly for the past year, and that understanding gave them an advantage over the Golden Jaguars. The next FIFA international window is from August 31st to September 8th, and it would be a sign of intent if the GFF arranged a friendly for Guyana to take part in and continue to develop the team. The start of the Elite League in August will also massively aid the fitness and development of local-based players, giving them a much-needed opportunity to play regular competitive football, which will inevitably lead to a better National side. The under-23 side kick off 2016 Olympic qualifiers Antigua on Wednesday and this will give an indication as to the current state of Guyanese youth players, and what needs to be worked on in the future. Transparency is also key to the state of the game: after eighteen months of the Christopher Matthias-led GFF administration, whereby there was little transparency given to the public, there needs to be clear transparency so that
fans can believe once again in the Golden Jaguars. After the game last Sunday Jamaal Shabazz stated that Matthew Briggs, a star overseas-based player, was unable to feature due to a stomach illness. However, on social media the next day, a GFF representative denied that was the case, and stated Briggs could not play due to a complex legalityinvolving the English Football Association. As Matthew Briggs played for England’s Under-20 side years ago, he needed to write to the English FA and request a formal release to play for Guyana, however, this was not done in time and Briggs was ruled ineligible for the second leg. The clear contradiction between Federation and Head Coach indicates a clear lack of transparency and also a clear lack of communication, if Matthew Briggs could not play due to a legal complication, why were the media and fans told by Coach Shabazz that it was due to an illness? This sort of deception is what has hindered Guyanese football in the past and alienated the many fans from the game in Guyana. With a new GFF President set to take office in September, a culture of openness needs to be instilled for the long-term ben e f i t o f t h e beautiful game in Guyana. The elimination to St Vincent was disappointing, but it should not be the defining moment of the National Programme Jamaal Shabazz and Technical Director Claude Bolton are trying to build. Long-term development of both youth and locallybased players will benefit Guyana more in the long-run, whilst the allure of the 2016 Caribbean Cup and 2017 Gold Cup will provide an incentive of glory for the current Men’s National Senior team. The future is bright for Guyanese football…if consistency and belief in the current programme can be maintained for the next few years.
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Kaieteur News
Sunday June 21, 2015
Top youth, junior athletes put on show at National Championships By Edison Jefford Kenisha Phillips, Cassey George, Andrea Foster, Compton Ceasar and Arinze Chance became double sprint and middle distance champs yesterday when the Athletics Association of Guyana held its National Youth and Junior Championships. The flagship mandatory International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) meet was held at the National Track and Field Centre, Leonora, where the next generation of Guyana’s leading athletes put on an impressive show. Phillips prolonged her prowess with dominant performances in the 100m and 200m Girls’ Youth races. The new prodigy sprinted to 11.70 seconds in the 100m, leaving Cassie Small (12.00s) and Amanda Murray (12.80s) respectively in her shadow. The East Coast-based Phillips returned to post 24.40 seconds in the 200m to win
Compton Ceasar (lane 5) races to victory in the 100m Boys’ Youth Final yesterday at the National Track and Field Centre, Leonora. ahead of arch-rivals, Avon Samuels (25.30s) and Natricia Hooper (25.40) in that order. Aniqah Powley ran 11.90 seconds to win the 100m Girls’ Junior race ahead of Shoquane Daniels (12.60s) and Euodia Forte (12.90s). Tirana Mitchell won the 200m in 25.40 seconds with Onika Eastman (26.10s) second and Daniels (26.80s) third. Hooper won the 400m
Youth race in 56.40 seconds ahead of Samuels, who posted 56.90 seconds and Chantoba Bright (1:01.30). (The IAAF age category demarking Youth athletes is Under-17 years old and the one demarking Junior is Under-20 years old.) Middle distance queen and multiple CARIFTA Games gold medallist, George eased to victories in the 800m
Johnson King dominoes set for June 28 at Linden Lawrence Johnson will be hosting a King Dominoes competition on June 28 at Watooka Complex in the mining town of Linden. The competition which is being dubbed ‘Desert Eagle’ will see the winner pocketing $500,000. Entrance fee is $1000 per person and nomination commences at 09:00 hrs. Organising Secretary of the Georgetown Dominoes Association (GDA) Mark Wiltshire said the tournament is expected to be keenly contested since some of the top players from Georgetown and Linden will be on show.
GDA Organising Secretary Mark Wiltshire (left) accepts the sponsorship cheque from Lawrence Johnson. He added that there will be other attractions including a
ball room dance off which carries a first prize of $10,000.
GASA to host Olympic Gala today The Guyana Amateur Swimming Association (GASA) will be hosting a Gala from 11:00 hrs today in observance of Olympic Day at the National Aquatic Centre. The affair is intended to promote camaraderie among all participants through fun competitions. All events will be contested as Relays. Teams will comprise of six to eight swimmers (depending on the number of available participants). The events to be held are Backstroke, Butterfly, Breaststroke and Freestyle. Teams may enter any number of events and a token will be presented to the winning team.
TANDEM RELAYS Tandem Relays can be swim in two or four lengths. Each length is swum by two swimmers; one in front pulling in accordance with the relevant stroke and one at the back holding the legs of the swimmer in front and kicking in accordance with the stroke. Wet T-Shirt Relay This game starts out like any other relay race. Two teams are created, and half of each team lines up on opposite ends of the pool. So what makes this relay race different? The wet T-shirt! The starting player for each team is given a soaking wet T-shirt. The players put the T-shirt
on, completely — then jump in, swim across the pool, climb out, take off the shirt and hand it to the next player on the team. The first team to get everyone across the pool in the T-shirt wins. Floatie Race For this game, you’ll need two or more people, and two floaties of any kind — as long as they’re big enough to sit on. Two players line up on their floaties at one end of the pool and, on “go”, race to the other end. First one there wins. This game works best in a longer pool, and can also be played as a relay race with two teams.
and 1500m Youth races. She won the 800m in 2:20.10 ahead of Joanna Archer and Maria Urquhart, 2:27.60 and 2:28.60 respectively. George won the 1500m in 4:52.80 ahead of Claudrice McKoy (5:02.10) and Urquhart (5:16.70). McKoy won the 3000m in 11:28.40 with Tabitha Bowman (12:09.80) second and Kissanna Glen (12:47.40) third. CARIFTA Games bronze medallist, Foster replicated a similar feat in the Girls’ Junior 800m and 1500m races. She won the 800m in 2:12.30
ahead of Shontel Hinds (2:34) and 1500m in 4:57.60 again ahead of Hinds. Ceasar powered to 10.80 seconds in the 100m Boys’ Youth race and 21.80 seconds in the 200m race. He defeated Tyrell Peters (11.00s) and Umkosi Vancooten (11.30s) in the 100m and Aldon Henry (22.70s) and Peters (23.10s) in the 200m. Henry won the 400m in 50.30 seconds ahead of Samuel Lynch (52.40s) and Shemar Garraway (54.80s) respectively. Chance emerged with a
Cassey George crosses the finish line unrivalled in the 800m Girls’ Youth Final yesterday at the National Track and Field Centre. double Junior sprint title from the 200m and 400m races. He registered 21.60 seconds in (Continued on page 69)
GCF and GOA host successful BMX Olympic Day Observance National Cycling Coach attached to the National Sports Commission and also Guyana Cycling Federation (GCF) Race Secretary (ag), Hassan Mohamed MS. yesterday brought off a successful BMX Meet in observance of Olympic Day, 2015. Sponsored by the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA) and held at the Inner Circuit of the National Park, eleven of the nation’s BMX riders participated in the event. Following are the full results: Race Distance Placing BMX 6-9 2 Laps Alexander Leung (7m 30.46s), Christopher Goring, Esau Jai Singh BMX 9-12 3 Laps Jonathan Jagdeo (2m 59.25s), Christopher Goring, Esau Jai Singh BMX 12-14 3 Laps Jonathan Jagdeo (2m 59.25s), Christopher Goring, Esau Jai Singh BMX Open 3 Laps Adrian Sharma (2m 58.07s), Jonathan Jagdeo, Taran Garbaran 12-14 Juveniles/Juniors 10 Laps Jamal John (26m 14.25s), Raphael Leung, Brighton John Mohamed in remarks prior
to the presentation of trophies to the winning and other competitors, expressed gratitude to them on behalf of the GCF and GOA for making the day’s activity a success. ”This year I included a juvenile/junior event so they could have participated. I am very happy for those who turned out and participated. Let me congratulate all of you and I look forward to seeing you after the National Championships this month end.” Olympic Day, which will be celebrated on June 23rd, is much more than just a sports event, it is a day for the world to get active, learn about Olympic values and discover new sports. Based on the three pillars move, learn and discover, National Olympic Committees are organising sports, cultural and educational activities throughout the world. Move, Learn and Discover Some countries have incorporated the event into the school curriculum and, in recent years, many NOCs have added concerts and exhibitions to the celebration. Recent NOC activities have included meetings for children and young people with top athletes and Olympians and the development of new web sites directing
people to programmes in their neighbourhood. This makes it easier for everybody to become part of Olympic Day. M o v e Encourage people to get active on Olympic Day. “Move” can refer to all sorts of physical activity for people of all ages and abilities. Olympic Day Run, individual and team sports. L e a r n Olympic Day is a great opportunity to look at the contribution of sport to global social issues that can affect your community, such as education, health promotion, HIV prevention, women’s and girls’ empowerment, environmental protection, peace building and local community development. Being a responsible citizen is also part of the philosophy of Olympism! The teaching of Olympic values is also important for this pillar, which are excellence, friendship and respect. D i s c o v e r Discover is all about inviting and encouraging people to try new sports and activities that they have never done before. It is also an opportunity to introduce them to sports which they may not have easy access to or are lesser known in their region. (Franklin Wilson)
Sunday June 21, 2015
Kaieteur News
Shabazz names 20man squad for Olympic Qualifier
Pernel Schultz
Trayon Bobb
Head Coach of the Guyana Football Federation, Jamaal Shabazz, yesterday named his 20-man squad for n e x t w e e k ’s O l y m p i c Qualifier in Antigua and Barbuda. Guyana will play in Group 2 of the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) leg of the tournament and will be joined by Aruba and Cuba, along with host Antigua. The team will depart on Monday from the Ogle International Airport and are set to play their first game on Wednesday June 24 at 15:30 hours against Cuba, followed by a clash with Antigua on Friday June 26 and will wrap up the tournament on Sunday June 28 when they play Aruba. All matches will be
played at the Antigua Recreation Ground in St John’s. With only one team making it out from the group, Shabazz is high on optimism of moving on in Guyana’s attempt to feature at the 2016 Olympic Games in Brazil. The full squad: Anthony Whyte and Jason Cromwell were named as the goalkeepers in the side that also includes; Daniel Whyte, Less Charles Critchlow, Joshua Brown, Clive Williams, William Europe, Sherwin Skeete, Stephan Ramsey, Jermaine Junor, Trayon Bobb, Kadell Daniel, Daniel Wilson, Leo Lovell, Kareem knights, Delon Lanferman, Jamaal Harvey, Shaquel Agard, Domini Garnet and Pernel Schultz.
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Kaieteur News
Sunday June 21, 2015
Clean up campaign and pictorial boxing archives mooted as boxing community join forces It seems like the nationwide clean-up campaign, which got underway shortly after the installation of President David Granger to the Presidential seat has ballooned to immense proportions and residents of the various communities are demonstrating renewed invigoration to the task.
The bug has now bitten the boxing community and several pugilists are scheduled to join forces in a rigid clean-up campaign that targets the Andrew ‘Sixhead’ Lewis Boxing Gym (ALBG) and its immediate surroundings. Former top amateur boxer, Johnny Griffin, is one of the key figures behind this
venture which will also feature head of People’s Syndicate Promotions, Keith Bazilio, popular boxing coach, George ‘Canchie’ Oprecht and former professional boxer, Marcelle Daniels. They were scheduled to convene at the ALBG sometime yesterday morning to work out the ramifications while
examining the cost of the project. Speaking with Kaieteur Sport Friday afternoon at his South Ruimveldt residence, Bazilio said that while the idea was generated from the recent clean-up frenzy, he thinks that the gesture will truly underline the magnitude of the contribution of Lewis to the
Steve Ninvalle boxing fraternity and by extension, Guyana. The ALBG has been dubbed the home of amateur boxing and is now under the purview of the Guyana Boxing Association. It is at this location that boxers preparing for overseas engagements are housed during encampment and Bazilio feels that there could not have been a more suitable venue for the exercise. However, he noted that the building has been neglected over the years and there is a need for rehabilitative works to restore the dignity to the gym for which it was constructed. The group will also ventilate possible ways of restoring the ‘Albouystown Pride,’ possibly with a face lift. Meanwhile, former local lightweight, welterweight and Continental of Americas welterweight boxing champion, Michael Benjamin, will add some vigor to the process when he launches a pictorial archive of past and present boxers that have contributed to the rich legacy of the sport. Already, several of these portraits have been completed following support from several corporate entities. This initiative commenced around July last year but was temporarily placed on hold while the organizers awaited the response for corporate assistance. Several of those entities have since approved and have donated handsomely to the project. Those are Abdools and Abdool Insurance, Kaieteur Sport D e p a r t m e n t , D r. M a x Hanoman, Ramchand Auto Spares, Lawrence Atherly A c c o u n t a n t s , M i k e ’s
Keith Bazilio
Michael Benjamin Pharmacy, Bryden and Fernandes, John Fernandes Ltd, Modern Optical, Oasis Water, Raphael Real Estate and Eddy Grant Ringbang. Mr. Benjamin explained that the initiative had its genesis from a discussion among several boxing enthusiasts and was birthed after the benefits of such an initiative were highlighted. Coupled with the portraits will be a log book that will depict the records of the various fighters which can be used for research purposes. President of the GBA, Steve Ninvalle, was also instrumental in the establishment of this initiative and is very anxious to have it brought to fruition. He feels that the venture will further strengthen the efforts of his executive to promote the interest of the sport through the retention of key historical data. “The first phase will be predominated with contemporary fighters but as time goes by the olden warriors will also be included,” Benjamin (Continued on page 69)
Sunday June 21, 2015
Kaieteur News
Page 71
Seaboard Marine Caribbean Motor Racing Championships The Seaboard Marine Caribbean Motoring Racing Championships visits Wallerfield International Raceway in Trinidad & Tobago on Father’s Day today for an action pack filled day. More than likely spectators won’t need the seat that they paid for because the action from all the different classes is promised to be worth the price of standing admission. The point’s leader in the CMRC and reigning CMRC Champion, Kristian Jeffrey in his Evo VIII will be there to continue his defence of the coveted title. Kristian is an accomplished racer with countless victories and championships that could easily fill a novel. He will be chased by a large field of competitors in Group 4 that includes: Fyzool Madan (T&T), Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX, Hanif Abraham (T&T), Nissan Pulsar, Kristian Boodoosingh (T&T), Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI, Gerard Carrington (T&T), Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI, Peter Rae (JAM), Mazda RX7, Danny Persaud (GUY), Mazda Miata Turbo, Doug Maloney (BAR), Audi A4 Turbo, Ajmal Mustapha (T&T), Subaru Impreza, Franklyn Boodram (T&T), Renault Megane Trophy R, Rudy Beekee (T&T), Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI, Mark Maloney (BAR), Mazda RX-3, Gregory John (T&T), Mazda RX-7, Richard Mohammed (T&T), Mazda RX-7, Jody Ali (T&T), Subaru Impreza STi. One of the biggest challengers for the CMRC title will be Franklyn Boodram. His career began by racing karts from age seven before becoming a 7 time T & T Circuit Champion(between 19932004), Triple WITCO DuMaurier Super Circuit Champion 1993-1995. He is the Son of regional legend Frankie Boodram, Franlyn picked up where his father left off. They won TTMF Father & Son Awards in 2004. He began his championship career in road racing in 1992, initially in a Nissan March, then an SCCA-spec Honda CRX. It was replaced in 1996 by a purpose-built Honda Civic, which he raced in two classes, claiming multiple victories and overall class championships before
Trinidad & Tobago’s only racetrack ceased operations in 2006. When Wallerfield reopened last year, Franklyn wanted to continue his illustrious career by obtaining a Renault Megane Trophy, in which he will contest the 2015 Caribbean M o t o r R a c i n g Championship. Whereas, Group 3 will have a very competitive field lead by: Rameez Mohammed (GUY), Toyota Starlet Turbo, Danny Persaud (GUY), Mazda Miata Turbo, Kevin Deodass (GUY), Toyota Starlet Turbo, Gary Barrett (CAY), Honda Civic Turbo, Afraz Allie (GUY), Toyota Starlet Turbo, Natasha Chang (JAM), Honda S2000 and Paul Vieira who will be contesting the race for the twin islands. Although, anyone can win any given race, one of the favourites to watch will be Paul Vieira. The veteran will no doubt entertain the home crowd with his tremendous skills and experience that he has shown throughout his successful career. He will be followed closely by Danny Persaud who will certainly try to take top honours to add to his accomplishments. Group 2 will have the largest field of competitors that includes: Marc Gill (T&T), Honda Civic, Mark Williams (T&T), Honda Civic, Aqueeb Ali (T&T), Honda Civic, Rainier Amar (T&T), Honda Civic, Rod Amar (T&T), Honda Insight, Shiraz Roshandin (GUY), Honda Civic, Haresh Nanan (T&T), Nissan Sentra B13, Silbourne Clarke (T&T), Honda Civic, Nizam Mohammed (T&T), Honda Civic, Kemal Rahaman (GUY), Nissan Sentra B13, Ryan Rahaman (GUY), Ford Escort MkI, Mark Thompson (BAR), Toyota Starlet, Damien Nesbit (T&T), Nissan Sentra. Ryan Peyrau (T&T), Suzuki Swift Sport. Tremaine Forde-Catwell (BAR), Daihatsu Charmant, Saleem Deen (T&T), Honda Civic, Kyle Gregg (JAM), Honda Civic, Yazid Ali (T&T), Honda Civic. This group of drivers have favourites galore but, Kyle Gregg is expected to display his all-round skills from rallying and road racing to take top honours (Continued on page 69)
Kristian Jeffrey (right) fights for the lead in a previous race meet. He is expected to feature today.
t r o Sp GCF and GOA host successful BMX Olympic Day Observance
Hassan Mohamed (back row, right) pose with the participants of yesterday’s Olympic Day BMX Meet.
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