Kaieteur News

Sunday March 29, 2015

Kaieteur News

Kaieteur M@ilbox

Page 5

Kaieteur M@ilbox

If heckling is a criminal offence, then the police have been grossly negligent for decades DEAR EDITOR, I write in solidarity with Vanessa Kissoon. This young woman has been bearing too much on her own. I have hesitated in the past to say anything about her travails because I did not want to become embroiled in the affairs of a party to which I do not belong. And I still don’t.

From my estimation Ms. Kissoon is of the political type that elites would rather not have around. She is working class, fearless, independent and most of all driven by an instinct for resistance not as a convenient tool but as a way of political life. I am sure she, like all of us, has not always conducted herself in the most disciplined manner.

According to news reports, Ms. Kissoon heckled at a recent PPP meeting in Linden. The newspapers originally reported that she was subsequently arrested.

The public only leaned that this was not true when Ms. Kissoon wrote to the media. We then read in the media that she may still be charged. The PPP media also reported that Ms. Kissoon’s party has condemned her behavior. Her party has not denied this report.

The coalition, of which her party is a part, is reported to be conducting an investigation into exactly what happened.

The spokesman, not a member of Kissoon’s party, explained at a Press Conference that it has advised its members to stay away from other parties meetings. The inference here is that Ms. Kissoon may have violated a directive from the leadership. He opined that Ms. Kissoon may have been baited by the PPP. Importantly, he did not unambiguously defend Ms.

Kissoon against what is clearly a ploy by the PPP to use the police to harass opposition members and supporters under the guise of law and order.

I don’t know if heckling at a public meeting is a criminal offence. If it is, then the police have been grossly negligent in discharging their duties for decades. The question is why all of a sudden the police are threatening opposition activists for heckling? But my big question is why in the face of this the APNU/AFC seem to be more concerned with whether Ms. Kissoon violated a party advisory than the fact that she is now being targeted for harassment?

Here is my concern.

Ronald Waddell was first harassed before he was killed.

The protestors at Linden were harassed and maligned before

three of them were killed.

Courtney Crum Ewing was harassed before he was killed.

In all three cases Civil Society and the Opposition Political Leaderships eulogized them when they were dead. But when they were being harassed these people did nothing and said nothing.

Some of them, I am sure, did not even take notice. The political leaderships, Civil Society, the Media and to some extent the general populace must bear some responsibility for these killings.

It is why I am using my pen to alert the nation to what I see as a calculated plot to harass and harm opposition activists. Only a few weeks ago the long arm of the state traveled across the seas to threaten another activist for making the linkage between reckless political rhetoric and

murder. Others have since said exactly the same thing and have not been warned to desist.

Clearly some are marked.

I use my pen and voice to call on the APNU/AFC and Civil Society to raise your voices at the slightest harassment of political activists. You may in the process upset some possible sinister plans. Don’t wait until they are dead to picket and sign petitions; do so while these people are being harassed. Harassment is the stepping stone to worse things. When they get through with harassment, they are emboldened to go further.

Frankly, I fear for Vanessa Kissoon’s life. We did a horrible job at protecting Crum Ewing from the bullet. We are doing a horrible job of protecting Vanessa Kissoon; Guyana does not have her back. Her political leadership is more concerned about political correctness that protecting her. For me, I have long stopped depending on the Opposition and Civil Society elites for solidarity.

I do what I have to do in the name of fairness and justice and resign myself to the consequences. Some of us are expendable it seems.

But it’s not too late for us to stop being a nation of deniers and correctness. As Nelson Mandela once said “There comes a time in the life of a nation when we are left with two choices-submit or demand.” That time has long come to Guyana. Vanessa Kissoon is not submitting because she recognizes that we are in the presence of the most politically depraved moment in our post-colonial experience. I end with this message to Vanessa KissoonIf my pen and my voice mean anything, I have your back.

David Hinds

LETTERS CONTINUED ON PAGE 13

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Kaieteur News

Kaieteur M@ilbox

Sunday March 29, 2015

Kaieteur M@ilbox

My home is extremely modest; please see for yourself DEAR EDITOR, In a letter in the Stabroek News of March 26 with the title “Exercise in poor judgement,” Mr. GHK Lall had this to about of my character; “I heard from reliable sources a few years back about the funding for Mr. Kissoon’s house...he should have known better…he not only compromised himself, he contaminated himself too…yes he has deteriorated.” (end of quote).

These are not only strong

words but a pointed condemnation.

In 2006, I began construction of my home in Tukeyen. I wanted a better house than the one I lived in at Wortmanville. I was now a parent and wanted better for my daughter. The issue of the funding came up when Bharrat Jagdeo and Donald Ramotar told their audience in 2006 at the Babu Jaan death anniversary of Cheddi Jagan that businessmen helped to build my home. Donald

Ramotar repeated that in a letter in the Kaieteur News.

Around the same time, the head of the Guyana Revenue Authority, Mr. Kurshid Sattaur, referred to my home as a mansion in a published letter to the Kaieteur News. I replied and invited a representative group, meaning from state and private, of the Guyana Press Association to visit the house to ascertain the interior contents. I have an upper working class home. And that

The PPP and Intellectual Property DEAR EDITOR, I am glad to see Stabroek News has covered the PPP’s blatant theft of Francis Bailey’s video footage in a recent advertisment. Three years ago, as is his typical of inimitable and brash illogic, Dr. Roger Luncheon excused the Ministry of Education’s piracy of textbooks with this statement: “You could be a publisher with a copyright and you could offer to sell me the book for $1. My friend is a good photocopy artist and he could sell me the book for 10 cents. All of you are going to bid but who do you think is going to get it” As a writer, this was something I found myself virtually alone addressing at the time, with the political parties responding but senior people in the arts remaining completely silent.

Today, with elections imminent, the PPP’s basic and crude philosophy of complete disregard for intellectual property rights is now on full display. It started with Ramotar’s first campaign speech in which he blatantly plagiarized a 2012 speech by Barack Obama. These are Obama’s words:

“Over the next four months, you have a choice to make, not just between two political parties or even two people – it’s a choice between two very different plans for our country.”

This is Donald Ramotar’s appropriation of those words, without any attribution: “Over the next four months, you have to make choices, not just between three individuals or parties – these choices will determine the future of our country.”

Even his wardrobe and the décor were imitations of the Obama ad. It did not however stop there. As was featured in Stabroek News recently, a young man, Delon Moffett, started a social media campaign with the hashtags #moveforward and #movingforward.

After various attacks on the campaign, suddenly the PPP suddenly started using the hashtag #movingforward together. A similar experience happened with the Guyana National Youth Council and their Vote Like A Boss campaign, with the PPP appropriating the term and adding, “Vote PPP/C”.

It was also recently discovered that two weeks after the Cummingsburg Accord was launched, 11 Internet domain names containing various combinations of APNU and AFC were registered by Alexei Ramotar, the President’s son and the man behind the fibre optic cable disaster. This is called cyber-squatting and is not only unethical but illegal in many jurisdictions.

The APNU+AFC coalition came up with its campaign slogan, ‘It is time’”, and a week after the PPP launched their campaign song, sung by Trinidadian artists, “It is time”.

And now there is the Francis Bailey incident. What this shows is not ad hoc or

random instances of complete disrespect for intellectual property, but a deliberate campaign of intellectual property theft with impunity.

However, what is surprising to me is not that it has happened, but that people are shocked by it. Stakeholders – artists, writers, musicians and other creative people – not only should have expected this environment but are also equally culpable because no one speaks up on such a basic issue.

On a perhaps tangentially related matter, the Minister of Culture, Dr. Frank Anthony, is about to leave office and to date, we have not seen any corroborating evidence of him having delivered the over 30,000 copies of books that he has claimed to have printed under the Caribbean Press, with the majority being distributed to schools.

This is the number of books for which he has received parliamentary funding approval.

When pressed to corroborate that her Ministry has received anywhere near that number of books, Minister of Education Priya Manickchand fails to respond.

This is basic accounting and accountability, and now you have not one but two ministers who seem to have tacitly collaborated to blinker the public – if these books have been produced and are in schools in the numbers they are supposed to be, it should be the simplest thing to confirm delivery and receipt, and the exact numbers.

I close by repeating my call for a thorough audit of the Caribbean Press’ operations and indeed every area of cultural expenditure over the past eight years.

Ruel Johnson Janus Cultural Policy Initiative

can easily be verified. The marital bedroom and that of my daughter’s are not selfcontained. So much for it being a mansion. Since 2006, I have openly written about the accusations leveled by Jagdeo and Ramotar. I have publicly discussed the funding of my house and the class category it fell into several times in my columns and in letters to the press.

Once more, I will discuss it. I implore Mr. Lall to show me in what ways I have deteriorated. His language was strong and I am assuming he has his proof. But this I can tell Lall; his sources are not reliable and it calls into question his research competence.

The land and my home were secured from the savings that my wife and I earned over decades of hard public service work. Together we would have achieved over fifty years of employment in the public sector.

Three friends whom I have known long, long ago did what was natural for any human since civilization began – they wanted to help in small

ways and they assisted in small ways. These were not controversial business people. These were people who earned their money the old-fashioned way, and were humans with immense integrity who have no political connections.

They were and are my friends. The mutual fondness and respect live on. I know of nothing in their lives that they have done that have contaminated me and caused me to deteriorate in the quality of my character.

These are not rich and wealthy Guyanese who are rapacious people that when you take money from them, you are compromised.

The total sum was three million dollars A fourth person, a professional, insisted that I take $50, 000 because he went ahead of me when we were friends and earned dozens of millions while I remained a poor academic.

Sadly for me, he became enticed with power and our friendship withered away.

Where did GHK Lall get his information from? Who

compromised me? Who contaminated me? Since I moved in my home in 2007, in what ways have I deteriorated?

Assuming that Lall has evidence (I am not aware that between 2006 and2007, Mr. Lall lived in Guyana), he needs to show the ways in which I am contaminated and have deteriorated. There must be specific areas of sycophancy and compromise on my part that he knows about.

I will close by saying this to Mr. Lall. He has no clue (maybe because he was out of Guyana for too long) about the nature of Guyanese society. His “reliable sources” may very well be contaminated people and in relying on them he became contaminated in the process.

But this I will do for Mr. Lall.

Since he knows who gave me the money then he can demand through the editors of SN and KN, I answer his questions about the politics and morality of these business donors. I never back down from a fight. I will answer the questions Frederick Kissoon

These elections are about stopping...

From page 4 government purchasing of pharmaceuticals is a sore point because billions of taxpayers’ dollars are thrown behind it, yet critical drugs paid for never find their way at the state institutions to help in the delivery of health care. The issue of education and the policy of undermining the nation’s premier institution of learning to deny the future generation quality education, since the government functionaries and cohorts can use scholarship schemes and so forth to send their children abroad must be of concern to all.

The issues of power generation, telecommunications and broadcasting have to be examined and cannot be allowed to remain in the hands of families and friends, because these become avenues to exploit the citizens.

The floods that we continue to experience and the poor management of drainage and irrigation continue to do untold harm to households, businesses and farmers causing them billions in un-recoverable losses.

Rather than addressing the sugar industry with the prime objective of guaranteeing work for the people who are being affected by production decline and world prices, Jagdeo and Ramotar play partisan politics with the industry, creating a gravy train to recruit incompetent friends and families as managers, digging into the Treasury to the

tune of billions under the pretext that they care about the industry, but yet at the same time refusing to develop a sustainable plan to protect the livelihood of those who will be affected by the economic status of sugar.

What the Jagdeo and Ramotar governments have done over the years is force citizens not to speak about the decline of sugar and the moneys being pumped into it without any justification to this nation, by making a case that if you speak about their ills in the management of the industry, you will be deemed anti-Indian.

Sugar by extension is being used by the Jagdeo/ Ramotar leadership to entrench themselves and continue their corrupt practices.

These are only a few issues we need to examine and put the leadership of Jagdeo and Ramotar under scrutiny.

These elections create the opportunity for the people to invest in their future and to put a stop to continuation of all the wrong things.

These elections are not about 23 years of the PPP or 28 years of the PNC; they are about the record of Jagdeo and Ramotar.

These elections are not about David Granger and Moses Nagamootoo who are incidental; they are about workers and citizens holding hands to make a change.

These elections are about an investment in the future of our children and grandchil-

dren; they are not about the members and supporters of the PPP, because they are equally shortchanged, equally denied an opportunity to live in a society where there is justice, fair play, equal opportunities and the security of knowing the government will respect you and safeguard you.

The General and Regional Elections are about the people and their future. The right to cast a ballot was fought for and the journey was long and rigorous, starting in 1926 by Hubert Nathaniel Critchlow.

Sacrifices were made by our forebears for one man one vote and electing a government that reflects our desires.

We must take these elections seriously. Roger Luncheon has said that this is the mother of all elections. I do agree with him but for a different reason.

These elections are about stopping the Jagdeo/Ramotar lawlessness, corruption and divisive politics. It is about getting to the truth about who killed the people at Lusignan, Bartica and Lindo Creek and so many of the other wrongs done in this society under their leadership. It is about restoring rights, the rule of law, accountability and good governance.

These elections are about we, the people. Your vote is your power to end wrongdoings and to help create the society you want to see.

Lincoln Lewis.

Sunday March 29, 2015

Kaieteur News

Alps crash pilot told ex ‘everyone will know my name’ Duesseldorf (Germany) (AFP) - The co-pilot who investigators believe crashed a passenger jet into the French Alps, killing all 150 aboard, worried “health problems” would dash his dreams and vowed one day to do something to “change the whole system”, an exgirlfriend told a German newspaper.

The 26-year-old woman, identified only as Maria W., recalled in an interview with the mass-circulation Bild daily how Andreas Lubitz told her: “One day I’m going to do something that will change the whole system, and everyone will know my name and remember.”

“I never knew what he meant by that but now it makes sense,” it quoted the “shocked” flight attendant as saying.

The black box voice recorder indicates that Lubitz, 27, locked the captain out of the cockpit of the Germanwings jet and deliberately flew Flight 4U 9525 into a mountainside as the more senior pilot tried desperately to reopen the door during its eight-minute descent, French officials say.

As investigators race to build up a picture of Lubitz and any possible motives, new media reports emerged saying he had suffered from vision problems, adding to earlier reports he was severely depressed.

German prosecutors believe he hid an illness from his airline but have not specified the ailment, and said he had apparently been written off sick on the day the Airbus crashed on its route from Barcelona to Duesseldorf.

- ‘Health problems’ Bild, which showed a photo of the ex-girlfriend from behind to conceal her face, said she had flown with Lubitz on European flights for five months last year and that he had had another girlfriend since her.

She said he could be “sweet” and would give her flowers but got agitated talking about work conditions, such as pay or the pressure of the job, and was plagued by nightmares. “At night he woke up and screamed ‘We’re going down!’,” she recalled.

If Lubitz did deliberately crash the plane, it was “because he understood that because of his health problems, his big dream of a job at Lufthansa, of a job as captain and as a long-haul pilot was practically impossible,” she told Bild.

She split up with him

..was psychiatric patient

Co-pilot of Germanwings flight 4U9525 Andreas Lubitz because it became “increasingly clear that he had problems”, she said.

German police found a number “of medicines for the treatment of psychological illness” during a search at his Duesseldorf home, newspaper Welt am Sonntag weekly said, quoting an unnamed highranking investigator as saying he’d been treated by several neurologists and psychiatrists.

Sunday’s Bild weekly and the New York Times, which cited two officials with knowledge of the investigation, said Lubitz had sought treatment for problems with his sight.

- ‘Alone in cockpit’ Germanwings pilot Frank Woiton was quoted by Saturday’s edition of Bild as saying he had flown with Lubitz who had spoken about his ambitions to become a captain and fly long-distance routes.

He said he handled the plane well and “therefore I also left him alone in the cockpit to go to the toilet,” he told the newspaper.

French police investigator Jean-Pierre Michel, who was in Duesseldorf Saturday, told AFP that Lubitz’s personality was a “serious lead” in the

inquiry but not the only one.

The investigation has so far not turned up a “particular element” in the co-pilot’s life which could explain his alleged action in the ill-fated Airbus plane, he said.

German prosecutors revealed Friday that searches of Lubitz’s homes netted “medical documents that suggest an existing illness and appropriate medical treatment”, including “torn-up and current sick leave notes, among them one covering the day of the crash”.

Lufthansa CEO Carsten Spohr has said that Lubitz had suspended his pilot training, which began in 2008, “for a certain period”, before restarting and qualifying for the Airbus A320 in 2013.

The second-in-command had passed all psychological tests required for training, he told reporters Thursday.

Several German newspapers Saturday questioned whether doctorpatient confidentiality should always apply.

“The case of Andreas Lubitz has already sparked a debate on whether medical confidentiality for professions like pilots must be limited,” said the Sueddeutsche Zeitung newspaper.

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Kaieteur News

Sunday March 29, 2015

Sunday March 29, 2015

Kaieteur News

Jagdeo recalls Greenidge’s record from 25 years ago, but nothing of Ashni Singh’s Former President Bharrat Jagdeo demonstrated profound recollection yesterday of the alleged transgressions under Carl Greenidge when he served as the country’s Finance Minister over 25 years ago.

But amazingly, he had no knowledge of the documented reports of financial abuses by Minister of Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh.

Jagdeo during an almost one-hour long preamble refuting statements from the opposition, sharply criticized Greenidge, A Partnership for National Unity’s (APNU) Shadow Minister of Finance.

He described the opposition member as being the most unaccountable Minister in Guyana’s history.

The former President whined at length about Greenidge saying that when the country’s economy was under his stewardship, the nation was not credit worthy.

In fact, he claimed that accounts of the country were not available for auditing for almost ten years during Greenidge’s tenure and as Minister of Finance he incurred the largest rate of external debt for the nation.

He even brought specially for Kaieteur News, a copy of Greenidge’s transport of prime land in Bel Air which he acquired just after demitting office in 1992 for $4 Million.

The former President stressed that while he does not want to venture into the past, Greenidge must face his record.

Along that same line, Kaieteur News asked Jagdeo to take a trip to present day and say when he will ask Dr. Ashni Singh, the current Finance Minister, to face his record.

Guyana’s Auditor General (AG), Deodat Sharma who is considered the guardian of the national purse has over

Former President, Bharrat Jagdeo

Minister of Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh

APNU’s Shadow Minister of Finance, Carl Greenidge

the years, reported on a number of abuses by Dr. Singh and other government officials which include the misuse of the Consolidated and Contingencies Funds.

Under Dr. Singh’s watch, the AG tirelessly called for the establishment of the Public Procurement Commission and even the implementation of the two modules of the Integrated Financial Management and Accounting System (IFMAS) that have never been used for over ten years. There have been increasing concerns from some quarters that had the two of the seven IFMAS modules been operationalized, a lot of the missing monies, assets and consumables cited in the AG’s Reports would have been avoided.

Jagdeo was also reminded by this newspaper that there has been no prosecution since the introduction of the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism legislation in 2009 and compared to other regional and international nations, Guyana’s audited reports are usually over 200 pages when compared to other territories which are

significantly less. This point was highlighted by several members of the Public Accounts Committee of the Tenth Parliament, where members said that this reflected the poor state of the country’s accounts.

But instead of telling the media when he would make Dr. Singh face his record of financial abuses, Jagdeo went into a drawn out explanation about the misgivings under Dr. Singh as though some other bizarre force was responsible for it or it simply did not exist.

He said that the Public Procurement Commission is not in place because it encountered several challenges. He conceded however that more prosecution should have occurred under the antimoney laundering laws but said nothing about his government or Dr. Singh being lax in this regard.

And as for the instances of the abuses of the Consolidated and Contingencies funds Jagdeo said, “I don’t know about any abuses.”

He did manage to recall that there was a recent ruling by acting Chief Justice Ian

Chang which said that the $4.5B spent by Dr. Singh without the approval of the National Assembly was indeed illegal.

But in the same breath he noted, “The Minister of Finance has tremendous power under the Act. You don’t expect him to stop paying wages and salaries if the opposition does not approve monies. Should they shut down the whole public sector? The doctrine of necessity allows him (Ashni Singh) to do that.

As for the point raised on the size of the Auditor General’s reports, the former President said that what the volume of the reports actually indicates to him is that the system is working and it is comprehensive. He said that one must bear in mind that it was the People’s Progressive Party/Civic that took the muzzle off of the Auditor General’s office.

The former President in all his explanations tried to give the impression that Dr. Singh is perhaps “pure and lily white” when it comes to his record.

Though he prevented Kaieteur News from following Continued on page 12

Page 9

Dem boys seh...

JAGDEO GET AND FORGET What Ebola doing to Africa and what HIV doing to mankind, is equal to what Jagdeo doing to Guyana. He destroying Guyana. Wuss yet, he destroying de people and he got he friend bringing in de drugs fuh cure dem.

Donald Dumb Dum—de man wid three Ds not three Ps—can’t see what Jagdeo doing to he plus de Pee Pee Pee. He is a disaster. Everything he plan and execute, dead just like if dem face a firing squad.

Nothing that he plan was transparent; everything was done in secrecy—even he mansion he build.

He put he hand pun Skeldon and only yesterday, he tell de nation at a press conference that he can’t remember putting in US$200 million in de plant and it still ain’t wukking.

This is de biggest investment Guyana ever see and it got de whole of Berbice walking wid dis goadie.

He sign de airport expansion contract secretly for US$150 million. In de contract, dem boys see that he paying $452,000 each fuh 69 toilet.

De Diamond Housing Scheme is another place. If you visiting a friend, you better walk. Two car can’t pass one another pun de road. You got to stop to allow one to pass but two combine can drive through de gate to he mansion.

He run out Delta, de biggest airline in de world fuh bring in he friend Easy Come Easy Go. De Berbice Bridge mekking money to pay Jagdeo friends but not NIS which can’t even pay de poor people who put in dem hard-earned money.

He is de man who allow FIP fuh flip out of Guyana wid millions of US dollars.

He give he best friends Babbie, all de drug contracts worth billions of dollars since he was Finance Minister.

He government give he friend, Babbie, millions of dollars to maintain de Learning Channel. On to now Guyana don’t know how much GPC sell for and if any money was paid.

Sanata Complex gone to he friend, Babbie, and people don’t know how much money, if any, was paid.

He allow de transfer of television to Babbie and allow he to expand countrywide when nobody else was allowed to do it.

Days before he lef office he give Babbie five radio frequencies. He also lef instruction that Babbie get a telecommunication licence.

Babbie try fuh get Bourda ground but dem boys ketch up wid him and he run. This is only de tip of Jagdeo’s iceberg and Donald Dumb Dum still can’t see that he and all wouldn’t have space in Guyana.

Dem boys seh that one of de basic differences between God and Man is, God gives, gives and forgives.

But Man gets, gets, gets and forgets; just like how Jagdeo get, get, get, get and forget he wife.

Talk half and hope that Donald Dumb Dum don’t get and forget.

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Kaieteur News

Sunday March 29, 2015

Jagdeo dodges questions Escapee, 16 others nabbed during Diamond Housing Scheme raids on his wealth - gun, ammo, equipment for

As he hosted a press conference at Freedom House, yesterday, former President, Bharrat Jagdeo refused to answer questions on his accumulation of wealth.

He was also unwilling to allow more than two questions directed to him from reporters attached to Kaieteur News.

Instead of giving the nation, through the media, an explanation of how he became one of the richest men in the Caribbean overnight, Jagdeo chose to swiftly navigate himself away from accountability. A reporter asked him to explain how he was able to build his mansion on his presidential salary.

He was also asked how he could not have given much money to his wife—Varshnie Singh—when they spilt on the grounds that he did not have, but soon after, he could afford to build a seaside mansion, probably the most extravagant house in Guyana.

But, the man who professed yesterday to be a transparent individual sidestepped the question.

“I am prepared but not to Stabroek News and anyone else. I am prepared because that is what I said.”

When Jagdeo and his wife split in 2007 it was hell for her to get her benefits. Up to 2009, there could have been no amicable settlement as Jagdeo kept saying he could not afford to give her much.

In January of 2009, a distressed Singh told the media that “the President told me that if I don’t agree to his settlement figure of $5M, he and his government would not deal with me and the hospital project will not happen.”

Singh added, “Our President says he is willing to let a judge decide what he

- limits questions from the press

Former President Bharrat Jagdeo

Jagdeo’s ex-eife: Varshnie Singh

must pay. Which Judge would be willing to hear the case and be impartial, when the most powerful and vindictive man in the country is involved?”

Jagdeo had at that time claimed that if he was to split his assets in half he could have only been able pay his ex-wife $5M. But two years later, he moved into a mansion that sits on a two-acre plot of land at Sparendaam, East Coast Demerara-the land according to Jagdeo, cost $5M per acre.

Jagdeo could not have explained this yesterday. He could not tell the media if it were a case where he did not state his real wealth in 2009 or if it is that he acquired a vast amount of wealth in just about two years, without winning the lottery.

Varshnie had said that Jagdeo told her she has no right to government resources. “Yet tax payers’ money is being splurged to pay for resources for his employees when they crash state cars, or need anything.”

The couple was married according to Hindu rites in 1998. Singh told reporters that there were at least three attempts to register the union but Jagdeo derailed the

process.

Singh had noted that the law stipulates that in the division of property, a woman in a common-law marriage is entitled to a share of the property acquired during the marriage.

She said her decision to go public was a last resort. “I wanted to avoid conflict because he is powerful and I am an ordinary person and even if I know I tell the truth it can be spun around.”

On the division of assets, Jagdeo had told the media that the issue was jointly discussed with Singh and his lawyer and he showed her copies of his declaration of income and assets to the Integrity Commission over the period that they were together.

The Opposition has time and time again made attempts to get Jagdeo to say how he acquired his wealth.

Attorney General, Anil Nandlall, is on record saying that Jagdeo entered office with “nothing.”

Government had heavily defended Jagdeo saying he had a right to his sprawling home. They had criticized an aerial shot of the seaside compound, which is equipped with pool and all.

Jagdeo’s sale of his first home in Goedverwagting, East Coast Demerara, while he was in office, for a whopping US$600,000 ($120M) had also raised eyebrows.

false number plates seized Police appear to have smashed a criminal gang following the capture of wounded Popeye’s robbery suspect Rayon Paddy and the arrest of 16 others during raids last Friday and yesterday in Diamond Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara.

Investigators are also looking for a former policeman who reportedly slipped the dragnet on Friday, during which the suspects and the police squad exchanged gunfire. A release stated that police recovered a .32 semi-automatic pistol with 12 rounds along with 17 rounds 5.56 calibre ammunition (used in M 16 assault rifles) and a quantity of cocaine and marijuana. A

police official said that a hood and pieces of metal used to make false number plates were also found during Friday’s operation, in which five houses were searched.

The official said that police captured Paddy and another man, identified only as Arthur, during that operation, which was conducted in the vicinity of Twenty-First Street, Diamond Housing Scheme.

A former policeman, who was reportedly with the two suspects, managed to flee during the brief shootout, but ranks are working intensely to capture him.

Paddy, 26, also identified as Nicholas James, of South Ruimveldt Park, Georgetown, was shot in the buttocks last

Rayon Paddy January by a plainclothes rank during a foiled robbery at the Popeye’s restaurant on Vlissengen Road. He subsequently escaped from the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation.

A police official said that ranks searched 15 houses in Diamond Housing Scheme and detained 15 other suspects.

People and Jaguars can co-exist...

Locals urged to inculcate conservation methods Just as how countries change poor habits to make things better, it is the same way wildlife conservationists say that habits have to be changed in Guyana for people and animals- in their natural habitatto co-exist.

Participants of Panthera Corporation (Guyana) are working to help locals better co-exist with particularly big cats which the charitable organization has devoted it’s time to preserve around the world.

According to the organization the co-existence of people and jaguars constitutes a regular challenge. Jaguars which are indigenous to the Amazon region are not welcome in rural areas and their presence can be intolerable for many people.

“Ironically, this intolerance is caused by the similarity between jaguars and

Guyana’s unspoiled rainforest is home to the country’s national animal; the jaguar human beings. Jaguars and humans are approximately the same size; we both eat meat, and, therefore, we contend for the same prey species, wild or domestic.”

The most common argument for not wanting to coexist with jaguars is the fact that they feed on what should be exclusively people’s food: domestic cattle. Another similarity between jaguars and humans is that both are formidable predators. Jaguars are admired for their hunting skills, but feared for their ability to defend themselves or attack humans, which very rarely happens.

“In reality, it is us, humans, who persecute and kill the jaguars. And as a result, jaguars are disappearing.”

The difficult task of promoting the co-existence of people and jaguars is somewhat accepted, but there is information on how jaguars live and why they come into conflict with people. There are practical measures to prevent jaguar depredation

on livestock and show that the damage caused by jaguars is small when compared to the devastating impact that we have on them.

The indiscriminate, direct killing of jaguars hastens the disappearance of this feline.

The persecution of jaguars is usually associated with the predation of domestic stock.

“Ranchers will kill – or mandate the killing of – jaguars that simply show up on their properties or are directly associated with losses in their cattle herds.

However, the decision between killing the problem jaguar, taking management actions with the herd to solve the problem or simply tolerating the loss, depends on a series of socio-economic and cultural reasons.”

In addition, jaguars are also killed even when they do not threaten cattle. The fear of these cats, the sport and entertainment of the hunt, and/or the demonstration of bravery by confronting a (Continued on page 12)

Sunday March 29, 2015

Kaieteur News

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Berbice Bridge sinking NIS

By Christopher Ram Recently the National Insurance Scheme made news on two scores: the first that it will not receive any dividends on its investment in preference shares in the Berbice Bridge Company Inc., and the second that there are more than 1,500,000 contributions which have not been credited to the workers’ accounts.

I was disappointed rather than shocked when I saw Ms. Doreen Nelson, General Manager of the NIS, sitting passively next to her Chairman Dr. Roger Luncheon announcing that persons were not coming forward to help clear up the contribution mess in the NIS. Ms. Nelson knows that his statement contradicts the experiences of many contributors who try, sometimes for years, to persuade the NIS that the contributions recorded in its records are less, sometimes significantly so, than the actual contributions they have made over their decades of working life and contributions.

A client has been engaged in frustrating correspondence for more than four years persuading the management of the Scheme that his entitlement is a pension rather than an Old Age grant. I myself have had fifteen telephone calls to Ms. Nelson over the matter and all I hear is that the NIS is looking into it. Frustrated with the delay, the poor fellow travelled to Guyana from the USA over the Christmas holidays only to be told that it was Christmas time and the matter would have to wait until the holidays were over!

I reported this to the General Manager several weeks ago. She said that was not good.

BUYINGAPIG IN A POKE Contrast this with the speed with which the NIS doled out $950 million to the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL) to pay for non-performing preference shares in the Berbice Bridge Company Inc. Here is that story. In December 2013, the PSC, which apparently shares the same PR with NICIL and the Berbice Bridge Company Inc., broke the news that the NIS had acquired from NICIL preference shares with a face value of $950 million in BBCI. What a difference a year made.

One year later, in fact on December 29, 2014, BBCI wrote the General Manager of the NIS informing her that the company would not be paying the NIS any dividends

Chartered Accountant Christopher Ram on its newly acquired investment! According to BBCI’s CEO, the company did not record a profit in 2014.

Of some interest is that while the Bridge Company claims that it has not made profits, it has failed to file its 2012 and 2013 annual returns as required by law. In fact it was only after I called on the Registrar of Companies to enforce the law with respect to annual returns that a demand was made on the company. As far as I am aware the company is yet to comply.

But back to those preference shares.

Unfortunately for the workers of the country whose pension is tied up in the NIS, this was another hustle by NICIL and Winston Brassington to raise desperately needed funds for the company.

If you have to wonder why a holding company should be desperate for cash, it means that you have not heard about the Kingston Hotel. To any Guyanese who has been observing how Winston Brassington operates, however, it should be no surprise. But even Brassington’s well-known indiscretions do not make the announcement of no dividends to the NIS less shocking in its seriousness, crass in its brazenness and gross in its shamelessness, or detrimental to those who have contributed to the Scheme.

WILLING COCONSPIRATORS In fairness to Brassington, he could not succeed without some willing co-conspirators.

He succeeded because of the spinelessness of the members of the Investment Committee of the NIS and the conflicting roles of Dr Roger Luncheon who happens to be a director of NICIL and Chairman of the NIS Board at the same time. In relation to the preference shares, he was both buyer and seller!

No doubt one will hear that the Board of the NIS has an Investment Committee and that the Scheme’s Investment Strategy has been approved by the Minister of Finance Dr. Ashni Singh who,

Accountant, Christopher Ram, has warned of financial troubles with the Berbice River Bridge.

coincidentally, has statutory responsibility for the Scheme and is the Chairman of NICIL! But like the money from GGMC to the Central Housing and Planning Authority, reality, decency, propriety and legality were the least of the factors in the imposition of the “acquisition” by the NIS of shares that for several years had earned its owner NICIL nothing by way of dividends.

The press has counted and recounted the story of the Bridge Company’s creative accounting and financing perpetrated by Brassington, first as a promoter and later as Secretary of the Company. In his capacity as company secretary, Brassington personally engaged in incomplete and inaccurate statutory reporting that concealed the extent of government funds invested

in the company.

And when the glowing financial projections for the company turned out to be no more than cock-eyed accounting, he as an officer of NICIL and its directors, engaged in the illegal waiver of hundreds of millions of dollars of dividends due by the Bridge Company to NICIL, directly or through its subsidiary.

CONCLUSION The tide is going out on the Bridge Company and it is leaving the NIS adrift. Over the years I have offered both warnings and advice to the Bridge Company, most recently in September 2013.

Here are two examples: 1. “With its high borrowings, liquidity dangers for the Bridge Company are never too far from the surface.

This concern is not helped by the improperly prepared

financial statements such as the word “maturity” in relation to the repayment of more than $5,575 million in corporate bonds.”

2. And drawing on information contained in BBCI’s 2011 financial statements I calculated that “in 2014, the company will have to find some $610 million to repay Tranche 1 and another $100 million or so to

repay other loans which will become repayable. If the company is unable to meet those obligations, it would find itself facing what is called ‘cash-flow’ insolvency.”

I suspect that the unwillingness by the directors to file the annual reports of the company for more than two years may have something to do with the poor state of their finances.

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Locals urged to inculcate... PPP, APNU+AFC hold rallies today (From page 10) powerful animal, are also reasons why some people kill jaguars.

However, one of the principal threats for jaguars is habitat loss; jaguars are losing the environment in which they prefer to live. The principal habitat of the jaguar is the forest. “Latin American countries for example lose immense areas of tropical forests each year because of deforestation for agriculture and mining. Some countries, like El Salvador, have eliminated so much jaguar habitat that they have no significant populations left.

Brazil, as another example, loses a larger area of tropical forests per year than any other country in the world.

The largest portion of that loss occurs in the so called “Arc of Deforestation”, stretching from the state of Pará to the state of Acre, passing through northern Mato Grosso and Rondonia.”

Regulating deforestation is an important factor in

conserving jaguar populations, but the loss of habitat continues, as does the loss of jaguars with it.

Jaguars are very active animals that can hunt during day and night, but they show more activity after sundown and before sunrise. Once prey is captured and killed, the jaguar often drags it to a place with closed vegetation. The jaguar usually consumes first the forequarters of large prey, choosing the meat from the neck, chest, shoulders, and ribs, spending several days consuming the same prey.

Calves and smaller prey can often be entirely eaten.

Jaguars kill domestic animals. And where they do – especially where there are chronic problems – these areas are strongly associated with areas where natural prey has been diminished by deforestation, hunting and the advance of agriculture and introduced pastures.

These activities increase the proximity between jaguars and domestic animals and

Jagdeo recalls Greenidge’s...

From page 9 up on his answers provided, he was later asked by another media entity whether he is trying to paint the picture that Dr. Singh’s record as Minister of Finance is spotless.

To this Jagdeo said, “I think Ashni is a bright young man.

I think he has done a great job as Minister of Finance. But he has been the subject of a vicious campaign by several persons because they can’t get their way of shutting down the country so people can’t be paid and projects not funded.

“They have made this about an accountability issue rather (than) procedures. When you have disagreements over procedures, you go to court and they interpret. They made it look like Ashni stole the money …the police have made it clear that if you think he has breached procedures, that is a civil matter. There is no criminal liability and I don’t think he has breached any civil law but they made it look like Ashni is a thief and he is not. He is a person of great integrity… it is a campaign to make PPP/C people look that way.”

decrease the potential for jaguars to encounter natural prey.

Some measures to address these issues suggest that persons should not allow hunting on their property; if the cats have sufficient food in the forest they are less likely to bother your cattle.

“Don’t shoot any cat that you see. It is possible that the cat is not the cause of the attacks on your cattle. Cats that are injured lose the capacity to eat their natural prey and are forced to seek easier prey (such as cattle or domestic pigs). So, instead of solving a problem by killing cats, you are causing another one.”

Prevent livestock from entering the forest or fenced pastures next to the forest.

Most livestock attacks occur in or near these areas. Make water available for your grazing livestock to keep them from getting into the forest in search of mountain streams.

Keep the cattle that are most vulnerable, like pregnant cows and calves, far away from the forest and preferably near a house. If it is possible, keep them enclosed at night.

If it is necessary to use pasture lands where problems are occurring, put bulls or large animals (buffaloes) that are less likely to be attacked in these pastures. Keep the animals together at night in a pasture or an enclosure near a house. Keep record of your dead animals and the causes of their deaths.

Bury or burn dead cattle (including those that die either by attack or for any other reason) to prevent cats from finding their corpses and getting used to eating such meat. Concentrate the breeding season to avoid having calves born (which are the most vulnerable to attacks) during the entire year.

Panthera Guyana is working towards introducing more conflict oriented projects to aid with the local problems of conflict between big cats and humans. As the body continues work here, efforts are being made to make public information available through various means.

at Kitty and Whim respectively The two main political parties are set to hold rallies at Kitty in Georgetown and Whim in Berbice today. The People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) will be holding its first grand rally today at the K i t t y M a r k e t S q u a r e w h e r e t h e k ey speakers will be its Presidential Candidate, Donald Ramotar and Prime Ministerial Candidate, Elisabeth Harper. Former President Bharrat Jagdeo is also expected to take to the podium.

A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) will take its Unity train to Whim on the Corentyne.

It should also be noted that Whim is the birthplace of the Prime Ministerial Candidate of that coalition, Mr. Moses Nagamootoo, as

well as an AFC Executive Member, Dr. Veerasammy Ramayya. The Unity rally will move off from the Square of the Revolution at 14:00 hrs to Whim, Corentyne.

The rallies of both parties begin at 17:00 hrs. Preparations on both sides of the political spectrum have heightened over the past days for these two major rallies.

The coalition has been erecting green and yellow flags along the utility poles in New Amsterdam and Corentyne. The party has also inscribed road markings ‘Vote APNU/ AFC’ along Main Street in New Amsterdam.

Also, several key speakers are slated for the Whim rally, including Presidential Candidate, Ret’d Army Brigadier, David Granger among others.

Sol paints manatee holding pond

(Fifth from left back row) General Manager, (GM) of Sol Guyana, Orlando Boxhill with staff who participated in the painting project.

As part of its 10th anniversary, the Management and Staff of Sol Guyana yesterday painted the environs of the Manatee Holding Pond at the Botanical Gardens.

General Manager (GM) of Sol Guyana, Orlando Boxhill, noted that the company has grown tremendously over the past decade.

He explained that as part of the company’s social responsibility, the painting of the manatee pond has become an annual event.

“We are not only about supporting the commercial aspects of the business but there are social projects that we do and these promote the wellbeing of the environment…We receive

thousands of requests and we see which ones are more relevant such as education and the environment.”

Sol has awarded 51 Scholarships to Caribbean students, including Guyanese, who are pursuing studies in the faculties of engineering, Social Sciences and Science and Continued on page 64

Sunday March 29, 2015

Kaieteur News

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Drinking Poison: The punishment behind it

By Dr. Zulfikar Bux One who is depressed and has suicidal thoughts will often think of ways to take their life. Drinking poison is a common way of suicide in Guyana. It is portrayed in movies as a dramatic and very fast way of taking your life.

Not widely known and portrayed are the punishing effects that one has to experience once they drink lethal doses of poison.

To see a patient show remorse for their actions and have a punishing death is never a happy moment for medical personnel. The

People always seek to escape from the routine and the coming weekend provides such an opportunity.

But that same opportunity is going to be provided to some people whose preoccupation is to torment the honest and hard-working.

But law enforcement always tries to keep abreast, with the result that they will arrest some people of interest who opt to leave the coastlands for these hotspots.

suffering and pains of someone who drank poison are etched in the memories of every healthcare worker that experiences this moment of turmoil. There are those that are saved and given a second chance in life while others are not so fortunate.

Today I wish to shed some light on the pains and suffering associated with drinking poison that are not often known. I will discuss the three most common categories of poisons that cause deaths in Guyana.

For obvious reasons the brand names will be withheld, but these three groups

** One of the horrifying crashes would take place soon because people will take chances. A team travelling to the city would encounter a crazed young driver who had just left a village bar. Intoxication would be at the root of the crash but the police will have a torrid time getting the necessary proof.

At the same tome the hospital would be hard-pressed to find blood. Carelessness is putting pressure on the medical services. ** Domestic violence is always there and as can be expected another woman would be at the receiving end. At the same time, the police will make an arrest for a gruesome murder that left a woman’s dismembered body on the foreshore east of the city.

represent the majority of suicide-related poisons in Guyana.

ORGANOPHOSPHATES These are used by farmers as a fast-acting pesticide/ herbicide. Unfortunately they act even faster in humans.

Someone who drinks an organophosphate will have a horrible experience. Think about the worst episode of vomiting and diarrhea you have ever had in your life.

What if I told you that drinking an organophosphate will make your worst experience with vomiting and diarrhea look like a “walk in the park”?

These patients would vomit and have diarrhea faster than a nurse can clean and change them. They will complain of terrible abdominal pains, vomit blood, urinate and defecate themselves constantly, cough and choke on their mucus (cold), and beg for help.

We will try our utmost with medications and active management to prevent the worst effects of this poison which is still yet to come.

Those that are saved are often scarred for life while patients that didn’t survive show a face of remorse as their body shuts down against the fight to keep them alive.

PARAQUAT/ DIQUAT This is another pesticide/ herbicide which is banned in most countries, but is often illegally used here. It has one of the highest death rates for poisons once ingested.

There is no known antidote and it has one of the slowest and most painful deaths I have ever seen in my medical practice.

Patients who drink more than a teaspoonful of this poison will most likely die.

They would start feeling upset and have vomiting and diarrhea on day one. By day two their mouth and intestinal tract begin to erode and cause tremendous pain to the point where eating becomes a distasteful experience. From day 2-5 these patients have the false hope of beginning to feel better but start to have an annoying cough.

Subsequently, they gradually develop shortness of breath that slowly worsens over days. The best way to describe the events after this is “the experience of being drowned in water that lasts for a few days”. All these patients can do is panic and beg and fight for their lives while they gasp for air. Death comes slowly and painfully.

ALUMINUM PHOSPHIDE This poison is used as a

fumigant for commercial foods and products, preventing rodents and insects from contaminating them.

Unfortunately, although not imported for rodenticide use, there are commonly used in households as the infamous “rat poison”. Once ingested, it acts rapidly on our body depriving every organ of oxygen. This leads to toxic effects on our heart, lungs and brain causing us to die from shock.

Patients will come in and be very confused and act like they are “possessed”. After a short while they may bleed from their mouth and nose and become even more restless. Their death is unavoidable, especially if they present late for treatment.

As you can see, drinking poison is not a “walk in the park” and it often results in the victim having, once taken, a life that cannot be given back. A life preserved is a chance given for redemption.

We all will have good and bad experiences in our lives, the only way we will get to live the good experiences, is by picking ourselves up during the bad times. Suicide will always remain a terrible experience. Winning suicide is the best chance at getting

Dr. Zulfikar Bux to see the pleasant surprises that life may have waiting around the corner.

(Dr Zulfikar Bux is an Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine at the Vanderbilt University and Medical Center and holds the position of Head of the Georgetown Public Hospital’s Accident and Emergency Department.)

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== THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN ==

Really, in which ways am I contaminated and have deteriorated?

Well known letter writer in the Stabroek News and Kaieteur News and a critic of the PPP’s dictatorial governance, GHK Lall, has made some pyrotechnical accusations against me. Inflammatory insinuations against me is territory I live with, will have to live it, and will never be able to shirk off given human nature.

Writing in the March 26 edition of the letter pages of the Stabroek News under the caption “Exercise in poor judgement,” Mr. Lall had this to say about of my character; “I heard from reliable sources a few years back about the funding for Mr. Kissoon’s house...he should have known better…He not only compromised himself, he contaminated himself too…

Yes he has deteriorated.”

Is Mr. Lall about to board the PPP’s campaign? Since construction began on my house in 2006, the issue of the funding came up when Bharrat Jagdeo and Donald Ramotar told their audience in 2006 at Babu Jaan that businessmen helped to build

my home. Donald Ramotar repeated that in a letter in the Kaieteur News.

Around the same time, the head of the Guyana Revenue Authority, Mr. Khurshid Sattaur, referred to my home as a mansion in a published letter to the Kaieteur News.

Since 2006, I have discussed the funding of my house and the class category it fell into several times in my columns and in letters to the press.

Once more I will discuss it. I implore Mr. Lall to show me in what ways I have deteriorated.

My home was built with money earned over decades of hard public service work by me and my wife. Three friends who are not questionable business people, but humans with immense integrity who have no political connections and are not people surrounded by controversy, gave me assistance to the tune of three million dollars.

They were and are my friends. The mutual fondness and respect live on. I know of nothing in their lives that they have done that have contaminated me and caused

me to deteriorate in the quality of my character.

These are not rich and wealthy Guyanese who are rapacious people that when you take money from them, you are compromised. A fourth person, a professional, insisted that I take $50,000 because he went ahead of me when we were friends and earned dozens of millions while I remained a poor academic. Sadly for me, he became enticed with power and our friendship died, died definitely.

Where did GHK Lall get his information from? Who compromised me? Who contaminated me? Since I moved in my home in 2007, in what ways have I deteriorated. Here are some of the facts since 2007 when this upper-working class house was completed. And yes, my home is either lower middle class or upper working class but definitely not middle class.

In 2010, the whole of Guyana and the Diaspora knew that there was a big disagreement between me and the Kaieteur News and

the columns were stopped at the time. There have been two attempts on my life. My wife was harassed out of her public sector job in 2011 just before the national elections.

In 2012 my UG contract was terminated five months before its expiration.

I have participated in almost every conceivable picket or demonstration on human rights violations since 2007 when I moved in to the house that according to Mr. GHK Lall, I compromised my character over. I was one of the organizers of the CrumEwing days of vigil. I have castigated members of corporate Guyana that have mistreated their workers or the public. Corporate Guyana is morally questionable.

If some of these huge business places have not been visited by pen then there may be reasons, but not because they gave me money

to build my home, because that is not true. I don’t know the billionaires in corporate Guyana. I don’t want to know such people. Our worlds will never meet. The interior of my house is definitively upper working class. I drive a car bought in 2000 with duty free status because of my employment at UG. Finally, my world has been shaped by people who didn’t chase after material things and I will always live like these people. The list includes three of the founders of the Working People’s Alliance Brian Rodway, Eusi Kwayana and Tacuma Ogunseye; Catholic nun Sister Mary Noel Menezes; Catholic priest,

Frederick Kissoon Father Andrew Morrison; Jehovah Witness preacher Fred Phillips, formerly head of the Georgetown Club in the seventies.

I built my home with my own money. I didn’t take hush money from business people.

I am the same independent person as when I first saw the mistreatment of my father fifty years ago. I have no interest in wealth and power.

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Sunday March 29, 2015

Guyana should be gearing for a ‘green economy’ The first principle of the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development states that “Human beings are at the centre of concerns for sustainable development.

They are entitled to a healthy and productive life in harmony with nature.” It has not been quite so in Guyana.

The health, well-being and quality of life of the population in both hinterland and coastland have not been

central to government policy.

The People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPPC) administration has no comprehensive environmental protection strategy to ensure that human concerns are satisfied while economic goals are pursued ‘in harmony with nature.’

Guyana’s favourable geographical location and abundant assets should be conducive to developing a ‘green economy’ – one that

generates human happiness in ways that are consistent with economic exploitation of its natural resources.

A ‘green economy’ is one that sustains economic prosperity, environmental security and social wellbeing. It allows the current generation to satisfy its needs without jeopardising the opportunity of future generations to satisfy theirs.

The PPPC administration’s failure to

embrace the idea of a ‘green economy’ and to promulgate a comprehensive national environment strategy is perplexing, in light of the evidence of climate change and continuing, man-made damage to the environment.

There is no good reason why there should be so much disarray in policy, damage of the environment and danger to people’s lives.

Guyana’s biggest problems are those of solid

waste management, coastal zone conservation, flooding, public health, and damage to rivers and forests by poorly regulated mining and logging practices. A strategy is needed to protect the population from hazards, to preserve the environment from further degradation and to sustain development.

Air pollution is a serious health hazard. Residents on the coastland close to rice mills and saw mills, affected by dust, have complained of respiratory illnesses.

Residents of the west bank of the Demerara River in the mining town of Linden endured decades of dust pollution. They have all called on the Environmental Protection Agency and the Ministry of Health to investigate industries which discharge dust into the air.

Coastal zone management received patchy attention only as part of the government’s Low Carbon Development Strategy which sought to generate carbonabsorbing plants.

The planting of salt watertolerant mangroves along the East Coast Demerara foreshore, as part of the administration’s efforts to strengthen this country’s capability to prevent or mitigate floods, started only in January 2009. It is too early to calculate its effects.

Deforestation has been the most visible consequence of the ‘gold rush’ in the hinterland, especially over the past decade.

The mining sector is now larger than ever. Its sudden expansion, however, spawned a new ‘entrepreneurial’ class of persons with little mining experience and foreigners, some here illegally, with little concern for the country’s long-term development.

Many new operators brought earth-moving equipment and introduced techniques which resulted in increased deforestation, riverine pollution and environmental damage. Many new miners seemed unaware of, or unconcerned about, mining legislation and regulation.

Mining districts – especially in the BarimaWaini, Cuyuni-Mazaruni and Potarao-Siparuni Regions – have been scarred by barren, treeless landscapes; minedout tracts; discoloured, siltladen creeks; eroded river banks; toxic pools of stagnant water and debris of used tyres, torn tentage and broken equipment. Solid waste mismanagement remains the single, greatest challenge to people living in

the city, towns, neighbourhoods and villages all over the country.

Municipalities lack the resources to improve the collection and safe disposal of debris and waste.

Marine litter – consisting of man-made, solid material that does not decompose easily, which has been thrown into the marine and coastal environment – results in a continuous build-up of refuse. Evidence indicates that the vast majority of marine litter comes from landbased sources such as municipal landfills located near to the coast, riverine transportation, untreated municipal sewage, overflows from commercial agricultural and industrial facilities and recreational activities on the coast.

Public health has been threatened by reckless mining practices. The courses of creeks and rivers have been altered by erosion and tailings.

Surrounding settlements and farms flood during the rainy season.

Residents have frequently complained of skin disorders after using river water. Noise from the dredges which operate on a continual basis with pumps removing water from the pits working into the night and fumes of fuel and smoke are a nuisance.

Water pollution has been blamed for the persistence of diarrhoeal-, vector-borne-, chronic respiratory- and cardiovascular diseases.

Malaria has become more prevalent in places where stagnant water in abandoned mining pits provides breeding places for mosquitoes. Rivers are the main, sometimes sole, source of fresh water for drinking, bathing, washing and for travelling to farms for hinterland communities.

Guyana’s mineral and natural resources, efficiently exploited and properly employed, would be more than enough to transform the hinterland into a land of prosperity. There could be enough money to finance the infrastructure, schools and security which are essential to the ‘green economy’ and which are the foundations on which to build an equitable society that is ‘in harmony with nature.’ There must be new thinking if Guyana’s natural resources are to be harnessed for environmentally responsible growth, the long-term creation of a ‘green economy’ and the prospect of a good life for all Guyanese.

(This article was first published on 27th October 2013)

Sunday March 29, 2015

Kaieteur News

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MY COLUMN

The showpiece called the Rodney Commission The Walter Rodney Commission of inquiry was long in coming. I remember that the first time that this issue came up Rupert Roopnaraine was a Member of Parliament.

There was an issue over a word in the motion, “assassination” in relation to Rodney’s death. The opposition objected and in the end that word was removed.

But somehow, I knew that there was going to be a drive to blame Forbes Burnham because over the years since June 13, 1980, there was talk that Burnham had used an agent to murder Walter Rodney. There was no love lost between them, although one would have expected that the old school tie would have been a common bond.

When Rodney died I distinctly recall that Burnham said that he wanted a thorough examination and that the chips should fall where they may. Those for sure were not the words of a guilty person. I remember Burnham, at Government’s expense, bringing in forensic experts from overseas.

I never saw the report, but recently when the commission began to sit I learnt that the report was in the hands of the commissioners.

I am still surprised that there has been no publication of that report, or even a mention. Instead there has been a parade of people who wanted to blame Burnham who is now long dead.

Given the nature of the politics in Guyana, I expected to see this issue become a political talking point. Ever since, the PPP has been blaming Burnham for all the ills in the society and even today, nearly thirty years after his death, his name is still being talked about from the political platform.

There is no mention of Desmond Hoyte who succeeded Burnham and changed those things that the People’s Progressive Party found objectionable.

By ignoring Hoyte, the PPP was trying to take credit for everything post-Burnham and they would include those things that Hoyte did, like lifting the import restrictions, freeing up the economy and creating organisations that are now being used as cash cows by the ruling party. One of them is the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL) And so we had the commission with people lying through their teeth. The Commissioners seemed to like what they were hearing, so they gave these people the latitude to say anything to link Burnham to Rodney’s death.

The parade was almost unending, with some of them returning ad infinitum to add whatever their minds conjured up.

But there were people who were close to Rodney and who were not afraid to tell their side of the story.

There was Jomo Yearwood who left his home in Cayenne to come to Guyana to testify to Rodney being fascinated by detonators and actually transporting them with assistance from his brother, Donald. The Commissioners did not want to hear that, so Jomo was put out of the hotel in which he stayed and left to fend for himself after he had given his evidence in chief.

No attempt was made to reimburse him the money he spent to get here or to return home before he could be cross examined. In fact, I doubt that he would ever get a chance to say to people exactly what he knew and why he left his native Guyana.

Then there was Gregory Smith, the man accused of planting a bomb on Walter Rodney and killing him.

Evidence surfaced that Rodney and Smith were friends, that Smith joined Rodney’s party, that he was embraced and was used extensively by Rodney and his party.

Evidence came out that when Rodney died the party, Working People’s Alliance, decided to use the death as a means of blaming Burnham.

How else can one explain the comment that “some good will come out of this?”

Things did not end there.

The WPA is now being fingered in Smith’s disappearance from Guyana.

We also hear that during the tenure of this very government, Smith was given a passport in another name, that he visited Guyana after

Rodney’s death, albeit before this government came into office, and of course, that the very WPA travelled to Suriname to meet with people who had associated with Rodney up to the time of his death.

Jomo testified that when he called the WPA to say that Gregory Smith was in Cayenne, the party hierarchy told him to forget it, that Smith was in another country. He named the people who said as much to him.

Rodney’s sister repeated a similar story as told to her by her brother. Surely she could not collaborate with Jomo to present such a story and in such detail. There is a woman who will tell a similar story, but the Commission is not trying to get her, although she is here in Guyana. She was the woman who identified Smith.

It was my classmate, Dr Roger Luncheon, who made me realize the direction in which the Commission was heading. At a press conference he announced that the death was being laid squarely at Burnham’s feet.

When I asked him about evidence to the contrary, he described them as aberrations. How he could so conclude only tells me one thing—that at this time the aim is to blame Burnham for everything conceivable, even to the point of ignoring Burnham’s successor, because he too is an aberration.

I understand that the Commission also has tons of evidence that is pointing them in another direction, but that will not come to light because the aim is not to get to the truth.

The fact is that Donald Rodney knows what happened, but he is not talking, because he does not want to change the image that

the people who care have of his brother.

And the Commissioners also know this. The Chairman had attended a rally where he lambasted Burnham soon after Rodney died and here he is, presiding over a forum that would allow him to justify his 1980 ranting and ravings.

For me, whichever way the chips come down will not place or remove a crumb from anyone’s table. There will be the same feel as most Black people now have about those people who were executed in 1823 for demanding their freedom. They don’t even

know the martyrs’ names and they don’t care.

It is the same with the young people of East Indian ancestry when people talk about the Enmore martyrs or about those killed at Rose Hall Canje at the turn of the last century, in 1913. They, like the rest of the society, simply want their leaders to make their lives better. History can wait for those who care.

By the time the elections of May 2015 are over, Rodney would be forgotten until the next elections when Burnham, for some strange reason, always reappears. He was

Adam Harris with the PPP at Babu Jaan and he will be with the party all through the campaign, only to be discarded until some time in the future.

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Sunday March 29, 2015

Disturbing rise in the incidence of rape

By Latchmin Sarah Punalall, Chairperson of Women for Change Within recent months quite a number of women were raped across our country.

In recent days, the nation was thrown for a loop – twice with consecutive discoveries of two female bodies on the seawall in geographically close communities on the East Coast of Demerara.

Investigations are just

beginning so it’s too soon to tell whether they were sexually assaulted, but this naturally has been the first assumption.

Many women and girls silently endure the traumatic experience of rape, feeling unable to give voice to their torment and mental torture.

Too many of our women have been taught to “stay quiet”.

In some cases, the fear of confronting the abuse is cultural, since rape and other types of sexual abuse are viewed as “a shame to the

household and community”.

The building of the fear to speak out usually starts from childhood and is used as a means of safeguarding the girl’s character.

On the other side of the coin, some victims of sexual assault are portrayed negatively, accused of ‘wanting’ the assault, or that they cried ‘rape’ because they were caught or found out.

Too often, while the females are vilified, the rapists are protected, especially

when they come from influential families with money and connections.

Sexual trauma has become a hot-button issue in this country. It is no longer the odd event that happens once in awhile. It is a constant, sore presence and a social problem that has to be confronted by governmental and nongovernmental agencies.

Trauma occasioned by sexual assault has the potential to become a chronic emotional/mental disease that

could last a lifetime. Too often we hear from a victim, “I just can’t get over it”.

This is a cry for help, an indication that this person is in need of counseling and other types of social and medical interventions.

Beware, unstable minds brought about by sexual assault and other kinds of personal traumatic events have the capacity to disturb the harmony of a family, the peace of an entire community, and the break-up of married couples and strong friendships. In short, mental disturbances shatter our safe world in the short term.

What must be done to help these victims? First we have to re-socialize our girls and help them understand that they must speak up as soon as the assault occurs, or if they get the impression that it could happen.

Our communities, towns and city need to have established emergency procedures for rape victims that include police intervention, medical tests and certificates of verification of sexual assault and a variety of reporting mechanisms to connect the medical interveners to social services.

In addition, every responsible adult must be part of the solution. This requires us to be more watchful and willing to offer support rather than condemn the victims.

With regard to the rapists or those showing potential to commit crimes of this nature, how do we help them?

Some of these people may themselves be drugs, alcohol or pornography abusers.

Others just discharge overt or covert hatred for certain people of the same or opposite sex, while some demonstrate inappropriate behaviour whenever they encounter particularly vulnerable young women or even boys.

There must be institutions and trained people placed or living in every community to whom victims, potential victims and observers could turn to make reports or to sensitize parents. It really does take a community to mould a child into a well rounded, confident adult.

For decades these services that are so necessary for maintaining peaceful, harmonious communities have been sorely lacking.

Our people have lost

Latchmin Punalall touch with their individual and collective responsibilities for each other’s welfare, and for the development of their communities.

The Coalition comprises six community-focused parties determined to promote self-development and we recognize that we have to start at the beginning.

This process will be arduous and it requires the buy-in of every Guyanese who recognizes the need to protect our young and the well-being of our living spaces.

There have been new inventions and modern styles of intervention already implemented in the developing and developed world which we would be wise to emulate. We have learnt of a modern service provider called a traumatologist.

These are highly trained personnel who function in medical centres to provide counseling and other types of guiding services. Guyana needs people of this calibre positioned in our medical institutions across the nation.

Of course, the quality of services provided by medical centres in the inland regions would first have to be upgraded to acceptable standards.

One of our guiding principles is to “confront organized crime and redress the breakdown of law and order”. Encapsulated in this mandate is the protection of all citizens in the workplace, in the privacy of their homes, at recreational events or as they travel around on legitimate business.

This responsibility comes with the title of “Government”.

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SUNDAY SPECIAL DON’T STOP IF YOU DON’T SEE AMARKED POLICE VEHICLEAT ROADBLOCK – TOP COP Commissioner of Police, Seelall Persaud, announced that unless it is absolutely necessary, all police roadblocks should be conducted in proximity to police stations or should be done by uniformed ranks in clearly marked police vehicles.

The announcement came in response to queries following repeated cases of men in police uniforms robbing persons at illegal roadblocks.

The Police Commissioner advised that should someone notice a roadblock that is set up in an area that is far from a police station, especially at nights, that person should try to call the police on 911 or the nearest police station. ”They should try to contact us as quickly as possible, once they see a suspicious looking roadblock,” Persaud said.

Many questions are being asked about police roadblocks, in the wake of the previous week’s robbery of a chicken delivery truck at Mahaicony. ”For almost a year, the Guyana Police Force has issued instructions to its ranks that all roadblocks must be conducted with at least a Sergeant in uniform and must be authorized, with the marked police vehicle bearing the station where it originated from.

The Divisional Commander must be aware, so too should the operations room in the division. This is to ensure that they know the number of ranks on the operation, where they are operating and the time the roadblock is to be conducted.”

APNU+AFC HAS PLANS FOR BOBBY RAMROOP… SOLE SOURCING OF DRUGS WILL COME TO AN END UNDER COALITION GOVT. Leader of the Alliance For Change (AFC), Khemraj Ramjattan recently asserted that once the coalition, APNU+AFC assumes office, the sole sourcing of drugs in Guyana will come to an end.

His comments follow a series of concerns over the years as it relates to the Health Ministry’s continued sourcing of drugs from the New Guyana Pharmaceutical Corporation (NGPC) without competitive bidding, despite frequently promising to cease this practice.

New GPC is owned by former President Bharrat Jagdeo’s best friend, Dr. Ranjisinghi

Commissioner of Police, Seelall Persaud ‘Bobby’ Ramroop. That company has been supplying the bulk of the drugs to Government for the past 15 years, ever since it was acquired by Ramroop in 1999.

The political opposition has even linked this practice to the cause of the extreme shortage of pharmaceuticals existing in the local market.

Ramjattan said that APNU + AFC feels that there must be some supervisory role over this process through the establishment of the Public Procurement Commission which will be the body to ensure that all the rules are adhered to in order to secure value for money.

The AFC Leader said that it will be up to the body to decide when sole sourcing is “absolutely” necessary. ”Sole sourcing will be used where applicable as in the case if the country requires a particular machine and only one company at that time can provide it. But it must not be misconstrued that we are going to politicize the body, because that is just totally out of the question, but given my understanding of it and the workings of procurement processes, I can tell you that that is how sole sourcing is supposed to work.

MONDAYEDITION HUNT DOWN THOSE WHO HAVE NOT RETURNED POLICE UNIFORMS - PUBLISH PHOTOS OF ALL WHO ABSCONDED – EX-COMMISSIONER Former Commissioner of Police Winston Felix is advising that the Guyana Police Force employ sterner measures to recover police uniforms that can be used to commit criminal acts by persons posing as lawmen.

The former Top Cop was responding to queries from this newspaper following recent reports that criminals are pouncing on unsuspecting citizens by dressing in police

An example of a properly organized roadblock. uniforms and setting up illegal roadblocks.

Felix, who served as Commissioner from 2004 to 2006, strongly believes that the force should hunt down those persons who have left the force and have not returned their kits.

“The Force should not leave anybody who has absconded to remain in possession of their kits, they must hunt them down,” said Felix. ”If a rank goes absent, the police have procedures to deal with the recovery of their property-go and search for them,” he added.

Kaieteur News understands that police ranks are given one kit per year. This kit which consists of three shirts and three pairs of trousers (in the case of males) and three skirts (in the case of females), must be turned in the following year in order to uplift a new one.

Even if the uniform is badly damaged, it must be turned in so that a proper record could be made.

If a rank should leave the Force without turning in their uniforms and other police property, the police would then forfeit whatever funds they have at the police credit union to pay for the unreturned items.

However, this would not adequately address the problem, since the outstanding uniform could still be used for criminal activity.

RAMKARRAN SAYS…NEWSPAPER TRYINGTO INTIMIDATE ME INTO SILENCE Former Speaker of the National Assembly, Ralph Ramkarran has come under attack from the Guyana Times.

The fact that these attacks came almost immediately after he publicly condemned statements made by former President Bharrat Jagdeo has led Ramkarran to believe that the newspaper is seeking to penalize him and simultaneously send a warning for him to back

off.

Last week, Ramkarran chided Jagdeo for attempting to justify his “Cadillac lifestyle” by painting a picture suggesting that the late former President, Cheddi Jagan had a similar life style.

There were outraged responses by many people to Jagdeo’s statement, including Clem Seecharan, Peter Fraser and two distinguished Guyanese historians living and working in the UK. But the most telling came from Nadira Jagan-Brancier, the Jagan’s daughter, Dr. Tulsie Dyal Singh and Sadie Amin.

Ramkarran had set the ball rolling by stating it was “sinful” for Jagdeo to make the comparison he did. Now, Ramkarran believes that he was being penalized for defending the legacy of the founder of the Party he spent many years in.

Ramkarran lamented the attacks in his most recent article published on his website, www.conversationtree.gy and said that it was “expected.”

TUESDAYEDITION MORE SHOCKING REVELATIONS…CONTRACTS TO BUILD MARRIOTT SIGNED BEFORE FEASIBILITY STUDY DONE Government is facing pressure to withhold final payments to the Chinese contractor of Marriott Hotel, Shanghai Construction Group (SCG), until a forensic audit is done to determine whether the firm complied with local tax and other obligations.

Writing on his blog site, chrisram.net, prominent accountant and lawyer, Christopher Ram, Monday blazed Government and Winston Brassington over a number of irregularities that have become public knowledge, raising the ire of the Opposition.

The accountant was highly critical that Brassington and Government signed contracts for the hotel since in October

2011, but only had the critical feasibility study done by a Miami-based consulting firm in September 2012. The feasibility study is the assessment that tells whether a project makes economic sense. ”Yet the contract for the project, comprising several documents, was signed by Brassington and Michael Zhang, Managing Director of S.C.G. International (Trinidad and Tobago) Ltd. in October 2011. ”Shortly thereafter the contractor was paid billions of dollars on a project whose feasibility was under study.” Ram believes that the Marriott feasibility study was typical of Brassington’s usual response to concerns about the feasibility of any project: “get a study done by someone to whom you dictate all the favourable parameters.

ROHEE DISTANCES PPP FROM JAGDEO STATEMENT Belatedly, General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), Clement Rohee, on Monday sought to defend the legacy of his Party’s founder leader, Dr. Cheddi Jagan.

This came two weeks after former President Bharrat Jagdeo made comments which some say were challenging to the legacy of Dr. Jagan.

As he sought to defend his opulent lifestyle characterized by a seaside mansion, use of a private jet and fancy vehicles, Jagdeo told the media that Dr. Jagan lived similarly and that his house, located on a prime piece of land, was extravagant for the time he lived in.

On Monday, Rohee blasted critics who have condemned the Party for “straying” from the principles of Dr. Jagan, and those who criticized the party for staying quiet while Jagdeo made the statements he did. Rohee labeled these critics “born again diplomats.”

The criticism leveled

against the Party came from former PPP executive members and the daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Jagan, among others.

Former PPP executive member Ralph Ramkarran had said that it was a sin for Jagdeo to equate his lifestyle and that of current government ministers to that of the Jagans and called on sitting Party leaders to condemn his statements.

Rohee, who professes to be a true “Jaganite”, had refused last week to comment on the issue.

The General Secretary told the media that he was not distancing himself from Jagdeo’s statements but said it should not have been seen as the position of the Party.

“Jagdeo expressed his views as he saw it on the matters to which he spoke. Those views, it must be recalled, were not expressed by the General Secretary of the Party, the official spokesperson of the Party.

It is grossly unfair, unprofessional and unbalanced to attribute Mr. Jagdeo’s statements to what the Party stands for,” said Rohee.

Rohee added, “When a member of the PPP expresses a viewpoint…It is best left to the leadership of the PPP to pronounce authoritatively on such matters.”

WEDNESDAYEDITION SIGNING OF MARRIOTT CONTRACT BEFORE FEASIBILITY STUDY DONE… THIS OUTRAGEOUS ACT OF DISRESPECT MUST BE DEALTWITH CONDIGNLY –GREENIDGE A Partnership for National Unity (APNU)’s Shadow Minister of Finance, Carl Greenidge, says that the fact that the Marriott Hotel deal was signed before the feasibility study was conducted represents “an outrageous act of disrespect for the nation”.

He said that it is a matter that needs to be dealt with condignly.

The disclosure was initially made by Chartered Accountant, Chris Ram on his blog site, chrisram.net on Monday. Ram urged that final payments to the Chinese contractor of Marriott Hotel, Shanghai Construction Group (SCG), be withheld until a forensic audit is done to determine whether the firm complied with local tax and other obligations.

The accountant was also highly critical that NICIL’s Head, Winston Brassington, and Government signed contracts for the hotel since in October 2011, but only had the (Continued on page 45)

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Sunday March 29, 2015

Article 13 and what it means to the “new” Guyanese

By Zena Henry Sporadically, Article 13 of Guyana’s Constitution has been used to remind citizens of their role in the political system. More recently, with two political parties coming together, this part of the law seems to be gaining prominence - especially when the issue of national development and the citizens’ role come up.

While elders say a unified State was a direction sought after but not achieved by both the nation’s most influential political leaders, it seems to be the returning mantra in what some say could be the most important election in the country’s history.

For a modern Guyana that readily enjoys a state of sustained development, many activists, philanthropists, business persons, citizens and even politicians have pointed to a politically and racially unified nation. And many have recognized Article 13.

Article 13 of the Constitution of Guyana states that: “The principal objective of the political system of the state is to establish an inclusionary democracy by providing increasing opportunities for

the participation of citizens, and their organizations in the management and decision making processes of the State, with particular emphasis on those areas of decision making that directly affect their wellbeing.”

This means that citizens are just as important as politicians or government when it comes to decision making. In some cases they are the most important, since they are the ones directly affected and finance projects or repay State loans.

When citizens’ input is limited in the country’s developmental plans, there can sometimes be confusion and mayhem, especially when the decision seems to benefit a few, a clan or a group. But, more importantly, the actions of government can then become questionable.

Political commentators and observers say that a “rogue” government can then emerge.

Rampant corruption, breakdown of State institutions and disrespect for the rule of law then become traits in a system where citizens do not know their role or rights, lack any say in critical matters and are not allowed oversight.

It was merely history being repeated when

Ming told his audience that the “new” Guyanese must be informed businessman, philanthropist and former parliamentarian Stanley Ming, reminded of the old war and political tactic of “divide and rule”. In a special presentation held at the New Thriving Restaurant recently, Ming reflected on what he believes is a “deliberate act in Guyana to keep citizens uneducated and unaware of issues, so that they cannot make informed

decisions.”

And in a multi-ethnic society like Guyana, where the legacy has been to keep the groups separated to maintain power, ignorance is a weapon in their political armory. Unaware of events and political happenings; whatever information the mind is fed - particularly by those in trustworthy positions - it becomes the “unconfirmed truth”.

This then leaves room for a greater manifestation of the “divide and rule” concept.

With the acceptance of an uninformed support group, measures and policies are then reapplied to fit the agenda. Over time, citizens ‘feel the squeeze’ and society breaks down.

Article 13, some commentators say, can be the lifeline to Guyana’s problems, but citizens need to “get with the programme” to undo the damage which Ming opines is the fault of past generations.

The businessman has recently invested in putting together a seemingly attainable 15-year development plan for Guyana which has been endorsed by

some local politicians and international bodies presented with the idea.

But according to Ming, specifically the nation’s youth will have to see the new Guyana come on board come May 11. He has also hinted to the new Guyanese citizen taking control and responsibility for their future; demanding transparency and accountability, and most importantly, demanding to be engaged. According to Ming, the new citizen is pertinent to the modern Guyana that will be overseen by a government under the control and eagleeye of the citizen.

The internalization and enactment of Article 13 by citizens will see the widening of an integrated people that will be engaged in conversation, because the State will be obligated to find out what the people want before they act. Governments must ask Guyanese, “what do you want?”

Ming’s vision materialized when two years ago his children said to him that Guyana might not be a viable option in their future.

According to Ming, this

statement motivated him and brought him to tears, because he then understood that he and those of his era had essentially “failed the young people.”

He told the gathering that he now believes that he was not doing enough, because he failed to stand up for what was right. “Politicians have been doing many wrong things in the country. Many of us did not say anything; we did not want to rock the boat. That’s why we are today, where we are. We stuck our heads in the sand and when we should have stood and said what was right and wrong, we didn’t.”

“It is time for this generation to right the wrongs and stand up for truth and right, or Guyana will soon be a living disaster. The option we all have is the ballot box and traditionally we have been divided by two major political parties for their own personal benefit. Guyana is young and we (citizens) hold the trump card.”

Ming’s vision for Guyana proposes that within those 15 years, the nation can be (Continued on page 31)

Lee Kuan Yew's Caribbean rescue...

From page 20 international stability and security”.

Not all of the Heads of Government at the Commonwealth Summit would have welcomed Lee Kuan Yew's practical and pragmatic intervention, but they recognised the wisdom in it.

Lee Kuan Yew received a respectful and careful hearing to what was a thoughtful and defining intervention – one which Secretary-General, Shridath Ramphal, developed into a forward-looking statement from the Summit that focussed “on the early return by Common-

wealth Caribbean countries to the spirit of fraternity” and to the undertaking of “a study of the special needs of small states consonant with the right to sovereignty and territorial integrity”. Several positive consequences flowed from Lee Kuan Yew's statement at the Summit, first it helped to bridge the divide that had occurred between Commonwealth Caribbean countries that had participated with the US in the Grenada intervention and those who had opposed; it led to the first definitive study on the challenges confronting Small States; and it confirmed

the value of Commonwealth Heads of Government meetings attended by Heads themselves.

Lee Kuan Yew should be remembered in the Caribbean for the positive and constructive role he played at the 1983 Commonwealth Summit.

(Note: this commentary is based on personal notes and material released after 30 years) (The writer is a Senior Fellow at the Institute of Commonwealth Studies, University of London) Responses and previous c o m m e n t a r i e s : www.sirronaldsanders.com

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Corruption and the Guyana Police Force

By Dale Andrews The undisputed findings of the LAPOP Survey; the comments being made about the investigation into the Neesa Gopaul murder; the current claims that Courtney Crum-Ewing’s reports of threats against his life were not taken seriously; all speak to a seriously dysfunctional organization which letter writers, among others, believe should be dismantled.

The incessant outcry about the police actions in the performance of their duty is like a wail of anguish, not unlike a voice crying in the wilderness. National concern is further fuelled by reports that the criminally-inclined are getting the better of their victims by operating in ways similar to how police ranks conduct themselves. The recent Mahaicony roadblock robbery is one such example, reminiscent of the spate of similar incidents on the East Bank of Demerara.

It has been argued that the Guyana Police Force (GPF) is continuously exposed to both local and overseas training courses.

What is not clear to the public is what the administration has in place to ensure that the

acquired knowledge and skills are transferred to the relevant individuals and units.

It would be interesting to know what benchmarks and timelines are set which guarantee that beneficiaries of those training programmes pass on what they have learned.

Regardless of what type and level of training is received, the perception that corruption is rife within the ranks of the GPF is arguably supported by the apparent incompetence displayed by members of the organization.

The half-baked manner in which criminal investigations are conducted cannot be laid at the feet of the incumbent

Head of Law Enforcement.

That does not mean that the question should not be asked about what his predecessor(s) did to promote investigative efficiency within the Criminal Investigation Department to ensure successful criminal prosecutions.

This article looks at corruption in police forces and presents readers with an opportunity to identify and align their experiences of corruption and its manifestation(s) in the Guyana Police Force. It is important to note, however, that despite the frequent reports and complaints of malpractice and misconduct,

there have not really been any public revelations of high profile scandals involving the Force. However, this has not lessened the widespread concern about the standard of ethics and integrity within the primary law enforcement body.

I was not born then, but my subsequent readings have led me to conclude that at the time of its independence, Guyana had just emerged from a period of internal conflict, and therefore could be termed a postconflict state in transition.

This meant that state institutions like the Police Force bore residual elements of its former colonial repressive characteristics.

Therein was presented a challenge to build a premier native law enforcement agency which commanded the respect of all within the national borders.

Shaw (2002) referring to the South African Police (SAP) force in Crime and policing in post-apartheid South Africa: transforming under fire, posits that, “there is no example of a postconflict transitional society that has been able to build a legitimate police agency.”

To support his position he

argued that the SAP, being more of an army than police, was the de facto coercive arm of the apartheid government, and which engaged in “random arrests, torture and assassination” while trampling on the human rights of residents and political dissidents. Shaw concludes that the SAP operated outside of its “protect and serve” mandate and was a corrupted body in a corrupted state.

In his Institute for Security Studies paper on Corruption and the South African Police Service: A review and its implications), Andrew Faull notes the threat and potential impact of corruption as it “undermines democracy and social justice, thereby deepening poverty, fuelling organised crime and stunting efforts to promote human security” (150/200).

Although corruption often involves the misuse of public power for private gain, for the purposes of this article, corruption is defined as any action which embraces the offering, giving, soliciting or acceptance of an inducement or reward to influence actions against the interests of the organization (GPF), and includes bribery;

violence and brutality; fabrication and destruction of evidence; racism; and, favouritism or nepotism.

The problems that beset police forces, including our own GPF, are aggravated by a failure to formulate and implement progressive policies to address among other issues: gifts and hospitality; inappropriate association, drugs misuse, computer misuse, sexual misbehaviour against the public etc..

Tim Newburn in Understanding and Preventing Police Corruption: Lessons from the literature, lists among the many types and dimensions of corruption that affect police forces: (1) corruption of authority - where by virtue of their position officers accept some form of material gain without actually breaking the law; (2) ‘kickbacks’ - when goods, services or money are received for referring business to particular individuals or companies; (3) opportunistic theft refers to stealing from arrestees, from traffic accident victims, crime (Continued on page 31)

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Sunday March 29, 2015

Sunday March 29, 2015

Kaieteur News

Article 13 and what it means to the...

(From page 28) physically reconstructed to match some leading nations; institutions and services improved, significant investments in various sectors and an educated people enjoying sustained development.

His findings came from various studies done on Guyana years ago by various foreign agencies and even by former colonial rulers, but was failed to be presented to

citizens.

He emphasized, however, that this change is impossible without the demands and scrutiny of the people, especially if a winner-takesall political system is to remain in Guyana.

The recently established Guyana National Civil Society Council (GNCSC) has for some time been pushing for the widespread acceptance and incorporation of Article 13 in daily society. They have

based the existence of their civil society organization on the law that empowers the people.

However this institution like the Guyana National Youth Council (GNYC) which seeks to educate and encourage young people to vote, have both come under attack by the current Administration. The verbal attacks and attempts by the government to disrupt the work of these bodies are

efforts some say, to deliberately limit or restrict citizens’ knowledge of rights and power.

Whatever decision citizens make on May 11 will obviously have its effects, whether positive or negative, but one thing is clear, political observers say, it will be their job to keep their leaders in line if this multi-racial economy is to join the train of sustained and continuous development.

Corruption and the Guyana...

(From page 29) victims and the bodies or property of deceased persons; (4) ‘shakedowns’ – acceptance of a bribe for not making an arrest, not recording or following through on a report or complaint; (5) protection of illegal activity - protecting the continued operations of persons engaged in illegal activities such as prostitution, pornography, drugs, (human trafficking); (6) ‘the fix’ undermining of criminal investigations or proceedings, or (misplaced court files); (7) direct criminal activities - when police officer commits a crime against person or property for personal gain; (8) internal payoffs – when prerogatives such as holidays, shift allocations, promotion, (lucrative postings) are bought, bartered and sold; (9) ‘flaking’ or ‘padding’ - planting of or adding to evidence particularly in drugs cases.

Worth highlighting is the acceptance of free drinks, food or money to allow a bar to play loud music to the annoyance of residents, or to

remain open after closing time.

Corruption takes many forms and prospers in all manner of environments.

Among the extensive literature on the similarities in the organisational cultures of police forces globally is an agreement that common traits include those of group solidarity.

Then there is a code of silence engendered by an unhealthy suspicion of civilians, which produces the type of enabling environment that fosters and protects corrupt members.

Altogether, with the immense discretionary power with which frontline officers are endowed, the possibility exists that without close supervision, ranks may be susceptible to widespread corrupt and criminal practices.

Therefore, to sensibly address corruption in the GPF, the organisational culture must be a paramount consideration with particular regard to policy change.

(Brogden et al 1988; Crank 1998) Comments from various quarters suggest that low salaries are the cause of police corruption and other forms of professional misconduct. It would be interesting to know if, and in what ways, low salary levels

impact negatively on the performance and conduct of the other essential services including the Guyana Fire Service, Guyana Prison Service, and the Guyana Defence Force, or even the nursing profession.

It is quite obvious that nurses, and fire fighters - just to name two categories, do not have the same kind of discretionary powers, or opportunities to abuse their powers, that police ranks have.

Encouraging the monetary discourse is likely to fuel its perpetuation, resulting in greater acceptance and buy-in from both the public and police.

This then contributes to a revolving wheel where acceptance of police corruption becomes the norm.

However, this is not to ignore

the likelihood that higher salaries will make these occupations more desirable and respected professions, thereby contributing to the sustenance of integrity and dedication; while I do believe that corruption will not be completely eliminated, but the stakes will get higher.

No more will a rank accept the pittances now being paid as bribes; instead of the “Towel”, they will demand the “Granger”.

The current practice of paying 5% increases to the essential services in line with the rest of the public sector should be reviewed to give essential services members, in addition to the annual public service wage increase, a performance-bonus cum merit increment.

(To be continued)

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Strategic malaria interventions yield successful results (From the Desk of the Vector Control Director, Dr. Reyaud Rahman) In 2014 we saw our efforts bear fruit. These efforts were characterised by the creation of new structures, the strengthening of existing structures and the disciplined work of our central and regional vector control workers.

Moreover, we have seen a dramatic decrease of malaria cases throughout Guyana. So much better than previous years, and on track to be the lowest Guyana will see, even in the immediate future.

We have highlighted specific tasks which are seen as priority for the decrease of malaria cases even further. It is therefore necessary to strengthen surveillance, get communities to become more involved in vector control activities, use innovative tools available for faster diagnosis and educate the atrisk, as well as general population, on malaria control and prevention methods.

One intervention seen as necessary is to ensure cases are captured in a timely manner and ensure that to the stage of severe malaria. In this day and age, no one in Guyana should die from malaria. We are a country that

Dr. Reyaud Rahman has made significant strides in healthcare in Guyana, even though we still have some way to go; there is always room for improvement. We have ensured that facilities always have medications to treat malaria and there is no stock out of medication, we have ensured that there is the best quality of drugs available to treat malaria. After persons use the first line drug for P. falciparum malaria, they feel better after the second dose in most cases.

In order to capture these cases that do not present to a health centre, hospital, health hut or health facility, there is a need to set up strategic points for testing where most

of the at-risk population would traverse (Ogle Airport etc.). This will ensure that persons that are potentially infected with malaria can access the services in a manner which is convenient and greeted by polite and courteous staff.

Discourteous staff and long waiting periods are seen as being among the main detractors for the public going to private institutions. It should be highlighted that the national system has the best means of making a diagnosis (Malaria Microscopy) and the treatment is of the highest quality in the country. For this reason the public is strongly urged to access the public system.

Region seven has had a major problem with malaria for several years now and the region as well as the central vector control services has been trying very hard to stabilize and control the cases. We feel at this point that we have in fact stabilized and controlled the cases and we see the need to push forward and drop these cases further. We have partnered with the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) and have come up with a solid plan to reach hard to reach places in the

middle Mazaruni area.

We will be doing active case detection, distribution of Long Lasting Insecticidal Nets (LLIN’s), conducting Indoor Residual Spraying (IRS) to specific localities/ teach IRS and distribute material to sensitize the affected population. We will also be supported by personnel from the GDF who will be trained to do various vector control specialities.

This is a welcomed initiative and it must be highlighted that the administration of the GDF is committed to the health of our population. I believe collaborations and partnerships like this one will be very beneficial to people most vulnerable.

It is extremely difficult to get to middle Mazaruni, as this area is only accessible by air or water for some

localities. For this reason the cost of taking LLIN’s, medication and supplies are very high, therefore it is difficult to take and supply this population on a regular basis.

Regional workers, however, do their best to get medication and medical services to these localities, and do a very good job. It would however be a monumental task to take 15,000 LLIN’s to these localities. This is simply why the GDF is so important in this most needed operation.

These interventions are

expected to be replicated in all endemic malarious regions throughout Guyana.

This increase of activities and distribution of materials and supplies will ensure that the affected population is protected and further decrease our malaria burden throughout Guyana. Malaria is a major public health problem which is directly attributed to poverty. By decreasing and further eliminating this disease, we will directly contribute to the building of our nation and this will lead to a better quality of life for everyone.

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Kaieteur News

Sunday March 29, 2015

Sunday March 29, 2015

Kaieteur News

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Testing Week helped with stabilisation of HIV Introduced as a strategic tactic to help raise awareness about the Human Immunodeficiency Virus/ Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS), the Ministry of Health’s National Week of Testing, though halted, has been able to realise its goal. At least this is according to Programme Manager of the Ministry’s National AIDS Programme Secretariat (NAPS), Dr Shanti Singh.

During an interview with this publication recently, Dr Singh noted that while HIV/ AIDS was long viewed as a taboo subject it was hoped that this could have been reversed through the National Week of Testing.

The Testing Week was introduced during the tenure of then Minister of Health, Dr Leslie Ramsammy, and Dr Singh said that “I think what previously happened really generated the kinds of interest and there was really an impetus and motivation for people to come forward.”

Dr Singh continued by pointing out that during the days of the National Week of Testing initiative “it was also sort of aimed at destigmatising the whole idea of having an HIV test...and we

- Dr. Singh

Dr. Shanti SIngh, NAPS Programme Manager targeted everyone.” The fight against HIV is however more centred on targeting the most at-risk factions of the population – Commercial Sex Workers (CSWs) and Men who have Sex with Men (MSM).

This approach, Dr Singh said, is geared at “helping us to focus on reaching those persons at higher risk, so really being able to utilise resources to get the best value for the dollar, we are really targeting the people that need to get tested.”

She however noted that while the Testing Week is currently not active, it is gaining some level of

discussion as it relates to the way forward.

Dr Singh nevertheless asserted that “If we take away that National Week of Testing and the numbers (of persons tested) that we would have accrued for those National Weeks of Testing and we subtract it from everything else (that we’ve been doing) we are still maintaining everything else.”

She made this statement to emphasise that aside from the Weeks of Testing the Ministry has been undertaking other measures that have been yielding positive results as it relates to the National HIV/AIDS fight.

The NAPS Programme Manager had earlier linked a stabilisation of HIV to the National Week of Testing, which was designed to encourage persons to know their status, and by extension, reduce the level of associated stigma and discrimination.

But according to her, it is also linked to a very high quality of service.

“We are confident that the persons who are a part of our programme are receiving

the best service that we can offer. We know this because we have been measuring the quality of care offered,” said an optimistic Dr Singh.

The service offered does not only include the availability of treatment, but also education and counselling sessions.

Measuring the quality of care is in fact not a new feature of the programme as, according to Dr. Singh, “we have always done that through an estimation process.”

“This process is done using a type of software in collaboration with UNAIDS and we have seen stabilisation both in terms of doing the modelling and reports coming to the Ministry…so there is no doubt that there is stabilisation.”

And since a vast number of persons have been tested for the virus, there is a noticeable decline in the number of persons testing annually.

Some 60,000 tests were conducted last year, according to Dr Singh.

Although unable to share precise individual figures, she asserted that there has not been an increase in the

number of persons testing positive.

Dr Singh related that every test that is positive is entered into the Ministry’s Surveillance database, and then based on unique identifiers, surveillance workers are tasked with weeding out duplicates. And it was based on the data currently in the system, she related, that efforts were able to determine that there is a decline in the number of persons testing positive.

Guyana’s HIV estimates, as at last year, revealed that some 7,300 people (1.3 per cent of the population) are living with the disease. Plans are currently being streamlined for another estimate to be conducted this year.

“We are training, in-

house, another group of people to do estimates, and a team will actually be validating the estimates with UNAIDS by the end of this month, and so we should be able to have new numbers to report to everyone at a meeting on April 8th (2015),” Dr Singh told this publication.

In speaking about the current status of the programme, Dr Singh asserted that she is satisfied with the current National AIDS Programme, as there is evidence of progress. And this is particularly linked to the fact, she said, that “we have a pool of committed clinical practitioners, a pool of civil society organisations, all of our advocates and our partners are all committed I think, to the response.”

Sunday March 29, 2015

Kaieteur News

in the side of the administration. He had been protesting particularly the office of Attorney General Anil Nandlall, calling for his removal, following some controversial statements Nandlall had made during a taped telephone conversation with a senior Kaieteur News reporter.

THURSDAY EDITION SCHOOLGIRL’S NUDE BODY FOUND AT SEAWALL

Political Activist, Courtney Crum-Ewing (From page 27) critical feasibility study done by a Miami-based consulting firm in September 2012.

The feasibility study is the assessment that tells whether a project makes economic sense. It is unclear what basis Government used to determine the project was feasible.

Greenidge agreed with Ram’s contention that a technical feasibility study is mandated prior to the start of construction so that the goals of the project can be matched with the most appropriate technical options for achieving them.

CRUM-EWING WAS MOREANUISANCE THAN ATHREAT – PRESIDENT RAMOTAR Even as the police investigations drag on into the murder of Courtney Crum-Ewing, President Donald Ramotar has described the slain antigovernment protestor as nothing but a nuisance. The Guyanese leader while addressing a West Berbice Chamber of Commerce meeting last Saturday dismissed suggestions that Crum-Ewing was assassinated, claiming that his (Ramotar’s) party, the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic had nothing to gain from the killing. ”He was no threat to the PPP…he was no threat to the government…he was a nuisance value more than anything else. He was spreading a lot of racist talk on his Facebook, and all kind of things of that nature he was doing,” Ramotar told the Berbice business community.

Crum-Ewing was gunned down on Tuesday, March 10th in the Diamond, East Bank Demerara comm u n i t y, w h i l e u s i n g a bullhorn, urging people to vote against the ruling PPP/C government.

The killing is seen as having political implications since Crum-Ewing had been a thorn

The nude body of a 14year-old student of Campbellville Secondary School was discovered on the seawall Wednesday by passersby in the vicinity of the University of Guyana (UG) Access Road, Turkeyen, East Coast Demerara.

The body which was identified as that of Alicia Ali of Cummings Lodge, East Coast Demerara, was found among the boulders that form a part of the sea defence.

She was last seen by her mother, Maylene Williams, around 20:50 hours on Tuesday when she left her home to go to a nearby shop.

Williams said that she became worried when her daughter did not return home, since it was not normal for Ali to stay out of her home late at nights.

The woman said that she immediately contacted relatives and friends to ascert a i n h e r c h i l d ’s w h e r e abouts, but none of them was of any help.

According to Williams, it was not until sometime Wednesday afternoon that she learnt of her daughter’s fate. ”I was home and my friend told me that they found a body on the seawall.”

Williams said that she first headed to the Sparendaam Police Station since she was told that ranks there were conducting the investigations.

From there she was escorted to the mortuary where she positively identified her daughter’s body.

Investigators are not too sure if Ali met her death at the spot where her body was discovered.

SKELDON SET FOR DISASTROUS FIRST CROPAFTER LATE START The sugar industry is continuing its nightmarish run of poor performance with the multi-billion-dollar Skeldon factory heading for another disaster crop.

The US$200M factory started weeks late, in midMarch, as the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) reportedly moved to modify one of the two mechanized punt dumpers.

The dumpers are critical to taking cane from the punts into the factory…Without it there can be no grinding.

According to GuySuCo sources, the punt dumpers, installed by the Chinese, have been a major problem since the factory was commissioned in August 2009.

GuySuCo, reportedly, was forced to install a winch system on one of the automated dumpers. The installation time was the main cause that Skeldon started grinding late.

At the moment, only one of the two punt dumpers is working, badly affecting efficiency.

FRIDAYEDITION ANOTHER CORPSE DISCOVERED ON SEAWALL…WOMAN’S HEADLESS, LIMBLESS BODY FOUND ON FORESHORE The dismembered remains of a woman of African descent were discovered near the Annandale, East Coast Demerara seawall Thursday morning.

The woman’s body minus the head, feet and arms, was discovered around 06:30 hours by a resident who was about to bathe his dog at the location.

An alarm was raised and scores of residents including schoolchildren, flocked to the scene to get a glimpse of the body which bore signs of a sexual assault.

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, and investigators believe that they belong to the victim. ”We have taken samples of the blood on the ground and we hope to have it analysed,” a police official on the East Coast of Demerara told this newspaper.

A religious artifact and a blood-stained rice bag were also discovered some distance away, Thursday 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. ”We believe that some of the dismembering of the body was done at the seawall, because there were indentations on the wall as if someone was chopping something.

Even if all was not done there, something happened on the seawall,” one investigator informed.

BODY ON SEAWALL…SCHOOLGIRL SPOKE OF IMPENDING DEATH IN LETTER TO MOM Detectives are examining a letter in which 14-year-old Alicia Ali spoke of her impending death while accusing her mother of restricting her movements.

Investigators reportedly found the note in Ali’s bedroom, two days after the Campbellville Secondary School student’s nude body was found on the seawall near the University of Guyana (UG) Access Road at Turkeyen, East Coast Demerara.

In the letter, which appeared to be addressed to Maylene Williams, the teen’s mother, Alicia Ali reportedly complained about being deprived of her freedom, and 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.”

Police said that the handwriting in the letter and in the teen’s notebooks appeared to be similar.

A source said that the

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letter’s contents have given police second thoughts about how the teen met her death.

SATURDAY EDITION JAGDEO’S ILLEGAL RADIO LICENCES REFUSE TO DIE…PSC DEMANDS EQUITABLE ELECTIONS CAMPAIGN ACCESS FOR OPPOSITION The unfair distribution of radio licences by the ruling party in late 2011 to mainly close friends, shortly before General Elections, continues to raise significant concerns among the Opposition.

Now, more than three years later as early elections looms, the issue is continuing to embarrass the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C).

This is because political parties have been complaining incessantly of being refused access to the radio stations and even television operations closely linked to Government.

The matter is so serious that the business advocacy body, the Private Sector Commission (PSC), has written President Donald Ramotar, urging him to take action to ensure equitable

coverage for political parties, during the lead up to the General Elections on May 11, and afterwards.

In a letter addressed to President Donald Ramotar, dated March 19, the Private Sector Commission (PSC) said that it is integrally involved in the process of ensuring that the upcoming Elections of May 2015 will be free and fair.

“We write you…particularly as the Minister responsible for Information, to request that you urgently address this matter.”

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.

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Kaieteur News

Athlete’s foot (tinea pedis)

By Dr. Kumar Sukhraj Athlete’s foot (tinea pedis) is a very common fungal infection of the foot/feet. This infection usually begins between the toes. It occurs most commonly in people whose feet have become very sweaty while confined within tight-fitting shoes. Athlete’s foot usually causes a scaly red rash that typically begins in between the toes.

Itching is often the worst right after you take off your shoes and socks. Some types of athlete’s foot can cause blisters or ulcers. The moccasin variety of athlete’s feet causes chronic dryness and scaling on the soles that extends up the sides of the feet. It can be mistaken for eczema or even as dry skin. The infection can affect one or both feet and can spread to your hand — especially if you scratch or pick at the infected parts of your feet.

The following are tips that can help to prevent athlete’s foot or ease the symptoms if infection occurs: · Keep your feet dry, especially between your toes.

Go barefoot to let your feet air out as much as possible when you’re home. · Change socks regularly. If your feet sweat a lot, change your socks when they get wet. · Wear light, wellventilated shoes. Avoid shoes made of synthetic material, such as vinyl or rubber. · Alternate pairs of shoes. Don’t wear the same pair every day so that you give your shoes time to dry between wearings. · Protect your feet in public places. Wear waterproof sandals or shower shoes in communal showers, pools, fitness centers and other public areas. · Treat your feet. Use powder, preferably antifungal, on your feet daily. · Don’t share shoes.

Sharing risks spreading a fungal infection.

If your athlete’s foot is mild, your doctor may suggest using an over-the-counter antifungal ointment, lotion, powder or spray. If your athlete’s foot doesn’t re-

Dr. Kumar Sukhraj spond, you may need a prescription-strength medication to apply to your feet. Severe infections may require antifungal pills that you take orally.

Please feel free to send an email to kumarsukhraj@yahoo.com or call 6228032 for further enquiry and discussion on the topic. Patient education plays an important role in the diagnosis and management of any illness.

Please look forward for a continuation of the discussion on common health problems in the next publication.

Sunday March 29, 2015

Moms’ excess pregnancy weight linked to kids’ obesity Mothers who are overweight before pregnancy and those who gain too much while pregnant are more likely to have obese seven-yearolds, researchers say.

Their study, conducted from 1998 to 2013, focused on African-American and Dominican mothers from lowincome neighborhoods in New York City.

“Because there is limited evidence of the long-term effects of pregnancy weight gain on childhood health outcomes in low-income urban populations, we sought to evaluate how pregnancy weight gain was related to childhood body size and obesity,” said lead author Elizabeth Widen at the Institute of Human Nutrition at Columbia University.

Andrea Deierlein of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital noted in an email that there are “many risks associated with childhood obesity - obese children are more likely to be obese throughout adolescence and adulthood.”

Deierlein, who was not involved in the study, noted that in adulthood, the risks associated with obesity include type 2 diabetes, hypertension and sleep disturbances.

Past research has also shown that overweight mothers are more likely to give birth to larger than normal babies, and those babies are at high risk of growing up to be obese.

The U.S. Institute of Medicine (IOM) advises normal-weight women to gain 25-35 pounds during pregnancy, while overweight

women should gain 15-25 lbs and obese women should gain just 11-20 lbs.

Widen and her colleagues studied 727 women in the third trimester of pregnancy. The mothers reported their own pre-pregnancy weight, education, receipt of public assistance and ability to afford food during pregnancy.

The researchers also had data on the mothers’ final pregnancy weight.

Widen noted in an email that relying on mothers to report their own prepregnancy weight is a possible limitation, because they might not remember correctly.

The families involved in the study returned for a follow-up when the children were seven years old.

At that point, 22 percent of children were obese - and children whose mothers had been more overweight before becoming pregnant were more likely to be overweight themselves.

Greater weight gain during pregnancy was also linked to a higher percentage of body fat in children, and the children of mothers with excessive weight gain were almost three times more likely

to be obese at age seven than other children, the researchers reported in Maternal and Child Nutrition.

So-called observational studies like this one can’t prove that mothers’ weight in pregnancy caused these effects in their children. The results only show a link - they don’t prove cause-and-effect.

Still, the authors say, their study is the first to look for a link between pregnancy weight gain and kids’ outcomes in a low-income, multi-ethnic urban group.

They say this group is important to study because it has an overall high risk of obesity.

Deierlein noted, however, that this study’s findings are similar to those of previous ones that examined a wide range of ethnic and sociodemographic populations.

“Pregnant women and women planning pregnancy should talk to their health care provider about strategies to gain within the IOM guidelines,” Widen said. An interactive website hosted by IOM (bit.ly/1Gh4zta) offers tips and resources to help women avoid gaining too much weight while pregnant, Widen said.

Sunday March 29, 2015

Kaieteur News

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After actor’s death, ‘Furious 7’ director drives film to finish When his lead actor died suddenly, James Wan knew there was not another director who could give him advice on how to finish the film.

Wan was in the midst of the punishing production of “Furious 7” - his first big-budget movie in Universal Pictures’ most lucrative and longest-running franchise “Fast & Furious” - when Paul Walker was killed in a car crash in Southern California during a break in November 2013.

“We were just emotionally stricken by it all and it took me a long time after the initial shock even to think about whether or not I could complete the film,” Wan told Reuters ahead of the release of “Furious 7” next week.

How the 38-year-old director and his cast and crew handled Walker’s demise promises to be one of the most talked about features in one of the year’s biggest films.

The $190 million movie opens in U.S. theaters April 3 and is expected to break April

box office records with a $115 million debut weekend.

After a halt in production, the crew began sifting through thousands of hours of shots of the 40-year-old Walker, not only from “Furious 7,” but also previous films in the car-studded saga.

“There were many sleepless nights poring over hours

Cover of Harper Lee’s second novel, ‘Go Set a Watchman,’ released

Publisher Harper Collins on Wednesday released the cover of “Go Set a Watchman,” the highly anticipated second novel by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Harper Lee. The cover of the book that will be published on July 14, half a century after Lee’s masterpiece “To Kill a Mockingbird,” features a tree in the foreground and a railroad track with a train in the distance.

Michael Morrison, the president and publisher of U.S. general books and Canada at Harper Collins, said the cover draws on the style of the decade in which the book was written, but with a modern twist.

“‘Go Set a Watchman’ begins with Scout’s train ride home, but more profoundly, it is about the journey Harper Lee’s beloved characters have taken in the subsequent 20 years of their lives,” Morrison said in a statement.

The upcoming book has been surrounded by controversy since its publication was announced in February.

Until then, few people knew it existed; even Lee, 88, had thought it had been lost.

Written before “To Kill a Mockingbird,” the book features the same characters, lawyer Atticus Finch and his daughter Scout, but later as she returns as an adult to the fictional town of Maycomb, Alabama.

There were concerns about whether Lee had been pressured into agreeing to have the book published, and an unspecified complaint of elder abuse that was investigated by the Alabama Securities Commission.

Earlier this month, the commission closed its probe, saying Lee had made it clear that she wanted the book to be published.

“To Kill a Mockingbird,” which became an American classic, was adapted into an Academy Award-winning film starring Gregory Peck.

of footage trying to cull, not just for visuals, but also audio stuff Paul had done,” Wan said.

In addition to technological sleight of hand, they brought in Walker’s two younger brothers as standins.

“I think the biggest compliment I have taken

away from all the screenings so far is that people say the movie plays pretty seamlessly,” the Australian director said.

‘RETIRE HIM GRACEFULLY’ Critics agree and encourage audiences to forego trying to figure out the tricks.

Variety film critic Scott Foundas said “for most of the

time Walker is on screen (which is quite often), it’s nigh impossible to tell whether he is fully real or partly virtual.”

Walker reprised his role as former cop Brian O’Conner who joins an eclectic band of street racers led by Dominic Toretto, played by Vin Diesel, in a globe-trotting battle

against evil.

Wan knew right away he would not let Walker’s character die.

“Luckily everyone felt the same way,” Wan said. “The only thing to do here is to retire him gracefully and send him off in the most honorable way we could think of.”

Once they figured out the story, they went back to reshoot parts. The film’s July 2014 release was delayed nine months.

“It was a giant puzzle that was very hard to wrap your head around,” Wan said. “No one has faced anything as unprecedented as this. I couldn’t just pick up the phone and say ‘What did you do when this happened to you?’”

As to whether there will be another film in Universal’s franchise with him directing, Wan gives nothing away.

“This one definitely beat the crap out of me...so taking a break would probably be the right thing to do right now,” he said.

Christie’s aims for auction record book with $140 million Picasso Records look set to tumble at the big spring art auctions with Christie’s’ announcement on Wednesday of a Picasso oil poised to set the mark for the most expensive work of art in auction history.

“Les femmes d’Alger (Version “O”),” a vibrant cubist work last auctioned in 1997 when it nearly tripled the expected price, is esti-

mated to fetch about $140 million, by far the highest price ever for a work of art on the auction block.

Pre-sale estimates do not include the standard commission of just over 12 percent, making for a final price in excess of $155 million if Christie’s has accurately assessed the work’s appeal to a global, deeppocketed market hungry for a dwindling supply of trophy

works.

The most expensive work ever sold at auction, Francis Bacon’s triptych “Three Studies of Lucian Freud,” sold for $142.4 million including commission in November 2013, although several works have sold for more on the private market.

“It has become clear that the many new global collectors chasing masterpieces

have been waiting for an iconic Picasso to appear on the market,” said Jussi Pylkkanen, Christie’s global president.

“None is more iconic than ‘Les femmes d’Alger.’”

Brooke Lampley, head of Impressionist and Modern art at Christie’s New York, spoke to what she called the work’s remarkable power.

Sunday March 29, 2015

Kaieteur News

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Guyanese artistes shine at KKR school show

George Anthony “Chineyman” Abrams doing what he does best.

The 9th annual Kross Kolor School show was a huge hit and definitely lived up to expectations after hundreds of school children flocked the Cliff Anderson Sports hall, yesterday to be a part of the revelry Students were treated to performances by some of Guyana’s best artistes including Jumo, Vanilla, Charmaine Blackman, Chineyman and Tennicia Defreitas; usual performers at the show.

However, this year’s lineup was definitely stronger with the addition of the Reactors, Jackie Jaxx, Lil Red, Granny Ivelaw, the Heatwave band, Kwasi Ace, Dance Fanatics, Avalanche and Jewan KaNritya dancers. The show kicked off around 13:00hrs, with rejuvenated, boisterous screams and celebratory waving; proof that the youth population is very much in tune and in love with the local music offerings.

From all indications various students from primary and secondary schools across the city had a grand time and definitely got their money’s worth with undoubtedly energetic performances. They were given a treat of a lifetime with the most popular soca, R&B, dancehall and reggae music along with spectacular dance performances.

Granny Ivelaw was introduced with loud screams, stomping and waving by patrons in the eastern stand of the venue. Ivelaw, who is known for his athletic, appealing and spontaneous dancing did not disappoint.

The artiste’s unique style and rhythm captured spectators and had them screaming throughout his performance.

With loud music vibrating the venue, Ivlaw gave his rendition of popular dances

like, “06:30” and “lazy body”.

His creativeness had most of the audience on their feet cheering him on, when he transformed to the Nicki Minaj’s, “Anaconda”.

Always expect the unexpected whenever this ‘granny is in the house’, she is not just physically fit, she is fashionable and always encourages positive vibes.

He sings, he dances, he writes, in addition, he is one of the lead singers of the Heatwave band.

Yes! It’s was Calvin Burnette, who captured the ladies with his soulful rendition of R Kelly’s, “when a woman loves”. Burnette teased the audience with the first two lines of the song and then requested that the DJ skip the trap.

However, that request was not taken lightly by the

audience; they demanded him to continue the track and he did.

It seems like the crowd wanted to take Brunette’s place, since they loudly blurted out every line of the song, overpowering the artiste’s voice.

The artiste continued with tracks from dancehall artiste like Alkaline and others.

Moreover, artistes like Chineyman, Charmaine Blackman and Alabama delivered favourable performances.

Blackman delivered a high energy performance showcasing her fine style and vocal clarity. Her distinctive fashion sense had the audience talking as she sang her hit tune “gave dem more fuh talk”.

Chineyman’s “lime,

tomato, celery, seasoning”, was a crowd favourite along with, “wine attack”.

The Kross Colour school show has maintained its reputation of showcasing Guyana’s finest singers and dancers.

Moreover, the other artistes captured the audience’s attention and kept them well entertained based on the crowd’s reaction and comments.

Each performer was tasked with the responsibility of encouraging positive attitudes among school children.

The event took the form of “edutainment”, which aimed at providing students with valuable information on various social issues like teenage pregnancy and encouraging youths to stay in school.

The Kross colour school show, over the years has been receiving great support from the telephone giant GT&T alongside Colours Boutique and Igloo Ice Cream.

Many students had the opportunity to mingle with the artistes, take photographs and get autographs while indulging in face painting, compliments of Bravo Arts.

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Kaieteur News

Sunday March 29, 2015

Nagamootoo talks of divorce before honeymoon over

By Ralph Seeram There have been interesting statements coming out of the PNC-led APNU-AFC coalition this past week. Many may not have noticed, but these were very significant statements.

The opposition carried its campaign into the heart of PPP supporters in the Diaspora, in Richmond Hill, New York, known as “Little Guyana”.

Two statements made there, one by Moses Nagamootoo and the other by coalition leader David Granger.

Nagamootoo is quoted, “We are not saying this to big-up ourselves, we are not saying this as a threat, but we are saying that we hold a guarantee that if thing don’t go well, you and I have to file legal proceedings for a

DIVORCE. I am taking my property with me, twelve seats, and when you end up in a minority, I go over to the other side and you getting the no confidence motion all over again”.

“Nothing is cast in stone, nothing can be assured that it can go on without a flaw, or that it can go on without any changes,” Nagamootoo added.

While you are digesting that gem of a statement which I will come back to, here is David Granger at the same meeting saying that the present voters’ list is “dirty”.

“Do not take things for granted ...do not be complacent...the list has suddenly gone up by a hundred thousand to 567,000…How in three years a country in which the population is falling, the voters list has gone up by a

100,000?”.

He went on to say, “We are better, because APNU and AFC will sit down and decide that we are going to work towards a clean list…That’s a DIRTY list and we are going to clean elections for not only this year, but years to come”.

Dealing with the latter first, I am not sure if Mr. Granger is confused. Guyana has been getting clean elections since 1992. The only period the elections were not clean were during Mr. Granger’s party the PNC rule from the 60’s to 1992. We all know those were years of rigged elections.

It is not for APNU-AFC to clean the list; that’s GECOM’s job. GECOM is an independent body; political parties can help “clean” the list now by bringing evidence to GECOM’s attention. It’s the political party’s job to scrutinize the list and bring concerns to GECOM. There are provisions for political parties to object and help clean the list. What I rather suspect is that the opposition is setting up itself to blame the voters’ list if it loses the upcoming election, an excuse if you may.

I agree that considering the population the list maybe high but remember the key is to see how many people uplifted their voter registration cards. That will give a better indication of the number that will turn out to vote.

Obviously GECOM needs to work on a system to weed out the dead and those voters that migrated. But I won’t classify it as a “dirty list”, unless the PNC is afraid that dead people may vote as happened during their time in office.

Coming back to Moses Nagamootoo’s divorce threat, if he does not get what he agreed to. The APNU-AFC wedding took place about six weeks ago, and they still have not worked out the pre nuptials. Well it’s not pre anymore just nuptials. They agreed on sharing the assets (parliamentary seats, cabinet Ministers etc), but with about six weeks before the elections, we are yet to hear about their programmes for Guyana, a manifesto of sorts.

All we hear at this point is that they have to get rid of the PPP, but replace it with what? What are their plans?

I rather suspect internally the “great” coalition is having serious internal problems agreeing on policies on the way forward. What have we heard from the PNC led APNU-AFC coalition of their economic programme and other policies to move Guyana” forward”? Nothing so far.

Coming to Moses Nagamootoo’s talk of divorce,

is this is an indication that the honeymoon is not going as well as planned. I find it very strange if not interesting that Moses Nagamootoo would talk so early of moving with his 12 seats and bring down a future APNU-AFC government, if he does not get what he wants “if things don’t go well”?

“Nothing is cast in stone”…”Nothing could be assured”.

Folks I don’t know about you but if I am hearing statements like this so early in this marriage, I would say this marriage is doomed to fail; I would not put too much faith in it.

Speaking of AFC moving with its 12 seats in case of disagreement with APNU, what are the legal implications for that action; could AFC even move with their 12 seats? I am going to dwell in the preserve of constitutional lawyers. This will also be uncharted territory. Since I am no lawyer much less a constitutional one, I will discuss it from a layman’s perspective.

My view is the Valentine Day “Cummingsburg Accord” is just a gentleman’s agreement, a “handshake agreement” if you will, not enforceable in law. The other issue is, can Moses cross the floor with his 12 seats? As far as we know, the constitution does not provide for crossing the floor. So let’s say MOSES, and AFC due to disagreements want to team up with the PPP (that will be the day, Moses back to the fold) to bring down a future

APNU-AFC government.

Can the majority party in this case APNU pre-empt the move by recalling AFC 12 seats? My understanding is the Representative of the List in Parliament or some say the Leader of the List has the power to recall. Right now the Coalition is having a problem agreeing on such a person.

The slate or list is due to be submitted to GECOM soon.

So this is the crux of the problem for AFC. Can AFC Parliamentarians be replaced whether they are in government or in opposition by the Representative of the List, and could that be influenced by the Leader of the party who in this case will be David Granger?

Remember APNU and AFC are going into the elections as one entity, so AFC is not a separate entity for Parliamentary purposes, and if APNU is the majority partner it stands to reason they will control any action to remove AFC 12 seats.

Remember it was AFC and Moses Nagamootoo who raised this possibility of ‘moving’ with his 12 seats, not me, so I am asking voters to examine all these possibilities in casting their votes.

Now over to the constitutional lawyers to sort out the legal aspects. I think it is only fair for voters to be informed of all those possibilities raised by the AFC. Ralph Seeram can be reached at email: ralph365@hotmail.com and on Face book.

Sunday March 29, 2015

Kaieteur News

SALON Make Up Courses with Mac, Bare Minerals, Black Opal and Sacha cosmetics. Call: 647-1773/660-5257

CAR RENTAL PROGRESSIVE AUTO RENTAL:CARS&SUV FOR RENTAL- $4,000 & UP PER DAY- CALL: 643-5122, 2193900, EMAIL: PRO_AUTO RENTAL@YAHOO.COM Aidan’s Car & Pickup rental, cheap rate, low security – Tel:698-7807 DOLLY’S CAR RENTALCALL: 225-7126/226-3693 -DOLLYSAUTORENTAL@ YAHOO.COM/WWW. DOLLYSAUTORENTAL. COM

WANTED Senior Accounts Clerk, 5yrs experienced, CAT or equivalent.

Email: snow198390@hotmail.com Business/Economics Writer, email application to snow198390@hotmail.com Office clerk: CXC English, mathematics. Live in, live out babysitter/domestic - Call: 219-5354 Welder to work in Georgetown – Tel: 218-5105 Salesgirls & porters, apply with written application @ Best Buy Food Supplies, Dennis & Middleton Street, Campbellville.

WANTED Experienced counter servers, roti/puri cook, pastry makers, cleaners, apply Hacks Halaal, Lot 5 Commerce St. Domestic Cleaner -$20,000 weekly – Tel:220-4031 Handyman / gardener $25,000 weekly – Tel: 2204031 1 general domestic maid, ages 25-35, must have police clearance, 2 references from previous jobs – Tel: 665-1029

Salesgirl for shop on E.C.D, age 17-24- Text 617-7823 with your information.

DRESSMAKING Jean offers courses in Dressmaking, curtains, floral, cake decoration @ 153 Barr Street Kitty- Tel:6181706; 670-2653 Designing & Sewing classes, ladies wear, curtains etc. (Canadian Trained Tutor), Schoon-Ord, W.B.DTel: 626-2629, 676-6312

1 OFFICE ASSISTANT: Must have motorcycle, car/ van license, able to work flexible hours, from E.B.D. Email: snow198390@hotmail.com 1 Live in maid to work in Georgetown - Tel: 691-6260 1 Cook for home in the interior – Tel: 691-6260 1 Cook for interior locationCall: 669-2678 Two general workers @ Land of Canaan E.B.D Tel: 225-6337

Private Custom brokerage certificate course starting 13 April 2015 – Call: 681-7567; 223-1506; 694-8322

Men to burn charcoals – Call: 618-0487 Chainsaw operator – Tel: 6180487 Attractive Live in waitress Call: 228-5129 or 604-8277 Hauler for rent monthly for interior, 6 months contract Call: 612-6090 Experienced salesgirl with 23yrs experienced @ Christine’s Fashion & Variety- Contact: 626-8003; 227-8529 One driver at Bettencourt’s Homestyle Diner, submit written application in person at 22 ZZ Durban St.

ACCOMODATION Inner Retreat Hotel Restaurant & Bar, Retreat Road Parika. Indoor /Outdoor bar in Picturesque setting – Phone: 260-4504 Saturdays & Sundays after lunch @ Inner Retreat Hotel Parika: Bar-B-Que & games: pools, darts, table tennis etc – Phone: 260-4504.

MASSAGE Relaxing massage therapy – Tel: 674-8147

Indian male seeking female; reply with picture & phone # to M.D 7475 Gorewau Drive #47 Mississauga on – L4T-3T3 Canada

Responsible hire car driver – Tel: 231-7475 One handy boy to work in interior - Tel: 691-6260 Labours for wood concession – Tel: 618-0487

VEHICLE FOR SALE

LARGE QUANTITIES OF HIGH PURITY MERCURY (QUICK SILVER) 99.99995% PURITY$19,000 PER POUND CALL: 592-227-4754.

Wholesale cane juice for sale- Tel: 690-7780

Toyota Prado, Price$4.7M Neg. Call: 643-2403 Smart Choice Auto: Premio, Allion, Bluebird, Spacio, Fielder, Carina 212, Sienta, IST – Call: 652-3820/665-4529

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

2003 unregistered IST fully customized, must see. Pure bred Doberman pincher pups Tel: 609-2815

Brand New, Power fist, 6,500 watts gasoline generator (on wheels) 110/240 volts AC/ DC – $145,000 -Contact: 6172205; 681-1032 Great Deals on video games and all gaming consoles – Call: 672-2566; 265-3232 XBOX 360 4 GB with 7 original, Top games with 2 wireless controllers, cheapCall: 683-8386 AMERICAN BULLY PUPS GOTTILINE REMYLINE – CALL: 220-7933; 6674845; 610-0068

WOOD: USED T-SHORE AND 3/8 PLYWOOD, TO CAST DECKING, ONLY USED ONCE @ HALF PRICE – CALL: 648-5281 32 Feet boat, 15 Yamaha Engine, seine 4½” and 5" catguts – Tel: 668-9077 Household articles including 1 brand new LG washing machine – Tel: 225-4780 PS2 $15,000, Nintendo DS $12,000, PSP $15,000, XBox360 $30,000, PS3 $50,000, plastic barrel $6,000 - Call: 603-8643, 621-7497 8 Week old foreign bred German shepherd puppies – Contact: 601-5364; 660-7927 One mining block in Puruni District - Contact: 650-8289

Cargo Boat; double ribs: 54ft length, 11ft width, 6ft depth, price negotiable Tel: 694-9782

Cheap! Cheap! CCTV Security Surveillance Kit, 8 Channels DVR with built in Hard Drive, 8 bullet cameras Tel: 621-4740 Brazilian hair, Easter Sale, 100% human, top grade: 22", 24", 26" straight @ extremely low prices – Tel: 644-6028 Cone machine & supplies, DVD burner 2 movies, tables, alarm system, DVD VHS players, used computers – Tel: 683-5234 Gas/electric stove, microwave, Donut machine, Hamilton Beach mixer, Bunn coffee brewer & flask, 2 helmets – Tel: 683-5234 One Mazda Demo Contact: 600-0241

–

Invertertec Automatic back up power home/businesses batteries included & remote alarm systems that will call owner. Call: 226-2646 1 Mitsubishi Canter GNN 722 Tel: 228-5655 or 628-1756, Good working condition Lot 1, 2 bathtubs, bathroom fittings & fixtures & toilet set, shower fittings -$150,000 & 1 Dell Desktop, computer & HP Scanner - $25,000 – Call: 6015285 1 Tibetan Terrier 10 months old – Tel: 225-4780 Supermarket mirrors -$30,000 –Tel: 680-3863 Red 5 piece sectional chairs, good condition - $60,000.

Phone: 231-2146

One Toyota Tundra in excellent condition, mag rims Contact: 650-8289

LEARN TO DRIVE Soman Son & Outar Driving School at Maraj BuildingTel:644-5166; 622-2872; 6150964; 689-5997

TOURS Suriname Easter Weekend Tour: 2nd – 6th April, shopping, site seeing & dolphins etc - Tel:639-2663; 665-5171; 644-0185

IRIDIUM SATELLITE PHONE, MOTOROLLA 9505, WATER AND DUST RESISTANCE. 800+MINS, MAKECALLSANYWHERE -$300,000 – CALL: 6485281 1 RZ PJJ Series, tip top condition - $875,000 negotiable - Tel:679-1813; 682-5540 Frigidaire ($150K), Nissan pickup ($800K), prices negotiable-Tel: 624-4076 White Dachshund pups for sale @ Barr Street Kitty – Tel:2269548; 618-1706, 670-2653 Fluffy pups. Call: 642-6664

We buy & sell vehicles for cash, also parts available & 30 seater buses; Extra Cab pickups; 2006 Tacoma - Call: 680-3154 AT192, 212, Allion, unregistered Premio, Hilux Surf, BNN, RZ & Pit-bull, 7 seater super custom. Cash / terms- Call: 680-3154 One Noah Van - $1.4M negotiable – Tel:641-2763; HL2 Hilux - $6.4M negotiable – 641-2763 First Class Auto: Allion, Premio, Bluebird, Sienta, Runx, Axio, Verossa, Mark 2-Call : 609-8188; 638-3045 Toyota Avensis $2.550M negotiable – Tel:645-0078; 603-0078 Toyota Tacoma 2010; Price $4.5M negotiable - Call: 6727709 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 Blow Out Sale!!!

Unregistered Toyota IST $2,150,000- Body kit, TV, Spoiler, Fogs, Alloy Wheels, Crystal Lights & Alarm – Call: 643-6565, 226-9931 3000GT sports car, 3000cc 5 speed, 18 mag wheel & alarm.

All $1.2M cash- Call:6214000

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 PEN PAL

FOR SALE

FOR SALE

1 Leging machine, 1 Front binding machine, all heavy duty, 1 generator - 5,000 watts – Tel: 220-4670

Urgently needed live-in waitress - Tel: 693-4154 One Company Secretary for Greenfield Rice Milling Company. Call 610-9493 EDUCATIONAL Alpha is registering now for cosmetology, body massage, dressmaking, cake decoration, cakes & pastries & more - Call: 264-1052; 6637930 Accounting is easy! Sign up now for CSEC P.O.A classes for a guaranteed excellent grade. Call: 654-1723

Page 63

TO LET One apt to let to a female tenant. Newly constructed.

Rental $15,000 per month. Call 610-9493 for Deon.

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

Toyota BB 2007, 40,000km only, auto start, 18" rims, triple TV system, back-up camera $2.2M- Call:621-4000 Nissan maxima, needs some repairs but selling “as is” with documents $140,000Call: 621-4000 One Honda CRV and one Spacio, both in excellent condition – Tel:259-0117 or 628-1971

Three bedrooms upper flat in Diamond New Scheme Section “A” 3rd Avenue – Tel: 623-2795

New Model Allion $3.300, 2004 Spacio $2.050, Registered Spacio $1.7M Call: 655-3400

Kitty 2 bedroom apartment; cable TV, internet, parking, security cameras - $100,000 monthly – Tel: 645-0247

Unregistered 2008 Nissan XTrail fully loaded -$5,550,000 negotiable- Tel: 611-1833 Continued on page 64

Page 64

Kaieteur News

Sunday March 29, 2015

Sol paints...

LAND FOR SALE

PROPERTY FOR SALE

SERVICES

50 Acres titled farm land @ The Belle, Upper Dem, River Front - $100M Negotiable, serious enquiries only! Tel: 669-8152

Two storied concrete house, two bedrooms upstairs, two bedrooms downstairs $20Million @ Block “8” Mon Repos, E.C.D- Tel:625-1514

Blankenburg, 3 lots 75X76 each, $15M, all 3 lots, Parika, Peter Street, lot size 38’X150' - $7.9M-Contact # 650-0402/ 260-4988

Houses & land available for sale in Non- Pariel, Enmore, Providence & Diamond Contact: Pacific Development Inc # 223-6035; 231-8480

PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION,WEDDINGS, ANNIVERSARY,ETC.–CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 2161043; 677-6620

Houselot: Parcel No: 100, Block XV, Granville Housing Scheme, Beterverwagting, East Coast Demerara. Call: 227-1907

Parfaite Harmonie, West Minister, Onderneeming, Cornela Ida, Tushcen, etc Contact: Pacific Development Inc # 223-6035; 231-8480

2369.664 Sq/ft of land @ Victoria village, E.C.D-$750,000 Call: 255-3437; 698-3678 Parfaite Harmonie - $1.2M, $1.3M, $1.4M, $1.5M (80ftX45ft) & (80ftX50ft) – Tel:675-7292 Transported land @ Lot 20 Adventure Essequibo near sea side, suitable for wharf – Call: 261-6018; 657-1082 Canaan semi-gated 42x80 $3.6M, 54x90 $4.3M, Charity Housing Scheme $2.8M, Kuru Kuru residential 100x200 $2.6M Call: 623-4790,222-5116 Lots 189 & 190 Block XXIX Parcle Garden of Eden Fariah Dreams- $2M each – Contact: 225-9839

If your property is in good condition, good location & good price, we buy – Call: 6757292 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 Prime commercial property @ Cummings & Middle Streets, Alberttown, Georgetown, 3 lots, 2 buildings - $105M negotiable – Tel: 621-4000

VEHICLE FOR SALE Leyland Truck, DAF GSS 6715; GNN 5366, Toyota IST PMM 755 – Contact: 6135212; 664-1030 One registered 2006 Tacoma, Silver, crash bar, alarm, alloy wheel, price $3.9M negotiable - Call: 695-6461 or 639-7758 Blow Out Sales @ Star Cars Auto Sale- Premio, Spacio, Bluebird, IST, Benz, Alteeza, free alarm- Tel: 679-3140 L-Touring with original skirts, excellent condition, 15" rims, DVD, Alarm Call: 694-6609/ 233-2538 1 Toyota Dyna 2 1/2 tons truck, 16 feet flay bed tray, GKK 5500 in excellent condition - Telephone: 3335825;617-3233 Truck in excellent condition, 1 Ivaco E cargo 5 tons dump truck, GSS 1096 Year 2006 Telephone 333- 5825; 6173233 Toyota Ipsum, perfect family vehicle, excellent condition $1.350 negotiable – Tel: 6122258

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 2 Lots with house @ Pigeon Island, large land, $6 Million Negotiable – Tel: 621-4000 Double Lot Zeelught E.B.E with concrete house -$8M negotiable – Tel: 621-4000 Two storey; 2-3 bedrooms apartment at Tuschen H/ Scheme East Bank Essequibo – Contact: 6502982 One business on residential property located on the E.B.D, Friendship, Public Road, 120X46 - $19.5M – Tel:693-6304 2 Storied concrete house, 3 bedrooms upstairs; Land 95X65, House 65X32 @ Vieira H/Scheme, Land of Canaan E.B.D – Tel: 642-0867; 6446479 Property situated in East La penitence, Georgetown, 2 storied concrete buildings in need of repairs, price negotiable –Tel: 662-6173

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: 683-1312, 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 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 BrianMoe@642-3543; Computer Technician; FB:Brian.Moe.165; Home and office visits at your comfort!!

PROPERTY FOR SALE House and land at Prospect E.B.D, close to secondary school - $11,000,000 – Call: 689-2696; 693-4956

(From page 63)

VACANCY 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 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 Domestic maid @ Diamond – Contact: 626-8003; 227-8529 Cashier @ Shell Service Station Providence E.B.D shift work – (6am-3pm & 3pm12pm) email:shellramsburg@gmail.com; submit to name above International Cruiselines, receptionists, cooks, waitresses, carpenters, cleaners, storekeepers, electricians, welders Contact Professional Recruitment Agency - 231-6296, 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 Experienced hauler driver, porters, rip saw & plane operator @ Eccles Industrial Site E.B.D - Call Richard: 6097675; 674-1705; 233-2614 One kitchen assistant Flavours Restaurant, Water Street Call: 231-1837 Driver for water truck –Tel: 680-3863

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

From page 12 Technologies across UWI campuses.

SOL Guyana owns a number of fuel stations, across the country.

The Company which has its headquarters in Barbados has pledged to continue fulfilling its corporate responsibilities by supporting activities and projects that positively impact the lives of Guyanese.

Sol, a premier supplier of petroleum products to the Caribbean, and a company that specializes in providing customized energy solutions to its customers, is also celebrating ten years since its establishment.

Sol supplies fuels, lubricants and Liquified Propane Gas (LPG) through an extensive service station network and supplies petroleum-based products to commercial customers who are involved in shipping, luxury boating, aviation, mining, trucking and fleet operations.

The petroleum marketing company is the largest in the Caribbean basin, with operations spanning 23 countries.

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

TO LET Commercial building @ Cumming & Middle, Alberttown, Upper Flat US$800; lower flat US$1500, yard – US700; back house US$1200- Tel:621-4000 Kitty Dowding Street, 2 bedrooms apartment $55,000 Call: 652-8970 or 674-3735 One bedroom lower flat apartment prefer working couple or single person $35,000 monthly – Tel: 6723699 Kitty one (1) fully grilled three (3) bedrooms downstairs Tel: 641-2939

1- 95X50 business place for rent located at Mon Repos Public Road E.C.D –Tel: 6276789 Semi furnished lower flat $50,000 per month @ Uitvlugt W.C.D – Tel:2773743; 626-0150 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: 6779638; 629-1093

FOR RENT Move in ready boutique 12X25 Mannequin/ shoe racks- Contact Lesli: 6696343; 646-3434

FOR THE BEST ADVERTISING RATES – CALL US ON: 225-8452 OR 226-8210

Sunday March 29, 2015

Kaieteur News

Page 65

Gunmen kill 15 in Nigeria Alps crash pilot told ex during tense election ‘everyone will know my name’ ..was psychiatric patient Duesseldorf (Germany) (AFP) - The co-pilot who investigators believe crashed a passenger jet into the French Alps, killing all 150 aboard, worried “health problems” would dash his dreams and vowed one day to do something to “change the whole system”, an exgirlfriend told a German newspaper.

The 26-year-old woman, identified only as Maria W., recalled in an interview with the mass-circulation Bild daily how Andreas Lubitz told her: “One day I’m going to do something that will change the whole system, and everyone will know my name and remember.”

“I never knew what he meant by that but now it makes sense,” it quoted the “shocked” flight attendant as saying. The black box voice recorder indicates that Lubitz, 27, locked the captain out of the cockpit of the Germanwings jet and deliberately flew Flight 4U

9525 into a mountainside as the more senior pilot tried desperately to reopen the door during its eight-minute descent, French officials say.

As investigators race to build up a picture of Lubitz and any possible motives, new media reports emerged saying he had suffered from vision problems, adding to earlier reports he was severely depressed.

German prosecutors believe he hid an illness from his airline but have not specified the ailment, and said he had apparently been written off sick on the day the Airbus crashed on its route from Barcelona to Duesseldorf.

Bild, which showed a photo of the ex-girlfriend from behind to conceal her face, said she had flown with Lubitz on European flights for five months last year and that he had had another girlfriend since her.

She said he could be “sweet” and would give her flowers but got agitated talking about work conditions,

Co-pilot of Germanwings flight 4U9525 Andreas Lubitz

such as pay or the pressure of the job, and was plagued by nightmares. “At night he woke up and screamed ‘We’re going down!’,” she recalled.

If Lubitz did deliberately crash the plane, it was “because he understood that because of his health problems, his big dream of a job at Lufthansa, of a job as captain and as a long-haul pilot was practically impossible,” she told Bild.

(Reuters) - Gunmen killed at least 15 people including an opposition politician near polling stations in northeast Nigeria on Saturday, casting an ominous shadow over the closest electoral contest since the end of military rule in 1999.

The tense race pits President Goodluck Jonathan against former military ruler Muhammadu Buhari for the favor of an electorate divided along a complex mix of ethnic, regional and in some cases religious lines.

The poll is seen as the first election in Africa’s most populous nation in which an opposition candidate has a

serious chance of unseating the incumbent, and widespread fears it could trigger violence are already becoming reality.

Islamist Boko Haram insurgents launched several attacks on voters in the northeast, killing three in Yobe state and three more in Gombe state, police said.

Shortly afterwards, at least eight people, including the opposition parliamentary candidate for Dukku in Gombe, were killed by unidentified gunmen, a spokesman for Buhari’s All Progressives Congress (APC) said.

The militants, who are

trying to revive a medieval Islamic caliphate in religiously mixed Nigeria, reject democracy and their leader Abubakar Shekau has threatened to kill those who go to vote.

A string of military victories by troops from Nigeria and neighboring Chad, Cameroon and Niger has reclaimed much of the territory the Islamists controlled earlier this year, but they retain the ability to mount deadly attacks on civilians.

The governor of Borno state in the northeast said 25 people had been killed in an assault on the remote village of Buratai on Friday night.

Venezuela sends letter of protest to US Caracas (AFP) Venezuela said weekend, it has sent a letter of protest to the United States over Washington’s new sanctions on officials accused of an opposition crackdown.

Foreign Minister Delcy Rodriguez said Venezuela had sent an “emphatic note of protest” against President Barack Obama’s

March 9 executive order, which imposed an asset freeze and US travel ban on seven senior Venezuelan officials.

Obama’s order declared Venezuela a “threat to the national security of the United States” — language that US officials said was a formality for imposing sanctions, but to which Venezuela has

strongly objected.

The order “interferes in Venezuela’s internal affairs by labeling (the country) an unusual and extraordinary threat,” Rodriguez told journalists.

Venezuela did not release the contents of the letter, which the foreign minister said was delivered to the US embassy in Caracas.

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Kaieteur News

Sunday March 29, 2015

Arthur: IMF programmes alone would not help ST GEORGE’S—Former Barbados prime minister Owen Arthur says the resilience of Caribbean people rather than the content of programmes with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is what will likely determine whether regional countries succeed or fail.

Arthur, delivering the Sir Archibald Need Memorial lecture on Thursday night, said the new type IMF programmes will “not in and of themselves solve all the problems of the Caribbean.”

“At best, they will function as catalysts which can trigger access to additional resources and help to generate new policy responses from others that all together may help to make a situation which started as being unsustainable, come into the realm of being manageable,” Owen said, as he spoke on the theme Can the Prescriptions of the IMF solve the economic problems of the Caribbean?.

He said countries facing such a “brutal reality must draw therefore upon more than what the IMF provides for.”

“Indeed, the totality of the adjustment that will be required to solve the problems will be the sum of those undertaken by the

government in response to the national challenges, those undertaken by enterprises to improve and reform their balance sheets, and those undertaken by the people to ensure that they can enjoy successful livelihoods,” he said.

The Arthur said the contemporary Caribbean does not face the best of circumstances nor does it enjoy good fortune.

He said the longstanding and often cited difficulties that are associated with and derive from the region’s dubious distinction as the world’s smallest and most vulnerable set of nations, have persisted and have become more pronounced.

“In addition to its long standing challenges, our region, now has to grapple with stresses which are of a more recent vintage, which are gathering in scope and intensity and which are now so massive as not to lend themselves to easy resolution,” Arthur said.

He said the typical Caribbean country now faces the real danger of having to rely for their material progress on economic systems that are not viable. “Conditioned for centuries to depending upon preferential access to foreign markets for their exports, on

high levels of domestic protection for their industries and on generous access to concessional financing to support their development, almost every Caribbean nation has, now to face the prospect of building economic systems without the benefit of such props. “ Arthur said all the evidence suggests that the transition from the age of preferences to the age of competitive self-reliance has had devastating consequences, as is evidenced in the case of every banana producing economy.

“Our region has also been more adversely affected than most other regions, though unintentionally, by the economic rise of the South, especially China and India,” he said, adding “for much of the capital that our region used to attract to build for manufacturing and our informatics industries has been diverted to those nations, as they have embraced liberalization as their dominant economic ideology.”

“Ideally, therefore, the fiscal consolidation programme should go hand in hand with the growth programme,” Arthur said.

(CMC)

Caracas (AFP) Venezuela said weekend, it has sent a letter of protest to the United States over Washington’s new sanctions on officials accused of an opposition crackdown.

Foreign Minister Delcy Rodriguez said Venezuela had sent an “emphatic note of protest” against President

Barack Obama’s March 9 executive order, which imposed an asset freeze and US travel ban on seven senior Venezuelan officials.

Obama’s order declared Venezuela a “threat to the national security of the United States” — language that US officials said was a formality for imposing sanctions, but

to which Venezuela has strongly objected.

The order “interferes in Venezuela’s internal affairs by labeling (the country) an unusual and extraordinary threat,” Rodriguez told journalists.

Venezuela did not release the contents of the letter, which the foreign minister said was delivered to the US embassy in Caracas.

Relations between the two countries have been on a downward spiral since Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro accused Washington in February of sponsoring a coup attempt against him.

His government arrested several people in the aftermath of the allegation, including the opposition mayor of Caracas.

Obama signed the new sanctions in response, drawing a furious reaction from Maduro, who ordered 10 days of military exercises to counter the “imperialist threat.”

Venezuela sends letter of protest to US

Sunday March 29, 2015

Kaieteur News

Diplomats and U.N. staff flee Yemen as Houthis target Aden

Reuters) - Saudi Arabia’s navy evacuated dozens of diplomats from Yemen on Saturday and the United Nations pulled out international staff after a third night of Saudi-led air strikes trying to stem advances by Iranian-allied Houthi fighters.

Residents reported heavy clashes between the Houthis and mainly Sunni tribal fighters in the south of the country, while the air campaign sought to stall a fresh offensive by the Shi’ite Muslim group on Aden from the east.

Riyadh’s intervention, a surprise move from a conservative monarchy better known for flexing its muscle in oil markets than through military might, is planned to last a month but could extend for five or six, a Gulf diplomatic source said.

He said satellite imagery had shown in January that the Houthis had repositioned long-range Scud missiles in the north, close to the Saudi border and aimed at Saudi territory. A Yemeni official said Iran, which says it has not armed the Houthis, was providing parts for the missiles Eighty-six foreign diplomats and Saudi nationals were shipped out of Aden to the Red Sea port of Jeddah, a Saudi military officer said, escaping the city where President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi had taken refuge until Thursday, when he left for Egypt to shore up Arab support for his crumbling authority.

The director general of Yemen’s Health Ministry, alKhadher Laswar, said more than 68 people had been killed and 452 wounded in the city since Wednesday. Explosions at Aden’s largest ammunition depot on Saturday killed at least 15 people and wounded dozens, he said.

In the capital Sanaa, which has been under Houthi control since September, the United Nations said most of its 100 international staff were evacuated.

Airport officials said up to 250 other foreigners working for international oil companies and NGOs also flew out to Ethiopia and Djibouti.

Houthi fighters seeking to overthrow the Western- and Saudi-backed Hadi have continued to make gains since the Saudi-led coalition launched air strikes against them on Thursday.

On Friday, the Houthis and allied army units gained their first foothold on Yemen’s Arabian Sea coast by seizing Shaqra, 100 km (60 miles) east of Aden, allowing them to open a new front to march on the south’s main city.

“IRAN’S PUPPET” Residents said a Houthi convoy of armored vehicles, tanks and military trucks heading along the coastal road to Aden from Shaqra was attacked by warplanes before dawn on Saturday, and a

number of vehicles were hit.

Residents said the convoy had been stopped, but the Houthis were sending reinforcements before resuming the advance on Aden.

Heavy clashes erupted between tribal fighters and Houthi-allied soldiers occupying a military camp and adjacent football field in Zinjibar, capital of Abyan province, residents said.

They said warplanes from Arab states bombed the field twice.

Clashes were also reported in al-Houta, the Lahj provincial capital, north of Aden, where residents were facing water shortages and power cuts.

At an Arab summit in the Egyptian resort of Sharm elSheikh, Hadi urged Yemen’s army to protect state institutions and obey the orders of Yemen’s “legitimate leadership”.

He also underlined the regional dimensions of the conflict, calling the Houthis “Iran’s puppet”.

Brazil joining Beijingbacked infrastructure investment bank SAO PAULO (AP) — Brazil says it has accepted China’s invitation to join a Beijing-backed international infrastructure bank. A short statement emailed by the presidential office yesterday says the Brazilian government “accepted China’s invitation to participate in the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank as a founding member.”

“Brazil is very interested to be part of this initiative aimed at guaranteeing financing for infrastructure projects in Asia,” the statement says.

The new bank reflects both China’s desire to push investment in the region and its frustration with U.S., Japanese and European dominance of the World Bank, International Monetary Fund and Asian Development Bank.

The new lender would fund the construction of roads, railways, power plants and telecommunications networks in Asia that global finance officials say are needed to keep the region’s economies humming.

Page 67

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Kaieteur News

Sunday March 29, 2015

Former T&T finance minister Upcoming conference to awarded millions in compensation tackle quality education PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad – A High Court judge has awarded former finance minister more than TT$18 million (One TT dollar =US$0.16 cents) for the “loss and damage” suffered following the death of her husband, Russell Tesheira a senior insurance executive in 2004.

Karen Nunez-Tesheira had filed the law suit six years ago claiming that Gulf View Medical Centre and anesthesiologist Dr Crisen Jendra Roopchand had been responsible for the death of the senior CLICO executive.

In handing down his ruling on Friday Justice Vasheist Kokaram said that the medical facility and its doctor “committed a cardinal sin” in their care and duty of Tesheira.

“It’s just a sense of relief that this has come to an end and there is closure for us.

Although there is a possibility of an appeal, it is a happy day and I am going to enjoy it. For my husband, who died at an early age, myself and my

Karen Nunez-Tesheira daughter and son, there is a sense of vindication,” the former finance minister and now law lecturer at the Hugh Wooding Law School said.

The judge awarded her damages amounting to TT$18.034 million but also gave a six week state of execution so as to allow Gulf View Medical and Roopchand to appeal the decision.

Nunez-Tesheira had filed a lawsuit seeking more than

$20 million in compensation, alleging negligence by Gulf View Medical, urologist Dr Lester Goetz and Roopchand in her husband’s death.

She entered into a legal settlement with Goetz, after the lawsuit was filed and the terms of the settlement were not revealed.

Tesheira died on April 13, 2004 shortly after undergoing surgery.

In his 91-page ruling, Justice Kokaram found Gulf View Medical to be careless and dangerous in performing the post-operation procedure on the patient and the institution and Roopchand fell woefully short and both failed to discharge their duties to the requisite standard of care expected of specialists and hospital authorities in managing the risk of post operative bleeding arising out of a TURP procedure.

The judge said had it not been for the failures or omissions and actions by both parties, Tesheira would not have died.

Acting Minister of Education, Senator Harcourt Husbands (left), listens attentively as deputy secretary-general of the Commonwealth Secretariat Deodat Maharaj, makes a point during the courtesy call.

An invitation has been extended to Barbados to attend the 19th Conference of Commonwealth Education Ministers, to be held in The Bahamas from June 22 to 26.

The offer Friday came from deputy secretarygeneral of the Commonwealth Secretariat, responsible for economic and social development, Deodat Maharaj, during a courtesy call on Acting Minister of Education, Senator Harcourt Husbands, at the Ministry on Constitution Road.

Maharaj disclosed that

the conference will discuss solutions for quality education for all Commonwealth Member States. An educational hub will also be launched, which is geared to link all education ministers, policy makers, chief education officers, and education officials within the Commonwealth.

The two officials also discussed the issue of underachievement among male students. The deputy secretary-general revealed that Jamaica and St Lucia were currently tackling this issue

with the help of the Commonwealth Secretariat, and issued an invitation to Barbados to participate in the discussions.

In response, Senator Husbands explained that his Ministry was very interested in finding a solution to this “age-old problem”.

The Acting Education Minister also highlighted the country’s efforts to diversify the education system to ensure that students left school with not only their traditional qualifications, but also work-related skills. (BGIS)

A PROPOSAL TO COLLAPSE LIAT Daily Observer - A proposal to collapse Liat, and from its ashes form a new carrier solely owned by the Barbados, has met with a negative response from Prime Minister Gaston Browne.

Last week, OBSERVER

media obtained a document in which a proposal was made to have Barbados obtain ATR planes in exchange for its 51 per cent shareholding in the airline. The seven-page document, dated February 9, bears the company’s Gaston Browne letterhead and has the initials DE. But Chief Executive Officer David Evans told OBSERVER media “he is not aware of that” (proposal).

Browne, who confirmed seeing the document, which would entail Barbados taking ownership of Liat’s ATR planes to form the new airline, said he hopes, “commonsense and reasonableness” would prevail.

“It is unfortunate that they are seeking to take that position,” Browne declared on state-owned television.

The prime minister, who reportedly received the document about three days ago, is expected to take it to Cabinet on Wednesday.

But ahead of those discussions, he warned that the recommendation is not in the spirit of good relations.

Sunday March 29, 2015

Kaieteur News

Slingerz and Alpha stay in contention...

(From page 75) of the tournament. Mr. Major received the donation on behalf of his organization and expressed profound gratitude to his benefactor.

The K&S Director said that the Medicine Chest has always been a friend to his organization and yesterday’s gesture represented a continuity of a healthy relationship established several years ago.

He also assured Ms. Cerez that the donation would enhance his organizational structure.

Ms. Cerez expressed delight on behalf of her company in receiving the opportunity to assist in the devel-

opment of the sport. She said that her firm provides essential medicines and ointments for the athletes’ care and protection along with body builders and vitamin tablets.

Mr. Major then urged the public to support the business which in effect meant supporting the development of the youths.

When the competition commenced, sixteen teams were lined up for honours.

Several of those teams have since been booted out but speculation as to which unit will add the ‘Holy Grail’ to its collection is still raging.

Matches are being played

at the DCC and several venues around Georgetown as well as in the rural areas, Mackenzie Sports Club Ground, Uitvlugt and Leonora with the grand finals taking place at the National Stadium, Providence on Sunday April 5. The winning team will cart off two million dollars with the runners up winning half that amount. The third and fourth prizes are five hundred thousand and two hundred and fifty thousand dollars respectively.

There will also be trophies which will be presented for individual and team performances.

Nabaclis send defending...

(From page 70) his class and also preserved his feat of scoring in every one of their games to date.

In the night’s opener, BV ‘A’ made light work of

their ‘B’ counterparts with a lopsided 3-0 win through goals from Akeem Curry, who netted a brace in the 1st and 19th minutes and the dreadlocked Delroy Deen’s 7th minute strike.

The semi-finals will be played on Wednesday at the same venue with BV ‘A’ taking on Plaisance ‘ A’ a n d g i a n t k i l l e r s Nabaclics tackling Melanie ‘B’.

Sunday March 29th 2015 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) Your mind is strong and focused today, Aries. As a result, you're probably feeling especially physically robust.

TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20) You might decide to take a trip or return to college.

There's also the chance that you could be inspired to write or otherwise express your ideas and feelings. Go to it!

GEMINI (May 21–June 20) Some strange dreams could stimulate your imagination and start you on new avenues of exploration. You might at some point play detective.

CANCER (June 21–July 22) Reading could take up a lot of your time today, Cancer.

Books on psychology or the occult sciences might seem interesting, particularly as your intuition is operating on a higher level than usual.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) Today you might crave solitude, Libra, perhaps for meditation or to contemplate your current situation. You may feel you're at a crossroads and need to decide which way to go.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) You might spend a lot of time in conversation with friends who share your interests.

Their insights could lead to new insights on your part, Scorpio, and vice versa.

SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) Paperwork involving finances, Sagittarius, perhaps personal, perhaps involving your employer's funds, or both, is likely to need some intense attention during the day.

CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19) Today you may want to spend your free time alone, contemplating various ideas, Capricorn.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) Your mind is likely to be on your finances today, Leo, and you may be searching for previously unknown ways to advance yourself.

AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) Today, Aquarius, your mind may turn toward deep subjects. You could explore the sciences, psychology, the occult, or metaphysics.

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) Increased communication with a close friend or lover, more on a subtle than verbal level, could bring you closer and enrich your relationship.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) A sudden upsurge in your intuition could have you feeling more in tune to the thoughts, feelings, and desires of others, Pisces.

Page 69

TSC, GCC secure final berths in GCA/NBS second division tourney

By Zaheer Mohamed Transport Sports Club (TSC) and Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) have secured their places in the final of the Georgetown Cricket Association (GCA)/New Building Society second division 40-over tournament after recording convincing victories in their semi finals games yesterday.

At Malteenoes SC, TSC defeated Demerara Cricket Club by 43 runs. Batting first, TSC rattled up a respectable 224-8 off their allotted 40 overs. Devon Nandan struck 56, Azeem Azeez hit 35 (3x4,2x6) and Joshua Wilson 29 (3x4). Nandan, who hit two fours and three sixes, shared in a 93-run fourth wicket stand with Wilson after TSC slipped to 54-3, losing Ryan Hemraj (17), Charwayne McPherson (15) and Sunil Singh (13). Dennis Squires claimed 3-27.

DCC were bowled out for 188 in 39 overs in reply. Kemol Savory stroked 59 off 71 balls with one four and a six. He and Raymond Perez added 34 for

Devon Nandan

Shawn Massiah

the opening stand before Perez was dismissed for 12 off 28 balls. Savory then featured in a third wicket stand of 56 with Andrew Gibson who made 20 to keep DCC in the hunt.

Following the dismissal of Gibson, Savory and Squires shared in a third wicket stand of 29, but after they were dismissed in quick succession, the rest of the batting showed little resistance against steady bowling by TSC. Tevin Imlach chipped in with 18, while Carlton Jacques made 14 and Dexter George 11. Shawn Massiah bagged 4-22 and McPherson 3-62.

At Everest, GCC overcame University of Guyana (UG) by six wickets. UG were sent packing for 130 in 34 overs, taking for knock. Dwayne Dodson scored 30 (6x4), R. Mc All 27 (4x4,1x6) and Omesh Danram 21 (3x4). Devon Lord captured 3-23, Ronaldo Mohamed 3-30, Tariq Dharanlall 2-21 and Gavin Singh 2-23.

GCC replied with 131-4 in 20 overs. Mohamed led with 47 not out (5x4,3x6), Daniel Seegobin made 30 (4x4,1x6) and Singh 28 (4x4). L. George took 2-35.

The final is set for April 11

Date fixed for Demerara...

(From page 71) permission from the membership.

8. The complicity of the WICB in supporting the illegality in Guyana cricket in order to secure votes. And generally the indifference of the WICB to all of the wellpublicized critical problemsaffecting cricket in Guyana including illegal elections and financial misappropriation.

9. The phantom group running off competitions in Demerara deliberately excluding the Upper Demerara Cricket Association.

In summing up the discussions, the membership resolved that the only way forward is to hold elections of the DCB in order to have a legal executive committee in place for the administration of cricket in Demerara.

In furtherance of that resolution and in accordance with the Cricket Administration Act and to prohibit the executive lawlessness at the Guyana Cricket Board and the Demerara Cricket Board levels, the membership fixed the Annual General Meeting of the DCB for Thursday 30 April 2015 at the GNIC Sports Club, Woolford Avenue, NonPariel Park, Georgetown. It is expected that out of this meeting will emerge a properly-constituted executive committee of the DCB that reflects the will of the membership.

Page 70

Kaieteur News

Sunday March 29, 2015

“ICC CWC 2015 Final – NZ v Australia – The cream always rises to the top!”

Colin E. Croft If I had my wish, South Africa would have played New Zealand in ICC’s CWC 2015 Final, thus confirming that massive coffers do not always make winners!

While much money does buy some success in English Premier League, USA’s National Basketball Association, even National Football League, its prominence in cricket operates differently.

Just be thankful that that is so in cricket, or India would win everything possible!

A NZ v SA final would

have indicated that even though India, Australia and England – “The Big Three” – have finances, influences and clout to do whatever they want, their funds cannot sway success to their teams. After all, just look at England, one of the worst teams at CWC 2015.

Had SA beaten Pakistan and India, as they should have, semi-finals would have been different, showing that despite not having overflowing cash-vaults, enterprising know-how could still translate to progress and success for teams prepared to take

chances.

Anyway, at tournament’s inception, I did suggest that NZ was a good outside bet, so I was right!

But SA, early favorites, even if no-one seems to want to address it now, did indeed “choke,” even panicked terribly, yet again, in that semi-final v NZ, initially from even their team selection.

Why was Kyle Abbott, who had done sterling opening-bowler work accompanying Dale Steyn, dropped for slower, more hittable, poorer returns overall, Vernon Philander?

Could it have been for that unwritten, but always-in-mind, even now, quota system? Stupid!

No team can drop that many catches, misfield so often, miss crucial run-outs, then expect to win! SA simply did not have the psychological nouse to cope with the torrid pressure, making unaccustomed mistakes in sequences they had reveled in previously, so forget the damned tears.

So, final captains Brendon McCallum and Michael Clarke have been good in different ways.

McCallum, more boisterous, has no experience in WC finals, while Clarke, quieter, has substantial final-day experiences.

McCallum seemed to understand that that rare chance to create history for his coun-

try; to be its first captain to lift ICC’s World Cup Trophy; had presented itself.

His tenacious leadership has been inspiring, with outrageous field-placings - three slips and a gully at one stage of that scintillating semi-final against SA – making sure that the confidence he has in his excellent bowling attack always comes shining through.

As previously suggested, McCallum’s captaincy reminds of leadership in 1970’s and 1980’s, when several close-in fielders posted by Australian captains Ian and Greg Chappell, West Indies’ Clive Lloyd and (Sir) Vivian Richards, and England’s David Gower and (Sir) Ian Botham, complimented fast, aggressive bowling, similar to what NZ presently has in such abundance.

At least 50% of NZ’s success has been down to McCallum believing in himself and his team, and reacting positively to universal support from 4.5 million countrypersons.

Having gone unbeaten to the final, including beating fellow finalists Australia by one wicket earlier, McCallum must have thought that destiny was on his, his team’s and country’s side.

They could also have lost to SA in that heady semi-final everyone will remember forever!

McCallum has certainly led from the front as batsman,

taking no half-measures. In eight games to the final he had 328 runs, 41.62 average, with an ultra-impressive 191.81 strike-rate. What carnage!

He moves his left foot away from areas where the bat will arc, then swings that bat with as much strength, precision, power and freedom as using a tooth-pick, connecting with such ferocity that boundaries, more sixes than fours, are realized, even from edges; scary whenever it comes off!

Only (Sir) Viv, Sri Lanka’s Sanath Jayasuriya, England’s Alan Lamb, from history, or SL’s present opener Tillakaratne Dilshan, could boast of such similar destruction of opposing bowlers.

Australia’s bowlers must have had migraines thinking of how to bowl to McCallum!

Michael Clarke, as a batsman coming back from a nearcareer-ending debilitating hamstring injury, has been more restrained in this tournament. Six games, 145 runs, one fifty, average 29.00, strikerate 94%, are not, collectively, the kind of returns that he is accustomed to.

But Michael Clarke, as Australia’s captain, has been absolutely stellar in his astute use of wonderful bowlers, cunning in his always evolving field placements, and especially smart in rotation of his batsmen.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni and India’s supposedly all-

conquering batting line-up looked desperately frail, totally out of their depth, when Clarke seemingly instructed his fast bowlers to use “bodyline” tactics. No Indian batsman looked comfortable against real pace in their semifinal.

Clarke’s promotion of Steve Smith from No. 5 or No. 6 was as intelligent and flexible as a captain can get, realizing that Smith is not set, physically or stroke-wise, to slog, but to play as he does in Tests, threading spaces to get runs. Moving Smith up to No. 3 was a master stroke by Clarke!

If only West Indies could take pages out of McCallum’s and Clarke’s play-books, perhaps even read them entirely, and learn something, anything, instead of producing dull, unimaginative cricket as was seen in CWC 2015.

Yes, the cream has risen to the top, displaying fully what “thinking cricket” is all about!

Enjoy! c.e.h.croft@gmail.com

East Coast Guinness ‘Greatest of de Streets’ Competition

Nabaclis send defending champ Melanie ‘A’ packing

-Plaisance ‘A’, Melanie ‘B’, BV ‘A’ also into semis

By Rawle Welch It was a night when no quarters was asked and none given as defending champion Melanie ‘A’ crashed out of this year’s East Coast segment of the Guinness ‘Greatest of de Streets’ Competition which continued on Friday evening, at the Haslington Tarmac.

The former champ’s demise came courtesy of a telling counterattack by underdogs Nabaclis which culminated with Akamo Jack’s blazing volley into the goal from a cross from the left flank in the 14th minute of play.

They had survived a series of raids at their goal area and had it not been for poor

finishing the result might have been different, but the former champion have only themselves to blame as chance after chance went a-begging.

In another encounter that produced a surprise result, Melanie ‘B’ booked their place in the semi-final after resisting a stubborn Buxton unit who could be deemed a bit unfortunate to succumb to a fortuitous goal off the head of Amuneke Jack whose glancing effort from a lobbed past landed into the goal in the 9th minute of play.

They managed to survive numerous raids after that, before the final whistle sounded much to their relief and set them up for one of the prizes on offer.

The most competitive game of the night saw former champion Plaisance ‘A’ place themselves in a position to return to the championship game after coming from behind to defeat a fearless Paradise team. Paradise had taken the lead following a moment of indecisiveness on the part of the Plaisance ‘A’ backline with two defenders left contemplating who should clear a feeble shot from Darwin London only to watch in dismay as the ball trickled over the line for the opening goal after just three minutes of play.

The Paradise unit continued to press forward in search of another goal, but four minutes later another defensive blunder this time on their part

accounted for Plaisance ‘A’ opening goal when Carlos Mathews fired a powerful shot from just over the halfway line that eluded everyone and cannoned into the back of the goal.

Urged on by their supporters, Plaisance ‘A’ talisman Warren Gilkes, who had been kept quiet all evening suddenly burst into life and pounced on a pass from the back, weaved past one defender, before hitting a ferocious shot off the side of his left-foot past a desperate last back that screamed into the goal to evoke rapturous celebrations among their supporters.

It was a timely reminder of (Continued on page 69)

Sunday March 29, 2015

Kaieteur News

Page 71

Golden Jaguars look to cool down “The Spice Boyz’’

By Santokie Nagulendran Tonight the Golden Jaguars kick off against Grenada aka ‘’The Spice Boyz’’, ranked 158th in the FIFA Rankings, marginally ahead of Guyana, but that could all change should the Golden Jaguars win tonight.

After a successful 2-0 victory over St Lucia last week, the Golden Jaguars are riding a wave of confidence coming into this game, and will be aided by the fact that this game, unlike last week’s, is taking place during FIFA’s International Window.

The timing during the International Window means that players based abroad have permission to play for the Golden Jaguars tonight: meaning that Walter Moore,

Trayon Bobb and Pernell Schultz should all feature.

The highly-anticipated debut of Matthew Briggs and Neil Danns, who have both played in England’s Premier League, will also massively boost the squad, with both players having landed in Guyana last week to meet their new team-mates.

Walter Moore, who has just joined Finnish Premier League side FF Jaro, took some time out from training with the National Team to speak exclusively on the upcoming game: “Training has been going great, it’s always a pleasure working with Jamaal Shabazz.

The guys are fit, focused and ready to go. It feels great to be back home playing, it’s always a pleasure to represent your country.” Speaking on

the arrival of new players Danns and Briggs, Moore went on to say: “From the first training session I thought these guys are the real deal and it’s good for the team.

They are great players, strong and fast, but most of all they are humble guys who I am happy to play with for Guyana.” Despite Matthew Briggs playing in the same Left-Back position, Moore is not worried by the competition for a starting place: “These guys have been competing at a high level for years and so it makes Jamaal Shabazz’s job much harder, because my own game has been improving.”

The fact that Guyana can call on players based in Europe and competing in high quality leagues can only benefit the National set-up, when

Date fixed for Demerara Cricket Board elections

Some of the 17 delegates from the three area Associations; East Coast, Georgetown & Upper Demerara at the meeting.

West Dem & East Bank did not attend.

A meeting of the membership of the Demerara Cricket Board (DCB) (as advertised in the Kaieteur News of Sunday 22 March 2015) was held at the GNIC Sports Club on Woolford Avenus, Non-Pariel Park, Georgetown on Friday.

In accordance with the Guyana Cricket Administration Act (Act No. 14 of 2014) (GCAA), the meeting was attended by the majority of the constituent members of the DCB. Major General Ret’d Norman Mc Lean was unanimously appointed to chair the meeting.

The membership discussed a wide range of matters affecting the conduct, the playing and the administration of cricket in Demerara and there was the general feeling that a resolution of the crisis in Demerara cricket would essentially pave the way towards legality, order and good governance at all levels includ-

ing the West Indies Cricket Board.

With the successful passage of the GCAA, the delegates were optimistic that at long last, proper and lawful elections of the DCB could now be held and would include the Upper Demerara Cricket Association (UDCA).

Other issues discussed: 1. The injunction preventing all those who were purporting to be executive members of the DCB, their servants and or agents from performing the functions and duty as officers of the DCB (Raj Singh, Anand Sanasie et al) 2. The selection of teams from Georgetown and East Coast by persons unknown 3. The exclusion of Upper Demerara Cricket Association (Linden etc) from Demerara cricket.

4. The denial of any funding, including for cricket

development, to the Georgetown Cricket Association, the East Coast Cricket Board and the Upper Demerara Cricket Association.

5. The donation of cricket gear received from the WICB to only selective clubs and bypassing the Area Boards / Associations.

6. The plethora of court actions against the legitimate stakeholders of Demerara cricket by the purported executives of the Guyana Cricket Board and alarmingly it is this identical group that has been usurping the functions of the executives of the Demerara Cricket Board.

7. Mr. Raj Singh holding shares as President of the DCB in a privately registered company DEB essentials Inc. (renamed Cricket Guyana Inc.) when in fact he was never elected President of the DCB and received no such (Continued on page 69)

asked about his time in Finland so far, Moore said: “It’s been going great! I feel at home, the coach (Russianborn Alexei Eramenko Sr) is a similar coach to Jamaal Shabazz, both have similar styles of play they want from their teams and their methods in coaching are similar. The players at FF Jaro are more like brothers to me, so to be honest I’m loving it and I’m hoping that we bring home some silverware this season.”

In last Sunday’s 2-0 victory over St Lucia, the Golden Jaguars put in an assured performance, that showed a confidence and composure which was indicative of the team’s high quality.

A notable performance came from young striker Sheldon Holder, who has scored 2 goals in 2 games this year for the National Team, and overall, it was a positive outing for the mainly localbased side, in front of a large and passionate Guyanese crowd.

Grenada have also had a busy March: they recently competed in two friendly games against Bermuda, los-

ing 2-0 and drawing 2-2 in the games. Striker Kithson Bain will be familiar to Guyanese football fans: he played for Alpha United last season, and will therefore have great experience of playing at Providence stadium. Bain, now at ‘Happy Hill FC’ in the Grenadian league, has scored 15 goals in 35 appearances for Grenada’s national team and will represent their biggest goal-threat, although Assistant Coach Wayne Dover, who coached Bain at Alpha, will have great knowledge of the player’s strengths and weaknesses.

On paper, they are a side with less quality than St Lucia, although they should not be ruled out of the contest.

All the players in the side have played league football regularly within the past twelve months, and thus, it is likely that in terms of fitness, they could be superior to the Golden Jaguars, the majority of whom have played scarce domestic football in recent times.

In 2014 Caribbean Cup qualifiers, Grenada earned two draws against a very strong

Santokie Nagulendran French Guiana (who went on to finish 5th in the final tournament) and Puerto Rico, so the team are capable of producing results when it matters.

Victory against Grenada tonight will mean that Guyana climb up the FIFA rankings as they look to recover from their decline over the past few years. It will also send a message out to the rest of the region that the win against St Lucia was no fluke and that the Golden Jaguars are here to succeed at the highest level.

Page 72

Kaieteur News

Sunday March 29, 2015

Malteenoes Sports Club fundraiser on today Tiger Sports facilitates Media XI participation In an effort to upgrade their facilities, the executives of the 113-year old Malteenoes Sports club will be hosting a fundraising cricket competition and BarB-Que today, with action set to commence at 09:00hrs.

Eight corporate teams will provide the on-field entertainment; while beyond the boundary there will be musical activity for patrons.

The organisers have granted the Media XI the opportunity to play the first match since they have another engagement during the day.

Besides the Media XI, the other participating teams are Guyana Bar Association, Upper Level Barber Shop, National Drainage and Irrigation Authority, Police Officers, Qualfon, Demerara Distillers Limited, Renegades and Wartsilla Power Company.

The day’s activities, which are being cosponsored by General Industrial Supplies Enterprise, Trophy Stall and Star Party Rental, will see the top three teams receiving trophies, while individual prizes will be available for the Most

Fawaz Mohamed (second left) of Tiger Sports presents one of the shirts to Media XI skipper John Ramsingh. Sharing the moment are, from left, media players Calvin Roberts, Avenash Ramzan and Zaheer Mohamed Valuable Player in the final, the Best Batsman and Best Bowler of the day.

The umpires are Linden Matthews, Joseph Jeffrey and Shannon Crawford, while the Match Referee is Omar Bacchus.

Meanwhile, Tiger Sports of Old Road, Enmore, East Coast Demerara, on Saturday outfitted the Media XI with jerseys to compete in today’s

encounter. The jerseys, were generously donated to the Media boys by Managing Director Sheik Mohamed, who is a former national cricketer.

Mohamed’s son, Fawaz, also a former national cricketer, presented the shirts to captain John Ramsingh during a simple ceremony at Malteenoes Sports Club on Saturday.

Ramsingh said his boys were very grateful for the kind gesture of Tiger Sports, and will look to represent the company’s image to the best of their abilities.

Also present at the simple ceremony were former captain Calvin Roberts, fast bowling allrounder Zaheer Mohamed and middle-order batsman Avenash Ramzan.

GMR&SC Drag Race Meet

Day of furious action anticipated today When drivers and riders face the starting lights today in the Guyana Motor Racing & Sports Club (GMR&SC) season opening Drag Race Meet, quite a few drivers will have points to prove and fans are being advised to get to the South Dakota Circuit to witness what is anticipated to be a day of furious rivalry.

From the interviews done by this newspaper and the comments emanating out of the respective team camps, drievrs such as the Daby siblings Rondell and Peter who drive a Toyota Supra and Mitsubishi Evolution 7 respectively will not have it as easy as in the past with Anand Ramchand and company predicting a different outcome this time around.

The Daby brothers dominated most of the events last year and have once again forecasted another year of dominance and it is now up to the others to bring to a halt their reign at the top.

Previously, Ramchand had ruled the roost in this format, but the emergence of the what has now been touted as the two fastest cars in drag racing brought an end to his con-

Anand Ramchand poses next to two of his cars that will participate in today’s Drag Race Meet. trol of the format last year, but he has vowed to exact revenge from as early as today to set the tone for a different perspective among the likely contenders.

The top dragster said he will be piloting fours cars as he takes aim at dethroning the Dabys.

Also a major factor will be the Surinamese who have always done well in this format of the sport and word is that they will once again be bringing a strong contingent to

compete against the Guyanese.

Among the other Guyanese competitors listed to compete are: Nazim Gafoor, Rajesh Panday, Budhram Heeralall, Pierre Singh and the lone female registered to date Sharima Khan.

In the Superbike category, Ricardo Fagundes should be installed as firm favourite to retain his title.

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, Rent-a-Tent, AR. Jiwanram, Fanatix Designs, T&R Seafoods and Ganesh Parts and General Store are among the major sponsors.