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

Elections are always a struggle It is amazing how a country like Guyana with its supposed high level of literacy, makes the holding of elections a problematic affair. In most other countries the holding of elections is so routine that people cast their vote and go on to work as if they had just taken a shot for the flu. In the United States, employers grant the staff time to vote; in fact it is mandatory. The people who have to travel unimaginable distances to work but who fortunately have more than adequate public transport would be disciplined enough to join the line from very early. There is not much of a voters’list.All that is required is the voter’s social security number. And here we are talking about a country with a population more than 400 times the population of Guyana. In the other countries closer to home the problem is just as uncomplicated as in the other countries. Some of us argue that their small population allows them to have a clean voters’ list, but then some of us extend that argument to countries with larger populations than Guyana—Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago. Every country delivers its elections results within 12 hours; Guyana does so in a matter of days, adding tension and creating distrust. But first one must look at the issue of the voters’ list. There has been continuous registration so that every eligible voter would be captured. If someone does not wish to participate in the exercise then that person would not seek registration. If one is a migrant the worst case scenario is that the person would not be around to vote. If the person is a government official then that person can enjoy provisions put in place for overseas voting. The names of the people in a diplomatic mission are sent to Guyana and the requisite ballots are released. If someone is dead, then rest assured, the person would not be at the polling station on Election Day. All in all, the voting process should be quite simple but such is the dishonest nature of the people of this country that everything is viewed with distrust. We have identification cards but the system is still so that there is the distrust. One year there was the photograph of each voter alongside his name and that was deemed the worst election to be conducted in Guyana. Now we have international organizations begging the media to help promote a violence free election. Of course, various media houses in the different countries support one political party or the other but the tenets of journalism must prevail. There must be the equitable airing of advertisements and the allocation of equitable space in the case of the print media. There is the fear that reporters in Guyana would foment unrest. This does not happen in the civilized world so for people to expect this of reporters in Guyana is a serious indictment on the state of affairs in the country. It must be that the wider societies, including countries that became independent long after Guyana, have surpassed this country as civilized. Against all possible odds, we have the state media operating as the private arm of the government and blocking opposition advertisements. Although this is illegal-there was a court ruling to outlaw such an act-no one media owner has been prosecuted. And as if to keep an eye on the media as a parent would with a small child, each time at elections there must be a media code of conduct. It is as if a new set of media owners appear on the landscape for elections. In reality, the media houses have over the decades of their existence, failed to institute their own monitoring mechanisms. There is no media organisation to impose sanctions so some are allowed to act irresponsibly. So once more the silly season is here and some of the people who profess to be media operatives behave as election campaign officers for the various political parties. And so we scramble to get supposedly intelligent people to act outside their skin to protect the country.

Saturday March 28, 2015

Letters... Where your views make the news

The massive increase in the Voters’ List creates potential for electoral misfeasance DEAR EDITOR, Based on the 2002 census, roughly 39.06% of population is ineligible to vote, meaning they are under 18 years. The population has not changed, as the preliminary 2012 census results confirmed. The 39.06% and 60.94% percentages from the 2002 census are consistent with the 1991 census which revealed the non-voting age population at 39.40% and the voting age population at 60.60%. Considering the trend from 1991 and Guyana’s small population decline in the 2012 census, the voting age population is not expected to change or change only very insignificantly. For a population of 747,884 based on the 2012 census, the 39.06% ineligible to vote population is 292,273 voters. This means the eligible to vote population should be around 455,611. The current 2014 Preliminary List of Electors (PLE) contains 567,125 electors. This is 111,514 more electors than what is statistically expected based on prior and recent census results on age of the population. Guyana’s median age is around 24 years, which is similar to Jamaica that has 60% of population aged 18 years or older. There is a troubling statistical

discrepancy here that must be addressed because it brings the entire electoral system and the democratic foundations of that system into question. It also opens the election to potential rigging. 28 years of unelected dictatorship and 22 years of elected dictatorship reminds us of the need to be vigilant of the only strand of democracy and freedom left in this country; free and fair elections. If that is stolen, sabotaged or recklessly, incompetently and irresponsibly mismanaged, this country cannot recover from the consequences. The PLE is supposed to be the list of all eligible voters, meaning all eligible voters 18 years and over. A humongous increase of 99,022 names in the 2014 PLE as against the 2011 Official List of Electors (OLE) against the backdrop of a census confirming population stagnation is very disturbing and warrants agitated inquiry. We a r e t a l k i n g a n increase that amounts to 13.24% of the entire population, 21.73% of the estimated voting age population of 455,611 and 20.82% of the 475,496 registered voters in 2011. In fact, 567,125 electors on the 2014 PLE versus the 475,496 on the 2011 OLE is a 91,629 increase in voters, a

statistical absurdity considering our population stagnation, increasing migration rates since 2011 and steady historical age percentages of the entire population. Even worse, regions that experienced population decline in the 2012 census had significant increases in registered voters on the 2014 PLE. My suspicion is that the 2014 PLE, just like the 2011 OLE, has thousands of names of the dead and migrated. I did a cursory check of the 2014 PLE and found the names of several migrated individuals. However, this is not a new problem and it would have similarly inflated the 2011 OLE. The question is whether tens of thousands more of the dead and migrated have made their way onto the list since 2011 and whether there is a devious agenda to this increase. The other explanations for the increase are fictional names and names of individuals under age 18. Given that the registration is from age 14, I suspect some of those names are persons under 18 years who were initially registered. This could be tens of thousands of names. If these failures have indeed occurred, it would suggest we have a serious problem of data integrity failure, manipulation,

possible fraud, gross incompetence and absurd systems. Those breakdowns must come from either the government side or Gecom’s side or both. With Gecom already highlighting GRO’s (under Rohee’s mandate) failure to provide information to update the National Register of Registrants (NRR), we already know one source of the problem. The issue here is whether we are dealing with source database corruption where both the PPP government and Gecom have access to source databases of registration of all citizens and electors. This fiasco raises the potential of electoral fraud, confusion and angst. Fictional electors can be provided fake ID cards. Without technology to verify photo IDs, IDs can be created for migrated and dead individuals on the PLE and eventually the OLE. With ink removal easier, multiple voting can occur, using false IDs with transferable names. Underage voters whose names are on the PLE, and eventually the OLE, can produce an ID card where scrutineers fail to check dates of birth and can vote. The PLE and OLE have no date of birth details! The inflated PLE 2014 compared to the OLE 2011 is (Continued on page 31)

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Kaieteur News

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

Comatose UG and the final UN ideals of good governance solution to its unresolved problems have not been practised by the PPP DEAR EDITOR, It is unfortunate, but understandable, that the trade unions found it necessary to take over five weeks of industrial action at the University of Guyana before the authorities condescended to an interim 10% increase, pending the outcome of current negotiations for increased salaries/wages and improved conditions of service. This work stoppage could have been avoided, as the unions had sought the same interim payment prior to strike action, but this did not find favour with the administration. As a consequence, the students suffered immensely, the employees lost much needed income, foreign students were burdened with additional expenses and the image of the University has been severely tarnished by adverse criticism. What price folly! Unfortunately, the Ministry of Labour must take some blame for its callous approach in this matter. In my time at the Ministry during the turbulent sixties we did not wait for an invitation from either side to get involved in a dispute. We were very proactive as we took the ‘bull by the horns’ and got involved. But then you had unquestionable competency in the form of a well trained and experienced Labour Administration and Inspectorate headed by men like Fred Taharally, E.A. Richards, Richard Chung, Sunny Dyal, Compton Singh, Fred Lyttle and the list goes on. As comparisons are very often odious, I prefer not to compare then with now, except to comment that the Labour Department has now become a toothless poodle and virtually irrelevant in the twenty-first century if it is content to be a reactive rather than a proactive body. The situation at the University of Guyana is like a

malignant cancer that warrants laser treatment. It is beyond imagination that a socalled caring Government could treat so callously its premier institution of learning which so many of us attended in its embryonic stages at its former location at Queens College. But this seems to be the pattern of treatment of anything connected to the late President Forbes Burnham as is evidenced by the parlous state of President’s College; the abolition of National Service which absorbed and trained young people for the job market; the closures of the Guyana National Cooperative Bank which provided easy financing for the small man, the Guyana Agricultural and Industrial Development Bank which provided ready financing for small farmers, the Guyana Co-operative Mortgage Finance Bank which gave ordinary citizens mortgages at low interest rates and easy collateral, and many others far too numerous to chronicle. As the present administration is beyond trust because of greed, corruption, nepotism, spite and hate, it will certainly be left to a brand new administration to bring about a very necessary attitudinal metamorphosis at the University through partnerships with both the Private and Public sectors which benefit directly from the University through recruitment of its graduates. In this regard, it is recommended that a special Higher Educational Tax or Levy be attached to the larger Corporate Business entities for a minimum period of 10 years to ensure its orderly rejuvenation and growth under the aegis of an autonomous Corporate Body comprising the Private Sector, the Public Sector, Civic Society and distinguished local and diaspora academia. In my considered opinion,

the several Gold Mining Companies, the Bauxite Mining companies, the Commercial Banks, the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission, the Guyana Forestry Commission, the Timber Companies, the Commercial Enterprises and many others should be made to pay an annual tax or a levy of between 5% and 10% of anticipated gross revenue. Simultaneously, the University in turn must put the highest priority on programmes that properly outfit students for placement in the specialised areas aforementioned and deemphasise the plethora of unnecessary programmes that do not substantially meet the needs of a developing Guyana. Revenue from the proposed tax or levy should realize in excess of $5 billion annually, which should adequately take care of the University’s needs. Perhaps our technical institutes, which should be more appropriately reclassified as polytechnics, should also stand to benefit from this largesse, as they feed the university with graduates for higher learning. We need a variety of skills in this globalised era to satisfy the future demands of industrialization as the Asian Tigers like Singapore, Malaysia, Japan and Indonesia did before their ‘take off’ period. Finally, it is indeed amazing that the current government could find funds to build and furnish an untimely Marriott Hotel, presumably to drive local hotels out of business; erect a white elephant Skeldon Sugar Factory when the upgrade and modernization of the better located Port (Continued on page 33)

DEAR EDITOR, For years, Guyanese all over the world have heard the term “good governance and bad governance” used repeatedly in several areas of society. Governance is really about the process of decision-making and the process by which decisions are formulated and implemented or not implemented. The concepts of good and bad have and continue to be used to assess the performance of governments in Guyana and elsewhere. For most Guyanese, especially the opposition, bad governance is seen as the root cause of many of the social ills and moral and physical decay in society. They have associated bad governance with injustice, corruption, crime, the squandering of taxpayers’ money, poor economic decisions, vindictive actions against opponents of the PPP regime and several others too numerous to mention. According to the United Nations, there are eight major characteristics of good governance. Firstly, there must be participation directly or indirectly by both men and women and the population in general. Second is rule of law, which requires fair legal frameworks that are enforced impartially so that the citizens could have confidence in and have respect for jurisprudence in their respective territories. The UN has incorporated the concept of “Justice delayed is justice

denied.” The third characteristic is transparency, which allows information to be available and accessible to the public to ensure that decisions are taken and enforced within established rules and guidelines as outlined in Constitutions. Fourthly, there must be responsiveness where all are served by the various public institutions within a reasonable time frame in their particular countries. Fifth is good governance which requires consensus. Accountability, which is the sixth characteristic, is critical and must take place in all sectors of government where organizations are accountable to the people affected by their decisions or indecisions. The seventh characteristic is equity and inclusiveness, where all members of society feel a sense of security knowing they have a stake and are not excluded from society’s mainframe and the decision-making process. And eighth, is the effectiveness and efficiency, as processes and institutions are only valuable if they meet the needs and respect the wishes of the citizens they serve. These characteristics are important for the upward mobility of society. Therefore, governments must adopt these characteristics and ensure that they work together to achieve the goal of good governance, because enforcing accountability necessitates transparency

and the rule of law which have not been respected by the “untouchables” in the PPP. These characteristics are fundamental to the ideal of a just and fair society and of good governance everywhere, except in Guyana. And if these characteristics are used as a yardstick for measuring where Guyanese are as a society, they will reveal that they are nowhere close to being a good, just, fair and ideal society, because the PPP has for the past 15 years ignored and abandoned the principles of good governance. Instead, its members have chosen greed, corruption and untruths, all of which are antithetical to the concepts of accountability, transparency and good governance in Guyana. Individual corrupt practices and the use of the state resources to enrich themselves, relatives and friends have been the primary objective of PPP cabal and not the interests of the people. Furthermore, every-one of the eight characteristics outlined by the United Nations and agreed by its members have been violated by the Jagdeo/Ramotar regime. The raison d’être of the PPP cabal is to rule Guyana and use its resources as if they were bequeathed to them by their parents. But change is coming on May 11. Asquith Rose, Chandra Deolall, Dr. Merle SpencerMarks

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It is pathetic that Jagdeo now wants to feel relevant Executive members of A Partnership for National Unity and Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) sought to set the record straight yesterday on the grouping’s position on development in Guyana. They also targeted comments by former President Bharrat Jagdeo on the relationship between the two opposition partners. Jagdeo had said that the AFC will be cheated in the Cummingsburg Accord it signed with the APNU and too late shall be its cry. However, AFC’s cofounder, Raphael Trotman, confidently stated during a press conference that it is comfortable and happy with its marriage with the APNU. “We are very positive and comfortable. I have seen the chemistry between APNU+AFC Presidential Candidate, David Granger, and Prime Ministerial Candidate, Moses Nagamootoo. They are relaxed with each other. Jagdeo has no moral authority to speak to anyone about

- APNU+AFC anything relating to deceit and about persons who are going to be deceived or anything of that nature because his track record speaks for itself. “The nation needs to know whether it is former President Bharrat Jagdeo or PPP/C Presidential Candidate, Donald Ramotar, running for President because I saw Jagdeo challenging people to debates on his tenure and coming front and centre as if he is overshadowing Ramotar. The public needs to know.” Trotman, House Speaker until the recent dissolution, said that on Thursday, there was every attempt to have the legal case with regard to the amendment of the two-term limit, heard. “And someone with very deep pockets seems to be driving the agenda to having the case heard,” Trotman added. He said, too, that

given Jagdeo’s behaviour in the lead up to May 11, one would get the distinct impression that there are “two people saying I want to be President.” APNU General Secretary, Joseph Harmon, said that the political opposition invited the former President to many debates regarding his tenure and he was like a ghost. “We don’t have time to waste responding to Jagdeo’s call for someone to respond to his challenge for a debate. We don’t have time, breath and energy to waste helping Jagdeo feel relevant. Our time is going to be dedicated to the people. It is pitiful that Jagdeo suddenly wants to feel relevant in the dying days of the PPP/C.” Come Sunday, the political opposition is expected to take its rally to Whim, Corentyne which was once, a faithful stronghold of the PPP/C over the years.

However, the APNU+AFC said that its candidates are fully prepared for the battle ahead. Trotman said, “As you would know, we are running a different campaign this time around where we launched in Linden then we are taking it to Berbice and we are confident that based on all that we are feeling that we will have a successful rally. We know there are going to be attempts to disrupt us but the Moses Nagamootoo I know relishes that kind of challenge. It’s like iron sharpening iron. He performed well and did not wilt in New York and will not in Whim, Port Mourant, Skeldon or any place. We are vigilant and we invite people to come and witness the rallies.” APNU+AFC also sought to emphasize that it is not against development. In fact, Trotman said that the party wants to see Guyana with a deep water harbour, a road leading to Brazil, hydro power and even a new airport.

Former President Bharrat Jagdeo What it detests however, is the poor implementation of such developmental projects and the infractions of the law by companies in the extractive sector. This response was given after Kaieteur News asked the party to explain what it plans to do with mining and logging companies it has been awfully critical of as it relates to alleged abuses in that sector. The AFC Executive member emphasized that while proper reviews have to

be done, and the stamping out of malpractices, effected under the new government, it is not here to discriminate. “We have nothing against mining or logging but it must be sustainable and done in such a manner that it benefits the people. We are against bad practices and where they exist we will eradicate them. We have nothing against development, but it must be done in an equitable manner and must not destroy our environment,” he added.

Former Top Cop, Laurie Lewis issued Gregory Smith’s passport in 1999 COI hears…

Amid suggestions that lone suspect and former Sergeant of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), Gregory Smith, was a member of an intelligence unit, it was revealed that a passport issued to him in 1999 was done as ordered by former Top Cop, Laurie Lewis. This disclosure came from Sergeant Alexis Adams, the Immigration Officer in charge of the Records Section, yesterday. Shortly after Rodney was killed in the explosion on June 13, 1980, Smith left Guyana for French Guiana where he worked and lived under the name of Cyril Milton Johnson until he died in 2002 from lung cancer. Before the Commission of Inquiry yesterday, Sergeant Adams testified that she had checked for and brought forth the application forms for passports issued to Smith under both his names. Adams did not produce a form for the passport issued right after Dr. Rodney’s death since this could not be found. She said that on Cyril Milton Johnson’s forms there were the stamp of the top cop affixed and that meant that the document ought to have been expedited. She said this was clearly done despite failure to adhere to three requirements. Selwyn Pieters, the lawyer for the Working People’s

Alliance, asked whether it was possible that corruption could have been a factor involved in the producing of the passport; that it came under the guise of being a request of the COP. The revenue stamp, she said under cross examination, was something that was done by the Commissioner’s office as is done with passports issued under such circumstances. The Immigration Officer who handled the application is slated to testify in the matter as well. The Passports attributed to the Former Sergeant, by both names William Smith and Cyril Milton Johnson came under scrutiny by every lawyer that cross examined the dead man’s sister, Anne Wagner, yesterday. Wagner has testified and had been questioned for three days. GREATEST HOAX Wagner said that her brother was being forced to travel out of the country by the WPA who wanted him out of the way. She insisted that her brother never went to uplift the passport but rather it was brought to him. Reading from her book, parts of which Smith contributed, Wagner said “He told me he would bring me up to date with the devolvement…He said after

Political Activist, Dr. Walter Rodney Former GDF Sergeant, Gregory Smith careful consideration by the best brains in the party, the WPA, they had devised a strategy to change history. He said the strategy involved using the accident to our advantage, turning our loss to our gain.” “Mr. Fowler said they would use the death of Dr. Rodney as a platform to launch the revolution. He said history would show that the PNC Government provoked the revolution. Mr. Fowler said they needed some more time to organise their plan and work without many problems.” Williams asked the witness to interpret and she

said that Fowler was saying that the WPA intended to set up the PNC and to blame the party wrongfully for Dr. Rodney’s death. “In other years all these years what was put out was the great hoax… the greatest hoax” Williams suggested. The witness responded “I would say so too sir.” CAPTURE BURNHAM The lawyer referred the witness to page 24 of the book where it was written “Dr. Rodney said that the time had come for Burnham regime to pay for its crimes and it was our duty (the WPA) to stop him (Forbes Burnham) before he seized absolute power by

changing the constitution.” “Dr. Rodney said that several stages of the revolution were already completed; we would put the final stages in place soon and he was looking forward to one phase of the revolution with special interest. This was capturing of Forbes Burnham and some of his close colleagues.” She affirmed that this was told to her by Smith and this was the politician’s plan. Probed further, Wagner said that she understood that to mean they intended to physically capture him by force. Parts of the book spoke too about the routes via

which Burnham had three houses with three means of escaping from each: by boat, helicopter or by car. Smith spoke of ways to block Burnham’s escape. She agreed that these were acts contemplated by the WPA and that the WPA had the then ruler under surveillance. The book spoke too of forcing him to flee by boat by night and having a serious accident than to allow the WPA to capture him. Smith in his book too, as read to the Commission, spoke of Rodney’s plans to humiliate the president with the use of the judicial system and convicting him for his crimes and his political career. Rodney had mentioned several crimes that Burnham had committed: murder, torture, sexual harassment of women and conversion of public funds to his personal use. The witness said, however, that she was not told of Burnham being charged. Also, Smith said that if Burnham had escaped he would seek political asylum but he would have become a constant “threat to our government” and they could not let him escape. This she interpreted to mean, they would get Burnham by any means necessary. She said she believed Smith and the contents of the book were true.

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Kaieteur News

Venezuela slashes oil shipments to Cuba, Caribbean in half Miami Herald - Venezuela has cut in half its subsidized shipments of crude oil to Cuba and PetroCaribe member nations to 200,000 barrels per day, down from 400,000 shipped in 2012, a Barclays report says. Also, the British investment bank’s report considered it “ironic” that Venezuela would ship any oil at all, highlighting that while the country is going through extreme difficulties, and it continues to subsidize oil sales to countries that have healthier economies. Because of the cuts in oil shipments to the Caribbean, the firm reduced its deficit forecast for Venezuela to $22.6 billion, down from more than $30 billion predicted for 2015. “The oil agreements have been a heavy burden for Venezuela. These deliveries reached 400,000 bpd at their peak in 2012, though Venezuela only received payment for 200,000 bpd,” said the Barclays report, citing figures from Petrologistics, the

Nicolás Maduro

firm that follows tanker movements. “In the last decade, the agreements have cost Venezuela up to $50 billion,” added the report, titled Reducing Generosity. Surprisingly, Cuba, the most important ally of Nicolás Maduro’s regime, has not been exonerated from the cuts, which deepened after August 2014, when crude-oil prices began to drop. “Cuba has received about 55,000 barrels per day since

September, nearly half of what it received in 2012,” the report says. The cuts in deliveries to Cuba are more important than those of the other countries benefiting from Venezuela’s generosity, because unlike member countries of the PetroCaribe programme, which at least pay a portion of the deliveries, Havana’s regime does not make cash payments for the exchange.

CLICO pays government $7 billion Trinidad Guardian - Central Bank Governor Jwala Rambarran has announced a five-point plan to settle outstanding debts owed by the Colonial Life Insurance Company (CLICO) to policyholders and the government. Speaking at a press conference Thursday, Rambarran said the resolution plan “will bring closure to this deep financial wound inflicted on thousands of CLICO policy holders and Central Bank is doing all in its power and more to ensure that such a financial trauma will never again be inflicted on you.” He said the company is now in a position to make its

first payment of just over $7 billion to the T&T Government. This amounts to more than 40 per cent of CLICO’s debt to government. This development comes almost six years after the collapse of the insurance empire in 2009 which prompted government to embark on a rescue plan involving billions of dollars. Rambarran said government, which is CLICO’s biggest creditor, received $4 billion in cash yesterday, with settlement of the remaining $3 billion in lieu of cash through the transfer of three CLICO assets—Angostura Holdings Limited, CL World Brands

Limited and Home Construction Limited. In addition, CLICO’s 1,500 short-term institutional products (STIP) policyholders will receive 85 per cent of their claims totaling $950 million in three months and will receive the remainider after the sale of Methanol Holdings International Limited (MHTL). “These two payments are being made according to the terms of the CLICO Resolution Plan developed by Central Bank and finalised last week Monday after consultation with the Minister of Finance and the Economy, as required under Section 44F of the Central Bank Act.

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THERE IS NO RIGHT TO HECKLE When I read that there were peaceful and orderly protests outside a building in Queens, New York where the APNU-AFC coalition held a meeting recently, my instinctive reaction was to ask why the protestors went there to express their disappointment with the coalition. Why go to someone else’s meeting to protest. The people are having their meeting, leave it alone. If you want to protest do it some other place and at some other time. But here was the AFC and APNU meeting with the Diaspora in Queens and those entering the building where the meeting was being held had to be confronted by a picket line. Then it dawned on me that there is a legal and protected right to protest. If someone of some group feels strongly about something then that person has a right to express this once it is done in a lawful manner and does not hinder the right of others to do the same. I have NOT heard any

reports of anyone going into the actual building and heckling the APNU-AFC speakers. That would have been out of place. Here was a coalition holding a meeting with interested persons. They should be free to do so. No one has any right to go and disturb that meeting with any heckling. As far as I am aware there was no heckling inside. There is no right to heckle. While heckling that is not profane or does not cause a disturbance is not illegal, there is no protected right to heckle. There is a right to free expression but this right does not give anyone the right to heckle anybody in a manner that would affect that person’s right to say what he wants to say or to breach the peace or prevent someone hearing what the speaker has to say. If an opposing party is holding a meeting, then allow those who want to hear what the speakers have to say, to do so. When your turn comes to hold your meeting, I am sure that you would not want anyone to disturb you by their heckling.

Dem boys seh...

Like Glenn Lall running fuh President It’s not important to hold all de good cards in life, but it’s important how well you play wid de cards you hold. That is a saying dem boys know since dem li’l because dem love card games and love to tek chances. But de PPP don’t know how to play cards. Dem had all de best cards in dem hand and dem losing every game dem play. Dem go pun de platform at Friendship Thursday and de way dem behave dem boys believe that dem was running against Glenn Lall and not APNU+AFC. De whole meeting was about cussing Glenn and Kaieteur News. Only 15 people tun up and while dem cussing Glenn Lall some of dem same people call Glenn to ask if he running fuh president. Dem want to know how come dem didn’t know about he party. Dem seh that normally from de stage, people does promise de voters all kind of nice things. Dem does promise jobs, more pay, in fact, de moon and de stars until de election over. Dem never know that de political platform is now a cussing ground. Dem cuss Glenn fuh talking and exposing corruption, dem cuss he fuh promising to lock up Jagdeo, Brassington, Ashni, Anil and de full pack or cards. De people was hoping to hear something position, or at least a rant and rave bout de opposition. You coulda hear a pin drop. And instead of hearing ‘Vote foh we’ dem bawling to de people “Don’t buy Kaieteur.’ Dem boys seh that dem got a message fuh dem. Kaieteur is like a sexy woman. No proper man can keep he hand, he eye, and even he mouth off she. On top of that, de paper got honesty, decency, integrity and most importantly, truth. Everybody know when you got truth pun you side you got de Creatah in you corner. In fact, he deh all over watching you back, you front, you side up top, bottom—all over. What about all dem decent human beings in Guyana. Dem boys seh that all Guyana know that de cussing start from a man who ain’t got children, and who don’t care about people children. Dem boys hope that de people who following his footstep and cussing down pun de stage desist from doing so for de betterment of their own children sake and that of de nation. Talk half and pity dem disgusting cussers.

If it is not the party you support that is holding the meeting, then don’t go if you cannot quietly listen to what they have to say. Stay home! Don’t go to another person’s meeting to disturb it! You have a right to protest but other people also have a right to receive information free from disturbance. I am told that many of those who went to that meeting in Queens were not supporters of APNU or the AFC. But they were persons who have an interest in Guyana and they heard that some Guyanese politicians from the opposition were going to their neck of the woods to address them. And so out of interest,

out of curiosity, out of the desire to see what the politicians looked like, out of a need to hear what the opposition has to say, they went there. It is known that when the ruling party holds it meetings in New York, there are persons who go there to hear what the government has to say even though they are not supporters of the government. Right now there are political meetings being held around the country. There are people who have already made up their mind as to how they are voting, yet they go to the meetings to hear what the side they are not supporting has to say. Not because I attend your

meeting means that I am voting for you. Now imagine how embarrassed a supporter of the opposition will become if he or she notices one of his fellow supporters heckling meetings of the other side. A recent poll indicated that many Guyanese are undecided about the elections. They have not made up their minds as to which party to support. Many of those persons in order to make up their mind go to the meetings to hear what the politicians have to say.When they see someone from an opposing party heckling the speakers, they will not be impressed. They will disparage such conduct and decide there and

then, to cast their vote against the party of the heckler. The undecided voter makes up his mind there and then not and not on the basis of weighing the strengths of each party’s policies. The hecklers make up the mind of the undecided. The APNU-AFC coalition has done the right thing in expressing its disapproval of attempts to disrupt the political meetings of its rivals. It has said that it wants a clean campaign. This is sensible politics.

President Ramotar to participate in CARICOM heads meeting with US President Obama Cabinet Secretary, and Head of the Presidential Secretariat, Dr. Roger Luncheon said that on April 9, President Donald Ramotar will be joining other Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Heads of States for a highlevel meeting with President of the United States, Barack Obama. The meeting is slated for Jamaica where President Ramotar is expected to address security matters. According to Dr. Luncheon, the encounter with the US President and CARICOM Heads is intended to further the dialogue between both sides, with particular emphasis on trade, security and respective mutual interest. It is also expected that following the one-day encounter, the CARICOM Heads would collectively participate in the Summit of

President Donald Ramotar

US President, Barack Obama.

the Americas in Panama City on April 10 and 11. When asked about what the Guyana Government will be taking to the Jamaica meeting, Dr. Luncheon said trade and investment will be high on the agenda.

“…For us, trade and investments in rekindling Guyana as a destination. We have been hurt, we have been hurt particularly by Amaila and the incredible abandonment of the Blackstone and Sithe Global

deal on Amaila and we need to rekindle interest.” Through the opposition’s non-support for this project, Blackstone abandoned the Amaila Falls Hydro power project. He pointed out that it is also important for Guyana to maintain the level of interest of investors in Guyana, particularly relating to its developmental agenda. “Where security is concerned, I think it is fair to say, our collaboration with the international community, in responding to the international crime scene, those newer forms of international criminal behaviour must be noted.” Dr. Luncheon added that Guyana would again be expected to pursue greater support, particularly with the United States, with its Caribbean Basin Security Initiative (CBSI).

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=== The Freddie Kissoon column ===

Clement Rohee’s final insult to Cheddi Jagan I lived in Guyana under the administration of Forbes Burnham. I did so in the Desmond Hoyte period. I came to know some Ministers and high state officials in the reign of Mr. Burnham because we were contemporaries at university. I held a totally different political perspective to those who were in the service of both Presidents Burnham and Hoyte but these people were intelligent, educated and rational human beings. I didn’t share their style of politics but their speeches, logic, semantics and reasoning were average and sometimes above average. I have never seen someone with the low level of understanding in the two PNC governments as I have seen with Clement Rohee. Mr. Jagdeo was a terribly abominable leader. Mr. Ramotar is a congenital fumbler. But Mr. Rohee is simply an unbelievably silly human being. Every week Mr. Rohee holds a press briefing on behalf of the PPP, not his Ministry. Without exception, Mr. Rohee makes a mockery of logic and reasoning. If one is deeply religious and would not laugh at one’s fellow human, Rohee would make such a person laugh at him. Mr. Rohee’s latest excursion into Circo Romano is his take on Jagdeo’s comment on the house of

Cheddi Jagan. Speaking on behalf of the PPP, he said that Mr. Jagdeo’s emanation was not the PPP’s position because the words did not come from the PPP General Secretary. So far so good; Mr. Rohee is on perfect ground. Then Mr. Rohee entered Circo Romano by pointing out that he, Rohee, as General-Secretary was not distancing himself from Jagdeo’s words on Jagan’s house. No human being so stupid and asinine should be part of the administration of a country in the 21st century, not even a 10th rate banana republic like Guyana. Let’s examine Mr. Rohee’s prodigious asininity. Not to distance yourself from a stated position of another person simply means that you have not rejected what they said and that there is a certain level of acceptance on your part of the stated position. To distance oneself from the public statement of another person is to put space between you and the person. It means that you don’t want to be associated with the attitude. This is what the expression, “distancing yourself” means. In actual fact, what you have done is that you have openly said you don’t approve of the stated position. Mr. Rohee has publicly said that he will not distance

himself from Jagdeo’s description of the upper class house of Dr. Jagan. Then by what logic, by what law of reasoning, can one say that Mr. Rohee has rejected what Jagdeo uttered? He has not. The only way both Rohee and the PPP can claim to honour Dr. Jagan’s legacy, is to unambiguously reject Jagdeo’s fiction that Dr. Jagan’s house at the time was a privileged entity What Rohee thought he had done was to please both Jagdeo and Jagan’s daughter who denounced Jagdeo. But instead, Rohee has made himself a fool because he has not as yet distanced his party from Jagdeo’s derogation of

Jagan’s legacy. Given the psychological make-up of Rohee I would think that he believes that he has accomplished that task. It is up to Nadira Jagan to confront Rohee on his duplicity. In fact, Rohee has made the ultimate insult to Dr. Cheddi Jagan by not distancing himself from Jagdeo’s besmirching of the name of the PPP founder. Nadira Jagan has ammunition with which to denounce the entire PPP. It is the PPP through its administrative and legal head that has clearly refused to disassociate itself from Jagdeo’s ramblings. The question that has become fascinating is why Dr.

Jagan’s beneficiaries have not come to his rescue as his daughter urged. Rohee admitted in a television interview that it was the Jagans that rescued him from an employed youthful life. Gail Texieira was Jagan’s personal assistant for twenty years before the PPP came to power so she must have been in Jagan’s modest house millions of times. Kellawan Lall lived in that very house. Nadira Jagan and her brother have to face the cruel fact that Jagan’s PPP is dead and the beneficiaries of Jagan have moved on and are happy inhabitants of the Jagdeoite PPP. Jagan’s daughter isn’t going to have her father’s

Frederick Kissoon protégés come to the rescue of her father’s name because for those protégés, Jagan and his wife belong to the past and they have to live with Jagdeo who now controls the PPP and the Government that employs them. Not to mention that Mr. Jagdeo has made each and every one of them stupendously wealthy.

PSC demands equitable access for Opposition ... From page 3 implementation by the Guyana National Broadcasting Authority (GNBA) under the Broadcasting Act.” GNBA was the authority established to look into the issuance of radio, television and cable frequencies. But its top officials, the Opposition, has complained, are mainly political appointees close to the ruling party. PSC, in its letter to Ramotar, also enclosed a copy of the South African regulations. More than three years after the radio licences were approved under controversial circumstances by former

President Bharrat Jagdeo, GNBA last year said that it was still considering new applications. The Opposition has accused GNBA and the Government of deliberately delaying the issuance of new licences to ensure that only the Government's propaganda is aired. The radio licences issue has been a burning one for this administration after it was disclosed, that several were issued by former President Bharrat Jagdeo during his final days in office in 2011. Several frequencies went to close friends of the party and even to the sister of current Minister of Natural Resources, Robert Persaud. Five were given also to the publisher of The Mirror, the PPP newspaper. Independent media entities, which were side-

lined, were requested to submit fresh applications. There has been widespread condemnation of the allocations as several media houses, including Kaieteur News, Stabroek News, Capitol News, CNS 6 and HBTV 9, were all overlooked by Jagdeo. Indeed, his close friend, Dr. Ranjisinghi 'Bobby' Ramroop, was the beneficiary of five frequencies. There had been days of protests by the media houses whose applications were not considered by Jagdeo. Former US Ambassador, D. Brent Hardt, had said that he believed that the radio licence issue is a critical one that should be examined again by the administration. President Ramotar had promised to examine the issue but three years after entering office, there is no word from

him. The Opposition has also been complaining that it has been targeted in a hostile manner by the state media, including the Government Information Agency (GINA) and state TV's National Communications Network (NCN), TVG Channel 28 and Guyana Times- the last two are media outfits with close links to Jagdeo and the ruling party. Despite Kaieteur News and Stabroek News being recognized as the widest circulated newspapers in Guyana, it had found more state ads went to the Guyana Chronicle, The Mirror and the Guyana Times, a newspaper closely linked to Bharrat Jagdeo and consequently, the Administration. The matter had attracted international attention, including attention from the International Press Institute.

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Preparations in the making for Presidential debates - Dr. Anthony - To be organized by PSC Minister of Culture Youth and Sport, Dr. Frank Anthony, who forms part of the elections campaign team set up by the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), has indicated that moves are afoot to ensure a Presidential debate before polling day. However, rather than it being organized by the PPP’s campaign team as had been the criteria given by President Ramotar, it will be organized by the Private Sector Commission. Dr. Anthony made this known on Thursday evening during a telephone interview. When Kaieteur News spoke to President Donald Ramotar about the possibilities of him partaking in a presidential debate some three weeks ago, he had directed the newspaper to Dr. Anthony saying that the final decision is to be made by his campaign team. However, Dr. Anthony had been unreachable until last night, when he said that the PPP is fully prepared to partake in a debate.

President Donald Ramotar

Dr. Frank Anthony

Presidential hopeful, David Granger

He said that the President has shown no hesitation in participating. The President had made a declaration that he will not engage in any debate unless it is organized by his campaign team. This, Ramotar said, is because he has a bad taste left in his mouth from the last debate held during the 2011 elections. That debate was held at the University of Guyana. Even before Kaieteur

News had spoken to President Ramotar on the issue, Granger had alluded to those very debates. He had said that the debates were organized and all three parties— the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), the Alliance For Change (AFC) and APNU—had agreed to go through with it.”But by the second round, President Ramotar disappeared and it was only me and (AFC Leader and 2011 Presidential

Candidate) Mr. (Khemraj) Ramjattan,” said Granger. Subsequently, President Ramotar said that his no show at that debate was due to the fact that it was horribly organized. But even with that said, Ramotar noted that he is not remotely opposed to having debates. However, he sought to make it clear that the final decision has to be made by his campaign team.

It has to be the people first and the leaders second – APNU+AFC By: Kiana Wilburg Members of A Partnership for National Unity +Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) yesterday held its first meeting in its campaign office in Crown Street, Queenstown, where it updated the media fraternity on the progress it has made thus far during its rallies and internal workings. AFC co-founder, Raphael Trotman articulated that in all that the party has been doing, it tried to hammer home several key messages , including its belief that for too long the citizenry has been oppressed by corrupt practices and insists that, “it has to be the people first and the leaders second.” APNU General Secretary, Joseph Harmon said that with 46 days remaining before Eday, the coalition is pursuing its campaign duties with volunteers hard at work throughout the country on the “Team-Unity” train. Harmon stated that from March 19 to 22, the party’s Presidential Candidate, David Granger and Prime Ministerial Candidate, Moses Nagamootoo took the campaign message of national unity to Guyanese in the Diaspora which was well received. During his trip to the USA, Granger, he said,

APNU General Secretary, Joseph Harmon held several meetings in South Florida before travelling to New York on March 20 where he was joined by Nagamootoo. This active campaign Harmon said will be taken to the Whim Village in Corentyne, Berbice on Sunday which will see special addresses by Nagamootoo and Granger. On April 4, the coalition will have another major rally at Anna Regina (Region Two). The General Secretary also disclosed that on March 25, last, the APNU+AFC held a special briefing for Members of the Diplomatic

Corps where the details of the Cummingsburg accord were explained. Another was then led by Trotman with the Commissioner of Police, Seelall Persaud where the party made it clear that the security situation in the country required the provision of strong security by the Guyana Police Force for the coalition’s Presidential and Prime Ministerial Candidates. While the party continues preparations for Nomination Day on April 7, Trotman expressed that it is still in the process of blending the policies of the APNU and the AFC to represent a unified manifesto. Though it is still to decide on the person to head that list, the AFC executive member said that it is considering three persons, one from the business sector, one from civil society and another from the legal fraternity. He clarified however, that former speaker, Ralph Ramkarran is not one of the options. He said that Ramkarran is too profound a person to serve as leader of the nomination list. Trotman said that while there have not been formal invitations extended to Ramkarran, he would certainly be welcomed on the APNU+AFC unity

train. APNU General Secretary said that there are still some unresolved matters as it relates to the cleaning of the electoral list, but the party will be doing all that it can to aid the Guyana Elections Commission in conducting free and fair elections. Amidst growing concerns about the list being inflated with false voters, Harmon said that the opposition is putting in place mechanisms that will guarantee that the list will verified and checked, and “we will utilize international resources to scrutinize the list.”However, the Shadow Minister of Public Works and Telecommunications cared not to elaborate on what those measures were yesterday. The People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) has over the last few weeks increased its calls for longer staying observer missions during the election period. However, Speaker of the Tenth Parliament, Raphael Trotman said that he finds this amusing. He highlighted that the opposition has been asking for this for over 20 years, but the government has been resisting it. “Now all of a sudden they have seen the light and the need to have this as though (continued on page 17)

It seems as if the goal post has now been shifted as according to Dr. Anthony, the President will now partake in a debate not organized by his campaign team. Dr. Anthony said that the Private Sector Commission (PSC) has signaled its willingness to organize the debates; and the PPP has agreed. He added that the PPP is now awaiting word from the Commission as to the next step. “We are awaiting the rules of the debate…I am thinking that at some point representatives from both teams (APNU+AFC and PPP) will meet with the PSC and we will discuss things in detail, but the PPP’s side is fully

prepared, the President said he is prepared, we are ready to do this.” Brigadier (Rtd.) David Granger has committed to debating President Ramotar “under any circumstance.” Granger said that he could not care less whether the debate is held at the seawalls or at the Conference Center. “I am fully prepared to go public to put forward the good plans this alliance has in store for Guyanese”. Meanwhile, A Partnership for National Unity and Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) alliance has indicated that it is looking forward to participating in the debate that is to be organized. (Abena Rockcliffe)

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Police record 38 murders for the year There’s been a 15 percent increase in murders between January and March 23, 2015, with 38 people being slain during this period. In contrast, police recorded 33 murders between January and March 2014, according to statistics released yesterday by the Police Public Relations Department. Kaieteur News has compiled 13 gun-related homicides for the year with seven being execution-

style killings that remain unsolved. The release stated that police have also recorded a one percent increase in serious crimes for this year, in comparison to the same period in 2014. But according to the release, robberies in which firearms were used, decreased by 28 percent and robberies in which other instruments were used, decreased by six percent.

- 15 percent jump in homicides Police said that investigations are ongoing into the murder of Courtney Crum-Ewing which occurred on March 10, 2015, at Diamond, EBD. Eight persons were questioned and subsequently released. “The police are actively questioning persons from the community and scrutinizing

video footage as the investigation continues,” the release added. “In relation to the murder of 14-year-old Alicia Ali, whose body was found on the seawall at Turkeyen, ECD, on March 25, 2015, the parents and close relatives are assisting with the investigations, while a male friend from the community is

being questioned as the investigations progress,” police said. “The body of the dismembered female that was found on the Annandale Foreshore, ECD, yesterday Thursday March 26, 2015, has not yet been identified. No arrest has been made in this matter so far. The police are questing persons from the surrounding communities and checking recent missing person reports in efforts

to identify the deceased.” Meanwhile, police urged members of the public to record and store the International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) numbers of their cell phones for future reference. The production of this number in instances where instruments have been stolen can greatly assist investigators in apprehending suspects or questioning persons.

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Vector Control Unit responds to suspected malaria outbreak in Region 10 Mounting concerns about a possible malaria outbreak in Region 10 resulted in a team from the Ministry of Health’s Vector Control Services Unit heading to that section of the country in recent days. Led by the Vector Control Director, Dr. Reyaud Rahman, the team ventured to the Region 10 localities of Mabura, 58 Miles and 47 Miles. According to Dr. Rahman, the Ministry was alerted to the concerns by residents of the aforementioned communities who had earlier

appealed for the Vector Control Services Unit to visit the area in order to ascertain whether the malaria-like symptoms being transmitted, particularly within the 58 Miles zone, was indeed malaria. Malaria is a mosquitoborne disease transmitted by the female anopheles mosquito. The mosquito is said to be endemic in the mining Regions of One, Seven, Eight and Nine. According to the Centres for Disease Control and

Prevention (CDC) the symptoms of malaria include: fever and flu-like illness and can include shaking chills, headache, muscle aches, tiredness, nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea may also occur. Speaking to this publication of the visit, Dr. Rahman pointed out that “the main reason to visit the community was to hear the concerns of the residents and where possible help them with technical concerns as well.” And residents turned out in their numbers when the team visited villages

PPP may have baited Vanessa Kissoon - says Trotman … police say investigation underway A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) Member of Parliament, Vanessa Kissoon, could face charges stemming from allegations that she disrupted a People’s Progressive Party/Civic Public meeting on Tuesday evening. Contrary to other media reports she was not arrested. Minister of Social Services Jennifer Webster and junior Finance Minister Juan Edghill were the main speakers at the meeting, which was being held in Blueberry Hill, Wismar, and Linden. According to reports, the meeting was about to start when Kissoon, with her supporters, arrived and began behaving disorderly. They were warned to desist from their actions and Kissoon moved away. A female supporter however remained and continued chanting and making noise, resulting in her being arrested and processed. She was subsequently released on self bail, pending a subsequent charge. According to a senior police official, the fact that Kissoon departed after the first warning was issued does not mean that she is not culpable and the police force will in fact proceed to issue a summons so she could face charges. Speaking at a press conference at the newly opened A Partnership for National Unity head office, located at 133 Crown Street, Queenstown, APNU/AFC executive member Raphael Trotman put to rest rumors that Kissoon had been arrested.

Raphael Trotman

Vanessa Kissoon

According to Trotman, the party was dealing with the report and an investigation is ongoing. Trotman, who is involved in the case, stated that there was the belief that Kissoon had been deliberately provoked. “Miss Kissoon is one of the more exuberant opposition leaders. My view is that the PPP is deliberately provoking and baiting her. So we ask for restraint on both sides. It is a case of cranking, where you put a red flag in front of someone and they react. But we condemn any acts of hostility, violence or intimidation against ourselves and we would not perpetuate it against others.” “We cautioned our activists to stay away from other parties political meetings. Don’t allow yourself to be provoked. Our members have been harassed and provoked and we haven’t been crying foul about it.” He said that as of Wednesday Kissoon had not been charged. However the police are conducting an

investigation and Kissoon has already been advised that she may be summoned.

throughout 58 and 47 Miles, which according to Dr. Rahman, suggested that “the residents are serious about their health.” But in order to better enlighten the residents on the national vector control state of affairs, Dr. Rahman delivered an informative presentation which did not only focus on malaria but also the Chikungunya Virus. “They wanted to know about these diseases and how they can protect themselves,” observed the Vector Control Director as he alluded to a question and answer segment which catered to a very interactive discourse with the residents. During that very discourse Dr. Rahman made a commitment to ensure that an officer visits the target communities to further sensitise residents about vector control measures, prevention, control and the safety of chemical use. The residents of 47 Miles were very eager to have a health worker at their health facility trained to undertake malaria microscopy in order to test for malaria there. This was in light of the fact, that a number of persons, who manifest malaria symptoms, are forced to travel from mining districts all the way to Linden so that they can be diagnosed and secure further treatment. The Demerara Timber Health Centre was also visited by the team during which, the nurses there expressed appreciation that the team

from Central Georgetown had taken time out from their usually busy schedule to hear firsthand of the concerns of those in Region 10. They also related their own concerns about a number of patients contracting malaria. As part of the strategic plan to tackle the suspected outbreak, Dr. Rahman said that activities were streamlined including a refresher malaria course to ensure that the health workers at the Mabura Health Post, is prepared to effectively deal with any patient who presents with symptoms of the disease. “This is to ensure that diagnosis is of a high standard,” said Dr. Rahman as he went on to disclose that during the visit, health facilities, pregnant women and children under five were given Long Lasting Insecticidal Nets (LLINs), to ensure that they were protected from malaria.” He however, noted that the treated bed nets also have the capability to safeguard the users from other vector borne diseases. As part of plans to sustain collaboration with the Region, Dr. Rahman said that he will maintain a line of communication with the regional authorities, so as to ensure the commitments made will be fulfilled. Based on his assurance, a senior vector control officer from Georgetown is slated to visit the Region shortly, and it is expected that all participants from the recent

community meetings will gather in order to be further enlightened about vector control methods. “We will make available a small fogging machine and the Senior Vector Control Services Officer, will ensure that it is used correctly before bringing it back to Georgetown...all chemicals will be supplied by us and materials will be given for the operation,” said Dr. Rahman. “The initiative is seen as a huge success by the community and they are very excited to start working and getting their communities even more healthy,” added the Vector Control Director. The Ministry through the Vector Control Services Unit has been working assiduously to reduce the prevalence of malaria. Over the past year approximately 150,000 individuals from mining communities were tested for malaria. And according to the Vector Control Director, because of intensified efforts to tackle the disease over the past few years, the cases of malaria have been slashed by more than half. A few years ago the number of malaria cases was more than 30,000. Dr. Rahman is therefore optimistic that the ongoing vigilant efforts, will see the cases being lowered to as little as 10,000 next year and according to him, “that is going to be a significant help to us as we work towards bringing malaria down to less than 1,000 cases in the next five years.”

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Body of murdered fisherman Evidence suggests school girl still not recovered

Seawall murders baffle investigators ...

murdered despite 'suicide' note Police yesterday remained baffled by the gruesome killings of two women and a man, whose bodies were found near the Kitty seawalls and at Turkeyen and Annandale within a five-day span. Detectives are also taking note of the fact that two of the victims—29 year-old, Ramesh Katarnauth and 14year-old Alicia Ali—were both apparently beaten before being drowned. Police had initially suspected that the 14-yearold Campbellville Secondary School student had taken her own life, after finding a suicide note in her bedroom on Thursday. In the note, which appeared to be addressed to Maylene Williams, the teen’s mother, Alicia Ali accused her mother of restricting her movements. The teen also reportedly stated that by the time her mother read the letter, she (Alicia) “would be dead.” But a pathologist who conducted a postmortem on the teen’s remains yesterday gave the cause of death as asphyxia due to drowning, compounded by compression injury to the neck and blunt trauma to the head. Kaieteur News understands that the pathologist found no evidence of sexual assault. Some investigators have suggested that Ali may have wandered to the seawalls in her suicidal state and encountered someone who killed her. They have

Ramesh Katarnauth questioned several people, including a boyfriend of the slain schoolgirl. Ali’s body was discovered on the seawall near Annandale, East Coast Demerara on Wednesday. She was last seen by her mother, around 20:50 hours on Tuesday, when she left her home to go to a nearby shop. An official said that detectives are looking at “all possibilities,” including the similarities in Ali’s murder and that of Sandy Babb Street, Kitty resident Ramesh Katarnauth. A postmortem showed that Katernauth died from asphyxiation due to drowning. He also sustained injuries to the neck and blunt trauma to parts of the body. Katarnauth reportedly left home around 21:30 hours on Saturday to buy a pack of cigarettes but failed to return to his 83 Sandy Babb Street, Kitty, home. Yesterday, police were still trying to identify the woman

Alicia Ali whose dismembered remains were found on the seawall near Annandale, East Coast Demeara. The woman’s body minus the head, feet and arms, was discovered by a resident who was about to bathe his dog at the location. The clothing, a blue brassiere and a red skirt, was rolled up around the midsection of the corpse. There were bloodstains and tooth fragments not far from where the body was lodged between the rocks. A religious artifact and a blood-stained rice bag were also discovered some distance away, yesterday morning. According to investigators, the woman’s body appeared to have been dumped there recently. There was also conjecture that she had been butchered at the foreshore.

It has been almost two weeks since 23-year-old Deochand ‘Avo’ Sukhlal was allegedly stabbed to death before his body was dumped into the Pomeroon River. His body has still not been recovered. While hope grows dimmer for Sukhlal’s family members of recovering his body, they are calling for justice to be served; to let his killer(s) be punished. The fisherman of Dundee Mahaicony, East Coast Demerara (ECD) was allegedly stabbed to death by one of his crew members two Sundays ago before his body was dumped into the river three days later. The suspect, who has been identified as “Spanish Man”, is in police custody at the Charity Police Station. Navin Singh, the captain of the vessel in which the fisherman was killed, had informed this newspaper that the suspect had planned to kill all three persons on board, including him, and sell the boat in Venezuela. He said that he went out on sea on March 7, last, with Sukhlal, along with two other workers, including “Spanish man.” According to the captain, everything was normal at sea until two Sundays ago (March 15) when “Spanish Man” started his attack. He explained that he was at the back of the boat with one of the crew members

while “Spanish Man” and the now dead Sukhlal were at the front. The captain said that after some time passed and he did not see his two workers, the worker who was with him, went at the front to inquire. It was then that he saw “Spanish Man” approaching him with three knives. “He tie up my hands behind my back and he tied my waist to the boat and I was steering with my foot for hours. He tell me drive to Venezuela.” Later that day, the suspect, according to Singh, carried him to the front of the boat and showed him the body of the 23-year-old fisherman, while also informing him that he was next. Singh added that when he was informed that he was going to be killed, he bargained for his life. “I bargain for my life. I tell him I got 10 children to support, and if he want throw me away let him at least give me a life jacket and the other guy begged him too and say I was good to them. That is how he throw me with the fish.” The captain further added that the knife-wielding suspect, on the third day of being under his captivity, fell asleep. He said that the other worker steered the boat to the mouth of the Pomeroon River

Dead: Deochand ‘Avo’ Sukhlal where they managed to escape. “A man name Albert rescued us and while ‘Spanish Man’ sleeping in the boat, Albert left to go call the Coast Guard in his small boat. When he left, I was at the top of a coconut tree peeping ‘Spanish Man’ all the time,” Singh recounted. He said that when the suspect awoke and noticed he was alone in the boat, he turned around and tried to escape, but was caught three hours later by the Coast Guard. “When the Coast Guard catch he, he had already dumped Avo body in the River because it already started to get stiff and it started to smell,” the captain said. He said that it was the first time he had gone out at sea with ‘Spanish Man.’

It has to be the people first and the leaders second - APNU+AFC From page 11 they have something to fear. We always wanted observers on the ground not just two days before a n d a f t e r elections but at least a month. So we support their call which we have been making for the past 20 years,” said Trotman. There have also been calls for the Carter Centre to observe the upcoming

General and Regional elections. Carter had observed the 1992 elections which saw the PPP/C assuming office and Cabinet Secretary, Dr. Roger Luncheon had disclosed that there has been some noted interest in having another mission for the 2015 polls. To this Trotman said, “It has been statistically shown that wherever Carter turns up

there is a change of government, and so we welcome them with open arms and we hope that he does send a mission here. I saw on a PPP/C poster or newspaper ad which has President Donald, Prime Ministerial Candidate Elisabeth Harper, Bharrat Jagdeo and General Secretary Clement Rohee. This is four against two… but we will still beat them. We will win these elections and the people are lending us their full support. So when you see them begging observers to come and be in the country, it tells you that they are panicking.”

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Training schools for teachers must not just be stepping stones - Chief Education Officer “Bear in mind that, at the core of all the coaching you’ve experienced – and all of the transformations at these institutions – are the students in the classroom; that child whose life will be forever transformed because the teacher at the front of the class received the highest quality preparation from the CPCE and UG. That is why we come out to work everyday...I urge you to demonstrate, in a really tangible way, the knowledge you would have acquired,” Chief Education Officer Olato Sam urged. Sam made the passionate plea during the closing ceremony for the Guyana Improving Teacher Education Project (GITEP). GITEP yesterday certified a number of educators from both the Cyril Potter College

- urges more ‘hands on’ approach for educators of Education (CPCE) and the University of Guyana, who had undergone a year of intensive training in the areas of Science, Mathematics, Reading and Writing, and Special Education Needs. During his brief remarks, Sam stressed the importance of capacity building opportunities for lecturers such as the recently concluded GITEP program. He said too, that clearly defining developmental pathways for teachers and educators was important and allowed institutions to constantly raise the bar. However, Sam said, a “natural prerequisite” was the

extent to which lecturers felt that they had opportunities for self-actualization. He further said that teachers must “become one with the institution”. “The institution should not be used as a stepping stone towards greater things, but viewing it as their place to fulfill lifelong careers,” Sam said. The CEO noted, however, that “this would not happen just because we wish it”. He explained that concerted efforts must go into finding avenues for the professional advancement of all teachers and educators. These efforts, he said, must go beyond

Chief Education Officer (CEO) Olato Sam remuneration. “As such, I would urge all lecturers to constantly challenge your institutions to facilitate your continuous

STARR COMPUTER introduces technological advancement to UGSS

UG students share a moment on their field trip at Starr Computer International Standards bring technological, economic and societal benefits. They help to harmonize technical specifications of products and services, making industry more efficient and breaking down barriers to international trade. This was disclosed during a recent field trip to STARR Computers by University of Guyana Students Society (UGSS) representatives. Students had the opportunity to share a wide array of Customer Product experiences on a variety of major brands including Lenovo, Samsung, and QSee. At the Lenovo Experience Center, Penny Francis, Sales and Marketing Supervisor gave an overview on the various models of laptops, tablets and desktop computers. The students

were intrigued with the Lenovo ThinkPads, especially when they learnt of the spill resistant keyboard, roller cage protection, rescue and recovery features. Since the UG students will eventually be taking classes online and have intense usage of computer equipment in their studies, quality Laptop with good after sales service will be very important, the organizers said. Samsung Experience Center was another big opportunity for the students. Yannick Sobers, the Sales Consultant gave a very and exciting presentation on the Smart TV. Again, the students were amazed by the motion gesture features. The embedded HD camera with instant high resolution video playback was amazing. And naturally, 3D imagery fascinated their imagination.

Samsung smart phone variety was also an exciting opportunity to review and have an interactive discussion. The Security and Surveillance Department featuring Q-See choices was presented by Shunella Taylor, Q-See Product Manager. Security options are fast becoming a major industry worldwide, and with 15 years of experience, STARR has been at the forefront with this technology in Guyana. Security solutions are crucial for the development of Guyanese businesses and home users. The students were amazed at sharing the experience about the pan, tilt and zoom camera solution amongst the other options. A tour of the hybrid Renewable Energy (wind and solar) was the highlight to many. The fact that free

energy is readily available in Guyana, but, so little is done to harness its source and supply, opens new opportunities to many as a career path. Derrick Rahat, the energy Engineer covered the basics on energy harnessing. STARR Computers is currently partially powered by Renewable Energy. At the closing session, Mike Mohan, President of STARR COMPUTERS, spoke briefly on Career Development and opportunities. “As leaders of tomorrow, career path should constantly be enhanced by all to suite opportunities and Trends”. “Often students follow our predecessor and fixate our focus on a specific career because they had a good track record, only to find themselves at a dead end because technology and (Continued on page 33)

professional development as a key element of your professional arrangement,” Sam said. Sam also urged the lecturers to use their newfound knowledge and translate it into “hands on” approaches to education. Sam emphasised that education must move beyond being strictly academic. The CEO noted that oftentimes teachers mirror the teaching they themselves received. He said too, that it was vital that teachers employ new strategies to inculcate into the system. “Progressive pedagogy has to be lived, not just taught, and it is time that we move away from the academic approach to teacher training to a more hands on and practical approach that will enable our charges to mirror this type of methodology,” Sam said. Meanwhile, Sam did not reserve his advice for only the lecturers and also dished out some wise words to the highranking officials from the CPCE and UG. Sam advised the Principal of CPCE Viola Rowe and Dean of the Faculty of Education and Humanities at UG, Alim Hosein, to demonstrate strong and decisive leadership. “Lead your team with a clear plan of action,” Sam urged, “I think you all have the opportunity to leave an indelible mark on your respective institutions and

the future standings of our teacher training and teacher education structures in this country. This is a very interesting time to be involved in this business of teacher education and training, and I hope that you embrace this experience and let nothing hinder you from attaining your lofty objectives. If you lead, the others will follow.” Sam explained that capacity building at the CPCE institution had come a long way over a number of years. He described the institution as being previously “starved of adequate and appropriate human and physical resources”. He said too, the institution had possessed a somewhat antiquated curriculum “devoid of many of the quality assurance mechanisms that could be really vital for efficiency”. Furthermore, Sam noted that there was a non-existent relationship with the School of Education and Humanities. “But we have a long way. We have finally forged a lasting relationship with UG, and I must commend the work of our principal here and the lecturers and the dean. Our relationship is an excellent one and I certainly see us moving forward in a mutually beneficial way,” Sam said. Nonetheless, he emphasized, that the process is far from complete and should be viewed as an “ongoing evolutionary experience”.

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Kaieteur News

Saturday March 28, 2015

28 differently-able persons complete skills training

Family members and differently-able persons present at graduation ceremony yesterday Early morning showers could not cast a shadow on the jubilant atmosphere as twenty eight children with physical disabilities graduated from the Ruimveldt Parent Support Group (RPSG) with certificates in various skills. The activity which was held at the Ruimveldt Playground, Festival City, North Ruimveldt, on Wednesday certified the children in block making and block laying, and basic knowledge of accounting, marketing and customer service techniques. RPSG Project Coordinator, Ms. Carmelita Layne said that the programme was initiated after President Jagdeo in 2011, disbursed a $20M fund to assist organisations aiding persons living with disabilities in Guyana. She added that in order to access the fund, each organisation had to submit a proposal for approval. RPSG’s proposal was approved in 2013, and the organisation was able to commence its good work.

Trinidad Cement Limited (TCL) and the Institute of Private Enterprise Development (IPED) partnered with the organisation, in order to achieve the vision. Layne explained, “…we drew up a proposal and were able to secure a little over $900,000…We identified block making and laying as the project we wanted, because it was something that all the children can participate in. She added that RPSG has a membership of 48 and consists of a mixture of children that are deaf, dumb, have Down’s syndrome, and are differently abled in many other ways. She said that working with the organisation throughout the years has been an exciting experience. Executive Secretary of the National Commission on Disability (NCD), Beverly Pyle, explained that her organisation is a part of the team in charge of managing the fund that was set up by the former president. She further explained that it was

through her organisation that this project was able to blossom, and a variety of proposals were granted to other organisations to aid in entrepreneurial projects. “These are projects that would help them to bring in earnings - projects that would be training persons with disabilities. RPSG successfully marketed their potential, and they were accepted,” Pyle recalled. RPSG was founded by Mrs. Doreen Barrington in 1996. The founder told Kaieteur News, that she started the organisation because she has a son with special needs, and she wanted to help in removing the stigma attached to such children “I have a son with special needs so I felt that I can help other mothers to appreciate the children that they have, and to help remove the stigma which is one of the major problems. I worked through the health centre, with the health visitors, in order to have an

idea of who were the children that had special needs in the area. At that time, my son attended David Rose Special School, and I was able to get some contacts from there too.” Mrs. Barrington explained that she

One of the graduates receiving his certificate in block making and block-laying communicated with other Caribbean disability organisations, which served as a learning experience, since parents and children with disabilities were able to travel to other Caribbean countries. This experience,

Barrington related, was able to expose Guyanese mothers to the opportunities available to differently-abled persons in other countries, since a common reaction locally has been to hide these children away.

GWR launches voter education campaign “The most powerful thing we own is our vote. Want our vote? Address our issues!” this is the theme under which Guyanese Women Roundtable (GWR) plans to capture the attention of political parties contesting the upcoming May 11 General and Regional elections. GWR operates as an inter-generational non-partisan civic engagement network, coordinated through CPIC Monique Helping Hands Support Centre. It has teamed up with Guyana National Youth Council (GNYC) and Merundoi in order to effectively convey the importance of voting to the Guyanese public, especially women. The organisation decided to target women upon realising that females are oftentimes painted as the weaker sex, and the fact that society has been seeing an upsurge in violence against women. GWR member, Dawn Stewart lamented, that in addition to all the challenges facing women in society, there is reluctance amongst females to exercise their civic right to vote, and to play influential roles in the political arena. She explained that the organisation carried out a series of interviews and surveys involving 250 women from Georgetown to as far as Mahaicony, and discovered that the main reason behind women’s reluctance to vote, was the fact that they honestly believed that their current predicament will go unchanged. She said, women from one community declared that they were distancing themselves from the political process. This was their decision because they are of the opinion that elected officials had willingly overlooked the value of women, and ignored the amount of women that were killed. In addition , Dr. Stewart reported that one woman said she would not be voting because, “parliament has 33% women… but they might as well say zero per cent… because they do nothing for us... we need more women, and right now, I’m not gonna be involved because it’s not gonna change with those old men on top.”

Dr. Stewart responded to this particular issue by stating, “We need more women involved in politics, but involved in the right way. It is not enough just to be involved in politics as a political figure, but as a symbol of strength of women. We need to remain positive in order to make changes that are necessary.” “It is not a matter of how many women ministers we have in the government, and how many are MPs, it’s a matter of how effective these women are. Whether in government, parliament, businesses, NGOs and so on… how effective we are, depends on how clearly, and how correctly we can judge the needs of our kind, the needs of our country, and the needs of our people.” Dr. Stewart explained further, that in order to tap into the minds of women, GWR had to adopt a strategy where they brought each of the women’s individual concerns into perspective, and broke it up into more relatable terms. “So we in turn had to ask someone, “are you a vendor? Do you want a better market? Voting can give you a better market!” “In effect, the women were informed that their civic duty does not end at voting, but ventures into the understanding that the people have the power to change the direction in which the country is headed.” In seeing that their collective vision becomes a success, GWR has made provision for a series of pre and post- election activities to be carried out. Pre-election activities include, weekly workshops, community voting education outreaches in at least four regions, distribution of both voter education and pledge cards, and forums with election candidates, beginning as early as the first week in April. After a political body has been elected to serve Guyana, GWR plans on arranging a system where they are able to meet with Members of Parliament, re-evaluate projects, and continue education of civic participation and empowerment of women.

Saturday March 28, 2015

Kaieteur News

Page 27

Guyana remembers Rose Hall Estate Martyrs 102 years later The 15 lives that were lost on March 13, 1913 at Rose Hall Estate, Canje were honoured on Wednesday with a wreathlaying and tribute ceremony by President Donald Ramotar, Prime Minister Samuel Hinds, and other officials. The event took place at the monument site where the fallen sugar workers were buried, Plantation Rose Hall, East Canje. The workers were all shot by the colonial police on the high bridge leading to the Rose Hall Estate, because they protested and refused to work on days for which they were granted leave. Harvesting ended on January 27, 1913 and the Administrative Manager told the immigrant workers that they were to clean their surroundings. On January 28, the Manager reportedly changed his mind and ordered them to go to work because he had some planting to do. Some were inclined to while others were dissuaded from following the orders. Seven men were served summonses to attend court. The Manager asked that they pay for the cost of the summons. The workers agreed to pay it in installments, but the Manager rejected the suggestion. The problem escalated from this point. And it so happened that 15 workers—14 men and one woman— were killed. The dead were Badri, 26; Bholay, 33; Durga, 72; Gafur, 27; Jugai, 30; Juggoo, 37; Hulas, 25; Lalji, 45; Motey Khan, 26; Nibur, 75; Roopan, 25; Sadulla, 23; Sarjoo, 21; Sohan, 33; and the lone female, Gobindei, 32. Their bodies were transported in jute bags on donkey carts to the New Amsterdam Hospital. Fortyone workers were injured. Among those paying tribute on the occasion of the 102nd anniversary of the dead were President Donald Ramotar; Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union

(GAWU)’s Seepaul Narine; the East Canje Humanitarian Society (ECHS), Regional Chairman, Mr. Permaul Armogan; Regional Executive Officer, Mr. Paul Ramrattan; Deputy Regional Executive Officer, Mr. Imran Ally; Former MP, Dr. Vishwa Mahadeo; Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy; Minister of Culture, Youth & Sport, Dr. Frank Anthony as well as only living descendant of one of the 15 killed, Mrs. Pamela Badley Sukdeo. Mr. Armogan noted Guyana’s history in sugar is replete with many examples of brutality and murder. He recalled the words of renowned Caribbean historian, Dr. Eric Williams, former Trinidad Prime Minister which read, “It is rather paradoxical that a substance so sweet and necessary for human existence as sugar should have occasioned so much blood-shed and horror.” He alluded to the instances when sugar planters, in an effort to extract maximum profits, “did not stop to exploit the workers to the fullest.” Those who decided to react, to protest and to stand up to the plantocracy “were murdered, brutalized or injured. Sometimes, they were sent to jail.” Guyana Agricultural Workers Union (GAWU) General Secretary, Mr. Seepaul Narine’s remarks, reflected on the killing of the 15 sugar workers, which included a female, who was shot in the stomach. “GAWU pays tribute to these men and women who…stood up against the injustices of the plantation system, which thrived on the exploitation of its workers.” The history of the sugar industry, he said, is more than the production of sugar; rather it is a history of workers’ heroism. “As we turn back the pages of history, we see the exploitation of countries’ riches. “This exploitation was the

driving force that led to slavery and indentureship… for unspeakable crimes, even genocide.” The fighting spirit showed by the Rose Hall Estate Martyrs, offers invaluable lessons that the workers of today can embody. “It is widely known that the sugar industry has fallen into difficult times; there are several reasons for this,” he said. Yet there is the recognition that the price paid for in workers’ lives and hardships, ensure the commitment to make contributions to turn around the industry to a more profitable state. He said that GAWU believes that it is possible. “We believe management and the workers…can make a worthy and decisive contribution towards this end.” The 15 killed, he added, have enriched history by their dignified council. Minister Dr Frank Anthony noted how proud he was at the attendance of the event, a testimony to persons being interested in the history of the country. “When we speak of the history of sugar, many of us would not have been here,” he asserted. He recalled the misconception by the planters of the plantation that workers appeared to have been very docile. He recalled other notable standoffs between workers and the planters, at Devonshire Castle, Skeldon, etc. He urged the gathering to honour the memory of the ancestors, “because (of) what they stood for, we are here today.” President Donald Ramotar waxed political. He criticized the Opposition for stalling developmental projects in the country over the past years. He mentioned the struggles of the industry and posited his expectations of a full recovery and desire to pump $20B into the industry should he be reelected. He continued to

PM Hinds laying a wreath at the monument

attack the Opposition for what he said was their wanting to close down the sugar industry. “They (the Combined Opposition) were voting together all the time in the Parliament, togethersome people said they were having intercourse in the toilets.” The programme was chaired by the National Trust’s Mrs. Nirvana Persaud. President Ramotar also honoured the oldest living pensioner employed currently at the Rose Hall Estate, 95-year-old, Bissoon. The officials then proceeded to the monument where each laid a wreath.

President Ramotar honours the oldest Estate worker at Rose Hall, Mr. Bissoon

President Ramotar laying a wreath at the Monument

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Kaieteur News

Saturday March 28, 2015

CJIA expansion…

Small airport dissuades major airlines - Finance Minister Rehashing previous defenses used by the government for the US$150M expansion of the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA), Minister of Finance Dr. Ashni Singh, on Thursday, said that the new and improved international airport will facilitate direct flights from major countries to Guyana. At the time, Minister Singh was speaking at the opening ceremony of Qualfon’s new Guyana location in Providence. During his address to Qualfon officials, Singh said that the new airport will offer Qualfon clients and all travelers at large the opportunity to experience direct flights. “Soon, you will be landing at a much bigger airport and when the rain falls you don’t have to whip out your umbrella…you won’t have to walk across the tarmac when it’s raining because as you now know we are building a major international airport complete with air bridges and so forth,” the Finance Minister asserted. He added that international airlines have indicated their interest in introducing direct flights to Guyana from major destinations. He said, too, that these international airlines have “come to Guyana and have done the due diligence”. However, he said, these plans have been foiled by the CJIA’s current state. “They have said that they would like to introduce direct flights from North America to Guyana, except that the equipment they use cannot land at the airport that we currently have,” Singh said. However, the Finance Minister declined to mention who these interested “major

The Cheddi Jagan International Airport

international airlines” were, instead, saying that they had “been named before”. He went on to tell Qualfon officials, “I want Guyana to be a place where your clients will get on a plane, fall asleep…and do their work and not have to worry about getting off and changing flights and connections and

so on.” “So, once that new airport is completed, connectivity from the standpoint of your clients being able to come to Guyana will be considerably improved as well,” Singh added. Since 2011, the government had indicated plans for the expansion of the CJIA. The project entailed the

building of an entirely new airport with at least eight air bridges and an extension of the runway by 3,500 feet. The US$150M CJIA project will not include a parallel taxiway in this project at this time. Navigation facilities such as lighting are to be installed. A service vehicle lane is to be provided

as well as emergency facilities such as fire fighting systems. Since its announcement, the project has come under fire with the opposition voting against allocations for the project in 2014. At that time, the opposition questioned how the monies, some US$32M ($6.5B), were to be spent.

The project’s contract with China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) had also come under fire after Guyana learnt about the project through Jamaican newspapers. A deal was eventually signed with China Exim Bank putting US$138 million ($27.6 billion) in financing. There had also been questions about the cost of certain expenses contained in the bills of quantities for the expansions, including that of toilet fixtures. CJIA officials have themselves complained that the current terminal facilities are too small to accommodate the crowds at peak season times, with limited booths available for customs and check-ins. There are also issues with the sewage, air conditioning and electrical systems. After the US$200M Skeldon modernization project to build a factory and expand cultivation, the CJIA is the country’s second biggest infrastructural project.

Good Hope Welder Chopped Camp Street gets bail after prisoner released on bail forging passport A Good Hope welder was yesterday released on $50,000 bail, on a forgery charge when he appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts. Ramdeo Persaud 38, of Lot 260 Good Hope, East Coast Demerara denied the allegation which stated that between March 12 and 14, at Georgetown, with intent to defraud, he conspired with person (s) unknown, to forge one Republic of Guyana passport purporting to show

that same was issued by the Central Immigration and Passport Office. Defence Counsel Peter Hugh asked that his client be released on reasonable bail, which Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry granted. The defendant was ordered to report to the subordinate officer (SO) at the Criminal Investigation Department, Eve Leary, every Friday. His matter will be called again on April 17.

Several days after he was brutally chopped by his fellow inmates at the Camp Street jail, Tampico Mc Kenzie 29, of 29 East Ruimveldt Housing Scheme, was yesterday granted $75.000 bail by Magistrate Judy Latchman on a robbery charge. Mc Kenzie was earlier remanded on a charge which alleged that on February 6, last, while at Caneview Avenue, South Ruimveldt Park, he, together with William Evans, 24, of 444 East

Ruimveldt Housing Scheme, armed with a knife, robbed Marissa Hohenkirk of her Apple iPhone, one gold chain, a gold and diamond ring and three gold bands. Both defendants have since maintained their innocence on the allegation. Police Prosecutor, Inspector Shellon Daniels had objected to bail on Mc Kenzie’s first appearance (February 9) because of the serious, prevalence and nature of the offence. Daniels told the court that the

suspects were arrested after the victim herself ran them over with her car, soon after she was robbed. She claimed that the men were searched and the stolen items were found on them. Daniels further claimed that both of the men admitted to committing the robbery. However, Mc Kenzie and Evans had a different story. The duo told the court that they were forced and threatened by the police to sign statements admitting that they carried out the unlawful act. Mc Kenzie made several allegations against the police, he explained that while at the police station, the officers took away $5000 and a New Testament that he had in his possession, and told him, that “he has nothing to get back” He claims that one officer even held his head over a gutter, and told him that he would kill him if he did not sign the statement admitting his guilt. He also accused the police of hitting him in the head repeatedly. The other defendant remains remanded.

Saturday March 28, 2015

Kaieteur News

Page 29

Police to launch inaugural “Mongoose” pleads guilty youth expo tomorrow to murder of 7-year-old

GUILTY: Fazal “Mongoose” Mohamed

The Commander meeting with some of the youngsters from Grove Youths within Georgetown and its outskirts will get a chance to showcase their talent in art and craft tomorrow, when the Guyana Police Force (GPF)’s “A” Division management launches its first youth exposition. The exposition will be hosted at the Thirst Park Ground between 11:00 to 17:00 hrs, and will be opened by Commander of “A” Division, Clifton Hicken. The main aim of the exhibition, according to the Divisional Commander, will be to showcase the talent of the young people the police have been working with over the years. The items made by the teenagers will be on sale. Money gained from the event will go back to sustain the groups, as the police will be looking to commission new groups in other areas. Eleven youth groups from as many communities are expected to participate in the exposition and showcase different aspects of what they have been learning since they started working with the police. Some of these communities include Grove, Agricola, and Mocha, all on the East Bank of Demerara as well as Albouystown in the city. Hicken said that his team has enjoyed working with the communities through the formation of the youth groups. He noted too, that the police did not impose itself on the communities but rather, adopted a collaborated approach where all programmes and initiatives implemented were those which the communities desired. The Commander added that one of the main aims behind the youth expo, is to have the children who are from various backgrounds communicate and interact with each other in an effort to learn each other’s culture. He said that while the Guyana Police Force is

Some of the items that will be on display reforming itself, it is also working to ensure that it reform the youths since they are the future. Hicken called on members of the public to support the exposition on Sunday and show their support for the work the police has been doing in playing the second guardians of children,

complementing the work of many parents especially those who have been manning single parent homes. Among the displays which persons can view and purchase are craft, floral arrangements, tie-dyed items and photo frames. There will also be a cultural show.

Murder accused Fazal ‘Mongoose’ Mohamed, also called ‘Boy’, 23, of No. 67 Village, Corentyne, Berbice has finally pleaded guilty to murdering a seven-year-old lad. This was his third trial. Mohamed is accused of murdering Saheed ‘Buddy’ Muknauth, also called “Shiam” of Number 68 Squatting Area, Corentyne Berbice on August 20, 2012. Mohamed who was on trial for murder indicated to the court through his lawyer, Attorney at Law, Raymond Alli, that he wanted to take a certain course of action in the matter and pleaded not guilty of murder, but guilty to the lesser count of manslaughter when he appeared in the Berbice High Court on Thursday before Justice Brassington Reynolds. The indictment was read by State Prosecutor Assistant Director of Public

KILLED: Saheed Muknauth

Prosecution Judith Gildharie-Mursalin. Justice Reynolds then ordered that a probation report be presented on Monday when the accused is expected to return for his trial. According to information, Mohamed who is well known to the family had allegedly taken the child from his home to buy food. He was reportedly the last person seen with the lad on the day he disappeared. Muknauth’s body was discovered at the back of a rice mill in a pond in a clump of bushes some two days after. His body was nude, face up and in an advanced state of decomposition. An on-the-spot post mortem was done by the doctor who gave the cause of death as multiple injuries. The matter had stirred anger among Guyanese for its very brutality and conditions under which the children lived.

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Kaieteur News

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New BLU studio 5.0 Cell Phone/ GB ram, one H/P 8600 business printer – Tel: 2318414

Gas/electric stove, microwave, Donut machine, Hamilton Beach mixer, Bunn coffee brewer & flask, 2 helmets – Tel: 683-5234

Toyota Avensis $2.550M negotiable – Tel:645-0078; 603-0078 Toyota Tacoma 2010; Price $4.5M negotiable - Call: 6727709 Hilux Surf – Tel:695-8113 or 688-3925 Unregistered 2003 Toyota Spacio front & back camera, TV/ navi / CD player 52000 KM - $2.250M – Contact: 682-5117 Toyota Pit-bull 2008 Model BSS - $3M negotiable, TV, Navigator, A/C, excellent condition – Tel: 690-4373; 639-4165 Toyota Hilux Vigo GSS series – Tel:656-3561; 6976510 Lowest prices @ best quality: Premio, Allion, Bluebird, Axela, new model Fielder wagon- Call:6163413,626-7478 City Motors

One mining block in Puruni District - Contact: 650-8289 One Toyota Tundra in excellent condition, mag rims Contact: 650-8289

MASSAGE

37.5 Acres farm land @ High Way, one stall @ Stabroek Market, serious calls only – Tel: 679-1151; 225-7794

Tug captain, engineer, must gave knowledge of Quarry areas - Tel: 227-2027; 227-5500

One handy boy to work in interior - Tel: 691-6260

FOR SALE

Spare for washing machine, microwaves, fridges, stoves, timers, gearbox, pumps, etc -Call: 225-9032, 647-2943

Welder to work in Georgetown – Tel: 218-5105

DRESSMAKING

Saturday March 28, 2015

Relaxing massage therapy – Tel: 674-8147 TO LET TO LET

One V6 Toyota Four Runner, left hand drive, good condition, price negotiable – Call: 623-3231; 259-0953

Eccles: Large two storey concrete building with all conveniences – Call: 641-2939

1 RZ PJJ Series, tip top condition - $875,000 negotiable - Tel:679-1813; 682-5540

Fully Furnished vacation home with all amenities- Call during working hours – Call: 227-1218

Frigidaire ($150K), Nissan pickup ($800K), prices negotiable-Tel: 624-4076 One Mazda Demo Contact: 600-0241

–

One upstairs & downstairs 3 bedrooms house in South Ruimveldt Gardens -$130,000 – Call: 610-5087 between 11:30-14:00 hrs, Mon – Sat.

Kitty 2 bedroom apartment; cable TV, internet, parking, security cameras - $100,000 monthly – Tel: 645-0247 One apt to let to a female tenant. Newly constructed. Rental $15,000 per month. Call 610-9493 for Deon. Three bedrooms upper flat in Diamond New Scheme Section “A” 3rd Avenue – Tel: 623-2795 Continued on page 31

Saturday March 28,2015

PROPERTY FOR SALE Two storied concrete house, two bedrooms upstairs, two bedrooms downstairs $20Million @ Block “8” Mon Repos, E.C.D- Tel:625-1514 Houses & land available for sale in Non- Pariel, Enmore, Providence & Diamond Contact: Pacific Development Inc # 223-6035; 231-8480 Parfaite Harmonie, West Minister, Onderneeming, Cornela Ida, Tushcen, etc Contact: Pacific Development Inc # 223-6035; 231-8480 Business property located at Mc Doom Public Road, newly renovated, huge bond for restaurant, spare parts etc – Tel: 622-5721 One 3 bedrooms 2 storied concrete house @ Parfait Harmonie; size 25X57 feet – price: $13.5M negotiableCall: 622-1782; 658-5803; 2690642 House and land for sale (business spot) – Contact: 696-0705; 276-3552 2 Storied building; 5 years old, 9,600 sq ft suitable for apartment complex / recreational facility & bar – serious calls only, Tel: 6538754

PROPERTY FOR SALE

2 Storied building; 5 years old, 9,600 sq ft suitable for apartment complex / recreational facility & bar – serious calls only, Tel: 6538754 Haslington, E.C.D: Building ‘A’, concrete/ timber modern 2 storeys, 7 bedrooms, grilled & fenced. Building ‘B’, 3 apartments, fenced- $18M negotiable - Call:255-3437; 698-3678 Property @ Lot 63 West Ruimveldt, Estate Housing Scheme Georgetown – Contact Mark: 618-9744

SERVICES PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION,WEDDINGS, ANNIVERSARY, ETC. – CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 216-1043; 677-6620 Advertisements; Guyana Passport & Visa Forms Application, USA, Canada and England. Tel: 626-7040; 265-4535. Repairs & spare, fridge, freezer, A/C, washers, stoves. Contact Nick: 6831312, 627-3206 Permanent & Visitors Visa Applications, Professional Immigration Consultant Room D5 Maraj Building Call Sabita: 225-6496, 6626045 Mahadeo Construction for all construction, carpentry, masonry, pluming, painting etc. Free estimates and plan Contact # 669-7376 Accounting & Taxation Services: tax returns, compliances, financial statements. Avinash Persaud Tax Consultancy, 163 Parika, EBE - Call: 260-4762. Exchange your empty HP & Canon printer ink cartridges for a full one & pay only $2,000 & $2,500- Call:6507699 Eagle’s fridge re-gas $8,000 & washing machine repairs. Phone: 697-2969, 646-0966 Your Dream Yard Today! Stunning designs, Assortment, colourful plant choices, Professional Landscapers Tel: 219-0468/ 648-1821 Staying in your own home…. We assist seniors with meal preparation, personal hygiene, grooming etc – Call: 609-1981 REPAIRS AT LOW COST: FRIDGES, AIRCONDITIONERS, WASHING MACHINES, TVS, MICROWAVES, FREEZERS- CALL:6294946 OR 225-4822

VEHICLE FOR SALE 1 Toyota Dyna 2 1/2 tons truck, 16 feet flay bed tray, GKK 5500 in excellent conditionTelephone: 333- 5825;6173233

We repair fridge, freezer, AC, washer, dryer Call Omar: 2310655, 683-8734 GIVE YOUR RIDE THAT SHOWROOM FINISH! PAIN CORRECTION TO REMOVE SWIRLS, SCRATCHES, WATER SPOTS, WAX – TEL: 6107108 HOUSE PLAN DRAFTING AND ESTIMATES FOR ONLY $15,000- CALL: 6949843/227-2766 PROPERTY FOR SALE 3 Bedrooms property @ Good Hope E.C.D – Contact: 6211722

(From page 22)

VACANCY

FOR RENT

Work from home: Earn $5,000 - $20,000 daily, 9am 5pm, Monday to Saturday Call: 233-6517/ 638-0595 or www.jobfairworldwide.com Exists for: Chef & Assistant Cook- to work & live- in with new business in TuschenContact:660-6099, 644-3338

PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION,WEDDINGS, ANNIVERSARY, ETC. CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 216-1043; 677-6620

Vacancy exists at Confidential Cabs for experienced dispatcherCall:231-4000, 231-8601 Exist for cashier at Nirva Supermarket; apply in person with written application – Tel: 227-5771 Hotel attendant, porters, driver, salesman office clerk – Call: 227-7714; 223-3448, 2310951 (no calls on Sunday) SECURITY GUARDS, CANTER DRIVERS, SALESMEN, MARKETING ASSISTANT with Drivers Licence. Accommodation Available. Tel. 266 4427 Internet Café attendant, send application & CV to future2zone@yahoo.com or call: 642-2028 Floor Supervisor, Bond Supervisor, Delivery Clerk, apply with written application & passport size picture @ Survival, 173 Sheriff St., Campbellville –Tel: 227-5286-9 One 1 office clerk starting $60,000 per month and real estate agent (commission paid) please text: 618-7483 Domestic maid @ Diamond – Contact: 626-8003; 227-8529 Cashier @ Shell Service Station Providence E.B.D shift work – (6am-3pm & 3pm-12pm) email:shellramsburg@gmail.com; submit to name above International Cruiselines, receptionists, cooks, waitresses, carpenters, cleaners, storekeepers, electricians, welders Contact Professional Recruitment Agency - 2316296, 650-9880 Experienced Accounts Clerk, apply in person with hand written application @ Alabama Trading Georgetown Ferry Stelling Stabroek. 1 Person to operate a super bet machine – Tel: 618-3575

One 2 bedrooms apartment @ 35 Howes Street- Contact Pet Boy Shop, between the hours 11am-6pm - $40,000 monthly Business spaces for rent @ West Shore Plaza Building, Ruimzeight, W.C.D, Public Road – Tel:269-1524; 6563561 GT TOOL RENTALS: COMPACTOR; CHIPPING HAMMER RANSOM & FLOOR SANDER, , JACK HAMMER, CONCRETE SAW & MORE - CALL: 675-0767, 627-5098 2 Bedrooms to rent located at D5 Wallers Delight W.C.D – Tel:674-4929; 662-0187 Concrete 3 bedrooms upper flat house fully grilled, parking available @ Agricultural road Mon Repos, E.C.D- Call:687-1050 Rooms for rent - Call: 638-5335 2 Bedrooms apartment top flat @ 16 Stanleytown, W.B.D- Contact: 684-0864 One fully furnished apartment located in Campbellville - $1300US, preferably overseas guest. Contact: 650-8289 Refurbished 2 bedroom apartment @ Liliendaal (between Bel Air & Turkeyen) parking space – Call: 910-551-4109 (whatsapp & viber) Two (2) bedrooms apartments, Close to G.P.H.C East Street -$50,000 each – Tel: 226-6592 1- 95X50 business place for rent located at Mon Repos Public Road E.C.D –Tel: 6276789 Sami furnished lower flat $50,000 per month @ Uitvlugt W.C.D – Tel:277-3743; 6260150 Lodge Apartments (Vlissengen/Durban) unfurnished - $50,000 $60,000 P/M; furnished (for visitors) $500USD-$1000US P/M – Tel:677-9638; 6291093 Lodge (Vlissengen/Durban): Professional/Office/ Business space (no food retailing) –Tel: 677-9638; 6291093

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Kaieteur News

Saturday March 28, 2015

CPCE, UG lecturers complete intensive training programme …Need for special needs capacities highlighted They rush across the campuses, the words of their coaches still buzzing in their heads as they stumble into their classrooms full of waiting students. The process is one repeated several times in the span of 12 months but the end of a year’s worth of intensive training came yesterday when about two dozen persons graduated from the Guyana Improving Teacher Education Project (GITEP). The graduates were teachers from the Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE) and the University of Guyana (UG) who had taken part in a year-long training programme in the areas of Science, Mathematics, Reading and Writing, and Special Education Needs. The programme was facilitated by the Ministry of Education along with the Mount Saint Vincent University based in Canada. Speaking at the closing ceremony yesterday, Dean of the Faculty of Education and Humanities at UG Alim Hosein said that it is critical for teachers to be adequately equipped with the best methods and approaches to deliver key subjects such as Mathematics, Science, Reading and Writing. He noted that these subject areas are “central to our push for national development”. Further, Hosein said that the inclusion of Special Education Needs (SEN) as

one of the subjects was equally important. “In areas such as special needs education, this type of coaching is extremely important to us given our limited capacity in the area and we would need to build our capacity and extend it,” Hosein said. A chunk of yesterday’s ceremony was dedicated to SEN with participants from the programme demonstrating methods on tackling the subject area. The use of technology was particularly highlighted, with presenters showing how mobile applications on tablets could help students with special needs focus, communicate and ultimately learn. “It is my hope that the intensive coaching sessions have strengthened our teaching stock,” Hosein said. He continued, “Moreover, I hope the exercises have driven home two important things to our educators: firstly, the need to be up to date with the methods, contents and techniques and secondly, the realization of the truism that those who venture to teach must constantly learn, introspect and improve.” Hosein further noted that the world is currently undergoing a revolution in education. He added that this was particularly so in the use of technology for the delivery of education. However, he said, “This will never remove

Olato Sam, Chief Education Officer (seated, second left) with coaches and participants of the GITEP programme the need for competent, involved, and informed teachers. To the teachers and lecturers who undertook the coaching sessions, I hope that you have gained immensely from your interactions with the facilitators and coaches and that you have gained insight to improve your practice as educators. To the coaches, I hope you too would have gained something from the cultural exchange with our teachers and that this will further improve your work as you go forward with many more such consultancies,” Hosein stated. Similarly, Principal of CPCE Viola Rowe said that value was being added to the

CPCE and UG lecturers who participated in the programme. She said too that the students were ultimately the ones who would benefit from this added value. “Be proud of yourself and the hard work over the course of your training,” Rowe further urged. According to Rowe, training courses are still ongoing and there are other lecturers who are benefitting from intensive training courses in other subject areas. These subjects include the teaching of English as a second language, multi-grade teaching and guidance and counseling and are being taught by the University of New Brunswick. Hosein

explained that GITEP is one of the significant moves undertaken by the Government of Guyana to reorganize and improve teacher education in the country. He said too that the project seeks to improve the quality and the “up-todatedness” of educators. He went on to say that two of the important components of the project spoke to improving the quality and efficiency of teacher education and building capacities for more effective teaching. He emphasised that

the concluded intensive coaching workshop directly address the two GITEP components and were therefore especially relevant. According to Project Coordinator of GITEP Tota Mangar, applications were received in 2014 following advertisements for firms and institutions for consultancy for intensive coaching of teacher educators. Mangar said the institutions were chosen after they ranked highest in terms of qualification, experience and relevance.

Bus, car collide at Durban and GGMC Board to improve crucial systems Smyth Streets following direction from Natural Resources Ministry

The Board of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) has been directed by the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment to review several of its systems which are in crucial need of improvement. This according to the Commission comes on the heels of numerous reports against it. Since those reports, the GGMC Board reported via a statement to the media last night that coupled with the recommendations of the Natural Resources Ministry it conducted a review of the Management Systems and practices for critical departments/divisions of the Commission. The exercise it said commenced in December 2014 and was aimed at reviewing the operations of the Mines Division, Land Management and Geological Services Divisions of the Commission to determine

several things. These include: the coherence of the structures and functions, the adequacy of its staffing, the flow of its operations and to identify systemic problems and other conflicts and deficiencies. The team of consultants was also required to investigate whether the activities of the specific departments/divisions were aligned to the overall strategic plan for the sector. The Board said that the Commission was and still is cognizant that any deficiencies within the management framework and current practices, can contribute to non-fulfillment of the Commission’s objectives, and can possibly lead to the presence or possibility of undesirable acts of malfeasance. In addition to identifying the potential gaps within the management system that could lead to unwanted

practices, the team of consultants were also required to provide recommendations aimed at closing the loopholes. It said, “The Inception Report was submitted by the review team to the Chairman of the Board of Directors in February at which point it was then forwarded to the Board for review. The report provided insight into the strengths and weaknesses of the various departments along with areas of conflict that required specific intervention at the level of the policy makers. In this regard, on March 24, the consultants were invited to present the report officially to the Commission and stakeholders of the sector, namely, the Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association and the Guyana Public Service Union.” At this presentation, the Commission’s Board said that serious gaps and deficiencies

were highlighted along with clarifications on specific matters contained in the report. It said that areas of critical intervention were earmarked which would allow the Commission to serve the needs of the evolving mining sector. It was also agreed that the consultants would engage stakeholders over the next two weeks on finalizing the report which will provide input in the conclusion of GGMC’s Strategic Plan which is to be reviewed by the Board. Further, there were also some important recommendations made by the consultants for the consideration of the Commission. These include; the reformation of the mining laws and regulations to address “landlordism” and “beneficial-occupancy”, the upgrading of small scale properties to large scale properties, and restructuring of the Divisions of the Commission.

Several occupants of a route 46 minibus luckily escaped unhurt after the vehicle collided with a car at the corners of Durban and Smyth streets, around 18:00hrs last evening. According to eyewitnesses, the bus (a pitbull) was travelling east along Durban Street when the silver Raum, which was travelling north along Smyth Street, failed to stop at the

intersection of the major road, where there is a clearly visible stop sign, hence, colliding with the bus. The driver of the car, who is said to be a 19 year old, was on the scene co-operating with police when Kaieteur News arrived. As a result of the impact of the collision the right side door of the bus was ‘jammed’ and the front of the car was damaged.

Starr Computer... From page 25 trends have changed. “Study hard, read as much as possible, and, surround yourself with smart and productive people. Technology has been changing rapidly, replacing the process of yesterday and today. Therefore new learning and adaptation is an ongoing process.” “Case in Point, STARR has developed a cost effective energy saving

Smart Lab solution, where one computer can effectively network up to 12 workstations allowing multiple applications simultaneously. Best of all, it requires just one internet connection and runs on a window platform. “This is a perfect solution to deploy into public and private schools to enhance education and assist young people to follow opportunities and trends.”

Saturday March 28, 2015

Kaieteur News

Letters... Where your views make the news

Guyana has the potential to become the Singapore of the Caribbean DEAR EDITOR, To say that the economy of Guyana is doing well is an understatement. The banking sector is expanding, with new branches opening in all regions of the country. The same is true of the business sector which is also expanding. The most recent addition to this expanding business sector is the opening of a world-class Call Centre at Providence, East Bank Demerara, which according to media reports, when completed will be the largest in the world. This investment which is expected to create employment for some 6,000 Guyanese, when completed, must be seen not only as a landmark investment project, but also as a demonstration of confidence in the Guyana economy. This investment comes on the heels of another big investment project, Giftland Mall at Turkeyen, which is expected to open its doors in April, mere days from now. This project is yet another expression of investor confidence and when fully operational would employ

scores of Guyanese. Just recently Guyana’s President Donald Ramotar commissioned another project in Essequibo which will manufacture rice cereal. These and the several other business enterprises that have recently come on board are at odds with a perception being created by the political opposition that the investment climate in Guyana is not conducive to the growth and expansion of the business sector. On the contrary, the PPP/ C administration has always recognized the importance of an investor-friendly climate which is necessary to attract foreign direct investment as well as local investment. In this regard, the statements made by Mr. Kirk Laughlin, Nearshore Americas Founder and Managing Director are most reassuring when he identified Guyana as a special place for investors, especially those in the Business Outsourcing Industry. According to Mr. Laughlin, “there is something very special here and this is what is really powerful about

the business outsourcing industry in which people like me, outsiders like me, sometimes observe the specialness, the unique features that even people in that country don’t fully recognize.” These are indeed words of encouragement which speak to the enormous potential we have to lift this country to higher levels of development and greatness. Guyana has the potential to become the Singapore of the Caribbean, especially in the context of our vast natural and mineral resources and a growing cadre of skilled human capital. Regrettably, the modernization process envisaged by the current PPP/C administration suffered some significant setbacks by an unsupportive political opposition during the last parliament. I take this opportunity to salute that great visionary Lee Kuan Yew who passed on recently after successfully transforming his once backward country to one of the emerging economic giants in the world. Hydar Ally

The massive increase in the Voters... From page 4 a statistical absurdity. For all its astounding resources and its established willingness to use government resources to do its political bidding, the PPP is yet to provide the nation with the list of 91,629 names that has inflated the 2014 PLE over the 2011 OLE. Nor has Gecom for that matter. This is a stain on both organizations. The continued appearance of these names on any electoral list is an egregious disgrace, electoral shoddiness and an assault on democracy itself. This is serious stuff. This debacle is the sum of an aggressive and calculated assault on the electoral process in this country since the days of the PNC and now under the PPP, along with an embedded culture of incompetence. Gecom has always been a challenged organization. We cannot advance blindly into an election without ensuring the electoral terra firma is indeed firm, resolute and strong enough to repudiate attacks on its integrity, systems, culture, people and ability to deliver democracy in free and fair fashion. The opposition’s position of nonchalance to this list is just as menacing as the PPP’s possibly fake protestations about it. Who knows if the PPP is

simply shedding crocodile tears on this 2014 PLE when it secretly loves the inflated list? Remember the PPP controls vital source databases for creating this list in the first place. The very integrity of our electoral system is at stake here. Those most likely to benefit from any electoral incompetence or nastiness, the two giants in the PPP and PNC, just gave us manipulated party elections. We cannot continue to advance down this path to

perdition. The 2014 PLE needs to be fixed, the discrepancies explained, the gremlins sorted and the dark clouds removed by cleaning up the list and by implementing additional measures on Election Day such as exit polls, multiple inked fingers, date of birth ID scrutiny, funding for additional scrutineers for all parties at all voting booths, funding for more observers, establish text and website services to report suspicious activity, etc, to minimize election fraud. M. Maxwell

Comatose UG and the... From page 5 Mourant/Albion Factory that has the capacity for and does produce in excess of 25,000 tons per crop could have produced double that amount. Then there are substantial sums expended on the fibre optic cable from Brazil which is faulty and

exposed to easy damage, theft and sabotage alongside the Linden-Lethem trail. Again, what price political folly while the University of Guyana remains languishing in a comatose state, terminally ill for want of urgent laser therapy in the form of money. R.O. Bostwick

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GRA opening Tax Centre at Diamond The Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) has opened a centre at Diamond as the deadline for taxpayers looms. The tax centre at the G3 building, East Bank Demerara, is located along the main access road in Diamond, allowing taxpayers to submit their returns and or access related services. According to GRA, utility and other services including a conspicuously erected signboard have already been in place for the opening which is set for Wednesday April 1. “There, taxpayers will be able to file Income, Property, Corporation and other tax returns, request compliance and apply for Mortgage Interest Relief (MIR) and their Taxpayer Identification Numbers (TIN).” GRA urged taxpayers who live or traverse

that busy location on the East Bank of Demerara, to take advantage of the services which will be offered, considering the heavy population in that part of the country. “Additionally, it will reduce the need for taxpayers to travel all the way to the GRA Headquarters in Georgetown to access services.” April 30 is the statutory deadline for the submission of Individual Income, Property, Corporation and Capital Gains taxes. “Taxpayers can also visit GRA Regional Offices at Parika in Region Three, New Amsterdam and Corriverton in Region Six, Bartica in Region Seven, Lethem in Region Nine and Linden in Region Ten to make their submissions.”

Dead baby’s father allegedly threatens Health Centre staff Nurses of the Plaisance Health Centre are now alleging that Kevin Critchlow, the father of the dead fivemonth-old, Kevon Critchlow, threatened the staff members especially the nurses of the Plaisance Health Centre. According to reports at the time he was armed with a cutlass. The child died under questionable circumstances close to two weeks ago, according to relatives. As a result of the alleged threat, yesterday the three nurses refused to work because they expressed fear for their lives. A nurse from another health facility was sent to the health centre to render assistance. The death of the fivemonth-old baby was widely publicized recently, as it was alleged that the child was given a wrong injection at the Plaisance health facility. However, a preliminary post mortem indicated that the child died as a result of brain haemorrhage. The mother informed this newspaper that the results are yet inconclusive. Samples of the child’s blood have been taken for further testing. The Health Centre staff

… Nurses refuse to work consists of three nurses, one Medex and two community health workers. It was yesterday weakened as the now fearful nurses including the nurse who allegedly administered the wrong injection to the baby, have indicated that it is dangerous to return to the facility and refused to do so. According to one of the staff members yesterday, some time last week, on the day of the baby’s funeral, the father of the child made his way into the health facility while brandishing a cutlass, and began threatening the staff to harm them. However, yesterday, the father, Kevin Critchlow denied the claims made by the nurses. He said “I ain’t even see the nurse that bore my child yet.” He explained, “On the funeral day, I don’t even know what happened to me. All I remember was seeing my son when he came home and waking up at my brother, hours later.” He added that following the death of his son, he is now struggling to cope with

the situation. “Not too long ago I just had to lay down, my head just hurting.” In the defense of her husband, Suemede Critchlow, said that the claims by the staffers of the health centre are not being honest. “That’s a lie! Who would want to do that on the funeral day?” She said that coping with the death of her son has not been easy. “Losing a loved one is not easy; it’s hard but I’m trying because I have three other children to take care of.” The couple is anticipating the final results from the samples of blood that were taken by experts to determine the real cause of their son’s death before deciding their next step. According to a source close to the Plaisance Health Centre, it is unclear what will happen at the facility in days to come, because the assistance from the nurse was just for the day. Efforts to contact Minister of Health, Bheri Ramsarran, on the issue have since been futile.

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Kaieteur News

Saturday March 28, 2015

Unions reject Govt’s 5% pay increase offer - Wage talks resume next Thursday Jamaica Observer - The Government failed to negotiate the first hurdle on its way to a new labour agreement with its rank and file employees Thursday when an initial five per cent pay increase offer was rejected by trade unions. The Jamaica Observer was told that the Ministry of Finance made an initial offer of three per cent in the first year, and an additional two per cent in the second year, of a new two-year deal, which Finance Minister Dr Peter Phillips had said should be concluded by next Tuesday. Observer sources also said that the unions are demanding that a number of outstanding items from their 2012/2015 Heads of Agreement should be resolved, prior to signing a new agreement. The 11 unions have jointly submitted claims for improvements in the workers’ wages/salaries and working conditions, ending some six years of a wage freeze in the public sector. The new agreement will cover two years, unlike the previous two contractual agreements which were for three years. It will also possibly perpetuate the one-off payment which the Government offered as a carrot in 2013 to induce the workers to accept a further wage freeze. The Government failed to negotiate the first hurdle on its way to a new labour agreement with its rank and file employees Thursday when an initial five per cent pay increase offer was rejected by trade unions. The Jamaica Observer was told that the Ministry of Finance made an initial offer of three per cent in the first year, and an additional two per cent in the second year, of a new two-year deal, which Finance Minister Dr Peter Phillips had said

Dr Peter Phillips should be concluded by next Tuesday. Observer sources also said that the unions are demanding that a number of outstanding items from their 2012/2015 Heads of Agreement should be resolved, prior to signing a new agreement. The 11 unions have jointly submitted claims for improvements in the workers’ wages/salaries and working conditions, ending some six years of a wage freeze in the public sector. The new agreement will cover two years, unlike the previous two contractual agreements which were for three years. It will also possibly perpetuate the oneoff payment which the Government offered as a carrot in 2013 to induce the workers to accept a further wage freeze.

BL&P cuts certain Daily Nation - Barbados Light & Powder wants to cut its operating expenses by almost $30 million over the next 24 months and it has put all of its approximately 400 employees on notice that job cuts are coming. Indicating that all categories of workers from the top to the bottom of the Canadian-owned power company could be affected, BL&P’s human resources

manager Roger Babooram has presented a number of options to employees that range from pay cuts to early retirement and severance. Furthermore, in correspondence issued Thursday, Babooram reminded BL&P workers of chief executive officer Sarah McDonald’s remit that $17 million in cuts had to be achieved by the end of this year.

Saturday March 28, 2015

Kaieteur News

Co-Pilot hid mental Illness from employer - Torn-up sick notes show he should have been grounded (Reuters) - German authorities said yesterday they had found torn-up sick notes showing that the pilot who crashed a plane into the French Alps was suffering from an illness that should have grounded him on the day of the tragedy. French prosecutors believe Andreas Lubitz, 27, locked himself alone in the cockpit of the Germanwings Airbus A320 on Tuesday and deliberately steered it into a mountain, killing all 150 people on board. “Documents with medical contents were confiscated that point towards an existing illness and corresponding treatment by doctors,” said the prosecutors’ office in Duesseldorf, where the copilot lived and where the doomed flight from Barcelona was heading.Torn-up doctor’s notes found in his home would have excused Lubitz from work for medical reasons, for a period that included the day of the crash. That supported the view that Lubitz had “hidden his illness from his employer and his colleagues”, the prosecutors said. They found no suicide note or confession, “nor was there any evidence of a political or religious background to what happened”, they added. Germanwings said Lubitz had not submitted any sick note that would have grounded him on Tuesday, March 24, the day of the crash. In France, authorities said they had recovered between 400 and 600 body parts strewn across the Alpine crash site. No bodies were found intact and DNA testing would be the best way to

Andreas Lubitz identify the remains, Patrick Touron, deputy head of the criminal research division of France’s Gendarmerie, told reporters at the site. Investigators would look for pieces of uniform to try to identify the crew including Lubitz. Lubitz’s mental health and what Germanwings and parent company Lufthansa knew about it - could become central questions in any future legal case over the crash. Under German law, employees are required to inform their employers immediately if they are unable to work. A hospital in Duesseldorf said Lubitz had visited to receive a diagnosis as recently as March 10. It would not give further details because of patient confidentiality rules but said media reports he was treated there for depression were inaccurate. Reports in German media suggested Lubitz had suffered from depression in the past, and that Lufthansa would have been aware of at least some of that history. Germany’s Bild newspaper, citing internal documents forwarded by Lufthansa’s

Aero Medical Center to German authorities, reported that Lubitz had suffered a “serious depressive episode” around the time he suspended his pilot training in 2009. It said he subsequently spent over a year in psychiatric treatment. Lufthansa and German prosecutors declined to comment on the report. The airline’s CEO Carsten Spohr said on Thursday there was nothing in his past suggest Lubitz was a risk, and that after he resumed his training, he passed all tests with “flying colors”.An international agreement generally limits airline liability to around $157,400 for each passenger who dies in a crash, but if families can prove an airline was negligent they can pursue compensation for greater damages in lawsuits. “I DON’T FEELANGER” Lawyers who have represented families in past airline disasters told Reuters that potential lawsuits could focus on whether Germanwings properly screened the co-pilot before and during his employment, and on whether the airline had adequate safety policies controlling access to its cockpits. Within hours after French prosecutors disclosed their theory that the crash was deliberate, several airlines changed their rules to require two crew members in the cockpit at all times, a measure already mandatory in the United States but not in Europe. Lufthansa announced yesterday that it too would change its rules to require a second crew member in the cockpit. On Thursday, Spohr had said he saw no need to do so, sparking a social media backlash.

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Time for Iran to make tough decisions in nuclear talks: U.S. (Reuters) - Negotiations between six world powers and Iran over its nuclear program have been “tough and very serious” and the next few days will show whether Tehran is ready to make the necessary hard decisions, a senior U.S. official said yesterday. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani’s move to reach out to the leaders of the six powers on Thursday is “hopefully a sign that Iran is ready to make some of the tough decisions,” the senior State Department official added on condition of anonymity. The official said that other foreign ministers from the sixpower group, which includes Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia as well as the United States, will arrive in the coming days to join the talks in Lausanne, Switzerland ahead of an end-March deadline for a political framework agreement. Tehran and the powers are struggling to hammer out a political framework accord by the end of this month that would lay the foundations for a full settlement by June 30. “The difficulty is that the Iranians are not moving enough. They like to negotiate right up to the precipice and they’re very good at that,” a Western diplomat said. Under a final accord, Tehran would halt sensitive nuclear work for at least a decade and in exchange, international financial and oil and some U.N. sanctions on Iran would be lifted. This would aim to end Iran’s 12year nuclear standoff with the West and reduce the risk of war in the Middle East.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry with Iranian leaders Initial easing of U.N. Security Council sanctions could include “gestures” such as removal of individuals and entities from a travelban and asset-freeze blacklist and little more, a Western diplomat said, adding Tehran needed to move much further to allow a deal to be made in the coming days. He said the U.N. arms embargo on Iran would not be lifted in the initial phase after any Iran deal, adding that such a move would be unwise given the volatile situation in the region. While all sides agree they are moving closer to a deal, there are major disagreements. Tehran insists on the freedom to continue research on advanced centrifuges, machines that purify uranium for use in nuclear power plants or, if very highly enriched, in weapons, at the underground Fordow site, and immediate lifting of all U.N. sanctions and the most severe U.S. and European Union sanctions. “There has been massive progress on all the issues,” a senior Iranian official told Reuters. “There are still disputes over two issues —

R&D (research and development) and U.N. sanctions.” A Western official close to the talks confirmed that centrifuge research and enrichment in general remained the most difficult unresolved issue. The foreign minister of France, which negotiators say has demanded the most stringent limits on future Iranian nuclear activity if it is to support a deal, made clear there was more work to do while playing down the importance of the deadline. “The important thing is the content not the deadline,” Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius told reporters at the United Nations in New York. “There has been some progress, but there are things which are not yet solved.” Fabius is due to arrive in Lausanne on Saturday. His British and Russian counterparts will join the talks over the weekend. The Republican-led U.S. Congress has threatened to impose new U.S. sanctions on Iran if there is no March deal, although President Barack Obama has threatened to veto any such moves.

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Kaieteur News

Saturday March 28, 2015

Stoner to enter Suzuka eight hours race ‘The President’s 9-Hole Golf League’ kicks off with a fine start The new innovative 9Hole Golf League began in fine style with some 15 golfers participating in the first day of the League, teeing off at 3:30 p.m. on Thursday. This innovation by Golf Club President, David Mohamad, is to promote more frequent competitive golf play and to enhance the performance of golfers in Guyana and is expected to produce much stronger competition and an even higher standard of golf play on the weekend 18-hole competitions. Golfers are asked to note the following specifics concerning the League. (i) Participation is confirmed by League fee of $4,000, paid before their first competition starts. (ii) League fee is nonrefundable as long as golfer

plays in one competition. (iii) Competitions will be held every successive Thursday starting on March 26, 2015, for six weeks. (iv) Tee-off time is 3:30 p.m. (v) Competition played under the Medal Play format. (vi) Front Nine holes would be played. (vii) Winners are determined by golfer’s total performance over the 6 weeks. (viii) No player will be awarded more than one prize. (ix) Prizes will be awarded to the 1st and 2nd Best Net and 1st and 2nd Best

Gross scores. (x) Golfers’ weekly scores will also be held on a tally sheet on display in the Club House. Penalty and Disqualification: (i) More than 2 absences disqualifies the golfer from further play in the League. (ii) For each day’s absence, a penalty of +5 points (strokes) is awarded to the golfer. (iii) If the Executive considers any golfer’s conduct relating to play inimical to the interest of the Club, it may disqualify the golfer from this League.

The table shows the golfers who produced the 5 top positions for Best Net and Best Gross at the end of the first day’s play.

Saturday March 28, 2015 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) An intellectual problem may prove confusing, Aries, and reading and research reveal contradictory information. TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20) Confusion about money might be on your mind today, Taurus. This doesn't necessarily mean that your finances are in chaos. GEMINI (May 21–June 20) A relationship that you may have recently formed might have you in a dither today, Gemini. This could be romantic or some other sort of acquaintance. CANCER (June 21–July 22) You might be feeling somewhat under the weather, Cancer. You're probably stressed and in need of rest. Work concerns could also be confusing. You might have a lot of tasks to do and not be certain where to start.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) Travel plans might have you confused, Libra. You may have a number of possibilities in mind, and all seem equally attractive. SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) New earning or investment possibilities could have you in a quandary over which one is the best for you, Scorpio. SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) Your life may seem to be at a crossroads, Sagittarius. A number of different possibilities could be opening up to you. The only thing that seems certain now is that changes are on the horizon. CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19) Others' attitudes toward you may seem to be changing. You may not be sure what this means. The fact is, Capricorn, you're changing, and some of your friends may like what you're becoming and others may feel less comfortable.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) Recent successes have you feeling especially pressured to continue on your path, Leo. You may have to make some choices regarding your activities outside of career and family.

AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) A number of different and unexpected professional and personal possibilities might have you a bit confused about which way you want to go, Aquarius.

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) A letter or call from a relative could result in the prospect of an unexpected houseguest. You might be in a quandary as to what to do about it, Virgo.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) Today you might face a choice, Pisces. You might be thinking in terms of relocating to advance your career, but you could be confused about your options.

(Reuters) - Double MotoGP world champion Casey Stoner will return to competition when he enters the Suzuka eight hours endurance race with a three-rider Honda team in July. “After riding the bike in Sepang a few months ago, I’ve been speaking closely with Honda about the possibility to take part in Suzuka,” the Australian said in a statement yesterday. “It’s always been an event I wanted to do and something I was never able to consider when I was racing in MotoGP, due to our busy schedules. “The bike is very different to a MotoGP machine, but it will be a new challenge and a chance for me to try something new and unlike what

Honda MotoGP rider Casey Stoner of Australia . REUTERS/Heino Kalis I’ve been used to in my racing to this point.” Stoner quit MotoGP at the end of 2012, after winning the 2011 title for Honda, saying he was no longer

enjoying it. He has continued to test for Honda since then. The Japanese manufacturer is chasing its sixth straight win at Suzuka.

Ecclestone casts doubt on Germany’s return to F1 SEPANG, Malaysia (Reuters) - Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone has cast doubt on Germany’s return to the calendar next year and indicated that Ferrari’s home Italian Grand Prix at Monza remains at risk after 2016. This year’s German Grand Prix in July has been cancelled after the troubled Nuerburgring was unable to reach a deal and Hockenheim was unwilling to step in at short notice after poor ticket sales last year. Hockenheim has a contract for 2016 but Ecclestone, 84, suggested that was no guarantee of champions Mercedes’s home race returning. “That doesn’t make a difference,” he told reporters at the Malaysian Grand Prix on Friday. “A lot of people have a contract.” The Briton has said previously that Monza, one of Formula One’s most historic tracks and a temple of Italian motorsport since the 1920s, could be struck off after next year if a new contract is not agreed. “Whatever goes, goes,” he said when asked about European races disappearing. “There are lots of things we all would like, but we don’t have them because we can’t afford them.” In other comments, Ecclestone hailed reigning world champion Lewis Hamilton as the best yet and criticised his predecessor Sebastian Vettel. “Apart from the fact he’s talented, he’s a good guy, he gets out on the street and supports and promotes Formula One...I told Sebastian, you should be doing what he’s doing,” he said.

Saturday March 28, 2015

Kaieteur News

GMR&SC International Drag Race Meet

Anand Ramchand determined to regain title Former champion Anand Ramchand speaking with Kaieteur Sport yesterday issued a warning to all competitors set to appear at tomorrow’s Guyana Motor Racing & Sports Club (GMR&SC) International Drag Meet that he is determined to regain his crown as the top dragster in the land. Ramchand made the bold prediction in the presence of old rivals the Daby brothers Rondell and Peter, Rajesh Panday, Budhram Heeralall and Pierre Singh. The former champ disclosed that he will be piloting four cars including a Toyota Verossa, Mitsubishi Evolution, Toyota Vitz and a Toyota Starlet. He said that while he ex-

pects the opposition to be well prepared, he too has done quite a lot of work on his machines to ensure that they perform to the maximum that will enhance his chances of upstaging his rivals. Meanwhile, a source close to the Club confirmed that the event will have in attendance dragsters from Suriname and fans could expect exhilarating action throughout the day as the locals attempt to represent home turf against the strong foreign invasion. Ramchand promised the fans a day when existing records could be challenged and possibly bettered. The Superbikers are also expected to add to the excitement and Stephen Vieira,

Ricardo Fagundes and Carey Griffith will be looking to add more excitement to the day’s proceedings. Additionally, race fans will have the opportunity to witness the Porta Tree Timing System which is equipped with specialized starting lights that allow quarter mile speeds to be recorded. Races commence at 09:00 hrs and admission for adults is $1000, while children are $500 and vehicles free. Meanwhile, GT&T, Fly Jamaica, Universal Communications, Carlsberg Beer, Renta-Tent, AR. Jiwanram, Fanatix Designs, T&R Seafoods and Ganesh Parts and General Store are among the major sponsors.

Explosion envisaged at red hot Guyana Cup Fever Horserace meet Diplomatic Cat arrives for battle with Score’s Even and company With the race day getting closer, the fever is getting hotter for the much talked about Guyana Cup Fever horserace meet organised by the Jumbo Jet Business Enterprise and the Port Mourant Turf Club slated for Sunday 5th April at the Port Mourant (Big Yard) Turf Club. Seven races are carded for the day with over $10M in cash, trophies and other incentives up for grabs. The race meet is expected to be explosive with the arrival of the highly rated Diplomatic Cat, rated B in Guyana, for the feature A1 and lower event. The racehorse, which recently broke a track record in Trinidad and Tobago, touched down on Wednesday afternoon aboard a flight from Trinidad.

Revered T&T administrator laid to rest The Trinidad Express Port of Spain, Trinidad - Alloy Lequay, former Member of Parliament (Naparima), Government Senator in the NAR administration, an author, and a great sport administrator, was laid to rest Thursday having made a significant mark in many spheres of endeavour in Trinidad and Tobago. Having lived a fruitful life, 90 years after he was born, Lequay was laid to rest following a funeral service at the La Romaine Catholic Church. Born October 1, 1924, in Port-of-Spain, Lequay was a sports administrator for close to 50 years. He was a contributing founder of the Trinidad and Tobago Table Tennis Association (T&TTTA), member of the West Indies Cricket Board of Control and both a former president and CEO of the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board (T&TCB). Lequay was awarded the Chaconia Medal (Gold) for sport administration in 1988 in the field of cricket. He is widely credited for his role in founding the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board (TTCB), the organisation which transferred local cricket from its colonial past, making it a truly national sport. Fittingly, Thursday, Lequay’s body was available for viewing at the National Cricket Centre in Balmain, Couva, one of the fruits of his labour, giving many he touched the chance to pay final tribute. Many turned up. Among them, former Trinidad and Tobago national football team

Several cricketers bare the casket with the remains of Alloy Lequay. manager Bruce Aanensen, the former senior men’s national cricket team coach David Williams, TTCB first vice-president Dr. Allen Sammy, Operations Manager Dudnath Ramkessoon, former national team manager Colin Borde and outstanding excricketer and current TTCB CEO Suruj Ragoonath. At his funeral service at the La Romaine Roman Catholic Church, Fr Clyde Harvey delivered the homily, while Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Dookeran eulogised Lequay, giving insight into his career as a politician. “He lived on to become a political master strategist of our times. He gave Parliamentary voice to the people of Naparima, ushering a new energy in the politics of representation in the post-independence era. He opened up the world of opportunities to our cricketing community, particularly those who were sitting in silence in the villages and township of our

new nation. Our communities are all richer for his insight and leadership,” Dookeran stated. Dookeran added: “Alloy Lequay was a man among men, a mother of political history in our land as he gave continual birth to the inner voice of unity in our politics. No wonder he was acclaimed by the nation’s first leaders, Rudranath Capildeo and Eric Williams in their quest to make politics work in securing an authentic nationhood.’’ Dookeran said Lequay stood up when it mattered, spoke up when it would make a difference, always inspired by a better future. “Today, as we shed a tear on his passing, we see the richness of his life in the world of politics and sport. He would have touched the lives of all, particularly the young, a powerful legacy on which his ‘mortality’ would rest.’’ “Lequay is a Lara (Brian)...they come once in a lfetime,” Sammy said. “So we just have to hope somebody

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emerges as good as he was.” Ramkessoon credited Lequay for his vision in seeking to have built a national training centre dedicated to cricket. He said: “Where we stand here today (National Cricket Centre) is due to his vision. We are probably the only sport with a facility like this. And it was because of his vision why we purchased this land and look where we are today.” Ramkessoon also described Lequay as a man of great honesty and integrity, who sought to pass on his value system to those he worked with. “A great man. A great loss. A great, great administrator and a true gentleman, one that will be sadly missed,” added Ramkessoon. Former national team manager Borde remembers Lequay as one committed to youth development. “Even as he got older, his first and foremost position was look after the future,” Borde said. “He did a fantastic job, and he constantly will be missed.”

It is one of a few animals that is coming into the country with a ‘B’ class rating. The horse has been acquired by Mr. Sean Bacchus. According to Inshan Bacchus of Bacchus stable, he was very disappointed that the animal could not have been here in time for the “Clash of the Titans” meet due to problems with the plane. However it is here and will be making up for the lost time. According to Bacchus the animal was receiving special training in Trinidad and was well prepared for the occasion. It has since been burning up the track as it prepares for the Easter Sunday clash and has been sending shivers down the spine of those who have witness it in action so far. However, Dennis DeRoop of the Simple Royal Stable says that Score’s Even is ready for any challenge and at the end of the day they will all be roasting with fever when Score’s Even is through with them. On the other hand fans will be eager to see the return clash between Score’s Even and C.P Got Even as some punters believe that C.P Got Even’s path was blocked by some spectators on the track. What will be more interesting is that the distance will be 1800M and the question will be whether Score Even could negotiate the distance with over 136 pounds on its back. With animals such as the speedy and fit again Curfew Tower, Jack In My Style, Run Nana Run and Lady Budapest among others set to compete, race fans cannot ask for more. The event which is the richest on the horseracing calendar for the year so far has seen entries swelling to over 65 at the moment.

The D3 and lower over 1600M for a winning take of $800,000 and trophy also has a top class field already assembling with top runners such as Tiz a Holiday, Spit Fire, Just Call Me Boss, Unsettled, Swing Easy and introducing for the first time Big Man Boss. The other events on the day’s programme are the F1 and lower 1200M event which will also feature animals’ classified three year old West Indies and Guyana bred animals for a total prize of $940,000 and trophy. The G3 and lower event will also feature West Indies and Guyana bred and 3yrs old animals over 1200M for a combined purse of $750,000 and trophy. There is an event for West Indies and Guyana bred three year old animals including colts and fillies also for a total prize of $940,000 and trophy over 1500M. The event for Guyana Bred three year old animals also for ‘I’ class and lower horses for a total prize package of $560,000 and trophy over 1200M. The event for animals classified J2 and lower animals over 1200M has a combined purse of $375,000 and trophy. A number of added attractions and giveaways and incentives including free kites will be given away on race day. The events will be held under the rules of the Guyana Horse Racing Authority. Contact can be made with Chandu Ramkissoon (6249063 or 232-0633), Romel Jagroop (624-1798) and Irshad Mohammed on 6641650 for further details. Nazrudeen “Jumbo Jet” Mohammed Junior is the coordinator. Race time is 12:30 hrs. (Samuel Whyte)

Igor Akinfeev: Russia goalkeeper hit by flare in Montenegro BBC Sport - Russia goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev was struck on the back of the head by a flare in their Euro 2016 qualifier with Montenegro in Podgorica. Akinfeev, 28, was hit in the first minute of the Group G clash at the Gradski Stadion and was taken off on a stretcher while play was suspended. After a delay of approximately 35 minutes, German

referee Deniz Aytekin restarted the match. CSKA Moscow’s Akinfeev was substituted and replaced in goal by Yuri Lodigin.

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Kaieteur News

Saturday March 28, 2015

Letter to the Sports Editor Mohamed Shadir, Yadram star as Enterprise A and B register wins Preventative Sports Medicine Outstanding performances by Zaheer Mohamed Shadir and Bhaskar Yadram handed Enterprise A and B teams victories when their Busta T20 festival commenced recently on the East Coast of Demerara. Host Enterprise A defeated Strathaven by four-wickets. The visitors batted first and managed 159-9 in 20 overs. Martin Dutchin scored 49 and Sewchand Boodhoo 31. Mohamed snared 5-26 including a hat-trick and Chatterpaul Singh who also claimed a hattrick had 3-21. The home team replied with 160-6 in 19.4 overs. Rohan Mangal struck 61, Parmanand Dindyal 36 and Vivian Albert 25. G. Hemraj took 2-32. At Mon Repos, Enterprise B overcame the home team by 86 runs. Enterprise B took first strike and scored 188-6 in 20 overs. Bhaskar Yadram stroked 77, Seemangal Yadram 24 and Hansraj Sookdeo 21. S. Sankar had 3-30. Mon Repos replied with 102-9 in 20 overs with R. Singh

scoring 42; Pradesh Balkissoon snared 4-13 and Seemangal Yadram 2-12. At Enmore, the host beat Buxton by 15 runs. Enmore took first knock and made 1359 in 20 overs. Navindra Ghouni scored 33, Vishwanauth Ramlall 28 and Keuna Ramalho 26. Mark Chloe took 2-15 and Devon Benjamin 2-18. Buxton responded with 120-9 in 20 overs. Rawl Fredericks slammed 51; Christopher Surat grabbed 4-28 and Gavin Moriah 2-11. At Enterprise, Unity went down to Enterprise B by seven wickets. Unity scored 131-8 in 20 overs, batting first. Keith Suraj smashed 71; Seemangal Yadram had 3-19 and Afzal Rohoman 2-26. Enterprise B replied with 133-3 in 17.5 overs. Bhaskar Yadram hit 43 while Lakeram Dindyal and Nishad Ulla 31 not out each. At Lusignan, the host overcame Bravados by 36 runs. Batting first, Lusignan posted 139-8 in 20 overs. Devanand Samaroo scored

28, Kumar Bissoondyal and Somnauth Bharat 21; Anthony Ifill took 2-13. Bravados mustered 103-9 in 20 overs in reply. Ifill scored 23 as Gajanand Sookdeo claimed 3-11 and Imran Khan 2-20. At Enterprise, Enterprise A trounce Bee Hive by four wickets. Bee Hive took first turn at the crease and scored 140-6 in 17 overs. L. Rooplall scored 27 and R. Jagnauth 24. The host responded with 140-6 in 17 overs. Mohamed scored 36, Albert 35 and Brijanand Singh 27. At Enmore, Buxton thumped Golden Grove by 18 runs. Buxton rattled up 129-7 off their reduced quota of 15 overs. Rawl Fredericks got 36, R. Harte 26 and D. Glenn 21. Q. Cummings and D. Gordon captured two wickets each. Golden Grove managed 111-7 in 15 overs. S. Burges struck 50 and J. Wickham 23. Devon Benjamin and K. Booker picked up two scalps apiece. The competition continues this weekend.

Dear Sports Editor, The I.A.A.F World Athletics championship is the third largest sports event in the world. In Daegu 2011, over 2,000 athletes from 200 countries completed. Aside from winning medals, fame and other rewards on the elite level, sports participation is also important from a health perspective. There is no doubt that regular physical activity reduces the risk of premature death in general terms. Nevertheless, the evidence suggests that although sports participation is beneficial, injuries and some medical conditions are a significant side effect. This aspect becomes crucial when you consider the thousands of people of different ages, who are training and competing in so many athletics events around the world including the thousands of road races held annually, especially in tropical countries. Just recently in Jamaica a thirty-six year old woman col-

Sharapova suffers shock loss at Miami MIAMI (Reuters) - Second seed Maria Sharapova suffered a shock 7-6(4) , 6-3 defeat to compatriot and wildcard Daria Gavrilova in the second round of the Miami Open on Thursday. Sharapova trailed 3-0 in the second set but battled back to 4-3 down before her serve was broken again by the 21-year-old who broke into the top-100 this week. The pair had never met before and Gavrilova, who is based in Australia, was playing in her first Miami Open. “I have been dreaming about beating Maria since I was probably 12 when I saw her win Wimbledon, when she beat Serena,” said Gavrilova who expects to receive her Australian citizenship later this year. “I was probably visualizing beating her since I was 12 but this was a bit harder than that. I thought I was very composed and just did my best. I was believing.” Sharapova said she had lacked patience at times and attempted too many winners but she was philosophical about her loss. “It’s sport, and I happened to lose the match,” she said. “Of course it’s a bit of a surprise. I’m expected to win.” Venus Williams eased into the third round with a comfortable 6-3 6-2 win over Poland’s Urszula Radwanska

lapsed and died while participating in the Annual Sagicor Sigma Corporate Run in that country, from suspected sudden cardiac death. Although athletes are the major actors in Athletics competitions, other important participants such as team officials, spectators and local operators or volunteers, shouldn’t be ignored in the competitions medical coverage. Large sports arenas typically gather several thousands of spectators, including adult and senior individuals with potential cardiac risk and other health concerns. Although much attention is placed on the athletes on the field, a number of severe medical conditions could occur amongst spectators. In recent years the I.A.A.F. has recognized that health care and the prevention injuries of all athletes in its member Association/ Federation is an area which must be addressed. The I.A.A.F, through its medical and Anti-

U.S. name German Vogts as technical advisor (Reuters) - Former Germany coach Berti Vogts has been appointed as a technical advisor to the United States men’s national team, U.S. Soccer said. The 68-year-old Vogts assisted U.S. coach Juergen Klinsmann at last year’s World Cup in Brazil and has now been handed a permanent role with the team. “We had a fantastic experience with Berti during the 2014 World Cup,” Klinsmann said in a statement.

Maria Sharapova (RUS) during her match against Flavia Pennetta (ITA) in the BNP Paribas Open at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden. Pennetta won 3-6, 6-3, 6-2. (Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports) while Caroline Wozniacki also progressed. Williams has been away from competition for almost a month but she needed just 66 minutes to beat the younger sister of 2012 Miami winner Agnieszka Radwanska. Williams was not at her best, she made 24 unforced errors but produced 22 winners to Radwanska’s four and her passage to the next round was never in doubt. “She’s definitely a tricky

player. She puts so many balls in play. And it was a little windy today - I just had to keep my feet moving and pray my balls were going in,” said Williams, who will face Australian Sam Stosur in the next round after she defeated French qualifier Pauline Parmentier 6-1, 3-6, 60. Fourth seed Wozniacki had no trouble in dealing with American Madison Brengle 6-0, 6-1 to set up a

meeting with Estonian Kaia Kanepi. Agnieszka Radwanska had a tougher battle, surviving a strong test in the second set to earn a 6-4, 7-5 win over Slovakia’s Anna Schmiedlova. Top seed Serena Williams will be in action on Friday against Romanian Monica Niculescu, while third seed Simona Halep takes on Czech wildcard Nicole Vaidisova.

doping commission and department, is committed to working to make our sports safer for all our athletes, from novices to world Class competitors. Local organizing committees are encouraged more and more to provide adequate medical coverage for all participants at Athletics competitions. The I.A.A.F is increasingly emphasizing projects on the prevention of injuries and illnesses. Good examples of this work were put in place during the I.A.A.F world championship in Osaka 2007, Berlin 2009 and Daegu 2011. The results of these three epidemiology surveys have been published in peer-reviewed scientific journals and concluded that the incidence of injuries and illnesses among athletes should not be neglected and require preventative measures. Wayne Walcott I.A.A.F certified Athletics Coach

“His knowledge and experience is a tremendous asset for us.” Klinsmann was the captain of Vogts’s Germany team who won the 1996 European Championship. Vogts played 96 times for his country and was a member of the West Germany side who won the 1974 World Cup. He coached Germany from 1990-98 before spells in charge of the national teams of Kuwait, Scotland, Nigeria and Aszerbaijan.

Hull fined for failing to control players LONDON (Reuters) - Hull City have been fined 30,000 pounds ($44,700) for failing to control their players during a 1-1 draw against Leicester City this month, the English FA said yesterday. The fine relates to an incident in the 68th minute when Hull players surrounded referee Jonathan Moss after defender Alex Bruce was booked for a challenge on Leicester’s Riyad Mahrez. Hull appealed against the charge but an independent

commission found them guilty. “Following an Independent Regulatory Commission hearing, Hull City have been fined 30,000 pounds after an FA player misconduct charge brought against the club was found proven,” the FA said in a statement on its website. Hull, who are 15th in the Premier League table with 28 points, three more than 18th-placed Burnley, travel to Swansea City next Saturday.