Kaieteur News

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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: 225-8465, 225-8491. Fax: 225-8473, 226-8210

EDITORIAL

Venezuela’s lingering BORDER THREATS All over Guyana, people are talking about the territorial issue with Venezuela. They view the claim by Venezuela over Guyana’s maritime waters as an unfolding and very dangerous issue which the new APNU+AFC Coalition Government must closely monitor. Since 1966, Caracas announced that it was renewing its claim to Guyana’s territory. On May 27, 2015, President Nicolas Maduro issued Decree No. 1787 creating the Atlantic Coast of Venezuela and effectively extending his country’s borders to include the maritime waters off the natural resources-rich Essequibo region. Prior to the presidential decree, the Venezuelan Navy in October 2013 detained an oil research vessel belonging to the United States Anadarko Petroleum Corporation, because the Madura government claimed that the vessel was conducting illegal exploration in its waters without authorization. The former PPP administration disputed Venezuela’s claim and stated that the vessel was operating in Guyana’s territory. Venezuela had laid claim to two-thirds of Guyana’s land mass since an 1899 arbitration ruling in favour of Guyana when it was under British colonial rule. Today, Venezuela has not only unilaterally renewed the claim but has also extended it. Venezuela’s decision came 11 days after the general election in Guyana produced the first change of government in over two decades. It seems to have been triggered by the news of the discovery of significant petroleum deposits by United States Company ExxonMobil, which was given approval by the previous PPP/Civic administration to carry out exploration in the maritime area. This new development means that President David Granger’s coalition government was not given the customary honeymoon period afforded to newly elected governments. The offshore oil find is great news for the people of Guyana, whose economic fortunes have been showing some encouraging signs of a turnaround in recent years after being in the doldrums for the last ten years. President Granger, a former army Brigadier-General has publicly stated that Venezuela’s actions represent a threat to regional peace and security and has made it quite clear that his new administration will vigorously defend Guyana’s interests against any aggression from Venezuela, its neighbour. Despite Venezuela’s cordial relationship with CARICOM nations, and its generous PetroCaribe assistance to its member states which began in 2005 with the aim to maintain solidarity with regions, the leaders of the Caribbean believe that it is highly unreasonable for Venezuela to seek claim of more of Guyana’s territory. There is enough evidence to suggest that Venezuela, even though it was not pleased with the ruling in 1899, yet it still ratified the findings of the arbitration which suggests it had accepted the agreement. It is time for Venezuela to end its claim of Guyana’s territory so that the nation can fully concentrate its efforts on strategies and plans to develop its economy and move Guyana forward. The newly elected Granger-led coalition government should not have had to divert its attention away from the development of the country towards the threats from Venezuela. The dispute is most likely to be on the agenda of the annual CARICOM Heads of Government Summit slated to be hosted by Barbados next month. This issue is problematic in that it presents a dilemma for some CARICOM countries because it may place them in an uncomfortable situation where their loyalty to both Guyana and Venezuela is put to the test. This is especially true because these countries have and continue to benefit from Venezuelan PetroCaribe oil concessions that provided a cushion from the full effects of high oil prices. Moreover, they are in a quandary and are therefore walking a diplomatic tightrope as to what to say or do about the border dispute. Escalation of the current border dispute by Venezuela has the potential to extend beyond the two countries and even outside of the region. Because of the United States interests in the region, it will want regional stability and peace to exist instead of violence. If the latter occurs, it will have the potential to involve the US.

Tuesday June 23, 2015

Letters... Where your views make the news

There must be the political will to agree that GuySuCo cannot be business as usual DEAR EDITOR, I refer to an article captioned “GuySuCo bailouts unsustainable Ram” carried in June 22 edition of the Stabroek News, and fully agree that in the current circumstance of the company producing sugar at US$0.40 per pound and selling the product at US$0.13, it is certainly not sustainable to have perpetual bailouts. Guyana is too poor a nation to perpetually provide billions of dollars of bailouts each year. The immediate past CEO had estimated $16B as a short-term bailout this year, and early last year, management indicated to the Economic Services Commission that GuySuCo had incurred $58B in debt. Imagine what this amount of money could do towards the improvement of the health and education sectors of a nation with a population of just under 800,000. The biggest problem facing the company is its huge employment cost, which as at end of 2014 was 65% of revenue. GAWU’s bargaining unit accounts for 80% of the total employment cost, and more than 75% of this cost is paid to piece rated workers, majority of which is payable to cane harvesters. 1% of wages/salaries are approximately $200M. Recently GAWU has submitted a claim for 9% increase in wages for 2015, which if agreed to is equivalent to $1.8 billion; thereby taking employment cost to 69% of revenue. This is not a sustainable

ratio.For GuySuCo to become a s u s t a i n a b l e e n t i t y, f r e e f r o m government’s bailouts, it would have to relook at all agriculture practices, from a labour perspective, incentivising key operations, so that productivity could be enhanced. New productivity indices will have to be determined for all key field operations. There is no way that the current establishment of field workers in general, and cane harvesters, in particular, could be improved; because cane harvesting and planting (two key field operations) are no longer considered attractive for employment. The company has to improve on the current field incentives to not only retain those in its employ, but more importantly to increase current productivity rates. There must be a balance between the levels of mechanisation and labourreliant operations, because the vagaries of the weather must be taken into consideration. Skeldon is a good example that illustrates the exposed vulnerability of mechanisation. Whenever it rains, harvesting operation is literally ground to a halt on this estate. Research and development in higher yielding and more robust cane varieties must be intensified; as well as harmonising the efficacy of herbicides with the wide spectrum of weed species, so as to bring dramatic improvement in the high-cost area of weed control.

Optimum establishment on human resources will have to be worked out for each operation and department from labour to management and support staff, and those superfluous to the needs will have to be severed, invoking the legal procedures as adumbrated by the Termination of Employment and Severance Pay Act. GuySuCo would need to start from a zero-based position. It is all the more important that new collective labour agreements would have to be ironed out; replacing the current which have outlived their usefulness, including agreements on annual and weekly incentives. Engagements with the unions must now be based on productivity bargaining, rather than the age-old haggling on pay increase, without any bearing on productivity. There is need for a broader-based committee far beyond the scope of the existing Interim Management Committee, which is seemingly a band aid intervention, to not only chart the way forward, but more importantly to implement initiatives that will enhance the survival and viability of the company. There must be the political will to agree to the philosophy that GuySuCo cannot be business as usual. For too long, political interventions and interferences have stymied management responsibilities in not only (Continued on page 23)

Crime problem solvable: The police need more ex-offenders to help DEAR EDITOR, The police force desperately needs more persons like Lennox Wayne. Mr. Wayne is the alleged police informant who was supplying the police with information on planned robberies and the whereabouts of known criminals. The police needs reformed/ rehabilitated ex-offenders to help them with identifying individuals who are actively involved in criminal activities. However, this information has to be used judiciously so that maximum benefits could be derived. It is a known fact in any society, that the police alone cannot reduce crime. The residents in the problematic neighbourhoods, the rehabilitated exoffenders and the police need to work in alliance. Therefore, the police need to be seen as a “friend” to the community. The mother, or neighbour, or friend need to know that when they “snitch” on a criminal, he will not be killed or physically abused. After all, he is still a son, or neighbour, or friend: he still belongs to the community. This concept works in many of the troubled neighbourhoods in developed countries, where the police are seen as integral to the betterment of the community. In Guyana this is very achievable, especially now that the new Government seems sympathetic to the plight of those living in marginalized

communities. The law enforcers need to step out of their pick-ups, trucks and cars, and walk the streets. They need to play with the children, and rap with the youths, and befriend the adults. The police need to be seen as “humans”. Additionally, the Government needs to establish a programme that will provide a rehabilitative rational to those needing to change. Many of the guys involved in some of these heinous and unconscionable crimes are in need of mentors and role models. These young men need purpose and focus in their lives. It means, therefore, that we as a society have to formally provide what psychologists term ‘incentives for change’. The young man needs to know that there are alternatives to his plight. He needs to know that even though he lacks education, or job skills, or social status, there is room for him in his country. What has been the one-sided, biased and politically correct approach in Guyana for many years is the notion that what is needed is a larger, more equipped police force; even outfitted with a Death Squad. It is believed that such a robust force will deter crime. Over the past 10 years, the Guyana Police Force has received more guns, batons, bikes and pick-up trucks. It has received more recruits; some have been trained in Special Weapons And Tactics (SWAT), and the force has even received a Water Cannon. The citizens

will judge if any of those approaches has worked to reduce crime. However, what was noticeably absent over that same period, was funding for rehabilitation programmes for those who wanted to move away from a life of criminal behaviour. Ask any formerly incarcerated criminal and he will tell you that life gets harder for him when he is released from prison. So that even if the desire is there for a change in behaviour, if the incentives are absent, the potential to reoffend is starker. I am very hopeful about the potential realities in Guyana, because our problem is not as unmanageable as it might appear. What we have going for us is that fact that our crime and criminals are localized. We already know our troubled neighborhoods and the breeding grounds for such behaviours. So when the Government institutes a formal rehabilitative programme - which appeals to the reform-minded criminals – it will flush-out the ‘career criminals’. The ex-offenders who will become part of this rehabilitation process will also give up their criminality and deviancy. Inevitably, they will not only become examples and role models, but they will assist by supplying the police with information on planned robberies and the whereabouts of known ‘career criminals’. Pastor Wendell Jeffrey

Tuesday June 23, 2015

Kaieteur News

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

Accountability: The key Anil Nandlall objects to effective citizenship DEAR EDITOR, A range of laws and mechanisms are being considered for fast-track implementation to address the manifold forms of corruption which flourished over the past decade. However, once we get past the initial revulsion at the extent of corruption, addressing its causes starts to look more complex. In particular, the simplistic division of the society into beneficiaries of corruption and the rest of us can be misleading. While everyone is incensed by ‘corruption’, the only common agreement is that it is generated by ‘politics’. Comfortably condemning ‘politics’, moreover, is reinforced by a growing realization that the enormous sums lost to the Guyana treasury through corrupt practices were more than adequate to dramatically raise, for example, chronically low standards of health and education. While the extent and gravity of corrupt practices cannot and should not be denied, reducing the problem to one of elected officials alone lets the rest of us off the uncomfortable hook of how much we went along with what we now condemn. A significant number of the same Guyanese seeing it as a necessary evil have, at one time or another, paid bribes to public officials to obtain house-lots, driving licences, import licences, contracts, scholarships, or to avoid duties on imported goods. On a lesser scale, a larger number of us have taken advantage of influence or well-placed friends to jump the queue, accelerate a process, or avoid some inconvenience in relation to public services. At another level, tolerance for practices we hardly consider corrupt such as discriminating in favour of friends, family or people of similar ethnic backgrounds, is a real hindrance to rooting out corruption. Such tolerance is justified, by and large, by exaggerating the repressive nature of the government. Rather than by terror, it is closer to the truth that Guyanese society has become debased due to distraction with trivia, a technique described as follows by Professor Bernard Crick: “If people see themselves purely as consumers they will lose all real control of government. Governments will then rule by bread and circuses, even if not by force; and torrents of trivial alternatives will make arbitrary and often meaningless choice pass for effective

freedom.” In Guyanese terms, this equates, for example, to encouraging twenty-four hour TV cycles of ‘Hollywood, Bollywood and Nollywood’ plus MTV videos, interspersed with non-stop advertising of fetes and concerts. Few civic organizations, however well-intentioned, managed to function without absorption into either this debased culture or the more select world of the financiers, businessmen and bent politicians obsessed by personal accumulation. To avoid either of these outcomes, the majority of professional, religious, trade union, NGO bodies and the disciplined services allowed themselves to be rendered anonymous for a decade or more. Against this background the challenge of eliminating corruption - financial, political and social - is one of restoring vigorous engagement of civil society in order to rehabilitate the influence of public interest groups and ordinary people. This process requires identifying participatory processes and strategies which stimulate the energies and active involvement of all sectors of civil society. A document entitled “Forward-Looking Strategies”, presented to the contesting parties by a coalition of civic and religious organizations and circulated

widely as a pamphlet prior to elections, was a first step aimed at re-vitalizing civic involvement in public life in the post-election era. “Forward-Looking Strategies identifies ‘accountability’ as the over-arching guiding principle for rejuvenating civic engagement with public policy and public life. Financial, political and environmental accountability were identified as priority areas for attention. Accountability must be operationalized at all levels of public life, from the simplest community-based activity to Parliamentary and Ministerial performance. Whistle-blower laws and other imaginative techniques for monitoring public officials are needed. None of this civic rejuvenation detracts from the importance of the anticorruption drive, but serves to locate that process within the larger framework of governance in which there is a role for all citizens. However, it is sobering to remind ourselves that without the vigilance of alert citizens, political processes, no matter how wisely constructed, will not remain unblemished. Political and legal systems can never be so flawless as to discount the need for accountability to citizens. Executive Committee Guyana Human Rights Association

DEAR EDITOR, The Press is regarded as the fourth estate in modern democracies. It wields as much power and influence as the three branches of Government. Therefore, it logically follows that like the three branches of Government and short of undue censorship, checks and balances must be applied to ensure that this important institution in a democracy does not run amok. Kaieteur News’ June 22nd 2015 editorial contains a most vile attack on the integrity and independence of the judiciary. Commenting on the private criminal charge instituted against former President, Bharrat Jagdeo, and which is being heard before Magistrate Charlyn Artiga, the editorial opines: “It should be made clear that if the PPP was still in office, Magistrate Artiga would have been fired just as how the PPP fired Magistrate Geeta Edmonds who was about to sentence the son of former Prime Minister, Sam Hinds”. The editor makes no attempt to justify or even explain this bizarre conclusion. It is a most brazen and scurrilous attack on the

integrity of our judicial system and a baseless accusation of serious constitutional violation by the PPP/C Administration. It is trite knowledge that under our constitutional structure, the executive bears no responsibility for the discipline and dismissal of judicial officers. Those functional responsibilities reside exclusively with the Judicial Service Commission, an independent constitutional body. The PPP played absolutely no part in the removal of Magistrate Geeta Chandan-Edmond. As far as I am aware, the Learned Magistrate was removed by the Judicial Service Commission in relation to an incident which occurred over one (1) year prior to the institution of the charge against Samuel Hinds Jnr. A simple phone call to the Judicial Service Commission ought to have edified the editor of Kaieteur News accordingly. I do not discount that the objective of the editorial is carefully designed to influence the judiciary against the PPP and those who are connected with it in

order to demonstrate its “independence”. Perhaps, we should now hear from the judiciary and the Judicial Service Commission on this matter. Anil Nandlall Editor’s note: Indeed, the conclusion that the executive played a part in the dismissal of Magistrate Geeta Chandan was unfortunate and regrettable. But the executive has been known to influence decisions by the very Judicial Service Commission. Justice James BovellDrakes was appointed a judge but President Bharrat Jagdeo actually refused to acknowledge the appointment. Also, because of a decision he handed down, Justice Janarayan Singh was never confirmed as a judge and actually had to go to court to secure the benefits accruing to him. The person who was Justice Singh’s nemesis was Bharrat Jagdeo.

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Kaieteur News

Tuesday June 23, 2015

$400M East Bank Berbice road falling apart ‌less than three months after being rehabilitated

The contentious East Bank Berbice road is once again in the news. Residents along the thoroughfare are once again up in arms because the recently rehabilitated $400M East Bank Berbice road has begun

to fall apart less than three months after being constructed. The work was awarded to the H. Nauth and Sons Civil Engineering Contracting Firm. The firm was required to reconstruct a 12-kilometer

stretch of the road, from Everton to Light Town. The cost of the contract was $393,000,000. The East Bank Berbice road stretches for 25 miles from New Amsterdam to Mara. However, residents

were surprised that only a part in the middle was being done. The East Bank Berbice road has been in a deplorable state for close to two decades. The project which began in January was expected to last for four months but went way over the

stipulated time. H. Nauth and Sons Company which has an operation on the East Bank Berbice, has been engaged in doing maintenance work on the road over the years. Residents are very upset and are set to protest the injustice that has been meted

out to them. The road was expected to be completed at the end of Light Town; however, it ended in the middle of the village. The prescribed thickness was not followed and the entire rehabilitation was badly done residents said.

Two more dead in separate President meets contractor of motorcycle collisions US$150M airport expansion

As the road fatality numbers continue to mount, yet another motorcycle collision claimed the life of one and left another hospitalized. A Sunday night ride for a married couple ended tragically when Peter Howard, 55, while riding his motorcycle on the Nismes Public Road, West Bank

Demerara, with his wife Odessa Howard, 37, as the pillion rider, was struck from behind by a motor car about 19:15hrs. The couple who hails from Canal No.1, W.B.D was rushed to the West Demerara Regional Hospital where Odessa was pronounced dead on arrival and Peter was referred to the Georgetown

Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC). The driver of the motorcar is in police custody assisting with the investigation. There was another fatal motorcycle accident on the Providence Public Road. Kaieteur News understands that sometime around 1:05am yesterday morning, Joshwar Narine, 23, of lot 125 Herstelling, was riding his motorcycle south along the roadway, with Kevin Barran of Lot 6 Farm squatting area when he lost control of the motor cycle. According to reports after losing control of the motorcycle, he collided with a barrel in the construction zone in that area. The injured men were rushed to the GPHC where Narine succumbed about 11:45am, while Barran was treated and sent home. Ian Amsterdam, Traffic Chief of the Guyana Police Force, has stated that so far for this month, there have been six recorded fatalities which left six persons dead.

President David Granger with General Manager of CHEC, Xiaofeng Wang and his Assistant, Zhimin Hu. President David Granger yesterday met with top officials of the China Harbour Engineering Company Ltd. (CHEC), the Chinese company currently engaged in the US$150M airport expansion project at Timehri. The project, one of the largest infrastructural ones in terms of cost for Guyana, is currently under review because of

questions raised by the government while it was in Opposition during the 10th Parliament. The then Opposition had insisted that it was not comfortable with the costs and wanted a review. Included in the delegation yesterday that met with President Granger were General Manager, Xiaofeng Wang and his assistant, Zhimin Hu.

Tuesday June 23, 2015

Kaieteur News

Greece offers new plan to avert default Greece took a step back from the abyss yesterday when it presented new reform proposals that euro zone finance ministers cautiously welcomed as a possible basis for an agreement in the coming days to avert a looming default. European stock markets and Greek assets leapt on hopes of a last-minute deal to ease a crisis that is threatening to drive Greece out of the euro and undermine the foundations of the European Union’s single currency. Leaders of the 19 nations that share the euro arrived for an emergency evening summit in Brussels voicing guarded optimism that the Greek proposals, including higher taxes and moves to curtail early retirement, could lead to a deal this week. Cash-starved Greece must repay the International Monetary Fund 1.6 billion euros by June 30 or be declared in default, potentially triggering a bank run and capital controls. Jeroen Dijsselbloem, chairman of the Eurogroup of 19 euro zone finance ministers, described the new Greek document as comprehensive and “a basis to really restart the talks” but said talks in the next days would show whether the numbers added up. “We will work very hard in the next few days - the (lending) institutions with the Greek government - to get that deal this week,” he said. European Council President Donald Tusk, who called the summit to try to break the deadlock, told reporters there had been promising developments and leaders should show the way forward to avoid a worst-case “uncontrollable chaotic Grexit” while letting experts thrash out the details. He called for an end to the “blame game” between Athens’ young left-wing Syriza government, which has triggered the crisis by scrapping the austerity measures that were a condition of Greece’s bailouts, and its creditors, led by Germany, which refuse to keep funding Greece without being sure that its public finances are sustainable. MERKEL CAUTIOUS German Chancellor Angela Merkel, facing strong public resistance to any further aid, was more cautious than Tusk on arrival at the summit. “After the Eurogroup meeting there is no basis for a decision, so this can only be an advisory summit,” she said. Her finance minister,

Eurogroup Chairman, Jeroen Dijsselbloem Wolfgang Schaeuble, a hardliner on Greece, earlier told reporters he had seen nothing new from Athens. But other leaders sounded more upbeat. French President Francois Hollande told reporters: “I hope the work conducted in the past few days by Greece and the institutions lays the foundation for an agreement that should be reached as soon as possible ... There are improvements, even if not everything has been resolved.” U.S. Treasury Secretary Jack Lew urged Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras in a phone call to make a “serious move” at reaching a deal with its creditors to avert “immediate hardship for Greece and uncertainties for Europe and the global economy”. Dijsselbloem made clear that Greece’s last-minute submission of its proposals meant the finance ministers could not make any decision until Greece thrashed out details in the next few days with its international creditors: the European Commission, the European Central Bank (ECB) and the International Monetary Fund. With anxious savers continuing to withdraw cash, though apparently in smaller amounts yesterday than last week, the ECB increased its emergency liquidity assistance to Greek banks for the third time in a week.

But after months of acrimony, the positive mood music in Brussels gave investors hope that an agreement might be near. European shares surged and the Greek stock market jumped 9 percent while the borrowing costs of Italy, Spain and Portugal - the countries most likely to be hit if Greece headed for the euro zone exit - fell sharply. The DAX index of leading German shares closed up 3.9 percent and France’s CAC 40 stock index was up 4.1 percent on the day. TAX AND PENSION REFORMS In its proposal, Greece offered to raise the retirement age gradually to 67 and curb early retirement. It also offered to reform the value-added-tax system to set the main rate at 23 percent. And it promised additional taxes on business and the wealthy. Economics Minister George Stathakis told the BBC that Athens had avoided crossing “red lines” set by Syriza, since it would not cut pensions or wages or raise the VAT rate on electricity. But in an example of the anger that Athens has caused in northern Europe, Hans-Peter Friedrich, deputy parliamentary floor leader for Merkel’s conservatives, said there was no point in “dragging out a bankruptcy for political reasons”.

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THE VEHICLE SCAM There is at present an investigation into fraud allegations at the Public Service Ministry. The police have reportedly been called in to investigate suspicious transfers of vehicles owned by the government and managed by that Ministry, to private individuals. I do not expect any political operative to be charged in this matter. I do not expect this to happen for reasons that will become obvious to Guyanese later. The allegations however deserve some comment because they do raise concerns as to how State property is managed and how financial transactions are conducted. It is not unusual for government ministries to dispose of assets. If anything, previous governments have allowed unserviceable items and clutter to accumulate. This happens because there are tedious and time consuming procedures involving the disposal and destruction of such items.

Rather than go through these procedures, the items are simply stacked up and left to the elements There are rules in place that govern how such items can be disposed. Noncompliance with these rules can lead to lead to public malfeasance charges. If noncompliance involves fraud, the fraud charges can be laid. But as I said do not expect any charges in the case at present involving vehicles belonging to and in the possession of the Public Service Ministry. It is normal when unused and unserviceable items have to be disposed that these items would be advertised inviting persons to tender for them. It is not certain whether this was done in this instance but it should be too difficult for this to be traced. But if there were no advertisements, it needs to be determined how the beneficiaries were selected. Were they handpicked? Are they staff of the ministry? It should also not be too

Dem boys seh...

Jagdeo frighten to go to court Jagdeo is a young man but he is one frighten man. Imagine he now sick. He claim how he lower back hurting him. When dem boys hear that he lower back in pain dem know that something fishy was going on all de time. But is when dem boys hear that de doctor give Jagdeo two weeks bed rest dem know something really wrang. Dem remember when he come out from de court de last time and lock up in he house fuh days. That was enforced bed rest. But dem boys want to know how come he get this back pain couple hours before he had to go to court. One doctor seh that the back pain is all in Jagdeo mind; is psychological. He know that everybody want to see him go to jail. And once he go to de court he know that is de gateway to de jail. That is how he get sick. Kwame is another case altogether. He does get constant back pain but he don’t seek medical certificate. He does tek de pain in stride. Dem boys want to know how he mekking out these days. Dem don’t see him anymore. He don’t go wheh dem li’l boys does hang out and he can’t even talk strong to anybody. He got two sets of pain. He got lower back pain and he also got mouth pain. He woulda get a valid reason fuh not going to court. But is Jagdeo dem boys got dem eyes on. If he got fuh tek bed rest he can’t come out he house and walk around like that. But then again, since he is a night man, when he come out people sleeping. Dem boys seh that Ramjattan got one eye pun him. And Chris Ram got people spying pun he fuh see if he disobey de doctors orders fuh tek bed rest. In any case, that is a jail sentence. Jagdeo is not a man who can stay one place fuh too long.

difficult for it to be determined whether any of the cash monies allegedly paid for the vehicles were every paid into the treasury or reflected in some other account. This would help to determine if indeed any money was ever paid for the vehicles, what it was paid and what became of the payments. Of course it is not normal practice for a vehicle to be sold via the mere issuance of a receipt. There have to be agreements of sale and these

agreements have to have witnesses. It should be easy to determine whether this indeed took place. With these agreements of sale it should have been a fairly straightforward process to transfer the vehicles without the need for any longrunning correspondence between the Guyana Revenue Authority and the Public Service Ministry. Another thing that should be checked is whether between the date when the

sale was purported to have taken place to the time when the change of registration was requested, if the vehicles were in use by the Ministry and also if any repairs were done at State expense. One of the old rackets of selling unserviceable vehicles is for the sale to take place at a low price and then the vehicle is upgraded at government expense. Thus someone may buy a vehicle for $50,000 but before it is uplifted the government

spends another $50,000 on it. This means that the new buyer gets a $100,000 vehicle for half the value. Those investigating should examine if this happened in any of the cases which are now being investigated by the police.

PPP/C owes millions $$$ to NCN, other state agencies The People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) said, yesterday, that though it will pay sums owed to National Communications Network (NCN), and other agencies, it sees no need to provide further clarity to the general public. He was responding to a question about the size of the debt to state agencies for services rendered to the party for its election campaign. NCN recently made demands that the PPP/C pay the entity some $13.5M for advertisements. There is also much confusion over the extent of money owed to other state entities by the party, which has been cited

- Rohee previously for its use of state resources. At yesterday’s press conference at Freedom House, PPP/C General Secretary, Clement Rohee, was confronted with inquiries into how much debt the party had actually incurred with NCN, the General Secretary refused to confirm any specific figure or time frame when those debts would be cleared. Questioned further, he referred all questions pertaining to finance to the accounts section of the party machinery, though he declined to name who was in

Local hotels demand level playing field Local hotels in Georgetown are demanding that the APNU/AFC Government act without further delay to set the playing field level with that of the Marriott Hotel. The group is contending that the agreement made with the Marriott Hotel by the previous administration is anti-competitive and violates ýthe Caricom treaty. Accordingly, the local hoteliers are asking that the entire agreement be reviewed and that they be given the same concessions given to Marriott Hotel. The group cited the case of the Stewart Government in Barbados which immediately after granting generous concessions to the Sandals

Hotel Chain, passed legislation to extend the same concessions to every local Hotel. The Group is also demanding that the government immediately discontinue taxpayers’ money being used to pay Marriott’s staff, its electricity and all its operating expenses. They are contending that if Marriott wants to operate a hotel in Guyana, it must open its own bank account and arrange its own financing as they, the hoteliers, have done and as every Flag Carrier, including Marriott, has done in other countries. In addition they are requesting that Marriott be required to pay the Guyanese taxpayer a monthly rent for use of this taxpayer-funded hotel.

charge of such a section. Asked, in lieu of the fact that the PPP/C is no longer a part of the state machinery, whether he did not consider it ethical or responsible for his party to provide more clarity to the general public on how much the party owed to NCN or other agencies for services rendered during the campaign season, Rohee demurred, stating that such was an internal party matter. “I don’t see the need if I owe a man $40, to go about telling people how much I owe him. That is a cheap publicity stunt.” Nor did the General Secretary provide any information on when NCN would be paid, only giving assurances that the money will be provided. He however confirmed that the party did owe several agencies for services rendered. Back in May, the PPP/C became embroiled in a controversy over payments for several bill boards, which were sourced and designed by local company Impressions Inc. for the Guyana Water Incorporated but were converted into elections paraphernalia, with a “Vote PPP/C” logo and other campaign slogans placed on the billboard. When the bills for the billboards were sent to GWI, the Corporation refused to honour them. In addition, NCN’s Marketing

PPP/C General Secretary Clement Rohee Manager, Raymond Azeez, is reported to have made several demands for payment from the party, after a slew of advertisements which characterized the network during the elections season.

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Tuesday June 23, 2015

=== The Freddie Kissoon column ===

Theoretical implications of the 2015 elections results The district by district voting of the 2015 elections results have been published online by GECOM. It will surprise the lay person but those in the media who were familiar with some of the Statements of Poll knew how the trend differed from the 2011 poll and who got what from which part of Guyana in 2015. One of the main learning points for this election that has implications for political theory is the role of propaganda versus regime performance. What happened in 2011 was repeated in 2015 with some slight changes. In 2011, the PPP’s media advantage substantially outweighed the opposition. The opposition had just two newspapers, the Kaieteur

News and the Stabroek News from which the Guyanese people could have learned about the bad behaviour of the PPP. Both newspapers are not widely circulated in a large country as Guyana is. I found out that there are dozens of villagers in Regions Five and Six that do not get these newspapers. In Georgetown, the three television newscasts that are more inclined to expose the wrongdoings of the PPP Government, had signals that only reach certain parts of Region Four and no other sections of any other Regions. In Berbice, Dave Television carried opposition programmes but its signals do not reach Skeldon In contrast, the PPP in

both 2011 and 2015 had NCN and Channel 28 whose signals cover the entire territory of Regions Two, Three, Four, Five and Ten. In the 2015 election, Channel 69 reached Region Six. Not to mention available to the PPP were NCN radio and ten radio stations whose reach took in the entire Berbice. With that kind of media invincibility, the PPP still lost in 2011 and in 1215. Why? Propaganda will win votes deep in the heart of the countryside and in the interior but in the end, votes will be lost if a ruling party is a corrupt and undemocratic regime and behaves in ways that the nation finds disgusting. What the 2015 election showed political theorists is that, despite unlimited use of state resources by the ruling party and media ubiquity, elections are won or lost on the credibility of the incumbent. The irony of the 2015 poll is that despite race baiting by Jagdeo and apaan

jaat advocacy by eminent East Indians, a sizeable percentage of modern Indians found Mr. Jagdeo and the PPP Government unacceptable to govern them. Harvard and Oxford professors aren’t going to travel to Guyana to study the implications of the 2015 elections for enhancing theories of small states because most of them do not know about Guyana but they should come. Guyana as a small, plural society is one of the most racially lacerated countries on Planet Earth. A majority of Indians gave their ballots to the incumbent party ignoring perils to their own basic livelihood, their own physical security. Crime in Berbice is literally in a runaway mode. The sugar industry has collapsed. Rice was in jeopardy. In Essequibo the weakening rice industry did not deter the Indians from voting for the PPP. The PPP beat the coalition badly in Regions Two and Three. On a holistic

basis, the Jagdeo/Ramotar team did not elevate the working classes and small people of Guyana. What this election results show is that in the Caricom area, the least modern nation is Guyana. Despite the take over of the world by social media, the global madness over smart phones and the universal reign of television, except for Georgetown and its environs, Guyana is pretty much rural territory with rural people who are vulnerable to the rhetoric of primitive men with cutlass and type-writer in their hands preaching the most backward doctrines. The greatest irony of the election is that modern young Indians who may have got more from the PPP’s neoliberal economics voted against the PPP. The theoretical implication here is that as Guyana gets more modern, as people get more educated, they make more mature political choices. Someone as tyrannical as Jagdeo, as comical as Rohee,

Frederick Kissoon as mediocre as Ramotar, totally unacceptable as Kwame Mc Coy did not appeal to Georgetown Indians. Unlike the deep interior and rural Berbice and Essequibo and parts of Region Four, sections of Region Four where Indian people are more familiar with the inner workings of the government, the PPP appeared as despicable, corrupt people. The exposure of the PPP’s venalities by the private media and political activists worked in the favour of the coalition. Sadly, the 2015 elections results did come in optimistic wrappings. Moses Nagamootoo’s priority as Information Minister is to immediately extend all television signals to every rural enclave in the entire Guyana.

Tuesday June 23, 2015

Kaieteur News

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Non-Pariel carpenter bludgeoned to death The hunt is on for two men who bludgeoned a young carpenter to death on Sunday in what is being treated as a robbery. Raghunandan Persaud, 27, of Non Pareil was pronounced dead on arrival at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation, an hour after he was struck in the head with a piece of wood by one of two men who attacked him as he was making his way home on Sunday night. Police said in a press release that Raghunandan was involved in an argument at Non Pareil during which he was allegedly beaten about his body with a piece of wood by another man about 22:30 hours on Sunday. But relatives believe that the man with whom Persaud had the argument was not related to the men who actually attacked him. They believe that the killers used the confrontation between Persaud and the other man to conceal their real motive which was robbery. Kaieteur News was told that the argument between

Persaud and the other man, which was taking place just outside a Chinese restaurant in the community, stemmed from an old grievance between the two. “De boy does trouble he (Persaud) li’l sister and he de talking to he about it,” the dead man’s cousin, Kavita, told this newspaper. Relatives related that two unknown men, who were standing outside the restaurant, observing the confrontation, challenged Persaud as he and a cousin Navin were making their way home. “While he arguing with de man, he cousin come up and buy something in de Chinese and dey lef and was going home when dese two men come up and tell Ryan that he was beating up dey family,” a relative of the dead man explained. The relative said that Persaud “answered” the men who picked up a piece of wood and attacked him. “One fire a lash and he (Persaud) bar it with he hand, but when he put down he

hand, de next lash catch he pon he temple and he spin and fall down and lef lifeless pon de ground. It was instant death,” the relative said. The men then turned their attention to Persaud’s cousin and assaulted him too with the wood, bursting his lips. They demanded cash from the cousin and he gave them the $300 he had. They then rummaged through the dead man’s pockets and took the cash he had inside along with his cellular phone, before riding off with the cousin’s bicycle. Strangely enough the men did not take off the chain and a ring that Persaud was wearing at the time. The items were allegedly taken by staffers at the GPHC when Persaud’s body was taken there. “I carry he to the hospital with he chain and he ring and when dey pronounce he dead and we go back inside fuh see he, it gone,” the relative told Kaieteur News. His distraught parents were in no condition to speak to this newspaper yesterday.

According to other relatives, it will take a while before they can overcome the grief of losing their eldest child. “If he was sick we could’a accept but this is murder…Hell no! That boy don’t trouble nobody,” his cousin Kavita declared. Meanwhile, investigators are still trying to ascertain the identities of Persaud’s killers. Their efforts appeared to have been hampered by a noncooperative restaurant owner. Kaieteur News was told that surveillance cameras are mounted on the premises of the restaurant but when detectives went to review the footage for any clues, they were told that the footage for that period was deleted.

Raghunandan Persaud

Page 12

Kaieteur News

Tuesday June 23, 2015

Three schoolgirls pregnant, CGX, Gaico, Govt Ministry administration concerned collaborate to diminish flooding Three 15-year-old Onderneeming, Sand Pit, teenagers are reportedly pregnant and have since dropped out of school. One of the three former Johanna Cecilia Secondary School students has recently delivered a baby, while her two other friends are in waiting. According to reports from the area, the former students are friends and attended a Secondary School on the Essequibo Coast. There have been calls for a probe into the alarming figures of teenage pregnancies in that area and in the wider Region. A recent report indicated that one of the pregnant teenagers attempted to commit suicide this past weekend by stabbing herself with a knife. She was subdued and taken to

the Suddie Public Hospital before being released back into her mother’s care. The report added that the teenager’s father was discovered hanging in a house in the area several months ago. The report of the pregnant teens has triggered concerns and calls for the intervention of the relevant authorities to launch an immediate investigation. People also want the authorities to orchestrate a plan in order to get the students back into schools after they would have delivered. Onderneeming is said to be a depressed community with people of all backgrounds from various communities in the Region who have relocated to the area.

Handyman goes on trial for Meten-Meer-Zorg murder A mixed twelve-member jury has been selected before Justice Navindra Singh at the High Court in Georgetown to oversee the murder trial of Andrew Ketwaroo. Ketwaroo is indicted for

the murder of his reputed wife, Radica Ramjattan. The incident is said to have occurred on August 23, 2011 at the couple’s Meten- MeerZorg, West Coast Demerara residence. The accused

pleaded not guilty to the indictment which was read to him in open court, yesterday. He is being represented by Attorney- at- Law, Dexter Todd. Attorneys- at-Law, Judith Gildharie-Mursalin and Narissa Leander will be prosecuting on behalf of the State. Reports are that, the handyman and father of four from Sophia, was consuming alcohol shortly before murdering his wife. Relatives of the victim found the body of 42-year-old Radica Ramjattan lying in the Tarla Dam, Meten-Meer-Zorg house. Ramjattan’s relatives all claimed that she was subjected to numerous beatings at the hands of her partner. A sister of the victim had related that the suspect was hugging the body when she and others arrived at the scene. The woman reported that she and a male resident entered the house and she saw Radica lying face down and motionless in a pool of blood. She said that ‘Andrew’ was lying near Radica and hugging her. According to the sister, a long, bloodstained knife was nearby. However, Ketwaroo has repeatedly denied killing the woman. His trial is scheduled to begin at 9: 00 am today.

The cheque being handed over to Komal Singh by Suresh Narine. At centre is Walter Willis Walter Willis, Engineering Consultant of the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, received $1.5M to de-silt and clear trenches in New Market Street. The donor was Professor Suresh Narine, CGX Co-Chairman. CGX Energy Inc., Gaico Construction Inc. and the Ministry of Public Infrastructure will be collaborating to diminish flooding in the New Market Street area, between Waterloo and Thomas Streets. This project is expected to commence this weekend as said by CGX Co-Chairman at a press conference held yesterday at CGX office which included Walter Willis, Engineering Consultant of the Ministry of Public Infrastructure and Komal Singh, Managing Director of Gaico Construction. Within each block bordered by Main Street, Middle Street, Cummings Street and Lamaha there is a small trench running north to Lamaha Street. The de-silting of these areas will become a main focus over time as major companies are expected to come on board to help diminish the continuous flooding of the city. New Market Street is very prone to flooding and is frequently underwater after

rainfalls. A proposal was made by Gaico Constructions, the initial contractors, to improve the situation. The project aims to have the two critical trenches desilted to ease the continuous flooding within the area. Attention will also be paid to the roadside drains leading to the trenches. According to Komal Singh, Managing Director of Gaico Construction, “We will continue to work along with Ministry of Public Infrastructure to help the hospital area because it is one of the most easily flooded places.” “Also on Middle Street, water settles there for more than a day so we will try to use the same project to drain those areas.” CGX being the major sponsor in this project, promises that all the monies put into the project will be used to get the job done. Any other necessities will be provided to the workers on site by the company at their own expense. To de-bush two facades and dispose of materials 350metre long is expected to cost $350,000 and to de-silt two facades and dispose of materials 350-metre long is expected to cost $650,000. These are just two of the major expenses within the $1.5

million budget. The venture will cater for six months’ maintenance of the trenches. Employees of CGX will participate in the clean-up project, Gaico will supply all equipment, including excavators, loaders and tractors, five dump trucks to dispose of materials at an approved dumpsite and approximately ten persons to be recruited to also assist in the campaign. This project is one of the many ongoing drainage projects being undertaken currently, the Liliendaal drainage project is approximately 90 per cent completed. It is the cleaning of drains that run from Camp Street, Lamaha, Dennis Street Sophia Section A and north into Liliendaal pump station. One machine provided by the Ministry of Agriculture, National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) has already been moved to Cane View Avenue. This project started from the Houston bypass heading east along the Cane View Avenue between the Houston estates and Ruimveldt estates. “The Lamaha project will be beneficial to this current project because it will provide drainage from the smaller drains to the Lamaha canal outfall,” said Walter Willis.

Tuesday June 23, 2015

Kaieteur News

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Colombia condemns Venezuela’s South China Sea-style territory grab Following protests from Guyana that the socialist Venezuelan Government is attempting to usurp international waters for itself, the Colombian government issued a statement over the weekend rejecting a Venezuelan decree claiming waters off the coast of Colombia for itself. Venezuela passed Decree 1787 in May, converting international waters into “Operating Zones of Integral Maritime and Insular Defense.” The national government claims the operating zones, which intrude upon Colombian and Guyanese waters, are necessary for national security. The move recalls China’s self-proclaimed “Air Defense Identification Zones” issued over Japanese waters in November 2013. Much like those Japanese waters are technically part of the East China Sea, so too are Colombia’s threatened waters in the Gulf of Venezuela. Unlike those waters, however, the Gulf of Venezuela remains disputed, and Colombia is not fully claiming them for itself. Colombia’s Foreign Ministry instead noted that the maritime territories are still disputed, and thus neither Venezuela nor Colombia has the ability to declare those waters part of their nation at the expense of the other. In an official complaint issued by the Colombian Foreign Ministry by hand to Caracas, Colombia warned

The highlighted spot including the Deepwater Champion area is what Venezuela is also claiming. Venezuela to “avoid unilateral measures and avow itself of common sense regarding issues as delicate as sovereignty and maritime jurisdiction.” Decree 1787 does note that the waters are disputed, and proceeds to declare them Venezuelan anyway, despite the complex history of borders in the region. The Venezuelan state, it reads, “recognizes the existence of maritime areas whose border delimitations are pending,” and which “require that the Venezuelan state tend to them until definitive borders are marked amicably.” What the Colombian

Ministry of the Interior has warned Venezuela of committing what may be a belligerent action, conservatives in the legislature are calling an outright invasion. Senator Jimmy Chamorro, an opposition member in the legislature, described the decree as “arbitrary, irresponsible and completely populist.” Senator Álvaro Uribe, who served as President of

Colombia between 2002 and 2010, declared that the “invasive decree in Colombia’s waters is being used as a smokescreen for Venezuela’s crisis.” Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, Uribe claimed, was “attempting to stoke anti-Colombian sentiment in an election season to disorient Colombians and Venezuelans.” Venezuela’s economy,

experts contend, is near full free-fall. Observers estimate the national inflation rate as the highest in the world, well into the triple digits. Products such as soap, vegetable oil, and toilet paper are subject to strict rations and price controls that make it near impossible for the average Venezuelan to procure them without resorting to the black market. Amid the economic turmoil, Maduro continues to crack down on political

dissidents, the most prominent of whom are currently engaging in a widely-publicized hunger strike in prison. Even before the collapse of Venezuela’s economy under Maduro, however, Venezuela’s socialist Chavista government had triggered territorial disputes with Colombia. During Uribe’s presidential tenure, late President Hugo Chávez broke ties with Colombia after Uribe accused Chávez of providing Marxist FARC terrorists safe haven in Venezuelan territory during a cooperative campaign against the terrorist group, with support from the American government. While the rivalry with Colombia is long-standing and wide-ranging for Venezuela, it is also facing opposition on the new territorial decree from Guyana. The nation declared Venezuela a “regional threat” following the decree, which also absorbs Guyanese waters into Venezuela. Unlike the Colombian claims, which that nation acknowledges is disputed, Venezuela had already acknowledged the waters near Guyana to be Guyanese territory in an 1899 international court decision. (www.breitbart.com)

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Kaieteur News

Tuesday June 23, 2015

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Repairs to refrigerators, washing machines, gas stoves, A/C units –Call Lindon: 641-1086; 694-2202

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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 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 INNOVATIVEMARKETING & PUBLISHING INC –TEL: 600-4212: We create A/ works, logos, business cards, posters, etc, placements of ads included

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LAND FOR SALE Commercial lots available at Eccles E.B.D $14M - Tel:592227-2913 or 592-689-3033 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 Luxury gated communitypool, mall, swipe card entry, underground irrigation. Selling @ $6USD per sq.ftCall: 609-0783 1500 acres transported land 4½ miles from Bartica Rock, Quarry, Forestry, Agriculture. Contact Mark: 603-1266; 625-9788 Bartica, Westerbeck lies between, Mazaruni & Cuyuni, 7 acres of cleared land (rich land) -$5M, Diamond - $2.5M –Tel: 2312199; 618-7483

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LARGE QUANTITIES OF HIGH PURITY MERCURY (QUICK SILVER) 99.99995% PURITY$19,000 PER POUND CALL: 592-227-4754. 10 Acres of land road side at Kuru Kururu for business. Cheap price- Call: 601-3369 Loving Tibetan & dachshund mix puppies, dewormed & vaccinated -Tel: 611-2497 Double lots (corner) in secure, gated community @ Land of Canaan, light, water, roads -$15M –Tel:668-0306 42" Smart LG TV, price $135,000 negotiable, excellent condition - Tel: 670-2343 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 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: 2750538; 693-7105

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Tuesday June 23, 2015

Kaieteur News

Page 23

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

We will be ready for the oil boom, only if… DEAR EDITOR, It is quite astonishing the manner in which the capability of the University of Guyana to produce locallybred scholars who can go on to adequately filling technical fields has for long now been assessed. Equally astonishing is the fact that it is the privileged Guyanese - who would’ve had the opportunity to receive a first world education - who chide that which is provided locally. It is a well known fact that our local scholars who go on to pursue postgraduate studies overseas, shine as bright as their first world

educated undergraduate peers, which leaves one to ponder, is it the curriculum that is weak or is it being weakly supported? The oil and gas industry, being one that requires highly specialized personnel and one that will be new to Guyana, would undoubtedly present great challenges in finding locally qualified individuals to meet the needs of this industry, but I dare to say that we will be ready in the not so distant future should the auxiliary support be forthcoming from these multinational oil giants exploring our maritime territories for black gold.

The University of Guyana has been increasingly producing a surplus of graduates than there are jobs to accommodate. Being faced with the possibility of not earning a job placement after completion of studies, has forced many of the upcoming scholars to be more academically competitive. We therefore have an ocean of scholars from various engineering disciplines such as mechanical, geological, civil, environmental and electrical, together with those of the natural and social sciences fields. These individuals are adept in the art

of learning, and can be made thoroughbreds in the petroleum industry if they are afforded the opportunity of internship and post graduate studies in petroleum-related fields overseas - compliments of these petroleum companies. This process of grooming would take just as much time as it would to develop a petroleum well, or even less. Equally important is the need for many of these worldrenowned explorationists which are recruited by the petroleum companies to have locals in an understudy capacity rather than leave with all the knowledge

whenever they so desire, since as the great abolitionist Wendell Phillips said “Seldom ever was any knowledge given to keep, but to impart; for the grace of this rich jewel is lost in concealment”. Far too long we have let numerous multinational corporations bring their expatriates like a thief in the night to pilfer our resources under the guise that professionals are not locally available, and at the end of decades in operation, we are still left with a situation where professionals are not locally available. Robert A. Bostwick

Something for the Police Force to consider DEAR EDITOR, I was driving along the famous Number Nineteen Road around 10:00 hours on Sunday 21st June 2015. Along my way I was given signals by the oncoming traffic that police were on the road, so I looked at my speedometer and I was doing around seventy-five to seventy eight kilometres to the hour. I maintained my speed and I began to show my brother who was with me at the time, where the police normally hide out to catch speeding drivers. About one hundred feet away from where the police

were hiding, I saw one of the officers walking towards the centre of the road. I looked at my speedometer again and I was below the eightykilometre speed limit, and I proceeded. The officer (name provided) stopped me, so I was of the opinion that he wanted to carry out a routine check. I pulled over and the officer (attached to the New Amsterdam Police Station) came to me with the speed gun telling me that I was doing eighty-six kilometres in an eighty zone. I immediately told him that is wrong; that I was doing less than eighty kilometres

and there was no way I could be doing eighty-six kilometres. He then told me to step out the vehicle and bring along my licence. I complied and proceeded to a police car that was parked under a tree where there was another officer. The officer (name provided) under the tree reading the daily newspaper on the police car with licence plate PSS 4458, immediately told me “boss-man if you know you are wrong you should have apologize to the police and talk to us properly” - his exact words. I then told him do what they have to do and I will

explain the situation to the court. He wrote a speeding ticket with all information and told me I have until the Thursday 9th July to pay it or appear in court. I then asked the officer to show me the time on the speed gun when he used it on me and caught me doing eighty-six kilometres and let him put the gun to zero so I can know if it is properly calibrated, they both refused. I have traversed that route each working day of the week for the past three years, and I know all the hiding spots and the normal spots they will usually be to catch speeding drivers.

Therefore there is a natural tendency for me to look at my speedometer when I am approaching those areas. I am a law-abiding citizen of this beautiful land and I think our police force needs to be more efficient and have proper equipment to carry out their duties in a correct manner and be fair to citizens who are wrongfully penalized for an offence they did not commit. I am sure that I could have dealt with the situation differently, but to know I was not guilty, I am allowing the court to hear my plea and make a judgment. J. Narayan

From page 22

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Using commemorative occasions for the wrong reasons DEAR EDITOR, It was very unfortunate and sad that for the Enmore Martyrs’ Commemoration we witnessed two different sets of persons saying different things. The People’s Progressive Party on one day trying to score cheap political points and in so doing, changing the purpose and reasons for those who were present, just as they did and I am sure will continue to do at Babu Jaan when they meet there to pay tribute to the late President Dr. Cheddi Jagan. I will describe that occasion as a political rally. So much trash is said at some commemoration ceremonies and anniversaries that there are good reasons for many people to stay away. I can recall that prior to 1992 most people of Indian descent never celebrated our Independence and Republic Day celebrations or even went to functions arranged. I can also remember the late Dr. Dale Bisnauth, the then Minister of Education, once saying that the people of East Indian descent would have a feeling of alienation during those celebrations. He may have been correct, but that feeling was created by the

PPP. Immediately after the Party won the election in 1992, you had more of my Indian brothers and sisters taking part in whatever activities were planned for those occasions or celebrations. Some speakers at those celebrations/ commemorations definitely used the occasions for other reasons and not for the purpose intended, and willfully tried to rewrite our history. I can recall about maybe four or five years ago, being a Member of the Region Two Regional Democratic Council for the Alliance for Change (A.F.C.), at a Flag Raising Ceremony to mark our Independence at the lawns of the Anna Regina Town Council, the main speaker, Mr.

Robert Persaud, then Agriculture Minister, was very careful not to mention Mr. Forbes Burnham’s name, and the very important role he played during the struggle for independence from our Colonial Masters. Of course he (Burnham) was ably assisted by Dr. Jagan and Mr. Peter D’Aguiar of the United Force. During the Minister’s address, he mentioned Jagan’s name more than fifty times, but Burnham and D’Aguiar not a single time, bearing in mind that Forbes Burnham and all the other leaders in the Caribbean and further afield were visiting London regularly to hold talks for our independence. I had wanted to walk out

from that function during that address, but I thought it would have been unethical for me to do so. In retrospect, I

should have left. Archie W. Cordis Former A.F.C. Councillor Region No. 2

There must be the... From page 4 managing the business, but in strategically charting the way forward on labour relations, in particular. GuySuCo cannot be business as usual. It’s now not about sustaining labour for political expediency and anachronistic customs and

practices, but more so about saving an entire industry, and as the late Martin Carter aptly said “all are involved, all will be consumed”. These are just my thoughts into saving an industry that I served for 35 years. Jairam Petam Toronto, Ontario

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Kaieteur News

Tuesday June 23, 2015

Solution in sight for Jagdeo tenders medical... Region One water woes A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) Member of Parliament (MP), Richard Allen wants reliable, safe drinking water to be on the list of priorities of the new administration for Region One (Barima-Waini.) On Saturday, prior to attending a community meeting in Baramita, Region One Allen pointed his finger at the previous administration for failing to provide a permanent solution to address the issue. Minister of Indigenous People’s Affairs Sydney Allicock was the main speaker at that forum. ”Over the years, no form of attention was paid to water woes in Matarkai Sub Region and Region One as a whole.” “Nowhere in this Region can we say, yes, we have potable water,” despite the fact that the Region’s water woes have been highlighted and were public knowledge for some time. “In Baramita here, when the rain does not fall, it is problems for people to get water and the administration had known that…We have a new Government in place, I am trusting that our Ministers, after visiting the Region for themselves and seeing the

Richard Allen conditions under which residents are living, will be able to put systems in place to improve such,” he said “...If we do not have a healthy nation, it is as if we do not have a nation,” and water is most important for such conditions to take place. “Now at Port Kaituma, remember two years ago, when we had the issue of 1000 persons who had to be treated because of poor sanitation and water, and with all of that the officers sat by and received taxpayers money, every month and did

nothing to improve the system.” “We are going to be taking this matter up very seriously and I know the President and his team will work with us …We are saying, we are going to put it right, we are going to ensure that there is potable water for residents,” he said. Improvement to the Region’s roads network also needs urgent addressing. Allen said that it took him and team almost nine hours to travel from Port Kaituma to get to Baramita for the meeting. He said that the Public Health Minister is aware of the issues, as he visited the Region in April (during the campaign season) and heard the complaints. President David Granger when he visited in February had also learnt about the shortcomings of the education system. ”So our officers have fore-armed knowledge, because they have actually walked the ground and spoken with residents, so they know some of the concerns and we will be taking them up so the lives of people will be enhanced to a better standard,” Allen said. (GINA)

From page 3 the Magistrate's Court. She made it clear that applications will have to be made in writing. Ram's lawyer, Charandass Persaud, said that there will not be a re-occurrence. Ram later explained to this newspaper that the purpose of his call was to confirm what Jagdeo's lawyer had told him about an adjournment. On the next court date, July 13, lawyers from both sides will also have a chance to present arguments on whether the matter will be handled summarily- at the Magistrate's Court level or be sent to the High Court for trial once enough evidence has been found for a case. Jagdeo failed to appear in court when the matter was

first called earlier this year. However, on May 25, the second occasion, Magistrate Artiga threatened to issue an arrest warrant for him if he did not appear. He reportedly had to rush to the court, located some 75 miles from his home in the exclusive Pradoville 2 community at Sparendaam, East Coast Demerara. Ram, a lawyer/ accountant, had accused Jagdeo of breaking the laws when he uttered statement on Sunday March 8 at Babu Jaan. The former President reportedly said, “The opposition consistently shout about the racism of the PPP but they practice racism. The opposition beat drums at six in the morning and say let us throw out those coolie people.”

Ram charged that the statement “can result in racial or ethnic violence or hatred among the people”. At the first hearing, Jagdeo's lawyers had argued that the charge was frivolous, vexatious and without any basis in law. They requested that it be dismissed. His lawyers on May 25, argued that Jagdeo is well known and is not a flight risk. He was also known as “Champion of the Earth”; had several honorary doctorates and was on the list of candidates for the People's Progressive Party/Civic for the recently held General and Regional elections. If found guilty, Jagdeo could be fined $100,000 and jailed for two years.

Minister of Governance to... From page 17 and rough terrain to recover the bodies. It is the worst disaster in recent memory. On May 29, Thomas Anton, a diver of Kamarang died after some loose earth collapsed on him while he was operating mining equipment under water in Quimenang. Last week, Orlando Archer, 25, died at the Mahdia Hospital from injuries he sustained when the walls of a mining pit collapsed at Jumbie Creek, Potaro. On January 16, 2014, Rohno Rogers, 36, of 265 Freeman Street, La Penitence died in a mining pit mishap at Marudi, Region Nine. Further deaths rocked the mining fraternity in August when Clifton Rodrigues, Chairman of the Marudi Miners Association, and

Leon Mootoo, 21, of West Berbice, died after their mining pit collapsed in Marudi, South Rupununi, sending an avalanche of mud down on top of them. Rocklyn Solomon, 32, a former police officer of Paradise Village, West Coast Berbice died on October 2, after his mine collapsed on him at Princeville, Potaro River. A few days later Nolan Lindie, 42, of Rosignol, West Bank Berbice, was working in a pit, some 20 feet deep in Mahdia on October 4th, when the walls came down on him. It took rescuers three hours to get to him, by which time it was too late. Tragedy continued in October when Orel Fordyce, 17, of Paradise, West Coast Berbice, drowned after falling into an abandoned mining pit filled with water on October 14.

Tuesday June 23, 2015

Kaieteur News

U.S. and China open annual dialogue with ‘candid, to-the-point’ talks The United States and China held “candid and tothe-point” talks at the start of three days of cabinet-level meetings aimed at managing the highly complex relationship between the world’s two biggest economies, a senior U.S. official said. The U.S. side, led yesterday by Deputy Secretary of State Antony Blinken, reiterated U.S. concerns about China’s pursuit of territorial claims in the South China Sea, the official said. U.S. worries about cybersecurity following massive attacks on government computers that U.S. officials have blamed on Chinese hackers would also be addressed “in very direct terms,” the official said. More than 400 Chinese officials are in Washington for the annual talks under the wide-ranging Strategic and Economic Dialogue (S&ED) framework, which will involve eight U.S. cabinet secretaries. The meetings come at a time of waning trust and widening differences between the two countries, even though they maintain robust economic ties worth $590 billion

in two-way trade last year. U.S. concerns have been mounting about Beijing’s challenge to its dominance of global finance and about restrictions on U.S. businesses in China. U.S. President Barack Obama is struggling to secure backing from Congress for legislation needed to speed a 12-nation trade deal, which is the economic plank of his Asia policy intended as a counterweight to China’s growing influence. The two sides will try to ease tensions by stressing areas of cooperation, including climate change, shared concerns about Iran and North Korea’s nuclear programs, the fight against Islamist militancy, and support for global development. “We have agreed with the Chinese that we are going to try to expand those areas where our interests overlap and expand cooperation in those areas,” the U.S. official said. But the aim was not to “paper over” contentious issues, or to “agree to disagree,” but to narrow differences to avoid miscalculations.

Despite the considerable areas of tension, China is hoping for a smooth set of meetings to prepare for a visit to Washington by President Xi Jinping in September. Prospects for substantial outcomes from the cabinetlevel meetings appeared slim, with any scant progress likely to be held over for announcement during Xi’s visit, analysts said. The sides are expected to discuss a Bilateral Investment Treaty that has been seven years in discussion but has been held up by restrictions on both sides, while China is likely to press its bid to add the yuan to the International Monetary Fund’s basket of reserve currencies. Blinken and Secretary of State John Kerry will chair the security side of the talks with State Councillor Yang Jiechi and Vice Foreign Minister Zhang Yesui on the Chinese side. U.S. Treasury Secretary Jack Lew and Chinese Vice Premier Wang Yang will chair the economic elements, and the top Chinese officials will meet Obama at the White House tomorrow.

Taliban attacks Afghan parliament

Page 25

Tourist injured in Dominican Republic hotel explosion denied compensation

Maldwyn Stolzenburg (right) and wife Angela. LONDON,– Just two hours after British holidaymakers Maldwyn and Angela Stolzenburg arrived at the Dreams Punta Cana Resort hotel in the Dominican Republic, they received a rude awakening when a massive blast ripped through the hotel restaurant, blowing out the windows and bringing down the ceiling. Mr Stolzenburg suffered broken ribs and fluid on his lungs, and had to be rushed to hospital with breathing problems. But he’s being denied compensation for the calamity, with travel company Thomas Cook – through which they booked – insisting it was caused by an “act of God”. Recalling the May 2014 incident, Mrs Stolzenburg, 59, said: “I had just taken a first mouthful of soup when there was a massive explosion. I was convinced it was a bomb. “I saw row after row of

glasses smashing and all the windows went out. All I could hear was screaming. Then the ceiling came down. I just ran for my life.” Her husband, a 74-yearold retired miner from Maesteg, South Wales, described a flash and a “twin explosion” from the kitchen. He spent three days in intensive care and needed treatment for several weeks after his return to the UK. The couple maintain that the devastation during their £3,000 (US$4,745) Thomas Cook holiday was caused by a gas explosion in the kitchen. But according to a report in Britain’s Daily Mail, Thomas Cook say the ceiling collapsed after pressure built up in an air pocket in the roof during an evening of “strong winds” – in legal terms an “act of God” for which the company would not be liable. The Stolzenburg’s lawyers, Slater & Gordon, say

weather reports from the day show the maximum wind speed was 17mph – officially a “moderate breeze,” the Mail reports. The dispute follows the revelation by The Mail on Sunday last month that Thomas Cook received £3.5 million (US$5.5 million) compensation from a Corfu hotel where two British children died of carbon monoxide poisoning. The amount was ten times that received by the children’s parents. Meanwhile, other tourists posted messages on the hotel’s Facebook page with reference to the May 2014 incident in the Dominican Republic. “It was not windy and guests in the restaurant smelled gas. Guests with my party were in there, 3rd degree burns etc,” wrote Canadian Jennifer Faria. Another guest said that the way the windows blew out showed the damage was caused by an explosion. “Glass windows do not shatter and blow out in the manner they did due to strong winds,” Dale Sutherland wrote on the hotel’s website. Thomas Cook nevertheless said that an air burst within the roof could have blasted the windows outwards. Although a spokesman apologised to Mr Stolzenburg for his injuries, he said the local fire service and a structural engineer had reported there was no explosion and the ceiling collapse was due to air pressure. Discussions with Mr Stolzenburg’s legal representatives are reportedly ongoing.

Haiti’s capital gets 1st movie theatre in years

A vehicle is seen on fire after a blast near the Afghan parliament in Kabul, Afghanistan June 22, 2015. (REUTERS/MOHAMMAD ISMAIL) A Taliban suicide bomber and six gunmen attacked the Afghan parliament yesterday as lawmakers met to consider a new defence minister, and another district in the volatile north fell to the militants as they intensified a summer offensive. The brazen assault on the symbolic centre of power, along with territorial gains elsewhere, highlight how NATO-trained Afghan security forces are struggling to cope with worsening militant violence. Fighting has spiraled since the departure of most

foreign forces from Afghanistan at the end of last year. The insurgents are pushing to take territory more than 13 years after U.S.-led military intervention toppled them from power. Yesterday’s attack began as lawmakers met with the new acting defence minister, Masoom Stanikzai. He is the third candidate so far for the key security post, and his appointment must be confirmed by parliament. A Taliban fighter detonated a car loaded with explosives outside parliament gates, said Ebadullah Karimi,

spokesman for Kabul police, raising questions about how the driver got through several security checkpoints. Six gunmen took up positions in a building near parliament, he said, but never breached the compound’s gates. Essa Khan, a soldier inside the parliamentary compound when the attack took place, said he shot dead three militants as they tried to storm inside before killing the rest in a prolonged gun battle that also involved other troops. “Everywhere there was smoke and dust,” Khan told Reuters.

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — The first movie theater to operate in the Haitian capital in years has opened its doors off a renovated downtown square, a welcome sign of revival in a city shattered by an earthquake more than five years ago. The Triomphe theater had been closed since 1988, but was rehabilitated with more than 700 plush seats, a digital sound system and two screens. The Port-au-Prince cinema with a glass facade also boasts conference rooms and a hall for concerts, plays and other cultural performances. President Michel Martelly inaugurated the revamped theater Friday along with dignitaries and dozens of local artists.

Authorities say it won’t actually start showing films to the general public for about another month, once arrangements for a parking garage are completed. Port-au-Prince had roughly 30 cinemas in the 1970s. But over the years they all closed amid political turmoil and rampant bootlegging of movies with pirated DVDs and videotapes. The last movie theater to operate in Port-au-Prince was the Imperial Cinema, which closed shortly before the January 2010 quake that devastated much of the capital and surrounding areas. Musician, producer and playwright Jean Jean-Pierre said Monday that the Triomphe’s reopening by the Champ de Mars plaza in

downtown Port-au-Prince is “very exciting.” It’s the city’s main public square and major work has been done to rehabilitate it, including the recent completion of an open-air amphitheater. “The idea is to create confidence so that people will come back to the Champ de Mars for regular cultural events,” said Pierre, a member of Haiti’s council of the performing arts. On a recent morning, dried food vendor Lisette Issonne gazed up at the Triomphe as she strolled across the bustling square with her two daughters. “I’m not sure I can afford to take my daughters when the movies start, but it’s nice they are opening this theater and fixing up the Champ de Mars,” she said.

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Kaieteur News

Tuesday June 23, 2015

Hemispheric human rights body concerned about T&T The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) is calling on T&T to initiate legislative reform to abolish the mandatory death penalty and to address weaknesses in its equal opportunity legislation. In its report on the 154th General Session hosted in Washington DC last March, released Friday, the Commission mentions T&T and Barbados as two Caribbean countries “whose laws still contemplate the mandatory death penalty.” “Among other troubling aspects,” the report says, is that “participating organisations reported that while the death penalty has not been carried out in this region since 2008, a number of states are still opposed to abolishing it.” Both the People’s Partnership (PP) administration and opposition People’s National Movement (PNM) support the death penalty. In 1998, T&T withdrew from the American Convention on Human Rights, citing the inability of the IACHR to expeditiously deal with petitions from Death Row prisoners. The report notes that Suriname abolished the death penalty on March 3 and Barbados “has made a commitment to abolish capital punishment. It is worth noting that ten countries in the region have abolished the mandatory death penalty in compliance with decisions of the inter-American human rights system,” the report says. “The IACHR reiterates the need to move forward with legislative reforms in the countries of the Greater Caribbean, so as to abolish capital punishment throughout

this region or, failing that, to impose a moratorium on its application,” it adds. The Board of the Commission is headed by its president, T&T law tutor and attorney RoseMarie Belle Antoine, and includes Jamaican human rights attorney, Tracy Robinson, and four other commissioners from the United States, Mexico, Chile and Paraguay. The report also expresses disappointment that the government of T&T, which prepared a written response to claims made, did not participate in a special hearing earlier this year which entertained concerns about the country’s Equal Opportunity Act. Colin Robinson, who leads the Coalition Advocating for Inclusion of Sexual Orientation (Caiso) and attended the March hearing, noted that both Guyana and the Bahamas sent their foreign ministers. He described the occasion as “a moment of acute embarrassment” for the country. “Our foreign affairs ministry doesn’t seem to see us as citizens as its stakeholders,” he said. The report notes that the Equal Opportunity Commission (EOC) “on several occasions recommended that the state expand the prohibition of discrimination to other categories, such as age, sexual orientation and HIV status.” A March 23 statement from the EOC had indicated that proposals for reform had actually been initiated by the Commission since 2010. A submission to “reformulate” the proposals was also made in February 2014. On October 15 that year, the EOC further proposed that “the ground of sexual orientation be included

for protection.” “However,” the IACHR report adds, “these recommendations, which were also made by various United Nations committees, reportedly have not been followed.” The Inter-American Commission also says that it has received information “regarding the multiple, interrelated forms of violence and discrimination against trans women, women living with HIV, and girls in Trinidad and Tobago.” It says the organisations which made submissions to the hearing “further indicated that people with HIV should be considered a separate group and not included in the disability category.” “The organisations reported that women living with HIV/Aids face serious barriers to obtaining full access to health services, as well as severe stigma from their communities,” the report says. “They also indicated that one of the country ’s h u m a n r i g h t s challenges is the lack of a national human rights institution in line with the Paris Principles.” The “Paris Principles” relate to a 1993 resolution of the United Nations General Assembly which, among other things, calls for the establishment of “a national institution…vested with competence to promote and protect human rights.” “The IACHR expresses its concern regarding the lack of compliance with the Equal Opportunity Commission’s recommendations, and requests that the state include the categories of age, sexual orientation, gender identity, and HIV status as grounds on which to ban discrimination,” the report says.

Jamaica pursuing EU visafree privileges for citizens Jamaica says it will be pursuing the European Union (EU) visa-free travel mechanism that five CARICOM countries recently signed on to. However, Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Minister, Senator A.J. Nicholson, who made the disclosure in the Senate last week, has not indicated a timeline. He was responding to questions from Opposition Senator, Marlene MalahooForte, who sought answers on whether Jamaica queried the issue at a summit involving the EU and CARICOM states earlier this month.

Senator Nicholson said the issue could not be raised at the time because the summit was not the appropriate forum. On May 28, the EU signed short-stay visa waiver agreements with St Lucia, Dominica, Grenada, St Vincent and the Grenadines

and Trinidad and Tobago. The new visa regime provides for visa-free travel to 26 EU countries. Citizens of the EU will also be able to visit the CARICOM territories visa-free. Travelers can stay for a period of 90 days in any 180day period.

Tuesday June 23, 2015

Kaieteur News

Butts hat-trick sinks... (From page 30) the chances and the score line remained the same until the final whistle sounded. It was a positive start for GTC, but they will have to get more players to support their lone star as they progress deeper into the tournament. The competition con-

tac k le Sophia Special School at GFC; Nehemiah Comprehensive go up against Cummings Lodge at Ministry of Education ground, Mahaicony and Ash Educational play at Mahaicony Community Centre ground and Uitvlugt square off against Vr e e d - e n - H o o p a t D e n Amstel.

tinues today with Overwinning versus J.C. Chandisingh at the same venue. Meanwhile in other fixtures: defending champion Christianburg / Wismar open the defence of their title against New Silver City at Wisburg ground; Ann’s Grove take on Buxton at Golden Grove; Dolphin

World anti-money laundering... (From page 29) about promotions tied to players and then watch his account to see if he receives an extra $50,000? Where does it stop?” In addition to the U.S. criminal probe, Switzerland is

investigating possible corruption in connection with FIFA’s award of the World Cup hosting rights to Moscow in 2018 and Qatar in 2022. Switzerland’s Attorney General Michael Lauber, who is leading the investigation,

told a news conference last week that his investigators were examining 104 banking relationships and 53 suspicious transactions which had been reported by Swiss bankers to Switzerland’s own antimoney laundering agency.

Tuesday June 23, 2015 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) You might find that your brain is moving in the slow lane today, Aries. It may even be creeping over to the breakdown lane. You might find that it's a bit harder to make your witty rebuttals in conversation. TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20) Words may not be the best way to communicate things today, Taurus. Body language, touch, and taste will be much more effective. GEMINI (May 21–June 20) Things may get quite intense today, Gemini. There will be a great deal of information coming your way, but it might not all be that good. It seems that someone is putting a roadblock in your path, making it difficult for you to pass. CANCER (June 21–July 22) Your head may buzz with activity today, Cancer. Suddenly it seems like the spotlight has been turned on. You're on stage and your brainpower is being tested.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) Motivation must come from within today, Libra. The only thing that can pull you out of bed is your inner drive. Too much partying may leave you spent to the point where you don't want to move. SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) Your mind should be clear today and communications should go extremely well for you, Scorpio. Very few words will be needed to get your point across. You will connect to people on many levels. SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) Strong forces may act up today and ask you to stand up a little straighter than usual, Sagittarius. Keep your shoulders back and be proud. CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19) Feel free to take the lazy route today, Capricorn. Don't lift a finger if you don't have to. It may be hard to get others moving, too. You can prod all you want, but if people don't want to go, they aren't going to go.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) Focus on the simple pleasures today, Leo. Don't feel like you have to go to distant lands or engage in expensive recreational activities to find happiness and peace.

AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) Your thinking is steady and reserved today, Aquarius. Your mind is right in line with your ego, and you will be able to accurately verbalize what is going on inside. You might be a bit reserved in how much you tell people.

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) Focus on your creative mind today, Virgo. This is a fertile time to plant seeds that will surely grow up healthy and strong. You have the ability to be prosperous now, but it won't come easily.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) Today is an excellent day to say exactly how you feel, Pisces. Your thinking is sharp and clear. Once you start talking, you may never stop. People will listen extra carefully to your words.

Page 27

Kristian Jeffrey, Guyanese drivers ... (From page 31) Roshandin, and Thompson remained in their respective positions until Thompson and Roshandin ended up battling for 2ndplace. Group 3: RACE 3: Started with some ‘new’ faces with # 104, Paul Vieira (T&T) on pole and his nemesis, # 29, Danny Persaud (GUY) starting alongside on the front row. For some strange reasons, Persaud decided to lead on the pace lap before the green flag was flown. As the pace car exited, Vieira took the lead but, went very wide allowing # 79, Gary Barrett (CAY) to take the lead with Persaud being close behind. Persaud followed him for a lap before claiming the lead with Vieira a few car lengths back in 2nd place. Vieira was using every inch of the track to run down Persaud by going sideways and sliding the car around

before passing him then, losing the lead then, quickly regaining the lead as he was dominant and lapping cars before the midway point and trying his best to stay away from the edge of the track since there were not much curbing. From thereon, the veteran dropped the gauntlet and put on a dazzling show for the spectators at home and abroad by claiming the checkered flag in two consecutive races. Some have said, if Paul Vieira had the machine under him to match his skills, he would arguably be considered the best Caribbean racer in the past and certainly would be one of the best currently. Group 4: RACE 3: Evo nation took centre stage in the top class with the Kristian’s lining up on the front row with # 18, Gerard Carrington (T&T) following. The lead changes were many between the two

Kristian’s before # 261, Kristian Jeffrey pulled away with an insurmountable lead and closing like a freight train to lap # 45, Franklyn Boodram (T&T) before experiencing mechanical problems as smoke could be seen billowing from under the car, as he slowed enough trying his best to nurse the car to the finish line. Both Trinidadian drivers’ saw the SOS from # 261 and they decided to go for it as there was still a few laps remaining. And boy, did they ever battle it out as countrymen, they raced through lapped cars and when the checkered flag was flown, it was a ‘new’ champion, # 18, Gerard Carrington with # 17, Kristian Boodoosingh in second place; Thus, creating an Evo sweep for the day with one win apiece for these three drivers’.

Page 28

Kaieteur News

Tuesday June 23, 2015

Sunshine Girls sweep Barbados Gems 3-0 Jamaica Observer - ST CATHERINE, Jamaica - The Sunshine Girls defeated Barbados Gems 66-31 in the third and final match, to sweep the Supreme Ventures Sunshine Series 3-0 at the GC Foster College for Physical Education and Sports in St Catherine. Goal-shooter Jhaniele Fowler-Reid hit 28 goals from 32 attempts, while Anna-Kay Griffiths got 21 goals from 24 tries. For Barbados, goalshooter Shonica Wharton hit 21 goals from 25 attempts. Both countries are preparing for the Netball World Cup to be held in Australia in August. JAMAICA’S Technical Director Jill McIntosh was pleased with the improvement of the Sunshine Girls after they beat Barbados 64-30 in the second encounter of the three-game series on Saturday at the National Indoor Sports Centre. The Jamaicans, ranked number four in the world, were

Jamaica’s Sasha Gaye Henry (centre) prepares to pass, but is being closely monitored by the Barbados pair of Rhe- Ann Niles (left) and Tonisha Rock Yaw. far from their best, but ran out easy 52-22 victors over their number eight-ranked Caribbean counterparts in the opening game at the same venue a day earlier. In Game Two there were still signs of rust, but the Sunshine Girls were more accurate with their shooting and showed more purpose in their approach in front of a sparse

turnout at the National Indoor Sports Centre. They led 23-6, 41-12 and 56-18 at the end of each of the first three quarters against the outgunned Barbados Gems. “We had a lot of unforced errors [in the first game]. For three quarters [in the second game] it was good. We had to improve the error rate and the

Boris Becker: Lack of characters worries Novak Djokovic coach

Boris Becker (left) and world number one Novak Djokovic. (Getty Images) BBC Sport - Men’s tennis could suffer from a lack of personalities after Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal retire, says six-time Grand Slam winner Boris Becker. German Becker, 47, coaches world number one Novak Djokovic, who has been a mainstay of the men’s top four with Andy Murray, Federer and Nadal. Becker said the game is in a “healthy state” but added “it’s impossible to carry on with only Novak and Andy”. “In two or three years’ time, we have to be careful,” he said. “You have a young group of Australians - Nick Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis who have good personalities

and are interesting to watch, but there’s a gap in between of players you don’t know anything about.” Switzerland’s world number two Federer, at the age of 33, is showing no signs of considering retirement and will target a record eighth Wimbledon title when the tournament begins on Monday, 29 June. Spanish 14-time Grand Slam winner Nadal is only 29, but has been susceptible to injuries and is currently ranked 10th, his lowest position for more than a decade. Becker, who became renowned for his charismatic approach after winning his first of three Wimbledon

titles at the age of 17, believes the microscope of social media and intense news coverage has sterilised players’ personalities. “Nowadays everything is so supervised and so observed and everybody is very judgemental,” he said. “When I was playing you could be a little bit more emotional on the court and in your private life. “I admire very much the current crop of players and I think the big four are exceptional players with exceptional personalities, but there are so many more in tennis who cannot really show their true sides because they are so protective and so careful.”

passing was a lot better here and it was more controlled,” the Australian McIntosh told reporters Saturday evening. Sunshine Girls’ goal shooter Jhaniele FowlerReid, who had an ordinary shooting night in Game One, was a lot more clinical on Saturday, scoring 28 goals from 32 attempts. Her teammate, the teenage sensation Simone Gordon was 14 from 17. For Barbados, goal shooter Shonica Wharton hit

Olympian Sherone Simpson (centre) poses for pictures with the team. a commendable 22 of 25 tries. Though Jamaica dominated the opening three quarters, Barbados started the fourth period with five unanswered goals. The Gems, who notched only six goals in each of the first three quarters, went on to outscore the Sunshine Girls 12-8 in the final one to lessen the margin of defeat. “They [Sunshine Girls] just lost their way in the fourth quarter. We had some

younger, inexperienced people out there, so they will learn and will grow from the experience,” McIntosh explained. Barbados Coach Anna Shepherd said there was “imp r o v e m e n t f r o m t h e team”, but said “more is to be done” if they are to compete effectively against top sides. She said players and staff welcomed the experience of playing against a higherranked team.

Maradona to run for FIFA presidency - report (Reuters) Argentine football great Diego Maradona has decided to stand as a candidate for the FIFA presidency to replace Sepp Blatter, Uruguayan journalist and author Victor Hugo Morales has said. Morales said Maradona had told him of his intention when he called the former coach of the Argentina national team to check on the condition of his sick father on Sunday. “He told me he was going to run for president of FIFA and authorised me to inform,” Morales posted in Spanish on his twitter feed. “‘I am a candidate’ were the two words Diego Maradona used to answer me when I consulted him about the nomination for the presidency of FIFA,” he added in another tweet. Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro earlier this month suggested Maradona become the next FIFA president. Maradona, 54, has long been a trenchant critic of Blatter and last month said he was “enjoying” the corruption scandal that led the Swiss to announce he would stand down at an extraordinary congress of football’s world gov-

Argentina’s former soccer player Diego Maradona speaks in the Soccerex Asian Forum on developing the business of football in Asia at the King Hussein Convention Center at the Dead Sea, Jordan, May 4, 2015. (Reuters/Muhammad Hamed) erning body. Like Brazilian Zico, another great former player who has announced his candidacy, Maradona might struggle to get the support of federations from five countries, as required under FIFA statutes. Liberia Football Association Chairman Musa Bility is the other candidate announced so far for a ballot likely to take place later this

year or in early 2016. Morales is famous around Latin America for his passionate commentary of Maradona’s wonder goal against England at the 1986 World Cup. Maradona led Argentina to their second World Cup triumph in that tournament. The pair hosted a TV show together for Venezuelan station Telesur during last year’s World Cup in Brazil.

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Hafeez reported for suspect action again ESPNcricinfo - Offspinner Mohammad Hafeez has once again been reported for a suspect action, following the conclusion of the Galle Test, the Pakistan team management has confirmed to ESPNcricinfo. Hafeez bowled 20 overs in the match and contributed two wickets to Pakistan’s ten-wicket victory in the first Test. According to the ICC’s regulations for bowlers reported a second time within a period of a year, if Hafeez’s action is found to be illegal once again he faces a bowling ban for a period of at least a year, only after which he will be eligible to apply for a reassessment of his action. He must undergo testing within 21 days of the receipt of the official report and will be allowed to bowl until the results are out. Hafeez had been reported for a suspect action after the Abu Dhabi Test against New

Zealand in November last year, and in December his action was found to be illegal following tests at an ICC accredited centre in Loughborough, England. He was found to have an elbow extension up to 31 degrees, far above the permitted limit of 15 degrees. He underwent remedial work at a biomechanics lab in Chennai, but failed an unofficial test on his action on January 3. Later that month the PCB requested the ICC to retest Hafeez’s action in February in Brisbane, so that he could bowl at the World Cup if cleared, but he was ruled out of the tournament with a calf injury. Hafeez was finally cleared to bowl again in international cricket on April 21, after more tests on his action in Chennai. Since then, he has bowled in nine matches in Bangladesh, at home against Zimbabwe, and in Sri Lanka.

Mohammad Hafeez (right) is in trouble for a suspect bowling action © Ishara S.Kodikara/AFP/Getty Images

England into World Cup quarter-finals World anti-money laundering body deletes FIFA-related warning

BBC Sport - England reached the quarter-finals of the Women’s World Cup at the expense of Norway thanks to a stunning longrange strike from Lucy Bronze in Ottawa that gave them a 21 win. Bronze fired into the top corner from the edge of the

penalty area to book a lasteight tie with hosts Canada. Steph Houghton’s header from a corner had earlier cancelled out Solveig Gulbrandsen’s flicked opener. Norway dominated the first half, but after England improved, Bronze gave them

a first World Cup knockout win. Now, they have the opport u n i t y t o b e t t e r t h e quarter-final defeats suffered in each of their three previous World Cups when they meet Canada in Vancouver at 00:30 BST on Sunday.

The goalkeeper failed to stop Lucy Bronze powerful goal (Getty Images)

Lucy Bronze and temmates celebrate her strike. (Reuters)

London (Reuters) A world anti-money laundering body has deleted all trace of an alert it issued last week warning that financial institutions had not done enough to police suspicious financial activity by officials at FIFA, soccer’s global governing body. The alert, on the website of the Paris-based Financial Action Task Force, was originally posted on June 16, almost three weeks after U.S. authorities indicted nine current and former FIFA officials and five business executives on a series of corruption charges, including bribery, money laundering and wire fraud. In the statement, FATF said that “recent reports about alleged corruption and money laundering activities on a large scale by several high-ranking FIFA officials underscore how important it is that financial institutions identify and monitor high-risk customers.” FATF, an inter-governmental group whose members include national anti-money laundering agencies around the world, added that financial institutions “do not appear to have given a sufficient amount of scrutiny to the financial activities of the officials concerned, as many of these allegedly corruptionrelated transfers passed through the international financial system undetected.” Reuters first learnt of the FATF notice from a European

Members of the media stand in front of the entrance of the Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland, May 30, 2015. (Reuters/Arnd Wiegmann) official familiar with FIFA investigations, and located it on Saturday through a Google search, though when the search engine on FATF’s own website was queried, the FIFA notice did not appear. On Monday morning, the URL which initially brought up the FIFA notice on Google instead produced a “not found” notice. CONCERNS ABOUT PHRASING Roger Wilkins, FATF’s President, told Reuters that he took the decision to remove the statement from the agency’s website due to concerns about its phrasing and a lack of concrete evidence to support the claims. “We don’t want to interfere with ongoing investiga-

tions and the way it’s phrased could be misconstrued ... We don’t have any direct evidence that financial institutions have done necessarily anything wrong or failed to do anything in relation to these things,” he said, while attending a FATF meeting in Brisbane, Australia. FATF officials could not be immediately reached for further comment. Several bank compliance officers expressed concern about the level of due diligence into the sports business that was being suggested. One, at a British bank, said: “What, am I supposed to research? Who the marketing guy is at each shoe company who makes decisions (Continued on page 27)

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Brazil accepts Neymar’s US and Canadian starlets among Copa America ban six new additions to CPL squads West Indies U-19 players join Steven Taylor and Nikhil Dutta at Biggest Party in Sport

Brazil’s Neymar, center left, argues with Colombia’s Jeison Murillo, center right, after Neymar threw the ball at Colombia’s Pablo Armero, on ground behind, at the end of a Copa America Group C soccer match at the Monumental stadium in Santiago, Chile, Wednesday, June 17, 2015. SANTIAGO, Chile (AP) – Brazil has accepted the fourmatch suspension handed to Neymar following his red card in the group stage of the Copa America, ruling the Barcelona forward out of the rest of the tournament. The Brazilian Football Federation said in a statement Monday that a decision not

to appeal against the sanction was taken after a meeting between Neymar and the coaching staff on Sunday. Brazil coach Dunga had said Saturday that the confederation likely would make an appeal. Neymar, Brazil’s captain and one of the world’s best

players, was sent off after kicking the ball toward Colombia’s Pablo Armero after the referee blew for fulltime in a Group C game on Wednesday, which Brazil lost 1-0. Neymar also appeared to head-butt another player who came to confront him. Neymar left the squad in Chile yesterday.

Lee Chong Wei wins first title since doping ban (Reuters) Former world number one Badminton player Lee Chong Wei won the U.S. Open on Sunday to claim his first title since returning from an eight-month doping ban. The 32-year-old Malaysian, twice an Olympic silver medalist and world championship runner-up, beat HansKristian Vittinghus of Denmark 22-20 21-12 in Brentwood, New York. “I’m happy with my performance in the US Open even though this is my (first) individual tournament after nine months. Thank you fans and supporters, I love you all,” Lee posted on his Facebook page. The Perak-born shuttler only returned to the court last month after he tested positive for dexamethasone at the world championships in August. Facing a career-ending

CPL – Kingston, Jamaica: Six up-and-coming young cricketers, including USA international, Steven Taylor, and Canadian, Nikhil Dutta, will have the chance to play with and against some of the biggest names in world cricket after being added to the Hero CPL squads after impressing in training camp. Each franchise welcomed four local under-19 players, and one young player from ICC Americas Associate nations, for training camp, with the incentive of a full CPL contract for one lucky player from each team. Amongst the players joining wicketkeeperbatsman, Taylor (Barbados Tridents), and off-spinner, Dutta (Zouks) are West Indies Under-19 player of the year, Shimron Hetmeyer (Guyana Amazon Warriors), and former West Indies Under19 captain, Ramaal Lewis (Jamaica Tallawahs). The six players that have been selected are: Barbados Tridents: Steven Taylor – USA Guyana Amazon Warriors: Shimron Hetmeyer, Guyana Jamaica Tallawahs: Ramaal Lewis, Jamaica St Kitts & Nevis Patriots:

Nikhil Dutta, Canada St Lucia Zouks: Gidron Pope, St Vincent Trinidad & Tobago Red Steel: Mark Deyal, Trinidad Tom Moody, CPL Director of Cricket, said: “Competition for a place in the CPL squads has been fierce. The coaches have been very impressed with the quality of young players on show, so it was hard to narrow it down to one player per squad. These six guys have a fantastic opportunity to make a name for themselves on the big stage, and we wish them all the best for CPL 2015.” The Biggest Party in Sport kicked off on Saturday with defending champions, Barbados Tridents, defeating Guyana Amazon Warriors at Kensington Oval in a repeat of last year’s final. At the Hero CPL, global superstars including Kevin Pietersen, Jacques Kallis and Shahid Afridi will join the Caribbean’s finest cricketers, like Chris Gayle, Kieron Pollard and Dwayne Bravo, and exciting up-and-coming local talent. Fans have been given an even greater reason to be at the games this year with the CPL’s recently announced

Shimron Hetmeyer ‘Catch a Million’ competition, the biggest ever sports promotion in the Caribbean. The first fan at every match who catches a six, onehanded, will earn US $1000 on the spot, as well as the chance to go to Trinidad for the final. If they catch another six, onehanded, in the final, they will be presented with US$1 million! CPL 2015 runs from 20th June to 26th July. Last year’s tournament attracted a global audience in excess of 65 million and this year is set to be even higher as fans across the world continue to be drawn to the high quality action on the pitch and the unique party atmosphere off it.

Digicel Nationwide Schools Football Competition

Butts hat-trick sinks Central Corentyne

Malaysia’s Lee Chong Wei in Bangkok November 21, 2014. (Reuters/Athit Perawongmetha/Files) two-year ban, Lee argued that he gained no benefit from a supplement he had taken inadvertently, convincing the

BWF to reduce his backdated suspension to eight months. His inactivity has led to his world ranking tumbling to 180th, but his first title since winning the Japan Open a year ago will give him hope of making an impression at the world championships in August in Indonesia.

A hat-trick of goals off the boots of Jamal Butts was enough to secure a comfortable 4-0 victory for Guysuco Training Centre (GTC) in their clash against Central Corentyne Secondary as play in the Digicel Nationwide Schools Football Competition continued yesterday, at the Skeldon Community Centre ground. Butts, who is one of the best young players from the Region 6 community and one who has dominated the competition for some time now, was once again in prolific form as he booted in goals in the 40th, 51st and 55th minutes

to add to the opening strike that came off the boot of Paul Williams in the 21st minute of play. Played before a sprinkling of fans, Williams gave GTC the lead when he fired in from close range after being left unmarked. The speedy Butts then stretched their advantage with a well placed shot after receiving a clinical pass from left midfield. He had made amends for an earlier lapse after missing a penalty kick. Butts, who was the chief tormentor for Central Corentyne defenders, proved unstoppable when he got the

opportunity to score from another awarded spot kick which came as a result of a hand ball in the penalty area. He then put the game beyond Central Corentyne with the goal of the afternoon, dribbling past a horde of defenders, before unleashing a screamer into the roof of the net and out of the reach of a visibly terrified goalkeeper. Central Corentyne never threatened and were even lucky not to concede more goals as Butts tried desperately to get more of his teammates on the scoresheet, but they squandered (Continued on page 27)

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Kristian Jeffrey, Guyanese drivers share honours in Seaboard Marine CMRC

The Seaboard Marine Caribbean MotorRacing Championships continued at the Wallerfield International Raceway in Trinidad & Tobago on Sunday and fans had their money’s worth as points leader in the CMRC and reigning CMRC Champion, Kristian Jeffrey in his Evo VIII did not disappoint with his sublime effort as several Guyanese drivers performed well. The day’s proceedings got underway with the: Group 3: RACE 1 which resulted in a win for Guyana’s Danny Persaud. That event saw #104, Paul Vieira (T&T) rocketing into the lead from the start as he wrestled it away from Danny Persaud (GUY) before they both bolted going into the corner allowing the field to catch up and a Toyota Starlet taking the lead before Vieira reclaimed the lead and kept on increasing the lead before # 29, Danny Persaud caught up and was breathing heavily down his neck. Persaud finally took the lead by having an off-track excursion whilst Vieira suffered some kind of mechanical issues and had to retire shortly thereafter. From here, Persaud drove like a bat out of hell going on to win convincingly. The Group 4: RACE 1 saw: The two Kristian’s starting up front, but, the rest of the field were closely bunched up with minimal

Kristian Jeffrey Evo 3 space between cars although, the track is wide. After what felt like an eternity to align the cars before the start of the race, the rain started. For the first several laps, # 17, Kristian Boodoosingh (T&T) was breathing in race fuel by the lung full since he was perched directly behind # 261, Kristian Jeffrey (GUY). Mid-way through the race, # 29, Danny Persaud (GUY) went slip, sliding away, in the process taking himself out of contention. The field of cars were lapped in no time! The epic battle continued throughout the race with Boodoosingh bumping Jeffrey from behind as the turn approached but, Jeffrey remained cool, calm and collected and continued to collect the checkered flag for the win. Group 2: RACE 1: # 30, Shiraz Roshandin (GUY) took the green flag but,

relinquished the lead to # 81, Mark Thomson (BAR) on the first lap. Thompson kept increasing the lead lap by lap. In fact, Thompson began smoking the field before retiring due to some kind of mechanical problems then, Shiraz Roshandin hopped into the lead and kept it ahead of # 10, Mark Williams (T&T) on his way to the checkered flag. Group 3: RACE 2: # 29, Danny Persaud (GUY) had a wonderful start but, # 104, Paul Vieira (T&T) in the Mazda RX7 who started from the back of the field came flying and by the time he reached turn one, he was right on the tail of the Miata Turbo of Persaud but, had to run wide because he had to avoid another car that was in the middle of the track. But, Vieira kept pressuring Persaud lap after lap. But, the RX-7 was no match for the Miata Turbo of

Persaud’s. The track was relatively dried by now and the veteran kept losing ground until they came up to certain lapped cars that refused to give way so, Vieira seized the opportunity and was able to catch up. Vieira made a nice pass on Persaud with a valiant effort and Persaud tried in vain to retake the lead as the cars made contact from the side but, that did not faze the veteran Vieira who showed supreme car control and drove to the checkered flag. Group 4: RACE 2: Once again, the two Kristians continued their epic battle by dicing with each other after # 261, Kristian Jeffrey lead into turn one with his Evo V111. Quite possibly a record! Cars were lapped with only a couple of laps into the race by these two young guns. When it was all said and done, # 17, Kristian Boodoosingh claimed the

Frankies, TNT victorious in Joseph Father’s Day dominoes

Players in action during the first round of matches. Frankies and TNT registered victories when the Faye Joseph Father’s Day Dominoes competition commenced on Sunday night last at her residence, Gaulding Place, South Ruimveldt.

Frankies chalked up 70 games to beat Lady Bless with 61 and OPKO on 60. Godfrey Samuels scored 16 and Kenrick Pollard 14 for the winners, while Althea Chase got 16 and Alexis McAulay 15 for Lady Bless.

Colin Craig and Orin Favourite made 15 each for OPKO. TNT rattled up 75 games to win their encounter ahead of Providence 70 and Thunder 64. Shawn Morgan and Ryan Boodhoo were

TNT leading players with 16 and 15 games respectively; Deon Telford marked 15 and Junior Smith 14 for Providence. Thunder were led by Faye Joseph who made 17 and Troy Collins with 16 games.

checkered flag in his Evo 6.5 by lapping most of the field in a brilliant drive. This race was once again contested in the wet conditions. The spectators were in awe but, Kristian Boodoosingh is a very successful and accomplished driver. He has been competing for many years in the SCCA competitions in North America and has had tremendous success and was very deserving of the win. Group 2: RACE 2: After winning the previous race, # 30, Shiraz Roshandin (GUY) earned a pole position. #81, Mark Thompson (BAR) in his Toyota Starlet returned but, started from the back of the pack. At the star, Roshandin took the lead heading into the first corner with # 70,

Ryan Rahaman (GUY) and # 10, Mark Williams (T&T) rubbing fenders going sideby-side into turn one whilst battling for 2nd place before Rahaman ended up doing a 360 and falling to the back as the field went by with Williams maintaining 2nd place. Mark Williams in his Honda Civic pulled behind Roshandin’s Honda Civic and instantly placed Roshandin into the pressure cooker. He pressured him before taking the lead with Thompson hot on their tails whilst fogging the track before sliding out on turn 1 and dropping back. The caution was displayed at turn 1 because one of the AMD cars had mounted the tire wall and was left hung out to dry. The trio of Williams, (Continued on page 27)

Letter to the Sports Editor

Did the Normalization Committee Chairman have a mandate? Dear Sir, With the incumbent Sepp Blatter, prevailing over his rival prince Ali, enroute to his 5th Term as President, FIFA, amidst serious allegations of bribery and corruption, that has led to a clarion call for Blatter’s resignation from the powerful European Confederation, in addition to reforms pertaining to financial affairs, that have caused international investigations over a 24 years period, involving USD 150M! While time and space will deter me from elaborating further, at this crucial juncture in the history of the world’s most emotional, passionate and lucrative sport, may, I enquire if there was a common consensus among all the stakeholders of the GFF, which candidate the GFF, was supporting? This I question unapologetically and unreservedly, since to the best of my knowledge publicly via the print media: The Normalization Committee’s Chairman, was supporting Prince Ali! Further, was he privy to any invitation at the Jordanian’s expense, to solicit Guyana’s vote ahead of the Congress. Was this discussed with the Committee’s and General Council members prior to his departure? Was any gifts issued/ offered, as a “pledge for the vote”? With Jeffrey Webb, former President, CONCACAF publicly proclaiming that “affiliates within the region, can vote for a candidate of their choice”, surely, in some way it may have infuriated Sepp Blatter; who would indirectly be supportive of the investigation! In the final analysis for some strange reason accountability, protocol and transparency were all sidestepped; in pursuit of a basic self-interest; which I do hope it’s not. But rather what is best suited for Guyana, with reforms from FIFA, eventually becoming an utmost priority. How well would Guyana fare in the new dispensation as it relates to continued development, under “special projects”! What should have been championed from Guyana, via CFU/CONCACAF, is the high cost of internal travel, since some remote areas can only be accessed by aircraft. As such meaningful development nationally remains “an illusion” to be pursued but never attained”. Is it too late for a comprehensive study to be undertaken? Respectfully, Lester Sealey.

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MIXED RESULTS BY SEEDED PLAYERS ON DAY 2 OF GBTI OPEN Day 2 of the GBTI Open Tennis had mixed results for the seeded players. The novice medley players kicked started the day’s event. On the top half of the draw, Philbert Clark fell at the hands of Delon Fraser 6/3 in the quarter-finals. Despite the big serves thrown at Fraser, he was able to stay focused and clinch his spot in the semi-finals. He will play Akeem Bailey who also had a 6/3 win over the only female player, Fiona Bushel, who made a good effort by playing good ground strokes and staying consistent but the aggressive play by Bailey outmatched Bushel. On the bottom half of the draw, Jamal Goodluck reached his first Novice finals by defeating Romario Chanderballi. Goodluck secured a break of serve to go up 4/1, only to allow his opponent back in the set. Chanderballi held and broke to go back on serve 4/3, but he broke Chanderballi’s serve and held to secure a finals match between the winner of Delon Fraser and Akeem Bailey. The first match of the men’s open was played between Andre Erskine and young Hemraj Resaul. Andre Erskine, seed #6, took

the first set easily 6/1, due to nerves and numerous unforced errors committed by Heimraj Resaul. Erskine was never truly tested in this match up, but Resaul made an effort with a few winning shots in the second set. He threatened to break Erskine’s serve in the 5th game but failed to capitalize on the 4 break chances. Andre Erskine eventually held and broke to close out the match 6/1, 6/0. His next match will be the winner between Khawn Rodney and Chethan Narayan. In the matchup between Jamal Goodluck and veteran player Rudy Grant (seeded #8), Grant outplayed Goodluck 6/0, 6/0. Grant never allowed his opponent in the match, using his heavy lobs, drop shots and finesse to take command of the rallies. Goodluck failed to convert the opportunities to convert break points. Rudy faces the winner between Jordan Beaton and Benjettan Osborne. Leroy Chapman (seed #15) fell to unseeded player Nomechandra Persaud. Chapman won the first set 6/4, but from midway through the second set he appeared injured, dropping that set 2-6. Persaud

displayed a nag to lengthen the rallies which often forced Chapman to make the unforced error. The painful struggle continued for Chapman in the final set and Persaud took control to close the match 4/6, 6/2, 6/2. Oswin Coggins (seed #16) rallied pass the American, Bobby Adelson 1/6, 6/4, 6/4. Coggins started slowly after he dropped the first set but found his range in the second. He hit winners after winners, especially on his signature double fisted backhand down the line. Coggins steam rolled into the next round to face off against Joseph De Jonge (seed #7). In the final match of day 2, Seanden DavidLonge had the first major upset in the men’s singles after he out playing No. 5 seed, Benedict Sukra. Sukra served for the first set at 5/4, but nerves got the better which caused the lost of service game. At 5/5, Seanden held and immediately broke Sukra to secure the first set. The final set went on serve until Sukra lost his service game and David-Longe took advantage of the opportunity to close the match at 7/5, 6/4. Day 1 resulted in wins

Khawn Rodney for - Okenna Jackson in his first attempt at the title was defeated by Delon Fraser 6/2. Jamal Goodluck took a 6/2 win over Martin Campbell. In the Novice Medley Doubles, Jamal Goodluck and Tandy Primo took a win of 6/2 over the new partnership of Fiona Bushel and Martin Campbell. The Assuria Novice Doubles runner ups

Hemraj Resaul (right) and Andre Erskine Philbert Clark and Diana Bharrat lost to Joseph DeJonge and Fiona Bushel 6/1, 6/1 in the Mixed Doubles. Khawn Rodney secured the tiebreaker at 7/4 to defeat Romario Chanderballi 6/1, 7/6(7/4). The highlight of the evening matches came from the unexpected surprise win from the two under 14

players, Hemraj Resaul and Mark McDonald who dismissed the 18 year olds Benedict Sukra and Khalif Gobin in a nailbiting match. They secured the win at 6/4, 7/6(7/2). In the men’s open, Stephen Bailey defeated Dominic Fraser 6/2, 6/0. Matches will continue at the GBTI Recreational Centre in Bel Park.

GASA host successful GALA in observance of Olympic day

Participants with their parents and officials of GASA after the GALA yesterday The Guyana Amateur Swimming Association (GASA) successfully hosted a GALA in observance of Olympic Day at the National Aquatic Centre Sunday. The event which was sponsored by the Guyana

Olympic Association (GOA) attracted some 80 participants including current national swimmers, parents and officials of GASA. Contestants took part in 15 events which contained

Tandem Butterfly and Tandem Breaststroke; the day’s activities concluded with a mini cultural show. Head of GASA Ivan Persaud said the event was a huge success adding that its

main aim was to aid in the development of the sport. He stated that their next swim meet will be held on July 10-12 and it will be used to select Guyana’s Goodwill Games team-the Goodwill championship is set for

Trinidad and Tobago from August 14-16. Persaud pointed out that for the first time in 23 years Guyana will be represented by 40 athletes at the games. “We will participate in

the rela y s t h i s t i m e around so we have an excellent chance to better out previous showings,” he said. He thanked the GOA, clubs and parents for their input.

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Central Georgetown Police Youth Group to host U-15 Football tourney Sunday The Central Georgetown P o l i c e Yo u t h G r o u p yesterday officially launched its inaugural one d a y U n d e r - 1 5 Yo u t h Development Football Tournament, which kicks off on Sunday at the Eve Leary Sports Club Ground from 10am with eight participating teams. Coordinator of the event, Colin Haynes, gave the details of the competition and indicated that the venture is a continued effort to forge relationships between the public and Guyana’s Police Force through the development of both youth and sports. The competition will feature eight teams from ‘A’ Division for a top prize of $50,000, which will go toward a community development project. Trophies will accompany the monetary prizes. The second place team gets $30,000 and $20,000 for the third place team. Haynes disclosed that

Banks DIH has sponsored the first prize with the Ministry of Culture Youth and Sport, which is now under the umbrella of the Education of Education, sponsoring the second place award and Commander of ‘A’ Division, Clifton Hicken the third prize. He said that there will also be prizes for the Most Valuable Player and Best Goalkeeper. Tickets will cost $200 to enter the venue. Haynes revealed that there are intentions to make the e v e n t t h e b e s t developmental competition annually. “After we were approached by the o rg a n i s e r s a b o u t t h i s initiative, we signed onto it knowing that it would be a good opportunity for the Guyana Police Force to foster a better relationship with all members of the community and help aid the development of the sport at the grassroots level,” the Aqua Mist Water Brand

Officials from Banks DIH, including Aqua Mist Brand Manager, Errol Nelson (2nd left), Colours Boutique Sales Representative, Tameika Ferguson and Officials from Central Georgetown Police Youth Group, including Coordinator, Colin Haynes (right) launch the U-15 Football Tournament yesterday. Manager at Banks DIH, Errol Nelson said. Nelson disclosed that Banks has been involved with football extensively. He also thanked Police Youth

Group for inviting Banks to be on board the project. “Our sponsorship of this U-15 Football Tournament demonstrates our commitment to the

CPL and Guardian Group give fans a chance to win US $1million!!! Catch A Million will be the biggest sports promotion ever in the Caribbean CPL fans have been given One Million reasons to get their tickets for this year’s competition, with the launch of Catch A Million, in association with CPL sponsors, Guardian Group. Catch A Million will be the biggest ever sports promotion in the Caribbean. If a fan is the first to catch a six one-handed at a CPL game they will automatically win US$1,000 and a chance to win a trip to Trinidad for the finals. The public will vote on the best catches online at CPL’s official Facebook page to decide who makes the trip to Trinidad. If selected and you repeat the feat at the final, you could win the incredible sum of US$1 million! Full terms and conditions can be found at CPLT20.com. There were 387 sixes smashed during 30 matches in the 2014 Caribbean Premier League, with Chris Gayle and Lendl Simmons topping the charts, after blasting twenty-four maximums each. With the likes of Shahid Afridi and Kevin Pietersen joining the ranks this year, fans can expect plenty more

Narvani Dewnath is flanked by Shiv Chanderpaul and Chris Barnwell. (CPL) opportunities to win their prize at CPL 2015! Damien O’Donohoe, Chief Executive, Hero CPL, said: “Tickets are already selling out fast as excitement ramps up ahead of CPL 2015, and there definitely won’t be many left when fans find out about the chance to win US$1 million! Catch A Million is absolutely massive for the Caribbean,

and we’re so thankful to Guardian Group for making this once in a lifetime prize possible. “Larry Olton, Group Vice President – Integrated Marketing Communications, Guardian Group, said “We’re thrilled to be supporting the CPL to introduce Catch A Million, and we wish all the fans the best of luck during the tournament. The League is

all about fun and excitement, and Catch A Million is going to take that excitement to whole new level.” At the Hero CPL, global superstars including Kevin Pietersen, Jacques Kallis and Shahid Afridi will join the C a r i b b e a n ’s f i n e s t cricketers, like Chris Gayle, Kieron Pollard and Dwayne Bravo, and exciting up-andcoming local talent.

development of football in Guyana. I know from this tournament, talented players will emerge, develop and become National footballers in the future,” Nelson added.

Sales Representative at one of the other sponsors, Colours Boutique, Tameika Ferguson said that Colours is always supportive of youth development and education.

Serbia’s Under-20 World Cup winners get heroes’ welcome BELGRADE (Reuters) Around 50,000 elated fans treated Serbia’s Under-20 football team to a royal homecoming on Monday after they returned from winning the World Cup with a 2-1 win over favourites Brazil. Donning the Balkan country’s flags and lighting dozens of flares, the fans crammed in front of Belgrade’t city hall where the team arrived in an open-top bus. “Serbia, we love you,” coach Veljko Paunovic cried out from the balcony as his staff and players displayed the trophy and their gold medals. “We had a dream and it came true after we beat the mighty Brazil to become the world champions,” he added. “We could feel the support from back home all the way to New Zealand,” said captain Predrag Rajkovic, named the best goalkeeper of the tournament. Rajkovic made a string of superb saves throughout the 24-team event, especially in Saturday’s dramatic final in Auckland with Serbia scoring a late extra-time winner.

As fans danced to the tunes of local rock and pop bands blaring from the soundsystem, a banner reading “There is Hope” emerged from the crowd. It referred to the poor results of Serbia’s senior team, who have only a slim chance of reaching Euro 2016 after missing out on the 2014 World Cup and Euro 2012. Earlier on Monday, Serbian president Tomislav Nikolic congratulated the team in their Stara Pazova training base on Belgrade’s outskirts. Nikolic received a shirt and a match ball signed by the players and said he was pleased the whole country could look up to its youth. “I am even happier than the team because they may not be aware just how much they lifted Serbia after winning all their knockout round games after extra time or penalties,” he said. “The seniors ought to learn from these lads because I have learned a lot too.”Soccer World Cup in Auckland, New Zealand, June 20, 2015. (Reuters/Carlos Sarraf)

t r o Sp Digicel Nationwide Schools Football Competition

Butts hat-trick sinks Central Corentyne

Part of the action in Guysuco Training Centre (GTC) win over Central Corentyne Secondary in latest Digicel schools football.

GASA host successful GALA in observance of Olympic day

Jamal Butts (right) registered a hat-trick and Paul Williams completed the tally.

Kristian Jeffrey, Guyanese drivers share honours in Seaboard Marine CMRC

Athletes take to the pool in one of the races.

Kristian Jeffrey

Central Georgetown Police Youth Group to host U-15 Football tourney Sunday Printed and published by National Media & Publishing Company Limited, 24 Saffon St.Charlestown, Georgetown.Tel: 225-8465, 225-8491 or Fax: 225-8473/ 226-8210