kaieteur News

Page 04

Kaieteur News

KAIETEUR NEWS Printed and Published by National Media & Publishing Company Ltd. 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown, Guyana.

Publisher: GLENN LALL Editor: ADAM HARRIS Tel: 225-8491, 225-8458, 225-8465 Fax: 225-8473 or 226-8210

Editorial

Timely emergence of Information Technology It speaks well for Guyana’s recognition that the convergence of computing and communications and the exponential growth of digital technology (cyberspace) although bringing enormous benefits also carry great risks. These risks are evidenced by the enhanced capacity of individual offenders and criminal networks to exploit new vulnerabilities exposed in the relatively new concept of cyber crime.

President Donald Ramotar’s comments at the recent Police Officers’ Conference reveal an awareness of the uses to which information technology can be put by the criminal underclass. It is no secret that in many jurisdictions the response by law enforcement agencies to cyber crime has been largely ineffective in confronting even the less than sophisticated criminal operations.

Gross (2003) admits that one of the extreme risks cybercriminals pose is when they operate in the context of failed or failing states thus contributing to the criminalisation of the world economy, by providing safe havens for plundered resources.

In support of the elements of the framework (which is a work-in-progress) emerging from the workshop, controlling cyber-crime also requires networks between police and other agencies within government networks, between police and private institutions, and networks of police across national borders. Many cyber-crimes take place across jurisdictional boundaries and through various jurisdictions therefore the need for reliable and efficient mechanisms for international cooperation in law enforcement has never been more urgent because as Esposito, (2004) states “The fight against cyber-crime either is a global one or it makes no sense.”

In speaking to capacity building the president referred to the experiences abroad where pedophiles prey on the unsuspecting vulnerable young. He stressed preparedness to deal with this undesirable social phenomenon.

It is reasonable to assume that it will not be plain sailing if we as a country are to get on top of technology-assisted white crimes. There are several challenges that forensic specialists investigating computer-related crime have faced over time and which are constantly evolving ranging from release of malicious software to industrial espionage to identity theft.

With government, industries, markets and consumers increasingly dependent on computer connectivity, they are prone to an array of threats. Moore (2003); Staniford (2002) et al argue that the risks now posed by the release of malicious codes of increasing complexity targeted against either a significant commercial or government site could threaten the viability of e-commerce.

Thus the greater use of encryption and access protection will offer some measure of protection against the extracting of evidence from computers and servers. The reluctance of victims to report offences and the fact that many victims are unaware their systems have been compromised add to the already complex challenges facing the investigator and those responsible for information technology infrastructure protection.

Such protection, if non-existent or minimal, provides opportunities for unauthorized computer intrusion leading to criminal activity such as extortion, financial or internet fraud, identity theft, telecommunications theft, and economic espionage.

What seems unclear at this juncture is the level of serious intent on the part of Guyana to recognise cyberterrorism as a major strategic issue in addressing terrorism with the attendant intrusion and threats to individual privacy.

The tasks of identifying cyber-criminals and bringing them to justice pose formidable challenges to law enforcement agencies across the globe, and require a degree and timeliness of cooperation particularly when one looks at the compatibility of criminal activity with global changes as demonstrated by the expansion and convergence of the profitable business of trafficking in persons, pornography, narcotics or other illicit commodities with the development of communication infrastructure and trade.

Sunday May 18, 2014

Kaieteur M@ilbox Send your letters to Kaieteur News 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown or email us kaieteurnews@yahoo.com

Please do not continue to deny me my civic duty to vote DEAR EDITOR, For the last 20 years, Guyana has failed to convene Local Government Elections (LGE), even though it is lawfully due every four years.

This model of development cannot continue and will inevitably set Guyana up for failure and degradation.

Since 1994, we have witnessed the deterioration and even disbandment of many Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs) and City and Town Councils. And, many of the disbanded institutions were replaced by Interim-

Management Committee (IMCs).

Today, many of these institutions are incapable of effectively serving the citizens of this country.

This is certainly not a scenario I envision for my family, my community, my nation or myself as we move into the future. It is time for us, Guyanese, to take our country back, at the community and national levels!

Since 1992, we have undergone four general elections, of which there were no complaints about lack of public education as being a deterrent of

One can only hope that forensic computing and evidence preservation protocols essential to effective investigation and successful prosecution will be operationalized. This is especially important in the context of the globalized nature of law enforcement and universal standards of cyber-crime evidence collection. The fact remains that not in all instances

holding those elections and no one cared if the citizens were ready or not.

And for that reason, sweeping statements and the pronouncement of a few on behalf of the populace to say that we are not ready for Local Government Elections is unacceptable.

Article 71 of the Constitution, states that Local Government is a vital aspect of democracy and shall be organized so as to involve as many people as possible in the task of managing and developing the communities in which they live. For (Continued on page 6)

will a computer expert will be available at a crime scene with the attendant high risks of evidence contamination. It means therefore that as with other types of crime, the emphasis should be on following the traditional chain-of-evidence rules and preserving crime scene integrity until such time that the relevant expertise is assigned to the task.

Sunday May 18, 2014

Kaieteur News

Kaieteur M@ilbox

Page 5

Kaieteur M@ilbox

The Guyanese East Indian: I beg of our luminaries for some Notes on a psychic journey enlightenment on these issues DEAR EDITOR, I found the letter, “The Nigam concert and false consciousness” by Romain Khan in the May 12, 2014 issue of Stabroek News a splendid opportunity for scholars, commentators and politicians to comment on just who are the East Indians of this country, how have they evolved since their freedom from indenturship and what is the psychic content of these people I hope Mr. Khan used his real name because the importance of Guyanese Indians analyzing the nature of the Indian Guyanese psyche is long overdue.

While we have had a long list of African Guyanese people, of which Walter Rodney stands out, that have looked at the pitfalls of African Guyanese existence, Guyanese Indians have not followed that tradition. Mr. Khan’s letter will achieve more resonations if he is known to be an Indian from Guyana I think the term, “false consciousness”, is superbly relevant to understanding the lacerated psyche of Guyanese Indians, ironically more so the lower classes rather than the Indian middle strata. Space would not allow for this type of class analysis.

The philosophical concept of “false consciousness” owes its popularity to Karl Marx who expatiated on it in his Book, “The German Ideology.” I found it the most relevant concept to analyze the practice of racial preference by the PPP Government the last fifteen years in an academic paper for which I was sued for libel by President Jagdeo I think one of the missing links (there were about two others) in Mr. Khan’s letter is that he did not apply the term in a holistic way but I am perfectly aware that Mr. Khan had to think about space constraints.

But the usage of false consciousness in the study of the East Indians in Guyana since the PPP came to power in 1992 is a concept that if applied would yield tremendous scholarly potency Mr. Khan’s letter should galvanize Guyanese Indians from wherever they are to start looking at themselves and decide who they are and what they want from Guyana.

I refer the readers to some of my work in this area; (1) “The Great Paradox in Guyanese Politics: Indian Attitudes towards the PPP and PNC.” UG Sabbatical

Report 2004; (2) “SelfReflection: Is there an Indian racism in Guyana.” Paper presented to the Inter-Guiana Conference, UG, 2005; (3) “Indian Attitudes: The Prospects for the 2006 Elections,” Paper presented at UG conference, 2006; (4) “Corruption and Decay in Guyanese Politics,” in Cedric Grant and Mark Kirton (eds), Governance: Conflict and Conflict Resolution,” Ian Randall Publishers, Jamaica, 2007; (5) “Class Decay and Class Formation: The Case of Guyana.” Paper presented to the annual conference of the Guyana Historical and Research Society, National Library 2009; (6) Ethnic Power and Ideological Racism: Comparing presidencies in Guyana.” Paper presented to the annual conference of the Guyana Historical and Research Society, National Library, 2009 Mr. Khan in his letter made reference to the influence of Bollywood movies on Guyanese Indians.

While they can be no doubt that such an influence has been extremely deleterious to the Indian psyche for reasons I will briefly explain below, I think the nature of the Hindu religion has had a traumatizing effect on the Indian psyche because of where they lived – in the westernized Caribbean Four factors met in a deadly confluence to lacerate the Indian psyche and I don’t think the Indians have recovered fully from it or if they can. This is indeed as tragic as the permanent effects of colonialism on nonwhite civilizations.

Some of these factors have different effects

depending on gender; details of which are below.

The first was the longing for India through the attachment to the Hindu religion reinforced by Sunday preaching in the temples and Hindi films.

But attachment to India was deceptive since Indians lived in Guyana and wanted to seek higher grounds in Christian countries like the US, UK and Canada. This illusion tormented their psyches.

The second factor was Bollywood. Hindi films are naked perpetrators of the “superiority” of white skin.

Indians girls wanted to be as light as Sharmila Tagore.

Indian boys wanted to be as white as Shasi Kapoor. When the parents of light complexioned girls in the village prevented dark skin boys from courting them the result was disaster.

The girls would soon find a “white” Guyanese boy. But the brown boy’s prospects of finding acceptance by a clear (Continued on page 6)

DEAR EDITOR, As the public debate on matters local government continues, more and more it is becoming obvious that there is the need for the local intelligentsia to occupy its rightful place and not surrender its territory to political pronouncements and politicians.

Why are our luminaries silent and not providing the populace with enlightened views on the issues of the day; or posing searching questions to those who portray themselves as the sole authorities, generally, an on our law and systems of government, in particular.

There are many recent pronouncements, followed by deafening silence, which have caused me to pose that question.

On this occasion, there is one particular pronouncement, on which I would appreciate our legal luminaries and scholars in political science to comment. I am referring to the pronouncement of the Attorney-General in Kaieteur News of Thursday, May15, 2014, that there is dissatisfaction with, and consequentially non-assent, to the Local Government (Amendment ) Bill, by President Ramotar because it gives “executive power to anon-executive body”;and “The Commission by its very nature is not an executive agency but it is a Constitutional autonomous body like the other Constitutional Commissions and cannot be charged with executive responsibilities” From my layman, and knowledge seeking,

perspective, my questions are: 1.If the apparatus of the State, under the concept of Separation of Powers, is embodied in three sets of organs: the legislative, the executive and the judicial, where does the Local Government Commission, constitutional or otherwise, belong in the scheme of Government?

Is the Minister right to deem it to be nonexecutive, simply because it is constitutionally autonomous? By that analogy would he be right to deem the Public Service Appellate Tribunal non-judicial simply because it is a constitutionally autonomous body?

2. What was the intention of the Constitution when in Article 99(1) it states that “The executive authority of Guyana shall be vested in the President….” but immediately goes on to state in Article 99(2) that “Nothing in the article shall prevent Parliament from conferring functions on other persons or authorities other than the President.”?

I beg of our luminaries and scholars, some enlightenment on the aforementioned questions, less I naively conclude that the Attorney-General has misled the President by virtue of his advice on this matter; and the President has overruled the wisdom of the National Assemblyon spurious grounds, not to mention that the Bill, in question, was unanimously passed by the NationalAssembly, inclusive of the vote of he who now argues that the Bill is unconstitutional.

Vincent Alexander.

Page 6

Kaieteur News

Kaieteur M@ilbox

Sunday May 18, 2014

Kaieteur M@ilbox

Is the NOC wrongly placed within this Ministry?

DEAR EDITOR, Few of us would not have experienced deep sadness on reading a mother in anguish say “I honestly thought that by sending my daughter to NOC(New Opportunity Corps) ….. that I was doing the right thing. I thought that they had persons that were trained professionally to help her but it’s like I sent her to hell ….. I feel guilty.” The recent allegations of sexual molestation of children at this correctional institution is nothing new and one wonders what has to happen to our children before Guyanese will take action and force an obviously uncaring government to treat our children with some level of respect and decency they deserve. How do we demand the most severe punishment for sexual predators on the streets while being shamefully silent when our children are allegedly wronged while in the care of the state? The most embarrassing thing about being Guyanese is not that we are the poorest citizens of the English speaking Caribbean, but that we are spineless and would not even stand up in our children’s interest.

But whether the accusations of sexual molestation at NOC are true in this instance, importantly it has brought this institution under needed scrutiny again.

Perhaps about two years ago I wrote a letter to the editor in which I spoke of the lack of

qualified staff at NOC. NOC is the principal correctional facility in the country for adolescents, yet in recent years none of the persons on site with responsibility for the institution’s day to day operations has been the holder of more than a diploma in social work.

Indeed, some have had persons holding this extremely important position who have had no university training at all. What is worse while I was in Guyana two years ago, the gentleman with responsibility for NOC, whose office is located at the ministry had no university training. Indeed, in keeping with the PPP government’s usual nefarious behavior, the unskilled ‘comrade’ was never- the- less given the job even though hundreds of Guyanese with the diploma in social work remain unemployed. So, while there is a lack of social work skills at NOC, the staff there could not turn to their ‘boss’ at head office for help since he was clueless in the area of adolescent behavior.

That persons with little or no training in adolescent development and or management of correctional facilities for the young would be manning such an important institution is frightening and a statement on how serious the government takes this facility. As I indicated in a previous letter on the NOC, the major problem of the NOC

is its inability to attract sufficiently qualified staff.

Of all the social work agencies in the country, NOC must be the one that tests the worker’s professional skills the most, yet it is NOC that has the least staff qualified in the humanities. The reason for this is that the better qualified persons are not willing to leave the city and the company of their families and friends to work in Essequibo for the ridiculous wages paid to qualified persons in Guyana. This is the major problem – how to attract competent persons to leave their families while offering them ridiculously low salaries? I note that instead of offering decent salaries as a way of attracting our best skilled persons we are relying on foreigners to do the work.

Let me give this warning, I have great respect for the efforts of Peace Corps volunteers, in many instances I am aware of them being prepared to undergo hardships that locals would rarely accept. However I have never met a Peace Corps volunteer who is so skilled in cross cultural counseling that I would place them to work at a local correctional institution for youth. It is brainless things like this that make one cynical when we hear the Minister with responsibility for NOC tells us he is “saddened” by what he hears might be going on at NOC. Listening to the Minister

Thankful for the religious freedom and tolerance in this part of the world DEAR EDITOR, According to a media report, a South Sudanese woman who married a Christian man was sentenced to death after she refused to recant her Christian faith.

Meriam Ibrahim, whose father was Muslim but mother an Orthodox Christian from Ethiopia was convicted of

“apostasy” and given four days to repent and escape the death sentence. She refused and now faces possible death.

As I reflect on these bizarre incidents I cannot but be thankful for the degree of constitutional advances we have made in this part of the world especially when it comes to religious freedom

and tolerance. Such instances are rare in the western world and citizens are protected by the Constitution to believe or not to believe in any particular religion.

The state is secular, that is there is no state sponsored religion as is the case of several countries especially in the Muslim world.

Hydar Ally

Please do not continue to...

From page 4 this purpose, the said Article 71 of the Constitution also states that Parliament shall provide for a country-wide system of Local Government through the establishment of organs of local democratic power as an integral part of the political organisation of the state.

An effective Local Government is vital primarily to (i) enable democratic local decision-making and action by, and on behalf of communities; and (ii) promote the social, economic, environmental, and cultural well-being of

communities.

Recently, we have seen the public display of the breakdown of the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) of Georgetown. A series of unfortunate incidents have occurred which has caused me to feel a great deal of disappointment and embarrassment on their behalf and that of my country.

It would appear as if these authority figures have forgotten their intended purpose and responsibilities to us the people they serve. I have lost confidence in their capabilities and the restoration of

such might be lost.

It is clear that the present system is NOT working to ensure the sustainable development of my country. As a Guyanese, I would like to publicly state that I am ready for LGE! The Guyana Elections Commission has publicly stated that it is ready for LGE! The people are saying that they are ready for LGE! We need a date for LGE! Please do not continue to deny me my civic duty to vote in LGE! It has only been a lifetime wait for me.

Marissa Lowden Blue CAPS

with responsibility for the New Opportunity Corps is even more pathetic.

Responding to the children’s accusation of not having enough food, he responds: “if you check the budget, we are given adequate money for this cause.”

Now what sort of response is that? Isn’t he aware that the inmates of the Georgetown prison regularly complain of the same thing?

Does he have any doubt that Minister Rohee’s response would be the same as his?

The inmates have accused the lowly paid prison officers of taking food stuff meant for them off the compound, if this is happening at the prison is it not likely also happening at NOC? This is what happens particularly at total institutions and in Guyana where workers are paid starvation salaries it will happen more as workers are forced to seek ways for augment their meager salaries.Then the minister says he wants parents to visit their children weekly. Well, since the children of the rich never take up residence at

NOC, it is mostly the children of the urban poor who are there, so where are their parents to find the resources to make this long and expensive trip regularly?

If indeed the minister sees regular visits from relatives as helpful, what is his government and more directly his ministry doing to make it easy on the pockets of parents and guardians to do so?

There is such a lack of seriousness and understanding by the authorities of what is required when managing a facility like NOC that it is embarrassing, and you secretly hope our brothers in the Caribbean are not taking notice.

What programs are there for keeping these young people active after 430pm each day? Are there group cultural presentation competitions and are there impromptu speech and debating competitions in the evenings? Are they learning Guyanese history by way of dance, music and dramatic presentations? Is there even a cultural department at NOC? Is there an education unit that ensures some level of

academic competence, if so what are the competencies that students must attain by the time they complete their stint?

Do these two units (culture and education) work together to deliver lessons in a most interesting and interactive manner? Is there a sports department – not one person who is expected to take care of all the various sporting interests of the children? One can curse the PNC as much as one wants, but in the Guyana National Service they certainly demonstrated a competence in employing novel ways of promoting learning while catering for the various recreational interest of thousands of young people.

Perhaps the NOC is wrongly placed within the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport; apparently NOC is located in the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport simply because it caters for youth. Perhaps responsibility for the NOC should be with the Ministry of Social Services, where there is some focus on counseling and rehabilitation.

Claudius Prince

Modi promises a dream of more jobs, less corruption DEAR EDITOR, Free at last, India is free at last. May Mr. Narendra Modi be blessed with continue health, strength, wisdom and intellect to unleash his plan to modernize India, create the jobs for the ever youthful population using the latest technology and return India to 8 percent plus GDP growth rates. His trademark war on corrupt politicians and corrupt bureaucrats will produce much dividend for the people.

At a conference on the Gujarat Model, I was able to see first-hand how the Gujarat Model has transformed the lives of those people and this transformation was confirmed on my visit to that state.

Gujarat is now the top state in India as rated by the

world famous Index for Economic Freedom.

Bill Clinton got it right with his words “It the economy stupid…” Modi got it; Congress with all its welfare scheme did not. The youths of India are not interested is all this nonsense of caste, religion and the welfare scheme as some selfproclaimed experts who lived most of their lives in India would want us to believe.

The youths want what they see on TV, it is all aspirational. The only way they are going to get it, is through jobs, not hand-outs.

This is what Modi promises - a dream, more jobs less corruption.

In this world there are very few leaders who were destined to greatness – I am

convinced Modi is one of them. He is a deeply hinducentric leader who has deep roots in Vedic scriptures and this can be a cause for deep concern for the over 100 million Muslims in India. But I think this fear was over played by the Congress Party for partisan political purposes.

A deeply spiritual man has to be humane and respectful to all religion and I am of the belief that the Muslims will be very safe in Modi’s India. As his brother said, “those who are for India has nothing to fear”. The bottom line is good governance in one’s own action, willingness to work hard and respect for all thy neighbours. Great time ahead for India!

Sase Singh

The Guyanese East Indian...

From page 5 girl were doomed. Career relinquishment, the bottle and a wasted life followed.

Sometimes suicide was the way out. I saw two cases of this The third factor was the role of the PPP. Indian people have a love/ hate relation with the PPP and their psyche cannot bear the burden of the contradiction.

Seen as the party to protect them from other e t h n i c communities, the Indians stick with the PPP

for security reason.

But deep down they hate the PPP leaders who they see as no role models and people they find flawed and unacceptable s leaders Finally, Guyanese Indian emphasis on wealth accumulation and lack of nationalist pride will forever drive them to wander and wonder around the world but they will not stay in Guyana.

They are not people given to salaried jobs with the state. They want

money because money is the essence of life.

The villagers in India do not think like this.

This is a Guyanese infamy among Indians due to particular circumstances of which the nature of indenture and early acceptance of the caste system may be explanatory factors.

Space constraints have resulted in too much brevity and simplifications but more on this analysis in the future Frederick Kissoon

Sunday May 18, 2014

Kaieteur News

Page 7

West Africa leaders vow to wage ‘total war’ on Boko Haram PARIS (Reuters) - West African leaders yesterday agreed to work together to wage “total war” on Boko Haram saying the Nigerian Islamist group had become a regional al Qaeda that threatened all of them.

Nigeria’s neighbors Chad, Cameroon, Niger and Benin, and Western officials, met in Paris to flesh out a plan enabling them for the first time to share intelligence, coordinate action and monitor borders.

Although Boko Haram has been fighting for five years, carrying out bombings and attacks on civilians and the security forces, the kidnapping last month of more than 200 girls from a school in the northeast has focused world attention on them.

“Boko Haram is no longer a local terrorist group, it is operating clearly as an al Qaeda operation, it is an al Qaeda of West Africa,” Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan told a news conference in Paris following the meeting.

“We have shown our commitment for a regional approach. Without West African countries coming together we will not be able to

crush these terrorists,” he said.

Outrage over the mass abduction has prompted Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan - criticized at home and abroad for his government’s slow response - to accept U.S., British and French intelligence help in the hunt for the girls.

British Foreign Minister William Hague, speaking before the start of a meeting, said the Nigerian military was not organized in a way to deal effectively with the group, and offered military advisers to help structure them.

“There is determination to tackle this situation head on ... to launch a war, a total war on Boko Haram,” Chad’s President Idriss Deby said.

The countries agreed to launch coordinated patrols and rescue operations, share intelligence, put in place a mechanism to prevent weapons’ smuggling and monitor borders.

Intelligence services and army heads would also meet soon to come up with a region-wide strategy to fight terrorism.

“The threat is serious and dangerous for the region, Africa and Europe,” French

President Francois Hollande said, although no concrete operational measures were announced.

With 6,000 French troops operating in either Mali to the northwest or the Central African Republic to the east, Paris has an interest in preventing a deterioration in Nigeria’s security.

Like its Western allies, Paris has ruled out any military operation saying it was primarily for Nigeria to take the lead, although Hollande said Rafale fighter jets based in the Chadian capital N’Djamena - just 60 km from the Nigerian border would be used for reconnaissance missions.

Paris fears Boko Haram could spread north into the Sahel and beyond Cameroon into the Central African Republic. Boko Haram has already targeted French interests in Nigeria, kidnapping a French family in northern Cameroon last year.

Suspected Boko Haram rebels also attacked a Chinese work site in northern Cameroon on Friday, killing at least one Cameroonian soldier, and at least 10 people

are believed to have been kidnapped, the regional governor said.

“We have affirmed our solidarity and determination to vigorously fight Boko Haram,” Cameroon President Paul Biya said. “They have committed one more attack,

attacked businessmen and this comes after the French hostages were kidnapped. As we speak we are searching for an Italian priest and a Canadian nun. The problem has become regional, if not a Western problem.”

The group has killed more

than 3,000 people in its war to establish an Islamic state in mostly Muslim northeast Nigeria. Biya said he would send more means and troops to the north, but that Boko Haram had been picking soft targets and outnumbering his troops.

Page 8

Kaieteur News

Sunday May 18, 2014

Fire destroys pensioner’s home

A Sparta, Essequibo, man escaped unhurt Friday evening after fire engulfed his threebedroom concrete house.

Sydney Blackman, a/k”Siddo”, 73, was asleep when the fire started. Fire tenders which promptly responded to a distress call were able to contain the fire to only the interior of the house.

One of Blackman’s nieces, Pamela Stoby, said that her uncle was asleep Friday when the fire started.

Stoby explained that the fire, which she suspected to be of electrical origin started inside the building.

Stoby said that only last week while she was on one of her frequent visits to her uncle’s Sparta residence she noticed an electrical wire

sparking but she didn’t pay it any heed.

Blackman’s niece said that Friday afternoon around 14:30 hours one of her grandsons took a meal for her uncle. She was subsequently alerted to the fire by a hire car driver. Stoby said that she rushed to the scene immediately after learning about the fire.

Stoby is most grateful that her uncle was not seriously hurt. He lost all of his household equipment, including his clothes, bed, television and sofa in the fire. She said that her uncle returned to the Essequibo Coast only three months ago.

Blackman is now staying with his niece at Devonshire Castle until his house is repaired.

The police visited the scene but are still to take statements from Mr. Blackman.

Venezuela president urges re-start of political dialogue CARACAS (Reuters) Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro urged opposition leaders on Friday to return to political talks intended to stem unrest around the country or face the “repudiation” of the nation.

Moderate leaders of the Democratic Unity (MUD) coalition broke off dialogue this week, saying government officials were insulting them and rebuffing requests for releases of opposition-linked prisoners.

Unrest has flared again in Caracas in recent days, with more than 100 youths arrested during violent clashes with security forces and attacks on government

buildings.

Since anti-government protests began in February, 42 people have been killed, more than 800 injured, and about 3,000 arrested, of whom more than 200 remain behind bars.

“We don’t accept blackmail from anyone,” Maduro said during a ceremony with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Caracas.

“They (the MUD) say they want immediate results.

The dialogue itself is a positive result. What are they looking for? In private, they’ve said things that are impossible.”

The opposition is particularly pressing for the

release of former Caracas police commissioner Ivan Simonovis, who is serving a 30-year prison term for his involvement in a 2002 coup that briefly ousted Hugo Chavez.

Foreign ministers from Brazil, Ecuador and Colombia, who have been mediating the talks, were due to return on Sunday, but may now find themselves shuttling between the two sides.

“It would be very sad if they abandon the table, but the country would carry on, no one’s going to stop working,” Maduro said.

“There would, though, be national repudiation of their anti-democratic attitude ... I urge sense and reflection.”

Maduro, a socialist like the late Chavez, has cast the protest movement as a U.S.supported coup plan, while foes say months of rallies are the product of economic hardship and repression.

Protest numbers have dropped in recent weeks, but a rump of masked youth activists still take to the streets near daily, sometimes setting up barricades and burning vehicles.

Sunday May 18, 2014

Kaieteur News

Page 9

Construction of La Parfaite Harmonie access road taking shape

GAICO Construction Inc placing asphalted concrete to the surface of Alternative Access Road to La Parfaite Harmonie The heavy flow of traffic in and out of Canal No.1 Polder main road is expected to reduce shortly with the completion of the $664.7M Alternative Access Road to La Parfaite Harmonie, West Bank Demerara.

Construction of the structure is being managed by the Ministry of Housing and Water’s Central Housing and Planning Authority.

The structure is taking shape with contractors,

GAICO Construction Inc and BK International completing a significant section of roadway.

GAICO Construction Inc is responsible for Lot Two while BK International is working on Lots One and Three.

During a site visit yesterday, Kaieteur News observed staff of GAICO Construction Inc applying asphalted concrete to a section of the structure.

This section of the

roadway costs in excess of $300M and has a duration of 18 months.

The contractor is tasked with paving 2,000 metres of roadway.

The structure is 10.55 metres wide and is made of white sand, loam, stabilized material, crusher run and 2 inches of asphalt.

According to Komal Singh, Managing Director of GAICO Construction Inc, physical works on the project

began in June 2013 but encountered some delays owing to rice production in the area, weather and the shortage of aggregates.

Singh who traverses Canal No.1 Polder main road regularly, believes the completion of this alternative access road is a good investment that would benefit thousands of residents of La Parfaite Harmonie, Westminster, and Schoonord Housing Schemes.

Despite the warning of loved ones and friends to end an unhealthy relationship with alcohol, a 65-year-old resident of Lot 227 Lodge Housing Scheme has left his nine children in awful grief as they struggle to embrace a painful reality. At 11: 45 pm on Friday last, Victor Forde, in an intoxicated state, fell into a canal nearby the Church of the Transfiguration on Mandela Avenue. After being rescued, Forde fell into the canal again and drowned.

A relative who spoke with

this publication yesterday said, “Victor is my husband’s uncle. He was self employed but he liked his alcohol. I was informed at around 11: 35 pm on Saturday that he was intoxicated at the time and had his bicycle at the time of his death. He was walking along the Avenue with his bicycle and a boy and a girl was behind him.”

The couple related that he fell into the canal and they tried to rescue him. “When he was taken out of the trench the first time, he was alive and

then he fall in the trench again because he was drunk and not aware of himself. The second time he fall in he died. We will miss Uncle Victor. He was jovial, quiet and willing to work hard. He was always ready to render assistance. It is really sad for his children who are in the United States and it’s hard for them to embrace this situation.”

This newspaper understands that the couple was detained for questioning by the police but was subsequently released.

Victor Forde

Man drowns in Mandela Avenue Canal

Dem boys seh

De town clerk training to fight Hammy, again When people cheap dem does end up without. A company in Guyana suh cheap that when some children visit de sweetie plant de makers of the sweetie didn’t even give dem children one to suck. Was cheap dem cheap.

Well dem have another sweetie factory and dem boys seh talk fuh rain, talk fuh sun, this set of sweetie suh nice that it gun tek over de market. It gun even knock out de set that people use to bring in to compensate fuh de cheap set.

People taste de produce de other night when de place open and at one stage some people had to ask if de company was going to lose its profit from de start. People suck till de colour of dem mouth change. Some of dem eat peanut till dem start to look like Popeye and of course, de people who talk could hardly be heard how some people was chewing.

And while that was going on dem had people who was trying to get a job wid de city council. Some people apply to the Town Clerk who de Minister appoint; some apply to de town clerk who de mayor appoint and another set apply to de chief justice because dem seh that he is de one who got de power to call de shots.

None of dem can’t tek on anybody. One town clerk ain’t got money suh she can’t promise de people dem pay when dem wuk and de government seh that it ain’t paying anybody in de council. De other one can’t perform de duties of town clerk and de chief justice seh that he ain’t wukking wid de town council.

And Hammy gone into training because he seh that he see a fight pun he hands. He seh that de woman Town Clerk look like she done mek up she mind to fight Hammy at every turn he mek. She done fight he in de council because she lock he out of de chamber. She fight he down in de court and she now preparing to fight he everywhere he turn.

She seh that she feel confident because she got Kwame in she corner. Dem boys seh that she don’t know Kwame. He does only go in a corner when he expect something and de town clerk can’t give he nutten.

Talk half and wait fuh de big fight card.

Page 10

Kaieteur News

Luncheon dismisses notion of restricted local government election Despite the controversy at City Hall and notwithstanding the frustration being faced by City dwellers, Cabinet Secretary, Dr. Roger Luncheon does not see the need to hold geographically restricted elections.

Dr. Roger Luncheon, at his recent post-cabinet press briefing, said that there is a high level of incompetence at City Hall and there is very little service being offered. He also highlighted the extent to which Government had to intervene financially in the affairs of City Hall.

The government official acknowledged the need for local government elections, but reiterated that there were several considerations. He added that steps must be taken before these elections are called.

Responding to the fact that a local government election restricted to the City of Georgetown was reportedly

Cabinet Secretary Dr. Roger Luncheon recently hinted by the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), Dr Luncheon said that while he was aware of the statement, he doesn’t, in his own opinion, think it is necessary.

“I could advise you, however, that a discussion on (continued on page 11)

Sunday May 18, 2014

Guyana on track to host 44th Annual CDB Board of Governors meeting Guyana will host the Annual Board of Governors meeting of the region’s premiere development institution and leadership in economical and financial system, the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB).

The event will be held on May 28 and 29.

According to a GINA release, Minister of Finance and Chairman of the Board of Governors, Dr. Ashni Singh, said the country is on track to host the event. He said that the planning and preparation for the meeting which started some time ago, have intensified over the recent days and weeks. ”It is an extremely important event in the annual calendar of events for the Caribbean, and Guyana considers itself privileged to host this meeting,” Minister Singh said.

Minister Singh noted that the meeting is happening at an important time for the region and institution.

He pointed out that the region is facing an extremely severe economic challenge that requires hard decisions, firm resolve and strong will to confront and overcome them.

He noted that since its establishment, the CDB has grown in strength and size and has discharged in a most admirable fashion its mandate of supporting such economic and social challenges across the Caribbean.

He said the meeting will serve to focus on the

- event to bring together region’s economic leadership to deliberate on challenges institution with regards to the role it can play in consolidating on the support to the region.

Minister Singh explained that the meeting, which will comprise several components, in addition to being a meeting of the shareholders of the CDB for the annual reports and the audited financial statement.

It brings together the economic leadership of the region to reflect and deliberate on the challenges of the region and to chart a course forward for confronting those challenges.

There will also be a number of special forums organised around the meeting that coincide, with the gathering of the regional leaders and which will address a number of pressing issues confronting the region like climate change, financial sector issues, debt and indebtedness and fiscal sustainability.

Further, there will be activities aimed at broadening awareness and participation of the economic issues confronting the regions, which will be specifically aimed at involving youth.

During the meeting, Guyana will take centre stage with regards to the issue of agriculture and climate change. Guyana has been on the forefront of the global advocacy effort on the issue of climate and in particular on

the peculiar threat faced by the small states of the Caribbean.

Guyana is the only net exporter of food in the Caribbean and continues to see itself as potentially the food basket of the region.

Meanwhile, Minister Singh also recognised CDB’s support to Guyana a n d t h e i n s t i t u t i o n ’s optimism about the country’s outlook.

Earlier this year, the i n s t i t u t i o n ’s P r e s i d e n t William, Warren Smith, made several pronouncements about the country, including the fact that Guyana, Haiti and Suriname are expected to lead the region’s growth in 2014. He also praised the vibrancy of the Guyanese economy, which Minister Singh noted. ” We have been shareholders of the bank from its inception and the bank has seen Guyana through some of our most difficult years, through the 70s and 80s when the Guyanese economy was literally on its knees.

Since we have embarked on the important economic reform of the 90s and over the past decade, the bank has not been reluctant to recognise the boldness of the decision that we have taken, the appropriateness of some of the policy

decisions that we have adopted, and the favourable results that have flowed, therefore... the bank has been very clear that in recent years, the Guyanese economy has been a strong performer, has contributed significantly to regional economic wellbeing, and that Guyana has an even greater role to play going forward whether it is contributing to agriculture production, or whether as an investment in regional business.

“The bank has been proactive in playing its part, in positioning and situating itself to be a part of this bright future that it believes Guyana has, and so the bank has been investing in partnering with us with both large-scale and small scale infrastructure projects,” he said.

CDB funding in Guyana has been used for financing social and economic infrastructure such as schools, roads and water projects, building more disaster-resistant structures, community skills training and support for small and mediumsized enterprises.

Guyana has benefitted from the special development fund as well as from loans totalling almost US$28M to strengthen sea and river defence systems.

Sunday May 18, 2014

Kaieteur News

Page 11

Guyana Security Council’s CEO, Govt.’s move ahead with Marriott Legal Officer called upon to resign is contemptuous - MP Harmon The Shareholders of Guyana Stockfeeds Inc. (GSI) is demanding changes in the management of the Guyana Security Council and the immediate resignation of its Chief Executive Officer, Cheryl Ibbot and its Legal Officer, Shawn Allicock.

The call was made at the Annual General Meeting of the Company held on Friday last. The shareholders of the company condemned the “Public Advisory” of the Council in the national media on non-payment of dividends as unnecessary, mischievous and intended to put the Company and its Officers in disrepute.

While the Council indicated that it was motivated by complaints from members of the company, shareholders maintained that it is not the mandate of the Council to be issuing such an”Advisory.”

It maintained that such matters are the domain of the Company. In addition, they contended that the Directors had already briefed shareholders in full on the matter.

This fact and the circumstances surrounding the non-payment of dividends; namely an ex-parte injunction secured by the National Industrial and Commercial Investment Limited (NICIL) were all public information.

According to the Company, “it was interesting to note that no shareholder recalled making such a complaint or even contacting the Council.”

The shareholders further vigorously condemned the actions of the Council in moving to the High Court to

Robert Badal compel the Company’s Directors to re-publish a corrected interim report of 2014 as unnecessary, abuse of public office, and waste of taxpayer resources and the Courts time.

They contended that even if its interim report of 2014 was incorrect, which is not conceded, Shareholders at its AGM have approved its audited accounts and report of Directors for the full 2014.

Such acts of the Council among other matters revealed in recent media reports reflects poorly on the judgment and objectivity of its CEO and Legal Officer which would undermine confidence in the Council among Public Companies and the general investing public.

Recently the makers of animal feed, Guyana Stockfeeds Inc. have blasted the Guyana Securities Council (GSC) on what the company says is a delay to retract an erroneous advisory which placed that company in a bad light over the payment of dividends.

GSI, in a strong statement from its main principal, Robert

Luncheon dismisses ...

From page 10 the geographic restricted local government election, has not occupied the attention of this administration.” He said that Government at its Cabinet meetings has been examining local government elections overtime but not the restricted form.

Dr Luncheon said that he prefers to be conventional in the holding g of elections especially since he doesn’t think that sufficient reason exists to go the route of geographically restricted elections.

Canada’s High Commissioner to Guyana, Dr Nicole Giles, on the very day Dr. Luncheon made those comments (Thursday), urged the government to host the local government elections noting that it is vital and critical in the development of the country.

Dr Giles was at the time speaking at the launch of the Parliament’s website and live streaming project at the Parliament Buildings. She told the gathering which included the Speaker of the National Assembly Raphael Trotman, Prime Minister Samuel Hinds and a majority of the Members of Parliament, that though the country was making strides in other areas such as technology and e-governance, there is still a need for bigger strides to be taken particularly in the direction of local government elections, citing the need for proper systems and structures to be put in place so that the country can be positively developed.

Dr. Giles’s statements come on the heels of several other calls being made by various sections of the society for local government elections to be held given the current situation at some of the municipalities.

Badal, said that it believes that the delay does not rule out conclusions that the regulator is unfairly targeting the company.

According to Badal, the Guyana Securities Council issued a “Public Advisory” in the national media which stated that his company had published its Interim Report for the period January – June 2013 showing that GSI had paid dividends totaling $80,285,557 for the 2012 Financial Year.

The regulator claimed that it had been notified by several shareholders that they did not receive any dividend payments for that period.

The Council also claimed in the notification that it contacted the feed company, which is headquartered at Farm, East Bank Demerara, and was advised that no dividends were paid for 2012.

According to Badal, his company had written the regulator on January 20, last, insisting that although it had approved dividends for 2012, it was not actually paid to shareholders.

As a matter of fact, one “disgruntled” shareholder, the Government-owned National Industrial Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL) had approached the courts for an injunction to restrain payment of the dividend.

“This injunction was discharged for material nondisclosure on the part of NICIL. Meanwhile, out of respect for the court, GSI has not actually disbursed the approved dividend payments to shareholders.”

The businessman said that GSI sought professional advice on the GSC’s request for a correction of its Interim Report and was told nothing was wrong.

The feed company, which is part of the group that also owns controlling interest in the Pegasus Hotel, called for the retraction, especially in light of the “potential harm it posed to GSI’s business”

The Marriott Hotel completion date is nearing and Government is still to disclose who the $US 8M investor is, a move which A Partnership for National Unity member Joseph Harmon said exemplifies an enormous amount of disrespect.

According to Harmon, the recent lighting up of the “Marriott” brand sign shows Government’s contemptuous attitude towards the populace. He told Kaieteur News that the joint Opposition has been continuously speaking on the issue, but the Administration has no respect.

“The non-disclosure of the investor makes you wonder if the persons are involved in money laundering.” Harmon told Kaieteur News.

It’s almost eight months since Government had promised to make the identity of the US$8M Marriott investor known publicly.

Last Month Opposition Leader David Granger told Kaieteur News that he intended to have the National Assembly intervene in the hope of making the investor known.

Work has been progressing rapidly on the hotel since according to sources, contractors are trying feverishly to meet the July deadline. It is unclear where the funding for the hotel is coming from. Kaieteur News has been continuously calling Chairman of Atlantic Hotels Inc (AHI) Winston Brassington to no avail.

Brassington, at the end of last year, had promised an update in the New Year but has since refused to answer any calls from this publication. Back in March 2014, Brassington had answered his mobile phone, but hung up on the reporter who was attempting to question him.

Brassington last year had indicated that there would be financial closure with the Private Investor before the end of the year, but this did not happen.

According to Granger, his Party is very concerned with

the entire management of the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL), adding that it was close to becoming a “rogue corporation”.

Opposition parliamentarians remain adamant that it is time that the President of Guyana, Donald Ramotar, instruct public officials as to how to respond to the media when being questioned about pressing national matters.

APNU’s Joseph Harmon had opined that public officials who spend taxpayers’ money should operate in a transparent manner.

“His failure to respond, as he should, is basically Brassington saying that he is not obligated to the public and this is something that the President needs to address quickly. One would expect that this attitude was something of the past, but it needs to be addressed by the hierarchy of the PPP, particularly the President,” Harmon had told Kaieteur News.

NICIL is investing US$4M and lends the project US$15.5M; Republic Bank Trinidad was asked to syndicate US$27M while a still

to be named investor was to invest US$8M. As a result of this financing structure, the still to be named investor will essentially own and control the Hotel.

President Donald Ramotar, at a press conference in February, had given a new financing structure for the hotel.

According to the Head of State, “there is a lot of interest in Marriott from local banks that are here; we have local banks involved, we have also foreign banks involved and we do have a foreign investor.”

Pressed on the financial closure that is still to be announced, the President said he was hoping that it should have been announced already, but “there are still some small arrangements left to be made to tie things up…I don’t think you will have to wait much longer.”

When asked where the money is coming from to fund the current works ongoing at the Kingston site, Ramotar told reporters, “As I have said there is a consortium of people that have put money into it, so there is money there to continue it, apart from NICIL.”

Page 12

Kaieteur News

Sunday May 18, 2014

Rejection of Berbice River Bridge toll…

Govt. blind and deaf to the concerns of people and will pay for it - APNU “There is a problem and the Government is just being blind, it’s just being deaf to what the people on the ground are saying and they will eventually pay for it when Local Government elections come.”

Those were the assertions of Leader of A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) David Granger who weighed in on the rejection of the Peoples Progressive Party led Government of a resolution brought According to Granger, Government refuses to implement resolutions brought by the Opposition.

This he said is because the Government is not conscious and in tune with the concerns affecting the population.

“We would like to call on civil society because this motion was not pulled out of thin air, we were responding to the demands of the people on the ground particularly in East Berbice Corentyne, even in my own visits to West Berbice I have met students who have to pay $5000 or more to attend classes at the Berbice High school” said Granger.

Speaking on the way forward, Granger called for the

“people of West Berbice and East Berbice Corentyne, Regions 5 and 6 respectively to continue to agitate” so that their concerns can be acknowledged by the Government that was put in power by the people and which is supposed to represent their interest.

Granger recalled that “the Government was able to relax the fees during the PPP Congress in August 2013 and we feel they could relax the fees to allow people to live normal lives. Right now the toll is extraordinarily high and it is worst than a nuisance, it is a burden which the residents of East and West Berbice cannot bear.”

“What happened too and you should know this, is that once the Bridge was opened the ferry was discontinued, so there is no alternative, they are almost forcing the people of West and East Berbice to use the Bridge because there is no alternative” said the APNU leader.

The Motion was piloted

by A Partnership For National Unity’s (APNU) Joseph Harmon, who argued that the tolls being charged by the Berbice Bridge Company Inc was excessively high and

Minister of Public Works Robeson Benn

Leader of APNU David Granger

meant to only enrich a few.

He said that arguments that the company is a private one are nullified by the fact that under the Berbice Bridge Act, the Minister of Public Works has responsibility for the setting of the tolls.

Harmon said that the Bridge earns an average of $1.5B annually, and as such the company can afford to reduce the tolls charged.

He said that with Government holding some $950M in shares in the Bridge, it is incumbent of the Administration to have its Director on the board call for the reduction of the toll.

Harmon noted that when the toll was calculated, then President Bharrat Jagdeo announced that it was done to cover operating costs, make repayments and earn a profit.

The APNU Member of Parliament lamented that there was nothing in the consideration of the toll “about public good, only money”.

Government’s contention however was that the company is a private one that is operating to clear costs and make its payments.

Minister of Tourism Industry and Commerce, Irfaan Ali, who was the first to refute claims made by

Harmon, categorically denied that the National Industrial and Commercial Investment Limited (NICIL) has any ownership stake in the company.

In fact, it was pointed out during the debate that NICIL has sold its 950 million shares in the company to the National Insurance Scheme (NIS).

In fact, NICIL retains only one single share in the company and has no directors on the board whilst NIS only has a single director.

The single largest shareholder behind the NIS is Former President Bharrat Jagdeo’s best friend, Dr Ranjisinghi ‘Bobby’ Ramroop through the New Guyana

Dr Ranjisinghi ‘Bobby’ Ramroop Pharmaceutical Corporation and Queens Atlantic Investment Inc. He has two directors on the eight member board; namely Avalon Jagnandan and Ravi Ramcharitar.

Ali had argued that “The Government has no direct ownership stake in company”. He further stated that if the Government were to intervene it would be a breach of contract and “take us back to those dark years when Government imposed its heavy hand on private capital”.

Public Works Minister, Robeson Benn, under whose responsibility the Bridge Falls, was adamant that he would

not reduce the tolls as is called for by the motion without any consideration of the various market forces.

“I will not reduce the toll for any person in Guyana until we have determined economically that it will be a benefit,” asserted Benn.

The comment by Benn was condemned as arrogance, to make such a statement even before the motion was voted on.

According to Minister Benn, the motion brought by APNU represents a shot fired across the bow of all who want to invest in Guyana.

He said that for Government to interfere with the private company would be a de facto nationalization of the bridge. Benn argued that this time around it would not be the nationalizing of foreign owned companies that would have run roughshod over Guyanese: “we would be taking away from our own people…the very people you want to help in a short sighted way.”

The Minister argued that if Government were to impose on the company to reduce the toll it would be “the worst thing that ever happened in Guyana…we would be taking away from our own people; unheard of.”

Prisoner beaten…

Inmate’s mother wants investigation Pearl Bailey, in defence of her son, Calvin Bailey, who was beaten by prison warders last week, is calling on the Minister of Home Affairs to investigate the true circumstances under which her son was beaten.

Bailey, 37, was admitted to the Georgetown Public Hospital with a fractured left arm and a cut to his right arm, following a confrontation

with ranks. The incident occurred while Bailey was in solitary confinement.

He was subsequently discharged from the hospital and admitted to the infirmary at the Camp Street Prison.

Bailey is facing retrial for the murder of his 18month-old son, Shaquan Nero, who was slain after he allegedly attacked the child’s mother, Bernadette Nero in April 2007, at Amelia’s Ward, Linden.

Prison officials described Bailey, who is facing a second trial for murder, as a troublemaker.

“I would like to get the right side of the picture to the public. After he was taken out his cell to wash up, he told the officer he suffers from asthma and wanted to see the officer in charge (O/C). The officer then gave him 15 minutes to wash up but before the time was up he told him to get back into his cell.

He then hollered loudly that he wanted to see the O/C. The warder then

opened the door for another prisoner and that prisoner came out with a sharp instrument and fired a chop at my son right hand for which he received nine stitches.” Mrs. Bailey said she was told this by her son.

She further explained, “After that happened, to gain the necessary attention from the O/C he decided to light his mattress. When he ran out into the yard to the Capital (another division) the eight officers tackled him and beat him severely with a baton Explaining why her son was placed in solitary confinement, Mrs Bailey said that her son was also accused with others for “digging a hole to get away.”

“He did not light the mattress, he got chop. He did it after to get attention to let others know what is happening to him…He is presently in the infirmary and he has no mattress on his bed.

He is being ill treated,” the mother lamented.

Sunday May 18, 2014

Kaieteur News

Page 21

Our Caribbean: The politics of social harmony

By Oliver Mills (Reprinted from Caribbean News Now) A former prime minister of a Caribbean country, on the eve of its independence, stated that a nation has been born, but a society has not been formed. He said this because, going into independence, his country was carrying with it inherited racial divisions, causing social disharmony, splintered political groups, extremists making demands on the system, and unresponsive colonial institutions in need of reform and redirection.

All of these issues required immediate attention if the country was not to experience a downward spiral into divisiveness and disharmony among its population, leading to social tensions and instability, with political implications.

The philosopher Plato states in reference to social peace or harmony that the political community consists of different classes with different values, the same as the prime minister mentioned above found on assuming office. Plato notes that social

The interior is seen as the salvation of Guyana at this time and this may be the case. The problem is that those who are not prepared to struggle in life and those who believe in the fast dollar have converged there.

This is responsible for the violent deaths that have occurred. There will be two more such deaths. Women would be at the centre of the confrontations. ** When another fire strikes, people will say that Guyana should be fed up.

peace or harmony is to be obtained through the cooperation and friendship of all, and that the best form of government seeks to reconcile different interests.

When competing interests are reconciled, social harmony results.

Politics therefore becomes the means by which the society is ordered, where each social group adds to the common good. Plato then argues that the quality of human life can be improved if people learn to be rational and understand that their real interests are in harmonious cooperation with each other, and not in partisan strife. To me, this is the essence of social harmony.

Generally, social harmony is seen as the peaceful interaction of members of society irrespective of different social groups, and this is based on trust, and respect, and is an antidote to social injustice and inequality. Plato also states that justice is the foundation of a good political order, concerns the common good, and provides a sense of unity.

My view is that, when justice and harmony are

preserved through just acts, then this is the basis for social peace. If justice is seen to be massaged, or staged, so that a particular result emerges, then fairness is sidestepped, and this results in ramped up political activity with unneeded after effects. Politics should promote social harmony, justice, and fairness.

When this happens, the society becomes ordered and rational, and is guided by informed judgment.

An editorial in a Caribbean paper recently referred to the country concerned as having a bloated public sector. It further noted that politicians had created a bureaucracy to serve their interests, that people were hired to bolster political support, and that politicians rewarded their friends and associates after general elections, and gave them contracts to do government work whether they were capable or not. This was payback for political support.

These kinds of actions cause social unease, and breed social discontent. If a bureaucracy serves the interests of politicians this causes social mistrust, and

What many people do not realize is that times are hard and people need to cook.

They therefore adopt measures that no one would advise in a home.

This fire is going to result from one such. From a

struggling family, the household will descend into abject poverty. ** Another road fatality is going to occur within hours.

Too many inexperienced drivers have been put on the roads. At the same time some of the people granted firearm licences should never have. A driver is going to come under the gun.

Being a licenced firearm holder he thinks that things are as they are in the movies.

That would be a horrible mistake.

people lose confidence in what it does, since anything would be regarded as politically motivated and serving partisan interests.

These acts challenge social harmony, and where political friends are rewarded, it means politics contributes to a system of social bias, and not social harmony or peace.

In a non-English speaking Caribbean country, the maximum leader recently signed a bill into law to toughen measures against government functionaries and others involved in corruption, which includes illicit enrichment, money laundering, overbilling, influence peddling, bribes, and nepotism.

These are activities that deprive the state of resources, and put them into tainted pockets. It means less revenue for the state, the curtailment of social programmes, and an inability to implement policies on infrastructure projects in a broad way.

When the society finds out about this, it sees government as unfair, as catering to a few at the expense of the many, and as showing preference for some over others. This causes disharmony in the way people feel about their institutions,

and they could withdraw their support as a result, which translates into using their political power to change the status quo, and restore fairness and the values that bring about social harmony.

An opposition leader in another non-English speaking territory is suspected of money laundering and forgery. What kind of political soil produces this mental outlook and psychology?

When the populace sees its leaders who should be among its best and brightest engaging in such activities, it brings a sense of political shame on the country and its people. They feel violated, and this translates into a temporary withdrawal from the political process, creating disharmony among citizens.

Social harmony therefore can be restored through the elimination of those acts that brought about disharmony and disrupted social peace.

It is clear, then, that social harmony could be impacted on by political acts. When some politicians feel they are the law, this leads to illegal and anti-social behaviour.

This negatively affects the image of the country, and causes splits in the community, since there are some groups who give their

support one way or the other.

Ethical behaviour in office on the other hand, brings about respect, and for a rulegoverned society, this means fairness, and a common acceptance of what is desirable becomes the way of life, as a result contributing to the social harmony of the community.

When life in a society is lived in harmony, economic growth increases, since people invest in a situation where confidence and decency prevail. A society that exists in harmony lives a positive social and cultural life. Its people are happier, because of shared values, civic affairs are conducted in a principled way, and mistrust as a practice is absent.

The need to cheat, and to breach social norms, does not arise, since these are alien to the culture. Social affairs can therefore be conducted nobly, since the new role of politics is to create a just society, individual happiness and well-being, and an environment where division ends, and where harmony becomes a social value.

(Oliver Mills is a former lecturer in education at the University of the West Indies Mona Campus)

Page 22

Kaieteur News

Sunday May 18, 2014

MURDER WITH UNSETTLING TWISTS

By Michael Jordan DEATH IN SHERIFF STREET Saturday, March 1, 2003 was quiet until the gunshots rang out. I was living in Hadfield Street, Lodge, back then, and the brief burst of gunfire had come from the direction of Sheriff Street.

I guess we were a bit crazy back then. While everyone else would be running from the sound of gunshots during those years of mayhem, crime reporters like myself would run toward the danger zone.

Within minutes I was in a taxi and heading to Sheriff Street.

The area where the shooting had occurred was a short distance from the area where Mandela Avenue and Sheriff Street merge, but by the time I arrived, the scene was clear and someone told me to head to the Georgetown Hospital.

At the hospital, there was a police vehicle and armed ranks entering and leaving the Accident and Emergency Unit. From hospital staff, I learnt that there had been a shootout between a patrol and a group of gunmen in a car, and that one of the bandits, of Indian ancestry, was dead, while one of his accomplices was wounded.

“The coolie one had a wig,” a woman near me whispered excitedly. I then saw a policeman near the Emergency Unit and noticed that he was holding a ‘rasta’ wig.

I slipped into the Emergency Unit just as a hospital attendant was taking the wounded bandit in a wheelchair to the X-Ray Department. Part of his face was bandaged.

UG student Yohance Douglas

Lance Corporal Mahendra Baijnauth (left) and Police Constable Gerald Alonzo But who was the slain bandit? While I was pondering my next move, someone slipped a folded piece of paper to me. Written on it was the name and address of the man the police had killed.

By then, my colleague Dale Andrews had arrived and we headed to the South Ruimveldt home of the slain

bandit…where we learned that the ‘bandit’ was no bandit at all. He was a 19-year-old University of Guyana student and his name was Yohance Douglas.

On that fateful day, Douglas was travelling with three other friends, Ronson Gray, Quacy Haywood and O’Neil King, along Sheriff Street, when a five-member

police patrol intercepted and opened fire on their vehicle.

Douglas was killed while the driver, University of Guyana student Ronson Gray, was shot in the jaw.

The police version of events was that they were looking out for a car which had reportedly left Buxton with five men, when they spotted the vehicle with Douglas and his friends.

It is alleged that the ranks challenged the occupants to stop but the driver ignored the order. The ranks alleged that they attempted to shoot out the tyres of the vehicle.

Instead, one bullet struck the driver, while another pierced the rear number plate and back seat before hitting Douglas.

In the wake of public outrage over the killing of a UG student, policemen Gerald Alonzo and Mahendra Baijnauth were charged with Douglas’s murder in April 2003. Lance Corporal Baijnauth was also charged with the attempted murder of Ronson Gray.

But reports surfaced that the two cops were spotted happily shopping in Georgetown even while they were on remand. The shopping sprees ceased abruptly after the media got wind of the story.

On February 17, 2004, Alonzo and Baijnauth were ordered to stand trial for Douglas’s murder. However, the charges of murder and attempted murder were subsequently dropped against Baijnauth, while the charge against his colleague, Alonzo, was reduced to manslaughter.

Two years after the slaying, a jury found Alonzo guilty of manslaughter and sentenced him to six years.

He served four years in jail before being freed on appeal.

NO JUSTICE FOR JERMAINE On Wednesday May 22, 1996, a young man by the name of Jermaine Wilkinson was shot dead in Albouystown under questionable circumstances by a member of an IMPACT police patrol.

After two days and protests, the policeman, Robert Beresford, was charged with manslaughter.

He was placed on $40,000 bail.

But four months later, the then Chief Magistrate, K. Juman-Yassin, committed Beresford to stand trial for murder. Attorneys for Beresford challenged the ruling, and meanwhile, the accused cop was admitted to the Georgetown Public Hospital, allegedly suffering from an undisclosed illness.

Former Police Commissioner Floyd Mc Donald The High Court subsequently quashed the Chief Magistrate’s order, and placed the accused policeman on $150,000 bail, pending the start of his trial. To this date, that trial is yet to begin and the original depositions cannot be located.

The then Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions, Roxanne George, has been quoted as saying that the depositions for the case were never received.

KILLED FOR DEMANDING $20 IN CHANGE On August 8, 2002, Rodwell Ogle, a food vendor from Rasville, Greater Georgetown, was visited by a customer that he had known from childhood. The man was ex-policeman Axel Williams.

According to reports, Williams made a purchase but came up $20 short and refused to pay. A quarrel ensued and Williams punched Ogle in his face. It is alleged that when the vendor returned the blow, Williams fell to his knees.

Embarrassed, Williams reportedly ran to his car, returned with a handgun and shot Ogle three times. Ogle succumbed in the Georgetown Hospital’s High Dependency Unit.

Those of us on the crime beat knew that Axel Williams was said to be a ‘hit man.’

Williams was reportedly detained briefly but released on orders from a senior rank.

The police reportedly sought advice from the Chambers of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and it was recommended that Axel Williams be charged with murder.

However, that recommendation was

changed and an inquest was ordered into Ogle’s death.

That inquest was reportedly never held. It was later learnt that, even after the inquest was ordered, the then Commissioner of Police Floyd Mc Donald had authorized that Axel Williams’s .32 pistol be upgraded to a 9mm pistol.

Then Home Affairs Minister Ronald Gajraj would later acknowledge that he knew Axel Williams.

The alleged hit-man was later gunned down on December 10, 2003, while driving in Bel Air. But let me end with a letter that former UG student Ronson Gray—shot in the jaw eleven years ago—sent to the media last week regarding the plight of 15year-old Alex Griffith who was recently shot in his mouth by a policeman.

“Where are the members of the police force that stand for justice? Do they exist? As an ordinary citizen, it is very difficult to analyze the culture of the police force without coming to the conclusion; they are in it together, they protect their own. So, if the police protect their own, who will protect the people from the rotten apples?”

If you have any information about any unusual case, please contact us by phone or at our Lot 34 Saffon Street location.

We can be reached on telephone numbers 2258465, 22-58491, and 2258473. You need not disclose your identity.

You can also contact Michael Jordan at his email a d d r e s s mjdragon@hotmail.com.

Sunday May 18, 2014

Kaieteur News

Page 23

== THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN ==

Every Indian Guyanese should learn the lesson of the election results in India If Rahul Gandhi was elected Prime Minister of India, it would have been four generations of the same family that would have governed India since Independence sixty-seven years ago. It is called dynasty.

A dynasty can never bring freedom to a country and for one basic reason – the dynasty does not have to do anything for the country since the country belongs to the dynasty.

It is the exact replica in Guyana with the PPP. You could be the most learned scholar in the world, but you would not be able to reject the following argument using any kind of brilliant analysis; only one explanation is valid. Why since 1992, has the PPP not sanctioned either in a court of law or the court of the PPP, any of its hierarchical members who have committed horrible sins involving moral depravities and financial theft on a grand scale?

I repeat, only one valid factor can be found. The PPP knows that it will get away with its brazen and sickening cover-up because it will not cause the loss of support among rural Indians.

Translated in psychological terms, it is invincible and doesn’t have to go the extra mile to placate or mollify or explain anything to anyone.

It is the same with the Indian people whom the Gandhi dynasty thinks it owns. Once Rahul began to grow up, he was told that he must get himself into the Congress Party because his natural role is to lead India.

Rahul didn’t have to do anything. Just wait until he grows up, and he will inherit the throne. This is the doctrine Rahul and his sister Priyana grew up with.

Priyana began cultivating a physical appearance like her grandmother, former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

The Gandhi dynasty has lost the elections but make no mistake, Rahul Gandhi and his sister Priyana will not stop.

They will bide their time over the next four years and they will strike again. And they will do so for the essential reason that they happily embrace that India belongs to the Gandhi legacy. Priyana and her brother will take over the Congress Party in the next two years relieving their aged mother of the leadership. And come next election, Priyana will enter the arena or Rahul will try again.

And they will try and try because their psychology tells them that the Gandhi dynasty has a divine right to rule.

It is the same sordid situation in Guyana. The Gandhi dynasty lost in the

elections. India will not have a Gandhi as Prime Minister.

India will not have a Congress Party Government.

Guyana came close to having in 2011 what occurred last week in India. Only the terrible Burnham constitution prevented it. The PNC leadership has to live with mental torture every day.

If it were not for the Burnham constitution that prevents parties from forming coalitions, the PPP would have become a footnote in Guyanese history.

The ordinary villagers by their millions ignored the influence of the Gandhi dynasty and voted them out.

Those villagers in their humble ways knew that the Congress Party has been taking them for granted long, long ago, with Jawaharlal Nehru, his daughter Indira and her two sons children Sanjiv and Rajiv, then Rajiv, and now Rajiv’s two children.

It was time to break the shackles of the Gandhi dynasty and the Congress Party that thought they owned the people of India.

The East Indians of Guyana must follow the pattern of those hundreds of millions of Indians who finally saw the light. It is interesting to note that the dynastic son, Rahul Gandhi, who won his seat the last time by over 300,000

votes, barely made it this time.

The magic and deception and ownership have come to an end in India. It simply boggles the mind to know why a generation of Guyanese Indians born after 1990 would want to see the PPP as the saviour of Guyana.

It simply boggles the mind to know how Guyanese Indians can embrace a party that has not exposed two or three or four but not one of its greedy, corrupt officials.

Surely, they must know that such a party is too barefaced to be trusted.

It simply confuses the psychology of any observer to know why after twenty-two years in power, a party can have leaders involved in some of the most horrible acts of immoral misconduct and yet these people are not shipped off to a post on Monkey Mountain, but retained in some of the most powerful positions within the state;

Frederick Kissoon one of them was even made into an ambassador posted to one of the most powerful counties in the world. Maybe the results of the Indian election will finally awaken the Guyanese East Indian.

Page 24

Kaieteur News

Sunday May 18, 2014

“Touch of class” mortician passes on

George Winslow Merriman aka ‘Uncle George’

A section of the gathering bidding farewell to the beloved mortician Described in many circles as a mortician with a touch of class, George Winslow Merriman had for many years embraced his profession with nothing short of integrity.

This outstanding man has been credited with being the mastermind behind the establishment of one of the oldest funeral homes in the country – the Merriman’s Funeral Parlour.

However, the nation was forced to bid farewell to this son of the soil who departed this life on April 28 last. He was 90 years old, and the last of 12 siblings to pass on to the great beyond.

As the youngest of the Merriman clan, George Merriman was born on September 28, 1923, in Georgetown, in the then British Guiana, to Wallace Augustus Merriman and Mary Alice Merriman née Smith.

According to his nephew, Justice Courtney Abel of the Supreme Court of Belize, who returned to Guyana just to attend the farewell service,

Merriman was “a loving son to his parents, a loyal brother to his 11 brothers, and was a kindly gentleman of some considerable gentility.” In fact Justice Abel recalled that his uncle was simply known to most as “Uncle George,” who, though unqualified in his trade, was quite “a talented and industrious mortician of innovation and skill.”

Telling the story of Uncle George, Justice Abel recalled that the Merriman home was always a very loving, open, but tight-knit one which had all the comforts, since the patriarch was a seaman and therefore could have afforded the family a fairly decent standard of living.

This allowed all the Merrimans, including Uncle George, and the many other children raised in the household, to aspire to, and attain, a very high level of education, Justice Abel recalled.

Moreover, Uncle George, as a boy was able to attend the Freeburg and Smith

Congregational schools. He later attended the Wooding Centre in Kingston where he pursued a trade that he took advantage of in the funeral business.

But unlike him, most of Uncle George’s brothers, like their father, were inclined to take to the sea but were unfortunately victims of that pursuit. For example during the war in 1945 Uncle George’s older brother, Walter, had his ship, Lady Hawkins, torpedoed and as a result he tragically lost his life. Most of the others were taken by the same medium to which their father had introduced them, to North America, to lead eventful lives there, all except Uncle George and his older brothers Cecil and Claude, both of whom remained in Guyana for most of their lives.

Like Uncle George, the story of Claude Merriman is one that is etched in the history and annals of Guyana and Georgetown. You see

Claude Merriman will forever be remembered as a Government Public Health Official, founder of the successful Merriman’s Funeral Parlour in the 1950s, an elected Member of the Georgetown City Council, Deputy Mayor and then the Mayor of Georgetown, an elected Member of Parliament between 1961-1968 and a Government Minister in the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, among other achievements.

But what is little known is that Uncle George was the cofounder with Claude, of the Merriman’s Funeral Parlour.

According to Justice Abel, in the early days the Funeral Parlour was based in New Market Street, directly opposite the Georgetown Hospital. And while Claude was busy pursuing his many interests in public life, Uncle George remained the real backbone of the business. In fact Justice Abel disclosed that it was the Funeral Parlour that provided the financial stability and the means for Claude to achieve the great heights he attained.

Uncle George was involved in, and effectively managed every aspects of the funeral business including the collecting and refrigeration of human remains which was the primary objective of the business. He was also the one who made and supervised the making of coffins and

caskets. He even pioneered the development of the signature local wooden final resting places for families’ loved ones by using local manufactured materials for which the business became famous.

Added to this, he negotiated and finalised funeral arrangements and the appropriate steps of the business including the final funeral procession and supervised the actual burials.

Eventually, in about 1974, the principal place of business of the Parlour moved to its present location at Lime and Bent Streets, and others got more involved in its management, Justice Abel recalled.

But Uncle George, shortly after a branch of Merriman’s Funeral Parlour was established at Goedverwagting, East Coast Demerara, decided to manage operations from there as he had by then taken up residence in that community.

He later became a very popular figure in the Plaisance area, a locality to which he subsequently moved to and made his home.

It was while at the Goedverwagting location that Uncle George was able to facilitate hundreds of persons who did not have a television of their own to view his television set. Moreover, his then home became for many, a community centre which provided such persons

not only a place of refuge but also a focal point of going to and coming from work. The East Coast location was even a place for fishermen waiting to go to sea.

“All manner of persons visited and congregated, and there were usually lively discussions held too,” Justice Abel recalled. He also recounted how Uncle George frequently, and unselfishly, also fed, from his own pot, persons from the community on many occasions. He was also especially attentive to many children, some of whom he fostered. “ As a master chef, he kept many persons very satisfied, and happy, with his culinary delicacies including black pudding, souse, gillbacker broth and many other delights, some of which he taught me and which I regularly impress people with,” said Justice Abel.

Moreover, Uncle George became well known and loved for his extraordinary acts of kindness. And what he will be most remembered for is the way he assisted many of the less fortunate families to bury their departed loved ones.

Moreover, in a moving tribute to Uncle George, Justice Abel passionately voiced his conviction that “it is fitting that, as a funeral man, he is given the present dignity of a funeral which he always strove to provide to others.”

Sunday May 18, 2014

Kaieteur News

Page 25

MY COLUMN

Corruption is now a way of life None of us ever thinks about the manner in which we speak. We are born in Guyana; we grow up here and we all share a common accent but we never think about that.

It is the same with people born anywhere else; they all speak the same way.

Of course, there is a difference in Guyana. Because the ancestors of the population come from different parts of the world there is a difference in certain patterns of speech. We have a distinct accent when we speak the native languageCreolese.

This is because those things are learnt. Other things are also learnt and soon become part of the national psyche. Chatting with a colleague the other day I learnt about something that is taken for granted in some communities and we do have some remote communities.

Fathers sleep with their daughters and brothers with sisters because the nearest source of emotion is some distance away, sometimes days away. Similarly, we talk of depressed communities where the rate of crime is high.

Criminal activities are learnt; people see someone launch a

successful criminal attack and pretty soon they come to accept that criminal attacks are the norm and that they are indoctrinated. They have a way of life that has become ingrained.

This is so in every sphere of life and so we come to what happens in every institution.

In the hospitals we see lowly paid staff who know that some of those above them make money. They see how these people make money and they do the same.

We see nurses who had earlier dispensed pharmaceuticals to senior officials now taking the pharmaceuticals for themselves.

Earlier this year, the hospital sent home a senior dispenser and suspended three other nurses. Why the police were never called in can only be assumed. The hospital wanted to avoid a scandal.

Senior officials would have been exposed.

Policemen leave their posts and set up roadblocks where they fleece passengers.

When they are busted they simply flee. Their senior officers demand that they hand over the money they collect and that money never goes anywhere else except

into the pockets of the senior officers. Then there are those who, up until recently, sold driver’s licences. At one time this was a very profitable racket. People knew who to approach and they did. They paid a fee and suddenly they had driver’s licence. This did not escape the notice of the lower ranks and pretty soon they got into the business.

The police would describe those caught as the rogue cops and they spread throughout the force. A police patrol made a drug bust. The patrol did not turn in the drugs, instead, they opted to play the runner for money and even more drugs. Some have been known to turn the drugs over to other pushers and would collect the money.

Reporters stumbled onto this and said nothing because they did not know who to trust.

As fate would have it, senior police officers got wind of the operation so that today we are not sure that this still happens. What we do know is that drug dealers pay people at various ports to allow drugs to be smuggled.

None of the players see anything wrong because they have been conditioned to accept this as a way of life.

I have spoken to people and they say that the big ones in the government do the same thing but that they are never arrested.

When the suggestion of two wrongs do not make a right is peddled, the person at the other end would simply say that people have got to eat.

Sometimes, one gets the feeling that if better wages are paid some of what we see on the streets would not happen.

However, the government would say that paying the workers more is to inflate the wage bill and cause inflation.

I am not so sure.

Things will get worse.

Over the past weeks I saw the exchange rate for the United States dollar climbing. It will get higher and that means that the ordinary people would have to pay more for some of the things that they now take for granted. Fuel will go up so the cost of transportation would increase.

The Central Bank would from time to time release foreign currency on the local market to keep the rate down.

This has not happened for some time. Is Guyana short of hard currency?

One businessman said that the price would go even

higher unless Guyana passes the anti-money laundering Bill. If the rate rises then air travel would become even more expensive. People who have money would simply pay, but the ordinary person is going to weep. Those seeking their visas from the United States are going to have to pay even more. If there is rejection then the pain would be more.

And the cycle begins.

People are going to see nothing wrong with doing illegal things to make money.

They are going to say that they have to live. Remittances are already down and it is going to become even more difficult to have people send money.

The criminals have to live too, so they are going to attack anyone who to them

Adam Harris has a dollar. At one time they targeted the rich, now they target anyone.

There is a solution; pay people better and ask senior officials to clamp down on corruption. But then again, people see corrupt government officials so my solution may not even work.

Page 26

Kaieteur News

Sunday May 18, 2014

Human Rights Commission needed to monitor Police Force On October 5, 2012, a young man was ‘hanging out’ with his friends at the popular ‘White Castle Fish Shop’ on Hadfield Street. In a few hours he would have been celebrating his 22nd Birthday.

This was indeed a cause for celebration. Dameon Belgrave had no idea, not the slightest clue that he would not have reached this milestone. For the young man it would have likely been a happy evening. So sad, it was to be his last here on earth.

The records show that as Belgrave and his friends were ‘chilling’ on Hadfield Street, ranks of the Tactical Services Unit of the Guyana Police Force were in pursuit of a vehicle. The chase ended in

the vicinity of the Fish Shop on Hadfield Street where the Police ranks opened fire.

Anyone with the slightest knowledge of that area of Hadfield Street, especially on Friday nights; as was the case on October 5, 2012, would know that there are always lots of people out there just relaxing, enjoying a social evening, as was Dameon and his friends.

Anyone with a little ‘common sense’ would know it is dangerous to fire live rounds in a crowded area.

Someone trained in the use of firearms and in policing would be even more aware of those dangers. It is then impossible to comprehend how ranks of the Tactical

Services Unit, supposedly one of the ‘elite’ units of the Guyana Police Force could do just that; open fire in a crowded area.

It brings into question the level of training ranks undergo and the quality of management of the Force that a rank could disregard common guidelines in the use of firearms. It also brings into question the State’s regards for Human Rights.

S u b s e q u e n t ‘investigation’ led to two of the three ranks who were in the vehicle being charged with manslaughter. Those charges have been dismissed.

The third rank was not charged, although we have now learnt that the fatal bullet

was fired from the weapon he had uplifted. That in itself is a travesty and somewhere along the line there was a clear attempt to make a mockery of the legal system.

How could charges be brought against two persons whom evidence obviously cleared while the third to whom all evidence pointed, escapes without a single charge?

We now read in sections of the press that the third rank may eventually be charged, but this is only after the parents would have highlighted the matter in the media and their attorney raising the question.

While we await the trial of the third rank, the question of conduct of ranks of the Guyana Police Force must be addressed.

This is of critical importance given the many allegations of police abuse involving their use of firearms and the lack of respect for the rights of citizens.

Engaging the attention of the Police Complaints Authority at present is the shooting of a fifteen-year-old by a police cadet who reportedly played ‘Russian roulette’ and shot the lad in his mouth.

Divine intervention spared the lad’s life. Quite recently, there was the shooting to death of Shaquille Grant by the police

at Agricola and there were more prior.

The United Nations in its Code of Conduct for Law Enforcement Officials; and, we must bear in mind that Guyana is a member of the UN, states in Article 3, “Law enforcement officials may use force only when strictly necessary and to the extent required for the performance of their duty.”

The UN explains that, “The use of firearms is considered an extreme measure. Every effort should be made to exclude the use of firearms, especially against children. In general, firearms should not be used except when a suspected offender offers armed resistance or otherwise jeopardizes the lives of others and less extreme measures are not sufficient to restrain or apprehend the suspected offender. In every instance in which a firearm is discharged, a report should be made promptly to the competent authorities.”

The Guyana Police Force must be brought into conformity with international best practices. The UN has gone so far as to develop human rights standards and practices for the police. In these international best practices, it calls for the periodic assessments of police officers, to gauge

continuously their mental and physical health and suitability to judge the necessity and use of forceand firearms.

One of the reasons for this is to ensure that ‘trigger happy cops’ are not equipped to go head hunting.

This protects the image of the Force and allows for a high level of public confidence in the police.

Police Forces of UN Member States in subscribing to Human Rights standards need to implement strict regulations governing the storage and issuing of firearms, including procedures for ensuring that officers are accountable for arms and ammunition issued to them, and this would include periodic checks to ensure that only those weapons and ammunition that are officially issued are being carried by officers and that appropriate sanctions are in place and brought to bear against any police rank found in possession of non-officialissue materials.

There must be an urgent review of the total operations of the Guyana Police Force to measure its conformity to Human Rights Standards.

This would be one of the first tasks of the Constitutionally-provided but yet-to-be-implemented Guyana Human Rights Commission.

Sunday May 18, 2014

Kaieteur News

SUNDAY SPECIAL NEW GPC GETS LION’S SHARE OF US$185M SPENT ON DRUGS SINCE JAGDEO TOOK OFFICE New GPC, which was purchased from Government by former President, Bharrat Jagdeo’s best friend, Dr Ranjisinghi ‘Bobby’ Ramroop’s Queens Atlantic Investment Inc (QAII) would have been handed the lion’s share of the US$185M ($37.4B) that Government would have spent over the years in drugs and medical supplies.

Of that figure just over $5B is earmarked for spending this year. During the recent Budget debates, Minister of Health, Dr Bheri Ramsaran responding to a question from the opposition benches, confirmed that this year New GPC will get the largest slice of that allocation.

This occurs despite New GPC being flagged over the years by the Office of the Auditor General over several discrepancies including the late supply of drugs despite advance payments. This is also compounded by the fact that when New GPC gives an invoice it is assessed as a package which allows for significant overpricing on selected items in the list.

The Guyana Pharmaceutical Corporation (GPC) was privatized by Government in 1999 and renamed New GPC. Bharrat Jagdeo took Office in August 1999. Two months later, in October, Cabinet approved the sale of 60 per cent of GPC to Ramroop’s QAII. In 2001, Ramroop purchased another 30 per cent of the company. This was again approved by Cabinet, at a reduced price.

Two years later, Cabinet still headed by Jagdeo, approved a waiver allowing the Ministry of Health to bypass the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board, and to sole source drugs and medical supplies from New GPC. MONDAY EDITION CCJ RULING ON ENVIRONMENTAL TAX…ABSOLUTELY NO FUNDS IN OUR ESTIMATES TO PROVIDE FOR THIS PAYMENT – TAX CHIEF Commissioner General of the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) Khurshid Sattaur has made it pellucid that the Authority is not in a position to pay the $1.2B refund to Surinamese Company, Rudisa Beverages.

The Caribbean Court of Justice recently handed down a decision in which it ruled that the environmental

Bharrat Jagdeo tax collected from the company by the GRA contravened the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas.

However, Sattaur insists that the ruling of the court was not catered for in GRA’s estimate.

The company, which manufactures Thrill soft drinks, had previously argued that it did not agree with the tax, as both Guyana and Suriname are part of CARICOM, which allows for non-tax trade.

Guyana was also ordered to take the necessary measures to prevent the collection of the environmental tax on goods of Caricom origin. Guyana had explained to the CCJ that it had attempted to rectify the tax in Parliament by way of a Bill but it was voted against by the Combined Opposition who reportedly argued that the measures would have affected local companies competing with Rudisa and that there was need for consultations.

The CCJ did not accept this excuse and made it clear that Guyana has an overarching responsibility to honour treaty obligations.

AMAILA FALLS ACCESS ROAD MISSES ANOTHER DEADLINE …ENGINEER SAYS HE IS NOTAUTHORIZED TO SPEAK The Amaila Falls Access Road has missed yet another completion deadline and efforts to garner any details from the officials proved futile.

Minister of Public Works Robeson Benn, during his presentation during the 2014 Budget Debates had announced that the road would be completed at the end of last month. This did not occur.

The delay in the completion of the road is compounded by the fact that the final cost of the construction of the Amaila Falls Access Road is still to be had. Government is yet to

Dr Ranjisinghi ‘Bobby’ Ramroop’s finalise and allocate contracts for two key crossings, the Kuribrong and Butakari. It is expected that the Butakari crossing would be via pontoon while the design for a bridge across the Kuribrong River has been completed.

Furthermore, the initial US$15.4M contract issued to Makeshwar ‘Fip’ Motilall, which was inked in 2010 based on specifications provided by Sithe Global, was increased by US$1.9M. This revelation was made by the Minister of Finance, Dr Ashni Singh to his shadow counterpart in the National Assembly, A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), Carl Greenidge.

TUESDAY EDITION FIGHT FOR TOWN CLERK CHAIR, BOMB SCARE END CITY HALL MEETING It started with a fight for the Town Clerk’s chair, then a tug of war for the microphone.

It ended with members of the police bomb squad searching for explosives at City Hall when the body called to order its weekly statutory meeting Monday.

Mr. Royston King, who was last week sworn in to act as Town Clerk by the Mayor and Councilors, had taken his seat long before the proceedings commenced. Ms Carol Sooba, appointed over a year now by the Local Government Minister, entered the Council chamber to find King seated where she usually sat and demanded that he remove.

King however refused, and a chair was subsequently placed in front of his seat for Sooba. Later, the Deputy Mayor, Patricia Chase-Green picked up the chamber’s microphone to make an announcement, but she and Sooba ended up in a tug of war. While Chase-Green held on to the microphone, Sooba held on to the cord. In an interview, both women claimed that they were assaulted by the other.

Chase-Green said she was going to make an

Page 27

announcement when Sooba attempted to snatch the microphone. Sooba said she was going to use the microphone, but it was snatched out of her hand by the Deputy Mayor and she (Sooba) ended up with the cord.

At this point, neither the Mayor nor the mace was in the chambers, since persons were now settling in for the meeting. Sooba however announced that there would be no meeting and later ordered the Council’s officers out of the chambers. The PPP councillors also left.

WEDNESDAY EDITION ONLY CHINESE FIRMS BID FOR EAST COAST ROAD PROJECT - AMONG THEM CJIA, AMAILA FALLS, SKELDON FACTORY CONTRACTORS Four Chinese construction companies are vying for a major Ministry of Public Works’ project to widen the East Coast Demerara public road.

Three of them are firms that have been doing business with Guyana. The East Coast project entails work from Better Hope to Belfield Village.

The bids, ranging from US$46.9M-US$71.4M were opened Tuesday at the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB), Ministry of Finance, Main & Urquhart Streets.

China Harbour Engineering Co Ltd, the contractor in the US$150M expansion of the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, submitted a bid for US$60.4M ($12B).

China National Machinery Import/Export Company Limited, the company that was involved in the construction of problematic US$200M Skeldon expansion project, also submitted a proposal for US$55.6M ($11B).

Also placing a bid was contractor for the Amaila Falls Hydro-Electric Project, China Railway First Group Company Limited. The bid from that company is US$46.9M ($93.8B).

The highest bid would have come from China State Construction Engineering Corporation for US$71.4M. The Engineer’s Estimate for the project is US$57.6M. The project will be one of the costliest in recent times in terms of infrastructural works, after the ongoing CJIA and Marriott.

“THE FREE PRESS IS AS VITAL TO A COUNTRY AS THEAIR WE BREATHE” …ANYATTEMPT TO

MUZZLE IT MUST BE RESISTED – NAGAMOOTOO “The free press is as vital to a country as the air we breathe and any attempt to muzzle it must be resisted.”

This notion was expressed Tuesday by Vice Chairman of the Alliance for Change (AFC), Moses Nagamootoo, as he weighed in on the recent statement made by Attorney General Anil Nandlall with regards to the regulating of the media.

Nandlall is quoted in a number of reports as saying that the media demands accountability from all, “but to whom do they account to, who watches the watchdog…The media cannot be rotating in an unregulated atmosphere; there must be rules that are known, and rules to which we can hold them accountable must be promulgated.”

According to Nagamootoo, while in Trinidad and Tobago the Freedom of the Press is enshrined in their Constitution, in Guyana, there is freedom of expression and the freedom to receive information.

He noted that there are a number of prior censorship measures already in place and pointed to the laws of Guyana that address defamation in the context of the press. He also reminded that in the context of electronic media, they operate under a licence which is issued with conditions, and if breached, can see that licence being withdrawn.

Journalists, he said, in such an environment work under a Code of Conduct, and any attempt to put special rules of bodies in place to regulate the media must be resisted.

The AFC Vice Chair said that “save and except for the existing parameters of the defamation laws, any attempt to muzzle the independent press must be resisted.”

THURSDAY EDITION GINA PAYS FOR ‘DISTASTEFUL’AD CAMPAIGN TO SMEAR PNC One day after the Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, went public that there was need for serious media monitoring, the Government Information Agency (GINA) went on a campaign not only to smear the youth arm of the People’s National Congress and the House of Israel, but also to promote racial violence.

It has booked advertisements to be published in the various newspapers criticising the Parliamentary Opposition for

cutting the budgetary allocation for certain agencies, including the stateowned GINA and National Communications Network (NCN).

More recently it has also been publishing advertisements purporting to report on the Walter Rodney Commission of Inquiry.

For two days there were advertisements booked byGINA and published in the various newspapers with quotations from Reverend Reuben Gilbert, Lawrence Rodney and Karen De Souza, all witnesses who testified before the Commission.

The quote attributed to De Souza which was first uttered whilst giving testimony at the COI reads “He (Rodney) had been finally killed by the Government (meaning the PNC).” Another quote attributed to Lawrence Rodney, spoke to the House of Israel disrupting meetings and acts of violence.

The quote attributed to Reverend Gilbert spoke to Walter Rodney telling him that the YSM threatened to kill him.

Attorney General Anil Nandlall described the advertisement as distasteful and intervened to halt its publication.

Another Government spokesman described the publication of the advertisement as an unfortunate mistake and an error in judgment on the part of the Government Information Agency.

CJ QUASHES ROYSTON KING’S APPOINTMENT AS TOWN CLERK Chief Justice Ian Chang on Wednesday quashed the appointment of Royston King as acting Town Clerk by the Mayor and City Councillors; in the interim that legal cause is shown in support of King being sworn into the office of the Town Clerk.

In legal documentation filed at the High Court on Tuesday by Attorney-at-Law Mr. Roysdale Forde on behalf of voted-out Town Clerk Carol Sooba, the Mayor is being asked to explain the legal grounds under which King, during an extraordinary meeting of the Council, was appointed and installed to act as the Council’s secretary.

Amidst the numerous orders issued by the Court, several decisions voted on by the Mayor and Councillors have been quashed until the body can show legal cause to support certain decisions that were made.

The Mayor is being asked to show legal reasoning under which the governmentimposed (Continued on page 43)

Page 28

Kaieteur News

Sunday May 18, 2014

The right to life and the right to protect The shooting to death of persons – usually poor, single, young males – by members of the Guyana Police Force seems to be occurring with increasing frequency again. Citizens are boldly expressing disquiet both out of sympathy for the victims and out of their respect for human life.

The right to life is the most elemental of all fundamental rights enshrined in Constitution of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana. Every person in Guyana has a right to life and both the state and society have an interest in the life of every citizen.

Whenever the life of anyone is taken unnaturally, it becomes a public duty and a matter of public interest to determine the circumstances and causes of death.

The Government of Guyana, the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Guyana Police Force need to understand this.

They must begin to implement new lawenforcement policies based on the international doctrine of the state’s ‘Responsibility to Protect’ – widely known as ‘R2P.’ This doctrine has become an important part of international relations.

It defines both the state’s responsibilities towards its citizens and the international community’s responsibility, in the event that the state fails to fulfill its responsibilities to protect its own population.

The doctrine of the state’s ‘Responsibility to Protect’ proposes that, although the state has an obligation to protect its physical property, it has a higher responsibility

to protect human beings from torture and extrajudicial killing, especially by its security forces.

The Police Force seems not to be capable of curbing the reckless conduct of its officers who are prone to violence. The Police, responding to a previous statement by A Partnership for National Unity, admitted that, between 1st January 1997 and 18th October 2012 its officers had killed 255 persons. This is an outrage!

The United States Department of State – in its Country Report on Human Rights Practices for 2013 – stated that the Police Complaints Authority reported 14 unlawful killings by the Police for 2012.

The pattern persists.

There continue to be numerous confirmed reports

of police killings.

The most egregious episodes of slaughter last year were two police ‘massacres.’ The police shot dead Tony Ogle, Leon Gittens and Quincy Alexander in February and Mark Anthony Joseph, Jermaine Canterbury and Mario Gouveia in October 2013. The shooting to death of young males by the police raises questions about the use of minimum force in everyday law enforcement. On some occasions, there has been no evidence that the lives of the policemen were in danger.

The question might well be asked, therefore, whether the police should, or do, ‘shoot to kill.’ If it becomes necessary to shoot a suspect, should not the police aim at disabling them rather than destroying their young lives?

The Guyana Human Rights Association recently criticised the Police Force over its failure to charge officers involved in shootings. The GHRA, in one particular case, described the Force’s failure to bring charges against the officers involved in the illegal detention, torture and shooting in the mouth of a fifteen-year-old boy as “a major set-back for those

hoping that the new leadership of the Guyana Police Force intends to pursue more robust action against errant police officers than their predecessors. The message this failure sends to the public is that protecting the criminals in their midst is a higher priority than protection of the public.”

Especially in cases where the police outnumber criminals, or are armed with more lethal weapons, the aim must be to arrest the culprits and bring them to trial.

The police should rethink their ‘shoot-to-kill’ doctrine which often results in the deaths of persons who can be rendered harmless by nonfatal shots to the body.

Inquests into police killings seem not to have been conducted as required by the law. The Chief Magistrate has statutory responsibility for overseeing the holding of inquests. The Coroners Act provides adequately for ensuring that every unnatural death should be the subject of a public investigation.

Every magistrate is a coroner. Everyone who becomes aware of an unnatural death is required to notify it to the coroner or the nearest police station.

Any member of the Police

Force who becomes aware of an unnatural death is obliged to report it to the coroner. A coroner to whom such a death has been reported is obliged to investigate the cause of death and, if necessary, to hold an inquest or inquiry.

A coroner who neglects or refuses to hold an inquest or inquiry can be fined, although there is no known case in which any coroner has been punished for such delinquency.

Holding an inquest or inquiry depends on the conscientiousness of the district magistrate and not on the Police Force’s investigations or the Police Complaints Authority’s recommendations.

Coroners’ inquests can do much to restore public confidence in the Police Force and to allay public disquiet over the all-too-frequent cases of police killings.

Every Police killing is a breach of a citizen’s fundamental right to life.

A Partnership for National Unity therefore calls for an independent judicial inquiry into all reports of police killings over the past eight years in order to determine the causes of this egregious misbehaviour by members of the Guyana Police Force.

Sunday May 18, 2014

Kaieteur News

Page 29

Norvell Fredericks - the innovative force behind Linden’s Town Day/Week

By Enid Joaquin Linden celebrated its 44th anniversary as a Town, recently, with the now customary week of activities.

Lindeners and visitors alike converged in the streets, exhibited their goods, art and craft, vended, limed, partied, shopped, visited places and persons of interest, and on the whole, had ‘a whale of a time’.

Town Day/Week, which was first introduced in 1996, had celebrated its eighteenth year. Today the Town Day/ Week concept is no longer ‘just a Linden thing’; the concept has grown far and wide as citizens throughout Guyana and further afield have adopted it.

But of the thousands who celebrate Town Days/Weeks, across Guyana, only a few know the whole story behind this event, that has become so popular.

Permit me, therefore, to introduce the man behind the concept, Mr Norvell Claudius Fredericks. This man is the proverbial ‘Jack of all trades’, but contrary to that popular parlance, here is a ‘Jack’ that has mastered many of those trades.

CHILDHOOD MEMORIES Fredericks who is well known across the Linden community as Fredco, became a household name after the advent of Town Day/ week, a concept he introduced, based on a similar venture he witnessed while in St Lucia.

He was born at Mackenzie but spent his childhood living with his mother and grandmother at Poker Street, Wismar, on the opposite side of the Demerara River. His parents, he said, had separated while he was very young.

“My grandmother, who was of Amerindian and

Caucasian ethnicity, had the greatest influence on my childhood life; she was a great cook, storyteller and teacher…There wasn’t a dish she couldn’t cook or bake, and I learnt a lot growing up in her kitchen. I helped her with Christmas dishes, wedding cakes, pastries and more,’’ he fondly reminisces.

Fredericks attended Christianburg Primary School but wrote the common entrance at a private class at the Telford High School (Linden Foundation High).

He subsequently attended the Wismar/Christianburg Secondary School (Multi) He would however curtail his studies there at the end of the fourth form to attend the Guymine Technical Training Complex (now LTI).

There he pursued studies in the automotive field. It was while there, that this budding entrepreneur would put the culinary skills that he had acquired from his grandmother into profitable practice, by making and selling pholourie, channa and cassava puffs. The proceeds of these delicacies greatly augmented his weekly ‘pocket piece’.

He would later venture further afield, when his mother migrated to Trinidad.

There he landed a job at an international company, which he said paid him ‘a decent’ salary, but was then faced with the work permit issue and so had to venture elsewhere.

He would then settle for work in the furniture factories, excelling in that area, and becoming one of the best joiners.

After spending some time in Trinidad, Fredericks later travelled to St Lucia (his father’s birth country).

“There I was encouraged to apply for a police job since

I was legally a citizen, but that didn’t work out, so I whipped up the skill I acquired in Trinidad and became the best joiner/furniture maker, revered as (La Ti Guyanese) “The Little Guyanese”.

“While there I built furniture for many of international acclaim, while I took in as much of my father’s culture as possible. One Sunday a friend invited me to a “village day” in the countryside. I was most impressed at the uniqueness of the individual village culture on display and the volume of visitors from other villages who came to celebrate. Thus began my interest in my French-Creole (Kweyol) heritage and tourism concepts. The essence of Kweyol still runs deep in my veins and connects me to my ancestry.”

RETURN TO GUYANA; BUSINESSES INITIATIVES Fredericks returned to Guyana in 1994 and established “Fredco Furniture”, a small modern furniture factory in 1995, specializing in antique-styled and modern contemporary designs. He supplied Courts furniture stores and made exclusive pieces for the likes of several noteworthy personalities. Some of those pieces are still standing and in use after more than 18 years.

He also introduced “Polyglass”, an ultra modern, unbreakable portrait framing style that still captivates the masses.

In 2001, Fredericks ventured into one of his childhood passions, the field of photography and opened “Fredco Photo Studio”.

He later established Linden’s first ever Digital Photo processing Lab (Fredco Digi-Lab) offering various sizes of photo prints.

Unfortunately, Fredco

Furniture, Polyglass and DigiLab were short lived due to circumstances outside of his control.

Today, he however still maintains Fredco Photo Studio with a scaled-down version of his Digi-lab, on Republic Avenue, Linden.

But taking precedence these days, is his newest venture, “Freddy’s Wings n’ Wedges,” at the same location, where he demonstrates his now perfectly honed culinary skills to the delight of many, as the unique flavour is boasted of even in the Diaspora.

Freddy’s Wings n’ Wedges was introduced two years ago, and has since become a household name.

Fredericks is adamant that his special brand of chicken is comparable to any, anywhere in Guyana.

LINDEN TOWN DAY/WEEK But let’s go back a bit and look at the whole idea behind the Linden Town Day/ Week.

Answering Linden’s cry for involvement in “Visit Guyana Year 1996,” Fredericks proposed the “Linden Town Day” concept.

The idea behind the “Town Day”, he says, was to ‘mend

Norvell Fredericks

our torn economic and social fabric’. After its introduction, he would preside over the event for the first five years. ”This was the beginning of today’s phenomenal event that has taken root throughout Guyana and has expanded to 10 days, and is now referred to as “Linden Town Week”.

Fredco said that the concept of “Linden Town Day” was first proposed on December 8th 1995 at a meeting of concerned citizens called by then president of the Linden Chamber of Commerce

and councilor of the M&TC Mr. Orland Copeland, to discuss any involvement of Linden in the “Visit Guyana Year 1996”.

“This meeting was held in council chamber of the M&TC and attended by Mr. Abdul Kadir – then mayor of Linden and Mr. Donald Sinclair – then chairman of the Tourism Advisory Bureau who was the feature speaker.

Nearing the conclusion of this meeting I argued that tourism is based on pride in oneself and community and (Continued on page 44)

Page 30

Kaieteur News

Sunday May 18, 2014

Sunday May 18, 2014

Kaieteur News

Page 31

Anti-Money Laundering legislation…

Continued outcry about looming sanctions is scare-mongering - AFC’s Gaskin

By Dwijendra Rooplall

jurisdiction, which generally means that their banks will have different regulations, and depending on what their regulations are, they will have certain counter-measures.

Usually it will take the form of an enhanced due diligence process, where more information will be required.”

“From my research, and this is my contention all along, there is nothing like sanctions where countries will stop doing business with Guyana.

We are primarily an importer country where we buy stuff from people; we are not exporting a lot. People are not going to refuse our business; they are not going to refuse our money… that is not going to happen.”

He said that if it takes an extra day for the payments to go through or if questions are asked and more information has to be supplied, that is quite likely going to be the case, but in terms of our business community and the transactions that they would normally do, it is highly unlikely that any supplier would stop business because of a blacklisting.

“Most of those suppliers

Treasurer and Executive Member of the Alliance for Change (AFC) Dominic Gaskin is contending that the continued talk and outcry about impending sanctions over the non-passage of the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AMLCFT) legislation is politically motivated and aimed at driving fear into the populace to get the Bill fast-tracked.

Gaskin explained that the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF) is the body that has to refer Guyana to the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and if it decides to do that then the FATF will have to take a decision on what it wants to do.

The FATF is expected to meet in June and if Guyana is has not shown improvement then it will be reviewed for international blacklisting.

“Having reviewed our case, the FATF would then issue a public statement citing Guyana as being noncompliant and urge its members to take countermeasures and protect their

don’t even know that the CFATF exists, it is the banks…the banks have certain obligations under their regulations and they have to report suspicious transactions… and they have to exercise certain precautions when dealing with banks in jurisdictions that have been blacklisted.”

Speaking to the concerns raised that because of Guyana’s blacklisting by the CFATF, the foreign exchange rate has increased and will continue to do so exponentially, Gaskin asserted that “our currency has devalued over the last year and that devaluation has more to do with our balance of payments, it has nothing to do with the Anti-Money Laundering Legislation. We have had fairly stable exchange rates for the last 20 years or so, but last year could have had to do with the fall of gold prices. During last year our currency slipped and I think that created a shortage of foreign currency and made it a little difficult.”

He also addressed the concerns of remittances being affected when he said that “a

lot of times if you try to process a wire transfer and the banks tell you that you have to wait an extra day or they can’t do it, the reason is that they didn’t have sufficient foreign currency; it is not because Guyana is being blacklisted.”

Gaskin said that people are sending money in and out of Guyana that he knows of and it is going through.

“I do wire transfers fairly regularly and I don’t see any slowdown in the system, except where foreign currency was not available and we were told we have to wait until tomorrow or until there is enough foreign currency.”

According to Gaskin, Guyana has been always considered a high risk country “so if you are coming to Guyana with a credit card and you try to do a credit card transaction in Guyana, sometimes that transaction won’t go through. You would have to place a call to the bank and the bank would say well, ‘yes we blocked it because Guyana is a high risk country’ and that has been going on for a number of years, it has nothing to do with this

AMLCFT legislation. We can pass that legislation tomorrow and we would still be considered a high risk country.”

“For some reason, and I think its political, some people want the Guyanese public to believe that Guyana will face sanctions and Guyana will be punished and people will stop doing business with us and all of that. They want to make our people as nervous as possible and they are looking for all sorts of reasons to tie it to the passage of the antimoney laundering legislation, but any delays in wire transfers over the last year or so have more to do with the lack of foreign currency than with any kind of sanction.”

“I am not saying that we should not pass the legislation, I think it is very important that we put the AntiMoney Laundering legislation in place. I think it’s pretty urgent, but the fact is we should not be threatened, harassed and basically told a pack of lies in order to get the legislation approved,” Gaskin stressed.

He explained that countering money laundering

AFC Executive Dominic Gaskin and the whole purpose of the legislation and the setting up of the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) is to investigate and to prosecute and secure convictions and probably seize assets and the proceeds of financial crimes.

“We have had legislation in place since 2000 and this recent one in 2009… we have had only one conviction and that was a case where the UK government had done most of the investigation. There is no interest on the part of this government to deal with problem of money laundering,” said Gaskin.

Page 32

Kaieteur News

Sunday May 18, 2014

Insel Air adds to tourism growth through connectivity

By Zena Henry Aiming to remove Guyana from what was described as an isolated state, Dutch airline Insel Air, like some three other airlines expected to commence on the Guyana route in the near future, will present brand new opportunities for growth in the local tourism sector.

The growing topic is the explosion and sustainability of the local tourism sector as some influential stakeholders have foreseen that tourism will be one of the nation’s largest contributors.

Minister of Tourism Irfaan

Ali is convinced that tourism is the “most dynamic and forward looking sector”. In fact, he says that tourism “will be the foundation of economic growth and expansion. That is why the Ministry is committed to the task of expanding the market and selling Guyana, so that more investment and the necessary enabling linkages could be made, which is not only to build the market but to collaborate with others to enable sustainability.

“The modern tourists… are the tourists with real dollars and have a different thinking of what they want

with their money. Indeed they are tired of a polluted city, their borders with long stretches of white beaches and blue water. They need something to complement that already old and monotonous experience, and most modern day tourists need a new product - the kind that Guyana has to offer which is dynamic and versatile; which reaches into nature, rekindling them to the beginning of the world.”

With Insel Air’s launch last Wednesday, Minister Ali is excited about what he says is the twinning of the two markets, Guyana and Aruba, in offering two exciting experiences in a common package.

Private Sector Chairman Ramesh Persaud stressed that growth and expansion of international transport networks are good indicators of strength and stability of a country’s economy and progress in the development cycle. “Insel Air’s partnership highlights confidence in Guyana’s potential.”

Persaud added that Guyana’s link to Aruba and Curaçao through Insel Air is more than a convenience, but rather a possible benefit from the more than 1.5 million tourists to Aruba and Curaçao

Insel Air invites international connectivity

annually. It is left to the imagination, the Chairman pointed out, to determine the impact if Guyana can convert a mere one percent - 15,000 visitors to visit and stay for two days as a start.

Captain Gerry Gouveia, an advocate for tourism, noted that the sector is critical, but it took the government a long time to recognize it, and the private sector was on a lonely quest to promote Guyana as a tourism destination. He said, however, that “an airline coming to Guyana is not just an airline coming to Guyana.

We want more airlifts, but the importance of marketing Guyana was not understood; the importance of making the immigration friendlier, keeping the city clean and doing all that is necessary”.

More airlifts, Gouveia opined, means “we need more people to fill seats and keep the airlines on Guyana’s route”. He spoke about the development of the Marriott

Hotel and Cheddi Jagan International Airport expansion as reasons for government to promote Guyana to fill the hotel rooms.

“Tonight it’s Insel Air, a month down the road it will be COPA, and shortly after that it will be two or three airlines that will start flying to Guyana. Guyana will only sustain if we can fill plane seats. Isolated on a continent with 300 million people, Guyana stands to be the gateway to not only the North and the Caribbean, but it is a new travelling dispensation.”

Insel Air’s Chief Executive Officer, Frederick Nuboer reminded of the airline’s commencement June 18 and touched on pre-clearance which is done in Aruba before getting to the US. “This means passengers just up their bags and walk through.”

Nicole Berenos, the Sales Manager promised that Insel Air, “will help Guyana to get out of this isolation it has

been in for the past couple of years. We are not just encouraging people to go to other destinations, but to bring people to Guyana.”

The seven-year-old company has promised Guyanese that it is here to stay. With Guyana, now on board the privately-owned, Curaçao flag carrier flies 18 destinations with more to come by year end. It offers free 50-pound luggage on flights to any of the offered destinations with free food and snacks and 32 inches of leg space per seating.

Passengers can win tickets in the sky miles and loyalty program, while a free ticket in miles is raffled on every flight.

Guyanese will also be treated to the loyalty stop, which combines two destinations for the price of one. The company’s low air fares to Aruba for US$256, to Curacao for US$299 and to Miami for $337, will last until year end.

Sunday May 18, 2014

Kaieteur News

Page 41

Page 42

Kaieteur News

Sunday May 18, 2014

US Embassy workshop emphasizes importance of media freedom in development

Ambassador Brent Hardt at Friday’s media workshop launching

By Zena Henry In keeping with World Press Freedom Day 2014 which was celebrated some two weeks ago, the United States Embassy in Guyana has embarked on a “Media Professionalization and Development Workshop” at the Georgetown Club, dealing with the importance of the media workers and their freedom in the development process.

This year’s World Press Freedom Day theme established by the United Nations is ‘Media Freedom for a Better Future: Shaping the post-2015 Development Agenda.’ The focus this year is on three inter-related themes: the media’s importance in development; the safety of journalists and the rule of law; and the sustainability and integrity of journalism.

Based on these important themes, Ambassador Brent Hardt said that the media workshop will address: challenges in journalism, women in media, journalistic integrity, new media, and sustainability of journalism.

“For the media to play its vital role in a democracy, it must be well-trained and hold itself to the highest professional standards.”

Ambassador Hardt expressed that since the World Press Freedom Day reception (which was held at his residence two weeks ago), “there has been a very healthy public dialogue within Guyana on issues of media freedom and responsibility...that is exactly as it should be in a vigorous democracy.”

Following the reception, Ambassador Hardt reminded that Attorney General Anil Nandlall had observed, “there is a need for journalists to receive further training so that the standards at which they operate can be raised”.

“We agree,” the Ambassador continued, highlighting the purpose of the workshop. He however, raised the question of what those journalistic standards should be, and more fundamentally, the purpose of journalism.

“The Attorney General observed that in his view some media operatives in Guyana are focused on reporting only negatives, while neglecting to report on matters that make a positive impact on the country. Compliments must also be published. Achievements and positive acts of the Government and those in Government must receive the same prominence as negative reports.”

Presidential Advisor for Governance Gail Teixeira had offered a slightly different perspective when she suggested that the media’s role is to observe, watch, write about, inform, analyze, and criticize on all aspects of development, and had cautioned against a kind of approach of being “for” or “against”

government, suggesting that such an approach leads to inadequate information being provided.

The Ambassador said that, “Teixeira’s general summary is sound, and it should be adhered to by all media houses, including the state-owned media. The fact is, media is not supposed to be a cheerleader for government, but neither should it cast itself as an opponent. And neither should the media be cast as being “pro or anti-development” or “nationalist or anti-nationalist. Rather, the media’s information and analysis of developmental proposals and projects should assist citizens in understanding and assessing the merits or shortcomings of projects that will affect their futures. And its assessment of issues should always strive to avoid the emotional attachment of nationalism.”

“Journalists are not supposed to report the news based on whether it is good or bad your purpose is to find and bring to light the truth,” the Ambassador urged.

Ambassador Hardt in his presentation to reporters said in agreement with AG Nandlall that “Indeed, there is no doubt that Guyana has progressed since the first decades of Guyana’s independence, in the increase of media outlets - but that is no reason to be satisfied with the status quo.”

“The United States believes, as do respected international press organizations, that press freedoms in Guyana can be expanded, especially with broader access to radio airwaves, more balance in state-owned media, a more equitable distribution of government advertising, and greater access to information for journalists. In fact, anyone who lived through a period of severe censorship and knows what it is like to be deprived of free-flowing, reliable information should be all the more determined to broaden freedoms in the future.”

Part of the recent debate over press freedom has involved calls for media regulation, but the Ambassador cited that, “any governmental oversight body could be a slippery slope toward just the sort of restrictions that people found so distasteful and counter-productive in previous decades.

Certainly the media should strive for the highest professional and ethical standards,” the envoy told that gathering.

The Ambassador advised reporters to familiarize themselves with the two “Ps-” preparation and persistence.” He said that they should “find a mentor - and be mentors; don’t be afraid to ask hard questions”. He said journalists should familiarize and solidify themselves in their field of coverage.

Sunday May 18, 2014

From page 27 Town Clerk Carol Sooba should immediately remove herself and cease to act in the capacity as Council secretary.

The Mayor is being ordered to show legal grounds on which a decision was taken to send Sooba on Administrative leave. He is also ordered to show reason why the Court should not prohibit or prevent the decision taken at an Extraordinary Statutory Meeting held on May 8, last, or any other decision whatsoever and whenever to send Sooba on administrative leave.

FRIDAY EDITION EDAHMAD LAND DEAL… GUYSUCO MUST LEGALLY PURSUE “NEW ARRANGEMENTS” – DR. LUNCHEON After conducting a probe into the breach of a land deal with Ed Ahmad, a Guyanaborn New York-based businessman and close friend of former President Bharrat Jagdeo, Cabinet Secretary, Dr. Roger Luncheon has categorically stated that the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) will now have to take a legal course of action to ascertain who authorized the “new arrangements” that are being actively pursued by the developer.

Dr. Luncheon made this statement Thursday at a press conference which was held at the Office of the President.

The Board Member of the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Ltd (NICIL) was at the time responding to a question by this publication as to what became of the investigation into the land deal, the terms of agreement which have now shifted.

Ahmad was sold an almost 17-acre portion of land belonging to GuySuCo, at Leonora, for $80M. The conditions of sale were that the company would have set up a factory to create jobs for persons in the neighbourhood.

The agreement to this condition was the factor which governed the price at which it was sold. However, the businessman disregarded those initial agreements and the land has now been converted into a house lot project, Leonora Mall and Hollywood Garden, which is being managed by Leonora Projects. It is owned by Shareef and Ed Ahmad.

To date, there has been no official statement by the administration as to who authorized the new arrangements. What caused much of a stir is the fact that the controversial NICIL is

Kaieteur News

involved in the suspicious land deal. NICIL, which is headed by Winston Brassington, reportedly piloted this deal with Ahmad.

The $80 million plot of land is now worth more than $600M. 74-YEAR-OLD LAW AMENDED…DEMERIT POINT SYSTEM FOR ERRANT DRIVERS Government on Thursday amended a 74-year-old law to introduce a demerit point system for errant drivers, as well to expand the definition of ‘owner’ of a vehicle to ensure that those who escaped prosecution in the past through a loophole in the law would no longer be able to do so.

The Motor Vehicles and Road Traffic (Amendments) Bill was successfully piloted

by Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, and won the unanimous support of A Partnership For National Unity (APNU) and the Alliance For Change (AFC).

Nandlall, in presenting the Bill to the House for a debate, argued that the amendments seek to correct the lacuna that existed.

Speaking to the demerit point system to be introduced, Nandlall said, “I don’t think anyone can dispute we have an unusually high incidence of accidents on our roadways. When one looks at the figures, the fatalities range from children up to senior citizens.”

He told the House that when he was a part of the Disciplined Forces Commission, the Leader of the Opposition Brigadier (rtd) David Granger, who was also a part of the body, wrote at length on creating an environment that is safe for Guyanese and putting public safety on the national agenda.

Nandlall stressed that “safety on our roads is an important part of that regime.”

He argued that the demerit point system is a measure that is long overdue.

This would see an important addition to the punishment for the offence, with the demerit points being applied to an errant driver’s licence.

He explained that the points would be recorded and when it gets to a certain limit, a driver would have his licence suspended for certain periods of time or even revoked altogether, depending on the quantum of points accrued.

SATURDAY EDITION GOVT. FAILS TO DISCLOSE POST-2011 SPENDING ON JAGDEO The National Assembly met on Thursday and while

Page 43

A completed section of the Amaila Falls Access Road at one of the many crossings

the Government provided a number of answers to questions posed by members of the opposition it failed to give any answers in relation to queries on the expenditure it would have made on former President Bharrat Jagdeo, since he demitted office in 2011.

Speaker of the National Assembly, Raphael Trotman, at the beginning of the session confirmed that the answers had not been provided but did indicate an optimism that it would be at some point in time.

Checks with the Parliamentary staff during the sitting revealed that the answers would not have been provided during that sitting since they were not in receipt of any. A Partnership for National Unity’s (APNU), Desmond Trotman, had tabled the queries to the Finance Minister, Dr. Ashni Singh for a response.

The political opposition has always been critical of what it calls uncapped benefits encapsulated in the Former Presidents (Benefits and Facilities) which in May 2009, the then President Bharrat Jagdeo assented to.

Trotman wanted to find out what is the total health expenses/claims met under the Act for former President Jagdeo and or his dependents for each month since he demitted office in 2011, up to the end of February.

Jagdeo recently was the subject of screaming headlines when he chartered a private Lear Jet to fly to Florida where he went for treatment of Dengue Fever.

Checks later disclosed that when he was airlifted to the Florida hospital, he had

in his entourage his best friend, Dr. Ranjisinghi ‘Bobby’ Ramroop and that they used a private luxury Learjet instead of an air ambulance.

PPP/C REJECTS BID TO LOWER TOLLAT BERBICE RIVER BRIDGE …BOBBY RAMROOP IS SINGLE LARGEST PRIVATE INVESTOR Punctuated with perceived threats of murder, incessant heckling and even a bout of blackout, the People’ Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) Government on Thursday rejected a motion to reduce the tolls for crossing the Berbice River Bridge, but it was in the end approved by the Full House given the voting strength of the Political Opposition.

The Motion was successfully piloted by A Partnership For National Unity (APNU)’s Joseph Harmon, who argued that the tolls being charged by the Berbice Bridge Company Inc was excessively high and meant to only enrich a few.

He said that arguments that the company is a private one are nullified by the fact that under the Berbice Bridge Act, the Minister of Public Works has responsibility for the setting of the tolls.

Harmon said that the Bridge earns an average of $1.5B annually, and as such the company can afford to reduce the tolls charged.

The APNU Member reminded that Government signed a concession agreement for the construction and operation of the Bridge for 21 years even though it has a proposed lifespan of 30 years.

He also lamented the access

to information in relation to the operations of the Bridge and said that this is the case given the infamous “Brassington Clause”. This clause, he said, binds all to deal with all information in the concession arrangement as secret and confidential.

He said that with Government holding some $950M in shares in the bridge, it is incumbent of the Administration to have its Director on the board call for the reduction of the toll.

Harmon noted that when the toll was calculated, then President Bharrat Jagdeo announced that it was done to cover operating costs, make repayments and earn a profit. The APNU Member of Parliament lamented that there was nothing in the consideration of the toll “about public good, only money”. Harmon pointed to a number of bridges across the world, including neighbouring Venezuela, Suriname and Brazil where the tolls for bridges in those countries are either free or far

below that which is being charged to cross the Berbice River.

He used the opportunity to point out that between August 1 and 12 last year, the company conveniently lowered the tolls, at which point in time there came the heckles that this was to facilitate the PPP Congress which was being held in Berbice.

NICIL currently retains only one single share in the company and has no directors on the board whilst NIS only has a single director.

It has sold its 950 million shares to the National Insurance Scheme (NIS).

The single largest private shareholder behind the NIS is Former President Bharrat Jagdeo’s best friend, Dr Ranjisinghi ‘Bobby’ Ramroop through the New Guyana Pharmaceutical Corporation and Queens Atlantic Investment Inc. He has two directors on the eight member board, namely Avalon Jagnandan and Ravi Ramcharitar.

Page 44

Kaieteur News

Sunday May 18, 2014

Norvell Fredericks - the innovative force behind Linden’s...

From page 29 put forward about ten different points on how Linden could be involved in tourism.

Some of those proposals were discussed by Mr. Copeland, Mr. Kadir, Mr. Wilfred Simmons and Mr. Donald Sinclair - who said that the proposal of a “town day” seemed most favourable and instructed me to put my idea on paper and have discussions on the way forward.”

“On December 13th I circulated my concept document entitled ”Brief plan - Visit Guyana year 1996

(Linden Town Day)” and foot-noted (* submitted by Norvell Fredericks - to be discussed at meeting). This document was typed by Ms. Sharon Yearwood – now Mrs. Persaud (then secretary of Crescent Foods Inc. Coop Crescent Linden).

On 18th January 1996, Mr. Copeland convened another meeting at the M&TC jointly chaired by Mayor Kadir and himself (Mr. Copeland) at which Mr. Kadir read out the concept document, sought comments and moved a vote to wholly adopt my concept as Linden’s input for Visit Guyana year ‘96.

Mr. Kadir then asked for

volunteers and installed a committee of which he appointed me as chairman since it was my concept and he felt that I was best able to execute it.”

The Linden Tourism Committee was established to plan and execute the Linden Town Day, and the committee members included: Norvell Fredericks -chairman, W Simmons - vice chairman, the late Gillian Persaud organising secretary, R.A Mc Rae - treasurer, and Janet Allen, Lynn Lawrence, Sharon Yearwood, Mark Allicock, Sandra Adams and others as committee members Gillian Persaud, the organising secretary, was most instrumental in getting the first “Town Day” off the ground, as she used all her resources at hand to pull off what was to become the springboard for a significant

domestic tourism event.

Linden Town Day 1996 was successfully executed and Linden was showcased in grand style with the largest product/produce exhibition ever seen in these parts. The same held true for 1997.

“In 1998, Gillian Persaud and most of the other members boycotted the committee, leaving only Lynn Lawrence and Janet Allen to my assistance. I closed my furniture business for eight weeks and ran Town Day from my home office using my own start up finances (prior to vending revenue and sponsorship).

Lynn and I worked up to sixteen hours per day in my office and on the road while Janet collected revenue at her place of employment.

With our limited resources we were able to transform the Town Day into a three-day

festival with seven events, of which six were successful, we introduced the “Queen of the Town Pageant”, the farmers’ exhibition, gospel-fest, Bamia welcome lime, Wismar night (failed) and clash of the champs football. We raised the vending revenue from $19,000 and $34,000 in the two subsequent years to $210,500 and donated twenty garbage bins to the M&TC. “In 1998 and 1999 my furniture business suffered bankruptcy as a result of my dedication to “Town Day” and I was forced to close. I held face and continued to chair the committee until after “Town Day” 2000 when personality clashes and the need to focus on my livelihood forced me to quit after five years.

Today, I’m proud to see my idea spread throughout the country (even without honour) from Main Street to New Amsterdam to Bartica and Lethem and my present and growing photography business benefiting from the Linden Town Day. I’m also happy to see others take up the challenge to take the “Town Day/ Town Week” to another level where I as well as others can benefit even more.

I’m indeed happy to have made such a great

contribution to Linden and Guyana as a whole with this phenomenal concept, but I am saddened by the rapid decline of Linden’s event, where the focus has been shifted to various parties, the selling out, to out-of-town and overseas interests and the limited promotion of Linden’s true potential. We now see a reversed economic trend, since the visitors are vending and the Lindeners are spending.”

CREOLE-FEST In 2004 Fredco once again ventured into the event concept, with the hosting of “Fredco Creole-Fest”, an event which was aimed at stemming the decline of our Guyanese culture by bringing together in one showplace, as much as possible, the things we have known to be traditionally Guyanese. He is optimistic that he’ll be able to run this event again in 2015, after an eleven-year hiatus.

For now, he continues to focus, write and propose developmental concepts for the betterment of Linden, and hopes that one day the true potential of Linden could be realized. His most recent work is the “Trans-CaribeAmazonia Travel and Trade”, a concept aimed at making Linden a vital link between the Caribbean and Brazil.

Sunday May 18, 2014

Kaieteur News

Guyanese and our Bahamian...

From page 34 arrival of the Eleutheran Adventurers, the first English/ American settlers, the 'golden' age of privateering and piracy, the arrival of loyalists (with their slaves) following the American Revolution, the economic windfall from blocka d e - r u n n i n g d u r i n g the American Civil War and from Prohibition, the collapse of the sponge industry, the emergence of tourism and offshore banking, Black majority rule, and full independence from Great Britain in 1973.

You can no doubt already see some differences between The Bahamas' past, and Guyana's, and indeed with that of most of the other Caribbean islands.

Although a former British colony, it is more closely linked geographically and historically to America, and collaterally, to its culture.

In dress, in food, in religion, in sport, in music, and in entertainment, American influence is discernible; even in physical appearance some of the 'bigger' Bahamians may be mistaken for Americans.

Yet, somewhat paradoxically, an essential persona emerges as you get to know them more intimately.

Bahamian vernacular, Junkanoo, (a Carnival equivalent) Rake-and-Scrape folk music and Conch (their national food) are all part of this 'Bahamian thing'.

For most of us, Guyanese, working and living in The Bahamas entails an unavoidable comparison with our Caricom siblings.

As I observed before, Guyanese are generally wellthought of by Bahamians, unlike some other expatriates/ immigrants, among whom Haitians, and to a lesser extent, Jamaicans may be the most frowned upon, because of their perceived penchant for breaking the law, even when it is said of them jokingly.

But because most Guyanese there are teachers, and are seen as less irksome, we seem to enjoy a fairly high degree of acceptance, or at least, tolerance; however it isn't a thing that sits well with some Guyanese and other expatriates, constituting a sort of amiable alienation which some 'expats' feel more keenly than others, and which invites the kind of comparison just referred to.

Guyanese, by nature, are quite affable and accommodating to one another and to foreigners; intelligent and critical thinkers, and when abroad, adaptable to foreign circumstance, negative or otherwise.

But right here in Guyana, we now seem to be suffering from a deathly malaise in the face of serious social, economic and political vexations that have our neighbours baffled to the point of contempt. Inquisitive Bahamians

and Jamaicans have asked me on several occasions what is the reason for Guyana's political and economic decline, and why we 'put up with the nonsense' as we do.

I admit I never have a plausible response.

Even Guyanese would blurt out, “you t'ink dis could'a happen in Jamaica (or Trinidad) and I may add, “Or The Bahamas?”

The perception being that in these nations there are fighters and people who are prepared to die for their country's integrity and freedom. Draw the logical conclusion.

Apart from the wealthy, the politically well-connected and a few decent and militant voices, we seem to be slowly devolving as a nation, into apathy and resignation on one hand, and crime and vulgarity on the other.

Granted that the same can be said of other Caribbean nations, including The Bahamas, but here, it just seems more extreme, more debilitating, and open to more ridicule.

In the face of national crises, and a garbage-strewn capital city with oddly-functioning traffic lights, humour may be a kind saving grace.

A few weeks ago, while travelling in a minibus on Regent Street in the midst of frustrating traffic congestion, a relatively young female passenger was heard to exclaim plaintively, after a good old

Guyanese suck-teeth, “Put me off at the next traffic jam!” The tone of her voice suggested much more than the actual words, and I felt for her, as the vehicle had progressed only about half a block in more than five minutes.

I call episodes like this an OIG (Only in Guyana) moment. They have been increasing these past few years.

In The Bahamian capital, Nassau, cruise ships berth regularly and majestically, the traffic lights work most of the time, and despite severe congestion, drivers, with the honk of a horn or the flash of a headlight, will often allow you to cut in line.

A burly policeman will courteously and authoritatively assist you in almost any plight, politicians fistthump and argue heatedly across the opposition divide in parliament then have a drink together afterward; polished and professional-looking women drive expensive-looking vehicles; tourists flirt and flaunt with financial abandon along Bay Street and across the way on Paradise Island.

Fact or fancy? It may depend on what kind of yardstick you use to measure wealth and progress, and from my point of view, whether you're a Bahamian or a Guyanese.

(Next week: Behind the Bahamian and Guyanese façades!)

Page 45

Page 46

Kaieteur News

Sunday May 18, 2014

Diabetic Nephropathy – Damage to the kidneys

By Dr. Kumar Sukhraj Another complication that a diabetic person may experience is nephropathy.

Nephropathy means damage to the kidneys. Diabetic nephropathy is damage to your kidneys caused by uncontrolled diabetes. In severe cases it can lead to kidney failure. It is important to note that not everyone with diabetes has kidney damage however kidney damage can occur if a diabetic does not take good control of their health.

Each kidney is made of hundreds of thousands of small units called nephrons.

These structures filter your blood and help remove waste from your body.

In people with diabetes, the small blood vessels in the kidneys are damaged and the

nephrons thicken and slowly become scarred over time.

When these happen, the kidneys begin to leak and protein (albumin) passes into the urine. This damage can happen years before any symptoms begin. The exact cause is unknown. However, kidney damage is more likely if there is poor control of diabetes with high blood pressure and high cholesterol.

In some cases, your family history may also play a role.

People with diabetes who smoke and those with type 1 diabetes that started before age 20 have a higher risk for kidney problems. People of African-American, Hispanic, and American Indian origin are also more likely to have kidney damage.

Often, patients may not have any symptoms as the

kidney damage starts and slowly gets worse. Kidney damage can begin 5 to 10 years before symptoms start.

People who have more severe and long-term (chronic) kidney damage may have symptoms such as: · Fatigue most of the time · General ill feeling · Headache · Nausea and vomiting · Poor appetite · Swelling of the legs Your doctor can order tests to detect signs of kidney problems in the early stages.

When kidney damage is caught in its early stages, it can be slowed with treatment.

So it’s important for people with diabetes to have regular testing, usually every year.

As damage to the kidneys gets worse, your blood

pressure rises.

Your cholesterol and triglyceride levels rise too. You may need to take more than one medicine to treat these complications.

There are many steps a person can take to prevent and manage kidney failure.

These are as follows; · Keep your blood sugar levels within your target range. This can help slow the damage to the small blood vessels in the kidneys. · Work with your doctor to keep your blood pressure under control. For most people who have diabetes, the ideal blood pressure is below 120/80. High blood pressure is 140/80 or higher when you have diabetes. · Keep your heart healthy by eating healthy foods and

exercising regularly.

Preventing heart disease is important, because people with diabetes are more likely to have heart and blood vessel diseases. And people with kidney disease are at an even higher risk for heart disease. · Watch how much protein you eat. Eating too much is hard on your kidneys. If diabetes has affected your kidneys, limiting how much protein you eat may help you preserve kidney function.

Talk to your doctor or dietician about how much protein is best for you. · Watch how much salt you eat. Eating less salt helps keep high blood pressure from getting worse. · Don’t smoke or use other tobacco products. Please feel free to send an email to

kumarsukhraj@yahoo.com or call 6228032 for further enquiry and discussion on the topic. Patient education plays an important in the diagnosis and management of diabetes and any other illness. Please look forward for a continuation of the discussion on health issues in the next publication.

REFERENCES American Diabetes Association. Standards of medical care in diabetes— 2012. Diabetes Care. 2012 Jan;35 Suppl 1:S11-63.

Parving H, Mauer M, Fioretto P, Rossing P, Ritz E. Diabetic Nephropathy. In: Taal MW, Chertow GM, Marsden PA, Skorecki K, Yu ASL, Brenner BM, eds.

Brenner and Rector’s The Kidney. 9th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2011

research was presented Friday at the 109th Annual Scientific Meeting of the American Urological Association in Orlando, Florida. Seatbelts are designed to spread the force of a vehicle crash across the pelvis and chest while an airbag is meant to soften the impact between the body and car. For the new study, the researchers analyzed information on motor vehicle accident injuries in 2010 and 2011 from the National Trauma Data Bank. Of 287,174 accidents, there were 2,580 kidney injuries.

The researchers found that when airbags and seatbelts were used together, the risk of serious kidney

injuries fell by about 23 percent. The risk of surgery to remove a kidney fell by more than half. Bjurlin said there are likely multiple reasons why using seatbelts and airbags protects the kidneys. For example, seatbelts keep people from bouncing throughout the vehicle while also spreading out the impact of the crash.

“Ironically, in some studies the seatbelt has been found to be a cause of kidney injuries,” Bjurlin told Reuters Health. While that may be true in some cases, he said overall wearing seatbelts and using airbags is beneficial. “It protects your kidneys and reduced the risk of them being taken out,” he said. The results will also be published online in the Journal of Urology. (Reuters Health)

Global life expectancy rises Seatbelts, airbags also again, but new challenges loom good for kidneys

Average life expectancy has risen globally to 73 years for a girl born in 2012 and 68 for a boy following successes in fighting diseases and child mortality, the World Health Organization said on Thursday.

Big advances in the battles against infectious diseases such as measles, malaria, tuberculosis and polio have continued to extend life expectancy although other factors, such as people’s lifestyles, are constraining longevity, the WHO said in its annual statistics report. The longest life expectancy at birth is for baby girls in Japan, at 87.0 years, and boys in Iceland, at 81.2 years. Japan, Switzerland, Singapore, Italy and Luxembourg rank in the top 10 for both sexes. “There are major gains in life expectancy in recent decades and they continue,” said Ties Boerma, chief of statistics and information systems at the WHO. The lowest life expectancy is in sub-Saharan Africa, where nine countries have expectancy of less than 55 for babies of both sexes.

Lifestyle changes leading to heart problems and other diseases were curbing life expectancy in some cases.

“We’re seeing a health transition from success in infectious diseases to more people dying, including at younger ages, from noncommunicable diseases,” said Boerma.

However, even in the rich countries where people live longest, there is no sign of life expectancy gains slowing

down. “If human life expectancy was capped at population level at around 90 years of life we would expect to see a slowdown as we approach those limits. We’re not seeing that,” said Colin Mathers, coordinator of WHO’s statistics on mortality. For the first time the annual statistics report, the most comprehensive statistical overview of the world’s health, measured “years of life lost”, a number that takes account of the age when people die as well as the number of deaths, to put more focus on the things that kill more people at a younger age.

Years of life lost to diarrhea and respiratory infections, the biggest causes of early deaths in 2000, had fallen by 40 percent and 30 percent respectively by 2012, when ischemic heart disease was the biggest factor in early deaths.

Years of life lost to road injuries have also increased by 14 percent between 2000 and 2012 as more people driving in developing countries outweighed gains in road safety elsewhere.

CARDIOVASCULAR

DISEASE Life expectancy at birth has increased in almost every country since 1990, and in almost all cases it was higher in 2012 than in 2011, with Botswana, Cote d’Ivoire and Syria among the exceptions.

Another was Pakistan, where life expectancy averaged 65 years in 2012, down from 67 years in last year’s report. Mathers said that reduction reflected improved data, which revealed child mortality was 30 percent higher than previously thought.

The global average life expectancy for a 60-year-old has also increased, with hope of another 20 years in 2012 instead of 18 years in 1990.

But not everywhere.

In Russia and several other former Soviet states, life expectancy for a 60-year-old was lower in 2012 than in 1990. Mathers said death rates rose fast in the early 1990s, due to cardiovascular disease and injury, both influenced by high rates of binge drinking. Although the death rates have since improved, they have not yet dropped to pre-1990 levels.

Seatbelts and airbags are not only good at protecting a person’s head and chest during a car crash. They also help protect the kidneys, according to a new report.

Researchers found that survivors of car accidents who wore a seatbelt and had a vehicle with airbags were less likely to have a serious kidney injury or to need one of their kidneys removed than people who didn’t take those precautions. “This provides additional evidence to support the role of these protective devices in motor vehicles,” Dr. Marc Bjurlin, the report’s lead author, said.

Bjurlin is a urologist at NYU Langone Medical Center in New York. The

Sunday May 18, 2014

Kaieteur News

Kim Kardashian, Kanye West to celebrate wedding in Florence U.S. television personality Kim Kardashian and rapper Kanye West will celebrate their wedding in Florence on May 24, an official from the mayor’s office confirmed on Friday.

The official said the couple had rented the 16th century Belvedere Fort for 300,000 euros ($411,100) for the occasion, which will be presided over by a Protestant pastor.

However, as the castle is not an authorized site for weddings, there was some question about whether the event will be an officially recognized marriage ceremony or a celebration with some looser status.

Asked how he was feeling as the day approached, West told the local La Nazio ne daily: “Quite emotional. But very happy. I’m a romantic: I gave Kim a wall of flowers for Mother ’s Day. Family is everything for me, it’s the antidote to the stresses of

fame. Family and creativity relax me.”

The couple will be accompanied by their daughter North, who West said was “conceived here, among the masterpieces of the Renaissance”.

“It was our first

honeymoon. It’s one of the most beautiful cities in the world, for me, it’s the most beautiful in Europe.”

Representatives for Kardashian and West did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

(Reuters)

Winfrey’s OWN to air TV docuseries on football’s Michael Sam Oprah Winfrey’s OWN television network said on Wednesday that it will produce a documentary series about St. Louis Rams football player Michael Sam, the first openly gay player to be drafted in the NFL. The network, which is jointly owned by Winfrey and Discovery Communications Inc, said the series will follow Sam as he prepares for a career in professional football and tries to make the Rams roster.

The Rams selected Sam, 24, on Saturday in the seventh round of the NFL Draft three months after the defensive end from the University of Missouri came

out publicly.

Sam’s story attracted wide attention in the lead-up to the annual draft, and his tearful embrace of his boyfriend when drafted has quickly

become an emblematic moment for the sport.A start date for the series, its title or the number of episodes OWN planned to air were not announced.

Music’s power couple Jay Z and Beyonce, and rapper Drake led the BET Awards nominations announced on Wednesday with five nods each, followed by R&B singer Pharrell Williams and hip-hop singer August Alsina with four. Jay Z and Drake will vie for best male hip-hop artist along with Future, J. Cole and Kendrick Lamar. The two will also battle it out for video of the year with other nominees Beyonce, Chris Brown and Williams. Beyonce also earned nods for best female R&B/pop artist and best

collaboration, with husband Jay Z on “Drunk in Love,” as well as nominations for video of the year for “Drunk in Love” and her song “Partition.” “This year’s nominees represent the best of our culture,” Stephen Hill, BET’s president of music programming and specials, said in a statement.

The annual BET Awards began in 2001 to celebrate African-American and other minorities in categories spanning music, film and sports. The awards will be presented live on the cable TV

network BET, Black Entertainment Television, which is part of Viacom Inc, on June 29 from the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles.

In the film category, Oscar nominees Angela Bassett and Oprah Winfrey as well as Gabrielle Union, Kerry Washington and Academy Award winner Lupita Nyong’o scored nods for top actress.

Oscar nominee Chiwetel Ejiofor, Academy Award winner Forest Whitaker along with Idris Elba, Kevin Hart and Michael B. Jordan will compete for the best actor award.

Michael Sam

Jay Z, Beyonce and Drake score most BET Awards nominations

Page 47

U.S. TV journalist Barbara Walters bids farewell after 53-year career Pioneering U.S. journalist Barbara Walters, who paved the way for women in television news and was the first female to co-anchor a network evening news program, retired on Friday after an illustrious 53-year career.

The 84-year-old TV newswoman bid farewell on “The View,” the morning talk show she created in 1997 during a career that spanned events ranging from President Richard Nixon’s historic journey to China in 1972 to interviews with several generations of celebrities and world leaders including U.S. President Barack Obama.

Walters, whose work won several Emmy awards, joked that she would now have time to have Botox and may be available for supermarket openings. On a serious note, she added that she was proudest of how more women are now reporting the news.

“If I did anything to help that happen that is my legacy,” she said. “Who knows what the future brings? Maybe instead of goodbye, I should say a bientot, which in French means see you later.”

A roster of women journalists joined Walters on the show to praise her achievements. Former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton also appeared, as did actor Michael Douglas and TV host and media company owner Oprah Winfrey.

Barbra Walters

“Like everyone else I want to thank you for being a pioneer, in everything that word means,” Winfrey told Walters. “It means being the first ... to knock down the door, to break down the barrier, to pave the road that we all walk on.”

The show culminated a week of events including a get-together in New York that included former Mayor Rudy Giuliani, director Woody Allen and Vogue editor Anna Wintour.

The news building of the ABC television network, a unit of Walt Disney Co., was named in her honor. Present and past co-hosts of “The View” reunited to toast her on Thursday. ABC will also air a news special about her story on Friday evening.

Walters revealed her plans to retire a year earlier saying it was her decision.

The announcement followed some health problems, including a concussion after

fainting and hitting her head, chickenpox and open heart surgery in 2010.

Walters has interviewed every U.S. president since Richard Nixon and world leaders including Cuba’s Fidel Castro, Britain’s Margaret Thatcher and Iraq’s Saddam Hussein. She was famous for her probing style, getting that important first interview with newsmakers. She was also known for a lisp that prompted the famous “Baba Wawa” parody by the late comedian Gilda Radner on the “Saturday Night Live,” comedy show.

Walters was hired as a researcher and writer on NBC’s “Today” show in 1961 before becoming a co-host in 1974. She moved to ABC in 1976 and was a also correspondent on the network’s news magazine show “20/20.” Walters also hosted specials and a yearly show about her 10 most fascinating people. (Reuters)

Dragons bring fire and fangs to Cannes film fest Dragons and Vikings invaded the Cannes film festival on Friday, with the eagerly awaited second installment of “How to Train your Dragon” set to breathe fire on the French Riviera.

Due to hit screens on July 2, hopes are high for the 3D “Dragon 2”, written and directed by Canadian animator Dean DeBlois, given the $495 million in global box office receipts the first film of the trilogy has grossed.

Fans wearing Viking helmets with huge horns could be seen meandering across La Croisette, Cannes’ palm-lined boulevard, ahead of the film’s global premiere on Friday night at the festival and the walk up the red carpet for cast members, including Jay Baruchel, America Ferrera and Cate Blanchett.

“It’s super-exciting to be here and there’s no better way to roll out the film, there’s no splashier, more prestigious way than to

take it to the Palais (theater) and have an audience full of welldressed folks judge it accordingly,” DeBlois told Reuters. The first “Dragon” became a breakout hit through word of mouth. It earned a nomination for best animated film at the 2011 Academy Awards and represented another feather in the cap of DreamWorks Animation, the studio now in its 20th year. “We have had a 20-year love affair, we have loved being part of Cannes and Cannes has loved us back,” DreamWorks Animation head Jeffrey Katzenberg told a news conference. He cited other DreamWorks films that have passed through the festival including “Shrek” and “Madagascar”: “We have so many lovely memories here.”

In a positive early review, Hollywood trade paper Variety called the second “Dragon” DreamWorks’

“strongest sequel yet.”

CUSHY DRAGON LIFE “Dragons used to be a problem, but now they’ve moved in,” says our young Viking protagonist, Hiccup, at the start of the film.

Indeed, since we last left our dragons in the first film, they’ve been living the good life on the island of Berk, the Viking stronghold.

Around-the-clock feeding stations and free dental care underscore the starring role the now-tamed dragons play among the Vikings, who consider them part of the family after Hiccup managed in the first installment to bridge the interspecies divide by gaining the trust of the dragon Toothless.

As in the first film, it is hard to peel one’s eyes away from Toothless and the other dragons, so rife with personality, expressiveness and individual quirks.

Sunday May 18, 2014

Kaieteur News

Page 61

What does the circus at City Hall and Minister Benn have in common?

By Ralph Seeram The circus at the Georgetown City Council is real; only in Guyana can one find two Town Clerks, an impotent Mayor and City Council, and a confused work force wondering who really to accept orders from, who is in charge?

Throw in an arrogant “Town Clerk” who locked the City Chamber forcing the Mayor and Councilors to hold meeting in the yard, add to the mix a judge who said the appointment of Carol Sooba is illegal, but she can stay on the job.

Then in Parliament you heard one of the most stupid statements emanating from a Government Minister, Works Minister Benn. He won’t reduce the Berbice Bridge tolls unless it’s an economic benefit. Well pardon my ignorance, I am no economist, but only an idiot will not recognize that a

reduction in the tolls will be an immediate economic benefit to the people in Berbice.

Perhaps he is thinking of the friends of the PPP who control the Berbice River Bridge and who are reaping handsome returns from the exorbitant tolls.

So reducing tolls on cars, especially hire cars, leading to reduced fares to passengers will not be a benefit to poor travelers; reducing the tolls on trucks will not result in reduced cost of groceries for the people in Berbice; reduced tolls will not result in increased traffic over the bridge, which will result in increased revenue to its owners?

Adding to the insult of the public intelligence, most of the money that built the Bridge came from taxpayers, whether directly or indirectly, be it Government or its agencies, not to mention that the people own the river that the bridge spans.

In Florida, I can travel more than 200 miles on a toll road for about the same US$11.00

that a car is being charged to cross a less than one-mile bridge.

The logic is, the toll is the same as the old boat fare with five persons in the car. Not every car crosses the bridge with five persons; not every car is a taxi, and that is the low end of the toll. We are not talking about trucks and larger vehicles.

The Berbice River Bridge toll has probably one of the highest tolls in the world.

Now we return to the circus at City Hall. Did you see the picture of Carol Sooba pulling the microphone cord from another speaker in the Chambers? Did you ever watch her on television speaking? The woman comes across as uncouth, arrogant and unintelligent. Does anybody really know what this woman’s qualifications are?

We are told that she was the least qualified yet she was imposed on the people of Georgetown. Did she ever run a “cake shop” much less a municipality? When I was in Guyana I covered Town Council meetings for years, as far as I know the Town Clerk takes orders from the Mayor

and Council. This woman is the opposite.

Now don’t get me wrong; I am not defending Hamilton Green, the Mayor, who now knows what it is to be a toothless tiger. I remember the PNC days when Hammie had his “tooth”.

Those days he was “power drunk”. With guns he went displacing people off their lands. Those were the PNC days.

What I am defending is the Office of the Mayor and Council, not the holders of the office. Sooba thinks that she is more important than the Office. From where does the PPP find these characters?

Does the PPP feel that it is winning more voters by putting these unqualified party hack in positions? Let this woman disclose what her qualifications are. Is she ashamed to disclose it publicly?

Maybe she only has a PPP card, and I hope I am wrong.

To show this woman has no shame she brought a person of questionable character to be a “bodyguard”. More like trying to intimidate people because of the unsavory character of the “bodyguard”.

I ask again, does the PPP really think it is winning people over with idiots like Sooba and that other clown from the Office of the President?

This entire debacle rests on the PPP shoulders. The Country has had three general elections, but cannot hold a Local Government Election.

The PPP can end this circus by asking the citizens of Georgetown to elect who they wish to run the city.

This should be held NOW to put an end to this foolishness. The PPP has a penchant to control everything, but it must realize

that trying to control everything will lead to its demise come next elections.

Perception is everything; people vote by their perception, and the perception now is that the PPP is imposing an unqualified a r rogant individual to run their city.

Yes you may wonder where Benn and Sooba get their arrogance from.

Remember, they both drink from the same cup.

Page 62

Kaieteur News

PROPERTY FOR SALE Property for sale. Call:6275416

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

FOR SALE Toyota Forklift - Excellent condition, 4,000lbs capacity, 117" Lift, Solid Wheels, Automatic Transmission, 4 Cylinder LPG Motor. Call: 604-6108.

Pure bred Rottweiler puppies, 8 weeks old – Call:682-2148 or 618-2903

Pure Rottweiler pups, parents are imported pedigree dogs Call: 264-2870 or 672-6402 after 6pm 665-9140 or 639-1431

Tibetan terrier pups for sale.

Colours are: white, fawn and mixed – Call: 649-4247 Suites, beds, desk, guitars, divider, radio set, table –Tel: 226-2284 Spare for washing machine, microwaves,fridges, stoves, timers, gearbox, pumps, etc call: 225-9032, 647-2943 PORK WHOLE SALE, WHOLE, HALF & QUARTER CARCASS. NO HEAD! NO TROTTERS! – CALL:2662711, 609-4594 Well established auto parts store. Fully stocked with all used Japanese Parts, serious inquiries only – Call: 6192090 Clean garden earth, also Bobcat & Excavator rentals.

Tel: 626-7127 Pure bred pit bull, 6 weeks old – Call: 661-1601 PVC Ceiling Panels, PVC Mouldings, Medallions.

American Standard!!! – Call:614-8564, 680-0862 Cold Storage Facility: freezing & cold storage facilities. Affordable price @ BM Enterprise Inc., Houston GFL Wharf Call: 227-8176/77.

Internet Café and Game Arcade equipment (complete controllers/glass case/etc Contact Alwin: 696-4832 Snow cone carts and hot dog carts. Call 667-2575 Ten 5000 Gallon Fuel Tanks, fifteen 12 feet satellite dish, 10 houselots Riverview - Call: 266-2076, 266-2207, 601-3194, email:rnetram@yahoo.com

Fully furnished two-storey house at North East La Penitence - $17 Million.

Contact 691-1521 Chowmein/noodle equipment, including five roller machines. One mixing machine. 2 steamers, drying system. Call 661-3878 One tractor driven water pump on trailer. New. Bargain price. Call 227-1830 Nine & seven months old female German shepherd for sale – Contact: 263-5755, 6834832 MERCURY 99.99% PURE ELEMENT LAB GRADE. THIS IS USA QUALITY, NOT CHINESE. $1M PER FLASK -CALL:592-6495376 Tools : Mechanical electrical corded/cordless, air, Hilux crash bar, 2 15x15 tires, electrical motors, 3PH entrance switch Call : 2224158/641-7526 Cheap earth delivered to spot E.C.D and E.B.D- Call:6279977, 698-0182 Clean Garden Earth & builders waste our service also includes Bobcat rental, excavating, clearing & leveling - Call:6160617, 663-3285 16 GB I-pad with retina display, WI-FI & cellular capacity - $70,000, 16GB IPod Nano touch - $30,000 – Call:686-7579, 231-7537 Hilux Surf, PHH 9550, reasonable condition, price negotiable – Call: 660-5818

Double lot with house at East Bank Demerara, one block away from Public Road Call: 621-1766 Diamond (Land with foundation) $3.2M, Pearl (2 lots 100ftX50ft each with house -$13M), Parafaite Harmonie (100ftX50ft) $2.2M – Tel:675-7292 House on 7 Acres of Land @ Canal No 2 - $15M. Call: 6899379, 686-4994 or 225-3070 Lot 81 Lamaha Street. No Agent! – Call: 673-5882 Prime Business property, huge land space, 200’X50', next to Police Outpost @ Mc Doom. 233-0570 Prime Business. Established Business, Three storey building 220 South Road Lacytown Georgetown – Tele: 227-1042, 601-3369.

Serious callers only!

2 Storey concrete property in Parfaite Harmonie, size 24’X57’, Price: $16M – Call:622-1782/658-5803 1-3 storey business property @ Middle St. G/Town, 2 business properties @ Whim Public Road, price negotiable Call: 619-7134, 225-6481 Nandy Park (need work) $21M. Parfaite Harmonie (new) -$17M Contact Diana:227-2256, 626-9382 Two storey house at Retrieve Linden. Price $11MCall: 641-7979 2- Storey 10 rooms hotel/ restaurant/bar with attached apartments upstairs and downstairs, large storeroom Call: 222-2514 Nandy Park - $24M, AA Eccles - $55M, Lamaha Garden -$35M, West Bank $21M – Contact Diana:2272256, 626-9382

1 MF290 Tractor, 1 Toyota Tacoma, STIHL chainsaws, tractor parts, STIHL blower, STIHL paint sprayer, pressure washer, etc – Call:689-8884 Canadian rebuilt Perkins Duetz engine, Lincoln generator welder, model M with winch, 320 excavator – Call: 691-2921

FOR RENT PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION,WEDDINGS, ANNIVERSARY, ETC. CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 216-1043; 677-6620 One barber shop / salon with 5 stations at David & Queen Streets Kitty – Call Alana: 646-0268 G.T TOOLS RENTAL: CONCRETE SAW, RANDSOM & MORE. EVERYDAY SPECIALS – CALL:675-0767 OR 6275098

Flat 3 bedrooms house at LaGrange Call : 613-4131 One 2 storey building business property in LaParfaite Harmony Call : 6865083

One bottom flat (30x42) Carmichael Street; ideal for business/office. Contact Vishnu: 680-6946, 618-9771 One bedroom semifurnished apartment @ Diamond, preferably single working / studying female $28,000. Contact Vishnu: 6806946, 618-9771 Secured Concrete bond 87’X32’, Public Road McDoom, next to Police Outpost. Suitable for storage/ factory, etc. Tel 233-0570 House in Diamond/Grove.

Tel 692-8513 or 223-0733 House to rent 1-3 bedrooms @ Anna Catherina W.C.D – Contact J. Allie: 276-0818 Prashad Nagar: Self contained studio (fully Furnished)-US$100.00 weekly.

Tel: 612-3194, 223-8258 House for rent & household articles for sale. Call Tele # 269-0959/617-8905 A shop to rent at 40 Norton Street Wortmanville, price $50,000 only serious persons interested call:643-3441

Mining Claim – Rent/ Sale: located at R.Bwcknoch Creek L.B Essequibo River 1S! miles from river mouth – Call: 672-8749

VEHICLE FOR SALE

Make Up Courses, Artist T rained & Certified in Trinidad. Call: 660-5257, 647-1773

Toyota Land Cruiser 105 series, 2000 model enclosed, 5 door, 7 seats, mint condition – Tel: 668-3581

Natural beauty salon & spa: Grove Market Street EBD Tele: 265-4138, 652-5800. We specialized in everything for women.

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

Earn a certificate in cosmetology, wig designs or nails alone, limited spaces – Call Abby: 619-7603, 666-5241

Toyota Spacio – TV/DVD/ CD, body kit, reverse camera. Never registered $2.1M. Call:617-2891 2006 Toyota Tacoma fully loaded - $3.5M – Tel:6857659, 622-0445 Seinta and Noah with Body Kits – unregistered and top notch condition with terms available – Call:641-8647

SERVICES PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION,WEDDINGS, ANNIVERSARY,ETC.–CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 2161043; 677-6620 Guyana Passport & Visa Forms Application, USA, Canada and England. Tel: 626-7040; 265-4535.

COOL TECH : Repairs Services & Installation of all types if homes appliances: Air Condition & Refrigeration units - Tel: 233-2008; 675-4959 We repair fridge, freezer, AC, washer, dryer Call Omar:2310655,683-8734 House plan drafting from$10,000 electrical works and estimates services available.

Tel: 667-2189, 646-6572, 629-8750 Repairs, sales & spares air conditioning, microwaves, washer, fridges & stoves.

Ultra Cool, call: 225-9032, 647-2943 Permanent & Visitors Vi s a Applications, Professional Immigration Consultant Room D5 Maraj Building Call Sabita: 2256496, 662-6045

DRESSMAKING Jean is offering courses in dressmaking, curtains, floral & cake decoration @ 153 Barr Street Kitty – Call: 6702653, 618-1706

LEARN TO DRIVE Soman Son & Outar Driving School at Maraj Building. Tel 644-5166; 622-2872; 6150964; 689-5997 FOR SALE/RENTAL

SALON

One upper flat @ 6th Street Cummings Lodge ECD – Call:622-3580

One transported house & land for sale – Call: 655-5158

Loving, fluffy puppies – Call:645-0240, 685-0942 Pit-bull pups - Call:619-6086 or 699-7077

Sunday May 18, 2014

For the Cheapest House plans, engineering, architectural drawings & estimates – Contact T.Boodhoo:625-9883 Brian Moe @ 642-3543; computer technician; FB:Brian.Moe165; home and office visits at your comfort.!!!

Drafting of house plans 3D realistic and 2D view comprehensive estimates.

Free approval processingCall: 674-0725/266-2154

CAKES & PASTRIES Courses in cake decoration, pastry making & cookery; also edible images and Wedding dresses for sale.

Call: 670-0798

EDUCATIONAL Balloon Decorating Classes – 31st May 2014 – Call: 2253133 or 613-7513 for more information and to register.

CATERING Roxy’s Catering: We cater for any special occasion, also available daily breakfast, lunch & snacks – call: 2230092, 223-0095

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 2008 Blue Bird - $3.0M, 2005 Spacio - $2.1M, 2006 Premio - $2.3M. ALL VEHICLES FULLY LOADED & UNREGISTEREDCall:642-7295 RZ Minibus BLL Series – price negotiable – excellent condition – call: 673-7934 Toyota L-Touring & Fielder Wagon, At192, AT212, AE110 Corolla Raum, Fun cargo, RZ minibus, IST –Tel: 644-5096, 697-1453 1 -1RZ, 15 seater, automatic mini-bus, BNN 3760 - $1.5M Negotiable.

Good condition, never used for public transportation – Tel:628-0310 ; 672-5429 STAR CARS AUTO SALE: Premio, Spacio, Allion, IST, Feilder, Altezza, new Raum, Axela, Carina 212 – Call: 679-3140, 615-1199 1 – Toyota Raum (PMM Series) automatic, fully powered, A/C, mags, alarm – Price$1.3M- Contact Rocky:621-5902 or 225-1400 1 Toyota single cab pick-up (solid Def) manual, immaculate condition (2L engine), never registered.

Price $3.6M Contact Rocky 225-1400 Unregistered Toyota Raum: year – 2004; black interior, HID lights, power door, TV navigation. Tel 617-5536 Toyota Raum, Silver; year – 2002; PMM series with alarm. Call 621-5244 DAF 55-210 sand truck, GMM series; $2.8M negotiable.Call 623-8302 Unregistered Toyota Noah, with TV, Rims, Camera - Tel: 629-2619 or 663-2700 (Continued on page 63)

Sunday May 18, 2014

Kaieteur News

Page 63

24,000 tons of paddy and 6,000 tons of white rice shipped to Venezuela The rice industry is poised to achieve approximately 600,000 tons of rice this year given that it has already reaped in excess of 300,000 tons of rice for this first crop.

Rice farmers have already harvested 95 percent of the 224,000 acres of land that were under cultivation.

This is according to Jagnarine Singh, General Manager of Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB), who enlightened that markets for Guyana’s rice is no problem.

In fact, with the boom in rice production, Guyana could increase the amounts being exported to Panama, Belize, Jamaica, Europe, Venezuela, Haiti, and other CARICOM countries.

Singh related that three days ago Guyana shipped 24,000 tons of paddy and 6,000 tons of white rice to Venezuela.

And, by next week Guyana is

expected to ship another 6,000 tons of white rice to Venezuela.

This is part of the GuyanaVenezuela Petrocaribe rice for fuel deal.

Guyana has to export 150,000 tons of paddy and 50,000 tons of white rice valuing $114M to the Spanish Speaking state this year.

He noted the agreement involves 25 shipments of paddy and nine shipments of white rice.

Sixty percent of the rice would be delivered from this crop and the remaining 40 percent would be shipped from the second crop.

Singh added that for the year Guyana has already exported 6,000 tons of white rice to Haiti.

In addition, Guyana has been shipping small amounts to Panama and it is hoped this would increase significantly.

Guyana has not taken its eyes off the Columbian market.

VACANCY Drivers, Porters, checkers, accountant. Apply R.A Soda Factory @ Good Hope Bond.

Driver & salesperson @ #7 Bakery. Call 330-2399 Accounts Clerk & Cashier.

Apply with written application & passport size picture to Survival @ 173 Sheriff St., Campbellville. Call 227-5286/9 Exist for Pharmacist: Apply with written application at Survival Shopping Complex @ 173 Sheriff St. Campbellville Tel: 227-5286/9 Bakers and table hands to work at Bakery in Best Village W.C.D–Call:254-1399,627-2515 MANAGER/SUPERVISORS at Xenon Hotel Charity / EBo. ACCOMODATION PROVIDED. Attractive Salary is offered – Contact: 223-5273/4 One General Domestic – Call: 667-5717 or 650-4761 Vacancy exist for Helper/ maid and a cosmetologist.

Call 227-4799 TOUR Orella, Capoey Lake, Santa Mission – May 25th & 26th 2014 – Contact Joy:218-1285, 649-9059

TO LET One newly built 2 storey concrete house, 2 bedroom for short or long term Bartica Call:685-2707

VEHICLE FOR SALE 1 AE100 Toyota Corolla, excellent condition - AC, Mag rims, alarm, DVD player, etc. Price $825,000.

Call 612-9625, 225-3217, 6956461 Cactus Auto Sales: Reduced prices, Premio, Spacio, Allex, AT212, etc. Call 681-4208, 220-6262 First Class Auto: Allion, Premio, Spacio, IST, 212, Fielder, Raum, Allex, Runx, Bluebird, Axela - Tel:6098188, 638-3045 Toyota Raum, 1 new model Toyota Raum, 1 Feilder Wagon, PPP & PSS Series – Call:614-4614, 223-9329

Kitty - $US700, Ogle $60,000- US750, AA Eccles house-US1200, Subryanville -US800 – Contact Diana:2272256, 626-9382

One new furnished 4 bedrooms house in UG area $165,000 negotiable Call : 2224158/641-7526

Progressive Auto Rental: Cars & SUV for rental- $4,000 & up per day- Call: 643-5122, 628-2284 , E m a i l : p r o _ autorental @yahoo.com Wings Car Rental- Call:643-1131

1 Allion rear bumper $40,000, 1 AT192 PKK series $800,000 negotiable, 1 metallic red Ipsum $1.6M negotiable Call: 611-7034

DRIVER and SALESMAN for Gas Trucks on East Coast, West Coast and East Bank Demerara. 266 4427

1 Toyota single cab pick-up (solid Def) manual, immaculate condition (4Y engine), never registered.

Price $4.3M Contact Rocky 225-1400 1 Suzuki R1 wagon (Jeep) Automatic, Fully Powered with A/C, hardly used – Price:$1.2M Contact Rocky: 621-5902/ 225-1400 1 - Toyota RZ (Long Base) mini-bus, gear, mags, hardly used, (EFI) - Price:$1.5M Contact Rocky:621-5902 or 225-1400 1 Toyota RAV 4 2001 model Call : 686-5083

VACANCY

One female clerk – Call: 2315171

LAND FOR SALE House lots in Friendship - Tel 692-8513 or 223-0733 At Eccles Housing Scheme price $6.5M - negotiable Call: 616-6000 Over 70 Acres of Transported land for sale at Coverden, East Bank Demerara, serious inquiries only – Call: 661-6993

WANTED Live-in domestic to work in Mahaicony River, age 18-40 years. Call 613-6613 or 225-6571 Full time care giver for elderly person, light housekeeping and meals on W.C.D – Call Natasha 269-0287

Eperienced cashier to work @ Western Union Mon Repos / 38 Ketley St Charlestwon, over 18yrs send application @ Humprey Bakery 38 Ketley St. Carpenter - $6,000, Mason $6,000, Porter-$4,000, to work in Tuschen Scheme. Call: 6848231 One Honest counter clerk, 3yrs experienced selling Japanese Spare Parts – Contact Ray’s Motor Spares & Auto Sales: 231-7839 (working hours) Handyman messenger, must know to ride motorcycle and have sound education walk with two reference – Call: 2269492

PEN PAL Lifelong partners, friends, companions- Call: 223-8237/ 648-6098 (8:30am-5pm) both phones same hours.

Confidential rules apply.

WANTED Barbers and tattoo artist opposite Kitty Police Station – Call: 621-8812 Cars to work at GR Taxi Service – New Base at Sheriff St, Opposite Survival Supermarket. Base Fee $6,500 – Contact:614-6202 Urgently needed, live-in waitresses to work in Bar. Reasonable salary offer – Tel: 259-0574 Republic Park Family needs live-in aid/domestic.

Alternate week off - $12,000.

Police clearance needed – Call:627-5098, 675-0767 Work from home earn $5,000 -$20,000 - Contact: jobfairworldwide. com - Call: 622-1957, 9 AM-5 PM (Mon–Fri) Two handymen to work in interior Call : 684-7516 One shop attendant & one handy boy to work in the interior Call: 681-6044 Experienced hair/nail person at Parika E.B.E location – Call: 260-4737, 661-0019

One gardener/ handyman to work at Parika E.B.E Contact: 697-3846.

1 - Four bedrooms house with all modern conveniences, semi-furnished - $300,000 monthly, Happy Acres – Tel: 231-7839 (working hours) 2 Bedroom bottom flat self contained at 270 Grove Housing Scheme E.B.D Call: 686-1663

Dolly’s Car Rental - Call: 225-7126/ 226-3693 dollys autorental@yahoo.com/ www.dolly sautorental.com

Aidan’s Car Rental, Canter & Pickup - Call: 645-7981/ 698-7807

Rooms - Tel:225-9223

Furnished and unfurnished two bedrooms apartment in Eccles, for short or long term Tel: 643-1131

CAR RENTAL

1- AT 192 Carina (Private) automatic, fully powered, mags, A/C - price$1.1M Contact Rocky:225-1400

TWO BEDROOM APARTMENT in Charity Housing Scheme – Contact: 771-4180, 687-5814 Furnished executive one or two-bedroom suite in Diamond.

Ideal for foreigners. Call 609-2466

From Page 62

Model ‘M’ Truck Driver to driver into interior must be sober headed & ability to service truck & trustworthy Call: 226-9492 One AB Dick Operator – Call: 269-0044, 269-1274

Experienced workers for interior: Pitt, marack & jet men, please contact:600-7344 between the hours of 8am & 2pm, Monday – Friday Attractive Live-in waitresscall:228-5129/604-8277 Female Cleaner for Yard work, 2 references are required – Call: 226-9492 Pacific Development Inc – Looking to buy empty lands in all areas. Contact 2278274, 223-6035 General domestic maid at Lot 8A Eccles Public Road, E.B.D - 233-2408 or 233-2631 One experienced welder; must have knowledge about grill work & able to work with limited supervision. Call 613-3879 Land to buy in La Parfaite Harmonie, Eccles, Herstelling & all low income land. Call: 675-7292, 218-5591 One nail technician & hairdressers to work in salon also station to rent weekly – Contact: 677-2219, 699-7043, 231-1787 Roti/Puri Cook, pastry maker, counter servers, handy boy- Apply @ Hack’s Halaal, 5 Commerce St. Male and Female – 18-25yrs to work in a Window Factory.

Applicant from the East Bank only.Telephone #600-5253

Page 64

Kaieteur News

Sunday May 18, 2014

US Judge orders New GPC to answer KN The New Guyana Pharmaceutical Corporation (GPC) case against the Kaieteur News in New York continues to crumble as the Judge this past week denied a petition to present requested documents confidentially.

New GPC owned by Dr Ranjisinghi ‘Bobby’ Ramroop, has also been ordered by the New York Court Judge to present the documents requested within 20 days.

The ruling came on Friday last by Judge Joan Kenney.

New GPC was asked to, among other things, prove that as a result of the publications by this newspaper, sales to overseas clients plummeted.

Lawyers for Kaieteur News asked Ray Beckerman, the lawyer for the New GPC, to set forth the names, addresses and contact information of those customers with whom plaintiffs relationships have been seriously injured and prejudiced as alleged.

The company had alleged that since the publication of articles by Kaieteur News

New GPC had lost markets internationally.

Beckerman replied, “Until such time as an appropriate and sufficient confidentiality order has been entered it would be impossible to respond to this question.

“Customers are apprehensive of coming forward with information because they fear being victimized and harmed by the nefarious owner and principal of Kaieteur News, Glen (sic) Lall.

“Customers also worry about being denigrated in Kaieteur News…”

The Kaieteur News lawyers’ next step, if GPC fails to answer this and other pertinent questions about the operations, will be to request that the Judge dismiss the case.

Judge Kenny found that Ramroop’s company had been non-responsive to demands by lawyers for Kaieteur News and orders that the pharmaceutical company must comply with the conditional ruling.

To many of the questions in the deposition to New GPC, lawyer Ray Beckerman,

Dr Ranjisinghi ‘Bobby’ Ramroop declined to answer.

He has now been forced to answer the questions in the interrogatories within 20 days.

Ramroop’s attempt to have the information provided confidentially was not encouraged. James Sullivan, one of the lawyers representing Kaieteur News, had objected to any confidentiality clause being applied to the case.

Publisher of Kaieteur News Glenn Lall had earlier this year said that he could not help but note that

everything from the government side, and now even from people closely linked to people in the government, seems to attract a confidentiality clause.

New GPC had submitted to the court a claim, as though it had already proved its case.

But in a preliminary ruling, Judge Kenney, pointed out that New GPC argues that it satisfied the elements of libel per se, and that Kaieteur News (KN) failed to assert the truth of its statements as an affirmative defense, thereby precluding this newspaper

from raising this defense.

This publication countered that New GPC must satisfy its burden of proving the falsity of the alleged defamatory statements, because it is a media defendant that made statements of public concern, and that New GPC fails to make a prima facie showing on this element of its claim.

New GPC submitted the affidavit of its former Corporate Secretary, Paul Stanislaus Braam, who claims that the statements published

by KN are “false, fictitious and misleading.”

Braam claimed that New GPC paid less than the amounts claimed by KN. He identified specific prices that New GPC allegedly paid for certain pharmaceutical products that are significantly less than the prices paid by the Guyanese government, as reported in KN’s articles.

New GPC however failed to substantiate this claim.

The Judge had noted, “Braam fails to submit any documentary evidence substantiating Braam’s conclusory statements. For instance, New GPC fails to submit invoices, bank statements, or evidence of prevailing market rates for the pharmaceuticals, to support

the conclusion that KNI’s statements were false.

“Nor does New GPC make any showing of gross irresponsibility concerning KNI’s published statements,” Judge Kenney noted.

“Accordingly, New GPC fails to make a prima facie showing,” she added.

The judge said that the defamatory statements alleged by New GPC do not constitute “mere gossip” and they are not “directed only to a limited, private audience,” which would support the conclusion that they involve a “purely private concern.”

“Rather, the statements involve New GPC’s alleged collusion with the Guyanese government, and the use of “taxpayer” funds to subsidize New GPC’s alleged pricegouging scheme thereby clearly relating to matters of “political, social, or other concern of the community.”

The matter dealt “with a subject of public business and concern,” where it involved State funds.

New GPC was to supply its various invoices, bank statements, contracts with the Guyana Government and accounts of the various drug transactions it made with the Guyana Government but it has not.

Sunday May 18, 2014

Kaieteur News

Page 65

Page 66

Kaieteur News

Sunday May 18, 2014

More bad news for Cudjoe family, Jaedon ‘s grandpa charged

Grieving father Fergus Cudjoe recalls the last time he saw his son, baby Jaedon (inset), alive as his fiance Masika Wharwood wipes away a tear during an interview at their Aquat Village, Quinam Road, Penal home Friday. PHOTO;RISHI RAGOONATH Trinidad Guardian - The grandfather of baby Jaedon Cudjoe will be charged with manslaughter.

Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions (South) Joan Honore-Paul gave instructions to investigators to charge 56-year-old Jerricho Cudjoe with the indictable offence Friday.

The man, who is said to be depressed and inconsolable over the child’s death, was expected to be charged last evening.

Contacted Friday, Cudjoe’s son, baby Jaedon’s father Fergus, said he was not aware that charges had been laid. He said, however, that he would go to the Penal Police Station to speak with his father.

The grandfather is accused of causing the unlawful death of the 17month-old child on Tuesday.

Jaedon was found dead in the back seat of his grandfather’s Nissan Cefiro, which was parked in the carpark at the Penal installation of Petrotrin, where he works. The grandfather, who lives at Aquat Village, Quinam, Siparia, was supposed to drop the child off at his babysitter’s home in Siparia on Tuesday morning.

Instead, he drove straight to his workplace at Petrotrin’s Penal compound and left the

child in the closed car. He discovered the child dead when he returned to the car after finishing work, at 4.30 pm.

An autopsy by forensic pathologist Dr Valery Alexandrov on Wednesday showed Jaedon died from hyperthermia, caused by the intense heat he experienced in the car, where he had survived for two hours.

Although the charge is a bailable offence, investigators said the grandfather will have to apply for bail before the court. He will thus remain in police custody until Monday, when he will be taken before the Siparia Magistrates Court to answer the charge. WPC Callendar of Southern Division Homicide is expected to charge the grandfather.

Family wants grandpa at funeral Yesterday, Jaedon was laid to rest after the funeral at the St Dominic’s RC Church in Penal, a stone’s throw from where he was found dead.

Friday, Fergus, in an interview with the T&T Guardian at the family’s Siparia home, said he did not want his father to be charged because he was suffering enough.

Fergus said he wanted his father to be home with the family, or at least be granted bail so he could attend the

funeral. Investigators said arrangements were being made to have the grandfather present at the funeral.

Fergus said relatives have been visiting his father at the Penal station and he had been receiving counselling.

He said his father told him he keeps feeling he is in a dream and he will wake up and baby Jaedon will be alive.

Fergus said the babysitter, who is his aunt, is also grieving and blaming herself for not calling to see if something was wrong when he was not brought to her home.

But he said she knew that if Jaedon was not dropped off it was because Fergus or his fiancee, Jaedon’s mother Masika Wharwood, was at home and had kept him. “That was the arrangement,” Cudjoe said.

Fergus admitted that he had a fear of sending his son to daycare after the son of one of his friends died at a daycare, and decided to let his aunt watch the baby.

Wharwood said her son was an angel and had come as a surprise to them. She said he was full of life and “even though he had a little time here, he made a big impact on everyone’s life.

Everyone loved him. His grandfather loved him, he was his world.”

Sunday May 18, 2014

Kaieteur News

Turkish mine disaster town under lockdown as death toll rises to 301 Miners rests in front of the coal mine in Soma, a district in Turkey’s western province of Manisa, after a coal mine explosion yesterday. REUTERS/ Osman Orsal

SOMA, Turkey (Reuters) - Turkish police put the mining town of Soma on virtual lockdown yesterday, setting up checkpoints and detaining dozens of people to enforce a ban on protests as rescue efforts following the country’s worst industrial disaster ended.

The last two bodies of workers thought still to have been left in the mine were carried out four days after a fire sent deadly carbon monoxide through it. That brought the death toll to 301, Energy Minister Taner Yildiz said.

Hundreds of riot police patrolled the streets while others checked identity cards at three checkpoints on the approach road to Soma, a Reuters witness said. The local governor banned protests in response to clashes a day earlier between police and several thousand demonstrators.

Eight lawyers from the Contemporary Jurists Association, including its leader, were handcuffed and detained during the lockdown on suspicion that they had gone to the town to take part in more protests, the private Dogan news agency reported.

A total of 36 people were arrested and taken to a sports center in the town where they chanted: “the pressure cannot intimidate us”, the agency said. The number of detentions could not immediately be confirmed.

Tuesday’s disaster has triggered protests across Turkey, aimed at mine owners accused of ignoring safety for profit, and at Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan’s government, seen as too close to industry bosses and insensitive in its response.

Erdogan has presided over a decade of rapid economic growth but worker safety standards have failed to keep pace, leaving Turkey with one of the world’s worst industrial accident records. The plant manager denied any negligence at the mine which was inspected by state officials every six months.

Demonstrators clashed with police in the western port city of Izmir overnight, some setting up makeshift barricades and throwing stones and fireworks aimed at the police, Hurriyet newspaper reported. Some 40 people were detained.

There were also protests in Istanbul. Some residents in the city banged pots and pans from their windows, an act which was a feature of last summer’s nationwide anti-government unrest.

The police intervention in Soma could add to public anger towards Erdogan. He has survived mass demonstrations and a corruption probe into his government over

the past year to remain Turkey’s dominant politician, but now risks alienating conservative, working-class voters that form his party’s base.

There was wide media coverage of footage apparently showing Erdogan slapping a man as locals jeered his entourage when he visited Soma this week. The man, Taner Kurucan, said Erdogan had slapped him and told Kanal D TV he was then beaten by the prime minister’s bodyguards.

His adviser Yalcin Akdogan accused “gang members” of provoking Erdogan’s team as he went to meet mourning families. Anger was intensified by a photograph of an Erdogan aide kicking a protester held down by police special forces.

A group of students at the Istanbul Technical University occupied the mining faculty on Friday evening in protest at links between the university and the company which operates the mine - Soma Holding, the private Dogan news agency reported.

They said they would continue their protest until various demands were met, including a guarantee that the university’s links with the company were cut and the resignation of an academic there who said those who die from carbon monoxide poisoning “died sweetly”. He has apologized for his comment.

A university official said it had ended its ties with the owners of Soma Holding, meeting one of the students demands, Dogan reported.

The mining company managers held a fractious news conference on Friday where they said an unexplained build-up of heat was thought to have led part of the mine to collapse, fanning a blaze which spread rapidly more than 2 km under the surface.

Erdogan’s opponents blame the government for privatizing leases at previously state-controlled mines, turning them over to politically connected businessmen who they say may have skimped on safety to maximize profit.

Questioned on links between Soma Holding executives and Erdogan’s ruling AK Party, a mine executive confirmed his wife was a local AK Party politician. Company chairman Alp Gurkan said he had never met the prime minister before this week.

The AK Party said the formerly state-run mine at Soma, 480 km (300 miles) southwest of Istanbul, had been inspected 11 times over the past five years. It denied any suggestion of loopholes in mining safety regulations.

Page 67

Page 68

Kaieteur News

Sunday May 18, 2014

Sunday May 18, 2014

Kaieteur News

Page 69

“West Indies captaincy will not be easy for Denesh Ramdin!”

Twenty nine last March 13, Denesh Ramdin’s ascendency to West Indies captaincy comes similarly to how Darren Sammy became team captain too.

Simply, right now, there is no-one else who can be comprehensively considered for that role! No one!

But, in Ramdin’s case, there is no doubt as to if he deserves his place in the team or not, ala Sammy. Denesh is easily the best wicket-keeper in the Caribbean now.

56 Tests, four centuries, 161 dismissals behind the stumps, Ramdin has the right experience in Tests to command respect and demand excellence, but his batting average in Tests,

27.25, must improve!

There were other considerations for the position.

Chris Gayle, 35 September next, is on his way out of Test cricket. Test No. 1 v NZ, at Sabina Park, his home ground in Kingston, next month, will be his 100th, so Gayle’s candidature would not have lasted more than a few tours.

Shiv Chanderpaul, 40 come August, has been there; done that; did not enjoy it. He would not want West Indies captaincy again.

Shiv is simply a thinking batting machine. Like Gayle, he too is on the downslope anyway.

Dwayne Bravo, 31 next October, will see more

appearances in the Test team, now that Sammy, as bowling all-rounder, and especially captain, will not be playing Tests anymore.

Bravo, though, will have to either put up or shut up for his Test place.

Only three other possible candidates existed - Kirk Edwards, Kraigg Brathwaite and Darren Bravo.

Two are young enough to take West Indies into the next decade and beyond, as required.

I would not be surprised if one of these succeed Ramdin whenever his tenure evaporates or expires.

Edwards, though, who will be 30 next November, just had a run-in with Barbados’

Sunday May 18, 2014 ARIES (March 21 - April 19): Don't let another person's small, thoughtless comment ruin your entire day, Aries.

People may be a bit stingy with everything from money to emotions to time spent with loved ones. The more you tell someone else that they're wrong, the more that person is going to reject your advice. ******************* TAURUS (April 20 - May 20): You may be feeling a bit tired and worn out lately, Taurus. Don't push yourself to do things when you know that your body needs rest. It could be extremely tempting to roll with the crowd and participate in all the fun. ****************** GEMINI (May 21 - June 20): Don't fritter away your time with a person who isn't going to change his or her mind about something, Gemini. ******************** CANCER (June 21 - July 22): More than likely there is a person in your world who desperately wants to get closer to you, Cancer. Conflict is apt to arise tonight if you don't open up and let this person in a bit closer. ********************* LEO (July 23 - Aug. 22): It may be easy for you to show up at a party or answer the phone when you know that it's your best friend calling with good news, but where are you when the going gets rough, Leo? ******************* VIRGO (Aug. 23 - Sept.

22): Realize that your inner state of mind is quite apparent to people just by the look on your face, Virgo.from others, especially today.

LIBRA (Sept. 23 - Oct. 22): Your opinions are apt to be strong today and you may feel on top of the world, Libra. ********************* SCORPIO (Oct. 23 Nov. 21): TRealize that you may be controlling other people's actions without even consciously knowing it, Scorpio. ******************** SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22 - Dec. 21): Beware of unexpected circumstances today, Sagittarius. The good news is that your flexible attitude is perfectly suited to deal with the twists and turns that this day is likely to offer. .********************* CAPRICORN (Dec. 22 - Jan. 19): Come out of your shell today and try not to be so aloof, Capricorn. You will never find the exact path you want to be on until you explore the different options. ******************** AQUARIUS (Jan. 20 Feb. 18):You may be wondering why everyone is getting so touchy when you see this as being just a normal day, Aquarius. Cut other people some slack when you think they aren't wearing as big a smile as you are. ********************* PISCE S ( F e b . 1 9 March 20): It could be that you don't feel as if you can begin your day until you've made it clear to someone that you have an issue that needs to be dealt with, Pisces. You have a greater amount of emotional strength than usual, and you'll find that it's important that you hold on to this feeling against all odds.

cricket authorities during Caribbean’s 50 overs tournament in January last, and was promptly sent home for indiscipline. Despite that, he did somehow still manage to be selected to play against England in Antigua & Barbuda in ODI’s soon afterwards, only to fail miserably.

Edwards will have reform his cricket and himself, regain composure and confidence, making runs like Guyana’s proverbial rain, before he can even be considered for anything like captaincy.

Kraigg Brathwaite, 22 next December, is not a bad bet for the next skipper, post-Ramdin, as he has been allowed much scope by West Indies selectors to make runs and cement his place in the Test team.

Unfortunately, he is ultraslow at the crease, almost a stroke-less wonder. He has to work diligently on his production rate, now only 32%, to worry opposing teams.

Since Brathwaite has captained Barbados reasonably well, West Indies could have superimposed him into the captaincy position, as South Africa did with that other left-hander, the mighty Graeme Smith.

“Smithy” was also sent into the deep end as captain of South Africa at that exact age, and not only did he swim well with the sharks, but he managed to corral or destroy most of them too.

What a colossus Graeme Smith has been for South Africa!

If Brathwaite could put toget h e r e n t e r p r i s i n g , energetic, consistently big scores, with at least 50% strike-rate in Tests, then he could well be a West Indies f i x t u r e a n d n e x t Te s t captain after Ramdin.

Darren Bravo, only 25 now, is also one for the future.

Indeed, he should have been one for all of our present, commanding a place in every format for West

Colin E. H. Croft says:

Denesh Ramdin Indies. His last sojourn, to New Zealand last year, coupled with his complete collapse as a batsman in 2014’s regional four-day tournament, suggest that he has to restart, at ground zero, as regards his batting.

Only after consistent runmaking can Darren be considered for anything!

So, simply, it was Ramdin, by default, or no-one else!

Denesh has to be as aggressive in WI planning and production as he has been for T&T. While he has led his country relatively well but sporadically in 1st Class games, it has been more in the shortened formats that his home team had done well under his leadership.

This appointment will certainly be a massive challenge for Denesh, even if he is now more reliable and confident, especially with his

wicket-keeping skills much enhanced.

Unlike Clive Lloyd, who was given captaincy to India at almost exactly the same age, almost 30, in 1974/5, and had a nucleus of greats in his team – Roy Fredericks, Gordon Greenidge, Viv Richards, Alvin Kallicharran, Deryck Murray, Lance Gibbs and Andy Roberts – Ramdin has no such luxuries in his.

Denesh will have to use much more guile than Lloyd, Viv, even Richie Richardson, who had a handy pace attack - Curtly Ambrose, Courtney Walsh, Ian Bishop, Patrick Patterson, Winston and Kenny Benjamin.

It will be tougher for Ramdin, as he has no such bowling attack to rely on, even if Sunil Narine, Jason Holder, Jerome Taylor and Miguel Cummings might be called up, for bowlers win m a t c h e s , b a t s m e n s ave them!

But if anyone can do well, inspire his team, as captain in this present atmosphere of West Indies cricket, then Denesh Ramdin can, especially with his tenacity and tastes for success!

Page 70

Kaieteur News

Sunday May 18, 2014

Letter to the Sports Editor

Neil Kumar responds to Nigel Hinds DEAR EDITOR, I wish to respond to an article entitled, ‘Simply unacceptable!’ published in the Stabroek News daily of Wednesday, May 14, 2014.

While it is not my intention to delve into your entire lengthy article, it is imperative and necessary that I make the following observations.

It must be accepted that over the years until 2014 basketball in Guyana was at its lowest ebb and no one must ever attempt to doubt or argue that. Nothing was done for the development of basketball by the Guyana Amateur Basketball Federation.

Repeated discussions/meetings were held with the then Presidents the late Godwin McPherson and David Patterson and their officials to encourage the bringing back of Basketball to its glorious days of the past.

Somehow, the initiative and drive were not evident.

Something had to be done

to rescue the rapid decline of Basketball, especially at the youth and school level.

Youth basketball Guyana must be applauded for successfully taking on that responsibility which indeed is one of the mandates of Guyana Amateur Basketball Federation. The Inter Guiana Games are International sports competitions among students of 19 years and under, who must be attending school or an educational institution. The Games are officially held among French Guiana, Suriname and Guyana. Correctly, the IGG comprise of eight and not seven disciplines as is mentioned. Chess is an official discipline of the Inter Guiana Games.

All national associations/ federations are always invited to the first meeting of the IGG for, among other things, the establishing of the IGG committee for the year (two legs of the game).

The organizing committee

of the IGG co-ordinates and manages the process of the IGG guided by a Protocol of Agreement of General Rules and Regulations for the organising of the IGG. Unless the Protocol of the IGG is read, studied and understood, then the position taken by the GABF will not be avoided.

Both the late McPherson and immediate past President Mr. David Patterson recognized and accepted that the GABF at the time hadn’t the capacity to organize and prepare the IGG teams. The YGB was brought onboard and was accepted by both gentlemen as they served in office. Again it is dishonest and unfair for it to be publically said that GABF is the only national body not invited to participate. Where ever a National Association/ Federation is unable to prepare teams, alternative measures are put in place to ensure, in the interest of IGG, Guyana participates in the respective discipline(s). If

Inga Henry appointed GBL Vice President with responsibility for Softball The Guyana Baseball League has followed up its commitment made by Robin Singh at the World Baseball Softball Congress in Africa, held in Hammamet, Tunisia to create a Softball division; to this end the GBL has appointed Ms. Inga Henry Vice-President with responsibility for Softball.

In accepting the position and attendant responsibilities, Ms. Henry stated, “I speak on behalf of the Ministry of Education/ Unit of Allied Arts Physical Education Department and Myself in saying that we are in full support of the initiative taken by you personally as well as the rest of the league members in bringing this sport to Guyana. I would be very pleased to continue supporting this initiative and do everything in my power to ensure that school children of all ages across Guyana not only hear of but experience the thrills, excitement and success that both Baseball and Softball are known to bring. While this sport is still in its budding phase here in Guyana, it is evident the amount of work that has already been put in by you and your team and I am honored to be of service to the organization and the children of Guyana.

I personally have always been very active and though,

growing up in a very rural area limited my access to other sports besides Cricket, it was the sport that I first fell in with and incidentally the sport that led me to Baseball/ Softball which I chose as my specialty during my 5 years in Cuba pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree in Physical Education and Sport. While most persons close to me thought I was crazy for choosing a sport that was not even heard of my most of our citizens, my love for the sport and a dream of one day teaching it to Guyanese boys and girls, motivated me to drown out the negative voice and follow my heart. So I must thank you for doing the hard work and making my dream a reality. Now let’s work together to give our children something else to dream about and make a reality.

It is extremely important that we send the message to our children that sport is not an alternative to academics, when merged strategically, they contribute to the holistic development of the individual, multifaceted, healthy, happy and wealthy (not only in the financial sense if the word).As a teacher in my earlier years at the Corentyne Comprehensive High school, I had the most amazing experiences with my students because even for

my history and English lessons, I took my pupils outside, Physical Education was not on the timetable then but recognizing the need to be active allowed me to find innovative ways of teaching concepts.”

MS. Henry is as a Physical Education Officer responsible for monitoring the Implementation the Physical Education Curriculum in schools among other PE and Sport related functions in the PE Department Unit of Allied Arts, Ministry of Education.

A teacher by profession she has also represented Guyana at the Regional Women’s 50 over tournament in 2002, the following year she nominated for a Physical Education and Sports scholarship at the International School for Physical Education and Sport in Havana Cuba.

President of the GBL Robin Singh, thanked Ms. Henry for her services to date and noted, “It is great to see the growth of people within our organization, Inga is thirty two years old and has an opportunity to make a massive impact on the development of our nation’s youth, her life story is in itself inspiring and now she has the platform and the backing of the GBL and International Softball Federation to inspire others.”

GABF and Sports Scope had taken the time to do proper investigations, then it would have been revealed that GABF is not the only Association/Federation not preparing teams for the IGG. In a letter under the pen of Mr. Nigel Hinds, President of GABF addressed to the Director of Sport, dated May 09, 2014, he states reasons for its disapproval and objection for the involvement of the YBG as it relates to the preparation of the IGG Basketball teams.

I must state accordingly: REASON 2 The NSC is very happy to learn of the GABF’s capacity to organise and manage the IGG. REASON 12 The YBG over the long years have enjoyed overwhelming support and sponsorship from many large corporate entities. 2014 was even more encouraging.

While Guyana Amateur Basketball Federation is so discredited that sponsors do not want to support them because they are not accountable and transparent as their history would confirm.

REASON 14 The National Associations/Federations are aware that they are responsible for the preparation of their IGG teams.

Never does the NSC totally provide funding for such preparations. The NSC assists where and when it is necessary.

REASON 16 Funds are never budgeted for individual sports of the IGG. Actually an IGG budget

is prepared for approval under the following heads.

1. Accommodation 2. Transportation 3. Refreshment and meals 4. Field Materials and Supplies 5. O t h e r Administrative Changes The NSC has never, and has no intention of being disrespectful to the National Associations/Federations including GABF. Rather it is the function of the NSC to promote sports and its organization by all available methods.

The NSC is willing to sit and discuss with the GABF and YBG the issue of the future of the IGG Basketball.

I wish at this point to clearly state that GABF cannot dictate for the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport/National Sports Commission.

I wish also to state the following: 1. The MCYS/NSC has not given the GABF any such mandate for the IGG basketball teams.

We have asked the GABF to provide referees and officials and give support to an already established process. The Games are coordinated and managed by the IGG Committee.

The NSC decides on the process it uses for each discipline.

2. The National Sports Commission and Youth Basketball Guyana-National School Basketball Festival now in its ninth year, has been the process since 2006, used for basketball. This process was accepted by both the

McPherson and Mr. David Patterson administration.

There is no other system in place at the school levels that provides such an expansive and extensive platform for our students to participate in basketball.

The NSBF provides a fair an open process for all eligible student basketball players.It is a proven and tested process.

Case in point: Guyana females are IGG defending champions.

3. The NSC condemns this imposition by the GABF of randomly hand picking players who may not be eligible according to the IGG protocol on the grounds of age and/or academic status of students. We further think that this approach is counterproductive to developing a strong foundation for student participation at the schools level and would prove destructive in the long term.

4. If the GABF is serious about our students’ development, it will first develop a system to foster such development at the schools level.

Until then the current process will remain in place.The NSC will continue to work with all National Sports Associations/ Federations for the further development in sport. However, we highly appreciate the efforts of Civil Society, Organisations and persons who are making genuine efforts to help in the process of development.

The NSC looks forward to continue working with all and sundry for peace, unity and the realization of our athletes’ full potential.

Neil Kumar Director of Sport

Come next month, June 2014, the West Indies Cricket team will host New Zealand for three test matches. Today Kaieteur Sports and Statistician Charwayne Walker looks back at New Zealand first tour to the Caribbean in 1972, starting with the first match. West Indies led by the legendary Garry Sobers failed to win any of the five test matches.

Strange enough the series ended in a stalemate with every match ending in a drawn. First Test Sabina Park was drawn. West Indies first innings 508 for 4 declared debutant Lawrence Rowe 214, Roy Fredericks 163, Michael Joey Carew 43. Bowling for

New Zealand, H.J. Howarth took 2 for 108 from 44 overs.

New Zealand first innings 386 all out, Glenn Turner 223, K.J. Wadsworth 78; Bowling for West Indies, Grayson Shillingford took 3 for 63 from 26.5 overs, Uton Dow 3 for 75 from 29 overs, David Holford 2 for 64 from 44 overs, Lance Gibbs 2 for 94 from 45 overs.

West Indies second innings 218 for 5 declared, debutant Lawrence Rowe 100 Not out, Charlie Davis 41, Roy Fredericks 33. Brian Congdan took 2 for 45. New Zealand second innings 236 for 6, M.G. Burgess 101, K.J. Wadsworth 36 not out, David Holford took 4 for 55 from 33 overs.

Lawrence Rowe (ESPNcricinfo)

New Zealand’s first tour to Caribbean 1972

Sunday May 18, 2014

Kaieteur News

Page 71

The Sports Hall belongs to Guyanese Horseracing set for Port Mourant

By Edison Jefford Turf Club on Sunday May 25th The Cliff Anderson Sports Hall was initially constructed as the premier indoor facility for multi-sports practice and competition. It was not intended for the slaying of wild animals or the storage of personal paraphernalia for Government officials.

But unfortunately, decades after the facility was built to serve sport, it is being promulgated as a tool for hegemonic control. The locking out, debarring, and now limited access of the national basketball teams preparing for the Caribbean Championship deserves widespread condemnation from all stakeholders.

The Cliff Anderson Sports Hall does not belong to Director of Sport, Neil Kumar, or to the National Sports Commission (NSC). It belongs to all relevant indoor sports for which it was built and more importantly, it belongs to all tax-paying Guyanese.

There were three distinct recent occurrences that bring into focus serious mismanagement of the facility, which regrettably falls under the purview of the NSC– an arm of the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport.

The first deterrent was the slaying of goats for the alleged wedding of Kumar’s son. Can you imagine, for one second, Madison Square Garden being transformed to an abattoir to facilitate a private function for Rudolph Giuliani? The former Mayor of New York City would have been asked to demit office immediately (if the thought had even developed into action). But in Guyana, the country’s lone indoor facility was a storage place of carcass for a private function of Government official.

That official has a history of misusing the facility.

Kaieteur Sport was privy to a private room at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall that is used as a storeroom for Kumar. It contains enough sport equipment to distribute to at least five schools in Georgetown. But instead,

Neil Kumar

Nigel Hinds

these things are lying in a room at the Sports Hall to rot.

Among these items are personal paraphernalia of the long-standing Director of Sport. There is no doubt that Kumar runs the facility as if it is his private space. The next two issues will solidify an incrementing belief that Kumar acts like he owns the Sports Hall.

During a mega basketball event a few weeks ago at the facility there was a power outage, which is also known as a ‘blackout’. This event was a fundraising event to help send Guyana’s national teams to the Caribbean Championships in the British Virgin Islands in July.

However, backward and morbid it might have been, Guyanese are used to blackouts. So, some of the patrons stuck around, waiting on the massive backup power engines just outside the western wall of the venue to restore lights to the facility in the midst of a major game. It never happened; the engines never came on, forcing several patrons to leave the venue.

The Sports Hall has a fulltime manager, Bashur Khan, who is always in or around the facility, especially during major events. If Khan was there and could not get the generator working in a prompt manner, he perhaps received certain instructions.

Khan reports directly to Kumar. The only other imaginable reasons the new generator would not work is

as a result of an absence of fuel or a mechanical failure. If the latter two are true, taxpayers dollars were again spent on a ‘white elephant’.

The third occurrence was the inhumane treatment of Guyana’s national basketball prospects with them being locked out of the facility, barring them from a practice session. Whatever the modalities of securing practice time at the venue, a national team should never have been made to endure such treatment as representatives of Guyana.

Kaieteur Sports reported on Friday that Kumar had to be telephoned to return normalcy and the Guyana Amateur Basketball Federation (GABF) has to pay for practice time at the venue.

Where in the world is a national unit treated with such denigration?

Someone needs to remind Kumar that he does not own the Sports Hall and that it belongs to the people of Guyana who pay taxes. Sport associations and stakeholders must enforce a collective will on the Director of Sport, which reminds him of the real purpose of the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.

The venue is there to serve sport, which in so many other parts of the world is a bridge that connects political and racial divides. But not in Guyana! After all, Guyana is unique in so many estranged ways that our national sport culture is perhaps extinct.

Rededication ceremony set for Burnham Park today President Donald Ramoutar is expected to be the chief celebrant in the rededication ceremony of the once famous Burnham Park set for today in New Amsterdam, Berbice. After being dormant and neglected for a number of years the facility, which was once one of the premiere sporting venues in Guyana, had some rehabilitation work done at the venue. The $7M project saw a bleacher (63x26) with eight platforms being constructed. Toilet

facilities with a reservoir were also built. Excavation of the drains, some land filling and fencing were also done. Apart from PresidentRamoutar,otherdignitaries includingRegionalChairmanDavid ArmoganandMayorClaudeHenry are also expected to attend and give speeches. Burnham Park, which was named after the late founder leader Linden Forbes Sampson Burnham, sits on approximately 10 acres of land on the outskirt of the New Amsterdam/ Fort Canje area. The

famous ground, which is one of the few that holds a 400M track comfortably, was where a number of famous Berbice and Guyana national players honed their skills including the Alphonsos, the Humphreys, the Fords, the Samuels, the Inniss and many more. Athletics, cycling, motorcycle, car and a number of other sporting and cultural activities were also held at the venue. Famous groups like Third World also visited the venue to exhibit their talent.

Horseracing is set to continue on Sunday 25th May when the Port Mourant Turf in collaboration with Jumbo Jet Auto Sales and Racing stable stages a grand one day meet at the club’s entity Port Mourant, Corentyne Berbice.

Seven races are set for the day with over $6 M in cash, trophies and other incentives up for grabs. The feature event will be for horses classified D3 and Lower over 1500M for a hefty winners money of $1M and trophy.

The race for Three-YearOld Guyana and West Indies bred horses has a winning pocket of $600,000 and is over 1200 M. There is a race for Four-Year-old animals bred and born in Guyana and the

West Indies also over 1500 M for a top prize of $500,000.

The horses classified G3 and lower will be racing for a first prize of $400,000 over 1000 M. Animals classified H1 and Lower have at stake a top prize of $300,000, to aim for in another 1000 M clash.

The ‘I 1’ and Lower race is a 1000 M event and will see the winner taking home a winning stake of $250,000.

The final event is for animals classified J and Lower over 1000 M for a winning take of $200,000. All the winners will also receive trophies.

The race will be run under the rules of the Guyana Horse Racing Authority (GHRA).

There are also stating that

five horses must start a race before third prizes will be paid and that Seven horses must start before any fourth prize will be paid.

Entries were expected to be closed yesterday and no late entries will be accepted.

For more information and entry details interesting persons can cont a c t Chandu Ramkissoon on telephone number 6249063/232-0633, Kris Jagdeo on numbers 6246123/ 322-0369, Rajendra (Jim-Jo) Jagdeo on 618-7278, Ramnauth on numbers 3375311 / 697-1979, Sancho on 690-0569 or Romell Jagroop on number 624-1798. Race time is 12:30hrs.

(Samuel Whyte)

Absence of lighting at Woolford Avenue facility ends exhibition contest

From Left Mr. Albert Razick, Umpire Dr. Steve Surujbally and Mr. Godfrey Lowden The absence of lighting fixtures swiftly dulled the crisp cool sunny afternoon which was perfect for the enthusiastic spectators who showed up to watch the Tennis Association’s Men’s Over-35 exhibition duel between Berbician Champion Godfrey Lowden and US Diplomat Albert Razick. It was an unacceptable ending to a great matchup of two seasoned tennis players whose skills were clearly evenly matched throughout the two hour battle.

The match ended abruptly at nightfall in a tie with Lowden taking the first set 7-5 and Razick clinching the second set also at 7-5.

Both players amicably agreed to forfeit the deciding third set in the absence of light.

Razick won the toss and decided to open serve which was fruitful giving him an immediate 3-0 advantage against his opponent. The turning point for Lowden came on his second service

game when he closed off his game at love and stepping on the gas to tie the game at 3-3.

The American maintained an effective serve which helped secure a 5-4 lead, but the veteran Guyanese player showed excellent reflexes in his volleying skills that gave him the following 3 games to close the set at 7-5.

The second set was as exciting as the first one with passion, determination and endurance. At 2-2 both players had their service game broken. The players held their service games, eventually bringing the game to 5-5 much to the delight of the spectators. Razick lost his opportunity to go 6-5 after losing a set point earlier and finally breaking Lowden’s serve to secure the set at 7-5.

At the brief closing ceremony, an elated Razick said, “It was a good match and I am happy that it did not end 6-love.”

President of the Tennis Association, Grace

McCalman thanked Dr. Steve Surujbally for his assistance with coordinating and umpiring the match. She also thanked the spectators and promised that this is the first of many exhibition matches in a bid to create more interest in the sport especially in preparation for tennis’s Inter Guyana Games which is to be hosted in Guyana during late October this year. “But not without an early rematch of this fantastic match, so stay tuned,” she said.

Sean Richmond, member of the National Sports Commission, represented the Director of Sports as a spectator. She thanked Mr. Richmond for his presence to witness the environmental shortcomings in which tennis is expected to be developed to its fullest potential. She continued to make a plea to the Ministry for the facility to be upgraded to a standard to be able to maximize its usage and to encourage renewed international interest.

Page 72

Kaieteur News

Sunday May 18, 2014

Cricket bill will create more chaos

Last Thursday the Government of Guyana with support for the main opposition party APNU, successfully passed a piece of legislation called the “Cricket Administration Bill.”

The Bill was opposed by the Alliance for Change (AFC), with Mr. Khemraj Ramjattan arguing against its passage.

Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports, Dr. Frank Anthony in presenting the Bill informed the House that the enactment of this bill is likely to solve many issues surrounding the national game. He also stated that similar pieces of legislation were enacted in Barbados and Trinidad.

It appeared as though not many in the cricketing and legal fraternity agree with Minister Anthony and the Attorney General Anil Nandlall that the Guyana “Cricket Administration Bill,” is in any way, similar or can be compared to the pieces of legislation that incorporated the Barbados Cricket Association and the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board.

Kaieteur Sport has seen those pieces of two- page legislation and they merely, by an act of parliament, incorporate the entities that existed. Those entities retained its autonomy with its own rules and constitutions to govern, which can be changed by its membership and provides for continuity.

One the other hand, the Guyana Cricket Administration seeks to disband and dissolve the existing GCB and replace it with a new entity. The Bill also seizes all the assets of the GCB and vested them in the new entity. This, according to the legal minds constitutes seizure without compensation, possibly generating yet another cause to go to court.

Many would recall that the

- Numerous Flaws Identified Minister of Sports and the Attorney General had filed court proceedings claiming the assets of the GCB under a principle of “Bona Vacantia” or ownerless property, the CCJ subsequently ruled that an unincorporated entity can own property. Many would have assumed that this should have brought an end to the matter and the government would have accepted that its reliance on Chief Justice Ian Chang “Orbiter Dicta” comments and ruling in the Angela Hanif matter would have been finally settled.

The action by the Attorney General and Minister of Sports also apparently reached a roadblock after they discovered that the GCB had established a commercial arm called DEB Essential Inc into which all of its assets were vested. It is now known that WICB, under their new structure to establish Territorial Boards as Franchises, has instructed all its Members to do like Guyana and establish commercial entities. The GCB Administrators may have been ahead of the game.

The result of the Cricket Administration Bill been enacted would be that all the relief sought by the Government, through the Courts, have been realized by the passage of this Bill.

Also, the court battles would be far from over as the GCB had sought to block the Bill by filing a 300 page court action against the Attorney General Anil Nandlall, Minister of Sports Frank Anthony and Speaker of the National Assembly Hon Raphael Trotman. Many legal minds thought that the action was premature but can now be brought, or should be brought when the Bill is

assentedought when the Bill is _la Hanif matter would have been finally settled.the government would have accepted that its reli to by the President.

In perusing the Bill, Kaieteur Sport observed some simple but significant inaccuracies in the Bill.

For example, the GCB constitution appended to the Bill is not the one being used by the GCB and its membership, currently or previously, but one produced by the Government’s IMC and is riddled with inaccuracies. The body of the Bill stipulates that a quorum for a general meeting required 14 delegates yet the appended constitution states that a quorum must be a total of 15 delegates from two counties.

The Bill also states that the ombudsman shall be the returning officer for all elections, yet the appended constitution states a process for appointment of a Returning officer at the October OGM annually.

Significant also, is that the Bill makes ‘Upper Demerara’ (Linden) a full member of the DCB and a new DCB constitution, not approved by its membership, is appended to the bill however on Page 11 Article 11 (a) of the bill States “ every office established under the Constitution, rules, regulations and by laws of a former County Board shall continue to exist on and after the commencement of this Act, subject to the right of a county board to make amendments thereto as may be necessary”.

Demerara may very well find themselves interpreting two constitutions and Articles within the Body of the bill to find answers. Pure chaos!!

The most glaring of all the discrepancies is, while all of the newly formed county boards can amend their constitutions from time to time, the new GCB cannot!! What will happen when the WICB mandates changes or structural changes are required

GFF Presidency placed under...

From page 73 statement during the last congress.

Mr Dover also has some grouses and he accuses the GFF administration of stifling the development of the coaches. “There has been no training programs or seminars organized for the coaches locally,” bemoaned Dover. He said that GFF Development Officer, Lyndon France and East Demerara Football Association 1st Vice President, Sheron Abrams, had gone to Mexico and Aruba respectively on such programmes but Mr. Mathias has not seen it fit to reach out to the local

coaches with similar initiatives. “We have not even received the most basic assistance and only recently Matthias has distributed gears to some of the associations but we have once again been overlooked,” lamented Dover. He also said that his entity had prepared a document stating their objectives while identifying initiatives for the way forward but has never received even an acknowledgement much less support.

Odinga was disturbed that the GFF President would secretly record private conversations with his subordinates

and then attempt to besmirch them afterwards. He labelled this act as woefully unprofessional.

Otherwise, Lumumba said that his colleagues have not given up but have left the door open for meaningful resolution to the issue. “The last Congress (April month end) was ended prematurely without addressing the entire agenda and Matthias has agreed to reconvene in 45 days to address the issue in totality,” reminded Lumumba.

The GFA General Secretary said that he has left a door open to facilitate a meaningful resolution to the impasse.

Dr Frank Anthony

Anand Sanasie

by the WICB, as is currently ongoing?

FINANCING It is important to note that while the bill speaks of Accountability from the GCB and all the County Boards, at no point does the bill state what would be the Government financial contribution, if any, to cricket and cricket development which is always a burning issue. In fact, it appears as though the GCB would have to account to parliament on how it spends funding received from the WICB. Mr. Anand Kalladeen told Kaieteur Sport that the GCB Audited financial statements have been done every year for the past Twenty (20) years and is up to date as of year ending 30th October 2013. Kalladeen boasted that “The Minister of Sports Frank Anthony and Attorney GeneralAnil Nandlall armed with court orders, Police and a truck

collected all of the GCB financial records and kept it for over a year but found no irregularity. The documents were quietly returned late last year, yet Mr. Nandlall continues to make allegations”. In an invited Comment Secretary of the GCB Anand Sanasie, stated, “I am happy that the two major parties in Parliament have finally agreed to something. Now that the Bill has passed I hope our legislators, especially those on the select committee that reviewed this Bill can get some time to actually read it and not take the word of our Attorney General, we all know that he has vested interests.”

Sanasie further stated that the GCB should comply with the Laws of the Land, regardless of how faulty it may be. When questioned about WICB reaction and possible sanctions, he said “The

WICB will have to speak for itself, from my understanding that will be done when the Bill becomes law”.

President of the WICB, Mr. Dave Cameron, had previously stated in a letter to Guyana’s Parliament that “While we note that progress has been made in attempting to curtail Government’s involvement in the Administration of the game, we must point out that this lingering issue is critical and dissolution of the GCB and its membership cannot be supported by the WICB”.

On the matter of dissolution Cameron went on to state,”The WICB notes with appreciation that the drafters have refrained from classifying the matter as dissolution, but the WICB takes the view that it is tantamount to one as the new dispensation has not, to the WICB’s knowledge, been approved by the shareholders and Members of the existing GCB. This matter, coupled with the pending legal matters leave us with little option but to reserve our position specifically in respect of the shares in the WICB which were issued to the existing GCB”. As leader of the Alliance for Change argued in Parliament, this may be a problem for cricket now but what next? Basketball!

Football!

From all indications, this is yet another saga in cricket, parliament and the court.

All set for Kennard Memorial Turf Club Pre-Independence horserace meet today With all the necessary changes finalized all roads lead to the Kennard Memorial Turf Club (KMTC) today for that entity’s annual PreIndependence one day horserace meet at Bush Lot Farm, Corentyne Berbice.

The club, which is known for its excellent facilities, is in the best of conditions at the moment and a grand day of racing is anticipated. With some changes made to the day’s programme, six races are still on the day’s card which will see some 60 horses taking part and prize monies totaling close to $4M up for grabs. The feature event is for animals classified D 1and lower over one mile for the $500,000 first prize and trophy.

Among those expected to take part are Treacle, Fresh Again, Run Nana Run, California Strike, Some Legend, Red and Lovely, Work Force, Young Elite, City Tune and Quiet Stormy.

The G1 and lower has

horses such as Quiet Strom, Wild Grinder, Princess Page, Another Jet, Bridal Stone Corner, Work Force, Flying Baby, Cat Messiah, Silent Night, Rock Sonia, Red Cloud and I Get another competing for the $300,000 and trophy over 6F. The other animals entered for the I and J class races are - Iron man, Mary Ann, Bunny Signs, Triple, Key for the Killer, Swift Way, Nobre Import, Royal Cash, Little, Funny Side, Famous Pride, Party Time, Prince Bayaya, Speed Vision, lady Secret, Smarty Light, Royal Intention, Windy Killer and De Gump, Apostle and Dance For Gold, Dynamite, Sugar Boy prince Stallion Cyrus Famous Pride, Pick Pocket, Famous Pride, Little Star, The road is Mine, Sunny Silence, Willie Up Town and Flying baby.

The race for the ‘I’ class animals carries a winning purse of $250,000 and trophy over 7 furlongs.

The event for J1 and lower horse has a winning take of $200,000 and trophy.

The J3 handicap event is for a winner ’s money of $150,000 and trophy over 6 furlongs.

The final event on the day is for animals classified J3 and lower with a winning purse of $150,000 and trophy.

The outstanding jockeys, trainer and stable will all received trophies and other accolades compliments of Ramesh Sunich of Trophy Stall, Bourda Market and the organisers.

For more information and clarification persons can still make contact with Justice Cecil Kennard on telephone numbers 226-1399, 225-4818 or 623-7609, club Secretary Niketa Ross on 662-4668, Roopnarine ‘Shine’ Matadial, 325-3192, Ivan Dipnarine 3310316, Isabella Beaton 6937812 or Dennis DeRoop 3253301 or 609-9143. Race time is 13:00 hrs. (Samuel Whyte)

Sunday May 18, 2014

Kaieteur News

Page 73

WIFSC names strong team

Nelson, Slowe named Coach and Manager

Following the conclusion of a successful We s t I n d i e s F u l l b o r e Shooting Championships at the Twickenham Ranges, Jamaica; the West Indies Fullbore Shooting Council named a strong 16-member team and two reserves to compete in International tournaments at any given

time.

Two females have also been included, Jamaican Karen Anderson who emerged as the top female during the championships and Barbadian Shellyann Hinds who is one of the two reserve shooters.

Guyana made a clean sweep of the top trophies,

retaining the Milex Long Range trophy whilst reclaiming the WIFBSC Short Range Cup from hosts, Jamaica. Lennox Braithwaite made it three times in as many years when he won the Individual Competition.

Jamaican, Major John Nelson was named Captain

with ACP Paul Slowe of Guyana appointed Manager of the team.

Following is the full list of shooters: (last name first) Name Country Braithwaite Lennox Guyana Gomez Norris T&T Rickman David Jamaica McNair

Wayne Jamaica Goodluck Ransford Guyana Perez Michael T&T Persaud Mahendra Guyana King Marlon Barbados Nunez Jose Jamaica Fields Dylan Guyana Perry Anderson Antigua Anderson Karen Jamaica Greenaway Thomas

Antigua Douglas Sigmund Guyana Ramalho Leo Guyana Yee-Sang Aubrey Jamaica Reserves Hinds Shellyann Barbados Ford Dwayne Jamaica Management Team Slowe Paul (Manager) Guyana Nelson John (Captain Jamaica

GFF Presidency placed under microscope as aggrieved affiliates convene Ever since former General Secretary of the Georgetown Football A s s o c i a t i o n ( G FA ) , Christopher Mathias, took over the reins of authority at the helm of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF), t h e r e h a s b e e n disgruntlement from major sections of the fraternity.

Now following closely on the heels of a failed no confidence motion recently, an aggrieved group consisting of executives and other members of the GFA have once again voiced their concerns on several issues that they feel could compromise the development of the sport.

Among those at a press conference held at the Waterchris Hotel to vent their views were President of the GFA, Vernon Burnette, Vice President of the GFF, Ivan Persaud, General Secretary of the GFA,

Alfred King Odinga Lumumba, President of the Woman’s Football A s s o c i a t i o n , Va n e s s a Dickenson, President of the Referee’s Council, Alfred King, President of the Coach’s Association, Wayne Dover, President of the East Bank Football Association (EBFA), Wayne Franscois and Public Relations Officer o f t h e E B FA , K e v i n

Odinga Lumumba

Christopher Mathias

Anthony.

King, the most vociferous of the group, tabled several of their concerns pertaining to the ineptitude of the GFF administration. He identified pertinent areas of concern including, financial mismanagement, poor governance and the absence of a structured programme

for football development among others.

T h e p e r s o n a l characteristics of the GFF President also came into question and the aggrieved affiliates labelled his actions as deceptive and dishonest.

They identified the trip to Zurich Switzerland when Matthias claimed that he had attended FIFA’s Congress

when in fact he failed to do so. The group said that he is still to account for the funds allocated for that trip. The non-participation of the local beach football team in the CONCACAF World Cup Qualifiers in the Bahamas last year also formed the basis of contention as the affiliates are demanding clarifications and explanation.

The footballers were denied an opportunity to participate in the tournament which attracted a fine from the governing body though Matthias has denied this.

Mr. King said that their actions are genuine and is basically an attempt to safeguard the constitution of football, compatible with FIFA’s minimum standards.

He said that the constitution documents the rights of affiliates and how those rights could be protected. He further said that the football fraternity has become disenchanted and has lost confidence in the leadership of the sport.

He zoomed in on the many bans and resignations that have riddled the administrative sector ever since Mr. Matthas has taken over the reins. “To my mind the administration has been weakened with no corrective action,” King pronounced.

He also pointed to the Bartica Football Association which was disbanded for an Interim Management Committee after Matthias had visited the Mining Community sometime last year and the Upper Demerara brouhaha where Vice President (GFF) and President of the Upper Demerara Football Association received lengthy bans. “All of these things constitute poor governance and contribute to a lack of confidence in the current state of leadership of the GFF,” contends Mr King.

A d d i t i o n a l l y, t h e disgruntled affiliates are concerned that the Matthias administration has not presented a financial (Continued on page 72)

Page 74

Kaieteur News

Darren Matthews, Marlon Williams win NSC Three-Stage cycle race legs

Sunday May 18, 2014

GCA Carib Beer T20 final

Matthews and Geron Williams hold Police arrest GCC after shootout initial advantage with a stage left with Bourda boys at Eve Leary Robin Browne set Eve Leary on fire yesterday with several of these commanding shots.

Darren Matthews (Team Coco) powers to the line to win the first stage of the 3-stage race in New Amsterdam yesterday.

Darren Matthews (Team Coco) 1:44:23 won this year’s first stage of the National Sports Commission (NSC) Annual Three-Stage Cycle Race which commenced yesterday in Berbice.

Marlon Williams (2:23:02) powered through to win stage two which concluded in Georgetown as the stage is set for an intriguing conclusion today.

The event wheeled off outside the Corriverton Police Station at 07:00hrs and journeyed to New Amsterdam, a distance of 46.6 miles.

Matthews outsprinted Geron Williams, Delroy Hinds, Paul DeNobrega, Marlon Wi l l i a m s a n d A l o n z o Greaves in that order to the line. Stage Two, which begun from 14:00hrs yesterday, started from the Rosignol Stelling and proceed to Carifesta Avenue,

Georgetown, for the finish, a distance of 60.4 miles.

Williams edged out stage one winner, Darren Matthews, to the line with G e r o n Wi l l i a m s a n d Mauricio Robayo following.

There were several spills on the second stage, the most severe being at Rebecca Lust where several riders collided. Romello Crawford was ran over several times and required medical attention. He is reported to be in fine condition.

Meanwhile, at the completion of two stages first from Corriverton to New Amsterdam and then from Rosignol to Carifesta Avenue- Team Coco’s Darren Matthews holds the overall lead with a time of four hours, 07 minutes, 11 seconds (04h: 07m: 11s).

In second position, two seconds behind, is Guyanese Geron Williams, riding for Continental

Cycle Club, in a time of four hours, 07 minutes, 13 seconds (04h: 07m: 13s), followed by another Guyanese, Marlon “Fishy” Williams, riding for Trinidad and Tobago’s Heat Wave, in a time of four hours, 07 minutes, 15 seconds (04h: 07m: 15s).

A total 96 riders registered, but only 85 started the race.

The event concludes today with Stage three commencing from 08:00hrs this morning from Kara Kara, Linden Highway, and end on Homestretch Avenue, Georgetown, a distance of 75.5 miles.

Cash prizes and trophies are on offer for the outstand performers. The event forms part of the annual calendar of cycling events staged by the NSC. The event has been coordinated by National Coach Hassan Mohamed MS.

By Sean Devers Police arrested GCC in the Georgetown Cricket Association (GCA) Carib Beer first division T20 cricket tournament yesterday at a jam packed Eve Leary ground to lift their first division one title since they beat Berbice Police at Bourda in the 1987 National Bristol 50-over final at Bourda.

In blazing sunshine on one of the best pitches prepared at the local level in recent times Police restricted GCC to 118-7 off 20 overs as the spin pair of Jason Heyliger (1-15) and Ricardo Adams (0-15) had kept the shackles on the batters in a fantastic atmosphere befitting of a Final.

Troy Benn (3-18) was the most successful bowler for the Lawmen who galloped 120-2 with 30 balls to spare to win in emphatic fashion by eight wickets on the lightening fast outfield.

Rawle Browne came out with all guns blazing in what was one of his best T20 innings. He had the Bourda boys running for cover as he decimated them with nine fours and two sixes in a magnificent unbeaten 68 from just 48 balls.

The 36-year-old Browne, who took the best wicket prize with two catches and a stumping, added 84 in an unfinished third wicket stand with semi-finals star Ricardo Adams.

Adams followed up his economical four-over spell and came out with his G3, one of the most powerful assault weapons, to launch a brutal attack on spinner Gavin Singh in the final over of the match. The power hitter from Essequibo exploded with a six and followed it up with two fours and a six to finish the contest in his unbeaten 32.

Browne, who has been consistently ignored by the various Demerara selectors in the past, set the place on fire with a savage array of shots and swept Singh for four before rocking back to smash the bowler to the cover boundary like a bullet.

In a high class display of vintage stroke-play Browne hooked pacer Joshua Wade for six.

The right-hander soon reached his first fifty of the competition and celebrated a glorious push to the cover boundary and an effortless six over the Pavilion to the delight of a raucous partisan crowd who were entertained by pulsating music and a section of the Police Band Corps equipped with drums and bugles. The 50 was posted in the sixth over and the 100 in the 15th as the Cops dominated from start to finish as Browne and Adams teamed up at 36-2 after the demise of Skipper Royan Fredricks (11) and Yutesh Dhanpaul for a duck.

Earlier GCC, without

Leon Johnson, who scored an unbeaten 34 in the semifinal against GNIC, lost National left-hander and CPL selectee Robin Bacchus for a duck before a run had been scored and never recovered despite 37 from Martin Pestano-Bell and 28 from teenager Ronaldo Mohamed as the Bourda Boys were never allowed to escape for the Lawmen’s clutches.

GCA President Roger Harper said the cricket was entertaining but added that the day belonged to Police.

He commended the Guyana Police Force for their preparation of the venue and the grounds-man for an excellent pitch with good pace and carry.

The GCA head also praised Carib Beer for their continued support of sports in Guyana adding that it was because of them that the tourney was possible.

Police took home $110,000, two cases of Carib Beer and a trophy, while GCC collected $70,000 and a trophy.

Browne took home the Man-of-the-Match trophy along with the Best Batsman in final and fielder with the most dismissals in the final, while Troy Benn collected the best bowler prize in the final.

Several other prizes were on offer for outstanding performers in the zone stages of the preliminary rounds.

Sunday May 18, 2014

Kaieteur News

Page 75

Kemo Paul lives for cricket

By Sean Devers At 16, Essequibo under19 Captain Kemo Mandela Angus Paul has done everything on a cricket field for Guyana. The versatile teen has kept wicket, played as a batsman, bowled spin and represented his Country as a fast bowler.

A former Guyana under15 & 17 player, Kemo who has another three years at under-level and one more at under-17, was the stand out all rounder in the just concluded GCB three-day under-19 Inter-County tournament and became the first specialist Essequibo fast bowler to score at Intercounty century at any level.

Kemo was born on February 21, 1998 to David Paul and Rita Hendricks and grew up in the beach Community of Saxacally in

the Essequibo River where he attended the Primary school and became interested in cricket as a three year-old.

“I was playing cricket for as long as I can remember but I never played hard ball cricket in Saxacally. I remember my father bowling to me and at age seven I was in the senior Saxacally softball team,” Kemo informed.

His family (he has three sisters and two brothers) migrated to the Essequibo Island of Wakenaam when he was 11 and is a student at the Essequibo Islands Secondary where he is preparing to sit the CXC exams from June 20.

A multi-talented athlete, he represents his school in Football and three years ago won the Mashramani Cycle

Road race around Wakenaam but Cricket is his first love. “Kemo lives for cricket and made 56 against Leguan Secondary in his very first hard ball match for Essequibo Islands Secondary before making his Essequibo under-15 debut at 12 and by the next year he was in the Guyana under-15 team,” his dad said proudly.

“His older brother Keon plays for the San Souci Club in Wakenaam and I want to join a female softball team now that I am living in Town.

His entire family loves cricket and Kemo is supposed to come and play for DCC when his exams are finished,” his 22-year-old sister Candacy revealed.

Kemo, whose hobbies include sports, watching movies, reading and listening to music, was invited to the Essequibo under-15 trials as a Wicketkeeper as an 11-yearold but did not gain

selection.

Kemo scored back-toback tons for his school against the NOC under-15 & U-17 in two T20 matches and played for Guyana in 2011 & 2012, as a batsman who bowled off-spin after making 51 on his inter county under-15 debut against Berbice at Providence. He was Guyana under-15 Captain in his last year at that level and broke his tooth while Wi c k e t k e e p i n g i n t h e tournament.

The Essequibian who says his favorite cricketer is Shiv Chanderpaul, Captained his County when they won the u-17 title last year and represented Guyana at the under-17 level in 2012 & 2013 before making his National under-19 debut last year against Bangladesh under-19s at Bourda.

Kemo made his senior Inter-County debut as a 15 year-old and scored 51 against Demerara last year

and says his aim is to do well if selected for the Guyana

under-19 side this year and to play for Guyana at the senior level by 20. His ultimate goal is to make the West Indies team.

It’s interesting how he became a fast bowler. In 2012 after returning from the Regional under-15 tournament former National off-spinner Gavin Nedd saw the youngster bowling pace and was so impressed that he encouraged Kemo to become a fast bowler.

In a short stint with DCC under-15s of which Nedd was the Coach, Kemo played three matches in 2012 and won the Man-of-Match award in all three as a fast bowling all-rounder.

He took 6-15 in the final after scoring 65 in the semis and his father, who hails from West Berbice and played at the Club level with former Guyana Pacer Ray Joseph, says he hopes to instill in his son the right attitude as he climbs the ladder in his cricket career.

GBL President reports on ‘Nuff cuff injection’ GBA card at Africa WBSC Congress Buxton to take international flavour historic President of The Guyana The Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) ‘Nuff cuff injection’ amateur boxing card fixed for the Buxton Friendship Community Centre ground on May 31 is expected to take on an international flavour with boxers from St Lucia being involved once all goes according to plan.

GBA President Steve Ninvalle told Kaieteur Sport that use of the venue has been confirmed and he has extended heartfelt gratitude to Sherry Abrams and Colin Wi l l s o f t h e B u x t o n Friendship Playfield Committee for all the help they gave in affording GBA the use of the facility.

Ninvalle further informed that following recent talks with David ‘ S h a k e s ’ C h r i s t o p h e r, President of the St Lucia Boxing Association, the process has started to get at least two fighters from that island to participate in the Buxton event.

Ninvalle stated that Christopher informed that he intends to send Arthur Langillier, who participated in the GBA Goodwill tournament here in February last with a team of St Lucian fighters, and possibly female

Steve Ninvalle boxer Merlander St Clair. A final decision is to be met based on funding to have the St Lucians travel here by their association.

Guyana and St Lucia have a very good working relationship with the two presidents making several agreements in the past which are now bearing fruit for their respective boxers.

Langillier is currently preparing for participation in the Commonwealth Games and Christopher is keen to have him as active as possible in the lead up to the games. So the Buxton fans will hopefully get some

international flavour entertainment. This event follows on the heels of a very successful programme in East Ruimveldt.

Ninvalle and the GBA executives must be commended after the decision to shift cards to the communities in the hope of injecting impetus in the development of the sport and whip up more support from Guyanese for the young boxers.

The East Ruimveldt attendance is testimony of the success of their move and it is expected that Buxton will further highlight the soundness of that decision in taking the sport to the Guyanese people.

The involvement of the New Opportunity Corps (NOC) after several years was also a big plus for GBA. These programmes should also goad sponsors to readily jump onboard with the GBA. Ansa McAl and Demerara Distillers Limited have lent tremendous support in the past and are expected to continue their support. According to the GBA Boss, they will head to Golden Grove in the next edition of the ‘Nuff Cuff injection’ programme.

Baseball League Robin Singh returned from the historic and first-ever World Baseball Softball Congress in Africa, held in HAMMAMET, Tunisia.

The inaugural congress of the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) elected Italy’s Riccardo Fraccari to lead the world governing body as its first-ever sole president.

Dating back to 2012, the 64 year-old Fraccari helped guide and deliver the birth of the WBSC as an interim copresident, alongside softball partner Don Porter. Now, Fraccari will serve as the lone WBSC president for an initial seven-year term that extends to 2021.

The WBSC Congress, which took place over the weekend in the North African city of Hammamet, also elected its first-ever executive board, formalizing a c o m p l e x m e rg e r o f baseball’s and softball’s two independent international sport federations — a process that took nearly fouryears of talks, legal consultations and planning to arrive at the day where only one official would lead as president.

W h i l e i n Tu n i s i a ,

GBL President Robin Singh presents a gift to Cuba’s Antonio Castro on behalf of COPABE following the recent birth of his third child.

President Singh attended a COPABE (Confederaciòn Panamericana de Béisbol) meeting to discuss developments in the region, following the meeting Singh was tasked with heading a fact finding mission to the English speaking Caribbean countries with an aim to foster further development of the game in those areas.

The GBL also committed to membership in the International Softball Federation with the aim of having the game introduced in schools throughout the country.

President Singh’s report to the GBL board also made specific reference to baseball as a significant tourism product in addition to sport and culture “large groups have indicated interest in playing Recreational Baseball in Guyana as soon as we have constructed our first field” Baseball and Softball are enjoying a surge in interest and participation and plans are proceeding apace for an extremely busy and productive mini-season during the school holidays in July and August.

t r o Sp Darren Matthews, Marlon Williams win NSC Three-Stage cycle race legs

Matthews and Geron Williams hold initial advantage with a stage left P,74

Marlon Williams sprints ahead of Darren Matthews to claim the second stage on Carifesta Avenue yesterday.

GCA Carib Beer T20 final

Police arrest GCC after shootout with Bourda boys at Eve Leary P.74

25

The Victorious Police Team and officials celebrate their triumph. Commander A Division Clifton Hicken is at right, while Assistant Commissioner Balram Persaud is centre.

Printed and published by National Media & Publishing Company Limited, 24 Saffon St.Charlestown, Georgetown.Tel: 225-8465, 225-8491 or Fax: 225-8473/ 226-8210