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Friday November 27, 2015

Kaieteur News

Opposition activist’s murder shakes Venezuela before election CARACAS (Reuters) Venezuela opened an investigation yesterday into the murder of a local opposition leader days before a legislative election, stirring fears of renewed political violence in the volatile South American OPEC nation. Luis Diaz, a leader of the opposition Democratic Action party in Guarico state in Venezuela’s central plains, was shot toward the end of a public meeting Wednesday night in the latest of several violent incidents during the campaign. The Public Prosecutor’s Office said yesterday that two of its prosecutors, aided by police investigators, would lead the probe. “There was a burst of 10 shots and he fell on the floor covered in blood,” said Lilian Tintori, wife of jailed opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez, who was on stage near Diaz when he was shot. Democratic Action is part of an opposition coalition contesting a Dec. 6 vote for a new National Assembly. Polls show the ruling Socialists could lose the legisla-

ture for the first time in 16 years. The high stakes have raised anxiety of a flare-up in political violence. Opposition protests last year sparked violence nationwide killing 43 people and injuring hundreds. Both President Nicolas Maduro’s government and the Democratic Unity coalition accuse each other of harboring a violent agenda. South American regional bloc UNASUR, which has sent a mission to observe the election, condemned Diaz’s killing. “We call on the relevant national authorities to carry out an exhaustive investigation of this awful incident, to prevent impunity, and we vehemently urge all political sectors to contribute to peace and harmony,” its communiqué said. Democratic Action’s national leader, Henry Ramos, originally pointed the finger at the Socialist Party for Diaz’s death. The ruling party has not responded to that. However, its vice-president, Diosdado Cabello, has

said in general terms the opposition is trying to create a false picture of violence by government supporters to swing foreign opinion. At a news conference yesterday, Tintori alleged she too had been the victim of two attempted attacks on Wednesday, including the dismantling of brakes on a plane carrying her. The Democratic Unity coalition said three other opposition politicians had also been victims of aggression in recent days, including Henrique Capriles, who lost the 2013 presidential vote to Maduro after the death of former leader Hugo Chavez. “The killing of Luis Manuel Diaz provides a terrifying view of the state of human rights in Venezuela,” added rights group Amnesty International.

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Kaieteur News

Friday November 27, 2015

Russia seeks economic revenge Griffith challenges AG: No against Turkey over jet return for foreign fighters Reuters - Russia threatened economic retaliation against Turkey yesterday and said it was still awaiting a reasonable explanation for the shooting down of its warplane, but Turkey dismissed the threats as “emotional” and “unfitting”. In an escalating war of words, President Tayyip Erdogan responded to Russian accusations that Turkey has been buying oil and gas from Islamic State in Syria by accusing Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his backers, which include Moscow, of being the real source of the group’s financial and military power. The shooting down of the jet by the Turkish air force on Tuesday was one of the most serious clashes between a NATO member and Russia, and further complicated international efforts to battle Islamic State militants. World leaders have urged both sides to avoid escalation. Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev ordered his government to draw up measures that would include freezing some joint investment projects and restricting food imports from Turkey.

Tayyip Erdogan Economy Minister Alexei Ulyukayev said Moscow could put limits on flights to and from Turkey, halt preparations for a joint free trade zone, and restrict high-profile projects including the TurkStream gas pipeline and a $20 billion nuclear power plant Russia is building in Turkey. Russia’s defence ministry meanwhile said it had suspended all cooperation with the Turkish military, including a hotline set up to share information on Russian air strikes in Syria, the TASS news agency reported. “We are strategic partners ... ‘Joint projects may be halted, ties could be cut’? Are

Dmitry Medvedev such approaches fitting for politicians?” Erdogan said in a speech in Ankara. “First the politicians and our militaries should sit down and talk about where errors were made and then focus on overcoming those errors on both sides. But instead, if we make emotional statements like this, that wouldn’t be right.” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia was still awaiting a reasonable answer from Ankara on why it downed the fighter jet. Moscow insists it never left Syrian air space, but Ankara says it crossed the border despite repeated warnings.

CJIA contractor hires... From page 3 hard to tell. It is unclear whether CHEC's contract allowed it to hire BaiShanLin without going to tender. As a matter of fact, the contract signed between the Government of Guyana and CHEC, and dated November 2011, placed the provision of sand as a responsibility of the Government of Guyana. “The Employer will provide the sand and other fill material (sites) to the contractor for free, and the distance from material source to the project site shall be within 12 km, but if the distance is more than 12 km, the transportation fee will be increased according to actual distance. The Employer shall be fully responsible for the quantity, quality and timely supply of the abovementioned sand and other fill material,” the contract said. CHEC also agreed to use local nationals and make sure the proportion of the Chinese labour and the local nationals will not be less than the ratio of 6:4, except for special skills. It is unclear yesterday which consultant has been retained to supervise the project on behalf of the Ministry of Public Infrastructure.

This CHEC official was unable to explain how the company was able to hire BaiShanLin. BaiShanLin is facing problems also with the Labour Department and has been warned to correct a number of infractions. A housing project at Providence has been stalled along with a massive showroom, apparently because of finance. In the meantime, BaiShanLin has ventured into the gold mining sector, concrete mixing and rental of its barges.

Trinidad Guardian - The “ultimate deterrent” to discourage youths from joining terrorist groups would be to let them know if they go overseas to join such groups, they cannot return or will be blocked in other states enroute home, former National Security Minister Gary Griffith has argued. He spoke Wednesday following statements by Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi that barring the return of T&Tborn foreign terrorist fighters (FTFs) would lead to creation of “statelessness” and one would have to ensure they went somewhere. On Monday the United States issued a worldwide alert extending up to February 2016, that “the likelihood of terror attacks would continue as Islamic State of Syria and Iraq (ISIS) members return from Syria and Iraq.” The alert noted extremists have targeted large sporting events, theatres, open markets and aviation services.” Citing recent attacks in Europe and Africa, the advisory also noted the threat of “lone wolf” attacks by unaffiliated people inspired by terror groups. On proposals to secure

T&T, Griffith, noting that Australia and Canada have instituted regulations to foil returning FTFs, said: “If any T&T youths want to join terrorist groups, they must be prepared to stay (in Syria). You must be prepared to deal with the consequences. It’s not a simple situation.” He added: “If you decide to join ISIS, obviously you should factor in what would happen if you wanted out and your future, such as it may be. If we give them a second chance and the right to freedom of movement, it will open the doors and encourage other youths to go also and become terrorists. “But if they are aware they cannot return, it may be the ultimate deterrent since it will clearly signal if they go, it will be a one-way ticket and there’s no return. That must make some think twice. “If no deterrents are in place they will always feel they can rely on returning. Government will ultimately have to make a decision and choose between the needs of the few people who join ISIS and the needs and safety of the majority of T&T who Government is obligated to protect.”

Griffith said Government had another option which would remove the responsibility for any blocking action from its hands. He said the United Nations’ resolution against terrorism allowed T&T to forward information on people suspected of having terrorist links to international allies to verify. “If information is confirmed, their intelligence agencies would keep track of whether such culprits were passing through those countries en-route to T&T and could be halted. Griffith noted there was no direct flight from Syria to T&T. Former National Operations Centre head Garvin Heerah noted T&T’s AntiTerrorism Act pertained to acts of terrorism outside of T&T, people who incited/promoted commission of a terrorist act, those who have committed such acts and people who engage in recruiting others to commit such acts. He said over 140 countries have enacted/revised counter-terrorism laws but according to Human Rights Watch’s accounting, some revisions violated or undermined fundamental liberties.

Germany plans tax incentives to build new homes for refugees BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany plans tax incentives for building apartments over the next three years, to avoid housing shortages as an influx of refugees increases demand, the Finance Ministry said in a letter seen by Reuters yesterday. The government expects about 1 million asylum seekers this year, far more than any other European country. German politicians are under pressure to accommodate and integrate the new arrivals. Secretary of Housing Barbara Hendricks estimates that some 350,000 apartments will be needed each year, and only 245,000 were built last year. The tenant association DMB said Germany, which has roughly 40 million homes, needs 800,000 flats.

In a letter to Hendricks, seen by Reuters, Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble suggested the government should let owners of new apartments write 10 percent of their costs off their taxes. The incentives would be limited to areas with housing shortages and applicable only if the apartment was built or bought from 2016 to 2018, Schaeuble said in the letter. Germany’s construction industry is benefiting from a spike in state spending on refugees. The latest Ifo survey showed the business cli-

mate in the sector rising to its highest level since German reunification. The BvB federal construction industry association expects 2.5 percent sales growth next year, a faster rise than this year, helped by a boom in new apartment building and housing demand from migrants. Still, the industry wants more government funding for social housing and has put forward an idea to build purpose-designed houses for refugees and lower-income families.


Thursday November 27, 2015

Kaieteur News

Page 9

PAY THE SUGAR WORKERS! Sugar workers are being shortchanged, again. The public servants were paid an increase this year; the sugar workers have not yet been offered an increase. This is unfair to them. It may be argued that the sugar company is losing money and therefore the workers are not entitled to any increase. Well, no one questioned whether the public servants, the police and the teachers deserved their increase. They were paid. The sugar workers can claim an expectation to an increase. After all, it is not just this year that the sugar corporation has been losing money. It has been losing money for a very long time. Yet each year the sugar

workers received an increase, not always at the same level with public servants, but an increase nonetheless. Why then deny them this year? It may be said that the money cannot be found. Well, the government found the money to honour a multibillion-dollar CCJ judgment. The government also found the money to pay public servants, police, soldiers and teachers an increase. So what happen to sugar workers‌ goat bite them? Why deny them this year, when this is the year that production has actually increased. In fact not only has production increased, but the production at the Skeldon factory is actually increasing. It is not a certainty though, whether GuySuCo will be able

to produce enough canes to satisfy the demand of that factory. For this demand to be met, there is need for more sugar workers. Many had deserted estate work in order to go into better-paying occupations such as gold mining, construction and farming. If the workforce is going to be increased, there is a need to offer some incentives in the form of higher pay. This is all the more reason why the workers should be entitled to an increase. The sugar company cannot refuse to negotiate with the sugar unions in the industry. To do so would be to return to the days when the sugar unions were ignored by those in charge of the industry. The government

The police have issued a bulletin for Altab Bacchus who is wanted for questioning in relation to investigations into a fatal accident which occurred on November 07, 2015, at Mahaicony Public Road, ECD, and resulted in the death of Irene Ramsay. Police say Bacchus’ last known address is Lot 29,

Block 3, Craig Mill, Cove & John, EBD. Anyone with information that may lead to the arrest of Altab Bacchus is asked to contact the police on telephone numbers 225-6411, 229-2702, 227-2272, 229-2600, 911 or the nearest police station. All information will be treated with strict confidence.

Altab Bacchus

Wanted

has not refused to negotiate with the public service unions, even though the increases for 2015 were paid without any negotiations with the unions concerned. The sugar corporation cannot refuse to negotiate. It must negotiate. It can, during the negotiations, claim that it has no money to pay. It can justify its inability to pay on the basis of not having the cash-flow, in which case it will be for the unions to tell the corporation to go to ask the government for the money. The government cannot be refusing to advance monies to the corporation for salary increases to workers. How is it that the government is advancing monies to GuySuCo for debt, but cares so much about the workers that it will not do the same? The sugar workers are

reportedly being offered one day pay for every 85,000 tonnes of cane as the Annual Production Incentive. This has nothing to do with pay. It is a production incentive; something that the workers will look forward to tidy them over the Christmas holidays. It means that this year they have to cut double the amount of cane to receive the same money that they got last year. This cannot be right, but these are early days in the talks between the unions and the corporation, so perhaps this will be remedied. Let it not be forgotten that for almost thirty years, sugar workers were deprived of billions of dollars in the form of profit-sharing, because of the massive sugar levy that was extracted from the sugar corporation to help pay public service workers. The

argument then was that these public servants were also part of the economy and the earnings of sugar cannot be for sugar workers alone, but must be enjoyed by all. So how come now the fortunes of the sugar industry are being separated from the fortunes of the public service. The sugar workers are also part of the economy of Guyana and if public servants can obtain an increase why not the sugar workers also?


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Kaieteur News

Thursday November 27, 2015

== THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN ==

I wonder who Vibert Butts voted for? I was a young man on the Walter Rodney bandwagon in the mid-seventies when Vibert Butts earned the distinction of scoring the first World Cup goal for Guyana. To clarify, he scored the goal in one of the preliminary matches that would determine advancement to the World Cup. The goal was against Suriname. This week Butts was jailed for possession of marijuana and an additional charge that really gets me uncontrollably furious - possession of a smoking utensil. For the latter charge, he was jailed for a year Butts was unrepresented. At the time of sentencing, he was a football coach. Butts knew my brother, “Lightweight” Kissoon closely. They worked

tirelessly for countless hours together to develop football in Lodge. If my brother was alive I know he would have asked me to get legal assistance for Butts. Had I known Butts was unrepresented I would have definitely secured an attorney for him. I would advise any poor family to beg or borrow, but get a lawyer when the punishment is severe as stipulated by law. I know a wash-bay employee who got forty- five consecutive years in the High Court on two counts of sexual molestation. When I read the court’s deposition I knew a lawyer would have been more effective than the accused who represented himself. Two grey areas stood out for me. There was a dispute

about the girl’s age with no birth certificate tendered. Her birth was not registered. Can you imagine what a top criminal lawyer would have told that court? Simple! Prove to me she is underage? The second grey area is that in the state deposition, the girl admitted that she started having sex since she was twelve and could not name the boys she had sex with up to the time of the commencement of the trial. An appeal is made, so let’s leave it at that. Too many poor people’s lives are destroyed by incompetent magistrates because they did not have an attorney to represent them. The thing that people do not know about drug conviction is that the very law offers scope for punishment other than prison. There is the false impression that once found guilty, jail is mandatory. Special circumstances could be cited in terms of small

possessions for community service. Some have benefited from that provision. Ironic it is that when Butts made the headlines, the magistrate wasn’t even born. Ironic that Butts must have created dozens of great Guyanese footballers, but what have some of our magistrates ever created or will ever create? One should question how well their legal talent would have served them in private practice. It is profoundly intriguing that the very day the newspapers published the sentence against Butts, the media was saturated with the long sentence of four men who, the trial transcript would reveal, were hired to kill an aging woman for her property. This case, known as the “Robb St. granny murder trial” makes a mockery of the celebration to come in May 2016 of 50 years of Independence. What was the Guyana Government thinking when it invited an unrepentant anarchist

(anarchism as a philosophical school of thought) thinker like me to be part of the National Commemoration Commission? What am I supposed to celebrate? A country that jailed an 18-year-old girl for six months for taking a speedboat to cross the Corentyne to enter Suriname without going through immigration; an act that has been done millions of times and that is going on right now as I write? What am I supposed to say to Guyanese as a member of the National C o m m e m o r a t i o n Commission? That is alright for my country to jail young people at a tender age for the mere possession of a smoking utensil? What do I say to the children when the National Commemoration Commission goes to the schools? That we must be proud of our 50 years of Independence? There must be a reason to be proud of something. Enumerate for me our accomplishments that would cause a human-rights

Frederick Kissoon activist like me to enter a school and urge students to be respectful of our 50 years of social, cultural, economic, technological, scientific and sports accomplishments? I will have a lot more to say about the fifty-year journey that this country joined Dr. Faust in making to the kingdom of the devil, but for now, a lawyer should appeal the conviction of Vibert Butts. I wonder who Butts voted for in the May 2015 general elections, the PPP that had Lumumba who took care of all those soccer youths, or the PNC (not APNU) that has its own quota of protectors of soccer youths?

Dem boys seh...

Nuff people hiding Disrespect is something that some people can’t tolerate. When Jagdeo was in power all dem Ministers and he friends was disrespectful. Dem had no regard fuh police and worse of all dem had a total disregard fuh de ordinary people. But dem tolerate all who had money. And that is how de Celina place come about. All was good, because Rohee and couple others had a share in de place. Dem didn’t ask permission to build de place over de seawall and threaten de sea defence. That is how de problem start. When Jagdeo hear that Rohee had a share in de business he decide to put pressure. De result is that he stop de parking deh. Then he get de sea defence people to issue a cease order. De Celina people tell he to haul he tail because dem had secret fuh he. Jagdeo gone and Donald come. Same disrespect. In fact, de Celina people decide to expand, but Rohee did done sell out. Then Donald gone and is a new kid on de block.

This man seh that he wouldn’t tolerate no disrespect. He tell de Celina people to stop de expansion, but he had friends who was like snake in de grass. Dem telling de people to continue wid de expansion. Old people seh, never cut yuh nose to spite you face. De young man tell dem to stop and when dem refuse, he get de police to lock dem up. Is now de Celina people know that dem ain’t got friends. Li’l Joe gone into hiding. No reporter can get to him. Before election he use to answer he phone as soon as it ring. All dat change. And de top cop hiding too; but from something else. He tek some leave, but refuse to lef anybody in charge. Dem boys seh that de last time he lef a man in charge de man nearly bruck up de force. Dem boys done see that when is time fuh he retire he gun do wha Laurie Lewis do—ask fuh a lengthy extension. At present he don’t even have a deputy. Talk half and watch how more people gun run and hide.


Thursday November 27, 2015

Kaieteur News

Sugar workers strike off - 2015 production target still possible –Hanoman The recent industrial action called by the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers’ Union (GAWU) has officially ended, and it is expected that all workers will return to work by this weekend. This is according to Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo), Errol Hanoman. This news would come as the industry’s current sugar production stands at 215,061 tonnes, with just over 12,000 tonnes needed to be produced to meet the 2015 target. The latter figure, the CEO said, can be achieved, and once the weather and other circumstances permit, close to 6,000 tonnes could be added to the final production target. As of yesterday, production stood at 133,918 tonnes for the second crop. The last time GuySuCo achieved a second crop target was in 2004. The 2015 sugar production target is set at 227,443 tonnes. It was pointed out that if it were not for the previous threeday strike in October, the set production target would have been achieved this week, according to GuySuCo’s calculations. Hanoman explained that once there is full resumption of work and production restarts, then GuySuCo will resume dialogue with GAWU. GuySuCo is offering 2.7 days API which will be paid by March 2016. Last Saturday workers went on strike over the API offered by the corporation. Hanoman said that talks on Friday with GAWU, regarding theAPI were left unfinished, after GAWU officials indicated that they wanted to consult their membership. However, what followed was strike action.

Yesterday, GAWU in a separate statement said that members of its General Council (GC), at a special meeting earlier in the day, had decided to advise the workers to suspend the current strike which followed last Friday’s Annual Production Incentive (API) talks between union officials and GuySuCo. GAWU said that members of the union’s negotiation team, who are not part of the General Council, also participated in the meeting. “The GC noted the commitment and spirit of the workers who gallantly are prepared to protect and defend their hard won gains, their right to increase pay like other workers – so necessary, at least, to maintain their purchasing power in conditions of rising costs of essential goods.” GAWU said that sugar workers were “aghast” when they were informed last Friday by their colleagues who are members of the union’s negotiation team, that the corporation adamantly held on to a quantity of 85,000 tonnes sugar for a day’s pay as API. “This is a vast difference from the union amended claim of 37,000 tonnes sugar for a day’s pay which was the average over the last four years. Last year, for instance, the API payment was 4.5 days’ pay on the production of 216,242 tonnes of sugar.” GAWU said should the industry attain its production target of 227,000 tonnes sugar, then the workers should earn as API approximately 6.13 days’ pay. “However, GuySuCo is only offering 2.6 days’ pay. Between 1989 and 2013, the lowest incentive was 5 days’ pay and the highest was 23.5,

notwithstanding that in one instance production was below 130,000 tonnes sugar.” Regarding, the wage negotiations, the union claimed that GuySuCo continues to blatantly breach the Trade Union Recognition Act (TURA) which requires the process of Collective Bargaining to take place. “The agreement subsisting between the union and the corporation, at the same time, is breached by the corporation driving uneasiness in the union and among the workers. The relevant clause of the agreement requires the corporation to begin to address the union’s claim not later than two weeks after its submission and to complete the negotiating process not later than two months.” GAWU said that its attorney-at-law, Senior Counsel Ashton Chase, wrote to the corporation citing the agreement and the TURA with a view to getting a commitment from the corporation towards its engagement in Collective Bargaining with the union. GAWU said that the lawyer’s letter was not even acknowledged by GuySuCo. “No increase in pay retroactive to January 01, 2015, at this time, and a token API payment for the increased production to some 227,000 tonnes, signifies that an important segment of the country’s hard-working labour force faces a grim and bleak Christmas, made possible by the GuySuCo and the owners of the industry. Sugar workers are resilient. What is denied and withheld from them won’t be ignored and surrendered. They would certainly contemplate further struggles.”

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Another St. Lucian jailed for cocaine - man claims he was forced to swallow 45 pellets Within the past week, two female St. Lucians were jailed for a total of 98 months for cocaine concealed in their vaginas in dildo-shaped packages. Yesterday, another native of the island was jailed for three years after claiming he was forced to swallow 45 pellets containing the illicit substance. Twenty six-year-old, Kendall Joseph was brought before City Magistrate Fabayo Azore to answer a charge of trafficking in narcotics. Joseph admitted that between November 22 and 24 at Woodlands Hospital in Georgetown, he had 480 grams of cocaine in his possession for the purpose of trafficking. Joseph was jailed for three years and ordered to pay a fine of $1,296,000—three times the street value of the drug, when he appeared in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts. The man had no legal representation and told the court that he was forced to ingest the pellets.

Police Corporal Bharrat Mangru presented the prosecution’s case on behalf of the Customs AntiNarcotics Unit (CANU). The prosecutor told the court that Joseph is a St. Lucian national, who came to Guyana for a job. Mangru said that on November 21, the defendant was an outgoing passenger on Caribbean Airlines (CAL) flight BW460 destined for London, England. Mangru related that the man was approached by CANU ranks, after he was observed acting in a suspicious manner. Joseph was questioned and based on his responses, the ranks

arrested him and took him to the Woodlands Hospital. According to the prosecutor, an x-ray was conducted on his abdominal area and several foreign objects were seen. Mangru pointed out that the man was admitted a patient at the said hospital and later excreted 45 pellets containing cocaine. As a res u l t , t h e S t . Lucian was arrested and taken to CANU headquarters, where he admitted to swallowing the cocaine pellets. In mitigation, Joseph told the Magistrate that it was his first time in Guyana and he has a child.


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Kaieteur News

Thursday November 27, 2015

‘NICIL is necessary’ - Finance Minister insists Though a forensic audit report on the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL) emphatically recommends for the entity to be shut down, Finance Minister Winston Jordan does not necessarily share this view. In fact, he insisted in a recent interview with Kaieteur News that NICIL as a stateowned company is essential. He made this comment in response to questions posed on the NICIL report and whether it has been handed over to Cabinet for consideration. “I have not read the NICIL report as yet. It is still on my desk. It will be handed over to Cabinet soon but at this moment I cannot say anything on the recommendations,” Jordan asserted. Asked if he agrees with the recommendation for NICIL to be shut down, the Minister responded, “I can’t say anything on that because I have not read the report. I have not seen the

recommendation you speak of.” Jordan was then informed that a copy of the report which had been seen by Kaieteur News had stated such, among other recommendations. To this, Jordan replied, “Listen, NICIL is necessary. You cannot shut down the entity just like that or do away with it, because it was established to serve a particular purpose. Granted, NICIL needs to be restructured, but I would emphasise again that it is a necessary entity. The decision to be taken on NICIL has to be approved by Cabinet in any case, so I cannot say to you that I agree with this recommendation or I disagree.” The report on the forensic audit into NICIL was completed over a month now. Government had contracted Chartered Accountant Anand Goolsarran to conduct the audit. In the report, it has been recommended that the entity be closed down and a small department be opened under

the Ministry of Finance, if government deems it necessary. It was explained that the reason for such a recommendation was premised on the fact that NICIL was initially established for the purpose of privatization of state assets. That was done in two phases in the 1990s. Since that phase ended years ago, the report recommends that there is no need for NICIL to remain a company. It says that it should be liquidated and government should make moves to establish a department to manage the assets being held by the company. Since the launch of a forensic audit into the operations of NICIL, several glaring breaches of the country’s financial regulations have been unearthed. The audit, Kaieteur News understands, categorically states that there was misuse of public monies by several office holders. It said, too, that they played an important role in one way or the other in providing the conditions necessary for some of the “unimaginable scales of corruption” to take place on

the NICIL platform. Junior Finance Minister Jaipaul Sharma had confirmed that the report on the forensic audit speaks to three sections of the Fiscal Management and Accountability Act (FM&AA) 2003. He had said that the audit justifies holding specific officials liable for misuse of public monies. Section 48 of the FM&AA says, “A Minister or official shall not in any manner misuse, misapply, or improperly dispose of public monies.” Section 85, he said, also outlines what can be deemed as the liability of an official. That section of the Act says that an official who falsifies any account, statement, receipt or other record issued or kept for the purposes of the Fiscal Management and Accountability Act, the Regulations, the Finance Circulars or any other instrument made under the Act; conspires or colludes with any other person to defraud the State or make opportunity for any person to defraud the State; or knowingly permits any other person to contravene any provision of this Act, is guilty of an indictable offence and liable on conviction to a fine of $2 million and to imprisonment for three years. The report also speaks to the liability for loss of public monies at NICIL as it refers to Section 49 of the Act, which says that if a loss of public monies should occur and, at the time of that loss, a Minister or official has caused or contributed to that loss through misconduct or through deliberate or serious disregard of reasonable standards of care, that

Finance Minister, Winston Jordan Minister or official shall be personally liable to the Government for the amount of the loss. Minister Sharma had confirmed that there were various cases of public loss of monies at NICIL by certain officials, and that government has a responsibility to respect and follow through on the recommendations of strict penalties against those implicated. Sharma had said, “NICIL was being run in a haphazard way and made dangerous decisions that cost the company millions of dollars in losses. It placed the then government in a bad place. NICIL really was operating as the PPP’s greatest force in making corrupt acts realized.” His position is one that was vehemently advocated by the APNU+AFC coalition when it was in opposition, especially in the lead-up to the May 2015 general and regional elections. Politicians on both sides unanimously agreed for NICIL to be restructured, and in various instances underscored the

need for it to be closed down. With a new Board and Chairman in place, the government called on Executive Director Winston Brassington to explain NICIL’s investments into all projects over the years. He was also expected to state, honestly, the position of the company’s assets. NICIL’s new Chairman Dr. Maurice Odle had said that there has been one meeting thus far, at which Brassington was told to prepare a “position paper” to say what policies and strategies were employed to justify investments made by the company into certain projects. He explained that the document is expected to give good reasons for investments into the Marriott Hotel, the Berbice River Bridge Company and Pradoville Two scheme. The paper has since been submitted and the board is currently perusing it to make a decision on the way forward with the company and Brassington.


Friday November 27, 2015

Kaieteur News

Far away from medical services…

Page 13

Six weeks after release…

Woman dies at Parika Backdam Sugar industry COI findings to after delivering 13th child be reviewed at Cabinet retreat A 31-year-old Mabaruma, North West District woman died at around 02.00 hrs yesterday after giving birth to her thirteenth child, in an area far away from any medical services. Viola La Cruz succumbed at a cousin’s home at Salem, Parika Backdam, Essequibo, some hours after her mother helped her to deliver a girl. A relative stated that La Cruz,

who has five other daughters and seven sons, had suffered from hypertension. The baby was taken to the West Demerara Regional Hospital. Indications are that the child is healthy and that there were no complications during the delivery. According to a relative, La Cruz was trans (Continued on page 14)

Seafield man perishes in Berbice accident

An accident at West Coast Berbice (WCB) yesterday afternoon has claimed the life of a man who is said to be differently able. According to reports, at around 12:45 hrs, 40-year-old Shermon Harper called ‘Deaf Boy’, of Seafield Village, WCB, was about to cross the Rising Sun Public Road, on his bicycle, when he was struck by a car, PLL 9227, driven by a Rose Hall Town, Corentyne, Berbice resident. It was reported that the impact severely damaged Harper’s body - his hand and shoulder ended up inside the car, while one foot was also severed and ended on the opposite side of the road.

The vehicle that struck Harper Eyewitnesses claimed that the car was travelling a terrific speed and there was no brake impression. The car is said to have come to a halt some 400

metres away. Harper was taken to the Fort Wellington Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival. The driver is in custody as investigations continue.

As citizens remain in suspense about the findings of the Commission of Inquiry (CoI) set up to examine the sugar industry, government remains tight-lipped, refusing to let out any detail. However, Cabinet has finally decided to set aside time to examine the findings of the report. Minister of Agriculture, Noel Holder was contacted yesterday, and he made known cabinet’s decision to examine the report at a retreat slated for tomorrow. Holder told Kaieteur News, “Cabinet has found the COI important enough that it has set aside time to review it this Saturday at a retreat.” This is some six weeks after the report was released. The report was late in itself, as the commissioners had asked for additional time to complete its work. Holder did not disclose where the retreat will be held. He said, however, that commissioners are invited to the retreat to put forward the recommendations to Cabinet. Holder said that it would be premature for him to make any pronouncement relating

Minister of Agriculture, Noel Holder to the report before it reaches Cabinet. The Minister indicated that following Cabinet’s perusal of the report, a decision will be made at the next Cabinet meeting as to the way forward. The government had said that a COI was urgent and many were of the opinion that implementation of the recommendations would have been equally important. Chairman of the COI

Vibert Parvatan presented the Commission’s findings to the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, George Jervis on October, 17. Jervis collected the report in the absence of Minister of Agriculture, Noel Holder who was in Mexico at the time. The handing over ceremony was closed to the media. Parvatan had told Kaieteur News that he accepts the harsh reality that whatever has been recommended will certainly not meet the expectations of all, “there will be persons who are not satisfied.” The Chairman noted that there were political sensitivities to the subject given its importance, relevance and significance to Guyana and its people. He explained that the report includes an executive summary, the special technical subcommittee reports, as well as a section on Human Resource and industrial relations, finance and economics. There are also sections on factories, fields and marketing. Parvatan had declined to speak on the actual findings of the report, stating that due process has to be followed.


Page 14

Kaieteur News

Two dead, one critical after Coverden collision

Two persons are now dead and another is battling for life at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) after a head-on collision involving a car and a truck at Coverden on the East Bank Demerara (EBD) around 09:45 hrs yesterday.

The dead persons have been identified as 49-year-old Roshini Dourga of Diamond, EBD, and her uncle, George Madhulall, 72. Madhulall, who resided in Canada, was here on vacation. Dourga’s husband, Robert, 62, was also wounded in

Friday November 27, 2015

The car the trio was travelling in at the time of the accident

the accident. He is said to be in a critical condition at the GPHC. Kaieteur News was told that Robert Dourga was the driver of the white Toyota Spacio that the trio was travelling in. Circumstances surrounding the collision are sketchy, but this newspaper

Dead: Roshini Dourga

Critical: Robert Dourga

was told that it seemed as though one of the drivers fell asleep and ended up in the path of the oncoming traffic. Nanda Persaud, the dead woman’s sister, could not say much of the accident. She related that the trio was heading to a religious ceremony at Timehri, EBD, when tragedy struck. The woman said that early yesterday someone informed her that one of her nephews was involved in an accident. However, upon further investigation, it was discovered

that it was her sister who had been killed. When relatives rushed to the scene of the accident yesterday, they were informed that the woman had been taken to the hospital by police ranks. At this point they were not informed that she had died. It was when they reached at the Diamond hospital that they were told that both Roshini Dourga and George Madhulall had succumbed. The driver of the truck is in police custody.

Woman dies at Parika Backdam... From page 13 ferred from the Mabaruma Hospital to a city hospital some time ago in an advanced stage of pregnancy. However, she later went to stay at the Amerindian Hostel after being told that she had not reached time for delivery.

But a relative said that because she had travelled from the interior without any money or clothing, the mother of 12 went to stay at her relative’s Salem, Parika Backdam home. Sometime on Wednesday night, Viola La Cruz showed signs that she was ready to give birth. Her mother, Mary La Cruz, who had done several home deliveries, was present and assisted her in what was reportedly an uncomplicated delivery. “She was okay. I deliver

she last (Wednesday) night and she was okay,” a distraught Mrs. La Cruz said. “But afterwards she feel pain. She say ‘mommy, me back hurting me bad,’ and when I go outside to wash, me grand-daughter holler and say ‘granny, granny, auntie looking bad,’ but she (Viola La Cruz) still calling for me, and then she pass away.” The body was transported to the West Bank Demerara Regional Hospital yesterday afternoon and then taken to the Ezekiel Funeral Home.


Friday November 27, 2015

Kaieteur News

Page 27

Bus driver gets 58 months for causing death of boy, 4 As road deaths continue to climb, motorists found liable of causing the death of pedestrians by dangerous driving are facing the full brunt of the law. Such a case concluded Wednesday before Magistrate Judy Latchman, in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court. Thirty-five year-old Paul John, of North Sophia, was jailed for 58 months after he was found guilty of causing the death of four-year-old Jayden Charles by dangerous driving. Charles, a former pupil of Starters Nursery, was struck down and killed by a speeding minibus, driven by John. The accident occurred on April, 4, at Water Street, Georgetown, in the vicinity of Giftland Office Max. After the Magistrate made her statement, an attorney for the convict gave oral notice of his intentions to appeal the decision. The lawyer requested that his client be released on bail pending the appeal. But the request was declined by the Magistrate. On the day in question,

Dead: Jayden Charles Jayden Charles was walking in the vicinity of Giftland on Water Street. John was at the time piloting a route 45 minibus, BPP 1702, in the northern direction of the roadway. While doing so, John stopped in the vicinity of Giftland to put off two passengers. After doing so, the vehicle moved off and ran over the child. The facts disclosed that the driver felt the impact and

stopped the minibus some distance from the impact, when he discovered the fouryear-old lying on the road. The injured child was transported to the Georgetown Public Hospital, in the said minibus. He was pronounced dead on arrival at the institution. During the summing up of evidence, Magistrate Latchman told the court that the prosecution called five witnesses to testify. These included the mother of the deceased, a passenger of the bus, and three police officers. Police Inspector, Shellon Daniels presented the case of the prosecution. Before passing judgment, Magistrate Latchman underlined that there were several factors the court considered. She affirmed that John failed to exercise the five “C’s” of driving; courtesy, commonsense, care, caution and consideration. On this note, the court was informed that John failed to meet the standards and skill of a competent driver. Thus, the court declared

$140M repair works for two more T&HD vessels As a part of its mandate to provide quality and safe service to the Guyanese public, the Transport and Harbours Department (T&HD) said yesterday that repair works are to be conducted on motor vessels, Kimbia and Sandaka. The T&HD, which falls under the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, stated that the MV Kimbia and MV Sandaka were docked on Wednesday last at the Guyana National Industrial Corporation (GNIC) and the T&HD Mazaruni Dockyard respectively.

With regards to MV Kimbia, the estimated cost of repairs is pegged at $107M. The vessel, which plies the Georgetown to Kumaka, Region One route, is set to undergo general docking and rehabilitation works to its hull, on-board machinery, and underwater fittings, along with other repairs. GNIC has been contracted to rehabilitate the vessel and this is scheduled to last six weeks. Meanwhile, the estimated repairs cost for MV Sandaka is $33M. The vessel, which plies the Leguan to Parika

route, is expected to undergo general docking as well as repairs to its super structure, underwater fittings, hull, machinery and other areas. Courtney Benn Contracting Services Limited has been contracted for the job, which will last some four weeks. Earlier this week, Lady Northcote, which usually plies the Georgetown to Port Kaituma, Region One Route, was undocked after being almost two months out of action. The cost of its rehabilitation was approximately $145M.

that the careless driving of John caused the death of Jayden Charles. The court took into consideration the fact that a life was lost and the prevalence of the offence in today’s so-

ciety. According to the Magistrate, statistics show that a dozen children have lost their lives on the roadway from January to September. In this regard, she stressed the need to prohibit

motorists from contemplating the actions of John. John’s lawyer asked the Magistrate to exercise leniency by telling the court his client has two children and is expecting another.


Page 28

Kaieteur News

Friday November 27, 2015

Community clean-up contractors paid $75M Even as works are noticeably progressing to clean up communities from Agricola to Cummings Lodge, fifty contractors engaged in the City Hall-managed ‘clean up your community’ project have been paid a total of $75 million. This amount represents contractors receiving cheques valued at least $1.5M each to engage in clean-up activities with a team of no less than eight but no more than 15 team members per block from each of the communities. The project that started over two weeks ago has seen members of the aforementioned communities engaged in cleaning and clearing of drains and alleyways, weeding of parapets, as well as some amount of tree-trimming etc. Even as the contractors lined up at City Hall to collect their payments yesterday, City Public Relations Officer Debra Lewis said that the project was birthed following consultations with communi-

ties. “Residents had expressed their disgust at the way their communities were and they had asked to be given the contracts to clean up their communities. After careful consideration, a decision was taken to make the idea a reality, as the city fathers and mothers believe that residents would be more watchful and help in the fight against the culture of disposal of waste anywhere,” Lewis explained. “Many people have retired and others have resigned over the years, and at one point in time there was an employment freeze at City Hall, so the project sort of cushions effectively, two folds of activities.” This project was also undertaken to alleviate unemployment, as the city’s solid waste department does not have enough manpower to actively address the cleaning of the city. Each contractor was issued with 50 percent of protective gear by City Hall, and

A section of the 50 ‘clean up your community’ contractors being paid at City Hall yesterday. as part of their contract, they were required to provide the other half to be used in the execution of duties. Noting that the initial project provides employment for more than 500 persons, including women and unemployed youths, Lewis said the community stakeholders’ approach is also an initiative to

assist in offering opportunities to reduce deviant behaviour in communities. “Those involved get a chance to clean up their own community while experiencing firsthand what solid waste employees are faced with; do maintenance to ensure that their community and immediate surroundings are clean;

and also engage in self-policing of their environment.’ She also noted that for accountability purposes, the city auditor is following the process for accountability and transparency purposes. Already, Lewis said, “we have seen great progress on projects in areas, but in others we have found incomplete

works, and council will review the contracts of those who did not perform up to scratch.” This initiative is not new, as in previous years contracts were awarded to major contractors, but this relatively new approach is more of “the people’s initiative and it’s up to them to make it work for their communities or the contracts will be tendered out to the bigger contractors”. If that should happen, City Hall cannot guarantee that residents from the communities would be gainfully employed, and Lewis pointed out, “it’s a make it work as we work for you.” Lewis also noted that as part of the six-week clean up exercise, contractors are duty-bound to engage in maintenance works of their allotted blocks for an additional three months. If works are not done satisfactorily, the contractors will be blacklisted and will be sanctioned by City Hall for breach of contract. (Mondale Smith)


Friday November 27, 2015

Kaieteur News

Page 29

Man confesses to hospital dispatcher’s killing Detectives attached to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Headquarters are busy crosschecking certain aspects of a confession given yesterday by the man who stabbed hospital dispatcher Melissa Skeete and then dumped her out of a car last Monday. The man, Alan Sim, who surrendered to police on Wednesday, gave detectives a detailed statement yesterday in which he claimed that his actions, which resulted in the death of Skeete, were triggered by the woman’s “disrespectfulness” and they were done in self-

- claims she was “disrespectful” defence. Skeete, who was stabbed seven times about her body, succumbed a few hours later, while receiving treatment at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation. According to a source close to the investigation, Sim told detectives that he and Skeete had started a relationship since 2007 and they have a child together. He said that Skeete started “disrespecting” him ever since she “linked up” with

another man met on the social network Facebook. The man, he said, is a United States-based Guyanese. Things got out of hand last week Monday when Sim went to the woman’s residence and was “shocked”, when upon seeing him Skeete ran inside and bolted the door. Sim said that he managed to peer through a window and saw what Skeete was trying to conceal; her US-based

Calls being made to recognise and embrace GIS Geographical Information System (GIS) may be a foreign term to many people. However, keen efforts are being made to ensure that it is not only known, but also widely used. This is according to Zoe Walker of GeoTech Vision, which has its operation at 50 Brickdam, Georgetown. Walker holds a place on the GIS Committee that coordinated activities to mark GIS day last week. GIS is a system designed to capture, store, manipulate, analyse, manage and present all types of spatial or geographical data, which GeoTech specialises in. But according to Walker, there are a number of people who have been utilising GIS and are not even aware of this. “If you are familiar with things like Google Earth or searching for something on a map on your computer, you are actually using a GIS system...” explained Walker. She continued, “Behind the scenes somebody took the time to gather that information so that we can actually look on a map and our

devices and know where we are so it is a very important field.” GIS day is internationally observed during Geography Week, the third week of November, and occurred on November 18 last. According to Walker, the purpose of GIS Day is to mainly raise awareness among people who aren’t familiar with this field. She informed too that among the primary targets are the “upcoming generation...So most of the activities are geared towards school children and helping them to learn about it.” Moreover, Walker disclosed that for the past three years efforts have been geared towards students and helping them to learn about GIS. On the day of the observance the GIS Committee, according to Walker, spearheaded a geography quiz which saw the participation of a number of schools. This activity was venued at the Education Lecture Theatre of the University of Guyana (UG). The event was supported by Giftland OfficeMax and Southland International

which sponsored prizes for the competing schools. Other agencies also participated in the observance of GIS day which included an exhibition at the University’s Turkeyen tarmac. According to Walker, “This year the University helped to host GIS day and we combined the efforts with other agencies.” Among the participating agencies that are known to actively utilise GIS are the Guyana Forestry Commission, the Guyana Mangrove Restoration Project, the Environmental Protection Agency along with some individuals. Walker informed that although “GIS is up and coming in the Caribbean” it is developed throughout the world. “What it allows you to do is to visualise any kind of information that is on the earth in a computerised environment and helps to see relationships; you can pick up different trends and come up with better decisions,” Walker added even as she stressed the need for more people to not only embrace GIS but also to recognise its importance in their everyday activities.

Participants at the recent GIS exhibition

lover was in the house. He said that he pleaded with Skeete to let him in for them to “discuss things” and the way forward with their relationship, but the woman refused. The suspect claimed that after the conversation with Skeete, he went to the police and made a report. However, detectives later found out that it was Skeete who had made a report at the station, since it would appear that she was threatened. The two stayed away from each other until Monday last when Sim managed to convince Skeete to meet him. On that day he picked her up from the hospital and drove to Carmichael Street in the vicinity of the Ptolemy Reid Rehabiltation Centre, where he stopped his car and began chastising Skeete about the relationship she had established with the USbased man. “He said that she told him that he must be the outside man and he said no, he preferred to end the relationship,” the source related. With that, an argument erupted and

Melissa Skeete

The suspect after he surrendered to police

according to the source, Sim said that Skeete pulled out a surgical blade from her bag and attempted to stab him. Sim, in his statement, said that he managed to take away the blade and during a scuffle, Skeete was wounded. He claimed that the woman, with blood pouring from her body, ran out of the car and collapsed on the road. Sim said that in panic mode, he drove away from the scene and later disposed of the blade. Detectives are not “buying” Sim’s entire story and are questioning several aspects of what he told them.

“For instance, why didn’t he render assistance to her when she ran out of the vehicle and collapsed? No, he drove away. It was another driver who saw her lying on the road and took her to the hospital,” a detective told Kaieteur News. The source said that investigators will be speaking to Government Pathologist Dr. Nehaul Singh to ascertain if the wounds that Skeete received are consistent with what a surgical blade can do. The source said that once the loose ends are tied up quickly, Sim could appear in court as early as today.


Page 30

Kaieteur News

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Thursday November 27, 2015

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9 Courses Diploma in Computer Studies, –Xmas Deal -$20,000 off @ Micrographics, Vreed-enHoop, Royal Castle Building- Call: 264-3057 Continued on page 31


Thursday November 27, 2015

Kaieteur News

Page 31

Letters... Where your views make the news

We see Guyanese politics through the lens of race DEAR EDITOR, We tend to see our politics through the lens of race and that all or most political acts are done either to uplift or suppress a racial group. But is this entirely true? Are we being misled in this regard? This is not to say however, that attempts along the lines of racial integration do not exist. On the contrary the issue of racism is still the most unresolved issue in the world and there is no country that can say there is complete racial unity in their borders. If you pull from the teachings of Dr. Walter Rodney you will find that race in Guyana’s politics was by

design to achieve a specific outcome that is not to benefit the average Guyanese. Racism was injected into Guyana’s politics by the colonial masters, in our case, the British, who understood that for them to remain in control of our resources it was necessary to divide and rule the country and the easiest way, was to do so along racial lines. In other colonies where there was a single race, the British divided them along political parties of the same race. And in others, it was divided along social status or class. As these countries gained independence and

evolved into being in control of their resources, the British and their allies uses a hybrid of the aforementioned division tactics, where you find a combination of rich vs poor, party vs party, debt creation, intellectual property rights and of course, violence. Our recently held election is no different; we must not fool ourselves that the Government of the day has full control of Guyana’s destiny. We must continuously remind ourselves that our destiny is in our hands. So when we begin to praise politicians like they are “cult leaders”, remember that they are puppets too, they just

can’t tell you that. The racism the PPP/C is accused of perpetrating is not necessarily an act rooted in race, but it is more of an act rooted in economic and political security for their constituency that happens to be racially identifiable. But in any democracy in the world today, you will see that most standing Government will aim to strengthen its base along economic lines for the interest of their political survival. However, because a lot of those countries do not have an identifiable racial political border, their politics are defined as party colors, names

and ideas. The most notable case would be the American Democrats and Republicans. When it comes to racism in the parties, we must also understand that every institution has racial elements that raise their ugly heads from time to time. But the PPP/ C will outlast those evil doers to continue its mission of a progressive Guyana. And I would hope that APNU/AFC will be able to keep their racial ugly elements from rising as well. The people are responsible for what happens in their country, if they are truly participating in their politics. Malcolm Watkins

DEAR EDITOR, I have just heard of the passing of Rickford Lowe, renowned Guyanese engineer and former coordinator, Work Services Group, Ministry of Public Works and Communications. I wish to put in writing my sincere appreciation of his life workbuilding and maintaining Guyana’s important roads and bridges. On behalf of the Guyanese people I thank him for his commitment and dedication to making travel safer and easier for our nation. I am fortunate to know about the Lowe family through many windows. I am a lifelong friend of his sister Jan Lo Shinebourne, writer whose novels and stories tell of life in Canje and Guyana

from the perspective of a mixed Guyanese family. Janice is a Guyana Prize winner and her novels, including her latest have been shortlisted for the prize. She is also an educator and has done writing workshops for young writers in Guyana. Janice’s sister, Brenda, Guyana scholar was an outstanding graduate of Bishops who inspired many women to follow in her footsteps. She blazed a trail as an architect and teacher in the UK. She is a lifelong friend of my first wife Marjeiry Robinson. I was fortunate also to teach Roddy Lowe at Queens College. So many decades later I remember his love for

photography. He went on to a successful professional life in Canada. Through these relationships I got a vivid sense of a family reaching out to the world with values that were prominent to the most humble Guyanese family decades ago. So as we travel across the major roads and bridges of Guyana toot your horn, look up and thank Ricky for his loving work spanning

decades since 1976. His last major project was the building of the Berbice harbour bridge. Also he gave a significant portion of his life to managing and maintaining the Demerara Harbour bridge. In 1976 as a young graduate from the University of Guyana he was part of the team of nine engineers at the helm of this major project. Seven others were fellow young UG graduates. Rickford travelled the

length and breadth of Guyana maintaining, rebuilding and building roads and bridges. He was associated with every major civil engineering project in this period. He ably represented Guyana in international talks on highway building including the visionary road to Brazil. My condolences to his family, friends and fellow. I salute his life work. Milton Drepaul Alpha Max Academy

From page 5 trade union, and the past gains the union would have won for them. Historically, sugar workers have largely been an impoverished class, but could it be that by being a little too

accommodating of union demands, even when it could not afford to do so, the sugar industry has actually become the victim of the very people it was kept alive for? Khemraj Tulsie

DEAR EDITOR, Reference is made to Mr Sase Singh’s letter in Kaieteur News’ issue of 25/11/15 There is no disagreement that change in GUYSUCO is necessary and urgently so; however, we must beware that the metaphoric speedy “skating on thin ice” in a cold country might be a nonstarter in hot Guyana and more so in boiling GUYSUCO! As I indicated before, the constraints of my being in the COI into GUYSUCO does not facilitate a more

comprehensive retort to Mr Singh’s formula at this time. Nevertheless, I wish to remind him and our readers about the wisdom of considering contextual and situational factors before ‘importing’ solutions that may not be relevant or timely, given the ground realities. A case in point is the wellknown fact that our Field Foremen are actually in the same union as the workers they supervise and the Field Supervisors & Factory Foremen are virtually in the

same boat. Mr. Singh needs to reflect on these specific contextual realities which militate against any indiscriminate and untimely application of practices which might be more germane to other situations …hence my plea for caution and pragmatism. Nowrang Persaud

Sad that the builder of the Berbice bridge has died

Changing sugar workers...

Concepts must be pragmatically relevant

From page 30

LAND FOR SALE Luxury gated community with pool, mall, swipe entry/exit, underground irrigation – Contact: 609-0783 DIAMOND/GROVE HOUSING SCHEME 50X80 –CALL: 676-0931 Formerly Globe Cinema, corner lot @ Church & Waterloo Street, size 126ftX133ft. Call: 610-2234 Transported Land @ Richmond Essequibo, next to school, fenced, fruit trees, filled high -$4.5M. Call:6825230; 628-9596 Eccles -$5M, Herstelling $4.5M, Parfaite Harmonie$1.3M & $1.5M, Lowlands (East Coast) -$1.8M –Uitvlugt -$2.8M-Call:611-7223;604-2207 Providence Scheme 115ftX81ft located on a Cul de Sac close to Bai Shan Lin -$8.2M negotiable –Call: 601-4163; 2230719


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Magic Stars win NEE Stag/ Cell Smart Futsal competition

Ansa McAl Stag Beer Manager, Lindon Henry (fourth, right) pose for a photo opportunity with Magic Stars in Linden after the win in the NEE/Stag Futsal Tournament. Magic Stars won the New Era Entertainment (NEE)/ Stag Beer/ Cell Smart Futsal competition on Saturday night last when they defeated Jermaine and Family Silver Bullets 5-4 in the fi-

nal held at the Mackenzie Sports Club Hard Court in Linden. Magic Stars pocketed $250,000 while the second place team won $150,000. In the third place game, Trend

Setters beat East Side Jammers 3-2 to earn $75,000 while the latter got $50,000 for their effort, along with trophies. NEE thanked their sponsors for support.

Western Tigers Football Club to hold AGM on Sunday The Western Tigers Football Club will hold their Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Sunday at the Western Tigers Playfield in West Ruimveldt. Proceeding start at 10:00am and a report by the outgoing President Roger Moe will be one of the key reports presented. Elections of office bearers will be the main point of the agenda. All club members are asked to be present and be on time for Sunday’s important meeting as the club looks to chart the way forward and improve their fortunes.

Friday November 27, 2015

Nationals Schools’ cycling C/ships

Hicks, De Silva, Abrams, Mars, Sanchara outstanding Andrew Hicks of District six Corentyne turned in an outstanding performance to capture the 3000m boys Open when the National Schools Cycling Championship 2015 continued yesterday at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence. Hicks won the race comfortably ahead of Christopher Griffith of District 11 North Georgetown and Stephanoel Richards of District five West Coast Berbice in that order. De Silva of District four East Coast Demerara captured the girls’ equivalent, while Tyiana Garnett of District six Corentyne placed second and Tieanna Barker of District 12 East Georgetown third. The 3000m boys U16 race was taken by Casey Abrams of District five; Ronaldo Narine of District 13 South Georgetown took the runner up spot, while Carim Chase of

Andriska Mickle of district 11 (center) crosses the finish line ahead of Deance Welch of district six (left) and Tayanna Blair of district 15 in the 400m girls Open. District seven Bartica placed third. Cleavland Mars of District five captured the 3000m boys U14 title, while Mark David of District 12 placed second followed by Cleavon Murray of District seven. Chelcia Sanchara of District 10 Upper Demerara/ Kwakwani carted off the 400m girls U14; Vanessa Desouza of District six finished second and Cristal Richmond of Dis-

trict four East Coast Demerara third. Also among the gold medal winners were Andriska Mickle of District 11 who won the girls 400m open; Deance Welch of District six placed second and Tatyanna Blair of District 15 New Amsterdam third. Whitney Poyer of District six copped the girls 400m U16 title ahead of Tia Henry of District 12 and B’ Yonka Barker of District 10.

Friday November 27, 2015 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) Do you have a talent for writing? You seem to have a precise and clear way of expressing yourself. And it's possible you use this gift of yours in your career.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) You love to have very serious discussions about important issues well into the night. You rebuild the world the way you'd like to see it with your friends.

TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20) You have a pleasant day ahead. People may be a little less playful, but they'll be all the more caring in their relationships.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) Do you often act as if the world is static and nothing ever changes? Sometimes you may think that humankind is a certain way, the world is a certain way, and so this is what you're going to do.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20) You should expect to feel warmth in your contact with other people today. Your relations will have something particularly tender and caring about them. It's like people are suddenly much more attentive and sensitive. CANCER (June 21–July 22) You won't be disappointed today. Over the next few days you're going to put your analytical way of thinking aside and let your feelings guide you. LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) Today is great for creativity, especially the kind that shows your special style. You're productive, although what you've been creating is just a reflection of the latest fashions. VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) Today someone might ask what you're thinking about. You often think about things that are inaccessible to others.

SAGIT (Nov. 22–Dec. 21) Today let your emotions mingle with your thoughts. What good is telling yourself that you must like something if you really can't stand it? CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) Today you may feel like going into your past. One half of you feels nostalgia for the "good old days." The other half lives for the future and is unafraid to project into the unknown. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20–Feb. 18) If you'd hoped to hide something from someone, it won't work. Even if you say nothing, it's written on your face. PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) If you had to take a test today and had a choice between poetry and physics, you wouldn't hesitate. Poetry. Today is about interpretation, not analysis.


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Upper Demerara has unassailable Track and Field lead - Phillips record-breaking sojourn continues By Edison Jefford East Coast Demerara’s, Kenisha Phillips continued her record-breaking sojourn at the National Schools’ Championships yesterday in the 200m, but Upper Demerara/Kwakwani dominated the fourth day of track and field competition to take an unassailable lead. Upper Demerara currently sit comfortably atop the points table with a handful of track and field events remaining on the final day of competition today with 525.5 points. North Georgetown has the second position with 374 points while Corentyne is third with 299 points. Phillips, who a day before had broken the Girls’ 100m U16 record, repeated the performance in the 200m in 25.4 seconds, which erased the 25.6s mark of Tirana Mitchell and Avon Samuels in 2012 and 2013 respectively at the same venue. East Georgetown’s Cassie Small was second in 26.0 seconds with South Georgetown’s Tiffauna Garnett third in 26.2 seconds. North Georgetown’s, Samuels also smashed the U-18 record over the same distance. Samuels ran 25.5 seconds, which was a split second better than Shannon Griffith’s 2012 mark to win the race ahead of archrival, East Georgetown, Natricia Hooper

(26.1s) and West Demerara’s Sheneal Hughes (26.9 seconds). While there were those moments of success for other competing Districts, Upper Demerara was the dominant team, setting itself up for another big win in the track and field competition of the threedisciplined National Schools’ Championships. Upper Demerara’s Daniel Williams won the 200m Boys’ U-16 race in 22.6 seconds with South Georgetown’s Umkosi Vancooten (23.3s) and Corentyne’s Esan Leitch (23.4s) finishing second and third respectively. The dominant athletics District’s ace sprinter, Compton Caesar continued the tradition in the U-18 Boys race with a 22.3 seconds performance. The Commonwealth Youth finalists won against New Amsterdam’s Tyrell Peters (22.5s) and West Coast Berbice’s, Titus Webster, who turned in 22.7 seconds. Kenisha Prescott then completed a sprint double for Upper Demerara in the U-20 female version of the race in 27.1 seconds. North Georgetown’s, Isoke Britton (27.5s), and East Georgetown’s, Mearisha Carter (27.6s) was second and third respectively. North Georgetown’s Jason Yaw made amends for his

GCB/BANKS DIH/DIGICEL NSSCL…

Rosignol Secondary win West Berbice Zone

Javed Karim receiving the winning trophy from West Berbice Cricket Association President, David Black. Rosignol Secondary defeated Bush Lot Secondary by eight wickets in a low scoring contest to win the West Berbice Zone of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) National Secondary School Cricket League (NSSCL) sponsored by Banks DIH Ltd’s Coca Cola and Rainforest Water along with Digicel. Playing at the Bush Lot ground, the home team were dismissed for a dismal 94 in 19.2 overs as only Clayton Grant (12), Trenton Glasgow (12) and Seon Glasgow (11) reached double figures.

Hemchan Singh claimed 4/16 in 5.2 overs, while S. Vyphius supported well with 3/9. In reply, the home team stuck two early blows which sparked some hope before Javed Karim and C. Veersammy settled down with level headed batting to lead Rosignol Primary to victory with no further loss. Karim and Veersammy finished on 37 not out and 23 not out respectively. Rosignol Secondary will now represent West Berbice in the Inter-Zone stage of the NSSCL which is slated to commence in January 2016.

100m third place finish on Wednesday in the 200m with a 22.2 seconds performance that gave him the nod ahead of East Georgetown’s, Linton Mentis (22.5s) and West Demerara’s Tevin Garraway (22.6s). Joshua Hercules sprinted to victory in the U-14 Boys 200m in 25.0 for New Amsterdam with the Corentyne’s Jameel Browne (25.6) finishing second. Upper Demerara’s Akeem Venture finished third in 26.1 seconds. North Georgetown’s Yesenia Andrews won the female version in 26.6 seconds ahead of Upper Demerara’s Deshanna Skeete (26.8s) and East Coast’s Jamela Sancho (27.7s). The East Bank’s, Odessa France won the U-12 Girls race in 29.2 seconds ahead of North

Georgetown’s, Shinana Liverpool (29.6s) and Corentyne’s, Alana Winter (29.8s). East Georgetown’s, Keifon Jack sprinted to the male U-12 title ahead of North Georgetown’s, Wesley Tyndall (28.1s) and East Coast’s, Joel Johnson (28.3s) respectively. Meanwhile, in one of the highlights of the day, Upper Demerara’s Shaquille Smartt, Corentyne’s Kevin Norah and North Georgetown’s Orin Prince provided the photo finish in the 1500m Boys’ U-20 race with Prince getting the nod for gold. Prince won in 4:38.7 while Norah was given second in 4:38.8, and Smartt third in 4:38.9 as split seconds separated the three finishers. Shontel Hinds continued her dominance in the female race

for Upper Demerara in 5:26.4, which was better than North Georgetown’s Mariah McKenzie and Rupununi’s Simona Lawrence’s 5:32.1 and 5:40.3 respectively. Mathew McKenzie gave North Georgetown the U-18 Boys 1500m race in 4:29.0 as West Coast Berbice’s Jason Reece was second in 4:30.8 and Corentyne’s Delroy Leitch third in 4:32.7. The defending overall champs, North Georgetown got another spurt from Maria Urquhart in the Girls race with a 5:26.6 run. West Coast Berbice’s Delicia Harper (5:31.3) and Serena Williams (5:32) from Upper Demerara was second and third. In the U-16 age group, Jeremy Garrett won the Boys’ race in 4:37.8 while South Georgetown’s, Ronaldo Wishart (4:40.6) and

Rupununi’s Graven Stephen (4:44.8) was second and third in that order. Claudrice McKoy won the girls race in 5:10.1 to secure her third title of the Championship ahead of Rupununi’s Margaret Augusto (5:22.4) and West Demerara’s Joanna Archer, who ran a time of 5:24 for third. West Coast Berbice’s Mathew Gordon won the male U-14 race in 4:49.4 ahead of Essequibo Coast/ Pomeroon’s Shervin O’Neil (4:54.7) and Upper Demerara’s Murphy Nash (4:57.9). Upper Demerara’s, Shauka Tyrell won the girls race in 5:27.8 ahead of Rupununi’s, Marica Andrews (5:31.0) and East Coast’s Kissanna Glen, who ran 5:50.1 for third. The competition continues at 10am today where a new champion may be crowned.


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PMTC performs creditably at UWI Pelican volleyball invitational tournament The Port Mourant Training Centre (PMTC) Alumni Volleyball Club participated for the first time in the UWI Pelican Volleyball Invitational Tournament 2015 which was held at the Mona Campus, Kingston, Jamaica from Nov.20th -22nd. The tournament attracted six male teams and six female teams. The males teams that participated were - UWI ‘A’, UWI ‘B’, PMTC, UTECH, Venus All Stars and Vikings. The female teams that took part were UWI ‘A’, UWI ‘B’, Blackbirds, V/Queens, CBB and G. C. FOSTER. The preliminary segment was played on a round robin basis and was contested on Friday 20th and Saturday 21st, while the semi-finals and finals were played on Sunday22nd. After the preliminaries on Saturday PMTC was second

in the standings having lost only to UWI A. In their semi final on Sunday, PMTC came up against Vikings and after taking the first game, lost a close battle by a (2-1) 25-21, 20-25, 9-15 margin. In the other semifinal UWI A defeated VENUS ALL STARS 2-1 in another close matchup with the scores being 25-17, 23-25 and 15-13. In a hard fought final UWI ‘A’ triumphed over VIKINGS (3-1) with the scores being 2523, 22-25, 34-32 and 26-24. The female final was also hotly contested with G.C. FOSTER squeezing past UWI A (3-2) in a lengthy five setter with the final scores being.1725, 26-24, 24-26, 31-29, 15-13. At the presentation ceremony which was held after the male final, Quacy Matheson of PMTC received the Best outside Hitter trophy, while Trevlon McRae

Diamond Mineral Water Hockey Festival

Seven matches scheduled for today Seven matches are scheduled to be played today in the Diamond Mineral Water Hockey Festival currently being played, at the National Gymnasium. This year’s Festival which opened yesterday will see teams from Trinidad and Tobago, Canada and Barbados battle the top local teams for top honours. Pepsi Hikers are the de-

fending men’s champion, while GCC Tigers and Hickers are the Ladies and Veterans title holders. The winning male and female teams will take home US $1000 with runners-up carting off US $500. The Veterans winners will receive US $500, while runners-up get incentive prizes. Below are the fixtures for today and tomorrow.

Port Mourant Training Centre Alumni Volleyball Club at the just concluded tourney.2 also of PMTC received the Best Middle Blocker trophy. All of the participants and officials received souvenir UWI Pelican Volleyball 10th Anniversary Bags. Head Coach of the PMTC team, Levi Nedd in an invited comment stated

that - “I am pleased with the performance of my team, we could have done better but for some biased refereeing in the semi-final that took its toll on the young players.” He further added, “Just coming to Jamaica was an achievement and the way we played

against more seasoned opponents was commendable for such a young team, and augurs well for the future.” The PMTC team took the opportunity to thank the UWI Pelican team and presented tokens of appreciation to the organizers. The trip to Jamaica was made possible

through the assistance and kind sponsorship of the Ministry of Education, RDC Region #6, Guysuco, A. Ally & Sons General Store, Ansa McAl, M& M Snackette, Sain Supermarket, Poonai’s Pharmacy, Spready’s Bakery, Fly Jamaica and other well wishers. (Samuel Whyte)

GCB/Scotia bank Kiddy Progression One Cricket…

Hopetown Primary crowned West Berbice Zone champions Hopetown Primary emerged champions of the West Berbice Zone when they defeated Number 5 Primary in the final of the 2015 GCB/ Scotia bank Kiddy Progression One Cricket. Playing at the Bush Lot ground, Hopetown Primary won the toss and immediately sent in Number 5 Primary to bat first. Number 5 Primary then made 115/5 with Sayeed Khan scoring 30 which included one four and two sixes. Tyrone Delph was the only other major contributor with the bat as he scored 20 including two fours and one maximum. Bowling for Hopetown, Avinde Rogers returned figures of 2/3. In Hopetown Primary’s turn at the crease, Avinde Rogers returned with the bat to lead the successful chase as they manage to get to 117/ 7. Number 5 Primary tried their best to defend a tricky target taking the game down to the final over but they eventually lost, much to the disappointment of their supporters. Rogers finished with 43 as he struck three fours and three

Kemol Mentore receiving the winning trophy. sixes to cap a good all round effort. Action was to continue

yesterday between Timehri primary and Camille Primary at Thirst Park with the winner

facing St. Ann’s in the final of the East Bank District today at Thirst Park.


Friday November 27, 2015

Kaieteur News

A FLEX NIGHT BIKINI COMPETITOR TO WATCH

Surinamese Vanity Boue will be here to strut her stuff and she is a serious challenger. Her name is Vanity Boue; she is Surinamese and trains at Studio Body Shape in Paramaribo. In 2014 she won the Miss Bikini competition at the Suriname National Championships, then later placed 3rd at the Flex Night event. Only recently Vanity Boue beat her field of competitors at

the Suriname Studio Body Shape Gym Expo. Vanity is a seasoned stage performer having won a number of pageants in her native Suriname. When not hitting the weights in the gym, Vanity is sweating over the books to complete her degree at the Anton de Kom University of Suriname, where she expects to be graduating with her Social Sciences degree. She will be travelling to Guyana to compete in the Sunday December 6 Flex Night International event and the local ladies had better watch out.

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GTT/Limacol Round Robin / Knockout Football Compettiion

Kings possess the pedigree to spoil the royal party With three teams in the last four, the community of Linden has the numerical advantage and is therefore guaranteed at least one finalist, but East Coast Demerara’s Victoria Kings, the lone remaining team beside the Lindeners will want to spoil the royal party. They face Linden’s traditional powerhouse Topp XX in the feature clash of the double header

toay in semi-final action of the GTT/Limacol Round Robin / Knockout Football Competition, at the Victoria Community Centre ground. In the preceding semifinal, an all-Linden affair, Winners Connection square off against counterparts Milerock and even though whoever wins will ensure that at minimum the second prize goes to the community, the mere

thought of bragging rights could produce a pulsating contest. The early prognosis in the feature game is suggesting that it will be a rivetting contest and a high scoring affair, especially with the abundance of talent and experience that reside in both teams so fans could expect football of a high quality. To p p X X b e c a u s e

Milerock marksmen, Clarence Huggins (centre) they’ve been able to remain unbeaten to date will start as favourites and this is due to their impregnable defence which has conceded only two goals in three matches, the best statistical record to date. Apart from that imposing testimony, Topp XX has one of the best mixtures of experience and youth and this lethal combination has proven effective to date. The veteran Travis Wa t e r t o n h a s b e e n performing at a high level and leads his team with four goals, while Oswald Benjamin has been a solid supporting cast. Then there is the midfielf wizardry of former national player Collie Hercules, who still looks like the ‘old master’ in the centre, constsntly delivering some deadly passes, while also playing a significant supporting role in defence. However, the hosts have players of quality as well and playing before their home crowd which is anticipated to be large is a significant advantage, a plus that they’ve usually exploited to their benefit. Winston Pompey and Alden Lawrence have accounted for six of the eight goals they’ve score in their matches to date, sharing the spoils equally, and they will be aiming to continue in their rich vein of form. However, they will need to tighten up defensively after allowing two more goals than Topp XX to date. The opening game has all the hallmarks of being a

g e m d e s p i t e Wi n n e r s Connection outstanding record in the competition so far. They’ve been the most lethal team, converting eleven goals from the three matches they’ve played and even though Milerock has steadily picked up momentum after a lacklustre start, they may find the going too tough to get past their high scoring opponents. Their prolific talisman Marmarlaque Davidson leads the pack with six goals and his main support has been Keon Sears, who has two of his own and the two have been lively and deadly with their finishing. Milerock, who had to play four times to reach this stage, are capable of springing an upset so Winners Connection will be mindful of this danger and treat them seriously. The trio of Clarence Huggins, Jermain Grandison and Denzil Fordyce has taken on the responsibility of getting the goals for the team. Huggins leads the pack with four goals, while Fordyce and Grandison have two apiece. Up for grabs are $500,000 and the championship trophy for the winners of the tournament, while the runner-up, third and fourth placed finishers receive $250,000, $125,000 and $75,000 respectively. Among the other sponsors on board are: National Sports Commission and Sterling Products. Kick off time is 18:00 hrs.


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Kaieteur News

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SUNBURST / Grove trounce Soesdyke 4-1; Herstelling into semis EBFA U-17 League Defending champions Grove Hi Tech has sent an ominous message to those teams that are eyeing their Under-17 title when they opened their account with a 4-1 win over Soesdyke Falcons on Saturday last at the Grove Playfield. Second half substitute Joel Dick who replaced scorer of the first goal, Kevin Dalton, slammed home a hat-trick to secure a solid win for the home team. Herstelling Raiders on the other hand, advanced to the final four without breaking a sweat as their opponents, Mocha Champs failed to show up. Grove wasted little time in showing their intentions with Dalton hitting the back of the nets in the 11th minute. Grove, winners of all the tournaments that the EBFA played in 2014 at the Under-13, 15, 17 and senior levels, have only won one of three tournaments so far this year, the Stag 7 a-side which concluded on Saturday last. They {Grove}are eager to halt titles slipping from

them and Dick’s performance underscores t h i s a i m . The Under-17 national player wasted little time in making his presence felt after replacing Dalton. He rocked the nets in the 44th, 48th and 50th minutes to seal the win for grove. Soesdyke however, did stand up and showed flashes of brilliance. They were able to pull one back through substitute Kevin Marshall. Competition will continue this weekend at the same venue with a double header tomorrow. Mocha Champs will open proceedings against Diamond United at 13:00hrs with the winner guaranteed a final four place. In the second match, at 14:30hrs, Agricola Red Triangle will be going after their second win in as many matches when they face Soesdyke Falcons. One match will be contested on Sunday when Grove Hi Tech oppose Kuru Kururu Warriors.

17-year-old Narayan Ramdhani achieves 102 Badminton World ranking

Narayan Ramdhani

A release from the Guyana Badminton Association has informed that they are, ‘overwhelmed that our top player Narayan Ramdhani at only 17 years old is now ranked 102 in the world.’ This achievement was realized during his participation at a number of international tournaments and he was able to get higher rankings due to improvements in his game plan and standing up to the higher world class payers, the release noted. His last International tournament was the Suriname International November 18-21, 2015 which brought his world ranking points to 102 in the World. This is the first time a Guyanese player has gained such status in Badminton and the GBA indicated that “we are extremely happy that Badminton is getting to a high standard.”

Grove Hi Tech’s Kevin Dalton nudges the ball past Soesdyke’s goalie Desmond McLean for Grove’s opening goal.


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Friday November 27, 2015

Action in the GTT/GRFU Tens Tournament at the National Park in which UG Wolves whipped Police 65-0.

UG Wolves punish Police 65-0 in GTT Tens Rugby The wet conditions at the National Park Rugby Ground certainly were no help for the young Police Force squad as they were trashed by UG Wolves in the GTT/GRFU Te n s To u r n a m e n t o n Saturday last. The Wolves inflicted a 65– 0 beating on the Police team, making it the highest score line of defeat to date in the tournament. The assault on the inexperienced Police squad started as early as in the fifth minute of the game by Osei McKenzie with three tries followed by Lance Adonis with two tries and conversions, followed by Delroy Fordyce with two tries supported by Godfrey Brooms with one try and three conversions, Rondel McArthur and Malcolm Rhonda contributing a try each to round off the points table for the UG Wolves. UG scored 36 points in First quarter followed by 29 in the last quarter of the game.

In the other Game of the day, the Army extended their winning streak to three from three games, defeating Pepsi Hornets 32-10. Speedster Patrick King was the danger man once again for his club scoring four tries supported by Avery Corbin two tries and Dwayne Schroder one conversion. Pepsi Hornets score came from Troy Bascom. Action in the GTT/GRFU tens Rugby Tournament will continue on Saturday, November 28, at the National Park ground with two more games; President vs Vice President Ladies followed by Yamaha Caribs vs UG Wolves. The various Teams are competing for Trophies and Medals, compliments of GT&T. Teams in the tournament are Guyana Defence Force, Pepsi Hornets, UG Wolves, Yamaha Caribs and the Guyana Police Force. The two female teams will be President vs Vice President

Essequibo football tourney fixed for this weekend at Charity Preparations are nearing completion for the hosting of the second Essequibo knockout football tournament on Saturday at the Charity ground. Sixteen teams are expected to participate. Among them are: Mourca, Region One, Wakapoa, Mainstay, Queenstown, Devonshire Castle, Henrietta, Supenaam, Barama, All Stars Bartica and Super eleven. First prize is $100,000 and trophy, second prize $50,000 and trophy. Promoter, Vishnu of “Lil Indian” Promotions, said football, which is gradually catching on the Essequibo Coast (Pomeroon/Supenaam), is a sport that is intended to promote such as to keep the young ones from engaging in drugs and other harmful practices. Each game will run for twenty minutes with a half of ten minutes. Stag beer and through its distributors Ansa Mcal is one of the sponsors. Vishnu would also like to thank the Commander and ranks of “G” Division Police, Kevin Adonis and especially members of the Charity NDC. The defending champion is Queenstown. (Yannason Duncan)


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Kaieteur News

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t r o Sp Upper Demerara has unassailable Track and Field lead

PHOTO FINISH! North Georgetown’s, Orin Prince (right) out-leans Corentyne’s, Kevin Norah (centre) and Upper Demerara’s, Shaquille Smartt to win the 1500m Boys’ Under-20 race at the National Stadium yesterday.

- Phillips record-breaking sojourn continues

Upper Demerara’s Kenisha Prescott (left) comfortably strides to victory in the 200m U-20 Girls’ race to complete a sprint double yesterday.

Nationals Schools’ cycling C/ships

Hicks, De Silva, Abrams, Mars, Sanchara outstanding

Chelcia Sanchara of district 10 easily won the 400m girls U14 race. Printed and published by National Media & Publishing Company Limited, 24 Saffon St.Charlestown, Georgetown.Tel: 225-8465, 225-8491 or Fax: 225-8473/ 226-8210


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