Thursday May 08, 2014
Kaieteur News
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Letters... Where your views make the news Letters... Where your views make the news
I have a feeling that this sad saga has another side - the untold one DEAR EDITOR, It was with tear-filled eyes and utter amazement that I read of the recent tragic demise of four residents of East La Penitence, including a six-year-old child. However, in the midst of this sad situation, there are still a few troubling and puzzling areas of grave concern. To be honest my cranium is working overtime and failing to arrive anywhere near a rational or logical conclusion. Incidentally, do permit me to extend my sympathy to the grieving relatives and loved ones. The young lady who returned to the U.S.A on Saturday now shines as the smarter one. It is strikingly evident to the most myopic or moronic, that she is certainly no stranger to life in America and the availability of certain items. Nowhere in America is there a shortage of tonic, let alone SSS tonic. Ask even the most-recently arrived Guyanese and he or she will tell you, without batting an eyelid, or displaying a moment’s hesitation, that the said tonic is available in adequate quantities at every Korean supermarket from Flatbush Avenue to Jamaica, Queens, not to mention it being stocked at discount stores and pharmacies all over New York. She knew, but then again does the average Guyanese feel that the FDA and the U.S. Immigration Department have not caught on to what we are all about, or what we have been about all the time. From time immemorial, Guyanese have made a name for themselves in the annals of U.S. drug trafficking and illegal entry history. With that badge of honour safely tucked away, all we have been doing lately is trying our level best to remind America what we are made of,
and that crime stays but time pays. Now back to the tonic imbibers. The newspapers state that the tonic was brought to the home by Barney, to be taken back to the U.S.A by the sister of one of the deceased. Now what or how much did Barney know? From whom did he obtain the tonic, and who was the intended recipient in the U.S.A? Who disclosed that the tonic was laced with pure cocaine? Was Barney privy to the fact that the tonic was never airborne? Dead men, women or children tell no tales? Barney certainly has a lot to tell, at least to save his soul from hell. Of more serious concern is the fact that the item was intended to be sent to the States. Then pray tell me, why did the friends and family partake of what was certainly not initially intended for any of them? Who served the sixyear-old some of this toxic concoction? Why was the tonic being taken at the time that it was? Was it an appetizer or appetite enhancer? Is this a usual occurrence in present-day
Guyana, tonic-sharing sessions? Had that individual’s life been spared then I would certainly have recommended a charge of child abuse be laid with the most severe of penalties. I have left my native shores for more years than I honestly care to recall, but I fail to recall young children receiving tonic at such an early age. The adult deceased were clearly unfamiliar with the use and contraindications of SSS tonic. SSS Tonic is an iron supplement with vitamins B1, B2 and B3. It is taken for anemia. SSS Tonic contains mostly iron, B1 - Thiamine, B2 - Riboflavin, and B3 Niacininamide vitamins. Now only one lad may live to tell the tale of the tonic that never went but caused four individuals to their graves be sent. He was in doubt so he spat out? He certainly has a tale or two to tell, so that a better understanding can be reached. Lurking deep within me is the feeling that this sad saga has another side - the untold one. We cannot afford to talk half and leave half. All including the truth must be told or at least exposed. Yvonne Sam
Has Mr. Narine obtained funding for IAST similar to that he got for Trent University? DEAR EDITOR, I expect Mr. Suresh Narine to clamour for protection of the funding for the agency he oversees. That is expected and normal conduct from Suresh Narine. His letter titled “I have never been accused of enjoying privileges because of my funding success” (KN, May 6, 2014) is a prime example of a man fighting for the agency he supervises. What got me was this statement made by Mr. Narine: “All my professional life I have competed for research funding and until now, have never been accused of enjoying privileges because of my funding success, despite, for example, being responsible for more than 25% of the entire research funding received by Trent University; an institution with multiple hundreds of faculty members such as myself.” I had to investigate this statement. Indeed, Mr. Narine is correct. Trent University is a big university with over 250 academic staff and over 8000 students. It has an endowment of $25 million Canadian dollars. I could imagine Trent University gets
tens of millions of US dollars in funding every year from various sources. If Mr. Narine is bringing in more than 25% of Trent University’s entire research funding, he is probably bringing in millions of US dollars to Trent University yearly. The question one must ask Mr. Narine is this: has he delivered similar outstanding research funding for IAST as he has for Trent University? Surely, such a masterful procurer of research funding has delivered incredible funding to IAST comparable to his magnificent efforts for Trent University! In my research on Mr. Narine for this letter, I noticed that some have accused him in the past of being a nonresident Director of IAST. Clearly, the man is immensely qualified, but he has a full plate. He holds various academic posts in Canada, Co-Chairman of CGX Energy Inc and IAST Director. Unless he is paying for his travel and other expenses in relation to IAST and is foregoing a salary from IAST, one must wonder how expensive this arrangement is
for the people of Guyana to maintain a non-resident Director of IAST, who is incidentally publicly calling for continuity of budgetary funding for his agency from the opposition. Here is an individual who reminds us of his stellar record in securing funding for a foreign institution where he works full-time but is publicly imploring the opposition to maintain funding for the agency he oversees on a part-time basis and one that suffers from a serious deficit of research funding. The irony is truly telling. The icing on the cake w o u l d b e M r. N a r i n e writing his pleas from the comforts of his office at Trent University. Maybe it is time for Mr. Narine to bring his formidable research funding acquisition skills to the benefit of IAST to make it less dependent on the whims of the opposition. IAST cannot be de-funded by the opposition but Mr. Narine should tell us what exactly he has brought to IAST in funding comparable to his formidable acquisitions for Trent University. M. Maxwell
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Kaieteur News
Thursday May 08, 2014
Double standard exhibited by US Ambassador over press freedom Head of the Presidential Secretariat (HPS) Dr. Roger Luncheon says the recent comments made by the US Ambassador to Guyana, Brent Hardt, over the state of press freedom in Guyana point at a double standard on his part. At his weekly postCabinet media briefing yesterday, Luncheon said “the Ambassador inveigled against the Government of Guyana for not respecting freedom of the press and among other things intimidating the media,” at the recently held celebration recognizing World Press Freedom Day 2014 hosted at the residence. He noted that the event saw the attendance of Mark Benschop and CN Sharma. The HPS described the US Ambassadors’ claims as “preposterous and outrageous”, adding that Cabinet’s response instinctively is understandable. “Cabinet was outraged at
- Luncheon the Ambassador’s outbursts, particularly when the very actions of the US authorities in the White House with regards to their own media houses projects and insight that the Ambassador does well in concealing not highlighting,” said Luncheon. He said that the Attorney General was present at the event and represented the views of the Government concerning “the Ambassador ’s studied impertinence and double standards”. Luncheon also singled out the Kaieteur News and Stabroek newspapers saying that these agencies’ “excesses” are legendary and open without apology and regrets. He opined that the two news entities “assail Guyanese with gross untruths and misinformation; this the US Ambassador
knows. He claims otherwise and those claims fly in the face of reality. He claims intimidation and to make such a claim as he does is both hilarious and cynical.” According to Luncheon “if intimidation is at work, threats of denials of US visas seem more intimidatory to journalists than mere Government criticisms.” Ambassador Hardt had admonished Government over what he described as “censorship of the media” in Guyana. He had outlined among other things that “it’s unthinkable that the licence applications for certain media have been delayed or ignored for nearly two decades”. Ambassador Hardt made a further call for the newly constituted Broadcast Authority to immediately undertake a speedy and fair review of any outstanding licence applications and to
ensure that all applicants are subjected to independent review. The Ambassador had said that “anyone who reads or watches independent media in Guyana will see that there are letters to the editor supportive of the government, columns that advocate government positions, and generally balanced reporting on actions of Government”. By contrast, he outlined that in the state-owned and state-run media, which should hold itself up to an even higher standard of balance by virtue of being funded by taxpayers, one hardly ever sees a letter to the editor or a column supportive of the opposition or critical of the government. “In fact, the public reads about instructions being passed by the government to state-run television criticizing staff for airing statements by an opposition party directly after the government’s position was presented, and
NICIL gives away Turkeyen land to China Rail …AFC taking issue to Parliament - Nagamootoo The recent gifting of a one-acre plot of Turkeyen land by NICIL to China Rail has caused the political opposition to issue a call for this “questionable” action to come under serious Parliamentary interrogation. Vice Chairman of the Alliance For Change, Moses Nagamootoo, said that the land should not have been gifted to China Rail and should have served instead as land to support a more important future project. China Railway was considered a key construction partner during discussions last year on the controversial Amaila Falls Hydro Project. The Alliance for Change (AFC) learnt about this land deal during an official check for the assent of the amended 2014 Appropriation Bill by President Donald Ramotar in the Official Gazette. Instead, the opposition party discovered the “suspicious land deal.” During a press conference, AFC Leader, Khemraj Ramjattan said, “We took a look at the Official Gazette and we found a double transfer of lands at Turkeyen from the Guyana
Lands and Surveys Commission to the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL) which is headed by Winston Brassington.” This publication checked the latest publication of the Official Gazette and it stated that a portion of one acre of land of Plantation Turkeyen, East Coast Demerara as shown on a plan by D. Ramkarran, a sworn land surveyor dated June 18, 2013 and signed by the Minister of Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh on April 4, was transferred to NICIL. The Member of Parliament added, “NICIL then transferred to China Railway Guyana Incorporated, a piece of land as the donor and the donee. There was no cost attached to the land transfer.” The AFC Leader stressed that he would like the government to be transparent about this questionable transaction and explain why Lands and Surveys, transferred the land to NICIL and why it was not sold to the engineering group. Also supporting the Leader’s position was the party’s Vice Chairman. In a telephone interview
Winston Brassington, Head of NICIL
Moses Nagamootoo, AFC Vice Chairman yesterday, Nagamootoo expressed, “Firstly, I believe that all information about NICIL should be made public. This is what the opposition has been asking for some time. The money NICIL accumulates is supposed to be transferred to the Consolidated Fund. The fact that we are unaware of all the assets under the company leaves a lot of questions unanswered.” The attorney-at-law added, “We need to be made aware of the assets they have so that we can be able to
calculate the proceeds made and know what belongs in the Consolidated Fund. Why was this land gifted to China Rail? It is unacceptable. State lands ought to be gifted to the new generation to support the future. This is non renewable resources we are dealing with and we have to be more careful with this gifting arrangement that NICIL is getting involved in.” “This issue has to come under parliamentary investigation. I rather suspect that this was probably part of some contractual agreement between Government and China Rail and we need to find the truth. We cannot be gifting state lands like this. It is absolutely intolerable behavior on the part of NICIL.”
US Ambassador to Guyana Brent Hardt indicating that such presentations were only to be aired late at night when viewership was lowest,” the Ambassador posited. His claims were supported by the combined Opposition A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and the Alliance For Change (AFC). Leader of the APNU David Granger had said “I agree with the comments of the US Ambassador that there is no place in the modern
media for this lopsided reporting and for the attacks which have been leveled against the Opposition by the Government through the state owned papers.” He said further that “the time has long passed for Government to relax its control; we should have more radio stations and the Government should desist from controlling information released in the state media.” The Alliance for Change (AFC) had through its leader Khemraj Ramjattan extended commendations to the United States Ambassador Brent Hardt over his recent pronouncements on the censorship of the media in Guyana by the government. Ramjattan described the US Ambassador’s statements as being very “insightful” and outlined that “all the statements made were very justified; they were supported by the evidence of the International Press Institute IPI as he quoted from extensively and also the statements by the local media as to what’s happening with the free press in Guyana.”
Royston King to assume Town Clerk position today City Hall’s Public Relations Officer (PRO) Royston King is expected to assume the duties of Town Clerk this morning following another extraordinary meeting for his official placement to act in the position. Mayor and City Councillors say he will act in the post until the Local Government Commission is established to make the necessary appointments. As such, senior and junior Council officers of the various departments received letters acknowledging King to act as Secretary to the Council, while the voted-out Town Clerk (ag) Carol Sooba was yesterday served a notice by the Council to vacate the office. Councilor Ranwell Jordan bore witness to the delivery of the vacation notice, but was first involved in a game of cat and mouse as the Town Clerk’s (Ag) secretary tried dodging them. Additionally, senior officers of the Constabulary converged on the scene after calls were made for their presence. The notice was however accepted by the Town Clerk’s secretary, who declined to
sign for it. The Mayor and the majority of Councillors participated in an extraordinary meeting on Tuesday where unanimous votes supported three motions; to get rid of Sooba and her “aide”, Financial Committee Chairman Junior Garrett and to discipline all those involved in the illegal sale of Easter spots on the seawall. The ongoing matters of the Georgetown Council have promoted a warning of legal action by the government. Cabinet Secretary Dr. Roger Luncheon blamed City Hall’s divide on Mayor Green, adding that the Mayor had no power to summon Tuesday’s extraordinary meeting. Luncheon further blasted the Mayor for what he said was atrocious behaviour on the seawall on Easter Monday. “...Not satisfied with that exhibition (on Easter Monday) he raised his contempt to new heights in summoning an extraordinary meeting of the council at which three motions were to be dealt with, disposing of the services of the Town Clerk (continued on page 18)
Thursday May 08, 2014
Kaieteur News
Putin to Ukraine rebels: postpone secession vote (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin called on pro-Moscow separatists in Ukraine to postpone a vote on secession just five days before it was to be held, potentially pulling Ukraine back from the brink of violent dismemberment. It was the first sign the Kremlin leader has given that he would not endorse a referendum planned for Sunday by pro-Russian rebels seeking independence for two provinces in the east, and Russian analysts said they believed the rebels would heed Putin’s call to put off the vote. In what could be a breakthrough in the worst crisis between East and West since the Cold War, Putin also announced he was pulling Russian troops back from the Ukrainian border. NATO, the Pentagon and the White House all said they had seen no signs of a Russian pull-back from the frontier, where Moscow has massed tens of thousands of troops, proclaiming the right to invade Ukraine to protect Russian speakers. But Putin’s comment suggested that any Russian military incursion into eastern Ukraine was off the agenda for now.
“We call on the representatives of southeastern Ukraine, the supporters of the federalisation of the country, to postpone the referendum planned for Sunday,” Putin said. He said this would create conditions for dialogue between the Ukrainian authorities in Kiev and the separatists. “We’re always being told that our forces on the Ukrainian border are a concern. We have withdrawn them. Today they are not on the Ukrainian border, they are in places where they conduct
their regular tasks on training grounds,” Putin said. NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said during a visit to Poland: “Russia should live up to its international commitments and stop supporting separatists and scale back troops from the border, so political solutions can be found.” Putin spoke in Moscow after talks with the head of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, who said the security and rights body would soon propose a “road map” to defuse the Ukraine crisis. A pro-Russian separatist leader said the separatists would consider Putin’s call to postpone their referendum at a meeting of their selfproclaimed People’s Assembly on Thursday. “We have the utmost respect for President Putin. If he considers that necessary, we will of course discuss it,” Denis Pushilin told Reuters in Donetsk, a city of 1 million people which the rebels have proclaimed capital of an independent “People’s Republic of Donetsk”. Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatseniuk dismissed as “hot air” Putin’s call for the referendum to be postponed.
month. In released excerpts, she says she’s perhaps the first Internet era scapegoat and wants to speak out on behalf of other victims of online humiliation. Her willingness to step forward may come at an inopportune time as former first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton considers running for president. Republicans have signaled they don’t consider her husband’s scandal from the late 1990s out of bounds in the realm of 2016-style political dialogue. Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul, a likely GOP presidential contender, answered criticisms of the Republican record on women’s issues by saying in January that the last Democratic president engaged in “predatory behavior” with a woman, Lewinsky, who was 22 when her liaisons with Clinton began in 1995. Clinton’s lies about the relationship contributed to his impeachment by the House in 1998; the Senate acquitted him. Lewinsky writes that she deeply regrets the affair and made a point of staying silent
through several presidential campaigns to avoid becoming a distraction. Now, she writes, it’s time to stop “tiptoeing around my past — and other people’s futures. I am determined to have a different ending to my story. I’ve decided, finally, to stick my head above the parapet.” Invoking her headwear from endlessly repeated TV clips and the stained garment considered as evidence against Clinton, she writes: “It’s time to burn the beret and bury the blue dress.” But these aren’t her first public words on the scandal. Lewinsky broke her silence in 1999 with a blockbuster interview with Barbara Walters, gave several subsequent interviews and cooperated with author Andrew Morton on his book the same year, entitled “Monica’s Story.” “Sure, my boss took advantage of me,” she writes now, “but I will always remain firm on this point: it was a consensual relationship. Any ‘abuse’ came in the aftermath, when I was made a scapegoat in order to protect his powerful position.”
Vladimir Putin
Monica Lewinsky opens up on affair with Clinton
Monica Lewinsky WASHINGTON (AP) — Monica Lewinsky says there’s no question her boss — Bill Clinton — “took advantage” of her when he was president. But she says their affair was consensual and if there was any abuse involved, it came afterward, when Clinton’s inner circle tried to discredit her and the president’s opponents used her as a political pawn. The former White House intern, now 40, writes about her life in the next issue of Vanity Fair magazine, out this
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Thursday May 08, 2014
Thursday May 08, 2014
Kaieteur News
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Everybody’s sleeping! One of the things that I have always dreaded is attending the after-lunch sessions of a conference or seminar. I struggle to keep my eyes open during these sessions. There is the tendency, especially if it is a government-arranged event, to have a sumptuous lunch. All manner of food is dangled in front of the participants at lunchtime. And since it is free, most people over indulge, with the effect that their brain is forced to signal to their body to send extra blood to the stomach and abdomen to aid in the digestive process. The result is after-lunch drowsiness. It takes an effort to keep your eyes open after one of those heavy meals. However, there are other problems. There are some persons who suffer from a condition that makes them drowsy not just after eating a heavy meal. Almost at any time they can doze off into a sleep. Sleep experts have found
a way to elevate these incidents. They now refer to it as a power nap; something that they say allows the body to be recharged. My position, however, is that if I am paying you to work eight to ten hours, I am paying you to work and not sleep on the job. Do not come to me with talk about a power nap. Take your power nap at home, not on the job. Furthermore, if you are the boss, you need to set the example. You cannot be sleeping on the job. Otherwise those working under you would want to do the same. Everybody will demand his or her half-hour power nap. There are a lot of persons sleeping when they should be awake. And it is not just taking place in offices. The television cameras in Guyana have caught persons dozing off in the most important institution of the land, parliament. Now imagine, there are persons who have to make
Dem boys seh ...
Bobby got it lock There is an old saying that carrion crow does wait till rain fall fuh build house. Then dem got another one, some people does wait till dem belly gripe dem then hustle to build toilet. Only fools do things like that. A man wid lil bit brains would mek plans; he would prepare in advance. Rob de Earth and he Uncle in law, Jagdeo, use to wait till rain fall before dem dig de drains to ease flooding. Dem boys know that dem never use to clean de drain. As a matter of fact, dem use to do things to block up dem, drain fuh mek de flooding look big suh dem can tek big money but spend li’l money fuh drain. Since 2005, Rob de Earth and Jagdeo can’t account fuh de millions of dollars that come from de treasury and from Canada as flood relief funds. When Jagdeo tek US$200 million fuh build de new Skeldon sugar factory, dem didn’t even got a plan. Dem must be had a floor plan fuh drop de sugar pun de ground. To this day de factory cyan wuk. Bobby gun get it soon fuh open a warehouse. That is de real plan that Jagdeo had. Is that kind of planning Guyana had since 1999 after Janet give Jagdeo de presidency. Jagdeo start de Amaila road without a plan. He and that fat crook, Brazzy, ask Fip fuh design a plan fuh de road. Fip rob dem and gone. When dem boys expose Fip and ask dem fuh explain de hydro plan wha dem had, dem bring Sithe Global. Just how Sithe Global come, dem gone, like Fip. There was no plan. Marriott still to get a plan; Enmore Packaging Plant never had a plan; de airport fuh bring Africans from Africa never had a plan; Dem ain’t got no plan fuh de Specialty Hospital; dem four-lane highway ain’t got plan. Dem ain’t got plan fuh dem stelling and clearly dem have no plan fuh de city. In Georgetown, dem bruck up all de road and realize after that Guyana ain’t got asphalt fuh fix dem road. Dem just don’t plan anything fuh de ordinary man. But when it come to Bobby, de man who does finance de Pee Pee Pee campaign, dem got plan, blueprint and even newsprint fuh he. De stage does set fuh he get any and everything he want, because he does got to set dem political stage right. Talk half and hope Guyana get better planners.
decisions about our lives and yet these persons during important deliberations are caught sleeping. I had suggested some time before that parliament should be convened either in the morning or in the afternoons so that the effects of after-lunch drowsiness are less pronounced. I have seen at exciting sporting events, people sleeping. I could not believe it. One day I was in a movie house and heard snoring next to me. When I looked around there was a guy who was snoring, leaving his female partner embarrassed. It is truly an embarrassing thing to be caught sleeping on the job. One day a guy was
caught by his boss sleeping. When his boss tapped him on the shoulder and he opened his eyes sleepily he realized that he was in big trouble. He looked at his boss with a dry face and said, “Man, you had to disturb me while I was saying my prayers.” As you get older your body needs more rest. Many of us do not realize this and therefore suffer the consequences. Age catches up with all of us and therefore we need to know whether we can continue or what lifestyle changes we need to make so as to avoid sleeping on the job because no employer should tolerate staff sleeping
on the job, none. Ever since the advent of television a lot of persons have been up late at night watching various shows. They are depriving themselves of rest and this has led not only here in Guyana but in many countries of the world, to something that is medically known as sleep deprivation. In my day people did not need to have all those cups of coffee at work to keep them alert. You went to bed early and your rose early. This is not happening as much as before. I am sure that today if a survey was done, it will be discovered that most Guyanese are not getting out
of their beds early. And many of them are not getting sufficient sleep at nights with the result that they cannot function properly at work during the daytime. Employers and the public that they serve are being short-changed when persons cannot function at their best because they are not getting enough rest. Perhaps when persons are dismissed for sleeping on the job, the message will get through that work is made for activity, not rest.
NICIL has natural role to play in construction of New DHB - APNU wants the establishment of a bridge authority Despite, A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), demanding limited involvement of the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL) headed by Winston Brassington, in the construction of the New Demerara River Bridge, Government maintains that the entity has a natural role in the project. According to Robeson Benn, Transport and Hydraulics Minister, during an interview with this publication, yesterday, NICIL, an agent of the Ministry of Finance, allows for, creates and has oversight of new investments and new equity arrangements for Government, through the public sector agencies. Benn emphasized that the thrust of this initiative is that it will be a Public/Private BOOT (Build Own Operate and Transfer) arrangement. He explained that NICIL identifies where a new asset will be created in a relationship with Government. “NICIL must have an involvement in the beginning which is why naturally, NICIL, was also involved in the beginning with the Berbice River Bridge…There is nothing unusual or strange with respect to that,” he said. During the National Budget debates 2014, APNU’s Joseph Harmon related that the Opposition is in support of the construction of a New Demerara River Bridge since it is critical. He emphasized that the staff of the existing bridge are doing a good job of keeping the
Robeson Benn structure operational. However, APNU does not want NICIL, or more particularly, Brassington to have a major role to play with the construction of the structure. Harmon stressed the need for the establishment of a Bridge Authority to manage the construction and operations of the new structure. During an interview with this publication yesterday Harmon reiterated his party’s position on the matter. He stressed that APNU has made it clear that it does not want NICIL to overlook the management of this project. Harmon said that APNU is displeased with Brassington’s performance in the areas of negotiations and the crafting of proper contracts. He pointed to the Cheddi Jagan International Airport expansion project contract which sees Guyana paying the contractor for any delays. He also pointed to the contract for the construction
of the Marriott Branded Hotel which gave away Guyanese rights to gain employment during the construction phase. Currently, an evaluation team is examining the Expressions of Interest received for the construction of the bridge. At the time of the opening, 22 Expressions of Interest were submitted. A number of Chinese and Indian Companies are vying to build the New Demerara River Bridge. All the proposals were opened privately at NICIL and not at the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board, publicly, given that it is the Government’s holding company that is handling the project. Taking into
consideration the Opposition’s position on this matter and the fact it disapproved the budgetary allocations for programmes, which contained certain projects in the National Budget 2014 the question remains whether APNU will support the project with NICIL’s involvement. However, Benn has adopted an optimistic approach to this matter as well as the other projects not approved by the Opposition. “I am sure at some point when we would have clarified and gone over the details as we work this out that the Opposition would only accord with what could only be the national interest,” he said.
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Thursday May 08, 2014
=== The Freddie Kissoon column ===
A visa! A visa! My kingdom for a visa! In a desperate attempt to find safer ground, King Richard exclaimed, “A horse! A horse! My kingdom for a horse! He didn’t get a horse. Instead he got a sword in his body. For many Guyanese, it is not a bad idea to exchange their kingdom for an American visa, particularly the constituencies that have supported the PPP since the 1950s. Among the thousands that left their kingdom in Guyana and took a flying horse to North America, some ended up like King Richard one of whom I knew very well. It was tragic how many of them met their deaths in places like the USA. But you certainly couldn’t blame Cheddi Jagan’s supporters for wanting to migrate after
the PPP lost power in 1964. They didn’t trust the new PNC Government and felt they would have been discriminated against. The second greatest irony of Guyanese life is that for twenty two years now, Papa Cheddi’s party has totally dominated every aspect of life in Guyana but the King Richard cry goes on among PPP constituents. East Indians are migrating like mad from this country. US Embassy statistics put it as 14 citizens a day and that excludes illegal migration to the US and legal and illegal migration to Canada, Trinidad and Suriname. Imagine the unbelievable fact that the US Embassy no longer wants to see accompanying documents in the application
for a visitor ’s visa. The mountains of bogus documents have overwhelmed the Embassy that they couldn’t endure the daily irritation. Of those numbers the greater percentage are East Indians. It would shock the people of this country to know the large numbers of close relatives of the senior governors in the PPP and the government that have left Guyana since the PPP came to power and the substantial amount that migrated the past ten years. The horrible fact staring this nation is that in twenty years’ time, the Indian percentage of Guyana will be close to marginal. Just look at the lines last week that stretched endlessly when the US Embassy held an outreach to educate people on how to apply for all types of visas. Thousands of King Richards braved the sun just to hear how to apply. If the exodus of Indians
from Guyana since the 1990s is the second greatest irony, what is the first? The greatest irony in the world since Alexander the Great united the Greek city states right up to the present time, was the embrace Indians gave to Cheddi Jagan who was one of the world’s fanatical preachers of communism while they were fanatical admirers of capitalism and capitalist countries. It remains a mystery to the world as to what went through the mind of Jagan when he toured North America and saw his people in the thousands living in Canada and the US. Cheddi’s heart must have sunk when he returned to Guyana and during his stop over in Havana saw no Indian Guyanese migrant working in Cuba. Why Indians are leaving in mass exodus is not an analysis that can be explained in a newspaper column but its continuation has certainly reshaped the sociology of
Guyana, chief of which is the electoral landscape. Dr. Roger Luncheon told the press that Guyana’s latest census cannot be made public because that is a decision of the Caricom Secretariat. Luncheon stated that the census was a CARICOM project. The barefaced things the PPP leaders tell this hapless and helpless nation. I phoned a close contact of the CARICOM Secretariat and he told me that Caricom will not prevent any member-state from releasing the census. Why make the census public when it will reveal the diminishing presence of the East Indian population. That would certainly encourage the Opposition to work harder. A poignant academic question was once put to me by a student at UG. He asked if Jagan was alive in the age of Rihanna and Justin Timberlake would he still have proclaimed his belief in communism. I told him I doubt it. Young Indians have gone
Frederick Kissoon through a virtual cultural evolution since social networking took over the world. This is another electoral headache for the PPP hegemonic billionaires. Could they rely on young Indians the way Papa Cheddi did in 1992? It makes you wonder how Indians would react when the Indian Arrival Committee or the Dharmic Sabha holds their annual Indian mela in Berbice (as they did last week for Arrival Day) and in the midst of those large crowds, a helicopter comes down sharing out American visas. People will get trampled. Is it possible Arrival Day will be replaced by Departure Day?
Thursday May 08, 2014
Kaieteur News
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Recommendations of the Auditor General…
Attorney General turns a blind eye to prosecuting “non-compliant” Ministries Leader of the Alliance For Change (AFC), Khemraj Ramjattan, says that he is against proposals to seemingly strengthen the powers of the Auditor General to make “lax Ministries” comply with his recommendations. The Attorney-at-law says that the power to bring these indisciplined Ministries in line lies with the Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall. The misappropriation of billions of taxpayers’ dollars and the lack of accountability by some ministries that have been quite negligent in obeying the recommendations of the Auditor General to correct financial irregularities has, and still continues, to worry many members of the political sphere. More particularly, Ramjattan is of the opinion that the Attorney General, Anil Nandlall has the power to bring those persons responsible for not adhering to the Auditor’s recommendations before the court.
- suggests he condones financial irregularities - AFC Leader Ramjattan explained, “When the Auditor General makes recommendations it is that Ministry that must adhere to it. But if the Ministry does not conform to that recommendation, it is breaching a law. The Attorney General can bring the said Ministry to the books or the courts in that regard. It is a clear basis for prosecution under Section 85 of the Financial Management and Accountability Act.” The Member of Parliament added, “The Attorney General can also go to the Director of Public Prosecution and take the necessary steps to prosecute those who are in breach of the instructions of the Auditor General. “Apparently, the Attorney General does not understand his powers and the laws. He can indicate to the DPP that an accounting officer is not acting in
accordance with the FMA Act. He then writes out the statements and let it be the basis for prosecution. “The Attorney General, by virtue of turning a blind eye to another step called prosecution, is also condoning the activities.” Auditor General, Deodat Sharma, had said in a previous interview that he has no power to make ministries and other budgetary agencies comply with his recommendations. He said that it is the National Assembly through its Public Accounts Committee (PAC) that would have the responsibility to ensure such. When contacted, the Chairman of the PAC, Carl Greenidge, and Speaker of the National Assembly, Raphael Trotman, debunked those claims. They said that the National Assembly has no such power.
Dad of dead Trini teen says Guyana police failing to arrest killer A prominent Trinidad lawyer whose daughter was brutally killed in April 2012 has blazed Guyana police for their handling of the case. The alleged killer, 27-yearold Ramesh Sookram, called ‘Alan’, fled to Guyana the day after Nikita Ramischand’s mutilated body was found at Maracas, Trinidad. In a letter to the Trinidad media condemning Sunday’s assassination of well known attorney, Dana Seetahal, in that twin-island Republic, Odai Ramischand said he tracked the alleged killer to where he was staying in Guyana but reports to police were not heeded. “I went to view him from a distance and where he was living,” Ramischand said in a Trinidad Express story yesterday. “The guy who went with me was nearly chopped and killed by this criminal. We reported this to the police in Guyana. The police response was ‘why you didn’t shoot him’. Imagine the police in Guyana and in Trinidad know this criminal killed my daughter but they will not arrest him, saying they want to get the ‘accused number one’ first, or, are awaiting to find ‘accused number one’
Nikita Ramischand first before arresting ‘accused number two’.” The lawyer is now threatening to hold a press conference. Detectives in Guyana had reportedly questioned Sookram’s mother at the woman’s Soesdyke, East Bank Demerara home, but learned nothing of the fugitive’s whereabouts. INTERPOL had also been notified. Reports had said that the teen was attacked near her mother’s salon in Maracas. Her throat was slit and she was stabbed several times in the abdomen.
Angry dad: Odai Ramischand Investigators believe the suspect was obsessed with Nikita, who rejected his marriage proposal a few weeks ago. According to the Trinidad media, Nikita, a second-year ACCA student of the School of Business and Computer Sciences (SBCS), worked at Casa de Belize, a salon her mother Shariza operated next to the family home at LP 46 Maracas Royal Road, Maracas, St Joseph. She was supposed to attend to a client at the salon about 7 pm. Police believe that while walking to the salon, (continued on page 24)
Trotman said that there were instances where the word of the Parliament was so respected that the mere mention of irregularities in certain areas moved the government to make immediate corrections. But over the years, there continues to be erosion for the respect of the word of the Parliament. The slip into this phase worries the Speaker. With this in mind, there was the suggestion that the Auditor General could propose to the National Assembly suggestions to strengthen his powers to make Ministries comply with his “corrective measures.” “While this is a situation that worries me and we continue to look forward for new ways to ensure compliance, this is something that I would welcome. In fact, the PAC need not wait on the
Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall AG to start drafting proposals; they can assist in that process and help to make recommendations.” PAC Chairman also expressed that there would be no problem on the part of the PAC to make recommendations where necessary for the strengthening of the AG’s
Leader of the AFC, Khemraj Ramjattan powers. Greenidge said, “I have no problem with that. But the AG under the Act can bring before the PAC recommendations to do that too. The fact that he has not brought a proposal before the Public Accounts Committee suggests that he does not see a problem with the inadequacy of his powers.”
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Kaieteur News
NBS beefs up internal procedures to detect money laundering - CEO Financial institutions in Guyana have been facing an uphill task of carrying on their business of conducting foreign currency transactions as a result of Guyana being unable to amend its legislation on the Anti Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism Bill (AML/CFT), as recommended by the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF). This is according to Ahmad Khan, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the New Building Society, who was at the time reporting to shareholders during the company’s most recent Annual General Meeting. He reminded that Guyana now faces the risk of being blacklisted by the CFATF for having weak legislative and operational framework on AML/CFT. In his report to shareholders, Khan said that the Society remains optimistic that the major stakeholders “including our political parties can soon resolve the already long stale-mate, and pass the required legislation in Guyana as recommended by the
NBS’ CEO, Ahmad Khan
CFATF to strengthen the country’s ability to deter money laundering and the financing of terrorism and to prosecute offenders.” He noted that NBS in face of the prevailing climate has taken steps to strengthen its internal policies and procedures to detect money laundering activities across its locations. “We will continue to work with the Financial Intelligence Unit and other agencies to ensure compliance with the laws and systems which are
introduced from time to time.” The Special Parliamentary Select Committee tasked with addressing the AML/CFT Bill has completed addressing the amendments brought about by A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and supported by the Alliance for Change (AFC), and it is now up to the Chief Parliamentary Counsel to ‘tidy up’ the draft. The next step when the Committee meets is to deal with the counter amendments submitted by Attorney General, Anil Nandlall. APNU’s Joseph Harmon recently told this publication that he did not expect this to be too much of a tedious or prolonged phase, given that a number of counter amendments submitted by Nandlall coincides with that of APNU. According to the APNU Member of Parliament, it is very likely that the work of the Committee can be wrapped up before the review of
Guyana by the Caribbean Financial Action Taskforce (CFAT), come May 29. The Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), José Miguel Insulza, on Friday last had issued another call for the Parliament of Guyana to approve the AML/CFT Bill, which has been under consideration by the Legislature for several months. Insulza stated that passage of the Act is crucial to bring the country up to standard on these matters, noting that several of Guyana’s CARICOM partners have already adopted similar legislation in compliance with the requirements of CFATF. Further delays, according to the highest ranking official of the OAS, could result in unnecessary damage to the country’s financial stature. The Secretary General therefore appealed again to all political parties and other stakeholders in Guyana to exercise leadership and understanding in seeking prompt passage of the Bill. Secretary General, Insulza, offered the cooperation and support of the OAS through the Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission (CICAD), noting that Guyana’s draft law is fully consistent with the most recent recommendations of CICAD’s expert group on money laundering, which were in turn endorsed by CICAD commissioners at their 55th Regular Session in Washington DC this past week.
Thursday May 08, 2014
Haslington New Scheme attack…
Woman now admits that she saw lover hacking away at husband After hours of painstaking investigations, detectives probing last Friday’s murder of fisherman Cheram Bharrat have finally been able to confirm that the act was the work of the man who was having an affair with the victim’s wife. This was after the woman, Lomattie Ramdat, changed her story and confessed that she did see her lover Errol Khan, known as Venood Maraj, hacking away at her husband while he lay sleeping in his Haslington New Scheme, East Coast Demerara house. The woman who sustained several chops and is at present hospitalized gave police a further statement yesterday in which she stated that she begged Khan to stop but he turned the cutlass on her. Bharrat had initially told police that she and her husband were attacked by two men who demanded cash and jewellery before hacking them with cutlasses. She subsequently modified her story during an interview with this newspaper. She accused her lover of organizing the attack, although she maintained that it was carried out by two masked men. It was based on her story in the newspaper that police realised that Bharrat was holding back some vital information, prompting them to revisit her in hospital to get the truth. According to a source close to the investigations, Ramdat claimed that she was awakened by the sound of the swishing of a cutlass, and saw a man chopping her husband. At first she did not recognize the attacker since, Khan who knew her house well, had turned out all the lights. Ramdat said that it was when she rushed to her husband’s aid to prevent the person from chopping him further, she recognized that
Errol Khan called Vinood Maraj the attacker was Khan. Immediately after the shocking discovery early Friday morning, neighbours and relatives had pointed fingers at Ramdat’s lover. When asked why she did not make this disclosure earlier instead of misleading investigators, Ramdat reportedly said that she was scared that Khan, who was very abusive to her during their brief relationship, would try to kill her since he knew she was not dead. “She saw his face but she was scared and that is why she was not talking,” an investigator told this newspaper. “We still don’t know how he entered the house,” the detective added. On Tuesday police issued a wanted bulletin for Khan who they say is wanted for questioning into the murder. The man’s relatives who have contacted this newspaper are urging him to turn himself in. Meanwhile, a post mortem examination performed on Bharrat’s body revealed that he died from multiple incise wounds. “I never see chop like that. He had two through his skull. He never get a chance to wake up,” a source told Kaieteur News.
The wounded Lomattie Bharrat
Thursday May 08, 2014
Kaieteur News
Page 21
No case submission overruled in Pensioner dies in Corentyne rape and robbery trial motorcycle crash The trial of Beesham Gopaul, called “Thackoor”, 27, of No 74 Village, Corentyne, who is on trial for raping and robbing a married mother of two on June 24, 2008 at No. 73 Village Corentyne, Berbice, is continuing in the Berbice High Court. The matter is being tried before Justice Brassington Reynolds and a mixed jury. This was after defence attorney, Charlyn Artiga, had put forward a no case submission on the grounds that insufficient evidence was presented by the prosecution to prove the two offences against Gopaul. She said that the only evidence presented was that of the virtual complainant. She also cited the discrepancies in the evidence given by the virtual complainant and Police Detective Corporal Winston Singh. After the submission was
…Defence calls two witnesses overruled the defence called two witnesses, including the accused, Gopaul. The man in his evidence stated that he doesn’t have any scar on his face and that he doesn’t fit the description as stated by the virtual complainant. Ramchand Harsawack, a relative of Gopaul, was the next witness to take the stand. He stated that on the day in question he and the accused were living at the same address. He recalled being at home around 11:30 hrs when the accused arrived home for lunch. The alleged incident occurred around 13:30 hrs. Earlier, State Prosecutor Attorney at Law Renita Singh closed the prosecution case because she was unable to tender the medical certificate after not being able to locate Dr. Mahase Chandra Persaud who is reportedly out of the
jurisdiction. The woman had detailed the sequence of events on the day in question, how she was accosted by the accused whom she knew for over 10 years as ‘Thackoor’. She said that he robbed and raped her at knifepoint. When the man was finished he took her cell phone valued $30,000 and warned her not to holler. He threatened to kill if she disobeyed. She informed her mother who along with her husband accompanied her to the police station. She was later accompanied to the Skeldon Hospital where she was examined and a Medical Certificate issued. Later the same day she identified the accused at the Springlands Police Station. Her mother testified to not being at home, but was later informed of the incident.
Corporal Winston Singh in his testimony related to the court the part he played during the investigation. Rural Constable Rowena Craig had told the court that she took the victim to the Skeldon and New Amsterdam Hospitals before being forced to return to Skeldon where the examination was conducted. The policewoman stated that when she first visited the Skeldon Hospital, she was told that the doctor was at lunch. They then travelled for more than 40 miles to the New Amsterdam Hospital only to be told that no Gynecologists were available. The woman in answer to a question by Defence Counsel, Carolyn Artiga, stated that the doctor had instructed the victim to undergo a number of tests including pregnancy as well as for HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases.
Nine-year-old rape/murder trial ...
Attorneys representing accused present no-case submissions Justice Navindra Singh is expected to rule on no-case submissions (arguments that the court has no case against their clients) presented by Attorneys-at-law Raymond Alli and George Thomas, who are representing the two persons accused of the rape and murder of nine-year-old, Sade Stoby. The accused, Charles Cush, 21, and Jevon Wharton, 23, are on trial for the crime which took place sometime between November 2 and November 5, 2007. At the opening of the case State Prosecutor, Judith Gildharie Mursalin had detailed that on November 5, 2007, the nine-year-old girl, who had gone missing for three days, was discovered near a ditch a short distance from her Barnwell North, Mocha Arcadia, East Bank Demerara home. The evidence suggested that the girl had been raped and murdered. After the discovery was made, the child’s alleged killers were identified as Wharton and Cush, two teenagers who lived in her village. Yesterday, Prosecutor Mursalin closed her case after calling her final witness, Wendella Knights to the stand. Knights is the aunt of Cush, the number two accused. She told the court that she was present when a police officer procured the
Charles Cush (left) and Jevon Wharton caution statement from her nephew. The witness told the court that no force or inducement was meted out to her nephew, who was fourteen years old, after he was arrested for the rape and murder. After the Prosecution closed its case, the defense opted to make no-case submissions in the absence of the Jury. Prosecutor Mursalin opposed the no-case submissions and Justice Singh is expected to make his ruling today. On Tuesday, General Practitioner Dr. Mohan Persaud read out his finding in relation to medical examinations which he had conducted on Cush and Wharton after they were arrested for their alleged
involvement in the rape and murder of Stoby. Persaud told the court that he found lacerations and abrasions on the private areas of the two boys which suggested their involvement in sexual intercourse, “particularly in a forceful manner”. “The examination conducted on the uncircumcised penis of Jevon Wharton revealed lacerations to the head and lower aspects of the penis …abrasions to the head and shaft of the penis…” Dr. Persaud further revealed that Cush bore similar marks on his genitals. He was examined in the presence of his Aunt Wendella Knights and Police Corporal Royston Blair.
“The medical examination conducted on the body of Charles Cush revealed an abrasion to the left shoulder and multiple abrasions and lacerations on the penis area which suggests involvement in a forceful sexual exercise.” However, the doctor noted that the injuries could have been caused by frequent masturbation, or due to a Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI), or yeast infection.” Government Pathologist Dr Nehaul Singh also presented his evidence to the court. The Pathologist detailed that the child had died due to asphyxiation from submersion (drowning) compounded by blunt trauma. The body of Sade Stoby was bloated, her eyes bulging and the hands and feet were wrinkled, which suggests that she was submerged in water for some time. There was also evidence of haemorrhage from the head and neck. There was thick black mud in the trachea (wind pipe) which suggests breathing while under water. There was bruising on both sides of the vagina and the hymen was ruptured which suggests forced entry or forceful sexual activity just before the time of death. Her intestines were also protruding…. which could suggest possible sexual activity,” Dr Singh explained.
Harriet Philadelphia, 66, of Pike Street, Kitty, Georgetown, died on Tuesday evening at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) following an accident on the intersection of JB Singh and Thomas Roads. According to a police press release issued yesterday, the accident occurred at around 18:25hrs. The statement explained that Philadelphia was on a motorcycle, which collided with another, being driven by 25-year-old Jason Lashley of Sixth Street, Alberttown, Georgetown. Both motorists were
rushed to the aforementioned public health institution where Philadelphia later succumbed while receiving treatment. Police are continuing with their investigations to determine what caused the crash. Meanwhile, relatives of the woman were unreachable. When Kaieteur News visited the woman’s residence yesterday, no one was at home. Several telephone calls were subsequently made to the family, but the persons on the line maintained that they were not relatives and had no information on Philadelphia.
CANU wants Dawn Roberts The Customs Anti Narcotics Unit wants Dawn Roberts in connection with cocaine found at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) on Saturday February 8, last. Until the discovery of the cocaine, she operated a shop at 9 North Road, Bourda. CANU is asking that calls be made to 227-3507.
Security guard freed of rape Justice Franklyn Holder, on Tuesday, freed accused Errol Dainty of rape after a unanimous verdict was returned by the jury in the Suddie High Court. Dainty, a security officer attached at Citizens Bank, Essequib o b r a n c h , w a s initially accused on February 16, 2011, of raping his then 11-year-old neighbour. The victim, who is now 15 years old, had told the police that Dainty had raped her while she was a frequent visitor of the man’s
Queenstown home. Dainty, however, in his caution statement to the court, denied raping the minor but told the court that the then 11-year-old would often come over to his residence to view television and iron his clothes. The security guard and former pastor also said that he never touched his neighbor, further insinuating that he has no knowledge of the accusation leveled at him by the minor. Dainty was represented by Hemraj Rajkumar.
Another NYC politician ... From page 17 York State Senator John Sampson was arrested. A former Senate Majority Leader, he was charged with embezzlement, obstruction of justice and making false statements to the FBI. He allegedly embezzled $440,000 from escrow accounts on foreclosed properties. Sampson reportedly received a $188,500 personal loan from Ahmad. According to media reports, the Meeks investiga-
tion led to Sampson. In December 2013, Dr. Dorothy Ogundu was arrested on the basis of information provided to the New York Post by NLPC. A Nigerian-born physician, Ogundu ran a fake health clinic in Queens, New York. She was accused of stealing $370,000 from twelve separate government grants. She is a prominent Meeks donor who secured $380,500 in earmarked funds for the fake clinic.
Page 22
FOR SALE LARGE QUANTITIES OF HIGH PURITY MERCURY (QUICK SILVER) 99.99995% PURITY$19,000 PER POUND CALL: 592-227-4754. Pure bred Rottweiler puppies, 8 weeks old – Call:682-2148 or 618-2903 One smoothie machine and ice machine – Call:231-0655 or 683-8734 Spare for washing machine, microwaves,fridges, stoves, timers, gearbox, pumps, etc call: 225-9032, 647-2943 Pork - $380, Pork Chops $650, leg pork - $480lb, salted pork -$450 (8 Lbs pails) @ Geroge & Hadfield Sts. Suites, beds, desk, guitars, divider, radio set, table –Tel: 226-2284 Honda Welder, 270 Amps, 2002 Tundra – Call:611-5114, 220-4495 PORK WHOLE SALE, WHOLE, HALF & QUARTER CARCASS. NO HEAD! NO TROTTERS! – CALL:266-2711, 609-4594 1-CAT 320 excavator, 1-22 RB long boom dragline, 1helmet & hammer, 1-120G motor grader -D4H CAT bulldozer- Good conditionCall:660-4021/275-0578 1 Playstation3 with games $65,000, 1 – XBOX360 with games - $60,000, Used XBOX360 - $25,000, PSP $15,000, DS - $15,000 – Tel:621-7497, 603-8643 One 210 Hyundai Excavator with one complete 6" Dredge and also 4" Dredge Contact: 690-1568 Pit-bull pups, 7 weeks old – Contact Chandra:695-7340, 699-1625 2 months old Rottweiler pups & 7 weeks old Rottweiler pups for sale- Tel: 683-4832, 263-5755 PVC Ceiling Panels, PVC Mouldings, Medallions. American Standard!!! – Call:614-8564, 680-0862 Brand new Acer Chrome book C7 laptop - $39,000 – Call: 627-4468 for more details 1-48 Feet Boat with 900lb ice box, price negotiable - Tel: 609-0783 40Ft round bottom boat, 40HP Yamaha outboard engine, 350Lbs 5" Nylon anchor seine – Call:604-0038, 601-4585 One Long Base mini bus, BJJ Series – Tel:667-6045 FOR SALE/RENTAL American Pool Table – Call:277-0578
Kaieteur News
PROPERTY FOR SALE Property for sale.Call:627-5416 Double lot with house at East Bank Demerara, one block away from Public Road – Call: 621-1766
FOR SALE Toyota Forklift - Excellent condition, 4,000lbs capacity, 117" Lift, Solid Wheels, Automatic Transmission, 4 Cylinder LPG Motor. Call: 604-6108.
1 – 2 storey wooden & concrete house with 5 bedrooms, upper flat & lower flat 4 apartments located@ Shell Road, kitty - $38.9M – Tel: 642-7898
SERVICES PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION,WEDDINGS, ANNIVERSARY,ETC.–CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 216-1043; 677-6620 Guyana Passport & Visa Forms Application, USA, Canada and England. Tel: 626-7040; 265-4535.
One commercial property located at Broad St, Charlestown, close to the Public Road – Call:615-7526, 661-9885 Lot 81 Lamaha Street. No Agent! – Call: 673-5882 One house for sale at Covent Garden Island – Call: 265-3586 Kitty - $32M, Atlantic Garden -$50M, Lamaha Garden $35M, AA Eccles -$55M Contact Diana: 227-2256, 6269382 Prime Business property, huge land space 200’X50'. Next to Police Outpost at Mc Doom. Tel: 233-0570 One flat house for sale at Railway Embankment – Price:$6,500,000- Contact:6896255 Property at Section ‘D’ Turkeyen, E.C.D – Call:6046973 or 695-7610
COOL TECH : Repairs Services & Installation of all types if homes appliances: Air Condition & Refrigeration units - Tel: 233-2008; 675-4959 Repairs, sales & spares air conditioning, microwaves, washer, fridges & stoves. Ultra Cool, call: 225-9032, 647-2943 Permanent & Visitors Visa Applications, Professional Immigration Consultant Room D5 Maraj Building Call Sabita: 225-6496, 662-6045 House plan drafting from- $10,000 electrical works and estimates services available – Tel: 667-2189, 646-6572,629-8750 HOUSE PLAN DRAFTING FOR ONLY $10,000CALL:694-9843/227-2766 We repair fridge, freezer, AC, washer, dryer. Call Omar:2310655,683-8734
LEARN TO DRIVE Soman Son & Outar Driving School at Maraj BuildingTel:644-5166; 622-2872; 6150964; 689-5997
DRESSMAKING Jean is offering courses in dressmaking, curtains, floral & cake decoration @ 153 Barr Street Kitty – Call: 670-2653, 618-1706
CAR RENTAL Dolly’s Car Rental - Call: 225-7126/ 226-3693 dollys autorental@yahoo.com/ www.dolly sautorental.com Progressive Auto Rental - carsCall: 643-5122 or 225-8711, Email:pro_autorental@yahoo.com Wings Car Rental- Call:6431131 Aidan’s Car Rental, Canter & Pickup- Call: 645-7981/ 698-7807
EDUCATIONAL Practical Electronic Course beginning May 6th 2014 – Call Abdul Electronics – 2266551 or 225-0391 Balloon Decorating Classes – 31 st May 2014 – Call: 225-3133 or 613-7513 for more information and to register. MASSSAGE The Gents Spa: Be pampered by beautiful masseuses. New masseuses Amanda and Crystal – Tel: 657-5979
FOR RENT PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION,WEDDINGS, ANNIVERSARY, ETC. CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 216-1043; 677-6620 One upper flat @ 6th Street Cummings Lodge ECD – Call:622-3580 BRAND NEW 3 STOREY modern building. Located on North Road, between Oronoque & Albert St – Tel:629-0037, 626-6909 Secured Concrete bond 87’X32’ at Public Road McDoom, lots of yard space. Suitable for Car Mart. Tel: 233-0570 One large bedroom apartment for rent, preferably couple at Lot 28 Hadfield Street Lodge – Call:696-9299 G.T TOOLS RENTAL: CONCRETE SAW, RANDSOM & MORE. EVERYDAY SPECIALS – CALL:675-0767 OR 6275098 House to rent in Friendship, E.B.D – Tel:266-0163 BRAND NEW 4 STOREY modern building. Located on Regent Street, between light and Cummings St. Call:6266909, 629-0037
TO LET Furnished and unfurnished two bedrooms apartment in Eccles, for short or long term – Tel:643-1131 One two bedroom apartment to rent at Lot 72 West Ruimveldt - $50,000 per month – Call:692-7377.
Thursday May 08, 2014
SALON Make Up Courses, Artist Trained & Certified in Trinidad. Call: 660-5257, 647-1773 Natural beauty salon & spa: Grove Market Street EBD Tele: 265-4138, 652-5800. We specialized in everything for women.
Unregistered Toyota Raum - Year 2004 , black interior, HID lights, power door, TV navigation – Tel:617-5536
VACANCY Office clerk senior/junior. CXC: English, Mathematics & computer knowledge an assetCall:225-0188/223-7500 One Trainee refrigeration, A/ C Technician – Tel:231-0655, Call between Monday Friday (8:00am-4:30pm) General managers to work on land dredges in the interior with popular mining firm – Tel:226-9768, 615-6172 Model ‘M’ truck drivers to drive into the Interior, must be sober headed & ability to service – Call:226-9768, 6156172 Federal Management Security Services: Armed, Baton Officers, bus drivers. Located @ 120 Peter Rose Street, Queenstown – Tel:2260633, 226-0652, 226-0637 Surveyor/Ranger to monitor mining lands. Must have vast knowledge of G.P.S & riding ATV bikes – Call:226-9768, 615-6172 One live-in housekeeper between the age 30-35yrs to care for infant, long term employment – Contact: 6978797 Male Cleaners Needed, Skilled Machinist. Apply @ Technical Services Inc. 18-23 Industrial Site, Eccles E.B.D
One newly built 2 storey concrete house, 2 bedroom for short or long term Bartica – Call:685-2707 One bedroom concrete bottom flat apartment located at Middle Road, La Penitence - $25,000 per month. Preferably a bachelor – Contact: 666-9534 Campbellville - $60,000$80,000, Ogle- $60,000$120,000, Atlantic Gardens US$850, AA Eccles - $1200US – Contact Diana: 227-2256, 626-9382 Two bedroom unfurnished apartment for rent in Albouystown – Tel: 689-5877. Fully furnished two bedrooms apartment for rent in South with TV, Airconditioned, hot & cold, cable – Call: 689-5877
VEHICLE FOR SALE First Class Auto: Premio, Allion, Spacio, Raum, 212, Allex, Runx, IST, Fielder, Bluebird, Axela – Tel:6098188, 638-3045 One 8,000 Ford Tractor, one 450 Ford Towing Truck & size 16 & 17 tyres - Contact Floyd: 694-5599
WANTED Experienced taxi driver, mini bus driver and dispatcher at Princess Hotel – Tel:2657075, 265-7076 Urgently needed live in waitresses to work in Bar, offering an attractive salary – Call:689-8859 Live in domestic & waitresses – age 18-25yrs, must be honest & courteous – Salary $50,000, boarding & lodging free – Call: 610-5043 Do you need an excavator operator for the interior? 12 years experienced in mining – Call:254-1874, 698-6819 Workers to work on farm – Call: 265-3586
Smart Choice Auto Sales: Unregistered: Premio, Spacio, Allion, Allex, IST, 2 1 2 , F i e l d e r, Vo x y – Call:652-3820; 665-4529 Toyota Avensis, PRR Series, immaculate condition, leather interior, alarm, A/C, TV, 18" Rims, HID - $3.250 Neg. – Call: 609-7257, 6025794 Toyota Spacio – TV/DVD/ CD, body kit, reverse camera. Never registered $2.1M. Call:617-2891 One Toyota Land cruiser Prado, PMM Series Call: 225-0188, 223-7500, MonFri 8:15-4:15pm, Sat – 8:15-1:15PM Toyota Raum, Spacio, AT212, AT192, NZE ,LTouring wagon, Fun Cargo, IST, Nissan E24 Caravan – Tel: 644-5096; 697-1453 Seinta and Noah with Body Kits – unregistered and top notch condition with terms available – Call:641-8647 2 – 1 RZ Van -$660,000, bus$500,000, 1 RZ Boby, RZ parts & Spares, 1 Solid Def 2 Door, G5591 – Call:614-6410, 649-2450 New Model Hilux Surf and RX8 – Very clean vehicles. Terms available – Call:6418647 Stick gear and automatic Pitbull and RZ buses at the best prices around – Tel:641-8647 Nissan Cube PMM1088, any reasonable offer won’t be refused – Call: 662-4307, 2261629 STAR CARS AUTO SALE: Premio, Spacio, Allion, IST, Feilder, Altezza, new Raum, Axela, Carina 212 – Call: 679-3140, 615-1199 Pre-order: AT192, 212, Allion, unregistered Premio, Hilux Surf, BNN, RZ & Pit-bull, 7 seater super custom. Cash / terms- Call: 680-3154 We buy & sell vehicles for cash, also parts available & 30 seater buses; Extra Cab pickups; 2006 Tacoma- Call: 680-3154 One AA60 Carina Call:689-5254, 643-0332, 256-0504 2 Ton freezer canter, GRR Series – Call:658-3209 (Continued on page 23)
Thursday May 08, 2014
Top Govt official fingered in sex scandal at NOC From page 3 and Minister Webster are collaborating on the investigation of the NOC matter, and I expect that swift and necessary action will be taken by the respective Ministry to address the allegations sensitively and firmly, with a view to determine what happened, and more particularly, to make sure that those institutions are safe places and the residents there are protected,” Manickchand said. Opposition Leader Brig. David Granger had said that his party had no confidence in the capability of the Ministry of Culture, to administer the New Opportunity Corps. Granger had proposed that the responsibility of the Corps be transferred to another Ministry or agency that possesses the requisite personnel and skills and is better prepared to tend to the lives of juveniles sympathetically. He stressed, “It is evident that a new approach and a new agency are needed to curb the perpetuation of abuses and interpersonal violence which are still occurring in the Corps. “APNU is concerned that the worst incident of violence in the entire history of the Corps occurred in August 2012 and involved about onethird of the juveniles in the Corps. The Minister however, has been unable to present the report of the Commission of Inquiry to the National Assembly after over 20 months. “The absence of the report clearly has resulted in the Ministry's inability to comprehend the problem and to prevent the recurrence of abuses similar to those that are alleged to have triggered the August 2012 events. “The last escape occurred between March 22 and March 24, this year. It involved 11 juveniles.” Granger had said that APNU has been disturbed, particularly by the new reports of sexual harassment and exploitation of juvenile girls by male staff members and older males.
Kaieteur News
Page 23
Letters... Where your views make the news
Take the welfare of these people seriously DEAR EDITOR, Please allow me to express a few thoughts on a matter reported on by the Kaieteur News on Thursday May 1, 2014 captioned “No evidence of pollution of Canje Creek Armogan”. The article gives rise to more questions than it provides answers. No report of pollution of any river and associated tributaries, lakes, or any water body in Guyana should be treated in a cavalier manner. The health and wellbeing of people are at stake. Let me reinforce, this includes children, pregnant women,
the elderly and our men and women folk, many of whom are the breadwinners of their family. The delegation that visited these communities consisted of people who are sufficiently knowledgeable to realize that chemicals released into the waterway will create change in the system. While there was insufficient information to expand very much, the least that could have been done is to conduct some water testing. Testing should not be dismissed based on the premise that this is running water. You might be surprised
at what you find by taking measurements of the physical and chemical condition of running water and the critters that live in it. If all is well after testing then that’s great news. It is better to be safe than sorry. I am not aware of any person who has the ability to look at water and say it is not polluted. While the tell-tale evidence that may have created the problem is absent at this time, that is not sufficient to conclude that the creek is not polluted. Further allocations should be made to have a small medical team
taken to the areas to do some screening. I am positive the ‘know how’ to approach a situation like this exists within the country’s medical fraternity. This team should do whatever is necessary to determine whether these people are affected in any way or can be declared as having a clean bill of health. The further visit mentioned by Armogan should commence now rather than later! It does not cost much to take a better approach. Take the welfare of these people seriously. Andre Dukhia
Unfortunate comments by AG Nandlall
DEAR EDITOR, I read with concern, certain statements made by Attorney General Anil Nandlall at a ceremony at Highbury, East Bank Berbice, to mark the 176th anniversary of the arrival of indentured labourers in the country. It is unfortunate that the learned gentleman had to make political comments at such a “sacred” occasion. It seems as if it is the norm by top PPPC officials to attack the opposition at gatherings which should be considered as “sentimental”. I recall former President Bharrat Jagdeo and current Head of State, Donald Ramotar used the occasions
to mark the death anniversary of PPP leader Cheddi Jagan at Babu John, Port Mourant, to ridicule the opposition. While I agree that it is crucial that the AntiMoney Laundering Bill should be passed in the House of Assembly t o p r e v e n t G u y a n a from being blacklisted in order to save the country from economic pressure from the United States, the United Kingdom and other developed countries, I do not think it was the right forum for Nandlall to criticize the opposition. The Regional Chairman, David Armogan, who is a senior PPP member obviously
recognised this, hence the reason when asked to comment on the condition of the East Bank Road he said “I attended the event to talk about Indian Arrival and not about the East Bank Berbice roadway.” Politicians, especially
those in government, should be extremely careful what they say at occasions like Indian Arrival Day. In my view the President’s representative at the Highbury function was way off target. Oscar Ramjeet
From page 22
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Kaieteur News
Toshao remanded for rape of 10-year-old daughter A Toshao from Region One was yesterday placed before Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court, charged with two counts of rape after he reportedly confessed to raping and impregnating his 10-year-old daughter. According to the charge, the incidents took place on April 27 last, and sometime between January 1 and 31, 2014. During the brief in-camera proceeding, the accused was not required to plead to the charge. The Toshao had no legal representation but stood in the prisoner’s dock as the charge was read to him yesterday. He was subsequently remanded to prison until May
19, when the matter comes up in the Mabaruma Magistrate’s Court. Details relating to the matter are that the leader of an Amerindian village in Region One was apprehended and charged after his daughter was taken to the district hospital and it was revealed that the child is four months pregnant. Medical inspections
- child remains hospitalised indicate that the child was sexually active and “it wasn’t a one-time act”. Further investigations suggested that the child has been having regular sex. The Toshao was later arrested and confessed to his involvement in the crime. A source close to the investigations had said that incest is common in the area. “It is an ongoing something. It is only because she got pregnant the village now knows about it. The residents would drink, get drunk, and go have sex with their relatives and those that born and grow into it don’t even know that it is wrong. Many children in this area don’t even go to school; it is a disgusting situation.” Meanwhile, Officials of the Childcare and Protection Agency (CPA) are looking after the welfare of the 10year-old girl, who remains hospitalized. “The Childcare and Protection Agency is working in the best interest of the
child, at this point, our main focus is ensuring that the child receives adequate medical attention…she will receive counseling but we are working on ensuring that she gets well again,” an official disclosed. The official further explained that whilst such incidences are prevalent in the hinterland communities, the Childcare and Protection Agency has been constantly engaged in outreach exercises, which are aimed at re-educating the population. “We have found that in some cultures there is a high tolerance level for females to become sexually active at a young age. This is not acceptable or in accordance to the laws of Guyana. However, we have emphasized during our outreaches that there must be a safe distance between culture and law. Cultural practices must not infringe the laws because regardless of how we may want to look at it, incest is a crime.”
Royston King to assume Town .... From page 6 and Junior Garrett, Chairperson of the Finance Committee, deeming the actions of Town Clerk with regards to the Easter Monday seawall activity, illegal and offering restitution. “The Mayor has no such power. The Mayor has been told that he has no such power; the Mayor knows that he has no such power.” In an interview with this newscast, former Mayor and Councillor Ranwell Jordan explained that the government should stop blaming the Mayor since the decisions made Tuesday were done by Council. “If they want to blame someone, blame the councillors, we made the decision,” he charged.
It was highlighted however that the Municipal and District Council Act, section 54:1 says, “The Mayor and the Chairman may call an extraordinary meeting at any time.” It was also highlighted that under section 58 of the said Act, it is law that, “...all acts of a Council and all questions coming or arising before a Council shall be done and decided by a majority of councillors present and voting thereon at a meeting.” Request for a comment from Carol Sooba both Tuesday and yesterday was declined. Kaieteur News was also unable to contact Local Government Minister Norman Whittaker who was said to be out-of-town. The Georgetown
Dad of dead Trini ... From page 11 Nikita was ambushed by the suspect who dragged her behind the premises where he slit her throat and stabbed her in her abdomen. They believe that the killer used a kitchen knife. The Newsday said that the victim’s mother told police that she did not hear any screams or any strange noises, but when Nikita failed to arrive at the salon she became suspicious and began calling her cell phone. When the calls went unanswered, Shariza, her husband Odai, their eldest son Sid, another brother, and
sisters began searching for Nikita. They found her bloodied body behind the salon about 20:00 hours. Police believe the killer scaled a ten-foot razor-edged wire fence, located on the northern side of the Ramischand family home, where he hid and waited for Nikita. Bloodstains were reportedly found on the fence. Odai, who was born in Guyana, has been practising law in Trinidad for decades. Her daughter was the niece of Attorney General, Anil Nandlall.
Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) has however registered their concern over the occurrences at City Hall and reaffirms its position for Local Government elections to be held. “The GCCI is extremely concerned about the rapidly deteriorating relationship between the executive and administrative arms of the Mayor and City Council. The events as reported in the local media are a clear indication that now more than ever there is an urgent need for Local Government elections and more importantly the necessary amendments to relevant legislation to clarify unequivocally who has the right to do what in terms of the governance and administration of this municipality.” The Chamber wishes to remind all factions that they have a fiduciary responsibility to effectively manage the affairs of the City of Georgetown and that the continuing contretemps will only add to the enormous challenges already being faced by this city on a daily basis. The Chamber encouraged all parties, “to make every possible effort to settle their differences so as to concentrate on providing the critical services so badly needed by the city’s residents. They deserve a lot more than to be subjected to these most deplorable series of events.”
Thursday May 08, 2014
Investigators suspect drunken pensioner caused LBI fire Officials of the Guyana Fire Service suspect that the intoxicated owner of the gutted La Bonne Intention (LBI) home somehow caused the fire, which started at around 13:30hrs on Tuesday. This is according to an official close to the investigations. Fire Chief, Marlon Gentle confirmed this, but noted that the results would be made available once the probe is completed. Dhanpaul called ‘father bull’, age 73, was rescued from his burning Lot 99 Onion Field, LBI, East Coast Demerara home by neighbours. The pensioner had been sharing the twostorey property with his granddaughter and her two children. The latter family members were not at home during the time of the fire. Dhanpaul said that after returning home, having had a few drinks with his son-in-law, he realized that smoke was emanating from the adjacent bedroom. This was usually occupied by his granddaughter and her children. Despite this, a still intoxicated Dhanpaul, who lived at the house for over seven years, said he went into his bedroom to take a nap.
The pensioner said that he was later awakened by intense heat and the sound of neighbours calling out to him, relaying that his house was on fire. According to Dhanpaul, he came out and saw the fire, but could not do anything to help himself. That’s when neighbours rushed to his aid and dragged the weakened man out of the burning building. “Me drink me li’l rum and yuh know how drunk people does be. I couldn’t ah come out ah deh. Is good thing dem boy pull me out…God save me life here today,” Dhanpaul said. While the man hinted that his great-grandchildren usually play with matches, neighbours are suspicious that ‘father bull’ himself might’ve caused the fire. Investigators share this same suspicion. Onlookers told this publication that the children could have never been responsible for the damages amounting to millions, as they had been in school all day, while their mother had gone to work. “De man does drink steady, awe does tell he about this drinking, but he nah hear. He want fuh blame them children and seh is dem cause
this fire, but even if dey does play with matches like he seh, dem children gon ah school since eight ‘o’ clock this morning. He, he-self careless, suh me wouldn’t be surprised if is he mek the place bun down. He alone been home, suh ah he gah fuh know” one neighbour told this newspaper. Another noted, “de girl live there with she children and it gon be hard fuh her because she nah have nowhere else to go. Is she I sorry for. Roseanna is a good girl and she does hussle fuh a better life. This gon be a real downfall fuh she here. “Bull” is a big man, he got he children dem and suh, but me ain’t know wha guh happen to she.” D h a n p a u l ’ s granddaughter, “Roseanna” was too traumatized to speak with this publication. She sat on a rock in front of the yard, crying. The entire house was gutted and all of the family’s belongings went up in flames. Residents said that the Guyana Fire Service responded promptly to reports, and firefighters were able to prevent nearby houses from being burnt. Gentle said that the investigations are expected to be completed soon.
U.S. Embassy’s takes Humanitarian Programme to Mabaruma, Wakenaam and Leguan
GEORGETOWN– The U.S. Embassy Humanitarian Assistance Programme (HAP) recently donated track and field equipment to the Mabaruma community. This donation consisted of starter blocks, batons, shot puts, discuses and javelins, and other track and field equipment. This donation supports the community’s efforts to provide an after-school sports programme that will engage the children of six local schools. Doreen Roberts, the District Education Officer in Mabaruma, noted that this sports programme will challenge the local youth to work even more diligently to increase self-discipline and become more physically fit. In collaboration with the non-governmental organization Shuzz, and representatives from Wakenaam and Leguan
Islands in Region Three, the HAP team provided over 300 pairs of new shoes to children on both islands. The donations were accepted at the Wakenaam Computer School and the Maryville Masjid, Leguan. Community organizers thanked the HAP and the U.S. Embassy for its support to the
children. The Humanitarian Assistance Programme is an initiative under the U.S. Embassy to assist Guyana’s communities in the areas of social, economic and medical development. HAP works to bring together multiple local and international agencies to reach common goals.
From page 15 friends.” Chief Executive Officer of Guyana's only credit bureau, CreditInfo (Guyana), Judy Semple-Joseph said that Williams's death has evoked feelings of shock and deep sadness, particularly since he recently presided over the granting of the license to CreditInfo for the establishment of the Bureau and even more recently at the launch of its SeeRisk International Business Report. She added, “In his honour,
we pledge to redouble our efforts to make the credit bureau implementation an even greater success. On behalf of our Chairman, Mr. Reynir Gretarsson, and other members of the Board and Management of CreditInfo [Guyana] Inc, I wish to offer heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of Mr. Williams as well as to the staff of the Bank of Guyana at this time of mourning. May the soul of this distinguished son rest in peace.”
Bank of Guyana ...
Thursday May 08, 2014
Kaieteur News
Education Ministry commissions special facility for visually impaired students
Students of the Resource Unit for the Visually Impaired performing a calypso yesterday. The Resource Unit for the Visually Impaired was established to give special needs students the opportunity to receive quality education in a much more conducive environment. Yesterday, the unit located on Albert Street, Alberttown was officially commissioned by Education, Minister Priya Manickchand. There was an existing building. Some $7M was used to transform the building to accommodate the programme. Recognising that not enough emphasis was being placed on Special Education Needs (SEN), Government through the Education Ministry constructed this institution to ensure that such children are much more comfortable, allowing them to excel both recreationally and academically. Minister Manickchand stated that it is universally accepted that education is the one sure way of changing circumstances. She said that Government understands that if it’s to take Guyana to higher levels, it must invest in the education sector, and throughout the years there has been a consistent commitment in this regard. The Education Minister said that noticeably, there have been tremendous results because of these investments. “We are at a place now where we can truly expand and look at things where perhaps we have not been looking at carefully before…how we educate our children with special needs had not gotten the kind of attention it deserves if we are to properly meet the needs of
children with special needs,” Minister Manickchand noted. “Over the years, we have spent a lot of time, interest and money in changing that and so now we have far better infrastructure even though there is better we can do, we don’t have exercise books shortage and we have been meeting basic needs…overall the sector has done better,” Minister Manickchand explained. Meanwhile, Principal Education Officer, Baydewan Rambarran, said that this was another step in the continuation of providing quality education. Educating special needs children, he said is very important and the commissioning of the Unit is evidence that the ministry is determined to ensure all children receive the education that is much needed for their individual development. Chief Planning Officer and Chairperson of the National Commission on Disability, Evelyn Hamilton said that the ministry is becoming what it should be, a learning organisation where every child can receive quality education. Over the next five years, the ministry will be developing a data base for Special Education Needs (SEN) to screen children of Nursery and Primary levels, conduct community-based child-find surveys of children not in school system and record annually the number of SEN children in the school system. “We at the MOE intend to see that SEN children’s access to educational opportunities increase within
the plan period. This will be done through a multifaceted approach that will see us publicising the policy guidelines for SEN children accessing educational opportunities, improving the quality of education service delivered by special schools, fast-tracking urgent repairs and rehabilitation works to special schools and mainstreaming SEN children over the five-year period,” Minister Manickchand stated. Focus will also be on increasing SEN children’s access to educational opportunities by improving the quality of education offered, implementing policy guidelines and fast-tracking urgent repairs and rehabilitation works for special schools. The ministry will also be seeking alternatives for SEN children to acquire basic work and life skills, while teachers will also be trained in different areas to deal with such children. (GINA)
Page 25
No evidence of five per cent growth last year - Chris Ram Financial Analyst, Christopher Ram, has joined the debate over the questionable growth figures for the economy last year. He says that there is no evidence to support the growth in Gross Domestic Product (GDB) as announced by the Finance Minister. Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh, was challenged in the media to substantiate the reported growth rate. Chief Statistician, Lennox Benjamin, responded by saying, if the writers who initially challenged the Minister have doubts on the figures, they must say what the numbers should be. According to Ram, Benjamin is confusing the duty of the Stats Bureau to produce accurate and timely information with the right of the public to question the information and to ask for explanations. He noted that the Stats Bureau reported an inflation rate of 0.9 per cent in 2013, which as Benjamin “knows is not a national inflation rate but an Urban Consumer Price Index for Georgetown only.” According to Ram, “The so-called inflation rate of 0.9 per cent for 2013 not only defies all logic but is inconsistent with, and unsupported by the several different specific and complementary measures and indicators to which Mr. Benjamin himself refers.” Ram queried whether Benjamin is suggesting that no one must question that 0.9 per cent figure on the grounds that they do not have an actual, scientifically determined number of the real rate of inflation. “Would Mr. Benjamin care to explain the 3.5 per cent inflation projected by the IMF Team in December 2013 after consultation with the Stats Bureau and hazard a guess for the decline to 0.9 per cent within days?” In defending the National Accounts produced by the Stats Bureau, “Benjamin assures us that its work and the input data
received from sectors in the calculation of the GDP are subject to review and recheck by and submission to several international Agencies.” Ram points out, however, that Benjamin did not name a single such Agency, or distinguish between those which check and those to which the calculation is sent. Ram said, too, that Benjamin did not concede that the quality of the country’s statistics has from time to time been questioned by respected individuals and agencies such as Professor Clive Thomas and the Economist Intelligence Unit. In his analysis, Ram points out that with respect to the 2013 GDP numbers, Benjamin used as examples data on sugar, rice, mining and quarrying. According to Ram, data for these sectors are fairly but not completely straight forward to measure. “Any errors are likely to understate rather than overstate GDP because of suspected transfer pricing in bauxite, the understatement of gold production and local rice sales.” Ram noted that in Benjamin’s haste to debunk those who questioned the figures, he “fell into the elementary error of repeating rhetorically that if any one of the sectors or subsectors identified by him was wrong, then the total was wrong, completely ignoring the possibility of compensating errors.” Ram noted that the real problem which many persons have with GDP figures is with the Services sector which accounted for 58 per cent of GDP in 2012 and increased to 60 per cent 2013. “Addressing such concerns requires measured, intelligible explanations, not a polemical and emotional reaction. Services include some really hard-tomeasure subsectors such as Transportation and Storage, Education, Construction, Health, and Real Estate Activities.” Ram noted that Benjamin cited the Construction sector in his defence without any apparent awareness that the reported 22.6 per cent growth in
Financial Analyst, Christopher Ram the subsector in 2013 includes a substantial correction of an error in the 2012 figures. “For that year, the Stats Bureau reported negative growth of 11 per cent even though the imports of cement and steel had increased by more than 25 per cent and local sand output was up 76.5 per cent… “Troublingly, the mid-year 2013 year-on-year growth was reported as 6.6 per cent,” according to Ram. The Financial Analysis also pointed out that Real Estate activity at the half-year was 1.2 per cent but this grew dramatically to achieve a 5.6 per cent for the full year. According to Ram, “I join this exchange because of the importance of national statistics to an enlightened debate and informed action.” Ram suggests that rather than deriding those who question the National Income Statistics as having no clue about what goes into the numbers, the Stats Bureau should be doing far more to explain those numbers and to educate the public. He further suggested that it would be instructive for Benjamin as the Bureau’s Chief Executive Officer, Vice Chairman and Chief Statistician to let the public know about the adequacy of its staff, the level of fieldwork done by the Bureau, the system in place for evaluating reports received and plans for broadening the statistics now produced.
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Kaieteur News
Thursday May 08, 2014
Thai court orders PM to step down, prolongs political crisis
Yingluck Shinawatra BANGKOK (Reuters) - A Thai court ordered Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra to step down yesterday after finding her guilty of abuse of power, prolonging a political crisis that has led to violent protests and brought the economy close to recession. The decision is bound to anger supporters of Yingluck, but the court did allow ministers not implicated in the case against her to stay in office, a decision that could
take some of the sting out of any backlash on the streets. After the ruling, the cabinet said Commerce Minister Niwatthamrong Boonsongphaisan, who is also a deputy prime minister, would replace Yingluck, and the caretaker government would press ahead with plans for a July 20 election. “The caretaker government’s responsibility now is to organize an election as soon as possible,” said
Niwatthamrong, a former executive in a company owned by Thaksin Shinawatra, Yingluck’s brother and himself a former prime minister who was ousted by the military in 2006. “I hope the political situation will not heat up after this,” Niwatthamrong said of the court ruling. Thailand’s protracted political crisis broadly pits Bangkok’s middle class and royalist establishment against the mainly poor, rural supporters of Yingluck and Thaksin, who lives in exile to avoid a 2008 jail sentence for abuse of power. Yingluck, who faced six months of sometimes deadly protests in the capital, Bangkok, aimed at toppling her government and ending the considerable political influence of her brother, thanked the Thai people in a televised news conference. “Throughout my time as prime minister I have given my all to my work for the benefit of my countrymen ... I have never committed any unlawful acts as I have been accused of doing,” Yingluck said, smiling and outwardly upbeat.
“From now on, no matter what situation I am in, I will walk on the path of democracy. I am sad that I will not be able to serve you after this.” Despite her removal from power, there is no obvious end in sight to the turmoil in Thailand, with protesters opposed to Yingluck and her government still pushing for political reforms before new elections. The United States, a close ally of Thailand, urged a peaceful and democratic solution to the crisis, saying this “should include elections and an elected government.” “We urge all sides at this time to exercise restraint and reaffirm that violence is not an acceptable means of resolving political differences,” State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki told a regular news briefing in Washington. The judge who delivered the verdict at the Constitutional Court said Yingluck had abused her position by transferring a security chief to another post in 2011 so that a relative could benefit from subsequent job moves.
The court ruled that nine ministers linked to the case should step down, but others could remain, leaving Yingluck’s ruling party in charge of a caretaker government. Yingluck, a businesswoman until entering politics to lead her party to victory in a 2011 election, was not in court yesterday. Thaksin, based in Dubai, was unavailable for comment. Financial markets took the ruling in their stride. The stock market had fallen as much as 1.1 percent in early trade as investors worried about unrest if Yingluck’s whole cabinet had been forced out, but the index ended down just 0.1 percent. The baht currency was barely changed at 32.37 per dollar. Yingluck’s supporters accuse the Constitutional Court of bias in ruling against governments loyal to Thaksin. In 2008, the court forced two prime ministers linked to Thaksin from office. “We were bracing ourselves for this verdict. Everything our enemies do is to cripple the democratic process,” said Jatuporn
Prompan, the leader of proShinawatra “red shirt” activists. “The court chose a middle way today.” Asked about a vow to resist Yingluck’s removal that had raised fears of violence, Jatuporn replied: “There is no reason why we should take up arms. We will rally peacefully as planned on May 10.” In Thailand, the prime minister is normally elected by the lower house of parliament, but that was dissolved in December when Yingluck called a snap election to try to defuse protests. From that point, she headed a caretaker administration with limited powers. The election in February was disrupted and later declared void by the Constitutional Court. Yingluck and the Election Commission agreed last week a new ballot should be held on July 20, but the date has not been formally approved and it is bound to be opposed by protesters. Thaksin or his loyalists have won every election since 2001 and would probably win again.
Thursday May 08, 2014
Kaieteur News
Netherlands presents first ambassador to CARICOM (CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana) - The first ever Ambassador to the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) from the Kingdom of the Netherlands Her Excellency Lucita MoenirAlam presented her credentials to SecretaryGeneral Ambassador Irwin LaRocque at a simple ceremony at his office in Georgetown, Guyana yesterday. Both Ambassadors agreed that the accreditation was a step forward in the deepening of relations between the Netherlands and
CARICOM. Ambassador MoenirAlam said that the Kingdom was “eagerly awaiting” CARICOM’s response to the applications by Sint Maarten and Curacao for Associate Membership. The Secretary-General explained the process and the issues to be addressed in respect of the applications. Secretary General LaRocque said that in deepening the co-operation between the two sides there was a need to identify areas of common interest. In that regard he cited Climate Change, the negotiating of the Post 2015 Development
Agenda and the issues facing middle income countries as matters of interest to CARICOM. It would be important, he said that the “Kingdom of the Netherlands be sensitised to the realities” of the situation. A m b a s s a d o r MoenirAlam recounted the Netherlands assistance in the area of Maritime Counter Narcotics operations and identified regional s e c u r i t y, sustainable development and good governance as areas in which the relations could be broadened and deepened.
Worrell to recommended Govt scrap VAT
Dr. DeLisle Worrell Barbados Nation UNAPOLOGETIC VALUE ADDED TAX (VAT) critic, Central Bank Governor Dr DeLisle Worrell, is likely to
officially recommend that Barbados abandons the levy. Calling it “a mess” and a “controversial” measure that was “inappropriate” for Barbados, the respected economist said “a simple sales tax” would suffice. Worrell recently shared a similar view with the Bahamian media, while fielding questions from the media following yesterday’s release of the first quarter economic review, restated his strong opposition to VAT. He said the tax, which was introduced in January 1997 and has earned Government hundreds of millions of dollars, was an unnecessary complication. “I have always said that the value added tax is an inappropriate tax . . . for any tourism island and it is an
inappropriate tax for an economy where you do not use your own raw materials, your raw materials are imported. It has absolutely no advantages for us and it is a complicated tax to operate. It creates all kinds of controversy [determining] what you exempt and what you don’t exempt,” he said. “The Minister [of Finance Chris Sinckler] is going to be announcing [International Monetary] Fund assistance for a review of the tax system and when that happens I will be sure to share my views.” Worrell said the better option was “a simple sales tax”, and he argued that “in the way the VAT is applied to many of our services it is actually a sales tax, what we have is not a value added tax in many respects”.
Opposition calls for resignation of government ministers
CASTRIES, St Lucia – The main opposition United Workers’ Party (UWP) has called for the immediate resignation of two ministers of government over a rampant escalation of crime and a number of unexplained deaths in the health sector. In a statement on Tuesday, the UWP called for the removal of Health Minister Alvina Reynolds and Minister of Legal Affairs, Home Affairs and Internal Security Victor Philip La Corbiniere . It says that under Minister Reynolds’ watch there have been serious breaches and gaps in the Public Health Systems with regards to health and safety, medical procedures and questions have been raised about the technical competencies of surgeons and other medical personnel. “Also a number of unexplained deaths have
Alvina Reynolds occurred at public health facilities and results of investigations have yet to materialize despite promises made by Minister Reynolds,” the party says. “Contagious diseases such as Chikungunya are rampant while the minister has failed to inform the citizens of the extent of this epidemic, which is widespread, nor has she bothered to embark on
any public education campaign,” it added. The statement noted that La Corbiniere continues to ignore a serious crime situation. It said the forensic laboratory remains “comatose” without proper technical staff and accused the minister of callously asking aggrieved citizens to seek recourse through the civil courts in cases where citizens died whilst in custody of the state. “Minister La Corbinere is oblivious to the many victims of rape and families of victims of murder, who crave emotional relief and closure, by ensuring that all investigative services, especially forensic, are functioning properly and efficiently.” In this regard the opposition calls for both ministers be relieved of their duties or resign immediately.
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Thursday May 08, 2014
Cops: Main suspect operating freely for years Trinidad Express SENIOR police sources say the main man who fired the fatal shots that killed senior counsel Dana Seetahal on Sunday morning has been operating with impunity for more than four years. No arrest has been made three days later. Intelligence sources said the Carapo man (named called), who received the call to wipe out Seetahal was “not only well connected” but is also “feared in the underworld by many”. He and two other men from Curepe with the initials NM and the other from Malabar called DB are being sought by police for questioning into the execution-style killing of Seetahal. NM, intelligence sources say, was tipped off by a police officer and has since gone underground. Police sources say the Carapo man, like NM and DB, has ties with a Muslim-based organisation and was released from jail in 2011 after beating a murder rap. “He has been a major player in bringing in guns and ammunition into this country
from Venezuela and one or two other countries,” said one source. In 2007, he had escaped from Golden Grove prison and months later surrendered to the police. Last August, sources inside the Customs and Excise Division said they had obtained information that the man had ordered nine millimetre ammunition and 10.62 ammunition through a relative in the US. The package was sent to Piarco International Airport but no one ever came forward to collect it. They say the package with the illegal ammunition is still lodged at the property keeper’s room at the airport. Sources say they have since been piecing together a profile about this man who they are saying is “now running the show”, and has been fingered in a number of killings in the last few months, but yet he remains elusive. He was last spotted in the Laventille area, but since then the trail has gone cold about his whereabouts in the last two days. Well-placed intelligent
sources said a file about the man’s activities as it relates to his gun-running was sent to the Ministry of National Security some time ago. Minister of National Security Gary Griffith would neither confirm nor deny the existence of this file. He said yesterday, “You know I cannot answer those questions. Any report that is confidential or secret, and any matter that is being investigated by the police, I would unfortunately not discuss with anyone.” Well-placed senior police sources said the phone calls between the man in the Port of Spain jail and the shooter that took place over the last few weeks were intercepted and are now being examined carefully by the police. The team of investigators headed by ACP Wayne Dick were locked in meetings yesterday afternoon to discuss the latest developments in the case. ACP Dick said last night: “We do have some positive leads and we are pursuing it relentlessly and once we have no hiccups the perpetrators will be brought to justice.”
SAN JOSE, Costa Rica (CMC) – The Inter American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) says Latin America and the Caribbean will need to implement policies that guarantee the region’s agricultural sector stability and greater legal security following the enactment of the United States Farm Bill. In a technical note sent to Caribbean agriculture ministers, IICA Director
General, Víctor M Villalobos, said the Southern Cone countries will feel the impact of the new regulations especially hard, while other nations will be affected to a lesser degree. The new act implements an agricultural safety and risk coverage network for US farmers that will offer them guaranteed profit margins and larger production volumes, and at the same time allow them to
compete in international markets under advantageous conditions. IICA said this development will undermine the ability of major Latin America and Caribbean countries commodity producers and exporters to compete with their US counterparts, while tropical countries will enjoy the benefit of cheaper agricultural imports.
US Farm Bill will undermine regional agriculture – IICA
Thursday May 08, 2014
Kaieteur News
Paul's unbeaten blitz & 10-wkt match... From page 35 cleared it thrice, took Essequibo to 137-5 before Harry played an impetuous sweep and was LBW to Ryan Shun 12 minutes before Tea. At Tea, Essequibo, aided by an atrocious performance in the field by the President's X1, were 153-5 and the game was in the balance as both teams knew that Paul, who was on 53, was the key to victory. And Paul, who grew up in the Beach Community of Saxacalli in the Essequibo River before he migrated to the Island of Wakenaam to attend the Wakenaam Secondary School, responded in brilliant fashion, launching a clinical exhibition of exhilarating shots
in what was almost as oneman-show for Essequibo. He began with a six off Albert, who bowled with teasing flight but then resorted to pushing them through as Paul went on a rampage with a brutal pull and three savage backfoot punches in an expensive over. Paul was not finished yet and deposited Travis Persaud for a towering six to post the 200 before reaching his maiden Inter-County hundred from 118 balls with eight fours and two sixes. Tension mounted as Travis Drakes (13) missed almighty swipe and was bowled by Ronaldo Mohamed and Paul Williams (8) irresponsibly played across the line and was bowled by Lewis.
However, the pugnacious Paul, already a senior InterCounty pacer, urged on by the vocal Essequibo supporters including his sister, got together with Ryan Adams who made a level-headed undefeated 23, in the their unfinished 65-run eight wicket stand. The match ended with one ball bowled in the 15 mandatory overs with three overthrows to put an exclamation mark on the poor day in the field endured by the President's X1. The final round commences tomorrow with Berbice and Essequibo doing battle at Everest and Demerara facing the President's X1 at Bourda.
Thursday May 08, 2014 ARIES (Mar. 21- April 20) Try not to let your emotions interfere with the completion of your work. Take time to do some writing, whether it's correspondence, poetry, or keeping a journal. Don't let any small misunderstandings get in the way.
LIBRA (Sept. 24 -Oct. 23) You will be able to get along well with colleagues. Although it does look promising, be careful not to overextend yourself or you will lose in the long run. Try to be tolerant of the moods of those around you.
TAURUS (Apr. 21- May 21) Emotional situations could bring out your stubborn nature. Don't let your stubborn nature get the better of you. Unpleasant situations concerning family members will be unnerving.
SCORP. (Oct. 24 - Nov. 22) Don't hesitate to talk to your partner about rekindling your relationship. You are ahead of your time, and trying to stay in one spot could be asking too much.
GEMINI (May 22-June 21) Travel for business will be advantageous. You need an outlet that will not only stimulate you but also challenge your intelligence as well. Be up front if you don't want to be embarrassed. CANCER (June 22-July 22) Put your efforts into your work or money making ventures rather than your emotional life. You will meet new friends and enjoy a multitude of new activities. Be careful while traveling. LEO (July 23-Aug 22) Don't let someone talk you into parting with your cash unless you can truly see the benefits of doing so. Do not get involved in joint financial ventures. Relationships have not been the best for you lately and it's left you somewhat gun shy. VIRGO (Aug. 23 -Sept. 23) Changes in your home environment are likely. Don't overreact if your partner has a poor attitude. Get back to the comforts of cottage or home.
SAGIT. (Nov. 23 -Dec. 21) You can continue to forge ahead if you make a few long distance calls pertinent to closing pending deals. You will find that money could slip through your fingers. Plan your social events carefully. CAPRI. (Dec 22.- Jan. 20) You can win points if you present your ideas today. You can become obsessed with detail and must be sure to divide your time appropriately. AQUAR. (Jan. 21 -Feb. 19) Control your emotions and everything will fall into place. You can ask for favors or run your ideas by those who will be able to support your objectives. PISCES (Feb. 20-Mar. 20) You can make changes to your domestic scene that will benefit all who reside there. Visit those less fortunate than your self; be sure to help them with their personal problems. You need to spend some time reflecting on past experiences and involvements.
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Gambhir, Uthappa end KKR’s losing streak ESPNcricinfo - Gautam Gambhir and Robin Uthappa put together their second century stand in two matches, and unlike the spectacular collapse that followed against Rajasthan Royals, Kolkata Knight Riders did not mess up to win comfortably against Delhi Daredevils. Gambhir and Uthappa added 106 in 11.5 overs after Knight Riders had allowed Daredevils to recover to 160 for 5, with JP Duminy and Kedar Jadhav looting 54 off the last four overs. The victory broke a run of four straight defeats for Knight Riders, while Daredevils crashed to their third successive loss at home. While Knight Riders finally converted a strong performance into a win, Daredevils were unable to defend a decent total yet again. Their previous two losses were by margins of
Latchaya slams century... From page 35 for 74 in the day's final over. Ronaldo Renee (05) was the first to go bowled by Sharaz Ramcharran with the score on 18. Demerara went to tea at 182 with their most experienced batsman Chanderpaul (07) caught at first slip off Balchan Baldeo. Upon resumption, Demerara suffered a collapse, losing the wickets of Brain Sattaur (00) and Rudolph Singh (00) without addition to the total. They slipped into further trouble when Kemol Savory (03) was bowled by Baldeo four runs later. Rutherford then deposited Baldeo over mid wicket before he was dropped at long on; a difficult chance. Ramcharran kept Berbice in the hunt with the wicket of Malcolm Hubbard (04) at 356. Sankar then missed a sweep and was LBW to Baldeo, while Rutherford was LBW to Ramcharran for 25 with three fours and a six as the home team slipped to 50-8. Basdeo opted to play back to leg spinner Gooniah and was leg before with the score at 62-9. Kevin Paul and Keon Morris tried desperately to given their team a draw, but after adding 12 runs for the last wicket, Paul who faced 45 balls for eight was LBW off the penultimate delivery in the last over bowled by Niall Smith leaving Morris not out on six; he laboured for 80 balls. Ramcharran captured 4-20 off 17 overs, Baldeo finished with 4-30 off 21 overs, while Smith and Gooniah took one each.
eight and seven wickets. About the only clear opportunity Daredevils created, barring the usual odd mishit falling in vacant areas, was when Gautam Gambhir feathered a slower one from Siddarth Kaul, but the wicketkeeper Dinesh Karthik failed to take the ball as it dipped in front of him. That was in the sixth over, and by that time, Knight Riders had already gone past 50. Mohammed Shami did begin with a testing opening over, but Daredevils were never able to create any pressure. Gambhir and Uthappa began with a four each in the second over off Wayne Parnell. Uthappa took Shami for successive boundaries in the next over, and Knight Riders were always in front for the rest of the chase. Gambhir is increasingly looking nothing like the batsman who struggled so much to make a single run at the start of the season. His second scoring shot was an
emphatic pulled four off Parnell. His timing was so good at times that a clip off the pad flew for six over deep midwicket off Laxmi Shukla. A forward stride and a lofted four over extra cover off Kaul was more evidence of the old touch returning. At the other end, Uthappa hit Shahbaz Nadeem for successive boundaries to bring up the hundred of the stand. He went leg-before to Parnell for 47 off 34, Knight Riders needing 55 off 49 from that point. There were to be no flutters this time, as Gambhir stayed in the middle to push the score past 150 before he was caught behind off Parnell for 69 off 56. Knight Riders reached home in the 19th over, the ten deliveries to spare further driving home the ease of the win. Scores: Kolkata Knight Riders 161 for 2 (Gambhir 69, Uthappa 47) beat Delhi Daredevils 160 for 5 (Duminy 40*, Karthik 36, Shakib 113) by eight wickets.
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Thursday May 08, 2014
Letter to the Sports Editor...
Letter to the Sports Editor...
The most embarrassing moment in the history of local football
Were delegates mandated to move and support a no-confidence motion?
Dear Sir, Reference is herby made to the above caption as it relates to the Ordinary Congress of the Guyana Football Federation, held on 26.04.14 at the Regency Suites Hotel, wherein amidst much controversy, uncertainty and unconstitutionality the congress is to be reconvened within 45 days; Parliamentary procedures, constitutional articulation/application/ interpretation and contravention of FIFA Statues; despite the presence of CONCACAF observers. It nevertheless contributed to the “comedy of errors continuing unabatedly” by both sides of the divide. So, in actuality did the GFF President, “outfox the distressed associations, as was indicated, in as an article published in K.N 27.04.14? or, was he being downright deceitful, with a falsification that in 2010 under the presidency of Colin Klass, IMC’s had voted” which was purportedlyquoted from minutes of a meeting! But what of the supposedly learned delegates, representing the interest of Associations and other Affiliates? That not one of them saw it fit to request a copy of the minutes for perusal and interpretation, while definitely not foregoing the subsequent minutes, which would have entailed: Corrections, Omissions, Adoption and Matters Arising. Editor, unbelievable is how best I can describe such a high level of ineptitude on display! Moreover, when a former GFF, President (ag) who also served as a VicePresident, failed to dispute the utterance from the incumbent, and this also includes a parliamentarian, who was once an Association President that would have been privileged in the past to attend GFF General Council Meetings. In both instances was/is this leadership by example? Suffice it to say that
both individuals out of honesty ought not to consider themselves as equitable replacements or challengers for the GFF’s Presidency, or should Matthias continue!When it’s taken into serious consideration that the submission of a motion fails to stipulate the reason for the “Vote of no Confidence”. Definitely, it leaves me to wonder, what level of representation the GFF, obtained on the international stage! While on a technicality a motion doesn’t necessary have to be submitted on a letterhead, more so, if it is being done in conjunction with another party; I.e. Mover/Proposer; Seconder; but nevertheless should outline “we the executives of East Bank and East Demerara,…, at our respective executive meeting held on…, unanimously agreed that ... But of course a forwarding address and the relevant contact numbers must be included. Meanwhile, who and what constitute an Interim Management Committee (IMC)? Editor, this definitive question for some strange reason couldn’t have been pronounced upon, by not even the CONCACAF observers, in their additional capacities as representatives of FIFA, within this hemisphere (Confederation). Apart from constitutional articulation that defines the “role and status of an IMC, along with its vested powers as an Associate”! It would be unethical of me not to mention the Friendly Societies Statues, which the GFF as a member have to adhere. It must also be noted that I, previously as a layman, had utilized a statue of the Friendly Societies to nullify the convening of an Annual General Meeting. As a consequence the term “Interim” is applicable within the context of occupying an office/ position(s) for regularity purposes, within a specific timeframe. And definitely not
Leonora beat Tuschen Leonora defeated Tuschen when the West Demerara United Cricket League t20 tournament continued recently at Tuschen. Tuschen SC batted first and were bowled out for 63 runs in 12.1 overs with extras contributing 14. Leonora in reply got the target in 5.4 overs for the loss of two wickets with Prem Persaud scoring 30 (4x6,1x4 ) and Malcolm Hubert 24 (2 x 6).
an elected term! So, in actuality IMC’s as an associate is not endowed with the vested powers to vote, unlike an affiliate. Can a breakaway state, within a country upon declaring self independence; formulating a government; apply to FIFA for membership and is granted automatically? Or, in the interim is granted an Associate status, devoid of voting rights, but can still attend Congresses. And may not participate in tournaments, under the auspices of FIFA, until such time the probationary period is over with the relevant evaluation. Finally, the “Minutes” that Matthias referred to was of a “Special Meeting of the General Council of the GFF”. Specifically, Agenda Item 4 – Ratification of the Redraft (By FIFA and the GFF) of the Guyana Football Federation Constitution in Compliance with FIFA Statutes: was the only item on the agenda up for discussion and subsequent voting. A total of sixteen (16) persons had attended the meeting, including: Miss Vanessa Dickenson – Asst. General Secretary – Administration and Mr. Kith O’ Jeer – President, Berbice Football Association. With 10 persons voting in favour of and none dissenting! Can this be construed that the Chairman, IMC Essequibo Football Association voted? Absolutely not, since the individual along with the Asst. Sec/Treasurer, Guyana Beach Football Assn; Office Secretary, Berbice Football Association; GFF’S Security Officer; General Secretary and Deputy General Secretary, a total of 6 persons due to their status couldn’t have voted. And with the minutes in its present form being unsigned by the General Secretary, remains debatable about its authenticity. By the way, and for public clarification the subsequent minutes should be produced, since under “Agenda Item – Corrections” the documented portfolio of Mr. Lawrence Griffith would have to be corrected. Page 1: refers to him as Honorary Member, Guyana Football Referees Council, while, on page 2: the individual as the mover of the motion is referred to as the Referees representative. With his status, did he vote, and was it legitimate? Respectfully yours, Lester Sealey
Dear Editor, The GFF congress held on the 26th April 2014 were represented by delegates. The mandate of delegates who represent various associations and affiliates at the GFF congress should be given from the very clubs who elect them to serve their interest. The question to be asked of all those clubs; did they give the mandate to move a vote of no-confidence against the GFF President, Christopher Matthias? I am very much interested in finding out if this mandate was given to the Georgetown Football Association delegates who vehemently supported that motion. The GFA under the stewardship of Mr Matthias as general secretary of that body was the pioneer for the now popular GFA Banks cup. It was Matthias and team who when the clubs in Georgetown were denied playing the sport because of the GFF and GFA debacle brought about the now
famous end of year tournament that rivaled the KS tournament. All of the clubs, inclusive of clubs from the associations that put forward and supported the motion, were all paid after the hosting of two successful tournaments with the GFA making profits both years. After Matthias’ departure from the GFA end of year tournament, countless clubs from Georgetown and other association are yet to be paid their appearance fees for their participation in the 2013- 2014 tournament and to date, no written correspondents were sent or received to explain why. It was also posited that the GFA is in over twenty million debt, yes $20,000,000 after two successful years of making a profit after all expenses paid. Are the players and clubs aware of what their delegates did at the congress? Did the coaches of the Guyana Coaches Association give their delegation the go ahead
to support a motion of no confidence and to support a walk out? Are those delegates really representing the interest of those who elect them to serve or are they representing their own interest? I believe if those actions were in contradiction to the mandate given by the clubs/ associations, coaches and or referees, then those representatives should be given a vote of no-confidence for failure to carry out the dictates of those that elected them to serve. A vote of no-confidence for carrying out one’s personal interest rather that the associations or the affiliates. The development of Guyana’s football development should always be paramount for all associations and affiliates of the Guyana Football Federation and self interest should always be secondary. Yours faithfully, Jermaine Figueira
REGIONAL FOUR DAY STATS 1958 TO 1991
Wicketkeepers with five dismissals in an innings and a century in the same match
Jeffrey Dujon Statistician Charwayne Walker looks back at an impressive feat by regional wicketkeepers. So impressive
only a small amount has achieved this feat. Only three Glovemen since 1958 have recorded a century and registered five dismissals in an innings in the same match in Regional first Class Cricket. First to achieve the feat was Barbadian Cammie Smith wicketkeeping for Barbados vs Jamaica at Sabina Park 1958. Smith scored 116 and took five catches in Jamaica first innings; Smith caught Allan Rae, John Holt, D.O. Thorbourn, E.G. Calneck and Frank A l e x a n d e r. P l e a s e n o t e Smith was filling in for Barbados regular wicketkeeper David Allan. Jamaican Jeffrey Dujon emulated Smith feat in 1983 playing for Jamaica vs
Windward Islands at Sabina Park. Dujon scored 102 and snared five catches in the Windward Islands first innings. He caught Winston Davis, Ignatius Caddette, Albert Texeira, Shane Julien and Julian Charles. Barbadian Thelston Payne joined the illustrious duo in 1988 when he fashioned a flambouyant 127 and took 5 catches in the Windward Islands first innings at the Queens Park, St. George’s Grenada. Payne caught Lance John, Julian Charles, Lockhart Sebastien, Junior Murray and Thomas Kentish. Would any of our young keepers step up and achieve or surpass this feat, only time will tell.
too well,” wrote Ambrose. He said that Atwell is young, packs a punch and if he studies Gonzalez's last fights he'll have found out that the Mexican is vulnerable to the body, and he can be knocked out to the head if Atwell lands something big enough. At 32, Gonzalez has seen
better days and the evaluating journalist said that he's still powerful as he's always been, but he doesn't look as sharp as he was 7 years ago. Gonzalez record reads 55-8 with 47 KO's and he's been a professional for the past 15 years, while Atwell is young and upcoming with 12-0-1 record with 7 KOs.
Clive Atwell remains confident as he resumes... From page 34 Revlon Lake. The experts have labeled Gonzalez as unpredictable and one writer, Dan Ambrose, feels that he can be beaten if he's matched against certain guys. “I wouldn't be surprised at all if this Atwell guy beats him on May 24th, because Gonzalez doesn't take shots
Thursday May 08, 2014
Kaieteur News
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Foods Second Division 2-day Combined XI win Arrival GCA/Noble House Seatourney MSC take first innings against GYO, Day T20 tourney Combined XI defeated Demerara Cricket Club (DCC) and Lusignan by three wickets and 17 runs respectively to win the Arrival Day T20 tournament which was hosted by Quest International at the Enmore Community Centre ground on Monday last. In the final against Lusignan, Combined XI batted first and were off to a good start with Nichosie Barker and Delvon Mc Ewan adding 36 for the first wicket in five overs before McEwan was removed for 12. Barker continued to bat positively to finish with the top score of 30, while Steven Harris and Cordell Mars, who scored 14 and 12 respectively, to take the Combined XI to 118-6 in their 15 overs. Bowling for Lusignan, Kumar Bissoondyal claimed 2-28 from his three overs. In reply, Lusignan reached 109-5 before their 15 overs were expired. Leon Morgan and Somnauch Bharratt were the top scorers with 24 and 22 respectively. Mars claimed 2-13 from his three over spell. Earlier, in the first game of
the day, Combined XI defeated a strong DCC team which included Christopher Barnwell as well as Guess players Leon Johnson and Robin Bacchus, by three wickets after scoring 18 runs off the final over. Needing 94 to win off 12 overs, Leroy Bristol ensured Combined XI reached their target by scoring 32 off 18 balls which included 11 in the final over. Bristol’s effort was supported by Steven Harris and Barker who scored 13 and 12 respectively. Bowling for DCC Johnson and Barnwell finished with two wickets each. DCC took first strike and were restricted to 93-3 in 12 overs. Bacchus slammed 61 not out which included three fours and three sixes. Bowling for the Combined XI, pacers, Harris snared 2-25 and Cordel Mars 1-13. In the second game of the day, Enmore, who had national player Assad Fudadin and big hitting allrounder Troy Gonsalves in its armory, were out played by Lusignan who won by 19 runs.
Lusignan made 75-8 in their 12 overs, batting first. Safraz Ali top scored with 25. Bowling for Enmore, Gonsalves and Yuvraj Dyal claimed two wickets each. In reply Enmore were sent packing for 56 in 12 overs; Gajanand Sooknanand claimed 3-12. Bristol was named the most valuable player of the tournament, while Barker was named best batsman and bowler of the tournament. In a brief post match speech Benedict Prince of Quest International, congratulated the Combined XI on their performance. He thanked the members of the Enmore Cricket Club, the villagers from Enmore and the most importantly the sponsors of the tournament. He opined that next year’s tournament will be bigger and better with the involvement of more corporate businesses. The tournament was sponsored by Trans Pacific Motor Spares and A u t o Sales, Star Party Rentals, Woodpecker Sports Complex, Trophy Stall, Tiger Sport and Motor Trend Auto Supplies.
Everest thump St. Stanislaus
Malteenoes Sports Club (MSC) claimed first innings points from Gandhi Youth Organisation (GYO), while Everest defeated St. Stanislaus when the Georgetown Cricket Association (GCA)/Noble House Sea Foods second division 2-day tournament continued last weekend. At GYO, the host batted first and posted 240 all out. Treatlon Liverpool scored 50 not out, Brain Sookram made 42, Bhaskar Yadram 29 and Abdul Raheem 26. Mark Cumberbatch, Steven Sankar and Hackem David snared two wickets each.
MSC replied with 317-7 declared. Barker stroked 139, Corwin Austin supported with 47, Steven Sankar 43, while Jamal Norton and Kefa Naughton scored 28 each. Bowling for GYO, Shiv Parmanand picked up three wickets. GYO reached 131-7 in 38 overs at stumps, batting a second time on the final day. Raheem and Yadram top scored with 62 not out and 29 respectively; Samuel Tixey, Sankar and David took two wickets each. At the Muslim Youth Organisation, Everest defeated Saints Stanislaus College by 236 runs led by left
arm spinner, Javed Rasheed, who had a match haul of 1267. Everest won the toss and elected to bat scoring 249-5 in 28 overs with Rishi Hiralall and Mohan Ramdeen being the main batsmen with 68 and 52 respectively. St. Stanislaus replied with 103 all out. Rasheed grabbed 6-36 and Raphael Singh 2-14. Everest reached 179-6 in their second innings before they declared. Singh scored 67 and Khemraj Ramdeen 53. In their second turn at the crease, St. Stanislaus were bowled out for 89. Rasheed bagged 6-31 and 4-9.
Spurs spank Blazers in game one
WIFSC holds Ordinary Meeting in Jamaica
Hall of Fame to honour past stalwarts in the making President of the West Indies Fullbore Shooting Council, Trinidad and Tobago’s Norris Gomez and Secretary, Guyanese Ryan Sampson and Treasurer, Barbadian Richard Arthur, yesterday convened the Ordinary council Meeting of that body at the Tw i c k i n h a m Ranges, Jamaica at which a number of pertinent matters were discussed. Among the matters discussed was the setting up of a Hall of Fame to honour and recognize the
contributions of past stalwarts of the sport in the Caribbean. Guyanese Paul Slowe has been tasked with the responsibility of coming up with the criteria for selection of persons in this regard. It is anticipated that the council would look back at the past 40 years in order to come up with eligible persons including shooters and administrators. Slowe will report back to the council which will then deliberate and ratify same. A decision would also be made
on which territory would be the home for the Hall of Fame; Trinidad and Tobago seems to be the front runner in this regard. The council also decided that they will select a West Indies team at the end of every competition. It was reported that there would be a competition at Camp Perry in the USA and in Canada later this year. There will also be the Palmer Match (world long range c/ship) that would be held at Camp Perry in 2015.
Seven disciplines identified by GOA for Commonwealth Games - teams to participate in 1st South American Beach Games in Venezuela Seven disciplines have been identified by the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA) for possible participation at the upcoming Commonwealth Games scheduled to be held from July 23-August 3 in Glasgow, Scotland in the United Kingdom. The disciplines identified
are: Athletics, Boxing, Swimming, Squash, Rifle Shooting, Table Tennis and Cycling. According to a release, the various teams are now being finalised. Meanwhile, Guyana will be sending a group of athletes to participate in the 1st South American Beach Games which will be held in Vargas,
Venezuela May 14-24. The disciplines identified are: 1 Female Rugby team 1 Male Rugby team 1 Male Open Water Swimmer 1 Beach Volley female couple 1 Beach Volley male couple
San Antonio Spurs guard Tony Parker (9) reacts after a shot against the Portland Trail Blazers in game one of the second round of the 2014 NBA Playoffs at AT&T Center. Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports (Reuters) - Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday in Game One of their Western Conference semi-final. Tony Parker blazed the trail with 33 points and nine assists to give San Antonio the 1-0 lead in the best-ofseven series. It was the second consecutive blowout win for the number one seed Spurs, who blasted Dallas by 23 points on Sunday in the deciding seventh game of their surprisingly tough firstround series. Parker set the tone against Portland with his aggressive play, insisting he was not motivated by his premier
point guard matchup against young Blazer Damian Lillard who had 17 points. “Lillard is a top guard in the NBA. I just try to be (San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich’s) favorite point guard,” Parker told reporters. “I’m always going to try to do my job and be aggressive.” The Trail Blazers entered the night riding high, having eliminated Houston 42 in their opening matchup to reach the second round for the first time in 14 years. But the home Spurs pounded Portland in the first half to take a 65-39 lead into the halftime and the Blazers could not recover.
LaMarcus Aldridge sustained his great play during the post-season with 32 points and 14 rebounds, but it was far from enough for the Blazers. “Most of our guys haven’t been (this far into the playoffs) so this lets us know how it’s going to be,” Aldridge said. “It’s a learning process, the intensity that championship teams play with.” San Antonio reserve Marco Belinelli had 19 points and Tim Duncan added 12 and 11 rebounds in a complete team effort. Game Two is today in San Antonio.
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Kaieteur News
West Indies Fullbore Rifle Shooting C/ships – Individuals
Exciting final day anticipated today; Defending Champ, Guyanese Braithwaite in pole position
Thursday May 08, 2014
World Cup 2014: Kaka and Robinho omitted from Brazil squad
Kaka and Robinho were among the big names to miss out on Brazil’s provisional World Cup squad. (Getty Images)
Ransford Goodluck is all concentration By Franklin Wilson in Jamaica Compliments of Queensway, Fazia’s Collection, Crown Mining Supply and Fitness Express Defending Caribbean Individual champion, Guyanese Lennox Braithwaite has maintained the lead going into the final day of competition at this year’s West Indies Fullbore Rifle shooting Championships currently underway at the Twickenham Ranges, Jamaica. On a truncated second day, yesterday, due to rain, Braithwaite not only shot the lone possible at 500 yards (35 5Vs), but ended the day with 212 points and 15Vs, two points more than closest rival, Canadian Serge Bissonnette who has recorded 13 Vs. Another Canadian, Alpar Katona is third overall in the X Class on 209 points and 12Vs followed by Trinidad and Tobago’s Norris Gomez (208 points 14Vs), while home
boy Jose Nunez occupies the number 5 slot with 206 points and 14Vs. Veteran marksman Ransford Goodluck is in the number 8 spot (204 points 14Vs), vice-captain Dylan Fields is at 10 (202 points 10Vs), Captain Mahendra Persaud finished day two in the 16th spot with a total of 196 points and 12Vs. The day was a challenging one for all the shooters with very tricky winds in very humid conditions. The flags were blowing in one direction while the bullet from the shots when it hit the bank, the dust was going in the opposite direction to the flag and mirage. Despite the challenges, the more experienced shooters kept their composure and focus which has set the stage for an intriguing final day today which will see the shooters competing at the 500, 600, 900 and 1000 yards ranges. The skies opened
GASA host two day officials certificate clinic Guyana Amateur Swimming Association (GASA) will host a two (2) day Officials Certificate Clinic on Saturday 10th and Sunday 11th May, 2014 at the Guyana Olympic Association Building on High Street Kingston. The clinic is opened to members of the public who are interested in becoming officials with the Guyana Amateur Swimming Association and existing officials who are interested in refreshing their skills for the better execution of their
duties. The presenters will be referees Mr. Charles Corbin, Vice President of the Guyana Olympic Association and Mrs. Joanne Low along with coaches Mr. Sean Baksh and Ms. Stephanie Fraser. Sessions will run from 9:00 to 13:00hrs daily and an administrative fee of $1,000 will be collected on day one. For further information kindly contact Ms. Elke Rodrigues, Vice President GASA on 614-3602 or e-mailrelkeys@yahoo.com.
yesterday during the lunch break and never relented which pushed the team captains to meet and agree to call off the final range for the day which should have been 1000 yards. The captains met at around 14:15hrs and decided that they would have waited until 15:00hrs to see if the rain would have halted but it never did. In the O Class, USA based Guyanese John Fraser is one point behind leader Aubrey Yee-Sang of Jamaica who has 196 points and 8Vs, Fraser has hit the V-bull on six occasions to date. Sherwin Felicien is third in the T Class (189 points 7Vs) to leader, Claude Russell (190 points 5Vs) and Dwayne Ford (189 points 8Vs) both of Jamaica. At the end of the first day, Tuesday, Braithwaite led by a single point (129 6Vs) ahead of Katona (128 6Vs) and Gomez (127 11Vs). Fraser was the O Class leader (122 4Vs) followed by T&T’s Oscar Waldron (119 7Vs) and fellow Guyanese Leo Ramalho (118 7Vs). Russell was the T Class leader (119 4Vs) followed by Felicien (119 3Vs) and Ford (112 3Vs). There were three possibles at the 300 yards on day one and it was achieved by Canada’s Bissonnette (35 4Vs) and Katona (35 3Vs) as well as T&T’s Michael Perez (35 3Vs). Also on day one, another Trinidadian, Gomez achieved a possible at the 600 yards range (50 5Vs). The Teams matches will shoot off tomorrow with the Long Range; Guyana are the defending champs. The Short range battle will be on Saturday and Guyana will be gunning to reclaim the title from home team Jamaica.
BBC Sport - AC Milan duo Kaka and Robinho were among the big names to miss out on Brazil’s provisional World Cup squad on Wednesday. Luiz Felipe Scolari’s 23man selection was also without Ronaldinho and PSG midfielder Lucas Moura, who cost a reported £32m last year. Midfielder Kaka, 32, had been hopeful of playing in his fourth World Cup. Chelsea’s Brazilian quartet of defender David Luiz and midfielders Oscar, Ramires and Willian made the cut. There was no place for Liverpool midfielders Philippe Coutinho and Lucas Leiva despite their important roles in the Reds’ Premier League title bid. Tottenham’s Paulinho and
fellow midfielder Fernandinho, of Manchester City, are in the squad. Fernandinho, 28, has only featured only once for the national side since February 2012, scoring his first international goal in a friendly against South Africa in March. World Cup hosts Brazil have until 2 June to decide whether to make any changes before their final 23-man squad has to be named. The five-time world champions will face Panama in a friendly in Goiania on 3 June. Scolari’s side will then conclude their preparations with a warm-up match against Serbia in Sao Paulo three days later. Brazil will face Croatia, Mexico and Cameroon in
Group A of the tournament. Goalkeepers: Julio Cesar (Toronto FC, on loan from QPR), Jefferson (Botafogo), Victor (Atletico Mineiro). Defenders: Marcelo (Real Madrid), Daniel Alves (Barcelona), Maicon (AS Roma), Maxwell and Thiago Silva (both Paris St-Germain), David Luiz (Chelsea), Dante (Bayern Munich), Henrique (Napoli). Midfielders: Paulinho (Tottenham Hotspur), Ramires (Chelsea), Willian (Chelsea), Oscar (Chelsea), Hernanes (Inter Milan), Luiz Gustavo (Wolfsburg), Fernandinho (Manchester City). Forwards: Bernard (Shakhtar Donetsk), Neymar (Barcelona), Fred (Fluminense), Jo (Atletico Mineiro), Hulk (Zenit St Petersburg).
For the fifth year, young footballers in schools in the New Amsterdam/Canje area will have an opportunity to strut their stuff when the annual Trinidad and Guyana (T&G) Sports Club and Outreach Programme (TGSCOP) U13 Inter Secondary schools football competition is held at the All Saints Scott Church ground in New Amsterdam. The competition will be played in collaboration with the Hearts of Oak Masters Football Club. Eight schools are slated to take part namely; Vryman’s Erven Secondary School (VESS) Berbice High School (BHS) Berbice Educational Institute (BEI), Vryman’s Erven Secondary School (VESS), Tutorial Academy Secondary (TASS), Canje Secondary School (CSS), New Amsterdam Multilateral School, (NAMS), School of The Nations (SOTN) and for the first time Fort Ordnance from East Canje.
The top team is expected to be presented with the Trinidad and Guyana (T&G) Sports Club and Outreach Programme trophy and 15 gold medals, while the runner up will collect a trophy and 15 silver medals. Trophies and other incentives will also be given to the other participating teams. A number of individual prizes will also be presented including the Most valuable Player Best Striker, Best defender, best midfielder, Best Goalkeeper, most promising player(s), and most goal scorer. Players will be presented with jersey, trunks, shin pads, hoses, boots, balls among other gears. The competition is sponsored by Isaac Daniel a resident of Trinidad and a regular visitor to Guyana who started to organize the activities some 10 years ago. During his early visits he noticed that there is a lack of organized recreational activities and decided to do
something. He started by organizing village games, then nursery school activities. He has pledged to continue doing the activity on a bigger scale in the foreseeable future. Most of the prizes that are presented are from friends and associates in the twin island republic. Daniel noted that the group also provided TV sets for the Nursery Schools. The matches will be played on Monday 12th and Tuesday 13, Monday 19th, Tuesday20th, Monday 26th, Wednesday 28th with the final set for Friday 30th. President of TGSCOP is June Britton. Coordinator of the event, former national player Neil ‘Grizzly’ Humphrey, noted that the tournament serves as a stepping stone for young players. He thanked the sponsor for coming on board and the schools for agreeing to take part in the tournament. Kick off time each afternoon is 14:00 hrs. (Samuel Whyte)
Annual Trinidad and Guyana SC U13 Secondary school football set to begin Monday