Kaieteur News

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Kaieteur News

Wednesday November 28, 2012

Brazilian dies in Central Rupununi accident

Katherine Paul A mid-afternoon motorcycle collision on Monday, in Parikwainawa, a Central Rupununi location some 18 miles from Lethem, has resulted in the death of Jason Vieira, a 19year-old Brazilian national.

Reports are that Vieira’s

150cc motorcycle collided head-on with a similar bike as he was transporting his wife Katherine Paul out of the South Rupununi area.

Paul is said to have sustained severe injuries.

Frank Mark Gomes, the other motorist, related that

Frank Mark Gomes the Brazilian was riding in the opposite direction and was coming towards him “at a speed”. The man claimed that he tried to avoid the accident but reflected that it was inevitable.

The impact reportedly

caused Vieira to pitch off his motorcycle and land head-first on the ground, where the helmet that he had been wearing was shattered. The victim presumably broke his neck as a result of the fall and died on the spot.

Gomes, 27, a resident of Tabatinga, Central Rupununi, was transporting an associate, Dennis Winter, of Aishalton, South Rupununi, into South Central Rupununi, when the fatal accident occurred.

Gomes suffered from

trauma to the head and several injuries about the body, while his pillion rider escaped with minor injuries.

All four persons were transported to the Lethem hospital. The victim’s wife and Gomes were admitted and are still hospitalised.

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Kaieteur News

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

Publisher: GLENN LALL Editor: Adam Harris Tel: 225-8465, 225-8491. Fax: 225-8473, 226-8210

EDITORIAL

Flea-bitten “Flea-bitten”, in modern parlance, has become a synonym for “creaky, decrepit, derelict, run-down and woebegone.”

Queen’s College, the nation’s putative premier secondary school is in its second week of being overrun by fleas. We can safely assume that it has been literally ‘flea-bitten’. From facts revealed by the sorry episode, it appears that the figurative meanings may also be apropos.

First, the fleas. These have evidently been spread by cats and dogs that inhabit the school’s attic (cats) and environs (dogs). With the school having a full time custodial staff (with an Administrator) and a live-in caretaker, the question begs itself as to what were all these individuals doing all along. It appears that one or more cats had taken up residence in the school’s attic and had even given birth to a litter. It is obvious that this attic is not cleaned regularly by the custodial staff.

The problem of insanitary conditions at Queen’s College had long been a bugbear at the school and at every PTA meeting and Parent-Teacher conclaves it would be raised.

Even a cursory ramble around the school would reveal an unsightly open garbage dump almost abutting the eastern side. The general retreat from any standards of cleanliness had also infected the student body, which freely litters even in their classrooms.

While the issue of a school’s hygiene might appear peripheral to its central mission of ‘educating’ its charges, surely the acceptance of responsibility for one’s surroundings must be part of that ‘education”. And we arrive at the question as to who or what body is responsible for the proper functioning of Queen’s which has the full apparatus of a School Board, a PTA, the HM and Deputy, along with Senior Staff. As per the Ministry’s website, “On the issue of roles and responsibilities, the Board makes general rules and regulations to enhance the administration and governance of its schools using a system of committees.

The responsibility for the day-to-day management of the school resides with Head / Principal and senior staff without the interference of the board.”

“PTAs will, in a structured way, play a role in the instructional programmes of schools, the general management of these schools (including the formation of rules, and the improvement in general performance of the school in curricular and extra-curricular matters), contribute to the improvement plans of the school and take action to assist the school in addressing its needs. These Associations will also undertake the acquisition and expenditure of all non-budgetary funds of the school, thus allowing teachers to concentrate on the teaching-learning process.”

From the foregoing, it is clear that it is the responsibility of the Head and the deputy to ensure that hygienic standards are maintained by the custodial staff, through their Administrator. It is our expectation that the lines of authority and responsibility will be clearly drawn and executed in the wake of this fiasco. More than all the soaring rhetoric about leadership that is delivered in the classrooms, the actions of the appointed and paid leaders at Queen’s will determine whether the students will actually imbibe the lesson on responsible leadership.

In the wake of the flea infestation, a parent, who claimed to be an alumnus of Queen’s, pointed out in our letter pages some other problems at the school which should be rectified immediately. It is unbelievable that in some cases there have been claims of no chairs or desks in the classrooms for the teachers. Is this a new way to make education ‘fun” by forcing teachers to hop around all day?

On the question of maintaining standards at Queen’s, much depends on the will of the Head and the quality of the staff. This newspaper has made no bones about supporting the so-called ‘premier’ schools – once admission is on merit.

We have long advocated that the quality of the teaching standards at Queen’s must be of the highest standards, and this will only be possible if they are offered salaries that will attract the most qualified candidates.

Let us ensure that QC is not flea-bitten in both senses of the term.

Wednesday November 28, 2012

Letters... Where your views make the news

Contradictions in Kissoon’s complaint on Bisram DEAR EDITOR, This is in reference to Mr. Kissoon’s “The KN and SN need a policy on anonymous signatures” (KN Nov 25) , a reply to a SN editorial note (SN Nov 21) in which he admitted that he “wrote letters to SN and KN on Bisram” complaining that they failed to check into Mr. Vishnu Bisram’s academic and polling credentials.

Contradictory information are found in the pieces in SN and KN. Let me note that Mr. Bisram is not “anonymous”.

He has been a popular and respected contributor in the media on varied subjects. I enjoy reading his contributions. In addition, he is well respected overseas for his role in restoring democratic rule in Guyana.

Mr. Kissoon’s letter is full of contradictions. Mr. Kissoon stated that SN did not query Mr. Bisram’s credentials at his insistence although he admitted that he filed queries requesting said information.

So how does Kissoon know SN did not act on his queries? Did he ask SN whether the information it provided was a result of his queries?

Incidentally, the queries Kissoon raised had nothing to do with polling. Where Bisram worked and his academic qualifications are not related to polling.

It can be logically inferred that SN acted upon Mr.

Kissoon’s insistence in seeking and publishing information on or about Mr. Bisram.

In numerous commentaries in KN, Kissoon complained that SN was not providing information he requested on Bisram and threatened to file a complaint against SN to the media body.

How is a reader to interpret the course of action undertaken by SN in soliciting the information from Mr. Bisram?

Did SN seek such information from Mr. Bisram on its own accord or did SN act only after Kissoon demanded the information from his letters?

Are readers to c o n c l u d e , n a i v e l y, t h a t K i s s o o n ’s letter demanding the information played no role in SN seeking to ferret out information from Bisram on his academic and polling credential?

I recall reading a few years ago information put out by the SN’s Sunday editor Ms. Anna Benjamin (confirmed by Kissoon) on Mr. Bisram’s employment as a teacher, the school he was employed, and aspects of his academic and polling credentials.

Kissoon even alluded to a letter he wrote to Bisram’s place of employment after obtaining information from SN. So the SN editor is not being honest when she stated that SN “never published Mr.

Bisram’s academic credentials and teaching experience on its own account”. Mr. Kissoon confirmed that there is a long editorial note in which SN stated that in a conversation with Ana Benjamin, Mr. Bisram was advised to provide evidence of some aspects of the affiliations he claims to have with polling and his academic background.

Information about Mr. Bisram’s academic background was provided as a response to Kissoon and not of his own volition. In this regard, SN misled readers – something one could not have accused KN of doing or SN during the tenure of the late David DeCaires.

Mr. Bisram may want to offer further clarification on this matter so we can determine the veracity of the

editorial note. Since the death of Mr. DeCaires, the paper has shown a tendency of violating objectivity, fairness and balanced editing.

I and many others look forward for the polling information provided by NACTA on various issues.

Kissoon’s distortions as a writer have been exposed by so many people including the publisher and editor of KN. Unlike what Kissoon believes, I don’t think the findings of a survey would c h a n g e i f M r. B i s r a m conducts and publishes it under his own name or N A C TA’s – t h e g i s t o f Kissoon’s complaint or if NACTA has a website or mailing address. I look forward to reading more of the NACTA polls.

Balliram Sugrim

DEAR EDITOR As I scoured through the television channels, I came upon an interview with Michael Younge and the Hon. Clement Rohee – the latter was talking about the Linden incident.

Two things amazed me.

First the Minister said at one point that he could not get in touch with the Commissioner of Police – in the days before cell phones – it was inconceivable that a Minister could not contact the Head of an important department under his control.

Believe it or not – of course they say truth is stranger than fiction. Then the joke of the year came when he said that the security situation was good.

My disappointment in Michael Young emerged.

He was a young journalist who had earlier displayed some sense of balance and professionalism.

All of this has vanished at the altar of the filthy lucre.

I pity this young man, and hope he may still redeem himself as a journalist.

Hamilton Green, J.P.,

A fallen journalist

Wednesday November 28, 2012

Kaieteur News

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Letters... Where your views make the news Letters... Where your views make the news

The police commissioner The issue of no cofidence was out of line DEAR EDITOR, In a recent address to a police conference, Commissioner of Police, Mr Leroy Brumell, went out of his way to shower praise on the embattled Minister of Home Affairs, Mr. Clement Rohee, who is the subject of an opposition “no confidence motion”.

The commissioner‘s remarks, as expected, provoked the wrath of the parliamentary parties. Mr. David Granger, the leader of the APNU is quoted as saying that Brumell‘s public endorsement of Rohee is unprofessional conduct and he should be sanctioned. Mr. Khemraj Ramjattan, the leader of the AFC, called on the commissioner to pay attention to the crime situation in the country.

Notwithstanding the opposition’s criticism of him the police chief was seemingly unmoved and further, compounded the problem by saying that he “sees nothing wrong with giving support to his boss”.

He should have said his master.

I believe that Mr. Brumell has been emboldened to publicly endorse the Minister in spite of the opposition’s no confidence motion in the Minister and criticism of Brumell himself, because of the failure of the APNU and AFC to show solidarity with

Dr. David Hinds and the WPA when he, Brumell, chose to become a PPPC politician and publicly threatened the lives of the WPA leadership.

The records will show that Brumell called on the WPA leadership to reach his trigger happy police on the East Coast Demerara public road at Buxton. Rather than condemning Brumell, the police chief, for his unprofessional behaviour, the opposition parties assumed the opportunistic position of “silence” not wanting to antagonize the police chief. By taking this position they were most likely hoping to be able to win him to their side.

If that was the case it was an act of great stupidity on their part. To all appearances they had conveniently forgotten that it was on his watch that several APNU members and supporters were shot on December 6, last year.

If they had taken appropriate action against Mr. Brumell when he donned his political coat and threatened political leaders he would have given great thought of the consequences of flying in the face of the political opposition and publicly endorsing his Master.

The Commissioner’s endorsement of Rohee should act as a motivator to the opposition to get its act

DEAR EDITOR, I wish to bring this matter to the attention of the public since it is really hurting us as poor vendors selling honestly to made a living at the Charity Market Water Front area for over twenty years now.

Two very big and wealthy businessmen from Charity who are dominating and taking over Charity are influencing and pushing the Charity/Urasara NDC Chairman and the RDC Chairman of Region Two to move us out from where we are making a living to support our families and not telling us where they will put us.

These wealthy people were trying to do this with the former Regional Chairman, Mr. Alli Baksh, but they never succeeded because Mr. Baksh took a firm stand for the poor. However, the new Regional Chairman and NDC Chairman are working in concert with the wealthy people to push us out so that space can be made available for use as parking lots for the two businessmen to facilitate their businesses.

The Regional Chairman approached us (some vendors) and told us that we must move.

He asked us if we have transport for the area we occupy and whether it is our bona fide property. We tried to plead with him; we told him that we took loans from the Bank to invest in our businesses and he loudly shouted at us saying that he didn’t tell us to go and take loans.

To make matters worse, a Minister of the Government, the Regional Chairman and NDC Chairman held a meeting with the business people on how to upgrade Charity and the main topic was to remove all small vendors from the water front.

When the Minister was leaving the meeting some of us tried to speak with him and he too was very outrageous, like the Regional Chairman.

Guyanese should see what this self-proclaiming, caring Government is doing to us, who voted for them. Never again will we.

SURESH GHANI

Taking from the poor and giving to the rich

together or Guyana will continue to be endangered and slide further down the slippery slope because of its willingness to adopt positions of convenience when more decisive action is called for. I fully support the opposition’s condemnation of the Commissioner of Police for his political endorsement of Minister Rohee. Even in politics it is better to see the light late than to never see it at all.

Tacuma Ogunseye

DEAR EDITOR, I have noticed in your newspaper that President Donald Ramotar has said that he has no confidence in the Speaker of Parliament, Mr. Raphael Trotman.

Guyanese have no confidence in a President who after a year in office cannot make any difference in the sad state of affairs in Guyana.

This is manifested by the following high incidents of corruption in Government circles, high crime rate, poor motivation reputation, corruption at

NCN, lack of accountability

by Ministers of the Government, appointment of a one-party Cabinet where the government is a minority one and a host of other infractions.

Every day, Guyanese at home and abroad, are embarrassed by the inability of a government led by Mr, Donald Ramotar to advance the interest of all Guyanese

and not just their cronies.

Speaker Trotman has been doing a remarkable job at seeking compromise and encouraging dialogue in the house.

The problem with the government is that it is unable to bully their way in parliament.

The situation has changed.

Aubrey James

Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.

Martin Luther King, Jr.

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Kaieteur News

Wednesday November 28, 2012

Letters... Where your views make the news Letters... Where your views make the news

The PPP cabal stands to benefit from Gail Teixeira’s version of a reckless 10th Parliament DEAR EDITOR, Ms. Gail Teixeira, the Chief Whip of the minority PPP stated on NCN-TV that the “Tenth Parliament will go down in history for absolute recklessness.”

Many Guyanese will tend to agree with these sentiments.

However, Ms. Teixeira’s comments must be put into proper context by asking the question; which political entity is the beneficiary of this recklessness?

The Tenth Parliament is controlled by five key players – the Speaker, Gail Teixeira, Amna Ally, Sam Hinds and David Granger. For the record, nowhere in that mix is the AFC. This is an exclusive PPP/APNU arrangement with the Speaker acting as the Chairperson of that power team.

Therefore, if there is any recklessness in the 10th Parliament, it has to be sanctioned by this PPP/ APNU power team that controls the agenda of Parliament. The APNU was even caught red handed singing the Teixeira tune on the 2012 National Budget and

on the Linden Commission of Enquiry. Thus if the nation is being misled resulting in very little of the people’s business being address, then the taxpayers have to start sending their letters of complaint to Freedom House and Congress Place. This is where the delinquent power brokers reside.

Thus the “minority of one” (PPP) cannot continue to dominate the agenda of the majority (APNU/AFC). All right minded Guyanese in civil society and in the peasant and working class must add their voices to the AFC in exposing these antidemocratic actions of the Jagdeo/Ramotar cabal.

The only political beneficiary of this political recklessness and bullyism in the 10th parliament is the Jagdeo/Ramotar cabal. So why the APNU, including the silent Dr. Rupert Roopnarine has aligned with Gail Teixeira and Sam Hinds in allowing them to dominate the agenda of the 10th Parliament so far resulting in it earning the title as the “DO NOTHING PARLAIMENT” is anyone’s

guess.

We therefore call on Dr. Roopnaraine to end his secret alignment with the PPP and stand up for the people who elected and supported him during the last election. We hope that APNU Chairman Mr. David Granger will remind Dr. Roopnaraine of his obligations.

Fortunately, Speaker Trotman has had enough of this PPP bullism and has finally stamped the authority of his office on the 10th Parliament on Thursday November 22, 2012 by calling the bullies out and not consenting to their demands to muzzle the voices of the majority. For that he has earned the wrath of Gail Teixeira but she is all bubbles and no substance. Her distortions of the facts have become unbearable for the people.

If one is to examine the public service records of Gail Teixeira since 1992, one will find a history of her abject failure at public policy and an obsession with partisan political control. As Minister of Health, what did she deliver

for the poor and the working class in Guyana? · It is under Teixeira’s leadership that there were several cases of two adults being forced to sleep on the same bed in the Georgetown Public Hospital because there were inadequate hospital beds for the poor and the working class. · It is under Teixeira’s leadership that the Regional Hospital system finally collapsed resulting in life for the rural poor and working class becoming extremely unbearable. · It is under Teixeira’s watch that Guyana experienced its highest rate of maternal deaths in the state hospitals, a clear testament of her poor and incompetent leadership in the health sector. · It is under Teixeira’s leadership that the state hospital and medical Boards were micro-managed and manipulated. Rose and Singh are not making this up, just read the July 3, 1999 edition of SN where there is more than enough evidence revealing how she manipulated the work of the Abortion Advisory Board to substantiate these statement of facts. · But the bigger scandal

in the Health Sector under her leadership involved issues of an improper nature and conduct with a Chief Medical Officer that became a clear and present danger to any professional progress in the Health Sector. Again, this is not a figment of the imagination of Rose and Singh, just consult any the health professional who was around in the late 1990’s to substantiate this statement of fact. Do not even get us started on her performance when she was at the helm of the Security Sector or as a member of the University of Guyana Council. It is time for Ms. Teixeira to stop crying like a baby and let Parliament get on with the people’s business. She does not have the “midas touch.”

So, how could such a person with such a reckless and irresponsible style of management earns any rights to lecture anyone on the point of recklessness. Isn’t such inconsistency in public behavior bordering of political hypocrisy and deceit, if nothing else?

All this wild talk of recklessness has a motive. It is just a Freedom House custom-made strategy to “regain majority control” of

the Parliament with political trickery, deception and propaganda.

Even Dr. Luncheon’s statement in Demerara Waves exposed this political mischief, where he mentioned that the PPP was “milking every opportunity” as part of a political strategy to regain majority control”.

If the PPP wants Guyana to progress, the path is not one of political mischief; it is one of inclusive democracy by capturing and including the points of view of civil society and the political majority in the tripartite committee in developing and executing a national economic development plan to bring betterment to the lives of the poor and the working class, especially the children and mothers of Plastic City. The Jagdeo/ Ramotar cabal must wake up and accept the reality of a new political dispensation in town; the people have withdrawn their authority on their reckless style of ruler ship including their abuse of law and order and their contempt for the people and the Constitution. It’s time to stop such lawlessness.

Dr. Asquith Rose and Harish S. Singh.

DEAR EDITOR, I read the news item about the multi-million dollar pennybank fraud at a primary school and was surprised that youngsters could have sums of $59,000, $78,000, $700,000 and $868.00 held in a ‘pennybank’. This is serious money, in Guyana terms, and one would expect such sums to be held in a post office account or some such, where depositors’ money should be safe and they would be entitled to the interest accrued on their savings.

More surprising - and alarming - is the fact that a lone teacher was “put in charge of the collection and supervised the entire process and that the teacher can be the signatory to the bank account in which the money has been deposited and has complete access to the cash.

Further, nobody checked on her”.

Some may consider it a consolation that the teacher “promised to put back some of the money....”. I remember a lecturer in accountancy saying years ago that the handling of large sums of money in any outfit should involve the rotation of responsible staff periodically, to minimise the risk of fraud.

When we were at primary school, our penny bank was run by the head teacher, and we gave our pennies, along with our bank books, to him on Monday mornings. He recorded the entries and handed them back to us, so that our parents could keep track. We then got our money back at the beginning of the

Christmas term - a few dollars, rather than thousands of them. Let us hope the youngsters get their money back before the teacher is allowed to ‘leave the country on her 10-year US visa’. A mean thing to do - an overall betrayal of trust. Guyana is certainly full of surprises.

Geralda Dennison

What a complex and fascinating country Guyana is!

The bauxite company and scrap iron DEAR EDITOR, It is expected that the resources of any community should be use for the benefit of the residents there. For some strange reason, the resources of Region Ten, and by extension, Kwakwani, are only distributed to a select connected few.

There are, or were, two massive Walking Draglines located in the bauxite mine at Kwakwani. These two machines are now being cut up to be sold as scrap iron. It is the expectation of the majority of residents that if these machines are to be sold as scrap iron, the proceeds from the sale must be utilized for a project where the entire community will benefit.

A few years ago, many

residents were involved in the sale of scrap iron collected from scrapped machines of the former bauxite company.

This exercise was going well until operable machines and equipment were damaged to be sold as scrap and a decision was made to stop the operation.

It is the view of the majority of residents that if a decision was made to restart the sale of scrapped machines from the Kwakwani area, it should be made public.

Proceeds from the sale must use on projects that will be of benefit for the Kwakwani as we need to start thinking seriously about life in the community beyond bauxite and timber.

Jocelyn Morian

Wednesday November 28, 2012

Kaieteur News

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‘Shocking’ disclosure…

Miner’s battered body Electricity thieves attempt found at Mahdia Police in Guyana’s hinterland region are probing yet another murder, which occurred in Mahdia, Region 8.

Reports are that the battered remains of 59-yearold Robert Prescott of 114 Ann’s Grove, East Coast Demerara, were found in the vicinity of Danjou Hill, Mahdia.

The discovery was made at around 06:00 hours yesterday by other miners who were in the area heading to their work grounds.

One of the man’s daughters, Diane Prescott, said they received the news of her father’s death from his employer.

Ms. Prescott said they were told that her father was last seen alive on Monday.

“The boss man told us that they wash down gold on Monday and then everybody went out to the landing to take a li’l drink.”

According to the woman, her father never made it back to his camp, and his colleagues became worried.

However early yesterday morning his battered body was discovered in a trail leading back to the camp where he worked.

Prescott said they were

told that her father may have been attacked and robbed by persons unknown, since he had a fair amount of cash on him.

“He had money on he because they wash down before he went out to the shop, but the boss man said that they ain’t find no money on he and it appear as if somebody lash he in he head because he clothes full ah blood.”

The woman said her father worked as a miner for several years. She related that they last saw him in August when he left for the interior.

According to Ms. Prescott, despite being so far away from home, herself and other siblings were in constant contact with their father, who would call every day.

Meanwhile, Robert Prescott’s remains have been flown to the city and a post mortem examination is to be done shortly. Up to press time yesterday no one had been arrested.

Regional Chairman Mark Crawford, upon hearing of the incident, expressed his condolences to the bereaved family.

He also used the opportunity to call on “the relevant authorities” to look

into the issue of providing more resources for the Police station in that region.

Crawford told this publication that there is evidently a rise in criminal activities in the region and the ranks stationed there are somewhat handicapped when it comes to traversing several areas which fall under their jurisdiction.

The Regional Chairman further acknowledged the fact that these areas have many escape routes and the police are limited in terms of mobility, hence it is challenging for them to track down and apprehend the perpetrators of these crimes.

Crawford pointed out that currently, the police in Mahdia have “no working transportation of their own”.

According to him, the two AllTerrain Vehicles (ATVs) and a land rover which the police have at the station are all unserviceable.

“Even if the police get a tip-off of where the perpetrator/s are, they cannot leave in their own time because they have to wait until transportation is available to them… and by that time the perpetrator/s would have enough time to make good their escape”.

Govt. asks court to quash...

(From page 3) motion to silence him.

“A member of the National Assembly can only be committed to the Privileges Committee for a violation of a Privilege; that is, an offence committed within the precincts of the Parliament. Minister Clement James Rohee, MP has never been told which privilege he has violated or what offence he has committed.”

Nandlall also contended that the ruling violates a number of constitutional provisions.Government also maintained that the National Assembly is subordinate to the Constitution.

CONSTITUTION IS SUPREME “The National Assembly is a creature of the Constitution and whatever sovereignty it enjoys and functional autonomy with which it is imbued are subject and subordinate to the supremacy of the Constitution and consequently the doctrine of Parliamentary sovereignty does not apply.”

The court document also said that the Joint Opposition in the National Assembly by virtue of their superior number cannot override, subvert, or abrogate the laws of the land, the Standing Orders, common law principles and the Constitution itself.

“A no-confidence Motion passed against a Minister or a member of the National Assembly in Guyana’s Constitutional construct has no binding effect or force and therefore, cannot constitute a violation of privilege or an offence for which a member can be committed to the Privileges Committee or for which a sanction can be imposed.”

Nandlall said that no power whatsoever exists under the Standing Orders, the laws of the land, or the Constitution to impose a prohibition on a member of the National Assembly from speaking or performing the functions which devolve upon that member, either as a member or as a Minister thereof.

The ruling last week, after a heated debate, was the first of its kind in the postcolonial period, Trotman had said last week.

This would not be the first

time that the government has turned to the courts for relief in matters dealt with in the Parliament. Earlier this year, following the budget cuts by the opposition, government had filed court actions. While the court had ruled that the Opposition erred in slashing the budget of a number of state agencies like NCN and GINA, it also ruled that Parliamentary matters are Parliamentary matters.

The 10th Parliament is the first one in which the government has a one-seat minority of 32 seats following the November 28, 2011 elections. It represented the first time that the ruling People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) had not been in control of Parliament since assuming continuous power 20 years ago, in 1992.

There has been criticism about how little work the National Assembly has done this year.

to hack into GPL’s system Attempts have been made to hack into the stateowned Guyana Power and Light Inc. (GPL) system to steal electricity, a senior official has said.

Speaking with reporters earlier this week, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Bharat Dindyal, said the company had to seek external help and was able to identify one person.

Five other individuals are on the radar, the senior executive said.

The attempts to hack into GPL’s servers all had to do with the prepaid meters that the company is offering.

The hackers were attempting to manipulate the internal systems at GPL for “free power”, Dindyal said.

“Of course, we are looking at the issue with a lot of interest…able to identify one individual…with some assistance.”

It is the first report of its kind, adding to the list of enterprising ways consumers have been attempting to steal

GPL’s CEO, Bharat Dindyal electricity.

From bypassing meters to hooking up directly to the power lines, GPL has been grappling with the electricity theft from consumers for years now. It has accounted for major losses in revenue.

Dindyal admitted that laws to deal with cyber crimes are non-existent locally, making it hard to prosecute.

The CEO was at the time

speaking about prepaid meters which were introduced just under two years ago.

Although slow at first to attract “suspicious’ consumers, the prepaid meters have been growing in demand over recent months.

It is especially so for landlords not too enthusiastic about tenants leaving them indebted to the power company. GPL, the CEO disclosed, had placed an order for 12,000 of the prepaid meters, which are due to arrive in January. There are a few thousands waiting for them.

“I think people now know a lot more of the value of having a prepaid meter.”

GPL is attempting to keep up with the demands.

Even the prepaid meters are being bypassed.

Dindyal said, however, that GPLis catching up with the culprits and “they will have to deal with the consequences”.

(Leonard Gildarie)

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Wednesday November 28, 2012

Wednesday November 28, 2012

Kaieteur News

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SOMETHING BITING! Fleas have caused the temporary closure of Guyana’s top secondary school, Queen’s College.

When this news first broke my initial impression was that this had to be some sort of April Fool’s joke.

Then I recalled that we are in the month of November and that, therefore, the alleged presence of fleas did in fact force the school’s administration to suspend classes until the infestation is removed.

Back in the day, no one could contemplate fleas in a school, much less for classes to be suspended because of a flea infestation. The schools were then not much cleaner than the schools of today. In fact, there was far more filth around then than there is now.

These days, dirty toilets force many parents to shutdown schools. Back in the day, stinking, fetid toilets were a norm. When you went into the washroom, you had to hold your nose, close your eyes, and hope that your aim was right.

You did everything standing up. No one could have dared to sit down when in those toilets. The boys often did what they had to do behind some tree rather than risk going into those toilets, the smell of which at times carried into the classroom. It was much easier unzipping behind a tree rather than risk holding your breath in a toilet.

When it rained, and there was grimy seepage from the toilets into the corridors, students did turn up their

noses, but many simply walked or jumped over the waterline as it meandered its way around the school compound.

There was not as much garbage then as there is now.

The children did not have a great deal of money to take to school and even if they did have a lot of money, there was not the variety of items on sale then as there is now.

Today’s schools generate a great deal of garbage, but for that garbage to be a source of fleas is questionable. The capital city is fast becoming a garbage dump and no one complains about fleas. There are other threats to be worried about.

Back in the day, school garbage was often dumped in a section of the school compound and burnt. At times, rodents could be seen rummaging through the litter pile, but when that occurred, it was a time of fun for the children.

Many a rat met his end at the hands of school children.

They would chase that rat until it had no escape and then they impale it. The scene was akin to a cavalry charging down a foreign army, except in this instance it was a single rodent running for his life.

Cats were not to be seen around schools, but if a stray dog was discovered within the precincts of a school, heaven help that dog! By the time the students were finished with him or her, the poor animal would be seriously maimed or near death from exhaustion In that respect, the

Dem boys seh...

Bharrat tie up Donald Nuff thing tie up and A kneel Ganda Ball tie up nuff things. He now trying fuh tie up de courts wid some motion against Parliament. De last time he try, de Chief Justice tell he that wha happen in Parliament is parliament business and that he shouldn’t bring it to de court.

Dem boys seh that it look like he ain’t hear because he gone again trying to tie up de court.

This was de same man who tie up de house deal when Bharrat sell he house to some man from Trinidad. Was de same A kneel Ganda Ball who tell de world that Bharrat didn’t have money when he tun president. But when he done, Ganda Ball tie up, till he tie up nuff people. But one day he gun get tie up like guana.

Bharrat tie up nuff thing too. He and Brazzy tie up de Amaila Falls deal, he tie up de airport expansion project, he tie up de Marriott, and he

help Fip tie up de whole country. Fip is now a millionaire and he glad things get tie up.

Dem boys seh that everybody tie up poor Donald till he don’t know he head from he tail. Today is one year since Uncle Donald tie up de Presidency and it look like if de presidency tie he up.

He ain’t do nutten and dem boys seh that is because he tie up.

Bharrat go suh far as to tie up de Pee Pee Pee. He is now de chief cook and bottle washer in de party and poor Donald ain’t got a say. De man tie up de place suh till he firing people and hiring he kavakamites. And all this happen in one year.

Brazzy tie up de IDB and NICIL. Dem boys seh that he tie up NICIL suh tight that even de country can’t get no money out of it. But he too gun tie up he self. Is only time.

Talk half and wait fuh dem tie up demself

schoolchildren of today are much more humane to animals than back in the day.

These days we are told that stray dogs and cats inhabit schools, and that in the case of Guyana’s top school, these animals could have been the source of the flea infestation.

The authorities need to understand that while these dogs and cats may be strays, their presence in many schools are actively encouraged, not by the school’s administration or by the students, but by some of the security guards.

These guards like to have

these animals around them so that at night, the dogs can take over the watch while the guards sleep. Many dogs that are found in schools are used as watchdogs. They bark when they see something and this awakens some guards who fall asleep on the job.

It must be said that not all cases where there are dogs and cats in the schools these are encouraged, but in many cases this is so. It is known that some guards feed the dogs and keep them around them so that when they are asleep, the dogs keep an eye.

This may not be the case at the school that had to suspend classes, but it is so in many other places.

Despite the presence of dogs and cats in many public institutions, it is hard to see how a flea infestation can cause a school to be closed.

Back in the day, not even a fly ventured into a school for fear of getting sick from the smelly toilets. And if there were fleas around, they would be stampeded by the children.

The parents and students of today are however extremely health conscious, and it is wise that the

authorities err on the side of caution, because fleas can carry diseases and when a flea gets on your body, it is not easy to dislodge.

As such, the school has to be fumigated until this infestation disappears, but you can bet your bottom dollar that with Christmas exams around the corner, a great many reports are going to be made by students in other schools that they were bitten by a small insect while in class.

Page 10

Kaieteur News

Wednesday November 28, 2012

=== THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN ===

De Donald, De Gail, de votes, one year after I never campaigned in a general election in my country. The closest I came was in 1992 when I helped the WPA in small ways, but didn’t really thrust myself in that party’s campaign.

Looking back I am sorry I didn’t.

I have always been reluctant to integrate myself in election politics. I feel it constrains you from

preserving your independence. In 2011, I went fully into battle for two reasons, one situational, the other fundamental.

There were three persons in the Alliance for Change who I felt I wanted to see in Government and who I believed deserved my assistance in seeing them win.

They are Nigel Hughes, Khemraj Ramjattan and

Moses Nagamootoo. My heart and soul did not allow me to stay out of the battle of the AFC in 2011.

So I entered election politics one year ago. I have no regrets. I got closer to some fine, human beings that Guyana has produced If there were not Nigel Hughes, Khemraj Ramjattan and Moses Nagamootoo, I would have still campaigned for some other party, including the PNC. This decision came from my scholarly mind, my activist soul, my humanist psyche and my selfless heart. I believed long before the 2011 election season started, with every bone and cell in my body, that the PPP that I witnessed in power from 1992 onwards was the worst group of politicians I saw in my country including the regime of Forbes Burnham that I lived under.

Mr. Burnham banned me and my wife from working in Guyana and many times my emotion and my mind fought each other over whether I should use that personal vendetta of Mr. Burnham against me to judge his government as being worse than the PPP administration.

My scholarly training would not permit it. I would have been fundamentally a dishonest man if I allowed that emotion to cloud my scholarly mind.

I honestly and sincerely believe that the PNC from 1964 to 1992 was not as wicked, mischievous, undemocratic, unpatriotic, uncaring, violent, corrupt, venal, immoral, ethnically driven, incestuous, depraved, culturally uncouth, bombastic and attitudinally imperialistic as the PPP from 1992 onwards.

But I would conclude this section by saying that I don’t believe a Cheddi Jagan government would have gone in the direction that Mr. Jagdeo took Guyana after 1992.

The rest is now history. It is one year since the November 2011 general elections and never have I felt more pessimistic about my country. This one year has come at a time when history is being played out on a macabre stage.

I grew up in Guyana hearing the world preach about the virtue of free and fair elections. I grew up in the turmoil of the tempestuous struggle for Guyana to have

free and fair elections. My indoctrination instructed me that free and fair elections produce legal victors who have the right to rule because they won; I repeat; they won.

Since 2011, the word “won” has lost its meaning in Guyana. Was I living in a nightmare when I was a young boy shouting to the skies for free and fair elections? Was there a winner in last year’s elections? It seems impossible to answer that question and what is even more scientifically bizarre is the curiosity as to whether the world can distinguish between a winner and a loser in a country’s national elections.

The Supreme Court of the United States of America did that when Mr. Al Gore told the American people that he won and his opponent Mr. George W. Bush said the same thing.

The court decided who the winner was because the votes were there to guide the judges.

Are there votes in the 2011 elections to guide the Guyanese people as to who won the last poll one year ago? In power today is a man the newspaper I write for satirically refers to as De

Frederick Kissoon Donald. We are talking about the President. He sarcastically referred to the opposition as the people with a majority of one.

His other PPP acolytes do the same, particularly De Gail, the President’s governance advisor, Gail Teixeira. Ms. Teixeira who factually holds a Canadian passport and who Christopher Ram publicly says is in violation of the Guyana Constitution because of that fact, speaks contemptuously and dismissively of the majority of one.

In the collective mind of De Donald and De Gail, de votes in the 2011 elections didn’t produce a winner, so the opposition in parliament is in real life an esoteric entity best described as “a majority of one,” with the word “majority” having a pejorative meaning.

Wednesday November 28, 2012

Kaieteur News

Parents to travel with CSEC standouts to awards ceremony

From Left: Deputy Permanent Secretary Geneveive Blackman, Pameshwar Babulall, Haywattie Narine, Rameshwar Singh, Kewlamati Bhim and Permanent Secretary Delma Nedd

By Zena Henry Four proud parents were yesterday given the privilege of travelling to Anguilla to accompany the country’s top performers to the Caribbean Examination Council (CXC)’s award ceremony. The parents who received their airline tickets at the Ministry of Education are expected to travel next week and will be staying six days in the British colony.

The Government recently announced that it would bear the cost of having the parents travel to the award ceremony while CXC will be providing accommodation and meals. They will overnight in Barbados, staying at the Marriott Hotel and later at the Viceroy Hotel Anguilla.

Rameshwar Singh, father of Karran Singh; Kewlamati Bhim, grandmother of Tamasha Maraj; Haywattie Narine, mother of Deowattie

Narine and Pameshwar Babulall, who represented Sarah Hakh’s family, all expressed gratitude at the initiative.

They told Kaieteur News that it was wonderful that the Government should extend this courtesy for such a fulfilling aspect of their children’s academic life.

Kewlamati Bhim said that she had never travelled before and was quite enthused that she is now able to do so on such an occasion.

Like Haywattie Narine, Bhim said she was proud of the youngsters. Karran Singh’s father expressed the same sentiments as he too thanked the Government for providing the opportunity.

The tickets were handed over by Education Ministry’s Permanent Secretary Delma Nedd. Also present were Chief Education Officer, Olato Sam, Assistant Chief Education Officer (Secondary), Ms. Doodmattie

Singh, and Deputy Permanent Secretary Geneveive Blackman. Sarah Hakh of Abram Zuil Secondary School was declared the Most Outstanding Candidate Overall in the Region. She wrote 16 subjects and achieved all Grade Ones with all A’s on the Profile grades.

Tamasha Maraj of The Bishops’ High School was bestowed with the award for the Most Outstanding Candidate in Business Education, while she successfully completed 13 subjects.

Deowattie Narine also from The Bishops’ High School secured the award for the Most Outstanding Candidate in the Sciences.

She achieved Grade Ones in 13 subjects. Karran Singh, a student of St Rose’s High, secured the title of Most Outstanding Candidate in Technical Vocational Education. He achieved Grade Ones in 12 subject areas.

Page 11

New GRA scanner to check incoming suitcases at CJIA The Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) has announced plans to tackle tax evasion at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA).

According to Commissioner General, Khurshid Sattaur, the tax collection agency has already brought a suitcase scanner that will be installed to pickup items entering the country through the airport.

Sattaur, in a release from GRA yesterday, disclosed that the scanner will be for small packages-mainly for suitcase traders and commercial goods brought in suitcases.

Currently, Customs Officers at the airport depend on the declaration forms submitted by passengers and searches of the suitcases to find the electrical and other items that some passengers have been noted to hide. This has led to millions being evaded in taxes and duties annually from the

- plastic Driver’s Licences from 2013 country’s coffers.

Traders have been using flights to import high-end products like cell phones and tools, the CommissionerGeneral explained, noting that lots of persons ultimately try to deceive Customs at the airport by concealing commercial items in their suitcases. The scanner is expected to enhance revenue collection by detecting these items, he said.

GRA said that though different, the X-Ray Scanner which targets imports will complement the existing one at a city wharf which targets the export of containerized cargo, particularly those destined for the United States. For the new year also, GRA is hoping to move into full swing with automated Driver’s Licences.

This process, GRA explained, will see changes to

the current format which will see a plastic card issued instead of a book… the final in GRA’s menu of licences to be computerized.

The licences which have already been automated include the Motor Vehicle Licence and several others which fall under the category of ‘Trade and Miscellaneous’.

Earlier this year, the GRA had put systems in place to ensure that its licencing service could be accessed at its branch offices countrywide by taxpayers, eliminating the need for persons to travel to the city to acquire or renew licences.

GRA is currently in the process of consolidating its activities in its new headquarters at the former CLICO building on Camp Street and has moved several of its operations there.

Page 12

Kaieteur News

Wednesday November 28, 2012

GWI expended $$B in five years to improve service – CEO Some $5 billion has been expended by the Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) over the past five years to construct seven new treatment plants across the country. Additionally, there were countrywide rehabilitation works to distribution networks to the tune of $7 billion while in excess of $400 million has been spent on rehabilitation of the sewer system in Georgetown.

It is anticipated that civil works on the sewer system will commence soon on the Georgetown Sanitation Improvement Programme which will result in over $2 billion being used up to improve the efficiency of the system, provide relief to consumers who experience overflow and reduce diseases relating to poor sanitation.

These investments, including the drilling of 18 new well stations valued at $1.2 billion, represent strategic moves aimed at improving the quality of service offered by GWI, said Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Shaik Baksh.

He was at the time detailing the operational cost of the water company, which is currently looking to have the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) grant approval for the revision of

its tariff regime which will address the cost of delivery of water across the country.

In recognition of the fact that access to portable water is important for health, wellbeing and for overall economic development, Baksh said that GWI has extended its strategic development plan to include the delivery of portable water to all homes. This move, according to him, will also place special emphasis on remote and isolated communities in the hinterland.

The GWI executive disclosed during a PUC hearing at Hotel Tower on Friday that GWI’s overarching plan continues to be the delivery of universal access to quality water. He revealed that over the past five years in coastal communities the percentage of customers with access to portable water has increased from 71 per cent to in excess of 98 per cent.

He opined that “GWI customers are enjoying an improved way of life due to strategic investments such as the establishment of more well stations and state-of-the-art treatment plants in communities where improved access to water is most pivotal.”

The recently appointed

CEO disclosed that in remote hinterland communities an amount just over $600 million has been directed towards the improvement of access to safe water supplies. In addition, he said that customers in Linden will soon enjoy two new state-of-the-art treatment facilities which form part of the $2.5 billion Linden Water Supply Rehabilitation programme.

In the past five years, in excess of 30,000 new households were issued with water service connection for the first time, which is a clear indication of expanded coverage and commitment to provide improved access to portable water, Baksh boasted. He said that added to this, over 30,000 pensioners are benefiting from subsidised water service rates.

The utility company, according to him, has adopted more effective strategic management of its finances which are on par with commercially prudent business plans of successful water and sewerage utilities.

“GWI continues to be guided by best practices for service provision which derives satisfying results in the areas of customer service, energy reduction, water quality and metering,” Baksh

asserted.

Although coverage has been expanded, the CEO said that GWI has been able to realise significant reductions in energy consumption, which is translated to a saving of $12 million per month. This he attributed to the implementations of energy units.

Baksh said that these investments have resulted in expanded access to portable water, improved level of service and enhanced water quality. In fact, he disclosed that the population that accesses treated water has increased from 26 per cent to 49 per cent.

This progress has, however, not been accomplished without challenges, as according to him, GWI’s continuing service still results in high energy cost.

He related that the company is currently the Guyana Power and Light’s largest customer with energy cost of $220 million per month. In order to reduce energy consumption, GWI has engaged the Inter-American Development Bank, and Baksh disclosed that the two entities are currently partnering on a special programme.

Yet another significant challenge experienced by GWI is reducing commercial and technical losses, which results in decreased revenue, he said, adding that currently a programme to combat this challenge is being implemented by a specially assigned project team.

GWI, he said too, is challenged to expand its metering programme which

aims to meet a higher percentage of the company’s customer base which will result in more prudent use of water, hence helping to reduce operational cost.

Although challenged with the acquisition of meter readings, Baksh said that a programme is now in place to achieve the company’s target within the next three months, which is expected to see the reading of all meters on a quarterly basis. This plan, he said, includes increasing the staff of the establishment for this purpose and the use of new technology such as remote meter reading and handheld devices.

The GWI operation, he asserted, is poised for immense improvement if the revised tariff regime becomes a reality from January 1, 2013.

Census 2012 passes six-week duration - Two Regions fully completed The Bureau of Statistics has announced that two of the ten Regions are completed, while in excess of 90% has been completed in two other regions for the 2012 Census enumeration exercise.

In addition, the second phase - the editing and coding of the completed questionnaires has simultaneously commenced, for which a further eighty-one (81) temporary staff were trained and are now employed.

“Region two and five are fully completed, and Region six is also effectively completed with completion rate 99.0%, with just a small number of rechecks to be finalized in both. Likewise Region nine is 95.7% completed with just one very remote location now being accessed by a team from Head office, which would conclude the full coverage of Region nine.

Region 10 is 82.9% completed, with work in progress to complete the outstanding riverain areas/ communities in the shortest possible time. All other areas including the densely populated Region Four are

on average over 75% completed,” the Bureau disclosed.

Noting that the census has continued into the current month of November, Chief Census Officer, Lennox Benjamin said that “… the concept of the census is that there should be a total count, therefore the enumeration period would be brought to a close when the enumerators have completed a total count of the resident population.”

Adding that the enumeration staff did their best in the face of some challenges experienced in the field during the early stages, he explained that the enumeration exercise commenced on Census Day, September 15, 2012, and was projected to last for an initial period of six weeks.

Benjamin explained that “the six-week time frame was an administrative decision based on best estimates at the time and was not a legal requirement for the conduct of the Census.” The Census Officer noted that he has the freedom to extend the period in the interest of the quality of the enumeration.

Chief Census Officer, Lennox Benjamin As reported earlier, the census exercise has moved apace in many areas of the country, but challenges remain in some remote areas of Regions one, seven, eight and nine, and in pockets of densely populated areas, especially Region Four.

Overall, the enumeration exercise benefited from the prevailing weather conditions which made travel to many locations easy. However, in some areas the low rainfall caused considerably reduced water levels in rivers and creeks making access along some of the waterways difficult.

It was further explained that in some pockets of the densely populated areas of Region Four, there is a significantly high number of requested ‘call-back’ and there also remains embedded pockets of reluctance to cooperate with enumerators.

In many of these areas, management teams were required to make visits to support enumerators experiencing difficulty.

Benjamin disclosed that on the positive side, there are many areas where the enumerators have benefitted from the activities of community leaders who have helped by providing explanations and education to their fellow residents.

Wednesday November 27, 2012

Kaieteur News

Page 13

Loose ends costing court system significantly – AG Report

By Zena Henry Various discrepancies, according to the Auditor General Report 2011, are costing the court system millions of dollars in losses. In relation to the current expenditure of the Supreme Court, it was noted that to date at least nine matters which were being investigated by the police or are pending in the Court for apparent fraudulent acts against the State, remain outstanding.

The losses for these matters are estimated at $16.246M. The Audit Office noted that the Supreme Court is pursuing the matters with the relevant authorities.

The Auditor General (AG) said a letter dated May 27, 2011 was sent to the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs requesting a status report, but to date, the Public Accounts Committee has not received a reply.

The AG thus recommended that the Department takes vigorous follow-up action with the relevant authorities to bring the matters to a close.

Some of these irregularity cases were dismissed by the Court, but the losses of $6.263M were not written-off.

The report stated that a request to write off the loss was made, but it is unclear whether followup action was taken. In 1999, in the West Demerara District, it was reported that records were adjusted to reflect different amounts.

It totaled $555,000. In t h e s a m e y e a r, t h e Georgetown Magistrates’ Court reported cases of tampering of receipts to show lesser amounts collected; those losses totaled $242,000. It was further revealed that West Demerara in 2000 reported that amounts paid out were

converted to personal use by an officer; that totaled $5.466M. Again the Supreme Court said that it was pursuing the matter with the authorities.

They noted that a letter was sent to the Finance Ministry and copied to the Accountant General requesting that the debt be written-off.

The Audit Office again recommended speedy follow-up action to bring closure to the issues.

In another matter, the 2011 report stated that at least seven instances of payment directives for resignations, retirements and dismissals were forwarded late to the Central Accounting Unit.

This resulted in overpaid salaries of $148,886 which included deductions of $14,341.

The report also noted that in previous years, there have been the same occurrences resulting in an outstanding sum of $834,715 still to be recovered from 38 persons.

The Court’s Personnel Department said that actions are continuing to recover the monies.

They said their Personnel Department and other Heads of Department are working closely to monitor staff changes, while letters have been sent to various officers for the return of the money.

The Audit Office also recommended that the Personnel Department follow-up with employees and respective agencies to recover the money, and encouraged that systems be put in place to ensure that overpayment occurrences are minimized.

The AG Report noted that 10 of 18 officers failed to present proof of insurance for

E’bo man remanded for murder, attempted murder A man who reportedly went berserk after seeing his reputed wife and her lover in a compromising position has been remanded to prison.

Yesterday the man, Davindra Persaud, 36, of Bonasika Creek, East Bank Essequibo (EBE), appeared at the Vreed-en-Hoop Magistrate’s Court before Magistrate Clive Nurse, where he was charged with murder and attempted murder.

It is alleged that on Thursday November 22, at Bonasika, EBE, Persaud killed 22-year-old Mahendra Narine called ‘Richard’, a fisherman.

The charge was indictable and the accused who was unrepresented was not required to enter a plea. It is also alleged that on the same day Persaud attempted to kill

Joy Meyers. That charge was also indictable.

The accused was remanded to prison and the matters will be called again on February 25, 2013.

Initial reports are that on Thursday evening last Joy Meyers and her paramour, identified as Mahendra Narine, were attacked while at the home of Meyers’ father, located in Bonasika Creek.

Me y e r s ’ lover sustained several gaping wounds, one of which almost severed his neck.

Persaud was also accused of hacking off Meyers’ left hand and she also sustained wounds to the head and neck. The woman’s three-year-old daughter, who was also in the house, was unharmed.

vehicles used in the execution of their duties.

This they said was a partial submission made by the officers who were entitled to travelling allowances; and the insurance proof was a condition precedent to the payment of the allowances.

In 2010, 37 officers had also failed to present the requirement.

The department said that since the discrepancies, they have taken steps such as sending letters to the officers to present the requirement, or their allowances (commuted and mileage) will be withheld.

The department has been

advised by the Audit office to circularize instructions in relation to travelling allowances.

The AG further reported that the filing of affiliation, criminal and civil case dockets at G e o rg e t o w n , We s t Demerara and East Demerara Magisterial Districts continue to be disorganized, with a number of documents being misplaced or filed at wrong locations.

Added to that, the register of the case documents did not contain information about the file’s movement.

The department responded that it has instituted a Transfer and Movement Register to mo n i t o r all case documents. While they stated that at the time of audit examination the files may have been with the Magistrates for hearing, it was noted that they will be presented for audit examination upon the determination of the matters.

The Audit Office instructed that corrective measures be put in place to account for the documents while efforts should be made to locate those that are

missing.

A contractor was also overpaid $1.445M for partially completed work on the Leonora Magistrate’s Court.

The contractor, whose contract was terminated in June 14, 2011, was paid $15.221M while the work that was done was valued at $13.776M. The Audit Office said that the Attorney General will be approached in relation to legal proceedings against the contractor. It was thus recommended that efforts be made to recover the overpaid amounts and put in place, control measures over the supervision and certification of works.

Page 14

Kaieteur News

Wednesday November 28, 2012

GUYANESE CARDIOLOGIST REPLACES INDIAN NATIONAL AT CHI Having taken up the reins of the Caribbean Heart Institute (CHI) just three weeks ago, Cardiologist, Dr. Mahendra Carpen, has been helping to fulfil the mandate of the medical facility to improve the quality of cardiac care.

Backed by the able staff of the facility, which is situated in the compound of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), Dr. Carpen has already attended to more than 70 patients. He has replaced Indian-national Pratik Soni, a reputable Interventional Cardiologist, who has for two years aided the efforts of CHI’s Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Gary Stephens, to make cardiac procedures a reality in Guyana.

As Medical Director and Consultant Cardiologist to CHI and the GPHC, Dr. Carpen is serving a dual role which amplifies the importance of public/private partnership in the quest to improve medical services.

He has an ambitious plan to ensure that CHI “grows and becomes accessible not only to patients who can readily pay and afford health care, but even those who have some challenges. We want this service to remain available through various

CHI’s new Resident Cardiologist, Dr. Mahendra Carpen means so people can get access to it without delay or defective care.”

Moreover, part of the operational goal of CHI is to create a sustainable link between the public and private sectors.

According to Dr. Carpen, “GPHC and CHI are working together towards a common goal of providing quality health care to the population.”

The relatively young cardiac expert said that CHI is poised to ensure that the goal is achieved since it is furnished with people who are not only well trained but are also very enthusiastic and

willing to learn.

Turning his attention to the infrastructure, he noted that while it is adequate, it is not at the level of the best that is available. However he did assert that “we are better than the worse that’s available so we are somewhere in the middle and we get work done with what we have. Our potential I think is the greatest; we have the population and we have the pathology and the resources that we can put in place so that the service could go on.”

A Guyanese in every sense of the word, Dr. Carpen during an interview revealed that he left Guyana in 2002 after completing his medical studies at the University of Guyana and serving four years of a required five-year stint at the GPHC. His departure saw him heading to Jamaica to undertake studies in Internal Medicine where he met now deceased Guyanese Professor, Charles Denbow, who among others encouraged him to pursue further studies in Canada.

Driven by the passion to become one of the best in the field, the then budding doctor headed to Canada to gain knowledge in General Cardiology. Subsequently, he was accepted at the

University of Toronto to do Interventional Cardiology.

By 2011 he was fuelled enough to land a prestigious post at any top-rating medical institution but considered himself “lucky” to gain placement at a top Cardiology Institute in Boston to study a very specific field of cardiology called Clinical Cardiac Electrophysiology.

This latest field of study basically deals with heart rhythms particularly when a patient’s heart skips a beat, is too fast or too slow.

“I was fortunate during my training to do both Interventional Cardiology and Electrophysiology...I am

that person, at least locally, to deal with those things now...”

Equipped with a winning resumé, Dr. Carpen, ahead of returning to Guyana, was understandably eligible for quite a few enticing offers. He was initially drawn to Jamaica as his wife hails from that Caribbean territory.

“I saw it as an easy way to turn,” said the Cardiologist, who intimated that a pretty good offer was being extended. However, before he could sign the dotted lines, Dr Stephens in a most subtle but convincing way intercepted the anticipated move.

“He made contact with me in a rather simple way. He was like ‘How are you doing? How are your studies progressing? He (Dr Stephens) is such a very, very nice man and this country and health care on the whole owes him a debt of gratitude. I am sure he would feel differently, but the reality is that he created something here that I think will be beneficial to Guyanese not just now, but for the future,” Dr. Carpen confidently posited yesterday even as he insisted that he was “...happy, I feel honoured to be giving back to my country.”

Soldier’s body recovered in Pomeroon River Relatives of the Guyana Defence Force soldier who had disappeared in the Pomeroon River last Sunday night are anxiously awaiting the results of a post mortem examination which is to be performed on his remains today.

The body of “Ordinary Rating (OR) Darwin Simon, who was a member of the GDF Coast Guard, was recovered yesterday and brought to the city.

Simon was on duty last Sunday night with two other soldiers in the Lower Pomeroon River, when he reportedly jumped overboard in an attempt to retrieve his hat, which had fallen into the river.

The GDF in a statement issued on Monday stated that Simon and the two other soldiers, who were stationed at the Floating Base in the Pomeroon River, had just finished mooring their boat alongside the Floating Base at midnight on Sunday when it is reported he fell into the river.

Dead: Darwin Simon “Efforts by the ranks to save him were unsuccessful,” the army statement said.

But although the army said that it had established a Board of Inquiry to probe the incident, family members are hoping that the post mortem examination will dispel any doubts surrounding Simon’s death.

One family member related to this newspaper yesterday that the young soldier, who had left Georgetown for a three-month stint in the Pomeroon a few weeks ago, had spoken to his girlfriend via telephone at around 18:00 hours on Sunday, indicating that he wanted to return to the city.

The relative told this newspaper that sometime around 03:00 hours on Monday, the girlfriend received another call from the same number that Simon would normally contact her from, but this time no one was on the line, and it eventually went dead.

What is more baffling to relatives is the fact that Simon’s girlfriend returned the call at around 08:00 hours on Monday and the person who answered told her that Simon was sleeping and they would inform him about the call when he awoke.

“When we look back, this was after the time they said he died,” a relative stated.

Wednesday November 28, 2012

Kaieteur News

Developer acquires land aback of Chinese Embassy, squatters face eviction

Page 15

Brazilian dies in Central Rupununi accident A mid-afternoon motorcycle collision on Monday, in Parikwainawa, a Central Rupununi location some 18 miles from Lethem, has resulted in the death of Jason Vieira, a 19-year-old Brazilian national.

Reports are that Vieira’s 150cc motorcycle collided head-on with a similar bike as he was transporting his wife Katherine Paul out of the South Rupununi area. Paul is said to have sustained severe injuries.

Frank Mark Gomes, the

other motorist, related that the Brazilian was riding in the opposite direction and was coming towards him “at a speed”. The man claimed that he tried to avoid the accident but reflected that it was inevitable.

The impact reportedly caused Vieira to pitch off his motorcycle and land headfirst on the ground, where the helmet that he had been wearing was shattered. The victim presumably broke his neck as a result of the fall and died on the spot.

Gomes, 27, a resident of Tabatinga, Central Rupununi, was transporting an associate, Dennis Winter, of Aishalton, South Rupununi, into South Central Rupununi, when the fatal accident occurred. Gomes suffered from trauma to the head and several injuries about the body, while his pillion rider escaped with minor injuries.

All four persons were transported to the Lethem hospital. The victim’s wife and Gomes were admitted and are still hospitalised.

An excavator clears the land around the shacks aback of the Chinese Embassy.

Twenty-six (26) families squatting on a portion of land behind the Chinese Embassy on Mandela Avenue will have to remove to facilitate expansion by a Chinese developer.

The developer has already started to clear the land and the squatters were reportedly given up to mid next year to relocate.

But while the squatters are not objecting to the removal notice, they are imploring the Ministry of Housing to fast track their house lot applications so that they can exist comfortably. The area in question was once occupied by the late president Forbes Burnham and his wife was administering it up to the time of her death on October 10, 2003.

A part of it was subsequently used for the construction of the Chinese Embassy.

The squatters, some of whom have been on the land for more than 20 years, informed this newspaper that they were permitted to erect small dwellings on the land by the former first lady. Kaieteur News was told that a Chinese developer had acquired the land, some five years

ago, however clearing only started last week.

One resident said that she had contacted the Ministry of Housing to ascertain if the Chinese developer really owned the land.

The resident said that an official at the Ministry told her that the land is administered by the Guyana Lands and Surveys Department and that agency will have the answer to her query. However other residents claimed that officials from a government agency had visited the area and told them that they had to vacate the land.

When this newspaper visited the area yesterday, an excavator was clearing portions of the land while some residents appeared confused. One woman who has been living in one of the shacks for the past six months had already packed up her belongings and was preparing to move out.

The residents claimed that they have no problem with the developer, who they said has been very considerate, even promising to assist them financially to relocate.

Katherine Paul

Frank Mark Gomes

Page 16

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Wednesday November 28, 2012

Wednesday November 28, 2012

Kaieteur News

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Page 18

Kaieteur News

Census 2012 passes six-week duration concept of the census is that there should be a total count, therefore the enumeration period would be brought to a close when the enumerators have completed a total count of the resident population.”

Adding that the enumeration staff did their best in the face of some challenges experienced in the field during the early stages, he explained that the enumeration exercise commenced on Census Day, September 15, 2012, and was projected to last for an initial period of six weeks.

Benjamin explained that “the six-week time frame was an administrative decision based on best estimates at the time and was not a legal requirement for the conduct of the Census.” The Census Officer noted that he has the freedom to extend the period in the interest of the quality of the enumeration.

As reported earlier, the census exercise has moved apace in many areas of the country, but challenges remain in some remote areas of Regions one, seven, eight and nine, and in pockets of densely populated areas, especially Region Four.

Overall, the enumeration exercise benefited from the prevailing weather conditions which made travel to many locations easy. However, in some areas the low rainfall

GECOM security services attract $$M bids The National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) yesterday received bids, under the office of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), for the provision of security services. The bids were divided into 18 lots and the bidders are as follows:

- Two Regions fully completed The Bureau of Statistics has announced that two of the ten Regions are completed, while in excess of 90% has been completed in two other regions for the 2012 Census enumeration exercise.

In addition, the second phase - the editing and coding of the completed questionnaires has simultaneously commenced, for which a further eighty-one (81) temporary staff were trained and are now employed.

“Region two and five are fully completed, and Region six is also effectively completed with completion rate 99.0%, with just a small number of rechecks to be finalized in both. Likewise Region nine is 95.7% completed with just one very remote location now being accessed by a team from Head office, which would conclude the full coverage of Region nine. Region 10 is 82.9% completed, with work in progress to complete the outstanding riverain areas/ communities in the shortest possible time. All other areas including the densely populated Region Four are on average over 75% completed,” the Bureau disclosed.

Noting that the census has continued into the current month of November, Chief Census Officer, Lennox Benjamin said that “… the

Wednesday November 28, 2012

Under the Ministry of Public Works five (5) bids were opened for the construction of miscellaneous roads in Region one. The engineer’s estimates are divided into three lots: Lot (1) $26,017,469, Lot (2) $15, 895, 154 and Lot (3) $21,156,803.

Chief Census Officer, Lennox Benjamin caused considerably reduced water levels in rivers and creeks making access along some of the waterways difficult.

It was further explained that in some pockets of the densely populated areas of Region Four, there is a significantly high number of requested ‘call-back’ and there also remains embedded pockets of reluctance to cooperate with enumerators.

In many of these areas, management teams were required to make visits to support enumerators experiencing difficulty.

Benjamin disclosed that on the positive side, there are many areas where the enumerators have benefitted from the activities of community leaders who have helped by providing explanations and education to their fellow residents.

Still in the Public Works sector, bids were submitted for the trucking services for - Lot (1) Trucking of Laterite to Amaila Falls; Lot (2) –Trucking of white sand to Amaila Falls. The engineer’s estimate are: Lot (1) $26,000,000 and Lot (2) $29,000,040.

Under the Ministry of Education bids were received for the purchasing of equipment for the Guyana Improving Teacher Education Project (GITEP.) The bids were divided into three lots: Lot (1) Generator; Lot (2) Laptop with docking stations, printers, stabilizers, UPS, power strip, and Lot (3) Projectors.

Bids were also opened for the provision of security services for the Supreme Court of Judicature. The bids were divided into two lots.

Under the Guyana Defence Force, bids were received for the docking of one motor life boat. With an engineer’s estimate of $5,239,720 the lone bid was:

The Transport and Harbours Department also receive a lone bid for the docking and repair of M.V Barima.

Tuesday November 27, 2012

Kaieteur News

Page 19

Britain to crack down on Caribbean tax havens LONDON, England — A leaked document has revealed that Britain plans to impose its own version of the US Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) on its overseas territories, such as the Cayman Islands, as well as the crown dependencies of Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man. FATCA, which will come into force next year, requires foreign banks to report American account holders to the US Internal Revenue Service.

The draft UK equivalent, seen by the magazine International Tax Review, will require British tax havens to make similar disclosures about UK account holders to UK tax authorities, London’s Observer newspaper reported.

The move, which is expected to be unveiled in the chancellor ’s autumn statement and come into force in 2014, will have major consequences for those trying to hide their money offshore.

“It’s a complete bombshell for these places,” Richard Murphy, a tax expert who has seen the draft plan, told the Observer. “Some people will try to flee, but this is going to change the whole of the offshore market.”

He explained that the draft plan amounted to the UK using US legislation to give tax havens an ultimatum: “It’s either they give the UK the same data that they want to give the US or the UK won’t pass their laws to let data flow

to the US.” The ultimatum is crucial, Murphy suggested. If the UK refuses to pass the laws, its tax havens “might just as well shut up shop since there would be almost no banks or other institutions willing to locate there”.

Joseph Stead, Christian Aid’s senior adviser on economic justice, said that if the draft was implemented it “would be the beginning of the end for tax haven secrecy”.

According to the Observer, the Treasury declined to comment but confirmed to the Review that it was assisting the UK’s crown dependencies and overseas territories to produce their response to FATCA. In a response to the Observer article, Anthony Travers, chairman of the Cayman I s l a n d s S t o c k Exchange and former senior partner and managing partner of Cayman-based law firm Maples and Calder, said that Christian Aid and Tax Justice Network continue “a long and risible history of disinformation” which appears, once again, to have confused the article’s author.

“A moment’s research reveals the correct position to be nothing of the sort.

The Cayman Islands has had full proactive tax reporting with all EU Treasury departments since 2005 and has full disclosure tax information

PNP defends vehicle purchases, says the JLP depleted gov’t fleet The People’s National Party (PNP) has taken to the social media websites Twitter and Facebook to defend the Government’s acquisition of 30 new high-end vehicles at a cost of $60 million.

There has been much public outcry about the purchase which has been called excessive and unwarranted.

But in its postings today the PNP said the Administration had to resort to buying the high-end SUVs because previous ministers under the Jamaica Labour Party Government sold 30 vehicles to former ministers and senior civil servants, “severely depleting” the Government’s fleet.

It was noted, however, that the sale was done in keeping with the Government’s policy on the disposal of motor vehicles at

the end of the tenure of an Administration or a Civil Servants.

The PNP further said the Government had to buy new vehicles as some ministers have been using their personal cars to carry out the country’s business.

The party also stresses that the Administration took the country’s fiscal constraints into consideration saying that is why the acquisition of the new motor vehicles was done in bulk to secure a significant discount.

According to the PNP, this move has saved the government millions of dollars.

Last week, the Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller also defended the move, saying Government Ministers needed reliable vehicles to do their job.

agreements with HMRC and the IRS and many others. The publically available statistics reveal bank deposits in Cayman from EU residents to be statistically irrelevant,” he said.

“Misguided focus on tax transparent offshore jurisdictions simply perpetuates the UK’s tax collection problem by deflecting proper consideration from the real issues,” Travers added.

Banks in the Cayman Islands may now be targeted by Britain as well as the US

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Kaieteur News

Tuesday November 27, 2012

‘Crop Over’ major revenue earner for Barbados despite recession BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (BGIS) — The Crop Over Festival continues to reap significant dividends for key sectors in Barbados during the months of May to August, as the country continues to wrestle with the fallout from the ongoing economic recession.

Prime Minister Freundel Stuart reminded the audience about the economic importance of the festival yesterday during a Crop Over Morning Show sponsors’ breakfast.

The prime minister said: “The Crop Over Festival has grown to represent a key peak period for Barbados during the summer as a tourist destination both in terms of visitor arrivals and revenue generation for the t o u r i s m i n d u s t r y, a s evidenced by a month-tomonth comparison of arrival figures over a number of years.”

Stuart also alluded to the employment opportunities created outside of the

accommodation sector in the area of ancillary services.

“For example, car rental companies, restaurants, bars and taxi operators, are some of the beneficiaries of the increased activity during this period. Crop Over is an outstanding event where both large and small suppliers share in the benefits that flow from the influx of visitors,” he added.

Cognisant of the importance of the cultural and creative industries to the island’s development, the prime minister said this had led to the expansion of employment opportunities especially for the youth in various areas.

“A number of event organisers and promoters; lighting and sound companies; and tent rentals enterprises just to name a few, have mushroomed in recent years to service the Crop Over Festival; while giving young people more opportunities to use their vast array of skills.

There are also several

temporary jobs created in catering; the setting up of event management companies; the [establishment of additional] security companies; calypso tents; band houses and transportation, all because of the Crop Over Festival,” Stuart said.

He further stated: “So, when we talk about the approximately $80 million generated by the festival that is no idle boast.

That [money] does not go directly into the National Cultural Foundation’s coffers but rather, into the pockets of various enterprising Barbadians, who choose to see the value [of the Festival] and take advantage of opportunities that present themselves.”

Stuart also said that businesses such as boutiques and nail salons were “always happy to know that Crop Over is coming because the ladies, and I dare say the gents too, made sure that they are

prepared for the various events, and that is economic activity created for the small business person during this period”.

Such activity, he noted, generated revenue across the island. In light of this, the prime minister reminded sponsors that their continued assistance was needed to make the festival work for all Barbadians.

Stuart said it was the mandate of the NCF to promote growth in all aspects of the festival to the benefit of all Barbadians and appealed to the stakeholders to continue to assist with the successful staging of the event.

“We greatly appreciate the fact that you, like our other stakeholders, have engaged in continued dialogue with the board and staff of the NCF over the years in an effort to make the festival better.

The government remains committed to

playing its part in the development of the Crop Over Festival, but we need your support as astute business persons, to join us as we continue to generate activity through this festival which is now of international renown,” he emphasised.

The prime minister acknowledged that an expanded festival would result in increased costs of production and cautioned that “no effort must be spared to ensure that the benefits and rewards from the festival increase at a higher rate than the costs”.

Stuart expressed the hope that the 2013 Crop Over Festival would be bigger and better than this year’s festival and would leave a lasting impression at the local, regional and international levels.

He added: “Your sponsorship is vital to the success of this festival. As sponsors, you understand that the cultural industries are of major social, political and economic significance to our

Prime Minister Freundel Stuart country.

I acknowledge your past contributions in sponsorship and I must place on record, my since appreciation to those dedicated supporters who, in spite of the economic downturn of the last few years, have remained committed to the festival.”

The prime minister said long-term commitments from all stakeholders were needed if the island was to achieve the goal of making the Crop Over Festival “represent the best of Barbados in all facets”.

Tuesday November 27, 2012

Kaieteur News

Page 21

FBI PROBES WARNER ...on CONCACAF money-laundering allegations

(Trinidad Express) National Security Minister Jack Warner is the subject of an enquiry by the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

The Express learned that the FBI’s enquiry is based on money-laundering allegations against former FIFA vicepresident Warner which stem from his relationship with Chuck Blazer, former general secretary of CONCACAF, the football federation for North and Central America and the Caribbean.

Questioned on the enquiry and whether FBI officials will be in Trinidad and Tobago to gather evidence, the United States Embassy in Port of Spain issued this statement to the Express: “As a matter of long-standing policy, we do not comment on law enforcement matters.”

Blazer was the whistleblower into the bribes-for-votes allegations made against Warner and Qatar football official Mohammed bin Hammam at a Caribbean Football Union (CFU) meeting held at Hyatt Regency in Port of Spain in 2011. Blazer’s allegations, leading up to FIFA’s presidential election last year, resulted in Warner’s resignation as vice-president of FIFA,

president of CONCACAF and president of the Caribbean Football Union. It is alleged that bin Hammam offered 40 members of the CFU US$40,000 each for their votes in the FIFA presidential election.

In 2011, Blazer was also the subject of an FBI enquiry for allegedly hiding a multi-milliondollar offshore account.

At the time, the FBI was examining evidence that payments may have come from the CFU during the time of Warner’s presidency.

At that time and in response to the reports and the FBI investigation of Blazer, Warner had told the Express that he “was not surprised” that Blazer was under scrutiny and he was not concerned that his name would be called into question in this scandal.

“The world will finally get to understand what I have been saying all along. This is only the beginning. There is a whole lot more to come, trust me,” Warner had said.

In September, newlyappointed CONCACAF president Jeffrey Webb said the finances of CONCACAF under Warner’s tenure, when he was president of the body from 1991 to 2011, were still being probed by the United States Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

Warner denied the probe then.

One of Webb’s concerns was for CONCACAF to finally

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic — The director-general of the Caribbean Forum of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (CARIFORUM) Directorate in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat, Ivan Ogando Lora, said an upcoming meeting of the Council of Ministers of CARIFORUM will be “momentous.”

He expressed this view en route to the twentieth meeting of the Council of Ministers of CARIFORUM, which is to be held in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, from 29-30 November. It is to be preceded by a preparatory meeting of senior officials set for 26-27 November. Secretary-general of CARIFORUM Irwin LaRocque will lead the delegation to the ministerial meeting.

Ogando underscored that, since the convening of the nineteenth meeting of the Council of Ministers of CARIFORUM, held in Dominica on 25 November 2011, a number of

developments that have the potential to impact CARIFORUM member states have occurred or are being planned.

These include: the institutional assessment of the CARIFORUM Directorate; finalisation of the substantive text of the new joint Caribbean-European Union (EU) partnership strategy; the new EU development policy and approach to budget support; commencement of preparation for the first EU/ Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) Summit in 2013; convening of the second meetings of the CARIFORUM-EU Trade and Development Committee and the joint CARIFORUM-EU Council under the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA); and commencement of discussions on the 11th European Development Fund (EDF) regional indicative programme (and status of 9th and 10th EDF programming and implementation).

Jack Warner

‘Momentous’ meeting of CARIFORUM ministers to be held in Dominican Republic

determine “whether CONCACAF has legal title to the Joao Havelange Centre of Excellence (at Macoya) and whether there may be guarantees or loans against CONCACAF’s property is still being determined”.

Contacted on the matter on Saturday, Acting Commissioner of Police Stephen Williams said he had not been informed of any investigation.

The Express learned that the Financial Intelligence Bureau

(FIB) of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service has also been investigating the matter.

In May, Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Roger Gaspard advised the police that investigations should be continued in the context of the Customs Act in the CFU “cashfor-votes” incident. That information came out in the public domain after former Commissioner of Police Dwayne Gibbs had told the Police Service Commission that Warner had

been cleared of any allegations.

Questioned on the state of the police investigation into Warner, Williams said he couldn’t comment as he had not been recently briefed, but gave an undertaking to provide an update.

Warner was appointed to the post of National Security Minister in June.

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar did not respond to texts Sunday on the

Chuck Blazer matter.

Attempts to reach Warner, once by e-mail and several times by phone, were futile.

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Kaieteur News

Tuesday November 27, 2012

With “fiscal cliff” deadline nearing, parties still at odds (Reuters) - Republicans in the U.S. Congress yesterday called on President Barack Obama to detail long-term spending cuts to help solve the country’s fiscal crisis, while holding firm against the income tax rate increases for the wealthy that Democrats seek.

In a further sign of tense relations between negotiators who are trying to avert a yearend “fiscal cliff” of steep tax increases and spending cuts, the White House expressed doubts that “balanced” deficit reductions can be achieved merely by limiting tax breaks and cutting spending, as Republicans propose.

The White House is already on record threatening to veto any bill that does not include income tax rate increases on the wealthy that are opposed by Republicans.

While Congress returned from its Thanksgiving holiday break amid increasing talk about long-term tax reform plans and a need to compromise, the two parties showed no signs yet of having found a way around

Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell the short-term tax obstacle necessary to head off the fiscal cliff on December 31.

“We remain at an impasse,” Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky said during a floor speech.

The lack of progress helped push financial markets down slightly, as fiscal cliff worries made investors less willing to buy stocks.

Obama spoke with House Speaker John Boehner, a Republican from Ohio, about the budget negotiations

during the weekend, as well as with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, a Nevada Democrat, a White House official said.

Obama spokesman Jay Carney said the president would speak with them again “at the appropriate time.”

“People in both parties agree we need a ‘balanced approach’ to deal with our deficit and debt and help our economy create jobs,” Boehner said through a spokesman. But the two parties were clearly at odds over what constitutes a balanced approach.

The fiscal cliff ’s approximately $600 billion in tax hikes and spending cuts that would begin in 2013 would push the U.S. economy back into recession, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office.

A new CNN poll found that the public is now closely watching the debate unfolding in Washington over how to tame budget deficits that have exceeded $1 trillion for four consecutive years.

The poll found that twothirds of those surveyed fear the country would face major problems without a remedy to the fiscal cliff and 77 percent believed their own financial situation would suffer.

Republicans would get more of the blame than Obama, according to the survey.

The remedy preferred by two-thirds in the poll was a mix of spending cuts and tax increases to get the country’s finances in order.

SHADES OF 2011 With Republicans demanding more spending cuts and Democrats insisting on some income tax increases, fiscal cliff talks are about where they were in mid2011, when Obama and Boehner failed to reach a comprehensive deal on deficit reduction.

House Majority Leader Eric Cantor of Virginia, the No. 2 Republican in that chamber, said in an interview aired on MSNBC on Monday, “We were not re-elected to raise taxes or increase marginal rates.”

Instead, Cantor said Obama should outline how he

President Barack Obama would save money on expensive federal entitlement programs that include the Social Security retirement plan and Medicare healthcare for the elderly. The White House said Social Security should not be part of deficitreduction negotiations.

Unlike a handful of Republican members, Cantor, who represents the Richmond, Virginia area, did not disassociate himself from an anti-tax increase pledge sponsored by Grover Norquist and his powerful lobby, Americans for Tax Reform.

While Democrats also

have talked about a willingness to find savings in the growing costs of entitlement programs, they first want to lock in income tax increases on top earners families with net incomes above $250,000 a year.

The spending cuts that Republicans are demanding would likely be negotiated next year, not during the few remaining weeks Congress has this year, because of the complexity of revamping the huge entitlement programs.

On December 31, acrossthe-board tax cuts enacted in 2001 and 2003 under thenPresident George W. Bush expire.

Republicans want all of them to be extended for a year while Congress weighs comprehensive tax reform along with long-term spending cuts.

But Democrats have countered that all of the deficit reductions undertaken in 2011 focused on cutting domestic programs and now it is time f o r a more balanced approach that would require the rich to contribute to fiscal reforms.

Canada’s Carney named as Bank of England chief

(Reuters) - Britain named Canadian central bank chief Mark Carney on Monday to head the Bank of England, springing the surprise choice of a foreigner to push reform of its troubled financial system.

A former Goldman Sachs investment banker who at the Bank of Canada guided the Canadian economy through the global economic crisis, Carney will succeed Mervyn King who retires in July.

Carney, who already plays a leading role in setting global banking rules, defended his departure from Canada and signalled that bigger problems awaited him in London.

“I’m going to where the challenges are greatest,” he told an Ottawa news conference, stressing the need to “rebalance” the economy which has relied heavily on a financial services sector hit by huge losses and scandals.

“It’s very important for the global economy that the UK does well, that it succeeds in this rebalancing of their economy, that the reform of the British financial system is completed,” he said.

Carney will become the first non-British head of the central bank in its 300-year

Mark Carney history, beating hot favourite BoE deputy governor Paul Tucker to the post, which will pay a salary of 624,000 pounds. The Bank of Canada does not disclose Carney’s exact salary but says he is paid in a range equivalent to US $436,200 (272,030 pounds) $513,000.

During the crisis, Carney helped to make Canada’s recession one of the shallowest of the world’s richest nations. No Canadian bank needed government help, and the country recovered all the jobs it lost in the downturn relatively rapidly.

By contrast, Britain had to bail out Royal Bank of Scotland and Lloyds Banking Group, and the world’s sixthlargest economy is still

struggling to achieve growth four years after the crisis broke.

Carney, 47, will remain as head of the Financial Stability Board (FSB), a Basel-based body that sets global banking rules, when he moves to London next year, although the Bank of Canada itself does not regulate the country’s banks.

“I believe he will bring the strong leadership and external experience that the Bank (of England) itself needs as it takes on its heavy new responsibilities for regulating our banking system,” Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne told parliament in announcing the appointment.

Carney will stay at the Bank of Canada through May, and starts at the Bank in July. He will serve a fiveyear term, rather than the eight years that had been expected for the next BoE governor.

From next year the Bank will take charge of British financial regulation, almost doubling its size.

This boosted the case for a governor with strong management skills and financial market experience, rather than someone in K i n g ’s academic mould.

Tuesday November 27, 2012

Kaieteur News

Page 23

Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak to resign (Reuters) - Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak, a leading strategist in confronting Iran over its nuclear program, said in a surprise announcement yesterday that he would leave political life after the January 22 national election.

Some commentators speculated Barak was trying to duck an anticipated trouncing of his tiny centrist party in the ballot, after which Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who heads the front-running, right-wing Likud, might return him to defence and military headquarters as a professional appointee.

But others said the 70year-old Barak, who has served as prime minister and armed forces chief, may have had enough of campaigning and wanted to focus on resolving the Iranian issue before leaving his post.

“I stand before you to share my decision to resign from political life and not to run in the coming election for the Knesset,” Barak told a news conference, adding he would stay on as defence chief until a new administration is sworn in.

Speaking five days after an eight-day Gaza offensive ended in a ceasefire with the enclave’s Islamist Hamas rulers, Barak said he wanted to spend more time with his family and that politics “has never been a passion of mine”.

Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak Should Barak’s resignation prove permanent his successor would likely come from Likud ranks. He might even be replaced by the current foreign minister, Avigdor Lieberman, the Likud’s more hawkish coalition partner.

Few doubt that this would affect the tenor of a ministry that oversees everything from armed conflict to administration of occupied Palestinian territory to liaising with regional power-broker Egypt.

Barak’s announcement was followed by word from former foreign minister Tzipi Livni that she would hold a news conference today, stirring speculation she would proclaim her candidacy for the election, with polls suggesting she could grab Barak’s spot as Israel’s ranking centrist leader.

Netanyahu and Barak have spearheaded Israel’s

campaign for stronger international sanctions against Iran to halt what Israeli and Western leaders fear is a covert effort to develop the means to build nuclear weapons, something Tehran denies.

IRAN BECOMING IMMUNE TOATTACK? Raising speculation that Israel could defy its main ally, the United States, and attack Iran on its own, Barak has cautioned that Tehran is nearing a “zone of immunity” that would put deeply buried and fortified nuclear facilities out of reach of Israel’s military might.

But last month, he told Britain’s Daily Telegraph newspaper that an immediate crisis was avoided when Iran chose to use more than a third of its medium-enriched uranium for civilian purposes earlier this year.

The decision, he said “allows contemplating delaying the moment of truth by eight to ten months”.

WAR HERO AND WOULDBE PEACEMAKER Barak is both Israel’s most-decorated soldier and a statesman embraced abroad since his breakneck campaigns, ultimately unsuccessful, for peace with the Palestinians when he was prime minister in 1999-2001.

He has lent public credibility to Netanyahu’s veiled threats to bomb Iran should diplomacy fail to curb its disputed uranium

Syrian jets bomb rebel bases near Turkey border

A view of a damaged mosque is seen after Syrian Air Force fighter jets loyal to Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad fired missiles at the town of Ras al-Ain. REUTERS/Samer Abdullah/Shaam News Network/Handout Reuters) - Syrian warplanes bombed two rebel bases near the Turkish border yesterday sending hundreds of people fleeing across the frontier.

The attacks on the Free Syrian Army positions (FSA) in Atima and nearby Bab alHawa came a day before NATO and Ankara were due to start assessing where to

station surface-to-air missiles on the Turkish side of the 900km (560-mile) boundary.

Turkey, a big supporter of rebels fighting to oust Syria’s President Bashar alAssad, has repeatedly scrambled jets along the border.

It has also responded in kind when shells from the conflict have landed inside Turkey, underlining fears

Syria’s 20-month-old revolt could spread to destabilise the region.

Ankara has rejected Syrian complaints that the NATO Patriots were “provocative” and stressed they would be used only to defend Turkish territory, not to create a no-fly zone inside Syria that rebels have long demanded (Continued on page 24)

enrichment campaign.

But after Netanyahu, in a September speech at the United Nations, said Israel’s “red line” on Iran now fell in mid-2013, Barak signaled that any war with the Persian power could wait.

Israeli officials say contingency plans for Iran have been in place for months, awaiting a green light from the government.

Such open discourse over a showdown that would stretch Israel’s military capabilities to the limit suggested a possible bluff or at least that Netanyahu and Barak - both former commandos schooled in subterfuge - hoped to achieve some kind of tactical surprise when the time came to pull the trigger.

Some might see a ruse in the show of retiring Barak who, on the eve of Israel’s shock 2008-2009 war in Gaza, made an unannounced live appearance on a top-rated Israeli television satire, seemingly to help drop the Palestinians’ guard.

With two months remaining until the election and several more weeks for

the new coalition government to be formed, Barak said yesterday he would continue to deal with “many challenges” on the national security front, leaving open the possibility he would be part of fresh military actions in the interim.

Vice Prime Minister Moshe Yaalon of the Likud, a former armed forces chief, appears to be a front-runner to replace Barak as defence minister after the election if Netanyahu, as expected, forms the next government.

Yaalon has sabre-rattled about Iran more volubly than Barak and, while the defence minister spoke in favor of U.S. President Barack Obama before his re-election this month, Yaalon had accused the Democratic administration of being soft on Tehran.

OTHER CANDIDATES Other candidates to succeed Barak, according to defence officials, include Avi Dichter, a former security chief who is now the Likud minister in charge of preparing the home front for war, and Lieberman, currently foreign minister.

As the only centrist member of the governing coalition of right-wing and pro-settler parties, Barak has frequently visited Washington for talks with top U.S. officials and had criticized Netanyahu for airing differences with the United States.

In a statement, Netanyahu said he “respects Defence Minister Ehud Barak’s decision and thanks him for his cooperation in the government and highly appreciates his longstanding contribution to the security of the state”.

In Gaza, Hamas saw Barak’s decision to quit as proof that this month’s Israeli assault on the enclave was a disaster.

“This is evidence of the political and military failure that the government of Netanyahu and his defence minister suffered,” said Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum.

Israel has called its offensive a success, saying it destroyed most of Hamas’s long-range rocket arsenal and killed the Islamist group’s top militants.

Page 24

Kaieteur News

Tuesday November 27, 2012

Euro zone, IMF reach deal on long-term Greek debt

(Reuters) - Euro zone finance ministers and the International Monetary Fund clinched agreement on a new debt target for Greece yesterday in a breakthrough towards releasing an urgently needed tranche of loans to the near-bankrupt economy, officials said.

After nearly 10 hours of talks at their third meeting on the issue in as many weeks, G r e e c e ’s international lenders agreed to reduce Greek debt by 40 billion euros (32.4 billion pounds), cutting it to 124 percent of gross domestic product by 2020, via a package of steps.

The deal should open the

way for a major aid instalment needed to recapitalise Greece’s teetering banks and enable the government to pay wages, pensions and suppliers in December.

However, discussions were continuing on the methods to be used to lower Athens’ debt burden, including a possible debt buyback and a lowering of interest rates on loans to Greece.

The euro strengthened against the dollar after news of a deal was reported by Reuters.

“It’s going very slow, but we have financing and a Debt Sustainability Analysis.

We’ve filled the financing gap until the end of programme in 2014,” one official engaged

with the talks said.

A second official confirmed the figures.

Greek Finance Minister Ya n n i s St o u r n a r a s s a i d earlier that Athens had fulfilled its part of the deal by enacting tough austerity measures and economic reforms, and it was now up to the lenders to do their part.

“I’m certain we will find a mutually beneficial solution today,” he said on arrival for the marathon talks.

Greece, where the euro zone’s debt crisis erupted in late 2009, is the currency area’s most heavily indebted country, despite a big “haircut” this year on privately-held bonds. Its economy has shrunk by

nearly 25 percent in five years.

Negotiations had been stalled over how Greece’s debt, forecast to peak at 190-200 percent of GDP in the coming two years, could be cut to a more sustainable 120 percent by 2020.

The agreed figure fell slightly short of that goal, and the IMF was still insisting that euro zone ministers should make a firm commitment to further steps to reduce the debt stock if Athens implements its adjustment programme faithfully.

The key question remained whether Greek debt can become sustainable without euro zone governments having to write off some of the loans they have made to Athens.

A source familiar with IMF thinking said the global lender was demanding immediate measures to cut Greece’s debt by 20 percentage p o i n t s o f G D P, w i t h a commitment to do more to reduce the debt stock in a few years if Greece fulfils its programme.

To reduce the debt to 124 percent by 2020, the ministers were putting together a

package of steps including a debt buyback funded by a euro zone rescue fund, reducing the interest rate on loans and returning euro zone central bank ‘profits’ to Greece.

Germany and its northern European allies have so far rejected any idea of forgiving official loans to Athens.

DEBT RELIEF “NOT ON TABLE” German Finance Minister Wo l f g a n g Schaeuble told reporters that a debt cut was legally impossible, not just for Germany but for other euro zone countries, if it was linked to a new guarantee of loans.

“You cannot guarantee something if you’re cutting debt at the same time,” he said. That did not preclude possible debt relief at a later stage if Greece completed its adjustment programme and no longer needs new loans.

The source familiar with IMF thinking said a loan writeoff once Greece has established a track record of compliance would be the simplest way to make its debt viable, but other methods such as foregoing interest

payments, or lending at below market rates and extending maturities could all help.

The German banking association (BDB) said a fresh “haircut” or forced reduction in the value of Greek sovereign debt, must only happen as a last resort.

Two European Central Bank policymakers, vicepresident Vitor Constancio and executive board member Joerg Asmussen, said debt forgiveness was not on the agenda for now.

The options under consideration included reducing interest on already extended bilateral loans to Greece from the current 150 basis points above financing costs.

How much lower was still being debated — France and Italy wanted to reduce the rate to 30 basis points (bps), while Germany and some other countries sought a 90 bps margin.

Another option, which could cut Greek debt by almost 17 percent of GDP, was to defer interest payments on loans to Greece from the EFSF, a temporary bailout fund, by 10 years.

From page 27 as a way to neutralise Assad’s massive air power.

Syrian planes dropped around six bombs on a rebel base near the Bab al-Hawa border crossing, said activists. nThe attack also flattened tents being set up nearby for displaced people inside Syria by a Turkish charity, but no one was inside them at the time, Tu r k e y ’s state-run Anadolu agency reported.

Reuters television footage showed tattered shelters and a bomb crater near a line of tanks. Two Syrian jets fired five rockets at an FSA base in Atima, around 2km (1

mile) from the border. Several hundred Syrians fled into Turkey after the Atima raid and were being taken care of by the Turkish army.

The Turkish Anatolian news agency said an antiaircraft shell fired during clashes in another Syrian border town, Harem, hit the roof of a house in the Turkish district of Reyhanli but caused no casualties.

Syrian rebels have been tightening their hold on farmland and urban centres to the east and northeast of Damascus, and have seized a string of military bases in the past 10 days.

PATRIOT DEPLOYMENT

A joint Turkish-NATO team will start work today assessing where to put Patriot missiles, how many will be needed and the number of foreign troops to be sent to operate them.

Turkey is reluctant to be drawn into the fighting, but the proximity of Syrian bombing raids to its border is straining its nerves.

It is worried about its n e i g h b o u r ’s c h e m i c a l weapons, the refugee crisis on its border, and what it says is Syrian support for Kurdish militants on its own soil.

Activists say more than 40,000 people have been killed in Syria’s civil war, which started with peaceful demonstrations for reform but grew into demands for the overthrow of 42 years of dynastic rule

by Assad and his late father, Hafez al-Assad.

U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, speaking to the Austrian paper Der Standard, urged Assad to consider a political settlement with the opposition. “ The military option is not sustainable.

The conflict should be resolved via a political process. (Assad) should realise that he has gone too far, too deep, and how can he continue this way?

Syrian jets bomb rebel...

Tuesday November 27, 2012

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15:00 hrs - General Hospital 16:00 hrs - The Bold and The Beautiful 16:30 hrs - Cartoons 17:00 hrs - Birthday & other greetings 17:15 hrs - Death Announcements/ In Memoriam 17:30 hrs - CNN News 18:00 hrs - Pulse Beat 18:30 hrs - Ma Ke Mahema 19:00 hrs - Focus on GRA

Tuesday November 27, 2012 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) You may have to hold yourself back today, but it’s better than dealing with the aftermath of a lack of discipline.

You have been getting by without imposing too much structure on yourself, but making a commitment now can bring you the support you need.

TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20) Be careful about negotiating away more than you should in order to enter into an agreement today. Even if you know what you want, you might not truly appreciate what you must give up until it’s gone.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) You can stand up and play your part with style today, even in the face of resistance.

In fact, you may perform so well in these tough circumstances now that you can actually change the outcome, snatching success from the closing jaws of defeat.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) You’re ready for fun today, but obligations at work may force you to delay a previously scheduled social event.

Unfortunately, your resentment might grow and encroach onto areas of your life that were working fine.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20) There’s a quiet observer within you now who is making notes and plotting out a course of action, even if your hectic life is filled with craziness.

Fortunately, your innerstrategist is not deterred by all the noise.

SAGIT (Nov. 22–Dec. 21) You would benefit from the wise advice from someone you trust today, but you may have a hard time finding anyone who can meet your high expectations. Nevertheless, listen to the voices of experience, even if they don’t have all the answers.

CANCER (June 21–July 22) The stable Taurus Moon reassures you by reaffirming a practical choice you’ve recently made about your life.

However, your feelings may still be in conflict with your decision.

CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) You may be feeling quite conservative today, but your current attitude isn’t about politics or sex. Rather, your caution influences your finances, your emotions and your personal relationships.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) The pressure to change may continue to build until you discover a way to ease the source of the tension. You might choose to play the role of the rebel by stirring up every hornet’s nest you find today.

Although this brash approach frees you from having to play by the rules, it may not be the best strategy.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20–Feb. 18)

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) Your problems are still present today, but you seem to have a real sense of what commitments you can make and which ones to sidestep. Oddly enough, you are being quite practical by considering how each option could affect your feelings.

The cosmic radio is playing your requests today, but the planets are singing along with conflicting messages. Try not to stress out if you can’t decide whether to follow your need for long-term emotional security or an immediate impulse for affection.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) You might not believe that you’re receiving enough emotional support from your close friends now. You could even grow discouraged, but dwelling on negativity isn’t the best use of today’s productive transits. Instead, observe your current situation and isolate anything that makes you feel unhappy.

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Guides are subjected to change without notice

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Kaieteur News

Wednesday November 28, 2012

E’bo man remanded for murder, attempted murder A man who reportedly went berserk after seeing his reputed wife and her lover in a compromising position has been remanded to prison.

Yesterday the man, Davindra Persaud, 36, of Bonasika Creek, East Bank Essequibo (EBE), appeared at the Vreed-en-Hoop Magistrate’s Court before Magistrate Clive Nurse, where he was charged with murder and attempted murder.

It is alleged that on Thursday November 22, at Bonasika, EBE, Persaud killed 22-yearold Mahendra Narine called ‘Richard’, a fisherman. The charge was indictable and the accused who was unrepresented was not required to enter a plea. It is also alleged that

on the same day Persaud attempted to kill Joy Meyers. That charge was also indictable.

The accused was remanded to prison and the matters will be called again on February 25, 2013. Initial reports are that on Thursday evening last Joy Meyers and her paramour, identified as Mahendra Narine, were attacked while at the home of Meyers’ father, located in Bonasika Creek.

Meyers’ lover sustained several gaping wounds, one of which almost severed his neck. Persaud was also accused of hacking off Meyers’ left hand and she also sustained wounds to the head and neck. The woman’s three-year-old daughter, who was also in the house, was unharmed.

Labour Ministry, ILO host safety workshop for miners

A section of the participants at the workshop.

Over a period of three days, the Ministry of Labour in collaboration with the International Labour Organization (ILO) will be advocating for a better understanding of the methods, rules and regulations governing the health and safety practices at workplaces. This will be done through a workshop which commenced yesterday at the Regency Hotel, Hadfield Street.

The workshop was officially declared open by Labour Minister, Dr. Nanda Gopaul who pointed out the importance of such a seminar. He highlighted that over the years the Government has enacted several pieces of legislation to ensure better treatment of workers by their employers and to improve Occupation Safety and Health practices.

Some of these include the Holidays with Pay and the Occupational Safety and Health Acts, which he opined, has shown Guyana’s commitment to safeguarding the rights of employees.

The Labour Ministry recently signed on to the I55 Occupational Safety and

Health convention.

“Our laws are within the ambit of that convention. Our safety inspectors are also continuing their work of going out into the fields, as more emphasis is placed on mining and quarrying alike, and our interior locations have seen an influx not only by Guyanese but also foreigners,” the Minister said.

According to him, the seminar comes at a time when mining personnel can benefit effectively from expert training, even as efforts intensify to minimize the instances of accidents at workplaces.

Dr. Gopaul added that while it is not the aim of the Government to prosecute employers, laws have been implemented to ensure that workers’ rights are not trampled upon, and to ultimately ensure their safety.

“As such I challenge you to seek assistance from the Ministry, where necessary to ensure an accident-free workplace”.

It was also pointed out that in the past, Labour Officers were forced to take employers to court for nonpayment and wrongful dismissal of workers, which

was done with the aim of ensuring that employers observe the labour laws.

Meanwhile, Dr. Yuka Ujita, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) representative at the forum, in his remarks, noted the importance of mining to an economy and a nation’s development, and for that development to continue there must be safe workplaces.

Dr. Ujita encouraged the gathering to use the next few days to garner ways in which safety and health can be ramped up, especially in the mining sector.

“No country can effectively have a growing mining sector, unless there is a safe one, and as such, Guyana needs to look at ways in which a roadmap can be develop to improve safety in this regard.”

This seminar which is the first of its kind in the Caribbean and Latin America, also attracted participants from Suriname, the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment and other mining organizations.

Wednesday November 28, 2012

Kaieteur News

Soldier’s body recovered in Pomeroon River Relatives of the Guyana Defence Force soldier who had disappeared in the Pomeroon River last Sunday night are anxiously awaiting the results of a post mortem examination which is to be performed on his remains today.

The body of “Ordinary Rating (OR) Darwin Simon, who was a member of the GDF Coast Guard, was recovered yesterday and brought to the city.

Simon was on duty last Sunday night with two other soldiers in the Lower Pomeroon River, when he reportedly jumped overboard in an attempt to retrieve his hat, which had fallen into the river.

The GDF in a statement issued on Monday stated that Simon and the two other soldiers, who were stationed at the Floating Base in the Pomeroon River, had just finished mooring their boat alongside the Floating Base at midnight on Sunday when

DEAD: Darwin Simon it is reported he fell into the river.

“Efforts by the ranks to save him were unsuccessful,” the army statement said.

But although the army said that it had established a Board of Inquiry to probe the incident, family members are hoping that the post mortem examination will dispel any doubts surrounding Simon’s death.

One family member related to this newspaper yesterday that the young soldier, who had left Georgetown for a three-month stint in the Pomeroon a few weeks ago, had spoken to his girlfriend via telephone at around 18:00 hours on Sunday, indicating that he wanted to return to the city.

The relative told this newspaper that sometime around 03:00 hours on Monday, the girlfriend received another call from the same number that Simon would normally contact her from, but this time no one was on the line, and it eventually went dead.

What is more baffling to relatives is the fact that Simon’s girlfriend returned the call at around 08:00 hours on Monday and the person who answered told her that Simon was sleeping and they would inform him about the call when he awoke.

“When we look back, this was after the time they said he died,” a relative stated.

Randolph Kirton passes away Prominent Attorney-atLaw and trade unionist Randolph Kirton passed away on Monday around 05:30hrs at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), after a brief illness. This newspaper understands that the 77-year-old was admitted to the institution only Saturday last.

Kirton attended court as recent as the day before he was admitted to hospital.

A resident of D’Urban Backlands, Kirton has been regarded by many as an asset to Trade Unionism in Guyana.

Not only did he have a

Randolph Kirton long history as a trade unionist but he also had a

reputation of being a strong advocate in the fight for the rights of trade unionism. He began practicing law at age 50.

Kirton was the recipient of a scholarship under the PPP to pursue a Masters in Law from the Karl Marx University in the then East Germany. He also pursued studies in International Relations in Puerto Rico.

Kirton served in head positions of many organizations across Guyana.

Many prominent members of society expressed that the Trade Union movement has suffered a huge loss as a result of his death.

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Kaieteur News

Golden Fleece take Roberts 10\10 title in South E’bo Golden Fleece defeated Zorg Sports Club by 7 runs to win the final of the Otis Roberts knock out Ten\10 cricket competition last Sunday at New Opportunity Corps ground in South Essequibo.

Golden Fleece batted first and could only muster 58 before they were bowled out in 9.5 overs. Chetram Harrychand was the only batsman that got into double figures with 17 as Joshua Paul, Placid Edwards and Anthony Adams grabbed 2 wickets apiece. Zorg in reply managed 51-7 when their allocation of overs expired with only Julio Jones 16 offering resistance.

Patrick Rooplall and Aeknauth Persaud were the pick of the bowlers for the winners with 3 wickets for 12 and 15 runs respectively while Lavishwar Surajpaul took 216.

Golden Fleece received $30,000 for their efforts.

Meanwhile in the semi finals which were contested earlier at the same venue, Golden Fleece got the better

of Aurora and Zorg overcame Rising Star by 27 and 22 runs respectively.

In the first match Golden Fleece rattled up 89-6 in 10 overs with Aeknauth Persaud scoring 24 and Raj Parbattie 18; Anwar Baksh picked up 316. Aurora responded with 629 in 10 overs. Persaud, Parbattie and Lavishwar Surajpaul captured 2 wickets each.

In the second game Zorg took first strike and posted 935 in 10 overs. Anthony Adams led the batting with 56 while Rovin Dusraj claimed 3-24.

Rising Star in response were skittled out for 71 in 10 overs.

Jagdesh Dindyal got 23 as Anthony Adams 2-13, Akienie Adams 2-15 and Shivnarine Narine 2-23 did the damage with the ball for Golden Fleece.

Speaking at the presentation ceremony, Otis Roberts, who is a member of Rising Star SC, thanked the teams and congratulated the victors. Senior coach Forbes Daniels thanked Roberts for his contribution.

Wednesday November 28, 2012

Sri Lanka fight back on slow day Cricinfo - Sri Lanka were still a long way off from matching New Zealand’s score at the end of the third day, but gained a psychological boost by edging past the follow-on target of 213, thanks to a dogged stand between Thilan Samaraweera and Suraj Randiv. New Zealand would have fancied their chances of bundling out the hosts before that target and possibly making them bat again, but were held up by the pair and the fading light in Colombo which forced an early finish with another 25 overs remaining.

It was attritional cricket on the third day, because of the pressure created by the loss of wickets before lunch and shortly after. Like Ross Taylor and Kane Williamson had done on day two, Angelo Mathews and Tharanga Paranavitana kept the bowlers at bay for the majority of the morning session, but couldn’t hold their guard till the break. Tim Southee’s opening spell on the second evening gave New Zealand the initiative, and he proved to be just as incisive with the

older ball, removing the set pair and making Sri Lanka’s march towards the follow-on target a little tougher.

Samaraweera and Randiv came together at 128 for 6, after Prasanna Jayawardene top-edged a sweep to fine leg after lunch. The pair focused on wearing down the spinners, at a time when the seamers, Southee in particular, were given a rest.

Randiv, who was shaky as a nightwatchman in Galle, appeared more at ease in his familiar position down the order and focused on supporting Samaraweera.

Samaraweera, who had injured his finger while fielding on the first day, didn’t appear in discomfort against the ball that turned and bounced. All his boundaries in the second session came off Doug Bracewell, including a delicate dab wide of gully, a square cut and a flick past midwicket. Bracewell looked out of his depth, either bowling too short or too full.

Bracewell likes to hit the deck hard but he often strayed too wide of the off stump. He failed to create chances, like Southee and Trent Boult had

done. At one stage, he ran in from round the wicket with a slip, short leg, silly point and leg slip but Randiv was happy to evade the short balls.

Patel got turn and bounce off the rough and Samaraweera wasn’t afraid to cut against the turn. The sluggish outfield and sweepers on either side of the wicket checked the scoring, but Sri Lanka eventually got past the follow-on mark, via an edged boundary past slip.

New Zealand waited to take the new ball after tea, but couldn’t break the partnership, which had extended to 97 before the umpires took a call on the light.

The majority of the morning session had been just as frustrating for New Zealand. It was a steady build by Mathews and Paranavitana, who gave the seamers some respect earlier in the morning with the movement on offer.

Mathews offered the full face of the bat with his straighter drives. Mathews greeted Patel with a massive six over long-on but the bowler nearly had him leg before on 36 with one that

pitched on middle and looked quite adjacent to the leg stump. Ross Taylor then fluffed a straightforward catch at first slip to give Paranavitana a life on 32.

Southee’s second spell changed the complexion of the morning. He ensured that dropped chance didn’t cost much as he drew Paranavitana forward and induced an edge to Kruger van Wyk. Southee managed to squeeze in one more wicket, in his following over, when he got Mathews driving and edging behind.

What looked like a regulation fourth slip catch was taken spectacularly by Martin Guptill at third slip, diving full length to his right.

New Zealand picked up just one more wicket, shortly after lunch, but failed to dislodge the seventh-wicket pair. They would have to make the new ball count on the fourth morning and build a big enough lead before setting a target for the hosts to chase on the fifth day.

Scores: Sri Lanka 177 for 6 (Mathews 47, Samaraweera 76*, Southee 4-51) trail New Zealand 412 by 187 runs.

Wednesday November 28, 2012

Kaieteur News

Page 29

WBC female Super/flyweight championship saga

Alfred may yet receive a lease on life

From left: Cox, DeSouza, Peter Abdool joins Alfred and her coaches Blake and Murray at the press conference.

By Michael Benjamin Had destiny not intervened, Shondell ‘Mystery Lady’ Alfred would have been the new World Boxing Council (WBC) female Super/flyweight champion after engaging Mexican, Zulina Muñoz at Foro Polanco, Mexico City, Mexico Saturday night last. However, fate stepped in and Alfred’s bout was cancelled after medical practitioners, performing checks hours before the bout, discovered that she was more than two weeks pregnant.

Alfred will now have to shelve all boxing activity, maybe for the next year, and is uncertain of retaining her #8 rating by the WBC. However, despite the grim prognosis, the ‘Mystery Lady’ may still receive a lease on life when President of the Guyana Boxing Board of Control, Peter Abdool, attends the World Boxing Council (WBC) conference, scheduled for next week in Cancun, Mexico, where he will discuss the issue and hope for a favourable resolution.

According to reports, the ‘Mystery Lady’ was totally mystified upon learning of her predicament and drowned her frustration in tears.

Yesterday afternoon, a more composed Alfred hosted a press conference in the offices of Abdool and Abdool Insurance Brokers, Avenue of the Republic, Georgetown, where she bared her soul even as she apologized to her many fans and sponsors for the unfortunate turn of events. The ‘Mystery Lady’ was joined by President of the Guyana Boxing Board of Control (GBBC), Peter Abdool, referee, Eion Jardine, judge Clairmonte DeSouza and her two coaches, Sebert

Blake and Joseph Murray.

“I know that many people are disappointed with what happened and I wish to apologize, especially to my main sponsors Courts (Guyana Ltd) but these things happen,” a penitent Alfred said.

She said that she was totally unaware that she was pregnant and only learnt of her condition after undergoing a stringent medical examination as a prerequisite to the bout. “Had I been aware of my condition before my departure I would not have wasted my time travelling to the fight venue,” declared Alfred.

She highlighted the tough workouts that she had endured while preparing for the bout and said that she was good and ready to clinch her second world title. Instead the promoters were forced to substitute another Mexican, Maribel Ramirez; Muñoz prevailed to take her record to 36 wins and 1 loss; still to register a knockout victory.

“I looked at that bout and deep down in my heart I knew that I would have defeated Muñoz,” declared Alfred.

Quizzed on her future plans Alfred said, “It is merely two days since I have returned to Guyana and my team has been unable to discuss the situation but we will get around to that soon.”

She said that her training schedule leading up to the bout was rigid and that she had diligently applied herself to her work. “I was really serious and trained thrice daily,” she said. Alfred had also engaged in special training sessions to counteract the high altitude terrain of Mexico.

Meanwhile, Mr. Abdool also admitted to being disappointed by the turn of

events. He said that his executive had worked hard to make the fight a possibility and he was confident that Alfred would have won the title. The GBBC President said that he believed Alfred when she said that she was unaware of her condition. “It made absolutely no sense for Alfred to mislead us because she would have had to get past the Mexican physicians,” Abdool said.

The GBBC boss further said that Alfred was not subjected to medical tests before departing Guyana as he was aware that she would have been examined in Mexico. Further, he disclosed that such an examination would have been costly. “We pick up the tab for medical examinations done locally but I am not certain who should pay for tests for boxers fighting in other territories,” said Mr. Abdool.

“All agreements pertaining to the fight is between the promoter and the boxer; we cannot compel Alfred to conform to medical checks,” Abdool further related. He also alluded to the legal implications of such directives that would preclude his executives from taking a hard line position. He was asked if local Board officials had mandated that Alfred undergo medical tests locally before travelling to the fight venue. He admitted that this was not done but pointed out that even if Alfred had been subjected to such she would have had to satisfy the criteria in Mexico. Notwithstanding, he said that his executive have taken note and will now initiate discussions on possible counteracting strategies.

That apart, Alfred’s coaches said that her reputation had preceded her

and she had created a stir in Mexico. The coaches also said that despite the disappointment experienced

by Alfred’s inability to keep her ring date, the promoters extended benevolence and paid her a part of her purse.

Discussing Alfred’s future,

Joseph Murray said that President of the WBC, Jose Sulaiman, has indicated that Alfred will retain her rating (#8 in the super/flyweight division) until her issue is sorted out.

Alfred’s career suffered a major setback after doctors

performing medical checks hours before her world title bout against Mexican, Zulina Muñoz, discovered that she was more than 4 weeks pregnant and called off the contest. She now awaits the final verdict when Mr. Abdool returns to Guyana.

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Kaieteur News

Windies welcome Zimbabwe to Caribbean for 2 Tests, 3 ODIs, 2 T20Is St John’s, Antigua – World Twenty20 champions West Indies will face Zimbabwe in six-match series in the Caribbean next year.

The Windies, who lifted the ICC World T20 trophy in Sri Lanka two months ago, will take on the African visitors in two Test matches, three One-Day Internationals and two Twenty20 Internationals to kick-off the international cricket programme in the Caribbean for 2013.

The tour will run from February 20 to March 20 with matches with the ODIs at the Grenada National Stadium, the T20s at Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Ground in Antigua, followed by the Test matches at Kensington Oval in Barbados and Windsor Park in Dominica.

The tour will see a return of international cricket to the Grenada National Stadium after a four-year absence. The last matches at the picturesque venue were back in 2009.

The series will also signal a resumption of Test cricket

between the Windies and the Zimbabweans. The two teams last met each other in the Caribbean in 2010 when they played only limited-overs matches.

FULL TOUR SCHEDULE Wed, February 20: Zimbabwe v UWI Vice Chancellor’s XI, Grenada (venue to be confirmed) Fri, February 22: 1st ODI – Grenada National Stadium, Grenada Sun, February 24: 2nd ODI – Grenada National Stadium, Grenada Tue, February 26: 3rd ODI – Grenada National Stadium, Grenada Sat, March 2: 1st T20I – Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Ground, Antigua Sun, March 3: 2nd T20I – Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Ground, Antigua Thu, March 7 to Sat March 9: Three-day warm-up – 3Ws Oval, Barbados Tue, March 12 to Sat March 16: 1st Test – Kensington Oval, Barbados Wed, March 20 to Sun, March 24: 2nd Test – Windsor Park, Dominica

Joel Dick and Nicholai Matthews scored twice, while Antone Stanton netted once as Grove Hi-Tech hammered Craig FC 5-0 to win the final of the GFF\EBFA under-14 competition which was contested recently at Grove Playfield.

Dick opened the scoring in the 15th minute and was again on the score sheet in the 45th. Matthews found the back of the net in the 25th and 40th minutes, while Stanton

slotted home in the 30th minute.

Meanwhile, Craig FC with one win in the preliminary round, placed second followed by Little Diamond. The top three finishers received trophies, while Little Diamond took the fair play prize.

Dick collected a trophy for being the most prolific goal scorer (5) and Shawn Demonick was voted the best goalkeeper. Tevin Millington of Craig FC was given the most valuable player award.

Dick, Matthews star as Grove Hi-Tech claim GFF\EBFA U-14 title

Wednesday November 28, 2012

Giftland Office Max delivers on earlier pledge - Top eight athletes receives Asics footwear and trophies

The six athletes with their pair of Asics footwear and the winning trophies pose with President of the Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU), Colin Bynoe (third left), Public Relations Manager at Giftland OfficeMax, Compton Babb, Public Relations Manager for the Schools’ Championships, Edison Jefford and Glenvon Fogenay, Principal Assistant Secretary (Finance) within the Ministry of Education.

Prior to the start of the just concluded 52nd Edition of the National Schools’ Cycling, Swimming and Track and Field Championships, renow n e d g l o b a l s p o r t apparel brand, Asics through authorized distributor Giftland OfficeMax had promised to reward eight top athletes with either joggers or running shoes as a part of announcing their presence in Guyana.

Yesterday, during a simple ceremony that was conducted in the Boardroom of the business entity, the Company delivered on its promise by presenting the athletes with their gifts and trophies in the presence of Meet officials.

The athletes who were beneficiaries of the of Asics footwear are: Under-14 winners East Coast’s Samuel Jordon and Upper Demerara Kwakwani’s Cassey George, Under-16 winners East Coast’s Jason Yaw and Upper Demerara Kwakwani’s Kelanie Griffith, Under-18 winners North Georgetown’s Kevin Abbensetts and Upper Demerara Kwakwani’s Shannon Griffith and Under20 winners North Georgetown Stephan James and Georgetown Ebony Nelson.

President of the Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU), Colin

Bynoe who was part of the presentation ceremony thanked first, Asics for choosing the National Schools’ Championships to announce its presence formally in Guyana and Giftland OfficeMax for keeping their promise.

“On behalf of the Ministry of Education and the Guyana Teachers Union we would like to say thank you to Giftland for not only making the athletes happy, but preparing them to go to the other level,” Bynoe said.

The GTU President also urged more corporate entities

to support the National Schools’ Championships.

Public Relations Manager at Giftland OfficeMax, Compton Babb, said that his company is extremely happy and proud to be part of on the National Schools’ Championships in some way, adding that “Asics will be coming bigger and better next year”.

The athletes who were present to uplift their Asics footwear were: Cassey George, Kelanie Griffith, Kevin Abbensetts, Shannon Griffith, Stephan James and Ebony Nelson.

USA World Cup player here for Diamond...

From page 33 me from coming,” Jones stated.

Asked how much he knows about the standard of the tournament, Jones said he knew Philip and the team has always sought to attract quality teams and from the information that he has

received, they’ve done a good job in doing so.

Jones has the distinction of being the oldest male player to appear in a World Cup game at the age of 45 years, a record according to him that still stands today.

Commenting on Guyana’s hockey, Jones said he had the

Kashif and Shanghai Football...

From back page appreciated the gesture.

Mr. Ganga was enthused by the suggestion and extended gratitude to the K&S duo. He said that the tournament is an important cog in the development of local ball weavers.

Meanwhile, the action commences with the opening ceremony on Sunday 16 at the GFC Ground, Bourda while other matches are scheduled for that venue on Friday 21.

The players then travel to Uitvlugt on Sunday December 23. On Christmas day activities switch to Beterverwagting and one day later, on Boxing Day, the action will be at the Buxton Community Centre Ground. The semi-finals will be played at the GFC Ground while the grand finale is slated for the National Stadium, Providence on January 1, 2013.

privilege of seeing them at the Pan Am Games in Venezuela and felt that when they are at full strength, they play fantastic hockey which at times seemed close to the top level.

He, however, opined that they play a little too fast and sometimes a team needs to slow it down and maintain possession much longer.

Jones added that the core skills that he saw from the Guyanese was great and believes that this country even though there isn’t a large pool to choose from could still be a force to reckon with across the Caribbean.

The Festival which starts tomorrow at the National Gymnasium with seventeen teams slated to compete in three categories will run until December 2. Seven teams from overseas have confirmed participation.

Wednesday November 28, 2012

Kaieteur News

Star Party Rentals supports - donates Redeemer Primary football apparel Star Party yesterday confirmed its sponsorship of Redeemer Primary School football team. Chief Executive Officer and former national cricketer Lennox Cush, owner of the party rental service said he liked what he was reading in the press about the school’s performance in the just concluded Courts sponsored Schools Pee Wee Championship.

“When Mr. Cole approached me, I was happy to come on board because I liked the level of football the school played. Sports have

always been a part of my life from very early and I always wanted to give back to sports.

Knowing few of my friends came out of Redeemer also inspired me”.

Cush said he knows that sports together with academics will help the boys in their lives as they get older.

Redeemer’s Coach Johnny ‘Overseas’ Barnwell said he was grateful for the sponsorship, “I want to thank Mr. Cush for his gesture for the gears he has given the school.

The gears will encourage

the boys to move from strength to strength to become one of the top schools in football”.

Barnwell said the boys have returned to training since they intend to make it to the final next year.

One of the team members, Shamar Dover said he was extending thanks to Cush on behalf of the head teacher, coach and players. The boys received uniforms, boots, socks and shin pads.

The competition was organised by Petra

Organisation which is headed by Marlan Cole and Troy Mendonca.

Mendonca said their aim is to ensure that they secure sponsorship for all of the sixteen teams that participated in the school’s championship. Already sponsorship was secured for three other schools including Tucville, St. Gabriel’s and St. Pius.

The drive to secure support arose after many of the schools were unable to outfit their players with football apparel.

Page 31

Fresh racism storm rocks football Sunderland launches investigation into fan allegedly aiming ‘monkey’ gesture at Lukaku

Police in the north-east have launched an inquiry into incident, following a complaint from another supporter. (North News & Pictures Ltd)

Co-Director of Petra Organisation Troy Mendonca collects the package from Star Party Rental official in the presence of Coach Johnny ‘Overseas’ Barnwell and team members yesterday.

Daily Mail - Police have launched an investigation after a Sunderland supporter appeared to make a monkey gesture at West Bromwich player Romelu Lukaku in Saturday’s Premier League match at the Stadium of Light.

A photograph shows the alleged gesture as Belgium international Lukaku celebrated scoring his side’s third goal in the 4-2 win. Police yesterday confirmed they are looking into the alleged abuse following a complaint. It comes less than a month after Chelsea fan Gavin Kirkham was banned from Stamford Bridge for appearing to make a monkey gesture at Danny Welbeck, the Manchester

United player, in a Capital One Cup tie.

Police are continuing to investigate that incident.

Ged Grebby, of Show Racism the Red Card, hit out at the fan’s actions in the photograph.

‘It’s very similar to the picture taken at the Chelsea game,’ said Mr Grebby. ‘This kind of gesture at football matches is a thing we never thought we’d see again. ‘If anyone is guilty of this they could be looking at a threeyear ban.

‘When people do these kind of things we have to have action against them, and if they are found guilty then we will be asking the club to ban them.’

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Kaieteur News

Wednesday November 28, 2012

GCB T\20 inter county tourney David Jansen Memorial set to start on Thursday Dominoes underway

The Guyana Cricket Board 2012 Inter County Twenty\20 competition is set to commence on Thursday 29th of November and runs until December 1st. The tournament which also features a President XI team will be used as a yard stick to select the Guyana team to participate in the regional T20 competition.

According to a release from the GCB, a written request has been made to the Government of Guyana for the matches to be played at the National Stadium and should this request be denied the games will be staged at Everest Cricket Club ground. A final fitness test will be conducted on Monday December 3rd before the final squad is selected for encampment.

Sewnarine Chattergoon, Assad Fudadin and Devendra Bishoo will spearhead a strong Berbice line up, while Ronsford Beaton, Royan Federicks and Ricardo Adams will lead Essequibo challenge. Demerara team includes Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Ramnaresh Sarwan and Leon Johnson while the President XI team will depend on the likes of Rajendra Chandreka, Deon Ferrier and Krishendat Ramoo. Demerara will face the President XI and Essequibo will take on Berbice in the opening matches.

The teams are, Berbice-Sewnarine Chattergoon, Richard Ramdeen, Assad Fudadin, Royston Crandon, Narsingh Deonarine, Rajiv Ivan, Jonathan Foo, Eon Hooper, Delbert Hincks, Gudakesh Motie- Kanhai, Devendra Bishoo, Keon Joseph, Shimron Hetmyer and Gajanand Singh. Hubern Evans (coach), Mark Lyte (manager).

Essequibo- Ronsford Beaton (Capt.), Norman Federicks, Royan Federicks, Dillon Heyliger, Jason Heyliger, Herrell Green, Herry Green, Anthony Adams, Ricardo Adams, Vishwanauth Lall, Roopesh Motilall, Wayne Osborne, Kevin Gordon and Vijay Surajpaul. Vibert Johnson (coach), Otto Christiani (manager).

Demerara –Leon Johnson (Capt.), Christopher Barnwell (vice Capt.), Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Shemroy Barrington, Trevon Griffith, Steven Jacobs, Derwin Christian, Amir Khan, Paul Wintz, Kellon Carmichael, Troy Gonsalves, Zaheer Mohamed and Totaram Bishun. Gavin Nedd (coach), Shawn Massiah (manager).

President XI- Rajendra Chandreka, Robin Bacchus, Elton Baker, Jitendra Sookdeo, Chanderpaul Hemraj, Anthony Bramble, Clinton Pestano, Krishendat Ramoo, Brandon Bess, Andre Stoll, Kevon Boodie, Andrew Lyght jnr, Orin Forde, Devon Clements and Vishal Singh. Esuan Crandon (coach), Dru Bahadur (manager).

INTER-COUNTY T/20 COMPETITION, 2012 fixtures Day 1 Thurs 29 November, 2012 9:00am - Demerara vs President X1 1:30pm - Essequibo vs Berbice Day 2 Friday 30 November, 2012 9:00 am - President X1 vs Berbice 1:30 pm - Essequibo vs Demerara Day 3 Saturday 1 December, 2012 9:00 am - Essequibo vs President X1 1:30 pm - Berbice vs Demerara

The David Jansen Memorial Dominoes competition started last Saturday at transport Sports Club, Thomas Lands. Among the teams vying for the first prize of $125,000 a trophy and medals are Turning Point (Male and Female), C-7, Fire, Blue Birds, Gangster, B6, Wild Bunch, Golden Masters, F and H, Lions, Strikers, Rage, Specialist, Impressors and

Magnificent 6.

Teams were required to pay an entrance fee of $6,000. The second place team will take home $75,000 and a trophy, while the third place finisher will receive $50,000 and a trophy with the fourth place collecting $20,000.

The most valuable player in the final will be given $5,000 and a trophy.

The first round of

matches concludes today at Transport Sports Club, while the second round will commence tomorrow at Strikers Sports Club.

Teams will be presented with Jerseys for the final.

The competition is being sponsored by Regroup Domino team and Ms. Gillian Jansen and is being played in memory of former player David Jansen.

Craig FC beat Little Diamond 15-0; Grove Hi-Tech nailed Timehri Panthers 7-0 in latest play of the Guyana Football Federation and East Bank Demerara Football Association U-17 tournament last Sunday at Grove play field.

In the first match Craig FC beat Little Diamond 15-0.

Shawn Angoy, Towrenie

Bradford, Randy Smart, Ronaldo Ramalho, Kirk Cummings scored twice for the winners, while Moses Thom and Tevin Millington netted once.

In the second encounter Grove Hi-Tech overcame Timehri Panthers 7-0. Nicholai Matthews led the scoring with goals in the 30th, 40th and 55th minutes, while Odingo

Jhingoree, Shelton Joe and Akeem James scored in the 6th, 15th and 48th.

Meanwhile Agricola and Mocha Champs did not turn up for their game.

The competition continues on Sunday with Grove Hi-Tech facing Craig and Timehri Panthers taking on Diamond at the same venue.

GFF\EBDA Under-17 competition commences

Wednesday November 28, 2012

Kaieteur News

Page 33

USA World Cup player here for Diamond Mineral Water Hockey Festival - Festival starts tomorrow When the Diamond Mineral Water Indoor Hockey Festival attracted Trinidad and Tobago star Kwandwane Browne in 2007, Canadian national players Scott Sandison and Jonathan Roberts, many felt that it had reached its limit in terms of getting high profile players to participate in the event, but the presence of USA’s Peter Jones for this year’s tournament has evidently put that sentiment to rest.

Jones, a naturalised citizen of the USA who was born in England, arrived in Guyana to participate in this year’s tournament with a wealth of experience at his disposal and fans of the sport will have the opportunity to get a glimpse of someone who has not only participated in the Indoor World Cup and other major tournaments as a player, but a successful Coach as well.

He sat down yesterday at the Hibiscus Restaurant on Middle Street with Kaieteur Sport to talk a little about his career and the reason for his

presence in Guyana.

Jones, who grew up in England told this newspaper that even though he played a lot of cricket in his early days at school he somehow always had a passion for hockey, especially the indoor format simply because of the strategies and tactics that had to be employed during the course of the game.

He revealed that after migrating to the USA to study Business Administration at Harvard University his passion for the sport grew stronger and even though he played both outdoor and indoor formats, his real love was to play the latter version and got his first chance in 1989 which was the USA’s initial involvement in indoor hockey.

Jones, who describes himself as a junkie for indoor hockey, has travelled far and wide to participate in tournaments including playing in Poland, Denmark, Germany, Czechoslovakia, Scotland and Trinidad and Tobago among others.

Admitting that the sport

is still not as big in the USA, Jones, who became the Head Coach of the national indoor team in 2007, disclosed that the country’s first real success came after they defeated powerhouse Argentina 6-1 in the Pan Am Championships and that was followed up by qualification for the World Cup in Poland after finishing runners-up to Canada in 2010.

At the World Cup, Jones said their best game was against England rated among the top nations in the sport at the time, adding that the game was tied at 2-2 with about eight minutes left, before the Brits got the go ahead goal to win the match.

He, however, stated that the experience was invaluable since they got the opportunity to play against 5 of the top 5 countries that play the sport.

Quizzed on how he became associated with the sport in Guyana, Jones recounted his initial meeting with Philip and Alan Fernandes which occurred during a tournament a few years ago and since that time they’ve always stayed in touch.

USA hockey player Peter Jones seen in an interview with Kaieteur News reporter Rawle Welch yesterday.

Jones said he always wanted to come and play in Guyana, but the timing of the tournament was often times out of sync with his schedule. “I was invited a few times previously, but it always seems to coincide with a big tournament which is held around Thanksgiving weekend and that precludes me from coming,” Jones stated.

Asked how much he knows about the standard of the tournament, Jones said he knew Philip and the team has always sought to attract quality teams and from the information that he has received, they’ve done a

good job in doing so.

Jones has the distinction of being the oldest male player to appear in a World Cup game at the age of 45 years, a record according to him that still stands today.

Commenting on Guyana’s hockey, Jones said he had the privilege of seeing them at the Pan Am Games in Venezuela and felt that when they are at full strength, they play fantastic hockey which at times seemed close to the top level.

He, however, opined that they play a little too fast and sometimes a team needs to

slow it down and maintain possession much longer.

Jones added that the core skills that he saw from the Guyanese was great and believes that this country even though there isn’t a large pool to choose from could still be a force to reckon with across the Caribbean.

The Festival which starts tomorrow at the National Gymnasium with seventeen teams slated to compete in three categories will run until December 2. Seven teams from overseas have confirmed participation.

Continued on page 30

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Kaieteur News

Wednesday November 28, 2012

WICB CEO sits down with Windies Women’s players; pledges continued support Bridgetown, Barbados – The members of the West Indies Women’s training squad were given words of encouragement when the new Chief Executive Officer of the WICB, Michael Muirhead met with them.

The meeting took place at the Sagicor High Performance Centre, where the Windies are encamped for a month as they prepare to

face South Africa in a sevenmatch series in January. It was Muirhead’s first meeting with the team and he said he was pleased to see the level of enthusiasm and camaraderie among the 18 players.

“Women’s cricket is growing across the West Indies and across the world, and at the WICB we are delighted with the progress being made by the West

Indies team in such a short period of time. We have a wonderful group of players here and they are superb ambassadors for West Indies cricket and regional cricket.

They have done a great job in promoting the brand with their performances on the world stage in a short space of time. People see them as future world-beaters and look forward to seeing them play,”

Muirhead said.

“Obviously the women’s game is not as widespread as the men’s game, but we are hoping that this group of excellent players we have here will continue to demonstrate improvement and help to encourage more players to participate in the game. These are exciting times in West Indies cricket and we are looking at ways to grow the

game and multiply the number of people playing, participating and watching across the West Indies.”

During the meeting, the CEO told the players that the WICB remains committed to the development of the women’s game in the region and is looking at ways to offer more support to the players.

“The WICB is in the forefront in offering Central Retainer Contracts to women’s cricketers and we are looking at ways to offer even more support to the players, who have done us proud. We see this as a truly worthwhile investment.”

Speaking directly to the players, he said: “I want you all to be proud of the crest you wear. We have a rich history in West Indies cricket and everyone of you who wears this crest should be proud of yourself and the people you are representing.

West Indies cricket is about the passion, the culture, the enjoyment, the history and what it means to the people.”

The West Indies women’s team has showed progress since the WICB took over the running of the game five years ago. Under the captaincy of Merissa Aguilleria and coaching of Sherwin Campbell, the West Indies reached the semi-finals of the ICC World T20 on two consecutive occasions – 2010 when the event was played in the Caribbean and two months ago in Sri Lanka.

Several Windies players are ranked among the best players in the world. Stafanie Taylor is the Number 1 allrounder. She won the prestigious ICC Women’s Player of the Year award in 2011. Deandra Dottin holds the world record for the fastest century in a T20 International by men or women, while allrounder Shanel Daley and off-spinner Anisa Mohammed are ranked in the Top 10.

Michael Muirhead The West Indies women’s squad will be encamped at the Sagicor High Performance Centre until December 15.

They will face South Africa in five One-Day Internationals and two T20 Internationals. The full match schedule will be announced shortly.

The ICC Women’s World Cup India 2013 will be held in Mumbai from January 31 to February 17. The tournament will feature the top eight ODI women’s sides in the world Australia, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka and West Indies.

The matches will be played at five venues across Mumbai, which are: Wankhede Stadium, Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC), Cricket Club of India (CCI), Middle Income Group Club Ground (MIG) and DY Patil Stadium.

FULL TRAINING SQUAD: Merissa Aguilleira, Shemaine Campbelle, Shamilia Connell, Britney Cooper, Shanel Daley, Deandra Dottin, Kycia Knight, Kyshonna Knight, Natasha McLean, Anisa Mohammed, Subrina Munroe, Juliana Nero, June Ogle, Amanda Samaroo, Shakera Selman, Tremayne Smartt, Shaquana Quintyne and Stafanie Taylor.

Wednesday November 28, 2012

Kaieteur News

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