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Regional Health Officers and Programme Heads met Wednesday for their second biennial meeting at the Grand Coastal Inn, Le Ressouvenir, East Coast Demerara, to focus on the development of the 2013-2020 Health Strategy entitled “Health Vision 2020”. The new plan replaces the old one which concludes at the end of 2012 and envisages Guyanese as the healthiest people in the Caribbean and Latin America. The meeting took the format of being more of a stakeholder consultation than the usual reporting session, and follows another consultation held recently that targeted top officials in the Health Sector and support agencies. Minister of Health, Dr. Bheri Ramsaran, in his address highlighted that the strategy looks at the needs of the health sector and in turn the provision of same to the public. Minister Ramsaran stated that the new strategic plan puts Non-Communicable Diseases on the front burner and desires a cross-sectoral approach including the Ministries of Education and Local Government and Regional Development. He illustrated that the
Kaieteur News
Education Ministry’s Canteen Policy, for instance, has some amount of input from the Health Ministry in the area of ensuring the food is prepared in a safe and healthy environment. The Ministry of Local Government has a Health Coordinator looking over the delivery of health care in the Regions. With these partnerships in mind, Dr. Ramsaran is calling for stronger synergies among the Ministries in order to get the best results in the overall delivery of health care in Guyana. The Minister also highlighted that it has been recognised internationally that NCDs have an impact on the development of many countries as such much attention is being placed on this epidemic. He recalled that a few years ago HIV/AIDS stood in the same position NDCs now stand, however due to intense responses, the battle against HIV/AIDS has been successful; no less a result is expected with NCDs. Permanent Secretary, Leslie Cadogan emphasised that the plan brings into focus the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015. He
stated that having the input from the Regional Health authorities is important since they are the ones who engage with the citizens in their respective Regions. He indicated that the Health Ministry recognises that it cannot make all the decisions, regarding the plan, hence the need for all stakeholders to contribute in one way or another since they have value for the national effort. Stakeholder participation is also important due to the fact that the decisions being made impact the nation’s health, and in the long-term national development. Additionally, the stakeholders bring to the fore the feasibility and practicality in the implementation of the strategy. P A H O / W H O Representative, Adrianus Vlugman noted that Phase 1 of the project covers the next three years, and the name change from National Health Strategy to Health Vision 2020 reflects the realisation that health is a broad developmental concept which is impacted upon by drivers beyond the directive of the Health Ministry. He stated that the strategy is being developed
with broad consultation with Health Sector professionals, private sector, development partners and other Ministries. The first stakeholder consultation was held in October at Baganara. Dr. Vlugman pointed out that the strategy will also address ethnicity and culture, gender specific issues and gender-based violence. He highlighted that the implementation of the strategy will take a bottom-up approach with a three-year consolidation period which focuses on improving access to quality of service among the marginalised and hinterland communities. Vision 2020 will be a road map that will provide strategic direction in the delivery of health services. Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Shamdeo Persaud made the first presentation regarding the 2020 Plan which he outlined is guided by the MDGs, Nassau Declaration on Health, Caribbean Cooperation in Health III, Port of Spain Declaration/United National High Level Meeting on NCDs and the National Development Strategy/Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS). The strategy targets increased life expectancy for
Friday November 30, 2012
both men and women to over 70 years, decrease in maternal mortality to below 80 for 100,000 live births, decrease in infant and child mortality to less than 14 and 16 per 10,000 live births, decrease by 25 percent the mortality of cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes and lung disease, reduce by 25 percent the impact of smoking, harmful use of alcohol, physical inactivity and unhealthy diet, reduce the risk and decrease incidences and prevalence of communicable diseases such as HIV, tuberculosis and malaria. Dr. Persaud noted that the plan has two strategic pillars which are universal health coverage and social determinants of health. The building blocks of the plan are influenced by factors set by the World Health Organisation (WHO), and take into consideration service delivery, health workforce, information/ surveillance, medical products, vaccines and technology and financing and leadership. Some of the new strategic components included improved governance reorganising the delivery of health, application of
PAHO/WHO Representative, Adrianus Vlugman evidence based approaches, capacity building, strengthening health sector financing, strengthening strategic information for planning and implementation, develop performance management and monitoring systems. Priority areas include family health, NCDs, human resources, communicable diseases, environmental health, accident responses, frontier, migrant, remote and vulnerable population, advance health care and health literacy. (GINA)
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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
A Wasted Year A year has now passed since the elections of November 28, 2011, for which the results were announced on December 1st. It has been a year wasted. At the end of 2011, Guyana, as the second poorest country in the hemisphere, faced a gamut of challenges that begged for cooperation between the major political players to effectively confront them. Ironically, since Guyana had always been blessed with an overabundance of resources, the investments that would develop these resources and deliver economic growth simply demanded that the political climate not be roiled. As one private sector body pointed out recently, political instability is the greatest impediment to investment – especially in third world countries. No entrepreneur would deploy his hard-earned capital in a country if they are unsure as to whether it would be at risk, based on totally exogenous factors like political upheavals. In the modern globalised world, there are enough challenges due to raw competition from 200-odd countries. All the politicians had to do was tone down their rhetoric and work together to encourage investment into the country. In this regard, the Opposition has been a major disappointment. To fund their campaigns, they cultivated impressive linkages with the Guyanese Diaspora. One would have hoped they would have encouraged those well-heeled expatriates to establish factories and other employmentgenerating facilities to produce a win-win situation for them and the rest of Guyana. What we received, however, was the same, stale denigration of Guyana as ‘corruption and crime-ridden’ as the Opposition decided to prove to the government that ‘two man-rats can’t live in the same hole’. The problem, however, was that it was not just the two ‘man-rats’ that lived in the hole: the Guyanese people saw their expectations dashed as their horizons dimmed. The control of the Executive and the Legislature, by respectively the PPP and the combined Opposition (APNU and AFC), led not to dialogue and negotiations, but open hostilities spilling into the streets. In retrospect, the street-protests by the Opposition over the slow count of the votes should have signalled the populace not to get their hopes up too high. The intimidation of GECOM officials and sustained claims of voting ‘irregularities’ set the stage for the later eruptions. Opposition supporters were led to believe for months that the Statements of Polls were in some way fiddled with, only to be told by their leaders after much “back-and-forthing” that nothing was amiss. This left a bitter aftertaste in the mouths of many citizens. We then proceeded to the bitter pitched battles in the National Assembly that inevitably resulted in stalemates as the government proceeded to the courts after each Opposition ‘victory’. We saw, for instance, rather than the budget being the occasion for crafting a national vision for our development and progress, it became bogged down in a war of attrition to settle old scores. The country’s development was placed on hold. The subsequent protests in Linden were merely the continuation of the no-holds barred politics in the Assembly, transferred into more robust surroundings. The shootings and killings were quite predictable as the two sides dug in their heels. A half-year had passed and the country’s development agenda was firmly fixed in reverse gear. Since then, the demand for the removal of Minister of Home Affairs Clement Rohee by the combined opposition took centre stage, where it remains to this day. The Commission of Inquiry into the Linden shootings appears to have been merely one additional device to prise him out of office. Organised with foreign Commissioners at tremendous cost to a depleted treasury, the Opposition evidently believe that the findings may not be what they expected and have consequently returned to the Assembly to take another stab at Rohee. From motions of ‘no-confidence’ we have moved on to motions to ‘gag” and prospective examinations of whether privileges might have been violated. In all the frenetic ‘motions’ – verbal and physical – Guyana and its developmental needs seemed to have been missed. It is as if the country is an afterthought in this wasted year.
Friday November 30, 2012
Letters... Where your views make the news
Guyana can do better for the mentally ill DEAR EDITOR, This letter is in response to the news of the mentally ill man attacking the schoolboy on Wednesday morning, November 28, in front of Parliament building. First, I would like to express my happiness that the youth was not seriously injured. He was very lucky indeed. However, this incident raises several very serious issues that need addressing. I write as a public health professional as well as one of the individuals who was involved in the 24-hour occupation and PEOPLE’S Parliament camp out at the park at the intersection of High St and Brickdam- the same place where this attack occurred. During the ten weeks that the PEOPLE’S Parliament was in this location, we had a great deal of interaction with many of the mentally ill, homeless, and drug addicted persons who frequent that area. At no time were we ever attacked or threatened with attack by any of them, not even during the night or when there were only a few of us at the site. This is not to deny that mentally ill and/or drug addicted people can act violently, especially if provoked; I simply want to share a positive experience with this group to counter a lot of the public sentiment that seems to view the mentally ill as little better than animals, unworthy of our compassion,
and who should just be locked away. Let us remember that mentally ill people are people just like everyone else-somebody’s children, that they are suffering from a medical problem, an illness that requires care and treatment, and that any of us can be affected at any time. However, Guyana is sorely lacking in mental health providers. As was pointed out in a recent (Nov 18th, 2012) news article, there are just two psychiatrists operating in the public sector of the country (along with some understudies, foreign physicians, and a handful of nurses). In the article, Minister of Health, Bheri Ramsaran, talked about looking at ‘ways to incorporate dealing with mental health problems at the primary health care level,’ and of wanting to integrate a mental health component into the nurse training programme. It is alarming that the MOH is only now recognizing the deficiencies in this sector; the government has been in charge for two decades now, more than enough time to have implemented a comprehensive strategy and trained multiple batches of professionals. The Minister also mentioned that Guyana’s mental health challenge is greater “than our small
economy can manage.” However, when one looks at other ministries- Housing and Water, as well as Tourism, for example-- there seems to be ample cash to throw around. It is a tragic state of affairs of a nation when money can be found to spend on foreign artistes with violent behavior, as well as on expensive fences and gates around public parks rather than on vulnerable and needy citizens. Life in Guyana is so full of contradictions, ironies, and nonsensical happenings like this however; it is no wonder that there is so much mental illness in our society. Healthphysical as well as mentalinvolves having a clean, safe environment, jobs that pay a living wage, opportunities for advancement, and responsive public entities- all things that are sorely lacking in Guyana today.Not only is the State not doing enough to help the mentally ill; it must also take the blame for driving more Guyanese over the edge of sanity. Also troubling is the fact that adequate, affordable, and effective drug treatment facilities do not exist in Guyana, leaving many people who need this kind of help without any place to turn. Drugs (including alcohol and tobacco) are very easily available in Guyana today and the conditions of our society so desperate for many that addition- as a way to escape from the stresses and
strains of daily life- has become commonplace. The absence of enough other positive pastimes, the lack of counseling and support services for individuals in times of crisis, and societal acceptance of substance abuse (ex- songs that glorify alcohol consumption) also contributes to this problem. The few drug treatment programs that do exist do not receive adequate support from the government and the funds that are promised are not disbursed in a timely fashion. Sadly, social services are desperately lacking and underfunded across the board in Guyana. In another recent article (Nov 14, 2012), the 2011 Annual Report of the Ministry of Labour, Human Services and Social Security, openly cites the inadequacy of resources as contributing to its failure to realize several keyobjectives. The lack of commitment to providing these ministriesthe ones most crucial to creating, maintaining, and supporting a healthy societywith sufficient resources to function effectively speaks volumes about the priorities of this government and their commitment to the poor and vulnerable of Guyana. If a fraction of the money that is spent on frivolous entertainment,super-salaries, pensions, and waste-time Continued on page 6
Friday November 30, 2012
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Letters... Where your views make the news Letters... Where your views make the news
Harry Gill and his distorted approach DEAR EDITOR I refer to a letter in Kaieteur News November 23, 2012 by Harry Gill titled “is this a joke’. Harry Gill is a family and personal friend, however since he’s gone public again (even though earlier he said he’ll stop writing) I need offer a comment. He has pontificated on City Hall. If he had taken the trouble to listen to my several media statements related to
the sorry state of Georgetown he would have realized that it is useless to attack the Chief Constable or any of our officers while ignoring the fundamental issues facing the City. I refer only to two aspects of his letter. First it’s so easy to say take the vendors off the streets; the truth is we wish to do that, but it needs to be done with some order and
DEAR EDITOR Lets understand this profound preoccupation of ‘Professor Freddie Kissoon’ with Mr Vishnu Bisram’s conduct of polls for NACTA. Mr Kissoon has become so infatuated with whatever and whenever Mr Bisram goes public with his poll results that it has become comical. I say, let us end the harbar (ruckus) over Mr Bisram’s NACTA polls once and for all. In a letter to SN of 24-1112 titled “ I wrote letters to SN and KN on Bisram” he again goes into a dance. What the good Professor actually wants to know is how Mr. Bisram finances his polling and travelling expenses. Freddie also wants to know how Mr.Bisram can hold down a fulltime teaching job and do so much traveling. By his unfamiliarity and doubts, Freddie is questioning the sincerity and accuracy of Bisram’s polls but not so much his methodology. Actually I am aware that Bisram is a little petty bourgeois whose wife being fully empowered, saddles him with no or little domestic responsibilities. Working for a comfortable salary, he can “beam” himself like Star Trek captain, William Shatner, anywhere in the world even for one night and then return to base in New York to teach all over again.
His driver gives me juicy tidbits often complaining about the “modest” tips which he gets. Teaching in New York City has its ups and downs, but the holidays are great. Consider that a teacher gets five days off for Thanksgiving weekend. So Bisram is fully energized to “beam” off. We soon find him on his way to another country all over again. There are many prominent people in Guyana, Trinidad and New York who can confirm Bisram is a teacher and he is quite financially capable of traveling so many times. May I ask Freddie, while I am on the subject of finance, to explain how he manages to pay for gasoline in his travel to Berbice and all over Guyana when he is not employed? His contempt of countryside villagers whom he begrudges with their big concrete houses being built is remarkable. This contempt, rather jealousy, which Freddie has for successful people, including Bisram’s NACTA’S polls, its financing and any other inquiries about methodology, can probably be solved if Freddie were to ask bhai Bisram to walk with him during his next polling. Name withheld
DEAR EDITOR, I am writing with regard to the robbery and murder in Cummings Lodge on Saturday evening 24th November, 2012. For the past eight months, to date, there have been robberies every night within the Cummings Lodge / Industry area, mainly Sixth Street which is the main route for U.G. Students. A minimum of ten persons are being targeted each night. Multiple complaints were made to the Turkeyen/Sophia and Plaisance Police Station but nothing was done. After Saturday night’s incident I have noticed police vehicles passing up and
down. This makes no sense to me, since I believe they would have to stake out in order to capture these dangerous individuals. The residents in these areas are living in fear; we cannot render assistance to friends and family since our lives would be at risk. How many more murders would there be just to fight for our safety? I am pleading with the police force to look into these nightly robberies the residents of Cummings Lodge are facing. The police should not wait for a murder to take place before doing something. Concerned Resident
Freddie’s preoccupation with Bisram
Saturday Night’s Murder in Cummings Lodge
compassion. When the Georgetown Development Plan was approved it noted that the City was too congested, and the need existed to find a place for vendors. Government refused or failed to implement any of those proposals. The problem is not so much the street vendor, but the need to accept vending as a way of life and to avoid them being treated as a nuisance. Second, my friend Harry insults every Guyanese, but in particular the descendants
of the martyred African slaves of 1823 by suggesting that the Parade Ground (now Independence Park) be used to accommodate vendors. Is he the mouthpiece of some folks who show little respect for certain folks? The Parade Ground is sacred to those who know our history – Nowhere else in the civilized world would you put vendors on a ground where our ancestors’ blood soaked the area; where they were slaughtered and had their heads placed on poles on that very spot. Indeed August 1, 2000 at
an Emancipation Day Ceremony, then President Jagdeo and others buried coins with the promise to erect a monument to honour the 1823 martyrs. Why the change? Please Harry at least respect that section of Guyanese whose sweat, blood and tears built the entire coastal infrastructure now enjoyed by one and all. The other issue of corrupt officers is a serious matter – Every day I try to deal with this erosion of the fabric of our society, but Harry could it be that these Constabulary
Ranks are merely following the example set by the ‘big ones’. Should I offer a list? Just look at the Auditor General Report – NCN, NICIL – the Drug contracts, the road contracts, the Marriott deal; drive down High Street, stop at where Radio Demerara was, and see the scandal and waste of our money; go up to the Haags Bosch Garbage Site and you’ll have much to write about, but will you say anything to offend those in office? Silence would be better. Hamilton Green, J.P.
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Friday November 30, 2012
Letters... Where your views make the news Letters... Where your views make the news
New Amsterdam Town Council sets record straight DEAR EDITOR, It would be a pleasure for your news paper to allow me to responsed to a letter to the Editor captioned “NA Town Council offers poor public relations” in Wednesday 21st November, 2012 edition. The Mayor and Town Council of New Amsterdam has engaged the service of former Building Inspector Ms. Joycelyn Frank to assist in regularizing the Glasgow Housing Scheme which was handed over to the Municipality in January, 2011. The Building Inspector did house to house visits, advising the residents of the area of the process for the regularization of the Housing Scheme – paying up their taxes and to submit their building application (of which inspection and processing fees calculated according to the plan to be paid into Council) – please n o t e t h a t a number of residents have already erected their homes and businesses and have abided with the regulations of the Municipality. According to the Building Inspector, Mr. Augustus Outar of Lot 829
Glasgow Housing Scheme and an Officer of GECOM New Amsterdam Branch, was informed of the requirements some time in June (please be informed that he has been living in the area a while). According to the Building Application form, Mr. Outar did purchase the form on 27th July, 2012 and it was filled out by Camille Reid according to the specimen of the legal document and his plan and not by Mr. Outar. It was Ms. Frank who lobbied with the Town Clerk (ag.) of the Council to wave the draughtman’s fee since it was Mr. Outar who drew his own building plan which had to be amended by the Building Inspector whom Mr. Outar criticized without a cost attached. He left the plan, indicating that he would call and enquire how much he would have to pay. Some time in the afternoon I called Mr. Outar at his work place and informed him of the amount of fee he had to pay. He asked for two weeks time to settle the fee – I sought consent from the Town Clerk (ag.) who said that it was okay. His Building Application was approved on
27th August, 2012. However, between August and early September 2012 I had made contact with him about 4 times and he (Mr. Outar) kept asking for more time to settle his fee. On 17th September, 2012 I made contact with GECOM’s office, only to be told that Mr. Outar was on leave. It was not until I left a message with an employee (who I knew that well) to please inform him about the fees he promised to pay and that if he did not made contact with the Council and settle the fee, he will have to pay $50,000 as contravention fee. ($50,000 is the actual fee for residential contravention – Council had been very lenient with the residents in the Glasgow Housing Scheme and only charge them $15,000 as Contravention. On 20th September, 2012 – Mr. Outar did come and settle the payment including the Contravention fee of $15,000: total payment to Council was $37,726. He collected a receipt from the Cashier. Mr. Outar was told what he had to pay, which he did I did not enter into his wallet
and take out the sum of money – he paid the money willingly and received his plan. One of our Councillors, Mr. Samuel Fraser, who is the Vice Chairman of Works Committee, invited Mr. Outar to a meeting on Wednesday 31st October, 2012 along with the Building Inspector, Treasurer, former Town Clerk (ag.) and myself and he had a chance to air his view. At this meeting, Mr. Outar said that I
had spoken to him rudely and unmannerly. He did not report to any senior person and I indicated to him, that if I did that, I apologized. I concluded to Mr. Augustus Outar that I, Camille Reid, employee of t h e M a y o r a n d To w n Council of New Amsterdam, was only adhering to instructions given to me regarding his plan and that the contravention fee was paid into Council and not to
Camille Reid. The Mayor and Town Council of New Amsterdam is not a charitable organization, but an organization to serve the Town of New Amsterdam with its limited resources. Residents of New Amsterdam especially the citizens of Glasgow Housing Scheme should not be afraid of the Town Council staff because we do not have any misfits in the organization. Camille Reid
DEAR EDITOR, The power-thirsty opposition must explain to Guyanese why it is misusing its one-seat majority to create a gridlock and stalemate in Parliament. Vice-Chairman of the Alliance for Change Moses Nagamootoo is being faithful to his role to distort and misrepresent the truth as he tries to abdicate the AFC of blame and responsibility for the despicable situation that obtains in Parliament. What is taking place there is part of a carefully orchestrated plan between APNU and AFC to stymie and destabilize the work of the Government. The opposition has convinced itself it is capable of distracting the Government from pursuing its developmental plans and objectives without taking into consideration that any such distraction, if successful, would be to the disadvantage of Guyanese. The opposition-led unrests in Linden and Agricola are no mistaken plans as these events confirm to the opposition agenda to slow-down the paste of development. By the very acts of those who instigated and staged these unrests, the Government now has to spend time and energy on rebuilding infrastructure that existed before. The only reason gridlock and stalemate exist in Parliament today is because of the combined opposition, APNU and AFC. Nagamootoo and his colleague architects
of this confrontational, nonprogressive type politics are aware that their actions have the potential to stymie and slow-down national development, but instead they opted for negative path. Again Nagamootoo is true to form in his claims that the AFC was successful in exposing corruption within the Government, when the records will show that the opposition has not been able to successfully point to one case, with supporting evidence of corruption. In their corruption campaign, quite the opposite was revealed as people were coming forward with evidence of AFC leaders’ involvement in practices of corruption and conflict of interest. There are many cases involving allegations of Nagamootoo himself doublecharging for the relocation of residents for the construction of the Berbice-River Bridge. The corruption campaign
by the opposition was used as a platform for their grandstanding as they were unable to come forth with anything solid. The NCN Debate Series on Corruption provided them with an opportunity to prove their case to the nation but instead being unable to do so, they turned their argument into right and wrong approaches. This is the dishonesty Nagamootoo and others in the AFC continue to support. They blah! Blah! Blah! all the time. As we speak, the opposition is busy meeting trying to engineer its next confrontation with the Government, while the Government is busy pursuing its development objectives, fulfilling its manifesto promises and moving along the economy. The PPPC Administration will not be distracted by the relentless negativity of the opposition. Kwame Mc Coy
From page 4 Commissions, stolen by corrupt officials, or wasted on ridiculous projects was used instead to improve the lives and circumstances of poor people, Guyana would be a much healthier and happier place- where people would be proud to reside, where children would be safe, and where those who need assistance would receive it. The fact that this doesn’t happen is maddening indeed. In fact, what is happening is
that Guyanese are being attacked daily by those who sit inside Parliame n t building! We the people of Guyana deserve better, and we must demand that our government be more accountable to us, does more to meet our needs, and improve our quality of life. Stand up, speak out, and demand your rights, my fellow Guyanese- that is the only way this madness will end! S. Nageer, MPH
Misusing the one-seat majority
Guyana can do better ...
Friday November 30, 2012
Kaieteur News
23,000 OLPF units expected in January Guyana is to receive a further 23,000 laptops in January for its One Laptop Per Family (OLPF) project. According to Project Manager, Margot Boyce, so far 22,000 units have been distributed, with another 5,000 to be handed out by the end of December. The delivery of the 23,000 laptops, a government statement said, is as a result of a bilateral agreement between the People’s Republic of China and the Government of Guyana where laptops manufactured by the Great Wall Computer Shenzhen Company Limited (referred to as Great Wall Computer) will be donated. The computers are expected to arrive in January 2013. Great Wall Computer was awarded the “Most Faithful Enterprise in 2012” at a summit held in Beijing in September and was lauded as the potential force of development that will lay a solid foundation for the future. Huibao Jin, liaison for Great Wall, China on Wednesday paid a visit to the OLPF’s Queenstown Office, to inspect the facility and to get a firsthand view of
the secretariat’s daily functions. In an interview with the Government Information Agency (GINA), Jin, while expressing his satisfaction with the operations of the OLPF, pointed out that through collaboration, the objective of the project can be achieved. “The purpose of the visit is to get some knowledge, how the OLPF secretariat is operating, and also through this exercise from our perspective… we were expecting to see an organization of a few persons… we are pleased,” he said. Jin stated that the collaboration with the Guyana Government has been successful, thus far and his Government is committed to future partnerships. “This is a very good and sound project, so we are in the right path. We also learnt some details how the laptops are being distributed and how the software is being developed to have students learn curriculum,” he said. Margot Boyce stated: “It is expected that we will start distribution of the Great Wall computers in Region Four in January 2013….we are on
schedule with distribution and I would just like to remind the public that OLPF is real and is continuing to make a difference,” she said. During the tour, Jin and his team visited the customer services department, warehouse (bond), community liaison department, public relations, accounts, training, data entry, registry and verification departments. The One Laptop Per Family Project was launched in January 2011 and was conceptualised as a national development imperative to bring Guyana on par with the developed world in the area of Information and Communications Technology (ICT). On September 16, last year, Chinese appliances manufacturer, Haier, signed a contract with the Guyana Government to provide 27,000 netbooks under the first phase of the project. The company is being paid US$7.6 million to supply the netbooks. The OLPF envisages distributing 90,000 laptops within two to three years. The project targets lowincome families and vulnerable groups.
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CARIFORUM Secretary-General concerned over impact of new EU development policy Secretary-General Caribbean Forum of African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) States (CARIFORUM) Ambassador Irwin LaRocque, has expressed concern over the possibility of a decrease in development assistance from the European Union (EU) under the new EU Development Policy. Addressing the Twentieth Meeting of the CARIFORUM Council of Ministers in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic yesterday, the Secretary-General referred to the new policy and pointed out that it threatened to cast a shadow over CARIFORUMEU relations which had matured and broadened to the benefit of both parties. The new EU Development Policy includes a reassessment of the EU’s assistance to middle income countries. “A disquieting aspect of this approach, better known as differentiation, is based exclusively on macroeconomic referents like GDP, GNP and per capita income in individual CARIFORUM States. If applied without taking into consideration the vulnerability and the limited
resilience of the small economies of CARIFORUM, not to mention the acute levels of poverty in numerous communities, this will have a negative impact on certain programmes and the levels of assistance to be allocated to some of our CARIFORUM States under the 11th EDF. In a word, our concern is that the quantum of assistance from our major development partner will be decreased,” he told his audience at the opening ceremony. The CARIFORUM Secretary-General added that shaping the new relationship with the EU will be examined at a time when a “new Partnership Strategy is taking form and a new EU Development Policy and approach to budget support is being fashioned, threatening to cast a long shadow over CARIFORUMEU relations in the years to come.” The policy is one of the matters to be discussed during the Meeting which the Secretary-General described as one of the most important of the 20 year history of CARIFORUM. “In order to further discuss the important issue
of the future of EU development assistance, on the initiative of the Chair of CARIFORUM, Ministers will have the opportunity to engage Mr. Christian Leffler, Managing Director for the Americas of the European External Action Service, who will be addressing this meeting on issues of mutual interest, including the vital issue of differentiation,” Amb. LaRocque announced. Among the other items for discussion are the governance of CARIFORUM; review of the status of Ninth and Tenth European Development Fund (EDF) programming and implementation, and consideration of a prospective Eleventh EDF Programme; the implementation of the CARIFORUM-EU Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA); and CARIFORUM’s engagement in the first EUCELAC (Community of Latin American and Caribbean States) Summit scheduled for January. His Excellency Danilo Medina, President of the Dominican Republic delivered the feature address at the Opening Ceremony.
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Friday November 30, 2012
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TIME FOR A NEW COUNCIL AT CITY HALL Having read that the Georgetown City Council recently passed a motion of no-confidence in the acting Town Clerk, and then having visited the city yesterday and seen disgusting scenes of fetid water accumulation in various parts, one has to ask who will move a motion of noconfidence in the very Council which is at odds with the acting Town Clerk. This is not the first time that the Council has found itself at odds with one of its officers, but it is hard to recall it ever moving a motion of noconfidence in any of the previous Town Clerks. Georgetown is the capital city. For it to flood so easily after only just a few hours of moderate to heavy downpours, means that the drainage system is in crisis, and one has to ask just who will stand up and take responsibility for that failure. Do not expect APNU to do what Desmond Hoyte did many moons ago. Do not expect for APNU to express its lack of confidence in the Council. That is not going to happen. What is more likely to happen is that they will join the chorus that says the government is strangling the municipality of funds. But if the political parties are not going to demand responsibility for the sorry state that the city has found
itself in, then it is time for the citizens of the capital to express their outright indignation at what happens every time there are rains in the country. Heaven forbid what is going to happen when the rains intensify. The residents of the city are going to be facing a terrible situation. They know what the root causes of the present situation are. They know that this has nothing to do with the acting Town Clerk. In fact the lady has hardly settled into office, hardly had time to get her feet wet, hardly had time to deal with the myriad problems that confront the municipality. Yet she is facing a no-confidence motion. This now seems to be the new weapon of choice to force persons to resign. No performance evaluation, no evidence of wrongdoing, no formal complaints to her superiors, no request for an investigation. Simply pass a no-confidence motion and demand that it be respected. Soon the school children will begin to pass motions of noconfidence in their teachers. This is a recipe for chaos. The residents of the city should pass their own noconfidence motion based on their own experience of the state of the city and demand that the entire Council take responsibility for this state of affairs.
Dem boys seh...
Fip throw down Berbice house A house fall down in Berbice and a young male nurse been inside de house. A beam squeeze he and he end up in hospital. When he wake up dem boys ask he how de house fall down. He tell dem that he father was raising it and that de old man hire a contractor. De contractor was Fip, who never build even a dog pen. Raising a house is a technical thing, suh when Fip tek de wuk without experience it had to fall. But people seh that if Fip coulda raise US$16 million from de Bees, he could raise a house that worth five million Guyana dollars or couple thousand US dollars. He is not de only one who mekking things fall. De elements mek rain fall. One night rain mek all dem contractors who do drainage and road building look stupid. It expose dem. Dem tek money from de treasury fuh dig dem drain but is a case of money gone down de drain. One night rain and all dem drain flood. When
people check all ah dem block up. People really want to know wha really happen when dem contractors claim that dem was doing drainage wuk. Perhaps dem was wukking wid dem road contractor. As fast as de road contractor dig up de road dem drain contractor tek that stuff and throw it in de drain. De whole exercise was a cover-up but de rain expose dem. That is how Rob Earth and Leslie like to see people wuk. It mean more money fuh de Bees, wid de bulk going to de King Bee. Is people like dem mek everybody believe that Guyana is a dry weather country. Meanwhile de same rain reminding people that Guyana is a big washing machine. It got de Marriott washing on de shore, de Amaila without water (that is dry cleaning), de airport runa-way project is a Chinee washing machine, and of course, de land distribution project. Talk half and hope a big rain don’t fall again.
There is no need to take to the streets. They should simply call for a day of rest in the city and ask that all businesses close their doors on that day as a form of protest against the conditions in the city. They should demand a non-political, non-partisan interim management committee to take over the affairs of City Hall. Surely no such body can do worse than what is happening. The opposition, however, will not budge. It sees control of the municipality as important; it views
Georgetown as its political turf and it will not cede this turf, despite the protestations of the public that things are simply not working as they ought to. And with the noconfidence motion against the Town Clerk, the opposition has grounds to accuse the government of being unresponsive to the Council. Well, it is not place of the Council to decide who should be the Town Clerk. That is the prerogative the government, which needs to balance two sets of interests: the right of the Council to adopt policies for the improvement of the
city and the need for those policies to be consistent with the public policy of the government. The idea of an autonomous local government is a myth. This is how it has always been and this is why certain officers within the local government system are appointed by the government rather than by their councils. If the councils were allowed to do this, then there is a risk that they could disregard the public interest and do things in their own interest. The no-confidence
motion against the Town Clerk should therefore not be used as a distraction, nor should the state of Georgetown be used to restate the case of the Council that applications for new sources of revenues have been stymied by the government. If your collection rate is below forty per cent, this means that a case cannot be Continued on page 12
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=== THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN ===
Manickchand, Aksharananda, Arya Samaj and the facts Readers would know that I am not on Facebook but I do have an e-mail account. A few nights ago, I opened my mail and received a communication from the w e b s i t e OneVoicecanWin.com. It lifted a comment from Minister Manickchand on her Facebook on the cancellation of the Chris Brown concert. Manickchand believes
that the affair was aborted because of the protest in Guyana by the lobby to end violence against women. Enraged, Manickchand exclaimed that the opposition was being hypocritical in not protesting against CN Sharma. Manickchand left out the bold facts of the deaths of three women who were connected to men that are very, very top colleagues of hers in her party, the PPP.
President, Bharrat Jagdeo – allegations of mental abuse by wife who confessed to the media that the union was never legalized; , Canadian immigration judge approved refugee request for fourteen year old out of fear that her rapists would harm her if she stayed in Guyana because of their political power; criminal allegation against party person in the public health system; criminal allegation
against a certain top personnel in the state media. Now to Swami Aksharananda. He has penned a letter accusing the AFC of a scorched earth policy. The AFC can defend itself, but I would like to know where Swami was the past twelve years, including 2012, when the PPP Government was scorching the earth? Up to this day he has not said a word. I was extremely disappointed at the Swami’s entry into political debate with such an inelegant contribution. The Swami is respected across political and religious lines and he may suffer damage to his credibility by his manifest bias. Of course the Swami is entitled to call it the way he sees it. That is his right. But he will be hard pressed to defend his scorched earth opinion in a comparative context. Let us for the sake of argument say that the Swami is truly indignant at the AFC; and one suspects that in his letter he was alluding to the Agricola night of violence. But his analytical mind cannot ignore unpleasant and abominable State behaviour in Guyana, for which there is no parallel in the Caricom
region. Again for the sake of argument, let us say that we accept that the Swami is revolted at what happened in Agricola. Surely, as an educated man (he holds a doctorate in sociology) and a deeply religious figure, his conscience has to be moved at the rights violations we see in this country, particularly since the death of Cheddi Jagan. It has been almost a decade since we saw any public correspondence from Swami. If my memory serves me right, his last opinion was on Kean Gibson’s book. Now Swami has offered us his views which I have no doubt is welcomed in the country. But why this sudden appearance after a long break and the criticism centres on the opposition? Is there a possibility that this religious gentleman is showing support to the Government? That is his right, of course, but given his standing in Guyana, it is bound to backfire on him. Speaking for myself, it would be a loss to the moderate voice in this society if the Swami should decide to lend support to a government whose balance sheet the Swami must have difficulty
Frederick Kissoon accepting as being clean. The Arya Samaj Movement of North and South America has said that Guyana should honour its leaders. One can hardly disagree with the Arya Samaj that the country’s leaders should be honoured. But there is no indication of when other presidents would make the list. Would it not have been better to start with two former presidents of opposing sides so as to quell any suspicion of bias? Why not Hoyte too? Desmond Hoyte is definitely a Guyanese president that deserves to have a statue made in his name. His democratic credentials stand out. He was a transformational president as opposed to a transactional leader. He changed the course of Guyanese history.
Friday November 30, 2012
Kaieteur News
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15,000 targeted as national HIV testing drive commences Eyeing an ambitious target of 15,000, the Ministry of Health through its National AIDS Programme Secretariat (NAPS) yesterday kicked into motion another national Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) testing drive. Under the theme, ‘Zero Stigma! Get Tested’, the activity is being undertaken at a number of testing sites that have been set up across the country, which according to reports emanating from NAPS, have already been seeing an acceptable response. Catering mainly to their workforces, there were testing sites at a number of organisations including Banks DIH, Neal and Massy, Sterling Products, Courts Guyana, the Guyana Revenue Authority, Ashmin’s, the Guyana Post Office Corporation, Guyana National Shipping Corporation, Rent-a-tent, Cheddi Jagan International Airport, Brickdam Police Station, Demerara Distillers Limited, Guyana Forestry Commission, Ministry of Amerindian Affairs and the Amerindian Hostel as well as the Ministry of Agriculture.
HIV Counsellor/Tester Maureen Hope attends to a Courts Guyana staffer. Former Minister of Health, Dr Leslie Ramsammy, kickstarted the testing activities at the latter mentioned Ministry. The national testing drive is set to come to an end tomorrow as World AIDS Day is ushered in under the theme ‘Getting to Zero’ which speaks to zero stigma, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths, according to NAPS’ Programme Manager, Dr Shanti Singh.
She related during an interview with this publication that a decision was made to scale-down the activity to three days this year, since it was recognised that the goal of the activity had been achieved. According to her, the goal of the testing drive was to encourage members of the public to know their status with a view of reducing the stigma and discrimination associated with the disease. Guyana’s HIV/AIDS
response was introduced in 1987 when the first AIDS case was diagnosed and “our response has really evolved over the years in many ways”. The ongoing testing drive, which will be expanded to a number of other locations today, also includes testing at mobile units on the East Coast and East Banks of Demerara, the Sophia/Turkeyen area, Vr e e d - e n - h o o p , We s t Coast Demerara, and a number of other locations, according to National Voluntary Counselling and Testing (VCT) Coordinator, Ms Debra Success-Hall. The process of Voluntary Counselling and Testing has remained one of the key cornerstones of the testing activity which, according to Dr Singh, has allowed for the evolution of the whole concept of treatment and prevention of HIV/AIDS. In recognition of the fact that there can only be two outcomes when a person is tested (positive or negative), she alluded to the crucial role of Voluntary Counselling and Testing as the main avenue to achieve the goals attached to the fight against HIV/AIDS. “If you are HIV-negative
Devin Adams (facing camera) counsels a client ahead of testing we will work with you on all of the risk reduction strategies, making sure that that individual remains HIVnegative, and if you are HIVpositive, we will work with that individual to make sure that that person gets into the care and treatment programme and gets managed appropriately,” said Dr Singh. Last year the national testing drive allowed for more than 40,000 individuals to be tested. This year, with the aid of mobile set-ups, Dr Singh said that more members of the
community will be reached, thereby allowing for the anticipated target to be attained. “We want to go to the workplaces and places of gatherings such as market places, the City Mall and other places to allow people to be tested,” Dr Singh said recently. She anticipates that a significant number of young people will seek to know their status during the course of the testing drive which is designed to ensure that there are no new infections.
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Kaieteur News
Friday November 30, 2012
GWI looking to have a more viable operation -- CEO
The existing Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) tariff structure does not currently meet social equity requirements. This assertion was made by Chief Executive of the water company, Shaik Baksh, in his attempt to justify why a revised tariff structure is warranted. Presenting his case to the Public Utilities Commission (PUC), recently, Baksh said that at the moment, residents of low income communities are required to pay the same service rates as high income earners. In fact, he disclosed that the GWI tariff structure has limited criteria for billing persons according to their ability to afford the service, thus emphasising that this does not benefit low income customers. He said, too, that the current structure does not promote conservation, since
unmetered customers pay a standard service charge, regardless of the amount of water they would have utilised. “Conservation of our service is critical to its sustainability as well as reducing GWI’s energy cost. In the interest of joining with the national movement for energy conservation, a change to our current structure is vital,” Baksh insisted. This move is regarded as strategic since, according to him, it comes at a pivotal time in the development of the nation’s water sector. Moreover, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) said that the proposal for a new tariff structure will seek to enhance the manner in which customers are billed. “With a new structure in place, GWI will be in a better
position to correct a number of deficiencies that exist. The existing structure does not cater to changes and the cost of external factors such as increased electricity breaks. GWI is the largest customer to the Guyana Power and Light Company, however, our tariff structure has not been modified to account for the growing energy cost.” The structure, Baksh added, does not provide an adequate revenue base from which GWI can cover its operational cost. As such, a revised tariff regime will guide the company along the path of becoming financially viable. In order for the momentum towards improving access to potable water to be maintained, the CEO said that it is necessary for the company to generate adequate income which can
be utilised in satisfying all operational costs and enhancing the service being provided to customers. Based on the PUC’s review of the GWI tariff structure in 2003, “the current tariff table has in excess of 20 different rate schedules, none of which have apparently been developed with the objective of making consumer prices reflect the costs of supplies. What is urgently needed is the development of a rational
tariff schedule.” According to Baksh, it was with this in mind, coupled with the evident deficiencies of the sector, that a decision was made to approach the PUC to approve a consolidated tariff regime that allows for the establishment of a designated methodology for categorising customers. This move, he explained, would allow for the differentiating of treated and non-treated water; billing of
unmetered customers at a rate that is closer to the cost of their average consumption; reasonable discrimination between domestic and nondomestic rates; reasonable discrimination between customers in the hinterland, small towns and the more established communities. Baksh said the company is also requesting approval for the introduction for a fixed charge component of its tariff, among other modifications.
Mega-mall connection - Giftland hooks up with major fast food franchise holder
(From left) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Camex Restaurant Inc. Terrence Campbell, and Director of Finance Christine Bennett-Blair looks on as CEO of Giftland OfficeMax Ian Ramdeo signs the MoU in the presence of Giftland’s President Roy Beepat. Fast food franchise holder Camex Restaurants Inc. (Church’s Chicken, Mario’s Pizza and Quiznos), yesterday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Giftland OfficeMax, which would see the company investing over $50 million, while occupying sections of the latter company’s multi-billion-dollar megamall which is expected to open its doors early in 2013 at Liliendaal, East Coast of Demerara,. All agreements will be renewable annually. The signing was held at the Georgetown Club, 208 Camp Street, South Cummingsburg, Georgetown. In attendance were several representatives of the establishments:Chief
Executive Officer (CEO) of Camex Restaurants Inc. Terrence Campbell, Director of Finance at Camex Inc. Christine Bennett-Blair, CEO of Giftland OfficeMax Ian Ramdeo, and President of Giftland OfficeMax, Roy Beepat. The MoU was signed between Ms. Bennett-Blair and Mr. Ramdeo. The mega-mall is being financed through support from Commercial Banks as well as ‘two private investors. It will include over 140 specialty stores, a modern interior design with nine 20-ft aquariums, spacious walkways and convenient seating areas with six escalators and four elevators, famous restaurant franchises and a
food court with over 20 local and international cuisine choices, secure parking for over 600cars, bus terminal and valet parking. Services such as ATMs for all banks, beauty salons, and barbershops, spas, postal and bill payment services will also be available, and expansion plans include more shops, entertainment outlets, supermarkets and a multilevel car park. The mall will reportedly be the largest of its kind in Guyana – a little over 170,000 square feet. The 10-acre plot of land was acquired by Giftland OfficeMax in 2007, through the Guyana Office for Investment (GO-Invest), but construction did not commence until 2009.
TIME FOR A NEW COUNCIL AT CITY HALL From page 9 made out for new taxes, because you are not sufficiently collecting the existing taxes, which for residential places, is extremely low. In recent years, a number of these residential places have been converted to business premises. And it needs to be asked how many of them are paying the
business rate. For, given the expansion in the number of businesses in the city, the city coffers should have improved tremendously by this development alone. It is time for a decision to be made and the government should use the powers to bring an end to the existence of the present Council. There will be cries that the government is acting in a
dictatorial manner, but once the government acts within the precincts of the law, it should not be bothered by the criticisms. It should signal that it plans to dissolve the Council and appoint a non-partisan council to manage the affairs of the City until such time as local government elections are held. Enough is enough!
Friday November 30, 2012
Kaieteur News
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Govt, opposition share chairmanship of Parliamentary Committees
APNU’s Rupert Roopnaraine According to the Parliament Office, on Wednesday, Raphael Trotman, Speaker of the
National Assembly, convened meetings of the several Special Select Committees to elect their Chairpersons. A special committee that will oversee the appointment of a new council to ensure the transformation of the University of Guyana (UG) w i l l b e c h a i r e d b y D r. Rupert Roopnaraine of A Partnership For National Unity (APNU). It will be called the “Special Select Committee on the appointment of new, fully constituted Council to ensure that the University of Guyana has a governing
body that has the capacity to transform the institution into a truly National Asset”. The running of UG has been worrisome for government and opposition alike, with the latter arguing that the University Council, one of its highest decisionmaking bodies, is too political and has been hampering the growth of the campus. A number of government officials sit on the council. Poor facilities and not enough revenues have been dogging UG for years now. There have also been calls for a revamping of the subjects to make them more in line with
Cocaine-in-coconut milk…
One jailed, one remanded for $$M Malaysia shipment The two men who were charged in connection with the shipment of cocaine that was discovered in canned coconut milk, and which arrived in Malaysia earlier this month, made their appearance yesterday at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court before acting Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry. One of the accused, Luknauth Danesar, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to four years’ imprisonment and fined $30,000. Danesar of 1 Coldingen, East Coast Demerara was jointly charged with Vijay Bisraj of 57 First Street Section B, Non Pareil, East Coast Demerara, Danesar, who is the Manager of New Sococo Enterprise (a packaging plant) was charged with trafficking an “unknown quantity of cocaine”. He pleaded guilty to that charge while his coaccused, Bisraj, pleaded not guilty to a charge which stated that he was in possession of two tins of coconut milk which contained liquid cocaine. Customs Anti Narcotics Unit Prosecutor Oswald Massiah in presenting his case to the court on the first accused, Danesar, said that between August 1st and November 20th of this year, the manager of the packaging plant, using his expertise, conspired to conceal liquid cocaine in coconut milk cans. Meanwhile, the prosecutor noted that Bisraj had worked at New Sococo Enterprise for 10 years before leaving to become a fisherman and he had used his expertise in sealing cans to conspire with persons unknown to conceal cocaine in the cans,
Luknauth Danesar however he was “shortchanged” for the job, so he took two cans of cocaine which he was found with. Meanwhile Danesar, when asked if he had anything to say, told the court that he had no knowledge as to where the items he packaged were being sent. He further stated that he was paid $100,000 to do the job and was promised $1M more when the cocaine would have arrived at its destination. The accused went on to state that he willingly participated because he needed the money to maintain his three children and was not working for sufficient money to do so. Bisraj was represented by Attorney Shellon Boyce, who told the court that while the two cans were found at her client’s premises, he was not there at the time of the discovery. Further, Ms. Boyce said that Bisraj’s premises is frequented by numerous individuals.
Meanwhile the Magistrate in handing down her ruling said she took into consideration that Danesar did not waste the court’s time or the state’s resources. He was then sentenced. Bisraj was remanded to prison and will make his next court appearance on December 7 at the Vigilance Magistrate’s Court. A few weeks ago Malaysian authorities had seized a container filled with a reported US$7M in cocaine in liquid coconut milk which originated in Guyana. It is believed that the US’ Drugs Enforcement Administration (DEA) may have been tracking the container since it left these shores. Bernama News in Malaysia had reported that Bukit Aman Narcotics CID director Datuk Noor Rashid Ibrahim said the tactic was foiled by the Selangor Customs Department after detaining a ship carrying a container cargo in which a section contained drugs worth RM22 (US$7.1M). “Based on information from United States Drug Enforcement Administration (USDEA), the ship which arrived on Monday (Nov 12) at Port Klang was filled with 980 cartons of cans containing coconut milk and pieces of pineapple.” Bernama reported that 16 cartons comprising 384 cans of coconut milk were identified as mixtures with 400 grammes of cocaine in each can by the Malaysia’s Chemistry Department. Ibrahim said the container which originated from Guyana was to be sent to Mozambique.
the demands of Guyana’s labour market. The Chairpersons for two other committees were also chosen on Wednesday. Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Jennifer Webster, is the Chairperson for the “Special Select Committee on Guyana’s Commitment to the United Nation’s Human Rights Council”. This committee has oversight responsibilities for the “abolition of corporal punishment in schools, the abolition of the death penalty and the decriminalization of lesbians, gays, bi-sexuals and transgender persons. Attorney General, Anil Nandlall was elected to chair the “Special Select Committee on the Deeds Registry Bill Bill No.11 of 2012”. The Bill, introduced to the National Assembly last week, seeks to make the Deeds Registry more independent and efficient. The Parliament Office said that the Speaker urged the newly elected Chairpersons to ensure that their respective committees meet as soon as
possible to prepare work programmes. Meanwhile, in a separate statement, Parliament has released the names of the Parliamentarians who will serve on a number of critical committees, including the Committee of Privileges - the one that disciplines members. The 10-member committee is controlled by five members from the opposition, with the Chairman being House Speaker, Raphael Trotman. From the ruling People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/ C) the representatives are Prime Minister Samuel Hinds; Minister of Home Affairs Clement Rohee; Mohabir Anil Nandlall, Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs and Robert Persaud, Minister of Natural Resources and Environment. From APNU, there were four persons - Basil Williams, Dawn Hastings, Christopher Jones and Richard Allen – all of whom were nominated back in March. Catherine Hughes is the Member of Parliament from the Alliance For Change who will sit on the Committee.
Home Affairs Minister, Clement Rohee The Committee of Privileges took centre stage last week after the House Speaker sent an APNU-tabled motion to gag Minister Rohee in the National Assembly. The Minister had been under pressure after the combined APNU/AFC opposition passed a no-confidence vote against him back in July. Government earlier this week has challenged the Speaker’s ruling in court asking for orders that will prevent the Committee of Privileges from hearing the matter involving Minister Rohee.
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Kaieteur News
Friday November 30, 2012
Auditor General begins probe into NDIA’s fraud allegations The Auditor General’s Office has commenced investigations into fraud allegations against senior officials of the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) that surfaced in the media via a leaked report compiled by the entity’s Field Auditor. According to the Auditor General, Deodat Sharma, based on a conversation with the Chairman of NDIA Board Dharamkumar Seeraj and Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture George Jervis and because this is a topical issue in the
press, he decided to begin his investigations. However, he is not in possession of the Field Auditor’s report and the head of NDIA’s response that were submitted to Seeraj. In mid-October 2012, NDIA’s Field Auditor in a report sent to President Donald Ramotar and Seeraj accused the entity’s Chief Executive Officer, Lionel Wordsworth and the Senior Section Engineer, Aneel Chowbay, of being involved in corrupt practices. The Field Auditor recommended the duo’s dismissal. The report speaks of
- Not in possession of report or CEO’s response conflict of interest and sole sourcing of services such as the supply of fuel and the awarding of contracts to relatives of senior NDIA operatives, in breach of national procurement procedures. NDIA deemed the report as “mischievous, misleading and aimed at damaging the image of the Authority for personal gains and aspirations”. Because the auditor skipped protocol by sending the damning report to Ramotar, he was
subsequently sent on leave. According to Sharma, as part of the investigations, contracts issued in 2011 and 2012 by the entity will be reviewed. In addition, focus will be placed on sole sourcing of services to ascertain if there were breaches in the procurement procedures. The Auditor General related that he is uncertain when the investigations will conclude, owing to the magnitude of work to be done. He assured that his
investigations will be done impartially and emphasized that no one can control him. Sharma said that he prides himself in doing thorough investigations and would have liked to see the report and response from the entity’s head. Seeraj had indicated that he would have sent the report and the CEO’s response to the Auditor General for further review since he (Seeraj) is not an auditor. Seeraj emphasized that it is unfortunate that
the i nvestigations conducted by the Field Auditor did not follow the normal procedure from the inception. He noted that the auditor should have sent the document to the department head to respond to the issues. Region Four Chairman and member of NDIA Board, Clement Corlette, also criticized the move by the auditor to send the initial report to President R a m o t a r, bypassing the Minister of Agriculture and other Directors of the NDIA Board.
GPHC clears air on absence of key drug The Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) has responded to an article published in the (Thursday) November 29 edition of this newspaper, which claimed that there is the absence of a key drug, Natamycin. The hospital stated yesterday that it has taken note of the article and categorically refuted any inference that hospital management is responsible for Natamycin being unavailable for clients who require this drug. It was explained that while Natamycin is not listed on the GPHC formulary (i.e. the list of prescription drugs readily available at the hospital), the system at the GPHC allows the attending doctor to request, via prescription, that the drug be sourced and purchased. Further the hospital stated that the system is known to all physicians associated with the hospital. It was noted that at the current time, neither hospital management nor the hospital Pharmacist is aware of any request made by any doctor for this drug. The hospital said that it was disappointing that statements of such inflammatory nature, attributed to Dr. George Norton, a Consultant/Head of Opthalmology at the institution, would be published without an attempt to understand and verify the facts. “As part of ongoing efforts to improve the quality of the services we provide and our commitment to meeting the health needs of the people we serve, GPHC will continue to monitor the status of any requests that may be made for this drug.” On Thursday, this newspaper had reported that according to a senior official, the absence of the drug at the hospital had caused a number of patients to lose their sight. The report noted that the expensive drug, Natamycin, is
Natamycin used to treat corneal ulcers. A corneal ulcer is a sore on the cornea (the transparent layer at the front of the eye) and persons tend to lose vision in that eye if the ulcer is not treated properly and in time. Recently persons from the rural areas have been visiting the hospital with this disease but because of the absence of the Natamycin, most of them have lost their sight. Some of them lose sight in one eye but the disease tends to spread to the other eye, causing total blindness. And although the medication has been listed on the hospital’s requisition form for years, as a “high priority” drug, it is never available, Dr. George Norton, Head of the Ophthalmology Department, had said. Dr. Norton explained that corneal ulcers are mostly found in farming communities and areas affected by dust. Kaieteur News understands that at least once a week a patient with corneal ulcer visits the Eye clinic at GPHC for treatment and in many cases, patients end up losing the infected eye, because there is not the right type of drug to manage the situation.
Friday November 30, 2012
Kaieteur News
Negotiations on issues at university not going well - UGSSA Dialogue on wages, salaries and working conditions for all categories of employees between the University of Guyana (UG)’s unions and a negotiating team are not going very well, says Dr. Melissa, Ifill, Vice President of the University of Guyana Senior Staff Association (UGSSA). During an interview with this publication yesterday, Dr. Ifill disclosed that the University of Guyana Senior Staff Association and the University of Guyana Workers’ Union have been advised that another negotiation session is set for next Monday, December 3. She related that from that meeting the Unions will decide the way forward, since this is a critical juncture for this semester. The first semester for this academic year was interrupted when lecturers and other staff protested poor working conditions and the termination of three lecturers’ contracts by the University’s Council. Two of the lecturers were issued new contracts. However, the Ministry of Labour was able to avert a widespread strike in late February and Unions and UG’s Administration signed Terms of Resumption. As part of that agreement, the
Administration was expected to meet the Unions and the negotiating team within one month of the Unions submitting a Memorandum of Demands on salaries, emulation for workers and other issues within their respective bargaining units. According to Dr. Ifill, attempts at keeping meetings between the Administration and the Unions are being made, but the problem lies with the University’s Council. She explained that for the negotiations to commence, two Council members are required to be present. However, their participation has not been forthcoming. In fact, of the four meetings scheduled, only once did two Council members attend. In a press statement issued in October, Dr. Ifill had stated that Council members failed to attend two meetings previously scheduled with the UG negotiation team in June 2012 following the submission of the Unions’ Memorandum of Demands in May 2012. Following the signing of the agreement in February, Dr. Ifill had noted that one of the most promising outcomes of the meeting was the Administration’s stance on the World Bank loan which is expected to improve the University’s delivery of
Science education. However, to date, employees and students are awaiting the evidence of the implementation of the US$10M World Bank University of Guyana Science and Technology Support Project. This project is linked to the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) and will be based in four Science faculties: Agriculture and Forestry, Natural Sciences, the School of Earth and Environmental Sciences. The project is expected to be implemented over a fiveyear period and would see the improvement of laboratory and building infrastructure at four faculties, comprising 14 buildings; providing the laboratories with scientific equipment to enable the delivery of practical science education and research; and establishing of a campuswide internet network. According to Dr. Ifill, the status of this project remains unknown to employees and students. She emphasized that all is known is that the agreement between the Government of Guyana and the World Bank has been inked. In addition, the personnel for the project have been identified, but no names have been released.
Police yesterday intercepted more than 350 kilogrammes of cocaine at John Fernandes Limited shipping container facility on Mandela Avenue. Kaieteur News understands that the drug was found stashed in a consignment of Breeze Soap Powder.
The drug was reportedly intended to be shipped to Niger, Africa, and was due to leave Guyana next Tuesday (December 4). The seizure was made by anti-narcotics agents as they inspected the batch of soap powder. Reports are that the male shipper has been arrested
and remains in police custody assisting investigators with the case. An anti- narcotics official told this newspaper that there have been a growing number of cocaine discoveries and noted that ranks are committed to being “thorough” in all aspects of inspection.
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The post mortem on the remains of 53-year-old Ramkissoon ‘Greenie’ Sukhan has revealed that he died as a result of drowning. The PM was done by Government Pathologist Dr. Vivikenand Bridgemohan on Wednesday at the New Amsterdam mortuary. Sukhan was the boat captain who left the Meadow Bank, East Bank Demerara wharf on November 1, last. Sukhan had departed with four other fishermen. On November 5, it became evident that the men and their boat were missing at sea. Their relatives started to become worried. They were all feared dead. Three crew members, however, turned up and told the story of pirates attacking them at sea. They related that
they were dumped overboard. The three survivors alleged that Sukhan was beaten, shot and dumped overboard while 17year-old Vickram Harrynandan drowned after the pirates ordered the remaining crew members to jump from their vessel. Sukhan’s badly decomposed body was found along the Eversham foreshore on the Corentyne last week Wednesday. According to reports, following the discovery a report was made by fishermen in the area to the Upper Corentyne Fishermen’s Coop Society at Number 66 Village, Corentyne. Additional reports were made to the police in the area the following day, but yet no one ventured out to bring the
corpse to shore for some reason or other. Further, relatives of the missing boat captain, were also suspicious about the reports of his demise. They were told that Sukhan was hauling in the day’s catch when the gunmen allegedly struck. They were told that Sukhan was shot and thrown overboard. It is alleged that the gunmen fled with the crew’s valuables but returned and took the victims to another boat which then took them to land. However relatives of the missing man said they did not believe the crew members’ story. “If people attack you boat they don’t come back to you to help you. We want the police to investigate this matter properly,” one relative told Kaieteur News recently.
Enough is enough!
Over 350 kilos of cocaine found in soap powder
This Georgetown resident says he can no longer tolerate the incompetence of City Hall. Yesterday’s rapid flooding of the capital prompted this protest action on Croal Street.
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Governments tackle climate change work programme DOHA, Qatar - CMC Youth organisations and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) piled pressure on climate change negotiators to reach a resolution on several pressing issues including the future of the Kyoto Protocol, the only legally binding cap on greenhouse gas emissions, whose first commitment period expires at the end of this year. Governments meeting in the Gulf Arab state of Qatar launched negotiations this week to get decision texts ready or as complete as possible for the attention of the high-level ministerial
session beginning December 4. “Work has been launched as scheduled in all the negotiating bodies and governments have shown commitment here to achieve the objectives of this important conference, which must set the stage for a new leap in global ambition to respond to climate change,” said Christiana Figueres, Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). “Let us remind ourselves again, here in Doha, that international commitments to cut greenhouse gases and deal with the impacts of
Christiana Figueres climate change are higher than they have ever been, yet are still not sufficient to prevent the global average temperature rising beyond
Jamaica says Alpart alumina plant will reopen soon
MONTEGO B AY, Jamaica — Minister of S c i e n c e , Te c h n o l o g y, Energy and Mining, Phillip Paulwell, says he is confident that the Alpart bauxite and alumina plant at Nain, St Elizabeth, will re-open soon, as discussions with U C Rusal, the majority shareholders and operators of the plant, are going well. Address i n g a R u r a l Electrification Programme (REP) lighting ceremony, in Powell Town, Southfield, St Elizabeth, (Wednesday), the Minister said the latest round of discussions with representatives of U C Rusal took place on Tuesday and that another is scheduled for the near future. “We have to get Alpart re-opened, we have to get our bauxite/alumina back to where it was, and we have to get employment going. I have said to the representatives of UC Rusal, what you have there is precious to us, you have good reserves, and we cannot afford to keep the place locked down,” Paulwell said.
Paulwell emphasised that before the end of this year, a date and schedule for the reopening of the plant must be established. “I have said to them (U C Rusal) that before this year is out, we are going to have to come and tell the people of St Elizabeth the date and schedule for the re-opening. The good news is that they continue to maintain the plant, even though it is closed,” he pointed out. The Minister said that energy generation is playing an important role in the re-
CASTRIES, St Lucia CMC - Disgruntled officials of the Trade Union Federation (TUF) stormed out of wage talks with Government Wednesday claiming they felt insulted at the administration’s zero response to their wage proposal for public sector workers for the 2010-2013 triennium. TUF officials who placed a request for a 16 per cent increase spread over three years were stunned by the government’s proposed wage freeze over the three year
period and immediate payment of EC$1000 Christmas bonus. “At the meeting with the Government negotiating team we were offered a wage freeze. We were told to take zero for the first year, zero for the second year and zero for the third year and in lieu of that to accept a one-time payment of one thousand dollars. We indicated to the government negotiation team that we consider the offer an insult, and therefore we were unable to continue any discussions with them,” said Julian Monrose, President of
Phillip Paulwell
opening of the plant, and that as soon as a solutio n i s found to the energy issue, and that is expected by the e n d o f D e c e m b e r, t h e n there will be a move to have the plant re-opened for business, which should lead to the generation of employment in the area. Paulwell added that the discussions also include a programme to make the mined out lands in the parish and other parishes available to persons who want to do farming, with some of the lands to be used as water catchments to support the farming projects. “By the end of January (2013), we intend to start the allocation of those mined out lands to farmers, who will have to take farming to a higher level,” he stated, adding that more scientific methods of farming might have to be adopted. The parishes of St Elizabeth and Manchester were affected economically, since the closure of the Alpart processing plant in 2009. (Jamaica Observer)
Trade union officials walk out of Government meeting
the St Lucia Trade Union Federation. The TUF official said their request for a 16 percent increase would involve an increase of five per cent in the first year, five per cent in the second and six per cent in the third. But he said based on the response of the Government’s negotiation team the unions will now be meeting separately with their members, cautioning that the government team should allow good sense to prevail at the soonest.
the 2 degree centigrade target that governments themselves have agreed to,” she said. Trudy Zundel of the youth organization, Earthen Brackets said negotiators must make haste on climate change talks because “we’re in planetary emergency.” “Countries need to do what it can to halt climate change and do it with a sense of humanity…lives and livelihoods are at stake,” she said. Noting that the 18th Conference of Parties is taking place in Qatar which has the world’s highest emission per capita, Reem Al Mealla from the newly formed Arab Youth Climate Movement said Arab governments, as a first step, should pledge to cut down their greenhouse gas emissions. Qatar has the world’s third biggest natural gas reserves and is the top supplier of liquefied natural gas, according to the US government’s Energy Information Administration In an open letter to negotiating countries, the organisation said rich countries who have poured most of the carbon into the
atmosphere need to take the lead in emission reductions while emerging economies have also to make commitments to reduce the exploitation of oil, coal and gas. Negotiators at the Doha conference have set themselves several key objectives including the seamless continuation of the Kyoto Protocol as of 1 January 2013. Key issues under the Protocol that need to be decided include the length of the second commitment period and how to convert targets into so-called “quantified emission limitation and reduction objectives” (QELROs), the unit of binding reduction commitments and the legal formulation of the amendment to the Protocol, including how to carry over unused emission credits of economies in transition into the second phase of the Protocol. Governments at last year ’s climate change conference in Durban also agreed to reach a universal climate change agreement covering all countries from
2020, to be adopted by 2015, and to find concrete ways before 2020 to increase efforts beyond the existing pledges. In Doha, governments need to decide which elements of the Bali Action Plan have been achieved and/ or implemented, what additional decisions can be taken in Doha and which elements may need to continue to be further addressed. At the climate change conference in Durban last year, Governments agreed to complete the 2007 Bali Action Plan, covering the areas of mitigation (curbing greenhouse gas emissions), adaptation to climate change, and the finance, technology and capacity-building which developing countries require to build their lowemission, climate-resilient futures. Another area for the negotiators at Doha is completing new infrastructure and charting the way forward on long-term climate finance to support action in developing nations, which they have agreed must reach a level of US$100 billion a year by 2020.
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PM gets proposal on highway impasse... Trinidad Guardian - Four members of civil society delivered a proposal to Prime Minister Kamla PersadBissessar ’s office Wednesday in an attempt to intervene in the impasse between the Government and the Highway Re-route Movement over the Mon Desir section of the Point Fortin Highway. The four groups are: • The Joint Consultative Council (JCC) • The T&T Transparency Institute • The Women Working for Social Progress (Working Women) • The Federation of Independent Trade Unions and NGO’s (Fitun). President of JCC Afra Raymond said the proposal was based on the restoration of public trust, because public trust was being slowly eroded on all sides. In March this year, the Highway ReRoute Movement and environmental activist Dr Wayne Kublalsingh asked the Government for an independent technical review
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Civil society groups call for independent review
Joint Consultative Council president Afra Raymond leans in close to listen to leader of the Highway Re-route Movement Dr Wayne Kublalsingh, after presenting him with a copy of the petition. PHOTO: MARCUS GONZALES on the Mon Desir section of the Point Fortin Highway. Kublalsingh has spent the last 14 days on a hunger strike in an attempt to get PersadBissessar to provide such a review to the public. “We
have asked the Prime Minister for an early response (within 48 hours),” Raymond said. Raymond said the key element of the proposal was the requirement of an independent review of the
contentious matters raised by Kublalsingh and the Highway Re-route Movement. “If an independent review exists, and that is in question, then it can be immediately published. “If it does not exist
we are calling for one to be created and we have outlined a process for the creation of an independent review of the matters in dispute within three months,” Raymond told the media. The proposal also suggested that Independent senator James Armstrong be appointed to chair the review committee. “We are asking for sober, urgent consideration of this matter in the interest of saving human life and restoring some stability and public confidence at this very important moment in the country.” Raymond said public trust was slipping way. “We need to restore public trust...That’s what this is about,” he said. “What we are seeing is a dwindling emphasis on merits and the facts when settling a dispute. We have long-term development taking place and being driven by short term considerations.” He said when the highway was built; it would be there for the next 100 years. Raymond along with Fitun
president Joseph Remy and Working Women Convener Merle Hodge also presented the proposal to Kublalsingh, who continued day 14 of his hunger strike outside the Office of the Prime Minister in St Clair. Hodge said she was concerned about the “abusive” responses of members of the Government who she said were responding to criticism with character assassination. “Their language is abusive and it is violent and that is not a good model for young people. I come from an organisation that is devoted to building a culture of peace and a part of that is the way we handle children and how we view them. “They are presenting them with violence. Violence takes many forms,” said Hodge. Remy said prolonging the verbal abuse in public would not help the society. “We are going down a slippery slope very fast. We are sliding downwards and I am not sure if we can recover if this thing is not brought to an amicable resolution.”
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ACP Group calls on EU to honour commitments challenges of climate change, food security, universal access to energy, and ensuring peace and stability for societies in serious political upheaval, which require global collective action.” The Secretary General welcomed the stance of European Commission President José Manuel Barroso and his
Paramaribo, Suriname The Secretary General of the Group of African, Caribbean and Pacific States Dr Mohamed Ibn Chambas has expressed profound regret at the European C o u n c i l ’s proposal last week to cut development aid funding by more than 7%, compared to figures put forward by the European Commission. This includes a disproportionate 11% slash to the European Development Fund (EDF), which benefits 930 million people in ACP countries. “While we appreciate the fiscal challenges that some of our European partners are facing, we do not believe that now is the time to be cutting back on development finance. To do so is rather shortsighted. Vulnerable communities in ACP countries are the worst hit by the global economic crisis – we should all show solidarity and responsibility with the world’s poorest during these times of need, rather than attempt to balance budgets at the cost of millions of lives,”
stated the Secretary General. “With the Council’s proposed figures, I fear we would be falling far short of achieving the internationally agreed targets for halving the number of people living in absolute poverty under the Millennium Development Goals for 2015. Our partners also still need to honour their commitments of 0.7% of GNP for development assistance. There are new global
RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Human Rights Watch yesterday praised a r e s o l u t i o n b y B r a z i l ’s Human Rights Defense Council that outlined steps to help reduce extrajudicial killings by police. In a statement, the New York-based rights advocacy group said Brazilian police routinely “engage in unlawful violence, executing people and falsely claiming they died in shootouts.” In a 2009 report, the organization estimated some 11,000 people were killed by police between 2003-2009 in the country’s two largest metropolises, Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo, alone. A 2008 United Nations report found that that police throughout Brazil were responsible for a “significant portion” of 48,000 slayings the year before. In a bid to curb such killings, Brazil’s Human Right Defense Council on Wednesday released a resolution outlining steps to be taken in killings in which police allege the victim resisted arrest.
Those steps include such seemingly basic tasks as promptly analyzing the crime scene and collecting witnesses’ statements. Analyzing autopsy reports, as well as any weapons or vehicles involved in the incident, are also among the recommended steps. Human Rights Watch’s Americas Director, Jose Vivanco, was quoted as calling Wednesday’s resolution “encouraging.” “By complying with the resolution, states could make real progress in reigning in police abuse,” Vivanco said. The problem of resistance killings was brought into sharp focus l a s t y e a r, w h e n t h e shooting death of an 11year-old boy made headlines nationwide. On June 20, 2011, Juan Moraes left his home in a Rio favela, or hillside slum, to run an errand for his mother and was hit by police fire. His body was found three days later, dumped in a river near police headquarters, 11 miles (18 kilometers) from where he was shot.
Dr Mohamed Ibn Chambas
HRW commends Brazilian bid to curb police killings
Commissioner for Development Cooperation Andris Piebalgs, who proposed at least •30 billion for EDF-11 covering the period 2014-2020, following the •22 billion under EDF-10 for the period 2008-2013. However, the Council are proposing •26.9 billion under EDF-11, which amounts to a reduction in real value terms.
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PLP candidate caught with marijuana steps down HAMILTON, Bermuda – CMC - Following his arrest for the possession of marijuana, a candidate from the ruling Progressive Labour Party (PLP) has pulled out of the race for next month’s General election. Late Wednesday, the PLP said a new candidate to replace Makai Dickerson. Dickerson, described as a rising star by the PLP, was due to challenge Opposition Leader Craig Cannonier in Devonshire South Central in the December 17 election. Dickerson’s
resignation followed his admission earlier this week that police found him in possession of a “very small” amount of marijuana in September before he was rolled out as a PLP candidate. “After much reflection, I have decided to step down as a candidate. I do this because this election is too important and my personal shortcomings shouldn’t cause any further distractions for my party and the voters of Bermuda during this important time,” he said in a statement.
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UK judge issues damning press verdict LONDON (AP) — Britain needs a new independent media regulator to eliminate a subculture of unethical behavior that infected segments of the country’s press, a senior judge said yesterday at the end of a yearlong inquiry into newspaper wrongdoing. Lord Justice Brian Leveson said a new regulatory body should be established in law to prevent more people being hurt by “press behavior that, at times, can only be described as outrageous.” But Prime Minister David Cameron balked at that idea, warning that passing a new law to set up the body would mean “crossing the Rubicon” toward state regulation of the press. Leveson issued his 2,000page report at the end of a media ethics inquiry that was triggered by revelations of tabloid phone hacking and expanded to engulf senior figures in politics, the police and Rupert Murdoch’s media empire. His proposals will likely be welcomed by victims of press intrusion and some
Lord Justice Brian Leveson politicians, who want to see the country’s rambunctious press reined in. But some editors and lawmakers fear any new body could curtail freedom of the press. Cameron welcomed Leveson’s proposal for a new regulator with powers to settle disputes, order corrections and fine offenders. But he said that asking legislators to enshrine it in law meant “crossing the Rubicon of writing elements of press regulation into the
law of the land.” “I believe that we should be wary of any legislation that has the potential to infringe free speech and a free press,” Cameron told lawmakers in the House of Commons. “In this House which has been a bulwark of democracy for centuries, we should think very, very carefully before crossing this line.” Leveson insisted in his report that politicians and the government should play no role in regulating the press, which should be done by a new body with much stronger powers than the current Press Complaints Commission. He said “what is needed is a genuinely independent and effective system of selfregulation.” But Leveson said it was “essential that there should be legislation to underpin the independent self-regulatory system.” “The ball moves back into the politicians’ court: they must now decide who guards the guardians,” he said. He said the new body should be composed of members of the public including former journalists
and academics — but no serving editors or politicians. It should have the power to demand prominent corrections in newspapers and to levy fines of up to 1 million pounds ($1.6 million). Critics of the tabloid press generally welcomed the report. Former Formula One boss Max Mosley, who sued Murdoch’s News Corp. for invasion of privacy over claims he had taken art in a Nazi-themed orgy, said Leveson’s report went in the right direction, although “I would have liked to see more.” Campaign group Hacked Off said Leveson’s proposals “are reasonable and proportionate and we call on all parties to get together to implement them as soon as possible.” Cameron set up the Leveson inquiry after
revelations of illegal eavesdropping by Rupert Murdoch’s now-defunct News of the World tabloid sparked a criminal investigation and a wave of public revulsion. The furor erupted in 2011 when it was revealed that the News of the World had eavesdropped on the mobile phone voicemails of slain schoolgirl Milly Dowler while police were searching for the 13-year-old. Murdoch shut down the 168-year-old newspaper in July 2011. His U.K. newspaper company, News International, has paid millions in damages to dozens of hacking victims, and faces lawsuits from dozens more, from celebrities, politicians, athletes and crime victims whose voicemails were hacked in the paper’s quest for scoops. Leveson heard evidence
from hundreds of journalists, politicians, lawyers and victims of press intrusion during months of hearings that provided a dramatic, sometimes comic and often poignant window on the workings of the media. Witnesses ranged from celebrities such as Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling and Hugh Grant — who both complained of intrusive treatment — to the parents of Dowler, who described how learning that their daughter’s voicemail had been accessed had given them false hope that she was alive. Leveson said that the ongoing criminal investigation constrained him from accusing other newspapers of illegal behavior, but argued there was a subculture of unethical behavior “within some parts of some titles.”
Congo rebels pulling back; fate of Goma uncertain
M23 rebels gather in the eastern Congo town of Sake, some 27 kms west of Goma, yesterday. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay) GOMA, Congo (AP) — Rebels who last week seized Goma, one of the most important cities in eastern Congo, said they had pulled back slightly and were on track to leave the city by today, in accordance with a deadline imposed by the international community. The apparent withdrawal of the M23 rebels indicates that international pressure may have succeeded in reversing the rebel advance and staved off what could have been the start of a new war between the enormous, jungle-covered nation of Congo and its much smaller and more affluent neighbor, Rwanda. The M23 rebels are widely believed to be financially and militarily backed by Rwanda, which is accused of using
rebel groups to gain access to the mines that dot eastern Congo. Rebel spokesman Lt. Col. Vianney Kazarama told The Associated Press yesterday that his soldiers had already pulled back to Sake, 27 kilometers (18 miles) beyond Goma. “We are withdrawing,” he said, adding they will be on track to leave Goma as asked. In the nearby Congo village of Mushaki, a handful of M23 soldiers were still patrolling the town yesterday afternoon, but their reduced numbers suggested that a drawdown had occurred. In Sake, reporters saw several dozen rebels loading bags of food, appearing to be getting ready to leave. The Congolese military, meanwhile, was regrouping in
the town of Minova, 60 kilometers (40 miles) south of Goma. Large numbers of Congolese soldiers gathered for a pep talk in Minova’s stadium yesterday, preparing for an offensive if the rebels refused to leave. Despite the assurances by rebel leaders, U.S. State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said it was unclear if the rebels will fully withdraw from Goma, the main trading and shipping point for the gold and tin carved out of North Kivu’s mineral-rich soil. “We do see some movement of M23 troops, but we can’t tell whether this is preparatory to a withdrawal or whether it’s just sort of redeployment,” she said in Washington.
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Syria using mines and cluster bombs on civilians: campaigners GENEVA (Reuters) - Syria has strewn landmines along its borders with Lebanon and Turkey, making it the only country worldwide to use the weapons this year, and is increasingly dropping cluster munitions on civilian areas, campaigners said yesterday. Nearly two dozen Syrians, many of them children, are known to have been killed or maimed by Soviet-made mines in border crossing areas so far this year, but the true number of casualties is probably higher, they said. Another 10 children playing outdoors died in a government air strike that dropped cluster bombs on a rebel-held village near Damascus this week, they said. “This year we have identified only one government that has used anti-personnel mines and that is Syria. We have information that the laying of mines has continued in Syria, with reports up to October this year that mines are being used,” Mark Hiznay, editor of the Landmine Monitor 2012 report, told a briefing. The International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL), which publishes the
report, documented the most recent mine explosion last month in the village of Kharbit al Jouz, near the border with Turkey. Three civilians were injured, including two who lost their legs. “This was basically a military position that was abandoned by the Syrian military one day and overnight they had laid about 150 to 200 landmines to delay whoever was pursuing them. And eventually the villagers started finding them the hard way as they were going about their business across the paths,” Hiznay said. Syrian rebels are not known to have used landmines in the 20-month conflict aimed at toppling President Bashar al-Assad, but are setting off roadside bombs and other deadly devices, according to the Nobel prize-winning ICBL. “We have seen instances where the insurgents are using improvised explosive devices but that all we have seen are ones that have been command-detonated, which is of a different character than an anti-personnel mine which is victim-activated,” Hiznay said.Officials from 160 countries that have joined the
Former President George H. W. Bush Hospitalized for a Week
Former President George H. W. Bush has been hospitalized in Houston for the past week with what his staff confirms is bronchitis and a chronic cough. Jim McGrath, a Bush spokesman, tells ABC News that the 88-year-old former president has not developed pneumonia or any lifethreatening condition and is expected to be released over the coming weekend. His family has said publicly the former president is no longer able to walk unassisted, a frustration for a man who enjoyed an active lifestyle of golf, fishing, jogging, and power walks on the beach near his summer home in Maine. In Houston, where he and his wife Barbara Bush have lived since leaving the White House almost 20 years ago, President Bush has been in and out of the hospital for health concerns and two hip replacement surgeries. The former president became emotional last summer in a birthday interview with his granddaughter Jenna, a
George H. W. Bush contributor to NBC’s “Today Show.” He read a portion of a letter to his family about growing old. “As the summers finish out, and the seas get a little higher, winds a little colder,” he wrote. “I’ll be making some notes, writing it down lest I forget so I can add to the report on getting older. Who knows, maybe they will come out with a new drug that makes legs bend easier, joints hurt less, drives go farther, memory come roaring back and all fears about falling off fishing rafts go away.” (ABC OTUS News)
Mine Ban Treaty meet in Geneva next week to review progress in halting production, destroying stockpiles and clearing mines after wars. Russia has been a major ally and arms supplier to Syria but there was no indication of a recent transfer of mines to Assad’s forces, said Hiznay, a senior arms
researcher at Human Rights Watch, which contributed to the report with four other groups. “The ones we have seen going into ground were produced in the Soviet Union in the 1980s, based on the markings that we have seen on the mines,” he said. Human Rights Watch has also documented the use of cluster munitions by Syrian
forces, including on an olive oil factory. “These are indiscriminate, murderous weapons, they are using them for one reason and that is to attack the civilian population,” Hiznay told reporters. Myanmar, long on its list of governments using antipersonnel mines, has been dropped this year as
there has been no proven use by state forces, although armed groups have been found to being planting them there in 2012. “The situation in Myanmar is evolving right now with the transition that’s going on there. Our ability to collect almost real-time information is somewhat limited,” Hiznay said.
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Boehner sees no fiscal cliff Mursi hopes Egypt constitution progress after Geithner meeting vote will ease crisis
Mohamed Mursi CAIRO (Reuters) - An assembly charged with writing Egypt’s new constitution began voting on its final draft yesterday, a process President Mohamed Mursi hopes will help to end a crisis which erupted when the Islamist gave himself sweeping new powers. Mursi’s decree last week halting court challenges to his decisions, which provoked protests and violence across the country, will lapse if Egyptians approve the new constitution. Speedy completion of the draft would allow a referendum to be held as soon as mid-December but Mursi’s opponents have attacked the attempt to rush the process through. In an interview with Time, Mursi said the majority supported his decree but added: “If we had a constitution, then all of what I have said or done last week will stop.” The president is expected to speak to the nation later on Thursday in an effort to ease the crisis, which has set off a week of protests and threatens to derail some early signs of an economic recovery after two years of turmoil. Two people have been killed and hundreds injured in the protests since last week Thursday’s decree, which
deepened the divide between the newly-empowered Islamists and their opponents. Setting the stage for more tension, the Muslim Brotherhood and its Islamist allies have called for proMursi rallies on Saturday. But officials from the Brotherhood’s party changed the venue and said they would avoid Tahrir Square, where a sit-in by the president’s opponents entered a seventh day yesterday. The Brotherhood, that backed Mursi for president in June elections, hopes to end the crisis by replacing the controversial decree with an entirely new constitution. “May God bless us on this day,” Hossam el-Gheriyani, the speaker of the constituent assembly, told members at the start of the session to vote on each of the 234 articles in the draft, which will go to Mursi for approval and then to the plebiscite. It is a gamble based on the Islamists’ belief that they can mobilize voters to win the referendum. They have won all elections held since Hosni Mubarak was toppled last year. But critics say the bid to finish the constitution quickly could make matters worse. The constitution is one of the main reasons the Islamists are at loggerheads with opponents who are boycotting the 100-member constitutional assembly. They say the Islamists have hijacked it to impose their vision of the future. The assembly’s legitimacy has been called into question by a series of court cases demanding its dissolution. Its standing has also suffered from the withdrawal of members including church representatives of the Christian minority and liberals. The Brotherhood argues that approval of the constitution in a referendum
would bury all arguments about both the legality of the assembly and the text it has written in the last six months. Once the assembly backs the draft it will go to Mursi for approval, a step expected at the weekend. He must then call the referendum within 15 days. If Egyptians approve the constitution, legislative powers will pass straight from Mursi to the upper house of parliament, in line with an article in the new constitution, assembly members said. “This is an exit. After the referendum, all previous constitutional decrees, including March 2011’s decree and the current one that created all this political fuss, will fall automatically after 15 days,” Muslim Brotherhood spokesman Mahmoud Ghozlan told Reuters.
WA S H I N G T O N (Reuters) - House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner said there was no progress yesterday in “fiscal cliff” talks with U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner and criticized President Barack Obama and Democrats for failing to “get serious” about including spending cuts in a final deal. Geithner, Obama’s chief negotiator in talks to avert the “fiscal cliff,” held a round of meetings with congressional leaders yesterday but the sessions appeared to move the two sides no closer to a deal to avoid the tax hikes and spending cuts to be triggered on January 1 without an act of Congress. “Based on where we stand today I would say two things. First, despite the claims that the president supports a balanced
U.S. House Speaker John Boehner approach, the Democrats have yet to get serious about real spending cuts,” Boehner, of Ohio, said after the private session with Geithner. “And secondly, no substantive progress has been made in the talks between the White House and the House
over the last two weeks,” he said. Markets dipped briefly into negative territory on Boehner’s comments, continuing what has become a pattern of gyration based on the latest utterance or headline about the outlook for an agreement on the cliff. In the absence of progress, or any realistic understanding as to when or if Republicans and Democrats might avert the cliff or come up with some deficit reduction agreement, prodding is now coming on a regular basis from business leaders as well as Federal Reserve officials. New York Fed President William Dudley and Richard Fisher from the Dallas Fed, highlighted the problems Thursday that U.S. lawmakers are causing for both hiring and the economy with each day they fail to strike a deal to avoid a pending fiscal crisis.
U.S. gives Iran until March to cooperate with IAEA VIENNA (Reuters) - The United States set a March deadline yesterday for Iran to start cooperating in substance with a U.N. nuclear agency investigation, warning Tehran the issue may otherwise be referred to the U.N. Security Council. The comments by U.S. diplomat Robert Wood to the board of the International Atomic Energy Agency signaled Washington’s growing frustration at a lack of progress in the IAEA’s inquiry into possible military dimensions to Tehran’s nuclear program. Iran - which was first reported to the U.N. Security Council over its nuclear program by the IAEA’s 35nation board in 2006 and then was hit by U.N. sanctions rejects suspicions it is on a covert quest for atomic bomb capability. But its refusal to curb nuclear work with both civilian and military applications, and its lack of openness with the IAEA,
Robert Wood have drawn tough Western punitive measures and a threat of pre-emptive military strikes by Israel. A year ago, the IAEA published a report with a trove of intelligence indicating past, and some possibly continuing, research in Iran that could be relevant for nuclear weapons. The IAEA has since tried to gain access to Iranian sites, officials and documents it
says it needs for the inquiry, but so far without any concrete results in a series of meetings with Iran since January. The two sides will meet again in December. In his statement, Wood requested IAEA DirectorGeneral Yukiya Amano to say in his next quarterly report on Iran, likely due in late February, whether Tehran has taken “any substantive steps” to address the agency’s concerns. “If by March Iran has not begun substantive cooperation with the IAEA, the United States will work with other board members to pursue appropriate board action, and would urge the board to consider reporting this lack of progress to the U.N. Security Council,” Wood said, according to a copy of his statement. “Iran cannot be allowed to indefinitely ignore its obligations ... Iran must act now, in substance,” Wood said. Amano earlier told the
board that there had been no progress in his agency’s yearlong push to clarify concerns about suspected atom bomb research in Iran, but said he would continue his efforts. A simple majority in the IAEA board would be required to refer an issue to the U.N. Security Council, which has imposed four sanctions resolutions on Iran since 2006. It is unclear whether Russia and China - which have criticized unilateral Western sanctions on Iran would back any U.S. initiative to report Iran again to the Security Council. Wood later told reporters he hoped the December talks between the IAEA and Iran would be fruitful. But, he added, “I have my doubts about the sincerity of Iran.” The 27-nation European Union told the board that Iran’s “procrastination” was unacceptable. “Iran must act now, in a substantive way, to address the serious and continuing international
Friday November 30, 2012
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Friday November 30, 2012 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) You may be feeling your oats today since your key planet Mars receives a supportive nod from vivacious Venus, inspiring you to express your feelings to someone you like. Others will want to bask in the warmth of your good intentions. TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20) A weight is lifting from your shoulders today and you are eager to express your pleasure to those who will listen. Your key planet Venus is supported by physical Mars today, prompting you to step outside of your comfort zone. GEMINI (May 21–June 20) You are excited to get down to work today, only to discover that you first must redo a task you thought was already completed. Although your curiosity is receiving an energetic boost, you don’t need to take a giant leap forward yet. CANCER (June 21–July 22) You might not be ready to come right out and say what you mean now, but thankfully, your actions can speak louder than any spoken words. Don’t worry about explaining yourself today; just act with decisive clarity, even if you are feeling uncertain.
LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) You’re anything but indecisive about your emotions now. You’re sure about what you want and will do whatever it takes to reach satisfaction. Today’s wonderful state of affairs comes from several supportive aspects to your key planet Venus. SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) When sexy Venus is in your sign, you are even more inclined to delve into the shadows as you seek the magic that often is shrouded in darkness. Today you have a desire to go even deeper, as Venus dances with physical Mars. SAGIT (Nov. 22–Dec. 21) You may feel as if you’re being pulled in opposite directions today as you slide into the unfamiliar realms of your emotions. You’re intuitively guided to leave the world of logic to discover a deeper meaning that words cannot reach. CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) Don’t play the role of a controlling boss today, even if you have the authority to do so. Your recent efforts have clearly made your case and now it’s time to let others integrate your guidance or go forward on their own accord.
LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) Your confidence is strong, and you could inadvertently overwhelm others without even considering the consequences of your actions. You might think everything is copacetic, only to be confused by the unspoken resistance that you now face.
VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) Although you may be dealing with serious issues, you can feel a calming influence now right in the midst of your personal turbulence. Sensual Venus in your hyperactive 3rd house is harmonizing with fiery Mars.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20–Feb. 18)
I t ’s c h a l l e n g i n g t o maintain a peaceful state of mind today, even if most things seem to be running s m o o t h l y. Yo u r c u r r e n t problem may be exacerbated by close friends who could be exerting control over you. PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) Even if you are criticized by your peers today, accept their feedback with a smile. Chances are they are acting out of kindness rather than hostility.
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Friday November 30, 2012
Kaieteur News
Kashif & Shanghai 2012/13 U-13 Chico Inter School Tourney release new Fixtures Due to the withdrawal of Miriam Academy from the Kashif & Shanghai Chico U13 Inter School Football Tournament, St Margaret’s Primary will be participating in the tournament as their replacement. As a consequence changes have been made to the playing fixture of the tournament. Here is the revised fixture: Group “A” Tucville Primary, North Georgetown Primary, Company Road, Grove Primary Group “B” West Ruimveldt, St Margaret’s Primary, BV Quamina Primary, Uitvlugt Primary Day 1: Sat 22nd Dec 2012 15:00 hrs - Company Road Primary vs North Georgetown
Primary 16:00 hrs - Uitvlugt Primary vs West Ruimveldt Primary 17:00 hrs - Grove Primary vs Tucville Primary 18:00 hrs - BV Quamina Primary vs St Margaret’s Primary Day 2: Sun 23rd Dec 2012 15:00 hrs - West Ruimveldt Primary vs BV Quamina Primary 16:00 hrs - North Georgetown Primary vs Grove Primary 17:00 hrs - St Margaret’s Primary vs Uitvlugt Primary 18:00 hrs - Tucville Primary vs Company Road Primary Day 3: Tue 25th Dec 2012 15:00 hrs - Company Road Primary vs Grove Primary 16:00 hrs - BV Quamina
Primary vs Uitvlugt Primary 17:00 hrs - Tucville Primary vs North Georgetown Primary 18:00 hrs - West Ruimveldt Primary vs St Margarets Primary Day 4: Wed 26th Dec 2012 15:00 hrs - 3rd Group “A” vs 4th Group “B” 16:00 hrs - 3rd Group “B” vs 4th Group “A” 17:00 hrs - 1st Group “A” vs 2nd Group “B” 18:00 hrs - 1st Group “B” vs 2nd Group “A” Day 5: Tue 1st Jan 2013 15:00 hrs - Loser of Mt 13 vs 14 – (7th place play off) 16:00 hrs - Winner of Mt 13 vs 14 – (5th place play off) 17:00 hrs - Loser of Mt 15 vs 16 – (3rd place play off) 18:00 hrs - Winner of Mt 15 vs 16 – (FINALS)
All-round New Zealand... From page 35 spinners were on. The breakthrough after lunch came via Todd Astle, who generated good drift with his leg breaks. The one that got Jayawardene was one that drifted away and bounced more, clipping the shoulder of the bat. Suraj Randiv lasted only 11 deliveries, when he edged Trent Boult to second slip. Nuwan Kulasekara joined Mathews to add 46. Astle bowled loopy full tosses, that were clubbed over deep midwicket by Kulasekara and Mathews too used his feet to Patel and smashed a six over long-on.
New Zealand were waiting to get hold of the second new ball to unleash their seamers. They would have been anxious to get quick breakthroughs and avoid a last-minute scramble for wickets, keeping the weather in mind. Poor light had curtailed play in the final session in the first four days, but Sri Lanka couldn’t stick around long enough for any divine intervention. Boult got the breakthrough straight after tea when he had Kulasekara fending to Kane Williamson who took a low catch at gully. Williamson, who plucked a brilliant catch in the same
position on the fourth day, took another stunner when he took one inches off the ground to get rid of Shaminda Eranga. The third umpire studied several replays before giving it out. Boult rounded off the match when he had Mathews edging to Martin Guptill at second slip, giving New Zealand their first Test win in 2012. Scores: New Zealand 412 (Taylor 142, Williamson 135, Herath 6-103) and 194 for 9 dec (Taylor 74) beat Sri Lanka 227 (Samaraweera 76, Mathews 47, Southee 562, Boult 4-42) and 195 (Mathews 84, Southee 3-58, Boult 3-33) by 167 runs.
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Diamond Mineral Water International Indoor Hockey Festival
GCC VETERANS START ON A POSITIVE NOTE
Action in the clash between Old Old Fort and GCC in the Veterans category yesterday. GCC veterans through a brace from Philip Fernandes got off to a positive start in this year’s Diamond Mineral Water International Indoor Hockey Festival when they defeated Old Old Fort 2-1 yesterday, at the National Gymnasium. The Bourda Blues were the first to enter the scoresheet when brothers Alan and Philip Fernandes combined beautifully to give their team the lead. Alan playing on the right
flank delivered an exquisite pass to Philip, who then cracked a powerful shot past Old Old Fort’s Audwin Graham stationed between the uprights. However, Old Old Fort were able to gain the equaliser shortly after through a neat sequence of exchanges between Ivor Thompson and Mark George which culminated with the latter collecting the final pass, before beating the advancing
goalkeeper Dwayne Scott to his left. The half time whistle sounded with no team able to take the ascendancy. On the resumption, both teams produced brilliant passages of play, before Philip Fernandes ended the deadlock with a wonderful piece of mastery after receiving a pass from the back delivered by Alex Fiedtkou. Fernandes collected the
pass, worked his way down the right wing, faked a pass, before lashing home from the tightest of angles past a surprised Graham. Old Old Fort was denied an equaliser shortly after when former USA player Peter Jones made a brilliant stop from a penalty corner with the advancing Scott well beaten. The game ended with no addition to the scores and GCC gaining full points. Results in the other matches will be published in the next issue.
Meanwhile, fixtures for today are as follows: 10:00 hrs- Old Old Fort versus Carib (Veterans) 10:40 hrs- Renegades vs. YMCA (Male) 11:30hrs- Malvern vs. Hikers (Ladies) 12:20 hrs- Carib vs. GCC (Veterans) 13:00 hrs- Malvern vs. Hikers (Veterans) 13:40 hrs- YMCA vs. GCC (Male) 14:30 hrs- Hikers vs. GCC (Ladies) 15:20 hrs- Magnolias vs.
Malvern (Ladies) 16:10 hrs- GCC vs. Fatima (Veterans) 16:50 hrs- Hikers vs. Old Fort (Male) 17:40 hrs- Bokra vs. Toronto Academy (Ladies) 18:30 hrs- Malvern vs.Fatima (Veterans) 20:00 hrs- GCC vs. Old Fort (Male) 20:50 hrs- Toronto vs. Academy GCC (Ladies) 21:40 hrs- Carib vs. Hikers (Veterans) 22:20 hrs- Bokra vs. Magnolias (Ladies)
Durant nets 37 as Thunder blast Rockets in Harden’s return
Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant slides to the floor on a play against the Houston Rockets in the second half of NBA basketball game in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma November 28, 2012. REUTERS/Bill Waugh (Reuters) - Kevin Durant greeted former team mate James Harden with 37 points as the Oklahoma City Thunder blasted Houston Rockets 120-98 on Wednesday to spoil the shooting guard’s return to the Chesapeake Energy Arena. Harden returned to Oklahoma City for the first time since being traded just before the season and it was a forgettable night for him
and the Rockets. Powered by Durant’s hot shooting, the Thunder blew open a close game in the second quarter where they led by 18 before keeping the visiting Rockets at bay. Serge Ibaka backed Durant with 23 and nine rebounds and Oklahoma City raced to their second straight blowout, having destroyed Charlotte 114-69 on Monday. Harden, the Sixth Man of
the Year last season, has emerged as the lead scorer for Houston but struggled against the Thunder making three of 16 shots for 17 points. It had already been a humbling day for the Rockets who earlier attended the funeral of coach Kevin McHale’s daughter who died from an auto-immune disease last week. McHale has been away from the team since November 10.
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Luiz Felipe Scolari returns as Brazil coach for 2014 World Cup BBC Sport - Luiz Felipe Scolari has been appointed as Brazil manager for a second time. The former Chelsea and Portugal boss led Brazil to the 2002 World Cup title in Japan and South Korea. Scolari, 64, replaces Mano Menezes, who was dismissed last week, and will now lead his country into the 2014 World Cup on home soil. Carlos Alberto Parreira has been named as technical director. Scolari’s first game in charge is scheduled to be a friendly away to England in February. Brazil have failed to make it past the quarter-finals of the last two World Cups but Scolari says he is not daunted by the task of preparing his team for a home World Cup. “I’m not feeling under pressure, but very happy,” he said. “When the FA president
our country but worldwide.” Scolari’s first spell in charge started in 2001, when Brazil were struggling in the South American qualifiers. He successfully led the team to Japan and South Korea and eventually to victory in the tournament. “I was under pressure the first time - when we were in danger of not going to the World Cup,” he said. “The players are those who always have pressure over them, I don’t.” The Brazil Football
Luiz Felipe Scolari called me last Tuesday and confirmed that I was the chosen one, I thanked him a thousand times.” The president of the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF), Jose
Maria Marin said: “Our sole commitment is to seek out and offer the best for our football and it is in this vein that we have chosen these two great champions [Scolari and Parreira], respected not just in
Two Guyanese Referees for Caribbean Cup finals - Sherwin Jonson & Venton Mars to officiate
Venton Mars
Sherwin Johnson
Guyanese Referee Sherwin Johnson and Assistant Referee Venton Mars have been selected to officiate at the final of the 2012 edition of the Caribbean Cup football competition organized and sponsored by the Caribbean Football Union that will be contested on Antigua & Barbuda from December 5 – 13. Johnson who hails from the Ancient County of Berbice has been a consistent performer since his ascendancy to the FIFA list, while the East Coast based Mars has been around for sometime on the FIFA list. Johnson will officiate in Pool B of the Group Stage matches that will be played between December 8 – 12 featuring Martinique, Cuba, French Guiana and Jamaica, while Mars will officiate in Pool A of the Group stage matches (Dec. 7 -11) that will showcase Haiti, Tr i n i d a d a n d To b a g o , Dominican Republic and Antigua & Barbuda. This year’s finals includes
all four teams that have won the Caribbean crown, eighttime champion Trinidad & Tobago, Jamaica, 1993 winner Martinique and 2007 champion Haiti. Six of the eight participants have finished in the top four except the Dominican Republic and French Guiana, which is making its first appearance in the finals since 1995. The top two teams in each group will advance to the semifinals and qualify for the Gold Cup. Matches will be played at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium and the Antigua Recreation Ground. The top two nations from each group will advance to the knock-out stage. Referees List: Sherwin Johnson (Guyana), David Rubalcaba (Cuba), Wilson DaCosta (Bahamas), Marcos Despaigne (Cuba), Elmer Bonilla (El Salvador), Sandy Vazquez Vargas (Dominican Republic), Kevin Thomas (Jamaica), Valdin Legister (Jamaica), Enrico Wijngaarde (Suriname), William Anderson (Puerto Rico).
Assistant Referees List: Venton Mars (Guyana), Swason Owen (Cayman Islands), Sean Palmer (Bahamas), Jose Noel Martinez (Cuba), Jairo Morales Garcia (Puerto Rico), Graeme Brown (St. KittsNevis), Kedlee Powell (Jamaica), Ramon Louisville (Suriname), Egbert Paesch (Aruba), Dion Neil (Trinidad & Tobago). Caribbean Cup Finals Schedule (All times U.S. Eastern; local times in parentheses) FIRST ROUND Group A At St. John’s, Antigua Friday, December 7 Haiti vs. Trinidad & Togabo, 5 p.m. (6 p.m.); Antigua & Barbuda vs. Dominican Republic, 7 p.m. (8 p.m.) Sunday, December 9 Dominican Republic vs. Haiti, 4 p.m. (5 p.m.); Antigua & Barbuda vs. Trinidad & Tobago, 6 p.m. (7 p.m.) Tuesday, December 11 Trinidad & Tobago vs. Dominican Republic, 4 p.m. (5 p.m.); Antigua & Barbuda vs. Haiti, 6 p.m. (7 p.m.) Group B At North Sound, Antigua Saturday, December 8 Martinique vs. Cuba, 4 p.m. (5 p.m.); Jamaica vs. French Guiana, 6 p.m. (7 p.m.) Monday, December 10 Cuba vs. French Guyana, 4 p.m. (5 p.m.); Jamaica vs. Martinique, 6 p.m. (7 p.m.) Wednesday, December 11 French Guiana vs. Martinique, 4 p.m. (5 p.m.); Jamaica vs. Cuba, 6 p.m. (7 p.m.)
Federation stated they were looking for “new methods and new planning” when they sacked Menezes last week, just two days after Brazil won the Superclasico de las Americas against Argentina. Brazil’s failure to win gold at London 2012 had put the coach under pressure along with defeat to Paraguay in the last eight of last year’s Copa America. Scolari was without a job since leaving struggling Palmeiras in September. The club were relegated to the
second division of the Brazilian league after his departure. He recently turned down offers to coach Brazilian sides Gremio and Cruzeiro and the Russian national team. Scolari lasted just eight months as manager of Chelsea after joining in July 2008. His appointment as Brazil manager comes two days before the draw for next year’s Confederations Cup, also to be hosted in Brazil, in Sao Paulo.
GCA releases fixtures for competitions this weekend
Action in the Georgetown Cricket Association (GCA) competitions will continue this weekend with several matches. In the Hadi’s World Incorporated - City Mall 1st Division (2-Day) Cricket Competition - Saturday 1st & Sunday 2nd December, 2012 starting 09:30hrs: G.C.C vs Everest CC at Bourda - Umpires: Colin Alfred & Montgomery Chester D.C.C vs Police SC at Queenstown - Umpires: Shannon Crawford & Hortence Isaacs Transport SC vs G.Y.O at Camp Road - : Eddie Nicholls & Cyril Garnath G.N.I.C vs Malteenoes SC at Eve - Umpires: Mario Nichols & Nandkumar Shivsankar In the Noble House Seafoods 2nd Division
(2-Day) Competition ZONE-A Saturday 1st & Sunday 2nd December, 2012 starting at 10:30hrs: G.N.I.C vs Transport SC at G.N.I.C Umpires: Linden Matthew & Jogeshwar Goberdan Police S.C vs Vikings C.C at Y.M.C.A Umpires: Randolph Rose & Heuvel Cunha ZONE-B M.Y.O vs U.G at M.Y.O - Umpires: Clyde Layne & Khemraj Sukhdeo Malteenoes SC vs G.D.F at Turkeyen Umpires: Joseph Jeffrey & Daniel Richmond G.C.C vs G.Y.O at G.Y.O - Umpires: Zaheer Mohamed & Nolan Hawke
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Flex Night Inc. produces first Magazine ‘Celebrating the human body’
Staffers from Guyenterprise admire the production A new publication Flex Night – the magazine will be on local newsstands within the next few days. The full-colour, glossy publication is a first for Flex Night Incorporated which had, in the month of June, launched the Flex News newsletter.
This successor edition will be an annual publication offering a wealth of information relating to nutrition, fitness and exercise, personal hygiene, as well as the latest news from gyms and bodybuilding personalities both in Guyana and in the diaspora.
The wide range of articles covered in this first edition is a strategic editorial policy to target as wide a readership as possible. Committed as they are to propagating the message of the importance of the pursuit of the health and fitness lifestyle, the Editorial team has pitched the articles to appeal to all demographics at home and abroad. The magazine, tagged as ‘Celebrating the human body,’ will be formally launched next Friday in the Demerara Mutual Conference Room at a special Welcome cocktail in honour of the Flex Night International participants travelling from Brazil and Suriname. That event is hosted by Flex Night Incorporated and sponsored by Spice Garden Poolside Restaurant and Bar. The magazine boasts an unusual and creative cover design that combines the theme of night with a silhouetted female form that expresses the idea of the beauty of the human body. The magazine is being retailed at $1000.
Friday November 30, 2012
Serena Williams named WTA Player of the Year
Serena Williams of the U.S. celebrates with the trophy after her victory against Russia’s Maria Sharapova after their final WTA tennis championships match in Istanbul, October 28, 2012. REUTERS/Osman Orsal LONDON (Reuters) American Serena Williams has been named WTA Player of the Year after one of the most successful seasons in her career. The 31-year-old won Wimbledon and the U.S. Open to take her grand-slam haul in singles to 15 while she
also won Olympic gold in singles and doubles in London. After a relatively slow start to the year, Williams was virtually unstoppable from April to October when she won 48 of her 50 matches, culminating in the title at the WTA Championships in
Istanbul. Williams, who ended the year No.3 in the rankings but clearly the outstanding player, has now won the WTA award four times, having also taken it in 2002, 2008 and 2009. The award is voted for by international tennis media.
Back-tracking Valcke tries to smooth over relations with Brazil SAO PAULO, Brazil (AFP) — FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke, who last spring caused a stir by saying Brazil needed a “kick up the backside” to ensure the 2014 World Cup goes off on schedule, offered praise Wednesday as he visited the new stadium in Sao Paulo. Valcke led a delegation as well as 2014 ambassadors and former Brazil stars Ronaldo and Bebeto to the stadium on the eastern side of the Sao Paulo megalopolis and pronounced himself impressed. “We have been very impressed in terms of urban mobility — we took the train to the centre and got there in 19 minutes,” said Valcke, who has been keen to smooth over relations with the Brazilians in recent months since his original criticisms caused a stir. Earlier, addressing the Soccerex football finance and business convention in Rio he had spoken of the need for the organisers and FIFA to work together as partners in ensuring the World Cup is a success as the country races to get venues ready on time. “We have devised a way to work together — we are not going to fight anymore,” said Valcke, who on Monday
Jerome Valcke
had noted there was still “work to do” as the tournament draws ever closer. He raised a cheer as he and organisers revealed that more than 2,000 workers who had been involved in construction of the stadium which will ultimately be used by Corinthians club will each receive two free tickets to a World Cup match. Next June’s Confederations Cup, using just six venues involving eight nations including world champions Spain, Italy and Asian champions Japan — as well as Brazil — will act as a dry run for 2014. Sao Paulo suffers from regular massive traffic bottlenecks but has been upgrading its public transport in view of the World Cup and
the new stadium will host the opening match. When the new venue is ready — it will not be in time for next June’s tournament — the ground will have a 65,000 capacity. At present, the main structure is not far off complete but the roof still has to be put on. Bebeto and Ronaldo, in their capacity as ambassadors for the Local Organising Committee, both said they were proud to see how the work was coming on as Brazil looks to prove to the outside world that it can stage major events. “We are very proud,” said Bebeto, sporting a mauve jacket and tie, while a jeansclad Ronaldo noted that “this is a very important sporting project — but an even more so on a social level.”
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Young Warriors CC congratulates Banks DIH Berbice basketball tournament starts Sunday young Shimron Hetmyer The Young Warriors Cricket Club of Cumberland Village, East Canje, Berbice is extending congratulation to the young and talented batsman Shimron Hetmyer for making the Berbice Senior T20 team to participate in the upcoming tournament. A release stated that, “The Club is very proud of his achievements over the years. Anil Beharry, Secretary/Treasurer of the Club said that Shimron’s ability was spotted since the tender age of 7 when he followed his elder brother, Seon to the cricket ground in the afternoons. Beharry added that this young talent is not even 16 years as yet and has done extremely well at all levels he plays. Only last Wednesday he scored a magnificent century in a specially
Shimron Hetmyer arranged under-21 game between Berbice Cricket Board and Georgetown Cricket Association which Berbice won.” “He participated in the 2012 Regional Under-19 Cricket Competition and scored a hundred and was one of the leading run scorers for Guyana. He scored big first division hundreds recently against very strong
bowling attacks such as Albion Cricket Club and West Berbice.” “The Club would like to wish him well in his career and we are very confident that if he stays focus, discipline and fit, he will reach the West Indies level in the near future. As a Club, we will continue to support and pray for him as we do for all our players. We will make sure too that with support from his parents that he do well in education as he prepares for the 2013 CSEC.” “We also take this opportunity to wish Richard Ramdeen and the returning Gajanand Singh success. The YWCC recognises the progress of another young and talented cricketer, Gudakesh Motie- Khan and wish him great success. We also extend best wishes to the Berbice team.”
WICB provides Windies Blind Cricket Team with playing kit ST. JOHN’S, Antigua – The West Indies Cricket Board has provided full playing kit for the West Indies Blind Cricket Team for their participation in the inaugural Twenty20 World Cup for the Blind. The team departed the Caribbean Wednesday, November 28th for the tournament which will be played in Bangalore, India from December 1st to 14th. WICB has also provided the touring party with a
monetary contribution for the purposes of helping to off-set tour expenses. “We are pleased to be supporting the West Indies Blind Team as they fly the Windies flag at this world tournament. We wish them the very best as they prepare for the tournament and trust that they will be able to emulate the West Indies team in the ICC World Twenty20 Tournament and bring the trophy back to the Caribbean,” WICB President
Dr. Julian Hunte said. “This initiative is part of our ongoing commitment towards lending support to the development and promotion of blind cricket in the Caribbean,” Dr. Hunte added. “We are thankful for the assistance of the WICB as it has aided significantly in ensuring that the team participates in this critical world tournament,” said secretary of the West Indies Cricket Council for the Blind.
Taffin Khan battles from behind to retain National senior chess c/ship
Taffin Khan
Shiv Nandalall
Taffin Khan started the final day trailing behind Shiv Nandalall and Loris Nathoo but by the end of the day had amassed 6 points to reclaim his title when action in the final day of the National senior chess champion concluded at the Ocean Spray Hotel, Stanley Place Kitty Sunday, November 25 last. Shiv Nandalall and Loris Nathoo both scored 5 ½ points apiece but it was
Nandalall who benefitted from the tie breaker system with Nathoo closing off the podium spots. Maria Thomas, the lone female player, placed fourth. Khan’s victory was marred by two drawn decisions; to Nathoo earlier in the tournament and Nandalall on the final day. Thomas and Nandalall started the final day jointly leading the tournament until
Thomas suffered three straight losses to Nandalall, Khan and Nathoo significantly reducing her chances of winning the accolade. Nandalall also started the final day within the top three but committed a huge blunder in his fifth round game against Craig Sylvester. The wily Sylvester launched a stiff attack on Nandalall’s king, forcing checkmate. Nandalall’s reduced score made his chances of winning the title more difficult.The other players involved in the tournament were Frankie Farley, Glenford Corlette and Kriskal Persaud. The tournament was contested in a round robin format. Meanwhile, the players will convene this evening at Olympic House, High Street, Kingston for the prize giving ceremony.
Basketball players in Berbice will soon have an opportunity to show off their skill when the Corentyne All Stars Sports Club organise a round robin inter club basketball competition for clubs in the East Berbice area. Five clubs are listed to participate in the competition which will be played in various parts of the county. The clubs expected to participate are Central New Amsterdam, Smythfield, Jammers basketball Club of Corentyne, Fyrish and Rose Hall Town. The fixtures has been released for the first round of matches and will see the
competition bouncing off on Sunday, December 2 with Jammers taking on Rose Hall Town at the Rose Hall Town hard court. Two matches will be played on Sunday, December 9, which will see Smythfield and Central New Amsterdam tangling at the New Amsterdam basketball court and Fyrish matching skills with Rose Hall Jammers at the Fyrish Hard Court. The competition will continue on Sunday 16 th December with two more matches with Central New Amsterdam clashing with Fyrish at Fyrish and
Smythfield taking on Jammers at New Amsterdam. The top four teams will then advance to the semifinals which will see the team with the most points taking on the team third in the points standing and the second and fourth placed teams clashing for a spot in the final and the third place play off. All matches will bounce off at 16:00 hrs. The dates for the semifinal and final will be announced shortly. The top four teams will all be presented with cash and trophies; while there will also be prizes for outstanding individual participants. The coordinator is Vibert Garrett.
Morgan hat-trick leads U.S. women in rout over Ireland (Reuters) - Alex Morgan’s first-half hattrick proved she has not lost her scoring touch as the United States women’s soccer team blanked Ireland 5-0 in an international friendly on Wednesday. Morgan, who netted a game-winning Olympic semi-final goal last summer when the U.S. took gold, showed little rust as she wowed the crowd in Portland, Oregon.
“We’ve been waiting and itching to get out there on the field, I think (this) showed that we wanted to get out there and play,” Morgan told reporters. “I just wanted to keep taking shots and they kept going my way.” Sydney Leroux completed the rout by scoring twice in the second half to give a perfect start to new coach Tom Sermanni’s tenure.
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Friday November 30, 2012
Ricky Ponting retires from international cricket BBC Sport - Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting has announced he will retire from international cricket at the end of the third Test against South Africa. The 37-year-old, who is the second highest run scorer in Test history behind Sachin Tendulkar, will play his 168th Test in Perth on Friday. “I haven’t been performing consistently over the last 12 to 18 months,” he said. “I believe now is the right time. “This is a decision not made
by the selectors, it was made by me.” Ponting has scored 13,366 runs at an average of 52.21 in his career, but he has struggled for form in the current series with South Africa. He scored just 20 runs in the two drawn Test matches and, despite receiving the support of coach Mickey Arthur, he decided to make way. The Tasmanian admitted his recent poor form had prompted the decision to call
time on an international career that began in 1995. “It’s a decision I thought long and hard about. It was based on my output and my results in this series so far. It hasn’t been what I expect of myself and certainly not the level required of a batsman in the Australia team,” he said. “I’ve said all along that I would continue to play as long as I could continue to make a contribution to wins, and I think over the last couple of weeks my performance has not been good enough to do that. “I’ve given cricket my all, it’s been my life for 20 years, there’s not much more I can give.” Ponting made the announcement at a news conference at the Waca in Perth, flanked by his wife Rianna, daughters Emmy and Mattise and every member of the Australia team. The series is level at 0-0 going into the third and final Test, and Ponting is determined to end his international career with a 109th Test victory to return Australia to the top of the Test rankings. “I’ve prepared this week and I’m hungrier than ever. I want this win more than any game I’ve ever played in,” he said. “If that happened and we get back to the top of the tree and number one in the world then there’s no better time to finish.” Australia captain Michael Clarke was close to tears as he paid tribute to his predecessor, who stepped down from the Test captaincy last year and retired from oneday cricket in February, “The boys are obviously hurting at the moment. He’s been an amazing player for a long time,” Clarke said. Prime Minister Julia Gillard thanked Ponting in the Parliament of Australia for his contribution to international cricket, and wished him well in his retirement. “It means that he is going into the next phase of his life with a lot of gratitude and a lots of thanks from the Australian community - full as it is with cricket tragics,” she said at question time on Thursday. Former Australia opener Justin Langer believes Ponting, who will equal Steve Waugh’s Australian record of 168 Tests at the Waca on Friday, will be remembered as one of the greats of the game.
“His humility, loyalty, passion for the game and for people is quite extraordinary. He will leave the game sadly, but as one of its greatest ever players and one of its greatest people,” he told BBC Radio 5 live Breakfast. Langer feels that Ponting never got the credit he deserved in England, but hopes his retirement will prompt a reassessment by England supporters. “It used to make me sick when the great Ricky Ponting walked out onto the ground and England fans booed him. I never quite got that,” he said. “It was disrespectful and hard to stomach, but I am sure that he will be admired in England now that he has retired. He will leave the game as a legend.” Ponting took over the one-day captaincy in 2002 and replaced Steve Waugh as Test captain in 2004. He went on to become Australia’s most successful skipper with 48 Test wins. After defeat in the 2005 Ashes series in England, Ponting led Australia to a 5-0 whitewash in the return series in 2007, topping the run charts with 576 runs at an average of 82.28. Two more Ashes defeats followed in 2009 and 2010-11, and Ponting gave up the Australian captaincy after a World Cup quarter-final defeat to India in March 2011. In the one-day game, Ponting guided Australia to back-to-back World Cup titles in 2003 and 2007, having won the trophy as a player in 1999. Ponting plans to continue playing for Tasmania in the Sheffield Shield competition and the Hobart Hurricanes in the Big Bash League, and will play for the Prime Minister’s XI against Sri Lanka later in the summer. The Australian press was unanimous in its praise.
GCB Inter County T20 rained out The first round of matches of the Guyana Cricket Board senior Inter County T/20 competition which were scheduled for the Everest ground yesterday were rained out. The officials are hopeful to have games on the weekend as they look to meet the WICB deadline to name a squad for the Regional T20 competition.
Friday November 30, 2012
Kaieteur News
Page 35
Amy, Sarah and Naomi want to represent Guyana at the Olympics Amy Grant, Sarah King and Naomi King’s goal is to one day represent Guyana at the Olympic Games, these swimmers represented District 11 North Georgetown at the recently concluded National Schools Swimming Championships where they performed creditably. Ten year old Amy Grant who attends Mae’s won Gold in the 50 meters Girls U-12 Backstroke, while Sarah King copped the 50 meters Girls U12 Freestyle title and Naomi won the Girls 50 meters under-10 Freestyle and Backstroke events. Grant, who is a member of the Silver Shark Swim Club and started competitive swimming as a 9 year old, told Kaieteur sport she still manages to train although she attends extra lessons after school. “I do not have a training schedule so I train during my spare time, when I
was younger I used to play in the water a lot and developed a love for the sport”. “My parents encouraged me to take swimming seriously and I am working very hard to bring glory to my country. I did not get an opportunity to compete in the recent Goodwill Championship due to my illness which also affected my training”. Grant represented her club earlier in 2012 where she won the 50 meters Backstroke and Freestyle in the 9-10 year category. She also took part in the Mash Meet competition where she broke the record in the 50 meters Free Style, which was held by Ashanti Nichols for 17 years. Grant will celebrate her 11th birthday on December 19th. Sarah, who attends St. Roses High School, represented Guyana at the recent Goodwill
Championship and train 2 times a week. “I take my studies as well as swimming seriously and I am working very hard to realise my dream.” Sarah a member of the Dorado Swim Speed Club also won the Girls U-10 50 meters Free Style and Back Stroke in 2010 schools championship. Nine year old Naomi who attends St. Margret’s Primary and is also a member of the Dorado Speed Swim Club, said she started to swim since she was 6 and train 2 times a week. She stated that because her elder sister got involved in the sport she wanted to do so as well. “My grandmother always encouraged us to take it seriously, I am focused on achieving my goal and want to create history in the sport and I know for that to be achieved I have to work hard for which I am prepared”.
All-round New Zealand level series with big win
Cricinfo - New Zealand shrugged off five consecutive defeats with one of their most memorable victories in recent times, squaring the two-Test series with a 167-win at the P Sara Oval. Hammered in under three days in Galle, New Zealand stretched the hosts in Colombo by holding the edge over all five days and rounded things off just after tea, despite a resilient 84 by Angelo Mathews. It was New Zealand’s first Test win in Sri Lanka since 1998, and in a remarkable coincidence, that victory at the R Premadasa Stadium was also by the same margin. This win drew parallels with their inspiring win at Hobart a year ago. On both occasions, New Zealand were hammered in the first Test, but stunned the hosts by showing the resolve to fight back. While the Hobart Test was anybody’s game till the final moments, this Test was dominated by the visitors and coming into the final day, the only realistic outcomes were a New Zealand win and a draw. New Zealand’s penetrative seam attack one of the positives to come out of an otherwise horror of a year - set it up by getting the top four the previous evening. The twin failures of the top order were responsible for Sri Lanka’s struggle through the Test. It meant that Sri Lanka were left with only one option to play for a draw. They had to derive inspiration from Faf du Plessis’ marathon effort at the Adelaide Oval earlier this week to deny Australia. Mathews was the only batsman who looked like emulating du Plessis, but lacked support to help him last the distance. Thilan Samaraweera’s early departure, due to a communication breakdown early in the morning, only made the task tougher for Mathews. Dropping the ball towards short cover, Samaraweera set off for a non-existent single and was three-fourths down the pitch but Mathews wasn’t interested. Jeetan Patel threw the ball to the wicketkeeper, who broke the stumps before a deflated Samaraweera could make his ground. The wicket put Mathews’ survival skills to test. With the seamers swinging it towards the pads, the captain Ross Taylor set unconventional fields for Mathews, placing a
Angelo Mathews made a resilient 84 but ran out of partners © Associated Press silly mid-on and two fielders close at short midwicket on one occasion. Only five boundaries were scored in the morning session, with the focus more on wearing the bowlers down. The afternoon session was dominated by spin, with a spinner operating from one end for the entire duration. Tim Southee bowled round the wicket with a packed on side field, with a short leg, backward short leg and short square leg to create some opportunities. Doug Bracewell, for a short period, bowled short of a length to Mathews with the wicketkeeper up to the stumps. The Prasanna Jayawardene-Mathews stand frustrated New Zealand for 35.3 overs. New Zealand tried hard to create chances, placing fielders around the batsman when the (Continued on page 29)
Amy Grant, Sarah King and Naomi King take time out for a photo.
t r o Sp
Local amateurs set to battle Trinidadian counterparts at CASH tonight Azore and Austin to clash for Welterweight crown in main bout
Ready to go! Local fighters from left Stephan Gouveia, Eon Bancroft, Dennis Thomas and Imran Khan.
We are here! The Trinidadians from left Matthew Alexander, Declan Calliste and Leon Nottingham By Zaheer Mohamed Guyanese Boxing fans will be in for a treat when several local amateur boxers go head to head against their counterparts from Trinidad and Tobago tonight when the 26th edition of Fight Night Guyana gets underway at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall from 08:00 hours. Speaking at yesterday’s press conference at NCN studio, President of the Guyana Amateur Boxing Association, Steve Ninvalle welcomed the Trinidadians and said the locals are well prepared for their fights. He informed that this is part of a four year developmental plan. He stated that they are currently speaking to officials from Barbados and Jamaica for similar cards to be held. President of the Guyana Boxing Board of Control Peter Abdool said this card will give an indication of where the fighters are in preparation for the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. Manager of the Trinidad and Tobago team Willie Williams stated that his fighters are well prepared for their engagements and are eager to do well. He also stated that the both countries will benefit since they are breaking the monotony of fighting among themselves. He also predicted victory for his fighters. Apart from the Amateur fights there will also be four Professional bouts. In the Amateur category Middleweight Dennis Thomas (GUY) will tackle Declan Calliste (T&T), Lightweight Stephon Gouveia (GUY) will clash with Michael Alexander (T &T) and Welterweight Eon Bancroft (GUY) will face off with Leon
Nottingham (T&T). Meanwhile, Bantamweight David Gonsalves of the Twin Island Republic did not made the trip for his clash with local fighter Imran Khan. Abdool however stated that Khan will not be left out of the card for they are currently negotiating for his opponent. The main event of the evening promises to be an exciting contest between Iwan Azore and Mark Austin, the two will battle for the Welterweight title of Guyana in a twelve round affair. In the other bouts Kishawn Simon will face Patrick Boston in the Catchweight division which is expected to last for six rounds, while Gladwin Dorway will come up against Cassius Matthews in the Junior Welterweight class in another six round affair. The lone Featherweight fight on the card which is also a six round contest will see Richard Williamson and Rudolph Fraser matching gloves. While the fighters from Trinidad and Tobago said they will do most of the talking in the ring, the locals were excited about the contest. Stephan Gouveia, who was on the receiving end when he fought Michael Alexander recently in Trinidad, said he will turn the tables around, “I wasn’t pleased with the result, I did well enough to win but they judges ruled in favour of Alexander. I will be victorious this time around.” Alexander in response said the decision was not his. Meanwhile, Welterweight fighter Matthews said he is well prepared for his fight and urged the public to support the card which is being sponsored by Digicel, Stag and NCN. Admission is $1,000.
GCC Veterans start on a positive note Printed and published by National Media & Publishing Company Limited, 24 Saffon St.Charlestown, Georgetown.Tel: 225-8465, 225-8491 or Fax: 225-8473/ 226-8210