Tuesday November 12, 2013
Kaieteur News
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Youth slits lover’s Govt. treats GTC pensioners ... protest lurks if shabbily matter not resolved throat then hangs self Fed up with waiting and given the royal run around by officials both in the previous Jagdeo administration and the current, a group of retired employees from the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GT&T) get monthly pensions that are unrealistic. And this pension is the same for the cleaners and retired managers—$18,000 a month. They are now contemplating street protests to force a resolution to their problem that dates back to 1991 when the Guyana Telecommunications Corporation (GTC) was privatized. Donald Nurse, a 15-year Plant Manager is heading the group of retirees petitioning Government to settle their pension payments once and
for all said that a meeting will be called tomorrow at the Guyana Postal and General Workers Union (GPTWU) Georgetown headquarters, in hopes that a favourable direction would be the outcome. The more than 130 pensioners are hoping that a massive protest will not be the result of unpaid benefits owed to them. In August last, the retirees and their union held a meeting to discuss the issue. The former telecommunication workers said that years of negotiations with Government have proven to be “futile and a waste of time”. Nurse said that all categories of workers are currently earning the same pension. “From Manager to cleaner is receiving about
$18,000 a month.” He added that instead of paying pensions on rates dating back to 1991, the Office of the President has proposed to do so from 2004; taking away13 years of earnings and large sums of money the pensioners worked for during both the time of the previous state-owned Guyana Telephone Company (GTC) and the GT&T, its successor. The issue had its origin following the privatization of the GTC in 1990.Workers who under the GTC would have retired at age 55 were asked to stay on the job with the company until the new pensionable age of 60. They were assured that their services would be treated as (continued on page 9)
Police working to eliminate ‘Hot Skull Gang’ Crime Chief Seelall Persaud has announced that despite recent successes, work still has to be done to dismantle a major criminal outfit called the ‘Hot Skull Gang’. The gang is based in Albouystown and within recent times several of its members have been either killed or placed behind bars. Gang members are identified by the image of a human skull tattooed on their bodies. And while the gang has been on the police radar for some time, focus on reining in its members intensified this year, according to the Crime Chief. The gang members include the Allicock brothers, four of whom recently received separate 60-month jail terms for armed robbery. Three other members of the gang, Jermaine Canterbury, called “Chow”; Mark Anthony Joseph, called “Two Grand”; and Romeiro Branco Gouveia, all of Albouystown, were also recently killed in a police sting operation outside the K&VC Hotel. Several other members are before the court on several counts of armed robbery and possession of illegal firearms. The Crime Chief said that
Crime Chief Seelall Persaud while the police have not actually dismantled the gang, they have significantly disrupted its operations. “Our investigations are continuing,” the Crime Chief said. But while members of the Hot Skull Gang are still out there, Crime Chief Persaud disclosed that the force has effectively shut down the operations of a West Demerara/Parika gang, with most of the members behind bars on murder and armed robbery charges. The police have also closed down the operations of another criminal outfit whom they suspect was
responsible for a series of robberies in the Corentyne, Berbice. The Crime Chief said that most of the gang members are in their late teens or early twenties. Statistics show that most of the crimes are being committed by two-man outfits. “A lot of what we see in this country are men who know each other who are willing to take the risk involved in the commission of a crime…they have no interest in each other’s wellbeing,” the Crime Chief said. According to Persaud, the Caribbean and Latin America is the most violent place in the world outside of the various war zones on the globe, and most of the crimes are committed by the young people.
A 21-year-old man slit his 27-year-old lover’s throat before hanging himself in the upper flat of a West Ruimveldt house around 17:00 hrs yesterday. The bodies of Kenroy Sebort Crandon and Bibi Sherriza were found in the upper flat of the Lot 27 Two Pickets, West Ruimveldt Housing Scheme premises. Two of Crandon’s relatives, who broke into the upper flat after hearing suspicious noises, found Sherriza lying on a blood soaked-bed. Her throat had been slit and her body bore two stab wounds to the stomach. Police, who retrieved a knife from the scene, said that the body bore bite marks on the arms. Crandon was found hanging from a rope attached to a beam near the entrance of the bedroom. Reports indicate that the murder/suicide stemmed from accusations of infidelity. An aunt of Crandon’s, who occupies the bottom flat, said that her nephew lived alone in the upper flat but that Sherriza had apparently ‘sneaked in’ early yesterday morning. According to the aunt, she recalled hearing unusual noises in the upper flat around 17:00 hrs yesterday. “I heard a loud noise upstairs as if you dragging your feet and slamming a door.” After repeatedly calling for her nephew and getting no answer, the aunt, accompanied by a male relative, decided to check on the couple. They eventually managed to force open a door leading to the upper flat, and discovered the gruesome scene. The aunt immediately contacted the police. S e v eral residents gathered outside the house
Undertakers removing the woman’s body and most displayed an almost celebratory mood, particularly when porters carted the bodies to a waiting hearse. According to Crandon’s aunt, her nephew and his lover had lived in Berbice, but came to live at her home last June. However, Kaieteur News was told that the aunt eventually asked Sherriza to leave, after her nephew became abusive towards the girlfriend.
She believes that Sherriza came to the premises early yesterd a y morning. A c c o r d i n g t o the aunt, Crandon left home at around 09:00 hrs yesterday, after telling her that he was going to his workplace, which is reportedly located at Enterprise, East Coast Demerara. However, she heard noises some hours later and saw Crandon cooking in the kitchen at around 11:00 hrs.
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Kaieteur News
Tuesday November 12, 2013
Letters... Where your views make the news Printed and Published by National Media & Publishing Company Ltd. 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown, Guyana. Publisher: GLENN LALL Editor: Adam Harris Tel: 225-8465, 225-8491. Fax: 225-8473, 226-8210
EDITORIAL
In the same boat Harsh realities are not readily accepted. At the same time people who hold form opinions are intolerant of the opinions of others. This is the case in Guyana today, a few days after the National Assembly opted to vote against the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (Amendment) Bill. On Friday, President Donald Ramotar told the media that he was sending two emissaries—Attorney General Anil Nandlall; and head of the Financial Intelligence Unit, Paul Geer—to beg the people in the Bahamas on November 18 to spare a thought for Guyana’s parliamentary system. They are supposed to tell the people that the system is what prevented the passage of the anti-money laundering Bill. Of course this is rubbish because the people to whom President Ramotar is sending his emissaries are not fools. They are already aware that the government made no effort to enact the legislation although the anti-money laundering Act had been in place since 2009. Further, the government had three years to tender some of the amendments but did nothing. Of course, given that laidback attitude the parliamentary opposition had every right to refuse to be rushed. If the people who rule the country could sit on the Bill for three years, surely the opposition with its parliamentary majority should make them pay. We return to the likely reaction of the people who heat the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF). They already know everything that transpired in the National Assembly. They are also aware that many of the recommendations had been in place to facilitate any amendment ever since the time the government had the parliamentary majority. What is embarrassing and will come back to hurt Guyana is the fact that all the countries who would have been handed the recommendations as the same time as Guyana would have passed their amended anti-money laundering legislation. The government Chief Whip has been roundly criticized for actually ensuring that there is no Bill. She dragged the Bill form the parliamentary select committee in the absence of the opposition. She had to know that this would most certainly kill the Bill when it reached the National Assembly. People now want to know whether the government actually wants anti-money laundering legislation. Perhaps it does not; given the extended reports of corruption. Perhaps the corrupt in the society who happen to be very close to the government, want even more time to launder their money. Having acknowledged that the government was largely responsible for the demise of the Bill, one cannot absolve the opposition of blame. Indeed, so divided is the country that people are lined up against each other to defend either the government or the opposition. Blaming either one is enough to spark a mini war. This is because of the intolerance of each other’s ideas. Many people are not prepared to examine the situation in a rational manner. Those who come down harshly on the government do not believe that serious sanctions would apply. They said that nowhere in the world has any country been denied the basic necessities. Therefore, for anyone to suggest that sanctions would visit Guyana and would actually hurt the economy is to introduce scare tactics. Many hold this view. These are not the people who have already begun to feel the pinch; people who did not even notice that they need some form of identification to deposit their own money for safekeeping with the commercial banks; people who must now create tons of documentation in order to pay for imports. The people in the private sector are the ones who are going to suffer as they quite rightly attempted to influence a successful passage of the Bill. Unfortunately, they were seen as being opportunistic and were therefore chided. The private sector from time to time would remain silent in the face of serious government actions that many would find questionable. The reason offered is that the sector expected favours from the government and there could be no criticism of the goose expected to lay the golden egg. The die is cast and Guyana must somehow unite to beat this crisis.
A price we must be prepared to pay DEAR EDITOR, The government never wanted the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (Amendment) Bill (AML/ CFT) passed. Having straddled the fence to give the impression to regional and international institutions it is committed to upholding convention and covenant on corruption (which the establishment of the Public Procurement Commission, Integrity Commission and Ombudsman are critical to) no serious efforts are being made to match words with deeds. This country has been on the global watch list for long. Professor Clive Thomas’ and other international reports have highlighted and expressed concerns about the presence and influence of the narco/illegal economy paralleling the formal economy within the ballpark of 40-70 percent. And this at ease corelationship, suspected for years, became clear when drug lord and U.S fugitive Roger Khan made public his relationship with the
administration and what he called helping them in crime fighting, even though he was himself a criminal on the run. The government has with some traction used this corelationship to play to the gallery of racial division and communicated the impression criminal propensity is the domain of one racial group. There are some in the PPP who have to answer to bigger bosses - not the rank and file whose votes they rely on to secure political power - whose orders they execute under the protection of State office. So while the diplomatic community has an understandably abiding interest in having the AML/ CFT passed because its allows opportunity through partnership to catch the big fishes and eliminates the State being a conduit/participant for money laundering and financing of terrorism, the Act and Bill in their current configurations will not achieve same at the local level. In fact, these culprits walk safe and free in broad daylight knowing they have the protection of officialdom. And
this must be of concern to us, as Guyanese. Hence, this is why it is important the constitutional provisions be established which would buttress international conventions and regional covenants. Clive Thomas, Christopher Ram, Rambo Gaskin, et al, have been writing incisively on the AML/CFT, and it is expected the opposition pays heed. For as Gaskin rightly points out, while the Constitution vests the authority to determine who should be charged in the Director of Public Prosecutions, the AML/CFT Act vests this authority in the Minister of Finance, which is a violation. Equally, it is a violation to retain Cabinet’s no-clause objection as a precondition for the government to name its representatives to the Public Procurement Commission and having the body established, since the Constitution vests authority for public procurement oversight in this body, along with the power to hold entity, official, government and person to account via
appearance before it, a Tribunal and the Court. So on one hand, while the government sought to ignore the National Assembly’s protocol and moved ahead with the Select Committee absent the input of the opposition, its intent was to give the regional/international community the impression it is committed to move the process forward, even as it seeks to undercut it as pointed out above. Its strategy was to blame the opposition when it has devised a cunning network to make theAML/CFT ineffective. Those who engage in legitimate financial transactions have nothing to fear. While there may be additional bureaucracy with Guyana not meeting the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force deadline, those playing by the rules have nothing to fear. For the spirit and intent of the AML/CFT, were it to be upheld, do not set out to deny the law-abiders, instead it seeks to protect them from rogue elements. The workers playing by the rules and still (Continuedon page 5)
Political brinkmanship will not survive in this environment
DEAR EDITOR, So we have finally crossed the bridge on the anti-money laundering amendment bill and it is quite interesting to see the PPP propaganda machinery on display as they try their very best to save their money laundering buddies from the scrutiny of CFATF. It is true that all international financial transactions will require greater scrutiny and record keeping by the financial institutions and money transfer agencies, but that can be a very good thing since the underground economy in Guyana will be under attack. Those who are engaged in legitimate transactions have little to worry about and thus the PPP propaganda that international banks will terminate their relationships with Guyana is really a stretch of the truth. I n t e r n a t i o n a l correspondent banks will require more verification information and will interrogate transactions more aggressively, and that is not such a bad thing if the end game will result in more of the local money launderers being called out. As the PPP’s poor leadership causes a very simple situation to become so complex, we must expose the PPP for failing to use the
golden opportunity that 2011 presented to heal the nation by consensus. In this environment, political brinkmanship will not survive and the PPP has to open the door on the Public Procurement Commission and the Local Government Elections or else they will be further exposed. It is the PPP leaders who are putting the people’s welfare at risk by conducting political sabotage on the people as they try to impose their way on all of Guyana by brutal acts of economic bullyism. Why could the PPP not establish the Procurement Commission as sanctioned by
law and implement all the local government bills as instructed by the National Assembly? Then if they have issues with the views of the majority, they then bring further legislation to amend these laws. Why hold up the process at the pleasure of the President at great distress to the people? Why does it always have to be the PPP’s way? Well thank you Mr. Granger and Mr. Ramjattan. Your parties have finally taken something from the PPP; their ability to bully the Guyanese nation and for that the Guyanese people will be eternally grateful.
The results of the Local Government Elections will speak for itself. Let them bring on the General Elections and then we will see what the people really want. Propaganda will never succeed in an environment when people “belly ah bun”. As Walter Rodney once said, “when people belly ah bun, the brain ah think”. Today we have seen a PPP who does not know how to engage a majority opposition in a constructive manner and thus the nation continues to suffer because the PPP want to continue to be bullies rather than nation builders. Sasenarine Singh
Looking forward to an early remedy to this situation DEAR EDITOR, Many persons have written on the state of the trenches in Ruimveldt which cause flooding when there is rain. According to the news recently, people were amazed to see a man running on the stuff in the West Ruimveldt Front Road trench. In my area, water is drained through the culvert at the corner of Hunter Street and Mandela Avenue. The water would trickle out when the sluice gate is opened at
falling tide; however the concrete uprights at the two ends of the culvert have broken off and collapsed blocking the water in the drains from reaching the trench. In addition, a hole has formed at one end of the culvert where the upright has collapsed; the hole is inches away from the wheels of moving vehicles and could be a death trap if a driver has cause to swerve at this point. I am appealing to the relevant departments (City
Council and Ministry of Works) for urgent attention to remove the broken uprights from the drain and the trench in order to alleviate the pending danger and enable the flow of water through the culvert. A little rain now results in prolonged flooding even in my house. As I write this letter my yard is flooded with four inches of water. I look forward to an early remedy to this situation. Ramsaran
Tuesday November 12, 2013
Kaieteur News
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Letters... Where your views make the news Letters... Where your views make the news
Mr. Cameron needs to be impartial as WICB president DEAR EDITOR, The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) under the leadership of Mr. Whycliffe ‘Dave’ Cameron has assigned a special committee, including the current Secretary of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB), to investigate the maladministration of the Leeward Islands Cricket Association (LICA). This is indeed a welcome
posture given the mandate of the WICB to ensure its associate members are in keeping with transparent, democratic and procedural principles of governance. The situation in Guyana is similar, yet Mr. Cameron seemed unmoved to have the situation resolved despite a vociferous and collective appeal by two thirds of the constituent members of the
GCB. I read with interest a letter in the Kaieteur newspaper dated 2013-11-07 and signed by the President of the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) et al as cricket stakeholders that quite unequivocally highlighted the grave situation that still exists within the present GCB. I am even more surprised that several aspects of the letter were previously
A price we must be prepared... From page 4 continuing to struggle to make ends meet as they watch businesses who operate contrarily ‘prosper,’ should see the benefit of this. Equally, traditional businesses facing unfair competition emboldened by laundering practices will have the opportunity to compete in a legitimate environment and better reward their workers for their labour. Workers, who through their sweat are continuing to fund public projects and can only shake their heads in sorrow at the wanton waste, fraud and abuse that come with corruption (human rights violations) which deny them better incomes, improved
social services and holistic national development, must see this as an opportunity to right the wrongs and get this nation back on the track where the Rule of Law reigns supreme. Finally, while the new corrupt business class and its cohorts in the corridors of power can applaud the voting down of a Bill so their time to account is deferred, which was their intent from the get go, the long arms of the law will eventually get them. The flaws in the Act and Bill and the machinations put in place to secure this by shutting out the opposition and civil society’s input are mere challenges in the struggle to restore law and order. Let’s not forget, this bill
could have been passed prior to the 2011 Elections. And if financial probity and the Rule of Law shall return to Guyana through the sanctions of external institutions, then it is a price we must be prepared to pay. Lincoln Lewis
discussed with Mr. Cameron yet the WICB has remained ignorant of the need to intervene or mediate. This is indeed very disappointing, especially with the imminent passage of the Cricket Administration Bill which could pave the way for free and fair elections, a similar situation that the WICB would like to see in the Leeward Islands. I am therefore imploring Mr. Cameron to be impartial and lead objectively and with dignity in an effort towards safeguarding the sanctity of West Indies cricket that the likes of Sir Viv Richards, Sir Garfield Sobers and Sir Everton Weekes et al would have selflessly and loyally preserved with pride. I have even read a letter
by Mr. Cameron that was addressed to the Speaker of the National Assembly Mr. Raphael Trotman that sought to reject the Cricket Administration Bill that will be taken to Parliament. He stated that the WICB will not agree with the disbanding of the Guyana Cricket Board being a shareholder of the WICB. What Mr. Cameron should have done first was to establish the legitimacy of the GCB which currently is devoid of two thirds of its constituent members (Berbice Cricket Board and Demerara Cricket Board). It is therefore
inherent upon the WICB to challenge the GCB to prove otherwise and subsequently to produce a public statement for the benefit of the stakeholders of cricket in Guyana. The Guyana Cricket Board will not be disbanded; instead it will be the removal of the illegal structures that created the current GCB that the Bill will seek to implement and to provide legitimacy to the process. It is this process that Mr. Cameron needs to address as president of the West Indies Cricket Board. Elroy Stephney
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Tuesday November 12, 2013
Police unveil plans to safeguard city for Christmas season If all the plans of the Guyana Police Force go well, both hard core criminals and petty thieves are in for a hard time this Christmas season, especially those in the city and its environs. Yesterday, at the police Headquarters, Eve Leary, Divisional Commander for the country’s leading police Division, Assistant Commissioner, Derrick Josiah, unveiled a detailed programme of how his ranks plan to police the city and its surrounding areas. Notwithstanding that the actual strength of the human resources is not what it should be in the Division, Josiah assured that with the assistance of ranks from Police Headquarters, the city will be adequately secured for shoppers, businesses and visitors to Guyana during the festive season beginning November 15, and continuing to January 15, next. Assistant Commissioner Josiah addressed the audience that comprised mainly of other police officers, the private security services umbrella body and the media. He said that the force will have its work cut out to provide a safe environment and a less congestive city throughout the period. And judging from the statistics, there is an increase of six percent in serious crimes from January 15, to October 2013, in the Division, the task ahead will not be a walk in the
park. The figures also show that over the past two years, serious crimes have decreased during Police Christmas Anti-crime Campaign. “It therefore means that what we’re doing during this period is probably working and we need to continue,” the Commander said. The required strength of the division is short by 300 ranks, therefore more resources would have to be made available for the Christmas Anti-crime Campaign to be a success. “We have had more Outposts in the Division and one other new police station. Still we have the same resources available to us,” Josiah pointed out. As usual the city has been divided into five sectors to facilitate the effective deployment of the human resources available. Each sector will be supervised by an Assistant Superintendent or a Cadet Officer. Plans are also in place for some highly special operations by the Intelligence Section of the Criminal Investigations Department around, banks, hotels and post offices and other places of business. This is in addition to mobile patrols both motorcycle and vehicular crisscrossing the city on a 24hour basis along with some mass patrols. “We will pay special
Commander Derrick Josiah unveiling plans for policing the city and its environs for the Festive Season. attention to the nightspots, churches and residential areas, because people will leave to go to church and parties and they expect that their place will be intact,” Josiah stated. He said that in the outlying districts, “the SubDivisional Officers would ensure that there are other patrols coming out of the stations in each area…to ensure that they police the hotspots.” With respect to the Number Four Sub-Division (Timehri), the Officer in Charge is expected to obtain the itinerary of incoming flights at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport and coordinate with other stations along the route from the airport with the aim of protecting visitors who are expected in droves for the holidays.
“We know that these (criminals) target the late night flights and try to rob people when they come down to Georgetown. Now if we have it lock from the airport to the city, what we find is happening, is that they follow the incoming passengers to other areas on the East Coast (Demerara), and West Demerara to rob them.”
There will be snap roadblocks to augment the other plans to protect the incoming visitors, Josiah said. He added that he also intends to use the support of Community Policing Groups to boost the police efforts to make the city a safe place. He noted that so far for this y e a r, through intelligence-led policing, roadblocks, stop and search and cordon and search exercises, the force has been able to take 19 illegal firearms off the street; a significant number given that gun crimes have been a major concern for crime fighters over the years. According to Josiah, the force has been able to reduce its response time to reports of crime significantly over the years. “First, we started between fifteen minutes to half an hour…but we have reviewed that …and we have adjusted our response time to ten minutes to twenty minutes,”
Josiah explained. He further stated that the police response time is dependent upon several variables. These include the location of a patrol, the accuracy of information provided as well as the terrain that has to be covered. And of course disciplinary action will be taken against ranks who fail to respond to a crime report in a timely manner. “If we find that a patrol or somebody took too long to respond to a crime, we deal with them departmentally...once they breach,” Josiah said. Commissioner Brumell, who was also at the presentation, acknowledged the presence of Chief Constable of the Mayor and City Council Andre Foo. He said that once the two agencies collaborate, “we can mash this town.” “I am positive that you will enjoy Christmas,” he assured.
Rohee recovering, didn’t suffer a stroke - Ramsammy Refusing to give details about Minister of Home Affairs, Clement Rohee’s medical condition, Agriculture Minister, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy confirmed that his colleague was still hospitalized. He placed effort however into pointing out the “fact” that Rohee’s hospitalization is not as a result of him suffering a stroke. Ramsammy made that disclosure whilst hosting the People’s Progressive Party’s (PPP) weekly press conference at Freedom House yesterday. The account given by Ramsammy suggests that the Home Affairs Minister was recovering.
As he sat in the chair usually occupied by Roheethe newly appointed General Secretary of the PPPRamsammy told the media that Rohee was still “under observation” at the Woodlands Hospital. The Agriculture Minister said that according to what he knows, Rohee was supposed to be discharged sometime “later today” (yesterday). Rohee was rushed to the hospital last Thursday. Government officials have been very tightlipped as to what caused him to be hospitalized. However ,reports suggest that the Minister collapsed after experiencing “flu like”
Minister of Home Affairs, Clement Rohee symptoms. Efforts to confirm Rohee’s discharge from the private health facility proved futile.
Man granted $400,000 bail for dangerous driving Raymond Britto, charged with causing death by dangerous driving, was yesterday granted bail to the tune of $400,000 by Chief Magistrate Priya Beharry at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court. The accused pleaded not guilty to the charge which alleged that on November 7 on the Prospect Public Road,
he drove motor car, PDD7385, in a dangerous manner, causing the death of Roy Harilall. According to Police Prosecutor Bharat Mangru, at about 23:50 on November 6, Britto was proceeding north along the western side of the Prospect Public Road. The court heard that the deceased was a motorcyclist who was proceeding south along the same carriageway when the defendant slammed into him. Prosecutor Mangru stated that due to the collision, the motorcyclist fell on the road and received severe injuries which resulted in his death. The defendant was subsequently arrested and
charged. Britto, 26, who was unrepresented, told the court that he is a minibus driver who resides at Lot 1 Golden Grove, East Bank Demerara. The Prosecution requested substantial bail for the defendant and further asked for his passport to be lodged. Prosecutor Mangru stated that there are currently no eye witnesses and applied for two weeks to complete the investigations. The Prosecution’s requests were upheld and Britto is expected to appear at the Providence Magistrates’ Court on December 23 for report and fixtures.
Tuesday November 12, 2013
Kaieteur News
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Police Sergeant, Financier of Taliban-linked former Best Cop group shot dead in Pakistan remanded to jail Two policemen, a Sergeant and a Corporal, were on Monday remanded to jail by Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs –Marcus on an arrest warrant issued for their arrest after they failed to turn up in court to testify in a matter that was being tried before her. The two traffic officers, Police Sergeant 18281 Lloyd Thomas, and 2012 Best Cop Corporal 19673 Azad Ali, failed to attend court to testify in a causing death by dangerous driving case currently being heard before the magistrate in the New Amsterdam Magistrate’s court. Edson Inniss of Lot 88 Amsville Housing Scheme, New Amsterdam is on trial for causing death by dangerous driving. He is accused of driving motor car PDD 5925 in a dangerous manner on November 24, last year along Main and Alexander Streets New Amsterdam, and killed 23-year-old Sastia Natasha Phillips formerly of Lot 5 Fifth Street, Islington, East Bank Berbice. The driver reportedly fled the scene and hid the car which
was later discovered by Sergeant Thomas at Lot 188 Amsville Housing Scheme. Ali was one of the investigating officers and had visited the scene of the incident. After the men did not show up in court an arrest warrant was subsequently issued for their arrest last Friday. The two men were present in court on Monday and gave unsatisfactory answers when questioned about their absence. Thomas stated that he forgot the court date. Ali in his response told the court that he was unwell. When asked if he had a medical certificate, he stated that he had none. He also had no reason, when asked why he did not inform the Prosecutor or the Registrar that he was ill. The magistrate then remanded the policemen to prison until November 14. She also observed that policemen are seldom taken to prison when they are remanded. The case continues on December 2nd.
(Reuters) - The chief financier of the Talibanlinked Haqqani network, one of the most feared groups fighting U.S.-led forces in Afghanistan, has been shot dead in the Pakistani capital Islamabad, militant sources told Reuters yesterday. Nasiruddin Haqqani was a son of Jalaluddin Haqqani, a veteran guerrilla commander from southeast Afghanistan who rose to
prominence battling occupying Soviet forces in the 1980s. “Nasiruddin Haqqani was killed in Islamabad while travelling in a car with a few other unidentified people,” one Taliban source told Reuters, adding that the attack took place on Sunday. “His body has been moved to North Waziristan.” It was not immediately clear who shot him or why. Pakistani police and the
government were not immediately available for comment. Pakistan has been on high alert since a November 1 U.S. drone strike which killed Hakimullah Mehsud, head of the Pakistani Taliban. Later yesterday, Nasiruddin’s body was buried in the village of Danday Darpakhel - the same place
where Mehsud died, Taliban sources said. It was unclear if the two events were related. In June 2010, the United States Treasury designated Nasiruddin and two other Afghans as “specifically designated global terrorists” for their work as senior leaders and financiers for the Taliban and the affiliated Haqqani network.
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Tuesday November 12, 2013
Uniformed cop caught on camera escorting bandit with booty Staged gold heist…
A police sergeant and three ranks from the Port Kaituma Police Station are among those arrested following Friday’s gold heist that was reportedly staged by the general manager employed by a local gold buyer. Police have evidence that appears to implicate the sergeant of police and the ranks in the ‘robbery’. Yesterday, Crime Chief Seelall Persaud said that the general manager had been given money by owner of El Dorado Trading Company, the largest buyer of gold in the North West. He said that the general manager misappropriated some of the money then staged the robbery to cover his dishonesty. By yesterday, the police had recovered the 90 ounces of gold. The police have also recovered about $17M in cash. A source close to the investigation revealed that surveillance cameras in the area recorded a uniformed policeman escorting one of the bandits. Investigators reportedly
This man had the gold in his Berbice home.(INews photo) also have surveillance footage of two of the suspects, who are from Berbice, hanging out at various Port Kaituma night spots two days before the ‘robbery’. Officials from the company were in high praise of the ranks from Police Headquarters, Eve Leary. One of the officials said that the case would not have been solved and the booty would not have been recovered, had the Eve Leary team not been
involved in the investigation. The Crime Chief said that cooperation between members of the community and the police led to the recovery of the gold and the money. He said that the crime had occurred hours before the intervention of the police but that did not deter the ranks from recovering everything. This crime could have led to more attacks on others in the gold and diamond industry, one of the people said.
The gold thieves including the mastermind, centre (INews photo) According to reports, investigators have confirmed that the general manager gave the police sergeant over $500,000 which belonged to his employers. The manager reportedly claimed that the money was loaned to the sergeant. However, investigators suspect that the cash was given to the police rank as an incentive to thwart investigations into the ‘heist.’ Crime Chief Persaud said that five persons, including three policemen, were in custody yesterday morning. The heist reportedly took place on Friday at Port Kaituma in the North West District. The mastermind was the general manager of the mining company. According to reports reaching this newspaper, the employee was entrusted by the gold buyer to conduct his business in the gold mining
area of the North West District. However, the employee betrayed the trust by first converting some of the money he was given to his own use. So he then had to find a way to recover it and in order to do so, he hatched a plan. According to a source, he arranged with a well known convict called “Roland” from Blairmont, Berbice, to carry out his plan which was to stage an attack on the camp where the general manager and other workers were staying at Port Kaituma and steal the gold. The source said that the convict hired his crew, including a boatman, to transport him to Port Kaituma through the Pomeroon River. It is alleged that the mastermind somehow managed to administer sleeping tablets to his colleagues in the camp to
facilitate the heist so that when “Roland” and his crew turned up it was easy pickings for them. They proceeded to tie up the employees who by then were very groggy; they even lashed one of them in his head and also tied up the mastermind to make the “robbery” look legit. After this was done, they emptied a safe containing the cash and raw gold before making good their escape to Charity on the Essequibo Coast. However, about five minutes from their destination, the boat captain demanded his share of the loot and after collecting it he transferred “Roland” and his crew to another boat for them to continue their journey. They did not get too far, for by this time the police at Port Kaituma had been informed about the heist and had begun some intense investigations there. Kaieteur News understands that during their investigations, the mastermind of the whole scheme cracked under pressure. He reportedly confessed to planning the heist and gave detectives a detailed account of the plot, including the names of all the players involved.
Tuesday November 12, 2013
Kaieteur News
XENOPHOBIA When over a decade ago the Brazilians began in their numbers to pour across our borders to work in our goldfields, there was a big uproar that the Brazilians were coming to steal our national patrimony. When the Brazilians began to crowd out a small block in the city, it was said that eventually they would overrun the capital and take over the whole of Georgetown. This is your typical xenophobic reaction: a fear of foreigners. It is not so much a fear of foreign dominationGod knows that Guyana has always been dominated by external forces both before and after independence. The fear is of a different kind. It is a fear that the success of these foreigners will expose the failures of Guyanese. It was the same reaction when the Chinese began to enter into the commercial business sector. Some of our businessmen who were weaned on buying cheap and selling expensive began to fear the competition from the Chinese traders. They saw these traders as a threat to their own survival and especially to the windfall profits they enjoyed by selling the same items that Chinese are now selling at twice the price than these same items can now be had from Chinese stores. These local businesses began to argue that foreigners should be exempt from the commercial sector. They did not realize that for years
Indian nationals had established more than a toehold in the local commercial sector and were doing very well. But the local businesses did not wish to face competition posed by Chinese entrepreneurs for fear that it would expose the overpricing that had existed for years. The Chinese are also into the construction sector. They built the Skeldon Factory; they constructed the National Convention Center; they are building the Marriott Hotel and they are also engaged in the extension of the airstrip at Timehri. These works do not threaten the stranglehold that the local construction czars have had in the country over the past twenty years. Except for the Marriott Hotel, these projects were funded by the Chinese Government. Therefore it was to be expected that Chinese firms had to be given the right to undertake the construction works in the same way as when the Americans give us money they dictate that the contracts must go to their nationals and firms. The local oligarchy understood this. The local construction companies therefore did not feel threatened when the Chinese undertook these projects because they understand that these are the rules under which the funding is provided by foreign governments. But they get worried when the Chinese decide, as they have now done, to enter into the local construction market. This sends shivers down the spine of the
Dem boys seh ...
All dem smart man hiding under Donald shur-jak The Heist of Guyana got a lot of heads spinning. De taxpayers now understand the scampishness and lawlessness dat was tekkin place right under they nose. People start asking serious questions and all dem smart man who plan de scampishness start panicking. Some ah dem start losing weight like if dem got bad sick. Dem boys see one man walking down de road and dem see he two back pocket kissing. Dem nearly didn’t recognize he and Doctor Leslie. When dem ask he wha happen he start fuh cry. But he tell dem boys that dem got people who deh more bad than he although it ain’t showing. And is true. Brazzy shedding weight like if he stop eating. And that is a man who like to eat. De Rat, de Bees and all de rest of dem kavakamites didn’t expect that all dem schemes woulda come out in de open in this manner. De skin up was so simple that it create an explosion in the people’s minds and expose the true colours of those in charge of all of de country money. When they were preparing their schemes, they were dazzling the nation with mixed-up language. Every day was something new and different. Ask Brazzy, Ashni, Irfaat and Rob de Earth. Dem boys know that when thief man come fuh kick down yuh door, rob or shoot yuh, dem never think for one moment that dem could get ketch. But de old people always seh “Every day bucket go ah well, one day ee bamzee must drop out” De Rat, Bobby along wid de forty chores wha hiding under Donald shur-jak, feel when dem bamzee get expose to de cool breeze. In jail it gun be exposed to dem newfound friends, some of who ain’t see anything fresh fuh a lang time. Talk half and watch how dem getting dizzy.
local oligarchy because they feel threatened by the possibility that Chinese firms may be given contracts to undertake public works that were formerly the preserve of local engineering firms. The fear is that there would be dire implications for the oligarchy if Chinese construction firms began to bid for public works contracts. That would set the cat among the pigeons. The oligarchy is fearful of the competition that these Chinese firms will provide to them. They are fearful that their high-cost works will be exposed by the Chinese. This is the fear that driving the anti- Chinese backlash in this country at the moment. It is not a fear about a foreign takeover. It is a fear that those who for too long have enjoyed the syrup that flows from the public purse may be displaced by the more efficient and industrious workers from China. Chinese firms have already left Guyanese with their mouths agape because of the pace at which they have been building the Marriott Hotel in Kingston. The latest attack on the Chinese has come after it was announced that Chinese fishing firms may be engaged in deep sea fishing in Guyana. This has
Auditor General Report says ...
Over 2800 case dockets still remain missing spread panic within the ranks of the small grouping that dominates the fishing industry and all manner of fears are being generated. Similar fears were absent when the Japanese and Americans controlled over fifty per cent of the local fishing industry. But now there is the fear that the Chinese will come and do things better and faster and therefore those likely to be exposed for their inefficiency are wetting their pants. Strangely no one is complaining about the heavy Canadian presence in the mining industry, the huge domination of our bauxite industry by the Russians or the importation of nurses and doctors from India. And the reason is obvious: these do not affect the rich and powerful. But simply ask a Chinese firm to build a parking lot and panic spreads like a bushfire because those who have long failed to become competitive and efficient are feeling naked as the day they were born.
Govt. treats GTC ... From page 3 continuous and unbroken and the other conditions of service will not be less favourable than what they enjoyed. Based on the agreement for workers to stay on with the private company, it was understood that the former employees, upon retirement from GT&T, should have received their pension and gratuity from the present Government through the Ministry of Finance, in keeping with the Pension and Corporation Acts. Nurse presented a letter sent to the Ministry of Finance by the National Industrial and Commercial Investment Limited (NICIL) head, Winston Brassington, in early 2000s for the Ministry to pay off the workers. Nurse believes, however, that after tallying up the years of service and the money owed “it was probably felt to be a hefty sum to pay out,” and so the pension was never paid. It is estimated that the outstanding pension and gratuity benefits could be in excess of $20M. President of Guyana Postal and Telecommunications Workers Union, Harold Shepherd, said in August that, “a technician should have been receiving a monthly pension of at least $50,000, while a former Manager should have been the recipient of way over $100,000 per month.” Nurse and a colleague James Kendall, are however of the view that the group is being discriminated against and is being treated with
Page 9
scant respect by authorities. Wednesday’s meeting follows the lobbying of two presidents, union leaders, the GT&T; opposition parliamentarians and others without success. At least two dozen former employees on the list to be paid have died without ever earning their just pensions. It is hoped that their spouses and children would benefit from payments if the case is settled anytime soon. Calls to the Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh, went unanswered, while other officials were said to be unavailable for the day.
The Auditor General’s Annual Report for 2012 has revealed that in the East Demerara, West Demerara and Georgetown Magisterial Districts, 2826 case dockets are missing. According to the report, a whopping 1389 case dockets were listed as misplaced for Criminal Cases alone from the Georgetown Magisterial District in 20102012. The report revealed that the filing of affiliation, criminal and civil case dockets at the main Magisterial Districts continued to be disorganized with a number of case dockets being misplaced or misfiled at the different locations. It was further stated that this was compounded by the fact that the register of case dockets did not contain information on the movement of case dockets. For the years 2010-2012, a total of 795 case dockets remain misplaced for the East Demerara Magisterial District. In the West Demerara Magisterial District, 1655 dockets are recorded as outstanding for the 2010 – 2013 periods. This District has moved from having zero percent of misplaced dockets
in 2010 to 36 per cent in Civil Cases in 2012. In addition, 2110 cases filed were noted to be misplaced within the three years for the Georgetown Magisterial District. A total of 1529 dockets were reported missing for 2012 alone. It was also observed that the missing dockets for last year 2012 represent over five times the number recorded in 2010. The Head of Budget Agency said that the Department has instituted Transfer and Movement Registers to monitor all case dockets. This is an ongoing exercise being updated on a regular basis. At the time of audit examination, case dockets were before the Magistrates for hearing and will be presented for audit examination pending the outcome of the said matters. However, the Audit Office once again recommended that the Department in charge should institute corrective measures that would account for case dockets during every financial period, while doing what is necessary to locate the outstanding case dockets since 2010.
Tuesday November 12, 2013
WANTED Contract cars- Contact City Taxi Service- 660-1100 / 226-7150 Minibus driver for contract, living in Georgetown - Call: 675-3093 One driver for the interior must have bus license Contact: 681-6044 GREENHEART AND PURPLE HEART LUMBER - TEL: 653-9752 Labourers for wood concession. Accommodation Provided, $5,000 per day Tel: 642-3899 One Cummings and Perkins mechanic to work in interior contact:681-6044 Experienced counter servers, roti/puri cooks, curry cooks, pastry makers & handyboys Apply Hack’s Halaal, 5 Commerce St. One experienced female to work in the interior free meal and accommodation. Age 25-30 - Contact: 6971164 One person to look after layer birds in interior- Tel: 681-6044 Office Clerk: CXC English/ Mathematics- Call:225-0188/ 225-6070 One domestic, live in & live out babysitter from 12pm8pm- Call:225-4492
Kaieteur News
PROPERTY FOR SALE VERSAILLES: Furnished 5 bedrooms, self-contained rooms, modern facilities, generator, beautiful landscape, gated community- Call:592-6248704/592-684-9203 One - two storey 3 bedrooms house @ Montrose ECD, Price negotiable. Serious enquiries only! - Tel: 619-6005 Diamond - $6.2M, Alberttown - $35M, Kitty - $30M, AA Eccles - $60M - Call Diana: 227-2256; 626-9382
1 Toyota RAV 4; Excellent Condition – Contact:6269582
Prime 2- storey concrete building dimensions 80x23, 6 bedrooms, 2 master bedrooms @ Leonora opposite to Primary School Tel: 652-0709; 268-3572 Light St Front Property in good condition & parking $25M. 5 Bedrooms house @ South & parking – $30M – Call Diana: 227-2256; 626-9382 Property for sale- Call:6275416 Benn Street - $5.5M, Highway – 50 acres from road to river – Call Diana: 227-2256; 626-9382 Incomplete transported property @ Diamond Housing Scheme - Call: 6093426; 683-6920
One gasoline mechanic for interior must know to fix RZ, solid deff pick-up: Contact: 681-6044
Soman & Sons Driving School , First Federation Building Call 225-4858, 6445166,622-2872,615-0964
Security guard/ gardener. Age: 35-40, preferable from: Triumph/ Mon Repos ECD area- Call: 623-1387
Need land to buy in Parafaite Harmonie- Tel:2185591;675-7292 Chain saw operator with own saw – Tel:642-3899 1 Labourer – Call:226-3736
First Class Auto: Premio, Axio, Passo, Runx, Allex, IST, Fielder, Raum – Call:609-8188; 602-6307 Two Toyota Tacoma 2006 unregistered: 4wd $3.9M & 2wd $3.1M- Call:662-1396/ 678-0573 1 Suzuki 600 GSX-R, 1 Nissan Virgo Mini Van, PKK series Tel: 644-5096, 697-1453 Norpan Auto: Premio, Raum, Fielder & Vitz, never registered. Tel: 269-0432; 686-0323 3 Ton Toyota Toyoace with hydraulic lift at the back Excellent Condition - Tel: 685-0889
ALYEA’S AUTO SALE: PREMIO 2003/2004. ALL PRICES ARE NEG. 40 CROAL STREET STABROEK- TEL:2317284/ 622-3823 One AT192 PLL966 $1.1M; with DVD player – Tel:6399528
Attractive live in waitressCall: 327-0252; 674-4665
One live in domestic – Contact:658-9495; 627-2550
One fully loaded Toyota Hilux Vigo - Tel: 638-8930; 653-8226 One Toyota MK 2 GX81 – Tel:626-0329; 684-7633 F150 Tundra, chevy cargo van – Tel:227-8519; 653-4287 One registered NZE Corolla - Call: 652-3820; 665-4529 2008 Fielder – $2.7M, Premio$2.5M, Spacio $2.1M, Unregistered – Tel:617-2891
Smart Choice Auto: Premio, Allion, IST, Runx, FielderCall:652-3820/665-4529
AT212 - $1.050M, AE100 Corolla wagon - $875,000 – Call:611-6632 LEARN TO DRIVE
PORTERSAND DELIVERY PERSON, ALSO SALESGIRL WITH COSMETICSEXPERIENCE. REFFERENCE REQUIRED. BUILDING MATERIAL DEPOT - TEL: 231-8529
VEHICLE FOR SALE
SALON Make Up Courses, Artist Trained & Certified in Trinidad. Call: 660-5257, 647-1773 Celebrity Look Beauty Salon: hair and nail stations to rent. Hair - $6,500 and nail - $4,000. Contact Leoita: 6022337 Enroll today @ Nalini’s School of Cosmetology. Classes starting January 2014. Full course only - $80,000 Call: 614-6655; 226-6705 WANTED One cook for the interior to cook in a home- Tel:6816044;666-6836
FOR SALE
FOR SALE
LARGE QUANTITIES OF HIGH PURITY MERCURY (QUICK SILVER) 99.99995% PURITY $19,000 PER POUND CALL: 592-227-4754. 1- Caterpillar D5 Bulldozer and 1- Caterpillar engine 3406 Contact number 650-0402
One 290 Massey Ferguson, 4 Wheel Drive tractor – Tel:688-1789
Whole sale: Pluck Chicken - Tel:676-0931
EDUCATIONAL CXC/CAPE classes for students and adults. Highly qualified teachers & CXC examiners - Call: 683-3887 Nehemiah Comprehensive School; evening classes: Integrated Science, Human and Social Biology - Call: 226-0847 for more details. Register now for CAPE Physics, Chemistry & Mathematics classes - Call: 683-3887
One caterpillar 317 excavator. New engine and hydraulics Tel: 687-0077 (Gregory); 6613671; 602-0036 1- 5705 John Deere tractor, 1Rome plough 20 dish, 1- 1630 Bedford truck articulated with 2 trailer- Call:693-4596 2- M132 Lavarda Combine, 122RB Dragline, 3- Pressure pump 4x3 for gold field, 12640MF tractor 4WD, 1385MF tractor- Call:627-0447 1 CAT standby 3306, 194 KVA 3 phase 60 cycleCall:641-8472 Creole birds, chicks, eggs @ Lot 1 L’ Oratoire Canal No.1 WBD – Tel:655-1284
Cheapest- Premio, Pitbull, Manual Buses & HiluxCall:616-7635
Land to buy @ Non-Pareil, Eccles & Herstelling - Tel: 675-7292; 218-5591
Male and female to work at wash bay in G/Town - Tel: 669-4676
1 Toyota Carina (212) excellent Condition – Contact:629-9511; 625-9511 1 AE100 Carolla: Alarm, AC, mags & crystal lights, HID $800,000- 1 AT170 EFI fully powered: mags & CD $580,000 – Tel:619-1047
One waitress. Age 18-25 years. Contact: 650-3680; 233-5450 (Between 8am-3pm)
One hairdresser for salon - Call: 684-3384; 231-8735
VEHICLE FOR SALE 2007 Toyota BB, fully loaded, unregistered special price $2.350M – 617-2891
Page 15
Ladies boutique closing down have dresses, tops, etc for sale, made in USA. Going cheap! – Tel:624-7333 LAND FOR SALE House lot for sale on the West Bank of Demerara Harbour bridge in Harbourville contact # 6500402 Citrus farm at Yarrowkabra with over 300 bearing trees and creek running through - Call Paul at: 602-7740
1.5 & 2 Tonne open back canter, power gate $2.4M, unregistered – Tel:6172891 1 Toyota Caldina & fielder wagon, IST, fun cargo, AT212, AT192, AT170, Ceres, Hilux pick up 4x4 – Tel: 644-5096; 697-1453
Complete 50" fishing boat with two 48Hp Yamaha engine, 450 LB 2¾ in sain & ice box – Contact:220-0410; 695-9860 Games PS2 $900, PSP $900, X-Box 360 $2600 & PS3 $2600- Call:672-2566 One 330 Bedford Engine, excellent condition – Tel:6874490
Spare for washing machine, microwaves,fridges, stoves, timers, gearbox, pumps, etc call:225-9032,647-2943 Hifi Sound Connection: Car Audio, Pro Audio, complete sound system generator.Call:610-1230/673-5828 One entry level 24 speed Hiace racing bicycle. 51cm aluminum frame, carbon fibre fork. Price$100,000Tel:615-4288 Live and pluck chicken - Tel: 220-9203; 650-4421 One stall @ La Penitance Market; $600,000 – Tel:6900437
Happy Acres - $66,000,000, Ogle- $65,000,000, Hotel$2,000,000 USD - Contact: 223-8479; 647-3768 www.spaceseek.gy
Original Games- Call:6722566
Mitsubishi Galant Car, fully loaded – Tel: 227-7544; 6122542, 614-6011.
One 8000 Ford tractor & one Ford 450 2005 Towing truck – Call: 689-1864 (Guru) / 6945599 (Floyd).
Generators, welding sets, compressors, power washers, drill - migrating, must see! - Tel:227-8519
GRR 573, long base RZ minibus, automatic. Excellent Condition - Tel:687-5657; 652-0709 One registered Yamaha R1 motorcycle. In immaculate condition. Price:$1,100,000 – Tel:600-3177
Large vacuum cleaner wet & dry (for cleaning or car wash), stereo sets& speakers. Tel:227-8519
Door mirrors for 212, AT192, Allion, Premio, Runx, Alex, AT110 sprinter, AT170 Sprinter, NZE - Tel:654-6401
Toyota Primo Late PNN Series – Tel:624-6471; 2254741
FOR SALE
Laptops, 4GB from $85,000Tel: 611-3038
Pure breed pit-bull 5 months fully vaccinated and dewormed, also pure 7 weeks pit-bull pups – Contact: 6565412; 234-1460; 661-4112.
Clearance Sale: greenheart lumber, slabs, strips & firewood. Toolsie Persaud Ltd, Lombard St. Georgetown - Tel: 226-4920; 226-4071-5
1 Honda Fit PMM 4223; with rims and CD player; Immaculate Condition $1.3M Negotiable – Tel:6101818, 618-5140
Potting soil, top soil and quality cow mould – Call:656-1326; 678-0058
Pure bred Doberman pinchers pups - $50,000 – Tel:609-2815 1 TATA Truck GEE 9962 – Contact:629-9286; 219-2395 2-50 Feet fishing boats complete with 400 LBS bangamary nets, 2-48 Yamaha engines. Call:2202259; 220-9325; 220-3133 Pups for sale - mixed with French and Tibetian Terrier Call: 696-7467 Cheapest Iphones!!! - Tel: 626-2771 Pups for sale – Tel:680-0190; 216-3408
Houses in East Ruimveldt $10,000,000 – Mon-Repo $16,000,000 to $30,000,000, Diamond - $34,000,000. Contact: 223-8479; 647-3768 - www.spaceseek.gy 1 Raum PMM - $1.4M, 2006 Hyundai Tuscon Jeep $3.5M, negotiable - Tel: 6716051 One pure bred female Rottweiler pup - Call: 2206879 Live/pluck chicken call:6504421, 220-9203 2 white female and 1 brown male fluffy dogs - contact: 699-6006 SAWMILL COMPLEX design to produce 40,000 BM per week export & local market. Wanted log Kabakallie, etc. Tel:684-5868 (Continued on page 18)
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Kaieteur News
Tuesday November 12, 2013
Majority of IT labs in Secondary Prime Minister responds to opposition queries of GDF promotions Schools functional - Minister “Deputy Chief of Staff is Colonel Kemraj Persaud”, said Prime Minster Samuel Hinds in response to a question by Opposition Leader David Granger at a recent sitting of Parliament. The Prime Minister was asked to inform the National Assembly of the identity of the officer appointed to the position of’ Deputy Chief of Staff of the Guyana Defence Force, consequent to the retirement of Rear Admiral Gary Best and the announced appointment of Brigadier Julian Lovell as Military Attaché to the Federative Republic of Brazil. The Prime Minister was also asked to name the officer appointed to the position of ‘Colonel General Staff’ of the Guyana Defence Force. When asked about the effective dates of the appointments to the respective positions, the Prime Minister said, “Both positions were appointed with effect from Friday ‘201309-2 When asked whether it was the intention of the Guyana Defence Board that the positions of Deputy Chief of Staff and Colonel General Staff be held simultaneously and by the same Officer, Prime Minister Hinds explained that this has been the standard practice of the Guyana Defence Force with the exception to August 2007 when Colonel Andrew Pompey was appointed Deputy Chief of Staff and the then Colonel Julian Lovell, Colonel General Staff. When asked whether it was the objective of the
Prime Minister Samuel Hinds
David Granger
Guyana Defence Board that Captain (Coast Guard) John Flores to continue in his present appointment as Colonel Administration and Quartering (Col AQ) Prime Minster Hinds responded, “Captain (Coast Guard) John Flores at the request of the current Chief of Staff Brigadier Mark Phillips, is to remain in his appointment as Colonel Administration and Quartering (ColAQ)”. History was created when President Donald Ramotar and Secretary to the Defence Board, Dr. Roger Luncheon, pinned the insignia of the rank of Rear Admiral on former Chief of Staff of the Guyana Defence Force and now Rear Admiral Gary Best. The rank of Rear Admiral was never bequeathed on anyone before in Guyana. However, that rank is equivalent to that of a Major General; a rank held by at which three other Army heads, Joseph Singh, Norman McLean and Michael
Atherley retired. Best served in the army for the past 33 years and has been the Chief of Staff for six years. This promotion to Rear Admiral came a little less than a month before Best’s retirement on September 17. Opposition member Joseph Harmon noted that it has become a pattern by the government to promote ranks close to their retirement. He added that A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) did not believe it was a good move to promote officers when they are making their way out of the profession since they won’t be able to utilize the rank. In Harmon’s view, the promotions were granted as a sign that says “we are investing in you to say we think you are capable to operate at a higher rank”. Harmon noted that if government had the confidence in a rank he or she should be promoted while they can serve in that rank.
Early morning jogging accident ...
Dangerous driving accused refused bail Otis Jamieson, the man accused of causing the death of Alliance for Change member Bholan Boodhoo whilst driving in a dangerous manner, was yesterday remanded to prison by Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine Beharry at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court. The 37-year-old accused pleaded not guilty to the charge which stated that on November 6 on JB Singh Road, he drove minibus, BGG4671, in a dangerous manner, ultimately causing the death of Boodhoo. The prosecution was represented by Sergeant Bharat Mangru. He told the court that at about 4:50hrs, Jamieson was speeding north along the western side of JP Singh Road when the front center of the vehicle collided with Bholan Boodhoo and Bibi Jamaul Baksh who were walking along the western side of the road.
According to Mangru, Boodhoo’s body was dragged 130 feet from the point of impact, while Baksh was pitched some distance away. The victims were picked up in an unconscious state and rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) where Boodhoo was pronounced dead on arrival. Baksh sustained injuries and was subsequently hospitalized. Boodhoo resided at Lot 41 Third Street, Alberttown Georgetown. A long standing member of the Alliance for Change (AFC), and an adviser to the political party on matters of Economics and Finance for several years, the 65 year-old book store owner was out on a morning jog when he met his demise. Representing the accused was Attorney at Law Peter Hugh who begun his client’s defense by stating that “It
was merely an unfortunate accident that resulted in the loss of a life.” Hugh told the court that his client, an electrical engineer, resides at 20 Thomas Road, South Cummingsburg. As the lawyer applied for reasonable bail, he stated that his client, who is the father of three minor children, is not a flight risk, and offered to have his passport lodged. The Prosecution however objected to bail on account of the seriousness and prevalence of the offence. Prosecutor Mangru further stated that there is a likelihood that Jamieson will have to face more charges and if granted bail, he may not return to court. The Chief Magistrate refused bail and investigations are expected to be completed in time for Jamieson’s next court appearance which is set for November 26.
Minister of Education Priya Manickchand has assured that 90 per cent of the Information Technology (IT) laboratories in schools throughout Guyana are in use, with functional computers. The Minister was responding to questions posed in Parliament by Opposition Chief Whip and Member of Parliament (M.P) Amna Ally over the functionality of Information Technology (IT) equipment given to secondary schools across the country. In a written question, Ally asked the Education Minister to provide the National Assembly with the requisite information pertaining to the functionality of IT equipment in secondary schools, a list of those schools where the equipment are non functional, and how soon they would be fixed? The Education Minister in a written response said that “IT equipment was provided to 95 secondary schools between 2010 and 2013. It is virtually impossible to say at any specific moment that all the equipment are in use and functional. However, based on feedback received from the regions and visits, over 90% of the IT labs are in use with functioning computers.” The Minister pointed out that the responsibility lies with the various departments of Education to rectify the problems of non functionality.
Minister of Education Priya Manickchand
Member of Parliament Amna Ally
“Once the computers are installed and certified as functional in the schools, it is the responsibility of the various Departments of Education to budget for repairs and maintenance and even replacement of equipment. The Management Information System (MIS) Unit does not have the staff to service hundred of schools throughout Guyana, though it may assist from time to time.” Manickchand posited. The Education Minister furnished a list of 93 Secondary Schools in Regions One to Ten which are equipped with IT departments, both functional and non functional. According to the list
provided, 75 of the Secondary Schools have functional IT equipment while the remaining twenty -three were deemed non functional. However, thirteen of those twenty -three schools recently received IT labs and works are presently ongoing to them up and running. Meanwhile, two schools; Central High and Kinston Secondary are slated to be outfitted with IT labs in 2014. The IT labs in the remaining seven schools were listed as non functional due to electrical/power issues and network instillation problems which are being rectified by the respective institutions according to the Minister.
Teen escapes rapist, robbed Calls on police to investigate by rescuers -since accuse threatens to kill Accepting a drop from a stranger can lead to rape, robbery or even worst. This was the experience of a 19-yearold female recently. The young woman who accepted a free ride on a motorcycle had a rude awakening when the motorcyclist detoured from carrying her to the market and instead took her to a secluded area where she was almost raped. She was saved by two young men on passing bicycles who in turn towed her a corner away and proceeded to rob her of jewelry, cash and other valuables. She is calling on the police to carry out a proper investigation into her allegations, since she claims that the man made death threats to her if she continued with the case which she reported to the Alberttown Police Station. According to the young woman who works in Stabroek Market, she would sometimes finish working late some evenings after tending to a stall at the market. This episode all began when she first bought C-point credit from a vendor at the Stabroek
Market. “When I first buy a phone card from this man, somehow the card number was not going into my phone and I told him. I gave him back the card and he ask me for my cell number, I then gave him my cell number, and he put the credit in my phone. Couple days after I began receiving calls from a person telling me they are my secret admirer, asking me to go out with him. I did not know was the same vendor who sold me the phone card.” This incident occurred two days before she was almost raped. The teen said that whenever the man would call on different numbers he would never give his name or identify himself. “He continued to call and whenever he called he would ask to go out with me, and ask where I was and stuff like that. On October 27, he called me and asked to go out and I agreed since I wanted to know who it was. He asked where I was and I told him I was in Kitty with my friend. He kept calling all day into the evening and asked me if I coming and I told him yes and he cut off the phone.”
After hanging out in Kitty she left to go with friends at Front Road, West Ruimveldt Georgetown where into the wee hours of Monday morning she decided to leave her friends company and head to Stabroek Market where she had planned to catch a bus and head to the East Bank Demerara where she resides. “About one in the morning while waiting on transportation, I saw the guy (the vendor) and he pull up on a motorcycle and said ‘red woman’. Then he identified himself and where I knew him from, and he tell me he will give me a drop and I don’t have nothing to be afraid of. “I decided to take the drop and on my way he telling me about a murder and how he use to kill, and he went in jail for some gun story, and how he got nuff contacts and he knows the boy I deh with is a police.” At that point and time the motorcyclist demanded that she hugged him tight around his waist. She added that the man then swerved from the route to the market and instead headed up D’Urban Street then turned (continued on page 17)
Tuesday November 12, 2013
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Thirteen-year-old Seek cancer treatment as soon undergoes brain surgery as possible - Cancer Institute Thirteen-year-old, Gabrellia Motayne, underwent a successful brain surgery almost two months ago and is well on her way to leading a healthier life. In mid-September, Montayne was diagnosed with Low-Grade Astrocytoma, a rare tumor of the brain, which can be fatal if untreated. Post surgery results of Low-Grade Astrocytoma may include deafness, facial weakness, or physical paralysis. Low Grade Astrocytoma is an uncommon brain tumor made up of malignant neoplasms of the central nervous system which are fatal in a great majority of patients. However, her mother, Sharmalitta Motayne, said that Gabrellia has shown tremendous improvement since the surgery. “Gabrellia has shown tremendous strength and will power throughout this whole ordeal, enough for her pull through I want to thank God for the strength he has given her… “Even, the doctors, who performed the operation were amazed at how quickly she was recovering, they said she was a miracle. I pray a lot during this time; it is something that I believe that no parent should go through when Gabrellia was in that operating room… “After the surgery Gabrellia was expected to spend one week in the Intensive Care Unit, she only spent 36 hours.” Although, she has not completely recovered, Gabrellia is doing fine. “We are making sure that she is not putting much pressure on the
…It’s better to be safe than sorry
Gabrellia Motayne and her Mother Sharmilitta brain. She cannot go to school for now but she is relatively active. “She still suffers from a little blurred vision and so, but doctors said that this will get better in time. She loves to play snake and ladder and so on with her younger brother.” Before the operation, Gabrellia’s relatives made a public appeal for urgent financial help to pay for her surgery. Local doctors had referred Motayne for surgery and treatment at a Trinidad-based neurological centre which evidently cost almost $10 million. Ms. Motayne expressed heartfelt gratitude on behalf her immediate family to the people who generously gave their support during the period of Gabrellia’s surgery. “We would like to thank
God, our relatives, friends and the general public, for their prayers, mental and physical support especially those who responded to the call for urgent financial assistance which was needed to save Gabrellia’s life. “We are forever grateful to the doctors and medical team of Consolidated Medical Management, to those who performed Gabrellia’s surgery successfully.” Gabrellia, a form two student of South Ruimveldt Secondary School, also expressed thanks to all those who assisted in making her operation successful. She is scheduled for a follow up Magnetic Resonance Imaging Scan (MRI) next month. She will return to Trinidad in January for post surgery examination.
Chief Executive Officer of Guyana’s lone Cancer Institute, George Nella is calling on local doctors to refer cancer patients to the entity as soon as possible instead of first trying their method(s) of treatment. Nella made this call during a recent interview with this newspaper at the Cancer Institute of Guyana, located in the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC)’s compound. Cancer is a class of diseases characterized by out-of-control cell growth. There are more than 100 different types of cancer. Each is classified by the type of cell that is initially affected. Cancer harms the body when damaged cells divide uncontrollably, to form lumps, or masses of tissues called tumors. In Guyana, the most common types of cancer are cervical breast, leukemia, prostate and colorectal. The Cancer Institute’s CEO is imploring that doctors (if they are not cancer specialists) refer all suspected cancer patients to the entity to get treated by qualified personnel. He said a large number of
CEO, George Nella patients visit the institute for treatment when their illness is at the last stage, at which point nothing much can be done to save their lives. “Some come when it is at the last stage, the survival level is less and the treatment is also less. Those patients suffer the most while the patients who come at an early stage are doing well,” the CEO stressed. There are concerns that some private doctors have been misdiagnosing and treating
cancer patients for other illnesses. This newspaper recently met with a mother of three, Hemwattie Kanhai from Corentyne Berbice. She was diagnosed with stage two breast cancer and is currently undergoing chemotherapy treatment at GPHC. The woman explained that sometime last year she started to experience severe pain in her left breast. She visited numerous private doctors but was only given pain killers. No one advised her that there was a possibility that she might have had breast cancer. It was only after the intervention of a friend that she visited the Cancer Institute and was told that she has stage two breast cancer. Meanwhile, Nella stressed that he has raised the issue of patients seeking cancer treatment too late with the Ministry of Health and is hoping that some form of awareness can be raised across the country. The Cancer Institute of Guyana is a private entity which came into existence in 2006 to detect and treat cancer via a collaborative effort with the Government of Guyana.
Hung jury again for “Picture Boy” The jury spent about four hours in deliberations before announcing that they could not reach a unanimous verdict as the Cyon Collier murder trial ended yesterday before Justice Navindra Singh. Collier who goes by the alias “Picture Boy”, was charged with murdering brothers Ray Walcott called ‘Sugar’, and Carl Andrews, called ‘Alo’ back in 2006. This was the second time that a jury had brought back a “hung jury” for that particular murder. The mix jury had gone into deliberations shortly before lunch and came out after 16:00hrs yesterday. The forewoman of the jury while addressing the court bowed her head as she read out the decisions of the fellow jurists. According to her, on the
first indictment they were spilt with six guilty and six not guilty. For the second count the vote was eight to four. As a result Justice Singh ordered a retrial into the matter. Collier was returned to the Camp Street prison shortly after. A look of relief was evident on his face. Several witnesses testified on behalf of the prosecution, but Amsterdam focused his attention on the prosecution reportedly having no evidence against Collier. Senior State Prosecutor GildharieMursalin highlighted various aspects of the evidence which she opined was adequate for a conviction of the accused. She refuted that the police evidence was conflicting and said what the officers could not remember
was simply “human nature”. Relatives of the two brothers reacted angrily yesterday as yet another hung jury was announced. According to relatives they noticed various discrepancies during the trial as it related to one particular member of the jury. For attorney Lyndon Amsterdam, this is the second Cyon Collier trial that resulted in a hung jury. Collier was also on trial last year for the death of Non Pareil businessman Chandrapaul Persaud called ‘Kero man’ who was murdered on September 30, 2006. A retrial had been ordered in that case in November last year. Prosecutor Judith Gildharie-Mursalin had again represented the state; the presiding Judge was Justice Winston Patterson.
Teen escapes rapist, robbed ... From page 16 into Louisa Row, Georgetown. There he dashed into a yard. She then realized something was amiss and attempted to run when she was grabbed by the neck and choked. While he was choking her, the woman said that he loosened his belt with the other hand and was then raising up my skirt. Then I saw two boys passing on bicycles and he began losing his grip on my neck then I began hollering. The boys come to my rescue; they chased the man and cuss he up.” The teen said that after feeling relieved that the two young men saved her, she joined
them on cycle and was taken a corner away where another shocking event unfolded. She continued: “After I realize they were not carrying me to the park to catch a bus, I started to beg them. And the two of them was like, alright yo gon tek off that ring on your fingers, and give meh that bag you have and the cell phone. Then they took off after seeing a car coming up the road.” She lamented that after they left her on the road, another cyclist came to her rescue, this time giving her a phone call. “He said he see me and can’t leave me on the road. He gave me a cell call and I call my boyfriend and
he carry me home. I later made a report to the Stabroek Market police outpost and another at Alberttown Police Station. “ The teen is claiming that the man boasts of having police friends and contacts. He was arrested and taken to Ruimveldt Police Station and placed on station bail. A confrontation was held, the man was abusive and used derogatory remarks without the police reprimanding him in anyway. “I have a medical, and the police are demanding that I bring witnesses.” She is asking the police to take serious action since the man had threatened to kill her.
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Finance Ministry should set up Public Procurement Commission - AG Report In the wake of several violations of the Procurement Act 2003, the Auditor General (AG) in his 2012 report has strongly recommended to the Ministry of Finance to establish the Public Procurement Commission (PPC). The Procurement Act makes provision for the regulation of the procurement of goods, services and the execution of works, the promotion of competition among suppliers and contractors and the promotion of fairness and transparency in the procurement process. One matter that has not been arrested by the Finance Ministry as yet is the fact that the National Procurement and Tender Board was operating without “its full complement” which is in violation of the Act. The Act also outlines that the National Procurement and Tender Administration (NPTA) will be managed by the National Board and will report to the Minister of Finance. The Board is therefore responsible for the efficient management of the
administration and it is in this vein, that the Attorney General highlighted this worrying condition which continues to prevail. The AG report stated that the Act authorizes the Minister of Finance to appoint persons to serve on the National Board. According to the Act, this Board shall consist of seven members, not more than five from the Public Service and not more than three from the Private Sector. It also makes provision for two members of the Board to serve on a full time basis, with the Minister appointing one of the two full time members as Chairman. However, at the time of reporting, the Board had five members from the Public Service and one from the Private Sector. Another member from the Private Sector was still to be appointed to the Board. As a result, the Board has been operating without its full complement. The Ministry of Finance in response to this stated that “consultations are currently taking place with representatives of the private sector
Minister of Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh organizations with a view to appointing a private sector representative to fill the vacant position on the Board.” Nevertheless, the AG insisted that the Ministry makes every effort to appoint this individual as soon as possible as to ensure that the National Board operates at its full complement. The AG report also noted
that at the time of reporting, the National Board had still not created any District Boards for procurement by the Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDC). It then referred to Section 21 (a) of the Act, which states that the National Board may, at its discretion, create District Tender Boards for procurement by NDCs comprising of part-time members of which, two members are appointed by the Regional Board and one member appointed by the relevant NDC from among persons with qualifications not dissimilar from those required for appointment to the National Board. “At the time of reporting, the National Board had still not created any District Boards.” The Ministry said that the process is being stalled because advice is still being sought from the Attorney General, Anil Nandlall, with regard to the way forward with this issue. Meanwhile, the AG report strictly advised that the
Ministry followed up with Nandlall to ensure the establishment of the Boards which is in keeping with the Act. More importantly, the AG’s report made reference to the Procurement Commission which still has not been established. The Auditor General further urged the Ministry to establish the commission regardless of the explanation it provided. At the time of reporting, the PPC and its Secretariat had not been established and no new regulations to supplement the Act had been issued. In addition, the threshold values for the various Tender Boards had remained unchanged since 2004. While the Ministry did not provide any reason to justify the non-establishment of the commission, it outlined the responsibilities of the National Board and spoke on the issue of “no regulations.” With respect to the making of Regulations, the Ministry added that the National Procurement and Tender Board has examined and reviewed
Auditors are major players in Tax evasion - GRA Commissioner By Kiana Wilburg Chartered Accountant Christopher Ram and economist Dr. Clive Thomas are of the belief that tax evasion, even in the face of the “shamefaced” attempts by the government to reform the Tax system, is now, more rampant than ever. However, the Commissioner General of the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA), Mr. Khurshid Sattaur, asserted that root of the illegal practice is the executives of major companies who are allowed to live extravagant lifestyles due to the aiding and abetting that takes place between them and their auditors. Tax evasion is the method of illegally avoiding taxes one owes and on an aggregate basis, hampers governmental efficiency. While taxation is considered a major tool of economic management, Ram said that “in Guyana, there is one law for the rich, the powerful and the connected and another for the poor, the voiceless and the helpless. The immorality of Guyana is that one set of people pays the tax while another spends it.” Dr. Thomas who also spoke on the issue, said, “Today, the tax system is fractured and, far too costly, burdensome, and inefficient.” Furthermore, the government on its
competitiveness website: competitiveness.org.gy stated that since the early 1990s, Guyana’s Tax system has undergone a series of reforms aimed at stimulating investment. In 2000, the government established the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) to lead the implementation of the accelerated programme. Several of the most important reforms are in the pipeline. They include, the Value Added Tax (VAT) and Excise Tax. Even in the face of the aforementioned, Ram contended that tax reform in our case has first to deal with tax evasion and administration. Ram said, “This government has been paying lip service to tax reform ever since it came to power. Unless it thinks that imposing VAT on top of high personal tax rates is tax reform, it has done nothing and tax evasion is now worse than it has ever been. “VAT has brought in immoral windfalls, reducing the incentive for reform which the Government has delegated to the National Competitiveness Strategy. So far, that body which is chaired by the President has shown no intention, appetite or capacity to deal with it. “And the GRA is either overwhelmed by the level and scale of tax evasion or is not utilizing the tools and deploying the resources at its disposal to deal with the crisis.”
The accountant added, “While laws exist for dealing with tax evasion, resources available to the revenue authority are clearly inadequate to deal with the apparent scale of this practice.” He added, “The administrative capability to deal with this crisis must be enhanced by better staffing, training and salaries.” However, contesting these statements was GRA Commissioner General, Khurshid Sattaur. “While Mr. Ram seems to be suggesting that the GRA has a resource problem, it is regrettable that he does not recognize the tremendous changes that have occurred.” “These include major reforms in the information technology infrastructure, creation of a semi autonomous agency that is outside of the public service, significant reforms in operational procedures that resulted in over 400 Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) in use and the reform of the actual organizational structure from being a tax type to a functional organization.” He added that Professor Thomas is not aware of the vast improvements that have occurred over the past 13 years in revenue collection. Sattaur said, “Even though I accept that there is room for improvement, it should be noted that ten years ago, the aggregate
collection was a mere $50 billion. At the same rate of exchange, it is expected to be in excess of $125 billion by the end of the year and this is achieved despite abolishing six taxes and introducing VAT to replace these inefficient taxes. “In addition, the threshold today is $600,000 per annum compared to probably thirtythree per cent of that years ago and reduction of rates as well. Even companies now pay as low as 30 percent, which is the same rate that individuals pay.” The Commissioner General reiterated his disagreement with the belief purported by the duo that tax evasion is on the increase as GRA has seen a massive increase in the amount of revenues collected. Moreover, Ram on his website (http:// www.chrisram.net.) called for more relevant information to be disclosed in public documents. “Principal among these would be the annual report of the Guyana Revenue Authority which the Minister of Finance has failed to table in the National Assembly for some time now. Let us see how much the construction sector, the bauxite sector, the forestry sector, the agriculture sector including rice, sugar and other crops sectors contribute to the national coffers, and how much remissions, rebates and holidays they receive which may amount to billions each year.
Khurshid Sattaur “We should be able to see how much each region contributes and compare this with their receipts from the central government,” the accountant said. However, Sattaur in response to this said, “There seems to be an agenda to bring down the agency and the government at all cost. GRA is audited by the Auditor General and the findings are laid before the Public Accounts Committee every year.” “If we have to get to the heart of tax evasion, then one would have to investigate the lifestyles of some of these major company executives who are allowed to pander to their luxurious and insatiable appetites from the high level of aiding and abetting that takes place with their auditors. One should ask Mr. Ram. He will enlighten you. That’s why the accounting profession which has a major role to play is silent as they are the main contributors.”
certain aspects of the Procurement Act and its Regulations. It has identified and reported on areas to be addressed through the Regulations to make the procurement system more effective. In addition, the Ministry said that a consultancy firm was contracted to draft Regulations under the Act regarding the adjudication of debarment proceedings and examine and make recommendations on revisions to the Regulations, with a view to increasing the threshold limits. The firm has completed draft Regulations covering the abovementioned areas. The draft Regulations are currently being examined before they are approved and brought into effect. Nevertheless, it was still advised that the Ministry continues in its efforts to make certain that a Commission is in place. In the absence of the Commission, the AG noted other violations of the Procurement Act. The Auditor General said that it is a requirement under Section 11 (1) of the Act for each procuring body to publish notice of procurement contracts awarded within seven days of awarding such contracts. The Procurement Regulations on the other hand, require each procuring entity to provide within five days of publishing notice of the award, a report to the Administration of all contracts awarded in excess of US$200,000. On receipt of the report, the NPTA shall publish the information on its website. However, it was here that the violations were discovered. In particular, procuring agencies were not reporting to the National Board all contracts awarded in excess of $200,000, thereby restricting the National Board from publishing on its website all contracts awarded. In spite of this, the National Board published on its website, all contracts awarded over $15 million during the period under review. However, the Ministry indicated that it had informed the relevant agencies to report to the NPTAB, all the contracts exceeding $200,000, awarded by those entities. They expressed as well that only contracts for which Cabinet has given its no-objection are published on the NPTA’s website and contracts involving national security are not posted on the website. The Auditor General in the face of this explanation still urged that all procuring entities and NPTA comply strictly with the requirements of the Procurement Act.
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Venezuela arrests looters, store bosses in ‘economic war’
Shoppers crowd outside a Daka store as they wait to shop for electronic goods in Caracas. (Credit: Reuters/Carlos Garcia Rawlins)
(Reuters) - President Nicolas Maduro’s government announced arrests of both store managers and looters on Sunday as part of what it calls an “economic war” in Venezuela between the socialist state and unscrupulous businessmen. In a major pre-Christmas campaign reminiscent of the late President Hugo Chavez’s dramatic style, Maduro has sent soldiers to “occupy” one chain of electronics stores and inspectors into scores of others to check for price-gouging. Thousands of Venezuelans have been flocking to electronics stores, hoping to take advantage of new “fair prices” the government is imposing, sometimes half the previous cost. However, scenes of looting on Saturday at a store belonging to the occupied electronics chain, Daka, have left many Venezuelans ashamed and fueled opposition claims that Maduro is stirring chaos rather than defending the poor. Authorities announced that five managers, from the local Daka, JVG and Krash companies, would be prosecuted on charges of unjustified price increases after importing products with dollars obtained at the official exchange rate of 6.3 bolivars. Officials have displayed for cameras televisions, washing-machines and airconditioning units whose prices they say have been jacked up 1,000 percent or more by getrich-quick businessmen. Many shop owners justify this year’s spiraling prices - annual inflation has hit 54 percent - by saying they are forced to buy greenbacks for imports on an illegal black market at nearly 10 times the official rate. Five people accused of looting Daka’s store in the central city of Valencia have also been arrested, the Attorney General’s office said in a statement. Some Twitter users circulated more images on Sunday of crowds and jostling outside some shops around Venezuela. But there appeared to be no more outright looting as was seen in Valencia, where dozens of people were caught on camera running out of the Daka outlet with flat-screen TVs and boxes. ‘BOURGEOIS PARASITES’ In a speech to the nation late on Sunday, Maduro promised there would be no let-up in what he called an “economic offensive” against Venezuela’s “bourgeois parasites.” Maduro said he would use decree powers that Congress is expected to grant him this week to set legal limits on businesses’ profit-margins. “Zero tolerance with speculators,” he thundered, flanked by most of his Cabinet and quoting biblical, Koranic and Taoist exhortations against usury and materialism.
Food, textile, footwear, hardware, toy and vehicle businesses would be targeted this week to check for price-gouging, Maduro said in the latest of his lengthy daily speeches, this one winding up just before midnight. Seven months after Maduro narrowly beat opposition leader Henrique Capriles at a presidential election to replace his mentor Chavez, Venezuela is once again consumed by bitter politicking ahead of local municipal elections next month. At the heart of the campaign is who takes the blame for the country’s economic problems: price rises that are hitting the poor majority hard despite the government’s oilfueled subsidies and welfare programs, shortages of basic products from toilet paper to milk, and a convoluted currency market. Former bus-driver Maduro, 50, is calculating that his attacks on private businessmen will appeal to his working-class support base. But critics say the government has only itself to blame for the problems due to excessive state controls, persecution of the private sector, corruption, failed nationalizations and lack of foreign currency for importers. Capriles, the 40-year-old governor of Miranda state, and other opposition leaders are urging Venezuelans to punish Maduro’s mayoral candidates at the December 8 nationwide vote. They hope that may be a prelude to his exit from power, though unless Maduro were to resign, the only constitutional tactic the opposition has is a recall referendum in 2016. “It’s clearer and clearer every day that Maduro is a failed puppet of the Cuban government,” Capriles fumed on Sunday. “Every time he opens his mouth, he scares away the investments that create employment and he worsens the crisis.” While plenty of economists believe Venezuela is in a mess, with foreign exchange reforms urgently overdue, they also point out that the South American nation has the world’s largest oil reserves with ample capacity to repay its debt. An increasing number of Venezuelans of all political persuasions are fed up with the continued polarization of their nation after 14 years of aggressive confrontations under Chavez, who died of cancer in March. Ratings for both Maduro and Capriles have fallen since the April poll, when just 1.5 percentage points or about 210,000 votes separated them. Among the raft of new government measures announced in the last few days, Venezuela’s telecoms regulator Conatel said at the weekend it would require eight local internet providers to block websites publishing black market currency prices.
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Kaieteur News
Typhoon survivors desperate for food, supplies (Reuters) - (Reuters) - Desperate survivors of one of the most powerful storms ever recorded begged for help and scavenged for food, water and medicine in the central Philippines four days after an estimated 10,000 people were killed by Typhoon Haiyan. President Benigno Aquino declared a state of national calamity and deployed hundreds of soldiers in the coastal city of Tacloban to quell looting. Thousands of people were believed to be missing in the ruins of towns and villages in the Southeast Asian island country hit by the typhoon. By the early hours of this (Tuesday) morning, some areas had not yet been reached by relief workers, according to humanitarian group CARE. “People are becoming quite desperate. Some officials just came and told us that there has been looting in the area, people trying to get rice for their families,” Sandra Bulling, CARE’s international emergency communications officer, said in her blog written on Monday from Jaro, a small town on the way to Tacloban. Tacloban in Leyte province bore the brunt of the storm. Aid groups and corporations in the United States were working to provide help. Additional U.S. military forces arrived in the Philippines yesterday to bolster relief efforts, officials said, with U.S. military cargo planes transporting food, medical supplies and water for victims. Other U.S. aircraft were prepositioning to assist the Philippines, with U.S. forces operating out of Villamor Air Base in the capital Manila and in the coastal city of Tacloban. One of the most powerful storms ever recorded, typhoon Haiyan leveled Basey, a seaside town in Samar province about 10 km (6 miles) across a bay from Tacloban in Leyte province, where at least 10,000 people were killed, according to officials. About 2,000 people were missing in Basey, said the governor of Samar province. “The situation is bad, the devastation has been significant. In some cases the devastation has been total,” Secretary to the Cabinet Rene Almendras told a news conference. The United Nations said officials in Tacloban, which bore the brunt of the storm on Friday, had reported one mass grave of 300-500 bodies. More than 600,000 people were displaced by the storm across the country and some have no access to food, water, or medicine, the U.N. says. Flattened by surging waves and monster winds up to 235 mph, Tacloban, 580 km (360 miles) southeast of Manila, was relying almost entirely for supplies and evacuation on just three military transport planes flying from
nearby Cebu city. Dozens of residents clamored for help at the airport gates. In a nationwide broadcast, Aquino said the government was focusing relief and assistance efforts on Samar and Leyte provinces, which acted as “funnels for the storm surges”. The declaration of a state of national calamity should quicken rescue, relief and rehabilitation efforts. It will also allow the government to use state funds for relief and rehabilitation and control prices. Aquino said the government had set aside 18.7 billion pesos ($432.97 million) for rehabilitation. More bad weather was on the way with a depression due to bring rain to the central and southern Philippines today, the weather bureau said. WALL OF WATER Three days after the typhoon made landfall, residents of Tacloban told terrifying accounts of being swept away by a wall of water, revealing a city that had been hopelessly unprepared for a storm of Haiyan’s almost unprecedented power. Most of the damage and deaths were caused by waves that inundated towns, washed ships ashore and swept away villages in scenes reminiscent of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. Haiyan, one of the strongest typhoons ever recorded, is estimated to have destroyed about 70 to 80 percent of structures in its path. The damage to the coconut- and rice-growing region was expected to amount to more than 3 billion pesos ($69 million), Citi Research said in a report, with “massive losses” for private property. Bodies litter the streets of Tacloban, rotting and swelling under the sun. People walked covering their noses with rags or old clothes to mask the stench. International aid agencies said relief resources in the largely Roman Catholic Philippines were stretched thin after a 7.2 magnitude quake in central Bohol province last month and displacement caused by a conflict with Muslim rebels in southern Zamboanga province. Twenty-one countries pledged to send relief, including Indonesia, United States, Britain, Japan, Singapore, New Zealand and Hungary, Aquino said. The Italian bishops’ conference pledged 3 million euro in emergency aid, adding to $150,000 given by Pope Francis and 100,000 euro by Catholic charity Caritas. On Sunday, Pope Francis led thousands in a silent prayer outside St. Peter’s Basilica for the victims.
Residents watch as others throw items taken from a warehouse after super typhoon Haiyan hit Guiuan town, eastern Samar province, central Philippines. Credit: Reuters/Ted Aljibe/Pool
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China to unveil 10-year reform plan, expectations toned down (Reuters) - China’s leaders will unveil a reform agenda for the next decade today, seeking to balance the need to overhaul the world’s second-largest economy as it loses steam with preserving stability and to reinforce the Communist Party’s power. The blueprint, which past experience suggests will be first published by the official news agency Xinhua, will show just how committed the new leadership is to reform after formally taking power in March. Economic reforms were expected to dominate four days of closed-door talks that began on Saturday and involved the 205-member Central Committee of China’s ruling Communist Party. The conclave was held under tight security at a Soviet-era hotel in western Beijing. Some social and political issues could have been tackled, but Western-style
political reform was probably not on the agenda, analysts said. President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang must unleash new growth drivers as the economy, after three decades of breakneck expansion, begins to sputter, burdened by industrial overcapacity, piles of debt and eroding competitiveness. Yu Zhengsheng, the fourth-ranked member of the ruling elite, said last month the meeting would deliver “unprecedented” reforms. However, several analysts and official media have sought to tone down expectations. “The chances of seeing big surprises will be small,” said an economist with a top government think-tank, who declined to be identified due to the sensitivity of the matter because he was involved in preparations for the meeting. A draft plan on key reforms was formulated ahead of the conclave, combining proposals from various government ministries and top think-tanks. The Development Research Centre, a think-tank
A paramilitary policeman holds the Chinese national flag at a flag lowering ceremony on Tiananmen Square next to the Great Hall of the People, where the closing ceremony of the Chinese Communist Party plenum is going to be held today. (Credit: Reuters/Kim Kyung-hoon) for China’s cabinet, proposed last month eight key areas for reform at the plenum - finance, taxation, land, state assets, social welfare, innovation, foreign investment and governance. Some reforms still face stiff resistance from powerful interest groups such as local
governments or state-owned monopolies, people involved in reform discussions have said. Most progress is expected with steps such as letting market forces play a bigger role in setting the price of capital, energy and land, cutting red tape and some
fiscal and tax reforms. “I don’t think the final document can exceed expectations - the opposite may be the case,” said the economist with the top government think-tank in Beijing. “It is absolutely impossible for them to add new reforms to the initial list,” said the economist. The meeting’s communiqué will not reveal any heated debates that might have taken place behind the scenes, an arrangement that allows the Communist Party to present a unified voice on the plans. It is also unlikely to be particularly detailed. The Central Committee’s third plenum comes at a time when the party is still grappling with the fallout from the downfall of disgraced Bo Xilai, who had been a contender for a seat at the apex of China’s power. The former party boss of the southwestern city of Chongqing was jailed for life in September on charges of corruption and abuse of power, but he has many sympathizers. Underscoring the party’s worries, supporters of Bo have setup a new political party, in a direct challenge to the de facto ban on new political groups. Historically, third plenums in China have served as a
springboard for key economic reforms. Former leader Deng Xiaoping launched reforms to open the economy to the outside world at a third plenum in 1978. That was followed in 1993 with an endorsement of the “socialist” market economy, paving the way for sweeping reforms spearheaded by then Premier Zhu Rongji, which led to China’s entry into the World Trade Organization. This time, the focus is economic rebalancing by increasing the urban population and greater efforts to promote consumption to move away from exports and investment, China’s main growth engines. The leaders are expected to loosen the household registration system, which blocks migrant workers and their families from access to education and social welfare beyond their home villages. They may also push land reforms to allow farmers to sell land when they leave their villages - a key hurdle to Beijing’s urbanization drive to turn millions of migrants into consumers. While the meeting will set the broad reform agenda, state agencies will be left to work out the details and the next event to watch will be the annual Economic Work Conference likely to be held in December.
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GDF’s Devon Davis crowned Mr. Muscle Explosion By Franklin Wilson Devon Davis, sporting a balanced and chiseled physique commanded the judges nod to win the inaugural Mr. Muscle Explosion bodybuilding title on Saturday evening at
Kaylee’s Resort, Coverden, East Bank Demerara. Davis, representing the Guyana Defence Force Gym has enjoyed a bumper 2013 so far having recently returned from the CAC championships with the 132lb gold medal and prior to that would have also
won the Bantamweight category at the GABBFF Seniors (Bodies of Steel) where he was outdone by Kerwin Clarke for the Mr. Guyana crown. On Saturday evening last, under the quiet of the night skies and the calm of the
GCA/Carib Beer T/20 cricket...
GCC, GYO record wins Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) and Gandhi Youth Organization (GYO) recorded victories when action in the Georgetown Cricket Association (GCA)/Carib Beer first division T/20 tournament continued on Sunday. GCC defeated Police by 8 wickets at the Police Sports Club ground, Eve Leary. Police batted first and scored 116-4 after the game was reduced to 14 overs. Royan Federicks top scored with 41 (3x4,3x6) while Jason Heyliger supported with 33 (1x4,2x6). Jamal Anderson, Joshua Wade, Raj Nanan and Leon Johnson picked up one wicket each. GCC replied with 117-2 in 11 overs. Johnson
stroked seven fours and four sixes in a top score of 61 not out and Ramnaresh Sarwan made 28 (1x4,1x6). Heyliger and Seon Daniels were the wicket takers. At the said venue at 13:30 hrs, GYO overcame Transport Sports Club (TSC) by 5 wickets. TSC took first strike and posted 1487 off their allotted 18 overs. Oslyn Batson was their leading batsman with 47, while Shaun Alves chipped in with 28. Leon Scott grabbed 3-20 and Abdool Rahim 2-18. GYO responded with 152-5 in 17.5 overs. Surendra Heeralall led with 43, Quame Crosse scored 34 and Rahim 32; Jonathan Alphonso took 2-32.
Tuesday November 12, 2013 ARIES (MAR 21 - APR 19): Issues like romance, creativity and children could be sore spots today. You long to leave your mark on the world, but feel hindered from doing so. ************************ TAURUS (APR 20 - MAY 20): Your heart could feel a little heavy right now, mostly because of family responsibilities and while you’re tired of playing t h e p a r t of the reliable relative, you have to admit you would feel guilty about shirking these duties. ************************ GEMINI(MAY21-JUN20): Relations with a neighbour, sibling or cousin could be a bit strained right now. It feels as though this person is asking you to make all sorts of sacrifices, while they continue along their merry way. ************************ CANCER (JUN 21 - JUL 22): The things that symbolised success for you in the past are becoming distant memories. You’re starting to realise that, over the years, your priorities have changed significantly. ************************ LEO (JUL 23 - AUG 22): You’ve been juggling many responsibilities for the last week or two, and this trend will continue for some time. ************************ VIRGO (AUG 23 - SEP 22): Sometimes, it seems as though you’ll never see the light at the end of the tunnel. This could be one of those times!
LIBRA (SEP 23 - OCT 22): Obligations to your community can be quite a burden at times. Right now, all you can think about is how much fun you could be having if you hadn’t made certain promises. ************************ SCORPIO (OCT 23 NOV 21): Finding a career that affords status and authority takes on a new urgency. In the past, you were content to work behind the scenes. ************************ SAGITTARIUS (NOV 22 - DEC 21): You may feel as though you’re at a distinct disadvantage with a highly educated expert and while that may be true, there’s no reason why you can’t get the same level of training. ************************ CAPRICORN (DEC 22 JAN 19): Becoming better with money is imperative if you’re going to enjoy an intimate relationship. Love isn’t all hugs and kisses. ************************ AQUARIUS (JAN 20 FEB 18): A marriage or business alliance could be a source of strain today. You want your freedom, but your partner demands that you stick to a confining arrangement. ************************ PISCES (FEB 19 - MAR 20): It behoves you to take care of your health over the next two years. Cutting out junk food, taking more exercise, and getting more sleep are all essential components of a sensible regime.
Shenika Chapman wins Miss Bikini Demerara River, Kaylee’s Resort presented a beach like setting that was enjoyed by all including the athletes who sought to out pose each other for what has been described as a successful show. Davis, perhaps one of the most relaxed bodybuilders who enjoys every moment of being on stage, first won the Under-143 category in a three way battle with the second placed Ebo Orford (Buddy’s Gym) and Melroy Grant of the Berbice based, Windero Gym. The battle for the Mr. Muscle Explosion locally carved trophy and cash prize was not going to be an easy task given the fact that some of the best athletes were participating. Davis had to contened with the other category winners. Sylvester Andrews of Total Fitness out posed two other competitors to emerge as the best Under-154 athlete; ruling the roost in the hotly contested Under-164 division which attracted five competitors was Interline Fitness’ Alfred Jordon. Three-time Mr. Guyana, Clint Duke of Total Fitness Gym was the lone competitor in the Under-176 lb category, while in the clash of the big boys (heavyweight) Anthony Perez of Buddy’s Gym survived another fierce battle against four other athletes to gain the nod of the three judges for the top place. The stage was now set for the clash of the category winners for the Mr. Muscle Explosion title and bragging rights for the next year. It was no easy task for the judges, or so it seemed, before two comparisons were requested, the order of standing on stage was reversed as the judges sought to ensure that every athlete was given a fair chance even though they were seen in their respective categories earlier in the night. The first comparison that was requested saw Davis, Andrews and Perez going through the seven compulsory poses which in the second instance, Jordan, Andrews and Perez were required to pose. When the explosion of posing was finally brought to an end with no further comparisons being requested, Davis was declared Mr. Muscle Explosion fighting off Jordan, Perez, Andrews and Duke who were placed second to fifth, respectively. The Heavyweight division saw one comparison
being requested which matched up Perez, second placed Alex Hamilton of Windero and his gym mate, Abdool Shabeer who also placed third. The other category that also attracted five athletes, Under-164lbs, also saw the judges requesting a comparison between the top three as it turned out, Jordan, Marlon Bennett (2nd place) of Extreme Fitness Gym and Teon Sancho of Fitness Zone Gym. The Ms. Bikini contest was a two way pose off between winner, Shenika Chapman and Ronetta Fraser, both of Perry’s Gym, Linden. They were required to execute four quarter turns in their swim suits, two piece and whole. The featured Guest Posers on the night were reigning Mr. Guyana Kerwin
Clarke and four-year-old Francis Culpepper. Clarke’s performance was well received by the patrons but it was little Culpepper’s performance that brought the fans to their feet. Like he did when he first appeared on stage back in July at the GABBFF’s Senior’s, Culpepper had the crowd going wild as he gracefully executed the compulsory poses; he had his own segment then teamed up later with Clarke for round two which the fans again enjoyed as he matched Clarke pose for pose. Organiser, Videsh Sookram of Total Fitness Gym, Soesdyke, East Bank Demerara, extended gratitude to the many sponsors, athletes and fans for their support which made the event a success.
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Kaieteur News
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Tuesday November 12, 2013
Single V-bull separates Goodluck, Fields at National Shooting championships A single V-bull separated defending champion Ransford Goodluck from his closest challenger, national vice captain Dylan Fields, after the first day of competition at the Guyana National Rifle Association (GNRA) 2013-2014 National championships which opened Sunday at the Timehri Rifle ranges. The championship is being sponsored by Crown Mining, Queensway and Industrial and Safety Supplies. Goodluck shot two possibles at 300 and 500 yards and was declared winner of the prestigious Valladares Trophy, which was up for grabs for the top shooter at 500 yards in an intense battle in ‘X’ Class on a hot and bright day with subtle changing winds. The reigning champion recorded an overall day’s aggregate of 132 points with nine V-bulls, three points
short from a highest possible score (HPS) of 135 points. He shot possible scores of 35 points and one V-bull points at 300 and 50 points with six V-bulls at 500 yards, while recording 47.2 at 900 yards. Fields was consistent in recording an overall aggregate of 132 points with eight V-bulls with scores of 34.2 at 300, 49.2 at 500 and 49.4 at 900 yards in a head to head showdown with the leader. National captain Mahendra Persaud dropped seven points be placed in third position. He shot a possible 35 points with two Vs at 300 yards and recorded 48.4 at 500 yards and 46.2 at 900 yards. Current Caribbean individual champion Lennox Braithwaite is in fourth spot with 128 points and 10 V-bulls. He shot 34.2 at 300 yards, 49.5 at 500 yards and 45.3 at 900 yards. Inspector Dane Blair holds the fifth position in “X”
Class and sixth overall with 124 points and three V-bulls after he recorded scores of 32.1, 46.1 and 46.2. Lt. Col. Terrance Stuart is the leader in “O” Class with 126 points and eight V-bulls. He recorded scores of 34.2, 46.4 and 46.2 over the three ranges to stay ahead of newcomer Sherwin Felicien who recorded 31.1, 46.1 and 40 for an overall aggregate of 117 and three V-bulls while Everall Nelson is third with 95 points with scores of 27, 40 and 28. Defending “O” Class champion Leo Romalho is out of the competition due to injury. The championships continue on Saturday with shooting at 500, 600 and 900 yards ranges with a highest possible score of 105 points starting at 10:00 hours, while the final day Sunday, the shooters will compete at 300, 600 and 1000 yards for a HPS of 150 points.
NBA roundup: Spurs crush Knicks... From page 21 open player before the Knicks knew what was happening. San Antonio was making roughly two of every three shots for much of the first half and took a 61-45 lead into the locker room after shooting 62 per cent. Smith, who ended the post-season in a miserable shooting slump, opened this season the same way. He missed all five shots in the first half, unable to shake the rust after appearing in just one pre-season game following summer knee surgery. By the time he made a three-pointer with 8:43 left in the third quarter for his first basket, the Knicks trailed by 26 points. The Spurs went up (From page 15) SERVICES Send for a free Gospel package. Text name & address Tel:675-7292
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by 30 a few minutes later on another three by Green, and fans loudly booed when Amare Stoudemire missed both free throws with a little less than three minutes left in the period. The Knicks won both meetings last season, sweeping the Spurs for the first time in 10 years. But with centre Tyson Chandler sidelined with a broken leg, New York looked defenceless against the Western Conference champions. It was such a laugher that Popovich had Duncan, a career 69 per cent free throw shooter, take the shot when Knicks coach Mike Woodson was called for a technical foul in the third quarter. Naturally, the way this one went, Duncan made it. THUNDER 106, WIZARDS 105 OKLAHOMA CITY — Kevin Durant scored 33 points, including a tying 3 late in regulation and the goahead foul shots in overtime that sent the Oklahoma City Thunder past the Washington Wizards 106-105 on Sunday night. John Wall missed a driving layup attempt at the buzzer for Washington, which was seeking its third straight win. Bradley Beal scored a career-high 34 points for the Wizards. Oklahoma City trailed 9282 with 3:26 left with the fourth quarter, but went on a 14-4 run. Durant capped the burst with a straightaway 3-pointer
with 13.6 seconds left. Beal missed a running 12footer at the buzzer while being closely guarded by Serge Ibaka. In overtime, Durant blocked a shot by Wall and streaked toward the other basket. He made both free throws for a 106-105 lead with 40.7 seconds left. TIMBERWOLVES 113, LAKERS 90 LOS ANGELES (AP) Kevin Martin scored 27 points, Kevin Love had 18 of his 25 points during Minnesota’s 47-point first quarter, and the Timberwolves snapped a 22game losing streak against the Los Angeles Lakers. Ricky Rubio had 12 points, 14 assists and 10 rebounds for the Timberwolves, who hadn’t beaten the Lakers since March 6, 2007. Minnesota took a 28-point lead during the highest-scoring quarter in franchise history and maintained a healthy advantage all night in their first win over the Lakers at Staples Center since Dec. 2, 2005. Steve Blake scored 19 points with five 3-pointers, and Jodie Meeks added 16 for the Lakers, who have lost five of seven. SUNS 101, PELICANS 94 PHOENIX (AP) — Eric Bledsoe scored 24 points and Markieff Morris came off the bench to score 23 as the Phoenix Suns beat the New Orleans Pelicans.
Tuesday November 12, 2013
Kaieteur News
Page 25
Guyana Boxing Association Open and Junior boxing championships...
GDF is champion gym but Police carts off best boxer prize By Michael Benjamin The Guyana Defence Force (GDF) scored 10 points and was duly declared champion gym when the curtains came down on the Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) Open and Junior Boxing championships at the National Gymnasium, Mandela Avenue, Friday evening last; the Guyana Police Force (GPF) and the Republican Boxing Gym ended at 4 points apiece to share the second place slot. Guyana Police Force middleweight pugilist, Dennis Thomas, salvaged some pride for his organization when he copped the coveted best boxer award after forcing Forgotten Youth Foundation (FYF) representative, William Hendricks, to retire at 2:15secs into the first frame. The lanky Thomas wasted little time with his opponent and rushed out with a barrage of shots at the bell. Hendricks chose to cover up but discovered that he needed far more than two hands to complete the task. Several ramrod shots connected to his head and he drifted into the neutral corner where Thomas continued the onslaught. Hendricks never suggested permanence and when a wicked left hook connected to his temple nearing the end of the first round, he fell to the canvass where the referee decided that
Jamal Eastman (L) keeps Odeny Moore at bay with a stiff left jab
he had seen enough and waved the bout off to save him from further punishment. In what many opined was the best fight of the night, Imran Khan and Stephan Gouveia engaged in a slugfest that kept the appreciative crowd alive for its entire duration. The two had faced off in the August edition of the Guyana Fight Night and Gouveia had prevailed by a close points decision. Still smarting from that loss, Khan attacked from the first gong but Gouveia refused to wilt; he matched his opponent’s every blow and both boxers enjoyed great moments. Boxing out of a southpaw stance, Gouveia entered the second round with sharp combinations that had Khan
covering up but not for long; the lanky Police boxer lashed out and scored valuable points to his opponent’s body and head that pushed him towards the ropes. Gouveia attempted to trap Khan in one of the neutral corners but the wily Police representative wriggled out and scored with several unanswered combinations that brought a tinge of blood from Gouveia’s nose. The third round was a classic as both pugilists venomously went after each other. Gouveia slammed a combination to Khan’s body but the lanky Khan took it like a man and served up a three punch combination that pushed his man backwards. The two then engaged in a delightful exchange in centre
Emma Vieira aiming for glory at CMRC Nov.24 Race Meet - First local female to drive 125cc Shifter Kart Raised in a family of outstanding motor racers, hardly anyone would have betted against young Emma Vieira gravitating to the sport of motor racing, having grown up all her life among some of the best drivers and riders to be produced by this country. Emma, who still attends school, when she takes to the track at the South Dakota Circuit on November 24 to compete in the final leg of the Caribbean Motor Racing Championship (CMRC) will become the first Guyanese female to race a 125cc Shifter Kart which is a significant achievement, especially at the tender age of 15 years.
The young karter who is a member of the Vieira clan, one of the more illustrious names in motor racing that dates back a long time and whose father Mark is among the best drivers in the country and the Caribbean, has been recording some impressive performances during practice sessions and has been tipped to do well in the category. According to her father Mark, she is a very good driver who has been honing her skills in the sport for the past two years under his tutelage and he is confident that even though she will be going up against the men, he still expects her to hold her
own. “Emma is extremely confident in her ability and has been going hard at practice and cannot wait to get on the grid and display her skills in front of the anticipated large turnout of motor racing fans,” Mark said. The last time a female karter was seen in Guyana was Canada’s Julianna Chiviotti, who did well against her male counterparts and Emma will certainly be setting her sights on duplicating her performance. What is certain is that her career in racing will start in the next 13 days and there is no doubt that fans will be eager to see the young upcoming star in the sport in action.
ring right up to the bell. It was truly a hard bout to call but in the end the judges ruled in favour of Khan and handed him the national lightweight crown. Republican bantamweight boxer, Stephon Nedd, needed just 21secs to transform Forgotten Youth Foundation FYF) representative, Leonard Allicock’s face into a bloody mess, forcing the referee to summon the ringside physician who in turn called a premature halt to the bantamweight encounter. Another representative of the Guyana Police Force, Eon Bancroft was somewhat lucky to win his welterweight encounter against Ron Smith (GDF). The former boxer started the fight bustling forward trying to lure his man into close exchanges but Smith refused to fall into the trap and chose to box around while unleashing sporadic combinations. Bancroft kept up the pressure in the second round but Smith retained a cool composure and dished out several well timed combinations. Not to be outdone, Bancroft stitched in several right crosses to set up an interesting final round. Bancroft bustled out in the third attempting to lure his man into a slugfest round but Smith averted the confrontation with a slick jab and move tactic. On many occasions he had his man off balanced while countering with crisp right crosses. A determined Bancroft pushed on and scored with a few looping punches but it was Smith that remained composed and scored the cleaner punches and when the final bell rung
Jason Barker (R) pummels away on Kenroy Evelyn he appeared confident of clinching the verdict but the judges ruled differently causing a large portion of the audience to voice their disapproval. Another Bancroft, this time Orin, of the Harpy Eagles, was all aggression against Junior Henry (FYF) and was in total control for all of two rounds with sharp punches and slick moves. He then got cocky, dropped his guard and was tagged with a wicked right that sent him to the canvass where he was counted out at 1:24secs of the third frame. The bantamweight crown was won by Republican, Stephon Nedd. Bert Braithwaite fought his gym mate Aquincy Harvey and the two started tamely as though afraid to hurt each other. A stern warning from the referee prompted Braithwaite into action and he unleashed a vicious two fisted attack that rocked his man and forced him to recoil. Harvey made it through the two rounds but folded from a two fisted assault 28secs into the final round.
Light/heavyweight GDF boxer, Desmond Amsterdam, was also in winners’ row and forced the referee to call a halt to his bout against his gym mate, Omar Charles in 2:49secs of the second round. The win makes it three championships in a row for Amsterdam who, earlier in the year, had won the novice and intermediate championships. The final encounter for the night saw Jason Barker stopping Kenroy Evelyn in 1:30scs of the second round to win the heavyweight crown. Meanwhile, Jamal Eastman (PRBG) prevailed on points over Odeny Moore (EBG) to clinch the 95-99lbs title in the junior segment of the tournament while Kevon Mullings (HEBG) captured the honours in the 75-79lbs category against Delroy Allicock (EBG). Quincy Wright (EBG) outpointed Jamie Kellman (YA) to win the 50-54lbs category mo0ments before Shaka Moore (EBG) triumphed over Elijah Insanally (HEBG) in the 2105209lbs division.
NBA roundup: Spurs crush Knicks at MSG for fourth straight victory NEW YORK — Danny Green had 24 points and a career-high 10 rebounds, and the San Antonio Spurs pounded the New York Knicks 120-89 on Sunday for their fourth straight victory. Kawhi Leonard scored 18 points and Tony Parker had 17 in a game that was close for about three minutes. San Antonio scored the first 10 points, led by as many as 37, and was in complete control in between. Tim Duncan took just four shots but finished with 11 points and 10 rebounds as San Antonio shot 54 per cent. The Spurs spoiled the season debut of Knicks guard J.R. Smith, last season’s Sixth Man of the Year. Suspended the first five games of the season for violating the NBA’s anti-drug program, Smith shot 1 of 9 and
scored five points in 20 minutes. Carmelo Anthony and Andrea Bargnani both scored 16 for the Knicks. Though San Antonio leads the Western Conference with a 6-1 record, coach Gregg Popovich said before the game the Spurs were playing C+ or B- basketball, adding there was “not much” he liked about the Spurs’ start. Well, hard to give this performance anything but an A+. Green hit two three-pointers in the 10-0 start, Marco Belinelli’s three made it 17-4, and the Spurs hit 13 of 18 shots while opening a 35-17 lead after one quarter, matching their highest-scoring period of the season. The lead grew to 24 points in the second, the Spurs repeatedly moving the ball to an (Continued on page 20)
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Kaieteur News
Tuesday November 12, 2013
Prime Minister Hinds supports Four athletes to depart Chico K&S Schools tourney on US Scholarships
PM Samuel Hinds (centre) hands over the huge trophy to Aubrey ‘Shanghai’ Major (left) and Kashif Muhammad at his office yesterday.
Prime Minister, Samuel Hinds presented the championship trophy to organizers of the Chico Kashif and Shanghai Secondary schools football tournament yesterday at his office and also pledged to purchase 500 tickets for school children for the December 27th matches in Linden at the Mackenzie Sports Club (MSC) ground. PM Hinds handed over the huge trophy to Aubrey ‘Shanghai’ Major and Kashif Muhammad. He has in the past supported their previous tournament for seniors. Meanwhile, tomorrow
Wednesday 13th & Thursday 14th November, the K&S organization will be coordinating a coaching seminar for the coaches from the schools that are apart if the tournament. Chief Education Officer of the Ministry of Education,
Olato Sam, has asked for some additional teachers to be part of the training and this has been agreed to by Mr. Muhammad. The session starts at 9:00hrs and the venue is the Ministry of Education ground on Carifesta Avenue.
Four of Guyana’s mosttalented junior track and field prospects, Jevina Straker, Chavez Ageday, Alita Moore and Stephon James are expected to depart Guyana this week for the United States of America on Athletics Scholarships at ASA College, New York. Kaieteur Sport understands that the four athletes were accepted into the College and received the requisite visa from the US Embassy here in Guyana to attend the institution where they will most likely train, compete and study as part of their scholarship. Straker is a triple CARIFTA Games 1500m gold medallist. The CARIFTA Games is the region’s benchmark for junior athletics. Ageday is a notable junior talent while Moore has been the fastest Guyanese woman for the last year and a half with sub 12 times. James is a consistent Caribbean and South American performer, who is capable of running under 46 seconds in the 400m. The four athletes have been at the top of the chart in their events for the last two years; they represent the future of
Jevina Straker
Alita Moore
Stephon James
Chavez Ageday
Guyana’s athletics. According to their website, ASA College has two centrally-located campuses in
Manhattan and downtown Brooklyn with more than 3000 students and 20 programmes. (Edison Jefford)
Demerara Trial matches rescheduled for November 13 and 14 The Demerara Cricket Board (DCB) 2-Day Trial match which was set for November 12 and 13 has been rescheduled for November 13 and 14 at the Everest Cricket Club ground due to the
inclement weather. The match will be used to select the county team for the upcoming Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) senior inter county tournament. Teams; Leon Johnson (Captain), Tagenarine
Chanderpaul, Shemroy Barrington, Balbinder Shivpersaud, Zaheer Mohamed, Vishal Singh, Amir Khan, Joseph Perry, Randy Knights, Shaquille Williams, Andre Stoll, Paul Wintz,
Totaram Bishun, Raj Nanan and Trevon Griffith. Christopher Barnwell (Captain), Rajendra Chandrika , Chandrapaul Hemraj, Yetesh Dhanpaul, Steven Jacobs, Arvin
Seepersaud, Kemol Savory, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Chris Pattadin, Carl Rambarose, Trevor Benn, Kelon Carmichael, Anntonell Atwell, Robin Bacchus and Jeetendra Sookdeo.
Suknanan wins 2013 MACORP Invitational Golf tournament Canadian based golfer Jaipaul Suknanan was precise with his drives, he chipped with purpose and putted with confidence; the end results were 14 pars, a birdie and the top prize in this year’s edition of the MACORP Invitational Golf Tournament at the Lusignan Golf Course. The 2007 Guyana Open winner shot two over par last Saturday to finish with a net score of 65 (playing with a handicap of seven); he won on a count-back against Dave Mohamad (with a handicap of 25) who had also finished with a net score of 65. Archbishop Dr Philbert London (28 handicap) placed third, as his last nine holes proved better than two other performers (Mattie Wesslin and R. Persaud) with similar scores of net 67. In the ladies department it was all Christine Sukhram as
she walked away with both the net score and gross score trophies. Sukhram, who is the country’s most dominant female player for almost a decade, ended with net 73 playing with a handicap of 10. The MACORP tournament, one highly regarded on the golf calendar, was also played by brothers: Avinda Kishore and Avinash Persaud. The former, who won the prestigious Guyana Open title the week prior, could not replicate his winning feat. The five-handicapper made consecutive birdies early in the back-nine, but faltered towards the end to finish with a gross score of 76. His older brother Persaud, who has won the Guyana Open four times, made two under in his back nine to win on a count-back against Suknanan in the gross
MACORP Invitational Golf tournament winner Jaipaul Suknanan (fifth from right) poses with the other winners and MACORP representatives. scoring department. Both had finished with a 72. The closest to the pin award was won by Robert
Hanuman, while the longest drive prize went to Roger Rajkumar. Managing Director of MACORP, Jorge Medina,
a player himself, spoke about the importance of golf and tourism at the presentation ceremony. Along with the
trophies the players were treated to several prizes from a free raffle along with food and drinks.
Tuesday November 12, 2013
Kaieteur News
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Armed Forces march into athletic battle today - who will break the historic ISAAC deadlock? By Edison Jefford The weather was the Chief Track Judge yesterday in the midst of clear battle lines being drawn ahead of today’s scheduled start of the I n t e r- S e r v i c e s A n n u a l Athletics Championships (ISAAC), which is more popularly known as the Joint-Services meet. While Guyana Fire Service and Guyana Prison Service also compete in this meet, it has been a two-way battle time immemorial between the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) and Guyana Police Force (GPF), which historically tied last year at Camp Ayangana. The obvious question is who will break the ISAAC deadlock as the armed forces march into the field of battle from today at the Police Sports Club Ground, Eve Leary. Robert Chisholm, who is GDF Coach, believes that he has put together a competitive team. According to Chisholm, GDF won the title last year. “Everyone knows that we won last year and something happened. Police is not strong in track; they are very strong in the field events;
they only have three athletes,” Chisholm quipped, adding that he has put together a good team, which will give a good account in a tactical battle for them. “We are looking real good; our team is alright now and we are ready. We’re going to compete in this meet. I think I put together a really good team here,” Chisholm said, adding that everyone on the GDF team is capable of holding their own against the Police. Quinse Clarke will compete in the 100m and 200m races for the Police while Letitia Myles runs the same distances in the women’s category. In addition, quartermiler, Patrick King and distance athletes, Cleveland Forde and Tyshon Bentick form a decent line-up. When contacted yesterday, Police Sports O ff i c e r, C o l i n B o y c e informed that the Police is in high spirits ahead of the meet. “We are looking excellent. We won the road relay for the first time and I think with our batch of athletes, we will get the result we want,” Boyce said.
FLASHBACK! The Guyana Police Force and Guyana Defence Force will march into battle today when ISAAC starts at the Police Sports Club Ground, Eve Leary. The Guyana Prisons Service and Guyana Fire Service will also compete.
He believes that the Defence Force may have the edge with some of the novelty events. “It is just the novelty events that we have to worry about,” Boyce continued. The Police have athletes such as phenomenal
sprinter, Alita Moore; quarter-miler, Winston George and a field events king, Julio Sinclair and queen, Natasha Alder to trump up against the soldiers. Meanwhile, the weather was an immense concern
yesterday as the rain inundated northern parts of the Police Sports Club Ground. Kaieteur Sport understands that there was a meeting yesterday where the way forward as it relates to the track was decided. “I would love to see the
weather hold and the sports run off as usual rather than a postponement or cancellation,” Boyce said, when asked about concerns over inclement weather. ISAAC starts today and will continue tomorrow before the grand finale on Friday.
Pepsi Sonics exhume ‘Super Sevens’ title By Edison Jefford Pepsi Sonics exhumed Georgetown Amateur Basketball Association’s (GABA)-sanctioned Yolo Entertainment ‘Super Sevens’ title Sunday night after a lifeless performance in the preliminary round of the inaugural competition on Burnham Basketball Court. Collis ‘Forty’ Pluck’s crunch-time three-pointer two weekends ago breathed life into the team as it went on to win the title 52-28 against Colts on Sunday. Pluck was again at the forefront with 14 points, while Jason Squires had 13 points and Kerwin Jackson 10 points for Pepsi Sonics in the final. Shelroy Thomas scored 18 points for Colts. Sonics started hot, with Squires, who struggled earlier in the tournament, landing huge shots and getting to the basket for easy lay-ups that put them up 11-2 early in the game. Thomas responded with his usual
heroics, but Sonics’ defence withstood his tests. Sonics completely controlled the game. Squires had scored 18 points against Buxton Lions for a 52-31 win in their semi-final. Pluck added 12 points. Ewart Smith had 18 points for Buxton that defeated Pacesetters en-route to a place in the ‘Super Sevens’ semis. Colts had defeated Melanie 37-22 to reach the final. Thomas dropped 11 points while Ronrecio Kyte also had 11 points. Sherlon Legal had eight points for Melanie. In the third place playoff, Smith scored 18 points again to help Buxton Lions beat Melanie 43-29 with support from Kerwin Dey, who had 10 points. Legal was again at the helm of the Melanie’s offence with 14 points. Before Sunday’s final the GABA Executive that comprises former national centre, Eon Andrews, Adrian Hooper and President,
IPA’s Shafeez Ali hands over the Super Sevens Championship trophy to Pepsi Sonics while the GABA President, Michael Singh (right), Yolo’s Kirk ‘Chow Pow’ Jardine (second, right) and Pepsi Sonics Coach, Mark Agard (left) also share the moment. Michael Singh among others defeated the Sports Media 30-11 in a hilarious contest that produced lots of entertainment and nostalgia.
Singh hailed the initiative as a positive one for the development of basketball in Georgetown at a simple presentation
ceremony, following the competition. “Put your hands together for the first person to come forward with an initiative and a plan to
continue with basketball development in Georgetown,” Singh urged. The GABA President informed that the ‘Super Sevens’ was good warm-up for the second edition of the Phillip George Memorial competition, which is slated for later this month. He said GABA is committed to brining basketball back to where it belongs. Meanwhile, Marketing Manager at International Pharmaceutical Agency (IPA), Shafeez Ali, said that his company was proud to be associated with the competition under their Clear Waters brand and they have definitely seen a lot of talented youth on show. Mackeson, Hinds and Statia Financial Services, Creative Jewellery, Precise Printing, Garage Bar, Harris Paints, Organic Natural Resources Management, HJTV & 94.1 FM and Starr Party Rentals were the other sponsors of the ‘Super Sevens’.
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GDF’s Devon Davis crowned Mr. Muscle Explosion Shenika Chapman wins Miss Bikini
Mr. Muscle Explosion Devon Davis receives his trophy from Fitness Express Owner/Manager Jamie Mc Donald, Organiser Videsh Sookram acknowledges. The other category winners from right are Sylvester Andrews, Clint Duke, Anthony Perez and Alfred Jordan.
Ransford Goodluck
Single V-bull separates Emma Vieira aiming Goodluck, Fields at National for glory at CMRC Shooting championships Nov. 24 Race Meet Dylan Fields
-First local female to drive 125cc Shifter Kart Young Emma Vieira will be aiming to do well at the upcoming CMRC Nov. 24 Race Meet.
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